The issue of whether finals should be before or after break has been a topic of debate in the past. As of now, finals are in mid January, leaving plenty of time over the break to review. Although the current finals schedule allows much time for studying, reading textbooks is no way to spend the holidays. The point of a break is to give students time away from stress and provide an opportunity for kids to do activities completely unrelated to school.

The students of history teacher Matt Torrens' second-period AP US History class walked into the classroom on Dec. 8 anticipating a field trip to the Madronia Cemetery located in downtown Saratoga .

After graduating in 2002, alumnus David Lii returned to Saratoga after college to work as both an assistant coach for the varsity football team and an investment analyst in downtown Saratoga.

The popularity of newspapers across the country has been declining, causing newspapers to shut down or transition more operations to the Internet. To keep up with the shift in journalism, the Falcon has been upgrading its own online edition of the newspaper, at saratogafalcon.org.

Snorkeling in the Galapagos, backpacking in the Andes and hiking up to the summit of Machu Picchu. Sounds like a dream vacation, but these breathtaking adventures will be daily fare for one lucky junior.

Cupertino Square, formerly known as Vallco Fashion Park, has a reputation for being a lifeless and boring mall. After undergoing multiple ownership changes in the last few years as well as major renovations, the mall still does not draw a substantial number of customers. Lacking popular shopping venues, the fact that the square does little to increase the small number of people it attracts is understandable.

Powell's Sweet Shoppe in downtown Los Gatos is more than just a candy store. The fruity aroma of various sweets, colorful shelves and cheerful atmosphere all blend together to make the experience like going to Willy Wonka's factory.