The Student News Site of Saratoga High School

The Saratoga Falcon
Student art being showcased at last year’s Soundings exhibition in the SHS Library.
Soundings’ April 18. Exhibition will feature works from The Wildcat Review
April 17, 2025
Allied teams 95071X (right) and 1000A (left) celebrate after advancing to grand finals at the U.S. Open National Championship.
VEX Robotics team makes finalists in U.S. Open National Championship
April 10, 2025
Rally commissioners act out a skit inspired by “Beauty and the Beast.”
‘Beauty and the Beast’ rally builds hype before prom
April 10, 2025
Trustee Shawn Mortensen (far left) listens to a presentation at the district office during the school board’s March 11 meeting.
Meet Shawn Mortensen: LGSUHSD’s newest school board trustee
April 5, 2025
The Philharmonic Strings orchestra combined with the Freshman orchestra to play together in the non-competitive category of the conference.
SHS orchestras travel to Atlanta for National Orchestra Festival
April 4, 2025
Junior Kiana Saadieh makes a latte for a customer at Big Basin Cafe.
Students’ reality of working in restaurants, fast food and cafes
April 20, 2025
Caption: Despite now mostly working as a writer, Mandell has acted in various productions — most recently, he starred in the self-written one-man-show “It’s a Phase” in 2022.
SHS alumnus pursues screenwriting career amid a turbulent Hollywood landscape
April 20, 2025
Jain poses during a dive in the Neutral Buoyancy Lab, her first rotation at the Johnson Space Center during fall 2023.
Alumni reflect on the benefits of college co-op programs that place them in workplace settings for extended periods
April 17, 2025
Cochrum helps a student during tutorial.
Cochrum reflects on educational journey with learning disability
April 5, 2025
An advertisement poster Leung made for the company.
Senior takes on remote social media job in New York
April 5, 2025
Bonner instructs swimmers to start the set off the block.
Christian Bonner’s journey from non-swimmer to longtime swimming coach
April 17, 2025
Ning launches a three against Sacred Heart as his teammates prepare to celebrate.
From 13th man to 3rd team all league — Steven Ning’s basketball journey
April 3, 2025
The beam training area at Gold Star Gymnastics.
Paying it forward for the next generation of gymnasts
March 31, 2025
Bossow wrestles against Bellarmine at Overfelt High on Dec. 6.
Wrestling team shows significant improvement this season
March 27, 2025
Coach Brian Liao talks game strategy with sophomores Andy Lu and Teegan Seid-Pham.
New head badminton coach brings valued guidance for players
March 27, 2025
The issue of modern feminism: Don’t mistake progress for exploitation
April 20, 2025
Mangione’s alleged actions were wrong, but the diagnosis of America’s failing health-care system wasn’t
Mangione’s alleged actions were wrong, but the diagnosis of America’s failing health-care system wasn’t
March 31, 2025
Stay safe.
In a dark time, it’s time to know your rights
March 27, 2025
Starting next school year, more students are able to study at MIT without worrying about tuition.
Educational institutions are wise to offer free tuition to low-income families
March 26, 2025
Nationwide voter turnout since 2002, blue is presidential, yellow is midterm
Sagging voter participation puts democracy at risk
March 22, 2025
The infamous “criss cross chair” from TikTok Shop, ranging from $40-70, has taken over social media feeds.
Is TikTok Shop another marketing trap or actually have legitimate products?
April 17, 2025
Students gather to eat and talk on the upper deck.
Prom 2025: A grape evening at the Mountain Winery
April 6, 2025
Courtesy of Imgflip If you’re going to stop reading this story right here, this meme sums up my entire high school experience (I been chilling with boba but it’s close enough). Seriously, though, John Cena’s Chinese is elite.
My high school life in memes
April 5, 2025
Courtesy of Neha Sharan Students compete in a co-ed tournament held at the India Community Center in Milpitas.
A sophomore’s gambit: encouraging more girls to take up chess
April 4, 2025
Top 10 celebrity baby names over the years
April 3, 2025
Volume 48, Issue 9
April 15, 2025
Volume 48, Issue 10
Volume 48, Issue 10
April 15, 2025
Volume 48, Issue 12
Volume 48, Issue 12
April 15, 2025
Volume 48, Issue 13
Volume 48, Issue 13
April 15, 2025
Volume 49, Issue 1
Volume 49, Issue 1
April 15, 2025

The Saratoga Falcon

The Saratoga Falcon
All content by Cici Xu
Mary Campbell, Caroline Keogh, Leena El Ashmawi, Casey Gilligan run together against their home game against Palo Alto on March 30, which they won 9-7

Happy to play: Girls’ lacrosse fields a team and matches up

Serena Li, Anjali Nuggehalli, and Cici Xu
School discusses mental health and seeking support at the Speak Up for Change rally

School discusses mental health and seeking support at the Speak Up for Change rally

Serena Li, Lihi Shoshani, Sarah Thomas, and Cici Xu

All recycling products at the school have been trashed in the past six months because students keep contaminating recycling bins with improper waste such as food

Christina Chang and Cici Xu
Wu instructs her Chinese 3 students to recite a passage from the textbook.

Chinese curriculum undergoes major staff changes

Cici Xu
This iconic picture captures Lake Mead’s dropping water level and the exacerbating drought in the western United States.

Tackling the worst drought in 1,200 years: Why Saratogans should care

Cici Xu

A Disney miracle: reminiscing on It’s a Small World

Cici Xu
Omkar Kulkarni and his parents posted in front of Kulkarni’s solo jet after finishing his three consecutive 7-minutes solos in the South County Aviation flight school at San Martin, California. 

Flying solo: 2021 alumni immerses himself in unconventional summer activity

Cici Xu
Thank you, March For Our Lives!

March For Our Lives San Jose plans town hall meeting to address the emerging trend of mass shootings

Cici Xu
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Academy Award prediction: ‘Nomadland’ will win

Cici Xu
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Companionship is key to overcoming mental health issues in the pandemic

Cici Xu
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Staff prepares the campus for 3A in-person learning

Cici Xu
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Celebrating the Year of the Ox in a pandemic

Cici Xu
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Into thin air: Sophomore and senior siblings climb in the Himalayas for the second time

Cici Xu
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‘The Prom’: an oversimplified lesson on love and acceptance

Anjali Nuggehalli and Cici Xu
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Students second-guess opinions on social media

Cici Xu
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Weir leads maintenance staff in preparation for eventual in-person school

Andy Chen and Cici Xu
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Sophomore dedicates herself to pre-season running

Nika Bagherian and Cici Xu
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Class officers hope for outdoor, socially distanced proms

Cici Xu
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From history pages to Zoom call: Famous Supreme Court litigant advocates for the power of youth voices

Cici Xu
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Climate Clock urges people to act

Cici Xu
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TV show ‘Modern Family’ demonstrates power of acceptance

Cici Xu
Baking

Family’s guidance is crucial on supporting children’s social-emotional growth in quarantine

Cici Xu
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Walking: an unexpected cost of online learning

Cici Xu
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WeChat users in America should be given a choice

Cici Xu
screentime

I flattened the curve of my exponentially growing screen time

Cici Xu
AP Reaction

Students find unexpected advantages as well as flaws to online AP exams

Cici Xu
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Green Team brings Earth Week online as COVID-19 crisis continues

Cici Xu
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Students and teachers navigate online classes

Ethan Lin and Cici Xu
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Junior finds new ways during quarantine to express love for saxophone

Cici Xu
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‘The Crown’: a Netflix masterpiece worth watching

Cici Xu
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Dad, a three-hours marathoner, becomes my marathon pacer

Cici Xu
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Common Roots embraces Sources of Strength on campus

Nicole Lu and Cici Xu
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Scared to stare

Cici Xu

Amid panic of coronavirus pandemic, new quarantine policy emerges

Vicky Bai and Cici Xu

Female freshman wrestler grapples with self-acceptance

Cici Xu and Nicole Lu

Administration threatens area closures if students don’t pick up their lunchtime trash

Cici Xu and Samantha Yee

What about this year’s Academy Awards?

Cici Xu

Badminton team starts more rigorous training

Cici Xu and Christine Zhang

The time for solar panels is now

Cici Xu
ishana

Traditional sports connects students to cultural heritage

Serena Li and Cici Xu

Wrestling team switches regimen to start from scratch, promotes stronger team bonding

Nicole Lu and Cici Xu

Dance, Verma show they belong in state race

Nicole Lu and Cici Xu

Nature-loving student incorporates homemade clay and pigments into her art

Vicky Bai and Cici Xu

Breaking Down the Walls got me involved in our community

Cici Xu

Composting comes to campus to protect the environment

Cici Xu
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School finally installs new kiln to replace one damaged in 2017 fire

Rohan Kumar and Cici Xu

Dance places first in prestigious Mt. Sac competition

Nicole Lu and Cici Xu

Girls’ cross country poised to finish the year strong

Nicole Lu and Cici Xu

If you like Troye Sivan, then Maggie Rogers is for you

Cici Xu

Promising freshman runners join girls’ cross country, season starts with high hopes

Nicole Lu and Cici Xu

Harder practices encourage boys’ cross country to reach their full potential

Nicole Lu and Cici Xu

Reduced-waste lifestyles combat overflowing landfills

Rohan Kumar and Cici Xu
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