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By AUSD Digital Communications Intern Rianna Marquez  Arcadia High students viewing RAINN’spresentation in the Arcadia Performing Arts Center (Photo Courtesy of AUSD Digital Communications Interns Evelyn Tsoi and Vania Ahmadi) To keep students informed and educated on the dangers of sexual misconduct and unhealthy relationships Arcadia High School’s administration worked with RAINN (Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network) to bring an informative presentation for 9th and 11th grade students to help them be able to identify and feel prepared for certain situations that they or their peers may encounter.
A similar presentation was first delivered via an online platform, WebX, in 2021.With the current and less restrictive Los Angeles County Department of Public Health health and safety procedures, this time around, students were given the opportunity to gather in the Arcadia Performing Arts Center to view a virtual presentation that enabled additional education and discussion this school year.
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By AUSD Digital Communications Intern Evelyn Tsoi  Concert Choir performing at Choir’s Spring Concert:“Musical in Movies” on March 25. (Photo courtesy of AUSD Digital Communications Intern Rachel Saw) ARCADIA-- The Arcadia High School (AHS) Choral Program will be hosting its first annual Benefit Concert, Choir Night Café, which marks the return of Show Choir following distance learning. The concert will take place this Friday, May 20, at 6 p.m. in the Arcadia Performing Arts Center.
For Arcadia High School’s (AHS) Choral Program, 2022 has been a year marked with change. With a new director, a return to in-person performances, and now, its very first Choir Night Café Benefit Concert, AHS’s Choral Program continues to build upon its legacy. “Choir is a family with such profound and tender memories,” shared Freshman Concert Choir member Naveen Imran. The AHS Choral Program has been ongoing for over 70 years since Arcadia High School first opened in 1952. The program has offered generations of Arcadia students a space to freely express themselves through mediums of dance and music. By AUSD Digital Communications Intern Sofía Nagy  First day of AEF Summer School 2019 at Arcadia High School Courtesy Photo from AEF Summer School ARCADIA-- For the first time in two years, the Arcadia Educational Foundation (AEF) Summer School Program for 2022 will happen in person for all grade levels. With summertime right around the corner and the temperature rising, questions arise as well: “What will summer school look like this year?” “How is it similar and different from previous years?” “What about future years?” “Where and how can one register?” “What are the key dates to keep in mind?” Here’s what you should know.  The future of the AUSD Digital Communications Internship looks bright as DCI’s annual Journalism Competition came to a close with incredible, talent-filled submissions. Students submitted work in the mediums of News Writing, Graphic Design, and Podcast. The prompt is as follows: “Share a story or an event or person anywhere in the AUSD that has promoted joy.” The winners are Sandhiya Somasundaram (DMS - 8th Grade) for Graphic Design, Caroline Zhang (FAMS - 8th Grade) for News Writing, and Olivia Deng (DMS - 8th Grade) for Podcast. Congratulations to all the winners and we hope to see AUSD Middle Schoolers showcase their talents again next year! To read the winners' submissions, click on their their photos:
Arcadia High School's Orchesis Dance Company Presents its First In-Person Production in Two Years4/25/2022 By AUSD Digital Communications Intern Danielle Workman  Orchesis Dance Company’s Spring Production Poster Photo Courtesy of Orchesis Lead Director Breanne Genite ARCADIA-- After numerous virtual performances presented on Youtube and other online streaming services, Arcadia High School’s Orchesis Dance Company will be presenting its Spring Production, “Maze of Memories,” in person for the first time in two years.
“The show’s theme, ‘Maze of Memories,’ is a journey of self-discovery and reflection,” explained Orchesis Dance Company Treasurer Athena Liu. “Throughout our lives, we encounter different emotions and obstacles that cause us to question our identity and values. We experience introspection, loss, love, and improvement. All these components are weaved into a collective human experience and are included in the different dances we are performing in this show,” elaborated Liu. By AUSD Digital Communications Intern Hayden Wong  All 21-22 Profiles in Excellence recipients posing at the event on Tuesday, March 22. (Photo Courtesy Arcadia Unified School District) ARCADIA-- After a two-year hiatus due to the pandemic, the Arcadia Unified School District recently hosted its first in-person ceremony for its special employee recognition program, Profiles in Excellence.
Created to recognize and celebrate its employees who go above and beyond in serving Arcadia Unified in various capacities, the Profiles in Excellence program recognizes 12 certificated staff (teachers, counselors, psychologists, and any position that requires a specialized certification) staff, and 12 classified staff (school office personnel, bus drivers, custodial staff, etc.), from across the school district’s 11 sites and offices, Arcadia Unified School District’s Assistant Superintendent of Human Resource Services, Dr. Kevin Hryciw explained. The recipients not only reflect the district’s tagline through the daily work they do— Imagine, Inspire and Inquire— but also go above and beyond in helping the students, teachers, families, and the entire district. By AUSD Digital Communications Intern Samantha Tran  Arcadia High Baseball team after its win against Glendale High (Photo Courtesy of AUSD Digital Communications Intern Samantha Tran) The Arcadia Apaches Varsity Baseball team is currently dominating in every facet of the game. With its skilled pitching staff, consistent hitting, and lockdown defense, the Division 1 team sits with a record of 13-4 and is currently undefeated in Pacific League games.
Aside from the team’s impressive all-around play, what makes this season stand out particularly is the lineup, which is composed of mostly seniors. With this being the last season for many of the student-athletes, it serves as extra motivation to win and to cherish every single game. By AUSD Digital Communications Intern Michelle Fan  Members of Arcadia High’s Speech and Debate Team at a Novice competition in Feb. 2022 (Photo courtesy of AUSD Digital Communications Intern Avani Athavale) ARCADIA-- Achieving 20 qualifications for the upcoming California State Championship, Arcadia High’s Speech and Debate Team accomplished a feat that hasn’t been made in decades. The recent Southern California Debate League’s (SCDL) State Qualifying Tournament for Speech and Lincoln Douglas/Policy Debate saw record-breaking performances for Arcadia High, and the event itself was also no small feat.
By AUSD Digital Communications Intern Danielle Workman  Students learning how to program in the AP Computer Science Principles Class offered as a part of the Arcadia High CTE Program (Photo Courtesy of Apache News) ARCADIA-- For over 50 years, Arcadia High School has offered a variety of Career Technical Education (CTE) courses, allowing students to gain hands-on experience in a multitude of fields and majors.
“CTE courses offer students opportunities to learn differently from other classes and use different parts of the brain,” said Ing Mu, a CTE Graphic Design teacher at Arcadia High School. “Most of our CTE courses are hands-on project-based classes. Our courses focus on a particular career path and students learn the specific needs and knowledge required of that field. There are lots of opportunities to problem solve using multiple methods,” elaborated Mu. Arcadia High’s CTE courses come in “pathways”, where two or more classes related to the same subject are taken sequentially. The courses within a pathway are categorized by three distinct levels— “Introductory”, or beginning course, “Concentrator”, which is the equivalent of an intermediate course, and “Capstone”, the final and most advanced course in a pathway. “The pathways that we have include engineering, graphic design, computer science, dance, stagecraft, video production, and sports medicine,” said Breanne Genite, Arcadia High School CTE Coordinator. By AUSD Digital Communications Intern Bethany Chow  Arcadia High Esports Team (from left to right): Kevin Wu, Jeff Li, Benson Qian, Edwin Lin, and Phillip Leslie (Photo Courtesy of Arcadia Esports Instagram) ARCADIA-- “They had over 600 students interested, and anything that engages over 20% of our student population is something I want to really look into supporting,” said Arcadia High Principal Angie Dillman. Dillman is referring to student interest for Arcadia High School’s League of Legends Esports team. Despite it being the team’s first year competing, Arcadia High’s Esports team recently won second place in the Fall Season of the League of Legends California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) Esports Initiative Championships in December 2021
By AUSD Digital Communications Intern Anvitha Marlapati  Arcadia High students and families waiting in line in front of the Arcadia High School Multipurpose Room to receive their COVID-19 vaccination shot. (Photo courtesy of Arcadia Unified District Nurse Manager Erica Newkirk) Since Nov. 30, 2021, Newkirk and her team have hosted a total of six6 vaccine clinics at three different school sites, vaccinating almost 1,500 people.
The Arcadia Unified School District (AUSD) opened up full-time, in-person instruction on Aug. 11, 2021, which has proven to be no small feat.With waxing and waning surges of COVID-19 cases occurring throughout LA County, bringing back all students to classrooms posed some understandable anticipation and worry. Tackling the spread of this virus while finding ways for in-person instruction to happen safely has been a hefty task and would be difficult to for Arcadia Unified to accomplish without the support and expertise of its Health Services team, which is led by District Nurse Manager Erica Newkirk. Staying updated on the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health (LACDPH) Orders, advocating for the health and safety of the district, contact tracing, arranging for testing support, and looking into vaccination clinics once COVID-19 vaccinations became available for students are just a few of the many tasks Arcadia Unified’s Health Services team support student, staff, and family health and safety for the district. By AUSD Digital Communications Interns Danielle Workman and Bethany Chow  Arcadia High School’s Marching Band and Color Guard Performing at SoFi Stadium during the NFL Chargers Halftime Show (Photo Courtesy of the Arcadia Music Club Parent Volunteer) The Arcadia High School Marching Band and Color Guard have a decorated performance history, which includes appearances at the first Super Bowl ever hosted in Los Angeles, the 2005 Presidential Inauguration Parade, and the renowned Rose Parade, to name a few. Now, Arcadia High’s Marching Band and Color Guard program can add honors as the first high school team to perform at the brand new SoFi Stadium during an NFL Chargers halftime show to its history book.
“As soon as Elise’s hand started moving, everything went in place,” said Alec Tandoc, Arcadia High band president and alto saxophonist, recounting what he remembered from his experience performing in front of tens of thousands of fans in the stands of SoFi stadium. Tandoc is referring to Elise Fong, this year’s Arcadia High marching band drum major, who leads all the Marching Band and Color Guard performances. By AUSD Digital Communications Intern Danielle Workman  John Barclay, front row, third from the left, is a recent Orchesis Dance Company guest choreographer, teaching a masterclass and audition at Arcadia High School. (Photo Courtesy of Orchesis Lead Director Breanne Genite and Orchesis Public Relations Officer Mia Tsou) Arcadia High School’s Orchesis Dance Company (ODC) is continuing its tradition of incorporating both student-choreographed and guest-choreographed pieces into their performances. Even after enduring a virtual school year, ODC has found a way to pursue and expand these programs, providing more opportunities for its dancers.
“We always like to bring in professional choreographers that work and teach currently in the industry, either in the commercial dance world or in the college dance realm, where they’ve gone through a four-year university and dance program,” Orchesis Lead Director Breanne Genite explained.  You can visit the winning articles on the Arcadia Unified Website HERE. Arcadia Unified School District's Digital Communications Internship (DCI) hosted its second annual AUSD News Writing Competition. For the first time, DCI created a high school division to the competition open to students at Arcadia High School.
Students were asked to tailor their articles to the following prompt: "Write about something in the Arcadia Unified School District that fosters acceptance and what acceptance looks like." The competition ran from October 2021 to November 2021 and participants were provided with these instructions. Sincere congratulations to this semester's winners, listed below! By Arcadia Unified Digital Communications Intern Lauryn Chao  First Avenue Exploratory Wheel students make creative use of props and costumes in one of their introductory drama lessons. (Photo Courtesy of FAMS Drama Director Susi Reck) ARCADIA-- A multitude of First Avenue Middle School alumni have discovered their calling through a unique program First Avenue Spartans call the “Exploratory Wheel”. Within this program, sixth-grade students are rotated through four different core electives: art, industrial technology, drama, and home economics. Sixth-grade students are given a nine-week session in each of these courses wherein they explore the foundations of the elective.
Established in 1998, the Exploratory Wheel program allows students to sample different creative mediums and discover which areas align with their interests. Over the course of this nine-week program, students have the opportunity to explore new subjects and find new interests and strengths, which helps them narrow their elective choices in their seventh and eighth grade years. Ultimately, the Exploratory Wheel experience helps students pave their path for their pursuits in high school. |
