The Student News Site of Saratoga High School

The Saratoga Falcon
Courtesy of LGSUHSD board The official map, decided during the April 14 public hearing.
School board finalizes district map for new trustee elections
June 1, 2025
Courtesy of Saratoga High School Junior Arjun Krish is one of 20 students in the country who have a shot at representing the US at the International Biology Olympiad.
Junior qualifies for International Biology Olympiad training camp at Harvard
May 27, 2025
French 1 classes are switching to the “Reporters Francophones” textbook for next year.
Language classes to try new textbook options next year
May 25, 2025
Seniors gather in the quad to celebrate their college decisions.
Seniors showcase post-grad plans on Commit Day
May 23, 2025
Choir and AP Music Theory teacher Beth Nitzan conducts a choir class during a rehearsal for their end-of-year concert on May 19.
Nitzan to leave school after four years in music department
May 21, 2025
Me conducting taste evaluations with two drinks at once.
The *actual* best boba places in the Bay
June 2, 2025
Courtesy of Aidan Smith Finn and Aidan pose together in the backyard for pictures before prom.
The Duality of Man: Aidan and Finn Smith
June 2, 2025
Keys works on an essay with an English 11 Honors student.
The first day of school in August requires months of planning for teachers
June 1, 2025
Hector and I pose with our first target after eliminating her in San Francisco.
Senior Mag 2025: We were eliminated in Senior Assassin — but that only made the game more fun
May 29, 2025
Seniors Annette Li and Kayla Nguyen anchor on an SHSTV broadcast.
Senior Mag ‘25: Duo evolves from GNNers to SHSTV head producers
May 27, 2025
(left to right) Audrey Wong, Summer Shen, Hannah Bui and Angela Tan prepare for a football game.
Senior Mag 2025: From Europe to the Bay, Flute seniors bonded over marching band
June 1, 2025
Courtesy of Annette Li We pose after our victory against Fremont High on April 30.
Senior Mag 2025: The chemistry and chaos of a 4-year badminton partnership
June 1, 2025
Junior Garrick Chau faces off sophomore William Dechlick and mental health therapist Victor Thompson in the Falcon Nest.
Foosball club brings in a professional to coach members skills
May 31, 2025
Many physical therapies consist of stretching and light exercises.
Student athletes navigate a long rehabilitation process after injuries
May 31, 2025
Courtesy of Lauren Nguyen Smiling proudly, the team stands together and celebrates their awards.
Dance team reflects on Nationals and what’s next
May 28, 2025
A wide variety of euphemisms impact perception in different ways.
Words that need to be heard: euphemisms are dangerous tools for desensitization
June 1, 2025
Courtesy of Wikimedia Commons
Universities have no right to revoke diplomas for political speech
May 30, 2025
Courtesy of Charles Edward Miller People protesting against unlawful deportations.
Universities need to take action to prevent students from being deported by ICE
May 30, 2025
11th grade classes are full of interesting material.
100-word rant: teachers, five tests in two days is just cruel
May 29, 2025
Campaigning on popular social media apps such as Instagram shouldn’t be the norm.
For school leadership elections, candidates can rely too much on social media advertising
May 28, 2025
General Psychology teacher Hana Chen.
General Psychology class explores the field through projects
June 15, 2025
Courtesy of Nathan Shows The view from the dinner cruise on the Vltava.
The last class to remember being stranded in Prague, 2022
June 4, 2025
Courtesy of Rani Khanna Rani and Krishen in their childhood.
The Khanna twins: more like regular siblings than twins
June 4, 2025
Courtesy of Saratoga High School Grace Liu and Luke Zhang are the valedictorian and salutatorian of the senior class respectively.
Class of 2025 valedictorian and salutatorian announced
June 3, 2025
Courtesy of NBC Bay Area Saratoga High’s field shot from above.
Senior Mag: How anti-turf advocacy became my turf
June 3, 2025
Volume 57, Issue 6
Volume 57, Issue 6
April 23, 2025
Volume 57, Issue 5
Volume 57, Issue 5
April 23, 2025
Volume 57, Issue 4
Volume 57, Issue 4
April 23, 2025
Volume 57, Issue 3
Volume 57, Issue 3
April 23, 2025
Volume 57, Issue 2
Volume 57, Issue 2
April 23, 2025

The Saratoga Falcon

The Saratoga Falcon
All content by Victoria Hu
A map of the University of Edinburgh and three ESCP Business School locations.

Senior Mag 2024: Seniors scatter to the winds, seeking college opportunities abroad

Victoria Hu
Nancy has spent the last three years playing for the school’s softball team.

Senior Mag 2024: Nancy of all trades: Senior discovers community through music, martial arts and sports

Victoria Hu
Mmmm…

Senior Mag 2024: Reviewing dorm-friendly microwave mug recipes so you don’t have to

Victoria Hu, Leyna Chan, and Sanjoli Gupta
Natalie and Victoria’s tentative first bites.

Spicy ‘reaper’ tenders at Dave’s Hot Chicken fail to bring the heat

Leyna Chan, Natalie Chua, Victoria Hu, and Sarah Zhou
Senior Ameya Saund strikes a pose during her costume photoshoot on Aug. 27.

Dancer and storyteller: Senior polishes steps in preparation for classical Indian debut performance

Victoria Hu
Me as a contortionist, apparently dancing with the daisies in a flowery field. This is a cry for help.

MBTI test proves to be disturbingly accurate

Victoria Hu
Seniors Morris Yu and Blake Zhou work on their paper airplane folding machine.

Upperclassmen apply engineering skills to passion projects of their own choosing

Victoria Hu
An advertisement for the US National Chemistry Olympiad is written on the board in chemistry teacher Janny Cahatol’s room.

Students achieve success in STEM contests, qualifying for Olympiad rounds

Victoria Hu
Senior Lisa Fung reads a paper at her desk to understand the mathematics behind her project. 

Senior named scholar in Regeneron STS research competition

Victoria Hu and Anthony Wang
Who said eyes have to be circles?

Living with rapidly worsening eyesight

Victoria Hu
The Falcons face off against Homestead on Jan. 12.

Girls’ basketball: Challenging season comes to a close

Victoria Hu and Annie Liu
Geese roam the halls outside the Engineering Lab in May 2021.

Well-forested campus serves as haven for birds and other wildlife

Victoria Hu and Sarah Zhou
Redwood trees line the campus border on Saratoga Sunnyvale Road.

Maintenance team focuses on creating safe, inviting landscaping on school’s 40-acre campus

Victoria Hu and Sarah Zhou
A student shadow sits in on their matched volunteer’s classes.

Prospective students get a peek into campus life through shadowing program

Sarah Zhou and Victoria Hu
The Falcons play against Aptos on Dec. 5.

With only eight players, girls’ basketball lacks full roster as season begins

Annie Liu and Victoria Hu
Juniors listen to Professor Warren as he discusses Shakespeare’s “Hamlet.”

English 11 Honors hosts ‘Hamlet’ discussion with Shakespeare professor

Jonny Luo and Victoria Hu
A wide variety of traditional jams, spices, beans and other foods stock the shelves of Rose Market in downtown Saratoga.

Cultural grocery stores: an essential for Bay Area residents

Victoria Hu and Beverly Xu
A crowd gathers on the blacktop before the 5K for packet pickup.

SEF draws high participation in first community 5K fun run

Victoria Hu
Junior Saara Saini tutors at Algebra 1 Math Lab on Nov. 12.

Math teacher starts Saturday peer tutoring program to support Algebra 1 class

Victoria Hu and Sarah Zhou
Now MAP seniors pose for a picture before their trial in May.

Students find greater interactivity and room for creativity in MAP than regular humanities classes

Sarah Zhou and Victoria Hu
Freshmen Riya Rama and Mihika Singh practice doubles during practice on Sept. 19.

Through steady training and stronger morale, girls’ tennis continues winning streak

Victoria Hu
In groups, students practice stage fighting at a ComedySportz practice on Oct. 5.

ComedySportz works to win crowd over with puns

Sarah Zhou and Victoria Hu
Choir students perform for church service in the Votivkirche church, Vienna.

Flight delays, cancellations can’t dampen memories of 232 music students’ uplifting summer trip to Europe

Victoria Hu
Senior captain Arshi Chawla prepares to return a serve during a practice on Sept. 19.

Girls’ tennis focuses on improving team spirit and securing lineup

Anamika Anand and Victoria Hu
Drama leadership poses together after successfully hosting welcome night.

Curtain up: Drama to perform ‘The Crucible’ this fall

Victoria Hu
This thing has no right being as tall as an obnoxious toddler.

I survived: the box jumps

Victoria Hu
73 questions: conversations with the school community

73 questions: conversations with the school community

Lena Aribi, Meher Bhatnagar, Christina Chang, Lynn Dai, Victoria Hu, Hannah Lee, Jonny Luo, Shannon Ma, Nikhil Mathihalli, and Sarah Zhou
 Freshman Sydney Riera swings the bat during the Falcons’ last league game against Santa Clara on May 12, where the team won 15-4.

Softball team qualifies for CCS after recent comeback

Lynn Dai and Victoria Hu
Falcon individuals and teams shine in their respective sports

Falcon individuals and teams shine in their respective sports

Sam Bai, Aiden Ye, and Victoria Hu
Guidance department chair Alinna Satake to depart for another school

Guidance department chair Alinna Satake to depart for another school

Victoria Hu
Active parent groups work to support Saratoga school community

Active parent groups work to support Saratoga school community

Victoria Hu
Students share experiences living in Saratoga with out-of-the-mainstream political beliefs

Students share experiences living in Saratoga with out-of-the-mainstream political beliefs

Sarah Zhou and Victoria Hu
Seniors take creative dive into Capstone films

Seniors take creative dive into Capstone films

Anamika Anand and Victoria Hu
Even if my sleep isn’t so refreshing, I can always count on the dictionary to bring some positive energy into my day.

Interpreting the nightmares that plague my sleep

Victoria Hu
After the dryness of that baked potato, we will need IV fluids to die properly hydrated.

Our top 10 deathbed regrets

Sarah Zhou and Victoria Hu
Students and staff share opinions on bill that proposes child vaccination without parental consent

Students and staff share opinions on bill that proposes child vaccination without parental consent

Victoria Hu

Season preview: Softball fosters positive environment, optimism

Lynn Dai and Victoria Hu
Environmental Science students travel to Año Nuevo State Park to observe elephant seals

Environmental Science students travel to Año Nuevo State Park to observe elephant seals

Sarah Zhou and Victoria Hu
It is scientifically shown that the Roller Revolution was the driving force behind human evolution.

Standing up for roller backpack rights

Victoria Hu
Cartier is quaking.  

Budget-friendly bling: bending paper clips into rings

Victoria Hu
Club president Angela Luo presents to members with vice president Margaret Laver and Secretary Riley Alves during the first meeting.

Animal Science Club plans to provide animal-related volunteer opportunities to members

Sarah Zhou and Victoria Hu

My chaotic thoughts on foggy glasses

Victoria Hu
Senior Kaasha Minocha takes her COVID-19 test on Jan. 6.

School ends close contact notices in favor of weekly testing, plans to distribute N95/KN95 masks

Sarah Zhou and Victoria Hu
District utilizes mass COVID-19 testing to identify new cases

District utilizes mass COVID-19 testing to identify new cases

Sarah Zhou and Victoria Hu
Senior Mahi Ravi winds up to shoot during the girls’ water polo senior game against Cupertino on Oct. 19. 

After frustrating season, girls’ water polo looks to improve next year

Victoria Hu and Stephanie Sun
Teachers feel stressed juggling activities such as in-person teaching, advisories, and committee meetings.

Department chairs voice wide-ranging concerns in open letter to district leaders and board

Victoria Hu
Students edited audio of ghost stories with sound effects.

MAP 10 brings ghost podcasts to life

Anamika Anand and Victoria Hu
Drama director Benjamin Brotzman describes the design and dimensions of a set piece to senior Leslie Robinson.

New technical theater class prepares for fall play

Victoria Hu
Winter Formal planning aims to overcome setbacks amid ongoing pandemic restrictions

Winter Formal planning aims to overcome setbacks amid ongoing pandemic restrictions

Sarah Zhou and Victoria Hu
The items I’ve lost at school.

My ‘losing things’ streak

Victoria Hu
Overinflated blue marshmallows abound.

My winter jackets: extremely puffy but practical

Victoria Hu
Freshman Cassidy Coghlan winds her arm back in preparation for a shot during a game against Santa Clara on Oct. 5.

Freshman rises to challenge of varsity water polo team

Victoria Hu and Stephanie Sun
studentparkingcartoon

Photo or Graphic for: Hot take: Allow dropoffs in senior and junior parking areas

Aiden Ye
Two freshman skit performers battle each other using pool noodles during quad day.

Freshmen overcome hurdles for challenging but rewarding quad day performance

Victoria Hu
Under the magnifying glass: students with faculty and staff parents

Under the magnifying glass: students with faculty and staff parents

Sarah Zhou and Victoria Hu
The misery of getting your essay back

What to do when your prized essay comes back bleeding red

Victoria Hu
MAP 11 students pose in front of Universal Studios on a pre-pandemic field trip to LA.

MAP field trips return after pandemic year

Anamika Anand and Victoria Hu
Students and staff can sign up for Talkspace and gain access to licensed therapists in about three minutes.

Talkspace provides free access to online therapy for students and staff

Victoria Hu and Brian Sheen
Dora and I, at elementary school age, taking a wholesome family photo in our backyard.

Living as my older sister’s doppelgänger

Victoria Hu
Chef Suzuki and two guests raise a toast to Hachi Ju Hachi’s reopening.

Local family-owned restaurants bounce back after reopening

Sarah Zhou and Victoria Hu
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