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El Estoque Online

El Estoque is the print and web-based student news publication at M***a Vista High School in Cupertino, Calif. Are you always the last to know? Know it now.

elestoque.org is the site for breaking news, features, sports and entertainment at MVHS.

11/05/2024

Advanced and Honors Drama performed four modern, comedic adaptations of Shakespeare’s “Julius Caesar” as their annual fall play on Friday, Nov. 1. The adaptations included “Debate,” a parody of the presidential debate between Trump and Biden; “Prom,” in which Caesar attempts to get a prom date; “Heist,” in which two opposing groups try to rob the same bank; and “Trial,” which calls out the terrors of American bureaucracy.

Each skit’s team of students spent just over a month preparing, from writing and blocking to building sets and rehearsing. Despite this quick turnaround and some last-minute technical issues with the sound and cues, senior Aarushi Jain, who played Kamala Harris in “Debate,” feels the play went well overall, especially given the audience’s consistent laughter.

“With the technical issues, there’s no way to prevent that,” Jain said. “I’m just glad that we all got through it. The cast did a really good job pulling everything together.”

Photos and reporting by Sophia D’Sa and Giljoon Lee

11/04/2024

Varsity Girls Tennis won 6-1 against Los Gatos High School on Tuesday, Oct. 29 for their last home game of the season. The Matadors were able to secure their win early on in the game by winning four of their seven matches. For senior night, the team honored five seniors with posters and a celebration planned by their teammates. Before the match, the underclassmen players decorated the outside of the tennis courts with posters, balloons and gift baskets filled with photos and messages. Senior and doubles player Varsha Iyengar says the fact that it was senior night helped with the team’s spirit and her performance.

“While playing, everyone was hyped up today because it’s senior night and it’s our last home game,” Iyengar said. “Today I just wanted to play my game and not really think about anything else, so that I would be most confident. The rest of the team, other than the seniors, went out of their way to plan everything for senior night. They kept it a surprise for us seniors, and I could tell that they put a lot of thought and effort into the preparation, which was really nice to see.”

Photos and reporting by Arshiya Sen and Arushi Singh

11/03/2024

This is Volume 2 of El Estoque’s “Arts & Ent: In Review,” in which staff review recently released media, including albums, movies, EPs, TV shows, books and games. Swipe to read the second volume’s mini-reviews.

9/27: “Coyote” by Tommy Richman - Reviewed by Isabelle Kok
9/27: “Timeless” by The Weeknd and Playboi Carti - Reviewed by Samuel Teo
10/3: “Wizard of Legend 2” by Humble Games - Reviewed by Raj Thapliyal
10/4: “Good Neighbours” by Good Neighbours - Reviewed by Varun Singh
10/9: “Starting 5” by Netflix - Reviewed by Samika Bhatkar
10/11: “Last Lap” by Rod Wave - Reviewed by Benjamin Zhang
10/25: “The Great Impersonator” by Halsey - Reviewed by Arushi Singh
10/25: “&” (Ampersand) by Bastille - Reviewed by Vaishnavi Katukam
10/25: “Magpie” by Peach Pit - Reviewed by Jillian Ju

11/02/2024

Freshman Sasha Ryabov finds joy through a variety of sports, namely go-karting and tennis. In early elementary school, he was introduced to the fast-paced world of go-karting by his dad, who had also previously competed in it. When Ryabov was eight years old, his dad drove him to Nevada for a go-karting tournament for a large age range — from kids to semi-professional adults — from all over the country, an experience he says was one of his most memorable.

Ryabov placed at and won multiple tournaments in go-karting, and he says he felt part of a supportive community during his years competing. However, when his little sister was born, his parents had less time to take him to go-karting tournaments, so he began to pursue tennis instead. His dad coached him throughout this journey, and to this day, tennis is the sport that Ryabov feels the most motivated to practice.

Ultimately, he hopes to continue enjoying both sports for the simple joy of it rather than compete professionally, even if given the opportunity.

“I’ve heard from many people that once a sport becomes more than a hobby, it sort of loses its fun in a way,” Ryabov said. “I love tennis and I love go-karting, but am I willing to spend all my free time on the sport? Probably not. I have so much to discover, so much to learn.”

Photos courtesy of Sasha Ryabov
Reporting by Jason Chu and Sophia D’Sa

10/31/2024

The Cupertino Youth Activity Board hosted its bi-annual Pizza and Politics event as part of its effort to augment teenage participation and voices in community affairs on Wednesday, Oct. 30. The two-hour event was split into three segments, beginning with a Mayor Roundtable, continuing with the Youth and Teen Commissioner Roundtable and ending with the Teen Debate. Students in attendance also enjoyed free pizza.

Sophomore and chair of the Cupertino Teen Commission Shivika Biswari decided to participate in the event as a discussion moderator because of her desire to help educate the local community. Biswari hopes that her leadership will inspire other youth to take the opportunity to join local Commissions of their own.

“Like many of the other panelists, I’ve always wanted to make some sort of impact on my community in any way,” Biswari said. “We as the youth have a voice in our government, and I wanted to be a part of the impact.”

Photos and Reporting by Vaishnavi Katukam and Kate Yang

10/27/2024

MVHS held its Pink Out Spirit Day in the rally court on Friday, Oct. 25 during tutorial and brunch. The event, coordinated by Leadership, was in honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month and followed the Pink Out football game the previous night. Students and staff decked out in pink-colored apparel received free pink lemonade, ribbon pins and stickers, and were given the opportunity to donate coins towards cancer research. Participants could also write down the names of family members and friends on a remembrance poster, to recognize those they know who are impacted by breast cancer.

ASB Secretary and senior Miya Kosakura recalls that different commissions and class offices had various jobs to prepare for the event; these tasks included obtaining water containers from the athletics shed, crafting ribbons during class, gluing pins and making stickers. While she acknowledges some setbacks with the lemonade not turning out pink as previously intended, Kosakura believes the Pink Out helped lift school spirits while still addressing the topic at hand.

“There’s so much you can do with Pink Out — so many activities and events,” Kosakura said. “It’s such a great way to show school spirit and promote this month. Personally, I have family members and friends who have been affected, so this month is really important to me.

Photos and reporting by Megha Mummaneni

10/24/2024

The MVHS Music Department held its first concert of the year, called “An Instrumental Spooktacular,” on Friday, Oct. 18. The Halloween-themed program included pieces such as the Phantom Waltz and The Witching Hour, along with more joyful pieces such as Nausicaä Requiem from the film “Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind.” With performances from String Orchestra, Concert Band, Wind Ensemble and Chamber Orchestra, the concert utilized different elements to add to the spooky atmosphere, such as turning off the lights and using flashlights to illuminate the room, as well as Music Director John Gilchrist wearing a witch’s hat and cape while conducting.

Senior and principal euphonium player Dhruva Ramachandran believes that the concert went much better than it has gone in past years, serving as a great debut for the year.

“I think we were able to put out a much more refined performance than we were able to in years past,” Ramachandran said. “I hope we can continue to play more music and get some stuff that’s really challenging. If everyone puts in the work then we can really do the music justice.”

Photos and reporting by Sagnik Nag Chowdhury and Dylan Nguyen

10/23/2024

Varsity Football fell to Jefferson High School 15-14 on Thursday, Oct. 17. Though neither of the teams were able to put points up on the board during the first half, JHS took the lead by scoring a touchdown late into the third quarter. However, MVHS scored a touchdown shortly after, ending the third quarter in a tie. In the first possession of the fourth quarter, MVHS scored a 63-yard touchdown, allowing them to gain the lead but another JHS touchdown and two-point conversion late in the fourth quarter allowed JHS to take the win. Junior and center Krish Kotecha pointed out the team’s strong defense in the first half but believed the team could benefit from more practice running through plays so that it could succeed in its last few games of the season.

“The defense did really well, they set the pace and the energy which led the team in the first half,” Kotecha said. “Our offense had a decent game, but we need to tighten up some of our plays like screen and trap. I think if we keep doing what we’ve been doing, locking into film and studying up so that our defense continues to look good, then we’ve got these next games.”

Photos and reporting by Ananda Singh

10/21/2024

Varsity Girls Volleyball won 3-0 against Gunn High School in its last game of the season on Wednesday, Oct. 16. Before the game, team members and families of players gave speeches to celebrate the end of the seniors’ last seasons.

MVHS began the game with a lead that the team maintained throughout the set, ending with a score of 25-14. In the second set, MVHS started off neck-to-neck with GHS but pulled ahead for the rest of the first set and carried the momentum to the third set, aiding them as they won 25-21 and 25-11 respectively. Junior Chloe Chen reflects on what the bittersweet departure of seniors would mean for the team and for the friendships they’ve forged.

“It’s really sad, honestly because a lot of the seniors have been on varsity for three or four years,” Chen said. “They all play such a big role in this team and we’ve all gotten so close to them over this past season. The team definitely won’t be the same without them, but I think it’s good that they’re getting an opportunity to go to college and move on.”

Photos and reporting by Yixuan (Joyce) Li and Liz Liu

10/20/2024

Varsity Girls Water Polo fell to Fremont High School 5-14 on Thursday, Oct. 17. FHS started strong, quickly scoring a few points early in the first quarter. Despite MVHS’s attempts to seize more shooting opportunities and tighten their defense throughout the game, FHS was able to maintain their momentum and close out the game.

Despite the loss, coach Himani Kukreja is optimistic for the rest of the season due to the improvements she has seen in her players. She specifically references the development in the team’s passing compared to previous games and good spacing and coordination in the offense.

“This game went well, even though our score might not reflect it,” said Kukreja. “Even over the course of the game, the players showed a lot of improvement. As long as we continue to work on our technical skills, that is the most important part, even if the scores might not reflect them.”

Photos and reporting by Jonah Chang and Ethan Yang

10/20/2024

Varsity Girls Volleyball fell to Homestead High School 3-2 on Monday, Oct. 13. MVHS ended the first set with a loss but came back by winning the next two sets. However, in the fourth set, Homestead won over MVHS with a score of 16-25. Ultimately, HHS closed out the game by winning the last two sets despite MVHS fighting hard throughout the match. Senior Kiana Mark noticed stark differences from other matches against Homestead, saying the environment of the game influenced both teams playing against each other.

“I definitely knew it would be like a really tough match because we played them two other times and the lastest time we also took them to five sets, but we won that game,” Mark said. “I knew this game would probably be different too because we’re now playing at their school. Last time we beat them, we played at our school, so I thought there was a little bit of home court advantage.”

Photos and reporting done by Subin Ko and Raj Thapliyal

10/17/2024

The City of Cupertino hosted its 21st annual Bay Area Diwali Festival of Lights in Memorial Park on Saturday, Oct. 12 from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. The festival celebrated the Hindu holiday of Diwali by hosting over 70 vendors who sold clothes, jewelry, artwork and other cultural items. In order to bring the community together, the event also showcased a variety of cultural activities, including arts and crafts, traditional food stalls and live performances.

One performer was Deepeksha Bhatia, who trained in traditional dance from the age of five until her senior year of high school. Bhatia grew up in a family passionate about dance feels that the art form is in her blood. However, she lost touch with dance after she went to college, making the festival her first live performance in 12 years.

“It feels very liberating to be on stage — it’s my second home, and I’m really glad I plucked up the courage to actually do this after such a long time,” said Bhatia. “Life kind of gets in the way and your focus becomes your career, but I think it’s really important to go back to your roots and what makes you happy.”

Photos and reporting by Meghna Dixit and Sana Karkhanis

10/16/2024

Varsity Girls Water Polo fell to Homestead High School 11-4 at 6 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 10 at the MVHS pool. Despite the MVHS’s strong defensive focus, Homestead pulled ahead and widened their lead in the fourth quarter. However, senior and point and flat Sophie Minogue notes a visible improvement, saying the team played much better compared to their last time playing against Homestead.

“We had a big team pep talk a couple days ago,” Minogue said. “We really worked on how we’re going to go into things with bigger, better mindsets. You’re not going to go into something with a bad mindset and actually win, especially if you don’t expect to.”

Photos and reporting by Ellie Wang and Asha Wojciechowski

10/14/2024

Varsity Girls Water Polo fell to Homestead High School 11-4 at 6 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 10 at the MVHS pool. Despite the MVHS’ strong defensive focus, Homestead pulled ahead and widened their lead in the fourth quarter. However, senior and point and flat Sophie Minogue notes a visible improvement, saying the team played much better compared to their last time playing against Homestead.

“We had a big team pep talk a couple days ago,” Minogue said. “We really worked on how we’re going to go into things with bigger, better mindsets. You’re not going to go into something with a bad mindset and actually win, especially if you don’t expect to.”

Photos and reporting by Ellie Wang and Asha Wojciechowski

10/13/2024

MVHS Choir held their debut concert in the Auditorium, followed by a reception for attendees in the band room on Friday, Oct. 11. The setlist included a mix of pop acapella pieces such as “Cheap Thrills” by Sia and “Don’t Stop Believing” by Journey, performed by Bella Voce and Variations respectively. The combined choirs also performed choral pieces like “In Meetings We Are Blessed” and “Earth Song” as the opener and closing songs of the concert, anchoring the night’s theme of “Sing. Be. Live. See.”

Vocal Music Director Lofn Young believes student input regarding the setlist helped create a uniform theme of community. Young also felt the most impactful part of the concert was the choirs’ sustained energy level and confidence, especially from Bella Voce, a class that only has six students this year.

“It’s six students that I know very well at this point, so I know their voices and I know their capabilities, and it truly just made me so excited,” Young said. “I have too much music for them this year, and I’m kind of letting them guide more of the direction of the group. They are so invested and so talented; they can really shape their own year.”

Photos and reporting by Samika Bhatkar and Alyssa Yang

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Throughout the Cupertino community, the older generation is at the forefront of innovation in sectors such as volunteering, education, policy making and more. Check out http://bit.ly/elders-of-cupertino to meet a few of the elders and learn about their stories of their time in the community.

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