Written by Kaya van der Horst
If you watched NBC’s coverage of the Rio Olympics back in 2016, you will surely remember the stellar performances by Simone Biles, Katie Ledecky, Michael Phelps and the first African-American woman to win an individual Olympic gold in swimming, Simone Manuel. While...
Written by Kaya van der Horst
On the morning of March 14, a group of students woke up to find an email in their inbox stating that the highly anticipated spring break service trip to Tijuana, Mexico had been cancelled. The Youth Community Service-Interact (YCS-I) trip was scheduled to bring...
Written by Kaya van der Horst
In the past two years, senior Thomas Burton has consistently placed top 10 in multiple triathlons—a race involving the sequential completion of swimming, cycling and running. The most impressive part of it all? Burton is a plant-powered athlete, disproving the common...
Written by Kaya van der Horst
To freshman Matias Zirulnik, at first glance, Gunn’s campus seemed more like a scene out of Baywatch than it did a school: life guards patrolled the quad while a mermaid was spotted walking down the steps of the N-Building. On their first day of high school, 478 wide-eyed...
Written by Kaya van der Horst
From the back, the 5 foot 2 inch sophomore blends into the bustling sea of students trying to make their way to class. From the front, however, it’s hard to walk past him without admiring his glowing skin and radiant aura: it appears as if a celebrity is walking among...
Written by Kaya van der Horst
After four months of investigation, Cozen O’Connor, a law firm, released a report on Sept. 20 concluding that the Palo Alto Unified School District (PAUSD) did not comply with key aspects of Title IX and failed to follow state law in responding to a sexual assault case...
Written by Kaya van der Horst
Nicole Christie’s youthful age has led to awkward situations in which referees mistook her for a player rather than a coach. Such humorous encounters will continue as Christie joins the Gunn volleyball team this fall from Palo Alto Volleyball Club
Volleyball...
Written by Kaya van der Horst
Three months after it was concluded, the Climate Culture Survey was released on Aug. 1 with unsettling results—of the 10 percent of Palo Alto Unified high school students who have been subject to sexual harassment at least once within the past year, only 12 percent...
Written by Kaya van der Horst
The Children’s Health Council (CHC) launched its first Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP) on May 8, marking a pivotal point in expanding local teen mental health services. The program will address the needs of high school teens ages 14 to 18 who show signs of significant...
Written by Kaya van der Horst
For junior Nikki Verhulp, the definition of family extends beyond blood-relations. Although she may strongly resemble her mom, Verhulp actually has no genetic connection with her—she was adopted from an orphanage in Dianbai, China when she was 11 months old. “I was...
Written by Kaya van der Horst
2016 seemed to be the year for body positivity. The diversity in body types seen on magazine covers, such as curvy model Ashley Graham’s notable cover shoot for Sports Illustrated and advertisements such as Dove’s empowering #mybeautymysay campaign, showed us that women...
Written by Kaya van der Horst
In a board meeting on Jan. 10, the Palo Alto City Council voted to advocate for a new policy proposal that would permit cities to exempt tipped workers from the minimum wage requirement. However, under California state law, it is currently illegal for cities to distinguish...
