The Student News Site of Saratoga High School

The Saratoga Falcon
Sophomores Alma Garniek and Sia Bharadhwaj performed during the group dance.
Sophomore quad day thrives with a boost in participation
October 20, 2024
Seniors wave goodbye to students and staff in the audience after successfully delivering a stunning performance.
Seniors ends week of Quad Day performances with an energetic display
October 20, 2024
Group dance carries the show with energetic dance moves and smiles on their faces.
Juniors navigate low rehearsal attendance and participation for their quad day
October 20, 2024
Assistant superintendent of business services Ruben Fernandez, superintendent Bill Sanderson, director of human resources Dagmar Derickson, assistant superintendent of student services Heath Rocha and public information officer Tanya De La Cruz listen to public comment against the amendments to Sanderson’s contract. The new contract was approved by the board in a unanimous decision.
Widespread criticism over district leadership leads to community meetings and attempts at rebuilding trust
October 18, 2024
Sporting green jerseys, Joseph Yu, Elaine Luo, Sophie Qi and Serena Hu went all out for their performance.
Freshmen pull through despite fewer than 30 participants in their first quad day performance
October 18, 2024
Judges receive rubrics to score each performance out of 160 possible points.
How are Homecoming performances ranked?
October 20, 2024
The once-great Marvel and Pixar trend toward decline, as multiple factors drag them down.
The hidden factors behind Pixar and Marvel’s downfall
October 18, 2024
With an endless stream of online content, students find themselves overwhelmed by the temptation of smartphones.
In a world of short-form videos, long-term focus becomes a challenge
October 18, 2024
Each teacher reflected on their growth since they first started teaching at the school.
25 Years later: Educators reflect back on their first year at SHS
October 18, 2024
Gru Junior successfully tames Gru’s high school mascot—the honey badger Lenny.
‘Despicable Me 4’ is getting too much hate
October 18, 2024
With a shock offseason trade, Karl Anthony-Towns joins the New York Knicks to play alongside tenured Knick Jalen Brunson.
The Knicks are on course to finally bring a championship to New York
October 22, 2024
Leagues like Overtime Elite allow high school athletes to display their talents on a giant online platform.
How young athletes have started using social media for success
October 21, 2024
The constant cycle of practice and school leaves little free time during the day.
Competitive athletes balance rigorous sports schedule with academics
October 21, 2024
Falcons lineup in front of the endzone preparing to rush forward for another touchdown.
Football boasts 49-0 Homecoming win over Lynbrook, maintains undefeated record
October 21, 2024
Alice Vaughan balances in the flag position while practicing her solo performance at Garrod Farms.
Sophomore equestrian vaults to destress, despite dangerous nature of sport
October 15, 2024
Results shown on Google Map after searching up “housing developments nearby,” which doesn’t include those that didn’t publicize themselves on the map.
A gentler approach to growth: Why ADUs offer a middle ground in housing development
October 21, 2024
Though the school lunch applesauce is good, I prefer the ones that come in a pouch, since I don't need a spoon to eat them.
100-word rave: Applesauce is my go-to snack
October 18, 2024
To fight an upward battle, students struggle against time
100-word rant: classes without breaks
October 14, 2024
The balance of power at the school sites is heavily outweighed by the district.
Staff editorial: As the board levels up on district office personnel, LG and SHS staff suffer negative impacts
October 10, 2024
The Monopoly theme is a mere shadow of what it could have been.
This year’s Homecoming theme for the senior class is a major disappointment
October 10, 2024
There are some items I can’t leave behind on a ski trip.
Trip essentials from a yearly Tahoe-goer
October 22, 2024
My favorite teddy bears and I have made plenty of good memories over the years — and their origin story is better than mine.
From trash can to happy home: a tale of two teddy bears
October 21, 2024
Kratt brothers, Chris and Martin, hold their creature power discs.
Nostalgia for ‘Wild Kratts’ hits strong as it remains to be one of my core shows of childhood
October 21, 2024
School starts at 8:30! Thankfully I still have 31 minutes to get there.
Top 10: excuses for being late
October 18, 2024
A particular scent can tug at your nostalgic feelings.
An ode to my favorite ‘scent-sibilities’
October 18, 2024

The Saratoga Falcon

The Saratoga Falcon

Emily Wu, School Scope Editor

All content by Emily Wu
Judges receive rubrics to score each performance out of 160 possible points.

How are Homecoming performances ranked?

Shirina Cao and Emily Wu
October 20, 2024
The crevice is widening between the ideologies of America’s two leading parties.

Photo or Graphic for: Deepening political divides are fragmenting America

Bryan Zhao
September 26, 2024
History classes rely on using reliable sources when discussing political events.

Photo or Graphic for: When politics intrude into the classroom

Evangelina Stepanchenko and Tanvee Tirthapura
September 26, 2024
Keeping a balanced schedule can be hard in a 24-hour day.

Facing 11th grade: my new lifestyle for the new year

Emily Wu
September 19, 2024
This so called “trendy” sport leaves the rest of the racquetball community in quite the pickle.

Photo or Graphic for: A plea to pickleballers from a ticked off tennis player

Alec Guan
September 19, 2024
Casavant derives Newton’s second law to the class.

Photo or Graphic for: A survival guide to AP Physics 1 and 2

Renisha Mandal
September 19, 2024
Junior Thalea Charton passes the ball during an after-school practice.

Season preview: Girls’ water polo tries to stay afloat with only 8 players

Emily Wu and Nika Svizhenko
September 19, 2024
Our conversation with ChatGPT.

Photo or Graphic for: Can an AI chatbot be your new best friend?

Sunny Cao and William Norwood
September 18, 2024
Under the 90 degrees heat, this table is like a furnace to sit on.

100-word rant: Why are shaded lunch tables so hard to find?

Emily Wu
September 16, 2024
Amanda Lupoli fills out a Venn diagram with input from students in her 6th period AP U.S. History class.

Photo or Graphic for: New history teacher emphasizes instilling critical thinking skills

Amy Miao
September 15, 2024
English teacher Amy Keys makes masks as part of a Día de los Muertos workshop in Oaxaca.

Veteran teachers return to the classroom after taking leaves last year

Emily Wu
September 15, 2024
Kyleen Liao and Naveed Kasnavi are the Class of `24 valedictorian and salutatorian, respectively

Class of ‘24 valedictorian and salutatorian announced

Emily Wu
June 4, 2024
tyler be like

Journalism and English 9 MAP teacher receives Teacher of the Year award

Emily Wu
May 17, 2024
Junior Sarah Lim prepares to hit a ball in front of her, towards a projector-screen golf simulator.

Technology in Sports: Athletes using  recent advancements to improve their skills

Emily Wu
May 21, 2024
Different things make different people happy.

Taking Toga’s Temperature: What does happiness mean to you? 

Shirina Cao and Emily Wu
May 17, 2024
I felt a thump when stopping at the traffic light.

My ups and downs as a new driver

Emily Wu
May 15, 2024
Emily, Shirina and Amy hold up the finished tanghulu while sugary water drips onto the floor.

The viral sweet treat tanghulu: Is it worth all the hype?

Shirina Cao, Jessica Li, Amy Miao, and Emily Wu
May 10, 2024
English and Map 10 teacher Marcos Cortez surfs in the Santa Cruz shoreline.

Surfing in Santa Cruz: Junior and English teacher find relaxation riding waves

Amy Miao and Emily Wu
March 29, 2024
Self-portrait finals projects (Caleb Yu left, Franky Zheng top right, Vivienne Brooks bottom right).

Roaming campus with a purpose, Digital Photography students hone skills that can be used for a lifetime

Shirina Cao and Emily Wu
March 27, 2024
The 14 smurfs that are the pride and joy of my childhood. 

In fevered pursuit of Happy Meal Smurfs: a quest for the ages

Emily Wu
March 26, 2024
Fluffy socks: the cute and comfy essential for winter wear

Fluffy socks: the cute and comfy essential for winter wear

Emily Wu
March 26, 2024
The dramatic difference in body type between Ursula and Ariel indirectly villainizes certain “undesirable” features.

Disney dysmorphia: How a beloved childhood franchise instills unrealistic beauty standards and gender bias

Shirina Cao and Emily Wu
March 21, 2024
Social media can shorten students’ attention span and hinder their academic performance.

Photo or Graphic for: Down the online rabbit hole: Students find social media to be detrimental to academic performance

Richard Fan and Alec Guan
March 3, 2024
Crafting club members thread elastic string through beads to make friendship bracelets on Oct. 26.

Crafting club provides haven for relaxation

Sasha Prasad and Emily Wu
February 8, 2024
Junior Angie Chen tells her story of body dysmorphia at the Speak Up for Change assembly on Jan. 26. 

Speak Up for Change assembly: Students and staff discuss healing by seeking help, body dysmorphia, pursuing passions

Mitchell Chen, Andrew Lin, and Emily Wu
January 27, 2024
New Wellness Center coordinator Thea Widmer works at a desk and checks in with students as they arrive on Nov. 27. 

Wellness Center reopens under new coordinator

Amy Miao and Emily Wu
December 7, 2023
Junior Rani Khanna tweezes metal pieces together for a batch of earrings over Thanksgiving break. 

Friends pool talents to create jewelry-making non-profit

Emily Wu
December 7, 2023
Members sit in a line with a buzzer system for practice on Nov. 29 in room 1011, Chemistry teacher Kathy Nakamatsu’s classroom.

Science Bowl, seeking a repeat of recent successes, adjusts to loss of graduated seniors

Sasha Prasad and Emily Wu
December 5, 2023
Selina Chen anchors at “Maroc TV”, Mohammed V University’s TV Station in Rabat, Morocco.

In her gap year, alumna becomes reporter in Morocco and learns real-world lessons

Amy Miao and Emily Wu
December 4, 2023
Substitute teacher Siddhartha Punj explains key coding vocabulary during an AP Computer Science lesson on Nov. 27.

Long-term substitute AP Computer Science teacher hired

Shirina Cao and Emily Wu
December 3, 2023
Students unload boxes of cookie dough into the music building for distribution on Nov. 13.

Music Boosters cookie dough fundraiser raises $10k+

Amy Miao and Emily Wu
December 3, 2023
Cis-gender men overshadow women as they enthusiastically wave resumes at recruiters.

Cis-gender men crashing the 2023 Grace Hopper Conference serves as a dangerous reminder of the tech industry’s gender imbalance

Amy Miao and Emily Wu
December 1, 2023
Sofia Hoffman and Elisa Pattullo work on glazing their decorative coil pot on Oct. 11.

Ceramics gives students creative freedom and hopes to recover from recent loss of interest

Shirina Cao and Emily Wu
November 6, 2023
Naveed Kasnavi holds binder clips to mark 2 inches above table as sophomores Samvrith Bandi (left) and Akash Gupta (right) arm wrestle during a club meeting on Oct. 19.

Arm Wrestling Club seeks to boost popularity of the unconventional sport

Sasha Prasad and Emily Wu
November 6, 2023
SHS’s website has received a clean new look as the school wifi gets a major overhaul.

Photo or Graphic for: Major updates made to WiFi system and school website

Derek Liang and Eric Shi
October 21, 2023
Sophia Tsives (back row, left) poses with her team after winning bronze at the World Championships.

Sophomore wins bronze with national team at the 2023 Artistic Swimming World Championships

Amy Miao and Emily Wu
October 18, 2023
Tamashiro provides a therapy session to a student in the ASSIST program.

New ASSIST therapist provides support to struggling students

Natalie Chua and Emily Wu
September 29, 2023
The club plans to donate projects made by members to homeless shelters and hospitals, helping the community while also spreading the art of knitting.

Knit For Needs supports community through shelter donations

Sasha Prasad and Emily Wu
September 29, 2023
Wu clings onto the wall while warming up for the day’s climb.

Photo or Graphic for: English teacher rocks at rock climbing

George Huang
December 1, 2022
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