The Fourth Estate January Issue

the

FOURTH estate

LAGUNA BLANCA SCHOOL

VOL XXIII

ISSUE 3

FEBRUARY 2018

NEWS & FEATURE

LOCAL DISASTERS

6 9 10 12 13 14

16 18 20 22 24 25 26 28 29

Net Neutrality Illustrated Interview Grade Inflation Winter Instagrams Most Embarrassing Moments An Interview with Dan Ary

Honoring Victims Montecito Mudslides How You Can Help The Damage You Can't Sea Climate Change Impact Evacuation Items Stance of the Staff Katherine Pointer's Story Letter from Rob Hereford

SPORTS

LIFESTYLE

37 38 41 42 43 44

45 46 48 50

In Defense of Cross Country Sports Summaries Recruited Students Why Football Matters Football Season Pre-game Rituals

Picking Colleges No Ivy, No Problem 10-10-10 Film Competition Free Music

OPINION

COVER INFO

30 32 34 35

FEATURED: Montecito Vigil at the Courthouse Sunken Gardens PHOTO Rose Houglet '18

Sex Scandals Stranger Things Cast "I'm Not a Toy" The Price of Christmas

OUR TEAM EDITORS-IN-CHIEF Aura Carson Rose Houglet Carina Tedesco

MANAGING & OPINION EDITOR Kailea Hieshima SENIOR ADVISOR Jack Stein

SOCIAL MEDIA DIRECTOR Ava Morouse

BUSINESS EDITOR Amanda Skinner

WEB DIRECTOR Sydney Edgecomb

MAGAZINE STAFF Ian Brown Daisy Finefrock Beau Glazier Kathryn Norris Phoebe Stein Mia Waters Boning Zhang Itziar de Pedro Sarasola

SPORTS EDITOR Kelly Bickett

WEB DESIGNER Jules Bernard

FACULTY ADVISOR Trish McHale, MJE

CREATIVE DIRECTOR Sonya Kotler COPY EDITOR Jackson Hurley

LIFESTYLE EDITOR Kendall White

INDEPENDENT STUDIES EDITOR Caylin Zimmerman

NEWS & FEATURE EDITOR Julia Fay

PHOTOGRAPHER Katherine Monroy ARTIST Beau Glazier WEB STAFF Annelle King Sofia Fouroohi-Martin Hannah Miller Patrick Otte Zane Zemeckis

Letter from the Editors

A

s we entered into 2018, the role of The Fourth Estate was put into perspective.

With our county devastated by the Thomas Fire and mudslides, those of us who could get to school began to think about how to best capture the hurt and the hope in our community. By reaching out to students and faculty members who have lost homes and loved ones, we have been trying to grasp the effects of the largest natural disaster in Santa Barbara’s history. With articles such as “How You Can Help” and “A Letter from Rob Hereford,” we hope that this issue brings some light and inspiration as you begin to move forward. Additionally, we hope that you find some levity and distraction in our articles written prior to the events. We thank Clay Rodgers, Katherine Pointer, Rob Hereford, Jodie Willard and all the other Owls who contributed to this issue through their touching and personal stories and photos.

Laguna strong.

Aura Carlson, Rose Houglet & Carina Tedesco

www.thefourthestate.net

MISSION STATEMENT The Fourth Estate is an open forum created for and by journalism students of Laguna Blanca Upper School. We hope to use this space to cover events, interviews, and topics of interest in greater depth.

Our creative team of photographers, artists, and writers strive to capture the voice of the students and tell their stories in a compelling way. Our staff seeks to be a platform for creative expression and to report on events and ideas of importance to our readers and to focus on topics of significance and interest to inform and entertain the school community.

LETTERS TO THE EDITORS The Fourth Estate welcomes guest columns and letters to the editor. Letters must be signed and must be no longer than 400 words. Editors reserve the right to edit for length, clarity and/or taste.

Anonymous letters will not be published. The Fourth Estate reserves the right to reject advertising. Opinions expressed in this publication reflect the perspectives of the staff whose goal is to inform our readers with reliable information from which to base decisions and opinions. Editorials represent the voice of the staff and are voted on by the entire staff. Columns and commentaries are labeled as such and represent the opinion of the author. The Fourth Estate publishes five issues per year with a senior insert in the last issue.

SUBSCRIBERS We mail issues to subscribers and advertisers and exchange papers with high school journalism classes across the country. The staff strives for accuracy and when factual errors occur, we will correct the error in the next issue.

COLOPHON This is the third issue and 23th volume (published in January) of the Laguna Blanca School, 4125 Paloma Dr., Santa Barbara, CA 93110, newsmagazine, The Fourth Estate. Contacts are available at tmchale@lagunablanca.org, (805) 687-2461 x317 or www.thefourthestate.net. Laguna Blanca School has an EK through 12th grade student population of approximately 400, with 100 in the Lower School, 110 in the Middle School and 182 in the Upper School, and a faculty of approximately 60.

The Fourth Estate is an 8.5 by 11 newsmagazine, created on Apple computers on Adobe InDesign CS6, using Gill Sans and Caslon font families and printed on glossy paper free for students and $40 for a yearly subscription. The magazine is distributed to all Upper School students through the school’s advisory program and sent by mail to subscribers, with 400 copies printed per issue. We are associated with NSPA, CSPA and JEA.

CORRECTIONS November Issue: On page 6, misspelled Erik Faust’s name. On page 17, misspelled Merith VelazquezJimenez’s name. On page 24, misidentified Katherine Perez position on the football team, which should be “Assistant to Athletic Trainer.” On page 24 repeated several questions.

The Illustrated Interview with Conor Scheinberg

What job would you be terrible at?

Zookeeper.

What is your favorite thing to draw?

Made-up people or figures.

What is your dream pet?

Anteater.

Where do you come from?

Cito :)

Draw a self portrait.

What is your dream job?

Artist.

What is your dream car?

The one that kids draw.

If you could invent anything, what would it be?

Flying Bike.

Who inspires you?

Jim Morrison.

NEWS 5

What is Net Neutrality?

WORDS Aura Carlson, Rose Houglet & Jackson Hurley EDITORIAL CARTOON Jack Stein

T

here is very little about the internet that can be said to be neutral. Least of all net neutrality. But what does the term even mean?

According to Business Insider, net neutrality “prevent[ed] internet providers like Verizon and Comcast from dictating the kinds of content you’re able to access online” meaning access to internet sources was equal, “creat[ing] an even playing field among content providers … and it’s great for consumers because they can access everything they want online for no extra charge.”

www.thefourthestate.net

In recent months, the Federal Communications Commission repealed net neutrality, after companies like Verizon argued that net neutrality “chokes their revenue potential,” and wanted to decide “what people see online and charge content providers accordingly.” Similarly, Comcast supported the repeal, meeting with the FCC to discuss ways of preventing states from passing their own net neutrality laws.

Until Dec. 14, 2017, the date of the hearing to vote on the Restoring Internet Freedom Order, net neutrality was protected by the FCC. The vote was split

3-2; Democratic commissioners Mignon Clyburn and Jessica Rosenworcel voted to protect net neutrality, but FCC chair Ajit Pai and two Republicans, Michael O’Rielly and Brendan Carr, voted to repeal it.

Despite the results of the commission’s vote, there was overwhelming bipartisan support online to protect net neutrality.

According to online source The Verge the FCC received 22 million comments on the debate, nearly all of which were in favor of protecting net neutrality. The FCC said that the comments were mixed, but according to a senior FCC official, 7.6

million of those comments were the same said Business Insider. Now, rather than are nearly universally in agreement that letter, submitted using 45,000 fake email having equal access to information on the natural monopolies like cable companies addresses. After this came out, addressing internet,Vox News says, “They’ll be able must be regulated by the government that the other 14.5 million comments, the to charge you more to access sites you allows them to exist.

FCC claimed to not consider them unless currently visit for free, cap how much data Net neutrality essentially gives these they were phrased in “unique legal terms” you’re allowed to use, redirect you from monopolies complete free reign to raise rather than opinion. sites you are trying to use to sites they their prices on consumers, and worse, For the past nine years,Verizon, Comwant you to use instead and block you gives them another monopoly that didn’t cast and AT&T have together spent over from being able to access apps, products exist before, and need not exist at all. half a million dollars lobbying the FCC to and information offered by their competi- Previously, cable companies held only the end net neutrality. Pai, who was appointed tors or other companies they don’t like.” monopoly on consumers’ access to a free to the FCC in 2012 by President Barack And not only will it be possible for spe- internet. Now, they also hold a monopoly Obama, was named chairman by current cific websites to be blocked, but dependon internet companies’ access to their President Donald Trump shortly after tak- ing on how much one pays, their service consumers, and will charge accordingly, ing office. Before working for the FCC, Pai provider could determine their internet as monopolists whose only objective is worked for Verizon, a huge advocate for speed. maximizing profit. the repeal of net neutrality. With strong In terms of which consumers will be The price for access to internet-goers connections to pro-repeal could rise to the point special interests, Pai, dethat only a select few spite being legally required internet companies will They’ll be able to charge you more to access to consider the voice of be able to afford it. Thus, the public, was clear on his companies that already sites you currently visit for free, cap how decision. have the money to afford much data you’re allowed to use, redirect With net neutrality access will survive and gone, the repeal could be you from sites ... to sites they want you to use even thrive with faster both good and bad for speeds, while smaller, instead, and block you from being able to ac- poorer companies will consumers. The repeal cess apps, products, and information offered be blocked or slowed allows big internet service providers to charge conby their competitors or other companies they down to the point that tent providers who want nobody uses them anydon’t like.” — Aja Romano access to their consumers. more, and they go out of This could be beneficial business. for consumers because in The consolidation of theory, this additional revenue could mean most affected by this repeal — minorities, internet traffic into a handful of enormous consumers having free data plans. Howev- rural communities and internet developcompanies (Google, Facebook, Netflix, er, counting on cable companies’ charity ers — Vox news says, “Members of society Amazon, etc.) will be amplified, and small and care for their customers could be who have historically been marginalized startups with no money will never get off false hope, according to everyone who has and silenced will be in danger of being the ground. ever interacted with a cable company. further marginalized and silenced.”

Far from fueling innovation, the repeal According to online source Bustle, Most people only have one option for of net neutrality turns the internet, which another pro of repealing net neutrality is internet: the cable company, which has a used to be a low-cost, level playing field that it would drive innovation, allowing monopoly — the government has allowed on which anyone could build a business companies to test out different business only that company to provide internet from almost nothing, and where non-profmodels. In the current model, low-data through cables in the ground. In high its like Wikipedia could be supported by users pay as much as heavy-data users, and school microeconomics, one learns that the community with very little cost, into some believe that companies like Netflix when left to their own devices, monopoan expensive, ever more rigid hierarchy of and Amazon, which use up a lot of the lies like these cable companies will raise existing rich websites whose innovative internet capacity for video streaming, take prices far above the optimal level for soci- competitors are wiped out. advantage of the broadband infrastructure. ety, until many consumers are incapable of Although it may seem like the decision However, net neutrality’s repeal could paying for the product. is set in stone,Vox news points out, “It be disadvantageous for consumers and For this reason, many of the monopolies could be a long time before we start to the decades-old precedent of equality and that were stifling the rest of the econosee the full effects [of the repeal] … and freedom online because the internet promy with their overpricing tactics in the there’s even a ghost of a chance that the viders could “be the masters who dictate early twentieth century were broken up repeal might be overturned by the US exactly what we’re able to view online,” and forced into competition. Economists Court of Appeals.”

”

NEWS 7

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FEATURE 9

A

ccording to a study done by Michael Hurwitz of the College Board and Jason Lee of the University of Georgia, “In 1998, 38.9 percent of kids in high school had an average grade of an A,” but by 2016, “the average number of students with A’s had increased to 47 percent.” Needless to say, there was not a 20 percent increase in merit during those 18 years.

WHAT IT IS According to PrepScholar writer Samantha Lindsays, “Grade inflation is when average grades are skewed artificially high because class assessments are too easy and/or teachers are too lenient.”

One way to determine whether schools have grade inflation or not is to look at their average grade point averages. If a school has an average grade point average of 3.0 or higher, that school has a higher than average rate of grade inflation.

Stuart Rojstaczer and Christopher Healy, authors of the paper “Grade Inflation Chroniclers Extraordinaire,” quoted a well-known professor from the University of Florida who said, “When grading time came, and we knew that giving a C meant that our student (who deserved a D) would go into the jungle, we did one better and gave him a B.” By giving this student an undeserved grade, professors were saving their students from being shipped off to the Vietnam War. Although times have changed, there continue to be various reasons for grades being raised.

FACTORS Looking deeper into the issue, Hurwitz and Lee found that grade inflation was more common in wealthier private schools which “had cases of grade inflation

GR DE Inflation WORDS Aura Carlson & Phoebe Stein PHOTO Aura Carlson

we are saying is that it is important we at three times the rate of public schools.” amount of energy, and many teachers Based on input from students, faculty and would rather spend their energy on creat- have some sort of standardized measure like the SAT … [because there is] enorparents, the main causes of grade inflation ing lessons and/or working with students mous variation among high schools and are school reputation, college admissions as opposed to battling over grades. [their] variation of grade inflation.” and student/parent stress.

CONSEQUENCES Not being graded for one’s true quality Because of student and parent stress, To students, grade inflation may seem of work and effort can lead to difficulty in teachers receive a lot of pressure from like a good thing. However, grade inflation college. families to give good grades, especially at actually has unknown negative conseZaira Paredes ’17, now a freshman at private schools where students’ college quences: unpreparedness for college and the University of Southern California, expectations are generally higher. struggle in the college admissions process. said, “The major difference between high Students feel the need to have all A’s Senior Jackson Hurley said, “30 years school and college grading would be that and even A+’s to look good for college ago, you could get into the top colleges in college, you get exactly what you deadmissions. Junior Andrew Tolles said he in the country based almost entirely on serve. The amount of effort you put into feels pressure to get good grades “for the having straight A’s. Now, top students a class will be reflected in your semester college process,” saying, “I feel as though find it increasingly difficult to differentigrade no matter what.” She said that colthis is the next big step in my life and ate themselves from many of their peers lege is harder because “you really do have can determine what my life will be in the who receive identical perfect grades for to dedicate yourself in a way you really future.” average work. Good grades are now a never have before.”

Head of Laguna’s Challenge Success program Katharine Piller SOLUTIONS agrees that for students, Chiment suggests, “It would “getting perfect grades to get Getting perfect grades to get into be better for schools to into college is a big part of publish college graduation college is a big part of the stress, but the stress.” Her biggest conrates from alums from four cern is that “it’s taking away my biggest concern is that it’s taking years earlier.

This incentivizes kids’ love of learning.” schools to prepare students away kids’ love of learning.”

French instructor Valerie for success in college and reYoshimura, who is also the — Katharine Piller moves the conflict of interest parent of a high school senior, of mere college acceptance.” said that student grade obsession “has The stress that students have over multiple sources — primarily, I daresay, grades is only exacerbated by constant parents and the pressure that they exert given, and applicants must be doing other up-to-the-minute reporting of every on their kids in this kind of equation that activities to differentiate themselves from score. success equals [going to] a good school.” others.”

Chiment suggests that schools “stop She admits to having “hound[ed]” her son “It’s frustrating to work incredibly hard posting grades online. Students should ask to “do better” with his grades for years, in a class and not have your grade reflect the teacher how they are doing and what but when helping him apply to college, she how hard you are working. When you they can improve upon. A student’s perrealized “the application provides a broad know you can get an A in an ‘easier’ class, formance is more nuanced than a simple picture of a given candidate, and that it makes you less motivated to take the number, and it deserves a conversation. grades truly are just one part.” harder classes and push yourself mentally Unfortunately, colleges need a “grade” to Commenting on why some schools because I know I can get better grades summarize this performance, but during end up inflating grades, Math Department in some classes, while in other classes the quarter, students and teachers need to Chair Paul Chiment said, “Many schools it’s exhausting to try and get a mediocre talk to each other.” advertise the specific colleges to which grade,” added a student who asked to be One teacher’s or one school’s valiant their most recent graduates have been anonymous. stand is likely to be counterproductive. admitted. This creates a conflict of interest A hard-working student earning B’s in Overall, this trend is unlikely to reverse on the part of the school in that schools a harshly graded course might not appear unless our society values fairness over benefit from grade inflation. High grades as qualified as a less-hard-working student their own kid’s grade. mean more college admissions, making the earning A’s in an easily graded class.

The American education system, as a school more marketable to prospective College admissions have no idea which whole, needs to come together to combat families and hopefully increasing tuition teachers grade fairly versus the ones this problem.

Parents should stop blaming revenue.” inflating grades. teachers for their children’s grades, and Chiment added, “Another factor is Hurwitz of the College Board told students need to stop worrying so much teacher fatigue. It is easier to give high Inside Higher Education, “We’re not saying about perfect grades. grades than low ones. We all have a finite you should just ignore grades. But what

”

FEATURE 11

INTERVIEW Kendall White GRAPHIC Beau Glazier & Jack Stein

“I would say that one of my most embarrassing moments while teaching was when a student called me ‘mom’ by accident during class, and then proceeded to explain that he had thought about me as a ‘mom’ type before and had actually dreamt about it.”

“I was standing at the end of my table and backed up to go back to the board, and I tripped over a piece of equipment. I was wearing a skirt that went past my knees. I couldn’t make the space between my legs wider or separate my legs to catch myself. My legs were up and the rest of me was down and nobody came to help me. They all just laughed.”

“Ace wanted to prove Newton’s First Law by pulling a tablecloth out from underneath a set table. If done correctly, the tablecloth would come out smoothly, not disturbing anything. However, Ace pulled the tablecloth at an angle causing the silverware to go flying. The class watched as a fork flew through the air and stabbed Ace in the cheek.”

- Senior Sydney Edgecomb

an interview with INTERVIEW Rose Houglet PHOTO Katherine Monroy

Where did you grow up?

I grew up in a place called Lenox near Inglewood, California

What is one place that you would love to visit?

I think I’d love to visit China because I’m fascinated by Chinese art, and I would love to see the Great Wall.

How many siblings do you have? Boys and girls?

17 children total, so 16 siblings, 9 sisters, 7 brothers.

What is something that not many people know about you?

I went to Junior Seminary when I was in high school.

Where did you go to college?

I went to UCSB. What jobs have you had other than teaching at Laguna?

When I was at the college, I worked as a fellowship recipient for the years when I was in graduate school. Then, I worked as the corporate director of computer services for a large corporation called General Research Corporation, which was eventually acquired by AT&T. I did that for about 18 years.

Now, I teach at [Santa Barbara City College], and I teach two courses there usually.

What was/is your favorite part of those jobs?

At General Research Corporation, my favorite part of the job was the people who I hired to work for me. They were a wonderful team, which always makes it worthwhile. The worst part of that job was that I had to travel a lot. At Laguna, the best part of the job is the kids.

Why is math important?

Math is the gateway drug to science. Without mathematics, science would be hobbled.

Describe one of your favorite moments as a teacher.

I was teaching a student in the Math Lab at SBCC and was trying to explain the half-life formula to a student, not one of mine. After ten minutes the student finally understood and announced to me and the room that it was the first time that a complex math formula made sense to him. He was overjoyed, and I was elated.

What is your favorite math-related quote?

“There’s no crying in mathematics.”

What is your favorite philosophical quote?

“Mathematics is only difficult until you know it.”

Describe your perfect weekend day.

I spend the morning here at Laguna working with my students, and then I spend the afternoon with my wife, helping out, fixing things at the house, going shopping, all that kind of stuff.

www.thefourthestate.net

What do you love about teaching?

I love the interaction with the students, and I love it when they finally understand a concept that they found difficult originally — that’s the rewarding part.

What is your favorite lunch meal?

My daughter fixes my lunches — they are all homemade, and they’re all absolutely wonderful.

[She makes] everything from spaghetti to soup. I would probably say [my favorite is] her Irish stew.

If you were going to be stranded on an island what food would you take?

Wine.

If you had to live somewhere else, where would it be?

Sorrento, Italy.

If you had to give your younger self one piece of advice, what would it be?

Work less and play more. Life is sweet. Enjoy it.

the Thomas Fire the Mudslides & the Aftermath

In Memoriam

Jonathan Benitez, 10 Kailly Benitez, 3 Faviola Benitez Calderon, 28 Marilyn Ramos, 27 MartĂ­n Cabrera-Munoz, 48 David Cantin, 49 Sawyer Corey, 12 Morgan Corey, 25 Peter Fleurat, 73 John McManigal, 61 Alice Mitchell, 78 James Mitchell, 89

Mark Montgomery, 54 Caroline Montgomery, 22 Rebecca Riskin, 61 Roy Rohter, 84 Josephine Gower, 69 Peerawat Sutthithepa, 6 Pinit Sutthithepa, 30 Richard Taylor, 79 Joseph Francis Bleckel, 87 Missing as of 01/23

John “Jack” Cantin, 17 Lydia Sutthithepa, 2

www.thefourthestate.net

Paradise Not Lost After Devastating Mudslides WORDS & PAGE Carina Tedesco PHOTO Camila Lemere

Over the last two months, the strength of our county has been tested in ways that many of us are still struggling to comprehend. But, with the help of thousands of firefighters and city workers, Santa Barbara has already begun to repair, rebuild and regain its strength.

D

ue to severe mudslides and floods on Jan. 6, the Once it became light, Rodgers and his father were Montecito community lost countless homes, able to pack some of their important personal belongings parents, grandparents, children, friends and pets. into backpacks. Around noon, he and his father were able In a community so closely knit, it is safe to say that we to make contact with firefighters in their area. have all been affected to some degree by the tragedy The firefighters informed them that they could not that overtook our city. transport them anywhere, but that if both he and his Some of our Laguna Blanca community members father were able-bodied and healthy, they could make the were forced to confront the disastrous mud and two-mile walk to the Montecito Vons, where uninjured destructive debris face to face. Since firefighters and residents were assembling. officials were not able to predict where exactly the “So we pretty much just put on our backpacks and devastation would hit hardest, the vast majority of vicwalked out through the mud and debris to get to Vons,” tims chose to remain in said Rodgers. After walktheir homes, with little ing waist deep, sometimes reason to be concerned in mud and debris After I woke up, my dad and I pushed more, for their immediate for a mile, the two were our way through the mud to get upsafety. picked up by a sheriff, Many of the reswho drove them for the stairs.” — Senior Clay Rodgers idents were in a remaining mile.

“Voluntary Evacuation Rodgers explains that Zone” and were issued the whole experience was the warning that “there is a potential threat to life and so shocking that he still doesn’t really know how to feel, property, but [it] does not require leaving immediately.” admitting, “It’s still kind of a daze.”

One of the residents under voluntary evacuation was Rodgers and his family haven’t been able to assess senior Clay Rodgers, who chose to remain at home, what they have lost yet, but he says, “The family tea set, believing that his home and life were not at immediate which has been passed down through generations is risk. However, Rodgers did not wake up to his school gone, and all of my drums and musical instruments are alarm on the morning of January 9. destroyed. All of our furniture and lots of family photos Instead, Rodgers woke up in the early hours of and stuff like that are also destroyed.” morning to his father’s repeated yelling; “Clay! Get up!”

Despite their losses, Rodgers emphasized that he is The mud had broken into his home while he and just grateful his entire family is safe. They are now renting his father were sleeping. His mother, brother and dog, a house in Hope Ranch until summer. After that, he and fortunately, were in LA at the time, a fact which he his family may move back to Chicago, where his family is describes as a “lucky coincidence.” originally from, at least for some time.

When Rodgers’ father heard their door break down, Although horrific and devastating, Rodgers’ story is he ran downstairs to find mud rushing into their home. similar to that of over 400 other Montecito residents.

After Rodgers was woken by his father, the two made And while the healing process will surely take a long their way through the mud to the second floor of their time, our community has already come together in home. They “camped out” upstairs with no electricity or unimaginable ways to support each other and begin to water until the sun rose in the morning. mend the many wounds inflicted upon our community.

”

LOCAL DISASTERS 19

WORDS & PAGE Carina Tedesco GRAPHIC Itziar de Pedro

In times of immeasurable devastation, the Laguna Blanca community stepped up in various ways as volunteers to help their struggling fellow members of the community.

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aguna Blanca’s core values of Character and Community proved to be more than just words in times of local devastation. From high school students to faculty members, the Owls took much of their own time and energy to volunteer in helping victims of the Thomas Fire and mudslides.

The night after the Thomas Fire reached Ventura, sophomore Natalie McCaffery sent a mass email to the entirety of the Upper School asking for help: she, and the rest of the Girl Scouts, needed numerous different household and self-care items to pack into bags and deliver to victims.

“We made around 100 care bags for the fire victims. The bags had toothbrushes, toothpaste, shampoo, conditioner, wipes, water bottles, power bars, soap, notebooks, pens and towels,” McCaffery said.

McCaffery’s Girl Scout troop got together as soon as possible after the fire began to discuss how they could support the numerous victims who lost their homes. Working urgently, the Girl Scouts were able to collect over 1,200 items for their care bags.

Most of the items in the bags were donated to the troop from local businesses and drug stores.

McCaffery emphasized the generosity of the businesses she and the Girl Scouts reached out to, when she described the process of compiling the bags as a community effort.

When asked why the Girl Scouts chose to make care bags with household necessities, McCaffery said, “We chose these basic items because they are most likely the things that one wouldn’t think of grabbing in a state of emergency.”

Two teachers who also decided to volunteer in a very handson environment were Katherine Pointer and Rose Steeber, although their volunteering was geared toward the firefighters

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rather than the evacuees.

On the Monday after the Thomas Fire began, Pointer and Steeber drove to a mobile volunteer kitchen in Ventura. The kitchen was set up to feed the firefighters and other first responders between their shifts.

The kitchen operated out of Holy Cross School behind the San Buenaventura Mission. While Pointer and Steeber volunteered, there were about 50 other volunteers, rotating shifts throughout the day.Volunteers chopped fruit, vegetables and meat and made sandwiches for lunches and dinners.

“Both of us felt very strongly that we wanted to do something to thank the firefighters and first responders for the work that they were doing. Especially since my house had been affected, it was really important for me to give back — it was a tangible way to say thank you to the firefighters,” Pointer said.

Laguna Blanca Director of Communications, Tara Broucqsault, lent her support to Laguna community members. After former Latin teacher, Stephanie Anderson, lost her home in the Thomas Fire, Broucqsault began to rally faculty and staff who knew Anderson, to donate funds, furniture, household supplies and clothing.

“In one day, thanks to our generous community of helpers, we collected $400, a dining table, dining room chairs, an easy chair, a desk with school supplies for Stephanie’s son, Zach, TV, pots and pans, clothing, blankets, decorative items, Christmas tree decorations, Christmas gift wrapping supplies, tools and more,” said Broucqsault.

Across the board, Laguna Blanca community members demonstrated their generosity and dedication by serving others in a time when our community needed it most.

Following tragic events like natural disasters, it is typical for survivors to feel helpless, and even experience “Survivor’s Guilt,” which is just what it sounds like: an intense feeling of guilt survivors often feel after any type of traumatic event.

Psychologists have found that the best ways to cope with “Survivor’s Guilt” are volunteering your time and donating funds or supplies. Here are seven ways you can support the community.

To support organizations providing medical help, you can donate to Direct Relief or Portlight, an organization that focuses on aid for disabled victims.

Junior Sofia Fouroohi-Martin created a “SB Strong” T-shirt design. Fouroohi-Martin is selling her T-shirts and is donating all proceeds to groups affected by the Thomas Fire and mudslides.

Food, water and volunteers are needed at our local foodbanks.Visit the websites of Foodbank of Santa Barbara and The Associated Students Food Bank for details.

Local hospitals are still filled with injured mudslide victims. Southern California is at an urgent need for all blood types. Visit the American Red Cross site to find blood donation locations.

Since many families were not able to evacuate, numerous pets were displaced from their owners. To help organizations working to reunite owners and pets, you can volunteer your time or make a monetary donation to the SB Humane Society or DAWG.

Do you have little time, but still want to help? Text UWVC to 41444 to donate to the Thomas Fire and Flood fund through United Way. Dining out supports local restaurants who have been affected by drastically lower tourism rates during what is usually the busiest time of the year.

LOCAL DISASTERS 21

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cross the Central Coast, smoke from the Thomas Fire darkened the skies, and ash rained down on homes. Here in Santa Barbara, we were asked to wear N95 masks and keep away from the toxic ash as best we could — we know what ash does to our lungs and to our eyes, but we aren’t the only ones affected. Doctoral students at the University of California, Santa Barbara are conducting the first study ever about how wildfires affect marine life and aquatic environments.

Officially, we have no idea what to expect, but there are some indications as to how our ecosystem is going to be affected.

In 1997, in the Indian Ocean surrounding Sumatra, Indonesia, the coral reefs experienced a catastrophic mass die-off.

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The area of the Sumatra Mentawai Islands had been a thriving reef ecosystem for centuries — some coral in the area dates back 7000 years — and in those years the ecosystem had survived much.

So why was this year any different? In 1997, Indonesia experienced massive wildfires followed by heavy rainfall. Sound familiar? The resulting ash and topsoil runoff introduced excessive amounts of micronutrients, factors which limit certain organisms’ growth, to the environment and water column.

When nutrients suddenly become overly abundant in an aquatic ecosystem, they encourage the rapid growth of plankton and algae, which is usually limited by such nutrients.

We know through historical records that the time period during which the coral reef ecosystem experienced its most

The Damage We Can’t Sea WORDS & GRAPHIC Jules Bernard

Some of the effects of the fire we have yet to see are now brewing deep in our oceans.

When mud and ash seep into the sea, their presence does not go unnoticed. tragic decline coincided with a massive ‘red tide,’ or a boom in red phytoplankton growth. When a boom occurs, organisms use up all the nutrients now available to them, live out their short life spans, and then die as quickly as they were born.

When plankton and algae die, they don’t just disappear; they stay on the surface of the ocean and decompose. Their decomposing biomass oxidizes, or sucks the oxygen out of the surrounding waters. Without oxygen, coral, fish and other sea life in the general vicinity asphyxiate. In the context of our Santa Barbara Channel and recently flooded Montecito watershed, this means that if things progress as they did 20 years ago in Indonesia, it’s not looking good for our aquatic friends. Even if the likelihood of such a plankton or algal bloom weren’t as high as it is, a healthy ecosystem is not in our immediate future. What was good about the Indonesian wildfires was that everything that was burning and turning

into ash was natural. It was a tropical wildfire. With the Thomas Fire, not only the natural vegetation of the mountains burned, but structures burned as well.

Ash from trees is completely different from ash that comes from houses. Think of the chemicals that are released when you burn cars, sheetrock, beds and plastic roofs.

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expect the unexpected when it comes to how our coastal community will be affected both in the coming months and long term.

If you are a surfer or a beachgoer, update yourself on Santa Barbara County beach closures. As of Jan. 23, beaches from Rincon to Goleta are closed due to contamination from runoff and mud. At Rincon beach, the water samples tested have had over 24,196 total coliform bacteria, 24 times the minimum level to be designated as hazardous. The Ocean Water Quality Monitoring Program for Ventura county has issued a statement on the contaminated water that is being pushed down the coast by currents, and urge “the public... to avoid body contact with ocean water at all beaches in Ventura County.” The runoff from Montecito is filled with mud from septic systems, and if you choose to go into the ocean, you will be in contact with disease-causing bacteria.

We can educate ourselves and avoid the ocean, but the creatures that call the Channel their home cannot walk away from the ramifications of the ash and mud in their environment.

In 1997, Indonesia experienced massive wildfires followed by heavy rainfall. Sound familiar?”

What makes the ash in this UCSB study different, according to lead scientist Kelsey Bisson, is that it “is burned from materials that are potentially hazardous.” The UCSB students will have to analyze the chemical composition of the ash before they can make any conclusions on how the ocean is affected. Moving forward, we have to

LOCAL DISASTERS 23

What role did climate change play in the recent disasters?

It’s very hard to pinpoint the exact role that global warming plays in any single extreme weather event. The whole science of that is called attribution, and right now it’s a laborious science that often takes maybe a year after the event to produce results, so we can’t say anything definitive. But we can make hypotheses. Let’s go through the chain of events, and let’s look at them in that framework.

So the first key thing is that we’re in the middle of a multi-year drought, since roughly 2011.There were a lot of rains in 2016-2017 in Northern California, but not so much Southern California. That gives you conditions that are ideal for a fire.

Now you have these very dry conditions, and we had some rain last winter, which caused some vegetation growth. We had a very, very hot fall, unusually hot, which you could say with a high degree of probability was enhanced by global warming. There was more of a heatwave than there would have been in the absence of these extra greenhouse gases.

On top of that, of course, fire, which is almost always human induced — a powerline falls down or someone shoots a gun at a rock or someone lets a campfire go wild — that, coupled with the fact that we have tended to move into these fire hazardous areas, increases the risk. We had a very, very large fire. Again, was the fire due to global warming? I don’t think you could say it was. Was it enhanced by it? I think there was a very high probability of that. I think that’s the full package: multi year drought, heat wave in the fall, very dry vegetation (which in turn can be linked to global warming) and then of course the fires.

eryone. In the last six weeks the environment has not been safe for everyone. How do we do all the things we want to do, but in a sustainable manner and within the realm of what’s possible given those environmental factors such as water pollution, air pollution, etc.?

Another one is that your going to have more extreme drying in climates like California. You know that there are always going to be folks — I was talking to my son the other day about the “Flat Earthers”— who don’t believe in evolution, or other theories that have been around for hundreds of years. Global warming is young compared to those things. The evidence is eventually going to add up. It’s really hard to deny it. There’re always going to folks that aren’t going to believe it.

A Conversation with Professor David Lea

So to our readers and the people in the Laguna community: is there anything they can do to try and make a difference?

There’s always something students can do, because students are more open to ideas than people who are older and more settled in their ways. Become informed in these issues, become an advocate. Question “why,” say “hey, we might need a new model.” I’m not a tree hugger, like I’m trying to save some striped salamander.

We want our environment to be safe for ev-

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UCSB Earth Science INTERVIEW & GRAPHIC Jack Stein

I sat down with Professor David Lea to talk about global warming and the extent of its role in the recent disasters in our community.

In light of the things that have happened, do you have anything to say about the people who make claims denying global warming?

What has happened over the last six weeks proves that global warming is affecting our world. To me the physics of the problem speaks for itself. It’s evident that if you put more greenhouse gases in the air, the climate is going to warm, and then there are consequences that come from that, and one of the consequences is that we have more extreme rainfall events.

Do you think, moving forward, should we expect more of these things to happen, until they become normal?

Not necessarily. I think a lot of people are very clever and very optimistic. For example, a colleague was talking to me about new ways to store energy, ways that I have never heard of before.

Some people require us to keep an open mind and to abandon some of our basic biases. They have certain ideas in their head: certain things are bad, certain things are good, some things won’t work, I don’t wanna do that... They’re going to have to be able to think about things in a fresh way.

I don’t think we’re doomed. I don’t think our political system is set up in such a way that we choose the best policy. We need smart young people like you to get involved, and other people at Laguna Blanca to get involved. To help move our society to make the right choices. There are always going to be the right choices, but everyone is not always going to agree.

So let’s try and move in the right direction.

We don’t all have to come together, and all become tree huggers, but just join together to protect our environment.

Would you sway that we have reached a point of no return?

No, no, I don’t think such a thing exists.

I mean, it’s possible… What happens this century is going to be critical. If we continue to burn fossil fuels at such an alarming rate, it’s not going to be looking good for us. If you ask the same question to my successors they might say we might reach the point of no return. Each increment we move forward without actually taking action reduces the possibility of reducing the damage.You can’t stop these bad things from happening, but you can limit them.

Evacuations WORDS & PAGE Caylin Zimmerman

When evacuation warnings were sent out for the Thomas Fire and mudslides, many Santa Barbara residents and Laguna students were forced to evacuate.

With evacuation comes the question, “What’s most important to me?” Some, however, did not have as much time, with only moments to evacuate or no chance to evacuate at all. Here are what some Owls took with them.

“I’m not that sentimental, and a lot of my stuff can be replaced, so I mostly just grabbed clothes and not a lot else.”

– Jack Fry ’18

“I had no time to grab my stuff. All I got was a toothbrush. I wished I had taken my grandpas ring, some pictures, my watches and various keepsakes that aren’t as easily replaceable.”

– Laird Fowler ‘18

“I thought I was only going to be gone for four days, so I only brought some clothes, soccer stuff and school supplies. I wish I had brought more clothes.”

– Finn Walker ‘21

“I wasn’t home when I was told to evacuate, so I texted my parents asking if they could grab my new jacket and water bottle that I had just bought.

That was all I could think of.”

– Carina Tedesco ‘18

“I took five books, and I wish I had taken more books. I brought clothes and some essentials, but mainly all books” – Georgia Avery ‘21

“I brought a bunch of clothes with me when I left because I had no idea how long I’d be gone. I brought important memories and pictures that I had. I wish I brought more pictures with me.”

– Ty Trosky ‘19 LOCAL DISASTERS 25

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thank you

his holiday season has been one of chaos, disaster and tragedy. It began with the Thomas Fire, which started on Dec. 4, 2017 and burned over 280,000 acres of land (making it the largest recorded wildfire in California history) from Santa Paula to Santa Barbara. It was fully contained, more than a month later, as of Jan. 12. Then came the subsequent mudslide on Jan. 9, which destroyed or damaged over 100 Montecito homes and took the lives of 21 people with two people still missing as of Jan. 23. These natural disasters have given us an anything-but-gentle reminder to hang on to what and whom we have, and to remember how lucky we are to be together in this catastrophic time.

It is impossible to put into words how thankful we are for the men and women who fought the awful fire and who searched for and rescued so many during the Montecito mudslides. But let us try.

To the firefighters who fought the Thomas Fire: Thank you for running towards the flames, so that everyone else could run away. Thank you for staying awake, so that the rest of us have beds to sleep in. Thank you, especially, to those of you who risked your lives, so that we can have ours.

And thank you to Cory Iverson, the firefighter hailing from San Diego County who passed as a result of thermal injuries and smoke inhalation. Iverson is survived by his two-year-old daughter and pregnant wife.

Over 4,400 of you came together from all over the Western United States to save and protect our community. Against the overpowering Santa Ana winds, in the bone-dry air, through the drought-driven fuel, over steep, jagged terrain, you have worked nonstop to ensure that our belongings, our pets, our families and our properties are protected.

Thank you to each and every one of you for everything you have done for our lives, families and property during these recent disasters.Your sacrifices are what have kept us safe and together. Thank you.

To the first responders in the Montecito Mudslide: Tuesday’s rain led to consequences thousands of times larger than anyone imagined. The 101 freeway remained closed for 13 days. And still the first responders worked continuously and tirelessly to search through the rubble left in the wake of the Montecito mudslide. On Jan. 21, the 101 opened. There are still two people missing, and the greater part of Montecito remains closed as of Jan. 23.

Thank you to the first responders for doing the job that the rest of us are nowhere near strong enough or brave enough to do. Thank you for cleaning up the debris. Thank you for wading through waist deep mud in search of our loved ones. Thank you for your strength in the wake of this awful disaster. Thank you for everything.

To say the least, the past month and a half has been disastrous. So thank you to the firefighters and first responders who have been working endlessly to protect our families and our communities.

– The Staff

GRAPHIC Itziar de Pedro PHOTOS Jodie Willard, Taylor Smith, Bowen Bai, Spencer Turner, Boyun Liu, Sierra Willard

What Did You Bring?

Katherine Pointer’s Story

Having lost her childhood home in the Tea Fire, science instructor Katherine Pointer tells her Thomas Fire story.

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ou may or may not know that my parents lost their home in the Tea Fire. This was the house I lived in from the time I was 15 until 23. Therefore, [during the Thomas Fire] I evacuated everything I could. Losing so many things we held dear made us more anxious to save what we still had from before the Tea Fire as well as many other things.

First, my home in Carpinteria was never actually in a mandatory evacuation zone — I was in voluntary the whole time.

I left Carpinteria due to the trauma of the Tea Fire; I can’t sleep when close to fire.

So, as soon as I heard Cate School was leaving (it’s directly behind my place by about two miles), I chose to leave. I had filled my car the night before (Tuesday). Eventually however, my neighborhood was bounded on three sides by mandatory zones all within a block or two, so I didn’t have any regrets about leaving. I went and stayed with friends in Montecito. When school got cancelled on Thursday, I went back to Carpinteria and filled my car again. On Sunday morning, I awoke about 6:20 a.m. to discover that the mandatory evacuation zone had moved to a block from where I was now staying. So, my friends and I repacked my stuff and their stuff and got out in about an hour. My sister helped get the second car load of my stuff. We then spent Sunday packing up my parents’ home which was now in the voluntary zone in Westmont faculty housing (my parents were out of town). We got six car loads of their stuff out and brought it all to my classroom at Laguna, as we had no where else to put it. Mr. Hereford and Ms. Whalen graciously gave us permission to use as much space on campus as we needed and even offered to let me and any family member who needed a place stay in their home. By five that night, [my parents’ house] was in the mandatory zone.

PHOTO Katherine Monroy

Do you wish you had brought anything else?

Most things I regretted not getting the first time, I was able to get out the second. Frankly, I don’t really own anything of much monetary value, so it was really about my emotional connections to things. I think I did a pretty good job, primarily because I’ve thought about it. I had planned out in my head a long time ago what I would bring if I only got one car trip, two trips etc.

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Car Load 1 • small bag of my clothes • small bag of cat food and supplies, the cat!!

• two bins of memorabilia from when I was a kid (art projects, books, toys etc.)

• two boxes of my parents’ slides that I was storing for them • three quilts — two made by my great grandmother, one made by my grandmother • dishes that belonged to my great aunt • several wooden items carved by my grandfather • my computer and external hard drive • passport, birth certificate, medications, gift cards I had lying around

Car Load 2 • larger suitcase of clothes • art made by my sister • three boxes of photo albums • Christmas dishes I had just inherited from my grandmother • a blanket I crocheted • about five Christmas ornaments • all my extra checks, extra contacts, my glasses • a driftwood star I have on my front door

What’s the most unusual thing you brought?

The old fashioned potato masher carved by my grandfather probably counts as unusual. As does a wooden duck.

I suppose a photo album of photos of my parents’ house when it burned down also was a profoundly ironic thing to bring with me.

My whole family is pretty nostalgic — we even were before the fire. I treasure things because of the people and memories they connect me to.

Anything that could be replaced I would rather leave behind to give space for sentimental items.

We also learned in the Tea Fire that the important documents are not so important (so no, the tax returns and insurance policies didn’t come with me).

LETTER Dear LBS Students, I am certain that many of us shared the same feelings as 2017 elapsed — good riddance to a frightening end to the year! After the smoke and fire that threatened our community had cleared, the disruption and uncertainty of that time were enough for me to want to start the New Year quicker than ever. The turning of the calendar in January provided reason for optimism, hope and higher spirits.

To all of our surprise, the events of the first weeks of January brought horrific and unimaginable devastation to the community we all share. It was difficult at first to maintain my positive outlook. The combination of the fire, flood and mudslides damaged all of us, directly or indirectly, and left a lasting impact on our community. It has been an extraordinarily challenging test for us to witness the trauma of our friends, family and neighbors. It will be years before we all recover physically, spiritually and psychologically.

Despite all that we have endured, I have found numerous reasons for optimism in the midst of the disasters. The quiet heroism of so many in our community has been strong and truly inspirational. For example, I have had the opportunity these past few weeks to work with Ellen Barger, Assistant Superintendent for the Santa Barbara County Education Office. She labored for hours through the last few weeks to support the schools in Montecito by taking the initiative and lead on emergency management for all schools in the affected areas. She personally arranged Sheriff escorts to the surrounding campuses so that school officials could ensure they were intact and to allow us access to materials. In a single weekend, she set up a brigade of bus transportation for school employees south of Montecito who could not get to work due to the closure of the 101. Additionally, she has orchestrated a process for us all to plan for a smooth return to our facilities once Montecito reopens. I have yet to meet this hero of mine in person, but Ellen has made life better for Laguna and Santa Barbara in countless ways.

Another set of heroes from our community is the staff at Girls Inc. in Goleta. They have hospitably opened their doors to our Lower School, giving a new home to our displaced program and

students. Their community has given so generously of both their time and space so that young children would have less disruption in their lives and so that families could return to a sense of normalcy.

Our student body has been more of an inspiration to me than you can imagine. Each of you has proven to be an essential piece of Laguna’s reconnection and healing. As I have seen this past week, you all have been grateful in your return to school, happy to be amongst friends and teachers and to join as a community.

Your thoughtfulness has touched me as you have found ways to give back to the community and first responders. Many of you entertained us as well — we are grateful to the cast and crew of “Rumors,” who worked so hard to give an incredible comedic gift to us all, offering the chance to laugh and lose ourselves in their terrific performance. In addition, so many of you have endured real hardship just so that you can be here at school with your teachers and friends. Examples such as these demonstrate to me the character of our student body and remind me of the comforting and loving connections of the Laguna community.

Last, but not least, I continue to be in awe of our special faculty and staff. I am reminded how fortunate we are to have our maintenance crew, who worked frantically and feverishly over the holiday break to prepare our campuses for us to return. I am grateful for our Hope Ranch faculty and staff, who have made supporting students’ wellbeing their first priority, and our Lower School faculty and staff, who built a program from almost nothing these past few weeks so that our students and families could experience life with their peers.

Because of all of these individuals and their collective positive spirit under dramatically difficult circumstances, I look ahead to the rest of 2018 with optimism, joy and gratitude. I am so thankful that all of you are here, and that we have the chance to share the benefits of this incredible community together this past year, today and in the future.

Take care,

Rob Hereford, Head of School

LOCAL DISASTERS 29

Time Will Tell WORDS Kathryn Norris

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arvey Weinstein was a tipping point in so many ways: women’s rights, equality, power struggles, human safety — the list goes on and on. Suddenly, years of abuse and harassment rose to the surface as the truth came out. It became immediately clear that times had changed, and the past history stemming from abusive men of power was no longer something a woman was expected to deal with.

Seemingly every day since early October, when women began coming out against Weinstein in droves, a different sexual harassment revelation about men in various positions of power has been on the front pages. Weinstein is now just the first in a long, long list of names.

Weinstein’s case was unique primarily because of the women who stepped forward — women viewed as powerful and credible.

In the past, women who came forward against sexual harassment had so little power that their stories and their evidence was tossed aside and discounted, or their silence was bought. But for the first time, women are being supported in their claims.

The first women who came out against Weinstein held so much power that they have given other victims the confidence and support to tell their own stories.

The resulting deluge of incidents from such a wide range of perpetrators has knocked down a shocking number of powerful men from nearly every pinnacle of industry and politics.

While victims are finally being heard and sexual harassers are finally being held accountable, there are still barriers that these high-profile cases cannot overcome.

The extensive history of men achieving influential jobs that have power over women demonstrates the difficulty in structurally changing society.

The root of this issue is the fact that the leader of our country is one of the sexual harassers with 17 accusations against him. Harvey Weinstein and Donald Trump both share the similarities of being powerful men who have used their status and wealth to harass dozens of women.

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ut while Weinstein has been condemned, Trump’s allegations have been ignored and he remains insulated from this backlash against sexual harassers. It’s not like there isn’t proof against him, as seen in the infamous Access Hollywood tape where he brags about inappropriately touching women.

He boasted about going backstage at beauty pageants and seeing the contestants naked, saying, “I’m the owner of the pageant and therefore I’m inspecting it…. so I sort of get away with things like that.”

Trump’s ex-wife Ivana Trump once accused him of rape. So, while our country declares that sexual harassment is unforgivable, the people who run our country are willing to forgive and overlook legitimate claims made against our president.

Even when the Access Hollywood tape came out before Trump’s election, his own admittance to harassing women was overlooked and ignored to the extent that he won the election.

So, while we can celebrate the justice in an incredibly powerful man like Weinstein losing everything in the wake of his accusations, it is unbelievably distressing that our president continues to run our country. How can we move forward in a world that is both equal and safe for women when Donald Trump, our president, is a sexual predator?

mitted sexual misconduct.

“And I wielded that power irresponsibly.

I also took advantage of the fact that I was widely admired in my and their community, which disabled them from sharing their story and brought hardship to them when they tried because people who look up to me didn’t want to hear it. I didn’t think I was doing any of that because my position allowed me not to think about it.”

It may be difficult to accept that in some cases women have enabled this trend of sexual harassment. According to CNN, Yvette Vega, who worked with Charlie Rose since 1991, was well aware of Rose’s behavior around women and the uncomfortable scenarios in which he was putting them.

The eight women who have come forward against Rose have accusations that include him walking around naked and receiving late night calls.

One assistant to Rose — Kyle Godfrey-Reya — told Vega the inappropriate words Rose had said to her in the early 2000s.Vega’s response of “that’s just Charlie being Charlie” sloughed off the severity of his actions and discounted Godfrey-Reya’s claims.

Women who came forward to Vega in hopes of help received no assistance from her.

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ictims who have stepped forward, and the men who have been accused of wrongful actions are in an elite level of society and have economic and professional safety that a majority of women don’t have.

The risk celebrities and actresses face coming out with accusations has been lessened by the fact that they are wealthy and respected. What we don’t hear, however, are the incidents that happen to women who have little economic and physical security — women who work in hotels, restaurants, manufacturing.

According to the Washington Post in a CNN article, researcher Jocelyn Frye found that “workers in food services and retail filed more than three times as many claims [of sexual harassment] as employ-

ccessing a job with admiration and control over subordinates’ livelihoods can create feelings of privilege that lead to entitlement.

When men use their privilege to harass or attack women, their acts often go unreported because of the victim’s fear of being fired or having their reputation ruined when they had no support or place to turn for help.

Often victims were paid to stay silent, or they had entered a previous contract to remain quiet. Sometimes they were threatened, or, even if they were willing to tell their stories, their claims were dismissed as being false: “The power I had over these women is that they admired me,” said comedian Louis C.K., who ad-

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GRAPHIC Sonya Kotler & Rose Houglet ees in the higher-paying field.”

Frye’s research notes that three quarters of those filing sexual harassment complaints are reporting retaliation, indicating that “victims are at a high risk of encountering further professional punishment if they come forward.”

These women have no buffer of economic and personal security to help them feel safe to step forward and share their stories. These cases make it obvious how large of an issue sexual harassment is, especially in the workplace, but it is still hard to grasp the full breadth of the problem. As discovered by the US Equal

Employment Opportunity Commission, “anywhere from 25% to 85% of women have experienced sexual harassment in the workplace.” And, even worse, it is estimated that 75% of harassment cases are never reported.

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he past few months have felt empowering as women’s voices are finally being heard and abusers are facing consequences. But one must keep in mind that the men facing backlash are a small handful of sexual harassers. There are still many men out there who are harassing women in the workplace and not

being held accountable.

But in the past few months, through the bravery of the women who stepped forward, our society has realized how prevalent sexual harassment is.

It isn’t just something that’s happening in the movie business, or on the political field. Harassment is something all around us that women face but are scared or unable to report.

As Oprah said in her Golden Globes speech, “For too long, women have not been heard or believed if they dare speak the truth to the power of those men. But their time is up. Their time is up.”

OPINION 31

T

he Netflix original show “Stranger Things” has gained immense popularity over the course of its first two seasons.

This science fiction show is set in a small town in Indiana where a band of close-knit friends are determined to solve the bizarre, supernatural mysteries occurring throughout the community.

Since the main characters are in middle school, the actors who play these kids are all between 13 and 16 years of age.

As “Stranger Things’”popularity has risen, becoming one of the most watched TV series in 2016, the actors have gained enormous fame in an extremely short amount of time. This is a difficult transition for anyone, but for kids as young as 13, it is completely life changing.

Naturally, the success of the show has prompted a seemingly never-ending flow of interviews, photoshoots and appearances for the cast.

The problem is that the young actors, Millie Bobby Brown, Finn Wolfhard, Gaten Matarazzo, Caleb McLaughlin, Noah Schnapp and Sadie Sink, are being portrayed in their photoshoots as if they were adults.

In one shoot, Brown, who plays Eleven on the show, is holding lipstick like she has just taken a drag of a cigarette.

In another shoot for Nylon Magazine, Schnapp has a toothpick in his mouth with one sleeve rolled up, McLaughlin has no sleeves at all and Wolfhard has his hair completely slicked back, wearing a jacket that resembles the uniform of an automobile repair shop worker.

By making Wolfhard’s outfit similar to those of the classic attractive stars in movies like “Grease” and “American Graffiti,” the magazine is clearly trying to make him appear older and more “sexy.”

I understand that these kids are famous and that magazines like Nylon are used to working with older celebrities, but that does not give them the right to use the same tactics on people with 20 year age gaps.

Kids are not supposed to be sexy, so why is the media so intent on making

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them appear so?

Quite frankly it’s disgusting, and with all the terrible stories coming out in Hollywood regarding rape and sexual assault, you’d think the media sources would be a little bit more careful with how they are portraying young kids.

The photos have, predictably, garnered interest from many different people and provided an outlet for predators to express their attraction to the actors.

Twenty-seven-year-old model Ali Michael recently tagged Wolfhard on her Instagram story and asked him to “hit her up” in four years.

Imagine if a 30-year-old man was doing that to a 14-year-old girl.

Disgusting, right? Well this is no different, and many of the model’s fans were quick to criticize her. Wolfhard responded to the comment in an interview with TMZ, simply saying that her actions were “gross.”

Another result of these photoshoots is W Magazine’s crediting of Brown as one of the reasons TV is “sexier than ever,” along with actresses and actors like James Franco and Nicole Kidman, who are both more than 20 years older than Brown.

Besides media portraying these children as “sexy” adults, there is also the problem of the attention the “Stranger Things” cast receives from their own fans.

If you look through their Instagram accounts, extremely disturbing comments are found everywhere. I looked at a single picture on Wolfhard’s Instagram

and found an abundance of perturbing comments, some of which included: “Omfg you’re so f**king fine, d*mn looking like a whole snack,” “marry me right now” and “what a daaaaddy.”

Comments like these can be expected with celebrities, but it is especially unsettling that these young teens are getting bombarded with disturbing comments every time they post a picture of themselves.

Countless times the actors have voiced how uncomfortable they feel when seeing these types of remarks, yet the comments don’t stop.

This specific situation with the “Stranger Things” cast is reflective of a larger problem encompassing all young actors.

While they are extremely well known, it is important to remember that they are still teenagers and deserve some amount of privacy and normalcy in their lives.

Being constantly in the limelight, with every action being analyzed, they have experienced incredible hardships as up-and-coming actors.

Oftentimes young actors who have been scrutinized, critiqued and sexualized throughout their childhood end up having mental breakdowns or losing their love of acting completely.

Isaak Presley, most commonly known for his acting roles in “Stuck in the Middle” and “Fuller House,” said that acting “affects the social aspects of a normal teenage life because [actors] miss out on a lot. [They] don’t get to do normal things like go to prom. I find it hard to have such a public life, and any second I have away from business is valued.”

It’s unhealthy to bombard kids with so much attention while they are still growing, and it is important to recognize that mean or disturbing comments resonate much more with children who are still growing and have insecurities.

No matter how popular “Stranger Things” has become throughout multiple generations, there is no excuse for harassing the actors or sexualizing them in magazines. Again, children are not supposed to be sexy, so respect their age and allow them the childhood that every kid deserves — one where they aren’t sexually harassed for posting a picture of themselves on social media.

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From Stranger Things to Sexier Things

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OPINION 33

Toys and clothes aren’t the only things given as gifts during the winter holidays. Dogs and other animals are purchased, stuffed into boxes, played with … and returned.

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he fresh smell of pine needles, the crinkle of recycled wrapping paper.You sit under the tree in your onesie pajamas, warmly snuggled in a cozy flannel.

Mom and Dad walk in carrying a wrapped box with a big red bow around it.

You hear a muffled bark from inside the box, and your face breaks out in a knowing grin. They place the package in front of you, and you tear open the paper and rip off the lid.

A bundle of fur bounds out, covering your face with slobbery dog kisses. This is the best morning of your life.

Often that perfect morning fades away, and people are left to face the harsh reality that they aren’t well equipped to be dog owners.

More and more, whether for Christmas, Hanukkah or any other winter holiday, people give each other one particular outside-the-box gift — dogs.

According to a study done by the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (RSPCA), during the duration of the 2015 winter holidays, over 600 dogs were returned.

In a different study, the RSPCA published that three pets were desert-

WORDS Phoebe Stein GRAPHICS Itziar de Pedro

www.thefourthestate.net

ed or returned every hour in the days between Dec. 23 and Dec. 27.

Dogs should not be given as presents, especially to people who aren’t equipped or ready to take care of them.

These innocent animals can be returned for a host of reasons, from “we didn’t expect it to be so energetic” to “we thought it was a boy.”

All of these reasons have one thing in common: the families are unaware of the responsibilities of being an owner and are ill-equipped to take care of their animals.

I spoke with Sharon Morris, the president of the Southern California Golden Retriever Rescue (SGCRR), on this topic.

The SCGRR fosters dogs and works to find each dog its permanent home.

When I asked her to explain the possible reasons why families return their dogs, she said, “Sometimes folks get puppies and have puppy amnesia — they forget how much work puppies are!”

This issue made itself clear in 1961 after the release of the Disney movie “101 Dalmatians.”

The film portrays the dogs as

family-friendly, kid-loving pups. Despite being polite and loyal, in reality, Dalmatians are hyperactive when not exercised enough and can be aggressive when mishandled.

In spite of shelters’ numerous warnings against bringing them into a home with children, adoption rates of Dalmatians around the holidays were through the roof. So were return rates.

When asked about how shelters and rescues prevent people from giving up their dogs, Morris said, “As a rescue, we try very hard to be sure that the dogs we adopt aren’t returned to us — matching the dog to the family — not finding a dog for a family. Everything we do is for the dog.”

She went on to say, “We would ask everyone who is reading your article, never, ever to buy from a pet store.” In her opinion, as a rescue, they are better equipped to find dogs a perfect home than pet stores because everything they do is for the dogs.

So, during this time after winter break, consider using some of your holiday money to donate or even check out your local shelters to see if you can give one of these dogs a real and loving forever home.

WORDS Itziar de Pedro GRAPHICS Itziar de Pedro

“Maybe Christmas, the Grinch thought, doesn’t come from a store. Maybe Christmas, perhaps ... means a little bit more!” — Dr. Seuss.

E

veryone dreams about ‘the most wonderful time of the year’. The weeks leading up to Christmas Day are full of energy, with people eager to spend time with their loved ones and kids buzzing with excitement. But it seems like consumerism is devouring this spirit and making the holidays stressful and dreaded by grownups.

Christmas should be a time filled with joy, kindness and love. Traditions take place, memories are created, relationships are tightened and families are united. Take the ‘Christmas Truce’ for example: on Dec. 24 and 25, 1914, during World War I, French, German and British soldiers ventured out of their trenches and into no man’s land, in a short-lived ceasefire, to sing carols, play soccer, exchange prisoners and hold joint burial ceremonies.

But in today’s commercialized world, instead of burying war victims, we are burying the Christmas spirit.

Companies who really only want our money are making us believe, through bombarding us with advertisements, sales (such as Black Friday or Cyber Monday) and other marketing techniques, that gift buying is the only way to enjoy the festivities.

No longer unique to December, holiday decorations and gifts are appearing in stores even before Halloween. We

are being pressured and obliged to purchase things.

But these things aren’t what Christmas is supposed to be about. We cannot buy happiness.

The meaning of Christmas — to be in unity with family and friends — has been erased and substituted by useless, expensive objects that are thrown into closets and never opened again.

Although some people argue that this benefits the economy, it has become an exaggeration and consequently results in stress, wasting money and damage to the environment.

It is not black or white: we have to find a balance: some sort of gray.

When giving a gift, make it meaningful.

Don’t buy gifts according to how expensive they are; buy them for personal value and love.

For your family and friends, the best present is your presence, so be there — whether over the phone or in person.

Make Christmas less about buying and more about family and togetherness. Christmas is at home, do not go looking for it in a store.

OPINION 35

In Defense of Cross Country WORDS & PAGE Daisy Finefrock PHOTOS Provided by Flickr

Despite the stereotypes, cross country requires both physical and mental strength.

P

eople usually perceive “serious” or “difficult” sports as needing strength and agility. Most people don’t jump to mental strength as a key component of being an athlete. Cross country is a unique sport for many reasons, including requiring mental and physical strength. So, if you believe you can do it, you will succeed.

What I hate hearing most is when I tell people I am a runner, and people will say “Wow, I can hardly run a mile!”

Or, if I tell people I am going to run, they will be in awe and say “I could never do that!”

I used to hate running and thought only the fittest of the fit could do it. In reality, if you have the endurance that humans are born with, you can run. It isn’t some elite club where you have to train for years to be able to run a mile.

If a pack of wolves were chasing any non-runner, he or she would instantly become a runner. All you need are some running shoes, your body and a mind ready to run.

This is why there are many misconceptions about cross country. If anyone can run, what makes it special?

My answer to this is, anyone can play football but does that mean they are any good at it?

No. Anyone can hit a ball on a tennis court. Does that make them a tennis player? Yes, but it doesn’t mean

they could ever compete and win a tennis match.

It is all about the competitive drive that makes a runner a good runner.

Like all other sports, you also need to put in the time and be dedicated to working hard.

Shaving 30 seconds off a mile time might seem like nothing to someone who doesn’t run, but it is actually a huge accomplishment that takes months of training.

The dictionary defines a sport as “an activity involving physical exertion and skill in which an individual or team competes against another or others for entertainment.”Cross country meets all of these requirements.

“Running is the foundation of nearly all sports and certainly one of the most beautiful sports when you consider it by itself. Running requires and rewards dedication, perseverance and hard work,” said cross country coach David Silverander.

So in theory, yes, everyone can be a runner, but that doesn’t mean everyone has the heart. That is what makes cross country such an exceptional sport. It is a challenging sport that is so often overlooked, even though it is more difficult than a lot of sports.

After all, the saying ‘Our sport is your sport’s punishment’ didn’t come from nothing.

OPINION 37

Senior Aura Carlson, junior Ruth Beckmen, senior Kelly Bickett, freshman Bea Lujan and sophomores Julia Guglielmo and Pisci Abrego celebrate a goal.

GIRLS

SOCCER WORDS Boning Zhang

PHOTOS Katherine Monroy

T

he soccer field at Laguna Blanca is never short of intensity, sweat or winning, as soccer is arguably one of the strongest and most played team sports in the school.

Although the regular season has not started yet due to the delay caused by the Thomas Fire, the girls soccer team is expecting a fruitful season.

With only one senior having graduated last year, this year’s team is senior-dominated.

The current seniors on the team, having been together since freshman year, pose a serious threat to their opponents.

“There are 12 seniors on the team, and they all became more experienced from last year, which makes us really excited for the upcoming regular season,” Head Coach Kevin Shertzer said.

The girls had a good start during pre-season, when they beat Bishop Diego High School 3-2. With Bishop located in Santa Barbara, both teams have had backand-forth contests for many years.

“I would say we are two pretty close teams. Some years they were better and some years we were,” said Shertzer.

On the opening game against Bishop Diego, “It was like an experiment game where I tried to test out certain new formations, lineups, and plays,” said Shertzer.

“During pre-season when winning is not all that matters, I care more about effort.

I would rather lose by ten but give all we got than win by ten but be lazy on the field. Of course, when we get into regular season, I would do anything to win.”

Kayla Stern, a player on the Bishop soccer team, shadowed at Laguna recently and had a chance to express her opinions on the girls soccer team.

She praised the skillfulness and teamwork that Laguna players showed during a recent game, and also pointed out their flaws: “Their communication and passing are brilliant, which I think are the reasons why we lost. But I feel like what they have to work on is spreading out more, instead of stacking the midfield.”

Although the season has not been long enough to produce many defining moments, Shertzer already decided on a highlight for the team: “It was the game against Mission Prep. Seniors Kelly Bickett and Tiffany Yabsley scored two beautiful goals, but we eventually fell short 2-3.

We could have beaten them though. They were Division 4, and we are in Division 7.”

Shertzer envisions an exciting season: “Besides skills and experience, I think the team has gotten more cohesive. Even though we have so many spectacular seniors and some girls who tried soccer for this first time, you don’t see hierarchy and separation of non-starters from starters.

They really support each other a lot, regardless of skill level.”

Freshman Bea Lujan takes the ball from a Bishop midfielder.

Junior Ruth Beckmen fights a Bishop forward Kayla Stern for the ball.

FALL CIF RESULTS

GRAPHICS Jack Stein

Girls Tennis • Won the Condor League 4-0.

• Advanced to the CIF Division 5 playoffs for the first time in recent years.

• Won their first CIF match against La Mirada before falling in the second round to first seed Maranatha.

Co-Ed Cross Country • Girls won the Condor League team title and advanced as a team to the CIF meet, where they barely missed qualifying for the next round.

• Sophomore Pisci Abrego won the Condor League Individual title.

BOYS

SOCCER WORDS Kelly Bickett PHOTOS Katherine Monroy

Junior Andrew Tolles and senior Alex Furukawa fight for the ball.

T

he boys soccer team hit the ground running — literally. The first week, known as the conditioning week, was tough: the boys were not able to touch the ball the first week of practice. After a grueling first week, the boys headed into their first match, ready to go physically.

This year’s team is young but very experienced and working toward building team chemistry.

“I think this year has been tough not because of the players on our team but because of the natural disasters that have unfortunately stopped the team from competing for a good half of our season so far,” said team captain senior Ethan Tyng. “I’m excited for the rest of our season and playoffs because I think we have a really strong group of guys and a good chance of going all the way to the CIF finals.”

Another challenge for the soccer team was that a few of the football players who had made it to the CIF finals had very little practice time before the first game.

After finally practicing as a full team only once, the Owls went into their first game of the season the next day against Santa Clara, the team that had eliminated the Owls 3-1 in the CIF semifinals last year.

The game was fast-paced and back-and-forth; unfortunately, the Owls could not hold their 5-1 lead and tied Santa Clara 5-5.

“Santa Clara was really just an eye opener and revealed what we had to work on and what adjustments we needed to make.

You never really know what to expect from the first game of the season,” said senior Javier Abrego.

Then, on Laguna’s home field, the team matched up against Rio Mesa High School, and could not get the ball in the net despite taking many shots on goal, losing 4-0.

After more practices together as a team, the boys’ normally high-powered offense finally took shape to clinch an 8-4 win over Villanova. The Owls dominated the field in both time of possession and shots on goal. Tyng had an outstanding game, scoring seven goals, while senior Alex Furukawa capped off the game with the eighth.

“Villanova was good practice for our younger guys. Against a team like that, the game plan is usually play our starters for the be-

Girls Volleyball • Won the Condor League title and advanced to the CIF Division 5 playoffs.

• Won their first match at home against Righetti on Halloween night.

• Won second round of CIF against Whittier Christian in Orange County.

• Lost 0-3 in Quarterfinals against Sonora at home.

Senior Alex Furukawa dribbles the soccer ball down the field.

Junior Dylan Young and senior Jack Fry run for the soccer ball.

Sophomores Sulaiman Bah and Brian McClintock battle for the ball.

ginning, get a few goals and then sub in our young guys. A win like that is good because it gives the less experienced players a confidence boost that in the end brings the whole team up,” said Abrego.

The Owls lost a crucial week of games that had to be cancelled due to the Thomas Fire and Montecito mudslides in Santa Barbara and Ventura Counties. The team picked up the season again in January, where they will start league against Dunn, Oak Grove, Midland and Ojai Valley.

Awards All-CIF: Seniors Miles McGovern, Alex Furukawa and Aidan O’Donnell for football; Senior Kelly Bickett for volleyball.

CIF Division 2 Defensive Player of the Year: Senior Aidan O’Donnell

BOYS

LAGUNA STUDENTS’ AVERAGE DAILY PHONE USE

BASKETBALL WORDS Javier Abrego PHOTOS Katherine Monroy

S

enior Aidan O’Donnell described the Laguna Blanca varsity basketball team as a group of “young, scrappy go-hards.”

Although their season has not gone as they had planned, the team has seen some positives along the way. The team’s young players have had the crucial role of stepping up and finding their spot on the team.

“Watching guys like [junior] Sherlock [Jian] and [freshman] Devin [Hernandez] find their role on the team and how they can contribute has been inspiring,” said junior Ty Trosky.

Seniors Aidan O’Donnell, Anton Homeniuk and Jackson Hurley are known for their leadership on and off the court. They are role models for the rest of the team.

“I think learning from the example that the seniors set has been the best part of the season for me so far. It’s great having a group of guys you can look to when you need some guidance,” said sophomore Christian Branch.

Junior Ty Trosky, seniors Aidan O’Donnell, Anton Homeniuk and Jackson Hurley and freshman Devin Hernandez run to the huddle before the game.

Senior Aidan O’Donnell

The Owls’ overall record this season is 2-4. Despite their early losses, the Owls keep a positive outlook on the season and expect to compete in the playoffs.

“This year, we lost a lot of practice time to the fire and flooding, but nevertheless our team is playing well. As we have started playing together effectively, our team is getting really good. We have tons of three-point shooters — Christian, Me, Devin, Anton, [junior] Spencer [Turner] and [sophomore] Wells [Fowler] can all knock down shots any time, so we’re always a threat, and it’s very difficult to play defense against us. The first few games of the season, we pretty much beat ourselves with a lack of focus and preparation due to missed practices. But our coaches, the legendary Sal Rodriguez and the dedicated, effective Carlos Guerrera are great, and our players are very talented, so fans should look forward to some really good basketball coming up,” said Hurley.

Senior Anton Homeniuk dribbles the ball against Providence Hall.

Senior Aidan O’Donnell sets a screen as freshman Devin Hernandez

www.thefourthestate.net looks to pass the ball. shoots a three pointer.

Senior Jackson Hurley dribbles the ball against Providence Hall.

Q&A with

Our Recruited Seniors INTERVIEWS Kelly Bickett

PHOTOS Katherine Monroy PAGE Aura Carlson & Kelly Bickett

Ethan Tyng

Claremont McKenna College Where are you going to play? What is the difference between collegiate divisions?

What most excites you about being on a collegiate sport team?

I am going to play Division 3 soccer at Claremont McKenna College. I think what I am most excited about is getting to travel throughout the country and abroad with the soccer team. In Division 3 there is only verbal commitment but no written agreement like there is in Division 1 between the college and athlete, so admission is not guaranteed in D3.

How did you communicate with coaches, and what does the recruiting process entail for your sport? What does it mean to verbally commit?

Before I verbally committed I talked to coaches via email. Now I communicate with the coach through text messages and phone calls. Verbal commitment means that you and the coach agree that there is a spot on the team’s roster for you and as long as you maintain your abilities as an athlete and as a student, the coach will support your application to help get you into the college.

When did the recruiting process start?

What was the hardest part?

It started my freshman year when I was playing in club games and then my sophomore summer when I went to a recruitment camp at Dartmouth College. The communication process of talking with all the coaches was the hardest part.

How did you get yourself seen by coaches and the colleges you’d like to go to?

I went to recruiting clinics over the summer at different colleges and also played at a high level for club, so coaches came to watch games and tournaments.

Laurel Kujan

University of Southern California Where are you going to play? What most excites you about being on a collegiate sport team?

I’m going to play Division 1 Beach Volleyball at the University of Southern California. I am really excited just to be at USC! It’s such an amazing school and I love all the girls on the team, so I think it will be a great experience!

When did the recruiting process start?

What was the hardest part about getting recruited, and how did you get seen by coaches and colleges?

It started late in eighth grade to freshman year for me. What was really hard for me was having to go to LA so much. It was really hard to hangout with friends and keep up with school because I was playing so much. I got seen by emailing all the schools I was interested in and asking them to see me play at tournaments or watch my practices. I also went to some camps for a couple of colleges.

How do you communicate with coaches and what does the recruiting process entail for your sport?

Before my junior year, we could only talk over email. However, now we can talk whenever, but the NCAA still has strict rules about communication between coaches and athletes. Beach volleyball recruitment usually entails the athlete reaching out to the schools they like and going on a tour of the campus, doing camps, and having the coaches watch you play. Then, once you and your coach decide it’s a good fit, you can verbally commit. The whole process is kind of like dating: you have to just feel it out and see if you like the school and coach, and if the coach likes you, then you commit!

What does it mean to verbally commit?

Verbally committing means that you and the coach have a verbal agreement that you will receive whatever scholarship you agreed upon and that you will have a spot on the team. On my side it meant that I would be playing for the college.

Nothing is in formal writing until signing day.

SPORTS 41

”Banner Boys“

Why Football Matters

WORDS Kelly Bickett & Rose Houglet WORDS Coach Lopes

E

ach year, over a million Americans play high school football. This is roughly twice the number of participants in the second ranked sport.Yet, because of recent research on NFL players’ head injuries, scrutiny of the game has intensified. It is as if the very mention of football triggers the thought of the word “concussion.” For the record, our Owls football team incurred zero football-related concussions this past season.

The purpose of this article is to shed light on the importance of high school football. To keep anonymity, I will tell a true story about a football player and refer to him as Ralph.

Ralph’s dad left when he was a baby, and Ralph’s mom was absent because of addiction. Ralph was a typical teenager searching for his identity. He was not a great student, and he lacked confidence. Ralph shopped for himself, did his own laundry and cooked his own meals. Ralph lived alone and no one at school was aware. Fortunately, Ralph had football.

The football program welcomed Ralph and did not discriminate against him based on talent or wealth. There were no tryouts or fees for joining the team. Anyone was welcome to play, even Ralph.

For Ralph, football provided structure. Practices were always Monday-Thursday at 3:30 p.m., games were always on Fridays at 7:00 p.m. and films were always on Saturdays at 9:00 a.m.

Football taught Ralph the importance of commitment. Off-season training began in January and continued through the last week of August. Missing a workout or a practice was never an option, even if a player was sick or injured.

Football provided a strong sense of purpose for Ralph. He felt like he belonged to something important, something bigger than himself. Teammates relied upon Ralph and, in turn, Ralph relied upon his teammates.

Football taught Ralph how to be resilient. When Ralph was knocked down, he was expected to get back up. Despite pain or injury, Ralph learned to persevere.

From football, Ralph learned the importance of delayed gratification. Out of the 9 months of training and practices, there were only 10 guaranteed games. After those games, Ralph experienced the sweet feeling of victory and the bitter taste of defeat.

He learned that hard work is worth it, even when things do not go according to plan.

Most importantly, football gave Ralph a healthy outlet where he learned to believe in himself and others. This is just one story. What if the stories of all high school football players were known? Would football remain stigmatized?

The truth is that football does have risks. But, the football community has made significant progress in making the game safer, with new rules, better equipment and safer drills.

I have had the privilege of working with over 1,000 football players, and not one has ever expressed regret for joining the team. While football does have risks, it also has significant benefits for developing personal skills that transfer to life. Ironically, though, one cannot fully understand the value of football until they have taken the risks.

Senior Alex Furukawa.

PHOTOS Provided by Flickr

The Owls in offensive formation at the Homecoming game.

I

t’s 2001, the junior quarterback of the Dos Pueblos High School football team heads into the CIF Championship game.

Little does this quarterback know that 16 years later he’ll be heading back to the CIF Championships, but this time as a coach. This quarterback was Head Coach Shane Lopes, who took the Laguna Blanca football team, with a veteran crew of nine seniors, to the CIF finals in November for the first time in the school’s history.

Lopes explained that going to the finals as a coach is “difficult to describe. Playing was physically demanding and very fun socially. Coaching, however, is a mental grind.”

“The feelings I had included excitement, stressed, eager, proud, grateful and inspired. As a coach, I tend to unleash my emotions in practice, and I’m more reserved during the games. As a player, I just remember getting in the zone and playing ball with my friends.”

Although both Lopes’ DP and Laguna teams ended up losing the final game, Lopes said that just like his high school team, the boys “did not quit and continued to compete until the final whistle, which is much easier said than done. They played for each other and worked hard for every yard. They were champions before they set foot on the field that night.”

Assistant coach Anthony Ramirez, who was a sophomore wide receiver and free safety on the same Dos Pueblos team as Lopes, said that he was most proud of the Owls for “how committed each and every player was to the team, their role on the team, and to getting better each and every day. We became a family.”

In their first season as a freelance team, the boys made it further than any team in Laguna history — eventually nicknaming themselves the “banner boys” for being

The Owls in a huddle at the Championship game.

Laguna’s first football team ever to receive Lopes added, “We came back from a up at second-seeded Lancaster Baptist. a CIF finalist banner. two score deficit and then went ‘round Despite the distance, the game was well Senior Javier Abrego said that playfor round’ with a solid opponent until the attended. Laguna organized a fan bus, and ing outside a league was beneficial for the final minutes of the game. Laird Fowler many alumni players and brothers of curteam because they “didn’t know anything played with a broken hand throughout the rent players, such as Pierce O’Donnell about a lot of the teams we faced this end of the game and refused to leave the ‘16 and Christian Fowler ‘16, drove up year [which] helped our players mentally field.” as well. by keeping us focused on our game plan The Owls continued on to the semiLopes explained how important fan supinstead of being focused on the opposing finals, leaving everything on the field, port was to the team: “We know that putteam.” according to co-captain senior Aidan ting on a Laguna uniform represents the Although the team suffered two losses O’Donnell, who said, “We tried not to whole community. The fans are connected against Animo Robinson (20-60) and rival think about the pressure of it being the to the team...When [they] cheer, players Cate (24-33), the Owls qualified for CIF semifinals and just focused on giving 100 from both teams feel it and it leaves an by winning 75% of their freelance games percent each down. Everyone did their impact… We were overwhelmed with including against Valley Christian (32-24), job, and we played for each other.” gratitude to see so many people make Desert High School (66-0), East Valley The semifinal against Hesperia Christhe drive to Lancaster for the ChampionHigh School (64-0), Price High School tian was a nail-biter: as soon as the Owls ship… The trek to Lancaster is long and (38-0) and Milken High School (78-18). would score a touchdown, Hesperia takes you to a cold, isolated town.Yet, The Owls headed into the CIF tournawould respond with one of their own. The over 100 people made the drive for the ment with a 7-2 record and were seeded game came down to a clinical stop by the football team. Simply remarkable.” fourth with a hard CIF tournament ahead Owls’ defensive line. Up by a precarious Under the lights and in the cold weathof them.

6 points, on fourth down and one yard, er, the Owls took the field. The Owls’ The big wins were exciting, but scoring early in the game kept it the losses were important as well, close until the end of the first half, Coach Lopes said: “Many teams after which a series of turnovers “They played for each other and tend to learn more from losses cost Laguna the game, which ended worked hard for every yard. They were than wins because defeat leaves 20-42. champions before they set foot on the a bitter taste that forces teams Ramirez spotlighted the seniors to identify the areas that need as being particularly important to field that night.” — Shane Lopes improvement.... The losses were the game because “they played to good for our character because the very end, and therefore we nevthey helped to instill humility and er believed we were going to lose resilience.”

O’Donnell and McGovern tackled the until the clock hit 0:00. That is all you can The Owls continued this winning streak Hesperia quarterback before he could ask for out of your team. This team was in their first CIF game against Cornerconvert a sneak play for the first down. carried by our strong senior leadership.” stone Christian High School, coming out Lopes highlighted some players’ conThis year’s team, as described by junior on top at 80-34. Co-captain senior Antributions to the game, saying, “Without quarterback Ty Trosky, was special not ton Homeniuk said this game showed a doubt, the team victory was sparked by only because of its success but also bethe Owls’ “confidence in all the work we a key interception in the fourth quarcause “we all have been playing together put in.” ter by [sophomore] Merrick Hahn, for three or more years. We knew how The Owls moved on to the quarterfiwhich led to a long touchdown run we played, and we had the chemistry to nals, driving four hours to play the number by [senior] Alex Furukawa on the play to our highest potential. Our defense one seeded Desert Christian Academy. subsequent play that put our team ahead was at a Championship caliber, and our ofThe Owls trailed behind until the fourth 42-36. Overall, the defense had multiple fense was quick-striking and had a strong quarter. The team fought back, clinching stops on fourth down and the offensive core line.” a touchdown to boost the Owls into the line (Aidan O’Donnell, Miles McGovern, Aidan O’Donnell described the team lead, eventually winning the game 44-35.

Anton Homeniuk and [senior] Jack Fry) as “so special because it was all about For co-captain senior Miles McGovblocked very well, which allowed [junior] camaraderie and each player ‘buying in’ ern, the most memorable part of this Ty Trosky, [sophomore] Wells Fowl- and doing what was best for the team. game was “in the final minutes knowing er and Alex Furukawa to make plays.”

We’re just a couple of go-hard dogs who that we had won a tough game.”

For the final game, the Owls matched are scrapping for each other.”

Senior Alex Furukawa runs past the Lancaster Baptist defense.

Junior quarterback Ty Trosky passes at the Championship game.

The Owls run through a “Laguna Blanca” sign at the Homecoming game.

Pre-Game Rituals PAGE Kendall White GRAPHICS Sofia Fouroohi-Martin

Annelle King

Many athletes and teams have pre-game rituals or superstitions they believe help them perform well and win. Laguna’s athletes and coaches shared some of the unconventional things they always do before playing.

“On the second day of horse shows, I always wear the same socks — they’re green with purple polka dots on them.”

Patrick Otte “Before the soccer season starts, new members on the soccer team have to sing 30 seconds of a song in front of everyone. Miles McGovern sang ‘Gucci Gang’ by himself.”

Kevin Shertzer “When we huddle up before soccer games, we all must touch ‘the rock of goaliness’ for good luck.”

Zane Mazor-Brown

Julia Fay “Sophomore year, when our volleyball team won CIF, my dad and Caylin Zimmerman’s dad wore the same exact outfit to every CIF game.”

“The tennis team must eat mango before a match or we will lose — it’s a thing; it always has to be mango.”

Madie Oriskovich “For horseback riding, I have this little pin that I wear to all of my shows. It’s a horse in the middle with two horseshoes surrounding it.”

www.thefourthestate.net

Natasha Heyer ‘17 is in her first year at Lehigh University. She applied to a wide array of colleges, 16, and picked between her top three choices. The final three colleges were all very different from each other and had many different things that were appealing to her.

She wants this year’s senior class to know that Mr. Struckmeyer’s advice helped her choose Lehigh and that “he has your best interests at heart and wants to help you through the decision-making process.” Heyer explains her parents’ approach to helping her choose, saying, “Throughout the college process my parents made it clear that they would support whichever college I would end up choosing and that they didn’t want to influence my choice and have me unhappy.” Heyer suggests researching and visiting schools because her visit to Lehigh made an outstanding first impression. When asked what led her to attend Lehigh, Heyer said, “aside from the beauty, its size and flexibility created an environment for students to customize their college experience to have the ability to switch between disciplinary schools with ease.”

Picking the Right College WORDS & PAGE Mia Waters GRAPHIC Sonya Kotler

Joan Curran ‘17 attends the University of San Francisco. Although she applied to 18 colleges, she suggests applying to fewer. Curran believes that applying to so many colleges can become overwhelming and make the decision process much more difficult than is necessary. The main reason she applied to the number of schools she did was location. She explained, “I picked campuses that were in the city because I’m a city girl at heart, and there are so many opportunities there.” A crucial piece of advice she has is to visit most, if not all, of the schools that you are accepted into. For her, visiting the colleges helped her get a feel for the campuses and the cities surrounding them.

Payton Hassan ‘16 is now at EI, School of Professional Makeup in Los Angeles. However, she didn’t start off at makeup school. She began her college experience attending Cal Poly in the fall of 2017. Hassan loved Cal Poly at first, but soon realized that conventional college was not for her. She struggled with finding her true self at school and found that she wasn’t happy. Soon realizing that makeup was her true calling, she had a long talk with her parents and enrolled in makeup school the next fall.

Her advice for current seniors is not to choose the ‘best’ school you get into, but to choose a school you think you will succeed in. “A mistake I made was I picked the best academic school I got into. I don’t recommend that because although it was a very good school, I really didn’t like much about it. The school didn’t offer the things I was most passionate about, so I soon found myself struggling socially and academically.” She also advises making sure your major is something you’re actually interested in.

“It wasn’t worth the frustration and unhappiness of being in a school and studying something I didn’t want to study to come out with a degree I didn’t have any idea how to use.”

LIFESTYLE 45

www.thefourthestate.net

No Ivy, No Problem.

WORDS, GRAPHICS & PAGE Carina Tedesco

Dear Fellow Rejectees, It’s about time for us to stop feeling sorry for ourselves and start focusing on the opportunities awaiting us in this exciting time in our lives: college. So grab a makeup removing wipe, put that tub of ice cream down and read about these successful Laguna alumni and celebrities who are living proof that getting rejected from your top choice school may just be the best thing that’s ever happened to you.

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Isaac Baron, University of San Francisco ‘20, on getting rejected from his Early Decision school.

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“It was rough at first because I had applied early decision, so it was the first school I heard back from, and to have it be a rejection was a lot to take in. In the end, though, I got into other schools that I was also really interested in, and I ended up still having a lot of options that I was happy with. Now I’m really happy where I am and feel like everything worked out for the best.”

“I honestly thought it was the end of the world when I didn’t get into my top schools. I thought all the work I had put in throughout high school was for nothing, but I couldn’t have been more wrong. Santa Clara is the perfect school for me, and I can’t imagine myself anywhere else. I have had the most incredible time, from studying abroad to meeting some of my absolute best friends.”

Jack Espy, University of Southern California ‘20, on the transfer process and how he is now at his dream school.

Dani Abrams, Bowdoin College ‘20, on how she found her perfect school through a rejection.

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“I always wanted to go to USC, but getting denied out of high school, I decided to go to the next best school I got into. Even though I got denied from USC, I knew I still wanted to go there, so I did everything I could to get in as a transfer. I attended two feeder schools to USC and, luckily, I finally got the acceptance letter. I could have given up and stayed at the school I was at and felt unfulfilled, but instead, I took an extra two years and did whatever I could to get into the school of my dreams.”

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Caty Lafitte, Santa Clara University ‘18, on why she feels her college rejections worked out in her favor.

Barack Obama, 44th President of the United States, rejected from Swarthmore College.

Think your life is over because you got rejected from your dream school? Reality check: you could still become President of the United States. Barack Obama got rejected from Swarthmore College, and instead went to Occidental College, later transferred to Columbia University and finally ended up as president of our country.

“I had only applied to one school by December 15 when ED responses came out. I was incredibly upset when I got deferred, and it took me a long time to even think about applying to other schools. Writing a bunch of application essays was definitely not my favorite way to spend winter break, but I honestly see it as a blessing in disguise. I ended up choosing Bowdoin College and absolutely love it! I’ve had an awesome experience and it’s a great fit for me. I wouldn’t trade the friends or memories I’ve made here for anything.”

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Steven Spielberg, award-winning director and producer, rejected from both USC and UCLA. After getting rejected from the University of Southern California three times and the University of California Los Angeles at least once, Steven Spielberg attended Cal State Long Beach. He has now won multiple Oscars and is reported to have a net worth of 3.6 billion dollars.

45 LIFESTYLE 47

”Seven Hours“ in 10-10-10 WORDS Rose Houglet

Director senior Camila Lemere and Screenwriter junior Jack Stein.

T

en screenwriters. Ten directors. Ten films. But not 10 days.

For the first time in its 13 years of existence, the 10-1010 Screenwriting and Filmmaking Mentorship and Competition, the Santa Barbara International Film Festival’s (SBIFF) local high school and college filmmaking competition, has been extended to a month rather than 10 days.

Amanda Graves, SBIFF’s new education director, explained: “The timeline for the 10-10-10 program was extended to include more time for instructional workshops and individual mentoring.

With a 10-day timeframe, students were very limited in their ability to receive feedback and implement changes. This year, we are very excited that students will have the opportunity to view their rough cuts with their teams and receive feedback from a panel of experts before making final edits to the films.”

Prior to the actual filming and editing period, 10 screenwriting finalists and 10 directing finalists — half from college and half from high school — spend several months being mentored by professionals in the field.

For the pairing process, screenwriters pitch script ideas to the directors, who respond to each script with their vision of what the movie would look like. Each screenwriter and director writes down his or her top choices, and once paired, they collaborate to create the final script. Then, each team films and edits their film from December 11 to January 19, when rough cuts are due.

Following notes from mentors and crew, the final cut is handed

COMPETITION timeline

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October

Intro

Intro, rules, and whole group discussion about shorts; production workshop and screenwriter discussion.

17 Pitch

October

Screenwriters pitch screenplay ideas to mentors.

21

4

Screenwriters’ panel and “Directing for the Camera” workshop.

Scripts due for table read after multiple revisions; table read; pairing of directors and screenwriters; brief meeting between directors, directors’ mentors, screenwriters and screenwriters’ mentors.

October

Panels

28

October

First Draft

Screenwriters’ first drafts of scripts due to mentors.

2

December

Casting

Casting day for each team to find actors; meeting with directors, directors’ mentors, screenwriters and screenwriters’ mentors.

November

Pairings

17

November

Final Draft

Final draft of script due.

Producer senior Sydney Edgecomb, Production Assistant Mathew Goldsholl ‘17, Director senior Camila Lemere, Screenwriter junior Jack Stein, and Production Assistants Zaira Paredes ‘17 and Diarra Pouye.

in on January 25 for the final screening on February 10 at the Arlington Theater. That gives the students 47 days for filming and editing. In comparison, last year’s competitors only had 10 days for filming and editing.

Senior Camila Lemere, who directed “When the Lights Go Out” last year for the competition and is directing again this year, said that this month-long process “is incredibly beneficial for everyone involved in 10-10-10. It allows us time to really put our all into our films and not feel rushed. That way, we don’t have to miss school and have the opportunity to shoot over winter break. It also feels like a more real-world experience, as most short films aren’t completely created within 10 days!”

This year, Lemere was paired with first-time participant and fellow Owl junior Jack Stein, screenwriter of this year’s film, “Seven Hours.” As part of Laguna Blanca’s first ever screenwriter and director duo, Stein said that he was “very excited to work with Camila because I am already familiar with her work and style, and it’s a lot easier to work on an intense project like this when you’re working with someone you’re friends with.”

Lemere agreed, saying, “It’s great to be working with another Laguna student because of the accessibility it provides. Jack and I are able to communicate with each other whenever and wherever we choose, and it’s so much more convenient than my situation last year.”

Stein described “Seven Hours” as “a sendup of the classic

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December

Lighting

Lighting, sound and editing workshops.

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25

January

Hard Copy

Hard copy of film due to SBIFF; screenwriters submit film description and rating for printed program.

Rough Cuts

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20

Screenwriting and filmmaking competitors meet with local journalists to discuss the upcoming screening.

January

Link to rough cuts due.

January

Rough Cut Screening

Filmmakers sign up for 25-minute time slots to screen their rough cuts with crew, screenwriter, screenwriter’s mentor and director’s mentor.

January

Press Conference

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romantic comedy, in which a man and a woman, who are both unhappy with their lives, find each other and try to stay together despite the odds stacked against them.”

The script, based around the competition’s theme of “love,” is particularly exciting to work with for Lemere because “it was written by one of my friends, but more importantly because of the beautiful story it tells. As a filmmaker, I feel that I’m more in tune to tell stories about love and people that move an audience emotionally, and this screenplay that Jack’s written does that in insurmountable ways. To be able to bring a touching story like that to life is a total privilege.”

“Seven Hours” looks to be a pan-Laguna production, with Lemere and Stein enlisting help from producer senior Sydney Edgecomb and production assistants Mathew Goldsholl ‘17 and Zaira Paredes ‘17 along with Cate senior Diarra Pouye.

Edgecomb, who plans to go into creative producing in college and beyond, said “I am so excited to be a part of 10-10-10 this year. The process so far has been stressful but so much fun, and working with Jack and Camila has been amazing. I can’t wait to see the final product!”

When asked about Jack and Camila’s involvement in the competition, Graves said, “We hope you can join us for a 2 p.m. start time at The Arlington Theatre on Saturday, February 10 for the free screening of Jack and Camila’s film ‘Seven Hours’ along with the rest of the 10-10-10 films!”

Camila

Jack

Sydney

Lemere

Stein

Edgecomb

Director

Screenwriter

Producer

“Going into this year’s competition, I feel nothing but excitement because of the people. Getting to work on something I love so much with people I care so much about is an opportunity not a lot of people are given, and it’s because of this that I can even begin to comprehend how lucky I am to have such dedicated, innovative, encouraging people by my side on this journey. ”

“I’m excited for 10-1010 because it combines the professional experience of working with a mentor who’s worked in the field with the collaborative experience of working with another student to create a unique process that recreates what it’s like to work in the movie business.”

“I am so excited to be a part of 10-10-10 this year! The process so far has been stressful, but so much fun, and working with Jack and Camila has been amazing. I can’t wait to see the final product!”

February

Screening

Final screening and Awards Ceremony at the Arlington Theater.

Director senior Camila Lemere looking over Cinematographer Prathim Mehta’s shoulder.

PHOTOS Maya Papadopoulos

SoundCloud artist Lil Uzi Vert

www.thefourthestate.net

Free Music... At What Cost?

S

ociety values things that are scarce. Take gold for example: gold is easy to work with, doesn’t rust and can make beautiful art and jewelry. It’s also much harder to find than other metals like tin and copper.

Historically, good music has held a similar value. It isn’t easy to create a truly great album, but it is the truly great albums that have the highest sales, allowing the artists behind them to create more music of a similar caliber. This will continue until the artist loses his or her ability to create at a high level.

Or, at least that’s the way it was for most of the 20th century. In 1993, however, a service came along that would change the way people listen to music: the Internet Underground Music Archive (IUMA).

It was a site that allowed people to post and download MP3 files of songs and albums.

The biggest difference between the IUMA and modern streaming services like Spotify and Apple Music is the demographic they were created for.

IUMA was built for creators, offering unsigned musicians who couldn’t afford to sign with a major label to share their music for free and build a fanbase.

Modern streaming services, on the other hand, are marketed toward the consumer. They offer millions of songs for a nominal monthly fee.

But if the value of great music, like gold, lies in its scarcity, does this immediate availability

of all music with the touch of a button rob great music of its value?

An argument can be made for both sides. On the one hand, there are artists like Neil Young and Taylor Swift.

Both, until recently, had their entire catalogues removed from all streaming services.

Swift believed that artists like herself were undervalued and underpaid for their music by streaming services, with Spotify’s average pay per stream of a song somewhere between .0006 and .0084 dollars.

Young had a different problem with streaming: the sound

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work with a real chance to be heard.

The interesting part about SoundCloud and its relationship with its creators is that it actually works. Rappers such as Post Malone, Lil Uzi Vert and Lil Yachty all started on SoundCloud and have evolved to become respected musicians making money off of their work.

Mixtapes play a large role in the SoundCloud culture of musicians. Mixtapes were a concept that began in the 80s and 90s, the idea of a cassette tape with recordings of different songs done by the creator

It’s nice to know that there is a free and easy way to share my music with my friends and anyone else who wants to listen to it.”

— Aidan O’Donnell, Laguna Senior and Soundcloud-Based Artist

quality. Even non-audiophiles can tell you that there’s a huge difference between listening to music on your phone and playing it on a record, and the artist gets paid thirty dollars instead of fractions of cents when you purchase and listen to an album.

A service that is attempting to give the power back to the creators is SoundCloud.

SoundCloud is a free to use, internet based platform that is designed to encourage the creating and sharing of music between users. It gives aspiring musicians a place to post their

of the mixtape, and were the earliest way to share customized collections of songs with friends.

Mixtapes today have evolved into an underground alternative to an album release.

Utilized by artists like Chance the Rapper, Nicki Minaj, Lil Dicky and Lil Wayne, mixtapes have been brought back to the spotlight in recent years.

The biggest difference between mixtapes and albums today are their intent. An album is intended to make money. Through albums sales, radio play and lead singles,

albums are supposed to be lucrative for the artists and labels involved with their creation and distribution.

Mixtapes are designed to be more promotional in nature.

While today they are usually composed of songs by a single artist, with surface-level similarities to an album, mixtapes are generally produced for a lot less money and released for free online instead of in stores as a record.

While albums are traditionally thought of as better for the artist and the label, the world learned recently that that isn’t necessarily true. In 2016, Chance the Rapper released his mixtape “Coloring Book,” which went on to be lauded as one of the best releases of the year and was the first mixtape to ever chart on the Billboard Top 200.

Artists have had to make adjustments to the new level of availability of music. Nowadays, they have to work even harder than before, not only making music more regularly but also making that music stand out amongst millions of other songs and albums and mixtapes that listeners can choose from. While some argue that it’s bad for the music industry, those people are ignoring the fact that these services allow new artists to break into the scene more easily than ever before, and it’s these new artists who are keeping the music industry alive.

WORDS & GRAPHIC Jack Stein

LIFESTYLE 51

“Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that.”

– Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., recited at the Montecito Vigil