“There’s something lost in translation of the choices of using the comparison of bread and the board because bread-making is a difficult task,” she said. “You have a larger appreciation for the derivation of the expression if you know the literal meaning as well as what the expression figuratively means.”

Another example of a phrase that loses its richness when translated is the Vietnamese saying “lá lành dùm lá rách,” which translates to “good leaf shelters torn leaf.” The expression has become a resounding message of empathy and solidarity among Vietnamese people, according to Vietnamese Culture Club Vice President sophomore Chilton Chau.

“The actual meaning of this is that good people will support and protect those who are vulnerable or in need,” he said. “The more fortunate people should try to help everybody else out, especially those less fortunate.”

Vietnam’s largely agricultural and rice-dependent culture imbues this saying with additional meaning, since popular rice dishes consumed during holidays like T?t are wrapped in tree leaves and steamed. When torn leaves are reinforced with whole leaves, the rice cakes inside will not crack. This imagery advises people to lend a compassionate helping hand, an aspect those unfamiliar with Vietnamese culture may not catch.

Chau also believes that a reliance on nature most distinguishes Vietnamese sayings from English ones.

“If you see Vietnam, there’s a lot of trees, and it’s tropical and warm,” Chau said. “Because Vietnamese people have always been surrounded by nature and trees, I think that’s where these phrases come from — living as one with the environment.”

Meanings lost in translation also pose an issue when it comes to internationally best-selling novels that have found their way into the Western market, including Fyodor Dostoevsky’s “Crime and Punishment.” Cultural differences can sometimes be muddled in pursuit of a “pure” translation, challenging not only translators of these texts but also their readers.

For instance, when English teacher Diane Ichikawa tried to describe protagonist Rodion Romanovich Raskolnikov’s giddy nature to a Russian-speaking friend, she found that a one-word characterization in Russian took at least a sentence or two in English.

“Culture and language are intertwined inextricably,” Ichikawa said. “There’s no way to be able to translate from one very different culture to another different culture with ease and facility.”

That said, Ichikawa believes that technological advancements have weakened, if not removed, the barrier of cultural differences.

“In the 1970s and 80s, there was this explosion of multicultural literature,” she said. “You had people who were trying to write about their cultural experiences in English but they would do this thing where they would say something in, for example, Chinese and then in parentheses next to it, translate it into English. Now, I think the trend is that — especially because we have search engines at the tips of our fingers — if we read something in another language and we don’t quite get it, if we are that invested in it, we have the ability to look it up.”

While her initial push to dance came from her mom, Rajan has appreciated the opportunity to connect with her Indian heritage and understand Indian mythology. With her passion, however, has come the
toll of a distorted body image, perpetuated by deeply rooted body and beauty standards in the Bharatanatyam dance community.

“Body-wise, I do think a lot of the dancers that are seen on stage are skinnier, and your teachers are constantly trying to make sure you’re staying fit,” Rajan said. “There’s also a stigma around height — if you’re taller, it’s harder to look ‘cleaner,’ and so they put a lot more pressure on you to not appear as lanky.”

Rajan recalled practicing a dance position called “Aramandi” that — like a plié — calls for dancers to bend low to the ground. Her taller teammates were forced to sit even lower to appear smaller.

“It’ll look like you’re not even in the position if you’re a taller dancer, whereas as a shorter person, it’s a lot easier to get away with it,” Rajan said.

Bharatanatyam costumes occasionally show the midriff, and Rajan has noticed how tops are tied to create a cinching effect, mimicking a corset. Bharatanatyam costuming has further perpetuated unhealthy body standards in an attempt to create the illusion of a larger bust: Rajan remembers performances for which makeup artists would advise her to pad underneath her blouse and drape.

“My mom thankfully vetoed that one,” she said. “There is always this pressure to not gain as much weight, so you look better. In the costume, you’re wearing four layers of clothing, so in the past when I’ve gained a little bit of weight, I’ve always looked in the mirror and thought to myself, ‘Now this piece fits weirdly here.’”

When Rajan works with makeup artists, she has noticed how they emphasize appearing paler on stage, using terms like “nicer,” “creamier” and “whiter.” When living in India from 2016-17, she noticed that this colorist ideal was intensified.

“In India especially, there’s always been a divide between darker and lighter skin, and when you’re more fair, people think it’s prettier to look at,” Rajan said.

As Rajan has continued her dance training, she has come to value her community as a support system.

“During harder performances, we all rely on each other and we all depend on each other for emotional support,” she said. “I’ve had rehearsals go to 12 a.m. or go for four or five hours. We’ve had to perform in really awful temperatures and heat, but we have each other’s backs, so it’s just a really good community.”

“We ended up contacting the original Gunn Style Watch because my sister knows the person who ran it, and we asked for the old logins so we could revive the actual original account,” Lamis said.

Lamis and Fong, who have been interested in style for years, recalled enjoying Crane’s posts. “I remember when Fae was running the revived account last year, I really wanted to be (featured) on it,” Fong said. “I’ve always been involved with clothing and fashion. I sew a lot.”

For Fong, this affinity for sewing and clothing creation runs in the family.

“Both my grandmothers were seamstresses when they came to the United States,” he said. “I also remember that my aunt used to make a lot of jewelry as a hobby. Right before freshman year, I decided to get a sewing machine, and my grandparents really helped me learn how to do the basics and everything.”

Beginning by altering his clothes, Fong eventually learned how to create his own clothing, and he plans to start selling clothes of his own brand in the near future.

Lamis’ work on the costume crew for Gunn’s performance-arts program has exposed her to a variety of styles beyond streetwear. A casual thrifter, she enjoys visiting the Goodwill bins in San Francisco to find unique pieces.

Both account managers aim to showcase individuality, choosing students whose confidence shines through their styles.

“Or we’re just looking for people we think look cool,” Fong said.

Q&A with Gunn Style Watch

�鶹��ӳ���: Favorite brand?

Beverly Lamis: “I’m into the Adidas hype right now, like the Sambas — even though they’re overhyped.”

Ollie Fong: “M��������.”

TO: Fashion trend out for the year?

BL: “I’m not a super big fan of bows, like the coquette style. Also (Nike) Air Forces.”

OF: “Adidas out. I’m also sick of seeing the black leggings with the white Nike socks and the Uggs.”

TO: Favorite fashion color palette?

BL: “I like seeing different shades of monochrome, and I wish Gunn had more of that. I also like neutrals, like greens and stuff.”

TO: Future fashion trend prediction?

OF: “I want to see loafers.”

On Dec. 12, students, staff and parents gathered in the library for Gunn Site Council’s biannual Data Night. During the meeting, they analyzed data sets to assess Gunn’s effectiveness in meeting the goals of the School Plan for Student Achievement and Western Association of Schools and Colleges. These data sets included student performance on standardized tests, surveys on well-being, grade reports, and Advanced Placement and honors course enrollment. 

This year, the CAASPP and iReady assessments saw participation rates of about 96% and 98%, respectively. CAASPP English Language Arts and math scores, while still higher than the state average, saw a slight decline from last year. Some groups attributed the drop to the over 10% increase in participation. Students and staff recommended stronger support for lower-scoring socioeconomically disadvantaged students, incentives for students to give their full effort on the test, possible short breaks between tests and CAASPP testing before junior year.

Data from the iReady assessment, which gauges students’ literacy levels, showed that the proportion of students reading at mid or above grade level decreased as grade level increased. Moreover, 69% of students needing an intervention didn’t have access to a support class. In response to these observations, groups proposed that the district increase awareness about  available support courses, provide more intervention classes, be more transparent with iReady score releases, and, as with the CAASPP test, create stronger incentives for students to take the test seriously. 

Junior Melinda Huang was among those who studied the iReady data. 

“We were pleasantly surprised at the high percentage of schoolwide participation,” she said. “As part of our brainstorm, we took notes on possibly seeking why students do not or have not accessed this support and how we can best address student needs.” 

Participants also discussed measures of student well-being. Data from the Panorama Survey, which documents students’ perception of their social-emotional skills and school environment, showed mostly upward trends in students’ cultural awareness, race-related discussion, respect from teachers and sense of belonging. However, students and staff noted low ratings in positive feelings, physical and psychological safety, availability of interest-based courses and support for underrepresented students in advanced classes. The Challenge Success survey, which also measures student well-being and engagement with learning, had similar results, with many students using adjectives such as “stressful” and “competitive” to describe Gunn.

Groups also looked at data from D/F/NM/I reports, which document the number of non-passing grades in subgroups of the student population.  This year saw a high distribution of “No Mark” grades compared to the other grade values because of new policies documenting an F grade as No Mark on student transcripts. Some participants argued that this shift created incentives for failing a course instead of working toward a D grade, which more drastically changes a student’s GPA. Students proposed documenting a D as Pass, which would allow those courses to be taken again over the summer.  

The last set of data comprised Advanced Placement and Honors course enrollment by grade and demographic for the 2023-24 school year. Following the 2020-21 school year, there has been an increase in AP/Honors enrollment, with the average senior taking three or more AP classes. However, groups questioned whether the data reflected completion or simply enrollment, given the high number of schedule changes and dropped classes each year. To support recruitment and retention of students in higher-level classes, some suggested conducting an exit survey to understand students’ motivations for dropping courses. 

With increased student participation from previous years, Data Night fostered a variety of perspectives and feedback. According to senior Maya Perkash, the meeting provided valuable insights into data influencing decisions related to equity, academic performance and well-being. 

“It was good to see how certain pieces of data that I wouldn’t think are actually representative of student needs are seen differently by other people,” she said. “I was particularly interested in seeing the data for mental wellness, how they utilize it to pull kids out for checkups.”

“My cultural identity has been relatively impactful on my life,” Cox said. “Because I live in the U.S., I feel as though it’s not as prominent as if I were living in a region (where it has) more influence.”

Cox is of Mayan descent. The Maya, an ethnic group made up of the indigenous peoples of Mesoamerica, live principally in Southern Mexico, as well as parts of El Salvador, Belize and Guatemala. Following the end of the Guatemalan Civil War in 1996, many Mayan refugees migrated to the U.S., settling in areas along the Sun Belt such as California and Florida. However, the U.S. did not — and still does not — officially recognize the Maya as a tribe. Cox thus has trouble identifying with the term “Native American.”

“It felt improper to consider myself Native American without being a part of a federally recognized tribe,” he said. “I am glad that I am able to talk about it because I’m sure I am not the only one who feels as though they are in the gray area.”

But Cox keeps reminders of his heritage in his home,
including woven artifacts such as tapestries, to preserve tradition.

“Community and family are incredibly important within the culture and are often expressed as such in artwork,” Cox said. “Even though many, including myself, have had a disconnection with the deep-rooted traditional culture, there are still artifacts that remain and are so predominant.”

Cox is most interested in reconnecting with Mayan history. While visiting Ecuador this past summer, he was struck by the vibrant cultural connection and traditional practices of the area’s indigenous people, who speak a Quechuan dialect called Kichwa.

“One thing that I am fascinated by is how tribes generally work,” Cox said. “You’re part of a family, you learn your ancestral connections and there’s so much diversity among the tribes.”

Cox believes in the importance of embracing Native American voices both within and outside of tribes.

“Everybody’s experiences are different,” he said. “Nobody can say what the predetermined Native American is, so I think that people should just ask to learn about different experiences.”

Amid the vibrant hues of autumn, fall holidays like Oktoberfest beckon with lively music, festive costuming and spirited celebrations of the season. The transitional period between the end of summer and beginning of winter marks the end of a growing season, giving rise to fall traditions and holidays with agricultural roots, including the Mid-Autumn Festival and Sukkot. Whether it’s through mooncakes and lanterns, sukkahs and harvest rituals, or beer and bratwurst, these festivals bring people together to cherish the richness of autumn and the joy of communal festivities.

Mid-Autumn Festival

Held on the 15th day of the eighth month of the Chinese lunar calendar, the Mid-Autumn Festival, on Sept. 29 this year, is celebrated across Asia in countries such as China, Japan, South Korea, Thailand and Vietnam. First established as an official holiday around 750 years ago during the Song Dynasty in imperial China, the roots of the Mid-Autumn Festival can be traced to the Shang Dynasty, 640 years prior.

Traditional Chinese folklore explains the story behind the Mid-Autumn Festival in many ways, but the most popular variation tells how the archer Hou Yi lost his wife, Chang’e. After shooting down nine suns that had brought drought and famine, Hou Yi was rewarded with an immortality elixir that his apprentice coveted. To prevent it from falling into the wrong hands, Chang’e drank the elixir herself, immediately becoming immortal and floating to the moon. In the years that followed, a heartbroken Hou Yi prepared a feast of his wife’s favorite delicacies and gazed at the moon on its fullest day in hopes of glimpsing her.

The historical ceremony the royal family conducted to thank the moon for guiding a successful harvest year has since evolved into a time of family gathering and reunion. According to Chinese Culture Club President senior Xiangxiang Bai, admiring the full moon during the festival ties in with its symbolism of reunion and harmony. “In the ancient times, the transportation system was not well maintained, so people would not be able to make it back home for the Mid-Autumn Festival,” she said. “Looking up at a common round moon was their way of spending time with family and friends.”

Sukkot

Sukkot (“booths” or “huts”), the weeklong Jewish holiday that gives thanks for the fall harvest, honors the temporary dwellings of Jewish people during their 40-year sojourn out of Egypt and through the Sinai desert, as told in the Torah.

Senior Emmi Ben Tovim remembers building a “sukkah,” a hut-like structure for sleep, eating and communion, while celebrating Sukkot in Israel. “Every year, my family and I would make a sukkah, which traditionally has three walls, and you leave the other side completely open so that people are welcomed in,” she said. “It has a roof that would be made with tree branches, and we’d have dinner in (the sukkah) throughout the week of Sukkot and invite family and friends over.”

Another important practice during Sukkot is shaking the “four species” — palm, myrtle and willow branches, collectively known as the “lulav,” and a citrus with a sweet, floral scent, known as “etrog” — in the four cardinal directions to bless the sukkah and the rainy season.

Oktoberfest

Oktoberfest, an annual two-week festival held from mid-September to the first Sunday of October, originated in 1810 to celebrate the marriage between Bavaria’s Crown Prince Ludwig and Princess Therese of Saxe-Hildburghausen. Ending right before German Reunification Day, it toasts to Bavarian culture with feasts, horse races, and of course, flowing pints of beer. While the main festival is held in Munich, Germany, large Oktoberfest celebrations also take place in Australia, Brazil, Canada and the U.S.

According to German teacher Claudia Schroeppel, Oktoberfest’s festivities and attractions appeal to many visitors. “There’s some traditional rides like the old carousel that have been refurbished to be able to run these days,” she said. “Now we even have carnival rides with roller coasters. It’s just grown and changed a bit over the years, but it’s still held at the same location.”

Oktoberfest also features restaurants and food tents that can hold up to 1,000 people, alongside bountiful beer gardens and breweries. “(Oktoberfest) has the family aspect where families will just go with their kids to get food, get little souvenirs, and everybody (is) in their traditional clothing, and there’s the other side of people who just go to watch the horse races and drink beer,” Schroeppel said.

Gunn held its own Oktoberfest celebration on Wednesday, Oct. 25. The event included games, food samples and German music, allowing students to learn more about German culture and history.

In 1982, the first week of October was designated as Banned Books Week. During that year, First Amendment and library activist Judith Krug worked with the Association of American Publishers to bring attention to banned books in America after a surge in the number of challenged works. Since then, every year, libraries, publishers, authors and schools around the country have celebrated the freedom to read. Click to read a multimedia package featuring Gunn staff members’ perspectives on the week.