Official Student Newspaper of Henry M. Gunn High School

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Official Student Newspaper of Henry M. Gunn High School

The Oracle

Official Student Newspaper of Henry M. Gunn High School

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graphic by Jocelyn Wang

Should teenagers responsibly experiment with illicit substances to become aware of, familiar with limits?: pro

Madison Nguyen, Features Editor October 4, 2019

For high school students, exposure to alcohol and other illicit substances is inevitable throughout daily life. Modern society is past the point of trying to get teenagers to stop rebelling due to the fact that it’s an expected, unavoiadable part of teenage life. From an early age, students...

graphic by Jocelyn Wang

Con – Should teenagers responsibly experiment with illicit substances to become aware of, familiar with limits?

Charlie Bush, Lifestyle Editor October 4, 2019

Substance use—and illegal activity in general—has been made taboo by our generation and the ones preceding. This stigma causes people to think it is “cool” to use drugs or other substances. In addition to peer pressure, teenagers will indulge in these substances to impress others or “just for...

More students should run for SEC to increase representation, broaden impact

More students should run for SEC to increase representation, broaden impact

Charlie Bush, Lifestyle Editor October 4, 2019

On Sept. 6, the Student Executive Council (SEC) revealed the homecoming theme to the student body in a FlexTime/SELF assembly. The theme—“A Trip to Costco”—received large amounts of student backlash and response. However, it is unfair to be so critical toward the hard work and effort SEC puts...

Gunn cliques, environment prevent true party culture

Ryan Manesh, Sports Editor, Business Manager October 4, 2019

Written by Ryan Manesh From a young age, every movie I saw that had a high school portrayed it with the same stereotypes. The school was always ruled by a jock—generally, a football player—and anyone who prioritized schoolwork was always depicted as a nerd with little to no social life. However,...

Audrey Tseng

EDITORIAL: Lowering voting age in school board elections to 16 would promote student voice, engagement

Staff Opinion September 20, 2019

This summer, the non-profit organization “Vote16 Palo Alto” launched a campaign calling for the voting age in local school board elections to be lowered to 16. The petition comes as teenagers in Palo Alto—as in most other cities across the nation—cannot vote in any elections, school board...

graphic by Jocelyn Wang

Analysis of standards-based grading reveals advantages

Angela Wong, News Editor September 20, 2019

Throughout the beginning of the school year and the schedule-change frenzy that accompanies it, certain questions are often heard in the hallways at Gunn: “Is this teacher an easy or hard grader?” “Which classes are easy A’s?” While these topics of conversation are common at a high...

Photo illustration by Melissa Ding and Jamie Wang

Rising prom costs prompt reappraisal of experience, discourage participation

Ryan Li, Managing Editor May 17, 2019

If you’re a junior, senior or lucky underclassman, it’s that magical time of the school year again—the time when the days start getting longer and you’re barely dragging yourself through Advanced Placement testing. But none of that matters now. After all, you’re counting down the days to the...

graphic by Jocelyn Wang

Healthy sleeping habits prove crucial to successful lifestyle

Elisa Moraes-Liu, News Editor May 17, 2019

Written by Elisa Moraes-Liu My parents have always tried and failed to enforce strict bedtimes for me. Their strategies have ranged from confiscation of electronic devices to internet removal at 11 p.m. However, these tactics have not always been successful. As I write this, it is almost...

Cultural norm of sleep deficiency requires attention, not acceptance

Cultural norm of sleep deficiency requires attention, not acceptance

Devon Lee, Sports Editor May 17, 2019

One of the most common things that can be heard around campus is that students are not getting enough sleep. The idea that sleep is a commodity and not a necessity has become ingrained in our society. In today’s culture, a lack of sleep among teenagers has become normalized, discouraging students from...

College Board testing costs should be minimized

College Board testing costs should be minimized

Angela Wong, News Editor March 29, 2019

Second semester routinely brings intense waves of stress and tension to high school students, especially juniors, who are pressed for time to prepare for standardized testing and college applications, all while maintaining their grades and their involvement in extracurricular activities. Amidst...

Pro – Does Gunn Confessions Encourage Beneficial Discourse?

Charlie Bush, Lifestyle Editor March 29, 2019

Known by almost every Gunn student, the Gunn Confessions Facebook page is an anonymous forum that allows anyone to post a “confession”—anything from a school crush to a humorous rumor to a genuine question. The page has over 800 followers, with some comments on posts breaking 70 reactions....

Summer camps push students to learn and grow

Summer camps push students to learn and grow

Stephy Jackson, Online Editor March 29, 2019

The memories made during the summer programs I attended between sophomore and junior year were the best part of the experiences. There are a lot of positive aspects of attending summer programs, specifically those that are academically challenging, such as meeting new people with differing...

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