News

When the students of Judith Sutton’s poetry classes think of the conflict in Iraq, they no longer envision bloody bomb blasts and violent terrorist plots; they have come to see the strong cultural background that lies beneath the blanket of oppression and violence taking place in this rich, historical country.

Fourteen students from Sutton’s intermediate classes presented their pieces of poetry as a homage to the Mutanabbi Street Bombings in the Little Theater during April, National Poetry Month, but the project had begun several months earlier.

Results are in for the new Associated Student Body members and class officers, despite problems with the voting process this year.

New ASB members include president Ketaki Shiram, a junior, vice president Felix Tuan, a junior, secretary Maggie Lin, a sophomore, and treasurer T.T. Tu, a junior. Senior class officers will be Lewis Chen, Rishi Taggarsi, Mabel Hsu and Heraa Hyder, respectively. Junior class officers will be Tiffany Mo, Jennifer Li, Allison Chen and Rebecca Amato respectively. Sophomore class representatives will be Aditya Dev, David Mandell, Michelle Wang and Nina Mohanty, respectively.

As summer vacation slowly approaches, various groups around the campus are looking to raise money to fund end-of-the-year activities or simply to pay off a debt.

For many students, attending a four-year college is the epitome of education. For alumnus Michael Nguyen, however, it just wasn’t enough. Nguyen, currently a freshman at UC San Diego, has decided to take on a greater project during his high school career in order to benefit orphans in Tanzania.

Before spring break, the music department began the process of picking the 2008-2009 leadership team. Drum majors were decided the week after spring break, and the leadership team was announced last week. Seniors Julia Glausi and Paul Stavropoulos will join senior Mara Couch in leading the band at field show competitions as the new drum majors.

The rich aroma of freshly brewed coffee, the insights of an aspiring poet, and a highly artistic and captivated audience paint the scene of a contemporary coffee shop. Saratoga High students will be able to experience this one of a kind scene during Coffeehouse on May 19.

Hosted by senior drama 4 students Kristen Gochnauer and James Knight, Coffeehouse is an open microphone show where attendees can perform skits, poetry songs and more. The event will take place in the Little Theatre and is open to all students.

Next year, the English Department plans to add five more sections after a district decision to decrease class sizes in English. English Department chair Cathy Head hopes that the addition of more periods in some crucial courses will reduce the average class size.

“We can bring down class sizes from 33 or 34 to 28 or 29,” said Head. “There should be a reduction of maybe five students on average [in classes] above freshman level.”

The Introduction to Business class intends to use the idea of supply and demand, the fundamental basis for business, by fulfilling the demands of the students at Saratoga High have for off-campus foods by creating a “food courier service.”

In order to help fund the various trips and guest speakers for the class, which is in its first year, senior Blake Paisley decided to help the class institute the service that provides off campus foods for all students and faculty, charging a service fee of $2 per order.

A piano soloist, a brass quartet and a jazz ensemble are just some of the performers that will be playing in a May 29 AP Music Theory class recital.