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

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THEORACLE Henry M. Gunn High School

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Friday, April 17, 2015 Volume 52, Issue 7

780 Arastradero Road, Palo Alto, CA 94306

Art Center hosts Youth Speaks Out Elinor Aspegren Copy Editor

The hallways, courtyard and rooms of the Palo Alto Art Center displayed depictions, expressions and explorations of youth identity from March 20 to April 15 for the program Youth Speaks Out (YSO). These works of art and many more are on display at this year’s exhibit, which was originally created in order to give voice to students’ experiences through art.

YSO has worked with a number of students and teachers in drawing, painting, photography, studio art, ceramics, graphic art and other classes at Gunn, Palo Alto High and Jordan Middle School to create art throughout the year. Gunn arts teacher and cofounder Deanna Messinger established this program after meeting future cofounder Carolyn Digovich in 2009. “We both were passionate about the fact that we felt students needed their own venue within the community to exhibit how they feel, how they think and how they’re doing,” she said. They made the exhibition anonymous and non-competitive in order to augment a genuine version of the teen voice.

The prompt this year, which has been the same since the program’s beginning in 2010, was ‘what’s it like to be me?’ As the facilitator of this event, Messinger got a special window into the lives of the students. “What I see is everything from trying to sort out who they are as sexual beings or non-sexual beings,” she said. “I see them in their pressures of academics and getting into the good schools, or just a little anxiety about leaving home and going onto that next step.”

This prompt inspired works like a ceramic bust with empty eyes titled “Look Deeper,” an oil painting of a girl with three dark stitches over her mouth and a photograph of a boy sleeping, using an SAT prep book as a pillow. For senior Alvaro Panitz-Ortiz, this prompt manifested itself in a spoken word poem about his Peruvian descent.

“This poem is particularly important to me because this is about a point in my life that I came to learn and know who I really was,” he said. “My grandfather told me once that being able to know who you truly are is a very big step in life.” Panitz-Ortiz said that the poem itself was just an expression of his true self. His experience performing the poem was a transformative experience. “After the poem, a lady took the microphone and said that she was very grateful that I performed it,” he said. “She has a son and he is going through the same things I am, but he is not able to reach out.” Appreciative of her comment, Panitz-Ortiz has decided to write more

The Oracle examines ‘Palo Alto Bubble’ Shawna Chen

Forum Editor

In March, the Cable News Network (CNN) published an online interactive story by John D. Sutter titled, “The poor kids of Silicon Valley,” which took an in-depth look at how the poor and homeless struggle for survival in the cutthroat world of technology and innovation. With sobering statistics and haunting visual imagery of the Jungle, a homeless encampment in San Jose, the story and its contents proved foreign and shocking to much of the Palo Alto community. “It was a wake-up call to the reality a lot of people face,” senior Youth Community Service (YCS) copresident Sandie Luo said.

According to Sutter, homeless adolescents often choose to drop out of school rather than face their peers without a place to call home. Many are forced to look after younger siblings, and living situations are in constant flux.

Palo Alto is mentioned within the context of the story

when Sutter takes 16-year-old Jorge Valencia—the eldest son of a family struggling in poverty because, like many, the price of living in Silicon Valley is so high. As Valencia takes a photo of a Palo Alto house, he says, “These houses are the size of my entire apartment complex.”

Even though the median household income in Santa Clara County is $91,702 as opposed to the U.S. average of $53,046, one in three children in Silicon Valley is “at risk of hunger,” Sutter reports. In California alone, 23 percent of adolescents live below the federal poverty line; this

BUBBLE—p.3

Dave Zhu and Elizabeth Zu

District removes zero period option Helen Nguyen Reporter

Starting with the 2015-16 academic year, Palo Alto Unified School District (PAUSD) plans to limit zero period classes to primarily physical education

classes. This aligns with Palo Alto High School’s (Paly) rule of not permitting core classes to be taken as a zero period.

The change came when on April 10, Superintendent Dr. Max McGee sent out a letter of decision to students, parent s a nd staff of

YSO—p.2

Slam poetry PG. 10-11 Centerfold

figure is higher than the national value.

Living in the wealthier Palo Alto neighborhoods, where the median home price is $1,998,000 according to Zillow, can often shield eyes from the harsh truth of poverty. At Gunn especially, students are often disconnected from the other side of the Silicon Valley. “It’s easy to get dragged into your own problems and ignore the situation,” Luo said. “But one thing we can do to start change is to be more open and understanding of the fact that homeless kids become home-

Andrew Shen

Gunn and Paly regarding zero periods.

“I think it is time to make a decision and take action rather than drag this conversation out at the Board and committee level over the next several weeks,” McGee said in the letter. After listening to opinions on the issue from students, pediatricians, parents, teachers, and community members he finally came to a final decision.

Sophomore class president Chloe Sorensen believes many people outside of the Gunn student and teacher community are misinformed, because they only know what they read online. There are many conflicting messages, which leads to more confusion and disagreement between parents. “While most parents agree that students need more sleep, many of them do not understand the expectations of a zero period class,” Sorensen said.

According to Sorensen many parents believe that zero period should be ZERO PERIOD—p.2

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SNAPSHOTS

Open Art Studio

Artwork from Rachel Rothberg

“I like how I’m able to stay after school and create art; it’s like tutorial but for art.”

—Courtney Griffin, 11

“I like that it gives everyone in this school an opportunity to work on art supplies outside of the school period.

I would recommend that students go to this event. [Open Art Studio] gives you a chance to be under your own sense of timing.”

—Art Teacher Mark Gleason

Chalk Art

Alexandra Ting

Courtesy of Lawrence Chen

Not in Our Schools Week

Lisa Cheong

“It’s important that we’re recognizing these problems exist and to be able to talk about these issues. “ —Bjorn Hessen-Schmidt, 12 “Many schools say they’re going to be inclusive and close up gaps, but we actually do something about it and celebrate our differences. It’s a reminder of the difficulties and we get a sense of pride of being a Gunn student. I have the shirt ready and I will hang out with friends. Always be ready to stand up, and be inclusive.

This is a multicultural place and everyone is the same.”

—Ana Sofia, 9 —Compiled by Helen Nguyen

News Superintendent expels zero period option ZERO PERIOD—p.1

completely abolished, while only some wish for there to be more limitations, such as only offering non-academic or blended courses, or making the enrollment process more complex. “My perception of the public’s views of this issue may be slightly flawed, as I’ve had a unique interaction with the outside community,” Sorensen said. “I spoke up for my peers and asked adults to listen. There were both positive and negative responses. Although I focused mainly on the negative responses, I am heartened by the fact that there were many positive, considerate and open-minded adults who were willing to listen.”

In March, Sorensen conducted an online survey via Google Forms.

She received 370 responses, 196 from people enrolled in zero period.

When the statistics from the zero period students were compared to the statistics from the entire pool of responses, they were about the same. “90 percent of the responders didn’t want zero period to be taken away,” Sorensen said. “Students listed many valid reasons to keep it: some students are early risers, some students focus better in the mornings, some students have afternoon jobs or sports.” Responders emphasized that the option of zero period allows students to create balance in their lives, rather than disrupt it. “Removing the choice of zero period would be doing many students a disservice,” Sorensen said. “Conversely, if the option is kept, it is important that the school pays special attention to students who enroll in zero period, whether that means observing their sleep schedules more closely, having the enrollment process involve more parental input and guidance, or limiting the courses allowed during zero period,” she said.

During lunch on Wed., April 15, 2015, Sorensen hosted a brown bag lunch on the Freshmen Quad (amphitheater) to discuss zero period. Dr. McGee and Principal Dr. Denise Herrmann were present on Wednesday at the lunch to discuss the recent changes to the zero period scheduling. Many came to help demonstrate to the administration that they cared and wanted their voices to be heard. “The person we really have to win over is Ken Dauber,” Sorensen said.

“He is the one who is insistent on making these changes, despite not having a full scope of the situation.”

Sorensen urges all student who are passionate about this issue to come to the school board meeting next Tues. at the District Office.

Art gives youth voice Admin discusses removal of weighted GPA YSO—p.1

poetry because of its effect on people.

Another Gunn student, who will be referred to anonymously as K, created a work based on the fear of men that grows amongst women.

“I have had various experiences ranging from strange to downright creepy with older men,” she said.

“I have nightmares about some of the experiences I’ve had.” For K, her piece allowed her to finally talk about some of her experiences. “It’s just wonderful to have an outlet for something that causes me a lot of stress on a regular basis,” she said.

Messinger hopes that the exhibition will not only provide an outlet, but also incite change. “Now, we

need to listen,” Messinger said at the March 20 opening event. “Now it’s important that we take time when we walk through here to ask ourselves, ‘What are they saying?

What is it that they’re trying to tell us about what they’re up to and what they’re up against?’”

She hopes that parents and others will be able to take something away from this exhibit and apply it to their own lives.

Panitz-Ortiz encourages his peers to join the program because of its many benefits. “It is an amazing experience, and you get the opportunity to express yourself using art,” Panitz-Ortiz said. “I saw many people doing different forms of art.

I enjoyed every part of it.”

Deiana Hristov

Berkeley or some of the others will weigh them,” she said. “For consistency between us and Paly, for making it simpler for students, we just report On March 11, parents and members of the ad- it one way.” ministration met to discuss a proposal that would The administration is hoping that this will stop students from reporting their weighted help in reducing academic pressure. “We’re lookGrade Point Average (GPA) to colleges. ing to reduce the need for kids to say ‘Oh, I need This proposal, with a projected implementa- to take as many Honors classes as possible so I tion date of 2016, will prevent counselors from can have the highest GPA possible’,” Assistant telling students what their weighted GPA is, Principal Tom Jacoubowsky said. Jacoubowsky resulting in students believes t hat deonly being able to put creasing the need their non-weighted for students to take GPA on t he C om- “We’ve checked in with some Ivy League hard classes to inm on A p pl i c a t i on . schools and Stanford and they said that crease their GPA According to Princiwill open up other pal Dr. Denise Her- most highly-selective schools completely opportunities outrmann, this will have ignore weighted grades because every side of school. “If no overall effect on high school in the United States weights you’re spending all t he col lege ad misyour time loading sion process. “We’ve them somewhat differently.” up on adv a nc e d checked in with some —Principal Dr. Denise Herrmann academic classes, Iv y League schools you’re not developand Stanford and they said that most highly- ing the other parts of your life that’ll make you selective schools completely ignore weighted who you are throughout your adult years and grades because every high school in the United going forward,” he said. The administration is States weights them somewhat differently,” Her- hoping that this plan will compel students to rmann said. take only the honors and Advanced Placement The plan was set forward originally to close the (AP) classes that they are truly interested in, gap between the systems of Gunn and Palo Alto instead of choosing ones solely for the purpose High School (Paly) and to make things straight- of increasing their GPAs. forward for the student body. “What we’ve been However, the absence of a weighted GPA might doing as an administration team is looking at put more pressure on students to get higher whether there would be any potential harm if we grades. “Weighted grades act as a cushion for stopped doing this, and the initial answer is no students who are trying learn more about subbecause Paly has just as high acceptance rates as jects they enjoy,” sophomore Viraj Ghosh said. we do and they have not had any weighted grades “Kids are still going to take AP classes out of for five years now,” Herrmann said. Herrmann be- enjoyment for a subject, but without the safety lieves that weighted GPAs do not accurately report net of a weighted grades, these students are going a student’s academic success. “It’s almost like you to be much more stressed to get an A in a very sending false information to have students think difficult class.” that the way we Gunn High School are weighting The administration is hoping to release an grades is the same way Harvard or Stanford or the official statement about the change sometime Naval Academy or University of California (UC) this spring.

Reporter

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

Editorial Board Editor-in-Chief Danielle Yacobson Managing Editors Pooja Belur Klaire Tan News Lawrence Chen Kush Dubey Forum Shawna Chen Esther Kozakevich Kathleen Xue Features Lisa Hao Yuki Klotz-Burwell Ryeri Lim Centerfold Emily Kvitko Naina Murthy Sports Matthew Hamilton Hayley Krolik Arjun Sahdev Lifestyle Sam Acker Noa Livneh Justin Wenig Photo Anthony Tran Graphics Dave Zhu

Staff Business/Circulation Matt Niksa

Friday, April 17, 2015

Students, staff, alum comment on Silicon Valley wealth gap BUBBLE—p.1

-less [due to] a variety of causes, not just drug addiction or the such that’s often assumed.”

Assistant Principal Tom Jacoubowsky, too, asks students not to make assumptions when discussing standards of living.

“Sometimes you live in this bubble world where you think everybody’s existence is the exact same as yours,” he said. “But [in truth], there are students that are very fortunate and have a lot, and there are some that aren’t.”

Alumnus Nabeel Chollampat was someone who had lived in Palo Alto his whole life, but at the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor, he was introduced to a range of people with diverse socioeconomic statuses. “The interesting thing about going to college is you meet a lot of people from a lot of different walks of life, and there are a lot of people here who don’t come from

the highest socioeconomic background,” he said. “It’s something you can’t see on the outside, but getting to know people that aren’t from Silicon Valley or other affluent areas is something that people deserve to experience.”

As someone who had not witnessed the poverty existing in the Silicon Valley, Chollampat was confronted with its grimness when he spent a few days in Detroit, Michigan. “Growing up [in Palo Alto], there’s a lot of stuff that you don’t see,” he said.

For Luo, the reality of homelessness first set in when she led a site project for YCS’s Service Day this year, in which students donated and handed out interview clothes for homeless people looking for jobs. “The interactions I had with the people there and the act of service itself made me a lot more aware that there’s a lot more that goes on,” she said.

Oracle/TBN Liaison Isaac Wang

Matthew Hamilton Sports Editor

The informal findings of the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC) visit were shared with the Gunn administration and staff on March 25. The results showed that while Gunn offers a variety of high-level courses, various achievement gaps need to be addressed.

The official results along with the accreditation will be published in June.

WASC is an institution that accredits high schools to ensure the education and learning environment is sufficient.

Accreditation allows colleges to ensure students applying have received a quality education in

Tech Aayush Dubey Adviser Kristy Blackburn

from the School Accountability Report Card. To address this disparity, the district created the Minority Achievement and Talent Development Advisory Committee, whose district recommendations for helping underprivileged families will be released next month.

In addition, Student Services is increasing its outreach programs beyond on-campus instruction.

Meanwhile, Mak encourages students in need to use the district’s provisions and resist the urge to not do so out of shame.

At Gunn, a variety of support services exist, from offering reduced prices on commodities to providing holistic assistance to a homeless student. “The key thing is letting one of the counselors or administrators know,” Jacoubowsky said. “If you’re hurting in whatever way, let us know so we can help.

I truly believe we are all in this together and you are not alone.”

high school.

In a presentation to teachers and administrators, WASC members laid out changes they would like to see before their next visit in six years.

Among these were changing the definitions of success at Gunn and closing socioeconomic achievement gaps.

WASC members believed success should be felt by minorities at Gunn. In their presentation they asked Gunn to “increase achievement for all learners at Gunn High School, especially our African American, Latino, Socioeconomically Disadvantaged, English Language Learners, and Special Education Students” as an area for growth.

To help close achievement gaps, WASC recommended Gunn use a Response To Intervention

(RTI) model in order to recommend certain students for additional help based on their inclass performance. “We need to coordinate all the different intervention methods so we can reach students in just the right time to help when they need it,” WASC coordinator Meg Omainsky said.

Finally WASC felt that the definition of success at Gunn should be altered. “Success is more than how well you do in a class,” Omainsky said.

“Success is the opportunity to explore and feel that you are learning, to bring your passion to the classroom, beyond traditional metrics of achievement.”

The presentation notes areas in which Gunn excels as well. The resiliency of the Gunn community particularly impressed WASC visitors.

Gunn’s ability to recover after a tragedy and the bond between students and teachers stood out to visitors. “The visiting team saw that students care about being at Gunn and students feel connected at Gunn and proud of their school,” Omainsky said.

INBOX The Oracle strongly encourages and prints signed Letters to the Editor and Comments. Comments are generally shorter responses, while Letters are longer pieces of writing.

Please include your name, grade and contact information should you choose to write one.

Photographers Lisa Cheong Josh Spain Alexandra Ting Reporters Stina Chang, Sabrina Chen, Michael Chen, Anyi Cheng, Emma Chiao, Grace Ding, Lucy Fan, Deiana Hristov, Shagun Khare, Jenna Marvet, Helen Nguyen, Ariel Pan, Katie Russell, Tim Sun, Janet Wang, Erica Watkins, Shannon Yang, Lena Ye, Barrett Zhang

Even though Luo had seen firsthand the harshness of poverty by the time she read Sutter’s report, one particular aspect of the story still came as a surprise. “A girl who lived in the Jungle said that since she was homeless, she decided not to go to school, and the way she said it was so matter-of-fact,” Luo said. “The fact that she’s prevented from going to school because the lack of dignity the homeless people struggle with is just a really big thing and is a big factor in how a lot of people have trouble getting out of their situations.”

According to the Palo Alto Unified School District (PAUSD) Chief Business Officer Cathy Mak, PAUSD receives annual federal Title I funds that are allocated specifically to meet the educational needs of low-achieving students.

However, the minority achievement gap has steadily increased, as seen in standardized test results

WASC concludes accreditation, forms list of proposals

Copy Elinor Aspegren Prachi Kale Graphics Artists Anton Oyung Elizabeth Zu

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March 16, 2015 I really liked The Oracle’s article on depression and mental health. It was really moving.

—Ilana Silverstein, 10 I thought this last issue was well written and had lots of interesting articles throughout.

—Madeline Farhani, 9

Letters and Comments may be edited to meet space requirements and the writer is solely responsible for the accuracy of the content.

Letters to the Editor and Comments and ideas for coverage may be sent to oraclegunn@gmail.com or posted on our Facebook page.

These letters need not be from current students.

A story about the JCC Schools for Africa Benefit concert or about Eleanor Su, who is organizing it, would be nice.

—Joanne Lee 11

I would like to see more general student surveys and opinions in the next edition of The Oracle.

—Ethan Kau, 10

I liked the “Titan is” section and the back page article, and all of the news stories were really well-written this cycle.

—Ryan Niksa, 12

I especially liked the article about how people felt left out because of social media.

—Elise Epstein, 10

I think a story comparing Gunn and Paly could be really cool and interesting.

It’d also be pretty relevant to PAUSD students.

—Karunya Sethuraman, 11 I would like to see a piece addressing the ridiculous amount of privilege that exists in the Palo Alto Community. Admitting the advantages we have as a product of where we live is really important for students. I think that exposing and talking about how lucky we are to be students in this community could be interesting and informative.

—Maya Roy, 11

I would like to see more about the changes happening to Gunn, such as the structural changes to the library and the bell schedule.

—Samar Feghhi, 11

The Oracle is a 2014 NSPA Pacemaker Award finalist.

Forum

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College reputation should not determine one’s success Shagun Khare From the moment we enter high school, we are told that the following four years are ours to grasp—to grow as individuals, to learn and, most importantly, to prepare ourselves for college. However, being a subject of such high regard in the Palo Alto community, “college”—a word that has arisen in countless family dinners and school lunch conversations—has subsequently evolved into a subject of anxiety for many students. The idea of going to an elite college is etched into our minds as the sole path to success, and thus, we waste all of our energy in high school trying to live up to this fallacious standard. However, the community should bring to light that college admissions do not determine a student’s success. To stimulate this paradigm shift, students, parents and staff need to collaborate to enforce both cultural and physical transitions at Gunn.

Rather than trying to make themselves “look good for college,” students should utilize their time in high school to explore areas of interest. Students often enroll in higher lanes of a subject in order to have more Honors or Advanced Placement (AP) class on their transcript, rather than from a desire to learn. However, it is important to realize that one or two extra advanced classes will not guarantee college admissions. Rather than struggling in the high lane of a subject that you could care less about, it is better to push yourself in subjects that you might want to pursue after your high school career. This way, you can have more time for extracurriculars, like school clubs or sports, without additional stress from hard classes.

Additionally, students often participate in activities or classes that they don’t enjoy in order to get into a college they hope, or their parents hope, is prestigious.

This perception is skewed. Students go to college to learn more about subjects they enjoy, not to have a name on their résumé. So, while they should explore as many subjects as possible, they should not necessarily feel inclined to pursue them all.

To make sure that students do not feel pressured, more constructive conversations with parents and counselors will be beneficial. Instead of simply sitting down for a quick conversation about scheduling, counselors and parents should make more of an effort to understand students’ interests and advise them accordingly.

Finally, both students and parents should remember that the college one goes to does not define who they are or the life they will lead. Many believe that going to a prestigious college will provide an easier transition to a highly respectable job.

However, nine out of the 10 chief executives of the top corporations in the Fortune 500 did not go to a top college—that means that 90 percent of the top executives in the world did not have to go to an Ivy League school to make some of the biggest impacts on our lives. Innovators like Steve Jobs, Larry Ellison and J.K. Rowling are prime examples of this. At Gunn, there seems to be a constant pressure to go to a school like Stanford, when, in reality, anyone can be successful if they put in the effort, regardless of the school they go to. Therefore, parents should stop comparing their children to others that have gone to more well-known universities, for these comparisons only provoke feelings of degradation and worthlessness within oneself, rather than motivation. Going to a less well-known university is not a sign of adversity, and parents should take pride in the fact that their child is beginning a new chapter in their life.

There is a right place for everyone, and with thousands of applicants and an average acceptance rate of just 8.8 percent, it’s clear that an Ivy League school is not where many of us are meant to be—and that is perfectly okay. Because ultimately, it is the way in which one chooses to experience college that impacts his future, not the name of it. As a community, it is imperative to realize that we will be remembered in this world not for the college we went to, but for the legacy we leave behind.

—Khare, a sophomore, is a reporter.

College application process heavily based on luck Esther Kozakevich

Everyone is told in high school that good grades and test scores will get you into a good college, presuming you are also unique, well rounded and have good college essays. And for most people, that tends to be the case. But why is it, then, that certain applicants who are deemed by all to be great candidates for any prestigious university fall through the cracks? It seems as though every year there are anomalies, who after being dedicated students and high achievers for the past four years, end up at a university that is, for lack of better words, beneath them. This happens because the college process is unpredictable, subjective and, at times, random. The faster one realizes this, the easier and less disappointing the process will be.

For starters, there are many colleges that simply do not have time to look at all of their applications. Take UCLA for example. In 2015, UCLA received 112,744 applications, including transfer students. Applications were due on Nov. 30, 2014, and decisions were released (this year) on March 20. That gives the Office of Admission exactly 110 days to review applications. That

means that admissions officers would have to look at approximately 1024 applications a day in order to look at every single one. That is obviously impossible, since the 110 days doesn’t even include breaks or time off.

UCLA is forced to toss out a large portion of applications before they can even begin to review them, so a large number of qualified applicants are eliminated due to minor issues or chance in the very beginning of the process.

Even if a university had the time and energy to look through each and every application, they still would not have the space in their class to give out a spot to every qualified applicant. This is where the subjectivity of the process comes in; it boils down to whatever the admissions officer reading your application prefers in terms of extra-curricular activities, or personality and voice. Another thing to keep in mind is that what admissions officers looks for in a student varies greatly from year to year. Whether their focus in a given year is diversity, improving a certain major or simply a certain type of personality, it’s impossible to predict what a university may desire in a candidate.

The admissions officers making the decision to accept or reject students have devoted their lives to bettering their respective institutions, so candidates have to trust that the officers know what type of person will fit in best at their college. It’s impossible to guess what a school is looking for in a given year, or what kind of applicant they deem will fit in best, so accepting that

the decision is subjective is the only possible action to take in the college process.

Although this may seem incredibly obvious, every year applicants are shocked and disappointed, and take college rejections personally. Don’t. Due to their randomness and subjectivity, they didn’t reject you because you didn’t work hard enough or weren’t good enough. Of course, this is still hard to come to terms with. But the implications of college admissions randomness can be useful not just in dealing with college rejections, but in the years prior to applying to college.

There’s no sense in weighing yourself down with APs you don’t want to take or participating in extracurriculars you hate simply because they “look good on college apps,” and there’s no need to beat yourself up over one or two or even five Bs; there are plenty of people who get into amazing schools with less than stellar transcripts or resumes. And because there is no formula to getting into a top-notch school, the most you can do to ensure college-related success is to participate in activities that you love and make you happy, write with passion and have hope. You may not get into the college of your dreams, but if you can look back on your high school experience and know that you did things because they were meaningful to you and not to pad your transcript, it’ll make rejection easier to handle and the prospect of going off to college all the more exciting.

—Kozakevich, a senior, is a Forum Editor.

Alexandra Ting

5 Republican Party needs to step up its game

Forum

Friday, April 17, 2015

Kush Dubey As President Obama’s second term approaches its final chapter, it is imperative that the Republican Party reconsider its political ideals, campaign strategies and public image. Unfortunately, the Republican Party’s once formidable strength is on the decline in the status quo.

This is evident through the Party’s low favorability ratings and explainable through the Party’s overemphasis on social issues instead of economic ones and the c ompa r at ive weakness bet ween major 2016 Republican and Democratic candidates.

The majority of the public has an inherently negative view of the Grand Old Party (GOP). According to the most recent Gallup poll, which was conducted between March 5 and March 8, 53 percent of voters feel unfavorably toward the Republican Party, with just 37 percent voters expressing support, and 10 percent undecided on the issue. These margins have only grown with time, as a previous Gallup poll in Nov. 2014 concluded that 42 percent of voters were then favorable of the GOP. While a five percent decrease in favorability may seem relatively insignificant, it’s important to consider that on a nationwide scale, five percent translates to a shift of the political mindsets of 15 million voters. This significant shift ultimately costs the Republican party crucial votes in tight political and legislative races.

This adverse change experienced by the Republican Party is best explained by the recent trend of prominent Republican politicians focusing on social issues, as opposed to the fiscal ones that have been their long-standing symbol of success. The most recent example is the Indiana Religious Freedom Restoration Act by Indiana governor Mike Pence.

The legislation allows business owners to discriminate against customers on the grounds of religious freedom, gives Indiana businessmen the ability to label and show prejudice and consequently gives voters reason to label the Republican Party and its policies as discriminatory, unfair and homophobic.

Unfortunately, the Republican base did not stop there. The Indiana Religious Freedom Restoration Act sent shock waves of inspiration to other Republican states. According to a report from the American Broadcasting Corporation on March 31,

North Carolina lawmakers have laid the framework for their own version of the “Religious Freedom Act.” Moreover, the surge of stricter anti-abortion bills that swept across Kansas and Ohio the last two weeks only pose further detriment to the brand of the party. Currently, 76 percent of Americans are against stringent laws against abortion.

The culmination of these types of legislation paints an extremist picture of the GOP and tarnishes the party’s reputation through the eyes of the increasingly socially-liberal American public. During a time in which the labor

Dave Zhu

sector saw one of the most unsuccessful job market reports in 15 months, the United States’s economic rate of recovery is being called “sluggish” by economists, and premiums for health insurance have risen 24.4 percent as a result of Obamacare, it is simply not logical for the GOP to shun such fiscal failures of the

Democratic Party and instead focus on religious and social stances that empirically lose votes amongst the youth, minorities and even average American citizens.

The inadequacies of the Republican Party are also reflected through the Party’s currently weak candidacy. Florida Governor Jeb Bush, who leads Republicans by a considerable margin in the presidential primary race, offers few qualifications while carrying significant political baggage. Firstly, the Bush family legacy is one that poses disadvantage to any American that pays attention to the mainstream media. The Bush family name is universally associated with the economic collapse of 2008, and nearly all of George W. Bush’s failures during his two terms as U.S. President. Beside this point is the fact that Jeb Bush does not bring enough to the polit ica l t a b le .

Much of Jeb Bush ’s platform and history as a gover nor revolve a round improv ing education, instead of the economy. Education ranks eighth on the list of most important issues for voters according to a Gallup poll on March 8 this year, meaning Jeb Bush’s current set of ideologies is not going to have a significant impact on voters. In addition, education is an issue primarily led by states and local governments and is not commonly revolutionized by the federal government. Risking votes on the education debate is not sensible.

Perhaps more damaging is the fact that in Jeb Bush’s life before and after his terms as governor, he was active in the worlds of big business, big finance, big real estate, big banking and big political fundraising. He even participated in private equity and offshore investments—activities that Democrats and the mainstream media hammered Mitt Romney for in 2012.

Given Jeb Bush’s long list of undesirable characteristics that only perpetuate the same mistakes made in the last presidential election, his position as the current lead amongst Republican candidates is not reassuring.

When comparing the strength of presidential candidates from the Republican Party to that of the Democratic Party, statistics only further extrapolate the ongoing deficiencies of the GOP base. 64 percent of Democratic votes are concentrated into Hillary Clinton, while votes amongst the Republican candidacy is widely distributed and inconsistent from state-to-state.

Additionally, Clinton leads in every head-to-head race against Republicans, with the latest margin indicating a six point over Bush according to a nationwide poll by Public Policy Polling.

While partisan strategies should not be the primary factor in defining the integrity of a political party, it is nevertheless of great relevance for the Republican Party as a whole to recognize their current weaknesses as well as their current strengths.

Low favorability ratings, lags in political races and recent divergences from the Party’s core economic values should serve as a staunch reminder to the GOP that there is room for improvement and that the path to the 2016 presidential election needs to be repaved.

—Dubey, a junior, is a News Editor.

Republican Party Statistics • • •

•

• •

28 percent of registered voters identify themselves as Republican.

52 percent of white voters are Republican.

Republicans assumed control of both the House and the Senate following the results of the 2014 election (56 percent of the House and 54 percent of the Senate).

Republicans who have so far officially announced their candidacy for the 2016 presidential election include Ted Cruz, Rand Paul and Marco Rubio.

40 percent of Americans view the Republican party favorably; 57 percent view it unfavorably.

The official platform states that one of its goals is to preserve and protect traditional (heterosexual) marriage despite the fact that 53 percent of Americans support marriage equality.

Source: Gallup

Forum

6

Focusing on Gunn’s

Gunn helps prepare us for academic futures

Ryeri Lim Occasionally, I’ll wistfully wonder why my parents uprooted our family from my hometown of San Francisco to, of all places, Palo Alto. I did not understand why they insisted I attend

Gunn, as opposed to attending Monta Vista or Cupertino High School. Both boast high academic standards, diverse and high-ranked extracurricular programs, success-focused environments—and most importantly, little stigma of stress and suicide.

Yet with my senior year in sight, I find I’m only glad to be a Titan.

Firstly, no one can deny that Palo Alto’s wealth and Gunn’s prestige provide its students with unique opportunities. The general affluence of the area, founded on a technological industry built by our parents’ hard work, undeniably benefits us students. The average American high school student is not able to spend thousands on trips for youth community service or Model United Nations; our extensive college tours are luxuries to all but the wealthy young adults who currently attend our dream universities—soon to be visiting alumni, successful because of their incredible work ethics. As a Titan, I’ve had experiences most San Franciscan teenagers could never have afforded or been exposed to.

But even by simply attending school, funded by the taxes of townspeople who greatly value education, we receive a singular academic head start. And the taxpayers’ money is far from wasted. For example, Gunn leaves its students with more knowledge and interest in national politics or big-picture social issues than the average high school student possesses—though we may not know it until we step out of our oft-called Palo Alto “bubble.” Additionally, we students reap the rewards of the infamously competitive Gunn atmosphere. Titans are consistently motivated and consistently successful, carrying the get-ahead attitude into our ambitious professional lives.

Yet many ask if that competitiveness is truly an advantage of attending Gunn. Many dread the deadly stress that supposedly haunts our school.

Encountering tragedy, especially suicide, is inevitable in life; according to the Center for Disease Control, an American dies by suicide every 12.8 minutes. At Gunn, the grief simply hit us early. We Titans leave undeniably changed.

This year, many of us were exposed to emotions our parents may have yet to experience. We watched how shock and grief affected our friends and close adults. We had difficult conversations with unfamiliar counselors and harried administrators. We wrote letters, conducted surveys and spoke at school board meetings. Most importantly, we learned how to take care of ourselves during a terrible time in our lives—and how to emerge, stronger, on the other side.

Individuals rarely finish high school the same person they were when they entered. I believe that Gunn has directed my course in as positive a way that it could. I will forever have not only competitive ambitions and a drive to achieve my own goals but also the wisdom to reconsider my priorities in the pursuit of my immaterial happiness. If anything, Gunn has helped me grow up—through trial and error, I have matured to the benefit of those around me now, my friends to come and my future self.

—Lim, a junior, is a Features Editor.

Alexandra Ting

Forum

Friday, April 17, 2015

7

Positive

Impacts

Gunn supports its students, contrary to community perception

Shannon Yang After the recent student suicide cluster, community members and parents have attacked Gunn High School for inducing too much stress and not providing adequate support for students’ social and emotional well-being. However, based on my personal experience and concrete evidence, I strongly believe that Gunn creates a conducive environment for all kinds of learning and should not be vilified the way that it has been throughout the media. According to Palo Alto Unified School District (PAUSD)’s 2014 Strategic Plan-Local Control and Accountability Plan (LCAP)-Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC) survey, 88.93 percent of Gunn students are satisfied with the education they have received this year.

One reason for this high level of satisfaction is that teachers really do care about us.

Whether they are allowing students extensions or conducting extra tutorial hours, teachers spend time and effort because they simply want us to succeed. That said, the amount of empathy and compassion I have received from staff members is unbelievable. For example, I have had several long chats with teachers until 7:30 p.m. Furthermore, student-teacher relationships are positively compounded by organized activities outside the classroom such as Clash of the Titans and the Choir-Staff Musical.

In addition, there is a huge range of activities that students can participate in. There are about 100 chartered clubs on campus, which allow students to pursue their passions with other like-minded individuals. In addition, there are amazing electives that expand the brain intellectually and socially in many different ways. Personally, I would be totally willing to expand my time at Gunn to five years just so I can try out all these amazing electives.

Lastly, Gunn is known for being academically rigorous. The school currently offers 23 Advanced Placement (AP) courses and I believe that this academic rigor actually intel-

lectually stimulates students and creates motivation. If you go from Gunn to any college, including elite ones, you will be well-prepared.

Many have criticized this academic rigor for causing an overload of stress, leading to unfriendly competition, social academic pressure and huge workloads that contribute to suicide. However, every school will have some level of stress, but because Gunn is so aware of stress and mental health due to past suicides, we make sure that this academic stress stays as the “good” type of stress—the type that keeps us motivated­—and does not bleed into emotional health. We have extra support services to combat stress and emotional problems through special counseling services, which address needs in our community including the grief and PTSD-like trauma that have plagued us because of the suicides. In addition, Not In Our Schools Week gives students a chance to eliminate bullying and embrace differences.

Although the suicides have negatively affected the way outsiders perceive Gunn’s academic environment and mental health services, the suicides, I would argue, were not caused by Gunn’s lack of support, but rather individual situations that had little to do with Gunn’s high stress levels or failure to identify and treat these at-risk students. Despite the challenges our school has faced this year, Gunn’s culture provides a positive way to live our high school lives.

—Yang, a sophomore, is a reporter.

Alexandra Ting

8 Features Senior YouTube sensation gains internet fame THEORACLE

FaZe Blaziken Lawrence Chen News Editor

Senior Lucas Mosing began uploading videos through his YouTube channel two and a half years ago and currently sits at roughly 250 thousand subscribers and over 15 million views. Mosing, known as FaZe Blaziken online, joined the acclaimed online gaming community called FaZe clan on Jan. 3 of this year.

“I didn’t start taking YouTube seriously until about a year ago,” Mosing said.

“That’s when I started uploading every single day. It was my goal for a long time to get into FaZe. I started to upload a lot more to get my name out there, but I started really enjoying it and I kept working hard at it and it just happened.”

W hile FaZe recruits competitive “Call of Duty” players and maintains a competitive eSports team, Mosing looks to reach out and help FaZe as a community figure. “FaZe looks for two kinds of people, either people who are really good at competitive, trickshotting, or sniping in “Call of Duty,” or they look for more

entertaining players, such as players who the team,” Mosing said. “The cool thing upload videos and people who can help about that is that you get to meet a lot of the FaZe channel,” Mosing said. “That’s people and you gain a lot of connections. the player I wanted to be.”

Not just in the gaming world but also As a member of FaZe, Mosing is re- from people who make apps, people who quired to maintain activity on the main make clothing, and a lot of companies are FaZe channel and upload at least three trying to get into this gaming market.” videos a month. “You have a lot more Being such a prominent online figresponsibility and a lot more people ure, Mosing experiences a level of fame who look up to you and that many high school stusee you as a role model,” dents are not able to achieve.

Mosing said. “Everyone “Having so many people who has a certain job that they care about you and having all need to do in FaZe. Some the support from the compeople manage different munity is definitely crazy,” parts of the company and Mosing said. In addition to work with sponsors. Some a fanbase, Mosing enjoys the people have the job just to opportunities presented to get videos onto the chanhim as an accomplished YouLucas Mosing nel li ke me.” However, Tuber and FaZe member. Acperks as a member of FaZe clan include cording to him, one of the best parts of f ly ing out to events to suppor t t he his YouTube experience is meeting new team and meeting all kinds of different people. “Once you grow in the ranks of people. “Every month, there’s a really YouTube I started meeting new people big event and FaZe has a competitive who I would have never been able to meet team and FaZe f lies out the players and before,” Mosing said.

FaZe members to the events to support In the coming years, Mosing looks to

Photos courtesy of Lucas Mosing

continue to grow his YouTube channel as there is the possibility of YouTube becoming a self-sustaining career for him. “I’m actually thinking about taking a gap year next year to pursue YouTube just to see where it goes, because it’s not an opportunity you get very often so I just want to see where it brings me,” Mosing said. “It can easily become a career for me but I don’t know how long that is going to last. However, at the end of the road, my goal in the end is to turn my channel into a blogging channel.”

Facebook: /BlazikenFaZe Twitter: @FaZeBlaziken Youtube: FaZe Blaziken

Features

Friday, April 17, 2015

9

The Oracle staffers review new local food places “ T E A S P O O N ” Almost every week, I indulge myself with the delicacy that is pearl milk tea (PMT). Treks to tea shops across towns have taken over my weekends and cajoling my parents into driving me—and paying for my drink—has become my specialty. Fortunately, my problem has been solved: a new milk tea store, Teaspoon, has opened up fairly close to Gunn. As someone who primarily gets plain black milk tea, I was a bit apprehensive about trying out Teaspoon as it specializes in more unique teas, such as the “Grasshopper” with green tea and cucumber juice. However, this tea is life-changing. I ordered the white peach milk tea and was immediately impressed with how refreshingly sweet it was. The first sip was creamy and rich, and just the right ratio of tea to pearls came through my straw. The drink tasted unique and a bit warmer than other milk teas I’ve tried, which is good as too cold of a drink can sometimes be intense and overwhelming. Teaspoon’s product isn’t the only good thing about the store; the ambience is welcoming and the atmosphere is relaxing, inviting and laid-back. It feels cutesy and modern at the same time, a combination that just makes the milk-tea experience that much more enticing. The one thing that prevents me from giving Teaspoon a perfect rating, however, is the price. With the tea priced at $4 and an extra 50 cents if you want boba or other toppings, it’s a bit higher than other PMT shops in the area but it can be worth it, especially for a junior without her license looking for a place to get milk tea within walking distance from school. I would definitely recommend checking out Teaspoon, especially if you’re looking for a change from the usual milk-tea flavors.

—Yuki Klotz-Burwell

Yuki Klotz-Burwell

“ S U S H I R R I T O ”

Josh

Sp a i

n

It’s not often that I get to say the words “sushi” and “burrito” in the same sentence. Yet there I was, looking in awe as hungry customers wolfed down sushi-filled burritos at Sushirrito, a trendy restaurant located on University Avenue, the heart of downtown Palo Alto.

The first thing I noticed when I walked into Sushirrito was that it was packed. I mean, packed. It was 2 p.m. and there was still a long line out the door as I took my place in line. The atmosphere was frenetic, with college students grabbing to-go orders and quickly scurrying to the exit to avoid being swallowed by the large thrum of customers. As I stepped inside the restaurant, I noticed the brightly-painted walls, fish paintings and minimalist design. Natural light flowed through the doors and illuminated the entire restaurant, and the brightly-lit interior definitely created a relaxed setting.

Atmosphere and restaurant design were not the reasons why I was at Sushirrito, however. I wanted to see what all of the hype was about surrounding the food. I ordered “Geisha’s Kiss,” a yellowfin-tuna burrito stuffed with lotus chips, namasu cucumber, piquillo peppers, tomato and tamago, which can best be described as a sweet Japanese omelette. The Sushirrito line chefs assembled my meal in front of me as I watched through a glass pane. I watched in anticipation as the thick hunks of tuna and the other ingredients were layered on a ten-inch mat of rice before all of the other ingredients were wrapped in nori, or dried seaweed.

The first bite of the Geisha’s Kiss burrito was unlike anything I had ever tasted before. The lotus chips in tandem with the cucumbers provided a crunchy texture while the tomato mellowed the flavor of the tangy piquillo peppers. The tuna was fresh and had a chewy texture that contrasted with the crunch of the lotus chips, and the nori exterior provided a nice crunch and a saltiness to counteract the sweet taste of the tuna and tamago. It was like four or five different flavors and textures were exploding in my mouth, and before long, I had finished half of the burrito. I think most people would like the sushi burrito because of its mellow taste and sharp contrast. Who doesn’t love fresh food prepared right in front of them?

Overall, I give Sushirrito a four out of five star rating. The frenetic atmosphere made the restaurant a little too loud at times, and I can only imagine how loud the restaurant would be if it were 12:30 in the afternoon at the beginning of lunch service at Sushirrito. I liked the interior design of the restaurant, and I thought the fish designs on the wall were cool; it was definitely a relaxed, inviting setting. I had my doubts as to how the food would taste but I was pleasantly surprised to find the burrito satisfying. The tuna was fresh, the cucumbers were crunchy, the rice was well-seasoned and the food was definitely a level above casual fast food that you can get at McDonald’s or Jack-in-the-Box. The only reason why I don’t give the restaurant five out of five stars is the price. Spending $13.05 on a burrito is not cheap if one is on a student budget. However, the burritos are thick, so you are definitely getting enough food. Overall, I enjoyed my meal at Sushirrito, and I recommend it to anyone looking for a good place for lunch.

—Matt Niksa

“ H A N A H A U S ” The Palo Alto Varsity Theater on University Avenue had been revamped and opened as new coffee hub called HanaHaus, serving Blue Bottle Coffee to the South Bay. My first time there, I ordered the Coffee Mocha and a Snickerdoodle cookie. The total came out higher than I anticipated.

The mocha alone was $5 for a size similar to a “tall” at Starbucks Coffee. Despite the expensive pay for the drink, the coffee was very well-brewed.

The Mocha was creamy and warm. It was on the bitter side, but I was still able to taste a hint of minty sweetness. The smooth and soothing drink was topped off with beautiful and delicate foam art. The cookie, however, was a disappointment. It cost around $4 for a standard-size cookie that smelled similar to cardboard paper. The taste was bland and ordinary, nothing special. However, the coffee was worth going for.

The unique theme was what made this place different from any other coffee house I’ve been to. The modern style counter and island contrasted with the wooden chandelier, gold-leaf decor on the columns and ceiling and the curved roof. The stretched painting on the wall added even more to the theme. The service was friendly but would be more efficient if they could open up a few more registers. The line to order was about a ten-minute wait, and the drink took about another ten minutes. HanaHaus is also well known for offering a rental workspace for people to hold meetings, conferences or just looking for a place to finish some homework. It offers free WiFi, gaming area, conference room and more.

In conclusion, I would not recommend this place for high school students who enjoy drinking Starbucks coffee. Blue Bottle Coffee is served without any excess sugary substances. However, if you like “real” coffee, HanaHaus is worth checking out, but be prepared when the price shows up at the register.

—Stina Chang Stina Chang

10

Cente

Spoken Word A look into the lives of students who showcase their passion through slam poetry.

Videos ry t e o P m la S e iv F Top

” by Lily Myers 1. “Shrinking Women unsaid rules and e th s e ss cu is d n a A young wom ily and in society, m fa r he in n e om w expectations of in general. ” by Kai Davis 2. “F--- I Look Like stereotypes and s e ng lle a ch ly ul rf Davis powe t truly knowing ou ith w le op e p g in g talks about jud ntains profanity. them. This video co ilborn 3. “OCD ” by Neil H e point of view of th om fr ve lo t ou ab This video is ve Disorder (OCD). si ul p om C e iv ss e bs a man with O ominique Christina D by ” nd hi e B ft Le 4. “No Child n and Denise Frohma e school systems rib sc e d n a hm ro F Christina and in creating equality. s ie lt cu fi if d ir e th in America and ve Jesus” by JefLo t bu n io lig e R e at 5. “Why I H ferson Bethke nal experience and so er p ’s an m a s ow This video sh n and his realization io lig re d ze ni a g or struggle with about his beliefs.

—Compiled by Sam

Senior Cadence Calixto

Senior Edut Birger

Junior Crystal Trevillion

atkins Acker and Erica W Sophomore Jenny Han

Sophomore Michelle Austreich

Love.

Happiness.

Creativity.

Inspiration.

Freedom.

Smile.

Write.

Slam.

Spoken.

Expression.

Emotion.

Energy.

Bang.

Self.

Now. Poetry.

Lips.

Language.

Power.

Strength.

You.

Listen.

Present.

Motivation.

Different.

Defined.

Undefined.

Rhyme.

Pow. Illusion.

Unknown.

Dear.

Paint.

Words.

New. Curiosity.

Perform.

Microphone.

Resonate.

Being.

Live.

Breathe.

Read.

Beautiful.

Different.

Letters.

Earth.

Slam.

Poetry.

Everything.

Calm.

Me.

erfold

Friday, April 17, 2015

11

Students express creativity in slam poems Klaire Tan and Katie Russell

Managing Editor and Reporter

Midnight came and passed, and the list of slam poem performances to watch grew no shorter. “OCD” by Neal Hilborn, “Spelling Father” by Marshall Davis Jones and of course, performances by her favorite slam poet: Rudy Francisco. When senior Cadence Calixto finally went to sleep, her head still pounded with the rhythm of slam.

“I became obsessed,” Calixto said, remembering when she first discovered slam poetry. “I would spend hours on YouTube every night, just going from video to video to video.”

In slam poetry, artists share their poems by reciting them out loud. The art form belongs on stage rather than in a classroom or on paper, and it only truly comes alive in the hands of a skilled performer.

“It’s about the performance, just as much, if not more so than the writing,” senior Edut Birger, copresident of Gunn’s Slam Poetry club, said. “Rhythm’s really important. Intonation. Tone.

You find connections between the performance and the words they’re saying. The big crescendos. The rhythm. The different diction they have.”

However, slam poetry performances are markedly different from theater performances. The writer is also the performer, which means the artist isn’t sharing someone else’s experiences or work but their own. The result is a much more intimate performance.

“When you see an author perform a slam poem, whatever they are giving you is exactly what they mean and however they are delivering this is what they want you to take away from it,” Birger said. “That’s what’s so intimate and beautiful. It’s honest and very, very personal.”

The Thought Process As a highly personal medium, slam poems lend a great deal of flexibility to the artist. According to Birger, each poet has his own style of performance and approach towards the writing process.

Some artists let a poem sit in their heads for months, slowly processing the idea before picking up a pen. When they finally do put pen to paper, the first draft is already near halfway to completion.

Others jot down a quick, rough draft which they then revise line by line, while a few poets wait for inspiration to hit.

Sophomore Michelle Austreich considers herself to be closest to the last kind. For her, poetry is a product of the situations and emotions that she is going through at the time of writing. Thus, she tries to let her emotions translate naturally into poetry when writing. “I have a few set ideas that I want to include but I never have a set structure that I follow. I just let it carry out,” she said.

“I know how I want to start it and I know how I wanted to end it, and in between, I have tidbits of ideas that I want to include, but

no structure. As I go, I think, oh, this would work here.”

Junior Crystal Trevillion also sees poetry as a way to capture her feelings from a specific moment. However, she goes through a very different thought process when putting her thoughts on paper.

“For me, it’s chronological. I go through what events happened and how I feel about them or how I see them in my perspective,” she said. Trevillion’s poems have mainly been about her battle against leukemia, and she has performed her slam poetry at several events.

The personal nature of slam poems add to the difficulty of performing them, according to Calixto. On stage, poets come face-to-face with their audiences while sharing their poem. “Going up in front of everyone is terrifying and beautiful and thrilling,” she said. “The feeling afterwards is unbelievable. You feel so proud because you’ve finally got this off your chest and out there and it speaks to people.”

Getting Started Since first learning about slam poetry, Birger and Calixto have transitioned from videos on the Internet to real slam poetry venues. Through visits to the Nuyorican Poetry Cafe, a brick-walled cafe in New York well known for hosting slam poet performances, and volunteering at the National Poetry Slam last year, Birger has gained more exposure to the art.

“I don’t think I’m the best performer, overall, but I’m working on it, and every time I perform, I think I get a little bit better,” she said. “When people tell me that something struck them, it really is heart-warming.”

Through Slam Poetry club, Birger and her copresident Jenny Han hope to contribute to a bigger slam community at Gunn and change the perception of “poetry kids being the weirdos,” as Birger put it.

“Spoken word is a powerful form of self expression that needs to be exposed to Gunn,” Han said. “The slam club was created to act as another channel for individuality and hopefully allow people to be more open.”

Han and Birger invite anyone interested in slam poetry to stop

by N-104 at lunch on Wednesdays. Beginners are welcome, as the two believe lack of experience can be made up for by enthusiasm.

“Slam poetry is a narrative; it’s a performance,” Birger said. “It’s hard to write good pieces of slam, but it’s not hard to get started.

Anyone can write slam. You don’t have to be a writer. You don’t have to be a performer.”

Photos and graphics by Anton Oyung, Alexandra Ting, Anthony Tran and Elizabeth Zu

12

Features

THEORACLE

Teachers pursue interests outside the classroom Monica Espinoza

the help of lawyers and food scientists as her products’ popularity grew.

With the product licenses and the search for the perfect cake formula out of the way, she began selling pre-made cake mixes online and during Guidance promotional events she hosted at local grocery stores.

The cake mixes come in three different flavors: spice, chocolate and Who says you can’t have your cake and eat it, too? Monica Espinoza, vanilla. They’re packaged in convenient, resealable pouches and, according a College and Career counselor and the founder of Cake Therapy, is to the Cake Therapy website, each hold enough mix to make 12 dedicated to finding innovative ways to do just that: servings of cake. “My ‘aha’ moment was when I realized I could make sure that everyone, even those with health limisell my recipes as a baking mix instead of the actual cake,” tations, can enjoy their cake. “As the baker in a family Espinoza said in an interview with “Modern Latina” magazine. who loves sweet treats, I wanted to find alternative “Customers can enjoy the cake whenever they have a craving ways to bake for my [diabetic] mom,” Espinoza wrote or family celebration without the headaches of experimenting on her website, CakeTherapyBakery.com. with alternative ingredients themselves.”

Now she runs Cake Therapy, a business that sells gluEach mix is completely composed of organic all-natural inten-free and paleo-friendly cake mixes. For the past five gredients including coconut flour, arrowroot and almond meal. years, she’s been discovering and creating gluten-free “It was extremely difficult to find the right mix of nutritious desserts that are organic, sugar-free and paleo-friendly.

Her journey to founding Cake Therapy began not Anthony Tran and delicious ingredients,” Espinoza told “Modern Latina.”

“I did a lot of research and experimentation with alternative with entrepreneurship in mind, but with her love for baking. “The experimentation began with no intention of it turning into ingredients until I learned how ingredients affect the end product.”

Recently, Espinoza achieved her proudest accomplishment yet: getting a business,” she said. “As the time progressed and my products were selling, it became clear that I could [turn it] into something more than her cake mixes on the shelves of New Leaf Markets around the Bay Area.

It’s an enormous step forward in reaching grocery stores and supermarkets I anticipated.”

Last year, Espinoza chose to work part-time at her job as a College and everywhere. “I want to make it more available for those who care about Career Counselor in order to focus on Cake Therapy. She described the their health and honor their sweet tooth,” Espinoza said. According to process of launching a food business as time-consuming and confusing. her Facebook page, Espinoza is also currently working on developing a “I had to learn new acronyms, concepts, business terms and negotiation gluten-free and paleo-friendly frosting to accompany her cakes. tactics,” she said. “[There was] a steep learning curve on all things food and grocery related.” Though she runs Cake Therapy alone, Espinoza had

—Anyi Cheng

Kristy blackburn

who loves to interact with students and thinks that she has done well as The Oracle adviser. “It’s been very gratifying, as someone who has worked and talked with her, to see her receive some well-deserved accolades,” Dunlap english/Journalism said. “She helps all teachers and [student] editors become the best leaders English teacher and The Oracle adviser Kristy Blackburn received the possible.”

California Education Coalition (CAL-JEC) High School Adviser of the Year Freshman Kaya van der Horst, who had Blackburn for Beginning JournalAward on March 20. ism, also believes that Blackburn has done a good job teaching Blackburn is the secretary of the Journalism Education students. She enjoyed Blackburn’s activities as a journalism Association of Northern California (JEANC) where she teacher and felt that they helped her learn more about writing helps host annual contests every year. Additionally, she is the various articles. “I feel privileged to have her as my teacher and Instructional Supervisor (I.S.) for the English Department at see her as a role model,” van der Horst said.

Gunn and currently serving her eleventh year as adviser to The Despite her appreciation of the recent achievement, BlackOracle. She continues to maintain The Oracle as a top priority. burn doesn’t believe that the award will necessarily help adThe paper has consistently competed in the San Francisco vance her career; she instead cares more about how the award Peninsula Press Club contest and was National Scholastic may help The Oracle gain more recognition. According to Anthony Tran Blackburn, most other high school newspaper programs not Press Association (NSPA) Pacemaker finalists in 2013. “I like working on The Oracle and it’s one of the favorite parts of my job,” Blackburn only publish a monthly issue, but they also publicize their work through social said. “It is something I was not willing to give up even when I became I.S.” media and online sites to strengthen their own programs. Blackburn says According to Palo Alto High School advisor Paul Kandell, he was asked that The Oracle takes on a more “traditional” approach, and hopes that her

by CAL-JEC to set up a surprise for Blackburn when asked to deliver the award may help The Oracle receive more recognition. “I still feel like I’m not award to her. He contacted senior Editor-in-Chief Danielle Yacobson and the best journalism adviser out there, but it was neat to get recognized that they eventually arranged to present it during class. “[Blackburn] had no idea what we’re doing in [The Oracle] is good work,” Blackburn said. “It’s pretty she was nominated for the award or that there would be such a surprise,” cool to be recognized for what I think is a very solid program.”

Yacobson said. “We thought it would just be a fun way to tell her.”

English teacher Paul Dunlap knows Blackburn as a committed teacher —Aayush Dubey

Kathryn pomilia

child milestones and preschool skills are imparted to children whose parents find it difficult to multitask and at the same time earning their livelihood,” Kenyan cofounder Saul Nassilah wrote in an email.

English Children attending the daycare will also encounter female role Nairobi, Kenya is 9,527 miles from Palo Alto, but when English models, which are less present in Kenya. “There is a common sentiteacher Kathryn Pomilia visited, she knew she had to become con- ment in Kenya that help and hope can be found in Americans or other nected to the Kenyan people. In 2013, Pomilia and her partner, Jason international volunteers and sponsors,” Pomilia wrote. “However, Joy Ghiraldini, spent a year teaching and volunteering at an orphanage to the Children will allow the opportunity for mothers and caretakers in Kenya where they met Joy and Saul Nassilah. Today, to become the role models of independence and strength they are all cofounders of Joy to the Children Kenya, for the children.” a non-profit that will support working mothers. “VolSo far, Joy to the Children has purchased a small plot unteering in the orphanage in Kenya gave us such an of land for the center, but they still need to improve pubinsight into the Kenyan country and culture,” Pomilia licity. “The more people that know about this project the wrote in an email. “Despite the immense poverty and better. We need as much help as we can get,” Ghiraldini disadvantages, there is such a spirit of resilience and wrote. “Telling people about the core concepts of this happiness among the children. And among the adults, project will hopefully lead them to donate or sponsor, the spirit of hope is inspirational.” which would be amazing support for our project and Unemployment is high in Kenya, and highest Alexandra Ting for families in Kenya.” among women. “Most women in Kenya stay home In the future, Pomilia hopes that students at Gunn with the children and tend the house. They do this because they either will be able to do more than just donate to the project. “As a teacher, I cannot afford child care or house help, or they simply do not have the would be overjoyed to bring or send my students to Kenya to volunteer skills to obtain a job,” cofounder Ghiraldini wrote in an email. The at the center and experience the incredible Kenyan culture,” Pomilia non-profit will work to change the circumstances for these women. wrote. “It is an experience that is absolutely transforming.”

Joy to the Children aims to provide affordable to free daycare to To donate to the project, visit their website www.joytothechildgive Kenyan mothers the chance to find jobs and be self-sufficient. renkenya.org.

“We desire to a have a center where provision of quality day care center for children ages 1 to 6 allowing for proper social skill development, —Jenna Marvet

Graphics by Elizabeth Zu

Sports

Friday, April 17th, 2015

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Horpel steps down from head wrestling coach position Janet Wang

we are wrestling, and especially to keep wrestling,” he said. “[He] also tells us to learn something, get in better shape, and have fun doing it.” Kerrins will especially miss Horpel’s Wrestling coach Chris Horpel is stepping down from enthusiasm and energy at practices, which really motivate his head coach position after 12 years of coaching Gunn’s the team to achieve their goals. Horpel equips the team with team. Over his wrestling career, Horpel has coached for tools to succeed. “Coach is always happy, and he teaches us 26 years at the collegiate level and 14 years at the high everything that we need to know,” he said. “I’ll miss his coachschool level. Horpel began coaching in 1975 as an assistant ing in the wrestling room.” Kerrins believes that Horpel’s excoach at Stanford while periences and extraining for the 1976 tensive knowledge Montreal Olympics as of wrestling has the first alternate in his made him such a weight class. After that, good coach. “For he coached at the Uniexample, he has versity of California Los coached Olympic Angeles, Palo Alto High athletes and transSchool and Gunn for a formed the Stanfew years before becomford team from ing head coach at Stanoriginally having ford for 25 years. Horpel a few wrestlers, later found his way back to a strong team into the Gunn wrestling in the Top 25,” he community by becomsaid. “He has so Courtesy of Butch Garcia Courtesy of Chris Horpel much knowledge, Courtesy of Chris Horpel ing head coach after Left: Wresting coach Chris Horpel poses during his time in the head coach position at Stanford. Cenleaving Stanford in 2003. skill, and overall When Horpel first ter: Horpel coaches the Gunn wrestling team at a meet. Right: Horpel instructs Stanford wrestlers in the 1980s. understanding of came to Gunn, he was instantly drawn in by the stu- has shaped my approach towards wrestling by teaching wrestling.” Horpel believes that, due to multiple injuries, it dents. “I fell in love all over again with the enthusiasm me intangible values like discipline, composure and re- is now time for someone else to take his coaching position. of the kids. I had forgotten how energetic and fun high spect,” she said. During her first few years as a wrestler, He plans on staying as an assistant coach and continuing school kids were,” he said. “I had been working with col- Lee experienced a tough time dealing with losses and the teaching Physical Education so there is more flexibility. “I legiate athletes for a long time.” For over the past decade, frustration that came with them. “[Coach Horpel] would plan to take more vacations during the long wrestling seaHorpel has worked tirelessly to expand and advance the sit with me after I had calmed down and talk me through son,” he said. “Being a head coach has prevented me from wrestling program. “We really developed a complete pro- the frustration,” she said. “It was moments like those that going anywhere during Thanksgiving, Winter Break and gram at Gunn,” he said. “[Everything] is now first-rate, helped me mature as both a wrestler and human being.” any other holidays between October and March.” Howwhich is very different from the department of athletJunior Tanner Kerrins has wrestled with Horpel since his ever, Horpel will definitely miss the charisma and support ics and the tiny wrestling program I inherited 12 years freshman year and is inspired by his words of wisdom that of the wrestling community. “I really like the nurturing enago.” His most memorable moments have been coaching are given to the team at practices. “Coach’s words of wisdom vironment of this high school,” he said. “Kids really look students to maximize their full potential. “[I remember] influences [the team] to do our best, to be smart about how out for each other and are very accepting of each other.”

Reporter

seeing our undersized second-string heavyweight pin his very large and talented opponent in the [Santa Clara Valley Athletic League] finals,” he said. “I love being surprised by someone doing something totally unexpected.”

Former Gunn wrestler Cadence Lee will always remember how Horpel taught his students both life and wrestling skills. “Coach Horpel has helped me develop my physical skills as a wrestler, but more importantly, he

NBA playoff changes necessary

Tim Sun The NBA playoffs are finally here and it is an exciting time for Warrior fans around the Bay Area. The Dubs set a franchise record with 67 wins this year and are the favorites to win their first championship in 40 years. Fans from everywhere will tune in to see this new Warriors team, led by fan-favorite MVP candidate Stephen Curry.

Ratings will be high for the other Western Conference playoff match-ups as well.

Teams with young stars like the Trail Blazers and Rockets will battle against long standing powerhouses such as the Spurs and the Dirk Nowitzki-led Mavericks. Every squad has a legitimate chance at the title, and every game will be exciting and fun to watch.

However, the same cannot be said about the Eastern conference. The East is a mess this year, as two teams with losing records are going into the postseason. This has been going on for years now, and teams with such bad records should not be in the playoffs. The seventh seeded Celtics, for example, have almost no chance to beat the second seeded Cavaliers. The Cavaliers will walk into the second round of playoffs and will receive crucial days to rest, while their Western conference counterparts will struggle through gruelling firstround games. Even further, few fans will want to watch blowouts like the ones bound to happen in the Eastern conference first-round games, and TV ratings will suffer. The current playoff format is flawed, as it lowers viewership, snubs some teams each year and gives certain teams easier schedules.

The current playoff format takes the top eight teams in each conference into the postseason. However, this omits some teams,

such as the New Orleans Pelicans, who will miss out despite having a solid team led by superstar Anthony Davis. Simultaneously, far inferior teams like the Celtics and Bucks will make the playoffs.

The playoff system can be revamped, and the change does not need to be very radical.

A format with the top six teams from each conference automatically qualifying and the next four best teams regardless of conference entering as wild cards is a proposal that may work to solve many of the issues.

For one, this proposed playoff system includes the best teams in the league, because under this format, the Pelicans would qualify for the postseason this year. In the future it would almost guarantee that the best teams make the playoffs, regardless of which conference is stronger. In years of great disparity like this one, either three or four wild cards would come from one conference, and in years of more equality, each conference would have two wild card teams. This new system can adjust for the discrepancy between conferences when it needs to, and can have no effect when the sides are equally balanced.

This new format would also give us the games we want to watch. Personally, I will not be tuning into any Eastern conference matchup likely until the conference finals, but I would definitely watch a game between the Hawks and the Pelicans. The system would add an element of interest too, as inter-conference play before the finals would draw intrigue. Viewership would increase, and overall hype for the playoffs would go up as well.

The NBA is the only major professional North American sport not to include wild card teams, as baseball, football, and hockey all have a way to balance the scales come playoff time. This can be resolved with a new playoff system that would be beneficial to fans, teams, and the NBA itself without being an extreme and controversial change. ­—Sun, a sophomore, is a reporter

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Sports

SPRING SPORTS POWER

From left to right: Spring sports captains senior Jared Gencarella, sophomore Anika Kalar, senior Alex Matthys, senior Natalie Oda, senior Shai Mohan, senior Michelle Zhang

BOYS’ LACROSSE

The boys’ lacrosse team is currently fourth in the Santa Clara Valley Athletics League (SCVAL). “We are out here everyday, working hard,” coach Joseph Barton said. “We scout our opponents. The coaching staff go out and watch the other games to see what their weaknesses are and try to coach around that.”

According to senior Jared Bibo, the team has a goal of setting a new record for boys’ lacrosse at Gunn. “We want to get over 10 wins as a team and make the playoffs if possible,” Bibo said. “Our best season had five wins, so we want to beat that for sure.”

Junior Blake Axtel is confident that the team is well prepared even though they don’t have lots of players, “I think we have a really solid team overall,” Axtel said. “But the Gunn lacrosse program is kind of young, so we haven’t got the turnout that we want yet. We don’t quite have the depth as the other teams.”

Senior Hugh Phillips explains that the bonds between the players has resulted in a team with lots of spirit. “What we lack in technical skill we make up for in heart and big hits,” Phillips said.

GIRLS’ LACROSSE

The girls’ lacrosse team is currently in second place in the SCVAL, just behind rival Palo Alto’s team. “We’ve had issues with injuries and stuff, so we haven’t had a full team for an extended period of time,” coach Doug Arakawa said. “But I think once we get together and keep practicing, by the end of the year we should be peaking.

The team wants to make up for for last year’s loss in the playoffs. “Last year we won the league and lost the playoffs,” Arakawa said. “This year our goal is to win the playoffs.”

Senior Caroline Chou feels that overcoming crosstown rival Paly would be the perfect way to achieve the teams’ goals. “Our biggest rival right now is Paly,” Chou said. “Beating them right now would be great.”

Both Tsai and Chou agreed that the favorite games weren’t the easy wins. “My favorite game was during preseason when we beat Saint Francis,” Tsai said.

BOYS’ TENNIS

The boys’ tennis team is currently tied for first in the De Anza division of SCVAL. “They’re in a position where they can win this league if they can beat Saratoga [High School] and Monta Vista [High School] in their next rounds,” coach Jim Gorman said.

The team trains hard to strive towards their goal of winning the league and going further at the Central Coastal Section (CCS) than Gunn ever has in the recent past. “This season is the best Gunn has been for as long as I’ve been here and probably before that too,” senior Alex Matthys said. “We’re by far one of the most competitive teams out there. I think our main goal is gonna be winning the league. We’ve had really close matches with two schools, Saratoga and Monta Vista. We beat Monta Vista and barely lost to Saratoga so our main goal is to beat those teams when we replay them to take our league.

CCS is going to be the big end of the season tournament where we hope to go really far.”

The team agrees that to beat Saratoga High School, an equally-matched team, everyone has to play well and cheer each other on. To win the match Gunn needs wins from outside of just the top two singles players. “Every singles player has to give it their best because that’s the only way we can beat Saratoga,” Matthys said.

According to Gorman, senior Andy Zhou and sophomore Conrad Russell, both nationally ranked players who have joined the team this season, have brought a lot of spirit, strong work ethic and improvement to the entire team. It has really improved the performance of the team from last years result. “It’s new for [the team] to be this good against the top teams in our league,” Gorman said.

“We were last in our league last year.”

As a result of how well the team gets along with and motivates each other, they have many achievements to be proud of so far. There have been many more wins than last year’s total of one win, but one stood out to sophomore Amit Rao “My proudest moment was probably when we beat Monta Vista 4-3,” Rao said. “It was really close.”

The team hopes to finish the season by making history in the CCS tournament.

SOFTBALL

The girls’ softball team is currently 6-6-1 for their season and 0-2 for their division. “We moved up a division from last year so we are mostly trying to be competitive in the games,” senior Iris Chin said.

The team has been working hard towards strengthening their team’s skills. “We are just trying to work together as a team and play up to the level that we can play at consistently and to keep the energy up throughout the whole game,” sophomore Adele Colwell said.

Junior Katie Garvey thinks that the team has been working hard and improving this season. “Junior Megan Ostrom pitched her first full game for our team. We won the game, and she pitched a no hitter,” Garvey said.

Colwell believes that the team has been playing their best, and it has been paying off. “My favorite moment was at the end of the game at Los Gatos, everyone started hitting doubles and triples and someone even hit a homerun,” Colwell said. “We managed to take the lead at the end of the fifth inning and everyone was just so pumped up.”

BOYS’ GOLF

The boys’ golf team is currently tied first in the De Anza Division of SCVAL, having a 10-0 undefeated record so far this season and qualified for the league championships.

“We’re doing great, we’ve got our starting six—all are really good golfers—with the top three hitting par every day,” coach Marc Igler said.

The teams aim is not only to win the SCVAL championships and qualify for CCS, but to also do well at CCS. “Last year we made it to CCS but we didn’t get past the first day,” Igler said.

Though the team takes pride in their accomplishments, they are aiming higher. “I’m looking forward to the team tournament, hopefully winning the league tournament as well as qualifying for CCS, for the fifth year in a row,” senior Shai Mohan said.

Though the team has had a great record, it does have its fair share of challenges. “Some days we will play and we’ll be able to challenge for CCS and another day we will be with a score that will place us eighth in the league,” senior Noah Curtis said.

Sports

Friday, April 17, 2015

15

THROUGH THE SEASON

Alexandra Ting

senior Noah Krigel, senior Lara Eclavage, senior Angela Lin, junior Percy Jiang, senior Justin Wenig and senior Jeffrey Lei gather on the football field for a photo shoot.

BADMINTON

After four matches so far this season, the badminton team is currently second place in the SCVAL. Coach Marc Tsukaoshi is pleased with what has been accomplished.

“Overall, we’re doing pretty well. Looks like it will be a strong season,” he said. “Everyone’s been doing very well at tournaments.”

Senior captain Angela Lin has high hopes for the team.

“Last year we got second in leagues. We’re kind of hoping to continue that trend and maybe get first in leagues this year,” she said. “Even if we don’t win, it’s great to see everyone grow and improve.”

The team has been training for a month and freshman Joshua Chen is looking forward to the season. “It would be great for the entire team to advance together,” he said.

Lin agrees and notes that the team is off to a great start after defeating Los Altos 25-5. “Los Altos was the league champion of the lower league last year, so it was great knowing that we could crush them early on, and as our coach put it, ‘send them back down,’” she said.

BASEBALL

The boys’ baseball team has been proving stiff competition this year with their record in the El Camino division of the SCVAL at 7-0. “Our team goal is to improve upon last year, work hard and compete for league,” baseball coach John Harney said. “We began doing baseballspecific conditioning in September to get the players in the best shape for the season.”

The baseball team has been working on making games a more cohesive effort. “Sometimes, it’s difficult in baseball to work as a team, because you feel like you’re batting on your own, fielding on you own and playing on your own,” Kasznik said. “We are doing a great job moving forward together, as a team, to reach our goals for the season.”

According to sophomore David Clarke, the team has improved a lot this season and there have been some highlights. “My favorite moment was when we beat Santa Clara and senior Ravi Levens and Justin Wenig combined for a no hitter,” Clarke said. “We won 1-0 and it was just an amazing moment and we all went crazy.”

TRACK & FIELD

In their latest meet against Lynbrook High School, both girls’ varsity and girls’ junior varsity won with respective scores of 89.5-37.5 and 74-53. On the other hand, both boys’ teams lost, boys’ varsity’s losing by a final score of 50-7 and a 60-66 loss for the boys’ freshman-sophomore team’s.

Coach Patricia Plumer is hopeful that the girls teams will rank in the top three positions at CCS later this season.

Nevertheless, she believes that the team won’t be as strong this year after the loss of several runners from last year’s team. “It would be an amazing achievement to get on the podium two years in a row,” she said. “I don’t think we have the numbers this year, but it’s definitely possible.”

As for the boys’ teams, Plumer remains proud of the team members despite their recent losses. “On the guys’ side, we just hope to increase our numbers out of leagues,” she said. “We just simply won’t be as strong [as last year], so our boys will have to really step up, but I think they can do it.” She attributes the team’s lower scores this year to an insufficient number of runners.

Regardless of meet performances and scores, the entire team has one common goal: to strengthen as one cohesive team. “Overall, people are very close within their own event groups,” senior Meera Bucklin said. “It would be fantastic if we had a more connected team bond across all the event groups and a really unified sense of what our team is.”

Sophomore Jonas Enders agrees that the team’s enthusiasm is what’s most important when it comes to a successful season. “I think we’re doing great in terms of spirit,” he said. “I feel like we’re really close as a team. Every meet, everyone gives it everything and [that] pulls us together.”

He adds that “although on paper [they] aren’t the top, [he feels] like we’re a team and that that is more important.”

Plumer, too, believes the the overall team improvement needs to be the first priority. “I want everyone to have a really good experience, feel like they learned something, and got better as an athlete,” she said. She’s especially proud of the team’s numerous victories over rival Paly’s track team. “We won three out of four divisions against Paly at Paly. That, for me as a coach, was probably the best meet we’ve had.”

SWIMMING

As they paddle through the season, the girls’ and boys’ swim team have promising finishes—the girls are in the top ten in CCS and the boys are in the top five. Coach Mark Hernandez has high hopes for the success of both teams. “We would like to see if the girls could get another Top 5 finish in CCS,” he said.

“That would be a real feather in our caps.”

The competition doesn’t stop there. “This is the first year California is having a state meet for swimming, and it would be pretty awesome to have a sizable showing there,” varsity senior Jenna Campbell said.

The teams plan to hide their talent until the end. “We try to vary our lineups every week so people have a difficult time game planning for us,” Hernandez said. “We’re not really going to show anybody how good we can really be until we get to leagues, CCS and state.”

Hernandez emphasizes the importance of confidence “[Coaches] don’t do a ton of yelling, but we do inspire them to become internally driven and motivated,” he said.

DIVING

The diving team dove into the season with rigorous training.

“Every day before we get in the water, we spend 10 to 15 minutes stretching and doing leg, arm or abdominal conditioning,” junior Jarrod Hsu said. According to him, both of the girls’ teams have won all three meets so far against Palo Alto High School, Los Gatos High School and Los Altos High School, and the boys have won twice.

Members of the team hope to dive deep into the season with a successful finish. “A personal goal I have is to qualify for CCS,” Hsu said. “I think that a major goal for the team is for everyone to be able to compete by the last dual meet of the season by having at least six dives.”

Coach Doug Schwandt has set up targets for each level of diver. “Since the diving season is so short compared to the time it takes divers to learn to dive, by the end of the season, we expect our beginning divers to have learned several dives safely, and our less experienced varsity divers to have learned enough dives to begin to compete in an 11-dive meet,” he said.

—Compiled by Barret Zhang, Anyi Cheng, Emma Chiao, Sabrina Chen, Grace Ding, Jenna Marvet and Emily Kvitko

16

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Lifestyle

Friday, April 17, 2015

The ultimate prom survival guide Justin Wenig LIFESTYLE EDITOR

Do choose to wear something comfortable like flats over high heels.

Don’t be late! If you’ve ever wondered if the bus will wait for you, it won’t.

Don’t act differently. Prom is a time to have fun with friends, so just be yourself.

Don’t spend thousands of dollars on prom.

Lots of expensive jewelry is overkill.

The first thing to remember about prom is that there are people out there that feel the same way you do. That feeling of confused nervousness and excitement is ubiquitous. Even if you are nervous and scared, you probably will have an uneventful but surprisingly fun night. But, if you come in excited, prepared and down for anything, you are going to have the time of your life. This article is intended to give you some tips about how to make that special night a little more special.

There are a couple of uncomfortable situations that occur at prom, and it is essential to be prepared for each of them. Let’s start from the beginning.

When you first arrive at Gunn early in the evening, you will line up to enter a bus. At this point you will be patted down thoroughly and breathalyzed.

Don’t drink alcohol beforehand and don’t try to bring in anything illegal; it will not only ruin the night for you and your date, but it will also ruin it for the generous administrators who chaperone the event.

Soon after, you will be shaking your hips on the dance floor like you never knew you could. If you have never been to a Gunn dance, most students describe the students as hot and sweaty, and prom is no exception.

It is incredibly important to wear deodorant. It also helps to occasionally go to the bathroom and wash up. For boys, remember you are wearing a white dress shirt while dancing—this means your sweat stains are visible. Go to the bathroom and wash up frequently, and try not to hit the Worm more than five times.

It is also pretty important to bring gum or some type of mouthwash. Prom has some fantastic food and you will surely indulge yourself more than you would have expected. Another tip regarding food is to not eat too early and to try to eat on the healthier side. Although there may be a tendency to go for the fried foods or chocolate fountain, trust me that it won’t be the best decision when your friends are asking why you can’t hit the “grind on me” dance on the dance floor.

When you get back to Gunn, you may go home or you may go out. Don’t expect the night to go one way or another because the majority of people end up doing something different than they thought they would have been doing. It is a good idea to have a handy change of clothes—one comfy and one better looking in case the night isn’t over for you and your date.

Lastly, remember that prom is about being yourself. There are no “social expectations” regarding prom. It is not expected for people to go out and party afterward or to hook up with their date. Be yourself and no one will criticize you for it. You can have a fun night and not dance at all; it’s all about doing what you enjoy and prom gives you more than enough freedom to do that.

I hope that you have a great prom night.

This year’s prom location is City View at the Metreon.

City View is located on the 4th floor of the Metreon at 135 4th Street, at the corner of Mission and 4th Street in San Francisco, CA. According to their website, City view has 18,000 feet of interior space along with a 3,500 square foot lobby. There are floor to ceiling glass windows that have a fantastic view and a 12,000 square foot outdoor space overlooking the gorgeous Yerba Buena Gardens.

This year, there will be three chocolate fountains: white, milk and dark chocolate. There will also be a casino setup, photo booths and caricatures. In addition, an all-new aerialist and magician team is coming.

Do make sure to have fun!

Do go with a friend or date; there is nothing fun about standing alone.

Don’t freak out if something goes wrong like food falling on your clothes.

Do try to dance at least once. Sway during a slow song or try doing the cabbage patch.

Do have something to talk about with your date that is not about academics.

Graphics by Dave Zhu Photos courtesy of Sam Acker, Lawrence Chen, Erica Watkins, Justin Wenig, and Kathleen Xue

—Compiled by Lucy Fan, Ariel Pan and Justin Wenig

18

Lifestyle

THEORACLE

Staff appreciation week: Oracle staff give teachers an A+ Dear Mrs. Powell, On the first day of school, you told us that an orangutan could teach our class and we would still learn because we were talented, driven students. However, I disagree. Your students need you. Thank you for always being so understanding. Whenever I have approached you with a question, you always have the patience to make sure I fully understand the answer and am applying myself properly. I have rarely had a teacher who truly cares about their students’ wellbeing, but no one was as supportive of me as you were when I injured my knee. It is incredible how you unconditionally care about your students. Please continue to care deeply.

Dear Ms. Pomilia, To be honest, when I first found out in freshman year that I would have the same teacher two semesters in a row, I was pretty frustrated. I was convinced that it would be a long year. That all changed, however, when I walked in the first day of school. I looked forward to your class every day because your obvious enthusiasm made me want to love the books as much as you do. I especially miss hearing your Friday reminder to “be safe, have fun and make good decisions.” It was not until I left your class, however, that I truly appreciated how great you are. You made sure that I knew your door was always open. Thank you for teaching and looking out for me.

Hayley Krolik

Dear Mr. Redfield, Though you are an incredible teacher, the best part about your class are your stories. Enriching life lessons mixed with flashbacks from your life in Brazil or at your job at Dole really make B period more than just about math. Not only can I walk into your class knowing you’ll spread your passion to me, but I also know you can spread your knowledge to me, ultimately making me a better person.

After three years of having you, there is still so much more I can learn from you. The best part is, if I fail a test I always have motivation to try harder; I can simply just watch you teach us with that fiery dedication and it will remind me it’s possible to succeed.

Lisa Hao

Dear Ms. Ichikawa, First of all, thanks for writing me a bomb rec letter. I haven’t read it, but considering our great rapport and the amount of witty banter we’ve partaken in over the years, I am sure it was amazing. You helped me grow so much as a writer, and I want to thank you for developing my analysis skills. You also made “Heart of Darkness“ somewhat bearable, which is not a small feat. That book is very boring. I also love how your class has an open and accepting environment which fosters amazing debates. Also, thanks for telling all your classes I think Lord Byron is attractive.

Arjun Sahdev

Dear Mr. Johnson, It’s rare to come by a teacher who can make a seemingly dull topic interesting, but you’ve done that. I came into class dreading APUSH, believing it was heavy in exams and light in true learning, but each day has been entertaining simply because of the interesting things we discover in this class. I do not especially enjoy reading the textbook, but history comes alive when you add trivia that makes it seem more human. Vague ideas become understandable under your bizarre yet hilarious comparisons. Frankly, it’s because the enthusiasm you harbor infects all of us. So thank you, Mr. Johnson, for all that you do to add to my educational experience here at Gunn every single day.

Esther Kozakevich

Dear Ms. Tantod, This year has not been the easiest, but you have easily made it better with just your attitude every day.

You always make class more enjoyable. The environment you have created has let me strive in a subject I’ve never been able to do well in. Math has never been my strong suit but this year, I actually enjoy coming to class everyday and learning new things. I have never felt more confident with math and I am so grateful to have a teacher like you.

I am thankful to have you as a teacher, especially through the hard times this year. I always counted on that class to make me smile, even for just an hour. Thanks again for being you.

Naina Murthy

Kathleen Xue

Seniors in the Crowd

What advice would you give to people applying to colleges?

Do a lot of research on schools before you apply to them. Look at a lot of different resources like “College Prowler” and “College Niche” and read student based reviews.

Ally Gong (12)

Write some rough drafts at the end of the summer, and get some ideas together as to what you want to say about yourself.

Kastania Dahlen (12)

Be a person. Have character.

Nathan Chandra (12)

Apply to more colleges that you know you will get into over colleges that you think you will get into.

Justin Lim (12) —Compiled by Erica Watkins

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Lifestyle

Friday, April 17, 2015

Go Explore the Bay! Open your world to new experiences The Inkwells

(1.5 hours away | 8889 Sir Francis Drake Blvd., Lagunitas, CA)

With a free parking lot, this hidden gem is the perfect place to get cool in the summer. A little hike uphill will take you to a swimming pool complete with rocks you can jump off of into the water. But be careful because the water isn’t too deep.

Sibley Preserve

(1.3 hours away | 6800 Skyline Blvd., Oakland, CA 94611)

You will take a 2.5 mile hike over a 10 million year old volcano lying on its side. A labyrinth can be found along the hike, a good place to stop and take a break. There’s a lot of sun along the way, so bring sunscreen.

Fort Mason (1 hour away | Marina Blvd., San Francisco, CA 94123)

Used as an Army Fort until the 1970s, Fort Mason is a historical landmark that’s usually very quiet.

Baker Beach

(.8 hours away|1504 Pershing Dr. San Francisco, CA 94129)

This gorgeous beach has a beautiful view of the Golden Gate Bridge.

—Compiled by Noa Livneh Photo credit: Noa Livneh, jessicalynnmarcotte.com, blog.virgin-atlantic.com

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In-N-Out “Animal Style Burger”

“Grilled Cheese”

In-N-Out’s grilled cheese is the best vegetarian option. Sans meat, the most prominent flavors are of the lettuce and the special sauce. The cheese is only slightly melted to the bread, and hardens quickly. It satisfies a stomach but not an appetite.

The animal style burger, complete with grilled onions, has a creamy, rich taste. The onions allow for softer bites filled with standout tastes of cheese and In-N-Out’s special sauce.

However, the difference from a standard burger is negligible.

Starbucks “Wired Zombie” refresher modification:

lemonade matcha green tea powder classic syrup

“Liquid Cocaine”

“Butterbeer Latte”

3 shots espresso 3 pumps white chocolate syrup

whole milk steamer 2 pumps caramel 3 pumps toffee nut 1 pump cinnamon dolce syrup Photos courtesy of Lisa Cheong and Ryeri Lim

—Compiled by Lisa Hao, Yuki Klotz-Burwell and Ryeri Lim