TABLE OF CONTENTS 4
Senior Staff
6-9
Staff Features
10-15
Staff Columns
17-23
Student Features
24-27
College Athletes
28
Gap Year Adventures
30-33
Memories & Thoughts
34-36
Destinations
37-39
Congratulations
Graphics by Melissa Ding, Shannon Lin, Grace Liu, Audrey Tseng, Jamie Wang, Jocelyn Wang
may 27, 2020
2019-2020 LETTER FROM THE EDITOR SENIOR STAFF Charlie Bush Melissa Ding Jennifer Gao Liza Kolbasov Ryan Manesh Ryan Li Shannon Lin Elisa Moraes-Liu Grace Liu Sophia Lu Audrey Tseng Jamie Wang Jocelyn Wang Wendy Xiong ADVISER Kristy Blackburn (KGB)
Dear Class of 2020, When I walked out of my G period on that fateful Friday the 13th in March, I never expected that it was the last time I would ever set foot on Gunn’s campus as a student there. Even now, as we put together this issue, I’m finding it hard to believe that I won’t be right back on campus in a few weeks, picking up where I left off. I know many of you might be feeling the same way—this is not how any of us expected to finish out our time in high school. And yet, despite the fact that we’ve suddenly lost many of our much-anticipated traditions, we still deserve to be celebrated, just like every senior class before us. We’ve had an amazing four years together—from being crushed together in construction hallways to losing our voices during night rally to countless sports games, concerts, theater productions, competitions and club meetings. We’ve grown and we’ve changed, becoming better students and better people. None of that could be taken away from us by the fact that our
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year was cut a few months short. In this issue, we hope to capture just a small fragment of all that makes our class so special. I hope flipping through these 40 pages can give you some sense of closure. This is our time to celebrate the past four years—all the laughter, the tears, the spirit, the love, the growth, the dreams, the disappointment, the pride that has made up the mess that has been the last four years. I am so grateful to have been able to share four years with you all, and I hope this issue will be a way for me to give back, just a little, for all this class has given me. I know, right now, that the future is uncertain. I also know that, for every one of us, it is unbelievably bright. That is why we have chosen “Blueprints of the Future” as the theme for our issue—while we reminisce on the past, I hope we can also remind you of all the future holds for us. Thank you for the time we’ve had together, class of 2020. Here’s to a wonderful future. —Liza Kolbasov, EIC ‘19-’20
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KRISTY BLACKBURN ADVISER 16 YEARS CAN DEMOLISH TALL STACKS OF GRADING
LIZA KOLBASOV EDITOR-IN-CHIEF 3.5 YEARS CAN OVERTHINK THE FUTURE
RYAN LI MANAGING EDITOR 2.5 YEARS ALL-KNOWING OF ONLY WWII FACTS
JENNIFER GAO MANAGING EDITOR 3.5 YEARS CAN PROJECT PICTURES OF HER CUTE CAT
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GRACE LIU GRAPHICS EDITOR 3.5 YEARS CAN SLEEP THROUGH FIRE ALARMS
RYAN MANESH SPORTS EDITOR, BUSINESS MANAGER 3.5 YEARS CAN ATTAIN ABSOLUTE TRANQUILITY
MELISSA DING PHOTO EDITOR 2 YEARS CAN BECOME NOCTURNAL
CHARLIE BUSH LIFESTYLE EDITOR 1.5 YEARS CAN FILM WITH HIS EYES
may 27, 2020
WENDY XIONG PHOTOGRAPHER 1 YEAR CAN EAT AVOCADOS FOR EVERY MEAL
JOCELYN WANG GRAPHICS ARTIST 2 YEARS CAN SUMMON MINT BOXES
SOPHIA LU PHOTOGRAPHER 2 YEARS CAN LOCATE NEAREST FARMERS MARKET
JAMIE WANG GRAPHICS ARTIST 1 YEAR CAN MIMIC ANY VOICE
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SHANNON LIN REPORTER, GRAPHICS ARTIST 1 YEAR CAN NAME ALL 807 POKEMON
AUDREY TSENG GRAPHICS ARTIST 1 YEAR EXCELS AT RHYTHM GAMES
ELISA MORAES-LIU NEWS EDITOR 2.5 YEARS CAN SEND OTHERS OBSCURE TIK TOK REFERENCES THROUGH TELEPATHY
may 27, 2020
on post high-school plans At the wee hour of 0530, I was jolted awake to the cacophony of heavy metal music, deafening banging and guttural screaming. Blinking slowly, the midshipmen’s bellows still ringing through the halls, I sat up and wondered just how large one’s lung capacity could really be. As I clumsily leapt down from my bunk, I made the fatal error of direct eye contact with a midshipman through the door. This was only a small tidbit of my experience in two consecutive, week-long military summer camps at West Point and the U.S. Naval Academy. My decision to apply stemmed from my desire to develop both leadership abilities and communication skills—a mental and physical challenge to tackle over the summer. I was intrigued to experience firsthand what life was like at a military institute; would it live up to all the dreadful tales of discipline I had heard throughout my childhood? These childhood stories were realized in several instances when I questioned my sanity in deciding to attend a military camp. One occurred at the exact moment I dropped onto the scorching pavement for ten military push-ups—much more, I soon realized, than ordinary push-ups—after accidentally addressing a lieutenant as a sergeant. Another came as I stood at attention, my feet at a crisp 45 degree angle and my face frozen in terror as I realized I had addressed a ma’am as a sir. But I wasn’t told that even after the hundreds of two-count push-ups I shakily completed and the umpteenth peculiar tidbit of military knowledge I frantically memorized, it woul all be worth it in the end. Every bond and friendship formed was painstakingly forged through struggle and support—whether from collectively failing to memorize all the naval ranks, encouraging each other to persevere through the last mile of the muddy endurance run or simply gifting each other the last sour skittle in our gag-inducing Meals, Ready-to-Eat. To be completely honest, I never thought I would be the military type. My childhood self daydreamed of being a future veterinarian, not a veteran. As a little kid, I was the quiet introvert who was terrified of being called on in class, answered questions with a small, doubtful voice and spent most of my days with my nose stuck in a book—all characteristics that I knew bold, fearless military leaders lacked or had expunged from their personas. When I first entered high school, the thought of joining the military never crossed my mind. As a bright-eyed, eager freshman, I leapt into various extracurriculars that piqued my interest in the slightest—water polo, the business club, environmental research, journalism and volunteering opportunities at the Veterans Affairs hospital. These activities helped me grow as a person and shaped me into someone who could lead others in the future. As I sat through my tedious classes, I started to wonder whether or not my post high school path would lead me on a journey to fulfillment and true happiness. This is where my military pursuit began; I loved the people and environment at the Naval Academy and West Point, and I knew that this is what I had to do in order to live my life to its fullest potential. I will be continuing my athletic and educational ventures at the United States Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland. While this isn’t the typical post high school path that students choose to take, I will conquer this new experience with an open mind, high spirits and true grit—the true “military type” attitude. Who knows, maybe you’ll see me flying a helicopter or steering a ship past Hawaii, Europe or Japan someday!
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on future hopes and dreams When I was eight, I wrote myself a bunch of future goals on a yellow notebook with happy sunflower drawings. Props to myself: most were pretty realistic and all were achievable. Unfortunately, I failed at almost all of them. Now, the concept of a “future” is incredibly strange to me. I joke all the time that once you leave high school, your free trial period on life has ended and now you’re stuck with this premium subscription that you never asked for. And sometimes, not all the added benefits turn out to be actual benefits. If these past four years have taught me anything, it’s how to familiarize myself with the feeling of dread. An upcoming test, a nerve-wracking competition or the psychological and physical taxation of conforming to societal norms in an over-competitive atmosphere. I’m not very picky. To cope, people like me aim for small things and daydreams. Tangible merits are the easiest, because podium placings give you titles that make you feel bigger than yourself. Sure, age grants you more freedom and opportunities. But, you also get exponentially high worries, and astronomically high problems. It’s much safer to stick to the small stuff and hope for mini, realistic bits of happiness instead. So just imagine how problematic it is when we’re at this point in our lives, feeling both dread and hope for the future. This by no means implies that I haven’t thought about my next four years in college and beyond; I’ve done a disgustingly large amount of research and planning for that one, and the excitement is palpable. It’s more like being unable to manifest another gargantuan, far-fetched “what if,” and instead feeling complacent with whatever challenges come my way. My coping mechanism has been completely shot. I’ve been so accustomed to short-term gratifications to get me by that I’ve forgotten how to dream with reckless abandon. What’s the cross between a dream and a reality? What does it mean to actually look forward to something? I can’t go back to writing empty goals in yellow sunflower notebooks, because now I struggle to answer these two questions. But here’s a reminder: younger versions of ourselves have the minds of simpletons. Like I said: the older you get, the more opportunities are open. We seniors are overwhelmed and confused. But confusion can be good. Confusion means that we no longer have that one-track, 12-year free trial keeping us down. Our lists of goals have turned into flowcharts, where instead of a simple “pass/fail” we’re given an abundance of new directions. The free trial may be over, but the paid version has a few silver linings somewhere out there. The concept of a “future” is still strange and dreadful, but it’s here now, and we have to come to terms with that. We don’t need to have a dream; we just have to keep following through with how we’re doing right now. We have a starting point, and that’s good enough.
may 27, 2020
a letter to my younger self Dear tiny Liza, Guess what? I’m you from the future! Which means that, yes, you’re going to actually finish high school. Yes, you’re going to get into college. I know all this seems scary and incomprehensible now, but take a breath. You’re going to make it. I know you have lots of expectations for how the next four years will go, and, to be honest, most of them probably miss the mark. So, as you go into high school, maybe try to let go of these expectations just a little. Go in with an open mind and you’ll get more out of it. One of the biggest lessons you’re going to learn in the next four years is to be a less judgemental person—if you stop judging yourself and others, you’ll end up with a much clearer understanding of the world. Little Liza, you think you know so clearly what you want in life—honestly, more clearly than I do now. Hang on to your passions. As assignments pile up and you become more and more stressed about grades and schoolwork, it’ll be easy to push reading or writing poetry off to the side, but remember why you loved these activities so much to begin with. At the same time, remember that it’s okay to quit activities you no longer enjoy. It’s okay, you can stop going to Model United Nations now, you have my permission. Also, don’t be afraid to try new things: join airbands, try out bullet journaling or take a photography class. The things you do on a whim might end up being some of your greatest memories from high school. On that note, savor the memories you’re making. You’ll spend hours reminiscing over the big things, like cheering with your class after night rally, running through Ikea in prom dresses with your friends or flying to DC with The Oracle staff, but also hang onto the small things, like eating kumquats from the tree behind the science building, splitting a salad for lunch with a friend or sitting on the senior quad on a sunny day. These moments might seem inconsequential now, but you’ll look back on them fondly when they’re gone—and they will be before you know it. Most importantly, make time for the people who matter to you. Yes, school work is important, but looking back, the times that you’ll remember the most are the conversations you’ve had and the times that you’ve spent with friends. Also, take more pictures! I’m not going to sugarcoat it—high school isn’t easy. You’re going to question yourself, cry yourself to sleep, fall out of touch with people who used to mean the world to you, lose your way and have to find it over and over again. But you’re also going to make amazing friends, learn more than you ever thought was possible and become a much better person than you used to be, even if you’re still struggling and confused. Good luck, and go forth. I couldn’t be more excited for you to experience these next four years! Love, Liza.
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a letter to my future self Dear Charlie, First of all, I hope you are doing well and that you have gained a few more inches since leaving high school. If you’ve topped 5 feet 6 inches, good for you! I’m fine, by the way… thanks for asking. I’m quarantined right now, so I guess I’ll never really experience a traditional senior year. I didn’t even go to class on what I now know to have been my last day of high school. Still, I can’t let that sour the rest of my great high school experience at Gunn, and I hope that you can forgive the unfortunate turn of events. Now that that’s out of the way, we need to talk about you. How are you holding up? If you aren’t doing so hot, watch “The Pursuit of Happyness” or listen to that hundred-hour playlist you made in high school. I’m sure you want advice from an inexperienced teenager still trying to figure out how the world works, so I’ll give it my best shot. Don’t be shy! Embrace opportunities that come your way. If you ever are scared or nervous for something in the future, remind yourself that many great things in your life came from being nervous. Also remind yourself that you are never stuck in a place you do not want to be in; transferring to Gunn was one of the best things that happened to you. And please, please, please step out of your comfort zone. Every time you have done so, you have not regretted it. From middle school summer camps and that first drum performance to Gunn Student Executive Council and studying abroad in Spain, you have grown tremendously with each and every one of these unfamiliar experiences. Keep being yourself. Be creative! Remember your high school goals of constantly creating. Pick up a pen, a camera, whatever you want and make something that is uniquely yours. Look back and reminisce on your senior year. It wasn’t what you expected, that’s for sure, but it was something. I hope you remember the late nights at In-N-Out, playing basketball in the dark, blasting “Caillou” in the car and the Discord server. I hope you can make more memories that you can look back on in the future, and continue to live in the moment. Now that I’m about to graduate and leave a great high school experience behind, I remain nervous but excited for what is to come in my future. I am definitely intimidated by the real world, by all the 6-foot tall business executives portrayed in movies, by the big leap of leaving my friends behind and having to make new ones in college and beyond. But I know that you are okay… I am writing to you, after all. I know that I’ll be all right and I hope that you know that, too. Remember, you can do this! Your younger self believes in you. Best wishes, Charlie Bush (18)
may 27, 2020
a letter to my brother Hi, Andy, Yes, I am addressing this specifically to you, Andy Li. Normally, columns like this are full of advice like “don’t procrastinate!” and “be yourself!” that is easy to digest but hard to abide by. Knowing that your behavioral habits probably won’t change because of something you read on the 14th page of the school newspaper, I’m going to get through all of that in the following paragraph so we can get to the important stuff. Ready? Don’t procrastinate! Be yourself! Make your dreams come true! Make new friends! Eat a bagel! Get some sleep! Don’t bully freshmen! Okay. Now we can get down to business. By now you already know how to navigate the labyrinth that is high school life, but you still only have around a year of experience under your belt. Join or start a club, take some time to volunteer or start doing the extracurricular that one friend of yours is nagging you about. If there’s a pastime or project you have been thinking about but were too scared to try, this year is the absolute best time to start. Things will get rolling quickly. No more human bingo, cheesy get-to-knowyou games or middle school transition stuff. Teachers will start becoming less lenient with deadlines and your classes will get exponentially harder. While this is happening, the people around you are growing up as well. One of your friends is doing varsity sports and another is a club officer. This other guy or gal has a 5.0 unweighted grade point average and for some reason is breezing through 12341 Advanced Placement classes you didn’t think sophomores were allowed to take. Everyone around you will seem to be good at something that you are not. “Why does so-and-so make everything look like a cakewalk?” you’ll begin to ask yourself. “What am I missing? Am I a bad student? Am I going to drop out of school?” These thoughts will start swirling around your head and will clog up your brain as you hunch over the chemistry lab that is due the next day. You can’t focus so you get anxious and you get anxious because you can’t focus. You want to scream but you don’t want to wake up your parents because it’s 12 a.m. and you have school in the morning. Calm down. Take your foot off the gas and relax your grip on the steering wheel. You’re in the driver’s seat. Know that whatever stress you are going through, whatever assignments your teachers throw at you and whatever extracurriculars you have are just speed bumps and detours on your trip through sophomore year. School work, grades and extracurriculars are important, but don’t forget that the most important thing is to take care of yourself. After all, in 10 years you won’t be flipping through your old yearbook reminiscing fondly about the English assignment you turned in late or the unit test you passed by the skin of your teeth. It’s the experiences you gain, the things you try for the first time and even the dumb antics you pull off with your friends that will define your high school experience. So sit back, buckle your seatbelt and enjoy the ride. Good luck, Andrew, Ryan
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a letter to my parents Dear Mom and Dad, When I signed up to write this letter, I wasn’t really sure what I wanted to tell you. I wasn’t sure if I would have anything meaningful to say. But over the past couple of weeks, I’ve spent some time browsing my toddler pictures and chatting with friends about memorable elementary school moments. From my time going down memory lane, I realize how crazy far I’ve come in life: from a pine cone-collecting-obsessed kid to a pretty functional human being on her way to college. With all cheesiness and honesty, I feel that I owe it all to the both of you. So with my senior year coming to an end, I want to tell you both how much I will miss being with you before going off to college. Mom, I first want to thank you for loving me and dealing with all my angst for nearly 18 years now. When I was younger, I know you really worried about me because I always kept everything to myself. Sometimes I would hide for a whole day just to avoid people, steal lemons without explanation or obsessively dig mounds of dirt in our backyard. Yet, you would never judge me; you never gave up on initiating hugs with me, and brought up all your daughters with equal amounts of love and attention. In high school when I needed a friend to get real with, you always made time to listen. Bit by bit, I think we have become closer and I feel incredibly happy that you are such a big influence in my life. I know that we will both miss each other but in the meantime, I’ll continue to argue whether it’s too hot or too cold in the house to wear shorts, where to put the tofu in the fridge and to just enjoy our company together in quarantine. Dad, even though you don’t know it, I will miss you when I go off to college. I know you worry that you don’t spend enough time with me and my siblings but you have always been here when we needed you most. Especially in senior year, you have given me encouragement and guidance, but also the independence to figure things out for myself. I always knew that I wanted to take a non-traditional college path as a musician but I never really asked for your thoughts. When it really came to deciding on what path I wanted to choose for myself, you made it clear that you were here to support my decision. I’m thankful for your reassuring hugs, cold jokes and how when I am with you, we can really talk about anything—from K-pop to the 60s Bond movies. I know that even in college, I will turn to you for life advice and FaceTime you when I need your dad humor. For all of your kids to move on to college is a big change in your lives as well. So I’d like to tell you how excited I am to see what’s to come for both of you. In the past twenty-plus years, you have both balanced three children and jobs with amazing dedication, willpower and love. I want to finally “sign-off” to say that it’s because of you both that I am ready to go into the next big chapter in my life. I can’t imagine our family to be any happier than we are now. Your daughter, Jocelyn
may 27, 2020
MAIN MENU CHARACTER SELECTION STORY ARCS ???
A N T HO N Y P A N
ART
Anthony Pan has excelled at art since he first picked up a pencil. College is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for Pan to combine his passion with higher education. Pan primarily does traditional graphite pencil drawings but is always looking to expand his horizons. “I think I’m best at charcoal, graphite pencil drawing and printmaking,” Pan said. “I’m trying to get better at graphic design by continuing to experiment with Photoshop and Illustrator, and I also want to get better with sculpture and other 3D mediums.” Pan is also excited to pursue his education while gaining the independence of being away from home. He plans on attending Carnegie Mellon University in the fall. “I want to learn more about product and communications design from amazing professors, and I want to explore other academic interests through CMU’s very interdisciplinary academic nature,” Pan said. “I am also really looking forward to meeting new people who share similar interests and hobbies. I can’t wait to get out of Palo Alto and live away from my parents.” Having gone through the process of applying to art school, Pan has many words of wisdom for those who may follow a similar college path. “Being organized is probably the most important
skill for someone trying to pursue art or design in college. It takes a really long time to create a portfolio you are proud of so you have to organize your time well,” Pan said. “You should also explore mediums outside of your comfort zone because a wide variety of work gives you the ability to choose. Also, write about your ideas and pieces because it’s very important for you to be able to not only express and convey your idea visually but also through writing. It’s always helpful to go and talk about your ideas with someone else, whether it be a teacher or another student.” —Written by Ryan Manesh
JE S S IC A KO Art provides for many an opportunity for creativity and expression, and Jessica Ko discovered this long ago. She has been interested in art from a young age. “I got into art at five years old and going to art classes on the weekend,” Ko said. “I mostly paint but I also play around with graphic design, clay, collage and weaving.” Ko decided to pursue art as more than a just hobby after freshman year. “I realized that it didn’t make sense for me to keep taking classes I didn’t enjoy,” she said. “So I decided to just take an art class and I really liked it. I couldn’t see myself doing anything else so I continued art.” While she originally wanted to go into fine art, Ko decided architecture would be a better option. “I was originally thinking about being a painter or some kind of freelance artist but I realized that
A RC H I TEC TU RE the world of fine arts was pretty exclusive,” she said. However, she found architecture was a way she could still pursue her artistic passions. “Architecture was a great option for me because I enjoyed the practicality but also the possibility of reaching people of different backgrounds,” Ko said. “I also like problem-solving, learning about technical skills and using math.” Ko’s favorite thing about art is the opportunity to be creative and to learn. “Art is very relaxing and you never stop learning,” Ko said. “It’s so subjective; no one is better than one another. There’s just more to learn from others if you think you are lacking.” After college, Ko hopes to pursue architecture professionally. “My goal is to get licensed and go into architectural design and potentially get a masters,” she said. “I will probably be painting on the side as well.” Ko will be studying Architecture at Rhode Island School of Design. —Written by Elisa Moraes-Liu
may 27, 2020
TO R I FO NG
F I L M M A K I NG
Tori Fong is into all things filmmaking, from directing to cinematography to production design. She first gained interest in film in fifth grade. “My class took a field trip to watch the first Hobbit movie, since we read the book in school,” Fong said. “That was the inciting incident that made me first realize that film was maybe something more than just to entertain, and something I could get into making.” Since then, Fong has taken a variety of video classes, and her interest soon blossomed into a career. She hopes to be able to direct films, but is also intrigued by other aspects of filmmaking. One aspect she has recently been exploring more in depth is cinematography. “I like the aspect of control over what the audience sees,” she said. “It’s something I have a lot of fun with.” Before discovering this passion for directing and cinematography, however, Fong originally wanted to pursue production design. After the release of a Star Wars
I S A BE L S TE W A R T Even as a child, Isabel Stewart thrived in the spotlight. What started as a fascination with television and Disney characters has transformed into an irreplaceable passion for song, acting and dance. Since she was seven years old, Stewart has acted in local theatres such as the Peninsula Youth Theatre and Sunnyvale Community Players. Stewart also attended numerous dancing and singing lessons. So far, Stewart has been in seven Gunn productions, and around 20 to 30 plays overall. “I’ve been in so many I’ve lost count,” she said. One of Stewart’s favorite parts of Gunn Theatre was the community. “I think that the community is very special and tight-knit,” she said. “Even if you’re new, it’s not an intimidating kind of tightness.” Stewart points out that despite some difficulty in the beginning, she never felt isolated. Initially, Stewart was exclusive to musical theatre, but became more open to acting at Gunn. “It kind of broke me out of that ‘I only do musical theater’ type of thing,” she said. “I know it doesn’t
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film, Fong watched a video that showed the behind-the-scenes of the making of a scene in the film. “They just had the biggest room, the biggest production I had ever seen,” Fong said. “They built this gigantic set and they were showing how they filmed [the scene]. It was very cool to see that, and it was definitely a moment where I realized that I want to be able to do something like that.” Fong’s experience with filmmaking has also taught her many important lessons, particularly about teamwork. According to Fong, there are many obstacles that may come up when filming collaboratively, from scheduling to time management. “Lots of teamwork is involved, whether or not you’re the leader,” she said. “[Teamwork is] a very helpful life skill to learn through film.” In college, Fong aims to explore filmmaking to a greater degree. “I’m really excited to get to study film in a more focused space,” she said. Fong is excited to dive into the film industry immediately after college. Fong will be studying film and television production at Loyola Marymount University in the fall. —Written by Charlie Bush
T HE A TE R
sound important, but for me it opened up a whole other world.” One of Stewart’s favorite plays was “The Importance of Being Earnest” in her senior year. “It was so fun to just be ridiculous on stage. And that was the first truly comedic thing I was ever in,” she said. Stewart is planning on attending University of North Carolina School of the Arts, where she’ll be majoring in acting. However, acting isn’t constricted to traditional dramas or movies, and she points out the diversity of the field. “The nice thing is that there’s web series and Netflix and stuff and smaller theaters, so there’s a lot of ways that you can be an actor professionally, even if you’re not famous,” she said. “I’m following my heart for now, and we will see what happens.” —Written by Shannon Lin
A A N A ND JO S H I
A S T RO P HO TOG R A P H Y
The night sky seemed to flicker as fourteen-year-old Aanand Joshi stepped outside with a camera. The Milky Way Galaxy scattered stars, planets and cosmic dust across a dark Long Island night. His home was thousands of miles away. His subject was thousands of light-years up. With a click of a button, Joshi captured the whole scene. “It really looked like something from an Apple wallpaper,” he said. Ever since he was given a telescope and a star guide for his fourteenth birthday, Joshi has been an avid practitioner of astrophotography—the art of photographing celestial objects. He has since taken hundreds of photos of the night sky on family trips to the East Coast, and even in his own backyard. “We go to Long Island and we rent the same house out every time, so I usually do it there,” he said. Photographing the night sky properly is surprisingly simple, according to Joshi. All you need is a camera, and maybe a telescope. “A camera and a tripod work just fine,” he said. Because of the sheer lack of light, taking just one picture of space can take as long as 20 seconds. The
camera has to be aimed carefully and remain absolutely still through the entire exposure. Even the slightest movement could ruin exposures. “If you press the shutter button, it’ll shake in the camera and then the picture will be ruined, so I have a remote shutter button,” Joshi said. Still, the precision and patience is worth it to Joshi, who feels drawn to the sheer scale of the universe he captures. “It’s the magnitude of everything that’s going on,” he said. “It’s all mind blowing to me.” Joshi has been captivated by space since he was nine. As he grew, his fascination with the stars grew with him. Joshi has read books, skimmed articles and watched dozens of lectures on astronomy on YouTube. Joshi plans to continue pursuing astrophotography as he studies physics at Stanford University in the fall. —Written by Ryan Li
JU L IO HE N R IQUE Z For anyone interested in music production, Julio Henriquez has four pieces of advice: don’t be afraid to express yourself; don’t let anyone put you down; don’t think that you need an extensive studio to produce good music; and finally, have fun.
Henriquez became invested in music as early as the seventh grade, where he mixed music for the JLS morning announcements. Since then he’s been producing his own music and finding his own style. “Music’s always been a part of my life,” Henriquez said. “A day doesn’t go by without me wearing headphones. As for music production, I pour my heart out when I write music. It’s a great fit, a great feeling.”
MU S IC P RODUC T IO N
Currently, Henriquez is juggling around eight projects—a single track can take anywhere from three months to a few years to finish. To Henriquez, music isn’t only a passion, but it’s also a checkpoint for growth and maturity. “You can see yourself grow over time; when you look back to the first version, you’re just like, ‘What was this?’” he said. He also added how much music has influenced his perspectives. “It’s helped me learn more about being tactical and focusing on the small details,” Henriquez said. “And that’s not just music production. That’s life in general.” Henriquez will be attending Foothill College in the fall and hopes to transfer to San Jose State University. “The goal that I have set is to just work hard, hustle and keep improving every day while learning new things about the music industry and music production,” he said. “And, you know, maybe I’ll get to perform on a big stage.” For more of Henriquez’ music, check out @iamcaezer on Soundcloud. —Written by Shannon Lin
may 27, 2020
YO N A T A N M AO R With an alarming shortage of face masks and shields in hospitals across America during the COVID-19 crisis, front line workers are exposed to the virus and death tolls among them are rising. Yonatan Maor, along with other Palo Alto students, has taken initiative to help eliminate this deficit. MakeX is a student-run community maker space that advocates project-based and hands-on learning. “When life was normal, we were just a community maker space and we were open to the public,” Maor said. Since the pandemic began, MakeX has been partnering with local hospitals to supply face shields. Maor, a MakeX mentor and recruiter, stresses the importance of raising awareness about their mission. “Frankly, most people don’t have a 3D printer at home,” Maor said. “Talking about it, asking questions and getting more people aware of our mission will help increase production, because we know there’s more people with 3D printers out there.”
SO P H I A S IEGE L
Maor encourages anyone who is interested in helping to reach out and join the MakeX community. “Anybody who works in science, technology, engineering, math or theater, at the end of the day, uses their hands and so I encourage people to spend their time stuck at home making things and exploring that hands-on, project-based part of education that unfortunately a lot of us don’t really get to explore,” he said. Maor believes traditional educators should invest in the type of project-based learning that MakeX advocates. “We should be prioritizing things and teaching stuff that’ll actually make a difference,” he said. Maor will be attending Carnegie Mellon University in the fall and aims to major in robotics. “I 100% plan on continuing to do maker type stuff in college,” Maor said.
EQUE S T R I A N
Not everyone can say that they’ve befriended a horse, but Sophia Seigel is one such person. Seigel has been around horses from a very young age and has been riding and competing since elementary school. Now, she rides six days a week and competes in showjumping. Seigel has excelled through spending time with horses and practicing with trainers. “I learned a lot just by trial and error and honestly messing up and falling off,” she said. “I spent God-knows-how-many hours with the horses.” When she was 14, Seigel became one of the youngest people to qualify for the National Junior Rider Championships in New York. “I got to ride with some of my idols and the people that I had looked up to my whole life,” she said. Through equestrianism, Seigel has also been able to connect with the horses she rides. “I think riding is really special in that you get to develop a really intimate connection with this amazing, amazing animal and there’s no other sport in which you get that,” she said.
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M A KE X M A S K S
To compete, Seigel has had to balance school work with riding, and has often had to sacrifice social time. However, she believes that the hard work pays off. “In the end, those high moments when you win or when you get to achieve what you want to achieve, it makes it all worth it,” she said. Seigel also volunteers with Into the Light Horse Sanctuary, which rescues horses that are sent to kill shelters. “We teach them to trust people so that we can eventually get them adopted out to loving homes,” she said. Next year, Seigel will be attending Stanford University, where she’ll be riding on the equestrian team as well as continuing with her current horse trainers. —Written by Liza Kolbasov
—Written by Jennifer Gao
L I Z Z Y MU MFO RD Lizzy Mumford’s life has always been filled with music. Mumford’s family introduced her to music at a very young age, and she’s been exploring it ever since, playing saxophone and piano. Mumford has been involved in jazz band, Tri-Music Honor Society and several ensembles. “I came to this high school from a district that did not do much with music,” she said. “The main reason why I decided to go to this district was because of the music.” Throughout her career in music, Mumford has been motivated by her mentors, including her piano and saxophone instructors, jazz directors and band director Todd Summers. “As for many, many musicians, the biggest learning process was a combination of listening to great musicians and then learning from them,” she said. Despite her continued commitment to music, Mumford’s learning process hasn’t always been smooth sailing. At times, she struggled with self-doubt, feeling that she wasn’t seeing the results she wanted. “Every musician kind of reaches a point where practicing and improving kind of halts. It’s kind of like writer’s block or artists who have trouble creating pieces; everyone kind of gets
S A XO P HO NE into a space where they feel like they’re not improving,” she said. “It really is a craft that people want to see improvement where you practice every day and you’re working towards things.” Nonetheless, the rewards music has given her have been worth the effort. For Mumford, music is an irreplaceable art form that allows her to be creative. “It really is just the joy of being able to express yourself through a craft that you’ve worked on for so many years,” she said. “I couldn’t think of anything else that makes me feel the way I do when playing and listening to music.” Mumford plans to continue her musical endeavors in the future. She’ll be majoring in classical saxophone performance at Bowling Green State University in Ohio. —Written by Liza Kolbasov
A S H LE Y C HE N A sweet, melodious voice fills the theatre as Ashley Chen steps out in front of the crowd. A virtuoso in musical theatre and various genres of singing, Chen plans on developing her voice in college and beyond. As a vocal performance major and history minor, Chen will be attending the New England Conservatory of Music in Boston this coming fall. “I’m looking forward to starting with a new teacher and being immersed in the music world,” she said. “I’m really excited to learn as much as I can about music.” Chen’s family inspired her leap into the world of art and music at a very young age. “My family’s always been really musical and my sisters and I all played multiple instruments, so I’ve always been involved in the arts,” she said. “Singing and theatre rose above everything else after I realized how much I loved being another character and telling their story. I started taking lessons when I was around 11 or 12.”
O PE R A S I NG I NG Chen’s journey in singing has led to many extraordinary experiences thus far. “Last summer, I was accepted into the Aspen Music Festival and School, one of the premier classical music festivals in the country,” she said. “I also got to be in my first opera, Mozart’s ‘Le nozze di Figaro.’” Through this festival, Chen has also been introduced to a growing number of opportunities in singing with popular faces in the world of music. “It was a surreal experience because I got to work with a lot of professionals,” she said. In the future, Chen hopes to perform roles that she wanted to play growing up and explore various singing paths. “I’ve been really inspired by a lot of different artists and singers and I hope that in the future, I’ll be able to take those inspirations and build a career that I love and enjoy,” Chen said. —Written by Jennifer Gao
may 27, 2020
COO PE R MC KE N N A A small minority of Gunn students consider the armed services as an option after high school. Cooper McKenna was surprised to discover that she was one of those few when she chose to enroll in the Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC). ROTC is a program sponsored by the United States Military that prepares college students to become officers in the Army, Navy, Marines or Air Force upon graduation. In addition to normal college classes, students enrolled in ROTC take courses in military science and take part in physical and military training. McKenna, who will be joining the Army ROTC program at Claremont McKenna College in the fall, says that she is not sure what to expect. “I think that’s kind of what I’m most excited for; it’s something different,” she said. “Not many Gunn students do this so I’m hoping to meet a lot of new
A R M Y RO TC
people.” With her stepfather being a veteran, McKenna has already had some experience interacting with the U.S. armed services. After graduating college, McKenna hopes to pursue a career in the military before transitioning back to civilian life. As part of an ROTC scholarship that she earned, McKenna says she will serve for a few years, hoping to learn and gain experience in the army. “You can major in pretty much whatever you want as a part of ROTC,” she said. “And then hopefully when you commission, you can get a job in the army that’s related to what you major in.” McKenna was also initially worried that juggling classes, ROTC and water polo would be stressful. But with reassurances from her recruiter, she is now excited to be able to do all three. “People have done this before and they’re usually able to make it work somehow,” she said. “But I think as long as everyone’s planning ahead and communicating about it, it’ll work out.” —Written by Ryan Li
C H A SE M I NE R
M I S S IO N A R Y T R I P
While many students will head off to college next year, Chase Miner is deferring his acceptance for two years to pursue a nontraditional path. “I’m serving a mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints,” Miner said. “I’ve been assigned to serve in Vietnam while speaking Vietnamese. I’ll be serving the people of Vietnam for the next two years and teaching them about how we can be more like Jesus.” Miner was inspired to partake in this experience because he has always been an active believer. “I’ve seen how following Jesus’s teachings has helped me and my family,” Miner said. “I want to share my beliefs to people who are interested in learning about it.” Due to COVID-19, Miner believes the program will be postponed until the fall. “I’m scheduled to start this summer, but it will probably be postponed untill fall,” he said. “I’ll be working on my Vietnamese until then.” During his time in Vietnam, Miner hopes to make the most out of his experience. “I want to learn
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about the people of Vietnam and their culture and lifestyle,” he said. Since missionary work requires collaboration, Miner hopes to grow his leadership and collaboration skills too. “I hope to learn how to work with people better, especially my missionary companion,” he said. After his missionary work, Miner is planning to attend Brigham Young Universit y in Utah, where he plans to study mechanical or electrical engineering. After college, Miner plans to still remain an active member of his church. —Written by Elisa Moraes-Liu
M A X GOE T Z
RO BO T IC S FO R A L L
Legos have always had a special place in Maximilian Goetz’ heart. But who could have guessed that this childhood affection would soon sprout into something much more meaningful? One day, while tutoring at a local organization, Goetz noticed a lack of resources for learning STEM at a young age, especially robotics. “Why not teach robotics?” Goetz said to himself. “Isn’t that feasible as well?” Goetz soon founded non-profit organization Robotics for All to teach robotics to low-income elementary school students across the country. “I really thought I could make a difference,” he said. It was through prior volunteer work that Goetz discovered his passion for teaching. This passion remains at the core of Robotics for All, even after years of growth and dedication. “I still really enjoy being in the classroom, just like it was day one,” Goetz said. It is this satisfaction that drives Goetz to continue teaching. “I never cease to enjoy teaching,” he said. Not only is Robotics for All a way for Goetz to pursue this passion, but it is also a way to help others. His classes are run by over 30
active volunteers in dozens of locations over three states, who serve as a source of both education and fun for its young students. “The students really loved it,” Goetz said. “For some, it was their first time playing with Legos.” Goetz believes Robotics for All has taught him many valuable life skills. “Something that I’ve really gained is being able to improve my people skills,” he said. Goetz has also learned to appreciate collaboration. “I have my ideas, and some of my team members have their ideas, and I think that’s great,” he said. Goetz will be studying business at Georgetown University in Washington D.C, where he wants to continue working with the organization. “We already appointed four current juniors as board members, and they will effectively be the face of the company,” he said. “I’m going to be really hands-on with our branches in Northern Virginia and Washington D.C.” —Written by Charlie Bush
H AFE Z MO H SE N I , JO N A T H A N MO R A N ROO M M A TE S Jonathan Moran and Hafez Mohseni are ready to fully embrace adulthood and independence. Following the 20192020 school year, the two will be moving into a house in Santa Barbara where they will continue to follow their dreams socially and academically. The two will be moving into a house with a long time friend, Carlmont High School student Andrey Zaystev. The group will also be studying at Santa Barbara City College, with plans of later transferring to a UC. Like many, the group has become enticed with popular social media platform TikTok. The three boys have high aspirations regarding the potential of their followings, and they have plans on pursuing social media stardom. “We’re looking forward to blowing up on TikTok,” Mohseni said. “We will definitely throw
some of the illest parties of all time so definitely looking forward to that. Hah, what do you know, maybe we’ll end up in a Barstool [Sports] video.” Seeing the popularity of “TikTok houses” rising, they knew they had to get involved. This opportunity gives creators the chance to live together and create content. “We realized it was our dream to make the most lit TikTok house of all time,” Moran said. With all this in mind, the group is also excited to get their first taste of living alone in a self-sustainable fashion. The expectations for current house members is that they would balance working a career while trying to graze TikTok stardom. “The house has a joint understanding of how to balance the grind for virality while not getting in the way of our career and business aspirations, there’s no point in getting famous if your money isn’t right,” Mohseni said. —Written by Ryan Manesh
may 27, 2020
COLLEGE ATHLETES POMONA COLLEGE
“Golf always provides a challenge no matter what, and because I love that challenge, it is the best sport for me.”
STATS: Handicap: 0.4 Best Tournament: JGANC Stroke Play Championship Overall Champion Played at Baylands Golf Links (Par 72) Scores: 68, 71
Avery Chen - Golf CLAREMONT MCKENNA COLLEGE
“Anyone can score goals, and the games are high-scoring enough to keep things exciting.”
STATS: Favorite positions: attacker and utility Most goals in one season: 113
Cooper McKenna - Water Polo HAMILTON COLLEGE
“Track is co-ed and such a big team, and I have met my closest friends through track.”
STATS: 100m time: 12.8 seconds 200m time: 26.0 seconds Long jump: 17’9
Maggie Gibbons - Track and Field page 24 | college athletes
TUFTS UNIVERSITY
STATS: Favorite event: 200 freestyle 200 freestyle time: 1:42.19
“Destroying everyone else in the pool gives you a sense of accomplishment.” Jerry Yang - Swimming GUSTAVUS ADOLPHUS COLLEGE
STATS: Favorite event: bars; high score of 9.1 (on bars) Favorite skill: piked Jaeger
“That feeling of doing a new skill for the first time or hitting a routine makes it all worth it.”
Kendra Smady - Gymnastics OREGON STATE UNIVERSITY
STATS: Led the team with 12 tackles for loss and biggest hitter in the league Position: defensive end, outside linebacker and middle linebacker Favorite team: Cleveland Browns
“When you have issues off the field that piss you off, you can use that energy on the field.” Leo Ye - Football
may 27, 2020
PITZER COLLEGE
“You have a simple goal to work towards and gauging improvement is just subtraction.”
Justin Chiao Track & Cross Country STATS: Favorite event: 800m; time: 1:56.29
UCSB
“My favorite game day tradition is to sleep a lot. ”
Shogo Moridaira Swimming STATS: Best event: 200 yards breaststroke Favorite swimmer: Seto Daiya
page 26 | college athletes
SMITH COLLEGE
“What you accomplish is completely dependent on how hard you, individually, have trained.”
Sophia Dhanani Swimming STATS: Favorite event: 100 fly 50yd freestyle time: 28.45 seconds
BOSTON COLLEGE
“You have to build trust and strong bonds with your teammates.”
Rachel Grant Volleyball STATS: Position: outside hitter All-League Varsity 2018, 2019 Best hitter 2018, 2019
CONNECTICUT COLLEGE
“My favorite tradition is practicing handoffs with my relay team before the meet.”
WESLEYAN UNIVERSITY
“It is fast paced and fun and I could not imagine life without it.”
Will Hardison Soccer
Faiz Aladin Track and Field STATS: Favorite event: 100m sprint; time: 11.63 seconds
STANFORD UNIVERSITY
“My favorite thing about swimming is the community.”
Jonathan Affeld Swimming STATS: 2019 Junior national runner-up in 200yd fly 6th ranked 2020 college swimming recruit 2019 CCS champion in 500yd freestyle
STATS: Player of the tournament for Davis Cup Position: Center Midfield
UCSD
“My aunt first inpired me to play volleyball.”
Odeya Russo Volleyball STATS: Position: outside hitter Gunn MVP junior and senior year —Compiled by Sophia Lu
may 27, 2020
GAP YEAR ADVENTURES Evan Alexis - TBD
Sophie Alexis - Morocco
“More time to grow, a much-needed break from school and an opportunity to do things you will never again be able to do.”
“I wanted to take some time before college to get a new perspective.”
Evan Alexis plans on working on a political campaign in Georgia during his first semester and working in either France or Switzerland during his second semester. Due to COVID-19, he probably will not be able to go to Georgia to work on his political campaign and will instead phone bank and support it from home. Evan Alexis still would have taken a gap year if not for COVID-19 and plans on attending Washington University in St. Louis after his gap year.
Sophie Alexis plans on spending the school year abroad in Morocco in a Muslim majority community with the State Department program YES Abroad. She is using her gap year to enrich her knowledge of Arabic as she is looking to become a diplomat. After her gap year, Sophie Alexis plans on attending college either in the United Kingdom or in the United States.
Colin MacPherson - United Kingdom “I want to take a year just to focus on the sport and improving myself… I wanted a new challenge to mature and becoming financially independent in a foreign country will be a sufficient challenge.”
MacPherson plans on moving to the United Kingdom to play soccer while working part-time to make his gap year self-sustaining. He would still have taken a gap year if not for COVID-19, and is sticking to his plan, although it will be delayed. MacPherson plans on reapplying to college in 2021 and hopes to receive an athletic scholarship.
Livia Bednarz - Germany “I want to really take advantage of all four years of college without having to worry about being online.”
Bednarz plans on living with family friends in Berlin for a few months while working on a political campaign and freelancing in graphic design. She has chosen to take a gap year due to COVID-19 as she did not want her college experience to become muted. If not for COVID-19, Bednarz would not have taken a gap year. Her plan after her gap year is to attend Tufts University as an English major with a minor in art. —Compiled by Grace Liu
page 28 | gap year
MAIN MENU CHARACTER SELECTION STORY ARCS NEW PLAYTHROUGH
WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE MEMORY? I used Facebook for basketball and Gunn Hacks and lied to everyone else about not having Facebook. —Alexander Wang
When Mr.B’s calculus class came into my Algebra 2 class in sophomore year just to sing the unit circle song with us. —Nikki Karnik
My first dance during freshman year. —Anonymous
All those drives with my best friends, screaming along to songs with the windows down and just feeling invincible. You don’t realize how special those little moments are until they’re over. —Anonymous
WHAT WILL YOU MISS MOST? The energy and support coming from the Class of 2020.
The western tussock moth caterpillars...But seriously, I’ll miss all the teachers I had these four years. —Mina Oh
Playing poker, going on mass boba runs and hanging out with the math office TA squad. —Shannon Lin
Teachers and friends. —Anonymous
SKYWARD
Those amazingly fluffy bagels that they gave out during finals week. —Anonymous
Seeing the smiles and beautiful faces of the unbelievably talented, kind and bright people I’ve had the joy of befriending over my time at Gunn. — Anonymous
page 30 | memories & thoughts
Your mom. —Alan Yang
All the amazing, caring, hardworking teachers! —Anonymous
WHAT IS YOUR MOST EMBARASSING MOMENT? The moment when I lost all self-respect and downloaded Tik Tok. —Anonymous
A teacher called me Emma the whole year. That’s not my name. —Anonymous
Trick question. I had no embarrassing high-school moments. —Julio Henriquez
Seniors share their experiences, advice and aspirations Don’t avoid switching lanes or classes at the start of a semester because you feel like it’s too much work or like you’re already too established in your current class. —Anonymous
I climbed to the top of Spangenberg. —Sylvana Domokos
When I tried to impress my Chinese Honors class by doing a backwalkover but my foot slipped and I fell on my back. —Emily Cohen
ADVICE FOR YOUNGER STUDENTS? Befriend Mr. Gil. — Ruhi Mistry
Savor every moment, even the hard ones. Your time at Gunn is shorter than you think. —Anonymous
Turn things in on time, even when they suck. —Anonymous
When in doubt, the answer is C. — Timothy Lang
Let yourself have fun. Soak it in. Say yes to that spontaneous beach trip. Say yes to that break from studying. Just do it. — Anonymous
Say yes as much as you can. —Penny Alioshin
may 27, 2020
WHAT IS THE MOST ICONIC CLASS MOMENT? Watching the sea of jackets light up during night rally. —Yoyo Ma
Storming the bench after winning tug of war. —Erin Vetter
Breaking the all time record for points scored at homecoming! —Abigail Walker
When Mr. Karas said “I must be psychotic.” —Anonymous
Winning all the brunch games hoco junior year. —Anonymous
Winning hoco floats almost all years and having the best air bands. —Wendy Sakuma
Post-airbands In-N-Out. —Anonymous
When school being canceled was announced. —Anonymous
Substitute teachers falling asleep. —Anonymous
WHERE DO YOU SEE YOURSELF IN THE FUTURE? One day, I would love to be an author of poetry, children’s books and philosophical literature. I hope I can travel to every continent by the end of my life. I also hope I can be a kind and calming person in other people’s lives. —Tess Anderson
I hope to be a doctor one day! After all that’s happened during the COVID-19 outbreak, I’ve really come to realize how important healthcare workers are to our society. —Anonymous
Married with kids and money. —George Cai
This is cheesy, but not a place nor position, just a state: happy.
—Ashley Poon
Forensic Biologist. —Oksana Hura
Visiting Italy, Switzerland and Sweden and trying some awesome food! —Anonymous
page 32 | memories & thoughts
I hope I’m happy. —Anonymous
WHAT IS THE BEST LINE FROM YOUR COLLEGE APPS? Yes, it matters to me that, to some people, Iraq smells like gasoline. —Ryan Li
A good chunk of “The Zodiac” focuses on lobsters in the Boston Harbor. —Anonymous
I’m not afraid to admit it: I’m a hopeless romantic. —Emily Su
Pullin’ out the coupe at the lot. —Anonymous
A love-hate relationship with the neighborhood cat, late-night philosophies with friends, and intense arguments with parents are only snippets of what make up the first episodes. —Christine Zang
ANYONE YOU WANT TO GIVE A SHOUTOUT TO? David is the best barista at Philz Coffee. —Anonymous
My incredible friends. —Anonymous
Genavae! She has supported me so much over the years. She’s a wonderful individual and I strongly suggest striking a conversation with her! She’s a great listener and very fun to talk to. —Chloe Albert
My cat helped me through thick and thin. —Anonymous
Mr. Dunlap! Creative Writing was one of the best experiences I’ve ever had in a classroom. —Kevin Fan
Mr. Deggeller! He’s one of the most genuine and thoughtful teachers that I’ve ever had. Even during my G period preps when I couldn’t go home I would go to the math office and talk with him about music, life, school, etc. —Emily Su
may 27, 2020
SEATTLE UNIVERSITY (1) UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON (6)
UNIVERSITY OF OREGON (1)
BRIGHAM YOUNG UNIVERSITY (1) UNIVERSITY OF UTAH (1) COLORADO STATE (1) UNIVERSITY OF COLORADO (1)
ARIZONA STATE (1)
UNIVERSITY OF HAWAII (1)
UT AUSTIN (2)
INTERNATIONAL SCIENCES PO, FRANCE (1) UNIVERSITY COLLEGE LONDON, ENGLAND (1) UNIVERSITY OF BRITISH COLUMBIA, CANADA (4) UNIVERSITY OF TORONTO, CANADA (1)
page 34 | destinations
DARTMOUTH (1)
GUSTAVUS ADOLPHUS (1) MACALESTER (1)
CORNELL (1) RENSSELAER POLYTECHNIC (1)
NORTHWESTERN (1) SCHOOL OF THE ART (1) UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO (4)
UNIVERSITY OF CONNECTICUT (1) WESLEYAN (1) YALE (1)
UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN (6) PURDUE (1) UNIVERSITY OF NOTRE DAME (1) UIUC (5) WASHU AT ST. LOUIS (2)
BERKLEE COLLEGE OF MUSIC (1) BOSTON COLLEGE (1) BOSTON UNIVERSITY (3) HARVARD (1) MIT (5) NORTHEASTERN (2) NEW ENGLAND CONSERVATORY OF MUSIC (1) TUFTS (3)
CARNEGIE MELLON (5) SWARTHMORE (1) UPENN (1)
BOWLING GREEN STATE (1) CASE WESTERN RESERVE (1) OBERLIN COLLEGE (2)
NORTH CAROLINA SCHOOL OF THE ARTS (1)
MOUNT HOLYOKE COLLEGE (1) SMITH COLLEGE (1) COLUMBIA (2) NYU (2) PACE (1) PRATT (1) THE NEW SCHOOL (1)
BROWN (1) RISD (2)
AMERICAN (2) GEORGETOWN (1) JOHNS HOPKINS (2) UNITED STATES NAVAL ACADEMY (1) UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND (1)
EMORY (3) UNIVERSITY OF GEORGIA (1)
RICE (2)
NOVA SOUTHEASTERN (1)
185 SENIORS RESPONDED
may 27, 2020
UC DAVIS (3) UC BERKELEY (7) FOOTHILL (12) SANTA CLARA (2) STANFORD (10)
CSU FRESNO (1)
UC SANTA CRUZ (2)
CAL POLY SLO (8)
UC SANTA BARABARA (6)
CHAPMAN (3) CLAREMONT MCKENNA (1) LOYOLA MARYMOUNT (3) POMONA (1) SCRIPPS (2) UCLA (5) USC (3)
UC RIVERSIDE (2) UC IRVINE (1)
SAN DIEGO STATE (1) UC SAN DIEGO (4)
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Gunn PTSA is proud of all our students, especially our seniors. Congratulations to the Class of 2020! • Abellera, Rachel • Abilock, Coby • Adams, Leo • Affeld, Jonathan • Agarwal, Neil • Aladin, Faiz • Alarcon, Gisselle • Albert, Chloe • Alexander, Joshua • Alexis, Evan • Alexis, Sophie • Ali, Zainab • Alioshin, Penelope • Ambler, Jason • Ames, Steven • Anderson, Tess • Anderson, Thomas • Andrei, Victor • Antony, Simon • Arbolante, Quinn • Arsalane, Nassim • Axelrod, Jacob • Babian, Colin • Balakrishnan, Ishan • Balakrishnan, Reva • Bar-Yossef, Almog • Barrera, Javier • Barrera Sandoval, Abril • Bedichek, James • Bednarz, Livia • Bejerano, Naama • Ben Zeev, Shir • Berglund, Jakob • Besprosvan, Camila • Best, Joey • Bisenti, Danny • Blair, Ewan • Borthakur, Eeshan • Boyce, Ramsey • Breier, Riley • Brown, Katie • Brzoska, Karl • Bush, Charlie • Butner, Emma • Buyukbezci, Batu • Cable, Kai • Cai, Bo • Cai, Zihao • Campbell, Sidney • Carlson, Ellery • Carlstrom, Robert • Carreno, Jake • Carrillo, Katherine • Carter, Jessica • Cervantes, Ireland • Chan, Tse Yuan • Chandra, Rishi • Chang, Chloe • Chang, Isabella • Chang, Tia • Chat, Kevin Kahing • Chen, Ashley • Chen, Avery • Chen, Ean • Chen, Jie • Chen, Nina • Chen, Xiaohai • Cheng, Amy • Cheng, Chloe • Cheng, Claire • Cheong, Angela • Cheung, Craig • Chew, Alexis • Chiao, Justin • Ching, Andrew • Choi, Jessie • Choi, Sieun • Chow, Emily • Christainsen, Philip • Chu, Elaine • Chu, Ryan • Chung, Darien • Chung, Dickson • Chung, Philip • Chung, Tan • Chung, William • Cohen, Emily • Cooper, Megan • Cox, Alexander • Cox, Phebe • Creemer, Amelia • Crettol, Laureline • Cruz-Leyva, Brissa • Dankwah, Preston • de Guzman, Aron Rei • Debost, Lola • Dellenbach, Jack • DeMarzo, Ponokela • Denson, Amenia • Desai, Punit • Devaraj, Tara • Devereaux, Reid • Dhanani, Sophia • Dharmawan, Cynthia • Dhir, Aditya • Diaz, Joseph • Ding, Melissa • Dinh, Lou • Doan, Phillip • Dorrell, Connor • Doss, Benjamin • DuBois, Ana • Dunlap, Gwendolyn • Duran-Roque, Gustavo • Ebrahimnejad, Niki • Edmonds, Niki • Englhardt, Addison • Everett, Aidan • Faasisila, Saia • Fan, Kevin • Farooqui, Musaab • Feng, Ye • Ferdinand, Esau • Ferrell, Isabel • Fiorentino, Claire • Fong, Jonah • Fong, Nelea • Fong, Skylar • Fonua, Nicholas • Fullam, Yi Min • Gajulapalli, Aparna • Gao, Jennifer • Garcia-Milla, Gabriella • Gibbons, Maureen • Goduci, Emon • Goel, Swati • Goetz, Maximilian • Goh, Benedict • Goldhaber-Gordon, Zev • Gotlieb, Roy • Grant, Rachel • Gray, Abigail • Gray, Andrew • Gray, Michael • Griesemer, Eliza • Guo, Joshua • Gupta, Nandita • Hahn, James • H a m a d y, Jib ra n • H a m a d y, K a t a r i n a • H a n , A il e e n • H a nso n , Er i c a • H ao, Q i J u n • Hardison, William • Hariharan, Riya • Henriquez, Julio • Hermann, Heather • Hernandez, Juan • Hernandez Hernandez, Sonia • Hertzler, Marek • Heydari, Daria • Ho, Matthew • Hodson, Tyler • Hollett, Rachel • Hou, Cathy • Hsieh, Edgar • Hsu, Ryan • Hu, Justin • Hu, Qianyu • Huang, Anjolina • Huang, Annie • Huang, Stephan • Hubenthal, Ashley • Hura, Oksana • Hussain, Haider • Iglesias, Michael • Javaid, Mekail • Jeong, David • Jia, Eric • Jiing, Wei-Shan • John, Lily • Jones, Alayssia • Joshi, Aanand • Jung, Kanoa • Kagolanu, Shriya • Karnik, Nikita • Kau, Elliott • Kawai, Ray • Khawaja, Rida • Kim, Jeeyoo • Kim, Tae Won • Kim, Yoon Jin • Ko, Jessica • Ko, Kazuka • Kohrman, Ezra • Kolar, Marilyn Ruth • Kolbasov, Elizabeth • Kolence, Jay • Kovacevic, Nikol • Kowal, Aria • Krebber, Julian • Krishnamachari, Malavika • Krolik, Jack • Kumar, Ananya • Kumar, Yamini • Kwon, Allison • Lamprecht, Emile • Landay, Andrew • Lang, Timothy • Larney-Badani, Kiran • Lee, Annabel • Lee, Hannah • Lee, Jason • Lee, Peyton • Lee, Robin • Lee, Sophia • Lee, Young Jin • Leland, Robert • Lemonnier, Frederic • Li, Angxuan • Li, Bill • Li, Jie • Li, Justin • Li, Karrie • Li, Ryan • Li, Yihan • Lian, Joyce • Liao, Christopher • Lim, Shauncy • Lin, Coann • Lin, Jaimie • Lin, Kalani • Lin, Shannon • Lin, Yiqiao • Lindo, Lucas • Lipp, Paul • Litvinov, Nickolay • Liu, Caroline • Liu, Grace • Liu, Karina • Liu, Kylen • Liu, Richard • Lo, Zoe • Lomeland, Vincent • Loomis, Madeline • Lopatin, Ulia
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• Lopez, Damaris • Lopez, Samantha • Low, Emma • Lowenthal, Ethan • Lu, Sophia • Lucha, Maliah • Lu i , J a m i e • Lu r i e , D av i d • M a , Yvo n n e • M a a r te n s s o n , A n n a • M a c G r e g o r, K i d a • MacPherson, Colin • Macrae, Charlotte • Mai, Dan • Makler, Theodore • Manesh, Ryan • Mankey, William • Manning, Jeremiah • Manuele, Juliette • Mao, Jeremiah • Maor, Yonatan • Marconcini, Lorenzo • Marghescu, Erica • Markevitch, William • Matthys, Kyle • Maulik, Nilav • McCandless, Michael • McGaughey, Madeline • McGaughey, Nicholas • McKenna, Cooper • Mei, Joshua • Mendelsohn, Anna • Merchant, Henry • Merrill, Jolaine • Meyer, Owen • Meyers, Nathaniel • Miksztal, David • Miller, Ava • Milner, Thomas • Miner, Chase • Mistry, Ruhi • Mohseni, Hafez • Moraes Liu, Elisa • Moran, Jonathan • Moridaira, Shogo • Morse, Lucy • Mumford, Elizabeth • Murad, Alexis • Naddell, Bruno • Naddell, Leopold • Nand, Isha • Napaa, Pierre • Navarro, Emiliano • Neesen, James • Ng, Philip • Nicolls, Robert • Oh, Mina • Okabe, Emily • Oklander, Julia • Ou, Clement • Pama, Alyssa • Pan, Anthony • Papila, Ada • Parikh, Anand • Parulekar, Mallika • Pedersen, Haaken • Peng, Samuel • Pennington, Joshua • Perez Navarrete, Daniela • Petersen, Shannon • Phan, Minh • Pinsky, Fraser • Piper, Joseph • Poon, Ashley • Popov, Max • Pow, Rylan • Pratt, Benjamin • Puga Olmos, Fernando • Pundurs, Ralfs • Qi, Hetian • Qin, Kevin • Qu, Daniel • Race, Alexander • Rajput, Isha • Rakicevic-More, Aleksandar • Rakicevic-More, Sofia • Ravani, Akash • Richmond, Giselle • Rishi, Maansey • Rivlin, Gur • Roake, Jason • Robinson, Lola • Rodriguez, Monique • Roessig, Aidan • Rosenzweig, Callie • Rowe, Thomas • Rucker, Tiyana • Russo, Odeya • Sakakihara, Tyler • Sakuma, Wendy • Salgado, Raymundo • Salto Uriostegui, Jasmine • Samson, Emma • Sankaran, Soorya • Saravia Ochoa, Angelina • Schell, Maya • Schettino Gonzalez, Nuria • Seligman, Oren • Senbasu, Ishayu • Serebryany, Tata • Seybold, Michael • Shah, Anshul • Shah, Vardaan • Shai, Aviv • Shanks, Finley • Shaotran, Ethan • Shark, FInn • Shetty, Raj • Shibu, Abigail • Shirvani, Alireza • Siddall, Fiona • Siegel, Sophia • Simon, Marvin • Simons, Yasmin • Singh, Devan • Singh, Gursajan • Sinha, Aditya • Smaby, Kendra • Smith, Alexandra • Smith, Keona • Smith, Nicole • Smolyar, Eitan • Snipp, Charles • So, Ryan • Sobil, Ryan • Solanki, Rohan • Spector, Ori • Sperandio, Isabel • Spiller, Najai • Springer, Zoe • Spunt, Leo • Srinivas, Vishnu • Stamm, Mae • Stewart, Elizabeth • Stewart, Isabel • Su, Emily • Su, Renee • Suh, Hanna • Sullivan, Abigail • Sun, William • Taghizadeh, Rayan • Tanaka, Amane • Tang, Allen • Tang, Zhenran • Tao, Michael • Tao, Miranda • Taylor, Isobel • Telfer, Gavin • Teller, Aurora • Thomas, Kiran • Thorjussen, Alexander • Thronson, Jason • Tieng, Garrett • Tomaszewski, Ichiro • Tong, Sophia • Tracy, Kyla • Tran, Julia • Tran, Lauren • Tse, Alexander • Tseng, Audrey • Van Riesen, Joshua • Vargha, Hannah • Vasquez, Larraine • Vetter, Erin • Virin, David • Walker, Abigail • Wan, Jia • Wang, Alexander • Wang, Andy • Wang, Brandon • Wang, Cyril • Wang, George • Wang, Jamie • Wang, Jessica • Wang, Ji Feng • Wang, Jocelyn • Wang, Ryan • Wang, Sherry • Wang, Xuanyi • Wellwood, Claire • Wenig, Madison • Wilcox, Joslin • Wu, Kenneth • Wu, Philip • Wu, Vera • Xiao, Gloria • Xie, Ann • Xie, Audrey • Xiong, Wendy • Yang, Alan • Yang, Andy • Yang, Jared • Yang, Jerry • Yang, Jocelyn • Yarlagadda, Pooja • Ye, Yuchen • Yee, Meredith • Yee, Monica • Yew, Liona • Yin, Jonathan • Yoffe, Luke • You, Kendrick • You, Kendrick • Yu, Dexin • Yu, Isabella • Yu, Mackenzie • Yu, Miranda • Yuen, Ethan • Yun, Songboer • Zaharchuk, Kenji • Zamir, Guy • Zang, Alicia • Zang, Christine • Zhang, Max • Zhang, Melissa • Zhang, Qiao • Zhao, Manya • Zhao, Paul • Zhou, Ziang •
"Take pride in how far you've come. Have faith in how far you can go. But don't forget to enjoy the journey." -M. Josephson may 27, 2020
Palo Alto Unified School District Henry M. Gunn High School 780 Arastradero Road Palo Alto, CA 94303
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