The Oracle May 2019

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

Singer of the Month: Abby Mureithi

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THEORACLE

PG. 7 FEATURES

Henry M. Gunn High School

http://gunnoracle.com/

Friday, May 17, 2019

Volume 57, Issue 8

780 Arastradero Road, Palo Alto, CA 94306

Vaccines generate discussion among students, staff Josh Mei and Joshua Yang Reporter and Forum Editor A rapid rise in the number of measles cases occurring throughout the Bay Area has prompted discussion within the community surrounding the increase of anti-vaccine opinions.

While the medical consensus is that vaccines are essential to prevent the spread of harmful diseases such as measles, anti-vaxxers—individuals advocating against the use of vaccines—have pointed to obscure and scientifically unsupported evidence as reasons for refusing vaccines.

As such, the growing number of measles cases can often be tied to an increase in anti-vaxx beliefs: of the measles cases reported this year, three-quarters have occurred in unvaccinated or partially vaccinated individuals. Just this year, the Bay Area has reported ten occurrences of measles, a rebound from 19 years ago, when measles were declared completely eliminated from the United States.

Of course, increases in anti-vaxx beliefs have also led to an outpouring of support for vaccination. Like the vast majority of students, sophomore Arunim Agarwal strongly believes that vaccines are effective. “I am vaccinated and wouldn’t have it any other way,” he said.

Similarly, an anti-vaxx post on the Gunn Confessions Facebook page has garnered over 20 comments from students arguing for the usage of vaccines.

Biolog y teacher Maria Powell thinks that being vaccinated shouldn’t

even be a topic of discussion.“They’re safe, and they’ve saved millions of lives and the science supports that that’s what you do to protect humans in a population,” she said. “It’s not an opinion. It’s objective fact.”

Part of the reason for the outspokenness in favor of vaccines is the ability of anti-vaxxers to unwittingly cause harm to others and disrupt public health and safety. “The non- vaccinated population is harming the population that cannot be vaccinated,” Agrawal said. “I’d very much appreciate it if everyone who physically can be vaccinated [were to] do so so that they protect those who can’t be because they are too young or have allergic reactions.”

What Agarwal is referring to is the medical strategy of restricting disease dissemination known as herd immunity. In a population in which a large percentage of people are vaccinated, transmission of infections and diseases would not be able to reach the minority that is not physically able to receive vaccination, thus preserving the health of the community as a whole.

According to lead district nurse Rosemarie Dowell, a host of different medical reasons can prevent an individual from receiving a vaccine.

“Some examples [of this] can be people who are immunocompromised and therefore unable to receive their vaccinations at that time or people who have had severe allergic reactions to vaccinations,” she said.

Vaccines—p.2 Graphic by Shannon Lin

PAUSD Promise envisions, outlines new district goals Kepa Neesen Reporter Like any school system, the Palo Alto Unified School District (PAUSD) has gone through numerous changes in its 125-year history. The school board and Superintendent Don Austin’s current priorities are concisely summarized in The PAUSD Promise, an online document published on March 26. The Promise outlines the district priorities f0r the next few years, and determines progress in each category.

Subcategories of the new plan include high quality teaching and learning, equity and excellence, wellness and safety, special education and inclusion, district office operations and “moving the needle.”

PAUSD has created similar outlines over the past six years, with three plans being published over as many superintendents. The Strategic Plan, compiled under former Superintendent Kevin Skelly in 2013, had a heavier focus on budget, infrastructure and communications than the current Promise. Meanwhile, Max McGee’s district goals for 2017 puts an emphasis on students, including categories such as teaching and learning, equity and access and wellness and safety. With the Promise, Austin took elements of both plans, with a focus on achievable objectives. “Most of [the priorities] came from previous committee work and

a plethora of plans,” Austin said. “My goal is to try to take things from aspirational to operational.”

Moreover, Board Vice President Todd Collins saw the Promise as a way to concentrate the district’s resources on its most pressing issues. During his School Board candidacy, he had criticized a previous action plan for containing 128 distinct goals. “Try to spread yourself too thin across too many things and very little will change,” Collins said. “The top priority is improving our academic performance with low-income students, which historically PAUSD has been really bad at.”

“Moving the Needle” represents Collins’ primary focus.

The needle, a tool created by the California School Dashboard, visualizes student performance across subjects and demographics. The needle categorizes performance into color bands, with red indicating lower performance and blue indicating high performance. Based on the data, PAUSD aims to improve the status of disadvantaged and minority students in the coming years. “One of the fundamental things we’re supposed to do as a school district is help all kids achieve proficiency,” Collins said.

While those kinds of goals are meant to be pursued across the district, there are some that affect Gunn specifically.

“I think a lot of academic and instructional priorities do affect high schoolers,” School Board Representative senior

Arjun Prabhakar said. “For example, science standards, standards based grading and other things that affect curriculum directly.”

Principal Kathleen Laurence also believes the Promise was about standards. “We’re really working to align [Gunn and Paly],” Laurence said. “That doesn’t mean the two schools will be identical. It means that when a student leaves a high school in Palo Alto, they will have had common learning outcomes.”

Developing the Promise was a collaborative process involving input from the School Board, Austin, principals, instructional leaders and student representatives.

The Promise is still unfinished despite its publication.

Described as a “living document” by Austin, it’s still in a draft form, with the expectation that some problems will be resolved and others will come up. Continued editing will allow the district to stay flexible and avoid complacency.

“You need to make progress in an organization like a [school district],” Collins said. “You need to have a sense of urgency, you need to have important goals and to be able to articulate to your people why they’re important.”

Ultimately, the Promise is meant to outline priorities and hold the administration accountable. “You may neglect a strategic plan,” Austin said. “But you shouldn’t break a promise.”

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News

Studies, statistics challenge anti-vaxxer views, beliefs Vaccines

Yet critics of vaccines exist, even at Gunn; one anti-vaxx student speaking with The Oracle on the condition of anonymity has expressed their concerns over the effectiveness of vaccines. “My parents believe that vaccinations don’t work and that a lot of people who get vaccinated actually get the disease,” they said.

As a result, according to the student, they are only partially vaccinated, and not against measles. The student’s younger sibling has only received two vaccinations.

The student also disagreed with the general consensus regarding rationale for vaccinations, citing government wrongdoing. “[Vaccination advocates] say [a vaccine] works 100 percent of the time and that’s not true,” they said. “Personally, I think that the government requires you to get vaccines because the government and health care companies do a lot of stuff behind the scenes.”

However, according to the Center for Disease Prevention (CDC), while vaccines are not 100 percent effective, the chance of a measles vaccination causing a severe allergic reaction is one in one million. In addition, governmental organizations with the specific goal of vaccine oversight—such as the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System —monitor each step of the vaccine development process.

Junior Yazzy Simons cautions against extrapolating a single case study as reason to refuse vaccinations. “I don’t think you should just not vaccinate your kids because one person somewhere once had a bad reaction, because [not vaccinating] could affect so many other people,” she said.

Anti-vaxxers often have a wide gamut

of stances against vaccination; a different anti-vaxx student, also granted anonymity, has been vaccinated, but does not believe in certain specific vaccines. “I just don’t think that doctors do a good job of differentiating what each vaccine does and which ones are actually necessary,” they said.

As a result, the second student has abstained from many vaccines, only opting for the mandatory shots required to enroll in school. “I don’t get the flu shot or those types of vaccinations,” they said. “I don’t get them because if anything, you’re more likely to get the flu if you get [flu shots]. I did it once and that year, I was more sick than I’ve ever been. Since then, I haven’t gotten any.”

Senior Elizabeth Salwitz thinks that science should ultimately trump parental and societal influences. “[Anti-vaxxers] need to check the science and realize that what their parents told them was wrong,” she said.

Simons also echoed Salwitz, stating the importance of vaccinating for public safety.

“Everyone who can be medically vaccinated should get vaccinated,” Simons said.

“It’s best for the community that everyone gets vaccinated.”

Indeed, many anti-vaxx view points are supported by no more than faux science or misconstrued beliefs. To support their views against vaccines, the second student reasoned that the immune system could be strengthened naturally, eliminating the need for vaccines. “Actually exposing yourself at a young age to get sick: that’s what builds the immune system,” they said.

However, according to the CDC, the risks of natural immunization are far greater than the risks of vaccine. For in-

stance, natural exposure to chickenpox could result in the possibility of pneumonia as a side effect, while the most prominent side effects of the chickenpox vaccine would be limited to a sore arm.

Powell emphasized t he need to believe in solid scientific evidence. “I choose not to reject the agreed upon conclusions from the most compelling data that we have from everywhere,” she said.

Numerous scientific studies and statistics support the validity of vaccines.

Before the invention of vaccines, nearly 800,000 cases of measles were reported in the United States, according to the CDC. Five years after the invention of the measles vaccine, the number of measles cases plummeted to less than 25,000. Due to vaccinations alone, smallpox, a disease that once caused 300 million to 500 million deaths in the 20th century, now only exists in two research labs.

The second anonymous student acknowledges that there are some benefits to vaccinations. “It makes sense to vaccinate a child when they’re born, especially depending on where you live,” they said.

“I’m really grateful I was vaccinated when I was born. But I don’t think it’s necessary to get a whooping cough shot before middle school. [Vaccination] becomes less important as you get older.”

Medical professionals, health safety experts and general student consensus, however, agree that vaccines are beneficial to society. “I am 100 percent pro-vaccines,” Salwitz said. “Vaccines are what keeps our society healthy and it is naive to think otherwise.”

Graphic by Audrey Tseng

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

Friday, May 17, 2019

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Construction completed, new buildings open for use Josh Mei Reporter Returning from spring break, students were greeted by the completed construction. After almost two years of dusty air, noisy equipment and cramped hallways, the senior quad reopened and brought with it a return to the open campus.

Assistant Principal of Facilities Margaret Reynolds is excited about the new cohesiveness of campus. “It’s nice to see the campus open up again,” she said. “It definitely brings more community to Gunn.”

The newly-named P building will be home to the graphic design, yearbook, Student Executive Council and journalism classes. The Wellness Center, College and Career Center, Student Activity Office (SAO) and Student Activities Center (SAC) will also be moving into the new building next year.

Until then, however, the various departments and classes are gradually moving in when able to. “We can’t have wellness and counseling up there [until] potentially mid-May,” Reynolds said. “[And] media arts can’t move in yet because the tables are foldable and fall down, but when the computers come in we’ll have that all set up.”

According to Reynolds, the administration is planning the extended move in, which should finish next school year. An official ribboncutting ceremony is planned for next fall.

Administration, teachers and students are

excited to officially move in in August. “I look forward to being in that part of the school,” graphic design teacher and yearbook advisor Mark Gleason said. “It seems like a warm hub of activity.”

Junior Peyton Lee is also happy with his experience in the new buildings. “I’m involved in the music department so the new music facilities, which have been open a little longer than the SAC, are really great and definitely better than the village,” he said. “I like the [new SAC] bathrooms and the new [SAO] is really nice.”

Reynolds hopes this new building will promote communication and collaboration between the school yearbook, “The Olympian,” and the school newspaper, The Oracle. “I’m a firm believer in continuity, like social studies should be with social studies,” she said. “They should be close to each other and if they’re disjointed there’s a little bit of separation and we really want to promote collegiality and collaboration.”

Construction planning was not all smooth sailing, however. “It’s just kind of a work in progress, like anything else there’s sort of bumps along the way but we’re doing our best and everyone is maintaining their composure and patience,” Reynolds said.

According to Gleason, lack of communication often led to frustration and confusion.

“This [project] has gone through several administrators, and no one has carried that information forth except for [journalism ad-

viser Kristy] Blackburn and me, and a few other teachers,” he said. “The administrators in that position now are trying to figure out what’s going on. They’ve been handed certain things that they have to do and they’re listening and they’re trying to work around it.”

The design choices have also raised some controversy. Lee, for one, thinks that the Gunn logo is a little excessive. “We all know we’re at Gunn, it’s just a bit extreme,” he said.

Some others have also critiqued the color choice. “They’re calling it the ‘P building’ and it’s yellow?” Gleason said. “[But] I personally like the sunny yellow because the rest of the campus looks sort of like army barracks.”

Despite these complaints, students and faculty agree that the new building will be a welcome addition to campus life. “I think it could have been done in a more expeditious way but overall I think it’s worth [the years of construction],” Lee said.

Looking towards the future, the school is already preparing for the next round of construction, according to Reynolds. “That building where the cafeteria is will be the new admin building; the admin building currently will be the new cafeteria, food services and culinary arts space,” she said. They also plan to use up the bond money they have now to expand concessions, add air conditioning to Titan Gym and modernize Spangenberg and the classrooms. “We’re very excited. Everyone’s going to get kind of an update,” Reynolds said.

Sports Devon Li Ryan Manesh Lifestyle Charlie Bush Kate Mallery Online Sophia Stern Photo Editor Melissa Ding Graphics Editor Grace Liu

Photos by Melissa Ding Left:The SAC is currently open for student and faculty use. R ight : The ne w wellness center is set to open for the fall semester.

INBOX

Staff Business/Circulation Ryan Manesh Graphics Artists Shannon Lin Audrey Tseng Jamie Wang Jocelyn Wang Photographers Mia Knezevic Sophia Lu Oren Schube Wendy Xiong Reporters Josh Mei Kepa Neesen Peter Oh Adviser Kristy Blackburn

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.

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.

The issue was pretty good. I liked the front cover. I think a satire section should be added to The Oracle. News should also cover some broader Bay Area-level news. I would like to see an article about the college admissions scandal, if there wasn’t one already.

—Arjun Prabhakar, 12

I would like to see more interviews with teachers. I think students are enjoying reading about teachers’ opinions. Maybe more about admin-student relationships? Can't think of much.

You guys are doing a great job, keep it up.

—Hanna Suh, 11

I liked the article on tattoos, and the quiz on sprit animals. I would love to see one on either track and field, or orchestra. Perhaps more interactive activities. It’d be cool if there was a word search.

I really liked the section debunking Gunn myths [like] the one about Ian and Chanmi not being twins—I lost $7 in a bet because of that. I also liked the debate articles as they explored real issues that are being talked about within the student community. I really liked the last issue because it had a lot of stories that were specific to Gunn culture. Possibly including a section of the article that updates students on any administrative/district wide policy changes [would be good].

—Claire Cheng, 11

— Inés García, 9

Some of what is written seems unnecessary as its own article. Some of the ideas in some pairs or trios of articles seemed to elaborate upon each other, or require the context/knowledge of another article/current event. I would leave it as one large article, and maybe dedicate a page to it if it has that much information that needs to be covered, or otherwise I feel like I’m repeating what I’ve already read which makes me want to stop reading.

—March 29, 2019—

— Aditya Mitall, 9

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

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Photo illustration by Melissa Ding and Jamie Wang

Prom presents financial difficulties, social pressure to splurge

Ryan Li If you’re a junior, senior or lucky underclassman, it’s that magical time of the school year again—the time when the days start getting longer and you’re barely dragging yourself through Advanced Placement testing.

But none of that matters now. After all, you’re counting down the days to the annual upperclassman dance— prom. Judging by the social media posts, photoshoots, Noah Centineo Netflix movies and prom tux rental advertisements that portray high schoolers as six-foot-five supermodels, one could easily get the impression that the high school prom possesses some sort of magic. Yet, that magic comes with consequences: rising ticket costs, outfit costs and the effects of social pressure make going to prom an increasingly extortionate endeavor.

The growth in ticket prices is making prom more and more costly. In 2018, ticket costs rose for the first time in four years, increasing from $90 to $100 each at the early-bird price with an Associated Student Body (ASB) membership and $110 to $120 at the standard price, according to statistics provided by the Student Executive Council (SEC). Costs have jumped again this year, going up to $110 at the early-bird price with ASB membership and $130 at normal costs. According to Student Activities Director Lisa Hall, however, the money made from ticket sales almost entirely goes toward paying for the venue and other amenities. The venue this year, the San Francisco Exploratorium, was substantially more expensive than previous years’ venues. Ticket costs also

pay for extra accommodations provided to promgoers, including food, the DJ, docents to run the exhibits, photo booths and other amenities. Despite these costs, prom is widely considered to be one of the most significant events in a student’s high school experience. Upperclassmen are expected and almost required to go to prom due to social pressure, yet these rising ticket prices are making this event increasingly inaccessible and inconvenient. In order to access an occasion universally considered to be central to the teenage experience, students must be willing to pay exorbitant sums.

The rising costs of prom lie not only in the tickets but also in the overwhelming prices of assorted promworthy attire. Students find themselves spending $919 on prom on average, according to the 2015 Visa Prom Spending Survey. Formal attire, including floor-length dresses and tuxedos can comprise up to half of this cost. According to Fortune magazine, dresses typically cost anywhere from $200 to $1000 and tuxedo rentals cost between $100 and $400, with boutonnieres and corsages racking up the cost. Additionally, girls are oftentimes expected to spend additional money on makeup, nails and hairdressers, while boys are traditionally looked upon to spend money on flowers, posters and other promposal equipment. Entire financial sectors have been built around prom. According to the market research company IBISWorld, the formalwear rental industry racks up to a billion dollars a year, with much of that cost being associated with prom season. Promgirl. com reported earnings of $19 million dollars last year, catering almost exclusively to prom-going high schoolers. While the commercialization of prom has benefited many in the industry, it is often at the expense of promgoers themselves and their families. Though students pay for their own prom gear on occasion, the burden of these costs generally falls to parents, who may be hesitant to spend hundreds or even thousands of dollars

on what essentially amounts to a four-hour experience.

The most costly facet of prom, however, is the social pressure of attending. The culture of prom is, by nature, non-inclusive. People constantly feel the urge to try and outdo each other in terms of glamour. Social media, in general, tends to present a distorted view of reality.

But because of prom, an event designed to be as glitzy and extravagant as possible, these views become even more flashy and aestheticized. Going to prom with a date is a well-known expectation, and people often can feel forced into uncomfortable or awkward situations.

Though it is not explicitly stated, a common social trend is that people without dates are also quietly looked down upon, as many singles go in large groups in fear of being ostracized. This behavior seems to manifest itself exclusively during prom season, encouraging outdated and unwelcoming ideas of identity and personal insecurities.

The significance of prom, like the significance of any event or activity, ultimately amounts to what a person makes of it. A plethora of different activities and excursions lack the financial and social baggage of prom while still being just as, if not more, meaningful. Throwing a party of your own, reserving a dinner for two and even simply spending time with friends are just three of the countless different ways to have fun and celebrate.

Prom is often regarded as an experience unlike any other—a romanticized night of perfection that most students participate in just twice in their entire lifetimes.

But given the financial and social baggage that prom carries with it, this perfection can hardly be worth it.

The reality is that the costs of prom tickets, prom apparel and social pressure make the dance an increasingly unsavory prospect.

—Li, a junior, is a Managing Editor.

Forum Cultural norm of sleep deficiency requires attention, not acceptance

Devon Lee One of the most common things that can be heard around campus is that students are not getting enough sleep. The idea that sleep is a commodity and not a necessity has become ingrained in our society.

In today’s culture, a lack of sleep among teenagers has become normalized, discouraging students from getting rest, adding to academic pressure and enforcing the belief that sleep is inconsequential.

According to Nationwide Children’s Hospital, the average teenager gets between seven and 7 1/4 hours of sleep per night, while studies have shown that students need between nine and 9 1/2 hours of sleep. Many students have become used to getting an insufficient amount of sleep and have heard of similar experiences from their peers. This dialogue can lead students to not get enough sleep because they can rationalize their behaviors by thinking that everyone else is doing it, so it is okay. According to the California Healthy Kids Survey (CHKS), 83 percent of students at Gunn get fewer than nine hours of sleep per night. Since the majority of students do not get enough rest, it is easy to follow the norm rather than be the outlier.

Often, people say they have busy schedules and therefore cannot change their sleeping behaviors.

This is why, many times, students can feel trapped.

They know that they should get more rest but cannot, because they have a plethora of academic and extracurricular activities that cut into the time they have to sleep. One solution for students is to prioritize sleep over academics, or refrain from doing activities that do not fit into their already busy schedules. According to a study conducted by the Society for Research in Child Development, sacrificing sleep is counterproductive. The study found that any disturbance to regular amounts of

Jocelyn Wang

sleep will cause academic defects the following day.

Additionally, according to the American Academy of Sleep Medicine, loss of sleep leads to lower grades, less motivation and drastic emotional and behavioral changes. This demonstrates that sleep deficiency produces a state in which students are unprepared to learn or perform in school. A lack of sleep is more harmful than most perceive.

Sporadic sleep schedules can throw off the body’s natural circadian rhythm, resulting in difficulty waking up or going to sleep and academic stress.

According to the CHKS, 41 percent of students at Gunn sleep at different times three to four or more times a week. This is not a beneficial habit, since maintining regular sleep times improves health.

According to the Division of Sleep Medicine at Harvard Medical School, sleeping at regular intervals helps improve the quality of rest an individual gets.

Keeping up a daily sleep routine helps students wake up and fall asleep more easily, which leads to more sleep and academic success.

Lastly, the impor tance of sleep is severely undervalued in our culture, as sleep is not seen as a necessity to a healthy life. According to the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute, sleep plays a vital role in good health as it helps protect your mental health, physical health, quality of life and safety.

Essentially, sleep is necessary in order to function as a normal, healthy human being. Therefore, sleep should be taken more seriously because health should be as important as one’s academics or extracurriculars. If sleep is not taken seriously, symptoms like depression, chronic stress and cognitive impairment can arise, according to the Alaska Sleep Clinic.

Due to the nature of our toxic sleep culture, students rationalize unhealthy sleeping patterns, performance in school is reduced and school is prioritized over health. In order to overcome these norms, students can set a rigid sleep schedule and realize that the benefits of sleep outweigh extra time to study because sleep improves health and academics.

—Lee, a sophomore, is a Sports Editor.

Friday, May 17, 2019

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Healthy sleeping habits prove crucial to successful lifestyle

Elisa Moraes-Liu My parents have always tried and failed to enforce strict bedtimes for me. Their strategies have ranged from confiscation of electronic devices to internet removal at 11 p.m. However, these tactics have not always been successful. As I write this, it is almost 12 a.m., and I was supposed to be asleep at 10 p.m.

Sleeping at appropriate times has always been a struggle for me. Even though I am constantly exhausted throughout the day, barely able to pry my eyes open for my 8:25 a.m. class periods, I still struggle to sleep early.

Staying up late is a terrible habit that many of us high schoolers are guilty of. Whether it’s cramming for your biology test in the morning or binge-watching “Gossip Girl” and ignoring the clock as it ticks closer and closer to 4 a.m., we’ve all been there.

Sleep is essential for your body to function. Staying up late can have extremely negative effects on your physical and emotional health. We often hear peers bragging about how little sleep they got. However, constant lack of sleep is no laughing matter. In fact, this toxic behavior can have dire consequences on our health, such as early death.

As someone who always stays up late, I understand that it can be tempting to delay sleeping. With a seemingly endless amount of schoolwork given to us daily, the late hours of the night can be the only time for us to relax and catch up on the latest episode of “Grey’s Anatomy.”

However, it’s important to remember that no matter how fun it seems in the moment, the consequences will find you next morning when the alarm clock goes off after your second hour of sleep. Waking up early in the morning has always been difficult for me, and this has only been exacerbated by my terrible sleeping habits.

While many high schoolers, myself included, supplement their lack of sleep with naps throughout the day, this is not a stable alternative. Taking naps can make it even harder to sleep earlier at night, creating a cycle that is difficult to break. We should be going to sleep at night, not at 5 p.m. Naps such as these can hinder productivity at proper hours. You miss valuable time that could be used for completing homework and studying. While this time can be made up during the night, this behavior will only encourage bad sleeping habits and destabilize your sleeping schedule. Others turn to even more unhealthy alternatives, such as chugging coffee throughout the day. This can be even worse for your health, as you become reliant on caffeine to function.

Instead of finding alternatives to sleep, we should focus on looking for ways to make sure we are sleeping at the proper times in order to allow us to have a healthy amount of sleep every day. Sleep should not be something we substitute with a triple shot espresso from Starbucks.

It should be something we prioritize in our lives.

As much as we like to ignore the advice our parents and teachers give us, sleep is necessary for a healthy lifestyle. It’s important to ensure that we have healthy habits, especially in a time such as high school when we are preparing ourselves for college and the outside world.

While it can be fun to binge watch into the late hours of the night, it is important to not jeopardize your health.

Once we go to college, we won’t have our parents to enforce our bedtimes or ensure that we are up in the morning. That is why it’s important to create and build healthy habits in high school that we can carry through for the rest of our lives. Having set sleeping hours allows our bodies to adjust to earlier times, and makes it easier for us to wake up early in the morning.

Sleeping late and pulling all nighters are practices that are glossed over in high school, often seen as normal things to do. However, this should change. Students, including myself, should work on sleeping early and creating healthy habits in order to have healthier and more successful lives. Instead of shrugging off the advice we get about the importance of sleeping, we should learn to embrace it.

—Moraes-Liu, a junior, is a News Editor.

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Friday, May 17, 2019

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Singer of the Month: Abigail Mureithi

Photo illustration by Sophia Lu and Audrey Tseng

Most people know that sophomore Abigail Mureithi is in orchestra, but she har- ticipated in middle school plays and performed more to try to improve her weaknessbors a hidden talent most aren’t aware of—singing. Mureithi has loved music her es. “I started to put myself out there to combat my stage fright, and that’s a challenge whole life, and she enjoys writing songs and posting covers on her Instagram. She I am still working on,” she said. also plays the violin in the Gunn orchestra.

In the future, Mureithi aims to write more original songs for herself and her Murethi started playing violin in seventh grade, but struggled because most peo- friends. “Songwriting is a really good outlet for me because it helps me express my ple had begun much earlier. However, this did not stop her from working hard and emotions in a constructive way,” she said. pursuing the instrument—she is now able to play at a very advanced level. Although According to Mureithi, the entertainment industry can be very challenging. “It has she is passionate about violin, Mureithi become kind of corrupt and everyprefers to sing. thing is skewed and fake. I think Singing has allowed Mureithi to express most artists are super limited and “Pushing yourself is very important if you want to controlled,” Mureithi said. “It’s her emotions and overcome certain hardships. “Singing has impacted my life in a such a hard business to go into and significant way, because I can always sing improve at anything, and I think music and performing to make it big. So becoming famous with whatever feelings I have and it never with music would be cool, but it is fails to make me feel better,” she said. “It’s not really my goal.” have taught me how to do that.” a really good outlet.”

Mureithi aims to apply the skills Mureithi currently runs an Instagram she has learned from music to othaccount, @_abbysingss, where she posts covers and original songs. “I first decided to er aspects of her life. “Pushing yourself is very important if you want to improve at make an Instagram for my singing in eighth grade because I wanted to share it with anything, and I think music and performing have taught me how to do that,” Mureithi some friends and family,” she said. Her account now has over 300 followers and six said. “It’s very hard to do this in the moment, but I know it will pay off later.” covers posted, including songs written by popular music arts such as Beyoncé and Even with great outlets for releasing stress, high school can still be challenging and Sza. homework can be time-consuming, making it hard for Mureithi to find time for her Mureithi wasn’t always as confident in her singing voice. “I was always really hor- music. “Being committed to music takes time away from other fun activities, but I rible at [singing] until this past year, which is when I started singing more.” Self-con- love singing and I wouldn’t give it up for anything,” she said. fidence had always been a big issue for Mureithi, but she has recently tried to combat —Written by Kate Mallery this struggle by putting herself in situations that are out of her comfort zone. She par-

Fun Facts about SInger, songwriter Abby Mureithi Her secret talent is being able to move her ears without touching them.

Aside from English, she’s proficient in Spanish and fluent in Swahili.

She plays three instruments: the piano, guitar and violin.

She loves musical theatre in every aspect, and even acted in Gunn’s production of In the Heights.

Abby was born in Pennsylvania, but lived in Texas for seven years.

Compiled by Nikki Suzani and Madison Nguyen

Graphic by Grace Liu

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Cente

Teachers, students find wellness in gardening

We often hear that Gunn is ripe with opportunities, ranging from elective choicfrom zucchini bread to stuffed zucchini and even zucchini sauces. Matchett, on the es, to clubs and teachers for every learning style. One part of our campus that is often other hand, is unsure of her favorite. overlooked is the community garden. Located behind the K building, the garden has Matchett loves spring since many plants are blooming and release a myriad of multiple beds for plants and houses a dwarf kumquat tree. For teachers Cindy Peters beautiful scents. “I have a rule in my house and my garden that when I give you waand Elizabeth Matchett, the garden provides a feeling of home and opportunities to ter, you have to give me something that I can eat or that smells good,” she said. “Right reminisce. now is the very best time of the year because my mandarin tree, orange tree and Peters first discovered the garden 20 years ago, about three years after it was apple tree are blooming. I like to get out of my car and stand in the middle of those first started by a teacher who has since retired. She enjoyed watching students work and just breathe all the smells that are so good with the bees everywhere. The bees on it, walking past it every now and again as a reminder of her childhood, which she make me really happy.” spent in a huge orchard with a half-acre garden. “We always took care of the trees and Culinary students, Spanish Civilization and Culture Honors students and the the orchard,” she said. “We had lots of fresh vegetables and fresh fruit all the time.” organic gardening club work to maintain and support the garden, using it to cook and Yet, half-acre orchards aren’t the only way one can find love within a garden. For create nutricious dishes. “Last year, at the end of the year, we planted seed potatoes Matchett, gardening was a tradition passed down through her family—something and at the beginning of this year, we harvested them,” Matchett said about her Spanthat could take root in any household, regardless of size. She recounted her childhood ish Civilization and Culture class. “Then the kids took them home and had to make days in Ohio where her mother would plant tomatoes in flower beds and her family something either from their own culture or a spanish-speaking culture with them.” would pick and can foods from other farms. Her maternal grandmother kept true to This year, they harvested 79 pounds of potatoes originating from Peru in just one her roots in gardening, managing to grow her own mini-garden in windowsill harvest, and there’s still more left to dig up. Some years, flower pots while living in the city. there are all shades of squash and tomatoes from San When Matchett moved to California, she first Marzano to Sweet Gold, Sun Gold and much more. arrived in a small space lacking the neccessary Culinary student Anjolina Huang has been able light even for flower pots. She was reminded of to personally benefit from the culinary classes’ use “The garden forgives you and grows her love for gardening when, in a house rented in of the garden. “The students picked tomatoes and again and tries again, because the garRedwood City, the owner taught her to grow, water used them to make recipes in the class,” she said. and appreciate plants once more. It wasn’t long be“We freeze them and then we boil them and use den doesn’t judge who’s taking care of it. fore she bought her own house and set about having them in many different ways. We make calzones It just keeps giving no matter what.” a proper garden, despite some minor hiccups along and sauces, and they’re very delicious.” the way. “I bought a package of cabbage seeds and Even with the benefit of each harvest, working —Spanish Teacher Liz Matchett I hadn’t built myself a raised bed yet, so all I had in a garden is not without difficulties. “The brown was the flower garden just like my mother always squirrels, they’re terrible,” Peters said. “They dig did,” she said. “I went out and planted the cabbage huge holes and tunnel. And then you have the seeds all along the front of the flower garden. And birds and the tree squirrels, and there’s also racwhat happened was 24 of those plants grew, and coons and rabbits that come from Miranda [street] when I had to harvest them I had 24 cabbages, my god. up here. Oh, we have an entire farm out there, without I ended up having to learn how to make sauerkraut that year.” actually having a farm. We just have to sort of orchestrate it so that we’re working Thus, about eight years ago, when the two joined forces, it was truly a match: two around the animals, and we’re really pretty good at netting everything and keeping it garden-loving teachers and an available space for them to cultivate. “A long time ago, down.”

I would say eight or nine years ago, I walked by the old garden and it was always in At the end of the day, Peters believes gardening can help cleanse the mind and disarray and I thought to myself: ‘that’s [somewhere] where we could do something refresh the gardeners. “When you look at wellness and balance within our lives, it’s that could be fun,’” Matchett said. “I started asking around and the person who was something that really helps me a lot because it just gives me another outlet where I in charge retired, so there was no one in charge. Then, I found out that [Peters] was can be outdoors,” she said. “It’s really a healthy thing to start and be involved in.” also interested, so the two of us got involved and started collaborating.”

Matchett echoed this sentiment—when she’s feeling down, she’ll often turn to In the past, there was an organic gardening club that worked with Matchett and the garden for a 15-minute break and return to work feeling joy once again. “I love Peters on the maintenance of the garden, and Matchett once had a connection with gardens because they forgive you,” Matchett said. “A lot of people beat themselves up the workers at the nearby Common Ground Garden which allowed for the garden to if their garden isn’t perfect, or doesn’t look perfect all the time or has a lot of weeds, be properly cared for. However, the students who championed the organic gardenbut a garden for me is a huge metaphor for my life. I can screw up my life all the time, ing club in the past have graduated and the Common Ground Garden has been shut but I have to remember that even if I screw it up, I can start over and try again. The down, so the two women, along with some of Gunn’s landscaping gardeners are left to garden forgives you and grows again and tries again, because the garden doesn’t care for it. “When we don’t have a lot of students in the club, then I use the food and I judge who’s taking care of it. It just keeps giving no matter what.” grow the food myself with my own students here in the culinary classes,” Peters said.

Matchett and Peters are currently looking for students to charter and join the organic “We plant it, we grow it, we weed it and then we cook it.” gardening club, who would help maintain the garden. Students who are interested should All the things that are planted, grown and harvested can prove to be beneficial in contact Matchett and Peters at lmatchett@pausd.org and cpeters@pausd.org. the kitchen. “Right now, we just started tomatoes, corn and beans and we’ll be putting in some onions, carrots, lettuce and kale,” Peters said.

Peters’ favorite crop for the garden is zucchini due to its various uses in cooking, —Written by Nikki Suzani

erfold

Friday, May 17, 2019

9

Summer plants to help you start your very own garden Strawberries are staple summer fruits that are easy to grow at home, requiring little maintenance while still making a delicious snack. Strawberries require at least eight hours of sunlight per day, which is easily found during the summer. An important tip to remember when growing this fruit is to space the plants six inches apart and to thoroughly cover the roots, but leave the buds exposed. An ideal time to plant them is in June, as the earlier that the berries are planted, the more berries will grow. Once the strawberries have grown, the best time to pick them is when they are red and about to ripen.

Squashes come in many different varieties. From yellow squash to patty pan to zucchini, these fruits grow best in warm soil, making them perfect to cultivate over the summer. Summer squashes are easy to grow and are highly productive.

This vegetable requires lots of sunlight, moisture and rich soil, and will grow in about 40 days. They should be harvested at least twice a week, then stored in the fridge or frozen. After the plant passes the flowering stage, it will grow quickly. Larger squashes have tougher skins and seeds, making them well suited for baking. Because summer squash come in many different varieties, they can be extremely versatile and can be used in many different dishes.

The sunflower is a classic flower that represents summer. They grow best in full sunlight and can thrive in any type of nutrientrich soil when watered regularly. Sunflowers grow tall and can blow over, so they should be planted against a fence or wall. Sunflowers can be directly planted into the soil or transferred to the garden as seedlings, although they grow faster when directly seeded. For the best results, the flowers should be planted in soil that is consistently 70 to 75 degrees fahrenheit. Sunflower seeds can be used to make bird feed, roasted and consumed as a snack or used as a topping on a meal. —Compiled by Sophia Stern

Graphics by Jocelyn Wang

10

Features

Friday, May 17, 2019

Leaving teachers share memories, advice for students The best part about teaching is building relationships with students, and I have had a lot of great memories spending time with them. Still, I’m excited for a new adventure, to learn a new city and to eat some delicious street food.

Everyone comes to school so eager to learn, everyone’s so kind and they all take care of each other, and I think that’s so special. If you work hard and believe in yourself, you will have tremendous success.

Kathy Hawes

Daniel Hahn

I think [students] just need to believe in themselves a little bit more, and not be afraid to advocate for themselves and really show the community the amazing things they are capable of. Be confident, dream big, pave your own path and smile.

I just love teaching the kids because when they learn something, they get that spark in their eyes when they finally understand. As long as I continue to love what I am doing, I plan to keep on teaching.

Toni Smith

Cristina Florea

I always tell my students to always, once in a while, lift their heads up and see the big picture of where we’ve been and where we are going so that our life doesn’t pass us by like a warm summer’s day. I tell my students to attack their problems like a brave hero, and if they do these things, then they’ll be in good shape. The students next year, I don’t think they’re going to miss me at all, and I think they’ll have a great teacher and it’s going to be a great course.”

Bill Dunbar

To read the full stories about each individual teacher, go to www.gunnoracle.com

Graphics by Shannon Lin and Audrey Tseng Photos by Oren Schube and Liza Kolbasov

11

Features

Teachers plan to explore nature during summer break Biology teacher Tim Aston finds joy in nature photography

Substitute Christopher Duff to hike Pacific Crest Trail

Biology teacher Timothy Aston plans on spending part of his summer taking photos of nature in picturesque spots across California. Aston and his wife have enjoyed capturing their memories of nature together, and have built an impressive portfolio of photos displayed in both his classroom and on the internet. “We started off getting a camera because my wife was going off on a trip to Israel and she wanted a camera just to document that,” Aston said. “We practiced with it at the Antelope Valley Poppy Preserve when there was a nice bloom. From there, I started waking up [in the early] mornings and taking [pictures of] sunrises whenever I had the chance.”

This summer, their canvas will be the Ansel Adams wilderness and the South Sierra Nevadas, including the Kearsarge pass. “Some of it is going to be backpacking, so three or four

day hikes and sleeping somewhere in the wild,” Aston said. “Other times [we] just sleep Some somewhere closer to the road and chase clouds.” teachers collect Aston took his favorite photo last year when he travelled to Oregon to view the full vinyl records or solar eclipse. “There was camaraderie that was around like ‘we’re all here to see one souvenirs of past travels, specific thing,’” he said. “And we could tie in science since we were able to calculate exwhile others house antique actly where the line of totality was going to be. There’s something a little extra special coins and stamps in bound folios. and eerie about the way the sun just kind of disappears.”

However, for substitute teacher ChrisWhen looking for photo-taking opportunities, Aston tries to scout out new locatopher Duff, the entirety of his collection—a collection of tions that he doesn’t often see pictures of. “I try and spend at least 10 days in the memories, that is—can be hastily drawn on a whiteboard: a back country and try to find new places, because the standard places like Tunpeanut shape represents San Francisco bay, a vertical line shows nel View in Yosemite, Mona Lake or Badwater in Death Valley have thousands of the coastline and a horizontal stroke marks Highway 4. pictures of them, and it’s nicer to be able to capture something that people haven’t To Duff, the crude map represents the Pacific Crest Trail, a necessarily seen before” sprawling 2,650 mile hiking and backpacking trail. Duff’s collection is Just like many students, Aston cherishes long weekends and vacations, and made of the landmarks drawn on the map, each denoting the start or end spends many school holidays outdoors. “[Having breaks] is how I get my energy to a section of the Pacific Crest Trail that Duff has traversed. back,” he said. “I like teaching, but if I didn’t have something to build my storage This summer, Duff plans to add yet another portion of the Pacific Crest Trail back up, then I wouldn’t be able to do it for very long. Alternating and having a to his collection. In July, Duff will hike 250 miles from the Oregon-Washington long weekend here and there, as well as spring break, winter break and sumborder to Snoqualmie Pass. Along the way, Duff plans to hike 12 to 15 miles each mer break all help me recharge so that I can teach effectively.” day while carrying 40 pounds of equipment.

—Written by Annika Bereny To train for his trip in July, Duff is also considering other hiking opportunities. “In June, I’m hoping to do two weeks of backpacking to just get in shape for my trip later in July,” he said. “That will either be [hiking] south from Highway 4 or a trip to Mount Whitney, which you need a permit [to climb].”

Originally, Duff’s interest in the Pacific Crest Trail began as a way of pushing his own limits and coping with change. “I just wanted to test myself,” he said. “I was really looking for an inner challenge. I also just wanted to get away from my life at that time. I was switching careers from carpentry to teaching and I wasn’t really sure how that was going to work out. I had some time and I wanted to give it a real think.”

Four years ago, Duff set aside two weeks of his summer to hike the first section of the Pacific Crest Trail near Redding, California. Since then, he’s used past summer breaks to cover the entirety of Oregon, trekking from Ashland to east of Portland.

Being a substitute teacher has allowed Duff to develop his passion for hiking while also working.

“When I’m not working full time, I’m able to balance between exercise and work,” he said. “I’m more able to do the things that get me in the shape for this and plan for it. Having flexibility in my schedule helps in a lot of ways.”

Yet, Duff’s endeavor to complete the Pacific Crest Trail has hardly been easy; while backpacking, Duff has felt the hardships brought on by hiking thousands of miles. “It’s generally really hard at the beginning of the trip,” he said. “It’s also hard when you’re leaving a town because when you’re leaving a town, you have seven days of food [to carry] and you might not see water for a while.”

Ultimately, to Duff, backpacking for hundreds upon thousands of miles is an experience unlike any other.

Mia Knezvic “You’re hiking for hours upon hours, sometimes not seeing people,” he said. “You’re in nature for days and days at a time, and the people that you meet are amazing because there aren’t a lot of slouches at 9000 feet that are hiking 20 miles a day. You have almost zero screen time. But as a section hiker, there’s a definite sense of sorrow like ‘it’s over, it’s time to go back to civilization.’”

A glimpse of that sorrow is visible in Duff’s eyes as he studies his makeshift trail guide. Then with a smile, the drawing is erased and the whiteboard wiped clean until next time—after all, the map is still incomplete.

­—Written by Joshua Yang Photo Courtesy of Christopher Duff

Graphic by Shannon Lin

Check out more stories on what staff members are doing over the summer on www.gunnoracle.com

Staff Answers:

What are the top three things you are planning to do over the summer?

If other, what are you planning to do?

Staying at home (not traveling)

26 (33.8%)

Going on vacation Getting a summer job

49 (63.6%) 16 (20.8%)

Spending time with family Preparing for next school year Going out into nature Shuttling kids around

47 (61%) 35 (45.5%)

Moving to Singapore

Finalizing curriculum

Playing lots of guitar

Catching up on chores

Working summer school

Whitewater rafting in France

Coaching

Volunteering at bible school

Playing french horn on tour

25 (32.5%) 14 (18.2%)

Percentage (%)

Grading AP Psych tests Tech work

Completing my masters degree

Wedding and honeymoon Move to DC

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Lifestyle

T he Su m mer of 2019 The Oracle previews upcoming entertainment options —Concerts—

—Movies—

—TV Shows—

BILLIE EILISH: Having just released her new album, Billie Eilish kicked off her North American tour at Coachella and will be making her way to the Bill Graham Civic Auditorium in San Francisco on May 29. With 45 million monthly listeners on Spotify and 22.2 million followers on Instagram, there's no doubt that her music is popular among many people, especially teenagers. She has recently been changing her music style from mainstream pop to more “edgy” and indie pop music, making her more appealing to teens. Do you have a relaxed finals week or just want a breather from all the stress? Tickets are available starting from $53 for general admission.

“SPIDER-M A N: FA R FROM HOME:” On July 5, Marvel will release its next installment of the new “Spider-Man” series, starring Tom Holland. The sequel finds the friendly neighborhood Spider-Man in a different neighborhood: Europe. Peter Parker’s normal school trip is interrupted by the appearance of Nick Fury. Alongside some returning actors such as Zendaya and Jacob Batalon, Jake Gyllenhaal will make his Marvel debut as Mysterio, an expert illusionist known from the comics as Spider-Man’s nemesis. Although the plot remains cryptic, the trailer ends with the solemn words of Happy Hogan: “You’re all alone. Your friends are in trouble. What are you gonna do about it?”

“STR A NGER THINGS:” The original Netflix show is returning for its third season, advertised as “bigger and better than last year” by its creators, the Duffer Brothers. The season will come with new characters for the original gang; Maya Thurman-Hawke will play Robin, a 19-year-old who uncovers a dark secret in Hawkins, which places the kids on a wild mission to save their town from unexpected threats. If you’re looking for engaging sci-fi content with characters that solve crime on the side, you’ll be excited to watch the next season on Netflix starting July 4.

KHALID: He captured the hearts of the younger generation across the globe after releasing his relatable album, “American Teen,” which focused on the life of a teenager in 2017. Since then, Khalid has been nominated for awards ranging from the Grammy Awards to the American Music Awards, and has released two albums. As a part of his world tour, Khalid will be performing in Oakland at Oracle Arena on Friday, June 28 as well as at Golden 1 Center in Sacramento on June 29. With tickets starting at $81, spice up your summer with some contemporary R&B music.

“THE LION KING:” 25 years after the release of the animated film “The Lion King,” Disney returns with a longawaited live-action reimagining directed by Jon Favreau.

Many notable aspects of the beloved original film remain unchanged, such as iconic shot remakes, familiar music and the returning voice of James Earl Jones as Mufasa.

The new film also features unique elements, from visually stunning realistic landscapes to a star-studded cast. The movie showcases well-known voices including Donald Glover as Simba and Beyoncé as Nala, in addition to other celebrities such as Seth Rogen and John Oliver. Catch it on July 19.

“EUPHORIA:” An American adaptation of an Israeli show, “Euphoria” contains as much drama and cliff hangers as a crime series but hits much closer to home. The series shows high school students struggling to find their true identities as they navigate love and friendships in a society full of trauma and social media.

Produced by rapper Drake and featuring a cast with celebrities like Zendaya, this drama contains many familiar faces that make the show even harder to resist. “Euphoria” will premiere on HBO on June 16.

BLUEFACE: With his newly released song “Thotiana,” rapper Blueface has made his way into the top of the charts on all music platforms. His song blew up in popularity due to his off-beat rapping style and song lyrics, turning both him and his song into a meme. Blueface will be playing at the Ace of Spades in Sacramento on Friday, June 28. Tickets start at $45 for general admission and are selling rapidly, so make sure to grab a friend and purchase tickets fast.

—Compiled by Madison Nguyen

“ Y EST ER DAY:” A c omedy, roma nc e and musical, “Yesterday” is the quintessentia l summer movie. Directed by Danny Boyle, this movie follows Jack Malik, a musician who finds fame when everyone mysteriously forgets the Beatles. Inaccurately praised as the world’s greatest singer-songwriter, Malik reinvents Beatles songs as his own and meets celebrities such as Ed Sheeran and James Corden. Watch as Malik copes with the guilt of having others’ music be credited as his own. See it June 28.

—Compiled by Jessica Wang

“G OOD OME NS:” For fantasy lovers, this series w ill be more than fulfilling.

Based on the 1990 novel with the same name, the six-episode series is set in 2018, where there’s an imminent apocalypse threatening the population. An angel (Aziraphale) and a demon (Crowley) must join forces, prevent the coming of the Antichrist and save the world together as the end of time grows nearer. Catch “Good Omens” on Amazon Prime and later on BBC Two starting on May 31.

—Compiled by Angela Wong

Graphics by Grace Liu and Audrey Tseng

Sophomore Arunim Agarwal reflects on summer job as camp counselor

Photo by Melissa Ding

While some students fill their summers with SAT prep or expensive academic summer camps, sophomore Arunim Agarwal did something a lot of freshmen wouldn’t think to do. He worked as a summer camp counselor for younger children in hopes of inspiring and assisting them while also making money.

Before applying for the camp counselor position, Agarwal had been a counselor-in-training and received community service hours. He credited this as the reason for his ability to get the job in the first place and emphasized the importance of taking those smaller steps and forming relationships that one can then use to get an actual job in the future.

The main focus of his job was on little kids, who can be difficult to work with due to their energy and passion for almost anything they do. Agarwal recounted days at camp where he felt unsure of how to keep the whole group on track or how to control the kids. But that didn’t stop him from ensuring that they had a good time. “I still do like to be friends with eight-year-olds,” he said. “There were a lot of loud and energetic eight-year-olds there, but I did my

best to find them something fun to do.”

Agarwal was motivated to take on this new challenge as he knew it would fit into his summer plan and would allow him to do more during his break.

“I had some free time over the summer since I was taking Living Skills,” Agarwal said. “So a summer job seemed like a perfect fit for the rest of my time.”

The job also allowed the counselors to develop strong interpersonal relationships with the younger kids, connecting with each of them on an individual level. Agarwal had no trouble recounting memories of times when the children made him laugh or smile.

Together, they went on hikes, played games and spent time creating a fun atmosphere.

Ultimately, Agarwal wouldn’t change his experience for the world. As for future job-seekers, he believes their dedication to any job will result in their own satisfaction. “Be really open to new experiences and try to have as much fun as you can,” he said. “Go in every day being happy and you’ll leave being happy too.”

—Written by Nikki Suzani

13 Fans compete over superhero franchises

Lifestyle

Friday, May 17, 2019

M A RV EL vs D C Elisa Morales-Liu

Annika Bereny

Unless you’ve been adrift in space like Tony Stark at the beginning of the film, you’ve probably heard of “Avengers: Endgame.” The movie brought together dozens of characters and Easter eggs developed throughout the complex storylines of the prior 22 films. In the first weekend alone, the film grossed over one billion dollars in box office. This completely shattered records set by any film before for opening weekend.

In second place for that record is another Marvel film, the “Avengers: Infinity War.” Marvel movies have taken the world by storm. DC has been unable to produce anything even close to iconic films such as “Endgame,” “Infinity War” and “Black Panther.”

The Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) has brought beloved characters such as Captain America, Iron Man, The Hulk and Thor to the big screen. The closest thing DC has to the Avengers is Suicide Squad or Justice League, and as much as we love Harley Quinn, these films cannot compare to the iconic Avengers franchise. Suicide Squad does not have a long-standing 22-film plotline like the Avengers that has kept the world watching for over a decade. DC’s films come and pass by with little attention paid to them.

This is not to say that DC does not have iconic characters of its own. Batman and Superman have been famous in pop culture throughout several decades. While these characters have been prominent in the comic universe, they are not as famous in the cinematic world. Batman hasn’t captivated the world the way Captain America has.

Films such as “ The Dark Knight” are standalone in the franchise and do not have connected storylines that capture our hearts, causing a rush to the box office when the next film comes out. There is no “Justice League: Endgame” in the making.

Marvel heroes beat DC ones because they have a human touch to them. Not only do the movies focus on fighting and missions of these heroes, but they also show us insights into their personal lives. We see characters like Bruce Banner struggle in everyday things, such as his relationship with Black Widow and the emotional toll of being The Hulk. This allows the characters to have a special place in our hearts, as we get to know them as humans as well as heroes.

Actors of the Marvel franchise are also a beloved part of the MCU. Marvel employs talented actors like Tom Holland, Robert Downey Jr., Scarlett Johansson and Chris Hemsworth. These actors help make the movies even more special, as we get to see our favorite pop culture figures on the big screen. MCU makes it so we not only fall in love with these characters, but also love Chris Evans and Tom Holland along with them. DC, on the other hand, has actors such as Henry Cavill and Ben Affleck, who have not gained prominence through their work with DC films.

Marvel films will only continue to grow in fame and prominence. The Disney-Fox merger has opened up a world of possibilities for the MCU, including ownership of the Fantastic Four and X-Men by the franchise. With many additions to their franchise coming, it is safe to say Marvel beats DC by a long shot.

— Morales-Liu, a junior, is a News Editor.

DC has given us great heroes like Batman, Superman and Wonder Woman, and even greater villains like the Joker, Lex Luthor and The Riddler. They’ve laid the foundation for the whole comic business and even for the whole business of superheroes. DC pioneered the superhero franchise, and while they were certainly the best back then, they still are today.

In 1934, Detective Comics was formed under a different name. They debuted Superman in Issue #1 and Batman in Issue #27 of their series “Action Comics.” Five years later, Marvel followed on their footsteps, already leeching ideas from the original company. Deadpool? He’s a rip-off of Deathstroke. Marvel’s “X-Men” series debuted three months after DC’s “Doom Patrol.” And as much as everyone loves Tony Stark, he’s a clear rip-off of Batman: a billionaire who’s the CEO of his own company, and city-saving hero on the side? DC is far more creative.

Marvel’s wide array of characters has allowed them to make millions off of obscure heroes and villains, but most of their characters are forgettable and unimportant. DC, on the other hand, keeps a tight-knit group of characters on the front line that fans can actually keep track of, and they pack a lot of character and meaning into each one. They are heavily reliant on “The Big Three,” or Batman, Superman and Wonder Woman, but these heroes represent valuable lessons worth teaching every generation; they all teach us about how hard work pays off and human kindness. Even their villains prove just as formidable: The Joker has become a household name. From The Riddler to The Penguin, each antagonist has an extensive backstory and an intriguing personality. And while Marvel has some good villains such as Galactus and the Red Skull, they still can’t compare.

When considering movies alone, Marvel has admittedly been doing well. But if you look at the big picture, the whole timeline, DC has been in the movie game since the 80s, while the MCU only started in 2008. Everything Marvel has done, DC paved the way for. “ The Dark Knight,” possibly one of the best movies ever made, and easily the best superhero film, was also a huge success. Based off of popularity, longevity and even critic ratings, DC wins. And according to a Rotten Tomatoes study done in 2017, DC has a higher average rating than Marvel for both movies and TV shows.

DC also owns the small screen. It’s TV shows are highly rated and popular for a reason. Shows like “ The Flash,” “Supergirl” and “ Titans” are well rated and continue to surprise audiences with plot twists and cool crossovers. DC’s animation is arguably even better, with shows like “Batman: The Animated Series,” “ Teen Titans” and “Young Justice.” Marvel shows just aren’t up to par with DC. It’s hard to make the argument that Marvel beats DC on television.

So, while the two companies have whittled the business down to essentially just them, competition is still fierce. But with wins in originality, characters, television and a half win for movies, it’s clear that DC excels at the game. There’s just no comparison.

As it’s been since 1934, DC is the best in the business.

— Bereny, a sophomore, is a Centerfold Editor.

Graphics by Jocelyn Wang, Jamie Wang and Audrey Tseng

W H I C H D O G U N N ST U D EN TS LI K E M O R E? 200 students

MARVEL FANS: DC FANS:

25 students 225 students surveyed through Facebook.

Data compiled by Charlie Bush, Kate Mallery and Vinay Ranganathan

14

Sports

ATHLETE OF THE MONTH: JUNIOR COOPER MCKENNA The Oracle: How long have you been swimming for Gunn’s swimming team?

Cooper McKenna: I have been on Gunn’s swimming team, as well as water polo, since freshman year.

TO: What inspired you to begin your waterdominated athletic career?

CM: When I was nine or so, it was sort of the stage when everyone was playing sports. I didn’t really enjoy the other sports I’d tried, including swimming, though I liked the water.

I think the tipping point was not liking soccer though, because all of my friends and my sister loved soccer. My mom played water polo at [Palo Alto High School], actually, and then at UC Davis, so she then suggested I try it out.

TO: What is the greatest challenge you’ve faced while on the swimming team, and how did you overcome it?

CM: One of the biggest challenges I had with swimming was sort of accepting it on its own. I initially swam freshman year pretty much only because of water polo, and to be completely honest, I was not looking forward to it. By the end of the season, though, I had such a great time and was happy to have improved so much and to have met so many new people. Everyone was and still is so supportive. Especially at the league championship meet, the energy and cheering was insane. I also learned that there are so many levels to swimming and so many details to think about, so I started to think of it as separate from just training for water polo.

TO: When and how did you learn to swim?

CM: I honestly have no memory of really learning how to swim. I know my parents were taking me swimming as soon as they were allowed to, at maybe four weeks old, but I think pretty much any swim instruction I got was from them until I did high school swimming freshman year.

TO: What does your weekly swim practice schedule look like?

CM: In a typical week during this season, we have practice every afternoon, except for Tuesdays when we have practice from 6:30 a.m. to 8 a.m. before school instead, and Fridays, when we have meets. We also have weights from 6:30 a.m. to 8 a.m. on Monday, Wednesday and Friday mornings.

TO: What makes a great player in the water?

CM: This probably goes for most sports, but being smart goes a long way. Water polo can be especially tiring, since you can literally never stop moving without sinking, so you have to be smart with what you’re doing. For example, even if you’re not the strongest, you can usually compensate by maintaining a good body position in the water and having awareness.

—Compiled by Angela Wong

Photo by Wendy Xiong

The Oracle's picks on the NBA draft Top Pick: Zion Williamson

Ever since Zion Williamson’s junior year in high school, the whole world has known that he would be a top player in the 2019 National Basketball Association (NBA) draft. Williamson, who played for Duke, has drawn comparisons to basketball legends LeBron James and Chris Webber, and for good reason. As a 6 foot 7 inch tall, 284 pound forward, Williamson makes everyone else on the court look small. If he was in the NBA right now, he would be the second heaviest player after Boban Marjanovic, the 7 foot 3 inch center on the 76ers. Despite his enormous frame, Williamson also has freakish athleticism. On the court, Williamson always shows off his flashy 360 and windmill dunks, further displaying his athleticism. Williamson is sure to make an impact on his future team and the entire NBA as well.

Sleeper Pick: Admiral Schofield

Tennessee Volunteers’ small forward Admiral Schofield shows great potential to become an NBA star. During his senior season, he put excellent stats up across the board, proving his versatility as a player. He averaged 16.5 points per game along with six rebounds, while shooting 47.4 percent from the field and 41.8 percent from beyond the arc. Beyond his stats, Schofield has also shown flashes of greatness in some of his most impressive highlights from this past season. These include his unbelievable dunk on Mississippi State forward Robert Woodard and his game-winning three pointer that helped Tennessee beat the number one team at the time, Gonzaga. These moments prove that Schofield is surely ready for what the NBA will bring to him.

Bust: Darius Garland Darius Garland was another extremely hyped-up player in high school, but his time at vanderbilt has left many teams skeptical. Many scouts believe it is not likely that he will live up to his hype. At 6 feet 2 inches tall, 175 pounds, he is very small for a point guard. Most undersized NBA guards make up for their size with blazing speed, athleticism or outstanding passing. Garland, on the other hand, is an average athlete who has good vision but doesn’t distribute the ball very much.

—Written by Calvin Cai Graphics by Grace Liu

Sports

Friday, May 17, 2019

15

At h let es R efle ct o n c l u b vs . h i g h s c h o o l s po rts Basketball: Luke McFaul Sophomore Luke McFaul has played basketball for almost his entire life, starting at five years old. Last season, he played his first year of varsity basketball after playing on the junior varsity (JV) team in his freshman year. McFaul has enjoyed playing basketball for Gunn and it’s something he plans on doing for the rest of his career. “Basketball at Gunn has been one of my best experiences in high school so far,” he said. “The season is full of ups and downs and it’s an exciting challenge of mental perseverance and teamwork.”

On top of playing basketball for Gunn, McFaul has been playing on an Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) team called KOPA (King of Palo Alto), which was founded by the Gunn varsity basketball coach. For the past three years, he has played year round for the team in order to further his development as a player. “I play KOPA basketball because it’s really fun as I’ve been playing with the same guys for multiple years now, many of which are Gunn students,” he said. “We have developed close bonds [with] each other and our chemistry is off the charts because of it.”

When comparing and contrasting his experiences on both teams, McFaul says he has liked both teams in their own unique ways. “I think AAU basketball tends to be more focused on development,” McFaul said. “In contrast, Gunn sports are more focused on winning games and [are more] competitive.”

Although it is sometimes a challenge to play all year round, McFaul has embraced it and will continue to play on both teams. “I’m looking forward to working hard and competing in KOPA and showing the work I put in during the summer in preparation for the Gunn season,” McFaul said.

—Written by Peter Oh

Courtesy of Luke McFaul

Soccer: Alexis Bromberg Sophomore standout center back Alexis Bromberg has been engaged in soccer since the age of five. His skills have progressed significintally since he first started playing. As a freshman, Bromber made the varsity soccer team. “I joined American Youth Soccer Organization (AYSO) when I was five,” he said. “But I started real club soccer when I was seven.” As a member of both a club soccer team, De Anza Force Soccer Club, and the Gunn varsity soccer team, Bromberg has experienced the differences between playing for a school and a club.

Through Bromberg’s many seasons of soccer, he has found that a major difference between playing for a club and for high school is the attitude of each team. “I think the main difference is the competitiveness,” Bromberg said. “I think club soccer is much more competitive. School soccer is more fun than competitive.”

Bromberg has been able to compete in some of the biggest national and international tournaments over the years.

“The farthest [tournament] I’ve been to is in Spain,” he said. “I went to Nationals last year in Colorado and I’ve gone to Surf Cup in San Diego.” In contrast, high school teams only participate within the state, traveling a lot less.

Additionally, the bond between his school teammates and club teammates differs. “I feel closer to my club teammates because you just get to know them much more and you spend much more time with them than your high school teammates,” Bromberg said.

—Written by Calvin Cai

Courtesy of Alexis Bromberg

VolleyBall: SongBoer Yun The boys volleyball team ended the season with a league record of 10-4 and an overall record of 15-9. Throughout the spring months, high-flying junior Songboer Yun has been seen humiliating opposing defenses, staring down rival huddles and sporting his signature trench coat.

Yun enjoys intimidating opponents during practices and warm-ups.

“That’s a large man, getting really high in the air,” Gunn boys volleyball coach Matt Brotsch said. “Songboer hitting that ball down at you, honestly, it’s pretty scary.”

Yun says he honed his skills in club volleyball years before Gunn had a boys team. “I’ve been playing around three years for club and two years for school,” he said. “It’s been a great experience.”

Comparing the two, Yun cites competition level as one of the main differences. “For club it’s a bit more competitive, for club they pick out the best of the best. For school, well, it’s not necessarily all scrubs but some of the people don’t play volleyball 24/7,” he said. Yun does find it refreshing to be able to play outside of his age group and skill level, however.

Yun also prefers the superior facilities in club play. “Gunn courts are trash,” he said. “Club facilities are really nice.” Through the wins and the losses, Yun has found both school and club volleyball to be rewarding and worth the time.

—Written by Josh Mei

Courtesy of Sonboer Yun

16

Wellness

In the pursuit of wellness:

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III. WHAT CAN WE DO BETTER MOVING FORWARD? Liza Kolbasov, Grace Tramack and Jessica Wang Editor-in-Chief, Senior Reporter and Forum Editor

Groups Two wellness groups built on student input, Reach Out Care Know (ROCK) and Sources of Strength (SOS), always strive towards increased participation. For both groups, annual improvements are strongly based on feedback from the community. “At the end of the year, but often a couple times throughout the year, we survey students and ask for their thoughts,” ROCK advisor Paul Dunlap said. “[Wellness] has to have the investment of the people who it’s affecting. If something is intended to build community and to give students a greater support network, they have to be involved in it.”

These groups have also worked on a wide array of events.

Senior Meghna Singh has found that students respond better to events that involve physical objects rather than ones centering around worksheets or papers with mental healthrelated activities. “[Students] can do an interactive activity, like making a stress ball, and then while they’re making it, we can talk about things like, ‘What are stressors in your life?’ or ‘How can you use this stress ball going forward?’” she said.

With these methods in mind, both wellness groups continue to actively strengthen the support network in our community, with the help of existing and new participants.

wellness center One of the main issues that the Wellness Center has faced in the past has been lack of student usage. Math teacher Daisy Renazco believes that social judgements might dissuade students from visiting the Wellness Center. “Stigma is definitely a part of it,” she said. “Some students might feel like if they go to the Wellness Center, then it means that they have ‘serious issues.’”

Wellness Coordinator Genevae Dixon is also aware of the assumptions surrounding the Wellness Center. She hopes to spread awareness about the Wellness Center’s additional offerings. “A lot of work that we have to do is still around the stigma and breaking down those barriers so that students don't feel like they are being stigmatized by walking into [the Wellness Center],” Dixon said. “People automatically assume that ‘I go the Wellness Center because I have something that's going on.’ No, you can be here to get a snack. You can be here to get tea. You could be here to do a lot of different things. It’s not just that there’s something really awful going on in your life.”

Singh has been a lead advocate for the expansion of mental health resources on campus throughout the new Wellness Center's construction process. The new center, which will open next year, is in the same building as the Student Activities Center (SAC). The new building will offer both academic and wellness counseling, tea, stress-relieving activities and snacks, as well as the pre-existing resources of the SAC. According to Singh, having a “one-stop shop” for all student needs will increase student use of the Wellness Center.

“What I’ve realized is that some people still don’t want to walk into the Wellness Center because there’s a stigma of just opening up those doors,” she said. “But if you’re going into the [SAC], or you’re going to see that building, it could be for whatever reason, whether it’s academic counseling, mental health counseling that you need, or if you just want to get a snack, or you’re ordering a dance ticket. Nobody’s going to know; nobody’s going to judge you.”

Nearly a decade after the first suicide contagion, The Oracle is taking a look at what has changed between now and then. In the Pursuit of Wellness is an investigative reporting initiative that aims to answer the following questions:

I. What have we done to prevent suicides and improve mental health?

II. Are these measures really working?

III. What can we do better moving forward?

This series has spanned three issues of The Oracle. You can find the first installment in our February issue and the second installment in our March issue.

This article is the third of a three-part series called In the Pursuit of Wellness, an investigative reporting initiative on Gunn’s efforts towards mental wellness. In this installment, The Oracle discusses plans the wellness team has for the future and goals that they have set.

Wellness at Gunn has made varying amounts of progress in its different programs and efforts, including clubs, the wellness center, Social Emotional Literacy and Functionality (SELF) and impact on the student community.

However, there are many goals that remain to be met in these areas.

During the 2009-2010 school year, Palo Alto lost six students to suicide. Our community lost another four students in the 2013-2014 year. Following these tragedies, our school, district and community made various efforts to better understand what the causes were and take preventive measures.

social emotional literacy and functionality Since last year, the SELF team has revised the packaged lesson plans with the goal of making them more constructive and valuable for students. The new lesson schedule, implemented this year, consists of four units with alternating lessons focusing on relationship building, check-ins, school culture and direct social-emotional learning instruction.

The SELF team is also working on including more student input in their lesson plans by incorporating feedback from a committee of juniors and seniors in their lesson plans. “I think using more student-designed curriculum will hopefully increase [support],” Carlomagno said.

Parent Involvement Staff involved in wellness also wish to increase parent awareness and participation. “I think we are doing a lot, but I also think that people need to be doing work at home,” Carlomagno said. “It takes a village. We’re not the only stakeholder in this situation. I hope that families are participating in wellness, too.”

For the past four years, SOS has hosted parent information nights with the intent of promoting wellness conversations.

The event has been successful in educating the parents in attendance. “Parents come, and they hear what they can do to support their student in these issues,” Dunlap said. “That’s one of the few times where we can give them tangible ways.

Here’s what you can do. Listen to them right now. Learn the language, learn about the activities they’re doing and ask them about it. The greatest involvement is if there can be a conversation.”

Still, one of the main difficulties with reaching parents is the range of parent-child relationships. “I don’t think there’s one recipe that will work for everyone,” Dunlap said. “I think it depends on the parents’ relationship with the student and on the student’s comfort level on campus. But I know that some involvement is necessary.”

With family support as a key element of student wellness, the wellness team is continually brainstorming ways to reach parents. They hope to give parents the resources to connect their children with help and to know how to deal with any issues they may face. “We’re looking to step up and improve the way that we reach out and educate parents about mental health,” Wellness Outreach Worker Lauren Rocha said.

“That will be a long-term goal, looking into the next school year as well and providing more opportunities for parents to get what they need to help their students who are going through things.”

in order to make these resources easily accessible for all.

Dunlap hopes to increase overall community acceptance of the wellness efforts. “My long-term goals are related to getting as many people as possible to recognize their investment in [wellness] in some way that is meaningful to them,” he said. “More iterations will give more people different ways of learning and expressing what they’re learning in this area.”

Other General Improvements Moving forward, wellness remains a progressive journey.

“I think we always have more work to do,” Dunlap said. “We are closer to a campus-wide conversation about these important issues. If we think about it as shared language, that is a very important early step to spreading information. Even the word ‘wellness’ means more now than it did before.”

Singh agrees that a shared language surrounding mental health increases the school’s capacity for discussing crucial issues within the community. “The more people that are aware of the language around mental health, they know what Sources of Strength is, they know what organizations we have on campus, the better it’s going to be,” Singh said. “It won’t be like ‘oh, what’s mental health?’ You’ll just be able to already dive deep into that conversation and add to it.”

While the role of wellness in student life is always changing, Dunlap stresses the importance of individual involvement. “I think we need everyone to care,” he said. “Ideally, this wouldn’t have to be taught discretely, because it should be a part of everything that we do. When wellness works, it's not a stand-alone unit. It works in athletics. It works in academics. It works in spiritual life. It's all of those things.”

With this in mind, wellness requires the collaboration of many. “The wellbeing of the Gunn community—students, staff, parents—is a concern of every single one of us,” Dunlap said.

Dixon emphasized the importance of having a team effort to improve wellness. “We need to be open to allowing those things to occur, whether it be in the classroom, whether that be here at the wellness center, whether that’s at home, in the community, wherever it is that we are coming together as a group, and as a school to really say, this is something that’s important to us,” she said.

student body outreach Another focus of wellness improvements is reaching the entire student body. As an overarching influence on the community, wellness impacts the lives of all students and staff.

In order to spread awareness and strengthen community support, the goal is to increase involvement.

From Dunlap’s observation, participation in ROCK and SOS is well distributed throughout grade levels. This is mainly a result of friend and sibling connections.

However, Carlomagno believes that representation within the programs can improve. “I would really like to help more of our historically underrepresented students get involved in our wellness programs, but it just hasn’t happened yet,” she said.

Carlomagno notes that the wellness team has focused on incorporating wellness into the lives of as many students as possible. For example, every student ID card has numbers for crisis hotlines and support services printed on the back

If you are worried about yourself or a friend, to be directed to professional help, contact: •

• • • •

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-8255, 24/7 access to trained counselors School counselor/psychologist Your doctor suicidepreventionlifeline.org and click “Get Help” for yourself or for a friend If the threat is immediate, call 911