The Forge Vol. 106 No. 1

This Year’s Editors p. 2 | Stadium Update p. 12 | New Teachers p. 8 | Look into Freshman Year p. 10

THE FORGE Vol. 106 No. 1

SANTA BARBARA HIGH SCHOOL - FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 27, 2019 Meet ASB 2020 Find out who is running ASB this year and how SBHS students want to make a difference| p. 9

Look into our Reconstructed MAD Academy First look at our academies and their plan for 2020 | p. 10

Est. 1914 Meet New Teachers Meet our new teachers and learn more about their plans for this year | p. 8

Back and Better

Dons Kickoff Their Season Hear about how the Dons Football did in their first games of the season | p. 2

Firsthand Stadium Update Get informed on the progress of our Peabody Stadium | p. 12

SBHS’s 2020 Homecoming Court | Photo Courtesy of Hannah Ziouani

2 | NEWS

THE FORGE STAFF

2019 - 2020

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

EDITORS EDITORS-IN-CHIEF Hannah Ziouani and Madeleine Mishler

LAYOUT EDITOR Jacqueline Morison

NEWS EDITOR Caroline Nuhn

ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR Sofia Di Padova

SPORTS EDITOR Andre Battle

STAFF REPORTERS Zane Forte Elias Campos Sam Long Michael Elias Rebekah Miller Anya McCue Esme Gonzalez Viviana Trujillo Karissa Fields Gisella DeAlbergaria Will Goligoski Morgan Maloney Genesas Zarate Emerson Steady

ADVISOR Otto Layman

THE FORGE

SEPTEMBER 27, 2019

Greetings from the Editors-In-Chief Hey Santa Barbara High, it’s Hannah Ziounai and Madeleine Mishler here, and we’re so excited to be the editors-in-chief of The Forge! Although summer was amazing, we’re so excited to start kicking off the 2019-2020 school year and celebrate one hundred and six years of The Forge. As editors, we want to keep trying to modernize the paper and make it relevant to everyone that attends Santa Barbara High. We want to have articles that cover events all around school, such as academics, sports, academies, and art. It’s our personal goal to have everyone be able to read, discuss, and enjoy the paper no matter what the content.

Our journalism staff has already shown great ambition and diversity, as we have students writing

from various groups and grades from all around school. We will also be using the power of social media to put out different updates about upcoming Forge issues. You can follow us on instagram at: @ sbhsforge, for weekly updates. This school year looks like it will be a very promising and exciting one for The Forge, and if you have any article requests or would like to contact The Forge, you can write us at forge.sbhs@gmail.com. We hope you enjoy the paper and have a great year at Santa Barbara High!

Hannah Ziouani and Madeleine Mishler| Photos Courtesy of Sofia Dipadova

Greetings from Layout Editor Hello students of Santa Barbara High, I’m Jacqueline Morison, and I am thrilled ot be the layout editor of the Forge Newspaper. I’ve been editing this paper for 2 years now, and I am beyond excited for this year of The Forge. I’m especially excited for this year’s paper as it is our 106th year!

Outside of the paper, I am a PASS mentor on campus, and have been a member of ASB for the past 2 years. I have also been a part of the: soccer, tennis, beach volleyball and indoor volleyball teams on campus. Additionally, I work as a Lifeguard for the City of Santa Barbara and specialize in teaching swim lessons. I decided to take a step away from volleyball and soccer this year partially so that I could devote more of my time to The Forge. Being layout editor is a sweet job, and I’m super excited to

be making these papers again this year. If you have any ideas on how to make our layout better or just wanna chat, shoot me an email at jacquelinemorison@gmail.com!

We have a great team of editors this year, with Sofia Dipadova as Entertainment/Opinion editor, and Caroline Nuhn as News editor. I am so excited to be working with such an amazing group of staff reporters who, in just the first month of school, have already shown exceptional work ethic and creativity.

The Forge is such a great organization for anyone who loves writing and has a passion for journalism, as well as being a good learning experience to anyone who wants to pursue that field in the future.

I highly encourage anyone to join the class or write freelance for the newspaper!

JACQUELINE MORISON

Footballs Fast Start Stalls: SB Looks to Right the Ship

BY ANDRE BATTLE With a great season last year, the Dons football team is back and better than ever. The boys are expecting to make it even farther in the playoffs this year than last year. Their quarterback, Deacon Hill, has already committed to the University of Wisconsin and is ready to take the Dons to the CIF championships. The Dons varsity team is filled with talented seniors with a tremendous amount of experience playing for Santa Barbara Senior High the past few years, juniors who want revenge from last season, and a few rookie sophomores who are ready to compete.

One downside this season, though, is that the stadium will not be done in time for the Dons to play at home.

So once again, their home games will most likely be at San Marcos High School. You should keep your eyes on the football team this year as they are predicted to do some pretty big things. As of last week,they were the #1 team in CIF division 8.

The Dons varsity team had their first game on August 23rd against the Buena Bulldogs, and fans waited anxiously for the game to begin. Everyone wondered how the new Dons varsity football team would play together. As it turned out,

it was definitely a great way to start the season. The boys played great on both offense and defense.

They started the game off with a long drive down the field and capped it off with a touchdown.

Then, on the defensive side, they put pressure on the Bulldogs, and an unintentional error by Buena allowed the Dons a safety: 2 points, and the ball back. It was a great way to start the game! The Dons ended the first quarter with a 16-0 lead thanks to a 41 yard throw by Deacon Hill to wide receiver Jake Knecht. In the 2nd quarter, the defense continued to stop Buena’s weak offense, and once the Dons got the ball, they drove it down the field for a touchdown. In the next possession, Buena started to make a little run, but the Dons stopped them once again and forced a punt. As the second quarter ended, the Dons were stopped on offense and forced to punt. Then, to make matters worse, the Bulldogs got a huge drive and scored a touchdown.

The Dons were not able to get a final drive to end the quarter. By the end of the 2nd quarter, the Dons led 23-7.

The Dons came out of the fourth quarter hot. They scored twice in a 14-second span. First, they

drove the ball down the field and finished the drive with a 10-yard run.

Then, the defense recovered a Buena fumble to score once again to extend the Don’s lead. And by the fourth quarter it seemed like the game was over. The Dons scored two more times and finished the game with 51 points, to Buena’s 14. A special thanks to Deacon Hill who was 2133 on passing for 277 yards and had one rushing touchdown. This was a great way for the Dons to start the season; they have a lot of potential this season. Their next game would be on Friday August 30th against Ventura at Ventura High School.

With an amazing first game, the Dons were ready to play their next game, but they could not be complacent, as Ventura would be a much tougher opponent than Buena. The game started slowly, as both teams could not seem to score in the first quarter. But that all changed in the second quarter as Deacon Hill threw a huge pass to Jake Knecht giving the Dons a 7-0 lead. Then, the Dons got a stop on defense and when they got the ball back, drove the ball down the field and got another touchdown. But unfortunately the extra point missed; the Dons were still up by the end of the half,

13-0. The Dons were not in complete control, though, as Vetura struck early and scored a touchdown in the third quarter. The Dons continued to get stops on the defense and kept the Cougars from scoring much of the game. After one interception, the Dons were able to get to Ventura’s 5-yard line, and they converted and scored an easy touchdown. They decided to go for 2 points instead of an extra point, and they succeeded, increasing their lead to 21-7. The game was not over,however, and Ventura scored another touchdown to put pressure on the Dons. But the Dons did not lose their composure; there was not enough time for Ventura to score again and Dons got the win with a final score of 21-14. Their next game would be against Channel Islands on September 6th at San Marcos High School.

With a 2-0 record to start the season, the Dons were confident going into their next game, one, because they had played so good so far in the season, but also the team they were playing was known to be very bad, and the Dons had a high probability of beating them. Once they got out in front, the Dons decided to bench their starters for most of the game so there would be no chance

of any starters getting a season-ending injury,they did, however, keep Deacon Hill in the game. The Dons dominated the whole game and never held back. They scored on every possession but one, until a fumble stopped that streak and Channel Island scored at the goal line. At that moment, the Dons were up 48-7.

The Dons got one more touchdown at the end of the game and won the game 55-7 in front of all of their fans.

Quarterback Deacon Hill had a great game once again and threw for 268 yards and ran for 44 yards. This was a huge boost in confidence for the Dons, but they will be facing a much tougher opponent next week against St. Bonaventure, “home” at San Marcos High School.

The Dons have started the season very well and they show a lot of potential this year. Be sure to watch the Dons play their rivals San Marcos this season on October 4th at San Marcos High School.

NEWS | 3

THE FORGE

SEPTEMBER 27, 2019

Devastating Boat Fire Under Investigation

Ruins of the Conception | Photos Courtesy of Google Images

BY REBEKAH MILLER It was 3:15 am when the alarm sounded. “Mayday. Mayday. Mayday… I can’t breathe”. In Platts Harbor, a popular fishing spot in Santa Cruz Island, a boat had caught fire.

The boat was ‘The Conception’, one of the three tourism and diving boats owned by Glen Fritzler and his company Truth Aquatics.

Truth Aquatics has been around since the late 70’s and has been running excursions ever since. They have taken people on hundreds of fishing, whale-watching, scuba, and even research trips, all of which had no problems. Many are calling the Labor Day morning fire a deadly freak accident. Investigation is still ongoing but what we know right now is that shortly after the fire was reported to the coast guard, the boat was engulfed in flames, and the crew jumped off to safety. All of the passengers were in the sleeping quarters in the hull of the ship and would not have had time to escape. The crew members tried desperately to rescue the passengers, but when they reached the galley of the boat (the entrance to the sleeping quarters was at the back of the galley) the roof tiles were already falling, engulfed in flames.

Some of the crew members were picked up by a nearby boat owned by Bob and Shirley Hansen. When he was later interviewed, Handen stated, “When we looked out, the other boat was totally engulfed in flames, from stem to stern, I could see the fire coming through holes on the side of the boat. There were these explosions every few beats. You can’t prepare yourself for that. It was horrendous.”

On the boat, were three passengers celebrating their birthdays with family, including a 17-year old girl. All 34 passengers are confirmed dead.

Initial investigation has found that the boat may have been lacking in safety. Most notably, with lack of a night-watchman aboard, the boat would not have been alerted to danger.

As of September 21st, the investigation continues. In the meantime, the boat’s owner, Truth Aquatics,

filed a petition in Federal Court, under maritime law, to limit its liability for damages. Maritime law is the special law that governs matters that occur at sea. In 1851, Congress passed a law known as the Limitation of Liability Act that limits damages in cases under maritime law to the value of the boat after the accident.

The only exception is if the persons injured can show that the accident

insurance for accidents at sea. Now they can, but the law is still in effect.

In this case, the boat was destroyed so it has no value. This means that when the families of the victims try to get payment in court from Truth Aquatics, the company does not have to pay them much (or anything) in reconciliation for their lost loved ones. Truth Aquatics, as a company, does not want to go bankrupt and out

was caused by a negligent act of the boat owner or someone acting on the owner’s behalf. This may be very difficult to prove. The law was originally adopted because, at that time, boat or ship owners could not get

of business from this horrific accident. The boat had passed numerous safety checks this February and was deemed safe to sail by officials. Now, maritime officers hint that the boat’s fire suppression system may have not

been working properly. Even worse, the boat’s fuel may have also been to blame as to why the fire erupted so viciously and quickly on the vessel.

If this is determined to be negligence for which Truth Aquatics is responsible, they will be liable for all of the damages from the horrific loss of life that occurred.

The New York Times said, “Truth Aquatics, which has been operating since 1974, is deeply respected among diving enthusiasts in Southern California. It caters to diving activities that carry built-in risks and has had several accidents and deaths, but nothing on the scale of what happened this week on the Conception.”

These accidents mostly consisted of diving accidents which are common in the industry. To go on expedition dives, a person must have gone through extensive training, but the ocean still has the ultimate say on life and death. At sea, weather can become unpredictable, and gear can fail because of salt water damage.

The Coast Guard has offered some information about the deaths, saying they were likely “cause[d] [by] smoke inhalation,” and that “the victims died prior to being burned.” Investigators will continue to search for clues, but no autopsies have been scheduled.

In light of this tragic event, talk of new protocol has arisen. These protocols would make boat safety a priority, with more frequent checks of safety, more regulations on fire extinguishers and smoke detectors, and even talk of a full mandatory layout change on all boats to make exit in case of emergency easier. One thing is for certain: the lives of the people lost will not be in vain. The maritime community is trying its best to pick up the pieces of its tattered sails.

Hopefully, new laws and regulations regarding boat safety will be passed, ensuring events like this will never happen again.

Defunding Planned Parenthood

BY SOFIA DIPADOVA Defunding Planned Parenthood is a conservative strategy that blocks patients who use public healthcare programs from accessing preventative care at Planned Parenthood. Currently, the numerous anti-abortion politicians that are allied with the Trump-Pence administration and state houses across the country are trying to keep safe, and legal abortion out of reach for women. In reality these politicians aren’t trying to defund Planned Parenthood. They’re trying to shut it down completely through misleadingly named legislation. Politicians who talk about defunding are really backing legislation that blocks patients who rely on public healthcare programs such as Planned Parenthood healthcare centers.

They are willing to take away access to birth control, sexually transmitted infection treatment/ testing, and pap tests to obtain their final goal. They are attempting to make safe, legal abortion even harder to access, even when it could be a life saving procedure. It’s a chance they’re willing to take to pursue their conservative political agenda.

There simply aren’t enough reproductive health care providers out there to pick up the slack for the care Planned Parenthood centers provide. Per year, Planned Parenthood health centers provide birth control for nearly 2 million people, as well as over 4.2 million STD tests and treatments; over 320,000 breast exams; and nearly 295,000 Pap tests. The most insidious part of this anti-Planned Parenthood agenda is that it uses low income families as their political pawns, especially those living in rural areas, people of color, and, most importantly, those who don’t have access to other options for their healthcare. Legislation like this punishes people who fall under these demographics in order to ultimately leave Planned Parenthood with no funding, or shut down.

United States Congresswoman Vicky Hartzler has been the pioneer of the “Defund Planned Parenthood Act of 2019”. She first proposed this act on January 9th and still sees support for it from various politicians. The legislation would place a one-year moratorium on all federal funding for Planned Parenthood, which benefits from taxpayer money while performing elective abortions.

It repeatedly refers to the health center as an “abortion giant” and says the funding would only be allowed again if they stop all abortion health care procedures.

According to the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office’s recent assessment of several GOP healthcare plans, the removal of funding from Planned Parenthood would result in 22 million people not having access to healthcare and result in thousands of unplanned pregnancies by 2026. Denying healthcare and education to millions of teenagers and adults across the country won’t improve anyone’s lives. It will only risk them.

4 | NEWS

THE FORGE

SEPTEMBER 27, 2019

Amazon on Fire — Literally.

Bumping Into Channel League

BY KARISSA FIELDS The most important and largest remaining tropical rainforest on Earth is on fire, and smoke can be seen from space. The Amazon rainforest, located in Brazil and on the border of Bolivia, has been ravaged by fires. Is climate change the cause, or the growing industrialism of a nation?

This natural wonder accounts for 10% of the world’s biodiversity

BY WILL GOLIGOSKI The Dons Girls volleyball team and fans are excited to see what the upcoming season has in store. They started the season right out of the gate on August 20th, their task to qualify for the CIF playoffs in late October.

Reese Kelley and Annabelle Ceaser are the teams captains this year. The Dons’ captain, Reese Kelley, describes the team’s style of play as, “Very scrappy and defensive.” Reese Kelley is the main offensive player according to junior libero Hayden Randolph, who leads the team on defense. The team is working on piecing their game together, their goal is to succeed as a unit on the court. With games and practices in full swing for the season, the team is expected to see lots of improvement for the team as the season progresses..

Some of the toughest games on the schedule for the Volleyball team include San Marcos on Sept.12 and Oct.1; despite the inevitable nervousness leading up to it, the primary feeling towards that game is always exciting as it’s the biggest rivalry game of the year. When asked about the how the team feels leading up to the San Marcos confrontation, Libero Hayden Randolph said, “As the season continues we hope to be prepared for that huge game by getting better as a unit and playing as a team.” Another one of the tougher games for the girls is going to be away at Harvard Westlake on Oct.12, as they’re known for having a consistently strong girl’s Volleyball team. September 20-21st is when the Tournament of Champions happens, hosted by our school, and it brings some of the best volleyball competition into town to vie for a championship. This will certainly give the Santa Barbara girl’s team an opportunity to grow and reflect as a team.

With only three seniors on the team this year (Reese Kelley, Annabelle Ceaser, and Charlotte Copp) the Dons are looking to stay consistently strong for the future. Sophomore Emma Zuffelato is looking very promising as the future of the girls’ program. The outside hitter is giving the team much needed offensive power, as she is one of the strongest and smartest hitters on the team. Sophomore Charlotte Caesar also has a big role and bright future, according to some of her fellow teammates, as she’s another very scrappy libero that contributes a lot for the defense.

Make sure to support the girls throughout the season, and keep an eye out for future updates on their performance.

and stores carbon dioxide, the heat trapping gas that is a major cause of global warming. The Amazon stabilizes the Earth’s climate by releasing water through evaporation, regulating the world’s temperature.

Without the Amazon rainforest, the effects of global warming could become irreversible. The Amazon is a critical factor in the stability of the Earth’s climate and the health of the world.

According to researchers and environmental organizations, these fires were set by loggers and cattle ranchers who, responding to calls from Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro to develop the region, wanted to clear their land so it could be used for agriculture. The rush to deforest was sparked due to the growing global market for beef. Wildfires are raging at a record rate, over an 85% increase since 2018. The rate of land clearance is at one and a half football fields per minute, and land twice the size of India has already been burned. The more forest that is cleared, the less moisture that is held beneath the Amazon’s canopy, which means drier land. This drier land creates a greater susceptibility to fire. The more fire, the less forest, and the cycle continues.

The Brazilian President, Bolsonaro has advocated for deforesting the Amazon rainforest to benefit agriculture and industry. Since Bolsonara has come into power, there has been rapid deforestation.

His anti-environmental position frames forest protection and human rights as impediments to the economic growth of Brazil. This position is only further fueling the

fires in the Amazon. His rhetoric inflames hate against the indigenous people and others. Many of the oil, mining, and agribusiness operations, in which BlackRock (the company responsible for the biggest drive in climate change) allegedly invests in, contribute to the violation of indigenous rights and the expansion of development and, therefore, the deforestation of the Amazon. The Amazon is critical to the survival of about 400 indigenous groups that call it home - and to the world as a whole.

The destruction looks apocalyptic and otherworldly. It’s a vision into the future if the climate crisis is not addressed immediately. The Arctic, California, and now one of the most important ecosystems on earth, the Amazon, is on fire. The list of scorched lands continues to grow, and the vital action necessary to prevent the continuation of climate change has not been taken. If action is not taken now, the effects of climate change will become irreversible, meaning inevitable global disaster.

Athlete of the Month: Liam Tormey

Remembering a Legend: Cokie Roberts

BY MADELEINE MISHLER

BY GISELLA DEALBERGARIA Due to his serious dedication to the team and the school as a whole, the Forge staff has decided to name senior and varsity football player Liam Tormey as September’s athlete of the month. Shortly after moving to Santa Barbara from Seattle, Washington at age 7, Tormey discovered his passion for football.

Tormey has now been on varsity for three years and has developed a strong leadership role on the team.

His teammates would describe him as energetic, vocal, and compas-

sionate. Some might even go as far as referring to Liam Tormey as “The Man.” On offense he plays tight end and wide receiver and on the defensive side he plays safety and linebacker. Throughout every practice and game, Tormey always counts on being motivated by one person: his grandpa, Rowland Hanson. The two have had a special bond ever since Liam was young. Hanson also played football throughout high school and then in college at the University of Oregon.

On September 17, 2019, the world lost one of the most prominent women in news and journalism.

After tediously battling breast cancer, Roberts lost her life due to complications at the age of seventy five. By the time of her death, Roberts had been in journalism for over forty years, working for some of the biggest news organizations in America. Roberts was most well known for leaving an imprint on the National Public Radio during its upstart in 1978, then a fledgling nonprofit— now one of the highest rated radio programs in history.

Roberts continued to pursue success, and worked as a political reporter and for ABC News in nearly all of its news segments. Cokie

Roberts paved her way through a male dominated industry, and in the process, inspired young people, like ourselves, to follow in her footsteps. Who could be better to lead by example than, “The Personification of Human Decency,” and for that we thank her; for her demolition of obstacles, chutzpah and grace.

She is on our minds, and in our hearts forever. On behalf of The Forge, we would like to extend our condolences to her family.

Tormey places the sport high on his priority list, just after God, family, and school. With Tormey’s role on varsity comes a couple of sacrifices. His commitment to the team has cost Tormey multiple social events and has pushed him to dedicate his energy to his school work.

Because school comes first, Liam is willing to give up football to commit to an Ivy League school next year. If these plans fall through, he’ll most likely go to an academically-sound D3 college and continue playing the sport he loves. Liam’s

main piece of advice for incoming football players is simply “Listen, listen, listen. Don’t talk back to the coaches and take everything they say into consideration, because they really just want what’s best for you.” Liam Tormey would like to shoutout his coach, JT Stone, who he says is more of a “big uncle” to him. Make sure to go support our football team this upcoming season and look out for number 3 on the field, Liam Tormey.

NEWS | 5

THE FORGE

SEPTEMBER 27, 2019

Freshmen Feelings

BY ANYA MCCUE Wide-eyed freshmen from junior high schools all over Santa Barbara County came to Santa Barbara High School for their first day of high school on August 20th.

I came from Santa Barbara Junior High knowing little of the layout of the campus, and within the first 15 minutes I walked into a Spanish classroom thinking it was my first period physics. The size of the Santa Barbara High School campus was terrifying to me. It was weird walking outside to get to my classes and even weirder not to see younger students walking the halls next to me. I am still getting used to the fact that I am the youngest in the school, and that there are upper-classmen in some of my classes.

In between getting lost in the halls, stressing about classes, and meeting new people, the first day was absolutely exhausting, and the first words I said to my sister when I got home that day were, “It’s time for a siesta.”

It seems that all of my previous school years have been building up to this moment, saying that high school can be the best and worst years of your life. Some students hear their older brother or sister telling horror stories about it, or from the movies and TV shows which portray it as this fairytale where students never actually do any schoolwork unless it somehow correlates with an action packed storyline. To be honest, in reality it basically feels like junior high, only bigger.

I was impressed by the different opportunities, upperclassmen, and the overwhelming number of diverse people at this school. There are so many classes and electives to take. Also, all of the upperclassmen

know exactly where they are going, which made me feel incredibly stupid seeing as I didn’t even know where the bathroom was. On top of that, on the surface everyone seems to have everything figured out, the artists, the theater people, the MAD academy kids, VADA, Computer Science and other students. I know it isn’t the reality, but it made everyone and everything seem so much more intimidating.

I spoke to a couple of other freshmen about their first impressions of the school, and to see how they felt about it. I spoke to Audry Pepard, and she told me her first impression was, “It’s big.” Ben Purvis said his first impression of the school was that, “It was hectic.” Many other freshman that I spoke to about this topic told me the same thing. They also told me few of their first day stories. Parker Hann told me that he was accidentally put in a Spanish 3 Native Speaker class but he was supposed to be in regular Spanish 3. He told me he was embarrassed, but at the end of the day he was able to switch into the right class. Elizabeth Throop also told me that she got to try out debate.

Coming to this school, all of the freshmen were a little bit nervous.

For some of us, we would be going to high school with our friends, and others were going into a new school alone. Some of us knew our way around a little bit more than the others. Some of us knew how the cafeteria worked and others didn’t.

But it was exciting for us all, and I know I can speak for all freshmen, as the class of 2023, we are figuring things out together and it won’t be too long until we get comfortable and settle into our role as students at Santa Barbara High School.

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.

Comic by Maxweell Sagermann

Where’s Our Bulletin? SBHS Students Left in the Lurch

BY ELIAS CAMPOS The Santa Barbara High School Bulletin used to be a fixture in the lives of SBHS students; the last of the glory years for video production was back in the 2016-17 school year, when nearly all teachers premiered the segment in their third period classes every Friday. During those times the YouTube channel that hosted the bulletin, C2AN, boasted view counts in the high triple-digits on almost all student bulletin videos. In recent years, however, the view count on the school bulletins plummeted, with some installments struggling to crack even one hundred views. After struggling for two years, the bulletin, as well as video production, virtually disappeared. So what happened?

Who is responsible for the bulletins fall from grace? The finger can’t honestly pointed at one single individual, but it can be attributed to the contentious relationships between two video productions teachers and the two separate administrations that presided over them.

The last bulletin of the 2016-17 school year was an emotional one for the bulletin staff, as long time Video Production Instructor Mr. Caines prepared to say goodbye to Santa Barbara High after ten years of working on the bulletin. At year’s

end Mr. Caines left for Dos Pueblos High School to become their new Media teacher, and the majority of the bulletin’s veteran students left for college, leaving the future of the program uncertain. The reins of the bulletin were handed off to the new video production head, Mr. Espendoza, who from the beginning was in way over his head.

Only a select few of the students who had participated in the previous year’s bulletin elected to retake the course again the next year, making it hard for the new bulletin to initially live up to the quality of the previous few years. Many of the new students simply did not know how to work with the programs or assets left to them. Despite many hurdles, the bulletin got off to a solid start, releasing episodes at a steady pace while gradually increasing in overall quality and creativity. However, it seemed as though Mr. Espendoza was giving the bulletin staff a little too much freedom to be creative, and the administration was beginning to take notice. Multiple sketches included in the bulletin got Mr. Espendoza into hot water; one such sketch was the bulletin staff ’s attempt to recreate the exceedingly popular “Carpool Karaoke” bit done by James Cordan on The Late Late Show. The sketch

in question showed three members of the Senior class driving off campus during third period, when they should have been in class. This violation of school rules resulted in Mr. Espendoza’s first of many meetings with the Vice Principal. This was only the beginning, and not 15 days after the “Karaoke” incident, Mr Espendoza found himself embroiled in another controversy, this time over the bulletin’s “Campus Cops’” segment.

The “Campus Cops” sketch wasn’t an original segment; it was included in the previous year’s bulletin multiple times and was brought back to fill the space left by the canned “Carpool Karaoke” bit. This sketch proved to be one of the most controversial in bulletin history, prompting the Vice Principal to make a special visit to room 204 to lecture the bulletin crew on how grossly inappropriate the sketch was. So what was the big deal?

The students portraying the cops disrupted active classes by “raiding” the classrooms in search of JUUL pods.

They also made off handed jokes about suicide after finding a student sitting on the ledge of the stairs in the main hall. To students the jokes in the sketch seemed harmless, but to many teachers who already saw the bulletin as an unnecessary distraction, the sketch proved to them the

bulletin didn’t provide any useful information , and it was only a waste of class time, they stopped showing the bulletin altogether.

Mr. Espendoza left after accepting a position elsewhere, leaving the class to be run by Mr. Demmon. Mr Demmon led a resurgent year for the bulletin; uploads were consistent and beginning to resemble the bulletins of old. But at that point viewership had

already fallen off the wayside, and newer installments of the bulletin struggled to obtain even ninety views compared to previous years where viewership spiked at around one thousand views per episode. With many teachers now not showing the bulletin in class, it was up to students to seek out the new bulletins in their free time if they wanted to catch up on all the school news.

Santa Barbara High news platform | Photo Courtesy of Elias Campos

6 | ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

THE FORGE

SEPTEMBER 27, 2019

MEET THE 2019 HOMECOMING PRINCESSES

This year’s Homecoming Princesses pose in Dodson’s Meadow| Photos Courtesy of Hannah Ziouani

Lily Pieramici

Faith Tedesco

Bella Valenzuela

Lily Pieramici has lived in Santa Barbara her

Inspiring athlete Faith Tedesco was born and

Threat on the Soccer field Bella Valenzuela

whole life. Pieramici is captain of the Dons

raised in Santa Barbara. One activity, in particular,

is a prime example of a real Don. Valenzuela

Cross-Country team which has been a big part

Water-Polo, has occupied Tedesco’s last six years of

was born in Thousand Oaks but raised here in

of her life of since freshman year. Other than her

livelihood. Tedesco has been the starting goalie for

Santa Barbara and is the oldest of three girls.

love of running, Lily enjoys spinning class, hot

the Dons team since her beginning at the high school

Being an older sister, Valenzuela takes pride

yoga, hanging out with friends at the beach, and

and never fails to display a fantastic performance.

in her responsibility, caring nature, and pa-

traveling. Some examples of her dedication to

Tedesco now reaches the collegiate level due to her

tience. Valenzuela has been a part of the soccer

the school are tutoring students through PASS

insane dedication and strength in the pool as Tedes-

program for two years, and a part of the cheer

program, participating in Mock Trial, leading

co recently committed to play at UC Irvine. During

program for 3. Her athleticism is seriously ad-

a school club known as “Youth Wellness,” and

this last season, Tedesco’s team beat our cross-town

mirable. While proving her dedication on the

passionately dedicating her time to being a top

rivals, San Marcos, for the first time in seven years In

field, she has also been involved with the Ted-

student within the MAD Academy. Pieramici’s

the future, Tedesco hopes to be a speech therapist for

dy Bear Cancer Foundation club, Peer Buddies,

friends describe her as passionate, outgoing,

patients in recovery.

and Special Olympics. Valenzuela is so excited

and kind and believe she represents a Dons

for this last year, and can’t wait for all the memo-

homecoming princess perfectly.

ries her and her friends are going to make! “GO DONS!”

THE FORGE

SEPTEMBER 27, 2019

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT | 7

The Homecoming Princesses 2019 | Photos Courtesy of Hannah Ziouani

Sophia Cordero

Reese Kelley

Jackie Estrada

Dancer Sophia Cordero is a force to be reck-

Exceptional athlete Reese Kelley is an inspir-

Cheerleader Jackie Estrada has been a dedicated

oned with as senior year begins. Cordero admi-

ing student. Kelley has been playing Volleyball

student here at Santa Barbara High School. Estrada

rably had the great honor of representing Old

since fifth grade and has actively participated

actively participates in Cheerleading, ASB, and La-

Spanish days and Santa Barbara as the 2019

in the sport since. Kelley, outside hitter on the

crosse. Estrada has also been involved in communi-

Spirit of Fiesta. It’s a long journey for Corde-

court, has played on the varsity school Vol-

ty-organized clubs such as Peer Buddies and Avid.

ro and her family, but she believes that every

leyball team for three years and this year she

Estrada loves to step out of her comfort zone, espe-

second of it has been worth it. Throughout

proudly withholds the title of co-captain. The

cially when friends are with her for the ride. Estrada’s

high school, Cordero has participated in Var-

dedication and talent Kelley demonstrates on

passion is traveling; there is an outstanding feeling

sity Cheerleading. In her free time, Cordero

the court is inspiring to many, and her abilities

of satisfaction that Estrada gains when visiting new

loves spending quality time with her family and

are undoubtedly outstanding. Kelley has a cre-

places, and it inspires her to learn more. Estrada

friends as they are a primary reason for her con-

ative side as well as an immense passion for the

believes that her spirit animal is a Llama due to her

stant joy. Cordero is sincerely looking forward

arts. In school, Kelley is a force within the MAD

strong social presence. Estrada is beyond thankful

to the rest of the senior year and participating in

academy and shows serious academic promise

for the opportunity and hopes her gratitude is shown

memories that will last a lifetime.

no matter the obstacle handed to her.

through her school spirit.

8 | ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

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SEPTEMBER 27, 2019

Hello New Teachers!

Meet Nate Mendoza, admin, dean of student engagement. Originally, he became a coach to impact students lives, and now has a bigger platform to do so.

His favorite part of working at the high schools is helping students, watching students change and graduate and the worst part is expelling students. For this year, he is looking forward to making a positive impact on campus and wants to hear from staff and students that he was supportive towards everyone.

Meet Kristyne Hastie she teaches special education.

She likes teaching her students functional skills that will promote their independence and create an inclusive environment on campus.

She prefers the high school level because her students are starting to plan out their future. Before SBHS she was at Dos Pueblos and prior to that she worked in homeless services.In her free time she likes to hike with her chihuahua and go to the beach. If she hadn’t become a teacher she would be an advocate.

Meet Kate Lambert, a special ED teacher who also helps with physics.

She prefers high school students because of their maturity. The worst part is seeing students not walk at graduation. Prior to Santa Barbara High School she taught in Orange County.

She knew that she wanted to be a teacher after college.

To her past self she would say not to worry about how long it takes. In her free time she paints, cooks, and hangs with her pets while watching cartoons. If she wasn’t a teacher she would be a street artist.

Meet our new assistant principal Daniel Dupont.

He loves the diversity and the welcoming environment created by the staff and students. Originally, Daniel loved his Spanish instructor and wanted to be a great teacher like him.

His focus for this year is to make sure that teachers are able to work together in the most efficient way possible.

If he could say something to his past self he would say to not assume that he knows everything. He likes to mountain bike and road bike. He and his wife have two kids.

Meet Joanne Cloutier, one of our other new special education teachers, as well as an English teacher.

Teaching English is her passion, and she likes high school especially, because she feels that she can make a bigger impact on students and their lives. She only began to think of teaching when she helped her own kids with their work. In her free time she does yoga, meditation, reading, sightseeing and visits new places. After teaching at the high school she would like to teach yoga, take up jewelry making, or make kombucha.

THINGS OVERHEARD IN THE HALLWAY “And I op-.”

“I hated Gemany becuase everyone there was speaking German and it sounded awful”

Ms. Vu is the new Government teacher and believes it’s important that teens learn how our government was formed and how it can change. Before SBHS, she worked at Renaissance Academy in East Los Angeles and taught U.S history through an Ethnic Studies perspective. She discovered her passion for teaching in college where she learned about her own history and believes that teens deserve to learn about their history.

She wants to support and build relationships with her students , but is concerned about her class sizes. If she wasn’t a teacher she would be a park ranger.

Mrs.Villasenor is the new assistant principal for Seniors. She loves students energy and watching teenagers blossom into young adults. Her favorite part about working with teens is that they’re figuring out their futures and themselves, but she hates continuously reminding students about things they already know. She wants to model, support, and guide students in the right direction. Her concerns for this year is learning more about the staff, and she’s looking forward to the new stadium and aquatic events. If she wasn’t a teacher she would love to be a National Geographic photographer.

“No- I can’t read hieroglyphics” “Is her dad a radical? Because he works at Best Buy.” “What if crocodiles could fly.”

“I literally have a crush on Ronald Reagan.” “Not even JFK?” “I thought Labor Day was for pregnant women.”

Buy tickets now for the fall show “Head Over Heels.”

Visit sbhstheatre.com for more info!

THE FORGE

SEPTEMBER 27, 2019

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT | 9

ASB Passes The Torch Hello students of Santa Barbara High. I am glad to welcome you into a new, fun, funky and fresh year at SBHS. My name is Miller Brichan and I am this year’s Associated Student Body (ASB) President. This school is truly a special place. I am so glad to play a role in it for all of you and to make your time here the best it can possibly be.

Santa Barbara High has brought some of the best people I could ask for into my life, that have shaped me into the man I am today. If you do not already know me, I welcome you to come up to me with ideas that you have to not only improve your time here, but others’ as well. I look forward to seeing all of your new faces. High school is a time of memories. Not all will be the best and some will be better than the best and my job is to give you all that better-than-best experience. I am so thankful that I get to attend classes at this highly coveted and prestigious school, but I’m also very happy that I get to represent this school everyday.

One of the many admirable

things about SBHS is the deep traditions and generational legacies rooted into the foundation of our school. As you walk through the main hall, you can see the astounding list of alumni who’ve not only impacted our school, but also the world we live in. Our extraordinary alumni help preserve our school and help us students succeed in anything we strive to do. Without them we wouldn’t be where we are today. Another astounding element that holds high prominence in Santa Barbara High’s history is all of our dominant athletic teams, impactful academies, wondrous academics, awesome clubs and amazing art programs. The diversity screams from SBHS, and as a student here that means having to uphold the traditions and extensive history that have defined us as Dons since the school’s inception in 1875.

As ASB President, I want to bring back the spirit to the study body. As former Pep and Rally, I am full of energy and spirit, and my goal is to try and get the same from you the students. I would like to bring back more

student interactive events such as the annual dodgeball tournament, the Class Olympics, or after school movies. These are only a few examples, and if y’all have any ideas related to events for the students or staff, please feel free to reachout to me. I want to help break down the silos to form a school community where both students and faculty feel confident, happy, and successful.

High school is an extremely vital time and a great learning experience in one’s life, and I believe it should be special for everyone. I am extremely honored to serve as ASB President, and I encourage you to reach out to me with your thoughts and opinions on how the school can be improved.

With that being said, I will try my very hardest to make this school even better than it already is and make this year something to remember. So stand by me, Miller Brichan, to ensure that your 2019-2020 school year is a fun, funky, and fresh one.

ASB President Miller Brichan | Photos Courtesy of Miller Brichan

Lesslye Rodriguez, Senior Class President, is a prime example of a dedicated student. Rodriguez took ASB her sophomore year because she was looking for a way to be more involved in the school other than merely participating in sports and clubs and she instantly fell in love with the class, so she continued. The second Rodriguez got chosen for Senior Class President; she wanted to make sure she did everything the best of her abilities. One thing Rodriguez wants to make sure of is that all seniors have a voice in what they would like to see their last year of high school. With that, Rodriguez wants to make this senior year memorable for everyone and is open to new ideas from every angle.

Your ASB Vice President this year is Sophia Cordero.

Cordero has been a part of ASB for three years and is excited to finally uphold such an honored position.

Cordero and her peers are avidly trying to get more students involved and making sure students know when and where events are being held. Cordero is going to prioritize a plethora of her energy towards reaching out to the student body. Cordero must take part in making decisions for our school and the variety of events that take place here. Cordero often finds herself reflecting on how lucky she is to be in ASB.

Your 2019-2020 ASB Treasurer is senior music-enthusiast Torri McMullin. McMullin has been involved in ASB since her sophomore year, and last year, she thrived as our Junior Class Secretary/Treasurer. Outside of school and ASB, McMullin’s life genuinely revolves around her serious passion for music. To enhance her musical ambition, she’s always searching for concerts to go to; and she’s humbled to say that so far she has attended over 70. McMullin is looking forward to a super fun school year, and is promising to create unforgettable memories with the Class of 2020!

Jackie Estrada is pep, and Hnanah Bustillos is rally, and together they’re this year’s Pep and Rally! Their role as Pep and Rally is to get the crowd hyped at sporting events alongside the Scream Team, and organize the pep rallies and Freshman Orientation.

Jackie and Hannah are extramly excited about their new postition. In addition to ASB, Jackie and Hannah are both members of the SBHS varisty cheerleading team. Not only is Estrada an outstanding Don, but off-campus she participates in multiple social services such as Peer Buddies and AVID. Hannah Bustillos says, “I am so excited to see what’s in store for SBHS this year!”

Zoe Neale is our 2019-20 Associated Student Body Secretary. This year will be her second year in ASB, and she is very excited to be taking on such a significant role. Neale considers herself to be a hard worker, which will come in handy as the school year progresses. As secretary, Neale stays on top of what is going on in regards to leadership and her peers have no complaints in her performance.

Neale hopes to encourage new students to get involved as she believes her involvement in the class is the best decision she’s made at SBHS.

10 | ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

THE FORGE

SEPTEMBER 27, 2019

The Importance of Emergency Drills

BY CAROLINE NUHN

Nationally Recognized SBHS Theatre Program Premieres: “Head Over Heels”.

BY CAROLINE NUHN The 2019 fall show, performed

by Santa Barbara High School, has started rehearsals. The school will be putting on “Head Over Heels,” an Elizabethian poem turned musical.

The original, The Countess of Pembroke’s Arcadia, was written in 1590 by Sir Phillip Sidney. The show follows the kingdom of Arcadia, which contains a power called the “beat”. In the first act an oracle called Pythio prophesies to the king that the kingdom will lose the “beat” if they don’t change their rigid and traditional ways.

Pythio states that as the prophecy is fulfilled four flags will fall, and when the fourth flag is dropped, the kingdom will lose the “beat”.

The show follows the king and the royal family racing to cheat the prophecy before the beat is lost. Throughout the musical we are introduced to many different characters, most of which face new feelings regarding their sexuality and gender. The book was ahead of its time in the 1500’s and the play continues to hold lasting politically controversial themes, including cross dressing, gender fluidity, and sexual identities.

The 16th century book was adapted for the stage in 2015 by Jeff Whitty and James Magruder. The music, performed by The Go Go’s, is a tribute to classic rock n’ roll.

It is affectionately referred to as “Jukebox Music.” It includes songs such as, “We got the Beat,” “Get Up and Go,” “Mad About You,” “Cool Jerk,” and many others. The rocking, modern music is a startling contrast to the musicals’ Elizabethan origin and theme.

The musical was nominated for two awards during it’s run on Broadway, including Outer Critics Circle Award and a Drama League Award.

The show’s cast includes

Carter Beudette as Basilus, Quinn Fergusson as Dametas, Angela Zevallos as Gynecia, Josie Gillingham as Pamela, Logan Fleming as Mopsa, Adelia Hubbard as Philoclea, Ben Watkins as Musidorous, and Q LE as Pythio. The company includes Vivian Shay, Bridget Devine, Emelia Aragon, Kiri Lofvander, Hattie Ugoretz, Adriana Swaka, Greta Mixon, Lulu Marsetti, Presley Villa, Alyssa Miller,Daniel Sabraw, Brandon Holland, Emerson Steady, Morgan Johnson, Kyle Fitton, Jackson Olbrish, Isaiah Myers, David Vodrazka, Kelmer McFarling and Isael Negrete Vasquez.

Head over Heels will be directed by the school’s very own theater teacher, Otto Layman, who is in his 25th year here and has done 52 productions. When asked about the three words he would use to describe the show, Otto used, “Rollicking, free-spirited, and wild.”

The show’s costume and set design will be unique to our own schools designers, Eliana Mullins and Otto.

Choreography will be Gianna Burright. Vocal and musical direction will be Sio Tepper and light design will be Michael Madden. The show will be held November, 8, 9, 15, and 16 at 7pm as well as November 15 and 16 at 2pm at Santa Barbara High. More information can be found at sbhstheatre.com The audience can anticipate a funny, fast paced, twist on a classic fantasy theme. According to Otto, “The show, given it’s diversity, message, and energy, will appeal to a wide range of audience.” If the past shows performed by the students of Santa Barbara High are anything to go by, Head Over Heels will be a hit!

In the past two decades, school shootings have been an especially prevalent and altogether devastating issue across the United States. On April 20, 1999, America faced a tragedy. Two students, Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold at Columbine High School, shot and killed twelve of their peers and one beloved teacher, Williams Sanders. This event, being the most covered by the media, affected citizens all over the country. However, shootings and violence in schools continue to wrack the nation to this day.

Today, not a single student or teacher is ignorant to the reality that is school shooters. While issues including gun violence are up for debate, it’s important to turn our attention to another issue that affects student safety: the lack of seriousness regarding school safety procedures and drills. In my short time at Santa Barbara High, I’ve noticed a lack of discipline when it comes to the drills and procedures put into place at the school to protect students from an assault on campus.

Just over a year ago, I moved from Moberly, Missouri to Santa Barbara, California. Moberly is a small town, with only 700 students in my entire high school. The school took intruder drills, lockouts, and any other type of procedure incredibly seriously.

Talking was not tolerated, phones were turned off, and desks were moved into the safest location possible. Students and faculty were told to note which objects could be used against a school shooter or active intruder. For instance a teacher in my seventh grade social studies class kept a baseball bat on top of a high shelf in his classroom. Students weren’t allowed to carry backpacks to and from their classes. All of these procedures gave me a sense of security in my ev-

eryday life at the high school.

Santa Barbara High, on the other hand, is very different. Some students and teachers have complained about showing the safety procedure videos and slideshows. Students follow the directions to the minimum requirements, and teachers allow it. Phones are taken out and not placed on silent.

Gun control, at this moment in time, seems unattainable considering the very opposing views, so for the time being, we should find other ways to keep children safe in our schools.

This lack of change can be attributed to a lot of things; a fear of scaring kids rather than preparing them, the cost that may accompany these changes, a refusal to believe the school system is anything but excellent, and a myriad of other issues.

If we don’t address these issues, aren’t we simply seeing our children, our future, threatened without so much as a solid attempt to stop it?

Rita Mae Brown once said “the definition of insanity is performing the same action over and over again and expecting a different result.” Isn’t this exactly what schools are doing when they see the devastating outcome of school shootings and choose to barely adapt rules and procedures? After the event of Sep. 11 2001, that shocked our country, we changed things, and there hasn’t been a hijacking as catastrophic since. We experienced national devastation and we adapted.

Security around the school should be increased, students should be required to sign out when leaving the school and sign in when showing up late to class. Safety drills should be taken more seriously by students and teachers. Students should be evaluated on a daily basis, even if it’s simply a teacher noticing something off and sending a report to a counselor who can then give the student the help they need.

Doing nothing creates a vicious cycle, and it needs to be addressed.

It’s virtually impossible to eliminate all forms of school violence, as we are humans and there will always be outliers. The thing we can change on our own is our reaction to school shootings and attempting to, at least, minimize the number of students and teachers harmed.

During our time as highschool students, there is little we can do to change things. In a few years we will be able to vote to increase gun control. For the time being, however, we should be more concerned about the lack of safety regulations administrators provide. We should see this issue, band together, and make a difference in the way these drills and procedures play out. It’s our lives in question, and it’s up to us to change things.

MAD Academy on the Mend

BY KARISSA FIELDS The MAD academy has a new director, Brett Griffith. Many students along with myself were curious to know how the academy will change with Dan Williams no longer in charge. Therefore, I took it upon myself to get to know the new director on behalf of all the students at Santa Barbara High School. My interview with Brett Griffith exceeded my personal expectations, and will provide an insight into the newly reformed academy, but it begs the question, will the academy be able to leave its dark past in the shadows?

Brett grew up in Newbury Park, California, and lived in Los Angeles for eight years. He then moved to San Francisco for seven years, and now resides in Santa Barbara! He was a substitute teacher, and taught English at a charter school in both Simi Valley and Oxnard. From the Fall of 2013 to Spring 2019 he worked at Palo Alto High School, where he taught Filmmaking, Graphic Design, and a Film Analysis class. He has authored lectures, attended national arts conferences, and collaborated with industry professionals as well as state level and international educators. He got his college education as an Undergraduate at USC, graduate school at Long Beach State, and post grad at Calstate Channel Islands. He has also worked professionally in advertising, independent films and as an independent contractor.

Griffith found MAD through some arts friends and colleagues in Santa Barbara that are alumni of the academy. They encouraged him to visit MAD, just to see it. He then applied for the position online. As far as reconstructing MAD, he believes it is important that core values lead any organization, and that MAD is ever-growing and changing thanks to its community, students and industry. It takes a lot of people to help any organization change. AJ Henning (co-director) and Brett are both committed to making sure Media Arts are the focus of all they work towards and supporting equity in an ongoing fashion. Change happens over and takes time. They’re exploring ways to better identify as part of Santa Barbara High School.

When he was at Palo Alto his goal was to align his program to industry-recognized top events for students. He would like to help students become familiar with these opportunities to start a career. He used to do a student film and animation festival each year at his former school. He is currently exploring the best way to do the same at the MAD Academy.

He’d also like to install a server so he can archive and organize media more effectively.

Upon first impression, Brett was very impressed with the student work, community involvement and infrastructure. He says he has excellent colleagues and is lucky to

work with so many passionate people. Brett says, “AJ, the co-director is great to work with and I’m thankful to Elise for her support in helping the program transition happen and looking out for MAD”. He believes the arts have intrinsic value. He has dedicated his professional and much of his personal life to the arts. Most all his friends and family are artists, editors, writers, media or involved patrons of the arts. His comment on the controversy surrounding the previous administration was brief: “There are a lot of feelings--my perspective looks forward”. Brett believes media arts have an enormous impact on our immediate and future world: “Our disciplines imagine and create things that did not previously exist-they tell stories that captivate people..

The history of our various classes are literally in illusions, visions, dreams and entertainment”. In his office he has a poster up for the movie Hugo, The Artist and is currently looking for a small one for Singin’ in the Rain.

Brett thinks of himself as a film person, which he says is a “collaborative culmination of all they do at MAD”.

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SEPTEMBER 27, 2019

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT | 11

All Gender Bathrooms: Harmful or Helpful?

Photos Courtesy of Sofia Dipadova

Santa Barbara High Schools first “all-gender” bathroom

BY SOFIA DIPADOVA 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 by 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.” This school year, 2019-2020, Santa Barbara High’s Administration has renovated what used to be the girls bathroom in the main hall into, as stated on the bathroom’s door, a “Gender Neutral Restroom.” Although the act of accepting transgender students amongst the Santa Barbara High school campus was intended to promote social awareness and positive change, the conditions of co-ed dorm style bathrooms don’t.

The solution that Santa Barbara High’s administration was hoping for regarding the bathroom issue isn’t as simple as they had imagined it would be.

The bathrooms in the Santa

Barbara school district are, for the most part, sexually segregated and are generally made up of multiple stalls. Taking an already existing bathroom inherently designated for girls and turning it into a gender neutral bathroom creates a gateway for multiple social controversies to arise; such as making it a potential unsafe space for young women and men, judgmental environments in terms of sexism, and overall discomfort towards the opposite sex’s personal hygene. If young men and women are allowed to freely walk into this bathroom, despite having a lock on the inside, a paper sign stuck to the door with tape that reads, “do not lock”, does not guarantee protection from harm’s way.

On multiple occasions, I personally have walked in on multiple males utilizing the bathroom, as it is their right, but the conditions they left it in were abysmal. This new standard does not prioritize the instillation of the genuine feeling of safety in students; according to a straw pull of, students discussing the issue in passing periods, and parents concerned about their child’s welfare, almost every citizen within the San-

ta Barbara High school community disapproves. Knowing practically any young man could walk into the restroom while I’m handling female-exclusive products feels like a violation, and the board has the obligation to take violations seriously.

The Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations state under Regulation 20 that employers need to provide separate rooms containing toilets for men and women.

Toilets used by women must also be provided with facilities for disposing of sanitary towels. Not only does Santa Barbara High not abide by this law, even before the application of gender neutral rules, the given bathroom was unsanitary and lacked necessary facilities for female students.

The bathroom originally intended to make transgender students at Santa Barbara High school feel more comfortable in an environment intended for the concentration in academics has successfully made the majority of the rest of the student population uneasy.

Bathrooms within our district have never been primarily gender-integrated for a reason: students identi-

fying as male or female and sharing a private place allows for more circumstances to be subject to the abolition of boundaries that prevent harassment, giving students a space where they can hide from adults on campus, and widening the partisan divide on our campus over social issues.

Gender neutral bathrooms, although relatively new, have only been designed one way in school systems: a single stall with a locking door. For example, Santa Barbara City College has many bathrooms that were built as a single locking stall which in turn alleviates the pressure of trying to regulate a multiple stalled one. In September 2016, the Los Angeles Unified School District mandated that all schools in their districts need to have a gender neutral restroom, that is, a lockable single stall. Altering Santa Barbara High’s bathroom policy to a one stall system easily authorizes the administration to claim they’re progressive by having at least one gender neutral bathroom on campus. 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 lee way for discomfort and anxiety.

California law states that all gender neutral bathrooms must be single stalled, and that students have the right to remain comfortable in a school-regulated area that has always promised security. Hopefully in the near future, as administration realizes that this wasn’t an idea in the best interest of the majority of students and parents alike, we will see the opening of a single-stalled gender neutral bathroom, or the previous girls-only bathroom will continue to cause unnecessary nervousness amongst teenagers who should be worrying about their success rate in the classroom, not the humiliation they experienced in what should be, a “safe-space.”

So Long, Summer!

BY ZANE FORTE Sadly, Summer has come to an end, but now is a great time to reflect on some of the events that have happened while you were away. From the underdog Raptors winning the NBA finals to massive protests in Hong Kong, this summer was full of surprises.

The NBA finals was an exciting part of summer for some basketball fans. The Toronto Raptors and Golden State Warriors clashed in a best of seven series. With just under thirty percent of the bets placed on the Raptors, they took home the championship with a score of 4-2 after six long games. Shooting guard/small forward Kawhi Leonard played a huge part in their victory, winning his second MVP in the finals, and leading the Raptors to their first ever championship.

Another event that happened this summer were the protests in Hong Kong. These protests consisted of hundreds of thousands marching for their rights. These protest-

ers are primarily fighting for the withdrawal of the extradition bill, which would allow extraditions to mainland China. This eventually led to more protests because of the unnecessary violence caused

by Hong Kong Government Forces. There have been over two thousand injuries, four suicides, and one thousand arrests linked to these protests. Overall, these protests have brought the Hong Kong community together, and have officially gotten rid of the extradition bill.

Another development that happened this summer was Trump receiving the necessary funds to start the construction of the wall. After years of controversy, the Pentagon has allocated 3.6 billion dollars for this project. While some are excited for a wall that is supposed stop illegal imigration and human trafficking, others are angry that this funding has stopped 127 other construction projects. Some also believe that even after the wall is built, Illegal imigration

and human trafficking will continue. This money would only pay for 175 of 700 miles of the border wall.

One exciting trend that developed over the summer is the GIT UP challenge. This challenge involves one or more people dancing to the popular song “The Git Up” by Blanco Brown. This country song involving, “the two step then cowboy boogie” blew up on the popular app Tik Tok where people make videos with music. I believe the main reason this challenge became popular is because of the catchy lyrics in The Git Up. This unique trend is one we shouldn’t forget!

It’s sad to see summer go, but it’s time to look forward to a brand new year and the surprises it will inevitably bring.

Boys Beach Volleyball

BY WILL GOLIGOSKI

The Santa Barbara Dons boys volleyball team ended last season losing in the CIF semifinals and first round of state playoffs.

During the offseason, beach volleyball takes over, and the focus towards tryouts in January begins right as school starts. Throughout this year’s beach season, the teams traveled up to Pismo beach and Arroyo Grande for matches against San Marcos, Dos Pueblos, San Luis Obisbo, and Arroyo Grande. There’s a few upcoming matches hosted at West Beach and San Marcos. With only a little bit of time before

playoffs, the Dons look to finish off the season with improvements all around. Stay tuned for more updates on the boys volleyball team.

12 | SPORTS

THE FORGE

SEPTEMBER 27, 2019

Peabody Stadium Update: Light at the end of the Tunnel?

Photos from the progresssion of Peabody Stadium | Photos Courtesy of Esme Gonzalez

BY ESME GONZALEZ The Santa Barbara News Press revealed that the Peabody Stadium renovation is now currently 93% complete, according to the Santa Barbara Unified District Board : “Despite the delay, construction of the new 2,300seat stadium and press box was still fiscally on target.

The district has committed $39 million toward the renovation, with construction costs of about $28 million”.

Peabody Stadium began its renovation in 2017; the massive overhaul has faced major obstacles, includ-

ing lengthy weather delays (including two earlier this year) due to heavy rain, which held up the completion of the stadium. Our school has been without a home stadium for nearly 3 years and many students were once again having doubts about the venue of their graduation. We were all anxious to have it finished because we want to graduate on our home field.

On September 5, Superintendent Mr. Cary Matsuoka informed the class of 2020 that we will be the first graduating class in the newly built stadium. The major-

Girls Golf 2019

This year’s Girls Golf| Photos Courtesy of Allie Womack

BY SAM LONG

Our girls golf team has begun the 2019-2020 season as returning champions and thus far they are upholding their title. The girls golf team involves stepping stones to competition and true achievement in a sport. Girls golf specializes in the training of basic skills and drills for aspiring

young women. This includes two practices a week and volunteer work in the community. Last season our Dons showed exceptional dedication to the sport which was on perfect display in their achievement.

The coaching staff is comprised of Mr. Throop, a math teacher, and Mr. Preston, who coaches the

ity of the 2020 class students have long been waiting for a home football game to enjoy the spirit of our school one last time. Unfortunately however, after interviewing Principal Elise Simmons, she has revealed there will be no home football games in the newly built stadium this year. The stadium will be done just in time for winter sports such as soccer, lacrosse, and track. According to Ms. Simmons, Track and Field will be using the track for competitions first.

On May 31, 2019 it was announced that the stadium was 82% finished and the

track should be “near complete”. However, it’s three months later, and no track nor turf has been placed on the field. Simmons has clarified one of the biggest delays was finding the most effective gravel to avoid any form of flooding on the field. “It took approximately 8 months to find the right base or well ‘gravel mixture’ to meet the regulations for a proper field.”

The construction was originally planned to be finished by August 16, one week before school began, but there were some complications such as drainage

problems and incorrect procedures. There have been several new additions to the stadium, including the two towers above the stadium, and a tunnel in the center for the players to run through. The addition of the tunnels has decreased the amount of seats by 500, which now sits at approximatley 2,300. The stadium is estimated to be completed in 3 months, by late November or early December.

JV team. Around 30 members are on JV, and each are graded on attendance, participation, and skill.

Varsity has about 11 players. Players acquire increased skill and experience, with each participant proudly representing the Dons against our competitors.

The Varsity team focuses on competitive training and events, with many matches spread throughout Southern California. Varsity requires prior experience and is coached by Mr. Throop.

Varsity competes with San Marcos, Dos Pueblos High School and other high schools in Channel League.

Each member of the team has been playing on the team for multiple years and is extremely supportive of one another. Two of the best players are non-seniors and have proved clearly that age doesn’t matter when it comes to an athletic ability. No matter how old a student, with perseverance and support, each player can achieve their team and personal goals.

Last year the highlight of the program was the team taking first place in the channel League, which they achieved without any losses on their slate. This was a huge success for the girls and the entire high school.

They proved that within our school, many individuals are skilled, but could could combine in a team

and succeed.

I interviewed Allie Womack, a member or the varsity team with three years of experience, participating in the program since her freshman year.

I asked “What is golf to you?” She proudly replied, “Golf has been my way to set goals; I have been able to push myself and make friends in the process.” She described to play team golf is a way to set goals, improve her skill level, and work for something while at the same time making friends.

Participating in the team is guaranteed to support aspiring athletes.

Golf is a sport which, can push athletes ahead, and train aspiring young men and women.