NON-PROFIT ORG
Palo Alto Unified School District Henry M. Gunn High School 780 Arastradero Rd Palo Alto, CA 94306
Check out profiles of new staff members on campus.
U.S. Postage
PA I D
Permit #44 Palo Alto, Calif.
THEORACLE
PG. 6-7 FEATURES
Henry M. Gunn High School
http://gunnoracle.com/
Friday, September 7, 2018
Volume 56, Issue 1
780 Arastradero Road, Palo Alto, CA 94306
Sie
arc
ia
Mi
na
Ki
m
ia Sofi
-G r ra
E-cigarette use on campus calls for community intervention Calvin Cai and Ryan Li
Copy Editor and News Editor
In recent years, the use of e-cigarettes, more commonly referred to as vaping or juuling, has become a common occurrence at Gunn and around the Palo Alto Unified School District. Under the California Business and Professions Code, the sale, purchase and distribution of any electronic devices that deliver nicotine to people under 21 years of age is illegal. Principal Kathleen Laurence explained in a start-ofthe-year press conference with The Oracle that vaping on campus brings certain school-specific disciplinary consequences. “The first time being caught with an e-cigarette would be confiscation and calling your parents,” she said. “If it happens again, [the consequences] will be confiscation and probably some sort of suspension.” Despite these consequences, Juuls and other vaping
devices have increased in popularity around Gunn. Results from the 2013-14, 2015-16 and 2017-18 California Healthy Kids Surveys show that although the number of freshman at Gunn who have tried e-cigarettes has decreased by one percent in the past five years, the number of juniors who have used e-cigarettes at least once has nearly doubled, from nine percent to 17 percent. “They’re very easy to get your hands on,” a student told The Oracle, under the condition that their name was not printed. “Just get a fake ID.” The student went on to describe their initial experience with juuling. “I was in seventh grade. My friend had one and I hit it. So I was like ‘yeet,’” the student said. According to the student, who says they have also tried harder drugs like marijuana and ecstasy, the juuling experience is relatively mild. “It’s different from getting high. You get a headrush, like you feel something rushing
through your brain,” the student said. To the student, vaping is a better alternative to smoking other substances. “Cigarettes have a lot of bad stuff in them that vapes don’t have,” the student said. “[But] you would get the same rush [as] if you tried cigarettes.” According to the Office of the Surgeon General, vaping is a risk to brain development and may potentially cause lung cancer. Vaping on campus without getting caught is a relatively easy, according to the student. “I think the school policies are pretty easy to get around. You just have to not be dumb,” the student said. “You have to be [discreet] about it.” According to School Resource Officer Bradley Young, law enforcement does not actively search for students with vape pens. Instead, the school administration plays a more VAPING—p.2
PAUSD school board election candidates begin campaign process Elisa Moraes-Liu Sports Editor
In the past few months, six candidates have declared candidacy for the Palo Alto Unified School District (PAUSD) Board of Education elections. The PAUSD school board has five members who are elected by the public every four years. Elections occur on even years, and each time either two or three seats open for re-election. Currently, there are two open board seats and six candidates running as of Sept ,4,2018. Voting for the school board elections will take place on Nov. 6. All the candidates running are newcomers to the school board except for incumbent School Board President Ken Dauber, who is running for re-election. These candidates include Stacey Ashlund, Christopher Boyd, Shounak Dharap, Kathy Jordan, and Alex Scharf. If re-elected, Dauber will continue his focus on improving
student wellness. “The focus on social and emotional wellbeing is something that has been a real strong element in what I have brought to the district,” he said. “I’ve probably had more visibility and impact in that area than other candidates have.” Dauber hopes to further efforts, if re-elected, by working towards a district homework policy that helps reduce student stress and enables them to get enough sleep. During his term, he was a strong supporter of eliminating zero period academic classes at Gunn with the similar goal of reducing student stress. Stacey Ashlund, parent and active member of the Palo Alto community, has served on the Parent Teacher Association (PTA) council as Vice President of Education and as an advisory council member for Partners in Education. “I bring the parent perspectives,” Ashlund said. “My two children have gone all the way through this district. My eldest graduated from Gunn a year ago and my youngest is a junior still at Gunn.”
Ashlund hopes to see more equality within the district. “The main reason I decided to run has to do with equity and treating all our students and families in our community equally,” Ashlund said. According to her website, Ashlund calls for the district to “use evidence-based teaching practices and measurements, and continue professional development so that we are able to innovate.” Additionally, Ashlund hopes to see more equal and widespread representation of student voice in the district. “We need to focus and elevate student interest and involvement in civics,” Ashlund said. “Not just in student government at the schools but also government of their own school district board.” Christopher Boyd is the newest addition to the election race. Boyd runs an after-school science, technology, engineering and math program in Palo Alto called InstED that offers classes like computer science and robotics in Palo Alto. “The goal is to learn science through ELECTION—p.2
2
News
Student e-cigarette usage poses disciplinary complications VAPING
active role when it comes to disciplinary actions. “My role is to help enforce laws when applicable, to help mentor and to help educate,” Young said. “We [police] have seen that just being present is good. By the time it lands in front of me it’s already gone through the teacher, campus supervision, front office and administrator.” Young added that vapers are discreet about when they use their devices on campus. “Because vaping in and of itself has no strong odor, it does not really alert people around you unless you’re looking for it,” he said. “It’s problematic and it’s everywhere.” Vaping happens more often than one might think. Junior Claire Cheng recalled an instance when she ran into students juuling on campus. “I saw two kids vaping that were probably seniors in the N-building bathroom during first period, which is stupid because everyone uses that bathroom during first period,” she said. “I was just like, ‘Hmm ok’ and walked out.” Cheng believes that teenagers are more susceptible to addiction. “[A vape] is kind of like a nice little pen thing,”
she said. “It’s deceivingly friendly to students and teenagers. So I feel like it’s a lot more easier to function, which makes it feel like it’s not as bad to your body.” Sophomore Jordan Cheng agrees, though he also feels that students should not make assumptions after hearing stories of vaping on campus. “I prefer not to judge the people who do use vapes just because there might be stuff in their lives you don't know about,” he said. “That stuff might put the appeal of vapes before its dangers.” Laurence attributes the popularity of e-cigarettes among young people to marketing targeted towards teens. “I know that the companies pretend they’re not marketing to children,” she said. “And yet they have flavors like bubblegum and lemonade and popcorn and who are they marketing to?” The federal government seems to agree with Laurence. According to a press release on April 24, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has cited up to 40 retailers for violations of teen e-cigarette sales. The FDA has also conducted over 900,000 investigations of establishments that sell tobacco products, and has issued 70,350 warning letters to tobacco and e-cigarette retailers for violating youth
protection laws. However, this national crackdown has not seemed to have affected campus vaping habits. When asked about them, another student vaper seemed indifferent to these regulations. “I bought my vape pen from the smoke shop in San Francisco,” they said. “I had a fake ID." Nevertheless, Laurence warns that many of the side effects of vaping are as dangerous as they are permanent. “You only get one body and your brain is developing,” she said. Officer Young, who had loved ones pass away due to nicotine addiction, echoed Laurence’s sentiments. “[My grandma] got an electric cigarette, the old style square box vape pens, one of the first ones, to try and help curb her addiction. She was dying anyway,” he said. “It was there to make her feel better so that she wasn’t surrounded in smoke. It was incredibly hard to watch her cling to that thing as a life source, or just to feed a fix that was killing her.” Young advises students to at least know all the consequences of their actions before they undertake them. “I’ve seen it at the beginning and I’ve seen it at the end,” he said. “Trust me, it’s not a good thing.”
School board candidates share visions, possible plans for district ELECTION
an immersive environment where topics are taught through a process close to research,” he said. Boyd believes this is the best way of teaching. “The crazy amount of work passed out at Gunn is not necessarily the most efficient way to get the most deep knowledge or get into top schools,” he said. Another graduate of PAUSD, Shounak Dharap is a lawyer and graduated from Paly in 2008. Dharap hopes to bring changes at the district level regarding management and organization, and calls for more effec-
tive oversight of the board. “When there are issues at the board level with regards to fiscal management and legal compliance and general governance, then those problems trickle down to issues for students,” he said. “Every issue that we dealt with has been a direct and indirect result of failure at the top level to actually run and effectively manage the board.” As a lawyer, Dharap also has experience in management. “I'm a working professional and I’m a complex litigator so I deal with these large organizations, and the district
is a million-dollar organization,” he said. not just the high-achieving students.” “We need someone on the board who unScharf believes accountability holds the derstands how large organizations work.” answer for this issue. “Holding the adminisCandidate Kathy Jordan is a parent who tration accountable will help a lot of problems is actively involved in the PAUSD, acting that people with an Individualized Educaas a volunteer in the district and Parent tion Program (IEP) or with mental health Teacher Association. “My plans are to work problems experience,” he said. “A lot of times on transparency, accountability, compliance teachers don’t follow the law based on what with the law and making sure students come they are required to provide students with first,” Jordan said. She has expressed con- mental health problems. There is no accountcerns regarding lack of district transparency ability for the teachers who do that.” regarding Title IX and fiscal management. Gunn School Board Representative Arjun According to her campaign website, Prabhakar hopes to see an elected candidate Jordan is looking who will ref lect towards mending student interest. the relationship be“I hope to find tween the school “ We need someone on the board who someone who is board and its conwilling to listen to understands how large organizations work" stituents. "A public students, listen to —School board candidate Shounak Dharap school district is our opinions and responsible to its work with us,” he community and we said. “The board expect our school has an important board's actions to reflect this fundamental role to play in terms of helping with student tenet" Jordan's website said. "Governing voice and making sure student opinions are with this principle in mind will help to re- taken seriously.” Prabhakar also hopes stuestablish trust with the people of Palo Alto." dent voice will play a role in the candidates Candidate Alex Scharf is a recent Palo 'decisions on issues facing the district. “In Alto High School graduate and is currently terms of academic issues relating to students, studying at Foothill College. Scharf graduated they should be willing to take the student Paly in 2015, and cites barriers he faced in his opinion into account,” he said. “Some isschool experience as the reason behind his sues that developed were homework policy, candidacy. “I experienced a lot of problems computer science policy and weighted GPA. going through the school system that aren't Regardless of the issue, a candidate who is really talked about,” he said. “The school sys- willing to prioritize student voice and issues tem works great for some people, but the goal that affect the students first and foremost of the school system is to make sure all parties is a candidate who could work best for the attending the school receive a good education, community.”
News THEORACLE 780 Arastradero Rd. Palo Alto, CA 94306 (650) 354-8238 www.gunnoracle.com
Editorial Board Editor-in-Chief Caroline Ro Managing Editors Megan Li Kristen Yee News Sohini Ashoke Ryan Li Tejpal Virdi Forum Jennifer Gao Liza Kolbasov Joshua Yang Features Julia Cheunkarndee Joy Huang Grace Tramack Centerfold Yael Livneh Chelsie Park Sports Eric Epstein Bridgette Gong Elisa Moraes-Liu Lifestyle Laurel Comiter Noa Rapoport Katie Zhang Online Stephanie Jackson Andrew Zhao
Friday, September 7, 2018
Construction across Palo Alto affects student commutes 13 and 14 for the start of the Palo Alto Unified School District (PAUSD) school year. During the first few weeks of the school Many students and staff members who com- year, one of the main undertakings of Phase 1, mute to Gunn via Charleston or Arastradero the installment of a bioretention area (a raised Road have experienced the inconveniences of section in the street that provides a safe place for construction in the beginning of the school year. pedestrians to stand) caused one lane, as well as a The Charleston/Arastradero Corridor Project bike lane, to be shut down on Arastradero. “Our broke ground in June 2018, and Phases 1 and contractor is in front of Bowman International 2 of the project are projected to last until May School and they’re putting in a bioretention area, 2019, according to the City of Palo Alto website. which includes excavating and placing pipes for Phases 1 and 2 are focused on the portion storm drains, as well as planting, which will hapof Arastradero between Foothill Expressway pen later as the project progresses,” Charleston/ and Clemo Avenue, and on Charleston Road Arastradero Corridor Project Manager Holly between Middlefield Road and Alma Street, Boyd said. respectively. The construction hours are 9 The Corridor Project aims to enhance the a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday, though bike and pedestrian safety of the Charleston/ construction was cancelled altogether on Aug. Arastradero Corridor, a key commuting route for at least three PAUSD schools. “Along the whole corridor, from San Antonio Road to Gunn, there will be a dedicated bike lane,” Boyd said. “In some situations, there will be a two or three-foot section on the road that is zebra-striped so there is a visual divider between the bi ke la ne a nd t he traffic through-lane. There will also be some green pavement markings [in the bike Tejpal Virdi lane], and in certain Senior Ryan Torabi walks to his car after school, past machinery be- areas we’ll have parking that protects the ing used in the construction zone on Arastradero Road. bike lane and sepaEric Epstein
Sports Editor
INBOX
Changing the Narrative Grace Williams Photo Editor Sofia Sierra-Garcia Graphics Editor Mina Kim
Staff
The Oracle strongly encourages and prints signed Letters to the Editor and Comments. Comments are generally shorter responses, while Letters are longer pieces of writing. Please include your name, grade and contact information should you choose to write one.
Assistant Business/Circulation Peter Oh Copy Editors Calvin Cai Madison Nguyen Nikki Suzani
Oracle/TBN Liaison Collin Jaeger Graphics Artists Nicole Lee Grace Liu Jocelyn Wang Photographers Melissa Ding Sophia Lu Tech Editors Natalie McCurdy Devon Lee Adviser Kristy Blackburn
rates the bikers from the through traffic.” The corridor’s traffic flow is also going to be addressed through improved traffic signaling infrastructure that is adaptive and optimized. “The City [of Palo Alto], as a part of this project, has purchased a product called SynchroGreen, which coordinates the signals along a corridor,” Boyd said. Once the project is done, the signals will be able to be timed and manipulated, address capacity issues and increase flow along the corridor. The SynchoGreen product has already been implemented along Sand Hill Road and San Antonio Road, according to Boyd. Around 80 trees, various shrubs and grasses will also be planted to beautify the corridor. For many Gunn students and staff members who drive down Arastradero during their daily commute to school, the construction and its resulting traffic is especially burdensome. “I definitely have to leave earlier [because of the construction], around fifteen to twenty minutes earlier,” Special Education teacher Lynn Tabuchi said. “Right now, Gunn traffic has to fight Terman traffic and construction just to get through.” Senior Jack Flinchbaugh has even altered his daily school commute due to the Corridor Project. “I no longer drive down Charleston anymore because of the traffic caused by construction,” Flinchbaugh said. “It’s faster to get on a side route.” Once the project is completed, Boyd hopes that commuting down Charleston and Arastradero will be easier for Gunn students, staff members and parents. “With the added landscaping it will be a more pleasant drive, and with the new traffic signals it should be more efficient,” she said. “For Gunn students who bike, they will see a continuous bike lane, and I think they will feel a more protected bike experience on the way to school.”
Letters and Comments may be edited to meet space requirements and the writer is solely responsible for the accuracy of the content. Letters to the Editor, Comments and ideas for coverage may be sent to oraclegunn@gmail.com or posted on our Facebook page. These letters need not be from current students.
Letter from the Editor
Business/Circulation Ryan Manesh
Oracle/SEC Liaison Bridgette Gong
3
Dear Gunn, Each time The Oracle distributes a new issue, I always try to think about how it will impact the student body and surrounding community, and how our readers will react in turn. I always wonder what kind of stories will be clipped out and thumbtacked to classroom walls, which topics will spark the most enriching conversations between friends and which stories will surprise readers and help them learn something new. That’s because the most important part of our production process comes when our paper is released and received by you; ultimately, this is a paper that exists to serve Gunn and its students. In the past few months, The Oracle has already undergone its fair share of major changes. Our website (gunnoracle.com) has been revamped and completely redesigned. We’ve also launched an early version of an app (The Gunn Oracle App on the iOS App Store) where users can read articles, leave suggestions and access our social media. By modernizing and revitalizing our dedication to online presence, our staff hopes to make our coverage timelier and our paper more accessible to a larger portion of our community. Readers can also expect more frequent postings and exclusive online content, as we will be taking further advantage of photos, videos and other special online features. To do this, we have introduced two new Online Editor positions to our staff, dedicated to maintaining a strong media presence. We’ve also made it a priority this year to listen carefully to the interests of students and to work to publish relevant content that will
interest them. We believe that engaging and timely content is essential to carrying out what we believe to be a vital part of our primary purpose: spreading information and catalyzing conversations within our community. At the start of each cycle, we will make it a goal to write about ideas that we believe are controversial but need discussion. Our goal of publishing more thought-provoking content boils down to a greater effort on our part to think outside-of-the-box and bring up topics that are taboo or seldom discussed. The Oracle aims to apply this kind of thinking into our approach to layouts and all other visual aspects of our paper as well. We have a talented team of photographers and graphics artists, and this year, we’ve made it one of our goals to really incorporate their talents into the publication. This year has also already brought substantial change to our staff operations as well. With the introduction of a journalism honors course, a journalism course pathway has been newly established. The aim of this new class, Media Leadership and Management Honors, is to hone the leadership skills of experienced senior staff members, as well as encourage them to think about the ethical, economic and legal questions associated with running a publication. Through reading up on and having discussions about how we can improve our paper and exploring these questions, this class aims to help editors on staff to carry out their roles more effectively and purposefully. Undoubtedly, this 2018-2019 school year is a year of growth for The Oracle, with our increased media presence and renewed emphasis on content relevance, creativity, leadership and teamwork. At the other end of all these changes, the objective is to present an even better paper to our readers and fulfill our purpose by really integrating ourselves into the culture of our school. So, I sincerely hope that this paper and its successive editions will find its way into your backpacks, your chats over lunch and your dinner-time discussions. We can’t wait to see what this year brings. Thank you, Caroline Ro EIC ‘18-’19
Forum
4
Government should take action to prevent mobile phone addiction
Sohini Ashoke In 2018, it’s not uncommon to see pedestrians texting and walking, or a group of friends in the same room ignoring each others’ presence as they look at their phones. These are some of the effects that technology, especially smartphones, have on society. While these behaviors are not always damaging, they offer a peek into a serious problem that is sweeping through modern day society like the plague: mobile phone addiction. This addiction is essentially a psychological dependency that cellphone users can develop through excessive phone usage. The extent of this dependency can be as serious as substance-abuse addiction, often involving similar behaviors, such as dependency on the device and severe anxiety when separated from it. The number of people with mobile phone addiction has increased steadily in the past 10 years, begging the question of how this issue should be addressed. An answer comes in the form of intervention and regulation of technology companies along with the products they release into the market, just as with any other company manufacturing and selling addictive products. Excessive phone usage and mobile phone addiction are not rare. To provide a glimpse into the problem, a 2012 study from the Journal of Community Medicine and Health Education of mobile phone users showed that 44 percent of users become irritable and agitated after 24 hours of not using a mobile device—one of the clear signs of an addiction. Since the addictive effects of cellphones are similar to those of substance addictions, there is no reason why only one of the two should be government-regulated. In the United States alone, nearly every addictive drug is regulated, if not outlawed. In order for marijuana products to be legalized in states such as California, Oregon and Colorado, the governments placed numerous regulations, including age restrictions, a maximum legal possession amount and laws on legal locations of possession. All of these regulatory actions are justified as they help in the prevention of a drug-addicted and disfunctional society. The government regulation of cellphones does not mean an outright ban; it means regulating the individual technology company who created them in order to ensure that the product is not specifically designed to target minors or to be addictive. It is no secret that most tech companies add features that make it more and more difficult for the average person to put their
phone down for long. While tech and social media companies have a moral obligation to In June 2018, Apple added a feature address this issue by redesigning their prodto help reform how addictive their ucts, the reality is that they will never put in the effort to make this happen. These compacell phones are with Screen Time, nies’ only goal is to make a profit. Because of which gives iPhone users a look into tech companies’ reluctance to solve this issue, how often and how much they use the government has an obligation to step in and regulate how addictive phones are made. their phones by giving data on this. Just like how the government interferes with the distribution of drugs, alcohol and other addictive products, the same treatment should be given to cellphones. The types of regulation enforced on a company do not necessarily have to involve a major reform in the way cellA 2012 study of mobile phone users phones are manufactured. For example, showed that 44 percent of users in June 2018, Apple added a feature to become irritable and agitated after help reform how addictive their cellphones are with Screen Time, which 24 hours of not using a mobile gives iPhone users a look into how often device. and how much they use their phones by giving data on this. This allows users to limit and control their phone time. While this is certainly an advancement in combatting screen time addiction, the reality is that most companies will not follow in Apple’s footsteps According to a poll conducted by in regulating the products that they manuCommon Sense Media, 50 percent facture. Furthermore, Screen Time does not explicitly make the iPhone less addictive; it of teenagers feel they are addicted to only works to help users if they themselves their mobile phones. are aware and willing to combat their own mobile phone dependency. A counterargument against government intervention of tech companies is that doing so would be a breach of power on the government’s part, and that they should not be A study by Flurry Mobile regulating an industry that creates useful products for consumers. However, demonstrated that the average historically in the United States, any time American sends five hours a day on a certain chemical in drugs was known to their phone. be addictive (i.e. those found in tobacco, marijuana and cocaine) some type of intervention occurred. For instance, once the magnitude of nicotine addiction was discovered, it was limited by federal law through the increase of the minimum age of purchase, According to Business Insider, which decreased the widespread use of tobacco among young people. This shows how iPhone users unlock their phones the logical step to solve cellphone addiction an average of 80 times per day and should include some type of regulation. Android users unlock their phones an While smartphones may seem like any other product in the market and not average of 110 times per day. comparable to an addictive substance, it is imperative that people see them as such. The Graphics by Mina Kim ways in which mobile phone addiction have transformed our society are damaging, and need to be controlled. —Ashoke, a senior, is a News Editor.
Forum
Friday, September 7, 2018
Stephanie Jackson
In 1926, a grand total of 976 students took the newly introduced college assessment test called the Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT). Little did those students know that 92 years later, over 1.5 million students would be preparing to take the same test, now considered one of the most important tests in a student’s high school career. As the number of test-takers of standardized tests like the SAT has dramatically increased, so has the dependency on preparatory (prep) courses and resources. In fact, SAT and American College Test (ACT) prep courses have heralded the rise of a whole new industry; every year, a new set of students cycle through the process to increase their test scores. However, the rise of reliance on outside institutions has caused prices for quality test prep materials to increase, thus putting students unwilling or unable to pay such costs at an inevitable disadvantage when taking the tests. Therefore, in order to allow all students access to affordable standardized test prep courses, teachers, staff and administration should encourage more students to take the Basic College Skills elective, as well as support the creation of more school-provided SAT/ACT prep resources. In the current system of SAT and ACT prep, higher quality prep classes are becoming more and more expensive, especially in the Bay Area. Prices are rising so high that the economic status of certain students decide whether or not they will be able to access such resources. Rather than reflecting the academic skill or intellectual ability of students, standardized test scores reflect the money that families are willing to pay for SAT or ACT prep, violating the core purpose of these tests. According to the Educational Testing Service, standardized tests are supposed to provide colleges with “a fair assessment that eliminates bias or unfair advantages. This is done to ensure that all test-takers have an equal chance to show ability on the test.” However, this description of their purpose in no way accurately portrays what these tests are really measuring due to the ever-growing divide between those who can afford prep courses, and those who cannot. This divide is only furthered by the burdensome costs of test prep courses in the United States. Where simple, self-guided online courses can cost between $10 and $50, other courses, such as instructor-led classes, can cost up to $1,000 for 30 hours of instruction and private tutoring costs average at around $100 per hour. Those prices only increase in the Bay Area, specifically in the Silicon Valley. AJ Tutoring, a prominent tutoring organization that has locations around the Bay Area, has SAT and ACT private tutoring that costs $150 per hour, and Advantage Testing in Silicon Valley costs around $250 per hour for private tutoring. While parents may want to provide their child with the best opportunities (educationally and beyond), some fami-
lies are financially incapable of paying for SAT/ACT courses of the same quality as other high-income families. In fact, studies have shown a clear correlation between higher SAT scores and family income. In 2009, the New York Times published several graphs using data from College Board reports that illustrate this correlation. The data showed that students from families with an income of $20,000 or lower scored an average of 440 points for each section: reading, writing and math. On the other hand, students from families with an income of $200,000 or above on average received scores of 567 points. These statistics show quantitative evidence that the standardized testing system is rigged against lower-income families. It is true that some students may be dissuaded from taking the given course at Gunn because it takes up a period during their semester when they could have a prep or take another course. Nevertheless, the benefits of taking this class far outweigh the costs of losing a single period during the semester. Taking Basic College Skills not only helps teach students about both testing prep and college essay writing, but it is also completely free and would take away a significant financial burden. Unfortunately, the values of taking such a course are rarely known on campus or discussed as an option between students and their parents. The administra-
5
tion should take a number of measures to increase awareness of the course, such as requiring it to be a conversation point in the Junior Counselor conversation that is mandated by the school. Additionally, the benefits of taking these courses should be discussed during parent-teacher night, in mass emails to students’ parents and in district-wide announcements. However, since there are still many students who are either uninformed or unwilling to take Basic College Skills, the school administration should invest in more SAT/ACT prep resources at Gunn. Firstly, an advertising and outreach step should be taken to increase awareness about the resources available through the already-set-up Naviance account. The account granted to Gunn students allows for free online preparation resources that are not widely known within the student body. Additionally, although the library provides some SAT prep books for students to borrow, the school administration should host a school-wide, or even district-wide, SAT/ACT prep book donation drive where students who have completed standardized tests can donate their prep books to the school. Following the book drive, the school can choose to either redistribute the books to students about to take the test, or allow them to be borrowed from the library. This would then allow students to access a wide variety of material for the SAT, Advanced Placement (AP) tests, ACT or SAT subject tests without needing to pay for the books themselves. However, as much as studying from prep books can help, some students learn better with in-person lessons. This is why the administration should allow students and staff members to volunteer as after-school tutors. Many seniors and juniors have the knowledge and experience to tutor other classmates and prepare them for the upcoming tests. This system would be exactly the same as what is already provided at Gunn for other subjects such as languages and math. Students who have already taken the test might have advice on strategies and test-taking skills to help other students and could gain community service hours while tutoring. The addition of after-school tutoring would eliminate problems that some students might have with SAT/ACT prep taking up time from their school schedule. Furthermore, school officials could set up after-school or Flex Time presentations from local tutoring organizations to give free lessons to large masses of students. The administration would not only be helping the school community, but also the Palo Alto community by supporting local businesses. Students’ academic opportunities should not be limited by the financial abilities of their family. If the administration is committed to leveling the playing field so that students of lower-income families will have equal opportunities as those from higher-income families, then it should commit to encouraging students to take Basic College Skills as well as increase the resources that the school provides for SAT and ACT prep. —Jackson, a senior, is an Online Editor.
Faces in the Crowd How can Gunn help students succeed in standardized testing?
“Gunn can provide a quiet and resourceful place for students to study.”
“Gunn needs to understand what students are going through and provide a more reasonable workload during and before testing."
Sawyer McKenna (9)
Zach Meyers (10)
"Gunn can provide programs or clubs that help tutor students [for] the Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT), the American College Test (ACT) or other exams.” George Cai (11)
"Gunn can help students practice for the SAT by providing a good literature base where students can discuss articles and comprehend literature.” Sungbin Park (12) —Compiled by Nikki Suzani
Photos by Sofia Sierra-Garcia and photo illustration by Sofia-Sierra Garcia and Mina Kim
Features
6
Titans! Go: introducing the Erin Reyes
er
Jennif
Counselor
on
t Elling
g Arts
in Visual/Perform
• • •
Her favorite ice cream flavors are chocolate malt crunch and mint chocolate chip. She has met former president Obama. “[I want] the ability to eat whatever I want without health consequences.”
•
• • •
• • • • •
His uncle and father are Olympic silver-medalists in water polo. He received a My Little Pony lunchbox filled with candy from a former student. He started an administrative program at the University of California, Berkeley. His dream superpowers are Aquaman’s powers. “You might catch me skateboarding around campus... I have my old skateboard from eighth grade that I made in woodshop.”
She has a goal to run a half-marathon on every continent. She has completed two continents: North America and Europe. She will be running in Antarctica in March. She enjoys equestrian vaulting (running and jumping on the horse while it’s running, while doing somersaults, handstands, etc.). She has been teaching for 22 years. “Being a teacher, we’re all superheroes...I guess my power is to teach kids and experience their challenges and also their successes.”
Margaret Reynolds Assistant Principal
Harvey
Newland Assistant Principal
Betty Chen Counselor • • • • •
She worked at a middle school for a year and then worked with high school students in San Jose. Her favorite ice cream flavor is chocolate. She has a two-year-old son. Her mom is her superhero. “I wish I could have the power to go back to the past... not necessarily change things but to revisit old memories.”
—Compiled by Bridgette Gong, Stephy Jackson, Collin Jaeger, Peter Oh, Chelsie Park, Noa Rapoport and Katie Zhang. Graphics by Grace Liu Photos by Melissa Ding, Sophia Lu and Sofia Sierra-Garcia
• • •
She has previously worked as a director, administrator, instructional coach, professional development coordinator, mentor and English teacher. Her favorite ice cream flavor is Ben & Jerry’s Coffee Caramel Fudge. “If I were a superhero, I would want the power to teleport because I love to travel. It would be great to be able to get off of work and be in Kauai for a wonderful meal and relaxing sunset.”
Features
Friday, September 7, 2018
7
new team of staff on campus ael h c i M on d r o G
Ann Lorey Science
cipal
rin Assistant P
• • • • •
This is her 16th year teaching. She also teaches at Jane Lathrop Stanford (JLS) Middle School. She used to be a DJ in college. She really, really likes root beer floats. “I would love to be able to snap my fingers to stop time...and I think it would be pretty awesome to be She-Ra.”
Catherine
Schwenkler World Language
•• •• •• •• ••
• • •
He used to teach in Greece. He was the Dean of Students at Newark Memorial High School. His favorite ice cream flavor is anything with peanut butter. His favorite superhero is Batman. “I have nine toes. When I was five years old I rode my bicycle without shoes so that’s a lesson learned.”
• •
Jorge
She grew up in a family of five children. She lived abroad in Chile in college. She lived in Peru for a year where she completed the Inca Trail, a mountain hike over four days that ends at Machu Picchu. She speaks to her toddler only in Spanish. “I have a bad habit of breaking or losing phones. Last one was probably the fourth one in the past two years.”
Ethan
Halter
Chavez
English
Counselor
• •
•
• • •
He prefers frozen yogurt and gelato over ice cream. He loves being in the water, but doesn’t know how to swim. “If I were a superhero, I’d want to be able to fly. I live in San Jose so the traffic can be heavy at times. [It would be awesome] to be able to help people...and to be able to fly and get home at a reasonable time.”
•
• •
He previously taught at Gunn. He received a Master’s degree in Shakespeare Studies at King’s College London, and visited the Globe Theatre while he was away. He moved to Uganda for a year and lived in Kampala. He taught at an international school. He has been to the Nile in three countries: the Blue Nile in Ethiopia, the White Nile in Uganda and the Egyptian Nile. His wife is expecting a child in January. “[If I could be any superhero, I would be] Prospero from Shakespeare’s “The Tempest” because he gives up his superpowers. I wouldn’t want any [superpowers].”
8
Cente
The Oracle explores importance Morning meals provide essential energy It can be difficult to find time in the morning to eat breakfast between waking up, changing and rushing off to school. A study by Kellogg’s found that due to lack of time and other personal reasons, only 36 percent of high school students eat breakfast in the morning; however, this meal should be prioritized, especially by teenagers, as eating breakfast provides the body with energy, improves daily performance and helps decrease chances of weight gain. Having breakfast in the morning is extremely beneficial because it provides your body with the nutrients it needs throughout the rest of the day. When you wake up, your body naturally has low blood sugar levels and is dehydrated, which will cause you to feel sluggish. Eating before the rest of your day starts helps wake you up and give you energy. According to a study done by the Harris School of Business, the ideal breakfast includes a combination of lean proteins such as eggs or turkey sausage, fruits, whole grains and some vegetables. In addition, eating breakfast helps improve performance on tests, quizzes, presentations or any other pressing tasks. According to the Harris School study, eating foods with Vitamin C, such as berries or citrus fruits, with the rest of your breakfast will help improve memory and enhance signals from the brain. The study also says that students who eat in the morning tend to perform better on tests and quizzes. Lastly, although many teenagers skip breakfast in hopes of losing weight, eating something in the morning will actually reduce your risk of gaining weight. According to a study done by Rush, when you eat breakfast, it tells your system that you have plenty of calories for the day. However, by skipping breakfast, your body works to conserve your calories, even if you are eating slightly less. Eating something in the morning will actually get your metabolism going for the day, and will allow you to lose more calories than if you skipped out on breakfast. Due to benefits such as providing the body with energy, improving performance on daily tasks and increasing chances of losing weight, breakfast should definitely be the first priority in the morning. After all, it’s the most important meal of the day. —Written by Grace Tramack
Q
Plagued with punctuality problems because your breakfast always takes too long to make? A simple solution lies in blending a bunch of fruit—or whatever you would like—in a smoothie the night before and letting it chill in the fridge until you reach for it the next morning. Smoothies are a wonderfully portable food for those who always seem to be running late, and are also a good option if you don’t even have the energy to chew in the morning.
A classic, creamy and timeless combination, you just can’t go wrong with bagels and cream cheese. If dairy upsets your stomach, spread some avocado instead to achieve the same level of filling satisfaction.
re B k c ui
erfold
Friday, September 7, 2018
9
e of berry delicious breakfasts Breakfast eggs-periment goes over easy
Yael Livneh
eakfast I dea
I haven’t had breakfast before school for the majority of my adolescent existence. It isn’t even that I don’t want to: on weekends I spend at least an hour every morning making elaborate breakfasts complete with scrambled eggs, veggies, waffles and more. Think of any breakfast food, and I’ve made it. The problem is that during the week, I feel too rushed to take the time to make breakfast. Getting parking is way more important to me than a morning boost of sugar and carbohydrates. However, I spent a week experiencing the supposed “most important meal of the day,” and let me tell you: it’s magical. On day one, I mixed yogurt with granola, dried cranberries, chocolate chips and honey. I was, as usual, running late, so I scooped it into my tupperware and jumped in my car. Day two was breakfast at home: scrambled eggs with parmesan, fresh veg-
gies and whole grain toast. Day three was pancakes. Four was sliced apples with almond butter and oatmeal. Finally, on Friday, I celebrated the incoming weekend with cold pizza (don’t judge me, I’m human too). Making sure I had a different breakfast each day was an important part of keeping myself excited enough to continue the challenge of eating. I ran out of creative, healthy meal ideas toward the end of the week, and I definitely felt it. Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday were all wonderfully light, yet still kept me energized until lunch. I accidentally made too much oatmeal on Thursday and overate, but the oats kept me chugging along until lunch came around. On Friday, however, running on a singular slice of Costco pizza and carbonated water made it difficult for my body to keep up with the brutal five-period schedule. The differences in nutritional value had a clear effect on how well I could focus in class and stay satiated. My final breakfast was a stark contrast to the rest of the week, and it really showed me that eating breakfast—and what you eat for it—really makes an impact on your day. —Livneh, a senior, is a Centerfold Editor.
s Mix some granola into a bowl (or ready-to-go cup) of yogurt to start your day off right with a simple meal that contains all the protein and carbs you need to make it to lunch. For the healthiest version of this morning meal, take some Greek yogurt and whole grain granola, drizzling in honey for taste. The most important thing is to find a combination that works for you.
For the mornings when you’re feeling fancy, slide a sunny-side-up egg onto a slice of freshly toasted bread and enjoy the feeling of being cradled in a lap of luxury. This breakfast option may take extra time to execute well, but if you ever wake up early, why not treat yourself?
—Compiled by Megan Li Photos by Sofia Sierra-Garcia Graphics by Mina Kim and Liza Kolbasov Photo illustrations by Sofia Sierra-Garcia and Jocelyn Wang
10
Features
Artist of the Month: Q&A with Senior Lauren Priest
The Oracle: How and why did you get into drawing? Lauren Priest: Drawing has always been a skill that I’ve had, but I never decided to pursue it any more than something that I did in my free time. I never tried to improve until a couple years ago when I started self-studying and teaching myself how to draw. I liked being able to create something that others could appreciate. It was a skill that I had before; it seemed like a waste to not do anything with it. Also, drawing made me happy and relieved stress for me. TO: When did you start posting your work on Instagram? LP: It actually took a lot of courage to post because I’m never comfortable sharing art with anyone. I didn’t think that anything I made was worth sharing. I didn’t see value in anything I made, so I didn’t see why others would. Basically, it changed when a couple of friends saw my art. They thought it was awesome and that I should create an Instagram account for my art. It wasn’t peer pressure but rather encouragement, and I think I would have never started it if it weren’t for my friends. TO: What inspires you to draw? LP: I live on Pinterest and sometimes think of it as my religion. From Pinterest and sometimes Instagram, I get inspiration from a lot of photographs, sculptures and artists. A lot of my inspiration comes from any other art form that seems interesting, especially photography. TO: Do you have any future plans for your art or your art account? LP: I’m not going to go to an art college, but I [am thinking] of pursuing an illustration minor for maybe storyboarding because it looks really cool.
TO: What types of content are on your account? LP: I did a lot of nail art, though I don’t do it as much now because I had to cut them off for work. I did do painting for a bit. It didn’t turn out super well, but I tried. Now, I draw a lot more people than I did before—it’s the newest thing. I don’t draw on the account very often, but I definitely try to post when I can. TO: How would you describe your artistic process? LP: I find parts of inspiring artwork that drew me into it and get as much out of it as I can. I put what appeals to me into my own art pieces. In terms of sketching, I do a lot of studying and make sure I can draw it the way I want it to be. Sometimes what I draw is different than what is in my head. I’m just trying to capture what is my head the best I can. TO: What is your favorite thing about being an artist? LP: Thinking about things in [the] 3D sense [is] appealing to me, although I am not sure why. This is one reason why I took Ceramics this year instead of Drawing and Painting all four years. I thought that Ceramics would help me draw more in a 3D sense instead of the 2D sense. It is like trying to capture the depth of things in real life. TO: What advice would you give to budding artists? LP: Know what to look for in studies because they are the most important thing—it’s basically the baseline. Knowing where to get that reference: for me it is Pinterest and photos. Drawing from life is very important. Do not trace. —Compiled by Andrew Zhao
Find Lauren on Instagram: @kimchee2222 Sofia Sierra-Garcia
Courtesy of Lauren Priest
Sports
11
Friday, September 7, 2018
Gunn Athletics welcomes new fall sports coaches
"
"
"
My hashtag is this: see yourself running the race, see yourself winning the race, see yourself doing well. It starts there and you will see it reveal on the cross country course.
Jason Miller Football
I love the comradery that football brings and how it teaches young men and women to commit. I want to teach them to love one another and push each other to be great.
"
Michael Granville Cross Country
Baiba McGibben Volleyball
Every time I try to do something else, volleyball is calling me back. I think it’s in my blood.
"
"
Stephanie Jackson
For the full interview of the three coaches, go to www.gunnoracle.com —Compiled by Joy Huang Sofia Sierra-Garcia
Sofia Sierra-Garcia
Coaches adopt new ‘InSideOut’ coaching philosophy Nikki Suzani
Copy Editor
Within our school, it can often feel like the “win-at-all-costs” mentality transcends the core values we hold, obscuring the purpose of school activities and athletics. Principal Kathleen Laurence aims to change that culture by implementing the InSideOut Initiative for the 2018-2019 school year. InSideOut is a program penned by former National Football League (NFL) player Joe Ehrmann to allow athletes to grow as people and better themselves. InSideOut asks coaches and students to focus on the questions: Why are we here, and what are we doing? The values are based on individual moral cores and creating something greater, ultimately teaching athletes to be good global community members. On Aug. 17, The Oracle held a press conference where Laurence described the program. According to Laurence, the InSideOut Initiative is being implemented into the Gunn athletics programs and beyond in order for teachers and students to be able to “re-find” their purpose. “InSideOut is education-based athletics where we place an emphasis on the learning kids are trying to do through their sports programs,” she said. The implementation of the initiative requires the coaches to take into account what they learn from coaching videos and then try to use those ideas within their practices. “We, as a coaching staff, watch videos on the InSideOut Initiative in order to understand it better,” football coach Jason Miller said. Miller was brought to Gunn specifically to partake in the program, and has been an integral part of improving school athletics departments before, as his philosophy fits well within the initiative and its goals. “My coaching philosophy is teamwork, togetherness, respect and family,” he said. “It’s all within the InSideOut Initiative.” Rather than focusing on trying to win at
all costs, this program focuses on building the character of the students and making them stronger team members. “We need to recognize the difference between a goal and [a] purpose,” Laurence said. “A goal could be winning, but there should be a bigger purpose behind it that guides you towards your goal.” Laurence believes that a purpose lives on forever and might change with growth over time, while a goal might not. One of the biggest benefits Miller believes the program will have is increased practice attendance, because athletes will feel more valued and motivated to take control of their own learning. “The more togetherness and respect people have for one another, the more likely you’ll get student participation, and students will enjoy coming out for those sports,” he said. Miller believes InSideOut also helps keep more students in football because it allows for students to feel more like a team and help out their teammates by getting them to show up to practice. “Due to InSideOut, the kids take ownership and [show] levels of respect; they hold each other accountable for showing up and for the actions they take,” he said. Students themselves have seen the benefit of Miller’s coaching and his thorough use of InSideOut. “He definitely gets the kids more excited about football,” sophomore Jeffrey Maltz, a member of the football team, said. “I think one of the biggest issues is commitment, so being able to get kids to commit to this allows him to be a good coach.”
that InSideOut reduces the stress within athletics because it’s no longer solely about winning, but also about learning about oneself, regardless of a team’s record in a season. This way, students can believe in themselves more, and feel better when they come out to play, translating onto the actual record. “When people are happy, they do better,” she said. The football players’ reactions to the program have been overwhelmingly positive, with many of them enjoying Miller’s teaching style. “I think [his coaching philosophy] makes sense and if he believes in it, he can make it happen,” Maltz said. “I honestly wouldn’t change anything about the way he teaches or acts towards us.”
Commit
Laurence hopes that InSideOut will transcend athletics and impact Gunn’s academic culture as well. By having all teachers attend workshops to re-evaluate and embrace their own reasons for teaching, she encourages them to reapply the values that caused them to pick up the job. “We had teachers write down their instructional purposes as a leader, and then as a teacher,” she said. “Hopefully, they will integrate those transformational purposes into their teaching and pass on that thinking to their students.”
END: Achieve more Adjust focus
Establish initiative
Redefine purpose
llllLaurence added
Graphics by Nicole Lee and Mina Kim
START: Why are we here, and what are we doing?
12
Sports
Prep alone is not reason enough to join a sport
Laurel Comiter
As an incoming freshman, I thought that I could finesse the Gunn system and get away with a yearlong prep instead of physical education (P.E.) by being on a school sports team for all three seasons. This, however, only proved how unschooled I was. Blinded by the new concept of a prep—having 75 minutes of free time in the middle of the day—I never realized what I was actually giving up. When I joined the water polo, basketball and lacrosse teams, I failed to recognize t he time commitment that playing all of these sports would entail. I justified the long hours of after-school practice by convincing myself that a prep during the day would make up for lost time. It only took a few weeks for me to realize that a 75-minute break three times a week did not balance out the two hours that I gave up for sports every day after school. For example, during the water polo season, I was working out much more intensely than I ever had before, and I was eating both a pre-practice and a post-practice dinner. In the end, my sport took up even more than the two hours per day I originally thought I was sacrificing. Sports teams also became increasingly demanding as t he seasons prog ressed; in addit ion to t he scheduled practice times, I also had to allot time for getting ready, getting to a location and resting after particularly tough workouts. Although I always believed that I’d spend my preps wisely, this generally did not happen. When a free period between classes came around, homework was the last thing I wanted to do. My prep period primarily consisted of hanging out with other people on prep, basking in the freedom of an open campus by biking to Starbucks or napping. There were still times when I actually finished my homework and had a stress-free, homework-free afternoon, but for the most part I did not use my prep to my advantage— undermining the entire goal of having a prep in the first place. An additional factor I failed to consider before get t ing involved in a spor t was t he f ina ncia l committment. Joining sports can become very costly over time from the money spent on equipment and donations, whereas all of the equipment needed for P.E. is free to use and paid for by the school. By participating in sports purely for the prep, I also missed out on countless opportunities to try out sports in P.E. class that I will probably never be exposed to again. After I graduate, I will be entering the real world where I may not have the capability or time to play pickleball, king-of-the-court volleyball or four-goal soccer. As I look back on my high school athletics career, I realize that despite the great times I had with my teams, I still had to give up countless opportunities to make memories with my classmates. P.E. is one of the only classes where you get a truly hands-on experience working with others; unlike sports teams where the ultimate goal is always to bring home another win, P.E. is a place where you can gain camaraderie, learn to work with groups of people with all different kinds of skill sets and where everyone is constantly maintaining a positive environment. Although a sizeable portion of my prep periods were at least partially put to good use, the time I dedicated to work was not even close to the time I could have had if I didn’t play so many sports. Not only did I have to schedule around several hours of practice and games, but I forfeited chances to make memories with my classmates and participate in activities I would usually not gravitate towards, and will likely never get a chance to try again. If I could go back and tell my naive freshman self one thing, it would be to take advantage of the opportunities P.E. would have presented to me. —Comiter, a senior, is a Lifestyle Editor.
Alternatives to physical education class offered: students enroll in Yoga and Athletic Conditioning Ryan Manesh
Business Manager At the end of the last school year, students learned that they would be able to take two new physical education (P.E.) electives: Athletic Conditioning and Yoga. Both of these classes, if completed, count towards a student’s physical education credits, and are available to sophomores, juniors and seniors. Athletic Conditioning is taught by Braumon Creighton and the Yoga elective is taught by Steve Ames and Diane Ichikawa. Students in Athletic Conditioning focus much of their class time in the weight room, where they will have the chance to learn and advance their knowledge of weightlifting. The class will also have lessons on the track, but students will mainly be learning how to do some conventional weightlifting, such as Olympic lifts, bench presses, squats, power cleans, push presses and deadlifts. Creighton is hopeful about the upcoming year. “I am more excited for this class than I have been for any class I have taught here at Gunn, which has been a short time, but it has really given me something that I can get creative with and stretch my knowledge and teach kids stuff that they would have never learned in a normal physical education class,” he said. Creighton also believes Athletic
Conditioning is more focused than most P.E. classes. “We are so bound to teaching team sports as a unit, such as teaching traditional team sports, basketball, volleyball and football, we never get a chance to talk about the different types of training methods that aren’t typical to your standard ‘meat and potatoes’ P.E. class,” he said. “I am thrilled that the people signed up for this class for the right reasons.” In Yoga, students’ curriculum is broken into four different units: the first unit is one focused on ensuring students are in shape to prevent any future injuries. The second is centered around the brain and learning about how it works. After that, Ames and Ichikawa will be teaching their students how to connect the brain and the body, and how to maintain a healthy mindset. The final unit will be shorter, and focused on how to apply skills that students learn in class to the outside world. Ichikawa is pleased by how the Yoga class is going so far. “We’re already starting to see some pretty good shifts in some of our students, the dedication that they are bringing to it and the level of reflection they have when we have conversations about what they are getting out of it,” she said. Athletic Conditioning and Yoga classes hope to continue to diversify students’ options for physical education.
Ryan Li Left: Group of sophomore yoga students warm up for class by stretching out with a downward dog. Right: Yoga coinstructor Steve Ames informs his students of the many health benefits and overall postive impact that yoga can bring.
Faces in the Crowd
What are your thoughts on the new P.E. classes?
“I really appreciate the diversity of the classes here at Gunn. I think it’s awesome that kids can become skillful at so many unique and different things.”
“I love the option of being able to do true exercise during school. Because of the class, it gives me more time to do other things like stream and play video games.”
Connor Missett (10)
Kunal Srivastava (10)
“I’m looking forward to being able to actually touch my toes.”
“I think it’s cool because having different options suits people’s work out types better.”
Elizaveta Kozlova (10)
Angela McCurdy (10) —Compiled by Peter Oh Photos by Sofia Sierra Garcia
Lifestyle
13
Friday, September 7, 2018
Chloe Shrager taps out single-use water bottles TapOut, a movement with the purpose of eliminating single-use plastic water bottles, was introduced to Gunn as a club this past year. Club founder Chloe Shrager heard about the idea through its founder at Paly, Norga Herwitz. “I thought it would be a lot of fun to bring TapOut to Gunn and bring another thing into our community,” she said. While there are many clubs on campus, there were few focused on environmental issues before TapOut. “We [at Gunn] weren’t being as environmentally focused as we can afford to be,” Shrager said. However, the school’s environmental outlook changed drastically within the year that TapOut made its debut on campus. Through the efforts of Shrager and 20 active club members, single use plastic water bottles are no longer sold at Gunn, and many students have switched to reusable bottles. With the goal to increase the use of environmentally-
friendly water bottles on campus, TapOut designed and sold their own reusable bottles. “We brought in multiple designs of reusable water bottles last year, and this year we are hoping to start selling the black stainless steel water bottles from the lunch line,” Shrager said. As for the future, Shrager hopes to make more environmental changes to Gunn by stepping down as president and focusing on other projects. “The idea of moving on from president this year is also to give me a little extra free time to pursue other individual environmental projects on campus,” she said. “I’m hoping to work with the administration to look into how Gunn can feasibly transition from using plastic lunch trays and utensils to a fully reusable system of washable trays.” This year, Shrager is thankful to have such a great team to work with, and is excited to make Gunn a more environmentally friendly place to be. Sofia Sierra Garcia
Bottle Battle: Contenders aim to splash competition out of water Hydro Flasks are by far the most popular water bottle at Gunn. These customizable bottles come in over seven different sizes and a variety of different designs that you can mix-and-match on your bottle. Many people also choose to make their bottle their own by covering them with stickers that reflect their personality. With double-layer, temperature-shielding insulation, the Hydro Flask ensures that your beverage stays at the temperature you want, no matter how hot or cold. Hydro Flask also comes in a 12 oz. kids edition, featuring bright and fun colors. These can be a perfect gift for your younger siblings, cousins or friends. However, Hydro Flask bottles of any kind can be very expensive. These stainless steel bottle prices average at around $30 each. These bottles tend to be a lot pricier than most water bottles, but their trendy design and high quality material make it worth it. Hydro Flask has also expanded to make insulated products for food and other drinks, making sure you will never eat or drink anything at room temperature again.
S’well water bottles are a great alternative to Hydro Flasks. Equally as trendy, they also come in a plethora of customizable designs. S’well’s company has partnered with several charities, including UNICEF, to help provide clean and safe drinking water to vulnerable communities. S’well bottles are made of BPA-free material, and contain triple-walled “Therma S’well" technology which includes a copper layer and ensures water bottles are condensation-free. Additionally, the bottles allow your drink to stay cool for 24 hours and hot for 12 hours. This is extremely convenient because, after all, no one wants to drink hot water on a warm day or lukewarm coffee on a cold day. Additionally, you can jazz up your S’well bottles with a variety of accessories. You can purchase S’well-designed water bottle cleaners for $20 on their website, as well as a Blue Chalk Ink pen that allows you to write on your bottles. If you want experience the height of luxury, you can purchase a $1,500 Swarovski crystal-covered S’well water bottle at Neiman Marcus.
While these trendy Hydro Flasks and S’well bottles are great, they are also a bit overpriced; after all, they’re just water bottles. As cool as they make you look, the $30 you are spending on your customizable water bottle could go to a much better cause. Why spend an excessive amount of money on a bottle when you can get a complimentary Gunn Water Bottle? Not only are they a more financially-sound choice, these water bottles are the perfect way to embody school spirit. With the flashy red and big Gunn logo emblazoned across the front, there is no better way to demonstrate your Titan pride than having one of these. Gunn water bottles are made of plastic, so they are much lighter and easier to carry than alternative stainless steel bottles. The one downside, however, is that these bottles don’t provide the insulation found in S’well and Hydro flasks, which can be inconvenient if you want to keep your drink cool throughout a long day of school.
—Written by Natalie McCurdy
Quality of Hydro Flasks lives up to their price tag
Jennifer Gao Although I occasionally get flamed for being a Hydro Flask bandwagoner and for buying such a stupidly expensive bottle, the benefits of owning one far outweigh its shortcomings. The moment I took a swig out of my teammate’s orange Hydro Flask during the start of last year’s water polo season, I completely understood what all the hype was about; stale, lukewarm water became a distant reality as I pictured myself owning a 40 oz. turquoise flask that had the capacity to quench my thirst with ice-cold water during any occasion. The next day, I begged my parents to let me spend $42.95 of my hard-earned money on the Hydro Flask of my dreams. At first, they looked at me as if I were insane, and tried to convince me that this frivolous purchase wasn’t necessary; they insisted that I could buy five cheap bottles with that kind of money. You could say I was thirsty enough for a wellinsulated bottle, because I did my research and laid some straight facts down on them. I first used the “everyone has one” trick in order to convince them to think that it must be high-quality and worthy of the seemingly outrageous price tag due to its popularity. Next, I listed all of the positive aspects of the Hydro Flask: it’s made out of non-toxic, BPA-free material and stainless steel, has a powder coat that gives you a solid grip and prevents condensation from forming, doesn’t hold odors, is easy to clean and ensures that it will keep your beverage of choice cold for up to 24 hours and hot for up to 6 hours due to its doublewalled and vacuum-insulation. I also insisted that purchasing a water bottle above the price point of $30 would make it so I would use it every single day to milk my money’s worth, saving me money in the long run, helping hinder plastic bottle pollution and motivating me to stay hydrated. Furthermore, because I had a track record of losing literally every single water bottle that my parents have bought for me previously, I finally convinced them to let me buy it by explaining the infallible logic that the more expensive the bottle, the more aware I would be of its location at all times— infallible logic, I know. With my four-part argument laid out masterfully in front of them, my parents finally caved and grudgingly allowed me to make what has been one of the best purchases of my life. Now that I have experienced a solid nine months of refreshing hydration, I can safely say that Hydro Flasks are well worth it for anyone who is willing to shell out the money for one. —Gao, a junior, is a Forum Editor.
—Compiled by Elisa Moraes-Liu
14
Lifestyle
Spots to recharge, refresh during prep So you’ve finally gotten your coveted prep period from playing sports or just to manage your workload. Regardless of the reason you have one, most—if not all—of your friends and teachers will advise you to use your prep wisely instead of binge-watching Netflix. Still, it’s your prep and therefore, your choice. Here’s a list of places to go and things to do during your prep period.
enter: ademic C c /A y r a r Lib st exciting ot the mo n s p a rh e p d approlibrar y is ectable an sp re e a ss W hile the le r the udent. Th s, it’s neve onsible st n o sp a ti re s a c a y e n lo v a f o for ) ser enter (AC ironment c v n ic e to m te e in d ia a p r p g ac ccess. Dro d adjoinin omputer a c h librar y an it simply to w t a toring or y habit tu d u r e st e t p ie e u q work ing ceiv ework, re ce of a hard ed. As n m a o r h a e h p is p n a fe fi na l Instagram e professio ugh your on your convey th ro s th g n g so in o hile g om the fr s k a re b student w ea ular work ou can ta k e most pop om the th r fo st li a bonus, y fr lay y quietly d Spotify p en that pla v overplaye o th e e B and of Chopin ers. k a e AC’s sp
he es t s : s d i n s k e gree buc st b Wal is li of Star ce to h t on pla lity e tion the qua es as a coupl a c o a fi l s i g l k t a a in h t's es ac u clos reens l ardly q r grabb ooler t ea? e Th Walg ac l fo dh na T ry, on, an t is idea rink in A r i zo d for a a r b i o f li , ad moo ore? easp ever rs o or T y. How s. Need t f lavo . In the of bef ens d e k n stud p snac d i f fere covered er hear Wa lgr e to , v a c e e e u a h ch w it has yo ou’ve n ny rat ot a pl d e a l s y n l t , fi en itt les o. A stop lgre Wa r of Sk t hat to ck pit rep. i o p flav ’ve got s a qu f your a y o e t Th s bes tiret y k n wor d the e n e sp
Starbuck s: Starbuc f a r aw a ks is admitted ly locate y d quite pulling f r o m t h e c a m p an a ll-n ighter, a u s , b u t a f t e r could b shot of e in ord caffeine er. t he secr et menu A lternatively, stay for drinks r not-so-s ang ec sugar-h ret s’mores frap ing from t he igh indu puccino cin to t he cino. Sta rbucks o g butterbeer fr appucffers a w w it h W ork envir i-Fi but on th and the commu e noise, lack o ment te time f f tables severely rom decrease your pro school might ductiv it y.
ic h d: woo a ndw ent s ft i l r a D s t ud e lo c d , t h y Gunn hes are o o ever rif tw dwic is at D ing t hat their san e ser vice g n i h an E at somet h Though and t ll store c o h . s s e i e c r t , a f n shop experie e food is , the sm rushing : d h l ip s h c t t t u n , n k o y e sh uic dy g lu h stud ice r q n i p r A e . l u a litt etter. D cked wit ss starts ill be rea o b a cla p n et t it w e v m e ja efore hand so not forg e b h m c beco sandwi r before and do e , a grab your ord get there ith it. n i u o l o g w ca l once y ips to h o c g f o to a ba g g r ab
Th wa l e be st Tea k f spo pric ing dis or last: on: tanc ed? T e a env s D e p ? efi oo N ir that onmen nitely. ot rea ll n. Is it I y l t m s ? we h atters Nope it a q . Are th ocated u with : . e i g i i No et , t’s dr h the num schoole Teaspo t even suitab inks ov in le w from rs p on, erclos erou la h o e brea oolong s toppi ce such ome to . But n rk ing n k o argu durin to herb gs and a high the bub ne of g a v t b e e l don that t the day , the sh a vari a lue on le tea e h e . slog , but T e entir Some p op ser v ties tha . With e e po t ra n a n: e a sp e s as o p “En joy oon de int of a le may p a welco ge life, m p one ft ly sum rep is assiona e t t Tea e o s ly g it e sp o on a up w i t work t tat ime h t heir .”
What really goes down during prep: a true story
Ryan Li When I got my first physical education (P.E.) prep during first semester freshman year, I thought I would use it responsibly. Every E period for half a semester I would walk straight from my previous class to the library, plop down a textbook and do math “funsheets" or work on a biology lab while others went off campus to buy snacks. By then I already knew that people would sometimes go to Walgreens or Subway to get food, but Walgreens and Subway both want your money. And why would you want to pay for something when you could get it for free? Free food is everywhere if you know where to find it. For instance, there is a certain store near my house that looks more like an airplane hangar than a supermarket. You know, the place that makes pizza that tastes like cardboard and for some reason sells Christmas trees in the middle of September. Between its aisles are people in red aprons with aluminium rolling tables, selflessly giving away sample cups of guacamole and chips or pieces of microwaved burrito, all free of charge. On one morning that I had prep, after a brief bike trip, I found myself looking upon a surprisingly empty Costco. There were no people looking for groceries, no cars dueling to the death for parking spaces and no employees dragging around endless columns of shopping carts. Even the guy who usually checked for IDs at the door was absent. The employees who were there either eyed me dubiously or tried not to make any eye contact; after all, a 14-year-old wandering around in a Costco at 9:05 A.M. on a Thursday couldn’t possibly be up to anything productive. I planned to take as much food as I could without looking too suspicious. There were four booths that day, and I had around 20 minutes before I had to leave for school. If I showed up at a new table every minute, I would be at each booth once every five minutes, which would maximize the number of times I could show up at each sample station. By the end of my outing, I wound up with 20 tiny paper cups worth of free food comfortably filling my stomach. Is it unethical to grab more than one sample? Am I going to get arrested for not having a membership card? Did my ancestors fight woolly mammoths with their bare hands only to have their descendant stealing samples from Costco for breakfast? These questions swirled around my head as I rushed past the frozen food aisle looking for more munchies. I also began to notice the towers of flat screen TVs and industrial-sized packages of toilet paper rising towards the 50-foot ceiling above me. Nothing but the low hum of refrigeration units and the tapping of my footsteps resonated on the linoleum floor below me. The place felt more like a mausoleum than a supermarket, a solemn monument to American consumerism. I thought it would be hilarious and exciting to go to Costco to get free samples. Instead, it felt more like desecrating someone’s grave. Costco was hallowed ground, and I was too pig-headed and ignorant to understand its significance at the time. All the small servings of juice blend in the world could not drown the guilt that I felt while walking out the door. I went back to that sacred place with my mom to go grocery shopping that Saturday. There was a crowd around a man with a microphone who was advertising blenders. People were pushing each other around for samples of the smoothie the guy just made. I jostled my way to the front of group to get some, but it was too late. The samples were gone.
—Li, a junior, is a News Editor. Graphics by Mina Kim and Jocelyn Wang
—Compiled by Joshua Yang
15 Change in seasons calls for wardrobe update
Lifestyle
Friday, September 7, 2018
Masculine Style: Peter From a young age, my fashion has always been so basic that there is almost no noticeable change between the seasons. No matter how often my parents would chastise me, telling me to wear layers upon layers of long-sleeved shirts, long pants, sweaters and rain jackets, I never listened to them because I have never been into wearing that many articles of clothing meant to keep me warm. For example, in elementary school, I would bike through the rain even if my backpack was thoroughly soaked by the time I made it to school, my short legs feeling as if they were frostbitten from the cold water that splashed up on them whenever I sped purposely through puddles. Back then, you could always find me in the same Nike or Adidas athletic shorts, whether I was beneath the skin-peeling sun of summer or the cloudy skies of the fall. This summer, I must have worn basketball or khaki shorts almost every single day. For my top, I would find a T-shirt that somewhat went along with the color of my shorts, and that would be all when it came to choosing my outfit every morning. However, since fall is upon all of us now, I will probably start wearing basic blue jeans or light brown khakis here and there, as I’m not as strongly opposed to them as I was when I was a child. Hoodies will also begin to become a daily necessity for me; I’ve always enjoyed the feeling of a good sweatshirt that keeps my upper body warm, and I especially value having a hood even though I rarely ever need one. Any sort of outerwear without a hood just seems weird and unstylish to me, so I will only ever be seen wearing a hoodie around school. I know none of my fashion choices are really anything special, but all I’m really trying to do is make sure I feel good about what I have on and make sure I can make it through the whole day without being uncomfortably cold or warm. Don’t expect me to be on Gunn Style Watch anytime soon, though. —Written by Peter Oh
Feminine Style: Yael Have you ever stepped on campus and immediately gotten frostbite from what feels like subzero temperatures, only to get slammed by heat stroke just a few short hours later? If yes, you are not alone, my friend. In our lovely state of California, fall fashion is a mix of style, comfort and intense thermoregulation. The transition between seasons is going to call for a change of wardrobe, and I’ve lived here long enough to know how to tackle it—or at least attempt to. My sense of fashion isn’t all that impeccable. I’m known for my almost obsessive collections of sweatshirts—nearly 40 at this point—and long, patterned socks. I tend to value comfort over style, and would rather roll up to school looking like a cozy gremlin than try an “out there” outfit that makes me appear like I just stepped off the 2031 Paris runway. In order to survive temperatures above 70 degrees Fahrenheit, I have to pull out my one pair of denim shorts that still fit me and every nice top I own. Like a true gladiator, I have survived 17 such ordeals; however, every single time I am forced to come to terms with the fact that even though California’s autumn isn’t all that different from its summer, they’re just distinct enough to warrant a change in fashion. In these trying times, the key to survival is layering. Lots and lots of layering. Think you have enough? Think again. Only wearing a singular sweatshirt over a long-sleeved shirt? You’re going to be frigid in the mornings, but sweltering in the afternoon. Stock up on jackets, light sweaters and long-sleeve tops so you can easily slip out of a zip-up during a quiz or slide a sweater on during a lecture instead of suffering from hyperthermia. Long socks will also keep your ankles warm and stylish, and keeping a scarf in your backpack might be your lifeline in a particularly cold classroom. As the leaves turn shades of red and orange, my socks begin to creep up my ankles, transforming from no-shows into crews. My favorite pair of jeans are also no longer a denim prison, but a welcome barrier to the biting cold. T-shirts transform from a lazy commodity to a strategic outfit choice: an easily layered piece that can be dressed up or down. My plethora of quarter-zips and sweatshirts find themselves transferred to the front of my closet, ready to be thrown in the trunk of my car once a chilly October morning becomes an involuntary field trip straight into Death Valley come lunchtime. Keeping your body at a temperature that allows it to maintain homeostasis comfortably is imperative to surviving this fall season, but you don’t have to sacrifice looking good for feeling good. Experiment with cute jackets and tops, or a new style of jeans you’ve never tried before, but if a lapse in judgement causes you to get a little chilly, just let me know and I’ll happily share my wealth of hoodies. —Written by Yael Livneh Sofia Sierra-Garcia
16
Forum
Madison Nguyen With new teachers, harder classes and more homework, the start of each school year is a shift for everyone. Each teacher has their own way of deciding how to grade homework; some grade based on completion while others may grade based on how accurate each response is. Those who don’t grade for accuracy believe that not every student will master every problem right away. However, the purpose of homework is to encourage students to understand the material they have learned in class and to give them feedback in order to ensure that they are adequately prepared for the next quiz or test. Accuracy-based grading motivates students to push harder in their classes and teaches valuable life lessons. In our district’s competitive environment, most students strive for academic success. Accuracy-based homework grading helps students achieve just that. When completing homework, students should be going through each problem and checking for mistakes rather than zipping through in a rush to finish. If students don’t complete each problem carefully, they risk not understanding the material. According to the California Healthy Kids Survey from 2015, 60 percent of juniors work hard on their homework to get a good grade. Although some of these students succeed because of an intrinsic motivation, other students need further incentive, such as getting a grade for their work. When students unfairly receive credit for assignments they didn’t actually complete, they also won’t know what they truly need help with. As test day arrives, they won’t understand what to study or how to complete many problems. According to a study published by the Teachers College Record in 2015, the way in which teachers grade homework can affect students’ motivation levels and classroom environments. The study surveyed 1,483 teachers and found that those who graded homework based on completion caused the students’ grades to inflate, which in turn decreased their motivation. It’s likely that students stopped caring about the quality of their homework assignments when they knew their grade wouldn’t be affected. On the other hand, teachers who graded students’ homework for accuracy made their pupils more aware of their grades; they provided more meaningful uses of class time which resulted in an increase in participation, focus and motivation for students. When homework becomes essential to learning, students fall in line, prompting themselves to learn the material and to take initiative in their work, which ultimately boosts their grades. It is worthwhile to point out that in addition to academics, students often pile on extracurriculars, such as sports, clubs and other programs, making for a packed schedule. Although completion-based grading may assist in lowering the stress caused by this, it also keeps students from learning to maintain a work-life balance. On the other hand, accuracy-based grading will teach students time management skills by holding them accountable for not only completing assignments, but also putting in the effort required to properly answer every question. Accuracy-based grading helps students excel in school, and it also builds a strong foundation of work ethic to grow on. Being more engaged in class improves both their academic and everyday lives, by ensuring that they learn to manage their time well. It’s up to teachers to provide a motivating work environment through encouraging students to put their best effort into every assignment. —Nguyen, a sophomore, is a Copy Editor.
CON
PRO
SHOULD HOMEWORK BE GRADED BASED ON ACCURACY RATHER THAN FOR COMPLETION?
Julia Cheunkarndee Over the years, several classes have adopted the practice of grading homework for accuracy. In these cases, after students turn in their homework, points are taken off their grade for incorrect answers. Although the level of strictness with which points are docked may vary from class to class, grading homework for accuracy is an overall unwise and unfair policy as it fosters an environment which emphasizes the importance of grades over learning. When students are aware that their homework will be given a grade, cheating often runs rampant. There are many surreptitious, and often ingenious, ways through which students cheat on exams: notes written on crackers, equations printed onto plastic water bottles and formulas stored within calculators are just a few. While having to go to such lengths makes cheating on tests rare and worthless to attempt, it’s all too easy to cheat on homework. Students merely need to borrow a friend’s paper and copy down the answers in the span of a few minutes. Checking homework for accuracy only encourages such cheating, as students are driven to ensure that they have the correct answers in order to receive a good grade; students are more concerned with getting the right answer than understanding the material they have been assigned. This is another problem in and of itself, as the whole point of homework is for students to practice what they’ve learned and undergo the process of figuring the material out for themselves. According to a study conducted by Pennsylvania State University professors David Baker and Gerald LeTendre, there is a negative correlation between grading homework and average student achievement; their work showed that grading homework didn’t improve student performance, but worsened it instead. Since students weren’t focusing as much on understanding their work as they were on accuracy, they performed poorly on their exams and memory retention lowered. In such cases, students are focused on a possible score on their homework rather than thinking long-term and preparing for upcoming tests. Clearly, instead of concentrating on the right answers, students need an area to hone their skills and practice without the stress of making mistakes. Supporters of accuracy-based grading claim that doing so makes students take their work more seriously and be more motivated. However, this belief only inflates the importance of grades within school. In an environment that is increasingly competitive and focused on scores, it is dangerous to reinforce the idea that only graded work is meaningful, or that the only way to inspire students to work hard is to hold their grades over their heads like a metaphorical guillotine. Rather than punishing students for performing poorly on their homework, there should be more supportive ways to assess their abilities. For example, students could complete the work on their own and then review it in class. This allows students to evaluate their own knowledge of the material and understand what they have to work on before the next exam, and it gives teachers less work to grade. Teachers need to stop grading their students’ homework for accuracy. The practice develops a harmful culture of cheating and detracts from what homework should really be: an opportunity for students to practice their skills and make mistakes that they can learn from. —Cheunkarndee, a senior, is a Features Editor.
Sofia Sierra-Garcia