THE
hoofprint
www.whshoofprint.com VOLUME 46, ISSUE 3 Dec. 18, 2013
“This dance, ‘Women Empowerment,’ talks more about how we women have power and strength to overcome our fears. Compared to other dances, it’s faster. It has a different emotion and different elements, and it forces us away from our comfort zone; it’s not like what we usually dance to. It brings a new perspective to dance.” Jarita Lee, 12 PHOTO BY ANOTHY ZHANG
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table of contents
table of contents
opinion
news
3
Students give back through involvement in volunteer clubs on campus.
feature
9
Get ready for the Holidays with a show of school spirit!
6
classroom etiquette
arts
Grade boosts are intended to assist student’s grades, but it also has a down side.
in-depth
editorial
14
scene
Choir held its annual Winter Concert from Dec. 12-13.
sports
10 16 18 What do students think about volunteering?
Candee treats hearself to a Taiwanese breakfast.
Varsity Boys‘ Basketball wraps up its second tournament.
MISSION STATEMENT
We, the Hoofprint staff, strive to inform the student body in an accurate, timely and objective manner. While we take responsibility for the legitimacy of our reporting, we also recognize the freedom of the press and speech given to us under California Education Code 48907. We seek to reflect the diversity of the school and to be an open forum that encourages student expression and discussion. Through our coverage, we hope to represent the distinct character of the Walnut community.
STAFF
Staff Writers: Andraes Arteaga, Jezebel Cardenas, Anabelle Chang, Crystal Chang, Emily Chen, Cherie Chu, Samantha Gomes, Kent Hsieh, Caroline Huang, Michael Hyun, Sajid Iqbal, Daniela Kim, Austin Lam, Jessica Lee, Doris Li, Serena Lin, Susan Lin, Aurora Ling, Elaine Liu, Sarah Liu, Cynthia Lu, Jason Luna, Gabrielle Manuit, Ashlyn Montoya, Eunice Pang, Nikita Patel, Joshua Shen, Lisa Shen, Caroline Shih, Deanna Trang, Terrence Tsou, Morgan Valdez, Sabrina Wan, Alexa Wong, Bryan Wong, Brian Wu, Kevin Wu, Aaron Yong, Yolanda Yu, Anthony Zhang, Laura Zhang, Maxwell Zhu Print Editors-in-Chief: Jessica Wang, Candee Yuan Online Editor-in-Chief: Alvin Wan Managing Editors: Janzen Alejo, Tiffany Diep Copy Editor: Nathan Au-Yeung News Editors: Alison Chang, Michelle Chang Opinion Editors: Jackson Deng, Spencer Wu Feature Editors: Brandon Ng, Jessica You In-Depth Editor: Mary Zhang Arts Editors: Chantel Chan, Ashley Xu
Reviews Editor: Megan Wu Sports Editors: Bryan Wong, Ted Zhu Business Managers: Janzen Alejo, Tiffany Diep, Jefferey Huang Photo Editor: Belle Sun Tech Team Leader: Jackie Sotoodeh Tech Team Editors: Anita Chuen, Derek Wan Adviser: Rebecca Chai
The teacher-student dynamic varies from classroom to classroom. Some teachers are known for their easygoing interactions with their students and are sometimes even regarded as admired, older peers. Others run their classes strictly, permitting not a toe out of line when it comes to respect. Most fall in between these two sides of the spectrum. However a classroom is run, it is imperative that we, as students, help maintain that balance of formality and recognize the line between having fun and being disrespectful. Although that line may sometimes be difficult to define, general rules that have been repeated time and time again include paying attention when the teacher is speaking, asking for permission to get up to move, and providing an answer when a question is asked. Still, depending on how comfortable the atmosphere of a classroom is, or how willing students are to cooperate, these rules are often disregarded. Whether or not we do this intentionally, we decrease classroom efficiency, and more importantly, neglect our basic duties as students. Each class is a unique blend of personalities that often defines the level of classroom participation. Sometimes, we are afraid to speak for fear of being wrong in front of our classmates. What results is an ineffective discussion, marked by long moments of silence. Although easier said than done, it is necessary to put aside that fear for the sake of receiving a fuller learning experience by hearing the insight of your peers’ thoughts. Part of the reason teachers encourage us as students to actively participate in class is so that we can become more confident in ourselves. Apathy and unruliness are both the result of a variety of factors, which include lack of sleep and lack of interest. But it is important to remember that a student’s attitude toward the teacher and the subject material is also easily influenced by the teacher’s attitude toward both the students and the subject material. Respect is a two-way street in the classroom. Students must be mindful of classroom behavior in order to reduce miscommunication and maximize instruction time. No matter how comfortable some of us are around certain teachers, it should not affect whether or not we have manners in the classroom. We must realize that on top of being beneficial to our own growth, participating in the classroom is a basic respect. After all, it isn’t just about respecting our teachers; it’s about respecting our peers and pitching in to a positive classroom experience for them as well. Ω
CONTACT
Business Information For all ad and business inquiries, please email whshoofprint.business@gmail.com. Walnut High School 400 N. Pierre Rd. Walnut, CA 91789 (909) 594-1333 Extension 34251
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december 18, 2013
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news
opinion feature in-depth arts scene sports
Walnut High School:
The gift of giving back Whether it’s driving to a church to distribute clothing, donating canned food to disaster victims, or tutoring someone, volunteering is an integral part of many students’ lives. With countless opportunities to get involved both on and off campus, there are more ways than ever to help the community and campus. In this issue’s Investigative Report, the Hoofprint examines ways that students give back, as well as the clubs that enable them to do so.
This Investigative Report uncovers the volunteer opportunities our students take up through different school programs and service clubs, such as Interact and Key Club. Compiled by: Alison Chang, Michelle Chang, Alvin Wan, Jessica Wang and Candee Yuan
Frequency: Hours Every Week 22%
50%
22%
6%
of WHS students don’t volunteer every week.
of WHS students volunteer once a week.
of WHS students volunteer twice a week.
of WHS students volunteer three or more times a week.
A Breakdown of Volunteer Clubs Categories
National Honor Society
Key Club
Interact
Leo Club
President Timothy Lee, 12
Cabinet member Leanna Guce, 12
Cabinet member Alec Lau, 11
President Rachelle Chaturabal, 11
Members must obtain 25 points per semester. Two hard, two medium, and two easy events are required. They sign up for events through their group leaders.
There is a 15 point requirement each semester. To sign up for an event, they contact their group leaders through email or at the weekly meetings.
Thirty points are required by the end of the year. Members sign up for events through an online system and keep track of their own signups.
There is no point system. Students sign up for events online through Google Docs or sign up personally with a cabinet member.
Cabinet members decide the point value through discussion threads. Points are given based on place, time, work, and dress code requirements of the event.
Money donations are worth one or two points. One point is awarded for every hour of volunteering. For one and a half hours, two points are rewarded.
Point value is determined by the length, location, and effort required for the event. Some events have a higher point value than monetary donations.
There are only suggested hours. For 30 hours of volunteering, a gold certificate is awarded; for 20 hours, a silver; for 10, a bronze.
Events are closer to school, including World Vision donations, Campus Beautification and Walnut City events like Mostly Ghostly.
Key Club holds an annual canned food drive at the school to assist needy families during the holiday season. Members sort and package the cans.
Members can volunteer with the Foundation for Disabled Youth for direct interaction between the people being helped and the volunteers.
Source:
POINT SYSTEM
HOW POINTS ARE DETERMINED
SPECIAL EVENTS
What clubs are WHS students in?
20%
other clubs
NHS
16%
Leo does fundraising events with Insan mission, an organization in India that builds schools and shelters for homeless children.
2 in 10
Interact
26%
Key Club
4%
Leo Club
LAST MINUTE OF THEIR DEADLINE
Have you ever missed a point deadline for a club?
GIRLS BOYS
Yes
18% Yes
31%
monetary donation
20%
donation of goods tutoring someone
37% 45%
attending a community event
helping to host an event
57% 62%
BASED ON A SURVEY OF 256 STUDENTS
IB Coordinator Q&A with Manette Davies 1. What are some of the aspects of CAS?
students cram to earn their points at the 34%
What do you prefer to do to earn points in a volunteer club?
EVENT PREFERENCE
4
No
82% No
69%
46%
of Walnut High School students volunteer for 1-2 hours every week.
CAS stands for Creativity, Action, and Service. In addition to academics, IB wants its students to do some sort of creative endeavor, like photography or music. For action, they want physical activity - a sport, band, cheer, etc. The “S” stands for community service. 2. What is the purpose of having CAS as a requirement for receiving an IB Diploma? It’s important to have creativity, and the service makes you think about others. The idea is to create a person who is wellrounded - not only strong in academics, but also somebody who is able to contribute to society in many ways. 3. Does IBCC also have similar volunteer requirements? The IBCC program has a Learning Service Component as part of the IBCC diploma. Students use the skills they’re learning in class to give back to the community by working with hospitals There’s not really a focus on creativity or action. The emphasis is on career-related skills.
Ω the hoofprint
december 18, 2013
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Teaching misconceptions
A common misconception on campus is the notion that teachers aren’t considerate of students, but they do more than we give them credit for. Maxwell Zhu Staff writer Let’s face it; high school teachers (and teachers in general) get a lot of flak. On one hand, they have a dwindling school budget to work with and an increased need to teach to what is on a test, even with the introduction of Common Core. On the other hand, they have students who often underappreciate the effort they put in. Teaching has a negative stigma attached to it. From lawyers to doctors, many, if not all, professions have stereotypes to deal with, but teachers face the brunt of both high school judgment and high standards. This type of environment, coupled with occasional student gossip and misconceptions can combine to give teaching as a profession an unfavorable reputation. Students sometimes have a tendency to think that teachers teach not because they want to, but rather because they are unable to pursue anything more advanced. This couldn’t be further from the truth. Science teachers don’t teach because they aren’t able to be scientists; they
teach because they genuinely want to infuse the next generation with their knowledge. While you and I might not find AP Euro lectures and Shakespeare literature to be extremely interesting, we have to remember that many teachers teach these subjects because they are so invested in them. I once read about this nurse who hated it when people told her ‘You’re too smart to be a nurse.’ It’s not too hard to imagine that teachers feel much the same way. Teaching
Teachers are those who love to teach, educate, and inspire others who slightly resemble the people they were in the past. is not the low end of the totem pole, and it’s certainly not for the ones who failed at higher levels. Teachers are those who love to teach, educate, and inspire others who may slightly resemble who they were in the past. We often get upset with teachers for not giving back our tests soon
enough or making an error here and there, but it’s not because they’re lazy; rather, it’s because they have other things to do too. On the contrary, we often don’t give teachers the credit they deserve; they get to school earlier than we do, leave later than we do, and while we’re sitting down half-asleep in class they have to lecture and inform and teach for the entire period and for the entire day. Sure you might say that we have homework, but every time you have to do an assignment, whether that be a project, an essay, or a presentation, for a class, the teacher has to grade a whole class set of that assignment. The work that they put in for us often goes unnoticed, and it’s important that we realize this. Teachers are not automatons who live to serve us; they do what they do because they care about us and actually want us to succeed. So at the end of the day, let’s not forget that teachers were once students too. Between long hours and tedious work, teachers deserve more credit, so instead of judging them for giving tests back a day late, let’s give them a round of applause for forgoing more lucrative jobs, tackling the job of teaching, and persisting through a day involving teenagers all day. Ω
The true test of knowledge
Frequent, smaller tests are better for learning than big, cumulative finals. Anthony Zhang Staff writer
Bloodletting, geocentric theory, and lobotomies. What do these things have in common? They were all once rooted in tradition but later dismissed in the face of new evidence. Perhaps it’s time we consider adding “finals” to that list. Even though those cumulative tests are pretty much unavoidable aspects of high school life, they’re not necessarily beneficial to the learning process. After all, how much do we gain when we’re encouraged to cram an entire semester’s worth of material into a few nights’ time? Not much, considering that many of us are familiar with emerging from finals week with emptied heads. In the end, finals aren’t worth the trouble and we stand to benefit more from other testing methods. A core issue with finals is the fact that they promote what’s known in psychology as “massed practice” (i.e. cramming). While this may seem to work in the short term, ultimately it results in rote learning and reduces long-term retention, as reported in the scientific journal Current Directions in Psychological Science. The alternative to massed practices, distributed practices, is much
more effective in helping students remember information in the longterm. According to a study conducted by psychologist Dr. John Dunlosky, we students stand to gain more from our study sessions if we shorten them and space them out over an extended period of time. How, then, can schools avoid the problems posed by finals yet still have a way to evaluate students’ learning and incentivize studying? One solution is to do away with finals altogether and instead, replace them with additional, smaller tests that are distributed throughout the semester. The fact that teachers will administer more tests means that each individual test will be worth a smaller portion of students’ grades, reducing the stress
BY THE NUMBERS 62.2
average percent scored on test taken 8-30 days after distributive studying
32.8
average percent scored on test taken 8-30 days after massed practice
15%
average increase in score from distributive studying SOURCE: EVULLAB.ORG
factor. Furthermore, distributed tests promote distributed practice. Having tests spread out steers students toward more effective methods of learning. On top of that, a study published in the journal Science reports that ultimately, it’s being tested and the act of retrieving information it entails, not extensive studying, that best helps students retain information in the long run. Yes, more tests means more grading and more effort on the behalf of teachers. However, those efforts don’t go to waste as teachers stand to become more aware of their students’ progress and both teachers and students alike will gain more feedback on their performance and have more opportunities to improve. As for review, teachers can encourage students to review previously covered material without a large, cumulative final by including review questions in each test, something that many teachers already do. Ultimately, the issue is not with testing itself but with how the tests are administered. Because of the way they are structured, finals do little to help students in terms of their grades and their education. Instead, we can, and should, reinvest our efforts in issuing and preparing for more but shorter tests, foregoing the problems with finals and helping students gain more from their tests. Ω
JESS SAYIN’ They say that reading is a lost art. Not really. It’s just been neglected for awhile, and it’s time for books to make a comeback. Jessica Wang Editor-inChief I bide a lot of time in the library. Sometimes to hide from the cold, sometimes to cram for math, sometimes to snag a much-needed extra half hour or so of shuteye. By now I’ve memorized every nook and cranny of this place. I’ve sat pretty much everywhere in the past four years: In the little cubicle in the back, for days when I need the quiet. First seat on the table next to the front desk, where I used to find Becca with her vocabulary cards and APUSH study guides. In the middle by the row of computers, where Janzen joins me every morning for a procrastination freakout session. Last week I came to the realization that there were, in fact, books in the library. Shelves upon shelves of books! It was like I’d been walking around the elephant in the room for the entirety of high school and finally bumped into it. Considering that I’ve been cooped up in this place for so long and yet, haven’t had the mind to borrow any books, I felt a bit ashamed. I say ashamed not because I have some sort of moral obligation to read, but because I, like so many others, remained oblivious to this easily accessible treasure trove of stories for no good reason. I used to be an avid reader. That stopped when I entered freshman year, and I began to read only what was required in my English classes. I was convinced that I no longer had time to read for fun. The first time I
read for pleasure again was over last summer, but my attention span had decreased significantly and fantasy had kind of lost its luster for me. So I turned to nonfiction, but I still couldn’t immerse myself as deeply as I could before. I kept my phone and laptop in another room, but to no avail. Every two pages, I’d look up and stare into space. Another page, I’d start picking at the lint on my jacket sleeve. I thought back to the days when I could devour the entire Goblet of Fire in one sitting, stopping only to eat and to perform other necessities. Granted, that was Harry Potter and you’re not supposed to be able to put down Harry Potter, but in any case the ability to endure 600 pages nonstop isn’t something to take lightly. I feel like reading as a hobby made too quick a disappearance - not just for me, but for a lot of people who have lived through and perhaps participated in fandoms of the 21st century: take “A Series of Unfortunate Events”, “Percy Jackson”, or more recently, “The Hunger Games”. It’s nice that the movie adaptations of these series help popularize the books, even though those are often the only ones I see people reading for fun. I’ve heard the “Reading’s just not my thing” excuse a thousand times, but I promise you it’s all about finding the right genre, not forcing yourself through novels until you enjoy them (although given my poor focus, it’ll take a bit more willpower). We’ve all been enchanted by a story at some point. I, for one, am off to reacquaint myself with the library. Ω
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Type a full-length reply to a particular article or situation on campus and email to letter@whshoofprint.com, or draw a sample comic or political cartoon in black ink and turn it into Ms. Chai in D-1. Include your name, grade, first period class, and phone number. (Anonymous letters will not be published.)
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Q&A:
feature in-depth arts scene sports
Is paying for volunteer points still considered volunteering?
“Some people work hard for their points while others buy their way. Volunteering helps you, so by just buying your points, you don’t get any experience.” Brittany Mark, 9
“I think you’re just buying your points. I volunteer a lot, but the people who don’t have enough time [to volunteer] can buy the tickets. I guess it’s fair.” Anthony Aguilar, 10
“Both types of actions help people in need and should be counted as the same. The effort does not really matter because in the end, the result is the same.” Jakob Lind, 11 “Volunteers take the time to actually help someone that needs it, so it should be equivalent. As long as what they are doing benefits others, it is all right.” Candice Ma, 12 COMPILED BY CHERIE CHU AND LISA SHEN
Volunteering your money The deadline to fulfill points for volunteer clubs is quickly approaching, but is donating for points just as helpful as volunteering your own time? Doris Li Staff writer Students join volunteer clubs and organizations on campus to find opportunities for themselves to provide service. Most of the time, physical volunteering events are offered, but occasionally, students will come across an opportunity to donate money for points. While this may seem like the easiest way to earn points, actually going out and taking time to volunteer is the only way to see the true values of service. Many students volunteer at different places according to their career interests. Those who want to study in the medical field can volunteer at hospitals and those who want to teach can volunteer at schools. Students can view it as a risk-free way of exploring their interests. Volunteering can help you build confidence, life skills, and connections, and through volunteering you can meet new people from all walks of life. Nothing, especially money, can replace that kind of experience. Besides, most of the time it’s the
student donating the parents’ money. When students aren’t the people who earned the money, they aren’t going to care as much as to where it goes. They’ve only asked for someone else to contribute and have not directly contributed to the cause themselves. That’s not to say of course, that donating money and items is a waste of resources by any means. When they go to the right organizations, they can help just as much as community service in the form of hours spent. However, stronger limits should be set on the points that can be earned through monetary-based donations. Instead, the money that you donated will be used by someone else to directly contribute. Money itself doesn’t help out the poor, but the things money can buy do. As for the time issue, the point system is established so that if you don’t have time to volunteer, you make time to do so. Everyone capable of volunteering has the obligation to volunteer and help those who are less fortunate than themselves. The point system is an incentive that can help you realize you need to get your head out of your books sometimes and teach yourself about the real world through service. There’s more to the
life of students than getting good grades and studying all the time. Volunteering is not a waste of time, but an investment. It’s something that we can all gain from. Volunteer hours are so much more than just something you can put on a college application or brag about to your peers. It’s not the number of hours you get, but what you gain from it that matters. What will you gain from donating five dollars to a soup kitchen, versus spending an hour volunteering at that same kitchen? In the end your time is so much more valuable to both yourself and the organization you volunteer for. You can use time to make money, but you can’t use money to make time, so the effort you put into volunteering is much more valued than any amount you donate. Next time you’re deciding which events to volunteer for, consider not taking the easy way out. Take the opportunity to volunteer some of your time to any organization, learn a little, and meet people whom you wouldn’t normally interact with. Not only will you leave a lasting impression on your community, but hopefully, in serving, it will leave a lasting impression on you too. Ω
Don’t discredit all the extra credit
Many students in Advanced Placement and International Baccalaureate courses have grade bonuses for the end of the semester. While some might see this as unfair, these grade boosts are necessary in encouraging higher learning in classes.
Finals are just around the corner, and you’re scrambling to turn in those assignments in order to receive a little extra credit. I mean, you’re so close to that 90%, and it’d be a huge disappointment if you don’t get that A-. You remember that you have a safe 5% grade boost buffer, but you’re still going to try your hardest to secure your grade. Sure, some people argue that people with grade boosts and opportunities for extra credit don’t need to work as hard as you to get an A. These people argue that students who have opportunities for extra credit are less motivated to excel in the class because it’s not necessary to. Granted, essays and tests are still important, but with extra credit, they could afford to underperform on a couple tests. However, you know that the class he’s taking is a lot more challenging. Yet, you can see that he’s motivated to do well in the class because he has incentive to do so. Ultimately, it comes down to this: extra credit is necessary to attain a higher level of learning. Extra credit offers the teacher a chance to critically assess and grade
your work more harshly by offering a buffer zone; this buffer zone allows students to be able to catch up in a harder class if they don’t do well on a few assignments. Teachers can push their students to attain a higher level of academic achievement without drawing multiple complaints from administration and parents as to why none of the students are passing. Furthermore, extra credit is used as an incentive for students to be motivated to learn. In an especially hard class without extra credit, one would be unmotivated because they know that regardless of what they do, they won’t be able to get an A. In a class that’s too difficult, once you fall below a certain threshold where it’s almost impossible to climb back up in time, you just resign yourself to mediocre work. You get discouraged to the point where you just don’t want to try to improve your grade any more. Still, others argue that the student who earned an A without extra credit definitely deserves more praise. Again, this argument only works if every class were equal. While I definitely believe that the student who earns an A without the extra credit deserves extra merit, teachers who curve their class grades and give extra credit know that their classes are harder and more challenging. The teacher gives you the
opportunity to learn, and on paper, that is his or her only job. No matter how difficult or easy the course is, you should work hard regardless. Yet, a good teacher is one who will make students want to learn. Teachers must maintain a delicate balance between having students not wanting to learn anymore because they feel overly safe from the excessive grade boost and giving up because they know it’s near impossible to get an A. The class has to be motivated in order to push itself to do their best, while at the same time enjoying the class and not worrying as much about their grades. At the end of the day though, you, as the student, should still try your hardest and strive for excellence. While having no extra credit is on one side of the extreme, on the other side of the spectrum is the problem of having too much extra credit. The thought of being able to rush through and turn in mediocre work is rampant throughout classes, and being lazy and doing just the minimum requirements to get an A shouldn’t cut it. The extra credit is there to give you a little breathing room in a difficult class, but it’s not an excuse to slack off and do the bare minimum; it’s there because it helps teachers to push you to greater academic excellence. Of course, it may seem unfair sometimes, but the extra credit and grade boosts are there
to provide students with cushions in those harder classes, ultimately helping higher-level learning. With everything though, there needs to be
a careful balance; as long as there isn’t too much - or too little - extra credit, students will be motivated to keep on excelling in class. Ω
CARTOON BY CRYSTAL CHANG
Brandon Ng Feature editor
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december 18, 2013
Ω the hoofprint
Gearing Up For the Holidays and Winter Season Senior Carol Yeh creates and cooks her own unique homemade recipies as Christmas gifts and favors for her friends and family.
Homemade for the Holidays Makes 12 cupcakes Preparation time: 10 Minutes Cook Time: 20 Minutes Ingredients: 1 cup Granulated Sugar 1 Stick un-salted Butter, Softened 2 Eggs 2 tsp Vanilla Extract 2 tsp Baking Powder 1/8 tsp salt 1 1/3 cups all purpose flour 1 1/3 cup whole milk
1. Preheat Oven to 350 degrees. 2. Line the cupcake tin with liners and set aside. 3. In a mixing bowl, stir sugar and butter until creamy. 4. Add eggs, vanilla, and cream together until it becomes a smooth mixture. 5. Add the dry ingredients and stir slowly. 6. Slowly sitr mixture, to incorporate any bit that wasn’t mixed. NOTE: DO NOT OVERMIX. 7. Scoop batter into lined cupcake tin up to 3/4 of the way. 8. Bake for 20 minutes and let cool for 45 minutes before frosting.
4
6
PHOTOS COURTESY OF CAROL YEH
Walnut Ugly Sweater Day Pride Q: Where did you get your sweater? “My brother made it for a church event last year, and I told him to keep it because I thought I would wear it one day. So when I found out we were having a Christmas sweater day, I had to have it.’’ Q: What is your sweater made of? A: “There’s tinsel, cotton balls, wrapping paper, felt, and a lot of hot glue. I really like the cuffs and the elf feet. Just the creativity behind it - I thought it was super cute.” Annie Fan, 12 Q: Where did you get your sweater? A: “I got this out of my brother’s closet. He made it for a Christmas party. He didn’t want it to blend in; he wanted to be an eyesore. So that’s why there’s a big bow as a centerpiece. And of course, you’ve got to have noisemakers, so there are bells.” Q: What makes an ugly sweater? A: ”An ugly sweater is anything that doesn’t fit what’s ‘in.’ Something like that with a mix of holiday colors. Just something you wouldn’t wear on a normal day.” Azzaam Siddiqi, 12 PHOTOS BY AARON YONG
Gabrielle Manuit Staff writer Preheated the oven? Check. Ingredients? Check. Don’t forget the liners in the cupcake tins. Okay, good. Time to start mixing it all together. Through these homemade treats, senior Carol Yeh brings with her the holiday spirit, spreading the joy with her friends and family during the winter season. “I like the holidays.You want to share the happiness, and sweets make people happy, so you would want to share them and make more,” Yeh said. “The joy of baking, sharing, and seeing PHOTO COURTESY OF CAROL YEH everyone’s reactions is better in HOMEMADE COOKING: Senior Carol Yeh readies the cupcake batter in a the winter. All of it just adds to cupcake tin in order for the dough to rise correctly when baked in the oven. the cheeriness of the season.” Winter festivities provide necessarily depend on the elaborateness Baking during the winter is the perfect, cheerful atmosphere of the dessert. Instead, what counts more enjoyable for Yeh, who find for Yeh to create more desserts for more is whether or not the sweets that her desserts are better received others. She devotes her time to baking are shared with other people, so Yeh and enjoyed during this time of year. treats that she hopes will lift the does her best to share her creations Giving becomes a gift in itself, and spirits of anyone who receives them. with as many people as she can. Yeh’s efforts are rewarded with praise. “In my perspective, sweets that “Not only do I give it to friends, “I must say the reaction from the people make are just like a sense of joy but anyone around me that would people is the best part because just themselves,” Yeh said. “When you see like some because I feel very honored thinking of the smile you will bring pretty cakes or some kind of dessert that to make their day with some simple to their face just makes the whole looks good, your mood automatically sweets,” Yeh said. “I would be able process so much more fun that just just brightens up. Because of that to pass them around and create more baking for yourself,” Yeh said. “With idea, I would want to bake more in happiness one sweet at a time. Although the holiday spirit, it makes me more the winter to pass around more joy baking is a bit time consuming, if thankful and I just want to share and in the cold and gloomy weather.” I can bring a split second of joy in give a smile back to those who have To Yeh, the good mood doesn’t someone’s day, that brings joy to me.” made me smile during the year.”Ω ADVERTISEMENT
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Ω the hoofprint december 18, 2013
arts scene sports
student statistics:
Why do students choose to volunteer? 27%
numbers are based on survey of 256 students
Where do students find volunteer opportunities?
Helping us help you
We seldom question the validity of our volunteer hours, but when we do, we need to see past our doubts and recognize service for what it is. The concept of volunteering has become a series of tasks, needed for the perfect college resumé. However, it’s a checklist, not because students have mechanized it, but because service clubs have defined the set of requirements that need to be met. A volunteer experience is devalued when the AIDS walk is seen simply as five hours and three points. But does it matter? Our conscience says yes, but truth is, it doesn’t. The reason behind this is “fake it ‘till you make it.” The secondary motives - clubs and colleges - are not an issue. Instead, they provide a tolerable win-win situation: volunteers can satisfy requirements and contribute to the community at one time. It will take time, but with each event, we’re given one more opportunity to recognize the value of volunteering - the importance of giving back. Even if you volunteer for the wrong reasons right now, you’re still donating cans, attending that concert, and helping out at that shelter. For once, it’s not the thought that counts. It’s what you do that matters. Alvin Wan, Online Editor-in-Chief
12%
42%
?
25%
friends/ word of mouth
campus clubs
Will students volunteer after high school?
Over the years
As a youth cheerleading coach for the Snow Creek Walnut Valley Cowboys, senior Blayr Davis is committed to the sport, and passionate about training each individual on the squad. Coaching the girls from ages six to fourteen, Davis mentors them three times a week, each six hours. “I like setting good examples for the girls and being a good role model for them to follow. I lead them through the right path and help them make good choices,” Davis said. “As the year goes on, we grow as a family. The girls just start opening up and become more as sisters to each other.” Although it can be time consuming, her effort to coach her squad is worth the amount of hours, for the experience benefits both her and her girls. “[Volunteering] helps me grow as a person because I’m giving without expecting anything in return. It helps me maintain a good work ethic and teaches me to not give up on my girls, to just keep trying and doing my best,” Davis said. “I started out as a cheerleader there when I was five. I just like giving back what was given to me when I was child earlier.The way I was raised through cheer makes me more dedicated to my role as a coach.”
¢
might
¢
55% will
48%
Volunteering shouldn’t only be about helping to improve our community; it should also apply worldwide. On his last church trip, senior Samuel Chang went beyond his community and reached out to orphans in Mexico. “The orphanage is quite large and it becomes difficult for the guardians to devote attention to every single kid. I liked how quickly the children became attached to us especially since not all of us were able to speak fluently in Spanish,” Chuang said. “I was a little unsatisfied since I could only go for a day. It made me realize that helping out is great but it’s more important to be consistent and devoted.” Now that Chuang has had this experience to connect with kids from another country, he takes what he learned and applies it to his current volunteering at the Lestonnac free medical clinic located in Artesia. “A volunteer is anyone who tries to make a difference in [other people’s] lives no matter how insignificant the difference is. I don’t think there’s anything more important than the connections a person makes with others so I make it a priority in my life to help strangers if I can,” Chuang said.
1963-1967
Tony Goossens
“I don’t think there was much of [volunteer clubs] when I was in high school than there is now. I did volunteer through Boy Scouts. It was always rewarding. It always felt like you did something for the needy. We would collect food, we would sell things for the needy, so we did that as gifts. It’s nice to see that there are people who care.”
1963-1967
Pam Booth
donations of goods
20%
attending a community event
20%
giving up time to tutor someone
The youth volunteering rate for high schools across the United States since 1998.
“I’m just occupied with studies and I never really have time. I get home late since I don’t live around here. With the [events] that I do have time with, I don’t have a reason for those. I would rather just hang out with my friends during lunch or after school I suppose.” Shaun Marquis, 11
helping host an event
22% 26%
“I’ve been given a lot so I feel like I should give back to those in need. The most rewarding experience would be the feeling you get when you did something for someone else and it wasn’t about doing it for yourself but for someone in need.” Ariana Solano, 12
statistics from: civicyouth.org
40% 35% 30% 25%
- DD AA T T I I M M AD E ON
20% 15%
Make it a point to give back to the community
10% 5% 0%
1998
“There was a club called Teens Who Care. It was a club designed for humanitarian purposes, so it taught us to be charitable so we could help organizations and families. It put some foundations and emotions that as you get older, and you become more successful than you were, you start looking at other ways to help people who are less fortunate that you are.”
1976-1980
“I like the good feeling you get when you help others without expecting anything in return because it helps make the community a better place, as the volunteers comprise of a workforce that will work for free.” Alan Ton, 10
12%
monetary donations
6%
will not
2000
2002
2004
2006
2008 2010
2012
Each service club requires its members to a certain number of points, whether by volunteer service or donations. Many times, students base their service off whether or not they will reach the specific requirement. Is this quota helping or hurting the true intention of volunteer service? Nathan Au-Yeung Copy Editor
compiled by Cherie Chu
“I was in Girls’ League. It helped me learn the importance of helping others, and I still use that skill today. I wish we had a graduation requirement needed for high school students to include in volunteering. It teaches kids the importance of helping others. I think that if kids don’t ever have that experience, they don’t know what they’re missing.”
¢
high school
Volunteering opportunities have been available throughout the years. The skills and experience gained from giving back to the community stays with our teachers and they utilize those lessons to this day.
Mary Jo Gomez
7%
to meet the expectation of others
Which of the following do students consider community service?
39%
do not volunteer
Feed the cats. Done. Clean out the kennels. Done. Give them baths. Done. For senior Rose Chang, volunteering isn’t just about people, but about all of those in need, including animals. Chang currently volunteers at the Baldwin Park Animal Shelter and her local Petsmart once a month. “I like working with animals because they’re easier to work with than people; I just like animals in general,” Chang said. “When I see strays, I feel bad because they’re out in the cold alone, with no food, shelter or love.” Motivated by her own dog at home, Chang is dedicated in improving the lives of the animals at the shelter by devoting her time in taking care of and giving a little love to each furry individual. “It makes me feel better because I’m actually making a difference in someone else’s life; it makes me more appreciative about life,” Chang said. “I feel like it’s something you’re supposed to do, just to make a small part of the world a little better.”
for an extra curricuar
fulfill program requirements (i.e. CAS)
clubs not affiliated with the school
Samuel Chuang: Church Service Volunteer
compiled by Emily Chen
“I have a lot of homework so I really don’t have the time to volunteer; if I did have the time, I probably would though. It’s for the good of others. The things [volunteers] do, like gardening for example, they’re making the environment better than what it was before, and I think that must feel very rewarding.“
20%
6%
say yes
9%
Blayr Davis: Cheer Coach
experience fulfill club for future requirements career
75%
22%
7%
Senior Profile: Volunteer and Service Rose Chang: Animal Shelter Volunteer
21%
20%
What do you think about volunteer service?
Nicole Perry, 9
elementary school
middle school
personal interest to help others
say no
When did students start volunteering?
36%
compiled by Emily Chen
Would students still volunteer if points were not offered?
24%
own research
Q&A:
9
Bryan Andriese “I volunteered at my church and in small groups for homeless shelters. I feel that it’s really important to get away from the business and the selfishness that you start getting during the holiday season and think about the different gifts that you want, rather than thinking about yourself, and outwardly express that towards other people.”
2001-2005
In many high school clubs, points are offered as an incentive for members to attend community events and donate money to charities. These point systems are also instituted as requirements to ensure that members fulfill their roles as regular contributors. There’s one big issue here, though: do these point systems actually encourage a natural sense of giving back to the community? Community service and volunteering should be from the goodwill of our heart, and incentivizing them using point systems debases the importance of volunteering to that of regular everyday work. Volunteering involves performing certain tasks or taking up jobs for free. As high school students, we have an adequate but incomplete understanding of this idea. We think that just because we are not paid in money or any tangible
award it means that we are giving ourselves selflessly away for the benefit of the community. What we neglect to admit is that giving points is very similar to money in terms of compensation. Think about it: in a regular working job, you do your work, and then you get your paycheck. It’s the same thing in any high school community event: you work your shifts, and then you get points in return. Of course you can’t use points to buy anything, but you are still being rewarded with one thing or another when community service involves no tangible reimbursement for volunteers. If it’s volunteer service that we’re trying to promote, then we shouldn’t be coercing our members to go to community events just to satisfy their semester requirements. Volunteering should be done on our own and not driven by some external force that makes it seem as if volunteering is no different from paid work. Maybe it’s true that without a compelling reason, people will not willingly volunteer, but forcing them to work is not a justifiable solution.
Gabrielle Manuit Staff writer
In high school service clubs, the point system is the best way of evaluating students’ participation in various events. It’s only reasonable that students should be held accountable for completing their volunteer work as members of these clubs, and the point requirement ensures that all members are doing their part. Without it, it’s difficult to know for sure what events the volunteers have attended, and the system gives students a little extra motivation to complete volunteer hours. Depending on which club you’re a part of, the point system varies, but they all have the same idea: an average of one or two points for donations and one point for every hour of service. Leaders can easily keep track of the amount of work that the volunteers
have done by giving each event these point values. It’s a fair way to earn your points, and using this method means that points are distributed justly according to the time and effort invested in an event. The system is an effective way of introducing students to the benefits of volunteering. Offering points in exchange for completing certain tasks leads students to consider helping out at events they didn’t think of doing before. In this way, the point system pushes students to participate in more events, and with the new experience students will later on learn to appreciate the rewards of giving back to the community. It might not always be perfect, but it works. The point system is necessary for service clubs to motivate their members and discourage them from missing volunteer opportunities. Setting up a goal for students to reach encourages them to work towards that goal, and at the same time this system promotes a consistent work ethic and active participation in service clubs.
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scene sports
Dreaming higher, running harder, and looking further Running half marathons, Senior Johanna Vega-Garcia uses her marathon route as a chance to take a look at LA’s most beautiful and notable attractions. Caroline Huang Staff writer
Five miles. Four. She could already see the finish line. Three. Two. One. The last moments of the journey are here. Although waking up at the crack of dawn to run thirteen miles is not exactly what some would consider ideal, for senior Johanna Vega-Garcia, trying out half-marathons is her passion. She has been running since October last year and has been to three half marathons with more coming up. “I do it because I like the scenery when I run; each marathon has its own scenery. I also want to try my best and beat my time,” Vega said. “It makes me feel happy because a lot of the people that run with you keep you motivated. You also meet people along the way. There are
Q&A:
Senior Lucero Coogan shares her experience with maintaining a small business.
Lucero Coogan, 12 Q: How and why did you set up your shop?
A: “I started it because, like
everyone else, I wanted to make money. The first few months of having the shop open was all about getting my name out there. I had to advertise on my own to create an audience for myself. I built a community on Twitter and Facebook and I used those social networking sites to reach out to people.
Q: Can customers be hard to deal with sometimes?
A: “I’ve heard of all these stories of
customers scamming the sellers by receiving packages and then asking for refunds, so I was a little skeptical. I’ve learned that people are unpredictable, and if an item is expensive, insurance is also something to purchase. Because things don’t always go as planned and you should have a backup plan and a quick way to resolve problems.”
COMPILED BY DEREK WAN
people on the sidelines that cheer you on, and that makes it fun too.” The half-marathons she has attended include LA, Disneyland, and Bonelli Park. They vary greatly in difficulty and challenges Vega to change her mentality and her physical adaptedness. “Some of the marathons were hard. For example, the Bonelli Park marathon has a lot of uphill. It was definitely more challenging. They could also be fun; for Disneyland, you run at five in the morning and you run in the park, with the characters there,” Vega said. Vega first started training for marathons by running on the streets and adding mileage each time she trains, from one mile to three and subsequently after. Vega would also go to the gym and do cardiovascular and weight workouts.
“These [workouts] definitely prepare me for distance,” Vega said. There would be times when I do not train as much as other times, and I feel more tired earlier than if I ran more. I like running because it takes off a lot of stress. Whenever I feel really stressed, I just go off running.” Motivated and inspired by her mother who participated in a San Diego marathon, Vega continues to challenge herself to the task of pushing herself to her limits and see how far she could reach. “I like marathons because of the motivation they give you and the runners; they don’t have to be the people on the sidelines cheering you on, they could just tell you ‘oh, you’re almost there,” Vega said. “Everyone cheers each other on.”Ω
PHOTOS COURTESY OF JOHANNA VEGA
GETTING READY FOR THE RACE: Senior Johanna Vega-Garcia pauses for a moment to pose before her half-marathon race.
Fashion from your heart
Getting started in the businss world isn’t as easy as it sounds: it takes effort.
Q: What do you enjoy about running the online shop?
A: “It’s really amazing to see such vintage finds that are still intact from all this time. The oldest find I’ve came across was an antique statue made of chalkware and it’s dated 1917. I feel all these old treasures tell their own stories and have some history to them. I think about possible places these items might have come from or who owned them. It’s just great to find these amazing pieces and share them with others on the shop.
Q: What have your
experiences taught you?
A: “I feel that this shop taught me
how to be frugal with money and that money isn’t just given to you. Everyone works for money once [he or she is] out of [his or her] parents’ house. I think I’ll be proud of myself when I look back on this and hopefully I’ll be doing something with marketing or business. I think [regardless of] whatever I end up doing I’ll look back on this as me growing up into the real world with some knowledge on how to survive.”
PHOTOS COURTESY OF AMY TRINH
CAPTION(FROM LEFT TO RIGHT): Sophomore Amy Trinh prints a t-shirt for her PHOTO next customer. | All COURTESY OF AMYof TRINH their apparel have animals featured in the design; some exanples are penguins and pandas as seen above.
Anita Chuen Tech member Many students enjoy altering bought clothes to fit their fashion taste and personality, such as cutting up jeans. However, Aini’s t-shirts are aimed to fit everyone’s personality through individual interpretations of their one-of-a-kind designs. Sophomore Amy Trinh and her sister launched a fashion line called Aini apparel that features t-shirts designed by the girls. The two are selling the shirts on http://igg.me/ at/ainiapparel, $25 for one t-shirt and $45 for two, to raise money and experience life as an entrepreneur. “We are being young entrepreneurs to inspire young men and women that if you have a dream, follow it,” Amy said. “We decided to sell our clothes because we wanted to incorporate our quirky designs into clothing.” Aini, the phonetic way to say
“love you” in Chinese, represents the girls’ culture and their passion to share their love of art to others in the form of graphic tees with designs from their sketchbook. They hope to encourage others through love to strive for their goals. “Ai Ni apparel is our way of expressing our love for art, graphic design, and everything that we’re all about - with a little love from people that support you, you can do anything,” Amy said. Amy and Sylvia started the business when peers started to ask where they got their personalized screen printed shirts. To express themselves in their best way, the sisters chose to use t-shirts. “We decided to sell our clothes because we wanted to incorporate our quirky designs into clothing,” Amy said. “I personally use clothing to express myself everyday. Because that was the way I expressed myself, it seemed the
best route to express my designs.” Through this fashion line, the sisters hope to gain better insight to the struggles and enjoyment of owning a business along with the opportunity to inspire other artists with their quirky designs.. “I believe that going through this experience is going to show me what it is like to own the business with the many ups and downs, because success does not come easily. One of the downs is juggling the business with everything else in life; one of the ups is working with each other and being able to express ourselves,” Amy said. “Our biggest goal is to share artwork that is rarely seen from our sketchbook onto our clothing. T-shirts are fun and casual just like our personalities. In the future, we hope this business can expand to not only our artwork, but other artists that may have a design they want to share.” Ω
Ω the hoofprint november 6, 2013
Choir performs in the annual Winter Concert
Orchestra performs with eighth grade orchestra members from Suzanne Middle School on Oct. 24. Cherie Chu Staff writer
what choir is capable of doing,” Peig said. “Every time I perform, I get nervous, but I’m so used to it that I All choirs held their annual Choir thrive for that nervousness every time Winter Concert in the Performing a performance comes around.” Arts Center on Thursday, Dec. 12 and In preparation for the holidayFriday, Dec. 13. themed concert, Choir rehearsed The concert featured a duet the songs and the dance moves for with seniors Gabbi approximately four Robison and Jason months. De Guzman singing “We had to learn “The Prayer,” as all our dances, get all well as soloist our notes down, and senior Angelica Tan perfect everything,” performing “Never sophomore Giuliana Fall in Love With an Liu said. “I think four Elf.” months of practicing “I was really brings together all of nervous. I always get us as a group.” jitters right before I M u s t a n g go on stage, but once Singers, Trebel, I’m on there, I just Men’s, and part of snap into character,” - Angelica Tan, 12 Advanced Treble Tan said. “Because Choirs collaborated it’s really outside and sang the my comfort zone and singing Christmas carol is something I have a passion for, it’s “Silent Night” while Chamber Singers special to me because I’ve never done and the seniors of Advanced Treble this type of stuff before.” Choir sang “Peace, Peace.” Overall, Seniors Hunter Maestas, Lance Choir members felt satisfied with Price, juniors Angie Jodjana, Anthony how the performance turned out. Culpepper, Darryl De Luna, and “Performing with people [from sophomore Joshua Peig sang “The other choirs] was fun. I think it was Carol of the Bells” in acapella. really pretty how it turned out,” “We showcase what choir is, freshman Alyssa Cortez said. Ω
11
Winter Concert
IN PHOTOS
“I always get jitters right before I go on stage, but once I’m on there, I just snap into character.”
Cheer takes second at Claremont High Cheer placed second as a team, while individual members placed in various categories as well.
Anita Chuen Tech editor Cheer placed second in its division with a score of 92.5 out of 100 at its first competition of the year at Claremont High School on Saturday, Nov. 23. The team also won the best showmanship award. “I think we did really well for our first competition. Usually, we go into our first competition and test to see how it’s going to be, but I think we did really good in the competition,” varsity junior Valeria Alvarez said. “I think it just shows that we’re going to have a good season. There were a lot of schools, so it also showed that we would have a lot of competition.” Along with placing second as a team, individual members also placed in different categories such as stunting and jumps. “I think I did fine. I was just nervous because it was our first competition this year and I’m always nervous when I do competitions,” varsity sophomore Cameron Diaz said. “The captains gave us a pep talk and that calmed us down a bit because we were all pretty nervous.”
In order to create a stronger performance and compensate for the lack of tumblers, Cheer brought in a professional choreographer to help teach difficult stunts. “Our stunts were really good. We were really sharp and clean. Our choreography was really good, too. He made it easy for us to learn and it just took a lot of practice, but we eventually got it,” junior varsity freshman Kaylie Brown said. To improve for their next competition, the team is now perfecting their routine and working on basketball season cheers. “Right now, we’re working on basketball season. Because the competition was so early, it was kind of a warm up competition for us. We just wanted to know how it felt, so we’re adding a lot more changes into our competition,” varsity sophomore Jessica Wei said. “Sometimes we’ll just be holding some counts, but now we’re actually doing twist ups. We changed some of our formations. When we got our critiques back, they told us what to work on, so we’re trying to improve to get a higher score.” Ω
PHOTOS BY EUNICE PANG, BELLE SUN, ANTHONY ZHANG
CHOIR WINTER CONCERT (CLOCKWISE): Women’s seniors Michelle Pham and Kathrina Silvino pose mid-song during the “Sisters” performance. | Chamber junior Anthony Culpepper collaborates with a few members from Men’s Ensemble and Chamber for “Carol of the Bells.” | Treble freshman Michelle Ke dances with Christmas presents during “Counting Stars.” | Mustang Singers senior Alexandria Woods, sophomore Taylor York, and freshman Anna Chiang perform “Jingle Bell Rock.” | Women’s senior Anita Wang sings along with the rest of the ensemble for the song “Sisters.” | Treble freshmen Janavie Maramba and Mariah Quintana perform their quick solo during the song “Hey Santa.”
12
news
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Band Member choreography
Anatomy of the
Q&AWHO WE ARE IT’S
Compiled by Aaron Yong and Chantel Chan
Q: How do you manage schoolwork with the hours
required for marching band practice? A: Time management is the key for balance. The more I am able to prioritize, I found that I have more time to do other things. Sometimes, it can be hard to balance, but you just have to keep pushing through. Karina Chiu, 9
| choreographer Ryan Milligan is in charge of the visual aspect of band
uniform
| stayed the same for 13 years, and all uniforms accumulate to approximately $125,000 overall | uniform committee is in charge of maintaining the uniforms in good condition
practice
Q: How does the role you play contribute to marching
| normally practice every Wednesday from 3-7 with Saturday practices near competition | schedule: warm-up for first 10-20 minutes doing marching drills, work on field show from 3:30-6, and music rehearsals from 6-7
band as a whole?
A: We’re basically called the heartbeat. If we start rushing or slowing down, then the entire band will also slow down or speed up. That’s why we mostly focus on working on ourselves rather than the whole band. Kenrick Yuen, 12
marching
| marching drills include marching back and forth or marching in a square | drum major leads everyone when it’s not field show, and every time he/she hits the snare drum (taps), it signals for everyone to step with left foot
Kenrick Yuen, 12
Dance Team and Advanced Dance host Winter Wishes
Winter Wishes was held on Nov. 21-22 and featured holiday-themed performances that portrayed the creativity of costumes. Nikita Patel Staff writer Dance Team and Advanced Dance held “Winter Wishes” on Nov. 21-22. The performers portrayed their wishes to the audience through the dances. Advanced Dance planned its
own choreography, created props and found costumes. “I liked the creativity and the individuality of the costumes,“ Advanced Dance member junior Nidhi Sheth said. “It was really cool in the way that the dance became our own thought, and it became what we wanted to show to the audience.”
Unlike last year, this year’s mistakes were made in the first performance featured more holiday- performance, so they were glad to inspired dances. have been able to perform the show “It was fun having the show a second day. Christmas-themed because it m ade “There would be mistakes me excited for the holidays,” Dance like forgetting costumes or missing Team member sophomore Isabel Lee earrings,” Dance Team member said. junior Briana Mariscal said. “Those Most dancers felt several problems were fixed in the second ADVERTISEMENT
Band and Color Guard perform at UCLA
PREMIER ACADEMY
Band and Color guard showcase new routines on Nov. 23. Anabelle Chang Staff writer Marching Band and Color Guard performed with the University of California Los Angeles band and Color Guard at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena on Saturday, Nov. 23. Members performed with the UCLA band, playing pieces such as “Sons of Westwood”, “Bruin Fanfare”, and “YMCA.” “I thought the songs were pretty interesting, but a bit unexpected since they ADVERTISEMENT
are fairly old,” band member sophomore Ryan Maidment said. “However, it’s something that hasn’t been heard by many people in a while and it re-introduces these classics to a new generation.” Color Guard members were not required to attend, but most contributed to the performance. “I think what helped a lot was knowing that you were there because you chose to be there,” Color Guard member sophomore Linette Tang said.
“When a member wants to do a performance, it’s a lot easier to focus and learn things faster.” This opportunity gave members the chance to perform with twenty other schools alongside the UCLA band, and featured new routines specifically for the event. “Just being in the middle of the Rose Bowl with the stadium lights on you and having 70,000 people watching is awe-inspiring. It was an experience I’m really grateful to have,” Tang said. Ω
show, and our nerves came down.” Based on the general feedback from dances like “Teamwork” and “Cowboy Kick,” the dancers felt that the show was an overall success. “It was comforting to see such a positive reaction from the audience, telling us that the show was better than they expected,” Lee said. Ω
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Ω the hoofprint december 18, 2013
The holidays are like a chain reaction COMPILED BY CAROLINE HUANG, EMILY CHEN, LISA SHEN, SABRINA WAN, AND MEGAN WU
Chain restaurants everywhere offer unique holiday specials this season.
iHOP: Eggnog Pancakes An aroma of warm maple syrup, cinnamon and nutmeg garnished on a fresh batch of buttery hot pancakes. That’s the smell of the holiday season at iHOP. It has a generous layer of eggnog cream between the pancakes.
McDonald’s: Holiday Pie Filled with custard and topped with a pinch of sprinkles, it looks and tastes great. The top layer of the crust is firm, albeit a little bland, to a good measure. Although a little lacking in flavor, the Holiday Pie is a a pleasant delight.
Chick-fil-A: Peppermint Chocolate Chip Milkshake Chick-fil-a’s holiday-themed shake blends the chain’s fantastic “Icedream” ice cream with their featured peppermint syrup and dark chocolate. The treat has whipped cream and a red cherry on top.
Starbucks: Caramel Brulée This drink is a little too sweet for me and left me craving water. Despite this, it is rich and creamy. Topped with cream and sprinkled with brown sugar, this drink will definitely bring sweetaholics the holiday cheer!
Panera: Holiday Bread This dessert is a loaf about a foot long, baked to a golden brown and drizzled in icing. It’s stuffed with applecinnamon filling and topped with crumb topping, raisins, and chocolate chips. It’s a great treat to share with friends and family.
Yogurtland: Cinnamon Roll The seemingly odd combination of summer and winter desserts creates a sweet and savory flavor that resembles the holiday pastry in a unique way. However, it has an unpleasant aftertaste that ended my appetite for more.
13
The science of Creamistry 3972 Barranca Pkway Irvine, CA 92606
(949) 777-6627
Creamistry offers lighter yet a creamier form of ice cream. Jacqueline Sotoodeh Tech team Ice cream isn’t something I expect much variety out of - but at Creamistry, I found a completely unique form of ice cream, much lighter and creamier than your typical sweet treat. The decor is simple and modern, and the appearance of the shop itself would make a customer eager to walk in and try this store’s product. You find smoke from machines that you wouldn’t expect to be used in an ice cream store. The idea of chemistry is constantly emphasized in all their decorations, from pictures on the wall to the menu’s decorations. The amount of flavors and combinations is a little overwhelming at first, but it’s simply just choosing your
favorite flavors and putting it all into a delicious treat. I decided to choose the organic vanilla bean flavor with bananas and marshmallow cream, a combination of my favorite flavor, favorite fruit, and the tastiest-sounding PHOTOS BY JACQUELINE SOTOODEH topping. When I first received the ice cream, it appeared ordinary, like anything I Though the amount of toppings could buy from Baskin Robbins, but is limited, the ice cream tastes good the taste and texture were completely with or without more flavors. Despite new. Each bite melted into my mouth the pretty long drive it took to arrive in a light yet creamy way that I very at Creamistry, the treat I received after much enjoyed. was definitely worth the wait. Ω
Going green with One Veg World 178 S Glendora Ave West Covina, CA 91790 (626) 917-2727
Looking for something lighter to eat for a change? “One Veg World” offers a variety of vegan food at an affordable price. Nikita Patel Staff writer Before digging into my usual plate of some sort of meat and potatoes, I tend to feel a kind of regret over the lack of greens in my diet. If you’re anything like me, you’d soon dismiss the thought before tearing at the meat. So when I found out about One Veg World, an all-vegan restaurant and grocery store, I was certainly pleased and quite surprised with the opportunity to try some more foods that weren’t of the meat variety. Behind the Edwards Cinema in Covina, One Veg World holds a variety of vegan-friendly selections ranging from a zesty curry to a hot bowl of pho. While I do admit that the restaurant was a bit on the small size, it still seemed very open, clean, and fresh. I was quite happy with the recently revised menu as it offered a diverse variety of foods without being too overwhelming like the previous menu. Curious with a vegan restaurant’s take on chicken drumsticks, I ordered the B.B.Q. drumsticks while my parents got a simple bruschetta. I wasn’t too surprised when the bruschetta, a flavorful mix of herbs and diced tomatoes laid on a soft bun, tasted amazing. What did surprise me,
however, was the creative innovation and tangy savoriness of the B.B.Q. drumsticks. Essentially, one drumstick was a piece of tofu slathered in slightly sweet barbeque sauce and skewered on a short piece of sugar cane. Even though I enjoyed eating the drumsticks, a bitter aftertaste would always persist in reminding me that it wasn’t really chicken. An imbalance of sweetness came up in the desserts we ordered. To wrap up our dinner, my brother ordered a scoop of chocolate ice cream without
PHOTOS BY NIKITA PATEL
peanuts and I got myself a slice of coco-ana cake, chocolate cake topped with banana frosting and coconut shavings. The vegan ice cream tasted off and incomplete, similar to diet ice cream. Since there was nothing to balance the sugar, the chocolate ice cream tasted a tad too sweet. For a restaurant that uses no dairy or meat products, One Veg World does a very good job. Yet while my stomach was satisfied from all of the food, my mouth and brain still felt hungry for more. Ω
WHO KNEW VEGETABLES COULD TASTE SO GOOD (FROM CLOCKWISE): The restaurant’s decoration follows a comfortable tropical theme. | Toasted french bread with flavorful tomato bruschetta. | A veggie burger with a vegetable patty served with fries and sauce.
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“The Hobbit” blends comedy, drama, and action Released Dec. 13, 2013
PHOTOS USED WITH PERMISSION OF AP IMAGES
The last movie of “The Lord of the Rings” series, “The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug” proves itself a satisfying and action-packed film. Farhan Kamdar Staff writer
One hundred and sixty one minutes of another actionpacked return to Middle-earth: incredible. “The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug” is the second of the “Hobbit” trilogy, which is a prequel to the extremely successful and popular “Lord of the Rings” movies. Based on the highly acclaimed
novel, “The Hobbit” by J.R.R. Tolkien, “The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug” exceeded expectations. It not only held up to its predecessor, but it blew it out of the water with its excellent direction, suspense, and comedy. Director Peter Jackson took this film one step further than the previous film in the trilogy. “The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug” continues where the previous film left off. Bilbo Baggins (Martin Freeman), has grown in bravado and is ready for the remainder of the journey to take back The Lonely Mountain from the great dragon Smaug . The thirteen dwarves, one hobbit,
and a wizard, find themselves in situations that not only endanger their lives, but also allude to the “Lord of the Rings” trilogy. Passing through forests, shape changers, and giant spiders, the Company of Oakenshield find their way to The Lonely Mountain and encounter the stupendous Smaug the Dragon (Benedict Cumberbatch). The casting in this movie could not have been better. Martin Freeman is by far the best Bilbo Baggins the silver screen has ever encountered. His small mannerisms, close attention to detail, and the internal conflict that Bilbo faces is shown with utter brilliance. Sir Ian McKellen returns as the ever-iconic wizard, Gandalf. Gandalf is
as breath taking as he was ten years ago. The dwarves are extremely quirky and have wonderful chemistry. Arguably the most anticipated character in the film, Smaug the dragon, motion captured and voiced by Benedict Cumberbatch, did not disappoint in the least. His booming voice and menacing movements were felt in the hearts of the audience. His intimidating glare and ambience stole breaths as he stole the show. The cast and crew make a great film. It had comedy, drama, and action all combined to make the ultimate adventure. Other than some minor gripes, I thoroughly enjoyed this movie. Ω
“Frozen” will warm your hearts this winter Candee Treats Herself: Disney introduces two new Released Nov. 10, 2013
princesses in its animation complete with comedy and passion.
J.J. Bakery & Cafe
1756 Nogales St. Rowland Heights, CA 91748 (626) 518-1698
Candee treats her fellow Publications Ed board out for a Taiwanese breakfast. Candee Yuan Editor-in-Chief
PHOTOS USED WITH PERMISSION OF AP IMAGES
Gabrielle Manuit Staff writer
and I was elated to have experienced it in 3D. “Frozen” made great use of the snowy landscapes, and the detail incorporated into formations that Elsa creates was amazing, particularly her ice castle. The film utilized the 3D effects well. All in all, “Frozen” is certainly among Disney’s finest. Anna and Elsa’s relationship will surely melt your hearts and the movie itself a brings back a wave of nostalgia, especially for Disney fanatics like myself. “Frozen” is an enchanting film, complete with lovable characters, fantastic music, and gorgeous animation like those that we’ve come to know and love from other Disney films. Ω
34%
Who is your favorite Disney Princess? 10% Other
11% Belle
Elsa
4%
6% Merida
5% Cinderella
Jasmine
9% 7% Ariel
4%
Anna
Rapunzel
12%
No Preference
6%
Mulan
BASED ON A SURVEY OF 143 STUDENTS
With its latest release, “Frozen”, Disney revives the magic of animated movie musicals that many of us have experienced over the course of our childhood. I know that princess movies aren’t for everyone, but this particular movie is welcomely atypical in more ways than one. After anticipating this film for some time, I was pleased to see that my excitement didn’t go to waste. The beginning of the story follows the growth of princesses Anna (Kristen Bell) and Elsa (Idina Menzel) in the fictional kingdom of Arendelle.
Elsa was born with the uncanny power to create ice and snow, and she and her younger sister Anna were very close until Anna is injured because of Elsa’s powers. After the incident, Elsa’s father (Maurice LaMarche) decides that Elsa’s powers must stay a secret until she can handle them. Unfortunately, Elsa loses control of her powers in front of everyone. Branded as a monster, the she runs away to be free and lives in isolation in the mountains, but not before her powers put Arendelle under a spell of perpetual winter. It’s up to Anna to bring her sister back home so they can return the kingdom to normal. Visually, the movie was stunning,
Ho, Ho, Ho! It is that time of year again. The smell of pine needles from fresh Christmas trees or the joyous holiday songs on KOST103.5 ringing through every moving vehicle screams Christmas. I decided to get into the Christmas spirit by digging into my Taiwanese roots and showing my friends what a Taiwanese breakfast is all about. My venture into exposing my fellow Pubs Ed board what a Taiwanese breakfast is all about led us to JJ Bakery & Cafe in Rowland Heights. Our breakfast consisted of the usual components of a Taiwanese breakfast: soy milk, rice ball with pork sung, radish rice cake and Taiwanese pancake with egg. I must admit that it does not taste as good as the breakfast you will find in Taiwan,
but it’s as close as you can get. The hot soy milk with the traditional Taiwanese foods made me feel warm and toasty inside because of the freezing temperature. I would’ve appreciated more radish in my rice cake, but it still was just a little too subtle. The food left me walking out of the restaurant so satisfied and full that I didn’t even have room for lunch that day. The only downside to eating a Taiwanese breakfast is waking up before 11 a.m., but I assure you it’s all worth it. Having a Taiwanese breakfast at JJ Bakery & Cafe not only provided an opportunity to show a part of my culture to my friends, but also benefited me by giving me delicious food that I will never be tired of. Going to JJ Bakery & Cafe and waking up early to spend time with your friends is worth it. As they say, “You can sleep when you are dead.” Ω
TAIWANESE TASTES: J.J. Bakery & Cafe offers traditional dishes like soy milk, rice ball, radish rice cake, and Taiwanese pancake. PHOTO BY JESSICA WANG
Ω the hoofprint
december 18, 2013
BREAKING THE ICE: PRESEASON Winter sports kick off the preseason and gain valuable practice in preparation for the new season.
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Shooting to the top
Former middle school state wrestler freshman Mia Dow comes into girls varsity with a drive to win. Aurora Ling Staff writer
FRESHMAN BELLA AMEZCUA
1-0
GIRLS’
SOCCER
VS. DON LUGO HIGH SCHOOL
SENIOR TEOIVAN LARIOS
1-3
BOYS’
SOCCER
VS. AYALA HIGH SCHOOL
JUNIOR ZURI WILLIAMS
3-1 BASKETBALL BOYS’
@ GLENDORA TOURNAMENT
Forward senior Lesley Perez headed the game’s only score off of a corner kick to hand the Lady Mustangs the victory. “It was a pretty tough game because they were really physical. At first, we were kind of off, our intensity was low. I felt we were too relaxed going into the game and we were taking bad touches until we realized what was happening and kind of focused ourselves to focus.” Joanna Hao, 11
Walnut’s defense stayed stiff to contribute to a 1-0 lead at the half, but faltered in the second period, allowing three goals for an Ayala comeback victory. “We played well in the beginning, but we slowed down later on. We need to improve our finishing because we get chances, but don’t finish teams off and let them hang around until they get back in the game. ” Andrew Leu, 11
Varsity finished third in the Glendora tournament, knocking out Jurupa Hills, Don Lugo, and South Pasadena but falling to Damien. Center senior Richard Rycraw took his second all-tournament first team honors en route to leading Walnut to a 5-4 preseason record so far. “When we share the ball, we’re a hard team to beat. When we pass the ball around, everyone’s getting touches.” Shakur Chalmers, 12
COMPILED BY BRIAN WU
COMPILED BY AARON YONG
COMPILED BY TED ZHU
Q&A: Coach James
Former coach at Diamond Ranch, Mike James takes over for freshman boys basketball. did you first start Q: How coaching basketball?
players to be prepared and become ready for the next level. Some kids have the potential to go into varsity next year and my job is to get them ready for that.”
first year teaching, I A: “My taught at a middle school
and the principal said ‘Hey you’re coaching basketball.’ Whatever the principal tells you to do in your first year, you do. The team was awful, and I said I won’t have that happen again because I like to win.”
Q:
To you, what does a great coach embody?
A:
“A really good coach has dedication to be able to get the players to buy into what you’re doing. It’s like a family. You have your ups and downs, but everyone still gets along.”
can we look forward Q: What to this year?
A:
Q:
“I think Walnut has a specific style in basketball. You build everything from defense first and play at high intensity when you are on court.” What is your personal goal for the year?
that the goal is to learn A: “Iandthink get league championships, but the bigger picture is for our
PHOTOS BY ANTHONY ZHANG AND BELLE SUN
Q:
What is the potential of this year’s basketball team?
to progress, I A: “Ifthinkit continues it will be a great team. The goal is to get every kid to want to come back again next year. I think we have a good nucleus to have a lot of success this year.”
In seventh and eighth grade, most of us were just learning how to balance schoolwork and friendships, all the while developing our own interests. Some danced, some sang, some wrote. Inspired by her brother ,Roman Flores, one of the current varsity wrestling captains, freshman Mia Dow took up wrestling. Her first tournament was in seventh grade, where she took second place. As she continued to wrestle, she progressed, getting better, and eventually finished sixth at the Southern California Wrestling Alliance for the Youth Girls’ Middle School State Competition in eighth grade. “The best part is having the team behind you that supports you and being able to succeed and win,” Dow said. Throughout seventh and eighth grade, Dow furthered her interest and experience in wrestling by joining Rumble Kidz, a youth wrestling club run by the high school coaches. “I think Rumble Kidz started me of on the right path. It showed me the right basics and technique. It showed me that I needed to learn from my mistakes,” she said. Her experience wrestling in middle school has contributed to
the success in her first high school season, which has included earning the varsity spot for the 116 pound weight class and a culminated in a win loss record of 4-1 so far. “It’s just the fact that I try my best at practice and I work hard and I lost and I could have done better, feeling that way,” Dow said. “But I know that losing is different—you have to look at it as a learning experience every time. There’s always something you can learn from your losses.” She frequently finds various ways to improve her skill and help her reach that goal. “I got sixth place before because of a technical violation of locking hands, and so now I don’t do that anymore,” Dow said. “Now I always record my matches to rewatch them to see how I’ve changed. I’ve learned to look at my mistakes, look toward what I did wrong to improve.” Despite Dow’s successful performance on both a middle and high school level, she continues to set new goals for herself and aims to qualify for and win a California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) championship by her senior year. “My goal is to be the first freshman girl to get her name on the wall of CIF champions. I want to prove myself and let everyone know I can do it,” Dow said. Ω
Q&A: Coach Khouzam
Former D-I college player Joseph Khouzam steps in as the assistant boys basketball varsity coach. are your experiences have a good Q: What A: “We for coaching basketball? connection; it’s fun. I love been playing A: “I’ve basketball for 14 years. I
played in high school and also when I was in college. I started coaching right out of college at Alhambra High School.”
is your mindset as Q: What you coach, and what are your focal points?
be a good coach, you A: “To have to be a hard worker.
You have to understand the game. You have to understand your players and be flexible. You have to adjust and figure out, game to game, where each player can be successful. “
would you describe Q: How your connection with the team members?
being around the guys. They are all great kids, they are all pretty good athletes.”
are your goals for Q: What the team this year? goal is to win league A: “Our and make an impact at CIF
(California Interscholastic Federation) level and I think they can do it. This season our strong point is speed. We’re real quick and have great playmakers.”
is your favorite part Q: What of coaching? favorite part in coaching A: “My is practice because you can really help the players see where their mistakes are. You can find where they can be successful - that’s a lot of fun for me.”
COMPILED BY LISA SHEN
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sports FALL SPORTS PLAYOFFS GIRLS’ GOLF 11/7 Division 1 CIF Southern Section Individual Championship T6. Patricia Wong 70 11/7 Division 1 CIF Southern Section Team Regional State Qualifier T1. Walnut 370 11/20 California State Finals 3. Walnut 396
CROSS COUNTRY 11/23 Division 1 CIF Southern Section Preliminaries 11. Millen Trujillo 15:39 12. Daniel Harrigan-Cota 15:42 23. Dominic Gonzales 15:58 40. Jordan Gallegos 16:18 44. Michael Basurto 16:29 11/23 Division 1 CIF Southern Section Finals 30. Millen Trujillo 15:25 57. Dominic Gonzales 15:49 58. Daniel Harrigan-Cota 15:49
GIRLS’ TENNIS Division 2 CIF Southern Section Championships 11/5 Wild Card @ Canyon 13-5 L 11/6 First Round vs. Culver City 10-8 W
BOYS WATER POLO Division 5 CIF Southern Section Championships 11/13 First Round vs. Arlington 21-4 W 11/16 Second Round @ La Serna 10-9 W 11/20 Semi-finals vs. Glendale 12-16 L
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