15325 E. Los Robles Ave. Hacienda Heights, CA 91745Volume XLVI, Issue I December 13, 2012 Circulation 2200

Renaissance HostsRecognition Rally

As the second half of theschool yearcomes around, itis also time fore x p e c t e dchanges at LosAltos HighSchool. Like anyother year, it istime to look to-ward the futureof the school. Bywelcoming in-coming fresh-men, the changeis soon to begin.As seniors finish senior projects and startto prepare themselves for graduation,next year’s freshmenprepare themselvesfor a new beginning.

That new be-ginning started withan open house de-signed especially forthem on Monday, De-cember 10 at 6:00 P.M.Eighth graders andany other incomingConquerors were in-vited to visit their fu-ture high school. Theevent was hosted byRenaissance and ASBfor the purpose ofshowing what academic and student lifeis like at Los Altos. Clubs, sports, and

LAHS Open Houseother extracurriculars were invited to

have a booth at the event inorder to demonstrate the va-riety of activities Los Altoshas to offer. There were per-formances by various groupsincluding the LAHS danceteam, cheer, and co-ed dance.This event started the manyevents that the school willprovide for incoming stu-dents. In January, two otherevents will be held for eighthgraders and their families. OnJanuary 22, eighth graders willbe visiting Los Altos from

9:30-11:30 A.M. Students will visit class-rooms along with attending a welcome

rally. Then onJanuary 28,parents andstudents areinvited to aparent infor-mation meet-ing. However,Renaissanceand ASB en-c o u r a g e dfamilies to at-t e n dM o n d a y ’ sopen housebecause ofthe various

resources provided for students and par-ents.

By Yvette FrancoConqueror Editor

Tis the Season...To Sing!

As finalsweek draws near,Renaissance orga-nized a fall recog-nition rally to en-courage studentsto study for theirupcoming finals.The rallies wereS u p e r h e r othemed and beganwith Batman’ssearch for theLAHS rally.Throughout the rally,Batman and other super-heroes made an appear-ance all with the purposeof recognizing studentsand staff.

The rally recog-nized “the superherostaff” of secretaries, ad-ministrators, counselors,and the WASC commit-tee. Next, “super stu-dents” were recognizedincluding scholar athletes, campus lead-ers, the top ten students in each class,and TAs. Each recognized category hada video featuring students and staff assuperheroes. Senior Martin Tienda said,“It was a nice way to honor all of thestudents and administration.” Rally per-formances included co-ed dance, LAHSdance team, and drumline.

Class spirit was evidentthroughout the rally. During class games,all four classes cheered for their repre-sentative. In one of the games the goalwas to answer questions in order to catchthe Joker, who Batman was looking forthroughout the rally. Seniors won bothgames in both rallies. Seniors cheered as

they received candy prizes. The gym wasfull of spirit whenthe rally concludedwith a long awaitedConqueror chant.Students enjoyedmany parts of therally. Sophomore,Judy Chen said, “Ithought the rallywas fun. It was re-ally creative. Thescript and the decor

was cool.”M o n i c aArevalo, junior,added, “TheMean Girls ref-erence wasfunny.” “It wasa nice break tohave before wehave to studyfor finals,”added Tienda.The rally con-cluded with a

motivational speech, “Be a superhero inand out of class.”

As Winter Break inches evercloser, students are full of holiday spirit.With festivities being planned, holidaymusic has become prevalent in placesfrom radio stations to estab-lished churches. Los AltosHigh School is no exception.Featuring sets from four dif-ferent groups and six show-cases of solos and duets, theLos Altos choirs held theirannual holiday concert free ofcharge in the gymnasium onWednesday, December 12 at7:00 P.M.

Senior TaylorChanes, co-president ofWomen’s Ensemble, remarks,“The holiday concert is al-ways a fun one because of the holidayseason. Women’s Ensemble was reallylooking forward to this concert becausewe have been working on the music formonths. We were looking forward todoing even better than we did at our FallConcert, and we did! ”

Junior Angelica Guerrero alsoexpresses her enthusiasm toward theconcert. “We were all so thrilled to per-form our holiday set at the concert. It

By Yvette FrancoConqueror Editor

By Irene TsaoConqueor Staff Writer

Finals ScheduleMonday, December 17Normal Late Start, Periods 1-6Tuesday, December 18Period 1 Final: 8:00am - 10:15amPeriod 5 Final: 10:22am - 12:37pmWednesday, December 19Period 2 Final: 8:00am - 10:15amPeriod 4 Final: 10:22am - 12:37pmThursday, December 20Period 3 Finals: 8:00am - 10:15amPeriod 6 Finals: 10:22am - 12:37pm

Yearbook representatives

LAEU’s at DisneylandOn December 6, the Los Altos

Entertainment Unit went to Disneylandto perform in theDisneyland parade.They auditionedearly in the year andwere notifiedmonths later thatthey were acceptedalong with SouthHills High School’sband and colorguard. Not everyband that auditioned was accepted, so itwas an honor for them to be welcomed.

Leading the parade, the bandplayed a medley of various Disney songswhile the color guard performed a cho-reographed routine. “Performing atDisneyland is definitely one of the mostmemorable events of being in the Enter-tainment Unit. Not only do you get tomiss class, but you also get the chanceto perform in front of a crowd. As a se-nior, I will certainly miss this opportu-

seems as if the holidays just bring us alltogether. Go W.E.!”

Senior Nicoles Agurcia, ap-proaching his final holiday concert, re-

flects, “I was excited for both theconcert and Production Choir’sholiday gigs, but it really was abittersweet experience for me be-cause this was my last Christ-mas conert.”Senior Elyse Kasparian re-

marked, “The holiday concertwas by far my favorite one of theentire year. I loved singing aboutthis wonderful season in celebra-tion of Jesus Christ’s birth. Plus,I love my choir, best people onearth! Merry Christmas, every-one!”Along with performances from

Vocal Ensemble, L.A. Harmony, Women’sEnsemble, and Production Choir, therewas also a 50/50 raffle drawing with tick-ets for $1 a piece along with the sales ofpizza and baked goods.

nity,” says Darren Liu, senior. Dressedin the costume from this year’s show, the

color guard smiled and per-formed for the little kids onthe sidewalk. “I love per-forming at Disneyland! I fi-nally have the chance to en-joy the performance with-out the worries of tossingand catching equipment. Iam going miss this,” saidKatie Clark, senior.

The entire unitwas not only able to tour the park, butthey were also able to be in the rarelyseen backstage area. “Being backstagewas a thrilling and perspective changingexperience. I’m glad I was able to takeadvantage of it,” says Abraham Wu, se-nior.

The Entertainment Unit was ex-tremely honored to have the opportunityto perform in the parade. They hope tobe invited back in the following years aswell.

By Melissa ChenEditor in Chief

Conquerors for Christ representatives

Renaissance’s Superheroe Gang

Photo credit Danny Ahn

Superheroes for a day, seniors, DanielTasaka-Mejia and Josh Conde.

Band members in front of Disneyland

Photo credit to Kevin Lee

Elyse Kasparian,senior

“Holiday music is my favoritetype of music. The concert was a won-derful oppurtunity to share this musicwith our audience,” said AmandaBenavides, choir director.

NewsThe Conqueror December 13, 20122

“Being a poll worker is a veryrigorous job. However, our Los AltosConquerors did a great jobin representing our school.I’m very proud of them,”said Richard Nares, socialstudies. Last November 6the country faced one ofthe most remarkable presi-dential elections in its his-tory. The polls were verytight, even up to electionday. Sensing its impor-tance, the country turnedout to cast their ballots inrecord numbers. In somecases, like Florida, therewere voters who had to wait up to 6hours in line to exercise their right to

vote. In some way they were not only theones who had a tough day. Aside from the

candidates, poll workers had towork 12 hour shifts. All this wasdone to secure the right of ev-ery American in the country.

In order to be a pollworker, a person had to be aregistered voter or eligible highschool student. In the case ofLos Altos, many Conquerorsparticipated in the process. Ac-cording to Lauren Roberts, se-nior, “It was very easy. All youneeded was a permission slip.”The Conquerors that partici-pated also received approxi-

mately $ 100, which would later be sent tothem by mail.

With the new year approach-ing, taxpayers are nervous about the newtax laws. Not only are the tax-payers be-ing affected, but the students as well.Student loans and financial aid will beimpacted. Starting January 1 the follow-ing tax laws will be in place:Federal Insurance Contributions Act(FICA) and Medicare.FICA withholding rate is currently 4.2%for the first $110,000 earned per taxpayer,but will increase to 6.2%Personal Exemption and Itemized Deduc-tionsThe income level for the phase-out hasnot been announced, but it is believed tobe around $174,000 for single taxpayersand around $261,000 for taxpayers whofile under the status of marriedQualifying for Medical and Dental Ex-pense DeductibleOnly those who are 65 years of age andolder will be able to qualify for the 7.5%AGI limit. Everyone else will only be al-lowed to deduct medical and dental ex-penses that exceed 10% of their grossincome.Dependent Care and Child CreditsDependent care tax credits will decreasefrom $2,000 to $2,400 in 2013. Childcarecredit will decrease from $1,500 to $500per child.Student LoansThe amount of student loan interest de-duction will be limited for those who earn$50,000 or more in adjusted gross incomeas an individual tax filer or $75,000 or morein AGI as a married couple.

These new laws will affect themiddle class the hardest. Many are call-ing the year 2013 “taxmageddon” with aone-year $494 billion tax increase. UnlessCongress acts to pass changes in laws,all wage earners will be hit hard next yearwith taxes.

President Barack Obama hassucceeded in winning the 2012 presi-dential election. Obama beat oppo-nent Mitt Romney by a total 97 elec-toral votes. The majority of the propo-sitions in California were denied.Proposition 30, temporary taxes tofund education, was passed. Propo-sition 31, state budgetand state and localgovernment, was de-nied. Proposition 32,political contributionsby payroll deduction,was denied. Proposi-tion 33, auto insuranceprices based on driverhistory, was denied.Proposition 34, deathpenalty, was denied.Proposition 35, humantrafficking, was passed. Proposition36, three strikes law, was passed.Proposition 37, genetically engineered

food labels, was denied. Proposition 38, taxfor education and early childhood pro-grams, was denied. Proposition 39, businesstax for energy funding, was passed. Propo-sition 40, redistrictings the state senate, waspassed.

Many students are happy with theresults. After being asked how he felt about

the results, sophomorePatrick Young stated, “I amglad Obama won as it seemsthat Romney was a little ig-norant in the field of poorpeople. No one wants an ig-norant president.” AustinJuarez, sophomore, agreed, “Ithink Obama is a good choiceto be president because hedid well being in the positionhe was in with our economy.Considering the circum-

stances, people do not give him as muchcredit as he deserves. He will do even bet-ter in the years to come.”

Presidential ElectionPresidential ElectionPresidential ElectionPresidential ElectionPresidential ElectionResultsResultsResultsResultsResults

NewNewNewNewNewtttttaxaxaxaxaxLaLaLaLaLawswswswsws

When asked the same question,sophomore Kaitlyn Treguboff stated, “Iam proud of the results. Obama is apeople person and cares about people’sissues. He should get a chance to finishwhat he started.”

Some students are not intriguedby the results. Kelly Sanchez, sopho-more, says, “I was pretty sure Obamawas going to win the election, but Ithought Romney would put up more ofa fight.”

Other students were quite up-set with the results. SophomoreFernando Maldonado voices, “ Obamashould not have won. He didn’t changemuch in the first four years, so whyshould we give him the next four.”

By Monica TorresConqueror Staff Writer

By Melissa ChenEditor In Chief

By Evette AndraosConqueror Staff Writer

Poll WPoll WPoll WPoll WPoll Workersorkersorkersorkersorkers

Monique Chavez, senior

As the senior class clutchedtheir hands in prayer, most of the eligiblevoters were voting on their future—willCal States freeze their freshmen admis-sion or will most seniors lose their hopein going to college?

What Proposition 30 was aboutwas to raise taxes or not raise taxes? Ob-viously, most people would be againstraising taxes, which is fair. They wouldrather spend the money on themselvesand their families. However, Proposition30 stated that if the proposition was notpassed, then the Cal States would beforced to freeze the freshman admissionrate due to more budget costs. Thiswould have been a devastating turn formany seniors.

Luckily for seniors, Proposition30 passed with a 53.9% majority vote. Sowhat does this mean? This means thattaxes will increase. However, this alsomeans that we will avoid a cut of nearly$1 billion to higher education, including$338 million from community colleges,$250 million each from UC and CSU, and$125 million to avoid more UC studentfee increases.

Seniors can now relax and con-tinue to apply to the UC of their choice.Taylor Chanes, senior, says, “I knew itwas going to pass. Even the teachersknow that the colleges need money. Imean look at how many students are go-ing to college. People knew it had topass.” Josh Conde, senior and first timevoter, said, “I voted yes on Proposition30. I’m trying to get to college.” So se-niors, don’t lose hope. Keep those appli-cations going.

PROP 30PROP 30PROP 30PROP 30PROP 30By Alex VelasquezA LA Mode Editor

“Your honor,we of Los Altos HighSchool thank you forpresiding over thiscase today. It is trulyand honor,” statedjunior Irene Tsao asshe addressed thejudge. In the small,wood-walled court-room, tensions runhigh. A stout man inhis seventies toweredabove the twenty orso occupants in theroom, sitting upon ahigh-backed seat withhis hands in front, fin-gers laced together.The room’s occupantsinclude student law-yers, student witnesses, the judge, thejury, and an audience. This was theroom of the 2012 Mock Trial competi-tion.

In the small pause beforeanyone else began speaking, onewould have seen student lawyers fromeach school sizing up the student law-yers of the opposing teams. Onewould have also seen how both adultsand students alike were stiff with ner-vous pressure. Only Justice Robert C.Vanderet seemed to be at peace. “Be-fore we start, I would like you all torelax,” he said with a comforting smile,a smile that would usually be seenonly from one’s own grandfather.Shoulders visibly sunk, and a softsigh was heard through the room. This

marked the start of the trial. The Los Altos Mock Trial team

has only won a case once or twice in itsentire history. But on November 5, anothertick mark was added to the victory count.Through a grueling battle of wits and logic,the Los Altos Mock Trial defense team man-aged to prove their client free of guilt. Theannual competition basically gives studentsof various schools an opportunity to expe-rience the procedures and pressure of anactual court by supplying participants witha given scenario.

Each participating school is ex-pected to form a prosecution and defenseteam and argue for their case. Schools acrossthe state are pitted against each other, test-ing how their defense team will fare againstanother’s prosecution team, and vice versa.

“The experience was very in-teresting.” said Monique Chavez, senior.She mentioned the fact that her pollingstation peaked at approximately 5:30 inthe afternoon. Just like Chavez,Roberts’s polling station peeked ataround the same time, possibly becausethat was the time voters got off from work.

By the end of the night, ourConquerors were exhausted. Chavezsaid, “I was very tired at the end of theday. But I was very happy with the re-sults.

DefDefDefDefDefending to the Wending to the Wending to the Wending to the Wending to the WinininininBy Kimberly WongSplash Editor

LAHS Mock Trial 2012-2012

The battle was noteasily won. For the pastthree months, Los Al-tos’ Mock Trial defenseteam met over the week-ends, working for hourson end trying to perfecttheir direct examina-tions and cross exami-nations. They met withmany bumps along theway, including havingto deal with a suddeninsert of new informa-tion in the case. Yet, de-spite it all, Los AltosHigh School was able towin against the oppos-ing high school thatday. Junior SantiagoWalker says, “Only the

dedication to our avocation kept us fromlosing our minds. No preparation couldtruly perfect the presentation. We pouredout hearts into this trial and into eachother.”

The team now turns their atten-tion to Los Altos’ prosecution team,whose competition day is planned forNovember 14. Los Altos’ Mock Trial de-fense team apprehensively awaits thenews as to whether or not they passedto the second round of the competition.President Stephanie Pyle concludes,“That night was so rewarding. As teammanager, the greatest feedback and af-firmation I could receive was that myteam was well organized, polished, con-fident and powerful from bailiff to pre-trial to our last witness.”

FeaturesThe Conqueror December 13, 20123

With Winter Break rapidly ap-proaching, many students at Los Altosare already planning their holiday tripsand activities. This will be the first yearin which students will take first semes-ter finals beforethe start of Win-ter Break. With-out having toworry about tak-ing finals uponreturning toschool, many areplanning to takemore elaboratetrips to rewardthemselves.

JuniorAshley Ho re-marks, “I’m going snowboarding withmy family at Mammoth Mountain dur-ing Winter Break. We haven’t beensnowboarding in a long time so I’m re-ally looking forward to it.”

Some are having festive holi-day celebrations with lots of extendedfamily. Junior Victoria Gonzales cheer-fully explains, “I will be spending thenight at my grandparents’ house withall of my cousins so we can all open ourpresents together!”

Others, however, are contentto stay home and savor their days. Jun-

ior Alexan-dria Costastated, “I’mjust plan-ning to stayhome andl o u n g earound thehouse. SinceI don’t haveany finals toworry about,I can spendmy WinterBreak with-out having

to worry about studying for a huge testwhen I come back.” Junior AlisaSmanpongse felt the same way. “I don’thave plans to go anywhere this WinterBreak. I’m totally fine with spending theday at home with family and finally be-ing able to sleep in!”

As the Christmas season rollsaround, the mind-boggling question ofgifts tends to occupy the brain. Don’tknow what to buy for your crush? Con-fused on what to get for your parents?Need to find cheap presents that don’tseem like a last minute purchase? Checkout some of these ideas for people of allages.

Buying for guys: Find gifts thatallow both of you to hang out together.For example, movie tick-ets never expire and of-fer a perfect chance tohint at a date. However,if you want to be moreheartfelt, bake browniesor cookies to show himyour affection. Guys willalso like electronic itemssuch as earphones orvideogames. Another gift idea for yourguy can be seats to his favorite sports

team or even an iTunes gift card.Buying for

girls: A present that stemsfrom an inside joke willsurely make her smile. Ifyou want to be a romantic,surprise her with flowersand a fancy date. Shewould also appreciate ascarf to keep her warm orjust some simple jewelry. If all else fails,

lotions and body sprays fromBath and Body Works will notbe rejected. Just remember, whengirls say they don’t want some-thing, they almost always do.

Buying for parents: Whileshopping for friends may beeasy, shopping for parents maynot always be so simple. Hand-made gifts will surely be heart-

felt and show your appreciation. How-ever, if time is a problem, family photos

show that you care about them and arethankful for them. Other ideas mayinclude simple gift cards,treatingthem to dinner, or even small elec-tronic items such as a new coffeepot or a webcam.

Buying last minute gifts: Thecheapest way to give a mass amountof gifts would be to bake cookies.Small goodie bags filled with home-

made cookies and candy are both easyand cheap. Ifbaking isn’tyour thing, giftcards with a nicepersonal mes-sage are also anoption. Fast giftideas also in-clude small toys, simple snacks, or just aChristmas card. All of these can be foundat the 99 Cents Store and Target’s dollarsection.

.

Need to Buy?Here’s your Guide!Here’s your Guide!Here’s your Guide!Here’s your Guide!Here’s your Guide!

By Ariel ChangEditor-in-Chief

Christmas is just around the cor-ner and everyone knows that Santa isreadying his voyage around the world.But it seems like Santa is taking all thecredit for his global expedition. Whoare the mighty beings that haul Santaand his giant sack of goodies to theirdestinations? Why, they are the ma-jestic reindeer. It seems that the rein-deer do not have as much recognitionas Santa despite their courageousstrength to fly across the world. Sohow do students at Los Altos feelabout the reindeer and their status?

It is clear that when someonehears the word“reindeer”, theyi m m e d i a t e l ythink of Christ-mas and the holi-days. Dylan Ho,junior, said, “Re-indeer remind meof the holidayseason. It’s theseason where I can spend time with myfamily and give and receive presents.”

Nathan Castillo, junior, also agreed.“Reindeer are basically a sign that

Christmas isc o m i n g .When I thinkof reindeer, Ithink ofSanta, whichthen remindsme of Christ-mas, and thenfamily, whichthen reminds

me of grandma and the song ‘GrandmaGot Ran Over by a Reindeer’.”

Aside from Christmastime,reindeer are also noted for their ap-pearance. Allan Li, sophomore, said“Reindeer are pretty cool. They’rebasically deer that can fly. Theydon’t seem to get that much creditfor flying Santa all around theworld.” Brandon Huang, sopho-more, said, “I think reindeer arecooler than regular deer. They have

white fur and are able to fly. Regulardeer cannot get as cool as that.”

What is the StatusWhat is the StatusWhat is the StatusWhat is the StatusWhat is the Status

By Timothy KwongConqueror Staff Writer

of a Reindeer?of a Reindeer?of a Reindeer?of a Reindeer?of a Reindeer?

Tip 1: Research. If you don’tknow the person you were assigned verywell, find out more about him or her. Tryasking his or her friend about what he orshe likes and what his or her hobbiesare.

Tip 2: Do it yourself. One greatway to both save money and give a to-tally unique gift is to make it yourself.Baked goods, especially Christmas cook-ies, are always a great option. Jewelry isanother easy option. One neat presentto try is to buy a plain notebook, deco-rate the cover, write inspirational quotesat the top of each page, and give it toyour friend as a one-of-a-kind journal.

Tip 3: Presentation. Be sure topay attention to the finishing touchesand present your gift well. For example,if you made cookies, arrange them nicelyon a plate or put them in a decorativebag and take the time to tie it off withlots of festive ribbons. If you’re giving amore traditional present, take the time towrap it neatly with special wrapping pa-per.

In the center of the average sub-urban mall stands a majestic tree festivelyadorned with gleaming ornaments andtwinkling lights. Families patiently waitin line for a chance to meet a childhoodgiant. Newborn babies dressed in frillydresses and white sashes glance curiouslyat the jolly, elderly man as he takes hisplace on his great wooden throne. Thiswill be 72-year-old Bruce Laudahl’s twen-tieth year as a professional Santa. Fromhis bushy beard to his pleasantly plumpbelly, he is the mirror image of Old St.Nicholas.

The job of Santa involves muchmore than being photogenic. The list ofrequirements varies from one company tothe next. Since most professional Santasare independent contactors, the locationof the job differs. Laudahl has worked atprivate parties and church events in addi-tion to his mall duties. “In order to be aSanta, you have to be a certain weightand size. All Santas have natural beards,”

informed Laudahl, thoughtfully tuggingon his own glorious white beard.

With years of experience un-der his belt,Laudahl readilyoffers up zanystories of Christ-mases past.“Five years ago,a little boy cameto me and toldme everythinghe wanted,” hebegan. “He toldme exactly whereI could get it and he came back everyday for a week. His brothers wouldcome as well. Every time he came back,he would say, ‘Do you remember whatI told you we wanted?’ They mostlyasked for electronics.” Not all ofLaudahl’s visitors were determined andbusinesslike little boys. During thesame Christmas season, a pregnant

woman told him that she wanted him toplace his hand on her belly. “My babyhas now been blessed by Santa,” she

explained afterwards.While Laudahl continues to

enjoy visits from shy and boldchildren alike, he worries thatpeople will stop believing inSanta someday. “If no one be-lieved in the spirit of SantaClaus, it would be no good.Santa Claus exists to give joy topeople. Seeing kids happy is myfavorite part of Christmas,” heremarks. “I still believe in Santa,

and that’s why I can do this job.”Although it is important to

avoid crushing dreams, the secret toLaudahl’s longevity is his straightfor-ward nature. Girls have approached him,pleading for certain boys to appear un-der their Christmas trees. Laudahl al-ways responds the same way. “I can’tmake that happen! Merry Christmas!”

By Hillary Hermawan and Valeria WangConqueror Staff Writers

OccupatiOn:OccupatiOn:OccupatiOn:OccupatiOn:OccupatiOn:

Where areWhere areWhere areWhere areWhere areyou going?you going?you going?you going?you going?

By Irene TsaoConqueror Staff Writer

Alexandria Costa, junior

Alisa Smanpongse, junior

Editors-in-ChiefAriel Chang

Melissa Chen

The Conqueror EditorsYvette Franco

Ayana Usui

The Conqueror Online EditorsWilliam Liu

Lilian Hwang

A LA Mode EditorAlex Velasquez

Page EditorsLydia Lee

Corissa BurdetteNicholas PungEvette AndraosNancy Gomez

Nathalie GomezConnie Pung

Splash EditorJohn Andraos

Kimberly Wong

Staff Writers

Timothy KwongCheryl Ching

Irene TsaoJennifer Lew

Monica TorresCarolyn MejiaRyan Guerrero

Hillary Hermawan

Hailey LeeJocelyn LiuKaylee LoBonnie LuuWendy Shih

Caroline TorresValeria WangSimon Wong

From The Conqueror Staff

Allan Li, sophomore

By Jocelyn LiuConqueror Staff Writer

Mall SantaMall SantaMall SantaMall SantaMall Santa

Sophomores Ronnie Chanes,Brandon Huang, and

Peter Pulido

SecretSecretSecretSecretSecretSantaSantaSantaSantaSanta TipsTipsTipsTipsTips

Bruce Laudahl

FeaturesThe Conqueror December 13, 2012 6

November

Christmas Child peration

Every year around Christmas, the staff and students of Los Altos HighSchool see the red and green shoe boxes being passedaround from student to student. But what exactly isthe purpose of these boxes?

Samaritan’s Purse, a Christian missionaryand charity group, began with a vision to help needychildren all over the world, all while spreading theword of Jesus Christ. From their vision came Opera-tion Christmas Child, a program aimed at sendingchildren of poverty from all over the world gifts tomake their Christmas just a little bit better. Now, Op-eration Christmas Child is an activity participated inby many believers in Christ, including Los Altos’very own Christian club, Conquerors for Christ. “I

participated last year withmy own church and it was areally fun and differentexperience,” said Eva Tsengsophomore.

This program is evidently very successful as studentsfrom all over Los Altos High School rush to participate inthe event. In fact, it wasn’t long before the Conquerors forChrist group ran out of boxes to provide to students. “Ireally wanted to do Operation Christmas Child, but when Iwent to get a box to put stuff into. They had no more boxesleft,” says Sean Khang, junior. “I guess that the absence ofboxes is a good thing, though, because that just meansthat more people in need are getting help from people who

can give.”As Christmas comes around, we can all learn a thing or two from the chari-

table acts of Samaritan’s Purse and participants of Operation Christmas Child andfocus on giving rather than receiving.

Many people think that a long time ago the Mayans foretold the end of theworld, which according to their calendar is December 21, 2012. This statement isfalse. The Mayans never foretold the end of the world or that it would occur onDecember 21 of this year. The rumors are false, so stop saying it’s the end of theworld. Seriously, stop.

In the past, there have been many other instances of foretelling the doomof humanity. For example, June 6, 2006 was supposedly the day of the devil. Nothinghappened that day. There have been many hoaxes to persuade the public into

thinking that the end of the world is near with no evi-dence to prove it. Let’s use December 21, 2012 for this.

What proof is there that the world will end onthat specific date? Will there be a collision between thetwo planets, Earth and X? Is there going to be an alieninvasion? If a planet was to collide with the earth, as-tronomers and, more important, NASA, would haveinformed us about the tragic event. The probability ofhaving an alien invasion is also close to none. Thesetheories of the world ending are complete and uttergarbage, which the media has used to its advantage.Such an example would be the movie “2012.”

On December 21, 2012, the Mayan calendarmarks many new things. It marks the beginning of anew era of hope for the Mayan people. December 21,

2012 is also the winter solstice and the sun will be aligned in the middle of the MilkyWay. These events make December 21, 2012 even more amazing, aside from all theapocalypse hype. Just remember, it isn’t the end of the world. If you don’t believeme, there have been dates found in the Mayan calendar after this so-called “end ofthe world.”

By Nicholas PungConqueror Staff Writer

What is the Pediatric Trauma Program? Most Los Altos students were misled into thinking that it was when little kids becometraumatized by doctors. However, PTP is the number one killer among children in the United States and can stem from just about any majoraccident. In order to raise awareness and prevention, senior KIWIN’s president Elijah Contreras set out on a mission: to raise $300 in oneweek. Not only did he achieve his goal with a total amount of $408.55, but he also won a bet against Adam Panagos, history. In accordanceto the bet, Panagos has to wear a chicken suit for an entire school day. “When I first made the bet with Elijah, I knew he was resourcefulenough to win,” said Panagos.

On December 1, KIWIN’s donated every single dollar to PTP at their annual fall rally at Knott’s Berry Farm. This money will gotoward purchasing accident prevention items, medical equipment, training for pediatric doctors, and making donations straight tohospitals. “I am more than positive that a majority of you saw me walking around the school with a giant sign and a jar full of money. Justknow that you all made a difference in helping us reach our goal, and beyond,” said Contreras.

Aaron UribeAdrian Garcia

Alexandra LopezAlfredo Cisneros

Alondra CosioAna Padilla

Analise JimenezAndrea SerranoAngela Moore

Ariel ChangAshley Argaez

Bianca BosancicCaroline Torres

Chris UribeCristina VelaDaniel Juarez

Daylen RobersonDezmian GarciaDinorah OrtizEddie Rangel

Eduardo ArrellanoElcicihui LegariaElijah Contreras

Elizabeth LechugaEricka Valencia

Esmeralda ReynosoGabriel Go

Gabriel PadillaGenisses Lopez

Griselda RuizHillary Hermawan

Irene CasanovaJacky Zhang

Jasmine EcheverriJessica Sanchez

Jimmy HernandezJoanna Conchas

Jocelyne RodriguezJudith PortilloJustin Navarro

Kalynn HendersonKatie Clark

Kimberly PhamMarina Fernandez

Mario MartinezMark Avila

Mark TecuautzinMarlen Jimenez

Marvin NavarreteMichael AttanasioMichelle AgustinNathalie GomezPascal KingmanRichard Baray

Roberto ReynosoSandy HoShiny Yih

Vanessa HerreraVanessa Silva

Veronica EspinosaViviana Valle

October

Studentsof theMonth

Selflessness in Students

By Simon WongConqueror Staff Writer

By Ariel ChangEditor-in-Chief

End of the Worldor is it...

Aaron BorundaAlexis ArroyoAliyah RosasAndre RochaAryton GalvezAshley Solis

Bianaca VarelaBrittany MojicaCarlos Uruena

Caroline TorresChris Armijo

Chris FoxChristian Hernandez

Christian MoraCristian VegaDaisy Salinas

Devin DrieslinDiane Garcia

Edgar CacerosEduardo Torres

Elias NeriElizabth Lechuga

Emily ArmasFabiana Rosas

Fernando ContrerasGriselda RuizJacky Zhang

Jeffrey ChangJessie Verdugo

Joseph FitzgeraldKaitlyn EngKaren Cruz

Katie MarroquinLester Paz

Lizbeth CasesLouie BarreraLouis Gonzalez

Luis JuarezManuel EscalanteMario Martinez

Marisa RojoNathan ByrnePablo Larios

Rafael VillanuevaRichard Halliburton

Richard SosaRosalyn Hernandez

Rudy EstradaRudy Lenero

Sabrina VillanuevaSamantha Kirklin

Sergio De La TorreSergio PicenoSteven Alcaraz

Steven DiazUriel Mejia

Valerie Lujan

Eva Tseng, sophomore

Elijah Contreras, senior, andAdam Panagos, history

FeaturesThe Conqueror December 13, 2012 7

Shoes squeaked againstthe gym floor. The basketball swungfrom one girl to the net as theyscanned the court for an opportunityto score. A cleverly intercepted passmeant a fast break for NatalieEdwards, junior. She sped toward herbasket, dribbling the ball confidently.The steady, rhythmic pounding ofthe ball echoed throughout the gym,taunting the nearest defender into adesperate sprint. The other playercaught up to her as she eased into alayup, arched her arm expertly, andsailed the ball through the hoop. Thenext moment passed by in a hazy blur.Her teammates watched in horror asEdwards fell to the floor. She cradledher knee and cried out in agony. Anordinary scrimmage ended in a sud-den, season-ending injury for thestar varsity player. Through extraor-dinary bravery and unparalleled de-termination, Edwards made a trium-phant comeback.

When the diagnosis camein, Edwards was devastated. Herteammates were equally horrified.Jasmine Hamori, senior, can still re-member her exact thoughts when herteammate was injured. “The one per-son I play really well with is out forthe season. Who can possibly re-place her?” Edwards tore her ante-rior cruciate ligament, or the infamousACL. The ACL is one of the fourmajor stabilizing ligaments in theknee. The tear can occur when anathlete lands after a jump. “My kneejust gave out,” Edwards explained.Six seemingly endless months ofphysical therapy followed. She per-formed exercises to strengthen herleg and restore her range of motion.

Pieces of thePuzzle

On the first day of Christmas, my true love gave to me A __________ in a ____ ____.

On the second day of Christmas, my true love gave to me Two ______ _____,And a __________ in a ____ ____.

On the third day of Christmas, my true love gave to me Three ______ ____, Two ______ _____,And a __________ in a ____ ____.

On the fourth day of Christmas, my true love gave to me Four _______ _____, Three ______ ____, Two ______ _____,And a __________ in a ____ ____.

On the fifth day of Christmas, my true love gave to me Five ______ _____, Four _______ _____, Three ______ ____, Two ______ _____,And a __________ in a ____ ____.

On the sixth day of Christmas, my true love gave to me Six _____ _-______, Five ______ _____, Four _______ _____, Three ______ ____, Two ______ _____,And a __________ in a ____ ____.

On the seventh day of Christmas, my true love gave to me Seven _____ _-________, Six _____ _-______, Five ______ _____, Four _______ _____, Three ______ ____, Two ______ _____,And a __________ in a ____ ____.

On the eighth day of Christmas, my true love gave to me Eight _____ _-_______, Seven _____ _-________, Six _____ _-______, Five ______ _____, Four _______ _____, Three ______ ____, Two ______ _____,And a __________ in a ____ ____.

On the ninth day of Christmas, my true love gave to me Nine ______ _______, Eight _____ _-_______, Seven _____ _-________, Six _____ _-______, Five ______ _____, Four _______ _____, Three ______ ____, Two ______ _____,And a __________ in a ____ ____.

On the tenth day of Christmas, my true love gave to me Ten _____ _-_______, Nine ______ _______, Eight _____ _-_______, Seven _____ _-________, Six _____ _-______, Five ______ _____, Four _______ _____, Three ______ ____, Two ______ _____,And a __________ in a ____ ____.

On the eleventh day of Christmas, my true love gave to me Eleven ______ ______, Ten _____ _-_______, Nine ______ _______, Eight _____ _-_______, Seven _____ _-________, Six _____ _-______, Five ______ _____, Four _______ _____, Three ______ ____, Two ______ _____,And a __________ in a ____ ____.

On the twelfth day of Christmas, my true love gave to me Twelve ________ ________, Eleven ______ ______, Ten _____ _-_______, Nine ______ _______, Eight _____ _-_______, Seven _____ _-________, Six _____ _-______, Five ______ _____,

When the team practiced, she worked on hershooting form on the side. The basketballseason came and went as she looked on long-ingly. “I worked hard on my own to get backon par,” remarked Edwards. “That was theonly way I was able to cope with being offthe court.”

Edwards felt an “indescribable joy”the day she received the clearance that al-lowed her to play again. She is now a seniordetermined to make her last year count. Sheattends every practice and works harder thanever to reach and even exceed her formercapabilities on the court. Her injury has af-fected her previous brash style of play. “Iam definitely more hesitant because I do notwant to get hurt again,” Edwards admits.While this could have entailed timidity, thishas actually made her a more refined player.

With Edwards back and ready todominate, an exciting season awaits for LosAltos High School. After graduation, sheplans on playing basketball in college andstudying to become a physical therapist. “Iwant to help other people because I knowwhat it feels like to get hurt,” Edwards says.Does she have any advice for aspiring bas-ketball players? “Get big,” she recommends.“Play like you are seven feet tall and no-body can stop you!”

Politician John Boehner once said,“Any good comeback needs some true be-lievers.” Edwards made her comeback withthe aid of three different believers. Her fam-ily was the first. “It takes a lot of bravery tocome back from an injury that serious,” ob-served her brother, Brian Edwards, sopho-more. Her team was the second. She was thelast and most important believer.

Twelve Days

By Melissa ChenEditor-in-Chief By Hillary Hermawan and Valeria Wang

Conqueror Staff Writers

What does a cat on the beach have in common with Christmas? Sandy claws!How does a snowman lose weight? He waits for the weather to get warmer.What do you get if you cross an apple with a Christmas tree? A pineapple!What do snowmen eat for breakfast? Frosted FlakesWhat often falls at the North Pole but never gets hurt? Snow!What kind of music do elves like best? “Wrap” music!Why was Santa’s little helper depressed? Because he had low elf-esteem.What is the favorite Mexican food of snowman? Brrrr- itos.What is in lunch on Christmas Day for snowmen? Icebergers!What is the popular name of a snowman in summer? A puddle.Santa rides in a sleigh. What do elves ride in? Minivans!Where would a reindeer go to find her lost tail? “Re-tail” store.Why was the turkey asked to join the band by elves? He had the drum sticks!Elves make sandwiches with what type of bread? Shortbread!Which elf was the best singer? ELFis Presley.

Want more jokes for the holidays? You can find these and other jokes attheholidayspot.com

Christmas

Answer:Twelve drummers drumming, Eleven pipers piping, Ten lords a-leaping, Nine ladies dancing, Eight maids a-milking, Seven swans a-swimming, Six geese a-laying, Five golden rings, Four calling birds, Three French hens, Two turtle doves, And a partridge in a pear tree!

ofChristmas

Can you guessthe lyrics to theclassic “TwelveDays of Christ-mas Song?

3

Jokes

SportsThe Conqueror December 13, 2012 8

On November 28, the girls’ waterpolo team had their first scrim-mage of the season. Though it was not a league game, it helped the girls be better prepared for when it really counts. O u r g i r l s f a c e d Troy High School, ranked #2 in their division. The game ended in a 12-12 tie. Erica Vene-gas, senior and varsity captain, says, “Our team was not very prepared going into our first game. We had morning practice that day and had not worked on waterpolo too much during hell weeks. Troy is a strong team. Although we were not as prepared as we could have been, I feel we are the better team. Now that it is my last year

and I am team captain, I feel like this season is going to be great. I will work

harder than I ever have and encourage my team to learn and do the same.” Victoria Mezack, sopho-more, says, “For our first game, the team wasn’t very prepared. We had only prac-ticed actual waterpolo for two days, but Coach Cole-man did prepare us well physically by getting us in shape from swimming all the time to waking up early to lifting weights. However, the game was only a scrimmage and we

played better than expected!” Troy was quite a challenging team who put up a fight. The team was very strong and their girls were bigger than our girls. However, we were also able to put up a good fight and play our game.” Katie Clark, sophomore, says,

Girls WaterpoloBy Carolyn MejiaConqueror Staff Writer____________________________

Fall sports have ended, meaning winter sports are just begin-ning. Girls’ soccer has already par-ticipated in the Summit High School Tournament. At the tournament they won one game and lost the oth-er three. The team is off to a rocky start but is motivated and striving for excellence in the games to come. Both the players and the coaches have been doing everything possible to prepare themselves for a great season. Sophomore Melanie Moreno states, “We have a lot of rook-ies this year, including myself. It may take a little time to adjust as a team, but I think we have a great shot at CIF.” Sophomore Albany Turcio agrees, “I feel that this season will be tough be-cause there are many rookies like me, but once we find our chemistry, then I think we will achieve great things.” Senior Alliah Garcia also seems to agree. Garcia voices, “Our program this year has a lot of young players, so we have a lot of potential. I believe that if we come together, we can go far.” The girls’ soccer team is optimistic and believes that they will have a successful season. Na-talia Elizarraras, freshman, says, “I think we have plenty of talent on the team and can do great things. If we work together, anything is possible.”

Many of the girls on the team believe that D i a m o n d Bar will be their biggest ri-val while some might believe it will be Bo-nita. Gar-cia states, “I believe that Dia-mond Bar

will be our biggest rivalry, but we are definitely capable of defeating them.” Moreno agrees, “I think Diamond Bar will be our greatest competition, but I am looking forward to playing Walnut since many of the players on our team know most of the team from Walnut so it will be a fun, friendly competi-tion.” Turcio disagrees, “I believe that Bonita will be our biggest rivalry.”

Two years ago, Los Altos boys soccer led 3-0 at half but ended up los-ing 4-3. This knocked them out of CIF first round in Hesperia. Last year, Los

Altos lost to a strong Pomo-na team in the first round. Af-ter these loss-es, they have dropped to the fifth division. This year, Los Altos boys soc-cer will try to avenge their two previous seasons. With a new coach, many new play-ers, and a totally

new formation, the boys want to show what they’ve got. Los Altos is 3-0 in preseason. The first game was against a strong La Serna squad. The new formation held La Serna to a shutout. They scored off of a free kick, winning the game 1-0. The second game was against Workman High School. Workman scored first, but Los Altos quickly retaliated with a goal from junior Manual Medina. In the second half, Medina scored another goal, giving Los Altos the 2-1 win. “We have done pretty well so far. Hopefully it will continue,” exclaims junior Tan-ner Owen. On December 3, Los Altos played against Wilson for the Golden

In life, there is always something that every teen is passionate about… some-thing that keeps them going and is the one thing that never has and never will fail them. It’s a hobby that will last a lifetime, and that unlike other things, will never fail them. For Mark Huizar, that passion is running.

Q: When did you start running?A: I started running my sophomore year during track season.Q: Why do you like running? A: It’s the only sport that is based off raw strength and energy.Q: How did you feel when you were told you made it to the state compe-tition?A: I felt really good from start to end.Q: What were you thinking while running during state?A: If God is with me, who can stand against me?Q: What would you say was your biggest achievement?A: Making it to CIF finals with my team.Q: Are you going to continue run-ning after high school?A: Yes, but the college is undecided.Q: What’s your motivation?A: My motivation is my mom and to go to a good college and become as successful as possible.Q: How did state go?A: State went really well. I did the best I could and was just happy to represent Los Altos High School.Q: Have you accomplished your goals?A: Yes, I finished my season exactly how I wanted to and did better than my projection.Q: What are your new goals?A: Do my best in track, 4:25 mile, 2:05 800, and 9:35 2 mile

“Troy was a pretty strong team and in our face. We had the lead for awhile, but

overall, it was a well matched game. I am very confident in our starters this year. We lost a lot of players, but have a lot of poten-tial in the new varsity girls. I think going into our first league game we will do very well, but we have to put in

all our effort and work as a team.”

These girls put in an im-mense amount of work every day. From 5:30 am weights and swimming workouts to after school practices, these girls work hard and are get-ting ready to show what they’ve got.

Boot. Both teams fought hard all game, but Los Altos’ strength allowed them to overcome their rivals. Chevvy Ramirez scored off the rebound from a penalty in the first half. Manual Medina scored his third goal in 3 games from far. Los Altos ended up keeping the Boot for the third year in a row with a 2-0 victory. Coach Mike Grossland has pushed the team throughout the pre-sea-son, running them for many practices. However, it has paid off and the players

have realized this. Chris-topher Cer-vantes, soph-omore, says, “Success is no accident; it is hard work, p e r s e v e r -ance, learn-ing, studying, sacrifice, and, most of all, the love of the sport.” The strict

coaching poli-cy has worked

so far in preseason. “We have play-ers with skill and dedication, a coach who reads the field like a book, and the potential to be champion for 2012-2013,” explains senior Joshua Torres. That championship is the ul-timate goal of the boys, and the only thing between them is the season.

It is that time of year again. Hot chocolate hops out of the cupboard, mall Santas exchange money for the fulfillment of a childhood dream, and of course, basketball season starts. An exciting season is in store for L.A. this year. A purple-and-gold clad Dwight Howard dunks for Los Angeles. At Los Altos High School, the girls’ var-sity basketball team plans on estab-lishing a legacy one game at a time. “We’ll do very well this sea-son because we’ve been working hard during the summer and preseason,” says the confident sophomore sensation Ni-cole Rodriguez. “We’ll have a better record than last year and in the process, make a name for ourselves,” adds Val-erie Almaraz, senior. The dedicated team willingly endures grueling practic-es in their effort to pursue improvement.

When they feel as if they could not pos-sibly run another suicide or finish the fourth quarter, they need an inspiration to help them push through. “I’m in-spired by my fami-ly to show myself that I can do any-thing I put my mind to,” comments Almaraz. For Al-anna Ho, senior, inspiration comes in the form of a former coach’s wise words. “Back in freshman year, my coach used to always tell me that I should never be satisfied. I should al-ways want more. He also told me that when I was not practicing, someone somewhere was practicing and when I

Mark HuizarBy Alex Velasquez Magazine Editor_________________

Girls BasketballBy Hillary HermawanConqueror Staff Writer_____________________

Girls Soccer

met her on the court, she would win.” Despite the team’s optimism for the up-coming season, Ho real-izes that a good season is not as easy as a walk in the park. “Like every year, this year will be a challenge because of the tough league we’re in,” she admits. “However, if we work as a team, I know we can succeed.”

According to coach Colin Ya-mashita, this team made up of “good senior leadership and constantly im-proving underclassmen” is going to have a memorable season. Is there anything in particular that the team wants to get done? “Yes,” laughs Ho, “We want to beat Diamond Bar!”

Boys SoccerBy John Andraos Splash Edtior_______________

Head Coach Chris ColemanKatie Clark, sophomore

By Evette Andraos Conqueror Staff Writer_____________________

Alanna Ho, senior

Mark Huizar, senior

Albany Turcio, sophomore

Coach Mike Grossland

Christopher Cervantes, sophomore