Controversy surrounding artist Ai Weiwei’s photo is misguided December 7, 2017 — by Oksana Trifonova The black and white image was lauded by many newspaper editors. read more » I’m a Taurus, and Tauruses don’t believe in astrology May 8, 2017 — by Oksana Trifonova Reporter discusses his passion of astronomy. read more » I’m a Taurus, and Tauruses don’t believe in astrology December 7, 2016 — by Oksana Trifonova Senior reflects on past obsession with astrology read more » I’m a Taurus, and Tauruses don’t believe in astrology September 19, 2016 — by Oksana Trifonova Student talks about atrology and why she does not belive in it. read more » Controversy surrounding artist Ai Weiwei’s photo is misguided September 19, 2016 — by Oksana Trifonova Student talks about the controversy surronding artist Ai Weiwei read more » Dislike for STEM is not a fatal disease May 30, 2016 — by Oksana Trifonova I don’t like math. And it’s not because I find it boring or useless, but because I simply don’t get it. read more » Mythbusters: AP Language vs. AP Literature April 12, 2016 — by Oksana Trifonova Senior who is taking both classes this year clears the air about the choice between taking AP Literature and AP Language. read more » Graduation night amasses funds despite challenges March 24, 2016 — by Oksana Trifonova and Kelly Xiao Funding, however, is a crucial question every year, and this year, more so than others because of the small size of the senior class, which has only 328 students compared to the 361 students for the Class of 2015. read more » Students discover better fit away from name-brand schools March 4, 2016 — by Claire Rhee and Oksana Trifonova After graduating, alumni Helen Wong found her place at Brandeis, where she is on a pre-law track, double majoring in history and health science and policy. Although Brandeis is not a well known university among Saratoga students, it ranks as No. 34 school in the 2016 edition of Best Colleges from U.S. News and benefits from its smaller size of around 3,729 undergraduate students. read more » Falcon wins Pacemaker for second year in a row November 30, 2015 — by Deepthi Sampathkumar and Oksana Trifonova The Falcon has won the Pacemaker award by the National Scholastic Press Association (NSPA) for 2014-2015 in the broadsheet category for newspapers of 17 or more pages for the second consecutive year. read more » Top 10 things to be thankful for November 13, 2015 — by David Fan and Oksana Trifonova It's Thanksgiving time! read more » Girls Can movement helps break gender boundaries November 10, 2015 — by Charin Park and Oksana Trifonova Covergirl’s video two years ago announced the launch of the “Girls Can” campaign, a movement seeking to promote female empowerment and intelligence. read more » ‘The Visit’: Creepy grandparent duo provides real thrill October 14, 2015 — by Oksana Trifonova and Kelly Xiao Reporters review "The Visit" and find it surprisingly good in several aspects. read more » Girls’ golf: Falcons suffer consecutive losses October 14, 2015 — by Oksana Trifonova As the season progresses, the Falcons have already faced some of their toughest league opponents. Even though they’ve been playing well, they have suffered consecutive losses to leave their record at 5-5 as of Oct. 8. read more » Despite some appearances, golf really is a sport October 7, 2015 — by Oksana Trifonova What seems to be a lazy, easy-to-play sport can actually be one of the most difficult. A reporter details her experience with learning how to golf. read more » Alumnus’s self-segregation article generates conversation in community October 6, 2015 — by Caitlyn Chen and Oksana Trifonova In an article published in a Chinese media outlet and later, an American website, alumnus Sameul Liu wrote that “the culture [at Saratoga High] had split soundlessly into two separate circles, each involved in its own activities and contemptuous of the other.” read more » New players strengthen golf team September 4, 2015 — by Oksana Trifonova As the school year begins, the golf players start practice at the Saratoga Country Club. The new team is without Vivian Roan, last year’s top player, but now boasts of freshman Janelle Jin, who leads the team with the top score of 124 shots for the qualifying round of 27 holes. read more » Hollywood directors need a dose of feminism September 4, 2015 — by Oksana Trifonova Instead of the same movies that include cliché portrayals of women, there should be more films that showcase unconventional views of women. read more » STEM buff has a go at humanities and likes it May 21, 2015 — by Melissa Magner and Oksana Trifonova Junior Nate Ney’s interests span beyond simply just STEM courses and activities, and recently he has become more involved in humanity-related activities like History Bowl — an involvement that has inspired him to expand his comfort zone. read more » 100 Word Rants May 18, 2015 — by Cassandra King, Isabelle Tseng, Oksana Trifonova and Jason Zhao Rants about school starting earlier each year, the smarter balanced tests, fanfictions, and badminton. read more » JSA starts Open mic effort downtown downtown May 18, 2015 — by Melissa Magner and Oksana Trifonova Junior State of America (JSA) Club hosted an Open Mic at Blue Rock Shoot Cafe on May 15 in an effort to bring more foot traffic to downtown Saratoga and boost business. During the Open Mic, students and adults alike sang and played the piano and the guitar. read more » Crossword answers for backpage May 1 issue May 1, 2015 — by Cassandra King and Oksana Trifonova Crossword answers for May 1 issue read more » Following his heart, Rodriguex chooses teaching and has never looked back April 23, 2015 — by Oksana Trifonova Rodriguex said that when he looks back on his more than four decades of teaching, he knows that he has loved almost all of it. At age 24, he defied his father’s expectations when he decided to go into teaching rather than become a chemist. read more » Seniors lead boys’ golf team March 8, 2015 — by Oksana Trifonova and Arman Vaziri With four key seniors, the boys’ golf team certainly does not lack experience. read more » 2014 alumni reflect on their first years playing sports in college March 5, 2015 — by Jenny Qian and Oksana Trifonova From AYSO soccer to high school varsity football, sports have always been an integral part of growing up. read more » ‘Game of Thrones’ Season 5 trailer promises action, surprises March 4, 2015 — by Oksana Trifonova and Kelly Xiao “Game of Thrones,” including the 2011 HBO show version and the 1991 book series, has created a fan stronghold for itself through its multiple storyline plot that details the struggles of several characters over a throne. read more » Carnival wraps up week of inspiration January 25, 2015 — by Neehar Thumaty and Oksana Trifonova Intended to help students relax and celebrate a successful week of inspiration, the carnival in the Quad ended Speak Up for Change week on Jan. 23. read more » French classes face challenging times January 22, 2015 — by Michelle Leung, Trevor Leung and Oksana Trifonova A lack of language options at the middle school level and competition from other electives have resulted in increasingly small French classes. read more » Opposite ends of the spectrum: Large and small classes on campus provide different learning opportunities January 21, 2015 — by Melissa Magner and Oksana Trifonova With about 1,350 students on its campus, Saratoga High has an average class size of about 28. read more » Freshman swings her way onto golf team November 13, 2014 — by Oksana Trifonova and Jihau Yu Sarah Lo is the only freshman player on the girls’ golf team, but has already earned the position of fourth best player. read more » Saratoga City council engages students in community issues November 3, 2014 — by Cassandra King and Oksana Trifonova The thin strum of a ukulele sounded from the research center Oct. 24 as 30 pairs of eyes turned to look at the source — Saratoga city council candidate John Chen. read more » Girls’ golf working on improving away play October 12, 2014 — by Oksana Trifonova and Arman Vaziri Having faced tough opponents over the past few weeks, the girls’ golf team has a record of 3-5 as of Oct. 9. read more » Falcon staffers gain experiences at Paly journalism conference October 9, 2014 — by Gitika Nalwa and Oksana Trifonova J-Day, a journalism conference sponsored by the Journalism Education Association of Northern California, was held on Sept. 27 at Palo Alto High School’s new Media Arts Center. read more » Key additions boost girls’ golf team September 2, 2014 — by Oksana Trifonova and Arman Vaziri September is on the calendar as the Falcons hit the golf course. This year, the girls’ golf team has had many valuable freshmen additions. read more » Spanish teacher takes on additional job of activities director August 31, 2014 — by Kevin Chow and Oksana Trifonova Spanish teacher Rebeca Marshburn has taken on an additional challenge this year: being the new activities director. read more » Orchestra to travel to Spain this summer May 23, 2014 — by Shazia Gupta and Oksana Trifonova This summer, members of the school’s orchestra and band will be traveling to Spain and two ensembles will perform: the symphony orchestra and the symphonic wind ensemble. read more » Speech and debate brings home success May 7, 2014 — by Sudeep Raj and Oksana Trifonova The speech and debate team ended a successful season with a bang at the state competition on April 25 at James Enochs High School in Modesto. read more » Teacher faced temptation to cheat in college May 7, 2014 — by Oksana Trifonova As a college student at Princeton, English teacher Catherine Head took a social science course called Critical Theory, taught by a professor who thought women had no place in higher education. read more » No freaking policy not working May 6, 2014 — by Gwynevere Hunger and Oksana Trifonova School dances have always been a symbol of school spirit, a time when all social groups come together, united under the pride of being a Falcon. And with more dances and more attendance comes more unity and school pride. However, during the beginning of this year, the administration decided to ban freaking, a sort of dancing that consists of two people grinding against each other, with both looking in one direction so that interaction is not face-to-face. The administration has not approved of this way of dancing for many years and finally required students to dance “face to face” in the beginning of the school year. read more » Boys’ golf team advances to CCS May 2, 2014 — by Melissa Magner and Oksana Trifonova At the league finals on April 29 at the Santa Teresa Golf Course, senior Christian Galvin, the Falcons’ No. 1 player, became league finals champion. read more » Boys’ golf team anticipating victories March 11, 2014 — by Melissa Magner and Oksana Trifonova The boys’ golf team is off to a good start this year after beating Lynbrook on Feb. 27, Monta Vista on March 3, and Los Gatos and Milpitas on March 10, leading to a 4-0 record for the Falcons as of March 10. read more » Speech and debate showing growth February 14, 2014 — by Sudeep Raj and Oksana Trifonova Eighty-eight schools competed in the Martin Luther King speech and debate tournament at James Logan High from Jan. 17-19. read more » Wish granted: Class helps parents learn English January 29, 2014 — by Oksana Trifonova and Devin Zhao Assistant principal Kerry Mohnike pointed to a sentence projected onto a board. “She went to the doctor,” said Mohnike, slowly and carefully articulating each word. Thirty-one students — all of them adults — stared at the board, carefully listening to Mohnike’s pronunciation of the sentence. “She went to the doctor,” a medley of assorted accents chanted back. read more » Holidays in Russia contrast with western celebrations December 17, 2013 — by Oksana Trifonova Most of us wouldn't recognize Christmas in Russia. read more » District hopes breaks offer enough relief to arduous October November 19, 2013 — by Helen Chen, Gwynevere Hunger and Oksana Trifonova For many students, the first few months of school can be rough, especially for seniors: Getting past the Nov. 1 early deadline for college applications can be the hardest part of the year. read more » STAR testing to be replaced by Common Core-compatible testing system October 15, 2013 — by Jade Bisht and Oksana Trifonova Standardized tests that students have taken for years are about to change next spring: California Standardized Testing and Reporting (STAR) tests and the API scores that accompany it are being eliminated in favor of a new system based on Common Core Standards. read more » Russian anti-gay laws distorted by U.S. media October 8, 2013 — by Oksana Trifonova The 2014 Winter Olympics planned to be held in Sochi, Russia, has been the object of public criticism and protests for months. Some athletes and activists have even spoken of boycotting the Olympics. The reason: Russia’s supposed anti-gay laws. read more » The Vine vortex: social media app gains popularity September 10, 2013 — by Gwynevere Hunger and Oksana Trifonova What would you do for 234,178 likes? Would you trash your kitchen “trying to kill a bug”? Or how about for 501,769 likes? Would you run around the mall singing “I believe I can fly” while hitting strangers with swim noodles on your arms? Believe it or not, people do all of the above and more through a social media app, Vine. read more » New face-to-face dance policy stirs controversy September 8, 2013 — by Ingrid Hong and Oksana Trifonova This year, the administration enacted a new “face-to-face” dance policy, resulting in an increase in freshman attendance but also a decrease in upperclassman attendance. read more » German exchange student adjusts to changes September 5, 2013 — by David Sparkman and Oksana Trifonova It's the beginning of the school year and new faces and names are everywhere. It's especially intimidating if you're the new kid. Now imagine the first day of school in another country, where even the language is unfamiliar, let alone the campus and the students. read more »
I’m a Taurus, and Tauruses don’t believe in astrology May 8, 2017 — by Oksana Trifonova Reporter discusses his passion of astronomy. read more » I’m a Taurus, and Tauruses don’t believe in astrology December 7, 2016 — by Oksana Trifonova Senior reflects on past obsession with astrology read more » I’m a Taurus, and Tauruses don’t believe in astrology September 19, 2016 — by Oksana Trifonova Student talks about atrology and why she does not belive in it. read more » Controversy surrounding artist Ai Weiwei’s photo is misguided September 19, 2016 — by Oksana Trifonova Student talks about the controversy surronding artist Ai Weiwei read more » Dislike for STEM is not a fatal disease May 30, 2016 — by Oksana Trifonova I don’t like math. And it’s not because I find it boring or useless, but because I simply don’t get it. read more » Mythbusters: AP Language vs. AP Literature April 12, 2016 — by Oksana Trifonova Senior who is taking both classes this year clears the air about the choice between taking AP Literature and AP Language. read more » Graduation night amasses funds despite challenges March 24, 2016 — by Oksana Trifonova and Kelly Xiao Funding, however, is a crucial question every year, and this year, more so than others because of the small size of the senior class, which has only 328 students compared to the 361 students for the Class of 2015. read more » Students discover better fit away from name-brand schools March 4, 2016 — by Claire Rhee and Oksana Trifonova After graduating, alumni Helen Wong found her place at Brandeis, where she is on a pre-law track, double majoring in history and health science and policy. Although Brandeis is not a well known university among Saratoga students, it ranks as No. 34 school in the 2016 edition of Best Colleges from U.S. News and benefits from its smaller size of around 3,729 undergraduate students. read more » Falcon wins Pacemaker for second year in a row November 30, 2015 — by Deepthi Sampathkumar and Oksana Trifonova The Falcon has won the Pacemaker award by the National Scholastic Press Association (NSPA) for 2014-2015 in the broadsheet category for newspapers of 17 or more pages for the second consecutive year. read more » Top 10 things to be thankful for November 13, 2015 — by David Fan and Oksana Trifonova It's Thanksgiving time! read more » Girls Can movement helps break gender boundaries November 10, 2015 — by Charin Park and Oksana Trifonova Covergirl’s video two years ago announced the launch of the “Girls Can” campaign, a movement seeking to promote female empowerment and intelligence. read more » ‘The Visit’: Creepy grandparent duo provides real thrill October 14, 2015 — by Oksana Trifonova and Kelly Xiao Reporters review "The Visit" and find it surprisingly good in several aspects. read more » Girls’ golf: Falcons suffer consecutive losses October 14, 2015 — by Oksana Trifonova As the season progresses, the Falcons have already faced some of their toughest league opponents. Even though they’ve been playing well, they have suffered consecutive losses to leave their record at 5-5 as of Oct. 8. read more » Despite some appearances, golf really is a sport October 7, 2015 — by Oksana Trifonova What seems to be a lazy, easy-to-play sport can actually be one of the most difficult. A reporter details her experience with learning how to golf. read more » Alumnus’s self-segregation article generates conversation in community October 6, 2015 — by Caitlyn Chen and Oksana Trifonova In an article published in a Chinese media outlet and later, an American website, alumnus Sameul Liu wrote that “the culture [at Saratoga High] had split soundlessly into two separate circles, each involved in its own activities and contemptuous of the other.” read more » New players strengthen golf team September 4, 2015 — by Oksana Trifonova As the school year begins, the golf players start practice at the Saratoga Country Club. The new team is without Vivian Roan, last year’s top player, but now boasts of freshman Janelle Jin, who leads the team with the top score of 124 shots for the qualifying round of 27 holes. read more » Hollywood directors need a dose of feminism September 4, 2015 — by Oksana Trifonova Instead of the same movies that include cliché portrayals of women, there should be more films that showcase unconventional views of women. read more » STEM buff has a go at humanities and likes it May 21, 2015 — by Melissa Magner and Oksana Trifonova Junior Nate Ney’s interests span beyond simply just STEM courses and activities, and recently he has become more involved in humanity-related activities like History Bowl — an involvement that has inspired him to expand his comfort zone. read more » 100 Word Rants May 18, 2015 — by Cassandra King, Isabelle Tseng, Oksana Trifonova and Jason Zhao Rants about school starting earlier each year, the smarter balanced tests, fanfictions, and badminton. read more » JSA starts Open mic effort downtown downtown May 18, 2015 — by Melissa Magner and Oksana Trifonova Junior State of America (JSA) Club hosted an Open Mic at Blue Rock Shoot Cafe on May 15 in an effort to bring more foot traffic to downtown Saratoga and boost business. During the Open Mic, students and adults alike sang and played the piano and the guitar. read more » Crossword answers for backpage May 1 issue May 1, 2015 — by Cassandra King and Oksana Trifonova Crossword answers for May 1 issue read more » Following his heart, Rodriguex chooses teaching and has never looked back April 23, 2015 — by Oksana Trifonova Rodriguex said that when he looks back on his more than four decades of teaching, he knows that he has loved almost all of it. At age 24, he defied his father’s expectations when he decided to go into teaching rather than become a chemist. read more » Seniors lead boys’ golf team March 8, 2015 — by Oksana Trifonova and Arman Vaziri With four key seniors, the boys’ golf team certainly does not lack experience. read more » 2014 alumni reflect on their first years playing sports in college March 5, 2015 — by Jenny Qian and Oksana Trifonova From AYSO soccer to high school varsity football, sports have always been an integral part of growing up. read more » ‘Game of Thrones’ Season 5 trailer promises action, surprises March 4, 2015 — by Oksana Trifonova and Kelly Xiao “Game of Thrones,” including the 2011 HBO show version and the 1991 book series, has created a fan stronghold for itself through its multiple storyline plot that details the struggles of several characters over a throne. read more » Carnival wraps up week of inspiration January 25, 2015 — by Neehar Thumaty and Oksana Trifonova Intended to help students relax and celebrate a successful week of inspiration, the carnival in the Quad ended Speak Up for Change week on Jan. 23. read more » French classes face challenging times January 22, 2015 — by Michelle Leung, Trevor Leung and Oksana Trifonova A lack of language options at the middle school level and competition from other electives have resulted in increasingly small French classes. read more » Opposite ends of the spectrum: Large and small classes on campus provide different learning opportunities January 21, 2015 — by Melissa Magner and Oksana Trifonova With about 1,350 students on its campus, Saratoga High has an average class size of about 28. read more » Freshman swings her way onto golf team November 13, 2014 — by Oksana Trifonova and Jihau Yu Sarah Lo is the only freshman player on the girls’ golf team, but has already earned the position of fourth best player. read more » Saratoga City council engages students in community issues November 3, 2014 — by Cassandra King and Oksana Trifonova The thin strum of a ukulele sounded from the research center Oct. 24 as 30 pairs of eyes turned to look at the source — Saratoga city council candidate John Chen. read more » Girls’ golf working on improving away play October 12, 2014 — by Oksana Trifonova and Arman Vaziri Having faced tough opponents over the past few weeks, the girls’ golf team has a record of 3-5 as of Oct. 9. read more » Falcon staffers gain experiences at Paly journalism conference October 9, 2014 — by Gitika Nalwa and Oksana Trifonova J-Day, a journalism conference sponsored by the Journalism Education Association of Northern California, was held on Sept. 27 at Palo Alto High School’s new Media Arts Center. read more » Key additions boost girls’ golf team September 2, 2014 — by Oksana Trifonova and Arman Vaziri September is on the calendar as the Falcons hit the golf course. This year, the girls’ golf team has had many valuable freshmen additions. read more » Spanish teacher takes on additional job of activities director August 31, 2014 — by Kevin Chow and Oksana Trifonova Spanish teacher Rebeca Marshburn has taken on an additional challenge this year: being the new activities director. read more » Orchestra to travel to Spain this summer May 23, 2014 — by Shazia Gupta and Oksana Trifonova This summer, members of the school’s orchestra and band will be traveling to Spain and two ensembles will perform: the symphony orchestra and the symphonic wind ensemble. read more » Speech and debate brings home success May 7, 2014 — by Sudeep Raj and Oksana Trifonova The speech and debate team ended a successful season with a bang at the state competition on April 25 at James Enochs High School in Modesto. read more » Teacher faced temptation to cheat in college May 7, 2014 — by Oksana Trifonova As a college student at Princeton, English teacher Catherine Head took a social science course called Critical Theory, taught by a professor who thought women had no place in higher education. read more » No freaking policy not working May 6, 2014 — by Gwynevere Hunger and Oksana Trifonova School dances have always been a symbol of school spirit, a time when all social groups come together, united under the pride of being a Falcon. And with more dances and more attendance comes more unity and school pride. However, during the beginning of this year, the administration decided to ban freaking, a sort of dancing that consists of two people grinding against each other, with both looking in one direction so that interaction is not face-to-face. The administration has not approved of this way of dancing for many years and finally required students to dance “face to face” in the beginning of the school year. read more » Boys’ golf team advances to CCS May 2, 2014 — by Melissa Magner and Oksana Trifonova At the league finals on April 29 at the Santa Teresa Golf Course, senior Christian Galvin, the Falcons’ No. 1 player, became league finals champion. read more » Boys’ golf team anticipating victories March 11, 2014 — by Melissa Magner and Oksana Trifonova The boys’ golf team is off to a good start this year after beating Lynbrook on Feb. 27, Monta Vista on March 3, and Los Gatos and Milpitas on March 10, leading to a 4-0 record for the Falcons as of March 10. read more » Speech and debate showing growth February 14, 2014 — by Sudeep Raj and Oksana Trifonova Eighty-eight schools competed in the Martin Luther King speech and debate tournament at James Logan High from Jan. 17-19. read more » Wish granted: Class helps parents learn English January 29, 2014 — by Oksana Trifonova and Devin Zhao Assistant principal Kerry Mohnike pointed to a sentence projected onto a board. “She went to the doctor,” said Mohnike, slowly and carefully articulating each word. Thirty-one students — all of them adults — stared at the board, carefully listening to Mohnike’s pronunciation of the sentence. “She went to the doctor,” a medley of assorted accents chanted back. read more » Holidays in Russia contrast with western celebrations December 17, 2013 — by Oksana Trifonova Most of us wouldn't recognize Christmas in Russia. read more » District hopes breaks offer enough relief to arduous October November 19, 2013 — by Helen Chen, Gwynevere Hunger and Oksana Trifonova For many students, the first few months of school can be rough, especially for seniors: Getting past the Nov. 1 early deadline for college applications can be the hardest part of the year. read more » STAR testing to be replaced by Common Core-compatible testing system October 15, 2013 — by Jade Bisht and Oksana Trifonova Standardized tests that students have taken for years are about to change next spring: California Standardized Testing and Reporting (STAR) tests and the API scores that accompany it are being eliminated in favor of a new system based on Common Core Standards. read more » Russian anti-gay laws distorted by U.S. media October 8, 2013 — by Oksana Trifonova The 2014 Winter Olympics planned to be held in Sochi, Russia, has been the object of public criticism and protests for months. Some athletes and activists have even spoken of boycotting the Olympics. The reason: Russia’s supposed anti-gay laws. read more » The Vine vortex: social media app gains popularity September 10, 2013 — by Gwynevere Hunger and Oksana Trifonova What would you do for 234,178 likes? Would you trash your kitchen “trying to kill a bug”? Or how about for 501,769 likes? Would you run around the mall singing “I believe I can fly” while hitting strangers with swim noodles on your arms? Believe it or not, people do all of the above and more through a social media app, Vine. read more » New face-to-face dance policy stirs controversy September 8, 2013 — by Ingrid Hong and Oksana Trifonova This year, the administration enacted a new “face-to-face” dance policy, resulting in an increase in freshman attendance but also a decrease in upperclassman attendance. read more » German exchange student adjusts to changes September 5, 2013 — by David Sparkman and Oksana Trifonova It's the beginning of the school year and new faces and names are everywhere. It's especially intimidating if you're the new kid. Now imagine the first day of school in another country, where even the language is unfamiliar, let alone the campus and the students. read more »
I’m a Taurus, and Tauruses don’t believe in astrology December 7, 2016 — by Oksana Trifonova Senior reflects on past obsession with astrology read more » I’m a Taurus, and Tauruses don’t believe in astrology September 19, 2016 — by Oksana Trifonova Student talks about atrology and why she does not belive in it. read more » Controversy surrounding artist Ai Weiwei’s photo is misguided September 19, 2016 — by Oksana Trifonova Student talks about the controversy surronding artist Ai Weiwei read more » Dislike for STEM is not a fatal disease May 30, 2016 — by Oksana Trifonova I don’t like math. And it’s not because I find it boring or useless, but because I simply don’t get it. read more » Mythbusters: AP Language vs. AP Literature April 12, 2016 — by Oksana Trifonova Senior who is taking both classes this year clears the air about the choice between taking AP Literature and AP Language. read more » Graduation night amasses funds despite challenges March 24, 2016 — by Oksana Trifonova and Kelly Xiao Funding, however, is a crucial question every year, and this year, more so than others because of the small size of the senior class, which has only 328 students compared to the 361 students for the Class of 2015. read more » Students discover better fit away from name-brand schools March 4, 2016 — by Claire Rhee and Oksana Trifonova After graduating, alumni Helen Wong found her place at Brandeis, where she is on a pre-law track, double majoring in history and health science and policy. Although Brandeis is not a well known university among Saratoga students, it ranks as No. 34 school in the 2016 edition of Best Colleges from U.S. News and benefits from its smaller size of around 3,729 undergraduate students. read more » Falcon wins Pacemaker for second year in a row November 30, 2015 — by Deepthi Sampathkumar and Oksana Trifonova The Falcon has won the Pacemaker award by the National Scholastic Press Association (NSPA) for 2014-2015 in the broadsheet category for newspapers of 17 or more pages for the second consecutive year. read more » Top 10 things to be thankful for November 13, 2015 — by David Fan and Oksana Trifonova It's Thanksgiving time! read more » Girls Can movement helps break gender boundaries November 10, 2015 — by Charin Park and Oksana Trifonova Covergirl’s video two years ago announced the launch of the “Girls Can” campaign, a movement seeking to promote female empowerment and intelligence. read more » ‘The Visit’: Creepy grandparent duo provides real thrill October 14, 2015 — by Oksana Trifonova and Kelly Xiao Reporters review "The Visit" and find it surprisingly good in several aspects. read more » Girls’ golf: Falcons suffer consecutive losses October 14, 2015 — by Oksana Trifonova As the season progresses, the Falcons have already faced some of their toughest league opponents. Even though they’ve been playing well, they have suffered consecutive losses to leave their record at 5-5 as of Oct. 8. read more » Despite some appearances, golf really is a sport October 7, 2015 — by Oksana Trifonova What seems to be a lazy, easy-to-play sport can actually be one of the most difficult. A reporter details her experience with learning how to golf. read more » Alumnus’s self-segregation article generates conversation in community October 6, 2015 — by Caitlyn Chen and Oksana Trifonova In an article published in a Chinese media outlet and later, an American website, alumnus Sameul Liu wrote that “the culture [at Saratoga High] had split soundlessly into two separate circles, each involved in its own activities and contemptuous of the other.” read more » New players strengthen golf team September 4, 2015 — by Oksana Trifonova As the school year begins, the golf players start practice at the Saratoga Country Club. The new team is without Vivian Roan, last year’s top player, but now boasts of freshman Janelle Jin, who leads the team with the top score of 124 shots for the qualifying round of 27 holes. read more » Hollywood directors need a dose of feminism September 4, 2015 — by Oksana Trifonova Instead of the same movies that include cliché portrayals of women, there should be more films that showcase unconventional views of women. read more » STEM buff has a go at humanities and likes it May 21, 2015 — by Melissa Magner and Oksana Trifonova Junior Nate Ney’s interests span beyond simply just STEM courses and activities, and recently he has become more involved in humanity-related activities like History Bowl — an involvement that has inspired him to expand his comfort zone. read more » 100 Word Rants May 18, 2015 — by Cassandra King, Isabelle Tseng, Oksana Trifonova and Jason Zhao Rants about school starting earlier each year, the smarter balanced tests, fanfictions, and badminton. read more » JSA starts Open mic effort downtown downtown May 18, 2015 — by Melissa Magner and Oksana Trifonova Junior State of America (JSA) Club hosted an Open Mic at Blue Rock Shoot Cafe on May 15 in an effort to bring more foot traffic to downtown Saratoga and boost business. During the Open Mic, students and adults alike sang and played the piano and the guitar. read more » Crossword answers for backpage May 1 issue May 1, 2015 — by Cassandra King and Oksana Trifonova Crossword answers for May 1 issue read more » Following his heart, Rodriguex chooses teaching and has never looked back April 23, 2015 — by Oksana Trifonova Rodriguex said that when he looks back on his more than four decades of teaching, he knows that he has loved almost all of it. At age 24, he defied his father’s expectations when he decided to go into teaching rather than become a chemist. read more » Seniors lead boys’ golf team March 8, 2015 — by Oksana Trifonova and Arman Vaziri With four key seniors, the boys’ golf team certainly does not lack experience. read more » 2014 alumni reflect on their first years playing sports in college March 5, 2015 — by Jenny Qian and Oksana Trifonova From AYSO soccer to high school varsity football, sports have always been an integral part of growing up. read more » ‘Game of Thrones’ Season 5 trailer promises action, surprises March 4, 2015 — by Oksana Trifonova and Kelly Xiao “Game of Thrones,” including the 2011 HBO show version and the 1991 book series, has created a fan stronghold for itself through its multiple storyline plot that details the struggles of several characters over a throne. read more » Carnival wraps up week of inspiration January 25, 2015 — by Neehar Thumaty and Oksana Trifonova Intended to help students relax and celebrate a successful week of inspiration, the carnival in the Quad ended Speak Up for Change week on Jan. 23. read more » French classes face challenging times January 22, 2015 — by Michelle Leung, Trevor Leung and Oksana Trifonova A lack of language options at the middle school level and competition from other electives have resulted in increasingly small French classes. read more » Opposite ends of the spectrum: Large and small classes on campus provide different learning opportunities January 21, 2015 — by Melissa Magner and Oksana Trifonova With about 1,350 students on its campus, Saratoga High has an average class size of about 28. read more » Freshman swings her way onto golf team November 13, 2014 — by Oksana Trifonova and Jihau Yu Sarah Lo is the only freshman player on the girls’ golf team, but has already earned the position of fourth best player. read more » Saratoga City council engages students in community issues November 3, 2014 — by Cassandra King and Oksana Trifonova The thin strum of a ukulele sounded from the research center Oct. 24 as 30 pairs of eyes turned to look at the source — Saratoga city council candidate John Chen. read more » Girls’ golf working on improving away play October 12, 2014 — by Oksana Trifonova and Arman Vaziri Having faced tough opponents over the past few weeks, the girls’ golf team has a record of 3-5 as of Oct. 9. read more » Falcon staffers gain experiences at Paly journalism conference October 9, 2014 — by Gitika Nalwa and Oksana Trifonova J-Day, a journalism conference sponsored by the Journalism Education Association of Northern California, was held on Sept. 27 at Palo Alto High School’s new Media Arts Center. read more » Key additions boost girls’ golf team September 2, 2014 — by Oksana Trifonova and Arman Vaziri September is on the calendar as the Falcons hit the golf course. This year, the girls’ golf team has had many valuable freshmen additions. read more » Spanish teacher takes on additional job of activities director August 31, 2014 — by Kevin Chow and Oksana Trifonova Spanish teacher Rebeca Marshburn has taken on an additional challenge this year: being the new activities director. read more » Orchestra to travel to Spain this summer May 23, 2014 — by Shazia Gupta and Oksana Trifonova This summer, members of the school’s orchestra and band will be traveling to Spain and two ensembles will perform: the symphony orchestra and the symphonic wind ensemble. read more » Speech and debate brings home success May 7, 2014 — by Sudeep Raj and Oksana Trifonova The speech and debate team ended a successful season with a bang at the state competition on April 25 at James Enochs High School in Modesto. read more » Teacher faced temptation to cheat in college May 7, 2014 — by Oksana Trifonova As a college student at Princeton, English teacher Catherine Head took a social science course called Critical Theory, taught by a professor who thought women had no place in higher education. read more » No freaking policy not working May 6, 2014 — by Gwynevere Hunger and Oksana Trifonova School dances have always been a symbol of school spirit, a time when all social groups come together, united under the pride of being a Falcon. And with more dances and more attendance comes more unity and school pride. However, during the beginning of this year, the administration decided to ban freaking, a sort of dancing that consists of two people grinding against each other, with both looking in one direction so that interaction is not face-to-face. The administration has not approved of this way of dancing for many years and finally required students to dance “face to face” in the beginning of the school year. read more » Boys’ golf team advances to CCS May 2, 2014 — by Melissa Magner and Oksana Trifonova At the league finals on April 29 at the Santa Teresa Golf Course, senior Christian Galvin, the Falcons’ No. 1 player, became league finals champion. read more » Boys’ golf team anticipating victories March 11, 2014 — by Melissa Magner and Oksana Trifonova The boys’ golf team is off to a good start this year after beating Lynbrook on Feb. 27, Monta Vista on March 3, and Los Gatos and Milpitas on March 10, leading to a 4-0 record for the Falcons as of March 10. read more » Speech and debate showing growth February 14, 2014 — by Sudeep Raj and Oksana Trifonova Eighty-eight schools competed in the Martin Luther King speech and debate tournament at James Logan High from Jan. 17-19. read more » Wish granted: Class helps parents learn English January 29, 2014 — by Oksana Trifonova and Devin Zhao Assistant principal Kerry Mohnike pointed to a sentence projected onto a board. “She went to the doctor,” said Mohnike, slowly and carefully articulating each word. Thirty-one students — all of them adults — stared at the board, carefully listening to Mohnike’s pronunciation of the sentence. “She went to the doctor,” a medley of assorted accents chanted back. read more » Holidays in Russia contrast with western celebrations December 17, 2013 — by Oksana Trifonova Most of us wouldn't recognize Christmas in Russia. read more » District hopes breaks offer enough relief to arduous October November 19, 2013 — by Helen Chen, Gwynevere Hunger and Oksana Trifonova For many students, the first few months of school can be rough, especially for seniors: Getting past the Nov. 1 early deadline for college applications can be the hardest part of the year. read more » STAR testing to be replaced by Common Core-compatible testing system October 15, 2013 — by Jade Bisht and Oksana Trifonova Standardized tests that students have taken for years are about to change next spring: California Standardized Testing and Reporting (STAR) tests and the API scores that accompany it are being eliminated in favor of a new system based on Common Core Standards. read more » Russian anti-gay laws distorted by U.S. media October 8, 2013 — by Oksana Trifonova The 2014 Winter Olympics planned to be held in Sochi, Russia, has been the object of public criticism and protests for months. Some athletes and activists have even spoken of boycotting the Olympics. The reason: Russia’s supposed anti-gay laws. read more » The Vine vortex: social media app gains popularity September 10, 2013 — by Gwynevere Hunger and Oksana Trifonova What would you do for 234,178 likes? Would you trash your kitchen “trying to kill a bug”? Or how about for 501,769 likes? Would you run around the mall singing “I believe I can fly” while hitting strangers with swim noodles on your arms? Believe it or not, people do all of the above and more through a social media app, Vine. read more » New face-to-face dance policy stirs controversy September 8, 2013 — by Ingrid Hong and Oksana Trifonova This year, the administration enacted a new “face-to-face” dance policy, resulting in an increase in freshman attendance but also a decrease in upperclassman attendance. read more » German exchange student adjusts to changes September 5, 2013 — by David Sparkman and Oksana Trifonova It's the beginning of the school year and new faces and names are everywhere. It's especially intimidating if you're the new kid. Now imagine the first day of school in another country, where even the language is unfamiliar, let alone the campus and the students. read more »
I’m a Taurus, and Tauruses don’t believe in astrology September 19, 2016 — by Oksana Trifonova Student talks about atrology and why she does not belive in it. read more » Controversy surrounding artist Ai Weiwei’s photo is misguided September 19, 2016 — by Oksana Trifonova Student talks about the controversy surronding artist Ai Weiwei read more » Dislike for STEM is not a fatal disease May 30, 2016 — by Oksana Trifonova I don’t like math. And it’s not because I find it boring or useless, but because I simply don’t get it. read more » Mythbusters: AP Language vs. AP Literature April 12, 2016 — by Oksana Trifonova Senior who is taking both classes this year clears the air about the choice between taking AP Literature and AP Language. read more » Graduation night amasses funds despite challenges March 24, 2016 — by Oksana Trifonova and Kelly Xiao Funding, however, is a crucial question every year, and this year, more so than others because of the small size of the senior class, which has only 328 students compared to the 361 students for the Class of 2015. read more » Students discover better fit away from name-brand schools March 4, 2016 — by Claire Rhee and Oksana Trifonova After graduating, alumni Helen Wong found her place at Brandeis, where she is on a pre-law track, double majoring in history and health science and policy. Although Brandeis is not a well known university among Saratoga students, it ranks as No. 34 school in the 2016 edition of Best Colleges from U.S. News and benefits from its smaller size of around 3,729 undergraduate students. read more » Falcon wins Pacemaker for second year in a row November 30, 2015 — by Deepthi Sampathkumar and Oksana Trifonova The Falcon has won the Pacemaker award by the National Scholastic Press Association (NSPA) for 2014-2015 in the broadsheet category for newspapers of 17 or more pages for the second consecutive year. read more » Top 10 things to be thankful for November 13, 2015 — by David Fan and Oksana Trifonova It's Thanksgiving time! read more » Girls Can movement helps break gender boundaries November 10, 2015 — by Charin Park and Oksana Trifonova Covergirl’s video two years ago announced the launch of the “Girls Can” campaign, a movement seeking to promote female empowerment and intelligence. read more » ‘The Visit’: Creepy grandparent duo provides real thrill October 14, 2015 — by Oksana Trifonova and Kelly Xiao Reporters review "The Visit" and find it surprisingly good in several aspects. read more » Girls’ golf: Falcons suffer consecutive losses October 14, 2015 — by Oksana Trifonova As the season progresses, the Falcons have already faced some of their toughest league opponents. Even though they’ve been playing well, they have suffered consecutive losses to leave their record at 5-5 as of Oct. 8. read more » Despite some appearances, golf really is a sport October 7, 2015 — by Oksana Trifonova What seems to be a lazy, easy-to-play sport can actually be one of the most difficult. A reporter details her experience with learning how to golf. read more » Alumnus’s self-segregation article generates conversation in community October 6, 2015 — by Caitlyn Chen and Oksana Trifonova In an article published in a Chinese media outlet and later, an American website, alumnus Sameul Liu wrote that “the culture [at Saratoga High] had split soundlessly into two separate circles, each involved in its own activities and contemptuous of the other.” read more » New players strengthen golf team September 4, 2015 — by Oksana Trifonova As the school year begins, the golf players start practice at the Saratoga Country Club. The new team is without Vivian Roan, last year’s top player, but now boasts of freshman Janelle Jin, who leads the team with the top score of 124 shots for the qualifying round of 27 holes. read more » Hollywood directors need a dose of feminism September 4, 2015 — by Oksana Trifonova Instead of the same movies that include cliché portrayals of women, there should be more films that showcase unconventional views of women. read more » STEM buff has a go at humanities and likes it May 21, 2015 — by Melissa Magner and Oksana Trifonova Junior Nate Ney’s interests span beyond simply just STEM courses and activities, and recently he has become more involved in humanity-related activities like History Bowl — an involvement that has inspired him to expand his comfort zone. read more » 100 Word Rants May 18, 2015 — by Cassandra King, Isabelle Tseng, Oksana Trifonova and Jason Zhao Rants about school starting earlier each year, the smarter balanced tests, fanfictions, and badminton. read more » JSA starts Open mic effort downtown downtown May 18, 2015 — by Melissa Magner and Oksana Trifonova Junior State of America (JSA) Club hosted an Open Mic at Blue Rock Shoot Cafe on May 15 in an effort to bring more foot traffic to downtown Saratoga and boost business. During the Open Mic, students and adults alike sang and played the piano and the guitar. read more » Crossword answers for backpage May 1 issue May 1, 2015 — by Cassandra King and Oksana Trifonova Crossword answers for May 1 issue read more » Following his heart, Rodriguex chooses teaching and has never looked back April 23, 2015 — by Oksana Trifonova Rodriguex said that when he looks back on his more than four decades of teaching, he knows that he has loved almost all of it. At age 24, he defied his father’s expectations when he decided to go into teaching rather than become a chemist. read more » Seniors lead boys’ golf team March 8, 2015 — by Oksana Trifonova and Arman Vaziri With four key seniors, the boys’ golf team certainly does not lack experience. read more » 2014 alumni reflect on their first years playing sports in college March 5, 2015 — by Jenny Qian and Oksana Trifonova From AYSO soccer to high school varsity football, sports have always been an integral part of growing up. read more » ‘Game of Thrones’ Season 5 trailer promises action, surprises March 4, 2015 — by Oksana Trifonova and Kelly Xiao “Game of Thrones,” including the 2011 HBO show version and the 1991 book series, has created a fan stronghold for itself through its multiple storyline plot that details the struggles of several characters over a throne. read more » Carnival wraps up week of inspiration January 25, 2015 — by Neehar Thumaty and Oksana Trifonova Intended to help students relax and celebrate a successful week of inspiration, the carnival in the Quad ended Speak Up for Change week on Jan. 23. read more » French classes face challenging times January 22, 2015 — by Michelle Leung, Trevor Leung and Oksana Trifonova A lack of language options at the middle school level and competition from other electives have resulted in increasingly small French classes. read more » Opposite ends of the spectrum: Large and small classes on campus provide different learning opportunities January 21, 2015 — by Melissa Magner and Oksana Trifonova With about 1,350 students on its campus, Saratoga High has an average class size of about 28. read more » Freshman swings her way onto golf team November 13, 2014 — by Oksana Trifonova and Jihau Yu Sarah Lo is the only freshman player on the girls’ golf team, but has already earned the position of fourth best player. read more » Saratoga City council engages students in community issues November 3, 2014 — by Cassandra King and Oksana Trifonova The thin strum of a ukulele sounded from the research center Oct. 24 as 30 pairs of eyes turned to look at the source — Saratoga city council candidate John Chen. read more » Girls’ golf working on improving away play October 12, 2014 — by Oksana Trifonova and Arman Vaziri Having faced tough opponents over the past few weeks, the girls’ golf team has a record of 3-5 as of Oct. 9. read more » Falcon staffers gain experiences at Paly journalism conference October 9, 2014 — by Gitika Nalwa and Oksana Trifonova J-Day, a journalism conference sponsored by the Journalism Education Association of Northern California, was held on Sept. 27 at Palo Alto High School’s new Media Arts Center. read more » Key additions boost girls’ golf team September 2, 2014 — by Oksana Trifonova and Arman Vaziri September is on the calendar as the Falcons hit the golf course. This year, the girls’ golf team has had many valuable freshmen additions. read more » Spanish teacher takes on additional job of activities director August 31, 2014 — by Kevin Chow and Oksana Trifonova Spanish teacher Rebeca Marshburn has taken on an additional challenge this year: being the new activities director. read more » Orchestra to travel to Spain this summer May 23, 2014 — by Shazia Gupta and Oksana Trifonova This summer, members of the school’s orchestra and band will be traveling to Spain and two ensembles will perform: the symphony orchestra and the symphonic wind ensemble. read more » Speech and debate brings home success May 7, 2014 — by Sudeep Raj and Oksana Trifonova The speech and debate team ended a successful season with a bang at the state competition on April 25 at James Enochs High School in Modesto. read more » Teacher faced temptation to cheat in college May 7, 2014 — by Oksana Trifonova As a college student at Princeton, English teacher Catherine Head took a social science course called Critical Theory, taught by a professor who thought women had no place in higher education. read more » No freaking policy not working May 6, 2014 — by Gwynevere Hunger and Oksana Trifonova School dances have always been a symbol of school spirit, a time when all social groups come together, united under the pride of being a Falcon. And with more dances and more attendance comes more unity and school pride. However, during the beginning of this year, the administration decided to ban freaking, a sort of dancing that consists of two people grinding against each other, with both looking in one direction so that interaction is not face-to-face. The administration has not approved of this way of dancing for many years and finally required students to dance “face to face” in the beginning of the school year. read more » Boys’ golf team advances to CCS May 2, 2014 — by Melissa Magner and Oksana Trifonova At the league finals on April 29 at the Santa Teresa Golf Course, senior Christian Galvin, the Falcons’ No. 1 player, became league finals champion. read more » Boys’ golf team anticipating victories March 11, 2014 — by Melissa Magner and Oksana Trifonova The boys’ golf team is off to a good start this year after beating Lynbrook on Feb. 27, Monta Vista on March 3, and Los Gatos and Milpitas on March 10, leading to a 4-0 record for the Falcons as of March 10. read more » Speech and debate showing growth February 14, 2014 — by Sudeep Raj and Oksana Trifonova Eighty-eight schools competed in the Martin Luther King speech and debate tournament at James Logan High from Jan. 17-19. read more » Wish granted: Class helps parents learn English January 29, 2014 — by Oksana Trifonova and Devin Zhao Assistant principal Kerry Mohnike pointed to a sentence projected onto a board. “She went to the doctor,” said Mohnike, slowly and carefully articulating each word. Thirty-one students — all of them adults — stared at the board, carefully listening to Mohnike’s pronunciation of the sentence. “She went to the doctor,” a medley of assorted accents chanted back. read more » Holidays in Russia contrast with western celebrations December 17, 2013 — by Oksana Trifonova Most of us wouldn't recognize Christmas in Russia. read more » District hopes breaks offer enough relief to arduous October November 19, 2013 — by Helen Chen, Gwynevere Hunger and Oksana Trifonova For many students, the first few months of school can be rough, especially for seniors: Getting past the Nov. 1 early deadline for college applications can be the hardest part of the year. read more » STAR testing to be replaced by Common Core-compatible testing system October 15, 2013 — by Jade Bisht and Oksana Trifonova Standardized tests that students have taken for years are about to change next spring: California Standardized Testing and Reporting (STAR) tests and the API scores that accompany it are being eliminated in favor of a new system based on Common Core Standards. read more » Russian anti-gay laws distorted by U.S. media October 8, 2013 — by Oksana Trifonova The 2014 Winter Olympics planned to be held in Sochi, Russia, has been the object of public criticism and protests for months. Some athletes and activists have even spoken of boycotting the Olympics. The reason: Russia’s supposed anti-gay laws. read more » The Vine vortex: social media app gains popularity September 10, 2013 — by Gwynevere Hunger and Oksana Trifonova What would you do for 234,178 likes? Would you trash your kitchen “trying to kill a bug”? Or how about for 501,769 likes? Would you run around the mall singing “I believe I can fly” while hitting strangers with swim noodles on your arms? Believe it or not, people do all of the above and more through a social media app, Vine. read more » New face-to-face dance policy stirs controversy September 8, 2013 — by Ingrid Hong and Oksana Trifonova This year, the administration enacted a new “face-to-face” dance policy, resulting in an increase in freshman attendance but also a decrease in upperclassman attendance. read more » German exchange student adjusts to changes September 5, 2013 — by David Sparkman and Oksana Trifonova It's the beginning of the school year and new faces and names are everywhere. It's especially intimidating if you're the new kid. Now imagine the first day of school in another country, where even the language is unfamiliar, let alone the campus and the students. read more »
Controversy surrounding artist Ai Weiwei’s photo is misguided September 19, 2016 — by Oksana Trifonova Student talks about the controversy surronding artist Ai Weiwei read more » Dislike for STEM is not a fatal disease May 30, 2016 — by Oksana Trifonova I don’t like math. And it’s not because I find it boring or useless, but because I simply don’t get it. read more » Mythbusters: AP Language vs. AP Literature April 12, 2016 — by Oksana Trifonova Senior who is taking both classes this year clears the air about the choice between taking AP Literature and AP Language. read more » Graduation night amasses funds despite challenges March 24, 2016 — by Oksana Trifonova and Kelly Xiao Funding, however, is a crucial question every year, and this year, more so than others because of the small size of the senior class, which has only 328 students compared to the 361 students for the Class of 2015. read more » Students discover better fit away from name-brand schools March 4, 2016 — by Claire Rhee and Oksana Trifonova After graduating, alumni Helen Wong found her place at Brandeis, where she is on a pre-law track, double majoring in history and health science and policy. Although Brandeis is not a well known university among Saratoga students, it ranks as No. 34 school in the 2016 edition of Best Colleges from U.S. News and benefits from its smaller size of around 3,729 undergraduate students. read more » Falcon wins Pacemaker for second year in a row November 30, 2015 — by Deepthi Sampathkumar and Oksana Trifonova The Falcon has won the Pacemaker award by the National Scholastic Press Association (NSPA) for 2014-2015 in the broadsheet category for newspapers of 17 or more pages for the second consecutive year. read more » Top 10 things to be thankful for November 13, 2015 — by David Fan and Oksana Trifonova It's Thanksgiving time! read more » Girls Can movement helps break gender boundaries November 10, 2015 — by Charin Park and Oksana Trifonova Covergirl’s video two years ago announced the launch of the “Girls Can” campaign, a movement seeking to promote female empowerment and intelligence. read more » ‘The Visit’: Creepy grandparent duo provides real thrill October 14, 2015 — by Oksana Trifonova and Kelly Xiao Reporters review "The Visit" and find it surprisingly good in several aspects. read more » Girls’ golf: Falcons suffer consecutive losses October 14, 2015 — by Oksana Trifonova As the season progresses, the Falcons have already faced some of their toughest league opponents. Even though they’ve been playing well, they have suffered consecutive losses to leave their record at 5-5 as of Oct. 8. read more » Despite some appearances, golf really is a sport October 7, 2015 — by Oksana Trifonova What seems to be a lazy, easy-to-play sport can actually be one of the most difficult. A reporter details her experience with learning how to golf. read more » Alumnus’s self-segregation article generates conversation in community October 6, 2015 — by Caitlyn Chen and Oksana Trifonova In an article published in a Chinese media outlet and later, an American website, alumnus Sameul Liu wrote that “the culture [at Saratoga High] had split soundlessly into two separate circles, each involved in its own activities and contemptuous of the other.” read more » New players strengthen golf team September 4, 2015 — by Oksana Trifonova As the school year begins, the golf players start practice at the Saratoga Country Club. The new team is without Vivian Roan, last year’s top player, but now boasts of freshman Janelle Jin, who leads the team with the top score of 124 shots for the qualifying round of 27 holes. read more » Hollywood directors need a dose of feminism September 4, 2015 — by Oksana Trifonova Instead of the same movies that include cliché portrayals of women, there should be more films that showcase unconventional views of women. read more » STEM buff has a go at humanities and likes it May 21, 2015 — by Melissa Magner and Oksana Trifonova Junior Nate Ney’s interests span beyond simply just STEM courses and activities, and recently he has become more involved in humanity-related activities like History Bowl — an involvement that has inspired him to expand his comfort zone. read more » 100 Word Rants May 18, 2015 — by Cassandra King, Isabelle Tseng, Oksana Trifonova and Jason Zhao Rants about school starting earlier each year, the smarter balanced tests, fanfictions, and badminton. read more » JSA starts Open mic effort downtown downtown May 18, 2015 — by Melissa Magner and Oksana Trifonova Junior State of America (JSA) Club hosted an Open Mic at Blue Rock Shoot Cafe on May 15 in an effort to bring more foot traffic to downtown Saratoga and boost business. During the Open Mic, students and adults alike sang and played the piano and the guitar. read more » Crossword answers for backpage May 1 issue May 1, 2015 — by Cassandra King and Oksana Trifonova Crossword answers for May 1 issue read more » Following his heart, Rodriguex chooses teaching and has never looked back April 23, 2015 — by Oksana Trifonova Rodriguex said that when he looks back on his more than four decades of teaching, he knows that he has loved almost all of it. At age 24, he defied his father’s expectations when he decided to go into teaching rather than become a chemist. read more » Seniors lead boys’ golf team March 8, 2015 — by Oksana Trifonova and Arman Vaziri With four key seniors, the boys’ golf team certainly does not lack experience. read more » 2014 alumni reflect on their first years playing sports in college March 5, 2015 — by Jenny Qian and Oksana Trifonova From AYSO soccer to high school varsity football, sports have always been an integral part of growing up. read more » ‘Game of Thrones’ Season 5 trailer promises action, surprises March 4, 2015 — by Oksana Trifonova and Kelly Xiao “Game of Thrones,” including the 2011 HBO show version and the 1991 book series, has created a fan stronghold for itself through its multiple storyline plot that details the struggles of several characters over a throne. read more » Carnival wraps up week of inspiration January 25, 2015 — by Neehar Thumaty and Oksana Trifonova Intended to help students relax and celebrate a successful week of inspiration, the carnival in the Quad ended Speak Up for Change week on Jan. 23. read more » French classes face challenging times January 22, 2015 — by Michelle Leung, Trevor Leung and Oksana Trifonova A lack of language options at the middle school level and competition from other electives have resulted in increasingly small French classes. read more » Opposite ends of the spectrum: Large and small classes on campus provide different learning opportunities January 21, 2015 — by Melissa Magner and Oksana Trifonova With about 1,350 students on its campus, Saratoga High has an average class size of about 28. read more » Freshman swings her way onto golf team November 13, 2014 — by Oksana Trifonova and Jihau Yu Sarah Lo is the only freshman player on the girls’ golf team, but has already earned the position of fourth best player. read more » Saratoga City council engages students in community issues November 3, 2014 — by Cassandra King and Oksana Trifonova The thin strum of a ukulele sounded from the research center Oct. 24 as 30 pairs of eyes turned to look at the source — Saratoga city council candidate John Chen. read more » Girls’ golf working on improving away play October 12, 2014 — by Oksana Trifonova and Arman Vaziri Having faced tough opponents over the past few weeks, the girls’ golf team has a record of 3-5 as of Oct. 9. read more » Falcon staffers gain experiences at Paly journalism conference October 9, 2014 — by Gitika Nalwa and Oksana Trifonova J-Day, a journalism conference sponsored by the Journalism Education Association of Northern California, was held on Sept. 27 at Palo Alto High School’s new Media Arts Center. read more » Key additions boost girls’ golf team September 2, 2014 — by Oksana Trifonova and Arman Vaziri September is on the calendar as the Falcons hit the golf course. This year, the girls’ golf team has had many valuable freshmen additions. read more » Spanish teacher takes on additional job of activities director August 31, 2014 — by Kevin Chow and Oksana Trifonova Spanish teacher Rebeca Marshburn has taken on an additional challenge this year: being the new activities director. read more » Orchestra to travel to Spain this summer May 23, 2014 — by Shazia Gupta and Oksana Trifonova This summer, members of the school’s orchestra and band will be traveling to Spain and two ensembles will perform: the symphony orchestra and the symphonic wind ensemble. read more » Speech and debate brings home success May 7, 2014 — by Sudeep Raj and Oksana Trifonova The speech and debate team ended a successful season with a bang at the state competition on April 25 at James Enochs High School in Modesto. read more » Teacher faced temptation to cheat in college May 7, 2014 — by Oksana Trifonova As a college student at Princeton, English teacher Catherine Head took a social science course called Critical Theory, taught by a professor who thought women had no place in higher education. read more » No freaking policy not working May 6, 2014 — by Gwynevere Hunger and Oksana Trifonova School dances have always been a symbol of school spirit, a time when all social groups come together, united under the pride of being a Falcon. And with more dances and more attendance comes more unity and school pride. However, during the beginning of this year, the administration decided to ban freaking, a sort of dancing that consists of two people grinding against each other, with both looking in one direction so that interaction is not face-to-face. The administration has not approved of this way of dancing for many years and finally required students to dance “face to face” in the beginning of the school year. read more » Boys’ golf team advances to CCS May 2, 2014 — by Melissa Magner and Oksana Trifonova At the league finals on April 29 at the Santa Teresa Golf Course, senior Christian Galvin, the Falcons’ No. 1 player, became league finals champion. read more » Boys’ golf team anticipating victories March 11, 2014 — by Melissa Magner and Oksana Trifonova The boys’ golf team is off to a good start this year after beating Lynbrook on Feb. 27, Monta Vista on March 3, and Los Gatos and Milpitas on March 10, leading to a 4-0 record for the Falcons as of March 10. read more » Speech and debate showing growth February 14, 2014 — by Sudeep Raj and Oksana Trifonova Eighty-eight schools competed in the Martin Luther King speech and debate tournament at James Logan High from Jan. 17-19. read more » Wish granted: Class helps parents learn English January 29, 2014 — by Oksana Trifonova and Devin Zhao Assistant principal Kerry Mohnike pointed to a sentence projected onto a board. “She went to the doctor,” said Mohnike, slowly and carefully articulating each word. Thirty-one students — all of them adults — stared at the board, carefully listening to Mohnike’s pronunciation of the sentence. “She went to the doctor,” a medley of assorted accents chanted back. read more » Holidays in Russia contrast with western celebrations December 17, 2013 — by Oksana Trifonova Most of us wouldn't recognize Christmas in Russia. read more » District hopes breaks offer enough relief to arduous October November 19, 2013 — by Helen Chen, Gwynevere Hunger and Oksana Trifonova For many students, the first few months of school can be rough, especially for seniors: Getting past the Nov. 1 early deadline for college applications can be the hardest part of the year. read more » STAR testing to be replaced by Common Core-compatible testing system October 15, 2013 — by Jade Bisht and Oksana Trifonova Standardized tests that students have taken for years are about to change next spring: California Standardized Testing and Reporting (STAR) tests and the API scores that accompany it are being eliminated in favor of a new system based on Common Core Standards. read more » Russian anti-gay laws distorted by U.S. media October 8, 2013 — by Oksana Trifonova The 2014 Winter Olympics planned to be held in Sochi, Russia, has been the object of public criticism and protests for months. Some athletes and activists have even spoken of boycotting the Olympics. The reason: Russia’s supposed anti-gay laws. read more » The Vine vortex: social media app gains popularity September 10, 2013 — by Gwynevere Hunger and Oksana Trifonova What would you do for 234,178 likes? Would you trash your kitchen “trying to kill a bug”? Or how about for 501,769 likes? Would you run around the mall singing “I believe I can fly” while hitting strangers with swim noodles on your arms? Believe it or not, people do all of the above and more through a social media app, Vine. read more » New face-to-face dance policy stirs controversy September 8, 2013 — by Ingrid Hong and Oksana Trifonova This year, the administration enacted a new “face-to-face” dance policy, resulting in an increase in freshman attendance but also a decrease in upperclassman attendance. read more » German exchange student adjusts to changes September 5, 2013 — by David Sparkman and Oksana Trifonova It's the beginning of the school year and new faces and names are everywhere. It's especially intimidating if you're the new kid. Now imagine the first day of school in another country, where even the language is unfamiliar, let alone the campus and the students. read more »
Dislike for STEM is not a fatal disease May 30, 2016 — by Oksana Trifonova I don’t like math. And it’s not because I find it boring or useless, but because I simply don’t get it. read more » Mythbusters: AP Language vs. AP Literature April 12, 2016 — by Oksana Trifonova Senior who is taking both classes this year clears the air about the choice between taking AP Literature and AP Language. read more » Graduation night amasses funds despite challenges March 24, 2016 — by Oksana Trifonova and Kelly Xiao Funding, however, is a crucial question every year, and this year, more so than others because of the small size of the senior class, which has only 328 students compared to the 361 students for the Class of 2015. read more » Students discover better fit away from name-brand schools March 4, 2016 — by Claire Rhee and Oksana Trifonova After graduating, alumni Helen Wong found her place at Brandeis, where she is on a pre-law track, double majoring in history and health science and policy. Although Brandeis is not a well known university among Saratoga students, it ranks as No. 34 school in the 2016 edition of Best Colleges from U.S. News and benefits from its smaller size of around 3,729 undergraduate students. read more » Falcon wins Pacemaker for second year in a row November 30, 2015 — by Deepthi Sampathkumar and Oksana Trifonova The Falcon has won the Pacemaker award by the National Scholastic Press Association (NSPA) for 2014-2015 in the broadsheet category for newspapers of 17 or more pages for the second consecutive year. read more » Top 10 things to be thankful for November 13, 2015 — by David Fan and Oksana Trifonova It's Thanksgiving time! read more » Girls Can movement helps break gender boundaries November 10, 2015 — by Charin Park and Oksana Trifonova Covergirl’s video two years ago announced the launch of the “Girls Can” campaign, a movement seeking to promote female empowerment and intelligence. read more » ‘The Visit’: Creepy grandparent duo provides real thrill October 14, 2015 — by Oksana Trifonova and Kelly Xiao Reporters review "The Visit" and find it surprisingly good in several aspects. read more » Girls’ golf: Falcons suffer consecutive losses October 14, 2015 — by Oksana Trifonova As the season progresses, the Falcons have already faced some of their toughest league opponents. Even though they’ve been playing well, they have suffered consecutive losses to leave their record at 5-5 as of Oct. 8. read more » Despite some appearances, golf really is a sport October 7, 2015 — by Oksana Trifonova What seems to be a lazy, easy-to-play sport can actually be one of the most difficult. A reporter details her experience with learning how to golf. read more » Alumnus’s self-segregation article generates conversation in community October 6, 2015 — by Caitlyn Chen and Oksana Trifonova In an article published in a Chinese media outlet and later, an American website, alumnus Sameul Liu wrote that “the culture [at Saratoga High] had split soundlessly into two separate circles, each involved in its own activities and contemptuous of the other.” read more » New players strengthen golf team September 4, 2015 — by Oksana Trifonova As the school year begins, the golf players start practice at the Saratoga Country Club. The new team is without Vivian Roan, last year’s top player, but now boasts of freshman Janelle Jin, who leads the team with the top score of 124 shots for the qualifying round of 27 holes. read more » Hollywood directors need a dose of feminism September 4, 2015 — by Oksana Trifonova Instead of the same movies that include cliché portrayals of women, there should be more films that showcase unconventional views of women. read more » STEM buff has a go at humanities and likes it May 21, 2015 — by Melissa Magner and Oksana Trifonova Junior Nate Ney’s interests span beyond simply just STEM courses and activities, and recently he has become more involved in humanity-related activities like History Bowl — an involvement that has inspired him to expand his comfort zone. read more » 100 Word Rants May 18, 2015 — by Cassandra King, Isabelle Tseng, Oksana Trifonova and Jason Zhao Rants about school starting earlier each year, the smarter balanced tests, fanfictions, and badminton. read more » JSA starts Open mic effort downtown downtown May 18, 2015 — by Melissa Magner and Oksana Trifonova Junior State of America (JSA) Club hosted an Open Mic at Blue Rock Shoot Cafe on May 15 in an effort to bring more foot traffic to downtown Saratoga and boost business. During the Open Mic, students and adults alike sang and played the piano and the guitar. read more » Crossword answers for backpage May 1 issue May 1, 2015 — by Cassandra King and Oksana Trifonova Crossword answers for May 1 issue read more » Following his heart, Rodriguex chooses teaching and has never looked back April 23, 2015 — by Oksana Trifonova Rodriguex said that when he looks back on his more than four decades of teaching, he knows that he has loved almost all of it. At age 24, he defied his father’s expectations when he decided to go into teaching rather than become a chemist. read more » Seniors lead boys’ golf team March 8, 2015 — by Oksana Trifonova and Arman Vaziri With four key seniors, the boys’ golf team certainly does not lack experience. read more » 2014 alumni reflect on their first years playing sports in college March 5, 2015 — by Jenny Qian and Oksana Trifonova From AYSO soccer to high school varsity football, sports have always been an integral part of growing up. read more » ‘Game of Thrones’ Season 5 trailer promises action, surprises March 4, 2015 — by Oksana Trifonova and Kelly Xiao “Game of Thrones,” including the 2011 HBO show version and the 1991 book series, has created a fan stronghold for itself through its multiple storyline plot that details the struggles of several characters over a throne. read more » Carnival wraps up week of inspiration January 25, 2015 — by Neehar Thumaty and Oksana Trifonova Intended to help students relax and celebrate a successful week of inspiration, the carnival in the Quad ended Speak Up for Change week on Jan. 23. read more » French classes face challenging times January 22, 2015 — by Michelle Leung, Trevor Leung and Oksana Trifonova A lack of language options at the middle school level and competition from other electives have resulted in increasingly small French classes. read more » Opposite ends of the spectrum: Large and small classes on campus provide different learning opportunities January 21, 2015 — by Melissa Magner and Oksana Trifonova With about 1,350 students on its campus, Saratoga High has an average class size of about 28. read more » Freshman swings her way onto golf team November 13, 2014 — by Oksana Trifonova and Jihau Yu Sarah Lo is the only freshman player on the girls’ golf team, but has already earned the position of fourth best player. read more » Saratoga City council engages students in community issues November 3, 2014 — by Cassandra King and Oksana Trifonova The thin strum of a ukulele sounded from the research center Oct. 24 as 30 pairs of eyes turned to look at the source — Saratoga city council candidate John Chen. read more » Girls’ golf working on improving away play October 12, 2014 — by Oksana Trifonova and Arman Vaziri Having faced tough opponents over the past few weeks, the girls’ golf team has a record of 3-5 as of Oct. 9. read more » Falcon staffers gain experiences at Paly journalism conference October 9, 2014 — by Gitika Nalwa and Oksana Trifonova J-Day, a journalism conference sponsored by the Journalism Education Association of Northern California, was held on Sept. 27 at Palo Alto High School’s new Media Arts Center. read more » Key additions boost girls’ golf team September 2, 2014 — by Oksana Trifonova and Arman Vaziri September is on the calendar as the Falcons hit the golf course. This year, the girls’ golf team has had many valuable freshmen additions. read more » Spanish teacher takes on additional job of activities director August 31, 2014 — by Kevin Chow and Oksana Trifonova Spanish teacher Rebeca Marshburn has taken on an additional challenge this year: being the new activities director. read more » Orchestra to travel to Spain this summer May 23, 2014 — by Shazia Gupta and Oksana Trifonova This summer, members of the school’s orchestra and band will be traveling to Spain and two ensembles will perform: the symphony orchestra and the symphonic wind ensemble. read more » Speech and debate brings home success May 7, 2014 — by Sudeep Raj and Oksana Trifonova The speech and debate team ended a successful season with a bang at the state competition on April 25 at James Enochs High School in Modesto. read more » Teacher faced temptation to cheat in college May 7, 2014 — by Oksana Trifonova As a college student at Princeton, English teacher Catherine Head took a social science course called Critical Theory, taught by a professor who thought women had no place in higher education. read more » No freaking policy not working May 6, 2014 — by Gwynevere Hunger and Oksana Trifonova School dances have always been a symbol of school spirit, a time when all social groups come together, united under the pride of being a Falcon. And with more dances and more attendance comes more unity and school pride. However, during the beginning of this year, the administration decided to ban freaking, a sort of dancing that consists of two people grinding against each other, with both looking in one direction so that interaction is not face-to-face. The administration has not approved of this way of dancing for many years and finally required students to dance “face to face” in the beginning of the school year. read more » Boys’ golf team advances to CCS May 2, 2014 — by Melissa Magner and Oksana Trifonova At the league finals on April 29 at the Santa Teresa Golf Course, senior Christian Galvin, the Falcons’ No. 1 player, became league finals champion. read more » Boys’ golf team anticipating victories March 11, 2014 — by Melissa Magner and Oksana Trifonova The boys’ golf team is off to a good start this year after beating Lynbrook on Feb. 27, Monta Vista on March 3, and Los Gatos and Milpitas on March 10, leading to a 4-0 record for the Falcons as of March 10. read more » Speech and debate showing growth February 14, 2014 — by Sudeep Raj and Oksana Trifonova Eighty-eight schools competed in the Martin Luther King speech and debate tournament at James Logan High from Jan. 17-19. read more » Wish granted: Class helps parents learn English January 29, 2014 — by Oksana Trifonova and Devin Zhao Assistant principal Kerry Mohnike pointed to a sentence projected onto a board. “She went to the doctor,” said Mohnike, slowly and carefully articulating each word. Thirty-one students — all of them adults — stared at the board, carefully listening to Mohnike’s pronunciation of the sentence. “She went to the doctor,” a medley of assorted accents chanted back. read more » Holidays in Russia contrast with western celebrations December 17, 2013 — by Oksana Trifonova Most of us wouldn't recognize Christmas in Russia. read more » District hopes breaks offer enough relief to arduous October November 19, 2013 — by Helen Chen, Gwynevere Hunger and Oksana Trifonova For many students, the first few months of school can be rough, especially for seniors: Getting past the Nov. 1 early deadline for college applications can be the hardest part of the year. read more » STAR testing to be replaced by Common Core-compatible testing system October 15, 2013 — by Jade Bisht and Oksana Trifonova Standardized tests that students have taken for years are about to change next spring: California Standardized Testing and Reporting (STAR) tests and the API scores that accompany it are being eliminated in favor of a new system based on Common Core Standards. read more » Russian anti-gay laws distorted by U.S. media October 8, 2013 — by Oksana Trifonova The 2014 Winter Olympics planned to be held in Sochi, Russia, has been the object of public criticism and protests for months. Some athletes and activists have even spoken of boycotting the Olympics. The reason: Russia’s supposed anti-gay laws. read more » The Vine vortex: social media app gains popularity September 10, 2013 — by Gwynevere Hunger and Oksana Trifonova What would you do for 234,178 likes? Would you trash your kitchen “trying to kill a bug”? Or how about for 501,769 likes? Would you run around the mall singing “I believe I can fly” while hitting strangers with swim noodles on your arms? Believe it or not, people do all of the above and more through a social media app, Vine. read more » New face-to-face dance policy stirs controversy September 8, 2013 — by Ingrid Hong and Oksana Trifonova This year, the administration enacted a new “face-to-face” dance policy, resulting in an increase in freshman attendance but also a decrease in upperclassman attendance. read more » German exchange student adjusts to changes September 5, 2013 — by David Sparkman and Oksana Trifonova It's the beginning of the school year and new faces and names are everywhere. It's especially intimidating if you're the new kid. Now imagine the first day of school in another country, where even the language is unfamiliar, let alone the campus and the students. read more »
Mythbusters: AP Language vs. AP Literature April 12, 2016 — by Oksana Trifonova Senior who is taking both classes this year clears the air about the choice between taking AP Literature and AP Language. read more » Graduation night amasses funds despite challenges March 24, 2016 — by Oksana Trifonova and Kelly Xiao Funding, however, is a crucial question every year, and this year, more so than others because of the small size of the senior class, which has only 328 students compared to the 361 students for the Class of 2015. read more » Students discover better fit away from name-brand schools March 4, 2016 — by Claire Rhee and Oksana Trifonova After graduating, alumni Helen Wong found her place at Brandeis, where she is on a pre-law track, double majoring in history and health science and policy. Although Brandeis is not a well known university among Saratoga students, it ranks as No. 34 school in the 2016 edition of Best Colleges from U.S. News and benefits from its smaller size of around 3,729 undergraduate students. read more » Falcon wins Pacemaker for second year in a row November 30, 2015 — by Deepthi Sampathkumar and Oksana Trifonova The Falcon has won the Pacemaker award by the National Scholastic Press Association (NSPA) for 2014-2015 in the broadsheet category for newspapers of 17 or more pages for the second consecutive year. read more » Top 10 things to be thankful for November 13, 2015 — by David Fan and Oksana Trifonova It's Thanksgiving time! read more » Girls Can movement helps break gender boundaries November 10, 2015 — by Charin Park and Oksana Trifonova Covergirl’s video two years ago announced the launch of the “Girls Can” campaign, a movement seeking to promote female empowerment and intelligence. read more » ‘The Visit’: Creepy grandparent duo provides real thrill October 14, 2015 — by Oksana Trifonova and Kelly Xiao Reporters review "The Visit" and find it surprisingly good in several aspects. read more » Girls’ golf: Falcons suffer consecutive losses October 14, 2015 — by Oksana Trifonova As the season progresses, the Falcons have already faced some of their toughest league opponents. Even though they’ve been playing well, they have suffered consecutive losses to leave their record at 5-5 as of Oct. 8. read more » Despite some appearances, golf really is a sport October 7, 2015 — by Oksana Trifonova What seems to be a lazy, easy-to-play sport can actually be one of the most difficult. A reporter details her experience with learning how to golf. read more » Alumnus’s self-segregation article generates conversation in community October 6, 2015 — by Caitlyn Chen and Oksana Trifonova In an article published in a Chinese media outlet and later, an American website, alumnus Sameul Liu wrote that “the culture [at Saratoga High] had split soundlessly into two separate circles, each involved in its own activities and contemptuous of the other.” read more » New players strengthen golf team September 4, 2015 — by Oksana Trifonova As the school year begins, the golf players start practice at the Saratoga Country Club. The new team is without Vivian Roan, last year’s top player, but now boasts of freshman Janelle Jin, who leads the team with the top score of 124 shots for the qualifying round of 27 holes. read more » Hollywood directors need a dose of feminism September 4, 2015 — by Oksana Trifonova Instead of the same movies that include cliché portrayals of women, there should be more films that showcase unconventional views of women. read more » STEM buff has a go at humanities and likes it May 21, 2015 — by Melissa Magner and Oksana Trifonova Junior Nate Ney’s interests span beyond simply just STEM courses and activities, and recently he has become more involved in humanity-related activities like History Bowl — an involvement that has inspired him to expand his comfort zone. read more » 100 Word Rants May 18, 2015 — by Cassandra King, Isabelle Tseng, Oksana Trifonova and Jason Zhao Rants about school starting earlier each year, the smarter balanced tests, fanfictions, and badminton. read more » JSA starts Open mic effort downtown downtown May 18, 2015 — by Melissa Magner and Oksana Trifonova Junior State of America (JSA) Club hosted an Open Mic at Blue Rock Shoot Cafe on May 15 in an effort to bring more foot traffic to downtown Saratoga and boost business. During the Open Mic, students and adults alike sang and played the piano and the guitar. read more » Crossword answers for backpage May 1 issue May 1, 2015 — by Cassandra King and Oksana Trifonova Crossword answers for May 1 issue read more » Following his heart, Rodriguex chooses teaching and has never looked back April 23, 2015 — by Oksana Trifonova Rodriguex said that when he looks back on his more than four decades of teaching, he knows that he has loved almost all of it. At age 24, he defied his father’s expectations when he decided to go into teaching rather than become a chemist. read more » Seniors lead boys’ golf team March 8, 2015 — by Oksana Trifonova and Arman Vaziri With four key seniors, the boys’ golf team certainly does not lack experience. read more » 2014 alumni reflect on their first years playing sports in college March 5, 2015 — by Jenny Qian and Oksana Trifonova From AYSO soccer to high school varsity football, sports have always been an integral part of growing up. read more » ‘Game of Thrones’ Season 5 trailer promises action, surprises March 4, 2015 — by Oksana Trifonova and Kelly Xiao “Game of Thrones,” including the 2011 HBO show version and the 1991 book series, has created a fan stronghold for itself through its multiple storyline plot that details the struggles of several characters over a throne. read more » Carnival wraps up week of inspiration January 25, 2015 — by Neehar Thumaty and Oksana Trifonova Intended to help students relax and celebrate a successful week of inspiration, the carnival in the Quad ended Speak Up for Change week on Jan. 23. read more » French classes face challenging times January 22, 2015 — by Michelle Leung, Trevor Leung and Oksana Trifonova A lack of language options at the middle school level and competition from other electives have resulted in increasingly small French classes. read more » Opposite ends of the spectrum: Large and small classes on campus provide different learning opportunities January 21, 2015 — by Melissa Magner and Oksana Trifonova With about 1,350 students on its campus, Saratoga High has an average class size of about 28. read more » Freshman swings her way onto golf team November 13, 2014 — by Oksana Trifonova and Jihau Yu Sarah Lo is the only freshman player on the girls’ golf team, but has already earned the position of fourth best player. read more » Saratoga City council engages students in community issues November 3, 2014 — by Cassandra King and Oksana Trifonova The thin strum of a ukulele sounded from the research center Oct. 24 as 30 pairs of eyes turned to look at the source — Saratoga city council candidate John Chen. read more » Girls’ golf working on improving away play October 12, 2014 — by Oksana Trifonova and Arman Vaziri Having faced tough opponents over the past few weeks, the girls’ golf team has a record of 3-5 as of Oct. 9. read more » Falcon staffers gain experiences at Paly journalism conference October 9, 2014 — by Gitika Nalwa and Oksana Trifonova J-Day, a journalism conference sponsored by the Journalism Education Association of Northern California, was held on Sept. 27 at Palo Alto High School’s new Media Arts Center. read more » Key additions boost girls’ golf team September 2, 2014 — by Oksana Trifonova and Arman Vaziri September is on the calendar as the Falcons hit the golf course. This year, the girls’ golf team has had many valuable freshmen additions. read more » Spanish teacher takes on additional job of activities director August 31, 2014 — by Kevin Chow and Oksana Trifonova Spanish teacher Rebeca Marshburn has taken on an additional challenge this year: being the new activities director. read more » Orchestra to travel to Spain this summer May 23, 2014 — by Shazia Gupta and Oksana Trifonova This summer, members of the school’s orchestra and band will be traveling to Spain and two ensembles will perform: the symphony orchestra and the symphonic wind ensemble. read more » Speech and debate brings home success May 7, 2014 — by Sudeep Raj and Oksana Trifonova The speech and debate team ended a successful season with a bang at the state competition on April 25 at James Enochs High School in Modesto. read more » Teacher faced temptation to cheat in college May 7, 2014 — by Oksana Trifonova As a college student at Princeton, English teacher Catherine Head took a social science course called Critical Theory, taught by a professor who thought women had no place in higher education. read more » No freaking policy not working May 6, 2014 — by Gwynevere Hunger and Oksana Trifonova School dances have always been a symbol of school spirit, a time when all social groups come together, united under the pride of being a Falcon. And with more dances and more attendance comes more unity and school pride. However, during the beginning of this year, the administration decided to ban freaking, a sort of dancing that consists of two people grinding against each other, with both looking in one direction so that interaction is not face-to-face. The administration has not approved of this way of dancing for many years and finally required students to dance “face to face” in the beginning of the school year. read more » Boys’ golf team advances to CCS May 2, 2014 — by Melissa Magner and Oksana Trifonova At the league finals on April 29 at the Santa Teresa Golf Course, senior Christian Galvin, the Falcons’ No. 1 player, became league finals champion. read more » Boys’ golf team anticipating victories March 11, 2014 — by Melissa Magner and Oksana Trifonova The boys’ golf team is off to a good start this year after beating Lynbrook on Feb. 27, Monta Vista on March 3, and Los Gatos and Milpitas on March 10, leading to a 4-0 record for the Falcons as of March 10. read more » Speech and debate showing growth February 14, 2014 — by Sudeep Raj and Oksana Trifonova Eighty-eight schools competed in the Martin Luther King speech and debate tournament at James Logan High from Jan. 17-19. read more » Wish granted: Class helps parents learn English January 29, 2014 — by Oksana Trifonova and Devin Zhao Assistant principal Kerry Mohnike pointed to a sentence projected onto a board. “She went to the doctor,” said Mohnike, slowly and carefully articulating each word. Thirty-one students — all of them adults — stared at the board, carefully listening to Mohnike’s pronunciation of the sentence. “She went to the doctor,” a medley of assorted accents chanted back. read more » Holidays in Russia contrast with western celebrations December 17, 2013 — by Oksana Trifonova Most of us wouldn't recognize Christmas in Russia. read more » District hopes breaks offer enough relief to arduous October November 19, 2013 — by Helen Chen, Gwynevere Hunger and Oksana Trifonova For many students, the first few months of school can be rough, especially for seniors: Getting past the Nov. 1 early deadline for college applications can be the hardest part of the year. read more » STAR testing to be replaced by Common Core-compatible testing system October 15, 2013 — by Jade Bisht and Oksana Trifonova Standardized tests that students have taken for years are about to change next spring: California Standardized Testing and Reporting (STAR) tests and the API scores that accompany it are being eliminated in favor of a new system based on Common Core Standards. read more » Russian anti-gay laws distorted by U.S. media October 8, 2013 — by Oksana Trifonova The 2014 Winter Olympics planned to be held in Sochi, Russia, has been the object of public criticism and protests for months. Some athletes and activists have even spoken of boycotting the Olympics. The reason: Russia’s supposed anti-gay laws. read more » The Vine vortex: social media app gains popularity September 10, 2013 — by Gwynevere Hunger and Oksana Trifonova What would you do for 234,178 likes? Would you trash your kitchen “trying to kill a bug”? Or how about for 501,769 likes? Would you run around the mall singing “I believe I can fly” while hitting strangers with swim noodles on your arms? Believe it or not, people do all of the above and more through a social media app, Vine. read more » New face-to-face dance policy stirs controversy September 8, 2013 — by Ingrid Hong and Oksana Trifonova This year, the administration enacted a new “face-to-face” dance policy, resulting in an increase in freshman attendance but also a decrease in upperclassman attendance. read more » German exchange student adjusts to changes September 5, 2013 — by David Sparkman and Oksana Trifonova It's the beginning of the school year and new faces and names are everywhere. It's especially intimidating if you're the new kid. Now imagine the first day of school in another country, where even the language is unfamiliar, let alone the campus and the students. read more »
Graduation night amasses funds despite challenges March 24, 2016 — by Oksana Trifonova and Kelly Xiao Funding, however, is a crucial question every year, and this year, more so than others because of the small size of the senior class, which has only 328 students compared to the 361 students for the Class of 2015. read more » Students discover better fit away from name-brand schools March 4, 2016 — by Claire Rhee and Oksana Trifonova After graduating, alumni Helen Wong found her place at Brandeis, where she is on a pre-law track, double majoring in history and health science and policy. Although Brandeis is not a well known university among Saratoga students, it ranks as No. 34 school in the 2016 edition of Best Colleges from U.S. News and benefits from its smaller size of around 3,729 undergraduate students. read more » Falcon wins Pacemaker for second year in a row November 30, 2015 — by Deepthi Sampathkumar and Oksana Trifonova The Falcon has won the Pacemaker award by the National Scholastic Press Association (NSPA) for 2014-2015 in the broadsheet category for newspapers of 17 or more pages for the second consecutive year. read more » Top 10 things to be thankful for November 13, 2015 — by David Fan and Oksana Trifonova It's Thanksgiving time! read more » Girls Can movement helps break gender boundaries November 10, 2015 — by Charin Park and Oksana Trifonova Covergirl’s video two years ago announced the launch of the “Girls Can” campaign, a movement seeking to promote female empowerment and intelligence. read more » ‘The Visit’: Creepy grandparent duo provides real thrill October 14, 2015 — by Oksana Trifonova and Kelly Xiao Reporters review "The Visit" and find it surprisingly good in several aspects. read more » Girls’ golf: Falcons suffer consecutive losses October 14, 2015 — by Oksana Trifonova As the season progresses, the Falcons have already faced some of their toughest league opponents. Even though they’ve been playing well, they have suffered consecutive losses to leave their record at 5-5 as of Oct. 8. read more » Despite some appearances, golf really is a sport October 7, 2015 — by Oksana Trifonova What seems to be a lazy, easy-to-play sport can actually be one of the most difficult. A reporter details her experience with learning how to golf. read more » Alumnus’s self-segregation article generates conversation in community October 6, 2015 — by Caitlyn Chen and Oksana Trifonova In an article published in a Chinese media outlet and later, an American website, alumnus Sameul Liu wrote that “the culture [at Saratoga High] had split soundlessly into two separate circles, each involved in its own activities and contemptuous of the other.” read more » New players strengthen golf team September 4, 2015 — by Oksana Trifonova As the school year begins, the golf players start practice at the Saratoga Country Club. The new team is without Vivian Roan, last year’s top player, but now boasts of freshman Janelle Jin, who leads the team with the top score of 124 shots for the qualifying round of 27 holes. read more » Hollywood directors need a dose of feminism September 4, 2015 — by Oksana Trifonova Instead of the same movies that include cliché portrayals of women, there should be more films that showcase unconventional views of women. read more » STEM buff has a go at humanities and likes it May 21, 2015 — by Melissa Magner and Oksana Trifonova Junior Nate Ney’s interests span beyond simply just STEM courses and activities, and recently he has become more involved in humanity-related activities like History Bowl — an involvement that has inspired him to expand his comfort zone. read more » 100 Word Rants May 18, 2015 — by Cassandra King, Isabelle Tseng, Oksana Trifonova and Jason Zhao Rants about school starting earlier each year, the smarter balanced tests, fanfictions, and badminton. read more » JSA starts Open mic effort downtown downtown May 18, 2015 — by Melissa Magner and Oksana Trifonova Junior State of America (JSA) Club hosted an Open Mic at Blue Rock Shoot Cafe on May 15 in an effort to bring more foot traffic to downtown Saratoga and boost business. During the Open Mic, students and adults alike sang and played the piano and the guitar. read more » Crossword answers for backpage May 1 issue May 1, 2015 — by Cassandra King and Oksana Trifonova Crossword answers for May 1 issue read more » Following his heart, Rodriguex chooses teaching and has never looked back April 23, 2015 — by Oksana Trifonova Rodriguex said that when he looks back on his more than four decades of teaching, he knows that he has loved almost all of it. At age 24, he defied his father’s expectations when he decided to go into teaching rather than become a chemist. read more » Seniors lead boys’ golf team March 8, 2015 — by Oksana Trifonova and Arman Vaziri With four key seniors, the boys’ golf team certainly does not lack experience. read more » 2014 alumni reflect on their first years playing sports in college March 5, 2015 — by Jenny Qian and Oksana Trifonova From AYSO soccer to high school varsity football, sports have always been an integral part of growing up. read more » ‘Game of Thrones’ Season 5 trailer promises action, surprises March 4, 2015 — by Oksana Trifonova and Kelly Xiao “Game of Thrones,” including the 2011 HBO show version and the 1991 book series, has created a fan stronghold for itself through its multiple storyline plot that details the struggles of several characters over a throne. read more » Carnival wraps up week of inspiration January 25, 2015 — by Neehar Thumaty and Oksana Trifonova Intended to help students relax and celebrate a successful week of inspiration, the carnival in the Quad ended Speak Up for Change week on Jan. 23. read more » French classes face challenging times January 22, 2015 — by Michelle Leung, Trevor Leung and Oksana Trifonova A lack of language options at the middle school level and competition from other electives have resulted in increasingly small French classes. read more » Opposite ends of the spectrum: Large and small classes on campus provide different learning opportunities January 21, 2015 — by Melissa Magner and Oksana Trifonova With about 1,350 students on its campus, Saratoga High has an average class size of about 28. read more » Freshman swings her way onto golf team November 13, 2014 — by Oksana Trifonova and Jihau Yu Sarah Lo is the only freshman player on the girls’ golf team, but has already earned the position of fourth best player. read more » Saratoga City council engages students in community issues November 3, 2014 — by Cassandra King and Oksana Trifonova The thin strum of a ukulele sounded from the research center Oct. 24 as 30 pairs of eyes turned to look at the source — Saratoga city council candidate John Chen. read more » Girls’ golf working on improving away play October 12, 2014 — by Oksana Trifonova and Arman Vaziri Having faced tough opponents over the past few weeks, the girls’ golf team has a record of 3-5 as of Oct. 9. read more » Falcon staffers gain experiences at Paly journalism conference October 9, 2014 — by Gitika Nalwa and Oksana Trifonova J-Day, a journalism conference sponsored by the Journalism Education Association of Northern California, was held on Sept. 27 at Palo Alto High School’s new Media Arts Center. read more » Key additions boost girls’ golf team September 2, 2014 — by Oksana Trifonova and Arman Vaziri September is on the calendar as the Falcons hit the golf course. This year, the girls’ golf team has had many valuable freshmen additions. read more » Spanish teacher takes on additional job of activities director August 31, 2014 — by Kevin Chow and Oksana Trifonova Spanish teacher Rebeca Marshburn has taken on an additional challenge this year: being the new activities director. read more » Orchestra to travel to Spain this summer May 23, 2014 — by Shazia Gupta and Oksana Trifonova This summer, members of the school’s orchestra and band will be traveling to Spain and two ensembles will perform: the symphony orchestra and the symphonic wind ensemble. read more » Speech and debate brings home success May 7, 2014 — by Sudeep Raj and Oksana Trifonova The speech and debate team ended a successful season with a bang at the state competition on April 25 at James Enochs High School in Modesto. read more » Teacher faced temptation to cheat in college May 7, 2014 — by Oksana Trifonova As a college student at Princeton, English teacher Catherine Head took a social science course called Critical Theory, taught by a professor who thought women had no place in higher education. read more » No freaking policy not working May 6, 2014 — by Gwynevere Hunger and Oksana Trifonova School dances have always been a symbol of school spirit, a time when all social groups come together, united under the pride of being a Falcon. And with more dances and more attendance comes more unity and school pride. However, during the beginning of this year, the administration decided to ban freaking, a sort of dancing that consists of two people grinding against each other, with both looking in one direction so that interaction is not face-to-face. The administration has not approved of this way of dancing for many years and finally required students to dance “face to face” in the beginning of the school year. read more » Boys’ golf team advances to CCS May 2, 2014 — by Melissa Magner and Oksana Trifonova At the league finals on April 29 at the Santa Teresa Golf Course, senior Christian Galvin, the Falcons’ No. 1 player, became league finals champion. read more » Boys’ golf team anticipating victories March 11, 2014 — by Melissa Magner and Oksana Trifonova The boys’ golf team is off to a good start this year after beating Lynbrook on Feb. 27, Monta Vista on March 3, and Los Gatos and Milpitas on March 10, leading to a 4-0 record for the Falcons as of March 10. read more » Speech and debate showing growth February 14, 2014 — by Sudeep Raj and Oksana Trifonova Eighty-eight schools competed in the Martin Luther King speech and debate tournament at James Logan High from Jan. 17-19. read more » Wish granted: Class helps parents learn English January 29, 2014 — by Oksana Trifonova and Devin Zhao Assistant principal Kerry Mohnike pointed to a sentence projected onto a board. “She went to the doctor,” said Mohnike, slowly and carefully articulating each word. Thirty-one students — all of them adults — stared at the board, carefully listening to Mohnike’s pronunciation of the sentence. “She went to the doctor,” a medley of assorted accents chanted back. read more » Holidays in Russia contrast with western celebrations December 17, 2013 — by Oksana Trifonova Most of us wouldn't recognize Christmas in Russia. read more » District hopes breaks offer enough relief to arduous October November 19, 2013 — by Helen Chen, Gwynevere Hunger and Oksana Trifonova For many students, the first few months of school can be rough, especially for seniors: Getting past the Nov. 1 early deadline for college applications can be the hardest part of the year. read more » STAR testing to be replaced by Common Core-compatible testing system October 15, 2013 — by Jade Bisht and Oksana Trifonova Standardized tests that students have taken for years are about to change next spring: California Standardized Testing and Reporting (STAR) tests and the API scores that accompany it are being eliminated in favor of a new system based on Common Core Standards. read more » Russian anti-gay laws distorted by U.S. media October 8, 2013 — by Oksana Trifonova The 2014 Winter Olympics planned to be held in Sochi, Russia, has been the object of public criticism and protests for months. Some athletes and activists have even spoken of boycotting the Olympics. The reason: Russia’s supposed anti-gay laws. read more » The Vine vortex: social media app gains popularity September 10, 2013 — by Gwynevere Hunger and Oksana Trifonova What would you do for 234,178 likes? Would you trash your kitchen “trying to kill a bug”? Or how about for 501,769 likes? Would you run around the mall singing “I believe I can fly” while hitting strangers with swim noodles on your arms? Believe it or not, people do all of the above and more through a social media app, Vine. read more » New face-to-face dance policy stirs controversy September 8, 2013 — by Ingrid Hong and Oksana Trifonova This year, the administration enacted a new “face-to-face” dance policy, resulting in an increase in freshman attendance but also a decrease in upperclassman attendance. read more » German exchange student adjusts to changes September 5, 2013 — by David Sparkman and Oksana Trifonova It's the beginning of the school year and new faces and names are everywhere. It's especially intimidating if you're the new kid. Now imagine the first day of school in another country, where even the language is unfamiliar, let alone the campus and the students. read more »
Students discover better fit away from name-brand schools March 4, 2016 — by Claire Rhee and Oksana Trifonova After graduating, alumni Helen Wong found her place at Brandeis, where she is on a pre-law track, double majoring in history and health science and policy. Although Brandeis is not a well known university among Saratoga students, it ranks as No. 34 school in the 2016 edition of Best Colleges from U.S. News and benefits from its smaller size of around 3,729 undergraduate students. read more » Falcon wins Pacemaker for second year in a row November 30, 2015 — by Deepthi Sampathkumar and Oksana Trifonova The Falcon has won the Pacemaker award by the National Scholastic Press Association (NSPA) for 2014-2015 in the broadsheet category for newspapers of 17 or more pages for the second consecutive year. read more » Top 10 things to be thankful for November 13, 2015 — by David Fan and Oksana Trifonova It's Thanksgiving time! read more » Girls Can movement helps break gender boundaries November 10, 2015 — by Charin Park and Oksana Trifonova Covergirl’s video two years ago announced the launch of the “Girls Can” campaign, a movement seeking to promote female empowerment and intelligence. read more » ‘The Visit’: Creepy grandparent duo provides real thrill October 14, 2015 — by Oksana Trifonova and Kelly Xiao Reporters review "The Visit" and find it surprisingly good in several aspects. read more » Girls’ golf: Falcons suffer consecutive losses October 14, 2015 — by Oksana Trifonova As the season progresses, the Falcons have already faced some of their toughest league opponents. Even though they’ve been playing well, they have suffered consecutive losses to leave their record at 5-5 as of Oct. 8. read more » Despite some appearances, golf really is a sport October 7, 2015 — by Oksana Trifonova What seems to be a lazy, easy-to-play sport can actually be one of the most difficult. A reporter details her experience with learning how to golf. read more » Alumnus’s self-segregation article generates conversation in community October 6, 2015 — by Caitlyn Chen and Oksana Trifonova In an article published in a Chinese media outlet and later, an American website, alumnus Sameul Liu wrote that “the culture [at Saratoga High] had split soundlessly into two separate circles, each involved in its own activities and contemptuous of the other.” read more » New players strengthen golf team September 4, 2015 — by Oksana Trifonova As the school year begins, the golf players start practice at the Saratoga Country Club. The new team is without Vivian Roan, last year’s top player, but now boasts of freshman Janelle Jin, who leads the team with the top score of 124 shots for the qualifying round of 27 holes. read more » Hollywood directors need a dose of feminism September 4, 2015 — by Oksana Trifonova Instead of the same movies that include cliché portrayals of women, there should be more films that showcase unconventional views of women. read more » STEM buff has a go at humanities and likes it May 21, 2015 — by Melissa Magner and Oksana Trifonova Junior Nate Ney’s interests span beyond simply just STEM courses and activities, and recently he has become more involved in humanity-related activities like History Bowl — an involvement that has inspired him to expand his comfort zone. read more » 100 Word Rants May 18, 2015 — by Cassandra King, Isabelle Tseng, Oksana Trifonova and Jason Zhao Rants about school starting earlier each year, the smarter balanced tests, fanfictions, and badminton. read more » JSA starts Open mic effort downtown downtown May 18, 2015 — by Melissa Magner and Oksana Trifonova Junior State of America (JSA) Club hosted an Open Mic at Blue Rock Shoot Cafe on May 15 in an effort to bring more foot traffic to downtown Saratoga and boost business. During the Open Mic, students and adults alike sang and played the piano and the guitar. read more » Crossword answers for backpage May 1 issue May 1, 2015 — by Cassandra King and Oksana Trifonova Crossword answers for May 1 issue read more » Following his heart, Rodriguex chooses teaching and has never looked back April 23, 2015 — by Oksana Trifonova Rodriguex said that when he looks back on his more than four decades of teaching, he knows that he has loved almost all of it. At age 24, he defied his father’s expectations when he decided to go into teaching rather than become a chemist. read more » Seniors lead boys’ golf team March 8, 2015 — by Oksana Trifonova and Arman Vaziri With four key seniors, the boys’ golf team certainly does not lack experience. read more » 2014 alumni reflect on their first years playing sports in college March 5, 2015 — by Jenny Qian and Oksana Trifonova From AYSO soccer to high school varsity football, sports have always been an integral part of growing up. read more » ‘Game of Thrones’ Season 5 trailer promises action, surprises March 4, 2015 — by Oksana Trifonova and Kelly Xiao “Game of Thrones,” including the 2011 HBO show version and the 1991 book series, has created a fan stronghold for itself through its multiple storyline plot that details the struggles of several characters over a throne. read more » Carnival wraps up week of inspiration January 25, 2015 — by Neehar Thumaty and Oksana Trifonova Intended to help students relax and celebrate a successful week of inspiration, the carnival in the Quad ended Speak Up for Change week on Jan. 23. read more » French classes face challenging times January 22, 2015 — by Michelle Leung, Trevor Leung and Oksana Trifonova A lack of language options at the middle school level and competition from other electives have resulted in increasingly small French classes. read more » Opposite ends of the spectrum: Large and small classes on campus provide different learning opportunities January 21, 2015 — by Melissa Magner and Oksana Trifonova With about 1,350 students on its campus, Saratoga High has an average class size of about 28. read more » Freshman swings her way onto golf team November 13, 2014 — by Oksana Trifonova and Jihau Yu Sarah Lo is the only freshman player on the girls’ golf team, but has already earned the position of fourth best player. read more » Saratoga City council engages students in community issues November 3, 2014 — by Cassandra King and Oksana Trifonova The thin strum of a ukulele sounded from the research center Oct. 24 as 30 pairs of eyes turned to look at the source — Saratoga city council candidate John Chen. read more » Girls’ golf working on improving away play October 12, 2014 — by Oksana Trifonova and Arman Vaziri Having faced tough opponents over the past few weeks, the girls’ golf team has a record of 3-5 as of Oct. 9. read more » Falcon staffers gain experiences at Paly journalism conference October 9, 2014 — by Gitika Nalwa and Oksana Trifonova J-Day, a journalism conference sponsored by the Journalism Education Association of Northern California, was held on Sept. 27 at Palo Alto High School’s new Media Arts Center. read more » Key additions boost girls’ golf team September 2, 2014 — by Oksana Trifonova and Arman Vaziri September is on the calendar as the Falcons hit the golf course. This year, the girls’ golf team has had many valuable freshmen additions. read more » Spanish teacher takes on additional job of activities director August 31, 2014 — by Kevin Chow and Oksana Trifonova Spanish teacher Rebeca Marshburn has taken on an additional challenge this year: being the new activities director. read more » Orchestra to travel to Spain this summer May 23, 2014 — by Shazia Gupta and Oksana Trifonova This summer, members of the school’s orchestra and band will be traveling to Spain and two ensembles will perform: the symphony orchestra and the symphonic wind ensemble. read more » Speech and debate brings home success May 7, 2014 — by Sudeep Raj and Oksana Trifonova The speech and debate team ended a successful season with a bang at the state competition on April 25 at James Enochs High School in Modesto. read more » Teacher faced temptation to cheat in college May 7, 2014 — by Oksana Trifonova As a college student at Princeton, English teacher Catherine Head took a social science course called Critical Theory, taught by a professor who thought women had no place in higher education. read more » No freaking policy not working May 6, 2014 — by Gwynevere Hunger and Oksana Trifonova School dances have always been a symbol of school spirit, a time when all social groups come together, united under the pride of being a Falcon. And with more dances and more attendance comes more unity and school pride. However, during the beginning of this year, the administration decided to ban freaking, a sort of dancing that consists of two people grinding against each other, with both looking in one direction so that interaction is not face-to-face. The administration has not approved of this way of dancing for many years and finally required students to dance “face to face” in the beginning of the school year. read more » Boys’ golf team advances to CCS May 2, 2014 — by Melissa Magner and Oksana Trifonova At the league finals on April 29 at the Santa Teresa Golf Course, senior Christian Galvin, the Falcons’ No. 1 player, became league finals champion. read more » Boys’ golf team anticipating victories March 11, 2014 — by Melissa Magner and Oksana Trifonova The boys’ golf team is off to a good start this year after beating Lynbrook on Feb. 27, Monta Vista on March 3, and Los Gatos and Milpitas on March 10, leading to a 4-0 record for the Falcons as of March 10. read more » Speech and debate showing growth February 14, 2014 — by Sudeep Raj and Oksana Trifonova Eighty-eight schools competed in the Martin Luther King speech and debate tournament at James Logan High from Jan. 17-19. read more » Wish granted: Class helps parents learn English January 29, 2014 — by Oksana Trifonova and Devin Zhao Assistant principal Kerry Mohnike pointed to a sentence projected onto a board. “She went to the doctor,” said Mohnike, slowly and carefully articulating each word. Thirty-one students — all of them adults — stared at the board, carefully listening to Mohnike’s pronunciation of the sentence. “She went to the doctor,” a medley of assorted accents chanted back. read more » Holidays in Russia contrast with western celebrations December 17, 2013 — by Oksana Trifonova Most of us wouldn't recognize Christmas in Russia. read more » District hopes breaks offer enough relief to arduous October November 19, 2013 — by Helen Chen, Gwynevere Hunger and Oksana Trifonova For many students, the first few months of school can be rough, especially for seniors: Getting past the Nov. 1 early deadline for college applications can be the hardest part of the year. read more » STAR testing to be replaced by Common Core-compatible testing system October 15, 2013 — by Jade Bisht and Oksana Trifonova Standardized tests that students have taken for years are about to change next spring: California Standardized Testing and Reporting (STAR) tests and the API scores that accompany it are being eliminated in favor of a new system based on Common Core Standards. read more » Russian anti-gay laws distorted by U.S. media October 8, 2013 — by Oksana Trifonova The 2014 Winter Olympics planned to be held in Sochi, Russia, has been the object of public criticism and protests for months. Some athletes and activists have even spoken of boycotting the Olympics. The reason: Russia’s supposed anti-gay laws. read more » The Vine vortex: social media app gains popularity September 10, 2013 — by Gwynevere Hunger and Oksana Trifonova What would you do for 234,178 likes? Would you trash your kitchen “trying to kill a bug”? Or how about for 501,769 likes? Would you run around the mall singing “I believe I can fly” while hitting strangers with swim noodles on your arms? Believe it or not, people do all of the above and more through a social media app, Vine. read more » New face-to-face dance policy stirs controversy September 8, 2013 — by Ingrid Hong and Oksana Trifonova This year, the administration enacted a new “face-to-face” dance policy, resulting in an increase in freshman attendance but also a decrease in upperclassman attendance. read more » German exchange student adjusts to changes September 5, 2013 — by David Sparkman and Oksana Trifonova It's the beginning of the school year and new faces and names are everywhere. It's especially intimidating if you're the new kid. Now imagine the first day of school in another country, where even the language is unfamiliar, let alone the campus and the students. read more »
Falcon wins Pacemaker for second year in a row November 30, 2015 — by Deepthi Sampathkumar and Oksana Trifonova The Falcon has won the Pacemaker award by the National Scholastic Press Association (NSPA) for 2014-2015 in the broadsheet category for newspapers of 17 or more pages for the second consecutive year. read more » Top 10 things to be thankful for November 13, 2015 — by David Fan and Oksana Trifonova It's Thanksgiving time! read more » Girls Can movement helps break gender boundaries November 10, 2015 — by Charin Park and Oksana Trifonova Covergirl’s video two years ago announced the launch of the “Girls Can” campaign, a movement seeking to promote female empowerment and intelligence. read more » ‘The Visit’: Creepy grandparent duo provides real thrill October 14, 2015 — by Oksana Trifonova and Kelly Xiao Reporters review "The Visit" and find it surprisingly good in several aspects. read more » Girls’ golf: Falcons suffer consecutive losses October 14, 2015 — by Oksana Trifonova As the season progresses, the Falcons have already faced some of their toughest league opponents. Even though they’ve been playing well, they have suffered consecutive losses to leave their record at 5-5 as of Oct. 8. read more » Despite some appearances, golf really is a sport October 7, 2015 — by Oksana Trifonova What seems to be a lazy, easy-to-play sport can actually be one of the most difficult. A reporter details her experience with learning how to golf. read more » Alumnus’s self-segregation article generates conversation in community October 6, 2015 — by Caitlyn Chen and Oksana Trifonova In an article published in a Chinese media outlet and later, an American website, alumnus Sameul Liu wrote that “the culture [at Saratoga High] had split soundlessly into two separate circles, each involved in its own activities and contemptuous of the other.” read more » New players strengthen golf team September 4, 2015 — by Oksana Trifonova As the school year begins, the golf players start practice at the Saratoga Country Club. The new team is without Vivian Roan, last year’s top player, but now boasts of freshman Janelle Jin, who leads the team with the top score of 124 shots for the qualifying round of 27 holes. read more » Hollywood directors need a dose of feminism September 4, 2015 — by Oksana Trifonova Instead of the same movies that include cliché portrayals of women, there should be more films that showcase unconventional views of women. read more » STEM buff has a go at humanities and likes it May 21, 2015 — by Melissa Magner and Oksana Trifonova Junior Nate Ney’s interests span beyond simply just STEM courses and activities, and recently he has become more involved in humanity-related activities like History Bowl — an involvement that has inspired him to expand his comfort zone. read more » 100 Word Rants May 18, 2015 — by Cassandra King, Isabelle Tseng, Oksana Trifonova and Jason Zhao Rants about school starting earlier each year, the smarter balanced tests, fanfictions, and badminton. read more » JSA starts Open mic effort downtown downtown May 18, 2015 — by Melissa Magner and Oksana Trifonova Junior State of America (JSA) Club hosted an Open Mic at Blue Rock Shoot Cafe on May 15 in an effort to bring more foot traffic to downtown Saratoga and boost business. During the Open Mic, students and adults alike sang and played the piano and the guitar. read more » Crossword answers for backpage May 1 issue May 1, 2015 — by Cassandra King and Oksana Trifonova Crossword answers for May 1 issue read more » Following his heart, Rodriguex chooses teaching and has never looked back April 23, 2015 — by Oksana Trifonova Rodriguex said that when he looks back on his more than four decades of teaching, he knows that he has loved almost all of it. At age 24, he defied his father’s expectations when he decided to go into teaching rather than become a chemist. read more » Seniors lead boys’ golf team March 8, 2015 — by Oksana Trifonova and Arman Vaziri With four key seniors, the boys’ golf team certainly does not lack experience. read more » 2014 alumni reflect on their first years playing sports in college March 5, 2015 — by Jenny Qian and Oksana Trifonova From AYSO soccer to high school varsity football, sports have always been an integral part of growing up. read more » ‘Game of Thrones’ Season 5 trailer promises action, surprises March 4, 2015 — by Oksana Trifonova and Kelly Xiao “Game of Thrones,” including the 2011 HBO show version and the 1991 book series, has created a fan stronghold for itself through its multiple storyline plot that details the struggles of several characters over a throne. read more » Carnival wraps up week of inspiration January 25, 2015 — by Neehar Thumaty and Oksana Trifonova Intended to help students relax and celebrate a successful week of inspiration, the carnival in the Quad ended Speak Up for Change week on Jan. 23. read more » French classes face challenging times January 22, 2015 — by Michelle Leung, Trevor Leung and Oksana Trifonova A lack of language options at the middle school level and competition from other electives have resulted in increasingly small French classes. read more » Opposite ends of the spectrum: Large and small classes on campus provide different learning opportunities January 21, 2015 — by Melissa Magner and Oksana Trifonova With about 1,350 students on its campus, Saratoga High has an average class size of about 28. read more » Freshman swings her way onto golf team November 13, 2014 — by Oksana Trifonova and Jihau Yu Sarah Lo is the only freshman player on the girls’ golf team, but has already earned the position of fourth best player. read more » Saratoga City council engages students in community issues November 3, 2014 — by Cassandra King and Oksana Trifonova The thin strum of a ukulele sounded from the research center Oct. 24 as 30 pairs of eyes turned to look at the source — Saratoga city council candidate John Chen. read more » Girls’ golf working on improving away play October 12, 2014 — by Oksana Trifonova and Arman Vaziri Having faced tough opponents over the past few weeks, the girls’ golf team has a record of 3-5 as of Oct. 9. read more » Falcon staffers gain experiences at Paly journalism conference October 9, 2014 — by Gitika Nalwa and Oksana Trifonova J-Day, a journalism conference sponsored by the Journalism Education Association of Northern California, was held on Sept. 27 at Palo Alto High School’s new Media Arts Center. read more » Key additions boost girls’ golf team September 2, 2014 — by Oksana Trifonova and Arman Vaziri September is on the calendar as the Falcons hit the golf course. This year, the girls’ golf team has had many valuable freshmen additions. read more » Spanish teacher takes on additional job of activities director August 31, 2014 — by Kevin Chow and Oksana Trifonova Spanish teacher Rebeca Marshburn has taken on an additional challenge this year: being the new activities director. read more » Orchestra to travel to Spain this summer May 23, 2014 — by Shazia Gupta and Oksana Trifonova This summer, members of the school’s orchestra and band will be traveling to Spain and two ensembles will perform: the symphony orchestra and the symphonic wind ensemble. read more » Speech and debate brings home success May 7, 2014 — by Sudeep Raj and Oksana Trifonova The speech and debate team ended a successful season with a bang at the state competition on April 25 at James Enochs High School in Modesto. read more » Teacher faced temptation to cheat in college May 7, 2014 — by Oksana Trifonova As a college student at Princeton, English teacher Catherine Head took a social science course called Critical Theory, taught by a professor who thought women had no place in higher education. read more » No freaking policy not working May 6, 2014 — by Gwynevere Hunger and Oksana Trifonova School dances have always been a symbol of school spirit, a time when all social groups come together, united under the pride of being a Falcon. And with more dances and more attendance comes more unity and school pride. However, during the beginning of this year, the administration decided to ban freaking, a sort of dancing that consists of two people grinding against each other, with both looking in one direction so that interaction is not face-to-face. The administration has not approved of this way of dancing for many years and finally required students to dance “face to face” in the beginning of the school year. read more » Boys’ golf team advances to CCS May 2, 2014 — by Melissa Magner and Oksana Trifonova At the league finals on April 29 at the Santa Teresa Golf Course, senior Christian Galvin, the Falcons’ No. 1 player, became league finals champion. read more » Boys’ golf team anticipating victories March 11, 2014 — by Melissa Magner and Oksana Trifonova The boys’ golf team is off to a good start this year after beating Lynbrook on Feb. 27, Monta Vista on March 3, and Los Gatos and Milpitas on March 10, leading to a 4-0 record for the Falcons as of March 10. read more » Speech and debate showing growth February 14, 2014 — by Sudeep Raj and Oksana Trifonova Eighty-eight schools competed in the Martin Luther King speech and debate tournament at James Logan High from Jan. 17-19. read more » Wish granted: Class helps parents learn English January 29, 2014 — by Oksana Trifonova and Devin Zhao Assistant principal Kerry Mohnike pointed to a sentence projected onto a board. “She went to the doctor,” said Mohnike, slowly and carefully articulating each word. Thirty-one students — all of them adults — stared at the board, carefully listening to Mohnike’s pronunciation of the sentence. “She went to the doctor,” a medley of assorted accents chanted back. read more » Holidays in Russia contrast with western celebrations December 17, 2013 — by Oksana Trifonova Most of us wouldn't recognize Christmas in Russia. read more » District hopes breaks offer enough relief to arduous October November 19, 2013 — by Helen Chen, Gwynevere Hunger and Oksana Trifonova For many students, the first few months of school can be rough, especially for seniors: Getting past the Nov. 1 early deadline for college applications can be the hardest part of the year. read more » STAR testing to be replaced by Common Core-compatible testing system October 15, 2013 — by Jade Bisht and Oksana Trifonova Standardized tests that students have taken for years are about to change next spring: California Standardized Testing and Reporting (STAR) tests and the API scores that accompany it are being eliminated in favor of a new system based on Common Core Standards. read more » Russian anti-gay laws distorted by U.S. media October 8, 2013 — by Oksana Trifonova The 2014 Winter Olympics planned to be held in Sochi, Russia, has been the object of public criticism and protests for months. Some athletes and activists have even spoken of boycotting the Olympics. The reason: Russia’s supposed anti-gay laws. read more » The Vine vortex: social media app gains popularity September 10, 2013 — by Gwynevere Hunger and Oksana Trifonova What would you do for 234,178 likes? Would you trash your kitchen “trying to kill a bug”? Or how about for 501,769 likes? Would you run around the mall singing “I believe I can fly” while hitting strangers with swim noodles on your arms? Believe it or not, people do all of the above and more through a social media app, Vine. read more » New face-to-face dance policy stirs controversy September 8, 2013 — by Ingrid Hong and Oksana Trifonova This year, the administration enacted a new “face-to-face” dance policy, resulting in an increase in freshman attendance but also a decrease in upperclassman attendance. read more » German exchange student adjusts to changes September 5, 2013 — by David Sparkman and Oksana Trifonova It's the beginning of the school year and new faces and names are everywhere. It's especially intimidating if you're the new kid. Now imagine the first day of school in another country, where even the language is unfamiliar, let alone the campus and the students. read more »
Top 10 things to be thankful for November 13, 2015 — by David Fan and Oksana Trifonova It's Thanksgiving time! read more » Girls Can movement helps break gender boundaries November 10, 2015 — by Charin Park and Oksana Trifonova Covergirl’s video two years ago announced the launch of the “Girls Can” campaign, a movement seeking to promote female empowerment and intelligence. read more » ‘The Visit’: Creepy grandparent duo provides real thrill October 14, 2015 — by Oksana Trifonova and Kelly Xiao Reporters review "The Visit" and find it surprisingly good in several aspects. read more » Girls’ golf: Falcons suffer consecutive losses October 14, 2015 — by Oksana Trifonova As the season progresses, the Falcons have already faced some of their toughest league opponents. Even though they’ve been playing well, they have suffered consecutive losses to leave their record at 5-5 as of Oct. 8. read more » Despite some appearances, golf really is a sport October 7, 2015 — by Oksana Trifonova What seems to be a lazy, easy-to-play sport can actually be one of the most difficult. A reporter details her experience with learning how to golf. read more » Alumnus’s self-segregation article generates conversation in community October 6, 2015 — by Caitlyn Chen and Oksana Trifonova In an article published in a Chinese media outlet and later, an American website, alumnus Sameul Liu wrote that “the culture [at Saratoga High] had split soundlessly into two separate circles, each involved in its own activities and contemptuous of the other.” read more » New players strengthen golf team September 4, 2015 — by Oksana Trifonova As the school year begins, the golf players start practice at the Saratoga Country Club. The new team is without Vivian Roan, last year’s top player, but now boasts of freshman Janelle Jin, who leads the team with the top score of 124 shots for the qualifying round of 27 holes. read more » Hollywood directors need a dose of feminism September 4, 2015 — by Oksana Trifonova Instead of the same movies that include cliché portrayals of women, there should be more films that showcase unconventional views of women. read more » STEM buff has a go at humanities and likes it May 21, 2015 — by Melissa Magner and Oksana Trifonova Junior Nate Ney’s interests span beyond simply just STEM courses and activities, and recently he has become more involved in humanity-related activities like History Bowl — an involvement that has inspired him to expand his comfort zone. read more » 100 Word Rants May 18, 2015 — by Cassandra King, Isabelle Tseng, Oksana Trifonova and Jason Zhao Rants about school starting earlier each year, the smarter balanced tests, fanfictions, and badminton. read more » JSA starts Open mic effort downtown downtown May 18, 2015 — by Melissa Magner and Oksana Trifonova Junior State of America (JSA) Club hosted an Open Mic at Blue Rock Shoot Cafe on May 15 in an effort to bring more foot traffic to downtown Saratoga and boost business. During the Open Mic, students and adults alike sang and played the piano and the guitar. read more » Crossword answers for backpage May 1 issue May 1, 2015 — by Cassandra King and Oksana Trifonova Crossword answers for May 1 issue read more » Following his heart, Rodriguex chooses teaching and has never looked back April 23, 2015 — by Oksana Trifonova Rodriguex said that when he looks back on his more than four decades of teaching, he knows that he has loved almost all of it. At age 24, he defied his father’s expectations when he decided to go into teaching rather than become a chemist. read more » Seniors lead boys’ golf team March 8, 2015 — by Oksana Trifonova and Arman Vaziri With four key seniors, the boys’ golf team certainly does not lack experience. read more » 2014 alumni reflect on their first years playing sports in college March 5, 2015 — by Jenny Qian and Oksana Trifonova From AYSO soccer to high school varsity football, sports have always been an integral part of growing up. read more » ‘Game of Thrones’ Season 5 trailer promises action, surprises March 4, 2015 — by Oksana Trifonova and Kelly Xiao “Game of Thrones,” including the 2011 HBO show version and the 1991 book series, has created a fan stronghold for itself through its multiple storyline plot that details the struggles of several characters over a throne. read more » Carnival wraps up week of inspiration January 25, 2015 — by Neehar Thumaty and Oksana Trifonova Intended to help students relax and celebrate a successful week of inspiration, the carnival in the Quad ended Speak Up for Change week on Jan. 23. read more » French classes face challenging times January 22, 2015 — by Michelle Leung, Trevor Leung and Oksana Trifonova A lack of language options at the middle school level and competition from other electives have resulted in increasingly small French classes. read more » Opposite ends of the spectrum: Large and small classes on campus provide different learning opportunities January 21, 2015 — by Melissa Magner and Oksana Trifonova With about 1,350 students on its campus, Saratoga High has an average class size of about 28. read more » Freshman swings her way onto golf team November 13, 2014 — by Oksana Trifonova and Jihau Yu Sarah Lo is the only freshman player on the girls’ golf team, but has already earned the position of fourth best player. read more » Saratoga City council engages students in community issues November 3, 2014 — by Cassandra King and Oksana Trifonova The thin strum of a ukulele sounded from the research center Oct. 24 as 30 pairs of eyes turned to look at the source — Saratoga city council candidate John Chen. read more » Girls’ golf working on improving away play October 12, 2014 — by Oksana Trifonova and Arman Vaziri Having faced tough opponents over the past few weeks, the girls’ golf team has a record of 3-5 as of Oct. 9. read more » Falcon staffers gain experiences at Paly journalism conference October 9, 2014 — by Gitika Nalwa and Oksana Trifonova J-Day, a journalism conference sponsored by the Journalism Education Association of Northern California, was held on Sept. 27 at Palo Alto High School’s new Media Arts Center. read more » Key additions boost girls’ golf team September 2, 2014 — by Oksana Trifonova and Arman Vaziri September is on the calendar as the Falcons hit the golf course. This year, the girls’ golf team has had many valuable freshmen additions. read more » Spanish teacher takes on additional job of activities director August 31, 2014 — by Kevin Chow and Oksana Trifonova Spanish teacher Rebeca Marshburn has taken on an additional challenge this year: being the new activities director. read more » Orchestra to travel to Spain this summer May 23, 2014 — by Shazia Gupta and Oksana Trifonova This summer, members of the school’s orchestra and band will be traveling to Spain and two ensembles will perform: the symphony orchestra and the symphonic wind ensemble. read more » Speech and debate brings home success May 7, 2014 — by Sudeep Raj and Oksana Trifonova The speech and debate team ended a successful season with a bang at the state competition on April 25 at James Enochs High School in Modesto. read more » Teacher faced temptation to cheat in college May 7, 2014 — by Oksana Trifonova As a college student at Princeton, English teacher Catherine Head took a social science course called Critical Theory, taught by a professor who thought women had no place in higher education. read more » No freaking policy not working May 6, 2014 — by Gwynevere Hunger and Oksana Trifonova School dances have always been a symbol of school spirit, a time when all social groups come together, united under the pride of being a Falcon. And with more dances and more attendance comes more unity and school pride. However, during the beginning of this year, the administration decided to ban freaking, a sort of dancing that consists of two people grinding against each other, with both looking in one direction so that interaction is not face-to-face. The administration has not approved of this way of dancing for many years and finally required students to dance “face to face” in the beginning of the school year. read more » Boys’ golf team advances to CCS May 2, 2014 — by Melissa Magner and Oksana Trifonova At the league finals on April 29 at the Santa Teresa Golf Course, senior Christian Galvin, the Falcons’ No. 1 player, became league finals champion. read more » Boys’ golf team anticipating victories March 11, 2014 — by Melissa Magner and Oksana Trifonova The boys’ golf team is off to a good start this year after beating Lynbrook on Feb. 27, Monta Vista on March 3, and Los Gatos and Milpitas on March 10, leading to a 4-0 record for the Falcons as of March 10. read more » Speech and debate showing growth February 14, 2014 — by Sudeep Raj and Oksana Trifonova Eighty-eight schools competed in the Martin Luther King speech and debate tournament at James Logan High from Jan. 17-19. read more » Wish granted: Class helps parents learn English January 29, 2014 — by Oksana Trifonova and Devin Zhao Assistant principal Kerry Mohnike pointed to a sentence projected onto a board. “She went to the doctor,” said Mohnike, slowly and carefully articulating each word. Thirty-one students — all of them adults — stared at the board, carefully listening to Mohnike’s pronunciation of the sentence. “She went to the doctor,” a medley of assorted accents chanted back. read more » Holidays in Russia contrast with western celebrations December 17, 2013 — by Oksana Trifonova Most of us wouldn't recognize Christmas in Russia. read more » District hopes breaks offer enough relief to arduous October November 19, 2013 — by Helen Chen, Gwynevere Hunger and Oksana Trifonova For many students, the first few months of school can be rough, especially for seniors: Getting past the Nov. 1 early deadline for college applications can be the hardest part of the year. read more » STAR testing to be replaced by Common Core-compatible testing system October 15, 2013 — by Jade Bisht and Oksana Trifonova Standardized tests that students have taken for years are about to change next spring: California Standardized Testing and Reporting (STAR) tests and the API scores that accompany it are being eliminated in favor of a new system based on Common Core Standards. read more » Russian anti-gay laws distorted by U.S. media October 8, 2013 — by Oksana Trifonova The 2014 Winter Olympics planned to be held in Sochi, Russia, has been the object of public criticism and protests for months. Some athletes and activists have even spoken of boycotting the Olympics. The reason: Russia’s supposed anti-gay laws. read more » The Vine vortex: social media app gains popularity September 10, 2013 — by Gwynevere Hunger and Oksana Trifonova What would you do for 234,178 likes? Would you trash your kitchen “trying to kill a bug”? Or how about for 501,769 likes? Would you run around the mall singing “I believe I can fly” while hitting strangers with swim noodles on your arms? Believe it or not, people do all of the above and more through a social media app, Vine. read more » New face-to-face dance policy stirs controversy September 8, 2013 — by Ingrid Hong and Oksana Trifonova This year, the administration enacted a new “face-to-face” dance policy, resulting in an increase in freshman attendance but also a decrease in upperclassman attendance. read more » German exchange student adjusts to changes September 5, 2013 — by David Sparkman and Oksana Trifonova It's the beginning of the school year and new faces and names are everywhere. It's especially intimidating if you're the new kid. Now imagine the first day of school in another country, where even the language is unfamiliar, let alone the campus and the students. read more »
Girls Can movement helps break gender boundaries November 10, 2015 — by Charin Park and Oksana Trifonova Covergirl’s video two years ago announced the launch of the “Girls Can” campaign, a movement seeking to promote female empowerment and intelligence. read more » ‘The Visit’: Creepy grandparent duo provides real thrill October 14, 2015 — by Oksana Trifonova and Kelly Xiao Reporters review "The Visit" and find it surprisingly good in several aspects. read more » Girls’ golf: Falcons suffer consecutive losses October 14, 2015 — by Oksana Trifonova As the season progresses, the Falcons have already faced some of their toughest league opponents. Even though they’ve been playing well, they have suffered consecutive losses to leave their record at 5-5 as of Oct. 8. read more » Despite some appearances, golf really is a sport October 7, 2015 — by Oksana Trifonova What seems to be a lazy, easy-to-play sport can actually be one of the most difficult. A reporter details her experience with learning how to golf. read more » Alumnus’s self-segregation article generates conversation in community October 6, 2015 — by Caitlyn Chen and Oksana Trifonova In an article published in a Chinese media outlet and later, an American website, alumnus Sameul Liu wrote that “the culture [at Saratoga High] had split soundlessly into two separate circles, each involved in its own activities and contemptuous of the other.” read more » New players strengthen golf team September 4, 2015 — by Oksana Trifonova As the school year begins, the golf players start practice at the Saratoga Country Club. The new team is without Vivian Roan, last year’s top player, but now boasts of freshman Janelle Jin, who leads the team with the top score of 124 shots for the qualifying round of 27 holes. read more » Hollywood directors need a dose of feminism September 4, 2015 — by Oksana Trifonova Instead of the same movies that include cliché portrayals of women, there should be more films that showcase unconventional views of women. read more » STEM buff has a go at humanities and likes it May 21, 2015 — by Melissa Magner and Oksana Trifonova Junior Nate Ney’s interests span beyond simply just STEM courses and activities, and recently he has become more involved in humanity-related activities like History Bowl — an involvement that has inspired him to expand his comfort zone. read more » 100 Word Rants May 18, 2015 — by Cassandra King, Isabelle Tseng, Oksana Trifonova and Jason Zhao Rants about school starting earlier each year, the smarter balanced tests, fanfictions, and badminton. read more » JSA starts Open mic effort downtown downtown May 18, 2015 — by Melissa Magner and Oksana Trifonova Junior State of America (JSA) Club hosted an Open Mic at Blue Rock Shoot Cafe on May 15 in an effort to bring more foot traffic to downtown Saratoga and boost business. During the Open Mic, students and adults alike sang and played the piano and the guitar. read more » Crossword answers for backpage May 1 issue May 1, 2015 — by Cassandra King and Oksana Trifonova Crossword answers for May 1 issue read more » Following his heart, Rodriguex chooses teaching and has never looked back April 23, 2015 — by Oksana Trifonova Rodriguex said that when he looks back on his more than four decades of teaching, he knows that he has loved almost all of it. At age 24, he defied his father’s expectations when he decided to go into teaching rather than become a chemist. read more » Seniors lead boys’ golf team March 8, 2015 — by Oksana Trifonova and Arman Vaziri With four key seniors, the boys’ golf team certainly does not lack experience. read more » 2014 alumni reflect on their first years playing sports in college March 5, 2015 — by Jenny Qian and Oksana Trifonova From AYSO soccer to high school varsity football, sports have always been an integral part of growing up. read more » ‘Game of Thrones’ Season 5 trailer promises action, surprises March 4, 2015 — by Oksana Trifonova and Kelly Xiao “Game of Thrones,” including the 2011 HBO show version and the 1991 book series, has created a fan stronghold for itself through its multiple storyline plot that details the struggles of several characters over a throne. read more » Carnival wraps up week of inspiration January 25, 2015 — by Neehar Thumaty and Oksana Trifonova Intended to help students relax and celebrate a successful week of inspiration, the carnival in the Quad ended Speak Up for Change week on Jan. 23. read more » French classes face challenging times January 22, 2015 — by Michelle Leung, Trevor Leung and Oksana Trifonova A lack of language options at the middle school level and competition from other electives have resulted in increasingly small French classes. read more » Opposite ends of the spectrum: Large and small classes on campus provide different learning opportunities January 21, 2015 — by Melissa Magner and Oksana Trifonova With about 1,350 students on its campus, Saratoga High has an average class size of about 28. read more » Freshman swings her way onto golf team November 13, 2014 — by Oksana Trifonova and Jihau Yu Sarah Lo is the only freshman player on the girls’ golf team, but has already earned the position of fourth best player. read more » Saratoga City council engages students in community issues November 3, 2014 — by Cassandra King and Oksana Trifonova The thin strum of a ukulele sounded from the research center Oct. 24 as 30 pairs of eyes turned to look at the source — Saratoga city council candidate John Chen. read more » Girls’ golf working on improving away play October 12, 2014 — by Oksana Trifonova and Arman Vaziri Having faced tough opponents over the past few weeks, the girls’ golf team has a record of 3-5 as of Oct. 9. read more » Falcon staffers gain experiences at Paly journalism conference October 9, 2014 — by Gitika Nalwa and Oksana Trifonova J-Day, a journalism conference sponsored by the Journalism Education Association of Northern California, was held on Sept. 27 at Palo Alto High School’s new Media Arts Center. read more » Key additions boost girls’ golf team September 2, 2014 — by Oksana Trifonova and Arman Vaziri September is on the calendar as the Falcons hit the golf course. This year, the girls’ golf team has had many valuable freshmen additions. read more » Spanish teacher takes on additional job of activities director August 31, 2014 — by Kevin Chow and Oksana Trifonova Spanish teacher Rebeca Marshburn has taken on an additional challenge this year: being the new activities director. read more » Orchestra to travel to Spain this summer May 23, 2014 — by Shazia Gupta and Oksana Trifonova This summer, members of the school’s orchestra and band will be traveling to Spain and two ensembles will perform: the symphony orchestra and the symphonic wind ensemble. read more » Speech and debate brings home success May 7, 2014 — by Sudeep Raj and Oksana Trifonova The speech and debate team ended a successful season with a bang at the state competition on April 25 at James Enochs High School in Modesto. read more » Teacher faced temptation to cheat in college May 7, 2014 — by Oksana Trifonova As a college student at Princeton, English teacher Catherine Head took a social science course called Critical Theory, taught by a professor who thought women had no place in higher education. read more » No freaking policy not working May 6, 2014 — by Gwynevere Hunger and Oksana Trifonova School dances have always been a symbol of school spirit, a time when all social groups come together, united under the pride of being a Falcon. And with more dances and more attendance comes more unity and school pride. However, during the beginning of this year, the administration decided to ban freaking, a sort of dancing that consists of two people grinding against each other, with both looking in one direction so that interaction is not face-to-face. The administration has not approved of this way of dancing for many years and finally required students to dance “face to face” in the beginning of the school year. read more » Boys’ golf team advances to CCS May 2, 2014 — by Melissa Magner and Oksana Trifonova At the league finals on April 29 at the Santa Teresa Golf Course, senior Christian Galvin, the Falcons’ No. 1 player, became league finals champion. read more » Boys’ golf team anticipating victories March 11, 2014 — by Melissa Magner and Oksana Trifonova The boys’ golf team is off to a good start this year after beating Lynbrook on Feb. 27, Monta Vista on March 3, and Los Gatos and Milpitas on March 10, leading to a 4-0 record for the Falcons as of March 10. read more » Speech and debate showing growth February 14, 2014 — by Sudeep Raj and Oksana Trifonova Eighty-eight schools competed in the Martin Luther King speech and debate tournament at James Logan High from Jan. 17-19. read more » Wish granted: Class helps parents learn English January 29, 2014 — by Oksana Trifonova and Devin Zhao Assistant principal Kerry Mohnike pointed to a sentence projected onto a board. “She went to the doctor,” said Mohnike, slowly and carefully articulating each word. Thirty-one students — all of them adults — stared at the board, carefully listening to Mohnike’s pronunciation of the sentence. “She went to the doctor,” a medley of assorted accents chanted back. read more » Holidays in Russia contrast with western celebrations December 17, 2013 — by Oksana Trifonova Most of us wouldn't recognize Christmas in Russia. read more » District hopes breaks offer enough relief to arduous October November 19, 2013 — by Helen Chen, Gwynevere Hunger and Oksana Trifonova For many students, the first few months of school can be rough, especially for seniors: Getting past the Nov. 1 early deadline for college applications can be the hardest part of the year. read more » STAR testing to be replaced by Common Core-compatible testing system October 15, 2013 — by Jade Bisht and Oksana Trifonova Standardized tests that students have taken for years are about to change next spring: California Standardized Testing and Reporting (STAR) tests and the API scores that accompany it are being eliminated in favor of a new system based on Common Core Standards. read more » Russian anti-gay laws distorted by U.S. media October 8, 2013 — by Oksana Trifonova The 2014 Winter Olympics planned to be held in Sochi, Russia, has been the object of public criticism and protests for months. Some athletes and activists have even spoken of boycotting the Olympics. The reason: Russia’s supposed anti-gay laws. read more » The Vine vortex: social media app gains popularity September 10, 2013 — by Gwynevere Hunger and Oksana Trifonova What would you do for 234,178 likes? Would you trash your kitchen “trying to kill a bug”? Or how about for 501,769 likes? Would you run around the mall singing “I believe I can fly” while hitting strangers with swim noodles on your arms? Believe it or not, people do all of the above and more through a social media app, Vine. read more » New face-to-face dance policy stirs controversy September 8, 2013 — by Ingrid Hong and Oksana Trifonova This year, the administration enacted a new “face-to-face” dance policy, resulting in an increase in freshman attendance but also a decrease in upperclassman attendance. read more » German exchange student adjusts to changes September 5, 2013 — by David Sparkman and Oksana Trifonova It's the beginning of the school year and new faces and names are everywhere. It's especially intimidating if you're the new kid. Now imagine the first day of school in another country, where even the language is unfamiliar, let alone the campus and the students. read more »
‘The Visit’: Creepy grandparent duo provides real thrill October 14, 2015 — by Oksana Trifonova and Kelly Xiao Reporters review "The Visit" and find it surprisingly good in several aspects. read more » Girls’ golf: Falcons suffer consecutive losses October 14, 2015 — by Oksana Trifonova As the season progresses, the Falcons have already faced some of their toughest league opponents. Even though they’ve been playing well, they have suffered consecutive losses to leave their record at 5-5 as of Oct. 8. read more » Despite some appearances, golf really is a sport October 7, 2015 — by Oksana Trifonova What seems to be a lazy, easy-to-play sport can actually be one of the most difficult. A reporter details her experience with learning how to golf. read more » Alumnus’s self-segregation article generates conversation in community October 6, 2015 — by Caitlyn Chen and Oksana Trifonova In an article published in a Chinese media outlet and later, an American website, alumnus Sameul Liu wrote that “the culture [at Saratoga High] had split soundlessly into two separate circles, each involved in its own activities and contemptuous of the other.” read more » New players strengthen golf team September 4, 2015 — by Oksana Trifonova As the school year begins, the golf players start practice at the Saratoga Country Club. The new team is without Vivian Roan, last year’s top player, but now boasts of freshman Janelle Jin, who leads the team with the top score of 124 shots for the qualifying round of 27 holes. read more » Hollywood directors need a dose of feminism September 4, 2015 — by Oksana Trifonova Instead of the same movies that include cliché portrayals of women, there should be more films that showcase unconventional views of women. read more » STEM buff has a go at humanities and likes it May 21, 2015 — by Melissa Magner and Oksana Trifonova Junior Nate Ney’s interests span beyond simply just STEM courses and activities, and recently he has become more involved in humanity-related activities like History Bowl — an involvement that has inspired him to expand his comfort zone. read more » 100 Word Rants May 18, 2015 — by Cassandra King, Isabelle Tseng, Oksana Trifonova and Jason Zhao Rants about school starting earlier each year, the smarter balanced tests, fanfictions, and badminton. read more » JSA starts Open mic effort downtown downtown May 18, 2015 — by Melissa Magner and Oksana Trifonova Junior State of America (JSA) Club hosted an Open Mic at Blue Rock Shoot Cafe on May 15 in an effort to bring more foot traffic to downtown Saratoga and boost business. During the Open Mic, students and adults alike sang and played the piano and the guitar. read more » Crossword answers for backpage May 1 issue May 1, 2015 — by Cassandra King and Oksana Trifonova Crossword answers for May 1 issue read more » Following his heart, Rodriguex chooses teaching and has never looked back April 23, 2015 — by Oksana Trifonova Rodriguex said that when he looks back on his more than four decades of teaching, he knows that he has loved almost all of it. At age 24, he defied his father’s expectations when he decided to go into teaching rather than become a chemist. read more » Seniors lead boys’ golf team March 8, 2015 — by Oksana Trifonova and Arman Vaziri With four key seniors, the boys’ golf team certainly does not lack experience. read more » 2014 alumni reflect on their first years playing sports in college March 5, 2015 — by Jenny Qian and Oksana Trifonova From AYSO soccer to high school varsity football, sports have always been an integral part of growing up. read more » ‘Game of Thrones’ Season 5 trailer promises action, surprises March 4, 2015 — by Oksana Trifonova and Kelly Xiao “Game of Thrones,” including the 2011 HBO show version and the 1991 book series, has created a fan stronghold for itself through its multiple storyline plot that details the struggles of several characters over a throne. read more » Carnival wraps up week of inspiration January 25, 2015 — by Neehar Thumaty and Oksana Trifonova Intended to help students relax and celebrate a successful week of inspiration, the carnival in the Quad ended Speak Up for Change week on Jan. 23. read more » French classes face challenging times January 22, 2015 — by Michelle Leung, Trevor Leung and Oksana Trifonova A lack of language options at the middle school level and competition from other electives have resulted in increasingly small French classes. read more » Opposite ends of the spectrum: Large and small classes on campus provide different learning opportunities January 21, 2015 — by Melissa Magner and Oksana Trifonova With about 1,350 students on its campus, Saratoga High has an average class size of about 28. read more » Freshman swings her way onto golf team November 13, 2014 — by Oksana Trifonova and Jihau Yu Sarah Lo is the only freshman player on the girls’ golf team, but has already earned the position of fourth best player. read more » Saratoga City council engages students in community issues November 3, 2014 — by Cassandra King and Oksana Trifonova The thin strum of a ukulele sounded from the research center Oct. 24 as 30 pairs of eyes turned to look at the source — Saratoga city council candidate John Chen. read more » Girls’ golf working on improving away play October 12, 2014 — by Oksana Trifonova and Arman Vaziri Having faced tough opponents over the past few weeks, the girls’ golf team has a record of 3-5 as of Oct. 9. read more » Falcon staffers gain experiences at Paly journalism conference October 9, 2014 — by Gitika Nalwa and Oksana Trifonova J-Day, a journalism conference sponsored by the Journalism Education Association of Northern California, was held on Sept. 27 at Palo Alto High School’s new Media Arts Center. read more » Key additions boost girls’ golf team September 2, 2014 — by Oksana Trifonova and Arman Vaziri September is on the calendar as the Falcons hit the golf course. This year, the girls’ golf team has had many valuable freshmen additions. read more » Spanish teacher takes on additional job of activities director August 31, 2014 — by Kevin Chow and Oksana Trifonova Spanish teacher Rebeca Marshburn has taken on an additional challenge this year: being the new activities director. read more » Orchestra to travel to Spain this summer May 23, 2014 — by Shazia Gupta and Oksana Trifonova This summer, members of the school’s orchestra and band will be traveling to Spain and two ensembles will perform: the symphony orchestra and the symphonic wind ensemble. read more » Speech and debate brings home success May 7, 2014 — by Sudeep Raj and Oksana Trifonova The speech and debate team ended a successful season with a bang at the state competition on April 25 at James Enochs High School in Modesto. read more » Teacher faced temptation to cheat in college May 7, 2014 — by Oksana Trifonova As a college student at Princeton, English teacher Catherine Head took a social science course called Critical Theory, taught by a professor who thought women had no place in higher education. read more » No freaking policy not working May 6, 2014 — by Gwynevere Hunger and Oksana Trifonova School dances have always been a symbol of school spirit, a time when all social groups come together, united under the pride of being a Falcon. And with more dances and more attendance comes more unity and school pride. However, during the beginning of this year, the administration decided to ban freaking, a sort of dancing that consists of two people grinding against each other, with both looking in one direction so that interaction is not face-to-face. The administration has not approved of this way of dancing for many years and finally required students to dance “face to face” in the beginning of the school year. read more » Boys’ golf team advances to CCS May 2, 2014 — by Melissa Magner and Oksana Trifonova At the league finals on April 29 at the Santa Teresa Golf Course, senior Christian Galvin, the Falcons’ No. 1 player, became league finals champion. read more » Boys’ golf team anticipating victories March 11, 2014 — by Melissa Magner and Oksana Trifonova The boys’ golf team is off to a good start this year after beating Lynbrook on Feb. 27, Monta Vista on March 3, and Los Gatos and Milpitas on March 10, leading to a 4-0 record for the Falcons as of March 10. read more » Speech and debate showing growth February 14, 2014 — by Sudeep Raj and Oksana Trifonova Eighty-eight schools competed in the Martin Luther King speech and debate tournament at James Logan High from Jan. 17-19. read more » Wish granted: Class helps parents learn English January 29, 2014 — by Oksana Trifonova and Devin Zhao Assistant principal Kerry Mohnike pointed to a sentence projected onto a board. “She went to the doctor,” said Mohnike, slowly and carefully articulating each word. Thirty-one students — all of them adults — stared at the board, carefully listening to Mohnike’s pronunciation of the sentence. “She went to the doctor,” a medley of assorted accents chanted back. read more » Holidays in Russia contrast with western celebrations December 17, 2013 — by Oksana Trifonova Most of us wouldn't recognize Christmas in Russia. read more » District hopes breaks offer enough relief to arduous October November 19, 2013 — by Helen Chen, Gwynevere Hunger and Oksana Trifonova For many students, the first few months of school can be rough, especially for seniors: Getting past the Nov. 1 early deadline for college applications can be the hardest part of the year. read more » STAR testing to be replaced by Common Core-compatible testing system October 15, 2013 — by Jade Bisht and Oksana Trifonova Standardized tests that students have taken for years are about to change next spring: California Standardized Testing and Reporting (STAR) tests and the API scores that accompany it are being eliminated in favor of a new system based on Common Core Standards. read more » Russian anti-gay laws distorted by U.S. media October 8, 2013 — by Oksana Trifonova The 2014 Winter Olympics planned to be held in Sochi, Russia, has been the object of public criticism and protests for months. Some athletes and activists have even spoken of boycotting the Olympics. The reason: Russia’s supposed anti-gay laws. read more » The Vine vortex: social media app gains popularity September 10, 2013 — by Gwynevere Hunger and Oksana Trifonova What would you do for 234,178 likes? Would you trash your kitchen “trying to kill a bug”? Or how about for 501,769 likes? Would you run around the mall singing “I believe I can fly” while hitting strangers with swim noodles on your arms? Believe it or not, people do all of the above and more through a social media app, Vine. read more » New face-to-face dance policy stirs controversy September 8, 2013 — by Ingrid Hong and Oksana Trifonova This year, the administration enacted a new “face-to-face” dance policy, resulting in an increase in freshman attendance but also a decrease in upperclassman attendance. read more » German exchange student adjusts to changes September 5, 2013 — by David Sparkman and Oksana Trifonova It's the beginning of the school year and new faces and names are everywhere. It's especially intimidating if you're the new kid. Now imagine the first day of school in another country, where even the language is unfamiliar, let alone the campus and the students. read more »
Girls’ golf: Falcons suffer consecutive losses October 14, 2015 — by Oksana Trifonova As the season progresses, the Falcons have already faced some of their toughest league opponents. Even though they’ve been playing well, they have suffered consecutive losses to leave their record at 5-5 as of Oct. 8. read more » Despite some appearances, golf really is a sport October 7, 2015 — by Oksana Trifonova What seems to be a lazy, easy-to-play sport can actually be one of the most difficult. A reporter details her experience with learning how to golf. read more » Alumnus’s self-segregation article generates conversation in community October 6, 2015 — by Caitlyn Chen and Oksana Trifonova In an article published in a Chinese media outlet and later, an American website, alumnus Sameul Liu wrote that “the culture [at Saratoga High] had split soundlessly into two separate circles, each involved in its own activities and contemptuous of the other.” read more » New players strengthen golf team September 4, 2015 — by Oksana Trifonova As the school year begins, the golf players start practice at the Saratoga Country Club. The new team is without Vivian Roan, last year’s top player, but now boasts of freshman Janelle Jin, who leads the team with the top score of 124 shots for the qualifying round of 27 holes. read more » Hollywood directors need a dose of feminism September 4, 2015 — by Oksana Trifonova Instead of the same movies that include cliché portrayals of women, there should be more films that showcase unconventional views of women. read more » STEM buff has a go at humanities and likes it May 21, 2015 — by Melissa Magner and Oksana Trifonova Junior Nate Ney’s interests span beyond simply just STEM courses and activities, and recently he has become more involved in humanity-related activities like History Bowl — an involvement that has inspired him to expand his comfort zone. read more » 100 Word Rants May 18, 2015 — by Cassandra King, Isabelle Tseng, Oksana Trifonova and Jason Zhao Rants about school starting earlier each year, the smarter balanced tests, fanfictions, and badminton. read more » JSA starts Open mic effort downtown downtown May 18, 2015 — by Melissa Magner and Oksana Trifonova Junior State of America (JSA) Club hosted an Open Mic at Blue Rock Shoot Cafe on May 15 in an effort to bring more foot traffic to downtown Saratoga and boost business. During the Open Mic, students and adults alike sang and played the piano and the guitar. read more » Crossword answers for backpage May 1 issue May 1, 2015 — by Cassandra King and Oksana Trifonova Crossword answers for May 1 issue read more » Following his heart, Rodriguex chooses teaching and has never looked back April 23, 2015 — by Oksana Trifonova Rodriguex said that when he looks back on his more than four decades of teaching, he knows that he has loved almost all of it. At age 24, he defied his father’s expectations when he decided to go into teaching rather than become a chemist. read more » Seniors lead boys’ golf team March 8, 2015 — by Oksana Trifonova and Arman Vaziri With four key seniors, the boys’ golf team certainly does not lack experience. read more » 2014 alumni reflect on their first years playing sports in college March 5, 2015 — by Jenny Qian and Oksana Trifonova From AYSO soccer to high school varsity football, sports have always been an integral part of growing up. read more » ‘Game of Thrones’ Season 5 trailer promises action, surprises March 4, 2015 — by Oksana Trifonova and Kelly Xiao “Game of Thrones,” including the 2011 HBO show version and the 1991 book series, has created a fan stronghold for itself through its multiple storyline plot that details the struggles of several characters over a throne. read more » Carnival wraps up week of inspiration January 25, 2015 — by Neehar Thumaty and Oksana Trifonova Intended to help students relax and celebrate a successful week of inspiration, the carnival in the Quad ended Speak Up for Change week on Jan. 23. read more » French classes face challenging times January 22, 2015 — by Michelle Leung, Trevor Leung and Oksana Trifonova A lack of language options at the middle school level and competition from other electives have resulted in increasingly small French classes. read more » Opposite ends of the spectrum: Large and small classes on campus provide different learning opportunities January 21, 2015 — by Melissa Magner and Oksana Trifonova With about 1,350 students on its campus, Saratoga High has an average class size of about 28. read more » Freshman swings her way onto golf team November 13, 2014 — by Oksana Trifonova and Jihau Yu Sarah Lo is the only freshman player on the girls’ golf team, but has already earned the position of fourth best player. read more » Saratoga City council engages students in community issues November 3, 2014 — by Cassandra King and Oksana Trifonova The thin strum of a ukulele sounded from the research center Oct. 24 as 30 pairs of eyes turned to look at the source — Saratoga city council candidate John Chen. read more » Girls’ golf working on improving away play October 12, 2014 — by Oksana Trifonova and Arman Vaziri Having faced tough opponents over the past few weeks, the girls’ golf team has a record of 3-5 as of Oct. 9. read more » Falcon staffers gain experiences at Paly journalism conference October 9, 2014 — by Gitika Nalwa and Oksana Trifonova J-Day, a journalism conference sponsored by the Journalism Education Association of Northern California, was held on Sept. 27 at Palo Alto High School’s new Media Arts Center. read more » Key additions boost girls’ golf team September 2, 2014 — by Oksana Trifonova and Arman Vaziri September is on the calendar as the Falcons hit the golf course. This year, the girls’ golf team has had many valuable freshmen additions. read more » Spanish teacher takes on additional job of activities director August 31, 2014 — by Kevin Chow and Oksana Trifonova Spanish teacher Rebeca Marshburn has taken on an additional challenge this year: being the new activities director. read more » Orchestra to travel to Spain this summer May 23, 2014 — by Shazia Gupta and Oksana Trifonova This summer, members of the school’s orchestra and band will be traveling to Spain and two ensembles will perform: the symphony orchestra and the symphonic wind ensemble. read more » Speech and debate brings home success May 7, 2014 — by Sudeep Raj and Oksana Trifonova The speech and debate team ended a successful season with a bang at the state competition on April 25 at James Enochs High School in Modesto. read more » Teacher faced temptation to cheat in college May 7, 2014 — by Oksana Trifonova As a college student at Princeton, English teacher Catherine Head took a social science course called Critical Theory, taught by a professor who thought women had no place in higher education. read more » No freaking policy not working May 6, 2014 — by Gwynevere Hunger and Oksana Trifonova School dances have always been a symbol of school spirit, a time when all social groups come together, united under the pride of being a Falcon. And with more dances and more attendance comes more unity and school pride. However, during the beginning of this year, the administration decided to ban freaking, a sort of dancing that consists of two people grinding against each other, with both looking in one direction so that interaction is not face-to-face. The administration has not approved of this way of dancing for many years and finally required students to dance “face to face” in the beginning of the school year. read more » Boys’ golf team advances to CCS May 2, 2014 — by Melissa Magner and Oksana Trifonova At the league finals on April 29 at the Santa Teresa Golf Course, senior Christian Galvin, the Falcons’ No. 1 player, became league finals champion. read more » Boys’ golf team anticipating victories March 11, 2014 — by Melissa Magner and Oksana Trifonova The boys’ golf team is off to a good start this year after beating Lynbrook on Feb. 27, Monta Vista on March 3, and Los Gatos and Milpitas on March 10, leading to a 4-0 record for the Falcons as of March 10. read more » Speech and debate showing growth February 14, 2014 — by Sudeep Raj and Oksana Trifonova Eighty-eight schools competed in the Martin Luther King speech and debate tournament at James Logan High from Jan. 17-19. read more » Wish granted: Class helps parents learn English January 29, 2014 — by Oksana Trifonova and Devin Zhao Assistant principal Kerry Mohnike pointed to a sentence projected onto a board. “She went to the doctor,” said Mohnike, slowly and carefully articulating each word. Thirty-one students — all of them adults — stared at the board, carefully listening to Mohnike’s pronunciation of the sentence. “She went to the doctor,” a medley of assorted accents chanted back. read more » Holidays in Russia contrast with western celebrations December 17, 2013 — by Oksana Trifonova Most of us wouldn't recognize Christmas in Russia. read more » District hopes breaks offer enough relief to arduous October November 19, 2013 — by Helen Chen, Gwynevere Hunger and Oksana Trifonova For many students, the first few months of school can be rough, especially for seniors: Getting past the Nov. 1 early deadline for college applications can be the hardest part of the year. read more » STAR testing to be replaced by Common Core-compatible testing system October 15, 2013 — by Jade Bisht and Oksana Trifonova Standardized tests that students have taken for years are about to change next spring: California Standardized Testing and Reporting (STAR) tests and the API scores that accompany it are being eliminated in favor of a new system based on Common Core Standards. read more » Russian anti-gay laws distorted by U.S. media October 8, 2013 — by Oksana Trifonova The 2014 Winter Olympics planned to be held in Sochi, Russia, has been the object of public criticism and protests for months. Some athletes and activists have even spoken of boycotting the Olympics. The reason: Russia’s supposed anti-gay laws. read more » The Vine vortex: social media app gains popularity September 10, 2013 — by Gwynevere Hunger and Oksana Trifonova What would you do for 234,178 likes? Would you trash your kitchen “trying to kill a bug”? Or how about for 501,769 likes? Would you run around the mall singing “I believe I can fly” while hitting strangers with swim noodles on your arms? Believe it or not, people do all of the above and more through a social media app, Vine. read more » New face-to-face dance policy stirs controversy September 8, 2013 — by Ingrid Hong and Oksana Trifonova This year, the administration enacted a new “face-to-face” dance policy, resulting in an increase in freshman attendance but also a decrease in upperclassman attendance. read more » German exchange student adjusts to changes September 5, 2013 — by David Sparkman and Oksana Trifonova It's the beginning of the school year and new faces and names are everywhere. It's especially intimidating if you're the new kid. Now imagine the first day of school in another country, where even the language is unfamiliar, let alone the campus and the students. read more »
Despite some appearances, golf really is a sport October 7, 2015 — by Oksana Trifonova What seems to be a lazy, easy-to-play sport can actually be one of the most difficult. A reporter details her experience with learning how to golf. read more » Alumnus’s self-segregation article generates conversation in community October 6, 2015 — by Caitlyn Chen and Oksana Trifonova In an article published in a Chinese media outlet and later, an American website, alumnus Sameul Liu wrote that “the culture [at Saratoga High] had split soundlessly into two separate circles, each involved in its own activities and contemptuous of the other.” read more » New players strengthen golf team September 4, 2015 — by Oksana Trifonova As the school year begins, the golf players start practice at the Saratoga Country Club. The new team is without Vivian Roan, last year’s top player, but now boasts of freshman Janelle Jin, who leads the team with the top score of 124 shots for the qualifying round of 27 holes. read more » Hollywood directors need a dose of feminism September 4, 2015 — by Oksana Trifonova Instead of the same movies that include cliché portrayals of women, there should be more films that showcase unconventional views of women. read more » STEM buff has a go at humanities and likes it May 21, 2015 — by Melissa Magner and Oksana Trifonova Junior Nate Ney’s interests span beyond simply just STEM courses and activities, and recently he has become more involved in humanity-related activities like History Bowl — an involvement that has inspired him to expand his comfort zone. read more » 100 Word Rants May 18, 2015 — by Cassandra King, Isabelle Tseng, Oksana Trifonova and Jason Zhao Rants about school starting earlier each year, the smarter balanced tests, fanfictions, and badminton. read more » JSA starts Open mic effort downtown downtown May 18, 2015 — by Melissa Magner and Oksana Trifonova Junior State of America (JSA) Club hosted an Open Mic at Blue Rock Shoot Cafe on May 15 in an effort to bring more foot traffic to downtown Saratoga and boost business. During the Open Mic, students and adults alike sang and played the piano and the guitar. read more » Crossword answers for backpage May 1 issue May 1, 2015 — by Cassandra King and Oksana Trifonova Crossword answers for May 1 issue read more » Following his heart, Rodriguex chooses teaching and has never looked back April 23, 2015 — by Oksana Trifonova Rodriguex said that when he looks back on his more than four decades of teaching, he knows that he has loved almost all of it. At age 24, he defied his father’s expectations when he decided to go into teaching rather than become a chemist. read more » Seniors lead boys’ golf team March 8, 2015 — by Oksana Trifonova and Arman Vaziri With four key seniors, the boys’ golf team certainly does not lack experience. read more » 2014 alumni reflect on their first years playing sports in college March 5, 2015 — by Jenny Qian and Oksana Trifonova From AYSO soccer to high school varsity football, sports have always been an integral part of growing up. read more » ‘Game of Thrones’ Season 5 trailer promises action, surprises March 4, 2015 — by Oksana Trifonova and Kelly Xiao “Game of Thrones,” including the 2011 HBO show version and the 1991 book series, has created a fan stronghold for itself through its multiple storyline plot that details the struggles of several characters over a throne. read more » Carnival wraps up week of inspiration January 25, 2015 — by Neehar Thumaty and Oksana Trifonova Intended to help students relax and celebrate a successful week of inspiration, the carnival in the Quad ended Speak Up for Change week on Jan. 23. read more » French classes face challenging times January 22, 2015 — by Michelle Leung, Trevor Leung and Oksana Trifonova A lack of language options at the middle school level and competition from other electives have resulted in increasingly small French classes. read more » Opposite ends of the spectrum: Large and small classes on campus provide different learning opportunities January 21, 2015 — by Melissa Magner and Oksana Trifonova With about 1,350 students on its campus, Saratoga High has an average class size of about 28. read more » Freshman swings her way onto golf team November 13, 2014 — by Oksana Trifonova and Jihau Yu Sarah Lo is the only freshman player on the girls’ golf team, but has already earned the position of fourth best player. read more » Saratoga City council engages students in community issues November 3, 2014 — by Cassandra King and Oksana Trifonova The thin strum of a ukulele sounded from the research center Oct. 24 as 30 pairs of eyes turned to look at the source — Saratoga city council candidate John Chen. read more » Girls’ golf working on improving away play October 12, 2014 — by Oksana Trifonova and Arman Vaziri Having faced tough opponents over the past few weeks, the girls’ golf team has a record of 3-5 as of Oct. 9. read more » Falcon staffers gain experiences at Paly journalism conference October 9, 2014 — by Gitika Nalwa and Oksana Trifonova J-Day, a journalism conference sponsored by the Journalism Education Association of Northern California, was held on Sept. 27 at Palo Alto High School’s new Media Arts Center. read more » Key additions boost girls’ golf team September 2, 2014 — by Oksana Trifonova and Arman Vaziri September is on the calendar as the Falcons hit the golf course. This year, the girls’ golf team has had many valuable freshmen additions. read more » Spanish teacher takes on additional job of activities director August 31, 2014 — by Kevin Chow and Oksana Trifonova Spanish teacher Rebeca Marshburn has taken on an additional challenge this year: being the new activities director. read more » Orchestra to travel to Spain this summer May 23, 2014 — by Shazia Gupta and Oksana Trifonova This summer, members of the school’s orchestra and band will be traveling to Spain and two ensembles will perform: the symphony orchestra and the symphonic wind ensemble. read more » Speech and debate brings home success May 7, 2014 — by Sudeep Raj and Oksana Trifonova The speech and debate team ended a successful season with a bang at the state competition on April 25 at James Enochs High School in Modesto. read more » Teacher faced temptation to cheat in college May 7, 2014 — by Oksana Trifonova As a college student at Princeton, English teacher Catherine Head took a social science course called Critical Theory, taught by a professor who thought women had no place in higher education. read more » No freaking policy not working May 6, 2014 — by Gwynevere Hunger and Oksana Trifonova School dances have always been a symbol of school spirit, a time when all social groups come together, united under the pride of being a Falcon. And with more dances and more attendance comes more unity and school pride. However, during the beginning of this year, the administration decided to ban freaking, a sort of dancing that consists of two people grinding against each other, with both looking in one direction so that interaction is not face-to-face. The administration has not approved of this way of dancing for many years and finally required students to dance “face to face” in the beginning of the school year. read more » Boys’ golf team advances to CCS May 2, 2014 — by Melissa Magner and Oksana Trifonova At the league finals on April 29 at the Santa Teresa Golf Course, senior Christian Galvin, the Falcons’ No. 1 player, became league finals champion. read more » Boys’ golf team anticipating victories March 11, 2014 — by Melissa Magner and Oksana Trifonova The boys’ golf team is off to a good start this year after beating Lynbrook on Feb. 27, Monta Vista on March 3, and Los Gatos and Milpitas on March 10, leading to a 4-0 record for the Falcons as of March 10. read more » Speech and debate showing growth February 14, 2014 — by Sudeep Raj and Oksana Trifonova Eighty-eight schools competed in the Martin Luther King speech and debate tournament at James Logan High from Jan. 17-19. read more » Wish granted: Class helps parents learn English January 29, 2014 — by Oksana Trifonova and Devin Zhao Assistant principal Kerry Mohnike pointed to a sentence projected onto a board. “She went to the doctor,” said Mohnike, slowly and carefully articulating each word. Thirty-one students — all of them adults — stared at the board, carefully listening to Mohnike’s pronunciation of the sentence. “She went to the doctor,” a medley of assorted accents chanted back. read more » Holidays in Russia contrast with western celebrations December 17, 2013 — by Oksana Trifonova Most of us wouldn't recognize Christmas in Russia. read more » District hopes breaks offer enough relief to arduous October November 19, 2013 — by Helen Chen, Gwynevere Hunger and Oksana Trifonova For many students, the first few months of school can be rough, especially for seniors: Getting past the Nov. 1 early deadline for college applications can be the hardest part of the year. read more » STAR testing to be replaced by Common Core-compatible testing system October 15, 2013 — by Jade Bisht and Oksana Trifonova Standardized tests that students have taken for years are about to change next spring: California Standardized Testing and Reporting (STAR) tests and the API scores that accompany it are being eliminated in favor of a new system based on Common Core Standards. read more » Russian anti-gay laws distorted by U.S. media October 8, 2013 — by Oksana Trifonova The 2014 Winter Olympics planned to be held in Sochi, Russia, has been the object of public criticism and protests for months. Some athletes and activists have even spoken of boycotting the Olympics. The reason: Russia’s supposed anti-gay laws. read more » The Vine vortex: social media app gains popularity September 10, 2013 — by Gwynevere Hunger and Oksana Trifonova What would you do for 234,178 likes? Would you trash your kitchen “trying to kill a bug”? Or how about for 501,769 likes? Would you run around the mall singing “I believe I can fly” while hitting strangers with swim noodles on your arms? Believe it or not, people do all of the above and more through a social media app, Vine. read more » New face-to-face dance policy stirs controversy September 8, 2013 — by Ingrid Hong and Oksana Trifonova This year, the administration enacted a new “face-to-face” dance policy, resulting in an increase in freshman attendance but also a decrease in upperclassman attendance. read more » German exchange student adjusts to changes September 5, 2013 — by David Sparkman and Oksana Trifonova It's the beginning of the school year and new faces and names are everywhere. It's especially intimidating if you're the new kid. Now imagine the first day of school in another country, where even the language is unfamiliar, let alone the campus and the students. read more »
Alumnus’s self-segregation article generates conversation in community October 6, 2015 — by Caitlyn Chen and Oksana Trifonova In an article published in a Chinese media outlet and later, an American website, alumnus Sameul Liu wrote that “the culture [at Saratoga High] had split soundlessly into two separate circles, each involved in its own activities and contemptuous of the other.” read more » New players strengthen golf team September 4, 2015 — by Oksana Trifonova As the school year begins, the golf players start practice at the Saratoga Country Club. The new team is without Vivian Roan, last year’s top player, but now boasts of freshman Janelle Jin, who leads the team with the top score of 124 shots for the qualifying round of 27 holes. read more » Hollywood directors need a dose of feminism September 4, 2015 — by Oksana Trifonova Instead of the same movies that include cliché portrayals of women, there should be more films that showcase unconventional views of women. read more » STEM buff has a go at humanities and likes it May 21, 2015 — by Melissa Magner and Oksana Trifonova Junior Nate Ney’s interests span beyond simply just STEM courses and activities, and recently he has become more involved in humanity-related activities like History Bowl — an involvement that has inspired him to expand his comfort zone. read more » 100 Word Rants May 18, 2015 — by Cassandra King, Isabelle Tseng, Oksana Trifonova and Jason Zhao Rants about school starting earlier each year, the smarter balanced tests, fanfictions, and badminton. read more » JSA starts Open mic effort downtown downtown May 18, 2015 — by Melissa Magner and Oksana Trifonova Junior State of America (JSA) Club hosted an Open Mic at Blue Rock Shoot Cafe on May 15 in an effort to bring more foot traffic to downtown Saratoga and boost business. During the Open Mic, students and adults alike sang and played the piano and the guitar. read more » Crossword answers for backpage May 1 issue May 1, 2015 — by Cassandra King and Oksana Trifonova Crossword answers for May 1 issue read more » Following his heart, Rodriguex chooses teaching and has never looked back April 23, 2015 — by Oksana Trifonova Rodriguex said that when he looks back on his more than four decades of teaching, he knows that he has loved almost all of it. At age 24, he defied his father’s expectations when he decided to go into teaching rather than become a chemist. read more » Seniors lead boys’ golf team March 8, 2015 — by Oksana Trifonova and Arman Vaziri With four key seniors, the boys’ golf team certainly does not lack experience. read more » 2014 alumni reflect on their first years playing sports in college March 5, 2015 — by Jenny Qian and Oksana Trifonova From AYSO soccer to high school varsity football, sports have always been an integral part of growing up. read more » ‘Game of Thrones’ Season 5 trailer promises action, surprises March 4, 2015 — by Oksana Trifonova and Kelly Xiao “Game of Thrones,” including the 2011 HBO show version and the 1991 book series, has created a fan stronghold for itself through its multiple storyline plot that details the struggles of several characters over a throne. read more » Carnival wraps up week of inspiration January 25, 2015 — by Neehar Thumaty and Oksana Trifonova Intended to help students relax and celebrate a successful week of inspiration, the carnival in the Quad ended Speak Up for Change week on Jan. 23. read more » French classes face challenging times January 22, 2015 — by Michelle Leung, Trevor Leung and Oksana Trifonova A lack of language options at the middle school level and competition from other electives have resulted in increasingly small French classes. read more » Opposite ends of the spectrum: Large and small classes on campus provide different learning opportunities January 21, 2015 — by Melissa Magner and Oksana Trifonova With about 1,350 students on its campus, Saratoga High has an average class size of about 28. read more » Freshman swings her way onto golf team November 13, 2014 — by Oksana Trifonova and Jihau Yu Sarah Lo is the only freshman player on the girls’ golf team, but has already earned the position of fourth best player. read more » Saratoga City council engages students in community issues November 3, 2014 — by Cassandra King and Oksana Trifonova The thin strum of a ukulele sounded from the research center Oct. 24 as 30 pairs of eyes turned to look at the source — Saratoga city council candidate John Chen. read more » Girls’ golf working on improving away play October 12, 2014 — by Oksana Trifonova and Arman Vaziri Having faced tough opponents over the past few weeks, the girls’ golf team has a record of 3-5 as of Oct. 9. read more » Falcon staffers gain experiences at Paly journalism conference October 9, 2014 — by Gitika Nalwa and Oksana Trifonova J-Day, a journalism conference sponsored by the Journalism Education Association of Northern California, was held on Sept. 27 at Palo Alto High School’s new Media Arts Center. read more » Key additions boost girls’ golf team September 2, 2014 — by Oksana Trifonova and Arman Vaziri September is on the calendar as the Falcons hit the golf course. This year, the girls’ golf team has had many valuable freshmen additions. read more » Spanish teacher takes on additional job of activities director August 31, 2014 — by Kevin Chow and Oksana Trifonova Spanish teacher Rebeca Marshburn has taken on an additional challenge this year: being the new activities director. read more » Orchestra to travel to Spain this summer May 23, 2014 — by Shazia Gupta and Oksana Trifonova This summer, members of the school’s orchestra and band will be traveling to Spain and two ensembles will perform: the symphony orchestra and the symphonic wind ensemble. read more » Speech and debate brings home success May 7, 2014 — by Sudeep Raj and Oksana Trifonova The speech and debate team ended a successful season with a bang at the state competition on April 25 at James Enochs High School in Modesto. read more » Teacher faced temptation to cheat in college May 7, 2014 — by Oksana Trifonova As a college student at Princeton, English teacher Catherine Head took a social science course called Critical Theory, taught by a professor who thought women had no place in higher education. read more » No freaking policy not working May 6, 2014 — by Gwynevere Hunger and Oksana Trifonova School dances have always been a symbol of school spirit, a time when all social groups come together, united under the pride of being a Falcon. And with more dances and more attendance comes more unity and school pride. However, during the beginning of this year, the administration decided to ban freaking, a sort of dancing that consists of two people grinding against each other, with both looking in one direction so that interaction is not face-to-face. The administration has not approved of this way of dancing for many years and finally required students to dance “face to face” in the beginning of the school year. read more » Boys’ golf team advances to CCS May 2, 2014 — by Melissa Magner and Oksana Trifonova At the league finals on April 29 at the Santa Teresa Golf Course, senior Christian Galvin, the Falcons’ No. 1 player, became league finals champion. read more » Boys’ golf team anticipating victories March 11, 2014 — by Melissa Magner and Oksana Trifonova The boys’ golf team is off to a good start this year after beating Lynbrook on Feb. 27, Monta Vista on March 3, and Los Gatos and Milpitas on March 10, leading to a 4-0 record for the Falcons as of March 10. read more » Speech and debate showing growth February 14, 2014 — by Sudeep Raj and Oksana Trifonova Eighty-eight schools competed in the Martin Luther King speech and debate tournament at James Logan High from Jan. 17-19. read more » Wish granted: Class helps parents learn English January 29, 2014 — by Oksana Trifonova and Devin Zhao Assistant principal Kerry Mohnike pointed to a sentence projected onto a board. “She went to the doctor,” said Mohnike, slowly and carefully articulating each word. Thirty-one students — all of them adults — stared at the board, carefully listening to Mohnike’s pronunciation of the sentence. “She went to the doctor,” a medley of assorted accents chanted back. read more » Holidays in Russia contrast with western celebrations December 17, 2013 — by Oksana Trifonova Most of us wouldn't recognize Christmas in Russia. read more » District hopes breaks offer enough relief to arduous October November 19, 2013 — by Helen Chen, Gwynevere Hunger and Oksana Trifonova For many students, the first few months of school can be rough, especially for seniors: Getting past the Nov. 1 early deadline for college applications can be the hardest part of the year. read more » STAR testing to be replaced by Common Core-compatible testing system October 15, 2013 — by Jade Bisht and Oksana Trifonova Standardized tests that students have taken for years are about to change next spring: California Standardized Testing and Reporting (STAR) tests and the API scores that accompany it are being eliminated in favor of a new system based on Common Core Standards. read more » Russian anti-gay laws distorted by U.S. media October 8, 2013 — by Oksana Trifonova The 2014 Winter Olympics planned to be held in Sochi, Russia, has been the object of public criticism and protests for months. Some athletes and activists have even spoken of boycotting the Olympics. The reason: Russia’s supposed anti-gay laws. read more » The Vine vortex: social media app gains popularity September 10, 2013 — by Gwynevere Hunger and Oksana Trifonova What would you do for 234,178 likes? Would you trash your kitchen “trying to kill a bug”? Or how about for 501,769 likes? Would you run around the mall singing “I believe I can fly” while hitting strangers with swim noodles on your arms? Believe it or not, people do all of the above and more through a social media app, Vine. read more » New face-to-face dance policy stirs controversy September 8, 2013 — by Ingrid Hong and Oksana Trifonova This year, the administration enacted a new “face-to-face” dance policy, resulting in an increase in freshman attendance but also a decrease in upperclassman attendance. read more » German exchange student adjusts to changes September 5, 2013 — by David Sparkman and Oksana Trifonova It's the beginning of the school year and new faces and names are everywhere. It's especially intimidating if you're the new kid. Now imagine the first day of school in another country, where even the language is unfamiliar, let alone the campus and the students. read more »
New players strengthen golf team September 4, 2015 — by Oksana Trifonova As the school year begins, the golf players start practice at the Saratoga Country Club. The new team is without Vivian Roan, last year’s top player, but now boasts of freshman Janelle Jin, who leads the team with the top score of 124 shots for the qualifying round of 27 holes. read more » Hollywood directors need a dose of feminism September 4, 2015 — by Oksana Trifonova Instead of the same movies that include cliché portrayals of women, there should be more films that showcase unconventional views of women. read more » STEM buff has a go at humanities and likes it May 21, 2015 — by Melissa Magner and Oksana Trifonova Junior Nate Ney’s interests span beyond simply just STEM courses and activities, and recently he has become more involved in humanity-related activities like History Bowl — an involvement that has inspired him to expand his comfort zone. read more » 100 Word Rants May 18, 2015 — by Cassandra King, Isabelle Tseng, Oksana Trifonova and Jason Zhao Rants about school starting earlier each year, the smarter balanced tests, fanfictions, and badminton. read more » JSA starts Open mic effort downtown downtown May 18, 2015 — by Melissa Magner and Oksana Trifonova Junior State of America (JSA) Club hosted an Open Mic at Blue Rock Shoot Cafe on May 15 in an effort to bring more foot traffic to downtown Saratoga and boost business. During the Open Mic, students and adults alike sang and played the piano and the guitar. read more » Crossword answers for backpage May 1 issue May 1, 2015 — by Cassandra King and Oksana Trifonova Crossword answers for May 1 issue read more » Following his heart, Rodriguex chooses teaching and has never looked back April 23, 2015 — by Oksana Trifonova Rodriguex said that when he looks back on his more than four decades of teaching, he knows that he has loved almost all of it. At age 24, he defied his father’s expectations when he decided to go into teaching rather than become a chemist. read more » Seniors lead boys’ golf team March 8, 2015 — by Oksana Trifonova and Arman Vaziri With four key seniors, the boys’ golf team certainly does not lack experience. read more » 2014 alumni reflect on their first years playing sports in college March 5, 2015 — by Jenny Qian and Oksana Trifonova From AYSO soccer to high school varsity football, sports have always been an integral part of growing up. read more » ‘Game of Thrones’ Season 5 trailer promises action, surprises March 4, 2015 — by Oksana Trifonova and Kelly Xiao “Game of Thrones,” including the 2011 HBO show version and the 1991 book series, has created a fan stronghold for itself through its multiple storyline plot that details the struggles of several characters over a throne. read more » Carnival wraps up week of inspiration January 25, 2015 — by Neehar Thumaty and Oksana Trifonova Intended to help students relax and celebrate a successful week of inspiration, the carnival in the Quad ended Speak Up for Change week on Jan. 23. read more » French classes face challenging times January 22, 2015 — by Michelle Leung, Trevor Leung and Oksana Trifonova A lack of language options at the middle school level and competition from other electives have resulted in increasingly small French classes. read more » Opposite ends of the spectrum: Large and small classes on campus provide different learning opportunities January 21, 2015 — by Melissa Magner and Oksana Trifonova With about 1,350 students on its campus, Saratoga High has an average class size of about 28. read more » Freshman swings her way onto golf team November 13, 2014 — by Oksana Trifonova and Jihau Yu Sarah Lo is the only freshman player on the girls’ golf team, but has already earned the position of fourth best player. read more » Saratoga City council engages students in community issues November 3, 2014 — by Cassandra King and Oksana Trifonova The thin strum of a ukulele sounded from the research center Oct. 24 as 30 pairs of eyes turned to look at the source — Saratoga city council candidate John Chen. read more » Girls’ golf working on improving away play October 12, 2014 — by Oksana Trifonova and Arman Vaziri Having faced tough opponents over the past few weeks, the girls’ golf team has a record of 3-5 as of Oct. 9. read more » Falcon staffers gain experiences at Paly journalism conference October 9, 2014 — by Gitika Nalwa and Oksana Trifonova J-Day, a journalism conference sponsored by the Journalism Education Association of Northern California, was held on Sept. 27 at Palo Alto High School’s new Media Arts Center. read more » Key additions boost girls’ golf team September 2, 2014 — by Oksana Trifonova and Arman Vaziri September is on the calendar as the Falcons hit the golf course. This year, the girls’ golf team has had many valuable freshmen additions. read more » Spanish teacher takes on additional job of activities director August 31, 2014 — by Kevin Chow and Oksana Trifonova Spanish teacher Rebeca Marshburn has taken on an additional challenge this year: being the new activities director. read more » Orchestra to travel to Spain this summer May 23, 2014 — by Shazia Gupta and Oksana Trifonova This summer, members of the school’s orchestra and band will be traveling to Spain and two ensembles will perform: the symphony orchestra and the symphonic wind ensemble. read more » Speech and debate brings home success May 7, 2014 — by Sudeep Raj and Oksana Trifonova The speech and debate team ended a successful season with a bang at the state competition on April 25 at James Enochs High School in Modesto. read more » Teacher faced temptation to cheat in college May 7, 2014 — by Oksana Trifonova As a college student at Princeton, English teacher Catherine Head took a social science course called Critical Theory, taught by a professor who thought women had no place in higher education. read more » No freaking policy not working May 6, 2014 — by Gwynevere Hunger and Oksana Trifonova School dances have always been a symbol of school spirit, a time when all social groups come together, united under the pride of being a Falcon. And with more dances and more attendance comes more unity and school pride. However, during the beginning of this year, the administration decided to ban freaking, a sort of dancing that consists of two people grinding against each other, with both looking in one direction so that interaction is not face-to-face. The administration has not approved of this way of dancing for many years and finally required students to dance “face to face” in the beginning of the school year. read more » Boys’ golf team advances to CCS May 2, 2014 — by Melissa Magner and Oksana Trifonova At the league finals on April 29 at the Santa Teresa Golf Course, senior Christian Galvin, the Falcons’ No. 1 player, became league finals champion. read more » Boys’ golf team anticipating victories March 11, 2014 — by Melissa Magner and Oksana Trifonova The boys’ golf team is off to a good start this year after beating Lynbrook on Feb. 27, Monta Vista on March 3, and Los Gatos and Milpitas on March 10, leading to a 4-0 record for the Falcons as of March 10. read more » Speech and debate showing growth February 14, 2014 — by Sudeep Raj and Oksana Trifonova Eighty-eight schools competed in the Martin Luther King speech and debate tournament at James Logan High from Jan. 17-19. read more » Wish granted: Class helps parents learn English January 29, 2014 — by Oksana Trifonova and Devin Zhao Assistant principal Kerry Mohnike pointed to a sentence projected onto a board. “She went to the doctor,” said Mohnike, slowly and carefully articulating each word. Thirty-one students — all of them adults — stared at the board, carefully listening to Mohnike’s pronunciation of the sentence. “She went to the doctor,” a medley of assorted accents chanted back. read more » Holidays in Russia contrast with western celebrations December 17, 2013 — by Oksana Trifonova Most of us wouldn't recognize Christmas in Russia. read more » District hopes breaks offer enough relief to arduous October November 19, 2013 — by Helen Chen, Gwynevere Hunger and Oksana Trifonova For many students, the first few months of school can be rough, especially for seniors: Getting past the Nov. 1 early deadline for college applications can be the hardest part of the year. read more » STAR testing to be replaced by Common Core-compatible testing system October 15, 2013 — by Jade Bisht and Oksana Trifonova Standardized tests that students have taken for years are about to change next spring: California Standardized Testing and Reporting (STAR) tests and the API scores that accompany it are being eliminated in favor of a new system based on Common Core Standards. read more » Russian anti-gay laws distorted by U.S. media October 8, 2013 — by Oksana Trifonova The 2014 Winter Olympics planned to be held in Sochi, Russia, has been the object of public criticism and protests for months. Some athletes and activists have even spoken of boycotting the Olympics. The reason: Russia’s supposed anti-gay laws. read more » The Vine vortex: social media app gains popularity September 10, 2013 — by Gwynevere Hunger and Oksana Trifonova What would you do for 234,178 likes? Would you trash your kitchen “trying to kill a bug”? Or how about for 501,769 likes? Would you run around the mall singing “I believe I can fly” while hitting strangers with swim noodles on your arms? Believe it or not, people do all of the above and more through a social media app, Vine. read more » New face-to-face dance policy stirs controversy September 8, 2013 — by Ingrid Hong and Oksana Trifonova This year, the administration enacted a new “face-to-face” dance policy, resulting in an increase in freshman attendance but also a decrease in upperclassman attendance. read more » German exchange student adjusts to changes September 5, 2013 — by David Sparkman and Oksana Trifonova It's the beginning of the school year and new faces and names are everywhere. It's especially intimidating if you're the new kid. Now imagine the first day of school in another country, where even the language is unfamiliar, let alone the campus and the students. read more »
Hollywood directors need a dose of feminism September 4, 2015 — by Oksana Trifonova Instead of the same movies that include cliché portrayals of women, there should be more films that showcase unconventional views of women. read more » STEM buff has a go at humanities and likes it May 21, 2015 — by Melissa Magner and Oksana Trifonova Junior Nate Ney’s interests span beyond simply just STEM courses and activities, and recently he has become more involved in humanity-related activities like History Bowl — an involvement that has inspired him to expand his comfort zone. read more » 100 Word Rants May 18, 2015 — by Cassandra King, Isabelle Tseng, Oksana Trifonova and Jason Zhao Rants about school starting earlier each year, the smarter balanced tests, fanfictions, and badminton. read more » JSA starts Open mic effort downtown downtown May 18, 2015 — by Melissa Magner and Oksana Trifonova Junior State of America (JSA) Club hosted an Open Mic at Blue Rock Shoot Cafe on May 15 in an effort to bring more foot traffic to downtown Saratoga and boost business. During the Open Mic, students and adults alike sang and played the piano and the guitar. read more » Crossword answers for backpage May 1 issue May 1, 2015 — by Cassandra King and Oksana Trifonova Crossword answers for May 1 issue read more » Following his heart, Rodriguex chooses teaching and has never looked back April 23, 2015 — by Oksana Trifonova Rodriguex said that when he looks back on his more than four decades of teaching, he knows that he has loved almost all of it. At age 24, he defied his father’s expectations when he decided to go into teaching rather than become a chemist. read more » Seniors lead boys’ golf team March 8, 2015 — by Oksana Trifonova and Arman Vaziri With four key seniors, the boys’ golf team certainly does not lack experience. read more » 2014 alumni reflect on their first years playing sports in college March 5, 2015 — by Jenny Qian and Oksana Trifonova From AYSO soccer to high school varsity football, sports have always been an integral part of growing up. read more » ‘Game of Thrones’ Season 5 trailer promises action, surprises March 4, 2015 — by Oksana Trifonova and Kelly Xiao “Game of Thrones,” including the 2011 HBO show version and the 1991 book series, has created a fan stronghold for itself through its multiple storyline plot that details the struggles of several characters over a throne. read more » Carnival wraps up week of inspiration January 25, 2015 — by Neehar Thumaty and Oksana Trifonova Intended to help students relax and celebrate a successful week of inspiration, the carnival in the Quad ended Speak Up for Change week on Jan. 23. read more » French classes face challenging times January 22, 2015 — by Michelle Leung, Trevor Leung and Oksana Trifonova A lack of language options at the middle school level and competition from other electives have resulted in increasingly small French classes. read more » Opposite ends of the spectrum: Large and small classes on campus provide different learning opportunities January 21, 2015 — by Melissa Magner and Oksana Trifonova With about 1,350 students on its campus, Saratoga High has an average class size of about 28. read more » Freshman swings her way onto golf team November 13, 2014 — by Oksana Trifonova and Jihau Yu Sarah Lo is the only freshman player on the girls’ golf team, but has already earned the position of fourth best player. read more » Saratoga City council engages students in community issues November 3, 2014 — by Cassandra King and Oksana Trifonova The thin strum of a ukulele sounded from the research center Oct. 24 as 30 pairs of eyes turned to look at the source — Saratoga city council candidate John Chen. read more » Girls’ golf working on improving away play October 12, 2014 — by Oksana Trifonova and Arman Vaziri Having faced tough opponents over the past few weeks, the girls’ golf team has a record of 3-5 as of Oct. 9. read more » Falcon staffers gain experiences at Paly journalism conference October 9, 2014 — by Gitika Nalwa and Oksana Trifonova J-Day, a journalism conference sponsored by the Journalism Education Association of Northern California, was held on Sept. 27 at Palo Alto High School’s new Media Arts Center. read more » Key additions boost girls’ golf team September 2, 2014 — by Oksana Trifonova and Arman Vaziri September is on the calendar as the Falcons hit the golf course. This year, the girls’ golf team has had many valuable freshmen additions. read more » Spanish teacher takes on additional job of activities director August 31, 2014 — by Kevin Chow and Oksana Trifonova Spanish teacher Rebeca Marshburn has taken on an additional challenge this year: being the new activities director. read more » Orchestra to travel to Spain this summer May 23, 2014 — by Shazia Gupta and Oksana Trifonova This summer, members of the school’s orchestra and band will be traveling to Spain and two ensembles will perform: the symphony orchestra and the symphonic wind ensemble. read more » Speech and debate brings home success May 7, 2014 — by Sudeep Raj and Oksana Trifonova The speech and debate team ended a successful season with a bang at the state competition on April 25 at James Enochs High School in Modesto. read more » Teacher faced temptation to cheat in college May 7, 2014 — by Oksana Trifonova As a college student at Princeton, English teacher Catherine Head took a social science course called Critical Theory, taught by a professor who thought women had no place in higher education. read more » No freaking policy not working May 6, 2014 — by Gwynevere Hunger and Oksana Trifonova School dances have always been a symbol of school spirit, a time when all social groups come together, united under the pride of being a Falcon. And with more dances and more attendance comes more unity and school pride. However, during the beginning of this year, the administration decided to ban freaking, a sort of dancing that consists of two people grinding against each other, with both looking in one direction so that interaction is not face-to-face. The administration has not approved of this way of dancing for many years and finally required students to dance “face to face” in the beginning of the school year. read more » Boys’ golf team advances to CCS May 2, 2014 — by Melissa Magner and Oksana Trifonova At the league finals on April 29 at the Santa Teresa Golf Course, senior Christian Galvin, the Falcons’ No. 1 player, became league finals champion. read more » Boys’ golf team anticipating victories March 11, 2014 — by Melissa Magner and Oksana Trifonova The boys’ golf team is off to a good start this year after beating Lynbrook on Feb. 27, Monta Vista on March 3, and Los Gatos and Milpitas on March 10, leading to a 4-0 record for the Falcons as of March 10. read more » Speech and debate showing growth February 14, 2014 — by Sudeep Raj and Oksana Trifonova Eighty-eight schools competed in the Martin Luther King speech and debate tournament at James Logan High from Jan. 17-19. read more » Wish granted: Class helps parents learn English January 29, 2014 — by Oksana Trifonova and Devin Zhao Assistant principal Kerry Mohnike pointed to a sentence projected onto a board. “She went to the doctor,” said Mohnike, slowly and carefully articulating each word. Thirty-one students — all of them adults — stared at the board, carefully listening to Mohnike’s pronunciation of the sentence. “She went to the doctor,” a medley of assorted accents chanted back. read more » Holidays in Russia contrast with western celebrations December 17, 2013 — by Oksana Trifonova Most of us wouldn't recognize Christmas in Russia. read more » District hopes breaks offer enough relief to arduous October November 19, 2013 — by Helen Chen, Gwynevere Hunger and Oksana Trifonova For many students, the first few months of school can be rough, especially for seniors: Getting past the Nov. 1 early deadline for college applications can be the hardest part of the year. read more » STAR testing to be replaced by Common Core-compatible testing system October 15, 2013 — by Jade Bisht and Oksana Trifonova Standardized tests that students have taken for years are about to change next spring: California Standardized Testing and Reporting (STAR) tests and the API scores that accompany it are being eliminated in favor of a new system based on Common Core Standards. read more » Russian anti-gay laws distorted by U.S. media October 8, 2013 — by Oksana Trifonova The 2014 Winter Olympics planned to be held in Sochi, Russia, has been the object of public criticism and protests for months. Some athletes and activists have even spoken of boycotting the Olympics. The reason: Russia’s supposed anti-gay laws. read more » The Vine vortex: social media app gains popularity September 10, 2013 — by Gwynevere Hunger and Oksana Trifonova What would you do for 234,178 likes? Would you trash your kitchen “trying to kill a bug”? Or how about for 501,769 likes? Would you run around the mall singing “I believe I can fly” while hitting strangers with swim noodles on your arms? Believe it or not, people do all of the above and more through a social media app, Vine. read more » New face-to-face dance policy stirs controversy September 8, 2013 — by Ingrid Hong and Oksana Trifonova This year, the administration enacted a new “face-to-face” dance policy, resulting in an increase in freshman attendance but also a decrease in upperclassman attendance. read more » German exchange student adjusts to changes September 5, 2013 — by David Sparkman and Oksana Trifonova It's the beginning of the school year and new faces and names are everywhere. It's especially intimidating if you're the new kid. Now imagine the first day of school in another country, where even the language is unfamiliar, let alone the campus and the students. read more »
STEM buff has a go at humanities and likes it May 21, 2015 — by Melissa Magner and Oksana Trifonova Junior Nate Ney’s interests span beyond simply just STEM courses and activities, and recently he has become more involved in humanity-related activities like History Bowl — an involvement that has inspired him to expand his comfort zone. read more » 100 Word Rants May 18, 2015 — by Cassandra King, Isabelle Tseng, Oksana Trifonova and Jason Zhao Rants about school starting earlier each year, the smarter balanced tests, fanfictions, and badminton. read more » JSA starts Open mic effort downtown downtown May 18, 2015 — by Melissa Magner and Oksana Trifonova Junior State of America (JSA) Club hosted an Open Mic at Blue Rock Shoot Cafe on May 15 in an effort to bring more foot traffic to downtown Saratoga and boost business. During the Open Mic, students and adults alike sang and played the piano and the guitar. read more » Crossword answers for backpage May 1 issue May 1, 2015 — by Cassandra King and Oksana Trifonova Crossword answers for May 1 issue read more » Following his heart, Rodriguex chooses teaching and has never looked back April 23, 2015 — by Oksana Trifonova Rodriguex said that when he looks back on his more than four decades of teaching, he knows that he has loved almost all of it. At age 24, he defied his father’s expectations when he decided to go into teaching rather than become a chemist. read more » Seniors lead boys’ golf team March 8, 2015 — by Oksana Trifonova and Arman Vaziri With four key seniors, the boys’ golf team certainly does not lack experience. read more » 2014 alumni reflect on their first years playing sports in college March 5, 2015 — by Jenny Qian and Oksana Trifonova From AYSO soccer to high school varsity football, sports have always been an integral part of growing up. read more » ‘Game of Thrones’ Season 5 trailer promises action, surprises March 4, 2015 — by Oksana Trifonova and Kelly Xiao “Game of Thrones,” including the 2011 HBO show version and the 1991 book series, has created a fan stronghold for itself through its multiple storyline plot that details the struggles of several characters over a throne. read more » Carnival wraps up week of inspiration January 25, 2015 — by Neehar Thumaty and Oksana Trifonova Intended to help students relax and celebrate a successful week of inspiration, the carnival in the Quad ended Speak Up for Change week on Jan. 23. read more » French classes face challenging times January 22, 2015 — by Michelle Leung, Trevor Leung and Oksana Trifonova A lack of language options at the middle school level and competition from other electives have resulted in increasingly small French classes. read more » Opposite ends of the spectrum: Large and small classes on campus provide different learning opportunities January 21, 2015 — by Melissa Magner and Oksana Trifonova With about 1,350 students on its campus, Saratoga High has an average class size of about 28. read more » Freshman swings her way onto golf team November 13, 2014 — by Oksana Trifonova and Jihau Yu Sarah Lo is the only freshman player on the girls’ golf team, but has already earned the position of fourth best player. read more » Saratoga City council engages students in community issues November 3, 2014 — by Cassandra King and Oksana Trifonova The thin strum of a ukulele sounded from the research center Oct. 24 as 30 pairs of eyes turned to look at the source — Saratoga city council candidate John Chen. read more » Girls’ golf working on improving away play October 12, 2014 — by Oksana Trifonova and Arman Vaziri Having faced tough opponents over the past few weeks, the girls’ golf team has a record of 3-5 as of Oct. 9. read more » Falcon staffers gain experiences at Paly journalism conference October 9, 2014 — by Gitika Nalwa and Oksana Trifonova J-Day, a journalism conference sponsored by the Journalism Education Association of Northern California, was held on Sept. 27 at Palo Alto High School’s new Media Arts Center. read more » Key additions boost girls’ golf team September 2, 2014 — by Oksana Trifonova and Arman Vaziri September is on the calendar as the Falcons hit the golf course. This year, the girls’ golf team has had many valuable freshmen additions. read more » Spanish teacher takes on additional job of activities director August 31, 2014 — by Kevin Chow and Oksana Trifonova Spanish teacher Rebeca Marshburn has taken on an additional challenge this year: being the new activities director. read more » Orchestra to travel to Spain this summer May 23, 2014 — by Shazia Gupta and Oksana Trifonova This summer, members of the school’s orchestra and band will be traveling to Spain and two ensembles will perform: the symphony orchestra and the symphonic wind ensemble. read more » Speech and debate brings home success May 7, 2014 — by Sudeep Raj and Oksana Trifonova The speech and debate team ended a successful season with a bang at the state competition on April 25 at James Enochs High School in Modesto. read more » Teacher faced temptation to cheat in college May 7, 2014 — by Oksana Trifonova As a college student at Princeton, English teacher Catherine Head took a social science course called Critical Theory, taught by a professor who thought women had no place in higher education. read more » No freaking policy not working May 6, 2014 — by Gwynevere Hunger and Oksana Trifonova School dances have always been a symbol of school spirit, a time when all social groups come together, united under the pride of being a Falcon. And with more dances and more attendance comes more unity and school pride. However, during the beginning of this year, the administration decided to ban freaking, a sort of dancing that consists of two people grinding against each other, with both looking in one direction so that interaction is not face-to-face. The administration has not approved of this way of dancing for many years and finally required students to dance “face to face” in the beginning of the school year. read more » Boys’ golf team advances to CCS May 2, 2014 — by Melissa Magner and Oksana Trifonova At the league finals on April 29 at the Santa Teresa Golf Course, senior Christian Galvin, the Falcons’ No. 1 player, became league finals champion. read more » Boys’ golf team anticipating victories March 11, 2014 — by Melissa Magner and Oksana Trifonova The boys’ golf team is off to a good start this year after beating Lynbrook on Feb. 27, Monta Vista on March 3, and Los Gatos and Milpitas on March 10, leading to a 4-0 record for the Falcons as of March 10. read more » Speech and debate showing growth February 14, 2014 — by Sudeep Raj and Oksana Trifonova Eighty-eight schools competed in the Martin Luther King speech and debate tournament at James Logan High from Jan. 17-19. read more » Wish granted: Class helps parents learn English January 29, 2014 — by Oksana Trifonova and Devin Zhao Assistant principal Kerry Mohnike pointed to a sentence projected onto a board. “She went to the doctor,” said Mohnike, slowly and carefully articulating each word. Thirty-one students — all of them adults — stared at the board, carefully listening to Mohnike’s pronunciation of the sentence. “She went to the doctor,” a medley of assorted accents chanted back. read more » Holidays in Russia contrast with western celebrations December 17, 2013 — by Oksana Trifonova Most of us wouldn't recognize Christmas in Russia. read more » District hopes breaks offer enough relief to arduous October November 19, 2013 — by Helen Chen, Gwynevere Hunger and Oksana Trifonova For many students, the first few months of school can be rough, especially for seniors: Getting past the Nov. 1 early deadline for college applications can be the hardest part of the year. read more » STAR testing to be replaced by Common Core-compatible testing system October 15, 2013 — by Jade Bisht and Oksana Trifonova Standardized tests that students have taken for years are about to change next spring: California Standardized Testing and Reporting (STAR) tests and the API scores that accompany it are being eliminated in favor of a new system based on Common Core Standards. read more » Russian anti-gay laws distorted by U.S. media October 8, 2013 — by Oksana Trifonova The 2014 Winter Olympics planned to be held in Sochi, Russia, has been the object of public criticism and protests for months. Some athletes and activists have even spoken of boycotting the Olympics. The reason: Russia’s supposed anti-gay laws. read more » The Vine vortex: social media app gains popularity September 10, 2013 — by Gwynevere Hunger and Oksana Trifonova What would you do for 234,178 likes? Would you trash your kitchen “trying to kill a bug”? Or how about for 501,769 likes? Would you run around the mall singing “I believe I can fly” while hitting strangers with swim noodles on your arms? Believe it or not, people do all of the above and more through a social media app, Vine. read more » New face-to-face dance policy stirs controversy September 8, 2013 — by Ingrid Hong and Oksana Trifonova This year, the administration enacted a new “face-to-face” dance policy, resulting in an increase in freshman attendance but also a decrease in upperclassman attendance. read more » German exchange student adjusts to changes September 5, 2013 — by David Sparkman and Oksana Trifonova It's the beginning of the school year and new faces and names are everywhere. It's especially intimidating if you're the new kid. Now imagine the first day of school in another country, where even the language is unfamiliar, let alone the campus and the students. read more »
100 Word Rants May 18, 2015 — by Cassandra King, Isabelle Tseng, Oksana Trifonova and Jason Zhao Rants about school starting earlier each year, the smarter balanced tests, fanfictions, and badminton. read more » JSA starts Open mic effort downtown downtown May 18, 2015 — by Melissa Magner and Oksana Trifonova Junior State of America (JSA) Club hosted an Open Mic at Blue Rock Shoot Cafe on May 15 in an effort to bring more foot traffic to downtown Saratoga and boost business. During the Open Mic, students and adults alike sang and played the piano and the guitar. read more » Crossword answers for backpage May 1 issue May 1, 2015 — by Cassandra King and Oksana Trifonova Crossword answers for May 1 issue read more » Following his heart, Rodriguex chooses teaching and has never looked back April 23, 2015 — by Oksana Trifonova Rodriguex said that when he looks back on his more than four decades of teaching, he knows that he has loved almost all of it. At age 24, he defied his father’s expectations when he decided to go into teaching rather than become a chemist. read more » Seniors lead boys’ golf team March 8, 2015 — by Oksana Trifonova and Arman Vaziri With four key seniors, the boys’ golf team certainly does not lack experience. read more » 2014 alumni reflect on their first years playing sports in college March 5, 2015 — by Jenny Qian and Oksana Trifonova From AYSO soccer to high school varsity football, sports have always been an integral part of growing up. read more » ‘Game of Thrones’ Season 5 trailer promises action, surprises March 4, 2015 — by Oksana Trifonova and Kelly Xiao “Game of Thrones,” including the 2011 HBO show version and the 1991 book series, has created a fan stronghold for itself through its multiple storyline plot that details the struggles of several characters over a throne. read more » Carnival wraps up week of inspiration January 25, 2015 — by Neehar Thumaty and Oksana Trifonova Intended to help students relax and celebrate a successful week of inspiration, the carnival in the Quad ended Speak Up for Change week on Jan. 23. read more » French classes face challenging times January 22, 2015 — by Michelle Leung, Trevor Leung and Oksana Trifonova A lack of language options at the middle school level and competition from other electives have resulted in increasingly small French classes. read more » Opposite ends of the spectrum: Large and small classes on campus provide different learning opportunities January 21, 2015 — by Melissa Magner and Oksana Trifonova With about 1,350 students on its campus, Saratoga High has an average class size of about 28. read more » Freshman swings her way onto golf team November 13, 2014 — by Oksana Trifonova and Jihau Yu Sarah Lo is the only freshman player on the girls’ golf team, but has already earned the position of fourth best player. read more » Saratoga City council engages students in community issues November 3, 2014 — by Cassandra King and Oksana Trifonova The thin strum of a ukulele sounded from the research center Oct. 24 as 30 pairs of eyes turned to look at the source — Saratoga city council candidate John Chen. read more » Girls’ golf working on improving away play October 12, 2014 — by Oksana Trifonova and Arman Vaziri Having faced tough opponents over the past few weeks, the girls’ golf team has a record of 3-5 as of Oct. 9. read more » Falcon staffers gain experiences at Paly journalism conference October 9, 2014 — by Gitika Nalwa and Oksana Trifonova J-Day, a journalism conference sponsored by the Journalism Education Association of Northern California, was held on Sept. 27 at Palo Alto High School’s new Media Arts Center. read more » Key additions boost girls’ golf team September 2, 2014 — by Oksana Trifonova and Arman Vaziri September is on the calendar as the Falcons hit the golf course. This year, the girls’ golf team has had many valuable freshmen additions. read more » Spanish teacher takes on additional job of activities director August 31, 2014 — by Kevin Chow and Oksana Trifonova Spanish teacher Rebeca Marshburn has taken on an additional challenge this year: being the new activities director. read more » Orchestra to travel to Spain this summer May 23, 2014 — by Shazia Gupta and Oksana Trifonova This summer, members of the school’s orchestra and band will be traveling to Spain and two ensembles will perform: the symphony orchestra and the symphonic wind ensemble. read more » Speech and debate brings home success May 7, 2014 — by Sudeep Raj and Oksana Trifonova The speech and debate team ended a successful season with a bang at the state competition on April 25 at James Enochs High School in Modesto. read more » Teacher faced temptation to cheat in college May 7, 2014 — by Oksana Trifonova As a college student at Princeton, English teacher Catherine Head took a social science course called Critical Theory, taught by a professor who thought women had no place in higher education. read more » No freaking policy not working May 6, 2014 — by Gwynevere Hunger and Oksana Trifonova School dances have always been a symbol of school spirit, a time when all social groups come together, united under the pride of being a Falcon. And with more dances and more attendance comes more unity and school pride. However, during the beginning of this year, the administration decided to ban freaking, a sort of dancing that consists of two people grinding against each other, with both looking in one direction so that interaction is not face-to-face. The administration has not approved of this way of dancing for many years and finally required students to dance “face to face” in the beginning of the school year. read more » Boys’ golf team advances to CCS May 2, 2014 — by Melissa Magner and Oksana Trifonova At the league finals on April 29 at the Santa Teresa Golf Course, senior Christian Galvin, the Falcons’ No. 1 player, became league finals champion. read more » Boys’ golf team anticipating victories March 11, 2014 — by Melissa Magner and Oksana Trifonova The boys’ golf team is off to a good start this year after beating Lynbrook on Feb. 27, Monta Vista on March 3, and Los Gatos and Milpitas on March 10, leading to a 4-0 record for the Falcons as of March 10. read more » Speech and debate showing growth February 14, 2014 — by Sudeep Raj and Oksana Trifonova Eighty-eight schools competed in the Martin Luther King speech and debate tournament at James Logan High from Jan. 17-19. read more » Wish granted: Class helps parents learn English January 29, 2014 — by Oksana Trifonova and Devin Zhao Assistant principal Kerry Mohnike pointed to a sentence projected onto a board. “She went to the doctor,” said Mohnike, slowly and carefully articulating each word. Thirty-one students — all of them adults — stared at the board, carefully listening to Mohnike’s pronunciation of the sentence. “She went to the doctor,” a medley of assorted accents chanted back. read more » Holidays in Russia contrast with western celebrations December 17, 2013 — by Oksana Trifonova Most of us wouldn't recognize Christmas in Russia. read more » District hopes breaks offer enough relief to arduous October November 19, 2013 — by Helen Chen, Gwynevere Hunger and Oksana Trifonova For many students, the first few months of school can be rough, especially for seniors: Getting past the Nov. 1 early deadline for college applications can be the hardest part of the year. read more » STAR testing to be replaced by Common Core-compatible testing system October 15, 2013 — by Jade Bisht and Oksana Trifonova Standardized tests that students have taken for years are about to change next spring: California Standardized Testing and Reporting (STAR) tests and the API scores that accompany it are being eliminated in favor of a new system based on Common Core Standards. read more » Russian anti-gay laws distorted by U.S. media October 8, 2013 — by Oksana Trifonova The 2014 Winter Olympics planned to be held in Sochi, Russia, has been the object of public criticism and protests for months. Some athletes and activists have even spoken of boycotting the Olympics. The reason: Russia’s supposed anti-gay laws. read more » The Vine vortex: social media app gains popularity September 10, 2013 — by Gwynevere Hunger and Oksana Trifonova What would you do for 234,178 likes? Would you trash your kitchen “trying to kill a bug”? Or how about for 501,769 likes? Would you run around the mall singing “I believe I can fly” while hitting strangers with swim noodles on your arms? Believe it or not, people do all of the above and more through a social media app, Vine. read more » New face-to-face dance policy stirs controversy September 8, 2013 — by Ingrid Hong and Oksana Trifonova This year, the administration enacted a new “face-to-face” dance policy, resulting in an increase in freshman attendance but also a decrease in upperclassman attendance. read more » German exchange student adjusts to changes September 5, 2013 — by David Sparkman and Oksana Trifonova It's the beginning of the school year and new faces and names are everywhere. It's especially intimidating if you're the new kid. Now imagine the first day of school in another country, where even the language is unfamiliar, let alone the campus and the students. read more »
JSA starts Open mic effort downtown downtown May 18, 2015 — by Melissa Magner and Oksana Trifonova Junior State of America (JSA) Club hosted an Open Mic at Blue Rock Shoot Cafe on May 15 in an effort to bring more foot traffic to downtown Saratoga and boost business. During the Open Mic, students and adults alike sang and played the piano and the guitar. read more » Crossword answers for backpage May 1 issue May 1, 2015 — by Cassandra King and Oksana Trifonova Crossword answers for May 1 issue read more » Following his heart, Rodriguex chooses teaching and has never looked back April 23, 2015 — by Oksana Trifonova Rodriguex said that when he looks back on his more than four decades of teaching, he knows that he has loved almost all of it. At age 24, he defied his father’s expectations when he decided to go into teaching rather than become a chemist. read more » Seniors lead boys’ golf team March 8, 2015 — by Oksana Trifonova and Arman Vaziri With four key seniors, the boys’ golf team certainly does not lack experience. read more » 2014 alumni reflect on their first years playing sports in college March 5, 2015 — by Jenny Qian and Oksana Trifonova From AYSO soccer to high school varsity football, sports have always been an integral part of growing up. read more » ‘Game of Thrones’ Season 5 trailer promises action, surprises March 4, 2015 — by Oksana Trifonova and Kelly Xiao “Game of Thrones,” including the 2011 HBO show version and the 1991 book series, has created a fan stronghold for itself through its multiple storyline plot that details the struggles of several characters over a throne. read more » Carnival wraps up week of inspiration January 25, 2015 — by Neehar Thumaty and Oksana Trifonova Intended to help students relax and celebrate a successful week of inspiration, the carnival in the Quad ended Speak Up for Change week on Jan. 23. read more » French classes face challenging times January 22, 2015 — by Michelle Leung, Trevor Leung and Oksana Trifonova A lack of language options at the middle school level and competition from other electives have resulted in increasingly small French classes. read more » Opposite ends of the spectrum: Large and small classes on campus provide different learning opportunities January 21, 2015 — by Melissa Magner and Oksana Trifonova With about 1,350 students on its campus, Saratoga High has an average class size of about 28. read more » Freshman swings her way onto golf team November 13, 2014 — by Oksana Trifonova and Jihau Yu Sarah Lo is the only freshman player on the girls’ golf team, but has already earned the position of fourth best player. read more » Saratoga City council engages students in community issues November 3, 2014 — by Cassandra King and Oksana Trifonova The thin strum of a ukulele sounded from the research center Oct. 24 as 30 pairs of eyes turned to look at the source — Saratoga city council candidate John Chen. read more » Girls’ golf working on improving away play October 12, 2014 — by Oksana Trifonova and Arman Vaziri Having faced tough opponents over the past few weeks, the girls’ golf team has a record of 3-5 as of Oct. 9. read more » Falcon staffers gain experiences at Paly journalism conference October 9, 2014 — by Gitika Nalwa and Oksana Trifonova J-Day, a journalism conference sponsored by the Journalism Education Association of Northern California, was held on Sept. 27 at Palo Alto High School’s new Media Arts Center. read more » Key additions boost girls’ golf team September 2, 2014 — by Oksana Trifonova and Arman Vaziri September is on the calendar as the Falcons hit the golf course. This year, the girls’ golf team has had many valuable freshmen additions. read more » Spanish teacher takes on additional job of activities director August 31, 2014 — by Kevin Chow and Oksana Trifonova Spanish teacher Rebeca Marshburn has taken on an additional challenge this year: being the new activities director. read more » Orchestra to travel to Spain this summer May 23, 2014 — by Shazia Gupta and Oksana Trifonova This summer, members of the school’s orchestra and band will be traveling to Spain and two ensembles will perform: the symphony orchestra and the symphonic wind ensemble. read more » Speech and debate brings home success May 7, 2014 — by Sudeep Raj and Oksana Trifonova The speech and debate team ended a successful season with a bang at the state competition on April 25 at James Enochs High School in Modesto. read more » Teacher faced temptation to cheat in college May 7, 2014 — by Oksana Trifonova As a college student at Princeton, English teacher Catherine Head took a social science course called Critical Theory, taught by a professor who thought women had no place in higher education. read more » No freaking policy not working May 6, 2014 — by Gwynevere Hunger and Oksana Trifonova School dances have always been a symbol of school spirit, a time when all social groups come together, united under the pride of being a Falcon. And with more dances and more attendance comes more unity and school pride. However, during the beginning of this year, the administration decided to ban freaking, a sort of dancing that consists of two people grinding against each other, with both looking in one direction so that interaction is not face-to-face. The administration has not approved of this way of dancing for many years and finally required students to dance “face to face” in the beginning of the school year. read more » Boys’ golf team advances to CCS May 2, 2014 — by Melissa Magner and Oksana Trifonova At the league finals on April 29 at the Santa Teresa Golf Course, senior Christian Galvin, the Falcons’ No. 1 player, became league finals champion. read more » Boys’ golf team anticipating victories March 11, 2014 — by Melissa Magner and Oksana Trifonova The boys’ golf team is off to a good start this year after beating Lynbrook on Feb. 27, Monta Vista on March 3, and Los Gatos and Milpitas on March 10, leading to a 4-0 record for the Falcons as of March 10. read more » Speech and debate showing growth February 14, 2014 — by Sudeep Raj and Oksana Trifonova Eighty-eight schools competed in the Martin Luther King speech and debate tournament at James Logan High from Jan. 17-19. read more » Wish granted: Class helps parents learn English January 29, 2014 — by Oksana Trifonova and Devin Zhao Assistant principal Kerry Mohnike pointed to a sentence projected onto a board. “She went to the doctor,” said Mohnike, slowly and carefully articulating each word. Thirty-one students — all of them adults — stared at the board, carefully listening to Mohnike’s pronunciation of the sentence. “She went to the doctor,” a medley of assorted accents chanted back. read more » Holidays in Russia contrast with western celebrations December 17, 2013 — by Oksana Trifonova Most of us wouldn't recognize Christmas in Russia. read more » District hopes breaks offer enough relief to arduous October November 19, 2013 — by Helen Chen, Gwynevere Hunger and Oksana Trifonova For many students, the first few months of school can be rough, especially for seniors: Getting past the Nov. 1 early deadline for college applications can be the hardest part of the year. read more » STAR testing to be replaced by Common Core-compatible testing system October 15, 2013 — by Jade Bisht and Oksana Trifonova Standardized tests that students have taken for years are about to change next spring: California Standardized Testing and Reporting (STAR) tests and the API scores that accompany it are being eliminated in favor of a new system based on Common Core Standards. read more » Russian anti-gay laws distorted by U.S. media October 8, 2013 — by Oksana Trifonova The 2014 Winter Olympics planned to be held in Sochi, Russia, has been the object of public criticism and protests for months. Some athletes and activists have even spoken of boycotting the Olympics. The reason: Russia’s supposed anti-gay laws. read more » The Vine vortex: social media app gains popularity September 10, 2013 — by Gwynevere Hunger and Oksana Trifonova What would you do for 234,178 likes? Would you trash your kitchen “trying to kill a bug”? Or how about for 501,769 likes? Would you run around the mall singing “I believe I can fly” while hitting strangers with swim noodles on your arms? Believe it or not, people do all of the above and more through a social media app, Vine. read more » New face-to-face dance policy stirs controversy September 8, 2013 — by Ingrid Hong and Oksana Trifonova This year, the administration enacted a new “face-to-face” dance policy, resulting in an increase in freshman attendance but also a decrease in upperclassman attendance. read more » German exchange student adjusts to changes September 5, 2013 — by David Sparkman and Oksana Trifonova It's the beginning of the school year and new faces and names are everywhere. It's especially intimidating if you're the new kid. Now imagine the first day of school in another country, where even the language is unfamiliar, let alone the campus and the students. read more »
Crossword answers for backpage May 1 issue May 1, 2015 — by Cassandra King and Oksana Trifonova Crossword answers for May 1 issue read more » Following his heart, Rodriguex chooses teaching and has never looked back April 23, 2015 — by Oksana Trifonova Rodriguex said that when he looks back on his more than four decades of teaching, he knows that he has loved almost all of it. At age 24, he defied his father’s expectations when he decided to go into teaching rather than become a chemist. read more » Seniors lead boys’ golf team March 8, 2015 — by Oksana Trifonova and Arman Vaziri With four key seniors, the boys’ golf team certainly does not lack experience. read more » 2014 alumni reflect on their first years playing sports in college March 5, 2015 — by Jenny Qian and Oksana Trifonova From AYSO soccer to high school varsity football, sports have always been an integral part of growing up. read more » ‘Game of Thrones’ Season 5 trailer promises action, surprises March 4, 2015 — by Oksana Trifonova and Kelly Xiao “Game of Thrones,” including the 2011 HBO show version and the 1991 book series, has created a fan stronghold for itself through its multiple storyline plot that details the struggles of several characters over a throne. read more » Carnival wraps up week of inspiration January 25, 2015 — by Neehar Thumaty and Oksana Trifonova Intended to help students relax and celebrate a successful week of inspiration, the carnival in the Quad ended Speak Up for Change week on Jan. 23. read more » French classes face challenging times January 22, 2015 — by Michelle Leung, Trevor Leung and Oksana Trifonova A lack of language options at the middle school level and competition from other electives have resulted in increasingly small French classes. read more » Opposite ends of the spectrum: Large and small classes on campus provide different learning opportunities January 21, 2015 — by Melissa Magner and Oksana Trifonova With about 1,350 students on its campus, Saratoga High has an average class size of about 28. read more » Freshman swings her way onto golf team November 13, 2014 — by Oksana Trifonova and Jihau Yu Sarah Lo is the only freshman player on the girls’ golf team, but has already earned the position of fourth best player. read more » Saratoga City council engages students in community issues November 3, 2014 — by Cassandra King and Oksana Trifonova The thin strum of a ukulele sounded from the research center Oct. 24 as 30 pairs of eyes turned to look at the source — Saratoga city council candidate John Chen. read more » Girls’ golf working on improving away play October 12, 2014 — by Oksana Trifonova and Arman Vaziri Having faced tough opponents over the past few weeks, the girls’ golf team has a record of 3-5 as of Oct. 9. read more » Falcon staffers gain experiences at Paly journalism conference October 9, 2014 — by Gitika Nalwa and Oksana Trifonova J-Day, a journalism conference sponsored by the Journalism Education Association of Northern California, was held on Sept. 27 at Palo Alto High School’s new Media Arts Center. read more » Key additions boost girls’ golf team September 2, 2014 — by Oksana Trifonova and Arman Vaziri September is on the calendar as the Falcons hit the golf course. This year, the girls’ golf team has had many valuable freshmen additions. read more » Spanish teacher takes on additional job of activities director August 31, 2014 — by Kevin Chow and Oksana Trifonova Spanish teacher Rebeca Marshburn has taken on an additional challenge this year: being the new activities director. read more » Orchestra to travel to Spain this summer May 23, 2014 — by Shazia Gupta and Oksana Trifonova This summer, members of the school’s orchestra and band will be traveling to Spain and two ensembles will perform: the symphony orchestra and the symphonic wind ensemble. read more » Speech and debate brings home success May 7, 2014 — by Sudeep Raj and Oksana Trifonova The speech and debate team ended a successful season with a bang at the state competition on April 25 at James Enochs High School in Modesto. read more » Teacher faced temptation to cheat in college May 7, 2014 — by Oksana Trifonova As a college student at Princeton, English teacher Catherine Head took a social science course called Critical Theory, taught by a professor who thought women had no place in higher education. read more » No freaking policy not working May 6, 2014 — by Gwynevere Hunger and Oksana Trifonova School dances have always been a symbol of school spirit, a time when all social groups come together, united under the pride of being a Falcon. And with more dances and more attendance comes more unity and school pride. However, during the beginning of this year, the administration decided to ban freaking, a sort of dancing that consists of two people grinding against each other, with both looking in one direction so that interaction is not face-to-face. The administration has not approved of this way of dancing for many years and finally required students to dance “face to face” in the beginning of the school year. read more » Boys’ golf team advances to CCS May 2, 2014 — by Melissa Magner and Oksana Trifonova At the league finals on April 29 at the Santa Teresa Golf Course, senior Christian Galvin, the Falcons’ No. 1 player, became league finals champion. read more » Boys’ golf team anticipating victories March 11, 2014 — by Melissa Magner and Oksana Trifonova The boys’ golf team is off to a good start this year after beating Lynbrook on Feb. 27, Monta Vista on March 3, and Los Gatos and Milpitas on March 10, leading to a 4-0 record for the Falcons as of March 10. read more » Speech and debate showing growth February 14, 2014 — by Sudeep Raj and Oksana Trifonova Eighty-eight schools competed in the Martin Luther King speech and debate tournament at James Logan High from Jan. 17-19. read more » Wish granted: Class helps parents learn English January 29, 2014 — by Oksana Trifonova and Devin Zhao Assistant principal Kerry Mohnike pointed to a sentence projected onto a board. “She went to the doctor,” said Mohnike, slowly and carefully articulating each word. Thirty-one students — all of them adults — stared at the board, carefully listening to Mohnike’s pronunciation of the sentence. “She went to the doctor,” a medley of assorted accents chanted back. read more » Holidays in Russia contrast with western celebrations December 17, 2013 — by Oksana Trifonova Most of us wouldn't recognize Christmas in Russia. read more » District hopes breaks offer enough relief to arduous October November 19, 2013 — by Helen Chen, Gwynevere Hunger and Oksana Trifonova For many students, the first few months of school can be rough, especially for seniors: Getting past the Nov. 1 early deadline for college applications can be the hardest part of the year. read more » STAR testing to be replaced by Common Core-compatible testing system October 15, 2013 — by Jade Bisht and Oksana Trifonova Standardized tests that students have taken for years are about to change next spring: California Standardized Testing and Reporting (STAR) tests and the API scores that accompany it are being eliminated in favor of a new system based on Common Core Standards. read more » Russian anti-gay laws distorted by U.S. media October 8, 2013 — by Oksana Trifonova The 2014 Winter Olympics planned to be held in Sochi, Russia, has been the object of public criticism and protests for months. Some athletes and activists have even spoken of boycotting the Olympics. The reason: Russia’s supposed anti-gay laws. read more » The Vine vortex: social media app gains popularity September 10, 2013 — by Gwynevere Hunger and Oksana Trifonova What would you do for 234,178 likes? Would you trash your kitchen “trying to kill a bug”? Or how about for 501,769 likes? Would you run around the mall singing “I believe I can fly” while hitting strangers with swim noodles on your arms? Believe it or not, people do all of the above and more through a social media app, Vine. read more » New face-to-face dance policy stirs controversy September 8, 2013 — by Ingrid Hong and Oksana Trifonova This year, the administration enacted a new “face-to-face” dance policy, resulting in an increase in freshman attendance but also a decrease in upperclassman attendance. read more » German exchange student adjusts to changes September 5, 2013 — by David Sparkman and Oksana Trifonova It's the beginning of the school year and new faces and names are everywhere. It's especially intimidating if you're the new kid. Now imagine the first day of school in another country, where even the language is unfamiliar, let alone the campus and the students. read more »
Following his heart, Rodriguex chooses teaching and has never looked back April 23, 2015 — by Oksana Trifonova Rodriguex said that when he looks back on his more than four decades of teaching, he knows that he has loved almost all of it. At age 24, he defied his father’s expectations when he decided to go into teaching rather than become a chemist. read more » Seniors lead boys’ golf team March 8, 2015 — by Oksana Trifonova and Arman Vaziri With four key seniors, the boys’ golf team certainly does not lack experience. read more » 2014 alumni reflect on their first years playing sports in college March 5, 2015 — by Jenny Qian and Oksana Trifonova From AYSO soccer to high school varsity football, sports have always been an integral part of growing up. read more » ‘Game of Thrones’ Season 5 trailer promises action, surprises March 4, 2015 — by Oksana Trifonova and Kelly Xiao “Game of Thrones,” including the 2011 HBO show version and the 1991 book series, has created a fan stronghold for itself through its multiple storyline plot that details the struggles of several characters over a throne. read more » Carnival wraps up week of inspiration January 25, 2015 — by Neehar Thumaty and Oksana Trifonova Intended to help students relax and celebrate a successful week of inspiration, the carnival in the Quad ended Speak Up for Change week on Jan. 23. read more » French classes face challenging times January 22, 2015 — by Michelle Leung, Trevor Leung and Oksana Trifonova A lack of language options at the middle school level and competition from other electives have resulted in increasingly small French classes. read more » Opposite ends of the spectrum: Large and small classes on campus provide different learning opportunities January 21, 2015 — by Melissa Magner and Oksana Trifonova With about 1,350 students on its campus, Saratoga High has an average class size of about 28. read more » Freshman swings her way onto golf team November 13, 2014 — by Oksana Trifonova and Jihau Yu Sarah Lo is the only freshman player on the girls’ golf team, but has already earned the position of fourth best player. read more » Saratoga City council engages students in community issues November 3, 2014 — by Cassandra King and Oksana Trifonova The thin strum of a ukulele sounded from the research center Oct. 24 as 30 pairs of eyes turned to look at the source — Saratoga city council candidate John Chen. read more » Girls’ golf working on improving away play October 12, 2014 — by Oksana Trifonova and Arman Vaziri Having faced tough opponents over the past few weeks, the girls’ golf team has a record of 3-5 as of Oct. 9. read more » Falcon staffers gain experiences at Paly journalism conference October 9, 2014 — by Gitika Nalwa and Oksana Trifonova J-Day, a journalism conference sponsored by the Journalism Education Association of Northern California, was held on Sept. 27 at Palo Alto High School’s new Media Arts Center. read more » Key additions boost girls’ golf team September 2, 2014 — by Oksana Trifonova and Arman Vaziri September is on the calendar as the Falcons hit the golf course. This year, the girls’ golf team has had many valuable freshmen additions. read more » Spanish teacher takes on additional job of activities director August 31, 2014 — by Kevin Chow and Oksana Trifonova Spanish teacher Rebeca Marshburn has taken on an additional challenge this year: being the new activities director. read more » Orchestra to travel to Spain this summer May 23, 2014 — by Shazia Gupta and Oksana Trifonova This summer, members of the school’s orchestra and band will be traveling to Spain and two ensembles will perform: the symphony orchestra and the symphonic wind ensemble. read more » Speech and debate brings home success May 7, 2014 — by Sudeep Raj and Oksana Trifonova The speech and debate team ended a successful season with a bang at the state competition on April 25 at James Enochs High School in Modesto. read more » Teacher faced temptation to cheat in college May 7, 2014 — by Oksana Trifonova As a college student at Princeton, English teacher Catherine Head took a social science course called Critical Theory, taught by a professor who thought women had no place in higher education. read more » No freaking policy not working May 6, 2014 — by Gwynevere Hunger and Oksana Trifonova School dances have always been a symbol of school spirit, a time when all social groups come together, united under the pride of being a Falcon. And with more dances and more attendance comes more unity and school pride. However, during the beginning of this year, the administration decided to ban freaking, a sort of dancing that consists of two people grinding against each other, with both looking in one direction so that interaction is not face-to-face. The administration has not approved of this way of dancing for many years and finally required students to dance “face to face” in the beginning of the school year. read more » Boys’ golf team advances to CCS May 2, 2014 — by Melissa Magner and Oksana Trifonova At the league finals on April 29 at the Santa Teresa Golf Course, senior Christian Galvin, the Falcons’ No. 1 player, became league finals champion. read more » Boys’ golf team anticipating victories March 11, 2014 — by Melissa Magner and Oksana Trifonova The boys’ golf team is off to a good start this year after beating Lynbrook on Feb. 27, Monta Vista on March 3, and Los Gatos and Milpitas on March 10, leading to a 4-0 record for the Falcons as of March 10. read more » Speech and debate showing growth February 14, 2014 — by Sudeep Raj and Oksana Trifonova Eighty-eight schools competed in the Martin Luther King speech and debate tournament at James Logan High from Jan. 17-19. read more » Wish granted: Class helps parents learn English January 29, 2014 — by Oksana Trifonova and Devin Zhao Assistant principal Kerry Mohnike pointed to a sentence projected onto a board. “She went to the doctor,” said Mohnike, slowly and carefully articulating each word. Thirty-one students — all of them adults — stared at the board, carefully listening to Mohnike’s pronunciation of the sentence. “She went to the doctor,” a medley of assorted accents chanted back. read more » Holidays in Russia contrast with western celebrations December 17, 2013 — by Oksana Trifonova Most of us wouldn't recognize Christmas in Russia. read more » District hopes breaks offer enough relief to arduous October November 19, 2013 — by Helen Chen, Gwynevere Hunger and Oksana Trifonova For many students, the first few months of school can be rough, especially for seniors: Getting past the Nov. 1 early deadline for college applications can be the hardest part of the year. read more » STAR testing to be replaced by Common Core-compatible testing system October 15, 2013 — by Jade Bisht and Oksana Trifonova Standardized tests that students have taken for years are about to change next spring: California Standardized Testing and Reporting (STAR) tests and the API scores that accompany it are being eliminated in favor of a new system based on Common Core Standards. read more » Russian anti-gay laws distorted by U.S. media October 8, 2013 — by Oksana Trifonova The 2014 Winter Olympics planned to be held in Sochi, Russia, has been the object of public criticism and protests for months. Some athletes and activists have even spoken of boycotting the Olympics. The reason: Russia’s supposed anti-gay laws. read more » The Vine vortex: social media app gains popularity September 10, 2013 — by Gwynevere Hunger and Oksana Trifonova What would you do for 234,178 likes? Would you trash your kitchen “trying to kill a bug”? Or how about for 501,769 likes? Would you run around the mall singing “I believe I can fly” while hitting strangers with swim noodles on your arms? Believe it or not, people do all of the above and more through a social media app, Vine. read more » New face-to-face dance policy stirs controversy September 8, 2013 — by Ingrid Hong and Oksana Trifonova This year, the administration enacted a new “face-to-face” dance policy, resulting in an increase in freshman attendance but also a decrease in upperclassman attendance. read more » German exchange student adjusts to changes September 5, 2013 — by David Sparkman and Oksana Trifonova It's the beginning of the school year and new faces and names are everywhere. It's especially intimidating if you're the new kid. Now imagine the first day of school in another country, where even the language is unfamiliar, let alone the campus and the students. read more »
Seniors lead boys’ golf team March 8, 2015 — by Oksana Trifonova and Arman Vaziri With four key seniors, the boys’ golf team certainly does not lack experience. read more » 2014 alumni reflect on their first years playing sports in college March 5, 2015 — by Jenny Qian and Oksana Trifonova From AYSO soccer to high school varsity football, sports have always been an integral part of growing up. read more » ‘Game of Thrones’ Season 5 trailer promises action, surprises March 4, 2015 — by Oksana Trifonova and Kelly Xiao “Game of Thrones,” including the 2011 HBO show version and the 1991 book series, has created a fan stronghold for itself through its multiple storyline plot that details the struggles of several characters over a throne. read more » Carnival wraps up week of inspiration January 25, 2015 — by Neehar Thumaty and Oksana Trifonova Intended to help students relax and celebrate a successful week of inspiration, the carnival in the Quad ended Speak Up for Change week on Jan. 23. read more » French classes face challenging times January 22, 2015 — by Michelle Leung, Trevor Leung and Oksana Trifonova A lack of language options at the middle school level and competition from other electives have resulted in increasingly small French classes. read more » Opposite ends of the spectrum: Large and small classes on campus provide different learning opportunities January 21, 2015 — by Melissa Magner and Oksana Trifonova With about 1,350 students on its campus, Saratoga High has an average class size of about 28. read more » Freshman swings her way onto golf team November 13, 2014 — by Oksana Trifonova and Jihau Yu Sarah Lo is the only freshman player on the girls’ golf team, but has already earned the position of fourth best player. read more » Saratoga City council engages students in community issues November 3, 2014 — by Cassandra King and Oksana Trifonova The thin strum of a ukulele sounded from the research center Oct. 24 as 30 pairs of eyes turned to look at the source — Saratoga city council candidate John Chen. read more » Girls’ golf working on improving away play October 12, 2014 — by Oksana Trifonova and Arman Vaziri Having faced tough opponents over the past few weeks, the girls’ golf team has a record of 3-5 as of Oct. 9. read more » Falcon staffers gain experiences at Paly journalism conference October 9, 2014 — by Gitika Nalwa and Oksana Trifonova J-Day, a journalism conference sponsored by the Journalism Education Association of Northern California, was held on Sept. 27 at Palo Alto High School’s new Media Arts Center. read more » Key additions boost girls’ golf team September 2, 2014 — by Oksana Trifonova and Arman Vaziri September is on the calendar as the Falcons hit the golf course. This year, the girls’ golf team has had many valuable freshmen additions. read more » Spanish teacher takes on additional job of activities director August 31, 2014 — by Kevin Chow and Oksana Trifonova Spanish teacher Rebeca Marshburn has taken on an additional challenge this year: being the new activities director. read more » Orchestra to travel to Spain this summer May 23, 2014 — by Shazia Gupta and Oksana Trifonova This summer, members of the school’s orchestra and band will be traveling to Spain and two ensembles will perform: the symphony orchestra and the symphonic wind ensemble. read more » Speech and debate brings home success May 7, 2014 — by Sudeep Raj and Oksana Trifonova The speech and debate team ended a successful season with a bang at the state competition on April 25 at James Enochs High School in Modesto. read more » Teacher faced temptation to cheat in college May 7, 2014 — by Oksana Trifonova As a college student at Princeton, English teacher Catherine Head took a social science course called Critical Theory, taught by a professor who thought women had no place in higher education. read more » No freaking policy not working May 6, 2014 — by Gwynevere Hunger and Oksana Trifonova School dances have always been a symbol of school spirit, a time when all social groups come together, united under the pride of being a Falcon. And with more dances and more attendance comes more unity and school pride. However, during the beginning of this year, the administration decided to ban freaking, a sort of dancing that consists of two people grinding against each other, with both looking in one direction so that interaction is not face-to-face. The administration has not approved of this way of dancing for many years and finally required students to dance “face to face” in the beginning of the school year. read more » Boys’ golf team advances to CCS May 2, 2014 — by Melissa Magner and Oksana Trifonova At the league finals on April 29 at the Santa Teresa Golf Course, senior Christian Galvin, the Falcons’ No. 1 player, became league finals champion. read more » Boys’ golf team anticipating victories March 11, 2014 — by Melissa Magner and Oksana Trifonova The boys’ golf team is off to a good start this year after beating Lynbrook on Feb. 27, Monta Vista on March 3, and Los Gatos and Milpitas on March 10, leading to a 4-0 record for the Falcons as of March 10. read more » Speech and debate showing growth February 14, 2014 — by Sudeep Raj and Oksana Trifonova Eighty-eight schools competed in the Martin Luther King speech and debate tournament at James Logan High from Jan. 17-19. read more » Wish granted: Class helps parents learn English January 29, 2014 — by Oksana Trifonova and Devin Zhao Assistant principal Kerry Mohnike pointed to a sentence projected onto a board. “She went to the doctor,” said Mohnike, slowly and carefully articulating each word. Thirty-one students — all of them adults — stared at the board, carefully listening to Mohnike’s pronunciation of the sentence. “She went to the doctor,” a medley of assorted accents chanted back. read more » Holidays in Russia contrast with western celebrations December 17, 2013 — by Oksana Trifonova Most of us wouldn't recognize Christmas in Russia. read more » District hopes breaks offer enough relief to arduous October November 19, 2013 — by Helen Chen, Gwynevere Hunger and Oksana Trifonova For many students, the first few months of school can be rough, especially for seniors: Getting past the Nov. 1 early deadline for college applications can be the hardest part of the year. read more » STAR testing to be replaced by Common Core-compatible testing system October 15, 2013 — by Jade Bisht and Oksana Trifonova Standardized tests that students have taken for years are about to change next spring: California Standardized Testing and Reporting (STAR) tests and the API scores that accompany it are being eliminated in favor of a new system based on Common Core Standards. read more » Russian anti-gay laws distorted by U.S. media October 8, 2013 — by Oksana Trifonova The 2014 Winter Olympics planned to be held in Sochi, Russia, has been the object of public criticism and protests for months. Some athletes and activists have even spoken of boycotting the Olympics. The reason: Russia’s supposed anti-gay laws. read more » The Vine vortex: social media app gains popularity September 10, 2013 — by Gwynevere Hunger and Oksana Trifonova What would you do for 234,178 likes? Would you trash your kitchen “trying to kill a bug”? Or how about for 501,769 likes? Would you run around the mall singing “I believe I can fly” while hitting strangers with swim noodles on your arms? Believe it or not, people do all of the above and more through a social media app, Vine. read more » New face-to-face dance policy stirs controversy September 8, 2013 — by Ingrid Hong and Oksana Trifonova This year, the administration enacted a new “face-to-face” dance policy, resulting in an increase in freshman attendance but also a decrease in upperclassman attendance. read more » German exchange student adjusts to changes September 5, 2013 — by David Sparkman and Oksana Trifonova It's the beginning of the school year and new faces and names are everywhere. It's especially intimidating if you're the new kid. Now imagine the first day of school in another country, where even the language is unfamiliar, let alone the campus and the students. read more »
2014 alumni reflect on their first years playing sports in college March 5, 2015 — by Jenny Qian and Oksana Trifonova From AYSO soccer to high school varsity football, sports have always been an integral part of growing up. read more » ‘Game of Thrones’ Season 5 trailer promises action, surprises March 4, 2015 — by Oksana Trifonova and Kelly Xiao “Game of Thrones,” including the 2011 HBO show version and the 1991 book series, has created a fan stronghold for itself through its multiple storyline plot that details the struggles of several characters over a throne. read more » Carnival wraps up week of inspiration January 25, 2015 — by Neehar Thumaty and Oksana Trifonova Intended to help students relax and celebrate a successful week of inspiration, the carnival in the Quad ended Speak Up for Change week on Jan. 23. read more » French classes face challenging times January 22, 2015 — by Michelle Leung, Trevor Leung and Oksana Trifonova A lack of language options at the middle school level and competition from other electives have resulted in increasingly small French classes. read more » Opposite ends of the spectrum: Large and small classes on campus provide different learning opportunities January 21, 2015 — by Melissa Magner and Oksana Trifonova With about 1,350 students on its campus, Saratoga High has an average class size of about 28. read more » Freshman swings her way onto golf team November 13, 2014 — by Oksana Trifonova and Jihau Yu Sarah Lo is the only freshman player on the girls’ golf team, but has already earned the position of fourth best player. read more » Saratoga City council engages students in community issues November 3, 2014 — by Cassandra King and Oksana Trifonova The thin strum of a ukulele sounded from the research center Oct. 24 as 30 pairs of eyes turned to look at the source — Saratoga city council candidate John Chen. read more » Girls’ golf working on improving away play October 12, 2014 — by Oksana Trifonova and Arman Vaziri Having faced tough opponents over the past few weeks, the girls’ golf team has a record of 3-5 as of Oct. 9. read more » Falcon staffers gain experiences at Paly journalism conference October 9, 2014 — by Gitika Nalwa and Oksana Trifonova J-Day, a journalism conference sponsored by the Journalism Education Association of Northern California, was held on Sept. 27 at Palo Alto High School’s new Media Arts Center. read more » Key additions boost girls’ golf team September 2, 2014 — by Oksana Trifonova and Arman Vaziri September is on the calendar as the Falcons hit the golf course. This year, the girls’ golf team has had many valuable freshmen additions. read more » Spanish teacher takes on additional job of activities director August 31, 2014 — by Kevin Chow and Oksana Trifonova Spanish teacher Rebeca Marshburn has taken on an additional challenge this year: being the new activities director. read more » Orchestra to travel to Spain this summer May 23, 2014 — by Shazia Gupta and Oksana Trifonova This summer, members of the school’s orchestra and band will be traveling to Spain and two ensembles will perform: the symphony orchestra and the symphonic wind ensemble. read more » Speech and debate brings home success May 7, 2014 — by Sudeep Raj and Oksana Trifonova The speech and debate team ended a successful season with a bang at the state competition on April 25 at James Enochs High School in Modesto. read more » Teacher faced temptation to cheat in college May 7, 2014 — by Oksana Trifonova As a college student at Princeton, English teacher Catherine Head took a social science course called Critical Theory, taught by a professor who thought women had no place in higher education. read more » No freaking policy not working May 6, 2014 — by Gwynevere Hunger and Oksana Trifonova School dances have always been a symbol of school spirit, a time when all social groups come together, united under the pride of being a Falcon. And with more dances and more attendance comes more unity and school pride. However, during the beginning of this year, the administration decided to ban freaking, a sort of dancing that consists of two people grinding against each other, with both looking in one direction so that interaction is not face-to-face. The administration has not approved of this way of dancing for many years and finally required students to dance “face to face” in the beginning of the school year. read more » Boys’ golf team advances to CCS May 2, 2014 — by Melissa Magner and Oksana Trifonova At the league finals on April 29 at the Santa Teresa Golf Course, senior Christian Galvin, the Falcons’ No. 1 player, became league finals champion. read more » Boys’ golf team anticipating victories March 11, 2014 — by Melissa Magner and Oksana Trifonova The boys’ golf team is off to a good start this year after beating Lynbrook on Feb. 27, Monta Vista on March 3, and Los Gatos and Milpitas on March 10, leading to a 4-0 record for the Falcons as of March 10. read more » Speech and debate showing growth February 14, 2014 — by Sudeep Raj and Oksana Trifonova Eighty-eight schools competed in the Martin Luther King speech and debate tournament at James Logan High from Jan. 17-19. read more » Wish granted: Class helps parents learn English January 29, 2014 — by Oksana Trifonova and Devin Zhao Assistant principal Kerry Mohnike pointed to a sentence projected onto a board. “She went to the doctor,” said Mohnike, slowly and carefully articulating each word. Thirty-one students — all of them adults — stared at the board, carefully listening to Mohnike’s pronunciation of the sentence. “She went to the doctor,” a medley of assorted accents chanted back. read more » Holidays in Russia contrast with western celebrations December 17, 2013 — by Oksana Trifonova Most of us wouldn't recognize Christmas in Russia. read more » District hopes breaks offer enough relief to arduous October November 19, 2013 — by Helen Chen, Gwynevere Hunger and Oksana Trifonova For many students, the first few months of school can be rough, especially for seniors: Getting past the Nov. 1 early deadline for college applications can be the hardest part of the year. read more » STAR testing to be replaced by Common Core-compatible testing system October 15, 2013 — by Jade Bisht and Oksana Trifonova Standardized tests that students have taken for years are about to change next spring: California Standardized Testing and Reporting (STAR) tests and the API scores that accompany it are being eliminated in favor of a new system based on Common Core Standards. read more » Russian anti-gay laws distorted by U.S. media October 8, 2013 — by Oksana Trifonova The 2014 Winter Olympics planned to be held in Sochi, Russia, has been the object of public criticism and protests for months. Some athletes and activists have even spoken of boycotting the Olympics. The reason: Russia’s supposed anti-gay laws. read more » The Vine vortex: social media app gains popularity September 10, 2013 — by Gwynevere Hunger and Oksana Trifonova What would you do for 234,178 likes? Would you trash your kitchen “trying to kill a bug”? Or how about for 501,769 likes? Would you run around the mall singing “I believe I can fly” while hitting strangers with swim noodles on your arms? Believe it or not, people do all of the above and more through a social media app, Vine. read more » New face-to-face dance policy stirs controversy September 8, 2013 — by Ingrid Hong and Oksana Trifonova This year, the administration enacted a new “face-to-face” dance policy, resulting in an increase in freshman attendance but also a decrease in upperclassman attendance. read more » German exchange student adjusts to changes September 5, 2013 — by David Sparkman and Oksana Trifonova It's the beginning of the school year and new faces and names are everywhere. It's especially intimidating if you're the new kid. Now imagine the first day of school in another country, where even the language is unfamiliar, let alone the campus and the students. read more »
‘Game of Thrones’ Season 5 trailer promises action, surprises March 4, 2015 — by Oksana Trifonova and Kelly Xiao “Game of Thrones,” including the 2011 HBO show version and the 1991 book series, has created a fan stronghold for itself through its multiple storyline plot that details the struggles of several characters over a throne. read more » Carnival wraps up week of inspiration January 25, 2015 — by Neehar Thumaty and Oksana Trifonova Intended to help students relax and celebrate a successful week of inspiration, the carnival in the Quad ended Speak Up for Change week on Jan. 23. read more » French classes face challenging times January 22, 2015 — by Michelle Leung, Trevor Leung and Oksana Trifonova A lack of language options at the middle school level and competition from other electives have resulted in increasingly small French classes. read more » Opposite ends of the spectrum: Large and small classes on campus provide different learning opportunities January 21, 2015 — by Melissa Magner and Oksana Trifonova With about 1,350 students on its campus, Saratoga High has an average class size of about 28. read more » Freshman swings her way onto golf team November 13, 2014 — by Oksana Trifonova and Jihau Yu Sarah Lo is the only freshman player on the girls’ golf team, but has already earned the position of fourth best player. read more » Saratoga City council engages students in community issues November 3, 2014 — by Cassandra King and Oksana Trifonova The thin strum of a ukulele sounded from the research center Oct. 24 as 30 pairs of eyes turned to look at the source — Saratoga city council candidate John Chen. read more » Girls’ golf working on improving away play October 12, 2014 — by Oksana Trifonova and Arman Vaziri Having faced tough opponents over the past few weeks, the girls’ golf team has a record of 3-5 as of Oct. 9. read more » Falcon staffers gain experiences at Paly journalism conference October 9, 2014 — by Gitika Nalwa and Oksana Trifonova J-Day, a journalism conference sponsored by the Journalism Education Association of Northern California, was held on Sept. 27 at Palo Alto High School’s new Media Arts Center. read more » Key additions boost girls’ golf team September 2, 2014 — by Oksana Trifonova and Arman Vaziri September is on the calendar as the Falcons hit the golf course. This year, the girls’ golf team has had many valuable freshmen additions. read more » Spanish teacher takes on additional job of activities director August 31, 2014 — by Kevin Chow and Oksana Trifonova Spanish teacher Rebeca Marshburn has taken on an additional challenge this year: being the new activities director. read more » Orchestra to travel to Spain this summer May 23, 2014 — by Shazia Gupta and Oksana Trifonova This summer, members of the school’s orchestra and band will be traveling to Spain and two ensembles will perform: the symphony orchestra and the symphonic wind ensemble. read more » Speech and debate brings home success May 7, 2014 — by Sudeep Raj and Oksana Trifonova The speech and debate team ended a successful season with a bang at the state competition on April 25 at James Enochs High School in Modesto. read more » Teacher faced temptation to cheat in college May 7, 2014 — by Oksana Trifonova As a college student at Princeton, English teacher Catherine Head took a social science course called Critical Theory, taught by a professor who thought women had no place in higher education. read more » No freaking policy not working May 6, 2014 — by Gwynevere Hunger and Oksana Trifonova School dances have always been a symbol of school spirit, a time when all social groups come together, united under the pride of being a Falcon. And with more dances and more attendance comes more unity and school pride. However, during the beginning of this year, the administration decided to ban freaking, a sort of dancing that consists of two people grinding against each other, with both looking in one direction so that interaction is not face-to-face. The administration has not approved of this way of dancing for many years and finally required students to dance “face to face” in the beginning of the school year. read more » Boys’ golf team advances to CCS May 2, 2014 — by Melissa Magner and Oksana Trifonova At the league finals on April 29 at the Santa Teresa Golf Course, senior Christian Galvin, the Falcons’ No. 1 player, became league finals champion. read more » Boys’ golf team anticipating victories March 11, 2014 — by Melissa Magner and Oksana Trifonova The boys’ golf team is off to a good start this year after beating Lynbrook on Feb. 27, Monta Vista on March 3, and Los Gatos and Milpitas on March 10, leading to a 4-0 record for the Falcons as of March 10. read more » Speech and debate showing growth February 14, 2014 — by Sudeep Raj and Oksana Trifonova Eighty-eight schools competed in the Martin Luther King speech and debate tournament at James Logan High from Jan. 17-19. read more » Wish granted: Class helps parents learn English January 29, 2014 — by Oksana Trifonova and Devin Zhao Assistant principal Kerry Mohnike pointed to a sentence projected onto a board. “She went to the doctor,” said Mohnike, slowly and carefully articulating each word. Thirty-one students — all of them adults — stared at the board, carefully listening to Mohnike’s pronunciation of the sentence. “She went to the doctor,” a medley of assorted accents chanted back. read more » Holidays in Russia contrast with western celebrations December 17, 2013 — by Oksana Trifonova Most of us wouldn't recognize Christmas in Russia. read more » District hopes breaks offer enough relief to arduous October November 19, 2013 — by Helen Chen, Gwynevere Hunger and Oksana Trifonova For many students, the first few months of school can be rough, especially for seniors: Getting past the Nov. 1 early deadline for college applications can be the hardest part of the year. read more » STAR testing to be replaced by Common Core-compatible testing system October 15, 2013 — by Jade Bisht and Oksana Trifonova Standardized tests that students have taken for years are about to change next spring: California Standardized Testing and Reporting (STAR) tests and the API scores that accompany it are being eliminated in favor of a new system based on Common Core Standards. read more » Russian anti-gay laws distorted by U.S. media October 8, 2013 — by Oksana Trifonova The 2014 Winter Olympics planned to be held in Sochi, Russia, has been the object of public criticism and protests for months. Some athletes and activists have even spoken of boycotting the Olympics. The reason: Russia’s supposed anti-gay laws. read more » The Vine vortex: social media app gains popularity September 10, 2013 — by Gwynevere Hunger and Oksana Trifonova What would you do for 234,178 likes? Would you trash your kitchen “trying to kill a bug”? Or how about for 501,769 likes? Would you run around the mall singing “I believe I can fly” while hitting strangers with swim noodles on your arms? Believe it or not, people do all of the above and more through a social media app, Vine. read more » New face-to-face dance policy stirs controversy September 8, 2013 — by Ingrid Hong and Oksana Trifonova This year, the administration enacted a new “face-to-face” dance policy, resulting in an increase in freshman attendance but also a decrease in upperclassman attendance. read more » German exchange student adjusts to changes September 5, 2013 — by David Sparkman and Oksana Trifonova It's the beginning of the school year and new faces and names are everywhere. It's especially intimidating if you're the new kid. Now imagine the first day of school in another country, where even the language is unfamiliar, let alone the campus and the students. read more »
Carnival wraps up week of inspiration January 25, 2015 — by Neehar Thumaty and Oksana Trifonova Intended to help students relax and celebrate a successful week of inspiration, the carnival in the Quad ended Speak Up for Change week on Jan. 23. read more » French classes face challenging times January 22, 2015 — by Michelle Leung, Trevor Leung and Oksana Trifonova A lack of language options at the middle school level and competition from other electives have resulted in increasingly small French classes. read more » Opposite ends of the spectrum: Large and small classes on campus provide different learning opportunities January 21, 2015 — by Melissa Magner and Oksana Trifonova With about 1,350 students on its campus, Saratoga High has an average class size of about 28. read more » Freshman swings her way onto golf team November 13, 2014 — by Oksana Trifonova and Jihau Yu Sarah Lo is the only freshman player on the girls’ golf team, but has already earned the position of fourth best player. read more » Saratoga City council engages students in community issues November 3, 2014 — by Cassandra King and Oksana Trifonova The thin strum of a ukulele sounded from the research center Oct. 24 as 30 pairs of eyes turned to look at the source — Saratoga city council candidate John Chen. read more » Girls’ golf working on improving away play October 12, 2014 — by Oksana Trifonova and Arman Vaziri Having faced tough opponents over the past few weeks, the girls’ golf team has a record of 3-5 as of Oct. 9. read more » Falcon staffers gain experiences at Paly journalism conference October 9, 2014 — by Gitika Nalwa and Oksana Trifonova J-Day, a journalism conference sponsored by the Journalism Education Association of Northern California, was held on Sept. 27 at Palo Alto High School’s new Media Arts Center. read more » Key additions boost girls’ golf team September 2, 2014 — by Oksana Trifonova and Arman Vaziri September is on the calendar as the Falcons hit the golf course. This year, the girls’ golf team has had many valuable freshmen additions. read more » Spanish teacher takes on additional job of activities director August 31, 2014 — by Kevin Chow and Oksana Trifonova Spanish teacher Rebeca Marshburn has taken on an additional challenge this year: being the new activities director. read more » Orchestra to travel to Spain this summer May 23, 2014 — by Shazia Gupta and Oksana Trifonova This summer, members of the school’s orchestra and band will be traveling to Spain and two ensembles will perform: the symphony orchestra and the symphonic wind ensemble. read more » Speech and debate brings home success May 7, 2014 — by Sudeep Raj and Oksana Trifonova The speech and debate team ended a successful season with a bang at the state competition on April 25 at James Enochs High School in Modesto. read more » Teacher faced temptation to cheat in college May 7, 2014 — by Oksana Trifonova As a college student at Princeton, English teacher Catherine Head took a social science course called Critical Theory, taught by a professor who thought women had no place in higher education. read more » No freaking policy not working May 6, 2014 — by Gwynevere Hunger and Oksana Trifonova School dances have always been a symbol of school spirit, a time when all social groups come together, united under the pride of being a Falcon. And with more dances and more attendance comes more unity and school pride. However, during the beginning of this year, the administration decided to ban freaking, a sort of dancing that consists of two people grinding against each other, with both looking in one direction so that interaction is not face-to-face. The administration has not approved of this way of dancing for many years and finally required students to dance “face to face” in the beginning of the school year. read more » Boys’ golf team advances to CCS May 2, 2014 — by Melissa Magner and Oksana Trifonova At the league finals on April 29 at the Santa Teresa Golf Course, senior Christian Galvin, the Falcons’ No. 1 player, became league finals champion. read more » Boys’ golf team anticipating victories March 11, 2014 — by Melissa Magner and Oksana Trifonova The boys’ golf team is off to a good start this year after beating Lynbrook on Feb. 27, Monta Vista on March 3, and Los Gatos and Milpitas on March 10, leading to a 4-0 record for the Falcons as of March 10. read more » Speech and debate showing growth February 14, 2014 — by Sudeep Raj and Oksana Trifonova Eighty-eight schools competed in the Martin Luther King speech and debate tournament at James Logan High from Jan. 17-19. read more » Wish granted: Class helps parents learn English January 29, 2014 — by Oksana Trifonova and Devin Zhao Assistant principal Kerry Mohnike pointed to a sentence projected onto a board. “She went to the doctor,” said Mohnike, slowly and carefully articulating each word. Thirty-one students — all of them adults — stared at the board, carefully listening to Mohnike’s pronunciation of the sentence. “She went to the doctor,” a medley of assorted accents chanted back. read more » Holidays in Russia contrast with western celebrations December 17, 2013 — by Oksana Trifonova Most of us wouldn't recognize Christmas in Russia. read more » District hopes breaks offer enough relief to arduous October November 19, 2013 — by Helen Chen, Gwynevere Hunger and Oksana Trifonova For many students, the first few months of school can be rough, especially for seniors: Getting past the Nov. 1 early deadline for college applications can be the hardest part of the year. read more » STAR testing to be replaced by Common Core-compatible testing system October 15, 2013 — by Jade Bisht and Oksana Trifonova Standardized tests that students have taken for years are about to change next spring: California Standardized Testing and Reporting (STAR) tests and the API scores that accompany it are being eliminated in favor of a new system based on Common Core Standards. read more » Russian anti-gay laws distorted by U.S. media October 8, 2013 — by Oksana Trifonova The 2014 Winter Olympics planned to be held in Sochi, Russia, has been the object of public criticism and protests for months. Some athletes and activists have even spoken of boycotting the Olympics. The reason: Russia’s supposed anti-gay laws. read more » The Vine vortex: social media app gains popularity September 10, 2013 — by Gwynevere Hunger and Oksana Trifonova What would you do for 234,178 likes? Would you trash your kitchen “trying to kill a bug”? Or how about for 501,769 likes? Would you run around the mall singing “I believe I can fly” while hitting strangers with swim noodles on your arms? Believe it or not, people do all of the above and more through a social media app, Vine. read more » New face-to-face dance policy stirs controversy September 8, 2013 — by Ingrid Hong and Oksana Trifonova This year, the administration enacted a new “face-to-face” dance policy, resulting in an increase in freshman attendance but also a decrease in upperclassman attendance. read more » German exchange student adjusts to changes September 5, 2013 — by David Sparkman and Oksana Trifonova It's the beginning of the school year and new faces and names are everywhere. It's especially intimidating if you're the new kid. Now imagine the first day of school in another country, where even the language is unfamiliar, let alone the campus and the students. read more »
French classes face challenging times January 22, 2015 — by Michelle Leung, Trevor Leung and Oksana Trifonova A lack of language options at the middle school level and competition from other electives have resulted in increasingly small French classes. read more » Opposite ends of the spectrum: Large and small classes on campus provide different learning opportunities January 21, 2015 — by Melissa Magner and Oksana Trifonova With about 1,350 students on its campus, Saratoga High has an average class size of about 28. read more » Freshman swings her way onto golf team November 13, 2014 — by Oksana Trifonova and Jihau Yu Sarah Lo is the only freshman player on the girls’ golf team, but has already earned the position of fourth best player. read more » Saratoga City council engages students in community issues November 3, 2014 — by Cassandra King and Oksana Trifonova The thin strum of a ukulele sounded from the research center Oct. 24 as 30 pairs of eyes turned to look at the source — Saratoga city council candidate John Chen. read more » Girls’ golf working on improving away play October 12, 2014 — by Oksana Trifonova and Arman Vaziri Having faced tough opponents over the past few weeks, the girls’ golf team has a record of 3-5 as of Oct. 9. read more » Falcon staffers gain experiences at Paly journalism conference October 9, 2014 — by Gitika Nalwa and Oksana Trifonova J-Day, a journalism conference sponsored by the Journalism Education Association of Northern California, was held on Sept. 27 at Palo Alto High School’s new Media Arts Center. read more » Key additions boost girls’ golf team September 2, 2014 — by Oksana Trifonova and Arman Vaziri September is on the calendar as the Falcons hit the golf course. This year, the girls’ golf team has had many valuable freshmen additions. read more » Spanish teacher takes on additional job of activities director August 31, 2014 — by Kevin Chow and Oksana Trifonova Spanish teacher Rebeca Marshburn has taken on an additional challenge this year: being the new activities director. read more » Orchestra to travel to Spain this summer May 23, 2014 — by Shazia Gupta and Oksana Trifonova This summer, members of the school’s orchestra and band will be traveling to Spain and two ensembles will perform: the symphony orchestra and the symphonic wind ensemble. read more » Speech and debate brings home success May 7, 2014 — by Sudeep Raj and Oksana Trifonova The speech and debate team ended a successful season with a bang at the state competition on April 25 at James Enochs High School in Modesto. read more » Teacher faced temptation to cheat in college May 7, 2014 — by Oksana Trifonova As a college student at Princeton, English teacher Catherine Head took a social science course called Critical Theory, taught by a professor who thought women had no place in higher education. read more » No freaking policy not working May 6, 2014 — by Gwynevere Hunger and Oksana Trifonova School dances have always been a symbol of school spirit, a time when all social groups come together, united under the pride of being a Falcon. And with more dances and more attendance comes more unity and school pride. However, during the beginning of this year, the administration decided to ban freaking, a sort of dancing that consists of two people grinding against each other, with both looking in one direction so that interaction is not face-to-face. The administration has not approved of this way of dancing for many years and finally required students to dance “face to face” in the beginning of the school year. read more » Boys’ golf team advances to CCS May 2, 2014 — by Melissa Magner and Oksana Trifonova At the league finals on April 29 at the Santa Teresa Golf Course, senior Christian Galvin, the Falcons’ No. 1 player, became league finals champion. read more » Boys’ golf team anticipating victories March 11, 2014 — by Melissa Magner and Oksana Trifonova The boys’ golf team is off to a good start this year after beating Lynbrook on Feb. 27, Monta Vista on March 3, and Los Gatos and Milpitas on March 10, leading to a 4-0 record for the Falcons as of March 10. read more » Speech and debate showing growth February 14, 2014 — by Sudeep Raj and Oksana Trifonova Eighty-eight schools competed in the Martin Luther King speech and debate tournament at James Logan High from Jan. 17-19. read more » Wish granted: Class helps parents learn English January 29, 2014 — by Oksana Trifonova and Devin Zhao Assistant principal Kerry Mohnike pointed to a sentence projected onto a board. “She went to the doctor,” said Mohnike, slowly and carefully articulating each word. Thirty-one students — all of them adults — stared at the board, carefully listening to Mohnike’s pronunciation of the sentence. “She went to the doctor,” a medley of assorted accents chanted back. read more » Holidays in Russia contrast with western celebrations December 17, 2013 — by Oksana Trifonova Most of us wouldn't recognize Christmas in Russia. read more » District hopes breaks offer enough relief to arduous October November 19, 2013 — by Helen Chen, Gwynevere Hunger and Oksana Trifonova For many students, the first few months of school can be rough, especially for seniors: Getting past the Nov. 1 early deadline for college applications can be the hardest part of the year. read more » STAR testing to be replaced by Common Core-compatible testing system October 15, 2013 — by Jade Bisht and Oksana Trifonova Standardized tests that students have taken for years are about to change next spring: California Standardized Testing and Reporting (STAR) tests and the API scores that accompany it are being eliminated in favor of a new system based on Common Core Standards. read more » Russian anti-gay laws distorted by U.S. media October 8, 2013 — by Oksana Trifonova The 2014 Winter Olympics planned to be held in Sochi, Russia, has been the object of public criticism and protests for months. Some athletes and activists have even spoken of boycotting the Olympics. The reason: Russia’s supposed anti-gay laws. read more » The Vine vortex: social media app gains popularity September 10, 2013 — by Gwynevere Hunger and Oksana Trifonova What would you do for 234,178 likes? Would you trash your kitchen “trying to kill a bug”? Or how about for 501,769 likes? Would you run around the mall singing “I believe I can fly” while hitting strangers with swim noodles on your arms? Believe it or not, people do all of the above and more through a social media app, Vine. read more » New face-to-face dance policy stirs controversy September 8, 2013 — by Ingrid Hong and Oksana Trifonova This year, the administration enacted a new “face-to-face” dance policy, resulting in an increase in freshman attendance but also a decrease in upperclassman attendance. read more » German exchange student adjusts to changes September 5, 2013 — by David Sparkman and Oksana Trifonova It's the beginning of the school year and new faces and names are everywhere. It's especially intimidating if you're the new kid. Now imagine the first day of school in another country, where even the language is unfamiliar, let alone the campus and the students. read more »
Opposite ends of the spectrum: Large and small classes on campus provide different learning opportunities January 21, 2015 — by Melissa Magner and Oksana Trifonova With about 1,350 students on its campus, Saratoga High has an average class size of about 28. read more » Freshman swings her way onto golf team November 13, 2014 — by Oksana Trifonova and Jihau Yu Sarah Lo is the only freshman player on the girls’ golf team, but has already earned the position of fourth best player. read more » Saratoga City council engages students in community issues November 3, 2014 — by Cassandra King and Oksana Trifonova The thin strum of a ukulele sounded from the research center Oct. 24 as 30 pairs of eyes turned to look at the source — Saratoga city council candidate John Chen. read more » Girls’ golf working on improving away play October 12, 2014 — by Oksana Trifonova and Arman Vaziri Having faced tough opponents over the past few weeks, the girls’ golf team has a record of 3-5 as of Oct. 9. read more » Falcon staffers gain experiences at Paly journalism conference October 9, 2014 — by Gitika Nalwa and Oksana Trifonova J-Day, a journalism conference sponsored by the Journalism Education Association of Northern California, was held on Sept. 27 at Palo Alto High School’s new Media Arts Center. read more » Key additions boost girls’ golf team September 2, 2014 — by Oksana Trifonova and Arman Vaziri September is on the calendar as the Falcons hit the golf course. This year, the girls’ golf team has had many valuable freshmen additions. read more » Spanish teacher takes on additional job of activities director August 31, 2014 — by Kevin Chow and Oksana Trifonova Spanish teacher Rebeca Marshburn has taken on an additional challenge this year: being the new activities director. read more » Orchestra to travel to Spain this summer May 23, 2014 — by Shazia Gupta and Oksana Trifonova This summer, members of the school’s orchestra and band will be traveling to Spain and two ensembles will perform: the symphony orchestra and the symphonic wind ensemble. read more » Speech and debate brings home success May 7, 2014 — by Sudeep Raj and Oksana Trifonova The speech and debate team ended a successful season with a bang at the state competition on April 25 at James Enochs High School in Modesto. read more » Teacher faced temptation to cheat in college May 7, 2014 — by Oksana Trifonova As a college student at Princeton, English teacher Catherine Head took a social science course called Critical Theory, taught by a professor who thought women had no place in higher education. read more » No freaking policy not working May 6, 2014 — by Gwynevere Hunger and Oksana Trifonova School dances have always been a symbol of school spirit, a time when all social groups come together, united under the pride of being a Falcon. And with more dances and more attendance comes more unity and school pride. However, during the beginning of this year, the administration decided to ban freaking, a sort of dancing that consists of two people grinding against each other, with both looking in one direction so that interaction is not face-to-face. The administration has not approved of this way of dancing for many years and finally required students to dance “face to face” in the beginning of the school year. read more » Boys’ golf team advances to CCS May 2, 2014 — by Melissa Magner and Oksana Trifonova At the league finals on April 29 at the Santa Teresa Golf Course, senior Christian Galvin, the Falcons’ No. 1 player, became league finals champion. read more » Boys’ golf team anticipating victories March 11, 2014 — by Melissa Magner and Oksana Trifonova The boys’ golf team is off to a good start this year after beating Lynbrook on Feb. 27, Monta Vista on March 3, and Los Gatos and Milpitas on March 10, leading to a 4-0 record for the Falcons as of March 10. read more » Speech and debate showing growth February 14, 2014 — by Sudeep Raj and Oksana Trifonova Eighty-eight schools competed in the Martin Luther King speech and debate tournament at James Logan High from Jan. 17-19. read more » Wish granted: Class helps parents learn English January 29, 2014 — by Oksana Trifonova and Devin Zhao Assistant principal Kerry Mohnike pointed to a sentence projected onto a board. “She went to the doctor,” said Mohnike, slowly and carefully articulating each word. Thirty-one students — all of them adults — stared at the board, carefully listening to Mohnike’s pronunciation of the sentence. “She went to the doctor,” a medley of assorted accents chanted back. read more » Holidays in Russia contrast with western celebrations December 17, 2013 — by Oksana Trifonova Most of us wouldn't recognize Christmas in Russia. read more » District hopes breaks offer enough relief to arduous October November 19, 2013 — by Helen Chen, Gwynevere Hunger and Oksana Trifonova For many students, the first few months of school can be rough, especially for seniors: Getting past the Nov. 1 early deadline for college applications can be the hardest part of the year. read more » STAR testing to be replaced by Common Core-compatible testing system October 15, 2013 — by Jade Bisht and Oksana Trifonova Standardized tests that students have taken for years are about to change next spring: California Standardized Testing and Reporting (STAR) tests and the API scores that accompany it are being eliminated in favor of a new system based on Common Core Standards. read more » Russian anti-gay laws distorted by U.S. media October 8, 2013 — by Oksana Trifonova The 2014 Winter Olympics planned to be held in Sochi, Russia, has been the object of public criticism and protests for months. Some athletes and activists have even spoken of boycotting the Olympics. The reason: Russia’s supposed anti-gay laws. read more » The Vine vortex: social media app gains popularity September 10, 2013 — by Gwynevere Hunger and Oksana Trifonova What would you do for 234,178 likes? Would you trash your kitchen “trying to kill a bug”? Or how about for 501,769 likes? Would you run around the mall singing “I believe I can fly” while hitting strangers with swim noodles on your arms? Believe it or not, people do all of the above and more through a social media app, Vine. read more » New face-to-face dance policy stirs controversy September 8, 2013 — by Ingrid Hong and Oksana Trifonova This year, the administration enacted a new “face-to-face” dance policy, resulting in an increase in freshman attendance but also a decrease in upperclassman attendance. read more » German exchange student adjusts to changes September 5, 2013 — by David Sparkman and Oksana Trifonova It's the beginning of the school year and new faces and names are everywhere. It's especially intimidating if you're the new kid. Now imagine the first day of school in another country, where even the language is unfamiliar, let alone the campus and the students. read more »
Freshman swings her way onto golf team November 13, 2014 — by Oksana Trifonova and Jihau Yu Sarah Lo is the only freshman player on the girls’ golf team, but has already earned the position of fourth best player. read more » Saratoga City council engages students in community issues November 3, 2014 — by Cassandra King and Oksana Trifonova The thin strum of a ukulele sounded from the research center Oct. 24 as 30 pairs of eyes turned to look at the source — Saratoga city council candidate John Chen. read more » Girls’ golf working on improving away play October 12, 2014 — by Oksana Trifonova and Arman Vaziri Having faced tough opponents over the past few weeks, the girls’ golf team has a record of 3-5 as of Oct. 9. read more » Falcon staffers gain experiences at Paly journalism conference October 9, 2014 — by Gitika Nalwa and Oksana Trifonova J-Day, a journalism conference sponsored by the Journalism Education Association of Northern California, was held on Sept. 27 at Palo Alto High School’s new Media Arts Center. read more » Key additions boost girls’ golf team September 2, 2014 — by Oksana Trifonova and Arman Vaziri September is on the calendar as the Falcons hit the golf course. This year, the girls’ golf team has had many valuable freshmen additions. read more » Spanish teacher takes on additional job of activities director August 31, 2014 — by Kevin Chow and Oksana Trifonova Spanish teacher Rebeca Marshburn has taken on an additional challenge this year: being the new activities director. read more » Orchestra to travel to Spain this summer May 23, 2014 — by Shazia Gupta and Oksana Trifonova This summer, members of the school’s orchestra and band will be traveling to Spain and two ensembles will perform: the symphony orchestra and the symphonic wind ensemble. read more » Speech and debate brings home success May 7, 2014 — by Sudeep Raj and Oksana Trifonova The speech and debate team ended a successful season with a bang at the state competition on April 25 at James Enochs High School in Modesto. read more » Teacher faced temptation to cheat in college May 7, 2014 — by Oksana Trifonova As a college student at Princeton, English teacher Catherine Head took a social science course called Critical Theory, taught by a professor who thought women had no place in higher education. read more » No freaking policy not working May 6, 2014 — by Gwynevere Hunger and Oksana Trifonova School dances have always been a symbol of school spirit, a time when all social groups come together, united under the pride of being a Falcon. And with more dances and more attendance comes more unity and school pride. However, during the beginning of this year, the administration decided to ban freaking, a sort of dancing that consists of two people grinding against each other, with both looking in one direction so that interaction is not face-to-face. The administration has not approved of this way of dancing for many years and finally required students to dance “face to face” in the beginning of the school year. read more » Boys’ golf team advances to CCS May 2, 2014 — by Melissa Magner and Oksana Trifonova At the league finals on April 29 at the Santa Teresa Golf Course, senior Christian Galvin, the Falcons’ No. 1 player, became league finals champion. read more » Boys’ golf team anticipating victories March 11, 2014 — by Melissa Magner and Oksana Trifonova The boys’ golf team is off to a good start this year after beating Lynbrook on Feb. 27, Monta Vista on March 3, and Los Gatos and Milpitas on March 10, leading to a 4-0 record for the Falcons as of March 10. read more » Speech and debate showing growth February 14, 2014 — by Sudeep Raj and Oksana Trifonova Eighty-eight schools competed in the Martin Luther King speech and debate tournament at James Logan High from Jan. 17-19. read more » Wish granted: Class helps parents learn English January 29, 2014 — by Oksana Trifonova and Devin Zhao Assistant principal Kerry Mohnike pointed to a sentence projected onto a board. “She went to the doctor,” said Mohnike, slowly and carefully articulating each word. Thirty-one students — all of them adults — stared at the board, carefully listening to Mohnike’s pronunciation of the sentence. “She went to the doctor,” a medley of assorted accents chanted back. read more » Holidays in Russia contrast with western celebrations December 17, 2013 — by Oksana Trifonova Most of us wouldn't recognize Christmas in Russia. read more » District hopes breaks offer enough relief to arduous October November 19, 2013 — by Helen Chen, Gwynevere Hunger and Oksana Trifonova For many students, the first few months of school can be rough, especially for seniors: Getting past the Nov. 1 early deadline for college applications can be the hardest part of the year. read more » STAR testing to be replaced by Common Core-compatible testing system October 15, 2013 — by Jade Bisht and Oksana Trifonova Standardized tests that students have taken for years are about to change next spring: California Standardized Testing and Reporting (STAR) tests and the API scores that accompany it are being eliminated in favor of a new system based on Common Core Standards. read more » Russian anti-gay laws distorted by U.S. media October 8, 2013 — by Oksana Trifonova The 2014 Winter Olympics planned to be held in Sochi, Russia, has been the object of public criticism and protests for months. Some athletes and activists have even spoken of boycotting the Olympics. The reason: Russia’s supposed anti-gay laws. read more » The Vine vortex: social media app gains popularity September 10, 2013 — by Gwynevere Hunger and Oksana Trifonova What would you do for 234,178 likes? Would you trash your kitchen “trying to kill a bug”? Or how about for 501,769 likes? Would you run around the mall singing “I believe I can fly” while hitting strangers with swim noodles on your arms? Believe it or not, people do all of the above and more through a social media app, Vine. read more » New face-to-face dance policy stirs controversy September 8, 2013 — by Ingrid Hong and Oksana Trifonova This year, the administration enacted a new “face-to-face” dance policy, resulting in an increase in freshman attendance but also a decrease in upperclassman attendance. read more » German exchange student adjusts to changes September 5, 2013 — by David Sparkman and Oksana Trifonova It's the beginning of the school year and new faces and names are everywhere. It's especially intimidating if you're the new kid. Now imagine the first day of school in another country, where even the language is unfamiliar, let alone the campus and the students. read more »
Saratoga City council engages students in community issues November 3, 2014 — by Cassandra King and Oksana Trifonova The thin strum of a ukulele sounded from the research center Oct. 24 as 30 pairs of eyes turned to look at the source — Saratoga city council candidate John Chen. read more » Girls’ golf working on improving away play October 12, 2014 — by Oksana Trifonova and Arman Vaziri Having faced tough opponents over the past few weeks, the girls’ golf team has a record of 3-5 as of Oct. 9. read more » Falcon staffers gain experiences at Paly journalism conference October 9, 2014 — by Gitika Nalwa and Oksana Trifonova J-Day, a journalism conference sponsored by the Journalism Education Association of Northern California, was held on Sept. 27 at Palo Alto High School’s new Media Arts Center. read more » Key additions boost girls’ golf team September 2, 2014 — by Oksana Trifonova and Arman Vaziri September is on the calendar as the Falcons hit the golf course. This year, the girls’ golf team has had many valuable freshmen additions. read more » Spanish teacher takes on additional job of activities director August 31, 2014 — by Kevin Chow and Oksana Trifonova Spanish teacher Rebeca Marshburn has taken on an additional challenge this year: being the new activities director. read more » Orchestra to travel to Spain this summer May 23, 2014 — by Shazia Gupta and Oksana Trifonova This summer, members of the school’s orchestra and band will be traveling to Spain and two ensembles will perform: the symphony orchestra and the symphonic wind ensemble. read more » Speech and debate brings home success May 7, 2014 — by Sudeep Raj and Oksana Trifonova The speech and debate team ended a successful season with a bang at the state competition on April 25 at James Enochs High School in Modesto. read more » Teacher faced temptation to cheat in college May 7, 2014 — by Oksana Trifonova As a college student at Princeton, English teacher Catherine Head took a social science course called Critical Theory, taught by a professor who thought women had no place in higher education. read more » No freaking policy not working May 6, 2014 — by Gwynevere Hunger and Oksana Trifonova School dances have always been a symbol of school spirit, a time when all social groups come together, united under the pride of being a Falcon. And with more dances and more attendance comes more unity and school pride. However, during the beginning of this year, the administration decided to ban freaking, a sort of dancing that consists of two people grinding against each other, with both looking in one direction so that interaction is not face-to-face. The administration has not approved of this way of dancing for many years and finally required students to dance “face to face” in the beginning of the school year. read more » Boys’ golf team advances to CCS May 2, 2014 — by Melissa Magner and Oksana Trifonova At the league finals on April 29 at the Santa Teresa Golf Course, senior Christian Galvin, the Falcons’ No. 1 player, became league finals champion. read more » Boys’ golf team anticipating victories March 11, 2014 — by Melissa Magner and Oksana Trifonova The boys’ golf team is off to a good start this year after beating Lynbrook on Feb. 27, Monta Vista on March 3, and Los Gatos and Milpitas on March 10, leading to a 4-0 record for the Falcons as of March 10. read more » Speech and debate showing growth February 14, 2014 — by Sudeep Raj and Oksana Trifonova Eighty-eight schools competed in the Martin Luther King speech and debate tournament at James Logan High from Jan. 17-19. read more » Wish granted: Class helps parents learn English January 29, 2014 — by Oksana Trifonova and Devin Zhao Assistant principal Kerry Mohnike pointed to a sentence projected onto a board. “She went to the doctor,” said Mohnike, slowly and carefully articulating each word. Thirty-one students — all of them adults — stared at the board, carefully listening to Mohnike’s pronunciation of the sentence. “She went to the doctor,” a medley of assorted accents chanted back. read more » Holidays in Russia contrast with western celebrations December 17, 2013 — by Oksana Trifonova Most of us wouldn't recognize Christmas in Russia. read more » District hopes breaks offer enough relief to arduous October November 19, 2013 — by Helen Chen, Gwynevere Hunger and Oksana Trifonova For many students, the first few months of school can be rough, especially for seniors: Getting past the Nov. 1 early deadline for college applications can be the hardest part of the year. read more » STAR testing to be replaced by Common Core-compatible testing system October 15, 2013 — by Jade Bisht and Oksana Trifonova Standardized tests that students have taken for years are about to change next spring: California Standardized Testing and Reporting (STAR) tests and the API scores that accompany it are being eliminated in favor of a new system based on Common Core Standards. read more » Russian anti-gay laws distorted by U.S. media October 8, 2013 — by Oksana Trifonova The 2014 Winter Olympics planned to be held in Sochi, Russia, has been the object of public criticism and protests for months. Some athletes and activists have even spoken of boycotting the Olympics. The reason: Russia’s supposed anti-gay laws. read more » The Vine vortex: social media app gains popularity September 10, 2013 — by Gwynevere Hunger and Oksana Trifonova What would you do for 234,178 likes? Would you trash your kitchen “trying to kill a bug”? Or how about for 501,769 likes? Would you run around the mall singing “I believe I can fly” while hitting strangers with swim noodles on your arms? Believe it or not, people do all of the above and more through a social media app, Vine. read more » New face-to-face dance policy stirs controversy September 8, 2013 — by Ingrid Hong and Oksana Trifonova This year, the administration enacted a new “face-to-face” dance policy, resulting in an increase in freshman attendance but also a decrease in upperclassman attendance. read more » German exchange student adjusts to changes September 5, 2013 — by David Sparkman and Oksana Trifonova It's the beginning of the school year and new faces and names are everywhere. It's especially intimidating if you're the new kid. Now imagine the first day of school in another country, where even the language is unfamiliar, let alone the campus and the students. read more »
Girls’ golf working on improving away play October 12, 2014 — by Oksana Trifonova and Arman Vaziri Having faced tough opponents over the past few weeks, the girls’ golf team has a record of 3-5 as of Oct. 9. read more » Falcon staffers gain experiences at Paly journalism conference October 9, 2014 — by Gitika Nalwa and Oksana Trifonova J-Day, a journalism conference sponsored by the Journalism Education Association of Northern California, was held on Sept. 27 at Palo Alto High School’s new Media Arts Center. read more » Key additions boost girls’ golf team September 2, 2014 — by Oksana Trifonova and Arman Vaziri September is on the calendar as the Falcons hit the golf course. This year, the girls’ golf team has had many valuable freshmen additions. read more » Spanish teacher takes on additional job of activities director August 31, 2014 — by Kevin Chow and Oksana Trifonova Spanish teacher Rebeca Marshburn has taken on an additional challenge this year: being the new activities director. read more » Orchestra to travel to Spain this summer May 23, 2014 — by Shazia Gupta and Oksana Trifonova This summer, members of the school’s orchestra and band will be traveling to Spain and two ensembles will perform: the symphony orchestra and the symphonic wind ensemble. read more » Speech and debate brings home success May 7, 2014 — by Sudeep Raj and Oksana Trifonova The speech and debate team ended a successful season with a bang at the state competition on April 25 at James Enochs High School in Modesto. read more » Teacher faced temptation to cheat in college May 7, 2014 — by Oksana Trifonova As a college student at Princeton, English teacher Catherine Head took a social science course called Critical Theory, taught by a professor who thought women had no place in higher education. read more » No freaking policy not working May 6, 2014 — by Gwynevere Hunger and Oksana Trifonova School dances have always been a symbol of school spirit, a time when all social groups come together, united under the pride of being a Falcon. And with more dances and more attendance comes more unity and school pride. However, during the beginning of this year, the administration decided to ban freaking, a sort of dancing that consists of two people grinding against each other, with both looking in one direction so that interaction is not face-to-face. The administration has not approved of this way of dancing for many years and finally required students to dance “face to face” in the beginning of the school year. read more » Boys’ golf team advances to CCS May 2, 2014 — by Melissa Magner and Oksana Trifonova At the league finals on April 29 at the Santa Teresa Golf Course, senior Christian Galvin, the Falcons’ No. 1 player, became league finals champion. read more » Boys’ golf team anticipating victories March 11, 2014 — by Melissa Magner and Oksana Trifonova The boys’ golf team is off to a good start this year after beating Lynbrook on Feb. 27, Monta Vista on March 3, and Los Gatos and Milpitas on March 10, leading to a 4-0 record for the Falcons as of March 10. read more » Speech and debate showing growth February 14, 2014 — by Sudeep Raj and Oksana Trifonova Eighty-eight schools competed in the Martin Luther King speech and debate tournament at James Logan High from Jan. 17-19. read more » Wish granted: Class helps parents learn English January 29, 2014 — by Oksana Trifonova and Devin Zhao Assistant principal Kerry Mohnike pointed to a sentence projected onto a board. “She went to the doctor,” said Mohnike, slowly and carefully articulating each word. Thirty-one students — all of them adults — stared at the board, carefully listening to Mohnike’s pronunciation of the sentence. “She went to the doctor,” a medley of assorted accents chanted back. read more » Holidays in Russia contrast with western celebrations December 17, 2013 — by Oksana Trifonova Most of us wouldn't recognize Christmas in Russia. read more » District hopes breaks offer enough relief to arduous October November 19, 2013 — by Helen Chen, Gwynevere Hunger and Oksana Trifonova For many students, the first few months of school can be rough, especially for seniors: Getting past the Nov. 1 early deadline for college applications can be the hardest part of the year. read more » STAR testing to be replaced by Common Core-compatible testing system October 15, 2013 — by Jade Bisht and Oksana Trifonova Standardized tests that students have taken for years are about to change next spring: California Standardized Testing and Reporting (STAR) tests and the API scores that accompany it are being eliminated in favor of a new system based on Common Core Standards. read more » Russian anti-gay laws distorted by U.S. media October 8, 2013 — by Oksana Trifonova The 2014 Winter Olympics planned to be held in Sochi, Russia, has been the object of public criticism and protests for months. Some athletes and activists have even spoken of boycotting the Olympics. The reason: Russia’s supposed anti-gay laws. read more » The Vine vortex: social media app gains popularity September 10, 2013 — by Gwynevere Hunger and Oksana Trifonova What would you do for 234,178 likes? Would you trash your kitchen “trying to kill a bug”? Or how about for 501,769 likes? Would you run around the mall singing “I believe I can fly” while hitting strangers with swim noodles on your arms? Believe it or not, people do all of the above and more through a social media app, Vine. read more » New face-to-face dance policy stirs controversy September 8, 2013 — by Ingrid Hong and Oksana Trifonova This year, the administration enacted a new “face-to-face” dance policy, resulting in an increase in freshman attendance but also a decrease in upperclassman attendance. read more » German exchange student adjusts to changes September 5, 2013 — by David Sparkman and Oksana Trifonova It's the beginning of the school year and new faces and names are everywhere. It's especially intimidating if you're the new kid. Now imagine the first day of school in another country, where even the language is unfamiliar, let alone the campus and the students. read more »
Falcon staffers gain experiences at Paly journalism conference October 9, 2014 — by Gitika Nalwa and Oksana Trifonova J-Day, a journalism conference sponsored by the Journalism Education Association of Northern California, was held on Sept. 27 at Palo Alto High School’s new Media Arts Center. read more » Key additions boost girls’ golf team September 2, 2014 — by Oksana Trifonova and Arman Vaziri September is on the calendar as the Falcons hit the golf course. This year, the girls’ golf team has had many valuable freshmen additions. read more » Spanish teacher takes on additional job of activities director August 31, 2014 — by Kevin Chow and Oksana Trifonova Spanish teacher Rebeca Marshburn has taken on an additional challenge this year: being the new activities director. read more » Orchestra to travel to Spain this summer May 23, 2014 — by Shazia Gupta and Oksana Trifonova This summer, members of the school’s orchestra and band will be traveling to Spain and two ensembles will perform: the symphony orchestra and the symphonic wind ensemble. read more » Speech and debate brings home success May 7, 2014 — by Sudeep Raj and Oksana Trifonova The speech and debate team ended a successful season with a bang at the state competition on April 25 at James Enochs High School in Modesto. read more » Teacher faced temptation to cheat in college May 7, 2014 — by Oksana Trifonova As a college student at Princeton, English teacher Catherine Head took a social science course called Critical Theory, taught by a professor who thought women had no place in higher education. read more » No freaking policy not working May 6, 2014 — by Gwynevere Hunger and Oksana Trifonova School dances have always been a symbol of school spirit, a time when all social groups come together, united under the pride of being a Falcon. And with more dances and more attendance comes more unity and school pride. However, during the beginning of this year, the administration decided to ban freaking, a sort of dancing that consists of two people grinding against each other, with both looking in one direction so that interaction is not face-to-face. The administration has not approved of this way of dancing for many years and finally required students to dance “face to face” in the beginning of the school year. read more » Boys’ golf team advances to CCS May 2, 2014 — by Melissa Magner and Oksana Trifonova At the league finals on April 29 at the Santa Teresa Golf Course, senior Christian Galvin, the Falcons’ No. 1 player, became league finals champion. read more » Boys’ golf team anticipating victories March 11, 2014 — by Melissa Magner and Oksana Trifonova The boys’ golf team is off to a good start this year after beating Lynbrook on Feb. 27, Monta Vista on March 3, and Los Gatos and Milpitas on March 10, leading to a 4-0 record for the Falcons as of March 10. read more » Speech and debate showing growth February 14, 2014 — by Sudeep Raj and Oksana Trifonova Eighty-eight schools competed in the Martin Luther King speech and debate tournament at James Logan High from Jan. 17-19. read more » Wish granted: Class helps parents learn English January 29, 2014 — by Oksana Trifonova and Devin Zhao Assistant principal Kerry Mohnike pointed to a sentence projected onto a board. “She went to the doctor,” said Mohnike, slowly and carefully articulating each word. Thirty-one students — all of them adults — stared at the board, carefully listening to Mohnike’s pronunciation of the sentence. “She went to the doctor,” a medley of assorted accents chanted back. read more » Holidays in Russia contrast with western celebrations December 17, 2013 — by Oksana Trifonova Most of us wouldn't recognize Christmas in Russia. read more » District hopes breaks offer enough relief to arduous October November 19, 2013 — by Helen Chen, Gwynevere Hunger and Oksana Trifonova For many students, the first few months of school can be rough, especially for seniors: Getting past the Nov. 1 early deadline for college applications can be the hardest part of the year. read more » STAR testing to be replaced by Common Core-compatible testing system October 15, 2013 — by Jade Bisht and Oksana Trifonova Standardized tests that students have taken for years are about to change next spring: California Standardized Testing and Reporting (STAR) tests and the API scores that accompany it are being eliminated in favor of a new system based on Common Core Standards. read more » Russian anti-gay laws distorted by U.S. media October 8, 2013 — by Oksana Trifonova The 2014 Winter Olympics planned to be held in Sochi, Russia, has been the object of public criticism and protests for months. Some athletes and activists have even spoken of boycotting the Olympics. The reason: Russia’s supposed anti-gay laws. read more » The Vine vortex: social media app gains popularity September 10, 2013 — by Gwynevere Hunger and Oksana Trifonova What would you do for 234,178 likes? Would you trash your kitchen “trying to kill a bug”? Or how about for 501,769 likes? Would you run around the mall singing “I believe I can fly” while hitting strangers with swim noodles on your arms? Believe it or not, people do all of the above and more through a social media app, Vine. read more » New face-to-face dance policy stirs controversy September 8, 2013 — by Ingrid Hong and Oksana Trifonova This year, the administration enacted a new “face-to-face” dance policy, resulting in an increase in freshman attendance but also a decrease in upperclassman attendance. read more » German exchange student adjusts to changes September 5, 2013 — by David Sparkman and Oksana Trifonova It's the beginning of the school year and new faces and names are everywhere. It's especially intimidating if you're the new kid. Now imagine the first day of school in another country, where even the language is unfamiliar, let alone the campus and the students. read more »
Key additions boost girls’ golf team September 2, 2014 — by Oksana Trifonova and Arman Vaziri September is on the calendar as the Falcons hit the golf course. This year, the girls’ golf team has had many valuable freshmen additions. read more » Spanish teacher takes on additional job of activities director August 31, 2014 — by Kevin Chow and Oksana Trifonova Spanish teacher Rebeca Marshburn has taken on an additional challenge this year: being the new activities director. read more » Orchestra to travel to Spain this summer May 23, 2014 — by Shazia Gupta and Oksana Trifonova This summer, members of the school’s orchestra and band will be traveling to Spain and two ensembles will perform: the symphony orchestra and the symphonic wind ensemble. read more » Speech and debate brings home success May 7, 2014 — by Sudeep Raj and Oksana Trifonova The speech and debate team ended a successful season with a bang at the state competition on April 25 at James Enochs High School in Modesto. read more » Teacher faced temptation to cheat in college May 7, 2014 — by Oksana Trifonova As a college student at Princeton, English teacher Catherine Head took a social science course called Critical Theory, taught by a professor who thought women had no place in higher education. read more » No freaking policy not working May 6, 2014 — by Gwynevere Hunger and Oksana Trifonova School dances have always been a symbol of school spirit, a time when all social groups come together, united under the pride of being a Falcon. And with more dances and more attendance comes more unity and school pride. However, during the beginning of this year, the administration decided to ban freaking, a sort of dancing that consists of two people grinding against each other, with both looking in one direction so that interaction is not face-to-face. The administration has not approved of this way of dancing for many years and finally required students to dance “face to face” in the beginning of the school year. read more » Boys’ golf team advances to CCS May 2, 2014 — by Melissa Magner and Oksana Trifonova At the league finals on April 29 at the Santa Teresa Golf Course, senior Christian Galvin, the Falcons’ No. 1 player, became league finals champion. read more » Boys’ golf team anticipating victories March 11, 2014 — by Melissa Magner and Oksana Trifonova The boys’ golf team is off to a good start this year after beating Lynbrook on Feb. 27, Monta Vista on March 3, and Los Gatos and Milpitas on March 10, leading to a 4-0 record for the Falcons as of March 10. read more » Speech and debate showing growth February 14, 2014 — by Sudeep Raj and Oksana Trifonova Eighty-eight schools competed in the Martin Luther King speech and debate tournament at James Logan High from Jan. 17-19. read more » Wish granted: Class helps parents learn English January 29, 2014 — by Oksana Trifonova and Devin Zhao Assistant principal Kerry Mohnike pointed to a sentence projected onto a board. “She went to the doctor,” said Mohnike, slowly and carefully articulating each word. Thirty-one students — all of them adults — stared at the board, carefully listening to Mohnike’s pronunciation of the sentence. “She went to the doctor,” a medley of assorted accents chanted back. read more » Holidays in Russia contrast with western celebrations December 17, 2013 — by Oksana Trifonova Most of us wouldn't recognize Christmas in Russia. read more » District hopes breaks offer enough relief to arduous October November 19, 2013 — by Helen Chen, Gwynevere Hunger and Oksana Trifonova For many students, the first few months of school can be rough, especially for seniors: Getting past the Nov. 1 early deadline for college applications can be the hardest part of the year. read more » STAR testing to be replaced by Common Core-compatible testing system October 15, 2013 — by Jade Bisht and Oksana Trifonova Standardized tests that students have taken for years are about to change next spring: California Standardized Testing and Reporting (STAR) tests and the API scores that accompany it are being eliminated in favor of a new system based on Common Core Standards. read more » Russian anti-gay laws distorted by U.S. media October 8, 2013 — by Oksana Trifonova The 2014 Winter Olympics planned to be held in Sochi, Russia, has been the object of public criticism and protests for months. Some athletes and activists have even spoken of boycotting the Olympics. The reason: Russia’s supposed anti-gay laws. read more » The Vine vortex: social media app gains popularity September 10, 2013 — by Gwynevere Hunger and Oksana Trifonova What would you do for 234,178 likes? Would you trash your kitchen “trying to kill a bug”? Or how about for 501,769 likes? Would you run around the mall singing “I believe I can fly” while hitting strangers with swim noodles on your arms? Believe it or not, people do all of the above and more through a social media app, Vine. read more » New face-to-face dance policy stirs controversy September 8, 2013 — by Ingrid Hong and Oksana Trifonova This year, the administration enacted a new “face-to-face” dance policy, resulting in an increase in freshman attendance but also a decrease in upperclassman attendance. read more » German exchange student adjusts to changes September 5, 2013 — by David Sparkman and Oksana Trifonova It's the beginning of the school year and new faces and names are everywhere. It's especially intimidating if you're the new kid. Now imagine the first day of school in another country, where even the language is unfamiliar, let alone the campus and the students. read more »
Spanish teacher takes on additional job of activities director August 31, 2014 — by Kevin Chow and Oksana Trifonova Spanish teacher Rebeca Marshburn has taken on an additional challenge this year: being the new activities director. read more » Orchestra to travel to Spain this summer May 23, 2014 — by Shazia Gupta and Oksana Trifonova This summer, members of the school’s orchestra and band will be traveling to Spain and two ensembles will perform: the symphony orchestra and the symphonic wind ensemble. read more » Speech and debate brings home success May 7, 2014 — by Sudeep Raj and Oksana Trifonova The speech and debate team ended a successful season with a bang at the state competition on April 25 at James Enochs High School in Modesto. read more » Teacher faced temptation to cheat in college May 7, 2014 — by Oksana Trifonova As a college student at Princeton, English teacher Catherine Head took a social science course called Critical Theory, taught by a professor who thought women had no place in higher education. read more » No freaking policy not working May 6, 2014 — by Gwynevere Hunger and Oksana Trifonova School dances have always been a symbol of school spirit, a time when all social groups come together, united under the pride of being a Falcon. And with more dances and more attendance comes more unity and school pride. However, during the beginning of this year, the administration decided to ban freaking, a sort of dancing that consists of two people grinding against each other, with both looking in one direction so that interaction is not face-to-face. The administration has not approved of this way of dancing for many years and finally required students to dance “face to face” in the beginning of the school year. read more » Boys’ golf team advances to CCS May 2, 2014 — by Melissa Magner and Oksana Trifonova At the league finals on April 29 at the Santa Teresa Golf Course, senior Christian Galvin, the Falcons’ No. 1 player, became league finals champion. read more » Boys’ golf team anticipating victories March 11, 2014 — by Melissa Magner and Oksana Trifonova The boys’ golf team is off to a good start this year after beating Lynbrook on Feb. 27, Monta Vista on March 3, and Los Gatos and Milpitas on March 10, leading to a 4-0 record for the Falcons as of March 10. read more » Speech and debate showing growth February 14, 2014 — by Sudeep Raj and Oksana Trifonova Eighty-eight schools competed in the Martin Luther King speech and debate tournament at James Logan High from Jan. 17-19. read more » Wish granted: Class helps parents learn English January 29, 2014 — by Oksana Trifonova and Devin Zhao Assistant principal Kerry Mohnike pointed to a sentence projected onto a board. “She went to the doctor,” said Mohnike, slowly and carefully articulating each word. Thirty-one students — all of them adults — stared at the board, carefully listening to Mohnike’s pronunciation of the sentence. “She went to the doctor,” a medley of assorted accents chanted back. read more » Holidays in Russia contrast with western celebrations December 17, 2013 — by Oksana Trifonova Most of us wouldn't recognize Christmas in Russia. read more » District hopes breaks offer enough relief to arduous October November 19, 2013 — by Helen Chen, Gwynevere Hunger and Oksana Trifonova For many students, the first few months of school can be rough, especially for seniors: Getting past the Nov. 1 early deadline for college applications can be the hardest part of the year. read more » STAR testing to be replaced by Common Core-compatible testing system October 15, 2013 — by Jade Bisht and Oksana Trifonova Standardized tests that students have taken for years are about to change next spring: California Standardized Testing and Reporting (STAR) tests and the API scores that accompany it are being eliminated in favor of a new system based on Common Core Standards. read more » Russian anti-gay laws distorted by U.S. media October 8, 2013 — by Oksana Trifonova The 2014 Winter Olympics planned to be held in Sochi, Russia, has been the object of public criticism and protests for months. Some athletes and activists have even spoken of boycotting the Olympics. The reason: Russia’s supposed anti-gay laws. read more » The Vine vortex: social media app gains popularity September 10, 2013 — by Gwynevere Hunger and Oksana Trifonova What would you do for 234,178 likes? Would you trash your kitchen “trying to kill a bug”? Or how about for 501,769 likes? Would you run around the mall singing “I believe I can fly” while hitting strangers with swim noodles on your arms? Believe it or not, people do all of the above and more through a social media app, Vine. read more » New face-to-face dance policy stirs controversy September 8, 2013 — by Ingrid Hong and Oksana Trifonova This year, the administration enacted a new “face-to-face” dance policy, resulting in an increase in freshman attendance but also a decrease in upperclassman attendance. read more » German exchange student adjusts to changes September 5, 2013 — by David Sparkman and Oksana Trifonova It's the beginning of the school year and new faces and names are everywhere. It's especially intimidating if you're the new kid. Now imagine the first day of school in another country, where even the language is unfamiliar, let alone the campus and the students. read more »
Orchestra to travel to Spain this summer May 23, 2014 — by Shazia Gupta and Oksana Trifonova This summer, members of the school’s orchestra and band will be traveling to Spain and two ensembles will perform: the symphony orchestra and the symphonic wind ensemble. read more » Speech and debate brings home success May 7, 2014 — by Sudeep Raj and Oksana Trifonova The speech and debate team ended a successful season with a bang at the state competition on April 25 at James Enochs High School in Modesto. read more » Teacher faced temptation to cheat in college May 7, 2014 — by Oksana Trifonova As a college student at Princeton, English teacher Catherine Head took a social science course called Critical Theory, taught by a professor who thought women had no place in higher education. read more » No freaking policy not working May 6, 2014 — by Gwynevere Hunger and Oksana Trifonova School dances have always been a symbol of school spirit, a time when all social groups come together, united under the pride of being a Falcon. And with more dances and more attendance comes more unity and school pride. However, during the beginning of this year, the administration decided to ban freaking, a sort of dancing that consists of two people grinding against each other, with both looking in one direction so that interaction is not face-to-face. The administration has not approved of this way of dancing for many years and finally required students to dance “face to face” in the beginning of the school year. read more » Boys’ golf team advances to CCS May 2, 2014 — by Melissa Magner and Oksana Trifonova At the league finals on April 29 at the Santa Teresa Golf Course, senior Christian Galvin, the Falcons’ No. 1 player, became league finals champion. read more » Boys’ golf team anticipating victories March 11, 2014 — by Melissa Magner and Oksana Trifonova The boys’ golf team is off to a good start this year after beating Lynbrook on Feb. 27, Monta Vista on March 3, and Los Gatos and Milpitas on March 10, leading to a 4-0 record for the Falcons as of March 10. read more » Speech and debate showing growth February 14, 2014 — by Sudeep Raj and Oksana Trifonova Eighty-eight schools competed in the Martin Luther King speech and debate tournament at James Logan High from Jan. 17-19. read more » Wish granted: Class helps parents learn English January 29, 2014 — by Oksana Trifonova and Devin Zhao Assistant principal Kerry Mohnike pointed to a sentence projected onto a board. “She went to the doctor,” said Mohnike, slowly and carefully articulating each word. Thirty-one students — all of them adults — stared at the board, carefully listening to Mohnike’s pronunciation of the sentence. “She went to the doctor,” a medley of assorted accents chanted back. read more » Holidays in Russia contrast with western celebrations December 17, 2013 — by Oksana Trifonova Most of us wouldn't recognize Christmas in Russia. read more » District hopes breaks offer enough relief to arduous October November 19, 2013 — by Helen Chen, Gwynevere Hunger and Oksana Trifonova For many students, the first few months of school can be rough, especially for seniors: Getting past the Nov. 1 early deadline for college applications can be the hardest part of the year. read more » STAR testing to be replaced by Common Core-compatible testing system October 15, 2013 — by Jade Bisht and Oksana Trifonova Standardized tests that students have taken for years are about to change next spring: California Standardized Testing and Reporting (STAR) tests and the API scores that accompany it are being eliminated in favor of a new system based on Common Core Standards. read more » Russian anti-gay laws distorted by U.S. media October 8, 2013 — by Oksana Trifonova The 2014 Winter Olympics planned to be held in Sochi, Russia, has been the object of public criticism and protests for months. Some athletes and activists have even spoken of boycotting the Olympics. The reason: Russia’s supposed anti-gay laws. read more » The Vine vortex: social media app gains popularity September 10, 2013 — by Gwynevere Hunger and Oksana Trifonova What would you do for 234,178 likes? Would you trash your kitchen “trying to kill a bug”? Or how about for 501,769 likes? Would you run around the mall singing “I believe I can fly” while hitting strangers with swim noodles on your arms? Believe it or not, people do all of the above and more through a social media app, Vine. read more » New face-to-face dance policy stirs controversy September 8, 2013 — by Ingrid Hong and Oksana Trifonova This year, the administration enacted a new “face-to-face” dance policy, resulting in an increase in freshman attendance but also a decrease in upperclassman attendance. read more » German exchange student adjusts to changes September 5, 2013 — by David Sparkman and Oksana Trifonova It's the beginning of the school year and new faces and names are everywhere. It's especially intimidating if you're the new kid. Now imagine the first day of school in another country, where even the language is unfamiliar, let alone the campus and the students. read more »
Speech and debate brings home success May 7, 2014 — by Sudeep Raj and Oksana Trifonova The speech and debate team ended a successful season with a bang at the state competition on April 25 at James Enochs High School in Modesto. read more » Teacher faced temptation to cheat in college May 7, 2014 — by Oksana Trifonova As a college student at Princeton, English teacher Catherine Head took a social science course called Critical Theory, taught by a professor who thought women had no place in higher education. read more » No freaking policy not working May 6, 2014 — by Gwynevere Hunger and Oksana Trifonova School dances have always been a symbol of school spirit, a time when all social groups come together, united under the pride of being a Falcon. And with more dances and more attendance comes more unity and school pride. However, during the beginning of this year, the administration decided to ban freaking, a sort of dancing that consists of two people grinding against each other, with both looking in one direction so that interaction is not face-to-face. The administration has not approved of this way of dancing for many years and finally required students to dance “face to face” in the beginning of the school year. read more » Boys’ golf team advances to CCS May 2, 2014 — by Melissa Magner and Oksana Trifonova At the league finals on April 29 at the Santa Teresa Golf Course, senior Christian Galvin, the Falcons’ No. 1 player, became league finals champion. read more » Boys’ golf team anticipating victories March 11, 2014 — by Melissa Magner and Oksana Trifonova The boys’ golf team is off to a good start this year after beating Lynbrook on Feb. 27, Monta Vista on March 3, and Los Gatos and Milpitas on March 10, leading to a 4-0 record for the Falcons as of March 10. read more » Speech and debate showing growth February 14, 2014 — by Sudeep Raj and Oksana Trifonova Eighty-eight schools competed in the Martin Luther King speech and debate tournament at James Logan High from Jan. 17-19. read more » Wish granted: Class helps parents learn English January 29, 2014 — by Oksana Trifonova and Devin Zhao Assistant principal Kerry Mohnike pointed to a sentence projected onto a board. “She went to the doctor,” said Mohnike, slowly and carefully articulating each word. Thirty-one students — all of them adults — stared at the board, carefully listening to Mohnike’s pronunciation of the sentence. “She went to the doctor,” a medley of assorted accents chanted back. read more » Holidays in Russia contrast with western celebrations December 17, 2013 — by Oksana Trifonova Most of us wouldn't recognize Christmas in Russia. read more » District hopes breaks offer enough relief to arduous October November 19, 2013 — by Helen Chen, Gwynevere Hunger and Oksana Trifonova For many students, the first few months of school can be rough, especially for seniors: Getting past the Nov. 1 early deadline for college applications can be the hardest part of the year. read more » STAR testing to be replaced by Common Core-compatible testing system October 15, 2013 — by Jade Bisht and Oksana Trifonova Standardized tests that students have taken for years are about to change next spring: California Standardized Testing and Reporting (STAR) tests and the API scores that accompany it are being eliminated in favor of a new system based on Common Core Standards. read more » Russian anti-gay laws distorted by U.S. media October 8, 2013 — by Oksana Trifonova The 2014 Winter Olympics planned to be held in Sochi, Russia, has been the object of public criticism and protests for months. Some athletes and activists have even spoken of boycotting the Olympics. The reason: Russia’s supposed anti-gay laws. read more » The Vine vortex: social media app gains popularity September 10, 2013 — by Gwynevere Hunger and Oksana Trifonova What would you do for 234,178 likes? Would you trash your kitchen “trying to kill a bug”? Or how about for 501,769 likes? Would you run around the mall singing “I believe I can fly” while hitting strangers with swim noodles on your arms? Believe it or not, people do all of the above and more through a social media app, Vine. read more » New face-to-face dance policy stirs controversy September 8, 2013 — by Ingrid Hong and Oksana Trifonova This year, the administration enacted a new “face-to-face” dance policy, resulting in an increase in freshman attendance but also a decrease in upperclassman attendance. read more » German exchange student adjusts to changes September 5, 2013 — by David Sparkman and Oksana Trifonova It's the beginning of the school year and new faces and names are everywhere. It's especially intimidating if you're the new kid. Now imagine the first day of school in another country, where even the language is unfamiliar, let alone the campus and the students. read more »
Teacher faced temptation to cheat in college May 7, 2014 — by Oksana Trifonova As a college student at Princeton, English teacher Catherine Head took a social science course called Critical Theory, taught by a professor who thought women had no place in higher education. read more » No freaking policy not working May 6, 2014 — by Gwynevere Hunger and Oksana Trifonova School dances have always been a symbol of school spirit, a time when all social groups come together, united under the pride of being a Falcon. And with more dances and more attendance comes more unity and school pride. However, during the beginning of this year, the administration decided to ban freaking, a sort of dancing that consists of two people grinding against each other, with both looking in one direction so that interaction is not face-to-face. The administration has not approved of this way of dancing for many years and finally required students to dance “face to face” in the beginning of the school year. read more » Boys’ golf team advances to CCS May 2, 2014 — by Melissa Magner and Oksana Trifonova At the league finals on April 29 at the Santa Teresa Golf Course, senior Christian Galvin, the Falcons’ No. 1 player, became league finals champion. read more » Boys’ golf team anticipating victories March 11, 2014 — by Melissa Magner and Oksana Trifonova The boys’ golf team is off to a good start this year after beating Lynbrook on Feb. 27, Monta Vista on March 3, and Los Gatos and Milpitas on March 10, leading to a 4-0 record for the Falcons as of March 10. read more » Speech and debate showing growth February 14, 2014 — by Sudeep Raj and Oksana Trifonova Eighty-eight schools competed in the Martin Luther King speech and debate tournament at James Logan High from Jan. 17-19. read more » Wish granted: Class helps parents learn English January 29, 2014 — by Oksana Trifonova and Devin Zhao Assistant principal Kerry Mohnike pointed to a sentence projected onto a board. “She went to the doctor,” said Mohnike, slowly and carefully articulating each word. Thirty-one students — all of them adults — stared at the board, carefully listening to Mohnike’s pronunciation of the sentence. “She went to the doctor,” a medley of assorted accents chanted back. read more » Holidays in Russia contrast with western celebrations December 17, 2013 — by Oksana Trifonova Most of us wouldn't recognize Christmas in Russia. read more » District hopes breaks offer enough relief to arduous October November 19, 2013 — by Helen Chen, Gwynevere Hunger and Oksana Trifonova For many students, the first few months of school can be rough, especially for seniors: Getting past the Nov. 1 early deadline for college applications can be the hardest part of the year. read more » STAR testing to be replaced by Common Core-compatible testing system October 15, 2013 — by Jade Bisht and Oksana Trifonova Standardized tests that students have taken for years are about to change next spring: California Standardized Testing and Reporting (STAR) tests and the API scores that accompany it are being eliminated in favor of a new system based on Common Core Standards. read more » Russian anti-gay laws distorted by U.S. media October 8, 2013 — by Oksana Trifonova The 2014 Winter Olympics planned to be held in Sochi, Russia, has been the object of public criticism and protests for months. Some athletes and activists have even spoken of boycotting the Olympics. The reason: Russia’s supposed anti-gay laws. read more » The Vine vortex: social media app gains popularity September 10, 2013 — by Gwynevere Hunger and Oksana Trifonova What would you do for 234,178 likes? Would you trash your kitchen “trying to kill a bug”? Or how about for 501,769 likes? Would you run around the mall singing “I believe I can fly” while hitting strangers with swim noodles on your arms? Believe it or not, people do all of the above and more through a social media app, Vine. read more » New face-to-face dance policy stirs controversy September 8, 2013 — by Ingrid Hong and Oksana Trifonova This year, the administration enacted a new “face-to-face” dance policy, resulting in an increase in freshman attendance but also a decrease in upperclassman attendance. read more » German exchange student adjusts to changes September 5, 2013 — by David Sparkman and Oksana Trifonova It's the beginning of the school year and new faces and names are everywhere. It's especially intimidating if you're the new kid. Now imagine the first day of school in another country, where even the language is unfamiliar, let alone the campus and the students. read more »
No freaking policy not working May 6, 2014 — by Gwynevere Hunger and Oksana Trifonova School dances have always been a symbol of school spirit, a time when all social groups come together, united under the pride of being a Falcon. And with more dances and more attendance comes more unity and school pride. However, during the beginning of this year, the administration decided to ban freaking, a sort of dancing that consists of two people grinding against each other, with both looking in one direction so that interaction is not face-to-face. The administration has not approved of this way of dancing for many years and finally required students to dance “face to face” in the beginning of the school year. read more » Boys’ golf team advances to CCS May 2, 2014 — by Melissa Magner and Oksana Trifonova At the league finals on April 29 at the Santa Teresa Golf Course, senior Christian Galvin, the Falcons’ No. 1 player, became league finals champion. read more » Boys’ golf team anticipating victories March 11, 2014 — by Melissa Magner and Oksana Trifonova The boys’ golf team is off to a good start this year after beating Lynbrook on Feb. 27, Monta Vista on March 3, and Los Gatos and Milpitas on March 10, leading to a 4-0 record for the Falcons as of March 10. read more » Speech and debate showing growth February 14, 2014 — by Sudeep Raj and Oksana Trifonova Eighty-eight schools competed in the Martin Luther King speech and debate tournament at James Logan High from Jan. 17-19. read more » Wish granted: Class helps parents learn English January 29, 2014 — by Oksana Trifonova and Devin Zhao Assistant principal Kerry Mohnike pointed to a sentence projected onto a board. “She went to the doctor,” said Mohnike, slowly and carefully articulating each word. Thirty-one students — all of them adults — stared at the board, carefully listening to Mohnike’s pronunciation of the sentence. “She went to the doctor,” a medley of assorted accents chanted back. read more » Holidays in Russia contrast with western celebrations December 17, 2013 — by Oksana Trifonova Most of us wouldn't recognize Christmas in Russia. read more » District hopes breaks offer enough relief to arduous October November 19, 2013 — by Helen Chen, Gwynevere Hunger and Oksana Trifonova For many students, the first few months of school can be rough, especially for seniors: Getting past the Nov. 1 early deadline for college applications can be the hardest part of the year. read more » STAR testing to be replaced by Common Core-compatible testing system October 15, 2013 — by Jade Bisht and Oksana Trifonova Standardized tests that students have taken for years are about to change next spring: California Standardized Testing and Reporting (STAR) tests and the API scores that accompany it are being eliminated in favor of a new system based on Common Core Standards. read more » Russian anti-gay laws distorted by U.S. media October 8, 2013 — by Oksana Trifonova The 2014 Winter Olympics planned to be held in Sochi, Russia, has been the object of public criticism and protests for months. Some athletes and activists have even spoken of boycotting the Olympics. The reason: Russia’s supposed anti-gay laws. read more » The Vine vortex: social media app gains popularity September 10, 2013 — by Gwynevere Hunger and Oksana Trifonova What would you do for 234,178 likes? Would you trash your kitchen “trying to kill a bug”? Or how about for 501,769 likes? Would you run around the mall singing “I believe I can fly” while hitting strangers with swim noodles on your arms? Believe it or not, people do all of the above and more through a social media app, Vine. read more » New face-to-face dance policy stirs controversy September 8, 2013 — by Ingrid Hong and Oksana Trifonova This year, the administration enacted a new “face-to-face” dance policy, resulting in an increase in freshman attendance but also a decrease in upperclassman attendance. read more » German exchange student adjusts to changes September 5, 2013 — by David Sparkman and Oksana Trifonova It's the beginning of the school year and new faces and names are everywhere. It's especially intimidating if you're the new kid. Now imagine the first day of school in another country, where even the language is unfamiliar, let alone the campus and the students. read more »
Boys’ golf team advances to CCS May 2, 2014 — by Melissa Magner and Oksana Trifonova At the league finals on April 29 at the Santa Teresa Golf Course, senior Christian Galvin, the Falcons’ No. 1 player, became league finals champion. read more » Boys’ golf team anticipating victories March 11, 2014 — by Melissa Magner and Oksana Trifonova The boys’ golf team is off to a good start this year after beating Lynbrook on Feb. 27, Monta Vista on March 3, and Los Gatos and Milpitas on March 10, leading to a 4-0 record for the Falcons as of March 10. read more » Speech and debate showing growth February 14, 2014 — by Sudeep Raj and Oksana Trifonova Eighty-eight schools competed in the Martin Luther King speech and debate tournament at James Logan High from Jan. 17-19. read more » Wish granted: Class helps parents learn English January 29, 2014 — by Oksana Trifonova and Devin Zhao Assistant principal Kerry Mohnike pointed to a sentence projected onto a board. “She went to the doctor,” said Mohnike, slowly and carefully articulating each word. Thirty-one students — all of them adults — stared at the board, carefully listening to Mohnike’s pronunciation of the sentence. “She went to the doctor,” a medley of assorted accents chanted back. read more » Holidays in Russia contrast with western celebrations December 17, 2013 — by Oksana Trifonova Most of us wouldn't recognize Christmas in Russia. read more » District hopes breaks offer enough relief to arduous October November 19, 2013 — by Helen Chen, Gwynevere Hunger and Oksana Trifonova For many students, the first few months of school can be rough, especially for seniors: Getting past the Nov. 1 early deadline for college applications can be the hardest part of the year. read more » STAR testing to be replaced by Common Core-compatible testing system October 15, 2013 — by Jade Bisht and Oksana Trifonova Standardized tests that students have taken for years are about to change next spring: California Standardized Testing and Reporting (STAR) tests and the API scores that accompany it are being eliminated in favor of a new system based on Common Core Standards. read more » Russian anti-gay laws distorted by U.S. media October 8, 2013 — by Oksana Trifonova The 2014 Winter Olympics planned to be held in Sochi, Russia, has been the object of public criticism and protests for months. Some athletes and activists have even spoken of boycotting the Olympics. The reason: Russia’s supposed anti-gay laws. read more » The Vine vortex: social media app gains popularity September 10, 2013 — by Gwynevere Hunger and Oksana Trifonova What would you do for 234,178 likes? Would you trash your kitchen “trying to kill a bug”? Or how about for 501,769 likes? Would you run around the mall singing “I believe I can fly” while hitting strangers with swim noodles on your arms? Believe it or not, people do all of the above and more through a social media app, Vine. read more » New face-to-face dance policy stirs controversy September 8, 2013 — by Ingrid Hong and Oksana Trifonova This year, the administration enacted a new “face-to-face” dance policy, resulting in an increase in freshman attendance but also a decrease in upperclassman attendance. read more » German exchange student adjusts to changes September 5, 2013 — by David Sparkman and Oksana Trifonova It's the beginning of the school year and new faces and names are everywhere. It's especially intimidating if you're the new kid. Now imagine the first day of school in another country, where even the language is unfamiliar, let alone the campus and the students. read more »
Boys’ golf team anticipating victories March 11, 2014 — by Melissa Magner and Oksana Trifonova The boys’ golf team is off to a good start this year after beating Lynbrook on Feb. 27, Monta Vista on March 3, and Los Gatos and Milpitas on March 10, leading to a 4-0 record for the Falcons as of March 10. read more » Speech and debate showing growth February 14, 2014 — by Sudeep Raj and Oksana Trifonova Eighty-eight schools competed in the Martin Luther King speech and debate tournament at James Logan High from Jan. 17-19. read more » Wish granted: Class helps parents learn English January 29, 2014 — by Oksana Trifonova and Devin Zhao Assistant principal Kerry Mohnike pointed to a sentence projected onto a board. “She went to the doctor,” said Mohnike, slowly and carefully articulating each word. Thirty-one students — all of them adults — stared at the board, carefully listening to Mohnike’s pronunciation of the sentence. “She went to the doctor,” a medley of assorted accents chanted back. read more » Holidays in Russia contrast with western celebrations December 17, 2013 — by Oksana Trifonova Most of us wouldn't recognize Christmas in Russia. read more » District hopes breaks offer enough relief to arduous October November 19, 2013 — by Helen Chen, Gwynevere Hunger and Oksana Trifonova For many students, the first few months of school can be rough, especially for seniors: Getting past the Nov. 1 early deadline for college applications can be the hardest part of the year. read more » STAR testing to be replaced by Common Core-compatible testing system October 15, 2013 — by Jade Bisht and Oksana Trifonova Standardized tests that students have taken for years are about to change next spring: California Standardized Testing and Reporting (STAR) tests and the API scores that accompany it are being eliminated in favor of a new system based on Common Core Standards. read more » Russian anti-gay laws distorted by U.S. media October 8, 2013 — by Oksana Trifonova The 2014 Winter Olympics planned to be held in Sochi, Russia, has been the object of public criticism and protests for months. Some athletes and activists have even spoken of boycotting the Olympics. The reason: Russia’s supposed anti-gay laws. read more » The Vine vortex: social media app gains popularity September 10, 2013 — by Gwynevere Hunger and Oksana Trifonova What would you do for 234,178 likes? Would you trash your kitchen “trying to kill a bug”? Or how about for 501,769 likes? Would you run around the mall singing “I believe I can fly” while hitting strangers with swim noodles on your arms? Believe it or not, people do all of the above and more through a social media app, Vine. read more » New face-to-face dance policy stirs controversy September 8, 2013 — by Ingrid Hong and Oksana Trifonova This year, the administration enacted a new “face-to-face” dance policy, resulting in an increase in freshman attendance but also a decrease in upperclassman attendance. read more » German exchange student adjusts to changes September 5, 2013 — by David Sparkman and Oksana Trifonova It's the beginning of the school year and new faces and names are everywhere. It's especially intimidating if you're the new kid. Now imagine the first day of school in another country, where even the language is unfamiliar, let alone the campus and the students. read more »
Speech and debate showing growth February 14, 2014 — by Sudeep Raj and Oksana Trifonova Eighty-eight schools competed in the Martin Luther King speech and debate tournament at James Logan High from Jan. 17-19. read more » Wish granted: Class helps parents learn English January 29, 2014 — by Oksana Trifonova and Devin Zhao Assistant principal Kerry Mohnike pointed to a sentence projected onto a board. “She went to the doctor,” said Mohnike, slowly and carefully articulating each word. Thirty-one students — all of them adults — stared at the board, carefully listening to Mohnike’s pronunciation of the sentence. “She went to the doctor,” a medley of assorted accents chanted back. read more » Holidays in Russia contrast with western celebrations December 17, 2013 — by Oksana Trifonova Most of us wouldn't recognize Christmas in Russia. read more » District hopes breaks offer enough relief to arduous October November 19, 2013 — by Helen Chen, Gwynevere Hunger and Oksana Trifonova For many students, the first few months of school can be rough, especially for seniors: Getting past the Nov. 1 early deadline for college applications can be the hardest part of the year. read more » STAR testing to be replaced by Common Core-compatible testing system October 15, 2013 — by Jade Bisht and Oksana Trifonova Standardized tests that students have taken for years are about to change next spring: California Standardized Testing and Reporting (STAR) tests and the API scores that accompany it are being eliminated in favor of a new system based on Common Core Standards. read more » Russian anti-gay laws distorted by U.S. media October 8, 2013 — by Oksana Trifonova The 2014 Winter Olympics planned to be held in Sochi, Russia, has been the object of public criticism and protests for months. Some athletes and activists have even spoken of boycotting the Olympics. The reason: Russia’s supposed anti-gay laws. read more » The Vine vortex: social media app gains popularity September 10, 2013 — by Gwynevere Hunger and Oksana Trifonova What would you do for 234,178 likes? Would you trash your kitchen “trying to kill a bug”? Or how about for 501,769 likes? Would you run around the mall singing “I believe I can fly” while hitting strangers with swim noodles on your arms? Believe it or not, people do all of the above and more through a social media app, Vine. read more » New face-to-face dance policy stirs controversy September 8, 2013 — by Ingrid Hong and Oksana Trifonova This year, the administration enacted a new “face-to-face” dance policy, resulting in an increase in freshman attendance but also a decrease in upperclassman attendance. read more » German exchange student adjusts to changes September 5, 2013 — by David Sparkman and Oksana Trifonova It's the beginning of the school year and new faces and names are everywhere. It's especially intimidating if you're the new kid. Now imagine the first day of school in another country, where even the language is unfamiliar, let alone the campus and the students. read more »
Wish granted: Class helps parents learn English January 29, 2014 — by Oksana Trifonova and Devin Zhao Assistant principal Kerry Mohnike pointed to a sentence projected onto a board. “She went to the doctor,” said Mohnike, slowly and carefully articulating each word. Thirty-one students — all of them adults — stared at the board, carefully listening to Mohnike’s pronunciation of the sentence. “She went to the doctor,” a medley of assorted accents chanted back. read more » Holidays in Russia contrast with western celebrations December 17, 2013 — by Oksana Trifonova Most of us wouldn't recognize Christmas in Russia. read more » District hopes breaks offer enough relief to arduous October November 19, 2013 — by Helen Chen, Gwynevere Hunger and Oksana Trifonova For many students, the first few months of school can be rough, especially for seniors: Getting past the Nov. 1 early deadline for college applications can be the hardest part of the year. read more » STAR testing to be replaced by Common Core-compatible testing system October 15, 2013 — by Jade Bisht and Oksana Trifonova Standardized tests that students have taken for years are about to change next spring: California Standardized Testing and Reporting (STAR) tests and the API scores that accompany it are being eliminated in favor of a new system based on Common Core Standards. read more » Russian anti-gay laws distorted by U.S. media October 8, 2013 — by Oksana Trifonova The 2014 Winter Olympics planned to be held in Sochi, Russia, has been the object of public criticism and protests for months. Some athletes and activists have even spoken of boycotting the Olympics. The reason: Russia’s supposed anti-gay laws. read more » The Vine vortex: social media app gains popularity September 10, 2013 — by Gwynevere Hunger and Oksana Trifonova What would you do for 234,178 likes? Would you trash your kitchen “trying to kill a bug”? Or how about for 501,769 likes? Would you run around the mall singing “I believe I can fly” while hitting strangers with swim noodles on your arms? Believe it or not, people do all of the above and more through a social media app, Vine. read more » New face-to-face dance policy stirs controversy September 8, 2013 — by Ingrid Hong and Oksana Trifonova This year, the administration enacted a new “face-to-face” dance policy, resulting in an increase in freshman attendance but also a decrease in upperclassman attendance. read more » German exchange student adjusts to changes September 5, 2013 — by David Sparkman and Oksana Trifonova It's the beginning of the school year and new faces and names are everywhere. It's especially intimidating if you're the new kid. Now imagine the first day of school in another country, where even the language is unfamiliar, let alone the campus and the students. read more »
Holidays in Russia contrast with western celebrations December 17, 2013 — by Oksana Trifonova Most of us wouldn't recognize Christmas in Russia. read more » District hopes breaks offer enough relief to arduous October November 19, 2013 — by Helen Chen, Gwynevere Hunger and Oksana Trifonova For many students, the first few months of school can be rough, especially for seniors: Getting past the Nov. 1 early deadline for college applications can be the hardest part of the year. read more » STAR testing to be replaced by Common Core-compatible testing system October 15, 2013 — by Jade Bisht and Oksana Trifonova Standardized tests that students have taken for years are about to change next spring: California Standardized Testing and Reporting (STAR) tests and the API scores that accompany it are being eliminated in favor of a new system based on Common Core Standards. read more » Russian anti-gay laws distorted by U.S. media October 8, 2013 — by Oksana Trifonova The 2014 Winter Olympics planned to be held in Sochi, Russia, has been the object of public criticism and protests for months. Some athletes and activists have even spoken of boycotting the Olympics. The reason: Russia’s supposed anti-gay laws. read more » The Vine vortex: social media app gains popularity September 10, 2013 — by Gwynevere Hunger and Oksana Trifonova What would you do for 234,178 likes? Would you trash your kitchen “trying to kill a bug”? Or how about for 501,769 likes? Would you run around the mall singing “I believe I can fly” while hitting strangers with swim noodles on your arms? Believe it or not, people do all of the above and more through a social media app, Vine. read more » New face-to-face dance policy stirs controversy September 8, 2013 — by Ingrid Hong and Oksana Trifonova This year, the administration enacted a new “face-to-face” dance policy, resulting in an increase in freshman attendance but also a decrease in upperclassman attendance. read more » German exchange student adjusts to changes September 5, 2013 — by David Sparkman and Oksana Trifonova It's the beginning of the school year and new faces and names are everywhere. It's especially intimidating if you're the new kid. Now imagine the first day of school in another country, where even the language is unfamiliar, let alone the campus and the students. read more »
District hopes breaks offer enough relief to arduous October November 19, 2013 — by Helen Chen, Gwynevere Hunger and Oksana Trifonova For many students, the first few months of school can be rough, especially for seniors: Getting past the Nov. 1 early deadline for college applications can be the hardest part of the year. read more » STAR testing to be replaced by Common Core-compatible testing system October 15, 2013 — by Jade Bisht and Oksana Trifonova Standardized tests that students have taken for years are about to change next spring: California Standardized Testing and Reporting (STAR) tests and the API scores that accompany it are being eliminated in favor of a new system based on Common Core Standards. read more » Russian anti-gay laws distorted by U.S. media October 8, 2013 — by Oksana Trifonova The 2014 Winter Olympics planned to be held in Sochi, Russia, has been the object of public criticism and protests for months. Some athletes and activists have even spoken of boycotting the Olympics. The reason: Russia’s supposed anti-gay laws. read more » The Vine vortex: social media app gains popularity September 10, 2013 — by Gwynevere Hunger and Oksana Trifonova What would you do for 234,178 likes? Would you trash your kitchen “trying to kill a bug”? Or how about for 501,769 likes? Would you run around the mall singing “I believe I can fly” while hitting strangers with swim noodles on your arms? Believe it or not, people do all of the above and more through a social media app, Vine. read more » New face-to-face dance policy stirs controversy September 8, 2013 — by Ingrid Hong and Oksana Trifonova This year, the administration enacted a new “face-to-face” dance policy, resulting in an increase in freshman attendance but also a decrease in upperclassman attendance. read more » German exchange student adjusts to changes September 5, 2013 — by David Sparkman and Oksana Trifonova It's the beginning of the school year and new faces and names are everywhere. It's especially intimidating if you're the new kid. Now imagine the first day of school in another country, where even the language is unfamiliar, let alone the campus and the students. read more »
STAR testing to be replaced by Common Core-compatible testing system October 15, 2013 — by Jade Bisht and Oksana Trifonova Standardized tests that students have taken for years are about to change next spring: California Standardized Testing and Reporting (STAR) tests and the API scores that accompany it are being eliminated in favor of a new system based on Common Core Standards. read more » Russian anti-gay laws distorted by U.S. media October 8, 2013 — by Oksana Trifonova The 2014 Winter Olympics planned to be held in Sochi, Russia, has been the object of public criticism and protests for months. Some athletes and activists have even spoken of boycotting the Olympics. The reason: Russia’s supposed anti-gay laws. read more » The Vine vortex: social media app gains popularity September 10, 2013 — by Gwynevere Hunger and Oksana Trifonova What would you do for 234,178 likes? Would you trash your kitchen “trying to kill a bug”? Or how about for 501,769 likes? Would you run around the mall singing “I believe I can fly” while hitting strangers with swim noodles on your arms? Believe it or not, people do all of the above and more through a social media app, Vine. read more » New face-to-face dance policy stirs controversy September 8, 2013 — by Ingrid Hong and Oksana Trifonova This year, the administration enacted a new “face-to-face” dance policy, resulting in an increase in freshman attendance but also a decrease in upperclassman attendance. read more » German exchange student adjusts to changes September 5, 2013 — by David Sparkman and Oksana Trifonova It's the beginning of the school year and new faces and names are everywhere. It's especially intimidating if you're the new kid. Now imagine the first day of school in another country, where even the language is unfamiliar, let alone the campus and the students. read more »
Russian anti-gay laws distorted by U.S. media October 8, 2013 — by Oksana Trifonova The 2014 Winter Olympics planned to be held in Sochi, Russia, has been the object of public criticism and protests for months. Some athletes and activists have even spoken of boycotting the Olympics. The reason: Russia’s supposed anti-gay laws. read more » The Vine vortex: social media app gains popularity September 10, 2013 — by Gwynevere Hunger and Oksana Trifonova What would you do for 234,178 likes? Would you trash your kitchen “trying to kill a bug”? Or how about for 501,769 likes? Would you run around the mall singing “I believe I can fly” while hitting strangers with swim noodles on your arms? Believe it or not, people do all of the above and more through a social media app, Vine. read more » New face-to-face dance policy stirs controversy September 8, 2013 — by Ingrid Hong and Oksana Trifonova This year, the administration enacted a new “face-to-face” dance policy, resulting in an increase in freshman attendance but also a decrease in upperclassman attendance. read more » German exchange student adjusts to changes September 5, 2013 — by David Sparkman and Oksana Trifonova It's the beginning of the school year and new faces and names are everywhere. It's especially intimidating if you're the new kid. Now imagine the first day of school in another country, where even the language is unfamiliar, let alone the campus and the students. read more »
The Vine vortex: social media app gains popularity September 10, 2013 — by Gwynevere Hunger and Oksana Trifonova What would you do for 234,178 likes? Would you trash your kitchen “trying to kill a bug”? Or how about for 501,769 likes? Would you run around the mall singing “I believe I can fly” while hitting strangers with swim noodles on your arms? Believe it or not, people do all of the above and more through a social media app, Vine. read more » New face-to-face dance policy stirs controversy September 8, 2013 — by Ingrid Hong and Oksana Trifonova This year, the administration enacted a new “face-to-face” dance policy, resulting in an increase in freshman attendance but also a decrease in upperclassman attendance. read more » German exchange student adjusts to changes September 5, 2013 — by David Sparkman and Oksana Trifonova It's the beginning of the school year and new faces and names are everywhere. It's especially intimidating if you're the new kid. Now imagine the first day of school in another country, where even the language is unfamiliar, let alone the campus and the students. read more »
New face-to-face dance policy stirs controversy September 8, 2013 — by Ingrid Hong and Oksana Trifonova This year, the administration enacted a new “face-to-face” dance policy, resulting in an increase in freshman attendance but also a decrease in upperclassman attendance. read more » German exchange student adjusts to changes September 5, 2013 — by David Sparkman and Oksana Trifonova It's the beginning of the school year and new faces and names are everywhere. It's especially intimidating if you're the new kid. Now imagine the first day of school in another country, where even the language is unfamiliar, let alone the campus and the students. read more »
German exchange student adjusts to changes September 5, 2013 — by David Sparkman and Oksana Trifonova It's the beginning of the school year and new faces and names are everywhere. It's especially intimidating if you're the new kid. Now imagine the first day of school in another country, where even the language is unfamiliar, let alone the campus and the students. read more »