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Henry M. Gunn High School 780 Arastradero Road Palo Alto, CA 94306 Palo Alto Unified School District

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Monday, March 17, 2008

How safe is the Internet Issue 6

780 Arastradero Road, Palo Alto, CA 94306

Increase in social networking raises security concern among community Libby Craig

C

News Editor

ountless Gunn students use social networking sites. But few are fully aware that what they post on the Internet will stay with them for the rest of their life, and that their safety may be in jeopordy.

On Feb. 8, senior Brittany Tankhim’s Facebook account and Yahoo e-mail account were hacked. Tankhim said she thought she had either left her account logged in at school or someone she knew had logged into her accounts because she had a password that was easy to guess. “The person had taken over my e-mail and Facebook, changed the passwords and the security questions,” Tankhim said.

The same day, someone hacked the Facebook account of senior Christine de Banate, a friend of Tankhim’s. The hacker, who de Banate later found out was someone she knew, sent out a modified message on Facebook through Tankhim’s account of a personal conversation between de Banate and another friend. “A lot of things were added, a lot of things were exaggerated and a lot of detail was put in, basically just to start drama,” de Banate said.

“It really baffled me,” Tankhim said. “This person had no ties to my computer and no ties to me personally. Basically, I was picked at random. The [hacker] was targeting a person, and anyone in that person’s [Facebook] network could have been targeted.”

Unlike most victims of cyber-bullying. De Banate and Tankhim were able to identify the hacker and regain access to their accounts without taking legal action or notifying

the school.

Tankhim is not the only one worried about her privacy online. On Feb. 20 over 50 Bay Area community members, including Gunn students and parents, gathered at the Gunn library for an Online Privacy and Digital Security presentation for parents and teens. Pro-Tec Data CEO Naomi Fine informed the audience about privacy intrusions and what precautions people can take with social networking.

Fine said people have different definitions of privacy.

“There are certain laws that state what privacy is, but each individual really needs to decide for themselves what they want to be private,” Fine said.

Fine said there are four ways privacy can be invaded: spamming, information collection (surveys asking for personal information), information processing (hacking) and information dissemination (sharing of personal information).

Fine said the most dangerous information one can share is his or her Personal Identifiable Information, which includes one’s phone number, date of birth, photos and credit card number. “Private information is valuable and provides the key to trust,” Fine said. “The digital footprint you create may run far and have a long-term impact.”

Fine advises users of social networking sites to adjust their privacy settings so that they know who they are giving access to what information, and “post only information that you’d be comfortable with your parents, grandparents, teachers, future colleges and future employers seeing,” Fine said.

The Palo Alto Unified School District has an open access policy, which means that most Web sites, besides

Junior youngest in local tournament history to win title Page 22

Courtesy of the Trainer Family

those with pornographic content, are accessible on school computers. However, all students signed a contact at the beginning of the year that states that computers must be used solely for the purpose of education. Technology Coordinator Lettie Weinmann said, however, that the school’s definition of educational is loose. “We think there’s education in looking at e-mail or at sites of personal interest,” she said. “I, personally, am a fan of social networking sites like MySpace and Facebook. They are places where students can practice communication skills in a real context.”

Weinmann said she has heard a few reports of students forgetting to log off their accounts at school with hacking ensuing. In one incident, a student accidentally left their InClass account open, and another student emailed the student’s teacher. “I don’t think we hear all of the reports, but people really need to be careful to log off,” Weinmann said.

Weinmann said that the school plans to institute a single-log in program on the computers, so that students will have to type in their student ID and password to access school computers. Students will be given a certain number of allotted pages to print for each semester. Weinmann said this system will give the student more security over their accounts and more incentive to log out on computers.

Assistant Principal Phil Winston said the administration determines the ramifications for cyber-bullying, like altering a student’s Facebook account on school computers, on a case-by-case basis. “It depends on the circumstance, but we want every discipline issue to be a learning experience,” Winston said.

INTERNET—p.2 Graphic by Brian Phan

Bond set for June ballot Jocelyn Ma

Features Editor

If you’re tired of the construction already, brace yourself—because on Feb. 26, the Palo Alto Unified School District (PAUSD) Board of Education agreed to support a bond which would allocate approximately $378 million to improve district schools. The bond, which is split up into three different series, will be added to the June 3 ballot for Palo Alto voter consideration. The bond is a long-term commitment that will hopefully last 20 years, according to Assistant Principal Tom Jacoubowsky.

The funding of the Building for Excellence bond measure, passed in 1995, has officially expired. While more money is being added to the school system, the bond was designed so that taxpayers would not be burdened with a heavier rate, according to Tracy Stevens, a parent volunteer on the PAUSD Facilities Committee, which oversees aspects such as the research of the bond.

Stevens hopes that this will create less of a ripple in the current percentages of household incomes allocated to fund the bond. “The goal was to make it as seamless as possible, so homeowners would just keep going on paying the current tax rate, which is about to expire,” Stevens said.

Because of Gunn’s old structures and buildings, Principal Noreen Likins said that the school

is in dire need of the renovation that the bond will provide if passed. “A few buildings around campus have been modernized, but the center core still needs improvements,” she said. “It’s just not adequate for a school of this caliber.”

Stevens agree that Gunn needs to be updated.

“Our school was built quite a long time ago (1964), and the [Building for Excellence] made some adjustments, but there have been things that have been left undone,” she said.

A 55 percent vote is required to pass the bond, which would help solve many of the current district’s problems. “Our student population has been growing,” Stevens said. “There is a need for additional classrooms. Part of what it would do would be to introduce some environmentally sound, green building components so that we can grow responsibly.”

This particular bond measure is unique in that it will set aside a portion of the money towards improving technology at district schools. “Up until now, we’ve collected funds from parents and private donations for most of the technology upgrades, but this would get every school up to speed with technology and hopefully keep us going forward,” Stevens said.

Jacoubowsky agreed that the bond would help the school. “We’re still using technology from 1964,” he said.

BONDS—p.4

2

The Oracle

Students plan competitive game

The second Assassins game, Outbreak: Humans Versus Zombies (Assassins 2) has begun, but under rules modified by senior Gavin Morgan. “I sort of combined a pair of similar games:” Morgan said, “Assassins combined with Humans versus Zombies.” The game, which involves 135 competing students to see who survives the longest or who converts the most participants into “zombies,” began Feb. 20.

In the game, players start out as humans, identified by holding spoons. Upon being tagged by a zombie, the human becomes a zombie and must hold a sock instead. Afterwards, they may convert as many humans as possible into zombies. Safe zones, where humans cannot be tagged, include academic buildings, athletic practices and performances. “I try to make [the game] as unobtrusive as possible,” Morgan said.

Seniors David Brown and Naomi Shachter started the first Assassins game, which was held last year from May to December.

Brown plans to establish another game similar to the first Assassins game, but with a set end date. “The only problem with [the first game] was that it never ended,” he said. “We restarted [the first game] last December.”

The game resulted in people coming into the cafeteria asking for spoons. “We started hiding our spoons but people would find out where we were hiding them,” Kitchen Supervisor Maria Tumer said. The cafeteria later charged one dollar for each spoon. The fee is no longer in place, but utensils from the cafeteria cost a quarter for students who do not purchase a lunch. “I thought that it was so great that we affected the way the school works,” Shachter said.

Organization gives away prom dresses For many senior girls, prom dresses are an assumed expense as the end of the year approaches. But for others, the price of the dress may prevent them from attending altogether.

However, the Princess Project, a non-profit charity organization based in San Francisco, seeks to offer low-income girls an opportunity to get a gently used, or new prom dress for free, according to Princess Project Vice President Yvette Nichols.

The Princess Project sponsored an annual series of dress drives from Feb. 25 to 29 in San Francisco, Berkeley, San Jose, Fremont, Santa Cruz and other Bay Area locations.

After the organization collects the dresses, it organizes a series of giveaways. Admission to the giveaways requires no identification or proof of financial need other than a student identification card.

This year, representatives from the Princess Project approached Gunn about having Gunn students attend the giveaways, Student Activities Director Lisa Hall said. Hall, who put up flyers on campus and announcements on InClass and the daily bulletin, said that only “a few” students contacted her about participating. “It might have been people were embarrassed or they thought the thoughts the dresses might be ugly or out-of-fashion,” she said.

Giveaways will be held in San Francisco, the East Bay and Silicon Valley. The organization also holds “boutiques” in March for groups of ten or more girls at all locations. Boutiques allow girls to shop privately with their friends, instead of at general gatherings.

Nichols said she strives to give the girls she serves a happy memory shopping and a fun experience shopping. “We offer these girls a really wonderful day,” she said. “The dresses are beautiful.

This is not like shopping at the Goodwill.”

News

Handbook reinvented Wen Yi Chin Reporter

Human Relations Commissioners junior Amarelle Hanyecz and senior Molly Babbington have been working since December to produce the first ever handbook written specifically to help ease the transition of new students at Gunn.

Hanyecz and Babbington both volunteered to head the project, feeling that it was the perfect job for them as Human Relations Commissioners.

The new handbook will start with an introduction from Principal Noreen Likins and information on important figures around school and Student Executive Council (SEC) members. There will also be pages on extracurricular activities, sports programs, clubs, Palo Alto life in general and good lunch locations.

The handbook will also include a “fun map:” a campus map that has been decorated and re-drawn from a student’s point of view.

“The regular student handbook provides primarily educational information as well as information on rules and regulations,” Student Activities Director Lisa Hall said.

“The new handbook is designed to be more student-friendly and is directed towards the daily life of a student at Gunn.”

The handbook is one of the three components in the new students’ program, which also includes a

buddy system and a care package.

This program was implemented in response to a new student’s attempted suicide earlier in the year.

The administration approached the SEC for help in creating a way to welcome all the new students.

“The [attempted] suicide brought up major concerns and the need to fix things,” Hanyecz said. “We’re a community that cares for everyone, and it was obvious that the new student wasn’t happy at Gunn. We need to change that.”

New student meetings are arranged with their counselors to discuss courses and credits. A SEC member and a “buddy” are also notified to meet her on the morning of her first day. Additionally, new students will receive the new handbook and care package, which contains candy, a campus map, a coupon for a school shirt and other school spirit items.

“This handbook is part of a new system we are creating to welcome these students so that they are not just thrown into the crazy world at Gunn,” Babbington wrote in an email message. “It is hard to adjust, and we are simply trying to make that process a little smoother and happier for them.”

Sophomore Christine Liu, who transferred from the Shanghai American School in China at the beginning of second semester, said she had trouble adjusting to the larger school population and

finding her way around.

“I felt very much like an outsider because most people have already formed tight groups with friends they’ve known since elementary school,” Liu said. “It’s hard to get in there and interrupt that kind of scene.”

Hall, however, advises new students to get involved with the school, even though it can be difficult. “One of the most important things new students can do is to try to meet new people by introducing themselves to others,” Hall said.

Hanyecz and Babbington are still compiling and adding more information to the handbook, which is nowhere near its final stage. “We are not comfortable submitting something less than perfect, which is obviously making it difficult to finish,” Babbington wrote.

Since it is already more than halfway through the school year, Hanyecz and Babbington are trying to organize the handbook to a good stopping point so that next year’s Human Relations Commissioners can take over and make a few changes so that it is ready for next year’s new students.

“I think they’ve made a lot of great strides to make new students feel welcomed,” Hall said. “This school has never had a handbook specifically for the new students who enter Gunn mid-year, and they went ahead and took the initiative to create one.”

Internet safety raises concerns

n INTERNET, from p. 1 Additionally, there may be repercussions for students’ actions on the Internet outside of school. Last month, when a junior made a fake Facebook account in hopes of throwing off a Palo Alto High School basketball player’s game, he was given a one-day suspension. “If students from opposite schools are taunting each other, we absolutely try to stop it,” Winton said.

Similarly, if students post photos of videos on the Internet showing students defacing Gunn property,

the administration is usually notified. “Usually parents or students [inform us],” Winston said. “In the world, there are more good people than people who do bad things, and these people bring the issues into the forefront.”

Tankhim said she hopes that others learn from her experience. “People should learn that they shouldn’t put anything on the Internet that they wouldn’t want anyone else to know because it really is the World Wide Web and it could get anywhere.”

Students to help at rebuilding event

On the last Saturday of every April, National Rebuilding Day brings thousands of volunteers together to help rebuild homes and community facilities for low-income families, seniors and the disabled in the Peninsula.

The student-run High School Advisory Council (HSAC) brought Rebuilding Together in the Peninsula (RTP) was founded many years ago, but it was discontinued until this year. HSAC President sophomore Julia Reichelstein decided to start the HSAC again this year. “I think it’s really important to bring a part of RTP back into the hands of high schoolers,” Reichelstein said. “It allows students to form and sharpen their leadership roles and take action to help the community.”

The HSAC includes three students from Gunn and more from other local high schools. The team meets once every three weeks to decide how students can get involved with RTP for the annual National Rebuilding Day event.

Last year, RTP’s 4000 volunteers successfully repaired 55 homes and 23 community facilities, which summed up to repairs worth over $2 million. This year, HSAC hopes to complete 56 projects throughout Santa Clara County on Apr. 26. “I’m amazed at what is possible when one individual comes forward to help,” RTP Outreach and Development Coordinator Susie Shanahan said.

—Compiled by Emily Glider, Susan Lee and Carissa Ratanaphanyarat

Massachusetts College of Art Location: Boston, Massachusetts Type: public coeducational Setting: urban Mascot: none

Cons: -Fairly selective compared to most independent art schools -66 percent of students come from MA

Cost: $21,900 /year Total enrollment: 2,157 Percent accepted: 56 Average SAT: Verbal: 490-610, Math: 480570, Writing: 490-600 Average ACT: not available Average HS GPA: 2.6-3.5 Athletics division: none Pros: -In the city -Staff and faculty work hard to keep students motivated

Interesting facts: -92 percent of students graduate with a bachelor of visual and performing arts - Only publicly-funded free-standing art school in the United States -All academic buildings are interlocked so it is possible to walk across campus while completely indoors Photo courtesy of Massachusetts College of Art

—Compiled by Amarelle Hanyecz

News

Monday, March 17, 2008

Families, admin punish users Aurelle Amram & Carissa Ratanaphanyarat News Editor & Copy Editor

When most students think about drug arrests, they picture police stake-outs, flashing sirens and handcuffs straight out of a Hollywood movie. When students are caught abusing substances in reality, however, the punishment is more often meted out at home than behind bars.

Students who use drugs cite police discovering their activities as one of the biggest risks. “I’d be more afraid getting caught by the police because then not only would I be in trouble with the cops, my parents would find out,” senior Jessica Reynolds, whose name has been changed to protect her privacy, said.

Students are often caught using substances through referrals from family or friends. Dean of Students Christine Wang also said that drug user referrals come from students and staff members.

Palo Alto Police officer Robert Parham said that the police usually catch students by tips from observers. “The way we catch a lot of kids is from people calling [the tips] in,” he said. “A lot of times kids are doing bad things in public.” Wang also looks for and recognizes signs of substance use.

“The most obvious physical signs when a student walks in can be the smell on a student’s clothing from a few feet away,” she said.

However, the administration does not actively search for drug users. “As an administrator, you wouldn’t stalk them,” Winston said. “It would make them uncomfortable. There must be a reasonable reason.”

Reynolds, who drinks alcohol or smokes marijuana approximately once a month, does not feel that the administration or teachers are overbearing most of the time.

“At dances you can definitely tell [the staff] wants people to be sober, but I don’t think they watch me closely during the school day,” she said. They just check the paths and that’s about it.”

Students can be punished if they possess or sell drugs, paraphernalia or look-alike drugs and substances.

If there are signs of drug use such as a particular smell, the student can be suspended but cannot be referred to the Alcohol Substance Abuse Treatment (ASAT) program, a branch of Adolescent Counseling Services.

When a student is caught using drugs, the police are called to deal with the situation. “We write a citation and their parents pick them up,” Parham said. “This goes on their juvenile record, but that record is sealed once they turn 18.”

Students can also be suspended up to five days, but the suspension may be reduced to three days if the drug users choose to participate in the ASAT intervention program. The program is free of charge for both the students and their families and offers counseling services in order “to be sup-

featuring

Robert Parham Palo Alto police officer

TO: How would you describe the teen party scene in Palo Alto?

RP: From my experience, most of the parties in Palo Alto are thrown when parents go out of town, but sometimes you find a parent-sponsored party. Most of the people that come are invited through word of mouth, people just show up and the number keeps snowballing; that is generally when the police start to hear about it. When the amount of people gets uncontrollable, it starts going downhill from there.

portive,” ASAT Program Director Brenda Stern said.

Parents also often give students their own punishments, separate from whatever action the school might take. Reynolds has never been caught, but worries about her parents’ reactions.

“They would probably take away my car and only let me go to school and come home,” she said. They wouldn’t let me continue with sports and would take away my cell phone and constantly watch me.”

Winston worries about the impact of consequences on students’ futures. “The incidences this year that I had with students never end[ed] in a good way,” Winston said. “It’s basically an arrest. It involves suspension, the police and the student may be referred [to counseling services].”

Students may also be referred to ASAT by their parents.

Reynolds does not think that any of the rules or laws in place have much of an effect on high school students. “I’ve never seen anybody turn down drugs because they were afraid of getting caught,” she said. “The pressure from friends and the curiosity will overpower any consequences.”

Students’ history of drug usage is not held against them in the future. “We try to make it a learning experience,” Winston said.

—Additional reporting by Stephen Salazar and Mari Ju.

3

Committee works to change student views Ryan Tan Business Manager

During the middle of February, the student Drug and Alcohol Committee put up posters around campus with facts regarding drug and alcohol use among Gunn students. The posters are part of a project aimed at changing the school’s perception of the number of students who consume drugs and alcohol.

There are currently two Drug and Alcohol Committees at Gunn. One is run by the administration, while the other is a subgroup of the administrative committee made up of members of the Student Executive Council and headed by Dean of Students Christine Wang. The main purpose of the Drug and Alcohol Committees is to let the student body know that drug and alcohol use is low at Gunn, junior memberof the student committee Ahmad Fayad said.

The current project of putting up posters started this school year when the administrative committee decided to use the results of previous Healthy Kids and Social Norms surveys.

“Compiling the data yielded interesting trends pertaining to the usage of drugs and alcohol,” junior committee member Wendy Zhang said. “In general, the surveys found that students believed a majority of their peers were doing drugs and alcohol when, in reality, a majority do not.”

According to the survey, 76 percent of all Gunn students never use marijuana and 74 percent do not drink alcohol in a typical month.

Of those doing drugs and drinking alcohol, more than 50 percent stated that the reason for doing so was because they believed that the rest of the school was doing the same.

“It became clear that changing the perception of wide drug and alcohol usage would help reduce the number of students drinking and taking drugs,” Zhang said.

The administrative committee planned the project, while the student committee formed in December to do hands-on work.

The planning process took about a month, while the process of designing and making posters lasted more than two months.

“Each design consisted of two random facts and one fact regarding the Social Norms survey, such as 74 percent state that they do not drink in a typical month.” Fayad said.

In addition to the posters, the committees are working on a studentrun drug and alcohol assembly, which will take place Apr. 22.

Those interested in joining the student committee should contact Wang at cwang@pausd.org.

TO: Based on your experience, how many parties do the police bust per weekend?

RP: It’d have to say it’s seasonal. The odds are that there’s going to be at least one party somewhere every weekend. The frequency increases when school is out and in the summertime.

TO: How does it compare to the amount/style of teen partying in Palo Alto compare to the amount/style in nearby cities?

RP: I could only guess that it’s similar; kids are kids.

TO: Based on your experience, what is typically found at parties?

RP: Alcohol is always present. However, marijuana is extremely common.

TO: Do you think alcohol or drugs are more abused

by teens in Palo Alto?

RP: I’d say alcohol, but marijuana is also extremely popular.

TO: The [Social Norms] surveys we take at Gunn say that the majority of the student body does not use drugs or alcohol. How do the survey’s results compare to what you have found as a police officer?

RP: I believe those results. It’s hard to say when we (the Palo Alto Police) are only dealing with the ones who do abuse drugs and alcohol. We have a skewed opinion because we are dealing with that minority percentage 100 percent of the time.

—Compiled by Mari Ju

Graphic by Brain Phan

4

News

The Oracle

Teachers commute from around the Bay Danielle Edelman

Entertainment Editor

If you thought the drive up Arastradero to reach the Gunn parking lot was bad, try talking to a few teachers about their commutes. Many members of the Gunn faculty live a significant distance from school, and they deal with everything from early alarm clocks to gridlock traffic to get to work on time.

Social studies teacher Faith Hilal lives in Morgan Hill, which is approximately 40 miles from Palo Alto. She says that her usual morning commute takes 45 minutes to an hour on average, and that her afternoon commute is often worse. “If I leave right after school, it’s about an hour,” she said.

“If I leave after [cheer leading] practice, it’s anywhere from an hour and fifteen minutes to two.”

Hilal says that her commute is the result of a compromise. “My husband works in Monterey,” she said. “We split the distance.”

Despite the inconvenience, Hilal says she has never seriously considered taking a job closer to home. “We lived closer when I got this job,” she said. “We’re still hoping he’ll get a job closer, and then we’ll move back.”

Hilal moved to Morgan Hill in May of 2006, and since then she has had to adjust to some aspects of her lifestyle, namely her schedule and the expenses she pays for on the commute itself. “Gas is expensive, and [the long commute] just reduces time to do other things,” she said. “I have to get up at five, and I’m not a big fan of that. On days when we have a game I can’t go home, so I have to find something to do here.”

Several teachers, such as science teacher

Casey O’Connell and social studies teacher Phil Lyons, commute from San Francisco. O’Connell lives in North Beach, San Francisco and has recently begun taking the train to Palo Alto. “I used to drive and it was stressful,” he said. “I don’t keep my car in San Francisco anymore.

I keep it in Palo Alto at the station.”

O’Connell says that he enjoys all aspects of his commute, right down to the time he wakes up. “I wake up at five, which I like because I’m energetic by the time I see my students,” he said. The time that he spends on the train does not go to waste. “I get three hours of reading and pod casting,” he said. “I consider myself to be well read because of it, and I get a lot of things done that I wouldn’t do otherwise.”

Like Hilal, O’Connell says that his job makes the commute worthwhile, and that he has not considered taking a job closer to home. “I absolutely love where I live and where I work too, so it’s a worthy trade off for me,” he said. “I don’t see myself leaving [Gunn] for geographical reasons.”

Although Lyons also lives in San Francisco, he drives to school. Like O’Connell, Lyons chooses to live farther away from Gunn because he enjoys living in the city. “I was born in San Francisco,” he said. “I love

Anastasia Ionkin

the city, I love the food and the culture.”

Lyons originally worked at a school in San Francisco, but said he left because he could not get tenure. However, he never planned to live so far from his job. “I got the job here as a happy accident,” he said.

Lyons said he enjoys his morning commute. “I have half an hour to listen to NPR [National Public Radio] and plan lessons,” he said. However, he admits that there are some drawbacks to the long drive. He said that “being tired on the way home” is one of the biggest problems. “I constantly have to fight against falling asleep,” he said.

While he does use a lot of gas during the week, Lyons tries to be more ecologically friendly outside of his work commute.

“I don’t like the fact that I’m contributing to global warming,” he said. “I try to make up for it by not using my car. I don’t drive in San Francisco.”

Lyons shares the same perspective as O’Connell and Hilal; working at Gunn makes the commute worthwhile. “The benefits are the kids,” he said. “I don’t go to work dreading the experience.” Lyons said he has found a good balance. “I live where I want and I work where I want,” he said.

Possible bond could finance new gym, pool BOND from p.1

Courtesy of Andrew Tesler

Service Day volunteers pull weeds at Half Moon Bay. The program, sponsored by YCS/Interact Club was started more than 10 years ago by current City Council member Yiaway Yeh.

Service Day volunteers continue to help community at wide range of locations Joyce Liu

Reporter

While most students went to their six classes at Gunn, those who participated in Service Day went to six different cities and helped out 11 organizations on Mar. 6. Service Day was started more than ten years ago by Yiaway Yeh, (‘96), who is currently a city council member.

This year, students helped out organizations including RAFT (Resource Area for Teachers) in Sunnyvale, Half Moon Bay State Beach and Elkus Ranch in Half Moon Bay, the American Red Cross, Canopy Magic and Aceterra in Palo Alto, the Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District at the Baylands, Sacred Heart Community Service and Innvision in San Jose and the Second Harvest Food Bank in San Carlos.

Activities at the sites included planting trees, preparing materials for teachers, cleaning animal pens, weeding,

sorting and packing food and clothing, preparing CPR training-class materials, spreading mulch and restoring native plant populations on the bike path between Gunn and Bol Park. Sophomore Emma Stotz chose to go to the Half Moon Bay State Beach site. “It was a good experience,” Stotz said. “We learned a lot about indigenous plants, and a lot of my friends also went, so it was a lot of fun.”

Because the Youth Community Service club and the Interact club merged together at the beginning of the school year, senior YCS/Interact Club co-president Naomi Shachter said there is a wider pool of club members to lead the activities. “On Service Day, we ask the club members act as the leaders,” Shachter said.

Service Day is sponsored by the YCS/Interact Club and is open to all students. “Some people try to sign up after the deadline and on the day of, but we have to turn them away,” Shachter said. YCS/Interact Club meets on Mondays in L-4 during lunch.

A lt houg h cu r r ent up grades at Gunn funded by the 1995 Building for Excellence bond include remodeling the Bat Cave and the cafeteria, this bond has a much more intensive agenda. The money will cover improvements for structures like the Industrial Arts and administrative buildings. “The admin building has not been touched, and the electrical supply simply cannot handle the technology that we have,” Likins said.

“We have people working in closets, like the registrar.”

One of the most immediate changes that will occur if the bond is passed is the construction of a new aquatics center. “We have all the plans ready to go,” Jacoubowsky said. “If all go es wel l, t he new pool might even be open towards the end of next year.” Not a moment too soon, according to junior Jenny Hu, who was on the water polo and swim teams. “Our pool is a sorry excuse for an aquatics center,” she said. “It’s more like a puddle—the water is unsanitary and the bottom is way too shallow.”

The bond could also finance a second gym, an idea that has been discussed for a

few years. Though construction of the new facility would begin later, Jacoubowsky said that it would be an important asset to the school. “Right now badminton can’t even get in the gym to practice until February, when basketball season is over,” he said.

“In addition, we also need more room to accommodate all the P.E. students on rainy days.” While Gunn has a fairly large gym, more room will be needed to incorporate the needs of an ever-growing student population, according to Stevens.

Though the construction will cause some disruption, Jacoubowsky thin ks that the improvements will outweigh the costs. Stevens also believes that the students should actively participate to help the bond come through.

“This is really a community issue—it affects not only the kids who are currently in school but also their brothers or sisters younger than them who are coming up through [the school system],” she said. “I would like to encourage students to help get involved in trying to get the bond passed, in particular those kids who are 18 and can vote because they need to go vote.”

News

Monday, March 17, 2008

5

SOS assembly receives positive feedback Daniela Reichelstein Reporter

Feb. 26th’s Stressed Out Students (SOS) “assembly” was executed in unique, student-led discussions. The smaller individual assemblies, held in each classroom during B period, were designed to engender an open dialogue between students about enjoying and managing life in high school.

The assembly was a project of the Gunn SOS committee. Gunn has been working with Stanford and parent-student-teacher SOS committees for two years to consider strategies for stress reduction.

Denise Clark Pope, director of the SOS project at Stanford and author of a landmark book on student stress entitled Doing School, began working with Gunn in 2006. Since then, Gunn has created its own SOS committee composed of teachers, parents and students. “The committee worked very hard on this assembly,” Principal Noreen Likins said.

During the assembly, student discussion leaders, who were trained by members of the Student Executive Council, asked each classmate to create a brainstorm web about sources of stress in their lives. Conversation followed this brainstorm. “I think people have forgotten what they’re working for,” senior Jinnyi Pak said in a discussion.

Midway through the assembly, all students watched a video titled “My Life in High School” produced by senior videographer Kaitie Macknick. The video included interviews with several Gunn students about their hectic schedules. “It was good to see the perspectives of different students,” sophomore Ben Bendor said.

The assembly ended with a final discourse about solutions to combating stress. “We discussed different techniques people have for

relieving stress,” Bendor said. Avoiding procrastination, tackling problems one at a time and discovering activities for relieving stress were major topics discussed, Bendor said.

Several students found these in-class discussions more useful than past SOS assemblies.

“This one was much more effective,” Bendor said.

“It was more meaningful to have someone who’s a student talk to other students.” Senior student facilitator Michaela Venuti agreed. “I thought it had the potential to be helpful,” she said. “In the previous assembly, the lady speaking [Denise Clark Pope] only had one idea: you shouldn’t take hard classes.”

As a result of this generally positive feedback, Gunn will hold assemblies akin to this one in the future. “We’ll continue to probably have one discussion assembly per year,” senior Student Body President and SOS committee member Max Keeler said.

Despite the efforts of the SOS committee, some students feel that the Gunn administration has made few, if any changes to reduce student stress. Senior Ayumi Tsurushita said she has seen “nothing really evident” in terms of change.

The Stanford SOS group devised a list of suggestions for schools to follow to reduce stress and bolster integrity. These include policies such as creating test and project calendars to reduce overlapping assignments, revising late work “zero” policies, moving finals to before winter break, opening access to AP and honors classes and developing parent education programs to address family pressures.

“We are careful not to suggest specific strategies to schools; rather, we ask schools to make their own site-specific plan to reduce stress and increase student health, engagement with learning and integrity at their schools,” Pope wrote in an e-mail message.

Pope said Gunn has made a conscious effort to reduce stress on campus, despite student perceptions that the school has not made any changes. “Gunn has sent representatives to several of our SOS conferences in the past years, and this year was no exception,” Pope wrote. “I know that they have surveyed students, parents and staff to gauge stress levels, and that they have re-vamped freshman orientation in part as a response to our work.”

According to Likins, the administration has improved interdepartmental communication in an attempt to coordinate testing schedules. The SOS committee at Gunn also explored the possibility of restricting the number of AP classes each student can take. “The difficulty you run into at Gunn is that people value the opportunity to choose,” Likins said. “We have many students who can honestly cope with a large number of AP classes. Ultimately, it doesn’t serve all of our students if we try to restrict them.”

The committee also suggested a block schedule (having fewer classes in one day) as a means of reducing stress, but the administration decided against it. “If people like the present Gunn schedule, why would we necessarily want to go to a block schedule?”

Likins said.

After working on the assembly since last May, the SOS committee at Gunn will halt its monthly meetings. “We’re not meeting for another year because the committee has completed so much in the [five] years it’s been around that we think we’ve done a good amount for the school,” Keeler said. “Also, a lot of our members are moving in to focus on the WASC [accreditation] process, so they wouldn’t be able to focus on SOS.”

Non-facilitator student responses

*1217 students surveyed

Student facilitator responses

*111 students surveyed Graphic by Mari Ju and Brian Phan

The students in Daisy Renazco’s B period AP Statistics class analyzed the data from the surveys and found the following results:

• There is statistically significant evidence to conclude that more sophomores, juniors and seniors preferred the in class assembly format than disliked the new format.

• There is enough evidence to suggest that more student facilitators preferred the new assembly format compared to the rest of the student body.

6

News

The Oracle

VTA introduces new routes, fares Jeffrey Wang Reporter

On Jan. 14, the Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority (VTA) launched a new plan that provides less expensive service and slightly altered bus routes and schedules.

One of these changes includes a reduction in service for the VTA Route 88 Bus, which brings many Gunn students to and from school. The VTA changed prices from an original general $1.50 for a youth fare, $25 for a monthly youth bus pass and $1.75 for an adult fare to 50 cents, $20 and $1, respectively. The monthly passes are still available for sale in the Student Activity Center (SAC). “I used to ride the [Palo Alto] Shuttle a lot, but now I can just take the bus because it’s a lot cheaper than before,” senior James Lee said.

Now, the Route 88 Bus service only runs one hour before school and after school.

The VTA has also added a 40-foot “school tripper” bus in addition to the regular Route 88 20-foot bus. The “school tripper” bus provides extra service during peak hours before and after school and is the only run that goes to and from Louis Road and Fielding instead of along San Antonio Road.

The regular VTA Route 88 bus travels along Charleston and Louis Road, but only to East Meadow, where it continues on Fabian to San Antonio Road to the San Antonio Road train station and Showers Drive transit center.

The VTA agreed to revise the plan and implement new changes in July 2008, because of complaints from several Palo Alto officials. The new plan will include the implementation of a route that circles

around the Midtown Shopping Center on Middlefield Road and increased service on the Route 88 bus. “The Jan. 2008 plan only has one bus per day home to the Louis Road stretch from East Meadow to Fielding,” Planning and Transportation Commission member and Gunn parent Arthur Keller explained. “The July 2008 plan has much better before and after school service along the main run, which goes all the way along Louis Road to Oregon Expressway, with more school-tripper routes.”

If the VTA adopts the proposed changes in July, the free Palo Alto Shuttle will no longer serve Gunn.

T he new cha nges will bring forth a Cosmo Sung number of key issues From left: juniors Casey Kohlberg, Nora Boyd, Lisa Gertridge and Kelly McKenna wait for the for students.

Keller sa id t hat VTA bus. The VTA released a new plan in January and may adopt additional changes in July. t h e s t r u g g l e P a lo Alto has recently fought with the VTA communication with the VTA.” about the new bus service at 88bus@ over the changes has been worth it. “The The new VTA 88 bus schedule and the kellers.org. “This is clearly a work in VTA will be more responsive to school free Palo Alto Crosstown Shuttle sched- progress,” Keller said. “Without commutransit issues, as Palo Alto made clear ule will remain unchanged through June. nity involvement and a big effort by city this is a high priority for us,” Keller Keller encourages students and parents to and school district officials, we’d be in a said. “Plus, we now have better lines of e-mail him with comments and concerns lot worse position now.”

Few students choose to retake classes Upcoming Students who take classes a second time find themselves ‘more prepared,’ can ‘show mastery’ by replacing grades Danielle Edelman Entertainment Editor

Some students see a poor grade on a report card and feel as if they have received a death sentence. However, there is still hope for these students. Gunn allows students to retake a course if they have a C or lower. If the new grade is better than the first, it can replace the original grade.

Although this sounds like a simple policy, it is actually quite complex and contains loopholes. First of all, the new grade does not completely replace the old grade. If a student receives a D in a class the first time around, that D will remain on the transcript but will not be counted in the Grade Point Average (GPA). The new grade, however, will be calculated into the GPA as well as appear on the transcript.

Another loophole is that University of California (UC) schools have a different policy concerning grades from repeated classes. “[The UCs] only read a new grade if [the original grade was] a D or an F,” guidance counselor Linda Kirsch said.

Students must also take the exact same class, which is often a problem with math courses such as Algebra 2/Trigonometry Honors. “All blended classes are Gunn specific,” guidance counselor Jovi Johnston said. “They can’t be retaken at summer school.”

Although students may retake any

course, some classes are repeated more often than others. “The courses that are more likely to be taken again are math, English, science, history and foreign language,” Kirsch said. Kirsch and Johnston explained that students do not often retake electives because they feel that they are not as important to their studies and future careers.

Senior Janet So, who retook chemistry, said that college requirements were the main reason for pursuing the option of retaking classes. “I dropped out of it second semester, so I needed the credits to fulfill college requirements for a lab science,” she said.

Students also retake classes for reasons beyond college applications. “Some students come in not because they want to go to a four year college, but because they don’t feel they learned what they needed to learn in that class,” Johnston said.

So found that she got more than just an improved GPA from taking chemistry a second time. So said that retaking a class was worth her time in the end. “I got more out of [the class],” she said. “You’re more prepared to do better the second time around.”

Junior Ian Eblovi also believes that retaking a class can help students who did not understand the material the first time. “I think it is a good option because if people can go back and show mastery in a course, they should,” he said. “Also, it would be easier the second time.”

Retaking classes not only gives students’ GPAs a boost, but also tells colleges about their work ethic and motivation. “It shows that you care enough to clean up the grade,” Kirsch said.

Retaking a class is not something that every student is willing to go through.

Both Kirsch and Johnston estimate that they get five or fewer students per year who go through with it. Some students discuss the possibility with their counselors, but they are often dissuaded by the time commitment. “[The class] gets boring,” So said. “It feels unproductive and pointless because you have already done all the labs and projects.”

Johnston said that settling for a lower GPA might have a negative effect on their futures. “It does rule out college options,” she said. In the end, however, it is always up to the student to decide whether or not he is satisfied with his grade. “Students can discuss with counselors how to handle a D or an F,” Kirsch said. “We do not force them to do something.”

The only situation in which a student must retake a class is if he or she received an F in the course. “You have to redo an F to get a diploma,” Kirsch said.

So cautions, however, that this option might not be valuable to all students. “A lot of people might not see the point,” she said. “You should just do well the first time.”

—Additional reporting by Aurelle Amram

Gunn events: • Mar. 17-20: International Week • Mar. 18: Assembly • Mar. 17-20: AP registration (SAC) • Mar. 20: End of 3rd quarter • Mar. 21-28: Spring break • Apr. 14: The Oracle Election Issue released

Forum

Monday, March 18, 2008

7

Drug posters fail to spread message School needs better locations for posters and more honesty from students on surveys

Jocelyn Ma

D

rugs and alcohol—nobody can deny the fact that they are present and used by students at Gunn. Maybe you remember filling out a social norms survey about the usage of illegal substances way back in 2006, but what ever happened to those surveys?

The results have been organized and presented by posters, created by the Drug and Alcohol Committee. By combining graphics and statistics, the Committee hopes to show the student body that the usage of illegal substances by students is not really as high as we think. But are these posters really useful?

The Drug and Alcohol Committee has taken an important step by trying to change the social dynamic—by refusing to participate both mentally and physically is normal. But their efforts need to continue to push the poster project further, so that students will really begin to understand that drinking beer and smoking weed is not “cool.”

You may have seen the posters... or not. In order to have an effect, the posters need to be better promoted. Because they have not been publicly announced or officially introduced, many students still do not know they exist—a clear setback to the well-intentioned goal of the project. The main concern was that students were ingraining the wrong perception of drug

and alcohol usage at Gunn in their peers, but how can they get a sense of the right perception when they have to search all over walls of buildings to find the posters?

Another issue is that students rarely trust the honesty level that has been applied to the surveys. If I were someone who used an illegal substance frequently, I doubt that I would voluntarily take my pencil and bubble in “daily” to answer that question. Students do not form their opinions based on schoolwide surveys that are conducted in their math classes; they usually perceive things from their environment and the activities going on in their surroundings. If a student spots a large group of people smoking while on his or her way to Jamba Juice, it would not be odd for him or her to suspect that many people participate in this form of “recreational activity”. In order for students to really change their view on this important issue, the school should focus on preventing blatant disregard of the law on the school campus that may skew a student’s perception of illegal drug and alcohol use.

While these are two aspects of the poster project that seem to be holding back its progress, there are some positive points to the Committee’s efforts as well. Although drug and alcohol usage is known to be present at Gunn, there have been few students who take the initiative to take a stand against the issue— just Assistant Principal Phil Winston standing near the path with a Jacoubowsky microphone.

The members of the Drug and Alcohol Committee should be praised for their leadership in voluntarily acting to improve the apparent misconception of illegal substance incidents at Gunn.

—Ma, a junior, is a Features Editor.

Anastasia Ionkin

SAC snacks bring joy to the student body Sasha Guttentag

Dezmon Hunter

It’s been a long day, and it’s not going by any quicker. You step into the Student Activities Center (SAC) and immediately want to step back outside.

You are surrounded from every direction by hungry students, and you start to feel claustrophobic. Left with what seems like less than one square inch of breathing space, you start feeling dizzy. But wait—what are those gleaming yellow kernels sitting pretty in the wicker basket on the counter?

These delectable popcorn kernels are what make every trip the SAC worthwhile.

Students trample in and out of the

We want you!

SAC frequently. Whether it’s to eat lunch, buy a parking permit or dance ticket or wait in line to buy lunch, the SAC is always bustling with activity. Simple acts of kindness from the SAC, like giving out free granola bars, lemonade, chocolates or other goodies, make the student body feel loved by the school administration and the SAC, along with making the center a much brighter place. I can’t lie, though: the popcorn will always reign as the number one on my list.

When taking a handful of popcorn, the time it takes to wait for change after buying a Gunn sweatshirt goes by extremely quickly. Instead of being annoyed or letting impatience get the best of you, taking a grab at the popcorn basket puts a smile on your face. It could even get a conversation going—with the popcorn at hand, I myself talked to an SAC volunteer for a good three minutes—something I’d be too shy to do normally.

Glucose is a key element in atten-

Write us with your thoughts on The Oracle’s coverage or any other issues you care about. We’d love to hear from you. Email us at gunnoracle@yahoo.com

by April 14 for publication in the next issue.

Correction:

tion span. Though I am definitely not advertising popcorn as a healthy food to eat lots of every day, it does contain this helpful sugar. Grabbing a bit of this delicious snack before heading to math class can make copying those notes much less strenuous and much more enjoyable, and make refraining from chatting with that cute lab partner much easier.

Many will a rgue that students sharing one basket of popcorn greatly promotes the spread of infection and innumerable germs. Well—that’s why there’s always Purell stationed directly next to the basket! Wipe those hands down before they enter the basket and immediately after as well—problem solved.

Life is stressful, school is worse. It’s time for everyone to chill out, wake up, and smell the popcorn—little things can go a long way sometimes.

—Guttentag, a junior, is an Entertainment Editor.

February Issue Vol. 44, Issue 5

n Senior Phillip Yu’s last name was misspelled as Wu in “In The Light Club prayer-walks on campus” (p.10).

The Oracle regrets past errors and invites readers to correct any in the future by contacting a staff member or by sending an email to gunnoracle@yahoo.com.

8

Forum

The Oracle

Amarelle Hanyecz

W

hen most individuals think of marijuana, they think of a dirty street drug that was popular in the sixties. Medicinal marijuana, however, is a very different case and should be treated as such.

Since ancient times, people around the world have used marijuana, or cannabis, to alleviate pain and nausea symptoms in sick patients. Currently, medicinal marijuana is legal in 12 states, but not legal anywhere according to federal law.

Marijuana for medicinal purposes should be legalized, because it is a legitimate, all-natural prescription for chronicallyill patients.

Some doctors fear that with medical marijuana becoming more popular as a treatment, patients will sell the herb to people who do not need it. However, most people who have the right to receive the prescription are chronically ill or suffering greatly. The chance that making money as drug dealers is the primary interest in these people’s lives is slim. It is almost insulting to imply that a terminally ill cancer patient will start pushing her own modest supply of marijuana on the streets to turn a tiny, yet difficult profit, while risking incarceration.

The truth of the matter is that marijuana distributed pharmaceutically consists of nothing more than a natural herb. There is evidence that marijuana is psychologically addictive which is why people who are against this drug argue that the habit is addicting, but what habit isn’t? The idea behind medicinal marijuana isn’t to make a habit of it. The idea is to use it against the pain or nausea associated with chronic illness.

Almost every other drug used to heal pain is physically addictive. Vicodin and even Advil are much more addictive and have many more chemicals in them.

When patients who suffer from cancer and are treated by the intense radiation of chemotherapy, complaining that marijuana is chemically tainted is moot. The marijuana used would not be picked off the street so it would certainly be free of dangerous impurities. On the other hand, when compared to the damage more intensive medicine like morphine can cause, marijuana is a mild, soothing balm. In fact, marijuana is less toxic than cigarettes, which are legal for anyone over 18.

However, in the 1970s, many federal propaganda efforts to discourage marijuana use lead people to believe otherwise. During this time, the government conducted biased studies that “proved” marijuana smoking to be more harmful than tobacco smoking. For example, studies at the University of California, Berkeley showed that marijuana has one-and-a-half times more carcinogenic tar than tobacco. Thoughtlessly, the study was investigating cannabis leaves compared to tobacco leaves. The group failed to acknowledge the fact that people who use marijuana smoke the bud, not the leaves, and the bud only has 33 percent as much tar as tobacco.

Also, not one case of lung cancer has ever been successfully linked to marijuana use, despite efforts. Furthermore, cannabis does not narrow air passageways in lungs like tobacco does. This is why many individuals with asthma turn to medical marijuana for relief.

There are many more medical uses for cannabis. Besides providing pain relief for the chronically ill, it also treats nausea and sleeplessness. Studies with patients who didn’t respond well to standard medications showed that 78 percent of individuals reported an improvement in their nausea and vomiting symptoms after the use of marijuana.

Cannabis also acts as a treatment for epilepsy, glaucoma and arthritis. There is even evidence to suggest that marijuana can stop the growth of certain cancers, such as breast cancer. With more and more developments coming from this ancient remedy, researchers may actually be able to prevent some cancers from growing by stopping their growth naturally.

Not only does marijuana work, patients prefer it to other treatments. Doctor of preventative medicine Ronit Katz explained that it helps with pain and many patients prefer the treatment to others. If chronically ill or diseased people would choose marijuana over other medications and it works, why not offer it?

Due to its wide range of healing abilities for very sick patients, medical marijuana should stay legal in California and become legal nationally. Patients who disagree with its use as a drug can simply abstain from taking it. Other individuals who criticize its use are fortunately far from those positions that deal with major health issues and should not have the right to object to treatments that do not and will not ever concern them. If medical marijuana were legalized nationally, hospitals would still have other medications available.

Doctors would not suddenly pressure their patients to choose it. It should simply be an option.

—Hanyecz, a junior, is a reporter.

CON

PRO

Marijuana: medicinal or malevolent?

Sarah-Jean Zubair

I

t is often disputed whether or not marijuana should be legalized for medicinal purposes. However, there is little reason to argue due to concrete, scientific evidence of marijuana’s negative side effects. The public is, unfortunately, widely unaware of these facts due to misconceptions about marijuana and its contents.

A common claim is that marijuana is less harmful than tobacco. On the contrary, according to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, marijuana contains 20 times more ammonia, a known carcinogen; five times more hydrogen cyanide, which has been attributed to causing heart disease; and produces four times more tar (when smoked) than cigarettes do. With the ingestion of all these chemicals in a single joint of marijuana, it is not surprising to find that a person who smokes marijuana is almost six times more likely to develop lung cancer than one who does not smoke at all (according to Medical Research Institute of New Zealand). A study by the British Lung Foundation found that smoking three marijuana joints a day damages the lungs as much as 20 cigarettes. The same study found that tar from marijuana has 50 percent more carcinogens than tar from cigarettes. A doctor cannot rest with a clear conscience knowing that he has prescribed to his patient a substance whose smoke contains more than 400 chemicals, most of which are also found in tobacco smoke. It would also be hypocritical of him to do so, since he campaigns against the use of cigarettes, but then prescribes a substance for a patient that has a worse impact.

Also, the problems caused by marijuana are often understated. Marijuana can cause distorted judgment and thinking, not dissimilar to alcohol. A study conducted by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration found that even a moderate dosage of marijuana can impair driving abilities.

Many wink at the careless, relaxed attitude; altered mental perspective and mild euphoria that marijuana users experience.

But perpetual engagement in the drug results in a 41 percent higher chance of developing psychosis, according to the British medical journal, The Lancet. With all the aforementioned side effects, it is conclusive that marijuana’s negative effects utterly outweigh any virtue it may contain as a drug.

Some who are not convinced by the evidence looming before them may argue that marijuana has been used as a drug for thousands of years, universally. Perhaps so.

But it is also true that thousands of years ago, people did not possess scientific techniques and materials used to test the harmfulness of what is supposed to be a remedy. They simply worked by trial and error. While the death of a marijuana user may not be linked directly to the drug’s usage, marijuana can induce common illnesses, which are often the causes of death in its users. People centuries ago were unaware of the toxicities of the drug. They believed that if it did not make you sick within a short period of ingesting it, it was safe to take. So marijuana, used on a regular basis because of the conviction of its harmlessness, was not believed to be detrimental to one’s health. A marijuana user who died of heart disease never had a death certificate that read “death by habitual use of marijuana”— rather, it stated that he died of “weakness of the heart” or some other seemingly innocent cause of death.

Marijuana has been used medicinally for various ailments, mostly for pain relief. But now, more reliable and heavily researched medications to combat pain and illnesses have been developed. Where people used marijuana to rid themselves of pain, they can now use these medications to treat their maladies. But these medicines are superior in that ridding a person of pain does not inflict on him or her the bodily harm that marijuana would. Although proponents claim that marijuana has malady-combating properties, experimental evidence of any benefits has been indefinite. Regardless, the dangerous side effects outweigh any possible positive effects it might have.

Due to this lack of consistent, scientific evidence proving marijuana’s benefits, it is still widely debated as to whether or not marijuana is a medicine, not simply a superficial painkiller. A patient who is already suffering from a disease does not deserve to be subjected to doctors’ orders that he or she be treated with a substance that impairs judgment, memory, general thinking ability, muscle coordination and other short-term side effects. With continued use, the aforementioned temporary side effects can spiral into permanent problems. The chemicals in marijuana, over an extended period, can result in lung and cardiac problems, cancer, brain damage and a variety of other lifealtering and even fatal ailments. Marijuana’s side effects, impurities and chemicals are dangerous to one’s health, so much so that they outweigh any potential health benefits for ill patients.

—Zubair, a freshman, is a reporter.

Volunteering abroad is not always beneficial Ann Abraham If the road to ruin is paved with good intentions, then volunteerism is one of the major cobblestones along the way.

Trouble brews in the economic and ethical sectors for both giver and receiver. On the surface, it seems harmless for a group of kids from one country to pack up

suitcases with mosquito repellent and Gatorade and trek off to a third world country to build a house and eat rice for three weeks. The groups that organize these trips have thousands of volunteers off in the wilderness, fighting depravity and ameliorating living conditions.

What people don’t consider, though, is that while they’re doing their “good deed” someone else who actually needs the work isn’t getting the pay.

Volunteer groups aren’t skilled workers, so it takes time to train them. They end up using more resources than a professional would.

It’s comparative to outsourcing all

the customer service jobs to India; you end up with a heavily accented guy giving you a sales pitch on ring-tones when all you want is technical support. Yes, he is wellmeaning, but you end up wanting to strangle him.

Delving deeper into the pitfalls of philanthropy unearths other issues. Some organizations will refuse aid to a country until its government adopts certain policies.

This practice breaches sovereignty—the right for a government to control its country. Governments are forced to accept these changes in return for aid. Policy reform also hurts economic growth because

countries must choose between growth and receiving aid.

Suspicion can also arise when an outside government works with an organization to influence the country in need. This situation is reminiscent of the United States’ Platt Amendment in Cuba, a policy which forced Cuba to amend its constitution in return for America ending its military presence. The amendment was rescinded during Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s “Good Neighbor Policy.” History has already set the example for us—we just need to follow it.

The ethical controversy of volunteerism is the imposition of

American values upon other countries. It’s very instinctive to say that we’re ethically bound by democracy to do what is best for other people, but it comes across as arrogant and self-righteous. Ivan Ilich, a strong critic of volunteering abroad, once addressed a group Mexico-bound volunteers in this way: “I am here to entreat you to use your money, your status and your education to travel in Latin America. Come to look, come to climb our mountains, to enjoy our flowers. Come to study.

But do not come to help.”

—Abraham , a junior, is a reporter.

Forum The Oracle 780 Arastradero Rd Palo Alto, CA 94306 (650) 354-8238 http://gunn.pausd.org/oracle

Editorial Board Editor-in-Chief Caroline Hodge Managing Editors Thomas Bao Stéphanie Keller-Busque News Aurelle Amram Libby Craig Forum Boris Burkov Noah Johnson Features Jocelyn Ma Tenny Zhang Centerfold Maya Itah Andrea Yung Entertainment Danielle Edelman Sasha Guttentag Sports Adrienne Nguyen Stephen Salazar Copy Editors Michelle Fang Maya Itah Carissa Ratanaphanyarat Photo Cosmo Sung Graphics Brian Phan

Staff Reporters Ann Abraham Alana Alfrey Danielle Aspitz Aviel Chang Wen Yi Chin Sophie Cheng Emily Glider Anne Hsiao Mari Ju Joyce Liu Niki Mata Veronica Polivanaya Jonathan Proctor Daniela Reichelstein Bauer Wann Jeffrey Wang Amy Yu Alicia Zhao Anna Luise Zott Sarah-Jean Zubair Business Managers Amarelle Hanyecz Ryan Tan Circulation Managers Beth Holtzman Susan Lee Photographers Matthew Lee Ivan Yong Graphics Artists Michelle Fang Dezmon Hunter Anastasia Ionkin Adviser Kristy Garcia

The Oracle is published by and for the students of Henry M. Gunn Senior High School. The unsigned editorials that appear in this publication represent the majority opinion of the editorial staff and The Oracle's commitment to promoting students' rights. The Oracle strongly encourages and prints signed Letters to the Editor. Please include your name, grade and contact information should you choose to write one. Letters may be edited to meet space requirements and the writer is solely responsible for the accuracy of the content.

Letters to the editor and ideas for coverage may be sent to gunnoracle@yahoo.com.

These letters and ideas need not be from current students. The Oracle publishes 10 issues annually. Subscriptions are $40/year.

Monday, March 17, 2008

Construction really is on schedule S

tudents complain about the ongoing construction and its side effects on a daily basis. Without thinking about the benefits of the construction, students rant out lists of how noisy, dirty and smelly it is. Admittedly, the construction can be all of the aforementioned at times, but before mindlessly whining about how “annoying” and behind schedule it is, students need to reexamine the situation.

It turns out that the construction is actually on schedule, and the renovations going on now are part of a decades-long plan to dramatically change the way Gunn looks for the better. The small annoyances that students feel in the process of construction are worth the temporary pain because in the long run, the planned construction will improve the school’s physical appearance and internal efficiency.

The major complaint about the current construction is how drawn out it is and how long it is taking, but what students need to realize is that the construction going on now is not a one-time deal that happens to be flowing into overtime. Plans for construction started in 1995, long before any of the current students were in high school, or even middle school. Several bond measures were passed by the district to allocate much-needed money to the aging campus, and to renovate the campus in the course of many years. Changes have already been made to the library and the Math-Science wings, which were all completely

rebuilt. The renovation of the Bat Cave, staff lounge, cafeteria and kitchen areas were the areas planned for reconstruction this school year, and they are all part of the grand scheme; the school did not randomly decide to disturb the 2007-2008 school year with construction.

Secondly, according to Assistant Principal and Facilities Director Tom Jacoubowsky, who oversees construction at Gunn, the construction is on schedule; the Bat Cave’s roof will be assembled over spring break and the bistro will be finished in late April and open in May. The kitchen was scheduled for completion in summer of 2007, and indeed it was finished in summer of 2007. The bottom line is, students need to stop grumbling—especially about things that are not even true. The “I can’t believe they are still working

Graphic by Anastasia Ionkin

ing to the campus. It is one thing to complain about something that does not benefit oneself, but it is quite another to complain about something that is truly beneficial.

Students never cease their complaints—if they are not talking about the construction, then they are complaining about how ugly the campus looks. Here is an example of the contradiction: one protests the construction that is designed to better the school’s appearance, and another questions why the school looks so unattractive. This is unfair to the administration. The student body cannot expect to have its cake and eat it too. Most students do not realize that the construction was secured to improve the school’s appearance, and that with some patience and time, the campus will be enhanced.

In the future, the campus’ appearance will live up to its

The Opinion of The Oracle

on that thing” argument against the construction is neither factbased nor reason-based. Students should not make up statements to express their annoyances. A little research into the matter would have revealed just how wrong their assumptions were.

More importantly, the construction is a much-needed bless-

9

name’s standard. Plans extending four or five years into the future include a new pool, additional pool locker rooms, new fields, a second gym and even a two-story Student Activities Center and other two-level buildings, if necessary. Gunn’s soon-to-be campus will be appreciated by so many in the years to come: Construction that will benefit so many in the future should not receive the number of criticisms it is receiving today. Students may have to sit through some hammering and walk around some buildings, but are those things so bad compared to having an old campus without construction? Even though current students may never get to attend a nicely-redone Gunn, they should stop complaining and start embracing the better campus and school ahead.

—Unsigned editorials represent the majority opinion of the staff. (assenting: 29; dissenting: 6)

Students should throw the steak away Jon Proctor Sausage for breakfast, turkey for lunch and steak for dinner. America has become addicted to meat. In the past, meat was a luxury item, but now it has become close to a staple in the American diet, and its detrimental effects are starting to become evident. Eating meat is a poor use of our resources, expensive, harmful to the environment and unhealthy.

To feed America’s insatiable hunger for meat, a gluttonous 200 pounds per person per year, the agricultural industry has completely reshaped itself, feeding produce to livestock instead of to the country’s population. According to journalist and professor Michael Pollan, author of the 2006 bestseller The Omnivore’s Dilemma, farmers feed 60 percent of each year’s corn harvest, 54,000 kernels, to livestock, mainly cattle. Now you may ask, don’t cows eat grass? Naturally they do, but in today’s “farms,” better known as feedlots, cows are fed corn because it is the cheapest and fastest way to fatten cattle to the slaughter weight, a feat now accomplished in almost 14 months. This has harmful effects on both cattle and humans.

Naturally, a cow’s rumen, a special stomach that digests complex plant matter, is held at a pH of about zero. Eating corn, however, raises the pH of the rumen close to the acidity of the human

stomach. Apart from causing the cattle immense pain (imagine a constant severe heartburn) this takes away the natural defense humanity used to have against the bacteria, such as E. Coli, that used to be killed by a human’s shockingly acidic stomach. Is it really worth the risk of a bacterial infection for a cheaper piece of meat?

Corn-fed beef is not only dangerous, it is unhealthy. Cattle raised on corn fatten much more quickly than those fed grass, which, according to Pollan, increases the levels of saturated fats and lowers the levels of omega-3 fatty acids.

These changes can be harmful to one’s heart.

Furthermore, hunter-gatherers who eat wild, grass-fed beef show much lower rates of heart disease than modern agrarian societies.

Another reason to eat less meat is that it would simply be a better use of the world’s natural resources. A cow must eat 14 pounds of feed to produce one pound of meat. If we cut cows out of the food chain completely, we would have 14 times as much food for ourselves. According to the World Health Organization, two thirds of the world population is either underfed or starving, so how is it fair to sit down to dinner and eat a steak that could have fed yourself and 13 others?

Raising livestock is also very harmful to the environment. According to Pollan, it takes an average of 35 gallons of petroleum to raise a cow. This includes the oil used to produce the synthetic fertilizer added to grow the cow’s feed and to transport and process everything. With America now considering turning food into biofuels, does it really make sense to turn oil back into food?

Livestock production is also a large contributor to the amount of greenhouse gases in our atmosphere. Around the world, forests are slashed and burned to make land for grazing.

This releases carbon dioxide and leaves the land to be picked over by livestock, which also play a role in emitting greenhouse gases. According to Pollan, livestock worldwide contribute as much to global warming as the world’s transportation system. For the health of the planet, America and the world must redesign their menus.

So, what can we do? The simple solution is to eat less meat; however, this is not as easy as it seems. To many, meat is an important source of nutrition, therefore, it should not be cut out completely from our diets. Instead, it should share the stage with fruits and vegetables and enhance a meal instead of dominate it. Also, eating poultry instead of red meat, such as beef, is much more energy efficient. Chicken, however, has a feed to gain a ratio of almost 2:1, which is much better than the 14:1 ratio of cows. Eating organic produce and protein can also make a difference because it reduces the amount of fertilizers and pesticides used. This protects America’s water supply and reduces the amount of oil used in the growing process.

The main change America needs to make, however, is to become more creative with food.

Anyone can go out to Jack in the Box and get a hamburger, but wouldn’t it be more interesting to eat a falafel wrap? America needs to break out of its carnivorous mold and enjoy the delights that fruits, vegetables and grains have to offer.

—Proctor, a sophomore, is a reporter.

10

Features

The Oracle

School-wide gaming league attracts students Science teacher hosts lunchtime gaming club for students to play video games with peers Sophie Cheng Reporter

Scientists may believe that video games are linked to increased violence and crime, but for the members of the Interscholastic Gaming League (IGL) club, video games are both an outlet for stress reduction and social interaction.

Games commonly played at club meetings include Rock Band and Super Smash Bros. “Rock Band is about music,” sophomore club member Kyle Lian said. “[Super Smash Bros. Melee] is just random fighting. Everything involves a lot of hand-eye coordination.”

According to Rock Band’s official web site, Microsoft Xbox 360’s Rock Band video game allows players to “put together a band, play in it and tour for fame and fortune, all while learning to master lead/bass guitar, drums and vocals.”

Another video game usually played at the IGL meetings, Nintendo GameCube’s Super Smash Bros. Melee, “features [favorite Nintendo characters] and other video game icons in furious, yet utterly absurd fisticuffs that usually make for a smashing good time,” according to a review from Amazon.

Ivan Yong However, the club did not originally appeal to video game players. “We used to have a lot of [online computer] Members of the Interscholastic Gaming League club meet in advisor and chemistry teacher Eric Ledgamers, which is where the term ‘[local area network] par- gerwood’s room to play a video game called Rock Band. The club meets most days at lunch in S-8. ties’ comes from,” club advisor Eric Ledgerwood said. “But [connecting to the Internet on campus was really hard], so meetings gives them a chance to interact with other members] to enjoy [themselves], and be part of something we switched to more console-based games, which brought students. “The club provides friendly competition, and a that’s fun,” Ledgerwood said. in a lot of casual gamers.” place to help relieve stress in high school,” senior club vice Despite misconceptions that the IGL meetings are filled The club was originally created as the Cyberathlete president Alexander Rasgon said. with only male “hard-core” gamers, there are a few female Scholastic League five years ago. According to LedgerHowever, Ledgerwood feels that the club offers more club members who also attend the club meetings regularly. wood, the club has since changed its student demograph- than just video games for members to play. “It’s really “Being one of the only girls feels weird,” sophomore club ics with the addition of more casual video games, such as become sort of two-fold,” Ledgerwood said. “On one member Pejing Lee said. “But it’s still really fun to come Rock Band. “It’s easy for anyone to pick up a mike and hand, it’s a place to hang out with friends, but we also get because I like to play the games, and the guys aren’t too sing karaoke-style or to pick up a set of drum sticks,” together with other schools for [interschool video game mean about it usually.”

Ledgerwood said. tournaments once a month].”

The IGL meets every day at lunch except for Thursday Students said that playing video games during club The main purpose of the club “is to be a place [for in S-8.

Student-run volunteer program provides free transportation Veronica Polivanaya Reporter

Midnight calls, nightly prowls and picking up strangers—these aspects may sound like those of a treacherous career, but in fact, are part of a community service program called Safe Ride.

Safe Ride offers high school students free and confidential rides in order to curb drunk driving and provide a safe alternative.

The program operates throughout the school year, and is manned by high school volunteers on Friday and Saturday nights, from 10:00 p.m. until 2:00 a.m., with the last call taken at 1:30 a.m.

Courtesy of Palo Alto Area Red Cross

Top: Senior Safe Ride coordinators Maya Bruhis (top row, second from right) and Danielle Chou (bottom row, right) meet once or twice a month.

The Palo Alto Area Chapter started the Safe Ride program in 1984 after a Palo Alto High School (Paly) student, Scott Safreed, died in a tragic car collision with a 16-year -old drunk driver. Gunn and Paly initiated the program, and Castilleja, Los Altos, Menlo, Mountain View, Sacred Heart Prep, MenloAtherton and Saint Francis have since joined it. Each school is required to work once or twice every month and each volunteer must commit to four to five four-hour shifts per year. Students of participant high schools in need of a ride may call the toll-free telephone line (1-877-753-RIDE) to get picked up by a pair of volunteers in a Red Cross vehicle.

The Palo Alto Area Chapter has two Red Cross vehicles, which limits the area boundaries to Redwood City, Portola Valley, Atherton, Menlo Park, Palo Alto, Woodside, Mountain View, Los Altos Hills and Los Altos. Safe Ride does not allow callers to make reservations for rides. In order to get a ride, the caller must call at the precise time he or she needs a ride.

Also, contrary to popular belief, teenagers do not need to be under the influence to request for a ride, senior Safe Ride coordinator Maya Bruhis said. “We’re just there for anyone, they don’t necessarily need to be intoxicated,” Bruhis said. Teenagers use Safe Ride if they feel that they are in a dangerous situation or if they simply need a ride, according to junior Michael Lei. “I used it when I wasn’t drunk because I needed a ride,” he said. “Safe Ride is the way to go.”

According to the American Red Cross Palo Alto Area Chapter Web site, Safe Ride received 698 calls and gave 537 rides from September 2006 to June 2007. In total, that amounts to 2,175 volunteer hours served.

Amidst waiting for the phone to ring, the volunteers hang out and have fun. “It varies, some nights we only get a few, like maybe five, but other nights we get around 20 or more,” Bruhis said.

In order to sign up for the program, one must either contact the Safe Ride Coordinator at his/her school or get the paperwork from the Palo Alto Area Chapter web site. The program offers several benefits: community service hours, prevention of drunk driving and the ability to meet other Red Cross volunteers. “Meeting lots of different people is always fun, and most of them are really chatty,” said senior co-coordinator Danielle Chou. According to the Palo Area Chapter Web site, 90 percent of its Safe Ride volunteers choose to participate in the program in order to help out fellow students.

The program offers three jobs: volunteer driver, telephone operator and volunteer passenger. In order to qualify for the volunteer driver job, one must have parent consent and be cleared by the DMV. One must also have completed a full year of driving with their license before being able to drive past 11:00 p.m. Prior to venturing out on the road, the volunteers receive training and adult guidance on leadership and volunteer conduct.

Both a boy and a girl must be present in the vehicle when volunteers pick up teenagers to maximize safety.

One downside is that although the program is open throughout the school year, it closes down during the summer and several school holidays. According to Chou, one reason for this is the low availability of adult supervisors. This in turn constitutes a potential hazard because teenagers who need rides during holiday breaks don’t have anyone to turn to. “Unfortunately [it’s] not open during the summer and I think it should be,” Chou said. “I think it’s definitely something that can happen in the future.”

Another disadvantage is that teenagers may only receive rides if their school participates in the program. “If Gunn didn’t have anyone working for Safe Ride, we wouldn’t be able to get rides,” Bruhis said.

Features

Monday, March 17, 2008

11

The Oracle staff interviews three pairs of Gunn twins

Adam & Elliot Swart Juniors Adam and Elliot Swart are fraternal twins who come from mixed backgrounds. Their mother, Lalitha, was born and raised in India for seven years before going to England for boarding school, while their father, Garret, grew up in Minnesota. The two later met at Brown University before getting married and having children.

Like any set of siblings, the Swart twins share a set of favorites. Both enjoy watching “House,” playingthe computer game Rise of Nations and listening to classical music. Debating and talking are both included in their hobbies. However, the Swart brothers also share key differences, mainly their career paths.

Adam has a profound interest in politics, history and international relations and plans to become a diplomat when he grows up. Currently, he is a member of the Speech and Debate Club and participates in various debate competitions across California. He is also a writer for The Partisan Review, a bipartisan political pamphlet. Furthermore, Adam chairs the 14th Congressional District Student Advisory Board and works with House of Representative Anna Eschoo on current issues facing society such as health insurance. If possible, Adam wishes to travel around the world.

“I believe that exploring various countries, their cultures and their systems of belief are key to having a deep understanding and strong diplomatic relationships between nations,” Adam said. “This desire to travel and to understand has led to my aspiration of becoming a diplomat.”

Adam’s brother Elliot, on the other hand, has an interest in the sciences and aspires to become a biomedical engineer.

Elliot is currently on the Gunn Robotics Team and works as a computer programmer. He is also taking upper level math and science classes such as Analysis Honors, AP Biology and AP Chemistry.

Though the two may have different career paths in the future, the two state that having a twin while growing up has been an important factor in their lives.

“There was always someone to be with,” Elliot said. “You were never lonely, and you also had a person to compete and argue constantly.”

“For me, the greatest thing of having a twin is getting the companionship without any of the other crap,” Adam said.

“You don’t get the bullying of an older sibling or the tattling of a younger brother or sister.”

—Ryan Tan

Kelly & Kayla Shi The term “identical twins” is useds for siblings who are created from the same egg with indistinguishable physical traits. The similarities between identical twins, sophomores Kayla and Kelly Shi, however, go beyond mere appearance.

Kelly and Kayla have been inseparable since birth, and take part in many activities together. They include computer games, orchestra and school. They claim to spend nearly all of their time together. In fact, the twins only recall one incident in which they were ever apart, in different places, for a significant amount of time.

“I was six years old and she went to the dentist for two or three hours,” Kayla said. “It was pretty lonely.”

The girls said they often discuss world issues because they share many common beliefs and ideas. They also play duets with Kelly on violin and Kayla on cello, help their parents with cooking and study.

The best part about being twins, according to them, is that they never feel lonesome. Because they are both shy, they feel most comfortable around each other. They have a special bond because of this closeness and talk about nearly everything together, including private matters. Aside from common interests, the twins are also so similar that they sometimes coincidentally say things at the same time.

According to the twins, the constant attention and recognition of

Jessie & Jimmy Hao

Although the seniors seem like opposites, they do share many similarities. “We both are musically talented,” Jessie said. “He plays guitar, piano and drums and I play piano and guitar. Sadly we are both not very good singers. We both have lots of shoes and we both hate vegetables and love meat.”

According to Jessie, having a twin also has its communicative advantages. Although there are no telepathic communications between the two, the two do communicate well in some aspects.

“Occasionally when we talk, we know what the other is about to say or think,” Jessie said. “I guess it’s just something that comes about from knowing someone well.”

Furthermore, the two help each other out on various occasions. “Since we are in the same grade, we can ‘collaborate’ on homework,” Jimmy said.

One of Jessie’s favorite “twin” memories occurred during the two’s childhood. “One of my best memories with Jimmy is when we were young,” Jessie said. “We would love to climb in a big cardboard box and then roll around a curb. We would pretend that we were hurtling through space.”

—Michelle Fang

Photos by Cosmo Sung, Matthew Lee and Ivan Yong

Seniors Jimmy and Jessie Hao are not your average twins.

Even though they were born on the same day exactly seven minutes apart, they are opposites of each other.

While Jessie is more school-orientated and practical and responsible, Jimmy is more creative and spontaneous. “I generally learn things quicker, but he works harder at the things he really cares about,” Jessie said. “He loves to go out and party, whereas I am the ultimate homebody. I follow baseball and basketball, while he follows football. I like to read mainly historical fiction, random foreign affairs stuff or fluffy teen novels, all of which he finds very boring. He instead likes horror and mystery stuff like Stephen King.”

So what is it like having a twin? “Having a girl twin is like having an older or younger sister except you don’t get as much stuff,” Jimmy said. “You have to share everything.”

According to Jessie, the two have never shared a class together except for an English class during sophomore year. “My mom didn’t really want us in the same classes because in preschool, we were always together, but I would always make fun of him or challenge him and he would do the same, so we would fight,” Jessie said. “We’ve been separated since then.”

their similarity in appearance can sometimes be frustrating.

“Sometimes it gets annoying because of all the stares,” Kelly said.

Sometimes people would ask us, ‘Are you twins?’ and it gets really annoying because people ask it so many times.”

This constant attention from outsiders gets irritating for the girls to the point where they have to go their separate ways when grocery shopping with their families to avoid stares and questions. Despite the attention, however, these twins truly appreciate each other’s company and have a special bond, Kelly said.

While the twins may look identical and may be glued to each other nearly 24 hours a day, their personalities do differ in some ways. “She’s a tomboy and I’m more of a girly-girl,” Kelly said. “When I was little I played with Barbies and she played with toy cars and robots.”

Amidst the twin’s differences, their many similarities are what binds them together and ensures that they will always be there for each other. “You know that someone will be there for you your entire life,” Kayla said.

—Niki Mata

12

Cente

The Oracle

ADD—more than just an excuse

Jocelyn Ma

g n o r w o g s n o i t p i r c s e r p n e Wh

scripabusing pre and w o n re a ts ves den nts, sedati have school stu la h u ig im H st , e? e su in nd a was an is nds on pain medic get high a sidee weight, t marijuan a s h h ly g lo d u ir , a e o e re th d th o s u g m se in Yo us in some ca ns are gett m to help them foc e d e n T a ic s. g st ru ra e tion d using th ately. there are d ers and ab inappropri They are usually pre ens know, d te e e s s u e tranquiliz re th a o . y d y y e it e it v th tl v ti it ti n c c e L a h . y era w ces deficit hyp oming more energ se drugs, especially that enhan n g o ti ru n d e f tt o a c e e p nd be th isorders a nts are a ty diction is affects of on stimula esity, neurological d these drugs and ad ti p ri c s re P a, ob buse t of treat asthm ever many people a e treatmen th r fo scribed to w o le b H a DHD). rugs avail idate. Com disorder (A ethylphen imulant d st m d n n o a ti ocalin p e ri in c hetam f pres alin and F p o it s m R e a pervasive. . p n m ty y o x y fr o d ma n h ADHD. e and Des are derive There are , Dexedrin scribed to those wit t is similar prevalent ll st ra o e d m d e A h ADHD. T mine medicines are dicines pre ates a sensation tha focus” nidate me ta e e h h lp p y m th a dren and “ e which cre il n , m h m c d mo e a e st v re ti sy c sp s a buse it ou rly st wide begun to a entral nerv ed to help calm ove c e v e a are the mo h th , s ts te n ula us ude Ritalin stim e’s on the body. It is people, including st y of their in n e a ff m a c rs because t and wever, e o g H a to that of n . e D te H g e on ith AD erties. tin, Percoc valent am children w ulant prop e, OxyCon d to addiction ecome pre im b in st e o d s ls o it a C f s o a e includ illers h can lea because e of pain k nia, diarpain killers n it is unnecessary, The misus ssibility. Common ain, insom e p h e w n y o ll b ia d c n e e esp scle a d acc widesprea eruse of these drugs, ing restlessness, mu , are also d v lu O c . in g disorders e short rawal, in Vicodin d p h e e it sl w f d o n a ms phoria in th r anxiety and sympto g and cold flashes. eling of eu lly used fo fe a a rm in e o c it n u m d s, o y. dative rugs in rhea, v . These d ers and se rain activit According Tranquiliz abused by teenagers zardous effects on b rescription drugs. pain drug have ha isusing p rescription ed n p m a s c a n d e e rm te a common s te f u o ens has ab and 1 in 10 has abus g amount in the long , 1 in 5 te term, but, the growin a c w ri o e ilizers ollege sh m s A ie e and tranqu ercent of c p ts n 0 Many stud hip for a Drug Fre 2 la , u y d ra im ription st ners consin Stu 2004 Partnership fo to the Part in 5 has abused presc University of Wis A . , such tion 1 stimulants ing to a a prescrip n t rd e u o k o medicine, c h c ta it A d w a . h n dicine ll or Ritali 0 teenagers cough me sed Addera y found that 1 in 1 u e v a h ts ud tion. studen America st a prescrip t e u ltzman re o h -F it g w ru D —Beth Ho dderall A r o n li a as Rit

To the hundreds of The Oracle readers, I am hereby outing myself as a victim of ADD. Yes, Attention Deficit Disorder.

And it’s not just self-proclaimed either—I have been officially diagnosed with medical ADD, with a doctor’s letter and everything.

ADD is an actual disorder, despite the fact that people often misconstrue it as an excuse that lazy people use. The effects reach much farther than getting easily distracted or forgetting things. If you have ADD, you think slower, process things slower and don’t always see the best choices—not to say that you don’t know how.

For example, it just takes more time to think about a math problem, even if we know the concept behind the solution.

In elementary school, my report cards would come home with comments like “has difficulties following directions” or “cannot complete class assignments on time.” But the fact was that I didn’t have the ability to keep my mind on one activity for too long—something teachers often misread. Consequently, they often took their red pens to note that I “exhibited inconsiderate classroom behavior.”

Now, every morning, I cut open my pouch of Daytrana, peel off the sticky backing, and place it carefully on my side. These “patches,” which use transdermal technology, contain twenty milligrams of methylphenidate that dissolves through my skin and is absorbed into the bloodstream.

In turn, the chemical helps my brain focus and maintain attention longer via the blood. Sounds like a great solution, right? Not quite. There are tons of side effects including vomiting, nausea, severe rashes, inability to sleep and changes of mood—all things that I’ve experienced at some point or another.

When I first announced my diagnosis, people didn’t believe me. Why should they have? I had never flunked a course or had visible problems in class. But some people don’t realize that you don’t need straight Ds on your report card or troublesome behavioral notices to have ADD. People scoffed “You don’t have ADD,” simply because I was taking difficult classes. A student who has ADD isn’t synonymous with one who is failing, not trying, or giving up at school. There are plenty of students who suffer from the mental setback but continue to be high achievers because of their hard work and determination.

Some nights, I can’t fall asleep until five in the morning.

But my message about people with ADD is that we aren’t less intelligent or less capable, and we certainly aren’t lazy.

ADD may never seem to leave a trace on our report cards or transcripts at all; we simply have to work through tangled cords to get to the end result.

—Ma, a junior, is a Features Editor.

ts n e d tu s te a d o m m o c c a 504 plans

tect his privacy, w s been changed to pro ha me na e os wh , ith didn’t have my I Junior Joe Sm ation Plan (IEP). “If I uc Ed d ze ali du ivi Ind he didn’t have his said. and 90 who have joined a gang,” Smith at Gunn who have IEPs nts de stu 0 17 are re eds in regular c Currently, the students with special ne lp he to d ne sig de es a student transfer instructional servic students. For example, on ati uc ed ial ec sp for program required ced under a 504 plan. essments, inc classroom could be pla go through a series of ass nts de stu P, IE or n pla 4 essment. “Admin To obtain a 50 aren’t doing well for ass o wh nts de stu er ref Usually, teachers d. incipal Kim Cowell sai ologi and costly,” Assistant Pr trators, teachers, psych nis mi ad of ng sti nsi co , am oda Te mm dy nor acco A Student Stu s. The team makes mi ed ne nt de stu 50 the at ed ne nts who evaluation to see wh cording to Cowell, stude Ac nt. me ve sp pro th im wi for students and teachers look ese plans accommodate Th l. tia ten po l ful ir them perform to the notes. tensions and copies of ficit Hype preferential seating, ex use of her Attention De ca be n pla 4 50 a s ha n rtu Ca the allotted tim Junior Rimona uble finishing exams in tro d ha d an ty xie an t re time on tests an she suffered from tes rtun gets 50 percent mo Ca n, pla 4 50 a s ha tra time on te said. Now that she 4 plans in order to get ex 50 t ge to ed tri nts de stu ll said. “Every In the past, some savvy about this,” Cowe ry ve is ard Bo ge lle Co ns don’t truly don’t need it.” The nn students with 504 pla Gu t tha t ou ds fin ard out giving 504 p If the College Bo well, Gunn is strict ab Co to ng rdi co ac us, get more signifi not get extra time. Th severe disabilities and re mo ve ha y all usu Ps s, such as note ca Students with IE and using memory aid ud alo d rea t tes the g of autism. He a a shorter test, havin syndrome, a mild form r’s rge pe As s ha P, IE and was whee Smith, who has an t had trouble breathing gis olo ch psy e “th , sis d. “Then, she la During his first analy your nose,’” Smith sai in ir ha s les d ha u yo rd time doing breathe a lot easier if d me. I have a really ha too ers nd su mi d an y rit him. As for his o problems with autho are especially hard for s on cti tri res ic top th with me beca English essays wi ers don’t want to put up ch tea me So y. ilit xib isn’t a lot of project fle

erfold

Monday, March 17, 2008

13

ill lly ta en m e th of t en tm ea tr : es ag e th h ug Thro

at how mental disassociated with the mentally ill. Let’s look been have s term e Thes l?” gica “Ma ?”

“Boldly creative?” “Closer to God ughout history. ical or religious. The orders have been regarded and treated thro rded people with mental disorders as mag rega ties socie tian Egyp ent anci ons, Like in early stone-age civilizati ts for the mentally ill. (soul) launched an exploration of treatmen Ka the of th heal the on some of the first psyion fixat ’ tians Egyp un Papyri, dating back to 1534 B.C., were Kah and s Eber The ne. insa the for ers s.

Opium was used in rituals and pray to be physical maladies of the heart and uteru the Egyptians considered mental disorders that al often reve and They red ten. tortu writ were ever d,” texts sesse tric “pos chia believed to be tal illness as a form of witchcraft. Victims, issance, Medieval European society identified men nose the insane. Beginning with the Rena diag to used was hes, witc on ise treat a , rum efica callously. For example, brutally murdered. The Malleus Mal to insane asylums. Residents were treated sent were ill tally men the ad, Inste d. accusations of witchcraft decrease rtainment. sightseers paid to observe patients for ente ucted at the Bethlem Royal Hospital in London, tally ill. American activist Dorthea Dix cond men the of t men treat med refor ists activ th and gists During the 19 century, psycholo t of the insane. ying state legislatures for humane treatmen for mental illness. research on jails and almshouses before lobb ist Sigmund Freud—became a common cure olog neur nese Vien the by ed vent th s—in and memories) and In the 20 century, psychoanalysi on (the extraction of uncensored emotions ciati asso free osis, hypn g usin by us nscio Freud uncovered his patients’ unco modern psychotherapy. es—not to genetics,” dream analysis. His work laid the basis for disorders were related to social experienc tal men ght thou le peop ago, s year 40 “When I started in psychology Roderick M. Kramer said.

Stanford Graduate School of Business Dr. ress in the last decade Professor of Organizational Behavior at the during the 20th century. “The greatest prog rged eme also sses illne tal men cure to about the positive side The use of modern medicine ilities,” Kramer said. “Scientists are excited disab ing learn cure to s drug l gica holo has been the development of psyc smarter.” it effectively stabilizes of drugs. They make people happier and e) disorder. Lithium is popular today because essiv depr ic (man lar bipo of se relap the One drug, Lithium, prevents nts. evidence now that some mood and reduces the risk of suicide in patie causes of disorders. “There’s pretty good the t abou ries theo th heal tal men y orar ence that chemical There are several contemp riences,” Kramer said. “There is also evid expe l socia by y partl and tics gene by y mental illnesses are caused partl ia.” imbalances contribute to depression or man —Daniela Reichelstein

The Real Deal: Q&A with a

s with special needs

different life today if would be living a very have dropped out and IEP, I probably would

part of a program of 504 plans. 504 plans are nd, an IEP is a similar classes. On the other ha al ucation class to a norm rring from a special ed

rm tests and an IQ test. cluding standardized no be very time consuming nistering the tests can

dent meets during the ists, parents and the stu , g the student’s schedule ations, such as changin lp accommodations to he 04 plans and IEPs need ts, them more time on tes pecial needs by giving

ar, ring her sophomore ye eractivity Disorder. Du n horribly on tests,” Cartu me period. “I did really m such anxiety. nd no longer suffers fro nts ver, many of these stude ests like the SAT. Howe uld need a 504 plan.” yone on a 504 plan sho ll dents with 504 plans wi need them, all Gunn stu plans and IEPs. taking s, which could include ficant accommodation ards. ss. s and the study skills cla attends all regular classe bly ba told her, ‘You could pro ezing,” Smith said. “I I had t tha ht ug tho le th. Peop abeled me as a sociopa g things not my way.” t there d, “I get extensions, bu other classes, Smith sai off.” ause they know that I’m

The Oracle staff in terviewed Californi a-licensed clinical stay mentally heal psycholo thy.

clinical psychologist

gist Dr. Shirley Lo ng to find out how

students can The Oracle: How ca n students m aintai n a m entally health Shirley Long: A ba y lifestyle? lanced life to try to take care of all aspe friends and family, cts of your life. You exercise, have hobb want to have time to ies and sleep. Talk to have ways to manag study, socialize with people about your str e your stress and re es s, and don’t isolate yo lax yourself. urself. You need to TO: What are som e factors that contrib ute to unhealthy liv SL: Lack of sleep, irr ing habits? egular sleeping habit s, drinking coffee to and body image, socia wake up in the morni l isolation, never going ngs, too many concer out with friends, subs ns about food, weig tance abuse issues an ht, d not engaging in activ TO: What is the ro ities to relax oneself. le of a psychiatrist wh en dealing with ad SL: Psychiatrists us olescents that requ ually evaluate and m ire help dealing wi onitor the need for gists like myself, ev th m ental issues? medication for mor aluate and treat teens e se rious psychological ’ psychological prob medication, I will ca problems. Psycholo lems with talking th ll pediatricians to pr erapy. If I think patie escribe medicine. I root of the problem nts can benefit from would play the role and figure out how of an they really feel and alyzing, and helping how to deal with iss patients see the ues.

TO: What would yo u suggest to a teen in need of help?

SL: Psychological pr oblems, just like ph ysical illness, are un life. It is important avoidable issues we to treat them the sam all face in e way as to seeking a week and it won’t for help. If you have go away with taking a fever for Advil, you will go to chological problems see a doctor for sure should be treated the . Psysame way. If [you ar or anxiety for two e] suffering from de weeks, and you still pression feel depressed or an professional regard xious, you should tal ing the condition. Ea k to a rly intervention is th a shorter duration of e key to full remiss treatment. For exam ion and ple, if you ignore de and you may feel su pression, it may get icidal and be unable worse, to concentrate or re might be unable to m ember your studies, get up in the morni or you ng to go to school.

—Joyce Liu

—Compiled by Am

y Yu Graphic by Brian Phan

14

Features

The Oracle

Students legislate in Sacramento Teens participate in training camps, conferences in Youth and Government Niki Mata Reporter

Youth and Government, a YMCA-run program, gives teenagers the opportunity to increase their political involvement and attend large conventions in places like Sacramento and an isolated military base camp. It is designed to educate high school sophomores, juniors and seniors in California on the principles of a democratic government, and allows students to be a part of a mock senate and participate in mock court trials. In this model legislature, students debate, discuss, and role play. The team works up to a conference held in the state capitol building that occurs once a year.

“Some people just absolutely adore this program,” junior Youth and Government participant Monica Datta said. “I know it means a lot to them and I can see why.”

Several students from Gunn participate in Youth and Government program. As members of the program, they learn how different branches of the government work by participating in the mock legislature or court.

“We have our own governor and our own mock cabinet members,” Datta said.

“We have a mock assembly and a mock senate.”

At a typical weekly meeting, members start off with bonding. Following that,

they brainstorm about potential bills, and and decide which one they want to take on. potential officers work on their campaigns. At the second camp in January, they learn Sometimes, they even send bills to Gover- how to carry out those roles and they work nor Arnold Schwarzenegger. in groups on bills, cases and other mate“Meetings are hilarious most of the rial that they will eventually present at the time,” junior Youth and Government par- Sacramento conference. ticipant Meghna Dholakia said. “There’s a Datta, who attended the second training lot of yellca mp t h is ing. A lot ye a r, sa id of people that groups falling out generally of chairs.” played a lot A maof games tojor comgether. Her ponent of group in the Youth p a r t icu l a r a nd Govwas given ernment a fairly improgram portant job. is the trips “For my the memp a r t icu l a r bers make. section, we Courtesy of the Dholakia family got to elect Members attend two the speaker Youth and Government students assemble in training for the asthe Senate Chamber Gallery in Sacaramento. camps that sembly [of help prepare them for the large convention the conference],” she said. in Sacramento, during which members In February, delegates headed over to present bills or trials they have been work- Sacramento for their biggest conference at ing on throughout the session. which they presented bills and court cases At the first training camp, which occurs to fellow members across California. The over a weekend in the beginning of winter, model legislature lasted for five days. delegates learn about the various positions One of Datta’s favorite moments from available to them in Youth and Government the conference was when she gave a speech

for a sex-offender regulation bill in California and got to see it get passed in both the Assembly and Senate.

“No one argued against my bill so it got an almost unanimous vote,” Datta said. “I was pretty happy about that.”

Being involved in these kinds of conferences is helpful for youth for many reasons.

It creates a very diverse environment, according to Palo Alto YMCA Youth and Government advisor Tiffany Davidson.

“It builds self-confidence,” Davidson said. “It gives teens a form in which they can express their opinions in an open way.

You don’t have to be popular. This is a place where you can just be yourself and nobody judges you.”

Datta has had a positive experience with Youth and Government for various reasns.

“It’s a really good opportunity for public speaking,” Datta said. “I’m more politically aware. For example, we learned about the state budget deficit and now I know why our public school system is so bad.”

Recently, Dholakia was nominated for and elected president of the local Youth and Government chapter for next year.

Dholakia, who has been a member now for five years, joined the program after stumbling upon a brochure on the ground one day when she was at the local YMCA. As president, she will organize meetings and shape the direction the delegates will go year.

Club of the Month: Cricket Club

lem remaining is playing time and space. Senior club president Anand Gupta has yet to find a solution to the lack of equipment or playing fields. “We decided While many people believe that the softball field to move to Friday so that we would not conflict with is used exclusively for softball, softball which has games on Thursdays,” Gupta said. every Thursday the field trans“In order to maximize playing time during a limforms into a cricket pitch. ited amount of time, we’ve formed regular teams.”

With more than 20 students In addition, the club often has two games going attending the weekly lunch simultaneously to keep things competitive. meetings, the club is set Gupta received the inspiration to start to catapult itself into the the club while vacationing in India. “My mainstream. brother [sophomore James Gupta] Cricket is predominantly and I wanted to promote a sport played in the former Britwe’d been exposed to in India and ish Empire, and some England and had a lot of fun Americans wrongly asplaying there,” he said. “We sume it is “the British created the club to get others form of baseball.” In involved and have people cricket, the bowlto play against in a relaxed er bounces a hard environment.” Gupta also leather ball (in the plans to start playing muclub’s case, a tensic during the games to n is ba l l) towa rds make the experience more the batsman, in an exciting. attempt to hit the Members of the club wickets, which are enjoy the sport’s uniquewooden posts placed ness. “Since cricket is behind the batsman. The played almost everywhole ordeal occurs at a much where but America, it’s quicker pace than baseball, yet surprising that there’s games can take many more enoug h i nt e r e st a t hours and even days. Gunn’s Gunn,” senior memcricket club tries to include ber Apoorv Mathur every aspect of cricket in said. “It’s probably 25 minutes. because Gunn is so Each week the players multicultural.” That take turns bringing fact explains why wickets a nd bats, most of the mema nd wa l k-ins a re bers of the club have welcome and apsome r elat ion t o preciated. Once countries that play familiar with the cricket. “It’s a way e q u ip m e nt , t h e to have fun, and to game is easy to come together over pick up and play. Sophomore Cricket Club member James Gupta eyes the a common interest,” The only prob- ball as he winds up his cricket bat on the softball field.

Mathur said.

Noah Johnson

Forum Editor

Cosmo Sung

Features

Caroline Hodge Editor-in-Chief

“You have to take a nice deep breath in and release it when you throw the ball,” Adapted P.E. teacher Selena Hendrix-Smith said encouragingly as she coached junior David Bell to make the perfect shot.

Hendrix-Smith wasn’t coaching a player on the varsity basketball team on free throws. She was assisting Bell, who is in a wheelchair, to gently throw a basketball into an empty Rubbermaid trash can two feet away.

Bell is one of six students in Hendrix-Smith’s Adapted P.E. class. Because the students in the class have limited ranges of motion and have tight muscles as a result of their disabilities, the focus of the class is on movement, not skill acquisition.

“If they don’t move, their muscles get more stiff and it’s going to be harder on their body,” Hendrix-Smith explained. “It’s for their overall health—making them feel better. They enjoy moving, having fun just like everyone else.”

Students in the Adapted P.E. class complete various units in the year, just like in a general P.E. class. So far this year the class has done swimming, soccer, Fitness Center and scooter units. Hendrix-Smith has plans for Frisbee and Bacchi Ball in the spring.

To qualify for the Adapted P.E. class, students must have an Individualized Education Plan, or IEP, which is written for students who meet state and federal requirements for special education. Students in the class have a range of disabilities, including cerebral palsy, visual impairments and autism. Some are nonverbal or deaf.

There used to be Adapted P.E. programs at other Palo Alto Unified School District (PAUSD) schools, PAUSD Director of Student Services Carol Zepecki, who oversees special education, said. But when federal law changed in the mid-1990s, fewer students were placed in the program, and now Gunn is the only school in the district with an Adapted P.E. program.

Students with IEPs have the choice of general, modified, specially designed physical education, or Adapted P.E.,depending on their needs. “The law governing the IEP mandates that every opportunity is provided to students in the regular education program,” Zepecki said. “The IEP teams have to consider other methods of delivering physical education, and if they feel that because of that child’s particular needs, they need APE [Adapted P.E.], then they make that recommendation.”

Hendrix-Smith said she tries to see past the students’ disabilities. “When I look at student, I look at them as a whole person,” she said. “I don’t look at them and say this person has this and this person has that. They’re a person first to me and whatever need they have comes second.”

“The important thing is treating them with the dignity and respect that any other student on this campus deserves,” Hendrix-Smith added.

Hendrix-Smith sets movement goals for each student based on her yearly assessment of their cardio abilities, upper and lower body strength, posture, and flexibility. During each unit, she tries to touch on at least one of the goals of each student.

One student who has cerebral palsy is working on stretching his arms up toward his head. Others with visual impairment are working on focusing their eyes on the ball and identifying colors. “You do everything in a gradual process,” Hendrix-Smith said.

While the students often have a limited range of motion, Hendrix-Smith said she sees improvement throughout the year. During the hockey unit, Bell learned how to place his hockey stick in his lap so that it didn’t fall off when he wheeled himself over to the puck. “Things like that are big,” she said. “You do see progress.”

Hendrix-Smith has the help of five aides who assist students during the class. The aides provide constant encouragement to the students and participate in the class actively, often serving as examples to the students as to how to execute various stretches and drills. “Aides are a big part of making the class run smoothly,” Hendrix-Smith said. “It’s impossible to do it all by yourself.”

Monday, March 17, 2008

Aide Chandra Campbell, who has been working in the Adapted P.E. class for five years, said she is frustrated by the lack of funding for the program. She said she wishes the school could purchase “proper” Adapted P.E. equipment, including softer balls, balls with bells inside for visually impaired students, a new lift to help students in and out of the pool, and a room designated solely for the use of the Adapted P.E. students.

Hend r i xSmith, who is an Adapted P.E. Specialist with a credential from San Jose State, has been t e a ch i ng t h e class for three years, although the program has been around for 35 to 40 years, Zepecki said.

W hile the students spend the majority of their time working on stretching and motor skills, once a week they take a stroll around campus with the aides.

Walking on grass or uneven ground helps the students’ balance and walking skills, HendrixSmith said.

Once a month, the Adapted P.E. students join the rest of the students in the Orthopedically Handicapped (OH) program for an afternoon trip to Palo Alto Bowl along with other special education students from PAUSD. Visiting the bowling alley helps some of the students develop vocational and social skills, Orthopedically Handicapped teacher Janet Fox said.

“It’s a good place to share stories and adventures of the past weekend,” senior OH stuent Justin Steinberg said.

The Adapted P.E. students also prepare for the annual Kiwanis Special Games held at De Anza College in May. More than 700 students from Santa Clara County, including all the Orthopedically Handicapped students from Gunn, pa r ticipate in the games, Fox said.

Last year, Adapted P.E. student junior Sara Moussavian placed in all the events she participated in, including a softball event, Frisbee throw, and 50-yard dash. amd senior Kelli Lee held the torch at the Games.

Cosmo Sung

15

Adapted P.E. teacher Selena Hendrix-Smith (top left) leads freshmen Keith Kingston, Amber Levine and Angelica Irvine and juniors Jane Hinton and Kimberly Dvorak in stretching and warmup in the Dance Room as aides Mike VanDiver, Laurie Hubert and Liz Burke provide encouragement.

16

Entertainment

The Oracle

A T a s t e of theEast

The Oracle staff highlights Asian cuisine near you Cosmo Sung

u s h i t o m o

Cosmo Sung

Only a mile away from Gunn, Sushi Tomo is located at 4131 El Camino Way. The service is friendly but somewhat slow, which suits the laid-back atmosphere. On regular nights, there are a few tables, as well as a sushi bar, open for seating.

It is not the best idea to eat at Sushi Tomo if fruits and vegetables are a must in your diet. Consisting mostly of carbohydrates and meat, Sushi Tomo is not ideal for those who like a balanced meal.

Otherwise, the choices vary greatly.

There are over 40 different kinds of sushi rolls, such as the New York roll ($3.50) and the caterpillar roll ($7.95).

If you want high quality sushi, however, don’t bother coming—you get what you pay for. The fish is not as fresh as it could be and the taste is not impressive.

The few vegetarian dishes include vegetable udon ($6.95), inari ($1.75) and green salad. The chicken teriyaki is superb, and the sashimi combo dinner is excellent for those craving the taste of raw fish.

If you are up for dessert after finishing your meal, give their green tea ice cream a try. The ice cream blends a hint of bittersweetness with a frozen yogurt flavor, an irresistible combination that only leaves you wanting more of this delicious treat.

Although it is not the best or fanciest sushi restaurant around, Sushi Tomo is a great place for casual gatherings with friends and family.

—Alicia Zhou

S

s u s h i

g r i l l

The store gives out frequent buyer cards, which are stamped for every drink purchased. After ten stamps, customers get a free drink. There is a Tired of Jamba Juice and Starbucks? Then separate wing in the shop separate from the try pearl milk tea, also known as boba milk counter where customers can sit to enjoy their tea or bubble tea, a drink that will satisfy your drinks and food, or surf the net on the Wi-Fi thirst. Pearl milk tea is made of black tea with connection. milk and chewy balls of tapioca, referred to as Just down the street from Tapioca Express “pearls.” According to the Web site “What’s lies Verde Tea Espresso Bar, commonly reCooking America”, pearl milk tea originated ferred to as Verde. The milk teas there, which in Taiwan in the 1980s and is now a “new cost around $2.50, taste very fresh because drink craze.” they are made on the spot. The frothiness of the Located in Mountain View are two pearl drinks is a part of what makes Verde unique. milk tea stores familiar to Compared to the drinks at Gunn students: Tapioca ExTapioca Express, however, the press and Verde Tea Espresso tea is weaker and sweeter and Bar. tastes more like tea than milk.

Tapioca Express, known Verde offers snacks including by many students as “Tap Ex,” salty fried chicken, cuttlefish balls has a large menu, with items and toast with different spreads. ranging from pearl milk teas The shop building was renovated (around $2.50 each) to snow about a year ago, and, although bubble drinks (usually $2.75 or Verde tends to look more sophisti$3.00) to snacks like salty fried cated when compared to the bright chicken. colors of Tapioca Express, it can The teas are usually pre-made become cramped easily. and kept in a cooler so they can Verde offers “credit cards” for cusbe served quickly. They contain tomers. For every $25 that is added to more milk than tea, and conthe card, Verde adds five extra dollars to sequently have a strong milky the card’s balance. aftertaste. The pearls have Tapioca Express is located a chewy consistency but are at 740 Villa Street in Mountain occasionally a little harder “Tap Ex” serves pearl milk tea, View. Verde is a short walk snow bubble drinks and more. away, at 852 Villa Street. than is desired.

Amy Yu

Reporter

r i c e

a n d

k e

a

Getting your pearl milk tea fix

b r o w n

S u s h i

y

Looking for a healthy and interesting meal? Homma’s Brown Rice Sushi at 2363 Birch Street. offers a great dining experience.

Homma’s sticks to the basics keeps sushi simple. All rolls made are made with brown rice, which is healthier and more flavorful than white rice. While some think that brown rice takes away from the flavor of the fish, at Homma’s it enhances the overall flavor.

The menu finds a nice balance between being too overwhelming and having too few choices. Homma’s offers options for all kinds of sushi eaters. The most popular roll is the Spicy-Tekka-Avo (Spicy Tuna with Avocado). The prices are very reasonable, about $3.50 for each small roll, and up to $8 for a variety plate.

I ordered the brown rice salad, an interesting alternative to sushi. The salad was a generous portion of mixed greens, vegetables and rice in a light sesame dressing. I also tried the spicy tuna rolls with avocado. The tuna was fresh with a hint of spice. I enjoyed my meal, and best of all, it cost less than $20 with tip.

This tiny restaurant is hard to find and only has four tables and one chef.

The chef is meticulous while making the sushi, which can cause slow service and long waits. However, Homma’s takes the majority of their orders over the phone to eliminate the waiting process and increase customer satisfaction.

—Mari Ju

H o m m a ’ s

i

N a o m i

If you’ve got an open mind, wallet and stomach, check out Naomi Sushi and Grill. The cozy atmosphere welcomes all customers with friendly waiters as well as a wide variety of delicious food.

The restaurant, located at 1328 El Camino Real in Menlo Park, has a small sushi bar and several other tables that can fit 20 or 30 more. A seat at the bar allows customers to watch the chefs at work. The waiters are very friendly and give excellent recommendations.

In addition to the wide variety of sushi and sashimi, including a “make it yourself” option, Naomi offers salads, pasta and grilled meats for the non-fish eaters.

One of its most popular dishes is the Omakase dinner, which comes in the traditional size ($40 per person) with three appetizers, sushi and dessert, and the deluxe size ($55 per person) which has five appetizers. Despite the price, it is definitely something to taste for those willing to try a little bit of everything.

The traditional Omakase dishes consist of a seafood salad, a grilled dish with lamb, mahi mahi and tempura, a spicy dish with oyster, tuna and salmon, a sashimi dish and a light dessert. Each of these dishes is different from normal Japanese dishes, as they are spiced up with different exquisite flavors.

On most weekends, Naomi is not too crowded. This restaurant is a great choice for open-minded individuals.

—Jeffrey Wang

m

My first trip to Miyake’s sushi restaurant was a bit nerve-racking because I wasn’t sure how much money I needed in order to have a satisfying dinner with my family. However, the food turned out to be excellent for the average sushi eater and well-priced for those on a budget.

For dinner, we ordered a variety of food, including salmon teriyaki, tempura and a variety of rolls. The presentation of the food was fairly simple. Rolls were placed in a round Japanese-style circular tray, while entrées were served on a generic white plate. The food itself tasted delicious. The rolls had plenty of filling, and the portions were very generous.

The waiters did not speak English very well and were unprofessional. However, the delivery of the food was fast. Our food arrived less than ten minutes after ordering.

The atmosphere was fairly chaotic and noisy. Many college students filled the tables, and “sake bombs” (an event where the lights shut off, a disco ball comes out and people chant for an individual to down a cup of sake placed in a cup of beer) happened frequently.

The meal was very well priced for Japanese food. A family of four can eat for less than $50 including tax and tip.

If one is looking for good, fairly cheap Japanese food, Miyake is the perfect place to go. It is located at 140 University Ave. in Palo Alto.

—Ryan Tan

Recipe of the Month chocolate candied oranges

What you’ll need:

6 thick-skinned Valencia or navel oranges 4 1/2 cups sugar, plus extra for rolling 1 1/2 cups water Chocolate—about one large bar, for dipping

What to do:

1. Whisk the sugar with the water in a pan on the stove. Bring to a simmer

and cook eight to nine minutes. While the sugar is cooking, wash and slice the oranges about a quarter of an inch thick. You should get around three to four slices per orange depending on the thickness of the slice and size of the orange.

2. Once the sugar is cooked, add the peels and simmer gently. Cook until the slices are translucent and appear to have shrunken in towards the middle.

This should take about 45 minutes. While cooking, flip the slices with a clean spoon, but touch them as little as possible.

Let the slices dry on a rack for Jon Proctor four to five hours.

3. To cover your sweets in chocolate, melt chocolate in the microwave.

Be careful not to burn it; one to two minutes should be enough. Stir the chocolate and keep adding little bits of chocolate until no more of it will melt. This is called seeding, a tempering technique which will keep the chocolate from separating when it dries. Now, quickly dip the orange slices into the chocolate and let them dry on a rack.

4. Store the candies in a bed of sugar which will soak up the extra juice and keep them dry. Don’t throw away the syrup you boiled the oranges in. It’s amazing added to iced tea or sparkling water.

—compiled by Jon Proctor

Entertainment

Monday, March 17, 2008

17

Battle of the Theaters: The Oracle staff debates LARGE Anne Hsiao Reporter

As you walk into the building, to your left is the arcade room, with techno lights and loud music emanating from it. Right in front of you is a huge area filled with buttery popcorn, sizzling hot dogs and shelves full of candy. Just from this description, you may know what I’m talking about. Large movie theaters.

The audience is a huge factor when watching movies at theaters. Sure, there are always the obnoxious fools who laugh at the most inopportune moments and idiots that make dumb comments, but there are also those moments when the whole audience laughs, cries or shouts at the same time. When a much-anticipated movie comes out, the tension and excitement in the air is almost palpable and sometimes you just have to share that excitement with somebody else.

Through the good and the bad of the movie, the other audience members are there, contributing to that feeling of warmth that engulfs you. A problem with smaller theaters is the fact that there can never be that many people in the theater with you.

Large movie theaters are better than smaller ones even before you

enter the actual building. Have you ever felt like watching something different than what you originally went for? Suddenly up for a comedy when you came for an action movie? At large theaters, you have the choice of watching a different movie because there is a huge selection to choose from.

In small theaters, however, there are not many choices if you have a change of heart. If the tiny theater is packed, you have to choose between spending your money on something else that you may not want to watch at all or leaving. Last, but not least, is food. Remember neon blue ice slushies, boxes of candy, and those bags filled with buttery, freshly popped and fattening popcorn?

Wit h a l l t h is food, watch i ng movies naturally becomes a better experience. Usually, smaller theaters do not carry foods that require heating and the assortment of candy cannot compare to that of big theaters.

So, why would you want to go to little movie theaters when you could enjoy a wonderful moviewatching environment, countless choices and a wide assortment of food?

Big movie theaters are the only place to go if you want to enjoy every aspect of the movie-watching experience.

SMALL Aviel Chang Reporter

Back in the day, theaters had one screening room and held weekly midnight showings of low-budget f licks. Nowadays, smaller theaters like the Aquarius in Palo Alto are a dying breed.

Because they don’t show the latest Hollywood blockbusters, people don’t even consider going to smaller theaters when deciding whether or not to see a movie. It’s a shame because smaller theaters give the true cinematic experience that you won’t find in a regular theater.

I can see why people would rather go to theaters such as Cinemark or AMC; these theaters have bigger premieres, more movies, better screens and projectors and tons of advanced traits—like 3-D picture and surround sound.

However, these exterior distractions often divert people’s views from the real purpose of going to the theater: watching movies.

When movies go on to make hundreds of millions of dollars, it just encourages studios to release more of the same garbage. Those types of films all have plenty

spring concert preview • April. 2: Bon Jovi HP Pavillion: San Jose • April 3: My Chemical Romance Warfield: San Francisco • April 6: Yellowcard Great American Music Hall: San Francisco • April 8: Jimmy Eat World and Paramore San Jose State Event Center Arena: San Jose • April 11: Rascal Flatts and Taylor Swift HP Pavillion: San Jose • April 18: Kanye West HP Pavillion: San Jose —Compiled by Andrea Yung

topten excuses for not wearing green

—Compiled by Veronica Polivanaya

Dezmon Hunter

10) Oh, I forgot.

9) Why would I wear a Paly color?

8) I don’t own anything green.

7) My underwear is green...do you really want to see that?!

6) Wait, it’s St. Patrick’s day already?

5) My eyes are green.

4) I hate Mondays.

3) I had a green sticker...somewhere...

2) Green clashes with my skin tone.

1) My binder reminder didn’t tell me this!

of money’s-worth of effects, but lack the heart of true, lower-budget films.

Movies with commendable acting, dialogue, style and other factors often get pushed aside and miss the public’s eye. Films such as There Will Be Blood and The Darjeeling Limited did not have huge special effects, but had many admirable elements that moviegoers would be able to enjoy at any theater, not just the big ones.

People should look to see what is showing in smaller theatres, such as the Aquarius or Ciné Arts at Palo Alto Square. Great Oscar-winning movies such as Juno and No Country for Old Men, as well as contemporary classics such as Once premiered and had extended runs in smaller theaters in the Bay Area.

Overall, the types and quality of movies are the biggest reasons why smaller theaters have the upper hand over mainstream theaters.

You can find better but more obscure films in smaller theaters that regular theaters would never offer. In addition, the experience at smaller theaters is simply more authentic.

With no distractions, and a different type of audience, smaller theaters provide the true, experience needed to watch and completely enjoy a film.

18

Entertainment

The Oracle

Great-niece of counterfeit speaks

Maya Itah “Your great-uncle was a hero.”

That’s what I grew up hearing. Almost every little kid wants to be associated with bravery and valor, and I—fully prepared to brag about this important piece of information—was no exception. I was taught to tell the truth, though.

So I told people that I was the ‘great-niece of a counterfeiter.

My family values interesting stories, and from a young age, I’ve heard about my great-uncle’s role in what remains the biggest counterfeiting operation in history. Adolf Burger—better known to me by his Hebrew name, Avri—forged baptism certificates for Jews until he was caught by the Gestapo and sent to Auschwitz. After surviving a mass execution and various medical experiments, the Nazis recruited him for an operation to forge British and American money and topple both countries’ economies.

That’s where his movie role begins.

“The Counterfeiters,” the Austrian movie that snagged an Oscar this year for Best Foreign Film, was based on a memoir Avri Burger wrote.

Needless to say, I was excited to see it—I was also beyond scared. I’m no stranger to the Holocaust, but the idea of the usual distant horrors suddenly becoming personal made me slightly queasy.

To my great amusement, the director made my great-uncle the film’s moral pillar. He appears later in the film as the antithesis to the main character: a cynical, fairly unethical criminal named Salomon Sorowitsch. One of the first things he says to Salomon is, “The real criminals are the capitalists” (alternately: “I am the token Communist, hear me roar!”) He laments being kept in relative luxury, and later leads an effort to sabotage the counterfeiting operation. His rebellion brings up the movie’s main moral dilemma: is it right to cooperate and save the group, or to rebel and potentially put fellow prisoners at risk?

Most people think he’s nuts. At one point, he gets beaten up by fellow prisoners who fear he’ll be the end of them. But Burger shows foresight when he figures out that the Nazis are running out of steam. Idealistically hoping to kill the operation before the war’s end, Burger refuses to counterfeit properly—even when confronted with a forge-or-die ultimatum.

The director’s portrayal is not entirely correct, though. Avri did play a significant part in the sabotage, but it was small, and he certainly did not talk about prisoner uprisings. For him, the biggest reason for slowing the Nazi operation was staying alive—he knew that the moment he had no special use, he would be killed. (One thing I won’t deny­—the whole randomly-insultingcapitalists thing was quite accurate.)

I winced whenever Avri was shown being beaten; each punch felt like a blow to my entire family. But the movie’s most painful moments come from past events: lost relatives, lost dignity, and—for the young ones—lost opportunity. The morally compromising situation the prisoners are put in forces them to question what it means to be a decent human being.

To be completely honest, I’ve never actually met Avri. I’ve had lengthy conversations with all of his siblings, but I’ve never been able to tell him how much his history means to me. Most of his character’s actions in the movie reminded me eerily of things my mother always taught me: remember the plights of others, stand tall in the face of authority and never give up on life. This summer, my family is planning to go to Prague to visit him, and I already know what my first words to his translator will be.

“So you played ping pong with SS officers?”

I’ll get to the deep stuff later.

—Itah, a junior, is a Centerfold Editor.

PENELOPE: Poke your nose into this fairy tale

Danielle Aspitz A magical fairy tale, posed towards older girls, “Penelope” is definitely out of the ordinary.

The film appeals to teenagers by touching on what so many students struggle with during their adolescence. The story begins with a witch chanting a spell on the next daughter born to the Wilhern family; she shall have a pig face until “someone of her own kind” loves her. The mother is off on a hunt for the right man from day one, bringing in every royal suitor in the country. Catherine O’Hara does a great job acting the nervous mother, who only wants the best for her daughter. The distressed anxiety O’Hara portrays as Mrs. Wilhern is very convincing, and a great exaggeration of the stereotypical perfectionist mother.

Locked up in her room, Penelope has been raised to believe that she is not as gruesome as her face and that, despite the millions of suitors who fled upon seeing her, she is not repulsive. Penelope, however, is miserable and longs to step outside her sheltered life. Her overprotective mother will not allow her out of the house and goes above and beyond to save

Penelope from herself.

The fairy tale theme is often misjudged as childish, but screenwriter Leslie Caveny weaves many teen-related problems into the plot, making the story more fitting for middle and high school-aged students. The idea of being locked up by over-protecting parent will elicit sympathy from many students who long for independence. Also, the belief that one must find the perfect suitor, or boyfriend, is common in high school.

The main theme Caveny emphasizes is that of accepting who you are and liking it. This is a theme that too many brush off as cliché. It truly is important to like who you are, because whether you like yourself or not, you will still be stuck with yourself for your entire life.

Penelope has been repeatedly told how hideous her nose is and been instructed to look past that, but her nose is still a part of who she is and until she accepts it, she cannot just look past it. Many students deal with insecurities. The key is to realize that whatever that thing is, it does not have to define you. Girls are brought up to idolize one perfect image of a young woman that they feel they all have to one day become, and in truth nobody ever does become that perfect Barbie, but some find they are perfect with themselves and that can often appear like perfection, even when there are minor imperfections.

Perfect is quite a cliché word in itself, but actress Christina Ricci manages to portray Penelope in such a way that she is

beautiful, despite her pig-face. Penelope begins as a stumbling, insecure little girl, but Ricci masters the slowly gaining confidence in her voice and gestures. Slowly, Penelope matures and learns to accept herself, and have some fun.

James McAvoy acts as one of Penelope’s suitors, and he too starts out as a stumbling fool. He is slowly inspired by the mysterious Penelope and begins to make changes in himself. His debts and terrible gambling habit pull him down, as well as the fact that he is not a blue-blood, but still he and Penelope end up in love. The charming young actor knows he can’t break the spell, but plays along anyway, not quite knowing what he is getting himself into.

The plot is romantic enough for a chickflick and comical enough for perhaps a handful of guys. The plot deals with some undercover mischief as nosy journalists try to publish Penelope’s story. Director Mark Palansky finds incredible camera angles for the majority of the shots; in the park he starts and ends in the trees staring up at the sky, and then comes down to encompass the deep, mysterious lake.

The room set-up is also very creative with a swing in the center and scenic window covers so that Penelope can remain hidden from the outside world. The film crew added a lot to the film, and if the plot is not enough, then the set and camera work add a significant amount to the feeling and symbolism of the film.

—Aspitz, a junior, is a reporter.

Theater delivers Shakespeare to masses

every day running through and blocking the play. “Being in a play is tiring, frustrating and difficult,” senior Gavin Morgan, who plays Polixenes, said, “but when you get on Although one could take a lengthy trip to watch a live stage and you whip out this character, there’s very little in Shakespearean play, the theater department prevented this the world [like it].” unnecessary journey with its annual spring show. This year, Ranging from instrumental Chinese tunes to an acapella theater teacher and director Jim Shelby decided to showcase trio, the show’s songs appealed to some audience members, one of Shakespeare’s plays, “The Winter’s Tale.” such as sophomore Angela Yang. “The sound effects were With more than 45 actors and 75 different costumes, the really good,” she said, “I also liked the singing because it play started out with a tragic beginning and slowly lightened was really pretty.” The Time Trio, which consisted of seup over time. The king of Sicilia (Leontes) and the king of niors Alexandra Codina, Iris Latour and Chloe Zelkha, sang Bohemia (Polixenes), are friends whose relationship falls throughout the scenes, setting the mysterious and ancient apart due to Leontes’ jealousy. He believes that his beloved mood with their captivating melody. wife, Hermione, secretly loves Polixenes and carries his Unlike most plays, The Winter’s Tale seated the audience child. Thus, Leontes does everything in his power to pun- on the actual stage instead of below the stage. Hempstead ish the two. Later, he realizes his mistakes and regrets them, said that she and Shelby decided to arrange the seating difbut it is not until 16 years later that his daughter, Perdita, ferently because they wanted to “unsettle” the audience. and Polixenes’ son, Florizel, help reunite the two friends. “We really wanted the audience to be out of their comfort “It’s basically about the next zone,” Hempstead said. generation bringing both “People are used to Shakefamilies together,” sophospeare being boring stale more Michelle Lalonde, who and predictable and we played the First Gentleman, wanted it to be very new said. and shocking.”

The first half of the play This ar rangement is set in Sicilia and for the turned out to be quite a most part, fairly dramatdisadvantage for some of ic, while the second half the audience members. is set in Bohemia and is “I didn’t like the seating much more comedic. Senior arrangement because it Student Director Katelyn was uncomfortable and Hempstead said that workawkward and we couldn’t ing with such different acts see what was happening in one play was a challenge. on the ground,” Yang said.

“It’s very difficult because Some people who were the first half is incredibly warned about this even serious drama and everybrought pillows simply thing has to happen really to make the chairs more fast—the jealousy, the becomfortable. trayal,” Hempstead said.

In general, cast mem“The second half is this bers like Hempstead were really lighthearted pastoral very pleased with how the comedy and you just have to play turned out. “It’s a very make the transition obvious challenging play but if and but not jarring.” when you get it right, it’s Ivan Yong Rehearsals started right so rewarding,” she said. after winter break and the Senior Michael Shomron and junior Maev Lowe perform in “And I feel like we’ve gotcast spent about three hours The Winter’s Tale. It ran through March 15 in Spangenberg. ten a lot of it right.”

Alicia Zhao Reporter

Entertainment

Monday, March 17, 2008

DAY TRIPPIN’:

19

Friends? Check.

Camera? Check.

The Oracle staff profiles fun one-day spots around the Bay Area

Monterey

San Francisco

The great attractions and activities of the seaside city of Monterey are only 90 minutes south of Palo Alto. Some of the top sites include the Monterey Bay Aquarium, Cannery Row, Fisherman’s Wharf, 17 Mile Drive and the National Steinbeck Center.

The Monterey Bay Aquarium is known for its interactive exhibits that display a variety of animals including otters, fish, jellyfish and octopus. Currently, visitors can enjoy the “Wild About Otters” exhibit, which features ten otters from Africa and Asia. Other attractions at the aquarium are the daily activities, which include the aquarium staff feeding the animals and films discussing the dangers of sharks and over-fishing.

Once home to sardine canning factories in the 1900s, the waterfront district of Cannery Row is now a popular tourist destination. The beaches along Cannery Row have a large population of California Sea Lions, and the area has many hotels, restaurants and shops.

Another historic site is Old Fisherman’s Wharf in downtown Monterey. The wharf has restaurants, shops and tours, including glass bottom boat tours, sailing, deep-sea fishing trips and whale watching tours. Visitors can enjoy wonderful, fresh seafood at many of the local restaurants.

Monterey is also known for its beautiful natural scenery.

The sights along 17 Mile Drive are particularly breathtaking. In addition to the gorgeous views, there are many golf courses on 17 Mile Drive.

Monterey County is home to the National Steinbeck Center, in honor of the famous local author, John Steinbeck. The Center includes many exhibits and three distinct experiences:Literature in the John Steinbeck Exhibition Hall, Agriculture & History in the new Valley of the World agricultural wing and Art & Culture in the Gabilan Gallery.

Getting to and around San Francisco is very easy. There are many different forms of public transportation, including the CalTrain, Muni, BART, trolleys and public busses.

Driving and walking are always options as well.

The downtown area is a shopper’s paradise. Stores range from the upscale Saks Fifth Avenue to the less expensive H&M. Market Street also hosts Westfield Mall. Nearby is the famous Metreon, which is home to an IMAX Theatre and Sony store.

In the far north of the city is Fisherman’s Wharf and Pier 39. From fantastic restaurants to sightseeing, there are plenty of things to do there. You can see the sea lions who lie on the docks, watch boats out on the bay or take a bay cruise tour and gain access to the famous Alcatraz Island.

You can also explore the Maritime Museum and the U.S.S. Pampanito, a fully restored WWII submarine.

Haight-Ashbury is one of the most famous areas of San Francisco. Known for its hippie roots— it is the birthplace of Grateful Dead and hosted the Summer of Love in 1967 — Haight-Ashbury has kept some of its bohemian flavor.

Though it has calmed down greatly in the realm of drugs and violence, you can still explore the roots of the hippie days though funky shops and emporiums. You can also go see the Grateful Dead’s former house (710 Ashbury Street) and eat ice cream at Ben & Jerry’s on the corner of Haight Street and Ashbury Street.

At the very end of Haight Street is the famous Amoeba Music store, and past that is Golden Gate Park, which hosts many outdoor concerts and festivals. People frequently picnic in the park as well.

The north of the city is home to the gorgeous Presidio area and San Francisco’s most prominent landmark, the Golden Gate Bridge. The Presidio is run by the National Park Service and is home to a wide range of wildlife.

—Beth Holtzman

—Alana Alfrey

Santa Cruz

Located next to the ocean and 30 miles south of San Jose is Santa Cruz. Santa Cruz is a fun place to visit for all ages. Beach or Boardwalk? Museum or mall? There’s a fun attraction for everyone.

Besides all the tourist attractions, Santa Cruz is a university town with many places to relax, eat and enjoy the ocean air. Santa Cruz has four main museums­—the Museum of Art and History Santa Cruz, the Santa Cruz Museum of Natural History, the Santa Cruz Surfing Museum and the Santa Cruz Harley-Davidson Museum.

For prospective students, the University of Santa Cruz (UCSC), ranked 15th out of 60 in a survey conducted to find the percentage of students whose bachelor’s degree led to a doctorate, is a great place to visit.

The most famous attraction is the Santa Cruz Boardwalk.

With mini golf, bowling, video games, thrill rides and much more, it is a great place for everyone to have fun. Boardwalk shops that sell souvenirs, jewelry and shells, are great places for people-watching and window-shopping.

Pacific Garden Mall, which is downtown, is surrounded by a variety of fun places including restaurants, bars, clubs and movie theaters.

Although your day might be long, there is no need to starve. The Walnut Avenue Cafe serves breakfast all day long. Another good spot is The Dolphin, a small restaurant on the pier. Its excellent location gives diners an amazing view of the ocean (watch out for diving seals) while waiting for high quality, freshly cooked treats like clam chowder and fish and chips.

For evening entertainment, a popular spot is the Boardwalk Bowl. Whether to celebrate a birthday, listen to music, sing karaoke or just bowl and enjoy refreshments at the bar, it is a good way to end a day in Santa Cruz.

—Anna Luise Zott

Graphic by Dezmon Hunter

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Sports

The Oracle

Lacrosse begins new season

Squad employs new strategies to ensure record wins Aurelle Amram News Editor

With a new coach, new strategies and intensive practice, the lacrosse team is hoping their new strategies will take them all the way to the Central Coast Section (CCS) championship.

Pete Carolan, the new coach, has outlined a few specific goals for the team. “The two major goals are to make the league final four, allowing us to compete for the league championship,” he said, “and the second is to have a winning record and a winning attitude.” Gunn made it to leagues last year after a 7-7-1 record, so senior center co-captain Paige Lin said that she thinks that making it to the playoffs again this year is also a reachable goal. Carolan also had three more minor goals for the team, including winning their first league game against Leland on March 14, beating Menlo-Atherton, who won the league last year, on May 2, and beating rival Paly, who they will play on March 20.

The team lost the opening game against Leland 8-10, but Lin is not discouraged. “It’s a step in the right direction,” she said. “But there is room for improvement.”

Carolan has introduced new strategies and conditioning methods in order to achieve these goals.

“I’ve been taught that lacrosse comes first and conditioning comes with time and effort,” he said. “This is also why a team should be as deep as possible. If you pull a girl

off and another girl comes in, the team should continue to play just as well in terms of lacrosse fundamentals—every girl will be prepared to do so. Being able to run a marathon doesn’t score goals.” Carolan has brought in sprints and plyometrics and decreased the amount of longdistance running.

However, Lin thinks less focus on long-distance running may not be best. “A lacrosse field is the same size as a football field,” she said. “You need to be able to run; otherwise people get tired on the field.”

The new playbook will also be important to the team this season.

“How well they learn and trust the plays will determine how well they do,” Carolan said. Senior attack wing Camille Chesavage thinks the plays are one of the team’s strongest advantages. “The plays are easy to learn and will help us dominate,” she said. “They’re different from what the other teams have.” The new playing style is more similar to boys’ lacrosse than in the past, according to Lin, which she attributes to having a male coach for the first time. “It’s a more open offense, with more focus on fundamentals,” she said.

The team hopes that its strong chemistry will help it this season.

“They’re not a bunch of strangers,” Carolan said. “They all know each other really well.”

Chesavage agreed that their bond is the best asset the team has. “We have great teamwork,” she said.

Matthew Lee

The Titans’ gameplay and practice will not focus as heavily on conditioning as much as having depth in the roster so that every player substituted in will be just as effective as the player coming out. Senior co-captains Jinnyi Pak and Paige Lin (left) are two of the team’s more notable starters as attack wing and center, respectively.

Chesavage is afraid that communication issues will counteract their teamwork. “Sometimes there are multiple people trying to do differ-

ent things and we don’t coordinate well,” she said.

Lin agrees that the team’s communication could use work. “We

have a really strong defensive unit because a lot of it is returning,” she said. “But we do need to work on communication.”

Titans stop late rally, revive offensive play Stephen Salazar Sports Editor

Endurance was a crucial factor in the Titans’ low-scoring contest against the Castilleja Gators. The Titans were able to diffuse a late Castilleja rally and hold on for a slim 6-5 victory. “[Endurance] played a lot into it,” senior center Paige Lin said. “We actually don’t do a lot of running during practice, so some girls just have to dig deep to finish the game.”

The Titans displayed great speed and cunning defense in the beginning of the game, and scored the first goal. After this quick start, the Titans took a hasty 3-0 lead.

Throughout the initial scoring run, the Titans kept the ball mostly on Castilleja’s half of the field, due in part to a particularly tenacious offense in the beginning of the first half, taking the pressure off of senior goalkeeper Katie Sincheck and the rest of the defense.

After the first half, the Titans held a close, yet convincing 3-1 lead at halftime. However, Castilleja would not go down easily. “We were a little surprised they came back so strong in the second half considering it was their first game,” Lin said.

The Titans’ stalwart defense from the first half slowed down a bit in the second half, allowing the Gators to catch up, scoring again to slim the lead down to one goal.

A slower offense in the second half allowed Castilleja to keep the ball on the Titans’ half of the field more and increase

the pressure on the defense.

The Titans’ defense only allowed one goal for the entire first half, but also allowed three halfway through the second half.

With a 5-4 lead late in the game, the Titans had to score another goal to seal the victory. The second half rally by the Gators, though, was not over yet. With little time left in the game, the Gators were able to tie up the game at 5-5.

The Titans were in need of a goal in order to avoid a tie, and a losing league record. The team’s offense stepped up in the final minutes of the game, and once again were able to keep the ball on Castilleja’s half.

With time winding down and a couple of wild shots going out of bounds, senior attack wing Camille Chesavage eventually fired a shot in with a couple minutes left and put the Titans ahead 6-5.

The last goal put a dent in the Gators’ rally, and the Titans’ defense was able to hold on to the lead until the end for the victory.

Even in this low-scoring game, Chesavage managed to lead the team with two goals in the game. Junior Danielle Steinman, senior Jinnyi Pak and Lin also contributed to the Titans’ scoring with a goal each.

The Titans’ next home game will not be until April 1, when they will host the game against the Menlo Knights. Though this game was only the second Santa Clara Valley Athletic League (SCVAL) contest of the season, the Titans will be well into league play by the time they face off against the Knights.

Matthew Lee

Senior attack wing Jinnyi Pak gets ready to take the ball into Castilleja territory to set up another goal. The Titans succeeded in keeping the ball on the offensive side of the field, making the job easier for the defense.

Varsity Roster Lisa Aguilar (11) Chloe Glenard (11) Sera Boerger (11) Nicole Hemenway (10) Lizzy Burhenne (10) Casey Kohlberg (11) Camille Chesavage (12) Shelly Kousnetz (10) Kelsey Cranmer-Brown (11) Erica Lien (12) Christine de Banate (12) Paige Lin* (12) Olga Galperin (12) Jinnah Pak (11)

Jinnyi Pak* (12) Ari Parikh (11) Julia Saper (11) Katie Sinchek (12) Meagan Steinkamp (12) Danielle Steinman (11) * denotes co-captain

Sports

Monday, March 17, 2008

21

Students abuse preps for sports

Jon Proctor

Courtesy of the Einfalt family

The baseball team huddles during a scrimmage game against San Mateo. The Titans won 8-3 and now have an overall record of 1-6. The next game is against Summit Preparatory on Wednesday at 4 p.m.

Baseball pitches new plan Danielle Aspitz Reporter

“[The baseball team] had a rough start, but we are getting better,” junior right fielder Taylor Hopkins said.

Coach Scott Einfalt became the new assistant coach this year, and the players agree that he knows the game and what he’s talking about. “I’ve played all through my youth, and up through my freshman year in college,” Einfalt said.

“I would call [coaching at Gunn] a delight for me,” he said.

“I find it extremely challenging but also very rewarding.” The team lost a number of players to college last year; it is steadily re-building.

According to senior first baseman Kyle Einfalt, this is a recovery year for the team. His father has coached him before but he admitted, “it’s kind of weird having him as coach [at Gunn].”

The father-son coaching relationship typically involves the coach putting more pressure on the son.

As a baseball player and father, Coach Einfalt knows Kyle best and knows his potential. “I was involved with a team when Kyle was in Pony Baseball and they didn’t have much, but they experienced a wave and rode it all the way and made it to the top,” he said.

According to the team, Coach Einfalt has been doing a great job as well. “He’s good since the main coach isn’t always there because he has to work some days,” Hopkins said. “Coach Einfalt

comes in and he helps a lot.”

The key to the team is teamwork, helping one another to put out its best. “We are pretty much all good friends so there is good chemistry,” Hopkins said. The team knows that by helping each other out, they can look past losses and continue to push forward.

“We lost to Westmont 11-2, but it was good that we lost by that much, because our team needs to know that we can’t always win and we have to work extremely hard to compete in such a difficult league,” Einfalt said.

Los Altos was another extremely tough opponent, and also a Central Coast Section (CCS) champion just last year. The game was difficult but in coach Einfalt’s eyes, “It was by far our best performance. This team was a CCS winner last year and the fact that our boys ran right beside them and put up a fight is incredible to me.”

The spirit they have on the field helps the team work towards their ultimate goal. “We hope to make it to CCS,” Hopkins said.

“We know we are the underdog team, but that is our goal, and we definitely want to beat Palo Alto High school.”

“This is really a neat pool of athletes, a lot of good chemistry,” coach Einfalt said, commenting on the potential of the diverse players. With a goal to compete and the strength to push through a tough schedule, the team is still knows it won’t win all of it’s games. Coach Einfalt is very proud of the players and optimistic about the season: “I like karma, I like mojo and if you got it, a lot of amazing things can happen.”

Winter Sports Awards night winners Boys’ Soccer Most Valuable Player (MVP): Charles Linares Most Improved Player (MIP): Joseph Welch Coach’s Award (CA): Sterling Hancock

Boys’ Basketball MVP: Kyle Perricone MVP: Richard Wiley MIP: Gus Brennan

Cheer CA: Michelle Cho CA: Clara Steitz CA: Selena Slavenburg

Girls’ Soccer MVP: Mariah Cannon MIP: Emilie Jackson MIP: Megan Carothers

Girls‘ Basketball MVP: Jasmine Evans MIP: Tamar Cartun CA: Neva Hauser CA: Taylor McAdam

Wrestling MVP: Nic Giaccia MIP: Stefan Weidermann CA: Phil Park

Song CA: Caroline Mercer CA: Netta Gal-Oz

—Compiled by Mari Ju

Central Coast Section winter sports update Wrestling: • 16th place in CCS Standings.

• Ten wrestlers qualified: Yonatan Rotman (11), Dylan Gorman (11), Dennis Chan (12), Clayton Post (11), Brian Taylor (12), Nic Giaccia (12) 3rd place finish, Zack Blumenfeld (11), Chris Campbell (11), Stephen Salazar (12), Phil Park (11) 7th place finish Alternates: Ben Morag (10), Stephon Weidermann(9), Brian Keating (12)

Basketball: • Boys: Lost to Westmont in quarterfinals 53-47 on Feb. 23 • Girls: Lost to Wilcox 43-52 in the semifinals on Feb. 26 Soccer: • Boys: Lost to Alisal in the quarterfinals 2-1 on Feb. 16 • Girls: Did not qualify

—Compiled by Aviel Chang

Students who participate in school sports solely for the purpose of getting a prep are wasteful, foolish and greedy. I constantly hear students say, “I’m doing it just for the prep” as an explanation for their participation in a sport, and it’s time for these people to come to their senses.

The main problem with joining a team to get a prep is that if an athlete is not committed, he or she is simply wasting the coach’s time.

This gives the coaches less time to work with athletes that are genuinely interested in their sport, which is not only unfair to them, but also impacts the team’s overall success.

Another issue is that it is poor time management. Some say that a prep gives you up to an extra hour to do homework before class, but a sport, even a non-cut sport like track, can take almost an hour and a half or more for practice.

Also, working at home oftentimes is much more efficient than working at school because there are far fewer distractions. The Academic Center is filled with noise and people, enticing several students to go out to lunch or socialize instead of work.

Doing a sport simply to get “extra” time for schoolwork is not only a waste of time. It’s a waste of money. The students in question here are essentially buying a prep. Every student who participates in a school sport must pay a $150 athletic fee. Therefore, students whose main goal is to do as little as possible are completely wasting their money. It is unethical to let students with extra money get out of P.E. while others, who may be in better physical shape, but insolvent, are stuck taking physical education.

It seems crazy to me to go out for a sport when the entire goal is to get out as soon as possible and with the least work possible. The reason Gunn has a P.E. requirement is to keep its students in shape, so if you skip P.E. and then mess around at your sport, you are hardly getting any exercise, which can have very detrimental effects to your health If students want to get out of P.E., there must be a better way. I believe that the P.E. department should give preps only to athletes participating in cut sports, or to individuals who pass fitness testing during the year. Also, students who can prove that they are getting over four hours of physical activity a week, whether it be club soccer, horseback riding or ice skating, should be let out of P.E. because they are getting as much activity as they would be in the class.

These changes would let students who are in good shape not have to waste their time in a class that benefits them very little. It would also stop students from trying to sneak around the system and turn their focus to getting healthy.

Letting students who pass the fitness tests get preps would also motivate students to try. I mean how much harder would you try on the mile if you knew that if you got a good time, you wouuld never have to run it again?

It is a shame that so many students waste their coaches’ and teammates’ time, as well as their parents’ money, on an activity that they simply do not enjoy. So, to all the freshmen and sophomores out there, I advise you not to take a sport just for a prep. It really is not worth it.

—Procter, a sophomore, is a reporter.

22

Sports

The Oracle

Golf prodigy sets new record

Junior takes first in San Francisco international golf tournament Sasha Guttentag Entertainment Editor

On Mar. 9, junior Martin Trainer made history. He won the Visa San Francisco City Golf Championship and became the youngest champion in the 92-year history of the tournament. “I was really excited to have won,” Trainer said. “I know that there’s been a lot of really great players that have won that tournamet, and I’m just really happy to be a part of that group.”

Upon hearing of his win, he was relieved and exhausted at first, he said. “Shortly after, I realized that this was actually a really important win and I was really happy.”

Trainer started playing golf when, at 12 years old, his dad took him to the golf course. Initially, he didn’t think he’d take the sport seriously, he said. “I played a lot of sports, but after I found out I was decent at golf, I decided to practice it more,” Trainer said.

Four years later, he continues to practice daily, on and off course. Trainer practices at the Palo Alto Municipal Golf Course and at the Stanford Golf Course. Outside of the course, he frequently does strengthening exercises at the gym. He has been training with coach John McMullen from the Palo Alto Municipal Golf Course since his start, and entered his first tournament at age 13. After experiencing his first compeititon, there was no turning back for Trainer. “I started dreaming of being a pro golfer,” he said.

Trainer played on the varsity golf team for two years, under coach Christopher Redfield. He occupied the number one spot on the team throughout both years. “As a freshman he was clearly the best player on the team,” Redfield said.

Unfortunately, said Trainer, he will not be playing on the Gunn team this season. Though he said that he enjoys the company of his teammates and Redfield, his schedule does not permit his participation on the team. “I have a really strict practice schedule and playing on the golf team conflicts with that.”

Senior Matt Williams played on the Gunn team with Trainer for two years and participated in golf tournaments with Trainer over the summer. “We mess around with each other a lot,” Williams said with a laugh.

Williams noted Trainer’s contributions to the team and overall good athleticism. “Other than the fact that he’s really, really good, he provides leadership and is a good role model,” he said. “He’s really consistent and he’s got a great work ethic.”

Redfield also commented on Trainer’s skills and persistence. “He’s very motivated,” he said. “He has attention to detail and he’s worked on his game really, really hard.”

Also, Redfield is impressed at Trainer’s skills as a youth. “His playing level is very impressive, especailly for a 16-year-old high school player,” he said. After one summer of golf tournaments, Adidas’s golf company, TaylorMade, approached Trainer for a sponsorship. “[Taylormade] give[s] me free stuff like clubs, balls, shoes and gloves,” he said.

Trainer is being recruited by many colleges, among them, he said, are Stanford, USC, UCLA and UC Berkeley. Though his short-term goal is to get a golf scholarship to Stanford, he isn’t scared of wishful thinking for the future. “I’d love to be a golf pro and make millions from tournaments,” he said.

Photo courtesy of the Trainer family

Courtesy of the Der family

Senior Miranda Der finishes a floor routine during the 2007 CCS and League Championship last year. Der was named “Gymnast of the Year” by the San Jose Mercury News.

Gymnast springs to the top Alana Alfrey Reporter

As 2007 CCS and League champion in gymnastics, it is safe to say that senior Miranda Der is a force to be reckoned with. Der has been doing gymnastics for 14 years and training for four hours a day, six days a week.

“Once you’ve committed to gymnastics, you have to stick with it. It is very physically and emotionally draining,” Der said.

Der competes in “all-around” gymnastics, which includes vault, bars, beam and floor routines; both in and outside of school. “I mainly just compete with Gunn to help out the team, but my outside league is more important to me,” Der said. “I compete nationally and I have competed internationally.”

Through her 14 years of training, Der has become an accomplished gymnast. Last year, she was the San Jose Mercury News’ “Gymnast of the Year”. She also won the Maccabia Trials, which is “kind of like the Jewish Olympics,” Der explained. Outside of Gunn, she competes with Champions Academy in Morgan Hill as a level 10 gymnast (out of 10 possible levels).

However, being in such a high level is not easy. “Do-

ing gymnastics, I have broken a finger and cracked a vertebrae in my spine,” Der said.

Der’s favorite part of gymnastics is the challenges it presents. “I love learning new skills, and I really enjoy when I work so hard that it gets to the point where I feel like I can’t even drive home,” Der said.

“That is when I know I’ve done a good job that day.

It’s challenging sometimes to face your fears though, but you know you are going to do whatever it takes to do what you need to do.”

Gymnastics also has its embarrassing moments as well. “I remember one time when the Berkeley boys’ gymnastics team came to my gym to watch a meet. I wanted to impress them so I went up to do my most difficult skill, and completely ate it. But at least after I got back up and tried it again, I nailed it the second time around,” Der laughed.

In the future, Der plans on competing in college and possibly- turning her skills in gymnastics into a career. “I got a full-ride scholarship to the University of Connecticut in Bridgeport, so I plan on competing with them. After that, I’m not entirely sure, but I’ve always though about stunt-doubling… and if all else in life fails, I could always be a cheerleader.”

23 Faces in the Crowd: Student excels in Kempo

Sports

Monday, March 17, 2008

“Who will you be rooting for during March Madness?”

Victor Kwok (9) “Probably Georgetown.”

Hemanth Kondapalli (10) “I want to see the freshmen studs on the big stage; therefore, I’m going for Memphis and USC.”

Rachael Fleischmann (11) “I want Stanford to win.”

Elliot Shih (12) “I’m rooting for number one Memphis; actually, they’re number two now, since they lost.”

— Compiled by Sophie Cheng

Talented freshman has black belt at age 13 Bauer Wann Reporter

Freshman Cameron Colley may have a humble demeanor, but his skills in Kempo karate should not be underestimated. Colley has been training in Kempo since the age of four and received his black belt at 13 years old.

Before Colley was four years old, he was taught to be well-mannered and to refrain from physical provocation at daycare. However, in kindergarten, kids in his class acted differently than the calmer ways he was used to. “When I’d go pick him up after school, there he would be at the bottom of the pile of kids saying ‘I don’t like this’ or ‘Get off of me’” Colley’s mom Barbara Colley wrote in an e-mail message. “We enrolled him in the martial arts and he took to it like a bird in flight.”

The Kempo style emphasizes the usage of hand and feet techniques, as well as immobilization, takedowns and weaponry. Still, like most martial arts, Kempo focuses on the discipline of the body and mind. The goal of a Kempo user is to have his or her motions flow naturally and ultimately achieve harmony.

Colley took the philosophy of “peace over power” to heart and has reaped greatly from the benefits of discipline. “[Karate] gives me the discipline to do my homework

and try hard in my studies at school,” Colley said.

In the summer of 2006, Colley joined the United States Self Defense Academy (USSD) tour to China. The tour group, consisting of martial artists from all over the country, visited and trained alongside the Shaolin Monks of China. During the tour, Colley received his black belt from the Shaolin monks.

As of now, Colley trains three to fou r hou rs each week and regularly competes in sparring, Kata (a Kempo form) and weapons Courtesy of the Colley family arts. While Colley Freshman Cameron Colley recieved his shows mastery in black belt from the Shaolin Monks while the weapons arts training in China in the summer of 2006. of bowst a ff a nd sword, his favorite aspect of kaWhile Kempo helps to build rate is sparring. “It is interesting discipline and control, no one can because your opponent and you go argue that karate won’t come in at each other and are really trying handy physically. “Karate gives to hurt each other,” he said. Col- me the physical fitness, balance ley has won multiple tournaments, and skills [so] that I can pick up including first place in the 2005 any sport really fast,” Colley said.

Junior Men’s Sparring Black Belt “[Also], when you get in trouble, Tournament. you’ll really need it.”

24

Sports

The Oracle

Don’t force team bonding

Boris Burkov The classroom trembled as three seniors trampled up the noisy ramp to the portable full of unsuspecting French students.

They swung the door open, and yelled “JUICE, JUICE, JUICE!” As they fled the scene laughing, their sophomore teammate should have slunk into his chair, beet red. Instead, feeling a surge of camaraderie, he shrugged off the embarrassment with a laugh.

From goalies with a propensity for losing pants to absurd nicknames and yells, my time on the Gunn soccer team has been one characterized by constant team bonding.

When I think of team building, I don’t think of icebreaker activities and delicious pasta dinners, I think of the moments when players set aside their differences and have some fun together.

There’s no way to fake togetherness. There may be potent aphrodisiacs made from a tiger’s naughty parts, but no alchemist has yet concocted an elixir of friendship. There is not a get-richquick scheme that can forge unity from nothing.

It’s just like chemistry. No one takes a sodium and chlorine atom into a sterile environment to carefully put them together into a perfect molecule of salt. People take a bunch of both and throw them together haphazardly, and lo and behold, out comes delicious salt.

During my junior year, when the team went to a tournament in Irvine, CA, I arrived a day late and missed the official team bonding session, which was supposedly punctuated by a “team building” activity ending in both groups mooning each other. No one remembers the activity, but everyone there recalls the absurd climax.

Even though I missed the evening when we were supposed to come together, a weekend of pranks, hallway soccer, cheating at poker and “accidentally” ordering exotic adult films came together to make a weekend and a team, that I won’t soon forget.

Forget formulaic team bonding, and forget organizing meetings and discussing problems.

Sport is a primal thing, playing Taboo or even sacrificing goats to Norse gods won’t particularly help when the chemistry is bad.

As long as everyone is ready to show up and have some fun and not take themselves or others too seriously, the ensuing ridiculousness is all the team bonding you ever need.

—Burkov, a senior, is a Forum Editor.

The Oracle staff reveals Gunn sports’ most unique team building activities.

Swimming

The swim team has two different pre-meet rituals. “Right before the meet we get in a circle for a cheer and [Coach Mark] Hernandez gets in the middle,” junior Marie Volpe said. “Then he does this thing where he claps once and everyone has to clap with him at the exact same time. We keep clapping faster and faster leading up to an intense, intimidating sound.”

The girls’ team also has a dance cheer they perform on the side of the pool before each meet. “You know the song ‘Who rocks the house?’ Well we say ‘the Titans rock the house!’,” Volpe said. The girls dance sing and dance in unison, while the boys stand on the side and cheer them on.

Track and Field Junior Tara Saxena described the Track and Field team’s pre-meet ritual. “The day before the meet, we do a team warm-up where we stand in rows and do hip thrusts,” she said. “We also do jumping jacks.” The team follows up with a group cheer session. Later that evening, the whole team is invited to a team member’s house for a colossal pasta feed potluck dinner.

Boys’ Soccer

Boys’ Basketball The boys’ varsity basketball team started a new team tradition this year by having a potluck-style dinner before every home game. “I definitely enjoyed [these dinners] and it’s a bonus to have good food to eat,” junior Avery Reiss said. “It’s quality time spent with the team and we became much closer.”

While the pre-game home dinners serve as a bonding time, it is senior Brian Flaxman who leads the team’s spirit on the court, rallying his fellow teammates with words of encouragement.

According to Reiss, he does this to “show the crowd what they’re really made of.”

Girls’ Basketball Before the girls’ varsity basketball team walks out from the locker rooms to the courts, it has been a tradition for the girls to touch the top of the door for good luck.

“Touching the top of the door doesn’t exactly help me play better,” sophomore Christiane Murray said. “It’s just a team superstition.”

At the beginning of each season, two upperclassmen “kidnap” an underclassman on the team and deliver her to a designated place to have a team breakfast.

The varsity boys’ soccer team leads off each game with an original cheer, the Kenyan Dance.

Senior David Light introduced this tradition to the team this year.

Each player stands in a circle, shoulder to shoulder, and everyone will start to clap at the same beat. While still clapping, the boys back up and then jog back to the middle of the circle. Then, they let loose, yelling and shouting for Gunn.

“I think that it’s a fun way to do a cheer instead of just 1, 2, 3, Gunn,” Sophomore Michael Starr said.

Additionally, the boys usually wear their warm up suits to school on game days.

Girls’ Soccer According to senior Maya Bruhis, most of the girls on the varsity soccer team are close friends both on and off the field. Newcomers are made to feel welcomed at the annual “kidnapping,” where returning players pick up the newcomers early in the morning, dress them up in funny clothes and take them out to breakfast.

The varsity girls also have a tradition of having pasta-feeds the night before every big game. For away games, they set up a “secret buddy” system where each member is assigned a buddy to pack a snack for.

“We like to laugh and joke around with each other,” junior Jessie Belfer said. “All these traditions are definitely worth it.”

Badminton During pre-season conditioning, the badminton players do exercises such as lunges, planks and liners outside. “[During pre-season] the coaches think of intense, fun and difficult challenges for us to do,” junior George Sun said.

At the beginning of any match or tournament, the players get together in a circle, and shout “1, 2, 3 go Gunn!” in unison.

The players also host “parents’ nights” and potlucks several times throughout the season. “We invite all of the team members and their families to see us play, and our coach talks about things like what’s going on in the season,” senior Kevin Yao said.

Graphic by Brian Phan

—Compiled by Danielle Aspitz, Wen Yi Chin, and Veronica Polivanaya