“I spent a lot of time with other actors and people doing theater,” Menon said. “After I got into theater, I’ve met so many people that have been very infuential in my life.”

In 2021, Menon enrolled virtually in the Acting and Performance Summer Institute of the University of California, Los Angeles. Over that month, Menon participated in classes like Movement, Introduction to Acting and Scene Study, putting together a portfolio of his taped acting performances at the end.

The following summer, Menon attended an in-person theater program at New York University, which included method acting, where actors incorporate personal experiences and emotions for a more authentic performance.

“I’m really interested in going into film and screen-acting (actors portraying media characters on camera), and the NYU program was something where I was able to get my frst experience doing that,” he said. “I’ve never done something like that before, and being in front of the cameras is so different than being on a stage.”

Menon appreciates how theater has taught him the importance of vulnerability.

“I’m so immersed in what I’m doing in theater — I am able to fnd myself and my identity,” he said. “Basic trust is (also) something so important in theater. Method acting involves very vulnerable and personal experiences that shouldn’t be shared out — it’s like telling a secret.”

Next year, Menon is majoring in Theater, Film and Television at UCLA. With the university’s prime location near Hollywood, Menon is excited to further his acting journey through agencies and internships.

“I really liked what they were offering with the TFT, where it wasn’t just theater that I was doing — it was acting,” he said. “(The education is) like none other, where you’re immersed in an area where everyone around you is like you and
passionate, (and) the teachers that you’re working with are passionate. That is so integral in having a good college experience.”

It’s also where Quinn Sarrazin will be this fall. There, they will be using their game-designing knowledge working for game-development startup Good Job Games.

Sarrazin decided on taking a gap year in sophomore year and originally planned to travel to Japan. However, during a visit to Istanbul last fall, their mom’s client offered them a position they couldn’t turn down.

According to Sarrazin, Good Job Games first produced hypercasual games — easy, free-to-play games — but is currently looking to branch out. That’s where Sarrazin comes in.

“I’ve played over 300 games in my lifetime, and my mom teaches game design at Stanford, so I’ve been attending her classes and lectures for a long time,” they said. “I have a database in my mind of all these different games and mechanics.”

In Istanbul, Sarrazin is eager to learn valuable life skills like self-suffciency and independence. The city’s proximity to large European cities also allows Sarrazin to easily explore different nations and visit relatives.

After deferring their enrollment to Sarah Lawrence College, Sarrazin is open-minded to potential adjustments in their future college plans.

“(The job is) not necessarily tying into what I’m planning on majoring in but more (about) trying to experience many things and to discover myself,” they said. “I’m excited to learn more about me, and then bring that to college as well.”

Beyond gaining valuable skills in a workplace setting, Sarrazin hopes to explore Turkish culture in Istanbul and other parts of Turkey to deepen their understanding of the world.

“I’ve lived here in Palo Alto my entire life, and I think settling down in a foreign country for a whole year will really give me a different perspective on life in a different area of the world,” they said. “I think that’s a really important skill (as) our society is globalizing more and more.”

Khan began making clothing alterations five months ago to expand his wardrobe options and improve his style. For Khan, tailoring old garments like pants or sweaters is a cheaper alternative to constantly buying new clothes.

Khan started stitching with his mom’s old sewing machine, using tutorials on Instagram and YouTube to learn the necessary skills. Initially, he often made mistakes and had to start over — performing alterations on a pair of pants could take over five hours.

“(The hardest part was) the amount of time that it took me, because at first, I didn’t really know what I was doing and just jumped into alterations blindly,” he said. “I didn’t really know how to plan things out properly, and then (it would) take up hours and hours just to get some things done, but I’ve gotten a lot better now.”

Over time, Khan has learned to plan out alterations in advance to avoid pitfalls. Sometimes, the outlining stage is more arduous than the sewing itself.

“(The process) starts with getting an idea or some inspiration and then second, you have to map it out,” he said. “So, there’s a lot of measurements and marking of chalking and planning out, like where the cuts are going to go and how big stuff needs to be. Then after that, you have to cut everything out, and (then) you get to the actual sewing part.”

Khan has worked on over 20 pieces, and he now offers his friends clothing customization services. Currently, he primarily works on altering pants, and charges $30 for resizing two pairs.

“In the past two months, I feel like I’ve gotten to a point where I’m happy with what I’m able to create, and enough to start doing it for my friends too and (not just myself),” he said. “I don’t want to push out something that I don’t even think is good.”

Through his clothing alterations journey, Khan has also learned to hold himself accountable and avoid procrastination.

“I’ve learned a lot about not procrastinating because just starting a project can seem really scary at first, especially knowing that you’re hours into it,” he said. “But I think with time, I realized the work is worth it. I should just sit down and start working rather than putting it off.”

While Khan sees the value in expanding his practice to an official clothing-alterations business, he also wants to maintain a balance between work and enjoyment.

“At this point where I am right now, I feel like I could start trying to start something,” he said. “I’m also worried that if I do start something and I have that commitment, then my hobby for it will go away.”

Ultimately, as Khan continues to develop his passion for clothing alterations, his goal is to create innovative and high-quality pieces.

“I hope to continue to keep on improving and making stuff that I can be proud of,” he said. “(I don’t want to just do it for money like that. (I hope to) keep improving and making (even more alterations).”

During the meeting, racial equity consultant Dr. Lori A. Watson discussed the historical roots of systemic racism.  Throughout the presentation, she provided opportunities for students to share in table groups or with partners about their own identities and experiences in relation to race — including colorism and the idea of race as a social construct. 

Attendees were all members of the Student Equity Committee, which comprises 50 Gunn students who work with the administration to recognize, discuss and act on equity disparities. There are currently six members on the committee board, and students can join the committee after introductory training. The committee also has six subcommittees — cultural event planning, curriculum planning, review and audit, outreach to middle schools, shared learning experiences and communication — that target different aspects of equity to achieve the committee’s larger goals. The committee holds quarterly meetings in addition to the equity trainings. 

According to Assistant Principal Courtney Carlomagno, who advises the committee, the group works on projects to raise student and staff awareness, discusses larger equity-related decisions with administrators and makes the committee’s vision statement. This year, the committee also created the See Something, Say Something form, which allows students to report discrimination and harassment.

The Student Equity Committee has worked with Watson — founder of the organization Race-Work, which aims to cultivate anti-racist leadership — for three years.  Two trainings held earlier in the school year, as well as the March 14 training, comprise Watson’s “L.A.W. Three-Phase Transformation Approach” to address racism and improve representation. 

According to Watson, the first phase is the “learning” phase, in which students think more closely about  race in their lives. The second phase, the “articulating” phase, equips students with the language and tools they need to talk about race. The last phase is the “working” phase, in which students  transform their insights into actionable plans.

In this meeting, part of the “working” phase, students reflected on foundational principles introduced in the two previous meetings, which focused on “learning” and “articulating.” They were encouraged to think deeply about the causes of racial inequities and brainstorm potential action projects.

As in past meetings, Watson aimed to hear from students with different backgrounds.

“What they’re describing are a lot of experiences that they’re having where they do feel marginalized or discriminated against, but they just haven’t had a space to be able to talk about it in a real way,” she said. “And so what this does is give them a space to share, and for us to just be able to process through some things so (students) realize there’s nothing wrong with them.”

According to committee board member junior Nia Porter, the broader agenda of the training is to equip students with tools for activism.

“We always talk about the different parts of activism (and we have) a couple of alliterations for us to remember, like ‘dodge discomfort’ or ‘lean in to listen and learn,’” she said. “We also look at this intersection with mind, body, spirit and heart, and then talk about where we already are in terms of interactions (to) make sure we’re centered.”

The racial equity training meetings will continue to occur three times per school year as the Student Equity Committee gains further traction. Committee member and attendee junior Deegan Trainor believes that meetings can be more impactful with increased student input.

“The meeting broadened my understanding about the magnitude of equity issues, especially their prevalence at Gunn among both students and faculty,” he said. “However, expanding the reach of the committee to a broader audience and encouraging participation from students less familiar with the committee can benefit and enrich these discussions more.”

Ultimately, Watson’s primary goal at Gunn, in cooperation with the Student Equity Committee, is to cultivate anti-racist mindsets. 

“My attempt with the Equity Committee is to really help them become anti-racist,” she said. “It’s just about developing some racial literacy and elevating their own personal racial consciousness, (like) being able to recognize how racism shows up on campus and the world around them and collectively be a capacity to disrupt how racism flourishes untouched.”

While the studio has produced successful films in the Multiverse Saga, such as 2021’s “Spider-Man: No Way Home” — which accumulated over $1 billion in the box office and received a 93% critical rating — many viewers have noticed and criticized the lower quality of more recent projects. Two of the three Marvel films released in 2023 received relatively low critic and fan ratings. According to Rotten Tomatoes, “The Marvels” garnered a 62% critical consensus while “Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania” received a mere 46%. Conversely, 2017’s “Thor: Ragnarok” received a 93% and 2018’s “Black Panther” attained a 96%.

While English teacher Terence Kitada, who worked as a Marvel intern in 2007, believes that multiple plotlines branching out with no clear connection is contributing to the films’ decline in popularity.

“(Currently, there are) these weird and disconnected storylines,” he said. “In the Infinity Saga, it’s all building towards one story, and so (there was) a clear story arc. Now it’s like, ‘Oh hey, here’s “The Eternals” if you want that, and here’s “Shang-Chi” or “She-Hulk.”’ Do they connect? ‘No, but let’s just keep on making things and see what happens.’”

Senior Jeri Lieberman-Evans believes that Marvel’s historical popularity is difficult to maintain after multiple successful projects with many different plotlines and characters.

“Part of (the decline) could be the general opinion is changing because Marvel is such a big film franchise,” she said. “When they make good movies, they’re overhyped and when they’re bad, like ‘Morbius,’ they get overhyped in the other direction.”

Furthermore, Marvel’s traditional role as the superhero trendsetter, coupled with its release of mediocre films and television shows, has contributed to a phenomenon called “superhero fatigue.” Though Marvel set a high standard with several blockbusters, recent declines in its films’ overall quality have exhausted cliches and are beginning to wear out fans and viewers.

Since the finale of “Avengers: Endgame” in 2019, there have also been departures of multiple actors at the heart of the franchise, including Chris Evans (Captain America), Scarlett Johansson (Black Widow) and Robert Downey Jr. (Iron Man). The legacies of these actors are etched into Marvel’s history, and the studio has had difficulties establishing new central characters since.

While Marvel has not been successful in box offices recently, there is time and hope for the franchise to return to its previous success. Indeed, some of Marvel’s staple attractions remain: Marvel Club President senior Kaitlyn Gonzales points to the franchise’s ability to transport viewers to fictional worlds.

“I feel like the characters have a lot of versatility when it comes to putting (fans) in their position or identifying with them,” she said. “(The franchise) also serves as an escape from reality. In everyday life, you’re not going to face a supervillain that has powers.”

With the highly anticipated release of “Deadpool & Wolverine” this summer, Marvel will look to reset and transition the franchise into a new phase.

“There’s still an appetite in the sense that people still watch (Marvel) movies,” Kitada said. “However, (Marvel writers and directors) have to find a different way to capture the audience or go in a different direction.”

The precise method of achieving this goal, however, varies: The French high school system requires students to choose a specialty before they graduate, while South Korean high school students’ academic futures depend almost solely on a single exam. While the American public school system is often criticized for its lack of rigor, its advantages are indisputable: By allowing students to explore their interests throughout high school and emphasizing personal development, American public schools provide valuable opportunities for pupils to grow.

The U.S. school system gives students time to develop their academic interests before deciding a career path. Some European countries’ education systems, on the other hand, emphasize specialization and career preparation in high school. For instance, students in France attend three years of high school, which culminates in the “baccalauréat” exam. Students can take the technology or general exam to attend university, or take the professional exam to begin working. This exam forces students to choose a field of study to focus on during high school, restricting options further down the line: Once they choose their concentration, choices of possible college majors and careers become limited. Students who lose interest in their chosen subject have their futures strongly impacted, and they may face stress and regret as they make the difficult choice of changing career paths.

On the other hand, the U.S. school system allows students to change their interests and areas of focus in high school — and even college. High schoolers aren’t expected to choose a concentration, and instead take classes across disciplines all four years of high school: Gunn, for example, requires students to take Visual/Performing Arts and Career Technical Education courses to graduate. Beyond high school, many U.S. colleges allow students to switch majors. According to 2017 data from the National Center for Education Statistics, part of the Department of Education, around a third of college students switch their majors within three years of enrollment. Young adults are often uncertain about their futures, and U.S. schools allow space for that.

The American education system also strongly encourages students to explore their interests through non-academic avenues. Extracurricular activities help develop existing interests and spark new ones. Activities like sports, clubs or volunteering help students apply their knowledge in real-world settings. Students under the U.S. school system are thus more likely to pursue career options they enjoy because they have a stronger sense of their interests.

By stressing non-academic learning, the U.S. school system avoids the pitfalls of focusing solely on academic performance. Take the South Korean education system, which determines students’ capabilities and qualifications for further education by their performance on a single eight-hour-long intensive exam, the “Suneung.” The difficulty and importance of the exam creates a competitive, toxic environment for students. Pressured by the goal of academic excellence, students neglect their personal development throughout high school. According to a 2020 study published in the General Psychiatry journal by University of Melbourne researcher Jiacheng Liu, 12% of adolescent suicides in South Korea were due to academic stress.

The paths each student decides to pursue should be tailored to what they are comfortable with, not what society expects them to do. Many other countries fail to address the external factors that may cause students to decide against enrolling in a four-year college, while the flexibility of the American school system enables holistic evaluations.

Ultimately, the American school system best prepares students for life. Although some may believe it isn’t rigorous enough, it allows students to make important decisions for their futures at a time when they are ready. While it may not be perfect, its academic flexibility and extracurricular options create the best environment for students to flourish.

At Gunn, holiday pieces are a staple in the music department. In addition to preparing for the annual winter concert in December, the Gunn choir puts on holiday-themed community performances. Their holiday setlist consists of traditional carols alongside. newer commissioned pieces such as “Home for Hanukkah” by Raphael Bob-Waksberg, which was written specifically for the Gunn choir.

Choir teacher Angelina Fitzhugh emphasizes the importance of being conscious and inclusive of different cultures in the music community.

“We make sure that there’s always going to be Hanukkah representation and (that we perform) music not just from the Western (world),” she said.

Fitzhugh also believes that performing holiday music brings a sense of continuity and comfort to her choir students.

“It’s only a tiny portion of what we do, but most students really enjoy singing and performing those holiday tunes, especially the ones that we’ve done year after year,” she said.

In her school choir, Fitzhugh sang for people in retirement homes, a memorable experience that united different generations.

“(For me,) it was an interesting piece as a teenager to see people I considered super old to have (a similar positive) experience I was having and to enjoy the music in the same way I was enjoying it,” she said.

Holiday music also reminds people of joyful times. In a 2020 news article, Biola University Music Therapy Professor Ronald Borczon explained that famous holiday melodies, often connected with happy moments, are ingrained in people’s memories. Sophomore Matteo Carbone’s experience reflects this phenomenon.

“I was in first grade, and my brother was in kindergarten,” he said. “We (played) music on a speaker, and we were dancing around the house (during) most of Christmas,” he said.

Similarly, nostalgic holiday hits such as Mariah Carey’s “All I Want for Christmas Is You” and Justin Bieber’s “Mistletoe” help junior Leilani Griffin transition into the holiday season.

“(Holiday music) puts me in the holiday spirit and (gets me) ready for Christmas,” she said. “(It) has warm and cozy feelings — like emotions attached to an exact memory of good moments in time. It makes me think of memories with my family and friends, which makes me happy (and want to) build a snowman or make snow angels.”

Carbone, too, appreciates the uplifting feel of holiday music while hearing it in public areas, though he doesn’t proactively listen to it.

“I celebrate Christmas, so (hearing holiday music) is nice,” he said. “(Some songs are) very relaxing and others are very joyful overall, and (it puts) me in a happier mood.”

Some say that holiday music is overplayed and near-impossible to escape during the winter. The key to maximum enjoyment of holiday music, therefore, is a tailored approach. Fitzhugh, who worked in retail as a teenager, recalled the frustrating experience of repeatedly listening to the same 10 songs every day.

“I was done with it,” she said. “I can imagine (how it) still affects people who are forced to listen to it because of where they work. There are certain songs that really trigger people, and they’re like, ‘If I have to hear that song again, I’m going to lose it.’ (It’s) true for any song if it’s overplayed, but this particular set of music is only played in this time frame of the year, so it’s amplified.”

Still, as an integral element of the holiday season, holiday music is a powerful way to cherish the past, celebrate diverse cultures and improve overall well-being.

“There’s so many memories attached to holiday music (we hear throughout our) whole life,” Fitzhugh said. “Sharing those memories and having that shared experience with others brings (us) together.”

Rapper Travis Scott released his highly anticipated fourth studio album, “UTOPIA,” on July 28. Over the album’s 19 tracks, Scott guides listeners through a musical journey exploring the subjectiveness of a perfect world. With impeccable production and a star-studded feature list, this album is a strong contender for the Album of the Year award.

The album’s rollout was lengthy and sporadic, partially due to legal controversy following Scott’s Astroworld Festival, which resulted in numerous attendee deaths and injuries. Additionally, his legendary “ASTROWORLD,” released five years ago, set a high bar for “UTOPIA.”

Scott brought back fan-favorite hidden features, rewarding listeners with thrilling surprises such as Drake’s appearance on “MELTDOWN,” an experience comparable to the shock of hearing his iconic verse on “SICKO MODE” five years ago. Although Scott’s recent features on albums like Metro Boomin’s “HEROES & VILLAINS” and Don Toliver’s “Love Sick” were impressive, he missed the mark with his verses when it came to his own album. Scott was simply outperformed by collaborators — especially SZA, with her levitation-inducing vocals on “TELEKINESIS,” and 21 Savage on “TOPIA TWINS.”

Scott likely prioritized having a well-produced album over focusing on his own rapping. His production conforms to his usual psychedelic style, combined with dark, atmospheric synth. Listeners may also notice the influence of Ye (formerly known as Kanye West): Aside from the tracks he helped produce, like “GOD’S COUNTRY,” the album shares a similar overall sound to Ye’s 2013 album, “Yeezus,” which Scott collaborated on. Although Scott’s rapping wasn’t in its usual upper echelon, he has mastered the skill of curation, as seen by his guest collaborators and the variety of different sounds. Topped with seamless transitions and artful beat switches, the production of “UTOPIA” sets it at a level above many other recent albums in the genre.

Gallery • 3 Photos

Chloe Wu

Senior Ellie Yuan holds the ball up to the goal to shoot.

Last fall, former Forum Editor Carly Liao joined the tennis team. Then, during the winter season, In-Depth Editor Becca Wu fought her way through wrestling practice. Most recently, former Lifestyle Editor Michael Zhang documented his experience on the track and field team. Now, I’m diving into the Staff Sports series by joining the girls water polo team.

I initially considered joining the golf, football or volleyball teams. However, I wanted to push myself out of my comfort zone even more by joining an extremely physically demanding team sport that I, as a tennis player, hadn’t tried before. Previously, I had read on Bleacher Report, a sports-culture website, that water polo is the “hardest sport in the Olympics” because of the endurance, agility and physicality it requires. I set out to see for myself.

As the day of my first practice inched closer, I anxiously awaited my walk to the Gunn pool. I managed to find a swimsuit to use after digging through my closet, and I read articles about the basic rules of water polo in preparation for my undertaking. All that was left to do was show up.

As soon as I got to the practice, I immediately noticed the high energy and team camaraderie. After a brief team talk, in which both the coach and players pitched in to discuss formations, strategies and improvements for the team, everyone jumped up to grab caps and goggles. It was time to get in the water.

I jumped into the pool for warmups with little thought, unaware of my current swimming capabilities. I started by swimming laps at my own pace across the pool, focusing on freestyle and breaststroke, two commonly used strokes in water polo. However, I quickly realized that I had completely lost my swimming stamina — my former years as a competitive swimmer had failed me. While I was able to swim laps without extensive breaks (or drowning), I wasn’t very fast, and other swimmers lapped me numerous times.

To my relief, the team transitioned into the second part of warmups: legs. We practiced the eggbeater kick — underwater kicks that mimic the circular motions of an eggbeater — to loosen our legs and stay afloat. Although I had done the kick in the past, it soon became tiring: My feet and legs grew sore as I put every ounce of energy into staying afloat.

After warmups, we practiced passing. I learned how to “dry” pass — passing the ball from one hand to the other so that it doesn’t touch the water. It took an extreme amount of effort and strength to simultaneously tread water and catch and throw a ball, but every successful trial was rewarding.

Worn out in the first half hour and desperate for a break, I latched onto the water polo cage (lingo for the water polo goal) and almost tipped the whole thing over. Thankfully, my new water polo friends gave me a pool noodle to stay afloat on for the rest of the drill.

As if I wasn’t already tired enough, I soon participated in jousting, a drill in which everyone treads water in a circle, holding a ball with one hand while trying to knock down others’ balls with the other. Jousting truly revealed the physicality of water polo: As I tried knocking someone’s ball out of their hands, I was shoved underwater, kicked and subsequently swum over. It was a humbling moment, especially because no one else seemed fazed by the drill’s roughness.

Though I was a little beaten up, I was excited to start shooting. The coach split us into positions around the cage to practice, and I soon discovered that shooting depended more on precise aiming than I had anticipated. Even though I made fewer than half of my shots, it was exhilarating to be able to rise out of the water and throw my hardest. The team was really encouraging, cheering me on and giving me advice for improvements after each attempt. I spent the rest of practice focusing on shooting, and I slowly fell into a rhythm.

After spending two hours in the water, getting out of it was an otherworldly experience. Unable to feel my feet or legs, I felt as if I were levitating. The pain, however, quickly dispelled this feeling: I could instantly feel soreness in my shoulders. Exhausted, I thanked the team and stumbled away to my car.

Not surprisingly, I could barely walk the next morning. Nevertheless, I was eager to go back to the pool. Two days later, I was back for round two. We started off practice with warmups again — first swimming, followed by eggbeater kicks to get our legs warm. I was getting the hang of it: This time, I threw and caught without the additional support of a pool noodle. With the help of a few players, I learned how to fake shots to throw the goalie off balance by adjusting hand and arm positions while rotating my shoulder.

Later in the practice, to my surprise, the coach allowed me to participate in a scrimmage. Though I still struggled to consistently stay afloat, I was excited to try out offensive and defensive positions while focusing on my technique. I practiced dry and wet passes (passes that land on the water in front of the recipient), shooting at the cage, defending and setting up attacking plays.

When practice came to an end, I witnessed two Gunn girls water polo rituals: birthday leapfrogging and “Flop
Friday.” The birthday tradition involves each team member’s putting their hands on the birthday girl’s shoulders and leapfrogging over her as she kicks to stay afloat. “Flop Friday” — the less distressing tradition of the two — entailed everyone’s lining up and belly flopping into the water like dominoes.

After two practices and about five intense hours of water polo, I can indeed confirm that it might just be the hardest sport. As someone who has participated in sports for many years, I was blown away by the sheer intensity and physicality of water polo. To all water polo players out there, I have nothing but the utmost respect for you all.

The team atmosphere of water polo is also truly unmatched. I really appreciated the team’s efforts to support one another — from encouraging comments like “nice shot” to suggestions and advice on how to improve team tactics and individual technique. Water polo may have been exhausting, but I don’t regret my decision a bit. For all those who are considering joining a sport or trying out new hobbies or extracurriculars (and at the risk of sounding like a Nike ad): Just do it. You will gain unforgettable experiences and meet lots of new people. Don’t be afraid to venture out of your comfort zone and try something new.