For as long as I can remember, people have seen me as an open book, as someone who’s quick to trust others. However, that’s not how I see myself. While I’ll trust people, it’s not in any way an instinctive decision. I’ve made a habit of joking that I’ve already experienced more fear than...
Written by Joanna Huang and Joy Huang
While conventional tobacco cigarettes are increasingly being stigmatized in society, e-cigarettes, commonly referred to as vapes or juuls, are seeing a rise in popularity. An e-cigarette is an alternative method of consuming nicotine—the device uses electricity...
I distinctly remember multiple moments during class breaks in which someone tried to reach out to me. They glanced at me, walked toward me and...abruptly turned away. I know why they did so. I seemed nice and approachable enough at a distance, but I reacted oddly once they came near. As soon as I caught...
Written by Joanna Huang
Gunn Band Director and Visual & Performing Arts Instructional Supervisor Todd Summers was awarded the Legion of Honor by The John Philip Sousa Foundation on Dec. 22, 2017. This award recognizes lifetime achievement and leadership in maintaining school band programs. Summers...
Written by Joanna Huang
On top of balancing coursework, extracurriculars and free time, international students must learn to rapidly adjust to a new country. Senior Ali Havaei, who has been attending Gunn since the start of his sophomore year, moved from Iran without speaking English.
Havaei...
Time first stopped for me eight years ago. Swimming in the Pacific Ocean, I happened to get caught off-guard by a rather large wave, and after tumbling through the water for ten seconds, I tried swimming up for air when I felt another force of water toss me around before I could catch a breath. It wasn’t...
Written by Joanna Huang
Senior Matthew Skowronski started his online store, Tranquil Clothing, three years ago during his search for a meaningful undertaking. “Basically I wanted to just do something—I felt like I wasn’t really doing much. I was doing extracurricular activities, but it wasn’t...
Written by Joanna Huang
On September 30, nonprofit wellness organization TeenzTalk held a day-long teen wellness conference at Microsoft’s building in Mountain View. Participants from all across the Bay Area came to attend.
Los Altos High School senior Nadia Ghaffari, who founded Teenztalk to promote...
The first time I failed a test– really failed it, F for flunk and all that –I didn’t handle things well. That is to say, I curled up in a ball and tried to pretend the world didn’t exist for a bit. Unfortunately, sheer willpower cannot put reality on pause, but I figured I’d try anyway.
That...
Written by Joanna Huang
Silicon Valley, in Santa Clara County, Calif., was once referred to as “The Valley of Heart’s Delight” because of its pleasant scenery, climate and fruit trees. In time, the area went from being known for its orchards to being known for its startups and world-changing...
Written by Joanna Huang
Finding a job, whether as a teen or an adult, can be difficult. In order to tackle this difficulty, the Palo Alto Youth Council (PAYC) is hosting a job fair on April 9 from 2:00 to 4:30 p.m. at the Mitchell Park Community Center. The job fair aims to connect teens to local businesses,...
Written by Joanna Huang
Clash of the Titans, Gunn’s annual, highly-anticipated basketball game between seniors and staff, will be held on March 8 in the Titan Gym. One change has been made to the format of the event: the addition of a half-time performance from the dance team.
Since basketball...
