The Student News Site of Saratoga High School

The Saratoga Falcon
Sophomore Eric Liang and his VEX team 2041V pose for a photo after winning a competition
The road less traveled: choosing to do robotics outside of the school’s well-known teams
March 22, 2025
Juniors hike along the ocean view at the Año Nuevo State Park on March 13.
AP Environmental Science classes embark on the 14th annual Año Nuevo visit
March 22, 2025
Little by little, the animal rights movement continues to grow in both support and action.
Analysis: Animal rights movement shines light on humanity’s cruelty
March 22, 2025
The district is looking to replace the school’s security cameras, which were installed around campus in places like the corner of the music building as far back as 2016.
New district plans include updated facility rental policies and revamped campus security systems
March 21, 2025
Seniors Shaan Janardhan and Naahur Sajwan face off in Bombay in the Bay’s All Male Dance.
Senior Indian Cultural Awareness club officers reflect on last month’s Bombay in the Bay performance
March 21, 2025
Chowdri ices macaroons at El Chico in Prayaraj, India.
Sophomore pursues patisserie passion as her small business
March 22, 2025
Like thrillers, mathematics and history? Watch “The Imitation Game.”
WWII movie: ‘The Imitation Game’ shines light on a dark time
March 21, 2025
Haworth’s photo of pop artist Chloe George on March 5 of last year became the cover of George’s single “Heart of Glass.”
Junior gains confidence, praise for her concert photography
March 21, 2025
Sophomore Cuttlefish member Maxwell Tham works intently on his Phoenix Unlimbited Hand in order to get certified by e-NABLE.
MSET Cuttlefish expand efforts to help those in need across the globe
March 21, 2025
Timothy Wei presents at a NeurIPS Workshop in Vancouver on Dec. 14, 2024.
Senior gains research experience in wildfire prevention and fall detection
March 19, 2025
Sophomore Sina Mohtaj-Khorassani warms up before a scrimmage.
Promising freshmen primed boost boys’ tennis team’s chances
March 22, 2025
Iris gets some setter reps while practicing with her dad.
Athletes navigate sports with their fathers on the sideline as coaches
March 21, 2025
Students play girl’s flag football during the 2024 Falcon Puff competition.
Could flag football be a school sport next fall?
March 21, 2025
Swimmers compete at home on Feb. 28 against Lynbrook.
Swim team optimistic for coming season with many new freshmen
March 21, 2025
Head Coach Archie Ljepava coordinates the home meet against Monta Vista and McDonald on March 13.
Ljepava returns to head coaching role for track and field
March 21, 2025
Nationwide voter turnout since 2002, blue is presidential, yellow is midterm
Sagging voter participation puts democracy at risk
March 22, 2025
Cutting the tree of the Department of Education in half.
DOGE’s cuts for educational programs cause instability and loss of research confidence
March 19, 2025
The average tuition and fees for public colleges have decreased, while increase in private college tuition has slowed.
Unlike critics of CollegeBoard suggest, the cost of attending public colleges will likely decrease
March 19, 2025
Students have varying opinions on MOSAIC’s effectiveness — how do we reduce the stigma around the issues it tackles?
Lessons to tackle: MOSAICs can be even more effective with a few tweaks and updates
March 18, 2025
Research shows that optimal learning temperatures lie between 68 and 79 degrees Fahrenheit.
Extreme classroom temperatures swings not conducive to effective learning
March 16, 2025
Club officers provide homemade baked goods for members to enjoy.
Brownies, cakes, cupcakes, cookies — what’s not to love about the new baking club?
March 22, 2025
The Falcon’s podium of top 10’s.
Top 10: Top 10’s
March 22, 2025
These Asian snacks are my guilty pleasures.
Weee! Asian snacks are my lifeline when trying to stay productive
March 22, 2025
Jump into your spring cleaning era now!
It’s finally spring — so it’s time to clean
March 22, 2025
The endless possibilities you can do with a scribble of colors…
How to craft a letter for someone special
March 21, 2025

The Saratoga Falcon

The Saratoga Falcon
Shirina Cao

Shirina Cao, Lifestyles Editor

All content by Shirina Cao
Seniors Shaan Janardhan and Naahur Sajwan face off in Bombay in the Bay’s All Male Dance.

Senior Indian Cultural Awareness club officers reflect on last month’s Bombay in the Bay performance

Shirina Cao and Sasha Prasad
March 21, 2025
The common settings that SHS students use as third places.

Photo or Graphic for: From relaxing natural spots to quiet library corners: how having a so-called third place can relieve stress and boost productivity

Adarsh Peruvemba and Vedant Sinha
February 27, 2025
Members of the dance team hold a pose in their competition pom routine, performing at the girls’ basketball game on Jan. 17.

Dance team brings back traditional halftime basketball performances

Shirina Cao and Renisha Mandal
February 22, 2025
Some of these couples’ best moments captured in photos (From top to bottom: Keys, Nakamatsu, Nitzan).

Sparks fly: The surprising ways teachers met their spouses

Andrew Gong and Shirina Cao
February 7, 2025
Amy Hawthorne picks her most unique or intense and emotional photos to publish onto her website portfolio.

Honoring her late husband, parent becomes skilled photographer of her sons and other athletes

Shirina Cao
February 7, 2025
The three best dishes we ordered at Ippudo: Akashu Modern, Chicken Karaage, and Pork Buns

The three best dishes we ordered at Ippudo: Akashu Modern, Chicken Karaage, and Pork Buns

Photo or Graphic for: Our visit to Ippudo: A cozy experience with tastes beyond ramen

Linh Do and Vedant Sinha
January 18, 2025
If all of our icks culminated into one man, this is what he would look like.

Top 10: Icks

Shirina Cao and Emily Wu
January 18, 2025
In a capitalist world, informed journalism takes second priority.

Photo or Graphic for: Billionaires should step back from publications they own

Bryan Zhao
January 12, 2025
There are so many to choose from, but there is a clear

Top 10: romance tropes

Divya Vadlakonda and Shirina Cao
December 13, 2024
Senior Anisa Taymuree learns her solo dance alongside her choreographer Karen Chien.

Solos allow dance team upperclassmen to explore their individuality

Shirina Cao and Renisha Mandal
December 9, 2024
NewJeans members try to fly in to save the day — albeit through a YouTube live — by demanding HYBE Chairman Bang Si-hyuk to reinstate former ADOR CEO Min Hee Jin.

Famous K-pop company HYBE kicks out sublabel CEO for coup allegations

Shirina Cao
December 2, 2024
Students in the marching band and color guard perform their show “The Show Must Go On” at the Oct. 26 Cupertino Tournament of Bands.

Photo or Graphic for: Marching band takes fourth place at Cupertino High competition

Tanvee Tirthapura
November 4, 2024
Highlights of freshmen, sophomores, juniors and seniors dances during Homecoming week from Oct. 14-19.

Behind the scenes: Meet the choreographers who brought the Homecoming dance to life

Shirina Cao and Grace Lin
November 2, 2024
Seniors Keion Ashjaee-Marshall and Tevita Pahulu practice taping wrist injuries.

Photo or Graphic for: Sports Medicine elective returns

Alec Guan and Linh Do
October 30, 2024
Seniors share their advice to thrive in high school.

I’ve wanted to plop into a fluffy pile of snow, not fall off the lift onto the hard packed snow of the ski trail while everyone on the lift watches.

Don’t jump off the ski lift — the snow isn’t as soft as it looks

Shirina Cao
October 28, 2024
Seniors share their advice to thrive in high school.

Photo or Graphic for: Seniors urge having realistic time commitments and genuine interests

Vedant Sinha
October 27, 2024
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
During their first meeting on Sept. 12, Slime Club members mix a large bowl of glue with an activator to make slime.

New Slime Club is drawing over 60 members each meeting

Shirina Cao
September 26, 2024
The dance team sells homemade baked goods at their bake sale at the Sept. 5 home football game against El Camino to fundraise for competition and costume costs.

Dance team welcomes new assistant coach who focuses on their technique and fitness

Shirina Cao and Renisha Mandal
September 19, 2024
Thomas Casavant teaches freshmen how to fix a section of their Java code.

AP Physics teacher expands course repertoire to Intro to Computer Programming

Shirina Cao and Ashni Pillai
September 17, 2024
Wellness Center therapist Janae Smith writes in her notebook.

New Wellness Center therapist brings diverse work experience

Shirina Cao and Madhura Natarajan
September 9, 2024
 A turtleneck constricts a woman's neck.

Photo or Graphic for: Let’s leave turtlenecks in the past, where they belong

Sasha Prasad
May 30, 2024
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Photo or Graphic for: Road trips: a once detested, but now beloved summer tradition

Sasha Prasad
May 20, 2024
Sports Drinks

Photo or Graphic for: Top 10 sports drinks

Bill Huang
May 20, 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
Sophomore Brennan Pak sprints across the lacrosse field.

Longtime seasoned athletes step out of their comfort zone to pursue new sports

Jeremy Si and Shirina Cao
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
The three Jacks’ line up in height order (left to right: Jack Gong, Jack Dong and Jack Tong).

Jack (Dong, Gong, and Tong) of all trades

Shirina Cao
May 4, 2024
When the world is turning more digital than ever, with children often online gaming during their free time, how are board games staying afloat?

Board games stay afloat among the rising online gaming industry

Shirina Cao
May 4, 2024
Saratoga students often take a variety of West Valley summer courses, whether it is for college credit or self interest.

Photo or Graphic for: Get a real college experience at no cost — take some summer community college classes

Richard Fan
May 4, 2024
Sophomore May Gendeh performs the small lyrical routine at the United Spirit Association Nationals Competition on March 22.

Dance team competes at Nationals in Anaheim

Shirina Cao and Jessica Li
April 23, 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 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
Birthdays are usually filled with big smiles and happy laughter, but I still can’t help but feel sad.

Fighting the birthday blues and losing

Shirina Cao
March 14, 2024
Students who succumb to the allure of Sparknotes will fail to analyze classic literature on their own.

Photo or Graphic for: SparkNotes — a glorified version of cheating

Alec Guan
March 7, 2024
Senior Michelle Wan fiercely raises her right arm during the ending pose of the team’s jazz routine during the competition hosted by West Coast Elite at Valley Christian on Jan. 20.

Making the most of limited practice time, dance team soars through competition season with a positive outlook

Shirina Cao and Jessica Li
February 8, 2024
Spice up your love life with these activities.

Ideas for the next big date after Valentine’s Day

Shirina Cao
February 8, 2024
The rising band faces difficulties coordinating around busy schedules, but its members look forward to their coming performances.

Photo or Graphic for: Student band Pollen Prone springs into the spotlight

Lawson Wang
January 24, 2024
Don’t worry, rock music enjoyment is definitely not a cult.

Photo or Graphic for: How my father rocked my musical world

Alec Guan
December 14, 2023
While UC Berkeley offers a tiresome uphill hike from SHS, Yale, Harvard and Stanford lead to an easy downhill slide.

Recent alumni offer their report card on how SHS prepared them for elite colleges

Shirina Cao and Jessica Li
December 13, 2023
Ashley Xu does a double stag jump while holding rainbow ribbons during her solo section of the folkloric group routine “Colorful Joy” during the performance at Spotlight Dance Cup nationals on July 8.

Dancers find perks in attending outside dance studios over school dance team

Shirina Cao and Jessica Li
December 7, 2023
The Christmas season means an impending list of gifts to get.

The Falcon’s guide to gift-giving during the holiday season

Shirina Cao
December 5, 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
The dance team members Anisa Taymuree and Annalyn Bui hold their ending pose for their Oct. 20 football game halftime performance.

Dance team transitions from football half time performances to competition season

Shirina Cao and Jessica Li
November 20, 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
Seniors Riley Alves and Ashly Henry dressed as skeletons during the school's Trunk or Treat event on Oct. 28.

All dressed up: Creating terror-ific memories to celebrate the spooky season

Shirina Cao, Kathy Wang, and Beverly Xu
November 5, 2023
Class rivalry during rally games is a great way to raise school and class pride. 

Dear Toga students: You aren’t ‘too cool’ to attend rallies

Shirina Cao and Anika Kapasi
October 19, 2023
The dance team performs their hip-hop routine to the song “Hot in It” for the football game on Sept. 1.

Dance team kicks off to powerful start while adjusting to new coach

Shirina Cao and Jessica Li
September 23, 2023
Drum Major Petr Tupitsyn overlooks his marching band, ready to showcase their senior night performance.

Photo or Graphic for: Marching band shows promising season with their performance ‘Blossom’

Allison Tan and Zachary Zinman
October 25, 2022
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