Vivien Lu

With the noisy tap shoes, I begin to produce an entirely new sound. Stomp, hop, shuffle, step, flap, step, stomp and repeat—one of the simplest routines for any tap dancer. It took me an hour to memorize this routine in the correct order and still I looked like an off-balance leprechaun, ungracefully clomping my large feet all over the place.

With the school year quickly coming to an end, restless students are excited to jump out of their seats as both MAP and drama are venturing to Southern California on class field trips. Drama plays with other schools

People usually do not change unless an event is significant enough to have a real impact on their daily lifestyle. Eventually, as students journey through life, they will receive some sort of wake-up call that will change and shape their habits for their entire lives. People tend to miss the obvious; the conundrum here is how in-your-face the epiphany has to be before they actually see it.

Science teacher Kelly Nicholson lacked interest and passion in other sports while she was in high school, but she had a knack for running and has stuck with it for 32 years.

In the small training room near the pool, athletic trainer Liz Gilmore Alves tends to numerous athletes a day, caring for immediate injuries and placating and speeding recovery for long-term injuries.

As the child of working parents, I find myself constantly scavenging for leftovers in the refrigerator or cooking a narrow variety of food for myself, ranging from toast to french toast. After what became too routine, I recently found salvation in a completely different and more fortunate alternative.

Passing time has gone far beyond watching paint dry or watching grass grow. “Planking” has turned into a pop cultural phenomenon.

On a given Tuesday night, senior Parthiv Mohan has piles of work to complete that his intensive classes demand. Instead of working on an AP Physics laboratory or reading dense philosophical text for AP Lang, however, he’s more likely to be found at his music teacher’s studio, practicing Carnatic music.

Freshman Nikhil Chakravarthy expected to encounter a new set of rules and an expanded workload in high school. He did not, however, foresee the packed classes and cramped halls.

New school psychologist Michael Slone joined the administrative team at the start of this school year after former school psychologist Mark Atkinson accepted a position as the director of special education at the district office.

For freshman Audrie Pott, the best feeling in the world is scoring a goal for her soccer team. Soccer has been Pott’s favorite sport for as long as she could remember; she started playing when she was only 2. “Soccer has always been my No. 1 sport,” Pott said. “I plan to play throughout high school too, and see where that takes me.” Pott enjoys every aspect of being part of a team and is looking forward to joining the school’s girls’ soccer team.

New school psychologist Michael Slone joined the administrative team at the start of this school year after former school psychologist Mark Atkinson accepted a position as the director of special education at the district office. Slone was encouraged by Atkinson to apply for the position and is excited to come to Saratoga High. “He bragged about this school and the students,” Slone said. “All of the positive information he gave me about the students, the staff and the administration was one of the reasons that convinced me to come here.”

Only July 15, Disney brought back another favorite cartoon from our childhoods this past summer. We return to the Hundred Acre Woods with “Winnie the Pooh.” The charming adventures of the silly old bear and his animal friends reintegrates the whimsical simplicity that many newer movies and cartoons more frequently lack.

The Saratoga Sports Hall of Fame, started in 2007, is such a new tradition that the plaque for it has not yet been created, but the honor still holds its prestige.

The Falcons lost 16 games this year, but many players felt good that they were able to win two of the final four games in exciting fashion.

The Falcons lost 16 games this year, but many players felt good that they were able to win two of the final four games in exciting fashion.

It is 4 a.m. on a Wednesday morning. I am in bed and under the covers in my fish-decorated pajamas, but for some reason, I am not asleep. Instead, I lie in the serene darkness with every desire to be asleep, but unfortunately, this attempt appears to be useless, as usual. Most juniors would have fallen asleep from exhaustion by now, but this is a typical night for me because I have always had a sleeping problem.

Although the turnout for the April 2 Sadie Hawkins dance was low, the estimated 150 students who went were able to make the most of it. “I think there weren’t a lot of people because the dance happened right after Decades Dance and right before junior prom,” junior Kylie Tseng said.

Reviving the rivalry between the Spanish club and French club, both clubs battled it out on the soccer field in an annual match on April 8 on the upper field. The Spanish club won in this intense match during lunch with a score of 3-1.

Although the season has been less than stellar for the softball team, with a record of 1-14 as of late April, the real gain is the experience for the players. One example of this is junior center fielder Abigail Williams, who transferred to Saratoga during her sophomore year.

Although the season has been less than stellar for the softball team, with a record of 1-14 as of late April, the real gain is the experience for the players. One example of this is junior center fielder Abigail Williams, who transferred to Saratoga during her sophomore year.

Within just a few years of learning how to walk, freshman Tivoli Sisco was already throwing a softball around the yard.

The Large Gym will be transformed to seem like a 1950’s prom later this month in an effort to raise money for the music department.

It seems the softball team will have to rely on its younger players after losing their star seniors to graduation, said assistant coach Dave Gragnola, referring to players such as last year’s MVP Nicole Gragnola.

Last October senior Brian Vo was ready to try a buzz cut hairstyle for the first time, and he knew where to go. His friend, fellow senior Jesse Yung, had started cutting people’s hair a month earlier and was getting better. Vo put his head in his Yung’s hands.

Almost like a holiday tradition, hotels in San Francisco hire the school’s choirs to come and spread the Christmas spirit.  This year, the group consisted of about 100 students, who spent Dec. 16 and 17 entertaining guests. 

Almost like a holiday tradition, hotels in San Francisco hire the school’s choirs to come and spread the Christmas spirit.

As maintenance workers opened the campus on Monday, Nov. 22, they found areas in and around the quad covered in graffiti.

Inspiration comes in many places for musicians. For the new members of the school’s orchestra, inspiration recently came with a collaboration with the joint performance with the Lynbrook High School Chamber Orchestra, which took place in the McAfee Center on Oct. 29.

The scent of frosting and cakes flow permeate the bakeries and the heat from the freshly made desserts warm the surroundings. Both in Los Gatos downtown, Nothing Bundt Cakes and Icing On the Cake are widely known for their edible delicacies. However, each bakery has its own idiosyncrasies that draw customers back again.

The Beatles have played there. Tchaikovsky has played there, and now the SHS Symphonic Wind Ensemble and String Orchestra will have the honor to perform at the famous Carnegie Hall in New York City on March 8. The orchestra was invited to be a feature evening performance of a festival from World Project, a domestic and international touring company that has been in contact with SHS before because they have taken the orchestra on the Europe Tour in 2009 and also the Austrailia Tour in 2003. The company was aware of the SHS orchestra's stellar reputation.

Marching Band The theme for this year's field show is "Thought Crime," and it will be under the leadership of senior drum majors Chris Chung, David Mandell and Jason Shiuan. "The theme is very different because it's pretty percussive," music director Michael Boitz said. "The music is more angry and futuristic than lyrically stylistic, how it generally is."

Who knew five years ago that people would make household names for themselves from right in their bedroom, but with YouTube, hundreds of people have found this success as the website celebrates its fifth anniversary. Two of many people who use this method to broadcast themselves online are Kevin Wu (known online as KevJumba), a sophomore at UC Davis, and Ryan Higa (or Nigahiga), 19, who attends the University of Nevada in Las Vegas. Both of them upload videos as often as they can in order to gain more subscribers, which further increases their popularity.

For the first time, senior prom was held at Dolce Hayes Mansion in San Jose, a luxurious 4 star mansion turned into a hotel. The memorable evening was held on May 15 with around 300 attendants to enjoy the food, dancing and friends. "The most enjoyable part about prom was being able to spend it with all of my friends," senior Andy Berman said. "I got to share lasting moments with them. Also, the location was so beautiful; everything was so fancy." The senior class made money from the event as the bid price ranged from $98 to $103.

Hoards of music enthusiasts lined up for an all-you-can-eat pancake buffet served by a team of breakfast chefs including principal Jeff Anderson and Saratoga mayor Chuck Page. Complemented by sausages, strawberries, milk and juice, the pancakes were outdone only by the music that filled the spring morning of May 2.

In addition to the usual twist of having girls ask boys, this year's Sadie Hawkins dance was also turned into a benefit to help those affected by the earthquake that struck Haiti earlier this year. Around $1,000 was raised in donations, and an estimated 400 students attended the Feb. 26 dance that took place in the Small Gym. Two dollars from the purchase of each student's ticket went to the cause. Glow sticks were also sold at the door for a dollar each for the Haiti relief effort.

Even pouring rain could not drown out the spirit of the winterguard at the WGI San Diego Power Regional at Rancho Bernardo High School on Feb. 27. This competition featured 42 guards from several states around the country, including Arizona and North Carolina. Out of those groups, the JV guard, placed second in the regional A division. Varsity guard placed ninth.

More than 250 singers from the Lynbrook and Saratoga High choirs joined together in harmony on Feb. 24 in the McAfee Center. The two choirs performed a few songs separately, then finished together with Franz Schubert's "Mass in G", accompanied by Lynbrook's Chamber Orchestra.

Last fall junior clarinetist Kyle Fukui auditioned for the Santa Clara County Band Directors Association (SCCBDA) County Honor Band, which is held once a year. He was one of 57 clarinetists undergoing this stressful challenge. In December, Fukui found out that he was among the 24 clarinetists who had the chance to join the 90-person group for its performance on Jan. 17 in the McAfee Center. The site of the concert changes among schools each year, and it was Saratoga's turn host the event.

Ever since the start of the new year, students who frequently visit the music building have noticed that certain items are missing. These items include a computer, several thousand dollar instruments, belonging to both the students and the school, and keys used to get in and out of the building. Saratoga High is known for its safe and friendly environment. Usually, discipline problems are not an issue here—certainly not compared to most other schools.

Audience members came away feeling the holiday spirit after attending the winter concerts by the orchestra and symphonic band on Dec. 9-10. The Dec. 9 concert featured the orchestra and wind ensemble, and the Dec. 10 concert featured jazz band and concert band. "I think the concert ran pretty smoothly and the audience really enjoyed the surprise skit," sophomore violist Carolynn Choi said. "I feel that the last concert from the previous year had more energy than the one this year, but I still had a lot fun and really felt the holiday spirit."

Powell's Sweet Shoppe in downtown Los Gatos is more than just a candy store. The fruity aroma of various sweets, colorful shelves and cheerful atmosphere all blend together to make the experience like going to Willy Wonka's factory.

The marching band placed sixth in the Western Band Association Class Championships in Clovis on Nov. 22. In total, there were around 90 schools from all over the state at the event, according to band director Duane Otani. Most schools in Division 5A consist of at least 2,000 students; however, Saratoga only has 1,350 students, making the Saratoga band the underdog in the division. Even so, this disadvantage did not affect the overall performance of the band.

For the first time, the marching band placed first in every category in the Western Band Association competition, including general effects and Color Guard. On Oct. 24, the band traveled two and a half hours to Clovis High School to compete against 27 other schools in Division 5A. Bands here consist of 160 students or more, though most schools in this division have at least 2,000 total students vs. Saratoga's 1,350. This made the Falcons an underdog against the bigger schools and made winning "all the better," according to music director Michael Boitz.

This year's junior quad day dance marked the debut of Brian Vo's no-longer-hidden talent: break dancing. All eyes were focused on him as he performed an elaborate windmill. "I was nervous before, but once I got out and finished my solo, I felt great to have represented my class," Vo said. Many people who have known Vo for a long time didn't realize he was a break dancer until after the quad dance.

On Oct. 31, the orchestra delivered a stunning 2-hour performance in an exchange concert with Lynbrook High School's chamber orchestra. Combined, the two were able to play a wide variety of challenging pieces effortlessly.

For junior Taara Rangan, a baby doll simulation in the child psychology and development class taught by Lauressa Ridge helped her appreciate her own parents. “It is a lot more challenging than I had expected....,” said Rangan. "[The fake baby] woke me up every hour at night. I had never been so tired before." During the first 10 weeks of the class, students learn about how children develop, from pre-natal information to caring for toddlers, to the different theorists and how to be proper care givers.