Mckenna Galvin

The Winter Guard traveled to San Diego for the Winter Guard International (WGI) Western Color Guard Championships on March 23 and 24, marking the first time the unit has ever advanced to the finals competition in the Scholastic A Class.

As college tuition rises, the price of attending a postsecondary institution continues to be an issue of concern to students and families. With average private school tuition ranging from $30,000 to $45,000 a year, even in affluent communities price is a significant factor for many in choosing the right college.

In a world where finding a strong Wi-Fi signal or checking Facebook notifications can be a teenager’s top priority, sparing a minute away from the increasingly connected world can be hard.

As the heat of college-decision season draws near, it’s hard not to get caught up in the stress of the process.

Of late, Facebook has become a vicious battleground where photos are no longer limited to selfies and prom pictures, but far-from-flattering pictures of people sleeping. The mastermind? Senior Sasan Saadat. 

Of late, Facebook has become a vicious battleground where photos are no longer limited to selfies and prom pictures, but far-from-flattering pictures of people sleeping. The mastermind? Senior Sasan Saadat.

Finishing out the marching band season with exciting performances in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, the Color Guard and percussion are transitioning into their next seasons, Winter Guard and Winter Percussion.

On Nov. 2, 61 percent of Puerto Ricans voted for statehood as the best alternative to its current commonwealth status, an action that could make the territory the 51st state.

Saratoga High's marching band and Color Guard shined under the bright lights of the 86th Annual Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade when they marched in front of 3 million on the streets of New York.

At a meeting on Nov. 13, the district board voted to suspend a policy at Saratoga High that would require all freshmen to take P.E., even if they also participate in band or athletics.

Students and parents now have an easier way to purchase school-related items rather than going to the Activities Office in person: They can simply pay for them via credit card on the new SHS WebStore.

At a meeting on Oct. 16, the school board discussed options for further action regarding board policy 6146.1, which would require all freshmen to take a yearlong P.E./Health course.

With a tight schedule to prepare for a competitive parade routine, field show and appearance at the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day parade, the marching band faced another scheduling challenge: four competitions on four Saturdays in a row.

Every day before 7:45 a.m., I brace myself to enter the “war zone” that is the parking lot. 

Freshmen starting with the class of 2017 will no longer be able to use marching band or sports participation for P.E. credit.

As the school year ends, juniors and seniors find themselves confronted with the decision over how to spend their summer vacations. While some opt for internships, travel or just staying at home, several upperclassmen continue their studies at local community colleges.  

As roughly 150 students file into AP Calculus AB or BC every day, it’s hard not to acknowledge that the once senior-dominated classes have shifted dramatically to include more juniors, sophomores and, in rare cases, even freshmen than ever before.

What do Epicurus, Shostakovich and the U.S. Supreme Court have in common? They are all the topics of the school’s History Day entries that qualified to represent California at the National History Day competition in June.

For many, spring break is a time for catching up on homework or enjoying some much-needed relaxation. For 26 juniors and seniors, however, April 17-22 was an adventure like no other.

Several students advanced to the state History Day competition on March 24 at the county competition. The qualifying 23 students in 11 entries will travel to Riverside during the weekend of April 27 in hopes of advancing to the national competition.

Several students advanced to the state History Day competition on March 24 at the county competition. The qualifying 23 students in 11 entries will travel to Riverside during the weekend of April 27 in hopes of advancing to the national competition. This year’s theme is “Revolution, Reaction, Reform in History,” and students can compete individually or in a group with an exhibit, documentary, historical paper, website or performance. This year, for the first time, the school hosted the county competition.

If there’s one type of physical activity that I hate, it’s running. Memories of timed miles and “Super Cardio Days” from middle school haunt my thoughts as I remember the shin splints, aching muscles and burning lungs associated with running for long periods of time.  

As the March 24 county History Day competition draws near, groups that advanced from the school competition are adding final touches to their entries in hopes of continuing on to the state and national levels.

With the deadline for National History Day entries quickly approaching, students are making final touches to their projects for the History Day Open House, held in the school library on Feb. 16. Qualifying entries will continue on to the county competition in hopes of making it to the state and national competitions.

On Jan. 18, visitors to Wikipedia were greeted with a black screen saying, “Imagine a World Without Free Knowledge.” A black rectangle censored the Google logo and directed users to sign a petition against Internet censorship. Numerous other websites—Tumblr, Reddit, Craigslist, and more—all engaged in some sort of protest.

Any person walking by history teacher Matt Torrens’ class on Feb. 2 or 3 may have encountered a scene that was far from ordinary. But what appeared to be utter chaos was actually a simulation of trench warfare in World War I.

“Hey! I killed you!” “Watch out!” “Give me a sock!”

On Nov. 11, mother Stacy Conner walked into her 10-year-old daughter Ashlynn’s bedroom to find that she had committed suicide after suffering from bullying at her elementary school for years.

From Nov. 30 to Dec. 2, the teacher’s lounge became the setting for a variety of colorful displays. Walking in, people were greeted with the sight of a tent made out of PVC pipes, a Christmas tree and tri-fold displays lining the room. This transformation was a result of English teacher Suzanne Herzman’s two English 11 Honors classes, which explored various motifs that occur throughout Nathaniel Hawthorne’s 19th century novel “The Scarlet Letter.”

With the field marching band season at a close, members of the Color Guard are preparing for the next chapter of the year: the Winter Guard season, in which the unit competes by itself in an indoor setting.

Every time Club Day rolls around, it’s hard not to be impressed by the variety of clubs we have on campus that work to preserve various cultures. From Indian Club to Asian Club, the quad is filled with tables celebrating the unique heritages present in Saratoga. It seems that everyone has a place where they can share unique traditions and customs of their culture.

Most students look forward to school breaks as a time to relax and unwind from the trials of school. For a select few, however, these breaks provide a unique opportunity to learn. This year, some students will have the opportunity to travel with their peers to expand their knowledge. The French and Spanish departments will be traveling to France and Mexico, respectively, while history teacher Matt Torrens will lead his “Wild West” trip to Utah, which is planned every other year. All three trips are already well into the planning process and will occur during the second semester.

After returning to their bus after the Tournament of Bands competition at Cupertino High School on Oct. 8, several members of the Color Guard were shocked to discover that almost every bag had been searched through and items had been taken.

Roughly 100 sophomores and juniors from the Media Arts Program ventured to Fort Miley Ropes Course in San Francisco on Sept. 9 to develop leadership and teamwork skills.

Tests and quizzes: 90 percent. Participation: 5 percent. Homework: 5 percent. Junior Ramya Swami stared at her AP Biology syllabus the first day of school in dread, realizing that this year, performance on quizzes and tests was going to be more important than ever before. This was not only the case in biology; practically every other class on her schedule had placed a significant weight on test scores.

It was a sunny Thursday afternoon as I left school and started to make my way home. Thirsty, I decided to stop by the McDonald’s on De Anza before heading back, thinking that some lemonade would be perfect before a long night of studying. There was no line at the drive-thru, so I happily went on up and looked at the menu, pondering what drink to get.