Keepin’ it Arcadia

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. 

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 #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 #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 #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 #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 #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 # 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 #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 #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 #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. 

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.

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 #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 #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 #5 The Rose Parade

Taking place in our own backyard of San Gabriel Valley, the world-famous New Year Rose Parade has a rich history dating back to 1890. In this episode, we featured Arcadia High’s involvement in the 2022 parade as Girl Scouts, a Rose court princess, and Arcadia High’s marching band. We also spoke to Ms. Candy Carlson, from the Pasadena Tournament of Roses Committee, to learn about the history of the Parade and what goes on behind the scenes of the parade each year. 

S5 #6 Arcadia High’s recent success in Science and Esports

In this episode, we talked to Ms. Mynster and the Science Bowl team about winning the regionals and their preparations for the nationals. After that, we spoke to Ethan Wong, who was recently nominated as a science talent search finalist, about his project and his passion for science. Lastly, we spoke to Bethany Chow, fellow DCIer, about her upcoming AUSD today video and article on the Arcadia High esports team’s 2nd place finish in CIF. 

S5 #7 Arcadia High Girls Varsity Soccer team’s record breaking season, Arcadia Track and Field coach, and new compost bins

In this podcast, we first dive into the new track and field season and hear from Arcadia Track and Field coach about his approach towards this spring track season. Next, we introduce you to the evergreen club and its brand new compost bins at Arcadia High School. Finally, you will learn more about the Arcadia High Girls Varsity Soccer team's record-breaking season, as the players give you insight into how they overcame their struggles to get to their first CIF semi finals in more than a decade. 

S5 #8 MAMMA MIA!, Costume making with Ms. Eads, and Arcadia’s unique CTE classes

Arcadia Stage is back with an electrifying musical – MAMMA MIA! In this episode you will hear from Ms. Eads about costume making for this show. Then, we sat down with Emily Fang, a cast member in the show, about how the casts and crews are preparing for this show. But before that, Nicole chats with Danielle about her CTE news article. 

S5 #9 Orchesis Spring Production, Arcadia High School’s Black Student Union and EDI Committee

Wondering what Arcadia Orchesis Company’s spring production theme is going to be, what it is like to be part of the Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Commitee, and what it is like as a black student on campus? In this Keepin' it Arcadia episode, Wesley talked to two Orchesis officers about their upcoming performance. After that, Angelina spoke with Hannah Aguilar about the Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) Committee at Arcadia High about what it is like to be in EDI. Lastly, Joshua McMahon, the president of Black Student Union, reflected on Black representation at Arcadia High.

S5 #10 Major Successes in Baseball, Chemistry and Color Guard + Classified Employee of the year

In this episode, we uncover the secrets behind making the top 20 in the Southern California section of the Chemistry Olympiad Exam. Then, we hear from a standout player on Arcadia High's Baseball team about the team's recent wins and overall success and struggles through the season. After that, we chat with Arcadia Unified Superintendent Dr. Vannasdall and District Nurse Erica Newkirk about the recent celebration of our Classified Employee of the Year, Linda Ly. Finally, DCI Intern Michelle Fan speaks with Arcadia Color Guard members about placing 7th in the Scholastic section of the 2022 WGI World Championships.   

S5 #11 The stories behind Arcadia’s successful spring sports

After the numerous successes and championships of Arcadia High School’s spring sports teams, Arcadia High was recently coined “TitleTown” by SGV/Whittier sportswriter, James Escarcega, on Twitter. Notably, all eight spring sports teams either won or placed second in their respective league divisions: Swim, Girls Softball, Track and Field, Badminton, Boys Volleyball, Boys Tennis, Boys Golf, and Boys Baseball. In this episode, we discovered each team’s road to success, dived deeper into the five league title wins, and heard from Arcadia High's student-athletes about their feelings on securing these wins.

S6 #1 Meet The Team, Arcadia’s Funniest Moments, and Upperclassmen Advice

And a new chapter begins! Welcome to the first episode of Season 6 of 'Keepin' it Arcadia'. This episode will start off with some introductions from our wonderful podcast team and then go into our new "Keepin' Up With The Apaches" segment, which explores the experiences of Arcadia High students. To end off the episode, you will get to hear some advice from upperclassmen!

S6 #2 Arcadia High School’s New Clubs and Chartering Process

As displayed by the abundance of clubs that Arcadia High School is home to, it is evident that all students are given the opportunity to explore their interests and find their passions. In this episode, we interviewed the newly chartered clubs, gaining the opportunity to learn more about what they do and the story behind them. In addition, we sat down with Mr. Vo, the ASB Activities Director, to dive into the chartering process, as well as his thoughts on the new clubs!

S6 #3 A Show Unlike Any Other: Grease

3, 2, 1, action! As opening night comes close, we go behind the scenes of Grease: The Musical, getting the inside scoop of the history of the musical, how the musical is put together, and much more!

S6 #4 The French Exchange Program and Staff Appreciation Night 2022

Bonjour! In this episode, you will learn all about the French Exchange Program at Arcadia High School as well as the recent AUSD Staff Appreciation Night! Madame Vaughan, an AHS French teacher, elaborates on the uniqueness of the program and what it entails. We also talk to French students to hear about their experience in America and interview a host student and learn about what hosting a French student is like. Later, we explore the first Staff Appreciation Night coming back from the COVID-19 pandemic! We hear from several Arcadia Unified School District staff members, including Public Information Officer, Amber Nuuvali, and Chief Communications Officer, Ryan Foran, on how they organized the wonderful event!

S6 #5 Golf, Tennis, and Cross Country Accomplishments

In this episode, we talk to Arcadia High School’s Girls Golf, Girls Tennis, and Boys Varsity Cross Country teams regarding their recent achievements! Girls Golf and Tennis alike did a phenomenal job this season, achieving the Pacific League Champions titles. Girls Golf additionally became CIF Division 1 Champions. We also hear from the Varsity Boy’s Cross Country team and Girls Cross Country member, Reena Hsieh on their amazing seasons. 

S6 #6 A Trip Down Memory Lane With Colorguard and AHS Teachers

In this episode, we speak to Arcadia High School’s Colorguard Team about securing the title of “The Best Colorguard Team'' last month in the WBA Super Show– the cherry on top for an exceptional Fall Colorguard season. Additionally, we dive down memory lane with teachers Kevin Fox and Yumiko Goto, exploring past memories from their unique lives.

S6 #7 Midnights Review

Join in on two Arcadia High Juniors, Lauryn and Skye as they review Taylor Swift’s most recent album “Midnights”, and rate each of the twenty songs on a scale of 1-10 and analyze the lyrics!

S6 #8 Lakers and Warriors Review

In this episode, we follow along with Arcadia High School Junior Lucas Oh and Senior Hayden Wong as they recap roughly the first two months of the NBA season of two teams, the Los Angeles Lakers and the Golden State Warriors!

S6 #9 Arcadia High School WASC Visit

In this episode, Anvitha Marlapati interviews Ms. DuBerke, as she shares about a recent WASC visit at Arcadia High School, getting the inside scoop of what it is, the importance of WASC, and how it works!

S6 #10 World Cup: Under Review

Throwback Thursday!! Follow along with Wesley and William as they review the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022, discussing different players and teams, making predictions, and talking about their overall thoughts on the games!

S6 #11 2023 All School Winter Assembly

Join Anvitha Marlapati as she interviews Peter Vo, the Arcadia High ASB Activities Director, and gets the inside scoop on the recent winter assembly, learning about the lengthy planning process, and much more!

S6 #12 Saying Goodbye to Splash Mountain at Disney

Splash Mountain which once opened in 1989 is now officially closing due to controversy over the ride’s racist roots. By 2024, the ride will be transformed into “Tiana’s Bayou Adventure” and in this episode of Keepin’ It Arcadia, we hear from Arcadia High students about their opinions on the change, as well as their memories from Splash Mountain!

S6 #13 Arcadia High Students with Jobs

Thinking about getting a job while in high school? Or want to just learn more about the experiences of high schoolers who do have jobs? Then make sure to tune in to this new episode, as Nicole Nie has a conversation with two seniors, Lia Moore and Samantha Leung, on different aspects of having a job, such as time management, how to land a job, and the pros and cons!

S6 #14 Ryan Liu’s Journey

Follow along as Claire Li interviews Ryan Liu on his journey from graduating Aradia High School and going to Pasadena City College, to then transferring to Yale University and Oxford University! Make sure to tune in to learn more about Ryan’s life, his advice to high school students, what he did to get to where he is today, and more!

S7 #1 Stars & Awards: Diving Into the Grammys

Did you tune in to the Grammys or are you gearing up for the Oscars? Catch up on the latest scoops in entertainment with Jayeesha, Supriya, and their guests as they share their perspectives on the Grammys and predict what’s to come at the Oscars!

S7 #2 Constitution Team's State Competition

Welcome to Sacramento! After winning their district competition, the Arcadia Constitution Team, led by Ms. Leahy, competed in the Sacramento state competition this past month. Hear more from Lucas about the team's journey as the students competed against 9 other CA teams for a place to compete in the national competition held in Washington, D.C.! 

The Arcadia Constitution Team is opening applications for the 24-25 season! If interested, please sign up for a mandatory lunch session on the student bulletin. There will be a session available every lunch starting March 4.

S7 #3 EDI Diversity Week

"Diversity Week," organized by the Associated Student Body and the Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Committee, featured various lunch-time activities that celebrated the diversity in culture and identity in Arcadia. Learn more with Avani about this 1st annual event! 

S8 #1 Electrify Your Strings

What an electrifying night! Recently, Grammy award-winning rock violinist Mark Wood partnered with Arcadia Unified's talented Orchestra students from Arcadia High, Dana, First Avenue, and Foothills Middle School for his “Electrify Your Symphony” music education program.

Join Avani as she dives into the planning of the concert and the unique experience. Listen along for hits like “Shut Up and Dance,” by Walk The Moon, and “Living on a Prayer,” by Bon Jovi, and “Vivaldi Rocks.

For a video version, watch the AUSD Today!

S8 #2 Measure AS

Learn about Measure AS, the Arcadia Unified School Safety & Repair Measure, which is on the Nov. 5 Ballot.

More information is available at https://www.ausd.net/apps/pages/MeasureAS

S8 #3 Taylor Dayne Concert

Bringing the 80s and 90s back to life, Taylor Dayne’s concert at the Arcadia Performing Arts Center was a blast to the past for several generations who grew up with her as a household name.

Join Avani and Avigail as they dive into the event featuring a dinner gala and energizing performance. For a video version, watch the AUSD Today at bit.ly/taylordayne2024 

S8 #4 Cellphones in Schools

Should cellphones be used in the classroom? Should they be entirely banned? How will districts like Arcadia Unified adapt to California's new Phone-Free School Act? 

Join Allison and Supriya as they explore all the pros and cons of cellphone bans with student and teacher takes.

S9 #1 The 67th Annual Grammy Awards 2025

From a controversial album of the year to endless viral moments, the 2025 Grammys caused quite a stir among social media users and music critics alike. Listen to Jayeesha Deb, Allison Chen, and Supriya Thapa share their views on the night as a sequel to a similar episode done on the 2024 Grammy awards. Topics covered include a debate on if “Cowboy Carter” really earned its award for  album of the year, viral wholesome moments, and some unique red carpet fashion choices.