The Oracle February 2020

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Henry M. Gunn High School

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Friday, February 7, 2020 Volume 57, Issue 5

780 Arastradero Road, Palo Alto, CA 94306

Laurence to become Director of Secondary Education in fall Mia Knezevic and Liza Kolbasov Reporter and Editor-In-Chief

On Jan. 24, Principal Kathleen Laurence announced via email her plan to depart Gunn in order to assume the position of Director of Secondary Education in the district office, beginning in August. She intends to remain involved with Gunn, as her new role will entail the oversight of Palo Alto Unified School District (PAUSD)’s two public schools, in addition to the middle schools in our district.

Laurence will focus on athletics, coordinating teaching and learning and aligning the schools with an emphasis on the PAUSD Promise. The Promise, created last year, promotes the district’s core beliefs, which include a focus on excellence and equality in students through high quality teaching and learning, and wellness and inclusion.

According to the PAUSD Promise website, such beliefs will lead to the preparation of students for their futures beyond high school.

Superintendent Don Austin asked Laurence to consider this new position before winter break.

“Ms. Laurence was perfect because of her temperament and commitment to the school district,” Austin said. “She should be a great mentor to not only the other principals, but the new principals that come in.”

Laurence attributes her decision to move up to the district office in part to her belief that her prior work experience will allow her to bring a new perspective to the job. “Maybe I can help the district more by being in this position to help work on the alignment and all those pieces since I’ve been at both high schools,” she said.

In choosing a new principal to replace Laurence at Gunn, the district plans to solicit feedback from all stakeholders, including students, teachers and parents. A timeline of the decision-making process is currently outlined on the district website, and Austin emphasizes that there is ample time to make an informed decision. “We’re trying to have selections made by March, but luckily we’re so early in the season that if unfortunately we get through the process and we don’t find the right person in the first group, we’ll go get another group,” he said.

In order to solicit feedback from all students on campus about the issue, the administration spoke to various groups intended to represent students, including the Superintendent’s Student Council and the Student Executive Council (SEC). In addition, at a meeting led by Deputy Superintendent Karen Hendricks and Director of Certificated Human Resources Lisa Hickey on Tuesday, Feb. 4 at FlexTime, six students gathered to express their desires for the new principal, including one who values communication and is com-

mitted to Gunn. However, some students expressed concern about the meeting not being publicized enough to get a representative sample of students to attend. “I had no idea this meeting was happening today,” senior Evan Alexis said.

In order to include more voices in the selection process, the administration has sent out a survey to students via Schoology. School Board Representative senior Claire

Cheng also urged students to contact her with any feedback they may have. “If you have thoughts or if anyone that reads this article has lots of questions about the principal, I’m sure if they bring it to me I will be able to bring it to the superintendent,” Cheng said.

Throughout this process, students and teachers have highlighted their dissatisfaction with the frequent turnover in administration, considering that this will be Gunn’s fourth new principal in nine years. “There has not really been a principal that stayed long enough to build a connec-

tion with the student body, so that students feel like, ‘Yes, I like this principal. I have a personal connection with them. I see the impact they’re making,’” Cheng said. In fact, Cheng feels that these changes have led to a disconnect between the administration and the student body.

Austin emphasized that finding a candidate who is willing to listen to the student body and build relationships with students and staff will be a priority. “It doesn’t do us any good to have a principal that can’t walk into any room and be knowledgeable of the topics being discussed that affect the school and also have the ability to listen and learn from the people in the room,” he said.

The changes in leadership have led to adjustments for staff, as well.

“Changing leadership is always a scary time,” Math Department Instructional Lead David Deggeller said. “Having just found our groove with the new principal, it’s like ‘Oh, boy, we’ve got to change again.’

It’s a balance between excitement—‘Yay, new energy on campus’, and also ‘Oh, gosh, what’s going to happen? All this good work that we’ve done? Is that just going to go away? How can we keep that momentum going?’” The Gunn community has expressed hope that the new principal would bring a balance of new ideas in addition to continuing to implement the changes that Gunn is currently undergoing. The biggest and most recent focus so far has been on standards-based grading, a new grading system that will assess students’ knowledge of learning targets on a four-point grading scale.

The new principal will have a role in facilitating the discussion around this new grading system.

Reflecting on her time at Gunn, Laurence believes Melissa Ding that she will leave behind a less-stressful campus environment for students and staff than when she began in 2017. Laurence also expressed her intent to remain involved in the Gunn community, due to her love for the school which stems from her days as a student here. “I have loved every minute of being here, and [leaving] is one of those happy-sad moments,” she said.

“With tears in my eyes, and excited about the new job, I feel like the only reason I could do this is I’m not really leaving Gunn. I’m still involved.”

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Monthly Highlights: TEDxGunnHighSchool “It was really awesome hearing the students talk.”

“I loved how everything came together! Students and community members seemed to enjoy and take away strong messages and having it all run smoothly was great.”

—Lillian Ding (10)

—Cynthia Dharmawan (TEDxGHS Co-President, 12)

Senior Sophia Lu discusses vulnerability and its power to build stronger communities.

Senior Rohan Solanki hosts TEDxGunnHighSchool 2020.

Liz Kimball speaks about creative processes and self-actualization.

“It was nerve-wracking, but I am glad that I spoke. Each speaker’s story is so real and authentic. I love it. I just love it.”

—Chris McPherson (speaker)

“It was much better organized compared to previous years. It was extremely exciting; the rehearsals were very relaxed if you were performing.”

Senior Quinn Manning and Alum Ben See-Tho perform hip-hop.

—Quinn Manning (12)

Senior Claire Wellwood performs with the hip-hop dance crew.

—Compiled by Shannon Lin Photos by Melissa Ding

CTE teachers call for transparency within course selection process Angela Wong and Joshua Yang News Editor and Forum editor

Following years of declining enrollment trends in Career Technical Education (CTE) classes, teachers are calling for more transparency and administrative oversight into the process of course selection for CTE classes.

According to data provided by academic technology specialist Olga Celis, at least four CTE courses—including yearbook, broadcast journalism, advanced journalism and advanced digital production—have faced lower rates of student enrollment over the past three years.

The effect has been far-reaching: for example, broadcast journalism, the class responsible for producing Titan Broadcast Network, has been reduced to airing live shows only on Thursdays and Fridays, a change from the daily live shows of previous years. “Not having a lot of students in the class has held us back with production,” broadcast journalism teacher Ed Corpuz said. “For me to ask students to come every day to do [a live show] is over and above what all electives are asking.”

Broadcast journalism, which boasted 20 students during the 2017-2018 school year, has shrunk to 11 students this semester.

Automotive technologies teacher Mike Camicia has faced similar issues; in order to qualify as a full-time employee, teachers are required to teach five classes, but Camicia has struggled to fill five full periods of automotive classes. Teachers unable to teach five periods of their preferred classes are assigned other courses. “I have been really working hard and letting everybody know that I want to continue [the program

as it is],” Camicia said. “I want at least five classes. I just got through erasing the signs that I had all over the board and pleading with my classes to get their friends to sign up. I think it’s tough.”

Camicia believes declining enrollment can be attributed to the large number of CTE courses offered at Gunn.

“There’s so many electives at this school that there’s too many choices,” he said. “There’s so many different ways to get your CTE credential that [CTE teachers] are left hoping that we can get enough people in here.”

According to Camicia, this problem is only exacerbated by the creation of new CTE courses over the years. “They’ve created more and more classes," he said.

“There’s too many ways to get the CTE credit and that spreads everybody thin; then it becomes a turf war between the instructors trying to keep their thing going.”

Principal Kathleen Laurence acknowledged the increase in course offerings. “We try to run courses that kids are interested in,” she said. “That’s really how it works. We do make choices when we don’t want [a] program to die, so we’re going to keep running it even though it is small.”

Additionally, Laurence will encourage counselors to recommend certain courses and programs when talking with students as a way to increase enrollment. “I would tell the counselors [that] we are looking to add students [to a certain class] when they are talking to them,” she said. “I would talk to the teachers about recruiting for their class too.”

Corpuz argued for more transparency in the course selection process. “[Administrators should] sit down with teachers and look at trends,” he said. “For example, if we were to look at the past ten years, how many students have picked this class as one of their electives—that can be first choice [or] second choice, right? How many students are enrolling versus how many students are actually taking the class?”

Corpuz specifically called for first, second and third choice course requests to be made available to teachers for analysis. “I’ve been asking for this data for a few years already— the raw data,” he said. “First, second and third choice. Can we get that number? Because that’s

Grace Liu

the group of students we should be talking to.”

Camicia, too, advocated for transparency with second and third choice requests. “I’d like to know, because I’ve seen numbers,” he said. “And then when I’m formally shown the numbers, the numbers have changed. So it’s like a miracle.

What happened here? Where did these people come from?

Or where did they go?”

Administrators have not been previously considered releasing such data, but they would be open to doing so.

“We’ve not used that data that way before,” Laurence said. “[The data] is in there, and we could get it out.”

Laurence also expressed interest in holding a meeting between CTE teachers and administration in the near-future.

For his part, Corpuz hopes to maintain continued cooperation between CTE courses and administration. “I hope [administrators] can help with the data and be a partner in keeping the journalism programs alive,” he said.

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

Editorial Board Editor-in-Chief Liza Kolbasov Managing Editors Jennifer Gao Ryan Li News Elisa Moraes-Liu Angela Wong Forum Jessica Wang Joshua Yang Features Madison Nguyen Nikki Suzani Centerfold Annika Bereny Calvin Cai Sports Devon Li Ryan Manesh Lifestyle Genna Bishop Charlie Bush Online Sophia Stern

Graphics Editor Grace Liu

Staff Business/Circulation Ryan Manesh Copy Editor Kate Mallery

drive themselves or bicycle.”

The VTA was aware of the disadvantages of Reporter and Forum Editor the plan for students, according to Childress.

Students returning for second semester en“We knew that this particular service change countered a bus schedule change due to the Sanwas not going to be popular with Gunn High ta Clara Valley Transportation Authority (VTA) School,” she said. “However, our Board-Director enacting a new plan to replace Route 88 with Charge said to invest 90% of our constrained School Trippers (buses) 288, 288L and 288M. operating resources in high ridership corridors Implemented on Dec. 28, 2019, and lines, where the most people the VTA’s “New Service Plan” has can be served.” been in the works since 2016 as part The announcement of the new of a service analysis process that takes schedule immediately received place every ten years. The main goal backlash from the community. of the VTA was to divert services in In a letter to the VTA written less central areas of the city to highbefore winter break, Gunn’s Partraffic areas of Santa Clara County. ent Teacher Student Association However, although buses 288, 288L (PTSA) criticized the execution of and 288M run specifically on school the plans. “Short notice will make days, they only operate around school it impossible for the City of Palo start and dismissal times.

Alto to implement plans to fill In comparison, the eliminated service gaps that this change will Route 88 followed an hourly schedule create,” the letter, signed by PTSA and would make stops in West and president Kimberly Eng Lee, said.

South Palo Alto. According to VTA “These service gaps will, in turn, Media and Public Affairs Manager cause hardship to school comBrandi Childress, the Route 88 did Mia Knezevic muting students who are depennot meet the minimum requirement Students wait at a bus stop after school amid VTA schedule changes. dent on the bus.” of 15 riders per hour.

The letter also requested a The limited morning bus services postponement until June 2020 to sues in other areas of students’ schedules. For have already caused difficulties for students. instance, students with preps during the school allow students to prepare for changes. The im“For each route, the L, the M and the 288, there’s day can no longer take the bus home. Weeks plementation of the plans proceeded nonetheonly one bus that comes in the morning,” ju- with alternate schedules, of which there are less. nior Vaishnavi Sankaran said. “So if you miss it, many, may throw off bus drivers without proper The VTA’s decision also affects the entire you’re kind of screwed.” community.

For many, a secondary service may forewarning.

To accommodate, Sankaran can no longer be the only option.

The limited after school services are especialsleep in on Wednesdays, despite having a B prep. ly impactful for students with extracurriculars.

She has observed other students with similar is- “There is one bus a little after 4 p.m., but after Read more about the VTA schedule sues in the mornings and has considered biking school at around five and six, students can’t take changes at gunnoracle.com as an alternative. the bus,” Keller said. “They have to get a ride, According to Gunn’s public transit coordinaCatherine Chu and Jessica Wang

Photographers Mia Knezevic Sophia Lu Wendy Xiong

Devon Lee Every high schooler must face the daunting reality of choosing a career path that will ultimately decide the rest of their future. In order to help students explore their interests, the Curriculum and Career Education programs of the Palo Alto Unified School District hosted their annual career speaker series over the course of a week in mid-January. This year’s round of career speakers saw professionals from a variety of backgrounds, from carpentry all the way to environmental science.

For many students, the career speaker series provides valuable insight into what work is like in the career they’re interested in. “It was nice to get that kind of insight because you can’t get it

anywhere else,” junior Kaley Chong said.

Nurse Phil Polansky believes that his experience in the field can help students steer clear of obstacles that they could face in their careers.“First and foremost I think is avoiding the mistakes of others. That’s the most important thing I think that the students I hope would take from it is,” Polansky said.

One piece of advice shared among career speakers was to encourage students to try to get job experience in the field that interests them.“I highly recommended people to volunteer, because if you volunteer in the medical field, you can get a better idea of what it really means to be in the hospital and working with patients,” Polansky said.

Environmental scientist Debbie Mytels reminds students that the career they are interest-

ed in may not be the one they end up pursuing, as she was a journalist turned scientist. “One valuable lesson of listening to adults that have had a lifetime experience is that those opportunities come along the way and you can have an opportunity to change and shift what you’re doing,” she said.

For Chong, the lectures provide a unique way to see other students who share similar career interests. “It’s kind of interesting to see who is interested in the same field,” she said.“It kind of makes you feel like you’re not the only one who wants that type of career.”

Polansky hopes that students will use what they’ve learned from the speakers. “I hope students don’t just blindly say, ‘I want to be a doctor’ without really understanding what’s entailed in being a doctor or a nurse,” he said.

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

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

“You do a really good job about covering the big topics like e-cigarettes, climate change and other stuff, but it would be cool if The Oracle could write about pop culture sometimes, too.”

—Amelia Yu (9)

Reporters Julianna Chang Catherine Chu Dori Filppu Mia Knezevic Shannon Lin Haley Pflasterer Arjun Shah Katie Shih Jessica Zang Adviser Kristy Blackburn

tor Arthur Keller, more than 100 students take the bus each day, which is about 5% of the student body. These numbers typically increase in the winter during the rainy seasons. Like Sankaran, many of these students are bound to encounter issues with convenience and gaps in bus service.

The lack of hourly services also causes is-

Career speakers discuss life after high school with students

Oracle/SEC Liaison Grace Liu Graphics Artists Sophie Fan Ella Koehler Shannon Lin Audrey Tseng Jamie Wang Jocelyn Wang

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New VTA bus schedule causes confusion, inconvenience

Sports Editor

Photo Editor Melissa Ding

Friday, February 7, 2020

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 enjoyed reading the article about single-use plastics. I think the article really brought awareness to everyone in our school about our surroundings.”

—Romy Chung (10)

“Winters in Palo Alto was memorable. Being able to relate to some of the locations or find out some new ones was very enjoyable.”

—Cody Hmelar (11)

—Dec. 6, 2019—

Read Math Department Instructional The Oracle won eighth place in Best of Show at the 2019 Lead David Deggeller’s Letter to the National Scholastic Press Association Conference on Nov. 21-24.

Editor at gunnoracle.com

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Representation within filmmaking industry

remains relevant for students, wider audience were of Asian descent, marking the highest Asian view- ginalized and understand the struggles of media misrepership of all time. The high viewership shows that Asian resentation or lack of representation.

Americans were especially excited about this movie When “Black Panther” was announced in 2018, Afand many flocked to theaters to see reflections of their rican American individuals around the country began everyday life on screen. posting images representing their culture with captions For the viewers who didn’t relate to the tradireflecting their excited attitudes toward watching the Julianna Chang and Jessica Zang tions shown, many still bought tickets because they movie. A video was posted on Twitter spotlighting wanted to be introduced to different cultures. three young teens hugging the movie poster, sayIn addition to audiences from Asia, other ing that the media representation that “Black Feb. 9 marks the 92nd Academy Awards, and out of the moviegoers also contributed Panther” provided made them 20 actors and actresses nominated for the Oscars—as the to the highest viewership in proud to be American. SeeThis norm may Academy Awards are colloquially known—only two are 2018 for a romantic comedy, ing their culture portrayed on people of color. Out of the five directors nominated, none and many left theaters knowbe expected, but screen, although distorted, evoked are female. In other words, this year is no different from ing more about the cultures they a sense of pride and belonging that is it should not be the Oscars of years past: the fight for more representation previously failed to understand. The rarely felt by teens of color in America. accepted among in the media has only intensified at the 92nd Oscars and movie portrays scenes detailing SingaMinority representation in mainstream meGunn students. other comparable awards ceremonies. Despite being far porean traditions, thus introducing nondia is impactful, especially for the younger from the spotlight, students should care about having di- Singaporean viewers to more diverse generations, as growing up viewing actors versity in Hollywood because it encourages understandcustoms and cultures. The success of and actresses like them on-screen helps ing and acceptance of different cultures, as well as mithis movie shows how important it them feel welcomed in a country with a nority empowerment through media representation. is for many Americans to see their majority white population.

The #OscarsSoWhite hashtag has been around cultures displayed in mainstream According to the US Census Bureau, the since 2015 in reference to the ongoing trend of allmedia, as well as how essential such movies are in US had a 76.5% white population in 2018. This provides white acting nominees in the Academy Awards. creating a more diverse and tolerant community. an easy argument for those in favor of the predominantly According to Forbes, over 70% of main protagoDespite all of the hype around “Crazy Rich white media representation, as it should be expected that nists are white male characAsians,” it was severely most of the actors and plotlines revolve around the culters, shedding light on the overlooked during the Os- ture of white Americans. This norm may be expected, but The success of lack of racial and gender cars, which are known for it should not be accepted among Gunn students. Accordthese movies shows representation in the medisregarding movies with cul- ing to the California Department of Education, Gunn is a how important it is dia. In terms of having different tural overtones, as well as actors culturally diverse school, with 46% of the student body of cultures in Hollywood, the number for many Americans and actresses of color. Although the Asian descent and 8% of Hispanic descent. The amount of culturally representative movies reto see their cultures Oscars have earned a bad reputation of minority representation in Hollywood’s media does ceiving widespread acclaim has dwindled, over the years, many viewers still rely on not begin to compare to the diverse student population displayed in limited to only a few blockbusters like the awards ceremony to pinpoint movies on campus. It is important to create more movies and mainstream media.

“Crazy Rich Asians” and “Moonlight.” worth watching. Movies that earn Oscars jobs featuring diverse cultures to increase understanding Many Asian Americans were full of gain a certain level of merit and honor, and representation. anticipation after the movie “Crazy making it significant that culturally diWhile watching the Oscars this weekend, students Rich Asians” was announced. The verse movies are so underrepresented should be aware of possible injustices and celebrate any Singaporean and Chinese overtones and overlooked in both the nominees recognition of diversity. Although students don’t have diand indications of East Asian customs in the movie were and winners. This may be due to the 93% white and 76% rect control over the results of award ceremonies, they empowering for many who could finally relate to the cul- male makeup of the Academy Awards voting board. Some can focus on the movies that provide marginalized poputure on screen. Indeed, in box office returns, “Crazy Rich of these members may not understand the importance of lations with representation.

Asians” earned the highest romantic comedy box office recognizing movies with cultural significance as much as grossing in the last 10 years, and sixth of all time, accord- women or people of color, who have grown up more mar–Chang and Zang, both sophomores, are reporters. ing to the New York Times. Additionally, 38% of viewers

Audrey Tseng

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Friday, February 7, 2020

Oscars fail to recognize, respond adequately to uncomfortable racism

Mark Hernandez

Jocelyn Wang

Statistics courtesy of Vox Media and Academy Awards

In 1989, no one knew if the academy would (or even could) do the right thing with Spike Lee’s “Do the Right Thing.” Chronicling a sweltering summer day in 1989 in a racially diverse Brooklyn neighborhood, the film struck chords with everyone who saw it—and with many who didn’t.

Ambitious and well-executed, the film is difficult to categorize, and impossible to forget. Legendary critic Roger Ebert was in tears as he finished watching the film, and said it “penetrates your soul.” In many people’s eyes (mine included), it’s a masterpiece.

To some, its raw and problematic look at racism is also frightening. Critic David Simon called its climax (featuring a riot) “a shambles.” Even its fans find themselves frustrated at the ending, which provides more questions about racism than answers.

Some critics’ (debatably racist) pre-release fear-mongering framed the film as a call to action, and predicted outbreaks of mass street violence. One critic said Lee was “playing with dynamite.” These predictions, which inspired sustained pressure on Universal not to release the film, proved incorrect. And though the film acquired a loyal following, it was also, in some circles, radioactive. So the academy had quite the quandary: what to do with “Do the Right Thing?”

Then, on Dec. 13, the academy received a gift: “Driving Miss Daisy.”

A feel-good dramedy starring Hollywood icons Morgan Freeman and Jessica Tandy, the film starts in 1948 and chronicles 25 years of an African American chauffeur driving an elderly southern white matriarch wherever she needs to go. Through their travels and years together, they become best friends.

“Do the Right Thing” presents viewers with uncomfortable messages: racism is a clear and present danger; even the most apparently progressive people harbor unconscious racism; and there’s no easy fix here. Unsettling stuff.

“Driving Miss Daisy,” meanwhile, presents more calming messages: yes, racism exists, but if we just open our hearts, everyone can get along. Far less unsettling.

Thus, “Driving Miss Daisy” gave the academy an out, a way to acknowledge the racism present in both movies and yet not embrace the urgent complexity of “Do the Right Thing.” So the academy took what many perceived as a safe, three-step exit strategy.

First, nominate “Do the Right Thing” (and, thus, Lee) for Best Original Screenplay, to pacify the film’s fans. Second, deny nominations to Lee for Best Director and the film for Best Picture, to pacify the film’s detractors. Third, nominate “Driving Miss Daisy” for—and award it—Best Picture, to pacify America, to say, in essence, “Don’t let big bad Spike scare you. We’ve made such progress! Everything’s fine.”

“Do the Right Thing” enthusiasts were not amused (or pacified). On Oscar night, before “Driving Miss Daisy” won Best Picture, Kim Basinger, presenting the award for Best Original Score, decried “Do the Right Thing”’s snub: “[T]here’s one film missing from [the list of nominees for Best Picture] that deserves to be on it, because, ironically, it tells the biggest truth of all, and that’s ‘Do the Right Thing.’”

For their parts, Public Enemy, Ice Cube and Big Daddy Kane were frustrated enough to write and perform “Burn, Hollywood, Burn,” a song calling out Hollywood’s long history of racism, one that included African American actors only as, in Kane’s words, “butlers and maids, slaves and hoes.” And the musicians had receipts: the video for “Burn” features rapid-fire shots of some despicably racist images from Hollywood films. If you haven’t seen it, trust me: the images of blackface are some of the most tame in the video.

One could reasonably claim that Public Enemy was biased toward “Do the Right Thing”—after all, they wrote and performed the film’s anthem, “Fight the Power.” One could also argue that the video’s unsubtle ending—Ice Cube takes a match to a theater showing “Driving Miss Daisy”—did not bring any undecided viewers to their side. But no serious person could argue that the rage they expressed about Hollywood’s past and present failures did not resonate with millions of people. Celebrations of “Driving Miss Daisy” were not helping the racism exposed in “Do the Right Thing.”

2019’s Oscars provided a twist ending to this story. “Blackkklansman,” Spike Lee’s movie about an African-American police officer infiltrating the KKK, had earned a nomination for Best Adapted Screenplay. More important, because they were his first in these categories, and thus potentially legacy-changing, were the nominations for Best Director and Best Picture. And when Lee (and his co-writers) won Best Adapted Screenplay, things looked promising.

Then “Blackkklansman” ran into a buzzsaw: “Green Book.” The film, starring Viggo Mortensen and Mahershala Ali, tells the story of (get this!) a white chauffeur driving an African American musician around the South to his gigs. Through their travels and tribulations, they become best friends.

It won Best Picture.

Lee, apoplectically expressing the pain of the only person to lose this particular way, shouted, “Every time someone drives, I lose!” (He was then escorted off the premises.)

I’ve seen more than twenty Spike Lee films. In my humble opinion, “Blackkklansman,” for all its merits, is not in his top ten. Nor did it deserve Best Picture. But neither did “Green Book.” (“A Star is Born” and “Black Panther,” at least, were better.)

So while I do not condone Lee’s outburst, I am empathetic. The optics, especially given the 1989 Oscars, are bad.

In 1989, the academy could have recognized a bold look at contemporary racism, and, in the process, encouraged further discussion. Instead, it rewarded an idealized path to racial utopia, and, in the process, fatuously presented itself as an ally and congratulated America on its progress. But it did not seriously address racism.

The academy used the same playbook in 2019. The approach won’t help this time, either. America still grapples with racism, and so does the academy. The answer to these issues is not to whitewash history and reward white savior films. It starts with the academy—and America—having the awareness and courage to support films that ask difficult questions.

–Hernandez, a film literature teacher, is a guest columnist.

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SHOULD students choose classes on the basis of subject or teacher?

Dori Filppu Every school year, students undergo the course selection process, navigating through a variety of science, technology, math, humanities and history classes as well as electives displayed on the online courage catalogue. Yet many struggle to determine which classes they should sign up for, especially given the fact that this choice determines much of a student’s upcoming school year experience. The easy A’s, the funny teachers and the promise of a weighted grade point average (GPA) all serve as contributing factors to this choice. Despite alternative strategies, however, students should choose their courses based on their interests because doing so contributes to overall success and personal development.

The content of a course is proven to have an impact on overall student performance.

To succeed in a class, students should select their courses based on what appeals to them and caters to their interests. A study conducted by University of Michigan researchers Olaf Köller and Jürgen Baumert found a direct correlation between student

Kate Mallery With course selections just around the corner, some students may be struggling to choose their classes. There are many factors to consider when signing up for courses: What subjects do I want to take? How many Advanced Placement (AP) or honors classes am I taking? Is this class going to be too hard? And, of course, will I have friends in this class? However, the most important factor to consider during course selection is the teacher who is teaching the class.

Teachers can make or break a class. One bad teacher can put a damper on what would otherwise be a great semester. When a teacher

interest and performance. Their article, “Does Interest Matter?” concludes that there is a 30% increase in class success when students are interested in the class.

The results vary by subject and gender, but the overall consensus supports the relationship between interest and performance. Amid the rigor and stress of the education system, students also face increasing pressure to perform well, as grades directly affect college and future options. Therefore, students should strategize how to best succeed; based on Köller and Baumert’s findings, the answer lies in their interest in a class. Selecting courses that have greater meaning to students likely translates to a higher grade, which eventually contributes to more options for the future.

Classes are designed to challenge students and help develop their interests in high school, college and well into adulthood. Judith M. Harackiewicz and Chris S. Hulleman’s article, “The Importance of Interest: The Role of Achievement Goals and Task Values in Promoting the Development of Interest,” investigates how student interest develops from the classroom to real life. Their findings demonstrate that captivating classes help students cultivate their interest in a particular field, contributing to greater personal development. For example, a student who is interested in calculus may find after taking the

does not explain the subject well, it can often lead to a lot of unnecessary stress, bad grades and confusion. Some teachers can also create stressful classroom environments. It is safe to say that most Gunn students already have enough stress in their lives, and getting a bad teacher can really take a toll.

Many students choose a class purely for its subject or because it is an honours or AP class and fail to consider the teacher. The drawbacks of having a bad teacher certainly outweigh that one honors class on your transcript. More often than not, AP classes are time consuming, have challenging grading systems and lead to very stressful experiences.

Students should take classes with great teachers even if they are not honors level classes, or they are not really interested in the subject. Most students are not yet sure what they want to study in college, and it is important to explore a wide variety of subjects to see what you are interested in.

class that they feel a greater drive to pursue math further, in a career or degree. Courses foster interest, and therefore, students should select classes that help them grow.

Having interest in a subject is the gateway to possibility, and students need to take advantage of such opportunity by choosing classes that interest them.

Some may argue that students should select their classes based on the teacher, rather than their initial interest, and that it is the teacher that makes the class interesting. While teachers certainly contribute to class atmosphere, the content of the course remains for the most part unchanged. The influence of a teacher only stretches so far, and it falls on the student to ultimately perform and learn in a class. Rather than choosing to take a class where the teacher is likeable but the content proves unmanageable, students should follow their interests and sign up for courses that appeal to them.

A good teacher is not always guaranteed, but the curriculum of a class is.

With the stress of course selections coming up, combined with parental and self pressure, students should pause and take a moment to reflect, as prioritizing classes that interest them helps promote academic success and personal growth. Catering to one’s interests is the first step to success in school and in life.

–Filppu, a junior, is a reporter.

Teachers can turn subjects you thought you hated into great classes.

A great teacher can also make a significant impact on a student’s life. Having a class with a teacher that you feel comfortable talking to and joking around with in a stress-free environment is crucial in high school. A Review of Educational Research analysis of 46 studies showed that strong teacher-student relationships were associated with higher student academic engagement, attendance and grades, as well as fewer disruptive behaviors and suspensions and lower school dropout rates.

So, before you sign up for your classes, make sure to weigh all your options. Teachers are extremely important in the overall experience of classes. So, talk to upperclassmen about potential teachers, or at least look them up on Rate My Professor before signing up for a class.

–Mallery, a junior, is a Copy Editor.

Jamie Wang

Features

Friday, February 7, 2020

7

Destination Belle

Mia Knezevic

Sophomore SIham Arsalane designs, sells accessories, donates to women’s charity Sophomore Siham Arsalane is the founder of Destination Belle, a business that sells headbands in support of female empowerment.

Arsalane sells the accessories on her website, destinationbelle.wordpress.com.

Twenty percent of the proceeds go to Girls Inc., a charity that benefits women.

Arsalane decided to start creating headbands as a way to pass time over winter break.

“I didn’t have a lot to do. I had recently gotten into sewing from the fiber arts class I took at Gunn,” she said. “I love to sell things, create things and create cool feeds [on Instagram] for them. So I thought since I had these two and a half weeks of time, it would be a great time to do it.”

The name Destination Belle comes from the French word “belle,” which means beauty. “I wanted to have the products that I make for this account empower women to feel their best and feel confident in what they’re wearing,” Arsalane said. “I called it Destination Belle because it’s kind of like ‘destination beauty,’ and it’s about what makes you feel beautiful.”

Arsalane’s main source of inspiration comes from current fashion trends. “I chose headbands to make because I thought about what was trending at the time and what would yield the most customers,” she said. “I thought I could make a ton of different patterns and designs that could be really cute for people’s outfits.”

Destination Belle initially sold only headbands, but Arsalane has created hair scarves and bandanas that she has begun to sell as well. “[Destination Belle is] definitely not just headbands,” she said. “In the future, I would like to expand into more clothing items, and not just accessories, or even just different types of accessories or maybe going into necklaces and actual jewelry.”

The main goal when creating products was to make them functional, yet stylish. “The design process was pretty interesting,” she said. “I put elastic in the back [of the headbands] and had it be kind of like a scrunchie so it could fit over a lot of people’s head shapes.”

A portion of the money she makes will go to a charity called Girls Inc. “It’s a charity about female empowerment and encouraging girls to be strong and independent businesswomen,” Arsalane said. “That’s what I’m doing through my business, so I thought it would be good to donate to that organization.”

Girls Inc. donates money to help provide resources to impoverished girls. Arsalane believes in this cause because she treasures female empowerment. “They empower girls to be strong and independent, and they donate money to girls who can’t get an education,” she said.

—Written by Sophia Stern

Audrey Tseng

Stats courtesy of Girls Inc.

Photos courtesy of Siham Arsalane

Top Left: Junior Molly Wilkinson models a headband in daisy print.

Bottom Left and Top Right: Sophomore Iman Hussain models two headbands in lilac garden and plaid patterns. Middle: Founder of Destination Belle, sophomore Siham Arsalane, smiles for a headshot. Bottom Right: Wilkinson and freshman Kenza Ashworth pose in sky blue and daisy.

8

Features

International students reflect on their experiences moving across countries Freshman Maanasa Viswanath: India

“Why are the cars moving so fast?” was what eleven-year-old Maanasa Viswanath thought when she came to America. Viswanath moved from India in 2016, just in time to start sixth grade at Jane Lanthrop Stanford Middle School. The American schooling system contrasts sharply with Viswanath’s former education. “School is definitely easier here,” she said. “It was much harder in India because I had a lot of activities that I was balancing with a lot of studying.”

Viswanath also realized that the way material is taught in America is very different than the methods used in India. “What I had to do in India to study for the exams, which I had pretty often, was to memorize everything,” she said.

This contradicted with her learning in the United States. “The way people teach here is just better at getting info into my head,” she said.

Viswanath notes that another major difference between America and India is the lifestyles and cultures. She believes that India was a lot more diverse.

“There is no normal day,” she said. “Every day is something or the other. There are so many different cultures there that every day will be a festival for somebody.”

For Viswanath, the hardest part of living in America is the separation from her family. With India more than twelve hours ahead of America, there really is no good time to contact them. “It’s midnight for them when I want to talk,” she said.

Viswanath reflects back on the day she moved. “I was super scared,” she said with a laugh. This conflicts with her thoughts about America now. “Now I’m so happy I moved,” she said This is because the safety procedures are different here. “Everything is so much easier here. I can actually be independent,” she said. “If I go back to India now, I can’t go outside on my own.”

—Written by Katie Shih

From the outside, sophomore Lucia Acosta seems like a normal Bay Area teenager. But when you begin to talk to her, there’s one thing that sticks out: her thick Spanish accent.

Acosta moved from Madrid to Palo Alto in 2017. After moving, she struggled to adjust. “At first, it was really challenging, but eventually I got used to being here,” Acosta said.

Other than the major differences in culture, the education system of the two countries varied, with different class sizes and class options.

The number of electives offered in Spain pales in comparison to those of the U.S. “In Spain, there’s already set classes and you can’t really choose what you’re taking,” Acosta said.

The academic environment was also less competitive and the standards of excellence were lower. “The classes were a lot easier in Spain, where only a three out of ten is a fail,” Acosta said. Students were also less ambitious in their academic goals, focusing more on other aspects of life. “People wouldn’t think about college until their senior year,” she said.

Even so, the Spanish school days were longer, with classes ending at 5 p.m. Those long days left Acosta with less time for extracurriculars.

Nevertheless, Acosta still had the opportunity to participate in more sports, such as rugby, which isn’t as popular in California.

Living in Spain shaped Acosta’s worldview in a significant way.

Spain’s laid-back atmosphere contrasts heavily with the Bay Area’s competitiveness. Nevertheless, Acosta feels fortunate for the opportunity to grow up in two very different countries. “I grew up with people that were always nice and supportive around me,” she said.

Sophomore Lucia Acosta: SPaiN

—Written by Julianna Chang

Senior Maya Schell: Singapore

Growing up, senior Maya Schell has moved over five times, living in Dubai, Australia, Singapore and San Diego. She moved to Palo Alto in seventh grade and began at Fletcher Middle School. “Moving here [compared to previous moves] was probably the hardest for me because I was older and in middle school,” she said. “It was harder to understand the culture here, and also to meet friends.”

Maya’s academic experiences in her former hometowns have also greatly differed from the ones in Palo Alto. Schell has attended international schools that taught in English and her native language, German. There, Maya was required to participate in the International Baccalaureate curriculum, which differs from American standards.

“In Singapore, it’s mandatory that you take three languages at a time, so I would have had to take English, German and one other language,” she said.

These frequent changes in Schell’s life have been rough at times.

“I think living in various places made transitioning to Gunn harder because coming to Palo Alto is kind of intimidating, especially because of the culture it’s known for,” she said. “I felt like I was very different and I thought it was going to be an issue.”

Within Gunn, however, Schell has found a supportive community in which she feels integrated. She has gotten exposure to living in various environments. From these experiences, she has gained skills that will be beneficial for years to come. “I think I’m a very adaptable person, and I like meeting new people, travelling, and going to new places,” she said. “I find it easy to be in a room of people I don’t really know.”

—Written by Mia Knezevic

Photo illustrations by Melissa Ding and Shannon Lin Graphics by Grace Liu

9 Seasoned teachers reflect on their Changes, experiences throughout time Spent at GUnn Features

Friday, February 7, 2020

James Shelby Read, cast, practice, perform and repeat; for 37 years, performing arts teacher James Shelby has been sharing his passion for theatre with his students.

After a year of the Stanford Teaching Education Program, Shelby arrived at Gunn in the fall of 1983 when he was 28 years old. At the time, Gunn appeared to have no more available slots when he went looking for an open position for teaching English. Upon arriving at an informational interview, however, he was offered a teaching position for his first love: theatre.

Shelby found this opportunity a pleasant surprise, and described the interview positively. “It’s like going on a date that wasn’t a date, and you didn’t know you were dating,” he said.

However, Shelby recalls an emotional and maturing development as well. “It’s like a standing wave in a river,” he said. “It’s new water all the time…with the standing wave of great, excited, thrilling 14 to 18 year old kids, [but] I get older as they come. So, my perspective with them has definitely changed.”

Despite his many years of teaching, Shelby makes sure his classes are never boring, whether it’s by switching the curriculum or bringing in new materials.

Even when cycling through the same play, there’s always a fresh change. “Everything about it is different, yet it resonates. So it’s sort of old and new every time,” Shelby explained. “And I have new kids. For goodness sakes, I teach ‘Hamlet’ every other year. You go, ‘Oh, don’t you get tired of it?’ and I never ever do.”

One of Shelby’s favorite memories was in 2001, when he directed “Romeo and Juliet.” He was considering stopping teaching theatre, but changed his mind while watching the play unfold. “The last moment was chilling to me,” he said.

“The audience [felt] it and I felt it. And I realized ‘Crap, I can’t quit theater. I love it too much.’”

Ultimately, it’s the students that bring Shelby back every year. “Young people that come into my world are creative,” he said. “I have the best students and best community in the world. It couldn’t have been a luckier twist of fate for me.”

—Written by Shannon Lin

Steve Ames Yoga and Physical Education (P.E) teacher Steve Ames has been at Gunn since 1994. His journey, however, did not begin with P.E.: initially, Ames was a math teacher, teaching courses such as geometry and algebra. Ames transitioned to the P.E. department when he saw an opportunity to become the Athletic Director in 1997. “The athletic director at the time was moving on,” Ames said. “I applied for that position and the principal at the time, Chris Rich, said that if you want to take that position, you have to be a P.E. teacher. That’s when I started working on my P.E. credentials, and eventually tested in and that’s why I ended up here.”

Ames has witnessed many changes in the community. “There’s a lot more concern about student health now,” Ames said. “Students feel a lot more stress so the atmosphere feels different.”

The school has also physically changed since Ames first began teaching at Gunn. “The whole village didn’t even exist when I started,” Ames said. “We only had one gym.” Ames also noted the expansion of other athletic facilities, including the pool, tennis courts and baseball fields.

Ames enjoys forming relationships with students. “I like it when they get something they haven’t learned before,” Ames said. “It’s a lot of fun when kids write a thank you note because I didn’t know the impact I’d had. That’s why I like to teach ultimate frisbee because most kids haven’t played frisbee and they become awesome usually by the end of the unit.”

For new teachers, Ames recommends taking it slow.

“The best thing is to learn your students and learn the people around you,” he said. “A lot of times in the first year, you feel like you’re trying to do so much [and] you feel like you have to grade everything, but you don’t.

Often, you’re so worried about the curriculum, you don’t worry about the students and the biggest thing is connecting with your students, connecting with the administration and connecting with your teaching style, because that’s going to be the support that you’re going to need.”

Yearbook photos courtesy of the Gunn Olympian

—Written by Elisa Moraes-Liu

Bill Liberatore Come lunchtime in the choir room, students mill about risers encircling a grand piano, talking and laughing in droves and flooding out the doors of a newly constructed performing arts building. It’s hard to imagine a single teacher could have single-handedly led to this scene, yet it’s true: over the years, choir director Bill Liberatore has built a choir program boasting over 120 students that regularly embarks on tours all across the United States.

As one of Gunn’s longest-serving teachers, Liberatore has taught music on campus since 1989, leading the choir and instructing classes such as AP Music Theory.

Through the course of over three decades, Liberatore can attest to the sweeping changes he’s witnessed in his students. “When I first came here, Gunn had a self-image of being innovative,” he said. “We didn’t look to other people to tell us the next thing should be.

We thought we were the people who should think up the next exciting thing in the way we taught and the way we organized things.”

According to Liberatore, the recent shift has not been for the better. “Now, they want each teacher to be in lockstep with exactly how every other teacher teaches that same [subject],” he said.

Liberatore also pointed out the change in students’ mindsets. “ You guys [today] have a lot more pressure on you to do well and to be able to go on,” he said. “Those kids [in 1989] didn’t have that.”

In reflecting back on his career, Liberatore would advise his younger self to relax in his furious pursuit for more. “I did a lot in my 30 years,” he said. “I did a lot of tours. I did a lot of shows. I raised a lot of money. We’ve probably been to Europe 10 or 12 times in my 30 years. I would just do a little less and just chill out a little bit. There’s lots of time to do everything.”

So what’s next? Liberatore acknowledges that retirement is approaching, yet he expressed his continued love for what he does. “[I’ll retire] when I’m not having fun anymore,” he said. “I’m having a lot of fun. I love class. I love going on trips with [students]. When I’m not making it fun for them, I think I’ll be able to see that. I’ll be able to see that’s it time to let someone else run the ship.

I don’t think I’m quite there yet.”

—Written by Joshua Yang

Paul Dunlap

Photos by Wendy Xiong

A sea of adults fresh out of college, eyes wide in anticipation of the next stage of their professional lives, swam up and down the stands of potential teaching positions at the Santa Clara job fair. One face in particular—a California Polytechnic State University San Louis Obispo graduate with degrees in English and School Administration now better known as English teacher Paul Dunlap—floated among the crowds, eyes set on the Palo Alto Unified School District (PAUSD) stand. “Don’t bother applying,” his friends advised. “Nobody ever gets a job because it’s a desirable district. The people that get hired never leave.” Dunlap grabbed an application, determined to prove his

friends wrong—he was hired in Sept. 1994.

Nonetheless, he knew that Gunn was his second home from the moment he had stepped on campus. “I was walking across the quad, and I couldn’t believe students were voluntarily talking to teachers,” he said. “It was so foreign to my experience.”

While Dunlap spent his entire teaching career at PAUSD, he attended 13 different schools before high school. These frequent changes led to Dunlap’s interest in holding leadership positions, translating into a love for teaching. “I was always leaving my friends, so I decided to prioritize school work instead, because that was constant,” he said. “In every school, hard work pays off. In high school, I had some really great teachers, which planted the idea that I can be like them one day, too.”

Throughout his 26 years at Gunn, Dunlap has noticed an array of technological shifts in his classroom, such as the replacement of chalkboards with SmartBoards. Even so, he maintains an intentionally old-school teaching style. “If the power goes off, we still have our books—and they work!” Dunlap said. “We spend less time silently thinking and reading, yet we cheat this by quickly moving from one task to another rather than sustaining a longer thought.” Likewise, cellphone usage has been increasingly excessive over the years. “Before, students weren’t on their phones,” he said. “They were on life. On person-to-person interaction.”

Despite it all, Dunlap remains bewildered by how fast his years at Gunn have seemingly passed. “I’ve always looked up to Mr. Shelby and Mr. Liberatore, so to be grouped with them is an honor,” he said. “I have a lot of respect for them.”

—Written by Angela Wong

10

Cente

Practice of self love proves To Be A continous journey

Madison Nguyen As teenagers, there’s a pressure to have the perfect high school relationship. From endless streams of rom-coms to the plethora of public displays of affection, the media isn’t subtle about displaying people in relationships. However, they almost never show real steps to build a healthy relationship, or be happy on your own. Nowadays, the term self-love has been thrown around from one celebrity to another, each promoting their own methods of self-love. We see it everywhere, but what does it really mean? Self-love doesn’t happen overnight, and it’s not just accepting who you are. Rather, it should be an ongoing state of appreciation and admiration for yourself through actions that help better your physical, mental and emotional well-being.

Everyone starts caring about their self-image at different times: for me, it started as early as my first day of preschool. I would compare myself to the kid next to me, even for the littlest things–how much attention they were getting from teachers, their clothes, everything. As the years passed, the ability to have any self confidence slowly drifted away. Just like many other kids, I was exposed to the internet, social media, the Victoria’s Secret Fashion show and even the Cosmopolitan magazines beside grocery lines at the local Safeway on Middlefield, which all set up a false body expectation. Although I know that Palo Alto is such a diverse place with so many people of different cultures, I couldn’t help but to compare what I looked like to other white teenage girls. Even now, I still struggle with this perception of beauty as white, skinny and blonde, while knowing that I am none of those things.

I used to look at myself in the mirror and point out all of the things about myself I hated. I hated how my eyebrows twisted up at the end and wouldn’t arch down. I hated how when I put my hair in a ponytail, it would make my face look more round. I hated how my thighs were just a little thicker than average. I hated how I had a stomach that couldn’t be concealed. These things that I hate don’t go away, but my feelings toward what I see as ugly aren’t suppressed either–these are features, not flaws. That’s not to say that I don’t still compare myself to the models on my Instagram explore page, but I’ve embraced this idea of coming to terms with the fact that beauty doesn’t have limits. I found clothes I felt confident in and people I looked up to. I stopped following accounts that made me feel insecure about myself, and instead, began looking up to the people who were like me and were capable of being in a healthy relationship as well.

As I write this column, it would be a complete lie to say that I wholeheartedly love myself. Most of the time, I don’t love myself, no matter how much I want to. Maybe you can relate to this–an overwhelming feeling that everything about who you are and what you look like is ugly and no one will ever love you. It sounds so exaggerated, but isn’t it true? No matter what gender you identify with, we all have moments where we base our entire existence and purpose in life on the possibility of love. But, it’s the wrong love we’re so focused on. We judge ourselves so harshly and hate who we are, and yet we seek others who can love our little quirks and flaws. Our existence should be supported by the love we have for ourselves, rather than the love we can find in others.

Think of something that you love about yourself–not just something about your appearance, but about who you are as a person. Before we find others who can appreciate every part of ourselves, it’s imperative to find how we can be kind to ourselves. It’s not just being able to accept our flaws and the things we hate about ourselves, but also learning to appreciate everything, whether it’s your smile and laugh, or your compassion and ambition. Self-love is not just accepting the bad things, but also praising the good things.

The idea of self-love is so recycled that we often hear the same things over and over again: before loving others, we must first learn to love ourselves. Self-love shouldn’t be centered around finding a significant other, but around finding the peace and happiness within to build confidence, realize self-worth and be content with feeling lonely.

Self-love isn’t something that is achieved—it is something that is practiced. It is not a one-time thing, it is a yearround thing. It is not just something that you, alone, are struggling with. It is something that every single person in the world battles with everyday.

—Nguyen, a junior, is a Feautures Editor.

Love at first Bite

Share some yummy brunch with a special someone. Neighboring the Philz Coffee on Middlefield Rd., Bill’s Cafe is the perfect spot to have a hearty brunch with your significant other. The menu is complete with pancakes, omelets and French toast.

Comfy booths and yummy food make this the best homey brunch place. If the meal goes well, walk over to Philz, the good-vibes coffee place, for a quick drink. If it gets awkward, just dig in and your mouth will be full anyway.

Love at first Kite Prepare the per fect picnic for two at Foothills Park. This Palo Alto resident-only park has the best lunch views: blue skies, flower fields and a serene lake. Apple cider, baguettes, salami, berries and cheese are perfect ideas for a mid-afternoon picnic. Relax on the docks or on the hills while enjoying a carefree lunch. Feel the sun and cool breeze on your face as you get to know each other. If all goes well, trek around the lake to walk off some of the calories.

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Love is a feeling developed between two strongly connected people. You know love once you know the person better than they know themselves.

Hailey Yuan (9)

Love is a feeling that’s developed over spending a lot of time with someone. You’ll realize that you are in love when you start to look forward to seeing someone every day and when just being around them makes you feel all warm inside.

Darien Chung (12)

erfold

Love is

Friday, February 7, 2020

Ice skate with your date at Winter Lodge.

Skate at night under the stars or cuddle up with your significant other to escape the cold.

Race around the rink and compete with your date, or get to know them while skating leisurely. If you love holding hands, this is the perfect date for you.

Love at first glide

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11

L iu

Love at first Sight tio n

Love. It’s one of the words that’s uttered the most—one of the few universal feelings. It can be hard to find and just as hard to keep. Still, it is one of the most treasured emotions.

Although there is no “valid” way to love, some of the sweetest expressions of love include focusing on little things, creating a positive atmosphere and setting aside time to make your loved ones feel important.

Love is often hidden in the little things. It’s phrases like “drive safe” that can mean the whole orld. I once knew a boy who kept a collection of hair ties on his sleeve. When I asked why, he plained that he was holding them for his girlfriend. She’d often forget to bring her own and would n be unable to do things like participate in labs. Rather than placing the burden on her to remember, cided to start carrying them around in case she ever needed them, letting her know that he would be or her, no matter what she needed. her way to express love is to let in the ones you love. Trust them to be okay with you when life sucks. Tell out your failures just as much as your successes, be willing to laugh with them about the thousands of cant problems in your lives. Embrace their flaws and blemishes wholly, and offer yourself as a shoulder for ry on. Going through tough times can make love stronger, if you let it. me out of your day to let them know that they’re appreciated. Remind them of how amazing they are and ’ve done for you. Welcome their attempts to love you back. More importantly, avoid being “too busy.” This d, especially for teenagers with a thousand things to do, but it’s completely achievable if you put effort into it. , it wouldn’t truly be a love article if I didn’t talk about some level of intimacy. Not every relationship is intimate, and that’s completely okay. But for those that are, know that even the smallest touches are a way ting the person you love. One of the sweetest things you can do with your partner is hold hands, even in the moments. It’s such a small thing, but it feels like getting enveloped in someone else’s warmth, helping them mselves up and reminding them that you’re close by. Hugs, too, can be really wholesome. They let you know person you love is right there around you. Of course, never be pressured to go any further than you’re rtable with and always establish boundaries. Make sure everyone feels safe, and understand that the bigpart of love is a bond that’s far beyond anything physical.

Appreciate aged classics downtown at the Stanford Theatre.

Travel back to the 1920s with the old-style decorations and grandiose architectural design. Take your pick from artfully selected movie titles hare some popcorn with your date and relax. If the movie gets boring, snuggle up instead.

—Compiled by Jessica Zang

—Suzani, a junior, is a Features Editor.

Love is something we take for granted!

There’s so much of it going around that we all need to be more appreciative of it, especially right now when it’s so close to Valentine’s Day.

faces in the crowd:

Madeline Siu (11)

What is Love?

Check out our Love-themed Spotify Playlist:

Love is when you care for someone without expecting anything in return. It’s when you are ready to sacrifice anything for someone and willing to support each other no matter what.

Ria Rajput (10) —Compiled by Genna Bishop, Haley Pflasterer Graphics by Shannon Lin Photos by Melissa Ding and Sophia Lu

12

Features

Junior Nalini Gunawardena pursues middle college education, alternative learning process

Middle college serves as a viable and alternative path for high schoolers. Personal, engaging and unique, Foothill College caters to juniors and seniors from Palo Alto, Mountain View and Los Altos school districts who seek an independent form of learning. Middle college allowed junior Nalini Gunawardena to thrive in a different environment while remaining connected to her community and friends.

Gunawardena stayed at Gunn throughout her freshman and sophomore years but as a junior, decided to look into middle college. “I just didn’t feel a connection with [Gunn], and I wanted to look into other options,” Gunawardena said. “I heard about middle college from a friend, and after going to an information meeting, I realized it would be a good fit for me.”

However, middle college was not a black-and-white transition for Gunawardena. “It was definitely a shot in the dark,” she said. “I wasn’t sure what I was getting myself into, but I’m so glad it worked out.” According to Gunawardena, the adjustment from Gunn to middle college varies from person to person. “The program caters to everyone, and it’s really a case-by-case basis” Gunawardena said.

“For me, it was very different than Gunn in the sense that I had to get used to a small school and new people.” Gunawardena had to adapt to the learning style and tight-knit community that middle college offers, among other things, which took some time.

Having struggled with social anxiety, Gunawardena found that middle college’s junior class of thirty people was most appealing to her. “It was crazy at first being so small, but middle college allowed me to connect with people I never would have in a formal high school setting,” she said. For Gunawardena, the central community of middle college was a source of friendship and security, qualities that weren’t present for her at Gunn.

While unique in environment and curriculum, middle college is also designed to allow students to stay involved at their former schools. “I can still attend dances, be part of sports teams and do clubs,” Gunawardena said. “I’m still registered as a Gunn student and have a student I.D., but just attend outside classes.” By continuing to attend Gunn events, Gunawardena still feels a connection to her old friends and teachers. “There are definitely times when I miss some of my friends and teachers here at Gunn, but it’s comforting that I’m still able to see them whenever I want, as if I’m still a part of the school,” she said.

According to Gunawardena, middle college is vastly different from Gunn, as it has a completely distinct student environment. “I think that if you’re looking for a learning-focused, smaller environment, middle college would be a really good fit,” Gunawardena said. “It provided me with the close community and environment I wanted, but I know for other students, it allowed them to grow academically.”

According to Gunawardena, middle college helps students in all fields, from social to textbook learning.

Looking wistfully around Gunn’s campus, Gunawardena confessed that she sometimes missed it.

“It was hard to leave, but I’ve had such a positive time at middle college and so far, it’s been worth it.”

Gunawardena doesn’t know exactly what the future holds for her yet, but remains optimistic. “I’ve had my ups and downs for sure,” she said. “But right now I’m happy and really that’s all I could ask for.”

—Written by Dori Filppu

Shannon Lin

Melissa Ding

Sophie Fan

Sports

Friday, February 7, 2020

13

Millenials favor streaming use over cable television With the surge in social media popularity among millennials in the past decade, many are wondering if interest in sports is declining. NBA commissioner Adam Silver writes that, according to his studies, “sports viewership was down more than 15%, with spectators watching one hour and 12 minutes per game compared to last year.” Meanwhile, Forbes reports that sports viewership on streaming services has reached an all-time high. Younger people are still interested in sports, though their platform preferences have changed.

Before streaming services such as Netflix, YouTube and Hulu were introduced, watching cable television was much more common for teenagers. However, since then, with the various multipurpose social media platforms, millenials have shown a preference for following sports on these platforms instead. For instance, in 2018, the Quartz conducted a Structural Management Group survey of 18- to 25-year-olds. Out of these individuals, 50% were found to be more likely to stream sports illegally, and 50% less likely to pay for TV subscriptions, in comparison with 50-year-olds. The decline in TV subscriptions greatly affects the revenue for all major sports organizations. According to Tom Rich`ardson, founder and president of the Convergence Sport and Media consultancy group, the modern sports-media landscape is dominated by the “highlights economy,” which has been cultivated by professional leagues with real-time highlights in-game being put out to stream. Sports viewership outside of cable television reached an all-time high during Lebron

James’s game against the Milwaukee Bucks. This not only demonstrates that millennials are interested in sports, but it also illustrates the power of streaming services. However, feedback for cable companies, as a result of the major decline, has left many sports executives seeking to build a new direct-to-consumer channel to adapt to modern digital technology faster. According to Silver, the NBA recently struck a nine-year domestic media rights deal worth a combined $24 billion with ESPN to prepare for the millenial-powered social media uprising.

Younger people, many of whom are students, display a significant impact on trends in society, especially in this case. At Gunn, this trend is clear: in a recent poll with 49 students conducted via Instagram, roughly 53% reported that they prefer streaming services over cable services. Sports platforms have been picking up on these trends and are changing their marketing to become even more social media based. In the future, ESPN plans to release shorter viewing clips to accommodate the millennial tendencies, which will make it so that highlights and commentary will be even easier to track.

Beyond that, ESPN analyst Jay Williams writes that “the acknowledging of networks and recalibrating to better serve Generation Z’s preference for mobile viewing and highlights will not appear to be underway,” hinting at even more future adaptations.

Grace Liu

­—Written by Catherine Chu

San francisco 49ers exceed expectations despite superbowl loss During this past NFL season, the San Francisco 49ers success has been one of the biggest surprises. Over the last several years, the 49ers have been consistently lackluster, with their last winning season prior to 2019 being in 2013. After a 4-12 season and finishing second to last in the league the year prior, expectations for the 49ers were low. However, they turned it around by finishing the season tied for the second best record, at 13-3, subsequently reaching the Super Bowl.

During the offseason after the disastrous 2018-2019 season, many changes were made, proving to be beneficial. These included drafting Ohio State defensive end Nick Bosa with the second overall pick in the draft, now the defensive rookie of the year, and trading for another defensive end, Dee Ford. The return of quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo and running back Tevin Coleman from injury also reinforced the offense.

The team’s defense, however, has been the biggest contributor to their success. Over the past years, the 49ers have acquired rising stars Nick Bosa, Kwon Alexander, Arik Armstead DeForest Buckner and Fred Warner. These players alongside the veteran presence of Richard Sherman, Dee Ford and defensive expertise of defensive coordinator Robert Saleh, have created a powerhouse defense, which is second in the league in opponent total yards per game and fifth in points allowed per game.

Apart from their defense, the run-heavy offense featuring a trio of star running backs—Raheem Mostert, Tevin Coleman and Matt Breida—have carried their offense to new levels. Their passing attack, featuring two time pro-bowler Emmanuel Sanders and first team all-pro George Kittle solidifies a balanced offense run by head coach, Kyle Shanahan.

Despite losing in the Super Bowl to the Kansas City Chiefs, there is much to expect from the team in the future. With a very young core of star players, look to see the team develop and reach this high level of playing over the next few years. ­—Written by Calvin Cai Grace Liu

How do you celebrate the Super Bowl?

Jocelyn Wang

“I’ve never really been into sports and neither has my family.”

Isaac Oh (9)

Photos by Sophia Lu and Melissa Ding

“I just spent time with my family and watched the Super Bowl with them.”

Mollie Kuelker (10)

“I celebrate it by relaxing and sometimes multitasking if I watch it at home, or I watch it with friends.”

Arunim Agarwal (11)

“This is the first year I’m actually watching the SuperBowl, so I’m pretty excited; a friend of mine is hosting a watch party.”

Aditya Dhir (12) ­— Compiled by Calvin Cai

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Sports

Winter sports look to finish season strong

Wrestling

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—Written by Mia Knezevic, Elisa Moraes-Liu, Katie Shih, Jessica Wang and Joshua Yang

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Girls varsity soccer has had a solid season so far, winning most of their games.

Coach Leo Barcellos is new to the team this year, having experience coaching for Los Altos’s junior varsity boys soccer. Barcellos is embracing the change of coaching a new team. “It’s different coaching the girls, but I like it. It’s fun,” he said.

“They’re all very talented. It’s a good group to work with.”

Barcellos believes that part of this year’s team’s success is due to their support of each other. “Everybody cheers for each other. It’s a very connected team. They all like each other and support each other,” he said.

Something the team could work on is communication and teamwork on the field.

While playing, the team members tend to forget to play with each other. “I think they could still be playing more together instead of just trying to play on their own,” Barcellos said.

All in all, the girls varsity soccer team has been having a successful season. Barcellos says that after some losses, the team managed to increase their number of wins. “We’ve had a good start. We lost a few games that were good matches and we could have won,” he said. “Now during the league, we’re winning all of our games.”

The girls junior varsity soccer team has also been having a successful season. Freshman Koharu Masuda believes that the team is doing better than in prior years. “I think the team is doing pretty well,” she said. “When we won by a lot, [the coaches] were surprised.”

Though they are doing well, Masuda believes that there is still room for improvement.

“Something we could work on is communication,” she said. “We could talk about soccer a little more.” The JV team currently has four wins, two ties and one loss.

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athletes’ mental focus and work ethic. “It’s a very individual sport—we will work as a team and it’s nice to have a group together—but you only get back as much as you put it in,” she said. “You can do well against one person, then the next person comes along when your head’s not in it [and you lose]. It’s very much a mental game.”

Lin echoed Silverman’s sentiments. “[Wrestling] takes a lot of mental strength and discipline,” he said. “Wrestling is something that you can put a lot of hard work into and you can see the results of your hard work.”

The individuals encountered at competitions, too, were cited as one of the draws of wrestling. “You see different people at every tournament,” Silverman said. “You get to watch other people grow and develop.”

At the end of the day, Jacquette encourages all students to join wrestling, even with no prior experience in the sport.

“We’d love to have you wrestle,” he said. “I’m hoping next The year we can invite kids of all different sizes and flavors Gunn and strains here. You personally can get boys basreally good if you put in the time ketball team and the effort.” has had a season

of triumphs and defeats, but they hope to finish the campaign strong.

Junior Connor Missett viewed the first games as a highlight.“The opening of our league play was pretty good,” he said. “We won two games to start off the season and we were looking pretty strong. We tried to ride that momentum really from that point on.”

Missett notes that the following games could have been better.

“We’ve lost a lot of close games that we could have picked up,” Missett said. “I really think that if we could go back and change one or two things in those games we could have won them pretty easily.”

Undiscouraged, however, the team has been working to improve their skills. Missett’s goal for the season is to qualify for Central Coast Section (CSS), beat Palo Alto High School and have a good league run. “We’re putting a lot of work in the gym,” he said.

“A lot of extra hours in the mornings, after practices just to make sure that individually, we’re playing at the best of our ability. We’re playing at the best of our ability and controlling all of those things that are hard to control during the games.”

Junior Gavin Kitch also remains optimistic for the rest of the season. “We beat out Lynbrook in a close match at their gym,” he said.

“We’re looking to ride the momentum in our last three games to get at a CCS Graphics by Grace Liu bid.”

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The beginning of the current wrestling season has seen new athletes and coaches, resulting in changes to the team environment and competition results.

While the wrestling team struggled to find a coach at the beginning of the season, parent George Jacquette now serves as the head coach.

According to Jacquette, the position has not been without difficulty. “There’s been a learning curve for sure,” he said. However, Jacquette cited the support of his assistant coaches as essential to the program’s success.

The team has also gained new wrestlers, a learning process in and of itself. “We have plenty of new wrestlers,” sophomore Justin Lin said.

“In the beginning of the season, it’s been a struggle to get everybody caught up to speed, but in the past few tournaments we’ve all been doing really well.”

Indeed, the team is eagerly preparing for the future.

“We have a couple more dual [meets] up,” Lin said.

“We’re just looking forward to those duals, esHaving pecially at home.” started in earTo junior Mikayla Silly November, girls verman, wrestling is basketball is more than uniquely driven by halfway through their season.

This year, they have a younger team. Their only senior is captain Joyce Lian.

Lian says she was not expecting much for the season but is happy with the team’s progress. “We are just trying to build a team for upcoming years, and have fun. I think we’ve definitely been having fun, and we have won a couple more games than we expected,” she said.

Although they have only won four games, and were defeated at their recent game against Palo Alto High School, everyone on the team is still in high spirits. “The one thing I was really afraid of, especially with [a team consisting of] mostly freshman and sophomores playing against juniors and seniors, is that they would start getting down on themselves,” said head coach Hamadah Sharif. “One thing about my team is that they don’t do that.”

The team still has aspirations for the rest of the season, for which each player has been focusing on individual goals. “My personal goal is to have at least one to two games where I score 20 points or more,” freshman Pooja Bucklin said.

Aside from wins and losses, the team has bonded over the last few months. Although she is only a freshman, Bucklin has felt welcome on the team. “It’s been really fun getting to know everyone, and it’s overall been a really good experience full of many learning opportunities,” she said.

The season will be ending in mid-February, and the team is still looking forward to a few league games. “We’re hungry [for a win],” Sharif said. “Hopefully we can do that in the next few weeks.”

The boys varsity soccer team kicked off their preseason with a firstplace victory at the Homestead Christmas Cup tournament. From there, they progressed seamlessly into the season, with an outstanding winning streak. “Right now, we are undefeated,” junior Joey Cianfichi said. “We only lost one game against Homestead, and I’m pretty sure that was a scrimmage.”

This year, former professional soccer player Vava Marques joined the team as head coach. Marques is also the executive director of the Stanford Soccer Club, from which many of the current players have known him for years.

After a previous coach left the team following student complaints, Marques has entered the season with a compassionate outlook. “They’re in high school,” Marques said. “They have all kinds of things going on. They have to apply for universities; they’re thinking about going away. There’s a lot on their minds, and my job is to take that pressure off and for them to enjoy being here.”

Despite the change in coaching staff, over 80 athletes attended tryouts, a pleasant surprise for Marques. With high turnover each year, the mixture of new talent and old talent is constantly changing, but this year’s team has quickly developed chemistry. “As we play together, we gradually become more accustomed to our playing styles and all that,” junior Felix Toft said. “Over time, we’re only going to improve.”

Since soccer heavily relies on quick passes, plays and communication, Marques recognizes the camaraderie off the field as a valuable strong suit. “They’re good friends; they all know each other,” he said. “It’s a good thing, because they’re very playful. You can see them goofing off, but then when it’s time to work, they work really hard.”

Keeping in mind that Gunn plays in a competitive league, Marques maintains high hopes for the season finale. “I think winning the league will be the biggest thing for us, and moving the team up to the next division would really be something,” Marques said. “I think they deserve it, but they’ve got to earn it.”

Sports

Friday, February 7, 2020

Melissa Ding

Sophomore guard Mollie Kuelker smiles as she high-fives her teammates while the announcer calls her name to start a game.

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Wendy Xiong Melissa Ding

Senior Rayan Taghizadeh fights opponents for possession.

Sophomore Kylie Liu slides left as a defender drives towards the basket.

Wendy Xiong

Freshman Kevin Landaverde dribbles the ball as an opponent races to defend.

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Melissa Ding

Junior Yotam Elazar evades a defender and scans ahead.

Joshua Yang

Sophomore Jonathan Mar squares up against an opponent, ready to attack.

Melissa Ding

Junior Gavin Kitch stares down his defender and locks up.

Melissa Ding

Sophomore Emerson Sweeney outruns three defenders and dribbles up field.

Joshua Yang

A wrestler uses a half nelson to pin her opponent down.

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17

Lifestyle

THE ACADEMY AWARDS RETURN The upcoming 2020 Oscars will be held on Feb. 9 in the ever-dazzling Dolby Theater in Los Angeles. The Oscars have decided to go without a host, which is a transition from the previous celebrity-packed position that played a large role in the event.

The Oscars are a 3 ½ hour event dedicated to celebrating the best achievements in film. Last year’s Oscars were watched by 29.6 million Americans. Experts predict that the 2020 Oscars will have around 30 million viewers , roughly the same amount as last year’s Oscars.

The Oscars are divided into many different categories, but the main ones that garner the most attention from the audience are Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor and Best Actress. Each of these categories rewards a nominee when they create a story that is not only exceptional and unique, but also relevant and compelling to an audience.

Yet the Oscars have received criticism for the lack of diversity in nominees. Even when people of color are nominated, it seems forced and in attempt to ease the protests.

For example, Cynthia Erivo, who played Harriet Tubman in “Harriet,” was the only person of color nominated for a best actor award. Many attribute this to the largely white critics that nominate films and actors for the Oscars.

While the Oscar award is a huge honor to the nominee, it is also important to the everyday viewer. The stories told through film at the Oscars represent humanity, which is why it is important that the Oscars nominate films and actors that celebrate the collective diversity and struggles of the human experience.

—Written by Arjun Shah

The Oracle fights over Best Picture "PARASITE" With the Academy Awards, or Oscars, around the corner, the social thriller “Parasite,” the highestnominated film for the Oscars’ Best Picture, deserves to win the award. The international film features a Korean cast, director, dialogue and filming location.

“Parasite” centers around the poor Kim family Calvin Cai living in a small basement apartment in Korea, and the wealthy Park family, who live in a mansion built by a heroic Korean architect. The Kim family, one by one, find jobs working for the Parks through deception, slowly getting their fortune. Later on, tensions begin to rise between the families, starting with little annoyances. One rainy night, secrets within the Park household are uncovered, and tensions rise.

“Parasite” was able to succeed despite having a budget of just $11 million. It has grossed over $163 million around the world and is still being shown in theatres around the world. This film has also been nominated for Best International Feature Film, and is a frontrunner to win the award.

"1917" The Oscars feature nine nominees and nine movies worth watching with one that stands out from the rest: “1917.” The film “1917” should win Best Picture at the Academy Awards because it personally engages with the audience and has outstanding filmmaking.

“1917” is about two British soldiers who received Haley Pflasterer orders to deliver a message to the front lines to prevent the massacre of numerous lives. They go through many nail-biting obstacles to get there, leaving viewers on the edge of their seats.

One of the messenger’s brothers is on the front lines, leaving him feeling responsible for the lives of many soldiers and his sibling. The emotion caused by this situation leaves the audience rooting for the messenger, keeping their hearts pounding.

Unlike the other movies nominated in this category, “1917” has a unique style of filmmaking. The movie was filmed and edited together to make it look like it is one continuous shot, a technique that few films have been successfully been able to accomplish in the past. “1917” clearly was success-

ful in achieving an effective one-shot roll because of how well it brought the viewers close to the action and the revelations of the war film. While the leads jumped from one deterrent to another, the audience could feel the anxiety and fear in the soldiers.

Directed by Bong Joon-ho, the movie doesn’t just entertain—it depicts his view of injustice in the world and split between social classes, as represented by the Kim and Park family.

—Cai, a junior, is a Centerfold Editor.

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—Pflasterer, a sophomore, is a reporter.

Audrey Tseng

Oscar snubs lead to controversy With the Oscars just days away and with imminent shocks and surprises, here is The Oracle’s list of the most noteworthy Oscar snubs.

Perhaps the most spoken about snub was the lack of female directors in the Best Director category. In a year where there was a plethora of talented female directors to choose from, such as Alma Har’el for “Honey Boy,” Lulu Wang for “the Farewell,” Olivia Wilde for “Booksmart,” Céline Sciamma for “Portrait of Lady on Fire” or Greta Gerwig for “Little Women,” none of them were nominated. Some of these female directors, like Har’el, were certainly long shots, but others like Gerwig and Sciamma had racked up lots of critical acclaim.

Some of the most egregious snubs were found in the Best Actress and Supporting Actress categories. Jennifer Lopez was almost a shoo-in to win the latter, much less have a spot in the category, but was snubbed because of the movie she was in (“Hustlers”). Awkafina, who won Best Actress at the Golden Globes, wasn’t even afforded a spot in the category, though Taron Egerton, who won Best Actor at the Golden Globes was also snubbed for his performance as Elton John in “Rocketman.” Lupita Nyong’o, who gave one of the best performances of the year in “Us” was snubbed, despite playing two drastically different characters in one film, a role that displayed her acting prowess to all who watched it. Park So-dam failed to receive a nomination for her work in “Parasite,” de-

spite her strong performance and the movie being called “actor-led” by its director Bong Joon-ho. Cynthia Erivo, however, seemed to fill the one person minority quota that the Oscars had set, receiving a nomination for her role as Harriet Tubman in “Harriet.”

Furthermore, Genevieve Nnaji’s “Lionheart” was disqualified from being nominated for the Best Foreign Feature film because of its English dialogue. However, English is the official language of Nigeria. The category was recently renamed to Best International Feature Film. The name was changed in an attempt to move forward with the times, but just makes the lack of “Lionheart” even more pointless. Hopefully, in the future, the Oscars can make strides towards the change they speak so fondly of.

One of the biggest causes behind the constant snubbing of genuinely good movies is the question, “what is an Oscar movie?” Often, an Oscar movie is characterized by a melancholy atmosphere and emotional acting from the leads, as popularized by “Oscar bait” films, that have everything the Oscars could ever want. But this state of mind means that genuinely good movies, like “Hustlers,” can be omitted from the nominations, simply because they don’t fit into this stereotype. Lopez, who plays a stripper in “Hustlers,” gives one of the best performances of the year. The same goes with horror films, with “Us” being excluded from the awards this year. The Oscars are about the best performances of the year, and if those hap-

pen to be in a horror movie or in a movie about strippers, so be it. Gatekeeping the Oscars so that only the most depressing stories are considered worthy of a nomination will lead to a decline in films that are actually fun to watch. The elitism of hating having a good time at the movies is going to kill the business eventually.

There were many other snubs this year, from “Frozen II” in Best Animated Feature to “Dolemite is my Name” and “Rocketman” in Best Costume Design. While these are merely the nominations, the Academy Awards will surely have many upsets as well, perhaps even more egregious than its snubs.

—Written by Annika Bereny Read The Oracle’s Oscar predictions online:

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Lifestyle

Reality TV expands, rises in popularity despite unfavorable audience responses The origin of modern reality TV can be traced to the show “An American Family,” which first aired in 1973. Although the program only aired for 12 episodes, the show struck a chord with audiences for its refreshing portrayal of a traditional American household, juxtaposed to the romanticized and idealistic sitcom families of the 1960s.

Fast forward 50 years and reality TV looks nothing like what it once was. Before, reality television was created to give perspective on what life was truly like for an American family. In contrast, today’s reality TV is characterized by trivial conflicts, over the top characters and ridiculous storylines. It’s essentially anything but reality.

According to the Morning Consult, a market research company, 48% of adults surveyed viewed reality televi-

sion unfavorably, which gives it the lowest rank out of all of the TV genres. A large source contributing to reality TV’s negative image is its tendency to be the subject of scrutiny. Reality TV is an easier target for critics and reviewers because it glorifies materialism, deception and vulgarity.

Despite its negative image, reality TV still draws in millions of viewers each week. According to web.archive. org, “The Bachelor,” one of the most iconic reality TV shows, received 9 million viewers in the 2017 season.

One of the main reasons why people enjoy reality TV is for its raw entertainment quality. Almost all reality TV shows base their drama in petty and ridiculous feuds, but for many, this is what they love to watch. Many are

naturally drawn toward drama and conflict, and reality TV has no shortage of it. The benefit of reality TV is that it provides entertainment for people who are lacking excitement in their lives.

Another reason why people are drawn to reality television is because it is, quite paradoxically, the ultimate escape from reality. Many people enjoy watching TV because it can be a fun way to stimulate the mind and to learn a little bit about the world along the way, while being entertained. However, for those who simply want to get their minds off of daily life, reality television can be a great way to escape reality and to simply be entertained.

—Written by Devon Lee

Statistics courtesy of the Morning Consult, graphic by Sophie Fan

REALITY TV SHOWS BATTLE FOR SPOTLIGHT “Survivor” is one of the longest-running reality TV shows in history, with over 40 seasons over the past 20 years. The show started in 2000 and took the world by storm. The premise involves splitting 20 random people into groups called tribes and having them work together to survive in the wilderness. Every few days, the tribes compete against each other in challenges for rewards or immunity. The tribe that loses the immunity challenge has to vote one person out of their tribe. In the middle of the season, all the tribes merge into one. From there on out, there are only individual immunity challenges. In the end, the survivors that made it to the merge vote for a winner.

The game is not for the faint of heart. The castaways survive on only rice and coconuts and must hike to a well to get their water. At the end of each season, the contestants usually lose 15 to 20 pounds in under 40 days. The entertainment of “Survivor” comes from watching interactions “The Bachbetween tribemates. Each year brings new strategies and elor” is one of the backstabbing. The show casts many different types of people, most popular reality which leads to clashing personalities, intensifying the drama. shows in America. The comOver the past 20 years, many new strategies have developed. bination of drama, constant They range from flirting to trying to sweep all the immunity challenges to one contestant fighting and the hope of true love even lying about his dead grandma. The game becomes more complicated every year makes it one of the most entertaining with new twists added by producers. Recently, contestants who were voted out shows on the air. were given the opportunity to go to “the edge of extinction,” an island with The show’s success comes from the contesminimal food and water. The castaways on this island were then allowed tants, who viewers love to hate or root for. Although to compete in challenges to play back into the game. No two seasons many of the show’s couples do not last, the most popuare the same. This year, for the first time ever, the show is putlar contestants can go from nobodies to Instagram celebriting on a season with only previous winners, making for what ties over night, and can find themselves making up to six figures should be the best season yet. from selling hair vitamins and subscription boxes.

—Written by Kate Mallery Recently, “The Bachelor” has found success from breaking format and changing the way the show ends. The finale of season 22 (2017) of “The Bachelor,” starring Arie Luyendyk, Jr., received critical acclaim for the way the show portrayed his breakup with winner Becca Kufrin.

Luyendyk dumped Kufrin for her runner up, Lauren Burnham, and the painful break up was shown un-edited to a live audience. The raw footage showed a new side to the show, which is normally polished and producer-driven.

The most recent season of “The Bachelorette” also brought change to the show when lead Hannah Brown ended up single after breaking off her engagement with Jed Wyatt. The show claims that its goal is to create lasting relationships, yet Brown ended up alone, and still had one of the most successful seasons in franchise history. Brown went on to win the most recent season of “Dancing with the Stars,” another ABC show, and has amassed over two million Instagram followers.

These changes in format keep the show fresh and interesting, and while host Chris Harrison claims that each finale will be “the most dramatic in Bachelor history,” each new lead and batch of contestants brings something new to the table that keeps viewers coming back for more.

—Written by Sophia Stern

Lifestyle

Friday, February 7, 2020

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“The world is waiting for you. Good luck. Travel safe. Go!” Those are the words that host Phil Keoghan speaks at the starting line of “The Amazing Race.”

From there, 11 pairs of contestants compete for a million dollars in a race spanning multiple continents. Each episode, the last team to check in at the “pit stop” may be eliminated from the race, compelling fans to follow their favorite teams.

“The Amazing Race” is undoubtedly the best reality TV show because it appeals to a wide audience and features physical and intellectual challenges in the world’s most stunning tourism destinations.

“The Amazing Race” unites diverse friends and family, both on screen and off. Contestants range from moms to YouTubers to best friends to married couples. Similarly, everyone can enjoy the show. It has the perfect balance of humor, wit and adventure to entertain all.

Since its Better yet, it’s not just the strongest, prettiest or smartest team that wins. Contestants encounter a repremiere in 2015, freshing variety of crazy, cool activities, from singing in a foreign language to solving a Japanese puzzle box “Love Island,” an to zip lining over a landmark. Ultimately, the winning team triumphs through perseverance, intellect, originally British show, charisma, physical endurance and a little bit of taxi karma. has taken the world by Lastly, “The Amazing Race” highlights life-changing experiences instead of “petty drastorm.

With different versions ma.” As teams fly to new countries and participate in local traditions, the audience gains an of the show in the U.S., Australia appreciation for cultures while marveling at the sights. Watching this show, fans learn and the UK, it’s safe to say that the show something new each episode. is a worldwide phenomenon.

It’s no wonder that this multi-Emmy Award winning TV show has capti The show’s concept can be explained as a vated audiences for 31 seasons. With its diversity, engaging activities and group of single, mid-twenties, conventionally atbreathtaking sights, this show has it all. All you have to do is watch as tractive people being put in a villa on an island to “couit single-handedly transports you from your couch to a riveting ple up” in order to remain on the island. Those not in couples race around the world. for recoupling ceremonies will be dumped from the island and —Written by Jessica Wang forced to go home. Contestants must navigate new arrivals and shocking twists in their journey to find true love on the island. However, it being a reality show after all and with $50,000 at stake, there’s plenty of people there just playing the game until someone comes in that turns their head. During the day, the Islanders talk, eat, work out and occasionally partake in challenges, such as obstacle courses or friendly competitions between contestants. At the end of the show, the couple most voted for by the audience of the show wins out of the four remaining couples. Because of the constant new content, the show airs five nights a week.

“Love Island” is mind-numbingly good. Like most reality TV, it doesn’t force you to contort your mind into some strange position to try to outsmart its contestants. “Love Island” is aware of its lack of intellectualism and revels in it. From a contestant asking if Brexit meant “there wouldn’t be anymore trees” to “what’s an earlobe?” there’s plenty to laugh about.

But what it lacks in thoughts it makes up for in camaraderie. The Islanders are a tight-knit group of people who quickly become friends and often stick up for each other. Friendship is often prioritized over relationships, despite love being the game, and Islanders stick up for their friends at all costs. Even if they don’t necessarily find love, each Islander comes away with new friends with diverse experiences and backgrounds that they made in the villa.

With “Love Island” bound to define the reality TV genre in the next years, just turn off your brain for a while and enjoy it.

—Written by Annika Bereny

Over the last twenty years, “Big Brother” has become a staple in the world of reality shows.

Hosted by Julie Chen, over a dozen contestants are put in a house and blocked off from contact with the rest of the world. From there, there are cameras watching them at all times. Every week, there are events going on in the house, which lead to a “head of household” being chosen. The “head of household” can later nominate two players to evict. At the end of the week, one of two nominees is evicted, and that player is removed from the competition.

Despite there being dozens of TV shows out there, one of the most unique aspects of Big Brother is the how natural and real it is. In many other shows such as “Survivor,” “The Bachelor” and “The Circle,” filming is conWith cluded prior to the start of airing, allowing for a lot a new year of editing and a focus on strictly entertainment—that it isn’t much of a reality comes the new show. Big Brother has been able to reach the same, if not greater, levels of success of these best reality show: other shows without a lot of editing, by monitoring the contestants 24/7. With constant “The Circle.”

With the recording of the show’s contestants, there is less interference from the show’s team, first episode airing on Jan and thus no secrets being hidden from the audience. In fact, for the most enthu1, 2020 on Netflix, “The Circle” siastic fans, buying CBS All Access allows you to watch live feeds from every brought the whole internet together by camera in the house. combining friendships, love and catfishing all toAll in all, the unique aspects of CBS’ “Big Brother” make it a mustgether, wrapped up in flashy drama. watch reality TV show. The addicting drama and crazy competiThe show started off with seven people living in the same building but in separate tions make for some great entertainment for anyone. apartments. They were to live alone without seeing or hearing any of the other players. The —Written by Calvin Cai goal was to get the most people to like you because, at the end of the day, one person would be going home. The contestants interact through a custom social media app, allowing them to communicate through chatrooms without ever seeing or hearing each other. Players are also allowed to increasingly upload photos and videos to their online profile as time goes by. Choosing the correct things to upload is key. It gives hints to who the person behind the profile truly is. The anonymity allows the contestants to have the option to hide, express or portray themselves in any way.

One interesting twist is players can choose to catfish, so there is always the suspicion of people not being who they say they are. This adds a mysterious twist to the show with no way of knowing if they are talking to a real person.

After a long day of chatting and games, the contestants rank their peers from who they liked the most to who they liked the least. The two most popular players then get to choose whom they want to kick off. The player who leaves then gets to choose one contestant they feel a connection with, or have a suspicion is a catfish, to meet up with face-to-face. The contestant who manages to stay on the longest, the winner, gets a grand prize of $100,000. This show pretty much sums up the entire culture of social media. It shows how people do judge by appearances, but that’s not what really matters. What truly matters is the person behind the picture.

—Written by Genna Bishop Title graphics by Grace Liu, star graphics by Sophie Fan

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20

Lifestyle

Stars provide solace in history It’s no surprise that horoscopes and astrology have a long history. The ancient Chinese looked toward eclipses and constellations as omens, and the Babylonians devised a numerical system through the stars. The Greeks made advances in medicine, philosophy and literature through the stars, and numerous travelers used specific constellations as markers. The sky was their compass, a form of guidance for the unpredictable.

By 1500 B.C.E., the Babylonians had already divided the zodiac into 12 equal signs, but it was the Greek astronomer Ptolemy, and his literary work “Tetrabiblos,” that popularized and laid the foundation for the 12 zodiac signs used in Western culture today. He theorized that each of the zodiacs would be 30 degrees wide, and would alternate as the sun moved throughout the year.

The Greek and Roman Empire spread the concept of horoscopes throughout the world as a means of self definition. By the early first century, the use of horoscopes became a common practice. Churches turned to astrology as validation for their beliefs, and several emperors and priests had their astrological sign embedded on coins.

During the Middle Ages, horoscopes developed into an intrinsic necessity of daily life. Advancements in mathematics contributed to more complex and detailed astrological charts, and astrology became prevalent in medicine, religion and education as a whole. Even universities had astrological courts and chairs.

Over time, people began viewing horoscopes and astrology as a form of entertainment, rather than as genuine science. Once the Age of Enlightenment began, the concept of astrology was turned down in favor of more practical studies. Starting in the 1920s, magazines and newspapers began publishing horoscopes as daily fortunes for readers’ enjoyment.

Today, horoscopes and the zodiac signs are widely popularized as personal traits used to analyze one’s character or predict for future events. They’ve invaded the internet through websites and apps, such as Co—Star and The DailyHoroscope, and appear constantly in magazine blurbs and calendars. Whether one perceives them as genuine fortunes or as absolute rubbish, horoscopes at the very least remain as a small tidbit to ease the uncertainty of daily life.

Shannon Lin

—Written by Shannon Lin

Should you believe in horoscopes?

NO

YES

Leo (July 23-Aug 23): Attention seeking, flirtatious, natural leader, spoiled, popular and possessive. Sun in Leo, moon in Capricorn, ascendant in Cancer, Mercury in Virgo, Venus in Leo, Mars in Pisces, Jupiter in Leo, Saturn in Cancer, Uranus in Pisces, Neptune in Aquarius and Pluto in Sagittarius—all of these terms sound so foreign and odd, just like astrology is to many people.

It’s not just your daily horoscope or any of the stereotypical traits that make up your astrological chart, it’s a whole language to learn and understand. Through astrology, you can learn what all of these traits influence— from the way you communicate with yourself and others, to your emotions, moods and feelings. While some may be upset to find their daily Madison Nguyen horoscope to be incorrect, astrology doesn’t predict the future; it’s more of a guide which ignites hope in what is to come. While it may not always necessarily be true or something you have to believe in, it’s something that not only can help you connect with others, but with the entire cosmic universe.

Astrology connects the stars in the universe with the planets and somehow relates to every person on this Earth. It takes your sun, rising and ascendant sign–which is taken from the exact time and place you were born–and mashes it all together to compile this chart of knowledge that maybe even you didn’t know about yourself. Sometimes, it’s difficult to find a purpose in the world, and, especially as teenagers, we can all probably relate to a feeling of being disconnected from our community, and maybe even the world. Astrology not only explains how you are connected with every person around you, but also gives many a feeling of fulfillment, that every choice they make has a purpose. Even if upon reading your daily horoscope you find that is unhelpful or just plain mean, it’s not the end of the world. It’s also not set in stone; you have the ability to interpret your horoscope and your traits as you want, including the ability to prove your horoscope wrong and have a better day than is predicted.

For many, astrology isn’t something that is serious. Rather, it’s something fun to share with others.

Horoscopes also highlight the differences and similarities between communication styles, philosoNikki Suzani phies of life and emotions. Horoscopes don’t just give you a percentage of how compatible one sign is with another, but also provide reasoning and insight as to why and how these signs interact, their clashes and their moments of happiness. It can not only be relatable, but it also gives some perspective about your identity. Never in the world did I think I was selfish, “This is your day to be happy!” reads the narcissistic and drama seeking until learning about my sign’s characteristics, giving daily horoscope website for my sign, Scorpio. me the chance to be mindful of times when I’ve acted like this.

It seems like harmless fun—just another way to Although some will argue that astrology is not backed up by science and connect with people around me and get some advice therefore people should not believe in it, no one is arguing that astrology on my life (and love life). But in a world where, accordshould be recognized, practiced and idolized by everyone–simply, it’s ing to the National Science Foundation, more than 40% of a fun way of connecting with the world around you. The advice you Americans believe that astrology is a science, we need to conmay get in relation to your sign is often quite vague. But havfront the negative implications of this pseudoscience. Because of ing that advice and that humble feeling is better than nothing. the way it creates arbitrary judgements of people, setting them on Sometimes, having something or someone understand dangerous paths of behavior, and the way it can hurt both physical and what you’re feeling or going through is not only helpmental health when taken as a science we must realize the dangers of astrolful, but also calming. ogy.

My goal isn’t to force everyone into believ First of all, astrology has become a form of categorization that assigns people ing in everything astrology has to offer, but certain qualities based solely on their birth date, an idea that is in and of itself upsetrather to shed light on something many ting. It pushes this ideal that we are predestined to have certain characteristics—characbelieve in. teristics which we can never escape from. This is a flawed way of thinking and can actually

hamper character development. After all, if I, a Scorpio, believed I was destined to be “distrusting” and “violent,” I’d never work on controlling my behavior or letting people in. I would believe the universe has already decided who I would be and avoid any level of self-improvement because I’m just “born with it.” It’s the same phenomenon that forces women away from engineering fields—as soon as we put ourselves in boxes as to what we’re “supposed to be,” we never push to break free of that box.

Further, when we believe too fiercely in astrology, we begin to judge people off of their signs, bolstering a toxic environment. Over the summer, I worked at a summer camp with two other girls. I remember how welcoming they were—we began to talk about our lives and there was this running joke that none of us had any flaws. Randomly, one day, we got to the subject of astrology signs and I told them I was a Scorpio. I still remember the clouded look over one girl’s eye, as if she was reassessing every interaction with me. “Oh, well you certainly have a flaw,” she laughed. I didn’t find it very funny. It hurts to realize that people will have preconceptions about your behavior, just based off of the day you’re born. That’s why, in my opinion, astrology signs do the opposite of connecting us: they make us more hostile towards one another. Everything from ensuring your crush is the “proper” sign to saying “oh your flaws are because you’re a ___” are all examples of negative bias that astrology cements in some people.

At the end of the day, journalists have to be skeptical. Reading through the horoscopes of each sign, I’ve begun to notice the repetition and the genericness of the advice. It isn’t “specific to your sign” but rather arbitrary ideas that are made to make you think you’re special, when they truly fit everyone. Astrology is fake and it’s not beneficial to believe in it, because it allows for judgement and unhealthy behavior. When you need advice for your day, please don’t go to horoscopes.com. Instead, call a friend, read a self-help book or do something productive that allows you to be open, rather than closed to others.

Sh

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—Nguyen, a junior, is a Features Editor.

—Suzani, a junior, is a Features Editor.

Background by Jocelyn Wang