Aditi Jayaraman

With the Indian Cultural Awareness Club (ICAC)’s “Bombay in the Bay,” the Alternative Energy and Fuel Fair (AEFF), Career Day and Junior Prom approaching, the next couple weeks promise excitement and lots of activity on and off campus for students.

As the end of the school year and graduation day approach, parents, seniors and Grad Night Co-Chairs are eagerly anticipating “Grad Night 2009”.

Those who know of “Bombay in the Bay,” the Indian Cultural Awareness Club’s (ICAC) annual Indian culture show on campus, know that members take it very seriously. What most of them do not know, however, is that many former ICAC members and Saratoga High alumni continue the tradition of Indian dancing in college as well. At this year’s “Bollywood Berkeley” dance contest held by UC Berkeley, nine alumni will compete with teams from their respective universities for the first place prize of $2000.

After a 1-0 victory over Milpitas on Feb. 6 marked the end of a tumultuous regular season for the girls’ varsity soccer team, the girls began to play a different, albeit less fun, game. They began to play the waiting game, anxiously anticipating the decision of the CCS Board as to whether or not they could qualify for the championships as a wildcard.

After leading the Lady Falcons to a 3-1-1 record in their first five league games, varsity girls’ soccer head coach Tulin Mendoza was replaced by history teacher Kim Anzalone for the remainder of the season.

To say that this year’s presidential election was remarkable would be an understatement. With the highest voter turnout since the 1972 presidential elections, arguably the highest amount of youth involvement ever and the first African-American presidential elect in American history, Barack Obama, the 2008 election has made a lasting mark on Saratoga High students. Since candidates began campaigning for the primary elections held in early February of this year, many Saratoga High students began identifying which stances of candidates on various issues aligned with their own.

The girls’ soccer team is trying to gel around a new coach and integrate three freshmen and three new sophomores—a challenge that has shown up in some pre-season losses. “[The girls] are just getting to know each other and play as a team, which is what preseason is about,” said new coach Tulin Mendoza. Mendoza has been coaching for the past 15 years at a number of different high schools, youth programs and Olympic development programs in the Bay Area. Mendoza expressed enthusiasm about working with the lady Falcons this year, but feels there’s much room for improvement.

The girls’ soccer team is trying to gel around a new coach and integrate three freshmen and three new sophomores—a challenge that has shown up in some pre-season losses. “[The girls] are just getting to know each other and play as a team, which is what preseason is about,” said new coach Tulin Mendoza. Mendoza has been coaching for the past 15 years at a number of different high schools, youth programs and Olympic development programs in the Bay Area. Mendoza expressed enthusiasm about working with the lady Falcons this year, but feels there’s much room for improvement.

The crowd waits, quiet. The spotlight falls on a group of five boys, clad in too tight shirts and clothed in outrageous colors—almost as loud as the music that starts playing in the background. As the lyrics come onto the speakers, the boys open their mouths and begin to sing and the crowd erupts into laughter and applause. This humorous event is the annual senior class fund raiser. Doesn’t sound too familiar? You may not remember since it hasn’t taken place in two years.

It sucks to have an older sibling. Of course, we younger siblings ironically get the upper hand in deciding who has to take care of household chores – generally, we are “too young to know how,” or need “someone else to show how to do it first,” – and we usually get away with more than our role model siblings, who are forced to set a continuously positive example for us. When it comes to getting the perfect Christmas gifts, however, we are downright hopeless.

To say that this year’s presidential election was remarkable would be an understatement. With the highest voter turnout since the 1972 presidential elections, arguably the highest amount of youth involvement ever and the first African-American presidential elect in American history, Barack Obama, the 2008 election has made a lasting mark on Saratoga High students.

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I have teachers with college degrees, and years of classroom experience. They don’t. I have a limitless amount of supplies at my fingertips. They don’t. I have a comfortable classroom setting, with air conditioning and proper desks. They don’t. I spent this past summer teaching at a K-10 school named Suddhanandha Vidyalaya, located on the southern coast of India in a small town called Uthandi. The school was built in an effort to educate less fortunate children. The school consists of nearly 560 students from nearby villages, the majority of whom belong to fisherman families. The children are the first members to be receiving an education.

In recent weeks, Southeast Asia has been rocked by two calamitous natural disasters. A 7.9 magnitude earthquake struck Chengdu, the capital of the Sichuan province of China, on May 12, toppling buildings and schools throughout the province and even shaking buildings in Beijing 932 miles away. To date, experts estimate that the earthquake has killed 55,000 people. Meanwhile, just eight days before, a cyclone struck Myanmar, previously known as Burma. Reports have the death toll nearing 134,000. Although both events have captured world headlines and left thousands homeless or otherwise devastated, the earthquake in China has dominated the news, leaving many people uninformed and ignorant regarding the situation in Burma. While this is largely due to the military junta’s stranglehold on foreign media entering Myanmar, this oppressive dominion over news flow should provide all the more reason for people to try and help in Myanmar.

In recent weeks, Southeast Asia has been rocked by two calamitous natural disasters. A 7.9 magnitude earthquake struck Chengdu, the capital of the Sichuan province of China, on May 12, toppling buildings and schools throughout the province and even shaking buildings in Beijing 932 miles away. To date, experts estimate that the earthquake has killed 55,000 people. Meanwhile, just eight days before, a cyclone struck Myanmar, previously known as Burma. Reports have the death toll nearing 134,000.

This story was originally published in the April 4 issue of The Saratoga Falcon After years of performing crowded dances on the tiny stage at Argonaut Elementary School, the Indian Cultural Awareness Club, will shift its venue for the annual “Friends and Family Night” to the McAfee Center, for the first time. This year’s “Bombay in the Bay” will be held tomorrow at 6.

If basketball coach Mike Davey has his way, his team and others will be able to play year-round on a new, state-of-the-art outdoor basketball court.