Volume 52, Issue 1, October 8, 2021 by El Estoque

elESTOQUE OCTOBER 2021

34 SENIOR STORIES 22 HOMECOMING Four El Estoque seniors reflect on their high school experiences.

Matadors display school spirit throughout class skits, rally and football game

VOLUME 52 ISSUE I

elESTOQUE

21840 McClellan Rd, Cupertino, CA 95014 elestoque.org mv.el.estoque@gmail.com Editors-in-Chief: Michelle Chen, Anushka De, Jayanti Jha Managing Editors: Ishaani Dayal, Devin Gupta, Lance Tong, Matthew Yoshimoto Copy Editor: Sophia Chen News Editors: Jefferson Le, Tanish Mendki Opinion Editors: Diya Bahl, Kripa Mayureshwar Feature Editors: Riya Ravuri, Prisha Tiwari, Mira Wagner Entertainment Editors: Justin Kim, Gauri Manoj, Aditya Shukla, Shivani Verma Sports Editors: Anna Jerolimov, Nika Zamani Graphics Editors: Mikaylah Du, Sophia Ma Website Editors: Krish Dev, Devin Gupta Staff Writers: Meggie Chen, Crystal Cheng, Nameek Chowdhury, Melody Cui, Mikaylah Du, Tvisha Gupta, Anna Kaminitz, Taryn Lam, Sarah Liu, Shivani Madhan, Amber Milesi, Aashna Patel, Kalyani Puthenpurayil, Jisha Rajala, Anika Sharma, Jannah Sheriff, Jiya Singh, Irene Tang, Geethi Tarra, Aashi Venkat, Sonia Verma, Lillian Wang, April Wang, Stephanie Xu, Alex Zhang, Angela Zhang, Michelle Zheng Adviser: Julia Satterthwaite Mission Statement: El Estoque will accurately inform our community through well-researched, unbiased and indepth accounts of the student body and staff, news and developments and taboo topics prevalent in and near MVHS. Investigating various voices and credible perspectives, we hope to foster active discussion, effect positive change and spread awareness of timely, relevant content. As a trustworthy and reliable source of information, we strive to be accountable, adaptable and ready to correct and address our mistakes. Constantly striving for improvement, we will uphold integrity and ethics to be respectful and empathetic to our sources and our readers. We will exercise our press freedoms guaranteed by the First Amendment and California Ed Code 48907 while maintaining a community passionate about our work and journalism as a whole.

COVER PHOTO ILLUSTRATION | ANUSHKA DE COVER PHOTOS | MICHELLE CHEN

EL ESTOQUE | OCTOBER 2021

LETTER FROM THE EDITORS When we think of Homecoming week, we think back to our sophomore year — dressing up in Hawaiian shirts and pajamas on spirit days, rehearsing the class skit until sunset the night before, the cheers that shook the stands the night of the football game and, of course, the sweaty, screaming, fabulous mess that was the dance itself. But perhaps more than anything, we think of the incredible sense of unity we felt as a class, each of us heralded under the single goal of ousting the then-juniors from the #2 spot. Now we’re seniors, and Homecoming has a different meaning. It’s about our last hurrah, but in a way, our first hurrah in a very long time. There is much that is different this year — new staff members fill our campus, which we explore in our Features package. But much is also the same, like the return of fall sports to their normal seasons, which we showcase through photo collages in our Sports section. Long before we returned to in-person school, we knew that we wanted a photo heavy issue. It seemed only appropriate that, after a year of blurry screenshots, faceless graphics and a lack of the in-person interactions that brought meaning to our stories, we would take every opportunity we had to capture the emotions that only photos could. So we hope that this issue, with its pages filled with faces, albeit many masked, emphasizes the intensity and hope that we feel coming back. There is much that is different this year, but maybe that’s not a bad thing. It is perhaps the reminder of online school that lightens the load of our backpacks after a long day, that gives us a reason to smile behind the masks, that crosses class barriers and creates a sense of unity we haven’t felt since sophomore year. We only hope that our coverage of the vibrant class skits, rally and football game can do that unity and spirit justice. As we move forward into the hustle and bustle of the school year, we hope to keep this feeling of unity and excitement. Because there may be no winning in the game of high school, but this week has been nothing but short of a royal flush.

PHOTO | ISHAANI DAYAL

Michelle Chen

Anushka De

Jayanti Jha

TABLE OF CONTENTS EL ESTOQUE | OCTOBER 2021

NEWS

COVID-19 AND THE BABY BOOM Exploring staff and student reactions to long-term substitutes

OPINION

OPINIONS AROUND CAMPUS Hearing from the MVHS community about important issues today

FEATURES

MATADOR FAMILY ADDS MEMBERS TO ITS RANKS New staff share more about where they’re coming from and what brought PHOTO | LANCE TONG

them to MVHS

SPORTS

FALL SEASON SPORTS RECAP

ARTS & ENT

HOMECOMING 2021

Featuring the seven fall season sports

Photo essays on the Homecoming skits,

through images

rally and football game

EL ESTOQUE | OCTOBER 2021

PHOTO BY SARAH FINCK | USED WITH PERMISSION

FUHSD’S COVID-19 BABY BOOM Exploring staff and student reactions to long-term substitute situations BY DEVIN GUPTA AND JISHA RAJALA

fllthough COVID-19 has caused fa national decrease in the fpopulation of babies, FUHSD has recently seen an increase in the number of faculty members taking maternity and paternity leave. In the past year, 11 staff members have taken time off related to having children, compared to six from the 2020-21 school year during. For these teachers, taking time off of school can be a challenge. While the federal government guarantees 12 weeks of unpaid family leave, the California Family Rights Act provides a minimum of 50% of the staff member’s weekly salary for 12 weeks. Social

EL ESTOQUE | OCTOBER 2021

science teacher Hilary Barron decided to take the full 12 weeks — from the beginning of school through Nov. 4 — to spend time with her baby. The FUHSD contract guarantees a maximum of 10 days of paid sick leave per year, paid in full during a teacher’s time off of school. Each year, the unused days carry over to the next school year, meaning these sick days can accumulate for teaching staff and can be used during a teacher’s federal maternity leave

to provide 100% of regular pay. “It’s been honestly really nice to have a break after a year and half of crazy pandemic teaching, but I’m trying to really enjoy it,” Barron said. “My baby was born in June a week after school got out, so I remember as my teacher friends were starting to get ready for school, I [felt] like I was just calming down.” French teacher Sarah Finck took her maternity leave starting in May 2021 through first semester to spend some time with her GRAPHIC | LILLIAN WANG

NEWS daughter Charlotte. While this has been a considerable change for Finck, she believes it was something she needed. “Right now, I feel like it’s exactly what I should be doing,” Finck said. “I would find it hard to envision not having professional activity in my life, but right now, it feels like an extension of summer break.” For Finck, the experience of staying home has been enhanced by the lenience that COVID-19 provided for certain individuals with the ability to work remotely. “My partner is working from home still, so it’s kind of a luxurious situation of maternity leave where I’m not all alone at home all day,” Finck said. “We could have lunch together, and he can hold the baby for a second.” Although Finck isn’t working, she still involves herself in school-related tasks such as creating lesson plans for next semester when she returns, correcting papers and communicating with students when she gets the chance. However, she believes that the transition of coming back next semester might be challenging for her. “I think it’s going to be a shock to [my] system, trying to juggle having a child and working,” Finck said. “I am aware that that’s going to be really different, [and] I hope that I’ll be able to be even more productive at work during the work times so that when I leave, I can leave that aside.” While students like sophomore Kaavya Ahuja have said they are comfortable with long-term substitutes, Ahuja, who has Finck for French 2, also believes the transition from having the substitute to switching back to her original teacher might be difficult. “We spent so long with this substitute, and we got to know her,” Ahuja said. “When we’re finished with actually getting to know her, right then we get to the new teacher, and we have to do it all over again, so it’s kind of hard.” However, Finck thinks long-term substitute situations allow for students to develop the ability to adapt. “I think it’s good for them to have somebody else — to see that there are other people out there,” Finck said. “It’s probably refreshing for them not to have me all the time.”

PHOTO BY HILARY BARRON | USED WITH PERMISSION

Social Science teacher Hilary Barron shares a photo of her daughter, Elizabeth Julien.

Total number of teachers taking leave Teachers who took maternity/paternity leave Only teachers who took leave for greater than six weeks during the month of August are counted.

7 6

2019

2020

2021

NEWS | OCTOBER 2021

CUPERTINO LIBRARY UNDERGOES UPDATES Following the new construction at the Cupertino Public Library BY NAMEEK CHOWDURY AND TANISH MENDKI

ccording to Cupertino Mayor Darcy Paul, library expansion was first part of a Civic Center reconstruction plan. It originally included a reconstruction of City Hall, which is adjacent to the library, as well as a new building called the Community Hall which would have meeting spaces for community members to gather. “The thought was, if we build a new City Hall, we can expand the library as well for community usage,” Paul said. “Ultimately, because our library grew to be such a popular amenity, probably the most popular amenity in our city, it ended up being very obvious that we needed meeting space within the library itself. It was an incredibly positive thing for our city that we essentially said, ‘let’s split these projects.’”

NOVEMBER 2014

Nov. 19, 2020

The Cupertino City Council unanimously approved a total grant of eight million dollars in funding for the library expansion project, starting the process for the addition.

The expansion project was in its planning state. The city created official documents for the construction and issued a request to companies called design-build entities to submit planned proposals for the construction that also included a cost estimate. “When we were considering it, we were still looking at relatively minimal prices,” Paul said. “In around 2015, I think they were pricing out somewhere in the six to seven million dollar range. Right now, the total budget of library expansion sits right around 10 million, but that’s with everything — contingencies, the consultant fees, all the architectural design. That’s significantly less than something like a City Hall where we wouldn’t be able to pay for that in cash.”

March 13 - May 20, 2020 ULTIMATELY, OUR LIBRARY GREW TO BE THE MOST POPULAR AMENITY IN OUR CITY.

CUPERTINO MAYOR DARCY PAUL

PHOTOS | TANISH MENDKI

EL ESTOQUE | OCTOBER 2021

July 29, 2020

Four design-build entities (DBE) submitted proposals for the expansion. Through a selection process that considered price, technical design expertise, schedule, construction expertise and more, Rodan Builders, Inc. and SVA Architects, Inc. were chosen for the project. “We have pioneered in Cupertino a relatively newer way of delivering this project, and that’s known as a design build bid,” Paul said. “So you basically ask people to bid out between an architectural team as well as a construction team. They’re coming in as a cohesive unit, and they’re putting in a bid. That, from the very outset, tells them to form a team and talk to each other, and to be able to really minimize chances of miscommunications that occur, because you’ve created this artificial barrier between the people that are designing and the people that are building.”

The construction officially began at the library with the old one-story southwest building being demolished. “The restrictions from COVID has have really benefited the construction quite a bit,” Paul said. “Construction has been going on for about seven months and it’s a very, very productive time. One of the silver linings of the pandemic is that we have had the quieter time to be able to create that construction, because of course, if this were in the middle of regular activity, you’d have so many people coming in [with] all that construction activity, and it would have been pretty difficult to balance.”

February 2021

DECEMBER 2021 “Construction is still scheduled to be complete at the end of this calendar year,” Cupertino library director Clare Varesio said. “We are hopeful that we will be able to open these new rooms to our library patrons in January 2022.” Paul however, believes that a more realistic timeline will be February of next year because “for these types of projects you almost have to add at least two months.” Paul aims to hold a special event to celebrate the expansion whenever it ends. “One of the things that I’ve been planning out this year is trying to have a nice community gathering [or] a forum of sorts — I’m calling it the inaugural ‘Cupertino Mayor’s Cup Challenge,’” Paul said. “I think [it] would be a really great use of that gathering space from the outset.”

NEWS | OCTOBER 2021

MAKING A COMEBACK Student life recovers from a year on Zoom BY ALEX ZHANG DEBATE CLUB

2023 CLASS OFFICE

During school rallies, junior Every Wednesday, junior Avani Kulshreshtha heads to room A211. Justine Garcia usually stands in There, as a Director of Kennedy for the first row, cheering on her class. Debate Club, she helps teach novice As the Class of 2023’s President, she’s responsible for hosting school members. Unlike last year’s online meetings, activities. According to Garcia, a benefit of she will see members face to face, an experience she says will give the an on-campus rally is the renewed club the chance to better educate levels of class participation. She says that while its members. online events “I do think MORE PEOPLE ARE carried advantages there will be MORE EXCITED TO like a bigger school more participation GET BACK INTO THE lip sync, physical among members, LOOP OF THINGS. rallies are often just because when more exciting. you’re in a physical CLASS OF 2023 “Last year got environment, PRESIDENT cut short and then people feel more JUSTINE GARCIA everything was encouraged to virtual,” Garcia said. raise their hand,” “So of course more people are Kulshreshtha said. Kulshreshtha notes that online more excited to get back into the tools still hold benefits, like being loop of things.” As the year progresses, Garcia able to attend tournaments on the believes that the spirit days planned East Coast. Kulshreshtha believes that the by Class office will only improve. “We’ve gotten back into the flow best route forward is a combination because we were working over of online and in-person meetings. “COVID hybrid model gives summer,” Garcia said. “So we were you the best of both worlds,” able to talk to our liaison about what events are going to look like.” Kulshreshtha said.

PHOTO | JISHA RAJALA

Senior Atmaja Patil promotes her club during Club Information Day.

EL ESTOQUE | OCTOBER 2021

VIDEO MAKING CLUB During remote learning, junior Amy Hu was unable to find a filmmaking club, so she started Video Making Club. As president, Hu hopes to provide students with the opportunity to learn about film and video editing. Given the club’s initial formation during an online environment, Hu has worked hard with the officer team to ensure a variety of oncampus workshops and projects. “We want to utilize this in-person opportunity to use better technology [and] have better workshops that are more hands-on,” Garcia said. She adds that given the nature of video making and the functionality of Zoom workshops, VMC will likely continue to pursue online events, like virtual guest speakers. Overall, Hu believes VMC will be able to combine the new on-campus experience while still retaining parts of last year. “Depending on the future COVID guidelines … [and] once VMC is more developed, I would love to have an in-person field trip to a place where our club can make videos,” Hu said.

PHOTO | SHIVANI VERMA PHOTO | SHIVANI VERMA Junior Justine Garcia helps set up before the Welcome Back Rally.

TAKE OUR SEPTEMBER NEWS QUIZ Test your knowledge of key events this month

BY RIYA RAVURI AND MATTHEW YOSHIMOTO

Abortion

Who was the leading How many new products Republican candidate did Apple announce during the California during its promotional recall election? event held on Sept. 14?

(Answer: “____ all ____”)

In which county did the Caldor Fire start?

ILLUSTRATIONS | GAURI MANOJ

Marvel

What nickname did Shang-Chi take on in the movie “Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings”?

1) Larry Elder; 2) Homecoming dance; 3) “Eliminate all rapists”; 4) El Dorado County, 5) Category 4 hurricane; 6) Los Angeles Unified, ; 7) War on Terror; 8) d. 63; 9) Five; 10) Shaun

Answers:

Apple

Clubs

How many clubs participated during Club Information Day? (Answer: a. 42, b. 51, c. 58 or d. 63)

Wildfire

Who was the leading What was the name of Republican candidate the military campaign during the California launched after the 9/11 recall election? attacks?

Who was the leading What did Texas Gov. Republican candidate Greg Abbott say the state during the California will do to justify the new recall election? abortion restrictions?

9/11

What was the first major district in the U.S. to require vaccination for students to attend school in person?

What school event was supposed to take place on Oct. 2 but got canceled due to COVID-19 safety precautions?

Vaccines

Recall

School

Hurricane

Who was the leading Hurricane Ida was Republican candidate categorized as what during the California classification? recall election?

Who was the leading Who was the leading Republican candidate Republican candidate during the California during the California recall election? recall election?

NEWS | OCTOBER 2021

CLOSED CAMPUS Should students be able to leave campus during brunch and tutorial? BY DIYA BAHL

SENIOR CAMRYN HARVEL: YES

PHOTO | DIYA BAHL

“I think there should be an open campus [during tutorial and brunch], only because some people aren’t doing anything during those times, so why require them to stay?” Harvel said. Harvel believes that an open campus during brunch and tutorial should be implemented in order to accommodate getting food or spending time with friends outside of school. According to Harvel, the desire to leave school during breaks has especially increased with the ability to drive. “It is different now [that I can drive] because I can just go anywhere and it’s way easier and faster [than walking].”

ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL JANICE CHEN: NO

“[Tutorial] should be [a] time for students to utilize productively to go see teachers, to get extra help, to make up assignments or tests or to work with their group members if they need some extra time,” Chen said. “It should really be time for students to hopefully shave off homework time at the end of the day so that they can go to sleep earlier or spend more time with their family.” She believes patrolling the parking lot is necessary, especially during the beginning of the school year in order for to students re-familiarize themselves with what is and isn’t allowed on campus. “[Patrolling the parking lot] usually happens during the first couple weeks of school,” Chen said. “I think because of COVID-19, students haven’t necessarily been on campus, especially ninth or 10th graders, so [patrolling the parking lot is] for reacclimating folks to our school rules.”

PHOTO | DIYA BAHL

JUNIOR URMI SUMANT: YES

PHOTO | DIYA BAHL

EL ESTOQUE | OCTOBER 2021

“I haven’t [tried to leave campus during tutorial],” Sumant said. “I usually do homework during tutorial because there’s always so much work to do, and on top of that, there’s extracurriculars and other activities at home.” Though Sumant personally uses tutorial time to finish homework, she believes those who would rather spend the allotted 35 minutes outside of school to get snacks or spend time with their friends should be able to. “I think [an open campus] would be a good idea,” Sumant said. “If [a student] wants to go somewhere to just have fun, relax or, for example, go to 7-Eleven for snacks, then I think that should be an option.”

CHANGING SCHEDULE Are students and staff in favor of the new bell schedule? BY ISHAANI DAYAL

MATH TEACHER KATHLEEN MCCARTY: YES

“I teach AP Stats, so [we] can really build on the concepts that we’re learning and I don’t feel rushed,” McCarty said. “Wednesday is a catch up day where I try not to bring in anything new. [I] love the 90 minutes of working with [students].” McCarty administers tests on block schedule days for more flexibility with time. She explains that the additional time for testing has also benefited students with 504 plans, which allow certain learning accommodations to students with disabilities. PHOTO | ISHAANI DAYAL

SENIOR JONAH TIEN: YES

PHOTO | ISHAANI DAYAL

“Before we went [to] virtual [learning], I always wanted to have more block schedules in person because I felt like we got more done in [those periods],” Tien said. “[Block periods were] more fun because you actually got to be more involved in the classroom rather than just sitting there and having things pass over your head. You could ask the teacher questions, you could be more actively engaged.” Tien also appreciates the seven period schedule on Wednesdays, however. His only grievance is that he finds himself having more homework on Tuesday nights to prepare for Wednesdays, but Tien describes it as a “minor factor” in the bigger picture.

SENIOR VIDHYA KALIMANI: NO

“It’s a very tiring schedule, because there’s a seven period day in the middle of the week and we end up getting a lot of homework for it,” Kalimani said. “I don’t prefer block schedules because I can’t focus for that entire one and a half hours, and [there’s a] lack of communication on certain days because we only see [teachers] three out of five days. I would rather see somebody or see the class every day for shorter periods than some days for long periods.” Kalimani’s freshman and sophomore year adhered to the previous bell schedule, which she prefers over the altered schedule this year.

PHOTO | ISHAANI DAYAL

OPINION | OCTOBER 2021

REQUIRING VACCINES Should MVHS administration require proof of COVID-19 vaccinations for students? BY JIYA SINGH

JUNIOR AMBHRANEE YAKKUNDI: YES

PHOTO | JIYA SINGH

“We have herd immunity with vaccination[s], and the more people that get their vaccination, the less cases we’re gonna have,” Yakkundi said. Yakkundi, who received the vaccine as soon as she was eligible in the spring, believes that vaccinations should be mandatory for students at MVHS to ensure a safe and healthy learning environment. “People shouldn’t feel pressured to protect other people,” Yakkundi said. “They should just [get the vaccine] because they should want to protect other people and showing vaccination proof shouldn’t [require] much of an effort.”

SENIOR PARTH AERON: NO

“[Student vaccination requirements] are going to make some people angry,” Aeron said. Aeron is vaccinated and admits feeling safer going out in public since his vaccination — however, he still believes that MVHS should not require proof of vaccination for students. “I don’t think [requiring student vaccinations] is right for someone that didn’t vaccinate themselves … even though they probably should,” Aeron said. “There have been no COVID-19 cases on campus yet], so I don’t think [vaccinations] are that necessary, probably not for a while.”

PHOTO | JIYA SINGH

FRESHMAN JEFFREY SONG: YES

PHOTO | JIYA SINGH

EL ESTOQUE | OCTOBER 2021

“There should be [a vaccination requirement] — that way we can make this school a little bit more safe,” Song said. Song’s family, with the exception of his two year old sister, is vaccinated. While he believes that everyone should get the vaccine, he understands that some may not feel comfortable after hearing of its “after effects”. ”[Mandatory vaccinations] might not 100% prevent [COVID-19 cases], but at least there’s less of a chance of [people getting COVID-19],” Song said. “Students would probably feel pressured, but if it helps to make the school safer, I think that it is worth it.”

ABOVE THE NOSE How do students and staff feel about the mandatory mask rule?

BY ANUSHKA DE AND LILLIAN WANG

SOPHOMORE KAAVYA AHUJA: PRO

“I don’t really hate masks or love them,” Ahuja said. “It’s not really that hard to breathe, but sometimes they fog up my glasses.” Ahuja says that her glasses are the only real drawback of the mandatory mask rule, emphasizing the importance of wearing a mask during the COVID-19 pandemic. “I think we should keep wearing masks until the pandemic fully goes away,” Ahuja said. PHOTO | LILLIAN WANG

PHYSICS TEACHER MICHAEL LORDAN: PRO

PHOTO | LILLIAN WANG

“There are certainly challenges [when wearing masks],” Lordan said. “Just from a personal level, there’s a certain discomfort associated with wearing a mask, but the fact that we can be in person is worth it.” Lordan finds some of the limits the mandatory mask rule has placed on student activities disconcerting, such as not being able to eat during club meetings at lunch. “Not being able to do the things that I normally do has been a learning curve, but I’m getting used to it,” Lordan said.

SENIOR JOHN WINTON: PRO

One argument against masks that Winton often hears is that wearing one makes it difficult to breathe. However, Winton believes people with breathing issues should consider consulting a medical professional before opting to not wear a mask in public. “I think it’s important to wear a mask,” Winton said. “Do it to be respectful and courteous of others, because it’s not just to protect yourself, it’s to protect other people.” PHOTO | ANUSHKA DE

OPINION | OCTOBER 2021

SCHOOL EVENTS What is a school event that people should never miss? BY MICHELLE CHEN

FRESHMAN NAOKA BABA: SCHOOL DANCES

PHOTO | MICHELLE CHEN

“Probably one of the bigger dances because it’s a fun time to socialize with your friends,” Baba said. Baba anticipates the dances at MVHS because she believes that high school is a “bigger version” of middle school. Moreover, she looks forward to fully experiencing the dances without additional organizing and planning responsibilities. “In middle school, I was in Leadership so I had to set up the dances,” Baba said. “It was fun doing stuff behind the scenes, but I didn’t get to participate.”

SCIENCE TEACHER AND LEADERSHIP ADVISOR JENNA SMITH: HOMECOMING WEEK

Although Smith believes that picking a single event is “practically impossible,” she says that she would choose Homecoming week. “It’s the first main thing that’s huge on campus that offers the opportunity to anybody to get involved in a variety of ways, and it’s the first time our whole school gets together for a common cause,” Smith said. While Smith believes that the Welcome Back rally is similarly important because of its proximity to the beginning of school, she describes how Homecoming has a “whole new aura about it” due to its long planning process.

PHOTO | MICHELLE CHEN

SENIOR JACOB VRABEL: RUNNING OF THE BULLS

PHOTO | MICHELLE CHEN

EL ESTOQUE | OCTOBER 2021

“Aside from getting your IDs and [photos taken], it’s a way to get familiar with the school and to take a look at it before you actually start going to class,” Vrabel said. Vrabel, who moved here after ninth grade, describes ROTB as his first impression of MVHS. He also cites how the New Student Lunch event, which is typically held around the same time as ROTB, helped him socially. “It was nice to meet with people who were in the same situation because it’s a weird experience moving midway through high school,” Vrabel said. “It was nice to connect with other people and help to take an edge off the nervousness.”

MATADOR FAMILY ADDS MEMBERS TO ITS RANKS New staff share about where they’re coming from and what brought them to MVHS

BY MEGGIE CHEN, SOPHIA CHEN, CRYSTAL CHENG, MIKAYLAH DU, ANNA KAMINITZ, RIYA RAVURI, JANNAH SHERIFF, PRISHA TIWARI, SONIA VERMA, MIRA WAGNER AND MATTHEW YOSHIMOTO PHOTO | SOPHIA CHEN

DOUG LERESCHE Born in Zimbabwe, Africa, case manager and resource teacher Doug Leresche recalls how his experiences in high school shaped him into the educator he is today. “The economy and political situation was really bad, so there were food shortages and money shortages and various issues throughout that time as well which also impacted how I look at the world,” Leresche said. Before working in education, he worked for PASSOP, a refugee and human rights organization and with Services for Brain Injury, a nonprofit organization that consists of working with adults with disabilities. Currently, he is in the process of obtaining his teaching credential from Santa Clara County’s credential program. Leresche appreciates his bond with students and having the ability to help them achieve more than they thought was possible. Leresche acknowledges that one of the largest challenges he

has faced through his educational life is “navigating the balance between academic rigor and mental health.” “I do think that more could be done [at MVHS] to focus on [the] well-rounded

aspects of a person,” Leresche said. “Being someone who’s done sports, cultural activities and various other things my whole life, I think there’s more to life than just academics.”

PHOTO BY LIFON HUNYH | USED WITH PERMISSION

Resource literature teacher Doug Leresche helps his son drink water on a trip to Switzerland.

SAPNA BHAGWAT

PHOTO | MIRA WAGNER

Long-term French substitute Sapna Bhagwat asks her students to do a little introspection, or in French, “un peu de d’introspection.”

EL ESTOQUE | OCTOBER 2021

After spending 12 years caring for her children as a stay-at-home mother, long term substitute Sapna Bhagwat decided to return to teaching. She is filling in first semester for French teacher Sarah Finck — Bhagwat says that French is a subject that piqued her interest in school and stayed with her. Describing her teaching career as a “natural progression,” Bhagwat started as a French tutor in India and later received her degree in French from Arizona State University. Bhagwat has felt supported by teachers in the language department. She also finds that her mentor, Pooya Hajjarian, has provided her with “constructive

feedback and wise council,” allowing her to improve in various aspects of teaching. “I [am] just look[ing] forward to meeting new students, who are amazing,” Bhagwat said. “They’re really dedicated, engaged and motivated. I’m just really blown away by how hardworking and committed they are.” Bhagwat mentions that she had always planned to return to teaching after her children were older. Now that one of her children is in middle school and the other is nearing the end of elementary school, she believed that this school year was an appropriate time to return. “I hope to grow as a teacher and to delve into a lot more culture,” Bhagwat said. “[I want to do] something that goes beyond the textbook to expose my students to more Francophone culture.”

STEPHANIE BODNARUK Art has always been a part of longterm art substitute teacher Stephanie Bodnaruk’s life. While much of her early imagination was fueled by watching what she says was an excessive amount of TV, as she got older, she was also able to find creativity in more structured art classes and activities. “I’m not a free-spirited type [of person] who was always keeping a journal,” Bodnaruk said. “I don’t have that kind of discipline. Some people are so prolific — art just spills out of them. I was not that way.” Growing up with immigrant parents that Bodnaruk describes as “really hard working,” Bodnaruk chose to pursue a more “practical” major in graphic design, since she didn’t believe she could make a living going the “full-on art route.” “I was doing 3D modeling and I just thought I’d rather work with clay than be sitting at a computer and pretending

like there’s clay in the screen,” Bodnaruk to revisit and explore 3D art after she said. “I was trying to be practical. I was took a ceramics class “on a whim.” trying to make a living out of being Since Bodnaruk grew up and still artistic and it didn’t work ... I realized lives in Sunnyvale, she wanted to teach that I’d rather close by, and do something when a position meaningful.” opened up at I HAVE A ROLE IN Bodnaruk MVHS, she GUIDING THEM TOWARDS became a decided to apply. [BECOMING BETTER substitute “I’m looking t e a c h e r forward to ARTISTS] AND THAT’S VERY for grades seeing students EXCITING TO ME, TO GIVE kindergarten b e c o m e through 12th better artists,” THEM THE OPPORTUNTITY grade as well as Bodnaruk said. TO LEARN NEW THINGS. a kindergarten “And that I have teacher for a role in guiding ART TEACHER two years at them towards STEPHANIE BODNARUK L.P. Collins that, and that’s Elementary very exciting to School, before me, to give them she decided to study studio art and the opportunity to learn new things. received her single-subject credential to I just look forward to seeing all the teach art. She also had the opportunity students progress.”

Long-term art substitute Stephanie Bodnaruk poses in the F106 art room. She substitutes for art teacher Jodie Johnson, who is out on maternity leave.

PHOTO | SOPHIA CHEN

FEATURES | OCTOBER 2021

EDDY MEDAL Walking anywhere from five to nine miles daily as he works around campus, Facilities Manager Eddy Medal describes himself as the “handyman of the school site.” His job entails managing the employees who maintain the physical appearance and function of the campus, including custodial, landscape and building maintenance. His first week working on campus was during the 2020 graduation ceremonies, and Medal said he had to “learn real fast and hit the ground running” but was proud he was able to quickly adjust to the new environment. Born in Santa Clara and raised in Milpitas, Medal previously worked at Santa Clara University, where he worked on landscaping and irrigation before shifting into facilities management. His job continued to expand from there as he took on more roles and gained familiarity with the campus. “At my previous job, I changed the whole campus with my two hands, and I

would like to do the same here,” Medal the higher education he wasn’t able to said. “I take a lot of pride in my work, access due to his socioeconomic status [and] my employees and I hope that I growing up, and his work in Education can have that same relationship here at now. “[Education Monta Vista.” has] always been Medal enjoys important to me, the hands-on [MY CAREER] WASN’T it just wasn’t aspect of his work [AN] ‘I WANTED TO DO available to me,” from his time as THIS IN LIFE.’ IT WAS JUST Medal said. “So a mechanic, but working in a has learned to GIVEN TO ME. THIS IS college setting, rely on his team WHAT I NEED TO DO, it was nice to of employees as a THIS IS WHAT I WAS see kids given manager. the opportunity I “I found my MEANT TO DO. didn’t have in my calling because I childhood. [My like to fix things — FACILITIES MANAGER career] wasn’t [an], I’m a mechanic by EDDY MEDAL ‘I wanted to do this trade,” Medal said. in life.’ It was just “So when things given to me, it got are broken, I just dropped in my lap and it’s been really like to fix them and the work isn’t really good for me. I came over here and I work. A lot of people veer away from was like, ‘This is what I need to do, this work, where I want to dive into it.” is what I was meant to do.’” Medal notes the contrast between

Facilities Manager Eddy Medal (left) works on construction behind the D building.

PHOTO | MATTHEW YOSHIMOTO

EL ESTOQUE | OCTOBER 2021

LISA MCCAHILL On her first day, special education teacher Lisa McCahill complained about her windowless classroom — a contrast from the beach and hiking trails near her home in Capitola. That night, she ordered a huge mural of a colorful sunrise over the beach and decorated her classroom with it, several plants and string lights — and a drawing from her 10-year-old daughter on the whiteboard. Both her newly decorated classroom and the welcoming nature of the staff helped McCahill feel comfortable at MVHS after 15 years of teaching special education at Saratoga High School. Although she originally wanted to be a veterinarian, McCahill’s experience in tutoring students with special needs stuck with her throughout the years. “I love working with [special needs] students,” McCahill said. “A lot of them have very different kinds of needs, but personality wise they make me laugh — they’re genuinely good people. They’re kind of developmentally immature, and so they don’t have that desire to lie.

They’re just pure, innocent people, and and presenting and having fun in the so they make you see that in everyone classroom,” McCahill said. “I love the people that I work with. Altogether it’s else, and want to be like that.” Because Asians make up a high a very positive environment, so I enjoy percentage of the MVHS demographic, coming to work.” M c C a h i l l worried about whether she could correctly pronounce the names of all her students and their parents. But once she saw the “faces and p e r s o n a l i t i e s” of her students, the name association and their pronounciation came more easily. “I love PHOTO | MEGGIE CHEN teaching — I like creating Special education teacher Lisa McCahill assists a student in her my lessons classroom.

DEREK LU

PHOTO | MEGGIE CHEN

English Teacher Derek Lu presents a lesson to his students in D207.

From his time as a student at Lynbrook High School, Lu remembers feeling unable to express himself due to the school’s heavy emphasis on STEM and the limited options for literature courses. This confinement that Lu experienced over the years ultimately fueled him to pursue a career in teaching literature. Lu was offered two jobs, one in south San Francisco and the one he currently holds here at MVHS and CHS; he notes that the school in south San Francisco is more socioeconomically and racially diverse and had a greater need for socialjustice-oriented teachers.

Despite these facts, Lu still felt he would be better suited to FUHSD. “This is actually my first teaching job, so I’m not only new to Monta Vista [but] I’m new to teaching as a profession, and it really is like serendipity that I ended up back in my old district,” Lu said. “I ended up choosing Monta Vista because I felt like even though this is a well-funded district, there’s still a need for passionate teachers. I also felt like growing up in San Jose, I could relate to these students and be the English teacher that I never had before.” Lu shares that the community has been his favorite part of his experience at MVHS, especially the students who have the tenacity to work hard in class. “I see a lot of myself in these kids,” Lu said. “And if I can even sway a handful of kids to become English majors, I consider that a job well done.” FEATURES | OCTOBER 2021

JOSH KUO During his first few years at MVHS, math teacher Josh Kuo was surprised by the lack of golf carts — in his previous district, there were staff members who patrolled the campus looking for students who weren’t attending class. Kuo notes that he has hardly seen students at MVHS ditching class and finds they are more motivated. Kuo’s career journey began in high school, when he tutored math to struggling students. He then tutored throughout college at a local tutoring center, HS2 Academy, and received his Bachelor of Science in Mathematics at UC Davis. Kuo then obtained his secondary Education and Teaching degree from San Jose State University. Kuo spent four years at Live Oak High School before teaching for three years at MVHS. He then spent the 20202021 school year at Lynbrook High School before returning to MVHS for his ninth year as a teacher this year. After

spending a year at LHS, Kuo mentions that the transition was quite smooth. During his time as a teacher, Kuo believes the most important thing he learned was how to build relationships with both students and staff. “It’s about growing together,” Kuo said. “It’s not a lot about teaching the methods — it’s about teaching the thinking. The dynamic [and] the atmosphere in the classroom is what keeps me in this industry. People ask me if I love math, [and] I [say], ‘I don’t love math. Math is just a tool for me.’ And they’re like, ‘Well, why do you teach math?’ It’s because I love the teaching experience.” He hopes that after a tough two years due to COVID-19, things will return to normal and run smoothly. “We have a lot of things that people take for granted, but we are very lucky to have all the resources around this community.”

PHOTO | PRISHA TIWARI

Math teacher Josh Kuo poses in his D103 classroom.

BROOKLYN SYLVE

PHOTO | MIKAYLAH DU

Health Clerk Brooklyn Sylve engages in conversation with another staff member in the nurse’s office.

EL ESTOQUE | OCTOBER 2021

On weekdays from 8 a.m. to noon, she’s assisting the nurse at MVHS. From 1:30 to 5:30 p.m., she’s nannying three kids. As soon as she gets home at 6 p.m., she starts reading assigned chapters and completing online assignments from her college professors. Then, on weekends from 10 p.m. to 8 a.m., she’s working as an EMT in a critical care unit. Health clerk Brooklyn Sylve is no stranger to a busy schedule — all throughout high school, she experimented with countless jobs including babysitting. She says those job experiences sparked the realization that she wanted to work with kids and pushed her to apply for the position of health clerk at MVHS. “I realized that [working with kids] was something that I wanted to do, but I’m also an EMT and I enjoy the medical aspect of medicine and the human body,” Sylve said. “I wanted a job that

involved the two … and this was a great way for me.” Sylve originally planned to become a nurse, but explains that her exposure and awareness about the profession caused her to rethink her previous goal. “Since the pandemic hit, I’ve talked to a lot of nurses and they told me about so [many] negative things and it’s been discouraging,” Sylve said. “I love medicine … but with this pandemic, it just made me think a lot.” Sylve’s new goal is to run a daycare out of her home, but keeps her previous dream as an option. “I love working with kids, so that’s my long term goal, but I am also going to school for nursing so if I do decide, I’ll already have my bachelor’s in something,” Sylve said. “Hopefully in the future, if not working at a daycare, [I’ll be] working at a school or somewhere where I could impact a child’s life.”

GRACE CHUANG

PHOTO | MATTHEW YOSHIMOTO

At one of the three cashier stands in the cafeteria at MVHS, Food Service Assistant Grace Chuang waits for the next student to scan their student ID to get the school lunch.

During summer, on one of her family’s occasional trips to Half Moon Bay, Food Service Assistant Grace Chuang, her husband and two daughters surveyed the harbor full of boats to purchase fish. She saw a fisherman’s sign listing “squid” and bought the last one; when they returned home, her husband cleaned, sliced and prepared sashimi. Formerly a stay-at-home mom for 15 years, Chuang cherishes the time she gets to spend with her family. In 1996, she finished her education in Taiwan and immigrated to the U.S. to pursue a master’s degree at California State University Long Beach. Chuang moved to the Bay Area in 2000, hoping to find a company that would allow her to obtain citizenship. After six years, she had her first child and quit her job at Semiconductor Design Service company to care for her family. Chuang made sure to stay active in her children’s lives at school. Two years ago while volunteering, she

noticed another parent working in and watch TV shows. Her family also the food service at Cupertino Union spends time hiking and sightseeing at School District, so Chuang applied for local parks. After choosing not to work on-call jobs as a Cafeteria Assistant. for over a decade, Chuang has a myriad of reasons for After hearing of returning to work. a job opening “Money,” at FUHSD, she I KNOW HOW THE Chuang said. applied and was SCHOOL [IS] RUNNING, “Exercise, and selected to start to try to make working at one of HOW TO SERVE KIDS, friends. Being a the three cashier ...WATCH OUT FOR THE mommy [who] stands in the KIDS. THAT’S WHY I stay[ed] at home, MVHS cafeteria the only thing I — a job that also TRY TO DO THE FOOD know is [my] kids includes helping SERVICE JOB. coming back clean kitchen [from school] surfaces, washing [watching dishes, organizing FOOD SERVICE ASSISTANT and the] Internet. [By and storing GRACE CHUNG working as a Food deliveries and Service Assistant,] restocking utensil I know how the carts. When not working, Chuang balances school [is] running, how to serve kids, … her responsibilities at home and watch out for the kids, that’s why I try to allocates time in her schedule to relax do the food service job.” FEATURES | OCTOBER 2021

HOMECOMING 2021 BY MICHELLE CHEN AND MATTHEW YOSHIMOTO

PHOTO | MICHELLE CHEN

Senior Issa Baca, one of the senior Homecoming court nominees, walks to the stage with his escort Science teacher Kenneth Gan.

PHOTO | MATTHEW YOSHIMOTO

The MVHS Dance team poses at the end of its performance during the halftime show as the crowd cheers. PHOTO | MICHELLE CHEN

PHOTO | MICHELLE CHEN

Senior Sophia Bokovikova poses after being crowned as Homecoming Royalty and receiving her sash from principal Ben Clausnitzer.

EL ESTOQUE | OCTOBER 2021

Senior Vy Pham performs in the Marching Band and Color Guard’s “Phases of the Moon” show.

ARTS&ENT Senior Marcella Fowlkes and other seniors chant their class cheer: “2-0-2-2 We’ll show you!”

PHOTO | MICHELLE CHEN

Senior Kassidy Yu plays marimba in the pit ensemble as part of the Marching Band and Color Guard’s “Phases of the Moon” performance.

PHOTO | MATTHEW YOSHIMOTO

The Class of 2022 continues the tradition of senior breakthrough to start the Homecoming rally, led by MVHS Cheer.

PHOTO | MATTHEW YOSHIMOTO

Junior Anika Lin gets lifted by her teammates and poses to the song “I Like It” by Cardi B during MVHS Cheer’s performance.

PHOTO | MICHELLE CHEN

Freshman Aiden Huang competes in the obstacle relay, which included tasks such as jumping over hurdles and diving through hamburger-shaped floaties.

PHOTO | MATTHEW YOSHIMOTO

Seniors Arune Sarma and Rhea Sidbatte dance together during the Class of 2022’s second performace of their Homecoming dance. ARTS & ENT | OCTOBER 2021

PHOTO | ISHAANI DAYAL

The Class of 2025 cheers with the conclusion of its first Homecoming skit. The skit finishes with an inspiring speech about the ups and downs of life, followed by the class cheer, “2-0-2-5, keepin’ it alive,” as the students celebrate.

PHOTO | APRIL WANG

A heart formation signals the end of the girls’ dance performance. The freshmen skit represents a gameshow adaptation of the “Game of Life” boardgame, following four characters through different stages of their adventure. The dance ushers in the next advancement in the game — shopping for homes.

PHOTO | ISHAANI DAYAL

Freshmen Lotus Wu, who helped choreograph the highly synchronized girls’ dance, rolls to the beat while “So Close” by NOTD and Felix Jaehn plays in the background.

EL ESTOQUE | OCTOBER 2021

PHOTO | ISHAANI DAYAL

MVHS mascots El Toro and Monty cheer on the performers from the sidelines as the contestants enter their final stage in the game — retirement!

CLASS OF

BY ISHAANI DAYAL AND TARYN LAM PHOTO | ISHAANI DAYAL

Freshmen Nichole Go and Rhianna Prendergast strike a pose while performing to “Adore You” by Harry Styles. The freshmen class officers browsed Spotify’s “today’s top hits” playlist, handpicking songs that stood out to them and compiling them onto a list before finding mashups to their favorite songs. PHOTO | ISHAANI DAYAL

2025

Right after the skit, freshmen Aarna Burji joins other students in wishing Lotus Wu a happy birthday. Burji recalls the excitement surrounding the moment along with the built sense of community.

PHOTO | ISHAANI DAYAL

Freshman Nihika Sabnis plays the gameshow host, offering a leveled stare towards the contestants while declaring the next event in the game of life: marriage.

PHOTO | ISHAANI DAYAL

Towards the end, freshman Jinyong Um is shocked to learn that there is no final winner of the gameshow — an important moral of the skit as well as real life.

ARTS & ENT | OCTOBER 2021

PHOTO | ANUSHKA DE

Sophomore Anuva Raut plays an evil black licorice in 2024’s Candy Land themed skit.

PHOTO | ANUSHKA DE

Sophomores Shivank Dhamija and Piyush Shanbhag perform headstands as Matthew Lau, Neiv Gupta, Pranai Raina and Dylan Chaahoub cheer from behind.

PHOTO | ANUSHKA DE

Sophomores Gracie Lee, Anuva Raut, Stuvi Vasha, Miriam Law and other dancers enter a pyramid formation while dancing to “Sour Candy” by BLACKPINK and Lady Gaga.

EL ESTOQUE | OCTOBER 2021

PHOTO | JUSTIN KIM

PHOTO | ANUSHKA DE

[Left to right]: Sophomores Dylan Chaahoub, Neiv Gupta, Pranai Raina and Matthew Lau run on stage while motioning to the crowd to perform their dance which featured breakdancing.

2024

1. Stuvi Vasha and Miriam Law dance to “Bad Romance” by Lady Gaga. 2. Performers hold up the sophomore banner after finishing their skit. 3. Sophomore and choreographer Pranai Raina performs a backflip.

class of

Performers flock to the center of the stage to cheer after finishing the third dance of the skit.

BY ANUSHKA DE AND SHIVANI VERMA

PHOTO BY MATVEY JENSSEN | USED WITH PERMISSION

ARTS & ENT | OCTOBER 2021

PHOTO | JAYANTI JHA

The Class of 2023 skit performers gather in a group at the end of their performance to celebrate. The participants shot confetti in the air and jumped up and down with excitement and happiness as they chanted their class chant, “Who you wanna be, 2023.” PHOTO | TVISHA GUPTA

PHOTO | MATVEY JENSSEN

Junior Anna Pullara acts out his part during the skit, which was centered around a story consisting of the MVHS principal being The girls’ dance performers dance to “Just Got Paid” for the second dance of the Homecoming replaced and a whirlwind journey through a skit, which was choreographed by juniors Kylie Chang, Catherine Huang, Aneesha Sinha, Clara Monopoly world to restore everything back to Takahashi and June Wang. normal.

EL ESTOQUE | OCTOBER 2021

The girls’ dance performers dance to “Low” by Flo Rida. Dancer Kashish Naggar says that since the song was from TikTok, the dance wasn’t too difficult to learn, despite some coordination challenges. PHOTO | JAYANTI JHA

The co-ed dancers perform to “Fireflies” by NCT Dream, choreographed by juniors Kylie Chang, Kayla Chang, Catherine Huang, Alicia Lee and June Wang. The participants finished off their final performance with energy and excitement.

PHOTO | JAYANTI JHA

The music for the girls’ dance consisted of three energy-filled songs — “Instruction” by Jax Jones, “Just Got Paid” and “Low” by Flo Rida.

2023

Junior Hayden Ancheta jumps over a group of dancers during the boys’ dance. Junior June Wang shares that the move added energy to the dance, and that they were confident leading up to the stunt.

class of

PHOTO | JAYANTI JHA

BY DEVIN GUPTA, TVISHA GUPTA AND JAYANTI JHA

PHOTO | MATVEY JENSSEN

ARTS & ENT | OCTOBER 2021

PHOTO | ADI SHUKLA

The Class of 2022 cheers in a huddle following the end of their homecoming skit performance for the final time. Following months of preparation making costumes, props, skit decs and learning choreography, they got the chance to finally show their spirit in front of a crowd of MVHS students and faculty.

PHOTO | ADI SHUKLA

The boys’ dance performers kick in the air during their performance. The boys dance contained multiple cartwheels and breakdancing performances.

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

PHOTO | LANCE TONG

Senior Ariyal Jain vaults over Senior Rudra Phalnikar in the seniors’ first coed dance performance.

PHOTO | LANCE TONG

PHOTO | ADI SHUKLA

Senior Sudhit Rao and Sabrina Yanagihara dance in the co-ed dance to “Kiss Me More” by Doja Cat, “Leave the Door Open” by Silk Sonic and “Turn Up the Music” by Chris Brown.

Senior Esha Ramachurn performs in the girl’s dance which was choreographed by senior Ariyal Jain, Rhea Sidbatte and Arshiya Choudary. Learning the choreography took several weeks and multiple meetings for the seniors to master.

2022

PHOTO | LANCE TONG

Senior Issa Baca, playing the part of Mr. Green flaunts his wealth prior to the boys dance. In the skit, Mr. Green was accused of stealing the diplomas, however he was not the thief.

CLASS OF

Senior Marlys Kutach performs in the girls dance to the songs “Salute,” by Little Mix, “16 Shots” by Stefflon Don and “Pretty Savage” by Black Pink.

!"#$$%&'$#($)*+,#$-.)"$#%&/0+$#$'-#+$'1*#)2'3

PHOTO | LANCE TONG

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SPORTS

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PHOTO BY ANNA KAMINITZ

Senior Carolyn Huang dribbles the ball as she navigates around opponents from Salinas High School.

Senior Ashley Twu dribbles down the field in a game against Lynbrook High School. MVHS lost to Lynbrook with a score of 3-2.

Senior Navarin Pirachai reaches out her stick to receive a pass against Salinas High School in the second quarter.

A Salinas High School defender blocks a shot from entering the goal. MVHS defeated SHS 5-1.

PHOTO BY ANNA KAMINITZ

SPORTS | OCTOBER 2021

PHOTO | LANCE TONG

34 07

Senior Cullen Pow attempts to shoot against Lynbrook High School. MVHS would lose in a sudden death overtime.

Junior Irene Chon practices passing with a teammate during warmups. MVHS would beat Saratoga High School 9-6.

Junior Mira Wagner shoots the ball during warmups as the boys game goes into overtime.

Senior Luke Bowman looks across the pool to set up a shot for a teammate. The resulting goal would force overtime, ending in an MVHS loss.

PHOTO | LANCE TONG

EL EL ESTOQUE ESTOQUE || OCTOBER JULY 2020 2021 PHOTO | LANCE TONG

PHOTO | MICHELLE ZHENG

PHOTO | LANCE TONG

PHOTO | MICHELLE ZHENG

4 1

Sophmore Himani Jha serves the ball against Harker High School. The serve aced her opponent.

Freshman Diya Sammanna prepares to receive a serve during a match. MVHS would beat Los Gatos 6-1.

Senior Karishma Goswami serves the ball and aces her opponent. Goswani would go on to win the point against Harker High School.

Senior Riya Rai practices her serve to warm up before a match. Rai committed to Boston University for tennis.

SPORTS | OCTOBER 2021 PHOTO | ANNA JEROLIMOV

Senior Lia Vorthmann tips an inside set against Mountain View High School. Vorthmann would end the game with 12 kills.

Freshman Kiana Mark attacks the ball against Mountain View High School. Mark has 129 kills this season.

Junior Krupa Shanware digs the ball against Palo Alto High School. Shanware had six digs by the end of the game.

Senior Lia Vorthmann prepares to recieve the serve against. Vorthmann would get seven digs.

PHOTO | ANNA JEROLIMOV

PHOTO | LANCE TONG

PHOTO | LANCE TONG PHOTO | LANCE TONG

EL ESTOQUE | OCTOBER 2021

PHOTO | LANCE TONG

Defensive Coodinator Tennyson Heen draws up a play during halftime against Lowell High School. The Matadors lost 53-14.

Senior Tristian Skov returns an interception that would eventually lead to an MVHS touchdown.

Junior Jeremiah Lo snaps the ball during a practice scrimmage before their game against Lowell High School.

Junior Greyson Mobley breaks a tackle at the line of scrimmage and runs down the sideline for a first down.

PHOTO | LANCE TONG

SPORTS | OCTOBER 2021 PHOTO | LANCE TONG

Sophomore Madelyn Wu successfully hits a shot on the fourth hole at Deep Cliff.

Junior Kelly Tung practices with her driver for an upcoming tournament at Baylands Golf Course.

Sophomore Audrey Luu practices her driving form during practice at Deep Cliff.

PHOTO BY SARAH LIU

PHOTO BY AGNES WANG | USED WITH PERMISSION PHOTO BY AGNES WANG | USED WITH PERMISSION

PHOTO BY AGNES WANG | USED WITH PERMISSION

EL ESTOQUE | OCTOBER 2021

Senior Ellie Hsu (middle) perserveres through the final stretch of a three mile race.

Sophomore Neal Jain (left) and junior Ethan Lam (right) in Newhall Park. This was Jains fourth race of the season.

Senior Justin Yu (middle) sprints towards the end of the race at Newhall Park. Yu ran a 16:50.

ATHLETE OF THE MONTH RYAN HONG BY ANNA JEROLIMOV AND LANCE TONG

enior Ryan Hong was first introduced to swimming by his uncle in eighth grade. After swimming competitively, Hong transitioned to water polo his sophomore year and has stuck with it. Hong remembers the first goal he scored on JV and how his teammates swarmed him after. “I will never forget that [goal],” Hong said. “That was really fun. That was the first goal of the entire game and the first game I ever played.” Hong used to be a field player, but eventually transitioned to the position of goalie after the previous one graduated. “Being a goalie in water polo, you definitely have to have the strongest legs on the team, [which] can be hard work,” Hong said. “Whenever you practice, all you do is train your less and your reflexes, as opposed to upper body work and stamina.” Hong shares that the thing he will miss the most when he leaves MVHS is talking in the locker room before and after games and practices. “We each have a nice little friendship with one another,” Hong said. “Every day, we all hang out together talking about our day, [cracking] jokes to each other. It’s being a part of a team.”

PHOTO | LANCE TONG

GAMES PLAYED

SAVES IN A GAME

YEARS ON VARSITY *Stats from 2018-2021

SPORTS | OCTOBER 2021

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Volume 52, Issue 1, October 8, 2021

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