Volume 48, Issue 7, April 11, 2018 by El Estoque

April 2018

elESTOQUE Monta Vista High School

Issue VI Volume XLIX

8 NEWS

16 OPINION

26 A&E

36 SPORTS

Student leaders discuss Cupertinoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s social host ordinance

Students look back at their past social media presences

Pet owners share about their atypical pets

Twins explain the impact of their relationships on athletics

through a different lens 20 Reality Exploring why people choose to look for alternative explanations

NEWS

OPINION

BREAKING CONVENTION

Exploring youth political participation in the community

DECODING THE CAST Exploring the intricacies of the California Science Test CORKING THE BOTTLE Student leaders talk about Cupertino’s social host ordinance

A&E

CLICK TO FOLLOW Students talk about their social media presences

FLYING SOLO The stigma around going stag to prom

WE REGRET TO INFORM YOU ... It’s important to deal with rejection in a healthy way

REPUTATIONS: RUMORS Students share their thoughts on gossip

EMPTY SEATS AT EMPTY TABLES Students and class officers discuss senior ditch day scheduling complications

12 14

THE RIGHT FIT Re-evaluating the college application process

SPORTS

A DIFFERENT STAGE

Actors’ experiences performing in drama outside of MVHS

MAN’S BEST FRIEND Pet owners discuss their atypical pets

RESUREGGTION What Easter means to different people

IN OTHER WORDS Fanfiction writers and readers explain their interest

DOUBLE TAKE

Twins explain the impact of their relationships on athletics

SIDE BY SIDE Comparing the dynamics of coed sports

PRACTICE MAKES PERFECT Students share significance of going to practice

KEEP YOUR GUARD UP Different martial artists describe one specific move of their sport

SPORTS FLASH Reviewing the past month of MVHS’ spring sports season

IN THIS ISSUE

FEATURES REALITY THROUGH A DIFFERENT LENS

Exploring why people choose to look for alternative explanations

EL ESTOQUE | APRIL 2018

LETTER FROM THE EDITORS... T ime is a weird notion. It seems like just yesterday when we first entered MVHS, when we stepped into room A111 — our journalism classroom — for the first time. Back then we really didn’t know what we were doing. But now, we’re almost leaving — and we’re still not sure what we’re doing. But isn’t that life? Each day in that classroom is something new. We push ourselves to new limits, transcribing the interviews of sources who talk just a little too fast for our fingers to type and trying to come up with article ideas that haven’t been done. We learn new techniques, spending hours trying to understand how to text wrap objects in InDesign, find the perfect background music for a video or take photos in dark settings. And probably the most gratifying part of being a journalist — we discover new perspectives. In journalism we learn that everyone has a story. The task of reporting without bias requires that we address all perspectives, even if we don’t support them ourselves. We’ve spent the past three years constantly reaching out to new people on (and off) campus, trying to find the most relevant of sources for our articles. And although that process can be tiring, it’s helped us understand one crucial thing: everyone believes something different. On pages 19 to 24, staff writers Ankit Gupta, Elizabeth Han, Jahan Razavi, Priya Reddy and Karen Sanchez explore this idea and detail the thoughts and beliefs of junior Georgiy Bondar, a student who is more open to believing the unconventional than most of us are. Although he doesn’t believe in the Flat Earth Theory himself, it showed him ways to question what everyone else blindly accepts as fact. It proved to him the importance of curiosity and being open to new ideas. And that’s what started us on this whole journey — curiosity. Curiosity for knowledge, curiosity for the field of journalism, curiosity for the people around us and the stories they have to share. As we prepare to head off for college, we will take that curiosity with us, continuing to find new experiences and stories. In one of our first letters, we mentioned that everyone experiences fear. Well, right now, we’re feeling that fear: a fear of moving to a brand new place all on our own. We’re not quite ready to leave this comfortable home we’ve made and the family we’ve created in room A111. But even though we fear leaving the nest, it’s inevitable that we will — not just because our parents will berate us if we don’t go to college, but because curiosity always gets the better of us. As much as we love sitting on tables in room A111 talking about everything from fonts to TV shows, the lessons we’ve learned in that classroom have taught us to face our fears — whether it be interviewing a professional or reporting on a difficult topic. And what we’ve learned is that it’s worth it to face our fears. It’s worth it to hear the cheers of our staff, which are equally enthusiastic whether we’re receiving a national award, finishing the last page of our magazine or just singing happy birthday in a funny accent. The doubts we had stepping into room A111 for the first time aren’t all that different than the doubts we have about moving away from home next year. Our curiosity prompted us to take the first tentative steps into that classroom, before our editors shoved us off the edge of the diving board. But journalism has taught us to face the unknown with a sense of curiosity, rather than fear. And so while we may never be sure of what exactly we’re doing, we’ll do it anyways, because that’s what reporters do.

Ilena Peng

Ananya Bhat

elESTOQUE 21840 McClellan Road Cupertino, CA 95014 mv.el.estoque@gmail.com

Editors-in-chief: Ananya Bhat, Ilena Peng Managing editors: Aanchal Garg, Om Khandekar, Akshara Majjiga, Chetana Ramaiyer, Priya Reddy Copy editors: Emma Lam, Karen Ma, Andrea Schlitt Web editor: Daniel Lin Design editor: Elizabeth Han News editors: Claire Chang, Gauri Kaushik, ZaZu Lippert, Jai Uparkar Sports editors: Rana Aghababazadeh, Roshan Fernandez, Sannidhi Menon, Anthony Moll Entertainment editors: Sara Entezar, Shar Rahman, Michelle Wong, Himani Yalamaddi Opinion editors: Ruth Feng, Songjun Na, Mallika Singh, Nate Stevens Feature editors: Helen Chao, Vivian Chiang, Katerina Pappas, Karen Sanchez Beats editors: Bill Cheng, Anjini Venugopal Business editor: Shayon Moradi Public relations editor: Jennie Chen Visuals editors: Sunjin Chang, Ankit Gupta, Rajas Habbu, Stuti Upadhyay, Anish Vasudevan, Jacob Wee Staff writers: Robert Borrego, Anirudh Chaudhary, Charlotte Chui, Aditya Dash, Aditi Gnanasekar, Alyssa Hui, Zara Iqbal, Shuvi Jha, Ria Kolli, Sreya Kumar, Hannah Lee, Jasmine Lee, Carol Lei, Maggie McCormick, Andrea Perng, Jahan Razavi, Ishani Singh, Rucha Soman, Swara Tewari, Chelsea Wong, Emily Xia, Claire Yang, Julia Yang, Sarah Young Adviser: Julia Satterthwaite Mission Statement El Estoque is an open forum created for and by students of Monta Vista High School. Opinions expressed in this publication are those of the journalism staff and not of Monta Vista High School or the Fremont Union High School District. The staff seeks to recognize individuals, events, and ideas and bring news to the MVHS community in a manner that is professional, unbiased, and thorough in order to effectively serve our readers. We strive to report accurately, and we will correct any significant error. If you believe such an error has been made, please contact us. Letters of any length should be submitted via email or mail. They may be edited for length or accuracy. Letters cannot be returned and will be published at El Estoque’s discretion. We also reserve the right to reject advertising due to space limitations or decision of the Editorial Board that content of the advertisement conflicts with the mission of the publication. COVER ILLUSTRATION | ELIZABETH HAN

Exploring the intricacies of the California Science Test

PHOTO ILLUSTRATION | AANCHAL GARG

BY SHAYON MORADI While the rest of the student body school experience,” Flores said. “Part of enjoyed a typical late start at 9:30 a.m. that is making sure that when you have an on Wednesday, April 4 and Wednesday, opportunity to show up to provide support April 11, many of the seniors reported to your high school.” to the Field House during one of those However, on April 4, only 63 percent mornings to take the California Science of the seniors in the alphabet range A — Test, or CAST, which is aligned to the Next Matoo showed up. Senior Darren Kopa Generation Science Standards that were thinks the quid pro quo messaging could’ve adopted in 2013. been part of the problem. On March 22, assistant principal and “A better argument would probably be, CAST coordinator Nico Flores sent an even if you don’t feel like giving back, this email to the senior class will help improve [MVHS’ encouraging students to THIS IS A VERY EASY standing] for future take the standardized WAY FOR YOU TO GIVE generations,” Kopa said. test in an effort to That said, Kopa did meet the 95 percent BACK TO YOUR SCHOOL show up for the test and participation target set AND THE COMMUNITY didn’t think it was that in 2015 by the Every FOR ALL THEY HAVE big of a deal. Student Succeeds Act, “Your score didn’t or ESSA, the Obama- DONE FOR YOU OVER really matter, so it’s not era education policy that THE PAST 3+ YEARS like I spent any time replaced Bush’s No Child ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL studying,” Kopa said. Left Behind Act of 2001. NICO FLORES “The only thing was I had “This is a very easy way for you to give to wake up a bit earlier one day.” back to your school and the community for Senior Nidhin Madhu considered opting all they have done for you over the past 3+ out, but ended up taking the test. years,” Flores wrote in an email. “I feel like people should be allowed to Flores shared his perspective that opt out,” Madhu said. “But last year I heard seniors giving up one Wednesday morning [that] even though people opted out, they to take the test wasn’t asking too much. were called back in and asked to take the “Whether it’s on the athletic fields, [CAASPP] test.” whether it’s in visual performing arts, Officially, only 10 students opted out of whether it’s administrators and teachers the test, although 90 students didn’t show writing letters of recommendation — up to take the exam on the first day. which aren’t required — all of those things “California is one of the few states that together make a comprehensive high allows opt outs,” Flores said. “But we’re 0

EL ESTOQUE | APRIL 2018

held to 95 percent standard — if everyone opted out, how would we hit our mark?” However, Madhu said the time of year negatively impacted senior participation. “I would rather not take [the test because] it’s having the seniors do so much late in the year,” Madhu said. ”It is just not right, you know.” The consequences for not hitting the participation mark aren’t totally clear. “It could have a number of ripple down effects,” Flores said. “It could be a drop in rank. It could be a drop in community perception. It could impact anything from enrollment to property values. Or it could change nothing.” Senior Nikash Khanna agrees that standardized tests are very important to the community. “It has more implications than just for our school,” Khanna said. “House prices, for example. My mom wants me to take the test because the reason that the house prices are so high in this neighborhood is because of the schools and if the school’s ratings go down … people who have houses here are just going to be broke.” Flores sent a follow-up email to the 90 students who didn’t come on April 4 and offered them two options for make-ups: testing on April 11 at 7:35 a.m. with the second group or use open block periods. “MVHS is a great place to be,” Flores wrote. “Let’s keep it great by stepping up and taking down the CAST, together!” e

NEWS

Exploring youth political participation in the community BY ANANYA BHAT, ADITI GNANASEKAR AND ZAZU LIPPERT

ILLUSTRATION | ANANYA BHAT

NEWS | APRIL 2018

ommunity members mill about the bus circle, which will soon be filled with food trucks. Prominent local politicians speak in the Student Union. And the main attraction, a voter registration drive for students, takes center stage in the rally court.

VOTE TODAY

ILLUSTRATION | ZAZU LIPPERT

This is how seniors Samantha Millar, Santosh Sivakumar and Hasini Shyamsundar imagine one aspect of the voter registration drive that will take place from April 23 to 27, which they’ve been working to make a reality. They plan to hold the drive every day of the week, but the last day will be accompanied by political speakers and food trucks as a community event at MVHS. All three have been involved in politics — Shyamasundar helped out with congressman Ro Khanna’s campaign in 2016, Millar and Sivakumar have been involved in Youth and Government, an organization for high school students to gain experience serving in a model government, and last summer, Sivakumar interned with California Assemblymember Evan Low. Looking to make one last impact in local politics before heading off to college, they decided they wanted to do something to get students more involved. According to Sivakumar, the lack of conventional participation in politics, such as attending board meetings or writing to representatives, is understandable in young students from high school to college age. The transitions they are making into college and work life require a lot of attention, and take focus away from things like political participation. But he hopes students realize the impact they can have on the government if they take the time to voice their opinions through voting and being politically aware. “They don’t realize the change they’re able to create through their votes and [young] people are very new [in] the political world,” Sivakumar said. “A lot of us are only learning about the importance of [voting] when we’re taking Government. As we grow older, we see the importance.”

Millar hopes the drive will increase the Migdal said. “That was a large point of amount of conventional participation. She this march — thoughts and prayers aren’t has noticed students in this community going to get us very far and I think it’s very favor unconventional participation, which important that our generation learns how includes things like protests and forms to stand up for themselves.” Shyamsundar believes students should of civil disobedience. Millar believes this tendency might be because conventional realize the political power they hold. While participation relates less to the rebellious the main focus is registering students nature of many teens. But she believes to vote, the drive is also about raising both forms of political participation are awareness about political participation regarding local issues. equally impactful. “One thing we’re going to show them “Every single time that I start thinking about the fact that young people don’t is that politics isn’t just [on the] federal vote, that it’s mostly older people who and state [level], and that it’s local too,” vote, that’s terrifying to me,” Millar said. Shyamasundar said. ”There’s always “That means we’re not putting any of our something for them to do.” For Millar and Sivakumar, the idea for voices in the decisions that will affect us for the rest of our adult life, and our children’s the voter registration drive was something [lives] and our grandchildren’s [lives] and they had been thinking about since the beginning of the year. When Sivakumar tons of generations to come.” Junior Stephen Migdal was involved approached Millar with the idea of a voter in creating walkout posters and pitching registration drive hosted at school, she ideas for the #EnoughIsEnough walkout immediately volunteered to help lead the effort. on campus “I was against gun t o t a l l y violence. inspired by M i g d a l the people believes that around me p rote s t i n g [and] started and marching developing are necessary a sense of for bringing purpose,” a b o u t Millar said. progress. “I wanted to For him, do something talking about at our school issues isn’t that related enough. to what I’m “ I t ’ s passionate important about … and to me that I our current know what political I’m doing to climate also try and make inspired me the change as well.” I want to Migdal see, because believes talking about being part of it, it’s really kickstarting clear to me something that [it’s] not that can enough [to Junior Stephen Migdal at the #Enough walkout on March 16. continue and just discuss Migdal was a part of one of the planning committees that ran improve in issues],” the walkout. Photo used with permission of Stephen Migdal. Photo illustration by ZaZu Lippert.

EL ESTOQUE | APRIL 2018

the future is important. “There needs to be a first time,” Migdal said. “People need to learn how to do this kind of thing.” Sivakumar says that while there are thriving STEM programs here in Cupertino schools, the political involvement as a student body is small in comparison to other areas. According to Sivakumar, the Youth and Government chapter in Cupertino has about 20 people, whereas a Los Angeles chapter has somewhere between 600 to 700 students. “You have to make the government responsive,” Millar said. “They will not do it on their own. So it is up to the people to ensure [the government’s] responsiveness.” Although they haven’t finalized the political speakers who will be speaking at the drive, they hope the speakers will emphasize this desire to be more involved in local politics. “I hope it’s a big community event but also a time for people to realize that politics is more than the people in suits making deals that are going to affect their lives,” Shyamsundar said. “Politics is a thing that [students] can participate in, too.” Sivakumar feels that students are already becoming more politically aware than before, as shown through the large participation in the recent National School Walkout and vigil against gun violence. And while he hopes the drive will create change, he also understands that generations will take on different forms of civic engagement, and that ultimately, the main goal is to just get that interest in politics started. “With the protests and everything like that, it’s really shown the youth that their voices are heard and that [their opinions] can be expressed,” Sivakumar said. “Effectively, you’re just going to have to use whatever appeals to the current market [to engage them], whether that’s social media, whether that’s Vines. I think you just really have to take the idea of civic engagement and mold it into whatever is going to work for the generations to come.” e

ILLUSTRATION | ANANYA BHAT

NEWS | APRIL 2018

CORKING THE

PHOT0 | OM KHANDEKAR

EL ESTOQUE | APRIL 2018

he Cupertino City Council voted kids get whatever controlled substance they unanimously on March 6 to approve had and bringing it to their house.” the first draft of the social host According to Subramanyam, the goal of ordinance, a new law that strives to the fine is to make parents aware of their reduce the amount of underage drinking role in the actions of their children, making and drug use in the city by increasing the them more cautious while also pressuring consequences for the adults that the city teens to act responsibly so their parents deems responsible. don’t have to pay for their mistakes. The social host ordinance was “With the passing of this law, we’re spearheaded by the Cupertino teen hoping that parents will be more cautious commission, nine middle and high and keep alcohol away from children,” school students from Cupertino who are Subramanyam said. “We’re hoping that responsible for representing the city’s cautiousness will transfer to the teens too, teenagers, according to MVHS junior so they’ll be more careful because they Siddarth Rajaram, chair of the teen don’t want their parents to have to pay large commission. Former Cupertino mayor fines.” Savita Vaidhyanathan approached the teen According to Rajaram, there is a viable commission and brought to their attention argument for both sides on which party is that Cupertino was one responsible for underage of the few cities in Santa drinking and drug use. In WITH THE PASSING Clara County without a a survey of 399 MVHS OF THIS LAW WE’RE social host ordinance. students, 54 percent “We all knew that HOPING THAT believe the underage underage drinking was a drinker is at fault, and PARENTS WILL BE problem,” Rajaram said. 40 percent think both “We did a lot of research MORE CAUTIOUS parents and teenagers are on how other cities AND KEEP ALCOHOL at fault. Rajaram believes conduct punishments. I implementing punishments AWAY FROM think our city, Campbell to combat the issue, and Mountain View are CHILDREN. not pointing blame to a the only cities in the SOPHOMORE VARSHA specific party, should be area without a social the goal. ordinance. That’s a very SUBRAMANYAN “There’s no distinct civil alarming sign, so when we code for what to do if there’s saw that, we were inspired to take action.” a party and the parents aren’t there. There’s Prior to the implementation of the no distinct code for who’s responsible in social host ordinance, there were already that situation,” Rajaram said. “You could punishments in place for teenagers say, ‘It’s the parent’s fault for not being caught engaging in underage drinking or there.’ You can also argue that the kid is drug abuse in Cupertino. Teens would be responsible. What the ordinance does is sentenced to community service, with the that it adds a punishment for both.” number of hours depending on their record English teacher Lynn Rose is a parent and severity of the breach, and would to teenage children, and believes that a also be required to take a state-mandated fine for underage drinking is beneficial to course on alcohol and drug abuse. The the community, as the fine may be able social host ordinance not only increases the to prevent the dangerous situations that hours of community service, but also fines underage drinking causes. the guardians of the teens $500 to $1,000. “I feel like any additional deterrent is Sophomore Varsha Subramanyam, a a good thing,” Rose said. “A fine is really member of the teen commission, believes nothing compared to the dangers that could the parents are ultimately responsible for happen. To be able to have that deterrent drug and alcohol abuse by teenagers. She and stop those things from happening feels holding them accountable for their seems to me to be reasonable because children’s actions is important. it makes it harder for kids to find the “We wanted to fine the adult or parent, opportunity to drink.” even if they weren’t there at the time,” However, not everyone believes that Subramanyam said. “We wanted to parents should be held responsible and recognize that it is their fault for letting their punished for their kids’ choices, made

E BOTTLE

Students and teachers discuss the social host ordinance passed by the Cupertino City Council BY CLAIRE CHANG AND SWARA TEWARI

without their knowledge or consent. doesn’t think that harsher punishments will John, an anonymous MVHS student who inspire teens to act responsibly. participates in underage drinking, thinks “I don’t feel like putting a money value fining parents is unfair, as underage drinking on it is something that would promote [not is ultimately the teen’s choice. drinking underage],” John said. “Because “I don’t think [the ordinance] is a good at the end of the day, you already did it, so idea. Parents should be able to raise their what is paying $500 after going to do [to kids with their own beliefs,” John said. change anything].” “I feel like while they are in charge of us, Rajamaran accepts that the ordinance there’s only a certain amount of power [they may prove inefficient at preventing underage have]. They can’t watch us at all times, so drinking. In this case, Rajaram says the the stuff that we do they have no power or teen commission might alter the ordinance control over.” to fit the city’s needs. He emphasizes that While John thinks that the social host it is going through a trial period, in which ordinance will be ineffective, Subramanyam the Cupertino Council will observe the strongly believes in its potential to change productivity of the social host ordinance. teenage behavior. According “This is our to her, the ordinance’s power I FEEL LIKE WHILE THEY pilot so we’ll doesn’t originate from the have to see actual fine, but from the ARE IN CHARGE OF US, what happens severity and symbolic nature THERE’S ONLY A CERTAIN and if it’s easy of the punishment. She AMOUNT OF POWER for the police explains that most Cupertino to enforce it,” residents wouldn’t be financially [THEY HAVE]. THEY Rajaram said. challenged due to the fine, but CAN’T WATCH US AT ALL “Based on would still take being fined by TIMES, that, we can the police seriously. change the “I think that in this area, ANONYMOUS STUDENT punishments — obviously, money isn’t as much either increase of a problem,” Subramanyam said. “Up them or decrease them.” until now, parents wouldn’t have to pay While John doesn’t believe the the consequences, so they wouldn’t be as consequences will be effective, he related to [the issue]. With this law, the acknowledges that these types of laws parents will be more involved and I don’t exist to keep people who drink rashly and think that any kid wants their parents irresponsibly safe. He understands that the [involved] in their personal lives to that law is only meant to protect him. point.” “I think that laws are put in place for our John predicts that the fine will do little to safety, and when I do [drink], I make sure change the actions of teenage drinkers. He I’m safe,” John said. “So I’ll never drink and

65%

*from a survey of 337 MVHS students

believe that it is unfair to fine parents of underage children who drink

*from a survey of 332 MVHS students

73% believe that fining parents will not reduce alchohol and drug abuse

PHOT0 | ANKIT GUPTA

believe that underage drinkers should be the sole party punished

77%

drive and I’ll make sure I have a ride home. When you [drink] like that I think it’s fine, but I think the laws are more to protect us for our safety. Because there are people, on New Year’s, for example, [that] will drink and drive. I think punishing those people isn’t a bad thing.” However, English teacher Kate Evard, a mother to children aged 18 and 20, believes that underage drinking is incredibly dangerous, and if her children participated in it, she would view the fine as a fair punishment for their actions. “I think the message has to be very clear that we cannot put our kids in danger. That cannot be overemphasized,” Evard said. “It’s still my house. They’re my children. I think that I should be held responsible. I mean, somebody has to be.” Subramanyam understands that teenagers who engage in underage drinking may be resistant to the ordinance, as it increases the repercussions. However, she believes people are naturally opposed to change, not thinking of long-term benefits, and that without change, improvement and prgression aren’t possible. “Any law that changes your day-today life, obviously you’re going to have a negative reaction, because it’s a change,” Subramanyam said. “But change is necessary, especially because people don’t usually associate the Bay Area and Cupertino with heavy party culture [even though] it definitely does exist. Teens are probably not going to like it but I think that it’s a needed change.” e

*from a survey of 334 MVHS students NEWS | APRIL 2018

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PHOTO | SUNJIN CHANG

EMPTY CHAIRS AT EMPTY TABLES Students and class officers discuss the scheduling complications for senior ditch day BY HANNAH LEE

ometimes, students need a break. For seniors, this comes in the form of senior ditch day, a day seniors skip their classes. On this day, some students go on small excursions with their friends, while others simply sleep in. This year, senior ditch day will take place on Monday, April 30. While the officers typically plan this tradition by placing senior ditch day after AP testing dates and before senior finals, the class officers faced some complications this year because AP exams lead right into senior finals. As a result, senior class president Dhruv Parikh and the other 2018 class officers have to take other factors into account. “We were looking [towards the] last day of AP testing because not many people take tests then,” Parikh said. “However, this year, there’s AP Macroeconomics on that day, which I know a lot of people are going to be taking. We had to really [plan around] major events like voter registration.” Math teacher Joe Kim supports senior ditch day because the class officers plan the day strategically, preventing conflicts with important exams or events. “They should have a day off, and I’m okay with that,” Kim said. “If senior ditch day was on a day that was really important, then I would have a problem, but they are responsible about picking a day that is not conflicting with something.” Despite the challenges, the officers look forward to senior ditch day, as it is a tradition. Although the absence is unexcused, Parikh explained how students

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nevertheless enjoy the break. test [during senior ditch day]?’” Parikh said. “It’s the feeling of freedom because it’s Math teacher Colin Anderson is among the end of senior year. We’ve gone through the teachers who give tests on senior ditch MVHS, we’ve gone through everything,” day. He does not believe that seniors have Parikh said. “Most [college] admissions are an excuse for skipping class on a test date probably out by then. We just want that one just because it is senior ditch day. day to go out and do stuff with friends.” “I will continue with my schedule and I In addition to being able to have fun will have the quiz on Monday,” Anderson with friends, senior Stacy Park believes said. “If it’s an unexcused absence, you that seniors are more inclined to ditch due cannot make that up and you will just get to the high participation. a zero on that assignment. Students are “Since everyone is doing it, more people allowed to drop one quiz, so that might be are inclined to ditch,” Park said. “It’s kind the one that they drop.” of like mob mentality.” Despite the fact that some teachers do Parikh, on not support seniors the other hand, ditching class, Kim SCAN FOR MORE says that senior believes that many students choose to ditch day is a part COVERAGE participate because of the high school of the less serious experience. consequences. Some teachers who know “I think it’s fine because [the seniors] are about the date make it easier for seniors done,” Kim said. “Especially for a school to skip class. like MVHS where there’s so much pressure. “A majority of students here participate,” It’s always work, work, work. They should Parikh said. “There’s no culture of actually just enjoy the day off and have some fun.” ditching class here, so this is the one day Similarly, senior Michelle Chen believes where people can go out [and] actually do that teachers should not intentionally assign something without as many repercussions.” tests on senior ditch day. To her, senior Other teachers, however, do not take ditch day is an end of the year reward to all the event into consideration and plan tests of the seniors for working hard throughout or other assignments on senior ditch day. their high school career. As a result, many come to school to take an “It’s really only about an hour per class exam, then leave. that we would be missing, and I think “Teachers know that some seniors are seniors deserve to miss 50 minutes of class falling behind on their grades, and they for having made it this far,” Chen said. “I want to help them, so they’re like, ‘Why hope our teacher’s won’t be assigning any waste class time when they can just take a tests this year. Fingers crossed.” e

Prom season brings scrutiny for those going stag BY ANANYA BHAT

IT’S PROM SEASON AGAIN. While searching for a dress or a suit and planning for the dance with your friends can be fun, there’s one thing everyone seems to be thinking about: a date. But since when did a date become a requirement for attending prom?

OPINION

FLYING SOLO

THERE SHOULDN’T BE SO MUCH PRESSURE. Prom isn’t about finding the perfect date to take pictures with — it’s about having fun with people you love. So alter your checklist: Outfit? Check. Ticket? Check. Date? Not necessary. e

OPINION | APRIL 2018

YOUR DREAM SCHOOL Admissions & Financial Aid Dear applicant,

WE REGRET TO INFORM YOU... that we cannot offer you admission to the class of 2022. We wish that a different decision could have been possible, but it’s important to experience rejection and learn to deal with it in a healthy way. Rejection is something we all inevitably have to deal with at some point in our lives. That’s not to say that we should become immune to the disappointment that comes along with it — you may feel an overwhelming frustration and that everything you’ve ever worked for has crumbled down because of a single decision. When it comes down to it, there are both healthy and toxic ways to work through rejection. Sincerely,

El E stoque Staff Editorial Opinion of the El Estoque Editorial Board 1 2

EL ESTOQUE | APRIL 2018

n the midst of college admission at play and ones that are completely out of decisions, rejection seemingly becomes your control. a commonplace. The rejection from Maybe you were rejected because the a safety school is unexpected. Your admissions officer didn’t think you would test scores are above average, and you fit in at the school. Maybe you had an didn’t think your extracurriculars or admissions officer similar to a SUNY Buffalo teacher recommendations were too State admissions officer, who confessed shabby either. You ask around for your that they rejected all the applications they peers’ results, browse numerous threads read the day after they got food poisoning. on r/ApplyingToCollege and College Maybe there isn’t even a concrete answer of Confidential and are slightly miffed upon why, so attempting to find out and wasting seeing that people who were accepted had time dwelling on and analyzing it will only the same — or even lower — statistics. prove futile. It’s a huge blow to your ego and It might be hard to separate external confidence in future decisions. In the success from feeling good about yourself. moment, it’s not It’s easy to feel enough to be told that that acceptances YOU MIGHT NOT BE ABLE the college you end up and compliments TO CONTROL REJECTION, at doesn’t determine will make you feel BUT YOU CAN CONTROL your future, and that better. And it takes “it’s what you make a great deal of effort THE WAY YOU REACT TO IT, of the experience.” to come to terms AND THAT MAKES ALL THE Even the politelywith rejection. But DIFFERENCE. worded rejection take time to realize letter encouraging you and remember that to take pride in your accomplishments and colleges only know what you showed them, saying that the decision isn’t a reflection on and that there’s so much to being a person you as a person, seems insincere. that can’t be summed up in supplemental In the face of rejection, the competitive essays or interviews. The more you equate culture of college admissions lures students your sense of self worth with your college in. When a highly anticipated school results, the worse off you’ll be. Your releases its admission decisions and you’re understanding of your worth as a human rejected — along with the majority of your being should not be contingent on what an peers — there’s often a frantic flurry to find admissions officer thousands of miles away out who got in, what their stats were, what spent a few minutes trying to understand. they had that you lacked. College admissions is one of the first It might be an effort to justify that large hurdles that high school students rejection, to make it sting a little less. If you face in terms of rejection. It elicits an could just find a logical reason behind why intense, emotional response, and you may you received that rejection, it feels like it’ll not be able to stand it at first. After all, it’s be easier to swallow or that it’ll be easier to rejection. It has the ability to make us feel move on with peace of mind. But does that incredibly insecure. really work? At that point, there’s nothing Some people may be able to brush it off we can change about our results, and and continue on their merry way. Others finding out more about the success of your won’t be as unaffected, and it’s healthy to peers at such a low point probably won’t take the time to mourn the possibilities of actually make you feel any better. what could have been, consult your support In terms of college admissions, it’s system and organize your thoughts. You important to realize that it’s unlikely you’ll might not be able to control rejection, but be accepted into every single school you you can control the way you react to it, and apply to. There are unpredictable factors that makes all the difference.

68% 81% of students feel better after finding out why they were rejected

of students view rejection as a valuable learning experience

*According to a survey of 330 MVHS students

*According to a survey of 328 MVHS students

While it’s important to not delve too deeply into the inner workings of college admissions decisions, the same advice might not apply to a “no” from a sports team, summer program or employer. There are aspects you can improve upon for future endeavors. When you’re cut from a sports team, it might be in your best interest to talk to the coach and find out why, so you can put that specific advice into your practices. Try out again next year and show everyone how much you improved. When you’re rejected from that prestigious summer camp you were hoping to attend, think of all the aspects of your application. Maybe you already have an inkling of why, or maybe you don’t know where to start. If you’re still intent on the program, take time before next year’s application to possibly boost your GPA, become more involved in extracurriculars that you genuinely enjoy, form relationships with your recommenders or brainstorm more about your essays. The same goes for job searching. There are definitely aspects you can improve on for next time in light of your rejection. It might be reevaluating your resume, brushing up on interview skills with the help of friends or trying to ask for constructive feedback from employers. They might say no, or you might not like what you hear, but at least you’ll get information that can help you improve and potentially erase any doubts about why you didn’t get an offer. Rejection is so commonplace, and while this might also be common advice — it’s important to learn from rejection. One failure doesn’t define you or sweep you under a generalization that you can’t escape from. It might not seem like it in the moment, but there are other opportunities out there to work towards — you just have to search or wait. So while it may not be productive to go searching for definitive reasons behind your rejections or obsess over why others weren’t rejected, direct that effort eventually into being receptive and flexible, and look towards the future with newfound conviction. e

79% of students are scared of rejection

*According to a survey of 330 MVHS students

OPINION | APRIL 2018

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REPUTATIONS : RUMORS Students reflect on the presence of rumors in their daily lives BY RIA KOLLI

STARTING THEM

BELIEVE IT OR NOT...

23 34

TR US ILL

IO AT IA

|R LI

L KO

OF STUDENTS Have Started A rumor

*According to a survey of 337 MVHS students

HAVENâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;T YOU HEARD?

OF STUDENTS BELIEVE THE RUMORS THAT THEY HEAR

*According to a survey of 325 MVHS students

A CONFRONTATIONAL APPROACH

69 2 %

OF STUDENTS SAY THAT RUMORS AFFECT HOW THEY ACT ARouND OTHERS

OF students confront the SoURCE AFTER hearing any type of rumor

*According to a survey of 334 MVHS students

*According to a survey of 326 MVHS students

Of students would confront the source if they were the subject of the rumor *According to a survey of 331 MVHS students

MOST COMMON SUBJECTS OF RUMORS

RELATIONSHIPS/DATING

96%

TEACHERS

84% 80%

FRIENDSHIPS GRADES

72%

SUBSTANCE USE

70%

SEXUALITY

60%

COLLEGE APPEARANCE *According to a survey of 322 MVHS students

EL ESTOQUE | APRIL 2018

56% 44% ILLUSTRATION | RIA KOLLI

THE RIGHT FIT As colleges become more particular, students should reassess how and why they’re applying BY MALLIKA SINGH AND NATE STEVENS

he end of the school year is much any selective college [...] you’re holistic way of assessing applicants. She approaching, and with it comes a most likely going to see a trend of [their thinks this change might be difficult for big decision for seniors — choosing acceptance rate] decreasing, because the students to adjust to, as it is much easier where to go to college. For some, that is more selective the college is, the higher to compare stats, but once students look easy. They got into their first choice. But for they rank on things like the ‘U.S. News at their applications as a whole they should others who didn’t get into their first choice, Report.’” feel differently about their chances of they are left with an often difficult choice. This increased selectivity could be for getting in. The college application process can be a number of reasons — a growing number “One thing that we’ve noticed from very competitive, with highly prestigious of applicants, higher standards or even a colleges over the years is that more are or popular schools being more difficult to change in the way schools are evaluating becoming test optional, and so they’re not get into. Because of this, many counselors applications. Timmerman believes schools looking at those test scores,” Timmerman and students who have gone through the are becoming more likely to select students said. “I think that’s a huge indicator of application process who show an interest how important other aspects of a college recommend dividing in their specific application are [becoming], outside of the AS SCHOOLS ARE up the schools into university and would test scores.” “reaches,” “target” and be a good fit there, on Whether that means prioritizing other STARTING TO BE MORE “safety.” However, as top of the rest of their aspects of an application or re-examining SELECTIVE, THEY WANT applicants at schools application. why you’re applying to a school in the first TO SEE STUDENTS THAT like the University of “Any school that place, there are options for the class of California San Diego you’re applying 2019 and beyond. And that’s what Ling is REALLY ACTUALLY WANT reach record levels for to, you should be focusing on. Her plans for next year, while TO BE AT THIS SCHOOL. the tenth year in a row, able to actually taking in consideration the competition, according to the UCSD COLLEGE COORDINATOR see yourself going have not been completely changed by the News Center, the there,” Timmerman unexpected results. SAMANTHA TIMMERMAN line between “reach” said. “And I think as “There’s no point in me worrying schools and “safeties” [schools] are starting about it ... I can’t really control what the is being blurred. to be more selective, they want to see colleges decide,” Ling said. “I’m just going Senior Joseph Wong was shocked to get students that really actually want to be at to continue doing what I’m doing and enjoy his decisions back. Wong applied to many this school.” my time before college apps.” e targets and reaches, while also applying Junior Lauren Ling, who PENG to a few safeties. But when he received has talked to many seniors ILENA TION | A R T S ILLU rejection after rejection from schools that, about decisions, feels that looking only at statistics, he considered to it can be worrying to obsess be safeties as well as targets, Wong was over rejections, especially very confused. while still focusing on her “It seems like this year has been the current work. But she does most competitive with the most applicants understand how anxious it as well,” Wong said. “The problem is can be to get decisions back. that people are getting more and more “It seems like a lot of competitive and more highly qualified now, people who are academically so it’s just going to keep getting harder.” qualified and should have Wong’s experience was not an isolated gotten in didn’t get into the one. According to Samantha Timmerman, schools they expected to get a college coordinator at College Possible, into,” Ling said. “Especially which helps low-income students apply when I hear people with [good to college, schools are becoming more grades] getting rejected from selective with who they accept. Timmerman, [good] schools [...] that’s who advises several college counselors, has concerning for me.” noticed this trend, especially this year. However, Timmerman “I don’t necessarily think it’s getting says that schools are no harder; I think that schools are trying to be longer basing their decisions more selective than they have in the past,” on grades alone, and in fact, Timmerman said. “You can look at pretty are transitioning to a more OPINION | APRIL 2018

PHOTO | OM KHANDEKAR

Students discuss their history of having a prominent life on social media BY JASMINE LEE

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EL ESTOQUE | APRIL 2018

hen junior Sam Liu started their Tumblr account, they didn’t expect people to notice their art. They didn’t expect to gain attention from the others on the same social media platform. They didn’t know that they would be well-known on social media for their passion for art. Over the last six years, people have been dedicating more of their attention to social media. According to Pew Research Center, the usage of Instagram, a fairly new social media platform, spiraled over that timespan as 28 percent of adults used the platform in 2012, but that number increased by seven percent, reaching 35 percent in 2018. Due to the growing rate of social media usage, junior Tanya Ravichandran is contacted by various model agencies and fashion industries, such as Aeropostale. Ravichandran explains that social media was the beginning of her photography career because she started an Instagram account as a ten-year-old, and PacSun reached out to her. “[The PacSun company] would post my photos on social media and tag me in their stores and that attracted a lot of attention,” Ravichandran said, “I remember in one week, I gained 10,000 followers.” Though Ravichandran celebrates the joy of the PacSun outreach, she also faces a sharp turn in her online popularity status. Similarly, Liu, who started posting on Tumblr under the influence of their sisters, realizes that their art was discovered by over a thousand people when they posted on Instagram and Twitter. Like Ravichandran, followers accumulated on Liu’s account before they were even aware of the attention they were receiving. “I first realized [the large number of followers], when I got a thousand followers on Tumblr,” Liu said. “But then [afterwards], I didn’t really care as much.” Both Liu and Ravichandran agree that even though there may be excitement in obtaining outside attention, whether it’s from professional companies or thousands of followers on various social media platforms, there are still drawbacks and disappointments to being a popular social media user. “[The Instagram account is] very distracting and I actually haven’t been on it,” Ravichandran said. “I took a break from the account because it is [...] overwhelming and [I also] have to deal with the hate accounts. People made hate accounts for me.” Liu, who did not share the same negative experience online as

Ravichandran, however, explains their According to Jones, being able to open reason for their diminishing enthusiasm in up certain parts of his life to his students creating posts that are appealing to their allowed him to prove that teachers are followers is unnecessary. people who participate in activities other “I don’t really care as much [about than teaching. Being active on social media maintaining followers] because I don’t really also allowed him to understand more about do anything on Tumblr or Twitter,” Liu said. his students’ generation. “It’s mostly just [going “I’m constantly shocked on] there to chill with at the degree to which I’M NOT THINKING friends. If i get attention, students are comfortable ABOUT THIS IN that’s great, but if I don’t in a stream setting versus THE SENSE OF get attention, then that’s a real life setting,” Jones okay.” said. “It’s almost like there’s MAINTAINING “I don’t really care a part of me that feels like FOLLOWERS. I’M as much because I’m I’ve gotten into some space DOING IT MORE pretty sure most of my that I didn’t really know followers are [spam] existed where students are IN THE SENSE OF bots,” Liu said. in their natural habitat.” UTILITY. Science teacher Kyle Although the idea Jones, who became of being popular on SCIENCE TEACHER popular on Youtube social media seems to KYLE JONES through a Reddit post be appealing, depending regarding his video on the different ways of gaming and biology lectures, also agrees utilizing media platforms, according to Liu, with Liu when it comes to keeping up with the drawbacks and responses may affect his subscribers on Youtube. well-known social media users to become “I’m not thinking about this in the sense negative. of maintaining followers,” Jones said. “I’m “I see a lot of people with like 15,000 doing it more in the sense of utility and followers that get really pretentious over teaching.” time,” Liu said. “They do something Unlike Ravichandran and Liu, Jones problematic, but then their followers are started using social media with the goal okay [with them being problematic].” e of combining academics and personal hobbies. He claims that the amount of subscribers he receives for his videos is not important to him. Throughout the February break, Jones came up with the idea of an office hour streaming, where students can discuss their questions ILLUSTRATION | EMILY XIA with him online. As he live-streams lectures and answers questions, Jones also reveals his hobby, playing video games, to the students from time to time.

OPINION | APRIL 2018

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ILLUSTRATION | ELIZABETH HAN

THE NATURE OF CONSPIRACY THEORIES IS THAT THEY ARE ONLY CONSPIRACIES UNTIL PROVEN TRUE. Exploring why people choose to look for alternative explanations BY ANKIT GUPTA, ELIZABETH HAN, JAHAN RAZAVI, PRIYA REDDY AND KAREN SANCHEZ

EL ESTOQUE | APRIL 2018

PHOTO ILLUSTRATION | ELIZABETH HAN AND PRIYA REDDY

here’s a certain feeling of unease that creeps into the back of the mind, shifting slightly towards the gut when intuition kicks in. Then suspicion arises. As a stubborn thought makes its way through, constantly poking into the skull, it becomes difficult to shake off the curiosity that comes with your own assurance. It’s as if something, maybe something bad, is happening. You brush the feeling off and label yourself paranoid, because the reality is conspiracies theories are just theories until proven true. However, according to AP U.S. Government teacher Ben Recktenwald, there have been countless times in which initial suspicion and eerie intuition have proven true. An example is the Tuskegee experiment in Alabama between 1932 and 1972, where black men who had syphilis were not given treatment. The government intentionally let the men die to see how the disease progressed over the years. People thought the idea that this was happening was ridiculous, far-fetched. But now they have documents that prove it actually happened. The real question lies not in whether these ideas are true, but in the initial attraction to them. The alternative oftentimes crosses the line between reality and a seemingly fictional world — and perhaps that’s just it. In times of confusion, when the unknown becomes a source of frustration, the human mind reaches out

for an answer. When things go wrong, when things aren’t as they should be, a world outside of this reality is appealing, comforting and, at times, entertaining. HONORS AMERICAN LITERATURE, under English teacher Mark Carpenter, is as much a class about dissecting literature,

“

I’m nev

do a Fa ‘Is the

as it is about understanding social issues with a critical eye. In a typical lesson, Carpenter poses a question in his calm, yet assertive voice, shuffling a stack of cards to some students’ heightened nerves. Each card contains a student’s name, used when the class dissolves into periods of silence. Once one student spearheads

a discussion, however, Carpenter strolls from one end of the classroom to the next, listening keenly to their thoughts. Insights on classic novels like “The Scarlet Letter” to a contemporary book like “Citizen: An American Lyric” bloom in the air. Literary elements naturally weave into current events that students observe or experience daily. In one lesson, a student spilled her own account of gender inequality, after reading “The Confidence Gap” by Russ Harris. It’s at times like this that he slowly nods his head in support. Carpenter tries to moderate and encourage contrasting opinions, but he stills feels that he must draw the line somewhere. For the Factoid Friday projects this year, in which students formulate evidence-based arguments to qualify a controversial social issue, Carpenter no longer allowed topics such as vaccines and affirmative action. In previous years, he watched students, who must speak both for and against their chosen topic, stress that vaccines cause autism, which has been disproven, and use racially-biased sources to refute affirmative action. While they had no devious agenda — only “poor research habits,” according to Carpenter — he could not let his classroom be a channel for spreading false information. “I’m never going to let a student do a Factoid Friday project on ‘Is the earth really round?’, ‘Is evolution real?’, you know, none of those things. No ‘whoseinauguration-was-bigger?’” Carpenter said. “I try, when I can see them coming, to

cut off opportunities for alternative facts to come into the discussion in the first place.” And while Carpenter dispels such ideas in his classroom, junior Georgiy Bondar finds himself meddling with the alternative. At age two, Bondar found himself in a new environment moving from Russia to the U.S. Now as a 16 year old AP Physics C student, with long blond hair pulled back into a low ponytail, he tops off his look with a newsboy hat and t-shirts that turn heads at MVHS. One day, the Trump Pence campaign sign is on his shirt. The next, a diagram of the flat Earth emblazoned on his chest. His curiosity toward alternative theories grew once he noticed an inconsistency in his education. As a child in elementary school, his main sources for information were his teachers and his parents, and often the two didn’t align. Bondar noticed this specifically when it came to history. He was able to see how his parents, who grew up in Russia, were taught social science in a completely different manner than he was, and in doing so was better able to recognize the spin that was placed on the things he was taught in school. “In school a lot of times, they tell us something that doesn’t seem true and then my parents would say something else because they’ve learned history in a completely different way,” Bondar said. “Some of the things they’ve taught [me] are different from what they teach here, and I mean, that’s more regarding the Soviet Union and the U.S., but in that sense I’ve

never going to let a student

Factoid Friday project on

he Earth really round?’” ENGLISH TEACHER MARK CARPENTER

learned to be skeptical.” Such a paradigm shift cut through Carpenter’s early life as well. When he entered his Catholic high school, he found discrepancies between his mother’s religious teachings and the Bible. His mother grew up before Vatican II, during which Catholics used the Latin Bible. With no English translations available, she had relied on the words of her priest as her only source, which were then passed down to Carpenter in his childhood. Carpenter speculates that, perhaps due to this upbringing with no means to fact check her information, his mother gives more credulity to those who speak with authority over actual institutions. Carpenter, who is no longer Catholic, now describes his mother as a skeptic of authority. In her occasional phone calls to Carpenter, a resentment of the system belies her words. She believes that universities are a brainwashing tool of extreme liberals, an herbalist has equal standing as a doctor and an oil executive knows just as much about climate change as a scientist. To Carpenter her sources seem dubious. She discounts news sources like The New York Times, The Washington Post or NPR, which have become Carpenter’s primary selections after the abundance of fake news in the Trump era. He tried to pull his mother out of her reality initially. When she told him the pope had endorsed Trump in 2016, he tried to correct her — that the pope in fact denounced Trump. But instead of landing on the same page as he had hoped, they only moved further away from each other in their beliefs. “It’s always a losing battle. My belief that I can change your mind is a fringe belief because I’ve seen the studies that when shown evidence that condemns a firmly held belief, people hold more tightly to those ideas,” Carpenter said. “I’ve stopped appealing to authority, science, journals, sociology and speak from experience ... that I have a group of friends that is more diverse in background and experience than my mother does.” Carpenter doesn’t know if his mother is entirely convinced by his personal accounts that draw in ideas that she guards herself from. Nevertheless, he continues, with hopes of bringing her closer to his reality. This journey lies in Bondar’s own life as well — only it extends to Bondar’s

FEATURES | APRIL 2018

PHOTO ILLUSTRATION | ELIZABETH HAN AND PRIYA REDDY

classmates, not his family. Over time, Bondar has come to his own realization that people tend to follow what they are taught in school without much questioning. He has rejected this by consistently questioning authority and that which is presented as fact, a mindset he believes has to be learned. “Not everyone can learn to disassemble the beliefs they’ve been taught from their very childhood,” Bondar said. “Because it’s one of those things that’s so deeply ingrained at this point.” Understanding that there are differences in the way people perceive the world, some in the mainstream and others more fringe, Bondar enjoys showing the more alternative beliefs to those who may not see them. So he plays a sort of game. He introduces the beliefs to his classmates, with an air of mystery in his own stance between the fringe and mainstream. He enjoys making people realize that facts can be questioned. He wants to challenge their belief system. And the game includes a crucial component: the flat Earth theory. JUNIOR JOSEPH DEL MUNDO, a long time friend of Bondar, first learned of Bondar’s apparent interest in the flat Earth theory when the two were in the same world history class. “We were just having the normal banter that friends usually have, you know, like jokes. The flat Earth theory came about and we had a really nice, philosophical conversation and debate about it. And he ended up converting me,” Del Mundo said. “He converted me to trolling people into the flat Earth theory.” Bondar and Del Mundo’s friendship dates back to elementary school and has been maintained through a common interest in a variety of topics — history, the card game Magic: The Gathering, political parties — and in pranking people. “Trolling,” to Del Mundo, is an integral aspect of Bondar’s personality. And though this interest has remained constant, for Bondar in particular, the method through which they decide to troll has changed significantly. Despite not actually believing the Earth is flat, it is crucial to Bondar’s game that others think of him as a believer. Del Mundo has also picked up the practice of pranking others by spreading unconventional ideas to those who will listen. For both Bondar and Del Mundo, the goal is to convince the listener that they are believers, and in the process make the listener think about ideas that are considered outlandish.

EL ESTOQUE | APRIL 2018

Now, the two don’t begin by introducing the flat Earth theory. Instead, like a coach easing someone into the shallow part of a pool, they begin with a smaller conspiracy theory and work their way up to the flat Earth theory. “It doesn’t start off with the flat Earth theory, right? That’s the end game, basically. I have to convert people, first with more acceptable beliefs, like chemtrails from aircrafts,” Del Mundo said. “I have to work my way up. Flat Earth is like the top, the cream of the crop basically.” Bondar and Del Mundo require such buildup in their game, due to the more obscure nature of the flat Earth theory. But contributors to The Flat Earth Society (TFES) present their beliefs with firm conviction. Some within the society believe there is a dome covering the entirety of

the flat Earth, while the predominant idea is that an ice wall surrounds the Earth, preventing the oceans from flowing off the edge. To members of TFES, there is no such thing as a flat Earth conspiracy, but rather a space travel conspiracy concocted by NASA to brainwash Americans. “It’s one of those things that you never really think about,” Bondar said. “But then you start looking into it, and you read what other people have written on it, and there’s a lot of other experiments that people have done. There’s a lot of ideas that make it much more believable than it sounds at the start.” Keep in mind, Bondar doesn’t actually believe in the idea. According to the Flat Earth Wiki (FEW), there are many ways to prove the earth is not round and many ways to combat the

proof provided to show that the Earth is spherical. For example, the FEW states that airplanes are unreliable for proof that the Earth is round, since the windows are heavily curved and the minimum height needed to see the earth’s curvature is 40,000 feet — 5,000 feet higher than the average aircraft cruising altitude. To senior Jasmine Wang, who interned at the Center for Space Research at the University of Texas in Austin last summer, the notion of a flat Earth is far-fetched. “When I first heard of it, I thought it was a joke,” Wang said. “If the Earth was flat, nothing would work — so many scientific instruments are based on the rotation and the shape of the earth. It’s obviously a really dumb opinion that’s not scientifically based, and it’s sad because it shows a lot of people are very willfully ignorant.”

SCOPING OUT THE ZODIAC BY SUNJIN CHANG AND VIVIAN CHIANG

t was a summer day when sophomore Mollie Smurthwaite stumbled upon a youtuber, Kendall Rae, who was talking about astrology and her personal zodiac signs. Already interested in astrology and human relations, Smurthwaite thought this was an interesting way of figuring out her relationship with others. One’s zodiac sign depends on the day, location and time they were born, following the planets as they circle the sun. “You aren’t just encompassed by one sign; you are encompassed by many,” Smurthwaite said. “It can help you understand your relationships with other people and friendships and how you deal with yourself.” Smurthwaite doesn’t change her lifestyle to adjust to the requirements surrounding her zodiac sign of Leo. However, she does admit to the fact that she can see parallel aspects between her life and the traits Leo’s carry. “I am very impulsive,” Smurthwaite said. “[I’ll do something and think] ‘Crap, that’s such a Leo thing to do’ or … ‘Oh I just had an inner thought

and that’s very Gemini of me.’” When it comes her friends and family, Smurthwaite is quick to figure out which signs people around her are. She believes that being aware of one’s traits helps her understand potentially how the person will think or react. At home, she frequently discusses her findings with her parents. When talking about people, they connect them to their respective zodiac signs, making their conversations more interesting, according to Smurthwaite. “Once you start talking about it, people start to get interested like ‘Oh, what does this mean about me?’” Smurthwaite said. “Astrology can be very selfish [sometimes] because [it’s all about the individual].” Smurthwaite is more fascinated by the study of astrology, of how the ancient art is able to combine the stars and personalities. She believes the predictions and traits that follow the zodiac signs are purposely vague making it open for interpretations. “You have to take it with a grain of salt because not everyone can be every single trait of their zodiac sign,” Smurthwaite said. e

ILLUSTRATION | SUNJIN CHANG AND VIVIAN CHIANG

FEATURES | APRIL 2018

PHOTO ILLUSTRATION | ELIZABETH HAN AND PRIYA REDDY

According to Wang, common occurrences in nature would not be possible if the Earth were truly flat. “For example, compasses wouldn’t work if the earth was flat,” Wang said. “It would take some crazy violations of the laws of physics for it to be flat and not to fall apart, and for everything on the earth to work if the Earth was flat. And we wouldn’t have seasons, we wouldn’t have so many other things.” Despite disagreeing with flat Earth believers, Wang still respects their thoughts because she believes their ideals have minimal effect on the scientific community. “It’s funny, obviously it’s freedom of speech,” Wang said. “People who are ignorant enough to accept those beliefs, it doesn’t do that much harm [to the scientific community]. It’s just mind blowing. People who know the Earth is round don’t have the right to oppress the voices who believe the Earth is flat, even if it’s dumb.” WHILE BONDAR’S PRANKS CIRCULATE in real life, the Internet has become a hub for the unconventional. Sometimes 2

EL ESTOQUE | APRIL 2018

Carpenter believes that the Internet can play a significant role in the presence of alternative ideas, as it influences the way society communicates. “The Internet allows people with narrow areas of interests, specialty or fringe, the opportunity to connect over great distances,” Carpenter said. “It also gives a megaphone to any opinion. Those two things are great things about the Internet. But it makes fringe beliefs feel more valid to people that hold them.” Bondar feels similarly about the Internet; specifically, that people can spread ideas without having to leave the comfort of their home. “There are books you can read and other stuff, but again you find out about all this stuff from the Internet,” Bondar said. “So if an idea is unpopular, really any idea, you can find more about it through the Internet.” Recktenwald believes that the Internet is akin to a double-edged sword, one that promotes freedom of speech while also being a tool for censorship. “The Internet has been a tremendous

tool for good, but also a tremendous tool for crime and for awful things,” Recktenwald said. “And for oppression. For example in China, the Chinese government used the Internet to control people how to think and say and spy on people. Some of the conspiracy theories are saying that the U.S. government is doing that too.” Though Bondar looks for a reaction from many of his victims when they realize that he is “trolling,” he is unwilling to fully commit to revealing the extent of his deceit. Instead he plays coy, offering a shrug of the shoulders or a quick twist of the mouth as a way of leaving some uncertainty as to where his true beliefs lie. JUST AS BONDAR USES THESE GAMES to convey his more fringe beliefs, he goes about the same way to share his political stances. And while he derives a certain type of enjoyment from seeing the reactions to these opinions, the difference lies in his conviction. With his political beliefs, Bondar is entirely serious, and at times has had discussions about them with fellow students and the occasional teacher. Bondar believes that since his political beliefs seem more real and as a result more believable to the people around him, the reactions are stronger and more emotional. Bondar never enters these debates with the goal of convincing the other party. He knows that when people have political debates it is unlikely that either participant will end up changing their views. “That’s the thing with political debates, you never convince the other person you’re right. You just kind of get mad and leave at one point, but you know again it’s not about convincing the other person, it’s getting the other person to actually think about it,” Bondar said. Bondar and Del Mundo have found somewhat of an audience to listen to their beliefs in the people around them. They listen, not so much because they believe, but more because of a fascination about beliefs that are out of the norm. “People want to hear something, right?” Del Mundo said. “Not just because they believe in it, but also because it’s funny. It’s just so absurd, it’s comedy [and] they’re interested.” And for Bondar, that is enough. “If I talk to them and introduce my viewpoint, their first reaction might be, ‘Oh, that’s insane. That’s stupid,’” Bondar said. “At least you’re still thinking about it and hopefully after the fact, they’ll still have that thought in their head, and they may not necessarily change their views but at least they’ll think about the things more.” e

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“It’s interesting seeing if a person is either completely freaked out or has a little reversion of opinion when they see, ‘Oh, this tarantula’s actually very colorful’ and ‘This one has a very unique, bright white pattern,’” Rosenthal said. “Seeing if they’re willing to look past their innate prejudice against spiders, and see that they can be beautiful in that way.” DRAGON TALES When senior Cassandra Woodard PHOTO USED WITH PERMISSION OF JUNIOR CARL ROSENTHAL was 4 years old, she and her family had gone to the pet store in search of a pet snake. However, because of her father’s squeamishness towards snakes, they left with a 2-year-old bearded dragon instead, which they later named Lizzy — a riff-off of the word ‘lizard.’ “When we got to the pet store, [my Members of MVHS community discuss dad] pulled aside the salesperson and was like ‘Hey, can you try and get my wife to experiences and reasons for their atypical pets not get a snake?’” Woodard said. “So [the BY KAREN MA salesperson] pulls out this super duper sweet little lizard and puts it on my mom FEAR FACTOR them … I feed the tarantulas once every … and we just got Lizzy because we kind of or many, the thought of a spider two or three weeks and I feed Porky once just fell in love with her.” incites fear and discomfort. For junior every four or five days.” The Woodard family ended up getting Carl Rosenthal, it fondly reminds him However, while the two species require a second bearded dragon, a 3-week-old of three years in his early childhood living similar methods in terms of caretaking, male, four years later. He was shipped on a tropical island in Kwajalein Atoll, a Rosenthal finds that his interaction with from New Mexico in a little yogurt cup to group of islands in the Republic of the each is quite different. Porky, for instance, protect him from sudden jostling during Marshall Islands located near the equator in addition to being adorable to him, serves the trip. Right after they took him out, the in the Pacific Ocean. His parents had moved as a means of relieving stress. lizard bit Woodard’s father’s his family there for work, and Rosenthal “Whenever I’m stressed, finger — perhaps out of spite IT SOUNDS KIND for the rough transportation remembers how he would entertain himself I just hold Porky,” Rosenthal by catching the island’s uncharacteristically said. “Her belly is really soft. OF CRAZY TO SAY, to their house, according to large spiders and bringing them to his It’s like super zen mode when BUT I THINK THAT Woodard — and that was backyard to examine, feed and raise. you hold her.” how the family came up DANGER IS PART Rosenthal’s family left the island when On the other hand, with a name for their second he was 6 years old. However, his interest because of Pumpkin’s OF WHAT MAKES bearded dragon: Taz, after in spiders has remained. He currently owns aggressiveness and the Tasmanian devil. IT INTERESTING. two tarantulas named Pumpkin and Snow, the fact that Snow’s Raising the bearded as well as a leopard gecko named Porky. species, the heteroscodra JUNIOR CARL dragons came with a few “The first tarantula started out very maculata, is dangerous, responsibilities. They bought ROSENTHAL orange or peach colored, and its abdomen Rosenthal’s interactions heating pads and lamps to had a very distinctive, almost striped with his tarantulas are, for the most part, maintain a higher tank temperature, took pattern, so I called it Pumpkin,” Rosenthal observational. Due to his fascination with the lizards out often to increase stimulation said. “The other tarantula, I knew when spiders and the beautiful colors of his and give them affection, bathed them every it grew up it would be a very bright white tarantulas, however, this interaction is in time they shed to prevent them from itching color, so I called it Snow. And I knew that no way less exciting for him. and fed them a variety of mealworms, leopard geckos have a tendency to get “[They] are very unusual in that one crickets, fruits and vegetables. After a really fat, so Porky is aptly named.” of them is really brightly colored for a while, some unexpected details came to the Rosenthal was in seventh grade when he tarantula and the other one is pretty family’s attention. Taz had taken a liking to bought Pumpkin. He bought Porky a year dangerous,” Rosenthal said. “It sounds kind raspberries and Lizzy to grapes, and Lizzie later, and Snow a year after that. Although of crazy to say, but I think that danger is enjoyed watching hockey. Rosenthal has three pets, he feels they are part of what makes it interesting.” “It’s the stimulation, I think,” Woodard all very low maintenance. According to Rosenthal, while Porky is said. “They change color when they’re “What’s great about having the loved by everyone, a handful of his friends happy, so they’d get really, really light, tarantulas and a leopard gecko is they can still fear his tarantulas. Although he knows which is a sign that they were really excited all eat basically the same thing,” Rosenthal that reaction is to be expected, he hopes or they’re happy. [When hockey was on the said. “So I actually have a big tub of tropical to help people overcome their distaste for television, Lizzy] would run back and forth roaches in my brother’s room [which] I feed spiders by recognizing their beauty. in her tank, so we just thought it was the

MAN’S BEST FRIEND F

EL ESTOQUE | APRIL 2018

PHOTO USED WITH PERMISSION OF SENIOR CASSANDRA WOODARD

However, she enjoyed both caretaking experiences, and hopes to get another dog and bearded dragon in the future. “[Having a bearded dragon] was oftentimes a conversation starter, like ‘Hey, I have a literal dragon as a pet,’” Woodard said. “But also it was a different kind of responsibility. With dogs, we’re more in tune with their emotions, whereas lizards, you have to really pay attention to see what they need because a lot of the times you can’t tell. If they’re all hunkered in the corner and they’re completely dark, maybe they need water or they need to eat. It’s a lot more guess and check.” KNOT YOUR AVERAGE PET Special education social science teacher Ross Rutner’s favorite animal is the dinosaur. But since he can’t exactly have one, snakes are the next best thing, according to him. He currently has a total of 10 snakes representing four different species of python: the blood, ball, white lipped and angolan pythons. “The biggest one [is] Zoey. I tell my cats that Zoey’s in charge when I leave the house,” Rutner said. “One of the ball pythons [is] actually all white with blue eyes and that’s considered a leucistic morph. I named her Lucy. And then an angolan python, her name is Angie.” Rutner’s love of snakes and breeding dates back to high school, when he had roughly 70 snakes and bred roughly one (Left) Taz, named after the Tasmanian devil, was senior Cassandra Woodard’s second pet bearded dragon. Woodard got him when she was eight years old. (Below) Junior Carl Rosenthal named his tarantula Pumpkin after her vibrantly colored abdomen. Her diet largely consists of cockroaches.

PHOTO USED WITH PERMISSION OF JUNIOR CARL ROSENTHAL

hundred rats and two hundred mice at any given time to feed to the snakes. “Nowadays, I’m more about quality versus quantity, so I have a handful of snakes but some of them are very expensive,” Rutner said. “Versus in high school, it was more about numbers.” Taking care of the snakes is relatively simple: feeding them once every one or two weeks, making sure water is always present and maintaining a heated environment. As for their diet, Rutner states that they can eat anything from baby to full-grown rats. But when it comes to breeding, the level of complexity varies by species. “Some snakes are really easy. You put the boy in with the girl, they do their thing,” Rutner said. “Others are very specific. The humidity needs to be a certain level, the temperature needs to be a specific level … it can be pretty complicated. So it’s more of like a personal bragging right or goal to [successfully breed them].” Despite his comfort with handling snakes, Rutner admits he has been bitten. However, he claims that each time was his fault. One time was when he tried to pick up one of his blood pythons before she had gotten her full share of food; other times were by babies, who had bitten him as a defense mechanism. In addition to the fact that snakes act primarily defensively, Rutner has observed that they are extremely lazy. In fact, it had taken his two cats, Louis and Clark, almost three months to realize the snakes were even there. Even after that, Rutner says that they could not have cared less. “My cats cause me to bleed far more frequently,” Rutner said. “One of them is very eager to show how powerful and useful his claws are. [My cat] Clark is much more dangerous than my snakes. The last time I got bit by a snake was like 2014.” Rutner clarifies that contrary to popular conception, the majority of snakes are not poisonous — out of the pythons he owns, none are. For this reason, among others, he hopes to begin to rationalize people’s fears of snakes and change the way people see them. “Most people think its weird,” Rutner said. “Then you kind of have to go into the, not necessarily defensive but more like an educational thing, because most people think that they’re venomous, that they’re out to get you, that they’re out to do harm. And so it’s more reeducating people on their perspective of snakes.” e

A&E

extra motion and the noise, and it didn’t seem threatening because it wasn’t right in her face.” Given the amount of work involved in taking care of Lizzy and Taz, coupled with the fact that Woodard was assigned some of the caretaking duties before she entered kindergarten, Woodard believes owning the lizards played a major role in making her more responsible at a young age. “I had to learn how to take care of a lizard when I was four,” Woodard said. “So I got a lot more experience from being responsible and stuff and sticking to schedule than I would’ve gotten otherwise.” Lizzy ended up living to be roughly nine years old. A while after Lizzy had passed away, Woodard’s family got a bullmastiff, a large-sized dog. They got along well before Taz died at the age of six. Compared to bearded dragons, Woodard explains that it’s easier to identify dogs’ needs or desires.

A & E | APRIL 2018

resur egg tion What Easter means to different people

BY ILENA PENG AND ANDREA PERNG

owadays, Easter is more likely to recall images of marshmallow Peeps and plastic eggs than Jesus’ resurrection. Yet for students like senior Kevin Tong and sophomore Yoanna Lee, Easter is more than just pastel colors and egg hunts; Easter is the cornerstone of their religion. “We say that [Easter’s] the day that Jesus resurrected and if that resurrection didn’t happen, we say that there’s no point

lent

FEBRUARY 14 - MARCH 29 Lent begins on Ash Wednesday and lasts 40 days, which symbolizes the time Jesus spent in the desert before going to spread God’s teachings. Many choose to forgo pleasures like sugar and meat as a way of remembering Jesus’ sacrifices. 2

EL ESTOQUE | APRIL 2018

in our [Christian] faith, that everything we do up till now — there’s no significance, there’s no meaning to it,” Lee said. And for Tong and Lee, that faith is the foundation of their belief systems. “My faith is important to me because everything I live by is rooted in that faith,” Tong said. “Every decision I make, my integrity, my belief system is all based on that faith.” In terms of celebration, Easter Sunday, which commemorates Jesus’ resurrection following his crucifixion three days prior, doesn’t differ too much from a regular church service, at least at Tong and Lee’s churches. Since there’s a number of important holidays like Good Friday that occur before Easter Sunday as well, Lee, who attends Korean Emmanuel Presbyterian Church, says that some people attend church services the Friday before Easter in addition to the service that takes place on Easter. The Bible says this Friday, otherwise known as Good Friday, is when Jesus was nailed to the cross. At Tong’s church, Chinese Church In Christ (CCIC) Cupertino, he says their church typically has a special Sunday school and lesson for both non-believers and believers that teaches the significance of Easter and the resurrection, followed by lunch. But for Tong, he regards Easter in the same way he would any other day, since

the values emphasized during Easter, like faith and grace, are values that he already thinks about frequently. “I don’t treat it as any different from any other Sunday or any other day because I am constantly thinking about what Easter represents,” Tong said. “But I think Easter is a really good time for a little bit of extra remembrance and just realizing what Jesus has done.” Though some dislike the commercialization of Easter, Lee says she finds the Easter eggs and pastel bunnies cute. She references how another Christian holiday, Christmas, has become a time for family gatherings and decorated trees even though the original purpose was to celebrate the birth of Jesus. She also mentions how All Saints’ Day, which was originally a day to honor the dead, has transitioned into the spooky, sugar-filled holiday we know as Halloween. To her, the shifted meanings of these holidays are entirely acceptable. “With any tradition, they often have an origin,” Lee said. “But with today’s society, today’s standards and everything, we’ve changed so much … It’s just how society has transformed that holiday into what they want, so for me I think it’s kind of stupid when people start making a huge deal about [the commercialization of holidays.]” Though Easter is technically a religious

ash wednesday

palm sunday

During services on Ash Wednesday, the sign of the cross is drawn in ashes on people’s foreheads as a sign of mortality and repentance.

Palm Sunday marks Jesus’ arrival in Jerusalem, when he was greeted by citizens with palm branches. Some churches hand out crosses made of palm leaves.

FEBRUARY 14

MARCH 25

holiday, not everyone that celebrates it is because that’s what his family did. “I want to go to church because I feel a aware of its religious history. Sophomore Madeleine Clark is an atheist and although sense of community with people that attend she says she never found out about the church as well,” Tong said. “But also I feel religious significance of Easter until she like for me, it’s necessary to go to church in was older, it was a holiday that she always the sense of reestablishing and rebuilding celebrated as a child with neighborhood my faith, because oftentimes when you egg hunts and an Easter basket, a tradition don’t go, you forget or you start to feel a little bit apathetic, but going to church is a that her family has held for years. real good reminder “I think it’s [EASTER’S] THE DAY THAT [of one’s faith].” good for everyone, Even though even if they’re not JESUS RESURRECTED AND Clark herself religious, to have a IF THAT RESURRECTION isn’t religious, day to celebrate, to believes DIDN’T HAPPEN, WE SAY she eat good food, to that a sense hang out with their THAT THERE’S NO POINT of community families,” Clark IN OUR [CHRISTIAN] FAITH, is what’s most said. “But I do think THAT EVERYTHING WE DO i m p o r t a n t it’s important that a lot of holidays in UP TILL NOW — THERE’S NO when it comes to celebrating the U.S., especially SIGNIFICANCE, THERE’S NO religious holidays Christmas, have like Easter, rather MEANING TO IT. become more than the religious about getting really SOPHOMORE YOANNA LEE aspect. expensive presents “I feel like as an atheist, a lot of times I and more about the money aspect instead of the aspect of being together with your don’t probably celebrate holidays to their full extent that other people do … but for family.” For Tong, attending church every us holidays are just a time to take a break Sunday, as well as on Friday nights for from your life and spend time with people youth group, has taken on a more personal that matter,” Clark said. “I think that’s all meaning for him as he’s gotten older. He that’s important.” Tong feels that during Easter, churches says that at first, he attended church simply

become an even closer community of people who share the same faith with each other, gathered in remembrance of Jesus’ sacrifice and his resurrection. “Easter is a really awesome time in the church because everyone’s so friendly, everyone’s so warm,” Tong said. “You really feel a sense of community within the church.” Similarly, Lee expresses that Easter and Christianity have taken on a more personal role in her life as she’s gotten older. “When you’re younger, you just follow what your parents do, you follow what your friends do, you just follow the norm and you think nothing’s wrong with that — so then Easter was just Easter. It was [just] a date,” Lee said. “But then as I got older and I really made the faith my own faith and I started to really take my own beliefs into my own hands … that became so much more real to me.” The significance of church in Lee and Tong’s lives have shifted as they’ve gotten older, while Clark’s atheist beliefs give her a different perspective on traditionally Christian holidays like Easter. And although they’ve grown from running around picking up Easter eggs to developing a deeper understanding of both Easter and Christianity, the spirit of Easter, whether it be through family traditions or religions festivities in church, remains the same. e *ACCORDING TO BBC

last supper

good friday

The day which commemorates Jesus’ last supper is also known as Maundy Thursday. Christians often remember this day by sharing bread and wine at a special service.

Many churches hold special services on Good Friday, which commemorates Jesus’ crucifixion. After the crucifixion, Jesus was placed in a stone tomb.

MARCH 29

MARCH 30

easter APRIL 1

Easter Sunday is in remembrance of Jesus being raised from the dead by God, otherwise known as the resurrection. When Jesus’ disciples visited the tomb, they discovered that the tomb was open and that Jesus was no longer there. A & E | APRIL 2018

A DIFFERENT STAG Actors share their experiences performing drama outside of MVHS BY AKSHARA MAJJIGA AND MICHELLE WONG

s the lights in the theater dimmed, the room, filled with dozens of MVHS Spanish students and many more members of the community, came to an eager silence. A man stood solo on the stage, paint across his face, and began speaking in Spanish to the crowd, introducing the play “La Muerte Baile.” As actors trooped their way across the stage scene by scene and sang, danced and cried, the crowd remained enraptured. When the actors took their final bows, one actor received the loudest applause – Spanish teacher María Autrán. Autrán has always had a love for theater, and theater companies in the community have allowed her to feed her passion. Autrán’s interest in drama began at the age of 13, when she began taking theater and acting classes while living in Mexico. She later studied theater in high school. However, when she moved to the U.S. after graduating, she knew little English and was not in the financial position to pursue drama. Instead, she decided to focus on school and work, putting her dreams on the backburner — at least for the time being. “Life puts you in a situation sometimes where you have to make choices,” Autrán said. “So then, I said I’m going to stop theater for now and go focus on school, get a degree and maybe go from there. And I forgot about theater for many years.”

EL ESTOQUE | APRIL 2018

Still, theater never quite left her mind Over the last few years, Autrán said completely. Before coming to MVHS, she she has been able to perform with people taught drama to students during the summer of all ages in areas that are often lower and would write small skits and plays for income, such as east San Jose. She realizes them to perform. But for many years, that, although she appreciates the “fame” Autrán wasn’t acting herself. She sent her aspect, she enjoys being able to spread the Spanish students to watch performances arts and theater to children who may not at Teatro Visión, a professional theater otherwise have access to it. After the plays company in San Jose that performed themselves, they often have Q&A sessions plays in both English and Spanish, for five in which Autrán and her fellow cast or six years before members answer questions, realizing that she IT DOESN’T MATTER THE often posed by children, wanted to be a part WAY I LOOK OR HOW about the play and how to of it as well. get involved. Despite going OLD I AM, IT DOESN’T “[Acting] is not just to be to numerous REALLY MATTER. THERE IS happy about what you do auditions for Teatro ALWAYS SOMETHING IN and have a big ego, but you Visión and other do it because you want to nearby theater THEATER FOR YOU. touch people too and also companies starting SPANISH TEACHER new generations, so lots of in 2010, Autrán MARÍA AUTRÁN kids may be inspired by what was not cast in any they see, so it’s a little bit like roles. She didn’t let these failures bring her teaching too,” Autrán said. down, however, as she already had a job as While working with young people in a teacher. Still, when she finally received production, Autrán has realized that she a role in 2012, after a couple of years of forms a different relationship with her trying, she was excited to return to theater. castmates than with her students. She said “I felt good [when I was cast], that ‘Okay, that while younger actors still talk to her there is room for me. Somebody wants me with respect, she finds that her younger with my accent. It doesn’t matter the way castmates are less reluctant to spend time I look or how old I am, it doesn’t really with older adults. When she rehearses with matter,’” Autrán said. “There is always her team, age doesn’t seem to matter and something in theater for you.” all are on the same platform.

AGE

PHOTO USED WITH PERMISSION OF CALIFORNIA THEATRE CENTER

“We have this common ground,” Autrán said. “We like theater. We like to perform. We all have the same interest. But we come from completely d i f f e r e n t backgrounds and theater brings us together. They don’t see me as a teacher, they call me María because we are all the same, treated equal or seen the same way.” While Autrán noticed a difference in how younger actors interacted with her, senior Ben Pribe noticed a difference in the atmosphere when he performed in community theater versus school. Pribe, who performed at the California Theatre Center (CTC), a community theatre, found it to be more competitive, rather than when doing it with his friends for MVHS productions. “It’s maybe a little more intense [than MVHS drama] just because everyone who’s there is more serious about theater,” Pribe said. “It can be a little intimidating, but you just have to get used to it.” Although he only did a couple of plays with community theater, Pribe described that adjusting to the new environment was not difficult. “If you don’t know anybody going in, then you have to make friends instead of just having friends from school,” Pribe said. “It’s not terribly different; it’s just a new community of people.” Junior Savannah Stevens, an avid participant in community theater and another member of CTC, also experienced the shift, as the people who worked at her company were of varying levels. “They had people who had done theater for [around] 20 seasons with them, which was pretty insane,” Stevens said. “Additionally, they would sometimes have people fly across country to do it. For the most part, this company was sort of a stepping stone onto other works.” Stevens decided to invest her time

into community theater for largely similar reasons as Autrán — a passion for acting. As a child with many emotions, Stevens found theater to be an outlet where she could truly express herself. With the encouragement of her mother, she attended community script readings and The Music School in Sunnyvale from a young age, which served as gateways for her long affiliation with theater. “[Theater] really helped me as a dramatic child,” Stevens said. “But then I kind of became more shy and bookish [as I got older], and theater was the only place that I felt like I could really express myself and get out sort of the many emotions that [I] constantly felt.” From fourth grade until the summer of 2017, Stevens had done work with CTC, which produced many retellings of classic fairy tales during the weekdays for young audiences before it went out of business. During her time there, she played various roles, such as Lady MacBeth in “MacBeth” and Amy Lawrence in “The Adventures of Tom Sawyer.” Since she has been with the same company for so long, Stevens has been able to experience the evolving expectations for actors as they grow older. “When you’re younger, it tends to be more of a ‘Can you be loud and memorize lines’ sort of situation,” Stevens said. “Whereas [when you’re older] they really want to see development and acting not only when you’re participating, but also when you’re more off to the sideline in a scene.”

Stevens has found that one difference between drama at MVHS and community theater is familiarity with the actors. Although she is usually among peers and close with the people around her at MVHS productions, since they attend school together, she is less familiar with the actors at CTC, which range from professionals to small children. However, her exposure to different people in community theater has given Stevens the opportunity to make close connections with many talented actors and professionals. She believes that the talents within community theater who have helped her expand her passion in acting are often underlooked. “It’s just amazing getting to know all these people and learning from them and growing from them and being able to apply the ways that you’ve learned little things in theater to the big scope of the world,” Stevens said. Autrán also appreciates the opportunities theater companies have given her in rekindling her passion for acting. Although acting in these productions along with being a teacher can be time-consuming and exhausting, she has felt the need to continue acting ever since she first joined the company. “There are things that you’re passionate about and I think it’s important [to continue them] because work will keep you busy, but if you don’t do things that make you feel alive or that you’re passionate about, then life is not worthwhile living,” Autrán said. e

Spanish teacher María Autrán (center) poses with fellow cast members featured in the Teatro Visión’s production of “Macario.” Autrán often performs in both English and Spanish plays. PHOTO | MIGUEL MARTÍNEZ // USED WITH PERMISSION OF TEATRO VISIÓN

A & E | APRIL 2018

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EL ESTOQUE | APRIL 2018

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bles m an d nea anfiction. said. “You can d rly n n t ha a ea tI d co The word in itself invokes a quiet sense usually tell [they erst i c ’m se i suI w ant to of unease for some; already fangirls are amateur und g i lf- h r ,I vi a r i de e can be heard squealing in the distance, the writers] because I ne ng m , cons us a ed c up e unpleasant 18+ scenes emerging from the their grammar and it’s b shadows. To many, fanfiction is a disgrace is usually not to the realm of creative expression. good. They use too But to the rest, fanfiction is liberty. many [tildes]. The plot’s usually not For sophomore Katherine Chung, it’s an developed.” asylum where she can take refuge away These things which character x reader from the real world. stories lack — grammar, plot development “It’s like freedom ... because I get to say and flow — are a few criteria a story has to things that I normally can’t say in real life,” meet in order for Chen to recognize it as Chung said. “It’s ... putting a space out quality fanfiction work. there for me to say those types of things.” Senior Ethan Lin has come to terms Chung has been writing fanfiction for with how difficult meeting these standards more than a year now since discovering really is. He had anticipated spectacular “A lot it in middle school. Chung bases her results with a perfunctory wave of the of the times stories on K-pop idols such as Bangtan hand, but never got around to writing people think Boys, Seventeen and EXO. These idols are more than one story. [fanfiction] is portrayed as fictional characters who are “It takes a lot of creativity like ... all those [explicit] used to address real, non-fictional troubles to write fanfiction,” Lin fanfics, but a lot of the times like mental health issues. said. “It’s based off of prefanfiction can also be really In order to maintain a serious tone made characters but then the wholesome,” Lin said. “I feel throughout her stories, Chung doesn’t storyline is completely your own decision. like the connotation behind often include ships, which are relationships You have to be artistic in your words and fanfiction is automatically bad between two or more plot.” in some context.” characters that the writer IT’S LIKE FREEDOM ... Rather than Another notion linked to of a fanfiction prefers. On BECAUSE I GET TO struggling with longfanfiction is that there is a the contrary, sophomore term commitment like lingo unique to fanfiction. Chen, Jessica Chen believes SAY THINGS THAT I Lin, Chung wrestles with the who found it hard to adapt to the slang that such ships are NORMALLY CAN’T inevitable writer’s block. and acronyms used, unknowingly looked essential to fanfiction. Furthermore, since SAY IN REAL LIFE. up lists of terms she couldn’t understand “I think ships are Chung uses K-pop idols as and was met with a multitude of disturbing the basis of [fanfiction] SOPHOMORE her characters, she can’t information. KATHERINE CHUNG because most fanfiction is alter their personalities very Specifically regarding the K-pop [written because readers] much — which can make didn’t like the canonical [storyline],” Chen writing even more difficult. But in the book fanfiction community, Chung and Chen said. “That’s what fanfiction comes out of series and anime fanfictions sophomore often find authors deliberately imitating the — a different ship, or a different alternate David Hui reads, the same characters in Korean language in botched English. “There’s a line that you cannot cross,” universe.” different stories can be drastically altered. Chen said. “Words like ‘hyung’ [which According to Chung, homosexual T “It’s starting to become less of [basing] h ea means ‘older brother’] are on the right side ir h ships are widely accepted in the fanfiction off of an original thing,” Hui said. “Some e of the line … But when you say stuff like, community. In fact, Chen prefers gay people just start to create entirely new ships to straight ships, since stories plotlines, create entirely new stories, just ‘saranghae’ [which means ‘I love you’] you have an English translation for that.” revolving around the latter frequently using the same characters.” Despite the flaws in fanfiction, Chen, never battle alco insert the reader into the story as a With this raw creativity and talent he character, labeled “character x finds, Hui wants to show that there is Chung, Lin and Hui are all united in their belief that fanfiction should be respected as rstand that reader.” another spectrum of fanfiction that isn’t I’m any other genre of writing. g iv “Usually [character x filled with the infamous “smut” stories. rstan ing dt “You are still creating a piece of art; it’s up ha reader stories are] written by However, of the stories Lin has read, tI an just not like a painting,” Hui said. “You’re ’m d obsessive fangirls who have the majority are sexually explicit Harry it’ gi still using your senses, you are still having s vi be nothing else to do,” Chen Potter stories recommended by his friends. ng a s you reader imagine things and [create] their on r c t c e, Although he finds them quite interesting, up ream au Fo I’m of bubbl own little world.” e t to, to. esan and sese I w a n d he doesn’t particularly enjoy them. d h eIen it’s becau I t

Different martial artists describe one specific move of their sport BY ZARA IQBAL

s r ce e n t a l n l u owpul ba

u f g n u tum n k e m mo

SENIOR MIKAELA LEE, PURPLE BELT

“You’re balancing on one leg basically and your other leg is up, but I think the part I struggled most with [leg blocking] is the idea that you’re not getting super close to them ... so the idea of using momentum, I have to pull them onto me [first], and then I throw them, instead of starting in contact with them and then pulling from there. For a lot of throws, you want the person that you’re throwing to feel like they’re in an awkward position themselves, so I think to get them in an awkward position, you’d have to get yourself almost in the same amount of awkward position[ing]. For kung fu, it’s more revolved around self-defense and you don’t always have to be the aggressive one to win. For this form of fighting, you can be on the passive side and you can be focused on counters.”

thr

PHOTO | ZARA IQBAL

ing n o iti act pos t n o in c rd a k aw

SENIOR KISHAN ARYASOMAYAJULA, FIRST DEGREE BLACK BELT

SPORTS

KEEP YOUR GUARD UP

taek bally won spee d o d oppon

ent

sparr

ing

in t he a ir

“So this kick is called a bally. It’s from a basic roundhouse kick, [but] instead of that, you’re stepping [and] jumping, and then doing a 360 in the air while kicking the board, de mons or anything [that’s] your target and then landing on the trat ion same foot that you kick with. [Taekwondo] is more in tune with using your legs for keeping your distance away from the opponent [and] because there [are] not that many hand techniques that you can use for sparring and self-defense in general. You have the sparring landi ng aspect of speed and just trying to hit your opponent as fast as you can, as many times as you can, and then there’s the demonstration aspect where you want to jump high and put on a good show. I feel [taekwondo] is more effective in that real life situation because you don’t want to get too close to your opponent because they can do anything to you ... they can have anything, but then if you use your feet, or some body part that’s longer than your arms, you can keep distance.”

distajumping ncet round arget ho

pow ki

ck didefend

steppck ing

PHOTO | ROSHAN FERNANDEZ

PHOTO USED WITH PERMISSION OF TOMASZ KALKOWSKI

use ki

sc in stri iplingeyours SOPHOMORE ANJU JAIN, elf b i g kin SECOND DEGREE BLACK BELT g m

kar a e shotrait n to dif fer ent

res

pec

t drop

gra b

dow ping n

“[This is] a block, so one person is coming and trying to grab you from the front, and what you’re doing is that you’re dropping down and blocking. The next move would be striking them so they can’t come at you again. That’s what karate is all about — defending yourself. You have to first block whatever is coming at you — it can be a fist, a kick, guns, anything. You block that and after, in order to make sure they stop attacking you, you strike them. In karate, there [are] a few different styles. I do Shotokan and that puts more emphasis on power and big movements rather than small. karate itself, it teaches you a lot of respect and discipline, so in the dojo, if you’re not respectful and you’re not disciplined, they will kick you out. They say, ‘Okay, if you don’t want to train and be respectful then [you] might as well not be here.’” e

me nt

doj kan o

blo

ack king

att

sty les

ove

SPORTS | APRIL 2018

BY SHUVI JHA AND EMILY XIA

enior Michael Wan spoke in a hurry, questions thrown at him from every direction. A robot had gone missing, and as the director of electrical engineering of the MV Robotics Team, he suddenly found himself in the middle of several interviews from local news stations. He looked at the clock and sighed. These interviews were going far later than expected, and he knew he would miss tennis practice. When the interviews

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EL ESTOQUE | APRIL 2018

ILY EM N| AT IO ILL US

Students and staff discuss the significance of practice attendance in sports

XIA

PRACTICE MAKES PERFECT

finally stopped, he headed to the tennis court, figuring he could still get to practice a bit. As he approached the courts, several teammates began texting him. “The coach benched you,” they said. Wan was angry. Everything seemed like a blur, from the interviews to the abrupt news of him having to sit out the next match. He wasn’t worried, as he knew everything would be sorted out once he explained his situation. With this in mind,

Wan drew closer to the coach and clarified what had happened, expecting to be placed back into the game. His request, however, was denied. It is tennis coach Gerry Santos’ belief that all sports require daily practice sessions. Without these allotted times, Santos believes an athlete not only loses his discipline and grit, but is also largely unable to hone his skills and improve his performance. He uses this fact as

justification for the attendance policy he equipped with the skills they need to sports of all types, individual or not. implemented after becoming the new succeed at matches. Whether they do well “From the team perspective first, in all or not ultimately depends on the amount of our team sports, if you have athletes coach for varsity tennis this year. Under this policy, all students were to of practice they get, which is why, during that aren’t attending practice, it has a attend practice on a regular basis unless school sessions, he makes it a point to cancerous impact on the team,” Bonacorsi faced with extenuating circumstances, such focus on just that. said. “Whether it be trying to drill plays as Santos also highlites that regardless of a group, whether it be team chemistry or as injury, sickness or a death in the family. Failure to comply would result in either how effective or useful practices are, it is an team culture, all those things are negatively sitting out of a game or eexpulsion from athlete’s duty to attend them as it forms the impacted when athletes decide not to come very fabric of [to practice] for various reasons.” the team. “Even before Ketavarapu echoes a similar sentiment, HOMEWORK AND STUDYING positive team d y n a m i c s , expressing the importance of teammates tryouts, I’d always ARE NOT AN EXCUSE TO MISS both between and team-based practice in individual be giving my PRACTICE. I BELIEVE THAT YOU athletes and sports. It is her belief that all members of a expectations, and there [was] already SHOULD BE ABLE TO ATTEND between the team must commit themselves to a greater coach and the goal, one that transcends beyond merely some resistance PRACTICE AND MAINTAIN YOUR team. to what was going individualistic aspirations, in order to truly ACADEMICS. IF YOU CAN’T, THEN “Homework call themselves a part of a school team. to be changing for this season,” “If you’re missing practice just because MAYBE AFTER SCHOOL SPORTS IS and studying are not an you don’t want to go or you’re feeling lazy Santos said. “But NOT FOR YOU. excuse to miss or you have too much homework, then I gave them my p r a c t i c e , ” you’re putting yourself before others,” rationale about VARSITY TENNIS COACH Santos said. Ketavarapu said. “You’re not contributing GERRY SANTOS it, how tennis “I believe that to your team’s goal, so maybe there’s a part shouldn’t be any different from any other after school you should be able to attend practice and of you that probably doesn’t want to play sport. You should be going to practice. maintain your academics. If you can’t, then the sport and wants to quit.” Why would you not be going to practice if maybe after school sports is not for you, As the first-year coach of varsity tennis, if you can’t maintain your academics and Santos understands that some may oppose you were on the tennis team?” For Wan, a four-year member of the studying and finding the time for the after his policies, that they may call him strict. He varsity team, this turnabout delivered a school sport.” understands that tennis is a unique sport, Athlete and junior Mythili Ketavarapu, in that it is both individual and team-based sharp blow. As one of the most experienced players of the team, having to sit out during who missed only a few girls varsity soccer at the same time, which may contribute to a game because of one absence seemed a practices due to sickness and a prior friction in terms of attendance. commitment, similarly bit ridiculous. However, he IF YOU’RE MISSING requests his players Moreover, he feels that coming to school believes that being practice everyday is unnecessary, and that a part of the school PRACTICE JUST BECAUSE to consider their strict attendance policies aren’t directly team means being at through his YOU DON’T WANT TO GO actions conducive to better performance during practice everyday, no viewpoint — all he [...], THEN YOU’RE PUTTING really wants is for matches. Whether or not one attends matter how trying or practice, Wan feels that the MVHS varsity how conflicting the YOURSELF BEFORE OTHERS. the team to succeed, tennis team will continue dominating the circumstances may be. and for that, JUNIOR “Commitment to league, as shown by their performance at daily attendance MYTHILI KETAVARAPU a team is not a choice the Newport All-Star Invitational. in practice is Three-year member of the varsity per se, at least for me,” necessary. team senior David Zhang agrees with this Ketavarapu said. “Even s o m e t i m e s “You don’t get better by not practicing,” sentiment, adding that he feels practice when I don’t want to go, I have to because Santos said. “If there’s an injury and people sessions do not teach the players anything otherwise I can’t really say I’m a part of the need time off, I give that. You don’t get of intrinsic value. If anything, Zhang team.” better sitting down. If you’re going to be a Wan, while recognizing that daily part of the team, it’s not just showing up for believes that they simply conflict with the players’ individual — and in their words, practice is indeed important for team the competition — you’ve got to be there at more valuable — practices, clinics and development, believes that the type of practices, just like I have to be at practices. commitment displayed by Ketavarapu is not Just like people on the baseball team have physical conditioning sessions. “I have my own training outside of this, feasible For this reason, he wishes Santos to be at practice, and basketball team. so I don’t see school practice as required,” would loosen up his stance regarding Tennis shouldn’t be any different.” e Zhang said. “[The tennis players] have attendance, especially since sports like work to do so there’s a bunch of conflict in tennis, unlike soccer or basketball, are more individualistic rather than teamour lives, just to [go to] practice.” While Santos recognizes Zhang’s based. He explains that in tennis, one does reasoning, he emphasizes that practice not usually depend on his teammate to win sessions are meant for just that — practice. a match — the focus is on the individual Having received years of coaching with and his respective skills. But athletic director Nick Bonacorsi baseline, hitting, volley and overhead drills, Santos feels that the players are believes daily practice is important for SPORTS | APRIL 2018

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Twins explain the impact of their relationship on athletics BY ROSHAN FERNANDEZ AND ANJINI VENUGOPAL

ince senior twins Priyanka and Rupali Sujan were three, they’ve had a tiny basketball hoop in their house. They recall much of their childhood being spent with some sport or the other, and even now, sports are one thing they have in common. For these three sets of twins, who picked up their respective sports together at an early age, there is the additional bond of being family that allows them to excel in their athletic endeavors. Priyanka and Rupali consider themselves to have been very athletic children, having played a variety of sports — soccer from age five to eight, swimming from third to eighth grade, volleyball in seventh and eighth grade, track in middle school and basketball in high school. Both of them played on the MVHS basketball team their freshman and sophomore years, neither played junior year and Priyanka played again as a senior. The Sujan sisters recall the tiny hoop they’ve had in their house from the time they were about three years old. Much of their free time was spent playing oneon-one or competing against one another in free throw competitions. It helped that

EL ESTOQUE | APRIL 2018

their mom was a Warriors fan and spent a Pachori play different positions on the lot of time watching the team play. By the MVHS volleyball team. According to time the twins reached fifth grade, they Adarsh, he and Apoorv don’t fight too were playing basketball competitively. much in general, which to them means that Rupali and Priyanka don’t play the they don’t compare themselves to each same position — other excessively. When they IF ONE [TWIN] GETS Rupali is a post do, it is more encouraging player whereas than detrimental to their SOMETHING,THE OTHER Priyanka plays performance on the court. TWIN JUST WANTS TO various guard “I think [having a twin] is DO IT BETTER, SO IT KIND positions — but very encouraging actually. they still have It encourages competition OF HELPS YOU TO GET a competitive between the two of you,” BETTER, A LOT BETTER relationship Adarsh said. “If one person AND A LOT FASTER TOO. where they try to gets something, the other help each other twin just wants to do it better, to improve. JUNIOR ADARSH PACHORI so it kind of helps you to get “We argue a better, a lot better and a lot lot about who’s better, and it always comes faster too.” down to the positions we play because Freshmen Brooke and Bianca Young we play completely different [positions],” have a competitive relationship, describing Rupali said. “[However,] the reason we do themselves as opponents constantly trying push each other is because we play different to beat one another. Unlike the Pachori types of basketball, [and] I teach her how twins, they fight a fair amount. They say it’s to be better against post players and she typically about “dumb stuff” like homework helps me be faster because defending a that they may or may not have done. guard is a different game.” Much of their dad’s family plays tennis, Similarly, juniors Adarsh and Apoorv so it was natural for them to start the

sport when they were about two years old. said. “When we’re together, it’s usually They’ve been playing competitively since more competitive.” Brooke and Bianca joined the track they were seven and were on the MVHS varsity team this year. Their sibling rivalry and field team this year because their P.E. motivates them to become better athletes. teacher in middle school told them that they “We always try to beat each other,” should try it out. They couldn’t find time for another sport with Brooke said. “So I have to try to IT’S FRIENDLY COMPETITION their rigorous tennis schedule before, but beat her, and she’s BECAUSE YOU ALWAYS WANT in their first year of always trying to beat me, so I think TO ONE-UP EACH OTHER [...] high school, Brooke that we’re [playing] THEY ARE BASICALLY GOING and Bianca decided to join the team. The at our best level.” THROUGH THE EXACT SAME competitive nature In addition, unlike other twins THING AS YOU IN TERMS OF of their relationship who may play LIFE. GETTING TO SHARE A continued in their new sport. Brooke’s separate positions, SPORT WITH [THAT] PERSON best time is from a or aren’t always race in which she was directly interacting, IS PRETTY COOL. running alongside Brooke and Bianca SENIOR PRIYANKA SUJAN Bianca. But they sometimes play admit that there are doubles in tennis. When they compete in doubles together, different ways they approach competition. “I think we’re a team, so usually we push their communication and drive to succeed each other to do better,” Bianca said. come naturally. “Or we’re opponents and trying to “The other people [that I’ve played doubles with] they don’t really communicate beat each other,” Brooke said. “[It’s] and they’re just like ‘oh it’s okay,’” Brooke competitive.”

PHOTO | ROSHAN FERNANDEZ

Senior twins Priyanka (right) and Rupali Sujan (left) play one on one in their front yard. They play regularly both for fun and to help each other improve particular skills.

For the Sujan twins, it’s become routine to hold each other accountable, more so than they would with other friends. “You don’t necessarily want to call [other friends] out or give them tips for improving because it might mess up your friendship,” Priyanka said. “Sometimes people take it really personally.” As twins, the Sujans say that they can count on one another for advice or tips for improvement. Celebrating a nail-biting victory or mourning a tough loss is the extent of a relationship between regular athletes, but for twins, it doesn’t end just with the game or the meet. They go home and live together, continuing to develop their relationship. “It’s like friendly competition in a way because you always want to one-up each other and being a twin is kind of special because they are basically going through the exact same thing as you in terms of life,” Priyanka said. “Getting to share a sport with [that] person is pretty cool.” e SPORTS | APRIL 2018

side by side Comparing the dynamics of coed and single gender sports BY SANNIDHI MENON AND CHETANA RAMAIYER

PHOTO | RANA AGHABABAZADEH

8 t

EL ESTOQUE | APRIL 2018

fter playing on the MVHS boys tennis Ji explains that the bonds created while team for three years, senior Kevin playing aren’t the same, regardless of gender. Tan decided to join the badminton Ji also feels that playing with another gender team instead. As a new member, Tan is a motivating factor for her to improve. noticed the differences between the two “It pushes me to work harder because teams in terms of gender. I see other people being successful at the Of the 23 sports teams at MVHS, events that I'm doing,” Ji said. “There's no there are only six coed teams: badminton, negative feelings. Everyone cheers each track and field, cross country, wrestling, other on, so it's a very positive community.” swimming and diving. Since these teams Similar to Ji, senior Eesha Golap, a have no gender barriers, they are usually member of the MVHS badminton team, much larger. feels that playing alongside another gender “It's just very different game style [in has helped her gain more opportunities in badminton] because especially when I'm matches. Before this year, Golap only played observing the top players, the guys are singles against another girl, but this year, she usually hitting a lot bigger while with girls, plays mixed doubles. it's a lot more tactics ... and the right “I like coed sports better because there's strategy,” Tan said. “With some guys that more opportunity,” Golap said. “Like if a I know it's mostly brute strength and just guy's better than you, you can play with the trying to overpower the other player.” guy and get better. For a guy, if a girl's better Although Tan enjoyed his experience than the guy, he can play with the girl.” on a coed team more, senior Sina Faridnia Senior Patrick Kan also plays mixed enjoyed his experience more on a single doubles and believes the mix of genders can gender boys water polo team. When he help freshmen making the transition from joined the varsity boys water polo team middle school. freshman year, Faridnia wasn’t familiar with “For our freshmen who maybe didn’t the other players. have as much interaction with the opposite “Once I got in the pool, I made some gender in middle school, it really gives them really nice passes,” Faridnia said. “They a chance to talk to them and socialize,” Kan kinda respected me more after that … You says. kind of create a [brotherhood] with your However, Faridnia does find that the teammates and you become really close addition of multiple genders means some friends." students don’t feel as free to be themselves. Faridnia believes rather than gender, “[In] water polo it's just guys so you the teamwork and constant can do really goofy interaction with his teammates YOU DON’T LET things in the locker helped them become close. room or outside that YOURSELF BE “Just the fact that we were able you can't really do to play a team sport and we were YOURSELF 100 during swimming able to connect in that way helped PERCENT BECAUSE with girls around,” us,” Faridnia said. “Maybe if there Faridnia said. “You WE TRY TO IMPRESS was a girl on the team the same don't let yourself be THE GIRLS OR thing would have happened.” yourself 100 percent Faridnia is also a part of the WHATEVER. BUT because we try to MVHS swimming team. Like many impress the girls or DURING WATER coed teams, swimming is mostly whatever. But during an individual sport. Compared POLO YOU CAN JUST water polo you can to the team-centered water BE YOURSELF 100 just be yourself 100 polo practices, Faridnia feels You don't PERCENT. YOU DON’T percent. this individual-focused practice have to worry about doesn’t allow the team to develop HAVE TO WORRY anyone judging you deep connections. Aside from ABOUT ANYONE or anything like that brief banter with fellow relay since you're among JUDGING YOU members, he finds athletes just like close friends don’t interact enough to make SENIOR SINA FARIDNIA and kind of like your those same deep connections. brothers, you know.” Junior Jessica Ji, a member of both Tan acknowledges this difference track and field and the MVHS girls because, when he used to be on the tennis basketball team, agrees with Faridnia. She team, he felt that some boys seemed to have feels that gender does not play a significant the mindset that they could act and play role in the team dynamic; rather, she feels differently when only boys were present. that the nature of each sport makes a “When you're doing something really bigger difference. competitive, if you're cooperating with The size of the teams is also a factor; another gender, it kind of controls you I while her basketball team only has 10 guess and it just helps you become a better players on it, the track and field team has person in general, especially in sports, so I around 134. Because of this size difference, find that [is] a huge benefit.” e

SPOrTS flash Sophomore Raj Palleti winds up for a power serve in his doubles match against Gunn HS on Feb. 28. With new coach Gerry Santos, the MVHS tennis team hopes to gain a victory in CSS.

Junior Damian Pow gasps for air during his freestyle stroke in the swimming meet against Palo Alto HS on March 9. This year the MVHS swimming team has had a mix of wins and losses.

PHOTO | CAROL LEI PHOTO | OM KHANDEKAR

Junior Karina Wang rallies during a warmup before her match against Milpitas HS. This year, the MVHS badminton team has maintained a winning record of 10-0.

Junior Kevin Mathew tips the ball over the net in MVHSâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; boys volleyball match against Bellarmine CP on March 3. The team is currently ranked seventh in the nation, with a league record of 9-1. PHOTO | ROSHAN FERNANDEZ

PHOTO | ROSHAN FERNANDEZ

SPORTS | APRIL 2018

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NEWS MVHS students discuss the significance of the national school walkout

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