The Oracle May 2022

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

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California public schools

Palo Alto Unified School District Annual Enrollment Number of enrolled students

ROUTE 1: PUBLIC

ROUTE 2: PRIVATE

ROUTE 3: HOMESCHOOL

12K

11K

10K

’18–’19

’19–’20

’20–’21

’21–’22

Source: California Department of Education

Michelle Koo

Public school enrollment declines as students move out of state, opt for other mediums of learning Chris Lee News Editor Since California’s admittance as the 31st state, it has served as a progressive model for public education.

Schools became free for all students in 1867, California was one of the first states to pass a compulsory attendance law in 1874 and the Golden State enacted the Class Size Reduction Program in 1996, which aimed to have 20 or fewer students in kindergarten through third grade classrooms. These actions ultimately led to the state’s public school enrollment increasing by more than a million students—22%—between 1993 and 2004.

However, recent trends have shown a reversal to this growth. Out of the state’s 58 counties, 53 experienced a decline in student populations during the COVID-19 pandemic, with public school enrollment falling 2% since the 2019–2020 school year. According to the California Department of Education, Bay Area

public schools have lost 6.5% of their students, with Palo Alto Unified School District (PAUSD) seeing a 10.5% decrease in students since 2019.

Impacts on Enrollment Pandemic-era learning has led some students and their families to reconsider public schools. Junior Ella Holsinger, a student at the Castilleja School, attended Gunn for her freshman year before enrolling in private school as a sophomore. “The distance learning that Gunn did [at the end of] my freshman year was pretty sparse,” she said. “We didn’t have to go on Zoom calls and the asynchronous work didn’t benefit me at all.

Ultimately, my family and I made the decision to go [to Castilleja] together.”

According to Assistant Principal Courtney Carlomagno, public schools faced more barriers than private schools when it came to adapting throughout the pandemic. “Public schools are larger than most

private schools so sheer size can cause protocols to be larger to manage,” she said.

Parents and students began to notice the different transition protocols offered by private and public schools, including their hybrid options and dates for full in-person instruction. “I went back to [in-person school] in Nov. 2020,” Holsinger said. “[At Castilleja,] we ended up going to a model where it was one week of online and one week of in-person which was amazing.” In contrast, PAUSD high school students were not offered a consistent in-person learning option until March 2021, in which they could choose to come on campus for two days of the week.

Other students such as sophomore Zefan Feng chose to move to private schools for reasons outside of pandemic restrictions. “The student-teacher ratio was quite important,” he said. “There are around 40 kids per grade [at the Pinewood School] so we have more individual attention from the teachers. I think that it’s Enrollment—p.2

2

News

Monthly highlights: May Fete Parade and Fair “The trumpets have a secret tradition where the last time we play [the Gunn] fight song, we take it up an octave. I was so tired it did not work out well, but I still had fun.”

—Scott Hwang, 12

“The best part of [the parade] was starting the march with a bunch of people cheering on the band. It’s great to see us back out here making music.”

—Max Garcia, 10

Groups prepare their banners to march in the parade.

Preschool students scooter in the parade.

Band students perform at Heritage Park at the end of the parade.

“I really enjoyed marching through the parade while getting to hold a banner. Getting to walk through and see everyone on the sides was a fun experience.”

—Violet Tivol, 9

Children at the May Fete fair participate in arts and crafts activities by making superhero masks at the Palo Alto Art Center’s booth.

Gunn band students play their different instruments while marching in the parade.

Children gather around the Palo Alto Puzzle Hunt booth.

—Photos and quotes compiled by Safina Syed

Public education exodus impacts schools, highlights funding issues Enrollment—p.1

easier to get better grades if you have more attention.”

Although private schools are a factor in declining public school enrollment, they themselves have also experienced dropping student populations, indicating that they aren’t the primary cause for the exodus from public education.

Another main contributor has been California’s overall decreasing population. According to the California Department of Finance, the state lost 117,600 people in 2021, with the San Francisco Bay Area population declining by 50,400 people. Although the region only makes up 19.4% of California’s population, it accounts for 42.9% of the decline statewide.

Many, including English teacher Diane Ichikawa, point to the area’s comparatively high costs of living and pandemic trends as the reason why people are leaving in record numbers. “There are a precious number of people who can actually afford [to live] someplace like Palo Alto, let alone any of the coastal regions in California,” she said. “The ability for people to work remotely made it so that people could live in places like Montana while still making the same kind of money that they would [make] if they were in California.”

According to the Public Policy Institute of California, most families have relocated out of the state for housing, jobs or family-related reasons. Junior Riku Sakai moved to Gilbert—a suburb of Phoenix, Arizona—during the summer of 2020. “[We moved] mostly because of my dad’s job and also our financial situation,” he said.

“There are a precious number of people who can actually afford [to live] someplace like Palo Alto, let alone any of the coastal regions in California.”

—English teacher Diane Ichikawa However, some, such as sophomore Julie Chen, have used moving as an opportunity to take advantage of alternative academic pathways. “We decided to move to Bellevue, Washington partly because of the International Baccalaureate (IB) program [offered there],” she said.

The IB program is a rigorous, two year course of study that culminates in a student receiving an internationally recognized diploma. PAUSD currently does not offer an

IB program at either of its high schools, and there are no plans to implement one in the near future.

Another trend amplified by the pandemic is homeschooling. Data from the U.S. Census Bureau shows that 5.4% of families reported choosing this option in the spring of 2020, compared to 11.1% in the fall of 2021.

Sophomore Justin Lee decided to try homeschooling instead of attending Greene Middle School for his eighth grade year. “My mom wasn’t working at the time so homeschool was eventually an option that we started to consider,” he said. “As an eighth grader, I was able to love learning again. If I had known at all how homeschool [was before], I don’t think I’d have ever chosen to go to public school just because I like it so much.”

Even before fully transitioning, Lee’s family had some experience with learning at home. “Almost every summer, my family would do a version of homeschooling, and I would follow a curriculum developed by the homeschool community,” he said.

Funding Consequences The California state government establishes a funding goal—known as the Local Control Funding Formula—for how much money a district should receive per student enrolled. If the area’s property taxes are insufficient to provide the necessary funding, the state comes in to cover the shortfall.

While most schools are funded through a combination of state and local revenue, around 8% of districts—including PAUSD—are considered basic aid. Basic aid districts are areas where property tax revenues exceed the funding threshold set by the government, meaning that they receive minimal state funding.

Because property taxes do not fluctuate based on how many students are enrolled, declining student populations have had few financial impacts on districts like PAUSD. However, those relying on the state for revenue have had to make some difficult choices, since their funding is determined by enrollment. According to district records, Alum Rock Union School District in San Jose decided to merge two middle schools after losing over 1,000 students since the 2019–2020 school year while West Contra Costa Unified School District currently faces a $24 million deficit and is looking to cut staff and student programs.

At Gunn, the decrease in students has still led to notice-

able impacts, according to Social Studies Instructional Lead Jeff Patrick. “For the last couple of years, there’s been a steady decline of students,” he said. “The interesting thing is that it’s not just a smaller incoming freshman class, each of the grade levels are losing students.

Next year’s 12th grade class is smaller than this year’s 11th grade class, meaning that not all of the students are coming back.”

Even though PAUSD doesn’t face the same dire consequences as other districts, Ichikawa points to initiatives that could help retain students. “PAUSD doesn’t even have to shrink in terms of its number of teachers and the resources that we have,” she said. “We have millions that are locked away in our reserves and we’re not going to go poor over everything that’s happening. We can use this as an opportunity to have smaller class sizes and more arrays of programs to find a really good fit for our changing population.”

PAlo alto unified school district budget COMPOSITION Local Control Funding Formula 83%

10% Other Local Funds 7% State and Federal Aid Source: 2021-22 PAUSD Budget Overview Chris Lee

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

Editorial Board Editor-in-Chief Katie Shih Managing Editors Raphael Semeria Arjun Shah News Michelle Koo Chris Lee Safina Syed Forum Carly Liao Amann Mahajan Features Katie LaWer Irene Tsen Madison Yue Centerfold Lise Desveaux Hila Livneh Sports Kenneth Soh Ellie Yuan Lifestyle Vivian Studdert Becca Wu Michael Zhang Online Kaitlyn Chen Paul Garofalo Charlotte Qian Photo Editor Chinyoung Shao Graphics Editor Irene Hong

Staff Business/Circulation John Li Kelvin Xu Oracle/SEC Liaison Safina Syed Graphics Artists Jaz Decrem Michelle Koo Aarushi Kumar Natalie Lam Chinyoung Shao Ruhani Suresh Photographers Yoochan An Nishi Goyal Chinyoung Shao

Friday, May 20, 2022

Upcoming summer school brings changes to offerings Michael Zhang Lifestyle Editor This year, Palo Alto High School will host the Palo Alto Unified School District (PAUSD) summer high school sessions, featuring an array of changes from last year’s summer school, including an updated mask-optional policy and a return to primarily credit recovery courses.

Since Governor Gavin Newsom lifted the mandate requiring masks in California schools on March 12, local schools have removed mask requirements. High School Summer Program Assistant Principal Myesha Dickson emphasized that summer schooling will operate in the same manner. “We’ll fall in line with whatever the most current [COVID-19] practices are,” she said.

In 2021, a hybrid summer school was held at Gunn, with some students on campus and others on Zoom. A surplus of state funds allowed for an increased number of “kick-start” classes for students, which condense a semester of learning into a three-week course and allow students to use their freed-up semester in the school year for a prep period.

This year’s summer school marks a return to the typical offerings prior to the global pandemic. While no kick-start classes will be

offered, there will be three similar “advancement” classes. However, there will be an overall greater emphasis on credit recovery.

Math teacher Marcus Jamison, who is returning to the high school summer program assistant principal position, offered his perspective on the benefits summer school has in regards to credit recovery. “It’s cool to be working with other staff members, family members and students to try to find a way for

“I was glad to be part of the team that helped hundreds of students who either failed or got a D in their class find a way to pass [those] classes [over the summer].”

—Math teacher Marcus Jamison students to be confident and find success in a course where they didn’t find success before,” he said. “Last year it was heartwarming and left a positive taste in my mouth. I was glad to be part of the team that helped hundreds of students who either failed or got a D in their class find a way to pass [those] classes [over the summer].”

This year’s advancement courses include

Living Skills and Economics, only available to rising seniors, and Bridge to Geometry A, a class for rising sophomores who have completed Algebra I and would like to take Algebra II/Trigonometry A their sophomore year.

This enables these students to take Advanced Placement (AP) Calculus AB in senior year before they graduate.

Additionally, courses such as Living Skills and the third-party Economics class, offered through UCScout, are meant to lighten the loads of rising seniors and to provide them the opportunity to complete their graduation requirements while taking other classes during the school year.

Notably, the current advancement courses are primarily senior-only opportunities. Junior Jack Poon, who took the kick-start U.S. History course last summer, would like to have opportunities for summer advancement available for current underclassmen. “I got a prep period first semester and that was really helpful,” he said. “I used that period to be a teaching assistant for one of my teachers, and overall it loosened up a lot of the stress of first semester junior year. I think there should be extra steps to help students, considering how we as a district are talking about relieving student stress but aren’t taking these actionable steps to do so.”

Proposed Algebra I lane alters math courses for students Anriya Wang Reporter The latest proposed California mathematics framework recommends students take Algebra I in ninth grade or later. The framework, which was presented in May of 2021, hopes to ensure that students are at a comfortable level, rather than feeling pressured to take a higher-level math course that does not suit their needs. This track continues with Geometry sophomore year, Algebra II/Trigonometry junior year and Pre-Calculus senior year.

The proposed recommendations aim to reduce the achievement gap for Black, Latino and low-income students. According to the Nation’s Report Card for 2019, California’s eighth graders performed significantly poorer than the national public in math, with only 61% of students achieving basic standards and 29% qualifying for proficiency. Because California’s standardized math scores are some of the lowest in the nation, efforts are being made to improve its math curriculum.

Some students, such as freshman Aleena Xiao expressed concerns that following the new pathway could hinder student learning.

“Students should have the freedom to choose what math course they take so that they are motivated to learn and participate in classes that interest them,” she said.

One of the concerns the framework raises is that students may not be able to complete Advanced Placement (AP) Calculus by the end of high school. To address this, educators proposed combining Geometry, Algebra II/Trigonometry and Pre-Calculus into two blended courses. While Introduction to Analysis and Calculus and Algebra I teacher Julia Choi is interested in the blended courses, educators don’t currently know what the program would look like. “We would need a lot more time,” she said. “The curriculum would have to change in order to blend those three courses together.”

“Students should have the freedom to choose what math courses they take so that they are motivated to learn and participate in classes that interest them.”

—Freshman Aleena Xiao Although blended courses may be more challenging for students and teachers alike, Math Department Instructional Lead David Deggeller noted that it wouldn’t cause major changes. “It won’t really affect long term math learning,” he said. “Every student will still have a pathway to higher mathematics like

[AP] Calculus or AP Statistics if that’s their goal.”

“Every student will still have a pathway to higher mathematics like [AP] Calculus or AP Statistics if that’s their goal.”

—Math Department Instructional Lead David Deggeller Choi added that although colleges value classes such as AP Calculus, it’s not a requirement for future success. “[Taking calculus] is one of the metrics that universities use when accepting students,” she said. “But I don’t think that knowing calculus itself determines how successful you’re going to be.”

With this in mind, Choi pointed to the benefits of a successfully implemented program.

“Teachers need the proper training, so that we’re not holding back students,” she said.

“We need to know how to keep up the rigor in a classroom while also helping students who still need to know the basics.”

This framework has entered its third 60day public review and is currently scheduled to be approved and adopted by the State Board of Education (SBE) in July 2022, but the date is subject to change.

INBOX

Reporters Anriya Wang Adviser Kristy Blackburn

3

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PRO

4 Forum should students buy clothing from thrift stores?

Vivian Studdert Lifestyle Editor Climate change, driven by human activity, is one of the biggest threats our world has ever faced. Thus, we need to find a way to cut down our carbon footprints. An easy way to do that is to change where we buy our clothes. Thrifting is one way we can shop for quality clothes that are both cheaper and more ethical.

The fast fashion industry—which produces cheap and trendy clothes—is the biggest contributor to excessive waste.

Dyes, unsold clothes and scrap material are dumped, disrupting ecosystems and contributing to rising greenhouse gas emissions. While many buyers are aware of the negative environmental impacts of the fast fashion industry, the affordability of the clothes is often too hard to pass up. The fast fashion industry puts many popular items in close reach for low prices, while more ethical brands offer less popular clothes at much higher prices.

The problems with the fast fashion industry do not end with its contributions to environmental degradation—ethical problems such as exploitation of child labor have been well documented. According to “The New York Times,” the production of fast fashion has also notoriously been linked to unsafe working conditions and underpayment for employees.

Demand for new clothing from environmentally-unfriendly manufacturers could be lowered dramatically if customers turned to the secondhand market.

Technically speaking, those who thrift don’t completely avoid the problems of child labor. Thrift stores sell donated clothes, and there are no donation parameters which say that you can’t donate clothes that were cheap or made by the fast fashion industry. However, choosing to buy clothes that have

already been in circulation is choosing to have one fewer garment made unethically. A preference to buy secondhand prevents more morally problematic garments from being produced.

Even thought used clothing has had a bad rap historically— low class, dirty, uncool—it offers many advantages beyond its environmental friendliness. For example, the secondhand clothes market is perfect for fashionistas on a budget, achieving a balance between affordability, attractiveness, quality and ethical production. The early 2000s brought a return to vintage fashion. Many people looking to follow the trend turned to thrift stores to transform their wardrobe. Since then, the demand for vintage clothes has skyrocketed—especially among young people. Low rise jeans, bedazzled tees and crochet sweaters are some staples of thrift stores.

The secondhand clothes market also offers shoppers the opportunity to acquire high-value, durable clothes. Although there are plenty of low-end garments in thrift stores, there are also plenty of quality used clothes, which are often cheaper than clothes of a similar quality found in department stores.

As well as being cost-effective and green, thrifting is rewarding in other ways, especially for those who enjoy “the hunt.” Unlike department stores that carefully order new clothes by type and brand, thrift stores are a melange of every kind of clothing imaginable. The most organized thrift stores may sort by size and garment category, but each store has a unique setup, and every search offers the possibility of a diamond in the rough. Some thrift stores even have large bins filled with clothes, which provide yet another opportunity to discover something special.

The Earth is warming and the fate of our planet depends on our collective action. Changes at the government level as well as ones in our daily lives matter. And let’s be clear—not all these changes need to be drastic. You don’t need to become a vegetarian or buy an electric car to contribute. It’s about the little things, like reusing wrapping paper when giving a gift, starting a compost bin or shopping secondhand. Thrifting is just one of the many ways you can strike a balance and give back to the Earth while also having fun.

It takes over

gallons of water to make a single pair of jeans.

Source: “Putting the brakes on fast fashion” by the United Nations Environment Programme

“Fast fashion is a huge issue, and I think it’s really important to buy secondhand whenever it is possible.”

—Student poll answer Source: Survey sent out to Gunn students with 167 responses

The price of secondhand jeans has increased by up to

in the past decade.

Source: 2010 vs. 2020 Goodwill Valuation Guide

“I have gone [thrifting] a few times and bought some trinkets, but I try to stay away from the clothes and leave them for those who need it more than me.”

—Student poll answer Chinyoung Shao Source: Survey sent out to Gunn students with 167 responses

CON

Irene Hong

Lise Desveaux Centerfold Editor The practice of thrifting has quickly risen in popularity over the last few years, leaving many lower-income families with less clothing. According to “Rockyt Style,” in San Francisco, there are 87.3 thrift stores for every 100,000 people. This already high number is projected to keep increasing over the next few years. The high demand for secondhand options is harmful, as it goes against the whole point of thrift stores in the first place: providing clothes to people who are unable to buy new.

Wealthy people increasingly buy secondhand clothing from thrift stores without thinking about whom these institutions were made for. Thrift stores were made for lowerclass families who can’t afford to buy new clothing. These families depend heavily on thrift stores to dress themselves. With the addition of the COVID-19 pandemic, and people needing to save money, buying clothes for cheaper has never been more needed. In 2020, The United States Census Bureau reported around 37.2 million people living in poverty, a 1% increase from 2019. With more people falling below the poverty line, the need for secondhand clothing is greater. Children’s clothing is especially needed.

However, recent data from 2020 shows that Generation Z is the biggest consumer of secondhand clothing, with 42% of its members purchasing secondhand. In particular, wealthy teenagers like to buy kid-sized shirts to use as tight-fitted crop-tops. Similarly, lingerie and other items are often bought as tops. These clothing items are essential to lower-income families and not as necessary to wealthy teenagers.

An alternate option to thrift shopping for higher-income families is buying clothes from eco-friendly brands.

In an increasingly environmentally conscious world, more brands are veering towards environmentally-sound practices. One such brand is Zavi, an online clothing site that advertises their use of natural fabrics and organic dyes. A part of their website is dedicated to explaining in detail the materials used, in addition to a blog to help navigate people the process of sustainable fashion. The only downside is that, like many other sustainable brands, the clothes are more expensive, ranging from $60 to $300. For people who can afford it, however, these brands offer an eco-friendly— and more socially conscious—alternative to thrifting.

Bigger brands are also improving the way they produce clothes. Although they are not 100% sustainable, these brands are actively changing their ways and moving away from fast fashion practices while still maintaining affordability. Fast fashion is the process of producing cheap clothing en masse, harming the environment and the workforce in the process. H&M, for example, which has been a leading company in the fast fashion industry for decades, reported a 22% reduction in Scope 1 carbon dioxide emissions and a 9% complete reduction in Scope 2 and 3 carbon dioxide emissions since 2019. In 2021, they reduced their plastic packaging by 27.8% and tripled the share of recycled material in their garments from 5.8% to 17.9%. This is not a perfect solution, but it is an alternative way to buy sustainably outside of thrifting.

In short, thrifting is not the only sustainable way to buy clothes. In fact, buying from thrift stores is really only a small part of being sustainable. People should not pride themselves on being eco-friendly solely based on the fact that they occasionally buy secondhand clothes.

As the secondhand clothing industry grows, people need to be more conscious about the fact that where they choose to shop impacts people of different socioeconomic backgrounds. Ultimately, people must realize that thrifting is meant for those who truly need it.

Forum

Friday, May 20, 2022

5

Students should consider criteria other than selectivity, prestige to measure education value of college experience peer assessments from other colleges in order to improve of the Ivy League schools their standings. In this way, schools can make surface- (as well as some nonlevel changes without improving the quality of education Ivy elites such as and end up being ranked higher, which means they are Stanford Univerthen perceived as being “better.” sity) combined.

Another major trap students and parents fall into, perThis begs the quesAmann Mahajan haps partially because of the ranking system, is the asso- tion: what exactly does Forum Editor ciation of the students in a school and the school’s worth. measure the worth of a college, Obsession with college selectivity and prestige is a Seeing that students graduating from Harvard or Yale are if selectivity doesn’t? Of course, there’s ubiquitous phenomenon. A quick surf on YouTube reveals strong thinkers or great innovators, they assume that the no one factor that can measure the value a whole host of “college decisions reactions,” including colleges themselves offer the best education. In reality, of a university­—every student is different, tantalizing thumbnails with phrases like “How I Got Into this is because the students that these schools accept are and each needs to look for something difMIT and Yale” or “I Made it Into the Most Selective Col- already motivated and overachieving; it’s the students ferent in a college (another flaw of the ranklege in the Nation.” Look on a seemingly innocuous web- that create this outcome, not necessarily the education ings system). What students can consider, site about the college application process, and there’ll be they receive. This is called selection bias, and then, is their own path. Instead of an article by a Harvard alumnus on how you can get into it’s nothing new. It’s akin to how one might defining worth on some obscure the Ivy League too. This isn’t to mention what students assume that the National Basketball Asstandard, they can define it hear within school; even informal comments like “You’re sociation molds superstar basketball on their own. What matters so smart! You’ll probably go to Stanford!” reveal this players, when the players were only most to them? Which What students can single-minded focus on “elite” selective schools. Many in selected in the first place because of colleges are best financonsider, then, is their own the pressure-cooker Silicon Valley environment feel that their inherent talent and work ethic. cially? Which are largselectivity and prestige are synonymous with education The experience itself doesn’t make er? Closer to home? path. Instead of defining value when it comes to the college search, and this fallacy them extraordinary, but rather the These are just a few worth on some obscure is a dangerous one to fall prey to. Instead of perpetuating honor of being selected. examples of the standard, they can this mindset, students should expand their definition of Selection bias also spills into plethora of factors define it on their own. education value, giving heavier weight to factors that can how much money students make afto consider other more accurately capture what they want to gain from the ter college. Seeing that students who than prestige, seleccollege experience. graduate from selective schools earn tivity and rankings.

According to Jeffrey Selingo’s book “Who Gets In and more isn’t necessarily an indicator of That being said, it’s Why: A Year Inside College Admissions,” the use of the these institutions’ quality of education, given important to acknowledge word “elite” to describe colleges wasn’t even common- that many of the students admitted to these collegthat students’ obsession with place until after the 1940s, when it surged in popues are wealthy even before setting foot on cam- selectivity and prestige has created a larity. “An elite college now is almost exclupus. In a survey sent to the class of 2025 self-fulfilling prophecy. After all, if we sively defined by how hard it is to get into,” by “The Crimson,” Harvard University’s as a community value brand names, he writes. student newspaper, about 45.1% of then so will our employers, our parSchools can make Part of this new definition has been respondents reported that their ents and our friends. The only way to the evolution of the U.S. News college parents make a combined annual end this cycle is to collectively shift our surface-level changes rankings system, which rates colincome of over $125,000, a figure mindset—which is no easy feat. To start without improving the leges across the nation. Currently, much greater than the median reaching this goal, it’s necessary for stuquality of education and end there are nine major criteria conU.S. income of $67,521, according dents to try to “put their blinders on” and up ranked higher, which sidered, each with a different weight to the 2020 U.S. Census. As jour- focus on themselves, their passions and their in the overall ranking. These factors nalist Paul Tough puts it, “elite col- goals, rather than what those around them means they are then are graduation and retention rates lege campuses are almost entirely determine to be the arbiters of success. This perceived as being (22%), social mobility (5%), graduapopulated by the students who ben- doesn’t mean tuning out others’ experiences “better.” tion rate performance (8%), undergradefit the least from the education they and advice, or looking down on what factors uate academic reputation based on peer receive there: the ones who were already others use to determine their needs—it simply assessments by other colleges (20%), faculty wealthy when they arrived on campus.” entails a deeper self-evaluation of one’s goals resources (20%), student selectivity (7%), finanStudents might assume, nevertheless, that and values. In this way, students can find the cial resources per student (10%), alumni giving rate (3%) “elite” schools offer the only opportunity for low-income college that best prepares them for whatever and graduate indebtedness (5%). Based off of this alone, students to succeed financially later on in life. However, path in life they want to pursue. Focusing on it’s evident that the rankings favor selective, wealthy col- these pillars of prestige and reputation aren’t the only narrow and, ultimately, subjective measures leges—they give low weights to categories that most pro- options for students seeking upwards mobility. Schools such as prestige, selectivity or reputation foundly influence life after college (such as indebtedness such as the California State University system and the won’t get students anywhere; it’s best for and social mobility), while prioritizing criteria which City University of New York (CUNY) system have proven them to focus on criteria that give true don’t represent what students actually learn within a col- time and time again to be excellent for students seeking insight into what a college can offer. lege and can be easily manipulated (such as peer assess- upwards mobility, mostly because they accept more lowments). Historically, this manipulation has occurred: col- income students in the first place. According to a 2017 leges lower in the rankings have attempted to “game” the study led by economist Raj Chetty, CUNY moves six times system, increasing selectivity and extricating favorable as many low-income students to the middle class than all

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6

Features Staff departing gunn reflect on Tracy Douglas, Registrar

Chinyoung Shao

Send a thank you note: tdouglas@pausd.org

After 24 years at Gunn—28 total with the Palo Alto Unified School District (PAUSD)—registrar and former math and science department secretary Tracy Douglas will retire this year.

As the registrar, Douglas’ tasks are multifarious and require a penchant for organization and reliability. “My world revolves around transcripts, grades, credits, records, Infinite Campus and Parchment [a digital credentials service Gunn uses],” she wrote in an email. “The logic and structure of those pieces suits me. I have lots of freedom to create my own systems and processes to keep things manageable.”

Though challenging at times, Douglas has managed everything from students’ transcript issues to parent or counselor questions with brisk efficiency, while always following through. “My greatest achievement [at Gunn] was that I was able to organize the potential chaos into manageable chunks and get my work done quickly and efficiently,” she wrote.

After considering retirement at the end of each month this year, Douglas has found it to be the right decision. Despite this, Douglas will miss the people she interacts with and the routine of coming to Gunn every day. “Over the years, getting to know teachers and counselors has made Gunn an interesting, inspiring and fun place to hang my hat every day,” she wrote.

—Written by Irene Tsen

Marc Igler, English English teacher Marc Igler is retiring after teaching at Gunn for 21 years, coaching the boys’ golf team for nine years and being an active member in the Palo Alto Educators Association.

After working as a newspaper reporter, Igler began his teaching career at Gunn. Since then, he has never thought of working anywhere else. “I’ve worked at places before that are lousy,” he said. “Gunn has always had a reputation for hiring good people and letting them do their thing. That’s what has kept me here.”

Igler’s favorite memory from his time at Gunn is creating engaging games in the classroom. “I love trying to figure out ways to present information that are fun and interesting,” he said. Igler will miss the experimentation that comes with teaching the most.

In the future, Igler plans to give historic walking tours around San Francisco, continue to play golf and review more books. “I’m really not worried about staying busy,” he said.

Igler hopes that his enthusiasm for English and teaching has made students interested in the topic. “I would like to be remembered as a highly spirited English teacher who came to work with an irritating level of enthusiasm, and who looked forward to teaching every day,” he said.

—Written by Madison Yue

Charlotte Kaufman, World Languages

Photo courtesy of Charlotte Kaufman

Send a thank you note: ckaufman@pausd.org

French 1 and 2 and former Spanish teacher Charlotte Kaufman is leaving after two years of teaching at Gunn. During her tenure, Kaufman has been an approachable face on campus. “Students can tell that I enjoy spending time with them and I genuinely care about them,” she said.

Her teaching approach builds her students’ real-world language and cultural skills. Instead of using the textbook, she creates materials herself as well as finds YouTube videos, articles and infographics online. “[I use] things that are more real, tangible and relevant than what’s written in our textbook,” she said. “There’s so much interesting stuff going on in the world, and so much stuff that’s worth talking about, learning about and discussing, while practicing things that we also have to learn the French [for].”

Although Kaufman has not finalized her plans past this school year, she wants to leave the Bay Area—possibly move to France or Hawaii— and find a remote job with greater flexibility. “There [are] all these really excellent reasons to keep working here, and then in the column of reasons to leave, all I have is that I want to live somewhere else,” she said.

Kaufman hopes her students will remember not just the French they learned but also the value in acquiring a new language. “I hope that [students] leave my class feeling like learning a language is a worthwhile thing to do,” she said. “Even if they don’t get it perfectly, I hope they leave my class knowing that it’s okay to make mistakes, especially with a language.”

—Written by Irene Tsen

Yoochan An

Send a thank you note: migler@pausd.org

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Features

Friday, May 20, 2022

memories, anticipate future plans Eric Ledgerwood, Science

Chinyoung Shao

Send a thank you note: eledgerwood@pausd.org

AP Environmental Science and chemistry teacher Eric Ledgerwood is retiring after 20 years of teaching at Gunn. During his tenure, his favorite part of teaching has been the opportunity to meet new students each year. “Without a doubt, the students that I’ve had over the years are some of the brightest and most incredible, joyful human beings to be around,” he said.

Ledgerwood appreciates the support he has received from his coworkers and employers. “The incredible staff and all of the support services that are in place, from our custodial work all the way to our administrators, are just amazing,” he said.

Over the years, Ledgerwood has had the chance to teach all kinds of students. He appreciates most their attitude and mindset. “As Palo Alto has changed over time into the epicenter of the tech world, it has brought with it challenges but also an incredible mindset that I think permeates everything in the area,” he said. “The major component that I love [from my students] is that ‘can-do’ kind of attitude.”

Although Ledgerwood has enjoyed his time teaching at Gunn, he plans to change careers to mobile app development. He intends to start a company and transition into the field of user experience and interaction design. “I’ve got a lot of ideas that I think are going to be helpful to advance not just education, but environmental efforts and other things that are important to me and that I’m passionate about,” he said.

—Written by Kenneth Soh

Jason Miller, Social Studies Social studies teacher, football coach and Social Justice Pathway instructor Jason Miller is leaving after teaching at Gunn for almost five years. As an advocate for equality, he has nurtured both his students and the Social Justice Pathway program to have open minds and always do what is right.

Miller looks forward to working alongside his family in the future though making the decision to leave was tough. “I’ve accomplished a great deal at Gunn,” he said. “That, coupled with an opportunity to return home, to teach with my brother and his three children, motivated me to leave.”

As to regrets about leaving, Miller said he still has a lingering sadness due to leaving at such a momentous time for the football team. “Things are hectic right now,” he said. “There’s no rudder to the ship—the leadership vacuum will affect the [entire] football team.”

Miller will miss the students the most after leaving Gunn. “Schools are not about bricks and buildings—they’re about [the] students,” he said. “I’ll miss the students that were in my classes and the students that were on my team, because they gave me maximum effort [whenever] I asked. They are some of the greatest kids that you could ever want to be around.”

—Written by Kelvin Xu

Nishi Goyal

Send a thank you note: jasmiller@pausd.org

Lynne Navarro, Social Studies

Chinyoung Shao

Send a thank you note: lnavarro@pausd.org

Social studies teacher Lynne Navarro is retiring this year after teaching for 25 years at Gunn. Navarro currently teaches Positive Psychology, but throughout the years, she has taught a multitude of classes including U.S. History, American Studies, Focus on Success and Spanish.

Navarro remembers a stand-out moment from her time teaching American Studies. “We got to take students on field trips to Angel Island and to see the murals in the mission district of San Francisco,’’ she said. “For the final project, we had students pick a character either from history or from one of the novels and talk about how that person or that character would handle a current topic. The students just really ran with that in such amazing ways.”

Navarro will miss the amazing students and colleagues she has worked with over the years at Gunn. “I find the teachers here are really passionate about teaching their subject and about helping young people learn,” she said. “There are so many students at Gunn who feel very passionately about something, whether that’s a political cause they’re into, robotics or theater. Students do really get very involved with things here, which is fantastic.”

After leaving Gunn, Navarro plans to move to her ranch in Gilroy.

“I’m really looking forward to spending a whole lot of time by myself,” she said. “But I know that eventually I’m really going to miss the interaction of being here.”

—Written by Katie LaWer

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Ruhan

Go to gunnoracle.com for features on some of the other staff members leaving this year.

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Features

Celebrating Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month: Individuals share stories, trials Junior Sydney Cook Chinese American junior Sydney Cook has grown up celebrating her Chinese culture while at the same time enjoying many American traditions.

Aspects such as food and her grandmother’s influence have helped Cook understand her Asian roots. “I see my grandmother a lot,” she said. “I think a lot of connecting with my Asian culture is pursued by things that my grandmother brought into my life.”

Being multiracial, Cook finds it difficult to balance both of her identities. Presumptions people make about her have also made it hard for her to feel seen in both identities. “I feel like

there have been assumptions made on both sides,” she said.

“I get a lot of assumptions about being too Asian or being too white, and I feel like I’m never enough.”

Cook perceives a difference in how she is viewed compared to her non-Asian half-siblings. “Even though they’re much younger than me, I think how much is expected from me academically versus them is very different,” she said.

Cook wants to embrace and explore more of her Asian heritage. “I think that my Chinese heritage has made me feel more of a [desire] to be part of a bigger community,” she said.

“There’s such a rich culture and history [there], but I just haven’t been able to connect with it as much as I’d like to.”

Her experience living in Palo Alto has made her feel safe as an Asian American Pacific Islander (AAPI) individual, unlike in other places. “Sometimes I go to other places in state or out of state [where] I feel a lot less comfortable just because there’s no one that looks like me,” she said. “Things that normally don’t make me stand out [here] will make me stand out a lot

“ There’s such a big AAPI community at Gunn and there’s also a lot of people who are mixed, which has made me feel more comfortable in both identities.”

— Chinese American junior Sydney Cook

Photo courtesy of Sydney Cook

Chinese Teacher Yanan Vrudny A young woman in her late twenties arrives in California in hopes of pursuing her dream career. She is aware of the difficulties she may face, but she is willing to dedicate herself to her goals and put in the necessary effort.

This woman is none other than Chinese teacher Yanan Vrudny, whom students call Zhang Laoshi. Vrudny teaches Chinese 1, 2 and 3, as well as advanced placement and honors classes. Originally born in China, she moved to the United States when she was 29 years old.

Vrudny moved to the US to pursue teaching. Her initial dream was to become an elementary school teacher.

Vrudny experienced pressure because the cultural shift and assumptions people sometimes made about her affected her pursuit of teaching. “I realized I didn’t know any American nursery rhymes,” she said. “Growing up in America, it’s natural for you to remember. But I didn’t know any of them, and since I wanted to be an elementary school teacher, I would go to the library and bookstore just to through a lot of children’s books. I read books [such as] “The Very Hungry Caterpillar” [as well as] other childrens’ books.”

At graduate school pursuing a teaching credential, Vrudny’s ethnicity was also foreign to the community that she lived in. “Back then, I lived in San Diego,” she said.

“Locally, [at that time], there were not many Chinese or Asians taking teaching credential programs. I was the

[elsewhere].” Still, within different parts of California, such as Los Angeles (LA), where Cook’s father lives, her experience has differed. “There have definitely been times where even people that I’m close to in LA have treated me very differently and made a lot of assumptions [about me].”

only Asian in my program and I was very excited to have graduated.”

After graduating, Vrudny worked as a substitute teacher in the San Diego area. “I showed up in front of the office ten years ago,” she said. “I greeted the front desk lady who said, ‘Hello,’ and [she] asked me, ‘Are you here to pick up your kids?’ She thought I was just an Asian parent, when [really] I was the substitute teacher.”

The novel culture was also a new experience for the students too. “It was a Hispanic-speaking neighborhood and many of the kids had never seen an Asian before,” she said.

To celebrate Asian American Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Month, Vrudny has made a template of a Padlet for her students to explore AAPI heritage. The Padlet

Despite her U.S. History class doing some research on the history of minority groups, Cook would have liked to further explore AAPI countries. “We do talk about immigration of AAPI people into America, but it’s in more of a past tense rather than current,” she said. “I would probably feel more represented if we put more of an emphasis on what is currently going on with the AAPI community and how they are being treated in America.”

Although Gunn’s history classes have covered some Asian history, Cook has felt the most represented in her theater classes. “[Theater teacher] Kristen Lo has dedicated herself to making sure we tell a very diverse selection of stories, including Chinese folklore and plays highlighting Asian characters,” she said. “It was really cool for people to be able to read from plays that normally schools might be afraid to put on.” Along with studying the classics, such as Shakespeare, Gunn’s theater curriculum also explores a more modern and diverse selection of plays including titles such as “The Great Leap” by Lauren Yee. The communicative and inclusive environment that Lo fosters contributes to Cook feeling more represented on campus. “The content Mrs. Lo creates has really allowed people to learn more about other people’s cultures and their own cultures,” she said.

Although she has at times been frustrated with the lack of AAPI history in school curriculum, Cook is thankful to be surrounded by a supportive community. “I feel really lucky to be [here],” she said. “There’s such a big AAPI community at Gunn and there’s also a lot of people who are mixed, which has made me feel more comfortable in both identities.”

—Written by Safina Syed

products, practice and perspective of the culture,” she said. “I would also like to have them find a short video clip about [each] culture. I want students to be able to compare their cultures because they’re all so different, and discover similarities and differences.”

Vrudny hopes for more students to learn about AAPI heritage in the future. “I hope that we can explore more in terms of geographic areas and how many cultures are represented,” she said.

—Written by Michelle Koo

“I want students to be able to compare their cultures because they’re all so different, and discover similarities and differences.”

— Chinese teacher Yanan Vrudny

requires students to find out the location of each culture.

Vrudny has already added the categories of Chinese, Japanese, Filipino and Korean heritage to the Padlet. She will have her students add more cultures to the Padlet and do research for each heritage. “[The students will post] the

Photo courtesy of Yanan Vrudny

Faces in the Crowd: What does AAPI month mean to you?

“AAPI month means better understanding, embracing my Korean heritage and celebrating the contributions that AAPI people have made.”

“In Chinese culture, there is a big emphasis around family, and I’m reminded of how glad I am to be around my family and friends every time I celebrate a Chinese holiday.”

“AAPI month means celebrating my Korean and American heritage and recognizing the work and stories of all those who made our community what it is today.”

“To me, AAPI means representing my Indian culture [and] specifically thinking about the contributions that my family made to this world.”

—Sophie Nam, 9

—Isaac Wang, 10

—Paige Yun, 11

—Arnav Bhatia, 12

—Compiled by Madison Yue

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Friday, May 20, 2022

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Cente

ROLLING BACK THE TAPE:

Aug. 21, Welcome Back d These past two years have been filled with fear and uncertainty. Schools shut down in the wake of a global pandemic, and students became accustomed to seeing their teachers’ and classmates’ faces over Zoom. After a year and a half of virtual learning, Palo Alto Unified School District (PAUSD) officially reopened schools for in-person classes for the 2021-2022 school year. Students reentered Gunn with masks over their faces, at-home COVID-19 tests in their backpacks and hand sanitizer in their back pockets.

This year has been full of fire alarms, water pipe bursts and construction mishaps—just like any other year. Yet we’ve also experienced uncertainty; we’ve feared that the district might make a return to online learning and that schools might shut down due to a lack of staff. Despite our fears, we have made it to the other side.

This year is not defined by our fear. It is defined by the volunteers called to action by Palo Alto to help keep schools open, by our teachers who had to deal with adapting their curricula to a new bell schedule and by our entire school body who wore masks and assumed collective responsibility to keep us safe. As we come to the end of 2021-2022, let’s take a look back at all the events that made this year special.

—Written by Carly Liao

Ann

On Aug. 21, Student Executive Council (SEC) held the first in of the year with the Welcome Back dance. This was the first since PAUSD initially closed schools in March 2020 due t The theme of the dance was “tropical,” and attendees were leis and accessories for a Hawaiian-themed photo booth. T held outdoors on the quad, featuring free food, decoration Attendees could also play games such as ping pong and

600 students attended the Welcome Back dance

Dec. 6, Winter Sports Rally

Feb. 14, Love Week

Annika Bereny

On Dec. 6, a lively crowd of students filled the bleachers of Titan Gym, for the Winter Sports Rally. Winter sports teams were introduced, followed by performances by Gunn’s cheer and dance team. The rally included an ugly sweater competition and the championships of the annual Ping Pong Tournament, which had taken place at lunch each day that week. By the end of the rally, junior Sunny Peng was awarded the title of best-dressed, and sophomore Jeffrey Kwan was named Gunn’s current ping pong champion.

During the week of Feb. 14, SEC held Love Week, a week f ties to celebrate Valentine’s Day. The week kicked off with a race. On Tuesday at lunch, students received their results fro matchmaking survey, Matchomatics. During sixth period, SE Valentine’s Grams which are notes and stuffed animals so throughout the week. Finally, on Wednesday and Thursday dents could get “married” on the quad with flowers, marriag and rings.

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Friday, May 20, 2022

: GUNN 2021-2022 REWIND

dance

Sep. 23, Water pipe burst

nika Bereny

Raphael Semeria

n-person event t school dance to COVID-19. e given plastic The dance was ns and music. the bag toss.

Among the challenges associated with the reconstruction of the parking lot, the water line break was perhaps the most memorable. On Sep. 23, construction workers accidentally bore through an old water pipe which was part of the main line, leading administrators to shut down the school’s water supply.

Students and staff were released from school at 12:20 p.m.. Construction workers were able to repair the broken line, and school resumed the next day.

Four main regions were featured during Global Cultures Week

k

Katie Shih

full of festivia three-legged om the online EC distributed old by seniors at lunch, stuge certificates

Oct. 11, Homecoming week

Naomi Wang

Extravagant outfits and Titan spirit returned to campus on the week of Oct. 11. Each day, students and staff dressed-up in outfits related to the theme, “Destination: Gunn.” Students from each grade also participated in games, best-dressed competitions and a float competition. Undefeated in all the games, the seniors finished in first, followed by the juniors, sophomores and freshmen. Students also showcased their spirit after school hours at the Night Rally, football game and Homecoming dance.

1173 students attended the Homecoming dance

Apr. 18-22, Global Cultures Week

Katie Shih

Gunn hosted Global Cultures Week during the week of Apr. 18 to celebrate the various cultures around the world. Every day, students were tested with a trivia question pertaining to a certain culture. Cultural events and activities, such as drum and dance performances, also occurred at lunch throughout the week. On Thursday, students were invited to the International Tastings Event, which included samples from 16 countries, including baklava from Turkey, samosas from India, hawthorne flakes from China and boba mochi from Japan.

Apr. 22, Earth Day rally

Courtesy of Ella Katzir

On April 22, students gathered at King Plaza in Palo Alto to celebrate progress in combating climate change in the March and Rally for our Earth.

The event had guest speakers such as Congresswoman Anna Eshoo and Mayor Patrick Burt. Attendees could visit booths from local organizations and make pledges in support of sustainability. These pledges were hung on the “Pledge tree,” celebrating the commitments and the wider community to a more sustainable future.

—Compiled by Kaitlyn Chen and Carly Liao

Graphics by Irene Hong

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Features

Math teacher Gopi Tantod balances teaching, motherhood

She’s a teacher by day and a mom by night.

Like many superheroes, math teacher Gopi Tantod lives a double life. She spends her day expounding on the mysteries of complex mathematics and stays up late into the night working on lesson plans and grading quizzes.

Her afternoons, on the other hand, are full of soccer practices and baseball games, scraped knees and fantastical stories. As a mother of three (a 5-year-old and 8-year-old twins), Tantod has adapted her life to maintain a balance between her obligations as a teacher and her duties as a mother.

“Most people say you have to pick one [obligation] or the other, but I feel like you could find a good balance and try to work with both of them.”

—Math teacher Gopi Tantod

One of these adaptations includes working part-time at Gunn. “Most of my kid responsibilities are in the middle of the day,” she said.

“I do all of my grading and prepping at night after they go to bed.”

The demanding nature of Tantod’s obligations force her to be more time efficient. “I’ve always grown up with the philosophy that if you need time, you make time,” she said. “It’s being efficient with your time [that is key]. Most people say you have to pick one [obligation] or the other, but I feel like you could find a good balance and try to work with both of them.”

For Tantod, this philosophy sometimes means multitasking. “If I’m at [my] kid’s sporting event, I can grade during that time,” she said. “[It’s just about] using my time however I can.”

Tantod is careful to create some separa-

tion between her work and her family, especially when it comes to her childrens’ paths in mathematics. “I kind of let them figure it out for themselves because I don’t want to be the influence of how math goes for them,” she said. “I want them to see where their path takes them; I don’t want them to feel pressured to be really great in math.”

This mindset of letting kids think through things also translates into Tantod’s attitude in the classroom, where she encourages students to problem solve. “Sometimes I might be harder in my questions just because I know that if I give that push, they’ll understand it better,” she said.

Of course, being both a teacher and a mother isn’t all grueling and hard work—there are rewarding moments in both parts of Tantod’s life.

On Mother’s Day, Tantod anticipated some acknowledgment of her maternal efforts, though it might be more exciting for her children than for herself. “I feel Mother’s Day is more for my kids than for me,” she said. “They get excited to get flowers [and] cook with Daddy. They [also] get excited to say ‘we’re going to take you on a hike’ or ‘we’re going to take pictures.’’’

Tantod recalls last year’s Mother’s Day, which involved a menu curated by her daughter and meals cooked by her husband.“Last year, they made ravioli from scratch,” she said. “My daughter actually made my husband [make] a menu for the day. She had breakfast, lunch and dinner all created—and they were her own creations. [My husband] had to cook whatever she put on the list.”

Tantod also encourages students at Gunn to reach out to their mothers. “I think moms, especially of high school kids, feel [that] their [children] going to leave soon and a lot of kids shut them out at that time,” she said. “Spend time [with your mom]. They appreciate it.”

—Written by Amann Mahajan

During a trip to Legoland in June 2017, Tantod sat smiling with her three yo ung children.

for a photo Tantod posed , 21 20 . ov N In d by he r ay surrounde on he r birthd three kids.

Photos courtesy of Gopi Tantod

Aarushi Kumar

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Sports

Friday, May 20, 2022

Coaches Nominate Standout Athletes Football coach Jason Miller nominated senior Kevin Green as a standout athlete due to his resilience and hard work over the course of the season and past years. “I chose Kevin because his journey to success was very challenging,” Miller said.

Over the years, Green has seen a lot of improvement in his technical skills. “Freshman and sophomore year, I wasn’t doing too good in school,” Green said. “[When] Coach Miller told me to come out to football, it really changed my life. I started attending class more, got better grades and also won a lot of awards for football.”

Miller isn’t only a coach to Green, but also somewhat of a mentor in his life. Green expressed his gratitude for Miller’s

Kenza ashworth

Photo courtesy of Kenza Ashworth

Over the years, junior Kenza Ashworth has made a splash on the girls water polo team, earning her the commendation of coach Chris Ford as a standout athlete. “She has been on varsity all of her three years [at Gunn]—freshman, sophomore and junior,” Ford said. “I heard about her before her freshman year. There was a lot of talk, ‘oh, you’re gonna have Kenza.’ I didn’t know her personally and I didn’t know of her playing ability, so when she got to practice, it was great to see her work ethic.”

In Ashworth’s first varsity game, Ford was able to witness just how formidable of a player Ashworth is. He recalled the team’s first game against another local high school. “Their strategy against us was to shut down our two best players, and letting Kenza, this freshman, shoot from the outside,” he

Boys basketball coach Brandyn Williams’ pick for a standout athlete is co-captain senior Rogan Gibbons. To illustrate just how good of a player Gibbons is, Williams broke down his game statistics. “He averaged around 16 points, seven rebounds and six assists with about a steal every game,” Williams said. “He was a joy to have and one of my all-time favorite guys.”

Gibbons similarly reflected on his performance last season. “It was a really good season for me personally, and as a team we did a lot better than expected [too],” he said. “We had a really good season.”

Game statistics aside, Williams also said that Gibbons’ work ethic sets an example for younger team members.

“He’s never doing something detrimental to the team—he’s

Shunsuke Moridaira

Photo courtesy of Shunsuke Moridaira

Chinyoung Shao

Photo courtesy of Butch Garcia

Rogan Gibbons

Photo courtesy of Sunny Jefferson

weekend, however, Moridaira saw room for improvement.

“At least I had fun there,” he said.

As a swimmer since age seven, Moridaira has made many improvements over the years. “I’m not good at sports where you have to use a ball, so I chose swimming,” he said. In terms of his current work ethic, however, Moridaira still sees room for improvement. “Sometimes I’ll be kind of lazy, but I will [work hard],” he said. “I just like competing.”

Jarvis is very impressed with Moridaira’s performance on the team. “He’s working really hard,” Jarvis said. “You can’t have athleticism without hard work. His work ethic is good and so is his attitude.”

Not only was she an intense player, but also an exemplary member on the team. “She wasn’t our captain officially, but she was [still] a leader,” Barcellos said. “Everybody respected her.”

That respect is mutual: Smith expressed deep appreciation for Barcellos’s coaching. “[He] was a great coach who really valued creating a positive team environment,” Smith said.

“He cares a lot about his players so that made the season a very uplifting experience for everyone.”

Smith, who’s played soccer for many years, said that her work ethic developed over time. “Playing at a high level requires a strong work ethic, so I’ve definitely learned to push my physical and mental limits over the years,” she said.

Head track and field coach Jonathan Hubbs nominated senior hurdler Sharona Schwab as a standout athlete. “She’s outstanding, and I don’t think anybody would disagree with that,” Hubbs said. “She’s ranked in Central Coast Sessions (CCS) and has been almost a little too dedicated.”

Schwab, who’s been a member of the team since her freshman year, was a hurdler from the start. While she didn’t have the opportunity to run in middle school, she stood out as a highly dedicated member of the Gunn team. “Last year, she made it to the CCS finals in both hurdle events,” Hubbs said.

“She showed up in the off-season and asked, ‘what else can I do?’ We even did some summer training. That’s just who she is—she always wanted to get better.”

Schwab enjoyed being part of a large team, especially since

Kevin Green

said. “Kenza scored eight goals that game, so obviously that strategy did not work.”

Since that first game, Ashworth has grown into a leader within the team and sets an example for her teammates. “She works hard when it comes to everything,” Ford said. “She definitely leads [the team] and it’s just a real pleasure to have her on the team.” Ashworth has enjoyed stepping up into the role of a leader. “As I’ve started getting older, I’ve started maturing more,” she said. “Now, I would consider myself a leader for the team.”

At the end of the day, Ashworth loves to participate in the sport. “I love everyone on my team,” she said. “I like the team aspect—being able to help each other push past our goals.”

locked in,” Williams said. “In my four years of coaching him, [I’ve] never yelled at him. When you have a leader like Rogan, it trickles down to the other players.”

Gibbons said that his work ethic and leadership abilities developed significantly since his freshman year. “I used to not have much of a work ethic, but being part of the varsity team as a sophomore put into perspective how hard I need to work to play in college,” he said. “I’ve matured a lot and become much more of a leader because I had to step up this year.”

In terms of his plans for the future, Gibbons hopes to continue playing post secondary. “I hope to see myself still playing basketball in college,” he said. “After [that], I hope to still be involved in the sport.”

Swimming coach Mike Jarvis nominated junior Shunsuke Moridaira as a standout athlete due to his technical abilities. “He swims lightning fast,” Jarvis said. “He doesn’t complain and does everything that is asked of him.”

Moridaira doesn’t train with the Gunn swim team, but brings results when he competes with them. At the Central Coast Sections (CCS), he swam 22.58 seconds in a 50 meter freestyle race and 46.89 seconds in a 100 meter freestyle race. “I got third in the 100 freestyle race,” he said. “I made state championships [too].”

Ranking in the top 100 junior student swimmers in California according to Swimcloud, he’s sure to have an impressive season next year. At state championships last

Girls soccer coach Leo Barcellos nominated senior Natalie Smith as a standout player. The coach described her ability to stand out on the field and on the team as impressive. “She made such a huge difference on the team,” he said. “She was our midfielder and would cover a lot of space. She was always on time, respectful to everyone and always pushing the team to [our] best.”

Midfielders, positioned between the team’s defense and forward players, are responsible for passing the ball up the field and stealing it from opponents. While they don’t necessarily score points, midfielders are an integral part of team play. “She was that transition player [and was] very good at stealing balls,” Barcellos said. “[She was] very aggressive and made sure we put pressure on the other team. She made a huge impact.”

Sharona SChwaB

guidance and support over the years. “I really love Coach Miller,” Green said. “He’s like a father figure to me.”

Miller praised Green’s work ethic on the field as well as his growth from sophomore to senior year. “[He] became one of the marquee performers on the Gunn football team,” he said.

“The team and coaching staff always knew he could be counted on to show up every day, work hard and perform.”

In terms of his plans for the future, Green showed interest in playing football for Santa Barbara City College. “I really like it there,” he said. “The field is on the beach, so I could get my [schoolwork] done, [live] that beach life and then transfer out in two years.”

Natalie smith

Photo courtesy of Sunny Jefferson

pandemic-era restrictions limited after-school athletics. “I’ve been happy this year with [having] a bigger team [and being] a leader of sorts,” Schwab said. “It was nice to set an example for the younger athletes, spend time with them and teach them everything I know about track.”

On the subject of leadership, Hubbs commended Schwab’s dedication in encouraging team bonding and helping other runners do their best. “She’s very personable [and] organized a lot of the social get-togethers,” he said. “[She also] told younger athletes when to warm up and all those other things that coaches can’t always be there for.”

—Compiled by Becca Wu

Sports 14 Student athletes hone talent During the summer With summer right around the corner, many participate on a travel team. Baseball player junior students plan on attending prestigious summer Quinton Sterling plans to travel around the councamps, taking a well-deserved vacation or just try to cities such as Los Angeles, San Diego and staying at home. For students more invested in Arizona with his team, the California Warriors, sports, however, summer serves as a time to hone in the hopes of being noticed by college recruiters. their skills; some attend sports camps to train Sterling has played baseball for many years under a mentor, while others compete on a team. and hopes to continue pursuing his passion after Varsity tennis Team Captain junior Raghav high school. “[Because] I really enjoy the sport, I Jangbahadur, the 90th ranked player in the na- made a decision in high school to play it in college tion, plans to spend a considerable part of his if I had the chance,” he said. summer training and practicing his sport on a Spending a lot of time training for a sport sports team. requires sacrificing a While he has previconsiderable part of ously gone to training summer and foregoing camps like Eagle Fu- “There are a lot of coaches, good resourc- many other activities. star and Blue Tennis es and a lot of hours dedicated to hitting Sterling had a few activAcademy, this summer per day, which to me are important, espe- ities he wished he could Jangbahadur will at- cially in the summer when tournaments are do in addition to playtend Saratoga’s Ten- longer and matches are harder.” ing baseball. “I wish I nis Training Academy. had [more time to do] —Junior Raghav Jangbahadur community service,” he “ There a re a lot of coaches, good resourcsaid. “I also wanted to es and a lot of hours do internships.” dedicated to hitting per day, which to me are For people new to a sport and considering a important, especially in the summer when tourna- summer camp, Sterling advises against it. “If ments are longer and matches are harder,” he said. you’re new to the sport, going to camps is not how Initially inspired to play tennis by his older you should approach it,” he said. “Because camps brother, Jangbahadur started playing the sport are to gauge where you are skillfully compared to at recreational training camps in India. Once other people your age, if you’re just starting out, he moved to the United States, he enrolled in then you’re going to be at the bottom and you won’t higher-intensity tennis camps to continue playing be able to grow.” Instead, Sterling recommends the sport. “[The camps] helped me a lot to get in other ways of training. “If you’re starting out in touch with coaches and other academies,” he said. high school, I would say maybe try to play for a “That’s how I got into [tennis] over here.” local team,” he said.

Another way to train over the summer is to —Written by John Li

Photo courtesy of Sunny Jefferson

To p: Ju nio r Qu into n Sterling bats in a game against Fremont High School on April 14.

Lef t: J u nio r R ag hav Jangbahadur serves in a match against Los Altos High School on April 26.

Photo courtesy of Sunny Jefferson

A year in sports: Gunn athletics races through 2022

Gracie Easton

Senior running back Filippi Montes sprints in the open field during a game against Fremont High School on Oct. 29. Gunn won with a score of 50-20.

Photo courtesy of Butch Garcia

Senior wrestler Amar Srivastava is surrounded by teammates during a match against Saratoga High School on Jan. 11.

Photo courtesy of Sunny Jefferson Photo courtesy of Sunny Jefferson

The girls varsity soccer team celebrates their senior night during a game against Paly on Feb. 16. The game ended in a 1-1 tie.

Baseball player Ryan Barahona pitches the ball during a game against Fremont High School on April 14. Boys varsity baseball won the game 9-5.

Ruhani Suresh

Photo courtesy of Jonathan Chen Photo courtesy of Butch Garcia

On Nov. 20, the girls water polo team poses at the D-III CIF NorCal State Championship after winning first place.

Players fight for the rebound in the Paly vs. Gunn game held on Jan. 25.

Gunn narrowly beat Paly with a score of 33-31, marking the first victory against the high school in 24 years.

Anriya Wang

Girls varsity track and field compete in a meet against Los Altos High School on March 2.

Photo courtesy of Sunny Jefferson

Softball player Kylie Liu hits a home run in the April 28 game against Paly.

Gunn won with a score of 8-1.

—Compiled by Madison Yue

Advertisement

Friday, May 20, 2022

Mezzacappa

Top Left: Lisa Mezzacappa, bass, shown Sunday, May 1 with Beth Schenk, a musician and composer based in the Bay Area. She has appeared in four concerts for Palo Alto’s Earthwise Productions. She will appear with Citta di Vitti on July 24 at Mitchell Park Bowl.

&

15

Sickafoose

Bottom Right: Todd Sickafoose, a jazz musician, played live at the Mitchell Park Community Center on Thursday, April 28, 2022. For his upcoming events see the QR code below.

Scan the QR Code on the left to view upcoming Earthwise Production concerts!

Lifestyle

16

Friday, May 20, 2022

Ellie Yuan Sports Editor As summer creeps closer, many families begin making plans to travel during the months of June, July and Aug. Recently, “The Vacationer,” a travel journal dedicated to sharing travel insights, found that over 80% of American adults surveyed planned on traveling over the summer. Summer travel is beneficial because it exposes students to different cultures and sparks an opportunity for them to enhance personal growth. Not only that, but summer is also the most ideal season to travel.

Travel is the best way to experience cultures that differ from one’s own. Within the U.S., for example, each state has a unique identity: Louisiana’s Creole and Cajun populations influence the state’s cuisine, beliefs, traditions and dialect. Not only that, but their presence offers unique looks into the French Quarter and the birthplace of jazz music.

Ways to experience different cultures include trying new cuisines, learning to communicate with locals or simply walking around without a specific destination in mind. Through traveling, students can meet new people and widen their perspective on the world. Because students get to interact with various backgrounds, they can gain a more open mindset towards real life problems.

Summer is also a perfect time to recharge when burnt out after the last semester of school. According to a

study conducted by the website Verywell Mind, travelers feel less stressed and anxious after three days into vacation because of the low-stress environment. Additionally, according to an article by “Psychology Today,” travel can enhance personal growth, as over 80% of the 200 people surveyed reported that it improved their problem-solving and decision-making skills. Respondents also reported being more open-minded following travel. A break from school helps students refresh before the next year.

Furthermore, summer is the best season to travel as countries in the Northern Hemisphere have 12 to 24 hours of daylight each day. Countries such as Finland and Sweden receive a full day of sunlight during the season. More daylight allows for safer and more ideal conditions when traveling. Not only that, but an increase in daylight allows for more time spent exploring places. Summer is also the only time students have large amounts of undisturbed freedom and a less-demanding schedule.

With hotel fees, plane tickets and more costing hundreds—if not thousands—of dollars, it is no secret that traveling is expensive. However, spending vast amounts of money on large trips is not necessary for an enjoyable traveling experience.

Cheaper alternatives to flying can be just as eye-opening and unique as traveling to a far away place. Road trips, for example, allow students to travel at their own pace, whether it be with friends or with family.

As summer break draws nearer, it is not too late to make travel plans.

Whether it be a trip throughout California or even out of the country, travel is guaranteed to change one’s perspective on the world.

con

PRO

Should students travel this summer?

Paul Garofalo Online Editor

Natalie Lam

Travel might be a popular option for Gunn students during summer, however, there are many reasons why one should not do so—especially in 2022. Concerns relating to the pandemic, environment and economy should all be considered when planning to travel during the break.

First, addressing the elephant in the room, COVID-19 rages on in many countries—especially those in Europe and Asia. Globally, currently there are 524 million active cases—a value increasing by 700,000 every week—according to Worldometer.

Because of this increase, many businesses in foreign countries are once again closing down, leading to a subpar travelling experience for tourists.

Additionally, a study by the government of Wales found that tourism has detrimental effects on local ecosystems. Tourism puts immense strain on local land and water usage as it increases the amount of people in a given area. This strain may cause soil erosion and can lead to the destruction of a highly touristic area’s natural habitat.

Tourism not only has a pernicious effect on the local habitat, but also has extensive effects on the global ecosystem as a whole. One specific contributor to the destruction of the global ecosystem relates to one’s carbon footprint. Simply put, a carbon footprint is the amount of greenhouse gas emissions produced by an

Summer bucket list

by Hila Livneh

1. Take the train to San Francisco with friends.

2. Go to the beach and actually swim in the freezing water.

3. Explore Foothills Nature Preserve.

4. Have a water balloon fight.

5. Go strawberry picking.

6. Go to Color Me Mine and paint your own ceramics.

7. Bake something you’ve never made before.

8. Wear sunscreen everyday consistently.

9. Hike Mt. Tamalpais.

10. Enjoy the Golden Gate Park.

Natalie Lam, Chinyoung Shao

Mia Knezevic

individual or a group of individuals.

Travelling increases one’s carbon footprint drastically as it is often a wasteful use of natural resources.

Flying, driving or even leaving the air conditioning on in a hotel room all contribute to one’s carbon footprint.

According to the website Carbonindependent.org, a Boeing 737-400 model plane emits 90 kilograms of carbon dioxide emissions every hour.

Overall, aviation leads to 3% of the global carbon emissions, but less than 5% of the population accounts for more than 70% of those emissions. Not only that, but according to the website Skift Research, tourism contributed to more than 11% of the total global carbon emissions in 2019.

Thus, the most effective way to solve this problem would be to travel less.

In terms of the economics of tourism, many argue that tourists help local economies, but most of the time they actually hinder it. This argument is based on the premise that the money from tourists goes directly to local businesses. In reality, however, many tourists reside in big hotel corporations that actually pull money out of the local economy. In this case, the money from tourists helps these large businesses headquartered elsewhere. As the number of visitors increase, the prices for goods and services for both tourists and local residents increase. Tourism also leads to a decline in traditional employment in a local community as workers move from “traditional” industries, such as farming, mining, and fishing, to the tourism industry.

Because of rising COVID-19 cases and tourism being detrimental to both the environment and the economy of touristic areas, one should think twice before planning a trip this summer.

Lifestyle

Friday, May 20, 2022

17

Where the Heat’s at: What to Wear This summer Jorts

Oversized Button downs

A trend from the early 2000s, jorts have once again made a comeback after being popularized by celebrities such as Adam Sandler and Gigi Hadid. Jorts were first seen throughout pop culture in the late 1990s. Bart Simpson, a character in the TV show “The Simpsons,” wore jorts in every episode of the show.

Also, John Cena—a famous WWE wrestler—wore jorts in every one of his fights. Although they might be unpopular, jorts are a great hybrid of jeans and shorts that can be worn to stay both cool and stylish during the summer. They can easily be found at stores such as Levis, Zara and Goodwill. Not only that, but jorts can alternatively be created at home: all that is needed is a pair of old baggy jeans and scissors. Jorts are easy to style for the summer; they can be paired with a smaller light-colored tank top and flannel for a comfortable yet cute summer outfit.

Popular among the elderly during hot summer days, oversized button downs are the perfect item to layer over t-shirts and bathing suits regardless of a person’s age. Button downs are perfect to pair with denim shorts and a white t-shirt. Wearing oversized button downs in pastel colors such as light greens and blues has also become a stylish staple for many. Short sleeved button downs and long sleeve button down shirts both will layer over clothes. These shirts can be used to add a pop of color to an outfit and make it more exciting for the summer, not to mention providing a cool way to protect one’s skin from sunburns. Another option besides a plain colored button down, is a more muted colored shirt in plaid. This works in styling outfits that are overall less bold and more casual. Button down shirts are perfect to wear this summer to the beach, an amusement park or at a picnic with friends.

Goodwill, Pacsun and your father’s closet are all possible places to find them.

Cargo pants

Oval Sunglasses

Once worn only by military personnel, cargo has recently been adopted by many—regardless of their military status. It is another trend popularized in the early 2000s. Female protagonists in movies and TV shows from the 2000s, such as “Kim Possible” and “Cadet Kelly,” were often styled in cargo pants. Cargo pants come in a huge variety of styles: denim, army green, patterned and low rise to list a few. Since most pairs have large pockets for utility, cargo pants aren’t just stylish but also comfortable. When wearing cargo pants, one doesn’t even need to bring a bag as they offer a multitude of pockets.

Cargo pants are very easy to style; they can be paired with cropped or baggy t-shirts and casual tennis shoes or boots. They can also be styled with cropped tank tops or baby tees. Urban Outfitters, Zumiez and Tillys are all places where one can find cargo apparel.

As the months get warmer and the sun gets brighter, fun sunglasses are a must for summer. Oval frames were popularized in the 80s and 90s by celebrities such as Lisa Bonet and Jennifer Aniston. They were also seen in elements of popular culture of the 90s with many characters in popular movies such as “The Matrix” sporting them. Recently, these sunglasses have gained popularity again through celebrities such as Emma Chamberlain and Hailey Bieber. While black circular frames are compatible with most looks, any pair of sunglasses can add detail to an outfit. While they may not be as trendy at the moment, circular frames will never really go out of style and remain a closet staple for many. Shopbop, Le Specs and Sunglass Hut are all places where such sunglasses can be found.

—Compiled by Katie LaWer Photos by Vivian Studdert

The Oracle curates a classy, cool soundtrack for your summer With summer around the corner, it’s important to have a playlist to fit this summer’s vibe. If you’re struggling to find songs, members of The Oracle have curated some of our favorite tunes for the summer.

For pop lovers, we suggest “As It Was” by British songwriter Harry Styles and “Cruel Summer” by American songwriter Taylor Swift. Initially debuting in first place on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart, “As It Was” is Style’s second hit on the Hot 100 after his 2020 single “Watermelon Sugar.” This song is different from his past music, sharing similarities to songs such as “Take on Me” by A-Ha. “Cruel Summer” by Taylor Swift is lyrically about struggles with summer romance, incorporating elements of depression and heartbreak with an airy, melancholic pop-like feel.

For hip-hop or rap enthusiasts, the playlist features “WUSYANAME” by Tyler the Creator, “Tokyo Drifting”

by Glass Animals and “Bonfire” by Childish Gambino.

Debuting 14th on the Hot 100, “WUSYANAME” takes inspiration from West Coast music. Not only that, but

Summer 2022 The Gunn Oracle

with its similarities to rhythm and blues (R&B) music, the song almost sounds like a 90s throwback song. The song has similarities to “Tokyo Drifting” with its use of R&B and references to 90s popular culture. “Bonfire,” however, is a harder hitting, traditional rap-styled song with witty lyrics.

Moving on to more alternative rock, the playlist includes “Pleaser” by indie band Wallows. “Pleaser” loosely follows other alternative rock bands such as The Killers.

Emulating a 2000s feel, the playlist also features “3 Nights” by Dominic Fike. With a reggae-style beat, the song is more subdued and relaxed compared to other songs in the playlist.

Finally, Doja Cat’s 2021 single “Need to Know” is also included in the playlist. Inspired by R&B, melodic rap and trap music, the song gives off a chill vibe while lyrically leaning on the rather explicit side—covering topics regarding Doja’s “adventures” and “fantasies.”

—Written by John Li

Cool for the summer: ArtistS you’ll have playing non-stop

Becca Wu

Courtesy of Columbia Records

Courtesy of Republic Records

Courtesy of RCA Records

Starting his career at the age of 16, Harry Styles entered the music industry as a part of the band One Direction.

With popular hits such as “Drag Me Down” and “Night Changes,” the band quickly garnered a large fan base over the years. Although the band broke up in 2015, Styles continued his music career and released his first solo single “Sign of the Times” in 2017. On April 1 this year, he released “As It Was,” and on May 20 he released his third studio album “Harry’s House.”

Taylor Swift started her music career at the age of 14 as a country artist.

Her talent caught the attention of Sony Records, and she became their youngest signed artist in 2004. She then released her first four singles—all of which topping the Hot Country Songs chart. Her biggest breakthrough was with her third album “Fearless,” which included hit songs like “You Belong With Me,” topped the Hot 200 and won numerous awards.

Doja Cat’s career began on SoundCloud. On the platform, she learned how to sing, rap and use music production software such as GarageBand. Her first success was in 2018 with the song “Roll with Us” followed by other singles such as “Mooo!”— which granted her viral success after becoming a meme. Her most popular single, “Say So,” reached the top position on the Hot 100 after remixes featuring Nicki Minaj.

—Compiled by John Li

18

Lifestyle

Quiz: What type of summer breaker are you?

Summer should be...

Exciting!

Productive!

To you, fun is...

Productivity is...

Exploring nature and history.

Chilling inside with the AC on.

On a typical Saturday night, you’re...

Intellectual.

Practical.

After school every day, you’re...

Out with friends, trying new things.

Studying, on the weekend grind.

Catching up on your sleep.

Heading off to your part-time job.

Adventurer

Scholar

Homebody

Employee

You are an adventurer! As an adventurer, you think of summer as a time for fun and excitement. You love traveling and seeing new places.

Also, you definitely have a summer bucket list. Who has time to sit back and sleep in when there are new restaurants to try, concerts to attend and early-morning trains to catch?

You hope to never have a dull moment in your life. Some may prefer spending their summers on the couch, but adventurers are at their best on their feet. The perfect summer vacation for you is traveling to exotic locales, having new experiences and making memories that will last you a lifetime.

You are a scholar! As a scholar, you think of summer as a time for learning. You can typically be found hunched over your desk, puzzling out the latest calculus problem set or writing an essay on the symbolism of color in Homeric poetry. While other people might find academics boring and tedious, scholars genuinely enjoy learning new things. You’re probably taking a class over the summer and, if you’re a rising senior, trying to get a head start on college applications. A scholar’s idea of a perfect summer is gaining expertise on an interesting subject and coming back to school more knowledgeable than ever.

You are a homebody! As a homebody, you think of summer as a time for rest and relaxation. You don’t understand people who create rigid schedules or make extensive to-do lists; you would rather sit back in a hammock with a glass of iced tea and watch the hours tick by. Not only that, but you’re not one for going out and visiting a new place every night either. Who needs the outside world when you have the convenience of your phone, food and bed all within your house? The idea of a perfect summer for you is sleeping in until noon and getting absolutely nothing done—and honestly, more power to you.

You are an employee! As an employee, you think of summer as a time for gaining practical experience—and making a bit of money while you’re at it. Your summer schedule is filled with shifts at the local swimming pool or boba place.

You enjoy the independence that comes with having an income, and benefits that can come with your job don’t hurt either. Although some might be reluctant to spend their summer working, employees genuinely enjoy building their work ethic. For you, the idea of a perfect summer is going to work, then coming home with that cold hard cash to spend on whatever you want.

—Compiled by Carly Liao

Graphics by Irene Hong, Michelle Koo and Chinyoung Shao

Lifestyle

Friday, May 20, 2022

19

mad libs: timmy the titan’s exciting summer road trip The only thing Timmy the Titan loves more than school, football and _____ is summer (noun)

break. This summer, Timmy plans to let loose, but how so? “How about a road trip?” said _____ the _____. “That’s a/an _____ idea. Let’s do it!” exclaimed Timmy the Titan. (name)

(adjective)

(animal)

So, Timmy and _____ packed their bags and hopped into Timmy’s _____. They ate (same name)

(vehicle)

_____, listened to ______ and got lost many times on their way to ______. When they (snack)

(vacation spot)

(musician)

finally arrived, however, they turned to each other in relief and _____. “That was definitely (emotion)

worth the drive,” the friends said in unison.

—Written by Becca Wu

Graphics by Ruhani Suresh

20

Sports

Timmy the Titan: Where has our mascot been?

Michael Zhang Lifestyle Editor

Timmy the Titan—a name that was previously known to strike fear into the hearts of Vikings, Eagles, Spartans and any other local rivals t0 Gunn. Nowadays, though, it seems like fewer and fewer students are able to recognize Gunn’s mascot, largely because they have never had the chance to see him. This begs the question: who exactly is Timmy the Titan and where has he been?

I decided to approach the issue by first looking into Timmy’s history. Originally a nameless mascot simply known as Gunn’s Titan, the name “Timmy” was first adopted in the early 2000s. The mascot is a figure of many contradictions, notably relating to his origins in the Greek pantheon; he often wields Olympian god Zeus’ lightning bolt despite being a Titan in name.

It is for this reason that the statue of Timmy in the Titan Gym—created by Gunn alumni William Wang, Charlie Yang and Tony Yin—wields a scepter instead of Zeus’s bolt and trades the Spartan helmet for a cape to more accurately depict the Titans of Greek mythology.

I contacted junior Evan Gold, the current Spirit Commissioner, since he would understand best what Timmy means to Gunn students. “Timmy the Titan is tangible, but at the same time he’s like a feeling in the air—he’s like the wind,” Gold said. Evidently, there is no one “Timmy” that exists, but rather many different interpretations that have come and gone over the years.

His primary purpose, when all is said and done, is to remain a mascot representing the mighty and spirited Gunn Titans. “Timmy’s just so strong [and that’s] such an attractive thing,” Gold said. “I’m hoping Timmy can provide a sense of hype [to Gunn in the future].”

Indeed, like most school mascots, Timmy has brought

hype to sports games and events like the Homecoming Night Rally in past years. In the 2021-2022 school year, however, Timmy’s only appearance has been at the freshman orientation at the beginning of the school year. But why is this the case? How come he hasn’t been out and about with the student body? I decided to speak with Student Activities Director Lisa Hall, Gunn’s expert on all school events and longtime friend of Timmy the Titan.

The primary difficulty Hall described with having Timmy come out to events is that there needs to be someone responsible for bringing him to life. Without dedicated students to don the Titan costume and make regular appearances, the excitement that Timmy brings would be limited. “It’s just a matter of having folks to animate Timmy and make those appearances,” explained Hall. “There’s a time commitment there that’s hard to do at the high school level.”

So far this year, there has been one person who

stepped up and took the mantle of Timmy the Titan, appearing at freshman orientation to bring school spirit as well as inspire other students. Hall pointed me in the direction of the man behind the mask that day—none other than Junior Class Vice President Juno Kim. I sat down with him for a quick talk—titan to titan.

He told me that he enjoyed the time spent animating Timmy and acting out the role of mascot. “It was a bit like I represented Gunn [which] was pretty fun,” he said. Still, there are a number of factors—besides being a heavy time commitment—that limit the Titan’s appearances. For one, other portrayers would have to gauge the safety of sharing the same costume for multiple events.

“The problem is COVID-19 right now [and] whether people feel comfortable with that,” Kim said.

Despite these challenges, implementing a system to find dedicated student volunteers can lead to a strong comeback by the Titan. Hall, Gold and Kim all said that the two major determining factors for who can act as Timmy are student interest and a willingness to dedicate significant amounts of time to the position. Gold, who is passing the role of Spirit Commissioner onto junior Nico Ross, wants to see some exciting performances from the students animating Timmy. “I wrote to Nico [and said] that I hope he can fill the role of Timmy with someone like a gymnast,” Gold said.

Having a student capable of performances such as tricks, dances and showcases of physical skill would inspire other students to follow suit and bolster a sense of school unity. Depending on student interest, there is a possibility that Timmy will be able to make a splash at more events in the future.

The result of my investigation? I determined that, sooner or later, Timmy will make a triumphant return, as Gunn has shown it can do. Regardless of whoever the person behind the mask in the future may be, Timmy has and will continue to embody the strong school spirit at Gunn. After all was said and done, I was interested in hearing how Kim would describe the concept of Timmy the Titan. He put it succinctly: “Awesome.”

Jaz Decrem

Faces in the Crowd: What happened to Timmy the Titan?

“I only know him by name and I’ve never seen him before. Maybe he got COVID-19 and has been stuck at home so he hasn’t been able to have many interactions [with students].”

“He’s insecure about himself: he tries to work out as much as possible so he has the best public image, but that’s not enough.”

“Realistically, I feel like no one has taken up the role because of COVID-19. I just think that maybe no one really wants to be the mascot.”

“I haven’t seen him in a long time.

Before COVID-19, he definitely showed up to events. [This year] I haven’t seen him at all. I don’t know what happened to him, maybe he caught COVID.”

—Caroline Mao, 9

—Arthur Tran, 10

—Heidi Purnama, 11

—Bryan Lee, 12 —Compiled by Charlotte Qian Chinyoung Shao