The Prospector

12/15/2025

On Wednesday, Dec. 10, students gathered in the quad during brunch to watch the Winter Formal Flash Mob. The performance promoted the upcoming Winter Formal, “Long Long Time.” It featured a dance routine choreographed and performed by students, followed by a dance proposal at the end, bringing festive energy and winter spirit to the school day.

Photos and reporting by .att_

12/15/2025

On Friday, Dec. 5, Cupertino High School held its winter social event with board games, card games, slime making, bracelet making and other fun activities. The event was organized by class councils from all four classes, who worked hard to ensure all students who attended had a good time. The turnout had been great and the event was filled with lighthearted, spirited energy from all classes.

Said Isabel Xiong, class of 2028 president, “Working with other classes was really fun, because everyone had their own ideas that they brought. Like the clash royal idea was the freshman’s idea, the slime making was ours, the sophomore’s, idea.”

However, there were some challenges that had to be tackled in terms of planning the event. Said Ziong, “First, a lot of our initial ideas got shut down. We wanted to do tag, a scavenger hunt, but our advisor said it wouldn’t be safe because people were running around.”

After getting past these hurdles, the event turned out to be a success and was an enjoyable experience for those who attended.

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12/12/2025

It's time... for Issue 3! Out now in all classrooms
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12/10/2025

The Prospector’s Issue 3 online articles are live NOW on our website, chsprospector.com! Check out the latest coverage on topics from the dangers of AI-generated videos to a history of Louvre art heists!

Artwork by Madalina Zheng, Cathy Wu, Alina Tie, Celine Zhang, Elaine Chen

12/10/2025

The Prospector’s Issue 3 online articles are live NOW on our website, chsprospector.com! Check out the latest coverage on topics from the CHS girls’ volleyball team to Cupertino Union School District’s latest budget challenges!

Artwork by Celine Zhang, Cathy Wu, Elaine Chen, Atrisa Rahgozar

12/04/2025

On Friday, Nov. 29, Cupertino High School’s varsity boys basketball team played their first home game of the season against Evergreen Valley High School. Although the team ultimately lost with a final score of 55-40, they were able to put up a strong fight and are confident in their ability to play well throughout the season.

Reflecting on how the team played, junior and captain Jarett P**n said, “Something we have to work on is taking care of the ball; especially against fast teams like Evergreen Valley, we have to control the pace and make sure to not give up easy points. A big reason why the game did not go our way was because we were not getting rebounds. One reason is because we were the smaller team, but I think we have to work on boxing out and fighting for the loose balls.”

The team is full of ambition and drive, already looking for ways to enhance their performance for upcoming games and demonstrating a love for the sport.

“My favorite part about being on the team is learning more about the game and playing at a more competitive level based on what I learn.” P**n further expands on the multifaceted nature of basketball. “Playing basketball also allows me to get to know new people and learn important communication skills that I can use off the court.”

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11/24/2025

What are you thankful for? Staffer on the Street Thanksgiving Edition
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11/18/2025

Students from all five Fremont Union High School District schools gathered in M***a Vista High School’s gym on Friday, Nov. 14 for the annual Intradistrict Fantastics Rally. The event — organized and run by the Intradistrict Council, with representatives from Cupertino, Lynbrook, Homestead, Fremont and M***a Vista High School — brought the district together for a time of energetic performances and friendly competition.

Throughout the rally, audiences were treated to a variety of student showcases, ranging from breakdancing to Bollywood fusion routines, each highlighting the creativity and talent across FUHSD.

“The performances were chosen based on interest from each school,” IDC Vice President and CHS representative Anika Mukherjee said. “We sent out signup forms across the district and targeted popular groups like Tino Dhadkan and M***a Vista’s Dance Team. A similar process was applied across the five schools in the district, and we were eventually able to secure two performance groups per school.”

The rally also included several entertaining, fast-paced games and competitions — such as wig snatching, basketball and a lively cheer-off — that kept the crowd hyped and engaged throughout the event.

“I wanted to show some school spirit, and I’ve never been to an IDC rally before, so I just thought it’d be a fun experience,” a FHS junior Soham Sahasrabuddhe said. “Fremont High School [should have won], and that’s not biased, they had a mascot when other schools didn’t.”

By the end of the event, FHS ultimately claimed first place, followed by LHS in second, MVHS in third, CHS in fourth and HHS in fifth.

“We were a little disappointed with the turnout from Homestead, which had a more sparse section,” Mukherjee said. “However, I felt that Tino, M***a Vista, Lynbrook and Fremont showed out and had a lot of spirit. My main goal was to ensure we used all available resources to promote the event, and despite the tight schedule and the difficulty of coordinating across five different campuses, I think we accomplished that.”

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Reporting by .j

11/16/2025

On Nov. 13-15, audience members in the Robert L. Gomez Theater were sent back in time as the Cupertino Actors Theatre brought to life the century-old story of the Radium Girls — a true story about the plight of the female factory workers that contracted radium poisoning in the 1920s. The CAT team has been working for months in preparation for this show, experimenting with new techniques onstage and behind the scenes. Said senior Alyssa Laughter, “My favorite part was, to put it simply, getting to experiment. I got to play three very different characters in Radium Girls, each one a different journey to learn and get to know.” Having been on CAT for three years and part of the drama department for four, Laughter believes that the most important thing she has learned from her years of acting is trust for her team. Said Laughter, “Doing a show is a true ensemble experience, and it takes every single person to put on a production, but taking risks and putting out a strong product isn’t possible if you don’t trust your own instincts at least to some extent. Confidence translates both onstage and behind the scenes.”

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11/16/2025

11/14/2025

On Friday, Nov. 7, the Fremont Union High School District’s Climate Collective—a group of students passionate about addressing environmental challenges—visited the Sunnyvale Materials Recovery and Transfer Station in hopes of gaining new insights on waste management and recycling.

Students of the FUHSD Climate Collective were invited to the center to learn about how trash is collected, sorted and processed. The field trip consisted of a brief introduction of how the center separates waste, followed by a guided tour of the facility. Students observed the machines and the newly integrated robots that organize trash. The experience helped students recognize the impact of consumption and allowed them to gain first-hand understanding on modern waste management.

“Following this field trip, I aim to highlight waste management within the realm of green career possibilities for students,” senior and Site Co-Lead Ira Lele said. “The knowledge gained from the field trip can be easily applied to our district’s student-led recycling program and data collection.”

Keeping the goals of the Climate Collective in mind, students part of the organization aim to raise awareness on the realities of waste accumulation and inspire other students to take action towards a more sustainable and greener future.

For Lele this trip was more than an educational experience — it was also a moment of realization about the scale of waste and the importance of being proactive. “All this trash is just one town, in one day, and that might seem overwhelming. The idea that each bottle we throw away can accumulate to such an extent is scary,” Lele reflected. “Yet in the same way, can one small step in the right direction not lead to something much, much greater? Don’t see these photos and get discouraged. Instead, get inspired, get connected, and stay resilient.”

Photos and reporting by and Emily Chen

11/13/2025

On Thursday, October 30, Cupertino High School’s cross country team attended the Cross Country FUHSD Championships hosted by Lynbrook High School. Facing Lynbrook, Homestead, M***a Vista, Santa Clara, Fremont and Wilcox High School, the competition was a 2.1-mile race starting off at the Lynbrook track, before continuing on to the rest of the school and the surrounding area. Varsity boys placed third, with the best runner being Colin Wang who came 10th with a time of 10:50. Varsity girls had some incredible times with Ella He coming first with a time of 12:08 and Nimeesha Kolari coming second with a time of 12:21.

Photos and reporting by , Anderson