The Forge Vol. 106 No. 6

Celebrating Black History Month p. 2 | Vaping at SBHS p. 4 | Junior Advice for College p. 5 |

THE FORGE Vol. 106 No. 5

SANTA BARBARA HIGH SCHOOL - TUESDAY, APRIL 7, 2020

Est. 1914

What’s new with the Coronavirus?

Closure of Spring Sports

Paying for school sports games?

Get informed on the epidemic that is spanning across the globe. | p. 3

What sports we will be missing out on this spring. p. 8

Should students be required to pay an enterance fee to support classmates? | p. 2

What Now?

New Bell Schedule at SBHS? Hear inside information regarding the changes that will take place at SBHS in the upcoming years. | p. 3

Photo Courtesy of Google Images

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 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 Will Goligoski Morgan Maloney Genesis Zarate Caroline Nuhn Sofia DiPadova Ella McMillan Will Salazar Grace Larson Annie Knecht

ADVISOR Otto Layman www.sbhsforge.com

THE FORGE

APRIL 7, 2020

Treasures Destroyed for U.S. - Mexico Border Wall

BY MORGAN MALONEY

In February, 2020, Native American Land and Ecological treasures were destroyed in the pursuit of the completion of Trump’s border wall: Donald Trump’s construction crews began blowing up sacred Native Americans grounds in Southern Arizona in efforts to further complete the wall along the Southern border.

According to The Intercept, the Native American grounds,also known as “Monument Hill”, “Holds a profound spiritual significance to multiple groups of Native Americans”.

Not only is Monument Hill symbolic to Native Americans, but it is also home to many of the nation’s great ecological treasures. The Trump administration’s “controlled blasting” of the sacred grounds is taking place directly inside of Arizona’s Organ Pipe Cactus National Park, as mentioned by CBS News. According to BBC news, “The government failed to consult the Tohono O’odham Nation about their plans”. Although the construction of the US-Mexico border wall isn’t being built on the reservation itself due to the property’s privacy restrictions, it is still being

built on the burial grounds,as they are registered as “public grounds”.

CBS News reports, “There has been no consultation with the nation,” said Congressman, Raúl Grijalva of Arizona, who is on the chair of the House Committee on Natural Resources, “This administration is basically trampling on the tribe’s history and to put it poignantly, it’s ancestry.”

Weeks before construction began, Grijalva along with Tohono O’odham elders, chairman Ned Norris Jr, and archaeologists toured the nation’s sacred ceremonial sites, located within Organ Pipe. The group saw rock piles and burial sites with bone fragments dating back thousands of years. One burial site, known as Las Playas, contained artifacts that go back 10,000 years.”What we saw on Monument Hill was opposing tribes who were respectfully laid to rest, that is the one being blasted with dynamite,” Grijalva said. The Organ Pipe Cactus National park is an extremely essential and rare biosphere that includes 330,000 acres of rare plants and animals that the United States has given special designation to, according to the Washington Post. Environmental advocates, along with other protest-

ers, have warned the department of Homeland Security of the impacts that the construction and “controlled blasting” could have and almost certainly will have on the environment, but the advocates got no response.

American citizens have been told by the Corporation of Public Broadcasting that there is an “environmental monitor” overseeing the project, but that does not satisfy the concerned public, especially those who know the critical value the land holds.

Parts of the Organ Pipe Cactus National Park have artifacts from almost 10,000 years ago. The Washington Post claimed that “22 archaeological sites within the Organ Pipe Cactus National park would be destroyed due to the construction of the border wall.They’re plowing over ancient saguaro cactuses, 200-yearold cactuses, chopped up like firewood — it’s appalling”. “They are also sacred to the O’odham; they see them as the embodiment of their ancestors.

So to see them turned into mulch — it’s deeply upsetting, Giljalva said.”

Overall this entire situation is very unfortunate and it’s a great loss for many people, given the fact that these actions are irreversible

and that there is no other place like Organ Pipe Cactus National park .According to NBC News Ned Norris Jr., the chairman of the Tohono O’odham Nation said “How would you feel if someone brought a bulldozer to your family graveyard and started uprooting the graves there?

That is the relationship, the significance, that is the impact that we see happening here in that way.” In conclusion, it’s very disheartening to see the Trump Administration destroy such a beautiful place that holds so much value, with not much opinion or say from the ones most affected by the land.

Should Students Be Paying to Attend Sports Games?

BY JACQUELINE MORISON It seems silly to me that to support our peers in their sporting events, we, students, have to pay. Trust me, it’s not the three dollars that’s my issue, it’s the concept of disincentivizing classmates to support school sports games that I have an issue with. For all we know, there are students who would like to attend these events but don’t have the spare cash, or for that matter, might need to save it for their lunch the next day. It’s absurd that as a school, we are so adamant about being inclusive and giving equal opportunity for all students, would request payment from every student who enters a game -- despite their

background.

After being an athlete on 4 different sports teams throughout my time at SBHS, I can confidently say “the more fans, the better.” When you have the support of your friends, family, and classmates you’re likely to perform better due to the encouragement coming from the stands.

By eliminating the cost of entry, the number of attendees would rise, leading to more encouragement from the stands and essentially a higher success rate among our teams. Perhaps, if we had a full gym, we would be able to beat rival schools just that much easier. From a player’s perspective, having eyes on you while playing, whether or not you want to admit it,

pressures you into playing the best you possibly can.

As a whole, our school has done a great job of making school wide costs reasonable for every student, regardless of their financial standing. Reducing lunch prices, making nutrition free for all students, reducing standardized test prices, etc. have all been done in attempt to make all students feel like they have an equal opportunity at Santa Barbara High.

Why stop there? Why would someone who can’t afford to pay for their lunch be able to spare the cash to cheer on their peers at their games?

Theatre and school dances, however, have logical reason for charging -- to help pay for their props and dec-

orations. Sports teams on the other hand, already request hundreds of dollars from each of their players in order to play on the teams, which surely covers the the expense of running a game. The revenue that is generated by fans entering games is so insignificant that it is simply not worth the request. I believe eliminating the entry fee of students to high school sports games would not only increase success rates of our teams, but it would also incentivise inclusion of all genres of SBHS students.

Eliminate the entrance fee and allow the campus to unite.

New Bell Schedule at SBHS

BY EMERSON STEADY It is official: changes are coming to the bell schedule at Santa Barbara High School. As of the 2021-2022 school year, the current six course system will no longer comply with a new state-law which requires all high schools to start first period no earlier than 8:30AM. Our current schedule, which starts at 8AM on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Fridays, will be in violation of this law, so a multitude of options are being considered by the school’s teachers and faculty. Specifically, a committee of teachers has been formed to take into account the needs of the staff. After surveying the staff and presenting their findings at a recent meeting, the committee will come up with three new schedules for the teachers to vote on. Potential options include an eight-course block system similar to San Marcos, the current schedule just pushed back thirty minutes, and a hybrid system integrating some block classes with some regular classes. Santa Barbara High School Principal Dr. Simmons says that the next step in the process will be to get input from the other key members of the SBHS community: students and parents, in order to come up with a system that works for everyone.

Although an eight course system is being considered, some groups have ex-

pressed concern. AP teachers are worried about how students would retain material for a test in May based on a class only taken during the first semester. Additionally, second semester AP classes would have substantially less time to finish the content because of how the testing dates cut off the semester. Sports and art programs which rely on a year-round sixth period are also trying to figure out how their programs would operate, especially considering that about half of students at SBHS play on a sports team. The tiered block system with shorter periods at the start and end of the day could potentially mitigate this problem, with sixth period being specifically reserved for these programs. Ms. Quinn, who teaches biology and is one of the members of the committee, says that in addition to the 8:30 AM start time, the other big constraint of the new system is that the California Education Code requires 64,800 instructional minutes per year. On the other hand, there are potential equity issues with one school in our district, San Marcos, having a block schedule that allows them to take eight courses per year while students at SBHS can only take six courses. The contract with The Santa Barbara Teachers’ Association, the union which represents teachers in the Santa Barbara Unified School District, will also need to be renegotiated in

2021, which opens up the possibility of teachers teaching six courses in an eight course system, rather than the current five courses in a six course system. This is actually less teaching time and more prep time overall, but is technically in violation of the current contract.

From here, two things will happen: the staff will vote in August between the options proposed by the committee, and provided the union contract can be renegotiated and there are no other roadblocks, the new system will go into place in the 2021-2022 school year when the law requires. Students at Santa Barbara High School should be prepared for the way this change will affect their course plans, but it is hard to know at this point what the new schedule will look like with the needs of so many groups being taken into account.

Clearly, there are some major changes coming to Santa Barbara High School in the near future. In addition to this new schedule, the stadium nearing completion and the Santa Barbara Unified School District’s purchase of the armory across the street from SBHS all mark the 2020’s as an exciting time in the history of a school with a layered and rich 145 year legacy.

APRIL 7, 2020

NEWS | 3

THE FORGE

Pricing College - How much Is Too much?

Coronavirus Trade Update

BY SAM LONG Photo Courtesy of Google Images

BY MADELEINE MISHLER

No high schooler is forgein to the stress of applying to college.

We hear about the time, the fees, the stress, and the breakdowns from the seniors who are currently applying and waiting to hear from college--because another side effect from going through that process is that it is all we talk about for two months. The questions, “have you finished your applications yet?” or, “have you heard back from any schools?” are just as ingrained in our brains as, “how are you?” As a current senior, I felt prepared for the overload after listening to other students rant about it for four years, and I was. As I expected, the application process was time consuming, and waiting to hear from schools was even more difficult. At that point, the only thing we are left with is our hopes and doubts--but mostly doubts. However, what did take me by surprise was the cost of college.

This should not have been shocking to me. I did my research for my applications and I knew how much admission was without financial aid. Additionally, Santa Barbara High School does an excellent job by providing resources for students who will be needing financial aid to attend college. There are many informational meetings that enlighten students on how to apply for federal financial aid, state financial aid, and local scholarships, as well remind students of the college and career’s resources. Like many other seniors, I attended these meetings and applied for financial aid and scholarships. My perception was that if I was accepted into a college I was excited about, I would be able to attend with the majority of my admissions cost covered by financial aid and scholarships, and small loans would cover the rest of the cost. Unfortunately, my initial positive comprehension was not fact--and I instilled a little more faith in the generosity of financial aid. Unsurprisingly, I was not the only student shocked when faced with the true cost of college. Seniors had not heard from previous classes that they may get into their top choice and not be able to afford it. But then again, who would want to share that information? Money talk is incredibly taboo, and sharing your personal finances, or family’s finances, is sharing very private information. It forces us to revert to analyzing the trade-off; an 18 year old student drowning in debt at their dream school, or at their safety school, in minimum debt or none at all. It begs the question; what is the price of our happiness? Students who

decide that college is the right path for them, work vigorously to go to their top choice of school. While working hard for those grades, and piling on the extracurriculars, and devoting the majority of our lives to the possibility of college, we never consider that debt might be a part of that equation. While everyone’s circumstances are different, this is my personal take on the situation at hand; as I barely qualify as a legal adult, who has no idea what they want to do for a career, going to my top choice of school, and drowning in debt would make me an unhappy person. And that is unfortunate, because I worked hard for that possibility without considering that my final decision would be so heavily influenced by money.

Here is the silver lining: as high school students in Santa Barbara Unified School District, we are all lucky enough to have Santa Barbara City College as an option, a free option. For many students, SBCC is their first choice, and aside from the appealing nonexistent price tag, there is no need to question why students want to go there. SBCC is one of the top city colleges in the nation, and attracts some of the most highly regarded professors in their field, giving students a high quality education. SBCC also offers a tag program, which allows students to easily transfer to nearly all the UC’s and California state schools. Like any other four year college, SBCC offers abroad programs for students who are interested in learning a new language or living in a different country (except SBCC’s excursions are comparatively cheaper than other schools

abroad programs).

The concept of free college is on the horizon-- we see it exemplified locally and it has been a political hot topic for the past five years. It was popularized by Bernie Sanders during his political campaigning for the 2016 presidential election. While Sanders was not elected to represent the democratic party for the 2020 presidential election, that does not put free college out of reach. Former Vice President Joe Biden, who is representing the democratic party for the 2020 presidential election, has announced a $750 billion plan to institute free college in the United States. The plan is called “Biden plan for education beyond high school” and it not only makes college affordable, but obtainable. $70 billion of that budget would go into refinancing historically black colleges, tribal colleges or institutions that benefit and serve minorities. Additionally, Biden introduced a grant to Congress that benefits students that attend Title I schools called, “Title I for post secondary education,” this grant would affect SBHS students because we are classified as a Title I school.

With all that being said, students do not deserve to be in a financial predicament when trying to further their education. Thankfully we have options, even more than we did four years ago, but here’s to hoping that in the next four years students do not have to stare down debt because they simply wish to go to college.

Coronavirus, also classified as CoviD19 by doctors, is a serious form of Corona Flu, which was carried to the United States via Chinese immigrants from the state of Wuhau, China. The deadly virus is spreading rapidly, and has affected over 100 countries overall, with a growing number creeping up everyday.

Coronavirus largely affects the respiratory system of the body.

Symptoms include: shortness of breath, severe coughing, and a fever (Sauer, #8, Hopkinsmedicine. org). The virus is also zoonotic, meaning that it is contagious to both humans and animals (Who. int #2). The primary transmission of the virus is coughing and sneezing, i.e the exposure of infected bodily fluids. According to the World Health Organization, at this time no known vaccines are available to treat Coronavirus and it is estimated to take a year or more to make. As of 3/11/20 worldwide the global infection number is more than a whopping 115,000 people, and has infected multiple countries including Japan, Italy, Iran, and Korea (Berlinger, Yeung, Renton, Wagner, Reynolds cnn, #1).

So far, the United States has officially tested less than 2,000 people as carriers of the virus , and President Trump announced that the CoviD19 should not be a major concern. As far as the initial source of the infection, it is not known, but is so far suspected to have come from Bats or Snakes.

Bats were the first known carrier of CoviD19, but eventually spread to their predator snakes, not to mention they are also are widely eaten, contrary to bats (Miller #10 health.com). Bats also hibernate during the winter and would not be outside of caves this time of year.

The Coronavirus has also affected world trade; in fact about 21 percent of American products are made in China, and since the outbreak many factories have closed down (Kopf #1 Qz.com).

Additionally The stock market experienced an extreme drop due to product numbers plummeting.

On Tuesday the 25th, the Dow Jones stock (which is the industrial trade of the 30 largest American corporations), hit the lowest it has in the last four years. After viewing these numbers, Trump blamed the press, and said that the news stressed investors, not that the overall production and work from China decreased

(Werner, Bernstein, Sun, Berger, Saddler Washington post).

In China, there are currently hospitals full of infected citizens with an extremely small number of medical professionals. Surprisingly enough, there are also cases of citizens who are afraid of the virus who have been washing their hands too much to the point of swelling and face infections due to masks. After hearing about the issues that plague China and its people, the World Health Organization proposed to send medics to China to help with the increasing number of patients. In order to do so, the World Health Organization wanted China to share research about the sickness, but China declined this proposal. It has been alleged that they declined due to inhumane conditions of the hospital, and mistreatment of staff and patients this includes the closure of wards, with minimal amounts of food allowed inside and doctors not allowed to leave. Allegedly, China chose to decline help from a largely democratic organization to hide the cruel treatment that is anathema to the outside world.

Another reason proposed by the western press is that China’s government doesn’t want the citizens to experience any treatment from those who may have roots in a democracy and might disagree with the beliefs of a supreme leader and government.

The Coronavirus has affected people in many different parts of the world, and without the union of countries and the recognition of the ongoing epidemic, we as a people will be destroyed.

In union we must come together to recognize common peril, recognize the lives that have been taken, and the lives that have changed. We must come together and fight against this epidemic in a time when we are separated.

4 | ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

Vaping

BY ZANE FORTE Vaping is an extremely addictive habit that affects many teens. According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, twenty percent of tenth grade students have vaped in the past month.

The more you vape, the more you become reliant on nicotine .

When someone tries to quit, they will likely experience withdrawals which can cause depression, anxiety, headaches, insomnia, and more. While quitting can be hard, most users don’t know there are methods that you can employ to help you quit, and make quitting less painful.

One method to help quit vaping is Nicotine Replacement Therapy. In Nicotine Replacement Therapy a user will be given a dose of nicotine smaller than what they would receive in any vape or cigarette. These doses can be given in the form of gum, nasal spray, inhalers, lozenge, or nicotine patch. This method is meant to slow down nicotine cravings, while also minimizing withdrawal symptoms. While Nicotine Replacement Therapy slows cravings, it will take longer to fully get off nicotine because of the small amount given. The American Cancer Society says a person may experience side effects such as dizziness, nausea, muscle aches, and sleeping problems.

Another method to help stop vaping is finding a distraction, or a healthier alternative to vaping.

One good way to distract yourself from vaping is to carry foods with you that keep your mouth busy, such as gum, lollipops, hard candies, or anything else to chew on. According to the Truth Initiative, listening to music or playing games are also great distractions for cravings. Once you find a distraction, cravings will lesson.

When trying to quit vaping, painful withdrawals may be experienced. Luckily, the worst of these withdrawals only last about a week, and there are many ways to lessen withdrawal symptoms.

Insomnia can be helped by exercising throughout the day, along with not using electronics one hour before bedtime. Headaches are also a common withdrawal symptom, but staying hydrated throughout the day will help stop or reduce them. Having food with you throughout the day will help distract from cravings, and help mitigate increased appetite.

Most people don’t know there are easy methods to lessen the withdrawal symptoms of quitting. The vaping problem among teens has only grown over the years, but we are slowly making progress to help more people quit.

THE FORGE

APRIL 7, 2020

“The Book of Awesome Women” Review

BY CAROLINE NUHN With March being National Women’s Month, many bookworms are picking up, discovering, or revisiting their favorite books in the world of women’s writing. A stellar example of women’s writing is The Book of Awesome Women by Becca Anderson-- it is the perfect read to celebrate Women’s History Month.

The Book of Awesome Women is a nonfiction and biographical novel that describes and outlines the lives of 200 extraordinary women. The book shows the triumphs and struggles of 200 women. From athletes to Nobel Peace Prize winners, these women are from all different walks of life and are given a place in this book.

It’s written to help share the story of those who have been silenced, unaccredited, or unacknowledged.

Each chapter of the book is titled with a humorous sentence or phrase that previews what that chapter will follow with titles like, “Leveling the Playing Field” for a chapter about female athletes, or “She Blinded Them With Science” for a chapter about female scientists, these chapters cater to young girls and women in general who long for role models in their specific fields. These lighthearted chapter titles were not reflective of

the tone of each chapter; Anderson wrote of the origins of women in these fields, how they’ve come to be accepted and some issues they may have faced. In the chapter dedicated to female athletics, Anderson writes about the first documented female Olympian. A Greek warrior queen, Boeotia, who was known as one of the first women to break grounds surrounding the stigma and limitation within athletics. Women have been unacknowledged and silenced for centuries, and the fact that this is many reader’s first time reading of her is proof of this. There are countless references or examples of male greek heroes in history and pop culture however, Hercules, Achilles, and Zeus being a few.

Additionally, Anderson introduces “Still She Rises: Awesome Woman of Color.” This chapter follows women who faced not only gender based biases, but racially based ones as well.

The comparison of struggles is a somewhat biased area as some would argue that “struggle is struggle” however these women faced issues and obstacles that white women did not.

One in particular, outlined in this chapter, was Sojourner Truth. Truth was a traveling preacher after she was legally freed from slavery in 1826.

This inspiring woman spoke out about “brotherly love and tolerance” during the beginning of her time as a preacher and developed her sermon after learning about abolitionism and feminism to further fit these aspects of rebellion. She was one of the first women of color whose story was told and retold across the country. Truth eventually lived to watch her dreams become realities as she saw the abolotion of slavery.

Continuing to further chapters, Anderson writes later of women who defied and fought against sexism in the country. She titles this chapter “They Resisted, They Persisted, They Are Awesome.” Anderson describes the women who paved the way for not only other activists hoping for gender equality but women in every league who want equality. Some women outlined in this chapter include Belva Ann Lockwood, Sorjini Chattopadhyay Naidu, and Eleanor Roosevelt. Lockwood being the first woman on the bar of the Supreme Court, Naidu an Indian poet and politician, and Roosevelt known as one of the most influential women in history and first lady to President Franklin Roosevelt.

This book is not only an interesting and inspiring read, but it also

gives readers a place to find inspiration women that they may never have heard of before.It gives the women the recognition they deserved and allows readers to be given incredible women to research and learn about.

This book is not only beneficial to adult women, but teens and children as well. The knowledge of these women allows children and teens to see them and think of what they themselves can do. It gives young women the chance to learn about female icons that schools sometimes rarely mention.

This book is unique one because of the sheer volume of it. I had never heard of most of the women. It made me realize that there were so many women out there that had changed the world in their own way, some ways small and others incredibly large, whose histories I simply hadn’t been taught. While learning of male historical figures is important, there is also a need for female ones as well.

How can we, as a society, neglect the minds of these young women who have few or no female role models presented to them? We should be feeding them the knowledge of these women, letting it nurture their minds and create scientists, artists, athletes, and all together geniuses.

The Issue With Suspension at SBHS

BY ANONYMOUS Suspension is a widely used consequence by the U.S schools in response to ‘problematic’ behavior amongst students. However, data provided by The US Department of Education (ED) indicates that these tactics are ineffective in changing a student’s conduct, and carry major long-term risks for their well-being. Moreover, the students that are most affected by suspension are typically those with greater and more obscure needs, such as those with disabilities and mental health issues. According to a report by the Public Policy Research Institute and the Council of State Governments Justice Center that examined millions of school and juvenile justice in thousands of schools across America in 2017, a student that has been suspended is more likely to do worse in school than a student that has not.

That connection worries a number of policymakers, and it’s compelled a wave of modifications meant to cut down on the number of students removed from their school buildings for breaking rules. Here, at Santa Barbara High School (SBHS), it seems the worrisome evidence is ignored and often, pushed aside entirely, especially for students of color, students with disabilities, students that are socioeconomically disadvantaged, and students that are homeless.

Speculation arises when questioning the primary purpose of suspension: If there are a lot of suspensions being permitted within a school, that particular consequence must be working for someone, and that someone is likely to be the adults within the administration. If not, then who else?

Otherwise, what access to instruction do suspended students get when they aren’t in class? How does suspending students teach them appropriate behaviors? The answer to both of these inquiries is negative. The only access to instruction students have when suspended is whatever they may see while scrolling through their tablets, and students often come back to class farther behind academically and more likely act out to escape the work they

don’t understand, which could, in turn, get them suspended once again.

These arguments bring up SBHS’ “Restorative Approaches” practice.

Dons are well-known for their strong sense of pride in the instruction, education, and honesty given while attending the school. As defined by Santa Barbara High School’s staff itself, “Restorative Approaches” is a systematic approach to developing the skills needed for conflict resolution and enhancing relationships. At SBHS we will employ the RA process to guide decisions on policy, programs, and practice.” To summarize, the whole point of this approach is to instill an inclusive atmosphere rather than a punitive one. The approach’s purpose is to provide students the room and comfort to admit why they acted against policies, what they did exactly, to come clean to their fault in the situation in question, and to construct how the student will approach certain things in the future. Despite the seemingly beneficial approach, Santa Barbara High School has poorly utilized it’s supposed benefits.

Data collected by the California Department of Education (CDE) on their formal designated website concluded that Santa Barbara Senior High had a total of 2,259 suspensions just in 2019 alone. Within Santa Barbara Unified School District as a whole, a district consisting of twenty-one public schools, 13,887 students were suspended that same year. This would mean then, that SBHS accounted for nearly 17% of the entire district’s suspension rates in 2019, which is 30% higher than what each school’s estimated average should have been. Keep in mind, though, that students who were suspended multiple times were only counted once in these reports.

Furthermore, CDE also reported that 12.8% of the students suspended at least once in the 2019 school year at SBHS were disabled, 6.2% were Hispanic, 9.3% were Homeless, 7.7% were Socioeconomically disadvantaged, 17.6% were American Indians, 12.5% were Filipino, and 8.9% were English Learners. This data concludes that ap-

proximately 75% of the students suspended in 2019 were minorities.

A Child Trends analysis, in partnership with federal data collected by NPR, highlighted findings that when a student disrupts class, schools can disrupt that student’s education —including, but not exclusive to, their entire life. Child trends further reports, “Research suggests suspension and expulsion and arrests and referrals to law enforcement is associated with dropping out of school and going to jail. All of these consequences happen more frequently to students of color or students coming from financially unstable backgrounds, even in preschool. Sometimes they are punished more harshly for the same behavior as white students; often for nonviolent offenses. Students with disabilities are also punished more often and more harshly.” Further, According to the US Department of Education as said on their formal website, repeated suspensions and expulsions prompt a multitude of students to drop out, and a disproportionate number of those withdrawing from school are minority groups. Therefore, given that 63% of the student body at SBHS are minorities, and 43% of the students are economically disadvantaged, it seems that our school is in desperate need of modification in regards to the guidelines surrounding suspensions. As said by SBHS themselves in the “Restorative Approaches at SBHS” form on the school’s formal website, when questioned about the purpose, the administration claimed to “Want students to feel known, seen, and heard.”

So, Santa Barbara High School, I challenge you on this: do you truly believe that the 75% of students that you send home (that is, if they even have a formal home), that are already more likely to feel unknown, unseen, and unheard, are being rightfully ‘punished’? If your ‘restorative’ approach is such a highly-regarded systematic one, why is the suspension rate exceeding the predisposed district by 30% compared to other schools? Given that, as CDE further reported, the suspension rate has only increased in

recent years, where is this ‘restoration’?

Are you, Santa Barbara High School, abusing a quick solution to a temporary problem? There is no restoration here; SBHS has only further proven the idea around the ‘broken promise; that minorities face on a daily basis in America: attend school, do a good job, be accepted into college, and you’re on the path towards a well-paying job and a content life. If you put in the work, you will be rewarded. That’s the promise of education to every American citizen. SBHS, you lied.

The graduation rate increases the chances for minority students to fall significantly behind the rate for caucasion students, as The Washington Post concluded in 2019. I sincerely congratulate SBHS on the grounds for caucasion students, though, as there’s been a high rate of graduation mainted for these students at the school in recent years. The CDE reported that an impressive 95.6% graduated in 2019. Although, I’m struggling to internalize the data for the other 63% of students at SBHS, as every single minority group’s graduation rate at the school decreased compared to the years prior. Is it so, SBHS, that these students were rightfully provided the ‘restorative’ approaches you’ve promised? Or did you, once again, prove the ‘broken promise’?

Everyday brings a renewed opportunity for reconciliation and progression. I see potential for progress and have hope in Santa Barbara High School, but the school has a long way to go. The data speaks for itself; if not prepared for change, the students of SBHS reserve the right to be heard.

So, students of Santa Barbara High School, minority or not, I urge you to speak up. If you believe that SBHS did not grant you the accommodations or considerations before removing you from the school, fight against that. Every student deserves an equal chance in academic success, as even a two-day suspension can virtually determine a life sentence. Despite the school seemingly wanting to silence you, your voices are heard, you are seen, and you are known.

THE FORGE

APRIL 7, 2020

Preparing for AP Tests

BY ELLA MCMILLAN Approximately 570 students are enrolled in AP classes this year, and with AP tests coming up in May, students are finding that they need to study more than ever before. With a variety of subjects involved in the AP curriculum offered on campus, there are a plethora of students that are in a stressful pursuit of passing the test.

AP teachers are concluding their units this semester, tying off loose ends, and handing out review packets designated towards the upcoming tests. Preparing for an AP test can be overwhelming, but study tips can be a huge aid. Studying can be the one thing that drives a score from a two to a five. It’s important to do well on the AP test because when college approaches, passing students probably won’t have to pay $500 to wake up at 8:00 am every morning for a dreadful lecture in which a dull professor drones on about a previously learned concept. Instead, the student will sleep in because they earned those college credits. What sounds better?

Reviewing textbooks is a great way to study. They help explain main concepts and big ideas, while pointing out facts and information that may be useful in the future. Studies have shown that while students enjoy working and learning on a device, their performance and grades do not improve. “Their actual performances tend to drop,” writes Patricia A. Alexander and Lauren M. Singer in their research on learning and text comprehension on paper and on devices.

Even though the endless pages of tiny black script can look intimidating, textbooks provide a great deal of beneficial information as well as study tips, conceptual questions, and practice problems. Study guides are also deemed a useful tool when it comes to prepping for an AP test. “Five Steps To A Five” is a study guide that the AP Physics teacher recommended. This study guide takes students

through five helpful steps to achieve a high score on an AP test.

Start studying early. Doing so will allow more time to gain confidence in the given unit. So, why not start now? A short study session everyday alone will be enough to get a head start on the curriculum at hand. Just five to ten minutes a day is all you need. A study revealed that not only do students who give their brains more time to absorb the information, retain more information, but that spaced learning helps students score higher on tests. Paul Kelley, a research associate at Oxford University, says that students who take regular breaks from studying tend to retain information better. For instance, one can spend ten minutes daily reviewing AP Chemistry with flashcards right before getting into bed, watching a review video for AP World History while waiting at the bus stop, or even looking over some practice AP Physics questions during passing periods or seminar. Studying in groups can also be a great strategy.

Students can quiz each other on their knowledge and take turns conducting practice tests.

Ask a lot of questions. It is virtually impossible to fully grasp a concept without asking lots of questions.

Scientists say that there’s a more effective tactic that students don’t turn to enough, and that is to ask for help.

Researchers at Saint Louis University looked at about 400 college students in introductory science classes. The students who asked their teachers for help during school hours were more likely to get A’s, but less than 1 in 5 students asked for help. Overall, asking for help can help your grade.

Construct a personalized study schedule. It doesn’t have to be perfectly color-coded or smothered with sticky notes, just little reminders to study for an AP test is just enough.

When optimal productivity times are depending on other obligations. If a student is active and awake in the af-

ternoon, they should utilize that time to study. Make sure to keep in mind other homework assignments and academic needs. Studying in small chunks keeps the workload manageable, so try to stick to one subject a night, day, or afternoon.

Practice going over past AP test questions. Students shouldn’t walk into the test without looking at a sample Free Response Question, just like one shouldn’t jump in a pool having never been swimming before.

Tests often use similar questions and similar topics on the test compared to tests in the past, so it’s a smart move to practice studying them, in turn.

Prioritize time for yourself, not around social obligations. Friends may not fully understand what one is preparing for, especially if they haven’t taken an AP class themselves.

Students need the time to study for this test,and they shouldn’t feel guilty about it.

Hydrate, eat well, and sleep enough. Despite probably hearing this a lot, these few things are extremely important. One can feel a lot more energized when one simply drinks enough water. Additionally, students need nutrition to properly function. Sleep is also really important for studying. Thanks to many studies, we know that sleep is crucial for forming long-term memories of what we have encountered during the day. “The sleeping brain replays the day’s experiences and stabilizes them by moving them from the hippocampus, where they are first formed, to regions across the brain.” says Bahar Gholipour in his article on sleep learning. The brain helps one remember everything that was learned that day while one sleeps.

Just these few tips for studying can be the difference for passing an AP test. Students don’t want to fail the AP test and have to retake the whole class in college, right? Prioritize studying for the AP test. Only a couple months are left!

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT | 5

Things Overheard in the Hallway “Remember when Homecoming year was racist?”

“She’s not controversial, she just likes Satan.”

“Is he hot?”

“Oh yeah, he’s a ginger.”

“Oh. Nevermind.”

“My hot brother thinks Marvel is stupid.”

“Remember Ross Lynch? Serial killer.”

“We would’ve had a Matilda of color but you didn’t show up to auditions.”

6 | ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

THE FORGE

APRIL 7, 2020

Celebrating Women’s History Month

Photos | Photos co

BY GENESIS ZARATE Women’s History Month is dedicated to honoring women’s contributions throughout history, culture, and society in the United States. The hope of the celebration is “to honor the past, inform the present, and inspire the future”. Women have always been underrepresented throughout history, and we have finally come to the point where we are being acknowledged and represented for our accomplishments.

The celebration of “Women’s History Month” began as a local celebration in Santa Rosa, California. Then, in 1981 President Carter proclaimed “Women’s History Week” as a national celebration. He stated that, “ From the first settlers who came to our shores, from the first American Indian families who befriended them, men and women have worked together to build this nation. Too often the women were unsung and sometimes their contributions went unnoticed. But, the achievements, leadership, courage, strength, and love of the woman.” It wasn’t until 1987 that Congress passed and designated the month of March as “Women’s History Month”, after being petitioned by the National Women’s History Project for the week to be turned into a

month long celebration.

As always, there is a theme each year to the months that are dedicated to a celebration. This year’s theme for Women’s History Month is, “Valiant Women of the Vote”, which honors the Woman’s Suffrage Movement.

2020 marks the 100th anniversary of women having the right to vote in the United States. The Woman’s Suffrage Movement was led by the National Woman’s Suffrage Movement Association, which was founded by Susan B. Anthony and Elizabeth Cady Stanton. They founded the association in 1869 and it wasn’t until 1920 that the constitution passed what we now know as the 19 Amendment, which declares, “the right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States of by any state on account of sex.”

Just like gaining the right to vote, women have also overcome many obstacles through history by putting up a fight and never giving up. In 1942, the army established the Women’s Army Auxiliary Corps which allowed women to serve during World War 2. There were about 150,000 women recruited to be radio operators, mechanics, laboratory technicians, etc. In 1963, President John F. Kennedy signed the Equal Pay Act which addressed the wage differences based on gender. It was on

if the first federal anti-discrimination laws that made it illegal to pay men and women in the same field different salaries. In 1994, Congress passed the Violence Against Women act. The act was to improve criminal justice and community responses to domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking in the United States.

With the many milestones that women have passed, comes many honorary figures. Some women who I would like to mention are Claudette Colvin, Maya Angelou, Dolores Huerta, Patsy Mink, Linda Sarsour, and Carmen Perez. Although Rosa Parks gets all the credit for refusing to give up her seat on the bus, Claudette Colvin refused to do the same 9 months before Parks. There were actually many women who were fined or arrested for refusing to move or get off the bus. Claudette Colvin was only 15 years old when she was arrested for refusing to move to the back of the bus in 1955. Maya Angelou was a poet and civil rights activist. She wrote the famous, “I Know Why the Caged Birds Sing”, which became the first nonfiction bestseller written by an African American woman. Angelou pushed for racial equality and even worked and fought alongside Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcom X. Dolores Huerta is a labor

leader and activist who has fought to improve social and economic issues and fight discrimination for farm workers. She created the Agricultural Workers Association and co-founded the United Farm Workers Union.

Huerta continues to fight to improve the lives of immigrants, workers, and women.

Patsy Mink was the first Asian-American woman to serve in Congress. She fought for many things such as bilingual education, gender and racial equality, and affordable childcare. Mink was even a sponsor for the Title IX law which states, “No person in the United States shall, on the basis of sex, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any education program or activity receiving Federal financial assistance”, and after her death the law was renamed the Patsy T. Mink Equal Opportunity in Education Act. Linda Sarsour is a community organizer and award winning racial justice and civil rights activist. She was the former Executive Director of the Arab Association of New York and of the online organizing platform, MPower Change. Sarsour was one of the national co-chairs for the Women’s March on Washington. Carmen Perez is a civil rights activist and has fought for gender equality and racial

thrive this year though, regardless of the coaching change.

In September, 2019, the baseball program decided to “adopt” Elijiah Vargas, a 7 year old diagnosed with cerebellum brain tumor at the age of five. At the adoption ceremony, Elijiah received an official team jersey, a Dons baseball hat, and a school ID. Now, as an official team member, he attends practices, games, and all team events. This kind act proves

that Steve Schuck is determined to develop a strong and inclusive community within the Santa Barbara High School baseball program.

Although the season is underway, the varsity team has dominated the season so far. As of March 11th, the team has won 5 games, being defeated only by Thousand Oaks. The first game was a home game against Saugus High School, where Santa Barbara won 6 - 4. Saugus led off the first inning by getting two runs, and by the fourth inning it was 5 - 4 Saugus, but SB got five runs within the last two innings to win the game.

The next game was against Thousand Oaks, and Santa Barbara High didn’t score until the fifth inning, but by then, it was too late; Santa Barbara Dons ended up losing 4-3. On the 25th Santa Barbara Dons dominated 8 - 0 against Grace Brethren, only making one error. On February 22nd Santa Barbara won an away tournament against Oaks Christian High School 6 - 3, and again 14 - 7 against Ventura High School on the 27th, only allowing Ventura runs in

justice and fighting against mass incarceration and community policing.

Perez is also an 805 native, born and raised in Oxnard, she founded the Justice League CA and co-founded the Justice League NYC, which are based on advancing juvenile and criminal justice reform. Perez was also one of the national co-chairs for the Women’s March on Washington and she hoped to affirm all women about their rights.

In the month of March, remember to honor and acknowledge women for their sacrifices and contributions they have made for this country. Women have been pushed aside and walked all over their whole lives. Women have never been seen as equal; we are always viewed as something less than men. Society rarely acknowledges our strength, power, beauty, and intelligence. Although we aren’t all the way there when it comes to gender equality, we have, however, come a long way in history.

So just having an entire month dedicated to celebrating women is such a huge accomplishment and step forward for society as a whole. We wouldn’t be where we are if it wasn’t for never giving up and continuing to fight for our basic human rights.

Baseball at SBHS

Photo Courtesy of wtxl.com

BY GRACE LARSON Santa Barbara baseball has a storied history; The Santa Barbara Dons varsity baseball team have been Channel League champions 14 times and have made it to the playoffs for 21 consecutive years. There have been six players from Santa Barbara High in the Major League, including one hall of famer, Eddie Mathews. Each year, Santa Barbara

baseball looks to add to their legacy.

Last year the program faced a difficult problem; head coach Donny Warrecker was let go, and replaced

by Steve Schuck. Donny’s father, Fred Warrecker, worked at Santa Barbara High for 52 years, and was replaced by Donny in 2015. Donny got the varsity team to CIF for three consecutive years, but was still replaced, allegedly due to parental complaints. The team continues to

the third and sixth innings.

As of March 1st, Santa Barbara High is ranked 12th in division Seven of the Southern Section, and is in first place in the Channel League, above Dos Pueblos, Santa Ynez, San Marcos, Lompoc, and Carrillo High School. There are seventeen more games planned in the regular season, all taking place in March and April.

Seven of these games are home games, and the rest are split among Lompoc High, Cabrillo, Santa Ynez , Dos Pueblos, San Marcos, with two games in Oregon, and one game in Arizona.

The Santa Barbara Dons varsity baseball team has done really well in the season, and with only losing one game so far, they have a great chance of making it to CIF’s for the 22nd consecutive year. Good luck Dons with the rest of their season!

THE FORGE

APRIL 7, 2020

The Modern Coming-of-Age Story BYKARISSA FIELDS The sexualization of teenage girls is seen throughout mass media, television, and film. This causes immense insecurity towards young developing girls as well adding onto pre existing misogynistic values portrayed by mass media. Millie Bobby Brown, a 16-year-old female actress, has had to publicly come out and say: “The last few years haven’t been easy, I’ll admit that there are moments I get frustrated from the inaccuracy, inappropriate comments, sexualization, and unnecessary insults that ultimately have resulted in pain and insecurity for me”. 18-year-old artist Billie Eilish’s masculine and oversized style is her staple, but the meaning behind her stylistic choices is much greater than that. In a 2019 Calvin Klein campaign Billie shared that she chooses to dress this way to avoid sexualization, “Nobody can have an opinion because they haven’t seen what’s underneath. Nobody can be like, ‘she’s slim-thick,’ ‘she’s not slim-thick,’ ‘she’s got a flat a**,’ ‘she’s got a fat a**.” Her clothing does not simply fashion, it serves as protection from our culture of fetishization of youth and policing women’s sexuality with clothing.

Sexualization of teenage girls is not a new phenomenon. In 2004 the Olsen twins - most notably known for their role as Michelle in Full House and a plethora of quirky coming of age films in the 90s - “finally” turned 18. The early internet was in an uproar; there was even a countdown. Below the clock one of the websites stated: “Gentlemen, start your engines and get out your best booze”. Turning 18 is a very exciting milestone for almost everyone, but for them, it was a twisted rite of passage. This isn’t the first time there has been a countdown; in 1960 men were counting down the seconds un-

til Annette Funiccilo would turn 18.

When Shirley Temple steered the Good Ship Lollipop through puberty, fans meticulously dissected the first kisses, first signs of breasts and first romantic encounters of one of our nation’s most popular child actresses. Underaged girls being fetishized is definitely not new. This also plays into the way the industry portrays our own remarkable teenage years.

Unfortunately, Heath Ledger won’t serenade you from the bleachers of your high school soccer stadium with the words of “Can’t Take My Eyes Off of You”. Regrettably, we are not living in the world of 10 Things I Hate About You and probably won’t ditch school and end up in a huge parade in the middle of Chicago, like Ferris Bueller. Film and social media have built up unrealistic expectations for high school. Don’t get me wrong, these are some of my all-time favorite movies and they are definitely feelgood stories, but how do they influence our expectations for our own high school experience? We have all seen the Tik Toks of teenagers looking like they are in a coming of age story or Instagram posts that make others lives seem so exciting. This is not reality, we are being shown a very small portion of people’s lives and only the best parts. Many teens feel like they are “wasting” their youth by not going on wild otherworldly adventures every day. The pressure of living like a coming of age story and the expectations and stress put on by America’s education system is suffocating and overwhelming, to say the least. If we keep trying to live up to these expectations we will probably just end up unfulfilled.

Does mass media just act as a twisted outlet and easy access? Are our teenage years romanticized for the nostalgia of older generations or to raise unrealistic expectations for

Bong Joon Ho, South Korean director of movies such as Snowpiercer, Okja, and, most recently Parasite. At the Oscars, the movie cast, and staff were nominated for a number of awards and took home many of them.

Winning best picture, best original screenplay, best director, and best foreign film, it made movie history.

Parasite quickly became well known, as the first non-english speaking film to win best picture. For people watching at home, this was a huge step forward in society for a more diverse crowd, and racial awareness on the big screen.

Parasite was a story that took hold of controversies and tied them into a plotline dedicated to the pleasure and enjoyment of the audience. There are english subtitles, however the imagery and depth of the story and char-

acters is riveting, to the point of not needing to follow the words flying up from the bottom of the screen however being enthralled in the suspenseful work of art.

The use of suspicion and curiosity moves the story in a thought-provoking way. The underlying themes of corruption, inequality, and what a lot say is “a jab at late stage capitalism,” play a large part in understanding the message of the story. And it seems, as of what critics have said in comparison to hollywood directors and actors, the perspective played upon by creators, to make the audience think and create their own ideas, opinions, and interpretations.

Bong Joon Ho’s previous films have apparently held the same sort of technique and particular skill as Parasite.

Thrilling and using societies trials and tribulations to make people think and use what they know for the sake

Athlete of the Month

the current one? The media is guilty of overselling the teenage experience with sex and unrepresentative expectations. These unrealistic expectations go hand in hand with the sexualization of teenagers. It seems that we pigeonhole our attitudes, styles, and lives around these because teens are so frequently represented by adults and having adult lives. Take Riverdale for example, all the actors are in their twenties portraying 16-year-olds. Teen Wolf had grown and muscular men playing freshmen.

I don’t know about you but I have never seen a freshman that looks like Dylan O’Brien. Real-life teens don’t have the time nor the freedom to lead the adult-like lives represented by mass media.

Our generation likes to believe we are more socially conscious and aware of fake news and altered realities, but at the same time get caught up in the lives of our favorite influencers and the unrealistic body types portrayed by them. We have been conditioned to not blink an eye when a “high school” girl, actually played by a 25+ year old woman, is being hypersexualized as a “naughty school girl”. Take a step back and realize that not everything you see in the movies or on your feed is reality.

Photo Courtesy of Maile Ise

Movie Review: Parasite

BY WILL SALAZAR

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT | 7

BY SOFIA DIPADOVA of knowledge and humanity. This resonated with viewers and hit home for a large number of people due to the courage and strength radiating from the powerful messages that interlinked with those opinions and ideas of modern civilians. The cunning of Bong Joon Ho to make it an enjoyable masterpiece and a valuable teaching moment to maintain security in ourselves and those around us.

One thing that made it resonate with American viewers was how it represented a different perspective.

It represents a different perspective however involving a moral of humanity and society carrying the same intent about society regardless of ethnicity and wealth.

This issue’s Athlete of the Month is Maile Ise. Ise’s sport of choice is gymnastics which she has been heavily involved in throughout her entire high school experience.

Ise says she has been doing gymnastics, “Ever since I could walk, I have been doing handstands and flips. By the time I was ten, I taught myself how to do a backflip during recess at school. It was at this point that I knew that I should start doing gymnastics at the competitive level.” Ise’s biggest accomplishment currently is placing first on floor at the 2019 Level Nine State championships. It was a struggle for Maile at the beginning of the season to even qualify for state championships, but after dedicating a lot of time in the gym, she ended up placing first in her favorite event.

Ise’s favorite thing about gymnastics is tumbling on the floor as she explains, “Tumbling has always been my favorite because it feels like you are flying. One of my favorite skills to perform in gymnastics is a double backflip. I love the feeling of rush as I fly through the air and then stick the landing.”

Having a role-model is always important to motivate and push for self-improvement, Maile’s gymnastics role-model is her coach Israel Alatriste. Coach “Izzy” grew up in Tijuana Mexico, and went on to compete for UCSB’s men’s gymnastics team winning national

titles. He is a huge inspiration for her and if she didn’t have him as her coach, she says she “wouldn’t know where she would be.” High school already keeps a lot of students busy with academic work but Ise has been balancing school, gym, and life. Having 5 hours of practice every night makes completing homework assignments nearly impossible, especially being a senior. Luckily, once a gymnast makes it to her senior year, and is still competing, they are rewarded with diamond earrings, a plaque, and a recognition at state championships by her gym and coaches. Ise’s dream has always been to compete until she was a senior, and now she is just a month away.

Since Ise has been so dedicated to the sport for her whole life she has dealt with various injuries through her entire career, so her body needs a break from the serious impact of the sport for a while. Ise plans on taking a well-deserved break, but knows she will never leave the sport. Next year, Ise may compete on the floor or vault if her body can handle it, or maybe just stick to coaching and judging competitions.

8 | SPORTS

THE FORGE

Girls Wrestling

BY ANYA MCCUE

Wrestling season has come to a close, and with it, Dons Wrestlers brought home CIF finalists. Al’Asha Aparicio Garcia wrestled her way to 7th place CIF qualifier this year after an injury kept her from finishing the tournament.

Despite her injury, she did qualify for the CIF tournament along with Pepper Marks, who took eighth place. At the CIF tournament in Beaumont, CA both wrestlers won one match and lost two. Neither qualified for the girls’ state tournament, but finished the season with winning records. “This season, we had two Channel League Champions and two League runner-ups,” said Adrian Macias who is the wrestling coach at SBHS. “Al’asha Aparicio and Alessandra Urquilla won their respective weight classes and Pepper marks and Kate Meeder both came in 2nd place, respectively.”

He continued, “This year the girls’ team defeated Cabrillo High School for their 1st ever dual meet victory.”

Pepper Marks is a freshman here at Santa Barbara High School and she, surprisingly enough, had never wrestled prior to this year.

She started out the summer of 2019 when her brother recommended it to her. Marks wholeheartedly believes that girls’ wrestling has truly changed her life for the better. Marks reflects on the impact wrestling has had on her, “Wrestling has impacted my life by personal things like with family life, my friend life. Everything.

It has impacted my health life; I’ve lost ten pounds already. I know it might not sound like much, but it’s a lot to me.” She continued, “It’s helped me with being a better person too.”

Marks believes that whether one wins or loses, it is important to always talk to the opponent afterwards, and congratulate them on their efforts throughout the match.

Being a female wrestler does come with its social challenges though. In fact, Pepper Marks confessed that people are initially surprised when they hear that she participates in wrestling. People often ask her, “Do you have to wrestle boys?” She responded, “Yes.” “Doesn’t

APRIL 7, 2020

Boys Soccer - Just Short of Victory that make you uncomfortable?” they might ask. With that, Marks replied with a confident no. To clarify, Marks explains, “It makes you a better wrestler if you wrestle boys.”

In regards to the CIF wrestling championship, hard work is mandatory. Pepper Marks worked extremely hard to get there. “You have to get in eighth place to get to CIF finals, and I got eighth place.” Marks rightfully boasts.

Marks’ tactic was to dedicate a majority of her focus on getting to the next round of CIF. Marks demonstrated this dedication by settling within her own space of mind and didn’t chat with the other wrestlers in CIF. The notable athlete also admitted that she wrestled boys in order to challenge herself, so that when it came time to wrestle the girls, she was prepared.

Marks worked vigorously, constantly practiced and remained put within her own determined mental state so that she could push through towards the finals at her optimal performance level.Wrestling has revamped so many lives given its promised product of strength, bravery, and confidence. The Dons female wrestlers adept athletes have persevered through several complex obstacles so as to achieve becoming the wrestlers that they are today. In addition to the remarkable personal journeys of the wrestlers, according to Marks, girls’ wrestling becomes a community in a sense. All of the girls were immediately friends when they first met, and have all been incredibly friendly towards one another since. Marks deems the communal bonds as special because although the boy wrestlers get along, they didn’t acquire the same immediate connection compared to that of the girl wrestlers. The Dons wrestlers consider each other family. Even further, being a wrestler has proven to be significant support to a student athlete’s self-confidence, resilience, and mental stability. So takes Marks advice when she urges, “Join wrestling! We need more girl wrestlers.”

BY ANDRE BATTLE

The Dons boy’s soccer program had one of their best seasons in years this 2019-2020 season. They had a solid group consisting of talented seniors who were going to make sure their last season would be remembered as a good year, and juniors and sophomores who wanted to show everyone that age did not matter. The Dons coaching staff was great, and were a big part of bringing the team together whenever the games got tight. After a great start and much premise, unexpectedly the Dons did not make it to the CIF championships, losing in the semifinals.

The Dons were looking strong going into CIF playoffs, as they went undefeated in Channel League with a record of 8-0-2, their two ties coming from the rivalry games against San Marcos.

They only lost one game in the regular season, against San Clemente, who at that time were ranked number one in the country. They had an overall record of 19-1-4, a very strong record going in the playoffs and proved to everyone that they would be a very difficult team to beat.

Their first CIF playoff game was against Harvard-Westlake at San Marcos. The Dons had home field advantage, so they would already start with the upper hand. The game started out fast for the Dons, as they struck first in the first eight minutes, but for most of the rest of the game, it was all Harvard-Westlake. They scored two goals and the game seemed out of reach for the Dons, even only being down one.

Then a miracle happened in the final ten minutes; the Dons were able to find the back of the net and force the game into overtime. Then, in overtime, it was all Dons. The boys seemed to find a serge of energy as they got many stops

on defense and eventually were able to score to seal the comeback victory, as they won 3-2. Their next game would be against Mater Dei at Mater Dei High School, a team known for having a good athletic program, so it would not be an easy game for the Dons.

Although coming into the game it seemed like a tough challenge for the Dons, the Dons were about to keep their composure and come out with the victory as they scored 2 goals in a 5 minute span and keeping the well known Mater Dei scoreless throughout the game. This was a big moral booster for the Dons going into the semifinals.

Their next game would be against Cathedral High at home.

Although this season was such a strong one for the Dons filled with fun and exciting games and an amazing team, it came to an end in the semifinals. Only one goal was scored between the two teams and it was not from the Dons, as Cathedral High were a very good defensive team, and were able to keep the talented Dons athletes

from scoring. Even after getting good looks, the Dons were never able to find the back of the net.

Although the season may not have gone as the boys would have liked it, it was still a very entertaining season and helped confirm that the Dons soccer program was not to be taken lightly.

And although they are losing some of their senior captains who are graduating, they still have a talented young core who can bring the Dons back to the same spot they were this year, and hopefully even farther. Congrats to the Dons for having such an outstanding season and making in all the way to the CIF semifinals.