The Oracle November 2018

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

The Oracle's editorial on student journalism

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THEORACLE Henry M. Gunn High School

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Friday, November 9, 2018 Volume 56, Issue 3

780 Arastradero Road, Palo Alto, CA 94306

Commuters clash: car-biker conflicts spark frustration

Sofia Sierra-Garcia

Elisa Moraes-Liu Sports Editor Bike safety and transportation have been long-time points of contention for Palo Alto residents and commuters. The City of Palo Alto has spearheaded several initiatives to monitor traffic and increase transportation safety throughout the years, dating back to the creation of its first bike boulevard on Bryant Street in the 1980s.

Previously, the City of Palo Alto implemented the Safe Routes to School program to improve safety for commuters and reduce school-related traffic congestion. The Safe Routes to School program includes a partnership with the Palo Alto Unified School District and the Palo Alto Parent Teacher Association. The partnership created a five-year plan to reduce the risk for students en route to and from school. Additionally, the City adopted the Palo Alto Bicycle & Pedestrian Transportation Plan in 2012, which identifies city goals for bicyclists and pedestrians. The plan includes the goal of expanding bicycle-to-work trips by 15 percent by 2020.

In 2012, the City also started reducing road lanes in order to moderate car traffic in the area. Long-time Palo Alto resident Charles Cedric Kinyon believes the reduction of lanes has actually been a large factor in traffic and bike safety issues. “People have to merge so many times,” Kinyon

said. “I’ve seen people try to merge that are in the bike lane and people drive around in the middle lane when they are not supposed to. [Cutting] it down to two lanes caused a bigger problem than they thought it would be fixing.”

Currently, the City of Palo Alto is continuing its initiatives through the current Charleston/Arastradero Corridor Project, which aims to expand safety measures on roads and crosswalks. The Charleston/Arastradero Corridor Project, which began construction in June 2018, includes several additions to roads and crosswalks to improve safety for cyclists and pedestrians. Changes will work to moderate car speeds and improve sightlines for bikers and drivers.

Certain street markings and features will serve to create a protective buffer between cyclists and motorists, including a one-way protected cycle track installed on Arastradero Road which will separate parked cars from the bike lane.

Additionally, median refuge islands that allow pedestrians and bicyclists to be protected when crossing a larger street and waiting for a gap in vehicle traffic will be installed on several intersections.

The construction for this project caused a temporary narrowing of roadways around Gunn due to barricades and cones being used for the safety of construction crews. Junior Maximilian Goetz believes this inconveniences both bikers and drivers. “There are a lot of places where you have to share the road,” Goetz said. “For a novice biker to have a car going behind you at 25 mph, you feel pressured to bike

faster since you don’t want to hold them up.” Goetz believes bikers should redirect to Maybell Avenue and other side streets during construction. “Try to avoid biking and driving on Arastradero if you can,” he said.

Senior Adam Lehot believes the solution to bike safety issues is better enforcement of traffic laws. “The biggest problem is that kids don't stop at stop signs and always take up the entire road, sometimes going into oncoming traffic,” he said. Lehot says that a solution to this problem is to have more police officers on patrol during commute times.

“Whenever they have cops the bikers always behave,” Lehot said. “I don't understand why there isn’t at least one police officer in the general area of three schools. Palo Alto has one of the lowest crime rates ever and they can’t post one officer to patrol the general area of all these schools?”

According to Officer Chris Moore of the Palo Alto Police Department, patrol officers monitor school transportation safety around Palo Alto daily. “Every patrol officer that is on duty that day is supposed to spend an hour in the morning doing school safety stuff,” Moore said. “It’s mostly looking at cars that don’t drive safely and making sure people wear their helmets.”

Moore warns bikers of the importance of following the rules of the road. “Usually bicyclists don't follow all the road rules” Moore said. “They need to remember that while on the crosswalk they are a pedestrian, and when they are on the street they are a car so they have to follow all the rules.”

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News

M o nthly h ighli ghts: Me tamorphose s “Being involved in any Gunn theatre show is just so special because we’re all like a family, and we’re all very close. We put so much work into the shows and we all do different things, but then it all comes together and we have a great thing to show for it.”

—Payton Dick (10)

“The last scene and sequence of images was beautiful.

I teach these kids on a daily basis so it was awesome to see them up there performing.”

—Paul Dunlap (English teacher)

“The students are great, I can’t pick just one favorite [part] because it was all so awesome.”

—Chris Karas (math teacher) —Compiled by Grace Tramack Photos by Sofia Sierra-Garcia

Dauber elected to school board, recount for runner-up Joy Huang features Editor On Nov. 6, incumbent Ken Dauber was re-elected to fill one of two empty positions on the Palo Alto Unified School District (PAUSD) Board of Education, while Shounak Dharap, Stacey Ashlund and Kathy Jordan are competing for the second spot. The vote on Nov. 6 was close enough to warrant a recount for two positions.

In his next term, Dauber plans to continue to improve student well-being, particularly focusing on implementing a homework policy so that the quality and quantity of homework is consistent. “Students can choose the classes that they want to take without worrying about whether or not they're taking on an excessive load,” Dauber said. He also

supports computer literacy and is committed to ensuring that all students take at least one computer science class.

He will also continue to improve special education services and plans to further address the achievement gap by helping students who have been historically underrepresented in the district. In addition, Dauber aims to strengthen district management and cost efficiency.

“I think that what was important to the voters in this election was continuing the strong trajectory that the district is on,” he said at his watch party. “We've made tremendous improvements in many areas from Title IX compliance to fiscal management to student well being, and I think that voters are saying that they want to see those policies continued for the next four years.”

Dauber, the former School Board president, was a clear winner, with 6,860 votes. However, Dharap, Ashlund and

Jordan’s vote counts were close enough to require a recount after the polls closed at 8 p.m. on Wednesday. Dharap received 5451 votes. Ashlund received 5,426 votes. Jordan received 5,346 votes. Alex Scharf and Christopher Boyd received 1,859 and 205 votes, respectively. At press time, the official results have yet to been finalized.

On Facebook, Dharap posted: “That a young, non-traditional candidate like myself has made it to such a tight race is a testament to the community that has rallied around in support of my vision—a school district that supports every student to achieve their individual potential.” Ashlund, also on Facebook, posted: “Regardless of the outcome, I’m proud we ran an honest, positive campaign. It has been an honor to speak with so many voters across the demographics of our community.”

ELECTION—p.3

CAASP test attendance causes concern among administration Noa Rappaport Lifestyle Editor The California Assessment of Student Performance and Progress (CAASPP) System was established in 2014 as a replacement for the annual Standardized Testing and Reporting (STAR) program. The primary purpose of the test according to California’s Department of Education is to “assist teachers, administrators, students and parents by promoting high-quality teaching and learning through the use of a variety of assessment approaches and item types.”

The CAASPP test is more effective than the STAR test was because it is a computerized adaptive test; if students get an answer right on the test, the questions get harder and if they answer incorrectly, the subsequent question is easier.

For the past few years, attendance for the CAASPP test has been low. By federal law, California schools are required to have at least 95 percent attendance, but Gunn has not been able to reach the minimum number of 11th graders. School

Board member Melissa Baten Caswell said, “We're one of the few school districts that is having a problem getting to that number.”

According to both Baten Caswell and Collins, the problem of low attendance will have repercussions in the future.

The California School Dashboard, a website that shows the performance of school districts in California, penalizes Gunn for the attendance rate. The school's rank is reflected by the small percentage who take the test, and is therefore an inaccurate reflection of Gunn. Funding has been lost due to the low ranking that the school has received.

According to Caswell, the test helps show teachers and the California Board of Education how Palo Alto Unified School District (PAUSD) schools are doing in general and in comparison to other districts. “If people don’t take it we can’t tell how we’re doing, and we can’t compare ourselves to other districts, so then we don’t know where we need to invest,” she said. School Board member Todd Collins agrees.

“The CAASPP test is the number one basis we have for seeing how teachers and schools are doing across schools and among subgroups and over time,” he said.

The lack of data due to low attendance also inhibits the administration from analyzing student performance over the years. This data is quite important, however. For instance, data on a student who is not proficient in the first test they take in elementary school can indicate that they will struggle in high school.

Taking the test has benefits for bilingual students. Those who take the CAASPP have the ability to qualify for the Seal of Biliteracy, an award given by the state to students who have

studied and become proficient in two or more languages before graduating high school. Multilingual students who do not take the CAASPP will not receive the seal on their transcript.

According to Collins, the test is also helpful for the administration because it tracks students of different economic statuses and ethnic groups. “It shows that we do not do a great job in terms of teaching particular subgroups of kids— in particular low income kids and some groups of minority kids,” he said. “The first step to solving the problem is finding out you have one, and this test is the most important way we have to figure that out at a system level.”

In attempts to raise the numbers last year, the school held a barbeque and a raffle with prizes like prom tickets or parking passes for students who took the test, with nine total winners. According to Baten Caswell, other districts have negative consequences for students that don’t take the test. “If you don’t show up in other districts there are some not good things that happen to you," she said. "We don’t have that in our district. We have tried to focus on incentivizing students to do the right thing, but if that doesn’t work, we may have to do other things that are not-so-positive.”

The administration is currently trying to find a more effective way to increase numbers. Both Caswell and Collins urge students to take the CASSP test, as even though it doesn’t do much for each individual student, it would still greatly benefit Gunn and PAUSD as a whole. “It’s almost like voting: it’s a civic responsibility,” Collins said.

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 Changing the Narrative Grace Williams Photo Editor Sofia Sierra-Garcia Graphics Editor Mina Kim

Staff Business/Circulation Ryan Manesh Assistant Business/Circulation Peter Oh Copy Editors Calvin Cai Madison Nguyen Nikki Suzani

Friday, November 9, 2018

School board elections: tight race between runner-ups ELECTION—p.3

“I expected it to be tight, and it is,” Ashlund said.“We ran a good campaign and we're still here, so I'm proud of our group.”

To Dharap, the close race is an indication that the community is engaged in local politics and prevalent school issues. “Everything we are trying to do, which is to talk about issues and get really healthy discourse following—it worked,” he said.

Ashlund thought that all the candidates were very qualified. “I was thrilled to know that we had two young people in their 20s,” she said.

“That's huge. I would also like to see more women running this.”

On election night, Ashlund had a public party at Celia’s Mexican Restaurant. Dharap also co-hosted a public party with Cory Wolbach, a candidate who did not win the Palo Alto City Council election, at The Patio. Ken Dauber cohosted a private election night party with Alison

Graphics Artists Nicole Lee Grace Liu Jocelyn Wang Photographers Melissa Ding Sophia Lu Tech Editors Natalie McCurdy Devon Lee Adviser Kristy Blackburn

Cormack, a newly elected member of the Palo Alto City Council. Jordan had a private party with a number of parents who were invited via WeChat.

The three candidates expressed commitment to advocating for public education and their plans for the future.

Jordan intends to continue speaking out on district issues regardless of the election results.

She says that she plans to continue working on transparency and accountability issues in the district, stressing the importance of academic excellence. “I think what's more important is the message that we're bringing: that our students must come first,” she said.

For Ashlund, the most important thing about being a board member is being able to collaborate and converse with the other members. “No one board member gets to come in and have their say,” she said. “The question is of

how do we convince one another about priorities and make those decisions via vote. I think that's a very key part of the job is being able to work closely with your colleagues that you already have.”

Even though Scharf did not win the election, he has been invited to join committees to advise the school district as he is considering being politically active in the future. “I think I will have to see how I feel,” he said. “If [committee members] are willing to listen to the community, I might be willing to participate more. If they are more doing their own thing, I don’t know if I want to participate if it doesn’t seem to matter whether I participate or not.”

The candidates expressed their gratitude toward their supporters and other candidates. “It's been an outpouring of support,” Dharap said.

"This has been nothing short of amazing.”

Naviance issues raise concerns for teachers, seniors Many staff members have been experiencing trouble adapting to and using the new Naviance program. One of these staff members includes Many seniors this year are running into an computer science teacher Joshua Paley. Paley unwanted roadblock in the process of receiving found that the Naviance program was causletters of recommendation to send to colleges. ing many problems for him and other teachers, The program, called Naviance, has been introand believes that the introduction of Naviance duced that allows students to search for colleges, was done unsatisfactorily. “We have had teachallocate their letters of recommendation from ers this year that have tried to do submissions their teachers and other faculty members and and they end up getting tens of emails immediform college resumes. However, many teachers ately about errors and there is no guidance on and students have been unhappy with what they should do regarding those the new program and its interface. The errors,” Paley said. “The number of program so far has been described as teachers that have complained about being very clunky and not user-friendly, this publically and internally through problems that faculty members and stuemail is not trivial. And to me, all dents did not have to deal with in the this is a real problem, and teachers past. have been given no training prior to According to Principal Kathleen using it and really, if Naviance were Laurence, the switch to Naviance allows good, they should not need training. students to organize application materiI never got any training on Common als and allows for administration to get App and it worked with no problems. better data on where students are applyTo be frank, if Naviance were written ing and their outcomes. “The idea was better, it would be easier to use from that it would be easier, as everything is the first place.” just in once place for the students too,” Paley believes that the change was she said. “It just had a few little glitches unnecessary, as the Common App had that we weren’t ready for.” worked fine. “So my main objection According to College and Career is the school went from something Center Coordinator Leighton Lang, that was clunky software but worked many issues that students and teachers in Common App to something that have complained about have not entirely is also clunky and now introduces Kristy Blackburn been Naviance’s fault, and the only isTwo common error notifications teachers have received problems in Naviance without propsues that existed have now been solved. er testing,” Paley said.

“There are no major issues that have while attempting to submit letters of recommendation.

Ryan Manesh Business Manager

not been solved,” he said. “I think a major issue is that students need to learn how to follow the instructions and do what they are advised to do, because that’s what is manipulating the process.”

However, Lang does not believe that the blame for issues with Naviance can be on students. “The program does need some developmental help, because it doesn't let you choose what college a kid’s letter can go to,” Lang said.

“The student has to do that part on their own.

[They have to] select the schools,” Lang said.

INBOX

Oracle/SEC Liaison Bridgette Gong Oracle/TBN Liaison Collin Jaeger

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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.

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

Senior Amber Fu reviews food on Instagram.

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THEORACLE Henry M. Gunn High School

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Monday, October 8, 2018 Volume 56, Issue 2

780 Arastradero Road, Palo Alto, CA 94306

COMMUNITY RALLIES AROUND LOCAL RESIDENT’S TESTIMONY AGAINST KAVANAUGH

Communit y gathered on Sept. 27 to suppor t D r. Christine Blasey Ford.

Ryan Li

News editor

Members of the community gathered three times in the last two weeks to show their support for Palo Alto resident Dr. Christine Blasey Ford, who came forward and accused Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh of sexual assault. Palo Altans held a candlelight vigil at the Tow and Country Villaige on Sept. 22, a protest at City Hall on Sept. 27, and a third demonstration at the intersection between Embarcadero Road and El Camino Real on Oct 4.

Ford, a professor at Palo Alto University, testified on Thursday, Sept. 27 in front of the Senate Judiciary Committee alleging that Kavanaugh assaulted her when they were both teenagers.

Since then, another woman has come out to accuse Kavanaugh of sexual misconduct.

Kavanaugh, an appellate judge who was nominated for a seat on the Supreme Court this July, denied the accusations in testimony. Since then, the Federal Bureau of Investigation has launched and completed an investigation into the allegations.

Vigil organizer Vicky Blaine Mattson says 900 people gathered in solidarity with Dr. Ford. “There were hundreds of people at the event, and it was really great to see so many men and women come out in support of Christine,” she said.

Junior Sylvana Domokos, who took part in the event, feels that it was powerful to see members of the community support Dr. Ford. “It was really quite incredible to see so many people supporting women and their stories,” she said. “There really was a big collection of so many different types of people from different ages. It was really just wonderful to see the support.”

According to Domokos, keeping those in power accountable is important in the current political environment. "I just really hope that the American people and government take into full account the people who are going to be governing us," she said.

"While someone may be an extremely competent judge or lawyer, can we truly accept that they are competent without judging Ford—p.2 Photo courtesy of Sophie Alexis

School board’s ‘two-meeting’ bylaw now under consideration Joshua Yang Forum editor

As the Palo Alto Unified School District (PAUSD) school board elections approach, the future of a rule requiring all agenda items to be debated on for at least two-meetings is uncertain. Currently, the board may choose to waive the rule in regard to routine agenda items with a two-thirds majority.

During recent meetings, however, the board has taken to waiving the two-meeting rule for more than just routine agenda items, according to School Board Representative senior Arjun Prabhakar. “In past years [the board waived this rule] only once or twice per meeting, maybe even less—it would be really rare,” he said. “This year, they are waiving it on maybe at least three or four agenda items per meeting.”

In fact, an agenda from the Sept. 4 board meeting lists the board recommending the waiving of the rule no less than six times on non-routine items.

Community and board opinion is divided concerning the future of the policy.

School Board Vice President Jennifer DiBrienza believes the two-meeting rule is essential to community participation.

“The intention [of the two-meeting rule] is to make sure that we allow for broad community input,” she said.

DiBrienza also pointed out how the two-meeting rule allows greater community awareness of issues. “I know that

very often before I was on the board, I wouldn’t know an issue was coming before the board until they discussed it at the first meeting,” she said.

However, School Board President Ken Dauber believes the board should completely discard the rule in order to increase efficiency. “I would like us to move away from the two-meeting rule and instead talk about things more than once only when it’s productive to do that, rather than being required to,” he said. “I would like to change the two-meeting rule because I think it’s inefficient and unnecessary.”

Given the proximity of the school board elections, school board candidates have also weighed in on the issue.

PAUSD school board candidate Kathy Jordan has been an advocate for preserving the rule, citing community engagement. “Giving the public an opportunity to participate and engage with a public entity is more important than waiving the two-meeting rule for efficiency,” she said. “The public has a right to be involved.”

Candidate Shounak Dharap follows Jordan’s philosophy towards the policy. According to Dharap, the policy also benefits board members. “Between the first and the second meeting, that time gives board members the time to really dwell on an issue: to really grapple with all the perspectives, to get into the details and come up with a thoughtful solution,” he said. “Just thinking on your own is not enough to do that, because you need to have someone who’s going to challenge

your assumptions and bring a new perspective to the table.

If we were to decide on controversial issues the first meeting, board members would have no opportunity to actually really absorb and think on them.”

Candidate Stacey Ashlund affirmed her support for the two-meeting rule as well. “The reason I continue supporting [the rule] is because it is in the best interests of the public to be informed, and also in the best interest of the board members to work collaboratively.”

The two-meeting rule has long been part of the PAUSD policy; in fact, according to Dauber, a board member from the '90s could not remember when the rule was voted in.

The rule, a section of board bylaw 9323, was intended to give community members more time to participate in discussions.

“The goal is to maximize the ability of members of the public to comment on the issue,” Prabhakar said. “If there are several meetings or several weeks that community members have to read through agendas, read through documents, then make more educated comments on an issue, that would not only give the board more community feedback at meetings, but also make sure that opinions are well-informed and rooted in fact.”

There have been mixed opinions about the appropriate times to waive an agenda item as well.

Prabhakar hopes the board will move towards waiving the two-meeting rule sparingly.

—Oct. 5, 2018—

Rule—p.3

Overall, it’s a lot more visually appealing.

Some of the article topics are still pretty boring.

—Lauren Priest, 12 I really liked [the issue]. I liked the stories about the Silicon Valley bubble and studying abroad in Israel.

—Nadia Chlala-Lubbe, 9

The Oracle won sixth place in Best of Show at the 2018 National Scholastic Press Association Conference on Nov. 1-3.

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Forum

EDITORIAL: The Opinion of The Oracle

Independence of student press must be upheld, supported by community To say that the past year has been difficult for the press would be an understatement. In May of this year, Montana House Representative Greg Gianforte made headlines by body-slamming a reporter for “The Guardian” during a campaign rally. On Oct. 2, “Washington Post” reporter and United States resident Jamal Khashoggi was murdered and dismembered by Saudi Arabian agents. Even as recently as Oct. 29, President Donald Trump called the press “the True Enemy of the People [sic]” in a tweet. However, the degradation of the press is not limited to the marbled columns of the White House and the editorial columns of the “The New York Times.” It’s happening right in front of our eyes. Over the past couple of years, School Board candidates, school administrators and even advisers of Palo Alto Unified School District (PAUSD) school newspapers have shown willingness to stifle the journalistic integrity of school publications for the sake of saving face and pursuing personal motives. While journalists need to be held accountable for presenting accurate information to their audience, school officials should work to support the institution of the independent student press.

School districts should recognize the value of an uncensored student press, as it is recognized as a part of state law. In 1988, the Supreme Court decided to significantly decrease the First Amendment rights of student journalists in the Hazelwood School District v. Kuhlmeier case. However, a group of states, including California, passed a law expanding students’ freedom of expression instead, refusing to recognize the Hazelwood laws. California Education Code 48907 declares that students are entitled to the same press freedoms as professional organizations. The code specifically states that “pupils of the public schools including charter schools, shall have the right to exercise freedom of speech and of the press including, but not limited to… the right of expression in official publications… except that expression shall be prohibited which is obscene, libelous, or slanderous.” AntiHazelwood laws

in California grant student journalists many press freedoms unavailable to other student journalists across the country. As a result, PAUSD student publications have more opportunities to voice the opinions of the student body. Such opportunities should be celebrated and defended, not suppressed, by administrators.

Despite the fact that publications in PAUSD are protected

by California laws, they still do not receive the respect and support from school officials and community members that they deserve. Actions like harassing student journalists, attempting to coerce students into publishing certain opinions and refusing to support school press freedoms do not align with the spirit of the fourth estate, also known as the media.

For example, “Palo Alto Online” recently published a series of articles describing the harassment of a student on “The Campanile,” Palo Alto High School’s student newspaper, from a School Board candidate. By refusing to talk to or cooperate with publications, PAUSD School Board candidates and officials show that they are not interested in the opinions of their constituents. Taking student-run publications seriously is central to increasing students’ participation in important community decisions and winning the support and trust of students.

School officials should work to mend relations with reporters and publications in order to take full advantages of rights granted by the anti-Hazelwood laws. To many communities, school publications are a reliable source of school-related news. Therefore, school officials need to do more than just pay lip service to the press. It is especially important that administrative staff treat school publications like The Oracle with the same regard they would give a professional news organization. This uniformity is crucial, as it not only provides student journalists with valuable learning experiences in journalistic ethics, but also helps them ensure that the most accurate information is being presented to their readers.

Student journalists also have the

responsibility of fostering cordial relationships with school officials.

It is important for publications to have a thorough understanding of those involved in the PAUSD community—even if opinions may differ—due to a shared goal of improving the district. While the press is entitled to print their opinions, they need to be held accountable for fact-checking their articles before printing and take ownership for any mistakes in their content. Additionally, printing the opinion of the staff should not include swaying the members of the paper to match the personal opinion of the teacher adviser.

Without argument, advisers are a vital part of the publication process—they teach the journalistic style of writing, help edit articles, give guidelines for appropriate content and coordinate production. However, as a student-run publication, the opinions must come directly from the students, not the adviser.

Ultimately, the content that is published is intended to be read primarily by students, and therefore, should be relatable for that demographic.

In today’s increasingly polarized political and social climate, the journalistic integrity of media organizations everywhere is being questioned. Authority figures and candidates today who seem more interested in avoiding controversy than serving the public continually attack and degrade the free press. While we recognize that student reporting is not always perfect, it still acts as an important conduit for student voice; now, more than ever, it is vital that school officials recognize that the First Amendment’s jurisdiction is not limited to those involved in professional publications.

As the main student-run publication at Gunn, The Oracle staff stands with students and student journalists close to home and across the country.

—Unsigned editorials represent the majority opinion of the staff (assenting: 33; dissenting: 0; abstaining: 0)

Photo illustration by Sofia Sierra-Garcia and Mina Kim

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Friday, November 9, 2018

5

Reforms needed in student approach, towards laning\ process

Tejpal Virdi

Nested in the heart of Silicon Valley, Gunn has taken on the intellectual pressures that come with its ambitious surroundings. In this type of community, students feel obligated to match the level of success they see around them. A common product of this pressure is students’ unjustified enrollment in a subject’s most difficult lane simply to increase their academic rigor. At times, this rather blind outlook becomes a part of the culture—whether in peer groups or at home—and students begin to sacrifice other (yet equally important) parts of their life.

In many cases, the sole goal of one’s high school career becomes getting accepted into the most prestigious colleges, creating an unhealthy mental environment for other students as well.

A fundamental aspect of the academic rigor discussion lies in laning, the concept of breaking a subject into classes of varying difficulties. For instance, 10th grade chemistry is divided into an honors lane and a regular lane, and 11th grade history has an Advanced Placement (AP) class and a regular class. For math, the divisions become even more complicated: some students have tested out of over two years in math, while others may be falling back a year or two. Although opinions differ on the exact formula for laning, laning should not take on the blame of academic tension; changing Gunn’s laning system would be an ineffective way to address Silicon Valley’s stress culture. The problem must be addressed at its root, rather than by denying students of an opportunity to customize their education. If lanes are removed through de-laning, there wouldn’t be enough opportunities for high-achieving students, as they would be put in classrooms with students who are less interested in the subject. Moreover, standardizing education by the removal of lanes prevents students from customizing their rigor and finding a schedule that caters to their interests.

To be sure, increasing the number of lanes could also increase stress levels for those who feel pressured to take the most difficult classes—but this isn’t necessarily a fault of the system.

Students who believe it is normal, or are encouraged, to replace non-scholastic time with hours of schoolwork for the sake of looking impressive on paper are not in a healthy environment.

If Gunn condones this mindset, it deters its mission of fostering a community of creative thinkers with rewarding lives. In addition, there are students who take rigorous classes with a personal interest in the material, and there should always be lanes readily available to them. Thus, a solution to balancing the two perspectives comes with preserving the structure and shifting the culture around lanes rather than removing them.

To start, students shouldn’t feel the need to take difficult classes because of parental or peer pressure; rather, they should be able to pursue what they truly enjoy without stigmatization from others. Not only will this create a more collaborative environment, but it will also allow students to appreciate differing interests. Such a solution would need to start at home, though. Parents should encourage students to excel at their interests and not force them to simply take the hardest possible classes offered.

Of course, changing the culture at home isn’t within the school’s control, and a closer stepping stone may be adjusting the community’s definition of rigor. By gradually replacing homework with more innovative ways of enrichment, Gunn would allow more students to take higher-lane classes and ease the load off students who feel pressured. This type of solution may take form in increasing the number of discussion-based classes and project-driven assessments so that students don’t feel buried in mundane work. After all, there is a fine line between healthy stress and harmful stress. Healthy stress pushes individuals to become stronger, while harmful stress can have lasting negative effects, according to research by Stanford University Associate Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences Dr. Firdaus Dhabhar. Finding a healthy equilibrium between thoughtful rigor and an open curriculum may prove to be the right trajectory.

Before changing the laning system, it is important to consider how each group in Gunn’s diverse student body may be affected. In education, there is rarely a one-size-fits-all approach that works, so collecting data and having a fluid model would be key to effecting changes. It is also important to note that this issue isn’t just specific to Gunn; an adjustment in culture and teaching style will not be simple, but a progressive movement like it can provide long-term benefits to current and future students. ­—Virdi, a senior, is a News Editor.­

Mina Kim

Faces in the Crowd

Are class lanes beneficial or detrimental?

“If done the right way, lanes can be beneficial, because people have different interests and abilities in subjects.”

“I think lanes are good because they allow each student to learn at the level that is appropriate for them.”

Dana Souter (9)

Pauli Nusser (10)

“High lanes seem intimidating so people are pressured to drop into the lower lane and don’t reach their full potential.”

Sophia Tong (11)

“Lanes filter people who aren’t as serious about the subject and let people who are truly interested in a subject pursue it.”

Joseph Kim (12) ­—Compiled by Eric Epstein

Photos by Sofia Sierra-Garcia

6

Schools, students must take steps to integrate international students

Forum Former international student reflects on living in America

Chiara Jurczak

Sofia Sierra-Garcia

Andrew Zhao From European scientists to Chinese railroad workers, America was built by immigrants. While descendants of immigrants might feel like typical Americans, our ancestors had to acclimate to a new, unfamiliar country. Today’s immigrants, whether they are graduate students or relocated refugees, share this struggle of becoming perceived as a “true American.”

This struggle is exhibited at Gunn, where international students often have trouble understanding and integrating themselves into the community. Oftentimes, they end up aggregating among themselves due to language and cultural barriers that keep them together. Further assimilation of international students into the community will lead to a supportive learning environment for international students and a widened perspective for domestic students.

One of the greatest hurdles for international students to overcome is the English language. Even if they demonstrate mastery in a subject, not understanding the nuances of the language can prevent international students from excelling academically. Gunn currently supports non-native English speakers through English Language Learners (ELL), a program meant to facilitate the transition to regular English classes.

However, this program focuses more on language support in humanities classes than in technical disciplines.

Without this support, international students are stuck: they take the same classes as domestic students and are treated the same by teachers, even though some may struggle to understand geometric proofs due to the technical terms involved. Additionally, the language barrier causes international students to suffer socially.

A study done by the University of Chicago found that facts spoken by foreign accents were deemed less trustworthy than those spoken using a more Americanized pronunciation. Thus, students with heavy accents are often mocked, shunned or ostracized. A more comprehensive program to overcome the language barrier in all subjects must be implemented to help international students flourish.

The presence of international students, once integrated, also benefits domestic students. Diversity in particular is known to engender various benefits: a study conducted by McKinsey & Company, an international consulting firm, showed that companies with ethnic diversity are 35 percent more likely to have financial returns greater than their respective medians. International students are the definition of this diversity.

Their distinct experiences help educate American-born students about the world, whether it be about the chaos in the Middle East or the cutthroat education system in East Asia. However, many international students are insular by default: they may fear or dislike the new community thrust upon them. By not integrating fully into the community, international students fail to share their diverse perspectives. Assimilation would help unlock this potential. Additionally, higher education contains large numbers of international students, with Stanford University reporting that over a third of its engineering graduate students are not from the United States. For students, exposure to international students at a young age will help them get along as they pursue higher education. However, if students cannot get along with their international peers, they risk alienating half of their classmates in the future. In order to teach students to embrace diversity, an effort to bridge the gap between international and domestic students must be made.

On the surface, it seems that Gunn is performing fine. There have been no violent incidents between international and domestic students or overt discriminatory acts by teachers. However, further inspection reveals that international students are stuck socializing among themselves, both excluded and unwilling to take part in the wider community. The most striking example is how international students from China and American-born Chinese students at Gunn are socially distant; despite sharing a common heritage, it is rare to see a friend group that mixes both together. If these two groups fail to mingle, it seems unlikely that a student from a more underrepresented country, like Laos, would integrate into Gunn. Additionally, both sides are missing out on opportunities: American-born Chinese miss out on learning about their cultural heritage, while Chinese internationals miss out on American customs.

Both American-born and international students should make an effort to get to know each other beyond their labels, and form closer bonds with each other.

A language and cultural barrier may impede integration, preventing international students from mixing with domestic students. Breaking the language barrier requires a two-step solution: providing English translation materials when necessary, and having students recognize the implicit biases that come with heavy foreign accents. For example, during a chemistry test, a Korean student could have access to an English-Korean translation for scientific terms. In addition, Gunn should take initiative and facilitate the adjustment of international students into the community through events that allow international and domestic students to mingle or a mentorship program. Only then can the benefits of having international students be reaped.

American high schoolers don’t realize how idolized they are by their European counterparts. Kids in Europe grow up watching the same shows as American kids; the difference is that they have no real-life alternative to compare it to and break the illusion. At a certain point, the golden rule became this: if you saw it on Hannah Montana, there was a good chance it was true.

That’s why, as you might imagine, reality came as a bit of a shock for me. I moved to Palo Alto from Paris when I was in fifth grade, and the first couple years felt surreal enough to be shown on a movie screen. The neighbors introduced themselves by bringing cookies, we visited Disney parks in Los Angeles and the sun was always shining, even in the winter. As seasons stopped changing, time began to feel endless too, and it felt like at any moment someone would yell, “Cut!” and come take apart the set that had become my life.

Then, like in a Hollywood film, reality hit. I recognized the staples of the American lifestyle I had seen represented on TV so many times: the lockers, the open campus, the cafeteria, but everything still felt out of place and unfamiliar. I realized I was out of touch with the environment I was in. As much as I could rely on common childhood staples to carry the conversation along, the list of cultural differences was as long as the list of similarities. I didn’t try peanut butter until I was 12 years old, and I immediately hated the taste of it. Barney the dinosaur was as unfamiliar to me as the political situation of Azerbaijan, and I simply could not fathom how people managed to eat seaweed as a snack.

As more and more time passed, however, I became accustomed and even used to the American way of life. From an outside perspective, it may have seemed that I became the typical American teen. I spent the majority of my formative years living there, and the references or knowledge I possessed came from, for the most part, school and the media. But as much as I became integrated, geographically and superficially, I realized I couldn’t fully assimilate into the cultural aspect of things. The experiences that had formed my classmates and me as children were wildly different. Our sense of humor was at times incomprehensible to one another, and as much as the community I was in felt inclusive, I couldn’t help but feel like an outsider.

This feeling of alienation grew stronger as I became older. I felt caught between two ways of life, and sensed that I stuck out like a sore thumb in both of them. Whenever I went back home to Europe in the summer, my relatives and friends pointed out how “American” I had become, but in America people distinguished me by my European roots.

Nevertheless, I am grateful for the perspective living in a culture different from mine offered me, as it allowed me to experience many wonderful (and bad) things I never would have experienced if I had stayed in my comfortable little bubble.

Every experience is a learning experience, but that doesn’t make difficulties any easier to bear when you’re far away from everything familiar.

As diverse and inclusive as we all may try to be, we unconsciously set ourselves apart from what we deem to be unfamiliar. We stay with the same group of friends, go to the same places, categorize ourselves into different sections and continue living our lives like we always have. And while Gunn may try to help foster new connections, no school-organized event can measure up to the feeling of first being invited to a party or being asked to sit next to someone: to being treated like a person instead of a statistic.

My goal isn’t to incriminate anyone, and American students are evidently not the only ones who do this. I’m taking advantage of the opportunity I was given to bring this issue to your attention.

When you’re coming from another country, you leave behind everything you’ve ever known and lose everything you’ve ever had all at once, and as a teen it’s not a decision you get to make.

Sometimes, even a simple smile or a conversation that might feel meaningless and empty to you can feel like a beacon of light to someone starting a new life.

In a society where people constantly analyze what others can and cannot do, oftentimes we forget that all of us can do something as simple as approaching a random stranger and striking up a conversation. ­—Jurczak, a junior, is The Oracle’s Foreign Correspondent.

­—Zhao, a senior, is an Online Editor.­

Features

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Friday, November 9, 2018

Ryan Wang reaches rapid times solving rubik’s cubes Devon Lee Tech Editor For many, solving a Rubik’s Cube is a seemingly impossible task. However, junior Ryan Wang not only solves Rubik’s Cubes, but also challenges himself to take the puzzle to a whole new level.

Wang started playing with Rubik’s Cubes when he was five years old.

Determined to solve it, he learned how to solve the bottom two layers, but stopped cubing for several years. In seventh grade, Wang regained his interest in Rubik’s Cubes when his friend invited him to a Rubik’s Cube convention. After the convention, Wang toyed with the cube and eventually figured out how to solve the third and last layer. “It felt good, because this puzzle, which had stumped me [for many years]—I’d finally vanquished it,” Wang said.

At first, Wang could only solve a Rubik’s Cube in five minutes, but he eventually got his time to under a minute after his first year of seriously solving cubes. Now, Wang can solve a Rubik’s Cube in 6.4 seconds, only 2.2 seconds off from the world record. Wang attributes his record to his passion for solving Rubik’s Cubes and constant practice. “I have interest in it, and in order to get fast you have to invest time,” he said. “So it’s a lot of practice, but it’s also fast fingers and fast thinking.”

According to Wang, speedcubing is the perfect way to exercise his competitive spirit. “I used to be really competitive about getting a really good time, so getting a personal best was always gratifying,” he said. “Also, when you finally understand how a puzzle works it’s really rewarding.”

A master at solving the standard 3-by-3-by-3 cube, Wang has now expanded his repertoire to include all kinds of different puzzles. “You have non-cuboids which are like dodecahedrons, pyramids, other types of [three-dimensional] puzzles,” he said. “I do a lot of them, but I don’t know how to solve them yet.”

Wang also finds interest in manipulating the Rubik’s Cube’s unique structure.

For example, he’s able to create patterns of colors on the cube and then solve it again. If solving the Rubik’s Cube in under ten seconds isn’t challenging enough, Wang finds other methods of challenging himself. “I can solve it one-handed,” he said. “Sometimes I can solve it blindfolded, but I’m working on that.”

Wang can be seen walking around on campus with a Rubik’s Cube in his hand, ready to be solved. Despite his busy schedule, he takes the time to practice every day.

In the future, Wang plans on creating a Rubik’s Cube club to share his passion with the whole school. “I have a club that I’m probably making next semester, so look out for it at the club fair,” he said.

Sofia Sierra-Garcia

RUBIK’S CUBE WORLD RECORDS The world record for solving a 3-by-3-by-3 Rubik’s Cube blindfolded is 17.20 seconds.

The world record for solving a 3-by-3-by-3 Rubik’s Cube only using feet is 16.96 seconds.

The world record for solving a 3-by-3-by-3 Rubik’s Cube is 4.22 seconds.

The world record for solving a 3-by-3-by-3 Rubik’s Cube with one hand is 6.88 seconds.

Statistics from the World Cube Association Graphics by Mina Kim Photos by Sofia Sierra-Garcia

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Features

The annals of “The Oracle”: how times

Features

Friday, November 9, 2018

9

have changed, where we stand today In 2012, The Oracle featured an article on the prevalence of marijuana on campus. Students were using the drug as a stress-reliever and did not understand why consequences for using the drug were so severe. An article published in The Oracle in 1976 titled “The Big Marijuana Scare” focused on how companies promoted the negative effects of marijuana. Students did not believe that smoking marijuana was harmful and wanted hard evidence to back up these statements.

In 1971, the then music building at Gunn was severely vandalized. An editorial from The Oracle at the time claimed to understand the vandals’ intent. “Vandalizing a school, rather than theft, demonstrates a frustration with the educational system, and is an offspring of bored, unmotivated apathy,” the writer said. Gunn still faces occasional vandalism to this day, and expressing resentment towards the school is believed to be the intent behind it.

Now, the administration is concerned with the use of e-cigarettes in the bathrooms. According to the California Healthy Kids Survey 2016 report for the Palo Alto Unified School District, 15 percent of juniors have used electronic cigarettes or other vaping device.

In 1979, students were able to “buy” a senior for a day to act as their servant or slave at an event called “Rent-a-senior Day.” During this event, students bid on the senior participants. “The rules stated that the highest bidder obtained the services of one or more seniors for the following day, from 7:45 a.m. to 3:15 p.m. The owner, or “master,” had to provide all the props for their servants while the servants had to obey the owners’ commands (within reason).” Some of these tasks included dancing the hula on the library roof while wearing a hula skirt and coconut bra or doing push-ups in front of the school during a homecoming lunchtime game. The money raised from the event was put towards senior activities such as the homecoming float or graduation night.

From 1977 to 1979, the senior class held an annual “Dating Game” in Spangenberg Auditorium in the fall that brought together students from various schools including Paly, Cubberley and Los Altos. The game was based on the ABC TV show of the same name, which was popular then. It was divided into rounds during which four students would participate: three as bachelors or bachelorettes in a panel and one as an inquirer. If the three on the panel were girls, the inquirer would be a boy, and vice-versa. The inquirer would ask questions to the bachelors or bachelorettes to decide which one they would go out on a date with. They tried to come up with clever questions like, “If I were a piano, how would you play me?” and “If we were on Fantasy Island, what would we do?” After they picked a date, it was expected that the two kissed, as it would satisfy the audience. If one or both refused, the crowd would often taunt them into doing it.

Today, bike theft is still an issue at Gunn. In 2011, bike locks were distributed on campus to reduce the number of thefts. In addition to bicycles, laptop computers are also commonly stolen.

Until 1969, girls were not allowed to wear pants under the school’s dress code.

As The Oracle at the time put it, it was an “oft-debated question” with many conflicting perspectives. Students created petitions and the Student Executive Council (SEC) urged the administration and the superintendent to change the dress code. The School Board eventually ruled in the SEC’s favor, but jeans were exceptions, and students continued to push for them to be allowed. The restrictiveness and perceivable bias of Gunn’s dress code against girls have also been called into question in more recent times. In 2013, one of The Oracle’s male staffers tested this by going against the dress code during homecoming week to see if he would be issued a dress code violation like some girls had been.

In 1976, The Oracle reported that “alcohol is becoming the drug of choice among [juniors and seniors].” In relation to today, 17 percent of 11th graders reported to have drank four or more alcoholic beverages in their lifetime, according to the California Healthy Kids Survey 2017-2018 report for Gunn.

Bell schedule changes in the past few years raised concerns about student voice.

Compiled by Sofia Sierra-Garcia, Joy Huang, Collin Jaeger, and Grace Williams Graphics by Nicole Lee

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Centerfold

November elections shape future of California, Palo Alto unified school district (PAUSD)

Passed palo alto Ballot measures MEASURE Y Measure Y will limit the terms of PAUSD board members to just two consecutive terms in office. Measure Y won with an overwhelming margin of 72.32 percent of the votes.

Friday, November 9, 2018

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MEASURE E Measure E will increase Palo Alto’s hotel tax from 14 to 15.5 percent to fund general municipal projects. It will provide for city services such as stable 911 communications, earthquakesafe fire stations and bicyclist and pedestrian safety.

MEASURE Z Measure Z will authorize the issuing of millions of dollars in bonds to fund upgrades in Palo Alto school facilities and equipment. This money will go to upgrading old libraries, classrooms, labs and enhancing student security.

Remember to watch fo r final PAUS member res D Board ults today!

ANNA ESHOO: District Representative in the House of Representatives Democratic incumbent Anna Eshoo won with 70.9 percent of the vote, and will continue to represent the 18th Congressional District, which includes parts of the San Mateo, Santa Clara and Santa Cruz counties, in the House of Representatives. She will continue, on a Democratic platform, to protect the environment, encourage the development of clean energy and fight for access to healthcare for families.

GAVIN NEWSO M:

Governor

Winning w Newsom w ill seit h 56.7 percent of the vote, years. Once at rve as California Governor Democrat Gav in for the next four he now need s the forefront of the anti-Tru to mp resist fa ce C al ifor n ia’s gr homelessness an ow ing povert y ance, d ho us in g co rate, generations ou sts that threat likely focus efft of the state. As for the futuen to drive young re, Newsom w and homelessn or ts on fixing California’s ho il es using shor tagel s, an d instituting univ w ill also contin er sa l ue he alth care. He to suppor t the transgender (L lesbian, ga and defend CalGBTQ) communit y, advoca y, bisexual and te for gun safe ifornia’s immig ty rants.

R: E B U ER A B D M E N M E D K R OOL BOA CH PAUSD S

EducaBoard of to ser ve D S U A e eP ent of th l continu ds as presid-election. He wilw ill work towar ap d e v r e s r g e e r t r e b n r b u e a fo u Ken D ccessfully ran ur years. Da g t he achievem ublic. ep su t fo sin tion and ent for t he nexindergar ten, clo sparency with th n id k s a y r e t r a p d d n as ing a f ull ication a establishroving commun and imp

SHOUNAK D HARAP: PAUSD Sc

hool Board Member

A Gunn phasized imgraduate, Shounak Dhar career pat hwprov ing menta l hea lt h ap ran on a platform in re-desig n ays and closing the op awareness, ex pand ingthat emnetworks throing specia l education portunit y gap. Dharap student by bu ild ing b press time, D ugh peer support and en st rong com elieves mu nit y h h ar an ap ce h d ad re candidates lo th so cked in a closee highest number of vo urce allocation. At tes battle for the remaining Sc out of the three hool Board se at.

—Compiled by Ch elsie Park and Yael Livneh

Photo illustration by Yael Livneh and Sofia Sierra-Garcia Graphics by Catherine Chen, Nicole Lee, Yael Livneh and Jocelyn Wang

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Features

World language teachers win awards of excellence German Teacher Claudia Schroppel

—Written by Chelsie Park

Sofia Sierra-Garcia

Grace

Liu

On Sept. 5, German teacher Claudia Schroeppel won the American Association of Teachers of German (AATG) Goethe-Institute Certificate of Merit, a national award that celebrates and recognizes the work of German teachers in schools and communities.

Schroeppel believes that the award is really about her contributions to the community as a German teacher. “It’s a certificate of merit for my work as a German teacher, not just at our high school, but also generally for the work that I do for other German teachers, for the community, for putting German on the map and events that we do that branch out to other schools,” Schroeppel said. “The AATG has different chapters throughout the nation and each chapter is pretty self-organized and decides what kind of events or activities they want to run.”

On Nov. 17, Schroeppel will participate in an award ceremony at the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL). “It’s a big organization,” she said. “They do a conference once a year, the biggest world language conference, and all the different types of awards are given out during one of the days of that conference.”

However, upon receiving the notification of the award, while honored, Schroeppel felt a little uncomfortable. “It is really tricky when you first hear that you are nominated,” she said. “That feeling is like, why me? We’re all working on this, so it’s a little awkward because all of these events only happened with many, many, many, many different people working

towards them. So at first, I feel like I want to just share this award with everybody because it’s not mine; it’s all of us that have created these events or participated in them. I’m just one person out of hundreds who are helping.”

While Schroeppel recognizes the necessity of key leaders and organizers, she believes her excitement and enthusiasm for these events and for German in general is important in pulling all of these events together. “I do try to really be enthusiastic, and I am enthusiastic about teaching German,” Schroeppel said. “I ooze that out. When I come in, I try to be excited and kind of try to be present for my students.”

Schroeppel stresses that the whole language department is working hard to help students and spread their respective languages and cultures, not just herself. “Generally, I think that at Gunn, all the languages are really focusing on new ways of looking at language learning based on the ACTFL guidelines,” Schroeppel said. “So there’s a much bigger push on what you actually can do with the language rather than what you know about the language.”

Additionally, for German especially, Schroeppel emphasizes the importance of forming a close-knit community in the classroom and creating memories with the language. “One of the things that I really try to instill in my students is to really work as teams,” Schroeppel said. “I want the students to grow and be aware of the surroundings and the people next to them. And I think that is a big change in the class atmosphere because you kind of create a family. It’s really about creating memories and events that you look back at while you’re using the language.”

Chinese Teacher Yanan Vrudny

don’t know how to interact with people, that will cause challenges. We want students to start in our classroom, but build their bridge to the world, or any place they are passionate about.”

According to Vrudny, her mission is to help It’s the beginning of class. Once the bell rings, her students step onto that bridge, paving the way one of the students walks to the front of the room to their goals. “Hopefully, in the future, they can and leads the class in a bow to their teacher. get jobs [in the region of that language] and travel This is Yanan Vrudny’s classroom. She has between that place and United States,” she said. “It worked at Gunn for almost 12 years, teaching will enlarge their job opportunities, which I think Mandarin Chinese of all levels. In March, she is important.” was honored for her dedication with an award of After studying the skills of 21stOutstanding Teacher century students, Vrudny believes that from the California an important element in the classroom Language Teachers’ “We want students to is teaching through project-based Association. Only start in our classroom, but learning.Through collaboration and four or five teachers group projects, she hopes to further across California are build their bridge to the engage her students and make their chosen for this award world, or any place they work more interesting. each year.

This dedication to her work is why are passionate about.”

Vrudny’s desire to Vrudny has never viewed receiving an —Chinese Teacher Yanan Vrudny connect her students award as her end goal, but rather as an w it h t h e re s t of honor and a component of her path the world through toward becoming a better teacher. “I language is the main component of her teaching think this is the job I should do—the job I need to that qualified her for the award. Judges were do as a teacher, so I never thought that in return I looking for language teachers that guided students would get something,” Vrudny said. “I feel honored toward being global citizens, in that the teachers to receive this award. I think that it’s part of my taught not only a language, but also the culture of own goal to grow into a much better teacher that language’s country or region. and encourage more students to have this global Vrudny has explored many ways to incorporate competence.

Chinese culture into her classroom. During Helen Chen, Vrudny’s mentor and the superviChinese New Year, the windows are festooned with sor for THE student teaching program at Stanford, paper cuttings made by her students. The class also was the one to nominate her for the award. Chen learns about the rules behind using chopsticks, and submitted Vrudny as a candidate and reached out studies the history of different Chinese holidays. to many of Vrudny’s peers, from former students She also encourages her students to participate to her colleagues, for letters of recommendation. in different language-related contests, from poem “The family and students gave me credit, by earnreciting to essay-writing competitions, both within ing this award with their support; they all wrote the school and in the outer Chinese-learning detailed letters for me, and I am very appreciative,” society. In these ways, Vrudny’s students get a look Vrudny said. at the Chinese culture and community beyond the language itself. “The important part is the culture,” —Written by Julia Cheunkarndee Vrudny said. “If you only know a language and you

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Friday, November 9, 2018

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Sports

Swimmers travel to Budapest to race in international meet Madison Nguyen Copy Editor

During the first week of October, seniors Ashley Stahmer, Sarah Snyder, Milan Hilde-Jones and junior Shogo Moridaira traveled to Budapest, Hungary with their club, Palo Alto Stanford Aquatics (PASA), to compete against other worldclass swimmers.

While the swimmers have competed against Olympians before, Budapest was their first time traveling outside of the country to compete. “I was really excited when I first got [to Budapest],” Stahmer said. “It was a little stressful while traveling, but everything else was great.” According to Stahmer, PASA was not the only club team to go. Another team from California with swimmers of aged 14 to 18 year old also competed; however, other countries mainly had their national team representing them.

There were many unwritten rules at the meet that were unknown to the Gunn swimmers due to the discrepancies between high school swim meets and international meets.

“This one time, [Snyder] got yelled at [for not following the rule] where after your race, you have to get onto the lane line or else they won’t start the next heat,” Hilde-Jones said.

“You also can’t get out from your lane; you have to cross the

pool to get out on the sides and exit in a specific order. You can’t get into the pool without your credentials, which has a picture, but you weren’t allowed to smile in it. They regulate everything very strictly.” Ten minutes before each race, swimmers had to arrive at the “ready room,” where they would stretch and prepare themselves. If they weren’t there in time, they wouldn't be allowed to race.

For Hilde-Jones, this meet was a great experience. “We got to race some really high-level swimmers and it was a really incredible thing to do, especially at the level we’re at right now. We’re in high school, [and] we usually don’t get these opportunities until we’re in college,” she said. At the meet, she swam the 50-meter backstroke, 50-meter freestyle, 100-meter backstroke, 100-meter freestyle, 200-meter backstroke and 200-meter freestyle.

Competing against elite swimmers was very unlike racing against teenaged swimmers. Snyder had a difficult time because of her recent ankle injury. “[The meet] was all right.

I didn’t do great. I sprained my ankle about a week before, so it hurt a lot while I was swimming, but I got through it,” she said. “It was my first time swimming short-course meters, so I got all best times.”

It wasn’t just the competition that was difficult,

though. According to Snyder, the time difference was also hard to adjust to, and communicating with locals who didn’t speak English was another challenge.

In domestic swim season competitions, swimmers will either compete in short-course yards or long-course meters.

Because the Budapest meet was in short-course meters, the times don't count for qualifications in America. The main goal of these swimmers was to do their best and take what they learned back to the pool at home. To their surprise, however, many of them did beat other opponents, which was definitely a highlight for them.

This meet inspired the swimmers, reminding them of why they started swimming in the first place. Moridaira, who moved to Palo Alto from Japan last summer, was reminded of his previous trainings. “Almost every Japanese swimmer is small, so we have to work hard on technique and other things,” he said. “So it was really good that [this meet reminded me to keep working hard].”

Following this experience, the swimmers look to continue their athletic careers at the collegiate level. Stahmer recently committed to the University of South Carolina, Snyder will be swimming for Duke University and Hilde-Jones has committed to swim at Northwestern University.

Photo by Sofia Sierra-Garcia, Graphic by Mina Kim

Girls water polo coach Mark

H E R N A N DE Z

leaves position

after ten years

Sophia Lu Grace Tramack Features Editor

After 10 years with the girls water polo team, head coach Mark Hernandez has stepped down from his coaching position with the conclusion of the season.

This choice was a personal decision for Hernandez, as he has dedicated so much of his time to coaching both high school and club water polo. “It’s time to move on,” he said.

“I feel like I’ve done a lot of work with the team, and I want to try other endeavors and get involved with other projects.”

Senior Michelle Fang is sad to see Hernandez go after so many years with the program. “He really built [the program] up from the ground, and made it the traditionally strongest team in the most competitive league in CCS,” she said.

Hernandez says that his last season has been emotional.

“It’s been a lot of reminiscing,” he said. “Every phase of the year you do recalls all the other ones, such as all the different tournaments you’ve been to: games we’ve won, games we’ve lost, ways we’ve won and ways we’ve lost.”

The team had a record of 10-2 in their league this season, and was undefeated at home despite losing their All-American, or outstanding amateur athlete, goalie, Zoe Banks, last year.

One aspect of Hernandez’s coaching style that his athletes will miss the most is his unique character and iconic catchphrases during practices and games. “I think one of my favorite parts of having him as my coach is being able to see him on deck and contrasting that to his personality in the classroom, and all of the interesting sayings I've collected over the years,” Fang said.

Junior Cooper McKenna says that one of his most iconic sayings is “that’s bad (or good) for business” to categorize strategies, which the team made into a T-shirt.

As for Hernandez, the aspects of the sport that have been the most memorable were those that involved team improvement. “I’ll miss the players a lot, and I will miss the game day a lot,” he said. “I like making changes and seeing the team grow, and that comes from practice.”

One of the parts of coaching for water polo that Hernandez will miss the most is the exhilarating wins, ones involv-

ing comeback victories or upsets. The organizational facets of the sport, on the other hand, he will not miss as much.

Fang says that the culture and environment of the girls water polo team next year will definitely be different. “I honestly don't know what Gunn polo is going to do after he leaves,” she said. “He's been so dedicated to our program and his presence has been grounding for everything we've done.”

Despite not knowing who next year’s coach will be, the players remain optimistic that the team will continue its tradition of excellence. “Every coach is different and you get to learn new things, get new perspectives and a different style of playing from each one,” McKenna said. “I also think I and the other upperclassmen on the team want to try to continue a lot of the team’s traditions to make sure they don’t disappear.”

Despite stepping down, Hernandez hasn’t counted out ever coaching the team again. “Life takes you to different places and directions, and sometimes it takes you to places you don’t expect,” he said. “So I haven’t ruled it out entirely, but I do need to step down for a while.”

Sports

The future of football:

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k c Ta

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Friday, November 9, 2018

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Calvin Cai

Copy Editor

Since 1965, the National Football League (NFL) has been America's favorite sports league to watch, according to Gallup.

Spending much of one's Sunday watching football games has become a facet of American culture.

In NFL highlight reels, there are scenes of wide receivers making unreal one-handed catches, running backs bulldozing through defenders and linebackers making huge hits on quarterbacks. Recently, a professional American Flag Football League (AFFL) was created. Even the best highlights from this league consist of nothing but mediocre catches and moves from no-name players or washed-up, retired NFL players. This lack of audience engagement demonstrates the vastly superior entertainment value of tackle football.

Additionally, flag football removes some of the “thrill aspect” of tackle football. Tackling is one of the most exciting parts of football, and the physicality of the sport is what differentiates Laurel Comiter it from other sports. Furthermore, flag football places less emphasis on the skills that are needed Lifestyle Editor to make it to the NFL. While speed and agility are valued in both tackle and flag football, NFL players are also required to have a combination of toughness and strength that AFFL players Throughout their lives, children are taught to weigh the risks associated with are not required to have. This makes flag football a much easier sport to play, so most players anything they choose to do. Yet sports, and football in particular, have long been are less talented than those who play traditional football. an exception to this thought process. While football may be one of the most For children, participating in flag football can negatively affect their transition to tackle beloved and popular sports in the United States, it has brought with it dangers to football in high school. Flag football teaches many bad habits that disadvantage players who young, professional players that could easily have been avoided. The high enterwant to make the switch. One such example is blocking and tackling; in flag football, there is tainment value of tackle football is undeniable, but with it comes destructive and no tackling and little to no blocking. This causes many flag football players to shy away from permanent injury, high financial costs and poor skill-development. contact and tackle incorrectly, thus reinforcing the idea that initial exposure to football with Like most athletes, tackle football players are at a risk of sustaining many diftackle football is more positive in the long run. Not only that, but tackle football also teaches ferent injuries.

Athletes who play tackle football specifically are at a high risk for kids some essential skills. In tackle football, arguably more than in any other sport, teamwork developing chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), a degenerative brain disease is emphasized. For example, players have to trust one another to block in order for plays to that initially manifests itself in personality changes, but can progress to cause desucceed. Another key skill taught in youth tackle football is work ethic. Football pads typipression, impulsivity, aggression, memory and cognitive changes and ultimately cally weigh approximately ten to twenty pounds, so during hot summer and autumn days, dementia.

A post-mortem study conducted by Boston University showed that 110 playing in full pads can be extremely tough. Being able to work through the discomfort, out of 111 brains of former National Football League (NFL) players who were studhowever, pushes athletes' physical and mental toughness to their peak, a strength that helps ied had evidence of the degenerative brain disease. people of all ages.

Fatal brain injuries occur at the high school level as well. Recently, a high school The main cause of concern regarding tackle football is the injuries athletes can suffer football player from Georgia died a few days after sustaining a head injury from a from. In recent years, though, many advances in safety gear have been made to protect tackle collision during a game. He was airlifted to a hospital, where he underwent two surfootball players. One example of such is the Vicis Zero1 helmet designed by neurosurgeon geries to relieve brain swelling. He died shortly after.

Sam Browd and mechanical engineer Per Reinhall to prevent head injuries. Unlike a typiSeveral other sports have set regulations regarding the level of contact allowed, but cal tackle football helmet, this helmet acts less like a hard shell and more like a car bumper. football seems far behind on this trend. Whereas USA Hockey has banned checking Upon impact, this helmet deforms and the outer shell compresses to reduce the impact on until age 13 and USA Soccer has banned heading until age 11, the American Football the head. Nowadays, many notable football players choose to use this helmet, including AllLeague has allowed young players to give and take hundreds of hits in a single season.

Pro quarterback of the Seattle Seahawks Russell Wilson and the majority of the University Even former players such as Mike Ditka, John Madden, Jim McMahon, Harry Carson, of Notre Dame football team.

Nick Buoniconti and Brett Favre, who hope to keep the sport of tackle football alive, Additionally, during this past offseason, rule changes took place to prevent injuries durare in agreement that there should be age limitations on tackle football. ing games. For example, a rule was enforced that any reckless hit would result in an autoFlag football is a safer alternative to tackle football because it places a greater emmatic ejection. To add on, another new rule stated that lowering the head to initiate contact phasis on skill development, with less physical contact than tackle football. With flag would result in a penalty. These two rules reduce two of the most common causes of football, younger athletes in particular have the benefit of learning the skills necessary injuries in the NFL—dirty hits and helmet contact. for football without the fear of getting hit and injured as they might in tackle football.

Although tackle football can injure players, the benefits of it outPlaying flag football can also improve a player’s tackling skills later on because it requires weigh the benefits of flag football. Tackle football is one of the greater skill to de-flag the opposing player than it takes to tackle. Teaching youth flag most popular sports in the nation, and playing it can help football before they transition to tackle football will reinforce safer play styles, where instill values of trust. The recent advances in safety contact and power are not the end-all-be-all, as technique and strategy are key traits of a and the diverse athletic skill sets that playfootball athlete. ers develop make tackle football a Additionally, tackle football is considered one of the most expensive sports to play very rewarding sport for because of the added costs of all of the protective equipment. Youth helmets range from people of all ages. $70 to $270, shoulder pads cost anywhere from $35 to $135, jerseys cost $25 to $45, thigh, knee and hip pads cost $15 to $70, cleats cost $35 to $70, youth socks cost around $6, pants cost $30 to $60 and a youth belt costs around $5. Flag football, on the other hand, requires very little equipment. All that is required is a jersey, cleats and a waist flag.

While tackle football is undeniably entertaining and a culturally valued sport in America, flag football is a much safer and cheaper alternative, especially for young players. Flag football emphasizes skills lost amidst tackling, and is financially feasible for more people than tackle football. Flag football is built on the same concepts as tackle football, but in a way that places greater emphasis on skill rather than size or bulk. Flag football will prevent countless players from sustaining the life-threatening injuries that tackle football has long ignored.

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Photos by Eric Epstein and Sofia Sierra-Garcia

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Sports

Titan cheerleaders qualify for nationals, up their game Liza Kolbasov Forum Editor After a successful season, months of preparation and an outstanding performance at their last competition in Santa Cruz, the cheer team recently Mina K qualified for nationals, which im will take place in Anaheim between Feb. 22 and Feb. 24.

The team put a lot of work into preparing for the competition, with particular focus placed on their stunts and tumbling through special clinics and practices. “[Tumbling is] what you see at games when people go in the air,” junior Zoë Lo said. “It seems pretty straightforward. You lift the person in the air and then you hope they don’t fall. But there’s actually a lot more behind it: the technique, the way you position your body and utilize your muscles to get the best start possible. [Practicing these skills] really helps us with competitions because we’re nice and clean and sharp... a huge part of cheer is to not only be loud and to show the judges what you can do, but also to be clean about it and safe.”

According to cheer coach Jazmyn Turner, preparation for the competition began last school year.

The team held tryouts in April and worked on perfecting their routine over the summer. “Coming into the new year, we really focused on the stuntPhotos courtesy of Brenda Cornelio and Savanah Alvarez ing and then from there we placed all of it together,” she said. junior Emily Cohen said. “But this year, we had the same For their competition in Santa Cruz, the team mem- routine, so we had more time to practice. It’s really exciting bers worked on improving the routine that they had cho- to hit it full-out once.” reographed last year. “Last year was just a lot more rushed, Lo believes that the team dynamic also contributed to throwing it together last minute before [the] competition,” their success at the competition. Over the course of the

season, they were able to establish an understanding and knowledge of each other that ultimately helped them succeed. “It’s a team sport,” she said. “It’s not how fast you can run, or how far you can jump or how many baskets you can shoot. It’s a team effort. If you want to get someone up in the air or you want to hit that routine, you have to do it all.”

Cohen also believes that better time management was a major factor in their success this year. “This time, we just spread [our preparation] out over more weeks and focused on going back to the basics of everything and conditioning or being stronger instead of just rushing into everything and trying to throw skills we didn't know we had yet,” she said.

Turner thinks that the team’s mindset going into the competition was crucial to achieving good results. “Being a coach, I can only take them so far,” she said. “If they don't have it in their heads to want to become a better athlete then in the end they’re not going to succeed.”

The team was extremely excited to find out that they had qualified for nationals. “[I was] ecstatic,” Lo said. “I couldn't believe it. I was really hoping that we would, so a small part of my mind was like, ‘yeah, we’ve got this,’ but you’re always worried that you don’t. We were just so happy.” Turner believes that their excellence at this competition showed them the potential they have for the future.

In the future, Turner hopes to help improve the cheerleaders’ athleticism and increase the level of difficulty in their routines. “My main goal is to make them stronger and advance them in their skills and their stunting,” she said. “I really would like to see a team that can show the different qualities of cheerleading such as advanced stunting, advanced tumbling and really advanced skills such as arm motions, sharpness, jumps, anything of that nature.” The cheer team hopes to put their best foot forward at nationals.

Lifestyle Four books to cuddle up with this winter

Friday, November 9, 2018

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Avid reader learns to make time to appreciate reading

‘Good Omens: The Nice and Accurate Prophecies of Agnes Nutter, Witch’ by Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett This is a lighthearted and witty book, filled with the type of humor typical of Gaiman and Pratchett’s writing.

Despite its possibly apocalyptic consequences, the book doesn’t take itself too seriously. Satan speaks through Queen songs, and the Antichrist is accidentally misplaced along with an ancient book of prophecy. Still, Gaiman and Pratchett manage to work in some deeper themes: the book’s main protagonists are an angel and a demon, but neither one are truly good or evil.

‘After Dark’ by Haruki Murakami Murakami is well-known for his works of surreal fiction. His stories are dreamlike and thoughtful, driven by feeling rather than reason or plot.

The focus of the story revolves around a young girl named Mari and her relationship with her sister, Eri. It takes place throughout the course of a single night. The pacing is steady, and as the night progresses, Murakami reveals more and more about the characters he has created. At the end of the novel, as the night fades away, reading the last page feels like slipping out of a dream itself.

‘The Fifth Season’ by N. K. Jemisin This book won the Hugo Award for Best Novel in 2016. Set in a world where apocalyptic natural disasters occur every few thousand years, another disaster has struck—but this one may never end.

The main character, Essun, is a middle-aged mother whose goal is to save her daughter amidst the ending of the world. Many characters of the fantasy genre are included in ways that feel natural, while also expressing subtle points about diversity and representation.

Jemisin does not shy away from difficult themes in her book, and also grabs the reader and makes them look at such themes as well.

‘A Man Called Ove’ by Fredrik Backman At first glance, Ove seems like a cantankerous, unlikable old man. In the first chapter of the book, he attempts to buy an “O-Pad” from the Apple store and berates the employees for going on their lunch break. Nevertheless, if readers can get past his cranky exterior, the rest of the book reveals a greater insight into Ove’s character. This unraveling is hastened by the arrival of new next-door neighbors, who insert themselves cheerfully into Ove’s life. While the plot is somewhat predictable, many other elements within the book are grippingly unexpected.

—Compiled by Julia Cheunkarndee Graphics by Jocelyn Wang

Nikki Suzani The musty smell of old books lingers in the air as exuberant chattering is stifled by a muttered “shhh” from the librarian. I sink into a soft couch, run my finger over the edge of a rough page and turn it. The real world fades away as I enter another world, woven into the printed ink of a story. A story of hope and loss and joy, of empowerment and spirit.

If you’re anything like me, the library is a happy place where you can get lost for hours in a tale that is meant to be consumed and devoured until you feel a part of it within yourself.

My earliest memories are of reading, from Bible stories about sheep in preschool, to falling in love with my first novel in first grade: a copy of “Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets” from the YMCA with half the pages ripped out. I remember “stealing” class books to read them during recess, and turning down many playdates because I was too captivated by a novel to put it down.

And yet, reading is a hobby that so few get to enjoy.

Whether it be because of homework and tests, or a general lack of time, as we get older, fewer and fewer people take time out of their day to cozy up with a good book.

How does one make time to explore such a vast world, when low grades and intense amounts of homework are so prominent?

The first step I’ve taken to regain touch with books is to take advantage of the stolen moments of each day, whether it be pulling a book out of my backpack the second the bell rings and reading a couple pages as I walk to my next class, or attempting to make out words in the harsh sunlight as I wait for my friends to get to the bike cage. My sister likes to use reading apps like “Scribd” and hide her phone under her desk to read, but I’m far more traditional with a few paperback books always shoved somewhere behind my math notebook. I might run into a pole while walking, but, hey, at least I completed that last half of a page.

The second step is going to the library habitually. If I’m stressed about a math exam, I’ll slide over to Mitchell Park, find a couple friends and study there. While I’m waiting for them to move to the next problem or go to the bathroom, I’ll sink my teeth into a new paperback and enjoy snippets of a story.

On any given day, I can be found talking to a librarian and getting some recommendations or just grabbing a book off the shelf, allowing myself be taken on a journey to another world. Books pull me in whenever I dive into them, and I often find myself latching onto them without letting go.

Finally, I’ve assessed my lifestyle and consciously made the decision to cut back on Netflix or YouTube in exchange for more time with stories. When I can take the time out of my day to grapple with the concepts in a story and participate in an adventure filled with vibrant imagery all provided by my imagination, it makes me far happier than any media website ever would.

With books, I am able to give myself the opportunity to paint the blank canvases that lie before me and lay down my emotions into a story. I get to be creative and create a world of my own that no one else will ever even peek into, a world that lies between the dusty confines of a book.

Reading has provided me with the opportunity to explore all kinds of narratives, ranging from stories about swashbuckling pirates to stories about rebellious princesses. I’ve lived a billion roles and fallen in love with a billion characters. Reading has allowed me to hide when the overwhelmingness of reality threatens my happiness.

High school is difficult and stressful, and sometimes I just want to give up, kick my feet back and fly to paradise.

Books have allowed me do that without failing all of my classes.

—Suzani, a sophomore, is a Copy Editor.

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Lifestyle

Study productively with these tips Before yo u start st udy Make a to -do list an ing, get organized . d in order of priority organize your task s .

W tasks, firs hen orderi t do any ng your thing tha than five t takes le minutes. ss Nex large proje cts into sm t, try to split up makes th aller tasks em feel since this more do everything able. Gett organized ing so much will make easier and your life there’s no satisfying th than check ing off com ing more pleted task s.

If y star ou’re t e tell d, gi havin g v min yourse e you trou rsel ble l u f t y e mu ch, s. If ou wil f a sm gettin bein try tha t s l study all goa g eem it e g inti three. l: for m a S min sier to idatin top th s like five g, a e t a get eas utes, sk f too nd st i y the er to ou m arted. you’ll rom i ten case, keep ght fi After find a fe nd w k o e or e r t tak wen p goi king. that i w ea n t’ I t bre ak y mi g for f that s n and ’s ano ute com s. I ther eb f n ot ack late , r.

Put your phone away so that you’re not tempted to look at it. If you can, turn it off and put it in another room. Apps such as Forest and Tide also provide study timers that block you from accessing other apps on your phone and keep you focused. If you must have your phone to listen to music or wait for a call, make sure that it is at least somewhere far from you so you have to make an effort to look at it. Or, try timelapsing yourself so that you can look back on your progress later.

rsts rather than Study in short bu The Pomodoro long chunks. taking a fiveMethod suggests y 25 minutes of minute break ever your breaks, get studying. During lk or stretch. Try a snack, take a wa your phone, but to avoid checking t, set a timer to if you can’t resis ort break doesn’t make sure your sh ng much longer. turn into somethi

—Compiled by Liza Kolbasov Photo illustration by Sofia Sierra-Garcia and Jocelyn Wang

Calculator contest: TI-84's days are numbered When it comes to calculators at Gunn, Texas Instruments (TI) reigns supreme. From scientific calculators to the TI-89 Titanium graphing calculator, TI dominates the handheld computing device scene with their impressive range of products.

TI has reported that their best-selling models are the TI-84 Plus and the TI-Nspire CX, but which calculator helps students excel the most? I have owned a TI-Nspire CX for the past three years, and it’s been by my side for every standardized test and classroom quiz since I bought it. However, I wanted to see if I was missing out on something great with the TI-84.

To truly understand the world from the perspective of a TI-84 user, I borrowed a friend’s model for a week to see if it would enhance my academic life in any way.

After using the TI-84 for a week, I realized there was a clear winner: the TI-Nspire. While I may be slightly biased, given my previous experience with the Nspire, the 84 was still far more difficult to navigate with its ancient display. Released in 2004, the model barely has any storage and has no ability to upload digital images or include computer software like the Nspire can. That said, the 84 has been around for longer than the Nspire, and has a much wider range of user-generated programs available for download online. The TI-84 was also useful for following teacher calculations, as SmartBoards use the TI-84 format.

For years, my TI-Nspire has been my trusty sidekick, graphing in full-color and boasting 100 megabytes of available user storage—and I intend to keep it that way. Its full alphabetical keyboard allows me to easily type equations and integrals with its individual letter buttons, and its clean user interface makes it easy to solve complex tasks that the 84 cannot even begin to compute. The TI-84’s archaic Solver function made math class harder than it already was, cementing the TI-Nspire’s indisputable position as the better calculator.

—Written by Yael Livneh Photos by Sofia Sierra-Garcia

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Lifestyle

Friday, November 9, 2018

Pop some tags at a thrift shop Thrift shopping benefits the world, your wallet

Caroline Ro Earlier this year, the Environmental Protection Agency reported that in 2015, 2.5 million tons of textile waste were recovered through recycling or donation, while 10 million tons were sent to landfill. Another three million tons were incinerated for energy recovery. Regardless of what these numbers mean to you, one thing is obvious: we’re dealing with way too much clothing. For this reason among others, thrifting and consignment shopping have been on the steady rise. All things considered, hopping on this bandwagon will benefit not only you, but your wallet, your style and the environment.

The financial benefits of thrifting should be clear: you are getting the same quality of clothing for a drastically markeddown price. While it depends on your luck, your tastes and the stores you visit, a haul that would have originally costed you $100 could easily be cut down to around $20.

New clothes that are just as cheap won’t last you as long as thrifted clothes at the same price, and you don’t have to feel

as guilty about buying five shirts in one trip.

Coco Chanel is cited as having said that while “[fashion] passes, style remains.” The fast fashion bug that has been infiltrating big brands like H&M, Forever 21 and Zara is not only incredibly wasteful, but is also made up of fleeting trends. Thrift stores are treasure troves of unique, long-lasting, vintage pieces. Because the clothing isn’t newly released, it won’t follow fads bound to go out of style in a few months, tops. This allows you to truly discover your style and develop a unique look, rather than blindly following fast fashion trends.

Perhaps the most pressing reason to shop second-hand, however, is because of the environmental benefits. Making a single cotton T-shirt requires a total of 2,700 liters of water, enough to fill 30 bathtubs. The rise of fast fashion has halved the average lifespan of an article of clothing between 2000 and 2014, and in 2014, 80 billion garments were produced. In addition to water, an overwhelmingly large number of textile producers use pesticides, ship from China or India and have

unethical working conditions and wages for their employees. Shopping second-hand means your purchase isn’t perpetuating the production of more clothing, but rather taking in clothing that has already been purchased and would have otherwise been thrown away.

Despite everything, many still have their reservations about consignment. A common perception of thrift stores paints them as dumps, essentially; one has a shot at finding a decent T-shirt, but only after sifting through piles upon piles of smelly, stretchedout rags. As a thrifting enthusiast, I can attest that this is an inaccurate portrayal of these stores. Many thrift stores now curate their selections, only accepting clothing that is of satisfactory quality and appeal.

Whatever your reason may be, thrifting is a shopping alternative that deserves a shot. As cheesy as it may sound, one man’s trash can be another man’s treasure.

—Ro, a senior, is Editor-in-Chief.

The best places to spend the least cash Out of the Closet While thrift stores are mainly known for their messiness, Out of the Closet, located in San Francisco, is organized by item type and color, making it easy to find certain items. The aisles are spacious and not a fire hazard, which is always great, and makes it easy for customers to navigate the store.

For book lovers, they have a selection of books that are normally retailed for more than $10, but are discounted for as little as a dollar. While it may be pricier than other thrift shops, it’s still cute, funky and a great place to thrift.

Savers Savers, with their nearest store located in Redwood City, is known for their large selection of unique clothing. While it’s located a bit far out, thrifting there is always worth the trek. The store sells a wide variety of books, clothing, shoes and household items in good condition, usually for a good price. Savers sucks you in and makes you lose track of time, whether you are looking for a funny T-shirt or a new pair of mom jeans.

Mission Thrift Looking for a place to thrift in San Francisco that isn’t too busy? Mission Thrift is home to many pieces of vintage clothing, furniture and art. The clothes are organized by type, color and print. Not to mention, the prices are cheap and of great quality. The clothing selection is one-ofa-kind; they have a variety of oversized jackets, including jean jackets, raincoats and windbreakers. It’s perfect for finding anything you need, from everyday clothing to fun costumes.

—Compiled by Madison Nguyen

Haight and Ashbury's historic past lives on through its vintage vibe Once home to famous singers, cult leaders and revolutionaries, the San Francisco neighborhood of Haight and Ashbury honors its past with its lively vintage culture. Haight and Ashbury rose to fame in the 1960s during the hippie movement, and continued to be a place of inspiration and experimentation. Artists such as Jimi Hendrix lived nearby, while John Lennon and Yoko Ono made frequent visits to this hub of creativity.

As the Vietnam War escalated and tensions rose in America, a group of over 100,000 people traveled to the Haight and Ashbury District for the Summer of Love in 1967. They gathered to celebrate and promote peace and love across the world by sharing their art, music and cultural ideas. Haight and Ashbury was the founding ground for peaceful political resistance.

As late 80s and 90s fashion trends continue to gain popularity, thrifting, especially for vintage pieces, is gaining popularity as well. Besides the obvious economic benefits, thrifting offers more­—an edgier and more distinguished style.

Graphics by Jocelyn Wang

One of the most popular thrifting sites in the world is on Haight and Ashbury­—known for its vibrant artwork, culture and hippie-vibe. Haight and Ashbury’s hype as being the place to thrift is thoroughly justified. Some of the most popular thrift shops on Haight and Ashbury include Buffalo Exchange, Held Over and one of the largest Goodwills you will likely ever see, known for its vintage clothing and jewelry. If you stop by Held Over, by far the most popular thrift store in San Francisco, you will likely get major flower-power vibes.

Whether you’re looking for an 80s shredded Levi's denim vest or a 60s flower crown, Held Over is the place to go. The store is organized by decade, making shopping more convenient.

Often considered the “it-store” of thrifting in the city, this store truly embodies San Francisco’s hippie culture like no other. Whether you’re thrifting as a way to transform your style, find a costume for a decade-themed party or to save money, there truly is no place more perfect for it than in this iconic San Francisco neighborhood.

—Written by Sohini Ashoke

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Lifestyle

Quick stops provide caffeine kicks

Baron Barista Waiting in line to order an iced vanilla latte, I looked around and took in the white industrial walls that were complemented by slender black pipes and a minimalistic interior design. The shop was spacious and well-lit, with plenty of space to work. The clean, modern atmosphere also flaunted a vertical garden, relaxing music and cute coffee cups. I appreciated how accessible and airy the room was, and how I could clearly see my iced coffee being made. After receiving my beverage, I sat down at one of the shiny white tables at the side of the store and tested the Wi-Fi—it was a bit slow, but it worked well enough. If you’re looking for a nice place to study, Baron Barista is an undeniably viable choice. The latte was strong enough for my liking, and it was overall delicious. There were very few people in the shop, and I noticed someone eating some avocado toast, which I immediately wished I had ordered as an accompaniment to my coffee.

Philz Coffee As I entered the Philz on Middlefield, the smooth, rich scent of freshly roasted coffee beans wafted past my nose as I stood still and inhaled deeply. With vividly colored murals of brilliant greens, yellows and blues juxtaposed with the muted brown of the coffee cups and walls, this quaint, cozy shop brings a timelessly classic atmosphere that anyone will enjoy. There was a huge chalkboard listing the extensive menu in cursive chalk letters, and I was unsure about what to get for a good minute or two until it was my turn to order. The baristas were friendly and asked if I was a firsttime or returning customer. I told them that I had never been there before, so I had no idea what drinks would be good. I was given several recommendations, including their iconic mint mojito drink. I ended up ordering the mint mojito—and did not regret it; I got my caffeine fix, and the drink was sweet, creamy and topped off nicely with a little sprig of mint. In terms of noise level, it tends to be a little loud due to the coffee grinders at work and the baristas shaking drinks. There are tables and places to sit, but I wouldn’t recommend going there to get work done.

Peet's Coffee I was immediately enveloped in a comforting wave of low chatter as I strolled into my neighborhood Peet’s Coffee. This particular shop, among many others, boasts an atmosphere of comfort and warmth through the yellow-brown and rustic hues of its décor that are only bolstered by the constant, invigorating scent of brewing coffee and delectable pastries. Ordering my regular iced mocha, I calmly waited for my drink while scanning the wide expanse of space available for patrons to get work done in. The noise level was quiet enough for a good study session, and with the addition of a caffeinated beverage, Peet’s is perfect for a typical high school student like me. I also cannot stress the quality taste of the drinks enough; my mocha had a robust, decadent flavor that intermixed with rich chocolate undertones­—simply sublime.

—Compiled by Jennifer Gao Graphics by Mina Kim and Jocelyn Wang