The student news site of Los Altos High School in Los Altos, California

The Talon

The student news site of Los Altos High School in Los Altos, California

The Talon

The student news site of Los Altos High School in Los Altos, California

The Talon

What Does It Mean to Be American?

In a time of two overseas wars, economic crisis and the rise of fundamentalism, The Talon takes a look at the stories of students and patriots to answer what it means to be a 21st century American.

Patriotism Infographic

 


Pilgrims and Football In 1620, sophomore Brenna Reid’s ancestor stepped off the Mayflower. Nearly two centuries later, her great-great-great grandfather conducted his station of the Underground Railroad. Flashforward to 2010, and Brenna sits in an air-conditioned library declaring her disdain for hamburgers and football. Read more.

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Immigrants “In mind and culture, I’m going to be half American and half Korean.” -freshman Daniel Jang Read more.

Multicultural Life for first-generation Americans like sophomore Sarah Yam is a mix of cultures and patriotism. It’s a constant clashing of the “Pledge of Allegiance” and the “Hora”; it’s a fierce battle between hot dogs and spicy curries. Even though as elementary kids, we sang “It’s a Small World After All,” it really isn’t—and definitely not for first-generation Americans. Because sometimes, their world is too big with both hot dogs and spicy curry, and life for the first-generation is a story of juggling all their inheritances. Read more.

Soldiers Senior Marika Lee hardly notices the mosquitoes and rain as she prepares for combat. It’s not even 4 a.m. Read more.

 

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