November 2015 by Hoofprint

THE HOOFPRINT

Freshman Dylan Afanador portrays Mr. De Pinna in drama’s “You Can’t Take It With You” fall play, which premiered Wednesday, Nov. 4. “I’m one of those guys in class who like to yell. I’m like those guys that don’t raise their hand. Mr. Migs [the drama instructor] says I’m like a Mr. De Pinna. He just says whatever, and I’m somewhat like that too. Ask anyone, ‘Hey, what do you think of Dylan Afanador as Mr. De Pinna?’ They’ll say, ‘He’s like a Mr. De Pinna.’” Dylan Afanador, 9

Walnut High School Volume 48 Issue 2 Nov. 5, 2015 www.whshoofprint.com

PHOTO BY SAJID IQBAL

mission 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.

TOC

Table of contents 3

INVESTIGATIVE REPORTING | A deeper look into the transparency between admins and students.

staff list

OPINION | Excessive sensitivity to political correctness puts a limit on freedom of expression.

Editors-in-Chief: Alison Chang, Michelle Chang, Brandon Ng, Bryan Wong Manager: Anita Chuen Copy Editor: Derek Wan Photo Editor: Sajid Iqbal

Business Managers: Anita Chuen, Jeffrey Tran Designers: Cherie Chu, Nikita Patel,

FEATURE | Junior Matthew Lin spends a summer visiting national parks.

Sabrina Wan Feature Editors: Olivia Chiang, Sophia Ding Opinion Editors: Lisa Shen, Brian Wu In-Depth Editor: Chantel Chan Investigative Reporting Editors: Caroline Huang, Eric Peng Arts Editors: Emily Chen, Nikita Patel Scene Editors: Cherie Chu, Sabrina Wan Sports Editors: Albert Law, Joshua Shen Staff writers: Florene Ao, Kevin Arifin,

Angela Cao, Anabelle Chang, Crystal Chang, Amber Chen, Brian Chen, Emily Chen, Kelly Chen, Jocelyn Chow, Samuel Compolongo, Haixin Guo, Emi

IN DEPTH | The Hoofprint looks at aspects of peer pressure.

Hays, Brian Honng, Jessica Huang, Justin Jiang, Natalie Jiang, Melissa Kim, Austin Lam, Casey Lee, Julie Lee, Phillip Leung, Annie Li, Doris Li, Ashley Lin, Eunice Lin, Serena Lin, Elaine Liu, Jonathan Liu, Amy Lo, Jason Luna, Isabella Pollalis, Jo Ann Sun, Amanda Taing, Athena Tang, Sean Wang, Brandon Win, Megan Wu, Aaron Yong, Anna Yu, Yolanda Yu, Angela Zhang, Laura Zhang, Richard Zhang, Maxwell Zhu

SCENE | Explore cafe spots that are great for after school studying or relaxing with friends.

ARTS | Junior Hannah Kawate inspires others with music.

Adviser: Rebecca Chai

contact For business/ad inquiries, email business@whshoofprint.com Walnut High School 400 N. Pierre Rd. Walnut, CA 91789 (909) 594 1333 x34251

media

www.whshoofprint.com @WalnutHS_News @WalnutHS_Sports @whspublications

SPORTS | Senior Rami Abdou finds comfort in golf to cope with an illness.

INVESTIGATIVE REPORTING

School Transparency

Q&A: The administration’s perspective

The administration and police shed light on how information is distributed to students and parents. COMPILED BY AMY LO, BRYAN WONG AND CAROLINE HUANG

Principal Brandon Dade How do you determine what information to disperse? “We work with law enforcement and the police department and are considerate about the parents of that particular student. We have to see what information we have and what information that [the students] saw that we can send out to the community.”

How do you respond to parents who want to know more about the situations? “There are parents who want to be more involved and know everything. We sit down with those parents and say that we cannot give you certain info because there was an investigation, or the family doesn’t want to give out details. We want to give the information that can help the situation.”

What effect does the information have on the community? “[We] want to be honest about the level of safety on campus and give very clear steps to how to protect that safe environment. We need to provide the action plan on how to get everybody back to that ultimate safety on campus.”

Assistant principal Maria-Elena Navarro

Athletic director Jerry Person

What is the procedure for releasing information? “When [the incident is] something that is going to affect potentially all students, we want to make sure that parents and our community are informed about things. [The principal and I] work together in collaboration with the district to make sure that people are informed accurately.”

What does the administration do to make sure students and parents know about what is happening? “We generally will use email and the Friday Forecast. When it comes to other incidents, I will inform parents whose children might be involved via email. We work with the approval of the district office to make sure that the statements that we are releasing are accurate.”

What factors does the school consider when releasing information? “We want to be transparent, open and communicative and protect the privacy of individuals when necessary. We want to build a trusting relationship with all of our stakeholders and community members but also consider the feelings of people involved.”

What was the infection among the football players? “There were some rashes that were noticed by [athletic trainer] Nelson [Chen], but what we suspected was staph ended up being a dermatitis type of thing. So they gave them the proper creams, and it was taken care of. We sanitized all the equipment of all the kids in the varsity locker room. We took care of sanitizing everything that may have been involved.”

What does the staff do to make students feel safe? “There’s an extensive check of everybody to make sure that nobody else has it. If they do, we recommend they go to the doctor and inform their parents about it.”

Should the school send out a notification? “Yeah, if it continues to [persist] we’re probably going to have to send something out after that, but at that point in time, we dealt with the situation. It was handled, and nothing else came out of it. If it goes on, [we have] to notify as many people as [we] need to notify.”

Walnut Sheriff’s Department Lieutenant David Buckner

How do the police and school administration collaborate to determine what information to release? “The administration at the school will make the decision of what they want to release. It is a priority for us to communicate with the school when we have info, and we should respond to all significant incidents. And keeping communication open is very important, especially [when] dealing with public safety threats.”

How does the police investigate situations threatening student safety? “Because a lot of things happen away from school, we have to investigate and have to do a search warrant on the house and make entry to determine if there are weapons inside.”

How does the police relay the information to the school? “A phone call would take place from the police to the administration, letting them know what we have found. But it is up to the school to censor [the information] however [it] wants to censor it.”

What is the protocol?

Our school administration reviews news updates and upcoming events to inform the students and parents of the latest happenings. COMPILED BY CAROLINE HUANG AND ERIC PENG

The school leadership team (a group of administrators, grade level counselors and program directors) meets every Monday to review activities that will be taking place that week. They communicate what should be released to the community and students.

Throughout the week, the principal also receives updates from teachers about current events and sends the information to the leadership team, who puts events under review. Information is usually received within three to five days before broadcasting.

The calendar tab on the Walnut website serves as a live document for collaboration between all of the different groups that work together in leadership and throughout the campus. All activities must be present on the calendar for the principal to release notice.

The principal sends out weekly 1-page Mustang Friday Forecasts that condense the next week’s important events into concise words. In addition, there are short email reminders, each focusing on individual events.

THE HOOFPRINT

The students’ perspective

When an incident that involves student and faculty occurs, the school community expects to be informed in a timely and thorough manner. Eric Peng and Caroline Huang News editors School transparency maintains trust among parents, students and the administration. The school gives updates to the student body to inform and communicate important events. When rumors of a threat to campus safety spread last March, parents were concerned after receiving an initial email, and some started to excuse their children from school. Six days after the initial incident, the administration addressed the issue of campus safety again without mentioning the rumor itself. When a student was reported missing in September, the school sent out an email about five hours after the parents notified

the school. By that time, many students had heard about and shared the incident after seeing the missing posters and hearing from friends and family in person or through social media. Although the school shared information about technology donations, the lack of prior notice about big projects on campus, such as the renovation of the pool and installation of digital kiosks, perpetuates a need for transparency to build trust in the school community. School administration transparency is often discussed in the news and a recent example of efficient communication is seen in how the Euclid school district in Cleveland, Ohio resolved a gun threat over Instagram on Nov. 1. Superintendent Keith Bell and school administrators

clearly informed parents and students about the situation through its website, phone calls and social media on the same night of the threat, giving specific details: “I apologize for the late call, but wanted you to hear this information as soon as possible. This evening, we learned of a threat of gun violence toward all Euclid Schools. The threat was posted on Instagram and said ‘At 10:00, all Euclid schools and LEHS we’ll get shot up.’ We will call you tomorrow morning with an update.” With good reason, the school may withhold information to protect students, but the sooner the student body is informed, the more prepared it will be to respond quickly and effectively in emergency situations. Ω

Class poll on transparency

Students’ voices Students voice their opinions on commucation between the school and themselves. COMPILED BY JULIE LEE, MELISSA KIM AND NATALIE JIANG

“I think they want to just tell us what we need to know and not all the other details because what’s the point of complicating things more? But we should be able to know way more than they tell us and be able to have access to that information.” Stan Chae, 9

We took a class of 28 students and read statements on four topics. Students raised their hands if they agreed. Each toggle represents four students. General Transparency

I tend to trust the school administration.

Contained Dermatitis Issue in September 2015 (see atheletic director Jerry Person on page 3):

I heard about the football team members who had dermatitis. I think there could be more transparency.

I see communication problems between... the administration and students: 23 the administration and teachers: 24 the administration, teachers and students: 24 Our administration communicates enough and is transparent enough.

Threat Issue in March 2015:

I heard about the threat on campus last year.

The email sent to parents was clear.

The email was unclear and caused fear.

I didn’t know about the email.

I tend to think the administration is hiding certain pieces of information that would help clear up misunderstandings.

The school administration should have notified the entire student body.

I would have felt safer if the school had notified me of this issue.

“I don’t think the school gives enough instruction and boundary on safety and it, instead, focuses on things like GPA, social world, and dress code. In a lot of rules, safety should always come first before respect and responsibility.” Fitty Liu, 10

The school should have released more information even if it does not concern all students.

The school should not release information if it does not concern all students.

Missing Student Issue in September 2015 (see principal Brandon Dade on page 3): I heard about the missing student.

“I feel like [the administration] would let people know like just the gist of what’s going on but not any details. I wish the school would quickly get past the gist of the issue and give us as much as they can and as much as they know.”

The email sent out by the administration was clear and detailed.

I wanted to know more information.

It is good for the administration to withhold unnecessary information to prevent scaring students.

I found out new information from... school: 1 media: 25 friends: 22 family: 10

The school should address rumors directly.

School followed up adequately with the issue by updating students and families.

“If these incidents were to be exposed to the student body, the students will be more aware and could play an integral part in potentially preventing one from inflicting harm.” Catherine Yong, 12

INVESTIGATIVE REPORTING

School Transparency

Q&A: The administration’s perspective

The administration and police shed light on how information is distributed to students and parents. COMPILED BY AMY LO, BRYAN WONG AND CAROLINE HUANG

Assistant principal Maria-Elena Navarro

Athletic director Jerry Person

Walnut Sheriff’s Department Lieutenant David Buckner How do the police and school administration collaborate to determine what information to release?

“The administration at the school will make the decision of what they want to release. It is a priority for us to communicate with the school when we have info, and we should respond to all significant incidents. And keeping communication open is very important, especially [when] dealing with public safety threats.”

What is the protocol?

Our school administration reviews news updates and upcoming events to inform the students and parents of the latest happenings. COMPILED BY CAROLINE HUANG AND ERIC PENG

THE HOOFPRINT

Political correctness

Being politically correct is not always beneficial or effective, as it can oftentimes hinder people from expressing their opinions fully, out of the fears of being misunderstood or offending others. Josh Shen Sports editor

Our culture has become too sensitive. In this modern era, political correctness governs conversation. When we converse, there’s always that sudden instinct to not describe someone as “racist,” “sexist,” “homophobe,” “anti-Semite,” “bigot,” and the like. We fear acting offensively in public, such as playing with imaginary guns or praising our religious preference. We fear openly talking about our religion because of the recent shooting at Umpqua Community College and mass killings of ISIS. We fear talking about any hyphenated American because we would instantly be accused of stereotyping. We fear speaking our minds. We are living in an era in which every personal decision is open to scrutiny. The tradition of being politically correct began as the American promise for bringing equality closer to reality. However, from the very start, political correctness has failed to keep this promise. Political correctness in the U.S. became widespread during World War I, a time when people had to watch what they said about the American military and war itself. And as years continue to pass, this action continues to hide prejudice as a veil of deceit, undisclosed and never to be heard. More so, once a potentially politically incorrect statement is blurted out the mouth of a person, there will be swift and hasty punishment. Political correctness creates a negative overreaction.

For example, in Trappe, Maryland two first graders were arrested for using their fingers as guns to play Cops and Robbers. In Fort Worth, Texas, 14-year-old Dakota Ary was given in-school suspension for his words against homosexuality in German class. At Columbus High School in Texas, a track team was suspended after one of the athletes made a gesture praising God at the finish line. At Live Oak High School in California, several students were sent home for wearing shirts bearing the American flag on Cinco de Mayo. However, the students aren’t the only ones being censored -- schools and teachers are too. A school in Seattle renamed its Easter eggs ‘spring spheres’ to avoid offending people who did not celebrate Easter. Walt Tukta, a substitute teacher in New Jersey, was fired after he gave a Bible to a student who asked for one. Teachers are banned from talking about politics. Schools are banned from putting up Christmas trees, unless it’s a “holiday tree.” Consequently, we see this type of “equality” in the classroom. We students are forced to censor what we say and be cautious of what we do or face social consequences. Political correctness has become the teacher and the Big Brother of the classroom. Political correctness has gone too far. While the original intent of political correctness may have encouraged tact and sensitivity to others’ feelings regarding issues of gender, race or religion, the effect of political correctness has been to make everyone avoid these topics altogether, thereby hindering our freedom of free speech and making us fear disclosing our opinions. Ω

EDITORIAL CARTOON BY AMY LO

current events Jun. 1

After American athlete Bruce Jenner recently began to identify himself as Caitlyn Jenner, Drake Bell tweeted in response, “Sorry… still calling you Bruce,” which elicited criticism from other celebrities such as Onision whose tweet attacked Bell for disrespecting Jenner’s decision. Bell then sent out two different tweets apologizing for offending Jenner as well as others.

Republican candidate Donald Trump has generalized Mexican immigrants as “criminals, drug dealers and rapists” and stated that their government is “not our friend.” His anti-immigration stance has garnered comments that describe his statements with “ignorance and disdain.” However, Trump ignored all criticism and stated that his comments were “true,” drawing many supporters.

Jul. 18

Jun. 16

After the shooting of black teen Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri, people started using #blacklivesmatter to preach racial equality. Others thought that the hashtag devalued the other lives and wanted #alllivesmatter to be used. Democratic candidate Martin O’Malley, used it in a speech and later apologized for offending people.

SOURCES: PEOPLE.COM, HOLLYWOODREPORTER, BUSINESSINSIDER.COM, FUSION.NET, THEATLANTIC.COM | PHOTOS COURTESY OF AP IMAGES

THE HOOFPRINT

07 PHOTO COURTESY OF MATTHEW LIN

Explore the vast country Junior Matthew Lin uses his summer vacation to visit several national parks.

PARKS AND REC | Junior Matthew Lin visits a sandstone tower at Arches National Park in Utah. Richard Zhang Staff writer Two months. That’s all Matthew Lin and his family needed to visit 25 national parks. Lin and his family traveled over 5,000 miles by car through vast deserts, pine forests blanketed with snow, grasslands, canyons and mountains. Within 60 days, Lin and his family circumnavigated North America, including part of Canada, and stopped at parks such as Glacier National Park, Yosemite and Yellowstone. “We went during the summer because we had nothing to do. My parents really wanted us to see the world in its entirety. They wanted us to explore and discover the country not just by what we see here in Walnut, but America as a whole,” Lin said. Lin’s family planned to bring three

pairs of everything─shoes, socks, pants, shirts, jackets and sweaters─to change into everyday. The family purchased food at local grocery markets in every state they went to, since it was impossible to prepare 60 days of food. They drove six hours a day travelling between parks. “We made a lot of preparations. As for the schedule, we didn’t really follow it on the trip. If it was a park we liked, we’d stay there longer, and if we didn’t, we’d move on as soon as we could. It was more of a improvised schedule than a set schedule,” Lin said. Lin visited Yosemite National park first, where he encountered a realm of cliffs and waterfalls. “To be honest I did feel overwhelmed by the sheer amount of trees, but there were wild animals like bears and deer, which I thought were really cool. I knew it was

something you couldn’t experience sitting at home. Everything just felt so real,” Lin said. After hours of driving, Lin and his family arrived at Yellowstone National Park in Wyoming. At first, they watched wild animals like the bison from afar and eventually reached the Yellowstone Hot Springs. “I can definitely say that my favorite moment was at the hot springs in Yellowstone. When the hot spring erupted, I could feel the heat and the power of mother nature. I was thrilled, but at the same time, numb from the excitement and surprise,” Lin said. In Canada, Lin and his family visited the snowcapped mountains of Glacier National Park. While enjoying the tranquility of the ice and snow, they hiked through steep trails and watched the passing scenery. “I have to say, Glacier National Park

was by far my favorite because there was snow. Living in Walnut, snow is something you don’t see every day. I love snow, especially since it snowed almost every day in Glacier Park, even in the summer. As we walked through the snow, it felt so quiet and tranquil, but alive at the same time.” Lin said. Lin strived to spend a short vacation doing something with his family that he’d remember for the rest of his life: a summer filled with hours of driving, long nights in the car and not being in the same state for more than four days. “From how I see it, I learned that the things you learn in school are nothing compared to what you could really learn if you just stepped outside. Some things are just impossible to learn when you’re sitting in a classroom or staring at computer screen.You don’t get the full experience,” Lin said. Ω

GRAND CANYON

Matthew’s highlights from the trip

“When we climbed up the mountain and reached the top, we could see the different colors and layers of everything.”

BRYCE CANYON “The stone is actually two different rocks. It’s impressive because they say a lot of rocks have fallen. This one stayed balanced.”

ANTELOPE CANYON

“It feels like you’re in a little world, segregated from the outside. You can be yourself because there’s nothing else to distract you.”

COMPILED BY SOPHIA DING PHOTOS COURTESY OF MATTHEW LIN

IN- DEPTH PHOTO BY SAJID IQBAL

STUDENT STATISTICS

he effects and influences of peer pressure are farreaching. In academics, the implementation of an online gradebook gives students the ability to see their test scores and grades as soon as the teacher updates them. Although convenient, immediately accessible grades also foster competitiveness in students as they feel the need to compare their scores to their peers’ in order to evaluate their own academic success. Friendly academic competition, however, can act as an incentive for students to strive higher. According to a study published by the Williams Project on the Study of Economics in Higher Education, higherperforming students can actually help improve the overall academic performance of the peer group. Although peer pressure can work in a positive way, academics is still just one aspect of the bigger picture. Peer pressure permeates through every aspect of our lives. Our style of dress, behaviour, choice of music and even temptation to take alcohol and drugs are all influenced in some way by our peers.

BASED ON A SURVEY OF 319 STUDENTS

How often do students feel pressured by peers? 28% of students 30%

say a few times a week

of students say once a month

92%

of students say they have pressured someone else into positive or beneficial decisions.

66%

23%

19%

of students say once a week

of students say every day

How important is it for students to be accepted by peers?

PEER PRESSURE

13% of students say not important 46% of students say a little important 31% of students say important 10% of students say very important

Compared to the social and family setting, students feel the most peer pressure from the academic setting.

of students say they have pressured someone else into negative or harmful decisions.

Peer pressure influeces students the most in which area?

30% 25%

of students say academic performance

25% 10% 10%

of students say behavior and attitude

of students say appearance

STUDENT Q&A Q: When was a time you experienced peer pressure? Do you believe peer pressure is more beneficial or harmful? COMPILED BY MELISSA KIM, JULIE LEE

wo rk

Sarah Abbott, 9

“When there is a test and people are getting done before me, that’s when I experience negative peer pressure. It makes me feel like I have to rush on my test, but then I learned to slow down on my tests and not care what other people think when I am taking a test or quiz.”

Cameren Moore, 10

“In general, peer pressure is harmful because you may not like the things you do, but you just do it. What I want to do, I don’t have time for. Socially, I’ve been pressured by my friends who started wearing makeup, changing from backpacks to purses and getting into relationships. I think, ‘Should I be like that?’”

Ivy Wang, 11

GLC Q&A

COMPILED BY JESSICA HUANG, RICHARD ZHANG

Q: What is your perspective on the peer pressure among students at Walnut?

Jennifer Tucker, Class of 2019 GLC “My biggest observation of peer pressure is that you have to take higher-level classes like everybody else. Students don’t take classes based on what they should be taking. They’re taking classes based on what others are taking when they have no business being in there.”

Andrea Garcia, Class of 2018 GLC “I feel that students do experience peer pressure and that it’s sometimes hard to balance between school, family and peer values. They don’t always align, and I think that that makes it difficult for the students to always follow the right path and make the right choices.”

of students say interests of students say other

66% of students say

peer pressure affects how they view their abilities and self-worth.

Brandon Ng, Editor-in-Chief

“Peer pressure is less helpful because you can get distracted when you need to do your homework. When my friends come over, I don’t really want them to because I need to study, but it’s kind of hard because I want them to come over at the same time. However, I know I have to do homework first even when I want to go outside and play.”

THE HOOFPRINT

“I have two older brothers. Both are in Boy Scouts and are Eagle Scouts, so my mom has been kind of pressuring me to become an Eagle Scout, too. There was definitely a positive influence being pressured in this way. It’s been a rough journey, but it’s been fun because of all the things that I’ve learned from Boy Scouts. I’ve learned how to overcome many complications.”

Patrick Lau, 12

Q: Do you think the peer pressure from when you were in high school is the same as it is now?

Ken McDill, Class of 2017 GLC “Things don’t change that much. It’s pretty amazing how we all dealt with similar things. The [social] groups have kind of stayed the same over the last few years. Peer pressure’s always been there and I think it’s because in high school you’re still working on finding your identity.”

DuJuan Johnson, Class of 2016 GLC “Now I think peer pressure is done more with social media. You feel like you have to have so many likes on a post or a comment. When I was in school, that wasn’t the case. You felt the pressure more directly. You didn’t have the digital pressure to go along with the face-to-face pressure.”

FEATURE

COMPILED BY OLIVIA CHIANG PHOTO BY JEFFREY TRAN

MORE THAN A GAME | Freshman Aaron Chang plays chess games at the Metropolitan Chess Camp.

AARON CHANG’S

TIPS TO IMPROVE YOUR NEXT CHESS GAME

Keep calm

Perfecting his chess games with practice

Every move matters

Read the books

After practicing rigorously, freshman Aaron Chang placed second at the 2015 Super State K-8 Chess Championship.

PHOTO COURTESY OF AARON CHANG

Angela Zhang Staff writer To the human mind, chess has an incomprehensible number of possible plays. Within just three moves on each side of the board, there can be nine million different configurations of game pieces. Chess, in these aspects, captivated freshman Aaron Chang as a preschooler and continues to motivate him in his pursuits in competitive chess. “My first tournament was at Arcadia. I remember losing quite a bit of games since my opponents were much more experienced than I was,” Chang said. “Although my performance was not great I had a thrilling experience and learned a lot from the games I lost.” Most recently, he placed second among 107 competitors at the 2015 Super State K-8 Championship. In preparation for chess tournaments, Chang takes weekly chess lessons, reads up on techniques and practices through online matches. Previously, Chang devoted eight hours a week to the game, but since high school started, he now spends four hours a week practicing. He finds this same focus and determination from chess evident in his everyday life. “It [has] made me more patient and persevering. It takes a lot effort and time just to win one chess game. I have learned from chess to be more detail

oriented and to not easily give up,” Chang said. “Also, I’ve learned that life is like a chess game. Every decision you make will significantly impact your future.” As a sort of pre-game ritual, Chang takes naps in order to calm himself─not exactly what you would expect from a restless thinker who considers all options before making a move. “[Chess] is not the fun game we all play for leisure. At the professional level, there is actually immense psychological pressure revolving around the board. A good player should have the ability to overcome this pressure in order to win the game,” Chang said. A chess game can last from four to six hours and can be both mentally and physically exhausting. “Chess is such a mentally demanding and intense game as it requires one to have excellent reasoning, logic and calculation skills and [maturity],” Chang said. Chess players must develop determination to succeed but must also accept failure. Chang, who experiences failures, also knows what it takes to win the game, as seen in his six-hour long match at the Southern California Open. “It took patience and calculation to break through my opponent’s defensive bastion. My time was getting low and I was getting frustrated. However, I was able to keep my cool and eventually won,” Chang said. Ω

“My first tournament was at Arcadia. I remember losing quite a bit of games since my opponents were much more experienced than I was.”

“If an opponent makes a move with confidence, don’t panic, and analyze it. Because people could be bluffing. They play with more confidence, with a smile and make mistakes.” “Be alert for every possibility.” “‘[I read] “My System” by Aron Nimzowitsch. It teaches about tough important positional ideas like exchange sacrifice, restraining double pawn and prophylaxis.”

THE HOOFPRINT

Just my cup of tea Local coffee shops and teahouses offer unique drinks and quiet study places. Cocohodo

18720-B Colima Rd. Rowland Heights Iced Americano › Coffee maintained a balance between too bitter and lacking in taste › Enough ice to keep the drink cold but not enough to water down the drink

COLD BREW (TOP) | The Iced Americano was rich in flavor but not too overpowering.

Atmosphere › Good studying environment › Soft music and bright lighting provide a comfortable setting

DAILY GRIND (BOTTOM) | With just the right amount of sweetness, the Creme Brulee Latte exceeded expectations.

Klatch Coffee 806 W Arrow Hwy. San Dimas

Oasis Tea House

Creme Brulee Latte › Syrup complements coffee well › Not overly sweet › Rich vanilla flavor with a hint of coffee

1841 S San Gabriel Blvd. San Gabriel

Mocktails › Pink Paradise Refreshing guava and mint flavor › Green Lantern Unique mint and pineapple blend › Citrus It Up! Strong, acidic citrus flavor Atmosphere › Picturesque, rustic picnic tables outside › Bright pastel furniture › Upbeat electronic pop music

Atmosphere › Comfortable environment with sofas and large tables › Jazz music in background sets relaxing mood

Canabru Coffee 14521 Ramona Ave. Chino Zebra Mocha Latte › Bittersweet layers of cream › Leaf-shaped foam art › Chocolate and white mocha blend

Atmosphere › Cozy room with mellow lighting › Comfortable seating conveniently placed near charging outlets › Rustic theme

LATTE LOVE | The Zebra Mocha Latte has a generous layer of creamy foam that complements the hot coffee.

COMPILED BY KEVIN ARIFIN, NATALIE JIANG, SAMUEL COMPOLONGO AND BRYAN WONG FOR FULL REVIEWS, PLEASE VISIT WHSHOOFPRINT.COM

SCENE

Grab a bite at Old School Eatery Old School Eatery takes on modern twists to traditional comfort foods. 975 N. Michillinda Ave, Pasadena

Casey Lee Staff writer Anyone passing through Michillinda Avenue, Pasadena will see a red two-story building called Old School Eatery. At first glance, the building looks like a classic antique barn, but the restaurant actually serves hybrid

food that combines modern and old-fashioned elements. Old School Eatery lives up to its name, giving off an old school vibe by playing music from artists such as Queen, the Beatles and Buddy Holiday. On the other hand, the sheer black tables, dangling fluorescent lights and metal fans create a modern atmosphere. The restaurant features retro paintings, such as one of an Etch-a-Sketch, that develop a 90’s throwback look. The restaurant offers food choices for all age groups, ranging from macaroni and cheese

to cocktails. Old School Eatery’s menu isn’t as varied as I expected it would be -- there are only two types of burgers to choose from out of 14 entrees. The menu isn’t diverse, but each dish is unique and includes specialties such as Pineapple Upsidedown Cake and Bagel and Fish. I ordered the Angelino burger, which took 20 minutes to arrive even though the restaurant was nearly empty. The burger’s appearance was only average, but after taking one bite into the patty, I could tell it wasn’t a typical one. Even though the patty was done medium-well, it was

Far from wiped out

The Neighbourhood recounts its rise in recognition in a new album “Wiped Out!” and ventures toward unexplored musical terrain.

Oct. 30, 2015

Anita Chuen Manager The Neighbourhood continues to experiment with genre-bending songs in its sophomore album “Wiped Out!” Filled with heavy basslines and meaningful lyrics, the album definitely reflects the growth and experimentation of the band from its first album “I Love You.” “Wiped Out!” starts off with “A Moment of Silence,” which is literally 30 seconds of silence. At first, I found this a bit odd and unnecessary, but once the second song came on, I realized how necessary it was to prepare my ears and heart for the mixture of droning, bass-driven rock and deep lyrics reflecting the different phases of struggling relationships. The album officially begins with “Prey,” in which an eerie choral effect in the background brings a sense of mystery. Singer Jesse Rutherford croons an anthem about trying to mend a shaky relationship. The contrast between the bass drum

tender and gushed with juice in each bite. When we were done eating, we received our check in a mason jar that contained not only the check but also complimentary mints. Despite the creative combination of both old-fashioned and modern themes, I left the restaurant feeling like something was missing. Old School Eatery’s atmosphere was great, but the food presentation just didn’t meet my expectations. The drive to Pasadena isn’t worth the gas or time just to eat there, but if you’re in the Pasadena area, Old School Eatery isn’t a bad place to check out. Ω

and the high-pitched tambourine meshes well with the rough vocals. As usual, the instrumentals shift towards the climax of the songs, amplifying the sing-along mood. As “Cry Baby” begins, the first words are Jesse confessing “I think I talk too much.” The lyrics include implicit lines with underlying meanings that express the trials and maturation of the band. The weighty bass and drum grooves give off an angsty-grunge feel, bringing back hardcore rock elements from the 80’s. The smooth and pleasant tone of Jesse’s vocals along with the catchy melody complement each other very well, creating a melancholic dynamic with the high-pitched plucking of the electric guitar and synths. Throughout the album, the lyrics carry a sense of reflection and yearning with emotionfilled vocals and faraway sound textures piercing through the deep echoing bass sounds. Accompanied with a mixture of pop elements, surf-rock and atmospheric indie rock, the songs sprinkled with dreamy soundscapes reflect the emotional turmoil of salvaging the remains of a weakening relationship. Conutinued at whshoofprint.com

THE HOOFPRINT 2

COLOR GUARD’S HALFTIME SHOW COMPILED BY EMILY CHEN PHOTOS BY SAJID IQBAL

1. Senior Ashley Kao poses for the opening of the field show with Marching Band. “I felt very emotional because it was the last time that all the seniors are performing for the school. I really love the whole team a lot,” Kao said. 2. Sophomore Dayana Sandoval performs the routine for the fight song before the field show. “The performance helped the football game in a way that pumped up the audience, so when we finished performing, the audience would cheer and scream on for Color Guard and the football players,” Sandoval said. 3. Sophomore Jade Dai poses for the end of the ballad, the second song of the field show. “I am honestly really happy that I got to perform the ballad in front of so many people, knowing that I had fun and that our hard work at our practices paid off,” Dai said. 4. Senior Monique Chang waits on the sideline to return to the field during the last song. “I don’t exactly feel nervous, but at that moment, I feel energized and fired up. I just focus on my performance and push every other thought aside,” Chang said. 5. Flag captain junior Sharon Kim prepares to cradle her rifle and jump during the opener of the field show. “I love being in rifle line because not many people can be able to and having this talent just makes it more exciting for me,” Kim said.

ARTS

Drama’s fall show

As a part of its fall show, Drama will perform the romantic comedy “You Can’t Take It With You” from Nov. 4 to Nov.7. Phillip Leung Staff writer Drama will perform “You Can’t Take It With You,” a romantic comedy, Nov. 4-7 at 7 p.m. in the Performing Arts Center. Sophomore Heidi Salas and junior John Reed will play the lead roles of Alice and Tony, two office workers who develop a relationship. However, complications arise from the differing personalities of their families. “I’m prepared and excited for [the show]. I think it will be better because it’s more comical, and it’s fun,” Salas said. “The new teacher has made it more interesting. He has a really good sense of humor, [and it’s] really fun to work with him.” Drama instructor Matthew Migliorini focuses on rehearsing scenes that require

STRING THEORY | Junior Hannah Kawate plays the violin. PHOTO BY AMANDA TAING

Aspire to help

more work to ensure the quality of the play. “He sees these habits. For example, someone could portray a line wrong and [he’d] try to fix that. We run through things, stop them and make them redo it so they can get into the habit of doing it correctly. We make sure they don’t rush their lines or else it’s like, ‘What are you saying?’” assistant director sophomore Jessie Yang said. In addition, Migliorini is encouraging cast members to sell the show by word-ofmouth and to spread ticket sales with friends, instead of relying on hand-drawn posters and signs to attract a larger audience. “He wants this show to sell out. Honestly, this is the first performance we put up for him. He believes the cast of 18 can easily get 600 people to come to the show. The cast gets it done,” Reed said. Ω Continued at whshoofprint.com

Dance Team hosts its first Ugly Sweater Contest COMPILED BY JULIE LEE

PHOTO BY VIVIAN LEE

Junior Hannah Kawate uses her passion for music in order to help other people.

Dance Team had its first ugly sweater competition, which served as a team building exercise and a way to create costumes for the Winter Wishes concert. At the end of the competition, one grade level was chosen as the winner.

Brian Chen Staff writer

The team members turned in their hand-decorated sweaters on Oct. 28. Dance coach Audrey De Guzman judged the sweaters based on creativity and overall impression to decide the winner.

Junior Hannah Kawate has taken a leading role in initiating musical service, not only through in-school musical programs but also through assisting the less fortunate. Her three clubs, Tri-M, Fortissimo and Music Club have provided her a platform to spark change in the community. “Before, I never saw myself as much of a leader, and I followed whatever the road paved. I realized this year that I’m very passionate about helping others with music,” Kawate said. “I have hope that I can be building the next Mozart or Yo Yo Ma, since there are a lot of talented kids that just don’t get to experience music. My goal is really just to help them realize that music can be a great way to go.” Seeing how music helped her get past her own obstacles such as the pressure of studying, Kawate looks to get more hands on and to teach a younger generation of musicians. Her

club, Fortissimo, goes to foster homes to help the children learn music, whether they have any experience on a particular instrument or not. “I wanted to start Fortissimo because I wanted to share my skills with children who are much less fortunate than I am,” Kawate said. “Some children that we work with and teach to have been abused, and it’s nice to know that music can take them away from that. I know that it’s hard for me to understand what that’s like, but for me music was my way to be passionate and get away from my stress.” Kawate and the rest of Music Club organize pieces to perform at nearby elderly homes. “Music is universal in the sense that anyone, young and old, can connect. Music can be spiritually uplifting. For example, at the senior home I find that music awakens their senses and makes them feel more alive,” Kawate said. Ω Continued at whshoofprint.com

The seniors were the winning grade level. The opening number at the Winter Wishes show on Nov. 19 and 20 will showcase these decorated sweaters.

SWEATER WEATHER | Dance Team seniors show off their winning sweaters and pose with Dance coach Audrey De Guzman.

THE HOOFPRINT

Swinging past adversity

After being diagnosed with histiocytosis, a rare disease that negatively increases the number of histiocytes inside the body, senior Rami Abdou found hope and a new passion in golf. Olivia Chiang Feature editor Not even countless hours of chemotherapy or a tumor in his spine could stop him from doing what he loves most: playing golf. Senior Rami Abdou was diagnosed with histiocytosis, a disease that involves an abnormal increase in the number of immune cells, at the age of twelve. He developed a rare form of the disease, which corroded part of his vertebrae and was a mystery to the doctors. “I can have a horrible day but when I’m out there, it’s just me and the ball and the grass. And that’s it. There’s the hole and there is nothing HISTIOCYTOSIS in between that. It’s just me and the course,” Abdou Histiocytosis is a said. generic name for a Abdou had group of syndromes absolutely no idea characterized by an abnormal increase in what was going on the number of certain when he saw his immune cells called parents crying in histiocytes. These the hallway while include monocytes, he sat on his bed macrophages, and on the day of his dendritic cells. diagnosis. It wasn’t until after they left Most cases affect children between the hospital that the ages of one and Abdou found out 15 years, although about his disease people of all ages and the doctor’s can develop LCH. r e c om me nd at ion The incidence peaks to not play golf among children anymore. between 5 and 10 “I think the years old. hardest part for Symptoms include: me was just seeing weight loss, jaundice, my parents scared. vomiting, limping, I always want to short stature, delayed see them smiling, puberty, mental deteand that’s very rioration, headache, important to me,” dizziness, seizures, Abdou said. “I protruding eyeballs, actually wasn’t and/or a generalized scared. I was rash. pretty calm, partly SOURCE: HOPKINSMEDICINE.ORG because I was on a lot of medication, but my parents were a little more worried.” Abdou initially played competitive soccer until his dad introduced him to golf. He has been playing since he was 10 years old and further developed his skills through taking lessons with a coach. “[Playing golf] made me feel like a

FALL SEASON SCOREBOARD cross country Mt. Sac Invitational, 10/24 4. Chloe Arriaga, 17:28 6. Emma Arriaga, 17:37 11. Osamah Hassan, 16:25 15. Daniel Dobson, 16:40

girls’ tennis League Finals, 10/27-28 Singles Florence Ao, 2nd Doubles Kelly Chuang/Emmaline Loo,1st Vivian Lee/Sara Santos, 2nd Brittany Chiu/Julie Yuan, 3rd

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girls’ volleyball 9/24 10/6 10/15 10/29

@ @ vs. vs.

Chino 3-1 W Los Altos 0-3 L West Covina 3-2 W

Diamond Ranch 1-3 L

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football PHOTO BY SAJID IQBAL

BEATING HISTIOCYTOSIS | Senior Rami Abdou prepares to hit away his medicine that he used during his histiocytosis treatments. normal person because I would completely forgot about my condition when I was out there. It was almost like my natural habitat,” Abdou said. To raise money and awareness for histiocytosis, Abdou hosted a Histiocytosis Association Golf Charity Event on Saturday, Oct. 17 at the Rancho San Joaquin Golf Course in Irvine. Abdou obtained sponsors for the event such as GolfSmith, Roger-Dunn, Southern California Professional Golf Association (SCPGA) and Chipotle. During the fundraiser, Abdou gave a speech about his journey from the day he got his Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) until now. “It was really hard for me because I got really emotional and I kept choking up,”

Abdou said. “It was just a special moment. It felt good sharing my story with everyone because during my struggles, no one saw the pain that I had beneath my big smile.” Though Abdou didn’t play at the event, he instead regulated everything, drove around on a golf cart to interact with the 60 players and hit some balls for them if they wanted. “Honestly, from the beginning I didn’t have any expectations for this event just because it was my first time doing this. And at first I wanted to set a monetary value, like $5,000 and I would be happy,” Abdou said. “But then I came to the conclusion that, no matter what, it’s for charity. I don’t need to set a monetary value on it. Whatever I get, I get and I’m happy with what I get.” Ω

10/16 @ West Covina 6-45 L 10/23 @ Diamond Ranch 0-44 L 10/31 vs. Charter Oak 8-70 L

boys’ water polo 10/15 10/20 10/22 10/29

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Charter Oak 18-5 W Chino 10-5 W Los Altos 11-8 W West Covina 17-6 W

girls’ golf 11/2 @ CIF Southern Section 1st Alison Chang 70 Katherine Muzi 71 Trussy Li 71

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