Keepin’ it Arcadia

S5 #4 DCI News Writing Competition Winners

High school winner Michelle So, and middle school winners Ethan Tso, Carol Chen, and Carie Chen read their 2021 Fall DCI News Writing Competition winning article submissions!

S5 #3 Arcadia Shines Bright

In this episode, we talk to members of Arcadia High School’s Band and Color guard about their recent performance at the Halftime show of the LA Chargers Game. Next, we feature an interview with Arcadia High’s Varsity Girls Golf team, about their Pacific League-winning and Division 2 CIF champion title season.

S5 #2 Arcadia‘s Favorite Drink, Civic Youth Council, and the Reflections Program

This week, we dive into the history of boba, one of Arcadia’s most popular drinks. Next, we speak with Becky Chen, Chairwoman of the Arcadia Youth Civic Council, about their recent projects. Then, we talk to Bonny Lee, who leads the AUSD reflections program, about the reflections program and its importance.

S5 #1 What’s New at the School?

This episode introduces Keepin’ It Arcadia’s season 5 team roster, our school’s newest bowl (with ethics bowl co-captains Abby Wang and Ariana Zhou), the Fall 2021 DCI News Writing competition, and features a personal interview with 3 history-making female team members of Arcadia High’s football team for their perspective on breaking glass ceilings.

S4 #11 The Inside Scoop into the 2021 Prom and a Holly Avenue Kindergarten Author

As Covid-19 restrictions and rules continue to change, Arcadia High School’s Prom Committee has made drastic changes to the 2021 Junior and Senior Prom. We spoke to Christina Xu, this year’s sophomore vice president and head of Prom Committee, about these changes and how prom will be like this year. 

 

Next, we talk to Ndukaku, an adorable kindergartener at Holly Avenue Elementary School who has published three stories with the help of his dad that he’s created with his three-year-old brother Chiji. 

S4 #10 The Choosing and Creating of Classes at AHS

With the looming deadline of course selections, Claire Li and Chloe Wong spoke with Mr. Poon, one of the Arcadia High School counselors to clear up some of the common questions regarding course selections, explain how AHS chooses the classes they offer, as well as offer advice about choosing classes. Next, we talked to some AHS students, asking them the question: what class do you wish you could create at Arcadia High School? 

S4 #9 The History of Our City and Asian American Identity in Arcadia and America

With the recent influx of Asian-American hate crimes due to Covid-19, more people are turning their attention to the history of racism towards Asians throughout American History. In this podcast episode, we’ll look at the history of our city, as well as the history and experiences of Asian-Americans in Arcadia and America. 

 

First, we talk with Ms. Beverly Street about Arcadia’s early history and how it came to be the city we know today. Next, we spoke with Thai-Chinese American and AHS student Pailin Tan. She has been actively speaking about racism and mistreatment of Asians in America, so we discussed her experience growing up in San Gabriel Valley and America. Finally, we talked with three Japanese-Americans who were sent to Japanese Internment Camps as children (Mr. Ned Morioka, Mr. Akira, and Mrs. Hideko Sansui), who shared their experiences and perspectives growing up and living through this. 

S4 # 8 Behind the Scenes of the Return to School

With the Arcadia Unified School District (AUSD) transitioning to a hybrid school model, we took time to talk to a few members of the community--principals, teachers, and students--to understand the behind-the-scenes process of our reopening process. 

 

First up, Arcadia High School’s principal, Ms. Dillman, discusses some of the factors behind the reopening process while also answering some questions about the school reopenings. Another AUSD principal, Mrs. Mattera, introduces the procedures that the elementary schools will follow, giving an inside scoop on the Highland Oaks hybrid model. Along with the school administration, current Arcadia High senior Conner Hua highlights the student viewpoint and how their opinions have impacted the school’s reopening process. Next, Mr. Vo, an AP Biology and Environmental Science teacher at Arcadia High, shares his perspective on the transition, shedding light on how the changes have impacted teachers. Finally, Apache News member Ethan Tran recaps APN’s return to in-person filming.

 

We hope you enjoy this podcast! Like, comment, and follow us on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and Podbean for more content! Find our previous episodes at www.arcadiaunified.podbean.com.

S4 #7 Women's History Month

In honor of March, we talked to an all-female group about feminism, representation and inclusion, and women's history month. This episode features a range of perspectives, including women in the workforce, founders of the Diversify your Narrative campaign, a women's literature teacher, and a member of a branch of the global Girl Up Campaign. 

 

Like, comment, and follow us on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and Podbean for more content!

Find our previous episodes at www.arcadiaunified.podbean.com.

S4 #6 Behind the Scenes of "Bright Star" & Speech and Debate

With the upcoming return to school and increase in extracurricular activities at school, we talked to Arcadia Stage President Sarah Callahan to discuss the production of the upcoming show “Bright Star”. In addition, Speech and Debate members Kevin Wu and Jack Wang recap their latest virtual Speech competition.

S4 #5 Remaining Resilient As Arcadians

This past year especially--a year welcoming a global pandemic amongst many other unexpected events--finding a balance between a competitive school atmosphere, family life, and social wellbeing has become more difficult for many students across the world. In light of the strenuous times, the newest podcast is dedicated to discussing mental health, featuring Arcadia High School (AHS) students, past and present.

First off, Ms. Lew, an assistant principal at AHS, will discuss the recently established Wellness YouTube Channel followed by Refine Your Mind Club presidents Sarah Sutjipto and Annalise Xu who share their thoughts on mental health and why they founded their club. This episode also features the lessons DCI and AHS Alumna, Jasmine Oang, learned from her experience at AHS as well as her tips for improving mental health.

We hope you enjoy this episode! Like, comment, and follow us on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and Podbean for more content!

Find our previous episodes at www.arcadiaunified.podbean.com.

S4 #4 An Inside Look at Studying Abroad

With DCI's Spring 2021 interns finalized after a one-month probation period, the podcast team is proud to announce our newest members: Wesley Chen, Kylie Ha, Nicole Nie, Angela Ren, and Chloe Wong! They give a brief introduction of themselves, and some of their reasons for joining the DCI Podcast Team! 

In addition Wesley Chen and our new podcast co-manager, Joyce Pang, talk to Lauren Banuelos (AHS Alumnus, Class of 2021, but graduated early in 2020) and Travis Chen (DCI & AHS Alumnus, Class of 2017), respectively, to delve into their study-abroad experiences.

We apologize for the VERY long delay, and we hope you enjoy the mountain of content that is coming to this podcast!

0:00 - Introduction by Joyce Pang

0:40 - Chloe Wong

1:22 - Wesley Chen

1:53 - Nicole Nie

2:29 - Kylie Ha

3:01 - Angela Ren

3:45 - Interview with Lauren Banuelos

10:24 - Interview with Travis Chen

22:03 - Conclusion by Joyce Pang

S4 #3 The AUSD News Writing Competition Winners!

In November, DCI's News Writing Team held a city-wide middle school competition to see who could write the best news article about "an instance of unity, strength, perseverance, and/or leadership taking place in your school, classroom, or AUSD community." After weeks of deliberating, the News Writing Team is proud to announce the winners on this special edition of Keepin' It Arcadia! Congratulations to the three middle schoolers that won, and we thank you all for bringing these heartwarming stories to light during these dark times.

0:00 Introduction: News Writing Team Leader Anvitha Marlapati and Competition Judge Claire Li

2:57 Winner Feature 1: Max Chang-Amayo

8:20 Winner Feature 2: Minhtam Nguyen

13:42 Winner Feature 3: Katelyn Liu

18:50 Concluding Commentary: Competition Judge Sofia Nagy

Like, comment, and follow us on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and Podbean for more content!

Find our previous episodes at https://www.arcadiaunified.podbean.com.

S4 #2 COVID's Impact On Arcadians

Welcome to Season 4 Episode 2 of the "Keepin' It Arcadia" podcast! In our newest story, the team interviews siblings Karen and Kevin Tsai, two doctors from the Los Angeles area who were given the opportunity to present at the 2020 Emmy Awards. At the start of the pandemic, the pair teamed up and started the donateppe.org foundation to combat the shortage in PPE supplies that affected front-line health workers. This episode also includes an interview with Mrs. Karen Kropp, owner of Arcadia's beloved bookstore, The Book Rack, to gain more perspective about the impacts of COVID-19 on the community and small businesses like hers. 

 

Interview with Karen and Kevin Tsai: 1:05

Interview with Mrs. Kropp: 20:23

 

New episodes will drop every two weeks! Like, comment, and follow us on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and Podbean for more content!

Find our previous episodes at www.arcadiaunified.podbean.com.

 

S4 #1 We're Back with a New Format!

Welcome to our Season 4 (2020-2021) premiere! All of us at Keepin’ It Arcadia are so glad to be back with all of you during these unique times, and boy do we have some new things to share! This week, get to know the new podcast crew that puts so much time and effort into this, the changes coming to this student podcast, and a special look at the Sunrise Movement!

New Changes to KIA: 1:29

Meet the Team: 2:08

Sunrise Movement Special Feature: 6:11

The team at Keepin' It Arcadia hopes everyone is staying healthy and doing well at home! Remember to stay strong and please continue social distancing for your safety and of those around you! 

New episodes will drop every two weeks on Friday at 6 p.m. Like, comment, and follow us on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and Podbean for more content!

Find our previous episodes at www.arcadiaunified.podbean.com.

 

Disclaimer: Opinions promoted in this podcast episode are not endorsed or opposed by the Arcadia Unified School District. 

S3 #17 Fight to the Finish

The famous Santa Anita Racetrack, a cornerstone of the city of Arcadia, California, was established in 1934. It has a long and varied legacy: from night markets, circuses, high school graduation ceremonies, major horse races, and band reviews, to, unfortunately, the United States' Japanese internment system and horse deaths. In this podcast, the team at Keepin' It Arcadia discusses the history and the significance of the Santa Anita Racetrack through several one-on-one interviews with experienced journalists, citizens of Arcadia, a former Japanese internee, employees at the racetrack, and the city mayor to establish connections to the racetrack's past and success today. Tune in to a story that immerses listeners in the rich and diverse heritage of a Californian landmark.

Find our previous episodes at www.arcadiaunified.podbean.com

S3 #16 Remaining Hopeful

In light of the current COVID-19 crisis, the Keepin' It Arcadia podcast decided to host its very first poetry contest! Open to middle school and high school students, the contestants were challenged to write an acrostic poem revolving around the theme of "hope". Not only do the contest winners have their poems read aloud on the podcast, but their poems will also be published by the student-run online journal, The Sienna Solstice at www.siennasolstice.com! Special shout out to everyone who participated and a big congratulations to the winning writers!

Middle School Category:

"Hopeful" by Chloe Wong: 2:17

"Light in the Darkness" by Juliette Fang: 2:50

"Why Won't They Stay Home?" by Natalia Nagy: 3:48

High School Category:

"The Healing Process" by Maureen Zhang: 4:30

"Untitled" by Andrea Lou: 5:08

"Lotus Flower Foot Binding" by Maggie Sun: 6:00

The team at Keepin' It Arcadia hopes everyone is staying healthy and doing well at home! Remember to stay strong and please continue social distancing for your safety and of those around you! 

Find our previous episodes at www.arcadiaunified.podbean.com.

S3 #15 Arcadia Online (and on TV)! (Pt. 2)

Despite the pandemic and the restrictions that quarantine brings onto Arcadia, our city is still making itself known, whether it be on national television or in the local community. (we bet that no one gets the AOL reference we put in). In this two-part special, we follow four individuals who have stepped up to the plate and broadcast Arcadia's talents out to the world.

For part two, we got to talk to Andrew Ritiau and Frank Suñez. Ritiau, the youth ministry pastor at Arcadia Community Church (ACC), aided the transition from in-person church services to online services, and along the way, he coordinated some of the most amazing displays of faith online that Keepin' It Arcadia has ever seen. In his interview, he describes how ACC made the jump to online platforms and how it has impacted Christianity in the community. Meanwhile, Suñez has been leading Arcadia High School's news crew--Apache News (APN)--as its advisor through the pandemic by coordinating the continued release of weekly newscasts, and even pulling off an online gaming tournament! He goes in-depth on how APN adjusted to the school closure in the wake of the current quarantine and APN's future plans.

And as always, SOCIALLY DISTANCE YOURSELF AND FOLLOW CDC GUIDELINES!!!

Find our previous episodes here!

S3 #14 Arcadia Online (and on TV)! (Pt. 1)

Note: We are sorry for the delay, but this episode turned out to be an hour long, so we had to split it and revise it to make it into episodes 14 and 15!

Despite the pandemic and the restrictions that quarantine brings onto Arcadia, our city is still making itself known, whether it be on national television or in the local community. (we bet that no one gets the AOL reference we put in). In this two-part special, we follow four individuals who have stepped up to the plate and broadcast Arcadia's talents out to the world.

For part one, we feature Xiaoke Ying and Amir Malik. Ying was the Arcadia alumna that placed third in the Jeopardy College Championship; she explains the journey she took to get onto Jeopardy and how it has impacted her. Meanwhile, Malik is a Michael Jackson tribute artist whose YouTube presence has grown rapidly; he delves into how the King of Pop inspired him and describes the intricacies of how he learns MJ's routine.

Stay tuned for part two, and PRACTICE SOCIAL DISTANCING PLUS ALL CDC RECOMMENDATIONS!!!

Click here for all our previous episodes!

S3 #13 Clubs and Chillin': How Arcadians Relax

Yes--Keepin' It Arcadia is still running, and we intend on uploading every Friday and keepin' it normal! Our first quarantine episode is covering these two topics:

Anvitha Marlapati starts us off with some ways to keep yourself entertained and active during the COVID-19 quarantine, because we at Keepin' It Arcadia know that at least some of you are bored to death at home.

Claire Li introduces us and talks to three elementary schoolers at Highland Oaks Elementary School who have brought the idea of clubs to their school. Keep in mind, clubs have never existed at the elementary level, so this is a gamechanger for Arcadia Unified! 

Fun Things to Do While in Quarantine: 1:00

Clubs at Highland Oaks Elementary School: 7:38

Also, PLEASE PRACTICE SOCIAL DISTANCING, MASK-WEARING, AND OTHER CDC RECOMMENDATIONS!!!

Find our previous episodes at www.arcadiaunified.podbean.com.

 

S3 #12 A New Furry Friend, Sadies Theme Reveal, and Speech and Debate State Qualifiers!

We begin this episode with Nina Wang and two Arcadia High School ASB members, Kaitlyn Tran and Megan Ngo, as they go over Sadies 2020! Sadies is hosted every two years at Arcadia High School and it gives a chance for the ladies to ask the gents to the dance. 

Recently, Arcadia High School’s Speech and Debate team competed at the Speech and Debate State Qualifications at East Los Angeles College. Becky Chen interviews the Speech and Debate team members and coaches to discuss more about what happened!

And of course, we cannot forget the new furry friend who was recently added as a member of the Arcadia City Police Department. Sofia Nagy interviews Officer Nick Cvetkovich about Kaiser, the new K-9 member, and the story of how Kaiser became Kaiser.

Interview with ASB: 0:45

Interview with Speech and Debate: 2:33

Interview with Officer Nick: 7:35

S3 #11 New Members, Link Crew Recruitment, and the PLE Spoken English Organization!

In this episode, the AUSD DCI Podcast team welcomes three new members of the team- Anvitha Marlapati, Zaw Win or George, and Sofia Nagy! Listen to their introductions and learn a little bit more about who the podcast team consists of!

We also have an interview from podcast member Becky Chen with Link Crew Commissioner Derek Chang all about Link Crew and the upcoming recruitment season! Reminder that the mandatory meeting is Friday, Feb. 28!

Lastly, new podcast member Anvitha Marlapati interviews the President of the PLE Spoken English Organization, Alan Xiong. Together, the two go over what the volunteer organization is all about and how you could join! Link to the application below:

PLE Application

PLE Flyer

New members' introductions: 0:34

Interview with Derek Chang: 2:05

Interview with Alan Xiong: 5:22

Find our previous episodes here!

S3 #10 One Simple Trick to Get Politicians to Listen to You: A Recap of the California PTA Legislation Conference!

One month ago, 150 attendees marched up the steps of the California State Capitol and presented their legislators with an educational agenda that now means more than ever in our increasingly chaotic political climate. Those attendees were simply run-of-the-mill people from towns big and small e.g. parents, teachers, school district employees, PTA members, and even a few students. However, what this group of bold citizens did in the state capital is a truly inspiring story that our podcast team member and Arcadia PTA Student Representative Lawrence Sung got to witness firsthand. Join him as he pulls back the curtain on the California PTA Legislation Conference and why it is so important for you to fulfill YOUR civic responsibility as an American citizen!

Featuring: Arcadia Unified School District Board Member Cung Nguyen, Arcadia PTA Parent Representative Jennifer Ledesma, Riverside PTA Student Representative Spencer Young, California PTA Community Concerns Legislative Advocate Kathy Rabun, and California Secretary of State Alex Padilla.

Find our previous episodes here!

S3 #9 Around the World with Mr. Fox, & Crispitos!

Today, we start off with Joyce Pang, who joins our very own history teacher, Mr. Fox. Mr. Fox mentions traveling a lot in his class--and get this, he lived in Japan for a few years, so we were confident that he would have some interesting stories. And we were right.

We also have Jarett Yip and his take on the impacts on culture and health that came from our favorite long-ago snack: Crispitos!

Mr. Fox Interview: 0:47

Culture of Crispitos: 9:47

We love you Ms. Nuuvali! - DCI

Find our previous episodes here!

S3 #8 Field Trip To France, Daylight Saving Time, & New AUSD Student Webpage!

Today, we have 3 topics on the table. The first is an in-depth look at the French exchange program with Madame Vaughan and Sofia Nagy. Next, let’s dive through the phenomenon that is Daylight Saving Time with our student daylight savings expert Grace Lee. Last but not least, we catch up with the two tech-savvy students at AHS who updated our student webpage!

French Exchange: 0:48

Daylight Savings: 11:50

New ausd.net Student Webpage: 14:58

Find our previous episodes here!

S3 #7 Making A Movie With Amy Poehler & Chris Baugh!

Fun fact: this episode is actually our 50th podcast episode of all time, so we brought you something really special!

Recently, we had a movie called "Moxie" that was filmed in our very own Arcadia High School. The director of the movie is Amy Poehler, an actress, comedian, writer, and producer known for starring in the beloved series "Parks and Rec." We were able to interview her and the location manager of the movie, Chris Baugh, about "Moxie" and their exciting experiences! Enjoy!

Apache Pow Wow article: https://theapachepowwow.net/10054/news/netflix-qa-amy-poehler/

APN Show: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iBrW2K8XFQY

Find our previous episodes here!

 

S3 #6 A Whole New World

In this episode, find interviews with Zoe Lam and Emily Phan from Arcadia Theatre about the ongoing play She Kills Monsters, Kare for Kids president Jasmine Oang about her club, and writer Jeffrey Lee about publishing his first book "Juicy Scenarios For You To Read" on Amazon!

She Kills Monsters: 1:45

Kare for Kids: 9:08

Publishing a book and Future Problem Solving: 16:06

Find our previous episodes here!

S3 #5 The Pendulum Swings At Eisenhower Park

What does the First Amendment’s right to peaceably assemble, civic education, the mahjong-playing mayor of Arcadia, and a passionate group of Arcadia citizens all have in common? They all came together a couple of months ago to successfully protest the removal of the basketball courts at Eisenhower Park.

This is the story of how they did it, told to you in the Podcast Team's first documentary-esque episode of the school year! Enjoy!

Find our previous episodes here!

S3 #4 Impeachment Timeline, Staff Appreciation, & The Student Youtuber

In the spirit of the recent Staff Appreciation football game, we have a few words from staff and students alike! Next, podcast member Jarett Yip takes a look at President Trump’s potential impeachment timeline and his opinion on its potential ramifications. Last but not least, podcast team manager Jeffrey Lee interviews highly requested student Youtuber and our very own Apache, Andrew Liu!

Staff and student interviews: 0:50

Potential Impeachment Timeline: 7:09

Interview with Andrew: 9:06

Find our previous episodes here!

S3 #3 New Principal & the Rose Court Princess!

Howdy! This episode features podcast member Claire Li, who interviews our new principal, Ms. Dillman, to get to know her better. Last but not least, Daniel Ogura meets with recently crowned Rose Court princess Rukan Saif and talks to her about the process it took for her to become a princess. Enjoy!

Interview with Ms. Dillman: 0:42

Interview with Rukan: 17:56

Find our previous episodes here!