I wanted to write this letter to persuade you that your assumption is wrong. Even though the average listing price for homes in Cupertino is right now is $1,651,276, according to the MLS listings, not every student at MVHS goes home to the same two-story surburban house. But,  after realizing that even I cannot not see  the financial diversity within our student body, I am in the same boat you are.

I still have this feeling, this hunch, that everyone around us does not go home to the same financial status.

But, I donít know where that feeling comes from. I cannot recall specific incidents amongst my friends or peers that confirm this belief.

To find those stories, I went out and talked to people who are more exposed to students with different income levels: teachers. I came back with stories that shocked me.

Stories of kids who live alone while their parents live in Asia. Stories of the student who has to convince his parents to pay for prom. Stories of the girl who canít afford the thousands of dollars it takes to be a cheerleader. Stories of seniors choosing community college though they were accepted into prestigious private schools. Stories of the girl who has to wake up early to print her assignments at school because she doesnít have a printer at home. Did you know these students went to MVHS?

I didn’t.

Sometimes, there seems to be this assumption at MVHS that the student who is sitting right next to you can afford it. Teachers assume students can print the PowerPoints at home. Clubs assume members can pay for the new t-shirt. Coaches assume athletes can afford the sports equipment.

Maybe these assumptions come about because two girls wearing identical Forever 21 outfits could be living two completely different lives at home. Two students with the same smartphone could have completely opposite financial situations. Essentially, the modern affordability of material items makes class at MVHS even more confusing.

Our Special Report this issue aims to counteract those side effects of a blended class structure at our high school. It reminds us that the people who surround us may be at different strata in the financial hierarchy.

Reporter Kevin Guo highlights the  unempoyed in the community through the Rotary Club, while  reporter Amelia Yang exposes how parents keep their children in the dark about their economic status and reporter Jacob Lui presents the life of senior Israel Young, who was honest enough to let us look into how his financial situation affects his academic effort.

Sure, this isnít some profound revelation ó we all know that at well-off high schools, we tend to forget that the student next to you might not be at the same income level. We tend to forget that that student next to you may not be able to print the assignment at home ó but as a staff, we decided it was too important to overlook any longer.