Bruce Lou

I liked reading not only for its escape value, but also because I truly wanted to learn. I discovered a great world of knowledge that wasn’t taught in school, and I wanted to know so much that my mind would become a cannon, able to cut through any BS that came my way. I wanted to explore and see everything I’d missed out on, and become a more cultured and educated person.

The History Bowl team, confident and heavily favored to win the March 22 Northern History Bowl Championships, once again proved its status as a powerhouse team by winning the tournament and becoming the first varsity triple crown winner — the winner of all three regional tournaments — in the history of the competitions.

This year, and especially in recent weeks, the school has seen a dramatic increase in drug citations — some leading to suspensions or possible expulsions, assistant principal Kevin Mount said.

Letters of recommendation, lengthy essays, “reaches,” “targets” and “safeties.” 

I don’t go to the movies often. In fact, the last time I went to the movies was freshman year. That’s because they typically bore me, but I must admit that Martin Scorsese's "The Wolf of Wall Street," starring Leonardo DiCaprio, was the most enthralling movie I’ve seen in awhile.

On a sunny morning on November 18, the bell sounded after second period — but this was no ordinary bell. Instead of the usual long burst of sound, this bell sounded several short honks, accompanied by an announcement for students to get in the nearest classroom. The bell started the annual Code Red drill.

Saratoga’s school spirit is dead.

A power outage that affected many Saratoga buildings, including the school, occurred at 7:52 PM, according to PG&E, on the night of Tuesday, Oct. 19. According the principal Paul Robinson, the outage was caused by a tree falling onto a transformer, which went up in flames on Herriman Avenue.  SHSTV reported that a transformer on Herriman caught fire and later exploded.

Enticed by the promise of extra credit, students attended David Kennedy's presentation on history.

The dreaded AP United States History (APUSH) textbook is the bane of many a junior’s existence. But on Oct. 23, more than 500 students, enticed by promises of extra credit, crowded into the McAfee Center to hear David Kennedy, one of the authors of the APUSH textbook.

With many impressive victories under its belt from last year, the 12-member History Bowl team is seeking to meet and exceed the high expectations set by last year’s team that made it all the way to the national competition in Washington, D.C.

Junior Rohith Krishna always dreamed of following in his father’s footsteps. His father, Krishna Narayanaswamy, has six Boston Marathon medals, and Krishna had often admired his father’s racing ability. In his younger days, his father aimed to break 3 hours for a marathon — 26.2 miles. He never did, but Krishna plans to do so.

Honors credit is a magical thing. Got a B in an honors class? It’s now an A. Got an A? It’ll turn into something beyond an A+.

At age 5, sophomore Shayan Moraveji was introduced to the world of taekwondo by his father, who wanted him to participate in some type of physical activity. Since then, he’s never wanted to do anything as much as taekwondo.

Capping an amazing season, the softball team defeated Valley Christian 6-3 in the first round before finally being stopped by Los Altos in a 6-0 defeat.

The History Bowl team crossed the finish line at the 2013 national tournament, 3,000 miles away in Washington, D.C, with the varsity A team and JV team placing within the top 20 and top eight in the nation respectively. But most importantly, the trip was the culminating experience to a successful season.

An orchestra playing in perfect unison is an awe-inspiring sight. All members of the orchestra seem to have one mind. But in reality, there’s a lot of competition beneath that veneer of unity.  

What’s the answer to life, the universe, and everything?

The first thing most people ask me after they know my name is, “Do you know kung fu?”

Sophomore Joy Tang felt doomed.

The thread follows the needle closely as Nancy Flowers’ fingers dance gracefully across the fabric. The year is 1977, and this is sewing class.

Compared to last year’s abysmal season, in which the wrestling team scored last in the Falcon’s end-of-the-year power rankings and went 0-6, this year’s prospects are looking up.

Although the summer of 2014 seems far away, the music department is already preparing for a tour of Spain from June 21 to July 4.

Her heart is racing, her breath is short. Months of hard work and research have culminated in this moment. Palms sweating, then eighth-grader Anushree Dugar steps up into the spotlight to speak to the judges.

Last year’s Talisman yearbook recently received news that it was one of 66 books in the country to be nominated for a Crown Award by the Columbia Scholastic Press Association.

She is virtually unknown to students not in the senior class, yet she’s essential to seniors’ hopes, plans and dreams.

A sea of orange bursts into wild cheers while a motley band of Falcons’ fans bursts into groans. And all the while we sat there silent and confused.

Living up to an older sibling’s legacy is a difficult challenge for many younger siblings. For sophomore Christian Murabito, having a wrestling legend as an older brother makes it much, much harder.

Although it is one of the newest clubs on campus, it has already won multiple victories. In only its first year, the History Bowl team conquered numerous other teams in its qualification for the national tournament. This year’s team is starting off right where they left off last year.

For the Oct. 6 SAT, students were required to fill out an academic integrity agreement in cursive.

Last year the boys’ cross country team finished third overall at CCS and sent eight runners to the state tournament, an achievement unparalleled since 2006. This year the team hopes to replicate its success.

I had never gone to a football game or high school dance before. It was something I wanted to do before I graduated, and I felt I was missing out on something.

A select group of orchestra members performed with the Santa Clara Chorale at Mission Santa Clara, which is on the Santa Clara campus, on Oct. 19.

Think back to the feel-good days of kindergarten: nap time, coloring and playing with friends on the playground. While the inherent fun of kindergarten may never change, this school year, the compositions of classes will drastically change, and students with fall birthdays will now take a slightly roundabout route getting there.

The finish line for this year’s marching band lies 3,000 miles to the east in the streets of Manhattan, where they will march in the prestigious Macy’s Thanksgiving Day parade. 

The boys’ cross country team has plenty of underclassman superstars such as sophomores Steven Sum and Andrew Harter. However, even they still look to the senior captains for guidance.   

6:30 a.m., Shanghai. A 14-year-old student in his third and final year of middle school wakes up. Today is a big day. His future depends on how well he does in the Gaokao (National Standards Higher Education Examination). 

Students say he is the hardest math teacher, possibly the hardest teacher on campus. Some students walk through his door on the first day fearful of the year.