September 2015 by The Arcadia Quill

The World Is Our Campus Volume 63, Issue 2

Arcadia High School 180 Campus Drive, Arcadia, CA

September 2015

exploring new waters

In this issue:

Graphic courtesy of TUCSONLOCAL.COM

OPINION pg. 7 Life Without Cellphones: What if you lostyourphoneforaday? Howwouldyour life change without being so connected? Photo courtesy of TRAVIS CHEN

ANOTHER MEASURE OF SUCCESS Celebrating the opening of state-of-the-art athletic facilities, both administrators and students anticipate an exciting year ahead. By TITUS WU Staff Writer

Photo courtesy of ANNIE RO

PERFORMING ARTS pg. 16 Music Camp: After spending a week at Idyllwild Pines and Camp Maranatha, students recap their fun musical experiences.

Graphic courtesy of MAZERUNNERMOVIES.COM

CALENDAR pg. 28 Blockbuster Hit: The second installment in the acclaimed Maze Runner series, Scorch Trials is here to thrill.

Have a question, comment, or concern about The Apache Pow Wow? Email the Editors-in-Chief at eic.powwow@gmail.com. Find us online at apachepowwow.tumblr.com

AHS officially opened its new pool and Sports Medicine Complex on Sept. 11 with a ribbon-cutting ceremony, ending years of construction of new facilities, including the Science Building and the Performing Art Center (PAC). “I am proud to say how beautiful and how fortunate the district is to have facility at a world-class level,” said Superintendent Mr. David Vannasdall during the ceremony. The new pool is definitely much larger, with dimensions of 25 yards by 33 meters along with varying depths from 3.5 to 7 feet. These new dimensions meet the new depth requirements, qualifying Arcadia to host more swim meets. Additionally, the extra space means AHS can have home water polo games for the first time and host CIF games as well. More sophisticated, however, are the sensors at the end of each swim lane which are wired directly to the scoreboard. “With these sensors,” said Mr. Michael Brewer, the building manager of the pool, “we are able to time the athlete’s swim time to as close as the millisecond,” which ensures accuracy and integrity in the swim competitions.

With this Olympic-level addition is the scoreboard itself—an electronic scoreboard located at the south end of the pool. Before, much of the scoring was done manually on held signs, obviously a hassle for the home team. Now, all of that “will be much, much easier,” said Mr. Brewer. Coach Janice Clark, head of both the water polo and swim teams, pointed out extra bonuses that resulted from the construction. For instance, the swim team now has its own bathrooms, “which is good because the teams now don’t have to walk all the way to the P.E. locker rooms,” said Ms. Clark. There are new outdoor showers, as well as systems that control the level of chlorine, once a big problem in the old pools. Most importantly, though, “we can finally stay home on-campus to practice and compete,” said Ms. Clark, referring to how in the past few years, the teams had to go offcampus to swim due to the construction. Senior Royal Gong, a member of both the swim and water polo teams, was satisfied, commenting on how “it is nice to be able to play in a good pool” that is upgraded from before. Non-athlete students as well, such as junior Jennifer Zhou, generally liked how “the pool looked a lot nicer” and how it matched the rest of the school’s upgrades. In addition to the pool is the new Career

Technical Education (CTE) Sports Medicine Complex, a building designed to support athletes and the AHS Sports Medicine class. There are weight training rooms among other broad open spaces “that can very possibly be used by Cheer or Color Guard,” said Mr. Brewer. In short, as Mr. Vannasdall explained, it is “a facility that will support all Arcadian athletes as they train.” Both the complex and the pool are a culmination of the Measure I Bond, an approximate $ 218 million initiative approved by voters to fund new buildings and facilities at AHS. The complex and the pool are the final two of many facilities that have been built from this. Mr. Vannasdall describes his vision of the bond as creating “facilities that match our high ranked programs. He mentioned that the theater program was winning numerous awards, “yet, for years, [it has] been practicing out of a small black room.” As a result, the PAC was built to match that same high-tier quality. “The same goes for our athletic teams,” said Mr. Vannasdall. “With these world class programs and performances, students have deserved the right to have world class facilities.” Indeed, the new pool and the new sports medicine complex have definitely fulfilled this goal. twu@apachepowwow.com

NEWS

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May/June 2015

Google Alphabet’s Unveiling

By ANDREW MULIADI Staff Writer

The next big “thing” in the world is here: the Alphabet. No, not the alphabet with A, B, and C, but the Google Alphabet. Every once in a while, large companies tend to create subcompanies and different branches. For Google, that change is starting. From now on, Alphabet will be the parent company for Google and other sub-companies. Leading Alphabet will be co-founders CEO Larry Page and

president Sergey Brin. Alphabet will be in control of seven companies: Calico, Nest, Fiber, Google Ventures, Google X, Google Capital, and Google. Of course, each of these sub-companies will be controlled by its own CEO, but they will respond to Page and Brin if need be. In the announcement for Alphabet, Page claimed, “We are not intending for this to be a big consumer brand with related products — the whole point is that Alphabet companies should have independence and develop their own brands.” Each of these sub-companies under the rule of Alphabet have a specific focus. Calico, which one of Alphabet’s subsidiaries, invests in technology that can extend human life; as CNN would put it, it is Google’s “fountain of youth.” There’s also Google X, which is

Reprogamming Cells

By YANHUI LI

Alphabet’s version of the secret lair where all of James Bond’s gadgets are made. This is the

company that is responsible for creating flying drones, self-driving cars, and Google Glass. Moving along the technological guidelines, we have Fiber, a company that can deliver extremely high speed Internet and TV services. Complimenting Fiber nicely is Nest, a subsidiary that involves itself with the Internet of Things (IoT). In simple terms, IoT is the process in which objects and animals alike can transfer information without requiring human interac-

By JOCELYN HU Staff Writer

Cancer is terrifying, and remains one of the few incurable diseases in modern medicine. This disease is caused by mutations in our cells, leading to uncontrolled cell growth that eventually forms tumors. These abnormal cells invade nearby body tissues, break off and spread throughout the body through our bloodstream, and destroy body tissues in the process. Cancer treatment currently involves chemotherapy, radiotherapy, and surgery, but in the future, a new type of treatment may become available. A certain mechanism handles growth in normal cells to make sure they don’t overproduce. Researchers have always been mystified as to why healthy cells were able to stop dividing. Recently, scientists from the Mayo Clinic in Florida identified the microprocessor controlling cell growth. In healthy cells, the biological controller, micro-ribonucleic acid (microRNA), instructs cells to stop dividing once they have reproduced sufficiently. The scientists found that microRNA triggers a protein called PLEKHA7, which stops cell growth by breaking cell bonds. With this information, doctors succeeded in turning healthy cells cancerous by removing their microRNAs, therefore preventing the production of the PLEKHA7 protein. Then, the doctors found that this process can be re-

On Aug. 27, the state Senate raised the smoking age in California from 18 to 21, restricted electronic cigarettes, and approved six anti-tobacco bills. These actions led to California Medical Assistance Program (Medi-Cal) savings, and the tobacco tax is now $2 per pack of cigarettes. Why did the state Senate make these sudden changes? Reports sugges it did so for two pregnancy-related reasons. Studies determin that smoking during pregnancy has caused a great amount of pre-birth stresses, such as low birth-weight and premature births. The Foundation, which is an entrepreneurship that reports on schools or medical or scientific issues in America, states that thousands of lives will be saved in the first five years of this policy. To be exact, the reports predict that approximately 530 cases of premature births and 1,300 cases of low birth-weight will be prevented. Other than saving lives, this law will also save a massive amount of money. Adverse birth outcomes are extremely high in cost, so preventing these pregnancy problems and reducing smoking will lead to saving millions of dollars in health care spend-

yli@apachepowwow.com Photos by CNN.COM

amuliadi@apachepowwow.com Photos courtesy of FILLYC.COM and PROGRESS.COM

The War on Cigarettes

Staff Writer

versed, potentially stopping the growth of cancerous cells. All a patient will need is an injection of either microRNAs or the PLEKHA7 protein to end the uncontrolled cell growth. Unfortunately, this technique has not yet been tested on human patients, but when lab grown cancer cells were inserted with PLEKHA7, they became benign again. This was the first time that scientists have been able to reverse the cancer in cells. Researchers are hoping that in the future, this technique will provide a more productive and less destructive treatment than chemotherapy. We’re still far from curing cancer, but this discovery is a major step forward. “There’s a long way to go before we know whether these findings, in cells grown in a laboratory, will help treat people with cancer,” said Cancer Research United Kingdom’s Henry Scowcroft. “But it’s a significant step forward in understanding how certain cells in our body know when to grow, and when to stop. Understanding these key concepts is crucial to help continue the encouraging progress against cancer we’ve seen in recent years.” It’s uncertain when this treatment will be available to the public, as more research still needs to be done. There is no doubt that this revolutionary research will change society forever.

tion. Nest’s most notable accomplishment using the IoT would be the smart thermostat. The last two companies, Ventures and Google Capital, are both companies investing in early technology, searching for the next big thing. The difference between the two is that Ventures is an older company while Capital was formed recently. In the last quarter, Google made a profit of $4.3 billion, having $61 billion in cash. Furthermore, Google posted $17.7 billion in sales, 90% of which came from partnerships with YouTube and Android, as well as advertisements. Alphabet is expected to grow and still be on par with Internet giants such as Facebook, Apple, and Amazon.

ing, as well as a great loss in tobacco revenue. In fact, newborn illness is Medi-Cal’s second highest expense. The cause of these illnesses comes mostly from tobacco. Not only is it beneficial to families and insurance companies, but the policy of raising the tobacco age sale also helps with the business industry, since each of these newborns with illnesses need to be treated. This treatment is also expensive, with an average of about $55,000 in the first year of life per child. Tobacco creates many other problems high in cost, like tobaccorelated diseases. All this money raised, around $11.1 million per year overall, will now go to helping the state enforce laws on the industry. According to reports, the raised smoking age has already been effective. High school smoking has been reduced by 50%, and this policy will be even more constructive if the nation adopts it. Furthermore, this policy will raise the tobacco tax loss and protect teens from being addicted to smoking. With the implementation of these anti-tobacco bills, it is probable that an even greater decrease in smoking will arrive in the near future. jhu@apachepowwow.com

Graphic courtesy of ECIGGUIDE.COM

May/June 2015

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China’s stock market crash By ANDREW WANG Staff Writer

China recently had a stock market implosion in August. Many speculate that this was because the government lowered the value of the common currency, the yuan, there. Economists see this as China's way to try and gamble with chance to make an attempt to lower export prices and strengthen the economy. However this speculation was proven to be very wrong. Why? Chinese investors, according to recent studies, were only investing on when and what they thought the government would do to manipulate the market. Most investors had relied on their predictions on cuts the government would make, which were false, causing the market to decline. Fortunately for the investors, the government did make the cuts eventually. The second crash, which happened about one week after the initial crash, was caused by the government's eager-

ness to make the yuan more pricey again after the cut to stabilize the initial crash. The most probable reason that China chose to raise the yuan quickly was due to the strict rule of making the yuan a certain ratio with the U.S. dollar. Keeping the yuan cheaper than the U.S. dollar allowed Chi-

na to amass a large a amount of money. The actions taken by the Chinese government with its stock market shows the scramble to find money

and try to stabilize China’s economy. In the global financial crisis in 2008, China racked up trillions of dollars; however, along with the money, it racked up a debt too. Now, since the money going into China is minimal, its debt is getting harder to pay off. Aware of the situation, citizens of China decided to put their money elsewhere instead of stocks. Soon money was flowing out of China and eventually the stock market rose. This caused the banks to be reluctant to loan, but the government pressured them into loaning adding to the debt. The war to try and stabilize the economy is fluctuating and unpredictable. At this time, it is uncertain whether this recent crash can be stablized by goverment efforts. mtseng@apachepowwow.com Photos courtesy of CNN.COM and NYTIMES.COM

Facebook’s Virtual Assistant

By MICHAEL TSENG Staff Writer

Siri, Cortana, and Google Now have all been a part of the large feud between the three tech giants : Apple, Microsoft, and Google. Now, Facebook has joined the party and has created its very own personal assistant called M. M is an artificial intelligence (AI) that is trained by people and learns with every experience. M is designed to help people make purchases online, message others without having to type, and making Facebook more accessible overall. Messenger head and former PayPal executive David Marcus states that, “Unlike other AI-based services in the market, M can actually complete tasks on your behalf. It can purchase items, get gifts delivered to your loved ones, book restaurants, travel arrangements, appointments and way more.” Users of M can use voice activated texts, send location data, and even turn texts into songs. M can also be used as a business tool by allowing businesses and their clients to make money and check transfers, as well as create a direct line to the client. Facebook’s business potential is a model that has been included in order to go head-to-head with Google. M lives inside Facebook Messenger, so once downloaded, the app will

automatically include the AI Facebook social media employees, also known as M trainers. They will constantly be monitoring the AI, guiding and teaching the program how to sufficiently complete tasks. M trainers will be the ones teaching the program how to place orders online and make reservations at restaurants. M will become a customer service tool free to use for the general public. Alex Lebrun, founder of a startup company in Facebook, explained that AI supervised by people can attain the growth needed to be able to perform more tasks since the trainers can help. Even with the announcement of this newest feature from Facebook, the company has not announced the release date of the program. M will not be a cheap program to finalize, since it requires intensive training from both programmers and trainers; thus, it may be a while before it is actually released. M will be tested in San Francisco, but with a few selected users only. Once released to the general public, it will be interesting to see how the app turns out in comparison to Siri and Google Now.

NEWS

s t a f f Editors

Editors-in-Chief Managing Editor News Editors Opinion Editors Performing Arts Editors Student Life Editors Features Editors Sports Editors Academics Editors Center Spread Editor Calendar Editor Campus Focus Editor Advertisement Editor Photography Editors Executive Copy Editors Fundraising Chairs Webmaster

Simone Chu and Charles Xu Emily Wu Maggie Wong and Pearl Yang Amber Chong and Julia Lin Jacqueline Chang and Katie Huang Briana Shen and Terri Shi Michelle Fang and Jessie Hui Charles Xu and Pearl Yang Simone Chu and Veronica Yu Elaine Chung Kristen Tran Kaitlyn Liao Tiffany Chen and Chelsea Cheng Ryan Fann and Debbie Moon Michelle Gu and Hafsah Umerani Julia Lin and Flora Ung Elyse Yao

Writers

News Staff

Aaron Chan, Cassandra Gonzales, Jocelyn Hu, Vivian Kwang, Eileen Lee, Eric Chen, Erin Li, Yanhui Li, Kimberly Lo, Joshua Ma, Cristian Nalbandian, Noelle Natividad, Chloe O’Connor, Emily Quach, Kayli Temple, Nadine Templeton, Victoria Tovmasyan, Michael Tseng, Faisal Umerani, Andrew Wang

Opinion Staff

Eric Chen, Simone Chu, Justin Cun, Christy Kang, Yanhui Li, Julia Lin, David Llacuna, Ha Eun Park, Pourobee Saha, Kayli Temple, Cindy Tse, Faisal Umerani, Maggie Wong, Titus Wu, Elyse Yao, Edward Zeng

Features Staff

Trinity Chhay, Christy Kang, Erin Li, Yanhui Li, David Llacuna, Andrew Muliadi, Cristian Nalbandian, Noelle Natividad, Cindy Tse, Michael Tseng, Faisal Umerani, Andrew Wang, Maggie Wong, Edward Zeng

Performing Arts Staff

Trinity Chhay, Cassandra Gonzales, Jocelyn Hu, Christine Law, Eileen Lee, Erin Li, Chloe O’Connor, Pourobee Saha, Nadine Templeton, Victoria Tovmasyan, Kelly Yeh Eric Chen, Trinity Chhay, Cassandra Gonzales, Eileen

Student Life Staff

Lee, Ellie Lee, Andrea Liu, Cristian Nalbandian, Noelle Natvidad, Chloe O’Connor, Ha Eun Park, Nadine Templeton, Katie Wen, Maggie Wong, Edward Zeng Trinity Chhay, Justin Cun, Ellie Lee, Andrew Lim,

Sports Staff

Kimberly Lo, Joshua Ma, Chloe O’Connor, Emily Quach, Christina Read, Danielle Santoyo, Timothy Yen Jocelyn Hu, Andrew Lim, Kimberly Lo, Noelle Nativi-

Academics Staff

dad, Pourobee Saha, Nadine Templeton, Michael Tseng, Faisal Umerani, Katie Wen, Titus Wu Vivian Kwang, Christine Law, Andrew Lim, Andrea Liu,

Calendar Staff

Emily Quach, Danielle Santoyo, Kayli Temple, Victoria Tovmasyan, Andrew Wang, Kyle Wang, Sunny Wu, Elyse Yao

Campus Focus Staff

Maggie Wong

Center Spread Staff

Christy Kang

Advertisements Staff

Cassandra Gonzales, Andrew Muliadi, Kyle Wang, Kelly Yeh, Timothy Yen

Photo Staff

Aaron Chan, Vivian Kwang, Andrea Liu, Joshua Ma, Danielle Santoyo, Nadine Templeton, Maggie Wong, Titus Wu, Edward Zeng

Copy Editing Staff

Aaron Chan, Justin Cun, Jack Ding, Cassandra Gonzales, Thomas Hui, Christine Law, Ellie Lee, David Llacuna, Christina Read, Pourobee Saha, Cindy Tse, Kyle Wang, Katie Wen, Maggie Wong, Kelly Yeh

Web Staff

Aaron Chan, Jack Ding, Christine Law, Chloe O’Connor, Katie Wen, Maggie Wong

Adviser

mtseng@apachepowwow.com Graphics courtesy of CAROUSEL.COM

Johnny Lee

Publication Information: The Apache Pow Wow is a student publication distributed monthly throughout the school year. The paper has been continuously published since Arcadia High School opened in 1952. Unsigned articles appearing on the opinion page reflect the opinion of The Apache Pow Wow editorial board. A student’s work does not represent the views of Arcadia High School or the Arcadia Unified School District. Address letters to the editor to: The Apache Pow Wow, 180 W. Campus Drive, Arcadia, CA 91007. To place an advertisement in the newspaper, email ads.powwow@gmail.com. Advertisement rates vary from $30 for a business card advertisement to $250 for a full-page black and white advertisement, with quarter-page, half-page, and advertisement insert options available. Photo courtesy of NJ.COM

NEWS Power to Women!

By CASSANDRA GONZALES Staff Writer

Quite recently, a law was passed by Japanese lawmakers that requires large employers to have targets for hiring and promoting women to managerial positions. The House of Councillors approved the law by a vote of 230-1. This new law aims to promote gender equality and prevent more labor shortages. Such labor shortages are caused by Japan’s aging and declining population. Prime Minister Shinvo Abe has stated that “the greatest challenge facing Japan is [its] declining population, brought about by [its] aging society and falling birthrate.” Prime Minister Shinzo Abe is committed to increasing women’s share in leadership positions to 30%. Prime Minister Abe vows to make society a place where “women shine.” In comparison to other industrial countries, Japan is behind in this regard. To close such a gap between Japan and other industrial countries, Prime Minister Abe has headed various empowerment initiatives. The new law is effective for the next ten years and is applicable to companies that have 300 or more employees. Officials say the government plans to recognize companies that progress toward their targets and give them predilection in securing public contracts. Unfortunately, the new law merely requires that targets be set, not met. It also does not address the unequal pay that companies give. Richard Katz of the Oriental Economist said, “The Abe Administration had a chance this year to do something that would be genuinely effective in raising wages: putting in a solid equal pay for equal work provision in the law. Instead, it took the opposite tack and actively defeated the attempt.” Aside from the wage issue, Prime Minister Abe aims for companies to provide a balance for workers. In his statement he said, “We will more proactively value and support companies working to provide a sound work-life balance.” Almost 50% of women cease working in order to raise their younger children. They later return to part-time jobs that do not pay as much. Japan has a rigid corporate culture in which women work long, strenuous hours and have very limited opportunities. Women working in managerial positions in the government say that conditions are fair, but that working hours remain punishingly long. Mothers who work are also suffering from maternity harassment. The harassment has been so common that “mata-hara” is the Japanese expression for it. Overall, women have been provided more opportunities. This new law will allow more women to hold high job positions, and it will also prevent labor shortages for women. Unfortunately, there are still many problems women face that must be resolved. Women can only look to the future for more progress in the work field; nevertheless, this is a step in the right direction. cgonzales@apachepowwow.com

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September 2015

Uber: Is It Still Safe?

By ERIC CHEN Staff Writer

We all know about Uber, a company that has recently emerged as one of the top international transport companies. Uber has long been hiring top technical engineers in an attempt to bolster research about cars and robotics. Recently, it hired two respected computer security engineers, Charlie Miller and Chris Valasek, and the presented findings are incredulous. The primary goal of hiring the two security engineers is to find out more information about creating worldclass safety and security at Uber. Why? Well, in February, Uber’s security system was apparently breached and hacked into and over 50,000 names and driver identification numbers were exposed. Since then, Uber has been focusing on its security system, researching how hackers operate and how to counteract their initiatives. Over the course of its existence, Uber has continuously mapped out top engineers to aid in its research. More than 100 engineers have been mapped out and hired by Uber including many from Google’s mapping and geography units.

Hacking and breaching cars is becoming simpler and simpler as cars are slowly turning more and more into Internet-connected machines. Security experts have concluded that one potential breaching of an Uber car could create disastrous effects on the whole of the community — one possibly worse than the hacking in February. Thus, Miller and Valasek’s findings were incredibly surprising. The duo were able to control thousands of vehicles remotely at a Def Con and Black

Hat conference, surprising nearly everyone there. They were also able to remotely track cars down, manipulate a multitude of features (windshield wipers, blinkers, lights, radios, etc.), and even control braking and steering. Miller, a former global network exploita-

tion specialist for the National Security Agency and a current specialist for Twitter, began to focus his research on cars after he realized that cars were becoming increasingly widespread and tangible. Also, of course, he wants to confirm his own safety when he’s driving around in his car. In 2013, Miller and Valasek were tested to take control of a Ford vehicle and Toyota. Car manufacturers and engineers were apathetic at the thought of their cars being hacked, believing that only physical damage could actually breach their automobiles. However, Miller and Valasek proved that remote hacking is plausible as they discovered a way to crawl into a hardware chip that controlled every bit of the automobile’s functions, including braking and steering. A month ago, Fiat Chrysler, the car company that the duo were able to hack, ordered a mass recall of 1.4 million vehicles after discovering that they could be hacked and manipulated remotely. Uber reported that its car research is only in its early stages and that much more knowledge is needed to reassure 100% unbreachable protection in cars. echen@apachepowwow.com

Graphic courtesy of UBER.COM

Hero: Disaster Technology

Future Bioscience

By KIMBERELY LO

By EILEEN LEE

Staff Writer

When Hurricane Katrina struck in 2005, robots were crucial to helping with the rescues of stranded people. Using their cameras and sensors, they were able to send pictures from angles that people couldn’t access at the time. Now, it’s 2015, and technology has improved massively and allowed for even more efficient rescue capabilities. An Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV) is a type of aircraft that could contribute greatly to the restoration efforts following a disaster. A Robotics professor and director of Texas A&M University’s Center for Robot-Assisted Search and Rescue notes that a Unmanned Aerial Vehicle “acts like a plane. It’s smarter than a plane because it’s got all sorts of onboard electronics to let it do prepro-

gram surveys. It takes pictures like on a satellite or a Mars explorer and then pulls those back together into a hyper-accurate map — a 3-D reconstruction.” In addition, UAVs are precise devices, capable of navigating themselves, and able to take up objects. A benefit of utilizing UAVs is that the data that they collect can be used for multiple purposes, such as finding victims as well as detecting environmental effects. This leads to more effective evaluation of the affected area for various groups of people. For instance, the

PrecisionHawk Lancaster is able to take photos of the scenes as well as give insight on how to best go about cleaning the area. However, an issue is the use of UAVs that is meant to aid the effort but instead inhibits the progress. Sometimes, disasters have effects that people are susceptible to and it prevents people from going into the region for a time. NASA-JPL robotics engineer Kyle Edelberg commented that “a great example of that would be the Fukushima disaster, where there was radiation. It was extremely dangerous for humans to go in. And what would have been really great is if we could have sent robots in to do something as simple as turn a valve.” While there wasn’t technology back then that could help, now there are other robots that help with the relief work on land. Two examples of robots are RoboSimian and FINDER. Both RoboSimian and FINDER are robots that can function in an area where people aren’t able to enter because of potential dangers, and so it is an extremely valuable aid to the rescue efforts. A downside to the ape-structured RoboSimian is that it is rather slow like a workhorse, so when time is pressing, FINDER is sent out instead; FINDER employs a radar to find victims stuck in the disaster area. Disaster technology is continuously being advanced, and when disasters arrive, scientists strive to have the best technology. klo@apachepowwow.com Graphic courtesy of MINDEF.GOV

Staff Writer

Monrovia has recently opened an 11,000 square-foot collaborative lab work space focusing on a bio-science startup incubator. The University of Southern California faculty has gathered a few professors to work on the development of a nano particle; the study proves that this experiment can one day possibly deliver chemotherapy directly to a tumor, which now has the risk of poisoning the human body. CEO Llewellyn Cox explained the background story behind the founding of the newly opened lab space, by saying it all started from “frustrating conversations” at a coffee shop a year ago. They were conversing about companies that leave the Los Angeles (LA) area for better environments for labs, which are provided in San Francisco or San Diego. Cox mentioned that LA has been losing many interesting studies and lab work due to its lack of labs, which has always been a struggle for him and biotech companies. According to Cox, LA is “lagging behind” in terms of business formation, to other more competitive countries; it was clearly in desperate need of a decent study center in order to stop company starters from leaving the city. The city recently invested in the lab for other benefits too, such as internship programs developed specifically for high school students in Monrovia. Perhaps with this groundbreaking investment, future advancements of the nano particle will be made. elee@apachepowwow.com

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Cakes Around the world By Nathan Guo Staff Writer

The cake is a dessert found across the planet that has its roots in the 13th century. It has evolved from simple fruitcakes and gingerbread found in northern Europe to layered cakes, mirror cakes, and many, many more. From the common tres leches cake found throughout Mexico to the Chinese mooncake that really isn't a cake, but is still called one, cakes have catered to national flavors and populations. Here are some of the most common and delicious cakes found in nations around the globe. Tiramisu, the pride and joy of Italian bakeries across the world, is a caffeinated, sugary cake whose name literally means "pick me up". Authentic tiramisu is made with coffee-dipped ladyfingers and piled on with plenty of mascarpone cheese whipped with extra eggs and sugar. Modern takes on tiramisu use a sponge cake and coffee liqueur, an alcoholic beverage infused with coffee. Tiramisu can also be flavored into strawberry and pistachio varieties. In Great Britain, there is one cake to rule them all: the Victoria sponge. Aptly named after Queen Victoria, a notorious sweet-tooth, the cake frequently tops the nation's polls as the best tasting cake. Behind the Victoria sponge's popularity is a cake with deceptive simplicity. The entire cake is comprised of two layers of sponge that sandwich a raspberry jam filled center and icing sugar sprinkled on the top. Compared to the Italian tiramisu, the Victoria sponge seems pretty easy to make, right? Wrong. The British classic is said to be the ultimate challenge for bakers; a single mistake can destroy both the cake and the charm that comes with its simplicity. Lapis legit is a truly unique cake originating in Indonesia in the Dutch colonial age, taking inspiration from both European cakes and Asian sweets. As with European layered cakes, the lapis legit stacks sponges on top of one another, with berry and fruit filling between them. However, this is where similarities end. The lapis legit can contain up to 22 layers of sponge, and takes hours to stack the cake layer by layer. The sheer difficulty involved in the creation of this cake makes it a treat usually only made in celebrations and holidays. The final layer of this list is an American classic: the cheesecake. The cheesecake, or the idea of the cheesecake, has its origins in ancient Greece, in which people ate sweetened lumps of cheese. Centuries later, the Romans would have a version of the cheesecake. It was baked with bay leaves after being slathered with tons of honey. The modern cheesecake has its genesis in the late 1800s with the discovery of cream cheese, and its popularity rapidly spread from New York to the rest of the U.S. and eventually the world. The cake itself is made with cheese, sugar, eggs, and crushed cookies, with many variations containing fruit and other flavors. gyeh@apachepowwow.com Cake seems to be a universal language in the cooking world. Graphic courtesy of PNGIMG.COM Whether it be from Italy or Indonesia or Mexico, a cake well and SAY2YOU.TISTORY.COM made is a cake worthy to taste.

Kindle v.s. Paperback By Giselle Yeh Staff Writer

Books have been around for as long as we can remember, and are still being used today. As technology continues to advance, iPads are not the only devices have stepped up their game. On November 19, 2007, Amazon released their first ereader, the Kindle, for $399. Ever since the Kindle was first released, it introduced a new perspective of reading. The Kindle featured having your own library of books in one flat electronic device with about a 6 inch screen for reading. From 2007 to 2016, the Kindle has up to eight generations and has also advanced to the Kindle Fire. After the release of Kindles, many different books gradually started to transition to the Kindle format. This allowed the amount of books available in the Kindle store to increase. However, how do you know the Kindle is the right thing you need for reading? With these ten reasons, five being pros and five being cons, you can uncover if the Kindle is the right thing for you. Who knows? Maybe, having 500 pages binded with a cover is the thing for you? One of the most important and useful features that the Kindle boasts is that it is a library in one. Having many books in one electronic pad makes it easy to carry. Second, it’s a fast and easy with just a click. Instead of finding time to go into a bookstore, you can easily search, click, and read in just matters of seconds. Third, the Kindle has

many useful functions for the reader. The two main features are highlighting and bookmarking. These two note-taking techniques help the reader select and save things that catch their attention. Fourth, not only does it have great note-taking techniques, in the recent generations they have advanced the highlighting and bookmarking to word searching. With this, the Kindle define words the reader may not know and even help the reader understand the book. An example of of this is if you regret what a certain character is and why they are important, with just a highlight, the Kindle can tell you a small biography of the character. Lastly, the Kindle lets the reader view their book in the tone of newspaper paper. With this, reading in the sun is no problem, avoiding screen glares. Though the Kindle may have many cool features, there are also flaws the Kindle has. First, while the Kindle is able to connect to wifi, it is horrible for research. When I say research, I mean the memory people have when flipping through the pages of a book. An example of this is that when you show a friend a page or part of a book, you are able to slowly remember how far in that part or page is in the book. However, with a Kindle, it is quite difficult. Second, the Kindle is flimsy. Take it from two experiences, I have broken my Kindle

screen by just putting it in my bag and so has my brother. Third, the wifi connection does not have an SD slot. This is a problem for readers who like keeping all their books in one. Though the Kindle can hold up to 1,500 books, it cannot exceed that range. Fourth, the Kindle relies on a battery. Unlike an actual natural book, it needs electricity to survive. Finally, something about the natural smell, feeling, and look of a book interests readers. The originality of holding a book satisfies certain readers. If you are that reader, honestly the Kindle may not be for you. Overall, the Kindle is an advance device that makes reading easier for many book lovers. However, many people have their preferences. With how long books have been by our side, the Kindle just doesn’t seem right to certain people. Where it’s about money or just preference, people still have the right to decide how they read. Which will you read from? An electronic? Or a paperback?

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September 2015

FEATURES

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Brush up on LUSH By MAGGIE WONG Staff Writer

It’s hard not to notice a store like Lush. It’s the only cosmetic store in the mall that has a strong soap fragrance coming from it. With that in mind, what else makes Lush different from other cosmetic stores? The staff invents all the products, and they’re all made from fresh and organic fruits and vegetables. To those who doubt Lush, it has posted “How It’s Made” videos on YouTube that show how each product is created. Lush also fights animal testing, and all its supplies are purchased from suppliers that share the same values against animal testing. Lush’s philosophy is “based on the highest levels of ethical standards with the lowest possible impact on the environment.” Lush also carries many unique bath products that are unlike your ordinary soap and shampoo, causing people to flock to the store. It sells bubble bars, which become a bubble bath when held under running water; shower jellies, which is soap in jelly form; shampoo bars, which is shampoo in a bar form rather than a lather; toothy tabs, which are toothpaste in the form of a tablets; a variety of face scrubs, and much more. If you’re a bit cautious of these unique products, Lush also carries normal shampoo, body wash, and face masks. One of the most popular Lush products is the bath bomb. A bath bomb, when dropped into water, fizzes and lets out bath oils, scents, and color. The Twilight bath bomb is the most well-known; it gained popularity after people started posting pictures on social media showcasing the galaxy color the water became. Another popular item is the Ocean Salt scrub. It’s a scrub made with sea salt, avocado, coconut, and other ingredients that exfoliate your skin and leave it feeling refreshed. Lush is a great alternative to the typical name-brand bath products. All of its products are chemicalfree and made from fresh ingredients, so there is little to no risk involved when using them. The next time you’re running low on soap, consider stopping by Lush. You might be surprised by what you end up buying and loving. mwong@apachepowwow.com Graphic courtesy of CLIPARTBEST.COM

Classically Challenged

By NOELLE NATIVIDAD

Staff Writer

Jane Eyre or Jane Bennet, you may ask? Studies show that 60% of people blatantly lie about reading Pride & Prejudice, Jane Eyre, and Wuthering Heights and other multiple lists of books. Pride & Prejudice reigns as the number one book people have pretended to read, according to Book Riot. What’s with all the people pretending to read these days? We tend to grow tired of things we don’t understand, so what’s the key to reading books? The answer is comprehending and understanding the text. Once again, “reading” is not watching the movie or reading the SparkNotes summaries. That just isn’t the same thing. However, some books are just impossible to finish without taking short breaks in between, which results in a harder time retaining information. When reading books that you may find significantly less interesting than Percy Jackson, you can try to follow some of these steps: Get Into Character: The best way to really be an involved reader in the seemingly outlandish realm of classic literature is to have a bright imagination. Relate to characters and put yourself in their shoes. Though it may sound completely corny and cliché, it’s a good strategy to keep focus and attention. Drop All Preconceptions: Don’t judge a book by it’s cover. Ultimately, the opinion is your own. Give yourself a chance to form your own judgment.

Understand The Text: There are just those sentences or phrases that make no sense whatsoever, even after you’ve read them a hundred times. If comprehending the text means annotating the pages until they’re barely visible, do it. Use a dictionary, write definitions, and research background information to write into the margins or on sticky notes. People tend to give up on literature with lengthy words and complex English, but it’s important to remember that it’s all still in the English language. Though it may sometimes seem like some form of alien text, it’s still standard English. It may seem inconsequential to a sentence, but vocabulary is everything. Sentences and phrases tend to get jumbled up when there are words we don’t quite understand. Sometimes we can slide by with context clues, but there are times when “fake it till you make it” just doesn’t cut it. Being Book Smart: Reading any type of literature has proven to improve analytical abilities and the way we read, write, and speak. Classic literature broadens our vocabulary through constant exposure to more complex words than the ever so popular “like” or “awesome”. In conclusion, classic literature is a must, and not just because it’s assigned reading.

Penny Pinching

Phone Lovers By ANDREW MULIADI Staff Writer

There is a general rule among phone users: Apple users use iPhones and Samsung users use Samsung devices. This rule applies to anyone in between as well. Now though, Samsung has decided that Apple’s growing empire has lasted too long and has deployed a cunning plan to convert iPhone users for just $1. The whole evil scheme is quite simple. For a buck, an Apple user will have the choice to select any Samsung product available. Once the individual has decided what he or she wants, Samsung will deliver the phone to that person’s house along with a month’s worth of cellular service. And, like a product bought from Target, the individual can return the phone if he or she doesn’t like it. With that in mind, this promotion serves to spark awareness for the new Samsung Galaxy Note 5 and the Galaxy S6 Edge+. The Note 5, first off, has several upgraded features. For instance, the selfie camera has been bumped up from a mere 3.7 megapixels (MP) to 5 MP. This means that videos taken on the Note 5 can be viewed on a 4K TV. Subsequently, thanks to Samsung’s partnership with YouTube, users can stream videos privately or publicly. Moving on, the S Pen stylus can now be used even when the screen is off. A scroll capture feature has been added on, so now one can screenshot an entire website. Going on to aesthetics, the Note 5 will be slightly smaller and thinner than the Note 4, but the 5.7 inch screen will remain. As for the Galaxy S6 Edge+, there’s no shortage of improvements that have been piled on. Although the front camera on the Edge+ is the same as that of the Note 5, that’s where the similarities stop. Unlike the old Edge, both sides of the phone are now curved to provide more program shortcuts. This new phone has 4 gigabytes of random access memory. Battery life has been improved, but only slightly if compared to the old Edge. Even with these two new phones, Samsung is struggling to overtake Apple. Although Samsung leads the smartphone market at 22%, leaving Apple behind 7%, growth of the iPhone 6 Plus in China may thwart those numbers very soon. The original S6 was supposed to be Samsung’s answer to the iPhone 6, yet it wasn’t enough to stop “seven straight quarters of Samsung’s sinking smartphone profits,” according to CNN. In the U.S., Apple has controlled 43% of all smartphone sales in the last quarter, leaving Samsung with only 29%. Although Samsung’s proposal is extremely tempting, will it save them in the long run?

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amuliadi@apachepowwow.com Photos courtesy of ANDROIDCENTRAL.COM and DREAMSTIME.COM

STUDENT LIFE

By ANDREA LIU

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September 2015

Creating the Ultimate

Staff Writer

You all should know what high school really has in store for every one of its students. No, not your wild teenage dream of cruising down beach-framed highways with your feet propped up on the dash of your friend’s convertible (ah, yes, I forgot to mention that High School Musical wants its montage of deleted scenes back). Of course not. This is high school, and what’s really coming is the studying. Lots and lots of studying. Endless days of flipping through water-logged textbooks that are heavy with your tears, infinite hours of scribbling down what are supposed to be notes but really look like the desperate claw marks of the dead. Just kidding. Everyone knows that your notes will probably look more like chicken scratch. At AHS, music is the ultimate Nirvana, and recommendations to good songs are treated as a rare form of currency. The soulful twang of indie is what makes our pencils fly so effortlessly, and auto-tuned vocals are the only motivation to keep the pages turning. But if this is the case, why should we suffer the untimely fate of listening to the same song over and over again until it becomes that one extremely-hated song specially reserved for studying? Sentience is only a small step away, and it’s here and ready to go in the form of a list of all the interesting songs and albums that might just keep us from going insane this school year, with no boring background music involved. 1. “American Beauty/American Psycho” album by Fall Out Boy An opening that includes a powerful horn fanfare? Songs that start out simply, only to blast themselves into energetic, unabashed frenzies? This new comeback album from Fall Out Boy is everything a struggling student needs to motivate him or herself into finishing that last strenuous math problem. 2. “Special Girl” by Infinite H K-pop fans, you aren’t forgotten. “Special Girl” is composed entirely of smooth, easy beats and flowing vocals, a perfect melody that seems to almost be made for flipping through a particularly difficultly-worded book. And even if you aren’t particularly sure of the features of Korean music, give this song a chance. You surely won’t regret it; after all, since almost all of the lyrics of this song are in Korean, the brain power you’re exuding to process them will probably be put into that last-minute cramming you procrastinated too much on instead (unless you, you know, actually understand Korean). 3. “Museum of Flight” by Damien Jurado If you’re into soft notes, unique vocals, and overarching nostalgic feels, “Museum of Flight” works well in calming that tense, anxious atmosphere that seems to hang off your shoulders when you’re trying to finish that five-paragraph paper on the outside-reading book you kind of “forgot” to read. 4. Frank Sinatra Frank Sinatra’s baritone voice was surely one of the best things to grace the 20th century. His colloquial way of handling lyrics and melodies with the ease of a jazz improviser is a perfect soundtrack to what the blockbuster movie of your life will be (to be titled, Why Did I Ever Agree to Sign Up for AP’s I, II, III, and IV) 5. “Let Go” by Frou Frou No, we’re not talking about “Let it Go.” Please don’t even start on that—three hours of Idina Menzel on loop is enough to kill a piteous sophomore student 180 times over. This indie song is nothing like the powerful, ripping vocals of the popular Frozen theme song, but is rather composed of soft crescendos and decrescendos and the softest, most moving lyrics known to mankind. Click that play button, open your books, and imagine Frou Frou emotionally supporting you unconditionally as you try not to sob over all that Shakespearean vocabulary you have to learn and memorize in five hours. aliu@apachepowwow.com Graphic courtesy of FAITHFULWOMENSCLUB.COM

Staying awake By ELLIE LEE Staff Writer

It is difficult to stay awake in class after that late night study grind or all nighter. These are the times where it’s almost impossible to keep your head up during class. The hardest part of the day is staying watchful during lectures, especially right after lunch. Luckily, there are some ways to stay awake without caffeine. In most classes, you’ll spend majority of your time taking notes. Due to the repetitive action, many are tempted to doze off. If you take detailed or even color coded notes, however, you’ll have something to focus on. You also need to keep your body alert during class. To truly stay focused, your body needs to be awake. You can help keep your body from falling asleep by staying hydrated and doing little stretches such as rolling your shoulders. While walking to your next class, try taking routes that’ll provide more exercise. You can also awaken your mind by striking a conversation with a friend before class. If you ever find yourself in the situation, interact with your teacher. Although interacting with your teacher may sound a bit intimidating for the more timid students, communicating with your teacher before and during class will help you stay focused and absorb more information. Make a habit of answering questions during class

discussions and consistently raising your hand. This will also help you earn participation points, which can significantly improve your grade. The most important thing you can do to stay awake during class is having the perfect combination of a healthy breakfast along with plenty of sleep. It is estimated that a healthy dose of sleep for teenagers is eight to ten hours. Foods that will definitely provide the energy you need are high in protein, filled with carbohydrates, and have calcium. Most importantly, don’t ever forget your fruit and vegetables. What are some ways fellow Apaches stay awake for their classes? Freshman Danielle Cipriano stays awake due to her passion for “school and learning.” Sophomore Allyson Tong stays awake by “thinking about how sleeping during class will make her grade drastically drop.” Sophomore Danielle Velarde adds on by saying she “drinks water and, if allowed, [she] has a few snacks or mints to help her stay focused in class. ” There are various ways to stay awake for class without sleep in the absence of caffeine. Prepare for a school year filled with more energy during class. elee@apachepowwow.com

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By ERIC CHEN Staff Writer

Welcome, Class of 2019, to your cage for the next four years. Every day will be filled with a fear of tomorrow. Some don’t make it all the way. Others somehow escape the dread, only to find their souls consumed by anxiety and stress. How will you survive? Or maybe a better question is: will you? That is what a pessimistic upperclassman would say. Thankfully, those type of people only appear once in a blue moon. Now here’s some advice from fellow Arcadians: Senior Cass Tao said, “Just cherish your high school experience. Cherish life in general. You only live once so might as well make the best of it.” Senior Michelle Tea advocated, “Stop worrying about grades so much and actually enjoy the high school experience! High school only comes by once in a lifetime so experience it to the fullest!” Senior Erica Kono proposed, “Freshmen! The most important piece of advice I can think of is to do your homework and stay in school.” Senior Devin Vuong advised, “Do not procrastinate! Freshmen year is when you need to cherish every hour of sleep you get. After freshmen year, sleep becomes nonexistent.” Senior Vicky Lu recommended, “Make sure to join lots of clubs or try out for teams you have even the slightest interest in! It’s a great way to meet new people and find friends. I regret not joining enough clubs in freshman year and joining them too late.” Senior Susie Cho voiced, “Do not ditch school. Do not go off campus for lunch. Be a good student and I promise you won’t have any regrets. Of course, a balance is still needed between social life and academic life but don’t let your social life get in the way of your academics.” echen@apachepowwow.com

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September 2015

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STUDENT LIFE

...Awkward Silence

By HAEUN PARK Staff Writer

It’s the first week of school, and you notice familiar faces in your classrooms. You haven’t seen them all summer, so you don’t really know what to say to them, and the fact that school has started couldn’t put you in a grumpier mood. Now class has ended, but there are still ten more minutes until the dismissal bell. Slowly, conversations start, and all of a sudden you feel trapped. At first you try waiting it out, and it seems like that minute is actually a century’s length. What do you do? Soon enough, questions start flashing inside your head. How do I join or start a conversation with the stranger beside to me? What if the conversation has too many awkward silences? How do I continue a conversation that I have absolutely no interest in? Everyone has asked themselves these questions in their head at some point in their life. When you hear a conversation you want to join, check the surroundings first. Make sure the conversation isn’t too personal or in hushed voices, since it would seem nosy and rude to the people having that conversation. The biggest factor when joining a conversation is self-assurance. Confidence is key when giving an opinion or statement to the conversation. You want to seem sure of what you’re saying, but don’t be afraid of saying

something silly. It happens to everyone and it’s better to take an opportunity than to ditch it. What if you want to start a conversation? Introduce yourself and give a friendly smile. Instead of making it look like you just want to find someone to talk to, make it appear as though you are genuinely interested in getting to meet someone new! If it’s someone you already know then try to bring up topics from previous conversations. That way, they are more familiar to you and can

engage in the conversation comfortably! Start asking questions about them in the beginning, instead of yourself. It’s important to ask open questions that can lead to different answers. An example would be asking what kind of books they like instead of asking if they like books. Or complimenting them on their backpack and asking where they got it, as opposed to just complimenting their backpack. You’ll most likely receive a solid thank you, ending the conversation. Don’t be afraid of awkward pauses

and instead think of it as an opportunity to switch the topic. Listening for details when they talk is important, since one of those details just might help you to continue on a conversation. If you meet an absolute dead silence, what next? If both you and your partner have run out of things to talk about, switch to current events! It might ease the tension by asking if they heard about the recent tornado in Texas or that the Russian prime minister has been charged of robbery! It’s also important to loosen the tension by being comfortable yourself. It is suggested that you don’t scrunch your shoulders, or cross your arms or legs. Remember not to stare too intently, but rather smile and nod calmly so they feel comfortable as well. The information might be overwhelming, but it’s important not to stress over it, leading to tongue twisted words. Awkward silences are common and it’s nothing to go over the board about. Hopefully, these tips help to a better, longer conversation to help make new friends and memories! Don’t worry about insecurities of being too boring, or unimportant. Even if you feel judgment, just remember this is not such a big deal and everybody has self doubt from time to time! hpark@apachepowwow.com

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Soars to Interest By NADINE TEMPLETON Staff Writer

Pinterest was founded in 2010 by Ben Silbermann at the age of 27. Silbermann started designing his own iPhone apps with a college friend, and then went on to work at Google in the sales organization. However, it wasn’t until 2012 that Pinterest gained popularity and became a widely

PIN IT Food, especially desserts, are often posted on Pinterest along with their recipes.

known app across the Internet. When using Pinterest, people pin photos into collections called boards, which serve as big catalogs of objects. Pinterest gets its content from decomposed webpages for easy access. For users, it’s a way to think about and plan the future, or to display one’s taste. It’s a virtual window shopping site where people gain inspiration and post interesting projects, a sort of creative outlet. Pinterest is also like an online pinboard, a visual take on the social bookmarking site. Unlike other social bookmarking sites, such as Digg and StumbleUpon, content shared on Pinterest is driven entirely by visuals. Unless an image is involved, you cannot share something on Pinterest. You can share images you find online, or you can directly upload images onto Pinterest. Using the ‘Pin It’ button, you can share directly in your browser from any web page. You can also share your pins on Twitter and Facebook. Stitching Our Society Club uses Pinterest to find ideas for crafts to make during their lunch meetings. Vice President senior Wendy Xia said that “Pinterest is a really cool website that inspires us to take on projects that are cute and creative. Some of these projects are really unique, so we enjoy browsing the site. Our members really enjoy these crafts and sometimes bring in their own ideas.”

For others it’s an alternative to websites like DeviantArt, a community based art site, that allows users to showcase their art while viewing other people’s creations. “I like looking at graphic designs and Computer Graphics backgrounds,” said freshman Michael Gu. “It’s nice to have a place where I can save everything I like.” Pinterest conveniently has a search bar that allows users to find whatever they need with a few keywords. Suggestions to similar themes will also pop up at the top for maximum ef- PIN IT Two of the most popular topics on Pinterest ficiency. For example, if you type in are clothing and outfit inspiration. keyword “steampunk” you will also Pinterest isn’t only for the average perget other similar options to browse like “Victorian”, “corset”, or “goggles”. The possibil- son looking to make albums of his or her ities are endless and are guaranteed to keep ideas or find inspiration online through photos. Businesses can also take part in Pinteryou hooked on the next cool thing you see. Let’s talk Pinterest lingo. When you est. Many formerly small businesses have share something on Pinterest, each book- found success through Pinterest. Not only mark is called a pin. It’s called a repin when have small businesses started up on Pinteryou share someone else’s pin on Pinterest, est but major companies and brands such as similar to a “reblog” on another site known Kraft Foods, Nordstrom, and Sephora have as Tumblr. Like other social media websites, taken part in this site. you can also “like” pins that you want to appear on your homepage. You group pins ntempleton@apachepowwow.com together by topic onto various boards or pinGraphics courtesy of LIFEHACK.ORG and boards in your profile. Each board mimics a VIRALBLOG.COM real-life pinboard. Photo courtesy of PINTEREST.COM

PERFORMING ARTS

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A Week in the Woods By VICTORIA TOVMASYAN Yes, Music Camp may be rough: the sleep is short, the work is hard, and the food is questionable, but this doesn’t stop BOC and Percussion members from coming back every year. If anything, the students manage to make their time at Idyllwild Pines and Camp Maranatha more pleasurable by bonding over the roughening experience. At camp, the kids focus solely on music, making them insanely productive in a short amount of time (just six days). Since so much work gets done, the kids often need a way to relax and have fun. Because of this, the students have several personnel planned activities, most of which occur at night (when they aren’t busy marching, dancing, or singing). These include game night, in which seniors corral the younger members and arrange games for them to play, and unity night, in which all the members of the music program introduce themselves to each other in an ongoing human conveyor belt. Additional activities include dress up day, in which the seniors are given permission to dress up their younger cabin members however they choose, theme night, in which kids can dress up in costumes depending on the year’s theme, and much more. Junior Samuel Cui is one of many people who dressed up for theme night; the subject this year was villains. He remarks on how “there are still people who see [him] now and then and mention that [he] was the Joker during theme night!” This shows that through the fun and silly bonding events, the

Staff Writer

students get to know a lot of new people and create new friendships. Along with music practice and occasional relaxation, the staff managed a way to also fit in teaching kids how to be responsible. The musicians are told to carry around wooden blocks of varying sizes (the older you are, the smaller and lighter your block) and to always have their name tag, both of which symbolize their responsibility. Kids who lose their blocks or name tags are brought up to the front of the cafeteria at meals and ordered ridiculing tasks to do in front of all eyes. Some all time favorites include dancing, singing, doing burpees, modeling on a make believe catwalk, and spelling out words with their butts. The variety never seems to end. Overall, the kids definitely believe that the intense effort pays off. Junior Hunter Baril of Open Line said that despite it being “rigorous work…you get out everything that you put in, which makes it worth it.” Through hard work, sweat, and determination, the musicians received an experience like no other. Junior Samantha Vuong is in choir, and she stated that the exposure to all kinds of different people at “music camp... enabled [her] to befriend others whom [she] had never seen before at school.” In the end, through grueling work and mutual effort, music camp really does solidify the family-like-status of AHS’ music programs. vtovmasyan@apachepowwow.com

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ANNIE THE MUSICAL By TRINITY CHHAY Ever since Annie premiered in 1977, it has brought a smile to the entire audience’s face! Now, the Tony award-winning production of Annie is coming to the Pantages Theater in Los Angeles! Two movies of the show have already been made, so now it is time to see the musical! Taking place in the 1930’s, this musical follows the story of a young orphan named Annie, who lives in an awful orphanage run by Miss Hannigan. Annie’s life changes drastically when she is chosen by assistant Grace Farrell to stay with a wealthy munitions industrialist, Oliver Warbucks. Thus begins a wild and enjoyable journey in which Annie’s smile and personality steal the show, and Mr. Warbucks’ heart! Annie will premiere on Oct. 13 of this year, and will end on Nov. 1. Shows will be held every day except for Monday. It is about two and a half hours long, including intermission. Tickets are sold on the Pantages Theatre website and on multiple other ticketing websites, ranging from $59 to $397 depending on the seating. This show is recommended for all ages and has won seven awards at the 1977 Tony awards ceremony; Best Musical, Best Book of a Musical, Best Original Score, and Choreography. It is directed by the original lyricist and director Martin Charnin

Staff Writer

and choreographed by Liza Gennaro. The musical will showcase the talented nine-year-old actress Issie Swickle playing Annie! It also includes catchy famous songs such as, “It’s the Hard Knock Life,” “Easy Street,” “I Don’t Need Anything But You,” plus the unforgettable anthem of optimism, “Tomorrow.” The musical has received great reviews already from many popular newspapers. The New York Post boasted, “Overflowing! Big, warm-hearted and funny!”, while Newsweek wrote, “Spectacular on every count!” The Chicago Tribune complimented the play by saying, “One of the best family musicals ever penned!” Many fans have reviewed that this rendition succeeds in projecting the story correctly, even after the movie renditions came out on the big screen in 1982 and in 2014. They also raved about the good performances throughout, especially those of the exceptionally strong performances by the actresses playing Grace and Miss Hannigan. With an amusing plot, incredible reviews and amazing songs and actors, this musical sounds like a hit! So, don’t miss out on incredible songs and performances in the new rendition of Annie coming out at the Pantages Theatre in LA this October! tchhay@apachepowwow.com

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September 2015

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THE PERKS OF DANCING By JOCELYN HU

Staff Writer

Many people don’t know this, but dancing actually provides many health benefits for the body that other sports don’t. Dancing is fun because there are so many styles of dance to choose from. Dance has been a part of history and continues to be; today we dance mainly for competition, self-expression, and recreation. Physical and mental benefits of dancing include improving the condition of a person’s heart and lungs, increasing muscular strength, endurance, and aerobic fitness, improving muscle tone, managing one’s weight, maintaining strong bones, having better coordination, increasing physical confidence, and improving mental functioning. All these advantages lead to being fit, flexible, preventing illnesses or diseases, improving balance, having more self confidence, boosting one’s memory, and also gaining better social skills. That’s why dancing is the perfect exercise for people of all ages, shapes, and sizes to stay fit. A countless amount of people like dancing because there are so many styles to choose from, and they enjoy expressing their feelings through dance. There are numerous forms of dancing, a variety of songs to choose from, and it can also be done anywhere at anytime! It can be competitive, social, indoors, outdoors, with a partner, or even on your own. Dancing can be done in any mood, at any intensity; it can be done for self-expression and at any speed. In addition, it has been shown to reduce depression, anxiety, and stress. It acts as a confidence booster to those who need more self esteem, which helps them improve their social skills and meet new friends. Dancing can help one get closer to one’s partner, or even one’s whole dance group. Other than being helpful socially, dance also improves other techniques like flexibility and balance for everyone who tries it out, even the elderly. Dancing keeps one’s heart pumping, so it’s an excellent form of aerobic exercise, which is good for the heart in general. It improves the function of one’s heart and blood vessels while helping people increase their energy. In addition, calories burn way faster than expected when dancing; a 150 pound person burns around 240 calories per hour when dancing. According to studies, dance also boosts a person’s memory and prevents dementia when older. In fact, hospitals, rehab facilities, and community centers often offer dance therapy. If you’re looking for an exercise to keep you moving, dance is the right one for you.

jhu@apachepowwow.com

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PERFORMING ARTS

NEWSIES By POUROBEE SAHA Staff Writer

Newsies is an award-winning musical that was inspired by the Newsboys Strike of 1899 in New York. After making its debut on Broadway in 2012, it won the Tony Awards for Best Score and Best Choreography. Now, this musical hit has traveled across the country on a national tour, and stopped in Los Angeles for a month in late March to perform at Hollywood Pantages Theatre. This musical hybrid features a variety of elements, ranging from comedy to romance and mingling some modern aspects with old-fashioned scenes. Set in Manhattan during the 1900’s, Newsies chronicles the story of Jack Kelly and his ragtag bunch of children, who sell newspapers for Joseph Pulitzer as a living. After Pulitzer’s prices skyrocket as a result of decreasing distribution, the newsboys suffer at his expense. Charismatic and imaginative Jack, who dreams of a better life off the streets, leads his band of misfits in a strike against the newspaper corporations to return newspapers to their original prices. He gets involved with Katherine, a female journalist trying to make a name for herself, and gets her to join the fight against Pulitzer. Together, the newsies, Jack, and Katherine fight for their rights against the newspaper tyrants in a scramble of tap dance numbers, rousing songs, and heartfelt moments. Many extraordinary actors give stunning perfor-

MUSIC AND MEMORY

mances during this show, including Dan DeLuca and Zachary Sayle. Alongside these are the sensational dances and spirited songs, both of which are extremely well choreographed and performed. However, the showstopper was the impeccable scenic design by Tobin Ost. The set is impeccably constructed, very intricate, and makes transitions between scenes a breeze; also, it adds another layer to the musical and makes the whole stage feel incredibly realistic and impossible to look away from. There are mixed feelings about Newsies as it tours across America -- while many critics rave about the highenergy, captivating musical, others feel like it is a below average flop. David C. Nichols from the Los Angeles Times states, “In short, Newsies is a critic-proof, resolutely entertaining, slightly exhausting romp, with a strong company and no end of technical flash.” However, Kevin P. Taft of Frontiers feels differently, declaring that, “Fancy dance moves and a cast of cuties does not make a musical.” Although there are varied reactions about Newsies, it is a widely acclaimed musical with as many awards, raving audiences, and countless critics as any popular production can expect. psaha@apachepowwow.com

Graphic courtesy of BOWERYBOYSHISTORY.COM

words alone without music. After the tests were given, results showed that the first group had the highest scores. The information, along with the music, was integrated into the first group’s members minds which allowed them to recall the information with ease. On the other side of the spectrum, many musicians get benefits from music too. When playing a piece, many can memorize it fairly easily. A study at University of Texas showed that musicians had better memory than non-musi-

By CHRISTINE LAW Staff Writer

Have you ever stumbled upon a song that reminded you of the past? The reason behind hearing a song and linking it to a certain memory is emotions are connected to memories. Memories can improve with music and time, as well. A person’s memories are benefited by music in many ways. Music and memory are strongly connected. Studies have shown that music can actually improve a person’s memory. One study, conducted at University of California, Irvine, tested patients with Alzheimer’s, a disease where memory deteriorates due to loss of brain cells, by letting them listen to classical music every day. The results indicated that their memory test scores significantly improved after listening to music. It showed how music can help people concentrate and improve their ability to recall ideas more easily. According to neurologist Oliver Sacks, the reason why music can be used to stimulate memories is they bring out a different range of emotions. When people recall memories, they are remembering feelings, as well. Using music as an aid for memory does not only apply to patients and elderly; it can also apply to students. When listening to music, the brain connects ideas with sounds. Therefore, if a person was to read and listen simultaneously, he or she would remember most of the information. In a study at University of Northern Texas, three groups were asked to memorize vocabulary words. One group listened to Handel’s “Water Music” in the background while reading and imagining the words read. The second group did the same, only it didn’t imagine the words. The third group read the

cians because their frontal and parietal lobes were different. They could pick up ideas quicker and had better long-term memory. Playing a classical instrument provides musicians with the ability to sort information into groups to effectively memorize them. Musicians have better strategy and ability to remember ideas. Listening to music can be very effective when trying to memorize concepts. It can aid almost everyone: students, musicians, adults, and elderly. Many who listen to music while reading can recall the text easily. In many cases, music helps patients with memory loss, as well. Music is not just for people who play instruments; everyone should incorporate music into their daily lives. claw@apachepowwow.com Graphics courtesy of REWIREME.COM and OSLCSLC.ORG

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September 2015

Girls Volleyball Looking to Repeat Perfection ter taught me in the third grade, but this is going to be my last year playStaff Writer ing because I’m not going to play in college. I do have a passion for the Every Arcadia sports team is game, so I just want to enjoy being working hard this season to perfect able to play volleyball, while also doits skills, especially the preeminent ing my best for the team.” Girls Volleyball team. The Girls VarAlso playing for the team is sity Volleyball team has practiced senior Hannah Ruiz, who is also an non-stop to build from its undefeated outside hitter for the team. She is League record from last year. confident about the group’s skills for Every single player has been the upcoming season. “I’m looking individually working hard forward to winning league and going to improve her skills, while far in CIF,” stated Hannah. Hannah working together with the has also set goals so that she has the team to win games. drive to reach the top. “What keeps Senior Ava Liu, who me going is just my love for volplays an outsider for the Girls leyball, how fun it is, and also my Varsity Volleyball team, is goals. My goals are to be in the hopeful about going to CIF best shape as possible with the team this year. and to contribute to “Since it’s my last year, my team as much as possible,” I’m looking forward to said Hannah. playing with everybody Sophomore Ashley McDonald, and to hopefully get to another outside hitter for the team, CIF and make it farther commented, “Varsity is a step up than [the team] did last from where I was at last year, so I’m time!” She understood really looking forward to playing that even though pracwith girls at a higher level.” When ticing is important, asked what she is looking forward another crucial facto, she said, “I started playing betor is to have fun! Ava cause I’ve always enjoyed the sport, stated, “I’ve and my relatives play played vol- SERVING UP VICTORY as well, so it was just leyball ever Senior Amanda Pickering delivers a part of my family. since my sis- one of many spectacular serves. My goal is to be more

By TRINITY CHHAY

consistent in areas like serving and passing.” As a middle blocker for the team, senior Amanda Pickering has the spirit and drive to ensure the team’s success. “For this season, I’m looking forward to being a consistent team, making it far in CIF and winning it all! Going all the way!” Amanda is very determined and focused about what her ambition is. “My ambition is to score points, I want to be in the best shape I can possibly be in and to help my team,” stated Amanda. Her goal is also to be-

RISING ABOVE THE LINE (Left to Right) Sophomores Ashley McDonald and Rachel Reedy explode up for the block.

Blowing Through Defenses to improve their individual game. When one sees the various tackles Staff Writer and catches our boys make during the season, one will understand how they did it—with the hard work and dediWith the football season undercation during the summer. way, Varsity Football is working to The team’s chemistry is excepachieve one goal: to win CIF. Our tional, as the boys have no disApaches have high expectations agreements or scuffles between for the season and look to rebound each other. The players often hang from last year. The team hopes out with each other on and off the the addition of transferred players field which helps build teamwork and new coaches will help it do its and communication in games. best during the season. Already, the team has show“During the summer, we cased its improvements by playtrained for the season mostly ing two high scoring duals against by weight lifting and conditionBell Gardens High School and ing to improve our strength and Monrovia High School. Varsity stamina. Some days, we would Football put up a total of 82 points even be told to practice two times in those two games, displaying its a day depending on how well we enormous potential. worked together during practice. Furthermore, on Sept. 18, Our expectation for the season is our Apache Football team gave an to win CIF,” said sophomore Alex excellent showcase of its skill on Kelliher. the field with a 21-20 victory over To accomplish these aspiMaranatha High School. rations, our Apaches have been Let’s do our part and show putting in work every chance they RUSHING MACHINE Senior Bradley get. During the offseason, the team Mills of the potent Apache offense races past support for the players by cheering recalled many hard practices that the defense, on the way to a touchdown. them on. Best of luck to the Varsity Football team! helped improve every individual’s merous hours in the weight room to skills. To stay on this team, one must build up their strength for the season. have mental toughness and determi- During August, many of the playjma@apachepowwow.com nation. Some of the drills done by ers would use their own free time Graphic courtesy of CLKER.COM

By JOSHUA MA

the team during the offseason were pushing sleds, consecutive sprinting, and team scrimmages. Coaches set up many in-game situations for the team, so it could be prepared for the real deal. Often, the players would put nu-

come more consistent in areas such as serving and passing. When asked about team chemistry, everybody on the Girls Varsity Volleyball team said that they are like a family. “It’s great! We have great team chemistry! It’s like one big family,” commented Amanda. “It’s great, we talk to each other like a family. We laugh and we listen to each other. It’s really nice,” added Hannah. “Our team chemistry is really good. We’re always talking on and off the court. The girls are really comfort-

able around each other so that really strengthens the bond that we have,” stated Ashley. “Every single one of us is really cool towards each other,” Ava added, “Everybody is nice to each other, and nobody is ever mean to each other or discouraging. We all encourage each other, and we support each other no matter what. It’s like we are one whole family!” The players have contributed their time and effort into ensuring a successful playoff run. Good luck, Girls Varsity Volleyball players!

tchhay@apachepowwow.com

Photos by TITUS WU

New Season, New Pool By ANDREW LIM Staff Writer

A new year and new buildings. The school’s new pool is finally open, and the water polo and swimming teams are facing a new era of using the brand new Aquatics Center. Here are a few quotes regarding the new pool: “Some advantages of the new pool are no long bus rides to Muir High. [The] pool is larger and more convenient, and [there are] showers [and] an office for discussing strategies and techniques.” —Samuel Wiggins, 11, Boys Varsity Water Polo “I think the new pool is amazing. The advantage of having the new pool is that we get more lanes, because our pool is even bigger than the previous two combined. The disadvantage of the pool is that since we don’t have two pools, our Girls JV Water Polo team doesn’t have a ton of room to warm up before a home game. It is limited to two or three lanes which team members have to share with other teams they will be playing against. However, when they are actually playing the game, there is more room to swim.” — Sara Veerman, 11, Girls Varsity Water Polo “The pool is really nice and big but sometimes the chlorine is hard to manage. Also, it is getting dirty and it is hard to clean because of its size.” — Nigel Ho, 11, Boys JV Water Polo The new pool proves to be a success and worth the wait after months of construction. In fact, Special Olympic athletes trained in Arcadia’s pool this past summer to prepare for their competitions! Overall, our new Aquatics Center will be shining in the spotlight for AHS students as they pass through the facilities around campus. alim@apachepowwow.com

September 2015

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The Role of Sports By KIMBERLY LO

Girls Tennis Slicing and Dicing By ELLIE LEE Staff Writer

Staff Writer

Many AHS students play sports, but what impact has sports had on their lives? Here are some AHS athletes’ comments on what they have gained and learned from playing their sports. Sophomore Aubrie Weissbuch plays for the Girls Varsity Tennis team. Aubrie feels as though she has gained a lot of experience and learned several lessons from playing tennis. “Tennis taught me that I do not always have to attack, that you can win by smarts. It also taught me to never give up, even if I am close to losing. I can always make a comeback,” exclaimed Aubrie. Playing on the Girls Varsity Basketball team, junior Sophia Hu commented that “playing a sport has had a significant role in helping me become a better student. It has built upon my confidence, competence, teamwork skills and time management skills.” In addition, Sophia noted, “Not only has playing basketball helped me academically, but it also serves as a stress reliever. Knowing that you have a team to bond with and laugh it off at the end of a stressful day is definitely a great motivation to continue working hard.” Other athletes have similar opinions, feeling that taking a sport has helped them academically, although one would naturally assume the reverse. As a swimmer on the Varsity Swim team, junior Adrian Lim observed that, “Sports have had a large impact on my life both mentally and physically.” Moreover, Adrian believed that he has “learned how to not only work with others but also to discover [himself] and who [he is] when playing [his] sport.” Junior Lucy Zhang, a member of the Girls’ Varsity Water Polo team, also feels similarly to Aubrie and Sophia. In terms of athletics, Lucy has “improved [her] athletic ability, met lots of new people and friends, and overall just had a lot of fun” during water polo season. Moreover, from her experiences with the team, she has learned that “oftentimes, you will not get exactly what you want; compromising is essential to solving problems and getting along with one another.” All in all, Lucy noted, “I have made so many new friends; the Water Polo team is like my second family.” Through playing their sports, AHS athletes have gained many experiences and learned many lessons. Good luck to all athletes on their upcoming seasons! klo@apachepowwow.com

Fall is here and so is tennis season for our Girls Varsity Tennis team. After months of off-season training, the Girls Varsity Tennis team is well prepared to do the best of its ability this League and CIF season. There are high expectations for this season due to the Girls Varsity Tennis team’s reputation of usually winning League. This year, there is also a huge change for the team, since a majority of the Girls Varsity Tennis team consists of freshmen. What are some thoughts on this season from some new and returning players? Team captain senior Tina Yueh liked how the team is on the “same page and has the desire to win its future matches. It doesn’t matter that the majority of the team consists of freshmen.” Tina added that “everyone on the team ignores the age differences and treats everyone equally.” Overall, Tina felt “like this team will be one of the most enjoyable teams I will be on in my entire high school career.” Tina stated that her team’s main goal is to get “past CIF as champions and hopefully get into the State Championships.” Senior Michelle Gu stated that her team practiced for its first game on

Sept. 8 by “playing a few non-League games for practice before League starts. Michelle added that the players have also been “conditioning more to build strength and stamina.” Michelle felt comfortable working with her ” fellow seniors and the new freshmen”

adjust to the environment. It’s worth it since most of them are friendly and hardworking.” Having gotten onto the Girls Varsity Tennis team her freshman year, freshman Rachelle Yang felt “very proud, accomplished, and

QUADRUPLE THREAT (Clockwise from top left) Sophomore Aubrie Weissbuch, senior Anna Qiu, freshman Angel Pan, and senior Michelle Gu headline a Girls Varsity Tennis team looking for another League title since she has been on the “team for the past four years.” Michelle described the team chemistry as “good since [the girls] all have the common motive of winning. Since almost half of the team consists of freshmen, [the players] have to adjust and help them

grateful for the opportunity to play on the Varsity level her freshman year.” Rachelle’s individual goals are to “win CIF Finals and build good friendships with everyone on her team.” She felt that the members of the “team bond well and players push

one another to do the best that they can” Sophomore Aubrie Weissbuch’s goal for this season is “for all of the returning members and the new freshman members to try their best to work together, considering the competition nowadays.” Aubrie is thankful for the many skilled freshman additions to the team, since they are “great players and will do wonders for the team. They are going to make the team more fun and help it place high in CIF.” Freshman Sunny Ng stated that her team wants to “ win CIF” and that it is doing “pretty well” since the girls “all know each other.” Freshman Angel Pan added that she personally hopes to “play against San Marino High School” and looks forward to “beating them.” Angel described her team as fun since the players “laugh a lot everyday and know each other well.” Angel is “honored to be on the Varsity team as a freshman,” and she is excited for her “first season of League and CIF.” Best wishes for your upcoming season, ladies! With your amazing teamwork, chemistry, and effort, the possibilities of accomplishing your goal of doing well in CIF are high. elee@apachepowwow.com

Photos by RYAN FANN

Girls Golf Standing Above the Competition By DANIELLE SANTOYO Staff Writer

The Girls Varsity Golf team is shaping up for its first tournament of the season. The girls have to mentally and physically prepare themselves for any upcoming competition. Through commitments of many hours of practice and workouts, sophomore Gabbi Lewis gave some insight about her experience on the Girls Varsity Golf team so far. She explained that the members of the team “have to practice [their] accuracy on swings, and continue to do repetitive drills all throughout [their] practices.” Gabbi also mentioned that golf is as much a mental game as it is a physical game. Her reason was the team “also [has] to maintain the ability to perform well under the tense, pressuring circumstances.” The diffi-

culty in learning how to channel one’s strength and accuracy is a tough job. But as hard as that may seem, Gabbi explained that with the support of her team, she easily able to concentrate with more ease on winning the game. Moreover, preceding and following the girls’ daily routines of intense drills and practices are their warm-ups and cool-downs. Their practicing isn’t over yet, with still some more exercises left, which Gabbi expanded on by stating, “ Before and after we complete all drills and conditioning, to warm up, we do a lot of stretching, and planning for our future putts and swings.” Then, after practice, “together, the team discusses what had happened over practice and then [the girls] all try to give each other tips and pointers on how each of [them] can improve in order to

learn how to become better, because there is always room for more improvement.” She further stated, “To have someone else tell you how you can become better has a much better outcome than trying to look out specifically for your own mistakes. And I think that in this way, the whole team is really supportive of each other, and eventually we become like a family.” According to Gabbi, the abundant amount of team effort that is shown daily on the course, ultimately (and obviously) makes each and every one of them become a better player. In addition to focusing on a tournament, the team has to prepare beforehand in order to be in its best shape ahead of playing in a competition. Gabbi com-

BACK TO BASICS Freshman Sabrina Layson practices the fundamentals by working on her swing.

mented, “Before every tournament, the team plans out how [it is] going to play out the tournament, and to get myself into the mindset of playing golf, I often listen to music on my playlists.” And lastly, during the actual tournaments for the team, while competing in long drives, Gabbi commented, “I have to control my motion and accuracy on hitting the putts and drives, as well as stay focused, though, for the most part, I have to continue to sustain motivation and to try my best no matter how the tournament ends.” After diligent practices and planning, the Girls Varsity Golf team looks set for the season. Good luck Lady Apaches!

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Photo by MAGGIE WONG

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Girls XC Sets the Pace By CHLOE O’CONNOR Staff Writer

Although the Girls Varsity Cross Country season starts at the end of the month, the team is working hard to prepare for another successful season. Junior Julia Reyes shared her thoughts about the upcoming season. “In order to prepare for the upcoming season, I [make] sure I put in 100% in all my practices,” she explained. “I also [make] sure that I never quit and I keep moving forward.” Junior Holly Lung commented, “At the start of every season we do a lot of high mileage (about 60 to 70 miles a week) because it makes us a lot stronger, so we won’t die out by the end of the season!” Sophomore Jasmine He mentioned, “To prepare for this season, we’re running 12 workouts a week. Most of our runs are mileage runs to get in more training volume. Despite this, I think all this training will be wasted if not accompanied with proper nutrition and sleep. I make it a priority to sleep enough and eat well, so I can run my best every day. I’m really excited for the improvements to come this season.” “We just started going to the weight room to strengthen our bodies and work on our perfect running form,” said junior Cindy Huang. She added, “I have been stretching more and working on my running form with weights.”

During practice, the cross country team does a series of workouts. Sophmore Eryca Yamane explained, “During practice we have been doing a lot of runs as a pack, so we can push each other to our limits. Running everyday takes a lot of mental toughness which allows you to prepare emotionally for the race!” Junior Joy Huang commented,

NO DAYS OFF Girls Varsity Cross Country works out at Mammoth Lakes, California during the offseason. “We do most of our training in the summer to prepare for the season, and part of that is going to Mammoth [Lakes] every year for altitude training.” When asked what some of her goals are for the upcoming year, Eryca said, “I hope that through this season I will individually beat all my times from last year and really just be a beam of light on our team. I really want to inspire people to join this amazing sport because it is so lifechanging. As a team, I would like to make it to Nationals!” As Julia said, the new members

of the team “encourage the returning members to be leaders and good role models.” Furthermore, Eryca exclaimed, “I think that our new members are bringing a lot of laughter and happiness to the team. They are all outgoing, smart, and kind people who love and are passionate about running! Everybody brings something special to the team. I love them.” Julia also loves her track family, and loves how everyone is so friendly and welcoming. “Our Cross Country team is a family because [it] spends so much time together in and out of school. Usually as a freshman you have nowhere to go and the friends you had from middle school change, but in Cross Country, everyone is very welcoming,” said Julia. Eryca loves the sport she is in, and encourages others to join. “I just want to say that people should really be looking out for the Cross Country teams. We work so hard and are going to make it so far! We are nationally and internationally known as a strong team and if anybody wants to join the best team on campus, [he or she] should join the Cross Country team. It has really been so beneficial to my life and just my happiness in general. Our team is amazing and so super supportive,” she stated. The team this year is already primed for a strong start to the season.

Staff Writer

Boys Varsity Water Polo is a force to be reckoned with. Fueled by Apache pride, these players make a name for themselves. However, there is always room for improvement, and they never let up. These players have their own opinions on what they need to accomplish this season, and have naturally set very lofty goals for themselves. “Our team is really hoping to win some League games this year. I am confident that we will be able to do so with our new head coach,” said senior Thomas Gao. As a team, even without last year’s seniors, the boys have the potential to become one solid unit. As senior Royal Gong mentioned in an interview, the “team wants to focus on teamwork at the moment.” He explained that this is because the players go to different clubs and have different thinking processes taught by other coaches, causing the team to be “somewhat not in sync” during practices.

Boys Varsity Water Polo currently has three seniors who hope to guide the team to victory in the season and even to CIF. The trio of seniors, Royal, Thomas, and Kelvin Liu, brings its invaluable experience to the game and the team. They believe that team building is essential for the team to function. Without teamwork and cooperation, players can’t watch each other’s backs, thereby allowing the other team to penetrate. However, this almost never happens with the organized Boys Varsity Water Polo team. In order to form strong bonds, the team practices diligently for hours every day, building stamina and improving skills. According to junior Matthew Garcia, the players usually start the practice with “a swim set that either focuses on speed or a set that focuses more so on endurance.” The boys continue on to ball work, which is then followed by offensive and defensive practice. When time permits, the players even have scrimmages against each other. One great advantage for these players is the brand new pool at

Starting From the Bottom By JUSTIN CUN Staff Writer

The Boys Cross Country program has finally started with new and returning runners! Our teams have never failed to surprise us. Throughout the years, this team has improved immensely in both skill and team chemistry. Improvement transpires in this team and has led our school to serve as a model for the country. The long and painful hours of work and training eventually paid off for these runners. “Honestly, the practices and workouts are really tiring, but I know that I’m getting better everyday and that’s the reason why I keep running,” said Ivan Luu, a new member of the Cross Country team. The runners may even come from different backgrounds, but they all share the same qualities that characterize themselves as a team: ambition and compassion.

“I end practice everyday drenched in only my sweat and tears, but my love for running has never abandoned me,” stated Ivan. Cross country is a sport that requires not only skill, but also endurance. This is why training for this team is so rigorous and backbreaking. The training consists of running several miles and other different types of stamina workouts. Although the team has been through many hardships, it constantly upholds our school’s reputation annually. In addition, the new runners have the most difficult time with these conditioning workouts simply because, they aren’t yet used to them. But all in all, this team truly deserves each and every medal, trophy, and recognition it has received. Wish the best of luck to the AHS cross country teams of 2015! jcun@apachepowwow.com

Graphic courtesy of CLKER.COM

By CHRISTINA READ coconnor@apachepowwow.com

Photo courtesy of KEVIN HSU

Boys Water Polo Making a Splash By TIMOTHY YEN

September 2015

AHS. As sophomore Blake Jauregui exclaimed, “The new pool is great. Honestly, I finally feel complete as a player to the team. We can finally get fans to come see us play, and it looks really nice!” As a matter of fact, the entire team is ecstatic over the new home pool, although some are a bit disappointed with the small deck space. One such player is freshman Matthew Gao, who noted, “Our pool’s deck space could be bigger, but overall, our new pool is better than other high schools’ pools, since the pool itself is large enough to hold two games at a time.” All in all, the team is glad to have a new pool. The boys have already played two games this season. The first was against Pioneer High School, and AHS came out victorious with a final score of 15-7. In the second game, Temple City High School managed to score a win on its home turf. Although the Apaches started off slowly, you can be sure to see them win many games in the near future. tyen@apachepowwow.com

Graphic courtesy of CLKER.COM

Staff Writer

Ask any athlete, and he or she will tell you: practice, preparation, and mindset are all-important in the world of competition. Almost any sport is a mental game, and the most prepared athletes will always go the furthest. Whether through practice, pregame rituals or anything else, it’s crucial to be ready before a competition. So what do these four Arcadia athletes do to prepare themselves? From Boys Varsity Track, junior Josh Kelly spends the day of a race mentally preparing himself for what he has to do. He explained, “Right before the race begins, while I’m getting into the blocks, I visualize myself hurdling with good form and most importantly, not hitting a hurdle.” Josh is “working on strength and better conditioning” for his upcoming season, and despite being injured last year, he is “fully recovered now and more than ready to work hard and give 110%.” Junior Erica Sawires said, “On game days it’s important to drink lots of water, and I try to get eight hours of sleep the night before.” The Girls Varsity Soccer member also shared that she’s personally “prepping for this season by running and keeping [her] fitness up,” while the whole team is “starting to get mentally and physically prepared with pre-season practices and practicing outside of school.” Another soccer player, sophomore Stephanie Yen, added that during games, she’s motivated by “people that are cheering [the team] on in the stands.” Their encouragements keep her primed for the game even when facing off against difficult competition. To prepare, Stephanie is “playing Arcadia Youth Soccer Association so [she] can stay in shape and get touches on the ball before [the] season starts.” Finally, sophomore Sophia Farooq shared that she likes to “eat pretzels” before her softball games. For the next season, she and the team are “working out really hard, [mostly] working on techniques and running.” All four of these Apaches do their best to be prepared for every race or match in order to succeed. As athletes, they know the importance of being ready for competition and making sure they are prepared each and every game. cread@apachepowwow.com

September 2015

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ACADEMICS 23

Dear Freshmen,

By TITUS WU

Staff Writer

Freshmen are, indeed, fresh. They are fresh to the whole new experience of high school, and they really don’t know what to expect. To the freshmen, you may think you know what you’re getting into, but by the time you’re a senior like me, you’ll realize what you planned and expected freshman year has all disappeared. Wrong expectations can potentially lead to wrong decisions. From a senior to a freshman, here is some advice before you accidentally take the wrong turn. Get rid of the SAT as soon as possible from your life. Too many students often push it back to take during senior or junior year, simply because they don’t want to deal with the studying now. However, this causes grave mistakes. One will have fewer chances to retake it, in the worst case he or she scores badly. Also, there really is not much time to study during the busy junior and senior year. There is an abundance, though, in your underclassman years. So, take it then, and never worry about it the rest of your high school life. Take on as many extracurricular activities as possible freshman and sophomore years. I am not advising one to overload him- or herself. Rather, it is during the underclassman years that one actually has time to do such extracurricular activities. Take on as many as possible, so one can allow him- or herself to expand and try new things. Dedicate to as many as possible, get connections, and get the experience. When junior year approaches, then one can perhaps shave off a few activities to complement the increased workload. The big benefit from this is that one’s chances of securing a leadership position have increased tremendously. Because one has more experience, more seniority, and more connections, the position is much easier to attain. However, had one just joined a team during his junior year, his chances are very dim. Plan out all four years. The reason counselors give out four year planners is so that students use them. Many students come into high school and just pick the classes by focusing on the current upcoming year. In other words, they only focus on the near future. However, to be successful in high school, one should see the long term goal of all four years. The planner helps execute that, making sure one has covered all college class requirements. It also lets one plan around the prerequisites and see if they have any time and class space for that. More importantly, it makes sure the classes you take follow your potential career. Of course, plans from freshman year will definitely have changed by senior year; however, it at least gives a sense of direction on where one is heading. Don’t get caught up in the hype. Middle school is nothing compared to AHS when it comes to academic competition. There is always a certain group of students who make into all the academic teams and take all the hard AP classes. And then there’s the rest fighting their way, trying to achieve that status. At some point in a high school student’s life, all this will start nagging him and getting into his head. My warning: don’t. Don’t simply take all the AP classes because everybody is doing it. Don’t join all the teams because it looks good on your resume. Just be yourself and do things you actually want to do. These are only the basics, and as you follow your own high school path, you may add on more to this list. However, I strongly urge the freshmen to take my advice. These three points I mentioned can and will definitely help you along the way. As for the rest, you freshmen must carve your own path. twu@apachepowwow.com Graphics courtesy of NASRIAN.DEVIANTART.COM and NYLEARNS.ORG

Famous People With High I.Q.s By FAISAL UMERANI Staff Writer

1) Arnold Schwarzenegger Arnold Schwarzenegger has a high intelligence quotient (I.Q.) of 135. He played a major role in the movie Terminator 2, and became the Governor of California. Arnold Schwarzenegger got a role in Expendables 3 and starred in the latest Terminator movie, Terminator Genisys.

2) Aaron Rodgers Aaron Rodgers had a 4.00 GPA and 3.60 GPA throughout his high school career. He went on to college with an intent of studying, and then joined the National Football League when he saw an increase in his talent. Rodgers was about to quit playing football to go to law school, but he immediately changed his mind when he got an invitation from Butte Community College to play football. 3) Bill Clinton It does make sense that Bill Clinton is on the list. He led people to believe his statement which got him impeached. Bill Clinton has an I.Q. of 137. He was the second president to be impeached, but in 1999 he was acquitted by the Senate. He was the governor of Arkansas before he became president. In 1975, he married Hillary Rodham Clinton, who is next on our list

with a surprisingly higher I.Q. 4) Hillary Clinton Hillary Clinton is a very smart person; her I.Q. tops her husband’s by three points at 140. When she was elected part of the U.S Senate, she became the first first lady to hold national office. She eventually became the 67th Secretary of State in 2009. 5) Philip Emeagwali You have heard of the famous poet, astronomer, and computer scientist who won countless awards including one from the Governor of Michigan. He has an I.Q. of 190, even higher than Einstein. He was the world’s most searched-for scientist and one of the most searched people on Google in 2012 and 2013. He was ranked number one scientist of African descent, and was named 35th greatest African.

6) Jeremy Lin Jeremy Lin went to Harvard and got his degree in economics, and since Ivy League schools don’t offer athletic scholarships Jeremy Lin had to get a roster spot on the basketball team and eventually made it to the NBA. His I.Q. is disputed, but is thought to be 115. fumerani@apachepowwow.com Photos courtesy of BREITBART.COM, DEADLINE.COM, ECUNEMICALNEWS.COM and JPUPDATE.COM

ACADEMICS

Learning a foreign language By KIMBERLY LO Staff Writer

Learning a second language is required at AHS; although not everyone may enjoy the challenges of studying a new language, there are several benefits to spending time to master a different language. Better Memory Like English, every language has vocabulary and grammar structures just like English does, so it entails memorization to learn these things and practice to be able to use them correctly. Having to exercise memory in more than one language trains the brain to be more fit. As a result, not only are people able to speak different languages but their brains are also able to function better. Improved English It sounds weird that learning a new language might help English skills, but it really can. In foreign language classes, students must learn the basics of grammar and structure and learn to use them in constructing sentences and writing essays. Then, they can also become more perceptive of the uses of the same things in English language because they have had to note these things in their foreign language classes. Consequently, some people might gain a keener sense of how to communicate or write.

Strengthening Skills Studying a different language is difficult because it is mostly new stuff that people cannot even remotely recognize. Learning bit by bit requires students to employ skills that they might not usually have to use as much, such as interpreting meanings and practicing conversing. With English, analysis and communication is typically much easier than an attempt to write Chinese characters or speak Spanish. However, by adjusting to a new language, people learn how to problem solve and gain new knowledge. When it comes to other activities, people will also be more alert as to how to approach the challenge. Open to Different Cultures With the acquisition of a second language also comes experiences of a different culture. For instance, classes might sometimes take field trips to places related to their foreign language culture to enjoy the different atmosphere and traditions. Learning a second language makes a person more welcoming to different things and more understanding about different peoples. Learning a new language has both academic and other benefits, so enjoy foreign language class to the fullest! klo@apachepowwow.com

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September 2015

First Impressions of AHS By NADINE TEMPLETON Staff Writer

Starting high school is only the first chapter in a long book. Sophomores, juniors, and seniors have all been through their first days and weeks of high school. This year’s freshmen came into a school with top-of-the-line facilities, campus, and teachers. Compared to middle school, as most of us know, high school can be quite different in many ways. Freshman Maxwell Tong said, “It felt very different seeing the increase of students and how much bigger the campus was.” In an academic sense he explained the contrast from middle school: “The classes seem to be more demanding but you seem to be able to learn more because of how there is a greater emphasis in education compared to middle school. The classes are definitely more challenging. Since there are more students, teachers cannot focus on one student as much and more independent studying [is] required.” Freshman Jeremy Du also gave his two cents about AHS. “My first impressions of AHS was that, wow, there are so many people! On the first day I was overwhelmed with the amount of people I saw on campus! The academic aspect of high school is different from middle school mainly because it’s more work. I was used to the middle school load of work, which was fairly easy in my opinion. High school so far is just a bit more difficult, but there has been a lot more work. [The] classes are definitely more challenging. Coming into high school, the teachers expect you to be able to know all the basic concepts and to be able to stay organized and on track. For some, this can prove difficult, for middle school may have been easy for them.” Both students had similar answers as to how the academics differed from middle school. Others explained how “middle school was more of a “practice run” for school, while how high school is the “real deal”. This means that colleges will look at your grades and how you perform in school, as most of us already know. Three and a half years of school could potentially determine our future, and where we end up after high school. However, we shouldn’t let this stop us from enjoying our four years here! Best of luck to this year’s freshmen! ntempleton@apachepowwow.com

THE NEW (AND IMPROVED) SAT By ANDREW LIM Staff Writer

Study. Sleep. Study. Sleep. Study. Sleep. Study. Sleep. The relentless cycle of studying has led to students stressing over countless tests and exams. With the new SAT’s release, this event marks the end of the old SAT and the rise of the new SAT. The new SAT will be released in March of next year and completely replace the old SAT. Such an event has led many juniors and the underclassmen haunted with anxiety and confusion with what exactly is within the new SAT. As for the seniors, they have no need to stress over this event as they are barely affected by it. Here are some quotes regarding the opinions and possible effects of the new SAT: “I think the new SAT will be a challenge because it is the first time this format will be used and nobody knows what to expect.” — Matthew Escobar, 10. “Educational institutes will no longer be of use to students, this is both an advantage and a disadvantage [as] students can become more reliant on their own study habits than the institutions indoctrination and coercion of doing the work [and] it more accurately reflects the student’s progress and is a much more holistic way of evaluating a students.” — Jason Lu, 11. “I don’t know much about the SAT to be honest, but the change will take some adjusting from students and test graders alike.” — Amanda Leong, 11. “The changed SAT will have a large impact on the student’s approach. This updated examination is not only going to alter students’ perceptions of the test itself but also change students’ study habits. In effect, these changes may help students perform better in school and approach a task from different viewpoints. Although the new SAT is considered more difficult, I believe that it will have a greater impact on education in general.” — Adrian Lim, 11. “I think the new SAT would be pretty revolutionary, it takes an entirely new aspect of logic based questions and tests people on that. It’ll probably change the views on how people think of these types of tests and hopefully people will be less intimidated by them.”— David Huang, 11. “I think that the changes of the SAT have the potential to improve scores, but critical thinking skills will be needed much more. This might make the test harder for some students.” — Kyle Chiu, 11. Overall, the students appear to have mixed reactions regarding the new SAT. Some students seem utterly confused about how to tackle on the three hour long exam, while others take on a more elaborate opinion about the topic. Regardless, the new SAT will be released on October and completely replace the old SAT in the spring of 2016. Best of luck to the upcoming years and rest in peace, old SAT.

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September 2015

ACADEMICS

Child Geniuses By NOELLE NATIVIDAD Staff Writer

Smarter than Einstein? The Bach of 2015? Completely probable and proven to exist. Within each generation, there are young individuals who exhibit a certain prodigious aptitude for a specific field. They are the selected dozen per century who can boast of an intelligence quotient (I.Q.) greater than that of Albert Einstein. Meet the likes of Jacob Barnett, Kelvin Doe, Nicole Barr, and Esther Okade, four teens well past the average adult in academics. Barnett, the boy with ten I.Q. points more than Einstein, is a child prodigy with a doctorate degree in physics at the age of 17. Diagnosed with autism, his first words started with his second birthday, though his genius was apparent after he taught himself algebra, geometry, calculus, and trigonometry within the span of a week. How does his mother compare in academia? “I flunked math. I know [his mathematical prowess] did not come from me,” said Kristine Barnett.

Doe, a self-taught engineer from Sierra Leone and the youngest participant in Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s Visiting Practitioner Program after constructing his own radio station, dubbed himself “DJ Focus.” Now, he

PSAT? No Problem taking some SAT classes outside of school, so I don’t think it’s necessary to go out of my way to Staff Writer prepare for the PSAT and I’ll just see how well I’ll do,” said junior Sharon Lin. The Preliminary SAT (PSAT) test will take Freshmen take the PSAT as a practice test place on October 14. This test, which is com- for the SAT. Since only scores from junior are posed of 3 different sections (Math, Critical “counted”, taking the PSAT during freshman Reading, and Writing Skills), is popular among year is like using a “risk-free” tool to see what many high schoolers. areas you need to work on. Why do so many students take the PSAT? “I decided to take the test to see where I am First of all, tenth graders are required to take it. at according to other students, and so I can get But the PSAT is a picture on what also the qualifyto study for the ing test for many SAT, which will scholarship probe reviewed by grams, the mostcolleges when you well known being apply to one in the National Merit • eat a good breakfast your senior year,” Scholarship. If freshman Alex • do some practice tests a student’s total Hitti elaborated. score is above the Still others before taking the actual cutoff level of his are taking a pracor her state, then test tice PSAT before he or she is a the actual PSAT. • read as often as you can Commended Stu“I wanted to take dent or a Semifithe PSAT to see • prepare your stuff the nalist. Many take what the questions the test as sophonight before will be like,” exmores; however, only scores from juniors are plained freshman Gabby Yu. considered for the program. Other scholarship Studying for the PSAT comes in many difprograms, such as the National Achievement ferent forms, such as working out of a practice Scholarship Program, National Hispanic Recogworkbook, having a private tutor, or simply by nition Program, and Telluride Association, also reading a lot. use the PSAT as a qualifying exam. “I printed PSAT sample tests online and I The PSAT format is changing to match that took the tests following all the rules and I learned of the new SAT, so be sure to practice for the the format of the tests and how each question is new version, not for the old one. The College scored,” said freshman Alex Yen. Board website offers practice questions and inWhether you’re a junior, sophomore, or formation about the PSAT, so be sure to check freshman, good luck on the test! it out! kwen@apachepowwow.com “I’m interested in the PSAT because I would like to try for a scholarship. I’ve been Graphic courtesy of CLKER.COM

By KATIE WEN

Some tips from people who have taken the PSAT before:

is 18 and lecturing Harvard engineering undergraduates. Barr, a 12-year-old from England, was recognized for her score of 162, two points higher than Einstein, on her Mensa I.Q. examination. Achieving a score of 140 qualifies as genius. In the future, she has hopes to go into the medical field. Okade is a 10-year-old math genius, recently enrolled at O p e n

University. In just three weeks, she has already claimed the top spot in her class. However, child geniuses don’t always appear in specifically analytical or mathematical fields; many tend to appear in other forms. Jonah Willows, a 12-year-old chess prodigy, succeeded in defeating Russian grandmaster, Alexander Cherniaev, after a two hour game. Many prodigies appear on the musical scene, mirroring young Mozarts. Alma Deutscher, a musical prodigy, known for penning her own violin concerto at the age of six. Common trends between these children? An intense passion for their genius and an incredible diligence. It is believed that everyone has a genius of their own. Something that they can do better than anyone ever could. As Albert Einstein once said, “Everybody is a genius. But if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life believing that it is stupid.” What is your genius? nnatividad@apachepowwow.com Photo courtesy of CANADIANFAMILY.CA

Common Core By POUROBEE SAHA Staff Writer

The Common Core State Standards Initiative is a widespread education reform in public schools across the country. Although mainly focused on English and math, the standards also include additional information students must know by the end of each school year. Sponsored by the National Governors Association and the Council of Chief State School, these standards are meant to align educational standards across the nation and make them more consistent, along with prepare students who want to enter college. Of the 50 states, 44 are members of Common Core and have adopted the initiative at a statewide level. Common Core standards are mostly focused on English and mathematics classes. For English classes, reading comprehension and analytical skills are focal points of the standard, while math is tailored toward using reasoning and precision when solving problems. Furthermore, formal assessments known as the Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium are being implemented; these are computer based exams with short answers instead of multiple choice, as opposed to previous standardized tests. Starting from kindergarten, these new standards focus on core concepts and urge students, parents, and teachers to collaborate for

the better of the children. For students, this means that they will be better prepared to enter a competitive workforce or college scene. Since universities and businesses are becoming progressively more demanding, this is an important skill that can be gained from Common Core. Teachers are affected too, as they will have to completely alter their teaching style and possibly even their curriculum, depending on the state. They will also be provided with more consistent benchmarks to monitor students’ progress and encourage them towards success in the future. While these all seem to be positive effects, there are many mixed feelings towards the new Common Core Standards. Although it has drawn some support, the majority of students tend to feel negatively towards Common Core; not only are the assessments extremely confusing, the new standards are hard to adjust to and often seem to be unsuccessful. However, this initiative is supported by 76% of teachers who have adopted them. The other 24% feels that the methods are too repetitive and are not suitable for classrooms, because they aren’t helping students understand the material better. Ultimately, despite the feedback, the Common Core State Standards Initiative has been formally adopted by California; teachers and students alike will have to accommodate the changes. psaha@apachepowwow.com Graphic courtesy of CHAICOUNSELORS.ORG

CALENDAR

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September 2015

Bad Day By Andrea Liu

By GLUTTON GIRL

A Peek at Veggie Grill

One of the newest additions to Pasadena’s restaurant variety is Veggie Grill, an eatery that caters anything and everything that’s vegan and vegetarian. Vegan means no animal products or byproducts, like dairy (milk and eggs) and meats of any kind (including fish). Now, before you back off, thinking all it serves is plain salads and other distasteful foods that taste “too healthy”, think again. On the menu, it has a wide range of dishes, from vegan chicken sandwiches to tofu beef barley soups, with all its “meats” being made out of either processed soybeans or tofu—or both! As weird as that may sound, its “meats” actually taste like real meat, and are just as filling and delicious. Going onto fish, most of its fish sticks or fillets on the menu are made of mushroom and again, tofu that is tossed in gluten free sauces and spices that are tasty as well as healthy. At Veggie Grill, it serves daily soups, with tomato soup on Saturdays and a spicy beef barley soup (which is to die for) on Sundays, with each day having a different soup in store. Most of the entrees come with a side of soup, so it’s like the equivalent of getting a side order of fries and apple chips in your happy meal at McDonald’s, except better. For dessert, Veggie Grill is known for its carrot cake, made from walnuts, vegan cheese cream frosting, and fresh carrots. It was so good; I had to order another round of seconds. You don’t even have to be mindful of what you’re eating because all of its sugars come from sugar cane plants, and the fats from different varieties of vegetable oils. At Veggie Grill, for any kids in your family, they can choose from the kid’s menu, which has options like vegan and gluten free mac and cheese, vegetarian fish sticks and more, all of which come with a kiddie sized drink. Veggie Grill is a great place to eat. It’s just like a vegan In-N-Out without the drive-thru. From the food quality and service to its public relations of the company, it is an outstanding business to go to (and also one of my personal favorites). In addition to being a healthy, yet a tasty restaurant to visit, the price is reasonable as well. The average entree costs from $8 to $12 depending on what you want, and most of each entree comes with a side order. Appetizers can cost around $5, and desserts are about $4. I’d rate this restaurant a 4.5 out of 5. Highly recommended!

Staff Writer

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September 2015

By VIVIAN KWANG

CALENDAR

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Maze Runner: Scorch Trials Staff Writer

The second installment to the heart stopping series The Maze Runner Trilogy was released on Sept. 18. After a year of waiting, people can finally rush to the nearest theaters to see what the movie had in store for them. Being one of them, I had the opportunity to watch it the day after the film was released. The movie was adapted from The Scorch Trials, the second book in The Maze Runner Series written by James Dashner. From my experiences with the first movie, I knew that the whole series would be spectacular. I was so engrossed and fascinated with the first movie that I began to read the entire novel series. In this action-packed film, the main character Thomas and his friends flee from an organization known as World in Catastrophe: Killzone Experiment Department (WCKD). Because of all the cruel things WCKD did to them such as abandoning them in a dangerous area as an experiment, the group is highly suspicious of their motives. WCKD is also responsible for finding a cure for the Flare, a man-made disease that is taking over the population. After being controlled by WCKD in human experimentation, Thomas and the group try to leave and reach a rumored safe haven, also known as the Right Arm who is against WCKD. Along their death defying and grueling expedition, they encounter new people who could help them as well as Cranks, people who are infected by the Flare. The plot for this enthralling movie didn’t follow most of the book, and only a small amount of it stayed true to the book. The different and foreign scenes bewildered me since it was something I hadn’t seen before. Although it didn’t follow the book, the movie plot was clever and there were numerous times when the action was captivating. I think

that’s what attracted more people. Overall, I believe the plot was exciting and well-directed. Additionally, it had a lot more action than the previous movie which really interested me. This movie had a couple of jump scares which made my spine tingle. Adding some suspense made it even better than the first. There were moments when only silence would fill the theater and the audience would be wondering what came next. Perhaps a jump scare? Besides suspense, the movie contained some humor and emotional parts. With all these elements, I think director Wes Ball really outdid himself. It got to the point where I couldn’t decide whether the books or the movies were better. Another thing that really caught my attention was the effects and production. The movie was mainly set outside in a desert full of destruction, wreckage, and debris. There was a scene that gave us an aerial view of the setting and it left me breathless. It showed how far technology in movie production had come. Not only that, but there were various times a bomb went off in the movie which left me wondering how they did it without harming anybody. In conclusion, I believe the effects were outstanding and amazing to watch. The only flaw in the movie is that I wish they could have used more properties and scenes from the books. They cut some important and crucial scenes from the book and replaced it with their own creations which weren’t as bad but I would prefer the ones from the books. Overall, I would recommend this movie if you enjoy a nail-biting, thriller kind of film. This adventurous and riveting film will have you on the edge of your seat. vkwang@apachepowwow.com Graphics courtesy of CLIPGRID.COM and FEBRETEEN.COM

Little Joe’s Fresh Mex By KAYLI TEMPLE

Staff Writer

Little Joe’s Fresh Mex is a Mexican restaurant located in South Arcadia. Situated quite a few blocks away from AHS, it wouldn’t be a surprise if most students haven’t heard of the “fresh-mex” eatery. This is a shame, because it’s one of the few places left in the city that serves authentic Hispanic cuisine. I would recommend Little Joe’s to anyone who’s willing to quit Chipotle for a day. Little Joe’s prices are known to be semi-affordable, considering it’s family owned and operated. In fact, you always get more for your money; even I struggle to finish one of its enormous tostadas, enchiladas, or burritos. This is a great deal considering many of us struggle with finding an affordable and filling place to purchase lunch from. Just call in beforehand to place an order, and you’ll be munching on some chips and salsa in no time! Specifically speaking, 15 minutes or less. The staff is very kind, courteous, and always ready to take an order; regardless of how complicated or ridiculous that order may be. Trust me, I’ve seen people ask for cold soup and guacamole on two out of ten taquitos, with cheese on the remaining eight. You just don’t ask for some things in life, you know? Especially when it makes its soup fresh. You’d have to wait at least two hours for that soup to chill, which is obviously a hassle. Little Joe’s will undoubtedly fill you in on its specials of the day and or the discount deals you can receive with every purchase. My favorite is its three for five burrito special, only available on Thursday’s, which includes three burritos of your choice for only $5! Sorry Taco Bell and Subway, but my money, heart, and loyalty has been won over by none other than the delicious carne asada, guacamole, and cheese burrito. Overall, there is little to be unsatisfied with at Little Joe’s Fresh Mex. While its prices can be a little steep at times, the food is ultimately worth it in the end. One should also recognize that most, if not all, true Latino kitchens own and operate their business out of love for their culture’s food, and to support their families. To them, unlike places like Chipotle and Taco Bell, their restaurant is their life, not just a place to work at. They never fail to show this in their cooking and friendly attitude. ktemple@apachepowwow.com Graphic courtesy of 123.RF.COM

AHS WORDBy VICTORIA TOVMASYAN

Staff Writer

2 3

6 8

Across 2. This English teacher was once in an alternative band with Gwen Stefani. 7. The famous YouTube group that visits AHS to connect with their fans. 9. This History teacher is an alumna of AHS. Down 1. This teacher just began teaching French 3. 3. AHS designation. 4. The name of the boba shop across the street of the public library. 5. The month of Homecoming 2015. 6. Our current Principal, Dr. ______. 8. This Music teacher majored in Electrical Engineering. 7. WongFuProductions 8. Sherill 9. Leahy 1. Krikorian 2. Zaidi 3. Apaches 4. Honeyboba 5. October 6. Forsee vtovmasyan@apachepowwow.com Graphic courtesy of DAFONT.COM and PUZZLEMAKER.DISCOVERYEDUCATION.COM

CAMPUS FOCUS

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September 2015

Concentrate

Memory Confidence

“I need self-respect and worth, determination, and an understanding of what friendship really is.” —Evan McGuffin, 11

“The three things I need for school are confidence, the ability to concentrate well, and memorization skills.” -Chloe Awaya, 9

“I need my agenda, paper (and lots of it), and lastly I cannot start my school year without having a backpack to carry all my stuff in.” -Shirley Liu, 12

By MAGGIE WONG

Staff Writer

The start of the school year comes with back-to-school commercials which lead to back-to-school shopping. We’ve been through this routine many times already, and most students have a general idea of what they’ll need in order to be successful at school. One must have items that include writing utensils, folders, binders, and notebook paper. While physical items are demanding, there are some intangible items that are just as important. By staying positive and confident you will be able to accomplish what you’ve set your mind to.

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