Vibha Seshadri

Senior Uday Singh, just a third grader at the time, was fixated on the saxophone his older sister had brought home. All he could think after seeing the instrument was that he really wanted to play that loud, golden thing.  

Seniors look back on friendship.

When Julia Vita began playing lacrosse four years ago, she did so because she didn’t have a spring sport and wanted to stay active. After being placed on the varsity team as a starter, she discovered her love for the sport and her fellow teammates. 

Throughout February and March, speech and debaters have worked tirelessly to gain coveted spots to state and national tournaments. When the string of consecutive tournaments came to an end, four won the chance to compete at the state tournaments. 

Remember when you began walking as a child? Your parents and relatives would test your endurance by giving you an endpoint to reach, and just when you thought you had made it, they would move further back, making you walk more. In this case, they were making you do more because you needed to  learn how to walk. 

This year, the spring musical, which takes place on April 23, 24, 29 and 30, has had its rehearsal schedules overlap with three student productions; as a result, scheduling has been difficult for both the cast and the crew.  

Junior Vincent Man finds passion and character in volunteering.

The senior project for the Media Arts Program (MAP) is an open-ended, year-long project where students apply what they have learned in the past three years of MAP.

As people grow busier, more and more applications have been created to help people follow a workout routine. One such app, RUNkeeper, allows users to create running schedules that work around their existing commitments and keeps track of their workouts and provides audio cues during the workout.  

Seniors describe a memorable expierence during their elementary school years

Ludwig did an amazing job with the cast and ensured that each stage direction and movement of the actors created an atmosphere of intimacy and relevance with the audience.

The school’s speech and debate team is starting 2016 with a flurry of tournaments. The team competed in five tournaments in January. The most recent were the California Forensics League tournaments held at Milpitas High School on Jan. 23-24, and the National Catholic Forensics Qualifier tournament held on Jan. 23. 

This year, the audience will be gasping for air as they laugh uncontrollably during the spring musical, “Guys and Dolls.” The show premieres on April 22 at 7:30 p.m. and also runs on April 23, 24, 29 and 30.  

Since kindergarten, most of us have been taught that this type exclusion is also a kind of bullying, that we should talk to those who sit alone and allow those who want to play with us to do so.

The pop music in Sinos in Santana Row permeated the air of the restaurant. All junior Christine Wang could think about were the honey roasted walnut prawns in front of her. She desperately tried to convince herself that she could just begin vegetarianism the next day. She knew the meat in the dish was just too tasty. As the excuses to eat the oh-so-tasty prawns swirled in her head, she fervently ignored them. She told herself that she was a vegetarian, even in this moment of temptation.

Speech and Debate season kicks off with the National Parliamentary Debate Invitational (NPDI) held at the University of California, Berkeley, which took place on Nov. 14-15.  

If you’re looking for some wit, humor and romance to keep you entertained on a Saturday night, watch “Pride and Prejudice” at 7:30 p.m. in the McAfee Center.  

Alumnus Samuel Junqua continues passion for soccer at UC Berkeley.

Junior Daniel Koh finds niche in Saratga robotics team after moving from Monta Vista.

Formed in 2014, the school’s selective traveling Bollywood dance team, Toga Tamasha, has started its performance season.  

Going into the tournament, members of the debate team thought they had a chance of winning the competition. Its main competitors are Leland and Bellarmine High School, two of the strongest debate teams in the area.  

Even though they have only 11 players, the field hockey team has been thriving this year in the De Anza league with a record of 4-1 as of Oct. 9.

The upcoming drama production brings together the drama department and has led to new experiences and revelation for them all.

To help Syrian children in need of humanitarian aid, sophomore Shania Jafri held a fundraiser on Sept. 23 selling root beer floats at the school to help Syrian refugees.

Seniors prep homecoming decorations with the mindset to surpass all.

In order to create a vibrant club atmosphere, the ASB now wisely requires clubs to have at least 12 members present at every meeting. Clubs that fail to do so on three separate occasions will be cut. These new rules will better club culture and provide students with niches where they can share their passions with others.  

Drama director Sarah Thermond assigns roles for "Pride and Prejudice".

The upcoming season for the field hockey team includes several challenges. As of now, there are only five team members on JV field hockey, which is not enough to qualify as a team by itself. Varsity, on the other hand, appears to be entering the season strong.

This past summer, Adithya and Akhilesh conducted six robotics workshops in Bangalore at four charity schools and a hostel for children whose parents are serving life sentences in prison. Students ranged from fifth-graders to 11th-graders.

The upcoming season for the field hockey team includes several challenges. Since only five new players have joined the team and seven have graduated, the girls currently have a shortage of players. As of now, there are only five team members on JV field hockey, which is not enough to qualify as a team by itself.    

A passion for soccer that began when senior Lauren Plesse was 4 years old recently resulted in an athletic scholarship in the sport to UC San Diego.

2015 graduates Anjali Manghnani, Deepti Kannan and Sudeep Raj traveled to Dallas from June 14-19 and lived the dream of every serious speech and debater: competing in the national tournament. Now, the new competitors are preparing for this year's competitions. 

Over the summer, six varsity field hockey players — juniors Tina Miller, Hannah Leonard, Maxine Parr and Rachel Davey, and seniors Erin Norris and Sabrina Clark — attended field hockey college recruitment camps in Connecticut and Massachusetts.

The annual senior class sponsored show, “Toga’s Got Talent”went well and garnered an audience of about 100 people to support all the acts.

This summer, junior Ingrid Pan will be exploring Yale through a program called Yale Young Global Scholars (YYGS) in its Politics, Law and Economics (PLE) division.  

Next year, SHSTV and the Falcon will combine in third period, creating a class where journalists can participate in both broadcast and print journalism. 

Kevin Heyman, the school librarian, teaches students how to research with databases and anthologies. He ensures that students do not wrongly Google every piece of evidence in their papers. 

Sophomore Gaya Chatterjee, then a freshman, settled into her seat in the McAfee Center, ready to see “Les Miserables.” Chatterjee watched intently as one of the characters, Fantine, sang her solo “I Dreamed a Dream.”

With Smarter Balanced tests over for juniors, College Board Advanced Placement (AP) examinations will be taking place from May 4-13 in the Small Gym, dance studio, library and the library’s research center. 

Projects and textbooks fill up the room of Class of 2013 alumna Sanjna Verma, now a sophomore at New York University (NYU) studying economics and computer science with an emphasis in math. Despite her heavy workload, though, she still goes to various club meetings, socializes with friends and hunts down new opportunities, a schedule she has been able to manage since high school.

All-nighters corrode a student’s health; they cause students’ bodies to ache with fatigue and their minds to grow dull during school hours, since neither have been given the opportunity to rest. According to U.S. News Health, pulling all-nighters also causes people’s memory to worsen since it prevents the brain from repairing itself. In fact, getting a few hours of sleep is a better use of time than half-hearted cramming in the early hours of the morning.

On Feb. 12, Buzzfeed uploaded a video called “Things Everyone Does but Doesn’t Talk About,” in which President Barack Obama demonstrated his personal quirks, such as mispronunciation and taking selfies with a selfie stick, while indirectly promoting ObamaCare at the same time. The 2-minute clip directly demonstrates day-to-day struggles in a quintessential way that captures the essence of citizen life, and serves as a great way for the president to connect with the people, especially youth.

Adults, children and students alike congregated at the SHS track to run/walk and raise money for the Smile Train on March 28 from 8 a.m. to 11 a.m.

Oxford University Out of the Blue (OOTB), an all-male A Cappella team at Oxford, will be performing in the McAfee on April. 3 at 7 p.m. and conducting a workshop earlier at 5 p.m. Students who partake in the workshop will get the chance to perform in a joint number with the prestigious A Cappella group.

Every morning, the parking lot is filled with an assortment of car brands, ranging from Toyota Civics to Ford Mustangs. What most people don’t realize is that some students use these cars — and other ones they never drive — for recreational racing, an expensive but thrilling hobby that many find addicting.

The tech crew of nine has begun its preparations approximately one month before the musical, creating and painting sets and blocking the lighting. Usually, they work on Tuesdays and Thursdays throughout seventh period until 6:30. During the weeks closer to the show, however, tech calls can go as late as 10 or 11 p.m. every day until the show date.

The last student production of the year, “Cyrano de Bergerac,” took place Feb. 6-8.

The drama department will be showcasing the musical “The Mystery of Edwin Drood” on April 24, 25 and 26 as well as May 1 and 2. Unlike most shows, the audience will get to choose the ending.

Senior Shayan Moraveji participated in the ITF-USA Taekwondo Nationals tournament in 2013, earning a spot on the U.S. Taekwondo team, awarded to the top three of the 150 competitors at the tournament

The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), among other things, allows admitted college students to request a review of their application records.

In Saratoga, most students are chauffeured to school by parents until sophomore year and receive cars when they obtain their licenses. Because we are rarely forced to travel by any mode of public transportation on a daily basis, many of us disregard the idea even when travelling longer distances.

Class of 2014 alumnus Bobby Vithanage has taken a gap year to start a Media Arts Program at St. Thomas College (STC) in Colombo, Sri Lanka inspired by the one at SHS.

With the 87th Academy Awards airing on Feb. 22, the Falcon staff voted for winners among the nominees of a few main categories.

Rowing, though a sport low-profile around campus, plays a crucial role in a several students’ lives. Its most attractive qualities, according to these students, are its meditative effect and rewarding benefits, such as the proud feeling of pushing their physical and mental limits.

Custodian John Sequeira has lived through pain but also had beautiful memories from his time in America and at SHS.

Today, many Saratoga students are faced with the task of excelling in everything they take on under their own self-inflicted pressure and the pressure of others. The question is whether this level of stress is necessary.

Junior Jennifer Chen created her Youtube channel “This is the BAY”  as a means of experiencing and showcasing the Bay Area’s diverse population and features. One of Chen’s other goals is to break stereotypes associated with the West Coast through her videos, which she hopes to release once a month.

The girls' basketball team's bonding events build the players’ relationships with each other and are important on the court.  

The drama department will be hosting its latest student production, Tennessee Williams's “A Streetcar Named Desire,” directed by senior Bridgette Olson in the Thermond Drama Center the weekend before Thanksgiving break.

Students discuss different aspects of being Jewish.

For the first time, the MAP 12 Economics class completed a mock “Shark Tank” project during its business and labor unit. In the simulation, groups of students created their own business proposals and presented them to actual venture capitalists (VCs) from companies such as LinkedIn, Facebook, Intel and Network Appliances. The session took place Oct. 3.

Students discuss being an "only child" at home after their older siblings leave for college.

In recent years, a number of Saratoga High School students have transferred to Los Gatos High School. The administration has refused requests to disclose the number of transfers, but based on the information the Falcon has gathered, around a dozen students switched to Los Gatos this school year.

Saratoga Strings has been selected to perform as part of a prestigious conference at McCormick Place in Chicago during the week of Dec. 15, which also happens to be finals week first semester..

2011 alumnus David Mandell, now a senior and theater arts major at University of Southern California, is producing a 15-minute film titled “Laugh Along the Way.” The film centers around three characters: John, Sam and Chris, who each deal with his own set of adversities, much like Mandell, who also dealt with struggles during high school.

Alumnus David Mandell is raising funds for his film through Indiegogo and so far has only reached 56% of the total amount he needs. 

The softball team is currently tied for second in the De Anza league, with a league record of 5-2 and an overall record of 12-8. With CCS starting on on May 21, the team has begun preparations, working specifically on its defense.

Students and teachers alike filed into the McAfee Center, eagerly anticipating the long-awaited “Les Misérables” opening performance on April 25.  On May 3, the cast performed for the last time.  All five performances resulted in enthusiastic applause, and some even received standing ovations.

On April 19, 280 students, more than there have been in previous years, boarded five full coach buses at 6 p.m. and headed to the Bay Club in Santa Clara.

During a recent lunchtime, we walked around the school and took notes on the friendship groups. Our goal: to discover the divisions among students that are formed either intentionally or unintentionally.

There’s only one space left on the board. Please be a four, please be a four, I think to myself. It’s a two. Game over.

While Beyonce sells out Madison Square Garden and Katy Perry surfs the crowd at SAP Center, Saratoga’s own Esha Krishnamoorthy sings for crowds at local venues. Before she steps into the spotlight, like these world-famous stars, Krishnamoorthy shakes off her nerves and takes the stage with a bright smile.

In previous years, students in their junior year of the Media Arts Program (MAP) took the obligatory classes, English and History, as well as an elective of their choice: either Animation, Multi-Media Journalism or Film Making.  Starting next year, however, juniors will no longer have the option of choosing one of the three possible electives. The incoming MAP juniors will take a new elective that combines all three of the previous elective choices into one class. If any students wish to take SHSTV, it will be an extra elective.

After last year’s record of 24-5, the school’s close-knit softball team, led by coach Joe Medeiros and assistant coach Fred Santos, is looking forward to build on last year’s success. This year, the team has moved up from the El Camino league to the De Anza league.  

Senior Jason Li stood on stage in front of a small group of investors. With bright lights shining and cameras running, Li looked at the four "sharks" in front of him and delivered a confident, 2-minute pitch to potential investors.  

On the campus of Central Michigan University in the town of Mt. Pleasant, administrators have installed security cameras in hopes of catching thieves. Sadly, as recounted by senior Meghan Rhoa in the publication CM Life, the cameras failed to capture any images showing who stole her friend's bike. This is just one small example of the downsides of security cameras on campuses.

When the show “‘How I Met Your Mother” announced that this season would be its last, we were a little sad. Every Monday night for the past nine years, there would always be one more episode about Ted, Barney and the whole gang, and 30 more minutes of laughter.  Yet, we were still excited and anticipated the last hurrah of our favorite show. 

Junior Anish Ramanadham blinked his eyes and yawned as he neared the end of the short horror story he has promised to write for a friend’s birthday. He had spent the majority of the week writing it for her and couldn’t help but smile as he finished his masterpiece.  After finally finishing it, he looked at a clock, which read well past midnight. Unfortunately, Ramanadham still had to start a history project that was due the next day. 

Senior Zofia Trujillo goes through the lyrics of “I Dreamed a Dream,” marking off her staging to refresh her mind of the last  rehearsal. Trujillo and around 60 castmates are investing numerous hours to this year’s spring musical, “Les Miserables.” Among the challenges of “Les Mis” is that it is narrated with only music and no dialogue. “Les Mis” showcases a serious plot, which presents challenges and learning opportunities for the actors and director and drama teacher Sarah Thermond.

Many students here work day and night for stellar grades, outstanding test scores and excellence in extracurriculars, in the meantime, other students who may not work as hard be as naturally gifted have something else in their corner: legacy.

"God of Carnage", "Up" and "Les Miserables" are the drama departments latest productions.    

Erin Norris jumped out of bed and ran down the stairs, her bright blonde hair bobbing up and down behind her. As she rounded the last step, a smile as bright as the sun spread across her face. Under the Christmas tree sat an enormous present with her and her three sister’s names. 

Breathe in, breathe out. Do it again. Sophomore Talia Clement’s morning was a blur of excitement, nervousness and fear. As she took deep breaths, she remembered the countless hours, days and months that were spent to make this day perfect. Today, she was finally going to embark on the path to adulthood. Breathe in. Breathe out. 

Here’s how a typical night for sophomore Shrey Desai goes: He does his homework (well, most of it anyway) and then turns on the TV. Then,of course, the ever pressing dilemma of a high school student becomes apparent. There’s nothing good to watch on TV. So instead of whining and cribbing, Desai turns to YouTube and watches a show called “Video Game High School,” which only airs on the Internet. 

Alumnus Amin Mirzadegan is now a freshman at Yale University, one of the most prestigious schools anywhere. It also comes with an annual price tag of $44,000 per year. It’s money his parents are paying gladly, but Mirzadegan admits his decision to go to Yale was an agonizing one for a main reason: The University of Southern California had offered him a substantial scholarship.

Last fall, members of the drama department tackled serious roles for their production of Arthur Miller’s play “The Crucible.” This weekend, though, the drama department will take on a play of a very different tone: William Shakespeare’s comedy “Much Ado About Nothing.”

Junior Rohith Krishna is frustrated. Not because he didn’t get his desired SAT score or didn’t ace his last Calculus test, but because he will have to miss out on the annual Bombay in the Bay show this year. The reason? He’ll be competing at a speech and debate tournament at Berkeley in mid February.     

Bright and early on a Sunday morning, we woke up with the excitement of overloading on sugar at Cafe LaTTea, which is located on Stevens Creek boulevard near Yogurtland. For the past couple months, social media sites such as Instagram and Facebook have been filled with pictures of the cafe’s mouth-watering desserts. 

Annelise Nussbacher became interested in the school’s drama program than four years ago, when she was just an anxious, wide-eyed freshman trying to find her place among her fellow Falcons. Today, theater is her passion and her “first love.”

Last fall, members of the drama department tackled serious roles for their production of Arthur Miller’s play “The Crucible.” On Oct. 19, though, the drama department will take on a play of a very different tone: William Shakespeare’s comedy “Much Ado About Nothing.”  

Math teacher Rafael Alapont started teaching by mistake. That mistake, which may be better described as luck, has led to 14 years of success and enrichment in his life as a teacher and a person. Alapont used to be the director of the aquatic facility at Lake Brentley High School, located in Altamonte Springs, Fla., where he secured his first teaching job in 1999.

At the beginning of summer, seniors and co-directors Manini Desai and Jason Tatman held auditions for the early fall student production of “The Importance of Being Earnest” by Oscar Wilde.