When I found out my family would be in Minnesota during the Republican National Convention, I had my expectations high for an exciting weekend.
It is hard to resist a man in uniform...
Following 9/11, the United States found itself in dire need of an ally in the Middle East who would help clean up Afghanistan. Fortunately for us, Pervez Musharraf stood as the president of Pakistan, a well-bred man who spoke fluent English with a slight British accent, wore a no-nonsense moustache just as crisp as his suit, and appeared on “The Daily Show with Jon Stewart”. To many Americans, this man could do no wrong.
This year in the freshman elections, the administration has improved the voting method by handing the responsibility over to the students. Unlike in past elections, freshmen voted during two lunch periods instead of having ballots passed out in class. Although the number of votes was not as great, the new system will provide a more realistic voting experience.
“You have to make an effort if you want to vote,” said assistant principal Karen Hyde. “Nobody comes to your house, your place, or business to ask you to vote for real, so it’s not that far from what happens in the real world.”
I was shocked. Hurt beyond belief.
Paralyzed, in front of the news article that said that it was delayed. I had just found out that premier of the 6th Harry Potter movie (Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince) had been pushed back eight months. I wanted to yell at people, but I tried to use meditation to calm down. After that completely failed, I went downstairs and used a bowl of chocolate ice cream to relax myself. Whether heartbreak is caused by movie producers or ex-boyfriends, Ben and Jerry are always there to help.
It’s amazing how far Apple has brought its product line the past few years. The iPod has evolved from a blocky chunk of metal to a slim and sleek piece of advanced technology. Just this September, the fourth generation iPod Nano was released, revealing another creative feature that allows the user to activate a shuffled playlist by shaking the iPod.
Apple’s innovative iPhones are easily set apart from the company’s other successful products.
Never before has a cell phone incorporated so many different features. It has become popular among not only teenagers but adults. Apple’s newfound fame, however, may not be completely deserved.
According to the New York Times, a recent leak in the Princeton Review website database allowed complete strangers to access private files containing confidential student information. The data that was leaked included practice test scores, birth dates, learning disabilities and other personal data of current and past students. Although the damage could have potentially been much worse if it had included credit card or social security numbers, the leak has heightened awareness of the dangers of technology.
I have teachers with college degrees, and years of classroom experience. They don’t. I have a limitless amount of supplies at my fingertips. They don’t. I have a comfortable classroom setting, with air conditioning and proper desks. They don’t.
I spent this past summer teaching at a K-10 school named Suddhanandha Vidyalaya, located on the southern coast of India in a small town called Uthandi. The school was built in an effort to educate less fortunate children. The school consists of nearly 560 students from nearby villages, the majority of whom belong to fisherman families. The children are the first members to be receiving an education.
Imagine driving to school or walking across the parking lot while knowing that your actions are being recorded. It is easy to feel self-conscious or even violated when it seems anything can be viewed by the administration and outside authorities.
Saratoga High has recently installed security cameras monitoring the school’s parking lots after encouragement from the WASC accreditation team, who last year commented on the openness and lack of security of the school. Although this effort to decrease vandalisms is supposed to create a feeling of security for students and faculty, it feels like an invasion of privacy.
With most sports, if there is a boys’ team, there is a girls’ team. This is true with cross country, tennis, water polo, soccer and so forth. With the addition of a new boys’ lacrosse team to the sports program this year, the question thus arises: Where are the girls?
There’ll be a girls’ team here someday, but now simply isn’t the right time. One of the main concerns is lack of participants, leading to doubt as to whether there are enough players to field a full team.
By the time students get to their senior year at Saratoga High School, they are worn out from the multitude of homework, SATs, and AP tests. These hardworking students are, as seniors, expecting some relaxation that comes with the perks of entering the final year of their high school career. One of the most fundamental things they expect out of their senior year is a prime parking spot—one of the coveted ones in the front of the school.
This year’s juniors, however, seem to have missed the memo and insist on taking spots designated for the weary senior class. This disregard for rules is forcing seniors to get to school earlier than ever before, not because they have last-minute theses to write or questions to ask, but because that is the only way to ensure getting their rightful parking space.