NEWS
THE MATADOR
Choreo dances its way through new competition
Photo courtesy of Catherine Bocanegra
L a u re n K a k a z u The San Gabriel High School Choreo Dance team left Sierra Vista High School in good spirits after placing first at the SHARP Dance Competition on Dec. 15. After their performance at the homecoming rally on Oct. 14, Choreo coach Rosalee Cabral signed up Choreo to compete in the Sr. Pom category at the SHARP Dance competition. This was not the first SHARP competition that the dance team ever competed at, but this one proved to be different than the previous competitions. “It was our first time competing in a pom category,” senior Choreo member Crystal Tang said. “Most of the competitions we compete at, we compete in the hip hop category or a prop category. We had to focus more on technique and sharpness and hitting the moves with poms, which we have never done before … but overall it was a great experience.” Choreo competed against another school, Bell Gardens High School. “[The hardest part was] keeping the energy up, keeping [our] spirits up, and
The San Gabriel High School Choreo Dance team placed first at the SHARP Dance Competition with a score of 93.25. This year, they competed in the pom category rather the hip hop or prop categories.
seeing how the other teams are and pushing yourself to do better,” Choreo captain Tiffany Heng said. For many of the Choreo members, like junior Shannon Hang, this was their first time competing in a dance competition. “It was really exciting and nervewracking,” Hang said. “I was really scared but when I got onto the floor I [thought] ‘Oh, let’s just do it.’” After they competed, 10 Choreo members took the opportunity to compete in the Special Events. Every member who competed in a Special Event earned spirit points, which added to the team’s total score. The members competed in categories, such as highest kicks, best turns, best toe touches, best turns and best leaps. Junior and Choreo member Amber Dykeman competed for best turns. “I felt like I would do well in turns and I also thought it would be fun to participate,” Choreo member Dykeman said. At the end of the Special Events, awards were given out to the first place winners in all of the categories. The Choreo Dance Team won Sr. Pom with a score of 93.25.
TUESDAY, DECEMBER 17, 2013
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Viewpoints vary as Unz proposes to increase California’s minimum wage increase in minimum wage. The business owners are going to have to increase the Attempting to make California the state prices of what [they] charge.” with the highest minimum wage, millionaire Concurrent with government actions, Ron Unz proposed to increase minimum is the U.S. fast food workers’ nationwide wage from $8 an hour to $10 an hour in 2015 protests over low wages. Employees and $12 in 2016. working on a living of minimum wage Unz plans to pour his own money into the gathered outside several fast food chains measure, according to the New York Times. and retail stores in their respective areas. This leaves it up to California residents to Some strikers demanded their pay to be as vote whether or not to increase the minimum high as $15 an hour. wage, requiring 750,000 “I’d say $15 an hour is signatures to get the too much of a spike in proposal on the ballot. wages. If anything, I At $7.25, the current think $12-13 an hour federal minimum is reasonable,” Pham wage is 75 cents less said. “If the minimum than California’s. wage at fast food President Barack Obama restaurants were attempted to add into the t o i n c re a s e b y policy agenda a rising of that much, I feel the federal minimum wage t o that the younger $9 an hour, but Congress did generations will feel not adequately support his less of a need to get calling. a good education.” Illustration by Erin Truong “The amount of work that From an employee most minimum wage jobs require is standpoint, the increase in nowhere equivalent to the pay,” senior minimum wage might ease the worker’s Krystalynna Pham said. “From working a struggle but cause businesses and the few jobs, I’ve noticed that my coworkers economy to take a toll. Critics argue that are either college students or parents. The fewer jobs will be available, especially increase in minimum wage will provide because small businesses will face financial more for families who really need it.” challenges. Also, employee benefits will California governor Jerry Brown decrease because certain cuts must be made previously “signed legislation to increase in place of the higher pay. the minimum wage to $10 an hour in 2016,” “[For] the person who’s working, they as stated in New York Times; however, the get a little more money in [their] pocket,” California Chamber of Commerce believed Gin said. “But what’s the use of having an the bill would raise unemployment rate and increase in minimum wage if you don’t put the state’s economic recovery at risk. have a job? Businesses won’t hire as many “The only bad thing of increasing people.” minimum wage is you’re going to increase Unz’s proffer might cause conflicts the prices,” history teacher Raymond Gin between the employee and business, but the said. “When you increase the prices, you’re decision is up to California residents when going to have this little arms race of the citizens vote on the ballot in 2014. Mimi Lam
Multicultural Dance Club performs for elderly people I l e a n a P e re z The Matador Multicultural Dance Club (MMDC) will be performing at a convalescent home in the city of El Monte during the first week of January. MMDC started at the beginning of the school year to teach and inform people about different cultural and dance techniques around the world. The club combines culture and dance with services around the community. MMDC will be presenting a traditional Hawaiian dance routine known as a
Polynesian dance, which involves rhythmic slow movements of the hips to a graceful song. The club will be dancing to a song called “Hanalei Moon.” MMDC’s president Trista Rios chose this dance because the club seemed satisfied and content with it; it was also not one of the dances the club had previously danced to. “I thought that doing something like this for the winter season would be a good idea,” Rios said. The club has been practicing every Tuesday during lunch and is planning to meet up during the break as they try
to maintain a strict and productive work schedule. MMDC selected the convalescent home as their performance location because the club wanted to go and meet the people there, since they might enjoy a show especially during the holiday season. “We thought that it would be nice to just go and visit, “ Rios said. “Nobody wants to spend the Christmas season alone.” MMDC hopes that they will be able to raise the holiday spirit in the convalescent home and continue to develop their skills.
Gardening Club creates funds through garden enterprise time and effort needed to clear up the dirt Jennifer Thai and begin seeding. Through this working experience, The Gardening Club, meeting every Wednesday after school and Saturday at students learn the process of gardening as well as business: the planting creating products grounds in and later selling front of the them. B building, “Our goal is to plans to create a substantial beautify the business to help school as create funds for well as gain San Gabriel,” senior business Brandon Ascencio experience said. by selling The Gardening plants. T h e Photo by Derek Deng project supervisor club aims Seniors Dat Le and Oscar Munoz helped with the Jesse Chang works for Kingdom to grow and digging and planting at the B building garden. Causes, under the sell their plants by January. Through their garden Neighborhood Gardens initiative which near the B building, its members plan aims to increase community engagement to grow various types of plants such as and health through school and community Mediterranean herbs and lavender. They gardens. Although he has already worked hope to finish in January, considering the with three other schools in the Alhambra
Unified School District, this project at San Gabriel High School is his first to create a business enterprise as well as being his largest scale project --almost a quarter of an acre. “Gardens can connect a community in creative and multifaceted ways,” Chang said. “My vision for this garden is an ongoing business and something the whole school can utilize and enjoy.” Working from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturdays and after school on Wednesdays, the club members show dedication as they clear roots and plant. “I believe that it [the garden] will grow and have more people come to help this project and group will expand,” senior Frankie Zhang said. The club is preparing for their ribbon cutting ceremony anticipated to be in January. “I am excited to see the final product of the garden,” junior Sabina Ma said, “It would help San Gabriel look a little bit nicer.” Beautifying the school, the Gardening Club seeks to change the school in their own unique way.
Photo by Derek Deng
The Matador Multicultural Dance Club rehearsed its Polynesian dance performance, which will take place at a convalescent home in El Monte.
Student journalists learn about privilege, oppression
Photo by Jennifer Kim
“Take two steps back if you’ve ever been stopped by a cop because of your race,” youth and community coordinator Mike Rabaja Pedro said. A few shy scuffles back, and then silence again. “Now take a step forward if you ever received educational assistance, like an SAT course or any sort of after school program.” A few unsure steps forward. “Now look around you; what do you all see in terms of privilege and where you all stand as a group?” To read more, go to thematadorsghs.com