The Samohi
says farewell to the class of 2025
Thursday, May 29, 2025 | Santa Monica High School | Volume CXX - Issue X
Photo taken by Sam Kaplan
Your 2025 Editors-In-Chief signing off
Aili Forster Co-Editor-In-Chief
Dear readers of The Samohi,
After four years, I can say without hesitation that The Samohi didn’t just shape my time at Samo—it gave it direction. When I first joined the paper, I walked into a newsroom run by my brother and advised by Ms. Faas. It felt as though everyone already knew what they were doing, and I was constantly behind. But as I adjusted to the pace, that feeling of being slightly out of my depth kept me constantly motivated. Eventually, The Samohi became the place where I not only met my closest friends, but where I found my voice, and learned how to use it.
When Ms. Stapleton came in as advisor in my third year, the paper underwent numerous internal shifts. But although the structure
had changed, Ms. Stapleton’s steady support, trust in students and belief in this publication made the newsroom a place where I felt safe to speak and to lead. It was through that space that I found the confidence to become editor-in-chief.
Dalia and Liam, our co-news editors, you’ve
shown how to collaborate despite certain contentions, and I truly hope your intelligence and confidence as a pair has set an example for the coming editors. Cleo and Sienna, thank you for brightening up our class with your infectious laughter and keeping me sane during pasteups. You guys continue to inspire me everyday (great minds).
To my co-editor-in chief, Sara, thank you for being my intellectual match, my comic relief, and my most whimsical, intelligent collaborator over this past year. I truly could never picture doing this job with anyone else, and I know our fifth-grade selves would be proud.
As co-editor–in chief this year, I’ve come to understand that the hardest part of running a student newspaper isn’t copy editing or meeting print deadlines. It’s making the students care; to care for the news, the voices of their peers and their own experiences. Beyond the daily stresses of school, friends, and everything else competing for our attention, it’s easy to treat the news like background noise, something out of our control. But it’s far from optional. The stories we cover, whether global or right here on campus, are framing the world we’re stepping into.
In a time when cynicism and apathy feels too comfortable, I urge you to resist. Resist the voice that says your words won’t matter; resist the urge to tune out, to scroll past, to shrug off the events that form our world. The issues we face aren’t abstract—they create the world and the material conditions in which you live.
As my time at Samo comes to an end, I am overwhelmed with gratitude for my education. We are incredibly lucky to have been educated in a place where student voices are uplifted. We are lucky to have a platform to voice our opinions, however imperfect, and to be surrounded by peers who are capable of so much more than they know. To the next generation of The Samohi readers and staff: continue to write what matters and read what challenges you. Stay curious, stay engaged.
Thank you, Aili Forster
Sara Javerbaum Co-Editor-In-Chief
Dear The Samohi staff,
For the last four years, I’ve viewed high school with a Daria-esque cynicism. After every breakup, double-fault in a tennis match or embarrassing slip-up in Spanish class, I’ve repeated the same mantra: “It’s just high school, who cares?” I thought this jadedness would make saying goodbye to The Samohi easier. Now that I’m finally writing the dreaded farewell letter, I see I was very wrong.
My first day on the paper was terrifying. I was 14, clad in a hideous neon green sweater vest, and surrounded by cool and competent writers and editors. This anxiety and sense of inferiority lingered for a while. I pitched article ideas in a hushed voice, littered my overly-elaborate first drafts with questions and cowered at the idea of interviewing strangers. But journalism reshaped me. I owe my authenticity, confidence in self-expression and political activism to this newspaper.
To Ms. Stapleton, I cannot thank you enough for your drive and dedication to improving this paper. These last two years with you as our adviser have been full of changes that have pushed us to be a better publication, and I can’t wait to see what we’ll look like in two more years. You made I203 a safe space for me and my peers (I know it’s my peers and me, but I had to bother you one last time) and I’m so grateful for it.
To our genius art editors this year: our paper looks the best it’s ever looked, and it’s because of your insane talent. Raha, you are the funniest person I know and the reason I come to school even despite my Senioritis. Kayman, you are magical, and I cannot wait to see your art hanging in a museum one day and say “I knew them!” I love you both endlessly. And to my wife Claire Harrison and son Maxine Kehoe, dinner’s at 8:00. Don’t be late. I’d like to continue a trend in our nearly
decade-long friendship: making my co-editor-in-chief uncomfortable with overt displays of affection. Aili, I love love love you. There’s no one else I’d rather have been Co-
EICS with, and there’s no one like you in general. Maybe we’ll never be sisters-in-law like we planned, but you’ll always be a part of my chosen family. Visit me in Seattle? There are countless journalism members that I want to thank, but there’s only so much room on this page and I will not let anyone put this letter in a VA lower than -30, so I’ll just say this. Everyone I’ve met here has changed me for the better, and I am so lucky to have been in this program. I will forever miss co-opting Indesign pages, gossiping between interviews, laugh-crying under Macbooks at Paste-Up, the welcome ink stains on my hands on distribution day and so much more.
Gratefully, Sara Javerbaum
ASB President Ethan Fitzgerald says goodbye
Ethan Fitzgerald Contributor
Good afternoon, teachers, families, friends, and most importantly, the graduating Class of 2025. Time moves swiftly, and it feels surreal standing here today. When we first stepped onto Samo’s campus, we were wide-eyed freshmen trying to find our classes and figure out what it meant to be a Viking. Now, four years later, we leave with memories, friendships and a deeper sense of who we are.
Being your ASB President has been one of the greatest honors of my life. I’ve had the privilege to serve alongside student leaders who worked tirelessly to make this school feel like home, whether through spirit weeks, rallies, lunchtime events or just making sure your voices were heard. I’ve learned that leadership isn’t about being in front—it’s about being behind the scenes, lifting others and creating something meaningful together.
Samo is more than a school, it’s a community. Together, we’ve faced challenges that shaped us. We’ve endured hard classes,
long nights, unexpected obstacles and immense tragedy. But through it all, we stayed united. We celebrated each other’s victories and showed up in the tough moments. That’s what makes this class so special.
To our teachers and staff, thank you for believing in us and pushing us to think bigger, dream louder, and never settle. To our families, thank you for the love, patience and countless rides to zero period.
And to my fellow graduates, this is just the beginning. Whether you’re heading to college, taking a gap year, chasing your dreams in a new city or simply taking time to figure things out, remember this: your journey is yours alone. Believe in yourself and say “I am ready.”
Editors-in-Chief
Aili Forster
Sara Javerbaum
Managing Editor Sienna Bevan
Business Manager Cleo Topp
News Editors
Dalia Puchalt
Liam Sauer
thesamohinews@gmail.com
This is the next chapter and the new frontier. Anything is possible. As we say goodbye to the familiar blue and gold halls of Samo, let’s not forget the lessons we’ve learned here: to stand up, speak out, and show heart in everything we do.
Opinion Editor
Claire Harrison
Student Life Editor
Ryan Kim
We started at Samo together, and now, we step into the world stronger, braver and ready to make it ours.
Congratulations, Class of 2025. We did it.
Thank you, Ethan Fitzgerald
thesamohinews@gmail.com
Staff Writers
Raha Ghoroghchian
Social Media Manager
Olivia Stephansen
A&E Editor Max Kehoe Art Editors Kayman Mangan
Centerspread Editor
Emi Yamashiro-Hergert Photo Editor Manny Lopez
Sports Editors Addie Burns Louis Rotgin
Elizabeth Stapleton
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
Aili will be attending UC Santa Barbara next year for Art.
Manny Lopez / The Samohi
Sara will be attending University of Washington Seattle beginning in the fall.
Manny Lopez / The Samohi
Ethan will be attending USC for Business and Cinematic Arts.
Liam Sauer / The Samohi
The Samohi is a monthly newspaper by, for and about Santa Monica High School students.
HOTLB: What niche things will our seniors miss the most about Samo?
Imani Toler Staff Writer
With graduation approaching for Samo’s seniors, these students are preparing to leave the familiar hallways and make their mark on the world, but not without remembering where they came from. Seniors around campus reflect on the specific things that they are going to miss from their high school experience.
OPINION
Final exams are the final blow to senior sanity
Kamerin Shakir Staff Writer
“I’m gonna miss the Exploration and Discovery gender neutral bathrooms. They’re really great if you want some alone bathroom time, or if you’ve got some business that you want to take care of... I think you could spend forever in there.”
-Sadie Sills
Imagine crossing the finish line of a marathon, lungs burning, legs shaking, heart pounding with pride only to be told you need to sprint an extra mile. That’s exactly what it feels like when high school seniors are handed final exams in their last semester after years of academic battles and the emotional rollercoaster of college decisions. It’s not just unnecessary, but cruel. By this point, they’ve proven their academic worth. They’ve survived APs, late night essays, group projects where only two people actually did work and enough college application stress to last a lifetime. Finals in the last semester don’t measure knowledge anymore,
ing,” Ayala said. “I’m already committed to college. I’m trying to say goodbye to friends, make sure I live the best rest of high school, and prepare for my future. Cramming for finals just feels like a punishment for finishing.”
She’s absolutely right, for students who’ve met graduation requirements, completed APs and been accepted into colleges, final exams are a little more
“ Seniors have finally gone through the storm of figuring out their next four years of adulthood and then here comes finals and they feel back at square one .”
“Seniors more than ever come to me at the end of the year begging me to advocate for them about end-of -year finals,” said Porter. “They have so much on their plate at the beginning of senior year… once they hit the end they wear out and physically don’t feel capable of doing finals.”
Samo therapist Lara Desanto, who helps navigate mental health to students on campus, offers her insight.
“I’ll miss the senior bench next to the Exploration building. A bunch of people from the senior class always sit outside on the bench talking and relaxing; it’s super nice to bond with everybody and I love that we have a spot that everybody goes to.”
-Shiraz Benisty
“I will miss checking out the Samo pool’s lost and found—because everybody knows finders keepers, losers weepers.”
-Catherine Chun
“Finals are my most stressful sessions of the year… They [seniors] had to go through that college application process and potentially other work, and then they have finals on top of that,” Desanto said. “All we can do is try to find healthy ways to manage that stress so we can get through it.”
Desanto and several others showcased how draining end-of-year finals really are for seniors, so at what point are schools willing to go in the name of character development and discipline? At a time when seniors are already navigating one of life’s biggest transitions, leaving home, facing adulthood, and in some cases even moving across the country, final exams add unnecessary mental strain to an already overloaded emo-
Art by Raha Ghoroghchian
california
• ARTCENTER COLLEGE OF DESIGN
• BIOLA UNIVERSITY
• CALIFORNIA LUTHERAN UNIVERSITY
• CALIFORNIA POLYTECHNIC UNIVERSITY, POMONA (3)
• CALIFORNIA POLYTECHNIC UNIVERSITY, SAN LUIS OBISPO (9)
• CALIFORNIA STATE UNIVERSITY, MARITIME ACADEMY
• CALIFORNIA STATE UNIVERSITY, CHICO
• CALIFORNIA STATE UNIVERSITY, DOMINGUEZ HILLS
• CALIFORNIA STATE UNIVERSITY, FULLERTON
• CALIFORNIA STATE UNIVERSITY, LONG BEACH (3)
• CALIFORNIA STATE UNIVERSITY, LOS ANGELES (2)
• CALIFORNIA STATE UNIVERSITY, MONTEREY BAY (3)
• CALIFORNIA STATE UNIVERSITY, NORTHRIDGE (6)
washington
• UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON - SEATTLE (4)
oregon
• LEWIS & CLARK COLLEGE • OREGON STATE UNIVERSITY
• UNIVERSITY OF OREGON
nevada
• UNIVERSITY OF LAS VEGAS - NEVADA
• CALIFORNIA STATE UNIVERSITY, SACRAMENTO (3)
• CHAPMAN UNIVERSITY
• CERRITOS COLLEGE
• EL CAMINO COMMUNITY COLLEGE
• GLENDALE COMMUNITY COLLEGE
• HARVEY MUDD COLLEGE
• LAGUNA COLLEGE OF ART AND DESIGN
• LOS ANGELES FILM AND RECORDING SCHOOL
• LOS ANGELES TRADE AND TECHNICAL COLLEGE
• LOYOLA MARYMOUNT UNIVERSITY (4)
• MOUNT ST. MARY’S UNIVERSITY
• OTIS COLLEGE OF ART AND DESIGN (2)
• PEPPERDINE UNIVERSITY (2)
• POMONA COLLEGE
• SAN DIEGO STATE UNIVERSITY (8)
• SAN FRANCISCO STATE UNIVERSITY (4)
• SAN JOSE STATE UNIVERSITY (2)
• SANTA CLARA UNIVERSITY
• SANTA MONICA COLLEGE (50)
• SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA INSTITUTE OF ARCHITECTURE
• STANFORD UNIVERSITY
• UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, BERKELEY (27)
• UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, DAVIS (6)
• UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, IRVINE (2)
• UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, LOS ANGELES (12)
• UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, MERCED
• UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, RIVERSIDE (2)
• UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, SAN DIEGO (6)
• UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, SANTA BARBARA (9)
• UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, SANTA CRUZ (16)
• UNIVERSITY OF SAN FRANCISCO
• UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA (7)
• WEST LOS ANGELES COLLEGE (2)
• JOINING THE WORKFORCE (5)
• UNIVERSITY OF UTAH
• ARIZONA STATE UNIVERSITY
• UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA (2)
colorado
• UNIVERSITY OF COLORADO BOULDER (10)
• COLORADO STATE UNIVERSITY - FORT COLLINS
• UNIVERSITY OF HAWAI’I AT MĀNOA
INFO COMPILED BYTHE SAMOHI STUDENT SURVEY COLLECTED ON MAY 28 (SOME INFO COLLECTED FROM HOUSE PRINCIPALS AND @SAMOHI2025COLLEGEBOUND) 338 RESPONSES
wisconsin
• UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSINMADISON
• CONCORDIA UNIVERSITY WISCONSIN
illinois
international
• KEIO UNIVERSITY
• KOEFIA ACADEMY
• UNIVERSITY OF ST. ANDREWS
• UNIVERSITY COLLEGE LONDON
• UNIVERSITY OF THE ARTS LONDON
• AMHERST COLLEGE
• BERKELEE SCHOOL OF MUSIC (2)
• BOSTON CONSERVATORY AT BERKLEE
• BOSTON UNIVERSITY (3)
• EMERSON COLLEGE (3)
• HARVARD UNIVERSITY
• MASSACHUSETTS INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY
• NORTHEASTERN UNIVERSITY (3)
• SMITH COLLEGE
• TUFTS UNIVERSITY
• UNIVERSITY OF MASSACHUSETTS - BOSTON
• WILLIAMS COLLEGE
massachusetts
• BARNARD COLLEGE
• CANISIUS UNIVERSITY
• FORDHAM UNIVERSITY
• NEW YORK UNIVERSITY (3)
• PACE UNIVERSITY
• PARSONS SCHOOL OF DESIGN
• PRATT INSTITUTE
• SCHOOL OF VISUAL ARTS
• SKIDMORE COLLEGE (2)
• SYRACUSE UNIVERSITY (2)
• THE NEW SCHOOL
michigan
• UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN (2)
indiana
• INDIANA UNIVERSITY
• PURDUE UNIVERSITY
ohio
• OBERLIN COLLEGE
• OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY
new york
pennsylvania
• PENN STATE UNIVERSITY
• TEMPLE UNIVERSITY
• UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA
• UNIVERSITY OF PITTSBURGH
• CARNEGIE MELLON UNIVERSITY
tennessee
• VANDERBILT UNIVERSITY
• BELMONT UNIVERSITY
alabama
• ALABAMA STATE UNIVERSITY
georgia
• CLARK ATLANTA UNIVERSITY
• FLORIDA GULF COAST UNIVERSITY
• ROLLINS COLLEGE
• UNIVERSITY OF MIAMI
• UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA
2025 Prom royalty and Promposal winners revealed
Emma Godfrey Staff Writer
On May 24, 2025, the prom at Long Beach Aquarium was held, where the prom king and queen, Connor Lee (’25) and Julia Faber (’25), were announced. Along with this, on May 21, 2025, promposal winners were announced at the Senior pep rally. Jeremy Guerrero (’25) and Bella Medina Reynoso (’25) won, with Guerrero proposing at an LA Dodgers game.
“I was really excited! I was kind of surprised because I felt like all the girls really deserved it, but it was super fun and I loved having all my friends there cheering me on.”
- Julia Faber
thesamohinews@gmail.com
“I was really excited because I didn’t expect to win, I thought other people had a really good shot, so I was very surprised and happy.”
- Connor Lee
’25 was a “wave” goodbye
“I saw a TikTok of somebody promposing at a Dodger game…so I thought it was a good idea,” Guerrero said. “I wanted to be different, so I looked up buying a jumbotron message on the MLB [website], so I was pretty excited we won.”
- Jeremy Guerrero
“It was a good feeling because people actually liked our proposal, and when he proposed, I was really surprised. I was really happy about it because I had never experienced a proposal before, so it was really cute.”
- Bella Medina Reynoso
Koi Lerner Staff Writer
From sparkling lights to aquatic creatures, the prom was held on May 24 at the Aquarium of the Pacific.
At prom, there were many kinds of entertainment: a dance floor, a photographer, caricature artists, gambling tables and karaoke. As well, the aquarium had two touch tanks open for an hour— a stingray pool and a moon jellyfish pool. Also, there were many exhibits open for students to look through, with animals ranging from puffins to sharks. Ethan Fitzgerald (’25), the ASB president, said that the location was chosen because of nostalgia and to experience the aquarium one last time as seniors.
“The fact that it’s an aquarium is just super, super cool,” Fitzgerald said. “I really enjoy the Long Beach Aquarium because I used to visit the aquarium. So it’s kind of cool saying, ‘oh wait, we’re all graduating and we’re having such a wonderful event at the aquarium’.”
Malaika Kamau (’25) said the prom was a success to her, attracted by the energy that it brought to the aquarium.
“The energy was off the charts… it [was] contagious,” Kamau said. “Everybody was hyped and screaming. It fed into one another. Even if you don’t know someone, you just locked eyes and you sang together. It was just great.”
Seniors felt that prom was enjoyable, but some, like Brendan Aronin (’25), felt that prom had moments where it could have gone better, even though it was a good way to end the year.
“[Closing down the touch tanks] was fine,” Aronin said. “I felt they could have left the outdoor area open without the touch tanks, because I feel it [was] really restricting of the areas you could go to… I think [ASB] could have worked together with the aquarium to figure out how to keep places open for a little bit longer.”
But, in the hour with the touch tanks, many seniors found it to be a memorable experience. Another attraction was the social aspect of one final group meeting. Holden Savage (’25) said that prom was a place to connect with people whom one hadn’t talked to in a while.
“[I had] sat down at poker tables and seen people that I haven’t talked to in a long time,” Savage said. “So I talked to them. [I saw] people by the touch tanks [and] struck up conversation with them. I’ve seen people whom I haven’t seen in a long time. I haven’t had classes with them, so I don’t get to see them. If that is the last time, I’ll know it’s a good time.”
Kamau said, with two weeks left, the seniors are tied closer together, reflected in the connection that the prom brought. “Prom is one of the quintessential senior experiences,” Kamau said. “It’s something that everybody looks forward to since freshman year. We’re really lucky that our school was able to get the funds to do this…[because] it was electric. It was so magical.”
thesamohinews@gmail.com
Samo girls’ swim earn CIF-SS D2 Championship title
Samo swim capped off a strong season with the girls’ team placing first in the CIF-SS Division II Championships and with multiple swimmers competing at CIF States. After wrapping up a competitive 2025 season following their last regular meet on April 24, 19 swimmers qualified for the CIF Southern Section Division II playoffs in both individual and relay events. There, at the CIF-SS Division II preliminaries held on May 5 and the CIF-SS Division II finals on May 9, girls’ varsity claimed their first CIF win in school history. Wins in the 200 Medley Relay with Daniela Petran (’25), Serena Wu (’25), Sloane Bryant (’26) and Gabi Brito (’28) and individual wins by Brito in the 200 IM and 100 fly and Petran with the 100 breast helped the team take the lead early on. The 400 freestyle relay with Alexis Burrell (’27), Paloma Kimura (’28), Petran and Brito then ultimately secured the CIF win. Serena Wu (‘25), team captain for girls’ varsity, reflected on the season and her past four years.
“At CIF we did good, we were very prepared and took all our time doing warmups and were very serious…and I think we performed well,” Wu said. “Hearing them an -
nounce ‘Team Santa Monica’ at the end as winners was really cool, and we had a lot of great swimmers this year. I think just us being so close as a group really helped, with everyone pushing each other to go faster and harder. I’m honestly feeling a little sad to be leaving next year, but it was definitely a great four years, everyone bonded through the sport and through Flanders yelling at us.”
Petran, who was named female athlete of the year at the Senior Awards Ceremony, reflected on CIF Championships, States and the season overall.
“Honestly, going in I knew we had a pretty good shot at winning, but obviously nothing is guaranteed, so it was kind of about putting together everything, working at the season, at CIFs, especially finals, and I thought everybody did pretty well,” Petran said. “I’ve gone to CIF every year so far, and we’ve had one or two relays here and there, but I feel like this final year was a really good culmination of all my work, because we got to go back to states not just alone this time but with the team, and to win your senior year is the best feeling because it’s kind of finishing off with a bang.”
CIF State Preliminaries and Finals were held on May 16 and May 17 in Fresno, with the girls 200 Yard Medley Relay finishing 35th, girls 400 Yard Freestyle Relay finishing 33rd and Petran finishing 28th in the girls 100 Yard Breaststroke.
Head Coach Matthew Flanders reflected on the year. “The girls had the best season they have ever had, winning CIF-SS D2. Being the first championship it was special, and going forward, I would like to get more boys qualified to CIF,” Flanders said.
All photos by Emma Godfrey / The Samohi
Koi Lerner / Contributor
One of the touch tanks available for seniors. While there were aquatic creatures such as moon jellyfish and stingrays, there was also starfish and sea anemone.
All Photos by PhotoBoothRentLA.com / Contributor
Art by Raha Ghoroghchian and Kayman Mangan
Eugene Naruse / The Samohi Swimmers compete in the girls’ butterfly against Redondo High School on April 24 at Santa Monica High School’s Drake Pool.
Eugene Naruse Staff Writer
HOTLB: What show depicts high school best?
Senior art show signals senior artists’ nal farewell
The highschool experience is a theme very commonly represented within film, but few shows and movies actually encapsulate the authentic experiences of high school students. Nostalgia sentence
The highschool experience is unique to each person, so when samo seniors were asked what show or movie they thought had the best depiction of high school, the answers varied heavily.
- Sophie Roth (’25)
“‘Drive Me Crazy” has a really good representation of high school because its very true to the kind of social system we have at Samo. It has a bunch of different cliques but everyones still a big community. It’s also just a really good movie so i highly recommend it to everyone”
“‘Ferris Bueller’s Day Off” because I really resonate with how close all the highschoolers are. The movie has such a clear tight knit community like we have here at Samo and it makes me really nostalgic about the beginning of high school and just being able to have fun with your friends.”
- Camille Benoit (’25)
“‘All
-
of
experience because my
On May 20th, Barnum Hall was lled with music, memories and a meaningful last concert as the Samo band held their signature Pops concert, the concluding performance for the graduating seniors of 2025.
e concert featured a diverse and theatrical set of performances. Kicking o with the playful Simpsons theme that was transitioned into tracks from Mulan.
e students snapped into formation with the discipline of a soldier when playing “I’ll Make a Man Out of You”.
Transitioning into the ache of “Re ection”, came a sudden calm a er the storm, the notes delicately danced in the air, like a pause for breath in a sequence of overwhelming action.
“Dancing rough Life” radiated calming charm and oated throughout the hall. e rhythm felt like it could settle into ones bones with ease, draped with a soothing elegance.
e Wind Ensemble performed a Pink Floyd and Doctor Who assortment, ending with melodies from King Arthur and Monty Python.
As the nal notes were played, the farewell looks on the band members faces luminated a sort of wistfulness. e applause that ensued marked the conclusion of an important chapter in their lives, with every clap seemingly paving a path away from Samo and towards their beginnings of adulthood. Shayna Kadish (‘25) and Toyotake (‘25) share their thoughts on the nal concert.
“I’ve played over sixty concerts in Barnum Hall, and
thesamohinews@gmail.com
A Sound Sendo , Band Pops Concert
so that being my last one was very emotional. Being in band for four years, I’ve just devoted so much time to it” says ute player, Kadish.
“Between AP testing and our practice time being fourth period it was very awkward to t prep in with morning and a ernoon AP’s,” says Toyotake. Band director Kevin Mckeown recognized the seniors by presenting medals to acknowledge all the hard work put in throughout the last four years. e audience, packed with family and friends, cheered on the soonto-be graduates, honoring their immense commitment to the program; whether that is students joined midway through their high school career or have been in Band since freshman year, there is no doubt the performance displayed the dedication every student.
As the seniors step o stage and into a new phase of their lives, the concert served as a reminder of how impactful music, tradition, and community is at Samo. thesamohinews@gmail.com
Art by Kayman Mangan
American” reminds me
my highschool
relationship with my coaches and family throughout highschool”
Charles Cravings III (’25)
Lucia Valle’s (‘25) ceramics Art by Meleja Horelick (‘25).
Students look at a variety of different artists’ work. Mrs. Gutierrez Deegan Mathews (‘25) and Lucia Valle
Pottery made by Emmy Fay (‘25)
Two observers look at Simon Ashford’s (’25) paintings.
David Nikolic (‘25) DJs the Senior art show.
Athena Barefoot Staff Writer
Alisa Ignatenko Staff Writer
All photos taken by Ramona Gutierrez/Contributor
Alisa Ignatenko /Staff Wrtiter
Blake Drabkin (‘25), Deegan Mathews (‘25), Kenji Ineno (‘25), and Lucia Valle (‘25) look at Valle’s ceramics.
Art by Kayman Mangan
Samo seniors commit to college for their sport
“My athletic experience at Samo was pretty great. I was lucky to have great coaches who helped me during my athletic experience here as a three-sport athlete. My senior year, I got a couple of offers and I decided to go to Cal Lutheran.”
“When I first started at Samo, I was only playing girls soccer and I had a really good time on the team. Then I went to track, and my friends convinced me to do cross country. What was important in the long run was creating relationships with the coaches, for by the time it was time for the recruiting process, I had already created good relationship with the coaches.”
“Growing up, I’ve always known that I love soccer and playing soccer my whole life. I’ve just kind of been an outlet for me and just my happy place away from everything else, like school and other stressors. I am really happy with the coach I found at Cal State Dominguez Hills and I am glad that’s where I ended up.”
“My athletic experience at Samo was amazing, I started as a freshman with the dream of playing on varsity. My journey getting recruited was pretty hard. I was shooting for Division One (D1) but ended up at Division Two (D2). Recruitment is really hard right now, but I’m happy to go play D2. ”
“I’ve been playing sports my whole life. I’ve been playing lacrosse for 12 years, so I just love the game and want to keep playing as long as I can. I don’t really have to think about anything else while I’m playing, I just focus on that and put everything else aside for a little bit.”
“I think I’ve kinda always just wanted to [play softball in college]. I’ve been playing since I was about eight and I can’t really imagine my life without it. I just enjoy it a lot.”
“My experience at Samo was super fun, and I had a lot of support from my coaches and teammates. I really don’t think I could’ve done it without them…Recruitment really started to pick up in my junior year and I had been talking to some schools, and I started getting offers.”
“I started playing water polo my freshman year, during the summer. My dad put me in and I didn’t know what it was, I didn’t really want to do it, but I ended up really loving it and it became a huge journey for me throughout high school.”
My athletic experience at Samo was great except it started a little weird because it was the first year back from COVID-19; we became really close and it felt like a community as a team. I made a lot of highlight reels and sent them to coaches, I knew I wanted to go to college for school first and play second so I found schools I wanted to go to and I reached out to those coaches.
I think the community and the people on the team, especially the coaches really pushed me and made me want to get better. They made me learn and love the sport more. It’s been great wrestling in high school and it’s kind of scary to wrestle in college since I will be up against grown men but it’s exciting.
My sophomore year, I got called up from JV to Varsity and started in my first varsity game. The experience of the seniors before me played a huge part in where I am. My travel ball team helped me get recruited. We did a camp for the school I’m going to, and the coaches liked what they saw.
“My athletic experience at Samo was really good. You grow up playing baseball with the same kids, so it’s a very fun, tight group of kids. My journey getting recruited was very interesting because you go out to all these showcases with thousands of kids and you’re hoping to get seen, most of the time you don’t. ”
“My athletic experience at Samo was good, I got support from the coaches and the older guys on the team. My journey getting recruited was getting as much exposure as I could from my coaches through connections that they had. I’m excited for new opportunities playing baseball in college and at the next level.
I started playing volleyball in third grade because my older sister played and I just kind of followed her around. The Samo team and the community is really great and it kind of nurtures you, not only as a player but as a being.
Wisconsin
I started soccer when I was five and I would say my time on the Samo soccer team helped me get better to help play at the next level. I’d like to thank my teammates and coaches for helping me through the process, which included lots of emails, camps, and putting together highlight videos.
“I’ve always wanted to swim in college, ever since I started swimming. I think it was just kind of like, I’ve always done a sport and found one that I really, really liked. I’ve always known I wanted to do something athletic and now I know that I want to do swimming specifically. I was going to do a sport, but this is just the one that I love the most.”
Charles Cravings (’25) - Cal Lutheran - Football
Phoebe Benun (’25) - Yale - Cross Country/Track
Drew Sievers (’25) - Cal State Dominguez Hills - Soccer
Ozgood Hawkins (’25) - Northwest Zazarene University - Lacrosse
Blue Hunter (’25) - Rollins College - Baseball
Eddie Jennings (’25) - Biola University - Baseball
Gabriel Sherman (’25) - Cal State Fullerton- Soccer
Isaac Liberman (’25) - Cal State University Monterey Bay - Baseball
Talia Yermian (’25) - Canisius University - Softball
Ronan Maynes (’25) - Chapman University - Swimming
Gavin Kirtley (’25) - Baseball - Hope International University
Orlando Popkin (’25) - Soccer - Oberlin College
Fred Ekberg (’25) - Wrestling - Cerritos College
Collin Hughes (’25) - Volleyball - Stevens Institute of Technology
Pedro Duarte Silva (’25) - Soccer - Concordia University
Daniela Petran (’25) - MIT - Swimming