Vaishnavi Katukam

Seniors who have participated in a high school sport for four years reflect on the ways their respective sport has impacted them

lthough they don’t plan on playing for a college the seniors discuss other ways they will continue to keep their connection to their respective sport alive

Vaishnavi Katukam
May 24, 2026

MVHS recognizes student achievements at it’s an annual senior award ceremony

With brief speeches across the categories, the seniors were honored for their impact on the school

Vaishnavi Katukam
May 24, 2026

MVHS creative clubs foster a space for students to learn how to craft

Jewelry Making, Bullet Journaling and Art Club share how they connect with their members through crafts

Sophia D’Sa and Vaishnavi Katukam
April 9, 2026

‘Pretty Lethal’ is strikingly beautiful and dangerously eccentric

Despite, clichés this action-thriller is engaging and fun with its cinematography

Vaishnavi Katukam
April 8, 2026

Dubs & Snubs

The 2026 award show season leading up to the Academy Awards is a heated race

Vaishnavi Katukam
March 6, 2026

MVHS Saturday Night Live 2026 entices audiences with top-tier humor

Hosted by Megan and Shawn Voigt, MVSNL featured 18 skits ranging from pop culture to politics

Meghna Dixit and Vaishnavi Katukam
February 9, 2026

Despite its flaws ‘Percy Jackson and the Sea of Monsters’ blows audiences out of the water

The adaptation is an improvement from Season 1 with action-packed scenes and plot changes

Vaishnavi Katukam and Srinikaa Naveenraj
February 7, 2026

In Review: Volume 4, 2026

El Estoque’s staff review recently released media, from Luke Chiang's "say that!" to heartwarming rom-com "People We Meet on Vacation"

Fiona Chen, Maahi Dev, Emmy Harimoto, Emma Ma, Sana Karkhanis, Vaishnavi Katukam, and Zaid Naqvi
January 29, 2026

The City of Cupertino hosts its 7th annual Spelling Bee

Elementary school students competed for prizes and recognition as the winner of this year’s spelling bee

Shreejay Arja and Vaishnavi Katukam
January 28, 2026

2025 Year in Review

Reviewing four of 2025’s most influential albums

Vaishnavi Katukam
January 25, 2026

EE-SPN Ep. 13: 2026 WNBA Draft Lottery

Discussing the projected top 5 picks of the 2026 WNBA Draft

Vaishnavi Katukam and Benjamin Zhang
December 13, 2025

MVHS staff and students discuss their Thanksgiving plans

From visiting beaches to eating water spinach, the MVHS community shares their unique Thanksgiving celebrations

Shreejay Arja and Vaishnavi Katukam
December 4, 2025

The City of Cupertino hosts its third and final Teen Speaker Series panel on Tech

Attendees learn about the schooling and career paths of the panelists

Vaishnavi Katukam
November 25, 2025

Bay Area residents rally in Palo Alto for the second nationwide ‘No Kings!’ protests

Protesters march from the intersection of El Camino Real and Embarcadero Street to Rinconada Park to gather for the “No Kings!” Democracy Fair

Radhika Dharmapurikar, Vaishnavi Katukam, Aprameya Rupanagunta, and Ellie Wang
October 29, 2025

The Class of 2027’s magical performance was a mouse-terpiece

Juniors pull off a wholesome Walt Disney-themed Homecoming skit, including iconic characters like Mickey Mouse, Tinker Bell and Cruella Deville

Vaishnavi Katukam and Juju Ling
October 6, 2025

Homecoming 2025

El Estoque's Arts & Entertainment section documents Homecoming 2025

Maahi Dev, Meghna Dixit, Rafaella Fantine Vargas Machuca Vento, Sana Karkhanis, Vaishnavi Katukam, Sih Yu (Melody) Lin, Juju Ling, Alexandra Perrault, Alexandra Qiu, Leo Wei, Kate Yang, and Benjamin Zhang
October 6, 2025

Scandals in sandals

El Estoque's Arts & Entertainment section explores 2025's problematic summer

Maahi Dev, Meghna Dixit, Rafaella Fantine Vargas Machuca Vento, Sana Karkhanis, Vaishnavi Katukam, Sih Yu (Melody) Lin, Juju Ling, Alexandra Perrault, Alexandra Qiu, Leo Wei, Kate Yang, and Benjamin Zhang
October 5, 2025

The Sydney Sweeney ad sparks controversy amongst netizens

Despite widespread online outrage over the tagline “Sydney Sweeney Has Great Jeans,” the campaign has flourished commercially.

Vaishnavi Katukam and Leo Wei
September 18, 2025

‘KARMA’ is an electric album that celebrates Stray Kids’ achievements

The K-pop group’s fourth album resonates with their listeners through vigorous beats and stellar vocals

Vaishnavi Katukam and Alexandra Perrault
September 12, 2025

MVHS art students finish 7-year-old mural

Three students finished the painting in June of 2025

Vaishnavi Katukam, Liz Liu, Alexandra Qiu, and Ritik Shenoy
August 31, 2025

In Review: Volume 7, 2025

El Estoque’s staff review recently released media, ranging from Ken Carson's surprise release to Maroon 5’s latest single

Samika Bhatkar, Ananya Chaudhary, Sagnik Nag Chowdhury, Jillian Ju, Sana Karkhanis, Vaishnavi Katukam, Giljoon Lee, Samuel Teo, and Kate Yang
May 27, 2025

PinkPantheress shatters all expectations with “Fancy That”

The mixtape stuns with its lyricism, sampling and creativity

Vaishnavi Katukam and Kate Yang
May 24, 2025

Time Out! Ep. 34: Saailey Palekar

Palekar shares her journey in Kathak, an Indian classical dance form

Vaishnavi Katukam
May 15, 2025

Localcations

El Estoque explores attractions in the area

Niveda Hari, Jillian Ju, Vaishnavi Katukam, and Isabelle Kok
April 23, 2025

Rancho San Antonio County Park & Open Space Preserve is revered for its scenery, wildlife and trails

The local attraction is beloved by all visitors, adults and kids alike, for its nature

Niveda Hari and Vaishnavi Katukam
April 21, 2025

In Review: Volume 6, 2025

El Estoque's staff review recently released media, ranging from Netflix's newest romcom to Lil Tecca's latest single

Ananya Chaudhary, Sagnik Nag Chowdhury, Vaishnavi Katukam, Samuel Teo, Varun Singh, Jillian Ju, Yixuan (Joyce) Li, Samika Bhatkar, and Isabelle Kok
April 11, 2025

Cupertino’s Earth Day and Arbor Festival sets a spotlight on environmental issues

The City of Cupertino hosted the interactive event to educate people and spread awareness on the environment

Vaishnavi Katukam and Kate Yang
April 11, 2025

‘Equus Asinus’ leaves fans searching for more

Canadian band Men I Trust barely nail the plot in their latest release

Vaishnavi Katukam and Kate Yang
April 5, 2025

‘MAYHEM’ is a masterful and fun dance-pop record

Besides being chaotic, "MAYHEM" keeps listeners on their toes with its astonishing delivery

Vaishnavi Katukam
March 24, 2025

Beyond the surface

The influence of Black history and culture on modern arts and entertainment

Samika Bhatkar, Ananya Chaudhary, Niveda Hari, Jillian Ju, Vaishnavi Katukam, Isabelle Kok, and Eshika Tiwari
March 13, 2025

The beauty behind Black history

Exploring the ways in which black culture has impacted today’s fashion, hair and makeup.

Ananya Chaudhary and Vaishnavi Katukam
March 10, 2025

In Review: Volume 5, 2025

El Estoque's staff review recently released media, varying from JENNIE's love hangover to Kendrick Lamar's controversial Super Bowl Halftime Show

Ananya Chaudhary, Samuel Teo, Raj Thapliyal, Samika Bhatkar, Isabelle Kok, Vaishnavi Katukam, Jillian Ju, and Sophia D
March 10, 2025

Varsity Badminton falls to Milpitas High School 19-11

Despite many close matches, MVHS ultimately loses to MHS

Vaishnavi Katukam and Aprameya Rupanagunta
March 9, 2025

‘Balloonerism’ pops Mac Miller’s musicality balloon

Miller’s emotion falls short with its repetitive nature

Vaishnavi Katukam and Kate Yang
February 3, 2025

The birds and the bees

El Estoque's Opinion section explores the stereotypes and issues MVHS observes within sex

Anika Bhandarkar, Ananya Chaudhary, Niveda Hari, Vaishnavi Katukam, Suhana Mahabal, Raj Thapliyal, and Asha Wojciechowski
February 2, 2025

In Review: Volume 4, 2025

El Estoque's staff review recently released media, ranging from LiAngelo Ball's first shot at music to Tate McRae's new pop experiment

Samika Bhatkar, Varun Singh, Raj Thapliyal, Vaishnavi Katukam, Jillian Ju, Trisha Sannappanavar, Sagnik Nag Chowdhury, and Meghna Dixit
February 1, 2025

Dark romance novels promote and romanticize abuse, illegal activity and a lack of consent

The novels have real-world implications and should not be dismissed just because they are fiction.

Niveda Hari and Vaishnavi Katukam
January 31, 2025

Cupertino’s Join-A-Ranger: Night Hike and Flashlight Tour offers attendees a glimpse into nature

Park Rangers educate attendees about the ecosystems, wildlife of McClellan Ranch

Vaishnavi Katukam and Kate Yang
January 27, 2025

Company founded by MVHS alum Tyler Rose ’25 is accepted into Y Combinator

Tyler Rose and Navvye Anand are co-founders of Bindwell, a company that develops AI models to help engineer pesticides, and are working to grow their buisness.

Vaishnavi Katukam and Giljoon Lee
January 14, 2025

Americans are becoming increasingly desensitized to problematic subjects and behavior

People are looking for entertainment value in serious topics, undermining their impact on victims

Vaishnavi Katukam and Asha Wojciechowski
December 9, 2024

The Cupertino Veterans Memorial honors veterans for their service

Veterans, active duty military and first responders honored with speakers and a musical performance at Cupertino Memorial Park

Vaishnavi Katukam and Kate Yang
November 18, 2024

Poll workers at the Cupertino Vote Center work to ensure an efficient voting process

Leads, Aides and Volunteers serve their community at the Cupertino Library 11-Day Vote Center, by assisting voters through the voting process, leading up to the election

Vaishnavi Katukam, Giljoon Lee, and Kate Yang
November 11, 2024

Election 2024

Examining the impact of local, statewide and national elections on the MVHS community

Ananya Chaudhary, Vaishnavi Katukam, Manas Kottakota, Giljoon Lee, Zaid Naqvi, Dylan Nguyen, Stella Petzova, Aprameya Rupanagunta, Arshiya Sen, Arushi Singh, Alyssa Yang, Kate Yang, and Eric Zhou
November 5, 2024

Suki Waterhouse charms her audience with an enchanting performance

Suki Waterhouse’s "The Sparklemuffin Tour" perfectly encapsulates fan’s expectations succeeding the release of her recent album

Vaishnavi Katukam and Aprameya Rupanagunta
November 3, 2024

The Cupertino Youth Activity Board hosts Pizza and Politics

The event featured teens and adults involved in local politics

Vaishnavi Katukam and Kate Yang
November 1, 2024

Voters of Monta Vista

New voters at MVHS share their perspectives on their vote

Vaishnavi Katukam and Arshiya Sen
October 27, 2024

California passes new financial literacy high school graduation requirement laws

MVHS staff and students consider the possible outcomes and pitfalls of AB 2927 on the community

Vaishnavi Katukam and Giljoon Lee
September 28, 2024

MVHS hosts Back to School Night

Parents attend their child’s classes to get to know the staff and curriculum

Vaishnavi Katukam and Yixuan (Joyce) Li
September 10, 2024

Chartreuse is the new red, white and blue

Voters discuss the recent rise of meme culture and social media in election campaigns

Vaishnavi Katukam, Yixuan (Joyce) Li, Suhana Mahabal, Samuel Teo, and Asha Wojciechowski
August 31, 2024

Vaishnavi Katukam, Arts & Entertainment Editor

El Estoque