Volume 44, Issue 1, September 25, 2013

elESTOQUE MONTA VISTA HIGH SCHOOL ELESTOQUE.ORG

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SEPTEMBER 2013 ISSUE I, VOLUME XLIV

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7 NEWS

17 ENTERTAINMENT

25 SPECIAL REPORT

34 SPORTS

World conflicts hit home for students

Three yo-yoers share their art

School spirit and how it affects us

CCS regulation shortens preseason practice

Contents NEWS 4

Increased Internet access

7

World politics impact students

10

Class size trends over the years

11

COLUMN: Little Lessons

OPINION 12

Competition motivates but divides

14

Fewer practices, higher injury risk

15

COLUMN: No Monkey Business

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT 17

Yo-yo madness

20

Marching band canceled

22

Changes in drama

23

COLUMN: Out of the Blue

SPECIAL REPORT 25 Two perspectives 28

Spirit Q&A with senior Marisa Yang

29

Teacher memories of past rallies

39

30

Spirit traditions

SPORTS 34

Curtailed summer practices

36

Fencing success

38

Year-long seasons

39

SPORTSFLASH

20

32

el

ESTOQUE

21840 McClellan Road Cupertino, CA 95014 mv.el.estoque@gmail.com Editor-in-Chief: Amrutha Dorai Managing Editors: Karen Feng, Jennifer Lee, Athira Penghat, Yashashree Pisolkar Photo Editor: Catherine Lockwood News Editors: Joyce Varma, Varsha Venkat Sports Editors: Nathan Desai, Mihir Joshi Entertainment Editors: Anjali Bhat, Neesha Venkatesan Opinion Editors: Daniel Fernandez, Eva Spitzen Special Report Editor: Yuna Lee Graphics Editor: Shuyi Qi Business Editor: Robert Sulgit Staff Writers: Alina Abidi, Rochish Ambati, Ashmita Chakraborty, Kristin Chang, Elia Chen, Tanisha Dasmunshi, Ambika Dubey, Elliot Ki, Colin Kim, Christine Liang, Steven Lim, Claire Lu, Alaina Lui, Rhonda Mak, Gabriella Monico, Maya Murthy, Colin Ni, Amol Pande, Pranav Parthasarathy, Namrata Ramani, Neha Ramchandani, Sarah Ramos, Ashish Samaddar, Manasa Sanka, Lydia Seo, Ruba Shaik, Harini Shyamsundar, Sophia Tao, Joshua Tsuei, Jady Wei, Yifei Wu, Kathleen Yuan Adviser: Michelle Balmeo Credits Some images in this publication were taken from the stock photography website sxc.hu.

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.

Letter from the editor WHY DOES SPIRIT MATTER?

T

his Friday, we’ll paint our faces in vibrant shades and pack ourselves into the gym to partake in a screaming match of the classiest kind. We’ll throw every fiber of our being into winning rally games that will almost inevitably involve blindfolds and piggyback rides. We’ll irritate our friends at every other school in the district with our incessant Facebook posts of two-oh-one-fill-in-the-blank.

What we won’t do is ask why.

That’s the question we wanted to raise — and, hopefully, answer — in this issue’s Special Report, which starts on page 25. Why do we participate in these intense displays of school and class spirit? And, what’s more, why does spirit matter at all?

But as we dug deeper and deeper in, we discovered that it’s not a question that has one simple answer, or any answer at all.

In her Q&A on pages 26 to 27, ASB President senior Marisa Yang says that the significance of spirit lies in the unity it promotes: It provides a common point around which students can rally.

That’s true for the 70 percent of survey respondents who answered that, yes, class spirit is important to them. But what about the rest of the student body?

Senior Garrett Crawford, who is featured on page 25, is one of the students for whom

class spirit means very little. He’s been to one rally his entire high school career.

AMRUTHA DORAI Even so, he feels that he hasn’t missed out — he found his place on campus not through spirit but through skateboarding.

The goal of spirit is unity and inclusion, but spirit is only one of many paths to get there. When Crawford skateboards, he fits himself into the fabric of the school. When juniors Omkar Kawade, Danish Shaik and Emilio Torres-Gonzalez practice yo-yo, they do the same. (Junior Harini Shyamsundar tells their story on page 17.)

Spirit is about becoming part of something bigger. And while that’s what we do when we smear on the face paint and shout ourselves hoarse, isn’t it also what we do every time we step into the Black Box, or onto the football field, or whatever part of campus it is that we love and inhabit?

So, go ahead, go crazy. Those of you who plan on attending the rally: I hope you scream until you’re satisfied and cry tears of joy and have the time of your life. Those of you who don’t: I hope you have the time of your life anyway.

A happy Homecoming to us all.

THE GOAL OF SPIRIT IS UNITY, BUT SPIRIT IS ONLY ONE OF MANY PATHS TO GET THERE.

a.dorai@elestoque.org

Yuna Lee | El Estoque

Catherine Lockwood | El Estoque

Behind the scenes (Clockwise from top) Cover photo shoot with ASB President senior Marisa Yang; handpainting headlines; initial design sketches for Special Report. For more behind-the-scenes info on how this magazine gets made, follow @elestoque on Instagram.

SEPTEMBER 25, 2013

Yuna Lee | El Estoque

3

NEWS

WE WERE RELEASED FROM THE PRISM...

Maya Murthy | El Estoque Photo Illustration

Despite concerns, students have not yet abused their new internet freedom

BY VARSHA VENKAT AND JADY WEI

W

e have blasted through the firewall.

With the lift of the iPrism filter earlier this school year, many staff members and students initially anticipated an abuse of the new internet privileges rendered by the district. However, the reality proved otherwise: students have positively embraced this change and adhered to district policies.

This isn’t the first time that such issues have arisen, however. Fifteen years ago the district filter prevented even teachers from accessing most sites. Six years ago, when math teacher Jon Stark tried to pull up an image on his computer to show his students a basic calculus concept, he was hindered by the limited internet access he

4

had at the time.

“We’d have immediate blocking on anything that looked even remotely

[THE CHANGES] JUST BECAME KIND OF LIKE THE NATURAL FLOW OF WHAT WOULD HAPPEN. principal April Scott

suspicious,” Stark said. “It was a big pain.”

But around 10 years ago, the growing concern among staff finally came to a halt, as the district reached an agreement to allow them the access to a wider number of sites.

“The minute computers became more accessible and [teachers] had their own

laptops that they carried with them, then [the changes] just became kind of like the natural flow of what would happen,” principal April Scott said. “But teachers were still initially [prohibited] from using YouTube.”

The district’s decision to allow teachers access was not without its problems.

According to Stark, there were concerns that teachers could abuse the system.

“They opened [the filter] up for all so that we could get YouTube videos for instructional purposes that we couldn’t get [before],” Stark said. “Now it’s where they rely upon the teachers to use their good judgement to only pick the YouTube things that matter and not be sitting around watching YouTube videos during their prep periods or playing the stock market or something like that.”

In today’s world, where technology is still progressing and becoming an essential EL ESTOQUE

aspect of daily life, having access to online educational tools has become increasingly important. Many teachers — including AP Chemistry teacher Kavita Gupta and math teacher John Conlin — have already begun to use Facebook groups and YouTube as resources outside of school.

Despite the promises of this change, many teachers and students expect the liberal policy may generate the spread of internet abuse on campus.

Farmville and go crazy. There are many ways to while away the hours in your life on Facebook,” Johnson said. “But that temptation will always be there. You as students need to learn to regulate yourselves.

We could block it here, walk outside, but if you’re going to lose yourself in the digital world, then we don’t want that for you.”

Strengthening online security

However, concerns with students misusing the school network are not Student responsibility unfounded. Six years ago, a hacking incident Although the major concern with lifting occurred on campus which aroused a fear in the iPrism filter has been that students will privacy and security among the student and abuse the new policies, another has emerged: staff body. students lose “St udent s some of their had hacked rights to privacy into the online. network. It’s The school’s i n t e r e s t i ng administration how it and the district becomes quite

FUHSD Bond Technology Program Coordinator Menko Johnson a partnership. monitor student online activity We started while the students are connected to the local getting signals that something’s maybe network. Library Media teacher Laura Utile not right,” Scott said. “We got the district also tracks the browser activity of students involved because they had the access to all who are working in the computer lab and the the servers so they could tell us what [had] library through a program which allows her been compromised and so on.” to view all desktops that are currently in use.

According to Scott, several new security Utile has not noticed any violations of the measures were put in place as a result of the student code of conduct in the past month hacking incident. since the new policies have been in place.

While the question of having more However, she feels that the effectiveness problems as a result of lifting the iPrism of the technological regulations will only filter has been raised, Stark believes that become apparent later in the school year. the district’s decision will not significantly “I’ll be honest, I’ve not seen one person impact the number of violations that arise. actually log onto Facebook right now. Most “We’ve had students who’ve been everyone has been coming in [to the library] disciplined, but it was because someone to do Excel spreadsheets and stuff,” Utile was being clever at the time. I don’t think said. “The only Facebook that I’ve seen this change will make much difference in open up was the screenshot of my Facebook that,” Stark said. “If someone’s gonna do it, page reminding ninth graders about posting they’re gonna do it anyway. This may change pictures on Facebook.” the way they get at it, but I don’t think it’ll By decreasing the number of sites that change the frequency of it.” are blocked by the iPrism filter, the district Although the new internet regulations officials and administrators acknowledge had long posed possibilities of security that some students may use sites such as issues, the district and office are beginning YouTube and Facebook for non-educational to see that the benefits greatly outweigh the purposes. Nevertheless, this does not potential drawbacks. change FUHSD Bond Technology Program “I think there’s always that risk you take Coordinator Menko Johnson’s opinion about by making these decisions,” Scott said. “But, the district’s decision to make these sites I really do believe we won’t be facing any big accessible to all students. problem.”

“We all know [students] can get on It has only been six years since Stark

YOU AS STUDENTS NEED TO LEARN TO REGULATE YOURSELF.

AND WE SURVIVED.

SEPTEMBER 25, 2013

was bereft of access to numerous sites on campus. But within the short span of time that has passed since then, numerous changes have been made to increase and improve the district’s technological policies.

“Education’s changing,” Scott said. “As much as there are some old relics in the education field that indicate technology was never going to become a big part of school, it is. Looking back five to six years from where we are today, I can really see the changes.

That is just where the world is going.” v.venkat@elestoque.org | j.wei@elestoque.org

?

didyou

know

Security cameras are installed in parking lots and around the bike racks.

Even if someone else misuses the internet on your account, you could be held responsible.

Your parents can request to see the contents of your computer at any time.

If you mistakenly access inappropriate information, immediately report it so that you will not be blamed.

5

NEWS

10

EL ESTOQUE

OVERSEAS, NOT

OVERLOOKED TUMULT IN TURKEY

Freshman Caitlyn Tjong and junior Valene Tjong n Turkey, what once started out as a peaceful e nv i r o n m e n t a l protest rapidly deter iorated into a global conflagration.

Junior Valene Junior Valene Tjong Tjong and her sister, freshman Caitlyn Tjong, were looking forward to a pleasant summer vacation in the heart of Istanbul, Turkey. The last thing either of them expected was a mad dash for their lives and the opportunity to witness history unravel before their eyes.

“When we first arrived, I felt so blessed to be able to visit a place with such historical s ig n i f i c a n c e , ” Valene said. “It felt as if I stepped into a photograph, experiencing the smells and tastes firsthand.”

On a tour group, they were able to explore Turkey’s most prominent and beautiful tourist sites, but were shielded from the more violent details of Turkey’s internal turmoil.

On their fourth day in Istanbul, the two sisters finally learned about the protests and political strife plaguing Turkey, a formally

I

secular state. Initially, Turkish citizens were protesting against the removal of one of the last green spaces left in the sprawling metropolis ­— a tiny oasis called Gezi Park, located in the larger Taksim square. Once a “poster child” for democracy in the Middle East, Turkey was lauded by many Western nations as a paradigm for many newly emerging democracies.

However, Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan recently advocated for legislation that placed new limitations on alcohol consumption. Many secular Turks see the limitation as an example of the ruling Islamist AKP party’s policy of imposing Islamic law on the lives of ordinary citizens. From their tour guide, the Tjongs learned that everyday Turks were worried about more severe impositions to come and the potential transition into a “pseudo” democracy and non-secular state. Ultimately, Erdogan’s freshman Caitlyn Tjong u nw i l l i ng n e s s to listen to his people sparked further and more intense protests amongst his people.

That afternoon, the Tjong family stopped at a restaurant to eat lunch. Before they were about to take a bite of lamb kebab in a restaurant in Istanbul, Turkey, their tour guide burst into the room.

“Get up and leave now!” he screamed.

[IT] OCCURRED A MERE 10 MINUTES WALKING DISTANCE FROM THE RESTAURANT.

SEPTEMBER 25, 2013

Four students tell stories of how three different conflicts across the world impact their lives

BY CLAIRE LU Valene and Caitlyn began to panic, sprinting toward the safety and familiarity of their tour bus. As the bus swerved out of the parking space, the tour guide stood up in the bus, tears sliding down his face. Both Valene and Caitlyn vividly remember the speech that followed: “Today a momentous event occurred.

There was an outbreak of violence from the police in Taksim Square. They shot tear gas at us, from such a short distance away that it knocked out people’s eyes and other body parts. There were children, families with children! Let me ask you, is this fair? Is this humane? For justice, for democracy, I am willing to sacrifice anything. For such great a cause, I am willing to withstand any amount of tear gas. I will die, if that is what it takes to bring about the muchneeded change.

For Turkey.”

“We fell silent as he finished his emotional speech, shocked Freshman Caitlyn Tjong and moved because of his sheer passion,” Valene said.

“We became aware that these instances, worthy of the news, just occurred a mere 10 minutes walking distance from the restaurant that we were eating lunch in,” Caitlyn said. “It felt so surreal.” continued on page 8 7

NEWS NEWS

INSTABILITY IN ISRAEL 0"#$%&'()#)'*+,-).+/)#

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WE ARE ALL AFRAID IT WILL EVOLVE INTO ANOTHER WORLD WAR.

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I JUST HOPE THE WHOLE THING ENDS SOON.

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EL ESTOQUE

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OCT 26 contact

!"#$%!&&'()*+!,%-$.+/."/0(1234025644

for registration or more information

!!!"#$%%&'"()*

NEWS

IN CONSTANT FLUX

Student interest, reputations bring annual changes to course enrollment

BY ASHISH SAMADDAR

F

rom year to year, the popularity of certain classes has varied, especially amongst honors and AP classes. In a two-year time span, AP Calculus AB rose from 150 students to 213, and AP Chemistry fell from 186 students to 144. In addition, since its

inception two years ago, World Core has risen to 264 students, surpassing regular World History and World Literature in popularity.

But when a class gains students, other classes lose them. Trends emerge. And as students’ perceptions change, enrollment fluctuates.

Math Classes

“

Calc BC

200

Junior Ruta Joshi

150

100

2011-12

2012-13

2013-14

“ English teacher David Clarke

ENGLISH Classes

American Literature Honors used to feel like a trainwreck [several generations ago], but in the last few years, it hasn’t necessarily had that feeling … There was a perception it got ‘easier,’ so maybe kids aren’t afraid of taking it.

”

American Literature Honors has gained popularity while AP Literature stagnates. Enrollment in British Literature and Mythology/Folklore has fluctuated over the years. English teacher Lynn Rose speculates the recent drop may be due to raising standards last year to match other regular classes.

250

AP Lit

Myth

200

Brit Lit Am Lit h

150 100 50

2011-12

Science Classes 350

Number of Students

Physics h

250

AP Physics

200

AP Chem

150

AP Bio

100 50

2011-12

2012-13

2013-14

2012-13

2013-14

“

Chem h

300

0

”

Interest in Calculus BC has fallen in recent years. Calculus AB, which is a slower-paced alternative, has steadily risen, with a 43 percent increase in the last two years.

* Numbers based on enrollment at start of the year

Junior Christina Pan

For APUSH and Lit Honors, you do not have any other options if you want an honors or AP class, but for science you have a lot of routes that are [still accelerated], and AP Biology is the ‘path of least resistance.’

”

The accelerated Chemistry courses have both taken a dip in recent years, while Physics Honors has gained popularity. Physics teacher Jim Birdsong speculates the test retake policy he adopted last year may be a cause.

School enrollment by year: 2011-2012 (2,519), 2012-2013 (2,419), 2013-2014 (2,343) 10

Many of my friends decided to take [AP Calculus] AB because it is an AP class, so they’re still getting the [AP] credit, [and] they are still doing Calculus … But it’s slower, at a more relaxed pace.

Calc AB

Number of Students

Number of Students

250

a.samaddar@elestoque.org EL ESTOQUE

LAMARKHAM ASYLUM

While Batman soars high, Lamar Odom gets dunked on

a Joyce Varm

I

t’s been a really crazy summer.

With people like the future King George, Edward Snowden and North West stealing headlines, it was extremely difficult to find any real news over the summer.

However, the one thing we could rely on was summer movies, as it has been a great Hollywood, he still kept trying to become the Will Hunting of filmmaking. In the 10 season at the box office, year window between “Gigli” and higlighted by the newest “Argo,” Affleck was involved in the Superman flick, “Man production of 13 different films. Few of Steel.” Personally, I’m people have that level of dedication, much more of a Batman and Affleck got his reward with his fan, which is why I was Academy Award for Best Picture. elated to hear that the But as Two-Face will tell you, sequel will include Bruce there’s always another side of the little lessons Wayne. I was even more coin—and that is the case with excited to hear who would Lamar Odom. You probably know play my favorite superhero: Odom for one of two things: his Ben Affleck. basketball career or his love life.

Though I love him, Affleck has received Odom’s story begins back in 2009, when extremely mixed reviews from the public regarding his role, but I’ll get to that in a he won the NBA Finals second. Regardless of your stance on the with the Lakers. And we casting, you have to admit that it could have all know what happens been much worse. (Just take a minute to when NBA players reach imagine Adam Sandler as Batman. We’re a decent level of success: talking about the guy who got his butt They marry a Kardashian. kicked by Bob Barker.) However, Affleck’s After his second NBA doubters have followed him ever since Finals championship in his first Academy Award. The thing with 2010, Odom’s career fell Affleck is that the people who follow him into a tailspin.

He was then traded to fall into one of two categories: fans and the Dallas Mavericks where he had problems critics. There isn’t much of a middle ground with the team’s ownership. I wouldn’t be with him. Affleck is the cinematographic version of the New York Yankees, though I’m surprised if those arguments were related to a cameo appearance on “Shark Tank” sure he’s not very fond of that analogy.

Part of the reason for that is that he’s followed by a moment of Mark Cuban being experienced both extremes in his career. Mark Cuban. Though Odom did play for Sure, he’s had “Good Will Hunting” and the Clippers last season, he was unable to “Argo,” but we can’t forget about “Gigli,” return to his prior success. Since then, Odom hasn’t done much more other than co-star no matter how hard we try.

But throughout his career, Affleck has on “Khloe and Lamar.”

And now Odom is relevant again. But never given up. Even after the Bennifer saga, why?

Did he get traded? Did his show get when he was amongst the most hated people in renewed for another season? Did he get

NATHAN DESAI

ustration

e Photo Ill

| El Estoqu

addicted to drugs, get kicked out of his house, go missing for 72 hours and then get arrested for a DUI? I’ll give you three guesses to get that one right.

TMZ broke the news first that Odom has been a crack addict for two years.

Kardashian tried to schedule an intervention (which is the most ironic thing I’ve ever said), Odom refused to attend. Since drug addicts are obviously safe to roam the streets alone, she decided to kick him out of the house.

So after going missing for 72 hours, Odom was arrested for a DUI, which I assume was a unique experience. As a former Laker, he’s probably used to having the authorities on his side (says the bitter Suns fan).

But unlike Affleck, Odom rarely displayed any motivation at all. He didn’t show any commitment to his wife. He didn’t show any commitment to beating his drug addiction.

He didn’t even show commitment to his sport.

Odom actually wanted to take a yearlong sabbatical during the l o c k o u t shor tened 2011-12 season.

That’s like ditching school the day before a three-day weekend.

In contrast, Affleck has been driven ever since his controversial Academy Award for “Good Will Hunting.” For years, he’s just been trying to prove his critics wrong.

I think the reason he took this new role is because he still has that bitter taste in his mouth. His anger is still motivating him. And do you know who else’s success was driven by anger?

Batman.

Odom hasn’t done much other than co-star on “Khloe and Lamar.”

SEPTEMBER 25, 2013

n.desai@elestoque.org 11

WAR AND PIECES

Students would benefit from activities that promote unity rather than competition n all of the activities, classes and clubs that MVHS offers, one core value and motivator remains constant: competition.

As seen by inter-class rivalry at rallies, academic competition for the top grade on curved tests, and students eagerly supporting the football team at the Homecoming game, students are constantly vying for the top spot among their peers.

One of the largest contributors to students’ constant state of

I

most competitions. Furthermore, Carole Ames, who conducted extensive research on the effect of competition on children and teenagers, found that losing a competition causes more damage to self-esteem than winning boosts it. Another study on competition, conducted by psychologist Margaret Clifford, found that competition discourages collaborative values, leads to imbalanced skill development and contributes to false judgements about

competition is academics, whether or not the academic performance of peers impacts one’s grade, as in the case of a curved test.

This school-related competition manifests itself both through academic pathways, such as refusing to discuss a bad test score, but also indirectly, as in students boasting about their lack of sleep to demonstrate their outrageous workload. Competition plays a large role in other aspects of campus culture as well — club rivalries, such as the classic FBLA versus DECA debate, further demonstrate the omnipresence of competition at MVHS.

abilities. These many negative side effects to competition show that students should be concerned about the omnipresence of competition in our culture.

While competition culture is not necessarily a negative trait and is certainly a defining aspect of the school community, new programs and activities should be created to foster a community that does not rely so heavily on competition for success.

The Leadership program, with its many resources and significant influence on the student body, has the most potential to cause this kind of change. And although it is highly unlikely MVHS will ever be completely devoid of competition, a break from the constant push toward excellence would lessen pressure and raise morale.

The problem

Competition undoubtedly has positive effects on the student body, including motivating students and making otherwise mundane events more enjoyable. But negative effects of competition make its omnipresence on campus a hindrance to student wellbeing.

According to the Penn State Unviversity of Agricultural Sciences, research shows that competitive environments for children and teenagers result in an overall decrease in self-esteem, due to the fact that statistically there are more losers than winners in

Leadership’s role

Leadership’s goals are to create a community and promote inclusion. Events focused on competition, such as rallies and homecoming, do strengthen ties between students, but the competition central to these events creates several communities rather than one cohesive body. For example, the many activities of Homecoming week, which aim to instill pride among students, instead create a partisan student body. This results in an environment that favors class spirit at the expense of school unity.

There’s no doubt that the intense competition of Homecoming week causes students to have an extended interest in class spirit: Class of 2012’s devastation after EL ESTOQUE

losing the rally their senior year is proof that to emulate the behavior of campus leaders. competition means a great deal to students. Leadership should extent this concept to nonAnd events during Homecoming also create competitive school events — if Leadership closer connections between students, with students were to dedicate as much time and effort to promoting inherently competitive activities like Quad and fostering excitement Decs providing about noncompetitive, platforms through which unity-building events as participants can bond they did encouraging and form friendships. students to participate But how valuable are in competitive, it is likely these bonds when the that student interest greater student body in non-competitive remains divided? After events would increase.

OPINION OF THE EL ESTOQUE all, when rankings are As of now, Leadership announced and Quad students have a EDITORIAL BOARD Decs dismantled, the heavy influence on school is left with a student participation clearly segregated in competitive events. student body unlikely to feel any sense This is seen through of school pride separate from pride for

OPINION

STAFF EDITORIAL

their own class. Furthermore, this division isn’t desired by students — according to El Estoque’s September survey, 70% of students feel school pride is more important than class spirit. But, the pervasiveness of competition throughout Homecoming week hampers students from forming ties that would lead to school spirit.

The solution

The constant pressure of a competitive environment increases tension among students, fostering a cutthroat environment rather than a unified student body. And while Leadership is not to blame for the problems that result from excessive competition, Leadership should further address the need for non-competitive school activities. The newly implemented program of “Friday Fundays” is a step in the right direction, because it provides a low-pressure platform for students of all grades to congregate and bond. However, the low turn-out at these events hinders their unity-building potential.

The obvious solution to this problem — increasing promotion — likely would not work because students are simply more drawn to events with competition because rivalry is so heavily ingrained in our culture.

For this reason, Leadership needs to not only effectively promote and host unity-building events, it also needs to allocate sufficient focus and excitement to such events to affect a significant cultural change.

Assistant Principal Mike White has stated that the key to fostering cultural change lies in recognizing that students tend

SEPTEMBER 25, 2013

“Facebook spam” of class officers encouraging students to participate in Homecoming activities such as the food drive. It is obvious from this that campus leaders have a large influence on students when it comes to competitive events, so there is no reason that this principle cannot extend to non-competitive events as well.

Leadership should look beyond lunchtime activities and host school-wide events like picnics and non-competitive rallies. Student fixation on competition does not need to be sacrificed — placing more emphasis on existing competitive platforms for school spirit, such as sporting events and the annual IDC Fantastics, also would be an effective means of strengthening ties school-wide.

By hosting a range of activities focused on fostering a unified student body, Leadership will provide students with a platform through which they can expand their social and personal horizons on a non-competitive level as well as promote unity among the entire school. While competition should remain a defining trait and core value of MVHS, hosting these types of collaborative and unity-building events will improve student wellbeing as well as better accomplish L eadership’s original goals of community and inclusion.

13

Hell Week frozen over New CCS regulation on summer practice results in players losing valuable guidance

BY ALINA ABIDI AND GABRIELLA MONICO

V

arsity football player junior Jasraj Ghuman was not on the football field this summer — he was in the weight room, training. During the summer, Ghuman worked out religiously to prepare himself for the upcoming football season. The same can be said of 40 of his teammates.

Because of a new CCS restriction limiting summer practice for sports teams, many players conditioned on their own, the consequences of which could prove detrimental to their success and safety.

After all, the balance and advice provided by coaches keep players in optimal condition.

This new regulation requires fall sports to begin practice no earlier than Aug. 16. It also limits the maximum practice time to three hours per training session.

To defend its position, CCS states, “The member schools of the [California I nt er s chola s t ic Federation] and CCS as well as the National Federation of State High School Associations are committed to doing everything reasonable to ensure that our sports programs are as safe as we are able to make them for our students and our coaches.”

This decision was based on a 2007 study conducted by the American Association of Pediatrics, which explained that many student athlete injuries are caused by overtraining. These “overuse” injuries are preventable by limiting the amount of time the athletes are legally allowed to play.

In theory, CCS’s reasoning is sound; reducing summer practices should provide students with a much-needed break and limit practice time to the duration of the season. In reality, it could potentially make player injury a larger issue by preventing athletes from conditioning and working out with the guidance of a coach.

According to varsity football coach Jeff Mueller, 35 to 40 of his players were

conditioning on their own up to four times a week. He added that they are focusing on strength rather than skill. Student athletes are developing enough strength to potentially succeed, but not enough skill to ensure success.

According to a study conducted in 2005 by researchers at Boston Children’s Hospital, one of the main causes of sports-related injuries is lack of proper technique.

The new regulation prevents players from learning proper technique. The players may be getting in enough practice time, but they are without a coach to correct their technique — and it is perfect practice that makes perfect.

Injuries, like concussions, are a major but preventable issue in football. The Center for Disease Control and Prevention states that to prevent concussions, athletes should “wear properlyf i t t e d helmets and protec t ive e quipment.

Helmets and other protec t ive equipment s h o u l d be wellma int a ine d and be worn consistently and correctly.”

Though athletes wear helmets once the season starts, initially the new players are less accustomed to the gear than in previous years. Furthermore, they have less time to practice in game-like situations and thus less preparation for the first game.

Ghuman padded up for the first time on Aug. 16. His teammates did the same, eager to finally practice together. As much as the CCS regulation shortened the time they had as a team, they hoped to make up for it with the dedication they showed all summer. The team will get to the end zone, but the new regulation has them starting further back.

STUDENT ATHLETES ARE DEVELOPING ENOUGH STRENGTH TO POTENTIALLY SUCCEED BUT NOT ENOUGH SKILL TO ENSURE SUCCESS.

14

FOOTBALL FACTS

26

of 32 varsity football players trained during the offseason

46

FEWER hours of full contact practice time *according to MVHS athletics website and varsity football coach Jeff Mueller

a.abidi@elestoque.org | g.monico@elestoque.org EL ESTOQUE

OPINION

Playing with the monkeys Fine, I’ll play with the other monkeys — but only because I have to I hate crap. I hated it even at a young age.

“What’s your favorite color?”

no monkey business

But, then again, I never realized how important B.S. is to people.

SHUYI QI

s.qi@elestoque.org One day in middle school, I was sitting with a friend during lunch…

I thought that the brownie I was eating looked like fossilized dino poo...

“ ... ”

We are social animals, and we like to have our bugs picked.

SEPTEMBER 25, 2013

“Nothing with mayonnaise. It doesn’t fare well in the heat.”

Plus, many of us can’t reach the spot on our backs by ourselves, and we’ll lose our minds if that itch doesn’t GET SCRATCHED.

“What kind of sandwich would you bring to a deserted island?”

Being social is just a jumble of nonsense questionS.

It’s necessary crap.

15

ADVERTISEMENT

A&E

no

strings

attached

Juniors Omkar Kawade, Danish Shaik and Emilio TorresGonzalez experience both satisfaction and enjoyment from their collective hobby: yo-yo-ing

BY HARINI SHYAMSUNDAR

Students share their favorite yo-yo tricks elestoque.org/yoyo

Catherine Lockwood | El Estoque

W

ith handâ&#x20AC;&#x201C;eye coordination so acute that it enabled them to coax their yo-yos into a new position with a simple twitch of the wrist, juniors Omkar Kawade, Danish Shaik and Emilio Torres-Gonzalez handled their respective tricks like clockwork. As Kawade twisted his thumb deftly to the side, the whir of metal against string became an effortlessly steady rhythm.

SEPTEMBER 25, 2013

17

A&E When most students think of having to attend a lesson their minds usually jump to grades, teachers, assessments and the pressures that accompany a will to succeed.

For Kawade and Torres-Gonzales, however, a guided lesson in one of their favorite pa st imes—t he art of yo-yoi ng — c o n s i s t s of watching a specific stunt on YouTube until it is ingrained in their memories.

The two boys began their journey in the field of yo-yo-ing in middle school, and both took to the hobby almost immediately. ”I got into it in sixth grade,” Kawade said. “My friend had a small yo-yo, which he would just swing up and down. After that, I decided to learn more about yo-yos, and ever since then, I’ve been practicing.”

For both boys it became, from that point, a quest to learn as many new tricks as they possibly could. They decided to devote any

free time to self-mastering the skill, and through hours of dedication and practice, the duo learned to do much more with their yo-yos than just swinging it up and down.

For both Kawade and Torres-Gonzales, yoyo-ing quickly evolved into more than a mild hobby.

It became s omet h ing that both boys looked forward to and a talent junior Omkar Kawade that they could pursue with no obligations to a teacher or an instructor of any kind. It was a personal endeavor with no strings attached.

After arriving at MVHS, both boys were worried that the increase in schoolwork coupled with an influx of other extracurriculars would require yo-yo-ing to take a backseat.

“When I came to MVHS, I wasn’t planning on yo-yo-ing any further,” TorresGonzales said. “But then Omkar ended up

MOST PEOPLE HAVE A WAY TO FIND THEMSELVES. I THINK THAT’S JUST YO-YO-ING FOR US.

being in my class, and he brought his yo-yo [to school].”

And, just like that, their shared enthusiasm resparked. Not only did Kawade and Torres-Gonzales keep their talent alive, they managed to impart their knowledge to others. Mutual friend and junior Danish Shaik recently took to the pastime and he is already happy to have done so.

“Yo-yo-ing is addicting,” Shaik said.

“Two weeks ago, I was just sitting around playing video games. And, now, I haven’t touched my PS3 for two weeks. [I’m] just straight-up yo-yo-ing when I’m free.”

All three boys aspire to continue yo-yoing in the future and the sport has come to play an enormous role in all of their lives.

It is something they can participate in without worrying about being evaluated and something they can enjoy without having to deal with the stress of competition.

“Most people have a way to find themselves and relax,” Kawade said.

“I think that’s just yo-yo-ing for us.” h.shyamsundar@elestoque.org

OMKAR KAWADE

“The only thing that’s hard about yo-yo-ing is that even though it’s really fun, it’s time-consuming and [time is] something you don’t have in college.

[However,] I would definitely try to keep this up as a hobby.”

DANISH SHAIK

“Every time you learn a new trick, it’s satisfying. The latest trick I learned took me two weeks and after I could do it without messing up, it felt really good.”

Catherine Lockwood | El Estoque

Shaik (above) who recently began learning yo-yo tricks demonstrates a beginner trick. Kawade (bottom left) and Torres-Gonzales (bottom right) perform an advanced trick called “Buddha’s Revenge.”

EMILIO TORRESGONZALES

“When I started, I could throw the yo-yo down and I couldn’t bring it back up.

But, in two weeks, I could do some pretty cool stuff.”

18

Catherine Lockwood | El Estoque

Catherine Locwood | El Estoque

EL ESTOQUE

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A&E

MARCHING OFF

Unexpected twists and turns cause a year of transition for Marching Band

BY YASHASHREE PISOLKAR

he bell for fourth period rang as senior Anu Vaishnav walked past the drill of cafeteria construction toward the F-building. It was the second week of school, and this Monday morning felt as uneventful as usual ­— until she walked through the double doors of the band room.

T

As Vaishnav entered the building, she froze. She looked to her left where all the Marching Band uniforms hung on the clothing racks. She spotted her drum major uniform, the nametag still pinned to the plastic cover.

Vaishnav will not be marching in that uniform for a while.

Two weeks into the beginning of the school year, Marching Band director Jon Fey announced the cancellation of Marching Band for the year. Although the team was shocked by the news, stressors such as lack of student interest and budget conflicts were long within the purview of the music department. Nevertheless, Vaishnav and her teammates believe that camaraderie, passion and the will to engage in other bandrelated activities will fill the void and get them through their disappointment.

optional — given the fact that in previous years, incoming freshmen did not have the option of choosing between Marching Band and Pep Band.

“Unfortunately, not enough freshmen indicated their interest in the activity,” Morris said.

After the results of the survey were tallied up, Fey revealed to his students that Marching Band will be dissolved for the remainder of the school year. It was with heavy hearts that the band students accepted the news.

“It didn’t register,” Vaishnav said. “It honestly did not register in my mind.”

The cancellation of Marching Band was an unexpected occurrence for most of the band students. The program had a history of ups and downs regarding student interest; students involved in Marching Band in 2011 petitioned to preserve the program when administration contemplated its functionality on campus. Although the program was saved, the music department again saw a significant decline in student interest last year — partly why Marching Band stopped competing.

The music department remained optimistic about the band’s future nonetheless. According to Vaishnav, the

Dwindling numbers

The Saturday after the first week of school was particularly trying for Vaishnav and her Marching Band teammates. Vaishnav, the head drum major, and junior Victoria Morris, the assistant drum major, recalled feeling uneasy as this particular practice was less structured than usual. According to Morris, there was not much rehearsal going on. When the students arrived for their 9 a.m. practice, Marching Band director Jon Fey asked the upperclassmen and sophomores and freshmen to congregate in separate rooms. In groups, the returning band members were asked to generate a list of the qualities of Marching Band that they appreciate. Meanwhile, in the other room, the freshmen were asked to fill out a questionnaire indicating their interest level in Marching Band if the program was made

20

Yashashree Pisolkar | El Estoque

BANDED TOGETHER Seniors Mike Thomas, Anu Vaishnav and Connie Guan display their instruments and matching band sweatshirts. With the cancellation of the program, they will lose the experience of competing as marching band this year.

EL ESTOQUE

team brought home first and second place trophies from competing in street marches and parades throughout 2010 and 2011. The winning streak began when Marching Band and Color Guard took first place in Fairfield, CA at the 2010 Armijo High School Band Review competition after their previous six unsuccessful seasons.

At beginning of last year, however, Marching Band was forced to withhold from enrolling in any competitions. Despite

over the initial shock. According to Fey, the music department is dynamic and constantly trying to provide eclectic opportunities that meet the students’ musical needs.

A year of transition

Fey and his Marching Band students hope that the program will be revived next year, but the likelihood of its resurgence cannot be determined with certainty.

“My favorite part about Marching Band was the people,” Vaishnav said. “[Also] the fact that we’re competing in a group ... the sense that ‘I’m not alone in this.’ In academics you’re always competing against the band teacher Jon Fey person sitting next to you, but in Marching the petition, Marching Band lost half of its Band, we are competing as a group.” members and therefore could not sustain Despite their initial disappointments, the the competitive aspect of marching. Instead, band students are still actively seeking new Marching Band was only responsible for opportunities to compete and perform until representing MVHS during football games next year’s verdict is made. While Morris and by performing at halftime alongside Pep Vaishnav will continue their roles directing Band, which is a subsection of band that the Pep Band as assistant drum major and does not compete. head drum major, respectively, their fellow Marching Band teammates — 130 or so of

ULTIMATELY IT’S NOT JUSTIFIABLE TO SPEND 30 PERCENT OF THE...BUDGET ON JUST 10 PERCENT OF THE STUDENTS.

them — will join them by performing at home football games throughout the season.

Students will also participate in a separate team that will compete in the Winter Percussion competition beginning in April 2014. This percussion team will mostly be composed of band students as well as interested MVHS students who are not enrolled in the band elective.

The winter competition is different from Marching Band’s street competitions in that it will only feature percussionists and will be modeled after a mini-field show which will take place in an indoor location like a school gym. According to Morris, the team will be ready to begin regular rehearsal in November. Members from Winter Guard will be competing with the percussion team.

“We have not competed as ‘Winter Percussion’ in a while, so we are trying to bring it back this year,” Morris said. “Our hope is that this new activity will raise our spirits once again.” y.pisolkar@elestoque.org

SENIOR QUOTES

Unjustifiable expense

Along with a decrease in student involvement, budget concerns were another prominent factor that contributed to Marching Band’s dissolution. Though the program had initially been sustained through a portion of the music boosters budget, the music department could no longer justify the expense after losing a majority of Marching Band participants.

“We tried to direct our resources to sheet music, training staff, and other [necessities] of the program,” Fey said. “Ultimately it’s not justifiable to spend 30 percent of the $50,000 budget on just 10 percent of the [music department] students. We have to redirect the resources in a place where a majority of the students will benefit.”

The music department’s mission to satisfy the needs of as many students as possible is reflected in Fey’s belief that many other positive components of the department are still intact and active.

“It’s not fun to see [marching band] go,” Fey said. “However, we still have a fret choir, wind ensemble and a phenomenal chamber orchestra at MVHS.” Currently, the goal of the department is to fill the void caused by the cancellation of Marching Band and help students get

SEPTEMBER 25, 2013

Anu Vaishnav

“

I was drum major [and] this year was supposed to be the legacy I was going to leave behind...[but] it’s kind of depressing because I don’t get to leave anything behind.

”

do Marching Band and “ I’dnot rather compete and still be marching

Melinda Yang

but it feels kind of strange without Saturday practices, and Monday and Wednesday after school practices.

” 21

A&E 1. Less textbook, more drama

2. Open auditions instead of closed auditions

Previously, the drama courses implemented textbook reading in the curriculum. Students would fill out a worksheet and be quizzed on the material later. This year, the department is experimenting with more hands-on teaching instead of using textbook methods.

“We’re still teaching what’s in the book, but through hands-on activities,” said new drama teacher Sara Capule. Rather than reading about the importance of vocal exercises, for example, students will discuss the significance in groups. From such activities, Capule plans to have a more interactive atmosphere in drama.

For the first time, the drama department is implementing open auditions for all productions. In years past, only students enrolled in Advanced Drama or higher were given acting roles in the school productions. With open auditions, any MVHS student is able to act in the play, whether or not they are enrolled in a drama class. For many in the drama program, this is a welcome change.

“With every drama department there are problems, and we look forward to having those fixed with new minds and new perspectives,” junior Megan Chandler said.

At the same time, open auditions have their drawbacks.

It is difficult to work around people that have been cast and become unavailable to act.

SOUNDBALL On Sept. 18, junior Cathy Ma leads a unexpectedly “It’s not so much that people are voice projection exercise called soundball, not talented … but sometimes it’s their where students carry their voices attitude. In casting, it’s not really about a good actor or who’s a bad with an imaginary ball. who’s actor but where everyone fits together,” Chandler said. In a production, it is critical to make sure everyone works

together as a whole.

Drama tic cha nges

BY RHO N

DA MA

K AND

KATHL

EEN YU

AN

3. Taking a step back with TAs

Drama TAs have always assumed instructing roles, but this year the focus has shifted to mentoring and advising.

“TAing is already a lot different because Beginning Drama was kind of TA controlled [last year], since our [former] teacher Holly Cornelison had a lot that she had to do,” said senior Mikey Goldman, a drama TA of two years. “Now, we’re doing so many new things in the business part of drama that the class part is shifting towards a more teacher driven class. Students are getting more teacher guidance and TAs are more help. We push them a bit more.”

PENGUIN Junior Cathy Ma concludes warm ups with a full body exercise on Sept. 18.

With teach a new ye unde er, the dr ar and n rgoin a e g tra ma depa w nsfor r mati tment is ons 4. Experimenting with marketing In the past, the drama department invited alumni or drama students to create promotional posters for productions. This year, the marketing advisors plan to team up with film club REX Productions to shoot trailers for every major production. The department hopes that experimenting with different advertising will help viewership grow.

“We’re shifting how we advertise,” said Goldman, who is also the department’s marketing director. “I think, from a marketing standpoint, we’re really just trying new things to see what people respond to so we get a better feel for the years to come and how we’re going to connect [all of it].”

5. Emphasis on tech

Although drama students have always been taught about theater technology, this year Capule intends to emphasize set building. The plans include inviting one of Capule’s colleagues who will assist in training the students, teaching them how to nail wood properly or pick the right kind of wood for certain sets.

Photos by Kathleen Yuan | El Estoque

KNOCK ON WOOD A completed podium used in various productions. r.mak@elestoque.org | k.yuan@elestoque.org

22

EL ESTOQUE

COLOR BLIND

Did you know we don’t have a color printer? I sure didn’t.

Shuyi Qi | El Estoque Photo Illustration

W

hen I first realized that our school but much, much better. didn’t have a color printer, several Instead, I got, “Of course we don’t have choice words ran through my head. one. Didn’t you know?”

“Blasphemy” was one of them. Along No, no I did not, because if I did, I with “treacherous,” “abomination” and would have hightailed it to Kinkos instead “oh-my-god-I’m-so-screwedof complaining to you during my this-is-due-in-four-per iodsChemistry class. wait-can-I-go-to-K inkos-ohTry as I might, the rest of the wait-I-can’t-drive.” day passed in a similar fashion I mean really. We live in — I would enter the room all Cupertino––you know, that flustered, people would look, place your iPhone’s weather listen and roll-roll-roll their eyes application is set to on that while getting back to doodling on very first day. The home of their notebooks. out of the blue Apple. At least two entire Clearly, they all have color rooms are filled with shiny printers. Or they finish their white Macintoshes. projects before Kinkos closes. It’s What we don’t have is a color printer. all the same to us printer-less procrastinators.

Certain I couldn’t be the only one Either way, in the face of the three shocked, I wandered looking for willing AP exams, two projects and one plan to constituents to form a mass mob tasked revolutionize modern thought, lack of a with storming the library outfitted with color printer doesn’t have that same burning glittery posters, poofy tutus and a rallying intensity anymore. I should know — I didn’t cry lifted from an Apple commercial I saw. realize until I was looking frantically for the Everything you see during class elections, “color” option on the print menu one long

MAYA MURTHY

year after I arrived as a freshman.

But I mean look at us. We cure cancer for breakfast and AIDS for lunch. When the going gets tough, we purchase caffeine in bulk and work from dusk to dawn, only stopping to take two hour naps in between.

Maybe. Getting a color printer should be easy-breezy-beautiful-Cover Girl, except printing one of those advertisements for my mob posters would require color ink, and we don’t have that at our school.

Everyone tells us to try and help the community –– go plan birthday parties for the elderly, teach Java to underprivileged children do anything that makes a lasting mark for the better. They tell us that’s how we’ll get into college someday.

Maybe one way we can make our mark instead is helping future generations print in full color. It might not look as glamorous on an application, but hey –– I can promise that at 7:21 a.m. on a Friday there’ll be at least one person blessing your name in the library.

I know I will. m.murthy@elestoque.org

September 25, 2013

23

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SPECIAL

SHE FEELS THE SPIRIT...

he doesn’t.

BY YUNA LEE

F

ace contorted with ferocious pride and passion, they stared at each other. She screamed at the top of her lungs.

The stranger screamed louder. She screamed even louder.

Everyone screamed. Letting adrenaline do its job, senior Celine Mol grinned at the unfamiliar face as she led her class at the Welcome Back rally atop a plastic blue chair.

“That was life right there that I experienced,” Mol said.

“A bond between two individuals who don’t even know each other? That’s awesome.”

On a scale of one to ten, Mol rates herself a “ten and a half” when it comes to class spirit. As the Class of 2014 President, she aspires to transform Leadership, rallies and spirit with her passion for innovation — and she always aims high. Her mission: to make sure that the senior class gets what it wants. With her

BY TANISHA DASMUNSHI

W

hen senior Garrett Crawford heard about spirit for the first time at the freshman orientation, he was impressed.

“The Link leaders made us practice ‘WE FEEL GOOD,’ and all of us just screamed, which was a really awesome moment,” Crawford said.

However, Crawford, now in his final year at MVHS, has only been to one rally throughout the years: the Welcome Back rally during his freshman year.

The first thing Crawford noticed at his first rally was the color.

The gym was awash in purple, although there were sections of incongruity.

“We were supposed to wear purple,” Crawford said. “and I’d forgotten, so I was dressed in my usual colors: gray, white and black.”

Catherine Lockwood | El Estoque

According to the El Estoque September survey, 70 percent of MVHS feels that class spirit is important; the other 30 percent does not. Sixty percent of students always attend rallies, but only five percent have regularly contributed to their class’s Quad Decs.

These kinds of differences create the complexity that is class spirit. El Estoque looled at two seniors from opposite sides of the spectrum. Celine Mol, senior class president, expresses boundless spirit toward her class. On the opposite side of the spectrum is senior Garrett Crawford, who has only been to one rally in his high school career.

SEPTEMBER 25, 2013

25

SPECIAL with her passion for innovation — and she always aims high. Her mission: to make sure that the senior class gets what it wants.

With her smiles and positivity, Mol pushes Leadership to its limits. But she does acknowledge reality.

“I’m not Superwoman,” she said. “I wish I could get all 643 students in our class at the rally, but that’s near impossible. I could try. If I had all the time in the world, I would.”

The gym’s maximum capacity is 1164, and there are approximately 2400 students at MVHS, so it is unfeasible for much of the student population to attend the rallies.

Although Mol understands these limitations, she still seeks to increase participation by developing as many oneon-one relationships as she can with her fellow seniors. It’s a time-consuming process, but according to Mol, it’s the best chance she has at getting one more student to the next rally.

She faces challenges within Leadership as well. “[Mol] isn’t afraid of saying new ideas and going against the grain, [which] definitely helps our class move forward,” IDC Representative Rishi Modi said. But not all Leadership students are willing to take the same risks.

“We don’t really like change,” Mol said. “When an event works well, we reuse it every year. We do it again and again and again and again because it was successful the first time … I think we’re just afraid that people aren’t going to like [a new event]. Like people aren’t going to show up, and it’s just going to senior Celine Mol fail. Flop.”

Despite these struggles and occasional dips in morale, Mol reaps her reward at the rallies.

According to the El Estoque September survey, 59 percent of MVHS students always attends rallies. The other 41 percent can usually be seen scattered throughout campus working on homework, studying for a test or engaging in other activities during the extra 30 minutes.

“It’s not worth it at all to miss events like these where you can make memories, make friends — really enjoy life,” she said. “If I studied for that test, cool, maybe I got an A instead of a B. But what does that do for my life? All of a sudden am I going to be a billionaire instead of a millionaire? It doesn’t make a difference in the long run.”

Instead, Mol seeks moments like the one-minute connection she felt with that one boy during the Welcome Back rally.

“Creating memories only happens once,” she said. “Yeah, we’re going to have rallies every year, but that one rally, that one experience, that one time — you could miss out on something that you could have remembered for the rest of your life.”

YOU COULD MISS OUT ON SOMETHING THAT YOU COULD HAVE REMEMBERED FOR THE REST OF YOUR LIFE.

y.lee@elestoque.org

Catherine Lockwood | El Estoque

ASB president senior MarisaYang details Leadership’s efforts to promote and balance class, school spirit

EE Why does spirit matter?

MY I think a big part of it is creating class unity

EL ESTOQUE Do you think it’s easier to instill class spirit or school spirit, and to what extent?

because it gives something for everyone to rally around, and it really brings your class together.

Marisa Yang It’s probably easier

EE How much do you value coming up with new activities and ways to promote spirit? my It’s definitely pretty high on our priority list.

We know that not everyone likes the screaming; we know that not everyone likes rallies. So I think some of the events Leadership has put on are Blue Pearl, Super Smash Bros, Iron Chef, Battle of the Bands. Sometimes it is hard because we can’t get to every single person, but it’s definitely something we’ve been trying to do in [connecting] our program to different parts of the school — and that’s definitely one of our goals this year. To put it in one word, our goal this year is connection.

to instill class spirit because people want to be competitive by nature, and it’s easier to rally with people that you’re closer to. You know every face in your class, but you don’t know all the faces in the school. So that’s why it’s a lot easier to promote class spirit and become unified as a class, rather than school spirit because the school is so much bigger.

26

Steven Lim | El Estoque Photo Illustration

EL ESTOQUE

Instead of being awed by an enthusiastic mob of cheering freshmen, he saw most of his class seated. Sitting there himself, and watching the other classes — almost united in color and spirit — dominating his own, Crawford felt incredibly out-of-place. After about 15 minutes spent just sitting there, he stood up and left.

Crawford is now among the four percent of MVHS students who never attend rallies; he chooses to spend his time pursuing other activities.

Coming from Cupertino Middle School, Crawford didn’t have a connection with anyone in his grade since most of the incoming freshman class was from either Kennedy Middle School or Lawson Middle School.

Crawford didn’t have many friends or much spirit — but he had skateboarding.

“Skateboarding began for me as a temporary replacement for friends, but it has defined a lot of my high school experiences,” Crawford said. Crawford met a group of skating sophomores a few weeks into high school. His new group of friends at MVHS had no interest in going to rallies, and after his uncomfortable experience, he never questioned it. For the next few years, Crawford skated instead of participating in with class spirit activities. When his peers went to Quad Decs, Crawford spent his afternoons at the skate park practicing 360 degree flips and trading tricks with other skaters.

Crawford has also often been chased by bottles of face paint and purple duct tape. Or rather, by zealous 2014ers, eager to involve every member of their class. Senior Mihir Athavale, who is a good friend of Crawford’s, is one of the people who attempts to pressure Crawford into attending rallies. After two years of friendship with Crawford, Athavale believes that he is a very observant person, who takes his time to assess a situation and is resolute about his decision.

“[Crawford] has never really felt a connection with this school, which is why I think he feels like he doesn’t belong at rallies.”

Athavale added, “But because we’re good friends, and I always talk to him about rallies, he’s started asking me about them. Even if it’s out of politeness, I think he’s starting to show interest, so I’m going to keep pressuring him to come.”

But Crawford is quick to reject the accusations that he dislikes MVHS. Even though many of his friends from middle school went to Homestead High School, he rejected the offer to transfer there.

“Honestly, I really like the competitive academic environment,” Crawford said. “It pushes me to do better. I’d say I’ve taken advantage of what MVHS has to offer, just not when it comes to spirit — I’m not interested.”

Crawford acknowledges the value class spirit has for some people, but for him, spirit can only be meaningful if there’s a large group of friends to share it with.

“It isn’t special for me, because many of my closest friends today are at Homestead High School. It worked out at MVHS too because most of the friends I have here aren’t particularly spirited either. We’ve had all kinds of other experiences together, from gaming to skateboarding.” After a short pause, Crawford added: “So I don’t feel like I’ve missed out on anything.” t.dasmunshi@elestoque.org

BY STEVEN LIM

BY STEVEN LIM That’s connection between us and the student body, [between us and] each student to make sure that they’re involved and know what’s going on.

EE How much do you think Homecoming is geared toward building class spirit? my I do agree that ... there is a lot of class competition.

When we ask our student body, they like class competition; they like becoming more unified as a class. It feels good to know that your class is with you and that you’re kind of like a family. I think some of the things we do to promote school spirit, you know, there’s the football game, or food drive, fun Fridays and other school-oriented events that promote school spirit as well, so there’s more of a balance. And even though we do try to have class competitions, [the food drive] ultimately makes the students know that it is going toward one goal, which is assisting people who are underprivileged.

Although a lot of these things are class competition

based, we want to make the students realize that it does move toward one [cause].

ee When you’re planning these events out, how much does the idea of trying to balance school spirit and class spirit influence your decision making process? my It’s definitely something we think about, but one of our main goals is to try and create those connections between different interest groups.

That’s actually our main goal for leadership when we’re planning events — to include more students — but include them in events that they would like. When you do include students in these activities, it is promoting school spirit because it’s not classbased and more for the individual. It’s not a clear ‘this is more important than this’ because they definitely tie into each other a lot.

Catherine Lockwood | El Estoque

s.lim@elestoque.org SEPTEMBER 25, 2013

27

4

EL ESTOQUE

“Frantic” English teacher Frank Ruskus

Embarrassing, competitive, frantic — teachers share their perspectives on rallies

BY YIFEI WU

“EMBARRASSING” English teacher Lynn Rose I remember [English teacher Mikki] McMillion and I were trying to get into the rally two or three years ago, and we were trying to come through that “entrance” that the seniors had. We tried to squeeze through the edge of the paper to get to the bleachers. We were almost there, and there was a voice, “Here comes Monta Vista’s class of 2011!” Luckily, we squeezed right past before that huge crowd came in ... We didn’t want two teachers to be the first ones coming through that gate.

Like, “Here comes Ms. McMillion and Ms. Rose!”

For more coverage of school spirit — including activities outside of rallies, the evolution of spirit and a detailed account of Quad Decs — visit elestoque.org.

[Through the rally], I got to see a really wild, passionate side of MVHS students that normally doesn’t come out on a daily basis. And coincidentally, we were doing the “Lord of the Flies” unit with my sophomores. It was really interesting seeing everyone dressed up in war paint and fanatically screaming. It was a pretty good fit.

My favorite rally experience was the disaster of watching the blindfolded ball toss from this year ... it was funny ... watching that one sophomore student continuously running into the bleachers, and the cheerleaders panicking.

“COMPETITIVE” Social science teacher Viviana Montoya-Hernandez I really liked that one rally when the classes didn’t compete against each other — like a unity rally. I thought that was really unique and interesting, since rallies are supposed to build school spirit, not divide the groups. Students find their identity in being a member of the class; it is the people who they go to classes with, start friends with, who they grow up with.

Having an identity as a class is part of them feeling like an MVHS community. But there is a place for class competition, and there is also a place for school unity.

y.wu@elestoque.org SEPTEMBER 25, 2013

29

SPECIAL Did you know that the “Monta Vista, how do you feel?” cheer emerged in 1993? That ASB began coordinating rallies in 1990? That our first Homecoming queen was crowned in 1972? Take a peek at some of the spirit traditions our school has seen through the years.

1975

BY KRISTIN CHANG AND JENNIFER LEE PHOTOS USED WITH PERMISSION OF EL VALEDOR

Classes elect a “Class Hunk,” in which young men are escorted into the gym on the arm of a female faculty member during Homecoming Rally.

1971

First version of Powderpuff emerges: junior varsity cheerleaders play a game of football.

1972

1971

First ever Winter Ball, sponsored by the ASB.

All classes compete in a Great Race in which students balance on wheeled platforms and slide across the gym. The winner gets a pumpkin.

“Oh, you have got to hear this,” said music teacher Shari D’epiro, smiling down at the 1974 yearbook. “This is really kind of gross! But it was a real sign of the times.”

An alumna of the Class of 1979, D’Epiro is referring to the 1974 Homecoming rally, in which football players, cheerleaders and song girls were paraded in front of the crowd. The football players were blindfolded and instructed to kiss a cheerleader, and whoever correctly guessed which cheerleader they’d kissed would win a prize.

“Well, it was the ‘70s,” D’Epiro said, “so the cheerleaders walked off when the guys were being blindfolded — and then they brought out the guys’ mothers. Can you believe it? Their mothers. Then, the mothers were matched with their sons, and the guys started kissing their own moms, thinking they were the cheerleaders. Their own mothers, on the lips. I mean, that’s disgusting! If that had been me...well, I would have just died! And you should have seen the looks on the faces of those poor boys.”

30

EL ESTOQUE

1975

“When I was here, people would not dream of missing a football game,” D’Epiro said. “It was a big night, and we’d all plan our nights around the big game. We’d all meet at that McDonald’s on Highway 9, which just used to be a walkthrough. It was a skinny little place, and everything was togo. Hundreds of us would just be standing in the parking lot, eating our McDonald’s, eating and talking. That’s what you did in high school. You’d have your McDonald’s, and then you’d go to all the games.”

1986

MVHS cheerleaders parody Lynbrook cheer team by arriving to the Homecoming rally with the letter “L” pinned to their chests.

2007

“There was one rally game that was sort of a disaster. We definitely didn’t do it again,” said Peter Lu, Class of 2007 alumnus. “But in my junior year, 2006, there was this one game where we had to throw a shoe into the middle of the gym. Then we’d all have to run as fast as we could to retrieve it from the center.

It was chaos! I remember that a lot of people got hurt, and there was this huge mountain of shoes that everybody was fighting to get to. It was pretty crazy, with all these people clawing and elbowing to get to them. A pile of smelly shoes in the middle of the gym...Not a good idea.”

1993

The rally cheer “We feel good, oh we feel so good, oh!” emerges.

1990

Rallies are organized by the ASB for the first time

2009

1985

School votes for Sadie Princes.

For more pictures of Homecoming history, flip to page 32.

Class of 2009 alumna Devina Khanna always loved attending the rallies and flaunting her class spirit. In particular, though, she recalls the class colors from her sophomore year.

“The freshmen were black, the sophomores were pink, the juniors were green, and the seniors were — I don’t even remember now, they were probably purple because [MVHS] was purple and gold,” Khanna said. “But I just remember the sophomores were pink, and it was a big deal.” She laughed. “[Our class shirt] said ‘Real sophomores wear pink,’ just like ‘Real men wear pink,’ and so I think a lot of the guys embraced it,” she said. “I’m sure it’s the same way, but class spirit really brought out a lot in people, so I think they were really happy with it.”

k.chang@elestoque.org | j.lee@elestoque.org SEPTEMBER 25, 2013

31

SPECIAL

(Continued from page 31.)

The senior Class of 1983 parades their Homecoming floats to school.

Sophomore Kate McLoskey, Class of 1994, vents her frustration as the Class of 1992 wins Homecoming Rally.

The Class of 1981 cruises their way to 1983 float-building.

Used with the permission of El Valedor

â&#x20AC;&#x153;I eat freshmen for breakfast and I dress like one too!â&#x20AC;? shouted senior Mike Codel at the 1989 Welcome Back Rally.

32

MVHS Marquesas freshen up before the 1986 Homecomng game.

MVHS cheerleaders spur the football team towards a 1981 Homecoming victory.

EL ESTOQUE

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SPORTS

A SHORTENED SUMMER

CCS regulation changes limited football’s preseason practices

BY ELIA CHEN AND SARAH RAMOS

Mihir Joshi | El Estoque

BY ELIA CHEN AND SARAH RAMOS PRESEASON PLAYS Senior Justin Cena runs across the field during a preseason practice on Aug. 16. The football team held its first practice four days before the start of school.

L

ast summer, then-junior Ryan Manley organized practices over the summer as in arrived at MVHS on a Monday at 8 a.m., previous years. Football, especially, lost a but he was not here for school. In fact, significant portion of its summer practices school was over a — about 14 week away. Instead, practices. sporting shoulder This year, pads, a mouthguard CCS changed its and a helmet, rule on sports Manley, along with teams’ summer his teammates, was prac tices. here for a week of Instead of letting full-contact drills, MVHS’ football agility exercises, and team start long-distance runs. practice a week However, this before school, summer, only CCS pushed the three days before team’s start time the beginning of to Aug 16, which Varsity football coach Jeff Mueller the school year, was three days Manley dressed up before school and prepared for two days of full-contact started, due to concerns about all players’ practice. academic record and pressure from the West Due to a new CCS regulation this year, Catholic Athletic League. teams are not allowed to hold as many The CCS website states,

CCS WANTS PLAYERS TO HAVE SOUND GROUND ACADEMICALLY BEFORE THEY FOCUS ON EXTRACURRICULARS.

34

“Recommendation from the football committee is to allow football players to practice in full gear beginning on the first day of practice for the Fall Sports Season.”

There were many reasons behind this change. According to head coach Jeff Mueller, the West Catholic Athletic League, which does not include Monta Vista, changed the CCS schedule to benefit the schools in the league by giving WCAL teams an extra week of practice to prepare for state playoffs if they win the CCS championships. Because the West Catholic Athletic League is part of the Central Coast Section, or CCS, that governs high school athletics on California’s central coast, its desire for more time also impacts Monta Vista’s football team, which is in the Santa Clara Valley Athletics League.

More importantly, CCS also desired rule changes for its own reasons.

“CCS wants players to have a sound ground academically before they focus on extracurriculars,” Mueller said, “[but] I’ve never seen [changes] like this before.”

EL ESTOQUE

HOW HAVE CCS RULE CHANGES AFFECTED YOUR TEAM THIS SEASON?

Junior Phillip Lam Cross Country “I don’t think it’s affected us too much since our times have gone down.”

Junior Arushi Agarwala Field Hockey “We had to kind of shove off all the stuff we normally train the players or practice with the old players within that first week of school, which meant that practice was longer [and] people weren’t as experienced.”

Senior Rahul Madanahalli Water Polo “We were forced to have a bunch of practices in a very small span of days.”

BEFORE Start 1 week

AFTER Start 3 days

14 more practices

Less full-contact practice

before school

Full uniform and equipment

8 double-days

before school

2 triple-days Fewer practices

“It was hard,” Doshiro said. “I’ve never In previous years, the football team played football before, so I had to learn all dedicated eight double days of summer the plays and all the codewords.” practice when the team ran morning defense Fewer practices also means fewer practices and afternoon offense practices. injuries, but this still unsettles Mueller. Over In contrast, this year, the team started the summer, players visited the school’s full-gear practices on Aug. 16 – three days weight room around four times per week. before the first day of school. For players, Conditioning built up strength, but it still this situation was far from ideal. To make up could not make up for skills normally drilled for the 14 cut practices, players endured two during summer practice. triple days right before school that covered Nevertheless, Mueller remains optimistic offensive, defensive, and special teams that the rules will change in time. He has training. Several players felt that the triple already talked to Principal April Scott, days were not as effective as the double days and Mueller believes because the start of that if enough coaches school was only a few complain, the CCS days away. board members will “Not everyone’s feel pressured to change focus was entirely on Aug. 16-17 Preseason practice the rule. He already football,” Manley said. Aug. 19 School started senses discontent “It was more getting Aug. 30 First scrimmage among the coaches ready for school.” of some other local Because of the Sept. 6 First game vs. Overfelt schools, considering change in rules, other school’s different football players are schedules. Palo Alto High School begins worrying about their aggressiveness on four days earlier than MVHS, so the football the field. Aggressive play requires constant team held its first practice on the first Friday work, but according to Manley, the team has not spent enough time practicing with pads of the school year.

Although Mueller has not seen anything and equipment, hitting aggressively. like the new rule in his 12 years of coaching Unable to wear protective padding, players were limited to running plays during at MVHS, he does not think that the team is too disadvantaged. the summer, severely cutting down full“Since everyone [cut practice time], it contact practice time. Most importantly, Manley fears the possibility of injuries due kind of evens out the playing field,” Manley said. to lack of preparation.

He and the rest of the team still expect a The new rules have also impacted new players, who are having trouble learning the winning season. system in a condensed amount of time. Firstyear senior Takuto Doshiro wanted to join the team for his final year of high school, e.chen@elestoque.org | s.ramos@elestoque.org but did not expect the shortened preseason.

NEW SCHEDULE:

Elia Chen and Sarah Ramos | El Estoque Illustration

SEPTEMBER 25, 2013

35

SPORTS

MASKED TALENT

Rochish Ambati | El Estoque

Senior Taylor Chin describes the world of fencing and how it defines her life

BY ROCHISH AMBATI AND MIHIR JOSHI

A

round 30 young children jump and laugh as they learn some basic footwork on one end of the studio.

On the other end, the silence is disturbed only by the shuffling of four feet as two people glide across the floor, slashing their swords.

The man, standing tall and drifting about, speaks to the girl with a soft, patient voice, guiding her to anticipate each and every move. The girl is focused in on the same task she is faced with five days a week: successfully hitting the chest protector on the man she faces.

This is senior Taylor Chin. She’s doing what she does best: fencing.

Chin has been fencing since she was eight years old, training originally in the California Fencing Academy and now the Silicon Valley Fencing Academy. Her tournaments have taken her all around

the country and the world, including the Junior Olympics in Baltimore in 2013 where she won sixth place.

“My mom wanted me to get into a sport when I was young,” Chin said. “I went into ballet, and I didn’t really like that, then I went into swimming but I didn’t like that, and then I went into gymnastics, but I hated that, and then tennis. I hated that too.”

Chin’s mother, Joyce Hirata, recalls that even after Chin claimed that she was committed to senior Taylor Chin fencing she was very skeptical because of prior indecisiveness.

“I would always ask her if she was happy with fencing, and after a while Taylor told me, ‘You know, mom, I’m happy with this sport, why do you keep asking me?’” Hirata said.

Part of the appeal for Chin is that she feels emotionally connected to the sport, not only on the competitive platform, but also off. She connects with the places and

EVEN IF I HAD A BAD DAY AT SCHOOL, FENCING WOULD MAKE ME HAPPY.

36

the people. She connects with the bonding and the experience. She connects with the world of fencing, including unique experiences like midnight excursions in search of pineapple juice with her fellow competitors in Pisa, Italy.

“There wasn’t any on my floor, but we over complicated everything and ran to check all the other floors and eventually we grabbed six bottles of juice and returned to the room,” Chin said. In the end, none of the six bottles were opened.

“We went back to the room and we kinda just looked at each other like, ‘Do you want some…?’ and we ended up just not drinking it,” Chin said. These experiences only increase her passion for fencing along with the sport itself.

“I really enjoy the challenge,” Chin said. “I guess because it takes physical work. Even if I had a bad day at school, fencing would make me feel really happy.”

As fun as work may be, work takes time. And time is limited. Chin misses up to four days of school in a row due to tournaments. This affects her academics and the amount of free time she has as a whole. Chin believes that her teachers are very supportive and help her with the EL ESTOQUE

assignments she’s missing.

While most of the people on an international flight can be found sleeping, Chin sits awake, with her dim light coming down on her and the homework laid ahead. She quietly puts the graphite to paper pushing herself hard to finish her homework on the flight, the silence of the plane surrounding her.

Even with such efficient time management, Chin still finds herself struggling to do assignments and notes when she returns.

“I don’t really see that much of her anymore. I used to see her a lot during brunch and lunch, but I guess now she’s busier,” Paterson says. “I think she’s really had to change her priorities for [fencing].

She puts so much time into it, she doesn’t have much time to do anything else.”

Chin can be found doing her homework anywhere and at any time. She can be found doing math on a red-eye plane, reading a book for literature in a hotel room at two in the morning or working on science in cities like Tauberbischofsheim, Germany. But the one time Chin definitely won’t be doing homework is the night before a match.

“Usually my mom and I watch videos from previous tournaments to see what I should focus on. But I try to not think too much. Overthinking is not a good thing,” Chin says. “I’m definitely anxious, but I try to suppress it because when you’re anxious, you’re jumpy, and that interferes with your concentration during the match.”

Serenity is something that Chin strives for when she fences. She clears her mind entirely. Absolutely and entirely empty. This clear mind can be difficult to achieve in the high energy of tournaments, especially international ones.

Often, Chin can be found competing internationally for the US under-19 fencing team in countries like Hungary and Germany. But no matter when or where the tournament is, Chin keeps her mind clear, an art form she has mastered through her years of fencing and possibly the key to her change in persona after practice.

“After she comes home from practice, she’s very tired, but she’s very happy,” Hirata said.

As the coach calls an end to the practice, the class of young children look to their parents with a smile of innocent pride. Fifteen meters down the long room, Taylor stands upright, rests her sword on the ground, and removes her mask. She’s happy, exhausted and ready for more. r.ambati@elestoque.org|m.joshi@elestoque.org SEPTEMBER 25, 2013

TAYLOR’S TRICKS GUARD POSITION “You’re in [this] almost the whole time because you have to move around in defense or retreat in that position. And the more you bend your knees, the more power you have to change direction quicker.”

LUNGE “This is when you lunge where you want to attack somebody or they’re a little further away and you want to reach them more quickly, then it’s like running at them.”

PARRY “It’s to defend yourself if they come into the inside line.”

LOW LINE “Instead of holding your point up here all the time in the high line you can sometimes change to low line and that gives you a wider variety of attacks and actions that you can do.”

Rochish Ambati | El Estoque Photo Illustration

37

A NEVER-ENDING SEASON

BY COLIN KIM AND ALAINA LUI

Matadors challenge themselves to pursue sports even in times of academic pressure

FRESHMAN ELLIOT RYU

Elliot Ryu, a freshman water polo player, has been seriously playing the sport since middle school. During the season, he practices before and after school for upward of 15 hours a week.

Even during the school’s offseason, Ryu puts in three hours of practice a week for his club. Ryu explains that even though it seems like a lot of time, it was not that hard to balance his devotion to the sport with his schoolwork in middle school. But upon entering high school, Ryu is met by a completely different and demanding environment.

“I have to manage time way better,” Ryu said. “I can’t just continue to manage time the way I did in middle school.”

Some days, Ryu struggles with the amount of time water polo takes out of his day, but he remains hopeful that he can manage his schedule. “Once I get used to the increase in homework and tests, I’m sure I’ll be able to do well in school and the sport I love,” Ryu said.

SOPHOMORE NIKKI STUART Juggling two competitive sports within the same season and studying for Chemistry at the same time may sound challenging, but sophomore Nikki Stuart is able to do this and more. Playing on the junior varsity field hockey team and for Sunnyvale Alliance Soccer Club, Stuart challenges herself to manage her work habits more efficiently.

“This year I have club soccer and field hockey at the same time, so I’m always busy,” Stuart said. “I have to plan ahead to get my homework done throughout the week.”

Although Stuart has had a year of experience to face all of her commitments, she struggles to follow up with her academic classes. She hopes by her junior year she will have good time management skills and still be able to enjoy playing both sports without quitting one or the other.

JUNIOR JERRY HAN Since elementary school, junior Jerry Han has been playing basketball and in middle school, he began to play year-round. Han realizes the difficulty of having a never-ending season for those who have never had the experience before. Over the years, he has seen great, and not-so-great, basketball players quit the sport because they could never find the fine balance of academic success and athletic accomplishments. But Han has found the balance through experience.

He had a hard time early on in his high school career yet has accumulated the knowledge he now needs to succeed. “I feel like to balance the workload, you have to have good time management and organizational skills,” Han said. “I have developed [those skills] because of being in a club sport.”

Now in his busiest year of high school, Han continues to play basketball year round because, after two years, he has discovered the ins-and-outs of time management.

SENIOR ARAVIND SIVAKUMAR

Senior Aravind Sivakumar has been playing club soccer all through high school. His never ending soccer season demands 14 hours of practice a week and doesn’t include week-long travel or personal fitness. Yet somehow, Sivakumar seems confident in his ability to meet all his schoolrelated deadlines on top of this incredible time commitment.

Sivakumar attributes his indifference to his seemingly flawless ability to gauge exactly how much time he needs for soccer and homework each day. Sivakumar acknowledges that “the workload in high school has increased noticeably,” but he says that, “as the workload has increased, I’ve learned to cope and compensate in a similar manner.”

Many times, he recalls doing homework on the car ride to practice and while traveling to competitions. For Sivakumar, this is not a burden, but a sign of his own growth and his ability to use every minute of every day productively — a sentiment that he shares with every and all yearround, MVHS athletes. c.kim@elestoque.org | a.lui@elestoque.org 38

EL ESTOQUE

SPORTS FLASH

BY NATHAN DESAI

The school year began with eight MVHS sports kicking off their seasons. With girls tennis continuing their past success and girls golf ending a season-long losing streak, Matador athletics are already well into this season’s action.

Karen Feng | El Estoque

Co-captain senior Kelsey Chong (bottom left) serves the ball in a match against Gunn High School on Sept.

17. The team won the match, continuing their consistent track record. Last season, the Lady Mats finished with a perfect record of 32-0 while also winning the CCS Championship and NorCal Championship. The day prior to the match against GHS, MVHS defeated Burlingame High School by a score of 8-1.

Led by Chong and co-captain senior Claudia Kesala, MVHS also placed third at the California Classic, defeating Stockdale High School, Santa Barbara High School and Buchanan High School in the tournament.

Elia Chen | El Estoque

For more information on Matador athletics, such as: • Homecoming football coverage • Live coverage of MVHS sports • Weekly player features Visit elestoque.org/category/sports

Freshman Amy Zhong (top) hits the ball out of the bunker during a Sept. 11 round at Deep Cliff Golf Course. In that game against Homestead High School the Lady Mats lost 207-227. This year, MVHS moved from the Blossom Valley League to the newlyformed Santa Clara Valley League. Zhong finished the round with a score of 42, while co-captain senior Natalie Ng and junior Anika Singh both shot 39. MVHS also broke their seasonlong losing streak against Presentation High School 220-229. MVHS’ first game of the season was against Lynbrook High School.

Though Zhong shot a team-low 41, the Lady Mats still lost 189-231.

Senior Justin Cena (bottom right) rushes for a touchdown during the Matadors’ game against Overfelt High School on Sept. 6. The game was MVHS’ first of the season and ended in a 42-13 Matador victory. Cena rushed for four touchdowns and 221 yards on 24 carries in the game.

Junior Max McCann and senior quarterback Ryan Manley each rushed for a touchdown in the game as well. Though MVHS blew out OHS in their first game, the Matadors lost their next game to Sequoia High School by a score of 40-14 MVHS’ Homecoming game will be Sept. 27 against Fremont High School.

Mihir Joshi | El Estoque

n.desai@elestoque.org SEPTEMBER 25, 2013

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Dress-up: Camelot – Dress to Impress the Queen Donate: Anything Event: Assemble quad decorations – after school

Thursday

Dress-up: Mt. Olympics – athletics Event: Rally setup – periods 1-3

Recent Games of the Week:

Friday

Sept. 23: Girls Volleyball vs. Gunn Sept. 16 Boys Water Polo vs. Lynbrook Sept. 9: Girls Volleyball vs. Salinas

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Event: Homecoming dance - 7:30 PM

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Science teachers Kyle Jones and Pooya Hajjarian discuss their summer road trips

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