March 1, 2007

Celebrities In Rehab
Page 2
Guide to Coachella
Page 4
Special Report:
Global Warming
Page 5
On the Internet:
www.samohi.smmusd.org/thesamohi
Circulation: 3,600
COLUMN ONE:
Show Biz Gal
Bernstein (left) with two other
13 cast members.
By Aaron Eslamboly
Staff Writer
For the past three months,
sophomore Molly Bernstein
h a s l i ve d e ve r y t h e a t e r
student’s dream: performing
in a professional play. After
beginning to play the guitar at the
age of 12, Bernstein auditioned
for a band in an off-Broadway
musical called 13. Bernstein
explained her reasoning: “If
I didn’t take this gig, then I
would regret it so much later
on.” The play followed the life
of 13 teens, depicting them as
basic characters one would find
in a high school: the jock, the
cheerleader, the nerd and the new
kid. As for Bernstein, playing in
the garage band, which served
as the orchestra for the musical
as well as a role in the play, was
“one of the greatest experiences
of my life.” The production,
produced by the Center Theater
Group, ran from Jan. 7 to Feb.
18 at the Mark Taper Forum in
downtown Los Angeles.
Bernstein began her musical
career in fi�h grade with the
violin and continued with guitar
the next year. Currently, she plays
both instruments in addition
to acoustic bass as part of
Samo’s Concert Orchestra. In
addition, Bernstein has made
many appearances on television,
including a performance on
The Late Late Show With Craig
Ferguson, which aired on NBC.
She opened the 2006 Kids Choice
Awards with Jack Black, and
was covered in LA Magazine.
“I really enjoyed playing the
guitar so I kept practicing and
happened to receive these gigs,”
said Bernstein, who to date has
never hired an agent.
During her three month
leave of absence from Samo,
Bernstein attended an onset
school required everyday in
addition to rehearsal, totaling a
nine hour day, six days a week.
Now that 13 has ended,
Bernstein returns to promotional
work at The Macy Gray Academy
for teens.
Looking to her future,
Bernstein said, ”I can see myself
majoring in music. But I’m
only worried that if I make
playing guitar my job, it won’t
be the same. It will lack the
[excitement].” Looking back on
13, Bernstein ended, “It’s too
early to reflect, but I’m just going
to miss it.”
Photo courtesy of Molly Bernstein
Vol. XCVI No. 10 March 1 , 2007
Youth and Government Officials
Ask Student Participants to Leave
By Nicholas Barlow, E.A.L.,
Chelsea Rinnig, Opinion Editor,
and Leah Robinson, Staff Writer
Nine Samo students were
asked to leave the non-school
sponsored YMCA Youth and
Government Model Legislature
and Court (ML/C) held in
Sacramento, Feb. 15-19, for
possession of alcohol as well as
leaving the designated program
zone. Of the over 2,000 students
who a�ended the five-day event,
39 were students at Samo.
The 59th annual ML/C, held
at the California State Capitol,
Supreme Court and Governor’s
Office, culminated the nine-month
Youth and Government program.
Students trained to become
officers and legislators, took part
in elections, bill developments
and proposals and roomed in
the Sheraton and Hya� Hotels
adjacent to the Capitol building.
Senior Max Einstein, one of
nine Samo students accused of
alcohol possession, explained
that the Youth and Government
program dean found an empty
water bo�le smelling of liquor
in the trash bin of a student’s
room on Feb. 17. According to
him, the students were punished
immediately and harshly: “The
Youth and Government program
had hired an ex-Los Angeles Police
Department officer to patrol.
[The Dean] spent an entire day
thoroughly interrogating the
Samo delegation,” said Einstein.
Audrey Meyer, Director of
the Santa Monica YMCA Youth
and Family Programs, refused to
comment on why students were
dismissed.
Einstein felt disappointed by
the experience as a whole: “The
Youth and Government Program
is a complete mockery of the very
thing which it [hopes to achieve]:
to cultivate tomorrow’s leaders.”
Activities Director and ASB
Advisor Cathy Marsh noted the
presence of alcohol at Youth and
Government events in the past:
“This is not the first time this has
happened...There is a history
of students acting out.” Four of
the nine suspected students are
members of ASB at Samo.
Published Biweekly
All Not Lost in Girls Basketball’s Defeat
A player’s perspective on losing, learning and loving.
By Emily Foshag
Editor-In-Chief
Junior Katy Keating and sophomore
Whitney Daniels comfort each other after
the Lady Vikings’ CIF quarterfinal loss.
When the final buzzer
sounded last Saturday
night, I looked up at the
scoreboard to see the 5867 score and wondered
if that reminder of what
it means to fall short of a
dream will still haunt me
50 years from now.
Yes, in sports, there
are winners and there are
losers. In the CIF Division II-AA girls basketball
quarterfinals last weekend,
we were the losers, and
the Norco Lady Cougars
were the winners. Legendary football coach Vince
Lombardi once said that
“winning isn’t everything,
it’s the only thing,” and in
the midst of competition,
most athletes, including
myself, tend to agree.
CONTINUED PAGE 7
Photo by Samantha Walters GIRLS BASKETBALL
Administration Censors Controversial Student Artwork
By Saba Boradeh-Hamedy
Copy Editor
Due to teacher complaints,
senior Lucien Smith’s artwork
was taken down from the
History Building hallway
display board on the morning
of Feb. 23, only a day a�er it was
posted. The image was censored
because administrators felt its
vulgarity was not appropriate
for a school environment.
According to S-House Advisor
Maribel Pulido the art contained
“disrespectful words” painted in
black on a piece of cardboard.
“As a counselor I think a part of
my job is to make sure students
feel comfortable at Samo. I felt a Post-It note. Smith was not
forewarned about
the artwork was
the censorship of
inappropriate
his artwork and was
and drew the
shocked to find the
line.” However,
painting missing.
Art teacher Amy
His immediate
Bouse said,
response was
“Sometimes
anger, frustration
people think some
and sadness. He
art is meant to
explained, “Not
be controversial
everyone at Samo
when it’s really
paints flowers,
just meant to be
hills and other
different.”
pretty things. I
The
art
d i s p l a y w a s Signs displaying this image think there should
replaced with the were scattered in various Samo b e r e c o g n i t i o n
word “censored” buildings following the removal of for new styles.”
i n s c r i b e d o n senior Lucien Smith’s artwork. Pulido explained
that though she is a “fan of being
open-minded” she believes “an
artist has to realize whom their
audience is and how the art will
affect them.”
Following the artwork’s
removal, signs were
sca�ered in the History and
Business Buildings reading
“Censor This” above an upsidedown cross.
By law, the censorship act
was legal; since the art was
displayed on campus and was
painted by a minor, the school
was liable for it. Said Smith, “I’m
going to continue to do what I’ve
been doing, even if people feel
the need to get rid of it.”
World News Top Four
By Carl Nunziato, Staff Writer
and Matt Weber, Outreach Coordinator
•British Prime Minister Tony Blair has announced a timetable for the
withdrawal of British Troops in Iraq. Britain’s 7,000 troops currently
stationed in the southern part of the country make up the vast majority of
troops supplied by member nations of the “coalition of the willing” (New
York Post).
A
•
suicide bomber a�acked the main gate at a US Air Force Base in
Afghanistan on Tuesday, Feb. 27, less than 24 hours a�er Vice President
Dick Cheney arrived to discuss the recent resurgence of Taliban activity.
Taliban officials claimed responsibility for the a�ack, which they claimed
was a premeditated a�empt on the Vice President’s life. 23 people were
killed in the bombing. (Time.com).
G
overnor Arnold Schwarzenegger has indicated he would be open to
the idea of releasing inmates early to alleviate prison overcrowding. Only
inmates convicted of non-violent crimes would be considered for early
release (San Fransisco Chronicle).
Principal Hugo Pedroza discusses his concerns about picketing
outside of the Sixth St. and Pico Blvd. gate with a a representative
from Survivors of the Abortion Holocaust on Feb. 21.
Photo by Chelsea Rinnig
•Several anthropologists from Iowa State University have discovered
hunting spears fashioned by chimpanzees. Interestingly, female chimps
appear to create and use the spears in order to compete with males, which
could shed light on how tools were created by ancestral humans (BBC
News).
Page 2
OPINION
Celebrities in Rehab:
Get Your Act Together
By Gabrielle Hernandez
Staff Writer
Between all the athletes, politicians, actors, and musicians visible
in the public eye, there are enough
scandals and controversies to
keep the tabloids selling and the
gossip flowing. There have been
pop culture figures in rehab for
decades, but it used to be that they’d
go there because of what harmful
substances were going into their
mouths rather than the destructive
words that were coming out. From
Britney Spears to Whitney Houston to Michael Richards,
celebrity figures have
lately been filling up
rehabilitation clinics
all over the country because they
get caught doing and saying
things that they
shouldn’t. But
by running off
to rehab, do
these public
figures really
want to change
their lives and
the way they
think, or are they
just running damage control on their
reputations by seeking a temporary refuge
from the unrelenting
paparazzi?
To seriously make changes in
our lives and recover from our
problems, it’s safe to say that people
need to do more than just spurt
out a few public apologies and
dissappear into counseling for a
few weeks. These celebrities cannot
possibly be solving all of their issues
with this drive-through approach
to rehab. Granted, some problems
and addictions are more serious
than others, but most experts agree
that rehabilitation is a long, even
lifelong, process.
But recently we’ve seen that
many celebrities don’t take their
treatment as seriously as they
should. Lindsay Lohan, a recovering alcoholic, took many a “break”
from rehab to hang out and go to
parties around town. Britney Spears
took the instant rehab phenomenon
to a new low when she checked in
and out of rehab facilities twice in
one week, staying for less than 24
hours in treatment both times.
Somehow, it’s become more
popular and socially acceptable
to blame all of the bad mistakes
celebrities make on a drug addiction
than take responsibility for their bad
decisions. Stars such as Mel Gibson,
who made some highly anti-Semitic
comments when arrested on DUI
last summer, excused all of his
comments to his problems with
alcohol, and proceeded to disappear off to some obscure
rehabilitation center out
of the public eye. San
Francisco Mayor
Gavin Newsom
announced that
he was going to
rehab to treat his
alcoholism one
week a�er being
caught having
an affair with
his campaign
manager’s wife.
These men hide
behind supposed
drug addictions
because the fans
are more likely to
forgive a man who
suffers from an alcohol
addiction than an antiSemite or a man cheating
on his wife. Celebrities are good
at distorting situations to their own
advantage while concealing the
flaws that they believe would deem
them unpopular. In the meantime,
their conditions worsen and they
only return to get help once their
reputation is once again threatened
due to another incredibly stupid
decision.
It is very admirable when
somebody with a problem can
admit their flaws, go get help, and
put in the time and effort to make
a real change. But when the rich
and famous use rehab to save face
when they do something wrong,
it diminishes the hard work and
effort that so many others put into
regaining control of their lives.
Extracurricular Activities
By Henry Garf
Everyone Needs Healthcare
When homeless people became inhuman is beyond me.
These people breathe, feel, want
Healthcare is an aspect of our and suffer just like everybody
society that trascends racial con- else does. Healthcare is a bare
flicts, social riffs, and socioecon- necessity that surpasses material
imic status. It is vital to our safety possessions.
On top of that, the county
and well-being. When we deny
Americans adequate healthcare hospitals that are financially
based on their inability to pay acsessible to the poor are o�en
for health insurance, we
are stripping them of their
essential rights that should
be granted to every living,
breathing human being.
On Feb. 8, Hollywood
Presbyterian Hospital allegedly dumped a paraplegic
man onto skid row for not
having healthcare (abc7.
com). Investigations are still un- less advanced and under-staffed.
der way, but it is clear that this O�en the waiting time is too
man was homeless and not in lengthy for any timely proceany condition to be released. The dure, in the event that a patient
story is sickening. According to needs emergency care. More
ABC 7 and the Associated Press: o�en than not, a poor patient
“In the last two years, several will receive inadequate and inhospitals and law enforcement ferior care due to lack of be�er
agencies have been accused of resources.
Yes, doctors do need to get
dumping patients and criminals
on the streets of Skid Row without paid, but the responsibility lies in
bringing them to a mission or our government to pick up the tab
when we can’t. As it is, the more
service provider.”
By Analee Abbott
Managing Editor
money you have, the be�er doctors you get. That shouldn’t be
true. There are people in our
country living with diseases
that we have found cures for
and suffering from STDs that
we have preventive care for.
People shouldn’t have to suffer
unecessarily when there is help
available.
Yes, taxes would go
up, but I’m convinced
that if we can save human lives than it is worth
it. A poor life is just as
valuable as a rich one,
and money should not
be a factor in who gets
the best medical care.
People often snub
their nose at the problem, saying
that they don’t want higher taxes
on top of their own doctor bills.
Someday any one of us could be
in this position. Someday any
one of us could be suffering from
a fatal illness at the hands and
le� at the hands of tuthe county
hospitals. I should hope that if
I am ever stuck without health
insurance or financial security
the United States government
would help me.
“Healthcare is a bare
necessity that surpasses
material possessions.”
Speak Your Mind, State Your Name, There’s No Shame
By Nora Casey
Campus Life Editor
If you want to complain
about your life, the world, and
everyone in it, you can make
yourself a MySpace. But a newspaper — an independent forum
for discussion— should be more
than just self-indulgent ranting.
It should offer some productive
insight about society. As far as
this goes, The Kronik has potential, but it currently has some
issues that can’t be overlooked.
If you are going to publish
something then you have an
obligation to your readership
to make your work worthwhile,
or at least have some sort of intended purpose. Which means
think before you write. It’s a
two-step process.
I’ve read two types of ar-
ticles in The Kronik; ones that address important topics but have
nothing new to say about them,
or ones that have something
new to say, but aren’t founded in
reality. For example, the article
that claimed that one-fi�h of
Samo students use cocaine did
not cite a source to validate that
statistic, so how can we give it
any credibility? There was also
an article addressing the fact that
minorities are not in as many AP
classes as white students are.
This is an important issue, but it is
something that many people are
already aware of. For an article to
be more than a rant, the author
should have a new perspective
or suggestion to offer. The Kronik
has yet to offer much in terms of
proactive solutions.
There are two directions that
this new paper could go, and both
would be great. The Kronik has
already proved its ability to say
anything it wants, and it is now
accepting student submissions.
A dialogue of different student
perspectives is far more valuable
than the opinions of any few,
and begins to serve a need that
students clearly have to be able
to express themselves freely.
This need is also being adressed through the annonymous
online Samo blog, The Grip
Doctrine. This website exists for
students to post any of their ideas
for discussion, and other students
can reply.
Both The Doctrine and The Kronik have their strengths, but the
annonymity needs to stop. When
you a�ach your name to something it lends strength to your
convictions. You have to believe
in what you have to say enough
to be willing to take abuse for
it. When you think about your
ideas beforehand, knowing
you will be held accountable
for them, it makes your article
far be�er. When you cite your
sources, it allows the reader to
trust the information provided,
rather than skeptically glance
at what could very well be false
information. There is an element
of integrity that is needed. If the
founders of The Kronik want to
write about how much everyone
else sucks, then they should put
their names on it, so we know
who to thank.
I am excited for the next issue
of The Kronik so I can see what
other students and teachers have
to say. The publishers definitely
get points for ge�ing a paper out
and distributed. But it could get
so much be�er. I hope it does.
Opinion—Page 3 The Samohi March 1, 2007
MyTurn: Chronically Immature The Hidden Price
By Miguel Terán
Math Teacher
There was an article by “Elektra” in the third issue of The Kronik, slamming Samo teachers for
disrespecting students’ first Ammendment rights, among other
things. Elektra professes to be a
teacher here at Samo, but there
are several clues throughout the
article that would suggest it was
wri�en by a teacher who never
matured past high school.
Submi�ing an article about
such an important student issue
anonymously is not something
any professional teacher would
have done, because instead
they would prefer to dissent
publicly. For example, I wasn’t
here at Samo when the teachers
discussed switching to the House
system but I’ve been told about
how several teachers dissented
and argued with the administration, and did so proudly and
openly.
Do teachers complain about
students? Of course! We all—stu-
dents and teachers alike—complain about things. Is the Samo staff
email used a lot to complain? Two
or three times a year an issue will
come up that is discussed/complained about through email, but
email is usually quite harmless.
Did the teacher who wrote that
we should consider banning cell
phones, even if it upsets “whining parents,” make an outrageous
point? Many school districts across
the U.S. are banning or limiting cell
phones/electronic devices in the
school, including New York City
Unified and Los Angeles Unified.
Simply put, all electronics, including cell phones, are a distraction
to learning. A 60-year-old teacher
was beaten last week by two high
school students for confiscating
one of their iPods, so electronic
devices can and definitely do create confrontations (though usually
not that severe). Elektra also points
out that we teachers have phones
too, so are we being hypocrites for
wanting to confiscate/ban yours?
Until you are 18, most of your
rights are limited or simply non-
existent. Suffice it to say the
courts have ruled that schools
can limit the freedom of speech
rights of students in many cases
(Hazelwood School District v Kuhlmeier). Is it legal to video-record
someone without their permission? For adults, yes, if it’s in
a public-se�ing. Where does a
student secretly video-taping a
teacher in a classroom fall? It’s
not so simple, and the teacher
who brought it up in email had
valid concerns.
Look Samo students, there are
no reasons to be incensed. You
know that most of us teachers
love coming to school everyday
and teaching; we don’t make
enough money to do it for any
other real reason. Obviously you
are going to resist most of the
rules we lay down. We understand that. But deep down in a
place you would barely admit to
yourself most of you appreciate
what we do—even enforcing the
rules—because you know we do
it to help you to get to where you
want to go in life.
for their keen intelligence, why do
so many refuse to listen to their
elders, go to class, or do assigned
work? It seems odd that the young,
on occasion, fight amongst themselves, and that they have a preoccupation with electronic devices.
Yet still, there is an excitement
that radiates throughout campus.
Everyday young and old meet in
classrooms and on athletic fields
preparing to meet the challenges
of tomorrow.
Then a�er lunch as the students leave their trash behind or
sneak le�overs into the locker-
room, and the seagulls descend on
the campus and the mice emerge
from their coverts, the hawk’s hunt
begins on this territory he has
cultivated and claimed for years.
But he has some last thoughts:
When will young people learn
the lessons of the elders? When
will they mature and understand
that following rules will help forge
pathways to future successes? The
hawk takes his last dive, talons
a mouse and looks forward to
feeding his young and sharing
with them a powerful lesson: You
Reap What You Sow.
MyTurn: A View From the Top
Norm Lacy
Athletic Director and
Physical Education Department
Chairperson
The wise old hawk, a resident
of this campus for years, soars
high above Samo looking for his
latest feed. As he circles he must be
pondering the changing times and
wondering about the youth with
whom he shares this campus. He
wonders why some deface, trash,
and destroy their habitat, while
others pilfer the belongings of
classmates. For a species known
Grey’s Anatomy is
a Cult, “Seriously”
By Jackie Berman and
Bennett Rankin
Opinion Editor and Staff Writer
You sit in the corner waiting
for the babble to stop. You feel
as if you’re in solitary confinement, slowly losing your mind.
You are an adolescent outcast,
on the fringes of society, and
you want to know why. Oh,
that’s right. You don’t watch
Grey’s Anatomy.
It’s a pandemic, just like the
bubonic plague. It fills the halls
with piercing squeals of McDreamy’s (or is it McSteamy’s?)
latest sexcapades. You go to
math class to bury your head
in equations, or sleep, and hope
to escape from all the mindless
cha�er. But no. It follows you
there too.
It really just needs to stop.
Keep watching the show, just
stop talking about it on Friday
morning like it’s breaking news.
(There’s actually a world out
there, outside of the television
screen). It’s terrifying to think
that entire social groups are
bound together by this cultish
fascination, that people actually gather in groups to watch
abnormally good looking
people pretending to look sleep
deprived talk about their sex
lives while occasionally throwing in some “doctor” jargon.
The obsession has reached dangerous levels in some, namely
junior Shea Ritchie, who said,
“McSteamy is so hot I named
my car a�er him.”
In a nutshell, not being
enamored with this glorified
soap opera cast leaves you
swirling in a bo�omless pit of
rejection and ostracism. If you
really need to watch a show
about doctors acting like fools,
go with House. At least that
guy isn’t afraid to admit he’s
a total jerk.
of Homophobia
By Michael Bromberg
cents, it is natural for men to feel
insecure about their masculinity.
However, this excuse does not
No one seems to care at all. justify the use of such language
Walking down the hallways of for one’s own pride.
Samo, it is almost impossible to
Now, as the progressive and
go without hearing one boy call liberal school it is, Samo has great
another boy a “fag.” An even activities like Project Safezone,
harder thing to find though, is specifically designed to deal with
someone willing to punish, or issues such as homophobia. And,
even chastise, those who use for the most part, there seems
such language. The word has
to be some effort on the part
become so ingrained
of our student body to
into our everyday lanavoid using words like
fag in the presence
guage, we seem to
have forgo�en that
“During this age of homosexuals.
However, such
it is a completely
of self discovery,
use makes it diffiderogatory, hateit is impossible
ful term that is
cult for students
hurtful in every
who are in fact
to know when
sense.
homosexual to
we’re standing
Now, many
come out of the
in the presence
would say that
closet. During
of someone
in context, callthis age of self
discovery,
it is iming someone a fag
who is gay.”
is not necessarily
possible to know
calling them gay. A
when we’re standing
few years back, rap star
in the presence of someEminem infamously said
one who is gay.
that when he used the word
So, I personally plead for
fag on his album, it was just everyone at Samo to start taking
another form of calling someone some kind of action. If you hear
a coward.
your friends commonly referring
What’s wrong with this idea is to each other as fags, try to tell
that the true meaning of the word them, in a non-harassing yet firm
fag directly refers to the burnings way, that that kind of language is
of homosexuals at the stake in unnecessary and at its core dismedieval England(Byrne, Ho- criminatory and oppressive.
A homosexual has the absomophobia). While many users of
the term may be unaware of this lute freedom to live his/her life
fact, we all know it is a word that any way they choose, and should
is directly hateful towards homo- not have to constantly hear dumb
sexuals. The only reason fag is teenage boys laugh and giggle
now synonymous with coward is as they call each other “fag.”
because our society has the com- As the great Dr. Martin Luther
mon perception that homosexual Kind Jr. stated, “In the end, we
means being weak. A�empts to will remember not the words
stop people from using the word of our enemies but the silence
are, in the eyes of society, a sign of our friends.” Please Samo,
of one’s own lack of masculin- do not stand by and watch as
ity. And, in a school with raging ignorance allows our differences
hormones and awkward adoles- to divide us.
Staff Writer
Have an Opinion?
Submit a MyTurn or
Letter to the Editor
via email to
[email protected]
Submissions Due:
March 8 and 20
Editor-in-Chief..................Emily Foshag
Managing Editor..............Analee Abbott
News Editor........................Molly Strauss
Opinion Editors............Jackie Berkman
Chelsea Rinnig
Feature Editor...........Marissa Silverman
Special Report Editor.....Jeremy Tramer
Campus Life Editor..............Nora Casey
Sports Editors........................Erin Nadel
Charlie Paris
Photo Editor...............Samantha Walters
Ad Editor....................Jennifer Galamba
Copy Editors.....Saba Boradeh-Hamedy
Sophia Young
Art Editor.......................Sarah DeRemer
Outreach Coordinator.........Matt Weber
Editor-at-Large...................Nick Barlow
Adviser...............................Kathleen Faas
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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
Zoey Baldwin, Hannah Bernstein,
Maisy Bragg, Michael Bromberg,
Sam Cotten, Aaron Eslamboly, Henry
Garf, Jessica Gerhardt, Owen Gorman,
Gabrielle Hernandez, Jacquelyn Hoffman, Jesse Grebler-Hull, Kevin Katz,
Jade Kedrick, Vincent Lai, Tina Naderi,
Carl Nunziato, Evan Perkins, Bennett Rankin, Anthony Ramirez, Leah
Robinson, Danielle Worthy, Natalie
Yadegar, Zoe Young
FEATURE
Page 4
Knock Out Osama, Get a FREE* iPod Get Out
By Jeremy Tramer
Special Report Editor
Have you ever knocked out
Osama Bin Laden? Well I did.
But let me tell you: it wasn’t
worth it. I was online the other night when an ad popped
up: “Knock out Osama! Get a
FREE* iPod!” I had never actually clicked on one of these ads
before, and I was a little curious. I noticed the asterisk next
to the word “free,” and saw
that at the bottom of the ad,
it said “*details apply.” Come
on! What were a few minor details if I could get a free iPod?
Of course, I really wanted
this free iPod, but I was wary.
How could they give me something for free that is worth over
$300? But then I read the testimonials. How could I refuse,
when Julie C. of Burlington,
Texas was assuring me that “if
I can get something free, then
anyone can!” I assumed that
I fell under the “anyone” category, so I decided to put good
ol’ Julie’s statement to the test.
I knocked out Osama with
a strong right hook, and was
redirected to onlinerewardcenter.com. I then had to enter some information about
myself, which I completely made up (If your phone
number happens to be 5555555, I sincerely apologize).
Now all I had to do was
take an “optional survey!” It
listed about 30 offers, each of
which asked me if I wanted
more information about their
product. “Does your home
ed with the same offers two
more times, and I had to say
no to each one all over again.
Finally, it appeared that
I was getting somewhere.
you will have to miss some acts
you want to see. But that’s life.
WHAT TO BRING:
•Sun block, cheap sunglasses, a
big hat.
•Multiple pairs of shoes including sandals for showers at campsite
•Enough clothes for six days, because we all sweat, and the trend
in Indio is to sweat profusely.
•Four day’s worth of toiletries.
Take a shower a day, unless you
don’t
mind
feeling
and
smelling like a
gym sock.
•Alarm clock
•Bring your
own
food
and water:—a
cooler filled
with Gatorade
and bologna
sandwiches
will suffice.
•Short sleeves
during the day,
long at night
•Put
your
name, number
and email address on everything
that is important to you.
•Bring cash
By Analee Abbott
Coachella Music Festival
By Nicholas Barlow
Editor-At-Large
The Coachella Music Festival is a humongous concert,
held yearly on a Polo Field in
Indio, California (26 miles from
Palm Springs), and this year on
April 27-29. In the past it has featured such artists as Kanye West,
Beck, Radiohead, Madonna, Da�
Punk, and many more.This year’s
headlining bands are Bjork, The
Red Hot Chili
Peppers and
Rage Against
The Machine
(reunited).
This year sold
out faster than
any year before.Which
is
strange,
considering
Coachella
is
not as much a
venue as it is
a really large
field.Think
Wo o d s t o c k ,
just without
your parents.
This year’s festival is just
around the corner, so buddy up
with your Samo pals, carpool and
hit the road. Make sure no Samo
student is le� in the dust!
Here are a few suggestions
of what to bring, how to keep
safe, and how to make the most
of your Coachella experience.
FIRST OFF: Arrive early, Expect
to wait in the morning at the entrance gate in long slow moving
lines, , and print out a set times
schedule and keep it in your
pocket (they will have schedules
there, but don’t spend forever
looking for one). And know that
have a septic system?” What if
it does? Is this even an offer?
I said no to every offer
on the list, and then clicked
“next.” I was then present-
WHAT NOT TO BRING:
•Do not bring a laptop, it will get
stolen, or melt.
•Don’t bring a big bag to weigh
you down when you are running
to see Bjork.
LASTLY: When preparing for
your trip, keep in mind what
American transcendentalist Henry David Thoreau wrote in his
seminal work On Walden Pond:
“simplicity, simplicity, simplicity.” Because he too was a huge
Bjork fan.
“LAST STEP! Congratulations!
To qualify for your FREE*
iPod start by fully completing
any two of the sponsor offers
listed below on this page! It’s
fast and easy!” Fast and easy?
What a knockout combo!
But then I saw that the
second and third pages, all
of which were labeled “LAST
STEP!” required me to accept another four offers each,
bringing the total up to 10. I
checked out some of these offers, and saw that completing
even just two of them would
have cost me way more than
an iPod. Besides, they were
all for things that no one
would ever want (unless you
are interested in joining the
Disney Princess Book Club).
So take it from me, these
ads are a total joke. They try to
rope in people who are stupid
enough to spend thousands
of dollars on things they’ll
never use, just to get a “free”
gift. Any website that claims
they will give you some expensive item for free is telling you a flat out lie. The only
way I’ll ever click on one of
these ads again is if, instead
of Osama, I could take a few
swings at that good-for-nothing backstabbing liar Julie C.
10 Tips for a Better College Trip
Managing Editor
The college applications are in,
the financial aid has been submitted and now it’s all in the hands of
strangers. In the midst of this painful waiting and endless anxiety
you look at April and grimace. One
month to decide my future? Eeek! I
created this list so that once you do
see the beautiful word ‘admit’ you
can take the next steps necessary.
Below are ten ways to make visiting colleges efficient and enjoyable.
Avoid Airplanes:
Obviously
you can’t drive to New York, but
you can drive from New York to
Vermont or from Los Angeles to
San Francisco. If you must fly,
it’s usually cheaper to fly into
one airport, rent a car and travel
to other destinations nearby.
Fly Alternative: If you need to
fly somewhere, don’t just look
at LAX. Some airlines like Jet
Blue only leave from smaller
airports (i.e. Longbeach), but
they can offer cheap prices
and
unusual
destinations.
Travel with Friends: Aside from
being more fun, it’s also cheaper.
You can split the gas money and
the lodging into several pieces.
Get Maps: AAA and other travel
agencies will give out free state
maps, city maps and travel books
that can really help in the planning process. Sometimes they require proof of membership and
sometimes they don’t. Call ahead
to check if you’re not a member.
Research: By the time you set
foot on campus you want to be
a walking dictionary of the college you’re visiting. Knowing
the facts helps you to ask be�er
questions and feel more confident in your surroundings.
Stay in a Dorm: A lot of private
(and some public) colleges allow
students to stay overnight with a
current student. Not only does
that make lodging free, but it helps
give you a be�er since of the school.
Preview it Up: Almost all schools
have days for admi�ed students in April. When you receive your admission le�er, you
should receive these dates. If you
want to know earlier for planning purposes, most colleges
list these dates on their website.
Bring your own Meals: If you’re
driving somewhere local, you can
save money by bringing a day
‘sworth of meals with you. If you’re
driving farther, you can at least
bring a couple. Eating out is expensive and o�en can be avoided.
Take Your Time: Once you arrive at the college, leave enough
time to see the different facets of the community. A night
out in the neighboring town,
a trip to see off-campus housing or a chat with the coach of
your given sport can really help
you see if this school is for you.
Don’t Jump: (to any hasty conclusions). Try to visit all the colleges you are considering going
to before you make a final decision. Once you submit your
intent to enroll form, it’s nearly
impossible to change your mind.
ThereAnd
Help
By Kristina Naderi
Staff Writer
A lot of kids at Samo consider
community service a big pain. It’s
either “too boring” or “too much
work.” Well, here’s a small list of
the many options that you can do
to help get you started in looking
for the perfect activity for you.
Santa Monica Public Library:
What, you think those books
stack themselves? Community service at libraries usually consists of returning
books to shelves, pointing
people in the right direction
to what they’re looking for,
and returning more things
to shelves. This is, by far, the
easiest community service activity. If you do choose to do
this, try ge�ing a friend to do
it with you so it’ll be more fun.
Heal The Bay: Heal the Bay is
an organization well known
for its pursuit of clean oceans.
You can do things from cleaning up the beach to office
duties. Either way, by helping out with such a great organization, you’d really be
helping to keep our beaches
clean. You can find out about
all the other cool things you
can do at www.healthebay.com.
Santa Monica Animal Shelter: If you like to work with
animals then this is perfect for
you. Volunteers of the shelter groom and take care of
the animals who are waiting
to be adopted in addition to
tending to the kennels. Volunteers also try to raise money
to help treat and care for sick
animals. Working at a shelter
takes a lot of hard work, so be
prepared to not just sit around
and pet cats and dogs all day.
To get more information call
the shelter at (310) 458-8594.
Hospitals: Hospitals are a good
choice for community service
if you’re good with people and
want to help people. Hospitals
like St. John’s Health Center
here in Santa Monica offer a
variety of choices from jobs as
simple as reception duties to
checking-in patients waiting
for surgery. However, for St.
John’s, there are a few restrictions and requirements. You
have to be at least 16-years
old and commit to four-hour
shi�s per week and 100 hours
by the end of the year. You
can find out the rest of the requirements at www.stjohns.org.
The thing you have to remember about community service
is that although it’s hard work,
it’s absolutely worth it. If none
of the options are what you’re
particularly looking for, try
looking around the web and
get ting some more ideas
at the city’s website, www.
smgov.net under volunteers.
GLOBAL WARMING
It’s Gettin’ Hot In Here
By Jennifer Galamba
Ad Editor
Global warming has been
discussed in every kind of
movie recently, from the fictionalized The Day A�er Tomorrow
to the documentary An Inconvenient Truth. The fact that our
climate is ge�ing warmer has
only been publicized in the past
decade, but the phenomenon
has been occurring for much
longer. A recent report from
some of the most respected scientists in the world has stated
that human interference in the
environment has created global
warming. Since about 1850, corporations have been burning
fossil fuels such as coal, gas and
oil and clearing forests in order
to manufacture products. This
produces carbon dioxide and
other gasses, and it is these gas-
10 Ways You
Can Help
Compiled by Molly Straus
News Editor
10 S����� T����� Y�� C�� D�
T� B� P��� �� ��� “S�������”
1. Drive Less – drive 15
miles less per week;
eliminate 900 lbs. of CO2
per year.
2. Tune Up – clean oil and
properly inflate tires;
eliminate 1000 lbs. of CO2
per year
3. Drive Smart – use a
hybrid or electric vehicle;
eliminate 5600 lbs. of CO2
per year.
4. Light Up - replace 3
incandescents with
fluorescents; eliminate 300
lbs. of CO2.
5. Recycle - reuse half of
your aluminum, glass,
plastic and paper;
eliminate 2400 lbs. of CO2.
6. Purchase Green Power
-choose 100 percent green
power; eliminate up to
6200 lbs. of CO2.
7. Build Green & Use
Solar Power - use green
materials and solar energy
when remodeling a home;
eliminate 1000 to 6000 lbs.
of CO2.
8. Turn It Down, Turn It Up
- turn your heater down
and your air conditioner
up by three degrees;
eliminate 1050 lbs. of CO2
per year.
9. Wash Cool - do two loads
of laundry per week
in cold or warm water
instead of hot (and hang
clothes to dry); eliminate
500 lbs. of CO2 a year.
10. Store Smart, Save $ - buy
Energy Star appliances;
eliminate 1000 lbs. of CO2
a year
With the pending consequences
of global warming, it seems
like the “solution” is out of our
hands. But only through the
small decisions of individuals
can we make an impact (Courtesy
of Global Green, USA).
ses that most experts agree are
creating recent disasters such as
Hurricane Katrina. In the past,
these gasses have warmed our
planet and kept it livable by
preventing us from having an
ice age that would have catastrophic consequences. However, because of an overproduction of these chemicals, our
atmosphere is too hot.
The effects of this sudden
change in temperature are already clear. According to Nature
Magazine, disasters like hurricanes are more powerful and
more frequent than ever before.
Glaciers are melting at twice
the rate they did 10 years ago.
Additionally, plant and animal
species that depend on cold
weather have migrated towards
lower temperature areas, like
the poles, in order to survive
(Climatecrisis.net). This is harm-
ful because these species maintained the ecosystems of their
native areas.
The predicted outcomes
of global warming are terrifying. According to scientists at
the World Health Organization,
by the year 2030 an estimated
300,000 people will die a year
because of heat or natural disasters that are a consequence of
global warming. The heat will
also create fires and droughts
like the ones recently felt in the
Los Angeles area. Time Magazine
predicted that by 2050 the Artic Ocean would not have ice,
causing millions of species of
animals and plants to become
extinct. A new report in the
Washington Post predicted that
once ice in Greenland and Antarctica is melted, ocean levels
will rise, flooding beach areas
like Santa Monica.
users.aber.ac.uk
Hybrids: Wave of the Future
It’s Not Convenient,
But It’s the Truth
In an environmentally conscious city like Santa Monica,
one can hardly go two blocks
without seeing a Prius, or another variation of the hybrid car.
A new study by Los Angelesbased Intellichoice.com, which
specializes in car costs and their
values, says that hybrid buyers
not only save “gas money,” but
cut costs in terms of financing
their car, its fuel, insurance, state
taxes, repairs, and maintenance.
In addition, hybrid
buyers also benefit from federal
tax cuts, some
worth over
$3,000.
“ W e
found
that all 22
hybrid vehicles have a
be�er total cost
of
ownership
over five years or
70,000 miles than the vehicles
they compete with, even when
factoring in the additional up-
Rarely is there a movie that
can change people’s opinions
and propel a subject into the
political mainstream. However,
the Oscar-winning documentary An Inconvenient Truth, starring Al Gore, did just that.
The film gives audiences a
reality check about global warming. Gore stresses the importance of acting quickly to curb
the climate change. He explains
that it will take only a few decades to clearly feel the effects
of global warming. Using charts
and statistics, Gore painstakingly convinces viewers of the
existence of global warming.
Despite its initial success
in theaters, there were mixed
responses about the film from
students around campus. Freshman Michael Freedman said,
“I think it’s another a�empt by
adults to have kids keep the
world clean. It is another plea to
have us fix their mistakes.” But
Samo Biology and Chemistry
teacher Vijaya Macwan had a
different, more positive take on
the film. “It is a must-see documentary,” she said.
By Erin Nadel
Sports Editor
front costs for their purchase,
the long-term savings hybrids
generate makes them a
sensible and a�ractive purchase,”
said
James
Bell,
publisher of the
Intellichoice
study.
According to the Los
Angeles Times,
Toyota Priuses
represent about 60
percent of all hybrids
driven in the
U.S. The same
study showed
that
Pruis
owners on
average,
over five
years,
s a v e
$13,408
more
than
owners of
a
similar-sized,
non-hybrid sedan.
The Prius, part of Toyota’s synergy-drive campaign, is the most
popular of the 22 hybrid models
available today. “I feel proud
to be part of the environmental
movement towards a
solution to global
warming,” said
junior Priusdriver Nicky
Bornstein.
Whether
hybrids are
a smart economic decision or not,
they are certainly a great ecofriendly alternative.
Each one can save 5600 lbs.
of carbon dioxide a year. Be a
part of the solution, and consider purchasing a hybrid.
Photos by Jesse Grebler-Hull
By Saba Boradeh-Hamedy
Copy Editor
Global Warming Stops Here
By Jeremy Tramer
Special Report Editor
Grinnell Glacier, Montana: at left in 1940, and at right in 2004. The
glacier on the left has now mostly melted into a puddle.
livescience.com
Chaney Glacier, Montana: At left in 1911, and at right in 2005. The
glacier, which appears white in the pictures, has mostly melted.
livescience.com
Are you looking for a way to get involved in the fight against
global warming? Look no further than the Global Warming Awareness Society, a club started this school year by Samo junior Ian
Scheffler. GWAS meets at lunch on Thursdays in chemistry teacher
Sarah Lipitz’s room, S103. Scheffler, along with fellow Samo junior
Rachel Horn, founded the club with the goal of distributing compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFLs). According to Scheffler, GWAS
has a deal with a local Santa Monica lighting company, in which
they get CFL bulbs direct from the factory and sell them at no profit to students for lower than a store would sell them for.
So far, they have sold CFL bulbs to a few students, as well as
Lipitz. Why should you use CFL bulbs? “CFL lightbulbs last eight
times as long as your ordinary incandescent bulb. If you burn both
a CFL and a regular incandescent both for 8000 hours, you will
save about $36 using the CFL,” explains Scheffler.
Besides distributing CFLs, GWAS is considering becoming involved in a zeroscaping project, in which they distribute California
native seeds to students and their families. This project, along with
the lightbulb distribution, makes up GWAS’ two-pronged plan.
So, if you are looking to fight global warming here at Samo, join
GWAS, or at least stop by S103 one Thursday to purchase CFLs.
CAMPUS LIFE
Page 6
What’s All the Talk About? It’s A Dead Language, But It’s A Killer
By Sam Cotten
million members in 200 countries.
The Club is reputed for its charity
work to benefit the blind.
This year marks the 70th
The Santa Monica Lions Club
declared Samo junior Ilan Ben- anniversary of the competition,
Meir Club-level champion of the of which the topic was “Global
California Lions Annual Student Warming – Fact or Fiction?”
Ben-Meir received a cash
Speakers Contest on Feb. 15. Fellow Samo junior Ananya Kepper prize of $50 for first place and will
and Crossroads School’s Charlie proceed to the Zone level compeDobb were finalists.
tition, which will
The Student
be held in March.
Speakers Competition
Following are the
began in 1937 as a way
Regional, District
to unite the Lions Clubs
and Area levels,
of California. The conwith cash and
scholarship prizes
test was a great success
at each level toand led to the establishment of the Student
taling nearly $21
Speakers Foundation. Ilan Ben-Meir accepts his thousand.
The Foundation selects award from Dr. Kinsley
“The competia topic each year for
tion this year was
Fife.
students to prepare and
closer than it has
deliver a speech for a
been in awhile,” repanel of three judges Photo courtesy of Izak marked Dr. Kingsand the members of the Ben-Meir
ley J. Fife, Memberlocal Lions Club.
ship Chairman of the Santa Monica
Lions Club International Lions Club. He feels that “all three
is the largest service club in students gave very good presentathe world, followed by Rotary tions,” and thinks that Ben-Meir
International and Kiwanis In- will “progess well” in the competiternational. It was founded in tion. Regardless of the winner, the
1917 in the United States and has contest is an opportunity to build
since become an international confidence, self-esteem and pride
organization with almost 1.35 through public speaking.
Staff Writer
By Molly Strauss, News Editor,
and Erin Nadel, Sports Editor
Forty Samo Latin students
a�ended the California Junior
Classical League (JCL) convention for the first time ever, held at
Menlo High School in Atherton on
Feb. 9 and 10. Latin teachers Luke
Henderson and Andrew Gollan
led the two-day escapade, including a six-hour bus ride
each way.
Seventeen hundred
California students, representing 44 middle and high
schools, competed in areas
ranging from Ancient Roman Mythology to Costumes
to Tennis. Samo won the “Best
Overall New School” award as
well as first place in basketball,
a great victory over Woodbridge
High School in Irvine, our newly
sworn enemies.
“An hour before the game we
didn’t know where Woodbrige
High was, but all of a sudden
we Santa Monicans had hated
them for generations and generations,” said Henderson. “Amid
the taunting and jeering from the
Woodbrigers in the crowd, shouting ‘actum est!’(it’s all over), our
B. Josh Arnold
1
Answers: A2, B3, C4, D1
Club Day:
D. Frank Gatell
3
4
Complied by Saba Boradeh-Hamedy
The Bang from Your Buck
By Evan Perkins
Staff Writer
Out of all the school and
school sponsored events out there,
Club Day is the only one that
consistently is looked forward
to and delivers on its promises:
namely a large selection of
(semi) exotic food, with offerings
running the gamut from fried
chicken to Indian samosas.
This year was no exception,
with all sorts of good things for
sale. But what exactly does a club
put into Club Day, and what do
they get out of it? Depends.
According to MeCHa
member Carmen Fernandez,
the “around $200 dollars” that
MeCHa made on Club Day was
“mostly profit,” due to the fact
that much of the raw materials
(such as tostadas and horchata)
were donated, insuring a healthy
rate of return.
Similar story for the Invisible
Children club, where around $50
profit was made off of $100 total
gross (with much of the stuff for
sale donated by club members).
We are o�en told that one
day we will have a teacher who
inspires us and provides a turning point in our learning process.
I always threw out this wisdom.
But, I have found that teacher,
one who makes a difference in the
Samo learning community.
Her name is Maria Stevens,
an intellectual, open-minded, and
young-spirited ninth and 11th
grade O-House English teacher.
The Samohi asked Stevens
a few questions about her life.
before Samo.
Where did you grow up?
I grew up for the most part
in New York and New Jersey. I
dreamed of being a ballerina... My
life was dance, toe shoes, blisters
and leg warmers. Around 12, I
started conditioning to try out
for the American Ballet Theater
when my mom got sick and we
were kind of sent to live with my
grandparents in Illinois.
A Samo custodian carts away trash after Club Day on Feb. 16.
Photo by Owen Gorman
But where does the money
go? The Invisible Children Club
has created an account for all of
their earnings which will then be
given to charity. According to the
Funk Music Appreciation Club,
they used the money from last
club day (around $100) to pay for
the corn dogs for this Club Day,
suggesting a cyclical expenditure
of funds .
Despite the cold number
crunching going on behind the
tables, club day continues to be
about one thing: the food. And
here’s to hoping it stays that way.
‘Aleae Piraticae’ [Liar’s Dice],
and a trivia game called ‘Circus
Maximus,’ all in Latin of course,”
said junior Ma�hew Kramer.
Both Henderson and Gollan
teach Latin as a “living” language, focusing on speaking,
listening and writing versus
reading literature. According to
Henderson, Gollan is “among
the best living Latin speakers
in the United States.”
In addition to his
bachelor’s degree in Classical Languages, Henderson also graduated with a
B.A. in Music. In college,
he had already decided
to become a professional
musician before he developed
his passion for Latin, Greek,
and Greco-Roman History and
mythology.
Whether insisting that “the
System is perfect,” addressing
his students by last name only,
or cursing loudly as the ancient
Romans would, Henderson
keeps his classes entertained and
educated in a language many
believe to be dead. Henderson is
proving them wrong: At Samo,
Latin is thriving... whether or not
anyone else cares to admit it.
Dreams of Ballet, Video Games
and a Westwood Crash Pad
Staff Writer
C. Liann Sato
2
80 students
in 2003 to a whopping 200 students today. He emphasized: “We
are not doing anything special
here. The growth of Latin here at
Samo merely reflects the larger
nationwide trend. ”
No matter, Henderson’s
unique teaching techniques have
certainly increased the program’s
popularity. “We play Latin games
very o�en including ‘I Piscatum’
[Go Fish], ‘Eugepae!’ [Yatzee],
By Jacquelyn Hoffman
Can you match these teachers with their ta�oes?
A. Marisa Silvestri
valiant Viking Latinist won,” he
continued. Next year, the Latin
Club plans to take even more
students to JCL.
Since Henderson’s arrival at
Samo in 2003, the Latin program
has more than doubled in size,
f r o m
about
A�er high school where did life
take you?
...I decided to follow a
friend to Los Angeles. My
friend from high school applied
to UCLA because Jim Morrison
went there. I guess I can thank
him for being here now. I lived in
Westwood with a bunch of girls
(what a mistake) and immediately
had to start working two jobs to
pay for living.
The girl pad fell through, and
I finally got my own apartment.
I actually had a plan too, I had
heard about SMC and wanted to
transfer from there to Berkeley. I
was about 20 at this time and was
working three jobs at one point. I
was still incredibly naive.
Several apartments and relationships later, I found myself
at SMC applying to UCLA and
Berkeley. My boyfriend, now
husband Sage, applied to the
same schools. We both got into
UCLA and earned degrees from
there. Meanwhile, Sage had
turned me on to video games,
Star Wars and Metallica. And
now I find myself here. Sage
and I have been together for 10
years, we have two children: Jennifer-Te Rain who is three, and
Miles McCormick who is nine
months old.
What was your high school experience like?
I graduated high school
from Glenbrook South in Glenview, Illinois. I remember loving
ninth grade,
I was on the
varsity dance
University Driving School
squad (thank
ballet for the
(310) 559-9056
kicks), and I did
pre�y well in Drivers Education, Enrollment, and Training
school... Then Six hours of driver’s training includes:
in 10th grade Free pick up, drop off, and private lesson
my mom carted
Good price-Good service
my brother and 10680 W. Pico Blvd. #288 L.A., CA 90064
I back to New
www.universitydriving.com
York.
Girls Basketball: A Player’s Perspective
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1
Yet, if you have had the privilege
of being part of something
larger than yourself like I have,
while you’re busy learning
how to win, you tend to learn
a few things along the way that
are even more important.
You learn that when your
coach says to make 10 shots in
a row during practice or else,
you had be�er make those
shots. And you learn that when
he tells you that he believes in
you, he’s just as serious.
You learn how to embrace
a teammate whose house
burns down midseason and
has nowhere else to turn. You
learn how to count your own
blessings.
You learn that white or
black, gay or straight, senior
or freshman, doesn’t really
ma�er when you’re all chasing
a dream together.
You learn to li� weights
and run miles, not because you
particularly like to li� weights
and run miles, but because
when the game’s on the line,
you want to trust yourself
enough to take that shot as
time expires.
You learn that sometimes,
that math homework will have
to wait until your ankle is iced
and you’ve taken a nap. But,
stops, or the design on the Tshirts that everyone else liked
so much. But you learn that
next time, you’ll get to choose.
You learn, a�er two and a
half hours of practice, to make
that one last free throw
so that everyone can go
home. And you learn
that if you don’t make
that free throw, your
teammate will.
You learn how to
really laugh, and that
it’s okay to cry – and
that someone will be
there to make you
smile before you know
it.
You
learn
to
appreciate the students,
the team managers, the
teachers, the coaches,
the administrators and
the Ms. Baxters who sit
in the bleachers and
Captain senior Allie Southam directs
enjoy every moment of
the offense in the team’s CIF quarterfi- you doing your thing
nal game against Norco on Feb. 24.
on the court. You learn
to appreciate your
Photo by Samantha Walters parents for making
those long drives to
later, learns of her sister’s watch you play – and your
miscarriage. Again, you learn teammates’ parents for wanting
you to succeed as much as
to count your blessings.
You learn that you’re they want their own child to
not always going to like the succeed.
You learn to love twelve
music playing in the van, or
the restaurant where the team other people enough to go
you learn, you’ll find time to
get it all done eventually.
You learn to empathize
with a teammate whose
grandmother is diagnosed with
cancer – and who, a few weeks
Sports— Page 7 The Samohi March 1, 2007
into the fourth quarter of a CIF
quarterfinal game down 16
points and swear that you will
not walk away with a loss. And
when you do lose, you have
learned to love twelve other
people enough to keep loving
them.
Of course, the fact remains
that, for me and the three
other seniors on the squad, last
weekend’s loss was the loss that
marked the end of our careers at
Samo. That will never change.
But, although I may very well
remember a nine-point loss in
the CIF quarterfinals for a long
time, that memory will be vastly
outnumbered by memories of
the love and camaraderie that I
experienced as a member of the
Samo girls basketball program.
And that will never change
either.
To Karlia, Ellesse, Diane,
Whitney, Daisy, Jennie, Katy,
Thea, Ebony, Kelly, Allie, and
Coach Verdugo: I love you
guys.
The girls basketball team
recently wrapped up its most
successful season in recent history.
A�er an opening round playoff
victory over Marina High School,
the girls were again victorious
in the second round against
Chaminade. As a result of the
loss in the CIF quarterfinals, the
Lady Vikings finished the season
with a 20-8 overall record and an
undefeated Ocean League title.
Team Managers: The Unsung Heros of Sports
By Michael Bromberg
Staff Writer
At some point, most of us
dream of one day becoming a
professional athlete, or at least
being the superstar of the high
school team. Unfortunately, very
few can become high school
superstars, and even less can
become professional athletes.
But, dreamers of the world,
fear not. There are ways to be a
part of a winning team without
having to actually be athletically
talented. One can become a team
manager. “Being team manager
gives me a chance to make a lot of
new friends and it makes me feel
like I’m really part of the team,”
said junior Gdal Rothstein, who
manages the water polo teams.
While movies and TV shows
o�en give off the perception
that team managers are just
dorky rejects from the team,
this is not true. More commonly,
team managers are just very
passionate sports fans who are
looking for a way to contribute.
Says senior Genevieve Skirius, a
manager for the girls basketball
team that also serves as a team
statistician, “Being the team
manager allows me to help out
and be with all the people on the
team.”
Junior Erin Felton liked
being team manager for the girls
soccer team this year because
she was injured for the season
and “being the manager gave
[her] a great way to contribute to
the team.”
In case you’re wondering
what exactly a team manager
does, Skirius describes her many
tasks as “analyzing game tape of
other teams, writing stats, doing
scoreboard, standing in for
practice plays, and ultimately
making sure each player is
alright [she is basically a student
assistant coach].”
In addition, boys basketball
coach James Hecht said, “The
team
managers
definitely
contribute to the overall success
of the team. They really help out
a lot.”
By Tina Naderi
them out of the CIF tournament.
Seniors Katrina Dargel and
Gloria Esqueda scored two
goals apiece, and sophomore
Susie Ortaga and junior Erin
Nadel both helped the team
with a goal each.
The team, which is all
together a pre�y fast team, had
trouble adjusting to the school’s
pool that was small and narrow.
“We outplayed ourselves, they
didn’t outplay us,” commented
junior Lea Burkenroad about
the game.
The opposing team was not
strong as a whole, but instead
there was one player who
worked her way around the
Samo team. When asked about
the loss, senior Katrina Dargel
had this to say: “I think we
could’ve taken more shots in
the final game. The other team
should not have really been a
threat.”
Although the Lady Greenies
had a fairly disappointing CIF
tournament run, they earned
second place in Ocean League
and finished with an overall
league record of 6-2.
Athletes of the Issue
Selected by their coaches for
their hard work and dedication,
these athletes, among others,
can be seen in the Breezeway.
Yusaf Syed ‘07
Wrestling
Favorite Clothing Store:
N/A
Sports position: 152 weight
class
Favorite Meal: Nihari
My coach is: old
Favorite Cereal: Cinnamon
Toast Crunch
Daisy Feder ‘08
Basketball
Favorite Clothing Store:
Urban Outfi�ers
Sports position: Guard
Favorite Meal: In-n-Out
My coach is: an executioner
Favorite Cereal: Frosted
Flakes
Ricardo Martinez ‘09
Soccer
Lady Greenies Suffer
Second Round Loss
Favorite Clothing Store:
Adidas
Staff Writer
Sports position: Midfield
A�er
a
strong
and
persistent effort by the Lady
Greenies, the season ended for
them in the second round of
CIF competition. In the first
round in CIF, the girls came
away with an incredibly strong
win versus Perris High School
with a final score of 18-5.
The combination of good
outside shooting and a drive
behind the set position won
them the game. The Greenies
ran a play created by an assistant
coach in 2005 called “Jeremy 1,
2.” During the first quarter of
the game tensions rose as Perris
caught up with the team. At
one point Perris was only two
points behind the Greenies.
However, a�er the first quarter
the team became untouchable,
achieving the landslide win,
with a final score of 15-4.
When it came time to play
San Gorgonio High School, the
team went in with a confident
additude only to be defeated
by the score of 11-6, knocking
Favorite Meal: In-n-Out
My coach is: different
Favorite Cereal: Cinnamon
Toast Crunch
Allison Bronstein ‘08
Soccer
Favorite Clothing Store:
Target
Sports position: Goalie
Favorite Meal: Bread and
Arizona Tea
My coach is: a beast
Favorite Cereal: Cinnamon
Toast Crunch
Compiled by Charlie Paris and Erin Nadel; Photos by Samantha Walters
SPORTS
Page 8
Host Coachella Valley Too Much For Boys Soccer
By Emily Foshag
half, Coachella Valley got what it the CIF coaches poll for the last few in the CIF quarterfinals since 2001.
needed — and the Vikings found weeks of the season, the boys had “It was sad to end the season, but I
Editor-in-Chief
themselves in a 1-1 ball game.
can’t really call it a bad ending,”
“Once
we
gave
up
that
quick
noted Castellanos. “It was the
Between adjusting to different
goal,” said junior Arfurthest I’ve gone during my time
fields, long bus rides and
at Samo.” Castellanos played a
hostile crowds, winning
tur Jozkowics, “all the
key role in the Vikings success
on the road is never easy
momentum was on
throughout the season, and his
— and winning on the
their side.”
penalty kick in Samo’s second
road in the playoffs is
The score reround playoff game helped the
even more difficult.
mained tied until, with
Vikes to a 2-0 victory over Adolfo
The Samo boys soccer
10 minutes remaining
Camarillo.
team found this out first
in the game, a CoachelFor the underclassmen,
hand as it suffered a 1-3
la Valley foward scored
however, dreams of a CIF title
loss at the hands of host
on a breakaway. Samo
are still a very real possibility for
Coachella Valley in the
had no choice but to
next season. The team will return
CIF Division IV quarterpress for the last eight
four of its top five goal scorers,
minutes of the contest,
finals on Feb. 23.
including sophomore Ricky
and Coachella Valley
With a spot in the
scored once more in Junior Artur Jozkowics looks for a cross in Martinez, whose 69th-minute
semifinals on the line,
the Vikings took a 1-0 Junior Luis Zavala takes a shot against Arroyo injury time for the final the boys’ first round playoff game against goal against Arroyo Grande in
the opening round of the CIF
1-3 margin. “It was just Arroyo Grande.
lead in the 26th minute Grande on Feb. 17.
playoffs on Feb. 16 broke a 1-1
li�le
mistakes
we
made
when senior Brendan
Photo by Jesse Grebler-Hull
Photo by Jesse Grebler-Hull tie to propel the Vikings into the
that led to their goals,”
Smith scored on a long
next round. Ultimately, the guys
throw-in from junior Chris De La and the Coachella Valley players said senior David Castellanos.
“In away games, there is just high hopes for a CIF title going into hope to build off of this year’s sucRosa. The boys held on to the slim would come out fighting with an
lead as the first half expired. Head of extremely intimidating crowd on no room for error,” added junior the playoffs. Although disappoint- cess. “The bar has been raised higher
Nick Ferro.
Soccer Frank Gatell recalled stress- their side.
ing, this season marked the first time for next year,” said Jozkowics, “and
A�er earning a top ranking in Samo’s boys soccer team found itself we’ll be ready.”
Two minutes into the second
ing to the boys the importance of
playing 40 minutes of “flawless soccer” in the second half. The coaching
staff understood that the boys would
now be a�acking against the wind
Disappointing End to Good Boys Basketball Season
By Charlie Paris
Sports Editor
The tenth seeded Vikings
suffered a first round defeat at
the hands of Woodbridge High
School in the CIF Division 1-A
playoffs on Feb. 16, losing the
nail-biter by a final score of
61-58.
“Our guys played hard,”
said head coach James Hecht.
“We had our opportunity, but
unfortunately we came up on
the wrong end of the stick.”
Despite the solid play of
senior center Ari Feldman (18
points, 10 rebounds, 4 blocks),
the Samo squad was completely
outplayed by an even bigger big
man. 6’ 10’’ senior Austin Daye of
Woodbridge, who recently commi�ed to Gonzaga, dominated the
game with 36 points, 17 rebounds,
and seven blocks.
“We knew one of the keys to
the game was to contain him,”
commented Hecht, regarding
pregame strategies. “He’s an incredibly skilled player.”
The Vikings, however, hung
in the game the entire time.
Seniors Taylor Walker and Leo
Arnold contributed 15 points
apiece, but it wasn’t enough to get
the victory. “Come playoff time,
you have to be at the top of your
game,” added Hecht, “and the last
two weeks we just weren’t.”
Hecht, however, remained
positive looking back on the
season. “We played a lot of good
basketball and did a lot of great
things this year,” he said. With
a final record 21-6, and championships in both the El Segundo
Hoops Classic tournament and
Santa Barbara Tournament, the
team performed remarkably
well despite graduating a lot of
seniors from last year’s semifinalist squad.
Feldman led the team in
scoring and rebounding, averaging 13.2 points and 7.2 rebounds
per game. Senior Bryan Louff
(11.6 points per game) and Arnold (11.1 ppg and 4.3 rebounds)
were also big contributors to the
Vikings’ offensive success.
Senior Yusaf Syed Advances to
State Wrestling Competition
By Erin Nadel
Three Samo wrestlers went
to the Masters Tournament Feb
24 and 25. Seniors Yusaf Syed,
Lev Darkhovsky, and sophomore
Sami Syed competed. Senior Collin Rothschild also advanced to the
Masters Tournament but broke
his collarbone and was unable to
compete.
Darkhovsky won one match
and lost two, Sami Syed broke even
with two wins and two losses, and
Yusaf Syed won four matches and
defaulted two more in finals.
The tournament, held in
Stockton, included 300 different
schools from the Southern California area. Competing in the 152
lb weight class, Yusaf Syed took
first overall in the Masters Meets.
“In the semifinals match I threw a
competitor down so hard he literally [defecated] in his pants,”he
commented. Yusaf Syed is one of
only three Samo wrestlers to ever
win this competition.
Yusaf Syed is competing in
the state meets this weekend. “It’s
amazing to be a part of something
I’ve been watching for so long,” he
said. Wish him good luck!
third in CIF going into
playoffs, were able to
keep the lead after
Dacosta’s score and
moved onto the second round, where they
faced powerhouse La
Habra on Feb. 21.
The Shebas got off
to a promising start.
With a goal coming
from senior Samantha
Greene after a cross
from junior Allison
Gourvitz, the Shebas
took a 1-0 lead to begin
the game. This advantage was cut short
soon after though,
Senior Samantha Greene dribbles past a as the La Habra girls
Flintridge Prep defender in the opening quickly scored a goal
round of the CIF playoffs on Feb. 16. The of their own. La Habra
girls won 1-0 in double overtime.
scored again with a
goal from the same
Photo by Jesse Grebler-Hull player, an outside midfielder the Shebas had
DaCosta received a throw-in trouble guarding.
from sophomore Monica Mirch
The Shebas fell behind
and slid the ball into the bot- and went into halftime losing
tom right corner of the goal. 4-2. During the second half the
The Shebas, who were ranked coaches changed their strategy,
and switched the line-up to apply more pressure on offense,
but the Shebas were unable to
make up the deficit and ended
up losing 5-2.
While the mood was somber after the loss, one cannot
forget all the good times the
team had. Senior Michela Fitten said, “Samo soccer has been
a huge part of my high school
career. The girls on this team
constantly remind me why I
love soccer so much. I’ll never
forget some of the times I’ve
had being a Lady Sheba.”
Head of Soccer Frank
Gatell summed up the season,
saying “These girls have nothing to be ashamed of. Four of
the seniors [Danielle Duarte,
Fitten, Greene and Amelia
Daly] have played varsity all
four years, and their efforts
and dedication definitely contributed to the program.”
Ultimately, although the
Shebas did not win CIF, they
will still go down as being one
of the best Samo soccer teams
there has ever been.
Sports Editor
Cheer Returns
From Nationals
Girls Soccer Falls to La Habra
Editor-In- Chief
Staff Writer
By Emily Foshag
Samo’s Cheer squad recently
returned from the United Cheer
Association’s National Competition, which took place in
Orlando, Florida. The squad,
which competed as one of 50 in
the Small Varsity division, failed
to make it to the competition’s
final round despite a strong
performance.
Co-captain Samantha Gordon expressed her pride in the
team’s ability to compete at such
a prestigious competition: “We
performed our routine be�er
than we ever had before,” said
Gordon. While Samo’s squad attended the National competition
for the first time in school history,
many other squads a�end UCA
Nationals annually.
Next year, Gordon hopes
that the girls will use this experience to continue to improve and
reach an even higher level. As for
now, the squad is preparing for
yet another competition, which
will take place this Saturday at
the Kodak Theater.
By Michael Bromberg
After a record season, the
Lady Shebas had a tumultuous playoff run that ended
heartbreakingly Feb. 20 in 5-2
loss to La Habra. This match
came after an incredibly hard
fought win against Flintridge
Prep in the first round of CIF
playoffs.
The Lady Shebas went into
their first playoff match primed
and ready to play. What they
got, playing Flintridge Prep on
February 16, was an epic battle
that tested the heart and will
of each Sheba player.
The Shebas dominated the
game, getting multiple shots on
goal without ever scoring, in
part due to the strong play of
the opposing goalie, who will
play at Yale next fall. Because of
this, the game stayed scoreless
all the way until the end of the
second half of the second overtime. At this time, with only a
few minutes left before penalty
kicks, senior Sheba Daniela