[News] From March 26 to April 5, the Food for Thought club sponsored a canned food drive competition between B period classes.—Caroline Hodge
[News] Political cartoons have been showing up around campus in bathroom stalls, by the quad and in classrooms.—Nina Nielepko
[News] AP United States History (APUSH) teacher Robert Kelly’s decision to leave the district leaves the social studies department with the task of filling his position. —Sree Kode
[News] Environmental awareness was abundant last week as the Environmental Club, Organic Garden Club and senior Environmental Chair Mabel Tsang hosted the first annual Gunn Earth Week. —Stephen Salazar
[News] On April 19 the Gunn Gourmet Café opened in the newly remodeled staff lounge. The café will be open on Mondays, Wednesdays and Thursdays from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. and will offer a variety of breakfast foods and drinks.—Michelle Fang
[News] Various students will be spending the day in silence today for the Day of Silence, a student-led event created by the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network and the United States Student Association.—Stéphanie Keller-Busque
[News] This is the first year Gunn is hosting the student-judged “Not in Our School” Art Contest. Entries were submitted until April 24.—Michelle Lee
[News] This Friday, as part of the anti-hate week that is taking place at Gunn and Palo Alto High School, a stereotype pool will be set up on the quad. —Dezmon Hunter
[News] The Interscholastic Gaming League (IGL) held a free-for-all Local Area Network (LAN) console party on April 7, a minimum day. The LAN party featured many different Xbox and Gamecube games, including the popular favorites Super Smash Bros. Melee and Halo 2.—Moses Lai
[News] The administration is attempting to increase student safety after two recent attempts by adult males to lure children into their cars, as well as a declaration of Code Yellow across the Palo Alto Unified School District last month.—Vivien Tsao
[News] Partners in Education (PiE) donated a total of $1.89 million to the Palo Alto School District during the March 28 board meeting. The district will distribute the sum among all 17 schools when enrollment numbers are released on Sept. 13.—Andrea Yung
[News] Seeing flaws in past graduation night parties, class of 2007 parents have formed the Planning Committee, a small group of junior parents, led by Laura Stefanski and Doris Pon. —
[News] A new program is underway at the library for the students with special needs as well as the rest of the Gunn community. Initiated by the Student Executive Council (SEC) and the academic departments, a new section of the library will provide audio books, video tapes and DVDs to help support curricular needs.—
[News] AB Calculus students sat around a campfire, roasted marshmallows and sang sing-a-longs this past weekend in the annual Calculus Camp.—
[News] Science students from around the nation took the Chemistry Olympiad, prepared by the American Chemical Society. The two hour multiple-choice exam made up Round One of the four rounds required to qualify for the International Olympiad held in Korea this year.—
[News] The National Art Honor Society (NAHS) held its second annual art show at Gallery House on California Ave. from March 28 to April 1. The art show was judged by George Rivera, director of the Triton Museum of the Arts in Santa Clara and a well-known artist.—
[News] On April 18, 1906, the San Andreas Fault shifted, moving the area east of the fault southward up to three yards in some places. One-hundred years later, we in the Bay Area stand on land altered by the San Francisco earthquake and in our education, reap the knowledge that scientists derived from the earthquake about plate tectonics. —Jill Fu
[News] The magnitude 7.1 Loma Prieta earthquake that shook the entire Bay Area on October 17, 1989 was so massive that it sent tremors as far away as Los Angeles, which is roughly 400 miles away from the epicenter, and caused serious damage to infrastructure all around the San Francisco Bay Area. It was definitely large enough to affect the lives of the following Gunn staff members, who shared their stories of experiencing such a massive earthquake. —Brennan Bird
[Forum] High prices, “pursuit of vanity” poison final formal—
[Forum] Many freshmen, sophomores and juniors are voting today for their student leadership for next year. The process is purely democratic—anyone can run for office, and everyone can vote for any candidate. Unfortunately, the result is a Student Executive Council (SEC) based on popularity, not qualification. —Andrea Wong
[Forum] Should military personnel be allowed to recruit at Gunn?—Alex Shau
[Forum] The U.S. Military recruiting services might give you a call tonight. —Caroline Hodge
[Forum] It is unfortunate that clubs will not be allowed to sell food on campus. Not only does this move appear to be a cowardly attempt to remove competition against the schools’ new food program, but it will greatly impact the well-being of clubs and demoralize students.—Howard Chn
[Forum] The topic of global warming has become so popular today as to even fill up the front cover of fashion magazine Vanity Fair, complete with a green clad bunch of celebrities ranging from George Clooney to Al Gore to Julia Roberts posing solemnly to advocate the seriousness of the “New Green Revolution.”—Brennan Bird
[Forum] Japan’s atrocities should not be forgotten—
[Forum] On today’s factory farms, our favorite fuzzy barnyard animals are crammed by the thousands into filthy, windowless sheds, wire cages and gestation crates.—Tina Armenante
[Forum] Americans are obsessed with bad news. Nearly every natural disaster gets linked with global warming, and “climate change” is associated with our planet going to pot. Of course, with a warming climate comes change, both negative and positive—a warming earth may improve our lives in many respects.—Eric Johnston
[Forum] One of the greatest flaws in our society is not the increasing number of immigrants in the country, but the increasing xenophobia —a fear of people different from themselves—in a majority of Americans.—Stephen Salazar
[Forum] A great oak tree lies at the front of the campus. When a sidewalk was commissioned for Gunn, the tree was in the way. Instead of cutting down the tree, however, the builders constructed a roundabout route. Even though the sidewalk was lengthened and no longer perfectly straight, the tree was saved. Today, the majestic oak tree not only provides shade and much needed greenery, it is also a central part of Gunn’s identity.—Tony Liu
[Forum] The new system for awarding students seats in Advanced Placement (AP) Biology makes little sense. A less qualified, weaker science student can now get into AP Biology over a candidate already taking advanced courses. —Alex Lee
[Features] There will not be a single dry eye in the house when social studies teacher Phil Lyons marries his college sweetheart, Bibi Marti, July 14 after proposing in the summer of 2005 in New York City. —Andrea Yung
[Features] English teacher Mark Hernandez is now engaged to his girlfriend of four years, Palo Alto High School social studies teacher Melinda Mattes. —Adrienne Nguyen
[Features] Married teachers share personal engagement stories—Libby Craig
[Features] Talented junior competes in prestigious USA Math Olympiad—Caroline Hodge
[Features] Students who know which English king ruled for just one year will feel at home in science teacher Chris Stallings’ House of Trivia. Students meet in S-1 to test their trivia skills and apply it in Bay Area school competitions. —Eric Johnston
[Features] On many mornings, parent volunteers greet and surprise student bikers with gifts of candy and prize drawings. Such activities are only one facet of Pedal for Prizes.—Jill Fu
[Features] The Environmental Club is making headway in spreading the word of renewable energy among Gunn students.—Michelle Fang
[Features] America’s obsession with disposable consumer products is harming the environment and cluttering our lives. Everyday we buy things we do not need and go home to a house full of stuff we do not use. At the end of 2005 a small group of San Francisco made a New Year’s resolution to go a whole year without buying any new products. The group called itself The Compact.—Natalie Kirkish
[Features] Shalhevet is a two-week educational program to Poland and Israel initiated by the Bureau of Jewish Education and the Holocaust Center of Northern California. This March, seniors Tal Cohen, Nadav Perl, Gal Michael Peleg and Yasmin Santis went on this inspirational program.—Ellen Holtzman
[Features] From April 6 to 15, 14 Gunn art students and three chaperones, including art instructor Deanna Messinger, traveled to Italy for an in depth look at the culture, history and art. —Adrienne Nguyen
[Centerfold] Spring brings sunny days, chirping birds, bright flowers and a myriad of festivities. With the advent of April Fools’, Spring Break, Easter, Mother’s Day and Prom, it seems obvious that the new season brings happiness. But what are the real reasons behind this phenomenon?—Jonathan Gu & Anthony Wang
[Centerfold] This is one of the best times of the year. Fall is beautiful, but since it is near the beginning of the school year, not an altogether relaxing time. Winter is cold and gray, which is, in its own way, very nice and cozy. Being trapped inside for long periods of time, however, can make one feel rather claustrophobic. Summer is glorious after a year of tests, homework and dull lectures, but the endless heat and painful sunburn can dampen the fun. —Nina Nielepko
[Centerfold] As spring comes to rejuvenate nature, several changes are also noticeable on campus at Gunn. Students’ attitudes evolve with the weather, and teachers are the ones who see these transitions the most.—Stéphanie Keller-Busque
[Entertainment] The Oracle gives a brief overview of the musical tastes and styles of some bands that have a presence on Gunn campus.—Brennan Bird
[Entertainment] Gunn’s slam poetry event April 6 marveled audience members as an assortment of verses with topics ranging from dentists, airports, college, television to love filled the Little Theater.—Stéphanie Keller-Busque
[Entertainment] Before the explosion of cookie cutter rap artists there were struggling emcees begging to have their rhymes heard. They rapped about things their public could relate to like racism and segregation, before “bling bling” and “grills.”—Tina Armenante
[Entertainment] The Oracle staff takes a look at some of the spring T.V. shows coming out. —Marianne Kvitko
[Entertainment] The Oracle staff checks out some of the best beaches around and gives directions. —Natalie Kirkish
[Entertainment] The Oracle staff reviews some of the hottest new CDs. —Shiv Kachru
[Entertainment] The Oracle staff takes a look as some of the new technogadgets. —Alex Shau
[Entertainment] Players go through hell trying to navigate the treacherous terrain of Oblivion—Alex Rasgon
[Entertainment] After waking up in a daze several hours after watching Take the Lead, I realized that not only was I out $6.50, but that most of my brain cells had been wiped out and were leaking out of my eyes.—Alex Rasgon
[Entertainment] Irish immigrant shares experiences in NYC schools—Nathaniel Eisen
[Entertainment] Last minute fashion fixes, make-up tips and hair help to make prom stress-free, the way it’s supposed to be.—Tina Armenente
[Entertainment] This year’s spring show is a rendition of Shakespeare’s The Comedy of Errors, complete with a medieval take on the play—guys play the female parts and girls play the male parts. Taking place on the Quad, this spring show is one that nobody should miss.—Meilin Luh & Vivien Tsao
[Sports] Spring is in the air and the playground beckons—you may be tempted to take advantage of the warmer weather and play jump rope outside. For junior Jessica Starr, though, jump rope is not merely a spring treat but an integral part of her life throughout the year.—Gea Kang
[Sports] Gunn’s boys’ and girls’ varsity track teams fell short to Palo Alto High School (Paly) at last Thursday’s meet.—Eric Johnston
[Sports] The small, yet talented Gunn golf team dominated the Homestead Mustangs on April 5. The Titans won 209 to 234 in the wet and muddy Sunnyvale Municipal golf course. —Stephen Salazar
[Sports] Titans bring varsity boys’ record up to 4-1—Thomas Bao
[Sports] The Titans had a close match against the Saratoga Falcons April 20, losing by a single point.—Michelle Lee
[Sports] Sports Boosters raise money for new athletic facilities—Dan Li
[Sports] If there is ever an inevitable force that can curse a team in the spring, it is weather. For the past month and a half baseball, lacrosse, track and softball team players have seen rain plague games and practices. The biggest problem for coaches and players is that come game time, a week’s worth of practice is lost and the team is that much less prepared than if they had more time to practice. —Stephen Salazar
[Sports] Trial fitness-based PE classes popular with students—Vivien Tsao
[Sports] Here is an inside look at four pairs of athletes who share a mother, a passion and a team. Whether they play lacrosse, swim, do track and field or play badminton, they stay together.—Thomas Bao, Michelle Fang, Libby Craig, & Moses Lai