The Samohi (2023-2024) Cycle 6

Friday, May 3, 2024 | Santa Monica

Photos from the Santa Monica District Wide Art Show on April 23.

Samohi The

Cover by Taylor Witt

What’s going on around Samo?

On Apr. 25, ASB and UCLA co-hosted their second blood drive at Samo. The blood drive took place on the first floor of the Discovery building where six stations were set up to con-

Rejection of federal aid for subsidized summer school

Fourteen states have chosen to opt out of federal aid subsidized meal programs, also known as the summer EBT program. This could mean that about 10 million students will miss out on meals that are usually provided during the summer months. The summer program provided by the federal governmzent is an attempt at combating increased childhood during school breaks. The fourteen states, all with Republican governors, that opted out of the program include Florida, South Carolina, Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, Oklahoma, Texas, Alaska, Vermont, Iowa, South Dakota, Wyoming, and Idaho. The justification for the rejecting states decision comes from technical difficulties such as outdated computer systems with other summer programs that reach far fewer children and 13 philosophical concerns about welfare programs.

duct the drive.

The collaboration between the school and medical institution comes at a crucial time, as in the beginning of this year, the American Red Cross declared a national emergency blood shortage and urged people to donate blood.

Those who were at least 16 years old were able to participate. This year nearly 100 students donated blood, which amounts to 12.5 gallons of blood donated. Alexa Frcek (‘24) shares her personal reason for donating blood

“I chose to donate blood at Samo because my late grandma used to receive platelets for her chemotherapy, and one of my friends has aplastic anemia and needs regular transfusions. It’s an honor to be able to share some of my good health with someone else who needs it,” Frcek said.

Earth day exposition in the I-Quad

On Thursday, Apr. 18, Samo’s ASB organized an Earth Day Expo in the innovation quad that promotes environmental awareness at Samo.

The three different booths featured ASB themselves, the Environmental Defense Club and En Roads Control MIT Management. ASB promoted the Samo garden by

99 Cents Stores to close permanently

On Apr. 4, the 99 Cents Store announced the closing of all their 371 store locations by June 5.

Along with the Santa Monica location on the corner of Pico and Stewart Street, the discount chain had locations in three other states including Arizona, Nevada, and Texas. For the forty-two years they have been in business, they have been known for their heavily discounted general merchandise.

Due to the increase in minimum wage coupled with inflation pressures, the 99 Cents Store couldn’t compete with other companies not branded to a particular price.

These closings are affecting both employees and the customers who have relied on the affordable products sold at the 99 Cents stores.

“It is sad to see it go away but I am also happy because I want to see something better come and replace it”, student Freddy Pa-

giving out seeds to let students plant trees themselves. ASB Student Member of the Board, Mira Wagabaza (’24) was one of several ASB students who helped out at the Earth Day Expo.

“My favorite part was seeing people come to the table and learn something new and participate in something that will better the environment,” Wagabaza said.

The Environmental Defense Club asked students questions related to Earth Day, rewarding correct answers with carrots. The goal of the club is to protect the earth by taking action such as community service and beach cleanups. They also organize fundraisers through bake sales to support and raise awareness for environmental causes.

At the last booth, a representative of the En Roads Control MIT Management displayed a simulation that showed the potential impact of various actions on climate change. With students being able to try the simulation, it helped them gain an understanding of the importance of protecting the earth.

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Human Rights Watch Student Task Force

On Tuesday, April 23, Student Task Force (STF) set up their annual tent event in the Innovation Quad. Four different tents informed visiting classes about human rights history, the climate crisis, immigration policies and privacy rights.

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SMMUSD district nearing resolution of separation deal

Buitrago & Ryan Kim Staff Writer & News Editor

The Santa Monica and Malibu school districts have been attempting to create a fair separation into two separate districts, after having been unified for nearly 70 years.

The districts have been negotiating terms, specifically financial terms between the two, since 2015. The most recent terms include Santa Monica receiving an annual fund from Malibu that covers the cost of current funding with an annual increase of 4 percent, ending when both parties agree on a termination.

The goal of the separation is to

provide sufficient funding to both districts but make them separate entities for Malibu to have full control over their local schooling.

Malibu would like to separate to fund its education by using property taxes, allowing them to oversee the amount of money spent on teachers and programs. In addition, Malibu would like to have full control over how much money is being spent on teachers and educational programs. They would also prefer to dictate the courses Malibu students are required to take and offered at their public schools. In a video from 2021 released by

Editor-in-Chief

the district, community members like Yalile Pieper, a former Bilingual Community Liaison, saw a massive disparity between the Santa Monica and Malibu schools.

“My experience is that for English Language Learners in Malibu, there was a lack of resources, both in the classroom and outside of the classroom,” Pieper said. “Teachers really struggled to have the help they needed to help their students in their classroom because there was a shortage of staff.”

On April 10, the city of Malibu held a meeting to establish the concerns of the Malibu residents and discuss the separation of the

Opinion Editor

Hawene Alemayehu

Managing Editor Sydney Roker

News Editors Sienna Bevan

Ryan Kim

Centerspread Editor

Aili Forster

Nika Nazarizadeh

Sports Editors Cleo Topp

districts. In an article by Malibu Times, Council member Marianne Riggins said the council plans to have joint meetings with the Santa Monica District to share it with more people.

“We’re going to have a joint powers authority that will be installed that will be an arbiter if there are disagreements but also to make sure that the term sheet and the revenue-sharing arrangement are all followed through the future,” Riggins said.

The districts have not been separated but will be once term agreements from both sides are reached and documented. The districts are

Matilde Martinez-Navarrete

Student Life Editor

Emi Yamashiro-Herget

A&E Editor Sara Javerbaum

Art Editor Audrey Strauss

Photo Editor

Taylor Witt

Faculty Advisor

Elizabeth Stapleton

proud of overcoming this milestone and believe that by working together, they will be able to provide the proper education for the communities in a press release.

“As we celebrate this milestone, we recognize that there is still work to be done,” the press release said. “However, with continued collaboration and cooperation, we are confident that we will build a stronger foundation for the future of education in both communities. We look forward to further engagement with the community as we move forward in this process.”

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Staff Writers Violeta Buitrago, Addie Burns, Claire Harrison, Max Kehoe, Sia Kresch, Koi Lerner, Manny Lopez, Maggie Marks, Declan Ney, Dalia Puchalt, Louis Rotgin, Liam Sauer, Kamerin Shakir, Olivia Stephansen, Nathan Vasquez

Violeta

Nathan Vasquez Staff Writer

niagua (’24) who grew up around the store said. They have already started liquidation sales, discounting their products even further.

UCLA hosts blood drive at Samo

The 99 cents store on the corner of Pico and Stewart Street, a Santa Monica staple, is in its final days of business.

Nathan Vasquez-Santiago / The Samohi

Mira Wagabaza / Contributor

Julia Drodz (’24), Nika Nazarizadeh (’24) and David Nikolic (’25) each donated their blood for those in need.

Taylor Witt / The Samohi

The Samohi is a monthly newspaper by, for and about Santa Monica High School students. Our goal is to empower the student body through information. We do not represent the views of the administration or staff. We do not endorse advertisements placed in our paper.

Members of the Environmental Defense Club Camille Benoit (’25), Sophie Roth (’25) and Julia Faber (’25) hold an Earth Day themed trivia.

Taylor Witt / The Samohi

Calfornia increases minimum wage for fast food workers

Koi Lerner Staff Writer

On Apr. 1, the minimum wage for fast food workers was increased from $16 an hour to $20 an hour as an attempt to provide aid to the low-paid workers, some of whom are homeless or supporting more than one person on their wage.

The minimum wage increase was implemented solely within California law, affecting only those working within the fast food industry while nonfast food industries retain an average of $16 per hour. This was signed partly to attract more workers to the industry along with other benefits due to the hit it took during the pandemic. The wage increase only affects food chains with 60 or more locations nationwide— such as McDonald’s and Starbucks for example—increasing the pay of around 553,000 fast-food workers. This is not the first wage increase of this year. On Jan. 1, the minimum wage of all workers increased from $15.50 an hour to $16.00 an hour. This

was an inflation adjustment, affecting 1 million workers. The impact is limited, however, due to significant wage growth in low-paying jobs, which happened as a reaction to the falling unemployment rate.

Many restaurant workers focus on supporting themselves and their families, especially those living in a high-cost area. As inflation increases, some struggle to afford to rent houses with the rising housing prices. Economic Roundtable, a nonprofit research organization, has found that fast food workers make up 11 percent of homeless workers and 6 percent of the total homeless population in California. Fast food workers’ annual pay is only 27 percent of the yearly pay of workers in other industries due to the part-time hours they work. Dalyla Cunningham (’25), a student worker, explains her opinion on the connection between homelessness and the fast food industry.

“A lot of people who are home-

less work in fast food because, often, people who are hiring will only take homeless people if they are fast food,” Cunningham said. “You know, if you’re trying to get a job at a bank or something that’s not going to work if you don’t have an address and all that…which is why a lot of fast food workers I know have to work extra hours to get food and water and maybe pay off rent.”

The wage increase has brought up discussions about whether workers will be replaced with technology, such as self-service kiosks. As the price of labor rises, some companies might turn to technology to minimize the added expenses. As well, it may lead to employers hiring fewer workers or cutting down hours- which could lead to understaffing.

Understaffing can cause a multitude of issues, such as increased stress, exhaustion, drop in work quality, loss of sales and customers and wage increase pressure placed on consumers. When

there isn’t enough staff, those working are met with more tasks and deadlines- some of which are perpetually unable to be met. This can lead to a loss of productivity as the worker becomes less engaged in their work and could even suffer injuries. Exhaustion is yet another effect of understaffingas staff are working even more than before. This, along with the other issues, can lead to staff looking for jobs somewhere else, which only leads to more understaffing.

However, higher wages mean less turnover—the time to replace employees who have left the company—as the wage increase will create a more sustainable work environment. The decrease in turnover could improve productivity, team dynamics and company culture. An increase in wages means a far more stable financial situation for those employed and strengthens the low-wage workers’ buying power- which boosts local economies by increasing de-

mand for certain products. The wage increase means a reduced reliance on government programs for financial assistance, as it could lift them out of poverty and be more financially independent, leading to lower taxes or relocation of those funds to more needed programs. An article by Cal Matters says that some economists speculate that the change within price points for the food items will be minimal, not enough to deter people from buying their meals at the restaurants. Cunningham said she believes that fast-food workers deserve a higher minimum wage because of the expectations and time they spend on helping customers.

“I know for a lot of people it definitely is hard to kind of manage both [school and work],” Cunningham said. “I think considering everything that these people are doing to provide a service to the community, they absolutely deserve the higher pay.”

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Prop 1 spurs debate over Los Angeles homelessness crisis

Claire Harrison Staff Writer

On Mar. 21, California passed Prop. 1 to combat the California homelessness and mental health crisis. The $6.38 Billion Proposition supported by Governor Gavin Newsom is aiming to help fund mental facilities and give the over 171,500 homeless Californians housing.

Within this proposition is also a substantial change to the policies of care facilities in drug and psychiatric treatments. Prop. 1, an addition to the 2004 Mental Health Services Act would divert tax revenue currently given to individual counties towards the California State Government. It has been estimated that Prop. 1 will create 4,350 housing units, a majority of these dedicated to homeless veterans.

Homelessness has become an overwhelmingly large problem in Santa Monica, with results from the Santa Monica Homeless Services Authority volunteer program reporting an increase of 45 percent since 2023. Although Los Angeles County ranks as the 2nd largest homeless populated county in the world, the issue of mental health has been an equally pressing problem not only throughout Santa Monica but our entire country. While the proposition is supported by many in the state as a successful initiative to tackle an increasingly urgent social issue, others

Federal

Declan Ney Staff Writer

criticize Prop.1 for detracting funding from developed mental health and other homeless causes. Even those involved in homeless advocacy, such as the American Civil Liberties Union and League of Women Voters find issues with this proposition, as they don’t believe this money is being allocated correctly. Those opposed share the consensus that the high amount of money going towards this proposition isn’t comparable to the relatively

small amount of housing it will provide, especially given that this will take away funding going toward county services. Many view this as a step in the wrong direction as it provides a small and short-term solution to our homeless concerns, instead of maintaining funds for crisis response and outreach. While there is prevalent debate over how to approach this issue, clubs at Samo are making their own efforts to combat homelessness.

The Samohi Giving Spirit, founded by Sienna Bevan (’25), has made it their mission to help homelessness through direct outreaches. The Samohi Giving Spirit is affiliated with The Giving Spirit, a Los Angeles non-profit organization that provides immediate aid to those experiencing homelessness with “survival kits.”

Over spring break, the club organized a packing and distribution of survival kits, filled with clothes, food, hygiene products, first aid kits and resource guides among many other things. The distribution allows club members to listen to the firsthand experiences of those experiencing homelessness while providing resources and emotional support.

Other clubs such as Hoodies 4 Humanity, another branch of a Los Angeles non-profit organization, work to provide our homeless youth with warmth and clothing. Founded

After purchasing

they

them

Covenant House

a partnering program that aids in the distribution. This grants club members direct access to Covenant House California, giving them a stronger platform to take initiative on homelessness.

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aid falls behind as college expenses are on the rise

While students wait for the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) on how much government money they’re getting, some shortterm fixes may alleviate the stress on the expenses of colleges.

Samo’s Class of 2024 is just a few weeks away from graduating high school and embarking on their journey as part of the Class of 2028 in colleges worldwide. Many high school seniors are deciding where to attend college for the next four years. Moreover, they are waiting on the amount of financial aid they will be offered from the schools they have been accepted to.

According to a 2022 report by the Education Data Initiative, tuition at a 4-year public university increased

by 1.5%. The report also said that the average cost of tuition and fees at a 4-year public university has increased by 9% for the last 20 years as a result of a decrease in financial aid offered by the federal government, focusing more on student services and the rise of living costs.

The main problem seniors face with paying for college expenses lies within the FAFSA. Due to changes in the form for the 2023-24 college application cycle, the FAFSA’s availability was delayed until December 2023, putting many students across America way behind the eight ball in terms of applying for financial aid. In an even more frustrating turn of events, only a few colleges have pushed back their enrollment deposit deadline from May 1 to June

1, leaving many colleges in a state of limbo as most seniors will enter the thawing period, where a senior may de-commit to a college in favor of somewhere where the grass is greener, despite putting in the initial enrollment deposit.

Ernesto Flores, college counselor (A-G) said students have been negatively affected by the FAFSA updates.

“It’s extremely unfortunate. There’s been so many uncertainties with FAFSA with the application itself, glitches,” Flores said. “A lot of people are struggling with logistical matters, preventing them from submitting forms and with the California deadline, which has been pushed back to May 2, in response to issues with the FAFSA.”

A student committing to a public university in California, such as the UCs and Cal States, will save more money on tuition and other college expenses than if they were to matriculate at a public university in another state. For example, the average tuition for the UCs is $14,436, while public universities outside of California, such as the University of Oregon, the University of Wisconsin-Madison and the University of Michigan have an average tuition cost of $45,487. Private universities are out of this equation because they mostly have a fixed price that doesn’t take the state that the student lives in into consideration. Fortunately, several scholarship websites may help cure some of the stress on seniors. The College Board,

which students regularly use for their AP classes, offers a scholarship search engine that students can use to find scholarships and apply for them. Other websites, such as Niche, Bold, Scholarship Points and Sallie Mae offer the same convenience. Students can apply for scholarships that are worth as much as $50,000. Flores offers advice for seniors on how to go about the scholarship process.

“I would encourage seniors to be patient and work on submitting financial forms to colleges they want to go to,” Flores said. “Because general scholarship websites such as Niche and FastWeb are available to the public, the races are going to be incredibly competitive.”

Sienna Bevan / The Samohi Members of the Samohi Giving Spirit Ben Falk (’25) and Ry Bardacke (’25) organize toilet paper, water, wipes and shampoo to prepare for their packing and distribution of survival kits.

by Ulara Amano (’25), Hoodies 4 Humanity were able to raise over $300 through bake sales and hoodie drives fundraising.

hoodies,

transport

to

California,

Hoodies 4 Humanity holds a bake sale and hoodie drive in order to raise money and goods for homeless youth.

Ulara Amano/ Contributor

Anti-Semitic Graffiti Prompts Response in Santa Monica

Liam Sauer Staff Writer

On Apr. 8, multiple reports came out detailing the use of swastikas and other anti-Semitic graffiti marked on sidewalks, trees and lamp posts within the SM-Pico neighborhood.

Members of the Jewish community in Santa Monica have taken various approaches to combat these hateful displays. Some parents and students have put it upon themselves to cover the graffiti on Pico with positive messaging.

Taylor Coffman and Zach Lupetin, who live in the area with their daughter, decided to use chalk to turn the Swastikas into hearts, flowers and butterflies.

“I was just like, this is a beautiful way to say ‘love lives here—we’re here, and we’re not going to stand for this kind of thing in our neighborhood,’” Coffman explained.

The SMPD Chief Ramon Batista put out a statement on the incident.

“Let me be clear: there is no place for hate in Santa Monica,” said Batista. “We are appalled by these cowardly acts of anti-Semitism. Our department is fully committed to upholding the safety and dignity of all members of our community.”

However, this is not the first time that anti-Semitic hate has been found in Santa Monica. Fliers linking

Jews with an anti-vaccination conspiracy were found, mainly within elementary schools throughout the district, during the COVID-19 pandemic in Jan. 2022.

These hateful symbols found in Santa Monica mirror an ongoing display of anti-Semitism that has been documented throughout the United States. Data collected from the Anti-Defamation League shows an increase in anti-Semitic incidents by 360 percent since Oct. 7, 2023 (the date of the terrorist group Hamas’s attack on Israel in which 1200 civilians were murdered and over 200 taken hostage). The conflict in Israel as well as its relation to Jews abroad, particularly in America, has become of great concern to the overarching community.

As the war in Israel and Gaza continues, many Jews throughout the US have felt increasingly isolated. Additionally, anti-Semitic crimes throughout colleges in the United States have some students fearing their future in higher education. At Columbia University, widespread Pro-Palestinian rallies, many of which have had instances of violence, have led community representatives to caution Jewish students on their safety. One Campus Rabbi even called for all Jewish students to leave the school.

Chloe Stevelman (’24), a member of the SM Chabad Teen Network [a Jewish club at Samo] who will attend college in the fall, is fearful of what could happen if the current higher academic environment is maintained.

“It’s definitely scary. I read a poll that said around 50 percent of Gen Z adults, the people who I’m going to be going to college with, think that what happened on Oct. 7 was justified (Harvard-Harris Poll). And I think that is just an absolutely terrifying statistic,” Steveleman said. “With the big things that they’re [Pro-Palestinian students] discussing, it’s not just criticism of politicians or political decisions. It is people who are just outwardly saying, Israel doesn’t have the right to be a state. Many people are also actively supporting the idea that Jewish people are inherently oppressors. I feel like it definitely goes beyond just constructive criticism.”

While these concerns continue to permeate Jewish

spaces, a multitude of groups are available to students to comfortably explore their identity and also get support in this exceedingly difficult period. On the Samo campus are two clubs, the Jewish Student Union (JSU) and Chabad Teen Network (CTeen) that meet weekly and have discussions on prescient topics for the community.

Stevelman gave some insight into why these organizations can be so important to Jewish students at Samo.

“The idea of Cteen is to have this space that is welcoming and inclusive of any Jewish student or rather any student who may just want to learn more about Jewish culture and the traditions and the religion on campus. We have a large organization that spans the globe, and this is just one of many chapters. At the club, we talk about things like Torah and this past year we’ve had more serious discussions about anti-Semitism and what’s been going on in the world,” Stevelman said. “I feel like this is a space where people don’t have to be afraid of backlash from other students and can just feel supported in their views and have meaningful conversations about that.”

As the aforementioned anti-Semitism makes waves throughout the USA, Jewish students at Samo are looking for a safe place in which to be comfortable with their heritage. During this period, many Jewish students viewed it as being of the utmost importance that they can not have to be hidden. Various administrations around the country, both high school and college, have been ridiculed for complacency to active calls for harm against Jews. Much of this hate has been materialized in rallies around the US, such as those at Arizona State University where Pro-Palestinian protesters threw rocks at a Jewish club. While hateful rhetoric and violence such as this have been comparatively rare at Samo, it is something that community representatives warn the SMMUSD administration as a whole must actively take measures to work against.

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Lack of fundraising could mean the end of Samo programs

Dalia Puchalt Staff Writer

SMMUSD schools are witnessing a sharp decline in fundraising from the Ed Foundation, which could mean the end of various programs in the 2024-2025 school year.

The Ed Foundation typically provides Samo with stretch grants, a form of discretionary funding that can be put towards valuable programs and resources without limitation. Last year, the school was granted $59,233 in stretch grants. This year, Samo is expecting none of that money.

On March 6, SMMUSD Superintendent Dr. Antonio Shelton released an urgent message to Santa Monica families. Following the Ed Foundation’s fundraiser on Jan. 31, it had become increasingly clear that the projected goal of $1.8 million would not be met through the usual channels. With only 32 percent of district families contributing to this number, Shelton stated that the district was prepared for the possibility that $600,000 worth of Ed Foundation-supported programs would be at risk. The fact remains that if this money is not raised by June 30, considerable cuts will be made to programs currently taken for granted.

“We rely on the Santa Monica Education Foundation to help supplement and enhance the curriculum of all students in our Santa Monica public schools,” Shelton said. “This is the time to give what you can.”

By March 12, the Ed Foundation witnessed a seven percent increase in its goal sum.

The majority of the Ed Foundation’s budget is dedicated to the instructional assistants employed by elementary schools. Around $1.2 million is dedicated to the salaries of these instructional assistants, which help provide an intimate and supportive setting

for students in early grades. However, it is becoming increasingly apparent that this is the only Ed Foundation-funded program guaranteed to survive in the 2024-25 school year, given that only a little more than the necessary $1.2 million is confirmed to have been raised. With around $500,000 worth of Ed Foundation resources still left unaccounted for, schools of all grade levels will bear witness to the decline of various programs.

The district’s second priority with their Ed Foundation funding is the P.S. ARTS program, the implementation of art-based classes at the elementary level. The staffing and supplies necessary for the upkeep of P.S. ARTS are directly reliant on these donations. This program too is at risk.

Generally, the remaining funds are then divided among district schools in the form of stretch grants.

This decision is based on a variety of factors such as enrollment and due diligence to Title I legal standards. Samo’s stretch grants are typically allotted to a number of student resources such as the writing center, which employs former teachers to coach AP students and seniors intent on submitting their college applications. Also funded by stretch grants are free tutoring resources, such as math teachers stationed in the library after hours; CARPE, the college app access network that organizes various workshops in the fall and assists with the FAFSA application process; and teacher collaboration time, allowing them to congregate for conferences. Any additional money is invested into art or student wellness programs. With the current status of the fundraising process, Samo can expect to lose all these resources.

Samo Principal Marae Cruce is of the belief that the Ed Foundation-supported programs are crucial to maintaining campus harmony and that in addition to dwindling enrollment, the lack of funding comes from a place of misinformation among Santa Monica families. She explained that the majority of families do not feel obligated to donate to the Ed Foundation if they have already donated to the school directly.

“Yes, it’s great to donate to your school’s PTSA, but there are restrictions on how those funds can be used. The Ed Foundation provides these stretch grants because they’re flexible,” Cruce said. “We’re trying to educate people on the difference between the two.”

The Ed Foundation hosted its 9th annual wine auction on Apr. 21, which was initially estimated to bring in around $300,000. The financial success of the auction remains unknown at present.

P.S. ARTS is one of the programs at risk of losing the districts funding as the staffing and supplies are directly reliant on these donations.

P.S. Arts / Contributor

Taylor Coffman / Contributor

Taylor Coffman and Zach Lupetin, who live in the area with their daughter, decided to use chalk to turn the Swastikas into hearts, flowers and butterflies.

OPINION

Our manufactured divide and how it’s killing the American dream

Liam Sauer Staff Writer

Welcome everyone to the upcoming 2024 US Presidential Election! This year will be a groundbreaking advancement in our 247 year old democracy. With two candidates that an NBC Poll found the majority of the country doesn’t even want to run and policy initiatives throughout the nation that seek to satisfy extreme fringe voters, the future is really looking bright!

It seems unbelievable that in this age of innovation, the frontrunners for the leader of the free world are two elderly men, one barely functioning and the other a populist election denier. For a moment there was a hope for a moderate candidate within the bipartisan initiative of No Labels, a party seeking to find a common sense ticket inclusive to all Americans. However, this centrist group after spending millions of dollars could not find out of the at least 100 million Americans eligible to run, one suitable candidate.

Surprisingly however, in a nation that so often is categorized as divided, there is a majority consensus on almost every core issue. A 2022 study by YouGov found that when interviewing a diverse sample-set more than 60 percent of participants agreed on almost every widely debated issue. A majority of Americans thought that abortion should be legal in most cases, that illegal immigration is a major problem, that social programs were positive American aspects, that inflation, drug abuse and high crime rates were big concerns, that Russia and China were our enemies and that the military and police were positive societal forces. The most important statistic to come out of this study is the fact that 87 percent of people found it extremely important to have a president that will unite the country.

Yet, somehow, we have one party that has decided to make abortion illegal even in cases of rape and has become in large part a proponent of Russian propaganda. Then we have the other party that has left the border completely open and has turned criminal justice reform into a nationwide effort to ignore crime.

Collectively as a country, it feels as if our hands are tied down to a sinking ship, possibly splitting in the middle. At this moment in time, the easy route taken by many is to accept this morbid metaphor as an intangible reality. However, there is a solution, if not fully for the fact that this terribly unfolding fate is ingrained within the American system. It is the current two party American system, prime for corruption, that has manifested this stupid little ship analogy into existence. Here’s the silver lining: system’s

can be changed!

So, what’s really so wrong with our democracy that we have been forced into commit political suicide? The decay of our democracy can be found in two seemingly innocent groups prominent in American politics, Political Action Committee’s [PACs] and Non-Governmental Organizations [NGOs]. Both of these groups, acknowledgedly operate in different ways, however they both take part in a significant level of lobbying that ends up determining American politics. Whether these organizations are funded by Big Oil or humanitarian policy centers, they end up exerting such an influence on how the government functions that they undermine the actual wants of citizens. The Center for Public Integrity found in an investigation that political-

ly active nonprofits received 173 million dollars in a single year from top US companies. This advent of what is called “Dark Money” has such an exertion on American politics because these groups bankroll everything the political parties do. Open Secrets reported that as of April 2024, super PACs had spent more than 293 million dollars on contributions to the election cycle. It is this aspect of American politics that continuously silences American democracy in favor of the will of corporations and out-of-touch analysts.

When competing interests control politics the result we have is the current dumpster fire we see before us now. Polarization happens exactly when almost all Americans feel unheard because the extreme ideologies and the influential powers at hand hold all the dice.

Reversing our system may seem almost impossible at this point. Gladly, this isn’t the case. For those who are just starting to vote, an active effort can be made to vote outside propped up party lines, fighting for policies and candidates that actually represent what is good for the average person. More specifically, by supporting those elected officials and propositions which actively seek to curtail the corruption in our country, a large difference can be made. Legislation such as The American Anti Corruption Act, if implemented, could do a good part in ending this nightmare we are in.

Finally, two those aforementioned fringe voters I most likely just greatly offended on both sides of the aisle, I have some words. No hate, I love your guys’ volition, but at the end of the day, what do you want? A united country, or one where an “infallible” side holds the keys to our fate.

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The dangers of Doctor Google: stop self diagnosing

In recent years, it has become far more common to nd teens and young adults self diagnosing- as the stigma around mental health has begun to melt away. Self-diagnosing is the process of diagnosing oneself with mental illnesses- such as depression, anxiety, Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) or Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID)- though it can span across any mental illnesses. Someone may self-diagnose using easily accessible resources like medical dictionaries, books, Internet resources, past experiences, or recognizing symptoms or medical signs of a condition that someone you know may have had or still might have. But, self-diagnoses can be immensely harmful- not only does it take away from the great amounts of work to become a psychiatrist, the lack of neutral stance, based on incorrect information, among other things. To be a psychiatrist, one must do a lot of work to even get their license. e aspiring psychiatrist o en needs to go to school for at least 12 years, though it could be longer. ey rst need to study for four years to earn a bachelor’s degree in psychology, chemistry or biology. en a medical college admission test to enter a medical college in which they’ll study for four years. A er, they’ll go to obtain a license by taking a state board examination and meet additional requirements like a background check so that they can complete a residency of yet another four years. is is not an easy, simple feat to complete- and this is just to start working. A person can easily look at symptoms on a google site thinking they understand their illness, but the reality is it is not comparable to the 12 years of education completed by a psychiatrist. ey must study for over a decade just to get a license and put in great amounts of e ort to do so. A person cannot understand such things with a few google searches. Madison Braverman, the school psychologist, explains her opinion on diagnosing. “I always recommend someone to go to a health professional or mental health professional…” Braverman said. “ ere’s been a big increase of TikTok or Instagram or Facebook or different platforms, sharing videos that makes many people believe, not only students, that they may have di erent disorders

lead to incorrect perceptions of their mental health- which can cause more unnecessary anxiety. ey also incorrectly believe that something is wrong with them, all the while being completely neurotypical. Some people who self-diagnose could do so incorrectly, wishing that they are neurodivergent, having glamorized such a thing in their head. Some may even be fetishizing it, in hopes of appearing more interesting, quirky or adorable. By incorrectly diagnosing themselves, neurodivergent fetishizers only cause more harm to those who are actually neurodivergent and cut into the spaces cultivated speci cally for them.

A self-diagnoses can be more harm than good- the person’s view of neurodivergence might be tainted as they feel a mental illness would make them “interesting” and a few google searches or videos cannot compare to the lengthy time it takes to get diagnosed or the time it takes to become a licenced psy-

or mental health concerns, so I don’t that’s a way to diagnose through any videos or what we learn online,” e harsh reality is the average diagnosis- with a psychiatrist- can take immense amounts of time, not the ve minutes it takes to watch a TikTok and do a google search. e process of diagnosing includes testing- these tests can cover both physical and psychological areas- such as blood tests, biometric data, interviews about symptoms and psychological questionnaires. e mental health evaluations could take from 20 to 90 minutes- along with the 30 to 45 minute physical test. Simple google searches and reading symptoms cannot compare to the minimum of an hour of testing- especially when some sources may be biased themselves. Some people may self-diagnose using other people’s personal experiences, which is highly biased. Each person’s struggle with mental health is di erent from the next- some symptoms may appear in one person, but not another. As well, these people might not be telling the whole story- they may be keeping certain, more severe or problematic issues to themselves out of fear of being shamed or harassed. For example, bed rotting- which consists of staying in your bed and not leaving- has become more popularized. is is a symptom of depression- but some people believe that bed rotting consists of a few hours in bed. e depressive symptom actually can last for multiple days or weeks- to the point where the person is halting actual self-care such as bathing, cleaning their room, taking care of their hair, eating, ect. Braverman details just how severe depression can become.

“I think that most illnesses and mental health disorders have a spectrum…” Braverman said. “But sometimes, depression can become severe where it causes feelings of suicidal idelation and hopelessness and severe sadness.”

Self-diagnosing brings a whole host of problems. e self-diagnoses can be tainted with external in uences, which can be harmful as the person cannot accurately represent themselves. A neutral stance is necessary for proper diagnoses as it can allow the one being evaluated to correctly evaluate, with little pressure. When self-diagnosing, the lack of neutrality can lead to misdiagnosis as one might feel pressured to be mentally ill or not. Also, it can be highly dangerous. Self-diagnoses can

it chiatrist.

Koi Lerner Staff Writer

This NDLA cartoon is a representation of the apparent divide in America. It often is the case the Democratic and Republican parties, instead of actively working towards a great good, are focused on competition and control.

NDLA /Cntributor

e blatant truth about Brandy Melville

Inside almost every young woman’s closet, you can find the highly questionable and controversial business of Brandy Melville. This fashion symbol of our youth’s culture has held a distinctive grasp on women for the past decade through their minimalist and effortlessly fashionable clothes. Its seemingly nonexistent forms of marketing raises questions as to how it has become such a household item and ‘closet staple’ worldwide. The brand is completely faceless with no distinctive CEO and its exclusivity in sizing and product availability has somehow fostered a cult-like following of girls who feel obligated to this brand.

From randomly selling olive oil to opening its own cafe, Brandy presents itself as an undoubtedly unusual company. In its stages of gaining popularity in the early 2010s, Brandy heavily relied on social media for publicity, urging girls to send in photos of their outfits wearing Brandy Melville to be used as models. Their employment process wasn’t too far off from this either as accounts from several

past workers revealed that a worker’s ability to send in photos of their outfits daily was detrimental to not only keeping their position, but even being hired in the first place. Even customers could unexpectedly be asked to be photographed, without any knowledge of how those photos would be utilized. Through this form of ‘scouting’ the most appealing faces to represent their brand, Brandy made itself the epitome of modern-day beauty standards to be posted online.

This desirable portrayal of femininity translates beyond their online presence and is seen in over 90 stores worldwide and even their everyday customers. They reflect the idea of a laid-back, yet simply chic style through lacy cami tops, mini denim skirts and feminine graphic prints, while allowing the attractiveness of their models to make up the brand’s aesthetic more than the clothes themselves. This ideal image of what your average brandy customer would look like has come to life in the store’s employees, who generally consist of thin and conventionally attractive white women. If this message of exclusivi-

ty wasn’t made clear in all of Brandy’s forms, it was strictly reinforced by their one-size-only policy, which was made for much smaller sizes. This theme is recognized by many shoppers worldwide, including Kamila Soto (’26).

“There’s a specific audience that brandy aims for, so when you’re shopping in the store and you feel like you don’t fit the vibe, you definitely feel out of place,” Soto said.

Although Brandy paints itself as the ideal basics brand offering its customers seemingly ‘high-quality’ clothes at a relatively lower price, it remains indifferent to other fast fashion brands. Companies like Shien and Forever 21 that use exploitative labor are frequently dissed and considered unacceptable, yet Brandy’s exploitative practices are just as significant. Their high usage of Chinese sweatshop workers stationed in Prato, Italy are suffering the same troubles as every other similar corporation.

Brandy has made small strides in demounting their severe criticism by allowing certain products to have a higher size spectrum, yet the major

underlying problems remain. The destructive and unhealthy beauty standard that this brand projects is simultaneously what it thrives on and how it gains such a high interest among consumers.

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Samsung vs. Apple: Samsung takes the crown

Nika Nazarizadeh Opinion Editor

When I was in third grade, I was given my first iPhone for my birthday. Now, that’s not to say that I necessarily wanted a phone, and I definitely did not need one. But since my dad and brother were getting new phones, and they needed a third person for their family plan package, it only made sense for my dad to get me one too.

Being a third grader with an iPhone, it was as if my tech pathway was chosen for me. Since my first phone, I have been a loyal Apple supporter. From macbooks to airpods, I have willingly given a fair share of my money to apple companies. But as I am sitting here writing this article on a school computer instead of my $2000 macbook that is slower than the ancient

chromebook I found in my mom’s closet, I am really beginning to wonder why.

My computer seems to be the most unreliable thing I own, and as a student about to enter college, it is simply not economical or efficient for me to keep purchasing new laptops in order to get ahead of the macbook crashes. If my computer isn’t making the most unbearable fan noises, it has constant pop ups saying I am out of storage- despite the numerous amounts of gigabytes left for me to “use”. I don’t need to be tech savvy to know that that is not a me problem, Apple.

It seems as though it is a trend to purchase Apple products, and if someone has a Samsung, they are almost instantly shamed for it. But to be honest, there are so many aspects of Androids that are just simply better than iPhones.

First off, Androids have a surprisingly stellar camera quality. My mom has always had an android, and as much as I hate to admit it, her photos always turn out better. It seems as though every photo she takes on her Samsung looks like it was taken on a professional camera, with extra editing work on top of that.

More important than camera quality, the simple quality of androids tend to have a longer longevity. I have had my most recent iPhone for about 2 years, and it is practically impossible to use right now. Every single time I try to do the most basic tasks on my phone, there seems to be at least one glitch. And it’s not just me. I have heard and witnessed time after time where someone’s iPhone has a glitch despite them just recently purchasing the device. Why pay $1000 on a phone that is just going to constantly glitch? Now, I have always been patient with my phone’s constant glitches. But when I was watching Dom Dolla perform at Coachella and my phone wouldn’t allow me to take a single video, I had just about had it.

I am not necessarily saying that I am going to turn in my iPhone and become an android user. In fact, I’ll probably end up purchasing a new Macbook Pro before going to college this fall. But I am saying that maybe the andriod life isn’t so bad afterall...

e college admissions process is raising its

Max Kehoe Staff Writer

This year, the looming anxieties that seniors must face when applying to colleges didn’t budge, and neither did the privatized aspect of most Ivy and UC institutions. It seems as though highly regarded colleges are only accepting students who have essentially accomplished career-level achievements, such as writing books and creating start-ups, and even then, these kids are being rejected from their dream schools.

The typical high school student is only a legal adult for about six months of their pre-college education; they are still kids. Being accepted into college is many people’s first true step into adulthood, as the overwhelming stigma and expenses around university are making that first step wobbly and unstable- it’s making them trip.

Instead of students approaching the college admission process with a clear mindset that getting into more selective establishments is difficult but possible, two extremities have emerged from stress and excessive pressure captured in the cloud of determining the next four or so years of their lives; over-ambition and overwhelming anxiety. This double-edged sword leaves either demographic burnt out. The students who try to meet

the unrealistic expectations of the Ivy Leagues are left exhausted and depleted if and when they are deferred, rejected, or fall anything short of what their hopes lead them to. On the other hand, the students who try to maintain some aspect of work-life balance are left in a puddle of imaginary mediocrity because they haven’t devoted their time to converting to impossible standards, though they might uphold strong grades

exhausted and depleted if and when they are deferred, rejected, or fall anything short of what their hopes lead them to. On the other hand, the students who try to puddle of imaginary mediocrity because they haven’t devoted their time to converting to impossible standards, low heavily that students feel as though it is impossible to get in years before they even apply. Hundreds of thousands of applicants scramble to apply to handfuls of colleges

There is another side to marketing a college as exclusive; the lower the acceptance rate, the larger the urge for students to prove that they can get in, but, ultimately, over-competitive mindsets don’t fester healthy foundations for education.

Colleges are advertising their low acceptance rates so heavily that students feel as though it is impossible to get in years before they even apply. Hundreds of thousands of applicants scramble to apply to handfuls of colleges each year, while, colleges, seem to creep their numbers lower the more students apply.

According to Forbes, Harvard had increased there acceptance rate from the previous year, moving from 3.41% to 3.59%. However, many other Ivy League’s as creased their numbers, and Dartmouth’s record low. Dartmouth drew the largest amount of applicants they’ve had in years, and deciding to

According to Forbes, Harvard had increased there acceptance rate from the previous year, moving from 3.41% to 3.59%. However, many other Ivy League’s such as Yale, Dartmouth, and Columbia all decreased their numbers, and Dartmouth’s record low. Dartmouth drew the largest amount of applicants they’ve had in years, and deciding to drop the acceptance rate by nearly an entire percentage is an interesting approach to the substantial rise in ap-

Art by Audrey Strauss

Art byAudrey Strauss

Claire Harrison Staff Writer

One of Brandy’s website models pose showcasing the brands new releases.

Brandy Melville /Cntributor

A comprehensive history of prom dress trends

Addie Burns Staff Writer

Art by Sia Kresch

Since the first establishment of high-school proms in the 1920s, prom dress trends have changed significantly. Whether it’s the sparkly, mermaid dresses we’ve seen in recent years, or the ball gowns that were trending in the 1980s, proms throughout history have witnessed many different styles of dresses. Now, looking back on the history of prom dresses gives us insight into what led up to the amalgamation of styles we see today.

e rst ever proms in the Roaring Twenties saw long elegant dresses that were heavily beaded and sequined. Many of these dresses also featured matching bedazzled headbands as accessories. 1920s

During the 1930s, velvet dresses were by far the biggest trend, in any shape or style — as long as they were velvet, you were on trend. Drop waist gowns were also especially popular during this time.

e 1990s prom dress trends were very similar to the 1980s. However, these dresses were overall tighter and had lower waist bands. O the shoulder dresses and spaghetti straps were also introduced at this time. 1980s

1980s was the time to wear ru ed dresses. e more ru es, the more on trend you were. Tulle skirts also came back, this time featuring polka dots. Other trends included short pu y dresses, big bows and in the late 1980s, minimalistic dresses. Matching with your date also became popular in these years.

World War II resulted in the limited supply of fabrics used to make prom dresses. Because of this, these “war-time dresses” were more simple and modest, using much less fabric. at resulted in slimmer silhouettes, smaller skirts, and overall less elaborate designs.

In the 1950s, calf-length dresses with a tight bodice and a tulle skirt was the look. Ru es were highly encouraged. If you wanted to be extra spicy, sashes and elbow-length gloves also became extremely popular during this time. e later 1950s also saw bubble-hemmed dresses, which were shorter dresses with a full, trimmed skirt.

e 1960s were considered the “transitional era.” Styles began to change more than ever before. Higher waistlines and pastel colors were introduced, as well as pu er hairstyles. Many girls in the 1960s began to lean away from formal gowns and more towards knee length dresses.

During the disco era of the 1970s, many dress styles were considered “un attering.” Sheer long-sleeved dresses as well as eyelet lace dresses became very popular amongst prom goers. Strappy gowns also made a statement throughout proms during the 70s.

e 2000s prom emphasized minimalism through spaghetti straps as well as satin dresses. Two piece sets also gained popularity, in uenced by pop music celebrities such as Britney Spears and Christina Aguilera. Tiered dresses with poofy skirts, similar to princess dresses, became extremely popular in the late 2000s.

More recently, throughout the past 20 years, brightly colored dresses with sparkles and beads have become extremely popular. roughout the 2010s and 20s, high school students started to wear more vintage styles. Corset tops, especially in 2022, rose in popularity, as well as the return of sparkles and sequins around 2023. Overall, adolescents nowadays are starting to look back on this history and developing their own unique styles rather than just following the trends.

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Earth day celebrations bloom in Santa Monica

Maggie Marks Staff Writer

Earth Day is celebrated around the globe each year on April 22. In Santa Monica, this holiday coalesced into a student-led effort to raise awareness to the SMMUSD community about the achievements of the environmental movement and methods to protect the planet in the future.

Earth Day was initiated after a series of movements to halt the environmental hazards. In the decades leading up to the 1970s, mass amounts of leaded gas were released into the atmosphere through inefficient machinery, according to the official Earth Day organization. Without laws protecting the environment, excess smoke and sludge were released into the atmosphere. Author Rachel Carson released a novel in 1962, Silent Spring, showing the public that pesticides and chemicals put on plants would affect the

surrounding ecosystem; this launched a wave of new environmentalists into panic. On the first Earth Day on April 22, 1970, the holiday started to expand, and by 1990, the movement went global. Today, Earth Day serves as an educational day, to remind people of the damage that has been done to the earth, and what society can do to remedy the problem. Around Santa Monica, the weekend leading up to the holiday contained several events promoting the environment, including beach cleanups and a celebration at the Heal the Bay aquarium.

On the Samo campus, student organization Team Marine continuously takes

action. For them, Earth Day is every day. On Friday, April 19, Team Marine representatives went to local elementary schools Edison and Will Rogers to present to classrooms about Earth Day and the climate crisis. Later, the club participated in the annual Will Rogers Earth Day festival amidst the elementary school’s on-campus regenerative farm. According to Team Marine Co-captain Maya Williams (‘24), combating climate change starts with the children.

“Youth are the ones that will be the most impacted by the crisis,” Williams said. “It’s our future that is at stake, so it’s partially our responsibility to show everyone that the

world as we know it is in danger.”

Despite the importance of Earth Day, many supposed celebrations of the holiday do not contribute to its effect. Corporations often take advantage of consumers’ ecological mindsets to promote goods and services that claim the environmentalist mission but may, in reality, contribute to the overall global emissions and waste output that fuels climate change. Williams shares more.

“Right now, there is a lot of corporate greenwashing that goes along with Earth Day,” Williams said. “But it started as almost a rebellion, as a way to celebrate and commemorate everything that we were doing… We need to reframe the narrative. Earth Day is not about selling merch, it’s about taking climate action.”

The renaissance of digital art

rst blossomed in the late 90s and early 2000s, and

while initial forms of it were not as expansive as current apps such as Procreate, these beginning stages opened a new medium in the art world. Although many artists still stick to traditional art mediums, most artists now use digital tools in some aspect of their process. Whether or not an artist uses purely digital mediums or creates pieces entirely by hand, the modern-day art world is undeniably digital, and avoiding technology is nearly impossible.

digital,

Naturally, this wave of digitization has come with criticism, due to the lack of technical skills, some believe, digital tools allow for artists. Whether digital art should be considered “real” art, however, is not necessarily productive in the discussion.. Digital art is not simply making art on an iPad or computer screen — much as technology is not merely owning a phone— it

to the lack of technical skills, some considered discussion.. Digital art is not simply is not merely owning a phone— it

is any part of the process of using technology. is could include using a projector to cast an image on a canvas to block proportionally, marketing one’s art online or even storing a physical art piece via digital scan.

What should be up for debate is the creativity that can or cannot be derived from digital tools, and if this new wave of digitizing art separates true creatives from those who just have the capability to make art. Anyone with a steady hand can trace a design or image and portray said design as art, but to take an idea and transform it

into art through creativity and skill is something only true artists can execute.

something execute.

tiques and artists tend to challenge rst created, many were critical of it because the

document the people and setting of

Digital art is not the only type of art to have been condemned; critiques and artists tend to challenge most new variations of art. When photography was many were critical of it because prior to its invention, every realistic adaptation of the world was carried on the shoulders of painters. For decades, photography was not considered art as it was used purely to document the people and setting of the time, not as any creative outlet; photography was seen as machin-

making its mark in the artistic

ery and not human expression. Digital art has already begun making its mark in the artistic world and will continue until its spot is sedentary. Noemi Smolik, an art historian and critic, discusses the rise of digital art in an Artfo-

an art historian and critic, discussrum article.

“Not only has digital technology abetted the shi of production from material goods to immateri-

“Not only has digital technolofrom material goods to immaterial ones such as information—but modern art, with its aspiration to individual freedom and glori tion of creativity, had a role in that erein lies a new challenge,”

individual freedom and glori cation of creativity, had a role in that shi Smolik said.

Even at The Samohi, we use digital art in every cycle. However, when our artists start with a physical draft and then trace it on Procreate, the original sketchs’ authenticity is often lost in the exchange from physical to digital.

surged exponentially in popularity, so too has its signi cance as a valuable resource for artists. With the prevalence of social works

media platforms like Pinterest, Instagram, and TikTok, artists are able to share their works with a wider audience. While this has become an important asset to aspiring artists, it has undeniably changed the way that art is being created, consumed and overall appreciated.

Wide accessibility to the digital art world is the primary factor that has led to the increase in social media art. Instead of having to go through a museum curator or submitting work to art galleries, artists can simply upload it onto social media and have it reach an o wider audience. is phenomenon, however, has led to an over saturation of many art and its subsequent genres. While it is standard for artists to draw inspiration from other artists, when everyone is drawing inspiration from the same “viral” pieces, it leads to similarity in style and o ates sub-genres of art that exist almost entirely online. One of the most commonly seen styles of online art is the “pinterest art” style. is style is mostly created by teenage girls, and features minimals colors and line draw-

oods creativity and dulls inspiration

en cartoonish or melodramatic.

ings that are o Many art students, including Emma nd

repetition of certain art and art styles.

easier with social media,”

Art note that her students use pinterest as a great resource to

Many art students, including Emma orpe (’24) have found pinterest as a great way to inspiration. However, she has also noticed the repetition of certain art and art styles. “Anytime we consume someone else’s style, you kinda want to imitate it. It makes it a lot orpe stated. is imitation of art can result in it being “generic.” Art teacher Amy Bouse has also taken note that her students use pinterest as a great nd inspiration. Nonetheless, she

has also noticed that the art she views online tends to get overused.

“ ere has become a strange process of making art more generic to make art more popular. I think there are increasing numbers of people who are looking at the same images, so it’s like looking at stock photos. It becomes harder to see people’s individuality,” Bouse stated. e presence of social media itself is also ing, copying others or simply playing, it is challenging to nd individuality in art. According to J.T. Ellison, a New York Times Best Selling Author, just being on social media in general can hinder your originality and imagination.

stunting creativity. When people are not creat-

pinterest.com/ Contributor

With a quick search on pinterest for “drawing inspiration”, thousands of colorful pins appear with captions like “aesthetic art”. Many of the subjects in the sketches are young women with euro-centric features, and the art tends to follow a psychedelic style.

“Every minute you spend on Facebook and Twitter is another minute you aren’t writing, reading, or nurturing your “ e Muse…must be treated with respect and dignity…If properly taken care of, she will reward you with great things: a bountiful garden of words, a cornucopia of ideas,” Ellison said. Ellison exempli es the idea that creativity must be nurtured and regularly practiced. While using social media as a reference is not wrong, true inspiration only comes from persistence.

creative spirit,” Ellison adds.

Art by Max Kehoe

Understanding the

contemporary art

and Jay Z featuring their Basquiat in a Tiffany commercial and Oprah gaining another fortune after selling her Klimt piece. As these works find their way into popular media, the distinction between these art forms becomes more and more relevant.

contemporary art has gained quite a celebrity following, with Beyonce their re-

Modern and contemporary art are often thought to be the same thing, but while they do share some similarities, they are different both historically and thematically. Modern art —despite the name being somewhat deceiving— refers to the time period of the late 19th century to the mid-20th century. Modern artists sought to break away from norms and to challenge tradi-

approaches and new ways to interpret reality. Modern art was, in a way, revolutionary and laid the foundation for contemporary artists to become even more abstract and interdisciplinary. From sculpture to digital art and installations, contemporary artists such as Ai Weiwei and Banksy engage with current affairs and cultural issues, using their art to convey

plinary. From sculpture to digital art and installations, contemporary artists such as Ai Weiwei and Banksy affairs

While Damien Hirst has been at the forefront of contemporary art in the last decades, his work, which often centers around death, has been scrutinized for using dead animals. Many of his works use dead animals such as tiger sharks, and he has been heavily criticized for allegedly killing close to a million creatures

riod of the late 19th century to the mid-20th century.

a strong message. One of the biggest contemporary artists is Yayoi Kusama who works mostly in installation and sculpture. She is known for her use of polka dots which symbolize hallucinations she experienced as a child. Her work is globally recognized and has inspired audiences

worldwide.

yet polarizing contemporary pieces both now and at the time of its fruition in 1949. Pollock’s unconvential technique of splattering paint spontaneously has been criticized for it’s arguable lack of technical skill. The piece is currently at the Museum of Contemporary Art in Los Angeles.

tional art through techniques such as impressionism, cubism and abstract expressionism. In contrast, contemporary art is constantly evolving as a reflection of the times, using many individual forms and styles that incorporate current topics such as pop culture and trends.

porary art is constantly evolving as a reflection of the times, using many

From impressionist painters like Monet and Renoir to surrealists like Dalí and Duchamp, or even cubist Picasso, modern art was all about unconventional ideas, non-traditional

Despite the Tik Tok trend of people going to museums and standing by pieces of work they believe they could “do themselves”, and the headline-grabbing events such as the selling of a piece by Salvatore Garau — an invisible sculpture purchased for 18,000 dollars, modern and contemporary art play a critical role in shaping the way we challenge and perceive the world. Contemporary art has inspired work at Samo too, as AP art teacher, Amy

Teen Art Resources & Internships

e MOCA Teens internship is a year-long, paid educational position for teens interested in art and museum management around LA. Teens have th opportunity to meet with di ate art, and ultimately plan the annual Teen Night event. Applications are now open on the MOCA website, and will close on June 2.

erent artists, cre-

Getty Unshuttered program is

e Getty Unshuttered program is made for teen photographers around LA, from ages 13 to 18, to open up their creativity and have the opportunity to app is a free photo-sharing app for creative teens, and every year, a panel of art professionals select 25 erent winning photographs.

present their photographs. e Getty Unshuttered di e Octavia Lab have at home. Central Library o outs.

is public resource is a perfect opportunity for high schoolers to take the opportunity to freely work on art and gain access to tools they might not e Octavia lab at the Los Angeles ers a myriad of machinery and tools like 3D printers, laser cutters, recording studios, sewing machines and even free poster print-

Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA)

For teens and children in Los Angeles county, LACMA o ers many di erent opportunities for

youth like NextGenLa, the museum’s free youth membership. LACMA also has teen art classes.

“do themselves”, and bing events such as the selling of a piece by Salvatore Garau — an invisible sculpture purchased for 18,000 dollars, modern and contemporary art play a critical role in shaping the way we Contemporary Bouse shares. it is approaches,” Bouse said.

“There are always negative comments on contemporary art; it is not really a new thing. It is also the case with photography, and with photoshop. When producing contemporary art at Samo, we have a wide range of approaches,” Bouse said.

Contributor

“Number1”, by Jackson Pollock is regarded as one of the most influential

Contributor

HOTLB: Your guide to scoring a five

Dalia Puchalt Staff Writer

With AP exams right around the corner, many Samo students are beginning to gauge how prepared they are, and just how much they remember from this past year. AP exams, which assess the mastery of curriculum from a year-long Advanced Placement course, give students the opportunity to adorn their college applications with impressive scores and to earn college credits. Whether they’re aiming for a five or simply hope to pass, preparing for the APs is a daunting task. With so much to review and so little time, Samo students across all subjects have their own tips and tricks to ensure that they get the scores they want.

For AP World History, start studying pretty early and in small increments every day so that you can memorize everything.

“For AP Chem... there are a lot of analytical parts where you have to use logic, and then there’s the memorization. I’d focus on the logic part of it because then the memorization aspect will come easier.

Milosh Jovanovic (’25)

For AP Calc BC, I’d definitely recommend lots of practice.Take a general practice test, look at the problems that you missed, and then focus on those subjects while studying. Stick to what you don’t know.

Avey Thompson (’25)

“For AP Lang, I’d do some practice tests, some multiple choice, and maybe look at some vocabulary words so you can spice up your essays a bit.

Ana Katanic (’25)

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Samo sports patriotic spirit

thesamohinews@gmail.com

On Friday, April 19, Samo celebrated its last pep rally of the 2023-24 school year. Students gathered in the Greek Theatre to a lively American-themed celebration

old traditions and brand-new fun. Students, relive the memorable experience; other

community members, enjoy learning about the event through the pictures below!

Psych(o) paths: The variability of a psychology degree

Claire Harrison Staff Writer

Gaslighter. Narcissist. Trauma response. Terms like these have proliferated through today’s society along with an uptick in interest about psychology. This increasing popularity has created not only a major point of interest among students but also opened the door to diverse career paths.

Psychology has emerged as one of the most popular majors among college students, ranking third in Niche’s ratings among students from the classes of 2022 and 2023. This field equips students with critical thinking, problem-solving and research skills while offering knowledge of societal dynamics and behavioral patterns. With increasing awareness of mental health issues, the demand for psychologists is getting even higher. Recognizing the importance of these courses, Samo offers behavioral education to students. Along with Psychology and AP Psychology, Samo has mental health-orientated clubs, such as the Student Wellness Advisory Group (SWAG club) run by Samo students. Immersing yourself in this type of knowledge not only forms a deeper understanding of others but also of your own psyche.

AP Psychology teacher Charles Thun delves into his experiences studying psychology.

“I’ve enjoyed every psychology class I have ever taken,” Thun said. “There are so many interesting classes to take such as Developmental Psychology, Clinical Psychology

Art by Matilde Martinez-Navarette

and Positive Psychology. It is a lifelong process too as there is ongoing research in all of these fields — so you are never done learning.”

Branches of psychology like educational psychology focuses on the learning behavior of students and addresses how disorders like ADHD may affect somebody’s studying patterns. This role can play a less-known, yet active part in Samo students’ learning behaviors, as hundreds of our students have accommodations to properly assist them, most commonly seen in 504 plans. Educational psychologists work in the assessment and development of these plans, allowing students to learn in an environment

better suited for them.

The versatility of psychological education opens up many career paths for students. The traditional path of psychology can be seen in social work and community support. This includes careers such as caseworkers, disability policy workers and adoption counselors. These jobs not only give people firsthand insight into different social environments, but they also provide roles in maintaining the overall health of people in a given community. Additionally, a more unconventional career option known as forensic psychology focuses on investigating criminals through behavioral knowledge and forming criminal profiles. It applies psychological principles to the judicial system and allows for collaboration with police and investigators. Overall, the field of psychology has great variation in types of jobs that aspiring psychologists can pursue.

Samo psychologist Madison Braverman shares her experience with applying her knowledge of psychology to a career.

“[I] mainly support students… by conducting psychological assessments, providing counseling… and supporting classroom management and consulting staff,” Braverman said. “I think it is very fascinating to be able to apply a lot of the concepts and ideas to everyday life… I continue to be grateful I pursued a career in psychology as I have the opportunity to help people every day.”

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Dalia Puchalt / The Samohi

replete with

Samo

Manny Lopez Staff Writer

Samo Cheer prepares to perform at the April 19 pep rally. Their impressive routine, as always, contained a multitude of acrobatic tricks.

Girls’ Lacrosse celebrates as they enter the Greek stage through the Samo Viking tunnel.

The 2024 Prom Court is introduced. From left to right: Zoe Alexander (’24), Thaice Clark (’24), and Ana Rho (’24)

Manuel Castagna (’24) and Alex Meyer (’24) “prom-pose“ to Liv Pirrone (’24) and Samantha Posell (’24)

Manny Lopez / The Samohi

Manny Lopez / The Samohi

Manny Lopez / The Samohi

Dalia Puchalt / The Samohi

Dalia Puchalt / The Samohi

Dalia Puchalt / The Samohi

Grace Cao (’26)

Emcee Jackson Klein (’24) introduces the Samo Varsity Baseball during the celebration of spring sports.

Manny Lopez / The Samohi

Manny Lopez / The Samohi

Arts and Entertaintment

KCRW, keeping local radio alive since 1945

Max Kehoe Staff Writer

In recent years, radio channels have declined in quality while platforms like Spotify and Apple Music have replaced go-to sources of personalized sound. Amidst these modern music empires, KCRW, an iconic radio station based in Santa Monica, is hard at work to keep independent media alive. KCRW takes an unconventional approach compared to other radio stations, streaming curated music instead of shuffling current billboard hits. KCRW explores Los Angeles culture through a local lens, prioritizing quality as opposed to mainstream media.

moving later to a tiny basement in Santa Monica College (SMC). Now, the KCRW facilities reside in the state-ofthe-art Center for Media and Design complex at SMC.

The station’s long, rich history has been reflected time and time again in its original, in-depth daily segments. What makes the broadcasts shine is the decided hosts and interesting topics of discussion. Take DJ Novena Carmel’s “Morning Becomes Eclectic”, a three-hour-long live mix of undiscovered music and classics rarely played anywhere else. Although the program only runs from 9 a.m to 12 p.m it is the beginning of “Eclectic 24” which offers live music all day. Right after Carmel wraps up her set, Madeleine Brand’s “Press Play” brings contemporary takes on stories of the day.

KCRW doesn’t only offer music and news, but is known for specialty podcasts on unique subjects such as Evan Kleiman’s culinary program “Good Food”. Kleiman is a local legend in the LA food scene and has been working with KCRW since the early 2000s. In an interview with Kleiman, she shares the intricate process of creating one single episode of “Good Food”. Her work week starts on Thursday with pitching story ideas. On Fridays, Kleiman does a deep dive into the chosen topic, reading as much as she can get her hands on. She writes an essay on Sun-

day about her ideas on the topic that is condensed into a script. Monday she is a regular guest on another KCRW podcast. Tuesday Kleiman conducts four to eight interviews with culinary figures. She records from her home recording set-up on Wednesday and sends the clips to her editing team. On Saturdays, Kleiman’s one-hour food podcast plays for the public from 10 a.m to 11 a.m. Although the work it takes to consistently execute attentive radio is a labor of love, maintaining a good reputation for

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HOTLB: Arts and Entertainment Unplugged

“I love ceramics. I’m new to it, but be ing on the wheel gives you so much freedom to make whatever I can think of. Being able to see the finished prod uct of something you made yourself is so cool.”

– Aislin Gutierrez (’26)

rounding you entirely, and you just feel like you’re in your own little world.”

– Anica Mindes (’25)

We live in an extremely technological world, and it can often be hard to separate ourselves from our devices. It’s easy to get caught up in the rabbit hole of technology and forget that fun can be had outside of our devices. Aimless scrolling and mind-numbing media consumption can lead to a lack of creativity and boredom. So, I took to the hallways of Santa Monica High School to find out how students find joy completely outside of their devices.

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Calling all musicians! Are you looking for a space to perform?

The Samohi is introducing our very own, student-run Tiny Desk Concert. Modeled after NPR’s iconic series, Samo students selected to perform will play live in front of a student audience in I203, and their performance will be recorded and filmed with production grade equipment. The video of your performance will be edited and posted to our platforms, as well as sent to performers. At The Samohi, we’re all about uplifting student voices–both literally and figuratively–and we want to help you share your skills!

Rulesandnotesforapplication:

- You must be currently enrolled at Santa Monica High School

- Email thesamohinews@gmail.com or sbj@smmk12.org a video submission of your setlist

- Performances can range anywhere from 5-15 minutes

- Can be bands or individual performances, but MUST be musical acts

- Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis, but the schedule of performances will be based on time restraints

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– Dylan Bruce (’24)

– Sherwin Shahrabi (’24)

Art by Max Kehoe

Sara Javerbaum / The Samohi Sara Javerbaum / The Samohi

Maggie Marks / The Samohi

Maggie Marks / The Samohi

Samo choir echoes their Spain trip at Cathedral Classics

On Friday April 19, 2024, Samo’s top choir showcased their

ate some of those acoustical environments that we sang in, in Europe. So it’s kind of like a welcome home concert and pre-

senting for our community the stuff that we were able to sing abroad,” Huls said.

The meticulously curated set list featured a selection of sacred pieces that honored the rich culture and historical heritage of liturgical music. From the ethereal chants of Francisco Guerrero to the eerie Baroque melodies of Antonio Lotti and the modern twists of Kestutis Daugirdas to name a few, the unique brochure of music ranges nearly 500 years.

Intertwined through the night, noteworthy solos from Justin Xu (’24), Juliet Rojas (’25), Madeline Bryce (’24) and Hope Hamilton (’24) were instrumental in adding a layer of depth, emotion, and individuality to the concert.

When asked about how he landed with his final setlist, Huls additionally clarified the importance of choosing pieces that paid homage to the historical cathedrals in which they were performing. He ensured that each piece both respected and represented the historical significance of their surroundings.

“We were performing in cathedrals, which are old churches and we were required to sing music that is sacred in nature,” said Huls.

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Student musicians take flight this spring break

kind of stark when it was taken away from us,” Huls

Huls is not the only Samo music director who finds value in venturing beyond the city of Santa Monica for musical performance opportunities. Jason Aiello, di rector of Symphony Orchestra, acknowledges the merit in connecting with the origins of one’s musical craft.

“To me, what we study in Orchestra is Western clas sical music that came from Europe. To be able to vis it places where legendary musicians performed really connects musicians to the music they are performing. When we can bring music to life—that’s the biggest part of the international tour for me,” Ailello said.

During the Germany tour, orchestra students were able to perform in some of the most historically signifi cant performance spaces in both the country of Germa ny, and in the world. Their performance in the Berlin Philharmonic provided students a chance to perform in some of a space that holds great significance in mu sic history and for modern musicians. The gravity of this opportunity was not lost on Samo’s musicians, in cluding Kai Lindsay (’24), a violinist in Chamber and Symphony Orchestra.

Over spring break, Samo’s orchestra and choir programs traveled across international borders for both performances and music education experiences. Samo’s Madrigal and Chamber choirs performed in cathedrals around Spain and Samo’s Symphony and Chamber Orchestras traveled to Germany for performances and master classes.

Led by Jeffe Huls, Samo’s choirs’ trip to Spain marked the program’s first abroad trip since the COVID-19 pandemic, which put a halt to the program’s international tours, previously taken every other year.

“To be able to go back to doing this since Covid has meant a lot because it was something that many students looked forward to, working their way up in the program and getting to do something like that. It was

“As a musician, we are sort of taught that the Berlin Philharmonic is where the best performers in the world come from. Playing in the same hall as musicians we’ve looked up to all of our lives is something super spe cial, and sharing the same sound space with them is so special because as high school students, this might be the last time any of us get to play in a space like that,” Lindsay said.

In addition to the performance in the Berlin Philhar monic, Chamber and Symphony Orchestras performed in Gewandhaus in Leipzig and had a masterclass with faculty of The Universität der Künste Berlin. Samo’s Chamber and Madrigal Ensembles were able to per form at Santa Tecla Chapel of the Cathedral in Burgos, Spain and at the Santa Cruz Church in Madrid.

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The release of Beyoncé’s newest album, “Cowboy Carter”, released March 29, is the second part of her reentrance to the country scene coming after “Renaissance”. Despite being a true Texas-born southern country girl herself, the artist faced backlash after her performance at the 2016 Country Music Awards. After the industry pushed her out of her own musical roots, Beyoncé showed the public that no artists should ever be confined to the box the industry puts them in. For exam ple, Lemonade, arguably her best album to date, was written after her husband Jay-Z cheated on her. Songs like Formation and Sorry will be staples in American-made music until the end of time. However, her latest album has sparked a shift for the artist, transitioning from R&B to a country-oriented style of music. While some songs still incorporate the essence of rock and pop, her country roots truly stand strong. “Renaissance”, released in 2022, served as act one to her new embarkment within the music industry. This newfound mix of pop and country has single-handedly been pioneered into her own genre. She became the first ever black woman to top the charts in country music. After her performance at the

Yet it was through the activities outside of music and

‘Did your boots stop working,’ trending country song. The whole album runs at an hour and eighteen minutes. The first song is AMERICAN REQUIEM, an inspiring and upbeat piece, followed by BLACKBIRD, a Beatles cover. The third track, 16 CARRIAGES, released as a single along with TEXAS HOLD ‘EM were the most appropriate to release prior to the album due to their appeal to such a wide audience, synthesizing country and R&B. Yet another cover, JOLENE, Beyoncé reimagined Dolly Parton’s hit song with lyrics like “We’ve been deep in love for 20 years. I raised that man, I raised his kids, I know my man better than he knows himself”, hit hard knowing her past. Special mention… RIVERDANCE, an odd mix of intimate lyrics and lyrics about her Beyoncé isn’t dipping into completely uncharted territory with her music. She IS country by definition. Without the original black artists that practically made country what it is, we wouldn’t have the modernity of the genre today. I would like to say a big thank you to Beyoncé for being the most versatile musical icon we have today.

Louis Rotgin News Editor

Taylor Witt

Photo Editor

Luca Lombardo (’24), Charles Blanchard (’25) and Adam Silverman (’25) perform at Cathedrals Classics Concert.

Louis Rotgin / The Samohi

Symphony and Chamber Orchestra students perform in the Berlin Philharmonic.

Samo Chamber and Madrigal Choir students pose in front of the Burgos Cathedral in Burgos, Spain before their April 3 performance.

Jim Wang/ Contributor

Inna Kizler / Contributor

March Madness: UConn and South Carolina reign supreme

The 2024 NCAA men’s and women’s basketball tournaments have concluded, marking the end of another chapter in the story that is March Madness. A surge of excitement in women’s basketball has driven its popularity, while the men’s tournament saw more predictable results.

For the men’s tournament, the UConn Huskies became the first back-to-back national champion since the Florida Gators in 2006 and 2007 when they defeated the Purdue Boilermakers 75-60 in the national championship on April 8th at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona. The Huskies steamrolled through the tournament with convincing routes over Stetson, Northwestern, San Diego State, Illinois and Alabama before beating Purdue. This meant that the Huskies won their sixth national championship and tied with North Carolina for the third most national championships ever. However, it wasn’t as much of a surprise as many brackets predicted UConn to go back-to-back.

PBL student Elliot Wechsler was skeptical of the amount of competition in the tournament compared to previous years because of the upsets that occurred weekly.

“I think that UConn has officially cemented its status as a blue-blood school with this championship,” Wechsler said. “I also think that there wasn’t as much competition in this year’s tournament because of schools like Duke, Kentucky,

and Michigan State bowing out early.”

For the women’s tournament, the South Carolina Gamecocks captured their third NCAA championship and their second win in three years when they defeated the Iowa Hawkeyes, 87-75 on April 7th at the Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse in Cleveland, Ohio. Like the Huskies, the Gamecocks convincingly ran the gauntlet of the tournament, beating Presbyterian, North Carolina, Indiana, Oregon State, and North Carolina State before their victory over Iowa. Gamecocks center Kamilla Cardoso took home the Most Outstanding Player award for her 15-point, 17-rebound performance in the national championship. However, the women’s tournament increased in popularity this year because of the superstar on the other side of the confetti. Iowa point guard Caitlin Clark, who became the Division One alltime leading scorer in both men’s and women’s hoops earlier this year, took the sports world by storm throughout the tournament, continuing to shatter records despite the loss to South Carolina in the national championship.

“I feel like Caitlin Clark may have changed the women’s game forever,” Wechsler said. “The men’s tournament has always been really exciting to watch and I feel like the women’s tournament is beginning to emerge in that role as well.”

While the dust has settled on March Madness 2024, the fun is only beginning for these young college hoopers. The 2024 NBA Draft will occur on June 26th and June 27th at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York. The draft is expected

to have a lot of depth as it will feature the likes of UConn center Donovan Clingan, Kentucky point guard Robert Dillingham, and USC point guard Bronny James among others. Likewise, the 2024 WNBA Draft occurred on April 15th at the Brooklyn Academy of Music. To little surprise for many fans of women’s basketball, Clark was selected first overall by the Indiana Fever, officially ushering in a new era for women’s hoops. The hometown Los Angeles Sparks selected Stanford

small forward Cameron Brink second overall and Tennessee small forward Rickea Jackson fourth overall. 36 women in total were drafted, six coming from different parts of the world such as France and Australia.

“In terms of the NBA draft, I don’t think there’s as much talent this year as there was in the past,” Wechsler said. “ I also think there will be more eyes on the WNBA now that Caitlin Clark is with the Fever.”

European soccer’s top teams fight for league titles

Louis Rotgin Staff Writer

As we begin to prepare for summer, Europe’s biggest soccer leagues are preparing to crown their newest champions. Europe’s, and subsequently the world’s top five leagues, are in England, Germany, France, Italy and Spain. They range from having 34 to 38 games per season with a point system of zero points for a loss, one point for a tie and three points for a win. With only three matches remaining in the English Premier League, German Bundesliga and French Ligue 1; four remaining in the Italian Serie A; and five remaining in the Spanish La Liga, here are the current top-of-the-table standings:

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The Premier League title race has never been this competitive and is shaping to have a thrilling conclusion. Since the English top flight’s inception in 1888, the final game has decided the league’s victor on 39 occasions. Manchester City (Man City) has dominated in this aspect in recent times, being the champion the last four times that this has occurred. Man City beat Liverpool by one point in the ‘21-’22 and ‘18-’19 seasons, by two points in ‘13-’14 and beat Manchester United (Man Utd) on goal differential in the ‘11-’12 season. The difference is that these past title races have been between two teams. The ‘23-’24 season is entering its final stages with the top three teams separated by a total of one point.

Drew Sievers (’25), a defender for the Samo girls’ varsity soccer team, is an avid Man City supporter.

“It’s been exciting watching them compete to win the Premier League for the fourth year in a row,” Sievers said. “I’ve enjoyed watching their games a lot, especially Earling Haaland.”

Strong seasons from both AC Milan and Juventus haven’t been enough to hold back Inter Milan from claiming the title. During match week 33 of 38, Inter Milan defeated AC Milan in a heated Milan derby, mathematically securing their second title of the decade. Inter has only lost one league game this season and are having a better campaign than the last time they won the Scudetto (Serie A) in the ‘20/’21 season.

Although AC Milan and Juventus have lost hopes of winning their domestic league, both teams have had their silver linings. After defeating Lazio on April 23, Juventus qualified for the final of the Coppa Italia, the Italian domestic cup. AC Milan made it to the Europa League quarter-finals, where they were knocked out by fellow Italian side Roma.

Rowan Chasen (’27) plays as a defender and midfielder for the Samo boys’ frosh soccer team. Although he mainly supports Man Utd, Chasen has been closely following Inter Milan this season. “I just think that what Inter’s been able to do this season has been nothing short of incredible,” Chasen said. “One loss in 34 league matches is unreal. They’re one of the most impressive squads I’ve ever watched.”

On Match Week 29 of 34, Bayer Leverkusen secured their first league title in the club’s history, mathematically eliminating second-place Bayern Munich from the equation. For the first time since Dortmund won the league in the ‘11-’12 season, a team other than Bayern has won the Bundesliga.

Leverkusen are also the only remaining undefeated team across Europe’s top leagues. They are currently in the final of the DFB Pokal (the German domestic cup), and the semi-final of the Europa League, the second-tier continental league across Europe. Bayer Leverkusen is on track to win a historic treble like no other. Jalen Woo (’26) actively supports Bayer Leverkusen and has been proud to watch his team thrive.

“It’s been an incredible season for our team,” Woo said. “We started from the bottom, then Xabi Alonso came in and helped our team get to the top. We have a lot to look forward to right now and hopefully there are more trophies to come.”

It’s looking like Real Madrid are going to be crowned La Liga champions for the 36th time. Even if second-place Barcelona were to win out their remaining games, Real Madrid would only require four more points to take home the title. Real Madrid have defeated Barcelona in both league matchups this season, with wins on Oct. 28 and April 21, which has likely been the deciding factor in the table’s final standings.

Three of La Liga’s top four include the usuals in Real Madrid, Barcelona and Atletico Madrid, but a new name has appeared in third. Girona are set to complete their best season in club history, qualifying for the Champions League for the first time ever.

Anton Suvak (’27), Co-Captain and midfielder for the Samo boys’ frosh soccer team, has supported Real Madrid for as long as he can remember.

“This season has been a dream,” Suvak said. “We’re dominating La Liga and [Luka] Modrić, my beautiful Croatian king, has been playing so well. Bayern don’t know what’s coming for them [in the Champions League semi-finals].”

Eight out of the last ten Ligue 1 champions have been Paris Saint Germain (PSG). This year isn’t any different. With only three matches left, PSG has run away with the title, 12 points ahead of second-place Monaco.

PSG are also performing well in Europe. They are set to face Borussia Dortmund in the Champions League semi-finals, Europe’s first-tier continental cup, after defeating FC Barcelona in the quarter-finals.

Emmitt Driggs (’26), a defender for the Samo boys’ JV soccer team, is happy with the club’s quality display this season. “We’re top of the league and we’ve got Champions League semi-finals against Borussia Dortmund… I think we’ve got that in the bag,” Driggs said. “I’m proud... We’re doing really well and [Kylian] Mbappé is almost impossible to defend right now too, so that’s great.”

Last updated May 1

***MP = Matches Played GD = Goal Differential Pts = Points

Declan Ney Staff Writer

The Iowa bench watches the action during their Big 10 tournament game against Michigan State. Women’s basketball grew exponentially in popularity this year due in large part to Iowa star Caitlin Clark, who was drafted first overall by the Indiana Fever in the 2024 WNBA draft.

Net results: An overview of Samo boys’ volleyball season

Liam Sauer Staff Writer

Boys Varsity Volleyball ended their season on April 20, defeating Valencia High School 2-1 in the Redondo Varsity Invitational. While the team did not make CIF, they won three of their last five tournament games, winning their pool play by delivering decisive wins against several competitive teams. This included a 2-0 match against Sanger High School, a team ranked 24th in the nation and 15th in the state. Overall, the team finished fifth in the tournament out of 24 teams, tied fourth in the Bay League,

and 36th in the Southern Section out of several hundred schools. Leading the program this year was the previous junior varsity coach, Pete Barraza.

He speaks on some amazing feats he witnessed this season.

“There were so many positives this year… the way the guys played for each other, the fun we had traveling to Santa Barbara, the tournaments here and at Redondo Beach,” Barraza said.

“Seeing the guys peak this past weekend was a nice way to end the season and begin the new one.”

Team Captain Maceo Gifford (’24), a setter, also gained a lot of positive experiences from the season.

“This year we had better coaching,” Gifford said. “We just had a better roster and a better overall attitude.”

Gifford garnered multiple D3 offers for volleyball and will continue to play club in college.

As the season ends, there is a bittersweet feeling among many players and coaches. Graduating seniors Gifford, Casper Holden (’24) and Julian Bao (’24), although excited about new opportunities, are leaving a major part of their lives behind. However, Barraza, sees a lot of potential for the next year.

“We have a nice chance moving into the summer with preparation for next season, trying to continue this culture

and identity of competing with class, grit, respect and getting the guys to continue to improve,” Barraza said.

“We had three freshmen on the

think, very bright.”

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Beach volleyball gets its ‘sand legs’ in third ever season

Aili Foster Centerspread Editor

The beach volleyball team wrapped up their 2024 season on March 14, placing fourth in the Bay League.

The team made it all the way to the second round of CIF.

They played their last games on March 13 and March 14 against Redondo, which both ended in a 0-5 loss. In the season, however, the team had notable wins against

Marymount on Feb. 22 and Beverly Hills on Feb. 28.

While most of the beach volleyball team consists of players from the indoor volleyball team, many seniors did not transfer into the spring semester sport. Sato notes that much of the team was new to beach volleyball this year, adding an extra challenge to the competitive season.

“We had a large group of players with little to zero beach experience, so getting their sand legs was a priority,” Sato said. “All of the players worked really hard and were very excited to start.”

The only senior on the beach volleyball team this year was Bibi Peterson (’24), who was partners with

Jane Robinson (’25).

As the season comes to a close, the team has stopped training on the beach, and is redirecting their focus to the indoor courts. While the team did not place in the Bay League, making it into CIF was a clear reflection of the teams efforts and continuous development. Sato, reflecting on the 2024 season, underlines the value of the team’s dedication and improvement

“I am so proud of our players this season for their hard work and commitment getting better everyday,” Sato said. “The big takeaway is the importance of player self-evaluation and solid commitment to the program.”

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Samo boys’ golf putts away the competition

As the spring sports season comes to an end, the boys’ golf team is putting away their clubs with a smile on their faces. Ending the season with a record of 4-6 and sending Team Captain Luke Khosla (’25), Christopher Kozusko (’24), Vincent Gormley (’24), Nicolas McDonough (’24), The Rogers (’27) and Ethan Edwrds (’27) to league finals, the team’s hard work has paid off. Led by Head Coach Bart Burdick and Khosla, the team is proud of their successes this season.

With many seniors graduating next year, Khosla and Burdick were focused

on creating bonds with the younger players. Both graduating players and rising underclassmen preparing for future responsibilities on the team displayed a level of dedication on par with the competition in their league.

The team as a whole was committed to taking on the responsibilities and joys of being teammates and leaders on and off the course. Khosla speaks to this work.

“Golf is a time consuming sport in and of itself,” Khosla said. “Going to the course every day after fifth period and seeing these young players there for three, three and a half hours was so impressive. Practices can get really

repetitive and monotonous, but our players kept persisting and it really showed on the course.”

Up against one of the most competitive golf leagues in the area, Samo faced off against intimidating teams such as Redondo and Mira Costa, who are ranked highly in California. Despite their loss in their second match against Mira Costa, an extremely well-funded and large program, it was in this game that Samo earned one of the best scores earned by any team in the league this season. Reflecting on this home-court match, Khosla is proud of his team’s determination and skill.

“Mira Costa has an incredible team — they have this freshman who’s already got D1 offers — and we didn’t let it faze us,” Khosla said. “I remember, it came down to literally the last hole, where our teams were pretty much tied, and we ended up losing by just two strokes. Even though we lost, I’m beyond proud of how we played. ”

The six qualifying team members competed in the Bay League Finals at the Lakewood Country Club in Long Beach on April 30, with Kozusko and Gormley advancing to the second round at Skylinks on Thursday, May 2.

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Boys’ tennis find success amidst challenging season

Louis Rotgin Staff Writer

The Samo boys’ tennis team started off the season strong with a big win against Venice when the Vikings defeated the Gondoliers 16-2 on Feb. 29. They played their final match on Monday, April 22 against Culver City, ending the season on a high note with a win of 11-7. Although the team per-

formed well on both ends of the season, they faced challenges in consistently holding their form steady. The Samo boys’ tennis team finished the season with a record of 5-9.

Co-Captain Ryan Chen (’24) believes that although the season wasn’t ideal, important progress was made.

“Unfortunately not the strongest season, yet I’m still proud of the growth that the boys made throughout the season,” Chen said.

The team as a whole did not manage to reach their goal of qualifying for CIF playoffs this year. However, star play-

ers Levi Title (’25) and Liam MacMahon (’24) qualified for singles, while Chris Rhee (’25), Hudson White (’25), Audunn Horelick (’27) and Captain Ryan Chen (’24) qualified for doubles.

MacMahon’s results were the best of the bunch as he defeated his opponent in the first round, but his run came to an end in his second match.

Co-Captains Chen and David Zhao (’24), along with MacMahon, Dylan Franey (’24), Niko Foster (’24) and Arman Abadi (’24) are all graduating from Samo, and subsequently the tennis program this year. Despite this, the

Don’t slash, check out girls’ lacrosse

As the girl’s lacrosse season comes to an end, the team finalizes their place as third in the Ocean League. The team totaled five wins, ten losses and one tie by the end of this year. Although met with challenges this season, especially the loss of several graduating star players, they persisted with their best efforts and strong teamwork. The team particularly excelled in the constant involvement of all players. Girls’ lacrosse players thoroughly demonstrated their skills not only in their high performance individually, but also in their ability to incorporate their team members on the field and reflect genuine teamwork. Bella

Tarin (’25) shares the team’s strategies and gameplay from this year.

“It’s been a little hard because this was more of a rebuilding year as no one on our team has played prior to their freshman year, but I think that we’ve made a lot of progress and these girls have put a lot of effort in,” Tarin said. “Working as a team is honestly the most important thing and making sure we have chemistry and can work well with each other.”

There have been many exceptional highlights of this season displaying the resilience and strength of girl’s lacrosse. One of their most notable achievements includes their back-to-back wins on March 22 and April 5, in which they completely crushed their opposition. With a win

of 20-5 against Beverly Hills on March 22 and another in their following game on April 5, a 17-6 win against Palisades, the team put their teamwork and hard work on full display.

After playing strongly this year, they are ready for what’s next. The team maintains a positive mentality as they continue to plan and train for their strongest performances.

“A lot of us are going to play on club over the summer and put a lot of work in, so there’s so much potential, especially with the new players,” Tarin said. “We can get frazzled easily, but everyone knows they have the capability and if we hone into that I think we can have a really solid season next year.”

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team is in good hands for the future. This year, there were four non-seniors who qualified for CIF, and a new season only provides more opportunities for others to follow suit. This season also marks the last year of competition within the Bay League, as the team will move to the Ocean League in the coming school year. It’s been a long run with the same competition, but the future is full of possibilities.

“Unfortunate that we are leaving such a competitive league, but grateful for the great competition,” Chen said.

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varsity team and a number of sophomores, so the future is, I

Sara Javerbaum

A&E Editor

Claire Harrison Staff Writer

Liam MacMahon (’24) sends the ball flying in a match on March 7. After a hard fought match, Samo lost 7-11

Louis Rotgin / The Samohi

The boys’ volleyball team celebrates seniors Maceo Gifford (’24), Casper Holden (’24) and Julian Bao (’24) on their senior night.

Olivia Stephansen / The Samohi

Isabella Van Bilderbeek (‘26) fights for the ball in tense match against Peninsula High School.

Claire Harrison / The Samohi

Aili Foster / The Samohi Kaeli Horwitz (’27) spikes a ball during practice at the Ocean Park beach volleyball courts.

Geoff Gormley / Contributor Christopher Kozusko (’24) swings his club in a match against West Torrance.

Track and field advance through CIF once again

Manny Lopez Staff Writer

This season, the Samo track team qualified for and excelled in many different invitational meets. At the Winter Championships, Lucas Milk (’24), Charlie Rusler (’24), Spencer Hotch (’24), and Josh Lesley (’25) were crowned as Sprint Medley champions with their personal best time of 1:33. Phoebe Benun (’25), also competed at the Winter Championships in the 1500m, where she broke the Samo school record with a time of 4:46.

Coach Tania Fischer, who is retiring after this season, has helped athletes push themselves and be open to new boundaries. Last Season, Fischer created a girls 4x800 team. The team was able to qualify for the CIF masters meet, the meet before State, but did not make it to the next round. Varsity runner Phoebe Benun (’25) shares her experience

Boys’ lacrosse on

Addie Burns Staff Writer

Samo Boys Lacrosse finished off their 2024 season as the Ocean-League Champions for two years in a row. The team wrapped up its season with a 10-6 overall record and a 5-0 league record, a clean sweep in the Ocean League.

Despite the loss of many star senior players from the last season, this year’s freshmen have been largely beneficial to the success of the team. Attacker Lewis Smith (’27) has put up 23 goals and 31 assists, Bryce Schatzow (’27) has contributed 33 points and Tanner Ford (’27) has contributed 25 points. Linus Perkins (’27) and Trevor Havel (’27) have also played outstanding defense throughout the season, averaging about seven conceded goals per game.

Some of this season’s star players include Oz-

running the 4x800 and why she chose to run it.

“Fischer has been wanting us to run the 4x800 relay for the past couple of years, so we have been working on our times because we realized we had a shot last year, but we didn’t do great at CIF-SS Masters,” Benun said. “We just qualified again this season and we are feeling really strong, and Fischer has been supporting us along the way.”

At their final league meet, Samo’s top thrower, Reign Snowden (’24), won the title of Bay League champion for shot put for her third consecutive year. She also qualified for the CIF-SS preliminary round, where she will be competing in both shot put and discus. Alberto Villasenor (’24) also qualified for the CIF-SS preliminary round, where he will be competing in shot put and discus. Zinnia

Weybright (’24) won Bay League champion in the triple jump, where she will be competing in the CIF-SS preliminary round. The 4x100 relay team will also be heading to the CIF-SS preliminary with there time of 42.84, which consists of Logan Hanvey (’26), Rusler, Hotch and Giovanni Crabtree-Ireland (’25). Cleo Topp (’25) won Bay League Champion in the 800m, and will also be moving on to the preliminary round of CIF this Saturday, May 4. Benun qualified for multiple races, which include the 800m, the 1600m and the 3200m. She was also included in the 4x800 relay team, which also consists of Maeko Gross (’25) Matilde Martinez-Navarette (’24) and Topp who will race again at the masters meet this season.

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target for another successful season

good Hawkins (’25), All CIF-SS Most Outstanding Player of the Year, who has continued his successes from last season with 45 goals and 33 assists in the 2024 season. Another honorable mention is Henry Owen (’25), who won the All CIF-Defender Award in the 2023 season.

As the team won the CIF championship last season, they are excited for the opportunity to compete for the win again this year. Hawkins shares his thoughts on this.

“I am hoping we can win CIF’s again in a higher division, and win it back to back,” Hawkins said.

This year’s seniors are Ryan Schatzow (’24), Caden Green (’24), Uziel Garcia (’24), Hank Lawit (’24), Cy Backen (’24) and Jasper Ford (’24). Ford, who was named All CIF Goalie, has had 219 saves out of 315 shots, with about a 70 percent save rate. Schatzow has been valuable on both offense and defense, scoring 36 goals and making 20 assists.

Despite the team’s success, the team is constantly looking to improve. Green shares his goals for the upcoming CIF competitions and the future of the

team.

“I think we need to make sure to keep the constant pressure on, stop making simple mistakes and don’t get too in our heads,” Green said. Head Coach James Phelan reflects on this year’s seniors accomplishments and looks forward to next season.

“Our seniors have achieved so much in their four years at Santa Monica, tallying 44 wins, two Ocean League Championships and one CIF championship, which exceeded our expectations…” Phelan said. “These seniors have left a great legacy and have added to the tradition of excellence of our lacrosse program. We cannot wait to see all these boys’ accomplishments.”

The Samo Boys’ Lacrosse team will play their first CIF playoff game on Friday, April 26 against Saugus High School.

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Baseball on an all-around upward trajectory

Nika Nazarizadeh Opinion Editor

The 2024 boys’ baseball season is coming to a close with a 17-5 overall winning streak. The boys’ first game of the season was against South Torrance, where they took a 2-1 win, led by key players like team captains Jackson Klein (’24) and Bobby Munoz (’24). Klein shares his view on the trajectory of their season.

“Starting off our season with a win was great for our team,” Klein said. “Our goal this year is to win a CIF championship and each win puts us one step closer to that.”

On Feb. 22, the boys’ baseball team played against Saint Monica, winning with a score of 5-1.

The team started the game on defense as Saint Monica got an early run. The Vikings gained a lead when Brady Satinover (’25) got two runs in return.

This game highlighted the Vikings’ offensive and defensive skills. The team’s defense has seen great success this year as players Jacob Myrow (’24), Sage Douglass (’24), Munoz, Spencer Levin (’24) and Satinover all had 1.000 field percentages. Munoz speaks to this accomplishment.

“Our defense and pitching has always been the strongest part of our team, but this year is probably our best year out of my four years,” Munoz said.

On April 12, the Samo boys’ baseball team played their senior night game against St. Margaret. The team won this game with a final score of 4-1, honoring the seniors with a victory.

The team’s success this season was greatly due to seniors Luke Hayes (’24), Douglass and Levin, with batting averages of 1.000, .500 and .500. Other standout athletes were Klein, who pitched 3 innings, and Tony Ponce (’24), who pitched 4.

The boys’ work this season is going to be key for their success next season, and in the future college careers of seniors like Bobby Munoz (’24), who will be playing baseball at Macalester College. As the season is wrapping up, Head Coach Jordan Sigman has felt the team has grown tremendously.

“Our offense approach has improved drastically this year,” Sigman said. “Our pitching and defense has always been good but our ability to see pitches, work at bats, and string together hits has improved a ton.”

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Swimming perserveres to end season with success

In their 2024 season, the Samo swim team competed against many high ranking teams in Southern California, finishing their season with many victories. On March 1, the Samo swim team competed in their first meet against Venice High School, coming out on top. This meet prompted many more team victories throughout the season. Although Samo had many wins, the team also faced obstacles throughout the season. Nicolas Scott Gillespie (’25), an athlete on Samo boy’s

swim and water polo teams, shares his experience competing with his teammates this year.

“There is a lot of weight during the water polo season, so the guys on the water polo team and swim team really focus and care a little more on the swimming,” Gillespie said. “As a team, I think we could do better overall.”

The Samo girls’ and boys’ swim teams ended the season on a positive note, hosting the Bay League Championship Swim Meet. Samo sent two teams through to the CIF SS preliminary round for the 4x50 freestyle relay with Daniela Petran (’25), Serena Wu (’25), Sole Cook (’26) and Maya Alpert (’25) competing for the girls’ team, and Jackson Nessel (’25), Benjamin Telanoff (’24), Zephyr Feh-

mers (’26) and Chase Douglass (’24) competing for the boys’. The girls’ 4x50 freestyle relay further advanced to the CIF SS finals. Individually, Samo sent Douglass through to the CIF SS preliminary in the 100 and 50 freestyle race. Samo also sent Petran, Wu, Alpert and Elia Song (’26) through in the 4x50 medley relay. Petran and Wu also advanced all the way to CIF SS finals in individual events, Petran for the 200 individual medley and 100 breaststroke, and Wu for the 100 and 50 freestyle. Samo swimmers will be competing in the CIF SS finals on Saturday, May 4.

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Softball does well in league with improving players

Staff Writer

Samo girls’ softball team has closed out their season with a game on April 24 against Culver City resulting in a win for the vikings with a score of 4-1.

This season, the team has shown a lot of effort in their games with 15-10-1 wins-losses-ties. The team also has a 6-4 record for league games, where they earned second place. The team was led by coach Jenny Forster, who shares her thoughts on the season.

“Our season had a lot of ups and downs but overall, I am very proud of how the team performed,” Forster said. “Most impressively, we went 5-1 after spring break only losing in an extra-innings game against the league champion, Redondo.”

At each game, players off the field chant and cheer for those playing, fueling the team to succeed. Player Haley Riehl shares her thoughts on the spirit and performance of the team this season.

“We did better this season than last but we did have our ups and downs. I wish we had the same energy throughout the whole season that we had at the beginning of the season,” Riehl said.

The vikings have also had some outstanding players this season, including Brooke Meshekow, who has the highest batting average of this season, Talia Yermiam with the highest on base percentage and Drew Vudmaska (’25) with a total of two home runs this season. Forster shares her highlights from the season.

“For me the highlight of the season was our 8-1 victory over Mira Costa at their senior night under the lights,” Forster said. “We came out and had an incredible team win with a total of 11 hits by 8 separate players.”

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Manny Lopez / The Samohi Brady Satinover (’25) gets ready to hit a pitch from Peninsula High School on March 3 to win the game 2-0.

Violeta Buitrago

David Hunzicker / Contributor Spencer Hotch (’25) passes competitors from Mira Costa and Redondo to cross the line in second place for the 4x100 race at Bay League Finals on April 25.

Violeta Buitrago / The Samohi

Talia Yermian (’25) steps up to bat against Torrance High School, with Samo in a 2-2 tie, adding to the team’s batting average of 0.111 in this game.

Manny Lopez / The Samohi

Ozgood Hawkins (’24) beats defenders from El Segundo to catch a pass and go to score in order to win their match.

Sia Kresch Staff Writer

Sia Kresch / The Samohi Samo swimmers lead their race in front of competitors from Culver City High School on April 19.