The Oracle March 2018

NON-PROFIT ORG

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

Students, teachers share artwork on online platforms.

U.S. Postage

PA I D

Permit #44 Palo Alto, Calif.

THEORACLE

PG. 9 FEATURES

Henry M. Gunn High School

http://gunnoracle.com/

Friday, March 30, 2018

Volume 55, Issue 7

780 Arastradero Road, Palo Alto, CA 94306

s

t' c a r e t n I CSY s l e c n ca District

Mi na K im

ys a d ty n e w t ure p t i r r t a p e e d c i e r o serv f e b Kaya van der Horst Forum Editor

On the morning of March 14, a group of students woke up to find an email in their inbox stating that the highly anticipated spring break service trip to Tijuana, Mexico had been cancelled. The Youth Community Service-Interact (YCS-I) trip was scheduled to bring 19 students and three staff members to Tijuana for spring break from April 1 to 8. In the email sent by YCS-I advisor David Deggeller, he expressed his disappointment and frustration with the school board’s sudden decision to pull their support during a board meeting on March 13—20 days before the departure date.

Although the board had previously voiced their approval back in January, they ultimately voted against the trip due to safety concerns, citing an uptick in violence, according to Deggeller’s email. The U.S. Department of State, however, has not changed their travel advisory assessment for Tijuana since the beginning of the year: out of four levels, Tijuana remains at a risk factor of two, indicating travelers to “exercise increased caution.” For reference, France, Germany and Denmark also have travel advisory levels of two due to terrorism.

According to Deggeller, he received an email from Assistant Superintendent Yolanda Conaway on Jan. 16, with approval to proceed with the trip. After this confirmation, Deggeller could use funds from the Student

Activities Office to purchase plane tickets and make a deposit to the organization through which the trip is organized, Esperanza International. “When I was told the assistant superintendent approved my trip, I took it as a formal okay, and at that point I was allowed to use funds,” he said. Deggeller added that the trip was approved with a stipulation: if the travel advisory increased between January and April, the trip would be cancelled.

The cautious sentiments of the Board were again echoed in late February when they contacted Deggeller about insurance concerns. “They were concerned whether district insurance was going to cover the trip because of liability issues, but they emailed me back a few days later on March 2, saying it was okay and that they had figured it out,” he said.

During a board meeting on March 13, however, Interim Superintendent Karen Hendricks—who did not respond to The Oracle despite repeated inquiries—voiced safety concerns about the trip and ultimately pulled her support. The board agreed with her recommendation and voted in favor of not approving the trip.

Board member Melissa Caswell, who is not speaking on behalf of the entire board, understands the importance of the trip for students. “I feel terrible—this is a wonderful trip; I know people had a wonderful experience in the past, and they have felt very safe,” she said.

Still, Caswell stresses the importance of student safety as

her main priority. According to Caswell, the superintendent brought the recommendation to the board to vote on. “When the superintendent believes there is a safety risk, it puts me in a position where if anything were to happen and the superintendent had been concerned about safety, I could never forgive myself,” she said. “In the end, if the superintendent isn’t willing to support the safety of the trip that means a board member can’t support it.”

Deggeller, who has organized 16 international trips, says the district’s procedure of approval was very sluggish in comparison to previous years. “What typically happens is after all the paperwork is filed and the superintendent approves the trip, it automatically goes to the board at the next meeting and gets rubber-stamped,” he said. “So the two-month’s lag and the fact that the district took their concerns to the board so late was very surprising for me.”

According to Deggeller, the two-month gap between the approval and rejection is the most frustrating part of the situation. While he accepts the board’s decision and believes their safety concerns are valid, Deggeller was upset about the proximity to the departure date. “The families and I would have appreciated this news back in January, when we were told the superintendent was going to approve our trip,” he said. “If the board was going to TIJUANA—p.4

Students ask for more Advanced Placement social studies classes Elisa Moraes Liu and Kristen Yee Reporter and Forum Editor

A group of students, led by school board representative senior Advait Arun, have been campaigning since February for an increased number of advanced humanities classes, specifically the implementation of more social studies electives. They currently have multiple goals, one of which has made significant progress. Advanced Placement (AP) Human Geography has been proposed to the Palo Alto Unified School District (PAUSD) Board of Education, and the campaigning students are currently working to ensure the social studies department follows through in offering the course. The other goals include adding AP Comparative Government for the 2019-2020 school year, making sure students sign up for the additional courses, ensuring that PAUSD commits to review-

ing social studies curriculum through a written resolution and pushing for any additional courses students express interest in on a survey they plan on sending out.

The students first voiced their discontent at a school board meeting on Feb. 13. After the meeting, they reached out to both Principal Kathie Laurence and PAUSD Chief Academic Officer for Secondary Education Sharon Ofek. The group is also currently speaking with Social Studies Department Instructional Supervisor Lynne Navarro to gain her insight and work with her in understanding the process of creating new courses.

The students came up with the idea to campaign for these classes during Model United Nations (MUN) meetings. “We all started ranting about how there weren’t enough humanities classes,” sophomore Claire Cheng said. “Our first idea was we should take this to the board, and after the board, we got more

and more involved and we realized that it wasn’t so simple.”

Arun decided to take charge and has been leading the initiative. “He’s the student board [representative] and he knows a lot of ins and outs of how the school administration works,” Cheng said. “He was kind of the person who was like, ‘We should do something about it.’”

The students highlight the imbalance in advanced social studies classes when compared to other subject areas as the main problem. “I think there’s a clear discrepancy between what’s offered for science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) and what’s offered for humanities at an honors lane and show [to colleges] you are more passionate in STEM,” junior Ani Banerjee said in a meeting with Laurence on March 13, which The Oracle was invited to attend. These students SOCIAL STUDIES—p.3

2

News

Monthly Highlights: Clash of the titans “I didn’t really care who won the game, since it isn’t really

“It’s entertaining, and it’s a nice farewell to the seniors who are now leaving us.”

—Arunim Agarwal (9)

—Aditya Dhir (10)

an important sporting event. I think it’s mostly just for watching the game.”

“The Clash of Titans could be improved if more people were allowed to play. It would’ve been nice if there were more opportunities for teams to come in.”

—Alex Berlaga (12)

“I think it’s cool that it’s a senior thing because it’s something for people to look forward to, and it’s something that all the other grades can cheer for.”

—Elizabeth Salwitz (11)

Photos by Richard Yu —Compiled by Quinn Arbolante

Incentives offered to students who took CAASPP Jennifer Gao and Joshua Yang Copy Editor and Reporter

The lack of student participation in the California Assessment of Student Performance and Progress (CAASPP) standardized test in previous years prompted the administration to offer incentives to students who chose to take the CAASPP test this year from March 26 through March 28. A 95 percent CAASPP participation rate is required by the state for the school to receive federal funding, but parents are given the option to opt their students out of the test. As a result of this policy, Gunn had a 23 percent participation rate in 2017 and a 46 percent rate in 2016.

According to Assistant Principal Jack Ballard, the administration reached out to the Junior Class Council to brainstorm incentives. On Wednesday, students who took all four tests were entered into a raffle for five senior parking passes, two prom tickets and three yearbooks from the Student Executive Council. Students were also treated to a barbecue and celebration party.

The prizes being offered were advertised in an email sent out to all junior students, and for many it was a definite motivation to take the test. Junior Michelle Fang believes the incentives played a role in her decision. “The incentives are a big pro for why I’m taking the test,” she said.

Junior Chanmi Shin was also convinced. “I’m taking the CAASPP because I heard you can get a lot of good things from it,” she said. “The items that they’re offering are pretty expensive, and I know that parking passes are really hard to get because the spots fill up really fast.”

According to Principal Kathie Laurence, there are many benefits to taking the CAASPP. “We have many students qualify for [the state seal of biliteracy] if they take the English Language Arts part of the CAASPP because you have to show that you’re literate in two languages, and one of them is English,” she said. “There’s also something called the Golden State Seal of Merit diploma, and that is when you demonstrate mastery of high school curriculum in at least six subject areas on qualifying exams, of which CAASPP is part of.”

The CAASPP also offers more college opportunities for students. “California State Universities (CSUs) are using CAASPP results to determine college readiness, and so based on the results, you’re considered ‘college ready,’ ‘conditionally college ready’ or ‘not ready,’” Laurence said.

Readiness results could also act as a guide for students applying to CSUs or community colleges. “If you apply to a CSU or a California community college and if you’re ‘ready,’ you’re completely exempt from placement tests,” Ballard said. “If you are ‘conditionally ready’ [and] you take some of the right classes your senior year, which most of our students do, you’ll be marked as ‘ready.’”

Aside from helping students, CAASPP results can assist teachers in gauging their students’ strengths and weaknesses. “If I were back in a classroom right now, I would be very interested in my students’ CAASPP scores and particularly how they performed in certain areas,” Assistant Principal Pier Angeli La Place said. “All of our teachers can [look at students’ CAASPP scores], and many of our teachers have an intention to do that.”

The steps taken by the administration to encourage students to participate in the CAASPP stem from the low student involvement in past years. “We’re one of very, very few [schools] in the whole state of high-performing

“[Our CAASPP participation rate] doesn't look very good and doesn't reflect well on us as a community. [Students] miss out on community service for the school; this is a way to support the Gunn community.”

— Principal Kathie Laurence

districts that don’t have a 95 percent participation rate,” Laurence said. “Everybody around us has that 95 percent participation rate.” Gunn’s low participation rate has even received coverage from education news website EdSource. La Place described the situation as “abysmal.”

Students, however, are still compelled by a variety of reasons to opt out of the testing. “I have two tests on the Thursday after CAASPP testing, so I have to study, and I won’t have time if I take the CAASPP test,” junior Jan Cas said.

While Shin will be taking the test, she empathized with Cas’s viewpoint. “[The CAASPP] definitely changes my normal schedule because teachers are assigning more homework as they can’t spread the work out,” she said. “It increases the amount of stuff I have to do, which makes me more stressed because I have very little time.”

Junior Katie Loughney, however, is opting out to protest. “I am opting out of the test based off all my opinions

on standardized testing and the education system. From what I’ve seen, the CAASPP test is used hand-in-hand with Common Core standards, a curriculum which is pretty controversial but for the most part is considered to not to be an effective baseline for education," she said.

"The fatal flaw with this system is that it creates a culture in which intelligence is quantified.”

If schools meet a 95 percent participation rate, they can get federal Title I funding without entering program improvement, a process where the state takes over the school and sets new standards and practices. Gunn has not been receiving Title I funds at all: the funds were forgone to prevent Gunn from entering program improvement. “A couple years ago, we would have been eligible [for Title I funds], but because our participation rate was so low, if we had accepted that money, we would have immediately been put into program improvement,” Ballard said. “In other words, we have turned down money at our school’s site, and we have turned down money as a district in order not to go into program improvement.”

Additionally, Laurence believes students opting out of the CAASPP are missing out on an opportunity to give back to Gunn. “[Our CAASPP participation rate] doesn’t look very good and doesn’t reflect well on us as a community,” she said. “[Students] miss out on community service for the school; this is a way to support the Gunn community.”

Following the recent visits of the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC), the lack of testing data was deemed to be an area of improvement. “[WASC] said we need [the administration] to be able to use more data to help us to make decisions about how we spend money, allocate resources, what courses we offer,” Ballard said.

A low participation rate, however, is not only an issue at Gunn. “It’s also true at Palo Alto High School, so it has become a cultural norm and that is challenging to change,” La Place said. Both La Place and Ballard believe that opting out of the CAASPP has become the status quo at Gunn, and hope to change the culture, beginning with the introduction of incentives. “On a case-by-case basis, individuals may not be inspired by [incentives, so] we’re hoping that enough will,” La Place said. “However, for me, I just really want to say incentives are not a motivator for everyone, so I really hope for a more altruistic idea of an investment in our school will start to change culture.”

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

Editorial Board Editor-in-Chief Deiana Hristov Managing Editors Grace Ding Janet Wang News Sohini Ashoke Carolyn Kuimelis Amanda Lee Forum Caroline Ro Kaya van der Horst Kristen Yee Features Emma Chiao Chelsie Park Grace Tramack Centerfold Joy Huang Stephy Jackson Sports Paulo Frank Bridgette Gong Jack Mallery Lifestyle Megan Li Yael Livneh Katie Zhang Changing the Narrative Joanna Huang Photo Editor Richard Yu Graphics Editors Sherry Chen Jeffrey Yao

Staff Business/Circulation Eric Epstein

Friday, March 30, 2018

Students campaign for more AP humanities courses

Laurence, though supportive of the students’ students is to start at the school level and work HUMANITIES cause, has raised a number of concerns. One their way through the process. “The question is expressed concern about the fact that Gunn that she expressed is that increasing the number whether or not kids want to take [the courses], does not offer many weighted history electives with an AP or honors title. Currently, there are of social studies AP courses may cause students and if they don’t, figure out what root cause of five AP science courses, three AP math courses, to take on more APs and will ultimately con- it is and what is it [students] are looking for,” two AP computer science courses and three AP tribute to student stress. “I think the more APs she said. “[Students should] have a construcsocial science courses. Additionally, there are we offer, the more APs students need to take to tive conversation with the school site, staff and three honors math courses, two honors science have a very rigorous schedule,” Laurence said. administration about how to shift what’s being courses and one honors social studies course. “You can have a rigorous class that’s not an AP offered and engage in a conversation at the site, There are no lanes for social studies courses class because my view of rigorous is not work- because that’s where the changes are going to offered for freshmen and sophomores, and the load, it’s depth of thinking.” have the most impact.”

APs and honors courses currently offered are AP The social studies department added more Navarro and the social studies department Economics, AP U.S. History, U.S. Foreign Policy have also expressed similar concerns about add- social studies electives in the past, such as CaliHonors, AP Psychology and AP Art History. ing more AP courses. “If we had concrete evi- fornia History and Cold War. Navarro recalls The students are arguing strongly for change dence that students would make choices about receiving positive student feedback about proand are pushing for an increased number of APs instead of just taking more APs we would posed electives only to see a low number of weighted social studies courses. “Weighted be more interested,” Navarro said. “But our students actually sign up for the class. “There is courses would serve as differentiators for col- experience has been the more APs we add, the some of frustration in the department because leges, which is what a lot of us are looking for,” more they take.” we have a lot of electives that aren’t running, Banerjee said. “If you are more then students are saying of a humanities- based person they want more electhan STEM, you have less op- “If we had concrete evidence that students would make choices about APs instead of tives,” Navarro said. “We tions to show that. With STEM, just taking more APs we would be more interested. But our experience has been the have put a lot of energy you can immediately from the more APs we add, the more they take.” into creating really interget-go take an honors lane and esting electives, but then show you are more passionate —Social studies Instructional Supervisor Lynne Navarro students aren’t signing in STEM.” up for them because they Navarro believes that the department would don’t have the letters AP on the end of them.”

Navarro, however, explained that the absence of lanes for freshmen and sophomores in be more willing to increase the amount of AP These courses, however, were popular in the social studies was a deliberate choice made by social science courses if there was a limit to past. Navarro points out that as courses such as the department. The overarching goal is to put the number of APs students were able to take AP Economics grow, there aren’t enough people all students on the same page of learning amidst throughout their high school career. “If, for to take electives such as Cold War. “Cold War many other subjects that do lane. “We are very example, the district were to say you can take ran for years, Holocaust ran for years, Far East proud of the fact we don’t do any laning until X number of APs while you’re in high school, history ran for years,” Navarro said. “It’s been a junior year,” she said. The department is not then we would be more interested in offering progression over the years; we started with one considering offering AP U.S. Government and more,” she said. “It has been my experience section of AP Economics and now we have 10.”

Politics because the unlaned version is already in discussions that we would be way more in- According to Navarro, there aren’t enough stuterested in having more [courses] if students dents to take non-AP electives such as Califoroffered to sophomores.

Additionally, the students in the campaign would be forced to make choices instead of add- nia History, causing them to stop being offered. argue that offering a larger number of social ing more.”

The campaigning students have refuted this science courses is essential to ensuring that The group of students have upheld that in- point by citing that some electives are simply PAUSD fulfills its mission of providing high- stead of taking more APs, students would in- too focused on one subject, which is why they quality education to all and promoting multiple stead replace the ones they took only because have low enrollment. “Some of the social studies paths of success. “If we want to have equitable they wanted the GPA boost with an advanced electives on the catalog right now are interestlearning, we should make sure that social stud- humanities course. “I mean, physically you ing, but have a rather narrow scope, such as the ies and STEM are given similar levels of re- could only take six APs, but if I add more APs Cold War,” Prabhakar said. “I love Russian hissources,” Prabhakar said. “The culture of Sili- I would just have to force myself to take some tory; I am a huge fan of Mikhail Gorbachev, but con Valley already cements a pro-STEM bias, out. It really helps students to prioritize,” Cheng courses like the Cold War or Holocaust do not and the discrepancy in course offerings furthers said. interest the entirety of the student population this bias.”

Ofek’s current advice to the campaigning that is passionate about social studies.”

Assistant Business/Circulation Ryan Manesh

Read the full story at gunnoracle.com/2018/03/29/students-ask-for-more-advanced-placement-social-studies-classes

Copy Editors Laurel Comiter Jennifer Gao Liza Kolbasov

INBOX

Oracle/SEC Liaison Kaya van der Horst Graphics Artists Catherine Chen Tiffany Chen Mina Kim Nicole Lee Grace Liu Gary Wu Photographers Justin Hong Sofia Sierra-Garcia Max Wang Reporters Quinn Arbolante, Colin Jaeger, Chiara Jurczak, Devon Lee, Ryan Li, Jamisen Ma, Natalie McCurdy, Elisa Moraes Liu, Peter Oh, Noa Rapoport, Joyce Shea, Sophia Siegel, Nikki Suzani, Tejpal Virdi, Grace Williams, Joshua Yang

3

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.

I feel that The Oracle is not meant to always tackle depthy topics and points of debate. I enjoy the interviews with students much more.

That's what's important to me—seeing people be part of the community.

—Andy Yang, 11 It was insightful and descriptive of the large happenings in the last month. Some of the articles consciously tackled about what could be considered as controversial issues. The writings, though, were very well written in an objective viewpoint.

—Jun Han, 12

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

Letters to the Editor, Comments and ideas for coverage may be sent to oraclegunn@gmail.com or posted on our Facebook page. These letters need not be from current students.

I think I would like to see features of Gunn electives or courses because other than the elective fair, which gives you a passing summary of the courses available, there is not much information given and students just have to rely on asking their friends or upperclassmen.

—Angela Guo, 9 It’d be nice to see more features or points of view of freshmen and sophomores, as they weren’t very present in this Oracle.

—Ashley Chen, 10

I would like to see a crossword puzzle or some kind of puzzle with which the readers can interact.

— Christo Hristov, 9

Tech Editors Julia Cheunkarndee Andrew Zhao

I would like to see more editorials or opinion pieces because the past one was really thought-provoking and brought attention to an important aspect of Gunn culture.

Adviser Kristy Blackburn —March 5th, 2018—

— Olivia Aspegren, 11

The Oracle is the second place Best of the West winner at the 2017 NorCal Media Day

4

News Board pulls support of YCS-I service trip to Tijuana, Mexico

Photos courtesy of Samantha Carlos.

Left: Freshman Emily D eggelle r and alumni Clara Lin and Sylvia Illouz carr y cement blo ck s . Center: Alumni Samantha Carlos , Jarro d Hsu and Kathle en J i p o s e f o r a p h o to . R i g h t : A l u m n a Zo e M a h o ny co ns t r u c t s t h e r o o f o f a h o u s e b e i n g b u i l t f o r a l o ca l fa m i l y. A l l p h o to s f r o m t h e 2016 s e r v i ce t r i p .

TIJUANA have concerns, I wish they could have acted up them earlier— I felt like I was led on."

The board, however, was swift to pass their resolution ensuring the reimbursement of all families despite currently grappling with a budget crisis. “Although I was still disappointed, I was pleased that they took that extra motion to cover the lost money,” he said. “To me that’s acknowledging ‘Hey, this didn’t turn out the way we wanted either,’ which is like an apology to me.”

Through Esperanza International, the group of Gunn students were going to build houses for the impoverished locals.

Senior Elizabeth Miksztal, who went on the Tijuana trip her sophomore year, believes it offers many opportunities for individual growth. “Helping the community was an incredible experience because you were working alongside the people whose houses you were building,” she said. “We would learn about their lives, and I felt like it was the greatest use of my spring break possible.”

In order to assemble a group of enthusiastic individuals,

STAFF CUTS

Deggeller and the team trip leader, junior Pauline Her, started recruitment at the club fair back in September. The core group was formed in October, and Deggeller filed all the paperwork in November.

As team trip leader, Her and the group dedicated many hours organizing fundraisers such as an open-mic to help subsidize costs. According to Her, the group of students had already held a bowling bonding event to establish amicable team chemistry.

“For me personally, it’s a huge downer because I was really excited to go to Mexico with this awesome group, and purposefully didn’t plan anything else for spring break,” she said.

For Miksztal, who was planning to attend the trip, the news of the unexpected cancellation came at an unfortunate time. “It was kind of jarring because I opened it in the midst of [college] rejection season,” she said. “It’s so sad that we’ve done the fundraising, we’re all ready to go, there’s so much good that could have come out of this, and now it’s not going to happen.”

Miksztal believes the last-minute decision was especially infuriating as it interfered with any further spring break plans.

“It’s my spring break, it’s my senior year, and I was expecting to go off and make these special connections with people and do something I really believe in,” she said. “I was so excited about it and now it’s taken away from me.”

Although the overall reaction was disappointment and frustration at first, the group quickly began to explore other service opportunities around the Bay Area in hopes of a positive ending.

While it did not work to run the trip independently of the Palo Alto Unified School District (PAUSD) due to insurance issues, the group has looked into taking a trip after spring break to Santa Rosa or Santa Barbara to help with disaster relief. “I’d say there were a couple of days of deep sadness and now we’ve turned it around to how can we make this a positive thing,” Deggeller said.

Deggeller, however, feels a lot of uncertainty moving forward, and would like the district to think about what the future of service trip looks like in PAUSD. “Is the district going to support service, and if so I need some guidance on what we can do,” he said. “The struggle will be finding a place of need, but also finding something the district is comfortable with safety-wise.”

Forum

societal preconceptions create emotional walls Nikki Suzani In a world where appearances matter more than feelings, and where teenagers spend hours gazing through photos to find the perfect one to post online, it’s not a surprise that emotions, especially negative ones, are often lost in the conversation. At Gunn, we spend hours puffing up our feathers and talking about our A’s on biology tests and our seemingly perfect relationships, making it appear—at least to others—that our lives are as good as they can be. We craft images of success at school, carefully selecting what to tell others in order to fulfill the expectations that our parents always had for us with their words of “don’t cry” and “stiffen up your upper lip.” On the inside, however, the stress that plagues us and the anxiety that threatens our own wellbeing is kept bottled inside for no one but ourselves to see.

Although people may try to suppress them in today’s world, feelings are more important than ever before. A Psych Central article titled “Why are Feelings Important?” explains that feelings, when shared, not only cause us to feel closer to others, but also guide us towards better health in life. One in 16 children between the ages of 16 and 24 have experienced depression at one point in time, according to Healthline. When left untreated, mental health illnesses can cause diabetes and cardiovascular diseases and can immensely damage your body. Thus, this culture of bottling up emotions hurts students physically.

In terms of overall wellbeing outside of health, bottling up emotions can only harm students. A study done by Education Week found that students who accepted their emotions and asked for help tended to have higher GPAs than those that wouldn’t reach out; they also had fewer behavioral referrals, felt more trust in the school and their peers and had an overall better wellbeing. If all of this is true, then why do so few students confide in their peers about their emotions?

The answer comes from a term coined at Stanford University known as “duck syndrome.” This term is used as an analogy to the life of a duck on the water. Even though a duck keeps up its appearance and looks content to others, it is frantically flapping its legs underneath the water. A big trigger of “duck syndrome” is high family expectations. At Gunn, we are no strangers to expectations: according to the 2016-2017 California Healthy Kids survey, 45 percent of ninth graders and 46 percent of eleventh graders said that they believed that adults had very high expectations of them.

This pressure that Palo Alto parents put on their children to exceed expectations and do well in life could possibly be a cause of this stigma against expressing genuine emotion. In addition, students often cultivate an environment of stress and expecatations. As a general rule, children don’t want to disappoint their parents, and admitting that they need help can be difficult. Thus, Gunn students often refrain from confiding in both their parents and their peers out of fear that others will find them weaker and less successful.

Pop culture and social media continue to perpetu-

ate this tale of keeping your feelings inside. Some examples include Fergie’s song “Big Girls Don’t Cry” and the common trope in television shows that the people who cry the most are “crazy.” Exposure to such myths can influence consumers to believe one must hide their feelings in order to avoid being perceived as “overly emotional.”

A prime example of this trope is Rachel Green in the TV show “Friends,” who cried a lot and was often perceived as emotionally unstable and dumber, rather than as a human who has emotions and needs to let them out.

This stigma is especially true for men, who are often told to be the alpha male; these labels have become toxic with the connotations behind them. Being masculine has been defined by society as being emotionally invulnerable, so when men, especially teenage boys, have emotions or try to break out of that mold, they are often afraid they will be ostracized by their peers if they don’t conform to this definition. According to Salon Media Group’s article titled “Toxic Masculinity is Killing Men: The Roots of Male Trauma,” parents unknowingly project a specific idea of masculinity onto boys when they are very young, telling them to “be a man” when they are crying and punishing them harshly while they do something wrong while still expecting them to “take it.” This means that little boys start to mask their feelings from ages three to five and continue to do so later in life, as the media portrays the ideal man as an invulnerable Superman archetype. According to the Guardian, men are 28 percent less likely than women to go to a therapist if they need help, causing men to receive less help overall and feed back into the harmful effects mentioned earlier.

A key argument advocating for bottling up feelings is that by sharing your feelings with others, you may be spreading negativity to them. When you talk to someone who understands your situation, however, the burden on your shoulders lessens considerably, and you are able to feel better inside. This sharing of emotion also allows the other person an opportunity to empathize with you. So, while it may be “spreading negativity,” it also stops your mental health from deteriorating and lets your friends know that you trust them enough to be vulnerable with them. Overall, the net benefits of sharing your struggles outweigh the little harm it could potentially inflict.

At the end of the day, the solution to this problem is for communities to come together and counteract the stigma, from parents telling their kids to “just let it out,” to teachers telling their students that it’s okay to cry, to the media showing more men and women who are sensitive and gain power by sharing their feelings. This movement gained momentum at Stanford University, where the community first learned to accept and understand duck syndrome and then started to offer more mental health resources to students. Nowadays, a Facebook group called “Stanford University Places I’ve Cried” has created a safer space for students to share their feelings and talk about what plagues them.

When the individuals of the Gunn community learn to recognize the stigma that surrounds emotions and allows themselves to be vulnerable, then, and only then, will we be able to break the stigma and finally make a change in the culture that surrounds us.

Graphics by Tiffany Chen

—Suzani, a freshman, is a reporter.

Check out The Oracle’s “Changing the Narrative” series, in which students share their stories of hope, recovery and Vulnerability, at https://gunnoracle. com/category/changing-the-narrative/.

Friday, March 30, 2018

5

Staffer

Unexpected encounters break emotional barrier Ryan Li

I don’t consider myself an emotional person. Like most people, I generally alternate between the same 4 to 5 facial expressions per day. When I see something funny, I smile a bit and blow air out of my nose because laughing takes too much energy. But there’s this one occasion where I couldn’t stop myself from revealing my emotions.

Last year, my parents took me back to China for two weeks to visit my relatives. The “vacation-y” part of the trip was great. Hotels, airplanes and visiting different places as a nosy tourist is always fun and exciting because who doesn’t like traveling? I can’t say as much for the “get-to-know-your-family” part of the trip. Like all family reunions, it was beyond awkward. Even though I was related to these people, I didn’t feel any connection at all to my relatives. I’m sure my grandparents, uncles and aunts all love me very much, but to me, they felt like strangers who literally and figuratively spoke a different language, people I kind of knew but not really, and certainly not the type of people I would share my deep, dark secrets with.

So for the majority of the visit, I kept to myself.

Whenever anyone would talk to me, I would nod along, pretending to understand their Chinese or laugh and hope what they said wasn’t a question. At best, I must have said at most five complete sentences a day.

The day before we left, we took the high speed rail from Xi’an to the airport in Chengdu. I had to sit next to a young, maybe 18-year-old guy whom I tried to ignore.

He kept trying to peek over my shoulder, as if he wanted to talk to me but wasn’t quite sure how. I kept my nose buried in my book. Every five minutes, I would catch him staring at the book and he would look away.

This went on for half an hour before I finally asked in bad Mandarin: “Do you need something?” He asked me how I could read English so well. I told him that I was from the U.S., and I was visiting family. I then asked why he was on the train. He told me he was going to Chengdu to start majoring in English. Eventually, the small talk spiralled into a conversation about how he was struggling to pay rent for his sister living in Fujian, and how I couldn’t bring myself to empathize with other people. Everything that was bottled for the last two weeks suddenly came tumbling out of my fat mouth into the ears of a total stranger. He gave me his WeChat but I forgot about it. I don’t even remember his name, but by the end of the train ride, I felt like this fellow passenger was an old friend.

I know it sounds creepy to spill your guts to a stranger you met on public transportation, but in the moment, it felt good. Maybe I did it because talking about your insecurities to someone you will never run into again guarantees that nothing you confess will come back to bite you. Maybe he was actually a scammer secretly trying to steal my personal information. Regardless, it made me realize how little people express how we actually feel.

Even with close friends, conversations are generally limited to conversation topics like, “How was the track meet?” and, “I hate/love (insert class here).” Emotions are heavy-handed, and it’s common courtesy not to reveal them to other people. After all, it’s your problem, not theirs. Our cultural norms don’t allow us to be open and vulnerable, so we build safe spaces and counseling offices to allow ourselves to vent without hurting anyone’s feelings. But eventually, everyone needs some way to cope with their emotions. Some people project their insecurities onto other people, others talk to friends and family, while some don’t talk about them at all. I look forward to the day when strangers empathize with strangers on public transportation, when expressing emotions isn’t limited to safe spaces or locked doors or even seven-hour train rides, and where no one is afraid to show their true colors.

—Li, a sophomore, is a reporter.

6

Forum

Asian Culture enthusiasts are

cultural barriers created by differences prevalent, harmful Quinn Arbolante

For the past couple years, East Asian culture has swarmed the Western hemisphere. Korean pop (K-pop) concerts and festivals in U.S. cities have sold out, anime is experiencing huge growth and Korean dramas are entering the mainstream source of entertainment. It should be no surprise that an increasing number of Gunn students have started enjoying the culture, especially since the California Healthy Kids Survey results showed that around 40 percent of ninth and 11th graders at Gunn are Asian, connecting the community to Asian traditions and customs. Students, however, stigmatize peers with such interests, whether it’s due to the difference between America and East Asia or an inability to get through foreign barriers and peers' views.

The Gunn community should be more accepting of these Asian customs by being more informed of what they are and avoiding misconceptions that are stereotypically tied with the culture, such as the often inaccurately used terms “weeaboo” and “koreaboo"—annoying, obsessed fans who want to be Japanese or Korean.

One of the main causes of the stigma is the language barrier between the U.S. and East Asia. The fact that many interested foreigners cannot understand East Asian languages results in a negative opinion of the culture. But nowadays, you don’t need to learn the language to appreciate or understand a culture. Many people interested in East Asian culture simply use subtitles when watching anime

or focus on nonverbal communication. Finger gestures, symbols that K-pop stars use in concerts and in public, are a perfect example of this. Learning the language is not a requirement and everyone is free to enjoy the culture.

There is also pressure from influential sources to believe in the quickly-made negative claims on Asian culture. Popular figures such as YouTuber Filthy Frank create negative labels regarding enthusiasts of the culture like weeaboo and koreaboo. Filthy Frank, for example, posted a viral video about weeaboos in 2014. In a series of interviews on Japanese culture fans by Vice magazine, interviewees recalled opposition to their interests from other people via teasing.

These sources cause people to immediately assume a fan of Asian culture is a weeaboo, an assumption which is false.

Some people may say that East Asian culture deserves the stigma because of its inherent differences from Western culture. Events that showcase East Asian culture such as cosplaying conventions, events for which people dress up as a character from a movie, book or video game, and customs such as vocaloids (humanoid pop stars), manhwa (Korean comics or cartoons) and anime are so different from Western culture that it’s instinct to consider the culture abnormal. But this opinion to think of anything not Western as odd is a mindset that is difficult to change, and it shouldn’t exist when over a third of Gunn is connected to Asian culture. The wariness of diversity should be extinguished from Gunn to adapt to the influx of new customs.

The stigma towards East Asian culture is based off of a misunderstanding of the culture and pressures from others. The large difference between America and East Asia, as well as public opinion, create this overused image of fans of the culture, making it harder to express interests despite Asian culture’s growing popularity. More knowledge would assuage the fear of change and create a personal opinion rather than a given one.

—Arbolante, a sophomore, is a reporter.

Faces in the Crowd Is Asian culture stigmatized?

Faces in the Crowd

­—Compiled by Andrew Zhao

How do you think people perceive cigarettes differently from e-cigarettes?

"The stigma against people who like anime and K-pop is common, yet despite the stigmatizing it is not something that “The stigma against people who like discourages [people] from watching anime and Kpop is extremely commonwhat in theydespite like." the stigmaour community, yet tizing it is not something that completely Sachait Arun (9) Sachait Arun (9)

"I think it is stigmatized to an extent.

There's a certain stereotype surrounding those who enjoy anime and K-pop, but I don't it should stop from “I thinkthink it is stigmatized to anyone an extent. enjoying it."

There's a certain stereotype surrounding those who enjoy anime and kpop, but I Quake don't think it Zoe should stop (10) anyone from

"Stigma comes with a lot of things, not only K-pop. Personally I am quite fond of the genre K-pop because I enjoy immersing myself in various cultures."

Lily Jose (11)

"Personally I dont think its too stigmatized but I think thatthink asian that culture "I do not it is in toogeneral is a pretty broad because there are different stigmatized; I think that people asiangenerally cultures just and show I would say that interest in anime and Kpopwhatever and different in their own way. they like."

In general i do not think that it is too stigmatized I think that people generally just JuninKim (12) they like. show interest whatever ­—Compiled by Stephy Jackson

Photos by Sofia Sierra Garcia, Max Wang and photo illustration by Nicole Lee

Forum

Friday, March 30, 2018

7

unjustly stigmatized in society Staffer learns to embrace interest in foreign culture

Collin Jaeger My relationship with Asian culture began about four years ago when I heard Japanese metal music for the first time. To my musically-surfeited ears, Japanese metal was a fresh gift of chaos and wonder, but not too long after, the broader Japanese culture would also captivate me. While becoming familiar with the sound of Japanese lyrics, I decided to start studying the language and got a great insight into the culture. It was the first foreign culture I had ever found interesting, and learning about it would become a fairly important investment of my life in the coming years.

At school, I find it very easy to talk about my new interests with others, and my fascination with Japanese culture at the time was no exception. Despite this, it wasn’t long before the absurd consequences of being a non-Japanese American and openly liking this culture hit me pretty hard. Barely anyone took my goal to be fluent in Japanese seriously, and many threw around the term “weeaboo” as an insult. I eventually figured out that weeaboo was a strangely specific word, and it seemed like most people didn’t actually know what it meant. But after years of listening to many interpretations, I can best describe a weeaboo as someone who garners superficial knowledge of Japanese culture through its entertainment and believes that it’s superior to all other cultures. It’s a word that can certainly describe some—even people who I’ve met in my life—but has never described me.

It’s not the misuse of the word that has bothered me, though: it’s what people mean by it. There’s a strong implication that non-Japanese people can’t know anything about or be allowed to enjoy Japanese culture, which is especially discouraging for someone who spends genuine time and effort studying it.

The racial element of being branded a weeaboo has always irritated me the most. Whenever a piece of Japanese culture or a Japanese person enters my life, people always assume it has to do with some naive wish of mine to be Japanese. For example, someone once attacked me for having dated a Japanese girl, claiming it was only because of her race that we dated. Never before did I think people would use race like that to denigrate other people’s relationships, but it just goes to show how toxic the stigma around this culture is.

Throughout my life, I’ve never thought of race and culture as having any authentic connection. Because of that, I have a very open mind about what cultures different people can adopt.

It was due to music that Japanese culture appealed to me, and since then, I’ve gotten into various other cultures the same way. When I finish learning Japanese, perhaps I’ll try learning Finnish, Norwegian, Chinese or Russian because of all the music I listen to in those languages as well. It just so happens that Japanese was the first to catch my attention.

Ultimately, I see no boundaries for what languages or cultures I can study, and there are so many facets to each that to say I absolutely love any of them would be silly. There are plenty of things I enjoy about Japanese culture, but through studying it, I’ve actually found things I detest about it as well.

More importantly, however, I’ve learned that there is so much more to Japan than what colorful anime and cute J-pop idols show the rest of the world. There are daily lifestyles, traditions and universal values that are important to observe too.

When it comes to people who shame others for liking this culture, I can understand where their sentiment comes from. There’s a huge bandwagon for “Japanophiles” on the internet, yet many of them don’t even care to understand what Japanese culture is really like, and it makes them look awfully contemptible. Bearing that in mind, I’ve never been one to fit in with this crowd. Any time I’ve been associated with it, it’s always been the result of prejudgement. The one thing we do have in common is that at the end of the day, we explore Japanese culture to find what we enjoy about it, just as people do with any other culture. Connecting with cultures that are trendy or more susceptible to judgement never stopped me from pursuing what I enjoy.

—Jaeger, a junior, is a reporter.

Background photos courtesy of Flickr and Wikipedia Commons

Background photo by Richard Yu

8

Forum

WHICH ONE WILL COME OUT ON TOP: SOUTHERN OR NORTHERN CALIFORNIA? Team NorCal Megan Li

In a state as large and diverse as California, it’s inevitable that Californians will form preferences towards cultural areas—the broadest being Northern California (NorCal) and Southern California (SoCal). The supremacy of the Californias has been hotly contested, with those fiercely loyal to each side shooting insults up and down the six-hour drive in brutal fashion. But in the end, NorCal is miles above SoCal both altitude-wise and in terms of the standard of living, landscape and inhabitants.

According to the Los Angeles Times, the smog in Southern California had worsened for the second year in a row at the end of 2017, with 145 out of 365 days last year violating federal health standards. Air quality in Northern California was admittedly poor in 2017 as well, mainly due to the wildfires that racked

the region in October. Wildfires, however, happen largely because of natural reasons and are thus difficult to prevent, while the frequent pollution in SoCal comes from man-made smokestacks and tailpipes of idling vehicles. In addition to less smog, NorCal boasts some of the cleanest municipal water in the country from the Hetch Hetchy Valley. San Francisco is one of only six cities in the country that are not required by law to filter tap water, according to an article from the San Francisco Examiner. Despite this, in 2011, the city still built the largest water treatment plant in the state to ensure complete decontamination. On the other hand, Riverside and San Diego were rated as the cities with the second and ninth worst drinking water nationwide by NBC News in 2011. Even though it can be expensive to live in NorCal, the extra money spent allows people to avoid the heavy air and water pollution that plagues Southern California.

Though SoCal has its beaches, the scenery as a whole is no match for the geographical and architectural beauty up north. The Bay Area’s milder, more comfortable weather and actual rainy season allow actual greenery to grace the hills— unlike the constant dried shrubbery of Southern California—and for forests to thrive. San Francisco’s fog is another unique characteristic that adds a natural and dynamic facet to the city, and has been the subject of many stunning photos and timelapses. In contrast, Los Angeles’s most notable feature from above is crowded buildings sandwiching lines of street-clogging traffic. When comparing landmarks, the City of the Angels may possess a larger number, but many people come out feeling underwhelmed; the sites’ fame builds up expectations that only lead to disappointment and 3.5 stars on TripAdvisor when visitors realize that the most exciting thing about brass stars in the ground is the graffiti

Team SoCal Jack Mallery

This debate should not even be a contest. Comparing Northern California (NorCal) and Southern California (SoCal) is like comparing a slightly old clementine to an enormous and thick key-lime pie. As someone born and raised in Los Angeles, a city with more sparkle and personality in one rolling Hollywood hill than in all of San Francisco (S.F.), it is true that the culture, location and people all cumulate to create a city with a boisterous personality that far surpasses the bitter cold and winds of San Francisco. California is a state that is not only the envy of the nation, but also the envy of the world, and more often than not the first place that comes to mind is Los Angeles, with San Francisco a breezy afterthought.

Let us start with the culture. It is more than whether people will say “ bro” or “ bruh”: Los Angeles is a scene unique to bot h t he United States and the world. From t he iconic Hollywood

Graphics by Mina Kim and Jeffrey Yao

scribbled upon them. San Francisco’s mix of notable sights and charming hidden gems offers a much more satisfactory experience. Furthermore, the Golden Gate Bridge is just as iconic as the Hollywood sign, and is also much more difficult to deface (remember “Hollyweed?”). The ample natural beauty of NorCal lends itself to an overall atmosphere of freshness that cannot be beaten, while its buildings and structures have just as much character as SoCal’s.

The stark cultural differences between the two regions attract distinctly dissimilar residents, with Northern Californians touting a much better reputation. Being a cradle of innovation, Silicon Valley draws some of the world’s brightest minds, who catapult humanity into the technological future. The presence of some of the best universities in the country like Stanford and UC Berkeley also allows NorCal to field scholarly talent in both renowned professors and near-genius students.

Although Southern California is the heart of American popular culture and the products of its entertainment industry reach screens worldwide, those who are magnetized to the movie mecca are widely regarded as shallow and plastic.

Whereas washed-up Hollywood starlets clutter the Walk of Fame and silicone-pumped celebrities stalk Rodeo Drive, eco-friendly intellectuals coast across the Golden Gate in Priuses and tech moguls blaze down the path of innovation.

While both NorCal and SoCal have their pros and cons, the former edges out the latter with its superior living conditions, views and people. However, even if Northern California is better, every Californian should take pride in all the aspects that make this state so great, from tech hubs to warm beaches.

—Li, a junior, is a Lifestyle Editor.

sign to Venice beach and the cliffs of Santa Monica, Los Angeles has birthed a personality as unique as its many actors, actresses and directors. Iridescent mounds of sand on the beaches are often found in music videos and movies, and the city hosts the Grammys and Oscars, two of our culture’s most memorable events. Los Angeles is a captivating hub of creativity and ingenuity, as Hollywood creates most of the world’s blockbuster movies, and people flock from all over the world to get a taste of this luxurious Hollywood lifestyle. While it is known that traffic can be intolerable at times, traffic on the iconic Pacific Coast Highway overlooks the sparkling ocean and the shimmering waves of sand that divide the bustling boardwalk from the hued water. Comparatively, in San Francisco, not only is the traffic also horrific, but the best view you could possibly get is the Golden Gate Bridge, by all means a keystone monument but undermined by the fog that perpetually obscures the rusted landmark.

Let’s not sugarcoat it: San Francisco is a weird place, and it’s difficult to live in. Travel to the downtown area and chances are that you will see more than your fair share of mismatched outfits and interesting getups. Weird is not bad, but it isn’t everyone’s cup of tea.

San Francisco’s culture is quirky, and that’s its defining characteristic.

The nightlife is questionable, the smell is even more dubious, housing is impossible to find and even more difficult to create and without the Golden Gate Bridge, S.F. would just be another hippie town in Northern California. Travel a couple hundred miles south, and the culture improves as quickly as you speed away. Golden beaches are packed with people, the Hollywood and Beverly Hills districts boom past 9 p.m. and some of the world’s most interesting people reside within the sprawl of the city lights. Nightclubs, exclusive venues and exquisite restaurants are open to the adventurous all night long.

Lastly, the City of the Angels triumphs yet again with its location.

As Mark Twain best described it, “The coldest winter I ever saw was the summer I spent in San Francisco.” Wind on its own is fine. Cold on its own is also fine. But as the wind whistles through the ridiculously steep hills of the city and the cold seeps through your bones, many people will start to wonder what is so magical about the city by the bay. Down the sunny coast of California lies Los Angeles, a city that resides in a continuous state of 70 degree weather. People don’t even own heavy jackets and wear normal jackets a mere two weeks a year. Not only is the weather far superior, but the physical location in relation to other cities is fantastic. The beautiful waters of San Diego are a only two hours away, the shores of Orange County are a day trip at most, and even the excitement of Santa Barbara is close. Nothing is around San Francisco besides Marin, Monterey and that random town you always stop to get gas in when you drive to the city. In a battle of California’s biggest icons, SoCal will always come up on top, again and again.

—Mallery, a senior, is a Sports Editor.

Features

Friday, March 30, 2018

9

Artists share Creations through online platforms Junior Kara Jacobsen: @nesbocajarak

r Ka

a aJ

bs co

For most people, Instagram is simply a social media platform meant for enjoying lighthearted entertainment and sharing photos with friends. For junior Kara Jacobsen, however, it is also a platform to share art with people around the world. Jacobsen is part of an ever-growing community of artists who utilize Instagram to spread knowledge of their work and gain inspiration from others.

Jacobsen started her art account as an opportunity to share her passion with a larger group of people. When she was younger, Jacobsen enjoyed showing her art to her parents and friends, so creating an art account was the logical next step. “I’ve done art for a really long time in lessons, and the idea of being able to share what I create always interested me,” she said. She tries not to let her account restrict her in any way. ia rc Jacobsen sees her account as a platform that allows her to be flexible a G a and creative without following any strict rules as to when and how to post. r ier S “I don’t really hold myself to anything crazy strict about everything in my art fia account,” she said. “I kind of just share what I want to share when I share it.”

So With the variety of artists that post their art online, it can often be difficult to be original and stand out, but Jacobsen’s unique style allows her to differentiate herself from other artists. “You don’t want to be the same as someone else; you want to have some kind of factor that makes you different,” she said. Jacobsen’s account has allowed her to track her improvement over the past few years.

Since first starting her account, Jacobsen has discovered the mediums and styles she most likes working with and has become more relaxed with her art. “When I first started… I would just experiment with things because I wasn’t necessarily comfortable with what I was doing,” she said. Now, however, Jacobsen is more comfortable with sharing her art and working in a style that suits her.

Through running her account, Jacobsen has also been able to gain confidence in her art skills. “In my early art, I remember very clearly having to map everything out and do everything very meticulously,” she said. “As I went on, it was less and less about getting my art right and more about getting things down.”

Over the past few years of running the account, Jacobsen has refined her style and found out what she most enjoys drawing.

In general, what Jacobsen enjoys most about art is the creative license she has to explore different ideas that come up without having to plan them out. “I really enjoy just drawing what I think in the moment and not really planning anything and on kind of just going for it,” she said. s a

en

Art Teacher Mark Gleason

s ob ac J a

en

Art teacher Mark Gleason pursues his r passion of creating through different shapes Ka and forms. Since he was three, Gleason has found joy in art, leading to his pursuit of art as a career. “I’ve been doing my artwork since I was a little kid,” he said. “So it’s not like fun as a hobby, it’s what I do.

I honestly just wake up in the middle of the night sometimes, and I need to paint. I have to do it like I have to breathe.”

Throughout his years of pursuing art, Gleason has made several Ka ra notable pieces. “If you Google some of my stuff, some of the images Ja co come up, and one that I’m really like, yeah I can say that’s me, is this horse bs en that’s leaping through the air, and it’s on fire,” he said.

With all of Gleason’s success, he decided to bring his love for art into the Gunn community by becoming a teacher. “My parents saved all my little drawings and stuff, and yes, they look like scribbles,” Gleason said. “I used to draw animals a lot, and I still do. I was always the class artist, and I based my life around it by turning it into my career.”

Before Gleason came to Gunn, he found different ways to connect art with different careers paths. “I started off school thinking that I wanted to bring my art to life through making films, so I started off school in a film-making program, but after a semester, I was more interested in drawing in my dorm room,” he said. “For a while, I wanted to be a paleontologist; I’ve always been fascinated with dinosaurs and thought maybe I could find my artistic stuff in my love for anatomy with the digging up bones and draw dinosaurs that come to life.”

Throughout his artistic journey, Gleason has faced several challenges along the way. “Stability—I mean that financially and maybe emotionally,” he said. “When you put yourself into situations, you can feel emotions in a strong way. There are a lot of bumps along the way because you would think to yourself, ‘This is what I do.’ You have certain things that you go through when you try to establish yourself as an artist.”

Gleason encourages all artists to pursue their genuine interests. “Something I always recommend would be to do what you feel,” he said. “Stick with what you know and what you’re interested in.”

ar

M

le kG

—Written by Liza Kolbasov

ar

M

lea kG

n so

—Written by Katie Zhang So fia Si er

ra

Ga

rc

ia

Courtesy of Mark Gleason

10

Features

Titans embrace diversity through French Teacher Anne Dumontier: French Literature Joanna Huang Changing the Narrative Editor

Ever since she was young, French teacher Anne Dumontier loved reading and writing. Now, she promotes francophone culture by participating in and leading French book clubs and writing groups. “When you read novels, biographies or essays, you learn about the culture of the characters you read about,” Dumontier said. “Literature in general is definitely a strong medium to promote the culture of a country.”

In France, Dumontier did not have much exposure to book clubs. When she moved to California, she joined a book club from a French association, La Bibliothèque Orange, that has existed for nearly a hundred years. “One of the things that I’ve discovered here is the concept of the book club—it’s something that didn’t exist in France,” Dumontier said. “I found that it’s very nice to be able to read the same book and share what you have been thinking and discuss. You get a deeper understanding of the book.” Her level of involvement grew with her interest, and she eventually became the leader of her chapter.

Her responsibilities include ordering and distributing

books and organizing discussions. Every year, the book club reads books in French that have been published the year before. They are not all from French authors—some books are translated.

With the rise of technology in recent years, Dumontier decided to start a French digital reading club around five years ago to encourage her friends to utilize a new method for reading. Along with her graphic artist friend Danièle Archambault, she also started an English graphic novel club at the Mitchell Park Library, where members read graphic novels from France. Through this book club, people who do not speak French can also be exposed to a specific genre of French writing. In Dumontier’s classroom, she and Archambault have created the project “French Language and Culture through Comics” (Langue et culture française par la BD), which aims to teach students about francophone culture and language through the process of producing a comic book. “Literature and writing is for me a part of promoting French culture and French literature,” she said. “As a French teacher, not only am I motivated to help my students to do well and learn French, but I’m also motivated in the French community to help people to continue learning about the culture and

continue supporting the French language.”

In addition to reading and discussing books, Dumontier also helped start writing workshops for the Frenchspeaking community around 10 years ago. When the workshop stopped a few years ago, she decided to start a French novel support group with her friends to help each other write novels.

Through her reading and writing groups, Dumontier was also exposed to global perspectives. The members of her book clubs come from many different countries, including Mexico, Syria, Iran and Algeria. “These books clubs are very interesting because even these francophone speakers come from different countries, and they have very different perspectives on the books we read,” she said. “It’s not only the French culture but also the international culture all linked by the French language.”

Through French book clubs and writing workshops, Dumontier is able to share her interests in the community. “It’s true that whatever I do in French could be done in any other language,” she said. “I can only encourage other people to pursue their passion in reading and writing, and it’s true that sharing with others in a book club brings another level of interest for reading.”

Far Left: French teacher Anne Dumontier looks for books; Center top: Dumontier’s chapter poses at a literature convention; Center bottom: Dumontier stands with her book in front of Facebook headquarters; Right: A view of Paris from Dumontier’s home.

Photos courtesy of Anne Dumontier

Features

Friday, March 30, 2018

11

Photos by Sofia Sierra Garcia

cultural activities Sophomore Yamini Kumar: Classical Indian Dance Joy Huang Centerfold Editor

Many people may recall being encouraged by others to enroll in an extracurricular or do an activity. For some, this situation only verifies their lack of personal interest in that activity. For others, the circumstance encourages them to see the underlying benefits and develop a genuine passion over time.

Sophomore Yamini Kumar did not initially want to do classical Indian dance. Her parents enrolled her when she was seven, making her follow in her sister’s footsteps.

Kumar dances Odissi, a major classical Indian dance form that originates from the state of Odisha in eastern India. According to Encyclopedia Britannica, many of the poses from this dance replicate classical temple structures from the area. Odissi is viewed as one of the oldest surviving Indian dance forms. It is usually a dance for women. While the choreography may contain enlivening jumps, it mainly consists of lithe movements; of the eight main classical Indian dance types, Kumar finds Odissi the most graceful.

At first, she attended practices reluctantly.

“Honestly, in the beginning I didn’t like it­—it was a lot of pressure,” Kumar said. “The stereotypical Indian dance teacher is very strict.”

Sofia Sierra Garcia

Nonetheless, Kumar eventually began to see many benefits in the activity. “Once you start performing, you start to realize the rewards and what you’re getting out of it,” Kumar said.

Kumar’s favorite part of Indian dance is making friends, who have taught her about her culture. “[At] Gunn, I don’t think there are a lot of brown people,” Kumar said. “[The] majority are East Asian and white, so [through Indian dance I can] find people I can relate to on a cultural level.”

For example, Kumar has grown to understand her family as they talk about the festivals they celebrate. “There’s more of a connect and more knowledge that I can bring into it,“ Kumar said.

Indian dance has helped craft Kumar’s sense of identity, so she now has personal reasons to participate in it. “There’s the fact that you know where you’re from...so it’s not like I’m just doing this because my parents are making me, but I know what I’m doing this for,” Kumar said.

Kumar hopes to continue dancing as a hobby. “I think I want to keep on dancing for the rest of my life,” Kumar said. “A lot of people in my [dancing] school go on to different colleges…[and] they’re all still dancing and practicing as much as they can with their studies and whatnot. I just want to do that too in college.”

Bulgarian dancing brings

senior closer to roots Deiana Hristov

I never thought that I would spend my weekends as a second semester senior folk dancing with my parents. Yet, lo and behold, every Friday evening and Sunday morning I find myself in a cramped room, holding hands and standing in a circle with adults two to three times my age, trying to follow the steps of our enthusiastic instructor.

As any other child of Bulgarian immigrants, I was exposed to the horo at a young age at one of the many Bulgarian parties my parents would drag me to. There would come a point in the night where the chairs would be pushed to one side of the room, and all of the adults would clasp their hands in a circle, moving, stepping and hopping to traditional Bulgarian folk music. As a child, the naive secondhand embarrassment I would feel at watching my parents dance was too much to bear, and I would scamper away as soon as the circle started to form.

My parents began folk dancing with a group around two years ago, right around the time I was becoming more aware of my Bulgarian background. I was reading in Bulgarian, going to Bulgarian concerts and cultural events and researching the country’s history. I decided to give folk dancing a try: it seemed like a fun way to get some exercise while learning more about my culture.

The first thing I learned from folk dancing is that my incoordination is surpassed only by my lack of rhythm. This fact is only exacerbated by my fellow dancers, amazingly spry people my parents’ age who tap and bounce in perfect sync while I shuffle my feet ungraciously, trying to keep up with the music. With the horo, the steps of the dance correspond to the beat and accents of each piece of music: to keep up, I needed to count my steps in time with the music. My brain and feet would frequently refuse to cooperate, often leaving me lurching to the opposite direction of the dance, much to the chagrin of whoever was next to me.

As the weeks progressed, however, I found myself able to remember some of the steps, beginning to recognize and name the corresponding bagpipe melodies to the dances. Yulian, our instructor, was also a great help, going over new dances in slow motion and counting out loud for us. My dad and I started listening to folk music in the car together, and my dad would pick out songs he liked and send them to our instructor.

I looked forward to Fridays and Sundays all week and would practice the steps of the more intricate dances by myself in preparation for our group dances.

On March 3, the anniversary of Bulgaria’s independence from the Ottoman empire, the Bay Area’s local Bulgarian cultural society organized a big celebration. It involved traditional food, music and dancing, and my family got to reconnect with all our Bulgarian friends in the Bay Area. I was a volunteer for most of the event (thanks, Living Skills), but towards the end of the night the tables and chairs were pushed to the side and the band started to tune their instruments. This time, I made my way to the dance floor, joined my hands in the circle, smiled at the person next to me and moved, stepped and hopped in time to the music.

—Hristov, a senior, is the Editor-in-Chief.

12

Cente

Courtesy

13

erfold

y of Justin Brown

Friday, March 30, 2018

The Artist Behind the Art How Greg Brown’s murals changed Palo Alto Walking through downtown Palo Alto, passersby have probably noticed various eye-catching murals along the walls of buildings. These pieces of art are known as the “Pedestrian Series;” they were painted

by English teacher Justin Brown’s father, Greg Brown, in 1976. There are nine murals in all, and each one incorporates the rather mischievous nature that was a characteristic of Greg Brown’s work.

Greg Brown began drawing and painting at a very young age. After his passion for the arts spread into his school life, he began cutting class to stay in the art room instead. Over the years, he became more interested in the classical side of art. “He started studying in his teenage years with

a Renaissance painter, this guy named Roberto Lupetti,” Justin Brown said. “My dad became an apprentice of his and learned formal training in Renaissance-style painting. That’s the only formal training he ever had.”

Greg Brown was fond of including familiar faces in his paintings, and he would often paint old friends or business associates. In one of his most popular murals, he featured himself and his wife as stealthy cat burglars stealing from a downtown department store. Sadly, the wall with the mural was torn down after the building was remodeled.

In later years, Greg Brown decided to pay tribute to the earlier mural by painting one of a similar theme. “It was basically the same thing, but just my sister and I,” Justin Brown said. “She’s still hanging onto the rope, and I’m falling off the rope, like maybe ten or fifteen feet below her, screaming, with my arms out. I’m falling from the building, so it was kind of a tribute to the original painting.”

Trying to spot one of Greg Brown’s murals along the walls can be an entertaining experience, somewhat like a scavenger hunt. Various paintings are scattered throughout Palo Alto. The “hunt” is made all the more enjoyable by the creativity of Greg Brown’s work. In one mural, a lady in wide-brimmed hat is seen standing behind a row of bushes, staring open-mouthed at a bird that is perched on the end of her watering hose. In another, Greg Brown painted his brother-in-law as a man in a hazmat suit, lugging a trash can toward a row of garbage bins. At the top of the can, a wide-eyed alien can be seen peeking out.

“I think the murals bring a sense of community and add a color and signature to the town that might not be there otherwise.”

—English teacher Justin Brown

From aliens to men pushing creatures along in strollers, the nature of Greg Brown’s work is often quite humorous. It can also be startling: his paintings seem to spring off the wall and into reality. “It was his goal to frighten someone walking by, and they’d say, ‘Oh my gosh, I thought that was a real person,’” Justin Brown said. “He got a big kick out of that.”

The realistic aspect to Greg Brown’s art is part of what makes the murals so fascinating. They engage the viewer and draw them in, either through a startled second glance or a lighthearted appreciation of his work. This style is known as trompe l’oeil, or “deceive the eye,” in French. With this technique, the artist uses realistic imagery to depict certain objects in three dimensions, creating an amazing optical illusion that lives up to the technique’s name.

The trompe l’oeil style reflects the louder and more gregarious side to Greg Brown’s personality.

“He was a classical painter and really liked painting the traditional stuff at home, which would hang in galleries and in museums and such,” Justin Brown said. “But I think he loved the public form of getting people to stop and be entertained by something. I think he just thought it was a very original form of entertainment.”

In fact, fun and entertainment were centerpoints for much of Greg Brown’s art. One of his most successful series was known as “Vegetables on Vacation,” a collection of quirky paintings and posters of walking, talking and dancing vegetables. In one such poster, a dynamic trio of a zucchini, a tomato and a potato can be seen arm-in-arm, dancing the can-can together atop a box of spaghetti. An onion is beside them, balanced on a can of tuna, while a bell pepper is on its knees and seemingly overcome with admiration.

“Anytime someone brings up a mural or if it’s just me walking around looking at them, now it’s just a real immense sense of pride.”

—English teacher Justin Brown

“He was trying to be clever, for sure,” Justin Brown said. “He wasn’t too into this angsty, expressmy-inner-demons-and-angst-to-the-world art. He just wanted people to laugh and have fun.”

While growing up, Justin Brown says that both he and the community looked up to his father and his work. “If he ever walked into a room or a restaurant, everyone knew him,” Justin Brown said. “I didn’t have a problem with that, I was really proud of my dad. My dad was my greatest role model in life, and I aspired to be like him.”

There is a popular sentiment that Greg Brown’s paintings have added more personality to Palo Alto, and for many residents the paintings have become a familiar fixture in their everyday lives. In an increasingly corporatized and modernized Palo Alto, they provide a nostalgic, lighthearted touch, even forty years after their creation.

As the town has grown and old buildings have been torn down, many of Greg Brown’s murals have been lost over time. “I think the murals bring a sense of community and add a color and signature to the town that might not be there otherwise,” Justin Brown said. “It’s really a shame that they tore those other ones down, they’re really my favorite thing about Palo Alto. I do think people feel proud about those murals.”

Greg Brown passed away on Sept. 2, 2014, at 62 years old. His artwork, however, lives on for everyone to see. “Anytime someone brings up a mural or if it’s just me walking around looking at them, now it’s just a real immense sense of pride,” Justin Brown said. “It keeps my dad alive and keeps him present in my life. It’s just a reason that now I can talk about my dad in class and share a fun fact, like, ‘Hey, the murals downtown—that’s my dad, that’s something I’m really proud of.’”

—Written by Julia Cheunkarndee

Photos by Sofia Sierra-Garcia

To learn more about Greg Brown’s murals and their locations, visit https://tinyurl. com/gregbrownmurals

14

Features

Students participate in real,

Junior Bryan Tan

43 percent of Americans own shares of stocks

From real estate to cryptocurrency, junior Bryan Tan has been active in the entire gamut of investing since middle school. According to Tan, in just these few years, his total investment capital has grown 350 percent.

Unlike most people, Tan’s interest in investing comes from his sheer love of money. “I don’t really want to buy anything in particular,” he said. “The purpose of money is to make more money.” This passion has driven him to heavily research on the market and spend a significant amount of time planning out investments.

Although investing money may be stressful for many, Tan is not particularly concerned about his investments. “[The risk] doesn’t really bother me because I am very confident in my abilities,” he said. Moreover, Tan has prioritized his investments over most other responsibilities, including school.

“If I need to make a trade and I’m in class, I’ll do the trade,” he said.

Tan’s passion for investing, as well as his thorough research in the field, has paid off over the years. According to Tan, one of his smaller accounts started with $1,000 and has grown to over $10,000 over the span of 18 months. He hopes to further cultivate this growth and move to larger scale investing in the future.

—Written by Tejpal Virdi

Photo courtesy of Bryan Tan

Sophomore Ethan Shaotran

Sophomore Ethan Shaotran began his investment journey a few years ago when his parents gave him a small amount of money to experiment with. He decided to put it in the stock market with the hope to eventually save up enough for college.

Living in the heart of Silicon Valley, Shaotran became interested in the rise of the tech industry and started studying the trends of different companies. After buying shares in a few tech stocks he was confident in, he noticed that his money was growing. “It was really scary at first but it ended up working out,” Shaotran said. “I invested in many tech stocks, and tech is booming nowadays.”

One challenge Shaotran faced was the balance of being a student and an investor. After all, stocks can be very risky and there is always the potential to lose a lot of money within hours.

“Investing can be stressful at times,” he said. “Sometimes you’re in class and you know your stock is going down, and you’re just hoping it goes back up. There are a lot of conflicting emotions that you have to deal with when watching your stocks.”

Shaotran believes that his experience over the last few years has made investing less stressful, especially since he is confident in what he is doing.

Shaotran has learned a lot from investing, and he advises others to invest as well. “Any student who even has a couple of bucks lying around should be at least playing around with [the stock market],” he said. Shaotran plans to continue investing in the stock market and hopes to learn more about the finance behind it.

—Written by Tejpal Virdi

Statistics courtesy of Business Insider

Photo courtesy of Ethan Shaotran

Features

Friday, March 30, 2018

15

mock investment opportunities

Tips for first-time investors Students compete in firstever Stock Market Game Collin Jaeger Reporter

1 in 3 Millennials have money in the stock market

Graphics by Jeffrey Yao

The Stock Market Game is a new competition that pits students’ investing savvies against one another. The 84 participants will compete for a 50 dollar gift card to a store of the winner’s preference. Second and third place will also win gift cards of their choice. The game’s trading period runs from Feb. 3 to May 18.

Each participant in the game starts off with 100,000 virtual dollars for them to invest how they like. The stocks that the students invest in, however, are real-life stocks with real-life prices. Depending on how each participant’s stocks do in the stock market, their virtual portfolio grows or shrinks accordingly. The winner is simply the one with the most imaginary currency at the end of the trading period.

The Stock Market Game was organized by Student Executive Council treasurer senior Eli Tannenwald. Tannenwald decided to create the game because he wanted to give students a chance to learn about making investments. “I think that a lot of kids at Gunn have an interest in finance. I was in a position as the treasurer to create an event that would appeal to those kids and let those kids explore their interests,” he said. “I think what’s so great about Gunn is there are so many different extracurricular activities, but I think that there was a void there that I’m glad to fill and I’m glad that the kids are having fun.”

Tannenwald hopes that the game will have an impact on students that extends beyond the end date. “Hopefully, kids can come out of it with some experience that they can take into the real world and make some investments of their own,” he said.

As Tannenwald expected, many students who signed up for the game already had exposure to investing and finance, and were looking to build off of their previous experience. “I played a similar stock market game in middle school, and I just thought it was fun to experiment with different stocks and things,” junior Sean Yu said. “I’d consider it pretty educational, too. People who have played it, including myself, have a much better sense of the stock market nowadays and how to invest, what the different investing terminologies are; for example, I recently learned what a ‘short selling’ is, so that’s fun.”

On the other hand, some participants in the Stock Market Game were not familiar with investing and are instead hoping to learn about it. “I signed up for the stock market game because I knew absolutely nothing about stocks and I really wanted to learn,” sophomore Hanna Suh said. “I wanted to learn about stocks because I’m interested in business, and I have always wanted to invest in stocks but I didn’t want to put real money in it, so I thought this was a really good opportunity.”

Because it features virtual currency, the Stock Market Game offers a unique investing experience where the participants can invest in ways they normally wouldn’t in the real market. “I won’t reveal my picks but I picked two stocks: I bought one, but shorted the other,” senior Mohr Tzur said. “The stocks are opposites, so I really just went all-in on one stock, which is really aggressive.”

Yu also made some unconventional acquisitions in the game. “I went for Blackberry, and everyone made fun of me, but it’s up eight percent right now!”

Yu said. “I like to pick wild cards that no one else picks, so if they go up, I’m the only one that will be going up.”

Tzur also hopes to gain investing insight from watching how the other participants invest. “I’m really interested to see the other people who are doing well, and seeing their investment strategies and talking to them to see how they approached it,” he said. “Especially for people who haven’t had experience with stocks, I believe that you can learn from everyone, no matter how experienced they are.”

1. Research the field you want to invest in

2. Determine your risk tolerance level

3. Spread your money out across many stocks

4. Be prepared for the long term —Compiled by Tejpal Virdi

Sports

Yes

rr She

Ryan Manesh

y Ch

en

Should College athletes get paid for their play?

No

16

Jamisen Ma

There has always been a debate about whether or not National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) athletes should be getting paid money for their careers. Recently, however, the NCAA has been involved in multiple scandals regarding players who have received money for choosing a particular college to play at. While college atheletes have the similarly high expectations and heavy pressures as professional players, some receive financial support and others do not, leading to a disparity that needs to be addressed.

Though paying college athletes is illegal, it was not given much thought until recent allegations regarding the University of Arizona arose in February. In the past months, the FBI became involved and wiretapped the Arizona Wildcats basketball coach. The recordings revealed that coach Sean Miller had paid freshman star Deandre Ayton $100,000 to ensure that the young talent came to the University of Arizona. This case revealed many other similar cases in which players received tens of thousands of dollars to be persuaded to go to certain colleges. Many college stars such as Collin Sexton and Dukes Wendell Carter, Jr. have also been paid to join their college team.

A reason that players should be getting paid is that it may increase the graduation rate of schools. Many college players drop out before their senior year due to their eligiblity for the NBA draft. Paying the players may cause the athletes to prolong their college experience. There are many examples of players who were exceptional in the college game, but, when drafted to an NBA team, seemed like a shadow of their college selves. This trend causes many players to get marked as a “bust,” eventually likely to be cut. Not all players would be able to go pro or play overseas: players not continuing with basketball after college need a college degree and education to get a job. Paying college athletes will encourage players who couldn’t play for a professional team, whether due to skill level or career-ending injuries, to stay in school.

Paying players is also fair because they have earned that money. According to the Huffington Post, it is estimated that the average Division I basketball player is worth just over $170,000 a year. On average, Division I programs bring in around $4.5 million a year. It is only fair for the players to get a portion of the money that they bring to the school. But the NCAA as a whole makes even more money. In 2014, the NCAA brought in over $989 million in total revenue. The organization, however, only spent 5 percent of their profits on scholarships. The NCAA generates almost all of its revenue through these college players and for these players to not get paid for their work is unfair.

Those who disagree often argue that scholarships already cover the players’ wages. There are, however, certain schools that don’t offer athletic scholarships. In these instances, it seems even more unfair for athletes to not be compensated for their work. Even among schools that do, scholarships are not nearly enough compensation for these student athletes. College athletes sacrifice a lot of time and energy to serve for their school, and their efforts should not go without financial reward. Even though it would be difficult to compromise on this front, the amount of revenue that colleges are able to collect from their athletes should be partially returned to the players themselves in return for their dedication and athletic services.

Despite the fact that the best National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) coaches are paid up to $9 million a year, college athletes are paid nothing. Last year, all the athletes in Division I schools generated $9.15 billion in revenue. Mainly due to the profit they generate, many think that college athletes should get paid. A more in-depth analysis, however, shows that paying college athletes would disrupt the nature of college athletics.

Colleges prepare athletes to become professionals in a way high schools cannot, and if high schools don’t pay their athletes, colleges shouldn’t pay theirs either. In high school, a highly recruited player is likely the best player on the team by a huge margin: everything on and off the court revolves around the player. When these players move on to the collegiate level, however, they are just another player on the team. Playing on a college team gives players the opportunity to play in a competitive environment with teammates of the same caliber, thus teaching them to be an unselfish team player and giving them the opportunity to learn what playing professionally feels like. College athletes are, after all, still students: it is unfair to place the expectations that come with earning a salary on a student trying to pursue their education as well as their sport.

Colleges can also give players scholarships. Full scholarships are up to $53,000. Additionally, only 1.5 percent of college football players get the NFL minimum rookie salary of $365,000 and 1.1 percent of college basketball players get the NBA minimum salary of $815,615. This shows that the other 98 percent of athletes are not considered future pros, and thus, as amateurs, shouldn’t be paid. Also, if colleges pay their players in addition to scholarships, some colleges might go into a financial crisis. In 2014, eight of the Big 12 Conference schools were in debt: University of Texas was over $200 million in debt according to ScholarshipStats. Paying 480,000 college athletes each year will only exacerbate this debt, likely resulting in cuts to other parts of the university budget, an act which would be unfair to students in general.

If players got paid, it would transform college basketball into the NBA for amateurs. College powerhouses, such as Duke, Kentucky and Louisville, use up to $15 million for their basketball program and small schools, such as Mississippi Valley State, only use around $500,000. The powerhouses will get all the top recruits because they are able to pay top recruits a lot of money. With this extra incentive to play at top schools, the competitive edge in the NCAA will diminish. Small schools will be at a disadvantage because top recruits would obviously prioritize money and play at powerhouse schools instead of building their legacy at small schools, decreasing the competition in college sports. Without some top recruits at small schools, there would be superteams in college athletics, and the most exciting college month—March Madness—would be ruined because everybody will know who will win. In short, college basketball would turn into the NBA with a few superteams, and the other teams would not be competitive without top recruits.

College athletes in need of money could go overseas to play. However, they do not because of the benefits of American college athletics. The coaching and publicity will have a tremendous effect on their future, not to mention the prospect of a cheap and potentially free education. Having a promising and successful future is worth more than a stipend. Will paying student athletes also ruin the excitement and spirit of college athletics. If everything is running smoothly, why change it?

—Manesh, a sophomore, is the Assistant Business Manager.

—Ma, a freshman, is a reporter.

TThe h e average average

value of a basketball player to a top school is nearly $500,000, yet athletes earn an average of only $23,000 in scholarships.

In 2014, the NCAA earned a total revenue of $989 million dollars.

Sports

Friday, March 30, 2018

17

MARTIAL ARTS PROVIDE CHANCE TO EMBRACE DIFFERENT CULTURES Junior Claire Semeria Kickboxing

Kickboxing is a martial art that combines both punching and kicking. There are a couple variations of this sport: one is extremely competitive and includes fighting opponents in a ring, while another variation is a fitness class that teaches techniques such as punching, kicking and defense. Kickboxing arose around 2,000 years ago in Thailand. The sport was originally used for self-defense, but it has evolved into a spectator sport as well as a recreational workout.

Junior Claire Semeria has participated in the recreational side of kickboxing for the last two years. “I absolutely love kickboxing because it never fails to leave me feeling stronger,” Semeria said. “It is by far the best workout you can get because it works you to your limit and pushes you to try your absolute best.” Semeria also added that besides the many physical benefits, kickboxing has also helped with her internal view of herself. “I love how kickboxing is able to boost my confidence and sense of empowerment by teaching me to defend myself,” Semeria said.

Kickboxing, like many other aerobic activities, is beneficial to an athlete’s health in many different ways. “[Kickboxing] is a perfect way to improve your health because it increases strength, reduces fat, improves posture, burns calories and improves coordination,” Semeria said. The recreational activity is connected to its original roots of self-defense. “Every class demonstrates proper ways of punching and kicking while still keeping a defensive stance,” Semeria said.

Interested in taking a kickboxing class? All you will need is boxing gloves, a lot of water and a positive attitude to try this challenging but rewarding activity. It may seem intimidating at first, but kickboxing is an activity that can be extremely beneficial: punching, kicking and defense are all stress-relieving and strengthening activites that provide an outlet for exercise.

—Written by Grace Williams

Freshman Elijah Schacter Taekwondo

For freshman Elijah Schacter, taekwondo is a way to learn self-defense and discover his culture.

“A lot of the sports like karate and taekwondo are actually really similar and good for self-defense,” he said. “I chose taekwondo since my mom was Korean, and I wanted to find a way to connect to my roots.”

From a young age, Schacter has attended regular taekwondo practices and competitions, where he has learned special skills and moves. After eight years of the sport, however, his favorite part is still sparring during practice. Sparring is a one-on-one match where both opponents are wearing protective gear.

All types of kicks and punches are allowed, except punches to the face and kicks below the waist. All of this training culminates in a complex battle involving intricate scoring. “The form is good for discipline, but Nicole Lee the most fun part is when you get to fight other people,” Schacter said. “You can do competitive sparring which is scored by points, but I don’t enjoy that as much because it becomes a lot of trying to gain extra points by tapping them on the head instead of actually using techniques.”

Another factor Schacter particularly enjoys is the mental strength required for participation in the sport. Taekwondo is a highly competitive sport, and requires mental fortitude and determination. “It’s completely individual and it’s all on you,” he said. “It’s about having more discipline, control and the will to win to beat the other person.”

There are, however, aspects of taekwondo that Schacter doesn’t enjoy, such as stretching. “It’s the most important part, but it’s so painful and just terrible, especially the splits,” he said. “Front splits are fine, but I can’t do side splits.”

While Schacter is unsure about whether taekwondo will be a major future commitment, he is thankful for what he has already mastered. “While I’ve gained discipline, the most practical thing I’ve learned is how to disarm someone with a knife who’s trying to attack you,” he said. It may not be the most popular sport, but to some, taekwondo is a way to express a passion that would otherwise be neglected.

—Written by Emma Chiao

Kickboxing locations and taekwondo Locations near you: Bay Area Boxing in Belmont and Ranger Taekwondo near the Cubberly Community Center

18

Sports

SPRING ATHLETES

Strive for Wi n s

Swimming: With a three-year streak of winning leagues and consecutively finishing in the top three at Central Coast Sections (CCS), the swim team has a legacy of success to live up to. Currently, varsity girls sit with a

solid record of 5-1 and varsity boys are close behind at 3-3.

Nonetheless, their well-deserved reputation continues to thrive this season as the girls and boys teams lead in league 3-1 and 2-2 respectively. Swimming coach Mark Hernandez is very pleased with the overall progress of the team. “The entire program has been performing better every week,” he said. “We had some of our best races last week, which is a really positive sign for us moving forward.”

For freshman Madison Ngyuen, all-team practices are her favorite part about being on the team, as they provide an opportunity to swim with different team members.

“Part of us are club swimmers, so they’re allowed to swim with their club instead of Gunn, which is why we usually only see around half the team,” she explained. “But now that we have all-team practices the days before meets, I see the whole entire team and I get to know a lot of people.”

In terms of upcoming highlights, Ngyuen is most looking forward to the Gunn versus meet the Thursday after spring break. “I think it’ll be a really close meet and super competitive because we’re about the same level,” she said.

Diving: The diving team is off to a good season despite the harsh weather and less-than ideal diving conditions, with junior Margaret Ward and sophomore Lola Debost placing first and second, respectively, at their first meet against Los Gatos High School in the junior varsity (JV) category.

Since the beginning of the season, the team has competed a total of five times, with at least one Gunn diver placing in the top three at all meets. Girls varsity took second place against Los Altos High School and again against Homestead High School. At the most recent Palo Alto High School Invitational, Debost placed 15th out of 22 with a score that qualified her for Central Coast Section(CCS).

Ward has been diving since her freshman year and says that it takes more than physical strength to be a good diver.

“Physical ability [is not] as important as perseverance, because dives will come and go, your abilities will come and go, and being able to fight through that is key, even though it’s really hard sometimes when you feel like you’re not making any progress,” Ward said.

The small team remains open to new additions, in the hopes that more people will be able compete for Gunn. Debost also began diving in her freshman year, and she says that anyone, no matter their abilities, can become a great diver. “You can start diving with any kind of skills,” Debost said. “You want to to know how to swim so that you don’t drown, but I think you can start diving at any level.”

According to Ward, the team is aiming for bigger things and working hard to get there. “We want to get everyone on our team to be able to compete, to have enough dives to compete, and the goal is to have as many people as we can try out for CCS and try to muster our way through there,” she said.

Softball: The girls softball season has gotten off to a roaring start: they are 2-0 in league play.

Freshman Emi Santos has enjoyed the season thus far. “It has been a really great season for me and the other girls on the team,” she said. “On and off the field they’re all such nice friends, and they all support one another when someone is down.” Of the two league wins, Santos’ favorite game was against Paly, who they outlasted in 10 innings after three long hours. “It was such a tough game and just a spectacular experience,” she said. Santos hopes to make sure the team finishes strong and has a goal of eventually competing in the Central Coast Section tournament. “I really want to make sure we are trying our best throughout the rest of the year,” Santos said. “If we continue to work hard, the sky’s the limit.”

Boys Golf: The boys golf team recently won against Los Gatos and are now with 3 wins, 3 losses and 1 tie in their season overall.

According to boys golf coach Marc Igler, one of the team’s main goals this year is to do well in the League Championships and to ultimately make it to Central Coast Section (CCS). “In the last four or five years, we’ve always made it to the League Championships, but we rarely make it to the CCS,” Igler said.

The biggest challenge the team needs to overcome is some inconsistency in player performances during matches. “Sometimes all my guys play well, sometimes none of them play well and sometimes, you know, a couple guys will play well but a couple guys won’t,” Igler said. “So the real challenge is to just get everybody playing well at the same time, and that’s just hard to do.”

Baseball: The baseball team is currently out to a strong start as they continue league play with a record of 4-4. Coach John Harney says he is very happy with the team’s progress, since many of the games they played were against strong opponents. “We had a really tough schedule… I scheduled all upper division teams that are pretty good,” he said. “They’re all local teams like Paly, Wilcox and Los Altos. So, I thought we played really good games [against them].”

Junior Nathan Nakamitsu says that while the team is very focused on winning, they also make it a goal to have fun. “Everyone tries to give their best effort at practice and in the games, but we also try to have our share of fun while playing, so it’s not super competitive, but we still want to do our best and try to win games,” he said.

The team aims to win the league championship this year, since the last time the team won their league championship was in 2012.

Track & Field: Despite the team makeup of mostly new runners, after only three meets the team currently sits with an impressive 2-3 record. Due to the small age range between athletes, sophomore runner Raymundo Salgado compares the team to a tight-knit community. “It’s very chill, there’s a good team vibe,” Salgado said.

Head track coach Pattisue Plumer is concerned, however, about the plethora of new and inexperienced underclassmen, despite their hard work and good attitudes. “We have a humongously large team, but it’s mostly freshman and sophomores,” Sue said. “It brings a lot of enthusiasm but a lot of newness so we spend a lot of time going over things.

We have a really strong freshman, sophomore and junior varsity teams, but we don’t have a lot of upperclassmen.”

Sophomore Tyler Sakakihara believes the team is strong due to a few outstanding players. “We’ve gota few legendaries. We’ve got Justin [Chiao], we’ve got Darian [Chung],” Sakakihara said.

Sports

Friday, March 30, 2018

19

Boys Lacrosse: The boys lacrosse team started the spring season with an overall 2-3 record including a win over Saratoga, a team they’ve never beaten before. Despite the early victory against Saratoga, junior Peter Christians says that the beginning of the season has come with ups and downs. “It’s always a learning process because we have a lot of new kids, and a lot of them are younger,” he said.

Among the teams goals is also to finish the season with a winning record. “We had a tied record my freshman year, but my goal before I graduate is to do better than that,” Christians said.

Christians says the biggest obstacle the team is working to overcome is numbers. “We only have a few more guys than are on the field at all times, so everyone is going to play no matter what skill level,” he said. “Teaching kids and just getting them involved is always a challenge. I think we’ve seen a lot of improvement already from some of our players.” new

Ultimately, Christians is optimistic about the team’s potential this season. “We only have a couple games that I think are not winnable for us,” he said. “We have a lot of winnable games [coming up] and it should be exciting.”

Girls Lacrosse: Girls lacrosse season is currently going on and both the varsity and junior varsity (JV) teams are doing well in their respective seasons, with the girls JV starting the season 5-3 while the girls JV team only doing a little worse.

Despite their slightly rocky start to the beginning of the season, the girls JV team is getting back on their feet quickly. Their team has a great sense of camaraderie that makes them work well together and develop synergy in the sport. Freshman Eirene Ang is one of the girls on the JV team who loves the sport and wants more girls to get interested in it. “My favorite part of lacrosse is working with an amazing team that always supports each other and builds each other up,” she said.

Shreeya Sethurameran, a member on the JV team, also enjoys the sport a lot and loves that the team has people of all skill levels. “There are a lot of beginners on our JV team this year, which is really nice because I get to take more of a leadership role,” she said. “I’ve been playing lacrosse for two years already, so I know a lot more than most of them.”

Badminton: With a history of greatness, the badminton team is looking forward to another successful season.

So far, they are 4-3 in league play with five games to go. According to junior Rasmus Janmyr, the team has faced a couple challenges so far. “We lost some of our good players from last year so the team go a little bit weaker, but we’re still strong overall,” Janmyr wrote. Despite their three losses in league play, the team still gets along very well and has formed a tight-knit group. “The team gets along really well.” Janmyr wrote. “A real community has formed this year, and the bond between upper and lower classmen is strong.” With only a few games left in league play, the end of the badminton season is up for grabs.

Boys Tennis: The boys varsity tennis team is off to a rocky start this season with a record of 2-3. Sophomore Vishnu Srinivas attributes the team’s performance to the relatively inexperienced roster, but believes the team has a bright future. “The team is mostly sophomores and juniors with a few freshman, so even if we don’t do super well this year we have a great shot at doing well next year because the same team members will still be there,” he said.

Srinivas believes that a solution to the team’s woes is to come together as a team. “I think if everybody starts working together, playing their hardest in practice then we can translate that into success,” he said.

More importantly, the boys hope to make Central Coast Section for the second year in a row. Furthermore, varsity tennis coach Jim Gorman believes that this year’s team may even be better than last year’s team. “This year’s a lot stronger because we got a lot more depth and a lot of really good players. We’re probably in the toughest league in the nation, so our record is not indicative of where were at,” he said. No matter what the team’s record is, Gorman wants to make sure that the members of the varsity team continue to improve. “Same goal as always: make sure were a whole lot better at the end of the season than we were at the beginning,” he said.

Photo courtesy of Jake Humble Photos by Max Wang and Richard Yu

—Written by Laurel Comiter, Chiara Jurczak, Amanda Lee, Devon Lee, Jack Mallery, Peter Oh, Chelsie Park, Nikki Suzani, Grace Tramack and Kaya van der Horst

Lifestyle

20

Outdoor spring play ‘King Lear’ impresses audiences

Chiara Jurczak “This cold night will turn us all to fools and madmen.” A line spoken in the third act of the play perfectly echoed the feelings of the shivering theatergoers gathered around the steps of the N Building to watch theatre’s spring production of Shakespeare’s “King Lear.”

Up to this day, “King Lear” remains one of the English playwright’s most famous and performed plays, captivating audiences all over the world with its thrilling plot and lively performances. This particular production of the play, however, had a twist: it was all themed around Yugoslavia. The costumes and props were all relatively modern, and the main feature of the “stage” was a large Yugoslavian flag cascading down from the N Building. Although the text of the play itself wasn’t altered, this modern theme brought a sort of rejuvenating vivacity, and audience members were able to relate more closely to the characters.

The audience was seated in rows of chairs set in front of the stairs, illuminated by the soft glow of the fairy lights hanging across the area. The overall atmosphere was that of a cozy campfire, with warm beverages and food available for purchase. This setting greatly added to the performance, and although the weather’s frosty bite seemed almost unbearable at times, there is something comforting about being huddled and shivering with others. A sort of camaraderie grew throughout the performance, and a sense of satisfaction as well as admiration set in at the end of the play.

The chilly weather did not seem to faze the actors, how-

Junior Shayan Hooshmand Actor

The Oracle: What was the biggest challenge of performing outside?

Shayan Hooshmand: The tech crew probably had the most challenging experience setting up for performances outside (if you saw people walking on roofs, they were probably installing lights for the show!) but for me at least, the hardest part of performing outside [was] constantly checking the weather forecast and hoping it doesn’t rain hard enough that we have to move the show inside. Thankfully, we only [had] to move inside one night.

TO: Are there any cool traditions the cast does before each performance?

SH: Before each performance for every Gunn Theatre show, we have a circle. Everyone gathers for announcements, then we have a fun pre-show tradition which involves getting hyped, collective screaming and wishing each other a good show. I can’t give exact details because it’s kind of a secret, but people do ride brooms and chant “Sarah Shelby Birthday Cake,” Sarah Shelby being the daughter of our director, Jim Shelby.

TO: What was your favorite part of the show?

SH: The best part of any production, in my opinion, is the week before opening night when all the elements of the show come together: actors, lights, costumes and make-up. Even if you aren’t a fan of theatre, you can still appreciate the collaboration and effort that goes into making a beautiful final product. It’s probably a lot like the week leading up to the publication of The Oracle, with everyone pooling together their individual works to make one issue. The final week [this time] was especially crucial with Lear as it was such a whack idea to do a gruesome tragedy outside at a high school in cold and rainy March; if it all came together, it would be magical. I think we all agree that it did.

ever. The women in this production were especially talented at showing no sign of discomfort as they paraded around in flimsy skirts and dresses. Not once during the show were they caught unaware, and they managed to remain in character even through the worst gusts of wind.

What was truly impressive, though, were all of the grand entrances that the cast was able to pull off. Walking down or up stairs isn’t easy on a regular day, but to do it in heels or formal wear without looking down at your feet is a feat that only the determined few can achieve.

The actors moved, and often jumped, up and down the steps very nimbly and rapidly at a constant pace in unison. Quick, sudden gasps or movements from the actors never failed to elicit a jump in the audience, and the shock factor kept the cold crowd from losing focus.

The true masterminds behind this production, however, were the techies stationed in the back, always ready with just the right sound and light effects. Thanks to the cover of the dark night, they were able to manipulate the actors’ shadows like puppeteers, casting large and scary projections onto the entire wall of the building. On more than one occasion, the crew was tasked with creating the illusion of a storm, often using very basic and simple instruments. They did not fail to deliver. With the slightest rumble of a drum and the use of a thunder sheet, they were able to enchant the public and make them lose the distinction between illusion and reality.

The audience’s imagination is something that this production played a lot with. When given the chance to let fantasy take over, they let themselves go and bought into the story that the actors were telling, and that was the true beauty of this performance. The difference between a good story and a great story lies in how it is communicated. A good story is told with words, but a great story is told with emotions.

—Jurczak, a sophomore, is a reporter.

Q&A

Top: Junior Shayan Hooshmand as Lear car-

ries Cordelia, played by junior Gabie Faulkner, down the steps of the N building. Middle: An intensely chaotic battle scene takes place during the fifth act of the play. Bottom: Senior Henry Alper, as Edmund, delivers an emotional and animated monologue.

Graphics by Mina Kim and Jeffrey Yao

Senior Kaelyn McFarlane-Connelly Stage Manager

The Oracle: What adjustments did you have to make because of the show being outside?

Kaelyn McFarlane-Connelly: Doing the show outside meant we ran into a lot of situations we never experienced before.

Instead of trying to make their voices carry to the back of the theatre, actors had to fight over planes, dogs or motorcycles to make sure their voices were heard. Setting up for each show was a whole new intricate process that we had to organize. We worked hard to make sure we didn’t have to sacrifice anything from doing our show outside. Our lighting and sound systems were thoughtfully planned out so we have the same amount of control over them as we do inside. Our costumes crew was able to create costumes that people could generally put clothes on under in order to keep warm.

TO: What was the most rewarding part of the show?

KMC: The first run-through we did at night with tech was the most rewarding moment of the show. Although we had spent months planning and preparing it was a bit of a mystery what it would look like when all the different parts came together. At the end, there was a lot of relief and excitement in knowing that all the work we had put into solving problems and tackling this show had really paid off.

TO: How much time did you dedicate to the show?

How many hours went into this production?

KMC: It’s impossible to count how many hours people put into this show. For me, I started working on this show for about two hours everyday after school at the beginning of this semester.

A couple weeks before we open, the amount of time people dedicate to the show increases a lot.

During these weeks, I am definitely working in the theatre more hours than I am sitting in a classroom.

—Compiled by Laurel Comiter Photos by Max Wang

Lifestyle

Friday, March 30, 2018

21

tag yourself: which typical prom disaster are you?

Bus drama

Finicky boutonniere

• You spend more time trying to figure out the bus seating website than you do your homework.

• You and your friends were supposed sit together on Orange Sunset, but only half of you signed up on time.

• Now you’re stuck on Blue Hippopotamus, your date somehow ended up on Magenta whatever-the-heck and you’re wondering how it’s possible for a transportation service to give you this much anxiety.

• You’ve seen countless Instagram posts picturing girls pinning the floral masterpieces onto their dates’ jackets, coupled with a ~quirky~ caption about how hard it was to get on.

• But this? Nothing could have prepared you for the reality of the never-ending battle between you and that glorified pin.

• You spent $20 on a singular flower. Let that sink in.

Embarrassing pictures

Bad wardrobe choices • You could have sworn that those four-inch heels fit like a glove when you tested them out in the store, but the blisters on your feet beg to differ.

• If you had a dollar for every time you had to adjust your strapless dress, you could almost afford a prom ticket.

• Your mom was right: you should have taken a sweater.

Your mom is always right.

• So that’s why people were looking at you funny.

• And no one thought to tell you? Time to cut some fake friends out of your life. If you can’t handle me at my worst, you don’t DESERVE me at my best.

• You treat your body like a temple, and this is how it repays you? Curse you, vegan lifestyle!

Awkward small talk • You went with a friend of a friend, and now you’re forced to make uncomfortable small talk with your date all night long.

• It was fine when you were in a group, but now you’re alone and you realize that never have you ever found a person you have less in common with.

• You’re mentally preparing yourself to avoid eye contact with this person for the remainder of your high school career.

Date sporting sweaty palms • You thought it was lotion, but it was definitely sweat.

• You've never been more angry at the human body's natural need for maintaining homeostasis.

• In under an hour, your fancy ensemble has become more of a dish towel.

• Ew. —Compiled by Carolyn Kuimelis

Graphics by Yael Livneh

Throw your own personal Prom It’s the weekend before prom. You’re sitting, staring at Student Activities Director Lisa Hall’s post on Schoology that lists ticket prices. For whatever reason, over $100 per person is just too steep for you. You hang your head in your hands, racking your brain to think of where you can get together $120 to cover the costs of admission. Suddenly, you realize that you’ll need an outfit too. Everything seems hopeless, but never fear—your special night doesn’t have to be at the City Metreon. Throw your very own prom with your closest friends on a tight budget.

Location.

Looking for a more down-low vibe? Put up string lights in your backyard or at a local park and throw down with a swing dance. Want to experience higher culture?

Carpool to SFMoMA and enjoy the free admission for visitors 18 and under, or splash $19 for a ticket if you’re 19 to 24 with ID. Maybe you’re looking for a more adventurous night. Book an escape room the weekend before for only $25 to 30 a person and take your whole friend group on a mind-boggling journey. Don’t have time to prepare? Grab your date or your friends and drive to Half Moon Bay for a beach bonfire.

Outfit.

Even if you’re not going to prom, looking just as fancy is still an option. Department store dresses and suits tend to run pricey, so look to local thrift stores for a cheaper wardrobe. Crossroads Trading, Goodwill and Fillmore & 5th Consignment often stock designer brands for low prices. If you’re stuck the morning of without an outfit, reach out to your friends or alumni to see if you can borrow, rent or buy their old dresses or suits. Facebook groups like Prom Dresses or New Clothes have great deals on secondhand, local pieces.

Food.

Good food is a must for a good time—you don’t want to be stuck hungry at 9:30 p.m. Whether you splurge on chocolate-covered strawberries or save on cheap candy, make sure to stock up for the whole night. Don’t forget to buy drinks. Feeling a little too indulgent? Replace chips with popcorn or gummy candy with fresh fruit and soda with hand-squeezed fruit juice or some sparkling water.

Pictures.

Even if you’re sitting at home with friends in your cozy jammies, take pictures. Ten years from now, you’ll look back at pictures of you and the homies laughing at something dumb and be glad you took the time to snap a photo.

—Compiled by Yael Livneh

Graphics by Yael Livneh

22

Lifestyle

Skincare enthusiast revels in quality lotions Lumen

e ($25

)

As came the fanci es w the m ith some t lotion on th oistu lofty is ing o r ut of izer has d expectatio list, Lum eliver highns, b a squ ene G u e q e coate uality pla eze tube, d on all f t I’m hap low Rev py to eal ronts d in stic j this l . th a s This lotion e sweet- r. The sec otion is c Rather th ay that sc a o o hand , s feel rather th ented cre nd after m ntained i n comnal a a like l a dec n m y f , d e ittl th ry eli ite e highl nt amoun ral silk. Th ng too we ey began hands w e ere t of ti y rec t t o e o fee r to fee o m turiz e reg mmend t e due to ling in m o thick, m l better. u la yh hi th at a h a igher rly and is s lotion fo e quality o ands ling de my ered r any price looki f the fo o . ng fo i r a hi ne who n ngredient r gh qu s. I eeds t ality prod o moisuct, a lbeit

Orchard Leaves and Blue

nk Fra o l Pau

Lumene Sky ($13)

This lotion, hailing fro m Bath and Body Wor ks and advertising “2 moisture” with “Ultra 4 hour Shea,” had me excited and curious as to wh do for my poor scaly at it could hands. My first impress ion of Orchard Leaves Sky was pleasant enou and Blue gh—my nose was me t by a sweet-ish scent not what I thought lea , definitely ves smelled like, but I’m not complaining. tion left a little to be Presentadesired, as the lotion coming out of the tu little chunky and unap be looked a petizing. When the lot ion finally made cont my hands, I slowly let act with the lotion spread even ly across my chapped butter on toast. I th flesh like en encountered an iss ue. This lotion felt we most lotions I’ve used tter than in the past. My hands were left a bit slimy ; as I found difficulty gripp a result, ing my controller wh en sitting down for a Fortnite soon after. game of Once the lotion set into my skin, I found were substantially les my hands s dry and, as a bonus, were left with a lingerin recommend using th g scent. I is lotion in slightly sm aller amounts, but it’s the money. still worth

Orchard Leaves and Blue Sky

oot h ($5)

Evolution of Sm

Leaves t as Orchard en sc a of g in m lar and asting as char OS looked stel E d ke ar While not bo m n u sly e lotion, this suspiciou thering on th la e il h W r. te and Blue Sky, nis d creamy leaving the ca with a rich an et m e er w smooth while ey milar to wonderful: th ds felt very si an h y m , er my hands felt aft assume rtunately, soon on. I can only ti lo e th d ie solution. Unfo appl sturizers did before I y natural moi an m as y rl the way they ea n have the didn’t contain result doesn’t a as d an e, that this lotion on achieve. d Body Works ea butter can sh of es ti ti an as the Bath an qu t option that only high able as a budge vi is it t bu t, staying power shor crackly on, EOS falls those everyday r fo on ti lo As a main opti go gency, on-theor as an emer skin crises.

ost pleaswith the m s, I was in s k c lo c u otel lotion r the scent of citr gly, this h fo smell is r e e k c Th u s l.

Surprisin labe . As a t” ll s a r en f u o B e c e g n ith sunscre Oran “ w e d e ing fragra th ix t m u like ited abo as Fanta at sounds th n quite exc can only describe o ti a ality, mbin gI f function th ’s not a co o It s . somethin m o r ti a te r to two does. In y than Ba in a three k—but trust me, it d less slim n a ’ S r O plimeno E it would w lt less watery than t this was just a com hands fe tha My this lotion rk’s. Considering fully met. nated. re e w o s n W o juve and Body tion, my expectati freshly re g n li e fe lo d l l an tary hote delightfu smelling ft le re e w

Evolution of Smooth

Hotel ($0)

Hotel

Graphics

by Sherr y

Chen

—Frank, a senior, is a Sports Editor.

Background by Yael Livneh

Lifestyle

Friday, March 30, 2018

The Guzzle Directions:

23

(Gunn Puzzle)

Unscramble the letters to make words and write them in the boxes underneath. Next, take the letters in the circles and unscramble those to finish the pun in the box at the bottom.

—Puzzle by Carmel Baharav

Graphics by Yael Livneh and Gary Wu

Words: MATH, CHOIR, DANCE, ATTEND, GRADE Phrase: Tight-Ann (Titan)

24

Forum

Casual use of slurs normalizes thoughtless, Thoughtless, offensive profanity Noa Rapoport It is undeniable that people of the 21st century still use slurs that degrade and put down others. A slur is an insinuation or allegation about someone that is likely to insult them in some way. Words like “whore,” “slut” and “retarded” are not used any less now than they were before, and many are starting to believe that using these words is acceptable in colloquial terms. Due to the growing popularity of social media, the slurs are not only communicated verbally, but are also written on sites and used in pop culture.

Slurs have started to become more normalized in society due to their frequent usage in rap songs and on social media. Thousands of rappers throughout the world use slurs such as the N-word in their songs. The pejorative term is deeply embedded in American history, as it was used to dehumanize black slaves and distinguish them from their white masters.

On the week of March 24, four of Billboard’s Top Ten hot rap songs used the N-word: “Stir Fry,” “Ric Flair Drip,” “Look Alive” and “King’s Dead.” This usage has created a huge effect, causing the fanbases of these rappers to use the words more frequently.

Many fans still worship the rappers and believe that since the rappers are singing these words, it is okay for them to sing the words as well. The rappers' influence creates a chain effect, and soon thousands of kids are singing these words without realizing or caring about the true meaning of what they are singing. Little by little, the word becomes standardized, making its usage prevalent in day-to-day life.

In 2017, sorority girls attending the University of New Hampshire were caught in a huge scandal after a video of them singing along to the N-word in Kanye West’s “Gold Digger” song surfaced on the Internet. The scandal received a great deal of news coverage, and many were offended and shocked at how casually the word was used. Many, however, were also confused as to why people reacted so strongly. Such instances are common, and for many it wasn’t a surprise to see the sorority girls singing the N-word. YouTube star Pewdiepie was caught in a similar controversy when he yelled the N-word in a gaming livestream. Many were upset, but many also defended the gamer, claiming that it had accidentally slipped out. If this pattern continues, kids 20 years from now will be saying these words ev-

eryday, as if they were completely acceptable to say.

The usage will become much more frequent, therefore affecting the targets of these slurs even more.

The use of social media has also increased the use of the N-word. It is not uncommon to scroll through Instagram and see “my Nibba” playfully used in the comments section. While the two “g”s are often times replaced with the red “B” emoji in “N---er,” it does not replace the meaning of the racially demeaning word.

The use of slurs has also resulted in many students feeling unsafe or personally victimized in schools. Slurs like “gay” or “faggot” are extremely offensive and are used to hurt people by attacking pieces of their identity. “Faggot” has been posted more than 38 million times on Twitter in the past six years, and “gay” has been posted more than 12 million times. The slurs connotation implies that being gay is wrong and can make someone feel inferior and unsafe in school. It stops students from expressing themselves by forcing them to shield themselves and their personalities in order to not get insulted. If a person who is gay grows up hearing negative connotations attributed to the word, they will ultimately believe that this reflects on them as a person, leading them to feel worthless and unliked.

This is the opposite of the environment that schools should strive to create, and fosters an unsafe place where students are unable to express themselves.

Similarly, words like “slut,” “whore,” “thot” and “ho,” used to victimize girls by making them feel that they cannot act a certain way, have a negative impact. Many people use offensive words such as “slut” and “ho” as an insult to degrade women who sleep around and enjoy having sex. This ultimately paints female sexuality as shameful and as something that should be hidden or repressed.

Slut-shaming can have huge repercussions, and can leave many girls feeling as if they are worthless.

These words are commonly used, and many girls feel that they cannot be with someone without being called a “slut” or a “ho.” In a study done in 2014, it was shown that 35 percent of the tweets that said “slut” or “whore” were used in a casual context, such as one saying, “If I was pretty and skinny I would be such a whore, oh my god.” This calls out the female population, and, similarly to the usage of the word “gay,” stops girls from being able to be comfortable and confident.

In order to stop the common usage of slurs, more awareness needs to be shed on them. Many use the words without realizing the true effect the words have on other people. The process of normalizing slurs needs to end, and everyone can and should work together to achieve this goal for a safe, inclusive environment.

Slurs have started to become more normalized in society due to their frequent usage in rap songs and social media.

—Rapoport, a junior, is a reporter.

Words like "whore," "slut" and "retarded" are not used any less now than they were before, and many are starting to believe that using these words is okay in colloquial terms.

Photos by Sofia Sierra Garcia and Richard Yu