Volume 47, Issue 1, Sept. 21, 2016 by El Estoque

September 2016

Issue I Volume XLVII

el ESTOOUE Monta Vista High School Monta Vista High School

THE POWER OF BEAUTY 7 NEWS

Students discuss the year of driving rule

12 OPINION

Balancing the gender gap in beauty

27 A&E

Classes use different social media platforms

34 SPORTS

The role of sports in athletes lives as they age

NEWS

OPINION

A CLASSROOM DIVIDED

The effect of a teacher’s gender in the classroom

CHECKING THE BOX

RIDE ALONG Law restricts young drivers from carrying people under 25

A PROMISE OF VIRTUE Christian students express their commitment to chastity

4 6

CELEBRANDO LA DIVERSIDAD Hispanic and Latino students and staff reflect on their heritage

SPORTS

UNFOLLOW THE LEADER

OLD BUT GOLD

16 27

Investigating the impact of separating Asian subgroups on state forms

BEAUTY MATTERS. FOR EVERONE.

Balancing the importance of beauty standards in genders

BEING BASIC The struggle of looking like the next girl

HOME INVASION

Learning to improve from criticism

IT’S JACKED UP The deal with Apple AirPods

A&E

The difference in upper and lower classes’ preferred social media

HOT OR NOT? Summer’s ups and downs

SHARING THE STAGE A look at the siblings in the drama department

26 30

34 As athletes age, their sports stay with them

FACING SAFETY HEAD ON MVHS sets new standards for athlete safety

JUSTIN TIME

Newly hired strength coach steps into empty position

SPORTS FLASH

CAT’S OUT OF THE BAG

KPop, my downfall?

HUMANS OF MONTA VISTA Stories behind MVHS students

The best of athletics through photos from this month

IN THIS ISSUE SPECIAL REPORT

TO BE PERFECT Examining the scientific aspect of beauty

21 6

EL ESTOQUE / SEPt. 2016

TO BE OR NOT TO BE How the perception of beauty affects one’s daily choices

TO BE PRETTY The emotional effects of beauty standards

LETTER FROM THE EDITORS...

he keyboard is crooked, and the screen of the sleek, white Macbook Pro in front of us is coated with oily fingerprints. But at one point, an engineer, a designer, a leader from Apple must have held the monitor in his or her hands, inspecting every curve and every line, meticulously calculating each space, striving to create something of beauty. Beauty is often treated as an elusive trait, something thatexists in the compliments your mother dolls out for you, in the exclamations of “You look so beautiful!” the night of prom. But, on p. 21, reporters Priya Reddy and Bill Cheng explore the tangible science behind beauty, delving into the rationale behind human affinity for symmetry. They discover that beauty lies in the Golden Ratio and certain proportions we find more aesthetic. But beauty is, sometimes, so much more. Beauty can be found in looks. Beauty can be found in personality. Beauty is on the inside. Beauty is on the outside. We’ve heard “beauty” used in many contexts. We’ve heard it used to describe a model, a landscape, an art piece, a winning goal. We’ve heard it in the same sentence as Mona Lisa and “The Great Gatsby,” Emma Stone and the Beatles, golden retrievers and enchiladas. We’ve heard it in art class and in Computer Science. Beauty is confidence, yet coy. Beauty is makeup and no makeup. Beauty can be in words, but also in pictures. Beauty is the princess. Beauty is the beast. And while there is the kind of beauty that science can explain, with numbers and fractions and proportions, there is also a fleeting, intangible quality to beauty that numbers, perhaps, cannot duplicate. So, we decided to ask our staff members: what does beauty means to you? A makeup artist said symmetry, an unblemished face. An avid cat lover said selflessness. A nature lover said breathtaking views. A photographer said the golden hour of sunlight. Sometimes, beauty meant a kind of appreciation, a kind of pride in having found something they could admire in this world. Beauty, for some, was momentary and, for others, it was enduring. But with all these varying definitions of beauty, one thing seemed to be constant — they all strived to create, possess or witness their own definition of beauty. Maybe beauty is an indication of what is most important to us, a testament to our deepest priorities. Back in the journalism room as we type out these final words of our letter, we look up from our fingerprint smudged computer screen to the sight of pure chaos. It’s 8:16 p.m. on Friday. We have 44 more minutes to clear the board, export our pages and print this very magazine. We watch as 60 students scramble to get into edits — tripping over laptop charger cords, falling of a broken computer chair and wondering how 10 large pizzas disappeared so quickly — as they strive to create something of beauty. Our process isn’t perfect. But, there is something beautiful about that, too.

EDITORS IN CHIEF

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

Editors in Chief: Avni Prasad, Mingjie Zhong Managing Editors: Kalpana Gopalkrishnan, Trisha Kholiya, Aditya Pimplaskar, Hannan Waliullah Copy Editors: Bill Cheng, Karen Ma, Jessica Xing Webmasters: Sharjeel Rahman, Krishna Sunder News Editors: Fatima Ali, Ilena Peng, Chetana Ramaiyer Sports Editors: Amanda Chan, Om Khandekar, Aditya Krishnan, Akshara Majjiga Entertainment Editors: Ananya Bhat, Aanchal Garg, Dylan Tsai, Devika Watave Opinion Editors: Vivian Chiang, Shriya Deshpande Beats Editors: Jennie Chen, Andrea Schlitt Visuals Editor: Bhargava Matta Special Report Editors: Elizabeth Han, Daniel Lin, ZaZu Lippert. Priya Reddy Business Editors: Tyler Lin, Derek Shao Public Relations: Emma Lam, Derek Shao Staff writers: Rana Aghababazadeh, Brighton Balfrey, Claire Chang, Helen Chao, Vijeet Chaugule, Sara Entezarmahdi, Ruth Feng, Roshan Fernandez, Gauri Kaushik, Sanjana Kothuri, Stephanie Lam, Sannidhi Menon, Anthony Moll, Shayon Moradi, Katerina Pappas, Sepand Rouz, Karen Sanchez, Mallika Singh, Nate Stevens, Anjini Venugopal, Albert Wang, Kingsley Wang, Jackie Way, Chelsea Wong, Michelle Wong, Himani Yalamaddi and Becca Zheng 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.

RIDE ALONG

MVHS students discuss the year of driving rule

BY CHETANA RAMAIYER enior Spencer Sullivan-Hayes got into an accident while driving at night over spring break of 2016. Earlier that day, it had rained and the roads were slippery. He approached the intersection when the light was red, so Sullivan-Hayes still went for the turn, despite the oncoming traffic. His car slipped and slid onto the curb. When Sullivan-Hayes got home that night, unsurprisingly, his parents were upset. But what they didn’t know is that when he got in that accident that night, in his car were two other people. And Sullivan-Hayes had gotten his license six months earlier. According to California law, “during the first 12 months after you are licensed, you cannot drive between 11 p.m. and 5 a.m. and you cannot transport passengers under 20 years old, unless you are accompanied by a licensed parent or guardian, a licensed driver 25 years old or older, or a licensed or certified driving instructor.” California’s DMV laws are some of the strictest in the country. After taking driver’s education, passing a permit test and practicing for six months with a guardian in the car, drivers are allowed to take a license test. Once they finally get their license, they must wait another full year to drive anyone else in the car. But, in a survey of 82 MVHS students, 45 percent of students said they do not follow the rule about waiting one year to drive other passengers. Sullivan-Hayes is part of that 45 percent. He got his license in Nov. of his junior year and waited a total of two days before driving his friends around. Sullivan-Hayes felt that he was equally scared of messing up with friends in the car than he was of messing up at all, so he figured it didn’t really matter. Junior Madi Anderson, however, is an exception. “For one, it’s the law and I try to follow the law as much as I can,” Anderson said

EL ESTOQUE / SEPT 2016

“And I wouldn’t really feel comfortable driving my friends because it’s really distracting to have other people in the car.” But even Anderson, who follows the rule strictly, believes that if a person feels confident, then it shouldn’t be a problem. “I figure it’s their decision. If they think they’re ready to drive other people and actually believe that they’re good enough, that’s their choice,”Anderson said. “I don’t have a problem with it. They can personally choose not to follow that rule, just like I personally [choose to].” School resource officer of Santa Clara County Sheriff’s Department, Deputy Lee Hickenbotham, disagrees. “Although they feel confident in their driving, most of them [are] not really paying attention to your surroundings [ w i t h others in the car],”

ample experience and practice before she drives other people, which potentially could have many serious consequences. “My parents are not strict at all and basically let me do whatever I want, so I kind of have to be more mature about that and I take it upon myself to try and follow the rules as much as I can,” Anderson said. According to Hickenbotham, police officers need a probable cause in order to pull over a driver. But if an officer pulls over a driver and they do have another passenger in the car on a restricted license, the officer will usually call the parents of the passenger and ask them to pick them up. In a survey out of 249 students, 54 percent weren’t aware of this. Sullivan-Hayes acknowledged that some legislation should exist, but thought that a year was too long. Campus Supervisor Thomas Michaelis agreed with SullivanHayes on this point. “A year does seem a little a long,” Michaelis said. “Six months — it just sounds a little easier to do.” But Hickenbotham believed that the year is just the right amount of time. “I think that driving is a privilege and driving is something also has to do with maturity,” Hickenbotham said. “So I think that the wait time is perfect.” Sullivan-Hayes hasn’t driven much since that late night in April but he feels that his driving is still improving. “I’d say I got better as a driver … I was a pretty poor driver for like a month or two months, then I started suddenly like actually catching onto everything. Like all the subtleties of driving,” Sullivan-Hayes said. “So, when I reached that point of greater proficiency, I was a lot less fearful of having other people in the car.”

NEWS

Hickenbotham said. “I’ve seen a lot juvenile drivers make mistakes.” According to the California State DMV, “both men and women, drivers aged 16 to 19 years of age have the highest average annual crash and traffic violation rates of any other age group.” Despite these high rates, 35 percent out of 221 MVHS students still view this rule as extraneous. But, Anderson believes that the year provides her with

SCAN FOR MORE COVERAGE PHOTO | CHETANA RAMAIYER

N e ws

nts tu d e

ri Pu

tia

ri n

h C e

ris

To Serena, her ring and her commitment are important parts of her that she will carry until marriage. The ring’s morals help guide her actions to being sexually pure. “Sometimes I kind of forget about [the ring],” Serena said, “Not in a bad way … but I feel like it’s a part of my finger.” Although she wears her ring everyday, Waits” b e c a u s e senior Esther Na believes that she would want she wanted to to remain celibate before marriage, even if she BY SANNIDHI MENON AND MICHELLE WONG confirm that her decision to wasn’t Christian or didn’t wear a ring. Her abstain came from herself, rather background, rather than her religion, gave her T’S EASY TO MISTAKE HER PURITY than outside influences. these values. ring as just a plain, silver ring — an She hopes to carry them with her “[My ring is] a physical confirmation ordinary article of jewelry. But to junior I made this commitment, with God and throughout her life regardless of other people’s Serena Yoo, it means much more. opinions. myself, and To its owner, a purity ring is not simply my family and Estelle has also a decoration. It is a physical symbol of my friends, noticed that many commitment, a promise to themselves, their my people are curious future future and God. about her purity ring. husband and The ring is a symbol of chastity — it my She often finds herself future represents purity and abstention from sexual children, that being questioned about intercourse until marriage, one of God’s I would live in her ring and why she commandments in the Bible. wears it. But those this purity,” Twins Serena and Estelle Yoo both Serena said. who ask don’t always decided to get purity rings their sophomore understand her reasons While he year. They received their rings on Feb. 14, doesn’t wear behind the meaning of JUNIOR ESTELLE YOO 2015, through a religious program called his ring every her ring. “True Love Waits.” The program took place day because “They’re like ‘Oh at New Vision Church in Milpitas, which they of its weight, junior Jason Shen still deeply then can you take the ring off and then have regularly attend. believes in its significance. To him, his ring is sex? And then put it back on?,’” Estelle said. Prior to the ring ceremony, there were symbolic of his devotion to Christ. “It doesn’t work that way.” several sessions where participants learned But most of the time, Estelle noted that Shen also wears a cross necklace to show about abstinence through video seminars. his commitment to God. Like a ring, he people respect her decision, or at least don’t On the day of the ceremony, a parent or believes having a physical object keeps him seem to care either way. guardian presented Estelle plans on wearing her ring until accountable for his each person with she enters a commited marriage, keeping a actions, reminding SCAN FOR MORE their ring. Inside him of his promise promise with herself that she will stay pure COVERAGE the ring, the every time he looks for her future husband. Her goal is to live a life letters “T.L.W.,” the of purity, to fulfill the covenant she has made at it. program’s acronym, “The importance between herself and God. are engraved into the ”[The ring] reminds me that, in what I do of it is more in how you walk with Christ metal along with each person’s initials. and what I say it should reflect Jesus,” Estelle rather than just wearing a ring,” Shen said. Serena decided to partake in “True Love said.

o li z ea

co m m

itment to Go

so r o f d

They’re like ‘Oh then can you take the ring off and then have sex? And then put it back on? It doesn’t work that way.

S AND HAT NYA B A N A | S ILLUSTRATION

61 6

EL ESTOQUE / SEPT 2016

H RA EL E J AR

A CLASSROOM

The analysis of gender on students and teachers in the classroom

DIVIDED

BY AVNI PRASAD AND NATE STEVENS

N EWS1 7

WO YEARS AGO, MATH TEACHER Kathleen Collins stood outside her classroom door ushering her freshmen into Geometry. She watched with a smile as her former female students marched over to Scott DeRuiter and Jon Stark’s AP Calculus BC class. In her head, she knew this was the first time there would be more girls than boys in Calculus BC. “There’s something that happens to women around 8th grade where all of sudden they start thinking that they are not as good at Math and Science as boys,” Collins said. “The further we get in the difficulty of Math, [the] more girls start to drop off.” But, that year, 2014, showed progress. In 2012, Collins had taught three Algebra 2 Trigonometry classes, compared to her two current trigonometry classes. And as Collins watched the young women walk by, she hoped that her influence as a strong female role model may have influenced the increase in the number of girls in calculus that year. A 2006 study, conducted by Stanford Professor Thomas Dee, suggests student gender inequality may be related to teacher gender inequality. The study concluded that students thrived more so in classes taught by a teacher of the same gender, both for boys and girls. As a math major in college, Collins was use to “men dominating the class,” and “men allowing men to dominate the classroom.” This, she said, was something that happened more with male teachers. “Teachers fill this role model part,” Collins said. “And, as a teacher, you have the power to influence the classroom in a gender neutral way.”

FEMALE TEACHING S.T.E.M. Before Debbie Frazier taught Computer Science, there were over 70 percent male students in the class. Frazier thought the two may have been linked, so when she became the first woman to teach programming, she started to collect data. “I have always been very gender conscious,” Frazier said. “So through the years I taught, I took data on what the ratio of guys to girls was.” It was always male dominated. Some years, it was three males to one female, others two to one. But the longer Frazier taught, the more the ratio started to get closer and closer to equal. When Frazier left on maternity leave,

81 6

EL ESTOQUE / SEPT 2016

the ratio reversed back: two males to one female, then slowly back to three to one. Frazier returned to teaching, and the ratio went back to how it was before she had left. “It’s hard to know where exactly the difference in numbers comes from,” Frazier said. “After talking to some [female] students though, I would say it helped to have a female teacher to look at and say, ‘she get it, she’s successful, she’s been able to apply this. Maybe I can too.’” Frazier’s data raises the question: does the gender of a teacher have an impact on the students?

I WOULD SAY IT HELPED TO HAVE A FEMALE TEACHER TO LOOK AT AND SAY, ‘SHE GET IT, SHE’S SUCCESSFUL, SHE’S BEEN ABLE TO APPLY THIS. MAYBE I CAN TOO? TEACHER DEBBIE FRAZIER

Jim Birdsong, a physics teacher, feels that the gender of a teacher does affect their students, especially in the case of female teachers teaching female students. “I think that a female student would get more from a female physics teacher,” Birdsong said. “The way it’s male dominated now, and not a lot of females take it, the evidence is that there’s some sort of comfort level that’s not being met.” Birdsong’s college engineering class was a “giant guy party” with four or five girls and hundreds of guys. He says he sees the same thing in the physics classes he teaches now at MVHS, with about one third girls. Birdsong hopes that the huge gender gap, seen especially in higher level S.T.E.M. courses, can be fixed with more females teaching these subjects. “It seems that any sort of pressure is for females to be shunted towards the lower grades and the males towards the higher grades,” Birdsong said. “If I had wanted to teach Kindergarten, I would imagine I would have felt some [pressure].”

GENDER DISPARITY ACROSS EDUCATION LEVEL

24% OF STEM JOBS ARE HELD BY WOMEN

*according to U.S. Department of Commerce 2009 sruvey

The tendency for female teachers to teach lower grades of students can be seen both on a national level and here at MVHS. Currently at MVHS, there are no female physics teachers, only one female computer science teacher, and out of the eighteen math teachers, seven are female. Yet to the contrary, there are no male foreign language teachers, and only three male language arts teachers out of twenty. Collins believes this is because of the nurturing needed in low levels of education. “Women are raised to be nurturers, while men are raised to be more like conquerors,”

Collins said. “This idea of a woman as a nurturer, like that is suppose to be something in our DNA, we get filtered in these roles of elementary school teachers.” A national population survey in 2007 found that males make up “just 2.3 percent of pre-K and kindergarten teachers, 18.3 percent of the elementary and middle school teacher population, and 42 percent of the high school level teaching staff.” At MVHS, the numbers are slightly lower with only 41 percent of male high school teachers. However, MVHS neighbor’s Lincoln Elementary School has more extreme numbers — there is only one full-time male teacher on campus. “At that younger age, you need a nurturer presumably to more successful at managing people,” Frazier said. “There are a lot of studies out there about gender behavior, but I have met plenty of exceptions to the rule.”

GENDER DISCOURSE IN CLASSROOMS

classes dominated by men. She remembers thinking she wasn’t good enough in those classes. Today, in her math classes, Collins makes a conscious effort to make sure boys aren’t dominating the conversations and girls get the attention they deserve. “We have to be careful not drop off girls at the bus stops along the corner,” Collins said. “We need to make sure we have a good representation [of female teachers] in not only Calc. BC but also Algebra 2 Trigonometry, Precalc. Honors. We need to make sure [the girls] stay for the whole ride.”

76% OF STEM JOBS ARE HELD BY MEN

Vennessa Nava, an English teacher, thinks that the patterns of gendered teaching may *according to U.S. Department of involve much more than just the gender of Commerce 2009 sruvey a teacher. “We run a danger of essentializing the gender of a teacher, and maybe it’s part of their personality that people respond to,” Nava said. “But I think there also is of pre-K and something in terms of the way we perform kindergarden our genders that we do sometimes fall into some stereotypical behavior.” teachers are While individual personality does play male* a part in a teacher’s influence, there is a continuous cycle of gender segregation, of elementary among subjects and grade levels, that and middle perhaps is due to the guidelines that society constructs for each gender. school “My freshman were just saying the teachers are other day in a class discussion: ‘the man is male* supposed to make a lot of money’” Nava said. “These [opinions] aren’t coming from nowhere; it’s in the fabric of our society and of high school we are just influenced by it.” teachers are As Nava believes, the biases that freshman male* come into high school with are enforced by the societal roles that people have fallen into, of college and because of this, it is impossible to be completely free of them. professors are “We can’t calculate how much [these male** biases] have an effect on our own lives,” Nava said. And because of this, “there’s a *according to 2012 U.S. Bureau of Labor disconnect between theory and practice.” Collins remembers questioning her survey intelligence in college as she sat in math **according to 2006 American Association of University Professors survey

18%

42% 75%

ILLUSTRATION | SANJANA KOTHURI

N E W S

CELEBRANDO LA DIVERSIDAD Hispanic and Latino students and staff share experiences at MVHS

ENG

BY FATIMA ALI

ENG

ECCA ZH

ILLUSTRA TION | B

1 106

EL ESTOQUE / SEPt 2016

ION | ILLUSTRAT

BECCA ZH

LL EYES ARE ON HER AS SHE the Chicano movement.” ruffles her turquoise dress and takes a seat. This is the moment she has BEING HISPANIC OR LATINO E DAYS C N E D N dreamed of for years. She glimpses her AT MVHS INDEPE THE MONTRHica, glittery nails and ring embellished with G / Costa DURIEN “15,” and then looks over to her father as According to the MVHS school BER 15 / M T P E mala, S he unstraps a pair of high heels for her. Blue profile from last school year, r, Guate o d a lv a ragua El S flowers and rhinestone straps adorn the less than two percent of students nd Nica a s a r u d xico silver heels — the very heels that signify the were Hispanic or Latino, a striking Hon 16 // Me R E B M end to her childhood. minority when compared to 82 Chile SEPTE ER 17 /ry/of Congress B Finally, it’s time. She takes off her teal percent Asian. M E T P SE Libra g to the Converse sneakers and straps on the shiny For Colombian senior Felipe Sosa, *accordin heels. Junior Natalia the lack of Hispanics at MVHS means Osorio has finished finding someone to relate to can be teach performing the shoe hard. Osorio agrees, saying that youth. changing ceremony when she does find “We have to be respectful of the way of her quinceañera. other Latinos at people talk,” Autran said. “I think it’s It’s the start of her MVHS, WHO IS HISP something that’s not taught at home, not A womanhood, the same s h e N IC ? A person of S taught at schools — it’s something that we panish-speak start that all her family finds ing origin or ance need to work on.” stry had and would have. it fairly Sosa doesn’t face discrimination often WHO IS LAT A Latino tradition. easy to at MVHS, but off-hand racial comments are IN O ? A person from National Hispanic connect still thrown his way. Latin America Heritage month w i t h “Sometimes within friend [groups] they occurs from Sept. them. know me as, I don’t know, the ‘cholo’ or 15 to Oct. 15. Americans To her, the whatever,” Sosa said. “They’ll make jokes celebrate and recognize smaller sized and I’m fine with it, but once in awhile, it Hispanic and Latino c u l t u r e community makes it more special, and she gets to you.” during the month. enjoys talking to them. “Cholo” has various meanings, but can “It’s a time when you can really Autran too chooses to see the bright side be used as an offensive term to describe show your culture and not just of being a minority at MVHS. She doesn’t lower-class Mexicans who live in an upperwhatever you see on the news feel a need to teach anywhere else. Once, a class area. or soap operas, [but] the real teacher asked her whether or not she ever For Autran, a heightened level of foundation of where this culture considered teaching at Fremont High School awareness of Hispanic culture occurred was built,” Osorio said. because of the larger Latino population. while she switched to teaching higher For Spanish teacher M a r i a Autran responded immediately, shaking her levels of Spanish, with classes comprised Autran, only certain days of the month hold head no. of mostly upperclassmen. Autran would significance, like Mexican Independence “Because I’m Latina, I can contribute sometimes hear negative comments in her Day, especially since the month is a national [to MVHS], ” Autran said. “Not just to my underclassmen classes, especially about holiday in the United States. only. In Spanish students and my classes, but also, I [can] Mexican immigrants. classes, students celebrate the holiday by be the voice for Latino or Spanish speaking “Many kids used to be very cruel about listening to music and a presidential speech people, and that’s why I stay.” their comments,” Autran said. “But that while eating traditional foods like flan. Being a minority at MVHS comes with gave me an opportunity to teach and to Autran doesn’t celebrate the entire occasional discrimination. Autran often talk about why a lot of Mexicans come here, month because she grew up in Mexico, but feels she is viewed as a stereotype solely why a lot of Mexicans covme here illegally she still strongly values how the month gives based off her accent and has moments and that [illegal immigration] doesn’t only a great opportunity to Hispanic people living where young people laugh at the way she happen [in America].” in America, especially artists. talks. In these occasions, she chooses to Now her students seem to be more “I tend to look back to the artists or stop and take a moment to explain why her informed and less prejudiced. the important people accent exists. She “The [students] that I have now are wellthat exist in Mexico doesn’t think she rounded,” Autran said. “They have taken SCAN FOR MORE that I know and that is obligated to do all these classes where they talk about COVERAGE I can identify with, so, but feels she different things like how important it is to compared to maybe the should because acknowledge all minorities and appreciate Chicano community or somebody has to [their] contributions.”

‘‘

IT’S JACKED UP The issue with Apple AirPods

ILL GATES IS A VERY RICH MAN today ... and do you want to know why? The answer is one word: versions.” -Dave Barry

On the other hand, there are the earbuds that look like the head of an Wireless electrical toothbrush, just one of the earbuds exist genius comparisons that has emerged already. If I wanted on the Internet. The headphone jack was wireless earbuds, I’d buy Companies get sick of making new supposedly removed to make the phone and use them, making my products. But making new versions of more watertight — a claim that someone on own choice to shun the tangly earbuds. products never gets old. And with the Youtube will most definitely test by dunking But leaving people a dongle away from having newest iPhone 7, I discovered I was making his or her brand new phone into a bathtub. no choice but to buy wireless earbuds isn’t just a a serious mistake, apparently listening to I’m sure the other waterproof phones on progressive push towards newer technology, but music in all the wrong ways. the market would a clever way to make money, which I suppose It’s now beg to differ that Apple needs to continue the construction of its apparent to “waterproof” does new headquarters that’s congesting all the traffic me that all the not mean a brick near Vallco … wait I forgot, Vallco is a dead ghost time I spent with no holes. town. Oops. Too soon? searching for Apple’s “moneyAnd thus, the iPhone 7 shows that Apple the right song sapping” seems knows what it’s doing, because even as people with the right fitting for these laugh at its not-subtle efforts to “revolutionize lyrics that earbuds, too. As the industry,” Apple is making money. Because weren’t about with all of Apple’s JUNIOR ILENA PENG laughter aside, it’s undeniable that every new v ulga r it y, products, demand product Apple releases garners mostly positive I should’ve is high since it’s the media attention and a hefty amount of revenue. been paying attention to my headphones. go-to brand for all the “cool techies,” and I So while Samsung’s Galaxy Note 7 and its You know the ones I’m talking about — doubt that the iPhone 7 will be an exception. exploding batteries serve as a shiny metal version those flimsy cords, the kind that get in knots Everyone who purchases the new phone of a fire starter, I’ll definitely consider the iPhone after being stuck at the bottom of my bag for will need new earbuds, or at least an 7. After all, what’s the worst that could happen? only a minute— those are old news. awkward looking dongle earbud adapter. Perhaps it’s nothing more than a thief stealing Newly introduced are those wireless Apple probably assumes people will buy the your phone without you noticing since your new headphones that Apple dubs “AirPods.” earbuds and dongle from them — and Apple fancy earbuds will continue playing music as the Wait, but they’re not just wireless. Apple is also probably right about that. thief makes a getaway. refers to them as “smart, quick-charging, great-sounding magical headphones” in its video. Either way, I’ll surely lose them in a week. Now all my pens won’t be the only Free Seminars - ivy.gl/seminars SAT/ACT Classes - ivy.gl/class things on my endless list of lost objects. SAT Regular Course: Jan 7-Feb 25 (8 wks) Getting into Top Colleges It’s not like I don’t have enough gadgets SAT Intensive Course: Jan 7-Apr 15 (15 wks) Saturday at 10am SAT Crash Course: Feb 20- Feb 24 (1 wk) to charge. I can honestly imagine future me ACT Regular Course: Jan 7-Feb 25 (8 wks) coming home each day: phone charger here, Leadership Development for High School Students laptop charger here, electric car here ... Oh. Saturday at 11am College Consulting wait. No outlet space left for the ridiculous earbuds. Now I can’t listen to my music, Ivy Global is committed to helping our Managing Stress clients gain admission to top American unless I want my terrible music taste to Saturday at 1pm universities, including Ivy league schools. annoy every single human being in my house. We provide expert knowledge and Apple announced the new features at 7 Habits of Highly Effective Students strategies tailored to our clients' needs. an event on Sept. 7, 2016 in San Francisco. Saturday at 2pm Our College Consulting program helps The phone, which was made available for Grade 12 students prepare applications purchase on Sept. 16, has some useful We are offering over 50 free books to that set students apart in a sea of features and some of which are, well at the Monta Vista HS students. Please email candidates. We also provide Strategy least, very questionable. publishing@ivyglobal.com Consulting and SAT/ACT Tutoring classes. The fact that it comes in two shades of black is, to me, the best detail ever. My mainly black wardrobe appreciates Apple’s www.ivyglobal.com 1-888-588-7955 SAT • College Consulting • Leadership acknowledgement that I am not insane for insisting that there are multiple shades of black. My new response to why I own 10 black jackets can now be “because it’s a different black and Apple agrees with me.”

BEYOND THE STATUS QUOTE

Leadership Revolution Ivy Global

EL ESTOQUE

N EWS

BEAUTY MATTERS. FOR EVERYONE.

The importance we place on physical characteristics is different for each gender, but this shouldn’t be the case

E HAVE ALL HEARD THE SAME timeworn sayings: “Beauty is only skin deep.” “You are beautiful, just the way you are.” “It’s what’s inside that counts.” And — drumroll — the proverbial classic: “Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.” The irony shades black-and-white; while arguing that beauty doesn’t matter, that we are all individually, uniquely, singularly beautiful on the inside, those sayings inevitably shape their own failure by nature of their content. They strive to convince us that we should not care about beauty because it doesn’t matter — and, obviously, it shouldn’t. Yet the opposite is unflinchingly true: Chasing after beauty standards is dramatically apparent in our society. Because we have all also heard the stories of women undergoing plastic surgery for increased job opportunities. We have heard of girls who suffer from anorexia and related eating disorders to achieve the ideal female thinness, and of the countless hours young girls will spend in front of a bathroom mirror before Prom or a date or even school, applying the perfect accent of eyeliner, the last touch of golden bronzer. And with each of these instances, it is hard not to suspect and recognize another common thread: the unsettling ratio of females to males involved. But it’s 2016 now, and the voices questioning all kinds of gender gaps in our society have only gotten louder — especially with Hillary Clinton’s historic nomination to presidential candidacy by the Democratic Party. Individuals like Ursula Burns, the CEO of multibillion dollar corporation Xerox, and First Lady Michelle Obama have taken active steps to challenge gender imbalance in the social, economic and political worlds. However, as we fight for gender equalization today, we cannot forget that the strongest symptoms of gender stereotypes manifest themselves in the world of beauty. And there is a huge imbalance in the way men and women treat beauty standards, and how each gender is, in turn, affected by said standards. There is little question that beauty

1 126

EL ESTOQUE / SEPT 2016

standards exist for both genders, but we as a society do not place the same importance on these beauty standards for both genders. In a survey of 272 MVHS students, 66 percent of students agreed that the importance of beauty is different depending on gender, and out of 274 students, 72 percent of responders believe that beauty should matter equally for males and females. However, the discrepancy is nevertheless apparent in the cosmetic industry. Female makeup products are often given glamorous names, such as Maybelline’s “Lash Sensational” mascara, in contrast to men’s more medically-oriented and subtly marketed brands. For example, feminine makeup brand NARS offers a “Radiant Creamy” concealer, while male makeup brand Formen merely names its concealer “Formen’s concealer” — and advertises the cosmetic product as an “essential part of male grooming.” Grooming. Wearing concealer, Formen seems to say, is basically like taking a shower or washing your hands; you’re just cleaning yourself. The restrained name of Formen’s concealer also tries its best to refrain from being too out there, too loud, too conspicuous. And Formen’s Invisible Blotting Powder is “100 percent translucent and undetectable,” as if male makeup were such an embarrassing commodity. Yet Formen isn’t alone; most male makeup brands are quick to make the distinction between male and female products, consciously avoiding “colors and terminology that are remotely girly,” writes journalist Brad Tuttle for a Time article. The words “power” and “boost” can also be found in several male cosmetic products — men’s skin care company Jack Black offers makeup products

with names like “Repeat Defender” and “Protein Booster Skin Serum.” If American society really places the same emphasis on grooming and achieving a particular standard of physical appearance similarly in both genders, why is the marketing for male makeup products so much more subdued? Additionally, according to a 2014 report published by the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, 87 percent of total cosmetic surgical procedures conducted by ASPS certified surgeons that year were on female patients, while the remaining 13 percent of cosmetic surgeries were performed on male patients. Definitions of what “beautiful”

in which Phelps lifts weights and huddles in an ice bath, masculinity is imposed on males through selective media and stereotypes of the public. Yet in a 2012 British research study, researchers asked 40 males and 40 females to adjust digital representations of male and female body shapes, until they arrived at an ideal body type for each sex. This final body type for the participant’s own sex was then contrasted against his or her own body. For females, women and men preferred a smaller waistto-hip ratio and bigger breasts, along with an overall slender and willowy form. The “ideal” body shape for women, according to men, had a Body Mass Index (BMI) of 18.2 — considered underweight — whereas the current United States BMI for women is actually 26.5 — considered overweight — resulting in a shocking difference of 8.3. As for the men, the BMI average of the ideal male type, 24.54, is extremely close to the United States’ actual male average of 26.6. Essentially, while the desired male and female body types both differed from that of the participants themselves, the body shape and BMI of males was already closer to the ideal male type. This suggests that males are held to a “lower,” or more achievable and realistic standard than women, and are on a much more relaxed leash — adhering to beauty standards matters less for men than for women. In the past few decades, women have made long, historical strides in the United States, and gender roles have never been more balanced in American history — a Pew Research Center article announced, in 2013, that women were the “sole or primary breadwinner” for four in 10 households in America — a figure that quadrupled since 1960. But modern beauty standards are a product of social construct, and the imbalanced pressure to achieve such standards is a fundamentally obscure reflection of our social values. Our beauty standards should positively align with the changing values and trends of our society, and if we’re pushing for gender equalization, we must remember the gender gap in standards of beauty. We have the power to condition ourselves to treat beauty equally in both genders, and to place the same level of import on beauty standards in both females and males.

STAFF EDITORIAL

OPINION

means for each gender have been carved their daily routines. These pressures play out, but these definitions take a much a paramount role in the female quest for greater toll on women than men. beauty, because if simply donning powder The correlation between attractiveness concealer and eyeshadow can help women and income in the context of gender is also attain higher incomes, who would not? glaring, explains University of Chicago Beauty is inherently tied to social doctoral candidate Jaclyn Wong and construct and is not as timeless as we may University of California, Irvine Associate think, journalist David Robson further Professor of Sociology Andrew Penner, argues in an article for the BBC. In a 2015 in an April 2016 research paper. The two sociologists examined data from a national study of over 14,000 individuals and found that “attractive individuals earn OPINION OF THE EL ESTOQUE roughly 20 percent more EDITORIAL BOARD than people of average attractiveness.” Yet this gap is significantly diminished when factors like grooming — applying experiment conducted by assistant professor makeup and styling hair — are taken into Haiyang Yang from the Johns Hopkins Carey consideration. In Wong’s and Penner’s Business School and Leonard Lee from words: Grooming habits account “for the the National University of Singapore, the entire attractiveness premium” in women, researchers found that the more we are but “only half the premium for men.” exposed to others’ standards of beauty, the Another way of putting it: investing effort more our own personal concepts of beauty into appearance statistically matters more change and shift to conform to the status for women than for men. quo. This kind of herd mentality, however, As a result, women often face elevated suggests that our sense of aesthetics is levels of social and financial pressure to not immutable, despite the existence of integrate particular grooming habits into scientific rationale explaining why we find particular physical traits — such as symmetry — attractive. Fluctuations in beauty standards over time also indicate a certain fluidity in what we find beautiful. While this kind of herd behavior means that we are especially susceptible to media portrayal of unrealistic body types — think Victoria’s Secret “Perfect Body” Campaign — it also offers an encouraging prospect: What we deem beautiful is not strictly fixed, so we retain, to an extent, the ability to mold and alter socially accepted beauty standards. Ultimately, the value we place today on physical appearance in each gender is far from equal. And even though male beauty standards do exist, the importance we place upon males for reaching such standards is not as potent as the social pressure on females. Male beauty standards typically exist in the form of hypermasculinity, the emphasization of stereotypical male features, such as aggressive and dominating behaviors, physical strength and sexuality. From the brawny warriors in Ancient Greece to Michael Phelps’s Under Armour ad, ILLUSTRATION | SARA ENTEZAR

OPINION

BEING BASIC The frustrations of looking generic BY SARA ENTEZAR

FROM ONE GIRL TO ANOTHER, I think, deep down, we all have the same concerns about looking good. No, it’s

not about clumpy mascara, uncomfortable clothes or getting your hair stuck in your lipgloss. It’s something bigger – way bigger. So big that there’s even a word dedicated to the dreaded look: basic.

IT REALLY GETS TOUGH for a girl when taking hours in the morning to “look good” is considered normal. Sigh. 1 146

EL ESTOQUE / SEPt 2016

HOME INVASIONS

How a major penalty made me more critical of my actions Driving through a housing area with Chance the Rapper’s new album playing, my friend and I stop in front of a medium-sized, one story house with a short, white gate and a one car garage. We call our friend’s cell and, without having to say anything, he responds: “I’ll be out.” Less than a minute later, he swings open the door and puts his shoes on. We typically go inside his house when we hang out with him, but this time is different. He doesn’t invite us in. When we push the issue, he reacts in anger. “No! The answer is no; you guys are not coming in. You know why.” We both knew why, but we just played dumb and defensive for a bit. “Why, dude, what happened man?” I said. “We always come to your house.” I wasn’t sure if he knew I was joking but he answered my question with a tone even more aggressive than before. “Bro,

ILLUSTRATION | SARA ENTEZAR

you guys. Both of you, I know for a fact at least you two, while I was in L.A., broke into my house.” I was very surprised because he was right; both of us carried out the plan the night he left. I couldn’t believe how accurate his instincts were because neither of us left any sign that could be used as hard evidence to determine exactly who did it. He continued to explain his logic after I asked why he was purposely targeting the both of us, some of his best friends. I wasn’t wrong because we were very close friends, although we do occasionally pull stunts like breaking into each other’s houses. “Every time something goes down with my house, it’s always you two,” he said. “Like the knocking on my windows, taking my hummus and the time you guys brought, like, everybody over when I said you guys can’t come in.” I understood where he was coming from, and the fact that he took me seriously only tempted me to keep up the act even longer— even though I knew there was no way to go around it. “ Y o u broke into my house. You’re banned,” he said. “You left the screen door unlocked,” I replied. I knew he was already very frustrated at this point, but that only made me want to keep push him even more. The

other friend in the car played along as well. The exchanges continued for a couple more minutes without any progress, and I realized how lame we were, putting this much effort into denying it when we all knew that he knew it was us for sure. I could feel myself being extremely annoying at this moment, but it wasn’t like we had any other plans for now. Eventually, he became too angry to rebut with logic and, instead, unleashed a torrent of insults ranging from how I act spoiled and ungrateful, to

BARKING UP THE RIGHT TREE SENIOR ALBERT WANG how disrespectful and materialistic I am. Unfortunately, without a doubt, he was right. I was furious at first, but after thinking and trying to deny some more, I realized how sad but true all of his statements were. These self doubts were reasonable — in fact, everybody should think about how flawed they can be every now and then. I was so numb to repercussions that I didn’t consider how breaking into this guy’s house would affect him and his situation with his parents. The haunting guilt made me not able to forgive myself for the burden I was, so I decided that I can’t keep being so mindless with my actions. Realizing all these things about myself surely made me less narcissistic because I didn’t want to cause this much damage and put myself or others at such high risk again. I realized I should never feel that blind admiration for myself again because it only put me on a path of destruction and douchebaggery. There isn’t a way to unbreak into his house, nor is there any way for me to apologize to everybody else I’ve ticked off with my antics. That phrase, “stop and smell the roses,” — this is the exact opposite, Stop and smell the sh-- on your front porch. Instead of being optimistic and appreciating the small moments in life, try to be a pessimist and critic when you make mistakes, so you can correct the behavior in the future. opinion

115

CHECKING THE BOX

California passes bill to help specify Asian health issues BY VIVIAN CHIANG, SHAYON MORADI AND ADITYA PIMPLASKAR

year ago, an Indonesian resident filling out his or her health records would have to check the box labeled “Asian” on the California state standardized forms. Similarly, a Tongan resident’s health forms would be labeled as “Pacific Islander.” But now, the Indonesian resident can actually check the box labelled “Indonesian,” and the same applies to the Tongan resident. Specific Asian and Pacific Islander ethnic groups now have their own checkboxes. But is this for the better or for worse? The California Legislature passed Assembly Bill 1726 on Aug. 30, after seven months of deliberation in the state assembly and the state Senate. The bill will split two ethnic groups on state healthcare forms — Pacific Islander and Asian — into more specific groups such as Tongan, Samoan or Fijian. The government will add eight new subcategories, renewing the 2020 census. As for what the bill will be used for, being able to gather more information about the health difficulties of the millions of Asian Americans can’t be bad. And for those who worry about taxpayer cost, adding some text to a state required form won’t put a dent in the California state budget. The information gathered through the implementation of the bill will help analysts more accurately identify health trends in particular demographic groups. This includes observed trends such as high rates of liver disease among

Vietnamese A mer icans, or high rates of PTSD among older Camb o dian A mer ic a ns. It would also allow hospitals to look for doctors who can speak languages that cater to each Asian minority group to promote effective communication between doctors and patients. Even with all the benefits the bill provides, it has come under much scrutiny in the California state congress. In 2015, Governor Jerry Brown vetoed Assembly Bill AB-176, which served the same purpose as Bill 1726: to disaggregate larger ethnic groups to analyze health and education trends. Brown acknowledged the potential benefits of having more specific trends to analyze, but stated a concern regarding excessive concern

Are you bothered when you check a box on a form about your race?

No: 68%

Yes: 32%

Would you prefer the boxes refer to ethnicity over race?

No: 37%

Yes: 63%

Do you agree that Asian should be split into more specific subgroups based on ethnicity?

No: 18% 11116666

EL ESTOQUE / SEPt 2016

Yes: 82%

on, what he called, “ethnic identity.” The bill was proposed by assemblymember Rob Bonta, and passed in the state legislature prior to being vetoed. Following the veto, Bonta stated he would bring the bill back in 2016. This resurgence of the bill has gained

ILLUSTRATION | PRIYA REDDY

support but has been subject to criticism. The Asian American press, an independent Even though the bill’s intention is to organization covering Asian news, only one collect more specific data, it has raised in three adults over 25 has been to college. debates within The state the Asian legislature com munit y, responded in calling for late August, disaggregation of to some of the other collective proposed issues ethnic groups. by removing Activists have the requirement created petitions, that state such as change. schools needed org, to ask the to include the community to groups, therefore vote “no” or call limiting the for Brown to veto change to only the measure once the healthcare again. Others system, thus have requested addressing one the government of the major apply the same argument s standard to against the ASSEMBLYMAN ROB BONTA other collective passing of the ethnicities such bill. The state as Hispanics and Caucasians (as they appear legislature also addressed the other major on state forms), through political campaigns argument levied against the passing of the and online petitions on change.org. bill, that other groups like Hispanics and Another major criticism levied, mainly Caucasians should also be split into more by Chinese Americans, claimed that the bill subgroups. Their reasoning for why they would enable schools to maneuver around didn’t want to split these groups is because the California ban on affirmative action. they don’t perceive those groups as distinct They claim that this change would cause as the Asian groups that were formed. a reduced acceptance rate among Chinese The later argument doesn’t make Americans to try and increase the numbers sense; it argues that groups like Hispanics of different ethnic groups in universities, and Caucasian aren’t that broad, and the by exploiting detailed demographic data subgroups inside them aren’t different from the census. enough. This argument is not founded in Their fear is not completely facts, as the differences between Hispanic unfounded; with Chinese ethnicities in diet and origin vary too much Americans attending university in to have them all grouped together. The story disproportionately high rates the is much the same for Caucasians; they vary fear among Chinese parents is the too much in regards to diet and origin. Asian groups currently getting The bill overall is a positive step forward accepted at lower rates will in the process of gathering better and gain an advantage. In an effort more accurate data, but there is room for to increase the enrollment improvement. The legislators could have rates of underperforming still split Hispanics and Caucasians into groups like Cambodian or more specific groups, to establish a standard Hmong, who have a low system. As these surveys and other forms prevalence of college of data collection move to the internet, it e d u c a t e d would be easy for them to simply add more adults, who, groups. The bill can truly cause some change according to for the better if the state assembly listens to the criticism brought up against them, and implements compromises.

OUR GOAL IS TO MAKE PROGRESS, AND WE THINK TREMENDOUS PROGRESS CAN BE MADE AND KNOWLEDGE LEARNED THAT’S INCREDIBLY VALUABLE THROUGH DISAGGREGATED DATA.

Opinion

11 77

CELEBRATE

SENIORS

WITH YEARBOOK ADS Every year, the Yearbook reserves a Senior Ads section to fund production and commemorate our seniors. Spaces are available for purchase on a firstcome, first-serve basis.

contact info: mv.senior.ads@gmail.com form url: http://tinyurl.com/z73ppef MONTA VISTA EL VALEDOR

ILLUSTRATION | ELIZABETH HAN

S P EC I A L R EPO RT

2 106

EL ESTOQUE / SEPT 2016

pe r

be to

Beauty. It’s a difficult thing to define. We think that we’ll know it when we see it, but when asked to put it into words, we struggle. And yet, how we define beauty affects our choices. We elevate the beautiful. From our clothes to our food to our art, we base our decisions as consumers on what we find beautiful, choosing the most colorful and perfect-looking produce at the grocery store and the art that evokes a sense of serenity for our walls. We give it power over our sense of self and attach emotional value to it. We spend time covering up pimples and blemishes or making ourselves more outgoing. We let it take over our thoughts, investing time and effort into changing ourselves to fit our standards of beauty. We look to surround ourselves and embody our ideals of beauty and discard that which doesn’t fit in. Here, we seek to explore our definition of beauty and the impact it has on all of us.

BY BILL CHENG AND PRIYA REDDY PHOTO ILLUSTRATION | ELIZABETH HAN

e call many things beautiful — art, humans, ideas. But often when talking about beauty, the message reverts to “beauty is in the eye of the beholder.” It’s used as a way of both securing one’s selfesteem and celebrating human diversity. But, like all things, behind the seeming subjectivity of beauty lies the weight and rationality of scientific fact. Our cultural definitions of beauty may vary widely, but according to “Maxims or Myths of Beauty? A Meta-Analytic and Theoretical Review,” a study conducted by psychologists at the University of Austin, people generally “agree about who is and is not attractive.”

SPECIAL

t c e f

Physiology and Biology teacher Kyle Jones believes that this finding may stem from an evolutionary need. Even though the essence of beauty cannot be precisely captured, Jones clarifies that certain features are favored over others because of a basic human survival instinct — the drive to find a healthy mate. “Symmetry often indicates health in a way that someone who’s asymmetrical might indicate that they were lacking some nutrients,” Jones said. “Also, asymmetry can sometimes indicate an injury or infection or something that changed one side of the body versus the other, which again, same idea — the health sort of thing.” This agreement may also have its roots in mathematics, specifically in proportions like the golden ratio. The golden ratio, discovered by ancient Greek mathematician Euclid, is

based off of the Fibonacci sequence and equal to roughly 1.618. Commonly found in nature, for example the shell of a nautilus, the ratio is often used to create visual interest in artwork and photography. Much like the golden ratio, the rule-ofthirds guides photographers in creating visually pleasing photos through the framing of subjects. It is often taught in photography and architecture as the placement of objects on the intersections of a three by three grid that draws the viewer’s eye to the focus of the photo. Art and photography teacher Brian Chow states that the golden ratio and ruleof-thirds work by breaking up the monotony of photographic and pictorial pieces. It naturally pleases the eye by following patterns found in nature. “Why does a rose grow in this pattern?

Why does a shell grow in this pattern? People want to make meaning out of that and identify that, so we do, and we classify it. We give it names. And in this case, the Fibonacci sequence,” Chow said. “That sequence mathematically lays out this pattern that happens numerically and creates the [ratio]. It has this sort of natural visual balance or physical balance that is in nature.” And the desire to find meaning in visual patterns around us results in one simple truth: Beauty exerts immense emotional power over us. We feel hurt when we are called ugly, we feel proud when we are called beautiful — we judge the world around us by our standards of beauty. Whether we like it or not, the societal standards of what is and is not beautiful affect our day-to-day lives.

SPECIAL

to be or not to be... F

Exploring how beauty affects our daily choices

BY RANA AGHABABAZADEH, SANJANA KOTHURI AND ZAZU LIPPERT

“And Still She Weeps” by Carrie Zeidman. Photo used with permission of Carrie Zeidman.

...Defined

Whether we realize it or not, our idea of what’s beautiful in society affects our everyday choices. From the food we eat to the clothes we wear and the art we find acceptable, the way we perceive things in our daily lives through society’s idea of beauty dictates our actions. We pick the delicate art over the grisly, the slender, slim model over the more curvy body type and the perfect fruits over the deformed ones. But little by little, these beauty norms are changing to more effectively fit society today.

en years ago, when Carrie Zeidman was first introduced to the Fine Arts League of Cupertino, she was alarmed when she discovered that they didn’t have a digital arts category. Today, she’s the vice president and one of many other digital designers in the program. The organization FALC is an open forum based in Cupertino where artists from around the area can publicly showcase their work and further improve their artistic prowess. As a photographer and former commercial designer, Zeidman believes that the beauty in art should be something that makes people happy. Rather than having a specific standard for beauty, she thinks that it’s subjective and people have their own definition. For her, this composition consists of vibrant colors as well as integrating a meaning or message into the piece. “I like color, I like light, I like the way light plays on color. It’s kind of my favorite thing,” Zeidman said. “I like a little bit of mystery maybe in the image.” She recently released a book of 40 pieces she’s worked on for the past four years. The book showcases her newest series of digital works called “Ghosts.” Through each piece, she displays a different story from history, such as battles from Valley Forge and the Beaches of Normandy. One of her works titled “And She Still Weeps” observes World War II in a combination of light refractions and Ultrachrome inks. “I put the ghosts of the people that were there during these battles and I put them into the current,” Zeidman said. “This is actually the scene where the oil is still leaking out of the ship and [when] the light hits it just right, you get the rainbow patterns, but the men are still buried in the ship under there. I like to put something in there that means something.” From Goya’s Romantic imitations to Picasso’s abstract portraits, the beauty of art is interpreted differently by different people. However, Zeidman still expects to see a degree of talent as well as effort in the pieces. She hopes to continue capturing meaning through her artwork and travels and to continue her legacy as an FALC member.

2 21 6

EL ESTOQUE / SEPt 2016

lo N a w th

st 2 n a

N a

la b fl

o w

w g S H th a fa

fa g ta a

ex sa Y

to “ d p

sk Tr p a a b ILLUSTRATION l SARA ENTEZAR

...Trendy

ashion is always changing. Each season, a new set of trends make their way to stores that we pick off from the rack for our own wardrobes. Often, the trends of the era relate to the time period itself. For example, the “Roaring Twenties” featured loose, freeing clothing, which mimicked the freedom of the time. Now, as our current time period focuses on the fight for acceptance and breaking stereotypes, the clothes of the time mimic this as well, offering a new variety of shapes, sizes and styles that match the modern person. People like Ashley Nell Tipton from “Project Runway” — who started creating high-fashion clothes for plus-sized women in 2015 — and Wildfang, a clothing brand that is neither masculine nor feminine in style — are expanding the stereotypes of what is accepted as beautiful in society through their clothes. Junior S i a n Yong y uth, t h e t reasurer of MVHS JUNIOR SIAN YONGYUTH F a s h i o n C l u b , thinks that lately, stores have started marketing more and more to the realistic body types and personalities of their clientele, creating clothes that flatter and cater to a greater variety of shapes, styles and sizes. “They’re offering all sorts of body types now, instead of just one,” Yongyuth said. “And that’s pushing us forward in this way where now fashion isn’t just for a certain type of person.” And now, neither is the runway. Whether consciously or not, we base our idea of beauty off of what we see around us, and what ends up in stores is tailored to the general public by trend forecasting. Groups like The Worth Global Style Network (WGSN) provides commercial companies including H&M and Coach with data from over 1,300 runway shows to shape their products. Now that this information is available, data analysis and looking at what the consumer wants has become the way of fashion trends. And as societal ideals shift toward acceptance for all, more fashion shows showcase clothes for more realistic body types and a greater variety of styles. Then, as these trends from the runway are taken into account analytically by commercial companies, they have a greater likelihood of showing up in stores. For Youngyuth, the most important thing about fashion is expressing herself. In a pink lace top, ripped jeans, black tassel sandals and a pink stone necklace when she sits for an interview, Yongyuth expresses her own sense of style through her wardrobe. “I was thinking about this today, actually, when I was coming to class, like ‘why do I bother dressing up every day?’” she said. “And it’s just [because] I enjoy it. If I didn’t enjoy doing it I wouldn’t do it for myself. I see it as an exterior form of representing your personality in some sense.” So for Yongyuth, beauty is the ability to feel good in her own skin, and fashion gives her an outlet to express her personality. Trends are constantly changing as we as a society change our own perception of beauty. Now, beauty in fashion can be any shape, any size and any style, from flowy dresses to non gender-specific articles of clothing. And as the focus of beauty shifts, so does what becomes included under the category of “beautiful.”

RUTH FENG l EL ESTOQUE ILLUSTRATION

Now fashion isn’t just for a certain type of person.

...Wasted

he picked up the collection of bananas, turning it to scan each one. She noticed a bruise on one of them, but disregarded it and put it in her shopping cart. French teacher Sarah Finck is ready to eat almost anything. Intermarché, a store in France, has adopted a specialized bin strictly used to display deformed and abnormal produce, also sold for 30 percent off. They showed the bin in an advertisement to tell people that the appearance of food shouldn’t affect the quality of it. Finck was first introduced to the video by other French teachers. “The ad was really cute, and they had a bag of funny shaped carrots and they had it in a French voice,” she said. “It was almost like the carrots were talking that said ‘I might be ugly, but I would still be delicious in a soup.’” After watching the ad, Finck has learned to accept the unappetizing look of some fruits and vegetables sold in supermarkets. Grocery stores are known to throw away about 10 percent of their produce. In spite of the obligation seen in supermarkets to dispose of the “ugly foods”, Finck still feels unsure about blaming buyers. “I guess I don’t really want to judge other people too much because we have an option of the beautiful ones,” she said. “Why not pick the perfect one if you’re paying the full price?” She admits that living in the U.S. has exposed her to the reality that businesses present “beautiful” food in order to have better sales. However, she believes that consumers nowadays are more mindful about the pesticides and chemicals involved with preserving food to keep it the way customers want it. In her French classes, she has tried to integrated lessons on global environmental issues and how people in the Francophone world are addressing problems such as food and water waste. According to The Guardian, about one-third of produce is thrown out globally for being “imperfect.” That’s almost one trillion dollars worth of food. She hopes to potentially inspire her own students to become more environmentally friendly. “I think if it consents the population to be willing to buy ugly [foods],” Finck said, “then there’s a lot less waste.” SPECIAL

EL ESTOQUE

24 16

EL ESTOQUE / SEPt 2016

s the class naturally split up, Senior Ethan Yao couldn’t help but feel excluded. He stood by, watching them all pair off within themselves and chatter incoherently. Waiting. Wondering. He did what everyone else was doing: attending the class, participating, working. But he just didn’t fit in. Thin bodies paired with cheerful personalities surrounded him, and in every way they appeared radiant. He looked around to realize that he was indeed a great deal different. The pitch of his voice, the shape of his body, his melancholy personality, his introverted tendencies. He wasn’t the same as them. To him, they were beautiful. Beauty. It lies in the forefront of our minds, and we can’t help but apply the standard to ourselves. We often diverge from our own personal beliefs, fascinated by the sheer concept it encapsulates. “Beauty is in the eye of the beholder,” Yao said. “If you try to live your life trying to appeal to other people and be beautiful in front of other people, then you’re going to waste a lot of your time.” But, despite this powerful belief, Yao couldn’t and still can’t help but get stuck in this afflicting cycle. Fearing the possibility of being deemed ugly and having the desire to appeal to those around him, Yao felt the need to establish change within his own life. He focused on where he felt the negative differences most strongly: the fat on his stomach and the fat on his face. He was continually told by the doctors that he was overweight. Yao, who couldn’t help but compare himself to the more slender frames of his peers, decided that he, too, would become skinny. He tried one method after the other: exercise, eating healthy and joining dance. All efforts made to discard his feelings of self-hatred. All to feel beautiful. He tried adjusting everything he could —

to fee

his sense of humor, his walk, his diction, and within these beauty constructs is anything his laugh. Despite all efforts he was met with but new, but for sophomore Kelly Marzolf unsuccessful results, and while he knows he it is far from understandable. As someone should be himself and be proud of who he is, who can’t grasp the obsession that lingers Yao also believes his looks have an impact behind its presence, Marzolf deems beauty on how people perceive him. Beauty affects unimportant and at times ridiculous. their willingness to befriend him. But that “If you let that type of stuff affect you, mindset has slowly changed him. It has left you’re never going to actually be happy,” an impact in Yao’s life that he both regrets Marzolf said. “I’m not going to waste my and feels thankful for. To some degree his time on trying to be ‘beautiful’ because troubling experience with beauty has shaped society thinks I should.” his personality into a new level of maturity The way she chooses to present herself but it also led him to times of has always emotional distress. revolved around He was set on fixing the comfort and joy flaws he found in himself rather than the that made him unhappy. opinions of others. He yearned to erase their The clothes existence out of the picture, Marzolf wears, an act senior Henry Wang a simple T-shirt does on his computer. paired with Although it’s not often jeans, is for her that people ask Wang to and not anyone make them skinnier on else. She ignores Photoshop, the infrequent, fashion and yet occasional request still whatever items stuns him. As a portrait of clothing are photographer, he usually in style, because complies to the requests of his they simply don’t clients, but, in his opinion, he matter to her. S E N I O R E T H AN YA O sees no need to change their This is a moral bodies. He watches people she’s naturally scrunch their face as they had since middle scrutinize pictures of themselves, finding school when she sported pink sweats, long and magnifying their slight imperfections in striped socks and a pair of crocs. She liked the frame of the camera. They try changing tying her hair up in a ponytail just as she liked themselves to meet the beauty standards basketball shorts and her velvet sweatsuit. prevalent in society. Despite her carefree attitude, she still “People are their own worst critic. [They] sometimes finds her thoughts strangled by see themselves and they’re more judgmental the concepts of beauty, with a pervasive about themselves, way more than how other desire to be taller, fix her figure, straighten people see them,” Wang said. “Other people her hair — but Marzolf never lets those just see them and they might think that negative thoughts leave the walls of her they’re perfectly fine — they’re beautiful.” mind. She refuses to allow them to dictate The need to appear socially acceptable her life for she knows that she must accept

I TELL MYSELF THAT I NEED TO FEEL BEAUTIFUL BEFORE I SHOULD SEARCH FOR THE ACCEPTANCE OF OTHERS

herself for who she is and never seek acceptance from others. She accepts herself. But, as Marzolf looks around, she notices that people are driven by the approval of others. Marzolf has experienced this firsthand as she notices her peers’ obsession with the pervasive concept of beauty heighten. On social media, her friends mask their usual looks with fancy clothing and exaggerated makeup, resulting in a new, unrealistic version of themselves. They look completely different. Wang has a different perspective. As the man behind the shooting and editing process of many formal photos, photographs are a way to capture a still moment in time in which many slight imperfections become magnified and obvious in the frame. They’re distractions from the main focus of the camera. Our imperfections are distractions from us. Beauty. It is a concept that Yao now understands well due to his situation, and a concept that he battles constantly. With the constraints he places upon himself and the desire to become beautiful, he has quickly learned valuable lessons such as his newfound belief that beauty is created entirely by people as way to categorize objects. Alongside this, he now looks out for himself in a caring manner. But past decisions and mindsets leave lingering pieces behind, and it takes time to learn to accept oneself. “I know I should be myself and be proud of who I am,” Yao said. “I tell myself that I need to feel beautiful before I should search for the acceptance of others.”

SCAN FOR MORE COVERAGE

el pretty The emotional toll of beauty

B Y T R ISHA K HOLI YA A N D K A R EN SA N CHEZ

ILLUSTRATION BY TRISHA KHOLIYA

SPECIAL

ORIGAMI OSCAR

THROWING MUNCHDOWNS

FRANK OCEAN MAKES A WAVE

On Sept. 18, Carolina Panther’s Quarterback Cam Newton debuted his foodtruck, “Smokin’ Aces,” during the Panther’s home debut hosting the San Francisco 49ers. Newton expressed his desire to be eating among the fans. Courtesy of Madsteez

On Aug. 19, LAIKA Entertainment, LLC. released its newest hit: “Kubo and the Two Strings.” Upon release, the film topped charts with an 8.3 rating on IMDB and 97 percent on Rotten Tomatoes.

Courtesy of SmrtPhonRtistCF, DeviantArt

SUMMER This summer’s best apps, music, food and movies BY KINGSLEY WANG

ILLUSTRATIONS | ANANYA BHAT

VENEZUELANS PROTEST FOOD SHORTAGES

SUICIDAL RATINGS

A&E

Aug. 20 marked the release of singer Frank Ocean’s second studio album: “Blonde.” Since its release, it has quickly climbed to the top spot on Billboards top music charts. Courtesy of Kevin Scanion, Rolling Stone

POKEMON GO TO THE POLLS? On July 6, Pokemon Go was released as a fun game for users and Pokemon fans to go outside, meet new people and catch Pokemon. It was the top grossing app in the United States in just 13 short hours.

THEY CAN HEAR YOU IN YOUR SLEEP The Golden State Warrior’s free app delivers team scores, schedules and news. However, a lawsuit is currently accusing the app of secretly recording and listening to its users’ conversations. Courtesy of Micheal Tipton, flickr

LIL’ YACHTY VS. EBRO DARDEN

After more than a year of food shortages, Venezuelans have taken to public protest along with storming markets. The popularity of president Nicolás Maduro has reached all time lows and inflation rate is upwards of a sizeable 180 percent. Courtesy of María Alejandra Mora

EL ESTOQUE / SEPt 2016

The winner of the lowest-rated big market movie of the summer goes to “Suicide Squad”, released on Aug. 5. This movie received a decent 6.7 rating on IMDB but faltered to a meager 26 percent on Rotten Tomatoes. Courtesy of Jeremy Alidar, Vimeo

The feud between rapper Lil’ Yachty and Hot 97’s Ebro Darden reached its height when Darden called Yachty out for a “diss track” titled “For Hot 97.” Yachty has since stated that the track was simply to show that he could rap.

Follow THE LEADER Facebook’s declining popularity causes a social media gap between grades BY HANNAN WALIULLAH AND JESSICA XING

acebook is the new Myspace. “New,” in the sense that for the younger generation, it’s heading towards its grave. With the abundance of social media platforms these days — Vine, Instagram, Twitter, Musical.ly, Snapchat — each platform is streamlined and has a specific purpose. For years now, Facebook has been held as the golden standard for social media; with multiple features such as groups, private messaging and events, Facebook’s intuitive interface has managed to upstage older models such as Myspace and force other social media sites such as Instagram and Snapchat to find their own niche. But Facebook usage is now declining. Many organizations and news outlets, including Forbes, Princeton and Fortune, have published articles about how Facebook’s “winning streak” can’t last forever. And with last year’s study from The Information revealing that there’s been a sharp 21 percent decline in “original sharing” with users, less people are posting personal updates through Facebook. Facebook is facing competition from different social media platforms rising to prominence — Instagram especially. The younger generation is looking towards other social media platforms — ones that are newer, ones that their parents don’t use.

INSTEAD OF USING FACEBOOK’S multi-purpose interface, freshmen are opting for Instagram’s simplicity. According to a survey taken by 157 underclassmen, 58 percent use Instagram as their primary form of social media. But for juniors and seniors, Facebook is still easily the primary form of social media, with 66 percent of 99 respondents saying that they actively use a Facebook account. The shift away from Facebook has posed problems for the freshman leadership team. While in past years the other class officer teams have used Facebook as their main form of communication, according to 2020 class representative Dan Sachs, the freshman class cannot rely on Facebook because not many students in their class have one. For the younger generation, Facebook has a clear negative sentiment: it was the social media meant for the elderly. Sachs finds that Instagram has a more streamlined, focused approach, which appealed to the freshmen. “It was like ‘ew, Facebook.’ Old people. Clutter. Too many things going on,” Sachs said. “Instagram has a very simple design — it’s meant for pictures.” For a class of over 500 students, the Class of 2020’s Facebook group only has around 170 members, which falls short in comparison to the Class of 2017 and

2018, which both have over 470 Facebook members. Because of the higher activity levels on Instagram, the freshman representatives turned to Instagram for promotion; their Instagram page has over 300 followers. Despite class officers’ attempts to shift over to Facebook, most of the posts are from the class officers themselves or a few other active members. And it’s not that freshmen don’t use social media. They just don’t use Facebook. While Instagram has fewer features, according to freshman Chris Cellini, less interface means more accessibility. According to Chris, while it might have not been a conscious effort to move towards Instagram, when he made a social media account, Instagram was the clear choice. Everyone had one and everyone used it more. But with his sister, senior Lauren Cellini, most people had a Facebook, and everyone used it more. “I use Facebook a lot more,” Lauren said. “[Chris] doesn’t use Messenger at all. But that’s the only way I’ll talk to people really. Even if I have their numbers I’ll message them over texting them.”

66%

54%

58%

of upperclassmen prefer to use Facebook over instagram

of freshmen do not own a facebook account

of underclassmen prefer to use instagram over facebook A& E

WHILE THE CLASS OF 2020 has an more people making Facebook accounts. Instagram page, the freshman leadership For 2017, Facebook was the most team couldn’t rely on everyone in their grade prevalent social media platform in middle having one. School Loop email has been an school. According to the survey, 33 percent effective way for all class representative of 48 seniors had a Facebook before the officers to communicate with their peers. beginning of their freshman year. According The freshmen class sends blast emails for to class of 2017 Treasurer Christine Chu, events like homecoming, rally cheers and the original class representatives were able school-wide events. to make a class page before freshman year According to sophomore class because of the prevalence of Facebook. representatives Anisha Sinha and Derek “Facebook is the best way to connect,” Zheng, the Chu said. “It’s been s o p h o m o r e a staple; it’s been leadership class sent around for a while, blast School Loop we know exactly emails to bring more how to work the site. attention to their A majority of our Facebook page. class uses Facebook, “What you so that’s our primary grow up used to form of promotion.” is based on the The attempted trends in middle Class of 2017 school, because Instagram did not that’s when you are work out so well. legally allowed to “Instagram is make a social media a platform is for account,” Sinha your own artistic SOPHOMORE said. “So for [Class personality,” Chu ANISHA SINHA of 2019], it was a said. “The pictures transition between you post [are] Facebook, Instagram, supposed to be what Snapchat — everything was going on when you like and what you like is ‘aesthetically we were in middle school.” pleasing,’ not for promotion or ads — it’s for Despite being the first class to use the individual.” Instagram as its primary mode of People at MVHS, Sinha found, were communication, the class of 2020 wasn’t more connected through Facebook. Most the first class facing the dilemma of whether seniors, juniors, and sophomores at the time or not to adapt. With the bombardment of were using it, and Facebook groups were social media sites, the Class of 2019 found also more effective for school work. Groups themselves split between different sites. for schoolwork, an accessible messaging According to Sinha and Zheng, switching service and the ability to communicate with from Instagram to Facebook required a lot classmates made Facebook especially useful of experimenting to find what worked. for creating a better academic community. Sinha found that Facebook wasn’t needed “We used to use School Loop emails to in middle school because there was no need tell people to follow 2019’s Instagram, but for Facebook class groups, academically or after a while we started to direct people to socially. Once entering high school, students our class Facebook page,” Zheng said. “[The felt the need to connect with peers for school Facebook page] was a suggestion the other help or for class news, which contributed to classes made for us. Back then we were just

For [Class of 2019], it was a transition between Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat — everything was going on when we were in middle school.

PHOTO ILLUSTRATION| HANNAN WALIULLAH

59%

OF UNDERCLASSMEN USE INSTAGRAM 28 16

EL ESTOQUE / SEPT 2016

62%

OF UPPER CLASSMEN USE INSTAGRAM

These are a bunch of stats

experimenting and just trying to start off.” The freshmen still want to experiment The class of 2019 now fully utilizes its with Instagram, but according to Sachs, the Facebook page, posting twice everyday and class officers are also trying to make the using Facebook and School Loop to send subtle push towards Facebook. out feedback forms to understand how “I’m trying to get people to slowly work the sophomore towards getting class office can Facebook,” Sachs improve, what said. “We don’t like SCAN FOR MORE they should do Facebook, but since COVERAGE next semester the upperclassmen and more. and other classes “Facebook has really transformed our are dependent on Facebook, it’s necessary class,” Sinha said. “People keep posting and it’s easier for us to assimilate [in]to statuses and making albums; more people MVHS.” are starting to move over.” Trying to shift every class towards Facebook in the future will be a process SO FAR, THE CLASS OFFICERS made more difficult every year. Future classes have been using Instagram to broadcast big may have to completely transition towards a events. By using pictures and captions, the different social media entirely. But, according officers have been able to notify classmates to Sachs, his plan for the current freshman about Homecoming workdays, dress-up class is to communicate more through days, donation drives and more. Facebook, yet still use what they have with “Instagram is Instagram. what we have been “Thinking into using,” Sachs said. the Class of 2021, “Facebook has what are they been unnecessary going to do? Are until now. It wasn’t they going to be a decision; it’s just forced to also do none of our friends facebook?” Sachs our age have a said. “And I think Facebook.” Facebook is made However, the for connecting use of Instagram stuff like that and has its downsides. not using it would Since Instagram be irresponsible.” doesn’t allow links But on the topic in its photo cations, of Instagram, he FRESHMAN DAN SACHS links to forms must continued, “We be added onto the use Instagram page’s biography. as a communication “Homecoming meeting today from 12-4 tool. Other classes have an Instagram, it’s p.m. Direct message us for the location,” just not as active. For them it’s ‘let’s post reads the captions for an Instagram post of pictures of the things that we do’ not ‘hey a picture saying “Help Wanted.” When class let’s communicate with our class.” officers don’t want to release a person’s address, they would privately message (or direct message) their peers with the location.

Facebook has been unnecessary until now. It wasn’t a decision; it’s just none of our friends our age have a Facebook.

PHOTO ILLUSTRATION| HANNAN WALIULLAH

52%

OF UNDERCLASSMEN USE FACEBOOK

86%

OF UPPERCLASSMEN USE FACEBOOK A&E2 9

SHARING THE STAGE Siblings explain how their shared interest in drama has affected their relationships BY ANANYA BHAT AND JENNIE CHEN

WE’RE THE MILLARS

T FIRST GLANCE, THE TWO may just seem like a pair of really close friends. It’s true — freshman Rachel Millar and junior Samantha Millar are best friends, hanging out with the same tight-knit group of friends and spending most of their day together. But they’re more than that — they’re sisters. “We’re already really, really close as siblings,” Rachel said. “A lot of people have been super confused because they’re like, ‘Oh, you look so similar but you talk like friends, so, I don’t really understand if you’re related or not.’” Because they’re so close, they share a lot of interests, including their love for drama from a young age. After trying out Featuring American Musicals in Education at Kennedy Middle School, Samantha continued to pursue her love for theatre by taking Drama her freshman year. Rachel followed, taking FAME at KMS and enrolling in Drama this year. “We both kind of gravitated towards [drama] because we’re kind of similar in the sense that we are very extroverted people at times,” Samantha said. “We like to be expressive and to speak up and join communities.” Although they both participate in

3 106 E L E S T O Q U E / S E P T 2 0 1 6

productions, the two have never actually both wanted to try out a Southern accent gotten to work together due to their two- and there were limited roles on characters year age difference. At least, until now. that had those accents,” Samantha said. “I While the sisters are still in different felt like I had been kind of lenient earlier, so classes, MVHS’s production of “Saturday I was like, ‘No, I am doing this part whether Night Live,” you like it or not.’” which allows any Fr us t r at ions GETTING CHILLS FROM aside, the pair student to audition regardless of grade loves working HER PERFORMANCE IS still level or acting together. Both of experience, has them can be seen JUST A REALLY COOL given the sisters a overflowing with MOMENT BECAUSE I taste of what it’s pride at the other’s like to perform per formances KNOW SHE’S DOING together. and empathizing WELL, SHE’S HAVING “We were put with her sibling’s in the same group hard work. For FUN AND SHE’S and it was just so Samantha, seeing KICKING BUTT WHILE funny because that Rachel perform fills was our first time her with happiness. SHE DOES IT. being in the same “I’m the kind program at the of person who JUNIOR SAMANTHA MILLAR same time trying gets chills during out for the same really good thing,” Samantha said. performances,” Samantha said. “Getting As close as they are, the sisters’ first time chills from her performance is just a really working together didn’t go all that smoothly. cool moment because I know she’s doing “There was one part where we had to well, she’s having fun and she’s kicking butt decide amongst ourselves who was going to while she does it.” read what part,” Rachel said. “And there was this one part that we both wanted to read for because we have really similar style.“ Samantha expands on the scenario, explaning her side of the story. “I was pretty angry about it, because we

E IT’S THE NEVITTS

OU GUYS BETTER DO IT OR I’m disowning you.” This is the warning senior Grace Nevitt gave to her younger siblings, sophomore Bryce Nevitt and freshman Adrienne Nevitt, when each of them were deciding whether to take drama their freshman year. All of them had done some sort of Drama production as little kids and participated in FAME at Kennedy Middle School, so the next step was obvious: to enroll in beginning drama at MVHS. “I was like, ‘you’re going to enjoy drama so much [and] there’s more things you learn,’” Grace said. “You really grow as an actor so when they came in I was hoping that they would be as excited as I was.” As the oldest, Grace was the “leader” of the siblings when it came to their involvement in drama. She began acting in fourth grade, when her best friend asked her to join her in auditioning for the school musical. Grace ended up getting the lead role, which helped her realize that she wanted to continue acting. Both Bryce and Adrienne, however, didn’t go into acting as confidently as their sister had. “My brother was a little hesitant at first,” Grace said. “But I’m like ‘keep doing it, you won’t regret it.’” For Adrienne, following in her siblings’ footsteps was even harder because of her slight stage fright. “My sister was considering not doing

“

theater for one year” Grace said. “She was her younger siblings — give advice, help with really anxious on stage, and I was like ‘You work and show her the ropes. can can always do technical stuff like behind “It’s nice to have [someone] older than the scenes and all that. You don’t have to you that’s sort of looking out for you,” Grace give up on theater just yet.’” said. “Theater [has] really allowed me to And so Adrienne didn’t give up. According gain older brothers and sisters, and it’s just to Bryce, Adrienne began auditioning for really nice to have that.” and landing bigger roles. Looking ShareWorld Learning Center back at their journey, Grace is proud to see her siblings on the stage and feels it is touching to see them doing what she holds dear to her heart. “I remember Algebra II / Trig [FAME teacher Shelley Durbin], Mon 6:00-7:00PM the instructor, was like ‘Ooh it’s the Geometry Nevitt’s!’ We all Mon 6:00-7:00PM passed through and now [drama teacher Sara Capule] has to GPA Improvement (G9-11) deal with all three Follow school curriculum in-depth material, quickly boost GPA of us,” Grace said. While Grace is After School Program (G9-12) the oldest sibling Flexible elective classes questions solving in subjects of the three, she considers the older College Application Counseling (G9-12) friends she has 6 One-on-one complete academic planning & essay editing made in drama can her older siblings. They do the same things she does for Go to

Level Up Your Math Today

www.shareworld.org or call (408) 446-1956 for more information 21601 Stevens Creek Blvd., Cupertino, CA 95014

KPOP, MY DOWNFALL? While the flashiness of Kpop is a contrast to my introverted personality, I’ve learned not to be ashamed I have got to say, I used to be proud of my “individuality.” Emotionless toward boybands, whose skinny-jean tightness and adolescence are dictated by record companies. One Direction? Meh. Kpop? Ehh. They’re just Asian, “Ken Barbie Dolls” in unlimited edition, with phenomenally clear skin and tight jeans! I was (and still am?) a sophisticate. I appreciated the “greats,” I hummed Frank Sinatra and Dean Martin. And now all I do is sing Kpop in the shower. It’s your fault, BTS. The Bangtan Boys, the Bulletproof Boy Scouts, or whatever BigHit Entertainment, your Korean record label, decided to name the seven of you boys. Dangnabbit, EXO! Who am I to resist nine Asian guys with dyed hair and coordinating outfits? Originating in South Korea, Korean

in Socratic seminars (at least, I hope). Ever since seventh grade, I’ve stopped being a hand-raising, wannabe Hermione Granger and initiating conversation with classmates. “Extroverting” is exhausting. I interpreted my “shyness” akin to that of a reflective, meditating-under-a-peachtree individual, who maintains an eerie yet superior air! I read “Jane Eyre” (Correction: I tried and failed to read “Jane Eyre”)! I was and am a reasonable girl. I used to not be a fangirl who obsessed over some Korean idol dying his hair a darker brown. I would never fall victim to the ploys of Kpop marketing; I wasn’t going to give this “plastic surgery” music industry, these conglomerate companies, any more cash or Youtube views! It’s the ole’ “don’t judge a book by its cover” mantra. In all honesty, if you watch a Kpop music video for the first time, you’ll shrug your shoulders disinterestedly. Nonet heless, this Korean One Direction is more bearable than “Jane Eyre,” so one tentatively watches a second music video. And watches. Sooner or later, you’ve distinguished your bias (the “OH. MY. GOSH.” member of the group) and set his candid as your lock screen. Welcome to the madness. Yes, I’m trying to enlighten the obstinate and ignorant, the non-kpoppers roaming the halls, rolling their eyes at that one Kpop-obsessed friend, saying, “Oh, they all look the same. Don’t all Kpop idols do plastic surgery? So unnatural. Why are all the guys so girly looking?” Kpop, I mused, clashed with the “reputation” I had painstakingly upheld — the calm, contemplative shell I so

CAT’S OUT OF THE BAG SOPHOMORE HELEN CHAO pop is a genre of music in which the visual elements, theme, outfits and music videos are as important as the song itself (typically dance-pop or electro-pop). Kpop idols first begin as “trainees,” in binding contracts with management companies like SM Entertainment, and train for several years in vocals, dancing and foreign languages before debuting. In the recent years, Kpop has summoned a terrifying, Roman legion of Western fangirls and fanboys. In November 2015, BTS’s album, “The Most Beautiful Moment in Life, Part 2,” charted at number one on Billboard’s World Albums Chart for 11 weeks, while fangirls simultaneously sobbed happily for 11 weeks. And while it breaks my boybandcalibrated heart and soul, the Kpop industry is often jeered at and disapproved of. The plastic surgery, all the skinny girls who look the same and the autotuned music. You know what I’m talking about. As animated as I am with best friends, I’ve never been that gabby, irritating extrovert

EL ESTOQUE / SEPT 2016

boasted. I still felt ashamed of my Kpop obsession. Out of my sisters, I was the sensible one. My father and mother acknowledged me as the one who blasted Tchaikovsky’s Sixth Symphony while studying for biology, the daughter who declined to go to San Francisco with my sisters for a day because “that’s tiring.” And now, to speak aloud of my infatuation with boybands, to my father, who, every time I wear skinny jeans, angrily preaches how skinny jeans interrupt the blood circulation in the legs? The very idea. Billy says, “Oh, I like Drake!” Bob and Joe say Chance the Rapper and then there’s you, infatuated with, “err… Bangta-, err, the Bangtan Boys?” Mary Beth sings, “Hello, it’s me, I was wondering if-,” and you screech in the girls’ locker room, at the top of your lungs, “YOUR FACE IS FRESH. LIKE A SALAD.” (Actual lyrics from BTS song “Where did you come from?”) But guess what? Whatever. Who cares. If I like Kpop, well, I like Kpop. lf some upperclassman or classical music lover jeers at this article or me when we pass through the halls, so what? I’ll be a fangirl if I want. I’ll accept the “scandalous” fact that I’m susceptible to guys with swooped hair. Even if my current, reserved reputation suggests the opposite. Stop snickering, would you?

ILLUSTRATION | SARA ENTEZAR

“I was never into running, so I started swimming. Swimming got pretty boring, so one of my swim coaches told me to go to water polo and I’ve stuck with it since.” PHOTO | RANA AGHABABAZADEH

SOPHMORE SUJAY BHATT

HUMANS OF

MONTA VISTA Students talk about their favorite forms of entertainment

BY RANA AGHABABAZADEH, SANJANA KOTHURI AND STEPHANIE LAM

PHOTO | STEPHANIE LAM

“I like to dance. It’s something that has always been there for me one way or another. I did ballet, jazz, hip-hop, Bollywood and classical. I look forward to doing lyrical and contemporary dance in the near future.”

JUNIOR KRISTY MAANVI

“I got into gymnastics when I was about 18 months old, and I got into [Acrogymnastics] four or five years ago. In Acro, it is a really nice community because we spend a lot of time together. They are kind of like my second family.” SOPHOMORE HOPE TAKAHASHI

PHOTO | RANA AGHABABA-

PHOTO | AVNI PRASAD

“In fourth grade, my dad gave me a couple of books about programming. I started reading them and I got interested in programming. In school, I’m in Mr Greenstein’s AP computer science class and outside of [school], I work on my own projects. They are a lot like the robots you see in MVRT, but on a smaller scale.” SOPHOMORE SIDHARTH RAJARAM A&E

Photo used with permission of Kay Wells

OLD BUT GOLD I

N HER NATIVE SHERMAN OAKS, CALIF., then-9-year-old Kay Wells was swimming at a local pool while the city’s youth competitive team practiced in the lanes beside her. It was an all-boys team, as girls playing sports was uncommon when Wells was growing up in the 50’s and 60’s. Despite this, she got out of the pool and walked over to the team’s coach and told him that she could beat any of the boys on his team. The coach laughed. Undeterred, the young Wells struck a deal with him: if she won, she could join the team. “He thinks there’s no chance in the world, so he says sure,” Wells said. She defeated her competition, the fastest

Cupertino senior citizens reflect on the role of athletics in their lives BY ANJINI VENUGOPAL AND HIMANI YALAMADDI

on the team, by a whole body length. The stayed in the sport. Age has nothing to do coach hesitantly allowed Wells to become with it.” the most dominant swimmer on the team. Fifty-seven-year-old Glenn Kubacki, a “I wanted to prove something to the longtime friend of Wells, agrees. Kubacki coach and myself,” Wells said. is an avid “And since then, I’ve been biker and obnoxiously competitive.” swam and After moving to the Bay played Area, Wells went on to play w a t e r multiple sports in high school p o l o and now teaches sports in high ranging from tennis to archery school. In at local clinics. She continues college, to play tennis competitively Kuback i three times a week. Wells’ age got into 57-YEAR-OLD doesn’t stop her from playing biking in GLENN KUBACKI spor ts order to (Below) Thomas Orsua, MVHS’ assistant track coach times a a n d stay fit. race at a meet earlier this year. He hopes to engage more with staying active, just He didn’t consider himself to be very good, his runners in the 2017 season. Photo by Hannan Waliullah. as being a girl didn’t but unlike Wells, Kubacki’s reason for biking stop her in her youth. wasn’t competition; it was to have fun. Though she is now For him, sports were an opportunity to over 65 years old, gain new experiences and build character, Wells doesn’t believe and this mindset didn’t change as he got that getting older will older. Kubacki bikes because he still enjoys it stop her from doing as much as he did when he was younger. His what she loves. performance may have deteriorated, but the “I know 80 and amount of effort he puts in hasn’t changed. 90-year-old men and “Your body breaks down but you still women still playing keep trying,” Kubacki said. “I may not go as tennis … and they’re fast, I may not be able to go as far, but I’m running out there,” not going to try any less, and that’s always Wells said. “That’s been the case.” because they’ve Photo by Hannan Waliullah Wells echoes these sentiments, adding

EL ESTOQUE / SEPt 2016

I MAY NOT GO AS FAST, I MAY NOT BE ABLE TO GO AS FAR, BUT I’M NOT GOING TO TRY ANY LESS.

SPORTS

that getting older never involvement in sports. has or will stop her from Kubacki continues to participating in sports, bike 100 mile races, despite it making her and although he can’t slower. But Wells rarely go as fast as he used mentions this slowness, to, he can still make because her focus is not it through. Wells on the negative aspects continues to play tennis of her age, but only on and still has game; getting better in her sport. when Kubacki met She believes that the only up with Wells for a way to get better is to keep friendly tennis match, playing and to practice. he was unable to keep Practice is something up with her. Thomas Orsua, MVHS’ (Above) 57-year-old Glenn Kubacki coaches youth bikers at the Hellyer “My body doesn’t 67-year-old assistant track Park Velodrome in San Jose. He has been biking since he was in col- quite hold up to coach and custodian, lege. Photo used with permission of Glenn Kubacki. running around on a hopes will allow him to tennis court,” Kubacki regain the athleticism of his youth. A cross break the tape,” Orsua said. “I don’t want to said. “Not the way she plays. She’s country and track star in high school, Orsua be number one, because to do that I would very, very good.” had trouble reconnecting with sports after have to really dedicate myself to running Wells knows how she beat quitting in college, and later attempts to get constantly, and I just don’t find that I have him, and it doesn’t have to do with either back into shape were generally sporadic and that time anymore, especially with work.” age or fitness. Her secret lies in having a Orsua’s laid-back attitude towards fitness unsuccessful. Orsua found his increasing age positive attitude, and stands in preventing him from exercising. in her words, “practice, After becoming assistant track coach, stark contrast practice, practice.” Wells’ Orsua tried both running and biking again with “All you have to do c o m p e t i t i v e so he could be alongside his racers during is have a mindset that … practice. However, he found them difficult mindset, which [you] can do it,” Wells and decided to coach through offering his drives her to said. “If you stay with shape her life knowledge of track. [a sport], you can play it Orsua strives to change that this year. around sports. forever.” Hoping to get into good enough shape to ride Orsua on the To Wells and Kubacki, SENIOR CITIZEN hand with his runners, Orsua set his bicycle up in other continuing to play their KAY WELLS that his house so he can start working out inside. finds sports is all about their physical He can currently stay on for a maximum of his passion for them. Their fitness comes five minutes, but stays optimistic. age doesn’t change their in second after “If I could do five minutes and then get desire to maintain their athletic lifestyle or up to 10 minutes, [I can] eventually get to the his career and relationships. Wells knows their willingness to play sports. Just as Wells point where I can go outside and start riding how difficult it can be to stay in shape, but beat the previously held assumption that girls again,” Orsua said. “I’m trying to work out, advocates an active lifestyle for everybody. couldn’t play sports when she was younger, “You gotta be motivated to stay healthy,” but I’m not pushing myself.” she, Kubacki, and older athletes are now When he does get good enough, Orsua Wells said. “And exercise will keep you very destroying the stereotype that they can’t be hopes to race bicycles like Kubacki and get healthy … I don’t care what age you are.” athletic. At the same time, older athletes like To Wells, fitness is unrelated to age. fit enough to run a mile. Eventually, if he can Orsua prove that it is never too late to try. maintain his fitness, Orsua hopes to be able According to her, despite negative effects “The bottom line is, it’s not about age,” to run a marathon like he did in the past. aging can have on the body, staying fit is Wells said. “It’s about always staying in the both possible and necessary for everyone. However, his only goal is to finish. game … and not being afraid to try.” “To me it’s like I don’t have the desire to She and Kubacki prove this through their own

EXERCISE WILL KEEP YOU VERY HEALTHY... I DON’T CARE WHAT AGE YOU ARE.

A WALK WITH WELLS

After over three decades of living in Cupertino, Kay Wells has explored most of the trails nearby. “They’re beautiful aren’t they? And they’re in our backyard! We live a very beautiful area,” Wells said. Photos courtesy of Google Maps

0.4 miles from MVHS

3.8 miles from MVHS

5.8 miles from MVHS S PO RTS

FACING SAFETY HEAD ON BY AMANDA CHAN AND OM KHANDEKAR PHOTOS BY OM KHANDEKAR

New protocol requires all student athletes to take baseline concussion tests

HE WHISTLE BLOWS AND SENIOR the time MVHS can do something about its Sassan Hashemi, then a sophomore, student athletes and traumatic injuries. “Safety is a big priority,” Margarito said. takes off across the football field. Out of the corner of his eye, he sees Los Gatos HS “It’s the whole reason I’m here.” Margarito introduced new concussion throw a pass downfield. If he could intercept protocols this the pass, it would be a year, which potential game-changing require all opportunity for MVHS. athletes to He dives for the ball. After take a baseline that, nothing. concussion test “I wish I remembered,” before they can Hashemi said. “But I can’t play a sport. tell you what happened.” Last year, According to MVHS athletes teammates and coaches, did not undergo a safety from LGHS had any concussion drilled his head into the tests prior to ground from behind. As a the season, result, Hashemi suffered but a Sport a severe concussion that Concussion brought on symptoms such Assessment as increased sensitivity to ATHLETIC DIRECTOR Tool was used light and loud noises for NICK BONACORSI during each days after the hit. individual Despite more coaches being educated on safer coaching practices sports season. Meant to be a test for head at the high school level, experiences like this trauma that could be carried out on the still occur at MVHS. In the 2015-16 school field, it was used by MVHS’ trainers before year, six cases of head trauma proved that Margarito came to this school. The only concussions are a harsh reality athletes problem was that the SCAT couldn’t be used still face. Certified athletic trainer Javier as a definitive test because even if an athlete Margarito, however, believes that now is scored low, it was unknown if the athlete had

WHAT WE’RE TRYING TO ACHIEVE IS JUST INCORPORATE AS MUCH AS WE POSSIBLY CAN TO MAKE THINGS AS SAFE AS POSSIBLE.

EL ESTOQUE / SEPt 2016

any head trauma because there weren’t any normal results to compare with. The new protocols in place not only help diagnose physical trauma, but can also ensure proper treatment during school hours as well. “I think it’s great because a lot of the athletes, or at least when I played, got injured but I feel like a lot of the times they waited until after school,” Hashemi said. “They had to set appointments so it was a lot tougher to get help. Now if Javier can offer help during the school day, I think it’ll make it so much easier for all the student athletes to get the help they need.” Hashemi supports the new baseline tests which will help student athletes on and off the field. But as far as the concussion he sustained, having those tests in place would not have helped with prevention or even diagnosis because the impact of the hit was so severe. “What it may have helped out with was seeing how severe the concussion is, seeing how far my score goes down from the baseline,” Hashemi said.

CHANGING THE PAPERWORK Margarito and athletic director Nick Bonacorsi began talks of implementing more stringent protocols last year. Margarito’s goal was to use his new dual position as

health clerk and athletic trainer at MVHS to tend to athletes as students throughout the day as well. Inspiration came from a conference in the summer of 2016 where he learned about procedures at other high schools in Calif., Nev. and Hawaii. Since Margarito came to MVHS part way into the school year last September, he couldn’t implement comprehensive changes across the whole athletic program until this year. California Interscholastic Federation, the governing body for California high school

sports, normally sets concussion protocols for high schools and there’s no regulation that requires MVHS to do baseline concussion tests. These tests are solely the idea of Margarito and Bonacorsi, who wanted to add that extra element to ongoing conversations about athlete safety. “Take a sport like cross country, they’re not a contact sport but if something were to happen to them while they’re competing or when they’re on a practice run ... if there ever was head trauma, we have a baseline for

them,” Margarito said. ”Students are people, and they are people outside of here, so say if one of our athletes is injured skateboarding or riding a bike, again there’s another gauge for us to help them.”

CONTINUING THE CHANGE The feedback Bonacorsi has received has been positive even though the new procedure is much longer and more complicated for students than in previous years. ”I think the tests can be frustrating because it’s much longer than what we’ve had in the past,” Bonacorsi said. “But I don’t think anyone could argue why we’re doing it or not see the benefit to why we’re doing it.” With this extra layer of safety, Bonacorsi hopes that playing sports at MVHS will be less risky. ”Nothing is fail safe. There’s going to be loopholes and errors and abnormalities with everything we do,” Bonacorsi said. “What we’re trying to achieve is just incorporate as much as we possibly can to make things as safe as possible.” (Left) The cross country coach checks in with athletic trainer Javier Margarito about one of his runner’s injuries. The new baseline tests give Margarito a better standard to treat athletes. S PO RTS

JUSTIN TIME

Introducing the new strength trainer Justin Yu

By Ruth Feng He guides the athletes through his WEAT AND THE SOUND OF RAP strengthening program, which helps them music fills the MVHS weight room, a maximize their potential on and off the familiar scene for many athletes and playing field. people looking to get in shape. But a new “[The training] helps us be successful face can be seen leading a workout for the because we’re not as tired in the water,” boys’ water polo team. sophomore water polo player Ashna The new strength and conditioning Maheshwary said. coach, Justin Yu, was hired this summer. Yu has been working with Maheshwary MVHS was in need of a new coach after the since the third week of this school-year. previous strength coach, Tim Deegan, left On some select days every week, different last year. They called Yu in August and asked teams train with Yu. if he would take over Yu enforces as the new strength SCAN FOR MORE sports specific coach, and he agreed. COVERAGE training by After studying having athletes of kinesiology at different sports California Polytechnic train differently. A University and later football player would do more exercises that returning to the Bay Area, Yu decided to lend itself to overhead movements, whereas bring his craft to a different population — a field hockey player would work on stamina MVHS athletes. training. Core strengthening and muscle From 2:30 to 4:00 p.m. Monday through building are universal since they are the Thursday, Yu is in the weight room working foundation of everything that Yu does with with MVHS sports teams. the athletes.

Outside of MVHS, Yu is an assistant head strength and conditioning coach for Fitness Never Sleeps, a training center in Santa Clara. There, he works with all types of people — from high school athletes to collegiate athletes, to people who want to lose weight to people who are trying to get ready for a particular sport. For now, MVHS is a part-time gig he took to explore a different population. “General population to athletic population, all that,” Yu said. “Now I’m starting to focus a little bit more around the sports realm versus just weight loss and things like that.” Although the school year has just started, Yu is looking forward to seeing improvement within the teams he works with. Seeing athletes have fun and reflect what Yu teaches them is the most rewarding thing to him. “This is something new for me,” Yu said. “It’s something that will benefit the school and help me down the road as well.”

Justin Yu’s two cents on diet Foods to eat to maximize performance

More than two hours before working Eat a more filling meal with carbohydrates when time allows. Time will vary depending on how fast your Brown rice metabolism works.

Broccoli

Meat

Banana

Granola bar

30 minutes before working out A light snack will give you a quick energy boost.

PB&J Sandwich

After working out Eat protein-based foods. When you work out, you essentially tear your muscles. When you eat protein postworkout, it will mend the muscles and build up your body.

EL ESTOQUE / SEPt 2016

Protein shake

Beans or lentils

Photo by Jules, licensed under CC BY 2.0; Joshua Rappeneker, licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0; whologwhy, licensed under CC BY 2.0; Evan-Amos, licensed under CC0 1.0; Renee Comet, licensed under CC0 1.0, Evan-Amos, licensed under CC0 3.0; Sandstein, licensed under CC BY 3.0; George Hodan, licensed under CC0 1.0

Photo | Om Khandekar

SPOrTS flash Junior Justin Lin participates in a run organized by the MVHS cross country team. Though the first SCVAL league meet is on Sept. 27 MVHS’ cross country team took to Steven’s Canyon for its annual Watermelon Time Trial on Aug. 31. The race helps coaches figure out team standings, and by tradition they gather for watermelon after finishing.

Senior Shannon Reid makes a break for the goal in an 11-4 victory against The Harker School. The girls water polo team went into the game confident, and despite a slow first half with only three points, MVHS picked up the scoring drive. After their varsity coach left abruptly, MVHS was still able to triumph over THS.

Junior Devin Pereira defends an attempt by Branham HS in MVHS field hockey’s second home game of the season. MVHS shut out BHS 6-0, scoring easily throughout both halves of the game. After their effort to enforce team unity, the defense and offense worked together to prevent a BHS win.

In MVHS football’s first home game of the season, senior Pranad Reddy is sacked for a loss by the Westmont HS defense. MVHS went into the game with a brand new playbook and was focused on playing a pass heavy game. Regardless of the change, the game ended 35-6 with an MVHS loss. S PO RTS

ENTERTAINMENT ART 2 STUDENTS PAINT AT BLACKBERRY FARM

GET THE MOST OUT OF

ELESTOQUE.ORG SHE HAD A FREE FOURTH PERIOD DURING BLOCK DAY, BUT DECIDED NOT TO GO HOME FOR LUNCH. SHE CAME HOME AFTER SCHOOL TO POLICE CARS AND BROKEN GLASS. BREAKING THROUGH THE BUBBLE: CRIME IN CUPERTINO

NEWS INTERACTIVE SPECIAL REPORT: REBIRTH STUDENTS REMINISCE ABOUT THEIR MEMORIES OF CUT DOWN TREES