VOL. 3 NO. 8 JUNE 2026 From the students of Arcadia High School Contact ads@Arcadianews.com or 602.840.6379 REACH 45,000 POTENTIAL PATIENTS OR CLIENTS... The Arcadia News Health & Wellness Guide is the perfect way to promote your practice or business to the affluent, educated and health-minded readers of the Arcadia News . JULY 2026 DEADLINE: WEDNESDAY 6/15 A Directory of local providers First of all, congratulations! High school is no easy feat, and we’re all so proud of you for making it through. Here at the Titan Times, we’ve had the opportunity to observe and document so many of your accomplishments, and we’re in awe of all that you have achieved. This year, your senior year, has been one for the books: we are basketball state champions, the football team made it to finals, Arcadia cheer is eighth in the nation, our performing arts programs put on record breaking shows, our marching band is also a state champion…we could go on and on! We hope that high school has transformed you for the better. As you continue to grow into adulthood and go off to college, the military, or anywhere else life takes you, we hope your time at Arcadia High School holds a special place in your heart. Again, congratulations, and best of luck! – Titan Times staff THE TRUTH ABOUT ARCADIA’S DRINKING WATER The myth that Arcadia High School water is ‘bad’ runs rampant among students, but does it have any merit? Cultivate Science Opportunity (CSO), an AHS club, sought to uncover whether there was value behind this concern. When students buy vending machine water or put off filling their water bottles, is it out of preference or necessity? CSO tested the school water to determine its true quality. Using the Hychek Drinking Water Test Kit, they examined the levels of metals, pH, and inorganic substances in the water. Their samples included water from the school bottle fillers and sports water jugs. To perform the tests, CSO members filled water bottles and used multiple test strips to compare results. It’s important to note that although the experiment was repeated, care was taken to prevent sample contamination, and a highly recommended test was used. The club is not a professional group, and this experiment was done for observational and informative purposes. Therefore, these findings aren’t 100 percent reflective of AHS drinking water. The test strips measured water quality in parts per million (ppm), assessing amounts of the most common substances found in water. The values for hardness, free and total chlorine, lead, zinc, manganese, mercury, quaternary ammonium compounds (QACs), hydrogen sulfate, and alkalinity all measured well within safe ranges. Most notably, both lead and manganese were measured at 0 ppm, which is significant because the presence of these metals can have negative impacts on brain development and function. Some components (iron, copper, monopersulfate, carbonate, and pH) were slightly elevated but remained within safe drinking levels. For instance, iron levels averaged around 1 ppm, which is higher than the recommended .3 ppm, but lower than the safe threshold of 10 ppm. Additionally, the pH measured about 8.2, near, but not above, the upper limit of 8.5. The fluoride levels were recorded between 1-2 ppm, which is considered safe for most people. However, it can be harmful for children under age 7 if prolonged exposure occurs. Moreover, the carbonate levels measured 240 ppm, placing them at the highest end of the normal range. Nevertheless, even when carbonate is as high as 300 ppm, it is still safe to drink (in fact, it’s actually better for you)! Lastly, the sodium chloride measured at around 100-150 ppm, which is well within the normal range. Based on these findings, Arcadia High School’s water fountains are perfectly safe to drink from. While it’s important to note that the testing was not conducted in a professional lab, the results suggest that students do not need to rely on bottled water from vending machines for safety reasons. Students can feel confident using water fountains, which may also help reduce Arcadia’s plastic waste and save money. — By Evra Therien A letter to the Class of 2026 Arcadia’s 2026 commencement took place in May.