The Oracle February 2019

NON-PROFIT ORG

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

Teachers go on paternity leave.

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PG. 6 FEATURES

THEORACLE Henry M. Gunn High School

http://gunnoracle.com/

F ive c ou at Gun rse s n relate are d to compu ter scienc e

Annika Bereny and Stephanie Jackson Reporter and Online Editor On Dec. 19, 2018, computer science (CS) teachers at Gunn and Palo Alto High School (Paly) sent a letter to the Palo Alto Unified School District (PAUSD) Office stressing the need for both a CS graduation requirement and a CS department in PAUSD. This letter was written in response to a plan proposed by the Computer Science Curriculum Design Advisory Committee (CCDAC), which included two single-semester CS electives instead of the requested department and graduation requirement.

According to PAUSD School Board President Jennifer DiBrienza, the PAUSD School Board is looking to address the teachers’ request in the coming months.

CS teacher Joshua Paley, who collaborated on the letter, has advocated for a district-wide CS department in order to increase vital communication that he believes has recently diminished. “We don't have nearly enough time to communicate with each other so we can make sure that the stuff that ought to be taught is being taught,” Paley said. Some of these scheduling issues were noted

by Math Instructional Leader David Deggeller. “[CS teachers] don't have a structured time to meet,” Deg-

Friday, February 1, 2019 Volume 56, Issue 5

780 Arastradero Road, Palo Alto, CA 94306

nts t ude s 0 34 take uter p com ce n scie se s at s cla gunn

geller said. “They find themselves having to claw together chunks of time so they can meet and talk about super important things like curriculum, long-term planning, assessments.”

Deggeller and his work have been affected by the rising conflict to find time for both CS and math as well. “The problem is that most CS teachers are math teachers, so I end up doing a lot of CS stuff because it’s my people,” Deggeller said.

Paley believes that the creation of a department would provide more CS courses to a wider audience of students and increase the representation of minorities and women in CS classes throughout the district. “There's a real equity issue here,” Paley said. According to the district, as of May 2018, the combined number of CS students from both high schools is 519, or 13 percent of the high school student population. Underrepresented CS students are 0.6 percent of the total population and 5.8 percent of underrepresented students, whereas female CS students are 3.9 percent of the total population and eight percent of female students.

According to Principal Kathleen Laurence, the decision to approve and organize a CS department is the district's responsibility. “It’s a district-level decision about

30% of c o er s cien mputce s den t uts a t are F em gunn ale

whether we create a new department or not,” she said.

“There’s only 13 sections of CS, so I’m not sure it’s really big enough to be a viable department at this point in time.

It doesn’t mean that in the future it wouldn’t.” The already established departments at Gunn have significantly more sections; for instance, math, social studies and English have 77, 102, and 149 sections, respectively.

For Paley, a CS department could not only increase equity but also help organize funding for professional development conferences, where teachers go to improve and update their styles of teaching, for CS teachers.

Computer science was previously a constituent of the Math Department, but is now categorized as a Career Tech Education (CTE) offering. “If you take a look at how CS education is done, it's a moving target,” Paley said. “I wish there was more money available for conferences.”

In order for teachers to go to such conferences, funding must be approved by the district office. Deggeller has observed the difficulties that have arisen due to lack of funding. “Computer science does have their own budget; they do get money right now even though they aren't a department,” Deggeller said. “Every department wants to go to conferences to learn cool, new things about what they teach and the new ways to teach them. Many CS CS—p.2

2

News

MONTHLY HIGHLIGHTS: TedXGunnhighschool “There are so many interesting things covered. I think everybody can take something away from [TEDx]."

“I feel like bringing [TED] to our community for free is really good for students to get the opportunity to listen to good talks from speakers from around the area.”

—Speaker Peter Norvig

— TEDx Co-President Sophia Tong (11)

“I loved the audience’s reactions, they were screaming and clapping… it was great.”

—Dancer Samson Wong (12)

“I liked [Peter Norvig], who talked about artificial intelligence and c od i ng a nd how it is ad apt i ng” —Will Markevich (11)

Photos by Caroline Ro and Sophia Lu

—Compiled by Eric Tang

District to further discuss role of computer science CS teachers, however, feel that they do not receive enough funding to attend these conferences and learn about innovative ways to teach.”

According to Laurence, funding allocation for CS does not necessarily rest on its status as a separate department. She clarified that it is her responsibility to approve any funding requests teachers make for conferences.

“I make that decision. I have specific things I have in mind about what we were doing, and there’s a lot of teachers who have not had the opportunity to go to conferences for a long time,” Laurence said.

Laurence plans to address the issues raised by teachers like Paley while also providing opportunities and funding for all sections of education. “The whole purpose is so everybody gets to learn and get better, not just few select people,” she said.

The Board plans to open formal discussions on the consideration of the formation of a separate CS department later this year.

PAUSD School Board Member Ken Dauber has historically been in support of efforts from the CCDAC to highlight CS in the district. “In general, I think that we should put more emphasis on CS,” Dauber said.

When it comes to the creation of a CS

department, however, a decision has yet to be made. “I would be supportive of a move for creating more organizational capacity around that,” Dauber said. “But whether a department is the right answer or not, I really don’t know.”

Preliminary efforts to address the requests have already begun. “The district has been working this winter on developing and clarifying a three-year plan of what our goals are over time,” she said. “We plan on bringing computer science to a board discussion and for staff to look at it in the spring.”

The three-year plan, which is known as The PAUSD Promise, has "sprint goals" such as “analyze computer science and digital citizenship implementation practices” and “adopt and implement Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) aligned curriculum” that they hope to execute over short spans of time.

The request for a CS department in Palo Alto is only a part of the bigger debate about the role of CS in schooling as a whole. For now, the question of CS’s role in modern high school education has yet to be answered. “All the problems when I was in high school are still present now, just now we have computing,” Paley said. “You can't dodge it.”

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

Editorial Board Editor-in-Chief Caroline Ro Managing Editors Megan Li Kristen Yee News Sohini Ashoke Ryan Li Tejpal Virdi Forum Jennifer Gao Liza Kolbasov Joshua Yang Features Julia Cheunkarndee Joy Huang Grace Tramack

Friday, February 1, 2019

3

Music classes move into newly constructed building Andrew Zhao Online Editor After two years of construction, the new music buildings—which house new rooms for the band, choir and orchestra students—are now open for use. On the first day of second semester, music students were told to meet at the new buildings rather than the portables where they had been holding classes during construction.

Well into winter break, there was still a lot of work to be done in order to prepare the new rooms for students. Band teacher Todd Summers was working during the second week of winter break to get the new buildings ready.

The day before second semester started, he and the other teachers worked with music students to transport furniture and instruments. “We had a crew of about 30 students who came on that Monday and helped move the percussion and chairs,” Summers said. Choir teacher Bill Liberatore said that the students and teachers

managed to move every piece of equipment except the grand pianos. “We had professionals move those pianos,” he said.

Overall, both Summers and Liberatore are happier with their new classrooms than they were with the portables. Liberatore notes that the acoustics and overall design of the room create a much better teaching and learning environment. “They put high ceilings and windows all over the building, which floods the room with sunlight, and I think that’s gorgeous,” Liberatore said.

Liberatore cited the rooms’ new f loor structure as another design improvement.

“These rooms are flat, so you have all kinds of flexibility in terms of how you want to set the choir up,” Liberatore said. Summers also prefers the changes in the design of his new classrooms. “In general, the storage is bigger, the rehearsal space is bigger [and] the acoustics are way better,” Summers said. Additionally, he enjoys the interconnectivity between the mu-

sic buildings and the Performing Arts Center.

“Being connected to Spangenberg is real nice because when we have concerts, we can just move our stuff from [the music rooms] to the stage,” Summers said.

Like the teachers, music students are also pleased with the new buildings. Senior saxophonist James Burrows found that the new rehearsal rooms are more convenient. “I like that there are more rehearsal rooms, I like that it is easy to go on stage and I am just happy that we have a functional music department,” he said.

Senior choir student Jessica Guzman cites accessibility as a key improvement. “You don’t have to walk very far, since everything is in the same building,” Guzman said. “Also, we finally have our theater back, so we don’t have to go to Paly.” Both students are relieved that they can finally move into the new Performing Arts Center. “The teachers always told us it was going to be the next month, but we didn’t believe it was happening this year,” Guzman said.

Centerfold Yael Livneh Chelsie Park Sports Eric Epstein Bridgette Gong Elisa Moraes-Liu Lifestyle Laurel Comiter Noa Rapoport Online Stephanie Jackson Andrew Zhao Changing the Narrative Grace Williams Photo Editor Sofia Sierra-Garcia

Photos by Sofia Sierra-Garcia Mu sic stu d en ts move from the Village por tables to their new clas s ro o m s i n t h e n e w b u i l d i n g f o r s e c o n d s e m e s t e r.

INBOX

Graphics Editor Mina Kim

Staff Business/Circulation Ryan Manesh Assistant Business/Circulation Peter Oh Copy Editors Calvin Cai Madison Nguyen Nikki Suzani Oracle/SEC Liaison Bridgette Gong

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.

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

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

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

These letters need not be from current students.

I enjoyed reading the Forum section; it's always interesting— and sometimes can be eye-opening—to hear my peers' opinions on interesting and somewhat controversial topics. A lot of the others articles were also very intriguing to read, such as the Magic Club feature and "In-N-Out vs. Shake Shack" article.

Oracle/TBN Liaison Collin Jaeger Graphics Artists Nicole Lee Grace Liu Jocelyn Wang

—Rishi Sankar, 12 I'd like to see more of opinion stories written by those who aren't in The Oracle. I think it would capture more of the opinions of different people around Gunn and it would be interesting to read.

Photographers Melissa Ding Sophia Lu Reporters Annika Bereny Charlie Bush Kate Mallery Josh Mei Kepa Neesen Vinay Ranganathan Sophia Stern Eric Tang Jessica Wang Angela Wong Katie Zhang

—Connor Missett, 10 I would like to see more argumentative pieces because I like reading about not too well-known opinions. I think there should be more sports features and club features.

—Ian Shin, 12

Tech Editors Natalie McCurdy Devon Lee

I remembered the two stories of "InN-Out vs. Shake Shack" and the story on the cover. I found the fast food one interesting and although I do not use the drug on the cover story, I found it interesting because I sometimes have trouble concentrating on tests too and am upset about the advantage that some people have by taking the drug.

Adviser Kristy Blackburn

—Alexander Thaik, 10

—Dec. 7, 2018—

[Along with adding] crosswords/Sudoku, I think having a book recommendation section would be really cool.

—Shana Ebrahimnejad, 9 The last issue of The Oracle that I received was very well planned out. The stories were hooking and represented the common interests of Gunn. The layout was visually appealing, and I think you guys did a nice job on it.

—Ella Koehler, 9 I liked the fighting In-N-Out and Shake Shack graphics and the Shrek gingerbread one.

—Yoyo Ma, 11 I like the layout as it is very nice on the eyes. I also appreciate the time spent on every single issue. The attention to detail really shows.

—Ian Zhang, 10

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

Forum

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Bay Area homelessness crisis requires recognition, community support

Photo illustration by Nicole Lee and Sofia Sierra-Garcia

Angela Wong On the streets of Palo Alto, a city which is internationally renowned for its wealth and innovation, a growing homelessness crisis would seem unexpected and even out of place.

Even so, our city’s homeless population exists and is expanding in a problematic trend demanding greater recognition, especially from high school students. Together, we, the next generation, can help promote universal youth education and development, diminish the apathetic and negative views surrounding the homeless and help inspire a culture of altruism within our school community for decades to come. Homelessness is already a common sight for students; along El Camino Real, just a few minutes away from c a mp u s , m a n y recreational vehicles (RVs), pickup t r u c k s a n d ot he r c a mpi ng vehicles housing workers unable to afford houses o r a p a r t m e nt s line the streets.

According to the 2017 Santa Clara County Homeless Census and Survey, the county’s homeless population rose by 13 percent in the last two years, while homelessness in Palo Alto rose by 26 percent over the same time frame. As homelessness in Palo Alto and surrounding cities grows, students’ moral obligation to dedicate their time and effort to this crisis is as pressing as ever.

Santa Clara County’s homelessness predicament is plagued with increasing rates of youth living without shelter; a biannual “Point in Time” census from January 2017 tallied over 2,500 homeless people under the age of 25 across the county, a rate that has nearly tripled in the last two years. State-wide, about one in every 20 public school students are homeless.

Unfortunately, the adversity of living on the streets has serious psychological and physical repercussions for young people due to a resulting lack of proper mind and body development.

For instance, homeless students between the ages of 16 and 24 had worse reading and math aptitude scores, according to a 2014 study by the United States Department of Health and Human Services (USDHHS). They were also four times as susceptible to major psychiatric disorders like hyperactivity, depression and anxiety. The multitude of obstacles that homelessness presents hinders a student’s ability to succeed in school. This stunting makes it harder for youth to get back on track and break out of the vicious, seemingly inescapable cycle of a lack of education and poverty. Homeless youth are

also more likely to develop chronic diseases and substance abuse issues. In fact, the homeless have a life expectancy of 30 years shorter than the general population, according to a 2012 National Coalition for the Homeless study. Therefore, high school students with access to greater resources should dedicate increased time to aiding the homeless in order to promote equal education and opportunities for every youth in America. Though such actions, we can also realize our own happiness derived from helping others.

Additionally, the apathetic views and negative stigma surrounding the homeless often prevent residents from taking action. It is commonly assumed that homelessness is self-incurred, either through laziness or substance abuse, a justification for collective ignorance from the stark reality of the ongoing crisis. Such thoughts, however, fail to encapsulate the true nature of homelessness; in reality, there are a plethora of causes, including job loss, family eviction, health conditions, physical abuse and natural disasters. In addition, housing prices in the Bay Area are some of the highest in the nation w ith a median housing Mina Kim price of $3,155,700, which leaves many people without housing options. Rather than oversimplifying homelessness as a deliberate issue caused by addictions, Gunn’s community should recognize the reality of the struggles that lead to homelessness in order to gain a sense of empathy that w ill translate into increased action against these crises.

Ultimately, our moral obligation to help the city’s homeless population extends beyond promoting education for all or reducing apathy and stigma: high school students should feel compelled to help the homeless because they, too, are humans. If we can find the commitment and energy to integrate helping the homeless into our lives, we can instill a culture of compassion within our school community for years to come.

Gunn can contribute to this cause by holding projects such as more shoe and book drives throughout the year. During the spring, Gunn can also involve the entire school by hosting charity runs and events to fundraise for nearby shelters and nonprofit organizations fighting homelessness. Besides school-related activities, students can take further initiatives by involving their parents or by writing to local congressmen to push for change. If this community can find the courage and resilience to go the extra mile and adopt an approach of altruism for the homeless, we can take the first steps toward mending our habit of hypocrisy and neglect prevalent within the wealth and affluence of Silicon Valley. The homelessness crisis is becoming increasingly worse, and it’s up to us to challenge the status quo and better the community.

—Wong, a sophomore, is a reporter.

What are some ways Bay Area citizens and students can help raise awareness and provide relief for the homeless?

“Going to places such as The Refuge and/ or any local homeless shelter to help out or giving someone on the street food or any loose change can really make a difference. Volunteering at a homeless shelter is very simple and a great Emilia Santos (10) opportunity.”

“Through the countle s s c om mu n it ybased programs present in the Bay Area, we all have the opportunity to lend a hand to those who are not as fortunate as us.”

Ryan Tabrizi (10)

“When you see someone in need who is asking you for money or food, instead of walking away and ignoring them, look them in the face and say, ‘I’m so sorry, I have no money on me.’ We often ignore people in need on the streets and by little acts such as interacting instead of ignoring, [we] can make a big difference.”

Genna Bishop (10)

Forum

Friday, February 1, 2019

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are LECTURE-BASED classes oR DISCUSSION-bASED classes more conducive to learning?

DiscussionBASED: Ryan Li

LECTUREBASED: Grace Tramack With students’ steadily decreasing attention spans, teachers are quickly switching their teaching methods from basic lectures and presentations to more discussions.

This change can sometimes result in a lack of clear structure or presentation of information, however. Lecture-based learning is superior to discussion-based learning because it is more straightforward, benefits auditory learners and teaches students to focus for longer periods of time.

Lecture-based learning is more straightforward than group discussions. Too often, discussions can get off-topic, skew the purpose of the day’s lesson and be difficult to control. This becomes an issue when it interferes with a student’s ability to learn the material and ask relevant questions. During discussions that get off-topic, it can be difficult for students to write down the most relevant and necessary information in their notes and students who do not fully understand the material could be further confused. If students are talking for the entirety of the class period, teachers do not have enough time to present accurate information. It is also less likely that teachers will become distracted with other information during their presentation than students engaging in tangents during discussions. Lectures allow for teachers to summarize material more effectively and give students the exact information they will need later on in the course, whether that be in a lab, quiz or test. Additionally, teachers are able to explain the reasoning behind the information they are presenting, something students may not be aware of while discussing new topics amongst themselves. Due to their straightforward nature, lectures are more effective than discussions when it comes to learning new information.

Lectures are also better for different types of learners and for teaching students to focus for longer periods of time. According to a Tech News study, 30 percent of students in grades K-12 are visual learners and 25 percent are auditory learners.

Lectures combine these two styles of learning because teachers often include photos or visuals to accompany their presentations. They also teach students to focus during longer presentations. Later on in life, a large number of students will need to be able to sit through presentations in professional settings, and they will likely have to take notes on important information. A Time article cites Microsoft as finding that, since the digital and mobile revolution starting in 2000, the average attention span of humans has dropped from 12 seconds to eight. However, in order to be successful in a career or in life in general, one must be able to focus on one thing without getting distracted after eight seconds. Therefore, lectures not only benefit students by teaching them comprehensive material, but also by challenging and improving their ability to focus.

Despite the clear positives of lecture-based learning, not all lectures are equally as beneficial as others. Some teachers do not quite capture the attention of students well enough or allow for enough time to ask questions. A possible solution for this could be to run classes with a mix of lecture and discussion. In a new study of 2,000 science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) classes in the United States and Canada, it was found that 55 percent use traditional lecturing, 27 percent use a mix between lecture and only 18 percent were fully discussion-based. Teachers and professors have decided that while lecturing is essential, especially for STEM classes, the ability to discuss with others enhances the content learned in lectures. Broken into small groups, students can practice asking questions and explaining information in a way that makes sense to them. Both lecture and discussion can work together with the common goal of offering students different ways to learn material.

Lecture-based classes are, ultimately, superior to pure discussion. They allow for more straightforward learning as well as teach students broader skills. Ideally, teachers would mix in discussions in order to support lectures, maximize productivity and heighten students’ understanding. While it is important to be able to ask questions regarding the material as well, fundamental knowledge must be clear before discussions can occur.

Close your eyes and picture this: the lights are dimmed in your classroom, and a bright SMART Board projection is the only thing illuminating the room. The dead silence is broken periodically by the tapping of pencils on notebooks. One student is on his phone. Another is pretending to take notes on her computer while scrolling through her Facebook feed. A third is pinching himself to keep from falling asleep.

Fortunately, this scenario is becoming less and less common as classes have begun to integrate Socratic seminars and group dialogue into their respective curriculum.

Given that discussions encourage critical thinking, increase active engagement and equip students with skills useful past high school, it is no wonder why discussionbased learning is gradually taking over the classroom.

Discussion-based learning emphasizes the importance of comprehension and analysis rather than blind memorization. According to the Carnegie Mellon Eberly Center for Teaching Excellence, retention of information and a deeper level of understanding are the natural results of a well-executed class discussion. Rather than mindlessly scribbling down lecture slides and taking information in at face value, students are forced to think for themselves, piecing together justifications for their arguments while trying to understand differing opinions or interpretations of information. The result is a classroom of students equipped with the skills needed to think critically and uncover information for themselves.

A well-planned class discussion not only challenges students to think critically, but also requires them to articulate their thoughts, strengthening class engagement and communication skills. A lecture-based setting will often have little student participation, with the most engaging aspect being the periodic question asked to the class to check for understanding. A study published by the Journal on Excellence in Public Teaching found that of 246 random students surveyed, more than 70 percent drew a positive connection between their own participation in discussion-based learning and success in their classes. Engaging students with discussion instead of lectures challenges them to convey their thoughts rather than regurgitate facts, arming them with a healthy thirst for knowledge and strengthened communication abilities.

Most importantly, a discussion-based setting helps students develop abilities that are extremely useful outside of the classroom. Soft skills like active listening, public speaking, empathy, organization and independent thought are best learned by practicing them, not seeing them as bullet points on a slideshow. A 2017 Forbes Magazine article lists traits like self-awareness, an explorer mindset, emotional intelligence and grit as among the top 14 qualities that companies look for in new applicants. Students in discourse-based settings are often encouraged to convince others of their points, articulate and refute counter-evidence and listen to other perspectives. Even in math and science classes, where student input has little relevance on the subject matter, discussion-based learning is still applicable in the form of group problem-solving exercises and collaborative projects, according to an article from the Grand Canyon University Center for Innovation in Research and Teaching. “The end result is that students have taken a problem, gathered information and data, worked collaboratively to find a solution, and communicated that solution,” it said.

Given the depth of knowledge that discussion-based learning entails, it is easy to see why sleepy lectures are being replaced by active discourse. Critical thinking, active engagement and real world experience all factor into the execution of an excellent discussion-based environment. For these reasons, dialogue trumps monologue; the voices of many drown out the voices of one and lecture gives way to discussion.

—Li, a junior, is a News Editor.

—Tramack, a senior, is a Features Editor.

Jocelyn Wang

6

Features

Teachers take paternity leave to focus on new babies akeshi Kaneko:

rian Miguel: Social studies teacher

Math teache­r

Social studies teacher Brian Miguel is planning to go on paternity leave later in the semester once his wife delivers their first child.

Since teachers in the district are granted 12 weeks of paid leave per newborn child, Miguel hopes to go on leave in early March—12 weeks before the start of summer break—thus combining his leave with summer vacation.

“It seems to be planned out perfectly, at least that’s the hope,” he said. “The goal is to get as much time off that is allowed and that I can afford.”

By going on leave, Miguel is looking forward to being a full-time father and husband.

“Going on paternity leave will let me just be there for my family,” Miguel said. “I will get to experience all those special moments and not go insane, not have to come to work on two hours of sleep. I want to take advantage of the time and travel, hike and just get used to the new family dynamic.”

Miguel does not think that he will be blindsided by the responsibility of raising a baby. “I actually have been fortunate to [have been] living with my sister when she had her baby, and more recently, living with my sister-in-law when she had a baby,” Miguel said. “I have kind of had that close family dynamic and some of that experience, so I feel like in a sense, I’m not too worried, [and] I feel like I’ve been involved with babies before.”

Miguel and his wife have already learned the baby’s gender. “I kind of wanted to wait and be surprised, but my wife wanted to know, so as these things go, the wife kind of runs things, so we found out pretty early,” Miguel said.

The future parents are planning to name their child with the same first initial as the baby’s grandmother in order to honor Miguel’s wife’s mother, who passed away two years ago.

paternity leave.

As a new parent, Kaneko hasn’t completely adjusted to having a baby. “It’s weird getting used to the fact that someone else is more important than you,” he said. “I haven’t had any trouble with it, but every once in a while, I will catch myself thinking, ‘Huh, it used to not be that way.’ It’s really cool, and I love it a lot.”

Although raising a baby is filled with joyful moments, there are still struggles that come with it. For example, Kaneko must check that baby equipment is on hand and that everything is planned in order to take care of Maki on-the-go. However, Kaneko makes sure to cherish the few moments he’s able to catch his breath. “We took a trip to Japan in November,” he said. “My parents also went on a separate trip, but we met up in the same place. One night, I asked them to babysit while my wife and I went out to dinner for her birthday.”

While he wants to be as good of a father as possible, Kaneko also wants to ensure that he does not disregard his responsibilities as a teacher. Learning to balance his work and home lives has become a major priority. “I commute to work by train, so I’ve had to do more work and utilize more of that time to grade and [do] other work,” he said. “I try and go home earlier now than I used to, so I end up taking home more work as well. It’s just a reorganizing of my activities and when I do them. Trying to do all of the things I used to do is my goal.”

Despite the challenges involved with raising a baby, Kaneko finds that even the littlest things make it all worthwhile. “One of my favorite things about my daughter is her laugh,” he said. “There isn’t anything better than her laugh.”

—Written by Eric Epstein

—Written by Madison Nguyen

Math teacher Takeshi Kaneko and his wife welcomed their baby girl Maki into the world in April of last year. By this May, Kaneko will have taken six two-week blocks of

Maki Kaneko

The Miguels

Leo Hahn

aniel Hahn:

Math teacher

Teachers can be under a lot of stress sometimes, especially when they’re juggling lesson plans, recommendation letters and their own lives outside of school. For math teacher Daniel Hahn, however, one bundle of joy makes it all worth it: his one-year-old baby named Leo. When Hahn found out he was having a baby, he was beyond ecstatic. “We’d been trying to get [pregnant] for a long time,” he said. “We had to end up getting help from doctors, so when we finally found out, we were super happy and excited.”

Now almost a year old, little Leo has already figured out how to entertain himself. “He’s found peekaboo,” Hahn said. “When he gets in and out of the bath he’ll hide his face behind a towel and then pop back out and start laughing.”

Since his birth, the family has traveled all over the world. Between visiting Mexico, Rochester, Portland, New Orleans, Singapore and Thailand, Leo is quite well-travelled for his age. “He’s gotten progressively harder and harder to fly with because he’s bigger, but it’s all been a lot of fun,” Hahn said. “In Singapore, we got to see the hotel from ‘Crazy Rich Asians’ and eat on the rooftops there and [got] to see the food stands at the Night Market and eat all of the food.”

In early 2018, Hahn went on paternity leave for a few months to stay home with Leo and help his wife take care of him. “It’s just nice to feel like we’re both contributing and that I can give her a break, and I’m also not missing all the important time with the kid,” he said.

Still, being away from the classroom was difficult for Hahn. “My [substitute], Ms. Wong, was great, but there’s always kind of that little nagging feeling of ‘I hope my kids understand what’s happening,’ and [that] I don’t come back and everyone’s just been lost for weeks,” he said.

Ultimately, Hahn has one piece of advice for all parent teachers: “I think a lot of times it’s easy to get tired when you’re in the trenches of whatever your life is,” he said. “Just remember to be thankful, and that goes for everyone, of all the good things you have.”

—Written by Nikki Suzani

Graphics by Grace Liu Photos courtesy of Daniel Hahn, Takeshi Kaneko and Brian Miguel

Features

Friday, February 1, 2019

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Choir Presents the

STAFFSTUDENT MUSICAL in the show. “The whole thing is about schedule. That is act out [in a funny way] in front of class usually, and it’s really the only difficulty. It’s really trying to build a sched- just fun to have them around,” Idanan said. ule so that somehow or another in a day, everybody who For staff members, the show also provides the opEvery year, staff members join together with all the has a solo, a line or a dance to learn gets rehearsed before portunity to interact with colleagues from other departchoirs to put on a musical complete with funny lyrics, Feb. 5,” Liberatore said. “It’s like a twelve-headed snake.” ments and get involved in a different aspect of school elaborate costumes and well-choreographed dance As a result, the last few weeks before the show can culture. “That’s always the most fun part—to do somenumbers. Over the past few weeks, the choir has been be busy for the choir. “It’s very stressful for the last two thing together with people from math and people from working to prepare this year’s show, “I Want to Hold weeks because we really don’t put it together until the last English and support staff,” Powell said. “There’s no other Your Babushka,” which will be performed on Feb. 5, 6 week ,” Brow n opportunity in and 7. Profits from tickets sold will be used to provide s a i d . “ T h e our work lives scholarships for the choir tour in Italy later this year. teachers come where we just The script for this show, written 19 years ago by in during that get to be togethNancy Hersage, describes a comical story of the Soviet time, and they er, and that’s government’s attempt to intervene in American politics have to learn all what br ings by kidnapping the Beatles. “It’s [set in the] early 60s, this stuff.” me bac k .” and they see that the Beatles were about to become the Despite the Ma ny sta f f biggest sensation in entertainment,” choir director Bill stress, however, members, such Liberatore said. “And so what they do is they kidnap the the choir-staff as Powell, parBeatles, and they try to replace them with imposter Beat- music a l is a n ticipate in the les who will go to America and be spies for the Russians.” enjoyable expechoir-staff muThe choir puts in a lot of work in the weeks leading rience for all. It sical year after up to the production to put together a show in a short allows choir stuyear and view timespan. “We only have about three to four weeks to do dents to experithe show as a it because we start when we get back [from winter break] ment with music significant camand the show is in early February,” junior Katie Brown outside of what pus tradition. “I said. “In class, we really drill the numbers, we learn the t hey t y pica lly Teachers show off a preview of their dance moves during a rehearsal. just want to exmusic and we do a lot of choreography for it.” In the last sing for choir, press my gratiweek before the show, the staff and choir counterparts interact with staff members in an informal atmosphere tude to Mr. Liberatore for doing it over and over and over join to rehearse the show in full. and bond with each other over the show. “[It’s] a silly again,” Powell said. “If we didn’t have him, this wouldn’t As part of the preparation process, the choir attended show that’s meant to be funny more than rigorous,” happen, and I think it’s a uniquely Gunn thing, and it’s a weekend-long retreat at a Young Men’s Christian As- senior Juan-Paulo Idanan said. really special.” sociation camp on the weekend of Jan. 26. “We [were] For performers, musical nights are a memorable exMoney raised from ticket sales for scholarships aims just up there in the redwoods, learning the dances and perience. “It’s just fun to see all different kinds of people, to allow all choir students to attend the choir’s tour to singing the show, so that part’s really fun,” Liberatore students and colleagues, [participate in this],” biology Italy this year. “There’s a big goal around the money said. “That’s teacher Maria we can raise to make Gunn a more equitable place for as fun as doing P o w e l l s a i d . all students,” Liberatore said. “That’s a pretty exciting the show. We “What they do is they kidnap the Beatles, and they try to replace them with “Some of them part too, when you can put on a show and then make it [had] a blast.” are in their ele- possible for a whole lot of kids who couldn’t go on a big imposter Beatles who will go to America and be spies for the Russians.” ment and some choir performance tour to be able to come.”

Putting on the show inAudience members can look forward to a night of —Choir Director Bill Liberatore are so far outvolves a lot of side their com- fun and light-hearted entertainment that the choir and scheduling and coordination. In addition to finding a fort zone, but everybody’s having a good time. It’s kind staff have worked hard to prepare for them. “It’s just a time that is convenient for all choir students and staff of electric.” fun, wacky time to watch your teachers and your friends participating in the show, planning for the show also The choir-staff musical is unique because it allows perform crazy numbers,” Brown said. involves auditions for smaller parts, costuming, public- students and staff to interact outside of the classroom ity and coordination with the theater crew and with the and work together to put on a production. “Seeing them middle school choirs, who were also invited to participate perform is just silly because you don’t see teachers just

Liza Kolbasov Forum Editor

QUICK FACTS

Teachers practice their dabbing together for the upcoming show.

Title: ‘‘I Want to Hold Your Babushka’’ When: Feb. 5 (Tuesday), 6 and 7 at 8:00 p.m.

Where: Spangenberg Theatre Buy tickets at: Student Activities Office or online at gunnchoir.org ($20 for general admission, $10 for students) Photos by Sophia Lu Poster courtesy of Gunn Choir

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Cente

IN OTHER OTHER WOrds WORDS IN

Students preserve cultural roots through multilingualis

U s e o f n ati v e l a n g uag e a i ds

in reinforcement of cultural ties

Tejpal Virdi In many communities throughout the country, learning a second language is a privilege enjoyed by few. English is everywhere, and it has left little room for other languages; even when the opportunity to learn a second language presents itself, if you are part of the 20 percent of students in America enrolled in a foreign language class, you will likely be boxed into Spanish, French or German. Given these obstacles, it was inevitable that picking up my mother tongue of Punjabi while perfecting English and Spanish at school was not an easy feat.

My childhood memories are filled with dreaded hour-long drives to Punjabi School every Sunday and endless parental lectures on why it was important to learn the language. From third to eighth grade, I dedicated countless hours memorizing the 35-letter alphabet and practicing the different sounds. And although my 11-year-old self saw little value in the seemingly tedious tasks, I’ve since learned to appreciate the skills I developed. Now, I can read, write and understand Punjabi at a limited working proficiency.

Learning to speak Punjabi fluently, on the other hand, has been a challenge that I’ve made little progress on. Growing up surrounded by English, I lacked the opportunities outside of my family to converse in Punjabi. As much as my parents dislike when I respond to their elegant Punjabi in informal English, no matter how hard I try, I find it nearly impossible to say a single coherent sentence in the language.

Still, my ability to comprehend spoken Punjabi has allowed me to hold on to parts of my culture that are nested deeply in language. From understanding the lyrics of Bhangra music in traditional Punjabi dances to communicating with Indian relatives, I’ve found that my Punjabi skills—as limited as they may be—are an integral part of who I am. Just over two generations ago, my relatives spoke solely in Punjabi; many of their traditions may have been carried on, but they are hidden behind a language barrier. Each step I take in learning my mother tongue brings me closer to decoding the picture of where I truly come from.

I hope national curricula become more inviting of new languages, as there is a lot of value in multilingualism. Language is a core part of any culture, and by focusing solely on English, we are not making use of the unique diversity that makes up our surroundings. By creating an environment that fosters different languages, people will be more inclined to pick up their mother tongue and carry forward their heritage.

—Virdi, a senior, is a News Editor.

alog g a t : r e l l i sedrake sch of Manila, e capital city

ers the ges of th which bord cial langua ffi y, o it e C th n f zo o e e g, on Born in Qu aks Tagalo tes, chiller spe S e k ra United Sta D r nio age in the u to g n rd la a h n o is s. . “It comm Philippine proficiency not a ver y y is m is h h g in it lo a w ta g it in a a k Since T lt to m ly spea n cu o I iffi d ce n it s, e si d ally etim s foun age, especi ords.” Som Schiller ha h the langu lot of the w it a able to w n en u ch tt u is o to e rg keep in “I’ve fo ecause h . b id re sa u e lt h cu ,” me his mom at ho nnected to to feels disco o ls a continuing r le il y.

Sch is roots by ver y da h e e h e rv g it a w se u g re ch n p u ay in to “I tr y to st s. speak the la to w s o ie sh tr o l tching e stil ilipin em and wa However, h watching F th d t n e a e rg m fo o I h ver log at ords whene speak Taga oking up w id. lo sa y r b le e s who also il v a ch h what I w ith other ternet,” S d in n o e b th to n o ff er language t way Filipino stu g is a grea aking anoth st people lo e a sp g t a u T o r, b a le o ost For Schil uage that m hat I like m secret lang nguage. “W st lso speaks la o a e t a lm th a k th n a e a e n o w sp e o n m k I so t t a ee ing th he said. henever I m is just k now w ith them,” he said. “W n ,” ’t io n ct o e d n e n m around e a neat co ort stantly hav Noa Rapop Tagalog, I in Written by

—

erfold

sm

Friday, February 1, 2019

sengal araya: amharic of Ethiopia, Amhar ic is the official Originating in the Amhar ic region national language of Ethiopia. and spoke the language grow ing Sophomore Sengal Araya learned ally Amhar ic is the first language I actu up. “I was born in Ethiopia, and ed mov he le, whi rt sho a for a in Ethiopi learned,” he said. After grow ing up life. his of t mos t spen to the United States, where he has has not iced differences between ya Ara al, ngu bili g bein h oug Thr t har ic], but it does have a differen the languages. “I can’t write in [Am t eren diff ly vast said. Because of how alphabet system than English,” he cult diffi e mor be to r has found the latte English and Amharic are, Araya said. . “For me, Amharic [is harder],” he ning lear e tinu to maintain and con the w kno y full ’t don I and rs, ple of yea “I only lived in Ethiopia for a cou well.” language, but I can speak it pretty s English, Araya has also found way by As he is constantly surrounded ,” ents par my to his daily life. “I speak to incorporate Amhar ic more into I speak in that language.” r, ove e com he said. “When relatives heritage over the years through Araya has learned to embrace his I was me back to my roots and where speaking Amhar ic. “It connects ak, I spe I n whe h, muc that a] t [Ethiopi born,” he said, “Since I don’t visi connect with my country.”

—Written by Calvin Cai

Shana Ebrahimnejad:

FARSI, GERMAN, FRENCH, ENGLISH For freshman Shana Ebrahimnejad, lear ning Farsi, German, French and English came from her life in Germany and Ame rica, her Persian roots and Duolingo.

As her fam ily moved between coun tries, Ebra him nejad acqu ired lang uage s naturally through immersion. Accordin gly, she inter prets these languages with out thinking. “For German and Farsi, [the language] is something I’ve grow n up around,” she said. “I can understand it better, but… it goes in one ear, gets translated and then goes out the other. I can’t recall the word s that have the meanings.”

Despite this, Ebrahimnejad’s knowledg e improves her communication with others, including her extended family in Iran. “People are a lot more clear and eloquent in their own language,” she said. “So when you’re multilingual, and you’re able to understand a person’s easiest tongue, you can understand the person more easily.”

Ebrahimnejad also derives personal satisfaction from being multilingual.

“I really like the history behind words, and it’s really interesting to see how word s differ from place to place,” she said. “There’ll be some words that’ll be the same [bet ween languages], and I’ll be like, ‘Oh my god! ’ That’s always fun.”

As further motivation, Ebrahimnejad’s multilingual family supports her proficien cy in all four languages. “My dad encourag es both my sister and me to write text s in the morning, but in German,” she said. “He also sometimes sends us articles in Germ an and generally speaks to us in Germ-glis h, [a combination of German and Eng lish].”

For aspiring language learners, Ebrahim nejad acknowledges that becoming fluen t takes hard work. “If there’s anyone out there who is trying to become multilin gual, it honestly takes a while, and you just need to practice,” she said. “You need expo sure to the language.”

Overall, Ebrahimnejad believes that bein g multilingual is worth the effor t. “Wh en you know a language, you see the cultu re of a place and interact with it, which enriches your experience and your view,” she said .

—Written by Jessica Wang

Graphics by Mina Kim, Nicole Lee, Grace Liu and Yael Livneh Photos by Sofia Sierra-Garcia

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10

Features

Behind the

COUNTER: Chelsie Park Centerfold Editor

The lunch bell rings and hundreds of students pour out of the buildings, excited for the precious thirty minutes of free time with friends and food. Many students rush to the cafeteria, attempting to claim their own tray of freshly prepared food before a massive line forms.

Once inside, students are greeted by the staff members of the Food Services Department.

Every morning during the school week, Food Services arrive early to prepare for the day’s brunch and lunch.

Claire McCole, the Food Services Manager, prepares not only Gunn’s lunches but also those of other schools across the district. “Typically I’m here 7, 7:30 in the morning,” McCole said. “I do two elementary school brunches by 9 o’clock. I do Escondido and Barron Park brunch and Briones lunch and then I start on the lunch and work on lunch here with everybody else. It’s kind of crazy and fast-paced depending on the schedule because our lunches change; Tuesdays and Thursdays are more hectic because lunch is early.”

Elena Herrera, a food server, explained how the starting hours can shift depending on what

Graphics by Mina Kim Photos by Sofia Sierra-Garcia

Meet the Food Services staff

is served for lunch on a particular day.

“In the morning, I start working at 8:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., but sometimes I start around 7:30 or 7:45 a.m. when I have to prepare extra things for burrito bowls because some days are busier,” she said.

McCole and Herrera are just two of the ladies on staff; Food Service Assistant Maryam Didari and food server Liu Ding also help to dish out lunches to over 300 students. Didari organizes all the food.

“I set up the salad bar and the deli bar,” Didari said. “I set up the fruit and cut everything and organize it. I like it because it’s all organized.”

Ding, who came to Gunn last October, is in charge of creating a variety of sauces each day. “I do the brunch and prepare food for lunch and make the sauce,” Ding said. “Asian sweet, classic barbeque sauce, and we have many [other] kinds of sauces needed depending on what kind of food [is served].”

For many of the ladies, the students are the best part of the job. “I really think my favorite part is interacting with the students,” McCole said. “I have a couple students that know my name. They ask, ‘Claire, how’s your day going?’ and they’re pretty upbeat.”

Herrera’s desire to help and interact with students was initially cultivated by her volunteer work. “To attend the students, I really, really enjoy this,” Herrera said. “I don’t know if this is because several years ago, I used to live in LA, and I volunteered with young people at church. I learned so many things from the young group. My passion is to do the best for the students.”

As much as they enjoy the work they do, some students’ reluctance to make healthy food choices can be difficult for members of Food Services. “It’s hard sometimes to get the kids to take their fruit and veggies,” McCole said. “It’s a state-mandated thing, so they have to pass me with a fruit or veggie. And some of the kids are like, ‘No, I’m okay; I don’t want one,’ so that’s the hard part. But for the most [part] I enjoy my job.”

Time is another obstacle that must be tackled on a daily basis. “Sometimes we do a lot of different things, and we need time because we have to make the food and get with it as quick as possible,” Ding said. “That’s a hard thing to do, but we are working hard for that and to make everything perfect and let the students feel comfortable.”

Outside of their jobs, the ladies enjoy a variety of activities. For example, McCole uses bowling as a way to relax. “I’m a bowler. I bowl once a week on a league,” McCole said. “My mother was a bowler, and I’ve been bowling since I was six. So that’s my fun thing that I like to do.”

Attending church has always been one of Herrera’s favorite activities, and she has recently delved into studying theology as well. “Right now my hobby is studying the Bible,” Herrera said. “I’m studying theology at Archdiocese of San Francisco. It’s my passion because I want to [learn] more about Jesus [and] God. It’s very nice because you can understand people, especially when sometimes it’s a little bit difficult to understand. When you know about Jesus, you can understand your life.”

Didari enjoys reading history books and using her hands to knit and sew clothing such as hats and scarves.

Ding strives to be physically active whenever she can.

“I like walking,” Ding said. “Doing the housework is for the exercise. Use your body and get busy, and you can do this and do that. And I do that everyday.”

Colloquially and endearingly called the “lunch ladies,” these staf f members make it possible for hundreds of students to enjoy a balanced meal every day of the school year.

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Friday, February 1, 2019

Sports

12

S tay o n T r a c k w i t h y e a r - l o n g

workout goals Stephy Jackson

Online Editor

It is easy to fall into the habit of not working out when certain workout regimens are too intense or do not work with your personal schedule. Finding a workout routine that fits your personal needs and daily schedule can free you from the self-perpetuating cycle of not working out and help you discover the best way for you to maintain your fitness. Whether you are a second-semester senior looking to start a new way of life or a freshman looking to get swole, you can find the best workout for you by following a few steps. Small steps and consistency are two important factors that will keep you on track with your fitness journey.

The first step is to find out what your personal goal is for this workout routine. Is it to get stronger? To lose weight? To gain weight? Or to just be more healthy overall? Ultimately, your goal will determine how your workout is structured. Your next step is to section out time during your day to workout. On average, your workout should be reserved as a

“If getting active feels daunting, always think back to your purpose and goals for motivation.”

time slot of around 45 minutes to an hour and should be repeated four to six days a week. In addition, a recent study suggests aerobic and dynamic resistance exercises are effective alternative approaches to lowering blood pressure.

Your third step is to find a location for your workout routine that has minimal distractions and the equipment that you need for any of your exercises. This can be your local gym or a nearby park. The last step for forming your workout is to pick out two exercises for the six regions of your body: quads, hamstrings, chest and shoulders, back, arms and core. These exercises may include squats and lunges for your quads, deadlifts and leg curls for your hamstrings, push-ups and dumbbell exercises for your chest and so on and so forth. For every day of the week, these 12 total exercises should remain unchanged and should work out the muscles around your entire body.

In addition to the constituent daily workout exercises, each day of the week should have a different additional workout. For example, on Monday, after your 12 exercises, you would do burpees and on Tuesday, cycling. This addition would add variation to your workout and create a challenge for the day. If your end goal is losing weight, then the additional workouts for the days of the week would be cardio-focused. Or, if your goal is to gain muscle mass, then the exercises would be focused on weightlifting.

Once you have structured your workout routine for each day of the week, it is important to write that routine down so that you don’t forget it. Set a reminder or an alarm for yourself at the chosen time for your workout so that you get used to a daily schedule that includes a workout. Just before you start working out each day, plan a 10- to 15-minute warm-up of light running or jumping jacks to get your body ready for the rest of the workout. After you finish, spend 15 to 20 minutes every day stretching and cooling down.

4 steps toward your fitness goals:

Step 1: Set a goal Step 2: Schedule a routine Step 3: Find a location Step 4: Exercise each region of your body Photos by Sofia Sierra-Garcia

Though easy to forget, the warm-up and cool-down parts of your workout routine are crucial to making sure that you do not harm yourself during your workout routine.

For your cool-down, try out some classic yoga exercises like downward dog, child’s pose or T-posing. Doing a yoga or stretching routine following your daily workout can reduce soreness in your muscles and increase overall f lexibility.

“Small steps T he mo s t i mand consistency p or t a nt pa r t are two important of your factors that will keep you workout on track with your rout ine is to fitness journey.” maintain your will to workout. If you find yourself tempted to skip your workout one day, know that your decision to rest may become habitual.

Power through your initial feelings of discouragement and push yourself to make it to the end of your workout. Remember that working out does not have to be cut and dry. Adjustments to your workout routine can be made depending on your progress or shifts in your goals. While working out may seem tiring, it can actually help you become more productive during the rest of your day and can release endorphins that increase your energy and mood. If getting active feels daunting, just always think back to your purpose and goals for motivation. If you ever find yourself too busy to complete your workout routine, you can always use a shortened version of your workout or find an alternative way to squeeze in some exercise.

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Sports

Friday, February 1, 2019

enhance your workout with tips, tricks

Chance over Chopin: Don’t exercise to the violin rendition of John Legend’s “All of Me.” Trust me, I’ve tried. Create a separate playlist with good pump-up songs to help you get into the zone. Luckily for you, The Oracle staff has compiled the perfect workout playlist to help get you started. You’re welcome.

According to a 2013 US National Library of Medicine National Institute of Health study, physical activity results in a:

21%

Eat the right things: According to the United States Department of Health and Human Services (USHHS), adolescents find 40 percent of their total daily calories in the form of added sugars and solid fats. These empty calories are not reduction in coronary heart disease helping you get swole and will hold you back. events for men.

Know what you’re eating to have enough energy after workouts and repair your broken muscles. Also, make sure to always keep hydrated and bring a reusable water bottle with you to your workout.

Mix it up: Vary the exercises you’re doing. Experiment with new machines and exercises. Maximize the muscle groups you target, and remember to factor in off-days to let your muscles recuperate. There’s a whole world of equipment and new exercises, so don’t be afraid to step out of your comfort zone. And please, for the love of God, don’t skip leg day.

29

%

reduction in coronary heart disease events for women.

Set a workout schedule: It’s much harder to talk yourself out of gym-time when you have already carved space for it into your schedule. It doesn’t matter whether it’s working out after school in the Gunn weight room or running laps around the neighborhood after dinner, but setting a standardized practice schedule that you can commit to will go miles and keep you consistent and on pace towards your goal.

Stay focused: We all know those people who love to sit on the workout equipment and send snaps to flex their #gains. You’ve got to make sure your crush knows you’re fit, I get it, but make sure you have something to show for all your weight room sessions too. General rule of thumb, go at least four reps of working out for every rep of Snapchat.

Scan the QR code to access The Oracle workout playlist on Spotify.

According to a study published by the US National Library of Medicine National Institues of Health, higher fitness levels predict lower death rates and complications associated with cardiovascular disease.

The American Heart Association (AHA) recommends:

40

minutes of exercise three to four times per week.

Find a buddy: Find a friend who is eager to get fit and start working out with you, or tag along with a senior gym-goer the next time they hit the gym. According to bulkpowders.com, having a buddy at the gym can help boost motivation and performance. Having someone to spot you can also help prevent any potentially gruesome injuries, which is probably good, right?

Set measurable goals: This can help you track your milestones and stay motivated. Goals such as “get fit” are too general and can cause you to lose vision. Instead, set measurable goals with a timeline, such as lose 10 pounds by May or run a sub-seven-minute mile.

Take a class: Don’t be afraid to mix it up sometimes. If you find yourself getting bored with the same old routine, try a fun class such as Zumba at your local gym. It can be a unique experience in contrast to your typical regimen.

—Compiled by Josh Mei and Elisa Moraes-Liu

Photo of Barry’s Gym, located at Stanford Shopping Mall. Visit The Oracle at www.gunnoracle. com online for a staffer review.

14

Lifestyle

Seniors demystify second semester senior year The members of the Class of 2019 have finally been ush- and filled with friends and making ered into the status of second–semester seniors—or 'SSS' great memories before we leave, for short. This name indicates the beginning of the end: which is why I'm okay with havthe last semester of high school, ever. For some, this is an ing a more relaxed semester.” exciting time to make their last memories of high school.

Unlike Manor, senior AuFor others, SSS brings on a feeling of dread due to the drey Lamis has a full plate of classes seemingly never-ending wait to hear back from colleges. and extracurricular activities. Lamis is takHowever, regardless of how one feels about this se- ing seven classes: AP Literature, AP Economics, mester, almost all seniors have one thing in comAP Physics C, AP Calculus AB, Photo 1, Robotics mon: the desire to not have to do schoolwork and Stage Tech. In addition to schoolwork, anymore. Senior Roni Manor is focused on Lamis has two large time commitments.

Although other things besides school. “I cared a lot “Currently, I am stage managing the more [about grades] first semester, but spring musical, 'In the Heights.' I’m it is still important I’m going to the Foothill UCLA Honors in rehearsals working alongside Mr. to stay focused and Transfer Program, so my high school Shelby to put on the production evgrades don’t matter to me anymore,” ery day after school. Along with my complete schoolwork, Manor said. Currently, Manor is taking many hours in theater, I do work for four classes: Focus on Success, Posithe robotics team,” Lamis said. “We’re second semester of tive Psychology, Cooking and Analysis currently in build season, which is the senior year should be first six weeks of second semester when of the Writer’s Craft. Outside of school, Manor focuses her time on participatwe build the robot we take to competifilled with new ing in organizations. “I spend pretty much tions. My normal school day consists of reall my time helping to run Teen Arts Council, hearsal until 6 p.m., and then I eat dinner at which throws free art events for GRT and work there until 9 p.m. I do homework teens,” Manor said. when I get home at 9:30 p.m. and tend to work late.”

Manor also stated Although she has a lot on her plate, Lamis is excited about that arriving to her the coming semester. “I’m doing a lot of work this semester, classes can sometimes be but I love what I’m doing,” Lamis said. “The people I’m worka challenge. “I always try ing with really make all the stress and lack of sleep worth to go to all classes because it.” Ultimately, there is no template for the SSS experience, all the classes I’m taking are (despite what you may have heard). Whether you choose to ones I care about, but usually ease out of high school or finish with a bang, just remember I’ll end up missing two-thirds of classes to spend your remaining time here doing what you love. a week for something,” Manor said. “I think our last semester of high school should be fun, relaxing —Written by Grace Williams

Ask a Senior: Advice for preparing for senior year How do you feel about the last four years now that you’re a SSS? Julia Cheunkarndee: Graduation seems far away when you’re a freshman, but time flies fast. Each year goes by more quickly than the last, making high school feel like a blur. Whether you’ve hated or loved the high school experience, remember that the pathway from freshman to senior only lasts a few years. In the end, it’s important to try and enjoy each day you have with your friends and family, especially as an upperclassman.

Approximately how many hours do you spend on college applications per week during first semester?

JC: It definitely varies from person to person. An important thing to remember during college apps is that you shouldn’t compare yourself to other people. Some seniors will be applying to many colleges, some seniors won’t be applying to any, and both these paths and any others in between are fine. When you’re working on essays, however, spend some time over the weekend or after school to write and edit, and ask your friends or family to read them over. As a result, seniors are going to have different workloads and commitments when it comes to applications. Don’t over-stress about your essays—just write from your heart.

Katie Zhang: It seems like just yesterday I was an incoming freshman, seeing all the seniors dressed up in their themed outfits on the First Day of School. In a blink of an eye, I’m one of those seniors that I used to look up to. I never thought I would ever get to be like them one day, but time goes by so quickly. Even through the darkest of storms, just remember that high school is only four years long, and that you should make the most out of your time at Gunn.

KZ: The amount of time you put into college apps really does vary from person to person. Depending on what schools you apply to, the amount of work that you put into them varies. For me, college apps flew by super fast because I made sure to prioritize my time. Whether you have a few more years or even a few more months until college app season, don't panic. Just remember: it will go by much faster if you think about writing the essays as telling your story.

What are some things that we students should do to prepare ourselves for senior year?

When did senioritis hit you?

JC: If you’ll need recommendation letters for college, ask your teachers at the end of junior year. Also, think about the community and the kinds of studies you would value the most in college, because it will make it easier to decide where to apply. But have a restful summer—first semester senior year can get a bit rough, so use your break to relax and de-stress for a while.

JC: I don’t think I’ve been hit by senioritis yet (or maybe I’ve had it all along!). I’ve always struggled with procrastination. The urge to abandon homework for YouTube is easier to ignore when you’re under pressure—but now that first semester is over, I can feel all my bad habits coming back.

KZ: If you do plan to attend college after high school, I would recommend researching before or during the summer break between junior and senior year about what you would like to study in college. Think about what you feel like you would have the most interest in focusing on. If you still have a few years before becoming a senior, just enjoy and cherish those moments you have before graduation flashes before your eyes.

KZ: Senioritis hit me on day two of senior year. The first day, I just thought to myself, “I’m going to work all night and do everything I can and get straight-A’s during my first semester.” As you can probably guess, that thought most definitely drifted away the second I got home from school.

—Compiled by Julia Cheunkarndee and Katie Zhang

Graphics by Mina Kim

Alumnus’ advice for seniors: slow down, take in the views

Jack Mallery You finally made it: the glorified second semester of senior year. You’ll be skipping classes, getting C’s with no repercussions and finally beating Sanchez in a fight. Or at least, that’s what most people think of when they think of being a second-semester senior, or an SSS. It’s true—second-semester senior year is a wonderful time and was my favorite part of going to Gunn. But it will be over before you know it, so take some advice from someone who has already lived it and had a fantastic experience.

Firstly, there is a common misconception that grades suddenly don’t matter. They matter—a lot. Drops in grades are inevitable, and most colleges and institutions will understand, but don’t let them dramatically fall. There’s always that one kid who gets their college offer snatched away because they allowed their grades to slide just a bit too far, and suddenly everyone knows about the idiot who let it all slip away. Don’t be that kid. Try to go to class; you’re still learning material that will help you after high school. However, some days those double FlexTime slots will be looking pretty long and incredibly pointless: don’t be scared to slide off of campus for a bit; Travis won’t be able to stop you with his golf cart.

Personally, I had a great time as an SSS. I had fun, sometimes a little too much, and it was a time where everyone in my class felt on top of the world, until college application decisions came rolling around. But, the days flew; I would know: my journalism teacher kept a counter of the days until I graduated on the board, and graduation ticked nearer every second. Everyone always says, “I can’t wait until I graduate,” and everyone will keep saying it until the last day of classes, when they realize all the things they’ll miss about a school that people always complain about. You’ll see your friends after graduation periodically while in college, and you’ll make an effort to see and stay in touch with people that you were close to. But you’ll miss things that you took for granted: that friend you had in a specific class, an amazing teacher you had or the time your partner imitated Mr. Hernandez during an English presentation. As cliché as it sounds, cherish the moment, because it will be over before you even know it.

The end of high school isn’t the end, but merely a nascent of something more significant.

Wherever you end up, be it college or the postgrad life, everything will be different. College thrusts you into a vastly different world than what used to be the norm, where everything is starkly opposite from what it once was and provides an impetus for dramatic character reformation. For me, it was a welcome change, but for other people it can be a difficult one, so appreciate the community Gunn provides while you can. So, if you’re one of the 12 people who actually read The Oracle or you are just someone who’s astonishingly bored in class right now, I’ll deign to give some advice. Don’t hold back. Talk to everyone and anyone who you want to interact with, join a club that you have never tried (it’s not too late), try a sport for the first time and don’t go to Flextime because it’s pretty useless. Also, take Mr. Hernandez’s English class even though you will end up quoting him to a bunch of naive college students and look like a fool. Second semester varies from person-to-person, but it has the potential to reach the lofty standards that everyone sets for it. So, instead of juuling in the bathrooms as the last part of your high school experience, go look for the pool on top of Spangenberg: it’s a truly sight to behold.

—Mallery is a member of the Class of 2018.

15

Lifestyle

Friday, February 1, 2019

Skiers pursue powdery passions on Tahoe slopes Patrick Gersh

Erica Marghescu

Six feet of fresh, sparkling snow has fallen and blanketed Squaw Valley, the site of the 1960 Winter Olympics, in the past week. For senior Patrick Gersh, taking advantage of the soft snow covering the steep, groomed slopes of the Squaw Valley Ski Resort has been at the top of his to-do list every weekend this ski season. “I have to go up to Tahoe every weekend for practice and competition since I’m on the Squaw Valley ski team,” Gersh said. “The snow is really good right now because the temperature has been fairly low.”

Each day, he spends approximately seven hours skiing, starting at 8 a.m., with a 30-minute break for lunch. “I first get my skis and poles from my locker and head over to my ski team’s warmup spot,” Gersh said. “We run up to the top of a run, do some core workouts and start skiing until 3.” After a long day, he returns to his home in Tahoe around 4 p.m, studies, eats dinner, goes to bed at 10, and the cycle repeats the next day.

Gersh believes that Squaw’s ski resort has more to offer than the numerous other resorts in Tahoe.

“In my opinion, it has the best terrain of any resort in Tahoe, and Squaw also gives out free Clif bars every once and a while, so that is a big plus,” he said.

Gersh's journey in the world of competitive skiing originated in Squaw Valley. Although Gersh began skiing at Kirkwood at the age of six, he relocated to Squaw the following year and later joined the ski team. “I started participating in competitions around Tahoe and the U.S. when I was 12,” he said.

During his summers, Gersh works at the Tahoe Donner Marina and the Truckee Dairy Queen and also enjoys sailing on Donner Lake in his free time. “Each season offers numerous activities, so there is something for everyone,” he said. “I love sailing, but I like the winter season more because Tahoe gets very busy during the summer.”

winter beach trips offer worthwhile experiences Why take a winter beach trip? At first thought, “winter” and “beach” seem like an unlikely pair, yet there’s ample reason to consider packing up for a day on the coastline in the middle of February. Crowds will be nearly non-existent, offering an opportunity to catch a glimpse of the unmarked scenery. Additionally, wintertime offers a chance for great surfing; on the West Coast, the best waves come between October and April. And, of course, the normal perks of a beach trip are still there: the feeling of relaxation, the waves and the ill-fated attempts at sand castle construction. In that spirit, here are some tips for the quintessential winter beach trip.

First, it’s important to pick out a suitable location. Hawaii or beaches in the Southern hemisphere are guaranteed to have the perfect climate for swimming, sunbathing or other warm-weather activities, but flights aren’t exactly cheap, and if packing suitcases just for a beach trip isn’t for you, you might want to look for something closer to home. If that’s the case, it’s smart to head down south— L ag una Beach in Southern California is k now n for being an accla imed off-season beach, to the point where it has even

advertised itself as a holiday destination.

Other beaches in the area include Venice Beach and Pacific Beach. The beaches in NorCal will be cold and windy this time of year, but they’re still worth a try. Land’s End in San Francisco offers beaches dotted along a short hiking trail, and classic, larger beaches such as Ocean Beach are open 24/7.

Now that you’ve found your perfect destination, it’s time to think about the beachwear. Whether you intend to swim, surf or simply admire the ocean view from the warmth of your idling car, it’s important to dress in layers. Winter, especially along the coastline, brings rapid temperature changes, and winter beachgoers need to be ready. Sweaters, jackets or windbreakers can help with high-speed winds, but a bathing suit can maximize your time spent sunbathing and enjoying the warm weather spell when it comes.

Last but not least, keep basic cautions in mind. Even if it’s winter, the sun still can do damage to your skin, so keep sunscreen handy. Bring sunglasses as well, since the sun can reflect off waves and wet sand into your eyes.

Maybe the idea of such a trip has never popped into your mind, but as you’re standing barefoot, watching the horizon and listening to the waves rolling over the wet sand, know that you won’t regret a single thing.

—Written by Joshua Yang

Overlooking the sapphire shores of Lake Tahoe resides junior Erica Marghescu’s second home: a waterfront house neighboring the Heavenly Mountain Resort. Throughout the year, Marghescu and her family can often be found driving up to South Lake Tahoe to ski and enjoy the stunning views and local attractions.

Skiing has been a large part of Marghescu's life since childhood. “I’ve basically been on skis since I could walk, but I didn’t really start getting into it until we moved to California and discovered Tahoe,” she said.

Before suffering an unfortunate knee injury in ninth grade, she traveled to Tahoe every weekend for competitive ski training and races—now, she enjoys recreational skiing every other weekend. A typical day on the slopes for Marghescu begins at 8:30 a.m. and consists of gate training in the morning for approximately four hours, a quick lunch break at noon and freeskiing until the resort closes.

In the summertime, Marghescu and her family usually go jet-skiing and spend a day on the beach. On occasion, they travel up to the mountains where a myriad of activities are offered, including rock climbing, ziplining, going on roller coasters and hiking on beautiful trails. In Marghescu’s opinon, summer, winter and early spring are the best seasons to visit Lake Tahoe due to the abundance of recreational activities and attractions. “There are the most things to do then,” she said. “Late spring and fall are weird because you can’t really go to the beach, and you can’t ski either, so there’s not much to do, but it’s still nice to go for a run or walk or something and enjoy the view.”

Once her knee heals from surgery, Marghescu hopes to rejoin competitive skiing in the next winter season.

—Written by Jennifer Gao

Eight Concerts to keep an eye out for

A$AP Rocky’s “Injured Generation Tour” comes by Bill Graham Civic Auditorium in San Francisco on Saturday, Feb. 2 at 8 p.m. Tickets are $72 for general admission.

Popstars Julia Michaels and P!nk are performing at the Systems, Applications, and Products in data processing (SAP) Center in San Jose on Wednesday, April 17 at 7 p.m. General admission tickets sell for $74.50.

Ariana Grande is coming to the SAP Center on Thursday, May 2 at 8 p.m. She will be performing some of her newest hits, such as “7 Rings” and “God is a Woman,” with tickets costing $222 for the remaining seats.

Justin Timberlake is performing at Oracle Arena for his “Man of the Woods” tour on Friday, March 15 at 7:30 p.m. General Admission is $50.

Panic! at the Disco and Conan Gray will come to Oracle Arena on Tuesday, Feb. 19 at 7 p.m., with tickets starting at $40.

Ella Mai is coming to Fox Theater in Oakland on Tuesday, Feb. 19 at 8 p.m. Tickets are selling at $100 for general admission.

Country singer Carrie Underwood is performing at Oracle Arena on Thursday, May 16. Tickets are $68 for general admission.

Joji will be performing on Wednesday, Feb. 20 at 8 p.m. at Slims in San Francisco. Tickets are selling for $114 and up.

—Compiled by Kate Mallery

Graphics by Mina Kim Photos by Sofia Sierra-Garcia

16

Sports

Maroon 5, Travis Scott to perform at halftime amidst controversy Collin Jaeger TBN-Oracle Liason The National Football League (NFL) confirmed on Sunday, Jan. 13 that Maroon 5, Travis Scott and Big Boi will be performing at the 2019 Super Bowl halftime show hosted in Atlanta's MercedesBenz Stadium. The announcement came a few months later than past halftime show lineup announcements.

Controversy surrounds the upcoming halftime show with reports of artists refusing to perform out of solidarity with ex-San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick, who frequently refused to stand while the national anthem was performed. Kaepernick started his protests at a game in August of 2016 and explained that he did not want to stand for the anthem when racial inequality and police brutality remained prevalent across the country. Other players replicated this protest, and over the next year, it became a widespread

movement in the NFL. Kaepernick was eventually released from the 49ers, and the NFL issued a new policy to fine teams whose players kneeled during the anthem. After no other NFL team granted him a roster spot, Kaepernick opted out of his contract and filed a collusion grievance against the NFL, with hearings planned to start this year.

Some artists who declined the Super Bowl gig criticized the NFL’s handling of Kaepernick’s and other players’ protests. Singer Rihanna was the first to decline, according to US Weekly, Rolling Stone and Entertainment Weekly.

“They offered it to her, but she said no because of the kneeling

controversy,” the source reporting to US Weekly said. “She doesn’t agree with the NFL’s stance.” Rapper Cardi B also refused, saying she wouldn’t perform until Kaepernick returned to the NFL. According to a later article from US Weekly, Maroon 5, who will be headlining the show, struggled to find supporting acts due to many artists not wanting to associate themselves with the NFL. Variety reported that Travis Scott had a phone conversation with Kaepernick about performing, and although Kaepernick didn’t support it, they had “mutual respect and understanding.” Kaepernick’s girlfriend Nessa Dias disputed this report on her Twitter, however. “There is NO mutual respect and there is NO understanding for anyone working against [Kaepernick] PERIOD. #stoplying,”

RAMs vs.

Patriots

Super Bowl Sunday

Sunday, Feb. 3, 2019 A 30-second

at a glance

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(Pacific Time) on CBS and is

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she tweeted. Kaepernick retweeted that and several other tweets that paralleled the same sentiment, leading many to believe there was no consensus between Kaepernick and Scott.

Scott said he confirmed his performance with the NFL only after they agreed to donate to Dream Corps, a non-profit social justice organization.

The agreement is comparable to the one the NFL made with several players to donate $89 million to social justice causes over the following seven years when the organization formed their national anthem policy.

Variety also reported in December that Jay Z, who refused to perform at the halftime show for similar reasons as Rihanna and Cardi B, was trying to talk Scott out of performing.

Several fans of the artists set to perform have expressed disapproval with their decision, including an online petition calling for Maroon 5 to step down.

Super Bowl cost over

Bay Area-raised

Jared Goff (Novato) and Tom Brady (San Mateo) are set to square off on the gridiron on Sunday

103.4 million

viewers tuned in to last year's Super Bowl, making it the least-watched Super Bowl since 2009

More than 1.3

billion chicken wings

are expected to be consumed during the Super Bowl, according to the Graphics by Mina Kim

National Chicken Council