Features

“Time is like the waves on the shore, slipping away quickly, only leaving the memory of sound and shadow in our hearts. They used to make our life colorful, but now they’re only forever remembered.”

And so ends the English translation of the first story in the Chinese anthology, The Story of Walking. Filled with wise messages and meaningful life stories, The Story of Walking seems to be a book from ancient China, written by a notable philosopher. Actually, it was written by a teenager.

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.

Saratoga suburban legend sometimes alludes to a tradition known as the “senior streak.” From the mid-’80s until 1995, seniors left their legacy in the form of a streak through the high school while covered in body paint some time during the year. Many participants drank alcohol as way of working up courage for the streak.

Even more surprising than the lifespan of this tradition was that teachers and administrators mostly seemed to view it as a harmless activity.

In 1991, then-rookie history teacher Kim Anzalone was shocked the first time she witnessed the streak.

At age 8, Ally Doles loved the view from the bleachers next to the high school football field, where she could witness the nimble maneuvers, spins and twirls of cheerleaders in the heat of the football game, fully illuminated in fluorescent glory. Amid the whistle blowing and touchdowns, spirited chants echoed as Doles watched spellbound, as the girls threw one of their own in the air and caught her perfectly. By the end of the game, when all the cheering had died down, something had become quite clear: She was going to be a cheerleader.

Stephanie Meyer’s 2005 novel, “Twilight,” has created a phenomenon among female readers all over the world. It has grown into a multi-million dollar franchise including film adaptations and has launched the author and the actors portraying her characters into super-stardom.

The fans, or “Twihards,” obsess over the series with something similar to a cult following. Critics of the series and the fans call the Twihards “deluded and rabid,” in the words of one blogger.

Saki Kitagawa may seem at first like a regular individual at Saratoga High. She works hard in all her classes, has many friends and participates in a variety of activities, such as marching band. However, Kitagawa is much more than an ordinary student.

Junior Saki Kitagawa is an exchange student from the Saitama Prefecture in Japan, located in an area next to Tokyo.

The way sophomore Tonio Galoic sees it, his ability to speak Croatian and English is no big deal.

At first glance, Galoic seems like just another student looking for his next class. Even when he speaks English, it sounds as if he has lived in the U.S. for his entire life. Without being told, it is doubtful that anyone could know that Galoic came from Croatia.

Galoic also said he feels right at home in such a diverse high school, where languages besides English are commonly spoken at home.

“It’s normal because everyone here speaks a different language too,” Galoic said.