September 2015 by The Oracle

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Advanced AUthentic Research (aar) offers new opp0rtunities Ryeri Lim Forum Editor

Beginning this month, the district-wide Advanced Authentic Research (AAR) program will offer high school students the chance to conduct independent research projects while being mentored by adult professionals in prevalent fields. AAR will not only accommodate math and science projects, but also those pertinent to the humanities and visual arts. This summer, the district hired Dr. Jeong Choe, a specialist in research program development, to implement and guide AAR. “I only really realized what it meant to be a scientist when I was in the lab for the first time,” she said. “Just learning about the background raised so many questions I could only investigate in a more flexible environment. But now, there’s a national movement, the Next Generations Science Practice Standards for Science and Engineering, changing the education system to [include] more authentic science learning.” Superintendent Dr. Max McGee, having worked with Choe on a similar program at the Illinois Math and Science Academy, also spoke of AAR’s innovative individualized focus. “The

idea is to really tap into [the] student’s purpose, passion [or] interest,” he said, “and explore a topic in depth.” Choe stated that student agency is the key to the success for a program like AAR. “I know the value of a student wanting to learn something,” she said. “Using that as a hook to drive the learning, if we can motivate them that way, is really special.” Both Principal Dr. Denise Herrmann and McGee emphasized the importance of coordination and expansion of currently available independent experience courses, such as Gunn’s Work Experience Education Program, Palo Alto High School (Paly)’s Science Research Project class and the Gunn club Business, Math and Economics. According to Herrmann, another primary goal of AAR is to offer such experiences more publicly to a greater variety of students. “Many students are blessed to have parents who are very well-connected,” she said. “I’m happy for those kids, but it doesn’t matter who your parents are. Everyone should have those opportunities and everyone should be able to participate.” Herrmann described the AAR structure as “tight-loose.” While students are expected to formulate their own inquiries, they may be

provided with source reading material relevant to their fields of interest. Advisor-guided proposals due in the winter will be reviewed and approved before students connect with mentors and proceed with research. Along the way, students will learn how to keep a logbook, collect and record data appropriately and analyze results more deeply than is possible in most classrooms. Students will give final presentations in May 2016, and submit a

other disciplines.” To raise possible examples of “non-traditional” research projects, Herrmann suggested student partnerships with playwrights, poets, preschools or recording engineers. “I think the idea is to have some capstone experience,” she said. Senior Maritha Wang, however, emphasized the responsibility required by autonomy. “If we [students] didn’t do anything, our project would go nowhere,” she said. McGee a lso wa r ned a ga i nst oversubscription “Many students are blessed to have parents who and disingenuous are very well-connected. I’m happy for those motivation, statkids, but it doesn’t matter who your parents are. ing that students without endurance Everyone should have those opportunities and or passion for their everyone should be able to participate.” research inquiry might struggle with — Principal Dr. Denise Hermann the program strucpublication-quality paper. “Our mentors pro- ture. “This is rigorous—it’s not a science fair,” vide a lot of expertise and support, but we [the he said. “But we’re finding that students who students] lead the majority of the research,” do [pursue] this really want to do it.” senior Katina Yong said; she participated in As of now, AAR at Gunn will most likely last fall’s pilot program. take the form of a capped, application-based “It doesn’t matter what field you’re in,” Career Technical Education (CTE) elective. Choe said. “[The scientific process] is a very Yet even students with seven-class schedule natural progression that can be applied to all RESEARCH—p.3

Flex Time makes Tuesday debut Kush Dubey

Barcode scanners have been placed in all Forum Editor classrooms and student areas for staff members to use for checking in students with their Included in the new bell schedule are ad- Student Identification cards. TeachMore, a ditional, mandatory periods called Flex Time new web-based application developed by the and Social and Emotional Learning (SEL), Fremont Union High School District, also which takes place every Tuesday. According enables students and teachers to schedule apto Assistant Principal Jack Ballard, students pointments during Flex Time. Both students and teachers can take advantage of Flex Time and teachers can log in and view available through three times to meet and cent ra l ways: set a date. i nter vent ion, Nonet heless, support and enthe administration richment. Both does reserve this t e a c he r s a nd time for grade-level s t ud ent s c a n assemblies, SEL lesmake appointsons and Titan 101 ments to discuss sessions. and receive help O v e r a l l , s t uin an area in dents have a posiwhich students Alexandra Ting t ive perspec t ive are struggling. The Flex Time system involves plugging in a o n F l e x T i m e . However, all scanner and scanning a student’s ID card. Sophomore Nikhil s t ud e nt s w i l l D’Souza feels that have access to facilities including classrooms, mandatory tutorial allows students to be the library, the Academic Center, the Student more productive during school hours. “[It] Activities Center and gyms. Ballard believes can be a great time for those students who this will help students allocate more time to need to either make up a test or ask queshomework, projects and study groups. Stu- tions,” he said. dents will also have the option to engage in Senior Grace Park also believes mandaenrichment activities such as yoga sessions tory Flex Time especially helps students with and open gym workouts. outside committments. “Because it’s in the Ballard adds that students and teachers middle of the day, students with after-school can be creative in how they spend this time. obligations like work or sports don’t have to “At [Fremont High School], there was this sacrifice some lunch or a prep to talk with one teacher who would host weekly TED their teachers in person,” she said. Talks,” he said. “Also, if a student is curious Despite the current benefits, D’Souza about a topic in class and wants to explore believes that there is still room for improveit more, they can schedule an appointment ment, especially in the online and scanning with their teacher and talk about it.” systems. “I would like to see a more orgaThe change comes with new technology. nized system for the tutorial,” he said.

News

MONTHLY HIGHLIGHT: PTSA BARBECUE FRIDAY, SEPT. 4 NEAR THE CAFETERIA

“The barbecue was a great thing to have; it was nice to get a free meal and to relax with some friends.” —Shiva Bucklin, 10 “The BBQ is a great place to socialize with friends.” —Archer Olson, 11 “You go to mingle with new people and people from other grades. We all connected as a whole school.” —Ai Miyashita, 12 “We got to go get food and just chill with our friends. Also, the Caesar salad dressing was really good.” —Shayan Hooshmand, 9 “I liked the BBQ because it was fun to see everyone enjoying a nice event that parents and staff put together for the students. I also liked it because it is something you look forward to.” —Elizabeth Salwitz, 9 —Compiled by Kaya van der Horst

Photos by Alexandra Ting

NIOS Week to be held in fall out of the experience. “People were feeling that we have a little more flexibility in the Reporter fall to do a large week-long event and that The annual Not in Our Schools (NIOS) the students and the faculty would be more Week will take place from Monday, Sept. focused on the activities rather than just 28 to Friday, Oct. 2, unlike previous years going through the motions at the end of the school year,” Hall said. where it occurred in the spring semester. Both Summers and Hall said that empaNIOS co-coordinator Todd Summers thy will be emphasized at this year’s NIOS. said that this new arrangement will be suc“I think that our continued cessful in terms of establishing work on identity safety the message of acceptance and appreciating our and empathy earlier d i f fe r e nc e s a r e in the year. “Everyboth ver y imone is going to get portant,” Hall their shirts earsaid. “I like lier and have that there’s it for the rest been a of the school move toyear,” Sumwards inmers said. creased “It just empat hy seems like a f or ot hgood way to ers, which set the tone i s pa r t of of the school that underye a r for t he standing and community.” appreciation of Senior diverour differences.” sity commissioner Summers also said Ridhaa Sachidanandan that NIOS provides an agrees that the earlier date Courtesy of Todd Summers opportunity to rethink what allows for the efforts of NIOS it means to be unified as a acceptance to grow and exschool. “We’re All In This Together: evpand throughout the rest of the school eryone is here at Gunn and we all need year. “We plan on doing other smaller events that are based off of NIOS Week,” to be kind to one another and help each Sachidanandan said. “We hope to do that other out,” Summers said. “It is not just the throughout the school year just to keep the students; it is our entire community of students and adults at Gunn and in Palo Alto.” ball rolling.” For Sachidanandan, NIOS Week is a The new arrangement also addresses the time for everyone to come together and busy schedules of both students and staff in reflect. “We want to make Gunn feel less the spring. Director of Student Activities like a school that you have to go to and more Lisa Hall explained that given the circumlike a home in which you are not only supstances in April, the month in which NIOS ported but you are [also] loved by everyone has been held in the past, students would in it,” Sachidanandan said. have an insufficient time to make the most Evalyn Li

News THEORACLE 780 Arastradero Rd. Palo Alto, CA 94306 (650) 354-8238 www.gunnoracle.com

Editorial Board Editor-in-Chief Shawna Chen Managing Editors Arjun Sahdev Kathleen Xue News Elinor Aspegren Matt Hamilton Ariel Pan Forum Kush Dubey Ryeri Lim Katie Russell Features Lisa Hao Prachi Kale Yuki Klotz-Burwell Centerfold Stina Chang Michael Chen Sports Shagun Khare Hayley Krolik Lena Ye Lifestyle Jenna Marvet Naina Murthy Barrett Zhang Photo Editor Alexandra Ting Graphics Editor Elizabeth Zu

Staff Business/Circulation Tim Sun

Friday, September 11, 2015

New district program creates research opportunities RESEARCH—p.1

may soon qualify for participation; Herrmann and Choe have suggested H period credit, internally focused mini-experiences and even summer projects as potential alternatives. “What we don’t want is a structure that doesn’t allow kids to [participate],” Herrmann said. Flexibility may also depend on the studentmentor relationship. “Different students will have different levels of need,” Herrmann said, “whether it’s to work side by side with [their mentor] or to have it much more consultant-based.” G period classes or committed weekend hours may provide possible solutions. Many of the student individualization responsibilities rest upon Choe, whose duties include

Oracle/TBN Liaison Anyi Cheng Oracle/SEC Liaison Shannon Yang Photographers Josh Spain Mei-Yun Tang Graphics Artists Cheryl Kao Joanne Lee Jackie Lou Reporter Alex Dersh, Paolo Frank, Evalyn Li, Kaya van der Horst, Mikaela Wayne Tech Editors Sabrina Chen Grace Ding Adviser Kristy Blackburn

program coordination at the site and district level, class content development, laboratory resources compilation, outreach to mentors, student advocacy and classroom teaching. “Dr. Choe [has been] helping us figure out the direction and scope of our new research,” Wang said; she currently focuses on gas-sensing graphenes. Right now, all three students’ mentors are McGee’s professional contacts in Singapore, though most future mentors will likely be local community members. “[I’m learning that] the exciting part about this community is that a lot of adults with expertise in different areas really want to participate in this program,” Choe said. Herrmann believes corporate partners will especially benefit from supporting high-quality schools and students with authentic field experi-

ence. “Most people who are successful do want to find structured ways to give back,” she said. For the 2015-16 year, AAR still remains in its pilot stage; according to Herrmann and McGee, finalization will most likely occur within three years. Due to funding and staffing concerns, the class has unfortunately limited capacity. “We have to scale up, but we want to give students the opportunity now,” McGee said. As of yet, no projected number of applicants exists. However, McGee is convinced AAR fulfills certain student and community wants. “I think we’ll get community support for even more than mentoring,” he said. “People see that this is the education they want for their kids. It’s what students want for themselves.”

New TOSAs take on administrative, leadership tasks

development for teachers to observing and coaching instruction in the classroom. “It allows for distributed leadership across the school system,” Herrmann said. Gunn has hired several new teachers as Teachers on Special Assignment Tucker says that one of the main differences between being a TOSA and (TOSA) this year. As TOSAs, staff members are assigned specific admin- a teacher is the job structure. “A certain percentage of your time is spent istrative tasks in addition to teaching classes, and according to Principal on a task other than teaching,” Tucker said. “For me, I am a 40-percent Dr. Denise Herrmann, TOSA working on developthe system is designed to ing Social and Emotional place classroom teachers Learning opportunities and in leadership positions at curriculum for students in the building and district all four grades. I am still a level. 60-percent Special Education Among ot hers, t his teacher, which means that I year’s staff includes Jeateach three periods a day.” nette Tucker as a Social Like Tucker, Bell spends and Emotional Learna certain portion of his time Daisy Renazco Todd Summers Christopher Bell ing Opportunities TOSA, teaching. He is a 40-percent Lynn Tabuchi as an Inclusion TOSA, computer science teacher, 40-percent TechDaisy Renazco as a Climate and Profesnology Integration TOSA and 20-percent sional Development TOSA, Todd SumBlended Learning TOSA. “I’m responsible mers as a Climate TOSA and Christopher for supporting teachers with technology and Bell as the Technology Integration and training teachers to use different software Blended Learning TOSA. they need for use in their classes,” Bell said. Being a TOSA comes with certain ex“Another important role I have is providing tracurricular responsibilities. According a teacher’s perspective in site and district Jeanette Tucker Lynn Tabuchi to Tucker, who is focusing on researching technology decisions.” and coordinating a comprehensive socialIn addition to his technological duties, emotional learning program on campus, she has a multitude of duties Bell’s position as a Blended Learning TOSA brings specific outreach duties. outside of teaching. “I will be attending conferences and collaborating “Blended learning is a district initiative,” Bell said. “I am responsible for with multiple people at Gunn and in the local community regarding So- training teachers that are interested in using the blended delivery model as cial and Emotional practices that can be used on school campuses, high well as ensuring that blended learning classes on campus keep expanding.” school in particular,” Tucker said. All of the teachers will teach the same classes as they would if they Responsibilities can range from planning and organizing professional were not TOSAs. Michael Chen

Centerfold Editor

INBOX

Assistant Business/Circulation Helen Nguyen Copy Emma Chiao Deiana Hristov Janet Wang

The Oracle strongly encourages and prints signed Letters to the Editor and Comments. Comments are generally shorter responses, while Letters are longer pieces of writing conveying a point of view. Please include your name, grade and contact information should you choose to write one.

Letters and Comments may be edited to meet space requirements and the writer is solely responsible for the accuracy of the content. Letters to the Editor and Comments and ideas for coverage may be sent to oraclegunn@gmail.com, posted on our Facebook page or submitted to our website.

—Letter from the Editor— Dear Titans and Gunn community, It is my pleasure to present our first full issue of the year. As you flip through the pages of The Oracle, I hope you will be able to recognize the diverse range of stories as well as our in-depth coverage of topics such as sleep and district decisions. Investigative journalism will be a big part of The Oracle this year as we look into more contentious issues and follow all sides of the story. Rather than saying, “We’ve always done it that way,” we want to challenge that mindset and go beyond surface-level material. This school year is a year of changes, and The Oracle, too, is looking to adapt. Expand-

ing our online/social media presence is a top priority in the newsroom. Not only will we publish more web-exclusive stories but we will also use our Twitter (@gunnoracle), Instagram (@gunnoracle) and Facebook (facebook.com/ gunnoracle) as platforms for daily community photos, breaking news and live-tweets from events such as sports games or School Board meetings. We ask that you help us move into the age of digital journalism by following our accounts and interacting with us through comments and shares. In addition to providing our readers with news around the clock, another responsibility of the free press is to serve as a forum for exchange of discussion and criticism. We encourage you to send us story ideas and give us feedback on our stories. Letters to the editor are welcome from everyone, Gunn student or not. As Editor-in-Chief, my job is to maintain the excellence of The Oracle and the integrity of its

staff. We constantly strive to improve as journalists. That means tackling big stories, covering controversial topics, creating innovative designs and pushing ourselves to understand our ethical responsibilities. When I was in Beginning Journalism, English teacher and former journalist Marc Igler came in to talk to us about his former career. There is one quote from him that I will always remember. “Why do journalists come back day after day, even with the late deadlines and exhausting work?” he said. “Because their duty is to report the truth, and that’s an honorable thing to do.” It is an honor to report for you, and I hope that at the end of the year, the Gunn community will be able to look at The Oracle and affirm that it achieved its duty. Sincerely, Shawna Chen, EIC 2015-16

Forum

THE NEW BELL SCHEDULE:

Schedule inconsistencies need improvement Mikaela Wayne

3 4

With the start of the 2015-2016 school year came a new bell schedule. Not only do classes now vary in time depending on the day of the week, they also now end at different times and meet fewer times per week. While fewer class days ensure a decrease in student workload, overall the changes are confusing, hard to follow and considerably inconvenient for students and teachers. After understanding these concerns, the bell schedule committee should take comprehensive steps to remove these inconsistencies and alleviate the school’s transition to the block schedule. Firstly, class times that vary depending on the day of the week are difficult for both students as well as teachers. Even though classes meet for the same amount of time each week, having class times of 70, 75 and 80 minutes depending on the day can make adjusting to the new schedule even more difficult than it already is. For teachers, planning daily lessons to fit the allotted time period can be challenging when there is no way to grow comfortable with the differing lengths of each class. Teachers also only had one summer to make plans for a new schedule for the entire year, which might affect the quality of their lessons. Meanwhile, students are forced to adapt to a schedule that lacks regularity in both duration and ending times. On some days, students and teachers might feel that there is not enough time to complete the daily lessons, and on other days there might be too much time left at the end of

class. These gaps in lesson structure have the possibility of negatively altering teachers’ curriculum. A way to solve the issues that do appear would be to continue to train teachers about how to use their time differently. The second complication comes with the differing ending times. One obvious issue that arises with these times is after-school activities. For students whose extracurricular activities take place at the same time every day, having school end at different times every single day makes it difficult to maintain a consistent schedule. There are major discrepancies in a student’s day-to-day schedule if that student has to attend an outside activity at the same time every day. The one upside to having a schedule like this is that students will not get bored doing the exact same thing every day and getting out at the same time, but this improvement seems minor in comparison to the problems brought up by different end times. There are ways to improve the current difficulties and make students’ lives just a little easier. Specifically, time could be evenly distributed across the week instead of having days that end one hour later than others. This way, classes can still get out early, but class times will not vary. Small fixes like this will help relieve student stress and make the new bell schedule an easier adjustment. Moreover, the modification enables students to attend regular after-school commitments. The new bell schedule committee made the classes vary in time in order to have classes get out early more times a week, but this results in inconsistency. Admittedly, there are upsides to schedule inconsistencies such as less homework and greater interest in classes. However, the negative aspects of the new system warrant further action by the committee. —Wayne, a junior, is a Reporter.

Elizabeth Zu

FACES IN THE CROWD What do you think of the new bell schedule?

Andrew S

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Lou

hen

“It’s better than last year because there are some classes this year that I couldn’t imagine having four times a week, and the preps are much better and you can get more done.”

“The Tuesday tutorial should be optional, like after school, because we can choose to either go home or to stay here and do the work, which is more relaxing.”

“It’s not bad because we have fewer classes and the days are shorter. It’s nice to have a day off for homework, but the classes do seem a little long sometimes.”

“[It’s] better than last year’s schedule. A few of the classes may have more homework, but some teachers are more lenient with the classes so it helps.”

Ido Enav (11)

Owen Fei (11)

Kia Green (12)

Rachel Lee (12) —Compiled by Barrett Zhang

Forum

Friday, September 11, 2015

SEEN FROM BOTH SIDES TAKING A STANCE Is the new Flex Time tutorial system beneficial to students?

“Two tutorials is okay and a mandatory one could be good for people who actually need help but wouldn’t go if it wasn’t required. There’s just opposition to the fact that there’s change.”

“Two tutorials can be helpful, but it’s not necessary. Especially with the longer passing periods, students seem to ask questions in or after class.” Jocelyn Liu (12)

Michelle Austreich (11)

“It’s very helpful if you have both science and math problems so you can go twice a week or you have a lot of stuff one week.”

“Tutorial is a very useful option because it gives the students a regular large chunk of time to talk and gain contact with their teachers.”

“No, for people who have a prep it’s annoying. It’s also in the middle of the day so people might not know where to go.”

Jolie Wei (10)

Ethan Kau (11)

Jun Kim (10)

“It’s bad that it’s not optional on Tuesday so you cannot leave campus.” Rustam Gandhi (9) —Compiled by Sabrina Chen

Graphics by Jackie Lou and Elizabeth Zu

Bell schedule changes enhance student learning Monday

Tuesday

Lisa Hao After a strenuous school year, the Creative Scheduling Committee came out with a new schedule designed to minimize academic stress. Some changes include increased class time, two tutorial periods and allotted time for teacher collaboration. Although change is difficult to embrace, integration of the new block schedule has been smoother than anticipated. The schedule enables students to focus on actual learning rather than the completion of work through longer class periods, mandatory Flex Time and increased time for homework. Many students were initially wary of the block schedules because 75 to 80 minute periods sounded lengthy. However, the extra 15 to 20 minutes prove to be crucial in allowing time for tough questions and extended discussions. Teachers

Wednesday

Thursday

do not have to tell students to stay past the SEL will teach students valuable skills bell as often as they used to since now they about how to stay mentally healthy. have enough time for the entire lesson. Ideally, students will learn how to manThe required Tuesday tutorial en- age stress and live a balanced life. This sures that students understand material program will hopefully help students through increased opportunities to ask enjoy their classes more and learn for for help from teachers. During previous the knowledge rather than for the GPA. years, many upperclassmen would not Also, fewer class meetings mean that attend tutorial since it students can choose was both optional what activities and held after G to prioritize. period, durInstead of trying which ing to balance ma ny st ufriends, extrad e nt s h a d a curriculars and six prep. Although classes worth of homework they might have had every day, students only questions, there have four or five classes to was not enough worry about. Depending on appeal for students to its rigor, one fewer class can free come back to school. up 45 minutes to an hour. Those exWith the schedule change, tra minutes could be used for pursustudents can ask clarifying Elizabeth Zu ing non-scholarly interests, exploring questions and get help with subjects further or even catching up difficult assignments since all students on sleep. Instead of rushing to complete are required to stay for the tutorial. assignments, students can take more time Flex Time doubles as both a pe- on each individual assignment to ensure riod for tutorial and Social Emotional that they fully understand the material. Learning (SEL). The newly implemented In addition, classes only meet thrice

Friday per week, as opposed to the previous four times. The reduction in number of meetings gives students more time to complete projects and manage other responsibilities. Instead of having to do most of their work the day it is assigned, students can choose which subjects to focus on and space out their workload. With the additional freedom, students can learn how to effectively manage time and fit assignments around their other activities. Though the irregularity of end times makes the schedule difficult to adjust to, the benefits far outweigh the drawbacks. The block schedule brings the emphasis back to achieving knowledge rather than obtaining good grades. Through this schedule, Creative Scheduling Committee achieved their goal to reduce student stress. —Hao, a senior, is a Features Editor.

Forum

POLITICAL REALITY CHECK Media’s coverage of presidential candidates biased Deiana Hristov

percent of all GOP candidate coverage. This media coverage would be great if it centered on topics including Trump’s platform and policies. The focus, however, remains on topics like Trump mocking Jeb Bush on Instagram. This leads to people viewing the campaign as one big joke, and as a result, many Americans are not taking it seriously. This is a problem since Americans are the ones that decide who makes the major decisions for our country in the next four years, and will either vote

On June 16, the media exploded. Donald Trump, one of America’s most notorious media moguls, announced his campaign for the presidency. Over the next few months, any coverage of other Republican candidates was washed away in a wave of Trumpmania. A new, interesting light was shed on the election as Trump’s absurdity drew in more and more people at the cost of unmuddled, unbiased information. The amount of focus on Trump’s campaign is the very definition of a media circus. Even though he is just one of 17 Grand Old Party (GOP) candidates featured in the national polls, Trump is mentioned in 46 percent of Google News articles. The closest runner-up was Jeb Bush, who trailed at 13 percent. On July 20, The Washington Post estimated that Trump received between 20 and 30 percent of all GOP media coverage. Following the controversial Fox News debate on Aug. 6, Trump’s total airtime Elizabeth Zu on major television networks made up 72

for candidates that do not truly represent the nation’s interests, or not vote at all. Right now, the other Republican Party candidates are left to eat Trump’s dust. What about the Democrats? The two most prominent candidates so far appear to be Bernie Sanders and Hillary Clinton. Coverage of Sanders has been scarce—the media has only focused on the unexpected number of people attending his rallies. Sanders is aware of this lack of coverage. During his announcement for candidacy, he called out the media’s tendency to focus on the flashy parts of the campaign: the scandals and the mudslinging. Sanders stated that he aims to talk about straightforward topics like unemployment, income inequality and foreign policy. These are not nearly as interesting as Trump’s newest antics, so the media has not covered it. The other Democrat candidate regularly recurring in the media is Clinton. Her candidacy gives the media the perfect opportunity to drag out old and new scandals: Benghazi, Lewinsky and the recent email misconduct. The

press’ attack on Clinton is not going unnoticed. 54 percent of Democratic party members think that the media is tougher on Clinton than it was in previous years. The focus on political gossip is not always bad. The flashy parts of the election will attract more viewers, who will then have to educate themselves about the candidate’s political platforms to be able to follow the story. Hopefully these people will show interest in the actual politics, not just the juicy articles, and cast their votes as educated, opinionated citizens. At the same time, the media is far from perfect. During an interview with CNN, Sanders slammed the media, saying that the media’s job is not to cover the scandals and personal lives of the candidates, but to present different points of view. And he is completely right. Instead of focusing on Deez Nuts, the fifteen-year-old who submitted an application for candidacy and polled at nine percent, or Clinton’s order at Chipotle (yes, that is a real article), the media should do its job by making sure the public is informed on important topics like the candidates’ platforms without bias or favoritism. Our role, as students and consumers of media, is to take the media with a grain of salt, to try our best to seek out reliable information and to educate ourselves as best possible with the most trustworthy sources. If we do this, the media will follow by producing the type of content we want to see. —Hristov, a sophomore, is a Copy Editor.

Congress should reject Iran nuclear deal, pass stricter guidelines Matthew Hamilton

As primary candidates compete in the 2016 presidential election, a treaty that could fundamentally change U.S. foreign policy quietly makes its way through Congress. This agreement, negotiated by President Barack Obama and Secretary of State John Kerry with Iran and five other nations, is being pushed through Congress to be trumpeted as Obama’s victory in the Middle East. However, Congress should reject the Iran nuclear agreement because the enforcement of the deal is not guaranteed, and once the deal expires, Iran will have the freedom to pursue nuclear weapons. Congress should instead push for a deal with longer term sanctions and stringent enforcement. Under the deal, Iran must transform its uranium enrichment plant, Fordado, into a center for scientific research. Moreover Iran must rebuild its Arak reactor so it cannot create weapons-grade plutonium. The current limitations are strong, but the problems of the deal become apparent when one examines the timeframe and enforcement of the deal. Once the deal expires in 15 years, the U.S. can only watch if Iran chooses to pursue nuclear weapons. The U.S. and five other nations have embargoes in place against Iran that prevent economic growth and the purchase of weapons from other nations. Sanctions, the most effective tool in preventing Iran from pursuing a nuclear bomb, have reduced the gross domestic product (GDP) of Iran by 15 percent to 20 percent, according to Treasury Secretary Jack Lew. Under the existing deal, sanctions will be lifted once the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) certifies that Iran has restricted its nuclear capabilities. As a result, Iran will immediately have access to $150 billion from previous oil sales, expanding the Iranian economy by seven percent. The United Nations (U.N.) will also lift its ban on Iran’s importing weapons systems, which will allow Iran to purchase ballistic missiles.

Once the sanctions are lifted, Iran will have a stronger economy and national defense. This leaves the U.S. with little economic leverage to prevent Iran from pursuing nuclear weapons after the 15-year deal expires. Iran would have the economic and military strength to make a nuclear bomb in a few weeks according to the Brookings Institute, and new sanctions would not be able to stop a strong economy in a matter of weeks. This would increase the chance of military conflict if Iran were to acquire weapons, and a conflict would be more deadly because of the enhanced missile defense systems that Iran would be able to buy. It is not guaranteed that Iran will pursue a nuclear weapon, but it is probable given its history. In 2003, Europe negotiated a deal similar to the current one, only to be disappointed when Iran violated the deal by revamping nuclear weapons the very next year. It would be a mistake to repeat the failures of the past. By implementing President Obama’s proposal, the U.S. is only increasing the chances of war 15 years from now. One would hope that IAEA checks would make nuclear activity impossible if the deal passes. The checks, however, do not ensure complete compliance. The IAEA does not have full access to Iranian nuclear facilities under the deal, as Iran has 24 days to open its facilities for foreign inspection once notified by the IAEA. If Iran does not comply, the sanctions are put back in place. This seems like a secure safety net, but to put the sanctions back in place, the U.S. would have to go through the U.N. Security Council where two members, China and Russia, already side with Iran. Essentially, Iran can violate the deal, and the U.S. will have no economic or diplomatic tools to stop them. Supporters of the agreement argue that this deal is better than no deal at all, but this argument is flawed because it is encouraging a trade-off between peace today and peace tomorrow. Currently it would take Iran two to three months to make a bomb. The U.S. would have time to impose harsher sanc-

tions, and military action would be easier because Iran would not have missile systems to protect itself. Any deal passed must not trade stability now for a likelihood of violence in the future. Instead of forfeiting all peaceful tools to restrict Iran’s nuclear capability for a deal with lackluster enforcement, Congress should reject the agreement and demand a deal that lasts longer than 15 years with stronger enforcement. Lawmakers must make sure an alternative deal allows the IAEA access to any of Iran’s nuclear facilities at anytime. The U.S. sits at a crossroads in its foreign policy. It could either pass a deal almost ensuring the need for future military engagement, or it could solve the Iran issue with a longterm deal with stricter enforcement. For the safety of citizens at home and the international community, it is imperative Congress favors the latter. —Hamilton, a junior, is a News Editor.

Elizabeth Zu

Features

Friday, September 11, 2015

Flashback Friday: The Oracle back in the day

The Olympian

1964: The Oracle is founded.

Cartoon from an early issue of The Oracle.

1965: Consolations for those

2004: Kristy Blackburn becomes the

whose names were misspelled.

adviser for The Oracle.

2006: Staff travels to Chicago for the annual journalism convention.

2013: NSPA awards The Oracle with the Newspaper Pacemaker Award.

Kristy Blackburn

—Compiled by Shannon Yang

Junior Kiana Fong stars in Chinese TV show to premiere in December The Oracle: What is the plot of the show? Kiana Fong: It is called 领养 or “Adoption” in English. So, I am a typical 13-year-old girl named Selena, who was born in China but raised in America. I’m in love with ice skating, my dog and my friends. I’m at an ice skating practice and I accidentally fall. Once in the hospital, doctors surprised my mom and told her I was diagnosed with leukemia. The doctor said it without much worry because all I needed is a bone marrow transplant from one of my parents. Turns out, I’m adopted.

TO: What was the best thing about being on the show? KF: I started meeting all my co-stars who turned out to be very, very famous like 袁咏仪 (Anita Yuen), 胡杏儿 (Myolie Wu), 濮存昕 and 丁海峰 (HaiFeng Ding). Working with them made me confident with myself. When we were behind camera, it didn’t even feel like were filming because they’re that good. When we would go out, people would be like, “Oh, it’s that person” or “Oh, it’s that person.” The entire production was all famous people, except for me, so that was funny.

TO: How long were you filming? KF: I left early last semester of sophomore year about a month before finals to a place called Wu Xi. We filmed a lot of scenes during that time. Then I came back and finished finals. I left again before school ended and came back to America on August fifth. We filmed for about three months overall. TO: What was hardest about being on the show? KF: This is my first TV production I am in; I’ve been through a lot of auditions, but none of them have worked out this well for me. The hardest thing about doing the show was reading the script because I’m not very good at Chinese. I couldn’t tell if something was sarcastic and the director would sometimes have to stop the scene because I didn’t understand how a line should be delivered. My mom helped me a lot with reading the script.

TO: To what extent did you get star treatment? What was it like? KF: I got much more star treatment than I deserved; they were changing my shoes for me and bringing me water after every scene. For the interviews, they came on set and were like, “So, you’re the star of the show?” And I was like “Yeah…” I am really bad at Chinese when it comes to complicated words and a lot of their questions required me to explain the deep meaning of the show. So I’d just have to laugh and say, “I don’t know that word. I’m from America!” TO: What lessons did you learn? KF: I went there and thought all I had to do is be natural. When I first came, it was really hard because there’s literally a person holding a huge mic above you and a light reflector. Being natural with everything around you is so hard, especially when I’m doing some sleeping scenes, which sounds easy, but last time there was this guy literally standing on top of my legs with a light shining down on me.

Courtesy of Kiana Fong

In “Adoption”, Kiana Fong’s character hopes to find her real father. According to Fong, U.S. viewers will be able to watch episodes online in the beginning of 2016.

TO: Was it what you expected? If not, why? KF: It was not what I expected because I didn’t know it was so professional, that there were so many famous people, such a good camera crew and the director could spot anything. I didn’t know I’d work with such good people, a costume crew, a makeup crew, and it was just such a good experience. —Compiled by Jenna Marvet Alexandra Ting

Cente

SLEEP DEPRIVATION: Sleep: it’s not an option Yuki Klotz-Burwell

Like most high school students, I do not get enough sleep. When I was a sophomore, I believed that getting a good amount of sleep was unnecessary to be successful. I was wrong. For the last two years, I procrastinated until the last minute and started on my homework after midnight on school nights. My habits thrust me into a destructive cycle of daily naps and absurdly late bedtimes. I had trouble focusing in class, depending on coffee to keep me awake each morning. As I slept later and later, I noticed other effects besides fatigue: my grades slipped and I became more and more unhappy. I remember one day during my junior year when I stayed up until four in the morning, and I felt worse than usual. Forgetting my phone felt like the end of the world, and the thought of having to take both math and physics quizzes later in the day left me in tears. I was a mess for the rest of the day, and I ended up leaving early after breaking down in class. However, my behavior was not abnormal. According to studies published in a University of Arkansas professor’s book, “Sleep and Affect: Assessment, Theory and Clinical Implications,” we are more inclined to act emotional in stressful circumstances when we are sleep-deprived. The problem was that I did not know I was sleep-deprived. Although I was getting an average of four to five hours of sleep a night, I thought I was okay. I felt abnormally tired, but I dismissed it as a common issue for teens. I became used to doing homework during the hours after midnight, thinking that it was the time I was most productive. I procrastinated and did nothing during the day except try to stay awake until it was time to start working. When my mood started changing and I felt as

though I were in a constant state of drowsiness, I realized something was wrong: I needed sleep. My initial solution for combatting my intense sleep deprivation was by taking long naps after school to make up for the sleep I missed. I crashed in my bed every day, and would sleep for two to three hours. My mistake was in the length of my naps; while short naps can increase productivity and alertness, longer naps can increase fatigue and grogginess. According to the National Sleep Foundation, longer naps can lead to negative effects on nighttime sleep, and these naps will intensify any existing sleeping problems. My long naps were not helpful, and I decided I needed to find another solution. My solution was incredibly simple—I needed to sleep earlier. Although I originally believed I was at my most productive after midnight, the amount of coffee and 5-hour Energy I was drinking seemed to prove otherwise. So I went to bed earlier, regardless of whether or not I had finished my homework. I learned to place my health as my top priority, and to let the other aspects of my life fall into place after that. Although I felt unsatisfied with my incomplete homework, I noticed a lift in my mood and an overall happiness. I looked at everything more rationally, and small problems were small, not as impossible as they had seemed before. Getting my sleep schedule back on track allowed me to retain natural energy throughout the day to complete my homework, thus letting me sleep earlier. All the speeches we hear and assemblies on sleep we are required to attend relay a message we need to understand: sleep is important.

“The problem that I did know I was s deprived.” — Klotz-Bu well

—Klotz-Burwell, a senior, is a Features Editor.

Average hours of sleep by grade Data according to Challenge Success Survey

FRESHMEN

SOPHOMORES

JUNIORS

SENIORS

7.38 Hours

7.19 Hours

6.87 Hours

6.74 Hours

REC

erfold

Friday, September 11, 2015

A LOOK INTO ITS EFFECTS

Sleep deprivation at play on campus Problems and effects

Elinor Aspegren

“Sleep allows the brain to better take in new experiences and knowledge,”—Elinor Aspegren

was not sleep—Yuki ur-

Senior Helen Foley had only slept five hours the previous night. After a long day of school, she fell asleep in her car for two hours. As soon as she got home, she stayed in her car, too tired to do anything else. This was a regular pattern for Foley. “During the school day, I am usually fine because I get enough sleep to keep me awake during classes,” she said. “But as soon as the school day is over, I am ready for a nap.” Junior Andrés Goldszmidt had forgotten to do his history notes the night before. He hurriedly finished them early the next morning and ran to school to take his quiz, but there was one problem. “When I received the quiz I realized I had taken notes on the wrong section because I was so tired,” he said. “I failed the quiz.” Of all the demographics, teens are more likely than anyone else to fall short when it comes to sleep. According to the National Adolescent and Young Adu lt Hea lt h Information Center (NAHIC), in 2011, two-thirds of adolescents reported insufficient amounts sleep. Over a quar ter of high school students have reported falling asleep in class at least once a week. In young adults, a lack of sufficient sleep has been linked to poor self-rated health and psychological distress.

Senior Katie Barrett, who usually gets around eight to nine hours of sleep per night, has noticed the p o o r e f fe c t s w h e n s h e g e t s l e s s t ha n t hat a mou nt i n consecut ive nights. “If I go multiple days with l e s s s l e e p , I c a r e l e s s a b o ut m y c l a s s e s — I l o s e f o c u s a n d d o n ’t give my f u l l attention,” she said. Sleep deprivation can cause more t ha n just day time sleepiness a nd poor focus. “If adequate sleep is not had, studies have show n t hat mind and body are not at 100 percent,” school g uida nce counselor Mye sha C ompton s a id . “ T h is a ffects your ability to focus, to pay attention in class [and] your ability to commit things to memor y.” Sleep deprivation also has a number of social effects. “The biological effects [of sleep loss], which in turn effect social experiences, are an instable mood [and] not being able to regulate emotions,” Compton said. Moreover, sleep deprivation has d a ngerou s he a lt h ef fe c t s . I n su fficient sleep can increase the risk of high blood pressure and, heart disease, Type 2 diabetes and obesity; it is also linked to risk-taking behavior, depression and car accidents.

Benefits of more sleep

According to Barrett, sleep also helps her focus in her classes and on her homework. “Sometimes, if I have a lot of homework, I go to sleep before and wake up an hour early to finish it,” she said. “When I do that, I notice I do a much better job on that homework by sleeping before rather than staying up late to finish it.” Barrett does better on her morning homework because of the process

that takes place while she is asleep. Sleep allows the brain to better take in new experiences and knowledge, increase understanding and retention. But more than just organizing your memories, it a lso helps reduce stress. A good night’s sleep can help lower blood pressure and elevated levels of stress hormones.

How to get better sleep

According to Barrett, there’s no simple fix to repairing sleep loss in teens. “You can’t just tell someone to get more hours of sleep because a lot of the time there are factors preventing that student from sleeping that need to be addressed,” she said. Compton agrees that sleep is only a piece of the puzzle. She recommends unplugging from 12 a.m. to 6 a.m. every day—no phone, not even for an a larm—and ta k ing care of your body through exercise and regular eating. “When you take care of yourself in that manner, your body’s natural desire to fall into a regular pattern of sleep kicks in,” she said. Ultimately, the cure for sleep deprivation is getting more sleep. “In the end, there is enough time in the day to do ever ything that is completely necessary, and if you are staying up and cutting in on your sleep, then it is because you are adding things into your day that you do not have time for,” Foley said. Making sleep a priority or taking naps will help work become more eff icient. Goldszmidt points to t he emotional effects of getting more sleep in his adv ice. “Choose sleep, you w i l l b e mu c h h a ppi e r,” h e s a i d . —Aspegren, a senior, is a News Editor.

COMMENDED

9.50 Hours Clock graphics by Jackie Lou Background graphics by Elizabeth Zu

Meet Gunn’s Newest Teachers: Social Studies • Likes sci-fi movies and Game of Thrones • Coaches his daughters’ soccer and volleyball teams • Originally from Alaska

• Likes to tap dance • Traveled to Hawaii and Barcelona • Was the only girl in her auto class

Science

Christina Woznicki

Jeff Patrick • Inspired by his American Literature teacher • Hopes to add new sports • Wants to teach his students perseverance

Curtis Johansen

Health Office

Deborah Grant

• Wants to be famous for being the oldest ballet dancer • Most-used app: Google Maps • Strangest food eaten: chicken feet

• Most used app: Waze • Drank kopi luwak coffee in Indonesia • Fan of Nirvana and The Beatles

Joanne Michels

Counselors • Licensed scuba diver • Has skydived twice • Played soccer, basketball and lacrosse in high school

Cora Ross • Whitewater rafts • Has traveled to Jamaica • Worked with a girls’ school in Kenya to learn education system

Goldie Chan

David Leftwich

Visual Performing Arts

• Was on the football team at the University of New Hampshire • Likes to explore new places during the weekends • Wanted to be a garbage man when young

Tiffany Ou

• Went dogsledding on glaciers in Iceland • Lives in San Francisco • Plays viola, violin and piano • Also teaches at Terman

Friday, September 11, 2015

In and Outside the Classroom Languages Jessy Li

• Enjoys outdoor activities • Taught English in China • Taught Mandarin at the Confucius Institute at San Francisco State

• Likes to watch movies • Student-taught at Gunn 20 years ago • Taught math teacher Mrs. Florea French at Saratoga High School

John Allen

Laura Lizundia

• Lived in Guadalajara; Veracruz, Mexico and Albacete, Spain • Loves hiking and the outdoors • Also teaches Spanish at Paly

• Superpower would be to stop time • Favorite childhood TV show: Family Ties • Wants to hike up Machu Picchu

Special Ed

Patricia Guevara

• Superpower would be invisibility • Wants to take the TransSiberian railway from start to finish • Favorite childhood TV show: “Oprah”

Adriana Aro

• Favorite movie: “Shawshank Redemption” • Wants to vacation in Greece • In free time, reads and learns to cook new food

English

Allie Ackard

Elizabeth Schnackenberg

• Visits Maui often • Played water polo in high school and crew in college • Favorite book is “1984”.

• Favorite TV shows: “House of Cards,” “Breaking Bad” and “The Office” • Moved from Illinois • Favorite WNBA team: Tennessee Lady Vols

Jacqueline Selfridge

• Favorite movie: “Halloween” • Played basketball and football at Los Altos High School

Richard Rullo • Superpower would be to read minds • Favorite childhood TV show: “Sesame Street” • Wants to climb Half Dome

Anne Marie Metzler

Math

Anthony Grabowski

• Used to be a ski instructor • Wants to learn students’ goals and dreams • Dream: teach geometry

• Used to be an engineer • Hopes to create a safe academic environment • Wants to learn from

her students Cecilia Peltier

Complied by Alex Dersh, Grace — Ding, Ryeri Lim, Ariel Pan, Katie Russell, Shannon Yang and Lena Ye Graphics by Joanne Lee and Cheryl Kao

Sports

BEHIND THE SCENES: GET CRAIG BANKOWSKI

“I’ve had two bloody noses because of getting what we call a six-pack in volleyball. A six-pack means you hit the ball so hard it hits the guy in the face. The six-pack represents the lines of the ball that are now on the guy’s face. My goal in life is to six-pack more people than I’ve been six-packed. I’ve been six-packed twice. I’ve six-packed so many people I can’t even count. So right now I‘m ahead.”

GIRLS’ WATER POLO

Favorite superhero: Hulk Guilty pleasures: Rocky road ice cream

MARK HERNANDEZ

“Several years ago, I was chaperoning prom. I decided that I just wanted some time by myself, and I sat down to eat dinner. People walked by and they’d say, ‘Oh, look, it’s the derp table.’ And I’d say, ‘Hey man, keep on walking. Leave me alone.’ And some other people came by and they’d go, ‘Hey Hernandez. Derp table, that makes sense.’ I was so upset and frustrated. So finally, someone comes up again and says, ‘Hey, man. Hernandez, you are so at the derp table.’ I said, ‘Leave me alone.’ They said, ‘No, I’m serious.’ And they picked up the little name card and the table name literally was derp.”

VOLLEYBALL

Alexandra Ting

MARK WEISMAN

“[At] Long Beach, [it was] mandatory to come to every day of practice. Here, it’s voluntary. I have a hard time with that concept. The third day of practice, this kid shows up for the first time. [I asked him,] ‘Hey, who are you? Where you been?’ He looks me in the eye and says, ‘Physics camp.’ Like physics? Science? You miss the most important practice to go to physics camp? Good for you, kid. I hope the physics of the game don’t end up hurting you because you missed this for physics camp.”

Favorite vacation spot: Disney World If he could be in a movie, it would be: Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back

Alexandra Ting

GIRLS’ GOLF

Least favorite animal: Gecko Favorite flavor: Anything pumpkin

CHRIS REDFIELD

“My dad got me started [golfing] when I was a young kid. I used to play around in the backyard with my dad’s clubs. The first time he took me to the golf course to play was at age eight or nine. We played three holes and I was hooked. It was really fun hitting the ball around the course.”

FOOTBALL Alexandra Ting

Favorite food: Cherries Hobby: Flyfishing

Alexandra Ting

Sports

Friday, September 11, 2015

TO KNOW FALL COACHES LAUREN BILICH

“For Halloween last year, I was Thing 1 and [my boyfriend] was Thing 2, and we had a game on Halloween. My boyfriend came with me. I was wearing my shirt, and he was wearing his. Now, all of the girls from last year call him Thing 2. They don’t even know his real name.”

BOYS’ WATER POLO

Favorite book: “Gone Girl” by Gillian Flynn Favorite school subject: Economics

MATTHEW JOHNSON

CHEERLEADING & DANCE Courtesy of Lauren Bilich JIM GORMAN

“I didn’t start tennis until I was a freshman high school. I was last man on the tennis team. [I] loved it, practiced all summer, played varsity, was a two-time All-American and got a low ranking on the pro tour, so anybody can start.”

“A significant memory for me was winning the League Championship against [Palo Alto High School] (Paly) in 2013. What made it even better was that the game was played at Paly so we celebrated in their pool! It was my first year coaching at Gunn and [it] was our first League Title since 2005.” Favorite music: Classic rock Most unusual thing eaten: Crocodile jerky

Alexandra Ting

CROSS COUNTRY

Horoscope: Scorpio Hero: John McEnroe

PATRICIA PLUMER

“I went to the Olympics in Barcelona, and it was the first time that the NBA allowed professional players to compete. I have a younger brother, and at the time he was twelve years old and a huge Charles Barkley fan. The three of us ended up in an elevator together and I thought my brother was going to pass out.” If she could have a superpower she would: Fly Favorite animal: Kira, her dog

GIRLS’ TENNIS Josh Spain

—Compiled by Elinor Aspegren, Paulo Frank, Prachi Kale, Helen Nguyen, Katie Russell, Tim Sun, and Barrett Zhang Alexandra Ting

Sports

Friday, September 11, 2015

INJURY PREVENTION TACTICS 1

PRE-WORKOUT FOODS It is important to eat carbs before a workout to provide enough energy during exercise. A banana has lots of potassium that boosts muscle function. A small bowl of oatmeal has fiber that helps release carbs into the bloodstream. Egg whites are a good source of protein and does not contain yolk, which is hard to digest. Some Greek yogurt provides light protein and low amounts of lactose.

4 3

STRETCHING

Use dynamic stretches in your warm up to reduce tension and increase your ability to do full-range exercises. Save static stretches for post-workout inventories to help with soreness. Implement closed-chain stretches like toe touches by applying pressure to a surface.

FOAM ROLLING

Foam rollers are good tools for self-massage. Apply a roller slowly, moving it about one inch per second. In tight spots, hold the roller in place for five to 30 seconds until the muscle begins to relax. Do not foam-roll a bone or joint.

HYDRATION It is important to hydrate with water. Athletes should drink seven to 10 ounces every 10 to 20 minutes during exercise. After an hour, sports drinks or more healthy options like coconut water are important to replenish electrolytes.

POST-WORKOUT FOODS After a workout, your body needs carbs, healthy fats and fluid to recover. A glass of chocolate milk restores body sugar lost during exercise. Tart cherry juice without added sugar provides antioxidants that prevent soreness. It is also important to take in protein such as meat or an alternative like hummus. Graphics by Elizabeth Zu

Prevention facts from BodyBuilding.com, Details.com, Health.US.News.com, MuscleandFitness.com, StopSportsInjuries.org, MyActiveSG.com, MensFtness.com and BreakingMuscle.com

Lifestyle Q&A: Teachers’ Favorite Movies Friday, September 11, 2015

Desk Set

Godzilla

Elizabeth Zu

Joanne Lee

This is Spinal Tap

Joanne Lee

English teacher Marc Igler

Science teacher Maria Powell

Math teacher Dave Deggeller

Q: Do you have any favorite movies? A: I am a big movie watcher, so I don’t really have one favorite movie, but I do have a favorite recent movie. I am a big fan of oversized monster movies. One of my most recent favorites, a movie I just loved was the most recent “Godzilla” movie.

Q: What are your favorite movies? A: I would say, musicals in general. Also a movie called “Desk Set” from the ’50s. It’s Katherine Hepburn and Spencer Tracy, and it’s about this librarian and an expert in information retrieval. Computer information retrieval becomes a thing. It’s very early, and the computer takes up the whole room and spits out one answer at a time. It’s all about the question, “Is the computer going to automate me out of a job and am I going to become irrelevant?” But it was very interesting, because it’s old.

Q: What are your favorite movies? A: The movie I’ve watched the most over my lifetime is probably “This is Spinal Tap.” It was one of the first mockumentaries, and it is a spoof of rock ‘n’ roll. It takes an aging rock ‘n’ roll band from England and follows them along their U.S. tour. All sorts of crazy things happen. But it is shot in documentary style so when it came out people were like, “Wait, is this real? Is this a real band?” So it’s very tongue-and-cheek, and to further complicate matters, all the actors actually played their instruments; they wrote all the music. So they were performing as a real band, and I believe the movie was so popular the actors actually toured as Spinal Tap, after that.

Q: What would you say to someone who hasn’t seen this movie before? A: See “Godzilla,” and it will be among the best two hours you have spent, probably in about the last month of your life, besides two hours in my class. But otherwise it’s a great two-hour investment. A movie like “Godzilla”, you know is going to end in a big event, and this one does not disappoint.

Q: What is it about “Desk Set” that makes you really like it? A: Katherine Hepburn.

Alternative theaters worth visiting iMAX Theater

Creative Commons License

If you are looking for a movie theater that makes you feel like you are in the movie, iMax is the place for you. In an iMax theater, you sit in seats just like those in a regular movie theater, but the building is shaped like a dome. The screen covers the entire domed ceiling above you. iMax plays movies that tend to be more action-oriented, such as “Everest,” “Jurassic World” and “The Transporter Refueled,” where viewers can imagine themselves in the action. Tickets cost $11.49. Senior Sharat Bodduluri has attended movie screenings at the iMax theatre in Santa Clara. “I think the iMax experience is better than a typical movie because of how big the screen is,” Bodduluri said. “From almost anywhere, you can see the movie at a good angle and won’t be too disturbed.”

West-Wind Drive-in Theater The drive-in movie may seem like a fantasy world seen only in movies themselves, but they are easily accessible. The West Wind Drive-In is just a thirty minute drive from Palo Alto and offers a unique movie viewing experience. You can enjoy the movie on a standard theater screen while retaining the comfort of watching movies on the couch. General admission is $7.95, and on Tuesdays, admission is only $5 for Family Fun Night. You simply drive up to the Creative Commons License window, pay and then drive into the theater. Senior Lindsay Maggioncalda experienced the drive-in for the first time this summer. “We brought blankets, pillows and food with us, and after parking, we put the seats down and sat in the trunk,” Maggioncalda said. “I loved it so much that I went two nights in a row.” Movie audio is broadcast through your car radio on a specific station of which you are informed when you pay. The drive-in offers the same movies that you see at most theaters, usually a couple nights after they come out. “It’s much better than a typical movie theater because it’s cheaper, cozier. You can talk as much as you want without bothering anyone, and you can go in your pajamas,” Maggioncalda said. —Compiled by Hayley Krolik

—Compiled by Michael Chen

Healthy lifestyle requires conscious eating “The best way to curb sugar is to not eat it and instead to replace it with raw nuts, ½ an avocado sprinkled with sea salt, a hard-boiled egg, a small piece of fruit or apple slices dipped in organic almond butter—you need to just reach for the healthy fats and proteins.”

“Never count calories; just eat real foods that don’t have labels on them. For example, foods that don’t have labels would include chicken breast, avocado, nuts and natural foods.”

“If you get hungry in between meals, a few examples of good, nutritious snacks could be a small handful of raw nuts, vegetables or fruits, a hard-boiled egg or two to three ounces of organic meat. I always tell my clients to have some apples with almond butter if they have a sugar craving.”

52 7 grams of protein

ounces of grains

2 2.5

cups of fruits

Information from Palo Alto nutritionist Lara Stephenson —Compiled by Kathleen Xue

cups of vegetables

“For grains, only sprouted grains [are] what the body needs. It does not need the processed grains in most of our bread.”