The Student News Site of Palo Alto High School

The Paly Voice
The Student News Site of Palo Alto High School

The Paly Voice
The Student News Site of Palo Alto High School

The Paly Voice
Andrew Zhao

Andrew Zhao, Culture Editor

Andrew Zhao (Class of 2026) joined The Voice in his sophomore year and enjoys playing tennis and water polo.

All content by Andrew Zhao
Viking sophomore and outside hitter Maura Hambly returns the ball during the second set of the Vikings' 3-1 victory over the Los Altos Eagles. According to Eagles senior setter Sophia Costa, the Eagles focused on never giving up. "Our mindset was probably just to get as many points as possible, and play our hardest no matter how big the point different is," Costa said.

Vikings triumph over Eagles on Senior Night

Andrew Zhao and Kevin O'Brien
November 1, 2024
Chris Colohan is running for PAUSD school board. According to Colohan, many campaigns for school board are looking for interns. "Many of the campaigns are happy to hire interns," Colohan said. "So if you find a candidate who really resonates with you, just ask them, hey, are you looking for interns?"

Board candidate Colohan connects with students directly

Kevin O'Brien and Andrew Zhao
October 29, 2024
Juniors struggle to pass the water in the water bucket challenge during a Tuesday rally at Palo Alto High School. According to junior Ginwalla, the juniors had a lot of confidence heading into the lunch rally. "I'm super confident, we got this in the bag," Ginwalla said.

Seniors dominate second lunch rally with water buckets, donuts

Andrew Zhao and Kevin O'Brien
October 16, 2024
Viking defender Natalie Dymmel chases down Bruins junior Gabriella "Gigi" Gonzalez in the second half of the game at the Earl Hansen Football Stadium, Monday Oct 7th. According to Viking junior wide receiver and defensive back Danica Chew, the team played solid defense but occasionally struggled with making progress on the field. “Our defense was so good today, they were pulling those flags really fast,” Chew said. “I think our offense needs to work on some shorter passes.”

Flag Football falls to Bruins in defensive brawl

Alex Chang and Andrew Zhao
October 11, 2024
Gunn senior Rhea Josyula performs her new song "I'll Be Fine," which debuted just two weeks ago. According to freshman Shaoie Chan Chordia, she enjoyed Josyula's performance. "I loved the original song," Chan Chordia said. "She's a really good singer."

Open Mic Night fosters creativity

Andrew Zhao, Culture Editor
October 10, 2024
The Cali Gold BBQ sandwich (right), Chicken Nuggets (left), and House-made Iced Tea make a perfect meal at Starbird.

Review: Starbird Chicken: The new go-to spot for Paly students?

Andrew Zhao and Amani Fossati-Moiane
October 7, 2024
Senior middle blocker Naama Green defends against University Devil's outside hitter Lilian Bongiorno in the Vikings' third match of the season at home, where the Vikings won 3-0. According to Green, improving after the first set helped the Vikings win the match. "What I think we did well was not letting the first set affect us for the other sets by bringing that energy, and fighting to get a lead and win the game," Green said.

Girls volleyball sweeps Devils

Andrew Zhao and Kevin O'Brien
September 10, 2024
Viking junior defender Max Newman pokes at Bear sophomore Attacker Carey Wolf in the Vikings' second match against the Menlo Atherton High School Bears. According to Viking head coach Ed Hattler, the Vikings are working on building up a love for the sport. "We're trying to build the culture, we're trying to build the level of play," Hattler said. "We're trying to get younger guys in and excited about lacrosse."

Vikings suffer second loss to Bears

Kevin O'Brien and Andrew Zhao
May 8, 2024
Verbatim: Students prepare for Advanced Placement testing

Verbatim: Students prepare for Advanced Placement testing

Andrew Zhao and Alex Chang
May 5, 2024
Student pulls festive float along University Avenue in last year's May Fete Parade. This year, Palo Alto residents are expecting an even more vibrant display as the parade celebrates its centennial milestone. According to LeDrew, there are fun activities planned for people to look forward to. "We're gonna have some special things," LeDrew said. "I don't want to giveaway the surprise so folks can enjoy that, but it's gonna be a great fun day here in Palo Alto."

May Fete Parade century celebration

Allison Ma and Andrew Zhao
May 4, 2024
Viking junior Sam Janik avoids a Panther defender in the third quarter against the Burlingame High School Panthers. According to Viking junior Oliver Chancellor, the Vikings did a good job of supporting each other throughout the game. "We made sure that whether someone makes a mistake, we bring each other up instead of breaking us down," Chancellor said. "Sometimes things can get a little heated, so you need to take that energy into constructive criticism."

Viking offense overpowers Panthers

Andrew Zhao and Alex Chang
April 21, 2024
Audio visual engineer Justin Price tries the apple vision pro for the first time. According to Price, he likes how personalized the Vision Pro is for each individual. "For this particular device, it's as if it's meant just for the person, even in terms of how the setup was after they took my glasses and got my prescription, it's really awesome." Price said. (Photo: Evan Chien)

Apple Vision Pro: More than just a toy?

Evan Chien and Andrew Zhao
April 12, 2024
Zhen attempts to stop Po's sneeze in "Kung Fu Panda 4." According to "Kung Fu Panda 4" director Mike Mitchell, the creation of another two sequels on top of "Kung Fu Panda 4" is very possible. (Photo: DreamWorks)

‘Kung Fu Panda 4’: Made for the wrong audience

Evan Chien and Andrew Zhao
April 12, 2024
Verbatim: Student reactions to 2024 March Madness

Verbatim: Student reactions to 2024 March Madness

Kevin O'Brien and Andrew Zhao
April 11, 2024
Eagle senior outside hitter Aidan Cuppett hits a deadly serve in the first set between the Vikings and the Los Altos High School Eagles. The Vikings were unable to defend against the Eagles' outside hitters leading to a 3-0 defeat. According to Cuppett, his offense as well as the communication between the Eagles helped them pull off this victory. "I think my attacking was pretty good, but also just like communicating with some of the teammates on like, what they need to do is pretty good," Cuppett said.

Eagles sweep Vikings in boys’ volleyball

Kevin O'Brien and Andrew Zhao
April 4, 2024
Viking junior Henry Harding throws a pitch Friday in the Vikings’ second game of the year against the Los Altos High School Eagles. Despite a strong finish, the Vikings weren’t able to close the gap, leading to a 3-12 loss to the Los Altos High School Eagles. According to the Eagles head coach Gabriel Stewart, the game against the Vikings the day before helped the Eagles mentally prepare. "I told the guys, you have to be prepared because they're a great team," Stewart said. "They're gonna be fiery, and you have to match their intensity. And luckily today we did."(Photo: Andrew Zhao)

Viking baseball shut down by Eagles

Kevin O'Brien and Andrew Zhao
March 19, 2024
Viking sophomore Charlotte Barclay defends against Carlmont High School Scots player in the Vikings' fifth game of the season. Despite a rocky start to their season, the Vikings played strong, winning 19-10 over the Carlmont High School Scots. According to Viking sophomore Natalie Dymmel, she loved the intensity and the confident mindset of the Vikings. "I definitely love the drive and the energy. They're also supportive even if we lose the ball,"Dymmel said. "They're cheering you on, even from the sidelines, you can hear them from across the field." (Photo: Andrew Zhao)

Vikings girls’ lacrosse gains first victory of season over Scots

Kevin O'Brien and Andrew Zhao
March 14, 2024
With the score tied up midway through the fourth quarter, Viking junior point guard Gavin Haase scores a shot over a Ripon High School Indian during a game Tuesday at home. After a tough first half, the Palo Alto Viking boys’ basketball team made a comeback win against Ripion High School to advance to the second round of the California Interscholastic Federation State Boys Basketball Championships. According to Viking Head Coach Jeff LaMere, this team has worked hard to lead up to these moments. “To compete in the state tournament is incredibly gratifying,” LaMere said. “It's a dream come true as a player and a coach. That's what these programs strive for.” (Photo: Andrew Zhao)

Vikings narrowly defeat Indians in first round of CIF State Championships

Andrew Zhao and Kevin O'Brien
February 29, 2024
Palo Alto High School Viking senior Alaap Nair defends against a Carlmont High School Scots player during its first Central Coast Section single elimination game on Tuesday. The Vikings won 59-52 against the Scots in a tight game with a combined total of 20 3-pointers. Vikings coach Jeff LaMere said the Vikings played a consistent game and were able to keep the intensity up through the critical match. “We want to be energy givers, not energy takers,” LaMere said. “Regardless of how many minutes you're playing, whatever you're doing, you're on the bench or in the game, be an energy giver.” (Photo: Andrew Zhao)

Vikings defeat Scots in CCS quarterfinals

Kevin O'Brien and Andrew Zhao
February 21, 2024
Viking freshman shooting guard Eliana Miao prepares to pass to sophomore point guard Camryn Ogawa during the second quarter of the game against the Monta Vista Matadors Friday night at home. The Vikings' defeat by the Matadors marks their 22nd consecutive loss of this season, with no games won. According to Miao, the young Viking team is still learning how to play as a team. "We're all just going to keep practicing together," Miao said. "We're going to begin to come together as a team, talking a lot more on defense, cheering each other on, and just being calmer with the ball." (Photo: Evan Chien)

Vikings growing through epic losing season

Evan Chien and Andrew Zhao
February 12, 2024
Palo Alto High School 9th grader left back Ellie Knott prepares to run after the ball during the girl's varsity soccer game on Tuesday at home. The Vikings won, 2-1, against the Falcons, keeping the Vikings at third in the league. According to Viking sophomore center back Reyes Aronson, the Vikings play solidly as a unified team. "I feel like our team together as a whole played really good," Aronson said. "We were switching it really well, keeping the ball, ... doing things we should be doing." (Photo: Andrew Zhao)

Girls’ soccer edges out Falcons

Nathan Jiang and Andrew Zhao
January 31, 2024
Board of Education members Jennifer DiBrienza and Jesse Ladomirak during a board meeting on Oct. 27. Ladomirak, the former vice president, was appointed as board president during a board meeting on Dec 12th. According to Ladomirak, the district is equipped with the right tools to ensure that all students can achieve academic success. “We have resources, we have a well educated community, and there's a certain level of success,” Ladomirak said. “I continue to believe that in public education, schools should be judged by how well you do educating the students who have the least amount of privilege too.” (Photo: Kensie Pao)

New board president to promote diverse student culture

Celina Lee and Andrew Zhao
January 24, 2024
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