Pumpkin Spice

Everyone has heard of pumpkin-spice lattes, but what exactly goes in them? Pumpkin spice is a spice mix comprising ground cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, cloves and allspice. Though pumpkin spice does not contain pumpkin, it is commonly found in pumpkin pies because it adds warmth and depth of flavor.

Apples

Although apples are picked all year long, they are ripest during fall. Of the thousands of apple varieties, Fuji apples are most commonly used in baking due to their lemony, honey-like flavor and crisp, firm texture. Golden Delicious apples are also known for their mellow but sweet flavor. Many chefs use a variety of apples to enrich taste and texture.

Brussels Sprouts

Brussels sprouts are seen year round but best for harvesting during the fall season. For those who enjoy eating brussels sprouts, they can be sauteed, roasted or baked with garlic and butter. Not only are they delicious, they are a good source of vitamins K and C.

Pumpkin

Pumpkins are seen everywhere during fall, in front of porches and doorways or as dessert after big Thanksgiving meals. Pumpkins are commonly used in pies, bread loaves, soups and tarts. While some like to use whole pumpkins for freshness, many prefer to use pumpkin puree for a sweeter and creamier result.

crucial to consider students’ varying learning styles
and personalities. When course policies are molded
specifically around students, it creates a comfortable
environment where all students feel motivated and are
genuinely interested in learning.
Courses that don’t accommodate different learning
paces can harm students by increasing stress and
decreasing academic performance. This dynamic was
seen in a study that measured New Orleans high school
students’ stress levels in 2018. Before taking the SAT,
which includes long periods of testing with short breaks
in between, researchers measured students’ levels of
cortisol, a stress-induced hormone. The results showed
that students with high cortisol patterns, and therefore
more stress, experienced an 80-point drop in SAT scores.
While stress can be self-induced, it is also promoted
by course inflexibility and restrictive policies. In the same
study, inherently strict testing environments resulted
in a decrease in student performance, since test-taking
abilities vary among students. A study conducted in 2020
by researchers in the Department of Psychiatry at the
University of Gondar found that 54.7% of high school
students experience test anxiety. Measuring a student’s

grasp of the material based on one test is unfair, since

students can experience anxiety, struggle to focus in high-
stakes environments or face burnout during extended

test-taking periods.
To combat this issue, courses can adopt more lenient
testing procedures. Allowing students to utilize their
learning materials during tests could help them feel
motivated to pay attention and take thorough notes.
Students can also be tested in several ways, such as
through group projects or presentations. In 2014, Eva
Chiriac, a researcher at the NIH, concluded in a study
that 97% of surveyed students preferred and felt more
comfortable in a group-work setting compared to a
restrictive testing one. Group projects and presentations
can reduce pressure and cultivate an environment of active
learning that’s motivated by genuine interest rather than
fear of failure. Test retakes are another way of increasing
coursework flexibility: Students are encouraged to truly
understand the material and learn from their mistakes
instead of disengaging from content due to low scores.
Course policies should adapt to students’ differences
rather than work against them to foster a community that
benefits all learners.

Lee didn’t start out strong in the sport, but after the COVID-19 pandemic hit, he saw more promising results. Badminton is both mentally and physically challenging, but Lee felt motivated after winning matches and seeing gradual improvement. “My coaches push me a lot, and sometimes I feel like, ‘Why do I even do this?’” he said. “But at the end of the day, if you train hard, then you’ll get results, so it’s rewarding. I don’t want all that hard work to go to waste.”

In 2021, Lee won the Badminton Pan American Junior Championships’ boys doubles division. The tournament, one of the largest in the U.S., was a big milestone for him.“That was the one time in badminton recently that I felt like I actually won because I worked so hard to get there, and it felt really good to succeed,” he said.

One of Lee’s most memorable childhood moments is when he broke his racket while playing with three friends. As the shuttlecock was tossed over the net, both Lee and a friend attempted to hit it. With high hopes, Lee took a big swing to return the shuttlecock to the other side, only to witness his racket making direct contact with the back of his friend’s head and falling to the ground in two pieces.

Lee said it was a challenge maintaining a positive attitude toward the sport during his first years few years of playing. He mentioned, however, that changing his mindset to be more optimistic boosted his playing. “Fixing that mindset and changing it to be more critical-thinking and positive helped me focus and become a better player,” he said.

Though Lee is fond of badminton, he has considered trying other sports, such as volleyball. Still, he plans to continue to play badminton competitively through high school and at a lower-commitment level in college. “I want to win Pan American Junior Championships again or play in the World Juniors,” he said.

The first thing that struck Tabares when she met Peña was the culture they shared. As they are both from Mexico, Tabares and Peña speak Spanish and share similar childhood experiences. “It was like seeing myself on campus,” she said. As she got to know Peña more, Tabares saw just how committed Peña was to her values. “She really meant business when it came to something that was important to her,” Tabares said.

When Peña first got to know Tabares, she knew right away that Tabares was sweet and kind. More interactions revealed how much Tabares cared about other people, especially her students. “She is a very big advocate for her students,” Peña said. “If her student is struggling with a staff (member) or classwork, she will always be talking to them and helping them out.”

Throughout their one-and-a-half years of friendship, Peña and Tabares have shared many meaningful memories together. One that stands out the most is chaperoning last year’s Prom. They took time before the dance to get dressed up in Tabares’ classroom. “We were getting ready with our little mirrors, putting makeup on and everything,” Peña said.

Another memorable moment they shared was when they met outside of school for the first time around Halloween in 2021. They dined together at Estrellita, a Mexican cuisine restaurant, on San Antonio Road. Peña was dressed as Princess Peach while Tabares was dressed as Mavis from “Hotel Transylvania.” Complete opposites costumes-wise, they still easily connected through their conversation.

Tabares values that their strong relationship is built on good communication. She explained that they are adept at seeing different perspectives and attempting to understand each other. “We just have a really good balance and are very open to each other’s feedback,” she said.

Peña values her friendship with Tabares because of the mutual love and humor that lies between them. Whenever one person is upset, the other manages to find a way to cheer them up, and they always end up laughing together. “I feel that we are very supportive of each other, knowing that she can come to me and I can go to her for anything,” Peña said. Tabares added that they intuitively understand each other, which connects them as well. “We can just look at each other and still say so much without actually saying anything,” she said.

Part of their closeness comes from seeing each other every day. Both Tabares and Peña share their appreciation for working at the same high school. For Tabares, it brings back past memories, as if she were back in high school again, attending classes with her close friend. Peña believes that having a close friend present on campus allows her to step away from work at times. “It’s really nice because I can connect my personal life with my work,” she said. “It’s the best of both worlds.”

As the years go on, both Peña and Tabares believe that their friendship will continue to stay strong. Even if one or the other decides to leave Gunn, they promise to make an effort to continue seeing each other and stay patient. “It will only get stronger,” Peña said.

When she first started, Sonehara was careful to produce content that didn’t overlap with the productivity or aesthetic-life content of many other YouTubers. “I didn’t want to do something that’s going to be really repetitive, because there is so much similar content and it gets boring,” she said.

Since Sonehara started her YouTube channel relatively recently, she attends Zoom classes and watches other YouTubers, such as Emma Chamberlain, for motivation and inspiration. The classes provide different techniques and types of painting styles for Sonehara to implement in her own content. “I’m still looking for my art style,” she said. “So right now I’m just experimenting with a bunch of different ones, and (the classes) guide me on what to do.”

Sonehara mostly films during her free time and is not too concerned about an irregular uploading schedule. Even though she enjoys filming content, she finds it difficult to be consistent with uploading videos when she is busy with schoolwork. Additionally, creating content on top of painting can prove time consuming. “It’s definitely time-consuming to film and edit everything, rather than just paint,” she said. Sonehara also finds being a content creator challenging because there are times when she can feel unmotivated or uninspired.

Sonehara’s favorite video on her channel is “Decorating My Wall with Art I Love,” released on Aug. 14, 2022. In the video, Sonehara decorates a part of her wall with some of her favorite art pieces, which include Monkey D. Luffy (a fictional character from the “One Piece” manga series), a drawing by her grandfather, a framed motivational quote written by her grandfather and photos of different buildings and landscapes. She also puts up a framed handlettering of her name in Japanese written by her grandfather and photos of people who contributed greatly to her life. According to Sonehara, each art piece shown on the video is deeply significant to her life. “The paintings have a lot of value behind them because every piece has a different meaning,” she said.

Another one of Sonehara’s favorite videos is “The Process of Painting for an Art Show,” published on Jan. 21. Sonehara talks about her struggles with mental health in response to the art show prompt of how mental health or race can affect relationships. In the video, she explains how her painting of two linked arms, with one of the arms disappearing at the top, represents the struggle of keeping promises and trusting individuals. Looking back on older videos has provided Sonehara with a new perspective on her art. “I can compare and contrast to see what I could have done better,” she said.

As Sonehara continues to grow her channel, she hopes expand her following and gain a clearer view of what kind of content she wants to make. “Reaching the right audience of people who are passionate about art as well is really my goal,” she said.

The origin of “Dia dos Namorados” dates back to 1948. Publicist João Doria was inspired by the Mother’s Day celebration in Brazil to dedicate a special day for lovers and improve sales for a clothing store. Today, there are many ways of celebrating ‘Dia dos Namorados,’ such as exchanging love-themed gifts or attending musical concerts. Some have romantic dinners with their partner and others organize heartfelt surprises.

Similar to celebrations in the United States (U.S.), Valentine’s Day in Chile, also known as “Dia de San Valentin” is celebrated on Feb. 14. Even though Valentine’s Day is not as widely celebrated in Chile compared to the U.S., the celebration is special as it is usually warm and sunny due to the country’s location in the Southern Hemisphere. According to Spanish teacher Teresa Nino-Oliva, the summer weather during Valentine’s Day in Chile allows people to engage in outdoor activities with their lovers. The summer weather also gives people in Chile more leisure time because there is no school during this time period. “Since it’s during summer vacation, there are lots of celebrations because the people do not have anything to do,” Nino-Oliva said.

Although Valentine’s Day is universally a time to spend time with one’s sweetheart, “Dia de San Valentin” is more open to celebrating with friends and family as well. “It’s called the day of ‘amor’ or ‘love’ and ‘friendship,’” Nino-Oliva said. “It’s not just romantic love but also the love for other people that you aren’t necessarily involved with romantically.”

According to sophomore Mia Besprosvanhow, “Dia de San Valentin” is not an event exclusive to adults and teenagers. At schools, candies are passed out to everyone, and many younger kids exchange small toys while older kids enjoy gifting roses and chocolates.