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Official Student Newspaper of Henry M. Gunn High School

The Oracle

Official Student Newspaper of Henry M. Gunn High School

The Oracle

Official Student Newspaper of Henry M. Gunn High School

The Oracle

Designs of sports uniforms for female athletes affect practicality

Designs of sports uniforms for female athletes affect practicality

Jessica Zang, Features Editor and Assistant Business Manager April 13, 2022

On April 6, 1896, the first modern Olympic Games commenced in Athens, Greece, reviving the long-lost Ancient Greek tradition and marking the origins of the largest and most prestigious global sporting competition to date. Not only were female athletes not allowed to compete in the games until the second...

Inequality in higher education creates barriers for lower-income students to attend college

Jessica Zang, Features Editor and Assistant Business Manager February 15, 2022

Higher education is often hailed as the pinnacle of the American dream. As long as you study hard and get good grades, you, too, can get into the college of your choice and receive an education that will set you up for life. America has no shortage of elite institutions, from the notorious Ivy League...

Students rediscover optimism through mental wellness journey: Junior Heidi Purnama

Students rediscover optimism through mental wellness journey: Junior Heidi Purnama

Jessica Zang, Features Editor and Assistant Business Manager December 10, 2021

When junior Heidi Purnama began high school, she acted outgoing, silly and kind. In reality, however, she was struggling with depressive thoughts. “I projected a completely different person than who I felt like internally,” she said. “People didn’t know what I was going through, and I didn’t...

Recent vandalism, litter add to custodians’ workload

Recent vandalism, litter add to custodians’ workload

Jessica Zang, Features Editor and Assistant Business Manager October 22, 2021

As students return to in-person learning, the influx of trash left on campus has drastically increased the workload for the custodial staff, leading to less time allotted for customary responsibilities. Day Shift Custodial Supervisor Luciano Hernandez has been a part of the custodial staff for 22 years....

Popular TV show relationship portrayals set toxic, unrealistic standards for high school audiences

Popular TV show relationship portrayals set toxic, unrealistic standards for high school audiences

Jessica Zang, Features Editor and Assistant Business Manager September 20, 2021

Some of the most popular television shows, such as “Euphoria,” “Riverdale” and “Never Have I Ever,” along with older classics “Pretty Little Liars” and “Dawson’s Creek,” have mastered the art of capturing teen melodrama. We’ve seen the same clichés again and again, but it seems...

Summer break provides time for adventures with friends, family

Summer break provides time for adventures with friends, family

Jessica Zang, Features Editor and Assistant Business Manager August 20, 2021

In the Bay Area, it’s natural to view the annual summer vacation not as a well-deserved break from schoolwork, but instead as a time to work even harder. We’ve been running ourselves ragged all school year, only to pile on more responsibilities once it’s over. It’s perfectly reasonable to occupy...

Staffer raises family orchids

Staffer raises family orchids

Jessica Zang, Features Editor and Assistant Business Manager July 4, 2021

Taking care of a houseplant reminds me of taking care of a child. You have to remember to feed it, water it and occasionally help it get some sun. If it’s feeling under the weather, you have to gently nurse it back to health; if it’s thriving, you have to make sure it stays that way. My family...

Silent no longer: The Atlanta shooting and a surge in anti-Asian racism have brought Asian voices into the spotlight

Silent no longer: The Atlanta shooting and a surge in anti-Asian racism have brought Asian voices into the spotlight

Jessica Zang and Lise Desveaux April 18, 2021

Violence in Atlanta On March 16, in Atlanta, Georgia, Robert Aaron Long drove 27 miles to three different Asian-owned massage parlors and opened fire with a 9-mm gun, murdering eight people—Delaina Ashley Yaun, Xiaojie Tan, Daoyou Feng, Paul Andre Michels, Hyun Jung Grant, Soon Chung Park, Suncha...

Students, teachers find community online

Students, teachers find community online

Jessica Zang, Features Editor and Assistant Business Manager February 18, 2021

Gunn has always been known for its sense of community: From counter-protesting the Westboro Baptist Church in 2010 to building the strong mental health supports we have access to today, our campus has always been able to come together despite many obstacles along the way. Now, students face yet another...

Zora Zhang

In the room where it happens: Recent criticism around PAUSD’s decision-making process speaks to the need for effective communication when managing a public health crisis.

Jessica Zang, Features Editor and Assistant Business Manager December 17, 2020

Transparency questioned For weeks, virtual classrooms buzzed with both worry and excitement about reopening elementary schools for in-person learning. On Sept. 29, hordes of students, parents and teachers alike powered on their Zoom applications to tune into a virtual Palo Alto Unified School District...

The Dark Side of Social Media Activism

Jessica Zang and Mia Knezevic November 2, 2020

On May 25, George Floyd was pinned to the ground and suffocated by a police officer. As a result of a video taken at the time and news coverage, thousands of people flocked to social media to voice their outrage. Since the release of the video onto Instagram, many users, accustomed to the traditional...

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