VOL. 2 NO. 10 AUGUST 2025 From the students of Arcadia High School H ello, Arcadia News readers! I’m Francesca Mena. I’m a junior at Arcadia High School, and the newest writer of the Titan Times. I don’t just want to be a name attached to an article though, so here’s a bit about me: I’ve lived in the neighborhood almost my whole life. I attended Hopi and Ingleside before becoming a Titan. I have a little brother going into eighth grade at Ingleside; and my family and friends are important to me. I’m involved in dance and theater, and I even had the opportunity to choreograph the spring musical last semester. Make sure to mark your calendar for all of Arcadia’s shows this year – dance, theater, band, CMAS, and more! When I’m not studying or performing, I love to read and write. I’ve wanted to be a journalist since sixth grade. When I saw the “new voices wanted” issue of the Titan Times, I knew that was my chance. I reached out to AHS grad Ahva Ghazanfari, the founder of the Titan Times, and thanks to her, I get the opportunity to write for this great newspaper. This past spring, our 2025 seniors graduated, and with them the writers of the Titan Times, but this year’s goals remain the same. This section aims to highlight what makes Arcadia great: the people – and more specifically, the students. Readers may see feature stories about them or read about what’s important to them. Looking to the future, I can’t wait to be a voice in the paper and share all the great things I see about Arcadia, both the high school and the community. WELCOME BACK, TITANS! We all love summer, right? Endless pool days, ice cream, hanging out with friends, traveling, and most importantly: no homework. But part of what makes the season so exceptional is that it doesn’t last forever. The end of summer is close at hand and students are getting ready to come back to school… and this year? They’re excited. I’ve spoken to current Arcadia students (don’t worry, freshmen – you’ll get your moment!), and here’s what they’re looking forward to for the 2025-26 school year. A common theme between classes is an excitement to move up a grade: the sophomores are happy to no longer be freshmen, the juniors are looking forward to being upperclassmen, and the seniors are anticipating the start of their last year of high school. Many students are also ready for the novelty of the year: new friends, new teachers, new classes. Students appreciate the old, too: catching up with friends, resuming extracurriculars and sports, and the start of familiar traditions: football season, here we come. Of course, the Class of 2026, our seniors, have the most to look forward to, as this is their year of lasts: last first day of school, last high school sports season, last homecoming and prom. But this is also the year that they get to experience special senior traditions: senior sunrise and sunset, market day, senior breakfast, grad- walk, and the cherry on top at the end of the year, graduation! Although I am not a senior myself, I wish the Class of 2026 nothing but the best as they start the final chapter of their high school careers, and here’s to a brand new year as Arcadia Titans! Meet the new Titan in the Times Francesca Mena WANTED: SUMMER VACATION PHOTOS Deadline: Monday, August 11 YOU MIGHT MAKE THE COVER! Send your photos to editor@arcadianews.com or on instagram @arcadianews . Please include the names of the family or people in the photo, where you went and what you did! family or people in the photo, where you went and what you did!