Wang

Drama teacher Benjamin Brotzman expresses excitement for Drama’s attendance in the Fringe Festival

By learning their heritage language, the history of their country and the traditional customs, first-generation students are connecting the split ends of their cultures.

It is time to dispel the harmful myth that tofu is merely a meat substitute.

The mathletes placed top 10 in all team categories from the highly competitive tournament. Online competitors also saw top results on the general and calculus tests.

Juniors from Notre Dame High School created a space encouraging the creative expression of Asian youth.

He looks forward to spending more time with his family and indulging in more of his hobbies such as golf.

With a few graduations and rising stars, the tennis team hopes for a successful season, going further than last year and past CCS semifinals.

Following her passion for animal science, senior Angela Luo gains hands-on experience while learning to become a vet.

Around 15 members work together to solve real life cases and puzzles during lunch meetings.

Junior Aiden Chen leads the team with his strong pitching.

Sarah Lim is ranked 167th in AJGA Rolex Rankings for women’s golf and received an offer on Jan. 31.

The footlong pretzel, cookie and churro combo proves to be underwhelming considering the hype.

Starting in seventh grade and continuing to junior year, I have found “Candy Crush” is the perfect balance of mindless fun and strategic swiping.

Career Compass motivates others to discover unique career paths through YouTube videos and Instagram reels.

Taught by Kristopher Orre, the class combines memorizing structures and applying their functions in real life scenarios.

Faith Stackhouse Daly looks back on her journey and experience of pursuing a career in education.

Knives out and boards about — who is the best charcuterie board-builder?

Biology teacher Lisa Cochrum expresses her gratitude for the current science building as it is much more convenient to use.

Fueled by his passion for guitars, Class of `14 alumnus Tyler Diamond decided to take a huge risk by starting a guitar business downtown.

Spanish 3 and 4 Honors teacher Stephany Marks works full time at school while co-owning a taco restaurant in Corte Madera.

Maddy Hubb and Vidhi Patel, seniors who are partners in competitive vaulting, highlight the competitions they have competed in during the past year, the mental aspect of vaulting and their plans for the future. 

Dylan Zuo developed his skills by watching YouTube tutorials and hands-on practice.

Out of over 2000 applicants, Regeneron Science Talent Search named 300 scholars, including seniors Esabella Fung, Zeyneb Kaya and Kyleen Liao.

While many preventative measures are taken for football, players say injuries like sprains and concussions are inevitable and need proper treatment.

The rising band faces difficulties coordinating around busy schedules, but its members look forward to their coming performances.

Upperclassmen and underclassmen go on long bike rides together, as far as 15 miles to Shoreline, Mountain View and Levi’s Stadium.

Fusion cooking is much harder in practice than in theory.

Starting off our Thanksgiving break with 3,000 calories worth of sushi, tempura and cantaloupes.

With approximately 35 members who attend each meeting, Spanish Club is one of the most popular clubs on campus.

 I analyze the fortunes I receive from my fortune cookies for a week.

 Meeting once a month with principal Greg Louie, students discuss campus events and activities and share ideas regarding how to improve the school. 

The school’s orchestra dedicates their class time and every other Wednesday to practicing for their performance at the highly acclaimed Midwest Clinic.

The creative, personal connections humans create in art, literature and music are unreplicable by the coded algorithms in AI.

On Nov. 24, Saratoga families crowded around the festively decorated Blaney Plaza to listen to Christmas caroling by the high school and elementary choirs and watch the city's annual tree lighting.

 Sophomore Thalea Charton alternates between a team sport and individual lessons outside of school.

After spending her childhood attending various Persian festivals, senior Sahar Noor started Persian dancing in middle school and plans on continuing it even after high school.

The newly approved club uses students’ creative passions to give back to the community.

Athletics director Rick Ellis said the transition from cash to GoFan since the start of the pandemic has made accounting and data processing much easier.

Flipped classrooms give teachers more time in class for fun and engaging activities.

Students and staff celebrate Halloween, decked out in creative costumes.

The Parent Education Panel and Wellness Center collaborate to support the social-emotional well-being of the community.

Scrolling through HBO Max, you may be overwhelmed by the 22 options for Studio Ghibli movies. Here’s a guide to breaking down the most iconic movies and what they’re known for.

Suzanne Herzman spent the ’22-’23 school year teaching English classes at Singapore American School.

The school introduced a Staff Spirit house program in hopes of creating unity within staff members while also inspiring students to enjoy school spirit.

Due to a heavy workload, junior Sarah Lim, one of the team's top players, modified her participation in team practices and games mid-season.

For the past decade, senior Hannah Shaw has stayed in touch with her culture by practicing Korean dance.  

Sophomore Arahan Balasubramanian details his ups and downs during his 10-day trip to Scotland.

Why do they have to flush so loudly?

Members write campaigns, such as a ban on the installation of artificial turf with PFAs, which they present to the city and school district.

Many elderly community members spend their afternoons playing ping pong at the local senior center.

Even with the loss of a star player and graduated senior, the team still stays optimistic for a successful season.

The California score cutoff was 1,480 this year.

As part of their English 11 Honors final project, seven students used themes from the novel to paint a long lasting mark on the school.

Students enjoyed the food truck fest, back to school social and an all-school barbeque.

From pouring rain to fierce winds, we’ve run it all.

The school board planned a project to renovate the track and Benny Pierce field.

The AI tool has made cheating on open-ended writing assignments more accessible, increasing the number of academic integrity violations.

Three students presented their projects on herbal medicines, a money reader and climate migration online on zFair.

Run by the University of Waterloo, the project works to provide companies with research about engaging the youth in leadership positions for social campaigns.

Swim instructor and competitive swim coach senior Rosie Kline finds joy in giving advice to her swimmers on how to improve their stroke techniques and endurance.

Held during tutorial and lunch, the meeting provided an opportunity for students to share their perspectives and opinions on how the school can be improved.

The school’s maintenance team works around to the clock to keep the school’s many facilities in top condition.  

 As an American-born Chinese, sophomore reminisces about the hectic activity of those visits.

Filled with comedy and memorable moments, this show saved us from boredom and shaped our childhood.

Our Life Editors forced us to have some semblance of a social life.

Many stances on affirmative action see it through a moral rather than practical lens, missing elite schools’ true motivations.

For the first time in school history, the school Science Bowl team qualified for the National Science Bowl competition in Washington, D.C.

Soundings staff hosts their first exhibition to fund for print magazine

Winter Guard’s close knit environment sprouts a sense of community.

Citing confidentiality reasons, the district discloses little information.

This is now Hell’s Kitchen 2.0.

The 1960s saw a school with few minorities. Three decades later, immigration had flipped key demographics.

With a love for aviation, senior Anand Agrawal has worked hard to attain his pilot's license.

Senior Lisa Fung was named as one of the top 300 in this year’s Regeneron Science Talent Search (STS).

From Ghosts to The Babysitters Club, Raina Telgemeier creates nostalgic and comforting coming of age books.

Climate change activists’ attempts to raise awareness through annoying and pointless tactics just generate negative press for otherwise legitimate efforts of climate advocacy.

A home movie marathon, combined with cheap eats and fluffy blankets, is the perfect way to start your weekend.

Sophomore reminisces about the adventures brought from her childhood favorite chapter book series.

Saratoga responds to the recent shooting that occurred in The Inn at Saratoga.

To adjust to playing in a higher division, the Falcons changed their formations to have a stronger defense.

The majority of the school attended the rally, which took place on Jan. 27 during tutorial and featured four speakers, all of whom told their stories following the theme of “Moving Past.”

Athletic trainer Caitlin Steiding pursued her interests in sports medicine after dealing with her own injuries in high school.

The Soundings staff, facing funding issues, looks to donations and fundraisers for a successful spring magazine.

Sophomore Sarah Lim creates detailed plans during long hours of practice to stay motivated and focused.  

Ukrainian conductor Yuriy Kerpatenko refused to lead a concert touting the Russian government’s propaganda of improved, peaceful life conditions in Kherson, Ukraine. Contradicting the message of the planned performance, he was later shot by Russian authorities. 

Flooded rivers and fallen debris caused power outages and forced many residents throughout the state to evacuate.

By participating in the Saratoga Library Lunar New Year activities, performers become more connected to their Asian heritage and culture. 

Sophomore utilizes her past nine years of experience with classical Indian dance to train for her Arangetram, a significant Indian classical solo dance.

Sophomore recalls decorating paper bags and gossiping with friends as an elementary school student.

Munieshi and Tseng teach subjects at two schools simultaneously, each with a slightly different experience.

Founded over the summer, Green Committee hopes to install new 3-way bins this year to create a more eco-friendly environment. 

Strict regulations regarding the removal of trees have inconvenienced many homeowners, yet they have made Saratoga a greener city and have contributed to its high property values.  

Long-standing tensions over women’s modesty in Iran erupted into protests after Mahsa Amini’s death in government custody.

After instating himself as CEO, Musk enacted several reforms meant to fix problems plaguing Twitter but ended up destabilizing the platform instead.

Never before has a single piece of software been home to such a treasure trove of unintuitive features.

Club president Simarya Ahuja uses her passion for singing to run Singing for Smiles Club.

Teachers were letting kids out of their classes after second period and not showing the broadcasts.

Senior Sohum Bhan and sophomore Naema Ogata spend their afternoons learning specific moves in wrestling and judo.

Varsity faced a tough season due to the need for JV players as substitutes.

Despite being short two runners due to COVID-19, the boys’ and girls’ cross country teams ended the season successfully.

The school is working with local law enforcement to investigate the incident and move the community forward. 

Touted as ways to demonstrate passion and ability, high school research opportunities are actually most valuable in clarifying careers.

After moving up to the De Anza League, the team expects a tough season to come.

The Wellness Center’s lead therapist uses her past experience with meditation and breathwork to help guide staff members through weekly relaxing meditation workshops. 

Vendors share their love for the farmers market and compare their products to store-bought products.

Hi! My name is Carolyn. Not Caroline. Not Carol. And most certainly not Catherine.

The Saratoga community gains a love for diverse cultural cuisines through family relations and memorable moments.

An annual sport competition during the summer celebrates Scottish and Celtic culture through heavy contests.

Chromebook carts allow efficient usage of class time by providing students access to computers at all times, prompting some students and teachers to miss chromebook carts.

After a disappointing start to the season, the boys won three of their last four games to end with a 5-10 record.

After a rigorous selection camp in August, senior Siddharth Kamannavar qualified for the training squad of the 24 best field hockey players aged 18 and under in the nation.

While local seniors are relatively less affected by inflation, many feel the blow of living on retirement savings during a time of rapid inflation.

Athletes run personal records, discuss setbacks in the month leading up to CCS.

Students give mixed feedback on the first two MOSAICs of the school year.

Players welcomed new members to the team after losing eight to graduation.

Every Thursday and Saturday, retired cross country coach Danny Moon runs with a group of 20 to 30 runners at West Valley.

The Class of 2025 worked together to produce creative skits and dances for their quad day.  

Representatives from 70 colleges have been planned to speak to students this year in the newly-setup College & Career Center.

Sophomore Annette Li and junior Isabella Wang explore music creation and oil painting in their free time.

The center on campus introduced new games, meditation pods and youth outreach worker groups to destigmatize mental health.

On Friday evenings, many students from nearby schools, including Saratoga High School, attend weekly rehearsals at the California Philharmonic Youth Orchestra.

Ian Tippetts describes his history with the sport, including competing in a full IronMan.

Although the pandemic is starting to die down, we still need to be careful in order to prevent the spread of the virus.

These accessible activities are great to enjoy with family and friends.

We’ll answer your question now: we left the violas unscathed. 

Although it’s difficult to fathom a teenager frequenting music like “Do You Want to Build a Snowman,” there’s no other style of music I would rather listen to.

Multiple staff and students contributed to the creation of the mosaic, which is displayed at the entrance of the wellness center.

While some plan in-person visits over spring break, others have taken advantage of Class of 2026 groups to talk to alumni for guidance

Although the level of comfort has increased and the return of normalcy is on the horizon, some still struggle to make ends meet  

The new ASB will be composed of juniors Mason Wang as president, Julian Berkowitz-Sklar as vice president, Anand Agrawal as treasurer, Avani Kongetira as clubs commissioner and sophomore Taylor Chu as secretary.

After a disappointing season, some current seniors have decided against joining the team.

Asking for help was one of my most important decisions

Despite mixed reviews, the film’s satire and blatant criticism successfully achieves its purpose of criticizing the government’s inadequate response toward climate change, and the power tech monopolies have over every aspect of our lives.

With its unorthodox composure, catchy dance beats and complex, personal meaning, "Dawn FM" is the height of The Weeknd’s musical potential.

Students helped advertise programs to middle school students and families

What appeared to be a health industry breakthrough fell apart due to Elizabeth Holmes’ deception.

Senior Green Team president Cici Xu noticed abnormalities when comparing the impurity levels of different fountains

Imagine how exciting it would be to transcribe Egyptian hieroglyphics, or tell time in Estonian

Volunteers help identify and remove French Bloom plants, which destroy native species and create a fire hazard.

The Falcons are hopeful for the upcoming season due to the addition of many strong underclassmen joining the team.

The girls’ cross country team’s Instagram page features reels, selfies and funny videos.

The current plan will block the view of the center’s historical manor, and require the cutting down of over 60 mature trees.

Many journalists are spread thin as alternative online sources, social media and fake news corporations overtake traditional print journalism, but these shifts are also opening new industries

Everywhere I turn, I see it lurking in the shadows

Saddled with a compatible head coach and team composed of majority returning players, the team is confident about this year’s season, harboring high hopes for CCS.

Due to my extremely old computer, I’m always the first one to die in the game.

It can promote the wrong kind of thinking and prevent people from challenging themselves

The Saratoga Youth Commission shifts to a hybrid mode of operation, hosting events targeted at the community’s younger citizens. 

Girls’ cross country coach reflects on his six-decade-long running career

Their controversial and unproven views have come at the cost of infections and threatened friendships.

Some find other methods of teaching and learning like evaluating primary sources to be more helpful

Due to time constraints, ASB forgoes traditional freshman class officer election process in favor of interviews.

To make up for last year’s six-week season lacking official meets, both teams are back to intense training routines

Bird feces and pull-up bars are serious problems.

Bringing awareness without providing specific ways to take action leaves issues the same as it was before.

Due to a drop to the lower league and hard work, the girls’ soccer team had a very successful season.  

Younger runners offer new potential despite a year of dormancy.  

How can classes fill in the gaps of a textbook that is meant to cover a thousand years of history in a few hundred pages?  

Speaking performance, specifically conversations, have suffered in the pandemic among SHS language learners.  

Life definitely became interesting when dreaded COVID-19 rumors spread across the school

Some have decided to postpone their SATs, while others have gone out-of-state or taken the ACT  

Students find a valuable and fulfilling experience in organizing and attending the event  

Asian Americans share their experiences with racism  

 My 7-year-old self’s recollection of the film changed completely when I came back to watch it as a teenager

Don’t try this at home, for the sake of your wallet and your dentist’s sanity  

Do not mess with the inhabitants of the Discord Pets Channel.

 Redwood Middle School implements various safety measures to ensure the safety of all students and staff.

Despite America's efforts to keep China out of the race in terms of military, economic, and political power, China is expanding rapidly. Kyle considers the question: is it even possible for China to shrink or collapse, as so many hoped it would, anymore?

After dropping divisions and having two major injuries last season, the team expects much better results

Digital swim meets -- they're awkward, cumbersome, and absolutely a product of the times. Nonetheless, the swim team presses forward into the upcoming modified season.

As the county’s cases drop, the school plans to switch into a hybrid model and have in-person classes in cohorts.

Saratoga’s Hakone Gardens faces decrease in revenue due to the pandemic.

Though different in style, all helped shape the direction of the school.

Reporters try making cotton candy using a traditional chinese hand-pulling technique.

They’re even useful for random things like recording cool punchlines and “anger” relief.

How a group of 7th graders caused slight panic among hotel staff on a cultural exchange trip by speaking gibberish in a foreign language.

Art Club pursues more ambitious projects with the help of new members.

If it’s going to end up in the landfill soon, don’t buy it.  

Without sports guidelines from the state of California until January of 2021, the school cannot redo the sports calendar to fit with Santa Clara county’s transition to purple tier.   

Volleyball coach Brendan Wang juggles COVID-19 restrictions, newly released sports schedules and two volleyball teams as the winter season nears.

The game involves social deduction, extensive use of logic and note-taking.

If you had a nickname like Wang-a-nacho-gangnam-poo style, you probably wouldn’t know whether to laugh or cry.

Alumni share advice from meeting the daughter of migrant workers to navigating 2020, juggling extracurriculars and combating college misconceptions

Music department leadership students raise money for teachers affected by the recent fires.

After months of quarantine-induced laziness, I tried playing Wii sports to get back into exercising.

 A low-key, isolated celebration comes with unexpected benefits.

Paper tests eliminate the glitches and ill-motivated incentives that are fostered during online assessments  

Students debate whether to wear a mask while running.

The school should create a Minecraft server where students can go to play minigames and compete for their class.  

English 10, 10 MAP and 11 Honors teacher Marcos Cortez looks forward to forming connections with his students.

Stanford graduate Allison Dermont kicks off her first Falcon year teaching Spanish 2 and 3

 

As the coronavirus has halted all traveling and campuses are closed, athletes are stressing over their recruitment plan

 After multiple incidents of vandalization of online class, the school has used different methods to make sure it doesn’t happen again.  

While most celebrities are social distancing and helping essential workers during this time, some have been setting a bad example.  

Although some fans are disappointed that Rihanna still hasn’t released her rumored album “R9,” her feature still brightens up my day during the quarantine.  

As school remains closed for the rest of the year, staff and students adapt to a virtual world

While the school considers possible ways to hold graduation, having a physical ceremony stands out among the rest.

As the reopening of school before summer break is no longer a possibility, the custodial crew will spend three weeks to disinfect the entire school.

Although older generations accuse our generation of being too attached to phones, this is only because of our upbringing, and there are in fact lots of positives that come with screen usage

As housing prices skyrocket and wages stagnate, many professionals, including teachers, are being priced out.

Department heads perform various tasks to fulfill the needs of their individual departments and coordinate with administrators during Leadership meetings.

Alumna Kathy Heinze represented the U.S. in Riga at U.S.S.R. international swim meet.

The impacts of the coronavirus on the school become more evident as policies change to fit the changing situation

Sophomore Kristina Meier details experiences modeling for runways and photoshoots.

After the team’s loss, they look forward to improving and doing better next year.

Freshman Elsa Blom joins the cross country team after doing it for one year in sixth grade, becoming one of the fastest girls on the team.

Two reporters try their hand at reading the stars.

Taylor Swift and Justin Bieber’s new documentaries on Netflix and YouTube increase transparency for problems that are little understood.

Teachers grapple with personal and school-related challenges … and balancing the intersection of both  

The girls are trying to close out their season strong, but injuries have plagued the team. They have already qualified for CCS after a strong preseason.  

The district is collecting feedback from stakeholders about possible plans for the new bell schedule next year. The new schedule is to be announced in May

After a record-breaking year where the team qualified for States and NorCals, the team hopes that the younger players can step in and fill the roles vacated by two graduating seniors.

“Los Tres Amigos” are extremely excited for ski week  

Despite lack of leadership, team works hard to play consistently.

2008 Soundings publishes work by jailed alumnus

Although the Bay Area is known for its top schools, California consistently receives low marks in national education rankings

She will attend a ceremony in Washington, D.C., recognizing winners across the U.S.

Wrestling coaches at Saratoga High don’t recommend aggressive weight loss because of the dangers involved

School competition sees increased participation 

Compared to previous years, the drama department tackles a modern production.

AP Physics uses anonymous Canvas system to grade labs

Counting down the best moments from each year of the decade

Dance team prepares for upcoming competition season and fundraising show

Stigma around debating current events poses more problems than it solves   

Team had more bonding activities to increase trust and unity between members.  

Annual fall play provided audiences with compelling social dynamics and complex characters.

Extreme fan groups pose a danger to artists through death threats and other obsessive behaviors.

Contests teach teams how to take risks and understand the stock market to make the most money and develop the best strategy.

Winter formal in January would lead to less stress for students and dance commission.

Student-run clubs and organizations disregard physical advertising in favor of spreading awareness on social media

Saratoga marching band and Color Guard selected and performed for nationally televised holiday parade

Class of 2018 alumna parlays interest of art and engineering into business and design.

Revisiting my favorite game from my childhood relives many memories, but game seems pointless.

To better prepare students for current political situations, the school should better reflect modern events when teaching geography.

Reporters quickly tired of show after one episode.

This says something about the story that is new and different from the headline.

Two amateur bakers try to make a dessert without any knowledge of how it’s actually made.

Adults on campus share the wisdom they’ve gained to students.

After losing to Gunn on Oct. 11, the Falcons bounced back against Los Altos. The team needs to beat Lynbrook and Cupertino to qualify for CCS.

The team finished second in their league and have made CCS.

Lugo prefers on-campus coaches, but most sports have off-campus coaches

Senior Nicole Chen’s style is very unique, and she attended Parsons for a course on sewing and construction.

The administration does not want the school linked to the page.

Today, los tres amigos will be taking you on a journey. Buckle up, because the road doesn’t work ahead.

Already maligned programs take further hit from digitized Falcon Fest packets.

With the hospital cases linked to vaping, the school has started to spread more awareness about the medical implications of vaping.

Using fashion as a means for creative self-expression.

 Shoutout to all the juniors taking the PSAT on Saturday

Why Mario Kart is the new wave

Clubs hope to realize one of former Principal Paul Robinson’s visions.

New gadgets allow for more precise and effective training.

Many people dream of becoming idols, but when presented with the chance, they say no.

Two reporters head out to deliver you the tea on the tea

Due to new school policies, the rally commission has instituted major changes.

Administrative assistant Sarah Christeson and campus supervisor Jeanine Sevilla to leave Saratoga by the end of September.

After a hard-fought game, the Falcons lost 52-38 to the Wildcats. They play their first league match against Homestead on Homecoming. The team hopes to cruise through league play to CCS.

Undercover cop operation exposed drug problems on campus

With an early win against Mountain View, the Falcons look poised for a solid season.

Summer 2019 has been all about the “Hot girl summer,” so we decided to join in.

New AP Language Arts and English 10 teacher Matt Granoff looks forward to interacting with students in and out of the classroom.

Social media spreads awareness about issues, but does it directly help?

Due to increasing digitalization of journalism, many media companies are often coerced into capitalizing off viewership while compromising credibility.

This year’s fall play, an adaptation of “Sense and Sensibility,” offers a broad range of female roles and themes connecting the story to modern audiences.

Citizenship obligations go beyond the ballot box.

New California state law mandates the suicide hotline be printed on the back of student identification cards.

Dance team prepares for the upcoming season with many new changes  

New tutorial requires new ways to be utilized.

English teacher Amy Keys plans to engage her students in a variety of creative genres in a collaborative atmosphere.

Flip-flops removed in quest for more hygenic passes

After beating out Bellarmine and Stevenson to place third at NorCals, the Falcons qualified for the states tournament on May 29.

After beating out Bellarmine and Stevenson to place third at NorCals, the Falcons qualified for the states tournament on May 29.

Team’s setbacks at nationals provide future learning experiences.

Although minority writers may not want to feel pigeonholed, fear of stereotyping themselves might prevent them from writing meaningful stories.

They celebrated their seniors and their last home game together.

Students recap spring musical and reflect upon the deeper undertones of family-friendly production.

Seniors Janelle Jin and Daniel Kraft both committed to play golf at different liberal arts colleges to not only pursue athletics but also receive good educations.

The boys’ golf team clinched the league title for the first time in six years after  beating Palo Alto, earning them an automatic CCS bid.

Ethan Chang pursues interests in music and photography, bringing his work onto social media.

Students who visit colleges usually do not change their minds about schools to apply to, nor do these visits help their applications.

The school’s Media Arts Program has been recognized for its outstanding commitment to student leadership aspects in its learning approach

The PTSO hosted a talk by Julie Lythcott-Haims, New York Times bestselling author of “How to Raise and Adult” and “Real American”

Rally commission begins preparations early for the event.

The team, with all six players as returning players, sits atop of the league standings with a 4-0 record.

Students, teachers and counselors all can understand why such a scandal could be so successful.

Students find that diets are both helpful in achieving their goals but also sometimes difficult to maintain.

Tech giant pays teens for total access to their phone activity

Senior cellist Thomas Lim and junior violinist Christine Lee are invited to perform at the YoungArts regional showcase from March 26-31.

Reporter argues that high test scores are not correlated with intelligence and should not be treated or addressed as such

Onion banana juice a unique experience and journey from normal dietary habits

Junior tries to play an ‘old man’s sport,’ but the old men proved far more talented.

The new Netflix show tackles pressing topics in teenage life while incorporating humor, an intriguing storyline and likeable characters.

Kirk Abe wraps up his first season coaching the team in several years.

Under coach Kirk  Abe’s leadership, the wrestling team sends three members to CCS and attracts over a dozen new members this season.

Photographer Kija Lucas discusses her work and describes what draws her to Villa Montalvo.

Supplemental essays and interviews force extra and possibly unnecessary work.

Freshmen who took first-semester Health/Driver's Ed will not be given credit for the driver's education part of the course. They gathered after school by Obenour's room on Jan. 11 to make up the tests in order to earn their driver's education completion certificate.

Wrestling team finds improvement with full team, tries to qualify for CCS.

Japanese club allows students to learn more about Japanese culture.

Reporters argue that new Facebook Page, "saratoga hs confessions" needs more moderation.

Abe’s transition back to Head Coach adds stability and inspiration to the team.

Stunt doubles risk their lives with the most dangerous stunt work yet recieve little recognition.

A love of storytelling has driven Beth Lisick to acting and writing.

Through the language curriculums and Culinary Club, students find time to enjoy food and engage with culture in a delicious manner.

Los Gatos High ceramics teacher Leah Aguayo, who taught at SHS for more than 30 years, helps bring the district together through fundaraisers and her famous salsa.

The guidance office has implemented a new system to replace the blue slips.

Actors complimented for their ability to make the meaning of play clear despite language difficulties.

Reporters describe a creative film sequel

Democracy Matters club welcomes members from all sides of the political sphere

Turnovers prove costly vs. Gonzales High on Nov. 9.

Weight Room is named in late teacher and coach's honor.

Preview to the 2018-2019 Wrestling Season

Reporter argues that a pair of higher quality heels is worth investing in for Winter Formal.

The Falcons won 10-9 against Monta Vista in the league tournament, placing them 6th overall.

Arts and culture clubs brings together groups of people with niche interests.

Reporter argues to share more LGBT stories from history like that of Freddie Mercury to prevent further misrepresentation.

Hydration stations raise awareness on staying hydrated and reusing bottles.

The drama department prepares for their fall play.

George Bian ties school record with four receiving touchdowns in game vs. Gunn.

Prospective art students must devote themselves time-consuming portfolios to apply for their major.

Construction in the quad will lead to something special next year

ComedySportz is back, and ready to bring some laughs!

Reporter argues that FDA is taking steps in the right direction.

Junior successfully petitions school to propose a business class at SHS.

The boys' water polo team adjusts to early loss of goalie

New safety measures at Saratoga High.

Reporter defends print textbooks as opposed to online textbooks

Despite recent losses, the team has a positive outlook on the upcoming season as they prepare for their rival match against Los Gatos.

Saratoga-based R&B duo of identical twins Akash and Krish Chandani recount their journey into the music industry.

Reporter criticizes UChicago's adoption of a new policy in place of alumni interviews.

Reporters interview Student and Teacher about the differences between United States Academic Culture and Academic Culture elsewhere in the world.

New math teacher at Saratoga High teaches accerlerated courses

New Spanish Teacher Stephany Marks takes on five periods of Spanish classes.

YouTubers compete in a widely-publicized boxing match.

Drama teacher Sarah Thermond discusses the possible complications of "Julius Caesar" as a Fall Play.

Reporter argues that National Merit cutoffs must be standardized across nation.

Sophomore running back Tyler Chaffin will be among the sophomores to make the leap to varsity this year.

Computer Science Teacher Debra Troxell is retiring after 17 years of teaching.

The Green Team plans Earth Week.

Anyone taking English 11H must now read The Crucible over the Summer.

Reporter shares her story of learning to deal with social anxiety.

Hip hop and electronic music aren't always popular at home.

FBLA recognizes many SHS students

Senior Katrina Sung decides to pursue Graphic Design.

Soundings serves as a platform for all of SHS's artists' work.

Reporter argues against forcing students to recite pledge.

YouTube channels achieve success despite controversial and low quality content. 

New leadership officers plan to increase transparency between ASB and students. 

Student activists strive to change stigmas against minority groups. 

Led by talented underclassmen, the golf team looks to be a contender for years to come.

Famous stutterers include England’s King George VI, singer Elvis Presley, golfer Tiger Woods, politician Joe Biden and actress Emily Blunt.

FBLA recently participated in the Bay Section Conference, where three members advanced to the state finals.

Costumes were designed by Sarah Thermond’s mother Cathie Thermond, who has volunteered for the school’s drama department since her daughter was a student. The sets will stay true to the late-Victorian era, in which the story takes place, with the exception of the scenes with more fantastical elements.

Moran also emphasized that it is important for students to separate recyclables from garbage. Doing so ensures that the trucks transport certain items to the correct facilities, enabling recycling or trash disposal to run more smoothly.

Reporter argues that being American is something a lot more Americans aren't proud of these days.

The recent uptick in school shootings necessitates steps to prevent shootings before they occur. 

Online fantasy sports leagues give students new players to root for. 

AP tests and courses can provide unnecessary amounts of stress without representing actual college courses. 

Freshman steps up to fill in gaps created by graduating members of the softball team. 

Sophomore puts his football and badminton training to the test in physical fitness test against editor-in-chief. 

MAP student discovers passion for film after attending the All-American High School Film Festival. 

Lately fashion trends have promoted the less fabric there is, the more expensive and the more fashionable. Even celebrities have neem wearing simple clothes with huge gaping holes in them, but is it an aesthetic or a ripoff?

"Black Panther" celebrated for its portrayal of racial identity of celebration of black culture

Football team moves to a lower division for chance to win a league title. 

Six boys compete for the title of Mr.Saratoga and entertain the audience through the modeling, talent, and question and answer segments.

It’s unclear whether the trip will continue in the future since  Spanish teacher Arnaldo Rodriguex’s plans to retire in June and he has been the organizer of the trip for 44 years.

Most Bellarmine students have reacted positively to the administration’s efforts, but Hayden — the former Bellarmine student who now attends SHS — remains skeptical.

According to Special Education teacher Courtney Crase, because the club is not involved with the formal organization Best Buddies International, the club name needed to be changed 11 years ago from Buddies Club to Perfect Pals.

For the first time, the drama department will be performing a musical with advanced stage effects and techniques, specifically theatrical flying.  

Finally, after many complaints and requests, the administration ordered the installation of single urinal dividers in three boys’ bathrooms at the start of second semester. Yet, reporters argue that they are not enough.

MAP teacher Joel Tarbox, who holds a Master of Fine Arts degree in painting from Northwestern University, enjoys oil painting in his free time, although he says can be difficult to find times for it outside of teaching and spending time with his wife and kids.

With the weather fluctuating, students are confused with how warm or cold each day will be.

Reporter enjoys trying new foods and weird food combinations such as cold pizza and soda, chips in ice cream and greek yogurt combined with black pepper and vanilla extract.

Surprised, I assumed that their conversation would morph into a gossip session. But my sister started down a different fork in the road — toward empathy.

After playing the game, many students expressed surprise that individual plastic bags must be thrown away because they slow down the recycling process by getting caught in machines.

Five seniors form a NJB team to enjoy playing basketball is a more relaxed environment without a huge commitment. 

Despite allegations of sexual harassment in the film industry, actors' profits remain unaffected.

In the age of Lil Pump’s “Gucci Gang” and other lyrically uninspiring, drug-glorifying trap songs, country music is a welcome change of pace. Unlike most modern songs, many country songs tell a story from a culture that Saratoga students often don’t hear about.

This year’s application pool at Howart's School of Witchcraft and Wizardry was the strongest in the School’s history. You should not feel our decision reflects negatively on you or your potential as a successful Muggle, but unfortunately wizarding may not be the right path for you. You are either magical or you are not.

Eagles' fans anticipate victory in the Super Bowl despite the Eagles' underdog status.

Sophomore reporters test out their cooking skills by making a Valentine's day dessert

History teacher makes student bake cookies for the class as a punishment

Senior Kyle Wang prioritizes relaxation as a second semester senior

Although mumble rap has been denounced for lack of lyrics and inauthecity by critics, many enjoy the heard beates associated with the style

Kaepernick’s actions have inspired protests among hundreds of athletes nationwide, regardless of sport, race or gender.

With all the commitment required, students who have participated in “The Nutcracker” for many years can measure their own progress.

In a close game where the Falcons led by 8 at halftime, the two teams battled it out until the end when Milpitas went ahead by 7.

The Celtics are emerging as the best team in the East, led by major offseason acquisition Kyrie Irving, who seems to have no problems leading a team without the help of King James.

Last year, Move-ember brought about 60 to 100 students out to exercise every day and 350 students and faculty to the Turkey Trot event.

Synesthesia helps sophomore excel in music. 

Following early successes, the robotics team continues to move forward in preparation for regionals. 

Math club co-president prepares to grduate by passing techniques down to brother.

Chinese Club allows students of all races at school to embrace Chinese culture. Chinese Club was started by senior Nicholas Di.

Recent reaction channels leave much to be desired in terms of original content. 

A student's social media presense does not accurately reveal their personality

New digital systems and old analog systems don't always mesh, and the school is trying to figure out the best solution.

Get there early or they'll run out.

Reporter covers the maintentence that goes around to keep the school at its best shape.

No one would favor the 0-8 Falcon football team in their matchup against the Wildcats, but two Falcon columnists think an upset is possible.

The Humane Society Club, created by sophomores Risa Carter, Francesca Whiting, Alex Lee, Kathryn Hamilton and Thaila Morganstern, allows students to help animals in need through activities and fundraisers.

Reporters try out some interesting Asian snacks and review them.

Cast members for the productions were chosen following auditions in mid October

Despite the occasional stare, Bailey, who moved from Ethiopia six years ago, said that being African American proved to not be a disadvantage during freshman year, when he was the only full African American student in the entire school.

Two columnists disagree aboout the hotly debated topic.

Columnists argue that while superscoring seems advantageous to both students and colleges, it is actually an unfair system.  

Columnist argues that unfortunately, iconic Chinese pop songs mean very little in America, since K-pop overshadows almost all other Asian pop music.  

Even celebrities such as John Cena and Drew Barrymore have begun wearing crocs regularly as part of elaborate ad campaigns aimed at making Crocs more popular amongst youth.

This year's drama production of "You Can't Take It With You" sets the record for largest fall cast. 

The boys’ water polo team has struggled to find victory this season, holding a 1-7 league record as of Oct. 16.

Tracking and limiting childrens' screen time has both benefits and harms.

Staff guide students through the college application process 

Students are satisfied with Uber due to practicability and interactions with drivers

Reporters cover one of YouTube's biggest sensations Jake Paul and how he got his fame and success.

Columnist argues that his soul food cravings cannot be met in Silicon Valley.

Now-retired librarian, Tibor Szalay, reflects on his contributions to the new school library. 

Trump's lackluster response to Hurricane Maria reflects a history of US ignorance to Puerto Rican needs. 

California lacks authentic southern food that speaks to the soul

Sophomore Jessica Wang considers how modern styles stem from older trends

Reporter argues that people should not immeadiately associate weed with California

With its premiere in 1936, the three-act Broadway comedy takes place in New York City, focusing on the antics of the three generation Sycamore family, specifically their interactions with the family of youngest daughter Alice Sycamore’s boyfriend, Tony Kirby.

The Falcons’ offense came out strong in the third quarter, with Rositano throwing two touchdowns, both to senior wide receiver Harrison Fong.

The Emoji Movie made $171 million on a $50 million budget.

AP Music Theory teacher Dr. John Felder recalled that people, particularly youth, believed they could take control and be more assertive in pursuing their goals.

Asian artists and actors are stil under casted in hollywood dispite recent success with asian sitcomes such as "Fresh Off the Boat"  

Two Juniors, inspired by a school trip to mexica, decide to dedicate their summers planning out how to help hispanic students in East Palo Alto.

Freshman becomes first female football player.

Meet 15 freshmen and learn about their interests and experiences. 

Dance comission's early planning results in successful Back to School Dance.

The Falcons weren't ready for high-powered offense the Cougars brought to Benny Pierce Field.

Recent school-wide transfer to Google suite accounts. 

Preview for the upcoming season of Boys' Water Polo. 

Although the team as a whole dropped one division after a disappointing 1-11 regular season,  individual players looked to redeem the team by qualifying for CCS. They did this by placing in the top four spots at the SCVAL tournament from May 4-6.  

Reporters visit the most popular boba shops to find out which ones offer the best deals.

Recently, a number of prominent sports stars as well as flat-Earth-believing organizations have been gaining a huge spike in media attention in what can only be described as a renaissance of the flat Earth movement.  

Photographers try rolled up ice cream and sushi burritos to test if these trendy foods are worth it.

Senior lacrosse captain balances his many passions. 

SHSTV covers the Student of the Month, Dog of the Week, Saratoga Eats, Teacher of the Semester and has a cheer team promo video.

Indians targeted mistakenly under Trump's administration reveals falw with society. 

Junior develops new method of improving debate team.

Snapchat clones becoming more and more obvious.

High school basketball coaches lead NJB team to success. 

New school policy allows for clubs to get creative with their ideas and funding. 

Is it right to give insanely hard tests only to curve them steeply?

Juniors try their hands at acapella singing.

Juniors face against each other in a leprechaun trap making contest. 

The Falcon recommends how to spend your March. 

SHS parent was a student in China during the uprising.

Junior reporter Kyle Wang's take on preparing for college, addressed to the class of 2017.

The immigrant community in Saratoga discuss the effects the Trump ban might have on family and friends.

Matthew, a sophomore, grew up in San Jose, beyond the district lines that would have placed him and his older brother within the Saratoga Unified School District (SUSD). One of their relatives, however, happened to own a house in Saratoga. Using the relative’s address, Matthew and his brother attended Foothill Elementary School and then Redwood Middle School without any major problems.  

Trump's decision to ban immigration from several Muslim countries recieves negative feedback.

Senior starts to revolutionize biking with new product. 

Water polo players improve in the offseason for edge

Young singers make fools of themselves online

Celebrity actors becoming more prolific in the voice acting industry

Robotics student discuss the large amount of hard work required to build a functioning robot.

Teachers and student provide input on cheating situation at SHS.

Junior Crystal Sun manages to get Hamliton tickets for herself, APUSH teacher Mrs. Anzalone, and Health/Drivers-Ed teacher Mrs. Obenour. 

Junior gives humorous tips on getting into an Ivy school from eighth grade till senior year.

The newly changed GPA system for the class of 2020 might not be happening. 

Students talk about marijuana usage on campus and student's experiences with the drug. 

Sophomores take physics

Frozen out, Moana in

Should teachers get tenure?

Senior's debating leaves him with great experiences

Students talk about the Berkowitz family. 

Students talk about Trump's election.

Teams fall short of state meet.

Junior shares his experiences with underage drinking. 

Having finished their last major competitions for the 2016 school year, the speech and debate team, led by junior co-presidents Ayush Aggarwal and Divya Rallabandi, has entered the early stages of planning volunteering events. The team has historically focused on competitions — this is the first time that it has shifted its attention to charity.  

Having lost class of 2016 alumnus Adam Camp to graduation and senior Gina Drapal, who will not be competing this year, the team looks toward its current stars junior Allie Liddle and sophomore Clayton Murabito to compensate.  

Decades later Dylan appears to be at the center of yet another revolution: on Oct. 13, to much controversy, he became the first songwriter in history to win the Nobel Prize in Literature, winning the prize over accomplished novelists such as Joyce Carol Oates and Philip Roth.  

Student focus on STEM causes a lack of interest in many visual arts programs.

Junior talks about third party canidates.

Golf team dissapointed with overall results.

AP Gov's mock election

Freshman struggles to adapt to new highschool environment.

Fox news runs controversial news segment aimed at America's Asian population.

Junior talks about his fear of clowns.

Sophomores declare why they are more stressed than juniors

ASB officers explain the intentions behind hosting off-campus dances.

Junior Austin Wang attempts to clean his clothes by freezing them overnight.

AP Government teachers find new methods to teach about the elections. 

With the Artichoke Invitational on Saturday [Oct. 1] and Crystal Springs on Tuesday [Oct. 4], finding time to take a rest day was difficult.  

It’s easy to blame CNN, NBC and virtually every other TV network whose name is a three-letter acronym for the mess that has become the 2016 election. But, in spite of all the superficiality, the general public still tunes in to watch this coverage. They still read the clickbait-y articles and roll their eyes when they see videos of Trump in their newsfeeds, only to watch them anyway.    

It is April of 2017, and by some unforeseen miracle (or “inside job,” as the now-disgraced Republican candidate Donald Trump claims), Gary Johnson, the 64-year-old Libertarian candidate, is now entering the 100th day of his presidency. He entered office in January, having won the November elections in a landslide. Rumor has it that most individuals at the polls simply checked off the “other” option besides “Hillary” or “Trump.”  

Earlier in the school year, sophomore Arian Raje made plans to attend more out-of-state speech and debate tournaments. In October, he will have his first chance to compete in one at the Blue Key Invitational in Florida, which takes place from Oct. 28-30.  

My one week foray into living superstitiously started with a paper cutout of a rabbit’s foot. I read online somewhere that a rabbit’s foot brings you luck, but I don’t believe in animal cruelty or spending money on things I can (sort of) make at home. So, at 9 p.m. on Sunday night, when I probably should have been studying for my Spanish test, I was browsing through pictures of feet. Rabbit feet.  

SHSTV covers the student of the month, reactions to the new iPhone 7 and the recent MAP Speaker Series event

Junior discuess why Canvas needs alternative options in case of failure.

Homeless people should be more welcomed. 

Students talk about why Pokemon Go is on a decline.

Cross country looks to rebuild

SHSTV has stories on new teachers, the performance of the choir with the band Foreigner over the summer and comments on the new bell schedule.  

Internet ablaze about dead ape

2016-2017 speech and debate team recap

Information about utilization of new scanner system at SHS

Juniors' Facebook accounts are disabled after being reported of impersonating themselves

Junior on fashion, changing and maturing

A group of Lynbrook male students created a "rating" group on Facebook, and others fight back. 

Science teacher Lisa Cochrum has always been able to accept students — and treat them equally — regardless of their backgrounds.

Sophomore shares opinion on how more students should participate in the class/ ASB voting procedure at school. 

Nonetheless, while brilliant basketball certainly drives the Warriors’ success, the Warriors have by no means revolutionized the game.  

They also learn practical construction skills.

The speech and debate team is returning to a leadership structure from the past, one that was more successful in encouraging participants to show up to practice.  

In its attempt to defend its national title from last year, the varsity A History Bowl team went to Washington, D.C., from April 22-24 and placed 14th out of 168 teams at the National History Bee and Bowl tournament.  

Sophomore shares his noteworthy experience from Washington D.C.  

When the Falcon’s Lifestyles editors challenged us to start conversations with pickup lines, we happily obliged.  

Sophomore shares History Bowl Experience in Washington D.C.

Tournament takes place at Mission San Jose

From April 2-3, members of the speech and debate team sat in crowded rooms at the Santa Clara University Philalethic Invitational surrounded by students from different schools; some held bags of food from Ike’s Sandwiches, while others mindlessly scrolled through their Facebook feeds. 

SHSTV looks at teachers' efforts to try to combat stress and experiment with different kinds of homework this year, speech and debate national qualifiers, the addition of a freshman diver to the swimming team and students' Spring Break plans.

The case of junior Rosa Castren shows the dangers when students bring allergy-inducing foods like nuts and citrus into areas that are supposed to be safe.

What does it take to get into Harvard? Traditionally, a combination of high GPA, perfect or nearly perfect SAT scores and a plethora of research internships would give applicants a fair chance.

SHSTV sums up recent CCS sports action and examines the start-up business uProspie as well as the recent trip some students took to Cuernavaca, Mexico, over February break.

Changes in Saratoga have reshaped the community.

SHSTV explores the controversy over a lack of diversity among Oscar nominees, checks in with Sue's Cafe, shows what the new creative writing elective is doing, previews the Benefit fashion show and delivers anonymous Valentine's Day roses to surprised students.

This year, the speech and debate team has entered 11 students in the 2016 Berkeley Invitational, which starts on Feb. 13 with over 3,000 participants across all events.

The girls’ team would like to have more members make it to the league finals and have more CCS qualifying athletes. “Though it is hard to tell so far, I see more going on to SCVALs,” junior Celine Bellegarda said. “The coaches are working hard to place people in the right events for them.”

Senior Nicholas Lai’s mother, Tuyen, left her home and family in Vietnam on a cloudy, moonless night in 1979 to pursue a better life in America.  

Islamophobia has wrongfully taken hold of the hearts of many American citizens. And replacing that fear with tolerance will be an important battle in the next several decades.

A recent, troubling trend that has emerged among these parents involves sending their children to private middle schools, only to move them back to the public education system for high school.  

When I first saw my invitation to the “NETFLIX AND CHILL” Facebook event, I was confused for a couple of reasons. One, I had no idea what “Netflix and chill” meant, so I had to look that up on Urban Dictionary (I won’t say any more about that). And two, I don’t have a Netflix account. 

Four hundred and seventy-five students enjoyed an evening at the Children’s Discovery Museum on Dec. 5 during this year’s Winter Formal, themed “Frozen in Time,” which lasted from 8-11 p.m.  

As the current parent committee president, Sunder Raj, father of senior Sweeya Raj, is in charge of communicating with families and coaches, administering tournament logistics and ensuring a smooth season.

On Nov. 16, the school practiced a  drill to simulate an armed intruder on campus. Previously, the annual drill was called Code Red, but it is now known as “Lockdown: Run, Hide, Defend.”  

Over the weekend of Nov. 20-22, the speech and debate team competed at the annual Dempsey-Cronin Invitational held at Santa Clara University.

To sophomore John Noralahi, the significance of winter break has nothing to do with Christmas or New Year’s. As a Jehovah’s Witness, Noralahi does not celebrate popular holidays such as birthdays, Halloween and Easter that they believe are rooted in pagan traditions.  

With over 2 million prisoners and more prisons than colleges, the U.S. lead the world in incarceration rates by a shamefully wide margin.    

As push for transgender equality continues, local high school creates gender-neutral bathroom.

Many seniors participated in Homecoming for the first time this year.

AP/Honors point should be removed to remedy student stress.

SHSTV covers the upcoming Homecoming week as well as the Oct. 9 home football game vs. rival Los Gatos.

SHSTV brings you a sports segment, rally coverage, political opinions and word of the week.

Sophomore Lillian Zeng frequently posts pictures of her own SSBM-related artwork to her Twitter account. Since August, she has garnered a network of followers that includes gamers such as MaNg0 and Hungrybox, two of the greatest SSBM players of all time.  

I woke up on Saturday morning feeling like a monk who had eaten nothing but tea leaves and rice for a week. I was hungry, exhausted and fed-up (pun intended) with my blood type diet. I never really believed in these health fad diets, as most of them are based on pseudoscience and feigned scientific research, and so I was pleasantly surprised when I checked dadamo.com, the official website for the blood type diet. The better part of their justification for their method actually seemed reputable.

You have pretended to run for president four times, first in 1988 when you used a dirty word to describe the Supreme Leader of Iran and finally in 2015, when you decided to run for real. You chose the worst possible year, my friend — there are currently 17 GOP candidates.

On Aug. 26, Gov. Jerry Brown signed Senate Bill 725 into law to temporarily suspend the administration of the California High School Exit Exam (CAHSEE). As a result, starting in 2016, high schoolers will no longer need to pass the test to graduate, and the class of 2018 will likely not take the exam this spring.

Netflix now uses data collected from users to determine what types of shows to produce. This damages ingenuity inherent in the creation of great TV shows and violates user privacy — and that’s a problem.  

The current SAT is execrable. No idea what “execrable” means? You’re not alone because a vast majority of the population is similarly clueless. You’ll probably never see the word again unless you teach English at Harvard.  That’s why College Board’s decision to revise the SAT for 2016 is a positive one. Among other changes, the new SAT will  test more common vocabulary, make the writing section optional and be more accessible for low-income students. They hope to increase the popularity of the SAT compared to the ACT.

In February, lawmakers in California proposed a bill to put warning labels on sugary drinks in an attempt to combat obesity, a strategy reminiscent of Michael Bloomberg’s ban on large containers of soft drinks in New York. This bill is not a miracle cure for obesity, but is a step in the right direction.

There’s no easy way to get into Harvard short of being related to someone very famous or having a parent who attended or taught at Harvard, not even by attending a supposed “feeder school.”  

Visitors to the Saratoga Music website on Dec. 15 were greeted not by the usual music schedules, but instead by a black screen with moving red text saying “Hacked Hank Sandlep” (presumably a pseudonym). 

Saratoga’s zombie apocalypse comes twice a year. In these weeks before finals, the virus of stress spreads like influenza and the deadmen walk asleep. 

The first thing I told myself was to resist the temptation to post “yoloswag” or something else stupid because I realized that I couldn’t troll like I usually do on most websites. This was serious business, and there was no room for jokes. One mistake and I could get in trouble. For the first time, I had to take everything on the Internet seriously.  I was exploring the “Deep Web.”

I’m a huge Pokemon fan at heart, even at age 17. In fact, I’m writing a college essay on Pokemon. (It might not get me into college, but the admission officers might be entertained.) 

It would appear that Joseph Stalin has returned from the grave, and through his Facebook account, is attempting to teach Saratoga students about the communist system.

On Sept. 23, California’s Gov. Jerry Brown signed an “eraser bill” that gives California minors the right to delete online postings on social media sites. This is the first legislation of its kind, and it will require social media sites to allow minors to clear their data from Facebook’s servers starting in 2015.

This September, the Bexar County Digital Library opened in San Antonio, Texas. That’s right, it’s a digital library. In other words, there are no books. 

Around the halfway mark of every semester, the campus is full of upperclassmen, whining endlessly about their midterms. Their complaints are completely justified.

“What does the fox say?” goes the new viral video “The Fox” by the comedy- and music-making duo, Ylvis. Of Norwegian heritage, brothers Bård Urheim Ylvisåker and Vegard Urheim Ylvisåker have been doing musical comedy since 2000. Ylvis uploaded a music video called “The Fox” to YouTube on Sept. 3, and since then it has amassed 38 million views.

Michael Zhang, who was slated to graduate with Saratoga High’s class of 2013, was a happy-go-lucky, optimistic guy while on campus — a member of the speech and debate team, a tennis player, an avid computer gamer and a National Merit semifinalist. But one day last year during the first semester, he disappeared from Saratoga High. 

In recent news, Edward Snowden, a former member of the NSA and CIA who revealed some of the agency’s secret surveillance plans, has been a hot topic of controversy. Some have hailed him as a patriotic hero. Others have called him a traitor. 

Many private universities offer students two options to apply early: early action and early decision. Early decision requires students who are admitted to attend the university, while early action doesn’t.

It is a day in history for History Day. Long thought of as a project only for those passionately in love with history, History Day — or at least a project similar to it — is now mandatory for freshmen enrolled in the Media Arts Program (MAP).

Recently, Dennis Rodman, a former NBA player for the Detroit Pistons, Chicago Bulls and San Antonio Spurs, made a visit to North Korea in February and attempted to reach out to North Korean Supreme Leader Kim Jong-Un, an avid basketball fan, to discuss country relations.

The virus lay dormant in ten thousands of computers until it reached its target: Iran’s nuclear program. 

Junior Andrew Chang, eyes glued to the screen, pounds the keyboard buttons  furiously in an attempt to overtake the enemy team. Chang, a League of Legends player, is one of many participants in Saratoga High’s League of Legends tournament which began in March and will probably continue through May. 

This year, SHS students participating in History Day had a strong showing at the state competition. The school sent a record 16 entries, created by 31 students, to represent the Santa Clara County at the State Competition in Sacramento on April 27. 

As the speech and debate season comes to a close, the team celebrated its successes at the state tournament in Burbank, Calif., which took place on April 19-21.

What do a silly web series called “The Cyanide and Happiness Show” and the Academy Award-nominated documentary, “Sun Come Up” have in common?

Who would want to study history in their spare time? Answer: the group of 37 students participating in this year’s History Day competition. 

Sixty-nine members of the speech and debate team attended one of the largest tournaments in California, the Cal Invitational in UC Berkeley, from Feb. 16-18, where they had new experiences participating in different events than usual.

For many juniors, going off campus during lunch is a good way to relax from classes, but one unfortunate junior had to go through much more trouble than he asked for.

With two first-place winners in individual events, 10 members of the speech and debate team competed successfully at the Golden Desert Invitational in Las Vegas, which took place from Feb. 1-4.

The speech and debate team will attend its first national travel tournament of the year at the Golden Desert Invitational tournament in Las Vegas on Feb. 1-4. 

After a month-long trial period, speech and debate coach Erick Rector has finally arrived at the decision for who this year’s speech and debate captains will be.

Outside the English wing, a pair of mysterious double doors display no room number. Though this room is hardly royal or ornate, it is fondly called the English Palace.

Regardless of grade level, all students can take a maximum of seven classes at the school. 

When speech and debate practices began on Sept. 24, the returning debaters noticed several changes for the season including a new coach, new captains, the implementation of a travel team and the new student-led team meetings.

Before speech and debate practices even began, sophomore Rohith Krishna and senior Venkat Munukutla competed successfully at the St. Francis Lincoln Douglas debate tournament on Sept. 22-23, setting the stage for an exciting season.

This year, the school has implemented some controversial  changes that are both unnecessary and frustrating to students.

In Saratoga High, students obsess over multiple computer games, thus forming groups of gamers who play together. Among these games are Starcraft, Minecraft and Call of Duty. League of Legends (LoL) is another prominent example, yet those outside of the LoL gaming circle complain that it is overhyped. 

Just a few weeks ago, students logging into Facebook, or any other social networking site,  would face an onslaught of posts about the popular movie, “The Hunger Games.” For the next few days, this continuous stream of excitement over the movie would only gain momentum. But all of a sudden, it disappeared. Soon enough, interest over “Avengers” came to replace it; thus, the cycle of hypes continues. 

Each spring, the speech and debate team braces for the season’s close. With the end comes one of the first stepping stones to the most prestigious speech and debate tournaments a student can attend: States, where the best of the best in California gather in one area to compete non-stop for three days.

Sophomore Eric Taw has applied to multiple summer programs at colleges, all involving science. Along with many other students, Taw will be looking to gain valuable experience in specialized programs this summer.

When, on Aug. 6 and 9, 1945, the United States dropped two atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, the world was permanently persuaded that weapons of mass destruction should never be used again. Despite reservations about using nuclear weapons, not much has been done to neutralize the danger. With the increase in accessibility to nuclear weapons, the possibility of nuclear war is steadily increasing. North Korea: Problem or not?

When speech captain, junior Sujay Khandekar and sophomore Jason Li began their first rounds at the second Coast Forensic League Spring Individual Events (IE) tournament on March 3, they had no idea that they would both walk away as finalists. Khandekar and Li placed first and fourth, respectively, in Oratorical Interpretation.

As he continues to campaign for re-election in 2012, it seems as though President Obama has ended 2011 on a negative note. In December, he signed a controversial and immoral defense bill known as the National Defense Authorization Act, also called the NDAA.

At the tournament at James Logan High during Martin Luther King Jr. weekend, members of the SHS speech and debate team was beset with a number of problems. Especially hard hit was the public forum team.

A multitude of Chinese calligraphy scrolls and drawings line the walls of the Saratoga Community Center building as countless children and their parents walk to different stations, each with a Chinese activity relating to the Chinese New Year and the Year of the Dragon.

As the world grows even more technologically oriented, American schools are struggling to catch up. Recently, a study surveying California public elementary schools has shed further light on the dire situation.

The parliamentary and public forum debate teams had their first tournament on Oct. 14 at Gunn High School in Palo Alto. Despite the fact that none of the captains were able to attend the tournament, in addition to a lack of varsity teams attending due to the PSAT on the same day, the team gave a strong showing, with most teams getting a score of two wins and two losses.

Many students remember building with the simple LEGO blocks when they were younger. Whether they made a plane or a dragon or some unrecognizable contraption, these LEGOs provided endless amusement. Unfortunately, old habits fade and many have lost the amusement of playing with LEGOs. Even so, few students’ childhood was affected as much by LEGOs as was that of sophomore Charles Li.

The San Jose Mercury News was one of the first newspapers to publish on the Internet in 1993. The paper’s editors were among a few who saw that eventually, news distribution would transition from a paper-based medium to the Internet.

The speech and debate team placed fifth in the league last year, and this year, they are looking to become even stronger with the addition of new captains, members and an event.

There are many sports in SHS, but few involve as much self motivation as boys’ cross country.

Researching, writing and creating a project in five months is not an easy task. Only a select few dedicated and ambitious students take on the challenge of participating in the annual National History Day competition.

Saratoga High’s technology has not always been the way students and teachers know it today. Ten years ago, SHS had a spotty e-mail system, only some teachers had computers in their classrooms and there was no wireless Internet. This is why the school hired Julie Grenier in 2001. Her mission: Bring the school’s technology to the 21st century.

If you were to visit the tech crew’s room near the music rooms, the first thing you would notice is probably the loud screeching sound of wood being chopped by members of the tech crew. There would be a smell of sawdust in the air and you would see wooden planks everywhere. This is a scene from the daily life of a tech crew member.