When I was a kid, my dad and I would occasionally pass by the a torn-down Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC) near our home. There used to be one homeless man who had set up camp there, and my dad would always make an effort to talk to him or help him out. He seemed to be in his late 60s; he reminded me of Dumbledore. He seemed very intelligent compared to other homeless people I had met before.

One day, my dad decided to give him money and offered to buy him something from KFC. The man told us what he wanted, and we proceeded to go inside the restaurant to order just that.

When we went back to give him his food he had completely disappeared, leaving me with diminishing faith in the integrity of the homeless. It was clear that he only wanted our money and did not actually need basic necessities like food. As a kid, I did not understand why he turned down the food. Now I realize that he probably used the money on alcohol or drugs.

That day, I learned that there are there are homeless who are struggling to afford a house and food and accept help from others, and others who are stuck in a life experimenting with different types of drugs and eventually becoming addicted. The latter of the two is the kind who need the most tender loving care. From my experience, I’ve concluded that giving money directly will not help them, but people taking an interest in their welfare will.

___________________________

I have given money to homeless people on the streets many times in my life, but it was always an unplanned, spur-of-the-moment decision. This was the first time I would go out of my way to find someone in need. Although I was anxious, I was also excited that I would be making some difference in someone’s life, albeit a small one.

I began my search on University Avenue by scouring for people who resembled a typical homeless person, ready to hand out the 10 dollars I had stored in my pocket for safekeeping. Surprisingly (or perhaps not), I found a man with a sign asking for spare change outside of a boutique within the first five minutes of my search. He was seated in a wheelchair with a blanket on his lap and looked absolutely miserable. I headed straight towards him.

As soon as I gave him the money, he smiled and thanked me profusely. I felt so proud of myself, I went to celebrate my charitable act at a nearby frozen yogurt store. As I was contemplating my actions, I randomly decided to look outside the window at the spot where the man in the wheelchair was sitting—and was completely appalled. The man was standing straight up while smoking a cigarette and talking on his cell phone.

At that moment, even though I had given it to him mself, I felt as if I had just been robbed of my money. For the following days, I felt so disgusted that I swore I would never give money to the homeless again. But then I realized that the actions of one person should not deter me from urgently helping the ones in need—that there will always be people who abuse the kindness of others. Personally giving out spare change to the homeless is something everyone should strive to do every once in a while, because the action is much more immediate. Although I am still deeply shaken by this incident, I know that there are many people in the world that truly do need our help and money. We just need to go out and find them first.

Every time I walk down University Avenue, my eyes always wander to the many homeless people sitting beside the street. As I stare at their ragged clothes and smudged faces, I can’t help but to feel sorry for them. My mind jumps to the various ways in which I could help them: run into the nearest cafe and buy them a sandwich, or simply just sit down to talk to them. But I find myself always too “busy” to ever follow through with these ideas.

It wasn’t until last month that I finally kicked myself in the butt and decided to take action to help the homeless around my community.

When I went to search for volunteer opportunities around my area, the first place that caught my eye was Innvision Shelter’s Family Program. The job required volunteers to help out at their Children’s Center after school to look after the children and to help them work through their homework. These children grew up in families that were previously or currently homeless and whose parents were finding work after school. I love working with young kids and couldn’t wait to see what skills I could offer them.

The first day I visited the shelter, I was a bit overwhelmed by all of the screaming kids jumping around the room. However, as the day progressed, I found myself making emotional connections with these children. Throughout the day, I was able to engage these kids in fun activities while helping them work through their homework. Many of the kids were having trouble with their multiplication table, so we concocted a reward system as motivation to memorize their numbers. Near the end of the day, one of the kids, Helen, shared with me how much she looked forward to coming to that day-care center because she always learned new things and had fun with her friends.

Although I was exhausted by the end, it was so rewarding to be reminded that, in a small way, I might have equipped these children to be better prepared for the competitive society that approached them in their future.

Helping out at the Innvision Shelter really opened my eyes to all of the people, young and old, that need help around my community. Although it only took three hours of my day, I could see that just helping the children with their simple fractions gave them a better idea of how fun learning can be.

________________________________________

Eighteen years of ignorance has made me numb to the lives of homeless people. I knew this when I first stepped into the Asian Americans for Community Involvement (AACL) building. After I received my name tag, I was sent to a playroom and greeted by about a dozen confused faces. For the next six hours, I tutored and played with these children.

Helping the homeless has turned into a cliché. People have lost sight of how much of an impact they can make. It was bittersweet to realize that I could come home at the end of the day without worrying about having food on the table, but that these children did not have that same privilege.

Growing up, I didn’t have a worry in the world. As I looked at the younger children, I saw that same bliss in their eyes. They played with donated toys and interacted with adult volunteers. When I looked at the children who were a little older, however, I saw their mild unease. I approached one of the middle school boys and started helping him with his math homework. Looking at his blatant disinterest and exaggerated expressions of boredom, I saw myself at his age. His name was Travis, and he lived with his baby sister and his parents. There was something about him, either a courageous optimism or maybe a simple calmness, that stood out from the other kids. When I asked him what he wanted to be when he grew up, he replied, “a doctor because I want to help people.”

I never truly understood the financial circumstances of those children, but it was endearing to see kids with such enthusiasm for life. Knowing that Travis was a boy with financial problems because he was homeless, wanted to help others in need made me rethink what I could be doing. I came to help that day with the intention of giving back, but only afterwards did I realize how much I really gained. Helping out at shelters not only aids these families, but helps people gain a different perspectives on their lives. Through my experience, I became more grateful for my life and began really thinking about how I could help people like Travis in the future.

On Feb. 28, junior Andrew Briggs won a $100 gift card to Bell’s Bookstore for his first place story in the age 15 to 17 age group. Sophomore Gemma Guo placed third place in the short story contest, and received a $50 gift card to Bell’s Books.

Briggs’ story “First, Do No Harm” was inspired by the controversial discussion of the Affordable Healthcare Act and the healthcare system in the U.S. during the 2012 elections.

The story is set in a dystopian, disease-ridden world, exploring the bleak state of health care and a doctor’s internal conflict between his conscience and the medical principles he has to follow. Faced with making a decision that could save a life, he justifies his actions with his mantra “I simply do my job,” while agonizing over the consequences.

The issue that troubled Briggs the most was health care, which gave inspiration to his story. “The idea behind the story was a reaction to the debate on the commercialization and ‘commoditization’ of healthcare,” he said.

Briggs also drew inspiration from John Steinbeck. Briggs admires many of the books written by Steinbeck for the social and moral messages hidden within each book.

Briggs has always been interested in writing and likes to write about social issues. This is the first writing contest that he has won.

An avid fan of computer science, he sees himself exploring a career in the field in the future. However, Briggs will continue to write on his own. “Writing will always be a part of my life,” he said.

Guo’s story, “Paper Airplanes,” is set in the modern world and gives the reader the perspective of a disabled child through her adventure. Guo wrote her story to shed light on the difficulty of living with an impairment. Guo invokes sadness and sympathy as the story traces the relationship between Ella, a girl with hearing impairment, and Jenny, her childhood friend. As the two grow up, they are pressured by society to find different types of friends. Societal stereotypes and prejudices are emphasized in Guo’s story. “I drew inspiration from my sister, who is hearing-impaired,” Guo said. “She struggled to find friends when she was younger due to her disability.”

Guo planned out and wrote her story over the course of three weeks. According to Guo, her creativity and fascination with writing developed starting from a very young age and improved gradually as she went through middle and high school. “I used to make up stories with my friends when I was in elementary school; we would act them out during recess,” Guo said. “When I was in middle school, I started writing stories for fun and I have been doing so ever since.”

She enjoys writing because it is a way for her to express her personal views and be taken seriously by others. “I like having a place to store my thoughts and say whatever is on my mind,” Guo said. “Writing is an outlet for me and helps me to relieve stress.”

Though Guo thoroughly enjoys writing, she is still undecided about whether she wants to pursue a career in the subject.

Freshmen Young Hye Lee, Vivian Sheen and Lisa Liao and sophomore Kyoko Inagawa all began playing classical music around the age of five. However, as the girls continued learning the nuances of their respective arts throughout elementary and middle school, their hobbies developed into deep-seated passions. For the girls, playing the violin or the piano provided the opportunity to escape from the stresses of daily life.

Hoping to get further musical exposure, Inagawa and the other girls decided to enter in competitions. “I love performing in front of large audiences,” Inagawa said. “When I enter competitions, I get to perform more.” All of the girls also hoped the chance would give them the opportunity to further explore the music industry and meet people with similar interests.

This February, the four girls joined the 2013 US Open Music Competition, a competition involving 1200 classical music enthusiasts from around the country. The competition featured individual and duo classical music events for children ages five to 18.

All four girls left with awards recognizing their talent and hard work. Inagawa took first in the intermediate instrumental solo division for her outstanding violin performance of “Carmen Fantasy.” Lee left with fourth place in the advanced open solo division for playing a seven-minute recreation of “Vieuxtemps Violin Concerto No. 4.” Sheen and Liao received second for their outstanding piano duet of “Danse Espagnole No. 1 and No. 2.”

During the weeks leading up to the competition, they practiced for multiple hours per day. “I definitely practiced a lot more frequently,” Lee said. “I would sit in four one-hour intervals each day to practice my instrument.” The practicing involved playing their instruments, as well as researching the composers’ histories, listening to previous performances and developing their interpretations of the piece. “When you play a song, you are responsible for putting your own spin on it,” Lee said.

Despite all of the preparation, Sheen remembers feeling anxious when she entered the competition room. “I was very nervous walking onstage,” Sheen said. “There was also the added worry that I didn’t want to let [Liao] down.”

As part of the competition, the girls had to play their pieces, memorized, in front of at least two judges and musicians. These included professionals such as the conductor of the San Francisco Ballet Orchestra Dr. Duane A. Carroll and founder of the American Philharmonic Dr. Charles Sepos.

Because of their musical success, some of the judges were intimidating. While playing, Lee was incredibly  conscious of her surroundings and everyone in the room. “I was very aware of all the judges’ reactions, and I really wanted them to love the piece,” Lee said.

The experience differed for many of the other participants. Once Inagawa began performing, the music was all she could focus on. “Once I start playing, it is like I am in a dream,” she said. “It is almost as if I was not in the room anymore. All I could focus on was my playing and the song.”

Unlike Lee, Inagawa had no idea what the judges thought of her playing when she had finished and was extremely surprised when she was selected to be the first place winner.

Lee believes that her stressing and diligent practicing paid off. Being selected from all of the applicants gives her a new level of confidence in her ability as a violinist. “I was extremely surprised. I never expected it,” she said. “It made me proud that I could play music beautifully enough that the judges felt it deserved an award.”

Liao is also happy with placing second in the competition. However, she has set much higher goals for  herself in the future. Liao hopes to eventually place first in the U.S. Open. “I definitely want to start working more on solo pieces,” Liao said. “It would be incredible to come first in any [event],” Liao said. She also aspires to compete in more elite competitions in the future. She believes that these are key to taking the next step in her musical career.

Lee’s goal differs slightly. Instead of aiming for achieving higher rankings in future competitions, she hopes to personally improve her skills. “For the future, I would like to think beyond the letter placings and go beyond the competitions,” she said. “My goal, instead, is to just enjoy what I play and create the most beautiful music that I can.”

All four girls agree on one thing: it is not the idea of winning that drives them to pursue their instruments, but rather the love of the craft itself. Inagawa is also unsure whether she will play professionally after high school, but she is positive that violin will always have a place in her future. “I will probably never ever stop playing violin,” she said. “It is something I hope to continue throughout my life. I may even choose to minor in it at college. I love it that much.”

Written by: Lisa Hao, Andy Zhao, Rebecca Alger and Emily Yao

Freshmen:

It’s insane to think that we are already third-quarter freshmen. What? I know, I know, it doesn’t have the charming ring of “second-semester seniors,” but making it to the third quarter is an achievement in its own right. Just think, we were awkwardly thrust into high school seven months ago. Luckily, for the most part, I believe most of us have figured it out. We’ve learned to face our fears by asking that special someone to a dance. We’ve learned to prioritize, and we have figured out that Titan 101 is definitely not an efficient way to spend an hour after school (I love my group, but someone had to say it). We’ve learned how to avoid trouble, and we’ve learned that a fight is never a good idea if Sanchez is nearby. For the most part, we’ve learned to identify with being Gunn students.

However, while second-semester seniors are probably starting to relax, the stress has just caught up to the freshmen. In high school, it seems that weekends are just weekdays with more time for more homework. We’ve survived our first finals, but we aren’t too excited for our next brush with grade-threatening tests. I probably shouldn’t be complaining, but in addition to worrying about boys, sports, friends, family and life in general, stressing about grades seems a little much.- But even though academic stress seems unbearable this year, we all know that the homework load is just bound to get heavier, and the material we learn will get harder. On the other hand, when we get to that point, we will be smarter and more prepared. It’s weird to think about how much can happen in our next few years at Gunn and what may be in store for us. Although sometimes we feel like high school will never end, when we look back as seniors, it will probably seem to have gone by too quickly. Let’s cherish the good times and not dwell too much on the bad. After all, we’re still only freshmen.

Sophomores have it rough. It’s not always easy as a tenth grader, and preparing for junior year is not making it any easier. Academic pressures combined with trying to squeeze in time for driving school and sports make for a nasty combination, but here’s the good news: we sophomores are pretty much all suffering the same pains. At this time of year, the class of 2015 is facing some common milestones.

Seeing friends get their driver’s licenses has caused us all to have conflicting emotions. I feel happy that my friends can drive, yet I’m also jealous that I can’t actually drive yet. Half the pictures or posts on whatever social network I’m on is of a car, or something to do with a car, or perhaps even a picture of a picture of a car with a caption saying, “MY CAR!” (with at least fifty likes).

Sophomores are also going through the dreaded course registration gauntlet. The word “AP” is flying everywhere, and students are spitting out course selection advice or opinions 24/7. Choosing which classes for junior year is no easy task, as it’s  very hard to change once you’re in the class and junior year is extremely important for colleges. But let’s be honest: choosing which classes to take is still fun, especially if it starts with “AP.”

Our early academic birds might be struggling through SAT prep in order to get a headstart on the rest of the class. There are many students who are currently prepping for the SAT in order to take it earlier and focus on classes during their junior year. A smart strategy, but it’s hard to muster up the will-power to follow through with something that seems unnecessary because it’s a year early.

Fortunately, a year from now, most of us will have our licenses. We’ll have chosen our courses, studied for SATs, and be buried waist-high in  homework. So let’s enjoy only having to step over our homework instead of having to wade in it, because after all, we only  get to be sophomores once.

Junior:

Junior year is scary, it’s stressful, and it’s pretty darn intimidating- no matter how much your counselor tries to prepare and comfort you ahead of time.  And unfortunately it’s unavoidable. Junior year is supposed to be the turning point in high school, the year where you finally figure out who you are supposed to be and what you are supposed to be doing with the rest of your life. Your regular response of “I don’t know” to questions about where you want to go to college and what you want to major in is no longer a valid answer. Relatives and your parents’ colleagues simply try and conceal their disdain by hiding behind a fake smile and politely telling you that you have plenty of time.

It’s important to not let the adults, or other students for the matter, get you down. Between, homework, extracurriculars, test prep and countless hours spent at school in class, you’ve got your plate pretty full, so it actually is okay to calm down and remember that you are still a teenager.  Even though junior year is pretty demanding it’s still important to let your hair down— and what better a place to do that than (most likely) your first prom.

This school year’s other firsts might not be as exciting as prom, but they’re just as important, if not more so. Never before have acronyms taken over such as overwhelming portion of your life—SAT, ACT, AP, the list goes on and on. Whether you are preparing to take a test with a score out of 2400, 5 or 36 it seems as if that one little number will dictate the rest of your life.  I’m certainly not one to be giving out advice, but I can tell you that you are not a number. Everybody knows that the only number that actually matters is the number of days until summer break anyways.

Senior:

It’s the best of times, and it’s the worst of times. Let’s start with the good news: senior prom is quickly approaching, high school is almost over and grades don’t matter. Well, they still matter to colleges but not to us. Sadly, with this happiness comes second semester slump, unexpected rejection letters and the possibility of getting rescinded. I have unfortunately taken relaxation for granted and am currently struggling with the consequences. Constantly using the careless second semester senior stereotype as an excuse to procrastinate on schoolwork has sucked me into a tornado of trouble: weeks of book homework for AP Chemistry need to be turned in and Mr. Hernandez (as well as Shakespeare) would be disappointed to learn that I am behind on my “King Lear” reading.

The laziness could mean only one thing: I have a bad case of senioritis, and it has reflected in my not-so-decent grades. When third quarter grades arrived, it was definitely a reality check for me. Though I want to enjoy my last year of high school, it’s not going to be all fun and games. The thought of getting rescinded gives me chills, and it would suck to throw away all of my hard work.

Speaking of rescission, college decisions are constantly on the back of my mind. D-Day is something I and a lot of my fellow seniors dread, and it’s nerve-wracking when decisions come out the same day you have a programming test and an in-class essay for English. Fortunately, I know how to deal with the undesirable results. If I get wait-listed, I eat chocolate chip cookies, and if I get rejected, I eat even more chocolate chip cookies while going through a few boxes of tissues. I’ve gotten a lot of good news too though, so I have yet to decide where I’ll be next year.

I’m excitedly counting down the days until graduation, but at the same time, I’m not sure if I’m actually ready to leave. I’ve met so many amazing friends and teachers that I don’t want to say goodbye to them. I still have to get AP testing over with and raise a few of my grades, but I want to spend as much time with my friends before we part our ways. For now, I will find a balance between school work. and fun because you’re only a senior once.

The traditions of prom are treasured across all of America’s history and geography as stepping stones of life, setting the stage for the proverbial caterpillar’s metamorphosis. An important component of the big night has always been unusually lavish spending: most couples will spend more than $500 together. There are many perfectly justifiable expenses, such as prom dresses or the rent-a-tux, but the one that is most unfair is arguably the most important: the prom ticket.

It is a breathtaking expense; $85 dollars for those with an ASB card, and $95 for those without, if they are purchased early. An easy way to think about it would be:” Nah, it’s not too expensive, it’s prom after all!” Actually, it’s crucial to think about what this money does buy, and this information can be found in the 2013 prom budget.

Primary costs for prom are standard and expected: about $13,000 for busses, which is a great deal considering how many people they will transport. Right after these costs come the other big investments: catering and venue costs of renting the Pavilion—and after catering and venue costs are factored in, Gunn will spend around $65,000 for them. Overall, these costs, mixed in with the smaller ones for caricature artists, photobooths and photographers, will add up to about $75,000 total for prom.

Many ignore the truth of spending for prom, which is swept under the rug as people tend to do with unpleasant facts. The truth is, the expectations of prom given the amount of money spent for the night are always going to be greater and better than the actual event. There is the misleading idea that the more you spend to do something, the more you’ll enjoy it, but the opposite is true more often than not.

Why? It’s because there is always a tendency to become too fixated on the price and getting one’s “money’s worth” for the night, which in the end detracts from the whole experience. Just like going to an all-you-can-eat buffet, if you stuff yourself trying to get as much perceived “value” as possible, you’ll feel awful and bloated at the end if money is a big factor in the equation (or as Mr. Karas would prefer, big variable).  This is not to say that prom could be cheap enough to the point where people won’t be shelling out much more than they would for a normal dance, yet it’s important to consider how else money can be spent.

The price of prom is titillating when considering what a prom-table size group of couples could enjoy if they spent the money elsewhere.Ten people using their prom budget could buy a lot of other wonderful things with the money, which adds up to more than $2500 begging to be spent to the heart’s content. This could mean a ski cabin down in Tahoe for a night and ski tickets, or an awesome paintball party at a paintball arena of your choice for five tables’ worth of people. In all honesty, paintball is just a cheaper prom, except instead of boutonnieres and corsages, there’s none of that plain vanilla white-tie stuff and plenty more adrenaline, paint and bruises the next morning. (Either that, or I’m going to the wrong prom.)

Prom is a once-in-a-lifetime experience, and it should be exactly that; go once, and save yourself the money the next time and do something more awesome instead. Gunn is wonderful enough to offer you two proms throughout high school, and doesn’t differentiate between junior and senior prom, which means it’s perfectly okay to miss one. In summary, I believe my former English teacher Ms. Grall said it best: “Prom is like marriage: if you do right the first time, there need not be a second.”

The hashtag #firstworldproblems categorizes problems of technological dependence. One has #firstworldproblems when he or she is frustrated because there is no Internet connection, the phone screen is frozen or there just isn’t any service for texting. On a small scale, technology can aid in productivity and work. But the unnoticed impacts of repetitive technological #firstworldproblems include increased health risks, antisocial behavior and loss of concentration and analytical thinking. Yet little action has been taken to wean ourselves off the massive cloud that is technology.

According to an article from the New York Times written in 2010, children ages eight through 18 spend an average of 7.5 hours a day using technology. 7.5 hours is more time than a school day and about one-third of an entire day. Technology is taking over our lives.

Our increasing dependence on technology is causing inactivity and alarming effects on our health. The Department of Labor reported that the average American spends 2.7 hours a day watching television and therefore resigns to laziness. It sounds harsh, but every moment spent vegetating is an opportunity to exercise the body and brain wasted. Additionally, studies have shown that lights from devices can disturb a good night’s sleep. The more one stares at his or her iPhone, the more the light tricks the brain into thinking it’s daytime. Without the adequate amounts of exercise and sleep, a student cannot function to the best of his or her ability.

Technological reliance has taken its toll on social life as well. Only 33 percent of the texters surveyed by the Pew Research Center said that they actually talk to friends face-to-face on a daily basis. While it can be effective for short notice, texting has caused deteriorating communication in person with family and friends.

Naturally, multitasking has also increased because of technology. Dr. Larry Rosen of Cal State University wrote that most teenagers perform, on average, seven tasks at the same time, including texting, using Facebook and watching television. Although multitasking may seem to save time, it actually results in decreased concentration. With ten tabs open on an Internet browser and a phone sitting to the side, one is more likely to forget about the homework he or she needs to finish As the number of tasks increases, focus rapidly decreases.

Most importantly, technological reliance decreases the need for critical thought. Google is just a few clicks away, and because of that, we are too frustrated to think through a problem. The Internet is a quick way to get homework done without autonomous thought. Thus, one is no longer learning the lesson, enjoying the class or getting his or her desired grade. Copying an answer from Google does not force students to actively analyze course material as they would by learning from the textbook. The consequences of such dependence have the potential to be disastrous. If one uses Google Translate instead of carefully reading through the French textbook, he or she unfortunately won’t understand the material.

Of course, no one is asking you to move to Antarctica and live like a caveman. Technology can be helpful in moderation. However, if we excessively utilize technology, the consequences will outweigh the benefits of efficiency. So the next time you move towards your TV, think about taking a walk instead. Next time you pick up your phone to text, consider holding a face-to-face conversation. Next time, choose your textbook over your laptop and resist the urge to look at your phone. It’s up to you: you can give in to the temptations or try to find a balance between moderate technology use and an otherwise healthy lifestyle.

It’s decision time at Gunn High School. Emotional breakdowns are occurring regularly as we all wait for a simple e-mail, college sweatshirts are rarely worn in fear of jinxing chances or offending a rejected peer and classes are spent wondering if it’s all even worth it. But in the midst of this plight and despair is an edifice that example is what Gunn is really about: The Rejection Wall.

The students at Gunn are particularly exceptional: with many extracurricular activities and awards framing high SAT scores and shining GPAs, it’s widely expected the average student to get into a prestigious university.

Being the impatient and decisive individual I am, I made haste to apply to many schools early, certain that I would go there if I got in. In the middle of F period on Nov. 6, I got my first rejection e-mail from Tufts University. There went my number one. It was okay, though I was determined to make the best of whatever school I went to. Two days later: a rejection from Northeastern University.

A few anecdotes later, New York University, Lewis and Clark College, Denver University, University of California, Davis, Boston University, Boston College and George Washington University joined the list. Nine college rejections is admittedly a lot, and people are often bewildered as to why I so openly publish that information. I often have people pity me, and sometimes I’m negatively judged because of my “failures.”

Most of us here at Gunn know that a college rejection is not a failure, and “The Rejection Wall” is a perfect example of that sentiment. Seniors openly display their rejection letters for the whole school to see, and thus the school can sip a strong cup of reality: not everyone gets into the school of their dreams.

While this may seem like a dark and harsh reality, it’s far from that. When it seemed like everybody’s achievements and scores outshined mine, I felt far less inferior knowing that others were in the same boat. It’s no secret that the peer pressure and expectations at Gunn are abnormally high, and as colleges sent out letters, stress was at an all time high two weeks ago. But in the end, I found that the students were accepting, regardless of what school I got into.

But there was something strangely exciting about posting my many letters of rejection. My friends and I gathered all the letters we had and quickly darted over to the Student Activities Center to be the first to have our letters published. I was glad that others could feel more comfortable about their own rejections by seeing the many that I had accrued.

I did end up getting into three colleges, so I’m not in a complete pit of despair. I fully believe that a person has the potential to make the best of any college you get into, and I’m ready to have fun and continue my education in college—something most people never get the opportunity to do. Even if they weren’t my first choices (or second, or third), I’m still glad that I ended up being happy with my different options—and that Gunn is equally supportive.

This summer, the California High-Speed Rail Authority (CHSRA) will begin construction of the United States’ first high-speed rail. CHSRA, the organization in charge of planning, designing, building and operating the rail, has planned to build it to connect San Francisco to Los Angeles by 2029. It will travel between the two cities in two hours and 40 minutes at over 200 miles per hour. The final goal is to build a system that spans 800 miles to include Sacramento and San Diego. Although the CHSRA and supporters of the rail claim the rail will be beneficial, California should not build it because it will hurt California’s economy, will not reach its desired level of utility and will not significantly help the environment or traffic congestion.

Once fully constructed, the high-speed rail will have a major negative impact on California’s already poor and fragile economy. According to the Huffington Post, the projected price tag of the San Francisco-Los Angeles route is a hefty $68 billion. The governments of both California and the nation will have to dig to their already in-debt treasuries for the project since it is publicly financed. CHSRA has received an initial $8 billion for preliminary construction from state legislation that could have been used in better places, such as in education. Moreover, the rail’s actual operation will cause California to lose more money. According to Director of High-Speed Rail at the International Union of Railways in Paris Iñaki Barrón de Angoiti states that high-speed rails are not profitable and that only two high-speed rail routes in the world, France’s Paris to Lyon and Japan’s Tokyo to Osaka, break even. The other routes in 11 different countries all lose money in operating the rail and require taxpayer dollars to function. Republican State Senator Ted Gaines of Granite Bay said in a statement that building the rail would push California over a fiscal cliff, requiring endless subsidies and blasting a huge hole into the state budget. Democratic State Senator Joe Simitian of Palo Alto also questioned the stability of the project’s financing and additional commitment of funding. With this project, California will lose taxpayer dollars and any subsequent economic improvements.

From a cultural and utilitarian standpoint, California’s high-speed rail falls short of its predicted benefits because it does not suit America’s geography and culture. Its successes in countries such as France and Japan cannot be applied to the fundamentally different America. The United States lacks the high population density, smaller area, geographical features and low car-usage that make high-speed rails so beneficial in other countries. According to William J. Mallett, a transportation policy specialist at the Congressional Research Service, these factors are why a high-speed rail network is not feasible. California’s population is more spread out and more dependent on cars. In places like New York, a high-speed rail can thrive on the heavily concentrated areas and success of the existing subways, but not in California. A fully-built rail will not be fully used because people will still rely on cars. Most Americans are used to driving as their main mode of transportation, and switching to high-speed rail would require them to alter their lifestyles. Cars are convenient and give people the sense of freedom and independence that public transportation does not. Furthermore, a lack of transportation connecting the high-speed rail stations to people’s homes makes the line inconvenient. It is difficult for people to get to the actual rail, as shown by the troublesome breaks along routes in California’s current Bay Area Rapid Transit and CalTrain systems. To get to the rail, people will have to drive their cars or take a taxi, which is often more time-consuming and inefficient than driving to their destination. People will be inclined toward the latter, which will leave more empty seats on the rail. The high-speed rail will never attain its desired utility and success because public transportation is not prevalent in trans-California culture.

Supporters of the rail commend the ability of the high-speed rail to help the environment and decrease traffic congestion. However, the rail does neither, for construction of the rail system greatly contributes to pollution, with the necessary machinery and industrial processes. According to the CATO Institute, the high-speed rail would reduce pollution and greenhouse gas emissions by only 0.7 to 1.5 percent, and the prerequisite to that small decrease is high levels of ridership. Low ridership would actually eliminate any pollution reduction and energy savings. Generating the electricity that powers the high-speed rail burns a lot of fossil fuels. Even if the electricity is produced with green energy techniques, fossil fuels will remain a major source. If people continue driving their cars rather than riding the high-speed rail, the supposed benefit high-speed rail has in decreasing automobile pollution will be greatly weakened. But even if people use the rail, according to American public policy analyst Randal O’Toole, it will not stop the growing trend of automobile driving, as evidenced in Japan and France. O’Toole also finds that no high-speed rail system in the entire world has been shown to noticeably reduce congestion. California’s high-speed rail would not help the environment or traffic congestion; on the contrary, it could affect the environment negatively.

Although advocates of the high-speed rail say that the system will save people time once completed, the time saved is not significant enough to warrant billions of dollars spent. There is a time threshold, and many people might not meet it, given that not everyone will use the rail. Moreover, not many people want to travel from San Francisco to Los Angeles so often that they would prefer the rail over an airplane. Others praise the jobs the CHSRA will create with the project, but California can invest billions into other necessary sectors to create the same number of jobs.

Ultimately, it is important to abandon building the high-speed rail before California becomes too deeply involved in it. The high-speed rail will hurt California’s economy and receive unfavorable ridership levels because it does not fit America’s conditions or culture and could worsen environmental and congestion problems. This project nobly intends to reform and modernize the state’s transportation infrastructure. However, because building a high-speed rail falls short of meeting these goals and may actually bring negative effects, California should look to other methods and projects to reach goals of environmental protection and job creation. 

Pro:

Palo Alto High School’s (Paly) block schedule differentiates from Gunn’s rotating schedule in that students take fewer classes or periods per day and instead spend a significantly longer time in each period. Gunn and the Palo Alto Unified School District (PAUSD) have already undergone significant changes this year by shifting the school year. However, Gunn should consider adopting a block schedule, as it has been shown to help both teachers and students perform to the best of their abilities.

Block schedules often offer a significant logistical advantage for both teachers and students. According to Principal Katya Villalobos, a teacher in a block schedule often needs to prepare for fewer sessions each day and can focus his or her time on the classes he or she will teach that day. This leads to time being used more productively and greater success in individual classes. Also, because classes meet less often, tests and homework assignments are often much easier to handle. This helps students reduce the stress of their workload and  the alleviation allows them to focus on their immediate classes each day and utilize their time more efficiently when trying to get things done.

Science and history classes especially benefit from the block schedule. Science classes get more time to complete complicated labs in one sitting, letting them cover more material while using less time each day for review purposes. Right now history classes struggle to fit in large simulations, with most of the class time dominated by lectures with a few group discussions and projects thrown in occasionally. A block schedule gives history classes the opportunity to incorporate such simulations and projects, allowing them to be much more interactive. In addition, interactive activities have already been shown to significantly improve academic ratings as opposed to a normal lecture in a study done by Carl Wieman in 2001.

Furthermore, the average class size has been shown to drop when a block schedule is in use. According to the Palo Alto Weekly Paly has a average class size of 28.5 while compared to Gunn’s average class size of 30. A smaller classes has been proven, through previous studies such as one done by Tennessee’s Project Star, to increase achievement by a significant amount. A smaller class size allows teachers to devote more of their time to individual students, helping to increase student success rates. The increased time that is allowed per period thus also allows for a closer bond between student and teacher and helps make the class more enjoyable for both parties.

The current schedule provides many benefits, but it still does not accommodate all of Gunn’s needs. According to Paly’s principal Phil Winston, Paly has been having great success with their own block schedule  ever since they adopted it, as it allowed them to have increased staff collaboration and student support. A block schedule is one such schedule that could improve efficiency and promote academic excellence at Gunn, and the Gunn community should seriously consider utilizing it.

Con:

High schoolers at Gunn and Palo Alto High School (Paly) benefit from similar course offerings, opportunities and school programs. However, one main discrepancy lies in the daily schedule. Those at Gunn are on a rotating schedule, while those at  Paly are on an alternating A/B block schedule. Under this schedule, students at Paly sit through all seven classes on Monday. For the rest of the week, three to four 90-minute classes occur each day. Because of elements such as shorter class periods, greater class frequency and less severe consequences of missing class, Gunn’s rotating schedule is better for students than Paly’s block schedule.

Paly’s longer class periods negatively affect the students. Sitting through an  hour long lecture is hard enough. According to the George Lucas Educational Foundation, teenagers have an attention span of roughly 20 minutes. Although students at both schools might spend some of the period daydreaming and out of concentration towards the end of the period, students on the block schedule will be less focused for a larger percentage of the instructional duration. More time spent in class does not necessarily equate to a proportional increase in learning. To make up for this shortcoming, the burden is put on the teachers to keep the class engaged. Assistant Principal Kimberly Cowell noted that filling a 90-minute period that truly engages students for the full time requires that there be several activities and transitions, and that 90-minute lectures are not optimal for high school students. A switch to the block schedule will require Gunn teachers to readapt their teaching style and curriculum.

Gunn’s rotating schedule also offers more meetings between teachers and students. Some classes particularly benefit from the daily practice and reinforcement that the rotating schedule emphasizes. Subjects like music and foreign language gain from reviewing the material daily. According to Professor  Stephen D. Krashen, a study found that those who were exposed to the foreign language more have increased language proficiency. The block schedule decreases foreign language exposure because classes meet less often. On this aspect, the rotating schedule trumps the block schedule because classes meet more often on the rotating schedule.

In addition, the block schedule increases the negative effects of missing class. If a Paly student is absent for a period, they will miss 30 minutes more than a Gunn student. Also, those who miss a block day will miss a considerable amount of material in those classes, particularly when those classes go at a quick pace and cover a significant amount of new material. Although students missing a class at either school miss roughly six hours of instruction, the consequences of missing class at Paly are more severe. Those missing a class at Paly would miss an additional half hour of class. Also, at Gunn, when one misses a science lab, there is a only one hour to make up for. However, at Paly, one must make up a 90-minute lab.

Due to shorter and more frequent class periods, Gunn’s rotating schedule is superior to Paly’s block schedule. Students have already adjusted to a rotating schedule that has no evident negative consequences.