Monday, September 24, 2024 | Santa Monica High School | Volume CXII - Issue I
Coconut trees, chartreuse green and Brat politics - CENTERSPREAD PAGES 8-9 | Elevating athletics: Samo’s new Gold Gym - SPORTS PAGE 14
PBL holds their student government elections
Samo’s Project Based Learning (PBL) program held their annual Student Advisory Board elections on Friday, Sept. 20.
On Thursday, all PBL students headed down to the district building on 4th Street to hear their peers’ campaign speeches. Candidates spoke about their new policies, with many candidates promising to fix the faulty bathroom doors. The positions up for election were Advisory President, Advisory Vice President, Advisory Communication Officer and Advisory Secretary.
One candidate running for Advisory Secretary is Hudson Blankner (’25). Blankner felt that it was important to personally connect with voters while on the campaign trail.
The Student Advisory Board is instrumental in fostering community at PBL by organizing events for all grades. This year, the
Santa Monica Fire Department (SMFD) welcomed their new chief Matthew Hallock on Jan. 25, 2024. Hallock has been in the fire service career for 28 years, beginning with his career as a reserve firefighter in 1994. In 2002, he became a full fledged firefighter and has served as fire chief in his former city, Monterey Park, since 2020.
In addition to the new chief, SMFD will be fully staffed for the first time in over 20 years. This should allow the department to serve, protect and rescue the residents of Santa Monica easier, enabling emergencies to be dealt with faster and more efficiently. In a meeting with the Santa Monica Daily Press, Hallock expressed his optimism for the next chapter in his career.
“I made a promise to these firefighters when I first got here. In my first few days, I met with every shift to introduce myself and I made a promise to them … that I’ll be the last outside fire chief in Santa Monica,” Hallock said. “I truly
2024 Club Row introduces new clubs to Samo Club Row, held on Sept. 18, is a key yearly event which introduces a wide variety of Samo clubs to students. The experience offered students the opportunity to gain knowledge, a community and a possible means by which they might find their passions through joining different clubs. In addition, if there is not a club a student is interested in, students are able to create their own through the ASB Clubs Committee application. Samo’s ASB President Ethan Fitzgerald (’25) shared how clubs are inclusive and open for everyone.
“There’s a club for everyone, ranging from Outreach, Politics and Model UN, Acting and Film, Ping Pong, Harry Potter and many more,” Fitzgerald said.
Samo students Helio Halperinortiz (’26) and Yanai Halperinortiz (‘25) are working ahead at a college level. Alongside a UCLA professor and PhD students, the brothers each created complex research papers within the field of computer science.
Helio Halperinortiz is predicting an antibiotic for a patient using electronic health data and by using large language models. Helio Halperinortiz (’26) shared what influenced him to create the paper.
“I had an interest in AI as well as computer science and [had been] wanting to find an internship to work on it,” Halperinortiz said.
On the other hand, Yanai Halperinortiz is working on a project
“Aside from the speeches on Thursday, I wanted to take my campaign a little further,” Blankner said. “I took it upon myself to go to all the classes on Friday and do speeches and hand out fliers.”
On Friday, election ballots were distributed to every classroom. New to the program is Eitan Puchalt (’28), who was excited to be able to cast votes for the first time.
“I decided to vote based on their policies and confidence, and who I thought could lead the community the best,” Puchalt said.
In Aug. of this year, Waymo, a self-driving car company, had a major expansion within Santa Monica and Los Angeles Area County. Sebastian Thrun, the former director of the Stanford Artificial Intelligence Laboratory (SAIL) launched the company named Waymo at Google in an attempt to improve road safety. According to the World
Health Organization, approximately 1.4 million lives are lost to car accidents around the world each year. Waymo’s mission is to create a ride that is convenient, safe and consistent, acting as an alternative to driver-based transportation service companies Uber and Lyft. Waymo is able to achieve this by using detailed custom maps, information gathered in real time, sensors and light detection to
that tries to predict the outcomes of traumatic brain injuries. In the project, they are training AI to analyze MRI scans and a linear regression model to examine if the scans have any significant information about the patient’s prognosis. Halperinortiz shared his inspiration for the project.
“I’m interested in STEM related subjects, like math or computer science,” Halperinortiz said. “So applying computer science to medicine is very interesting.”
Both brothers’ developments could become instrumental in the field of AI medical research. Yanai Halperinortiz’s project was accepted by the Society for Neuroscience and will be presented in a conference next month in Chicago. Helio Halperinortiz is still awaiting to be accepted and will find out on Sept. 23.
Editor-in-Chiefs
Aili Forster
Sara Javerbaum
Managing Editor
Sienna Bevan
Finance Manager Cleo Topp
News Editors
Dalia Puchalt
Liam Sauer
Opinion Editor
Claire Harrison
Student Life Editor
Ryan Kim
A&E Editor
Max Kehoe
Centerspread Editor
Emi Yamashiro-Herget
Photo Editor
Manny Lopez
Art Editors
plan out the best action or route to take.
Although many people may have their doubts about artificial intelligence, Waymo states that they have “over 40 million miles of real-world driving experience,” over a decade of industry knowledge and that their cars are safer than human-driven vehicles because they can ensure their “driver” is not drunk, tired or distracted. With this new expansion in Santa Monica, it is possible for the city to become safer for all pedestrians, cyclists and drivers.
The expansion of Waymo in Santa Monica could help improve the city to be safer but it may also decrease job opportunities. As artificial intelligence improves, many people begin losing their jobs. Waymo is economically sustainable by being electric and convenient by being available 24/7 and trustworthy.
Kayman Mangan
Raha Ghoroghchian
Social Media Manager
Olivia Stephansen
Sports Editors Addie Burns
Louis Rotgin
Faculty Advisor
Elizabeth Stapleton
Athena Barefoot, Laurel Cohn, Ryan Colvin, Addelyn Fiore, Emma Godfrey, Alisa Ignatenko, Sia Kresch, Leo Lucente, Koi Lerner, Eugene Naruse, Yaretzi Preza, Arata Sakamoto, Kamerin Shakir, Imani Toler, Hope Wang
Leo Lucente Staff Writer
Santa Monicans For Renters’ Rights (SMRR) has doubled as a renters’ rights organization and the leading voting slate in Santa Monica for the past 40 years.
In 1978, the growth of Hollywood’s film industry sparked the Los Angeles Real Estate Boom, skyrocketing rent in Santa Monica. In response, SMRR was formed by tenants, neighborhood groups and local political organizations. By 1979, they had won passage of the strongest rent control law in the country and elected two members to the Santa Monica City Council. With this immediate and notable success, SMRR gained a reputation as a tenants’ rights champion, which translated to political power in a city where two thirds of people rent. Now a political machine, they were quickly able to position themselves as the power block of Santa Monica politics; the SMRR voting block did not lose an election until 2020.
To understand why SMRR lost in 2020, it is important to understand Santa Monica in the context of 2020. After years of increasing crime, homelessness and overspending, BLM protests— prompted by the death of George Floyd and Trayvon Martin, among others—led to 400 arrested and Santa Monica’s promenade looted and destroyed. While SMRR did not directly cause the chaos, the incident was a culmination of the discontent locals had come to have with Santa Monica government. This gave way to centrist Democrats like Phil Brock, Oscar De La Torre and Christine Parra to run as law and order politicians
under the Change Slate and secure the first non-SMRR victory in four decades.
So what now? Since 2020, Brock has been appointed mayor and Lana Negrette, a non-SMRR, Brock-endorsed politician won a seat on city council and was selected as mayor pro tem, establishing a true majority for the Change Slate. The non-SMRR majority has been unsuccessful in their hopes to stop over-development, homelessness and crime. To make matters worse, Parra is not seeking reelec tion, citing family issues.
This year, with four of the seven city council seats up for reelection, SMRR has a chance to regain the majority. A reason the renters rights group has been able to consolidate power and now possess an abil ity to regain power is because they are an established slate with employ ees and a farm team (a group of potential candidates to choose from each election cycle). Ellis Raskin, for example, is on the Steering Committee of SMRR as well as an endorsed candidate for city council.
The SMRR endorsement process starts with a candidate filling out an extensive questionnaire and attending a Zoom in terview where they are asked questions by the Steering Committee and participating SMRR general members. These are used to gauge if candidates align with the slate’s ideologies about rent control, education and urban development, among other pol icies. Candidates’ filled out questionnaires and interviews are posted to the SMRR website where members can study them before voting for candidates at the annu -
al membership convention. By vote of the membership at this meeting, candidates for city council, rent control board, school board and college board are endorsed by SMRR. Frank Gruber, SMRR member and journalist, attended the convention.
“At the SMRR convention on [June 22, 2024], everything came together. The SMRR leadership, still dominated by Baby Boomers, finally recognized the generational change happening in the city’s politics,” Gruber
This year SMRR made 12 endorsements. Four of which—Ellis Raskin, Dan Hall, Barry Snell and Natalya Zernitskaya—are candidates for city council. SMRR made three endorsements for Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District Board of Education in Jennifer Smith, Jon Kean and Maria Leon-Vazquez. The renters’ rights organization gave three endorsements for Santa Monica College Board of Trustees as well: Anastasia Foster, Margaret Quiñones-Perez and Rob Rader. The
Art by Kayman Mangan
thesamohinews@gmail.com
Koi Lerner Staff Writer
On Sept. 12, Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District (SMMUSD) and the City of Malibu announced they would finally separate, allowing Malibu to become an independent district. The current separation package is ready for public review.
The City of Malibu has been attempting to split off and establish their own school district for 13 years, attempting to distinguish themselves as the Malibu Unified School District (MUSD). They finally entered the mediation process with SMMUSD in 2022 and began the development of these agreements. If the separation package performs well under public review, the districts’
assets will ultimately be split semi-equally, with assistance from SMMUSD to help create services within MUSD schools. MUSD will encompass both Malibu and other unincorporated places within Los Angeles County, and SMMUSD will ultimately become the Santa Monica Unified School District (SMUSD).
The framework of the division process has been detailed within the following agreements: the Revenue Sharing Agreement, the Operational Transfer Agreement and the Joint Powers Agreement. These agreements will dictate how resources, operations and services will be split between the prospective new school districts before the official separation date next year. This will guarantee that both SMUSD and MUSD
students will continue to receive quality education post-separation.
The Revenue Sharing Agreement details the process of distributing funding to both districts in order for them to maintain similar services in their schools. SMUSD and MUSD will each draw the majority of their funding from their local property taxes, meaning that Samo students will lose Malibu property tax revenue.
The Operational Transfer is an agreement dedicated to the allocation of staffing, operational processes and resources. The agreement states that the Special Education Director of SMMUSD will aid MUSD in its creation of its own special education services. There will also be discus -
sion on food services, transportation and more.
Malibu has already founded their own Education Foundation as well, as of this April. Following in Samo footsteps, Malibu will put a $395 million bond to improve their schools on their Nov. 2024 ballot. If granted, the money will be used to renovate old buildings, upgrade technology, improve school safety and increase support for struggling students, among other things.
The final agreement within the separation package is the Joint Powers Agreement, which will set up a shared entity to oversee the division of SMMUSD. More specifically, this task-force will be responsible for overseeing and implementing the aforementioned agreements. Members will assist with the transfer of the certain assets, liabilities, equipment, supplies, agreements and services. They will also oversee any possible disputes within the Revenue Sharing Agreement or Operational Transfer Agreement.
This entity’s purpose is to make sure that all succeed and benefit throughout the separation process.
The separation procedures have not been entirely smooth sailing leading up to this point, with a hiccup in the mediation process occurring in July. At that time, the City of Malibu proposed a vote on a 2017 petition outlining a separation process that was seen by many as putting Santa Monica students at a disadvantage. SMMUSD immediately halted the mediation process, strongly opposing this petition. In a statement released by SMMUSD on July 18, Attorney David Soldani
strongly emphasized the district’s disapproval.
“Going back to a fatally flawed 2017 petition is a baffling decision,” Soldani said. “...The District has no choice but to fight the City of Malibu’s attempt to disenfranchise SMMUSD students residing in Santa Monica.”
The City of Malibu conceded, and the mediation process resumed.
Presently, the SMMUSD Board of Education and the City and Malibu are projected to finalize and approve the agreements by Oct. This will be done by public hearing, which will be scheduled by the Los Angeles County Office of Education County Committee on School District Organization. If approved, the two districts will fully split on July 1 for the 2025-26 school year. Although the separation process is not yet complete, the release of these agreements is a critical step in ultimate independence of MUSD. Mayor of Malibu Doug Stewart believes that the formation of a separate school district will better serve the needs of Malibu students, as he expressed in a statement on Sept. 13.
“This marks a crucial step forward for Malibu as we move closer to creating an independent school district that reflects the unique needs and values of our community,” Stewart said. “The Separation Package is a result of a collaborative effort aimed at ensuring both Malibu and Santa Monica students receive an exceptional education.”
Students may have noticed that more of their Samo teachers have implemented cell phone pockets in their classrooms this school year. This practice is one way that teachers can uphold the Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District’s (SMMUSD) electronics policy that students may only use their devices for academic purposes during class.
This stricter policy results from teacher’s concerns about students’ overuse of electronics and subsequent issues. These include students not being mentally present in class, a decline in verbal communication skills, difficulty connecting with peers and declining mental health. 1n 2023, Common Sense Media found: that 97% of students between the ages of 11 and 17 used their cell phones during school hours, that teens in general had a median use time of over four hours and that students picked up their phones a median of 51 times per day.
Along with schools limiting screen time, the state of California is also taking steps. A new law called the Phone-Free School Act is awaiting Governor Gavin Newsom’s signature. If signed, the law would require all school districts, charter schools and county offices of education in California to adopt policies limiting smartphone use by July 1, 2026. These policies may involve placing phones in magnetically sealed pouches or storing them in lockers. Exceptions would be made for medical needs, emergencies or with staff permission. However, not everyone is on board with this approach.
Samo student Youssef Chabbouh (’25) voiced concerns about the potential danger of phone pockets during emergencies.
“[If] an earthquake happened and we need to call someone but we don’t have [our phones] in our pocket at that moment… ceilings start collapsing and our phones now get covered by the [debris],” Chabbouh said. “We’d lose access to call our parents, call for help, call just anyone in general to let them know ‘Hey, I’m here, we’re okay.’ or ‘Hey, I’m here, I’m not okay.’”
Many teachers have embraced the phone pocket system. Nathaniel Munoz Acker (’83) is one such teacher who has implemented the practice and actively witnessed the benefits. By using the phone pockets, teachers have been able to gain more time for academics. Acker explains how, by using the minute at the start of class, teachers have been able to dedicate more time within the classroom to academics.
“I mean, when you think about it, we were losing 10 minutes per day, every day, just telling kids ‘Can you put your phone away?’” Acker said. “That’s an hour, that’s a whole class period per week… that we’re wasting policing phones…”
Acker also has noticed that students are less anxious when they do not have immediate access to social media- backed up by many psychological studies. He believes that, by cutting down on social media, there’s been increases in self worth and lowering of anxiety. Although the phone pockets have only been recently implemented, Acker has said that students within his classes have been more engaged with both the academics and each other, seen even in this semester so far. In contrast, some students have found issues with the new pock-
ets. Some students—especially those who are neurodivergent—may have issues with misplacing and forgetting their phones. Oliver Hruby (’25) is one student whose ADHD has left him without a phone many times. With the large campus size and multiple floors he may need to cross, collecting his phone from a previous period takes up time. In fact, it takes considerable time away from his learning—the opposite of the benefits that some say the pockets bring. Hruby explains his experience with leaving his phone in previous classes.
“I don’t like it because after I leave class, I forget my phone,” Hruby said. “Sometimes, it’s not in my pocket. I forget about it and easily lose it that way since I don’t know where it is sometimes… It’s really inconvenient in many ways because sometimes I have to go back or I’m [already] in the next period.”
Hruby also believes that, although the purpose of the pockets is to limit phone usage, it actually promotes student’s to use their phone more. He thinks that students who want to respond to messages or notifications may go on their phones during non-educational time, such as lunch and passing periods, instead of talking to friends or socializing. Some students may begin to doom scroll in hopes of resting or due to the anxiety of being separated from their phones. Chabbouh mentions what he’s seen with students using phones and why they may be using it more outside of class.
“I’ve seen an increase [in students using their phones].” Chabbouh said. “You know, people are texting, they’re turning on music, they’re calling someone, setting up a meeting, a plan, for lunch or flex or anything like that.”
In the end, the pockets have been making waves as more and more teachers across campus begin to implement them—even while others are convinced that they don’t help as much as some may believe. As of right now, many teachers claim to have already seen an increase in attention in class. On the other hand, some students have seen an increase in phone usage outside of these learning hours.
thesamohinews@gmail.com
Sia Kresch Staff Writer
Governor Newsom has recently approved two new bills in order to address the homeless crisis by expanding housing options in California.
According to CBS News, as of June 2024, homelessness in Los Angeles has decreased by 10 percent, which is the first large decrease in nine years. Up until this year homelessness has been spiking, with 45 percent of people living in Los Angeles without a home as of last year.
The first bill that Newsom has signed into law is AB 2835, which aims to secure motels and hotels for shelter programs. This simplifies the process for service providers to locate people experiencing homelessness and place them in privately owned hotels and motels, which has been shown to help improve stability for those in need. Many believe that such programs are positive, and that they are offering good support to those without homes. On the other hand, others criticize these programs, saying that they do not offer long-term housing and solutions. Many hotels and motels have been hesitant to partake in the shelter plans because of the possibility that those who participate in these programs would become entitled to the usual landlord-tenant protections. However, that would not be the case. The executive summary of the bill presented at a Senate Judiciary Committee meeting this year - covered by CBS News - helped explain why, “There were reports as well that participating hotels and motels were engaging in the practice of ‘shuffling’ program participants,
forcing participants to move before they reach the 30 day mark and assume landlord-tenant protections, in order to avoid needing to comply with landlord-tenant laws when program participants are removed from the program,” CBS News stated.
The second bill that Newsom has approved is one that will streamline the permitting of in-house units, called AB 3057. ADUs, more commonly known as “Accessory Dwelling Units,” are exempt from the environmental review and permit process that all other housing developments must engage in. These units have given Californian residents the option of more affordable housing without having to buy additional property, all while serving as an additional source of income. The goal of AB 3057 is to build junior accessory dwelling units (JADUS), which will allow for these units to be built more efficiently. They will be given the same permitting exceptions, and are 500 square feet compared to the ADUs’ typical 700-800 square footage. Through this process of creating more junior dwelling units, more affordable housing will be implemented throughout the state.
Meanwhile, Santa Monica officials have been considering implementing legislation of their own, although locals remain unsure if this is a step in the right direction. The City Council has discussed a ban on pillows and blankets outdoors, making it difficult for unhoused people living in Santa Monica to find a place to sleep outdoors. This proposition stemmed from the idea that Santa Monica has become unsafe due to the increasing homelessness issue.
It’s true that the homeless population in Santa Monica has been held responsible for a number of crimes recently. For instance,
Mayor Phil Brock was reportedly assaulted on Third Street Promenade last summer. Additional incidents of assault and attack were reported throughout the city this spring, involving a 17-year-old girl and an elderly woman among others.
Events like this are what lead many Santa Monica residents to feel unsafe about the current homeless crisis. However, many still find the approach of wiping the homeless off the streets inhuman. Samo student Julian Haggart (’26) agrees that there is a better approach to amending the homelessness crisis in the area,
“I believe the city should help them more by providing them with housing and food,” Hagart said. “Don’t ignore them, and give them food, even if it’s your leftovers.”
Santa Monica’s city council election takes place Tuesday, Nov. 5, 2024. Withw four out of the seven city council seats up for reelection, a change in Santa Monica’s leadership is possible.
For 40 years, Santa Monicans for Renters Right (SMRR) dominated local elections. While the slate is most recognized for its unwavering support of rent control, the renters’ rights organization holds democratic socialist values. In 2020, in reaction to poor responses to homelessness, rising residential crime and overspending, residents voted out the far left slate. Incumbents Anna Maria Jara, Terry O’Day and Ted Winterer
were replaced by Phil Brock, Oscar de la Torre and Christine Parra. Brock, Parra and de la Torre ran under the Change Slate, a new political group with an emphasis on law and order and an ideology closer to the American Democratic Party. The Change Slate collective grew in size again in 2022, establishing a true majority as Lana Negrette won a seat on the City Council. Brock was appointed mayor and Negrette mayor pro tem. Fast forward to 2024, the terms of mayor Brock, councilman de la Torre and councilwoman Parra run out this November. While Brock and de la Torre are running for reelection, Parra is not, citing family priorities.
Based on historical evidence, Brock and de la Torre are expected to win reelection this November. In local elections around the country, incumbents win reelection overwhelmingly. Santa Monica, for example, has had only seven city council incumbents voted out in the last 44 years. However, three of these instances occurred four years ago in the 2020 election, meaning incumbents may be on the chopping block.
The Change Slate has not effectively met their goals either. Prior to the 2020 election, Brock, de la Torre and Parra made big promises to reduce homelessness, boost tourism and lower spending. While Santa Monica’s boost in tourism in the past few years can be accredited to Change Slate policies, tourism numbers are still down from pre-Covid, homelessness has not decreased considerably and the city is on the verge of bankruptcy. Recently, de la Torre and Brock drew criticism from residents after overspending by $7000 on travel expenses
while cutting back funds for public libraries. Piper Forsyth (’25) is one Samo student who can vote in the upcoming election, though she is still unsure of her political standing. “I haven’t followed local politics too much but I think since I can vote this year I have a responsibility to,” Forsyth said. “I’ve looked at a couple candidate’s platforms but I’m still undecided.”
This year, there are ten total candidates for Santa Monica City Council. Brock and de la Torre are the aforementioned Change Slate incumbents. Additionally, candidates Barry Snell, Dan Hall, Natalya Zernitskaya and Ellis Raskin have been endorsed by SMRR in the upcoming election. Raskin, who lost in his first attempt at city council chair in 2022, is listed as an environmental attorney but also serves on the Steering Committee for SMRR. Rent Control Board Chairwoman, Ericka Lesley, is running unattached but holds endorsements from both the Santa Monica police officers and firefighters associations. Other independent candidates are John Putnam, a small business owner, and Wade Kelley. Kelley, who is officially listed as “Guitar Guy,” has opted not to submit a candidate statement or list any kind of endorsements.
If all four of the candidates endorsed by SMRR manage to win their respective seats, Brock would most likely lose his spot as mayor and the council would award it to someone else. There is no polling data for Santa Monica so it is unsure who is projected to win.
As SoCal temperatures drop, it’s only natural to start looking forward to the holiday season. Around Samo, students start planning their various costumes and halloweekend party plans months in advance. All of this preparation raises the question: is Halloween overrated?
Emi Yamashiro-Hergert Centerspread Editior
What is the one holiday that anyone and everyone celebrates? Not Valentine’s Day, which is exclusively for couples; not Christmas, Hanukkah, or any of the wintry but parochial days of festivity; certainly not the exceedingly colonialist Thanksgiving. Stripping all factional celebrations away, we are left with one clear winner: Halloween.
Candy, movies and scary makeup are widely accepted as the signifiers for Halloween, but these symbols do little to capture the holiday’s true spirit. Halloween brings communities together for displays of creativity and freedom. It’s the night when, ironically, people all over the world shed the incorporeal masks they present to society by donning another type of mask entirely. The child in the street, the old woman behind the candy bowl and even the teenager egging someone’s house all become the same: just another human rejoicing in the festivities.
Think of the timeless tradition of costuming. Most lines — gender, age, species, fictional universe, you name it — become acceptable to cross. When done in a way that respects all cultures and does not reinforce harmful stereotypes, costuming can be more significant than throwing some fabric and face paint together. It can provide a safe haven for transgender or gender-nonconforming youth, an opportunity to display to the world an appearance closer to their true selves. It can unite communities around a common interest or piece of media, establishing relationships that would not otherwise exist, or strengthening bonds between existing friends and family. Kai Bennett (‘25) discusses how Halloween contributes to his familial connections.
“I personally have always loved Halloween because it was something I’ve always celebrated with my sibling,” Bennett said. “We love making costumes - getting a
character and basing a whole outfit off of that. Sometimes we go to thrift stores and find certain things that look like what we want and adjust it with sewing… We get really into it.”
Though many view Halloween as simply a commercialism-fueled grab for money, the background of this holiday is rich with history and respect. Originating with the Celtic festival of Samhain, later adopted by Romans into the celebration of All Hallows’ Eve, Hallow- een is as ancient as it is popular. Traditions date back to medieval times, as the Library of Congress states, with activities like trick-ortreating and the carving of jack-o’-lanterns finding their roots in pagan practices. The Celtic and Christian originators believed the barrier between life and death was thin at this time of year, allowing ghosts to walk the earth. Celebrators began to perform traditions they believed would honor the spirits of their loved ones and ward off monsters; these traditions would morph into the Halloween we know and love today.
Ryan Colvin Staff Writer
This year, whether you decide to attend a rager, go trick-or-treating with little siblings or stay home and watch scary movies while scarfing down as much chocolate as humanly possible, remember the significance of this day. Halloween is not just a culmination of a quote-unquote Spooky Season, it is the product of the hard work, joy and creativity of billions.
Childhood is one of the most exciting and carefree points in one’s life. With the undeveloped mind being so full of mystery, the hours spent watching fantasy movies and getting lost in new worlds with your toys were absolutely magical. From a young age, my friends and family told me about the one day within the year where all of those fantasies and imaginary adventures would blossom into reality: Halloween. Kids expect to be immersed in a brand new world on Halloween. Promised by their parents that life’s greatest mysteries will come out of hiding on Halloween, children have every opportunity to expect the most out of the night. But as the reality of Halloween becomes apparent, it’s clear that the hype was never justified. There is no denying that Halloween could become something special if everyone was dedicated to pushing our own boundaries and standing out as something completely different. Sadly, very few people have a desire to change their voice and get fully into character, as most don’t want to face the risk of embarrassing themselves. Costumes have become an afterthought and are simply a tool for possibly getting some extra candy if the person handing it out can recognize who you are. As someone who always enjoyed losing myself in
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Athena Barefoot Staff Writer
When should kids get their rst phones? It’s a modern-day rite of passage that sparks debate at the dinner table, stirs up opinions in the classroom and leaves parents wondering if they’re handing over a lifeline or a pandora’s safety offered by smartphones are undeniable, there are signi cant developmental concerns that come with giving children access to these devices at a young age.
Given that children’s brains are still at a key point in developmental stages, they are particularly vulnerable to the negative e ects of prolonged screen exposure. Moreover, unrestricted access can expose children to harmful content and it’s nearly impossible for parents to monitor every aspect of their child’s online activity.
Dr. Katie Lockwood, the Director of Behavioral Health Education at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, along with other experts recommend waiting until children are about 12 or 13 years old before giving them a smartphone. is approach strikes a balance between the need for safety and communication and the importance of protecting their developmental health. However, beyond the word of experts, there are many factors to consider in this decision.
Social media adds another layer of complexity. Platforms like TikTok and Instagram o en exert pressure on young users to conform to certain appearances and behaviors, pushing them to grow up faster than they might be ready for.
A prime example of this is the Garza Crew on TikTok featuring young in uencers, Koti and Haven. is account showcases seven-yearold twins doing get-ready with mes and going to Sephora for their millions of subscribers. At rst glance, this is innocent, however putting children onto the internet at such an early age can expose them to hate and harassment online.
With the introduction of phone pouches to most of the classrooms here at Samo, the desire to use our phones has only increased, as being told we cant use something just makes us want to even more. Alana Rivera, an English teacher shares her experience managing students with full phone access.
“In the past students have spent more time playing games and worrying about text messages than focusing on their schoolwork which has de nitely impacted their grades. Some students are able to focus with their phone on their tables but most are not, so we need to keep enforcing fair rules for the bene t of all students,” Rivera said.
Misinformation on the internet, especially on social media, also poses a signi cant risk for more impressionable kids. Its very easy to nd yourself in a wormhole of misinformation and unable to nd the line between credible information and misleading narratives. Exposure to misinformation can create confusion and potentially make kids distrust credible sources. is is especially heightened during election
the character of my costume, I quickly reached a point where I wasn’t even sure if it was worth the effort of constructing an impressive costume if nobody else cared to share the same excitement. After all, whether you spent three months sewing your own costume by hand or you bought it last-minute at Target, the reward is the same: candy. Without a collective enthusiasm for costumes, the magic of Halloween fades. Spanish teacher Jorge Gutierrez has found this lack of Halloween spirit to be very prevalent within his own life.
“If you don’t really care about its origins and how the day became Halloween then it’s just a big costume party. That’s all it is,” Gutiérrez said. “I went to my first Halloween party in maybe 15 years a couple years back, and it was just ok…I left early because I would rather be home with my cats.”
At the end of the day, walking around dark streets for the purpose of extremely mild candy and the occasional jumpscare from a prop-wielding teenager left me bored and frustrated more than anything else. Most of the time I would never even eat the candy; I would usually give it away to my friends, because there was nothing about the candy that reflected any unique nature of that day. Halloween candy can be found at any market or convenience store throughout the entire year and under that logic there are far better and more interesting sweets to invest in that will make a Snickers feel like a waste of time. With all of that said, does a day centered around mediocre gas station candy really feel worth celebrating? Definitely not. The holiday could still reach its highest potential if we focus less on the candy and more on the characters we embody. Until that day, Halloween remains a mere disappointment.
years when false political content spreads rapidly and high school students are having the opportunity to vote.
As high schoolers, most of us don’t have the same parental restrictions that younger kids do when it comes to phone use, which means its ultimately up to us to be responsible with how we use our phones. Poor time management can make phones a major distraction, o en turning them into tools for procrastination. Instead of focusing on homework or studying, it’s easy to get caught up mindlessly scrolling through social media or texting with friends. Managing our screen time wisely is crucial, not just for our education but for our mental health. Gemma Ubaldelli (’27) shares her experience managing screen time as a student-athlete.
“It can be really hard to nd balance. I’ll try to do my homework and then nd myself scrolling on TikTok. I know some people that have screentime restrictions enforced by
Art by Kayman Mangan
themselves or their parents and that can really help with managing it. I use an app called Gauth to organize my notes and help me study for history a er I’m done writing everything down,” Ubaldelli said.
From hauntingly intriguing podcasts to YouTube videos and documentaries, true crime content is widely available. Eerie thumbnails and curiosity about the sinister motivation has cultivated a sizable audience, which has sparked discussion about if true crime content is morally wrong to consume and especially make.
Often, true crime reporters will disclaim to their audiences that their content is purely for entertainment and awareness purposes only. However, the public’s shock seems to dwindle from these videos. An immensely popular youtube creator, Bailey Sarian, continues to face a lot of backlash from people who find her content problematic and crass. Multiple comments on Sarian’s social media posts catch her lightly chuckling as she describes whichev-
er harrowing story she is telling. In most of Sarians videos, she retells the situation in a very light hearted manner, all while cracking subtle jokes. However, if you can bring yourself to laugh about a detail in the story where someone loses their life, the excuse that it is for “awareness” purposes completely goes out the window. However, she is not the only one, she just has compiled the largest audience. The biggest critique with these creators, specifically Sarian in this context, is that they often forget that these were real people, with lives and families who were tragically affected by their murder. As many content creators are so detached from these tragic situations, it becomes easy to speak on it lightly. However, that should not be the case for someone telling a tragic story with millions of listeners, and when wondering about how many creators actually give back to the families of victims and share the story in an honorable way, it’s close to none.
Yazabeth Baza (’26) shares one of the most prominent examples of unethical behavior in the true crime industry.
“When you consider the recent Dahmer series, many victims’ families said they didn’t want the series to happen, yet it happened anyways. It’s just disrespectful. It’s especially disrespectful when victims of the families explicitly stated that they don’t want to be seeing this,” Baza said.
There are subgenres within this, including “true crime mukbangs” in which people eat while speaking about the crime. Sarian enjoys sharing her makeup routine amidst the story telling. It should be apparent that cracking jokes, eating food or doing a makeup tutorial while talking about someone’s death is purely apathetic. Content creator, Tarrah Kristine, shares her opinion on Sarian and true crime content in general.
“I used to be a fan of Bailey’s, and all true crime, until I witnessessed my own friend get murdered. It hurts seeing all these channels dissect people’s lives and only focus on the person who committed the crime, not the victim. How much these creators make by monetizing these horrible acts is a whole other story,” Kristine said.
True crime has played a huge role in desensitizing its consumers with relentless portrayals of violence. As viewers are exposed to overly gruesome details, their emotional responses dull over time, causing their empathy to evaporate. As real violence is downplayed or perceived with a troubling detachment, the only thing true crime watchers takeaway is psychological damage.
From vintage shirts to denim skirts, the rise in popularity of thrift stores is undeniable. For many, thrifting has become a hobby, serving as a unique alternative to the mall. However, prior to this trend, the majority of thrift stores’ customers shopped not for the perfect baby tee, but out of necessity.
As awareness of the harmful effects of fast fashion increases, shopping from mainstream brands has noticeably declined in popularity. Each year, the US creates over 34 billion pounds of used textiles, when divided across the population, this is about 100 pounds of waste per person. In recent years, thrifting has become significantly more popular, causing people to travel far and wide to visit acclaimed thrift stores for their fashionable selections. What started out as a way for people to donate old clothes and furniture to help those in need became a haven for teens to score vintage items that they can proudly reveal is thrifted. As thrift stores have increased their prices, they have become much less accessible for people with lower income (the demographic they were originally modeled for), undermining the entire concept that these stores were established on.
There are also people who thrift when they can afford to shop at retail stores, which takes away resources from
the people who don’t have the ability to shop for clothes at their retail price. Although many people who are buy from thrift stores also shop with the intention of preserving the environment, there are several ways to shop mindfully without taking away from people who buy secondhand clothes out of necessity. It has become the norm to overconsume and buy excess of everything, therefore creating more waste.
With the increase in demand for thrifted items, second-hand stores have raised their prices in response. People will also take advantage of thrifted treasures by reselling on platforms such as Depop, Ebay or Poshmark. This only adds to the demand for thrifted clothing, increasing prices even further. Inflation and other factors have also played a role in the rise of prices. Kamila Soto (’26) has noticed how consumer habits have contributed to these strict price increases.
“It’s become a trend to thrift, so naturally more people are going thrifting. It makes sense why the prices have gone up, but I still think it’s important for people to be cautious of how much they buy when they’re thrifting. A lot of people feel the need to buy every single thing they find which definitely takes resources away from others,” Soto said.
In all honesty, thrift stores are getting way too bold with the price tags they put on clothes, as secondhand stores
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should be a way for people with lower income to get access to items at a discounted price. People should also be more mindful while shopping to prevent overconsumption and higher demands for clothing which in turn raise the prices of clothing for all.
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Addelyn Fiore Staff Writer
Love bombing. Ghosting. Gaslighting. These terms are often thrown around in online discourse to define a toxic relationship, which are oftentimes romanticized and glorified. Red flags are frequently overseen and ignored in relationships, as they are overshadowed by the deep interest someone has in the person they are dating. Diving in deeper to find the true meaning behind toxicity and red flags online is a crucial thing to do when the media has such a great influence on impressionable minds. Controlling behavior, dishonesty and violation of boundaries are all prime examples of red flags and while identifying this behavior is one thing, addressing them and finding solutions can be far more challenging.
Red flags and toxic behavior are often misconstrued to be the same thing, but there are subtle differences between the two. Red flags can be promoted online through varying definitions of a ‘perfect’ relationship, while toxicity is often more personal and becomes more apparent in a relationship. Toxicity can especially take form in television relationships, which can distort the understanding of what a healthy relationship truly looks like. Euphoria, one of the most popular shows among young adults, depicts the relationship of main characters Maddie and Nate, an on and off teen rela-
tionship of domestic violence and manipulation masked as love. Chuck and Blair of Gossip Girl are yet another example, as they are a highly romanticized and prominent couple in the show yet their relationships contain severe power plays, lack of trust and emotional manipulation.
Beyond television portrayals, embodiments of an ideal relationship exists on social media as well. Currently, this fosters in the orange peel trend on Tiktok, in which you ask your partner to bring you an orange and if they bring it unpeeled, whichit reflects that they are uncaring and poses a reason for potential breakup. However,
ship to be based on whether or not an orange is peeled or not is simply irrational. And although listening to the first piece of advice on your feed seems like the easy way out, taking advice from social media is especially misleading as most users are also teenagers, who are just as misguided as everyone else and unfit to be relationship connoisseurs. Ultimately, relationships should be built upon mutual boundaries that both parties agree upon, not what social media trends determine to be healthy or unhealthy. Maggie McLaughin (’27) shares how toxic behavior takes form online.
“In the media, toxic relationships are considered a common occurrence and while red flags and toxic traits are known as a negative thing, on social media they are not displayed as badly as they should be,” McLaughin said.
High school relationships can be especially difficult to navigate as teens learn to communicate, set boundaries and understand what constitutes a healthy relationship. The wrong ideas being promoted on social media only amplifies these challenges and while relationship content online can be idealized and enjoyable to consume, it ultimately muddles the understanding of a genuinely healthy relationship.
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Manny Lopez Photography Editor
The college application process is in full swing at Samo, with seniors sending in applications as soon as Nov. 1. As Samo seniors write essays, assemble their applications and visit potential colleges, worries about life away from home arise. Moving across the country, leaving family and friends and simply surviving alone are common fears of the college-bound class.
“I’m worried mainly about the space, because how am I gonna fit all the stuff in my room into this tiny little suitcase? Sharing a room is also a big worry because I don’t know how to fit all my stuff on my side of my room.”
- Jane Robinson (’25)
Sia Kresch Staff Writer
“I’m worried about being by myself for the most part, as I’m not usually alone and I always have my family here to help me with whatever I’m struggling with. I think I will take a minute to get settled in and adjusted but should be fine once I get used to no parents.”
- Charles Cravings (’25)
“One thing I am most definitely worried about is leaving my friends because all of us are going to different parts of the country and I won’t be able to see them as much. Leaving my brother and my parents will definitely be hard, as I’ve never been away from them for too long.”
- Ali Badr (’25)
“The workload is the thing im most worried about because the change from high school to college is supposed to be really major. Im also scared for leaving the people I met here, and all the relationships I built.”
- Isabella Medina (’25)
Manny Lopez Photography Editor
Addy Fiore Staff Writer
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In a world dominated by fast fashion, a growing number of Samo students are taking matters into their own hands, literally. Whether it’s driven by a desire for sustainability, personalized style, or creative expression. These students are joining a movement that values individuality and mindful consumption. Beyond creating handmade pieces it can also foster a deeper connection with both the clothes they craft as well as purchase, it makes them think about the longevity of their clothes and quality.
Maxine Rogers (’25) has a talent for knitting clothes and handcrafting jewelry. Rogers started knitting during quarantine, developed an interest in it and recently started hand-making her earrings out of clay. Making clothes has taught her to be more intentional putting time and effort into each piece, unlike fast fashion, where clothes are constantly mass-produced with little consideration for quality or longevity.
“During the process of knitting my own clothes, it gave me more respect for how much time and effort was put into making clothes. It has made me want to make my clothes last longer to get full use out of them,” said Rogers.
Roger’s journey into knitting and jewelry crafting reflects a shift among students who are seeking more meaningful connections with what they wear. By crafting her own clothes and accessories, she is not only embracing creativity and sustainability but promoting a more thoughtful approach to daily clothes.
Katie Saunders (’17) challenges fast fashion and societal standards while expressing her creativity by crafting her clothes. Saunders, as a woman who doesn’t fit the typical model mold found it frustrating when she couldn’t find good-fitting clothes that truly fit her body, this frustration sparked her to alter and craft her own clothes. Moreover this skill empowered her to take control of her wardrobe.
“I’ve always felt weird about fast fashion, especially being a woman that’s not shaped like the models are,” Saunders said. “I’m short and strong so I always aspired to be someone who knew how to alter my own clothes. But now that I’m editing my own stuff I always think twice about getting rid of something.”
Now with the ability to tailor her clothes, Saunders has become more aware of the clothes that she purchases as well as gets rid of. Instead of discarding the items that don’t fit perfectly, she reworks them to suit her needs creating more sustainability.
For Amelia Drozdz (’27) crafting her own clothing feels very rewarding not only for the time and effort she puts into crafting but also the benefit of having a new piece of clothing. For Drozdz it’s a way for her to express her creativity and enjoy the fulfillment that comes from wearing something she made herself. Drozdz loves the process she goes through making her clothes, gaining a deeper appreciation for how time-consuming creating clothes is.
“I think crafting my own clothes is a good and creative outlet for combating fast fashion. Crocheting has made me realize how long a single top takes (6-8 hours).” Drozdz said.
Although crocheting can be time-consuming, it’s a way for Drozdz to express herself creatively and take a step forward against fast fashion. She is also embracing a sustainable lifestyle which reflects her environmental consciousness. Overall Drozdz loves the creative aspect and concurrently saving the planet.
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shif to state and local governments.”
Project 2025, otherwise known as the Presidential Transition Project, has recently grown in relevance across the United States as the election nears. Afer
Democratic Presidential Candidate Kamala Harris condemned the Project during the most recent presidential debate, voter awareness and opposition to its policies has grown to two-thirds of Americans, according to a UMass e project is a political initiative published by the Heritage Foundation, a playrst 180 days of the next president’s administration. One of the many changes outlined towards more conservative processes within the education system. If passed, the Samo community and their families may feel the efects e document itself has 900-pages, flled with policies that its proponents are pushing to be implemented if a conservative president is elected. One of these proposed policies is the abolition of the U.S. Department of Education. According to its mission statement, the Department of Education exists to “promote student achievement and foster educational excellence and e department also collects information on schools and teachers so that states ective school systems. Samo English Teacher Alana Rivera (’13) explains why those within the Heritage Foundation wish to dismantle the e idea would be that control of education would
Rivera said. “Tat could be an issue in states that are currently having laws where they are not allowed to have sexual education courses or where they’re not allowed to talk about the LGBTQI+ community, which can be dangerous for the kids who are part of those communities who have to live in that area and go to those schools.”
Within schools, policies also mention abolishing the Title 1 program and Head Start program. Te Title 1 program helps schools that consist of lower-income student populations, providing funds and sponsorships to students whose circumstances may cause them to be behind in their classes or at least have a high possibility of falling behind. In the United States, the National Center for Education Statistics states that 43% of schools qualify for Title 1, with 49,229 bene the program. In California alone there are 2,579 schools that are Title 1. McKinley Elementary, a Santa Monica school with many alumni attending Samo, is an example of a Title 1 school that might be harmed if the program is abolished. Rivera discusses just what Title 1 oversees.
“Without [Title 1], kids would be coming to school hungry and they wouldn’t have the resources to have a successful education,” Rivera said. “One program deals with the prevention and intervention for students who are neglected or at risk in any way and not having that would mean that kids who are already in danger might never be found out.”
Te Head Start program supports children in low-income families, from birth to age fve with services that focus on early learning and development, health and family well-being. Within the Head Start program, about 14.2 percent of the over 787,000 children have disabilities, according to civic platform New America, with even more at risk of developing disabilities. Project 2025 aims for the removal of these legal protections for students with disability, such as the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), a law that ensures students with disabilities have access to special education and related services such as speech therapy and counseling. Te removal of the law could mean that students may no longer have access to something that grants them more equal footing with their peers. Project 2025 also wishes to rescind the federal civil rights protections for LGBTQ+ students. School ofcials and teachers would be prohibited from using a student’s pronouns that don’t correlate to their biological sex or a name not listed on
dent’s birth certifcate, unless given written permission from a parent. Project 2025 would also restrict Bostock v. Clayton County, Georgia, which prohibits discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity. Te policies in the initiative wish to cut down access to gender-afrming care and limit discussions of gender identity and sexual orientation within an educational setting. Rivera discusses how this can be harmful for queer students who may feel unrepresented if this is approved fully.
“Suicide is higher in children of the LGBTQ community.” Rivera said. “So if they do not feel accepted or cared for, or they’re being told that they do not deserve to learn about themselves or their history, it can defnitely lead to bad things happening to them.”
Tese policies to change funding and student experience are not fully guaranteed to pass. As CBS News reports, Project 2025’s playbook for the future of the US is supported by former Trump ofcials, and many of its policies are therefore more likely to be passed under a conservative government. However, Presidential Candidate Donald Trump and his campaign have denied any connection to Project 2025. Vice Presidential Nominee JD Vance clarifed the potential future administration’s stance on the Project during an interview with NBC’s “Meet the Press.”
“I guarantee there are things that Trump likes and dislikes about that 900-page document,” Vance said. “But he [if elected] is the person who will determine the agenda of the next administration.”
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Eugene Naruse Staff Writer
Candidates’ Educational Stances
Republican Presidential Nominee
Donald Trump has proposed several policies relating to education, with the goal of giving educational authority to the states rather than federal oversight. He has vowed to disband the Department of Education and cut federal funding for schools or programs that feature “critical race theory, gender ideology or other inappropriate racial, sexual, or political content.” Trump has also expressed support for the idea of “merit pay”, a system in which the amount of money teachers receive difers based on student performance, as well as the proposal to end teacher tenure laws. However, with power over education potentially in the hands of individual states instead of the Department of Education, it is not clear if these suggested policies for teachers will actually be enforced. Jacob Grossman (‘25) provided his input on Trump’s policies.
“I am against Trump’s stance on merit pay,” Grossman said. “It can lead to a lot of disparities, especially with areas that deal
While lighter on policy, Democratic Presidential Nominee Kamala Harris openly criticized Trump in her speech at the Democratic National Convention (DNC) for his proposals to dismantle the Department of Education and has promised to “strengthen public education.” According to news organization Education Week, Harris has also supported increasing wages for teachers, and major unions such as the National Education Association and the American Federation of Teachers have endorsed her. Grossman added his opinion on Harris.
“I also feel like Harris hasn’t taken a particularly strong stance one way or another, making me feel very uncertain and nervous about her stance on education,” Grossman said.
In regards to college afordability, a concern for many high
schoolers, neither candidate has men tioned new specifc policies this year.
As NPR details, Harris under the Biden Administration has pushed for federal student loan forgiveness, a policy she has also emphasized in her current campaign. However, this policy faced heavy criticism in nationwide approval polls, and Harris has not made any new promises for student loan forgiveness in the future. Trump, on the other hand, has been strongly against student loan forgiveness. As an alternative, in late November of 2023 he proposed on his policy website the cre ation of a new college, “T free of charge for Americans.
California Ballot Measures
During the election, Californians will vote for California-specifc propositions. a way for citizens to vote directly for whether or not they want to implement certain legislative measures and citizens’ initiatives, or plans for constitutional amendments, statutes and bond measures introduced by the California legislature or non-politicians, respectively. Out of the ten propositions, two propositions that may a Props.2 and 32.
With Prop. 2’s legislation, $10 billion would be used for the construction and modernization of K-12 schools and community colleges, including those within SMMUSD, according to the Santa Monica city government. Many schools across the state are in poor shape, with inadequate funding for renovations and school repairs, and this mea sure would aim to rectify their situations.
Prop. 32 is a citizens’ initiative to increase the minimum wage. Tis initiative, if agreed upon, would raise the state minimum wage from $16 to $18, and would be enforced starting from January 2025, with the remainder of 2024 being raised to $17. If voters say “yes,” California will have the nation’s highest state minimum wage.
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Since the start of an unprecedented presidential campaign in late July, Democratic Presidential Nominee Kamala Harris has repeatedly gone viral online. Kickstarted by British singer Charli XCX’s tweet “kamala IS brat,” and now with over 4 million followers on Tiktok, Harris’ campaign platform is utilizing social media trends to reach out to the crucial 41 million Gen Z voters across the country.
Hopping onto #bratsummer, a trend based on Charli XCX’s hit album, Harris’s campaign gained attention for changing their social media to resemble the album cover and promoting a large collection of merchandise online featuring Harris and the now iconic chartreuse green. Rather than creating typical political ads that focus on policy, this unconventional marketing strategy of diving into online trends has helped make Harris’s policies more relevant to Gen Z. With this strategy, Harris is attempting to bring back the young voters who faced voter apathy when Joe Biden was on the presidential ticket. Before Harris became the presidential candidate, the Harvard Youth Poll estimated that voter turnout in younger generations would be lower compared to the 2020 presidential elections. Now, the younger candidate fueled by viral memes has made many citizens reconsider whether to vote in November. Luke Shimahara (‘26) gave his take on the online trends featuring Harris.
“I feel that the viral trends that Harris’s social media account has been posting has been a really smart campaign move,” he said. “I defnitely also think it increases political engagement, and by doing social media it opens [politics] up to the youth of today. I think it’s a funny account, not only relevant to politics, but they do it well where it’s not cringey and on theme.”
Teacher Margaret Colburn provided thoughts on the success of the strategy.
“I don’t think it’s the campaign itself doing the majority of the appealing,” Colburn said. “Older Gen. Zs seem to be taking the lead here — they’re taking advantage of something that came organically. [But anyone] to inspire a member of the younger genera tion to be politically active is good.”
Both presidential candidates are also leaning into support from infuencers. At the Democratic National Convention (DNC) held in August, more than 200 content creators were given press credentials for the frst time. Some of these infuencers, many in their twenties, were given the opportunity to speak at the DNC. Tese infuencer programs are part of a new grassroots strategy to connect with the millions of young eligible voters that follow these content creators. History
So far, these eforts seem to be working. Compared to Biden, Harris’s engagement on social media is much higher, as CNN states (CNN). On Tiktok, Biden averaged a few hundred thousand views per post, while Harris regularly averaged in the millions in July and August. Polls conducted by NBC in late Au gust also show that Harris has a signi over Donald Trump among Gen Z voters, with 50% of eligible Gen Z voters saying they would vote for Harris, compared to 34% for Trump. However, this approach to campaign marketing of focusing on image also means that voters might know less about Harris’s policies than they should. It also means that people in the older generations or independents might be less inclined to vote for Harris, as the pop culture references might not resonate with them, and in turn may come across as unprofessional - a criticism many on the right have pointed out. As the election approaches, and with the attention of Gen Z captured, Harris must now strengthen her position on political issues, and explain more thoroughly why all voters should elect her.
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Imani Toler Staff Writer
Art by Raha Ghoroghchian
The LA area for Samo students is a hub for antique and vintage furniture. With that though, comes the issue of rising prices at the thrift. The Samohi has compiled a list of some of the best stores tailored to your aesthetic preferences.
The Rose Bowl Flea Market is a monthly market located in Pasadena, open on the first and last Sunday of each month, with various furniture and clothing stands. More than 2,500 vendors drive from all areas of CA to attend the event. The Rose Bowl has famously been running for over 50 years. Admission ranges from $12 per person for regular tickets, and $20 per person for VIP tickets, which includes early admission if getting to the flea at 5:00 AM is preferable to regular admissions’ 9:00 AM time. The Rose Bowl has a wide variety of prices, ranging from $5 sales to rare items sold for hundreds, or even thousands of dollars. The market has every style of furniture and clothing imaginable, along with food and drink options available. 20,000 people regularly visit the destination spot, and it is worthwhile.
The Salvation Army:
The Salvation Army is a non-profit organization. It is an affordable thrift store focused on doing good for the world and is always accepting donations and volunteers. Founded in 1865, and originating in London, The Salvation Army assists around 25 million Americans annually, combating issues faced in the world. The cause fights against human trafficking, works to end
domestic abuse, stops world hunger, and more. With 1.5 million volunteer members pitching in to help, The Salvation Army is known across the globe. Only a few blocks away from Samo, the thrift and donation center is a good option if you want affordable furniture pieces.
Possibly on the pricier side, the Santa Monica Antique and Vintage Market: Open on the first and fourth Sunday twice a month, the Santa Monica Antique and Vintage Market is located in the Santa Monica Airport, right behind Clover Park. Sporting a tagline of, “You can Furnish a House in a Day!” This antique market has it all. With a selection of clothing, accessories, furniture and not to forget, children under 16 enter for free. Featured on TV and regarded as one of the top ten flea markets in America with a surplus of vendors, this location will be a sure find for collectors and people looking to furnish their homes.
Antique markets are always a successful place to score vintage items, and the LA area offers no shortage of them. From budget-friendly finds, to rare treasures, these markets not only provide you with the resources to spice up your living space, they also serve as a hub to do good for your community.
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Spirit week 10/14-10/18: Enchanted Forest is this year's theme, with spirit days like fairytale, forest colors, twin day, and wildlife.
Carnival Wednesday 10/16: Celebrate our school spirit with live entertainment, inflatables, games, food trucks and more!
HOCO Pier Celebration Thursday 10/17: 5-7pm Join us at the Santa Monica Pier for a hometown celebration!
HOCO Rally and Lip Sync Friday 10/18: come to celebrate Homecoming with music, games and royalty court. Teachers and staff will also be performing to be crowned Lip Sync Champion 2024!
HOCO Football Game Friday 10/18: 7-10 PM cheer on the Samohi Football team and enjoy the halftime entertainment, including HOC Royalty finalists!
HOCO Samohi Journalism Friday 10/18: 4 pm - Midnight Come visit Mel’s diner to fundraise the samohi Newspaper!
HOCO Dance Saturday 10/19: 7- 10 PM shine in our Enchanted Forest setting - our biggest and best ever with refreshments, snacks, casino, arcade games, outdoor games and more! The cost of your tickets helps pay for our entire HOCO week!
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Laurel Cohn Staff Writer
Heal the Bay had its 35th yearly coastal cleanup on Sept. 21 in recognition of the international holiday, Annual Coastal Cleanup Day. Heal the Bay will also be trying to raise $35,000 to provide these kinds of cleanups year-round. With over 60 di erent cleanup sites to choose from, everyone can help remove 2 million pounds of trash from LA County waterways. With numerous other programs and activities to get involved with, there’s something for everyone.
e Safe Clean Water Program (SCWP) is another facet of Heal the Bay. In 2018, Measure W was approved, implementing a ‘parcel tax’ on land owners to help fund the SCWP. LA County is split into nine watershed areas, each has at least one designated Watershed Coordinator and a Watershed Area Steering Committee (WASC) that is made up of 17 people who decide how regional money from the program should be spent.
e Central Santa Monica Bay Watershed Area is one of the nine areas of the SCWP and is where Samo is located. ey have monthly meetings open to the public, advocating for the community and gaining additional information about possible projects that the SCWP will fund. If there is also an issue one thinks needs to be addressed, groups can submit a formal proposal for a program to be supported by their community. e SCWP takes submissions every year up until July 31.
Heal the Bay o ers a variety of other ways to help out local beaches. ey hold an all-ages Nothin’ But Sand beach cleanup every third Saturday of the month at a di erent LA County beach each time. Heal the Bay also o ers Volunteer Orientations on the second ursday of every other month. At the Volunteer Orientations they cover current issues and how to get involved with Heal the Bay through the Aquarium, Beach, Outreach, Community Science and Youth volunteer programs.
In the recent past, there have been several sewage spills that have contaminated the water. According to Heal the Bay, in the past 10 years, over 3,000 sewage spill cases have resulted in 30,521,025 gallons of sewage in LA County. To stay safe while swimming, Heal the Bay has a few di erent apps available to download. e Beach Report Card is an app that provides A - F water quality grades for over 650 beaches along the West Coast. e River Report Card does a similar thing but for local freshwater recreation areas in Los Angeles County.
Heal the Bay is not the only way to gain awareness, Samo also has a club dedicated to spreading consciousness and helping local bodies of water. Team Marine meets every Wednesday in Mr. Kay’s room, D308.
“We made our school go from 50% clean energy to 100% and that goes for the whole district as well. at was an initiative pushed by Team Marine to be more sustainable,” said Dylan Jericau, co-captain of the Team Marine club.
Team Marine also has four ongoing projects, addressing waste sorting, an aquaponic garden on the roo op, the cli-
mate literacy group and instating the Five B’s (bottles, cigarette butts, balloons, boxes and bags). Co-captain of the Team Marine Club expanded on a speci c environmental problem that Samo currently has.
“Right now we’re trying to address our waste sorting problem that our school has because sometimes our recyclables don’t get properly recycled and get mixed up with actual trash, and that’s ine ective,” Fay said.
Heal the Bay has a myriad of programs to get involved with to help preserve and protect ocean and river areas in LA County. eir recent Annual Coastal Cleanup marked 35 years of recognizing International Coastal Cleanup Day, with a projection of clearing 2 million pounds of trash out of LA rivers and beaches.
“Stay up to date with climate news and really educate yourself on how you can be more sustainable. ere’s a lot of resources out there on how you can incorporate more sustainable practices into your life,” Fay said.
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Alisa Ignatenko Staff Writer
Charli XCX’s summer album, “BRAT” has induced a cultural mania. When the mainstream media got its hands on Charli XCX’s collection of playful pieces, it classified the season as a “BRAT Summer”, making the internet go green. With the nature of this album, it’s no surprise that resurgence of indie sleaze “aesthetics” followed. Lyrics rejecting conformity, embracing personal style, and finding the beauty in disarray, perfectly en-
capsulates indie sleaze to its core.
“BRAT” features a mix of high-energy electronic tracks, with themes of finding yourself, rebellion, and romanticizing the “hot mess”-iness
that every indie sleaze person embodies one way or another. She especially targets this in her song called “Mean Girls” which she dedicates to misunderstood girls that may come off as cold-blooded, and a little threatening. In that track, she relates to them, and it is a love letter for all the noncompliant girls out there.
Naturally, “BRAT” intertwined with indie sleaze. Charli’s genre of music isn’t classified as indie, however, her known partygirl shtick and how she made a name for herself in the industry is; promoting her music by going to clubs at the mere age of 14. Despite the fact that Charli XCX started her career more than a decade ago, and with her songs frequently being on the radio, she was perceived as a non-mainstream artist by Gen Z, that is, until recently. “BRAT” unveiled an early 2010s lifestyle unknown to the masses, late nights, going to shows, drink spilling and all ways of life that come off a little sleazy.
“BRAT Summer” has come to an end, and “indie sleaze” may be on the rise, but it’s now something someone can purchase. Users on Tik Tok have a long history of taking more esoteric concepts, and popularizing them into an aesthetic of clothing someone can buy. With an aesthetic being labeled as “indie sleaze” popping up more and more on the algorithm, it is safe to assume that this is one of those cas-
es. However, it was never a purposeful look, it’s just what happens when adults who are in the scene go out until 4am.
This time period wasn’t defined by a unique style, it was merely outdated portrayals of people having fun, oblivious to their picture being taken. This especially applies to the photography of that era, which was very loosely orchestrated and has lost its candid fashion in recent years. Photographers at shows and parties made sure to use flash and always capture the surprised faces of attendees and their funky attire. The internet declared a photographer named Mark Hunter (’03), a pioneer of “indie sleaze” photography. Hunter attended Samo 1999-2003, and learned to take pictures in the dark rooms at school. While speaking with Hunter, an opinion on what indie sleaze is arises,
“I wouldn’t say it’s a certain brand, or clothes you could wear. It more of a lifestyle. And for me, that’s being your true self. It doesn’t mean you have to dress a certain way,” Hunter said. “It’s just be who you wanna be, I think indie sleaze and the era that’s coming back again is a celebration of uniqueness. The underdogs can feel like they are also the rock stars.”
When trying to to capture the essence of indie sleaze in 2024, it seems those trying, contradict it’s core. There’s no style that comes with
it except unapologetic sloppiness. Nobody can buy the look on someone’s face when they don’t care about the way people perceive them. It is simply ignorant bliss, something that Gen Z heavily lacks. Planning a photoshoot, outfits, and making sure everyone who watches perceives you in an ultra specific way, is the opposite of indie sleaze. The art of genuinely not caring and having fun, has been replaced with building a perfect ly tailored persona using an online presence.
Leo Lucente Staff Writer
In a world where nothing good seems to be free, Bergamot Station Arts Center, located on the corner of Olympic Boulevard and 26th St, somehow seems to slip the mind of every high schooler in Santa Monica. Funded by the city of Santa Monica, the former train depot has managed to stay free to the public for its entire 30-year existence while simultaneously staying firmly atop
the West Side art scene.
Bergamot Station is not just a collection of galleries in an old train yard, but a sprawling five-building campus with more than 20 art galleries and six other creative venues such as theaters, comedy clubs, writing workshops and more. Among these additional spaces is the gallery store. The shop features both museum original clothes, prints and souvenirs as well as a nice curation of third-party goods ranging from candles to kimonos.
The allure of Bergamot Station extends past art too. The space has an open layout with avant-garde buildings, a cafe and two gourmet, chef-driven restaurants in Birdie G’s and Le Great Outdoor Restaurant. The restaurants, while expensive, help keep Bergamot open and free to the public so paying $45 for an entree is essentially charity.
At any point in time, Bergamot Station is concurrently hosting roughly 20 exhibitions, rotating every few months or so. These exhibitions can vary from abstract works by a single international painter to close-up portraits from groups of local photographers. Silent Elevations by Randall Reid and Emilio Lobato, a current ex-
hibition at the arts center, showcases the artists’ contemporary collection of geometric shapes painted onto found materials like salvaged steel and aged wood, blending formal structure with an organic feel. The variety and transience of exhibitions have
Art feaured in the Nuart Gallery at Bergamot, one of the many current exhibitions the Station offers.
“Beetlejuice”, a beloved movie full of giggly gore and a gothic plotline stayed in the underworld for far too long. Finally, 35 years after its predecessor, the name of
Bio-Exorcist Beetlejuice is uttered three times again, and, depending on the level of film enthusiast you are, it was “Beetlejuice Beetlejuice” pays homage to its prequel in casting and plotline, making numerous references and callbacks to the original. Director Tim Burton
made the fan-approved choice to recast many of the initial entourage including Michael Keaton as Beetlejuice, Winona Ryder as Lydia Deetz, and Catherine O’Hara as Delia Deetz. The story takes place in Lydia’s adult life, navigating the real and supernatural worlds yet again. Now, she also must juggle having a teenage daughter, played by Jenna Ortega, who relies on a similar angsty demeanor just as Lydia possessed once before. Ortega, a clear favorite in Burton’s casting eyes, made the heartbeat of the “Beetlejuice” franchise flatline. Her character didn’t live up to the authentic Lydia Deetz, the persona that the writers were clearly trying to emulate. Her performance was subpar, full of corny begrudging one liners, which degraded the film’s maturity tremendously. Comparing Orgeta’s other works with Burton, “Wednesday”, a modern adaptation of “The Adam’s Family”, was yet another eerie plotline revival. Her acting hasn’t grown far from its “Disney Channel” roots and it has now brought two beloved dark comedy classics down with it. Orgeta’s presence is rapidly becoming fatiguing and her roles are blurring further together in each part. While Burton might want to say her name three times, audiences would rather her stay in the acting underworld.
Although Burton’s taste in actors might’ve worsened, his ability to portray beauty has not. “Beetlejuice Bee -
helped Bergamot Station develop a core fanbase and build a positive reputation in the LA art scene. Bergamot Station is constantly eager to innovate and push the boundaries of what an arts center can be. Bergamot Station’s most ambitious endeavor this summer was Santa Monica’s Digital New Arts Festival. Cleverly shortened to DNA Festival to highlight the festival’s emphasis on science, the first-year festival finishes its 6-month exhibition on Nov. 20th, 2024. The festival is taking place at 12 different spaces, six at Bergamot Station, three at Santa Monica College and another two at the 18th Street Arts Center. The DNA Festival features art gallery exhibitions, live performances, large-scale video installations, experiments in telepresence, screenings, and panel discussions from both local and international artists. Bergamot Station has expressed plans to make the festival an annual event, describing this year’s as inaugural.
The arts center, which got its name from a wildflower native to the area, this is a charming weekend-outing that won’t put a strain on the pockets of Samo students.
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tlejuice” shows significant improvements technologically and is able to unleash the underworld in a way its 80s mentor never could. Advancements in animation, VFX, and CGI make the movie present cleaner and well put together. The film was artistically excellent, but as far as the plot, it simply did too much. Each storyline seemed to be killed before it was ever brought to life, take Beetlejuice’s soul-sucking ex-lover Delores (Monica Belucci); she is continuously used as a looming threat, however, Belucci’s character line was unfleshed and unimportant. Belcucci’s illustration of Doreles was only one of the many ghastly-placed plot points, and Orgetga was not the only actor who oozed underwhelm throughout the film.
The theatrics of the petrifying prototype are still fully intact, and the phantom personality of the original cast keeps the follow-up chained to the sturdy shackles of the first “Beetlejuice”, but most of the primary allure got lost in the translation of time. For those looking for a sequel to replace the classic, it won’t be found here. But to all the watchers who don’t care about the gritty filmgeek details, and are purely seeking entertainment, the buckles of blood and blue guts should be right up your undead alley.
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Emma Godfrey Staff Writer
A
er years of Samo students simply peering over at construction, they can nally take a step into the new, long-awaited, Exploration Building. Students and teachers alike are thrilled to see all their art courses move to brand-new, upgraded classrooms. Photography, Film and Video, Graphic Design, Digital Design, Drawing, Painting, Ceramics and AP Art all nd new homes in Exploration. ese students’ education will ourish with these modern, highly developed working spaces and equipment that support and ful ll their creative drives.
Martin Ledford is in his 13th year teaching Beginning and Advanced Photography at Samo and is in love with his new classroom. e new classroom is equipped with a brand-new darkroom and lm-changing rooms for students to work with lm cameras. e di erence between the old photography classroom, located in a tiny bungalow, and the large new classroom in Exploration is like night and day. Ledford re ects on how proud he is of the work that went into his classroom.
“To have proper working, state-of-the-art dark rooms– I mean, this whole classroom is state of the art– I think it would be hard to nd another classroom in this country that is as nice as this one,” Ledford said.
In addition to the numerous other perks, photography students also received 28 new iMac computers, along with three professional printers and a stage where students can shoot fullbody photographs. Around 20 feet tall, the stage comes with green screens for working with digital cameras. is big switch from small, crowded bungalows to spacious and innovative rooms lls Ledford and his students with joy.
“I come in here every morning and I just look and realize how lucky I am,” Ledford said.
Dylan Jericiau (’26), currently enrolled in Ceramics 3 at
Samo, is eager to spend his next two years in the new Ceramics classrooms in Exploration. Jericiau is passionate about ceramics and appreciates the new creative outlet Samo and Ms. Gutierrez’s class gives him. Jericiau is especially enthusiastic about
the garage-style door in between the ceramic rooms that can be li ed to combine the rooms into one.
“I’m most excited that the new building o ers a much larger communal workspace, and I’m happy that I can work with my peers in a greater quantity,” Jericiau said.
In previous years, the ceramics rooms have been overly cramped because of limited resources. Some of these setbacks included only one sink per classroom and having only one properly equipped classroom. However, this changed with the new Exploration classrooms. Ceramics students are provided
with a yard with multiple new kilns, around 48 new pottery wheels in the classrooms and a wedging table with new wire cutters for cutting clay.
Amy Bouse, the AP Art and Painting teacher is in her 28th year of teaching at Samo. She appreciates all the work put into her new classroom to make it specially designed for the 2D art form she teaches. Provided with new tables, stools and an outdoor patio with multiple easels, all students in her classroom nd a comfortable workplace. Additionally, they were supplied with many new storage units such as larger drying racks for holding artwork, a substantial supply room, and cabinets with removable shelves that are speci cally built for keeping art supplies.
Comparatively, Ms. Bouse’s former classroom in the Business Building was a more temporary, multi-use room, whereas her new classroom was engineered exclusively for the subject she teaches.
“It was so frustrating because of some challenges with the roof and air conditioning…” Bouse said. “Now, it does feel like it [the Exploration building] gives more respect to the department to be a facility that’s created for our subject…To have the art faculty all in the same building is helpful,” Bouse said.
e Exploration building has greatly improved the Samo arts program, providing amazing new classrooms for students to thrive. Arts classes are being elevated through new resources, materials, and both indoor and outdoor working spaces. Students and teachers are elated by this major transformation from small, cramped classrooms to wide, spacious learning spaces. Today, students step into properly equipped classrooms where they can accomplish more than ever before.
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ing community engagement. The announcement of this new Barnes & Nobles thrilled the Santa Monica community since the closing of the last Barnes& Nobles in 2018 leaving bibliophiles wanting more. With that being said this vibrant new location, immediately grabs your attention with its mirrored front walls and offers all sorts of community-focused events such as virtual author readings, that discuss parts of the book with the author themselves and locals in the community which brings fresh new perspectives that could alter your view on the book! In addition to that there are also going to be in-person book signings by authors of all genres and ages to give everyone in the community full access to what this new location has to offer. Locals eagerly anticipate the opportunity to explore new titles and engage with other bibliophile lovers Samohi student Rosalie Tsirlin 9s’26) expresses her excitement about the opening by saying
“Barnes&Nobles fuels all my interest, they give you a variety of different literature, puzzles, records and CDs which as a literature enthusiast I was thrilled to visit the newly opened Barnes & Noble! Although the new location is smaller than the previous one , its beautiful details make up for it and regain its specialty” Tsirlin
said. “Books are engraved into the brick walls and the stunning mirrors invite you to enter into this new domain filled with any book you can imagine and to my surprise legos as well! As you walk in you immediately feel a part of the Santa monica community , you see different generations , different races and different personalities join together to appreciate this new pillar in the community! ”
Samohi Academic Counselor Mr.Porter also discloses the importance of this new Barnes & Noble opening by verbalizing the effect it will have on Samo students mental health “ Students constantly vocalize to me how much a peaceful and accessible environment would change their mindset on doing homework. I believe that because of this new opening students get a place to find their favorite books but also a place where they can be productive and optimistic .” Porter said. Furthermore this new Barnes and Nobles looks to be a promising and vibrant pillar in the Santa Monica community for book lovers and community activities.
Yaretzi Preza Staff Writer
The 2024 Olympics happened this past summer, from July 26 to Aug. 11, in Paris, France. The Olympic games brought people together, uniting them behind their TV screens while they supported their nation’s leading athletes in search of a gold medal. The best of the world showed out in competition, creating memorable moments for not just those in France, but for fans around the world. Here are a few of Samo students’ favorite moments:
“Spencer Lee vs Higuchi Rei, Lee showed off some really good wrestling that caused a good match. He almost came out with gold on America’s part but we’ll get them next time. Wrestling is a beautiful sport, it’s really technical and awesome to watch along with teaching valuable life lessons.”
- Raden Madley (’25)
“My favorite Olympic moment from this year is when Team USA women’s gymnastics won gold for team allaround, it was really fun to watch and I was super proud of the team”
- Brooke Meshekow (’26)
“Watching John John Florence and Caity Simmers perform at Teahupo’o surfing, I love to see the sport and I think John John Florence is so fun to watch and Caity Simmers is one of the next big names coming up”
- Rocco Shahriary (’27)
“My favorite Olympic event was Track and Field because of the records that were broken from Team USA and seeing Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone.”
- Kamryn Chen (’28)
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Arata Sakamoto Staff Writer
The Olympic Games bring together the world’s top athletes to compete in over 40 sports ranging from gymnastics to judo, normally held once every four years. The origins of the Olympics can be traced back to ancient Greece, where a sports contest was held in Olympia dating back to 776 BC. In the late 19th century, the Olympics were revived and governed by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) who are responsible for choosing the host cities, deciding what sports will be included and the overall organization of the event.
In 2017 the IOC’s evaluation commission granted Los Angeles to host the 2028 Olympics. LA has hosted two Olympics prior to this, the first one in 1932 and the second one in 1984. LA28, a private group organizing the games, has estimated a budget of $6.9 billion. Local citizens have already noticed the changes in the city with the biggest ones being the renovations to Los Angeles International Airport, the expansion of the Metro system and most significantly the “cleansing” of the homeless community. Many people look forward to the Olympics as LA is one of the most famous and “beautiful” cities in the world. Popular films like La La Land and Barbie, feature iconic spots of LA. However, LA is deceiving in many ways due to the struggles with pollution, illegal activities and homeless encampments. Griffith Observatory is the setting of the most well known scene of La La Land where Mia and Sebastion dance during “A Lovely Night.” In reality, Griffith Park and the surrounding neighborhoods including Hollywood have seen an increase in homeless encampments. Similarly, in Barbie, Barbie and Ken are seen rollerblading around the pleasant Venice beach capturing one of LA’s biggest tourist spots. However, the reality of Venice beach contrasts with the film. The beach is infamous for its issues with theft, drug activity and pollution in the air, water and sand.
One of the biggest issues LA struggles with is the rising population of homeless people and encampments around the city. As of 2024, Los Angeles is dealing with the second largest homeless population in the United States with an estimate of 75,518 people living on the streets, which translates to an estimate of 18 homeless per every 1,000 residents. For the 2024-2025 fiscal year, Los Angeles was given a budget of $12.8 billion. Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass proposed that her spending plan calls for $950 million to fund homeless programs including $185 million for her program Inside Safe. However, according to the Los Angeles Homeless Authority, 28% of the people in the program have returned to homelessness.
Liane Sato is a former volleyball player, a two-time Olympian and currently is the Samo’s volleyball head coach. She competed in the 1988 and 1992 summer Olympics in Seoul and Barcelona. She discusses the impacts she’s noticed on the homeless encampments in preparations for the LA Olympics.
“I have noticed recently that a lot of homeless encampments in the area, mostly in Venice and under the freeways, are cleared out, but they always seem to come back after a while,” Sato said. Over two million people have been displaced by the Olympic games in the last two decades including the most recent Paris Olympics. In Paris, they prepared for the Olympics by driving out the homeless people. According to KSBW 8 news, hundreds of people were seen carrying backpacks and small children to board buses that were surrounded by armed police. This has raised many concerns for the LA homeless community in regards to where they will be displaced for the upcoming games and to what extent the city is willing to go to “cleanse” the city.
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Athena Barefoot Staff Writer
Over the past four years, the Santa Monica High School cheer team has faced a significant challenge: a revolving door of coaching changes. In just four years, the team has cycled through five different coaches, creating an atmosphere of uncertainty and adaptation for both the cheerleaders and the program.
Most recently, Lavel Butler resigned from the coach position during the first week of the season, after working at both Palisades High School and Samo to focus more on his career at Palisades. This left the Samo cheer team without stable leadership yet again. In response, Athletic Director Coleen Davenport has stepped in to fill the coaching role. Frequent coaching changes, especially in a very team-oriented sport like cheerleading, can have a deep effect on the team. Cheerleading requires not only physical skills but also a strong coordination and trust between the athletes and their coach. With each coaching transition, the team has had to adjust to different coaching styles, training methods and expectations.
Despite the disruptions, the Samo cheerleaders have shown remarkable resilience. Team captains, Kaylen Kim (’25) and Tammy Ikumi (’25), are focused on maintaining the team’s strong connection and high-energy performances at halftime during football and basketball games, at pep rallies and at other school events.
“As captain this season alongside Kaylen
Kim, we aim to be strong support for our committed and skilled team. We strive to improve our team as a whole and showcase our abilities through routines at halftime, pep rallies and other events,” Ikumi said.
One of the most important factors contributing to the team’s ability to persevere is the strong bond between the cheerleaders.
The team members have developed a closeknit relationship which has helped them maintain a strong community in the face of constant change. This has been essential in helping the team navigate the difficulties of losing and gaining coaches frequently.
“Our cheerleaders are dedicated, talented and spirited girls. Our team already possesses a naturally strong bond, which enables us to support one another on and off the field, enhancing our cohesion as a team,” Ikumi said.
As the cheerleading season progresses, the Samo cheerleaders remain determined to continue improving and delivering their best performances. With the guidance of Davenport and the support of their teammates, they are hopeful that this season will be one of growth and achievement.
“Although coach changing is not normal, we are very appreciative of all the adults who stepped in as our cheer coaches and for the different experiences we were able to gain. This season, we are putting in extra effort to make sure our cheer team performs at its best,” Ikumi said.
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Imani Toler Staff Writer
With the new Exploration Building officially open, students are looking forward to the opening of the new Gold Gym. The Gold Gym was originally planned to open for the 2024-2025 school year, but it has experienced some recent delays. At it’s time of opening, the new gym will expand Samo’s athletic programs tremendously. The Gold Gym will house two gyms, a dance studio, outdoor workout areas, a yoga room, a fitness room, new
locker rooms and a third auxiliary court for both volleyball and basketball. The gym’s large size and modernization makes it unique to the other gyms on campus.
Featuring well-lit spaces and outdoor areas, the new Gold Gym is designed to be an ideal and productive environment for student-athletes.
On May 8, 2024 Samo celebrated the finishing of the steel frame for the Gold Gym. Officials, district representatives and the construction crew witnessed the final steel beam of the building being
placed. The milestone is one of many to come as the gymnasium is almost finished and ready for use. Teams like varsity girls volleyball have already started planning on using it for their future practices and games.
Girls varsity volleyball player Maya Paysinger (’25), expressed her anticipation for the gym as it becomes closer and closer to being finished, “I’m super excited to see the new Gold Gym and play the next two-thirds of our games in there. I think the crowd will be bigger and better because of the new gym and overall I’m excited to see what the gym is going to be like and what it will bring to Samo,” Paysinger said.
Both the Gold Gym and the Exploration Building are components of Samo’s Campus Plan, which includes rebuilding a majority of “outdated” structures. This eight-phase plan has already taken action, with the Discovery building being the first step into the future of a modernized Samo. The plan, which began with phase one and two in 2018, led to the creation of the Discovery build -
ing. Phase three of the plan includes the construction of the Exploration Building and Gold Gym. Stage four will be the demolition of the existing English and Business buildings, and will lead to the construction of a student art gallery and an infant and toddler center. Phase five will demolish the Admin building, leading to the construction of a Performing Arts and Music Department. Phase eight will be the final phase in the plan, following six and seven. Expected to be completed in the year 2047, the final build will end with new tennis courts, a new stadium with seating for up to 2,500 people, structured parking, another gym, a new field and many other upgrades. The point of the expansions is aiming to prepare the school for future generations, as well as adjust the space in classrooms for ideal learning.
Colleen Davenport gives us exclusive information on the Gold Gym for student-athletes and teachers alike.
“The biggest thing that athletes should be looking forward to in the Gold Gym, is an additional practice space, an additional weight room and a classroom to watch games from. Most of all, air conditioning. We are hoping that the Gym is finished in the last week of September,” Davenport said.
Athena Barefoot StaffWriter
After a season marked by improvements and accom plishments, the Santa Monica High School girls’ varsity volleyball team has prepared for the upcoming year in the newly aligned Ocean League. Last year, during the 2023- 24 season, the team had an overall record of 1112, going 4-6 in league play, and earned recognition as the 2024 CIF Southern Section FORD Team Academic Champions, an award highlighting their academic achievements. They received their Academic Banner at an awards ceremo ny held at Angel Stadium in Anaheim, California. Team coach, Liane Sato strives to have model student-athletes on and off the field.
“We want our scholar-athletes to take care of the little and big things involved with becoming a successful schol ar-athlete. This includes work in the classroom, the gym and in the Samohi community,” Sato said. Competing in the Bay League last year, which is known for its strong competition, helped the team qualify for the
Hope Wang StaffWriter
CIFSS playoffs. This experience has prepared them for the challenges they will face in the Ocean League. This season, the team’s focus is on leadership and ac countability. The coaching staff is encouraging players to pay attention to the details required for success as schol ar-athletes, both on and off the court. The individual well-being of each member of the team is a key part of the success of the season. Sato, alongside captains Jane Robinson (’25) and Jasmine Martinez (’26), collectively set three goals for the season: improve, compete and en joy the game. The varsity players are preparing to take on their new league with these objectives in mind. “As captain, I am trying to focus on what our girls need individually in order to play our best as a team!” Robin son said.
In their first game of the season, on Aug. 30, the Samo girls’ varsity volleyball team earned their first victory, winning 3 out of 5 sets against Brentwood High School. The team has continued to thrive, boasting a record of 7-2-1. Middle blocker, Kaeli Horwitz (’27), is highly con fident in the team and believes its only up from here.
“We work really well as a team together and I think that
will create a season of success and positivity. For our first game of the season, we played extremely well and I see nothing but improvements from this point on,” Horwitz said.
Debbie Fernandez / Contributor
Jane Robinson (’25) spikes the ball against West Torrance High School on Sept. 6.
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Last year, the Samo girl’s varsity golf team faced various challenges that impacted their perfor mance. Despite the best efforts of the players and their coach, Roshni Mejia, the team often found themselves forfeiting matches due to insufficient team members. This persistent issue overshad owed their potential on the course and the team only managed to get one win last year, against Redondo Union. However, the team still made a huge accomplishment last year, with the current team captain Cash Henton (’25) making League Finals.
Henton qualified not only for the first but also for the second round of CIF. She shares how it’s all about having a good attitude and that becom ing frustrated with the results is never the right way to play. Henton expressed her feelings about CIF.
“It was such an amazing feeling having all
the
hard work pay off. But as I was excited I knew I had to stay humble because it was only going to get harder from there,”
Henton said.
Mejia additionally emphasized the importance of team growth and skill development for the upcoming season, which is something the team is especially striving for, as there are many new members and first-time players this year.
“We expect to spend the season building our team…we really worked hard on skills and team building, which is a driving force behind our ap proach this season,” Mejia said.
Additionally, the team captains, Henton and Frances Aguilar (’26) are looking forward to the new season.
“What I love about our team is that we are fam ily. Even though golf is very much an individual game, at the end of the day, we have prioritized our team bonding and making sure everyone is comfortable with each other and the space they are surrounded with,”
Henton said.
Aguilar echoed the importance of team bond ing, highlighting the positive atmosphere of the team and noting that the team is focused on im proving their performance and lowering their scores. With a supportive environment in place, Aguilar is hopeful for the upcoming season.
“Everyone is so welcoming… it’s really easy to be there and speak to everyone,” Aguilar said. “I hope to get more wins than we did last year.” The team has been preparing for the season by focusing on honing the skills of some of their standout players, while also dedicating time to help the new team members, many of whom are brand new to the sport.
“We just started, so we’re focusing on getting everyone ready for the season,” Mejia said. “Our main goal of focus this year is to continue build ing our team and to grow as a unit. We have more girls interested in golf than ever!”
The girl’s golf team played their first
game on Sept. 17, facing a challenging start with a loss against North High School. Despite the result, the team is ready to build on the lessons of the past, aim for growth and evolve as a team.
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Raha Ghoroghchian StaffWriter
In last year’s 23-24 season, Samo girls’ tennis ended fourth place with a 7-10 record in the Bay League. In their last match of the season, they lost 5-13 to Culver City High School. The team is determined to make the CIF Team Tournament this year, which they haven’t done since 2019.
This year’s fall pre-season quickly approached and players are settled down and geared up for this year’s season of girls’ tennis. Samo varsity
girls’ tennis started their season in late Aug. with their first match on Aug. 29. The team took their first win of the season against Venice High School with a 16-2 score.
Head Coach Shaun Simone, along with team captains Allison Gee (’25) and Avey Thompson (’25), are ready to power through their matches and go straight into CIFs. To qualify for CIFs, the team needs an average win percentage of 0.500 or higher. Coach Simone’s goal this year, as well as years prior, has been to qualify.
This year Samo girls’ tennis is
competing in a new league. In pre vious years Samo has participated in the Bay League against schools with more funding, practice times and overall resources. Currently, Samo is a part of the Ocean League and is much more confident in their division, especially Gee.
“I’m very excited about this up coming season. Now that we’re in a different league, we definitely have a better shot at winning our divi sion and hopefully making it to CIF. All the girls have shown so much
commitment to the team, and I’m certain that we’re going to have a fantastic season,” Gee said.
Girls’ tennis is also making chang es to enforce team building and unity. Simone talks about one of the implementations to ensure the success of this year’s team.
“Junior varsity and varsity used to warm up and stretch separately on dif ferent courts but this year we have switched it so we all warm up together to promote team spirit,” Simone said. Samo girls’ varsity tennis started the season strong with a 16-2
win against Venice High School. The team has maintained a steady re cord since, picking up valuable wins on their road to CIF qualification.
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Laurel Cohn StaffWriter
The Samo boys’ water polo team had a very successful 23- 24 season and is looking to replicate that again this year. The Vikings ended the season with a record of 21-
11, get ting them to the second round of CIF playoffs. The team finished third in the league overall, keeping their spot in the Bay League. In previous years, the Samo boys’ water polo team has been successful in securing spots in CIF and winning nu merous games. Head Coach Matthew Flanders is in his 28th season coaching the Samo boys’ water polo team. He hopes to achieve stronger communication both in and out of the water this year while also building on a
strong foun dation.
“Goals are always to win games and qualify for CIF. Of course, winning CIF would be a great milestone. Now, is that attainable? We’ll see,” Flanders said. The Samo boys’ water polo team lost 11 seniors last year, and are currently working on building the team back up. Flanders mentioned a few upcoming players that he sees excelling this season, including captain Jackson Colby (’25), Ethan Fitzgerald (’25), Grayson Fehmurs (’28), Ronan Maynes (’25) and goalie, Jake Levin (’26). Colby reflects on the beginning of the season, and goals the team is working towards.
“We’re working really hard, overall we’re doing pretty good. We do need to work on communication, like saying heads up and playing as a team,” Colby said.
In their first home game of the season, the Vi kings got a 13-8 win against Milken High School. Since then, the team has picked up 6 more valuable wins, aiding the Vikings on their journey to CIF. The team, now 7-5, has their next home game on Sept. 24 against Culver City High School. Laurel Cohn / The Samohi Connor Wong (’26) passes the ball to teammate Danny O’Bryan (’25), swiftly maneuvering the ball through a series of oncoming de fenders. thesamohinews@gmail.com
Athena Barefoot Staff Writer
After a season marked by improvements and accomplishments, the Santa Monica High School girls’ varsity volleyball team has prepared for the upcoming year in the newly aligned Ocean League. Last year, during the 202324 season, the team had an overall record of 11-12, going 4-6 in league play, and earned recognition as the 2024 CIF Southern Section FORD Team Academic Champions, an award highlighting their academic achievements. They received their Academic Banner at an awards ceremony held at Angel Stadium in Anaheim, California. Team coach, Liane Sato strives to have model student-athletes on and off the field.
“We want our scholar-athletes to take care of the little and big things involved with becoming a successful scholar-athlete. This includes work in the classroom, the gym and in the Samohi community,” Sato said.
Competing in the Bay League last year, which is known for its strong competition, helped the team qualify for the CIFSS playoffs. This experience has prepared them for the
challenges they will face in the Ocean League.
This season, the team’s focus is on leadership and accountability. The coaching staff is encouraging players to pay attention to the details required for success as scholar-athletes, both on and off the court. The individual well-being of each member of the team is a key part of the success of the season. Sato, alongside captains Jane Robinson (’25) and Jasmine Martinez (’26), collectively set three goals for the season: improve, compete and enjoy the game. The varsity players are preparing to take on their new league with these objectives in mind.
“As captain, I am trying to focus on what our girls need individually in order to play our best as a team!” Robinson said.
In their first game of the season, on Aug. 30, the Samo girls’ varsity volleyball team earned their first victory, winning 3 out of 5 sets against Brentwood High School. The team has continued to thrive, boasting a record of 7-2-1. Middle blocker, Kaeli Horwitz (’27), is highly confident in the team and believes its only up from here.
“We work really well as a team together and I think that
will create a season of success and positivity. For our first game of the season, we played extremely well and I see nothing but improvements from this point on,” Horwitz said.
Hope Wang Staff Writer
Last year, the Samo girl’s varsity golf team faced various challenges that impacted their performance. Despite the best efforts of the players and their coach, Roshni Mejia, the team often found themselves forfeiting matches due to insufficient team members. This persistent issue overshadowed their potential on the course and the team only managed to get one win last year, against Redondo Union. However, the team still made a huge accomplishment last year, with the current team captain Cash Henton (’25) making League Finals.
Henton qualified not only for the first but also for the second round of CIF. She shares how it’s all about having a good attitude and that becoming frustrated with the results is never the right way to play. Henton expressed her feelings about CIF.
“It was such an amazing feeling having all the
hard work pay off. But as I was excited I knew I had to stay humble because it was only going to get harder from there,” Henton said.
Mejia additionally emphasized the importance of team growth and skill development for the upcoming season, which is something the team is especially striving for, as there are many new members and first-time players this year.
“We expect to spend the season building our team…we really worked hard on skills and team building, which is a driving force behind our approach this season,” Mejia said.
Additionally, the team captains, Henton and Frances Aguilar (’26) are looking forward to the new season.
“What I love about our team is that we are family. Even though golf is very much an individual game, at the end of the day, we have prioritized our team bonding and making sure everyone is comfortable with each other and the space they are surrounded with,” Henton said.
Aguilar echoed the importance of team bonding, highlighting the positive atmosphere of the team and noting that the team is focused on improving their performance and lowering their scores. With a supportive environment in place, Aguilar is hopeful for the upcoming season.
“Everyone is so welcoming… it’s really easy to be there and speak to everyone,” Aguilar said.
“I hope to get more wins than we did last year.”
The team has been preparing for the season by focusing on honing the skills of some of their standout players, while also dedicating time to help the new team members, many of whom are brand new to the sport.
“We just started, so we’re focusing on getting everyone ready for the season,” Mejia said. “Our main goal of focus this year is to continue building our team and to grow as a unit. We have more girls interested in golf than ever!”
The girl’s golf team played their first game on Sept. 17, facing a challenging start with a loss
Raha Ghoroghchian Staff Writer
In last year’s 23-24 season, Samo girls’ tennis ended fourth place with a 7-10 record in the Bay League. In their last match of the season, they lost 5-13 to Culver City High School. The team is determined to make the CIF Team Tournament this year, which they haven’t done since 2019.
This year’s fall pre-season quickly approached and players are settled down and geared up for this year’s season of girls’ tennis. Samo varsity
girls’ tennis started their season in late Aug. with their first match on Aug. 29. The team took their first win of the season against Venice High School with a 16-2 score.
Head Coach Shaun Simone, along with team captains Allison Gee (’25) and Avey Thompson (’25), are ready to power through their matches and go straight into CIFs.
To qualify for CIFs, the team needs an average win percentage of 0.500 or higher. Coach Simone’s goal this year, as well as years prior, has been to qualify.
This year Samo girls’ tennis is competing in a new league. In previous years Samo has participated in the Bay League against schools with more funding, practice times and overall resources. Currently, Samo is a part of the Ocean League and is much more confident in their division, especially Gee.
“I’m very excited about this upcoming season. Now that we’re in a different league, we definitely have a better shot at winning our division and hopefully making it to CIF. All the girls have shown so much
commitment to the team, and I’m certain that we’re going to have a fantastic season,” Gee said.
Girls’ tennis is also making changes to enforce team building and unity. Simone talks about one of the implementations to ensure the success of this year’s team. “Junior varsity and varsity used to warm up and stretch separately on different courts but this year we have switched it so we all warm up together to promote team spirit,” Simone said.
Samo girls’ varsity tennis started
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the season strong with a 16-2 win against Venice High School. The team has maintained a steady record since, picking up valuable wins on their road to CIF qualification.
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The Samo boys’ water polo team had a very successful 2324 season and is looking to replicate that again this year. The Vikings ended the season with a record of 21-11, getting them to the second round of CIF playoffs. The team finished third in the league overall, keeping their spot in the Bay League.
In previous years, the Samo boys’ water polo team has been successful in securing spots in CIF and winning numerous games. Head Coach Matthew Flanders is in his 28th season coaching the Samo boys’ water polo team. He hopes to achieve stronger communication both in and out of the water this year while also building on a strong foundation.
“Goals are always to win games and qualify for CIF. Of course, winning CIF would be a great milestone. Now, is that attainable? We’ll see,” Flanders said.
The Samo boys’ water polo team lost 11 seniors last year,
and are currently working on building the team back up. Flanders mentioned a few upcoming players that he sees excelling this season, including captain Jackson Colby (’25), Ethan Fitzgerald (’25), Grayson Fehmurs (’28), Ronan Maynes (’25) and goalie, Jake Levin (’26). Colby reflects on the beginning of the season, and goals the team is working towards.
“We’re working really hard, overall we’re doing pretty good. We do need to work on communication, like saying heads up and playing as a team,” Colby said.
In their first home game of the season, the Vikings got a 13-8 win against Milken High School. Since then, the team has picked up 6 more valuable wins, aiding the Vikings on their journey to CIF. The team, now 7-5, has their next home game on Sept. 24 against Culver City High School.
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Yaretzi Preza Staff Writer
During Samo’s historic run last season, the Vikings were stopped short in the CIF Southern Sectional championship, ending in a 27-29 loss to Rio Hondo Prep. Samo finished with a 9-5 record in the 2324 season, which put them at 5th in the Bay League. Going into this upcoming season, the team looks to build off last season’s success in
a new league, Pioneer League.
This year’s new captains, Wyatt Brown (’26), Charles Cravings (’25), Samuel Reynoso (’25), Jeremy Guerrero (’25) and Ezra Klein (’25) are working hard to regain the team’s winning streak along with improving the upcoming players on this years roster. Captain Wyatt Brown talks about his goals for the 24-25 season.
“As a team, getting back to the
championship and winning it this time. We have a good team but whatever happens it’s just to make it to the championship, break records, build chemistry and help our guys to the next level,” Brown said.
With the loss of 11 starters last season, Head Coach Carter Paysinger highlights players who have shown much improvement and promising efforts to help the Vikings work back to earn a spot in the CIF Playoffs again this season.
“Extraordinary players like Jackson Nelson (’26) have been playing well so far for us this season as he joined from Campbell Hall. Manny Lares (’25), Giovanni Crabtree (’25), these guys who didn’t play much on the field last year have stepped into major roles this year while doing pretty well,” Paysinger said.
things. The better we get at executing those life skills the better we become as a team,” Paysinger said.
Additionally, Coach Paysinger also shares his goals for the 2425 season.
“My personal goals are the same every year, helping all of our guys learn life skills and get better. Time management, discipline, responsibility, all those
The Viking’s started this season with an on-the-road 26-0 win against Chino Hills High School on Aug. 23. On Aug. 30, Samo played in their first home game against Laguna Beach which resulted in a 21-9 loss. On Sept. 6, the Vikings took a 30-6 loss against West Torrance. In their next home game on Sept. 13, Samo faced Sylmar which
ended in a 41-6 win. This past Friday, the Vikings played against Hueneme and continued their one game winning streak with a 46-12 win, improving their record to 3-2. The Viking’s will continue playing on the field in their next home game on Oct. 18, against Redondo Union.
Last year, varsity flag football ended their season strong as the Ocean League champions, with an overall record of 16-3 and 8-0 in league play. The team has spent their offseason preparing to match the success of last season on the field and come back stronger and better than before. Coach Lambert has high hopes for the team this season and is setting the bar high.
“Goals we hope to achieve for the upcoming season are winning the Ocean League again, making CIF playoffs, and making a run at the championship. We’re looking
forward to raising the bar that the team set last year, and fostering a culture of hardworking and committed female leaders,” Lambert said.
The team only lost one senior last year, Isabella Sanchez. According to Lambert, this year’s returning juniors and seniors have some key players to look out for, including Captain Anica Mindes(25’), Bella Medina (25’), Sara Gonzalez (25’), Jayla Johnson (25’), Chloe Sanders(26’), Amber Havel (25’), Sasha Zuckerbraun (25’) and Kyla Cotton (25’).
Captain Mindes is optimistic about her expectations and
achievements for the team in this upcoming season.
“I would say my goals are for the girls to continue learning from each other and the game, for us to really give it our all each game. My expectations are that throughout the season we’re going to become more and more driven, focused on winning, and bringing home CIF,” Mindes said.
The Vikings started off the season strong with a 19-0 home win against Woodrow Wilson High School. As of Sept. 19, the Vikings have a record of 5-6.
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Arata Sakamoto Staff Writer
Last year, the Samo boys’ cross country season ended in November, when they placed fourth at the Bay League finals, where only the top three teams advanced to the CIF Prelims. On the other hand, the Samo girls’ team was able to place third in the CIF Division I Preliminary Race and qualified for the CIF finals. Phoebe Benun (’25) secured a spot for the State Championship as an individual and finished in 20th overall.
This season, Samo welcomes the new head coach Katie Saunders and assistant coach Emily Sutherland. In addition to the new leadership in coaches, cross country in both the boys’ and girls’ teams have new captains.
The boys’ team captains are Landon Kozmor (’25) and Leo Lucente (’26), and the girls’ team captains are Cleo Topp (’25) and Maeko Gross (’25). In addition to the great leadership in girls’ team captains, the coaches have high praise for Benun.
“Our star player on the girls’ team is, without a doubt, Phoebe. She pushes herself both academically and in her running,” said Saunders.
In preparation for the season, the Samo cross country teams have been working tirelessly since early July. They have been steadily improving on their mileage and intensity using the tried and true training strategies from former head coach Tania Fischer and former assistant coach
Harley Richards. They have also worked on strength and conditioning under Saunders, who specializes in those fields. Saunders expresses how the team will continue to grow under her leadership.
“As the new coach, I am focusing on being a resource to my team. I have knowledge to share in weightlifting, injury prevention, developing fitness plans, nutrition, injury rehab, and the throwing events in track and fields,” said Saunders.
Alongside new leadership, cross country also faces another change, transitioning from Bay to Ocean League. Amidst these challenges, Sutherland still has high aspirations for the season.
“Goals for this season are to be
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league champs on both the boys’ and girls’ teams and see how far we can get in CIF postseason.
As you know, CIF SS is one of the most competitive sections so going to state for each individual team is a big reach goal for us,” said Sutherland. Saunders adds on that the team is in the right mindset to be able to achieve these aspirations.
“Our team has the ‘want-to,’ they bring effort and energy every day. I know that we can do it,” said Saunders.
Cross Country had their first meet of the season on Sept. 14 at the Laguna Hills Invite. Team Captain Topp placed fourth.
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