Volume 54, Issue 4, February 1, 2024 by El Estoque

elESTOQUE VOLUME 54 ISSUE 4

FEBRUARY 2024

06 IRPD RESEARCH GRANTS

Students from the Interdisciplinary Research and Project Design class discuss their grant-winning projects

LETTER FROM THE

EDITORS One of the greatest remarks of our community is its high-achieving nature. Whether it’s within classes or outside in the various extracurricular activities students participate in, we strive to be the best.

In our News package, we look into the achievements of individuals in the community. One such individual is Instrumental Music teacher, John Gilchrist, who won the distinguished Richard L. Levin Orchestra Educator Award for his noteworthy contributions in the orchestra program. Others include students in the Interdisciplinary Research and Project Design class, who developed research questions aimed at providing solutions for issues in our community, like creating a greener school by promoting biking or increasing the availability of sustainable and hygienic menstrual products.

PHOTO | KRISH DEV

Taryn Lam

Kalyani Puthenpurayil

elESTOQUE

21840 McClellan Rd. Cupertino, CA 95014 elestoque.org mv.el.estoque@gmail.com Editors-in-Chief: Taryn Lam, Kalyani Puthenpurayil, Lillian Wang Managing Editors: Meggie Chen, Lauren Chuu, Sarah Liu, Michelle Zheng Design Editor: Sonia Verma Graphics Editor: April Wang News Editors: Jason Chu, Brandon Xu, Alyssa Yang, Eric Zhou Features Editors: Kathryn Foo, Dahlia Schilling, Alan Tai, Mihir Vishwarupe Opinion Editors: Anika Bhandarkar, Crystal Cheng, Megha Mummaneni, Sagnik Nag Chowdhury

Lillian Wang

By setting goals that are on a larger scale, which we explore in our Opinion section, we fnd a purpose to work towards rather than simply relying on the stress from the quotidian academic assignments and tests. Because when we look back in many years, it’s not the grades we earned that we will remember, but the positive impacts we left on the community. As we move into the second semester, we gain a fresh start as we try to put the hardships from the frst semester behind us. But let’s not forget the hard work we have put into our high school career, and anything from helping a friend study for a test to doing research within the community and fnding solutions for problems can go a long way, and bring positive change within our community.

Entertainment Editors: Samika Bhatkar, Ananya Chaudhary, Jami Lim, Aashi Venkat Sports Editors: Arjun Dhruv, Daphne Huang, Lily Jiang, Manas Kottakota Staf Writers: Abha Dash, Leah Desai, Sophia D’Sa, Ethan Eisler, Niveda Hari, Aletheia Ju, Jillian Ju, Ethan Kellogg, Isabelle Kok, Pranati Kotamraju, Corinna Kuo, Giljoon Lee, Yixuan (Joyce) Li, Elizabeth Liu, Suhana Mahabal, Riya Murthy, Sania Nadkarni, Dylan Nguyen, Stella Petzova, Aidan Ruan, Trisha Sannappanavar, Arshiya Sen, Aaryan Sharma, Ananda Singh, Arushi Singh, Varun Singh, Amberly Sun, Lindsey Tang, Raj Thapliyal, Eshika Tiwari, Brandon Wang, Asha Wojciechowski, Ethan Yang, Shannon Yu, Kaia Yuan, Benjamin Zhang, Stephanie Zhang Advisers: Vennessa Nava, Julia Satterthwaite, MJE

Mission Statement: El Estoque will accurately inform our community through well-researched, unbiased and in-depth accounts of stories of the student body and staf, local news and developments and taboo topics prevalent in and near the MVHS realm. By investigating a variety of voices and credible perspectives, we hope to foster active discussion, efect positive change and spread awareness of timely and relevant content. As a trustworthy, consistent and reliable source of information, we strive to be accountable, adaptable, and ready to correct and address our mistakes. Constantly striving for improvement, we will uphold integrity and ethics to be respectful and empathetic to one another, our sources and our readers. We will exercise our press freedoms guaranteed by the First Amendment and California Ed Code 48907 while maintaining a community of reporters with a strong passion for our work and journalism as a whole. COVER | SONIA VERMA

EL ESTOQUE | FEBRUARY 2024

CONTENTS 04 14 22 28 40

PHOTO | ADITYA SHUKLA

EL ESTOQUE | FEBRUARY 2024

STORIES

PHOTO | STELLA PETZOVA

PHOTO | APRIL WANG

Triumph on display

MVHS students and staf score awards and grants

TBH...

MVHS students share their texting habits and styles

PHOTO | AIDAN RUAN

The invisible gap

The generational gap between students and teachers afects their interactions in the classroom

Year in review

El Estoque’s Arts & Entertainment section reviews popular media from 2023

Teamed-up takedowns

The MVHS wrestling team fnds strength through teamwork

EL ESTOQUE | FEBRUARY 2024

MVHS students and staff score awards and grants BY JASON CHU, SOPHIA D’SA, TARYN LAM, VARUN SINGH, ALYSSA YANG AND BENJAMIN ZHANG

TRIUMPH DISPLAY PHOTO | ALYSSA YANG

04 EL ESTOQUE | FEBRUARY 2024

GRANTED How MVHS students receive and use project grants BY SOPHIA D’SA

IDENTIFY The students and/or teacher identify potential relevant grants available from past experience or research new opportunities.

APPLY

After a week to a few months, students are notified of whether or not they receive the grant.

RECEIVE

What do students use grant money for?

Students submit their written applications, which can take up to six months to prepare. Grants may require a project plan, a plan for community engagement, a project budget and short essays about what the students hope to accomplish or learn.

IMPLEMENT

DEVELOP

IMPACT

SHOWCASE

Grant funds help students pay to build prototypes, advertise their projects, outsource labor-intensive work and invite guest speakers to attend their events.

Grant funds allow students to create longer-lasting and widespread impacts by implementing their projects throughout the city rather than just at MVHS. This can include hosting workshops and educational events to involve more of the community.

By helping students’ visions become reality, grant funds make projects more credible, which students may use to differentiate themselves when applying to college.

*information courtesy of Ganesh Batchu, Ananya Chaudhary, Omkar Kulkarni and Silicon Valley Clean Energy NEWS | FEBRUARY 2024

GRANTS GOOD for

IRPD students receive grants for their projects

BY JASON CHU, TARYN LAM AND VARUN SINGH

A TO | T PHO RYN LAM

unior Ganesh Batchu and senior Omkar Kulkarni received the news that they had won an $8,850 grant from Silicon Valley Clean Energy last February. As part of an ongoing project for the past two years in their Interdisciplinary Research (IRPD) class, Batchu and Kulkarni worked to complete various projects related to improving energy efficiency, EV chargers and bike racks within the school district. Batchu says IRPD students work to complete passion projects that can bring positive changes to the community. For his project, he focused on incentivizing biking within Cupertino by collaborating with the administration to implement changes at MVHS. Meanwhile, Kulkarni’s project also fell under the transportation category but revolved around collecting data about EV chargers within Cupertino and identifying areas with a shortage of them. After IRPD adviser Kavita Gupta introduced the idea of applyig for the Silicon Valley Clean Energy grant, Batchu, Kulkarni and two other former MVHS students combined their individual projects, all aligned under the topic of clean energy, to form their application. “First of all, it was identifying what we wanted to do for the rest of the year, and doing research on the scope and the feasibility of that project that we wanted to do,” Batchu said. “Once we came across the grant, it was like the stars aligned and we found ways that we could have our initiatives aligned.” Junior Ananya Chaudhary holds a sustainable period pad.

06 EL ESTOQUE | FEBRUARY 2024

Similar to Batchu and Kulkarni, junior Ananya Chaudhary also received a $2,000 grant on Nov. 3 from National Geographic for a project she worked on in IRPD. The focus of the project was menstrual poverty and sustainability — an idea that stemmed from an Indian movie she watched with her father called “Pad Man.” In the biographical film, a man decides to create a hygienic and affordable sanitary pad for impoverished women. After watching the movie, Chaudhary was surprised to learn that in many parts of the world, the topic of menstruation and menstrual products was considered taboo. “I grew up in a household where my dad and my mom were always very comfortable talking to me about those types of things so I just couldn’t believe that other people weren’t doing the same thing,” Chaudhary said. “Afterwards, my dad started talking about his experience because he grew up in India and he had four sisters and a mother and they would hide their period products and wouldn’t exactly use hygienic items for their periods. And I personally was shocked. After that, my dad and I started talking about this project.” Chaudhary’s project utilizes a twopronged approach when addressing the issue of menstrual poverty and sustainability. Initially, she hopes to promote alternative products such as DIVA cups, because they can be washed and reused, which would help

reduce the waste caused by more common products such as pads and tampons. Additionally, Chaudhary hopes to develop an app that can connect people to hospitals she hopes to supply with sustainable products. “A lot of the regular period products like tampons are very bad for the environment and they cause a lot of waste to build up over time,” Chaudhary said. “When I was doing research on my project, I [learned] 200,000 tons of waste per year were spread into the environment and the atmosphere and it contributes to global warming and climate change. A lot of times people who are in poverty aren’t using hygienic products. They’re using cloth and things that can contract UTIs and diseases.” Like Batchu and Kulkarni, Gupta also introduced Chaudhary to the possibility of applying for a grant after she discovered a National Geographic program that would be able to assist her, prompting her application process. “I don’t think this project would have been possible without the help of all three IRPD teachers,” Kulkarni said. “They taught us how all this research and implementation of our projects works. I think the mentors played a really big role and a lot of the credit goes to them.” For Batchu and Kulkarni, the grant, along with the constant guidance from their advisers, allowed them to take their project to the next level by implementing the new bike racks and new systems for EVs. “We just went in wanting to have as much impact as possible, district-wide as well as city-wide,” Batchu said. “Initially, our projects were only aimed at the

school level but this grant allowed us to scale the project city-wide so we had presentations across the city and we reached out to the City Council about our projects.” Similarly, Chaudhary hopes that her grant will provide her with a jumpstart to begin expanding her project. She hopes to use the money to approach the broad issue of menstrual sustainability, focusing on the issue of menstrual poverty after spreading more awareness. “I want to save as much money as possible so that later on, I can do larger things with the money,” Chaudhary said, “Initially, I want to plan events. For example, I want to start off at high schools teaching high school students the importance of sustainability and menstruation, but after that, I want to go onto more city-wide things so that more people in Cupertino will be

able to see sustainable options for period products. I’ll use the $2,000 for the events and I’ll use the left over money for the app.” Ultimately, Batchu, Kulkarni and Chaudhary all express their gratitude for receiving these grants, a success they all saw as unexpected. Batchu highlights his wishes to create a lasting impact with his work, which motivated him throughout the process. “We would like to see our solutions that we implemented to some degree in the district,” Batchu said. “Our final goal is to make a lasting change within our community. I think that’s the most important thing for students. At the end of the day, I want to say that I’ve built a legacy that’s worth remembering.”

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Junior Ganesh Batchu and Senior Omkar Kulkarni hold their poster board, depicting their various clean energy initiatives. PHOTO | JASON CHU

NEWS | FEBRUARY 2024

PHOTO | STELLA PETZOVA

STRIKING HIGH NOTE the

Instrumental Music Director John Gilchrist wins the Richard L. Levin Orchestra Educator Award BY ALYSSA YANG AND BENJAMIN ZHANG

08 EL ESTOQUE | FEBRUARY 2024

VHS Instrumental Music throw in a little bit from conductors Director John Gilchrist that I’ve worked with in the past, that learned he had won the I’ve played under, and incorporate Richard L. Levin Orchestra Educator what I found engaging or entertaining Award while traveling in Japan over about what they do.” Thanksgiving break. He had been Senior and chamber orchestra notifed about his nomination for the member William Zhang says Gilchrist’s prestigious award at the end of the clear passion for music education previous school year but had never makes him well-suited to running the imagined he would actually receive it. MVHS music program. “I asked my wife to look at “He’s very welcoming for beginners something on my phone, and that’s in string orchestra and concert when she noticed that I had won,” band,” Zhang said. “He has a lot of Gilchrist said. “That was a huge shock patience to listen to all of the mistakes to me because they make and there are so then suggest many incredible ways to correct orchestra them, and at educators in the same time the state. It was challenge the just a really more advanced surprising and ensembles with also deeply more advanced h o n o r i n g music.” experience.” Of the MUSIC DIRECTOR The Richard experiences JOHN GILCHRIST Gilchrist L. Levin has Orchestra Educator Award is one provided for the orchestra program, of the California Music Educator Zhang’s favorite aspect is the tours, Association’s (CMEA) many awards where he and the rest of the orchestra which recognize excellence in music gain invaluable experiences and education. Gilchrist will formally motivation to improve. During the receive the award at the 2024 2022-23 school year, the MVHS California All-State Music Education chamber orchestra was accepted to Conference Awards Reception in the Midwest Clinic International Band Sacramento on Thursday, Feb. 1. and Orchestra Festival, a prestigious Gilchrist’s musical career began in music conference held annually in elementary school when he started Chicago. This year, the orchestra will playing a drum set to back up his be performing at Carnegie Hall in New father, an amateur singer-songwriter. York City. However, he doesn’t recall becoming “Mr. Gilchrist was really excited truly interested in music until his about Midwest, and he was doing all high school marching band director the behindinspired a deeper passion. the-scenes Since then, Gilchrist says his work that teaching style has been shaped by we were not peers and mentors throughout his conscious of,” music career. In particular, Gilchrist Zhang said. was heavily infuenced by his time as “He likes to show us of. Like, ‘We a student teacher at Homestead High went to this big convention, and this is School and Lynbrook High School how great the orchestra here is,’ and I under John Burn and Michael Pakaluk. think that’s something really admirable “I took basically what I would say about him. It shows how deeply he are the best qualities of those teachers cares for the orchestra.” and tried to make it my own as much Trish Adams, the executive director as possible,” Gilchrist said. “I also of CMEA, likewise says the educational

IT WAS JUST A REALLY SURPRISING AND ALSO DEEPLY HONORING EXPERIENCE.

opportunity Gilchrist provided MVHS students through a clinic like Midwest was exactly what CMEA looks for and hopes to support. “We are looking for someone who is teaching well, integrating new methods into their classroom and exposing their students to performance opportunities and high levels of music education,” Adams said. “In Mr. Gilchrist’s case, taking his students to the Midwest to perform last year was a huge honor.” Ultimately, Gilchrist sees teaching music as simultaneously the most rewarding and challenging job anyone could have. Adams says this is why it’s important to recognize the achievements of music educators. “Education is hard,” Adams said. “Teachers face many, many challenges, and it is important to encourage them throughout their careers. So CMEA has these awards, and many receive further recognition from their schools and their districts.” According to Adams, supporting music educators is especially important because more are choosing to leave the feld. Research indicates that America has experienced a music teacher shortage since the 1980s, exacerbated by budget cuts and decreases in student participation. Gilchrist also acknowledges that even among students who participate in music programs, the vast majority of them choose to pursue careers outside the arts, especially within the MVHS community. He hopes he has made an everlasting impact on the way his students perceive music. “As much as I would love for everybody to be a music major when they graduate from Monta Vista, I know that’s not the reality,” Gilchrist said. “I just hope that when they leave the Monta Vista music program, even if they never play their instrument again, they go on to always listen to music diferently and that I’ve infuenced the way they interact with music at a foundational level.”

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NEWS | FEBRUARY 2024

AN OPEN DOOR Maribel Sanchez’s journey to becoming a long-term guidance counselor substitute BY MIHIR VISHWARUPE AND APRIL WANG Maribel Sanchez’s journey to becoming a long-term guidance counselor substitute BY MIHIR VISHWARUPE AND APRIL WANG PHOTO | APRIL WANG

10 10

EL EL ESTOQUE ESTOQUE | | FEBRUARY FEBRUARY 2024 2024

FEATURES

uidance counselor Clay Stiver, of the education field instead of the a lot of questions if she’s not sure who works with students classroom, but I love both.” about something and comes really whose last names begin with Sanchez notices some differences prepared.” Sh-Z, announced he would be taking between FHS and MVHS. She says The guidance team is preparing for paternity leave from Jan. 8 through school culture is very distinct; for course selection in the coming months. April 8. During this time, long-term example, at FHS, she notes that Sanchez will be taking over Stiver’s substitute guidance counselor Maribel there is a responsibilities Sanchez, who was previously a bigger student by meeting substitute for a counselor at Fremont p o p u l a t i o n with students High School, is handling his caseload. c o m p a r e d and delivering Guidance counselor Belinda to MVHS. presentations. Olson says she misses Stiver’s Sanchez also “ O u r character in the office, but is happy notes that the philosophy is the for this important time in his life. way courses same. Our mission She understands the importance of are structured is the same. And spending time off with family, having are different as she’s coming have had their designated taken maternity leave herself. well. right in and she’s “I’m so excited that he gets to spend “The course guidance counselor change over adapting to it,” time with his daughter, and these are s e l e c t i o n the years Lam said. “I think really awesome months where his process is she’s going to gain daughter is more interactive,” Olson d i f f e r e n t *According to a survey of 124 MVHS students a lot of valuable said. “I was reflecting on my own time, between the two schools,” Sanchez information that she is going to be able and it made me realize it’s just time he said. “Fremont might have some to carry with her in her future jobs.” can’t get back. So we miss him, just his course selections here that they don’t Sanchez finds that “every student is personality and energy, but I’m happy have at MVHS. For example, one of different — they all have their unique for him and his them is culinary challenges,” and as a guidance wife.” class. So there are counselor, it’s this challenge of Sanchez differences, but providing resources and adapting i n i t i a l l y most of it is pretty to each student’s needs that is the started as a much the same.” most rewarding for her. Sanchez is WHEN I WAS A paraeducator, G u i d a n c e eager to meet with students who have PARAEDUCATOR, a professional counselor Sylvia questions, or those who simply want who assists Lam notes that the to come to the guidance counselor I LOVED BEING IN teachers and shift from Stiver building to introduce themselves. THE CLASSROOM, helps students to Sanchez has “My door is always open during in special been going well, brunch and lunch time, so I encourage BUT I ALSO LOVED education. especially during students to stop by and say ‘Hi,’ THAT ONE-TO-ONE Later, she a time when many even if your last name is not Sh-Z,” returned to things are on the Sanchez said. “And if you want to WITH STUDENTS AND San José State agenda – such as schedule a meeting with me as well, HELPING THEM MORE University course selection – the information is on our website and to earn her ON A PERSONAL LEVEL. for the counselor I’m happy to help you with whatever master’s degree team. When questions or challenges you might in counseling Sanchez was part have.” and guidance. GUIDANCE COUNSELOR of the counseling “When I was at FHS, the MARIBEL SANCHEZ team a paraeducator, MVHS counselor I loved being in the classroom, but team was able to meet with Sanchez I also loved that one-to-one with and get a feel for their compatibility students and helping them more with her. on a personal level to do some “We’re just jumping into everything individual planning,” Sanchez said. with her, and she’s been a real good “So I wanted to experience that side sport about it,” Lam said. “She asks

41%

of MVHS students

“

FEATURES | FEBRUARY 2024

SERVICE AND SELF Students and staff share military aspirations and experiences BY GILJOON LEE AND DAHLIA SCHILLING

ILLUSTRATION | APRIL WANG

hen Superintendent Graham Clark approached his high school guidance counselor as a junior for ways to get a scholarship to attend college, he was recommended to apply to the Reserve Ofcer Training Corps (ROTC). After receiving the scholarship, Clark attended Santa Clara University through the ROTC program. “When you get a scholarship from the military they pay for your college upfront but then you serve in the military afterward, so it would be either one year on active duty or two years in the reserves for every year they paid for,” Clark said. “I got eight years in the reserves and I ended up serving 28 years but my initial command was to do eight years to kind of repay back my scholarship.” During Clark’s years of service, he was a part of the National Guard where he worked a civilian career and spent at least one weekend a month training. The training usually took place at a local base such as Camp Roberts but later was relocated to Los Angeles and Sacramento, depending on which unit he was in at the time. Clark was also required to attend a biannual weeklong training. Additionally, Clark might be asked to take a leave of absence from his job when called upon to serve. One instance of this was after the beating of Rodney King in 1992. “There was a riot in Los Angeles and they said they needed the National Guard, so at the time they called us in San Jose and we had to drive down to the armory,” Clark said. “Then we were down there for about six weeks.” Later, Clark served in Iraq for a year, which he cited as a terrifying time in his life, as the possibility of missile strikes resulted in constant anxiety. Clark remembers getting of the plane after landing the frst day and immediately running for a bunker after alarms notifed him of a missile headed towards the base. Although Clark says unexpected long absences and their unpredictability impacted not just himself but also his family. “If you’re deployed for weeks and you have a family, whoever your family is, and especially if you have kids, that other guardian has to pick up all the slack for you,” Clark said. “So it can put a lot of stress on your family in a way that a regular job would not.” Sophomore Anthony Barrera plans to join the ROTC program in college. He was introduced to the program through advertisements, Hollywood biopic flms and the Operation Red Wings memorial.

EL ESTOQUE | FEBRUARY 2024

FUHSD does not. He cites the lack of student interest as the primary reason, saying roughly 160 students need to be interested per school for the program to be viable. Additionally, Clark says FUHSD families’ relative fnancial afuence is one of the reasons why few students are interested in the ROTC program. Clark said where the program is more popular students are interested in both the educational and economic opportunity. “Scholarship opportunities are more valuable in some schools than others,” Clark said. “I think most people at FUHSD can aford to go to college — it’s a question of which college and how prestigious.” Additionally, Clark notes the process of on-campus recruitment is controversial in an area focused on academics and some students

have a negative attitude towards the military, also contributing to the lack of interest. Clark says if ROTC were to be implemented, it would be an elective course and would likely have a lack of interest because many students typically chose STEM-focused electives. Clark ultimately believes the ROTC program can teach students leadership skills and how to deal with physically challenging situations. “I think it’s a great opportunity, and there’s a lot of things that people don’t know about the military that if they knew about it they would enjoy it,” Clark said. “There are people who go into the military and get nursing degrees, medical degrees, doctorate degrees, legal degrees and all kinds of experience. If you want to have something that challenges you early in your career, I would say the military is a great option.”

GRAPHIC | GILJOON LEE

However, he says his interest in the military began when he was a toddler and his patriotism has maintained his interest throughout his high school years. “It’s my role to serve,” Barrera said. “I feel very patriotic. I have a lot of love for this country.” Although Barrera originally planned to join the Military or Navy due to the initial intimidation the Air Force gave him, by gaining self-confdence he now has decided to pursue his dream and join the Air Force. Barrera says his goal is to get accepted into the Air Force Academy, but if he is not accepted, he plans to join the ROTC program at Texas A&M University. On the other hand, senior Alice Ross says it was her interest in foreign relations that made the Naval ROTC program catch her attention as a college pathway. Due to the Navy’s international presence and connections to diplomacy, Ross hopes to use it as a stepping stone for a career in foreign relations at an agency like the United Nations. “The thing about the Navy is that there’s a position on the ship I want to do — it’s called the fourth language ofcer,” Ross said. “It essentially handles any relations you have with people outside the ship which requires a foreign language translation, and I really like languages.” Ross attended a Navy summer camp her sophomore year focused on STEM like oceanography and its use in Navy professions. After enjoying this camp, she attended a seminar her junior year which simulated life as a midshipman at the Naval Academy, giving her a glimpse into her future. “I really liked the atmosphere there because everybody there wanted the same things as me and has done the same prep,” Ross said. “They wanted it just as much as I did. I thought that was like a really cool thing I’d like to be around.” Clark notes that while many high schools ofer a Junior ROTC (JROTC) program as an elective for students,

FEATURES | FEBRUARY 2024

MVHS’ MOST USED EMOJIS

TBH...

MVHS students share their texting habits and styles BY ANANDA SINGH AND LILLIAN WANG

27% DO MVHS STUDENTS USE THESE TEXTING ELEMENTS?

25%

Never

Sometimes Often

2% *According to a survey of 88 people

All lowercase

Punctuation

Emojis

Keyboard smashes

WHAT ARE SOME CHALLENGES YOU FACE WHEN TEXTING?

77%

of MVHS students prefer in-person conversations to texting *According to a survey of 136 people

EL ESTOQUE | FEBRUARY 2024

“My phone is too small and I make way too many typos — it’s to the point that autocorrect can’t even keep up and it looks like gibberish.”

Tone indicators

*According to a survey of 146 people

LMAO 36% LOL

25%

IDK

22%

OMG 7%

“You can’t really convey emotion or any sort of feeling through text.”

OTHER 10%

“When people text dry and think it’s cool but they’re just bad at conveying their feelings.”

MVHS’ MOST USED

ABBREVIATIONS *According to a survey of 144 people

HOW DO YOU PERCEIVE THE TONE OF THE FOLLOWING VARIATIONS OF “OK?” *According to a survey of 142 people

88%

of MVHS students use iPhones

12 %

of MVHS students use Androids

68%

“ok”

20%

Negative

14%

66%

Positive

Neutral

“k”

of MVHS stud

send memes to

*According to a

ents

their friends

survey of 139

people

44%

48%

Neutral

Negative

“

HOW

Unless I’m texting a very close friend, I try to keep my texting jokes mild. HOWEVER, to my besties, my inner beast bursts out and that is when I usually become the most exciting.

MVHS FRESHMAN TONI CHEN I use punctuation if I have a lot to say in one sitting, and I add emojis to convey humor. I use texting slang such as “idk,” “smth” and “rn” regardless of which device I use. JUNIOR HAILEY CHEN

Positive

“kk”

Negative

Neutral

24%

STUDENTS

TEXT

”

Positive

70%

FEATURES | FEBRUARY 2024

Dear

MVHS,

NO,

the partner being mean to you will not miraculously become kind.

NO,

you shouldn’t date someone who’s toxic towards you because you think you can fx them.

not sexy to have a relationship with someone who will hold NO, it’s power over you.

ILLUSTRATION | SONIA VERMA

EL ESTOQUE | FEBRUARY 2024

R O M Adilemma NTIC Visual media normalizes problematic behaviors and relationships that aren’t healthy in reality

ith Valentine’s Day fast approaching, the classic Hallmark rom-com will make its reappearance. As these shows and movies become popular to a wider audience again, it also brings with it an array of unseen concerns regarding the media’s portrayal of relationships. To capture the attention of an audience, many movies and TV shows will dramatize real-world problems. Yet, in doing so, what starts as a shocking and thus efective confict becomes a tedious and overused trope. Even worse, the media has come to even glorify certain unhealthy behaviors, ones that are much harder to diferentiate from reality. A key example lies in the media portrayal of romantic relationships. Take, for example, the character of Joyce Byers in the popular TV show “Stranger Things.” A divorced single mother, Joyce, was in a romantic relationship with two men: Bob and Hopper. Between the two men, Joyce’s relationship with Bob is realistic and healthy. He cherishes and supports Joyce, and manages to probe and critique her sometimes hysterical behavior without insulting her. In contrast, Hopper’s personality causes him and Joyce to often clash, and their lack of communication results in countless arguments. Yet the show treats Bob as a side character often used for comic relief while Hopper’s unhealthy relationship with Joyce becomes a much more signifcant focus of the story. Hopper’s relationship with Joyce normalizes his lack of respect towards

her, embodying someone who’s gruf on the exterior but kinder on the inside. His often problematic behavior is justifed by the idea that he doesn’t actually mean it — that it’s an act to hide his “real” personality. While it may seem romantic and cute on TV to watch someone slowly open up, this isn’t naturally grounded in real life. Most people aren’t going to miraculously reveal some deep suppressed childhood trauma that explains their harsh unrelenting character. And even if there is some reason behind their actions, that still doesn’t make it OK. This idea of a relationship that starts rocky is also present in the enemies-to-lovers trope. But this trope in turn normalizes tension between characters that have antagonistic relationships as romantic tension. It romanticizes feelings and behaviors that range from hate to being actually toxic or abusive as some sort of desirable cover-up. Of course, it’s easy to say that we’d never be tricked by these pitfalls in real life and that we can tell the diference between fact and fction. But it’s not always that easy, especially when you’re involved in the situation. Many abusive relationships seem

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happy to begin with, before becoming more controlling and possessive, yet this change is hard to see from within the relationship. In addition, problems are often harder to identify when it’s not necessarily portrayed as something outwardly strange. Take the K-drama “Goblin,” a show about an immortal being who fnally breaks his curse of immortality after meeting his destined love. It sounds sweet, but this immortal being’s supposed love is a high school senior. However, the age gap in the show seems unproblematic because of how charming and perfect the male lead is, which may not be true in real life. This normalization of risky behavior — just think of characters following their crushes around and documenting their every movement as a thinly veiled parallel to stalking — permeates every bit of media we consume. Unfortunately, it’s not likely that media portrayal of relationships is going to change drastically in the coming years. Instead, it’s up to the audience to learn how to diferentiate fction from reality. Especially as students, with less life experience to guide our way, and as we consume more media than ever before, it’s our responsibility to be able to distinguish between healthy and unhealthy relationships.

Sincerely,, Sincerely

THE EL ESTOQUE STAFF OPINION | FEBRUARY 2024

the invisible

GAP

The generational gap between students and teachers affects their interactions in the classroom BY MEGGIE CHEN AND MICHELLE ZHENG

t’s not uncommon to hear teachers parroting the phrase “grades don’t matter, learning does” — and while the intention is undoubtedly good, and in many ways correct, this sentiment also fails to acknowledge the generational differences b e t w e e n teachers and students. E a c h generation is considered “s m a r t e r ” than the last, according to the Flynn Efect. Not necessarily in terms of IQ, but in the amount of knowledge that is available to a larger audience, which in turn increasingly propels the level of education. In the late 1990s, you needed a 2.68 GPA — the national average at the time— and a non-delinquent standing in high school to get into college. Nowadays, the national average GPA is a 3.0, and you might as well need to cure cancer to be in the running for many of those selective colleges. To begin, colleges are much harder to get into. As the number of applicants increases every year, with a

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21.3% rise from the 2019-20 to 202021 school year, college acceptance rates drastically decrease. After all, most schools continue to admit similar numbers of students, no matter how many students apply. A larger pool of applicants i n c r e a s e s the amount of qualifed candidates, making the requirements to get into a decent college much harder than in the past. As a result, students begin to apply to more colleges to increase their chances, which only exacerbates the stress of application season. However, when teachers refuse to write a letter of recommendation for students because they are applying to, quite frankly, an insane number of schools, they are actually doing the opposite of looking out for student’s mental health. Though teachers have good intentions, they can’t singlehandedly change the number of schools a student is applying to. They only end up changing the number of teachers that students request

NOWADAYS, THE NATIONAL AVERAGE GPA IS A 3.0, AND YOU MIGHT AS WELL NEED TO CURE CANCER TO BE IN THE RUNNING FOR MANY OF THOSE COLLEGES.

EL ESTOQUE | FEBRUARY 2024

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recommendations from. To that point, many teachers expound on the fact that you do not need straight A’s to get into college. And for teachers, that was true. A B in the late 90s most likely still constituted a good grade and wouldn’t have made much of a diference in their college prospects. Not to mention the fact that college was only just becoming a requirement for most jobs; anything from continuing to work the family farm to a minimum wage service job at the time might have been good enough to make a living. Now, it’s nearly impossible to make a living wage on service jobs, or keep family businesses alive, as infation continues to balloon and small businesses fall to the conglomerate empire of Amazon. For current students, a B could make or break their acceptance into a top college – which while, yes, is not a “make or break” in getting a job, feels like a safety net that promises at least some form of employment in an era where jobs are becoming harder to fnd. And while it’s true that there are thousands of students who go to the college of their choice without a fawless 4.0, they are often backed with a portfolio of other accomplishments. With the increased focus on holistic review and extracurricular standings, college admissions are no longer as straightforward as they were before. Grades often stand as an objective measurement of success amidst a

host of other activities and leadership roles that are subjective and harder to gauge. Especially somewhere as competitive as the Bay Area, grades are quite literally the cut-of for many colleges. Since colleges compare you to the other applicants from your school, students attending competitive schools like MVHS are up against a much harder pool than others. Here, getting straight A’s is like getting an assurance of your competence in a process already littered with uncertainty. Disregarding the issue of whether or not this mindset is healthy — which admittedly, it’s not — there is a reason behind many student’s singleminded focus on a simple letter grade, and teachers should try to understand it instead of limiting their perspective to the past. This doesn’t mean we believe teachers need to minimize content, or cater to a student’s every whim or plea for an A. But there are changes teachers can make to assist students without perpetuating MVHS’s harmful hustle culture. Something as simple as making sure that heavy-hitting unit tests don’t fall on the same day as other classes or being more fexible with the number of colleges a rec letter goes out to can make a big diference. But make no mistake, this same logic applies to students as well. It’s not uncommon to hear students complaining about infexible grading or the over-used “it’s about the learning” phrase. Teachers aren’t trying to belittle students, or purposefully looking t o

fail us. They’re there to, well, teach us. To them, that “B” you earn on your report card isn’t an indication that you’re not going to attend Stanford. Rather it’s them telling you to learn from your mistakes; it’s a sign that they care about you and your learning, and that’s a good thing. Going forward, we need to recognize the presence and efects of a generational gap between teachers and students in classrooms. Taking a second to remember that we grew up in diferent times can help us better understand each other’s actions and create an environment where both students and teachers can thrive. Rather than forcing

students to accept B’s as a “good” grade or making teachers give students A’s when they haven’t earned it, we should work towards understanding each other’s perspectives and bridging EN this invisible gap. CH N

O OT PH

TIO RA T US ILL

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OPINION | FEBRUARY 2024

Live to work?

Or work to live?

EL ESTOQUE | FEBRUARY 2024

crolling through TikTok, one might come across a video where the first frame reads, ‘Being a full-time artist’ with a photo of a woman smiling. However, the second photo says ‘Telling people I’m a full-time artist,’ with her looking more skeptical. The caption reads: “The artist imposter syndrome is so real. They always think I’m [delusional], broke or both.” Many times, those who choose jobs that stereotypically don’t make much money are judged for it, but we should stop being judgmental. As we become adults, an essential life skill we will have to learn is balancing our work life with our personal life. However, which one should take precedence? Should it be our career and earning money or ourselves and our personal well-being? When we’re younger, school takes priority, and we constantly answer questions like “What do you want to major in?” or “How’s school going?” When we’re older, that’s replaced by work. When you first meet someone, sometimes some of the first questions that often come up are, “Where do you work?” or “What do you do?” Work and the pursuit of money take up a large role in our lives. When we’re younger, we want to be princesses and superheroes, yet once reality sets in, it’s obvious that we can’t. Instead, we feel pressured to choose jobs that end in financial stability. When the COVID-19 pandemic began in the U.S. in 2020, the idea of working to live versus living to work started to gain traction. Millions of people were stuck working remotely, bringing up the thought that if one was stuck at home working on something they didn’t find meaning in, were they truly living? At the end of the day, work will always remain a huge part of of our lives: it’s how we survive. Yet striving for a promotion, working on assignments and attending meetings don’t have to be at the core of life. We should shift our thinking so enjoyment and happiness can exist at the center of our lives instead. We should be building a life we don’t need to escape from.

Within life, we’re taught to constantly aspire for the next big goal, whether that’s college, graduate school or getting a high paying job. There’s no defined endpoint, so we won’t find closure if we define our lives through these accomplishments. Instead of fulfilling the goals that are set for us, like working a certain job, doing a certain major or making a certain amount of money, we could focus on appeasing ourselves through activities we find joy in and prioritizing our mental wellbeing. Most MVHS parents work jobs in business, tech or finance, allowing them to live in one of the most expensive areas in the country. It creates a double-edged sword: the culture of working as much as you can has led to a competitive environment where those who choose to follow their passions feel judged and unappreciated. At MVHS, 72% of students have felt pressure to take a certain class because “everyone else is.” By taking rigorous coursework, students hope to get into good colleges, allowing for better job opportunities and the possibility of a higher salary. Students take AP Calculus BC instead of AB because they’re told that’s what colleges want, even if it’s not necessarily true. For many students, the desire to get into college outweighs personal fulfillment. Getting into a selective college for a particular major may appear as the only option to get a job that makes money, resulting in passions getting swept aside. Money doesn’t dictate one’s happiness or fulfillment, as shown through the example of

construction workers. According to CNBC, although construction is the happiest job in the world, their median salary is far below other jobs. However, because “they find meaning in their work and can see the fruits of their labor,” it brings joy. However, living to work isn’t an easy choice for everyone: it’s a luxury, especially at a time w h e n housing, food and overall living prices are going up in Cupertino and nationwide. Activities like traveling, going to concerts and trying new foods, which could be categorized as “living,” all cost money. In some ways, it feels like to live, we need to work our life away at the same time, creating a vicious cycle. However, when work becomes all-consuming, it strips us of the ability to travel, go to these concerts and eat such foods. The possibility to do these is a privilege one should take if they’re able. The balance between life and work is more important than ever. Despite being encouraged to live to work, we have to acknowledge that living to work c a n turn a

WE SHOULD BE BUILDING A LIFE WE DON’T NEED TO ESCAPE FROM.

passion into a preoccupation. It’s hours spent on a joy that can turn into an unpleasant chore. It’s also more difficult to form a work-life balance if our hobbies are our work. Without a strong sense of division, it’s tough to find happiness in either. Working to live and living to work each have their strengths and weaknesses. However, both can also be fruitful and exciting ways to live, and no one who chooses either path should be judged or feel isolated for it. The balance between life and work is a key factor that aids in our own peace and happiness, whether one chooses to work to live or vice versa. At the end of the day, we’re all just trying to make something out of life.

72%

of MVHS students felt like they had to take a class because “everyone else was”

59%

of MVHS students felt like they had to give up a passion because it wouldn’t be financially lucrative

*According to a survey of 134 students

GRAPHICS | APRIL WANG

OPINION | FEBRUARY 2024

COMING

OUT QUIETLY Members of the queer community should not be expected to come out BY ANIKA BHANDARKAR

rom the initial “Hey, I need to tell and after the exchange. Even after my you something,” to the eternity friend had texted back a supportive of watching the three dots response, I dreaded the awkwardness appear as my best friend typed back, I and was hesitant to go through the anxiously waited, because I was going exchange again. to come out to her. The realization that In the next few months, I gradually I liked girls was not one that upturned came out to my small friend group the world as and a few family I knew it, and m e m b e r s . being queer was Eventually, I just another was asked the I FOUND MYSELF FEELING meaningful part question, “Are of my identity, you out yet?” and MORE UNCOMFORTABLE but perhaps it I did not know THAN RELIEVED OR was the sheer how to respond. awkwardness On the one PROUD WHEN I CAME OUT of the whole hand, I wanted TO HER. situation that to come out to made me feel a few people I apprehensive. was close to, but I found myself feeling more did not want to explicitly come out to uncomfortable than relieved or proud everyone else — I was fine with telling when I came out to her. Nearly six people if they asked, but did not want months after coming to the realization to make it a point to come out to them. that I was queer, my friend was the For a while, I was conflicted: coming first person I came out to, and my out had seemed like a crucial part of nervousness ran high both during my identity as a queer person, and the

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EL ESTOQUE | FEBRUARY 2024

people I had not come out to asked me if “I liked a guy” and made other assumptions about my sexuality. I felt compelled to place a label on myself by coming out, but at the same time I found it incredibly awkward and anxiety-inducing and I did not want to go through it again. I eventually decided not to come out to anyone for my mental health, instead making the so-called closet “comfortable” for myself — I found peace in my decision rather than feeling trapped in the closet. I was lucky enough to be able to choose to not come out — many queer people cannot come out even if they want to. Queer people may experience hostility and a lack of acceptance from peers, and LGBTQ+ youth risk losing financial support from their parents after coming out. Furthermore, coming out is a major emotional event that can bring about feelings of stress and anxiety, and its difficulty only puts more strain on queer individuals’ mental health. Having to come out multiple times

PHOTO | ANIKA BHANDARKAR

to many different people and risking size fits all” experience, and coming negative reactions each time puts an out to one person does not mean we enormous mental and emotional strain need to come out to everyone. “Just on LGBTQ+ people. not wanting to” is a perfectly valid The expectation for queer people reason to stay in the closet because it to come out can be awkward, also reinforces hard and unsafe heteronormative to do so, and it is a n d fine to not want cisnormative to come out. THE EXPECTATION FOR s o c i e t a l Today, my QUEER PEOPLE TO COME standards. It views of coming perpetuates out have OUT PERPETUATES the myth that changed, and I THE MYTH THAT being straight am less hesitant and cisgender to come out to BEING STRAIGHT AND is the norm, and new people. CISGENDER IS THE NORM. A huge part of encourages people to this newfound assume that comfort is due others are straight and cisgender until to knowing that I had surrounded told otherwise. myself with supportive friends. While Over time, I have come to the I do not know if I will ever completely realization that I, and other queer overcome the awkwardness I feel people, should ultimately have the when coming out to people, I am, and autonomy to decide if and who we have always been, comforted by the come out to. Coming out is not a “one fact that the people I have surrounded

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myself with vocally support the queer community. Ultimately, everyone needs to be aware of their language and the assumptions they make about people in order to create a safer space for both out and closeted LGBTQ+ people. We can do this by using genderneutral language, such as “partner” instead of “boyfriend” or “girlfriend,” and avoiding the use of gendered phrases like “ladies and gentlemen” when addressing a group. We should not reinforce heteronormative and cisnormative standards by assuming someone’s gender or sexuality — instead, we need to ask for pronouns and share our own. Everyone has a responsibility to help create a safer environment for queer people. Openly being supportive of the queer community and establishing yourself as an ally can even help take some of the pressure off of queer people to come out, if they choose to.

OPINION| FEBRUARY 2024

IN THE SAME BUBBLE Students should stop measuring their success soley through grades BY RAJ THAPLIYAL

t is common at MVHS for the expectation to be that there is an eventual pay off for the abundant amount of effort put into high school coursework, typically through the pipeline of an acceptance letter to a top-ranked university, which allegedly guarantees a comfortable future depending on the area of study. The idea is that grades highlight a good academic standing which will reflect success in future life — but what many students don’t realize is that these academics will only get you so far. Although the academic skills that are acquired during the MVHS journey help with technical expertise in any industry, there are other skills needed to succeed in a future job. Specifically, soft skills — which are people skills that help maneuver around social interactions — play a crucial role in interpersonal communication, which often is just as important as academic skills. Researchers in a study conducted by Harvard University found that well developed soft and people skills accounted for 85% of job successes, in comparison to only 15% of job success coming from technical skills and knowledge. For example, networking, the process of making connections and building relationships, is a practical example of a soft skill that is often utilized in the professional world. The same way a college counselor assists when applying for college, a connection within your desired industry makes it much easier to get a job. However, the only way to gain these connections is through networking, which demonstrates the importance of soft skills. There are a multitude of people that have the same academic successes when it comes to applying for jobs —

24 EL ESTOQUE | FEBUARY 2024

what sets you apart are the people that can vouch for you and the ability you have to showcase your talents, which are all attributed to soft skills. In fact, business managers often say that better soft skills are more desirable than better technical skills. The MVHS culture of always focusing on grades and taking harder and harder classes limits the time available for students to develop these crucial soft skills. While it is common in MVHS to see students worry about having the top scores for every test, it is less common to see them concerned about building strong relationships with their teachers, or compromising with people they don’t agree with in group projects. Communication and teamwork are essential to success in the workplace, and MVHS students should try to nurture those skills as much as their math or science skills. In particular, many MVHS students go out of their way to attain summer internships and take community college classes to further their academic

standing; students should apply that same effort to making new friends at said summer programs or hanging out with those community college peers after class, because those are the events that build up soft skills. Even in typical school life, there are a lot of opportunities for students to improve social skills, build good relationships with their teachers or go out with friends for boba and make small talk. Soft skills can only be built up through continuous practice in your everyday interactions. Soft skills are just as important as technical skills and MVHS students put too much emphasis on their technical skills and therefore neglect their soft skills throughout their high school career. Most people think that success is only measured through their grades; it’s time we learn it can be measured through other means as well.

I PH A R

EN CH

CRACKING A SMILE Overcoming my aversion to trying new things BY AIDAN RUAN

GRAPHIC | AIDAN RUAN

s a child, my portraits always appeared funny. There was this certain awkward aura that my 8-year-old self emanated at every snap of the lens. Whether it was my inability to smile properly or my odd posture, there always seemed to be something off about my appearance and demeanor every time I posed for a photo. And, as any self-obsessed kid would do, I blamed someone else — specifically, the photographer. Fueled by this conviction, I childishly decided to prove it by uncovering what exactly these photographers were doing incorrectly through my mom’s old Nikon D3300 that had been gathering dust in the garage for a year. It wasn’t difficult for me to discern the meaning of buttons such as the delete button or the on/off button. But with a myriad of other buttons of unknown functions as well as a user interface cluttered with cryptic numbers and undecipherable acronyms, I was completely lost. In the face of a seemingly insurmountable task, my resolve crumbled quickly. I carefully set the camera down and decided to shamelessly accept my defeat within mere minutes of my cocky declaration, leaving the camera to gather dust in the corner of our garage once again. I have always

had a strong aversion to new things, and this wasn’t the first time I swiftly rejected the notion of experiencing something new before I gave it any effort. Whether it was resisting moving into a new home, adjusting to new medication, or trying something as simple as new foods, I had a minuscule circle of comfort that I wasn’t willing to step out of, especially not for activities with steep learning curves. Perhaps it was because of my stubbornness: I was too stubborn to change and too stubborn to accept the fact that learning about a nuanced topic like how to use a camera would take time and effort. In high school, I inevitably had to pick the DSLR camera up again to cover sports games for El Estoque, and there was only so far that I could get without knowing how a camera worked. Evidently, I would have to figure out how this tiny box with a mirror actually functioned. Surprisingly, it wasn’t a life-changing experience that magically dissipated my fear of being outside my comfort zone. Instead, it was a bit-by-bit process that spanned the years since my proud accusation against photographers and involved conquering several longlasting fears, including trying new cuisines (as long as there are no bell peppers) and acupuncture (as long as the needle isn’t too long and scary.) Maybe through

all this, I’ve slightly matured in the process as well, in that I’ve finally realized that it was unreasonable to turn a blind eye to issues in front of me and give up immediately just because they were or NEVER GIVE UP new different. M o s t importantly, it wasn’t a one-off act of bravery where I p u s h e d through my limits a singular time, such as by giving a speech. The process is less about taking grand, singular steps and more about the small, consistent steps that, over time, transformed what I previously thought was daunting into something manageable or even comfortable. Eventually, I did decide to learn how to use a camera, and looking back, I really did overthink the complexities involved. It ultimately boiled down to only four core concepts — ISO, f-stop, shutter speed and focal length — that I needed to understand. Everything else was either self-explanatory, optional or already automated by the camera. To the dismay of my 8-year-old self, I’ve figured out that I might just suck at crafting a basic smile in front of a camera. My reflection in the lens still carries that familiar awkwardness from my childhood. And I’m fine with that. It wasn’t just a matter of coming to terms with my awkward smile and accepting that it was, in fact, not the photographer’s fault — it was about finally acknowledging that staying within my comfort zone inhibited how much I could accomplish. And who knows, maybe I’ll try to learn how to take a selfie in 2024.

OPINION | FEBRUARY 2024

The best of both worlds We need to learn to balance work and self-care BY SONIA VERMA

Whenever I heard the word “self-care,” I couldn’t help but cringe.

But self-care and learning aren’t mutually exclusive.

Things like face masks and naps felt so frivolous,

especially in the face of school and preparing for college.

Others gain peace of mind by submitting assignments ahead of time.

For some, self-care is putting homework aside to complete their 12-step skincare routine.

But we need to find balance between working and relaxing to prevent burnout and boredom.

Rest and work are two sides of the same coin, and they are equally important.

When done in a way that works for each of us, we can have the best of both worlds.

Relaxing with friends rather than alone can help combat feelings of idleness, and working alongside others can help you track your productivity.

Both are valid ways to take care of your mental health.

EL ESTOQUE | FEBRUARY 2024

JOIN EL ESTOQUE Monta Vista High School’s student-run, national award-winning newsmagazine

Apply by Feb. 15: tinyurl.com/EEapp2024

TOP 10 REASONS TO JOIN THE EL ESTOQUE FAMILY: 1. COMMUNITY: We provide a welcoming, inclusive environment. 2. COMMUNICATION: Even shy students learn to speak to anyone. 3. COLLABORATION: You’ll work with a team of supportive peers. 4. COMPETITION: We win many national awards from NSPA & CSPA.

5. CREATIVITY: Pitch your own ideas, take photos, design and draw. 6. CULTURE: With regular staf bonding, you’ll love our vibe. 7. CHANGE-MAKER: Write editorials or columns that efect positive change.

8. CONVENTIONS: Get a chance to travel to New York City. 9. CRITICAL THINKING: We’ll prepare you to be media literate. 10: COLLEGE: Being on staf includes leadership opportunities that look great on college apps.

2023REVIEW YEAR IN

El Estoque’s Arts & Entertainment section reviews popular media from 2023 BY ANANYA CHAUDHARY AND STELLA PETZOVA

APRIL THE SUPER MARIO BROS. MOVIE T

he Super Mario Bros. Movie” made waves in entertainment in 2023. Despite mixed critical reviews, the flm emerged as a box-ofce success. Among other accomplishments, it became the third-highest-grossing animated flm of all time and Illumination’s highest-grossing flm, earning $1.36 billion worldwide. It shattered records, becoming the highestgrossing flm based on a video game and was nominated for three Golden Globes: Best Original Song, Best Animated Feature Film and Best Voiceover Performance for Jack Black’s Bowser. PHOTO | WARNER BROS. PICTURES

JUNE SPIDERMAN: ACROSS THE SPIDER-VERSE PHOTO | SONY PICTURES

EL ESTOQUE | FEBURARY 2024

pider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse,” the highlyanticipated sequel to 2018’s groundbreaking “Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse,” swung into theaters on June 2. The flm follows Miles Morales, or Spider-Man, as he goes on a mesmerizing adventure through parallel universes, navigating through multiple complex character arcs, antagonists and plotlines. After “Into the Spider-Verse” ofered a fresh take on the animation genre, “Across the Spider-Verse” redefned the genre completely in an ambitious, fun and breathtaking feat of cinema. It set several records at the box ofce, grossing $690.5 million worldwide. The flm faced some controversy online with internet users’ speculation that Gwen Stacy was trans, causing the flm to be withdrawn from release in several Middle Eastern countries. However, general online reception was overwhelmingly positive, with the movie sparking the viral “canon event” trend on TikTok, marked by users sharing events they believed to be essential to the building of one’s identity.

ARTS & ENT PHOTO | WARNER BROS. PICTURES

PHOTO | UNIVERSAL PICTURES

JULY BARBENHEIMER O

n July 21, two highly anticipated movies, “Barbie” and “Oppenheimer,” were released and became cultural phenomenons. “Barbie,” quickly became one of the largest movies of the year. Directed by Greta Gerwig, the movie’s success was signifcant as it highlighted the importance of female empowerment and representation in the flm industry. On the other hand, “Oppenheimer,” a Christopher Nolan flm based

on the Manhattan Project, became the second highest-grossing rated R flm of all time, grossing $953 million in the box ofce. The two movie names were conjoined to create the iconic name Barbenheimer, representing the power of these two flms being released on the same day — with fans dressing up to watch both consecutively — and their impact on the flm industry and pop culture.

SEPTEMBER GUTS

OCTOBER 1989 (TAYLORS VERSION)

livia Rodrigo’s second album “GUTS” was released Sept. 8. Boasting six Grammy nominations, the chart-topping album is a refection of Rodrigo’s transition from teenagehood to adulthood. The record balances soft, thoughtful ballads with playful and energetic punk-inspired pop anthems, showcasing Rodrigo’s creativity and vocal range. “GUTS” received immense commercial success, with 300,000 album equivalent units in its frst week, and all 12 of its tracks reached the Top 40 of the Billboard 100. With its commercial and social impact, “GUTS” was a signifcant moment in music of 2023.

ontinuing the journey of reclaiming her music, superstar Taylor Swift released the rerecording of her ffth studio album “1989 (Taylor’s Version),” on Oct. 27. Through social media and her vast fanbase, “1989 (Taylor’s Version)” rose to the top of billboards charting at No. 1 for six weeks, tying as one of Swift’s longest-lasting No. 1s. Along with this major success, Swift has performed the highest-grossing tour of all time, The Eras Tour, which is the frst ever tour to produce over one billion dollars in revenue. This in turn boosted the U.S. economy by more than four billion dollars.

SCAN FOR THE FULL IN-REVIEW ARTS & ENT | FEBRUARY 2024

PHOTO | REPUBLIC RECORDS PHOTO | REPUBLIC PICTURES

PHOTO | GEFFEN RECORDS

STRUCK BY CUPID’S ARR W It’s time to question the toxicity of how love is depicted in written media STORY AND ILLUSTRATIONS BY AASHI VENKAT

rom the idea of true love to lyrics in both tracks stand out to her as experiences with love. The concept of relatability has inspired many of ‘23 the glamorization of toxic extremely relatable. “With each of their music, love is alum Melody Cui’s poems, amongst relationships, love has portrayed in diferent which is “All the Red Flags.” Detailing historically been ways,” Ralston various red fags in a toxic romantic portrayed in said. “It’s really relationship, Cui also depicts the various ways hard to say manipulation that convinces the through novels what it is at a narrator to stay in the relationship with and song lyrics. surface level. their abuser. Cui states that she rarely Alt-pop artist “LOVE IS PORTRAYED With Lana, writes about love, yet she chose this Lana Del Rey’s IN DIFFERENT WAYS.” she does the topic as an attempt to express herself lyricism is a perfect amount in a way that relates to those who prime example, SENIOR of symbolism have faced similar experiences in their with many of her JEWELL RALSTON and what really relationships. songs romanticizing “There’s not really a takeaway attracts me is that abusive relationships. the heartbreak aspect from this piece — it’s intended to Her music has surged in of love is really relatable. have your feelings validated,” Cui popularity on TikTok, with Whether it’s heartbreak or said. “When I write about emotional people posting videos using frst love, the songs that I really things, specifcally about relationships her songs “Let The Light In (feat. can relate to are Mitski’s because for this piece, it’s a way for me to Father John Misty)” and “Margaret,” to highlight their personal experiences she talks about how in love she is and connect with other people. I feel like that’s true for how terrible love with toxic relationships. a lot of writing, Senior Jewell Ralston is an avid fan is at the same where you read of Del Rey and states that although time.” pieces to see Ralston her depiction of love may be toxic, this your personal makes her music more relatable. She r e s o n a t e s “IT’S INTENDED TO ex p e r i e n c e s specifcally enjoys Del Rey’s “National with sadder HAVE YOUR FEELINGS and emotions Anthem” and “Norman fucking m u s i c written into Rockwell,” citing the song’s lyrics because she VALIDATED.” words for you “‘Cause you’re just a man / It’s just fnds comfort to conceptualize what you do.” While these lines are in its lyricism, ‘23 ALUM better.” pessimistic, Ralston deeply resonates describing how MELODY CUI Literature teacher with their unambiguous meaning. She Del Rey’s and Mitski’s Randy Holaday sees also praises indie artist Mitski for her music comforted her a similar pattern with portrayal of toxic relationships in “Me when she struggled with relatability in the texts he and My Husband” and objectifcation heartbreak and depressive teaches, specifcally when in “Liquid Smooth,” citing how the episodes culminating out of her

ARE Y U LISTENING? Students share songs with controversial depictions of love

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comparing students’ enjoyment of Shakespeare’s “Romeo and Juliet” with Benjamin Alire Sáenz’s “Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe.” Holaday states that students tend to enjoy Alire Sáenz’s novel more than the Shakespearean play, as they resonate more with its modern themes and can apply its takeaways to their familial and romantic relationships. On the other hand, students are typically dissatisfed with “Romeo and Juliet” due to the play’s depiction of love in an unrealistic light, ranging from the characters’ young age to their fastpaced relationship. “‘Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe’ is more inclusive, both racially and in terms of sexual identity and culture,” Holaday said. “It’s more relevant because it looks much closer to the relationships that students have in their own lives and it’s also just a healthier relationship that’s being presented. Their relationship develops over two years, it doesn’t immediately jump into a toxic back-and-forth drama. The book is mainly about one person and their identity being explored, including relationships. So I think it just depicts a much more realistic version of love and is a better model.” Holaday also teaches Shakespearean sonnets in his AP Literature class, and states that many students do not take the sonnets seriously due to their propatriarchal sentiments. He cites “Sonnet 1,” “Sonnet 20” and “Sonnet 130” in particular, as he fnds that the language of these sonnets objectifes the speaker’s beloved.

“They’re p r e t t y p r o b l e m a t i c ,” Holaday said. “They were written right at the end of the 16th Century so in terms of patriarchal attitudes towards women, their only service is in being the objects of love for the speaker. This is a male character, and even though there’s some gender ambiguity, all he’s doing is putting this guy in the place of a woman and talking about him in terms of objectifcation and beauty, essentially asking ‘What can you do for me? I hope you’ll have sex with me.’” Themes of objectifcation also bleed into rap music, with junior Nirbhay Saluja noting that artists like rapper Travis Scott and R&B artist The Weeknd tend to objectify women in their songs. However, Saluja states that these artists’ lyricism often broadens into a criticism of how love impacts them, with Scott’s “I KNOW?”

following his drunken desire to have sex with a past lover. While Saluja believes the song is toxic, it is ultimately a depiction of how Scott’s experiences and societal toxicity have infuenced him to act a certain way when it comes to love, spreading awareness rather than glamorizing toxicity. While Ralston acknowledges the harmful nature of toxic lyricism, she agrees with Saluja’s understanding of the true meaning behind many of these songs and says this subcategory of music is ultimately intended to shed light on the reality of romantic relationships. “I don’t think it’s problematic for love to be depicted this way,” Ralston said. “You can’t always express the good parts of love in your life because love isn’t always going to be positive and it’s not always going to be the sunshine and rainbows that you expect. You can’t fall in love without having these hardships and without having these experiences.”

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Students and staff share their controversies with the true crime fascination BY ANANYA CHAUDHARY AND STELLA PETZOVA Trigger warning: This story mentions murder, abuse and cannibalism.

anyone I know,’ or ‘This could happen potentially add to the negativity. to me.’ So there’s that personal “I have decided that I don’t need connection in the genre.” to add any more negativity to my life 16-year-old girl’s body was According to a survey of 1,000 voluntarily,” Lurie said. “I think that found in Washington’s Americans, 64% of respondents found crime shows can desensitize us to Green River on true crime cases to be thrilling real sufering, which adds a sort of July 15, 1982. Reports and suspenseful. While Moore negativity and darkness to our psyche. found the young girl fnds the graphic and horrifc Along with that, I would imagine “Sometimes was strangled to death nature of true crime content there’s a sense of re-victimization I just think and left in the river with unsettling, she admits that of the victim’s life or the sister of the ‘OH, my only her green and it’s the excitement of the victim’s life or whoever was taken from God, this white blouse and blue case that draws her in. the family as they are just displaying jeans wrapped around She is among the 62% of the family’s loss all over again.” could her neck. In the month Americans who believe True crime shows and flms do not to en happ following, four more bodies that watching the genre require the consent of the victims or anyone I were discovered, marking has made them more their families to create the media, know.’” the beginning of the longest aware of their which can lead to the exploitation of surroundings and the case. In 2022, Netfix released murder investigation in the CHEMISTRY better equipped United States: the case of the the biographical drama “Monster: TEACHER to spot potential The Jefrey Dahmer Story,” following Green River Killer. SUPRIYA dangers. This tragic case garnered much the case of cannibal Jefery Dahmer. MOORE “ U n l i k e Netfix faced backlash for reviving media attention, with the production of watching fction, several movies and flms, including the the story without the consent 2008 flm “The Capture of the Green this stuf happened to people — of the victims’ families, “True River Killer” and the documentary people like me,” Moore said. compounded by the crime series “Green River Killer: Mind of a “You are always on your own, internet’s unsettling stories really Monster.” This was the frst case that sometimes you’re traveling romanticization of Chemistry teacher and avid true crime by yourself. You’re going actor Evan Peters’ only reflect consumer Supriya Moore heard about. on planes or taking cabs or portrayal of the a small Moore says that the documentation of Ubers and you’re there by criminal and a portion of serial killers is distinct to the U.S. and yourself. So how do you protect wave of jokes society and that before watching such cases, she yourself? You have to be more downplaying not the larger was unaware of the horrifying things cautious instead of just saying nothing D a h m e r ’ s picture.” that occur in the world. will happen and being unprepared.” crimes. Moore “Initially, I was in disbelief that Unlike Moore, curriculum lead and agrees with such gruesome things could happen,” school-based therapist Leila Lurie Lurie’s opinion, Moore said. “Seeing the truth, I was has avoided the true crime genre for expressing JUNIOR shocked that such people could just the past fve years. She believes that concern over ADRIANA kill others. Most of these serial killers over the years the world has become the lack of HERNANDEZ are male, and the victims are mainly increasingly polarized as a result of consent from the young females. Sometimes I just think anger and disharmony. As a result, victims’ families and the potential ‘Oh, my God, this could happen to she has avoided content that could

EL ESTOQUE | FEBRUARY 2024

harm true crime shows can cause. “I wish the true crime shows got consent from all the families,” Moore said. “They should show them ahead of time what’s going to be released. I really feel for them because they have to live through that whole trauma again by watching the shows. I hope they start doing that for all these shows in the future.” Junior Adriana Hernandez, who identifes as a true crime enthusiast, highlights another concern in the genre — the suppression of marginalized stories. When the case of Gabby Petito’s disappearance and murder unfolded in 2021, it gained a great deal of attention on the news and social media. The media coverage led to criticism that Petito’s case received far more attention than the hundreds of other missing people in the country simply because she was young and white — a phenomenon dubbed “missing white woman syndrome.” Hernandez believes this trend overlooks many important stories of marginalized communities. “There is a big issue in the true crime community in the sense that often it’s used to amplify the stories of white women or cis people, while the stories of people of color and people who are more isolated from society are not heard as often,” Hernandez said. “Since people that are more marginalized in society aren’t as openly spoken about in the true crime community, true crime stories really only refect a small portion of society and not the larger picture.” Despite its controversies, true crime content remains incredibly popular, with more than half of Americans consuming the genre. Lurie believes that true crime fans watch the genre for its classic confict-and-resolution storyline, along with the

satisfaction of seeing justice served to wrongdoers. “In true crime shows, you’re often learning what to do in a situation, what not to do, what mistakes were made, and I think that there might be something that draws us to that,” Lurie said. “It’s a nasty subject — I think there’s some kind of weird voyeurism or a forbidden fruit thing. You get to dip into some depraved world.” Lurie says that true crime content has a long way before it becomes benefcial to its viewers and society as a whole. She believes that books, which tend to be less

E R E H SCAN

exaggerated, are a better medium for true crime stories as they avoid the overdramatization often seen in flms. By addressing cases like the Green River Killer with a focus on ethical storytelling, Lurie believes that audiences can indulge in curiosity without crossing the line of exploitative sensationalism. “I wish that true crime was in books rather than TV,” Lurie said. “In shows and movies, we are bombarded with so much of the explicit content that we become desensitized to it. Folks who want to make money on TV shows have to ratchet it up more and more and make it more explicit, more sensationalized and more dramatic. That’s just not good for us.” While acknowledging the controversies plaguing true crime, Hernandez nevertheless believes that watching true crime benefts viewers as it educates them on the common tactics used by criminals and teaches them how to avoid dangerous situations. “The good thing about true crime is that it shares people’s stories,” Hernandez said. “That informs people of the realities of our world and dangers that maybe they don’t talk about in their own communities, and then it gives them a space to learn about that. While a lot of people think that true crime makes you worry too much or adds on a layer of stress in your life, I think it’s overall just made me more aware of how to be safe.”

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ARTS & ENT | FEBRUARY 2024

SILENT SOU DS Students and alumni discuss the underrepresentation of Asian American artists in the mainstream music scene

BY NIVEDA HARI AND AARYAN SHARMA

GR A PHIC

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VED A HA RI

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livia Rodrigo took the world by storm on Jan. 8, 2021, with the release of “drivers license,” a teen heartbreak ballad that catapulted the 17-year-old to superstardom. Following the single’s release, Rodrigo came out with her debut album “SOUR.” Since then, Rodrigo has been streamed over 14 billion times on Spotify, won three Grammy awards and solidifed herself as a teenage pop icon. However, Rodrigo’s success isn’t the only thing that makes her stand out — she is currently the only Filipino artist to have multiple number-one singles on the Billboard Hot 100. She is one of few Asian American artists who have found such a level of commercial success. The Recording Academy announced the 66th Annual Grammy nominations on Nov. 10, 2023, and Rodrigo was the only Asian artist mentioned in three of the four main categories: Album of the Year, Record of the Year and Song of the Year. Rodrigo’s nominations may not come as a surprise due to her critical and commercial success, but the historical racial bias the Grammys have been known for makes her nominations even more noteworthy. According to ‘23 alum Jiya Singh, the underrepresentation of Asian Americans in the music industry is a

prominent problem. She points out that many of the popular artists people talk about aren’t Asian. “When people talk about popular music they’ll say Taylor Swift, Drake, Kendrick Lamar, Megan Thee Stallion, artists like that,” Singh said. “Those people are white people or Black people, but there aren’t any Asians. Asian artists are not accurately represented and I don’t think I’ve ever heard of someone say they have an Asian American as their top artist.” Senior Vatsel Srivastava agrees with Singh, discussing Rodrigo and other Asian artists’ infuence on the music industry. He points out that Rodrigo’s popularity skyrocketed because of her background in Disney, but other aspiring Asian artists don’t have the same opportunity as she did. Srivastava mentions Filipino singer and songwriter Beabadoobe, who gained popularity on the internet in 2020. While she earned mainstream fame, she didn’t have the same opportunities to become a big artist in the industry. “Rodrigo came from that whole Disney pipeline like Miley Cyrus and Ariana Grande,” Srivastava said. “Disney shows lead to having a music career, and it’s good that a person of Asian descent got through that pipeline, but I’d like to see more independent artists get into the mainstream.” Srivastava says this could be a contributing factor as to why there isn’t a huge representation of Asians in the music industry, since old Disney TV shows didn’t cast many Asians as the lead until Andi Mack, which was released in 2017. However, Srivastava says there are also other reasons Asian artists aren’t as prevalent in the industry. “There’s a lot of cliches associated with music – like all those Disney artists, they’re white, younger girls,” Srivastava said. “That’s the norm. That’s what people expect out of those artists. So it would be harder for an Asian person to come out of that.” ‘23 alum and New York University freshman Anika Mathur agrees,

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but she sees the scarcity of Asian artists as an opportunity for a unique connection between the listener and the artist. For her, the novelty of such artists adds a special bond between her and the music. “Dhruv is a smaller artist on Spotify and he has a few songs that have gotten popular — he’s an Indian American artist,” Mathur said. “I feel like seeing someone who is Indian and queer and just making music is not something you fnd very often. So there’s this natural bond — you feel a connection to someone when you fnd out you share an identity with them.” On the contrary, Singh feels that many Asian artists are asked the same question: “How does it feel to represent your community?” She says that questions like these take away from their talent and music. Mathur agrees with this sentiment, stating that the music Asian American artists make shouldn’t be overshadowed by their race. “Olivia Rodrigo doesn’t have to talk about how she’s Filipino,” Mathur said. “She doesn’t have to sing about her identity. She can sing heartbreak songs and still represent the Asian American community without purposefully doing so.” Singh refects on the challenges and hardships Asians face in the music industry, saying that the underrepresentation of Asian artists needs to be acknowledged. When comparing the statistics of Asians in STEM versus music felds, the gap is huge. Around 10% of workers in STEM are Asian, while only around 5% of artists are Asian in the music industry. Singh says it is important that people take action against this issue to de-stigmatize the presence of Asian Americans in other industries. “I think in general, there’s a big stigma around Asian Americans in any industry that doesn’t seem to be STEM,” Singh said. “Asian artists aren’t fairly represented at all, and it’s never talked about. I think it’s time we change that.”

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minor concerns Minors debuting in K-pop raise concerns among MVHS community BY ELLIE WANG AND JILLIAN JU Iven through the screen of her phone, junior Lotus Wu could see the passion and commitment put into the idols’ performances. Ever since sixth grade, Wu has been captivated by their energy and the way their presence commands the stage. As a dancer and performer herself, she has always held a deep admiration for how idols in the K-pop industry perform, dancing and singing simultaneously. Before long, Wu found herself immersed in the realm of K-pop. As a fan for many years, she has witnessed the industry change in many ways, both good and bad, but she is particularly concerned with the younger age at which idols are debuting. She brings up NewJeans in specifc, whose youngest member debuted at 14 years old and is currently 15. “I was really shocked that they are allowing this to happen because I feel like in older K-pop, we’ve seen mature content as K-pop is meant for older a u d i e n c e s ,” Wu said. “But now, we see teenagers that are as young as 12 and 11 joining the industry, and I think they’re being exploited.” T h e entertainment industry has always been riddled with controversies, especially in relation to minors. The K-pop industry, worth around $775 million dollars, comes with its own set of struggles for performers. In the K-pop fandom, the term “sasaeng” refers to fans who are overly

“

obsessed and possessive of their their parents, and how much revolves idols. To Wu, exposing younger idols, around making money.” Wu has noticed K-pop’s history of who are less in control of their lives, to the potentially unsafe environment of sexualizing both minor and adult idols with suggestive lyrics and dances. media and fans is a harmful practice. She expresses “Now, the concern about the fans want such placement of teen a personal idols alongside connection to adult idols in these idols,” groups, and how Wu said. “The underage idols idols are forced may be forced to to interact with do more mature fans in personal choreographies ways, like fan by their company. calls and in- do not support minors debuting “When younger person fan in the K-pop industry idols are paired meetings, and with older idols, if fans don’t get *According to a survey of 91 people the concepts the this personal connection, then they’re less willing to older idols work with don’t necessarily interact with the group, or the group ft with the younger idol’s age,” Wu said. “I think it’s wrong that younger itself will be less popular.” According to MVHS school-based idols have to be doing those things psychologist and family therapist Glenn and wearing the clothes that they’re Fisher, becoming wearing. It’s less of an issue when a public fgure and you’re older versus when you’re 13 and star as a minor can you’re doing the same choreography.” Another process that young idols cause issues in the child’s mindset, such might not be ready for is plastic as developing a surgery, which some companies sense of narcissism require them to go through before and superiority. debuting. Fisher compares getting In particular, the surgery to getting a permanent tattoo o v e r w h e l m i n g at a young age, a choice that minors attention child stars may not be psychologically ready for. receive can put He adds that when their public image is them in a situation defned by their physical appearance, that they’re not it can cultivate an unhealthy selfJUNIOR ready for, resulting in image. “They get acknowledged for their changes LOTUS WU permanent physical appearance opposed to to their mental state. “So many factors contribute to the them as a whole, complete human companies disregarding the emotional being,” Fisher said. “They’re not well-being of the idols,” Fisher said. recognized for who they are. They are “Who knows how much they get recognized for their makeup and the pressured by the media company, Photoshopping and their bodies. It’s or how much they are pressured by not an innately healthy thing for them

WE SEE TEENAGERS THAT ARE AS YOUNG AS 12 AND 11 JOINING THE INDUSTRY, AND I THINK THEY’RE BEING EXPLOITED.

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79%

of MVHS students

because it would erode their selfworth.” Fisher worries about how child stars may not have consented to the alterations in their appearance and life. Wu shares the same sentiment, stating while it is good to be dedicated to their career, the issue arises when idols undergo plastic surgery at a young age. Moreover, since K-pop targets younger audiences, the idols are ultimately infuencing them. “It’s toxic because a lot of the fans are younger people who are fghting this image that they have to be perfect,” Wu said. “A lot of people look at these K-pop idols as examples, and then having the idols have plastic surgery and changing their appearance just for the media is giving a toxic example.” However, as Wu points out, people in America and people in Korea experience two very diferent cultures. What may be the norm in Korea may not be in America, and vice versa. Wu, seeing discussions about K-pop on social media, comments how diferently people from America and people from Korea can react to situations. “Because of social media, this issue is being shared more and I think more

F SBS ESY O N OU R T IO C S O IS T PHO PERM WITH D E S U

people are calling attention to it in America versus in Korea,” Wu said. “I feel like the fans in Korea, even though I haven’t interacted with them, care less about this issue than the fans in America do.” Sophomore Jihwan Lee, a student from Korea, observes that there are often mixed reactions to an idol getting p l a s t i c surgery in Korea. Many are

supportive of their idol’s decisions, but there are also people who criticize it. Although Lee personally doesn’t agree with the practice, he recognizes how getting plastic surgery is more commonly accepted in Korea. “In Korea, the beauty standard is so important to them, so they try to be on that standard,” Lee said. “So there’s jealousy when the celebrities are pretty. People think ‘Oh,

they’re pretty because of the surgery,’ and they try to make the idol’s image bad. But here in America, people like themselves more, and they try to be themselves more than people in Korea.” Lee suggests that the reason the K-pop industry prefers younger idols is because they want performers with higher energy to engage the audience. Wu agrees, also adding how companies are seemingly adjusting their idols accordingly. “When they are younger, it’s easier to train them the way the industry wants to,” Wu said. “It’s easier to shape them into the ‘ideal idol’ that you want to debut, and I think they choose that purposely to give them more opportunities and for them to make more money.” As Wu refects, the K-pop industry seeks talents who can attract a loyal following, showcasing people with exceptional singing ability, dance skills and charming personalities. She concedes that adapting the age of idols to match their audience is just another factor that the industry utilizes. “I understand the incentives,” Wu said. “At the end of the day, it’s entertainment, but also a large source of proft for Korea and for the companies that are debuting these idols.”

Hyein, who debuted at 14 years old, performs “Cookie” on Inkigayo, a popular South Korean music show. The song was criticized for its use of sexual innuendo, particularly because some of NEWJEANS’ members were minors.

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38 EL ESTOQUE | FEBRUARY 2024

BY SARAH LIU

Entry Fee: $6 This museum celebrates the role of railroads in the West and features various exhibits such as 19 steam locomotives from 1872 to 1944 and a diorama with the trans-continental railway. There are also excursion train rides where visitors can ride a train on the Sacramento Southern Railroad. Student Recommendation: “It shares the history of railroads in America and I remember loving that place.”

CALIFORNIA STATE RAILROAD MUSEUM

Entry Fee: $8 The area around the second-highest volcano in California provides a variety of activities all year long. During the summer, besides hiking the mountain, visitors can also participate in water activities such as boating, swimming and paddling at its nearby lake. In the winter, visitors can ice skate, ski, snowboard and ice fsh. Student Recommendation: “I thought going to Northern California and Mount Shasta was really interesting and gave me a new perspective on California.”

MOUNT SHASTA

MVHS students recommend California travel destinations for your next trip

DREAM DESTINATIONS

ARTS & ENT | FEBRUARY 2024

Entry Fee: N/A This quaint Danish village has traditional Danish bakeries, boutiques, mom-and-pop shops and other buildings designed in an old-world Danish architectural style. This town is a perfect stop to explore Danish culture while shopping, eating and exploring various other attractions. Student Recommendation: “It’s a cute fairytale town.”

SOLVANG

ILLUSTRATIONS | SARAH LIU

Entry Fee: N/A This popular beach in Santa Cruz features a walkthrough sea cave that leads to a long stretch of sand. Panther Beach is perfect for beachcombing, sunbathing, tide-pooling and hiking. Student Recommendation: “Reaching the beach itself is an adventure. You have to walk through abandoned railroad tracks and go down a slightly rocky clif. But the views are absolutely spectacular. The beach is very picturesque. Also, next to the beach is a feld where thousands of fowers grow. It’s amazing to go there during the springtime.”

PANTHER BEACH

Entry Fee: $15 An immersive viewing experience, photos, props and scripts cover every wall of this museum — a collection that tells the history of cinema. This museum provides an intimate glance into the flmmaking process, from pencil drawings to storyboarding, while emphasizing diversity and inclusion throughout its exhibits. Student Recommendation: “Iconic costumes from movies, Oscars displayed — an overall really cool experience for a movie fan.”

ACADEMY MUSEUM OF MOTION PICTURES

Entry Fee: $15 This park contains breathtaking sights including volcanic craigs and towering, spirelike rock formations jutting out of the ground. In addition to participating in hiking and rock climbing opportunities perfect for people of all skill levels, visitors can also partake in birdwatching rare birds such as the extremely endangered California condor — the park’s signature bird. Student Recommendation: “It’s so serene and in the middle of nowhere and looks straight out of a postcard.”

PINNACLES NATIONAL PARK

PHOTOS | AIDAN RUAN

TEAMED-UP TAKEDOWNS

The MVHS wrestling team finds strength in teamwork in a primarily solo sport BY ARJUN DHRUV AND SHANNON YU

t was 2022 when freshman Kennedy Ancheta wrestled for the frst time. Despite Ancheta being one of just a handful of girls on her club team, nurtured by her team’s support, her love for wrestling grew. Now one of seven girls on the MVHS Wrestling team, Ancheta expresses her happiness that there are more girls than in previous years. Ancheta says she fnds inspiration in many of the people around her. Specifcally, she references her older brother and wrestler Hayden, who graduated from MVHS ranked number fve in the state. “My brother motivates me,” Ancheta said. “I see how he’s proud of me and what I do, and it helps me keep going.” Sophomore Chris Lamfalusi received similar inspiration from a friend’s older sibling and decided to wrestle in middle school. Coming out

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of eighth grade ofcially ranked the number one wrestler in the Santa Clara County league, he knew he would continue the sport in high school as he was drawn in by the challenging and exciting environment of high school wrestling. “It’s a lot more competitive and you see way better wrestlers,” Lamfalusi said. “In middle school, people aren’t very good and the coaching isn’t very good. In high school, there’s a diferent attitude. You have people who are a lot better, and it’s just a bigger world.” Now wrestling at the high school level, Ancheta shares her perspective on the importance of teamwork. According to Ancheta, true teamwork means equality for everyone on the team and treating people the same no matter their gender. She fnds that the mindset of constant positivity,

encouragement and support helps her maintain good relationships with her teammates. Ancheta says spending time with them not only allows her to create memories but also helps everyone work together efciently. “In the room, you can see people giving tips to each other or just being there for each other,” Ancheta said. “People who are more experienced talk to the newer people. If something goes wrong, you just encourage them like, ‘Oh, it’s OK. Try again.’ Because it’s all about reps at the end of the day.” Lamfalusi believes his experience in football and ice hockey gives him in-depth knowledge of various team dynamics. Where in hockey, every pass of the puck afects the whole team, Lamfalusi says that in wrestling, “you’re alone on the mat—it’s just you

versus the other person.” He fnds that the team will be successful in that this individuality makes good every endeavor. teamwork at practices and of the mat Ramachandran and Lamfalusi all the more essential to wrestling. both share hopes for a future with Junior Dhruva Ramachandran more people, specifcally girls on also expresses his appreciation for the wrestling team, emphasizing the being a part of the wrestling team. vast diference in number of guys Despite wrestling being a solo sport, and girls. However, Ramachandran Ramachandran believes that the comments that lack of girls on his past three the team does years on the not negatively wrestling team afect the have brought team, as they him much are still able to closer to his maintain strong teammates. He relationships believes that with one the lack of girls another despite on the team the diference in compared to number of each guys has little to gender. no impact on the “ [ Wr e s t l i n g ] team socially. To is just more JUNIOR Ramachandran, associated DHRUVA RAMACHANDRAN with the goal of guys,” MVHS Wrestling Ramachandran is to be a team rather than a group said. “With wrestling being so of girls and a group of guys, despite physical, people just associate that them competing in diferent sections. with masculine traits, but I don’t think Due to the strong friendships he has it afects the team’s relationships. built along the way, Ramachandran We all practice in the same room urges others to start wrestling. and we all go to tournaments with “During practices, you’re just each other. The only diference is working with one other person,” that we don’t compete in the same Ramachandran said. “Maybe two if divisions, but everything else we do it works out that way. Generally, the together.” guys are with the guys and girls are Similar to Ramachandran, with the girls, but the more people in Ancheta barely notices the the room, the better the [environment] imbalance. She says that as one of is. There isn’t any gender discrepancy the only female wrestlers in middle in terms of how we interact. Once you school, she is used to being in a get on the mat, it’s no one but yourself, male-dominated sport. From her however just having other people experience, she has learned to in the room, who are motivated and emphasize not so much the types pushing you to be your best, helps of people on the team, but the you perform better.” team environment, ensuring that So far in the season, Lamfalusi has balance is maintained regardless found that other schools only have a of gender. Ancheta describes the handful of female wrestlers. In fact, wrestling team as a family above according to him, MVHS seems to anything else. have one of the biggest girls teams “I feel like we get closer,” around. Lamfalusi hopes that in the Ancheta said. “We’re spending so future, the number of girls who join much time every day with each wrestling will continue to increase and other and are all trying to win.”

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JUST HAVING OTHER PEOPLE IN THE ROOM, WHO ARE MOTIVATED AND ARE PUSHING YOU TO BE YOUR BEST, HELPS YOU PERFORM BETTER.

SPORTS

Freshman Winnie Liang pins a wrestler behind her back.

Junior Dhruva Ramachandran readies his stance for a match.

Senior Darya Pereverzeva pins a Milpitas wrestler to the ground.

Junior Dhruva Ramachandran wraps around a Milpitas wrestler.

SPORTS| FEBRUARY 2024

COMPETING TO CONNECT Community members share their experiences and thoughts on the networking aspect of sports BY LILY JIANG AND KALYANI PUTHENPURAYIL

VHS parent Lee Nguyen career, sports allowed Nguyen to says that the heightened get in touch with various people and emotions his customer felt opened the door for new employment heavily contributed to them closing a and business opportunities. Nguyen business deal over dinner. They had started off playing basketball just played a golf match together to games with his coworkers over the discuss the deal and the customer, an weekend. amateur golfer, had accomplished an Through this, he started to see the impressive feat — an eagle. Scoring appeal in it — not only was he able to on a golf hole two strokes under have leisure time with his colleagues, par, this rare occurrence brought but he was also able to network with him satisfaction and while business employees from other companies deals are rational decisions, Nguyen when they played games against points out that each other and emotion plays went out to eat a role, which is afterwards. When where sports he was younger, come in. he didn’t express “People a keen interest tend to not in sports, but he open up when saw it as useful for you are at both his personal work,” Nguyen and business life said. “But when as he grew older. you go outside Unlike Nguyen, and play sports, MVHS parent April they show Huang doesn’t their private participate in any side as well as sports to network professional due to the nature side. They tend of her profession to have deeper PARENT LEE NGUYEN as an elementary conversations school teacher. and are more likely to [open up] about However, when she was younger, their opportunities.” she was part of her high school’s Although now retired, during his tennis and badminton teams and saw

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PEOPLE TEND TO NOT OPEN UP WHEN YOU ARE AT WORK, BUT WHEN YOU GO OUTSIDE AND PLAY SPORTS, THEY SHOW THEIR PRIVATE SIDE AS WELL AS PROFESSIONAL.

EL ESTOQUE | FEBRUARY 2024

sports’ potential for the development of important life skills such as collaboration, communication and resiliency. Through her experiences, she recognized the value of involving her children in sports, and signed them up for sports such as dance, gymnastics, swimming and taekwondo. Although two of Huang’s children stopped their sports endeavors due to lack of interest and because Huang believed that it was ultimately not worth the energy, time or money to push them to continue, her older daughter was passionate about dance and continued to attend classes. Huang encourages parents to sign their kids up for sports to build friendships, and through taking her daughter to classes, she saw that parental networking was also vital. “If you stay with one sports league or company, then you will know the system and the parents a little more and the kids know each other and grow up together,” Huang said. “When parents bring their kids to an activity, we have to sit around and wait, so you network and talk to each other and it’s helpful for parents to meet other parents and have kids of the same age and same interests.” While her daughter was on the MV Dance Team, Huang and the MVDT parents worked together to set up

PHOTO | LINDSEY TANG

fundraisers for the team and traveled to Los Angeles for a competition. Huang saw how the parents were able to build a tighter-knit community. Connecting with other parents is just one of the positives of sports, and Nguyen believes that these skills can be employed in business situations. However, Nguyen also finds that someone’s playing style can impact how successful they are with networking. “Sports have two things that are critical,” Nguyen said. “Number one, it shows that you are a team player and that you understand how to work with different kinds of people. For example, a guy I play golf with likes the way I play, so he introduces me to his friends, and his friends introduce me to their friends and that’s how I expand my network. The second is that whether it’s a team sport or individual sport, you have some kind of etiquette to the game to show your personality of how hard you work, how much you care about certain things that you do and your commitment. People like to do business with people who are responsible and pay attention to details, and have fun at the same time.” Having fun in a sport is also something that senior and Varsity Girls Golf member Catherine

Chen thinks is important, and she sees how she is able to bond with members on her team as well as other teams due to the sport’s relaxed and slow-paced environment. Similar to Nguyen, senior Catherine Chen’s dad picked up golf after his coworkers invited him to play, leading him to sign Chen up, who was in middle school at the time, for golf lessons as well. She has pursued the sport ever since and notes the benefits of knowing golf in a professional setting. “One day, if I work at a corporate job and people invite me to play golf, then I can go and I can meet new people through the sport as well,” Chen said. “When you play on a golf course, you’re forced to play in groups. And depending on how long the course is, it’ll take about three to four hours and if you’re stuck with the same group of people, you’re bound to have some kind of conversation.” Since Chen’s dad has also taken an interest in golf, he wanted someone to play golf with, so Chen and her younger brother became his golf

buddies. Every weekend, they go to the Blackberry Farm golf course, and Chen finds satisfaction in the small joys of beating her dad and brother. Meanwhile, Nguyen’s golf buddies are his friends, whom he plays with four times a week. He also plays tennis five times a week with them, and since he’s retired, he’s able to spend more time outdoors and remain active. Through WhatsApp groups, they gauge others’ availability to play tennis or golf and pursue the sports as a more recreational hobby. Nguyen believes that these skills gained from playing sports can be used professionally. “You take your hobbies as tools to your professional life,” Nguyen said. “Everything that you know, it’s a tool. Whether you drive a car or you play a sport, it’s a tool. When you know how to play sports, you enjoy the game as a hobby either now or later when you retire, or it also can be a tool for you to get to know different people to find an opportunity whether it’s employment, business and so on.”

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SPORTS | FEBRUARY 2024

ATHLETE ATTENDANCE Student athletes and coaches discuss the complexities of attendance in sports BY LAUREN CHUU AND ASHA WOJCIECHOWSKI

V Dance Team coach Joy Lee has a policy in place for all of her dancers: if you can’t make it to practice, you have to write a paragraph detailing how your absence impacts the team. With the exception of reasons like illness or emergencies, Lee implemented this policy with the intention to emphasize the importance of being present for the sake of the team. “I think it’s really easy for kids to message me an hour before practice starts saying, ‘Hey, I can’t make

it’ and not really understand the repercussions of that because they’re not at practice to see their other teammates picking up that slack,” Lee said. “It was important to me to have the kids understand that when you miss a practice, it’s affecting not just you, it’s affecting 20 other people.” However, for student-athletes like freshman and Varsity Girls Basketball point guard Ananya Kotla, missing practice is not always so simple. Throughout the five to six practices she missed while out sick in episodes of bacterial infections, strep throat a n d

PHOTO ILLUSTRATION | LAUREN CHUU

44 EL ESTOQUE | FEBRUARY 2024

influenza type A, Kotla was eager to return to practice. Although her coach was very understanding of her situation, to Kotla, being on a Varsity team means sports is a top priority and thus absences are rare for the team of 14. However, she explains it was difficult trying to get back into the rhythm of basketball. “I was still feeling sick, but I still wanted to practice because I felt like I was just sitting around and doing nothing,” Kotla said. “I was back-toback sick, so I skipped almost two weeks. And eventually I was like, you know what, I’m just gonna come and practice and do what I have to do.” Senior and Varsity Field Hockey left forward Sohni Tagirisa found herself in a similar predicament during field hockey season, as she sat out of practices for almost four weeks due to respiratory illnesses. Despite this, Tagirisa says she did everything she could to support her team from the sidelines, showing up to games and practices whenever possible. Tagirisa shares that both her coach and team were supportive of her situation and believes that it was ultimately good communication between them that allowed them to come to a mutual understanding. “My coach’s reaction was like, ‘Oh, I’m so sorry this is happening. Is there anything that your coaches and teammates can do for you?’” Tagirisa said. “It was genuinely gracious. If you talk to them, our coaches could be accommodating. If you’re willing to communicate and be vulnerable with our coaches, I think they’re also willing to be equally patient.” Lee also stresses the importance of communication, specifically communicating well in advance for absences whenever possible. For dance, it is important for every dancer

to be on the same page while cleaning a routine and perfecting small details. When a dancer misses a practice, they end up lacking the important adjustments and refinements that can make or break the routine. The dance team also often competes in smaller units that specialize in each category of dance, which Lee mentions poses difficulties for their alternates. This mainly affects dancers who aren’t specialized in the specific type of dance they alternate for, especially in smaller units. “Currently, we only have one alternate in place, and our team is pretty big, so if somebody were having to miss a performance, we could generally fill in that hole easily,” Lee said. “But within our small unit, there’s only about seven of them. So if one person is out, it affects the whole team.” Tagirisa agrees that alternating or even a lack of subbing can complicate team dynamics, pointing out that in the past the Varsity Field Hockey team had only one or two subs — at one point, they had no subs at all. “Everyone was stretched to their limits,” Tagirisa said. “I feel like our team could’ve had better performances with everyone here. On the field, it was a matter of being able to continue playing. We were doing our best, but sometimes our best is different when you’re playing the whole game and you have no breaks. Having absent players and no subs does have a negative dynamic on our team because everyone is exhausted, and there’s really nothing that we can do because there are no subs.” Tagirisa further outlines the importance of having substitutes not just for filling in gaps, but for the flexibility of the team. Having substitutes means that players aren’t always playing or interacting with the same team members, and can

“

be exposed to more people on the team that they otherwise wouldn’t be. Although the field hockey team has 12 players, Tagirisa believes this allows players to learn to branch out and foster teamwork skills with every athlete on the team. Kotla expands on Tagirisa’s point, noting that whether players are absent or not, sports are time-consuming commitments. As a result, Kotla stresses the importance of managing one’s time, explaining how she often stays up late to study after practice. Lee says she understands the difficulty of juggling other priorities especially at MVHS, where many students balance an academically rigorous course load alongside multiple extracurricular activities. This is a unique complication for student PHOTO ILLUSTRATION | ASHA WOJCIECHOWSKI athletes at MVHS, with schoolwork and tests they’ve been there for a while,” Lee being the second most common said. “But if there’s something big reason for happening, like for example a lot of absence after the kids on the team are seniors, so if sickness. In they have a college audition, interview, lieu of this, anything I’m totally willing to open up although Lee that space for them.” continues Both Tagirisa and Kotla stress the to stress the importance of coach support and i m p o r t a n c e believe that coaches have the players’ of being there best interests at heart. Though for the team, coaches give advice and help to the she says best of their ability, Tagirisa they can that even for only do so much. When it comes to SENIOR performances absences, student athletes make the SOHNI TAGIRISA she is willing final decision on how they prioritize to be flexible. their commitment to sports. “It’s a little bit tougher to get around performances, they’re on our schedule,

I FEEL LIKE OUR TEAM COULD’VE HAD BETTER PERFORMANCES WITH EVERYONE HERE.

SPORTS| FEBRUARY 2024

!" EL ESTOQUE | FEBRUARY 2024

er level

On a higher hig gh Failing is just another means to try again BY DYLAN NGUYEN

People always told me I was too short to play basketball.

They told me I would never make it. They’d say:

“ You’re too short to be any good.”

“Are you sure you’re playing the right sport?”

I believed them.

I even swam. I tried other sports: golf...

tennis...

Yet the only thing in my mind was what I knew I loved most:

I struggled through multiple obstacles.

basketball.

So I practiced for tryouts.

to night.

From day...

I received nothing but doubt from my peers.

But in the end, it was all worth it.

Because although I might be physically shorter than the people around me...

In terms of will? I’m on a higher level.

EL ESTOQUE | FEBRUARY 2024

PHOTO | LILY JIANG

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