The Student News Site of Saratoga High School

The Saratoga Falcon
95071X Extremity’s robot competes on the playing field during a scrimmage.
VEX Robotics team hosts inter-school scrimmages in preparation for worlds
April 26, 2025
Courtesy of Abhiram Ruthala An infographic describing the implications of different waves captured by the Muse headset, included in a video produced by the group to present their project.
Sophomore explores passion in neuroscience, placing second in California’s 16th Congressional District in prestigious coding competition
April 26, 2025
Courtesy of Dave Rickling Rickling’s stand at De Anza College Farmers’ Market, selling jars of honey and honey sticks alongside other vendors.
Dave’s Backyard Bees: from lockdown hobby to booming business
April 25, 2025
The SHS and RMS Combined Band performs at the 2024 Pancake Breakfast.
SMB prepares for annual Pancake Breakfast
April 25, 2025
Student art being showcased at last year’s Soundings exhibition in the SHS Library.
Soundings’ April 18. Exhibition will feature works from The Wildcat Review
April 17, 2025
Using phones before sleep not only harms your eyes, but also delays the time it takes to fall asleep.
Scrolling into insomnia: how electronics rob teens of sleep
April 27, 2025
Strydom’s dabbles in a variety of mediums, including pencil sketches, pen sketches and digital art.
Sophomore’s YouTube Shorts reach thousands of views
April 27, 2025
Courtesy of Portsmouth Events The remake of ‘Snow White’ sparked controversy and mixed reactions ahead of its March 21 release.
Disney’s ‘Snow White’: not the fairest adaptation of them all
April 26, 2025
Courtesy of Karthik Sangameswaran Sangameswaran proudly holds up the book his work is published in.
Senior becomes a published historian
April 25, 2025
Our H-Mart shopping basket.
A Falcon guide to Chinese Lay’s flavors from H-Mart
April 25, 2025
The notorious “torpedo bat” has increased mass in the center of the barrel, hence the name.
Controversial torpedo bat makes a splash in MLB
April 27, 2025
Athletic trainer Kevin Attard helps junior football and lacrosse player Jayden Kwong prepare for knee rehabilitation.
New athletic trainer hired after months-long search
April 25, 2025
Bonner instructs swimmers to start the set off the block.
Christian Bonner’s journey from non-swimmer to longtime swimming coach
April 17, 2025
Ning launches a three against Sacred Heart as his teammates prepare to celebrate.
From 13th man to 3rd team all league — Steven Ning’s basketball journey
April 3, 2025
The beam training area at Gold Star Gymnastics.
Paying it forward for the next generation of gymnasts
March 31, 2025
Courtesy of Pinterest The ideal Expo marker in a classroom should be fresh and full of ink.
100-word rant: Dried markers, know your place (in the trash)
April 25, 2025
This energy drink is the perfect refreshing drink on a hot summer day.
100-word rave: Energy drinks are just spectacular
April 25, 2025
The issue of modern feminism: Don’t mistake progress for exploitation
The issue of modern feminism: Don’t mistake progress for exploitation
April 20, 2025
Mangione’s alleged actions were wrong, but the diagnosis of America’s failing health-care system wasn’t
Mangione’s alleged actions were wrong, but the diagnosis of America’s failing health-care system wasn’t
March 31, 2025
Stay safe.
In a dark time, it’s time to know your rights
March 27, 2025
New York Times’ games can predict my future
New York Times’ games can predict my future
April 26, 2025
The infamous “criss cross chair” from TikTok Shop, ranging from $40-70, has taken over social media feeds.
Is TikTok Shop another marketing trap or actually have legitimate products?
April 17, 2025
Students gather to eat and talk on the upper deck.
Prom 2025: A grape evening at the Mountain Winery
April 6, 2025
Courtesy of Imgflip If you’re going to stop reading this story right here, this meme sums up my entire high school experience (I been chilling with boba but it’s close enough). Seriously, though, John Cena’s Chinese is elite.
My high school life in memes
April 5, 2025
Courtesy of Neha Sharan Students compete in a co-ed tournament held at the India Community Center in Milpitas.
A sophomore’s gambit: encouraging more girls to take up chess
April 4, 2025
Volume 57, Issue 6
Volume 57, Issue 6
April 23, 2025
Volume 57, Issue 5
Volume 57, Issue 5
April 23, 2025
Volume 57, Issue 4
Volume 57, Issue 4
April 23, 2025
Volume 57, Issue 3
Volume 57, Issue 3
April 23, 2025
Volume 57, Issue 2
Volume 57, Issue 2
April 23, 2025

The Saratoga Falcon

The Saratoga Falcon
All content by Sarah Zhou
Rise and shine I guess 🤡

Healthy sleeping habits are unrealistic for most students

Sarah Zhou
Natalie and Victoria’s tentative first bites.

Spicy ‘reaper’ tenders at Dave’s Hot Chicken fail to bring the heat

Leyna Chan, Natalie Chua, Victoria Hu, and Sarah Zhou
School’s 6 VEX Robotics teams gear up for upcoming competitions in quest for world championships

School’s 6 VEX Robotics teams gear up for upcoming competitions in quest for world championships

Daniel Wu and Sarah Zhou
Admins reeling us back from escaping to our cars in the parking lot.

Let us skip our non-essential classes

Daniel Wu and Sarah Zhou
Senior Margaret Laver performs a roundhouse kick during her black belt assessment at the Sunnyvale Martial Arts Academy.

Seniors excel in Taekwondo despite the sport’s gender imbalance

Sarah Zhou
Banning cellphones in school is counterproductive

Banning cellphones in school is counterproductive

Sarah Zhou
The team huddles and encourages each other during their senior night against Homestead on Oct. 18.

Varsity girls’ volleyball pulls members from JV due to low numbers

Natalie Chua and Sarah Zhou
AI tools could democratize the college admissions landscape — if used properly

AI tools could democratize the college admissions landscape — if used properly

Sarah Zhou
This is what most classes look like.

100-word rant: Fellow Falcons, please start acting your age

Sarah Zhou
The dates we all dread to see on our calendars…

Top 10: Ways to get out of MOSAIC

Sarah Zhou
The team huddles during a time out in a game against Christopher High School on Sept. 5.

Season preview: Girls’ volleyball adjusts to small roster and new coach

Natalie Chua and Sarah Zhou
Sophomore Aidan Smith hits his approach shot on the 18th hole during league finals at Santa Teresa golf course en route to a birdie.

Top players qualified for CCS despite subpar team record

Saachi Jain, Amy Luo, and Sarah Zhou
The 000-wing women’s bathroom in all its glory.

School bathrooms: too often a trying experience

Sarah Zhou
@MinsuiTang July 21, 2023… be there.

Here’s what to do with your free time in the Bay Area this summer

Sarah Zhou
The Saratoga Library hosted various local speakers who discussed their experiences with creative writing forms.

Student speakers focus on the power of language in SED talks event at public library

Sarah Zhou
We have also mastered the eyebrow raise that is a must to accompany the side eye.

Top 10: bombastic side-eye moments

Minsui Tang and Sarah Zhou
Members of the Females for Finance Club meet during lunch on March 28.

Females for Finance plans magazine with Design Club

Shaan Sridhar and Sarah Zhou
Ken looks girlypop and Barbie looks like she’s plotting his murder.

‘Barbie’ movie trailer proves to be both disappointing and depressing

Minsui Tang and Sarah Zhou
Newsflash: the tests didn’t know.

My MBTI changes on every platform I take it

Sarah Zhou
Every five minutes, there is a scene exactly like this one.

‘Where Are We Going, Dad’ was a banger in 2013, but not now

Minsui Tang and Sarah Zhou
Holiday Pajama Day was good, but we’re still waiting for it to be great.

Top 10: worst spirit day themes

Minsui Tang and Sarah Zhou
There should not be such a notable lack of differentiation between honors and college prep electives.

Opinion: Honors-weighted elective classes should offer CP alternatives

Sarah Zhou
Students and teachers both highlight the importance of asking questions.

Upperclassmen and teachers reflect on skills necessary to succeed in widely perceived ‘most difficult’ classes

Sarah Zhou
Geese roam the halls outside the Engineering Lab in May 2021.

Well-forested campus serves as haven for birds and other wildlife

Victoria Hu and Sarah Zhou
Redwood trees line the campus border on Saratoga Sunnyvale Road.

Maintenance team focuses on creating safe, inviting landscaping on school’s 40-acre campus

Victoria Hu and Sarah Zhou
This show sucks.

I just cannot finish the ‘Big Bang Theory’

Sarah Zhou
A student shadow sits in on their matched volunteer’s classes.

Prospective students get a peek into campus life through shadowing program

Sarah Zhou and Victoria Hu
Junior Saara Saini tutors at Algebra 1 Math Lab on Nov. 12.

Math teacher starts Saturday peer tutoring program to support Algebra 1 class

Victoria Hu and Sarah Zhou
No caption necessary.

Teachers: If you give group work, please let us assess our group members

Sarah Zhou
The photography club’s Instagram advertises upcoming events for members to participate in, such as the Uganda fundraiser.

Reestablished photography club engages new members with interactive weekly challenges

Sarah Zhou
Live laugh eggs.

Not going to Tahoe for winter break makes me eggcited

Sarah Zhou
Gross.

I love the game Hay Day and I’m proud of it

Sarah Zhou
Now MAP seniors pose for a picture before their trial in May.

Students find greater interactivity and room for creativity in MAP than regular humanities classes

Sarah Zhou and Victoria Hu
The upcoming midterm elections will be the first chance for some seniors to vote.

Seniors channel hope for change into political actions in upcoming midterm elections

Sarah Thomas and Sarah Zhou
Junior wing Amaris Charton looks down the pool for a releasing player.

Girls’ water polo ends season with victories

Stephanie Sun and Sarah Zhou
 Passing proposition includes the legalization of sports betting.

California’s propositions challenge voters with tough decisions over often obscure issues

Sarah Zhou and William Norwood
Some of the topics the School Site Council hopes to address this year are installing solar panels and improving the school’s composting system.

School Site Council reconvenes and works to review student concerns

Sarah Zhou and Sarah Thomas
Fung dances during a color guard performance at the winter guard and percussion senior night on April 8.

Color guard member learns to overcome insecurities, gain self-acceptance

Sarah Zhou
In groups, students practice stage fighting at a ComedySportz practice on Oct. 5.

ComedySportz works to win crowd over with puns

Sarah Zhou and Victoria Hu
Levine has a lot of guts to cheat for someone who has a baby angel tatted next to his right nipple.

Adam Levine cheating scandal reveals society’s (or at least his) descent into immorality

Sarah Zhou and Sarah Thomas
Library technician Lee Tapley works at the front desk of the library.

Library technician Lee Tapley juggles multiple responsibilities

Sarah Zhou
The number of students who do not receive federal financial aid for college after graduation must change.

Current merit-based college aid system needs rethinking

Sarah Zhou
I hate Viserys.

‘House of the Dragon’ brought back anger from ‘Games of Thrones’ that I didn’t know I still had

Sarah Zhou
Senior goalie Rosie Kline looks across the pool for an open player

Girls’ water polo prepares for upcoming season with new head coach

Stephanie Sun and Sarah Zhou
Me and my frustration, literally every day.

Parents, students: Please stop blocking my driveway

Sarah Zhou
A photo of a dreary-looking neighborhood in Saratoga from one of my walks.

What going on 6 a.m. walks during the summer has done for me

Sarah Zhou
Top 10 posts from the Saratoga NextDoor

Top 10 posts from the Saratoga NextDoor

Sarah Zhou
I am drooling.

BuzzFeed is wrong about mint chocolate chip ice cream

Sarah Zhou
73 questions: conversations with the school community

73 questions: conversations with the school community

Lena Aribi, Meher Bhatnagar, Christina Chang, Lynn Dai, Victoria Hu, Hannah Lee, Jonny Luo, Shannon Ma, Nikhil Mathihalli, and Sarah Zhou
Students advocate for various changes to the school, which mostly go ignored or take a long time to be addressed.

Board needs to focus more on student concerns

Sarah Zhou
Students share experiences living in Saratoga with out-of-the-mainstream political beliefs

Students share experiences living in Saratoga with out-of-the-mainstream political beliefs

Sarah Zhou and Victoria Hu
Kamila Valieva comments on Deng’s Instagram post.

Sophomore fundraises for charity through commissions on Instagram art account

Sarah Zhou
 Junior Channie Hong gives his speech at senior night.

Swim team celebrates senior night in anticipation of CCS

Sarah Zhou
Junior Emily Boselli and sophomore Amaris Charton at their Eagle Ceremony.

Four sophomores and juniors break new ground as Eagle Scouts

Sarah Zhou
After the dryness of that baked potato, we will need IV fluids to die properly hydrated.

Our top 10 deathbed regrets

Sarah Zhou and Victoria Hu

Top 10 pickup lines to woo your crush with

Nicole Lu and Sarah Zhou

Top 10 pickup lines to use to get out of the friend zone

Nicole Lu and Sarah Zhou
Night rally and dance to cap off Spring Fling Week

Night rally and dance to cap off Spring Fling Week

Sarah Zhou and Nicole Lu
Vacancy taxes are a pathetic attempt at funding and creating affordable housing solutions

Vacancy taxes are a pathetic attempt at funding and creating affordable housing solutions

Sarah Zhou
Environmental Science students travel to Año Nuevo State Park to observe elephant seals

Environmental Science students travel to Año Nuevo State Park to observe elephant seals

Sarah Zhou and Victoria Hu
Cut the toxicity: Parents need to stop competing with their kids’ academic accolades

Cut the toxicity: Parents need to stop competing with their kids’ academic accolades

Sarah Zhou
 My friend and I test out Snapchat’s “Tiny Royale” mini-game   

Snapchat’s disappointing ripoff mini-games ranked and reviewed

Sarah Zhou
Club president Angela Luo presents to members with vice president Margaret Laver and Secretary Riley Alves during the first meeting.

Animal Science Club plans to provide animal-related volunteer opportunities to members

Sarah Zhou and Victoria Hu
Class of 2021 alumna Irika Katiyar (middle) poses with her friends at prom in June.

Senior and junior class offices look forward to combined in-person prom

Nicole Lu and Sarah Zhou
Senior Kaasha Minocha takes her COVID-19 test on Jan. 6.

School ends close contact notices in favor of weekly testing, plans to distribute N95/KN95 masks

Sarah Zhou and Victoria Hu
Despite omicron, school to stay in person unless trends worsen greatly

Despite omicron, school to stay in person unless trends worsen greatly

Sarah Zhou
Schneidmiller hits the ball in a match.

Alumnus Joel Schneidmiller moves overseas to play professional volleyball

Sarah Zhou
America may be the land of the free, but that doesn’t mean college should be

America may be the land of the free, but that doesn’t mean college should be

Sarah Zhou
Cutback Cleanups promotes environmental awareness through various projects

Cutback Cleanups promotes environmental awareness through various projects

Sarah Zhou
‘House of the Dragons’ announcement elicits mixed reactions

‘House of the Dragons’ announcement elicits mixed reactions

Sarah Zhou
kaashatesting

District utilizes mass COVID-19 testing to identify new cases

Sarah Zhou and Victoria Hu
Current universal health care proposals are disasters waiting to happen

Current universal health care proposals are disasters waiting to happen

Sarah Zhou
Winter Formal planning aims to overcome setbacks amid ongoing pandemic restrictions

Winter Formal planning aims to overcome setbacks amid ongoing pandemic restrictions

Sarah Zhou and Victoria Hu
Junior middle blocker Lisa Fung hits the ball as the other team’s players prepare to block.

Girls’ volleyball closes out their season with disappointing losses

Sarah Zhou and Atrey Desai
Forcing spider evolution 

Forcing spider evolution 

Sarah Zhou
5 stages of grief? More like 1

5 stages of grief? More like 1

Sarah Zhou
Categorizing ‘Game of Thrones’ characters from least to most poisonable

Categorizing ‘Game of Thrones’ characters from least to most poisonable

Sarah Zhou

Young girls’ volleyball team endures rough start

Atrey Desai and Sarah Zhou
The first episode of the eighteenth season

I will not be here for ‘Grey’s Anatomy’ Season 63

Sarah Zhou
Under the magnifying glass: students with faculty and staff parents

Under the magnifying glass: students with faculty and staff parents

Sarah Zhou and Victoria Hu
Students asked to pitch in to combat campus waste

Students asked to pitch in to combat campus waste

Sarah Zhou and Sarah Thomas
Falcon Family Peer Tutoring Program offers student guidance for maneuvering tough classes

Falcon Family Peer Tutoring Program offers student guidance for maneuvering tough classes

Sarah Zhou and Atrey Desai
Explaining — not solving — the problem causing my massive bank statements

Explaining — not solving — the problem causing my massive bank statements

Sarah Zhou
100 Word Rants

100 Word Rants

Vicky Bai, Apurva Chakravarthy, Sarah Zhou, and Zachary Zinman
Guidance counselor Monique Young works in her office.

Guidance counselors transition to in-person senior counseling

Sarah Zhou and Nicole Lu
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