The Forge Vol. 106 No. 3

College Crunch p. 4 | Pro Life Democrat? p. 11 | Monthly Horoscopes p. 11| Artist of The Month p. 10

THE FORGE Vol. 106 No. 3

SANTA BARBARA HIGH SCHOOL - FRIDAY, DECEMBER 6, 2019 How the Pledge of Allegiance Divides Us

Est. 1914

SBHS Football Follow our football team as they flourished through playoffs. | p. 12

Hear an opinion on why the Pledge can be harmful. | p. 3

Why Did Our Daily Announcements Come and go?

Student investigates the fate of our announcemnts. | p. 3

Head Over Heels Rocks SBHS

Artist of the Month: David Imperioli Get to know the amazing David Imperioli and why he was selected as the Artist of the Month. | p. 10

Head over Heels Review The 2019 Fall Theatre Show concludes.

PHOTO COURTESY OF RANDY MEYERS

2 | NEWS

THE FORGE STAFF

THE FORGE

DECEMBER 6, 2019

School District Superintendent Resigns Abruptly

2019 - 2020

700 East Anapamu Street Santa Barbara, CA 93103 (805) 966-9101 ex. 5031 Room 204

EDITORS EDITORS-IN-CHIEF Hannah Ziouani Madeleine Mishler

LAYOUT EDITOR Jacqueline Morison

SPORTS EDITOR Andre Battle COPY EDITOR Emerson Steady

STAFF REPORTERS Zane Forte Elias Campos Sam Long Michael Elias Anya McCue Esme Gonzalez Viviana Trujillo Karissa Fields Gisella DeAlbergaria Will Goligoski Morgan Maloney Genesis Zarate Caroline Nuhn Sofia DiPadova

ADVISOR Otto Layman

Photo Courtesy of Google Images

BY MADELEINE MISHLER Whether or not we know it, the administration over our education extends farther beyond the walls of our historic high school. Santa Barbara Senior High School is one of many schools in Santa Barbara County that is represented by Santa Barbara Unified School District. District personnel, particularly superintendents, that work for Santa Barbara Unified School District are responsible for the administration we interact with, and the programs and academies we participate in. To state the obvious, superintendents have a great effect over our educational experience, and yet, many of the dramatic changes in district personnel that have occurred this past month have happened unbeknownst to most of Santa Barbara High School students.

Approximately a month ago, Santa Barbara Unified School District superintendent Cary Matsuoka abruptly resigned from his position as superintendent, and confirmed that he will not be renewing his contract, which was set to end in June of 2021. Matsuoka has seventeen years

of experience as a high school teacher, and twenty-three years of administration experience. He was hired as a superintendent for Santa Barbara High School District in July of 2016.

During his time as a superintendent, he was highly criticised for his, “oversight,” in local high school scandals.

According to local online newspaper Noozhawk, the bulk of Matsuoka’s criticism stemmed from Fair Education Santa Barbara, a non profit corporation that allows volunteers, presumably parents, “to advocate for their children’s education.” Matsuoka was dispraised for his involvement in demoting ex-principal of San Marcos High School Ed Behrens. Behrens was demoted because of circulating social media threats targeted towards other students, that failed to be reported to their concerned parents.

He filed a lawsuit against the school district for wrongful termination, but ultimately lost the case. However he still works for the Santa Barbara Unified School District, but as a junior high school teacher--he has since filed for an appeal. Aside from Matsuoka’s role in Behrens demotion, he was additionally criticized for his supervision of Santa Barbara High School’s Multimedia Arts & Design

Academy (MAD). The academy’s reputation was questioned after a former employee allegedly sent inappropriate messages to a student.

What I have yet to understand, is why Matsuoka was so heavily criticized for his actions as superintendent. Surely Fair Education Santa Barbara and their volunteers wants what is best for their children and other students, so the only explanation that I can fathom as to why they would be so incredibly perturbed by the consequences enforced on Matsuoka’s part is that both Behrens and the MAD teacher in question were well liked. However, their popularity should not justify, nor ramify, their mistakes. Since the barrage of scrutiny coming towards Matsuoka’s way, many other administrators have spoken in defense of Matsuoka’s character; including Dos Pueblos High School’s principal Bill Woodward, and our own Santa Barbara High School’s principal Dr. Elise Simmons.

In a school board meeting that took place at the Marjorie Luke Theater, the same meeting in which Matsuoka announced his resignation, both principals spoke in support of the Santa Barbara Unified School District and Matsuoka, and alluded that

they were against the claims that Fair Education Santa Barbara had been making. Woodward, more clearly stating his dislike for Fair Education Santa Barbara said, “this group has continued a false narrative of our superintendent, and by extension, our schools.” He further emphasized that Fair Education for Santa Barbara has been using misleading information and pictures that are defamation to Matsuoka’s character. Later that night, Dr. Simmons spoke to address the matter in a more encouraging way, she said, ““I am here for our students and our families. For more than a year now, I have watched as a small minority of people attempt to control the Santa Barbara Unified School District narrative, and I will not stay silent anymore.”

Regardless of any further encouragement or discouragement, superintendent Cary MAtsuoka has officially resigned and will not be renewing his contract, he will also not complete his current term, and this will be his last school year as an acting superintendent of Santa Barbara Unified School District.

Armistice Day

BY ANYA MCCUE

Fallen Dons are remembered throughout the main hall | Photos Courtesy of The Forge Staff & Google Images

Veteran’s Day, which originated as Armistice Day, is a holiday to celebrate the lives that have been devoted to keeping our country safe. It is a holiday in commemoration of all those who died so that Americans could be in the valued place we are now. It was marked on the calendar for the first time on November 11, 1938 as a national holiday, recalling the first anniversary of World War I in 1919.

This holiday is especially important to Santa Barbara High School because in 1918, 70 young men from Santa Barbara County, including the majority of Santa Barbara High School’s football team, volunteered or were drafted to go and fight in World War I. Football was suspended for a year because so many of the players went to the war. During the first two weeks of November the photos of our fellow dons who bravely passed away fighting for our country are posted in the hallways in remembrance.

Some of our teachers are also veterans, including math teacher,

Reid Wagner. Wagner was a pilot for three years when he was in his twenties, then signed up for the Air Force flight program, which trained him in ocean surveillance.

Wagner enjoyed his time in the service and emphasized that so many soldiers, especially soldiers in Vietnam, had it way worse.

When asked how Wagner celebrates for Veterans Day he says with a smile, “Take the day off.”

Veterans Day is a very important day for Dons because of our highly respected veteran history and it is important for Americans because it is a day to remember and look back on the hard times.

It is a time to be thankful for those who have served, and are serving, to protect citizens from all over the world.

NEWS | 3

THE FORGE

DECEMBER 6, 2019

Announcements End and Return

How The Pledge Divides Us

Photo Courtesy of Google Images

BY EMERSON STEADY As ASB President Miller Brichan’s voice blares over the PA system, students prepare for the strangest fifteen seconds of their day: “Please rise for the Pledge of Allegiance.”

And through those 31 words, written by the Socialist Christian minister Francis Bellamy in 1892, we go from being a unified student body doing our best to make it through the inevitable struggles of public high school, to placing ourselves at the center of a political debate raging across the country. From quarterback Colin Kaepernick, who kneeled during the national anthem to protest police brutality, to Fox News which denounced his actions as un-American, to numerous Supreme Court cases over the past century, countless opinions have been shared about the values which the Pledge endorses, and our right to abstain from it. But regardless of where you stand on these issues, this is not a debate that needs to be held in our fourth-period classes everyday.

I strongly believe in people’s rights to political protest and to have their voices heard, and I am a very politically active person myself, but I think this decision to advocate must be voluntary. Unfortunately, no matter what you do during the pledge, you are making a statement: standing in support of America, or sitting in protest of it. There is no in between. This is an unfair position to put students on all sides of the political spectrum in. The great paradox of this situation is that the people who are hurt the most are those who actually do want to stand.

Their ability to express their genuinely held beliefs are directly at odds with the eternal teenage desire to fit in and the peer pressure of their classmates. I watched these factors at work in my AP World History class since the start of the year, as we went from half of the class standing, to only one or two committed students standing, and then ev-

eryone being completely unaware that the pledge is even happening as our conversations continue over the announcements.

And if someone truly believes in the value of the pledge, I can certainly see how they would take offense to this disrespect. But the solution is not to compel others to also engage in speech in support of our country, or even force them to listen. The solution is to move these political displays outside of our classrooms.

Recently, many students from Santa Barbara High School engaged in the Youth Climate Strike and left school during their third and fourth period classes to protest climate inaction. Although this event was organized by students and began on school grounds, it moved to De La Guerra Plaza and was targeted at a government which has not acted on the crisis. This is a perfect example of student political protest done well. People who wanted to protest were able to join the march, but those who did not attend were not put on display as “climate deniers.” Unfortunately, when the metaphorical soapbox of the Pledge is placed in our classroom, we can’t help but judge people who have different beliefs and wonder about their upbringings. Junior Caroline Nuhn, who moved from Missouri last year, told me that at her old high school in Moberly, not standing for the pledge was basically unheard of. Now, at Santa Barbara High School, she is one of maybe five people in her classes who continues this tradition. In her opinion, standing for the Pledge allows her to show her passion for supporting the country and its troops, but does not have to reflect support for our current president and government.

Although I may not entirely agree with her politically, I respect her right to these opinions and appreciate that she is willing to stand up for what she believes in. But others may not be as tolerant of her beliefs as I am, and she could be forfeiting her privacy

and in extreme cases her safety by expressing those beliefs. Those who want to say the pledge have every right to say it outside of school, alone or with other organizations, and those who do not should not be subjected to it.

From a legal perspective, schools have not been able to compel students to stand for the Pledge of Allegiance since the 1943 Supreme Court ruling West Virginia State Board of Education v. Barnette, but this misconception persists among many students and even some teachers. Furthermore, California does not mandate the Pledge in public schools at all. The state does, however, require a daily “patriotic exercise,” but this requirement is rarely, if ever, enforced, and some public schools in California, such as Saratoga High School, have already foregone the Pledge. Doing the same at Santa Barbara High School would not only be beneficial for the learning environment of our school, but would bring us closer together as a student body.

In these politically divisive times, it is especially important that we students at Santa Barbara High School are bonded by our commitment to learning and not divided by superficial symbols. Whether or not you stand, sit, or kneel for the Pledge, keeping these 31 words out of our classrooms will create a more unified student body, which is actually indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. For all of these reasons and more, I urge the Associated Student Body to end recitations of the Pledge of Allegiance.

For all the latest SBHS news, check out the Forge’s new website:

SBHSFORGE.COM

BY EMERSON STEADY Once a daily tradition, the Announcements broadcast this year by ASB President Miller Brichan have finally returned for the first time in about a month. The announcements, which consist of the Pledge of Allegiance, along with information about sports games, schoolwide events, and more abruptly stopped about 3 weeks ago, and were just reinstated on Friday, November 15th. In the interim, announcements were replaced by the Dons Student Memo, a Google Doc sent out every week by ASB containing even more information from many different departments of Santa Barbara High School. Between these forms of communication and the new “ASB Events” classroom on Neo, many students were, ironically, left in the dark about ASB’s revamping of how it communicates with students and the reasoning behind these changes.

The initial decision to end announcements was made by Santa Barbara High School’s principal Dr. Elise Simmons, who challenged ASB to find new methods to reach more people. Dr. Simmons was receiving weekly complaints from teachers and students alike about the fact that the PA system does not reach all parts of the campus and that even in rooms that are reached, noisy students and poor audio quality make it impossible to hear. One alternate channel that was already in use was Student Square, the student analogy to Parent Square, through which email updates are sent out. Through this, ASB began sending out the weekly Dons Student Memo, which mirrored the longstanding Teacher Memo. Unfortunately, they discovered that only about a quarter of students were even signed up for Student Square. In fact, the greatest number of students that ever saw any particular memo was a measly 174 people.

After a month of this new system, it was back to the drawing board, and Dr. Simmons met with the Sophomore, Junior, Senior, and Student Body presidents to brainstorm.

With the goal of reaching as many students as possible in

mind, ASB and Dr. Simmons have decided that integrating many methods of communication is the best solution.

Despite the shortcomings of the PA system, ASB has reimplemented the Announcements, which are also required to satisfy the California Educational Code’s requirement of a “Daily Patriotic Exercise.” Additionally a new Neo class called “ASB Events” has been created where Google Docs containing all of the information in the announcements will be posted. These docs will be much shorter than the Dons Student Memo and use a bullet point format rather than full paragraphs.

Furthermore, Dr. Simmons is encouraging ASB to reach students through social media, a form of communication that they already use.

ASB President Miller Brichan hopes that entertaining Bulletin-style videos and other fun projects will boost student engagement.

Both Brichan and Dr. Simmons have emphasized the importance of students being informed about events going on at Santa Barbara High School and news around campus.

Dr. Simmons also believes that training students to read, write and reply to emails regularly is a valuable professional skill which will help them in working life.

Between all of ASB’s ideas, hopefully the student body will finally be informed about events at Santa Barbara High School and for the near future at least, it seems we can look forward to many more days of Miller Brichan telling us to, “stay olive, stay gold, and stay up!”

4 | NEWS

Dem Debate

BY ZANE FORTE The second democratic debate occurred on August 31st, consisting of Michael Bennet, Joe Biden, Cory Booker, Julian Castro, Bill De Blasio, Tulsi Gabbard, Kirsten Gilibrand, Kamala Harris, Jay Inslee, and Andrew Yang, debating health care, immigration, criminal justice and more.

The first topic of the debate was healthcare. This mainly consisted of Biden and Harris arguing about their health care plans.

Harris started the debate by talking about her Medicare-ForAll plan. Harris pointed out that there are a million people without healthcare in the US and claimed she based her plan off the needs of “American Families.” Biden stepped in and argued that Senator Harris’s plan will cost 3 trillion in ten years, while building off Obama Care would be the better idea, costing 750 billion, and covering the majority of Americans.

Another topic talked about was Immigration. Harris started off the debate talking about how it is wrong to separate children at the border, and we should stop treating immigrants like criminals.

Castro agreed, and talked about his immigration plan, which involves removing Section 1325 of the Immigration Nationality Act. This made coming to the US illegally a criminal offense. Biden argued that if someone crosses the border illegally, they should be able to be sent back unless they are seeking asylum. One controversial comment Biden made was “anybody that crosses the border with a PHD should get a green card for seven years.” Booker responded saying this is will pit immigrants against each other, which is what Republicans want.

The next topic was criminal justice. Biden starters off by saying that people who are convicted of drug crimes should go to rehab rather than prison, and when they finish should have access to housing and education.

Booker responds, saying Biden is responsible for many major and minor crime bills, and he is now trying to cover this up. Castro agreed with Booker’s comments on Biden, and points out that we need to end immunity for police officers so we can hold them accountable for using excessive force.

Each candidate is supposed to get one minute to answer questions, thirty seconds for responses, and fifteen seconds if a moderator needs clarification. These limits are often disrespected, and the candidates frequently interrupted the moderator to get their last thought in. Biden finished the debate having the most speaking time, with over twenty-one minutes, while Yang ended with the least, only 9 minutes of speaking time.

Joe Biden currently stands the highest in the polls, with roughly 28% support from voters, while the runner up Elizabeth Warren has almost 20%. There are only a few more debates left before the Democratic Primary which starts February 2020.

THE FORGE

DECEMBER 6, 2019

“The Lovely War” Review and Break Down

BY CAROLINE NUHN The Lovely War, by Julie Berry, is a historical-fiction novel that follows the stories of four characters in WWI. The book interlaces thrilling romance with Greek gods and goddesses as it is narrated by Aphrodite, Ares, Hades, and Apollo.

In the beginning I was drawn in to the immediate romance between the first couple along with the tension that immediately played out. Then as I became more acquainted with the book the friendships between the character caught my interest and I was hooked. I can safely say that this was my favorite book of the year, and I will be rereading it. I enjoy a book that jumps into the plot immediately without trailing on about unrelated parts of the story. This is a book that does just that. When I first read the book I was recommending it to practically anyone I spoke to, and it is still one of the first books I mention when people ask for book recommendations.

The characters felt real, as if they had jumped off of the page, and when I was finished with it, it felt like I had truly lost good friends.

For those who haven’t read the book, the first characters that read-

College Crunch

BY GISELLA DE ALBERGARIA With college application deadlines looming in the air, the senior class is beginning to scramble. After months of SAT and ACT preparation, college visits, and various spam emails from the usual suspects like Drexel and Loyola University, students have finally chosen the schools they would most likely attend. Personally, with grades to maintain as well as college apps to complete, this semester has been stressful, but there is hope that the seniors’ atmosphere will settle down once the second semester rolls around.

The senior class isn’t the only group with a large workload, as juniors are approaching the middle of their hardest year yet. Many of them should know by now that this is their most important year (grade-wise), and prepping for college applications should start now. Luckily for them, Santa Barbara High School has an

ers are introduced to are the gods: Aphrodite, Hephaestus, and Ares.

Ares and Aphrodite are caught in an affair by Aphrodite’s husband Hephaestus. They then enter into a trial. Hephaestus has intentions of bringing each of them onto Mount Olympus, however, Aphrodite and Ares persuade him to have the trial in the hotel room where they’re caught having the affair. Aprhodite proceeds to call two other Greek gods to the stand, including Hades and Apollo to help tell the story of two couples in World War I, attempting to prove to him that love is not worthless. The first couple includes Hazel and James.

Hazel is a piano player and James is a soldier. They meet with the help of Aphrodite, and enter a love story that moves quickly, but contains tension that will give readers a page-turning experience. The second couple readers are introduced to is Collete and Aubrey. Collete is a white singer, and Aubrey being a black piano player the couple faces obstacles that are relevant even in today’s day and age.

Collete and Aubrey’s story is one to leave readers empathizing with the struggles they greet.

This book, in a word, is enchanting. Not only is the romance between the two couples of this story beautiful and moving, but the friendships

that are formed allow readers to get lost in the stories of the characters.

Collete and Hazel, the two main female characters, challenge authority, and aid the soldiers of WWI. They support one another in their endeavors, and their friendship is one of the most compelling parts of this book.

It is heartwarming and touching. In a world where female friendship is lacking in books, The Lovely War features two characters who defy that trend.

The most engaging part of this book are the characters. They were well thought out and dimensional, with wants and dreams that readers could understand. Readers will feel as if they’re right alongside the characters as they’re struggling through the barriers they face. Furthermore, the development of the characters was well thought out and by the end of the story, even though they were the same characters, they had changed in many ways. This is a story readers can grow with; a story that causes readers to change alongside the characters.

Julie Berry, the author of the story, made an appearance at Santa Barbara High in September, and read a part of her book, showcased some of the music surrounding the time period of the book, and spoke about the history surrounding WWI. Berry proceeded

to sign copies of the books that were for sale after the talk was over.

In short, The Lovely War is great for fans of historical fiction and romance. It is considered a young adult novel and contains tame themes throughout, while keeping the readers on their toes with the relationships between the characters, and the action threaded throughout.

Overall, this book is a beautiful blend of romance, friendship, and myth-I recommend it to anyone looking for a quick page turner that draws readers in from the first page, and keeps them hooked until the very end. It can be found in the SBHS library as well as any bookstore.

extensive list of free resources that every student should take advantage of. Our school counselor’s job is not solely to create your schedule; they provide a lot of information students may need about planning for our future and going to them regularly could help lead you to the right path and set you up for a successful graduation. Another crucial resource is our College and Career Center. This program aims to build connections in order to teach students the necessary skills to be independent and responsible for their academic success. Personally, I have gone to the College and Career Center to get help with my college applications, creating a College Board account, and to learn more about potential job and community service opportunities. Informational college visits are held there almost every week during the fall semester, so I would also strongly advise juniors and seniors alike to attend them.

High school is an eventful time for

almost everyone and it is easy to get distracted. For juniors and seniors especially, it is important for us to stay on task and focus on our goals. If we use our school’s resources properly, the process will go by much more swiftly, and there will be plenty of

time for fun experiences without the weight of a to-do list dragging you down. Seniors, we’re almost done. Juniors, good luck!

ISIS Turns to Teen Social Media App

BY SOFIA DIPADOVA Tiktok is a fairly new social media network that consists mainly of users from ages 13 to 18. Teens lip sync to their favorite songs, share cute videos of their pets, and share their talents. TikTok videos circulate quickly thanks to TikTok’s recommendation algorithm, and has even turned popular creators into celebrities. However, ff you scroll past all the light hearted videos, there is a chance you’ll find something more disturbing. ISIS, a designated terrorist group, has turned to the app as a platform to broadcast their propaganda in an attempt to recruit new members.

The Wall Street Journal says social media monitoring company Storyful has recognized around two dozen ISIS-related social media accounts,

all of which have since been deleted.

These accounts posted recordings planned for selecting troops and reinforcing support for the terrorist group— including Islamic State songs of devotion film of dead bodies and ISIS fighters.

It’s not clear how huge of an impact ISIS had on TikTok during its time on the platform. Companies like Facebook and Google share a database of known terrorist images that can be deleted as soon as they are recognized on the web. The public has additionally dealt with (and won) multiple lawsuits for being exposed to terrorist propaganda, even if it only briefly exist on Facebook and Google. Facebook said in September that it removed in excess of 26 million images of worldwide terrorist publicity in the course of recent years.

This algorithm, thankfully, quickly remove all traces of the few accounts that existed.

The ISIS accounts that Storyful discovered additionally did not make a large impression in the social media stratosphere. The Journal reported that the most popular video had 68 likes and some accounts had around 1,000 followers; Storyful did not specify if this was a regular statistic amongst these accounts. Compared to the millions of likes and views that popular creators get, their statistics were in meager contrast.

Thankfully there haven’t been any recurrences since Storyful deleted ISIS content, and no new members were recruited by their attempts according to The Journal. The inability to share URLs and instructional material through the app, limits the apps

potential to be a recruitment tool like Twitter and Facebook once were.

NEWS | 5

THE FORGE

DECEMBER 6, 2019

The Problem with Pep

BY EMERSON STEADY In Nirvana’s iconic music video for their hit, “Smells Like Teen Spirit,” the legendary alternative-rock band plays, in a cynical reflection of “school spirit,” inside a dark and dusty gymnasium filled with overenthusiastic cheerleaders and a crowd of apathetic high schoolers. Over the course of the song, the crowd devolves into anarchy, rebelling against the oppressive adults of their world, and even the elderly janitor gets in on the action. After the October 11th Dons pep rally, I understand why these images are so resonant. As we filtered into the crowded and loud gymnasium, and sat on uncomfortable bleachers for over forty minutes, the rose-colored glasses I have had since coming to Santa Barbara High School are beginning to slip. This, my first and hopefully only pep rally, raised many concerns for me about ASB’s role in our school, and our administration’s endorsement of it. More than anything, it shocked me that we can be required to attend these frivolous pep rallies which waste precious education hours, and, in the end, serve to brainwash students.

Whether or not pep rallies are fun or of high quality, they are not why students come to school and not why California law mandates that students come to school. School is not about school spirit. School is about education. As it is, Santa Barbara High School’s teachers have a hard enough time making it through their curriculum, especially in AP classes with College Board mandated subjects.

Between Pre-ACT and PSAT testing, and assemblies throughout the year, unnecessary pep rallies do not also need to contribute to the burden of stress shared by teachers and students, especially when the main events are dodgeball games and dance-offs.

For me, the most concerning aspect of pep rallies is that they are mandato-

ry. Generally, students in public school are there because they have to be there, and when entire schedules are rearranged for ASB’s passion projects, all students are also required to attend, with just as much gravity as any of their academic classes. In fact, at the rally as students began to leave early, they were threatened by ASB members with unexcused truancies. Truancies exist to ensure students don’t miss valuable education hours, not pep rallies. I sincerely appreciate the opportunity for cheer, dance, Madrigals, and marching band to share their talents with the rest of the school, but it should not be mandatory. I am a part of theater, and I too want to be able to share what I love and what I work hard on with the world, but no one is required to come and see our shows.

Let’s work together with ASB to create more engaging, but voluntary events, where the achievements of our sports teams and performers can be truly showcased and appreciated without being drowned out by the noise of the crowd and degraded by life-size cow statues.

Beyond the bright lights, olive and gold necklaces, and DJ Hecktik, there is a much more sinister effect of these pep rallies. Pep rallies are a form of indoctrination which use the exact same propaganda techniques as authoritarian governments throughout history. Indoctrination that we are Dons and we should hate Royals.

Football rivalries seem fairly innocent, but when this sort of reasoning is implanted in our head, it extends to all of our thinking. In the same way that pep rallies train us to blindly cheer for the Dons, the military trains soldiers to hate other human beings because of superficial differences. Dons vs. Royals ends up translating to Republicans vs. Democrats, Christianity vs. Islam, Us vs. Them. This is tribalism: rather

than using critical thinking to define our beliefs we are taught to associate with the in-group and despise the outgroup. This also soon becomes nationalism. The American government loves this thinking because it is essential to propping up the military and quashing dissent. I am sure President Trump would love to thank ASB for doing his job for him. School should not be teaching us which team to support, but how to use critical thinking to decide for ourselves.

Pep rallies are not only unnecessary, but possibly dangerous. They are an outdated propaganda technique targeted at impressionable minds, and a waste of law-mandated teaching hours. But here’s the kicker: our pep rallies are ineffective. They don’t increase school spirit overall. They only serve to deepen people’s pre-existing beliefs about ASB, sports teams, and Santa Barbara High School in general. If ASB wants to matter, instead of spending money on pep rallies, we could be installing air conditioning and heating in our classrooms. Instead of planning these frivolous events, ASB could vouch for the real issues in the student-administration relationship at this school such as our ability to participate in protests like the Climate Strike. School spirit is a valuable tool which can give students and staff a shared sense of belonging and even increase academic performance, but mandatory pep rallies are not the solution. If ASB truly wants to increase school spirit for everyone, there is really only one thing they can do: create a better school. I urge ASB to end pep rallies or make them optional events.

Things Overheard in the Hallway “Oh my God there are fish eggs all over my phone!”

“Alfredo sauce is my biggest fear.”

“You don’t understand me, mom! Only Gwen Stefani understands me!”

“Who do you think he is today, the surfer or the hypebeast?”

“When I was 5, I had a crush on my cousin.”

“You have 3 dads? Like Mamma Mia!” “Has anyone seen him without a shirt?” “No, but he seems like he’d shower with a dress shirt on.”

“Stop touching my feet!” “Shhhhhhh…”

“You can eat Crocs. They’re edible.”

Are We Prepared?

BY KARISSA FIELDS If a disaster was to happen, the only capabilities we have as students is to be prepared for the worst. Disasters cannot be foreseen, and cannot be prevented. As a large establishment, it is necessary for a fool-proof and efficient plan to be in place in the event of a school shooting or natural disaster. In our own school we practice disaster drills once a month. Many teachers and students believe that in the event of a disaster or school shooting, Santa Barbara High School would be grossly underprepared.

Photo Courtesy of Google Images

Many question the actual efficiency, preparedness, and enforcement of these drills.

To address these issues, an informational meeting was conducted with our schools AP, Mr. Razo. Mr. Razo proudly spoke of the school shooting preparedness video that was meant to be played in every seminar classroom last year. When he asked me if I saw it, and what I thought about it, I had to respond that I hadn’t seen it. When I asked many of my classmates and peers if they had seen the video, they also said they didn’t.

So what does this say about the actual influence administration has over the teachers and student body? The

Santa Barbara Unified Administration expects that their mandate will be carried out, which implies that their job ends after they mandate.

Evidently, this is not the case; the district is made up of a lot of faculty and students so there is bound to be human error. Who is to say that a teacher will take time out of their agenda and curriculum to have a full discussion and run though of disaster drills? Considering the loads of curriculum to absorb, It is unlikely that a teacher or student will take the time out of their work to show a video in their class or do in depth discussions of disaster preparedness with so little time to do it.

Yes, the high school does have plans on paper, but many schools around the country do not want to do something as simple as a lockdown drill, in fear that it could trigger a sense of panic among students and faculty. On top of this, there is little to no federal funding that provides money to schools for safety improvements. On a national scale, little is done to ensure safety in schools from both natural and human made disasters.

Additionally, the number of mass shootings in schools nationwide have spiked. Going to school is no longer a safe place.

Parents send their kids to school

fearing they won’t come back. The likelihood of our school continuing to go unthreatened by a natural disaster of school shooter drops every single day. In the event of a school shooting, how prepared would we actually be? A plan on paper is not enough to keep us alive.

Santa Barbara High School is also inadequate in its infrastructure. Logistically, the school is 40 acres, has many stairs, in addition to enclosed areas. The way the school is built would be a hindrance in the event of a disaster. Students and teachers have gained an adherent aversion to drills.

They are no longer taken seriously, making it tough to gauge what really needs to be done and when. The ability for students and teachers to hear in the event of an actual emergency is also compromised. Regardless of these issues, teachers continue to praise technology as if it were a sufficient substitute for actual knowledge of where to go and what to do. Administrators speak highly of technology’s role in the efficiency of disaster preparedness. Santa Barbara High School is now using the CrisisGo app. Relying on technology is problematic, because in the evident technological difficulties, technology doesn’t always work and becoming reliant on it would bring great calamity.

When preparing for a disaster,

the most important thing is finding the best way to help the most people. A written plan or an app is not enough. As a student body we need to take these monthly drills more seriously. These are done to help us.

The administration needs to enforce responsibility and action more effectively. Saying is not doing.

6 | NEWS

THE FORGE

DECEMBER 6, 2019

Bathrooms: A Response from the GSA

BY KASON SEARCY AND GSA When it comes to the transgender community, the topic of bathrooms is a topic that comes up in everyday life, whether it be that someone is having an issue with where it is you decide to go pee, or you’re just trying to find a place to use the restroom in peace, where you can feel safe and at ease. It’s always a topic on everyone’s mind when transgender people are brought into the mix of the conversation. So, being that someone decided to write an article about Santa Barbara High’s new multi-stalled gender neutral bathroom last month, let’s sing “Be a Man” from the Disney movie, Mulan, and let’s get down to business.

As a trans man, bathrooms have always been tricky for me, especially at school. I couldn’t go into the girl’s bathroom, where I had been going all of my life, because it gave me heaping amounts of dysphoria. If you are unfamiliar with the term, “dysphoria,” it is used to describe a feeling of great, weighted depression that revolves around a specific detail or issue. Gender dysphoria is often what a trans person is referring to when they say the word by itself, and well, what is gender dysphoria? It’s a grave feeling of depression revolving around someone’s gender identity because they don’t feel comfortable with their assigned gender at birth, or what gender they were born as. This is often what makes a person transgender. Because I am a trans man, and I oftentimes feel increasingly suicidal anytime I’m misgendered or associated with feminine things – I have gender dysphoria. This gender dysphoria makes using the girls bathroom impossible for me. It’s extremely detrimental to my mental health, and the same can be said for other trans people.

“Why don’t you use the guys bathroom, then, since you identify as male?” you may ask. Well, I can’t use the guys bathroom because I don’t feel safe. As accepting as this school is, and the doubts I have that anyone will cause me any trouble, I never know when someone might decide to open their mouth to me, or make a move on me. It’s scary. It’s terrifying. Trans people are discriminated against everyday. You see it in politics, the news, the media. You see it everywhere, from the perspective of a trans person or even a trans ally. The thought gives me anxiety, and makes me freeze anytime I step foot into the guys bathroom. “Am I passing enough? Do I look like a guy? What if someone can see right through me and instantly know I’m trans and they say something to me?” This is what runs through my mind anytime I try to use the bathroom I identify with, especially since I have not yet medically transitioned. Not to mention, that in either bathroom I go into, there’s always a sense of, “I don’t belong.” I look too boy to be with the girls (on top of dysphoria), and I look too girl to be with the boys. How can I possibly use the bathroom in peace when this is what I’m faced with; constantly thinking about my safety and ability to be comfortable using the bathroom with no questions asked? I might as well just ruin my kidneys instead.

Let’s not forget about nonbinary people! Gender exists on a spectrum. It’s not so much about what’s in your pants, it’s about what you express yourself as. Your genitals are not what defines you. People who identify as neither boy nor girl – nonbinary – do exist! While it’s not a subject that everyone will be able to easily understand and it goes against what we’ve always known – male and female – it’s important that we acknowledge and respect these people! If there are only boy or girl bathrooms, where is a nonbinary person to go?

Santa Barbara High has are a handful of single-stalled gender neutral bathrooms already, prior to the multi-stalled addition by the renovating of the girls bathroom by the senior lawn, however, these bathrooms are NOT easily accessible! On top of the fact that not everyone is aware of their existence. I’ve had personal experiences with these pre-existing bathrooms, and I have to tell you, it was not a fun time. It was very upsetting and triggering, to say the least: the one located by the College and Career Center is for handicapped students and does not have a signifier of whether or not it’s occupied when you use the key to unlock it. It’s a very embarrassing and awkward situation! I’ve been asked a few times to use a different bathroom when trying to use the one located in the AP office, and the multi-stalled

one (yes, we did already have one!) located in the Computer Lab isn’t always open, and can be a hit or miss when trying to get access. Additionally, there’s also no one readily there to grant you access when the Computer Lab is closed up, either. Last year, I’ve had several instances where I had spent 15-20 minutes outside of class trying to find a place to safely and comfortably use the bathroom. The school’s newsletter regarding the bathroom situation, clearly was not aware of these other gender neutral bathrooms and their inconsistent accessibility, as it requests the administration of Santa Barbara High to open a new single-stalled bathroom and to give back the renovated former girls bathroom. Opening yet another single-stalled bathroom (with assumable limited accessibility) would not solve this issue.

Gender Sexuality Alliance Club (GSA), who fought valiantly for the past two school years to open this new bathroom. The refusal to acknowledge their efforts, and to say that the act of opening a new multi-stalled bathroom for gender non-conforming and transgender students is only for the purpose of the school to “claim they’re progressive” by promoting social awareness via the change, is absolutely devastating to GSA, according to Lee Palomares, Juvy Olsen, and Madeline Rogers, the leaders of GSA. The GSA was not directly contacted, questioned, nor referenced once during the making of this article, and as such, we all take offense to the blanderness of the ignorance, misinformation, and stance of being uneducated on the situation at hand.

“According to Assembly Bill No. 1732 passed in the California legislature in 2016, ‘All single-user toilet facilities in any business establishment, place of public accommodation, or state or local government agency shall be identified as all-gender toilet facilities as signage that complies with Title 24 of the California Code of Regulations, and designated for use by no more than one occupant at a time, or for family or assisted use,’” the article in the last school newsletter reads, referencing a Californian law regarding gender neutral bathrooms. The article later claims that this law states that all gender neutral bathrooms must be single-stalled, but this is a misinterpretation.

Instead, it reads very clearly, that all single-stalled bathrooms must be defined as gender neutral, but it does not state anywhere that gender neutral multi-stalled bathrooms are not allowed by State law. To clarify, this means that all single stall restrooms should be gender neutral, but this does not mean that all multi-stall bathrooms need to be sex assigned.

“Public restrooms, especially on a school campus as respected as that of Santa Barbara High School, are expected to be private, safe, and sanitary areas for any and every student, not a place that allows any leeway for discomfort and anxiety,” the article proceeds to state towards the end. To that, I respond with the question, “Yes, and why can’t we (gender non-conforming and transgender students) be granted this very same access?” We have every right to have such accommodations.

I can see why it would raise concern, but for our

community, it’s more than just the school’s status of how progressive it is, more than the school being more accepting, more than just raising social awareness via the drastic change of one of your girls bathrooms into a gender neutral one.

It’s about having exactly that. A place that is private, safe, sanitary, and easy to access to be able to do our business in peace, without discomfort, without anxiety, and to be able to walk through that door with the confidence and assurance that we know we’re in the right place and right where we’re supposed to be; where people won’t be able to question us.

To add, Santa Barbara High is not the only school to implement the idea of multi-stalled gender neutral bathrooms and follow through with it.

“All gender restrooms have opened in three public schools in Santa Barbara County. Dos Pueblos High, San Marcos High, and La Colina Junior High all now have bathrooms with the gender neutral sign on their doors. Some are single stall restrooms. Some have multiple stalls,” Kathryn Barnes, a coordinating producer, states in an article from kcrw.com, published on June 15, 2016.

To say that the majority of the school opposes this idea, with no solid evidence to back that claim is preposterous. To say that since the majority of the school is not transgender as a reason why there should not be a gender neutral multistalled bathroom is absolutely appalling, and I find, quite offensive, to say the least; dare I say, transphobic. There are plenty of girls and guys multi-stalled bathrooms all over campus that are easily accessible, but not a single bathroom for us genderqueer folks, until just this year, thanks to the efforts and pushback from the school’s GSA. Their hard work will not be pushed under the rug or ignored, instead, they shall be honored and acknowledged, as my piece brings to light.

Hopefully, as my article nears its end, this has opened some people’s eyes and changed some people’s minds on the issue at hand, and administration will not roll back the one thing GSA has been fighting so hard for us all to have. Let’s allow a safe, accepting environment for me and the rest of our genderqueer folk; the very thing all of you who are cisgender (not trangender) already have.

We’re not taking anything away from you. You have options. We don’t.

THETHE FORGE FORGE

DECEMBER 6, 2019

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT NEWS | 7

Head Over Heels in Review: Gender Bending and the Gogo’s

BY CAROLINE NUHN Head Over Heels hit the Santa Barbara High School theater Friday November 8th and 9th and was a hit! The show was energetic and lively.

The theater department has once again exceeded our expectations and put on a fantastic show.

The musical follows the kingdom of Arcadia and their quest of remaining in possession of the supernatural force, known as “the beat”, that keeps their beloved kingdom prosperous. During the show, gender roles and sexuality,

respectively, are explored in earnest by the characters.

The actors are high energy and create a fun and exciting show that keeps the audience on the edge of their seats throughout the entirety of it. Throughout the majority of the shows put on by Santa Barbara High, there has been no shortage of actors and crew members bringing one hundred percent to the table, or stage, in this case. The actors don’t feel like actors, they feel like characters, with emotions that the audience feels right alongside the characters. The

crew is covert, keeping the audience immersed within the show. Although such an extravagant performance seems like it would take an incredible amount of work to create, the Santa Barbara High School theater department makes it seem effortless.

Costume design,

by Eliana Mullens, was nothing short of excellent. The onstage attire was intricately detailed and overall created an incredible aesthetic upon the stage. The audience was captivated, not simply by the actors, but also by the magnificent costumes that drew them in.

The set was designed

by Otto Layman, the director and theater teacher at Santa Barbara High, and was built with assistance from the stagecraft and play production classes. The director, Otto Layman has created yet again another fantastic show! His expertise and attentiveness make for an incredible show.

The audience I attended the show with was boisterous, and enjoyed the entire show throughout.

Everytime a song finished, thunderous applause followed and filled the theater. Even throughout the dialogue and

acting there was excite-ment from the crowd. There were multiple cases in which it seemed as if every single person in the theater was laughing. The talented actors never failed to keep the audience thoroughly entertained. High school productions, in some circles, are given a bad rap, considering they are often put on by students who do not necessarily care about the show.

This, however, is not the case for the students of Santa Barbara High. The actors portray an energy, a love if you will, for what they’re doing.

This passion is un-

8 | NEWS

THE FORGE

DECEMBER 6, 2019

Bring Back the Bulletin!

BY JACQUELINE MORISON Believe it or not, there was once a weekly video known as “The Bulletin” which addressed essential aspects of our school. You may have heard some things about it, or watched it once in a great while, but it’s not nearly the same as it used to be.

Upcoming sports events, game results, ASB events, current news, and the occasional comedic skit used to all be a part of the weekly school news composing the Bulletin. In the past few years, the popularity and quality of the videos has plummeted to the point where teachers refuse to play it and students are no longer upset about missing it. Both students and teachers now see The Bulletin as a waste of time, and as a pitiful representation of our school. In previous years, The Bulletin was something students looked forward to viewing on Friday mornings. It was a time to get up to date on our schools activities in a compelling, fun way as well as see your peers performing awkwardly in front of the camera. But beginning with the sad goodbye of the previous Video Production teacher, Mr. Caines, the students have had an extremely hard time reviving their previous success.

“What do you expect when we have, like, nobody in the class?” said one of the students who currently participates in the Video Production class. Last year, the class was nearly full. Students came in excited to produce, film, and publish. This year, the class simply lacks that excitement. Maybe, if more students were aware of what importance the bulletin provides, there would be a dramatic increase of involvement. Along with other school activities, the lack of publicity remains a major problem within our school. If we improved The Bulletin’s publicity and student engagement, the interest in Video Production would increase dra

Editorial Policy: While we will do everything possible to grant the greatest range of free expression to our contributors, The Editorial Staff and Faculty reserve the right to edit for objectionable language and space constraints.

The opinions expressed here are not those of the Forge or its staff as a whole.

matically, guaranteed.

With The Bulletin back in regular production, students would be better informed on upcoming school events, leading to a better turn out. Without The Bulletin, students have a hard time learning about what our school has planned. Yes, there are hallway fliers, yes they make announcements about them, but these are usually disregarded and ignored by the majority of students. The Bulletin was one of the only effective ways to engage students in the school community. This year, dozens of students didn’t know when Homecoming, one of the largest school events of the year, was taking place, and had to jump through various hoops to find out. This should not be an issue but it remains one.

Students and staff miss The Bulletin and hope that future classes are able to keep up with school events, fundraisers, spirit days, etc. effectively. The Bulletin provided students with not only something to look forward to, but was a great utility for faculty, parents, and other stakeholders. The students hopes to get the Bulletin back up and running so underclassmen can get to experience it as well.

Editorial Policy: While we will do everything possible to grant the greatest range of free expression to our contributors, The Editorial Staff and Faculty reserve the right to edit for objectionable language and space constraints.

The opinions expressed here are not those of the Forge or its staff as a whole.

DECEMBER 6, 2019

NEWS | 9

THE FORGE

Public Speaking: Fear of Failure

BY FORGE STAFF MEMBER Thirty pairs of eyes rest on you, their gaze traveling up and down your body, waiting until you open your mouth to begin your presentation. Your palms are sweaty, your knees get weak as you stumble back and forth in front of your class and teacher, whose expectations you so desperately need to fulfill. Afraid of messing up words, stuttering, leaving out key information and, at this point, passing out right here in front of the class, you raise your voice to present your ideas.

For the majority of American high school students, that is the anxious and brutal reality for whenever public speaking is required of them. The National Social Anxiety Center states that glossophobia, the fear of public speaking, affects roughly 73% of the population and is a symptom of social anxiety disorder, a mental condi-

tion that more and more high school students seem to have.

Personally, I feel absolutely no discomfort speaking in front of a lot of people. In fact, I have done it so many times, that at this point, I do not feel the difference between talking in front of the mirror by myself, talking to a small group of people, or an auditorium filled with over 200 listeners. It has not always been as easy for me, though. In fact, when I was in elementary school in Hamburg, Germany, and was about to hold my first presentation, a resume of information about one of my favorite authors at the time, I could not keep my limbs steady, standing in front of the 20 students in my first grade class, who were all nervous themselves. After the few minutes it took me to finish my speech, relief showered over me as I sank back into my seat, glad to have gotten it over with. Every single one of my classmates followed, giv-

ing a presentation or speech of their own, and we proceeded to practice that form of public speaking repeatedly in every single subject and class throughout my academic career. By the time I graduated elementary school, after fourth grade, I was utterly comfortable doing what I’d been so scared of when I started school.

Of course, not every one of my classmates had the same experience some had no trouble from the start, some still, to this day, ten years later, get anxious when prompted to present their work or speak publicly. But as I’ve gotten to talk to American high school students over the course of the two months I have now spent here as a foreign exchange student, I have come to notice that the latter is so much more often the case here than in Germany. In fact, it is rare for me to come across a German with fear of public speaking, but here, I find it to be the most common stance.

Without hesitation, I blame that on the American education system.

In an academic environment in which tests and homework make up the majority of a student’s grade, public speaking is rarely ever practiced or required. So when it actually is necessary and a pivotal part of someone’s academic or professional success - whether that occurs in high school or not - the student falls flat on their face, rarely having ever been confronted with it before. Practice makes perfect - it is annoying to hear, but in this case, definitely holds some truth to it.

Teaching the skill of public speaking to children and older students from early on and repeatedly is of massive importance, because eventually, it may be in college, it may be later or earlier, every single one of us will be confronted with it at some point in their professional or academic career, as teachers must know

best. So it aggravates me even more to see the black and white difference between how my German friends differ from. My American ones in that matter, because, as evident with me and my German peers, practicing public speaking works. So there is absolutely no reason for American high schools not to regularly incorporate it into their classes - yet it still is nowhere to be found in a lot of classrooms. I can only hope that will change in the future.

10 | ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

THE FORGE

DECEMBER 6, 2019

Turkish Attack On Kurds

Senior Stress

BY ESMERALDA GONZALEZ We are again at that time of year in which seniors are filling out college applications and stressing over their admission essays. Stepping into their final year, the seniors are meeting their final high school requirements, asking for recommendation letters, and writing college application essays, College applications are now open, and it comes as no surprise that many students are freaking out keeping track and meeting deadlines. The College and Career Center is holding various presentations with college administrators to expand students’ knowledge of options and assisting them in the application process.

The overall outcome of success will depend entirely on the level of value one has towards their education. For the students that have jobs, school, and or sports on a regular basis consuming much needed time, a lot is at stake. How successful can we be in our college search,when we have so much going on around us everyday?

Even though every student does different things in their lives outside of school like jobs and sports or other activities, we all fall under the same pressure, with the same question of : what is your plan after high school? College? Work? Everyone is headed in a different direction, and many of them aren’t even eighteen, so there is immense pressure circulating within the senior class. Not only that, but the thousands of dollars of debt in school remains a prominent concern. For students hoping to be accepted in a UC or Cal State or any other private/public university, loads of students debt is deemed necessary in order to expand our education.

The year is flying by far too soon, students will hold more responsibilities, take more risks, and explore new opportunities in their lives very quickly that will pave a road of influence.

Attack on the Kurds | Photo Courtesy of Google Images

BY SAM LONG The Kurds are a largely Sunni Muslim group located in the Kurdish region of the Middle East, populating mainly Turkey and Syria. The Kurds were the original citizens of Mesopotamia until countries where bordered, and native people were driven into parts of Syria and Turkey.

A few years ago, the Kurds in Syria organized peaceful protests against president Asad for democracy of the country. This protest then morphed into a civil war, which split the Kurds into multiple rebel groups fighting against Syrian attacks. At this time, President Barack Obama did not want to get involved in the war but did provide some support to the reb-

els. Once the civil war wore down and forts were built, Islamic state fighters started spreading across Syria, much to the concern of both the United States and the Kurds.

With interest of the United States in keeping the terrorist group taking control of large areas of Northern Syria, and the president turning his head, the United States was put in a position of having to recruit groups who shares the common enemy.

The United States found this recruiting to be a wise choice, as the group shares a common threat from the Islamic state. Afterwards, the partnership support from the United States was given to the rebels and together ended the Islamic state’s reign of fear in the north.

Girls Golf Concludes

Now to the present; the liberation of the North resulted in a quarter of Syria under the Kurds’ control, and expanded to parts of Turkey. This liberation was without conflict until United States troops were pulled from the Middle East. On October sixth, President Donald Trump ordered the removal of multiple battalions in quote, to stop the “endless war”. Indecently, two days later, Turkey invaded the Kurd-held territory leading to multiple fatalities and tensions between Turkey and the rebels.

The United States was acting as an ambassador by keeping both sides in check, but after President Trump’s withdrawal, that barrier was gone and, in truth, gave Turkey the freedom to invade their rivals without

starting a war with the United States.

After that, the United States advised the rebels to lower defense “in good will”. Although it might not have been the wisest idea to an enemy who has a violent history, especially Turkey, a country that previously committed a massacre against the Kurds.

As a result of President Trump’s actions of withdrawal in the Middle East, Turkey invaded the Kurds, leading to high tension and a possible war between the Kurds and suppressing forces of Turkey. Therefore, the president’s actions have led to hundreds of casualties and thousands of refugees, which would not have happened if he just kept Obama’s efforts in the Middle East.

David Imperioli: Artist of the Month

BY MORGAN MALONEY This season the Santa Barbara Girls Golf team placed eighth out of twenty in the CIF Northern Championships. Melia Haller this year’s Channel League MVP, placed 9th place overall out of 120 players and shot six-over-par 78. Not too far behind her were team-mates Lizzie Goss and Aoife Braverman who shot 88, Allie Womack who shot 98, and Maddie Malmsten who shot 101. Varsity Girls Golf was undefeated this year and the team won all of their tournaments.

This season was one of their best seasons yet. Riley Malmsten, a sophomore on Varsity, tells me that they

not only improved their team’s score, but their individual scores, and as became a lot closer as a team which made them that much better. The senior girls on Varsity Golf will be missed, but we know they are onto greater things.

The Junior Varsity Girls Golf also had a great season. JV worked with Preston and Don Parson to improve their skills and work on their game.

Additionally, some of the girls played in tournaments. Karissa Fields, a Junior on JV golf says, “I hadn’t played much golf before this year, but I feel that I have greatly improved, and so did the rest of the team.”

If your interested in joining Girls Golf, the team is looking for committed players, positive attitude, good sportsmanship; you have to know the game and how to play in a tournament.

Tryouts for girls golf team are usually right before school starts, and the season lasts three to four months.

If you’re interested in playing girls golf go check it out; you can find more information from Coach Throop!

BY WILL GOLIGOSKI This issues Artist of The Month is talented musician and Santa Barbara High School senior, David Imperioli. Imperioli was recently offered a spot in the band headlining for the New York Marathon on November 2nd. While he’s on the East coast, he’s scheduled to perform for the United States troops in Asbury Park’s Wonder Bar, located in New Jersey. In the past, David has had gigs at the Granada Theatre, Libero Theatre, and the Surf Rodeo music festival on the Ventura Pier. Eventually, David hopes to go to a musical school and contiue to improve on his skills and learn more as an aspiring musician.

The top three schools he is hoping to attend are UC Berkley, Cal State Long Beach, and CSU Los Angeles.

While he hopes college leads to more opportunities in music, Imperioli has additionally been offered an internship by the Los Angeles Showroom to further learn about building guitars and what the business entails.

David first started playing music at age eleven and built his first guitar at thirteen. Imperioli mainly enjoys playing R&B and soul music. Jimmi Hendrix happens to be one of his favorite artists. During his free time, he practices his interest in guitar and music engineering.

While Imperioli has worked hard, he’d say theinfluences that have had the most impact have been his Parents, God, and Santa Barbara High English teacher Roberta Nye. His father, Michael Imperioli, is an actor, writer, and director best known for his role in the hit TV show, The So-

pranos. The work his father does has been something David has looked up to since he was young. David knows that no matter who loses hope in him, or what obstacles might come in his way, his faith in God will always guide him above and beyond them.

Beyond music David enjoys spending time with friends and his family. He’s gotten opportunities to see Nashville, Tennessee and Austin, Texas and appreciates the deep rooted music scene. In academics, David’s favorite subject has been Art History because, “Ms.Nye does an amazing job at teaching the class and keeping students interested”. It will be exciting to see where David’s music, passion, and effort will take him in his future.

THE FORGE

DECEMBER 6, 2019

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT | 11

Pro-Life Democrat?

Photo Courtesy of Google Images

BY FORGE STAFF MEMBER “My body my choice,” scream the “feminist” women marching down the streets with signs displaying vaginas and the word “p*ssy” in big pink letters. Don’t get me wrong, the last thing I want to do is tell you what to do with your body, but last time I checked, a woman’s body does not consist of four arms, four legs, and two heads. A pregnancy involves another body-not just yours. Now, before this begins, there are a few disclaimers; I am in favor of equal rights, equal pay, and equal opportunity. I’ve grown up in a liberal family and have educated myself in politics enough to know that I am not only inherently democratic, but truly. Abortion had always been a confusing situation for

me, until I really dug in.

Let me make this clear; if a woman is raped or it is clear that the baby will live a terrible and/or short life due to physical misfortunes, I do believe that abortion should be permitted in a certain time frame, (before the fetus is developed whatsoever). With that, if women or teenagers are willingly having unprotected sex, knowing the consequences, they should deal with them. Abortion should not be used as a form of birth control, and Planned Parenthood seems to be making a lot of money off people who see it as such by receiving nearly 600 million by government grants and funding. In addition, the website www.afterabortion.com established by a woman who had five abortions provides a place for women

to help each other cope with the aftermath of their abortions. There are nearly 2.5 million posts. They speak of overwhelming guilt, nightmares, excessive drinking, drug abuse, promiscuity, an inability to form or maintain relationships, difficulty bonding with later children, and other ways in which they are suffering.

Science seems to be a big argument on the pro-choice side. “No one knows when life begins” and “It’s a blob of tissue” are frankly on the wane, especially in the context of surgical abortion, which is how the vast majority of abortions are done today.

Did you know that the earliest human embryo is biologically alive. It fulfills the four criteria needed to establish biological life: metabolism, growth, reaction to stimuli, and reproduction.

Scientists define an organism as a complex structure of interdependent elements constituted to carry on the activities of life by separately-functioning but mutually dependant organs. The human zygote (the earliest human embryo) meets this definition with ease. Once formed, it initiates a complex sequence of events to ready it for continued development and growth. “Not a person” is a decidedly unscientific argument: it has nothing to do with science and everything to do with someone’s own moral or political philosophy.

Above all, my biggest personal argument against abortion is the potential for life. Even if those who support it still believe that during a certain time frame the baby is technically not alive, I believe that the potential for

life is still just as significant as a guaranteed go at it. Although the population of kids in need of adoption seem to be on a dramatic rise, every potential child should be given at the very least a chance. Who knows, these children could be capable of curing cancer or having a huge impact on world hunger.

Despite everyone being entitled to their own opinion, nobody has the right to decide the fate of an unborn child. Women should be able to choose what to do with their bodies, but when it involves another body, even if it lives inside another body, that cannot be anyone’s choice.

ant opportunity. There will be inevitable obstacles as you go up against your competitors. This will bring out your conservative qualities. Getting things done efficiently and effectively will be the main objective during this month. You can finally rest assured that all the obstacles you experienced during this month will start to turn around for the better. Everything’s not perfect, but there’s so much less to criticize. This may give you hope for the future and encourages you to learn new things. Soak up an incredible amount of knowledge everywhere you go.

Libra (Sep. 23 - Oct. 22): You may be feeling anxious when helping others, because there are limits to your helpfulness and compassion. However, don’t forget to look out for yourself, don’t put others as your priority. Life will be more front and center this month, especially when it comes to love and money.

In these two areas you will be greatly successful. Your peers will help you get your act together in those areas of life. Laying down the groundwork now can result in something pretty amazing in the future.

Scorpio (Oct. 23 - Nov. 21): Trust your gut feelings when it comes to making major decisions.

You will soon regain control of your life and feel confident about yourself and your decisions. This will tame some of your aggression in the best

way possible. Being willing to reach a compromise with others doesn’t make you weak, it will make you more accommodating and there will be a big difference. You are focused on winning and reaching your desired destination. Once you cross that finish line, you will feel happy which will give you a charming aura that people will notice.

Sagittarius (Nov. 22 - Dec. 21): In life you feel courageous, powerful, and your belief in yourself empowers you to do anything that you set your mind to. Keep an open mind in difficult circumstances because they will help you keep an objective perspective. Make sure to count the miracles in your life as you strive to encounter more. You feel empowered to let your light shine, and start something new with the optimism that makes you who you are.

Capricorn (Dec. 22 - Jan. 19): Giving yourself a chance to show off your perseverance. When you set your mind to something you won’t stop until you get it. So focus on your long term goals now. You should pay attention to your senses because they’ll all come “alive” this month.

Pay close attention to your touch, sense, sight, and hearing. Your capabilities to stay in touch with people will boost your relationships with your peers. Your ability to form and strengthen relationship bonds is the force behind your success.

Aquarius (Jan. 20 - Feb. 18): Your nervousness can show itself, so try to be aware of the impression you are making on the people you interact with. Additionally, tension will increase in a romantic setting, especially when you receive surprise announcements. You will feel caught between what you want, and what is keeping you from getting it. Obstacles all seem as though they are working against you, but you will find a way around them instead of trying to go through them.

Pices (Feb. 19 - Mar. 20): So remain open to new experiences and advice. You tend to look the other way when facing issues, unless asked directly to get involved so it is okay to sit quietly on the sidelines.

However, not standing up for yourself will present itself as a problem, so don’t let anyone take advantage of you and your giving nature. You are feeling insecure and unworthiness, but don’t be too hard on yourself either. Search for more meaning in your everyday life because it will expand your horizons.

Monthly Horoscopes

BY GENESIS ZARATE Aries (Mar. 21 - Apr.19): Life might take you to some interesting places this month if you open yourself up to new experiences. It’s never too late to start doing things you have always wanted to do. You can find the time and energy to finish things on your to do list without interfering in your personal relationships or commitments with others.

This month will positively influence all aspects of your life if you play your cards right.

Taurus (Apr. 20-May 20): Take your time and be patient, because good things are about to come your way. You may feel insecure about some of your recent failures, but don’t be so hard on yourself. You try doing things that require long term commitment and self discipline.

You are ready to reach new heights and challenges. You are looking for higher meaning, and you will find what you are looking for this month.

This month will also be a more happier and energetic time for you.

Gemini (May 21- Jun. 20): You may be feeling frustrated because something or someone is standing in your way. Don’t let your anger get the best of you, because it isn’t always the answer. Try thinking clearly enough to solve your problems. Take advantage of your resources to try looking for the information you want. You

will still have ups and downs and may feel overwhelmed, but everything will be okay. Bringing hope that new beginnings will lead to something wonderful.

Cancer (Jun. 21- Jul. 22): You’re determined and single-minded energy will help you achieve these goals that awaits you. It will give you the willpower to overcome a bad habit so take this opportunity. You will finally be able to breathe a sigh of relief. Everything will be moving in the right direction, so look forward to the good that is to come. The world is a learning experience, so open yourself up to more opportunities. Leave painful memories behind to make room for happier ones.

Leo (Jul. 23- Aug. 22): You love a great adventure, and follow your dreams. This can also have an exciting effect on the rest of your life so don’t hesitate to say yes the next opportunity that is presented to you to do something amazing. If there’s something, or someone in your life that doesn’t serve you purpose anymore, let it go. Life is too short to hang on to things that don’t benefit you and your well being. Your energy should be spent on enjoying the learning experiences that are presented to you.

Virgo (Aug. 23 - Sep. 22): You have some serious decisions to make this month. You tend to play it safe, but you might miss an import-

12 | SPORTS

THE FORGE

DECEMBER 6, 2019

Big Game Victory Propels Dons Further Into Playoffs

Photos from a home football game | Photo Courtesy of Carter Tran

BY ANDRE BATTLE the University of Wisconsin, was a looming threat to every one of the This season, the Dons football Dons opponents, and the offense program had an all around great sea- were rarely stopped. But the Dons’ son, and the streak continued into this season was not only an offensive the playoffs. The team clearly began powerhouse; they had their strong the season as a unified team, which defense backing them up, and they reflected on the field and showed that would not back down to anyone. The they were a team to keep an eye on defense was stronger than it had been this season. in years, and kept their opponents un This Varsity team consisted der 10 points scored in many games. of many incredible players who were It seemed unfair in every Dons win impressive throughout the season. that they had such an overpowering The offense, led by Junior Deacon team on both sides of the field.

Hill, who has already committed to The Dons finished the reg-

ular season with an overall record of 7-2 and were undefeated in league (40). They were able to secure first place in league, with a big win over Lompoc High School, an opponent that had foiled the Dons many times before and gave the Dons a very tough battle.

But, the Dons were able to overcome Lompoc’s defense, and after a few clutch field goals, they were able to take the 27-21 victory over the Braves.

One of the most memorable games of the year was the win over San Marcos.

Even without a home field, the Dons still took the big game away from the

Royals and were able to sustain the title of best team in the local area. The game was packed with fans, and it was a huge ego boost for the Dons as they went further into the season.

The Dons’ regular season was definitely a season that the Dons should be proud of. They are going to have to play their best in their upcoming games as they move into the playoffs and will face much tougher opponents. But, at their best, it will be hard for any team to stop them, because they’re shown they’re the ultimate team on the field. Their hot

streak from the regular season continued into the playoffs, as they won their first two playoff games against very tough teams. Good luck to the entire Dons football program as they get closer and closer to becoming CIF champs!

[Editor’s Note: This article was written prior to the Don’s loss in the CIF finals, 24-21 to Sunny Hills at San Marcos High School, a hard fought last second heartbreak. Nonetheless, SBHS football was a rousing success and bods well for the future.]

Waterpolo Reaches Victory

SBHS Basketball Preview

BY ANDRE BATTLE With all of the Fall sports coming to an end, whole new upbringing of winter sports is being introduced, including a Don’s favorite, basketball, being one of the most entertaining sports to follow here at Santa Barbara High School.

Last year’s team had a great season and ended up going all the way to the CIF semifinals, but lost in heartbreaking circumstances against a tough opponent partially due to some controversial officiating. Overall, their season did not go unnoticed, and people across the county came to watch the Dons fiercely face off against their opponents. The team destroyed San Marcos in both of their meetings and proceeded to reign undefeated in league, which granted immense improvement from the previous year. A lot has changed from last year, though,and the boys are hoping to get another chance at making it to CIF and competing to win the championship.

This years current Dons Varsity team has a whole new coaching staff, as last year’s coaches stepped down; and the job was given to two current teachers at Santa Barbara High School with a history of impressive basketball experience, Corey Adam and Greg Zuffelato. The new coaches are beyond excited to have this year’s team, as the boys have demonstrated so much talent and potential. Additionally, the Don’s team has under

gone some significant modification; they lost last year’s seniors who played big roles on the team. Thankfully this years captains, Stephen Davis and Bryce Warrecker, have returned and are readily determined to lead their team towards success.

Alongside this season’s talented captains, there are also Juniors who are coming up to varsity after proving themselves in a strong JV season last year.

This season, the dons are aiming to win league and potentially going even farther than that. Success will undoubtedly not be as simple as it sounds. The Dons league is filled with other talented athletes and teams such as San Marcos High School, that are still nursing a grudge after losing in both previous rivalry games. The Dons are remaining optimistic that once again they will sweep San Marcos during the season.

This year, the Dons basketball team will have a very long and challenging schedule ahead, as the varsity team will be playing many tournaments across the state against many skillful and experienced teams. One team they will play against, St. John Bosco, is known around the entire state for their incredible football and basketball programs. St. John Bosco will most likely be a very tough game for the Dons, and they will have to play their very best in order for them to come out victorious, but there is

no doubt in their victory.

The Dons basketball program this season should be a team to watch, and everyone should keep an eye on them as there is a big chance that they can make it past league and into the playoffs, and maybe even farther.

The Dons first game will be against the Buena Bulldogs at home on November 18th; be sure to come out to watch all three levels of the basketball team play their first game.

Photo Courtesy of Google Images

BY WILL GOLIGOSKI This season, the boys water polo team made an impressive push to win the Division three CIF championship beating Northwood High School in the semifinals and Shurr High School in the finals with a score of 9-7. In the final three minutes, tied at 7-7, Senior, Chase Raisin broke the tie with an impressive goal. With under one minute left Senior Dylan Fogg had a goal that sealed the deal for the programs first CIF title since 2006. Coached by Mark Walsh and Sofie Trabucco, the boys went into the season as the top rank in the Division three division. Fogg says that the team was most excited for the game against San Marcos this year because, “It’s a huge rivalry and SM is bad this year.”

According to Senior goalie, Hunter Brownell, the team this year consisted of mostly seniors, juniors, and some sophomores that have stepped up.

The captains that led the team were Dylan Fogg, Chase Raisin, and Hunter Brownell who are all long-time varsity players for the waterpolo team.

Throughout the season, Raisin and Fogg led the team in the most goals.

Recently, Raisin signed his letter of intent to attend and play water polo at Santa Clara University. The other talented seniors on the team were Adam Coffin and Adam Kubinyi. When asked about the teams depth of players, Hunter Brownell said, “We’re a very well rounded team with players who can compete at the varsity level.” Most of the boys on the team play club water polo as well, to help progress their skills, get college scout’s attention, and bond with their teammates they play with during the high school season.

Last season, the team ended with a 19-15 overall and 2-3 in league. They started the season off strong with a 10-6 win against San Marcos at home.

Throughout the season, they worked together to make their way into the CIF playoffs and eventually ended the season with a 8-5 loss to Los Osos in the semifinals. With only 3 graduating seniors, last season the team didn’t lose much depth or starters. This season ended with a much sweeter ending for the boys. Congratulations to the team, and especially the seniors on winning in their final high school water polo match in spectacular fashion.