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AWARDS & ACCOLADES
MVLA Students of the Month
Jack Clark, Freestyle Academy, Most Improved, Student of the Year
MVLA is proud to recognize Jack Clark as the Freestyle Academy's Most Improved Student of the Year. Jack has shown impressive growth as a student, storyteller, and creative collaborator. He is a kind, inquisitive, and imaginative presence in our English class, and what has stood out most is the way his confidence has steadily grown as he has learned to communicate his ideas with greater clarity and purpose. Congratulations Jack! Click the image above for the full write-up on Jack.
Jerry Liang, Freestyle Academy Award for Excellence, Student of the Year
MVLA proudly recognizes Jerry Liang as Freestyle Academy's Student of the Year. This Award for Excellence honors Jerry's consistent excellence, open-mindedness, and community commitment to his English class and campus culture. He is a sensitive listener who pays close attention to the ideas and needs of others and then takes the initiative to reach out, offer help, and make his classmates feel supported. In reading discussions and writing workshops, Jerry’s feedback is consistently insightful, encouraging, and grounded in genuine respect. Congratulations Jerry! Click on the image above for the full write-up on Jerry..
Miyke Miranda, Adult Transition Program Student of the Year
Miyke Miranda, recognized as the Adult Transition Program Student of the Year, demonstrates exceptional artistic talent with a solo exhibit, professionalism in work settings, and strong independence in daily tasks. His calm, respectful demeanor fosters community respect, and he proactively prepares for his future by applying to Foothill College’s transition program. Miyke’s self-awareness, resilience, and work ethic position him for continued success. Read the full write-up here.
Vihaan Mishra, LAHS Student of the Month
MVLA proudly recognizes LAHS junior, Vihaan Mishra. Vihaan excels in community service, research, and technology, notably developing ClearSight AI to aid emergency responders in low-visibility conditions, with research accepted by Princeton and presented internationally. He leads youth initiatives, founded TACER for emergency communication, and received the Xerox Award for Innovation, demonstrating a commitment to leveraging AI for environmental resilience and community safety...Read full write up here.
Evan Staffanson, MVHS Student of the Month
MVLA congratulates junior Evan Staffanson, recognized as MVHS' Student of the Month. He exemplifies leadership, involvement, and community spirit through roles in Ambassadors, choir, and athletics. He contributes to school events, supports underserved communities, and fosters friendships. Planning to attend BYU and serve a church mission, Evan’s compassion and dedication make him a deserving recipient...Read the full write up here.
Marvin Lopez Garcia honored as Challenge Team Champion of Youth
"Garcia was distinguished as an AP Scholar with Honor, having completed more than 10 AP classes during his high school career. In addition to serving as the vice president of MVLA Youth Mentors for two years, he also contributed more than 100 hours to Los Altos High School’s Peer Tutoring program.
“The reason I tutor so much is because I love to see when other students, like myself, who may have slumps but then are able to come back even stronger and prove that they are (capable of) more than they think they are,” he said at the luncheon.
Garcia’s community service continued even when not in the classroom: he worked full-time over the summer at the YMCA summer camp. Garcia also somehow managed to combine giving back to the community and rigorous academics with athletics: Not only did he join junior varsity volleyball as a freshman, but he later participated in varsity football and track and field.
Los Altos High School Principal Tracey Runeare noted that Garcia’s accomplishments speak for his character, and that his “trajectory suggests that there are many more accomplishments ahead.”
During his luncheon speech, Garcia thanked his parents – immigrants from Mexico who he said he began translating for when he was 5 years old – for his drive and dedication to becoming better."
LAHS art students receive honors in Congressional Art Competitio
MVLA extends its congratulations to LAHS art students Maria Selikanovich, Isabel Lee, and Ariel Shverdin for their achievements in this year's Congressional Art Competition.
MVLA NMSC Scholarship Winners Announced
Congratulations to the LAHS and MVHS National Merit Scholarship Winners. The 2,500 Merit Scholar designees were chosen from a talent pool of more than 15,000 outstanding Finalists in the 2026 National Merit Scholarship Program. National Merit $2500 Scholarship winners are the Finalists in each state judged to have the strongest combination of accomplishments, skills, and potential for success in rigorous college studies. The number of winners named in each state is proportional to the state’s percentage of the nation’s graduating high school seniors. (Excerpted from NMSC announcement)
Board Agendas, recordings, and summaries are always available here.
We encourage members of the MVLA community to watch board meetings on our YouTube channel. Meetings are streamed live and recordings are posted the following morning and sent out in each of the BoardBriefs the following week.
New bell schedule continues development through 2026-2027
MVLA will continue development and planning for the implementation of a new bell schedule in the 2027-2028 school year. Until then, MVLA will ensure that the community, staff and students are fully prepared for the new schedule with a priority on meaningful collaboration and minimal impact on students and their families.
Student board trustees turn the page on another school year
The May 18 board meeting marked the final session for this year's student trustees, Lucy Lai (LAHS) and Claire Schwarzhoff (MVHS). Board trustee Alex Levich remarked, "I really applaud both of you for the ability to think critically and to tactfully share feedback for the benefit of the students when there are many different opinions in the room. And many people would be concerned or maybe apprehensive about sharing that critical thinking. Thank you for that." During the meeting, the superintendent also introduced the incoming student trustees, Mylee Ben Tovim from LAHS and Kapil Shastry from MVHS. Thanks to all the student trustees who are such an integral voice in board governance.
Gratitude to the 2025-2026 MVLA Student Advisory Council
On behalf of Superintendent Eric Volta and the entire district, we wish to share our gratitude to the extraordinary students who volunteered their time each month through the school year to meet and discuss issues impacting all students. We are so fortunate to have such compassionate and dedicated students who want to share their voices and experiences to help improve outcomes for all. We wish our graduating seniors* the very best as they head out into their post-secondary worlds and make us proud!
2025-2026 MVLA Student Advisory Council
Ivanka Abrol*
Bruno Beckmann
Vivaan Beri*
Jannat Bhatia
Naiel Chaudry
Justin Cheong
Ellie Choi*
Ana Coffey Halimah*
Jaelynn Dodson
Amanda Ford*
Orly Galatin*
Kaili Gamos
Marcos Gatica Hernandez
Chloe Geist*
Joshua Hwang*
Adlai Kagle*
Joohee Kim*
Lucy Lai, Co-chair
Vera Lin*
Marvin Lopez Garcia*
Kate McKinley*
Julien Mendez
Ali Mesrour
Arathi Naga*
Ana Nava Vazquez
Kendall Nord*
Nya Payne*
Daniel Persky
Raya Sapiro
Claire Schwarzhoff,* Co-chair
Oscar Seem
Reut Shiran*
Rani Sindledecker*
Kiersten Wang*
Cassie Yan*
Heads Up, Drone Flyers: No-Fly Zones Coming to the Bay Area This Summer
With the FIFA World Cup 2026 bringing matches to Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara this June and July, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is reminding our community of an important rule: no drones allowed near match venues.
Temporary Flight Restrictions (TFRs) will be in place during all Levi's Stadium matches — scheduled for June 13, 16, 19, 22, 25, and July 1 — creating a no-drone zone extending 3 nautical miles around the stadium and up to 3,000 feet above ground. Unauthorized drone flights during these windows can interfere with security and emergency operations, and may result in FAA fines or loss of flying privileges. Dates and times are subject to change, so check the FAA's website before heading out.
The FAA also wants students to know: today's drone enthusiasts could be tomorrow's pilots, engineers, or air traffic controllers. Curious about aviation careers? Visit faa.gov/education to explore STEM and aviation opportunities.
MVLA FOUNDATION
Name the person you want to honor and make a $100 donation.
You and the designated honoree will be listed in the MVLA High School Foundation's Annual Report.
The Honoree will be recognized with a special note and certificate.
