The Oracle May 2023

IN-DEPTH

Read about the Palo Alto “bubble” and its advantages and drawbacks.

P. 12-13

SPORTS

Read about Nina Albers’ sports-injury experience and students’ pregame rituals.

P. 17

THEOraclE

Student

internships affected by recent economic downturn

Charlotte Qian News Editor

This spring, recent bank failures and layoffs at large Silicon Valley technology companies have trickled down to create fewer high school internship opportunities.

According to the Wall Street Journal, bank failures are an indication of an economic recession, a prolonged period of negative gross domestic product growth with a rise in unemployment due to decreased demand for goods. Although some local businesses still offer internships for high school students, options — especially through the district — have become scarcer.

According to Work Experience teacher Rachel Kaci, during COVID-19, most work-experience opportunities and industryspecific positions weren’t being advertised to high schoolers. “A lot of students (did) their own cold-calling (of) local university professors or local companies to say ‘I’m really interested in biotech or biomed or insert-the-area-of-interest,’ and students were getting responses,” she said.

Even after the pandemic, cold-calling has retained its importance: Students must continue to take take initiative to get industry-specific internships. Even then, many businesses may not respond, which Kaci attributes to students’ lack of continued inquiry. “The cold-calling should not be sending an email once and never following up,” she said. “(Managers) care about refilling the (supplies) for the next day so they can actually serve their (customers). They’ll just work overtime themselves in order to fill that hole. They (cannot) even dedicate one hour to an interview or (call) back to say you got the job.”

Economic instability

Business, Entrepreneurship and Math Program founder Cristina Florea recognizes that the ongoing layoffs and economic instability have contributed to the diminishing number of high school internships. “At this time, the companies need to focus on their own mission and make sure they’re

Summer jobs—p.2

Organic pesticide Weed Zap produces cinnamon smell on campus

Kaylee Cheng Features Editor

The cinnamon smell that has been permeating campus since early April comes from an organic pesticide called Weed Zap, used by the custodian on the fields. This nonselective herbicide kills all plants it comes in contact with and is used to target weed growth.

Two years ago, the district replaced Round Up, a synthetic pesticide, with Weed Zap. To treat an area with a synthetic pesticide, the California Department of Pesticide Regulation requires notices to be posted for residents 72 hours before and after treatment. Weed Zap, however, is made of natural ingredients, meaning that regulations are less stringent, according to Maintenance Director Peter Auth. “We do not have to inform people that we’re treating areas because this organic herbicide is not harmful to animals or people,” he said.

Concerns about Round Up’s potential to harm campus health caused the switch to Weed Zap. Round Up contains glyphosate — an ingredient that can cause eye and skin irritation, nausea, diarrhea and headaches, among other symptoms.

Gunn landscaper Miguel Ramirez said that clove and cinnamon oils, which disrupt the harmful plants’ cell

membranes and comprise 90% of the Weed Zap’s volume, cause the scent on campus.

According to Auth, unchecked weed growth can affect the levelness of athletic playing fields — such as those of softball and baseball — creating the potential for injuries. Pesticides are also vital for the health of other greenery on campus. “In the natural biome, everything is competing for survival,” Auth said. “So if you’re planting a nice landscape, and weed seeds have somehow gotten into the landscape area, they’re gonna compete for water as much as your trees and your flowers will. It really comes down to a matter of keeping the plants we introduced to a landscape there.”

“There is no schedule for the pesticide. We just spray it when the weeds are out of control.”

Weed Zap costs between $150 to $200 for a 2.5-gallon container, but is made more affordable during application by dilution water. “We mix 12 ounces of Weed Zap per gallon of water,” Ramirez said. “Sometimes we can spray

4 gallons of the solution in one day depending on the area that needs treatment. There is no schedule for the pesticide. We just spray it when the weeds are out of control.”

According to Ramirez, herbicides are typically used during the spring and summer, since the increased amount of precipitation in spring causes an influx of weed growth. The treatment is most effective for relatively young or sprouting weeds, since larger plants have to be manually pulled out the ground. Although Weed Zap usually yields noticeable results after two to five days, many weeds become resistant to the organic pesticide as the summer progresses, making them harder to kill. To combat this issue, the conditions for pesticide application — such as changing the treatment schedule, adjusting solution concentration or varying the temperature — have to be altered throughout the season.

Although the pervasive cinnamon smell serves as a reminder of pesticide use on campus, it has received no complaints from community members. “It’s actually a very welcome smell because it indicates that Palo Alto is being proactive about our student, public and administrative populations,” Auth said.

Henry M. Gunn High School

Gunn landscaper Miguel Ramirez

Michelle Koo

Monthly highlights: SEC Pride events

“The event was really nice. I didn’t know that all these organizations existed, so it was cool to learn about them.”

—Annika Kulawik, 9

“It

BY THE NUMBERS

Recent economic downturn results in internship decline, fewer student opportunities at companies

Summer jobs—p.1

progressing,” she said. To maintain sufficient funds, companies often eliminate opportunities for high schoolers.

The BEAM Program used to allow Gunn students to apply business knowledge to the real world by connecting them with companies that were offering internships. Most companies were based in Silicon Valley, including TIBCO Inc., AppLovin, Google, Facebook, Cisco and Brainvyne.

According to Tom Berquist, chief financial officer at the Cloud Software Group, TIBCO used to offer around a dozen Gunn students internships in the finance industry. “When the BEAM Program wound down (for Gunn), we also wound down our use of high school interns,” he said. “We do still use college interns, but not as many as we would if the economy was better.”

“The bottom line for a company is to make money, and so the first place they’re gonna pull from is (high school internship programs).”

—Work Experience teacher Rachel Kaci

Retirements and post-COVID-19 layoffs have also led to fewer internship opportunities for high schoolers. Kaci explained that, in some cases, the high school internship director may retire or be laid off, and the company may not appoint another employee to continue program oversight. “The bottom line for a company is to make money, and so the first place they’re gonna pull from is (high school internship programs),” she said.

The number of available STEM internships have also begun to decrease due to similar problems. According to Kaci, the Lockheed Martin internship offered fewer spots when the internship director retired after the COVID-19 lockdown. The internship positions available at Lockheed Martin for rising seniors decreased from six positions pre-pandemic to three during the pandemic to two spots currently. “Six to two in five years is a pretty significant drop in opportunities, especially at such a coveted (company) like Lockheed Martin,” she said.

Students have witnessed the competition for internship positions. “I feel (that) especially (because we are back) in person, the opportunities come to you through flyers and social media,” sophomore Anriya Wang said. “They are more available (and) more people notice it.”

Lack of internship culture

Companies are often hesitant to have high school interns because of the lack of high school internship culture in general. This problem was present even before COVID-19, according to Florea. “(Companies) think of college internships, but they never think of high school internships,” she said. “So even when the economy was going well, it was still hard to get internships for high school students.”

Although many local service-oriented businesses are providing opportunities for high school students to work or intern, the current economy and the impacts of the post-COVID-19 economy are hindering businesses’ abilities to create high school student job and internship opportunities. While some companies are still offering such positions, the fewer opportunities available make them more competitive.

“(Companies) think of college internships, but they never think of high school internships. So even when the economy was going well, it was still hard to get internships for high school students.”

BEAM founder Cristina Florea

Despite hesitations, high school interns can bring value to a company, according to Florea. “The CFO of TIBCO, now acquired by Citrix, was saying that some of the high school interns actually produce more results than some of the actual adult employees,” she said.

64.9% of STUDENTS SUrvEyED Do NoT cUrrENTly havE a job or iNTErNShiP

48.9%

of STUDENTS SUrvEyED rEPorTED followiNg UP oN job rEqUESTS morE ThaN oNcE

Source: Self-selected survey sent out to Gunn students by The

responses

Allcove, a Palo Alto mental health organization, offers activities for students to participate in.

Librarian Daljeet Gill features various LGBTQ+ novels for students to read during the Pride event.

Junior Jasper Donnelly recites an original poem on Monday at the quad during the Pride Week performances.

Freshman Aminjin Battulga holds a Pride flag in each hand as she poses for a picture during Pride event activities.

Seniors Jack Poon and Daniel Pan sell PRIDE t-shirts on the quad.

—Quotes compiled by Ya-An Xue. Photos by Chinyoung Shao

THEO RACLE

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

www.gunnoracle.com

Editorial Board

Editor-in-Chief

Amann Mahajan

Ma naging Editors

Chris Lee

Irene Tsen

News

Victor Dang

Michelle Koo

Charlotte Qian

Forum

Anne Dong

Annabel Honigstein

Jeffrey Kang

Features

Diya Bose-Malakar

Kaylee Cheng

Safina Syed

Centerfold

Maddie Cheung

Lise Desveaux

In-Depth

Dan Honigstein

Becca Wu

Sports

Katie LaWer

Vivian Studdert

Kelvin Xu

Lifestyle

Kaitlyn Chen

Vivien Chen

Bryan Xiao

Online

Yueun Hong

Sophia Hwangbo

Fiona Xiong

Social Media

Zoe Leontis

Ya-An Xue

Ellie Yuan

Photo Editor

Chinyoung Shao

Graphics Editor

Irene Hong

Staff

Business/Circulation

Nicholas Weng

Bryan Xiao

Oracle-SEC Liaison

Safina Syed

Graphics Artists

Emma Cao

Elise Hu

Aarushi Kumar

Natalie Lam

Chaewon Lee

Jenny Lee

Aeron Man

Sophia Rong

Sarah Xie

Photographers

Sophia Hwangbo

Reporters

Isha Sinha

Dylan Sperandio

Adviser

Kristy Blackburn

Have feedback on this issue? Complete our feedback form at tinyurl. com/OracleMay2023

Monthly News Bites: Campus highlights

On April 21, the Stanford Blood Center collaborated with the Youth Community Service Club to hold a blood drive in the library from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Volunteers and staff members helped set up and clean up the event and check in donors. Donating was open to those who met the requirements: weighing over 110 pounds if 19 or older, being free of cold and flu symptoms and being over 17 years old. Students under 17 needed consent forms signed by a parent or guardian to donate.

Blood Drive

On April 26, students and faculty participated in Denim Day, a campaign that occurs on the last Wednesday of April to spread awareness about sexual assault and victim blaming. Denim Day originated from the overturning of an Italian Supreme Court rape case in which the justices concluded that because the victim was wearing tight jeans, she must have helped her rapist remove them and therefore consented. The following day, women in the Italian parliament came to work in tight jeans to stand in solidarity with the victim.

To show support for survivors of sexual assault and harassment, the Title IX Club hosted a lunch event called “Chalk Flowers for Survivors.” Junior Annabel Honigstein, co-president of the Title IX Club and a Forum editor for The Oracle , emphasized the importance of commemorating the day.

Donors gave blood during a prep period, brunch or lunch. On average, the process took around 25 minutes: Each donor got their blood drawn for five to 10 minutes and then had a mandatory refreshment period of 15 minutes.

Donor junior Analiesse Schoenen found the process convenient. “It’s awesome that

“Every year we draw flowers and positive, kind messages on concrete surfaces to show our support for survivors,” she said.

The Title IX Club also organized an informational session with district Title IX Coordinator Robert Andrade. According to Honigstein, the event aimed to educate students about district policies and reach a wider audience through advertising.

Junior Anika Jayanth participated in the session and found it to be informative. “I learned how the district goes about (handling) sexual assault complaints,” she said. “I learned how there are varying degrees of intensity when it comes to sexual assault and how each of them is dealt with differently.”

—Written by Katie LaWer

the blood drive comes to Gunn, so people can donate without having to go out of their way to do it,” she said. “It’s an easy way to make a difference.”

Volunteer Dan Rose, who has been working with the Stanford Blood Center for 11 years, echoed this sentiment. “I appreciate the schools that let us come to their facilities,” he said. “It’s not something that they have to do, but they do it because they know it’s a good cause. People are less likely to come down to the centers.”

Blood technician Issac Durant noted how donating blood is a great way to give back to the community. “You don’t know where your blood is going, but it’s going to somebody that needs it,” he said.

—Written by Dylan Sperandio

Clothing Drive

The Sustainable Fashion Club hosted its annual clothing drive for the second year starting Monday, May 16, during lunch. At the club’s table, student volunteers collected clothes from students from Monday to Thursday. On Friday, students will take home the clothing item of their choice. The event was created to spread awareness about the environmental benefits of repurposing old clothes. The club spent several weeks coordinating with Student Executive Council to plan the clothing drive. Sustainable Fashion Club Vice President Zara Mukhtar hopes that the event will provide an example of sustainability in the local community and help students clean out their closets. “A bunch of seniors are leaving for college and cleaning out their closet and deciding what or what not to take,” she said. “This is a really helpful event for

INBOX

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

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

“I like how this issue was relatively lighthearted compared to past issues. Sometimes there are articles that are focused more on general news in California, but this issue was especially Gunn specific. ”

—Anika Thapar, 11

“One segment I enjoyed was the person who went to try out different sports and left a review. It was so funny and a very creative idea! A cool segment that The Oracle can do is a mini cartoon/ comic section, bad pickup lines during Love Week or student spotlights.”

—Jessie Han, 10

Denim Day

them. We wanted to show people a real-life example (of) what you can organize in your community.”

Club member junior Anna Rodden noted that the contributions students make — however small — can have an impact. “I feel like sustainable fashion is a really accessible way to get into (climate crisis issues),” she said. “It’s a fun way of getting into how to do things more sustainably. We are trying to publicize this way that you can help the earth, even if it’s in a small way. ”

Aside from participating in the clothing drive, the Sustainable Fashion Club suggests partaking in sustainable practices by thrifting, donating old clothes, being conscious of brands’ sustainability and shopping consciously throughout the year.

—Written by Isha Sinha

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

Letters to the Editor, Comments and ideas for coverage may be sent to oraclegunn@gmail.com. These letters do not need to be from current students.

“I enjoyed how the articles incorporated student pictures and quotes. (It) gives more authenticity, (making) the entire issue more relatable.”

—Peter Zhang, 12

Volunteers and staff members use blood draw equipment transported by a cart.

Dylan Sperandio

Students paint denim patches to celebrate Denim Day at the Title IX Club event.

Photo courtesy of the Title IX Club

Junior Anna Rodden collects clothing for the clothing drive on Tuesday, May 16.

Isha Sinha

Should students participate in academic, professional activities during summer?

Vivien Chen Lifestyle Editor

Summer break is usually thought of as a time for students to do whatever their hearts desire, whether that be unwinding from busy academics or hanging out with friends. At the same time, these nine weeks of freedom can be used wisely to help build students’ strengths and futures. Students should spend their summers on jobs, internships or academic programs to develop important life skills and delve into their interests.

From working at a boba shop to interning with a technology company, any summer work builds important qualities that will help students after graduation. Shelcy Joseph, a contributor for Forbes, found that some of the top traits employers look for in job applicants are reliability, initiative and adaptability. Students can develop these skills by embarking on real-world experiences over the summer, where there are concrete consequences to their work and no teachers to guide them. For example, in retail, workers have to learn how to communicate professionally with customers, honing their selfmanagement and interpersonal skills. In pre-college programs where participants live on a college campus, they have to navigate life without their parents, forcing them to solve problems on their own.

Students can also choose jobs or programs that align with their interests, helping them develop passions and discover new fields. These activities could range from taking courses at a community college to working at a science museum. Students can thus develop a stronger interest and gain more experience in fields that they enjoy but don’t have the time to explore during the school year. For students who are unsure of what they want to pursue in the future, trying out different jobs or activities during the summer is a great way to find which ones appeal to them. Furthermore, prior experience in a certain field can give students a leg up in the college or job application process and help them excel in their area of interest.

Students may be reluctant to do a summer job or program because they want to relax, but it’s possible to balance work and play. They can go on a family vacation, watch Netflix on the weekends and also have a job throughout the summer. Balancing a job or internship with leisure activities instills valuable time- and self-management skills. Engaging in these activities can be fun, fulfilling and impactful, allowing students to be immersed in topics they are passionate about with people who share similar interests. Thus, summer jobs and programs provide one-of-akind opportunities for high schoolers to develop valuable traits and gain experience in a real-world setting.

71.7%

Becca Wu In-Depth Editor

If summer were a movie, it would be “The Social Network,” and everyone would be a super-genius competing to see who has what it takes to become successful. Gunn students — and students worldwide — make a choice every summer to either devote those two glorious months to rest and relaxation, whatever form they may take, or to the pursuit of activities that further their academic careers. Of course, these two options are not mutually exclusive — students may find joy and relaxation in academically enriching activities. They should, however, keep in mind that they already go to school for the other 10 months of the year, so they should be spending their time doing things that they enjoy, regardless of whether they’re academic or not.

College of Nursing, 49% of high school students surveyed felt a great deal of stress on a daily basis. Burnout is an all-toocommon experience in a hyper-competitive environment in which students might rush to get ahead academically and develop areas of depth in their resumes. According to research from Boston University published in 2022, burnout can cause exhaustion, depersonalization and an overall drop in work performance. Why should students stretch themselves thin over the summer if it hurts their performance in the long run?

Students work from August until June, and when they graduate, they will most likely work year-round, since most full-time jobs do not include paid summer vacations. But right now, students are kids. The huge responsibilities and pressures of adulthood will come later, so it’s counterintuitive to expedite the transition into adulthood by stuffing summers full of work now.

Source:

More often than not, students feel the need to make the most of their free time by preparing for their futures — going to research institutes, to pre-college programs or on volunteer trips. While these are all great endeavors for students’ resumes, they contribute to burnout — a negative reaction to prolonged study that leads to exhaustion. According to a study conducted by the New York University

All in all, students shouldn’t spend their entire summers lying in bed playing Hay Day — that probably isn’t very good for their eyes or brains. They should, however, dedicate some time to lying in bed playing Hay Day, and not feel guilty about taking time to relax and let their brains cool off. What’s most important is that students do things that they love but normally don’t have time for during the school year — learning new hobbies, discovering new places or trying new foods. And if a student really wants to, they should go ahead and take that summer course. What matters is that students feel adequately refreshed for whatever future lies ahead and therefore capable of reaching for their wildest ambitions.

28.3% of students surveyed believe summers should be spent gaining academic or work experience.

of students surveyed believe summers should be spent exploring hobbies and interests.

Self-selected survey sent out to Gunn students by The Oracle from May 8 to May 15, with 113 responses.

SUMMER BREAK EXACERBATES

SOCIAL MEDIA-INDUCED ‘FOMO’

Anne Dong Forum Editor

As summer arrives, Instagram feeds grow cluttered with images of extravagant vacations and beach trips, along with posts about pool parties and picnics that one could only wish to be invited to. The pressure to have a “fun” summer can push people to change their plans to feel less excluded, and cause anxiety when they aren’t able to. This perception of others’ leading better lives and the efforts people take to feel included is dubbed “fear of missing out,” or FOMO. Social media exacerbates FOMO during summer break, when many are spending more time on their phones and participating in social events, This amplified FOMO can harm students’ mental health.

When a person isn’t able to experience something others are, social media can feed into their FOMO and be a constant source of unrealistic comparison. Feelings that are characteristic of FOMO, such as inferiority and exclusion, can worsen because the majority of social media posts only highlight the best parts of a person’s life. These “perfect” portrayals can cause envy or make others feel as if they don’t measure up. The freedom summer break grants further amplifies these aspects: It is likely that students have more time to both go on and post about vacations as well as spend time online scrolling through others’ curations. This dynamic only contributes to a heightened sense of FOMO. These complex feelings can affect students in a variety of ways. Having one’s appearance or popularity be compared to others’ can harm selfesteem and mental health. Poor mental health often hinders sleep quality, creating a vicious cycle: Focusing on self-care during break requires quality sleep, but FOMO’s negative impact on students’ mental health may prevent them from being able to get this needed rest.

FOMO can also magnify previous depressive symptoms and feelings of loneliness, which are already more common in people who frequently use

social media. According to a 2022 study conducted by the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, the risk of depression in adolescents increased 13% for each additional hour spent on social media. The constantly changing atmosphere on social media platforms can pressure many to keep up with the most recent trends and go to the events that they see posts about, which only keeps people on social media for longer, and thus increases anxiety levels.

Furthermore, social media and FOMO can impair students’ ability to form genuine connections with others. Social media always presents others’ relationships in the best light, creating unrealistic expectations of what a friend should be and act like. The desire for these types of connections can strain preexisting relationships as one begins to believe that the only viable bonds are akin to the ones found online. Fear of missing out on a better social life, one without the natural ups and downs any relationship is bound to bring, can prompt some to become overly selective of their friends and dismiss impactful people from their lives. These detrimental effects of FOMO create not only unstable social situations, but feelings of unhappiness stemming from the inability to find a desirable friend.

Despite these drawbacks, having ways to connect with others outside of school is still important, especially during summer break. When people aren’t able to see each other on a day-to-day basis, social media can provide a space to keep in touch. Overuse of social media, however, warps these positive aspects into ones that can harm students. Thus, students must moderate their social media consumption and shift their mindsets to lead healthier lifestyles. Viewing others’ posts as sources of inspiration rather than upward comparison can further diminish the negative effects of social media on mental health.

Too much social media use, especially during the summer, can cause a vicious, unbreakable cycle of FOMO and anxiety, straining mental health during a time of relaxation. Instead of becoming consumed by social media and FOMO, teens should steer clear of elements that exacerbate negative feelings. Taking advantage of the free time summer provides can help foster in-person relationships and allow students to discover interests and passions that don’t create harmful environments.

Diya Bose-Malakar Features Editor

When I first announced that I was destined to be single this summer, I was met with congratulatory remarks from my friends because that meant that I could participate in “hot girl summer” for the first time in two years. Yet I couldn’t share the same excitement that made my friends’ faces glow, since realistically, I wasn’t going to be spending my summer surrounded by guys in a poolside cabana, bikini-clad and sporting a six-pack. All I knew was that I needed time to learn how to live life as an individual and embrace the joys of my newfound independence.

The phrase first originated from Megan Thee Stallion’s 2019 hit song “Hot Girl Summer.” Although four years have passed since its release, the term still reemerges every summer. Stallion originally intended for the song to preach self-confidence and authenticity, but as the phrase gained popularity, it began to shift into a more toxic ideal promoting hook-up culture and perpetuating unrealistic expectations of what a “hot girl” is.

The most notable connotation of “hot girl summer” is that of female promiscuity, essentially serving as an umbrella term for an abundance of summer flings. The term encourages women to go out with a plethora of guys, showing little to no remorse for anybody’s feelings but their own. This interpretation echoes the original idea of prioritizing oneself, but is a ways off from its initial intent.

Furthermore, as with most popular trends in a society fueled by consumerism, “hot girl summer” has seeped into marketing ploys. Companies integrate the term into their advertisements for bikinis, miniskirts and crop tops, pressuring consumers into buying new swimsuits and going-out tops to prepare for the upcoming summer. Naturally, the fitness industry has also caught hold of this trend and transformed it into the newest iteration of the age-old unrealistic model standards. Content creators recommend special diets and workouts that promise a slim, toned body in time for “hot girl summer.”

The term has suffered a significant shift over time — it is no longer associated with being “unapologetically yourself,” as Stallion suggested. Instead, the term only includes those whose appearance match the “hot girl” figure and who could afford to achieve the “hot girl” lifestyle.

For me, the idea of having a “hot girl summer” carried a lot of pressure. I felt that I didn’t fit the cookie-cutter image of a “hot girl” I saw being promoted on social media, and the popular “hot girl summer” checklists involved activities that I had no interest in partaking in. The pressure made the upcoming summer seem less fun and more like a competition that I needed to prepare for.

Although I have yet to experience a full-fledged “hot girl summer,” I’ve engaged in somewhat of a pre-season, during which I’ve learned invaluable lessons. I noticed how while my heightened sense of freedom did allow me to meet new people and engage in different experiences, a sense of inner loneliness remained. I felt unfulfilled, even with a phone filled with dozens of unread texts from admirers that I was only mildly interested in. Especially after being in a committed relationship, the absence of romantic intimacy and trust weighed on me. I started noticing the uneasiness I’d feel every time I was asked out and the overwhelming sense of stress brewing in my stomach before every date.

I have ultimately realized that no amount of male attention can supersede the lack of love in my life. Yet, instead of seeking validation, I now know that I need to find that love within myself in order to fully heal. With this revelation, the phrase “hot girl summer” has reverted back to its roots as an ideal promoting self-love.

So, what once began as a mentality embracing the joys of independence became distorted into one promoting the hypersexualization of women and toxic hook-up culture. It was then used as bait for cheap marketing ploys. That, however, doesn’t discount its potential to spread an empowering message. In order to see widespread change, companies and content creators need to begin promoting all body types when discussing “hot girl summer” and shifting their language to be more inclusive to those with different gender identities. This summer, I hope to reclaim the term and tweak it in a way that reflects my own definition of a “hot girl.” I am my hottest self when I am my happiest self, and I will achieve this goal by engaging in activities that bring me closer to it, rather than ones that I feel like I need to do according to social media.

‘Hot girl summer’ fosters unhealthy standards, toxic dating culture for students

OFFENSIVE HUMOR PERPETUATES STEREOTYPES, NORMALIZES HARMFUL STUDENT BEHAVIOR

identity and lived experiences.

Ellie Yuan Social Media Editor

Comedians such as Trevor Noah and Chris Rock are often praised for both bringing laughter to audiences and a lighthearted approach to relevant world issues. While attempting to tackle complex topics in a humorous way, comedians often employ offensive techniques that glaringly isolate targeted groups and take advantage of their identities and experiences. These jokes often involve an “in-group,” an exclusive group of people who share similar interests and identities, making fun of an excluded or isolated “out-group.” Offensive humor should not be normalized because it is insensitive, exacerbates larger social issues and harms those in the “outgroup.”

Offensive or dark humor is a style of comedy that engages with sensitive subjects in a disrespectful manner. To be clear, there are many cases where humor is productive in discourse surrounding controversial topics. For instance, affiliative humor — humor that appeals to everyone in a room — can promote an inclusive, positive environment. Alternatively, comedians such as Hasan Minhaj often integrate humor with facts and explanations to tackle important issues. People may also make jokes about their own identities, but this is far different from attacking others’. With this nuance in mind, offensive humor about someone’s identity — including their race, ethnicity, gender, appearance, religion and socioeconomic status — is unacceptable regardless of intention because it negates their personhood. Those on the receiving end may feel singled out, marginalized or fearful, since offensive jokes imply that there is something inherently wrong with them because of their

According to a study conducted by University of Arizona professor Caleb Warren and University of Colorado professor Peter McGraw, effective humor requires a balance. A joke cannot be so safe or mundane that it bores the audience, but it cannot be so risky that it makes people on the receiving end feel uncomfortable or threatened. Those who are able to strike this balance are perceived as confident, since they take the risk of making a joke that does not land. The ability to make risky jokes is associated

far and engage in offensive humor for the sake of capturing an audience’s attention.

Offensive jokes often demonstrate entitlement and ignorance, as there is no “superior” group that should judge another for their beliefs or identities. Those who ridicule others lack knowledge about the groups they are joking about. In a community as diverse as Palo Alto, these jokes can normalize unacceptable behaviors. For instance, jokes that hinge on an ethnic or racial trope often end up reinforcing stereotypes, hurting self-perception

People engaging in this type of humor may claim that the jokes are only “friendly fire.” Humor, however, is subjective, and it is important to respect other people’s boundaries and opinions. Jokes should be used to enact change and criticize wrongdoing, not disparage others for their mere existence. Racist, homophobic, sexist or religiously bigoted jokes, no matter how harmless they may seem, are off-limits, as theyusually end up ridiculing groups rather than welcoming and accepting Offensive humor carries no weight if no one laughs at it. Therefore, its normalization leads to its continued existence. For example, the entertainment industry continues to create sitcoms with derogatory race-related comedy. The popular sitcom show “The Office” is a prime example: The first season’s “Diversity Day” episode — where a well-intended diversity seminar quickly escalates into a slew of stereotypes and prejudiced insults — garnered negative attention for its approach to race and diversity.

Ultimately, empathy is key to combating offensive humor. Before making jokes, students should put themselves in others’ shoes, considering their experiences, beliefs and values. Only then is it possible to foster a progressive and inclusive environment — and have a few laughs along the way.

SPEAKING OUT AGAINST MICROAGGRESSIONS IS ESSENTIAL TO PREVENT ALIENATION, IMPROVE SCHOOL ENVIRONMENT

Lise Desveaux Centerfold Editor

In SELF, students learn about microaggressions and ways to identify and speak out against them. Despite the efforts of the curriculum, however, they continue to go unaddressed on campus. Microaggressions are dangerous to marginalized communities, as they normalize stereotypes, deem them as “outsiders” and obstruct academic and social participation. It is essential to notice and call out these microaggressions in order to build a more compassionate community.

Granted, it can be challenging to identify microaggressions, especially since some of these subtle acts of exclusion have become ingrained in our society and culture. According to Webster’s New World College Dictionary, a microaggression is “any action or statement regarded as an instance of subtle, often unconscious, prejudice and hence resulting in discrimination against a member of an oppressed group.” Often, microaggressions are stereotypes that people use to demean others. This dynamic is harmful, as it projects a false identity onto others, undermining their true identity. By confirming stereotypes, microagressions create or reinforce false narratives around different ethnicities and practices. Microaggressions can follow people to the classroom, impeding their learning. A study from St. Olaf College that looked at the academic repercussions of microaggressions reported that, from the 718 responses it collected, 86.5% of students identified as victims of microaggressions in the

classroom. For 65.4% of students, these microaggressions negatively impacted their academics. Microaggressions create a toxic environment, and the high percentage of students who reported adverse effects illustrates their pervasiveness.

Students need a healthy school environment to feel welcome and be successful. Microaggressions are a roadblock to that success, since students are less likely to thrive in unsafe emotional environments. Therefore, it is important to speak out and stop microaggressions.

Standing up either directly when an event occurs or after with a trusted adult can alleviate these feelings of discomfort and worthlessness. This choice leads to a more welcoming environment, promoting student health and belonging.

17.3% of students surveyed would likely call someone out for saying a microaggression.

48.5% of students surveyed have personally witnessed a microaggression in an academic setting.

Aeron Man

garden club digs deep to cultivate community, connections

Tucked between the K-buildings and Miranda Avenue is one of Gunn’s hidden gems: the garden. A meticulously nurtured display of all kinds of plants, from ripening tomatoes to vibrant poppies, the garden reflects the work of the Organic Garden Club, which meets every Tuesday at lunch and, on occasion, during the summer.

The Gunn garden was created over 25 years ago, but has undergone numerous modifications over the years, according to Organic Garden Club Co-Adviser Elizabeth Matchett. When the Miranda driveway was rebuilt about 15 years ago, the garden was moved to its present location, using a districtprovided irrigation system to combat an ongoing drought and a lack of sprinklers. The garden also faced challenges when the club shifted to online meetings during the pandemic. “During COVID, the garden was very much neglected,” Matchett said. “We still had the (Organic Garden Club) come meet online, and we told the kids they could go over to the garden when they had time, as long as they were by themselves or 6 feet apart from each other. When (in-person) school restarted, that was one of the first clubs that we restarted again because we could be outside.”

Organic Garden Club Vice President junior Fiona Li was one of the students who joined the club while it met online. She emphasized how Organic Garden Club welcomes all experience levels and

51.3%

of students surveyed have been to the garden.

horticulture, whether it be through presentations or work in the garden. “The stereotype of a gardener (might be) an old lady or a buff dude, but you don’t have to be any of those — anyone can join,” Li said.

“Even if you’ve never raised a plant in your life, that’s okay. It’s not all about raising plants. A lot of it is about doing work to make the garden look better.”

Li also noted how the club provides a place for her to enjoy the benefits of hard work. “My favorite part about the club is seeing everything we’ve planted right when it’s at its peak,” she said. “Seeing the tomatoes all at their peak and tasting a tomato is always so good. The satisfaction you get from eating a tomato that you’ve planted is just different.”

To Matchett, this sense of fulfillment is what

makes gardening valuable to students. “What I see as the main benefit of the garden, more than anything else, is it allows you to get in touch with the earth,” she said. “(You can) touch the flowers, touch the plants, see how they grow (and) learn about where food comes from. I think it’s an important form of education that doesn’t get covered in any other part of our curriculum.”

The garden benefits those outside of the club as well: Its plants are used in Gunn’s culinary arts classes to make risotto and garnishes for chicken dishes. Cindy Peters, culinary arts teacher and Organic Garden Club co-adviser, chooses to use organic garden-grown ingredients because they don’t contain pesticides. Furthermore, no vitamins are lost, as would be the case if the ingredients had been shipped to a market.

In the future, Peters would like to see both the garden and gardening-enthusiast community expand. “I want to see the club size bigger, and I want to see kids that are really interested in gardening and really want to improve the garden,” she said. “They work hard and don’t care about getting their hands a little dirty.”

—Written by Kaitlyn Chen

Tips and tricks for maintaining new gardens

• Don’t place plants close together

• For smaller seeds, plant multiple seeds per hole

• Plant in nutrient-rich soil

• Use fertilizer when planting

• Set up a watering system

• Start planting during late fall through early spring

• Use shade covers

25 different types of plants and flowers are in the garden.

The garden contains various types of flowers, such as native California poppies.

The garden features many different edible plants, including tomatoes, cauliflowers, onions and lemons, which are used in culinary arts classes.

Members of the Organic Garden Club work together to remove weeds in the garden.

to keep plants out of direct sunlight

“What I see as the main benefit of the garden is it allows you to get in touch with the earth.”

—Organic Garden Club Co-Adviser Elizabeth Matchett

Photo courtesy of Fiona Li Sophia Hwangbo Sophia Hwangbo

Asian population density in California

10.0% to 19.9%

5.0% to 9.9%

2.5% to 4.5%

Source: 2022-23 Gunn profile

Elise Hu

Area comes with strong community, nuances

Microaggressions

Despite this emphasis on diversity, racism — specifically microaggressions or unconscious biases — still worms its way into Kim’s day-to-day life. “I sometimes hear people (use) slurs towards Asians,” she said. “People use (them) and don’t consider (them) to be as harsh as slurs towards Black and Hispanic people. A lot of people joke about Asian stereotypes, and sometimes it’s fine, but sometimes it’s like, ‘You’re still stereotyping Asian people in this community?’ and it’s uncomfortable.”

“It’s easier for us to assimilate because there are a lot more Asians in the Bay Area than other parts of the U.S. It’s a ‘safety in numbers’ thing — if there’s a lot more of you in a group, you feel safe. It’s easier for you to congregate and have safe communication.”

Sophomore Janus Tsen

Doke agrees that the belief that Asians face less discrimination than other historically underrepresented groups and that slurs towards Asians aren’t as harmful is false. “A lot of people try to say that being Asian is kind of like being white, but Asian people still deal with so much discrimination that people (overlook),” she said.

What Doke refers to is known as the idea of a “proximity to whiteness,” where Asians are culturally “closer to white” than other racial minorities. While this stereotype seems to benefit the Asian community at first glance, its undertones promote disunity, suggesting that the Asian people are part of an oppressive majority and alienating them from other minorities. According to South Asian American psychotherapist Divya Kumar, many Asian Americans might be led to believe that proximity-towhiteness is a safeguard against racism, when it isn’t.

While blatant racism toward Asians is less common in Palo Alto, other forms of harmful stereotypes exist, including that of the “perpetual foreigner.” It is a form of nativism in which some are regarded as foreigners because they belong to an ethnic or racial minority. This

stereotype is often applied to those who are naturalized citizens, as well as those who have lived in the U.S. their entire lives or whose families have been in the U.S. for generations. “My (Asian) friends who are American, people ask them, ‘Where are you from?’” Kim said. “They were born and raised here. People still consider them foreigners even though they were raised American.”

“A lot of people try to say that being Asian is kind of like being white, but Asian people still deal with so much discrimination that people (overlook),”

Junior Saara Doke

The perpetual foreigner stereotype is harmful for two reasons. First, it creates an us-versus-them mindset, dividing society into an “in-group” and an “out-group.” These groupings come with biases — there is a tendency to favor and support those who belong to the “ingroup,” and dislike or belittle those in the “out-group,” whom one doesn’t identify with. Second, the perpetualforeigner stereotype lumps all people of Asian descent into one large group, even though experiences vary significantly. “There’s communities within the bigger Asian community, and we all have different traditions and different cultures,” Kim said.

Students respond to microaggressions they encounter — including the perpetual-foreigner stereotype — in different ways. Some, like Tsen, simply try to forget racial slights. “We talked about microaggressions at some point in SELF, and I was trying then to think of times I’ve encountered them, but I couldn’t think of anything,” he said. “I think the reason for that is, even if people are being racist, I try not to be affected by it and forget it. It’s harmful to remember that people hate me for my race.”

The beauty standard

Doke’s struggles with her ethnicity largely stem from pressure to conform to Western beauty standards. “It’s something a lot of brown girls go through,” she said. “In

How often do Asian American students at Gunn face discrimination in the Bay Area due to their ethnicity?

middle school, I got made fun of for Indian traits like having thicker eyebrows. I was also really tan in middle school, and even other Indians would say, ‘At least I’m not as dark as Saara.’ The beauty standard is heavier on girls because there’s so much of an emphasis on beauty for girls. As you grow up, you get the idea enforced into your head that white equals beautiful.”

Doke noted that these standards continue to persist in many Asian communities. “Colorism is such a huge issue,” she said. “My grandma got me skin-bleaching (products) once, and my white friends were like, ‘What the hell.’”

Moving forward

Communities of peers that Asian people can relate to on a cultural level provide both comfort and support. Even though the Bay is ethnically diverse and aims to promote tolerance and inclusivity, racism, however unintentional, is still prevalent. Being a part of historically underrepresented group comes with a slew of nuances that can go unnoticed by some.

Students seem to agree that a community makes the burden more tolerable. “More conservative places don’t have as many Asian-Americans, so it’s easier to hate on a minority,” Tsen said. “But here, Asians are part of the majority and so it’s harder to hate on a majority.”

Currently, it’s the pressure to assimilate that weighs heavily on many Asian Americans. Opportunities to communicate about their cultures and talk about the roles their racial identities have on their lives — both daily and cumulatively — is what will make the Bay truly diverse. Moving forward, an emphasis on “safe communication,” which Tsen describes as “when you can freely talk about your ideas with other people without being persecuted for it,” could be a beneficial next step in terms of racial integration and inclusion. “It’s a ‘safety in numbers’ thing—if there’s a lot more of you in a group, you feel safe,” he said. “It’s easier for you to congregate and have safe communication.”

—Written by Becca Wu

Source: Self-selected survey sent out to Gunn students by The Oracle from May 8 to May 15 with 58 responses

see abundant representation see mediocre representation

much Asian representation do Gunn students

in the Bay Area compared to that of other minority groups?

Often 31% 51.7% 10.3% 5.2% 1.7% see minimal representation

FROM PAST TO PRESENT: CELEBRATING PRIDE MONTH

Celebrated every June, Pride Month honors the LGBTQ+ community and their fight for equality and acceptance. During this month, members of the community and allies come together through events to commemorate queer history, uplift voices in the community and educate individuals. These events include parades, workshops and other ceremonies.

History of pride month

The origins of Pride Month can be traced back to the 1969 Stonewall riots in New York City, in which a police raid on the Stonewall Inn, a gay bar, catalyzed a series of protests and demonstrations by the LGBTQ+ community. One year later, the first Pride marches were held in New York City, Los Angeles and Chicago to commemorate the anniversary of the Stonewall riots. These marches marked the beginning of what would become an annual tradition of celebrating LGBTQ+ identities and advocating for equality and social justice.

Co-Diversity Commissioner sophomore Sophia Howell, who took the lead in organizing this year’s events, noted that involvement from all Gunn students — regardless of whether they are part of the LGBTQ+ community — is key to building an atmosphere of solidarity and inclusivity. “It’s important to showcase your support and really step up as an ally to any community that faces oppression,” she said. “Whether it be a community that you are a part of or a community that you’re not, it’s important for all members of the Gunn community to step up and show that they’re an ally during Pride and celebrate alongside Pride because using your privilege is an incredibly important, if not fundamental, way to change the attitude of others and (of the) communities you’re a part of.”

THE ORIGINS OF PRIDE MONTH CAN BE TRACED BACK TO THE 1969 STONEWALL RIOTS IN NEW YORK CITY.

The movement soon moved beyond these cities, touching the Bay Area. In 1970, LGBTQ+ activists organized the first San Francisco Pride Parade to commemorate the Stonewall riots. Since then, Pride has become an annual tradition in the Bay Area, with the parade and festivities attracting thousands of visitors from all over the world. The celebration has become a platform for the LGBTQ+ community to advocate for their rights and raise awareness about issues affecting their community.

LOCAL LGBTQ+ eVENTS

Communities in the Bay Area have organized many Pride events and celebrations in addition to the San Francisco Pride Parade, including LGBTQ+ film festivals, dance parties and picnics. These events have become an important part of the cultural fabric of the Bay Area, highlighting the diversity, vibrancy and resilience of the LGBTQ+ community and promoting inclusivity.

Last year, junior Toni Minion inaugurated Gunn’s first in-person Pride Month celebrations as part of a Student Executive Council impact project. Events over two days involved festivities as well as educational activities. This year’s events took place on May 15 and 16, and similarly included a mix of celebration and education.

In pursuit of this goal, many of this year’s festivities included more opportunities for student participation. The first day featured performances with connections to the LGBTQ+ community, and the second day included a fair with activities and resources from clubs and outside organizations.

Inspired by student requests for apparel during previous SEC events, such as Día de los Muertos and Global Cultures Week, Howell also designed a Gunn Pride shirt that was sold during this year’s celebrations. “I’ve finally gotten to the point where I felt confi

dent enough to actually create, design and sell a T-shirt, which I hope will bring people together as another way of visible allyship and visible pride,” she said.

The Gender and Sexuality Alliance worked alongside the diversity commissioners in planning both days of events, providing feedback and ideas on activities, organizing their own resource table and ensuring that the event accurately represented the history of Pride Month. GSA Secretary junior William Sahami appreciated the more informational aspects of the events. “I’m looking forward to having educational opportunities that allow students to come out of these events

with a better understanding of what (Pride Month) is about and why it’s important,” he said. “These events are a great way to show that Pride Month is also about just bringing people’s attention to the fact that queer people exist — there is the capacity to be seen and be strong.”

Through planning this event, Howell has been able to showcase queer joy and spark a sense of community. “Even before I came out, I always looked out for the little things, and I would say Gunn Pride is a little thing that our school does to show support,” she said. “As someone who is queer, seeing representation and seeing people prideful of themselves (makes me) really at home. Our community inspires those to take that leap to really find their community at Gunn and feel at home too.”

intersectionality

The LGBTQ+ community’s fight for equality and visibility has been strongly intertwined with that of other marginal communities. The Stonewall riots that inspired Pride Month were led by people of color, demonstrating the role of intersectionality — or the existence of overlapping social categorizations — in shaping Pride. Because of this, Howell notes that it’s especially important to acknowledge the different types of privilege within the LGBTQ+ community. “In many ways, I and many people in Palo Alto are privileged in that it happens to be a more accepting community,” she said. “Personally, even though I am Latina, I am (considered) white since people perceive me to be white. There is a lot of privilege that goes with that, so learning about ways I can help and the history of the Black and brown trans communities is also incredibly important to me.”

Pride Month, in Howell’s view, is a time to acknowledge the varying identities and experiences the LGBTQ+ community encompasses and to celebrate the community as a whole. “I’m hoping that more people will see the joy that’s part of being queer because I know there is a history of violence and tragedy associated with being queer, but there’s so much innovation, love, joy and community that’s present in (the LGBTQ+ community),” she said.

A representative organization, offers

To engage LGBTQ+ authors

Over the years, social tides and educate readers community, as LGBTQ+ readers

A few recommendations: Room” is a groundbreaking themes of homosexuality when these topics relationship between and his lover Giovanni, their experiences, and the ways in identity.

“Close to the David Wojnarowicz, author’s experiences during the 1980s. by the epidemic literature.

—­Written by Zoe Leontis and Safina Syed

— DIVERSITY COMMISsIONER Junior Sophia Howell

“Our community inspires those to take that leap to really find their community at Gunn and feel at home too.”

PRIDE THROUGH TAKING ACTION

VolunteerING

One way to engage in Pride Month is through volunteering. There are many ways to volunteer during Pride, including helping with parades and festivals. Students can also assist community centers and organizations that provide resources to LGBTQ+ individuals, such as shelters, medical clinics and counseling services.

One of these organizations is the San Francisco LGBT Center, which offers employment opportunities, financial health seminars and more to LGBTQ+ individuals. Students over the age of 16 can volunteer to help visitors and assist with events.

If students are unable to volunteer their time, donating to charities is another suitable option. One organization accepting donations is the Trevor Project, which provides crisis intervention resources. This includes the Trevor Lifeline, a 24/7 suicide prevention helpline tailored to LGBTQ+ youth. They also lead crisis intervention training for teachers, counselors and nurses.

Students can also donate to the Human Rights Campaign, a charity that helps LGBTQ+ communities worldwide through public education, research and policy change. They have 11 programs, which include initiatives from bullying prevention to economic empowerment.

LgBTQ+ LITERATURE

in Pride Month, students can read books by authors or with LGBTQ+ themes. years, LGBTQ+ literature has navigated changing and legal restrictions. These stories serve to readers who do not identify as part of the LGBTQ+ well as provide characters and messages that readers can relate to.

recommendations: James Baldwin’s “Giovanni’s groundbreaking novel that delves into complex homosexuality and queer identity in 1950s Paris, topics were taboo. The novel centers around the between an American expatriate named David Giovanni, a young Italian bartender. Through experiences, Baldwin highlights the complexities of love in which societal pressures can impact personal the Knives: A Memoir of Disintegration,” by Wojnarowicz, is a powerful memoir that recounts the experiences as a gay man living with HIV/AIDS 1980s. Its portrayal of the devastation wrought epidemic makes it significant in LGBTQ+ history and

PRIDE EVENTS

PRIDE REWIND: A LOOK BACK THROUGH TIME

December 1924

The Society for Human Rights is founded in Chicago. This is the first documented gay rights organization.

June 1969

The Stonewall riots erupt in New York City. This riot is considered the first major protest for equal rights for gay people and the impetus for the gay civil rights movement in the U.S.

June 1978

Gilbert Back designs and stitches together the first rainbow flag, meant to be a symbol of pride and hope for the LGBTQ+ community.

October 2009

President Barack Obama signs the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd, Jr., Hate Crimes Prevention Act into law, making hate crimes based on sexual orientation or gender identity a federal crime.

June 2015

In the landmark case of Obergefell v. Hodges, the U.S. Supreme Court rules that the 14th Amendment requires all states to license same-sex marriages and to recognize all marriages that were lawful performed out-of-state.

Students can also get involved with Pride Month through attending Pride events. Pride festivals and parades, open to everyone, are a fun way to celebrate the LGBTQ+ community and meet new people.

The festivals allow students to engage in pride-related activities by partying, dancing and having fun. There is no dress code, but many people wear bright, rainbow-colored garments reminiscent of the LGBTQ+ rainbow flag.

There are many Pride events to look out for in the Bay Area, including at Gunn. Hosted by the Student Executive Council every year, Pride celebrations take place in late May. Among the festivities are student performances, the Pride Fair and Gender Sexuality Alliance events.

Pride Month events in the Bay Area include the Civic Center Celebration at the public plaza in front of San Francisco City Hall, and the San Francisco Pride Parade on June 26, a march from Market Street to City Hall that will include performances. The Filoli Historic House and Garden is also hosting two days of pride festivities on June 3 and 4. The event will offer food and drinks for purchase and photo opportunities with the decorated garden.

Some events may not be appropriate for teenagers, so check individual events’ websites for more information on age restrictions.

January 2021

Gunn Student Executive Council hosts its first Titan Pride Week online.

September 2022

A gender-neutral locker room at Gunn is made available to students.

Written by Annabel Honigstein

Written by Dylan Sperandio

Written by Isha Sinha

Compiled by Sophia Hwangbo

Graphics by Emma Cao, Michelle Koo and Natalie Lam

from Allcove, a Palo Alto mental health offers resources and prizes to students.

Librarian Daljeet Gill displays LGBTQ+ novels for students to enjoy during the Pride Fair.

quiz students on Pride-related trivia questions.

Chinyoung Shao

Chinyoung Shao

Chinyoung Shao

Introducing In-Depth: The Oracle’s newest section takes a closer look at complex issues

Welcome to The Oracle’s newest section, In-Depth. This section will dive deeper into the more intricate and multifaceted conversations around campus, providing students with a more detailed look at topics that affect them.

Each issue, In-Depth will contain one comprehensive story. Through emphasizing research and extensive sourcing, our stories will encompass various angles and nuances. From students to alumni, administrators and everyone in between, our stories will aim to involve as many perspectives as possible. By putting forth facts and

figures, we hope to provide a starting point for insightful discussions on meaningful topics. Through our investigations of social phenomena, we aspire to help students develop a better understanding of the ignored or unknown. Stories will tackle largerscale issues and trends, going beyond simply the Gunn campus into Palo Alto and the rest of the world.

palo alto bubble reinforces privilege, causes disconnect to societal issues

Michelle Koo News Editor

Located in the heart of Silicon Valley, Palo Alto is a center of innovation, wealth and quality education. It headquarters prestigious companies, such as Tesla and Hewlett Packard, and houses idyllic neighborhoods and highly ranked public schools. Palo Alto residents, the majority of whom are Asian or white, are wealthy: Their median household income of $194,782, according to the 2021 U.S. Census, is almost triple the median household income of $70,784 nationwide. Palo Alto is also a wellfunded district, as one of a few cities in California with an AAA bond rating, meaning it is easily able to meet its financial commitments and has very low financial risks.

The city’s abundant wealth and resources create a Palo Alto “bubble,” which often causes residents to be unaware of hardships that people from other areas experience: lack of resources, funding and a clean living environment.

Palo Alto is known for its excellent public school system. According to Niche, all three Palo Alto Unified School District middle schools are among the 15 highestranked middle schools in California; Palo Alto High School is among the top 10 public high schools in California; and PAUSD is the best school district in America. Gunn itself is ranked first in California and 35th nationally among public schools, according to Niche. In addition, Gunn has high standardized-testing scores and a graduation rate of 94%, higher than the public school national average of 85%.

funding from the state of California. Partners in Education also works to raise money specifically for teacher salaries across the district. Altogether, PAUSD receives nearly $300 million each year to support students’ education, almost 90% of which come from local taxes.

Using these funds, Palo Alto provides educational resources such as Gizmos, Naviance and other applications, available in each student’s Rapid Identity portal. According to the National Center for Education Statistics, PAUSD spends approximately $25,000 to $26,000 per student every year, exceeding the national average of about $15,000 to $16,000.

These readily available funds give Gunn students access to a variety of resources and extracurricular activities. Junior Solyana Biadglegne, a transfer student from Leipzig, Germany, who moved to Palo Alto in November 2022, explained the disparity in resources between Gunn and her old school. “This place is just incredible — I think it’s obvious because it’s Palo Alto and Palo Alto is a rich city, but also there’s so many resources and opportunities for you,” she said. “At my old school, we had great teachers and a few clubs, but that was basically it.”

Northwestern).”

Most of the resources PAUSD provides, such as Individualized Education Programs that ensure specialized instruction for students with disabilities, are state-mandated. However, history teacher Benjamin Beresford finds that Palo Alto often offers more than the minimum required by state mandates, such as coteaching and the Academic Center, which has student tutors available to aid their peers. “At my previous school, which was very small, we didn’t really have all of these resources,” he said. “I had students who would have really benefited from the resources you could

Gunn is able to provide its students with

Gunn alumna Shauntel Lim, a freshman at Northwestern University, explained that the educational preparation and support that Gunn provided her made her college experience easier. “Within Palo Alto, we have access to good teachers, classes and extracurriculars, whereas I come here and I hear about (other) people’s high school experiences, and it definitely sounds harder where they’re living, where their schools are underfunded,” she said. “They definitely have to work harder on their own to reach the same amount of achievement (at

Educational privilEgEs studEnts anonymously wEigh pros,

“In Palo Alto, there are scholarships and different programs that can help those that are unable to afford various extracurricular experiences (e.g., sports, camps, dances, etc.), while other communities are simply unable to financially provide these to their citizens. In this way, being below the poverty line in Palo Alto looks different from being below the poverty line elsewhere.”

“(We

“Many of my peers have their parents’ networks to access internships of high esteem, such as (at) Stanford and other companies.”

have) more access to AP classes and programs involving music or journalism.”

Gunn students are instructed by a supportive and qualified teaching staff: Many teachers have pursued higher education, such as masters and doctorate degrees, further improving the quality of education in Palo Alto. PAUSD guidelines also require teachers to meet certain standards of accommodation and attention to students.

U.S. received a Gold or Platinum designation. Although many take these facilities for granted, they greatly improve residents’ daily lives. For example, research from the Journal of Transport and Health found that people in more walkable environments had lower rates of obesity and chronic diseases. According to KRON4, Palo Alto residents have a 22% obesity rate, 11% lower than the national average of 33%.

Furthermore, Palo Alto’s natural environment is well maintained and healthy thanks to environmental services provided by the city. These services include Zero Waste, a waste-management system that seeks to decrease landfill waste and encourage composting; Watershed Protection, which reduces the amount of waste entering local waterways; and the Sustainability and Climate Action Plan, an extensive strategy to reduce citywide carbon emissions in coming years. To receive funding for these services, Palo Alto has several community partners that provide financial support to the city, including Stanford University, Friends of the Junior Museum and Zoo, Palo Alto Arts Foundation and Neighbors Abroad.

EnvironmEntal factors ExpEctations

Palo Alto, as a major center of technological innovation, is home to many of today’s most prominent, industryleading corporations. Hundreds of startups have begun in Palo Alto, many started by alumni from nearby Stanford University, including Google and HP. According to data from Pitchbook, a venture-capital database, Stanford graduates have founded more startups and raised more venture-capital funding than graduates of any other university in the country over the past decade.

Many have moved to the city because of its reputation for technological excellence: Biadglegne’s parents relocated her family to Palo Alto for those very reasons. “Palo Alto and Silicon Valley are known for innovation and good schools, so education and jobs are the main reasons we came here,” she said. “We found everything we needed and wanted.”

Palo Alto also has shopping centers, restaurants and recreational spaces both in and around it. However,

cons of

Living in a wealthy city replete with resources, Palo Alto residents, including students, can be isolated from the challenges that less wealthy communities face. However, mental burdens still exist. While — or perhaps because — Palo Alto is a center of technological innovation and excellence, students often feel pressure to succeed and surpass their peers academically. Biadglegne said the environment at Gunn is more competitive than that of her previous school. “At my old school, it was competitive, but it was also a small school,” she said. “Even if one had an accomplishment or internship, they would tell their friends to apply, and if someone has a big accomplishment, everyone celebrates it. But here, they (often) say, ‘Don’t tell that person I got an internship at this place.’”

This competition and pressure manifests itself most conspicuously during the college admissions process.

have high expectations to attend prestigious universities after high school. “There’s a culture that you’re expected to apply and go to some kind of elite (university) like the Ivy Leagues, or at least Berkeley, Stanford, University of Chicago,” he said.

As a result of this culture, students often become hyper-focused on their grades and test scores. “A student’s motivation to complete work is around getting a certain grade, not necessarily around completing an activity or understanding,” Beresford said. “As a teacher, it can feel like my intent for why I’m teaching you something feels different from (a student’s) reason for wanting to learn something.”

Additionally, with the abundance of engineering, computer science and science-based companies and opportunities present, students often face pressure to pursue and succeed in STEM-related fields. Gunn alumnus Michael Wang, a freshman at Brown University, said that if somebody mentioned that they were from Silicon Valley or the Bay Area at Brown, people would automatically assume that they planned to work in technology or computer science.

Palo Alto has established Wellness Centers and mental health resources to support students. Gunn has mental health professionals working on-site, as well as an established SELF program to aid students in socialemotional learning. The ability to create such resources is, in a way, yet another example of Palo Alto privilege: According to the Kaiser Family Foundation, during the 2021-22 school year, around half of public schools in the U.S. received funding for mental health services, and less than 41% of schools hired staff to focus on students’ mental health.

Ultimately, Lim believes many Gunn students are unaware of, or do not acknowledge, the privileges they possess. “It’s important to acknowledge problems (outside of our bubble),” she said. “(This includes) socioeconomic and racial problems. Living within the Palo Alto bubble, we don’t see a lot of that firsthand.”

rEsourcEs

palo alto’s wEalth,

“Families here have a lot of money to spend on outside resources. This privilege is a double-edged sword because with all these resources comes increased competition.”

88% of studEnts survEyEd bEliEvE that palo alto providEs privilEgEs that most othEr citiEs don’t havE accEss to.

“The wealth and privilege of Palo Alto create a protective shield that insulates residents from the harsh realities of inequality, poverty and injustice that plague so many other communities.”

Additional reporting by Bryan Xiao.

Chinyoung Shao

Source: Self-selected survey sent out to Gunn students by The Oracle from May 8 to May 15 with 61 responses

athletes cultivate long-term sports abilities

Freshman Arden Lee: Badminton

Badminton has always been in freshman Arden Lee’s blood. “My dad and my mom met through badminton, and my sister started playing before I was born,” he said. “So, I guess I’ve been playing my whole life.”

Lee didn’t start out strong in the sport, but after the COVID-19 pandemic hit, he saw more promising results. Badminton is both mentally and physically challenging, but Lee felt motivated after winning matches and seeing gradual improvement. “My coaches push me a lot, and sometimes I feel like, ‘Why do I even do this?’” he said. “But at the end of the day, if you train hard, then you’ll get results, so it’s rewarding. I don’t want all that hard work to go to waste.”

In 2021, Lee won the Badminton Pan American Junior Championships’ boys doubles division. The tournament, one of the largest in the U.S., was a big milestone for him.“That was the one time in badminton recently that I felt like I actually won because I worked so hard to get there, and it felt really good to succeed,” he said.

One of Lee’s most memorable childhood moments is when he broke his racket while playing with three friends. As the shuttlecock was tossed over the net, both Lee and a friend attempted to hit it. With high hopes, Lee took a big swing to return the shuttlecock to the other side, only to witness his racket making direct contact with the back of his friend’s head and falling to the ground in two pieces.

Lee said it was a challenge maintaining a positive attitude toward the sport during his first years few years of playing. He mentioned, however, that changing his mindset to be

more optimistic boosted his playing. “Fixing that mindset and changing it to be more critical-thinking and positive helped me focus and become a better player,” he said.

Though Lee is fond of badminton, he has considered trying other sports, such as volleyball. Still, he plans to continue to play badminton competitively through high school and at a lower-commitment level in college. “I want to win Pan American Junior Championships again or play in the World Juniors,” he said.

Lee’s

“She has also received a lot of criticism, and people have told her negative things, but she still trains really, really hard, so I look up to her for that.”

Photocourtes y of AllisonLee

Sophomore Kanaan Kuartei: Basketball

Sophomore Kanaan Kuartei discovered basketball when he was 8 years old, and he has been playing it ever since.

Although Kuartei didn’t start out enjoying basketball, the sport grew on him over the years. “(Even though) my dad picked (basketball) for me, I did learn to like it,” he said. “I just put more energy and time into basketball and ended up being better at it.”

Committed to honing his craft to the best of his ability, Kuartei has spent countless hours practicing, shooting baskets and working on ball handling. Along with playing on the Gunn basketball team, Kuartei spends time outside of practice to work by himself. Commitment and

“Jeremy Lin showed me that if I really apply myself to basketball or to school, no matter where I am, no matter what I’m doing I can be something.”

consistency remain core values in his mindset as a player, as does team spirit. “Whenever I want to stop, (my) obligation to (my) teammates keeps me going,” he says.

Still, staying committed can be difficult at times, especially when physical injuries pose risks. Kuartei injured his knee while practicing and has not been able to play for over a month. Maintaining a healthy mindset around his relationship with basketball has been a struggle during this time. “(It’s hard) being forced at one time or another to take a break (from basketball), whether wanting to or not, and then just feeling like I’m never going to come back,” he said.

Trying to balance academic responsibilities with basketball practice is also a challenge. At times, Kuartei has considered dropping basketball to devote more of his attention to school in the coming years. “I’m taking a lot of APs next year, and focusing (more) on my instrument,” he says. “Balancing a ton of (responsibilities) will be pretty hard.”

Still, love for the sport is unquestionable. “I’m just a person who enjoys doing physical activities, and I’ve always had a lot of friends in the sport,” he said. “Playing the sport itself is (also) really fulfilling for me.”

Junior Stella Manning: Lacrosse

Junior Stella Manning has been weaving her way through the lacrosse field for the past eight years. Watching her older brother play when she was younger introduced Manning to the sport and inspired her to shoot her shot with lacrosse.

Although she started playing to emulate her older brother, Manning’s love for the sport has pushed her to continue playing through elementary and middle school and into high school. “I really liked the (club) team and our coach,” she said. “It’s just naturally fun for me, so I stuck with it.”

Manning finds that Gunn’s girls lacrosse team places a greater emphasis on teamwork than teams she has been on in the past. “A lot of times on club teams, certain people (were) singled out, and it was more about giving certain people the ball,” she said. “For high school, our team is trying to get everyone to work together and do their part.”

According to Manning, the strong team dynamic was especially visible while competing in the Central Coast Section last year — her first time making it to CCS since she joined the Gunn team. “Last year, playing at CCS was a big moment,” she said. “We played as hard as we could, and it brought the team a lot closer together.”

Balancing extracurricular and academic demands with lacrosse has proven to be a challenge in the past few years.

“Earlier this year, I was (even) thinking about not continuing because it was so stressful, but (lacrosse) also gives me a break from that stress,” she said. “I decided to stick with it because I’ve just loved the sport for so long, and I wanted to

keep playing.”

—Arden Lee, 9

Close games — such as a recent one against Mountain View High School — keep Manning’s passion for the sport alive. “It’s always like a one-point game differential, so those games are really fun because they push our team’s limits,” she said. “We often have to play harder than ever before, and a lot of good plays come out from those games.”

Manning’s passion for lacrosse goes beyond enjoying a well-played game, as she also appreciates the craft of the sport. “I just love having really pretty, dynamic plays and seeing the beautiful aspects of the sport,” she said.

Manning’s

commons

“Even though he does not play lacrosse, I admire that he is a hard worker but still has fun with the game.”

—Stella Manning, 11

Photo courtesy of Arden Lee

Photo courtesy of Kanaan Kuartei

Photo courtesy of Stella Manning

—Written by Yueun Hong

—Written by Safina Syed

—Written by Kelvin Xu

—Kanaan Kuartei, 10

of Cr e ativeCommons

sports idol: Allison Lee

sports idol: Stephen Curry

Kuartei’s sports idol: Jeremy Lin

The weight of gym culture: Gym-goers experience unattractive side of exercise

The rise of fitness-centered social media, the sheer number of local gyms and the popularity of school athletics have all contributed to the growth of fitness culture among Palo Alto teens. Some students work out together after school, turning their fitness ventures into social gatherings, while others create social media accounts to detail their progress and interact with online communities. On the surface, these habits seem purely beneficial: According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, working out can help prevent injuries, reduce stress and improve cardiovascular strength. The culture in the gym, however, is often much more toxic.

As gym-going becomes increasingly popular, it sets certain aesthetic standards. Those who don’t meet these expectations are classified as skinny and weak, or lazy and overweight. Furthermore, heading to the gym, especially with friends, can lead to unhealthy competition, harassment and bullying. These types of environments and experiences may lead to issues, including insecurity, depression, steroid use and various eating disorders, such as “reverse anorexia” — a belief that one’s body is too small or insufficiently muscular. Junior Samantha Snyder notes that this dysmorphia is often exacerbated by social media. “For other people, I’ve definitely seen (dysmorphia) as a huge source of insecurity and selfcomparison, which is especially fueled by the influencers they see, who are super muscular and not actually natural,” she said.

Nutrition is often seen as the key to muscle growth and fitness. An intense focus on it, however, contributes to an unhealthy gym culture. As they follow their personal fitness regimens, many students are highly cognizant of what they eat, leading to obsessive behaviors around nutrition and more time and money spent on purchasing specific foods. Snyder, who started a fitness regimen several months ago, finds that unrealistic diets on social media only compound this issue. “It’s super hard to find that fine line between what you should be consuming for your own well-being and what others are recommending,” she said. “You have influencers telling you to go on carnivorous diets, you have trainers on YouTube telling you to go vegan to cut down your waist. It’s by far the most toxic aspect of gym culture.”

Toxic gym culture often prompts the overconsumption of protein to build muscle, which has damaging effects on the gastrointestinal system. This practice has been continually reinforced by the muscle-building myth that one should consume 2 grams of protein daily for each kilogram of one’s body weight. Medical centers such as the Mayo Clinic, however, suggest that individuals consume no more than 1.7 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight. Junior Aiden Chowdhury has seen the impacts these false recommendations can have on students. “Some people get super fixated on what they eat,” he said. “There’s always people perpetuating false myths. I’ve even heard stories about people trying to gain weight who literally fed themselves to the point of crying.”

Student gym culture also contributes to the use of steroids and supplements. Although steroids aren’t as commonly used among gym-going youth today, natural supplements of dubious safety — such as creatine, a biochemical compound that boosts muscle production, and ashwagandha, a root known to reduce stress — have gained popularity. Fitness content creators’ unrealistic appearances contribute to this trend. “(Social media) definitely adds to insecurity and self-comparison, especially since a lot of the big fitness influencers do not have ‘natural’ physiques because they

are using chemicals,” Snyder said. This dynamic provides false comfort regarding steroid or supplement use for teens, even if their parents or doctors dispel muscle-building myths. “I have seen certain people where it is safe to assume they are using steroids,” Snyder said. “It doesn’t affect me, but it does build a weird stigma around physique, because people will become super insecure comparing themselves to bodybuilders like Arnold Schwarzenegger, who are clearly athletically enhanced. It’s weird to know that people are willing to go that far and do that to their bodies, especially if they don’t know the effects or are ignoring them.”

Snyder added that the teenage tendency to seek false consensus contributes to questionable nutrition and supplement choices. “Teens will often look for information that agrees with them rather than information that is actually valid,” she said. “This includes information about side effects, which can be incredibly serious in some cases.”

The social aspect of frequenting the gym can, counterintuitively, harm students, who may begin to compare themselves to others when working out. Interactions with others at the gym may cause individuals to perceive themselves as less fit or muscular compared to others, leading to self-esteem issues. This mindset can cause eating disorders and severe body dysmorphia.

Although various triggers exist within the local teen

gym culture, they do not have to define a student’s gymgoing experience. According to Snyder, focusing solely on one’s own health needs can help create a Palo Alto gym culture that gym-goers can thrive in. “As long as you can ignore all the toxic aspects and not take them into account, (going to the gym) is one of the healthiest things you can do for yourself,” she said.

by Dan Honigstein

“For other people, I’ve definitely seen (dysmorphia) as a huge source of insecurity and self-comparison.”

—Junior Samantha Snyder

—Written

Road to recovery: Junior Nina Albers’ journey through two tough injuries

Since the age of 7, water polo has been a pillar of junior Nina Albers’ life. Over the past 10 years, she has experienced the ups and downs that come with putting her all into a sport: Sweet victories strengthen her love for playing, and tough losses feel like rock bottom. Wins and losses aside, however, few athletes know as well as Albers that the most trying moments in sports come from injuries.

Albers’ first taste of a season-wrecking injury was a bike accident in the fall of 2021. “I was biking home downhill, and there was a tree root (that made) a big crack in the path,” she said. “When my bike hit the crack, I got flipped over (the handlebars) and my face was smashed into the ground.”

After a trip to the emergency room and 20 stitches to the mouth, Albers sat in bed trying to figure out how to break the news to her coach. “(Central Coast Sectionals) were coming up in a couple weeks, and I couldn’t get in the water because I couldn’t even open my mouth,” she said.

Over the next two weeks, Albers sat on the bench in silence, watching her team play. “The worst part might have been all the people that came up to me at games,” she said. “Coaches and moms and players would come up to ask me why I wasn’t playing, and I just had to sit there. My mouth was sewn shut.”

Her coach’s empathy helped her through this isolation. “When you’re injured, and the coach comes and talks to you about how you’re feeling, or you just have a good, normal conversation, it makes you feel so (much more) connected with the team,” Albers said. “(Talking to my coach) made me feel a lot better because (then I knew) they’re not forgetting about me just because I’m injured — they’re just focusing on the girls who can play right now.”

When CCS rolled around, Albers was doing everything in her power to play again. However, her injury wasn’t fully healed, so she was forced to slowly ease back into training. “I was so weak when I started playing (again),” she said. “I had barely eaten because I couldn’t open my mouth. All I could do was stick a straw in the corner of my mouth for a few days, so I (had) lost weight.”

During that 2021 season, the girls varsity water polo team went on to win the Division III Northern California title, going further than any other Gunn girls’ water polo team ever had. To win the championship, the team went through a series of knockout games: Every time they got in the water, they could either win or go home. This new pressure only added to Albers’ drive to play. “Our team already had some injuries and illnesses taking people out,” she said. “So even though I wasn’t quite ready to get back in the water, I just kept insisting (to my coach), ‘I’m fine. I’m fine.’ I hit my mouth with my hand to show (my coach) that I was okay.”

Fighting the urge to play, Albers had to remind herself that her health was the priority. “(I had to) remember that the pressure is not on me — that just because I’m (injured) does not mean my teammates are angry at me,” she said. “Whenever anybody on a team has an injury, all of (your) teammates just want you to get better.”

Thankfully, the season ended without further damage to Albers’ mouth. She was able to fully recover as she transitioned into her summer club season at NorCal Aquatics, where she would face her toughest injury yet.

summer of 2022, Albers spent much of the day entertaining 8-year-olds. In early July, she was running with campers when she slipped on

grass and landed awkwardly on her back — once again, directly on the root of a tree. “I thought I just winded myself really hard, but I couldn’t get up and I couldn’t breathe,” she said.

During practice later that day, Albers was plagued by extreme back pain. “I think it took me almost half an hour to finish (the) warmup,” she said. “My coach was just watching me trying to complete 200 (yards of) freestyle and was eventually like, ‘I think you need to get out and just go home.’” With the Junior Olympics — the biggest tournament of the year — quickly approaching, the reality of her injury was a tough pill to swallow.

During the Junior Olympics tournament, Albers was not feeling better and was unable to play to her full capability. “My coach was giving me very controlled playing time,” she said. “I was in for two minutes, then I’d take a break, then in for two minutes, then another break.”

For this specific tournament, however, there was more at stake for Albers than simply missing the sport she loved. “I remember sitting (on the bench) thinking, ‘Oh my gosh, all of these (college) coaches are going to think I’m terrible at the sport, (and) my teammates are going to be so angry that I’m not helping their games,’” she said.

Although Albers wanted to play, her coaches again guided her to listen to her body’s needs. “My coaches would pull me aside and say, ‘Look, injuries happen, but you can’t push yourself because if you do, this is going to stay with you for life and you’re never going to recover,’” she said. “As much as I didn’t want to listen to them, I kind of had to because I knew deep down that was the only thing that was going to fix (my injury in the) long term.”

The Junior Olympics finally came to a close, and Albers was able to give her body some muchneeded rest. While recuperating, she found out via an MRI scan that for the past three months, she had been living — and playing water polo — with a fractured spine. This discovery was a wake-up call for Albers, who resolved to take rest more seriously and to make recovery a priority at the dawn of the upcoming fall season. “I was really grateful that (for) high school season, our coach let me take almost an entire month and a half off,” she said. “That month and a half really gave me time to let my back fully heal, (while also) healing my other existing injuries such as a shoulder overuse problem that (I’d) been struggling (with) for the past two years.”

By the end of her recovery, Albers had found the value in taking time to let her body rebuild. “In the high school season, once (I) finally got to (play in) games, it was so much better, because my body actually felt good — it didn’t hurt every time I had to go to practice,” she said.

The effects of this recovery period continue to improve Albers’ life, a year after her back injury. “Now, going (into summer) club season, I can practice every single day, and my shoulder has been fine and I don’t really have issues with my back anymore,” she said.

Accomplished student athletes follow unique pregame rituals

Freshman Hannah Jung: Affirmations

Over her five years of practicing taekwondo, freshman Hannah Jung has maintained a pregame ritual to keep her centered before competitions. She first checks the quality and condition of the mat before relaxing her body and mind, and then she reminds herself to perform to the best of her abilities, regardless of the situation. “I always compete with the (mindset) of whatever happens, happens,” she said.

Jung developed this routine when she was younger and struggled with pre-competition anxiety. “I started competing (at) a young age, so I (would) struggle with confidence in my ability,” she said. “I ask what I can do for myself, and the answer I come up with is being in control.”

Sophomore Giovanni Rischmoller: Retaining focus and checking in

Sophomore Giovanni Rischmoller has played badminton since freshman year. At the beginning of this year’s season, he created a pregame routine to keep himself focused and calm during badminton matches. Before a match, Rischmoller takes three breaths with his eyes closed to clear his mind, then checks his grip on the racket and wipes his shoes before stepping onto the court. These three steps are a must before playing, but he also sometimes stretches, depending on how his body feels.

Rischmoller finds that the routine helps him relieve stress. “I don’t really feel that nervousness or pressure to play,” he said. “If I don’t do it before a game, I feel more nervous than I usually do.”

Junior Julia Maecker’s pregame routine, used throughout her 10 years as an athlete, helps her focus before swim meets. The night before, she eats carbohydrate-heavy foods — such as fruits and vegetables — and takes a soothing bath with salts. She then finishes by massaging her body with a massage gun.

In the morning, Maecker listens to music to relax and get in the right mindset. She also makes sure to eat a good breakfast. Once she arrives at the meet, she warms up by swimming laps in the pool.

Maecker’s coach created her morning warmup routine, while Maecker developed her nighttime routine through learning from others and reading articles. Having a steady routine has allowed Maecker to establish a sense of control. “(The routine) is something I know instead of something that’s really scary and unknown,” she said. “By having this routine, I make sure that my body is fully prepared to be ready, both mentally and physically.”

Junior Julia Maecker: A good warmup

Photo courtesy of Hannah Jung

Photo courtesy of Julia Maecker

—Written by Sophia Hwangbo

—Written by Vivian Studdert

Photo courtesy of Nina Albers

Photo courtesy of Giovanni Rischmoller

Cooking up connections: Cultural foods nourish bonds among AAPI communities

An array of steamy, mouthwatering dishes is placed on the table as joyous chatter fills the room, ranging from lighthearted banter to serious debate. In many Asian American Pacific Islander communities, cooking allows individuals to connect with their loved ones.

In South Asian cultures, food is integrated into the celebration of many festivals, including Diwali. Sophomore Aarya Bhushan sees cooking during Diwali as a time to bond with her mother.

“During Diwali, my mom and I always make Indian sweets together, and we always have a fun time in the kitchen,” she said.

Similarly, English teacher Terence Kitada, who is Japanese American, remembers how his family would relax and enjoy Japanese cuisine together.

“When I was a little kid, my dad would always grill chicken teriyaki (during) the summers,” he said. “Making food with my family is a nice break. Everybody’s so busy all the time, if you could just concentrate on making something together, it brings people together.”

Kitada recounted how food also fostered more intimate connections with individual family members outside of larger gatherings. When he was younger, Kitada and his sister would regularly go to a Japanese restaurant together, which provided them with a time to build their relationship. “We’d always go after school and just eat comfort food (while)

talking to each other,” he said. Nostalgic moments around food also appear in Chinese teacher Yanan Vrudny’s childhood. She and her extended family would gather at her grandparents’ house to make “jiaozi,” or dumplings, together. “You have uncles and cousins who you may have never met for years,” Vrudny said. “You realize that making dumplings is not only making food, but it’s making connections to relatives and hearing their stories from all the generations. You can’t learn all these from the textbook.”

Children of immigrants may find it difficult to learn about their cultural customs. According to Vrudny, however, food provides an opportunity for them to connect with their heritage. “I once heard that food is history — the way it’s prepared, the ingredients that are used and other factors are all chosen by our ancestors,” she said. “By cherishing the food, it’s like eating a piece of history with some twists of our own.”

foods and customs each individual culture has. Having conversations among different AAPI cultures regarding food practices can create bonds between communities. “(This) can build connections when people may have nothing to talk about,” Vrudny said.

Food is also significant in religious practices. In Hinduism, food called “prasada” is offered to God and consumed by devotees as a way to give thanks. “There’s the aspect of sacrificing for God,” Bhushan said. “But it’s also bringing us closer to our culture and heritage.”

Despite the positive connotations of food in AAPI communities, many experience discrimination due to their cultural foods. AAPI foods have been considered “exotic” or “strange” in some school lunchrooms, which can cause AAPI individuals, such as sophomore Jessie Han, to feel uncomfortable with sharing their cuisines. “In the past, I was self-conscious about the food I brought to school, mostly because I was scared that others would act negatively towards it,” she said. “But if I could time travel, I would encourage them to be curious and try some. If they like it, that’s amazing — if not, then that’s totally fine as well.”

Similarly, when Kitada was teaching in Japan, he and his students learned about Japanese cultural values through the experience of harvesting rice. “You eat (rice) every day, but a lot of work goes into it,” he said. “In Japan, you’re not excused to go to recess until you’ve eaten every grain of rice in the bowl. (There is) the idea to not waste food because somebody made that for you.”

Sharing food among different groups in the AAPI community also kindles intercultural dialogue. Vrudny explained that although chopsticks are used in multiple countries — China, Japan and Korea, to name a few — they are designed differently based on the specific

Kitada discussed this type of discrimination in his Visual Storytelling class while reading “American Born Chinese,” a graphic novel in which the Chinese American protagonist experiences bullying because of his lunch. “When students in my class reflect on the text, I consistently hear people mentioning that they went through the same thing when they were younger,” Kitada said. “It’s sad that students are discouraged from eating cuisine from their own culture due to harassment from classmates.”

As an integral part of AAPI culture and community, food celebrates a sense of belonging and what it means to be AAPI. “Food not only is for eating,” Vrudny said. “It is more important how we use it as a tool to connect people to the knowledge, the ingredients and the world.”

—Written by Fiona Xiong

Students share meaningful memories, recipes of cultural foods

Halo-Halo

Ingredients

• 2 ripe mangoes

• 2 cups of shaved ice

• 2 cups of evaporated milk

• 4 scoops of ice cream of choice

• 1 large ripe banana

• 1 cup of young shredded coconut, fresh or bottled

• ½ cup of sweet corn or chickpeas

Junior McKayla Mar’s favorite cultural food is “halo-halo,” a dessert from the Philippines. Layering shaved ice, condensed milk and a variety of toppings, halo-halo — which means “mix-mix” in Tagalog — is a refreshing dessert full of contrasting textures. “You can honestly put anything you want in it, but you’ll usually find ice cream, condensed milk, fruit, beans or jelly in it,” Mar said.

Mar’s family makes halo-halo after finishing meals. Because of its convenience and flexible recipe, family members bring their own ingredients to personalize the dessert. “It’s just a really nice treat that I associate with my family,” she said. “Food has a special meaning in Filipino culture. Our culture is centered around food and giving, and we express our love through making and giving food.”

• 1 cup of firm gelatin, set into a gel

• 1 cup of ripe jackfruit

• 1 cup of cooked sweet yams

• ½ cup of nata de coco

• Optional toppings: nuts, leche flan, corn flakes, jellies

Scan for recipe:

“Bolo bao,” or pineapple buns, are classic pastries that can often be found in Chinese bakeries — and are one of junior Enoch Lee’s favorite foods. Although they are said to have originated in Shanghai, these pastries were popularized in Hong Kong and various Chinatowns around the world. Contrary to what the name suggests, pineapple buns do not contain pineapples — the name instead refers to the pineapple-like pattern of the sugary baked top. While the original pineapple bun has no filling, some have adapted the recipe to include custard, char-siu pork or melted butter inside.

“Growing up, I ate it a lot, and it’s a staple in my memories with my family in Hong Kong,” Lee said. “We’d usually eat it every weekend for breakfast, and I have a lot of fond memories of it.”

—Compiled by Maddie Cheung

Bolo Bao

Ingredients

• ⅔ cup of heavy cream

• 1 cup of milk

• 1 large egg

• ⅓ cup of sugar

• ½ cup of cake flour

• 3 ½ cups of bread flour

• 1 tablespoon of yeast

• 1 ½ teaspoons of salt

• ¼ cup of dry milk powder

• 1 ¼ cups of all-purpose flour

• ½ teaspoon of baking soda

• ¼ teaspoon of baking powder

• ⅔ cup of fine sugar

• ¼ cup of butter

• 2 tablespoons of milk

• 1 egg yolk

• ⅛ teaspoon of vanilla extract

Scan for recipe:

Aarushi Kumar

Photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons

“I once heard that food is history — the way it’s prepared, the ingredients that are used and other factors are all chosen by our ancestors.”

Chinese teacher Yanan Vrudny

Photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons

staffers recommend media for summer

“On Earth We’re Briefly Gorgeous”

“On Earth We’re Briefly Gorgeous” tells the story of a Vietnamese American boy raised in the U.S. by his mother and grandmother, both of whom are still haunted by the Vietnam War. The novel is written as a letter of memories from the narrator, nicknamed “Little Dog,” to his illiterate mother, who struggles with post-traumatic stress disorder. The story is separated into non-chronological passages of the narrator’s thoughts, memories and family history as he struggles through different points of his life. The author draws readers in with beautifully crafted, visceral prose tackling themes of war, immigration, trauma and sexuality. With ornate metaphors and descriptions, Vuong weaves meaning and emotion into every sentence, leaving the reader thinking at every turn of the page. For readers who love a poetic, intricate style, this book’s balance of lyrical writing and moving messages will stay with them long after the cover is closed.

—Written by Vivien Chen

While most movies tackling basketball phenom Michael Jordan focus on his outstanding abilities on the court, “Air” tells the story of Jordan’s famed shoe deal with Nike. Today, he is widely regarded as the “best to ever lace up,” but when he was coming into the league, he was nothing more than another novice. “Air” follows the story of the Nike executive who took a chance on an upstart rookie and struck gold. The movie does not take the easy way out by leaning on Jordan’s celebrity influence to keep viewers hooked: In fact, Jordan is elusive, and his face does not appear even once in the film. The movie instead elevates the normally mundane reputation of the capitalist corporate world with humor and subtle social commentary. Director Ben Affleck balances the comedic and dramatic elements of the film perfectly, with little to no boring downtime. If you’re finding yourself on the edge of your seat during the NBA playoffs and are craving something a little more lighthearted, “Air” provides a breath of fresh air with a comedic spin on professional basketball.

Video-game developer Tango

Gameworks is best known for its survival and horror games. However, the game studio’s most recent release, Hi-Fi Rush, marks a notable step away from its previous titles, as a fast-paced, energetic action game set in a vibrant, futuristic world. Chai, an aspiring rockstar with a paralyzed right arm, arrives at the headquarters of a mega-corporation to volunteer for a cybernetic limb replacement experiment. An accident causes his music player to be fused inside of him, giving him the supernatural ability to feel a musical connection with his surroundings. Aided by allies and his enormous, guitar-shaped hammer, Chai investigates a conspiracy behind the mega-corporation’s experiments on people.

Hi-Fi Rush combines elements of rhythm games, such as Piano Tiles, with facets of action-adventure games, like The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, to create a satisfying gameplay flow. The game’s smooth cel-shaded graphics look straight out of a comic book, which matches perfectly with its lighthearted tone. Furthermore, the game’s writing is superb, as the game’s characters all get their time to shine with genuinely funny dialogue and incredible voice performances — and occasional playful fourth-wall breaks. For those casual gamers looking to spend a few hours (or up to 50 for 100% completionists) on nonstop fun, Hi-Fi Rush is the perfect solution.

—Written by Victor Dang

The oracle summer vacation crossword

Fuzzy fruit; princess from “Mario” franchise

To disengage from stressful activities

The tops of waves as they break onto the shore

Synonym for perfect; gas law

Home to a beloved yellow cartoon character

Sun in Spanish

A popular tourist destination, common in places such as California and Florida

Large body of salty water; recording artist Frank

Climate of most equatorial vacation destinations

What sunglasses cover; “all

Maui, Fiji, Bali

You can do this by bus, car, train or airplane

Cold summer treat, typically fruit-flavored

Aquatic location where one might spend a hot afternoon

Unscramble the circled letters!

FINISHED? Stop by P-115 during 5th period or lunch next week with the completed crossword puzzle for a prize!

—Written by Jeffrey Kang

Photo courtesy of Bethesda Softworks

Photo courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures

Photo courtesy of Penguin Press

Graphics by Aarushi Kumar and Chinyoung Shao

Scenic spots highlight beauty of the bay

Ed R. Levin County Park

Located between Milpitas and the Mission Park Regional Preserve, the 1,558-acre Ed R. Levin County Park features mountainous trails overlooking the Spring Valley Pond and Bay Bridge. The park is open nearly every day from 8 a.m. to sunset with a $6 entry fee.

The park’s views become even more striking at sunset, with the dimly lit city skyline resembling a scene straight out of a movie. Although the spectacular skyline view from the top of the 800-foot-tall mountains requires hiking a few trails, the journey is less demanding than that of Mission Peak, which boasts a similar view. On the way down from the peaks, visitors pass a quaint lake and waterfall. They can visit a herd of cattle or enjoy hang gliding, hiking

and horseback riding around the park. The bottom of the mountain features a fishing lake, playground structures and lawn areas with picnic tables. The relative obscurity of the location only adds to its scenic beauty — unlike other hikes, there are few crowds.

Don’t let the beauty of the trail completely bewitch you: On the mountain peaks, be aware of rattlesnakes and other wildlife. Also, be sure to carry water and snacks, as walking the trails to the top can take several hours. Although the longer trails may be slightly arduous, the sight from the top of the hill is worth all the effort.

Written by Isha Sinha

Twin Peaks

Twin Peaks, located at the geographical heart of San Francisco, offers visitors unparalleled panoramic views of the cityscape and a peek at what San Francisco’s hills may have looked like prior to urbanization. On clear days — as rare as they may be in San Francisco — you can spot the Golden Gate Bridge, Alcatraz, the Marin Headlands and downtown-San Francisco skyscrapers. Also, look out for the Mission blue butterfly, a species that only exists in certain areas of the world, including the slopes of Twin Peaks.

If you’re planning on visiting, wear sturdy shoes, as the inclines and declines can be relatively steep. Also, be sure to avoid poison oak on unestablished trails, and expect strong

Point Reyes

Point Reyes, located approximately 30 miles north of San Francisco off of Highway 1, offers some of the most spectacular vistas on the West Coast. From the park’s rolling green hills to the rugged California coastline, the scenery is nothing short of breathtaking. The Lighthouse Overlook provides a perfect view of the vast expanse of the Pacific Ocean. At Chimney Rock, another Point Reyes destination, one can watch the annual migration of whales from December to April.

Aside from the scenery, Point Reyes also offers several hiking trails that cater to all levels of physical ability. Hikers

winds. Sunrise and sunset are the best times to visit if you want to avoid crowds (as bonus, the view is most picturesque at these times). Still, be wary of thieves, as there have been several recent incidents of robbery after dark.

To get to the Twin Peaks, hike up the 0.7-mile trail, or one of the various more strenuous hikes to the southern or eastern sides of the park. Whether you are looking for the perfect shot or simply want to bask in the beauty of a San Francisco sunset, Twin Peaks is a must-see.

Written by Annabel Honigstein

should keep an eye out for diverse wildlife, including elk and coyotes. It’s a good idea to wear comfortable walking shoes and dress in layers, as the temperature can vary widely throughout the park. Spring and fall are the best times to visit, as the weather is mild and the crowds are thinner, allowing visitors to enjoy the stunning scenery in peace. Whether you’re a nature enthusiast or simply looking for a peaceful escape, the park’s awe-inspiring landscapes are sure to leave a lasting impression.

Written by Annabel Honigstein

improve your shot with these phone photo tips

Often, when taking photos, the subjects are miniscule against the vast background. Many people resort to zooming in by pinching the phone screen, but this solution is not ideal: Zooming in on the phone’s camera leads to lowerresolution photos because the phone’s “zoom” is a digital zoom, which is like cropping a picture after it has been taken. Instead, try a “leg zoom,” or walking closer to the subject of the photo.

Sometimes the composition of a picture feels perfect. The frame captures just enough of the background, the lighting is pristine and everyone is having the time of their lives. Then, you move your finger to press the capture button. The phone tilts slightly, causing a lens flare and leaving someone out. A solution is to press either volume button to take the photo, leaving the composition intact.

At night, the environment will likely be too dark for an aesthetically pleasing photo. To fix this problem, tap on the screen to trigger a square with a sun icon to pop up. The slider next to the sun icon adjusts the exposure of the photo, which is the amount of light that reaches the camera sensor, making previously dark snapshots look much brighter.

Ever noticed that the subject of a photo is blurry or that the camera is not focusing on the desired subject? One solution is to hold down on the screen where the object is located, which will focus the lens at that point. This method can be used to focus on one person in shots where many people or objects are moving.

Photo courtesy of Mariam Kubursi

Graphics by Chaewon Lee

Written by Jeffrey Kang

Annabel Honigstein

Isha Sinha

Ed R. Levin County Park in Milpitas offers a great view and many recreational activities.

Visitors can see the vibrant view of the cityscape from Twin Peaks.

Point Reyes provides many scenic trails along the coast.