The Student News Site of Saratoga High School

The Saratoga Falcon
SHS students, faculty, and alumni pose after their final performance with BDB.
Students participate in prestigious Blue Devils Drums Corps over the summer
September 18, 2024
Sophomore Alma Garniek begins her shift at TEAZENTEA.
New bubble tea store opens in downtown Saratoga
September 15, 2024
Amanda Lupoli fills out a Venn diagram with input from students in her 6th period AP U.S. History class.
New history teacher emphasizes instilling critical thinking skills
September 15, 2024
English teacher Amy Keys makes masks as part of a Día de los Muertos workshop in Oaxaca.
Veteran teachers return to the classroom after taking leaves last year
September 15, 2024
Junior Nolan Woo introduces his club, League of Programmers, to junior Jack Dong.
This year’s Club Rush features off-beat new clubs and traditional old ones
September 14, 2024
The album cover for “Bando Stone and The New World,” where Donald Glover plays the titular character in the accompanying movie with the same name.
Bando Stone and The New World is an exhilarating sendoff to the Childish Gambino persona
September 18, 2024
The new installment in the “Quiet Place” series originally hinted at an emotionally impactful story about the tragedies of the apocalypse, increasing fan expectations.
‘A Quiet Place: Day One’: not worth all the noise
September 18, 2024
Olivia Rodrigo engages with the audience while singing “enough for you” during her concert.
Buying last-minute Olivia Rodrigo tickets is a good idea, right?
September 17, 2024
Absolutely hooked, I can’t stop myself from watching true crime, such as the Slenderman case.
The allure of true crime documentaries
September 17, 2024
Ao3 reigns supreme as the #1 fanfiction site.
A review of popular fanfiction sites — are they worth the read?
September 17, 2024
The 2024 F1 season has already crowned 7 Grand Prix winners — the most since 2012.
The rise and appeal of Formula 1 racing
September 18, 2024
Junior Millie Wang hits a 54-degree wedge out of a bunker at Saratoga Country Club.
With only 7 players, girls’ golf hopes to ace its season
September 17, 2024
Awaiting the inquiry results, Jordan Chiles looks at the screen anxiously.
A devastating — and unfair — loss of a medal for gymnast Jordan Chiles
September 16, 2024
The Niner’s chaotic offseason has been interesting to watch mainly due to the recently-resolved contract situation of wide-receiver Brandon Aiyuk.
After a heartbreaking Super Bowl loss, the 49ers are ready to move on
September 14, 2024
In March 2024, freshmen Kayley Ren placed seventh out of 94 fencers at the Fortune Fencing Super Youth Circuit in Ontario, Calif.
Blade and balance: Freshman excels at competitive fencing
September 13, 2024
I say my line during my annual spring program.
From private school to public school, the benefits and downsides I experienced
September 15, 2024
Too often, students instinctively reach for the calculator.
Stop and think: Do you really need that calculator?
September 15, 2024
Six ants crawl on bathroom sink.
Clean up after yourself before the ants take over the school
September 12, 2024
The skibidi toilet horrors that popped up in our Instagram reels less than a year ago.
Gen Alpha has a word for that — but you probably won’t know what it means
September 12, 2024
Glasses and Contacts
Contacts vs. glasses: Which one works better?
September 12, 2024
One of the three vending machines on the school campus.
Top 10: vending machine items on campus
September 17, 2024
My teachers are fast asleep while I rush to submit the assignment.
100-word rant: Homework should always be due at the start of class, not midnight of the night before
September 17, 2024
I carry an 8-month-old baby Io.
Never again: a girl, her dog and her keyboard
September 17, 2024
Moments before we (unfortunately) tasted our least favorite boba.
Our sweet adventure: uncovering the hidden boba gems in the Bay
September 16, 2024
Some productive and unproductive ways to combat after-school slump.
A guide to productivity: How to combat the after-school slump
September 16, 2024

The Saratoga Falcon

The Saratoga Falcon
All content by Eric Shi
Running is a great way to recharge your batteries

Photo or Graphic for: Senior Mag 2024: When I can’t focus, I run for the hills

Daniel Wu
May 29, 2024
Senior year return to biking hobby brings joy lost during junior year

Senior year return to biking hobby brings joy lost during junior year

Eric Shi
May 10, 2024
Senior Ryan Lin and Sophomore Miles Sy line up on the putting green and prepare to hit a golf ball during practice

Boys’ golf sees success in their practice regimen up in mid-season games

Eric Shi and Parav Manney
April 4, 2024
After the first exhibition in 2023, senior Ryan Lin poses with LGSUHSD and Saratoga Library staff. 

Senior partners with district and Saratoga Library to host second annual AAPI Multimedia Art Exhibition

Eric Shi and Kevin Yang
April 3, 2024
The board ordered a fresh new set of more powerful Lenovo Laptops to improve the workflow efficiency of the Engineering Lab.

Engineering lab receives new batch of computers

William Cao and Eric Shi
March 29, 2024
Proposed measure of the parcel tax renewal from $49 per parcel to $129 per parcel providing $2,520,000 annually for the next nine years.

Passage of expanded parcel tax would provide $2.5 million annually for district

William Cao and Eric Shi
February 14, 2024
Logo of the College Board AP Exam.

More AP Exams to transition to digital format beginning in 2025; SHS is among schools piloting more digital tests this year

William Cao and Eric Shi
February 14, 2024
Sample drawing of solar panels at the senior parking lot.

Board picks Centrica as solar panel provider; work is set to begin this summer

William Cao and Eric Shi
February 8, 2024
AP Statistics Teacher Seema Patel picks up a barbell in a deadlift while Speech Language Pathologist Ronda Vierra practices her freestyle technique.

Working out at work: Teachers take advantage of campus weight room and swimming pool

William Cao and Eric Shi
February 6, 2024
Freshman Isabelle Jadali and Alisa Erbay pet the dogs with trainer Charlotte Lamprecht in the student center on Dec. 5.

Board approves contract introducing therapy dog in Wellness Centerstarting on Nov. 30

William Cao and Eric Shi
December 11, 2023
Food trucks were missing on the Nov. 21 Turkey Trot, and will continue to be banned in most future events involving them.

Policy change eliminates food trucks during school-day events like Turkey Trot

Derek Liang and Eric Shi
December 7, 2023
Parcel taxes fund teacher salary and support programs.

Board investigates possible parcel tax campaign

William Cao, Eric Shi, and Agastya Vitaldevara
November 9, 2023
taiwan

Photo or Graphic for: Students and staff attend climate conference in Taiwan

Agastya Vitaldevara and Daniel Wu
October 21, 2023
After a long period of declining enrollment, SHS has finally seen an increase in freshman class size this year.

School sees unexpected influx in freshman enrollment

Kevin Yang and Eric Shi
October 21, 2023
 Renovations to the school’s gym and additions of solar panels.

Board cancels gym renovations but continues with plans for solar panel carports for front parking lot

William Cao, Eric Shi, and Agastya Vitaldevara
October 21, 2023
SHS’s website has received a clean new look as the school wifi gets a major overhaul.

Major updates made to WiFi system and school website

Derek Liang and Eric Shi
October 21, 2023
My walk pathway from my house to Saratoga High.

Photo or Graphic for: Relishing my mornings: my short 5-minute commute to school

William Cao
October 13, 2023
Ahsoka holds up her white lightsaber with a large celestial map projected in the background.

Following a slow start, ‘Ahsoka’ rebounds with an exciting batch of mid-season episodes

Eric Shi
October 11, 2023
UNICEF Club advertises their club to students during club rush held on Sept. 8 and Sept. 9.

ASB aims to limit overlapping clubs

Derek Liang and Eric Shi
September 25, 2023
Where the heck is Tajikistan?

Photo or Graphic for: Geo-prodigy: Memorizing the locations of every country in the world

Daniel Wu
September 24, 2023
The crows especially enjoy delicacies such as pepperoni pizza.

Photo or Graphic for: 100-word rant: Dear crows, please stop stealing my lunch

Daniel Wu
August 31, 2023
“Clash of Clans” has been my go-to mobile game ever since elementary school.

‘Clash of Clans’ and ‘Cut the Rope’: Revisiting the games of my childhood

Eric Shi
June 3, 2023
Derivative is in fact a very nice word to say, especially if you want to make it past the first month of a Calculus class.

Calculus serves as the fundamental building block in many career paths

Eric Shi
May 26, 2023
Meta shoveling money into the fire that is the Metaverse.

Photo or Graphic for: Meta’s Metaverse so far a financial flop

Aiden Ye
March 30, 2023
Medical misinformation has historically led to the mistreatment and misdiagnosis of countless conditions, both related and unrelated to COVID-19. 

Photo or Graphic for: Medical misinformation and its role in the pandemic

Saachi Jain
March 27, 2023
A student addicted to their phone.

Photo or Graphic for: Reddit and Reels: Tech has made teens like me unable to focus for longer than 15 seconds

Sam Bai
March 16, 2023
The prestigious NCTE competition attracts the nation’s best writers.

Junior NCTE nominees explore growth and family in their writing

Eric Shi
March 15, 2023
Many universities such as Yale undersell the importance of mental health among their students.

Photo or Graphic for: Opinion: Mental health should be a major consideration when choosing colleges

Nicole Lee and Aiden Ye
March 14, 2023
I imagine myself on a worry free vacation in a typical, stressful school day.

Photo or Graphic for: A perfect day for a stressed Saratoga student

Zack Zhang
March 13, 2023
Paul Bäumer, Katczinsky and another soldier survey a trench with rifles at the ready in Netflix’s All Quiet on the Western Front.

English teachers weigh in on Academy Award-nominated film adaptation of ‘All Quiet on the Western Front’

Parav Manney and Eric Shi
March 3, 2023
“Avatar: The Way of the Water” takes place beneath the oceans of Pandora, the planet the films take place on.

‘Avatar: The Way of the Water’ worth seeing despite lack-luster plot

Eric Shi and Parav Manney
February 17, 2023
“AI Art Story by George Huang, Eric Shi, Andrew Lin” generated by Midjourney.

AI-generated images aren’t the future of art

Andrew Lin, George Huang, and Eric Shi
January 24, 2023
 Students decided to pin almost all of the blame on their professor.

NYU professor’s firing at the hands of disgruntled students sets bad precedent

Eric Shi
January 18, 2023
The Doctor Livesy walk, among many different techniques, as pictured in the central person.

Top 10: ways to walk

Eric Shi
December 19, 2022
Qatar has endured a lot of scrutiny; however, this World Cup has been a success.

Photo or Graphic for: Qatar: fraudulent sportswasher or soccer’s new sensational spectacle?

Anirudh Iyer
December 17, 2022
Kapoor (in front) rounds a sharp corner with another racer following close behind.

The need for speed: Junior races go-karts at an elite level

Eric Shi and Daniel Wu
November 20, 2022
“Andor” started streaming on Disney+ on Sept. 21 and has pleasantly surprised many viewers.

Star Wars franchise gets refreshing reboot with “Andor”

Eric Shi
November 17, 2022
Students spent their class period watching “Amsterdam” in the theater.

Photo or Graphic for: History in Film takes field trip to AMC theater, watches ‘Amsterdam’

Zack Zhang
November 9, 2022
Freshmen perform their all-girls dance.

Freshmen power up with exciting quad day performance

Eric Shi
September 30, 2022
Watching cartoons stimulates the imagination.

The impact of childhood cartoons carries on throughout life

Eric Shi
September 27, 2022
Disclaimer: please do not follow this advice unless your GPA is professionally trained for cliff-jumping.

Photo or Graphic for: Tips and tricks to getting an A+ on every essay

Aiden Ye
September 24, 2022
DnD is an open world role playing game that’s completely offline.      

Dungeons and Dragons: the best way to pass time offline

Eric Shi
September 24, 2022
This year’s bell schedule rings with approval from students and staff.

Photo or Graphic for: New bell schedule met with approval from students and staff

Daniel Wu
September 22, 2022
What you’ll look like after reading this.

Photo or Graphic for: Top 10: ways to seem smart

Parav Manney
September 20, 2022
The SAT will change from a paper test to a digital format.

SAT to undergo major overhaul

Eric Shi
September 19, 2022
Load More Stories