June 14, 2007

Gum Review
Page 3
Class of 2007!
Samo Sports: The Year in Photos
Page 7
Pages 4-5
On the Internet:
www.samohi.smmusd.org/thesamohi
Circulation: 3,600
COLUMN ONE
La Raza Humana
By Leah Robinson
Copy Editor
S a m o h i ’s C h a m b e r
Singers and Madrigals
performed the world
premiere of Emmy Award
winning Edward Korvin’s
“La Raza Humana” at the
choir concert on June 8.
Edward Korvin,
husband of Samo French
teacher Karin Korvin and
father of Samo junior Edouard
Korvin, wrote this unique
song mixing the Spanish,
Latin and English languages
and a variety of music styles.
The ever-changing tempo
flowed smoothly and made
the underlying message of
the piece clear: though the
people of the world may
live in different cultures,
there is only one human
race. Korvin explained “La
Raza Humana” (The Human
Race) “is a piece about
humanity across all divides
and our need for the power
of love.”
Six years ago, Korvin
contacted Huls, director
at Lincoln Middle School,
about writing a piece for
the choir. A�er six years of
writing it, Korvin finished
the piece at the beginning of
this school year.
Korvin won an Emmy
Award for the score of the
documentary “This Was
America.” He has also
won three Cine Golden
Eagle Awards for three
other films. The composer
revealed “La Raza Humana”
was “inspired by the many
teachers I have known and
is dedicated to teachers
everywhere.”
Huls remarked: “It’s
always exciting to perform
an original piece that no
one has ever heard of or
performed... I think it will
really bring Samo into the
spotlight.”
Vol. XCVI No. 15 June 14. 2007
ASB Voting : Democracy.com
Nick Barlow
Senior E.A.L.
With the upcoming Samo
Associate Student Body (ASB)
Executive Board elections June
13 through 15, students and
administrators discuss possible
ways to a�ract a larger number of
students to vote and avoid voter
fraud.
As in last-year ’s elections,
students will be voting online via
“eduBallot.” A�er entering their
Samo I.D. numbers, students will
only be able to cast their ballot
once.
“This year we’re having all
the PE classes and possibly junior
English or History classes go to
the computer labs and vote,”
said junior Nicholas Borenstein,
Commissioner of Elections and
Presidential Candidate. “We’re
hoping more students will vote
than [voted] last year, due to our
targeting of classrooms.”
Critics of “eduballot” say that
paper voting would be much more
effective and would increase the
poll numbers tremendously. “It
is hard to get people to go vote.
Some students don’t even know
where the computer labs are,” said
junior and Presidential Candidate
Alex Spence. Though critics of
the “eduballot” say that it is too
easy to cheat the voting system,
Martinez Official H-House Cady New Activities Director
By Kristina Naderi
By Sam Cotten
Administration announced on May 20 that
Steve Martinez will be replacing Ruth Esseln as the
H-House principal in 2008 .
“The superintendent asked if I liked the
position and if I
would consider
keeping the position
p e r m a n e n t l y. I
was happy to be
back [at Samo],
so I said I’d love
to,” commented
Martinez.
Although
Martinez was
hesitant to leave his
job teaching at the
local adult school,
he said, “I was
satisfied helping
[adults] reach that
goal of ge�ing their high school diploma, but
a�er working at the high school, I became happier
helping kids reach that goal in the moment when
it’s all happening.”
Martinez will assume many of the duties
previously assigned to Esseln, including ordering
new textbooks, working with the library and
improving upon the tardy policy.
Some goals for Martinez’s next year as a house
principal include ge�ing students to look into college
sooner, making sure that every senior walks the stage
and creating a fun new H-House T-shirt.
Patrick Cady was appointed to the Activities
Director position a�er the unexpected departure
of Catherine Marsh.
Cady was Samo Activities Director for five
years but stepped down in 1993 when he became a
track coach. Next year, Cady will work as Activities
Director in addition to continuing to coach track
and teach one class. Said Cady: “[In 1993] I didn’t
know if I could do both jobs. Now I know I can
do both.”
Cady accepted the position only on an interim
basis, but despite his short tenure in office, Cady
hopes to achieve much: “The main goal of ASB at
Samo is to unify this campus, because we are Samo;
we are a community.”
Cady’s years of experience and his familiarity
withtheSantaMonica
community render
him a favorable
candidate for the
job.
Though he will
continue coaching,
Cady will not return
to the classroom a�er
next year. He hopes
to coach track “for
as long as possible,”
but he looks forward
to not having to
“grade so many
papers.”
Ad Editor
Campus Life Editor
Leaders of East L.A. Walkouts Speak to Students
By Gabrielle Hernandez
News Editor
On June 7, Samo students
got a taste of history when
leaders from the East Los
Angeles walkouts came to
speak in the Humanities Center
about their involvement in the
movement and the issues still at
large today. Bobby and Yolanda
Verdugo, along with surprise
guest Gilbert Castro, sat in
the auditorium and answered
questions posed by students in
the audience.
The East Los Angeles
walkouts, in which all of the
guest speakers played a hand
in, was a series of walkouts
throughout East Los Angeles
schools in protest of the unfair
and o�en brutal treatment of
Spanish speaking students and
future Activities Director Patrick
Cady believes this method will
prevent cheating. “Our goal
is to get almost every student
to vote, and if that happens,
it will be hard to cheat.” Dean
of Students Catherine Baxter
described “eduBallot” as part
of a bigger lesson teaching
students how to partake in
an election process: “It’s not
just about placing people in
a position. [“EduBallot”] is
also about teaching kids how
vote.”
Student Campaign videos
aired June 12, and students can
vote online at h�p://eduballot3.
votenet.com/samohi/.
the sub par quality of education.
The presentation, put together
by the Civil Rights Club, began with
a 30-minute clip from the HBO movie
Walkout, which debuted March 18,
2006. The clip displayed the social
injustice seen in the schools, the
planning of the demonstrations
and the first walkout taking place.
Both Verdugo and his wife were
portrayed in the film and Castro
worked as a consultant during
production of Walkout. Bobby
Verdugo reflected on the film
saying: “I’m proud to help tell a
story that nobody had really heard
about. It’s good that [this story] is
finally being told.”
E ve n t o d a y, a l l t h r e e
speakers are very involved in
the community. Both Bobby and
Yolanda remain very active in
social work and Castro works
with his father running a Youth
Leadership camp three times a
year for Latino students.
All three strongly
emphasized that students today
are capable of the same kinds
of things that they themselves
achieved in the 1960s. Noted
Verdugo: “We wanted to do
something to give back. And that’s
what gives me hope, because if
we could do it, than I believe that
youth today can, too.”
Published Biweekly
Making the
Connection
By Jacquelyn Hoffman
Staff Writer
President Chui L. Tsang of
Santa Monica College (SMC) and
Diane Talarico, Santa MonicaMalibu Unified School District
Superintendent, signed a series
of agreements on May 22 to aid
students who might not have
considered college. These new
initiatives will primarily enable
district students to utilize SMC
facilities and partake in college
level courses.
In order to help close the
achievement gap between
students, two specific programs
will be initiated in the next
year—the High School Transfer
Academy and the Early College
High School Program. The former
will allow high school juniors and
seniors to enroll concurrently
in both the College and high
school. This program is primarily
designed for students who are
first generation college a�endees
within their families. The la�er
of the two programs will grant
approximately 100 high school
freshmen the opportunity to
be observed through their high
school career as they acquire
study and research skills, among
others.
The agreements include a
range of programs aiming to be
placed in motion. Increasing the
availability of college-level courses
at the College throughout the
summer for teens and solidifying
the presence of college-level
courses in fundamental education
are just two of this collaborative
movement’s objectives.
S a i d Ta l a r i c o , “ T h i s
(agreement) represents a natural
collaboration between our two
academic institutions and will
provide the groundwork for
increased success for high school
students, increasing the number of
students wishing to pursue postsecondary education.” (www.
surfsantamonica.com)
World News Top Four
By Carl Nunziato, Staff Writer and Matt
Weber, Senior Outreach Coordinator
N
ASA has launched its first mission of this year. NASA planned
for this to be the second mission of the year, but the first mission
was delayed a�er the space shu�le was damaged by hail late last
February. (NASA.gov)
•
I
• Lewis “Scooter” Libby was sentenced to a term of 30 months in
prison and a fine of $250,000 for perjury and obstruction of justice
resulting in the outing of former CIA Operative Valarie PlameWilson. (CNN)
T
• he newly passed Clean Water Act has been limited by the EPA to
only protect bodies of water large enough to boat in. Environmental
groups are outraged at what they consider to be a disregard for
unpopulated bodies of water, while the EPA claims this was passed
to ease confusion concerning the distinction between a protected
body of water and and unprotected body. (LATimes.com)
A
n immigration bill, considered by some as an “amnesty bill”
supported by the President, failed to garner enough bipartisan
support in the Senate. (AP)
•
Page 2
OPINION
Wanted: Prepared Teachers
By Chelsea Rinnig
Senior Opinion Editor
Everyone has been stuck with a
teacher that ruins his of her appreciation for the subject. Incompetent
teachers are detrimental to our
learning environment and reveal
that there is a larger problem with
the process teachers go through to
be hired and the determinants of
earning tenure.
Because the hiring process takes
place over the summer, faculty
members are not always available
to advise administrators when making final hiring decisions. Although
interviewees often teach demo
classes over the summer, there is
o�en time between summer school
and when official classes start in
September where these prospective
teachers cannot demonstrate their
qualifications in a realistic situation.
Sometimes, administrators post-
pone interviewing because they are
unhappy with the pool of candidates
and expect that toward the end of the
summer, more qualified applicants
will apply. Hiring and assigning
should be done earlier in the year
to make sure that the most qualified
teachers are hired. S-House principal
Greg Runyon believes, “the ideal
would be to hire teachers in April,
May, and June.” If the most qualified
teachers are hired earlier, then they
will accept jobs at Samo.
Some teachers also decide to
leave unexpectedly, leaving many
new teachers to be hired two weeks
before school starts. These new
teachers have less than two weeks to
plan, o�en for the first time, for the
entire year. Such lack of preparation
is neither fair to students nor to teachers and should never happen.
Additionally, the tenure system
secures a teacher’s position for
all teachers, good and bad. A�er
two years, teachers who are given
tenure are guaranteed a job until
they retire—virtually the only way
they can be fired is if they commit
a crime or an administrator follows
a lengthy process that doesn’t even
guarantee results. Therefore, teachers essentially can put on a front in
the beginning of their careers and
then slack off a�er two years. A bad
teacher can lack the motivation to
inspire students because there is no
risk of losing his or her job.
It is wrong for students to be
placed in classes taught by unqualified teachers. Of course there will
always be less-skilled workers in any
profession. However, it should not
be the responsibility of any student to
teach themselves enough material to
pass that subject. It is the responsibility of teachers to ensure students are
prepared for the next level of learning,
and, if they so choose, succeed to their
highest potential.
To My Dearest Pinkberry Yogurt,
My dear sweet treat…there are
many fashions in which I might sing
your praises. I love your magnificent
smoothness. With every bite, I become
more and more illuminated by your
virtues: you are creamy, light, and delectable. You are a healthy alternative
to other cold treats.
Original flavor or green tea, I complement your zesty goodness with fresh
berries, kiwi, yogurt chips, granola, or
your “secret” topping, Mochi rice balls.
These unusual hues, and textures truly
bring your beauty to its full glory. Your
eaters paint your pristine canvas with
every color in the rainbow.
Lovers of your unique flavor are
incredibly loyal. Those that rightfully appreciate your excellence return
regularly to get their fix, the fix you
gave them.
Lately, My Adored Treat, you have
created quite a stir: a man named Bryan
Williams from West Hollywood is suing
your company.
You are manufactured at each individual store, which the California
Department of Food and Agriculture
considers to be a faux pas. In order to
be called frozen yogurt, you must be
mixed off-site. Additionally, many feel
that you taste like sour milk and that ice
cream is clearly more appetizing. What
these critics do not realize, however,
is that comparing you to ice cream is
like comparing cake to pie. The two are
simply not meant to taste the same. You
and ice cream are not identical twins;
you are simply distant cousins.
However, if not everyone loves you
as I do, do not be dismayed. You are
merely misunderstood by some. It does
not ma�er that there is a lawsuit against
you, and it does not ma�er that you are
not even made from real yogurt. What
does ma�er is that you will always be
the most unusual, refreshing, and delicious frozen treat in existence.
Sincerely,
Zoey Baldwin, Staff Writer
More
Than Just an Electronic Device
By Molly Strauss
Senior News Editor
I have a special relationship
with my TI-83 Plus. It’s been by my
side through Algebra II, SAT Multiple Choice, and a BC Calculus
AP Exam I ardently wish I could
forget. However, as comforting as
its presence has been, I hate to admit it: like most high schoolers, I’ve
developed a serious dependency
on my graphing calculator.
Some early warning signs of
addiction: trouble calculating
percentages, difficulty with simple
addition and subtraction, and an
unhealthy hatred of long division.
Growing up in a generation surrounded by technology—iPods,
cell phones and Facebook, to name
a few—we’ve come to accept such
deficiencies as normal. I’d like to
take an informal poll: how many
Samo students have relied on their
calculator (scientific, graphing or
otherwise) since sixth grade or
earlier? I’d guess 90 percent.
It’s true that my 83 Plus has allowed me to complete mathematical operations that would be nearly
impossible by hand. A calculator
certainly comes in handy when
“separating and integrating” with
Math 9 or solving a Taylor Series
polynomial. But my handicap
shows up not in math class, but
at the grocery store, in Rite Aid, at
the ATM. Unlike my father, who
can calculate his Honda Civic’s
gas mileage a�er driving for 5.47
hours without blinking an eye, it
takes serious effort for me to add
27 and 34 in my head. He wasn’t
allowed to use a calculator on the
SAT. I was.
As math teachers expect more
and more conceptually from their
students, emphasis on practical,
everyday skills naturally dwindles.
I haven’t been asked to exercise
my arithmetic tables since second
grade, and it shows. Unfortunately,
I am not alone. Every once and
a while a Samo teacher is dumfounded when he/she asks, “To
finish it off, what’s 150 divided by
20?” And only two people raise
their hands.
So, a word of warning: in the
real world, you can’t carry your
calculator in the back pocket of
your jeans, and whip it out at the
local coffee shop to figure tip. It’s
time to kick the habit, especially
as I leave Samo for life beyond.
My graphing calculator shouldn’t
come along for the ride.
Freshmen Are Human
By Zoe Young
Staff Writer
I have been irritated by
freshmen ever since I can remember. I admit wholeheartedly to having been a freshmen.
However, thankfully I have
forgo�en every minute of it.
The thing that first inspired
my frustration with underclassman was their strange
phenomenon of shortness,
making freshmen frequently
below my eye level in height.
On multiple occasions I have
walked to meet a friend (of
at least five feet) across a hall,
and have stumbled over a
small, frightened body running
from side to side. This body,
inevitably was a freshman. The
small person would look up
at me in fear, smile sheepishly
and sprint into the distance, his
enormous backpack wagging
along behind them. On one
hand it is rather annoying to
trip over our short friends, but
what is a bruise on the shin if it’s
followed by a shining freshman
face, just asking you to be its
mother for a day?
The freshmen form of dress
is an art to be studied. Their
insane color combinations
that once gave me migraines
now bob along like li�le neon
lanterns lighting up a drab
hallway. The din created by the
countless beaded key chains on
freshmen backpacks now clicks
in time to the music on my iPod
as though the li�le freshman is
subconsciously snapping its
fingers to the beat.
Freshmen are people too.
Their unique personalities
shine as they bump into you
and run away, as well as in
the creative ways they dress
themselves. Every freshman is
special. I know that I too will be
a freshman next year in college,
but at least I’m legal.
Raise the Minimum Wage
By Analee Abbott
Senior Managing Editor
There is a big problem. It is
not a white problem or a black
problem. It is not a rich problem
or a poor problem. It is not as debated as much as global warming
or the War in Iraq. Nonetheless
millions of Americans suffer
because of it every day. This
problem is the extremely low
minimum wage.
Although states are allowed
to set a higher standard, the
national minimum wage is currently $5.15 per hour. An American who works a standard nine to
five job at minimum wage, earns
a yearly salary of $10,712- well
below the poverty line. If both
of the parents worked, a family
earns a dismal $21,424 a year,
before taxes.
While we should be proud that
California has one of the highest
minimum wages in the country at
$7.50 per hour, we cannot forget
that we are American citizens.
Twenty states either have minimum rates at the federal level,
or do not have minimum rates
at all (US Department of Labor).
Editor-in-Chief.................Erin Nadel
Managing Editor......Danielle Worthy
News Editor......Gabrielle Hernandez
Opinion Editors............Evan Perkins
Jennifer Galamba
Feature Editor.......... Jeremy Tramer
Special Report Editor..................Saba
Boradeh-Hamedy
Campus Life Editor.........Sam Cotten
Sports Editors.........Aaron Eslamboly
Charlie Paris
Photo Editor.........Jesse Grebler-Hull
Ad Editor.................. Kristina Naderi
Copy Editor................Leah Robinson
Art Editor..........................Ran Zhang
Adviser..........................Kathleen Faas
Millions of U.S. citizens are le�
to struggle to feed, clothe and
shelter their children.
America is one of the
wealthiest nations in the
world, and there is no reason
that a CEO should make in a
week what their employees
makes in a year.
As young people, we represent the future, as well as
the potential of our nation.
We need to take hold of our
world by pressuring our
government to make the right
choice by raising the minimum
wage. Visit the Department of
Labor at www.dol.gov to see
which states have inadequate
wage rates, and write to their
senators about the importance
of providing hardworking
Americans a livable income.
A pathetic minimum wage
is not just a burden of the poor;
it is a burden of America as
a whole. It could be you or
someone you love who falls
victim to inadequate wages.
By making our voices heard,
we can li� up all those who
are suffering, and make a difference in our country.
Subscriptions
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Published biweekly during the school
year by the Associated Student Body
of Santa Monica High School, 601
Pico Blvd., Santa Monica, CA. 90405.
Unsigned editorials reflect the opinions of the staff. Signed editorials
represent the opinions of the writer.
Staff
Analee Abbott, Zoey Baldwin, Nick
Barlow, Jackie Berkman, Hannah Bernstein, Maisy Bragg, Michael Bromberg, Nora Casey, Sarah DeRemer,
Emily Foshag, Henry Garf, Jessica
Gerhardt, Owen Gorman, Jacquelyn
Hoffman, Kevin Katz, Jade Kedrick,
Vincent Lai, Carl Nunziato, Bennet
Rankin, Anthony Ramirez, Chelsea
Rinnig, Marissa Silverman, Molly
Strauss, Samantha Walters, Matt Weber, Natalie Yadegar, Zoe Young
FEATURE
A Gum Gumshoe’s Take on 15 Varieties
“WE” Are You
Anyone who knows me knows that I always carry a pack of gum in my pocket. Always. This qualifies
me, I hope, to offer valuable information on which gum is the best.
A bridge club meets there
Monday afternoons. The Santa
Monica Bay Women’s Club
(SMBWC) is a white, two-story, Victorian style building that
sits off Wilshire Boulevard in
Santa Monica, between a parking structure and P.F. Chang’s.
It’s not your usual spot for
an indie-rock concert.
But Friday night, June 8th
the SMBWC was transformed
as hundreds of local-music lovers gathered to hear a night of
live music.
“The music business has
become more about the business and less about the music.”
Said Cameron Rath who organized Friday’s concert. “I want
that to change.”
Rath, who is 18, is the
Founder of “WE,” a community-based group that organizes concerts, house parties,
and “flash mobs” throughout
Santa Monica and Venice. Last
Fridays show was first of what
should be many more “WE”
shows held at the SMBWC.
At last Friday’s show,
six bands played from 6:50
p.m. until 11:30 p.m. to great
crowd approval: Kids danced,
sang along and, at one point,
moshed until they were told to
stop.
“It was probably the best
sounding show we have ever
played,” said lead singer of Yes
Means No and Samo Alumni
Reid Goldin. The sound levels
were perfect [in the SMBWC].”
Weeks before the opening,
Rath, along with booking agent
and Samo Sophomore Lindsay
Paige and a group of Interns,
experimenting with ways to
advertise for “WE,” including
organizing a “flash mob:”
A group of approximately
40 students met at the Santa
Monica Place Mall and had a
pillow fight. You can see photos at Veritasempire.com.
“WE’s” next Show will
be held on June 22 at the
SMBWC.
Rath and Paige can be
reached via WEARELIVE at
Myspace.com
By Jeremy Tramer, Feature Editor
By Saba Boradeh-Hamedy
Special Report Editor
The Santa Monica Pier is kicking off the summer of 2007
with festival-style concerts,
also known as “The Twighlight
Dance Series,” on Thursday
nights. The Santa Monica Pier
and Amoeba Records play host
to ten evenings throughout the
summer starting on its 23rd anniversary, June 28. Admission
is always free and concerts run
through August 30. Don’t miss
out on the opportunity to have
a good time.
June 28:
The Ventures with Boom Pam
July 5:
David Lindsey with John Cruz
and Brandi Shearer
July 12:
Plena Libre with the Spam Allstars
July 19:
Samba Mapangala Orchestre
Virunga with Louis Mhlanga
July 26:
“Tosh Meets Marley Tour” starring Fully Fullwood and Junior
Marvin
August 2:
Queen Ida and her Zydeco
Band with Hacienda Brothers
August 9:
Arrested Development with the
Agape International Choir
August 16:
An Evening with Patti Smith
August 23:
Holmes Brothers with Carrie
Rodriguez
August 30:
An Evening with Los Lobos
(santamonicapier.org)
out of
Big Red---The popularity of Big Red is a joke. Extra, Trident and Orbit, among others, all make better
cinnamon gum. Big Red is sticky to the touch, and loses its unsettling flavor ridiculously fast.
Freedent---Freedent’s only claim to fame is that it “Won’t stick to most dental work!” So if you have
braces, chew Freedent. Otherwise, don’t.
Juicy Fruit---What’s the big deal with Juicy Fruit? Everyone seems to love it, but what is there to love?
The flavor isn’t anything special, and it is gone before you know it, leaving a terrible aftertaste.
out of
Doublemint---Doublemint’s distinct logo, famous Doublemint Twins advertising campaign, and longevity (it was first sold in 1914) can’t hide the fact that it isn’t that great. Doublemint isn’t bad, but it has
been surpassed by many other brands in every way. Its flavor goes from weak to weaker.
Stride---Contrary to its advertising campaign, Stride is not “ridiculously long-lasting.” And it only
comes in three mediocre flavors. Choose Orbit, which is packaged in the same format, instead.
Wrigley’s Spearmint---Wrigley’s Spearmint is just an above average spearmint gum. If you like spearmint gum, then buy a pack. Personally, I’m not a fan of spearmint.
out of
Big League Chew---Big League Chew was invented by professional baseball players. And it comes in
pouches with short stringy bits of gum, to mimic the consistency of chewing tobacco. But besides that,
it’s nothing special. It comes in a variety of flavors, but the only one that is any good is Original.
Dentyne---if nothing else, Dentyne is unique. Its six minty and one cinnamon flavors are all covered in
a hard white coating that makes the first few seconds of chewing quite different from any other gum.
However, after this initial enjoyment, Dentyne is just run-of-the-mill gum. And you need a few pieces
of it to get a good chew. If you do choose Dentyne, go with Arctic Chill flavor.
Icebreakers Gum---Icebreakers gum is very intense, but it doesn’t taste that good, and gets bitter after
a while. I would suggest sticking with Icebreakers mints, which are excellent.
out of
Eclipse---like Dentyne, Eclipse gum has a hard outer coating and comes in a space-consuming package. But Eclipse gets the edge because unlike Dentyne, Eclipse comes in both minty and fruity flavors.
Trident---Trident, which debuted in the early 1960’s as the first sugarless gum and is available in seven
flavors, is overall solid. The thing that sets Trident apart is its Tropical Twist flavor, which may be the
best-tasting fruity gum around, although it doesn’t really freshen your breath.
Winterfresh---Winterfresh comes in only one flavor, and has only one purpose: to give you fresh
breath. And if fresh breath is all you are seeking, Winterfresh is your best choice. However, Winterfresh
is sometimes too powerful for recreational chewing, and you have to wait about fifteen minutes after
spitting out a piece for your taste-buds to regain full function.
out of
Bubblicious---if you want to blow bubbles, Bubblicious is by far the best choice. With 12 juicy flavors
and excellent bubble blowing capacity, Bubblicious has successfully taken over the bubble gum niche.
Strawberry Splash flavor is arguably the best bubble gum there is.
Extra---Don’t let its humble packaging turn you away: Extra is a cut above the rest. Extra, the #1 sugarfree gum in America, comes in nine different flavors, including my favorite, Polar Ice, which is embedded with tiny flavored liquid capsules. I have never had a stick of Extra run out of flavor. All of its
flavors are excellent, and it doesn’t lose its consistency, no matter how long you chew it. Extra combines
all of the best assets of other gums, and then does each one of the better.
Orbit---Orbit is one of the top five chewing gum brands in America, which is impressive considering
that it has only been around since 2001. Orbit is available in seven flavors and, as promised, it “leaves
your mouth feeling clean. No matter what.” The small pieces pack a surprisingly large punch.
Harry Potter Land
By Saba Boradeh-Hamedy
Special Report Editor
For anyone who has ever
dreamed of escaping to the
magical world of Harry Potter,
you will soon have the chance.
On
Thursday, May 31,
Warner Bros.
Entertainment Inc. and
Universal Orlando Resort
announced
their
plan
to create the
world’s first
Harry
Potter-themed
environment
based on J.K.
R o w l i n g ’s
books
and
films. It will
be called “The
Wizarding
World of Harry Potter.” Attractions will
include interactive rides, shops,
and restaurants designed to
bring the book series alive.
Universal intends to spend
Page 3
approximately $265 million to
create the theme park, which
opens in 2009 (sun-sentinel.com).
Said Rowling, “The plans I’ve
seen look incredibly exciting,
and I don’t think fans of the books
or films will be disappointed,”
(news.yahoo.
com).
S a m o
students are
also
anticipating
the
opening
of
the new park.
“It’s
going
to do something that the
books
and
movies can’t
do,
which
is make the
books a reality,”
said
sophomore
Sarah Gross,
President of
Samo Harry
Potter Club.
“I’m so excited,” added freshman Talia Diri.
For more information, visit
the official website: www.universalorlando.com/harrypotter.
FREE YOGA
By Nick Barlow, Senior E.A.L.
Photo by Jesse Grebler-Hull
By Erin Nadel, Editor-in-Chief
Santa Monica Power Yoga
(SMPY) recently opened a new
studio on 2nd Street and Santa
Monica Blvd. It holds over
70 different hour and a half
classes every week--all free of
charge. SMPY’s two studios
(5th Street and Santa Monica
and the one mentioned above)
are both donation based.
Founder Bryan Kest studied
yoga in Hawaii and India before opening the SMPY studios. “My primary objective,”
said Kest, “besides turning
more and more people on to
a healthier, more peaceful lifestyle... is to teach a system of
exercise that fully integrates
the body, mind and spirit.”
Kest’s classes often draw
nearly 200 people. “I love the
classes, but you have to be sure
to show up at least 15 minutes
early to get a spot,” said junior
Emily Mann . Women’s Sports
and Fitness magazine named
Kest’s Power yoga class “the
#1 fitness class in America.”
Kest welcomes people of all
age and ability “just come
and practice yoga,” he said.
SMPY attendees are encouraged to donate $12 per a class,
and mats cost $2 to rent. For
further information check out
poweryoga.com.
Samo Junior Kristos Augustus laserflips an eight-stair on June 9 at
the California High School Skateboard Club competition. Samo’s
team won the inaugaral competition, beating six other schools. Augustus won the top skateboarder award for the tournament.
Senior girls showing ‘07 spirit at the Homecoming game
What ʻ07 Has To Say:
The Samohi asked seniors: What was your best
memory of senior year?
“Being a track captain.” -Talor Tulchin
“Yearbook kicking bu� at the Yearbook/Journalism kickball game.” -Ilyana Contreras
“The Homecoming pep rally and Homecoming football game.” - Justin Williams
“Ge�ing acceptance le�ers back.”-Anthony Castellanos
“Knowing this year is our last year of high school.”-Kaiya Bailey
“Li�ing weights with the team.” -Mason Adler
“Just second semester in general.”-Katrina Dargel
“Missing exactly 120 periods and Bianca becoming Prom Queen.”-Julia Weiss
“Watching Planet Earth and coloring sheets in Lamagna class.”-Annie Levine
“If I graduate that will be a good memory.”- Tony Luna
Compiled by Saba Boradeh-Hamedy and Evan Perkins
Special Report Editor and Opinion Editor
It’s Time For A House Party
Moving On Up
By Jackie Berkman
Senior Opinion Editor
This past year, I have wri�en numerous articles dedicated to
the seniors primarily, and despite the fact that this is the senior
spread, I am inspired to write my last article not for the class of
‘07 but for the rest of you who still have time le� at Samo. Chances are, you picked up this newspaper today pissed off. Not because of the newspaper (at least, I hope not), but because of some
other frustrating situation in your life. Your classes are too hard.
You tried out for a team and you didn’t make the cut. Or maybe
you did make the cut, but you don’t like the way you’re being
treated. Or maybe the love of your life has taken off with a Burmese biker and is currently coasting down Pacific Coast Highway
while you’re stuck within the school perimeter. If this all sounds
familiar, or perhaps is the story of your life, I say only this: get
used to it. If we’re all being honest, high school is not exactly the
happiest of times, and sometimes you will feel like your life is
an endless series of unfortunate events. You feel you have goals
that you will never accomplish, that everything is slightly out of
reach. It is not fun to feel this way, but ultimately, it is necessary.
It’s the struggles in life that keep us going, and the important
thing is to keep pushing on and trying. Didn’t make the team?
Try out again next year. Need help with a class? Go get tutoring.
Want to start up a club? Pass out fliers and get people interested.
Persistence is key. So keep your eye on the prize, succeed, and
change the world. Everyone is waiting.
Seniors show class pride during lunch in the science quad
10 Things I will and won’t miss about Samo
I will not miss . . .
By Sophia Young
Senior Copy Editor
I will miss . . .
1.) The way the Business Building
smells like cookies between
second and third period.
2.) Reading the sordid and very
intimate details of strangers’ sex
lives wri�en on the bathroom
walls.
3.) Having a principal that can
play guitar be�er than any overlypretentious kid who thinks that
tightness of pants is correlated
with musical talent.
4.) Being able to use the beach
as a second gym and not be
embarrassed when tourists stare.
5.) Being able to sunbathe during
lunch in the science quad and not
be the only one.
6.) The enigma that is Mr. D (what
does the ‘D’ really stand for?).
7.) When they blast music at lunch
and it feels like school is actually a
reality show on MTV.
8.) Knowing that, whatever
differences we may have, we can
always all pull together and vote
for Kanye.
9.) Climbing onto the heater in the
back of the class on the days when
it is slightly overcast.
10.) Going to a school that is not
unlike some smallish sized cities
in population and demographics.
1.) The pervasive belief that soap is
not actually necessary for maintaining
proper hygiene.
2.) People who think that se�ing things
on fire is a harmless and amusing
pastime.
3.) The administration’s suspicion that
the entire student body is constantly
high or trying to thwart them so that
they can get high. Or start a riot.
4.) Knowing incredibly intimate details
about people before I’ve even met them
5.) The sad spectacle of watching that
one freshman desperately clinging to
his over-stuffed backpack as he sprints
to his next class, while everyone else is
leisurely talking to their friends in the
hall.
6.) Having what appears to be a
drunken, leering homeless man, who
happens to be wearing a funny hat,
painted on the side of the gym.
7.) Wondering why there are so many
people who seem to blatantly hate
teenagers, yet chose to work in an
environment where they would be
constantly surrounded by them on a
daily basis.
8.) Having to pretend that I actually
know the Hymn of Praise when people
ask me what our school anthem is.
9.) People asking me if I’m Samoan or
some other native whenever I wear
something that has ‘Samohi’ wri�en
on it.
10.) The creepy mechanical voice of the
recording that calls to report absences.
Senior Jun Cha’s ‘07 T-shirt
design
ViktorViking, one of our mascots, dances at a Pep Rally.
A group of friends eat lunch in the main quad and enjoy the benefits
of second semester senior year.
Do We Deserve Our Bad Rep?
By Bennet Rankin
Staff Writer
On Memorial Day weekend, I captained our school’s Quiz Bowl team at the
National Competition in Chicago. When the dust cleared, we walked away with
8th place in the Nation, which is more than just not bad. It’s customary in this
competition to tell the scorekeeper the name of your school at the beginning of
each round. When asked I would calmly reply, “Santa Monica High” or perhaps
even, “Samohi” (for those hip enough to be down with our groovy regional lingo).
Apparently, there was something incredibly funny about this because at least nine
tenths of the officials would then reply with something along the lines of, “Oh,
Santa Monica’s always high” or, “Jeezy Creezy you guys sure smoke a lot of pot
in Santa Monica”. I was struck dumb with indignation. How could these people,
educated adults for the most part (many of them successful “Jeopardy!” alums),
have the spine to just flat out insult us to our faces? I thought it was preposterous.
But let’s reflect here for just a moment.
I’ve seen our school win accolades and honors and every turn. But I also
known a fair share of the student body up late burning something besides the
midnight oil. We live in a place where it’s easier for a student to buy a dime bag
than a pack of cigare�es. Apparently, the rest of the nation is
aware of this fact and we don’t have a right to be indignant
about how we are perceived. I don’t remember the last time
proudly painting a blunt in your school mascot’s mouth was a
good PR move, funny though it may be. Our representatives
in Youth and Government, our supposed pinnacles of public
relations and sparkling smiles of Samo ambassadorship to the
outside world, were kicked out of the summit for… vicious
violations of curfew and general hullabaloorery or something
like that? Please.
But we are a good school and our programs show
it. It is my experience that we also have many party-happy
borderline alcoholics, passive stoners and blossoming coke
addicts and people know it. The question is this, folks: is this
how we want to be perceived by the world around us? Samo’s
public image isn’t my problem anymore and it won’t be yours
either for very long but that doesn’t mean that you should let
it drown in your bong water. In truth though, I don’t know
what to say to you Samo. I just think it’s sad that the first
thing that comes to mind in most people when I mention my
high school is the fact that we toast more herb than an Italian
bakery. Maybe that’s cool though.
Photos by Jesse Grebler-Hull, Owen Gorman, Kristina Naderi, Evan Perkins, The Samohi staff
CAMPUS LIFE
Page 6
The Revolution At Samo Browne Rocks Barnum: For the Arts
By Nora Casey
Senior Campus Life Editor
Long live the revolution! The
Revolution was the name of this
year’s Samohi Film Festival (SFF),
a festival that deserves to endure.
Held June 6th at 7 p.m. in Barnum
Hall, SFF is an annual event hosted
by Running With Speakers.
The evening had an added
sparkle as it was done in collaboration with Sundance and Time
Warner Cable. Unlike previous
festivals, awards were given to
outstanding films and for the first
time ever, students’ films will be
broadcast on local cable television
through Time Warner. “They were
very excited about the Video on
Demand aspect,” said ROP Digital
Video teacher Bill Wishart.
The filmmakers worked well
with the restrictions inherent in
short student films, o�en making
silent or subtitled films, which
emphasized the aesthetic qualities
of the work, instead of relying on
student actors to convey serious
messages.
The ever-popular teenage
themes of violence, unrequited
love, and social isolation were
frequently explored, but with fresh
twists. Eric Weinraub’s “The Circle
of Life” takes a scientific approach
to high school dating using the type
of voice-over narration typical of
a nature documentary. Another
hilarious short, “Life is a Highway”
by Harvard-Westlake students
Sam Alper and Josh Matogolin,
takes a traditional corny country
love ballad of heartache and self-
discovery and revitalized it using
a homosexual couple in all the
clichéd scenes.
The Sundance Challenge Winner for Best Comedy was “Washington” by senior Mel Shaw and
junior Sam Boyd. English Teacher
Berkeley Blatz plays a historian
detailing the li�le-known life of our
first President’s sexual promiscuity
and vanity.
The award for Best Drama was
given to “A Picture’s Worth a Thousand Bullets,” by seniors Ethan
Puzarne and Elan Weingarten. The
story is a dark detective story film
noir, full of traditional long coats,
cigare�es and shadows. However,
it is spoken entirely in Japanese,
dubbed in English and has three
alternate endings, which may have
been a commentary on the subjective nature of storytelling and the
ambiguities of life, or simply the
author’s indecision. Either way, it
made for a nice, personal touch.
Film Festival rookie senior
Lucien Smith had two great shorts
in “The Fat Lady Sings” Parts 1
and 2. The first, an amusing and
visually effective story about a boy
and his boomerang, was awarded
Best Experimental film. The second
should receive kudos, if only for
Smith’s willingness to film himself
going to the bathroom.
“We had [Samo Digital Film
Alum] coming back from film
schools all over the country because
they think what we do is worthwhile,” said Wishart, “I feel like if
other students and faculty knew
what we were doing, they would
be really excited.”
From left to right, Jackson Browne, Hugo Pedroza, Michael Lennon and David Crosby perform in the June 2
Photos by Jesse Grebler-Hull
For the Arts concert at Barnum Hall.
By Marissa Silverman
Senior Feature Editor
On Saturday June 2, Samo
students joined legends Jackson
Browne, Venice, and David Crosby
for one truly memorable concert in
our very own Barnum Hall. This
remarkable night of music was produced by the Artists For The Arts
(AFTA) Foundation—a non-profit
organization dedicated to producing fundraising concerts from
which 100 percent of ticket sales
are allocated directly to the schools
that the concerts are produced for.
The concert was also made possible
by For The Arts, the campaign of
the Education Foundation of Santa
Monica-Malibu to create a permanent endowment fund for arts
education. Said Executive Director
Linda Gross: “This concert was a
huge success...Student musicians
had the opportunity to perform
with professional musicians and
the generosity of the ticket buyers
and the auction bidders resulted
in For The Arts ne�ing $150,000 at
this sold-out concert!”
The highlight of the evening’s
concert was most definitely the
various collaborations of Samo
musicians with the guest artists,
including a Samo string ensemble
with Venice for their hit song “The
Family Tree,” junior Bri�any Carriger’s rendition of Alicia Keys’ “If I
Ain’t Got You,” a spectacular cover
of The Doors’ “Spanish Caravan”
by Samo’s own guitar class, and
a stunning finale of Neil Young’s
“Ohio” by David Crosby, Jackson
Browne, Venice, Samo horns, and
the Viking Drumline. Said Senior
Wyles Vance, a violinist in Samo’s
Symphony Orchestra and a participant in last week’s concert: “It
was wonderful seeing musicians
of all ages and backgrounds coming together for a night of good
music for an even be�er cause.
Especially exciting was playing
under the baton of David Campbell, father of musician Beck. All
in all, I had a blast!”
Teacher Bios: Staff Leaving Samo
E
Resource
teacher Pa�y
Marks will
be saying
goodbye to
Samo after
this semester to pursue
the leisurely life of the
retired.
Marks has put in the
time—she has been with
the Santa Monica-Malibu
Unified School District
(SMMUSD) for 38 years.
She taught at the elementary school level for six
years before she came to
Samo in 1976, where she
has taught ever since. Said
Marks: “As soon as I came
to the secondary school
level I loved it...The kids
are great here.”
In addition to her thirty
years of tenure at Samo, she
also has had two children
graduate from the school.
A�er her retirement,
Marks plans on “doing
absolutely nothing for six
months,” a�er which she
hopes to “redo the backyard, travel, learn to play
golf...and hang out with
all of my friends who have
already retired.”
Said Marks: “I will
miss all of the people I
work with...Samo is an
amazing school with lots
of spirit.”
M
ty Mark
Me
at
P
Ja
Jo
Freshman
Seminar and
World History teacher
Jaclyn Gille�e has opted to return to
school next year
with the goal of achieving a
Ph.D in Anthropology and
Education. Gille�e will be
a�ending the Teacher’s College at Columbia University
in New York City.
“It’s a bi�ersweet departure for me,” said Gillette. “I’m really excited
about going back home to
the east coast, but I really
love Samo and the students
here.”
The 28-year-old Gille�e
has been a teacher for four
years, but only two were
at Samo.
“She will forever leave
an imprint in her students,
and in [her room], L207,”
said junior Maddy Nimoy.
Once she earns her next
degree, Gillette plans to
continue teaching. “I would
definitely like to teach at the
collegiate level,” she noted,
“but it is a tough market
to crack.” If not there, Gille�e would still consider
returning to high school
teaching.
“I’m really excited
about this next chapter in
my life,” she added.
r
n Gille
n
cly
gg
ld
One could
say that English teacher
Joshua Arnold has
lived a more
extraordinary
life than most
27-year-olds. He grew up in
Los Angeles. In elementary
school, his best friend was
Adam Levine, the lead singer
of Maroon 5. In high school,
he excelled in football as a
linebacker and passed ten
out of his eleven AP’s (that
Chem class was killer, even
in the 90’s). In his junior year,
he began rapping and ended
up on two Eminem albums,
five videos, and the Shady
‘99 tour. He graduated from
UCLA at age 20 and began
teaching English at Fremont
High School in South Central
LA. At Fremont, no student
had ever passed the AP English exam; Arnold challenged
their poor test performance
by teaching full-force, and his
efforts led to the school’s first
two passes. In the following
years he passed four, then
eight students. He now teaches AP English and Freshman
Seminar but is preparing to attend Harvard next school year
to study to become a school
principal. With a principal’s
license, he plans to work in
New Orleans and then come
back to Los Angeles.
s
a Arn
o
tte
u
sh
Compiled by Sam Cotten, Jennifer Galamba, Kevin Katz, Erin
Nadel, Charlie Paris and Zoe Young; photos by Owen Gourman.
Walse
dith Ru
uel Tera
Samo LiPopular
Science
ric
re
ig
brarian Mermath instructeacher and
edith Rugg
tor Miguel
department
is leaving
Teran, who
chair Eric
Samo for Linhas taught
Wa l s e r i s
at Samo since
leaving Samo.
coln Middle
2005, will
Walser has
School next
leave Samo to
taught biology
year.
Rugg began her career return to his hometown of and physiology for the last six
years at Samo, and has been
at Samo as an English teach- Fresno.
er, but her real ambitions
Senior Statistics student head of the science departlay elsewhere. “I’d always Erik Elwell explained: “At ment for the last three.
Walser is moving to
wanted to be a librarian,” first, I was unsure about the
said, “but that’s because I’m class, but I [now] enjoy the Lagano, Switzerland, where
class…Mr. Teran revived he will teach at an Ameria total nerd.”
A�er two years of teach- what li�le hope I had in ever can boarding school named
ing, Rugg found her passage enjoying, or rather learning, Tasis.
into librarianhood. In 2005 math. His class is interesting
“Although this may seem
the then-current librarian and really gives you a new like a sudden change,” said
retired, leaving a job opening perspective on our day-to- Walser of his move, “I really
just the right size to fit Rugg’s day lives.”
decided to do this years ago.
Teran explained that I’ve known since my junior
passion. She is now working
towards her (MLIS) Masters housing costs as well as year of college that I’d like to
in Library and Information family interests contributed teach, then ultimately teach
to his choice to leave Samo. abroad.”
Science.
Rugg’s favorite Samo “[My family and I] can buy
Although Walser is unmemories include, “hearing a four bedroom home for sure how long he will be
Ms. Louria say ‘booty’at Fac- $260,000 in Fresno…here, teaching overseas, he doubts
ulty Follies for our ‘I Like Big that might buy you a one he will return to Samo.
Books’rap.” She also recalled bedroom condo.”
“When I come back, I
a mischievous incident two
As of now, Teran is will want to buy a house,
years ago when “Mr. Thun enjoying the time that re- and all I could afford in the
and I convinced our kids that mains in the school year, as Los Angeles area would be a
I was only twenty and that I well as remembering the shack,” Walser said jokingly.
had graduated high school memories that were created He may return to his home
early. They were sophomores in the two years he taught state, Colorado, or anywhere
and they totally believed us.” here. “I never thought that else with more affordable
Rugg will be sorely missed, I could get so a�ached to a housing.
but luckily she is not going school in just two years. It
“This is the right decision
far. “The six librarians in this has made leaving Samo one in my life right now,” Walser
district work as a team, so this of the hardest decisions I’ve said, “but I’m going to miss
made.”
is definitely not the end.”
Samo.”
O
Sports— Page 7 The Samohi June 15, 2007
n the precipice of greatness, our baseball and boys volleyball teams highlighted a memorable 2006-2007 athletic season. Over 800 athletes competed in 23 different sports amassing
11 varsity team league titles. Individual efforts were rewarded
with all-league, all-CIF and even all-CIF State honors. Many
of our athletes will be furthering their athletic careers in college. Special recognition to the following athletes who received
athletic scholarships: Cameron Collins, Louis Adeyemi, Samantha Greene, Hannah-Rose Peters, Ari Feldman, Yusaf Syed,
Jazzy Green, and Adrian Ramirez. Finally, congratulations to
this year’s outstanding female and male athletes: the May Sutton Bundy Award, Emily Foshag and the Loren Schwitenberg
Award, Ari Feldman.
Norm Lacy, Athletic Director
Senior David Castellanos hits against
Charter Oak in the CIF championship game
at Dodger Stadium on June 1.
2006-2007
Samo Sports:
The Year in Photos
Junior Robbie Paris
practices the 300 Meter
Hurdles.
SEASON WRAP-UPS
Fall
Football- Finished season with
record of 6-4
Girls volleyball- Ended season
with 7-8 record
Girls tennis- Sent two to Ocean
League Championships
Girls golf- Finished 7th, 14th and
19th in CIF
Cross Country- Won 8th straight
Ocean League Title
Boys waterpolo- continued on to
the second round of playoffs and
finished second in The Ocean
League
Cheer performs at a
basketball
game earlier
this year.
Senior Yusaf Syed (left) wrestles with an opponent in a league match hosted at Samo.
Captain senior
Skylar Nathanson propels out
of the water to
pass to his wholeset teammate.
Winter
Girls soccer- Finished 22-2-3
Boys Basketball- Finished 7-3 in
league and 21-6 overall
Girls water polo- Finished second
in League
Girls basketball- Continued on to
CIF Division II-AA quarterfinals.
Boys soccer- ended an aggressive
year with a 18-6 record but fell in
the CIF quarterfinals
Wrestling- finished second in The
Ocean League
Cheer - Went on to place 6th at Nationals.
Spring
Boys golf- Sent five players to
CIF
Softball- Finished 26-4 but lost in
the second round of CIF
Boys tennis- Ended with an 11-6
overall record
Track- Finished second in league
Swimming- sent two relay teams
and senior Katrina Dargel to CIF
Boys volleyball- made their second straight CIF Championship
apperance, but lost against Valley
Christian
Boys baseball- Finished 24-10 and
runner up in CIF Division IV
Junior Willie Goetz spikes the ball against
Paraclete in the CIF Division III Semifinals.
Photo Courtesy of Amy Meadors
After making the Ocean League
All Star Golf Team, Zoe Rose
placed seventh in CIF while finishing her sophmore season on the
varsity squad.
Sophmore Ricardo Martinez dribbles his
way through the defense.
Wrestler and two-time Southern
State Champion Jazzy Green
earned an eighth place finish in
the All-American National Competions in her senior year.
Photos Taken By Jesse Grebler-Hull, Photo Editor
SPORTS
Page 8
Top Senior Athletes of the Year
Louis Adeyemi
David Castellanos
Cameron Collins
Katrina Dargel
Ari Feldman
Emily Foshag
Louis Adeyemi recovered from a dangerous car
accident in the off-season
before his senior year, and
managed to turn his final
season into one of his most
productive years in a Viking
uniform.
A varsity player for
three years during his Samo
career, Adeyemi matured
into a tough, physical runner whose leadership has
helped raise the entire
team’s level of play.
Adeyemi feels like he
has improved dramatically.
“I feel like I have become
faster, stronger and have
learned a lot,” he said.
Next year, Adeyemi
will fight for a starting spot
at Villanova University,
where he earned a scholarship through his play on the
field his final season.
“We depended on his
agility, speed of play and
physical abilities this year,”
said Director of Soccer Frank
Gatell of the two-time team
captain, David Castellanos.
With the help of Castellanos’talent and leadership, the
Vikings advanced to the quarterfinals of the CIF playoffs
for the first time since 2001
this year. He was selected
for the All-CIF Division IV
first team, and earned Ocean
League Most Valuable Player
and Team Defensive Player of
the Year honors.
He especially remembers
scoring a goal at home in
the playoffs. “It felt so good
to celebrate with the home
crowd,” said Castellanos,
who finished his senior year
with four goals and one assist.
He will play soccer next year
at Santa Clara University.
Despite an injuryplagued senior season in
which he played only six
games, Cameron Collins
still managed to collect 70
tackles while playing safety
for the Vikings. However,
because of his stellar play
in his junior year, Collins
was offered a scholarship
to Oregon State University,
where he will a�end in the
fall and pursue a spot on
the field. “It depends on
how I play,” said Collins.
“No position is going to be
handed to me, so I have to
earn it.”
Collins has been a vital
part of the Vikings’ success
over the past few years, a
feat he a�ributes to hard
work and determination.
“Hard work does pay off,”
he said, adding, “Go Beavers!”
Katrina Dargel, named
Most Outstanding Player in
Ocean League this season,
was a key offensive and defensive player this year for
the water polo team. In her
junior and senior seasons,
Dargel was key to the Lady
Greenies. Even though they
fell just short of the league
title both years, she made
second team All-League
junior year, and first team
All-League senior year, as
well as third team All-CIF.
In water polo’s off-season, Dargel has also been
a valuable member of the
varsity swim team for the
past three years. She competed as a league finalist and
CIF participant for all three
years on varsity. Next year,
Dargel will a�end UC Santa
Cruz, but has not decided if
she wants to compete.
His playing has been
described by coaches as phenomenal, by teammates his
character deemed hilarious,
and his hair is visible by all.
In addition to being
named MVP and first team
All League in both volleyball and basketball, Ari “Big
Red” Feldman made second
team All-CIF for basketball
and first team All-CIF in
volleyball.
His coaches, James Hecht
and Liane Sato, agree that
they have both enjoyed
coaching Ari. “He’s a great
kid who worked hard to get
where he is now,” said Sato.
He will continue his volleyball career for the Northridge
Matadors next year.
Feldman walks away
from Samo with a CIF championship ring and “memories
[he] will never forget.”
A three time varsity captain, Emily Foshag concluded her senior year with one
more outstanding season on
the basketball court.
Named to numerous
All-Tournament teams in
her career, Foshag also
earned All-CIF second team
honors as a junior and senior, as well as achieving
team Most Valuable Player
honors on two occasions
and being selected Ocean
League MVP.
Though she could never
lead her team past the CIF
quarterfinals, Foshag is
still pleased with her Samo
career and the “teammates
and coaches [she] met along
the way.”
Foshag hopes to play
basketball when a�ending
New York University next
year.
Samantha Greene
Joe McGrew
Skylar Nathanson Hannah-Rose Peters
Anthony Rollins
Yusaf Syed
Skylar Nathanson has
Joe McGrew played a
Anthony Rollins, a four
Hannah-Rose Peters finYusaf Syed wrapped
In her senior season, Samantha Greene had a scor- crucial role in the Vikings’ been a crucial part of the ished her impressive four year Varsity tennis player, up an already impressive
ing outburst, pu�ing up 48 run to the CIF Division IV water polo team for the last year varsity career with yet has been the one truly reli- high school wrestling career
points on 17 goals and 14 championship game this three years and a top scorer another outstanding season. able player on a troubled by taking first in state this
assists, while leading the past season. “We would on the swim team since his Named Ocean League MVP team the last few years. Co- year.
Syed’s Judo background
Lady Shebas to one of their have go�en nowhere with- freshman year. However, a this past season, Peters has captain of the team his junior
best records ever. Though out him,” said three-year shoulder injury limited him also earned first team All- and senior years, Rollins led helped him take third in
League honors four years by example, keeping his de- league and tenth in CIF in the
she could never lead her head coach Kevin Brock- in his senior swim season.
As a sophomore, Na- straight, and All-CIF honors meanor humble while le�ing 125-weight class as a first year
team to a championship- way.
wrestler his freshman year.
like her national champiMcGrew, who will play thanson was named second the last three. In her final year his game do the talking.
Syed continued to move
During Rollins’ tenure,
onship winning club team baseball next year at Santa team all league as a starter as a Lady Viking, Peters postdid-Greene le� her mark in Barbara City College, fin- for the water polo team. In ed a 14-3 record as pitcher he made Ocean League through the ranks during his
Samo soccer. “Samo soccer ished his senior season with his junior year, he led the CIF and had .476 ba�ing average Finals his sophomore and Samo career, ge�ing stronger
will not be the same with- a 9-2 record while striking semifinalist team in assists, with 26 RBIs while leading junior years, as well as and smarter. Then, in his
Ocean League semi-finals in senior year, Syed became
out her,” said teamate Mi- out 95 in 84 innings on the and was an integral part of the team to 26 wins.
the first Viking wrestler to
Next fall, Peters will be doubles his senior year.
mound.Although McGrew’s their success.
chela Fi�en.
“He has been the leader win state since 1986 as well
In his final season, Na- a�ending Dakota Wesleyan
Greene also noted that baseball career will continue
many of her favorite mo- following graduation, he is thanson earned first team University in Mitchel, South of the tennis team during as earning Most Outstandments came on team bond- going to miss playing with All-League and first team Dakota, where she received a his time at Samo,” said head ing Wrester in both CIF and
coach Wilston Poon, “and it Masters.
scholarship to play so�ball.
ing nights, adding, “I will the same group of guys All-CIF honors.
“She has been an amaz- will truly not be the same
Next year, Nathanson
miss the girls an incredible he has played with since
Next year Syed will wresLi�le League. McGrew was will a�end UC Santa Bar- ing asset to the girls’ so�ball without him.”
amount.”
tle for Cal State San Louis
Rollins will play tennis Obispo in the 155-weight
Next fall, Greene will named to the Division IV bara and hopes to walk on team the last four years,”
continue her soccer career at All-CIF first team in both his to the Division I water polo added head coach Debbie at Sonoma State University class on a partial scholarnext fall.
junior and senior years.
Northwestern University.
Skaggs.
team.
ship.
Compiled by Michael Bromberg, Aaron Eslamboly, Emily Foshag, Erin Nadel, Charlie Paris, and Anthony Ramirez; photos by Maisy Bragg and Jesse Grebler-Hull
Baseball Team Falls Short in CIF Championship Game
By Emily Foshag
Senior Editor-in-Chief
As Samo’s baseball team found out
firsthand June 1, Major League ballparks don’t always equal Major League
celebrations. Looking to become the
first Samo baseball team to win the CIF
championship in over three decades,
the Vikes came up one win short in a
1-7 loss to Charter Oak in the Division
IV title game at Dodger Stadium.
Sophomore pitcher Tyler Skaggs earned
the start, and gave up just three earned runs
in four innings, but Samo’s defense struggled
and the Chargers scored two other runs on
errors while Skaggs was in the game.
Despite several two-out rallies, the
Vikings’ eight hits produced just one run,
which came in the opening inning.
Head coach Kevin Brockway brought in
senior Joe McGrew to pitch in the final inning,
and McGrew struck out the last Charter Oak
ba�er to end his Samo career. Down six runs
going into the bo�om of the seventh, the
Vikings were unable to mount a comeback
like in the thrilling four-run seventh inning
in the semifinals three days earlier.
Players and coaches found the loss
particularly disappointing because the team
failed to play to the best of its ability. Still, the
opportunity to compete at Dodger Stadium
was certainly a valuable experience.
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