“I’m really glad I got to be on the team for my four years and meet all these incredible girls,” Chien said. 

On Thursday and Friday, April 16-17, Dance Team and the Advanced Dance classes took their final bow of the school year with their annual concert, this year’s theme being “Time to Celebrate.” This marked not only an emotional farewell for all of the senior dancers, but also served as a reflection of the diverse and unique stories that each person in the program has to share.

Dance Team delivered iconic performances that ranged from their fierce Megan Thee Stallion hip-hop dance to a heartfelt contemporary dance to “Iris” by the GooGoo Dolls. Advanced Dance classes gave classic stories a modern twist with choreographies inspired by historical events such as World War I, and also paid homage to popular musicals like “Legally Blonde” and “Hairspray.” 

To prepare for his performance to the “Hairspray” soundtrack, Advanced Dance senior Ryan Yeh watched the “Hairspray” movie from start to finish—along with studying clips from the Broadway show. 

“It’s pretty bittersweet, but it’s awesome that we had an amazing performance,” Yeh said. “I think this year was my best one, just because I had the most experience and we incorporated other dance techniques aside from typical jazz and ballet moves.” 

Yeh has been involved in dance all four years, with dance experience even prior to high school. His favorite memory during his experience is hanging out with his friends in the dance room. 

“I wasn’t expecting [the class] to mainly be girls, but I don’t mind,” Yeh said. “Dancing is still dancing. At the end of the day, it’s still good fun.” 

Additionally, the seniors self-choreographed their emotional farewell dance to Adele’s nostalgic and emotional “Hometown Glory,” where each of them had a section of the dance to show off their specialties. 

“The senior dance we got to create for the show was definitely a special one because the three of us were the first class in a while that has just been us since the beginning,” Huang said. “Every other class has either added or lost some people, but it literally was just us three all four years.”

The team also showcased a video capturing all of Dance Team’s memories from the year to “Scott Street” by Phoebe Bridgers, including clips of competitions, their Disneyland field trip and even an emotional reaction to their coach’s pregnancy announcement. 

“I’m going to miss the community that the team has given me,” Chien said. “It’s like a sisterhood where we all support each other and spend a lot of time together. I really can’t replace the people that I have.” 

The show ended with the team’s celebration dance, with all of the performers coming out on stage and taking a last bow. 

“For the past four years, I’ve literally spent every day with these girls,” Huang said. “This team is like my second family. I’m going to miss them and especially the coaches, because they don’t just support us at competitions and everything. They support us outside too and teach us things like leadership and responsibility. I think I’ll miss everyone in the room.” 

The AB 1626 March’s bill will require the 1998 California High School Coaching Education and Training Program by Sept. 1, 2027 for state model training for youth/high school athlete coaches on behavioral/mental health, according to Cal Matters Digital Democracy. The bill is still in the House of Assembly, waiting for approval from the California Legislature. For a while now, coaching has primarily focused on physical performance, but the House of Assembly is making it possible to recognize that mental health has been a bigger priority in schools. 

“There’s so much more that goes into sports than just the physical side, and mental health has been overlooked for a long time,” swim and water polo head coach Ashley Garcia said. “For coaches [this mandate] will give [the coaches] tools and confidence to handle the situations, but for athletes, this will create a safer environment where they feel understood and supported.”

High school athletes are speaking more openly about anxiety, burnout, depression and the intense pressures they face. There are a lot of factors toward these problems such as emotional pressure, pressure from families and friends, or balancing academics and sports. The new policy is emerging that requires coaches to be trained to recognize and respond to these challenges, thus prompting athletes to be more willing to seek help without fear of judgment or consequences. 

“A lot of high school athletes deal with a lot of different mental health struggles, it’s really important because it helps other people,” senior hurdler Brenden Neeley said. “If you do bad in one of your races, you can get in your head and cause a spiral effect.”

Walnut Valley Unified School District is already recognizing that student athletes face a lot of pressure from competition and expectations. Sports in Walnut are prioritizing athletes’ well-being in schools and helping them learn to handle setbacks. As awareness of student mental health grows, Walnut is required to treat mental health as essential. According to Athletic Director Valerie Varela, students’ well-being is something that Walnut is looking to protect and to be able to let students get access to support.  

“[Walnut] district is already ahead of [the mental health training] because we do ASCIP training that covers mental health awareness for athletes,” Varela said. “Mental health is really important to understand and articulate your emotions and your thoughts. In athletics, a big part of your success is your mental strength because you’re able to cope with your game.”

On March 29, Walnut High competed against four different schools and placed second in the competition. There was only 0.14 points between Walnut and Ayala, who got first place. The show that Walnut produced this year was based on the Mona Lisa, with the performers presenting their routine inside a large picture frame.  With more new members this year joining the team, the show is more inclusive, making it larger and harder to carry out. The team had to handle the saber as part of their equipment, which added difficulty to their routine.

Dance line and flag line member sophomore Rae Santos is looking forward to future competitions. She joined Winter Guard to contribute more to the school, and the recent victory was an opportunity to prove her success.

“Most of our expectations are really just to do well and to perform a lot, so we could get higher [placements]. So [when we won second place], we were really happy and felt very celebratory. We were just really emotional too, since it was our second to last competition,” Santos said.

Junior Joyce Ma is on the flag line and, as an upperclassman, is also responsible for teaching new members. After celebrating with the group over their achievement, she turns her attention to the upcoming tournament against Arcadia High School. The team is already on its way preparing for the final large competition, sharpening skills and working together for a harmonized performance.

“[Arcadia’s Winter] Guard has a very high [world level]. All we want to do is show [our] best. It was very, very close. The only place we feel like [we need to work on] is the equipment. Maybe we need to catch harder, or [practice] performing more of that,” Ma said.

Flag line participant sophomore Ewin Chen congratulates her team on their triumph. During performance day, she and her peers practiced their routine for nearly two hours, and competed right after lunch. The practice paid off with their final score revealed during the awards.

“We’re trying our best and working hard for [competitions]. We did come out with a good score. It made me happy because we’re in a good spot right now. But since our competitors are also pretty good, we [are still] preparing,” Chen said. 

The last major tournament of the year is the Winter Guard Association of Southern California (WGASC), a two-day competition held at UC Irvine. Teams that get into the top 14 on the first day can attend. This milestone marks a big goal for the Winter Guard team, and they aim to compete as far as they can.

“We are fighting for it right now. We have rehearsals every week, and also camp [during] spring break. So we need to do it again and again and again. [We need to] practice, practice, and practice so we can know what we need to do at the show,” Ma said. “I think we really need to count so we can know which part we need to do, and we can then synchronize better together.”

Seniors in the performing arts programs have proven influential to their juniors, teaching them and giving advice. Being an upperclassman with experience, forming bonds with underclassmen and adding to their high school career is beneficial towards the underclassmen’s growth and development. 

For example, in Dance Team, upperclassmen and underclassmen form “sister” bonds where a veteran member gets paired with an underclassman to make the Dance Team a fun environment. Captain senior Chloe Olegario and sophomore Isabelle Kwei have formed a well-structured, sisterly bond in Kwei’s past two years on the team. 

“[Isabelle] became my ‘little sister’ this year, so I feel like we’ve gotten really close. We’ve hung out a lot and bonded together,” Olegario said. “Every time I’m having a bad day, I know I can count on her to help me out, and I’ll do the same for her.”

Olegario and Kwei have a close relationship as both admire each others’ qualities. 

“[Chloe] is someone that I could look up to, all the time,” Kwei said. “She’s a role model for me, especially in dance, because she’s one of our captains. So, her leadership is very inspiring to me, and I also see her as one of my sisters. [Olegario] being a captain, especially to such a big group of girls, I think she’s the expectation for how a captain should be.”

In Cheer, relationships are strengthened throughout the year. Technique is learned throughout a cheerleader’s career and passed along as they graduate and blossom into the leaders they are now. Varsity cheer and stunt captain senior Denise Bahena and sophomore Millie Amezcua embody what it means to have one’s back throughout the school year. While trying out a new sport, Amezcua found footing through the bond between her and Bahena through their time in Cheer.

“My favorite memory with [Millie] was after Senior Night, we went to my car and we blasted ‘Ribs’ by Lorde, and we both were just singing it out loud and then we cried because we realized [that] this is the last football season with each other,” Bahena said. “Even though she’s still an underclassman, she’s really mature for her age. If there’s any problem in a situation, she’ll always give me good and mature advice back.” 

Both Amezcua and Bahena appreciate each other’s guidance and help.

“[Denise] helped me a lot through the whole [Cheer] experience,” Amezcua said. “[For example,] depending on the skills that I do, she makes me more confident. She’s very outgoing and she helps everyone through everything, gives people advice and she’s always there for everyone.”

In band, the graduating class has a strong bond with the new freshmen in the organization. Instrumental music directors Corey Wicks and Katie Takahashi usually entrust upperclassmen with the task of helping the freshmen feel at home and seen throughout their time in band. Trumpet players senior Renzo Memije and freshman Luke Yamaguchi have a bond that has taught Yamaguchi a lot throughout his first year in high school. 

“We bonded because we’re in band together and since he’s in my section, we just started hanging out more, and as I got to know him more, we started playing video games together and practicing our music together,” Memije said. “I’m trying to give him a lot of good advice and a positive outlook, and so far, it’s going pretty well for him.”

Memije and Yamaguchi both love having an outlet to work together. 

“I got into an ensemble with [Memije] not too long ago and we learned a lot of music together and I really liked that,” Yamaguchi said. “[He has] a lot of leadership, and he’s an amazing player. He’s great in what he does, and he’s done a lot of solos.”

In the midst of long rehearsals, daily bonding with members of Choir’s sub-group Rhapsody in Blue are bound to lead to lifelong relationships. Junior Kiersten Tyra San Diego and her section leader senior Keianna Lu bonded over being altos.

“[Lu] just shows so much commitment to this choir,” San Diego said. “She’s always trying to be one step ahead of everyone else. Whenever people ask questions, she knows it. She pays attention, and puts in more effort than the rest of us do.”

Kiersten and Lu enjoy spending time with each other.

“I’m [going] to miss [Kiersten] and how she is, her personality and how she always makes me laugh,” Lu said. “I just hope that the traditions I’m trying to keep still keep going after I leave.”

For the first time in Walnut history, Winter Guard performed at the Winter Guard Association of Southern California (WGASC)’s second round; there were two rounds of the competition, with the first round being hosted in Westminster, California and the second round at University of California, Irvine on April 18 and 19. Winter Guard placed first overall in the competition’s first round. In the second round, they placed seventh place. 

“This will impact [Winter Guard] greatly by putting Walnut’s name in Color Guard history for something very big in the competitive season of Winter Guard. What I will miss about this season is my team and how I won’t be able to ever perform with them again with the exact same [team] and with this exact show, [which] has really impacted me,” captain senior Jasmine Ting said.

Leading up to the competition, the guard had weekly practices, with the occasional Saturday practice where they focused and centered around cleaning and refining the show. Additionally, there was a lot of prior excitement regarding the Winter Guard’s attendance for WGASC. 

“I feel like our training has been a lot more rigorous. I’m really excited because this is the first time Walnut has ever been able to make both the championship day and the finals day in history,” lieutenant sophomore Alice Liu said. “[Having championships] experience is going to give us the experience we need to continue improving and going up in divisions. Placing so well at championships shows how much all of us have grown as performers.”

Additionally, Ting believes that Winter Guard’s placement at championships highlights how much the team has grown the past season. 

“This winter season definitely made an impact on the Color Guard team in general. Our show is completely different compared to any other show we’ve ever done [at] Walnut and I think this show is the starting point of better shows in the future,” Ting said.

Winter Guard coach Nikolas Matsamura considers championships as a culmination of the Winter Guard’s hard work and dedication for their entire season.

“We never dictate the season on what the championship score or placement is but this season we got first place,” Matsamura said. “It was an exceptional championship as it was our first time having the two day event and performing for the first time at UC Irvine. It was amazing to see the performers have such an amazing time [at] such a large arena. We couldn’t have asked for a better championship.”

Matsamura hopes that for the next season, Color Guard will continue growing in not only numbers but also in skill and performance wise.

“We will continue to keep pushing for new standards and increase our education within the arts. We hope that we can facilitate a program with kindness and passion to fuel us into the next seasons,” Matsamura said. 

Despite competing in intermediate for the majority of the season, students competed in the Tier One Advanced Division for the first time against four other high schools because of scheduling conflicts. The event was held at Oceanside High School in San Diego and was one of the biggest choir tournaments in Southern California, featuring approximately 25 high schools. It was held from April 16 to April 18, with each day focused on a different skill level.

Although this shift comes with higher expectations in areas such as staging and lighting, choir director Andrew Perez believes that the students were ready for the transition in terms of vocal and dancing ability and skill.

“We felt comfortable that they could handle the advanced [division],” Perez said. “They were up for the challenge and we want them to succeed.”

The performance was inspired by the movie “Mean Girls” and the TV show “Gossip Girl.” Students started with “Circus” by Britney Spears as the new girl and main lead, played by junior Serena Chiu, is introduced after moving to New York City. It was then followed by a mash-up of “Rumor Has It” by Adele and “Telephone” by Lady Gaga and Beyoncé as the second lead and the mean girl, senior Venny Xie, spread rumors about Chiu. The students then sang “jealousy, jealousy” by Olivia Rodrigo and an acapella version of “Million Years Ago” by Adele. “Mean Girl” by KATSEYE concluded the performance by communicating the idea that every girl deserves love.

“The theme is pretty good. I’ve been working on my character [and] thinking about what I would do facial-wise for each song,” senior Happy Gao said. “We [were] all working towards the same goal and getting the [final] placements that we wanted.”

Students started learning the show last November to ensure that they had adequate time to memorize the entire performance. The students prepared through rehearsals after school and on Saturdays. However, the group has encountered challenges in preparing for the new division.

“If a choir doubts itself, you can hear it in the sound. The biggest struggle has been getting the group to believe that they can be successful and own every moment,” Perez said. “Being scared and anxious is a good thing [for the] performance because it means you want to do well and have a good shot at it.”

To support the group, Perez encouraged the students to direct their anxiety into a positive outlet. He also regularly reminded the students to believe in their abilities when they felt unmotivated.

“We try to tell them [to] take that fear and channel it into positivity because at the advanced level, there’s no [other] choice,” Perez said. “You have to own it, want it [and] love it. It’s so intense that there’s no room to doubt yourself.”

Before they went on stage, students stood in a circle and sang the song “Confidence,” a Rhapsody tradition that has been passed down. Students sang this five times in a row, chanting louder each time before linking pinkies to wish one another good luck.

“It was easy to doubt whether we were good enough, but we reminded ourselves that we had worked hard,” sophomore Grace Hsu said. “[During the competition], I tried to stay focused and not overthink. I told myself to trust all the practice we had done and enjoy the moment on stage.”

Despite this new change, Rhapsody in Blue will return to competing in the intermediate division in the future. However, this experience remains representative of the group’s dedication and hard work.

“Choir was a place where I could show more of my personality and a place where I can rest,” Gao said. “I have grown so much as a performer and as a person, and I have made a lot of memories with friends. I will always remember the experience and everything [that] choir has taught me.” 

On Feb. 28, the U.S. and Israel coordinated military strikes against Iran, targeting nuclear facilities and military infrastructure. As conflict between the countries intensifies, Iran has restricted the passage of ships through the Strait of Hormuz, a waterway that sees more than a hundred ships every day. With Iran allowing only five to six ships to pass through the waterway, the restriction has led to a massive shortage of oil.

According to CNN 10, the Strait of Hormuz is crucial for oil supply as it is the only pathway for ships from the Middle East to deliver oil and natural gases. The Middle East is also responsible for around a fifth of global oil and liquefied natural gas production, leading to worldwide increases in gas prices.

With the shortage, prices for gas have soared by 30% nationally since the start of the attack while the cost of crude oil has increased by 50% according to Time. As the usual tractors, trains and trucks that many farmers rely on to transport their produce from fields to grocery stores rely on fuel, rising costs will rack up the prices for food. To make food even more expensive, many farmers depend on the supply of fertilizer carried from ships that travel through the Strait of Hormuz. As supply dwindles, farmers face higher costs and fertilizer shortages.

“[The increases in prices for gas] is frustrating. I know there’s a whole world market involved and a war going on that is affecting prices,” social science teacher Justin Panlilio said. “But as an economist, you understand that [gas and groceries] are inelastic. People are going to have to buy them no matter what, it’s something we are always going to need.”

Although the war has influenced prices for groceries, tariffs implemented by the Trump Administration have also been contributing to higher prices. In fact, according to the Tax Foundation, 52% of U.S. food imports like baked goods and seafood are affected by tariffs. Among the countries heavily impacted by tariffs, Canada, Mexico and China face high additional costs for imports.

“[Tariffs] are a good thing, but there’s a trickle down effect that affects us consumers,” social science teacher Aaron Cornell said. “The good part is that the government is accumulating money, so hopefully that can offset the deficit. There’s speculation that some of this money may come back to the American people, but the downside is that businesses paying taxes pass it onto the consumer. So, that’s where we get stuck, which isn’t a good thing. How we offset the tariff costs will be if we can start building businesses back.”  Ω

With spring break being one of the most traveled times for students, rising fuel prices impacted how many were able to travel. Other than traveling themselves, many students had relatives visiting from other countries, sharing their experiences.

“It’s actually really bad all around the world. It’s gotten so bad that some of my relatives in the Philippines, who do drive are not getting oil because of all the closures,” junior Angela Mei Unayan said.

With the Strait of Hormuz effectively closed since March 4, the shipping costs of oil have risen to make up for the increased time and fuel to ship out the oil. With the limited number of barrels passing through the strait, countries are looking to countries such as Russia and Venezuela to buy oil, triggering a supply-chain imbalance. Airlines have increased their airfare to offset the cost of fuel, with ABC News reporting that United Airlines has warned travelers that airfare could climb as much as 20% in the summer, and CBS News reporting that airlines have already increased the price of domestic flights, costing $55 more per trip.

In addition to the extra fees tacked on by airlines to help cover the fuel costs, airport Transportation Security Administration (TSA) lines had a substantial increase in wait times due to a lack of trained TSA officers working. This is the result of a partial government shutdown affecting the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).

According to NPR News, with over 480 officers quitting and daily call-out rates reaching up to 50% at some airports, wait times reached over four hours — the longest in TSA history. Lines started to decrease as TSA workers returned with pay, through a specific fund created for TSA workers, supplying $10 billion, but as of April 19, 2026, the fund has now been reduced to $1.4 billion, according to CNN. While the bill is not a permanent solution, the situation gave lawmakers more time to figure out a permanent solution.

Wholesale grocery stores sell almost every item needed for every type of buyer, from produce to tires, in quantities meant to last the buyer for a long time. I went to both Costco and Sam’s Club on the same day, both stores being in giant warehouses, each equally enormous and overwhelming. One of the first differences I noticed was that Costco had a very professional environment, with employees helping around and a very quiet atmosphere that made it seem like I had to keep my voice down.

On the other hand, Sam’s Club felt a lot more laid back. I did not observe as many employees at Sam’s Club as I did at Costco, which could have been inconvenient for any shoppers that needed help.

Upon first glance, it seems like the two stores are virtually the same. And in a way, they are, with very similar items at similar prices. However, they do have pretty big differences. Sam’s Club sells novels in their stores year-round, while starting in 2025, Costco only sells their novels from September to December, which is really disappointing as someone who enjoys books.

Costco caters their food items more to buyers that are trying to eat a certain diet, with a larger selection of non-GMO and organic foods, which I really appreciate. They are also known for their high quality and private “Kirkland Signature” brand, a brand that never fails to satisfy my snack cravings. Some of my favorite products from the brand include their peanut butter filled pretzel nuggets and cashew clusters. Both of the stores offer samples to customers, but Costco has gained more traction from it for having their high quality snacks ready to sample.

“For a major amount of time, I’ve been shopping at Costco,” junior Mathew Rocha said. “I just feel like Costco is a little bit more convenient, especially with free samples. I feel that definitely motivates a lot of people to go and try and [get] new things. Costco just has more of my preferences. It fits more of my daily nutritional needs compared [to Sam’s Club].”

I found that Sam’s Club’s biggest strengths and Costco’s biggest weakness is its checkout efficiency. Costco utilizes a typical grocery store checkout where a cashier will scan the items for customers, which takes a lot of time. Though Costco offers a self-checkout option, there are a limited number of scanners available and getting stuck waiting in a Costco line is almost a guarantee. Sam’s Club has the same checkout process as Costco, but offers “Scan & Go,” which allows members to pay through their phone and avoid the lines. When I used the app to pay for our cart, the virtual checkout was flawless and took less than a minute to complete.

In my opinion, location can be the strongest quality a store can have. If the prices of a grocery store item are similar enough, then the best store to go is the most convenient one. Costco has locations in City of Industry, Chino Hills and San Dimas which are 4.5, 6.2 and 6.4 miles from campus, respectively. Sam’s Club’s closest locations are in Glendora and Fullerton, 6.5 and 7.8 miles away, respectively.

“Sam’s Club’s is close to my house and my brother loves the samples there. At Sam’s Club, the environment is nice. People greet you at the door and say ‘Have a great day!’ I really like how they always have a guy there,” sophomore Kyli Eggleston said.

Costco is very popular for their food court items, selling a hot dog with a drink ($1.50) that I have always enjoyed as an after-shopping snack. However, Sam’s Club offers that exact same deal in their food court, along with food items that rival Costco’s new caramel churro sundaes ($2.99) and strawberry banana smoothies ($2.99) with pretzels ($1) and vanilla frozen yogurt ($1).

The truth is, Costco and Sam’s Club are so similar but so different that it is almost impossible for me to choose one over the other. I believe buying both memberships can be worth the cost, but the matter of choosing which store depends on personal preference.