By Casey Pao, Sparsha Saxena and Shilpa Venigandla
Michael Johnson
“I love food,” Michael said. “I’m a food fan.” With regards to the rest of the speech, Michael said that he was going to keep it as a surprise until the ceremony. However, he hopes that his speech and thoughts will be able to portray the feelings of the class of 2013 as a whole.
After graduation, Michael plans on attending Brigham Young University to major in Electrical Engineering. Although he is looking forward to this new chapter in his life, Michael loves everyone at Los Altos High School and will miss all of them so much.
Vanessa Barajas
Michael Johnson has always been regarded by his fellow students as friendly and fun to be around throughout his high school career, having been voted as “Friendliest” in the senior superlatives. But Michael’s personality isn’t the only aspect of him that should be acknowledged. Michael has been an active participant in the school community since freshman year, taking part in various clubs, sports and activities such as the yearly dodgeball tournament. In addition to being on the cross country and track teams for the past few years, he was a member and later on, co-president 2
CIERA PASTUREL of the Vecinos Club, a club which aimed to help teach English at the Silicon Valley Day Worker Center. The Vecinos Club wasn’t the only organization to benefit from Michael’s contributions as he joined Broken Box, the school’s theater company. The two highlights of Michael’s high school experience were being Homecoming king because it was “really fun to be the ‘popular kid’ for a day” and clearing 5’8” in high jump while competing in track and field. With all these activities, Michael’s graduation speech integrates two important aspects of his life—food and schooling.
Vanessa Barajas has been enthusiastically involved in the community for the past four years, whether it be through embracing her heritage through LSU, volunteering at church, or taking part in the AVID program at Los Altos High School. Vanessa says when she was a freshman, she wasn’t nearly as involved in extracurriculars and her community. She was also shy and limited herself to only a couple of friends. However,
CIERA PASTUREL in the past four years, she has learned to break out of her comfort zone and achieve things that she never thought could be possible. She is now a determined and confident individual on and off campus. Vanessa will be attending Notre Dame de Namur Univeristy in the fall, double majoring in psychology and biology while working to help pay off her tuition. In 10 years, she hopes to have her PhD in hand and give back to the
community. One community project that comes to mind is starting an organization for low-income students in Oakland who want to pursue higher education. She says she looks up to AVID English teacher Joanne Miyahara, who had the biggest influence on her life. Miyahara has supported her through the successes and difficulties she has encountered in her past four years at LAHS. Vanessa’s speech focuses on students whose voices
haven’t been heard or who are constantly considered the underdogs. She wants to speak out and represent these students who have kept their stories hidden. Her speech will be bilingual, reaching out to Latino parents and graduates. She said by doing this, she hopes to acknowledge the unconditional support that Latino parents give to their kids, thanking them for being there at graduation and making it all the way to the finish line.
SUMMER SHOES! at European Cobblery
Jerry Liu
(650) 941-0143 201 1st St, Los Altos, CA
Aside from being a valedictorian this year, Jerry Liu has been involved in numerous activities throughout his four years here at LAHS. Jerry has participated in Future Business Leaders of America, Tech Action Club, track and field, Speech and Debate and The Talon.
CIERA PASTUREL One of his contributions to the school was creating Tech Action Club that created a time management web application for the counseling department. It allows students to enter the amount of activities they participate in each year to see whether they are getting enough sleep.
Jerry decided to give a speech at graduation because he relishes an opportunity to speak publicly and provide a sense of closure to the graduating class. His graduation speech covers the class’ accomplishments and values in preparation for the future. The writing process took a lot of editing to make sure the speech fit the intended audience—the student body—and to not err on the side of the cliche graduation speech. Jerry wants to thank the school for providing him with all the resources he needed to launch his own technology products. One of his favorite classes (there are a lot) was Multivariable Calculus with math teacher Michael Richardson. Jerry enjoyed this class because they got a chance to eat junk food while
learning new mathematical concepts. Aside from what he will say in his speech, Jerry wants to thank his parents for their constant support and mentorship throughout his life. Next year, Jerry will be a tiger at Princeton University. Jerry plans to major in computer science and looks forward to meeting students and professors there, and taking advantage of various research and learning opportunities. He is eager to join Princeton University’s growing entrepreneurship club to continue being a business and tech leader in the college environment. Jerry will never forget Mr. Richardson’s fluorescent shirts, librarian Gordon Jack’s sense of humor and physics teacher Adam Randall’s difficult tests. 3
The Year in Review AVID ReSHUFFLES CLASSES
On May 6, Newsweek published its annual “Best American High School” ranking compilation. The report, which sought to rank America’s top 2000 public high schools, put Los Altos High School at an all-time record of 132, putting the school in the top 1% of public
As the school year draws to a close, the administration has begun to designate the number of AVID sections for the upcoming school year. As of publication, the administration plans to keep the current number of AVID
classes. However, only one section of AVID will be offered for the sophomore class next year as opposed to the two that were available this year and the last. The administration plans to increase the number of 11th grade sessions by one.
STAFF MEMBERS ANNOUNCE DEPARTURES
CONTROVERSY ARISES OVER MVHS ORACLE ARTICLES
Over the past year, multiple teachers have left or announced their plans to leave. The Science Department will be losing Carl Babb and Thomas Budd, while Social Studies teacher Robert Freeman has requested another semester long leave of absence. Assistant Superintendent Steve Hope will also be retiring.
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Controversy broke out after the MVHS newspaper The Oracle published a center spread entitled “Sex and Relationships” in February. The center spread was met with concern from a group of parents and community members, who addressed the school board. The possibility of censorship brought in larger legal issues. Superintendent Barry Groves said that if he had seen the paper prior to publication, he
would not have censored any of the content but would have provided recommendations. Ultimately, the board took no action.
Compiled by Tony Sun and Zoe Morgan from 2012-2013 issues of the Talon. All photos from Talon archives.
OL RANKS ationally schools nationwide. Being ranked 132 out of 25,000 total public high schools marks a 71 place improvement from 2012. The gains made this year marked yet another year of growth for the high school; the rankings have climbed steadily since 2010, when the school was
ranked 552. This year’s ranking puts the school in front of Mountain View (ranked 229), and also helps close the gap between Los Altos and other academically-notable public schools in the Santa Clara County, like Lynbrook High (ranked 122).
WASC RENEWS 6 YEAR school ACCREDITATION The Accrediting Commission for Schools of the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC) conducted an accreditation evaluation of the school for the first time in six years. The Accrediting Commission for Schools evaluated the school to complete their six-year evaluation cycle from Sunday, March 3 to Wednesday, March 6. To get a better sense of the school, a WASC visiting committee,
made up of teachers and administrators from different parts of California, came to the school. The school’s accreditation was renewed for six years.
DISTRICTWIDE COURSE ALIGNMENT BEGINS Teachers spent time at the end of last school year and this year aligning assessment strategies and courses, an action that was prompted by the Grades/Evaluation of Student Achievement Policy. The policy, which was passed Monday, April 23 of 2012, ensures that students receive grades in an efficient manner and that each individual student has an equal chance of receiving a grade that accurately reflects the student’s achievement in the class, regardless of the teacher. The policy was created after the Assessment Task Force, a 25-member group consisting of students, parents, teachers and administrators from both Los Altos High School and Mountain View High School, showed interest in aligning classes. The board then passed the policy.
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Compiled by Josh Cohen, Chase Eller, Arman Khayat Sam Lisbonne, and Eddie Sartor
Steven McLean, Baylor (1)
Ashley Zhao, UCSD (2) Ashley Zhao will be headed to USCD to play Division 1 soccer next year. After playing highly competitive school and club soccer for years, Ashley is looking forward to the intensity of college soccer. “I think it will be a really fun experience to play on a new team, and college soccer is obviously going to be a step up,” Ashley said. Ashley currently plays for PSV Union, one of the top club soccer teams in the state.
Ian McColl, Stanford (3) Ian McColl isn’t traveling too far for athletics, as he will be bringing his water polo talents to Stanford. Ian led the team to the CCS finals this year as captain, and was the leading scorer for the Eagles. Ian said that he’s ready for the competition that college water polo will bring. “I know that I have been prepared for whatever comes my way,” Ian said. Ian described his experience in high school, saying that he had “the extreme fortune to be a part of one of the best teams in school
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1
Steven McLean will be playing baseball next year at Baylor. Steven, a four year starter for the Eagles, received a scholarship to Baylor last summer. Steven sent his stats, schedule, highlights and transcripts to over 60 coaches. Baylor saw him at a few venues and offered him a scholarship. “The recruiting process was stressful but definitely worth it,” Steven said. “Luckily Baylor had the opportunity to see me play in person and liked what they saw. I’m looking forward to the environment and being around a great group of coaches and players that are going to teach me about the game.”
4 history with some of the best players in the school.”
Spencer Simonides, Pomona (4) Spencer Simonides is playing tennis next year at Pomona, pursuing success both on the courts and in the classroom. He defended his CCS doubles title this year, and hopes to continue his streak in college. “This year has been a phenomenal end to high school sports,” Spencer said. “[It was] an awesome experience that I will continue to build off of next year in college tennis.” He will also be joining doubles partner Anthony Bello at Pomona, making for a talented incoming class.
Anthony Bello, Pomona (5) Anthony Bello will continue his tennis career next year at Pomona. Anthony anticipates that he has a lot to learn, citing his excitement to “work hard, have fun and learn from my
56 teammates.” Anthonybelieveshisexperience with and participation in water polo, a sport he played this year, helped him to defend the CCS doubles title. “Playing two polar opposite sports actually gave me a nice perspective on team sports,” Anthony said.
Eddie Sartor, Occidental (6) Eddie Sartor will bring soccer skills to Occidental, where he will join a soccer team he never anticipated to play for. “I hadn’t expected to play college soccer until Occidental found me,” Eddie said. Eddie was the captain of the boys soccer team this year, and said that he hopes to bring his experience and leadership to an already great group at Occidental.
Audrey Mays, UCSD (7) Next year, Audrey Mays will be playing soccer at UC San Diego. Audrey has played
3
7 soccer competitively since she was 10. In addition, Audrey has been on the varsity soccer team for four seasons. Audrey chose USCD for its soccer team and academics. Audrey is excited about the opportunities San Diego presents and looks forward to continuing her soccer career. “I’m excited to continue to contribute to and be a part of a team,” Audrey said.
Jacqueline Scher, Michigan (8) Jacqueline Scher began her career as a coxwain her freshman year and will continue to compete at University of Michigan next fall. “I had a good amount of experience for what coaches were looking for in a college coxswain, so thats why I decided to pursue it in college,” Jacqueline said.
Sarah Wobber, UCSD (9) Sarah Wobber is heading to UCSD for Track and Field next
Photos From Talon ARchives, Courtesy Ian MCColl, Ashley Zhao, Eddie Sartor, Jacqueline Scher
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volleyball team and holding a varsity slot for three years, Natalie Dwulet will continue to play at Occidental University. Natalie described her time with Eagles volleyball as her “favorite time of the year,” in part because of the close-knit nature of the team. Next year, Natalie hopes to bring her leadership qualities to the Occidental Tigers and achieve a good balance between volleyball and academics.
Claire Bowie, Cornell (15)
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fall. Sarah ran varsity track for Los Altos for four years, competing in the 400 and 200 meter events. Sarah is looking forward to competing at a high level in college. “I can’t wait to become an NCAA athlete and hopefully significantly drop my times,” Sarah said. Sarah recently signed her National Letter of Intent on May 15. After the track banquet, her coaches held a private event for her signing where she also received a scholarship.
Danny Yeager, Cal Poly (10) Next year, Danny Yeager will be continuing his track and field journey at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo. Danny has been on the varsity track and field team all four years at Los Altos, and has been an integral part of the team’s success. Last year, Danny went to the state track and field meet and called it his most memorable experience as a part of the
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track team. Next year, Danny looks forward to competing in new events. “I am really looking forward to competing in a decathlon, something that high school track doesn’t offer,” Danny said.
Ally Bakos, George Washington (11) Ally Bakos will be competing next year on the womens water polo team at George Washington. Ally was a senior leader this year for the Eagles, and feels that her experience was both unique and special. More than anything, Ally gives credits to those who have made this achievement possible. “I’m so proud and thankful of my teammates, coaches, teachers, and peers,” Ally said.
Tianna Vasquez, Willamette (12) Tianna Vasquez will be bringing her softball prowess to Willamette University. At LAHS this year, Tianna has led her
team to an El Camino league title and a meteoric CCS run. With 11 home runs in last year’s season, Tianna is looking to make an impact in college athletics from the start. “I want to get as much time on the field as I can as a freshman and help the team in any way I can,” Tianna said, “To do that I know I’ll have to work harder than I’ve ever worked before, and I am willing to do that.”
Paul Bergevin, Occidental (13) Paul Bergevin will be bringing his water polo talents to the Occidental Tigers next year. He was the third leading scorer this year for the Eagles, and provided much needed experience in their CCS run. “I’m really looking forward to continuing to play a sport that I love and that I have dedicated so much to,” Paul said.
Natalie Dwulet, Occidental (14) After captaining the varsity
Next year, Claire Bowie will attend Cornell University, where she hopes to contribute to the mid-distance segment of Cornell’s track and field team. Claire, who first started as a sprinter before switching to longer distance events, competed at both CCS finals and the State meet. Claire gave credit to her coach, Dan Oren, for contributing greatly to her success. “Without him, I honestly do not think I could have made it to state,” Claire said.
Sydney Carr, UCSB (16) Sydney Carr has been playing soccer at a competitive level for as long as she can remember, and next year, the work will pay off when she heads to UCSB with a scholarship. “I’m really excited to be a part of the team.” Sydney said. “We live together, which is cool, and I think it’s going to be a great way to make friends.”
Michael Andris, Pudget Sound (17) Michael Andris will continue his football career next year at University of Puget Sound. Michael has played football for six seasons, including four at Los Altos. Michael is most looking forward to a fresh opportunity for proving himself. “I’m looking forward to having to prove myself to a fresh set of coaches where the competition is more intense,” Andris said.
Photos from Talon Archives, courtesy Sarah Wobber, Paul Bergevin, Tianna Vasquez, Michael Andris
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Juliet Moore
Boys water polo takes down Mt.View to win the league championship game, advances to CCS finals Beating Mountain View was the perfect way to end our league season. We had a lot more competition in league this year than we have had in years’ past, losing to Mountain View twice and having a few close games with some other teams. The drive of the team really shined in the league championship, making an awesome game against a tough opponent, where we just played with so much passion and fire.
courtesy Andy Cohen
Boys cross country takes CCS title, boys and girls teams advance to states I remember waiting for the girls race to go by when Pam came up to us and told us that we won. We had to see it on paper to believe it, so we ran over to the table and seeing ourselves on top was just unbelievable. It was a goal we’ve had for two years... After meeting the girls race at the finish line and telling them, we walked back to look at the results again and after seeing that they got third, the day just got even better.
Ciera Pasturel
Boys basketball wins league championship, advances to CCS semifinals in best season of school history It was the best senior season any of us could have asked for. It was crazy how supportive our fans were with the Blue Crew starting this year. We surpassed all expectations coming in to the season and we feel like we’re leaving behind a program headed in the right direction... I’ll never forget the memories I made with my teammates, coaches and fans this season. -Kieran Stolorz, co-captain
-Alex Carr, co-captain
-Ian McColl, captain
Chloe Arrouye
Volleyball makes history, taking league title in first season ever
Winning league was like nothing else. Especially as a first year team. Going through the season we had something to prove. Winning league during the first season screamed that we have talent and even first year teams can pull out a win. Winning just took everything we worked for and raised it to a new level. -Alex Blackburn, co-captain
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Juliet Moore
Blue crew picks up momentum, fans pack into basketball games Juliet Moore
Girls soccer defeats Archbishop, ranked #3 nationally, and takes CCS title It felt awesome to prove everyone wrong who doubted us being so successful, and I am so lucky that I got to play with such talented people who made the team so strong. -Audrey Mays, co-captain
Coach Bob McFarland really helped to get the Blue Crew going by getting local businesses to pay for the t-shirts and by working to get students to the games. Also, the basketball team had such a good season, everyone wanted to see them play and win. The team really got into the idea and made several funny commercials and we would let everyone know when the games were so people would know what was going on that week. Hopefully the Blue Crew will only grow and be even stronger next year. -Camryn Nakano, 6th Man Club president
Courtesy Anthony Bello
Anthony Bello and Spencer Simonides take CCS Doubles Title for second year in a row
Winning the CCS Doubles title was definitely a huge moment for us. Bello and I came in this year as the favorites to win it but there was still plenty of tough tennis to play, and it’s even tougher when you are the top dogs and everyone is gunning for you... Luckily Bello and I were able to raise our level of play with every match and take down the competition. The school had never won a CCS doubles title and I think it’s pretty awesome that Bello and I were the first ones to do it, and we did it twice. -Spencer Simonides, co-captain
s e n i o r s u p e r l at i v e s Photos by Ciera Pasturel, Juliet Moore, ChloĂŠ Arrouye and Jade Perry
best dancer Devan Tormey: Have you learned the steps to the Charelston? Megan Girczyc: Yes, but I’m not interested in a duet.
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Best hair Jack Schonher: I thought bobs were in style these days? Amanda Spielman: My hair’s too good to be cut off!
biggest flirt Paola Cervantes: I’ve seen you eyeing me at those mansion parties. Kayhon Sazegari: Oh girl we both know you were eyeing me!
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cutest couple Audrey Mays: We’ll follow each other anywhere... Tim de Visser: And take the world, baby!
Should have been a couple Ideen Seyed: It’s too late now. Kieran Stolorz: Oh, but what we could have been!
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friendliest Audrey Mays: It’s been wonderful to meet you! Michael Johnson: No, no, it’s my pleasure!
most artistic Bonnie Chan: Draw me like one of your French girls. Collin Putnam: Um, I think that’s the wrong DiCaprio movie.
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most athletic Claire Bowie: I am the definition of an “old sport!” Steven McLean: Let’s kick it at a polo match.
Dmv’s most wanted Connor Holmes: Good thing Model Ts are mass produced... Kendall Simon: Because we need new cars every week!
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most likely to be president Ideen Seyed: One day we’ll be running this nation... John Lee: And giving every American a dream!
most likely to cure cancer Louise Stephan: Hey I think I just figured out a cure for Spanish Flu! Hongyi Shi: After that, let’s work on cancer.
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most likely to BECOME A BILLIONAIRE Christina Luk: Ah, I love playing the stock market! Jerry Liu: What could possibly go wrong?
most likely to institutionalize a teacher Kevin Mo: And teachers think the sound of chalk scraping a blackboard is bad... Nisha Ramesh: Wait until they have class with us!
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University of Washington (4) University of Puget Sound (5) Seattle University (1) Western Washington University (1) University of Portland (1) Reed College (1)
University of Montana, Missoula (2) Washington State University (1)
Willamette University (1)
Syracuse University (1) Rhode Island School of Design (1) Cornell University (2) Yale University (1) Wesleyan University (1) University of Michigan (3) New York University (5) Lehigh University (1) Princeton University (2) DePaul University (1) Drexel University (1) Northwestern University (1) Carnegie Mellon University (2) Case Western Reserve University (1) University of Maryland (1) Knox College (1) Denison University (1) George Washington University (1) University of Illinois at American University (1) Purdue University (4) Urbana-Champaign (1)
Montana State University, Bozeman (2) University of Oregon (3)
University of California at Davis (12)
Colorado State University (1)
College of William and Mary (1)
Brigham Young University (2)
Sonoma State University (5) Dominican University of California (1)
Washington University in St. Louis (1)
University of Colorado at Boulder (6) Cogswell Polytechnical College (2)
Duke University (2) University of North Carolina (1) Universal Technical Institute (2)
University of California at Merced (4) De Anza College (18) Foothill College (44) California State University East Bay (2) San Francisco State University (9) San Jose State University (4) West Valley College (2) Santa Clara University (2) Stanford University (8) University of California at Berkeley (10) University of California at Santa Cruz (6) National Hispanic University (3) Cogswell Polytechnical College (2) Notre Dame de Namur University (1) Mission College (1) Ohlone College (1) California Polytechnic State University SLO (10) University of California at Santa Barbara (8) University of California at Riverside (4) California State Polytechnic University, Pomona (2) Chapman University (5) California State University, Fullerton (2) Loyola Marymount University (2) Occidental College (5) Pepperdine University (1) Pomona College (2) University of California at Los Angeles (10) University of Southern California (7) California State University, Northridge (1) University of Redlands (1) Whittier College (1) Art Center College of Design (1)
Worcester Polytechnic (1) Brandeis University (1) Boston University (2) Northeastern University (4) MIT (2) Tufts University (1) Wellesley College (1)
University of Vermont (1)
Belmont University (1) Vanderbilt University (1)
Emory University (1) Georgia Institute of Technology (2)
Santa Fe University of Art and Design (1) University of Alabama (1)
Arizona State University (1) University of Arizona (4) Pima Community College (1)
Baylor University (1) Wiley College (1) Rice University (1)
University of California at San Diego (6)
Different paths New York University, Shanghai (1) Concordia University, Canada (1) University of British Columbia, Canada (1) Returning to Italy (1) Israel Defense Force (1) Gap Year (2)
Hawaii Pacific University (1)
Hawaii University at Hilo (1) Compiled by Ben Marimon
Amaya, Miriam..................The National Hispanic University Anaya, Austin...............................The University of Arizona Armstrong, Liam..........................Sonoma State University Arreola, Edgardo.........Cogswell Polytechnical University Arrouye, Chloe....................................Chapman University Avidan, Lenoy.....Cal Polytechnic State University, SLO Avula, Mohan...............................................Drexel University
Bakos, Allyson....................George Washinton University Barajas, Vanessa...........Notre Dame de Namur University Barzin, Shadee...University of California at Santa Barabara Becker, Nathan.............University of Southen California Bello, Antony...............................................Pomona College Bergevin, Paul.........................................Occidental College Beutter, John..........University of California at Los Angeles Bhargava, Rishi..............Georgia Institute of Technology Bhote, Asha...........University of California at Los Angeles Bianchi, Alex....................................Arizona State University Biggar, Timothy..............................................Foothill College Blackburn, Alexander..........Washington State University Bogdanovich, Arthur.........San Francisco State University Bohrer, Eric............................................................Reed College Bowie, Claire................................................Cornell University Braxton-Taylor, Maxwell..............................Foothill College Brewer, James.....................................University of Alabama Brown, Nolan.........................................Syracruse University Burbach, Miya.........................University of Hawaii at Hilo
Cappelletti, Austin.......................................Foothill College Carbajal, Paola............................................De Anza College Carli, Alice.....................................University of Washington Carr, Alex.....................................................Purdue University Carr, Sydney.......University of California at Santa Barbara Caspi, Tali........................................................................Gap Year Cavera, Julian............................Colorado State University Cervantes, Paola...California State University, Northridge Chan, Melissa...............University of California, San Diego Chan, Yan..................................Carnegie Mellon University Chang, Miaulian...............Loyola Marymount University Chavez, Ivan....................................................Foothill College Chen, Philip..................................San Jose State University Chen, Brian.................................................Purdue University Chen, Wilson..................................Northeastern University Cheng, Emily..............University of California at Berkeley Chevallier, Esther..............University of California at Davis Chio, Allan.................University of California at Merced Chmyz, Julia................................................Wellesley College Chung, Cleo.............................................Stanford University Coelho, Kevin..........................................Stanford University Coffman, Courtney...California State University, Fullerton Cohen, Josh..............................................Stanford University Cohen, Rebecca.........University of Southern California Colodny, Julian...............................University of Oregon Contreras, Miles........................................Cornell University Cooke, Hannah.............................................Foothill College Corner, Sarah.....................University of California at Davis
D’Andrea, Megan......................University of Puget Sound Dai, John........................................................Duke University Davenport, Kealani.......................................Foothill College Davis, David..................................................Foothill College Davis, Jonah............................Hawaii Pacific University De Visser, Tim...University of California at Santa Barbara DeBacker, Samuel..................University of Puget Sound Deng, Michelle.......................Carnegie Mellon University Dittmer, Steven...University of California at Santa Barbara Duprat, Pauline......University of California at Santa Cruz Dvorak, Mai.......................University of North Carolina Dwulet, Natalie......................................Occidental College Dzwonczyk, Blaine.......................................Tufts University
CL A S S O Ellington, Brianna........................................Foothill College Emrick, Lindsay...........................Sonoma State University Enrizquez, Christian.........Cogswell Polytechnical College Escober-Landaverde, Diana.....California State University, East Bay Espinosa Ventura, Jesus..............................Foothill College Evans, Kyle...................................University of Washington Evard, Adam..........Cal Polytechnic State University, SLO Evard, Amelia...................University of California at Davis
Fahimi, Noora.................................................Foothill College Faintuch, Tal..........................................Israel Defense Force Farias, Fernando.........................................De Anza College Feinberg, Dana.......................................Brandeis University Feng, Hao......University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Fernandez, Maria...........................................Foothill College Feroglia, Megan.....................................Belmont University Fox, Sean....................University of Colorado at Boulder
Gachina, Dominic.....Cal Polytechnic State University, SLO Garvey, Jordan..........................Sonoma State University Gavenman, Samuel.......................................Rice University Gelman, Zoe.......................................Vanderbilt University Gharti Chhetry, Mabisa...Dominican University of California Gibbs, Carson...............................................Foothill College Girczyc, Megan...........................................................Gap Year Godfrey, Kara..............................Sonoma State University Goldman, Melissa............................New York University Gomez, Giovanna...........San Francisco State University Gonzales, Nicholas.......................................Foothill College Gonzalez-Soria, Jovani............................De Anza College Grau, William....................................University of Redlands Greenen, Yvonne....................................Stanford University
Hammond, Alexandra.............San Jose State University Hansen, Hannah.....................Brigham Young University Harea, Anna.......................San Jose State University Haslacher, Richard.........San Francisco State University Hau, Alice...............................................Stanford University Havekorst, Spencer.....................................Foothill College Helguera, Jennifer.....................Sonoma State University Hernandez, Paul........................................De Anza College Hernandez, Ruben...................................De Anza College Herrera, Jocelyne.........................................Foothill College Ho, Grant.................................University of Puget Sound Hogge, Jacob....................San Francisco State Unviersity Holmes, Connor.................................Chapman University Hoover, Caitlin.......................................De Anza College Hsia, Jami..................University of Colorado at Boulder Hsu, Monica................University of California at Davis Hua, Catherine...................................Princeton University Huang, Oscar.............University of California at Merced Hugoo, Melanie.................................Concordia University Huynh, Tin...................University of California at Merced
Ishii, Matthew................................................Foothill College
Future plans are self-resported by students. Some students chose not to report their plans. The Talon is not responsible for any errors. Many thanks to Kristin Joseph for her help in gathering the information. Compiled by Ben Marimon.
Jaffe, Morgan...........University of Maryland, College Park Jayansankar, Amritha....................Oregon State University Johnson, Michael........................Brigham Young University Julien, Lexus..............................................................Wiley College
Kahan, Daniel...............Cal Polytechnic State Unversity, SLO Kashani, Nikki..................University of Southern California Kask, Oliver............................................................Foothill College Katsev, Libbie.........................................................Yale University Khan, Zaineb..........................................................Foothill College Khayyat, Arman..............Case Western Reserve University Khosraviani, Afsheen.........................................Foothill College Kim, Richard...............................................New York University Kim, Samantha......................College of William and Mary Klein, Amanda.............................University of Puget Sound Klepper, Nicole.........University of California at Los Angeles Kliman, Macaulay.......University of Colorado at Boulder Kobayashi, Sara.........................................New York University Kodiyalam, Aarthi.......University of California at San Diego Kouvelas, Katherine...Cal Polytechnic State University, SLO Krautkramer, Kaitlyn...Cal Polytechnic State University, SLO
Lacapra, Margherita...University of Colorado at Boulder Lai, Vincent...............University of California at Riverside Lazzara, Anthony...............................University of Arizona Leak, Megan.............Cal Polytechnic State University, SLO Lee, Janzen..................University of California at Davis Lee, Jessica..................University of California at Davis Lee, John..........University of California at Santa Barbara Lee, Laura............................................................Knox College Lee, Marisa.......................Worcester Polytechnic Institute Leidenthal, Andrew........................Pepperdine University Li, Savanna.....................Rhode Island School of Design Liang, David................................................Lehigh University Liu, Jacqueline........University of California at Berkeley Liu, Jerry..................................................Princeton University Liu, Josephine........University of California at Los Angeles Lodestro, Sam............University of Montana, Missoula Lopez, Alexandra......University of California at Riverside Lopez, Jose.................................................De Anza College Lopez, Karla....................................................Foothill College Louie, Nicolas.................................................Foothill College Luk, Christina.............University of California at Berkeley Lytle, Drew................................................Denison University
O F 2 013 Maldonado, Marissa.................................Seattle University Marimon, Benjamin...University of California at Berkeley Marino, Jennifer.......University of California at Berkeley Marks, Ron.........University of California at Santa Cruz Martinez, Mario.................................West Valley College Mata, Antonio.........Cal Polytechnic State University, SLO Mauro, Tania.................................................De Anza College Mayer, Sara.....................................................Foothill College Mays, Audrey........University of California at San Diego McColl, Ian................................................Stanford University McLean, Steven...........................................Baylor University McLoughlin,Sean......CalPolytechnicStateUniversity,Pomona Medina Garcia, Liliana......University of California at Riverside Medina, Esperanza....................................De Anza College Mejia, Felix...................................................De Anza College Melo, Luis.........................................................Foothill College Mickos, Freja..............................................Boston University Mo, Kevin.........................................University of Michigan Montgomery, Joy........University of Colorado at Boulder Montiel, Edwin............................................De Anza College Moore, Juliet........................................New York University Moran, Corey........Cal Polytechnic State University, SLO Mueller, Nathan...........................................Foothill College Muller, Lucien...Cal Polytechnic State University, Pomona
Nakano, Camryn............Loyola Marymount University Nathaniel, Prashant..........San Francisco State University Navarro, Ada.................University of California at Davis Nemelka, Carson............New York University, Shanghai Negus, Kelcey................................................Whittier College Nelson, Seldy.................University of California at Davis Norton, Rachel.......University of California at Santa Cruz
Olivieri, Giulia..................................Returning to Italy Orozco-Tejeda, Daniel......San Francisco State University Ortega Carillo, Francisco............................Foothill College Otey, Anthony............................Pima Community College
Padron, Luis...............University of California at Los Angeles Park, Moses...................Art Center College of Design Pasturel, Ciera Rose.........University of California at Davis Pchenitchnikova, Ekaterina..................DePaul University Pefley, Shelby...Massachusetts Institute of Technology Peng, Mark.............................................Chapman University Perry, Jade..........................San Francisco State University Peterson, Taylor................................University of Arizona Petros, Sabrina............................................Foothill College Pham, Jacqueline............................Santa Clara University Pinkelman, Rachel......................University of Michigan Poblete, Joshua.............................................Foothill College Polen, Tyler.................University of Colorado at Boulder Ponce, Daniel........................Universal Technical Institute Popovsky, Vladislav......................................Foothill College Porras, Joanna................................................Foothill College Portelli, Jacqueline............................University of Oregon Posey, Ryan....................................Northeastern University Prasad, Taara.................University of Southern California Preciado, Daniela........................................Foothill College Putnam, Cameron.....Western Washington University Putnam, Collin...................................University of Oregon
Quijano, Jose.................................................De Anza College
Rabin, Sarah.........................................Chapman University Ramesh, Nisha.........................................Occidental College Ramirez, Pauline......................................Boston University Ramirez, Yuridia..........................................De Anza College Ramon, Zackary...........................................Foothill College Raza, Sana..............Cal Polytechnic State University, SLO Reid, Brenna.............................................Occidental College Rigodanzo, Thomas........................University of Michigan Rivas, Joshua..............................................De Anza College Robertson, Elizabeth............................Stanford University Rodriguez, Laura..........................................Foothill College Rogers, Conrad....................................University of Arizona Rojas-Ramirez, Kenya....The National Hispanic University Rosas, Luis...................................................De Anza College Rubin, Emily...............Washington University in St. Louis Rulison, Jared...........University of California at Berkeley Rutiaga, Jose...................................................Foothill College Rylak, Matthew.............................................Foothill College
Saenz, Dennis......................................West Valley College Sanchez-Cuevas, Adrian...San Francisco State University Sanders, Drew ...........................San Jose State University Sandoval Ahumada, Griseld.....The National Hispanic University Sartor, Ed..................................................Occidental College Saxena, Sparsha..........University of California at Berkeley Schonher, Jack...................................University of Vermont Schramm, Noah........................University of Washington Schreiber, Mark.............................................Duke University Sharifi, Manaz.......University of Massachusetts, Boston Shi, Hongyi...........Massachusetts Institute of Technology Shmelev, Nicholas......................................Foothill College Siegel, Chloe.....University of California at Santa Barbara Simon, Ido......................University of California at Davis Simon, Kendall.....University of California at Los Angeles Simonides, Spencer...................................Pomona College Sloss, Kamala..........................................Syracuse University Smith, Richelle............University of Southern California Snider, Kaitlyn.................................University of Portland Sol, Camila.........................University of British Columbia Song, Stephen...............Georgia Institute of Technology Soria, Sonia................................................De Anza College Spielman, Amanda...................................Emory University Spielman, Jason...University of California at Los Angeles Stephan, Louise..........University of California at Berkeley Stern, Ethan...................................................Foothill College Stolorz, Kieran..............University of Southern California Stuart, Megan.........................University of Puget Sound Su, Wei-Han...........University of California at Santa Cruz Survilo, David.........Santa Fe University of Art and Design
Tang, Spencer...........................University of Washington Terrass-Shah, Sitar.............................Wesleyan University Thomas, Andrew...........University of Montana, Missoula Thomas, Stasha............................................Mission College Thuraisingam, Tashina...............................Foothill College Tien,Christopher...UniversityofCaliforniaatSantaBarbara Tokhem, Beam.............University of California at Merced Torres, Wendy.................................................Foothill College Trembois, Dimitri..........................................Foothill College Tsou, Erin.........................University of California at Davis
Valadez-Mercado, Fernando....................Foothill College Valencia, Getsemani....................................Ohlone College Van Eck, Willem...........University of California at Berkeley Vargas, Francisco...........................................Foothill College Vargas, Glenda.....................................Chapman University Vasquez, Tianna.................................Willamette University Vazquez, Selena.......University of California at Riverside Vega, Liliana...................................................Foothill College Velasco, Adriana...........................University of San Diego Venigandla, Shilpa................................New York University Venuti, Mia..............University of California at Santa Cruz Vera, Jasper....................................................Foothill College Vieira, Ricardo...........................................De Anza College Villa-Aranda, Brandon.......Universal Technical Institute Villasenor, Angel.........................................De Anza College Vu, Kiet..............................................................Foothill College Walden, Kirsten..........................Northeastern University Waller, Lauren...........University of California at San Diego Wang, Amy.............University of California at Los Angeles Wang, Janna.........University of California at Los Angeles Watkins, Lorraine................................American University Welingkar, Natasha....University of California at Berkeley Wemyss, Alyssa.................................Santa Clara University White, Kelvin...........Montana State University, Bozeman Williams, Aaron...............San Francisco State University Wobber, Sarah........University of California at San Diego Wong, Chelsea.......University of California at Santa Cruz Wong, Scott..............................................Purdue University Woolley, Erin..................University of California at Davis Wu, Eric.......................................................Purdue University
Yacoe, Abbey.................................Northeastern University Yam, Sarah..................University of California at Davis Yamaguma, Kelli...California State University, Fullerton Yazdani, Darius.........Montana State University, Bozeman Yeager, Daniel......University of California at Santa Barbara Yen, Michael................University of Southern California Yu, Jonathan.................................Northwestern University Yuen, Allison............................................Stanford University
Zanjani, Sarah.......University of California at Los Angeles Zavala, Araya...........California State University, East Bay Zhao, Ashley..............University of California at San Diego
to win an oscar Sam Gavenman: I’m going to be the star of the silver screen! Melissa Goldman: Well, I’ll get a gold statue.
to write a bestselling novel Libbie Katsev: Fitzgerald and Hemingway are sooo 1919. Mark Schreiber: “Death of the American Dream”-who needs it?
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to be a talk-show host Josephine Liu: I think I have a face for television. Wilson Chen: Or maybe a voice for radio.
most opinionated Rebecca Cohen: Coolidge? Please! It’s all about Roosevelt. Jake Hogge: Don’t even get me started!
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musically talented Kevin Coelho: Let’s play some jazz this weekend... Allison Yuen: Or blues or swing!
most sex appeal Miles Contreras: I can make your twenties roar..... Erin Tsou: We’ll have a jazzin’ good time.
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most sleep deprived Emily Cheng: Thanks to these new electric lights, I never have to sleep! Eric Wu: Candlelight just can’t compete.
changed since freshman year Julian Cavera: Look at how much we’ve grown! Sam Lodestro: Yeah, just measure my biceps!
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most dedicated to aything but learning Margherita Lacapra: I swear I’ve seen you at every party in the city! Conrad Rogers: Yeah, that sounds about right.
most dedicated to learning Josh Cohen: What’s a speakeasy? Sparsha Saxena: Is that like a type of library where you’re allowed to talk?
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most wanted on a deserted island AbbeyYacoe: We might not have rescue planes or GPS Corey Moran: But you’ll choose us as companions any day!
to save the world Kieran Stolorz: The planet needs our help... Blaine Dzwonczyk: ... And we’re ready for the job.
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most hipster Amelia Evard: Ugh, flapper dresses are way too mainstream for me. Lucas Andrade: That doesn’t mean that you get to steal my suits!
to get arrested for “standing up to the man” Marissa Maldonado: Women deserve all the rights men do! Jose Rutiaga: I may be a man but I still hate the man.
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class clown Nikki Kashani: I’m dressed to be the next Chaplin! Andrew Thomas: We really need a costume change.
best dressed Chris Tien: I just got my new suit back from my tailor in London. Jacqueline Scher: Well I get my dresses imported from Paris.
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Roads and Intersections by Libbie Katsev I’m 18. I’m licensed. I have access to a car. There are millions of miles of roads in the United States, and theoretically, they should be my playground. I drive to three places: school, a friend’s house, and the movie theater. Other places are doable, when I arm myself with GPS and Google Maps and plenty of extra time—because even with directions, I usually end up getting lost. When I miss my turns, I go home. I live in fear of accidentally turning onto the freeway—a nightmare that almost came true last week when I was driving home from the movies. More than once, I’ve had to call someone to tell them that I
wouldn’t be showing up to an event, because it turned out I couldn’t handle the road. As it turns out, there is no non-embarrassing way to say “I won’t be meeting you because I’m scared to drive on the freeway.” It’s not that I’m worried about getting hurt; I’m worried about hurting other people. When I was learning to drive, everyone told me that eventually, the car becomes an extension of the self. I finally got to this stage after months of thinking this advice was ridiculous—I felt like was driving a half-broken minivan. Now I feel like I weigh 5,000 pounds at 45 miles an hour. I feel like a weapon. So one of the things I’m most looking forward to in college next year is being able to take
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public transportation. I don’t even know if I’m allowed to bring a car to campus-I never bothered to check. I’m basically okay with the fact that, at least for the present, my independence will have to align with the bus schedule. There is one thing I’ll miss, though, and that’s seeing the road at night. After the first time I let my learner’s p e r m i t expire, my mom issued an ultimatum: I wasn’t allowed to leave home for college unless I got my license. So, since my parents were sticklers for the 50 hours thing, every night for a month, my mom and I drove to Paris Baguette and got sweets. It’s a 20-minute drive to downtown Palo Alto, and doubled, that was 40-45 minutes of driving a night. By the time I hit 50 hours, the the novelty of the dessert had faded—instead, I started to enjoy the driving. On our drives, my mom and I talked about whatever was on our minds. Having those moments when all I could do was talk or look out the window or listen to the radio, when the only thing I needed to focus on was an empty road, was freeing. Sometimes now, when work is weighing on me or I feel like my house is stagnating around me, I hitch a ride with my mom when she
takes my sister to her various activities. When there’s no one else on the road, it’s easier to separate feeling responsible for everyone from being responsible for myself. When I drive past the lit-up houses and parked cars at night, it reminds me that I’m one of millions of people, and that even if all I ever see of them is their license plates, when I worry about driving, what I’m really worrying about is them. And in a way, that’s kind of cool. It’s easier to think about these vastly important people I’ll never meet when I’m not actively worried about harming them. I know eventually I’ll have to deal with my fears of driving. But at least then, I’ll be able to comfort myself with the thought that maybe some of them will feel responsible for me, too. For now though, I drive at night. I don’t have to worry about merging or unprotected left turns. Instead, I can just follow the road, and think about all the other people who follow it, and how every day they leave home and return again. The road spreads out before us, empty and alight. It reminds me of skee ball. Of rolling down hills when I was a kid. I turn on the radio, open the windows. Everything is silence, and speed and lights. It’s times like these that I can feel the potential of movement.
A Life Unplanned by Sparsha Saxena Los Altos High School was the last place I wanted to be four years ago. While all my friends were charting out their years at Mountain View, I was unable to imagine what my years at Los Altos would be like. Given my propensity for planning, it was difficult to come to terms with the fact that something was out of my control. As I graduate this year, I’m leaving high school how I wanted to four years ago: I am going to college to pursue my dreams, and I did it without compromising my ideals. But the process was not the way I imagined it would be. Many of my experiences here were completely unpredictable. Some of them have made me a happier person, such as making new friends, developing new passions and taking life-changing classes (make sure you leave high school at least taking English Language AP or Algebra II Honors). Others were at times unbearable like losing friends, loved ones and taking not-so-lifechanging classes. Through it all there was one constant: learning. Each morning, I knew I’d be doing something fun like deciphering Shakespeare or building a pasta bridge with my peers. The classroom became a place of comfort where I could meet potential BFFs and challenge my opinions. I had no idea what I wanted from high school, but my life didn’t need a perfect plan for “The Great Gatsby” and “The Catcher in the Rye” to change my perspective on the world, to study in the tutorial center after school and slowly become buddies with Ms. Nguyen. My life didn’t need to follow a perfect plan so I could seek help from my teachers when the material was difficult. People will say that everything
in life happens for a reason. I disagree. I don’t think the universe operates based on what it feels like each person deserves. Everything in life doesn’t happen for a reason, everything in life happens because it has to happen for us to keep moving forward. Because I can’t prepare for every aspect of my life, planning won’t always be a feasible approach to organize my life. But even though my control doesn’t span into the future, I do have education as a reliable constant in an otherwise chaotic world. I came to Los Altos frustrated and lonely to say the least. While I was worrying about making friends and whether I would be happy again, learning quickly found me and gave me a community of bright students, helpful teachers and new experiences, from winning a tennis championship with my team to befriending a New York Times columnist. It’s also helped me get to my next stage: college. I have no idea what I’ll experience and who I will be four years from now. I’m leaving in a similar state I was in as I entered high school. Things inevitably will change for the better, and sometimes, for the worst. But this time, I know that no matter where I go, I’ll always have my love of learning to help me navigate the unknown.
High school is just a game of dodgeball It’s funny to me that the things I’ll remember most from high school involved neither textbooks nor exams but instead rubber balls and whistles. I can’t say that I can recall all the formulas I crammed into my head over the past four years, but will proudly recant, in perfect detail, a dodgeball match from my freshman year. Every match. Every throw. Every catch. This is the essence of Los Altos—prioritizing, even ritualizing, dodgeball, to the point that your thoughts revolve solely around what is going down in the gym at lunch every May. It’s mesmerizing. As a fifteen year old rookie my freshman year, I remember letting the stage get the best of me. My heart rate skyrocketed as I stood wide eyed on the court, preparing to take on a team of seniors who looked like (at least to me) that they could send me flying through the bleachers with a single flick of their pinky finger. My hands were numb and my legs quivered, and it took only a matter of minutes for my team and I to be chased off the court,
By Mark Schreiber
facing death by rubber in the midst. We vowed for it to never happen like that again. Things have improved though. I can now proudly say that I have had the honor to play on the same team and watch us as we have climbed the ladder from the “oneand-done” freshman team we were just four years ago. We grew up together, with dodgeball serving as an example of our growth. The concept may be primitive— chucking rubber balls as hard as you can at other people is not the most graceful or sophisticated game—but it has value beyond the competition. Winning and losing only scratches at the surface of the true meaning of my experience playing dodgeball at Los Altos. It wasn’t about if I made plays or not, even when the feeling of making a mistake with 400 pairs of eyes watching me felt like it was. It was the fact that when I got hit, my teammates would always be there to make a catch and bring me back, and vice versa. In short, dodgeball and brotherhood went hand in hand. Playing dodgeball was symbolic of the journey my friends and I took through high school— through all the ups and downs, we’d always find a way to get each other back on court—and it has helped to stitch together friendships and memories that will last far past graduation. It was a metaphor for the chaotic change we all underwent these past four years, as we evolved from a timid group of freshmen into young men that are prepared to go out and contribute in the real world. It had impact, and it wasn’t just from getting pegged with balls.
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From left to right (top row), Shiktij Dave, Jared Eng, Michael Moul, Dhruv Madhok, Ben Marimon, Hongyi Shi, Jordan Stout, Josh Cohen, Mark Schreiber, Zoe Morgan (bottom row), Christina Luk, Rebecca Cohen, Brenna Reid, Libbie Katsev, Emily Sims, Ciera Pasturel, Catherine Hua and Sarah Corner form The Talon’s dream team of editors. The Talon editors may not be from decades ago (although their versions of In-Design and Photoshop suggest otherwise.) But they’re still a pretty swingin’ bunch of people. Libbie Katsev Editor-in-Chief Libbie’s nickname among the editors is “Larbs” (variations include Larbaret and Larbalina). Unfortunately, this nickname has caught on, and is now in use by—among others—Mr. Moul and Libbie’s mother. Libbie likes the first amendment almost as much as she likes cats and wearing blankets to Late Nights. Sarah Corner Publication Managing Editor Most editors get their Late Night meals from Chipotle, but Sarah’s favorite place to grab dinner is “The Corner House.” When she doesn’t have food, she isn’t above stealing some from other people. Although now the front page is her baby, she will always be a Features editor at heart. Sarah is equal parts cuddly and intimidating, and her InDesign skills are a force to be reckoned with. Catherine Hua Web Managing Editor Catherine continues the legacy of Hua web editors. Although her constant updates of the website make her one of Talon’s most sleep-deprived editors (a remarkable feat), Catherine stays strong with the help of coping mechanisms such as PMT. On weekends, Catherine spends a lot of time harassing our webmaster, Jerry. 30
Mark Schreiber Publication Managing Editor Mark spends first semester torn between the pool and Late Nights. This and his creative interpretation of punctuality can lead to conflicts with Mr. Moul. When he isn’t taking selfies or staring at his own reflection in a computer monitor, Mark can often be found discussing his lifechanging experience at Coachella or talking about Canada. Zoe Morgan News Editor Zoe, affectionately nicknamed “Bossypants,” will be Talon’s editor-in-chief next year. But what really sets her apart is her passion for WASC and alignment—she even has an “I <3 Alignment” T-shirt. (That’s not a joke.) If Zoe’s not wrestling her writers into writing extra web articles, she can usually be found reading through the minutes of the latest district board meeting. Rebecca Cohen Opinions Editor After a brief period of being the self-proclaimed “Black sheep of Talon,” Rebecca has changed her ways. Talon’s most opinionated editor can often be seen perusing fashion blogs. She claims that she rarely buys anything, but she’s definitely been seen purchasing leather jackets during school hours. Rebecca never misses Late Nights to buy coffee—instead, she forces her unpaid intern (also known as her younger brother Zach) to bring coffee to her. That’s not righteous.
Christina Luk Features Editor As Talon’s loudest editor, Christina makes her passion for making her section “the next in-depth” known to everyone within shouting distance. Christina doesn’t let her sleep deprivation stop her from being Talon’s most energetic and bubbly editor. She’s experienced with dealing with trials, whether journalism related or not, with the help of her work ethic and her LSAT study book. Ben Marimon In-Depth Editor Of all the editors, Benjamin Stevenson Marimon has the longest name and the shortest section. His sleek infographics and eye for color-coordination never fail to impress, but he still finishes the earliest of all the editors. However, he graciously sticks around to help with Copy/Contenting and technical difficulties. He tenaciously suggests covering E3 Youth Philanthropy and FBLA for every brainstorm. Brenna Reid Entertainment Editor Brenna loves TV more than anyone else in Talon (and also possibly the continental U.S.), which makes her the perfect entertainment editor. Unfortunately, it tragically also means that she is no longer able to write movie and TV reviews for the paper. Brenna is also single-handedly responsible for keeping the editors happy during Late Nights with her communal bags of pretzels.
Josh Cohen Sports Editor It’s hard to keep up with Josh Cohen. He’s always on the run, literally. Josh is so fast that he’s Cohen, Cohen, gone! From track and cross country practices to ODFL and AP physics, Josh is rarely sitting still in his seat. He relies on half-coherent lists and plain bagels to get him through his long days. Ciera Pasturel Media Editor Ciera is technically not required to be at Late Nights, but she’s always around to make last-minute graphics and photos happen. Ciera is our resident patron saint of Photoshop. Her other interests include Instagram and adorable kittens (and probably Instagramming adorable kittens). Shiktij Dave Copy/Content Editor While most Copy/Content editors are always on the hunt for copy errors, Shiktij spends much of his time hunting down pens or pencils to use for editing. Once he’s found a writing utensil, however, he’s always ready to help out with whatever’s needed. This means that he has transcribed a lot of interviews.
Jordan Stout Business Manager Jordan is the other half of Talon’s favorite old married couple, the business managers. The whiteboard is a masterpiece of organization, displaying all the ads Jordan has obtained for the latest issue. If it weren’t for Jordan, The Talon wouldn’t have ads and by extension, money. Rock on, Jordan. Michael Moul Adviser Mr. Moul’s love for Talon is exceeded only by three things: Excel Spreadsheets, The System and Dittmer’s sausages. When he’s not devising ways to create a room of productivity, Mr. Moul de-stresses by crushing sophomores at ultimate frisbee and flicking rubber bands at Mark. With his unflinching “Moul glare” and quick wit, Moul loves to give off the impression that he is highly intimidating. However, experienced Talonites know that he has a serious soft spot (especially for integrals, theater lighting and his Talon students).
Jared Eng Copy/Content Editor Like every good journalist, Jared always asks the questions that no one else would think to ask—usually because they’re very personal questions about people’s families. He’s also very invested in other people’s stories, frequently asking if they’re okay and draping himself over them. It’s a little invasive, but we get used to it. Dhruv Madhok Copy/Content Editor Behind the lenses of his glasses, Dhruv is an enigma wrapped in a Style Guide. As Talon’s next web editor, he’s hard at work trying to achieve the impossible— devising a system to make sure that everyone in Talon writes their fair share of web articles. Hongyi Shi Copy/Content Editor As the senior Copy/Content editor, Hongyi is also the most opinionated. However, he rarely pulls rank over the other C/C editors. If you start a conversation with Hongyi, you might get anything from references to the 2004 presidential election to advice about stocks (although it might be better not to follow his advice). He’s also Talon’s resident expert on how to use Reddit. Emily Sims Business Manager When she’s not keeping track of Talon’s money or arguing with Jordan, ESims is hard at work bringing The Talon into the 21st century. She runs all of Talon’s social media, in addition to being very active on her own social media accounts. You probably already know all of this from her Twitter. 31
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The Talon
This year’s editors wish the 2013-2014 staff the best of luck!
In-Depth Editor Carly Cohen Entertainment Print Managing Editor Editors Zach Cohen Rebecca DeShetler Sports Editor Jared Eng David Wu Web Managing Media Editor Editor Parmis Taidy Dhruv Madhok Copy/Content Editors News Editor Maya Acharya Tony Sun Steven Cui Opinions Editor Ariel Machell Shiktij Dave Yuki Zaninovich Features Editor Publicity Manager Casey Pao Emily Sims Editor-in-Chief Zoe Morgan
Senior Writers Riyana Basu, Robert Chin, Alex Cortinas, Cassidy Craford, Chase Eller, Sam Lisbonne, Joey Malgesini, John Naumovski, Jordan Stout Staff Writers Noy Anisman, Alex Barreira, Amelia Baum, Alice Dai, Salim Damerdji, Sofia Guo, Perla Luna, James Merrill,
Yashar Parsie, Danny Rosenbaum, Johnny Scher, Riley Soward, Sitara Sriram, James Sun, William Jow, Maya Varghese, Katherine Yen, Kevin Yen Photographers Brandon Hong, Ian Mackey, Naomi Palmer Graphic Artists Noy Anisman, Michael Zhu
Firework photos / creative commons sj photography