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The Student Newspaper of Oxford Academy

The Gamut

The Gamut

The Gamut

Kenzie Laing

Kenzie Laing, Arts & Entertainment Editor

Kenzie Laing, a junior, is entering her second year on The Gamut staff and is serving as the Arts and Entertainment Editor. After always liking writing as a child, she saw journalism as the perfect opportunity to publish her work and pursue stories, topics, and sections that she cares about. Inspired by different shows about journalism and movies like Legally Blonde, Kenzie likes to write across sections – from op-ed to sports – and she found her interest in the arts and entertainment section. She advises new writers not to be scared of asking questions, since that is how she learned the best and grew as a writer. Aside from The Gamut, Kenzie has gained leadership roles in FBLA’s Southern Section Board and ASB Senate, and also has fun hobbies like painting, running in cross country, figure skating, hockey, traveling, and reading. Also, Kenzie’s music taste ranges from the high-energy beats of Olivia Rodrigo and Charli XCX to soulful music like Frank Ocean. Although she isn’t excited for the struggles that junior year may bring, like SAT prep or AP tests, Kenzie does look forward to expanding her skills in The Gamut through podcasts, photography, and fresh story ideas that she can bring to life this year!

All content by Kenzie Laing

May Mixtape:

Kenzie Laing, Arts & Entertainment Editor May 13, 2026

Alt-Rock: “Can’t Stop” by Red Hot Chili Peppers A mesmerizing blend of funk and early 2000s alt-rock sound, this song is a late-night summer daze. Uplifting and high-energy in both lyric and beat it describes an unstoppable drive for creativity and musical expression; a quintessential teenage...

April Mixtape:

Kenzie Laing, Arts & Entertainment Editor April 17, 2026

Indie-Folk: “Spring Into Summer” by Lizzy McAlpine A poignant metaphor for healing, this track is the auditory equivalent to the bloom of warmer months after a period of hardship. Backed by a nostalgic and mellow, acoustic-driven sound mixed with electric guitars and subtle synthesizers, McAlpine’s...

RED ZONE & RED LINES: ICE and Bad Bunny headline the halftime. (Collage by Kenzie Laing)

Super Bowl LX reflects a nation divided beyond a football game

Kenzie Laing, Arts & Entertainment Editor March 18, 2026

The National Football League’s 60th national championship, Superbowl LX, took place on Sunday, Feb. 8. The Seattle Seahawks ultimately hoisted the Vince Lombardi trophy with a final score of 29-13 over the New England Patriots. However, amidst increasing national unrest regarding Immigration Control...

March Mixtape: The OA student mixtape

March Mixtape: The OA student mixtape

Kenzie Laing, Arts & Entertainment Editor March 18, 2026

Indie Folk: “The Great Divide” by Noah Kahan A departure from Kahan’s standard pure acoustic sound, roaring guitars and rock-infused instrumentation root this song. Kahan delivers a cathartically raw, passionate performance whilst diving into the nuances of altruism in long-lost friendships...


NEW YEAR NEW ME PT. II: Reevaluating, reworking, and re-sparking the light behind NY’s resolutions. (Collage by Kenzie Laing).

Taking back the next 330 days through your New Year’s Resolutions

Kenzie Laing, Arts & Entertainment Editor February 4, 2026

According to Pew Research Center 40-45% of Americans make New Year’s resolutions, but only 8-9% of them succeed by the end of the year. 31 days in, busy schedules and lack of true motivation make it hard to meet goals you were certain so you would. However, 31 does not equal 365 and February is your...

Mixtape February: Valentines TBD

Mixtape February: Valentines TBD

Kenzie Laing, Arts & Entertainment Editor February 4, 2026

Indie-Pop: “Friday I’m In Love” by The Cure Simplistic, romantic ecstasy in the form of a song capturing love as excitement and spontaneity. Built on distinctive bass lines, steady drumming, and layered guitars, Robert Smith’s uplifting vocals carry bright and chiming tones. The infectiously...

CHECKING OFF WISHLISTS: ASB members Carol Kim (12) and Evelyn Kim (9) sort through donated Bags of Hope.

Oxford ASB Partners with Bags of Hope

Aarya Halankar and Kenzie Laing December 12, 2025

Continuing their annual service project, Oxford’s Associated Student Body (ASB) partnered with the Bags of Hope Project to provide Christmas gifts to children in Anaheim experiencing or transitioning from homelessness. Collaborating with various clubs and organizations across campus, ASB collected...

December Mixtape: Whispers of the Winter

December Mixtape: Whispers of the Winter

Kenzie Laing, Arts & Entertainment Editor December 12, 2025

Indie-Pop: “Merry Christmas, Please Don’t Call” by The Bleachers  Snowflakes drift and chimes ring in a heart-aching holiday track. The Bleachers wrap bittersweet nostalgia in a melancholic yet shimmering ballad as echoey, somber vocals contract a cheerful, holiday beat clouded in synths. Poignant...

Mixtape November: Reveries of Dusk to Dawn

Mixtape November: Reveries of Dusk to Dawn

Kenzie Laing, Arts & Entertainment Editor November 21, 2025

Indie Pop: “Orange Juice” by Noah Kahan A slow ballad that builds into a cathartic, uptempo release, reflecting the shift in Kahan’s lyrical narrative from grief to healing. Its honest storytelling confronts nostalgia, healing, and grief: perfect for late-autumn introspection – the quiet clarity...

OA athletes rebound as they navigate the road to recovery

OA athletes rebound as they navigate the road to recovery

Kenzie Laing, Arts & Entertainment Editor October 29, 2025

When the final whistle blows, most people only see the game on the field: the scoresheets, the stats, the celebration. What they don’t see are the hidden battles and months of work athletes face when injuries derail their seasons. For many Oxford student athletes like Mindy Dang and Sadhvi Irava,...

Mixtape October: The Season of the Witch

Mixtape October: The Season of the Witch

Kenzie Laing, Arts & Entertainment Editor October 29, 2025

Title Track (Indie Pop): “Season of the Witch” by Lana Del Rey  Ethereal, cinematic, and melancholic, Del Rey’s whispery vocals complement a slow tempo for a hypnotic, spooky, atmosphere. Embodying the witch herself, this cover of Donovan’s original version embraces seductive eeriness.   Alternative...

OXFORD GOES GLOBAL: International exchange students Esther Li, Leo Zhang, and Tony Hoang cross cultures and build connection.

OA’s international students foster global connection

Kenzie Laing, Arts & Entertainment Editor September 24, 2025

Cypress, California may not be on many internationally acclaimed bucket lists, but for Oxford Academy’s newest international students, it presents a world of new opportunities. Students Esther Li, Leo Zhang, and Tony Hoang recount their experiences joining Oxford — a close knit community of students...

Mixtape: Soundtrack to September

Mixtape: Soundtrack to September

Kenzie Laing, Arts & Entertainment Editor September 24, 2025

Indie-Pop: “Linger” by The Cranberries Gentle and hypnotic, this track is a nostalgic and quietly heartbreaking fall classic. Guitar, strings, and light percussion ground Dolores O’Riordan’s floating voice in a romantic and cinematic approach. Repetition and chord progressions ‘linger’...

The AI Coup: Musk's integration of AI in the government threatens American ideals with unreliable motivations.

Musk’s AI coup runs far deeper than its guise of efficiency

Kenzie Laing, Arts & Entertainment Editor March 5, 2025

President Donald Trump and tech billionaire Elon Musk have embarked on a controversial initiative to integrate artificial intelligence (AI) into the federal government. Despite aiming for innovation and efficiency, the initiative threatens American ideals of equality, accountability, and democracy, raising...

Celebrate Friendship: Show appreciation for all the friends in your life with these Galentine’s day ideas

Galentine’s Day ideas to celebrate fun & friendships

Kenzie Laing and Aarya Halankar February 6, 2025

Although known as the holiday for romance, Valentine’s Day is a chance to appreciate all types of love and friendship. Originating from the popular NBC sitcom Parks and Rec, Galentine’s, celebrated on Feb. 13th, is a day where friends come together to display their appreciation for one another. So...

LET THE GAMES BEGIN: X games at Buttermilk Ski Resort in Aspen, Colorado

Breaking extreme snow barriers at the 2025 Winter X Games

Kenzie Laing, Arts & Entertainment Editor February 6, 2025

The 2025 Winter X Games, an annual international action sports competition, was held in Aspen, Colorado, on Jan. 23-25th. This year's games showcased various events and athletes, highlighting many record-breaking moments and pushing the boundaries of extreme skiing and snowboarding to new heights. Going...

BATTLE OF HOLIDAY HITS: Highlighting new and underrated holiday music gems over classics.

Battling over the crown of holiday music

Kenzie Laing, Arts & Entertainment Editor December 12, 2024

As the holiday season rolls around, so does the ringing of Mariah Carey’s classic holiday hit, “All I Want for Christmas is You”. The song has captivated global audiences since its 1994 release, dominating music charts during the holiday season with its infectious lyrics and iconic melody. While...

TAKING ON THE CHALLENGE: Junior High flag football athletes run to secure the ball during a match against Lexington Junior High

Junior High Students explore intramural sports

Kenzie Laing and Aarya Halankar December 12, 2024

As the first semester comes to an end, so do the first two quarters of Oxford’s junior high intramural sports. Intramurals are a quarterly series of sports that offer students the opportunity to participate and learn, no matter their starting skill level. The program emphasizes team-building, growth,...

CREATING COMMUNITY: Oxford FACES Ms. Ortega and parent volunteer Zulema Limon build the ofrenda.

OA’s Day of the Dead community altar celebrates culture, unity

Kenzie Laing, Arts & Entertainment Editor November 21, 2024

Oxford Academy students and faculty came together at the OA Family Center on November 1st to construct and exhibit a stunning community ofrenda (altar) in celebration of Día de los Muertos, a Mexican holiday to celebrate the lives of lost loved ones. Led by Ms. Karen Ortega, OA’s FACES chair, the...

AI’s progress and development pollutes the planet

AI’s progress and development pollutes the planet

Kenzie Laing, Arts & Entertainment Editor October 30, 2024

The technological advancements of Artificial Intelligence (AI) are revolutionary, but burns copious amounts of energy in its training and usage — far more than traditional technology. AI’s excessive energy use when created and operated, along with its immense e-waste production, must end as it accelerates...

ENCHANTING: "Tangled" theme provides outfit inspiration for Oxford Academy’s 2024 Fall Ball.

Fall Ball outfits that will have you sparkling under the floating lights

Kenzie Laing, Arts & Entertainment Editor October 23, 2024

Oxford Academy’s annual Fall Ball will be next Sunday, October 27 at the N Navy Golf Course. This year’s theme will be “A Night of Floating Lights”, inspired by the Disney classic, Tangled. With a week left, you might be having trouble deciding what to wear. From dreamy colors to enchanting accessories,...

Seventh grader Julia Li competes at the 2024 PanAm Age Group Artistic Swimming Championships in Lima, Peru.

Artistic swimmer Julia Li wins silver in Peru

Kenzie Laing, Arts & Entertainment Editor September 26, 2024

Artistic swimming is a demanding sport that not only requires extreme strength and agility, but also breath-taking artistry and intense dedication. For seventh grader Julia Li, it gives her an opportunity to showcase her talents and passion. Li shared her recent experiences at the 2024 PanAm Artistic...

“Beetlejuice Beetlejuice”: A Rushed Return

“Beetlejuice Beetlejuice”: A Rushed Return

Aarya Halankar and Kenzie Laing September 26, 2024

Returning 36 years after its iconic predecessor “Beetlejuice,” the highly anticipated Tim Burton-directed sequel “Beetlejuice Beetlejuice” hit theaters on Sept. 6 in a $110 million opening weekend. The horror-comedy stars returning actors Winona Ryder, who reprises her role as Lydia Deetz, Michael...

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Kenzie Laing