there’s passion in the air this Valentine’s day...
“I beg of you, watch ‘Severance.’ I’ll even give you my family Apple TV log-in, just don’t tell my mom!”
PAGE 11 A&E
“It’s clear when politicians on both sides of the aisle are able to abuse the political system of pardons for their personal gain, change is required.”
PAGE 6 OPINION
“It’s common to feel like you’re not enough of something— not pretty enough, not smart enough, not cool enough. But to feel as though you are not enough of your being—of what you are, blood, skin, and bones—is a different feeling entirely.”
PAGE 9 CENTERSPREAD
“So let this walkout be a symbol of our resolve. We will keep fighting , we will keep marching and we will never stop demanding for a better future.”
PAGE 7 STUDENT LIFE
Trump’s second term kicks off with controversy
Leo Lucente Staff Writer
In the month since his second term as president of the United States began, Donald Trump has taken action on a multitude of issues such as foreign and social policy as well as immigration and the economy. In less than 30 days, Trump’s controversial executive orders, cabinet picks and pardons have shaken up the country and world.
Trump has signed and published 60 executive orders thus far including, renaming the Gulf of Mexico and Mt. Denali to the Gulf of America and Mt. McKinley, declaring male and female the only two recognized genders in the country and exiting the Paris Agreement—an international global warming treaty the convicted felon briefly left during his first term. The twice impeached president has also generated headlines by pardoning J6 rioters who stormed the Capitol to stop the certification of the 2020 election and for selecting Robert F. Kennedy Jr. as his Secretary of Health. Kennedy Jr., who has claimed that vaccines cause autism and that black people should receive a different vaccine schedule than white people, was confirmed by the senate on Feb. 12.
Whether his motive is to push conservative policies or to reduce the $36 trillion in national debt, Trump has limited government spending and cut government agencies. Most notably, the president froze federal hiring for most government jobs, removed agency watch dogs and eliminated all government Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) programs. The elimination of DEI on the federal level has had influence in the private sector. Google and other private companies have gotten rid of DEI programs.
Trump has laid off employees and frozen funding for the US Agency for International Development (USAID), a government agency that spends over $40 billion annually on humanitarian aid and development funding. Established in 1961, the agency works in 120 countries to prevent child mortality and the spread of diseases worldwide, primarily but provides education, hospitals, clean water and food to developing nations as well.
Elon Musk, who Trump has appointed to head the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) has spearheaded the dismantling of the agency.
“USAID was a viper’s nest of radical-left marxists who hate America,” Musk said on X. “Time for it to die.”
The South African billionaire called the humanitarian agency a criminal organization before gaining access to their files and systematically firing employees. Musk’s “shadow government,” as Senate Minority Leader Chuck Shumer called it, has also gained access to sensitive US Treasury and Medicare information.
On Jan. 27, the Trump administration issued a memo freezing potentially trillions of government money disrupting everything from health care to road construction and
stopped federal grant programs that serve tens of millions of Americans. The repercussions of this action remain minimal, however, as a federal judge temporarily halted the directive and the Trump administration rescinded it on Jan. 29. Also, Democratic state attorneys general launched a separate lawsuit, citing the constitution to argue against the funding pause.
Trump offered buyouts to 2 million full-time federal workers via email. Federal employees who received the email had until Feb. 6 to reply with the word “resign.” The employees who chose to resign remain on the payroll until Sept. 30 but do not have to work in person and their duties have been reduced or eliminated.
On Feb. 4, the two-term president established his intent to sign an executive order abolishing the National Department of Education. While this will not eliminate the existence of public schools across the country or allow states more freedom over their curriculum, it means schools (especially low-income) could their federal funding and the processes of applying for student loans and financial aid will be privatized. This action still requires congressional approval, however.
Trump has made policy changes in an attempt to live up to his campaign promises of providing cheaper goods and a stronger American economy. For starters, he implemented tariffs on the US’s three largest trading partners: Mexico, China and Canada. While he temporarily paused tariffs on Mexico and Canada after they pledged support to the border, the 10 percent tariffs on China remains. Economists such as Sung Won Sohn, a professor of finance and economics at Loyola Marymount University and Chief Economist at SS Economics, is not in favor of these policies as tariffs historically raise the price of imported goods. In this case, the prices of electronics, clothes, toys and other Chinese-manufactured goods are likely to get more expensive.
“Consumers are going to be clearly worse off,” Won Sohn told CNN. “When you talk about a tariff, it’s an economic war; and in war, everybody loses.”
In retaliation, China has launched an antitrust investigation against Google and announced 15 percent tariffs on US-imported fuels, agricultural machinery and pickup trucks.
Trump is not just in a trade war—the billionaire has made enemies with environmentalists by repealing land protections to expand oil drilling.
“Drill, baby, drill,” Trump said in his inaugural address.
The president declared the country’s energy situation a national emergency and in an executive order repealed Joe Biden’s memo which protected 16 million acres of land on US coasts and Alaska. Though the US is producing more oil and gas than any other country in history, Trump is eager to expand the industry and live up to his promise of cutting Americans’ energy costs in half within a year.
On his first day in office, Trump declared the situation on the southern border a national emergency and expressed his intent to finish construction of the border wall. He has sent military personnel to the border and ordered ICE raids around the country. In January, ICE arrested 956 people in a Chicago raid. Trump’s harsh immigration policies have faced pushback, with many refusing to comply. SMMUSD and other school districts have expressed unwillingness to comply with such raids at their schools, stating that kids are entitled to education no matter their background. Superintendent Antonio Shelton released a statement on behalf of the district.
“I want to reassure our community that the Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District (SMMUSD) remains steadfastly committed to ensuring that every student, regardless of their immigration status, has access to a safe, secure and nurturing learning environment,” Shelton said.
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Trump’s solutions to immigration reached a new extreme when he put Colombian immigrants on military planes and attempted to drop them off in Colombia. This was an unprecedented response to illegal immigration and prompted the Colombian president to send the planes home. Trump did not back down, however, implementing a 25 percent tariff on Colombian goods that would reach 50 in a week if Colombia did not receive their migrants. Fearing the consequences of a trade war with the US, Colombia yielded and accepted the deportees.
On Jan. 20, Trump signed an executive order scheduled to take effect on Feb. 19 to get rid of birthright citizenship for children of undocumented immigrants or immigrants with temporary residence in the US. This action has been delayed, however, by a Seattle judge and 22 states have brought lawsuits upon the Trump administration. This issue will likely go to the Supreme Court where a majority conservative court presides. If the Supreme Court votes in favor of Trump, the birthright policy will be state-by-state.
In a press conference with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Feb. 4, Trump proposed an unconventional solution to the conflict in Gaza.
“The US will take over the Gaza Strip, and we will do a job with it, too,” Trump said. “We’ll own it… Create an economic development that will supply unlimited numbers of jobs and housing for the people of the area. Do a real job. Do something different.”
Trump’s Gaza plan means long term ownership of the region and displacing Palestinians by force, using US troops “if it’s necessary.” Trump has suggested relocating Palestinians to Egypt and Jordan. The Arab nations have rejected this proposal, however.
Back in the States, criticism over the plan has come from both sides of the aisle. Republicans Rand Paul, Thom Tills and Lindsey Graham have expressed uncertainty or resistance to the proposition. Democratic legislators, such as Chris Murphy, have been vocal about their dissent and Texas Democrat Al Green is going as far as to file articles of impeachment over the plan.
“He’s completely lost it,” D-Conn Murphy said. “He wants a US invasion of Gaza, which would cost thousands of American lives and set the Middle East on fire for 20 years? It’s sick.”
In regards to Ukraine, Trump has lost the friendly attitude towards Vladmir Putin and has been pressuring him to make a deal with Volodymyr Zelensky.
“He [Putin] should make a deal,” Trump said. “I think he’s destroying Russia by not making a deal. I think Russia is going to be in big trouble.”
Trump made promises on the campaign trail to stop funding and end the war in Ukraine in his first 24 hours. He has continued supporting Ukraine’s war effort but is now asking for rare earth elements from Ukraine in return.
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Athena Barefoot, Laurel Cohn, Ryan Colvin, Addy Fiore, Emma Godfrey, Alisa Ignatenko, Sia Kresch, Leo Lucente, Koi Lerner, Eugene Naruse, Yaretzi Preza, Arata Sakamoto, Kamerin Shakir, Imani Toler, Hope Wang
The Samohi is a monthly newspaper by, for and about Santa Monica High School students. Our goal is to empower the student body through information. We do not represent the views of the administration or staff. We do not
President Trump signs an executive order pardoning January 6 defendants on the day of his inaguguration. Times of
Post-fire goings on: The impact on Los Angeles
After the flames: Political disputes and policy management
Addelyn Fiore Staff Writer
The recent Los Angeles wildfires have been among the most devastating in the city’s history. The fires resulted in $275 billion worth of devastation and over 16,000 structures burned.
In addition to the obliteration of numerous homes and businesses, a significant amount of resources were utilized during this period. 7,500 firemen combated the fires, with international support from Mexican and Canadian firefighters and hundreds of thousands of gallons of water used to help combat the fires.
In the midst of the fires, arguments emerged linking the cause often alternatively to poor land management climate change, reflecting broader divides between the right and leftwing ideologies. Governor of California, Gavin Newsom, faced criticism from President Donald Trump amid the controversy. Trump condemned Newsom, claiming that he addressed the fires inadequately with poor brush management and in his own words “bad policy planning”
Regarding his revised federal disaster aid policy for supporting Los Angeles fire victims, Trump requires the implementation of voter ID laws, which mandate proof of citizenship for every election. Under Trump’s policies, California is only eligible for support and the redistribution of water from its northern region to other regions until it adopts these laws. These policies are being seen by some as political retaliation from Trump rather than efforts to help victims of the fires.
Simultaneously, the mayor of Los Angeles, Karen Bass, spoke to Trump about how to help homeowners gain permits to start the rebuilding of their destroyed homes. On Jan. 25th a conference was held where Bass and Trump discussed the policies for permits to rebuild moving forward ending in debate between the two.
Trump declared this in response to Bass stating that residents of the Pacific Palisades would not be able to start rebuilding until debris began to be cleaned up by contractors, not individuals. Bass asserted that she had exercised her emergency powers and was working to expedite the process and if individuals desired to do so, they could start cleaning up their properties in what she believed to be a week.
Along with Bass, Newsom issued an executive order to expedite debris removal and
facilitate recovery efforts. In this process, the California Office of Emergency Services was ordered to work with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to develop a comprehensive plan for debris removal.
To start rebuilding homes and businesses as soon as possible after debris is cleared, Newsom issued an order that suspends certain permitting and review requirements under the California Environmental Quality Act, allowing for faster reconstruction. This order allows for permitting opportunities for the Palisades residents to accelerate the rebuilding process and begin reconstruction without unnecessary delays. In addition to supporting the rebuilding efforts, Newsom approved monetary allocations for a $2.5 billion bipartisan relief package for the Palisades, funded by the California state government. The money is going to be distributed among getting rid of hazardous waste, immediate financial aid and sheltering survivors.
Overall, Newsom has focused on recovery efforts while also implementing policies to prevent and mitigate future wildfires. The range of policies he is enforcing are wildfire community hardening measures, fire-resistant home regulations and federal cooperation for disaster aid. These initiatives entail hardening communities to be more resilient against wind-driven fires, now requiring homeowners in high-risk fire areas to clear unnecessary materials from around the premise of the home and lastly to secure disaster aid for affected areas as well as for future impacted areas.
Trump has suggested that the primary reason the fires spread so rapidly was based on poor brush management, stating that clearing the overgrowth would have largely decreased the devastation the fires caused. Concurrently he wants to take measures to change water management policies, arguing that current water policies had a contribution to the past Los Angeles wildfires.
During the Los Angeles wildfires, numerous reservoirs were drained due to ongoing maintenance and repair work. The lack of water hindered many firefighters’ efforts to combat the fires, the water shortages forced firefighters to find other alternative water sources like swimming pools and even ocean water. Trump scrutinized California’s water policies and he then issued an executive order directing federal agencies to override California’s water policies if they were deemed to hinder firefighting efforts, in response to this Newsom criticized misinformation regarding the state’s water management and said climate change was a more significant factor contributing to the intensity of the wildfires.
In the meantime, Los Angeles is doing the most they can to expedite the process and help victims of the fire, with children being put back in schooling immediately, providing financial aid and tax relief and clearing debris in hazardous areas. California at the state and federal level are implementing insurance reforms for those affected by the fires and putting in measures to help future fires not enlarge like the Los Angeles fires and if so, having policies there to help future victims. Overall Los Angeles is not only hosting recovery efforts for current victims but setting plans in place to prevent having future victims so no one has to experience this level of devastation in the near future.
On Jan. 7 fire broke out through the Palisades and Pasadena, collectively burning over 36,000 acres and destroying over 22,000 structures. As of Jan. 29, there have been 145 requests for enrollment from students displaced by wildfires. Seventy-seven were approved for enrollment, with 46 of those approved being in SMMUSD schools.
Principal Marae Cruce gave information about resources provided by the Samo administration to help smooth the transition for affected students.
“Huge kudos to our staff for being as welcoming and supportive as they’ve been,” Cruce said. “We are super fortunate to have our bilingual community liaison, Ms. De la Rosa, who is really working on some of the mental health side and the community support side. So providing them access for anything they need. Checking in to see basics, if they are students coming to us that have lost their home and they need gift cards for food, clothing, basic needs, trying to support them in that way.”
ASB hosted an event in the library on Feb. 13, inviting all transfer students to meet some Samo faces and enjoy refreshments.
Numerous clubs around Samo have also been fundraising for fire relief for the Palisades. The club, Baking For Change, which fundraises money towards a specific cause every month through bake sales, has dedicated the February bake sale to the California Fire Foundation. They have already raised over $1,000 for this
Assessing the environmental toll on LA
Koi Lerner Staff Writer
As of Feb. 3, the Palisades and Eaton fire have been 100 percent contained. With the fires finished, many in the Los Angeles County Community are now faced with challenging environmental changes that have followed as a result.
While the majority of LA County has been listed on the air quality index as good to moderate for several weeks, air quality tracks the size of particulates in the air, not their toxicity. Certain harmful chemicals such as formaldehyde, appear as gas- imperceptible to the air quality index. Formaldehyde exposure can irritate the eyes, throat and nose for short periods. According to the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, long exposure can lead to death by throat swelling or chemical burns in the lungs.
Katie Gershuni, Samo’s health office specialist, discusses the potential dangers of these toxins and how students can stay safe.
“When it’s wildfire smoke,” Gershuni said. “You have to think about what’s being burned. It’s the plastic, it’s people’s homes. So it’s the couches, it’s the wall material, it’s any insulation. All that stuff is toxic, so that’s what you’re breathing in. That’s why they were recommending the K95 masks. It helps prevent those tiny particles that you inhale into your lungs that can cause further issues.”
Ash contains a myriad of heavy metals- lead, arsenic, copper and cobalt. Lead can lead to irreversible brain damage, long-term arsenic exposure can cause cancer, copper can cause liver failure and cobalt can cause adverse effects to blood and thyroid. Kay explained how the runoff, with all its pollutants and trash, can cause sea life suffocation, toxic chemical exposure and much more.
“We do know that some of the chemicals in the fire that ended up in the ash and soot are hard to break down because humans created them,” Kay said. “Generally speaking, nature is not very good at digesting and decomposing and breaking down and recycling chemicals created by humans. Therefore, hence the advisories put out by LA county, no one is supposed to be going into the ocean water right now.”
Julia Faber (’25), co-president of the Samo Environmental Defence Club, believes that students at Samo can take measures into their own hands, helping alleviate the marine-related environmental effects of the fires.
You have to think about what’s being burned. It’s the plastic, it’s people’s homes. So it’s the couches, it’s the wall material, it’s any insulation. All that stuff is toxic, so that’s what you’re breathing in...”
With the recent rain, water runoff has become an issue. Samo’s Marine Biology and Environmental Science teacher, Benjamin Kay, has heavily researched this issue..
“Urban runoff in particular, as well as natural runoff, now contains ash and a bunch of these heavy metals and other air toxics,” Kay said.“The soot and ash have fallen all over our community and we’ve had that big first round of rains, we know that there are now a lot of toxic chemicals downstream of us in the ocean.”
The runoff may sweep contaminants such as ash from the ground and seep into the groundwater or the ocean- causing unswimmable oceans or non-drinkable groundwater.
“For the beach we all go to, Santa Monica,” Faber said. “It’s really dirty right now. There’s a lot of ash everywhere. I think that taking part in and planning beach cleanups will be a great way to clean up our home beach.”
The earth was also affected by the fires. The firefighters used salt water to try and put it out, which can increase the salinity of the soil. This has killed some plants that cannot survive such salty conditions and may leave the landscape barren for years as seeds won’t germinate. This barren landscape can be easily eroded, leading to a higher risk of mudslides, desertification and pollution- as the dirt is dragged by runoff.
The environment will be heavily affected by the fires- toxic chemicals in the air, the water and the earth. Charred hills are likely to stay barren from saltwater use, sea creatures are likely to die from the chemicals and plastics imputed by the water runoff- especially now that it has rained.
With all of the environmental changes discussed prior, their effect and its duration, will be a consistent discussion for years to come.
program. The foundation provides financial assistance to firefighters and first responders in the LA fires.
Athena Miller (’27) who is the co-president of Baking for “This month our LA community was impacted more than ever from all the fires,” Miller said, “Our club is a fun way to help the community and spread love through baked goods.”
The Samo orchestra also had their annual Spaghetti & Strings fundraiser, normally the money goes towards funds for the orchestra program. However, due to the raging fires and lasting impact on the community, ticket prices were reduced and the money fundraised was donated towards those in need. Jim Wang, co-director of the Samo orchestra program, touched on the rea-
sons for directing the funds that were raised toward fire-relief.
“We didn’t feel like it was a good time to fundraise for ourselves. So we were deciding what to do with that concert all together, whether to even have that concert.” Wang said. “It didn’t sit well with a lot of us, it didn’t sit well with me, that there are people who are suffering. There are even people in our orchestras who’ve lost homes and we’re having a fancy, dinner fundraiser for ourselves.”
Samo has already received 49 transfers as of Feb. 5. Many of the new students who have transferred feel very welcomed, such as Priya Bevacqua (’28) who was directly affected by the fires.
“My experience transferring has been really good, everyone’s been really welcoming. Samo’s a really big school, so the first week I was kinda all over the place.” Bevacqua said. “But all the teachers have been really nice, like when I would accidentally walk into the wrong class and then they would point me in the right direction.”
Claire Burrell (’27) has had a similar experience in feeling especially welcomed during her first few weeks but also expressed the differences between Samo and Pali.
“It’s been really, really different. The campus, people and classes offered are all very different from Pali.” Burrell said. “The teachers are really inviting, but I’d say it’s a good change. They’ve been very patient and given me more time and been more lenient.”
Samo has a steady trickle of new students who have been affected by the fires, both academically and personally, each week. Admin will continue to offer resources and support as these students join the Samo community.
President Donald Trump and California Governor Gavin Newsom, known for their contentious relationship, greet each other after Trump exits Air Force 1.
Associated Press / Contributor
Samo welcomes new students as community rallies together after fires
Getty Images / Contributor
Deer making their way through the devestated Will Rodgers State Park.
Laurel Cohn / The Samohi
To welcome incoming/transfer students, ASB designed a poster located at the entrance of the library.
Laurel Cohn Staff Writer
Samo moves forward with its transition to electric buses
Athena Barefoot Staff Writer
Santa Monica is making strides towards a greener future with its commitment to electrifying public transportation. In December, the Santa Monica City Council approved the purchase of 30 additional electric buses, marking another major step towards achieving its zero-emission target.
In Oct. 2024, Big Blue Bus (BBB) received a $53.3 million grant from the California State Transportation Agency’s Transit and Intercity Rail Capital Program (TIRCP). The funding is primarily allocated towards the
city’s Fleet Electrification Master Plan, which aims to transition BBB to a fully electric fleet by 2030. Currently, BBB operates 19 battery electric buses (BEBs), which collectively traveled 333,561 miles in 2024. While an exact timeline for deploying the 30 new buses has not yet been announced, the city is expected to integrate them into service in the coming years as it moves towards full electrification.
The transition to a fully electric bus fleet offers significant environmental benefits for Santa Monica and the surrounding region. By replacing diesel and compressed natural gas (CNG) buses with electric alternatives, the city is reducing green - house gas emissions and improving air quality. Unlike fossil fuel-powered vehicles, BEBs produce no tailpipe emissions, lowering the amount of harmful pollutants released into the air. Additionally, electric buses contribute to a quieter urban environment, decreasing noise pollution on major streets. These improvements align with both local sustainability goals and California’s broader mandate requiring all public transit agencies to transition to zero-emission fleets by 2040.
Santa Monica’s bus electrification plan fits into California’s larger effort to transition away from fossil fuels. The state has set ambitious targets for reducing transportation-related emissions, including a mandate that all new passenger vehicles sold in California be zero-emission by 2035.
Beyond its efforts to electrify buses, Santa Monica has implemented several initiatives to encourage electric ve -
hicle (EV) adoption and reduce reliance on fossil fuels. One of the city’s most significant programs is the Electric Vehicle Action Plan (EVAP), which was developed to address greenhouse gas emissions from cars and trucks— responsible for 64 percent of Santa Monica’s local carbon emissions.
With substantial funding and strong political backing, Santa Monica is making steady progress toward an all-electric transportation system. By accelerating the transition to electric buses and investing in clean transportation solutions, the city is ensuring a greener and healthier future for its residents and visitors.
Sophie Roth (’25), president of the Environmental Defense Club at Samo, highlighted the need for climate help from each individual person and not just from the state or city.
“The electrification of gas vehicles is a big step in the right direction for O2 emissions, but everyone needs to pitch in if we really want to make a difference. A lot of people don’t think they can make an impact so they try and leave climate responsibility to everyone else, but every individual can do something and if everyone does a little bit of everything, it can morph into something really big and powerful,” Roth said. “I think gaining a sense of community within where you live and staying informed on the climate activity in your area is super important especially right now, with the election and experiencing firsthand the impact of the Palisades fires.”
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OpenAI makes the switch to a for-profit corporation
Alisa Ignateko Staff Writer
OpenAI, the company behind ChatGPT, announced its change in designation to a for-profit company on Dec. 24, 2024. The company was founded to use artificial intelligence for humanity’s benefit. The switch has prompted the California Department of Justice to start an investigation into the company. Discussions about the operations of OpenAI have always been rampant, and this recent decision has become a prominent talking point in the tech world.
OpenAI has stated its plan to restructure as a public benefit corporation, or P.B.C., which is a for-profit corporation designed to create public and social good.
A blog post from OpenAI’s website covered their change in designation.
“The P.B.C. is a structure used by many others that requires the company to balance shareholder interests, stakeholder interests and a public benefit interest in its decision making,” the company said. “It will enable us to raise the necessary capital with conventional terms like our competitors.”
Rob Bonta, California’s attorney general, received a letter from Meta [a competitor of OpenAI] urging him to resist OpenAI becoming a for-profit company. According to the Wall Street journal, Meta argued that there could be an unfair advantage for OpenAI because they enjoyed no taxes from being a non-profit, until it got very lucrative and the company mis sion changed.
Miles Parr (’27), a politically active student at Samo, gave his stance on how OpenAI going for- profit could be detrimental to society at large.
“I think if it went for- profit, it could be bad because it could restrict a lot of people’s access to it. if a lot of big corporations start using it, it will be just another tool in making the rich richer.”
Deepseek, a new Chinese artificial intelligence system, poses as a new opponent for American A.I, specifically OpenAI. Developed in 2023, Deepseek claims to be produced for under $6 million. This is extremely low compared to the $250 billion that analysts predict to be spent by ma -
jor American tech companies on AI. This alternative went on market and demonstrated at the same time that OpenAI went for- profit, that low funded alternatives could challenge it and has caused declines in companies like Microsoft and Nvidia. Tech analysts have questioned whether the inexpensive claims are legitimate, speculating that the actual cost could be higher. Chinese AI naturally receives some skepticism in America because of privacy and security concerns, but Deepseeks open source model appears to earn trust with some users for it’s emphasis on public access, changing and improving its components.
Eran Halperin, a professor of Computer Science at UCLA gave his expertise on the topic.
“The original idea of OpenAI was that one company shouldn’t have sole control over AI models, especially those capturing vast amounts of knowledge, but today that’s not the case,” Halperin said. “In practice, their model is closed.”
OpenAI now charges for access through APIs [application programing interfaces],
which may restrict the ability of smaller players to develop competing technologies. When making their models available only via payment, many fear the company may restrict the abilities of smaller developers, start-ups and exclude under-resourced communities using AI for good. As artificial intelligence expands, so do the challenges. Developing impactful AI is expensive, and resources are costly. Thus, going for- profit can also be seen as the rational, strategic move. The shift to go for- profit is seen by some as unethical as the original mission of the company was to improve humanity through AI and have it be accessible to all. Going for- profit can put the power of AI in very few, and very powerful hands. However, since AI became available to the general public it has offered improvements to various fields and become integral to the functionality of numerous industries.
OpenAI’s decision has sparked a spectrum of excitement and concerns throughout the tech world. This shift will continue to be observed and evaluated by the general public as the industry continues to advance.
Stantec / Contributor
Global design firm Stantec will work with Santa Monica to arrange a charging schedule for the new buses and coordinate with drivers.
OPINION
SM Airport takes its final landing: Great Park takes off
Ryan Colvin Staff Writer
Clover Park, interlaced with play structures, swing sets, bike paths and more, is the quintessential site for local gatherings. Located in the heart of Santa Monica, there isn’t a natural space that’s more widely loved. This is why I was shocked to discover that Clover Park was once embedded in a park over 10 times its size and that there is a possibility of it returning. In 1926, Santa Monica began constructing the original Great Park, which included stretches of open plains and a variety of activities available to the public. Sadly, the government took over the land for industrial use due to the oncoming threats of World War ll and built what we now all know as the Santa Monica Airport (SMO). This happened so long ago that I never knew such a large-scale recreational area ever existed in Santa Monica, and I was even more intrigued when I found out the SMO will be closed in its entirety by the end of 2028. Now, the beckoning question is what the space will be used for after its closure, and the answer is obvious: the Great Park must be restored. To put things into perspective, santamonica. gov states that the newly available 192 acres take up nearly 3.5% of the city’s land area, while Clover Park takes up just 17 acres of space. The
front of a screen, compared to just “four to seven minutes in unstructured outdoor play per day.” The kids of this current generation need a place to explore and activate their brains away from devices. Being within the confines of the living world sparks imagination and genuine excitement for the future; In nature there are no agendas to follow, it only is what you make of it.
The fact that our local beaches are the only large public spaces in Santa Monica can’t be overstated. In fact, Santa Monica only has about 1.45 acres of park per 1,000 residents, a number that would immediately double upon the opening of the Great Park. The sheer amount of field space would open new opportunities for countless sports while still holding true to its definition as a green space. Open soccer fields can be hard to come by in Santa Monica; Clover Park is forced to paint lines over their baseball diamonds to double as soccer fields, but the Great Park would have enough room to comfortably double the amount of makeshift pitches at Clover. The bike paths throughout Clover could extend into the Great Park and wind around various bodies of water, plants, trees and other forms of wildlife that would allow for new ecosystems to expand and flourish. If there is a desire to represent more modern elements, then the inclusion of more unique
involved in the establishment of the Great Park, with environmental science teacher Benjamin Kay leading the charge. As member of the Great Park Coalition Advisory Board, Mr. Kay has made his voice heard to the city through a letter he wrote to the mayor of Santa Monica, stating that the implementation of the Great Park would “end the decades-long detrimental effects of airport-generated sound and chemical pollutants on our community.” Kay spoke further on his dream for the Great Park to function as a cohesive natural unit through eco-friendly development.
“This park could serve to augment the educational awareness about what’s possible and how much it’s saving us in terms of offsetting our carbon footprint, conserving water, claiming water that was headed down storm drains…” Kay said. “Let the park be a lesson, a lesson plan for the entire community.”
Not only will the closure of the airport remove one of the most toxic air pollutants in Santa Monica, but the large influx of trees would eliminate significant amounts of carbon dioxide from the air. Furthermore, the inclusion of lakes and bodies of water would help the irrigation process in the park. Trees and lakes are praised as symbols of beauty and stress relief in most great parks; essentially, the
thrive.
“Personally, I’m like you,” Kay said. “I’d like to have a biodiversity hotspot, a place for rewilding, a place where monarch butterflies— that are in danger—can come time. I want all the squirrels and birds flying the paway resting ground. I want that immersive experience in the green and the blue.”
The main citizen concern is that the construction process appears to be financially straining, but the city of Santa Monica is in a better position than most think. According to thehealthycitylocal.com, the airport generate approximately $20 million annually and given the current trends surrounding inflation and active revenue bonds, it is estimated that Santa Monica will have $200 million at their disposal by the end of 2028 without having to raise extra funds. Eliminating price as a primary issue, the only hurdle is the time ticking towards the end of 2028. We all have the ability to continue pushing the narrative to ensure the Great Park remains a priority for our city. If you truly care about the mental, emotional and physical well
Art by Kayman Mangan
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Student movements are shaping a better future
Kamerin Shakir Staff Writer
Student activism and teenagers have long been at the forefront of radical social justice movements and a powerful force for change. From the Civil Rights movement to climate strikes, it forces us to rethink the world we live in. Yet, whether student activism is truly effective solely depends on the organization and
vate entire communities, spark media attention and pressure institutions to take action. In 2018, the #neveragain movement became a powerful force of change, led by the brave survivors of the shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida. After the tragedy at their school, the students refused to be silenced. The students hashtag sparked nationwide protests, inspiring millions of people to join in on the students movement for stricter gun laws and better safety in schools. Marjory students organized marches, spoke to lawmakers and even created a national event, “March for our lives” that drew crowds of all ages. What was most inspiring? They didn’t just talk, they acted. They made their message clear and didn’t wait for it to be heard.
On Feb.6, Samo’s student activism reached a boiling point as students organized a walkout to protest against the Trump administration, specifically the immigration, healthcare and education policies threatened and enacted so far. After weeks of
preparation, the walkout began during flex-time and included Samo students, along with some Crossroads and Venice high school students. The students were broadcasted by KTLA as soon as the protest started, with protestors being interviewed. They protested all the way to the Santa Monica City Hall Building, where they continued to fight for their beliefs. Elliot Ho (’25), one of the leaders of this walkout, reflects on the significance of students activism for generational change and the trials that have come with.
“The most surprising challenge I have faced as an student activist is the widespread apathy among youth, especially highschoolers. people don’t believe in change, they especially don’t believe that they can create change,” Ho said.
Ho believes communication and messaging to be the most effective way to get through to young people, who believe their role in activism isn’t substantial. Ho attributes this indifference to a disconnect between larger issues at hand, and their direct lives.
“What’s most troubling is that people believe that they are individuals; that they are somehow not connected to and
will not be affected by the ailments of others and the world,” Ho said. “It matters that our ecosphere is dying, it matters wheth er or not the people around you are sleeping on the sidewalk or starving... these things directly affect us all and denying it doesn’t change that. A population that doesn’t care about each other is a population that is easy to con
Previously, in June of 2022, Samo organized an anti-gun violence walkout the tragic school shooting in Uvalde, students marched from campus to and held a moment of silence for student involved in the inci Samo students vo calized the question for students around the world “how many of us have to die before some thing changes?” The efforts of these students sparked conversations about gun control and improved safety measures. though this walkout didn’t get spread media attention, slow is better than none at all. The of the walkouts did research could be done to achieve higher gun control and safety in schools, encouraging those who joined the protest to vote and support for political candidates that advocate for stricter gun laws.
So when the question is asked about is student activism effective? The answer should be yes, student activism is effective as long as the students take the actions to make it effective. The students lay out the groundwork for future change, prompting society not only to hear their voices, but also to consider how and when their voices will be taken seriously and lead to action.
thesamohinews@gmail.com
Students protest outside of Santa Monica City Hall against the Trump administration on Feb. 6.
Ryan Kim / The Samohi
Oliver Moss / Contributor
Oliver Moss / Contributor
HOTLB: Should you ask someone out
on Valentine’s day?
Pardon me, Mr. President!
Eugene Naruse Staff Writer
Imani Toler Staff Writer
Valentine’s Day: the one fateful day a year where love is in the air and countless people around the globe are being struck by Cupid’s arrows. But should you take the risk and ask that special someone out? Giving someone a valentine (successfully) could turn into a first date story straight out of a rom-com, or on the other hand—an embarrassing tragic memory for both people involved. A Valentine’s proposal, especially in person, is of course a very bold move. And in this day and age where teens are finding love through Snapchat quick adds, a heartfelt bouquet of roses and chocolates—or even a huge teddy bear, could be a refreshing and romantic way to start off your love story.
Valentine’s Day is a gamble though. The day could be the perfect opportunity for some, but the emotional stakes are
tion on it and flowers. It made me feel really happy and special because the person that did it put a lot of thought and effort.”
-Nelly Williams (’28)
“It’s romantic and it’s the day of love, like why shouldn’t you? That’s the most romantic thing you can do in my opinion, [you could] win somebody over, get your love and show your love.”
-Phoebe Rosenfeld (’26) Art by Kayman Mangan
thesamohinews@gmail.com
Mere hours after his return to presidency, Donald Trump dealt one of his first (of many) devastating blows to our justice system; granting sweeping pardons, commutations and case dismissals for more than 1,500 rioters involved in the 2021 Jan. 6 Capitol riots. The insurrection, spurred by Trump’s reckless election denialism, saw his supporters trespass and breach the Capitol, damage government property, hunt for lawmakers as they hid in fear and assault over 140 officers tasked with protecting our democratic institution. Officers were beaten, some even knocked unconscious and subsequently, four officers who served that day later took their own lives.
It’s unfathomable to think that those who attacked the American government and the officers who protect our representatives, now walk free without facing the implications of their actions. Given the entire world was watching the events unfold, it’s even more astounding to see Trump’s audacious portrayal of these criminals as “patriots” and “political hostages”, who were assembling “peacefully” to preserve his so-called democracy. When these people, who committed crimes in his name receive clemency, it not only diminishes the gravity of their actions but sets a dangerous precedent – that violence is acceptable as long as it aligns with his interests. To the two rioters who publicly declined the pardon, thank you for showing integrity, more so than our current sitting president.
Using pardons as a way to strengthen his po litical support, Trump also recently drew at tention for the pardoning of Ross Ulbricht, founder of Silk Road. Notorious for facilitating illegal underground drug trades on the Tor dark web, the website was associat
ed with drug overdoses and serious crimes including computer hacking and murder-for-hire plots. The situation becomes ridiculously hypocritical when Trump uses drugs as a reason to impose hefty tariffs on our neighboring countries but sets free a large-scale drug-market facilitator, who profited millions. It’s blatant that Trump’s actions were motivated to score political points with libertarian voters, who long called for his release, and the cryptocurrency industry, which hailed Ulbricht as a hero for his successful use of Bitcoin on Silk Road.
While incomparable in scale, Trump
“ Presidential pardons have been shaped into something far more than mere tokens of mercy: they’ve proven to be susceptible to political influence and bias.”
isn’t the only president whose used his power to serve personal interests.
Backtracking on previous comments, Joe Biden’s decision to pardon his son, Hunter Biden – who he described as being “selectively, and unfairly, prosecuted.” – struck a disappointing and discordant note. Sure, judges might have been prosecuting him with in-
cution is exactly what Trump used to rationalize pardons for the Jan. 6 rioters, the reasonings of which effectively undermines public confidence in the justice system. It’s true that Biden used his power to commute sentences for people with the death penalty and thousands of non-violent drug offenses that disproportionately handed sentences to those before drug reform laws were passed. But in a time when citizens desperately needed integrity and restored confidence in both the presidential and judicial powers, Biden’s choices fell short.
AP Government teacher Amy Bisson speaks on the role of accountability in the use of pardons.
“In the past, there has been a sense that pardons should be done with integrity, and I don’t necessarily know today if they’re all being used for the right reasons,” Bisson said.
”But I do think they have a purpose in government and there just needs to be some checks and balances or limitations on this.”
In an absurd turn of events, with Trump actively seeking retribution for people investigating the riots, Biden also issued preemptive pardons for all members of the Bipartisan House committee that investigated the attack and the officers who testified in court against the rioters. With Trump currently pushing for reprisals on those who investigated the cases, Biden’s choice seem to make sense. But pre-pardoning in response to unbased claims also exposes the lack of trust the Biden administration had in the law.
It’s clear when politicians on both sides of the aisle are able to abuse the political system of pardons for their personal gain, something requires change. Personally, I would like to think that presidents have enough integrity not to abuse their powers and the justice system is strong enough to withstand the baseless political attacks without the need for pardons, but that might be asking for too much.
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Santa Monica’s coastal crisis
On Jan. 26, the first heavy rain of the season came down on Santa Monica.
Although this was much needed in the wake of the fires, it also meant devastation to our local coastal ecosystems. Thousands of pieces of plastics and other forms of urban pollution were flushed off the streets and down into catch basins. These urban pollutants were then channeled straight to the ocean and out of storm drains. Once they are flushed into the ocean, two things can happen. The first is that they can make their way out into the ocean via currents, where they will remain for hundreds of years or get eaten by a helpless marine animal. The second is that they wash up on the beach and coat thousands of miles of coastline, which is what my partner and I witnessed after the rains.
This phenomenon is called the First Flush, something that I am familiar with, but still completely shocked by. The sight of trash strewn across the shoreline for as far as I could see was disheartening and made me terrified for the future of our planet. As sickening as it is to see the aftermath of these rains, the lack of regard from the public in cleaning our beaches scares me the most. The Sunday that I set out to clean up the beach near the Pico-Kenter Storm Drain, there was not a
single other citizen out picking up trash.
As I combed down the beach filling buckets full of trash, at least 100 people walked past me down the sand taking photos of the sky. They intentionally pointed their cameras away from the sight of the pollution beneath their feet.
Part of the reason why the first flush is so devastating in urban places such as Santa Monica is because society has detached itself from our local environmental issues. The lack of people responding to the plastic coating the beach that exemplifies this societal problem. If every person taking a photo of the sunset during the first flush rolled up their sleeves and picked up some trash, the beach could have been cleaned up in a day.
If society as a whole put more thought into reducing their consumption of single use plas tics, then the amount of trash coating the beach would be far less in the first place.
Urban disasters also stem from general ignorance on how personal choices impact the en vironment down the road. Just because you don’t litter, doesn’t mean the plastics you consume won’t end up being shot out of a storm drain later down the road. So many people adopt an out of sight out of mind approach to both
climate and pollution issues. Once their trash gets sent off to a landfill, to them it is “gone.” This is especially prevalent in affluent societies where we have municipal “waste management,” which in itself is incredibly flawed in the way it functions. It’s a massive difference from societies where people have to create burn pits and dump their plastics into waterways because there isn’t a government provided for trash buildup.
At the end of the day, environmental disasters and injustices are an immediate result of our lack of care as a society. They continue to be perpetuated by the choices of both individuals and corporations.
Emmy Fay Contributor Writer Art by Kayman Mangan
Emmy Fay / Contributor
Countless discarded pieces of plastic, foam and other debris washed up on Santa Monica’s shoreline.
HOT OFF THE LUNCH BENCH*
Samo students walkout against Trump administration
David Nikolic Contributor Writer
On Feb. 5, Samo students along with other schools walked out against President Donald Trump and the policies he introduced to America as the new president.
The walkout was organized by Kayman Mangan (‘25), Ava De La Barreda (’26), Elliot Ho (‘25) and Sara Javerbaum (’25), who had been organizing this walkout for weeks now and put countless hours into making this happen. Meeting once to twice a week at their club to create signs and posters, they also focused on planning the walkout even more thoroughly. By talking to administrators and people of the school board, having meetings with members of the teachers union and communicating to student reps from the Samohi chapter of DSA, they focused on ensuring safety for those who walked out. They also created group chats with student representatives from Culver, Malibu, University, and Venice, to discuss all of their goals and what they wanted to get out there. They also met with the mayor of Santa Monica, Lana Negrete, and gave her a list of demands that included protecting education, students from federal agents, immigrant communities and trans and queer communities, especially students, healthcare access and educational curriculums, such as those fo-
cusing on civics, history, gender, race and sex.
At the start of Flex, students began the walkout, marching around school, rallying up students then walking out of campus. The students walked down Pico and to Santa Monica City Hall, where the marching stopped and people started giving speeches, holding megaphones, signs and art. While some students walked out, others, such as Anka Jovanovic (’25) said they believed it to be not as effective as it wouldn’t create many changes to the presidency in the long run.
“While President Trump’s policies and executive orders are questionable in their constitutionality, protesting him being president at all goes against the very democracy America prides itself on,” Jovanovic said. “Doing so will only serve to further the divide in our country, turning people against each other for simply holding different political beliefs. We should be striving to advance bipartisanship and finding common ground, not responding emotionally to an election outside of our control.”
However, Javerbaum said the walkout wasn’t to remove Trump from office or get his attention, but to practice self-advocacy, support their community and prove students have the ability to challenge oppression and injustice.
“It’s no joke that our president plans to deport 11 million “illegal immigrants”– people he refers to as criminals and economic leeches but who we know to be tax-paying friends, family, and invaluable members of our communities…To those of you in the crowd or at home who don’t think this walkout is going to do anything, remind yourself that that’s exactly how this new administration, and all fascist governments like it, wants you to feel,” said Javerbaum. The main issues being protested against were immigration enforcement by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and deportation. Students protested against ICE because ICE’s mission is to focus on American security and public safety, by enforcing immigration laws and detaining immigration. ICE has become signifi-
cant, especially after Trump’s presidency, as immigrants begin to fear the potential for deportation and being separated from their families if ICE agents catch them.
Another issue that was protested during the walkout was the anti-LGBTQ+ laws, specifically those that were enforced after Trump came into office. On his first day in office, Trump enacted an executive action, which eliminated the idea of a “gender identity” separate from sex in the federal government, recognizing only two genders.
After the organizers said their speeches, students and adults came up onto the stairs, one by one, speaking about their personal beliefs and experiences. One significant moment was when the mayor of Santa Monica came out and talked to the crowd, assuring those who protested that she supported them and would continue fighting for the change they wanted to see. Through her support, the mayor said she is focusing on implementing a student council into the city’s government, allowing younger generations to have a say in decisions within the local government and allowing students to sit in on certain meetings and contribute.
“So let this walkout be a symbol of our resolve. We will keep fighting, we will keep marching and we will never stop demanding for a better future - Ava De La Barreda
As the political decisions continue to shift the nation, students choose to fight for change instead of watching it destroy the future generation as the president continues to withdraw or reshape programs, departments and financial aid. Students who spoke out at the walkout clearly refused to remain silent in the face of injustice, as it came from this growing frustration with the government among many of the students who have seen or themselves been affected by these deportations and discriminatory laws.
“So let this walkout be a symbol of our resolve. We will keep fighting, we will keep marching and we will never stop demanding for a better future,” said De La Barreda. Social media has played an important role in spreading the word about this protest across many different schools, such as Culver City High, Malibu NS Venice giving a platform for this walkout in the first place. As a photographer and as someone who did take photos of this walkout/event, it’s always amazing being able to capture such raw emotion and power through my lens. From the faces of the speakers to the many signs that were at the protest and just the general crowd of people, you can feel the genuine emotion and feeling through the screen or paper when viewing these photos. Every single one tells a separate story.
“There are few things that scare the billionaires that now run this country, but there is nothing more radical, more terrifying, than unity. Stand with your peers and make your voice heard. We’re listening,” said Javerbaum.
Through all my photographs and this article too, I hope to show everyone not just what happened today, but what you can do in the future. Activism does not start or end with a single event, it will forever and always be an ongoing thing in many of our lives. Be the change that you want to see.
David Nikolic is a senior at Santa Monica High School. The views and opinions expressed in this article are solely those of the author and do not reflect the views of The Samohi or its editorial staff.
New Climate Corps club empowers youth action
Laurel Cohn Staff Writer
Climate Corps started as a summer program, dedicated to educating people about the climate and has recently created a new club. Students are invited to join the club - ages 15 to 21 - at 237 Hill Street, Santa Monica.
The club is an offshoot of a pre-existing Climate Corps program, hosted by Climate Action Santa Monica (CASM). Climate Corps was a summer program that started in 2016 to get younger people in the community engaged in climate activism. Participants would have to go through an application process to get admitted, however, this new club is open to all. This club was designed to run throughout the school year and is a new model to bring in more student leadership for action they want to see happen.
The club had its kickoff meeting on Feb. 7, which consisted of meaningful group discussions, snacks and community building. Kate Davies (’25), a student at Samo who is actively involved in climate action, touched on her reasons for joining the club.
“I care a lot about the environment
and I want to have an impact. This seemed like a really good way to meet people who are very interested in the environment and build that community and help,” Davies said.
According to science, radical changes must be made by 2030 to reverse the damage done to the climate. This year, the club’s focus is on promoting sustainable commutes to school and trying to get big energy users to switch to greener practices. Brooklyn Duncans (’24), who graduated from Samo and is now a student at Santa Monica College (SMC), explained why she’s so passionate about the climate and the Climate Corps Club.
“I decided to join this club because I wanted to help the Santa Monica community get more involved in helping the climate,” Duncans said. “I want to encourage more carpooling because I love carpooling!”
CASM Climate Corps collaborates on projects involving efforts to mitigate greenhouse gas emissions and adapt to the changing climate. Makeda Bullock Floyd, who graduated from Samo in 2018, is the program lead and explained some of her overall goals for
Addy Fiore / The Samohi
The club had its kickoff meeting on Feb. 7, which consisted of meaningful group discussions, snacks and community building. Surrounding the building was colorful signs, focused on promoting acitivism in the climate, how to be more eco-friendly to the environment and previous projects from their program.
the club.
“We’re creating a community and there’s so many spheres of community and the more that we can connect the better. It’s not a competition between us and the clubs at Samo, if anything it’s collaboration, let’s connect these little pockets and get more done and have fun doing it,” Bullock Floyd said.
“It’s not just about the club itself, it’s about creating a network of community.”
Floyd also expanded on what sets Climate Corps apart from other environmental clubs.
“One thing that sets us apart is just the very nature that it is open to students from any high school or college in the area. At our kickoff, we had students from about five different high schools and one college student. There were lots of different schools represented and just the ability to network across a larger community is really great,” Floyd said.
The club has a specific niche in advocacy. Currently, a few members are planning to weigh in at the city’s next budget meeting, which occurs twice a year. These budget meetings help shape the city’s spending in the years to come.
“It’s a big opportunity for us to say that climate is a big priority to us, to the community. I think it’s great for young people to have that experience, I know I would’ve loved to have that experience,” Bullock Floyd said.
David Nikolic / Contributor
The students walked down Pico and to Santa Monica City Hall, where the marching stopped and people started giving speeches, holding megaphones, signs and art.
Music is a universal language, transcending beyond borders and time. Despite disconnects in language, culture and generations, music has the power to bring people together, something everyone has in common. The Beatles, Fleetwood Mac, Amy Winehouse and Taylor Swift—each artist defines a generation. Music is more than just a sound; it is a bridge between generations, a shared experience that connects people across time. The songs of each era influence how society views the world and communicates with one another. Kloe Taheri (’26) noticed how songs from all generations always come back, to refine and benefit society.
“The song “California Dreamin’”... was just performed at the Grammys,” Taheri said. “Because of all the fires that have been going down right now, “California Dreamin’” was saying to bring the L.A. community together and pay tribute… A song from all the way back then has come down generations and generations to still impact people in the same way and bring people together.”
Music can unite communities, providing a space for underrepresented voices and creating platforms for societal change. According to Save the Music Foundation, music can promote healing, reconciliation, and education, breaking down barriers and bringing people together. On a neurological level, according to The National Institute of Health, music enhances social connection and can help people recover from diseases like strokes, Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s. Additionally, music can improve mood and help with movement. Through these experiences and inherited forms of connection, music allows individual inspiration and generational bonds. Mr. Wang, the orchestra director at Samo, has a firsthand perspective on music’s impact on youth and its effects on their connection.
“We build connections by being able to make music together,” Wang said. “It’s just the act of playing music together that creates an instant connection, and that doesn’t matter how old or young you are.”
Culturally, music reflects change and often sparks resistance. Every new musical trend challenges existing norms, as seen with jazz, rock ‘n’ roll and hip-hop in the
Hope Wang Staff Writer
past. Music has always been intrinsically linked with societal movements, providing a platform for new ideas and discussions. For example, the influence of jazz during the 1920s challenged racial segregation and social norms, while rock ‘n’ roll in the 1950s and 1960s broke down barriers between people. During the 70s, the Sex Pistols’ “God Save the Queen,” rebelled against authority, further representing music’s power to provoke social change and influence. During the Civil Rights movement, songs such as “We Shall Overcome” became anthems for hope and unity, inspiring and fostering resilience between protesters—many of whom were school-age adolescents. Music has always played a significant impact on youth, fostering connections, reliability and comfort. Through conversations for change, music jumpstarts opportunities to adapt elders to the ushering in of a new generation’s updated social norms.
“As a performer, music really is a place for me to escape,” Taheri said. “And when I’m on stage, I’m sharing my talent and it’s a really important thing to have that [space] for yourself…If a song is really popular and everybody knows it, that’s automatically something that you can talk to another person about, it is a society builder in that sense,” said Taheri.
Music continues to shape the experiences of each generation. Its impact on society is profound, serving as a bridge between generations, and developing new ideas and ideologies. By embracing the music of every era, a glimpse of the past is recognized and celebrated, music will continue to be a force of unity. thesamohinews@gmail.com
Generational trauma, also known as intergenerational trauma, refers to the transmission of emotional and psychological trauma across multiple generations. This phenomenon suggests that the effects of traumatic events extend beyond those who directly experience them, influencing the lives of their descendants. First introduced by psychologists in the 1960s, the concept highlights how unaddressed trauma can extend throughout families, affecting future generations’ mental health and overall well-being.
The complexity of generational trauma lies in the fact that even if someone was not personally exposed to a traumatic event, its effects can still ripple through their life because their ancestors endured it. This trauma can be passed down biologically and psychologically, affecting descendants’ lives. Families with a history of childhood or religious trauma and mental illness can continue passing it on, appearing as addiction, depression or the cycle of violence.
Dr. Rachel Yehuda, director of the Traumatic Stress Studies Division at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, conducted a study in 2015 that concluded that children of Holocaust survivors went through epigenetic changes affecting them on a genetic level. Epigenetic change is when an outside environmental force such as trauma triggers a gene to become active or inactive, causing alterations in behavior, stress response and even an increased likelihood of developing certain diseases. Depending on the severity of the trauma, prior generations can hand down these epigenetic chemical markings to their children, which can then be passed on to each following generation. This marking does not cause a genetic mutation but does alter the mechanism of the gene’s expression.
In Feb. 1942, former President Franklin D. Roosevelt issued Executive Order 9066, which forcibly relocated and incarcerated Japanese Americans. With poor living conditions, many of the
it was the kind of moon that I would want to send back to my ancestors and gift to my descendants so they know that I too, have been bruised... by beauty.
– SanoberKhan
Japanese Americans suffered both mentally and physically. Many of the camp survivors were reluctant to discuss the past which led to their children suffering with their own identity and heritage which continued to the future generations. However, one of the most important things to know about generational trauma is how to end the cycle. Margaret’s Place Counselor Lara DeSanto discusses the importance of ending the cycle of violence.
“We believe that there’s not just one type of violence, there can be physical, verbal and intergenerational violence,” DeSanto said. “Something that I focus on a lot with students in Margaret’s Place is how can we break the cycle of unhealthy relationships that gets passed down from generations to generations so that we can have healthier relationships and stop the cycle from continuing.”
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category. ese. and and worlds, “mixed,” any Sympathizer, onist, Yet of each. ebrate common not enough ferent of your heritage, that
ArtbyKaymanMangan
Arata Sakamoto Staff Writer
Art
Someone once told me I was a “weird breed.”
Yaretzi Preza Staff Writer
Last names, commonly seen as family identifiers, can carry different meanings, structures and significance depending on each family’s traditions. Traditionally passed down from generation to generation in America, typically on the father’s side, last names can hold various meanings. Across the world, different countries have different cultural significance in their surnames, bringing people together while telling stories through waves of each generation. Samo’s diverse student body shares the stories behind their last names.
“A long time ago, in the 15th century, my family owned a castle called Warwick Castle in England. Since then, it’s been passed down [with the last name] through each generation in my family. It means ‘the beautiful fields’ in French, and means a lot to my family.”
–Joshua Debeauchamp (’25)
“My mom didn’t want me to have just my dad’s last name and she didn’t want to take his name when they were married. So she made sure that both of their names were in there, but hers first. My father’s last name is Polish, so when he came to America, the symbol for the a and e was often written wrong. That’s why the name Kramer is spelled differently throughout the U.S.”
I am Hapa, the Hawaiian term for “part”: half Asian and half white. My almond-shaped eyes are hooded, turned only slightly upwards at the ends. My face is covered in freckles, with one on the center of my bottom lip. In this case, weird probably meant unique, maybe even cool. But in the mind of a seventh grader, at the start of Covid—when xenophobia and racism towards Asians were on the rise—“weird” was far from a poorly-worded complement. “Weird breed” was synonymous with “mutt”—I felt like an unwanted dog your parents wouldn’t let you take home from the shelter.
My parents aren’t the same “breed,” but at least they can each easily label themselves—my dad is White and my mom is Asian. When faced with the race question on surveys, I often select the “other” category. I’m a mix—colonists and colonized, European and Taiwanese. My American lineage traces back to the Mayflower on one root, and begins only six decades ago on the other, following the Immigration and Naturalization Act of 1965. The tightrope I teeter on straddles two worlds, and over time, I have tried to fully comprehend the meaning of “mixed,” and the fact that being two different things doesn’t make me any less of each one. To this point, my dad once shared a quote from The Sympathizer, written by author Viet Thanh Nguyen about a hapa protagonist, that said, “You’re not half of anything, you’re twice of everything.” Yet I still feel as if I’m not a mix, or “twice of everything,” but a dilution each. I take my dumplings in a frozen bag from Trader Joe’s, and celebrate Lunar New Year with a simple, “Today is Chinese New Year?” It’s common to feel like you’re not enough of something—not pretty enough, not smart enough, not cool enough. But to feel as though you are not enough of your being—of what you are, blood, skin, and bones—is a different feeling entirely. Being mixed makes you wonder if you’re enough your being. I can’t speak Mandarin, I barely know anything about my heritage, and Asians tend to think I look White. However, I do recognize that I’ve grown up with more privilege than my mother, one of the few
Sienna Bevan Managing Editor
“When my family moved to America, through Ellis Island, the workers asked them what their last name was. [My parents] didn’t understand, so they pointed at a sign, and that’s how we got our last name.”
– Ryan Feldman (’25)
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If future generations are to remember us with gratitude rather than contempt... we must leave them a glimpse of the world as it was in the beginning, not just after we got through with it. – LyndonB.Johnson
Asians in her suburban white community, simply due to my whiteness. When I traveled to Taiwan, I felt whiter than ever; yet at Easter Brunch at a fancy country club in Pennsylvania, I wondered if the white second cousins and cousins once removed from my dad’s side viewed me as one of them. Regardless, it is hard to blend in when I, myself, am a blend. Constantly, I’m asked the all-too-familiar “Where are you from?” question, followed by the all-too-familiar response, “No, where are you really from.” Curiosity or ignorance, call it what you may, but there is pain when standing out equates to not belonging—especially when you already feel separated from both races. Coined “Racial Imposter Syndrome,” many mixed people carry a heavier weight of self-doubt, as their internal senses of self don’t always match what others perceive, or expect them to be. In a series of first-person multiracial identity stories compiled by Vox, respondents frequently felt “isolated, confused about their identity, and frustrated when others attempted to dole them out into specific boxes.” Common throughout the six stories presented is the societal pressure of labeling oneself, something that monoracial people don’t necessarily experience when it comes to race. One respondent of Brazilian and Lebanese descent, who grew up in a predominantly Black and Latino neighborhood, described his way of code-switching.
“I think my identity is very much like a Venn diagram, where I keep moving around those various circles and the overlap keeps changing all the time,” the Vox respondent said. “The one thing I have kept constant is some sense of mixedness.”
Being mixed-race has given me the strength of multiple perspectives, having grown up viewing the world from two different lenses. Oftentimes the way we are treated is dictated by how we look, and I have experienced that firsthand. I see the difference in how my two grandmas are treated, one acquiring more respect from others seemingly because of the absence of an accent. It makes you think about why we treat each other in the ways we do. And being forced to think so much about my own identity—what exactly I am, or who I should be simply because of stereotypes and expectations—has given me a stronger sense of self. At the end of the day, I am not 50 percent white or 50 percent Asian, but 100 percent mixed.
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A kalediscope of school spirit lights up the gym in Winter Rally
Hope Wang Staff Writer
On Feb. 7, students gathered in the North gym for the first battle of the grades pep rally. The rally was split up into sections: Freshman v. Sophomore and Junior v. Senior, energy and excitement had been building up throughout the week leading to the event, with active participation spirit days.
Planning for the rally began immediately after the Homecoming rally was held. In the weeks leading up to the event, extensive preparation was involved. Tegan Blaine (’26) and Andrea Campos (’27) the ASB spirit leaders took charge of organizing the rally and spirit days. They held multiple brainstorming sessions with the ASB class, discussing ideas, finalizing details and gauging interest from their peers. These conversations helped refine the schedule and activities, ensuring a smooth and successful event. Additionally, they organized rehearsals, and much prior planning and communication with participants of the rally to fine-tune performances and guarantee everyone was on the same page, providing more participation from the classes.
“The winter rally involves the most preparation because we get the first two rallies pretty close together, and then we get all the way through October, November, December and January to plan more rallies,” Blaine said. “It’s a lot of work, but it’s spread over a long time, and the bulk of the work is preparing ASB students to be able to execute everything effectively.”
Students participated in a variety of themed days, each adding a unique and fun ele -
ment to the school days. The week kicked off with Pajama Day, where students were able to show up in their coziest outfits. Twin Day was on Tuesday, then Student Staff Swap and Anything But a Backpack. Finally, the week wrapped up with Class Colors, where each grade wore a designated color to show their school pride, Freshman yellow, Sophomore gray, Junior blue and Senior white. Each day brought a new sense of unity, creativity and enthusiasm to students, setting the tone for the rally itself.
Additionally, the ASB class coordinated with Running with Speakers, which helped manage the sound and music throughout the event. Their support in setting up and maintaining the audio ensured the rally’s energy remained high and that every game and announcement was heard clearly by students. Their contributions helped create a well-executed rally with ASB. Jackson Lundberg (’25), the Technical Director of Running with Speakers, believes their contributions were essential to the rally’s success.
“Set-up for most pep rallies is usually a 3-day process, we do our best to prepare by just ensuring we have the manpower to get the set-up done in the limited time given. Running with Speakers is pretty fun, I get to work behind the scenes at almost every event done by students including things like concerts and such,” said Lundberg.
The collaboration between ASB and Running with Speakers played a crucial role in maintaining high enthusiasm throughout the rally. Blaine shared that despite some challenges, the energy at the rally was undeniable. The event brought students from all
grades together, cheering and clapping for each event, and showing their school spirit and enthusiasm. Games like Hungry Hungry Hippos, dodgeball, Keep the Balloon Up and the traditional Finish the Lyric kept everyone engaged and energized throughout the rally. While the rally was a success, Blaine recognized areas for improvement, particularly in the execution of the games and coordination of spirit days. She felt these aspects could be adjusted to provide an even more exciting and smoother experience next time.
“I think overall, there are always mistakes, but the hype was there… What needs work is definitely the games. I think we should have explained them better. We also wanted a risk factor, so the students would stay engaged. I also think the spirit days could improve, I want to see more participation in the future, we’re going to start taking student suggestions,” said Blaine.
The ASB team played a key role in making a successful rally. Students worked together to set up decorations, organize the event, and assist during the games. Kylie Pytlarz (’26) the Vice President of the Junior Class in ASB believes the rally was successful and is happy to see how ASB helped create this event.
“I think ASB and myself work really hard to get the pep rallies together. Though they can be difficult to execute effectively, it’s always fun to see how it turns out and see other students having a good time,” said Pytlarz.
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The first College Expo opens doors for Samo Students
On Tuesday, Jan. 28, the college expo was held in the cafeteria, sponsored by the Santa Monica Equity Plan and presented by the National College Resource Foundation.
The event was open to all upperclassmen, mainly seniors, who could explore scholarship offers and on-the-spot admission opportunities. It was also an opportunity for Black and Latino students to meet with college recruiters about HBCUs (Historically Black Colleges and Universities), HSIs (Hispanic-Serving Institutions), UCs (University Californias), CSUs (California State Universities) and other private institutions. Students could walk around booths and gain more information about the schools.
This event was important to seniors specifically because of the chance to get accepted on the spot and even get application fees waived. It also allowed juniors to get a headstart with the college admissions process, getting students to branch out about colleges nationwide. When walking into the event, students had copies of their transcripts for college administrators to view and determine the decision of a scholarship opportunity.
After the event, Mariah Lewis (’25) shared her experience with the reality of the admissions process.
“No matter what, you can go to college. Even if it’s not a college on your list, it’s still a four-year university and
the opportunity is still there,” Lewis said. “You’re not limited to one option, there’s something for everybody.”
Students were able to walk into the cafeteria to visit colleges and browse the booths from 9-12 a.m. As most of the schools were mainly HBCU-based, lots of variety was included from the South, as well as more liberal arts. On the other hand, some schools, such as UC Santa Barbara and Santa Cruz, didn’t offer acceptances on the spot and focused on promoting their schools, giving out detailed information and flyers to each student. Although UCs such as Santa Barabra and Santa Cruz appeared, students had many options to present themselves to schools they found intriguing. While those schools didn’t give out acceptances, many were in attendance to promote their schools to the students and give out more detailed information. The schools included CSU Channel Islands, UMASS Global, Simmons College of Kentucky, Hampton University, ASU and tech schools. Not only were colleges setting up booths but many held seminars allowing promotions and holding merch.
This event was highly anticipated by college counselors and teachers, spreading the news about this beneficial opportunity. A House Principal, Walter Gavidia, took a huge role in the preparation behind this event as it is the first college expo held at Samo. When this project went into the works, Mr. Gavidia collaborated with parents and the administration to set the plan in motion dating back to last July. Working on this
project, Gavidia had to fix the issue in terms of funding but luckily, the City of Santa Monica gave a donation boosting the financial aspects.
While Gavidia wanted to give this op portunity to students at Samo, he hoped students could get seeds planted in their heads while having clarity about which schools they liked and didn’t.
Gavidia shared his reasoning behind orchestrating the event, which was ded icated to encouraging students to be come more involved with schools out side of California.
“I started in community college and found a booth that had a representative of La Verne while walking to class. Af ter talking to the rep, he told me that I had all the credentials to apply, which allowed me to transfer and get my de gree,” Gavidia said. “I wanted to make this opportunity possible because it could potentially make a difference in student’s lives the way it did mine by al lowing them to have more options.”
After the event, Kaitlyn Carnes (’25) expressed her strong feelings about the process of being accepted into college and the immense pressure on many se niors.
“I feel pretty fulfilled and it was real ly validating how the lady with the mi crophone gave shoutouts to those who got acceptances or scholarships, so it felt really rewarding to get recognized,” Carnes said.
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Yaretzi Preza Staff Writer
Photos by Manny Lopez and Martin Ledford
“Severance”: good TV is back, you’re just not watching
Sara Javerbaum
Co-Editor-in-Chief
As a die-hard Adam Scott fan, a end for cinematic memory-wipes (“Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind” supremacy), and a staunch critic of capitalistic greed, I was bound to love “Severance”. But even if you don’t t that mold, trust me: this show is a goddamn masterpiece. e series follows the employees of Lumon Industries, a powerful and secretive corporation founded by Kier Eagan, a god-like gure admired by the employees of the company. At the center of the company’s operations is the severance procedure, a controversial surgical process that permanently splits a person’s consciousness into two separate identities: the “Innie,” who exists only at work, and the “Outie,” who has no memory of what happens from 9-5. “Severance” focuses on one department on the “severed oors” of Lumon: Microdata Re nement, led by Department Chief Mark S. (Adam Scott).
We can’t help but root for the ragtag group of Microdata Re ners: Mark S., Helly R. (Britt Lower), Dylan G. (Zach Cherry) and Irving B. (John Turturro). Scott’s portrayal of Mark S. is nothing short of mesmerizing, marked by a constant look of confusion, queasiness, and e ortless comedic timing. Dylan G. serves as an everyman, whose evolving journey (especially with the reveal of his Outie in season two) deepens the narrative’s exploration of duality and identity. Irving’s stoic demeanor and seeming admira-
tion of Lumon and the Eagan family, layered subtle signals, hints at something beyond his quiet exterior. Helly’s erce de ance and unpredictable spirit challenge the su ocating order of Lumon, adding a magnetic and much-needed spark of rebellion.
No discussion of “Severance” would be complete without mentioning its beautifully complex antiheroes. Patricia Arquette’s raw portrayal of Ms. Cobel is captivating, and her cult loyalty to Lumon is so human and fragile that you almost empathize with her oppressive role. Tramell Tillman’s performance as Mr. Milchik is an equally horrifying masterclass in subtle menace. Behind his poise lurks an ever-looming threat of…? Well, we’re not exactly sure what he’s capable of, but we’re reasonably terri-
what ed.
Together, these two actors embody the corporate coldness, precision and power-hungriness that plagues Lumon’s higher-ups.
Everything in “Severance” holds meaning. Without giving anything away, I can really only tell you to rewatch, rewatch, rewatch. Every eerie note in the soundtrack, every meticulously placed Easter egg—it’s all intentional, unsettling and endlessly thought-provoking.
Sound supervisor/sound designer Jacob Ribico and composer eodore Shapiro are some sort of evil masterminds. e haunting score doesn’t just accompany the scenes—it invades them, dragging the audience in an auditory hellscape just as oppressive as Lumon itself. Production designer Jeremy Hindle and the cinematography team create a visual dichotomy that is nothing short of genius: the sterile, oppressive interiors of Lumon—with its labyrinthine hallways and blindingly lit corridors—contrast starkly against the vast, desolate outside world. e wide camera shots and open spaces serve as a reminder that the world outside Lumon is as unpredictable and empty as the void within.
“Severance” is a triumph in dystopian writing. It’s thrilling, hilariously absurd and deeply moving. It leaves you rooting for love and kindness even as your mind spins trying to unravel what’s really going on at Lumon Industries. I beg of you, watch “Severance.” I’ll even give you my family Apple TV log-in, just don’t tell my mom!
A homemade Valentines Day with e Samohi
The murky morals of posthumous albums
As AI keeps getting smarter, the music industry has found new ways to cash in deceased artists, raising anethical question about whether posthumous albums honor a musician’s legacy or serve as a money grab. Posthumous albums are albums that are released after the artist’s death and while they can serve as heartfelt tributes, too often these albums feel more like an attempt to profit off of someone’s name rather than truly trying to preserve their artistry. Now, with AI capable of mimicking voices and finishing unfinished tracks, the line between tribute and exploitation is blurrier than ever.
Mac Miller’s Circles shines a light on how posthumous albums can be done in a respectful manner. Miller had nearly finished his album when he passed and his family worked closely with his producer, Jon Brion, to ensure it stayed true to his vision. David Bowie’s Blackstar, on the other hand, is arguably how albums near death should always be dealt with. Bowie knew he was dying and he made sure his final project was done exactly how he wanted it, releasing it just before his death in 2016. This is a beautiful redition of dealing with death and music, Bowie was able to give a final piece and farewell to his fans, leaving the music world with in a typical Bowie fashion. With abrupt
Eugene Naruse Staff Writer
In a two-day evening performance, Cafe Samo opened its doors for an annual concert held inside the Humanities Center Theatre.
The student-led event, this year organized under directors Celine Hutchinson (’25), Sam Rubin (’25), Isabella Salem (’25) and Chloe Senior (’25), featured acts from an array of musical genres that wooed and awed the crowd in a cozy and vibrant atmosphere. Opening acts of the concert featured acapel-
and Ava Collins-Cona (‘27) perform “Good Luck Babe” following the intermission.
la groups
“Beauty Shop”, “Barbershop” and “Valkyries” each with their unique styles that helped successfully kick off the event. Renditions of classics with strong vocals and group singing stood out in the first half of the night. But perhaps, with confident, powerful, and emotional deliveries, the biggest highlights of the first half were the solo songs, “Drive”, “Pearl Diver” and “Haven’t Met You Yet”, each performed by Alejandro Poza (’26), Celine Hutchinson and Ansel Brodkin (’27). The latter half was also met with numerous solos,
passings, it is hard to differentiate between preservation and profit; these albums weren’t just thrown together after their deaths, they were part of the artist’s creative process when they were still alive and were intended to be released. Pop Smoke’s first Posthumous album, Shoot for the Stars, Aim for the Moon spectives on if it it hon ored his legacy, or using listeners pain for (financial) gain– piecing togeth produced album packed with needless guest fea tures that didn’t match his original style. Then came Faith, which felt even more like a label-driven cash grab, with songs that barely even sounded like him. This is the slippery slope of posthumous albums, when labels start prioritizing profits over authenticity, the artist’s original voices get lost in the process. Similarly, Micheal Jackson’s Micheal (2010) included songs that Jackson had not approved for release, and some tracks were rumored to feature vocals that weren’t his, leading
to accusations that his estate was prioritizing profit over maintaining Jacksons integrity.
Creatively captivating Cafe Samo
with standout moments including “Favorite Crime” performed by Chloe Senior, and “You’re Nobody ‘Til Somebody Loves You” performed by Conner Perry (’27). Covers of popular songs like “Good Luck Babe”, “Maneater”, and ‘Can’t Help Falling In Love” also garnered large applause in the latter half.
Hutchinson explained more about the process involved in the making of the show.
“The first thing that took a lot of work in production for the event was judging and going through the different acts and deciding which ones would be the best on stage, how many group acts we needed to balance out with solo acts and the different songs and genres to have a nice blend of everything,”
Hutchinson said. “After that, it was mostly working with different instrumentalists, some band people, and a lot of people who play piano and guitar to pull people’s acts together.”
The wide variety of singers and genres, accompanied by skillfully and passionately played instruments, ranging from violins, guitars, piano, drums, saxophones and more, truly ensured that the audience was constantly kept enthralled in the music.
Andy Rowles (’25) who performed “Northern Attitude” with Charlie Blanchard (’25), explained more about how he grew through this experience.
“This was my first time ever performing a pop song on stage, because I’m used to doing only musical theater. It was also my first time arranging an act myself, and I was super nervous, but it worked out really well,” he said.
“[The concert] got me better at performing with a live band, which I’ve never done before. It also helped me because I was in charge of my act, so organizing it, I had to put a lot of effort into that.”
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With AI in the mix, things get even murkier, AI can copy an artist’s voice and piece together their unfinished work, but that doesn’t mean it should be able to do so. There is a huge difference between an album that an artist shaped before their passing and one thats been pieced together from scraps just to sell records. If an artist didn’t explicitly approve a project before they died, it should not be considered theirs. When AI starts manufacturing music under an artist’s name, it stops being about honoring them and becomes about squeezing every last dollar from their legacy. At the end of the day, posthumous albums should only be released if the artist had a real hand in the completion and intended for it to be released. AI-generated tracks may sound like them, but they lack the soul, emotion and creativity that we all listen to music for in the first place. If the industry keeps pushing AI-generated albums, it risks turning artists into brands rather than real people, leaving us with nothing more than hollow imitations of the artists we once knew and loved.
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The first ever Bands on the Road
Kamerin Shakir Staff Writer
On Feb. 5, the First United Methodist Church in Santa Monica was filled with music and excitement as the Samo band hosted the Bands on the Road fundraiser. Bands on the Road consisted of both a concert and a silent auction. Proceeds from the event supported the Samo band’s travel fund. Trombone player Annebelle Whaley (’26) elaborates on where the funds go.
“The event helped support trips, instrument repairs, and provide loaner instruments for students in need ” Whaley said.
The band showcased their talents at both the high school and middle school level, with successful performances from Samo’s wind ensemble and wind symphony, and Lincoln middle schools wind ensemble and symphony orchestra. This performance raised vital funds for the program
The concert featured the Samo Wind Symphony and Samo Wind Ensemble, who delivered an evening of outstanding musical performances. Spencer Danielson, known for his passionate clarinet, was highlighted as a special guest performer. He has 20 years of experience playing classical, contemporary and jazz music.. Eric Morones, another guest artist, also added his expertise to the event by playing the Alto Saxophone. Morones is a Grammy nominated saxophone player, playing with Lucky Diaz and the Family Jam Band. He not only played for The Brian Setzer Orchestra for 18 years but he also performed with many celebrities including Kelly Clarkson and Drake Bell.
The Samo Wind Symphony kicked off the evening with an performance of Greensleeves arranged by Alfred Reed. This timeless English folk song was given life through technical skill and cohesive performance, creating a sense of nostalgia for the crowd.
The Wind Symphony then transitioned into Ralph Vaughan Williams’ folk song “Suite”. Fol-
lowing that, the Samo Wind Ensemble took the stage to perform“Fantasia” by Thomas Tallis, similar to the work of Ralph Vaughan Williams. Samo band trumpeter Matti Scott (’26) reflects on his Bands on the Road experience.
“I had the privilege of performing alongside Grammy winning special guests and the event not only showcased our talents but helped fund our program so we can continue this for many years to come” Scott said.
Whaley also shared the stand out moments that
made Bands on the Road a great experience for her.
“One standout moment was the saxophone solo from our special guest whose expertise and professionalism helped the performance of our players,” Whaley said.
Musicians from Samo, Lincoln, and the professional music industry put in time and effort into making the event impactful for the audience. Bands on the Road, a fundraising concert for the Samo music department, turned a significant profit that will allow future shows to be more fabulous than ever.
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Sundance Film Festival: catapulting acting careers
The Sundance Film Festival has brought remarkable opportunities to aspiring filmmakers and actors, ready to make their mark on the world. Every year the Sundance Institute hosts the festival in Park City and Salt Lake City, Utah. In 2025, it occurred in person from Jan. 23 to Feb. 2, and online from Jan. 30 to Feb. 2. This year out of 15,775 total film submissions and 484 episodic submissions, the festival debuted 88 feature films and six episodic projects, both fiction and nonfiction, each film inspiringly unique.
The 2025 U.S. Grand Jury Prizes, the most esteemed prizes of the festival, went to the films “Atropia” and “Seeds.”
The dark satire film “Atropia,” winning the U.S. Grand Jury Prize: Dramatic, follows an aspiring actress (Alia Shawkat) living in a military role-playing establishment, who takes on acting parts as different Iraqi women. Through her film, the creator Hailey Gates makes powerful statements about the notion of war.
The U.S. Grand Jury Prize: Documentary was presented to “Seeds.” The black and white film by Brittany Shyne, “Seeds”, explores the community of black farmers living in the American South. It delves into the generational decline of these farmers’ acreage and the importance to them of owning land. But even more notably, Shyne portrays their daily routines and rhythms, highlighting the peaceful moments of their lives that are so often overlooked.
Sundance bestows a multitude of awards, but the exposure alone from having a film featured in the festival can completely catapult careers. The film, “Good One”, debuted at the 2024 Sundance Film Festival. Written and directed by India Donaldson, “Good One” unpacks the deep and diverse emotions of 17-year-old Sam (Lily Collias ’23). On an uncomfortable backpacking trip in the Catskill Mountains, Sam struggles to combat difficult relationships with her father, and his longtime friend.
“Good One” was entered in the U.S. Dramatic competition category and, although it did not win any awards, it skyrocketed Collias’s career. Collias, a Samo alum, booked the role of Sam while still at Samo, and began to film just weeks after she graduated. After starring in “Good One”, which went on to win prizes in competitions such as the Independent Film Festival Boston and the Champs-Élysées Film Festival, she made an impressive appearance in Teen Vogue. Collias is now set to star in the A24 film, “Altar”, which is scheduled to release in 2025.
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Eugene Naruse/ The Samohi Alex Chaiet (‘27)
Samo band preforms at the First United Methodist church.
Dan Hall / Contributor
Emma Godfrey Staff Writer
Athena Barefoot Staff Writer
Art by Kayman Mangan
Rotten Tomatoes /Contributor
Movie poster for Good One, with lead actress and samo alum Lily Collias.
A guide to LA hikes post devastating wildfires
Olivia Stephansen Social Media Manager
Some of the most beautiful hiking trails in Los Angeles have been destroyed by the Palisades Fire. The fire burnt up to 24,000 acres, and reached the Santa Monica mountains which contain many of the community’s most beloved hiking trails. Topanga State Park, Will Rogers Historic Park, West Mandeville Ridge Trail, Rustic Canyon Trail, Temescal Canyon Trail and many more hiking spots were destroyed by the fire. The Environmental Defense Club at Samo focuses on both conservation and reforestation. Board member of the club, Shiraz Benisty (’25), shares her thoughts about the wildfires and their effects on hikes in Los Angeles. “I think the restoration process will be very complicated and challenging because there is going to be a lot of debri to clean up. Since we had the recent rain, we will be able to have all hands on deck and begin the process. I love the inspiration point hike at Will Rogers that’s where the Environmental Defense club does our group hikes, we have been looking for other options away from the Palisades but obviously going to go back and do some volunteer work and we have also raised over a thousand dollars to restore Will Rogers,” Benisty said.
Despite the destruction of these various hikes, there are still many in the Los Angeles area worth checking out.
Bluffs Creek Trail: Bluff Creek Trail, Los Angeles, CA 90045
Around 20 minutes from Santa Monica, near Playa Del Rey, is a 4.3 mile Bluff Creek loop perfect for bik-
ing, running or hiking. This trail is home to much wildlife, historical sites, wildflowers and bird watching.
Elysian Park West Loop Trail: Elysian Park West Loop Trailhead, 1025 Elysian Park Dr, Los Angeles, CA 90012
Through Elysian Park, a 30 minute car ride from Santa Monica, is a relatively easy 2.4 mile loop. With beautiful views of the Dodgers Stadium and the Los Angeles skyline, this area is perfect for a quick sunset hike or run. It is also animal friendly and dogs are also welcome to participate on this loop as long as they remain on leash.
Ferndell to the West Observatory Loop Trail to Griffith Observatory: Firebreak Trail to Griffith Observatory, Western Canyon Rd, Los Angeles, CA 90068
This destination hike, leading to the famous Griffith Observatory, has views of Downtown Los Angeles all the way to the Pacific Ocean, located 30 minutes from Santa Monica. This trail is a moderate 2.6 mile loop that can take around an hour and a half to complete. The trail is open year round, opening at 12 AM on weekdays and 10 AM on weekends.
Escondido Falls Trail: Escondido Falls, Escondido Canyon Trail, Malibu, CA 90265
Discover this trail near Malibu which is home to a stunning waterfall. Escondido Falls is a moderately challenging 3.5 mile trail that is located about 40 miles from Santa Monica, and is also very popular for hiking, biking and running. Along with the waterfall, this trail contains rivers, forests and more scenic views.
Solstice Canyon Loop: Solstice Canyon Rd, Malibu, CA 90265
The Solstice Canyon Loop closer to Malibu is a moderately challenging 3.0 mile loop with stunning views of the Santa Monica Mountains, historical ruins and a 30-foot waterfall. It’s the perfect place to explore as the hike includes exotic plants, statues, creeks, pools and tropical terrace ruins. The trail takes around an hour and a half, is accessible year-round, but is not wheelchair or stroller friendly.
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Signing Day: 12 Samo athletes make their college commitments official
Addy Fiore Staff Writer
On Feb. 5, Samo hosted their schoolwide edition of national signing day for 12 committing senior athletes in the North Gym. Various sports teams came to support the athletes signing and cheer them on from afar. Surrounded by friends, family, coaches and staff, these athletes officially committed to their respective colleges, with putting pen to paper. They celebrated years of dedication and hard work. The event highlighted some of the athletes achievements and each respective coach gave a short speech commending the dedication they had given these past four years. As they embark on the next chapter, they look ahead to the next level of competition, ready to bring the same dedication and hard work to their college teams.
Phoebe Benun - Yale University - Cross Country and Track
Maren Bruce - Harvard - Rowing
Talia Yermian - Canisius State - Softball
Ananda Searcy - Cottey College - Flag Football
Shannon Stuart - Cal State Sacramento - Rowing
Drew Sievers - Cal State Dominguez Hills - Soccer
Gabriel Sherman - Cal State Fullerton - Soccer
Orlando Popkin - Oberlin College - Soccer
Blue Hunter- Rollins College - Baseball
Isaac Liberman - Cal State Monterey Bay - Baseball
Colin Hughes - Stevens Institute of Technology - Volleyball
Daniela Petran - MIT - Swimming
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Samo cheer returns to competition after four year hiatus
Arata Sakamoto Staff Writer
On Jan. 25, the Samo cheerleading team took part in four Double A Medium Division CIF competitions at Riverside’s Martin Luther King High School. The event marked the teams return to competition after more than four years of not participating, due to the instability in coaching. Mia Campos (’26) discusses the difficulties of not having a reliable coach but looks at the brighter side of their condition.
“We’ve always had unstable coaches, so we kind of got used to it in a sense, but it also taught us to be independent and not have to rely on someone,” Campos said.
Despite the extended break, the team delivered a strong performance under the guidance of choreographer Joel Burch, a former Top Gun athlete and world champion placing seventh out of 12 teams.
In competitive cheerleading, teams are evaluated on their cheer, stunt difficulty and dance. The team executed their
routine without any deductions, demonstrating both their technical skills and preparation. Team captain Tammy Ikumi (’25) reflected on her experience at the competition, especially considering it was her last as a high school competitor.
“I did competitive cheerleading so I felt a lot of nostalgia when I was competing and it was like my last competition,” Ikumi said. “I think my team did really well. We worked really hard for our routine, and we hit without any fault or deductions.”
Despite the teams return to competition, the coaching instability carries on. The Samo cheer team continues to look for a new coach after Burch stepped down to accept an offer as the director of the Top Gun cheerleading team.
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Manny Lopez / The Samohi
[From left to right:] Seniors Phoebe Benun, Maren Bruce, Talia Yermian, Anada Searcy, Shannon Stuart, Drew Sievers, Gabriel Sherman, Orlando Popkin, Blue Hunter, Isaac Liberman, at Samo’s 2025 Signing Day ceremony on Feb. 5th in the North Gym. Colin Hughes and Daniela Petran not pictured.
Mia Campos / Contributor
The Samo cheer team performs their routine at the Double A Medium Division CIF competitions on Jan. 25.
Olivia Stephansen / The Samohi
Photo taken of the view from Inspiration Point at Will Rogers Historic Park, before the Palisades fire destryoted the hiking trails.
Boys’ basketball looks to future as their playoff hopes end
Manny Lopez Photography Editor
This season, the Samo boys’ basketball team had high hopes of competing for a league title and winning a CIF championship. Before
the start of Ocean League play, Samo held a record of 9-10. To qualify for a CIF entry to playoffs, you must have at least 28 games, and be placed top three in the league. If those criteria aren’t met, an at-large bid can be submitted to enter playoffs in a wildcard spot at the bottom of the bracket, in the selected division.
The Samo boys’ basketball team wrapped up their regular season with a 14-14 overall record, missing out on the CIF playoffs. Despite a dominant 78-35 win over Hawthorne on Jan. 27, they suffered narrow losses to Beverly Hills 32-36 on Jan. 30 and Lawndale 47-48 on Feb. 5 in the Ocean League tournament. With a .500 record and key losses down the stretch, their postseason hopes have faded as they fall short, but can sneak their way through the playoffs with an at-large bid. Coach Hecht, shares his thoughts about the ending of the season, and what he expects from returning leaders.
“We had a very competitive season and I thought we played a very competitive sched-
ule, but obviously the season didn’t end how we wanted,” Hecht said. “Our guys came every day with a great attitude and great work ethic. Leadership is important, and we don’t want to rely on one person to be a leader, but hopefully next season everybody can lead in their own way.”
Next season, Samo will lose most of their starters including Brenton Banister (’25), Xavier Seldon (’25), Miles Price (’25) and Charles Cravings (’25). New to their league, Samo will look to adjust to different opponents and get comfortable with new leadership. Zachary Bennett (’26), a 2-year varsity player, looks to guide the Samo basketball team into a new season, with hopes of an Ocean League Title and competing in the CIF playoffs. He reflects on this past season and looks forward to next as well.
“One of my favorite memories about this season was the amount of team chemistry we had, and our crucial win against Beverly at home. It was crucial in our league play and helped us place solid in league standings.
Next year I look forward to playing certain teams in league again, so that we can get our get-back and have a successful season,” Bennett said.
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Samo girls’ soccer falls short in first round of CIF’s
Imani Toler Staff Writer
With the Samo girls’ soccer season coming to an end, finishing second in the Ocean League, the team is proud of their accomplished run. The team ended their regular season with a record of 7-2, a notable achievement after switching from the Bay League.
After a rough start, the Vikings’ eventually earned an overall record of 10-9-1. Starting off with non-league, pre-season games, the Vikings’ began with a loss of 0-2 to Cleveland High School, and another loss of 1-3 to Mira Costa High School. Their first league game against North Torrance High School resulted in a well earned win of 2-1, improving the team’s overall record to 2-3-1. Varsity Captain Piper Forsyth (’25) shared her thoughts before playing in league playoffs against Culver City High School.
“I think we played really strong in the league. We lost to Culver the first time we played them, but I think even the second time we played [them] we showed a lot more promise, we’ve improved just since those first games,” Forsyth said. On Jan. 24, the Vikings hosted their senior night against Culver City High School, which ended in a 0-3 loss. The Vikings played Culver again on Feb. 2, finishing with a score of 1-2, showing the Vikings’ improvements. The last game of
the regular season was on Friday, Jan. 31 against Beverly Hills High School, which ended with a score of 3-1.
Forsyth also commented on their approaching CIF game against Notre Dame Academy.
“We’ll either be in division three or four, which is different from past years, but I think that’ll suit this team a lot better and I think we have a lot of room to grow. This will also help the team gain confidence for the next year,” said Forsyth.
The first round of CIF’s, played on Wednesday Feb. 12 against Notre Dame Academy ending with a close score of 1-2, which concluded the girls’ CIF run. Varsity player Becky Scholze (’26) reflects on the hard work put in by the team throughout the season.
“We’ve been working really hard in practice this week to prepare. This season we’ve struggled with our finishing in the final third, but throughout the season we’ve gotten better,” Scholze said.
The next season for the girls’ team could prove to be difficult, especially with the loss of 12 seniors. Head coach Jason Daglis expresses his anticipation for next season, especially with the loss of goalkeeper Poppy Carr (‘25).
“Next season is going to be really competitive,” Daglis said. “Coach Pazzi and I have already started mapping out how we would like everything to look. We’re going to have some re-
ally talented players returning and a few new ones joining us. The most important thing to me is seeing the girls’ confidence grow as they start to believe in themselves.”
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17 Samo wrestlers qualify for CIF playoffs
The Samo co-ed wrestling team, which began its season officially in November, is now nearing its end. The team, participating in the Bay League, placed second to their rivals at South Torrance in a final 20-37 point dual meet. While Samo did not take gold in league, its varsity wrestlers: Frederick Ekberg (’25), Raden Madley (’25), Alex, Toby Safchik (’25), Ivan, Dimitry, Kenji (’25), Dylan, Daniel Diaz-Bentancor (’26), David (’25), Rufus Ekberg (’27), Maya Guerra (’27), Arata Sakamoto (’26), Maia Baker (’25), Emily, Danna, Dania, are all going to CIF. If successful, they will have a chance to move forward to the state championships.
Led by head coach Jason Mun, the boys’ team captains Madley and Ekberg and girls’ team captain Baker, the team won numerous duel meets throughout its season, notably against high-ranking contenders, Mira Costa High School and Redondo Union High School.
While the team as a whole ended competition on Feb. 8 [facing off with South, Redondo and Mira Costa at the Gold Gym], the wrestling room will not slow down its disciplined practice during the off season.
One of Samo’s wrestling coaches, Juan Gabriel Guerra (’97), has become instrumental in building the program over the last several years. He shared his aspirations for the team as they move out of the height of their season.
“In the off season, it’s really about practicing and developing your habits that match your body and what you’re good at, where your mindset is at, instead of just winning tournaments,” Guerra said. “I would really like to grow the culture that facilitates this. More camaraderie, more everybody [on the team] going to Cane’s [Raising Cane’s Chicken Fingers]. I hate Cane’s, but it’s [camaraderie] important.”
Rising junior Diaz-Bentancor (’26), will be attending CIF after placing first in his league tournament. He gave some additional insight on how he hopes to take part in growing the team.
“I want to act as a role model by having a good attitude and keeping a positive mindset and showing them [the younger wrestlers] how positive things can be,” Diaz-Bentancor said. “It’s always harder to do something when you
think negatively.”
While the end to this wrestling season is tied to a host of new opportunities for the program, it is also a bittersweet finale for many of the graduating seniors. Madley, reflected on his heartfelt experience within Samo’s wrestling team.
“Wrestling is not just a sport but it truly is a way of life,” Madley said. “Wrestling teaches you discipline, responsibility, hard work and perseverance. But it’s not always the actual wrestling that makes the sport but other aspects too. The community and family that you build from wrestling is like no other. I’ve met my friends for life through this sport and can only be grateful for everything that’s come from it.”
Guerra, who has been active in the school’s wrestling program since his own time as a Samo student, shared this sentiment.
“I’m just, I’m proud of everyone, We look like a legit room. We’ve been growing, which I’m very happy about. There’s still a lot of work to do, but I feel like, for the most part, our team has fun. It’s a pleasant experience, the way it was for me,” Guerra said. “My coach from highschool is still coming by and showing things. It’s a testament to the generational goals and just how much this program gives back.”
While Samo, as aforementioned, has finished its duel meets with neighboring schools for the season, 17 of its wrestlers will soon be attending CIF.
Danielle Lira (’27) traps the ball in home game against Beverly Hills High School, which ended in a 3-1 win.
Sienna Bevan / The Samohi
Fred Ekberg / Contributor Raden Madley (’25) pins down opponent during wrestling match.
Liam Saeur News Editor
Manny Lopez / The Samohi Miles Price (‘25) shoots a three to extend their lead against Lawndale High School on Senior Night.
Manny Lopez / The Samohi Jaylen Smith (‘25) goes for a dunk mid game to take the lead against Beverly Hills High School.
Girls’ waterpolo makes it to second round of CIF
Claire Harrison Opinion Editor
Girls’ water polo is wrapping up a memorable ’24-’25 season with 12 wins and 13 losses, making it to the second round of their CIF matches. Overall, they ranked #104 state-wide, marking 31 places higher than their previous season.
Their second round of CIF game against Portola High School, which was also their final game of the season, was nothing short of eventful. The game featured an impressive goal, which was one of many, from Serena Wu (’25), who shot from around the seven meter-mark, leaving both her teammates and crowd astonished. The tensions were high during this match given that winning CIF has been the team’s goal from the beginning of the season.
One of the most notable developments within the team this season was their new mental performance coach, Leah Gutentag (’16). Defender Sara Vallenicos (’26) found that Gutentag has allowed her to hone in on alertness, saying she is now “focusing more and paying more attention to detail”. Gutentag discusses her perspective as a new addition to the team.
“It’s been really exciting to introduce mental skills to the team… We’ve discussed energy management, both before and after games, as well as mindfulness to help with focus and concentration,” Gutentag said. “Hopefully, they find that having a mental performance coach has broadened their mindset to what their sport can be and who they can
become as student-athletes.”
As coach Flanders has described the girls as “high performers in the classroom”, the skills Gutentag offers also extends outside of the pool, allowing them to maintain mental clarity in all aspects of their life.
“The important thing to remember is that these are student athletes and they have a lot of things going on in their lives, especially with extracurriculars. So, if they can draw from the things we discuss and apply it to waterpolo, that’s great, but it’s also incredible if they can apply it to who they are as students,” Gutentag said.
Looking towards the next season, the girls are motivated. The team has been working especially hard in preparing their younger players and curating a well-rounded team for next year.
“We’re making sure to train our freshmen well so we can get a strong JV team as well… I’m going to be a senior next year and I know it’s important for us to stay focused and act as models to our freshman and sophomore players,” Vallencios said.
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Girls’ basketball makes CIF, exits first round
Leo Lucente Staff Writer
The Samo girls’ basketball team ended their season on Feb. 13 after a 32-34 loss to Lawndale in the first round of the CIF playoffs. The team finished with an overall record of 1115 and a league record of 6-4.
This year’s team has been defined by experience. With eight senior girls on the roster, the Vikings have shown maturity and composure throughout the season. Led by coach Lance Radford and co-captains Maya Allhouse (’25) and Kyla Cotton (’25), girls’ basketball have played a season to be proud of.
After finishing 9-13 in the regular season, the Vikings played an Ocean League tournament to determine playoff seeding and which team would be crowned league champions.
In the first game of this tournament, the Vikings had a dominant win, 54-31, over Centennial (Compton). In the next game, however, they were defeated by Lawndale by a score of 43-48. The Vikings closed out the tournament with a nail-biting, 53-52 victory over Leuzinger to finish 3rd in Ocean League. They finished behind runner-ups Lawndale and Ocean League champions Culver City.
The team’s performance in the league tournament and throughout the regular season was enough to punch a ticket to the playoffs. The playoff format for girls’ basketball is a 32 team, five round, single elimination tournament. The Vikings competed in CIF-SS Division 3A.
Their first playoff game was at Lawndale who they had lost to only 10 days prior. The teams were all square after the first quarter, 8-8, and finished the half even as well, 16-16. After halftime, things went south for the Vikings as the Lawndale Cardinals outscored them 10-7. With eight minutes left and a three point deficit, the Vikings needed to make a comeback. While they outscored Lawndale in the fourth quarter 9-8, it wasn’t enough and the Vikings lost by a score of 32-34. Kalea Oshidari (’26) spoke on the loss.
“It was definitely a disappointing loss,” Oshidari said. “Because it was a team we had seen three times, we went in knowing what we had to do, and we just weren’t able to execute it as well as we had imagined.”
Some highlights of the girls’ season include double-digit wins against Yeshiva University of Los Angeles and Notre Dame Academy on back-to-back nights (Dec. 5 and Dec. 6 of 2024) and scoring 53 to defeat Leuzinger and place third in Ocean league.
Oshidari, who is set to return next year for her senior season, is proud of how the team has grown throughout the years and is hopeful for the next.
“[This season] was definitely a huge improvement from last season,” Oshidari said. “I think it shows how much we grew as a team and as a program. We need to continue that growth.”
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Boys’ soccer advance to playoffs semi-finals
The Samo boys’ varsity soccer team has had a season of immense success, earning the title of Ocean league champs and league tournament champs, in addition to qualifying for CIF-SS Open-Division playoffs for the first time in school history. Although they had a disheartening season last year, having an overall record of 9-101, the Samo boys’ varsity soccer team has come back soaring. The Vikings showed a renewed spirit and determination that propelled them to the top of the Ocean League, where they stayed the league leaders all season long. With an overall record of 22-2-1 as of Feb. 16, and a perfect record of 8-0 in league, coach Chris Sandoval’s
(’16) team are aiming to secure the success they fell short of last season: a CIF playoff run. Sandoval gives his take on how playoffs will go for the Vikings.
“[CIF] is gonna be tough. It’s gonna be a long road and playoffs are a whole different beast in itself,” Sandoval said. “It’s gonna be difficult but I think the boys are more than prepared.”
The turnaround for Samo’s soccer program has been nothing short of impressive, the Vikings are now outpacing their previous efforts, with the team displaying an unrivaled sense of teamwork and organization. Samo competed in the Ocean League Tournament on Jan. 29 through Feb. 4, beating Hawthorne 5-0, Leuzinger 6-1 and Culver City. In league finals, Samo beat Culver 3-1in a heated game and proceeded to be league champions. Coach Sandoval gives his reaction to the league tournament win.
“We set up an expectation to win, to go 8-0 in league and to win the league tournament and that’s exactly what we did,” Sandoval said. “We celebrate today, and tomorrow we look forward to playoffs next week”.
The Vikings, with a team consisting of mainly seniors leading the way, have bought into a holistic approach that puts people first, players second. Samo midfielder Deacon Miller (’26) elaborates on the teamwork Samo fosters, and his personal highlights of being on the team.
“This year, our team is more connected, my favorite part of being on Samo soccer is getting to play with all my friends,” Miller said. “My highlight of this season was scoring against Culver City in the finals of our league”.
That trust has manifested in both offensive and defensive dominance. The Vikings’ attack is spearheaded by players like forward Nathan Schlepp (’26), who was awarded player of the most recent Hawthorne match. Schlepp expresses what he believes the outcome of the first playoff game against Crossroads will go on Feb. 13.
“I think we’re actually gonna do pretty well in playoffs, because we’ve already played Crossroads once, so we’re gonna beat them this time,” Schlepp said.
The constant focus mentioned by Sandoval and his players throughout the season has translated into blowout victories, which is represented in their current 12-0 win streak, including nonleague and league games alike. The Vikings are putting in the work in restoring their previously impressive reputation, and the likelihood of placing highly in playoffs is only improving as the season progresses. Their ability to close out games with decisive victories and avoid conceding goals has made them one of the most formidable teams in the league.
As the Vikings march in to CIF-SS Open-Division playoffs, their stats and commitment give more than enough evidence that they are a team to be reckoned with. With a strong senior class and several promising younger players, the team’s future is bright, and the road to CIF champions is wide open. The Samo boys’ varsity soccer team has firmly established themselves as the top contenders in the Ocean League - and with a well-rounded team, they are destined for a deep run in the playoffs.
The first leg of CIF was a home game on Feb. 13 against Crossroads where Samo won 1-0, with a penalty for Khaelan Zeitlin (’26). The away leg, played at Belmar due to Crossroads’ field not meeting CIF standards, finished 1-2 at the end of regulation time, meaning the aggregate score was 2-2 and golden goal extra time would be necessary to separate the two teams. Samo went on to beat Crossroads 3-2 on aggregate with heavy thanks to Gabriel Sherman (‘25), a division one commit to Cal State Fullerton and the player who scored the Vikings’ first goal early in the second half before netting the golden goal winner to complete his brace.
The Samo boys’ varsity soccer team is set to face JSerra Catholic on Feb. 19 in the semi-finals of CIF-SS Open-Division playoffs.
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Max Kehoe Arts and Entertainment Editor
Ellie Skalaski (’25) defends goal in their second round of CIF games against Portola High School on Feb. 7.
Ben Komlos celebrates a goal against Lawndale in an 11-0 victory at Samo’s senior night on Jan. 22.
Oliver Moss / Contributor
Manny Lopez / The Samohi
Leo Lucente / The Samohi Priya Mevasse (‘26) wins the second half tip-off against Beverly Hills on Jan. 17, 2025
