The Forge Vol 108 No 1

Vaccine Mandates p. 3 | New Staff p. 5 | Should Oil Rigs be Removed? p. 8 | The Rise of Olivia Rodrigo p. 10

Vol. 108 No. 1

SANTA BARBARA HIGH SCHOOL - FRIDAY, OCTOBER 8, 2021 The Class of Covid In this video story, new students reflect on the pandemic and their hopes for this school year | p. 2

Est. 1914

Grace Fisher Triumphs

SB Unified Receives Stimulus Funds

New documentary showcases accomplishments of paralyzed SBHS alum | p. 7

It is unclear how the District will spend the money from the federal government | p. 2

A New Era

After years of construction, Peabody Stadium finally reopens with supporters from SBHS’s past, present, and future | pg. 4 CORONAVIRUS

Staying Safe on Campus This school year feels more normal, but the virus still looms large | p. 3

SPORTS

Dons Dominate in New Home Peabody plays host to win after win for a new lineup featuring Quarterback Abel Renteria | p. 12

SBHSFORGE.COM

Artist of the Month:

Homeless

Shea Lily Whelan

Encampment Fires

VADA helps Senior find her “flow state” to document the beauty in everything and everyone | p. 6

SB’s blazes raise questions about community safety and how fire deparments should respond | p. 9 Photo Courtesy of Nate Battle

2 | NEWS

THE FORGE STAFF

OCTOBER 8, 2021

SB Unified Recieves Stimulus Money

Fall 2021

700 East Anapamu Street Santa Barbara, CA 93103 admin@sbhsforge.com Room 26

EDITORS EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Emerson Steady

MANAGING EDITOR Isabella Vasquez

LAYOUT EDITOR Charley Raymond

SB Unified

NEWS EDITOR

BY KAELIE WALLKER

Sabrina Cruz

SPORTS EDITOR Andre Battle

ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR Anya McCue

LIFESTYLE EDITOR Valeria Polanco Lujan

MAGAZINE EDITOR Kaelie Walker

VIDEO EDITOR

On March 11 of 2021, Congress signed into law the American Rescue Plan Act, also known as the ARP. The ARP is the third act to provide federal stimulus funding, preceded by the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES) and the Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act (CRRSA Act). The ARP Act provides much needed money in order to adapt to the challenges and long-lasting effects of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

Of particular relevance to Santa

Barbara High School is the Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief fund, or ESSER III, the subsection of the ARP that deals specifically with money for schools. California was allocated a little over $15 million of the approximately $122 billion nationwide. That money was then distributed to districts, and from districts to specific schools. Distribution was based on several factors, but schools had to submit an application for funding and have received a Title 1 allocation in the 2020-2021 school year (meaning that the schools were previously eligible under Title 1 of the Elementary and Secondary Ed-

ucation Act for money based on having a certain percentage of students from low-income families).

By using Title 1 in conjunction with school enrollment numbers and available data on stimulus allocation, EdSource estimates that Santa Barbara Unified received a rough total of thirty-five million dollars in relief funding. These funds were sourced from the CARES Act and the December 2020 COVID relief bill, as well as by a rough estimate of ARP funds, whose distribution at the time of EdSource’s publication of the figures was yet to be determined.

The ARP funds allocated to Santa

Barbara Unified can be further determined via publicly available data from the California Department of Education. Currently and in future stimulus allocation, Santa Barbara Unified can expect to receive a total of $16,530,326. What the district will do with the money, however, is unclear. As of the time of publication, Superintendent Maldonado has not responded to a request for comment (no doubt due to the fact she is swamped dealing with the district’s newfound riches). Until more information becomes available to the public, we can only speculate. Although a certain percentage of the money is required to be used to address the learning loss of last year, the possibilities are endless. Possible uses include a giant slide from the main building down to the English building in order to help students avoid being late to class, an on campus coffee shop in order to raise energy levels among the student and teacher population to slightly higher than the walking dead, or teacher bonuses in order to show proper appreciation for the mountains of extra work they have had to do these past few years, and every year (all jokes, except maybe that last one). Either way, we can only wait and see.

Carlo Maguire

STAFF REPORTERS Juliana Aviani Carter Battle Sara Bergseteren Strange Gisela Brito Infante Christina Castro Maya Fisher Logan Hubbell Anna Hudson-Zapata Mia Huerta Lulu Marsetti Mila McGonigal Anahi Medrano Lopez Kelly Meeder Hana Nishimura Ramsey Royan Viviana Ruiz Neftaly Salgado James Sanchez Giovanni Sanders Avalon Scheim Tobyn Shyrock Bennett Van Donge

ADVISOR

Joanne Cloutier

The Class of Covid: New Students at SBHS

BY ANYA MCCUE AND CARLO MAGUIRE The COVID-19 pandemic has affected all of us in one way or another, and Santa Barbara High School students are no stranger to this. From six-hour computer screen weekdays to friendless weekends and bleary-

eyed eight AM zoom calls, it is safe to say that the past year and a half has not been the traditional SBHS experience.

But what is the normal SBHS experience? Seniors and juniors can recall this time pretty well since they were on campus before the pandemic.

However, our underclassmen never

got that chance, as their last in-person experience was two years ago at a junior high school.

In the video, “The Class of Covid,” we explore what this means for new students. How do they feel about being at a big high school compared to their comfortable room at home? Did they like in-person school better? Or

Watch the full video story on The Forge’s website: sbhsforge.com/classofcovid

A Letter from the Editor Dear SBHS Community, I am beyond excited to be able to serve you as Editor-in-Chief of The Forge for my senior year.

During my time as a part of this newspaper, it has grown in ways I never thought possible. This year, we have found an oustanding team of eight editors who are all passionate about The Forge’s work. With their assistance, we are able to work more closely with our writers and push them to dig deeper in their reporting.

I believe that this edition features some of the most important and compelling stories we have pub-

worse? What has this change from online learning been like for them?

Watch The Forge’s video story to hear firsthand about the experiences of “The Class of Covid.”

Be sure to subscribe to The Forge’s Youtube channel to see all of our latest videos.

lished, and I am honored to work with such a talented staff.

The articles in this first edition strongly reflect that, contrary to popular belief, this is not a normal year. We may all be back in classes, but students are still wearing masks. In such uncertain times, we are expanding our connections with the school and the community so that you can rely on us to stay informed.

Sincerely, Emerson Steady Editor-in-Chief

The Forge Staff Fall 2021 | Isabella Vasquez

NEWS | 3

OCTOBER 8, 2021

Staying COVID Safe at SBHS

The State of Vaccine Mandates

BY SABRINA CRUZ

Mike Baumeister

BY ISABELLA VASQUEZ Over the summer, as COVID vaccination rates grew, so did the semblance of normalcy that overtook the nation. In Santa Barbara county, coronavirus test positivity rates dropped to as low as 5 cases per week over the summer, most cases being unvaccinated civilians. With rates being significantly lower, schools were hopeful for more safety within classrooms as the vaccine proved to be effective. Many sources such as the CDC cited that the mRNA vaccine was 95% effective against the original COVID strain. However, variants soon emerged, with the most prevalent one being the delta variant, causing fading immunity in those vaccinated, and safety restrictions to be placed again. This article will cover the safety precautions being taken at Santa Barbara high school and some of the restrictions/mandates being taken districtwide.

So why exactly are variants emerging as the pandemic continues?

SARS-COV-2 is a retrovirus, also known as a virus that inserts RNA into the host cell to replicate, instead of DNA. The RNA reproduction results in the RNA’s genetic information not being proofread as the RNA polymerase in charge of copying the virus’s genes does not contain the ability to proofread. This lack of proofreading can result in a genetic mutation going undetected, and multiplying, creating a variant. There are currently 11 variants of the Coronavirus, but the only variant of concern cited by the CDC is the Delta Variant.

The emergence of the Delta variant is attributed to breakthrough COVID cases in vaccinated individuals. The risk of infection for those vaccinated with the mRNA vaccine is 53.1%. The vaccine prevents serious illness by shortening the time that the virus can replicate before antibodies attack the virus. Without the vaccine, people will have more of a viral load before their body can produce antibodies to fight off infection, increasing the possibility of hospitalization, longterm effects, and death. Vaccinations also help decrease the probability of new variants emerging, as the less the virus multiplies, the lower the probability of a mutated genetic code occurring.

With this variant spreading nationwide, school districts such as Santa Barbara Unified are tasked with mitigating the spread of the vi-

rus, while facilitating the growth and learning of students. One such safety measure is the vaccination requirement newly mandated for all teachers. This announcement was made on September 23rd and it requires all district employees to receive their first vaccination shot by October 1st.

This measure was unanimously voted upon by the Santa Barbara Unified Board of education. The mandate will change SBHS’s previous policy of requiring unvaccinated staff to either verify their vaccination status or show a COVID test taken in the last 72 hours, a process that occurred weekly. While staff have these regulations, in order to conduct COVID tracking of unvaccinated students in grades 7-12, vaccinated students must upload their vaccination information on Aeries before October 1st. California as of Friday, October 1st has announced plans to make the COVID-19 vaccination mandatory in schools with as cited by the California Governments website, “based on current information, the requirement is expected to apply to grades 7-12 starting on July 1, 2022.”

Curious to learn more about the ever-adapting policies regarding COVID-19, I reached out to Santa Barbara High School’s principal, Dr. Simmons, to comment on policies and safety precautions being taken in the 2021-2022 school year. The safety measures being taken at school “ are the same[ as last year] and we’re still pushing hard on all of those layers of mitigation” Dr. Simmons clarifies.

Some of these measures include daily screenings, contact tracing, masking, and ventilation of classrooms. She adds that “we’re being much more strict around who’s at school and who’s not at school depending on a close contact or symptoms.” Regarding contact tracing, as of September 30th, all positive COVID cases at school were students. Despite there being a number of close contacts with infected individuals, Dr.Simmons commented that “even though there were positive cases on campus, there were no transmissions, therefore, no one has tested positive as a result of a close contact.”

Regardng safety in large crowds such as pep rallies and large football games, crowds are encouraged to wear masks, however, SBHS cannot mandate mask-wearing at outdoor events until the county does. In regard to not enforcing mask-wearing at these events, Dr.Simmons

responded that “I will say that is something as a principal that I never thought I was going to have to do and it has put me and other administrators in positions of really negative and aggressive situations with people and it’s very uncomfortable. But it is for the safety of our community so at this point since it’s not a requirement, I am not going to enforce it, because there are other things I’m worried about more.” During their classes, many students at Santa Barbara High have seen that there are many cases of students wearing masks incorrectly.

As with any rule infraction, incorrect mask usage has a series of steps being taken before the student responsible is subject to disciplinary action. Dr. Simmons started off explaining these steps with, “[incorrect mask-wearing is almost like any sort of behavior in a classroom that is either disruptive or dangerous and so we always want the teacher to begin with making sure the entire class understands the expectations.” When a teacher repeatedly asking a student to wear their mask correctly doesn’t work, “at some point [teachers] need to have that one-on-one with the student and say ‘‘what is happening’?” After this step is implemented, “If that still doesn’t fix the situation, the teachers are expected to call home and try to get the support of the family.” Following this, “If that still does not change behavior, then one of the administrators will get involved. At that point, because the administrators are involved, parents have been contacted, the student has been warned, and it really comes down to what’s happening.” Dr.Simmons then went on to explain that once the administration has been contacted, there will be talks with the parents and if that does not correct behavior, expulsion will be discussed with the students and their families.

After last years’ online learning and the impact that the pandemic has had on communities nationwide, many are focusing on rebuilding under a new normal. Regarding this, Dr.Simmons commented that “The whole thing is to keep kids in school, our community moving forward… so as before… it was stay home, don’t go out.” As the pandemic continues into its second year, communities are no longer looking to pause due to the pandemic, but rather adapt, and learn new ways of staying safe while progressing. These new precautions and concerns almost everyone has to deal with daily have caused many to feel

overwhelmed and stressed at times.

While many wish to know that their children will be 100% safe from the virus, Dr. Simmons comments that while she wishes she could promise that, “I’ll do everything I can to put in procedures in place to reduce the risk, but the risk will always be there and so that is just with every choice we make there’s the risk. There are some personal decisions that people can make to reduce that risk, such as getting vaccinated, such as wearing a mask at all times, such as double masking, such as washing their hands constantly, such as not coming to big events.”

With the choices students and their families must make daily to stay safe, comes the toll of stress and mental exhaustion. Dr.Simons comments on this that, “It’s just this constant worry in the back of our heads, and I also think the amount of decisions that we have to make ,all the personal decisions we have to make, that also gets exhausting, we have decision fatigue.”

This decision fatigue can be seen nationwide, with The National Health Library citing that out of sixty-six studies with 221,970 participants, “the overall pooled prevalence of depression, anxiety, distress, and insomnia was 31.4%, 31.9%, 41.1% and 37.9%, respectively.” What also causes some of this decision anxiety comes from simply not knowing what to do, everyone is looking for some sense of direction on where to go, how to proceed, and stay safe, but as there is no guidance on how to go about one’s life staying safe from COVID, it’s up to the individual. However, Dr. Simmons acknowledges that… although she cannot provide a template on how to make decisions regarding one’s day to day life, she did provide a checklist of what students should keep in mind when they do make decisions about their safety from the virus. “ If I were to make a checklist on how to be the safest at school my check sheet would be: 1) Wear your mask as much as you can, all the time, including outdoors.

2) Wear it properly.

3) When you’re eating with your friends and your mask is down don’t share food, don’t share beverages, try to sit 6 feet apart from each other as much as you can.

4) Get vaccinated.

5) Wash your hands.

6) When you can/t, bring hand sanitizer.

There’s been lots of discussion on whether the COVID-19 vaccine will be required for students and staff to attend schools. Many similar discussions are occurring nationwide on how, or if schools will make vaccination mandatory to attend. With the tumultuous political climate, and lots of hesitation around the COVID-19 vaccine, making vaccinations mandatory can come with potential lawsuits and opposition from parents .

Recently the vaccine and masks have been mandated in schools. Masks are mandated only for some schools but still are recommended. According to the Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles county is one of the first and biggest California school districts to mandate the vaccine for its almost a half a million students.

Talk about mandating the vaccine in other big school districts like New York and Chicago,has already spurred protests from parents and anti vaxxers.

There will be obvious obstacles when it comes to mandating a vaccine for minors especially when the parents values don’t align with the students. While most of the objection about mandates is coming from parental units and guardians, the people who are ultimately going to be affected by any decision being made about vaccines are the students attending. Students often haven’t had their voices heard regarding this issue so I sat down with two of our very own Santa Barbara High school students Kaelie Walker and Isabella Vasquez, to hear their opinion on vaccines and mask mandates.

“The science is clear they help stop the spread and protect students and teachers “ replied Kaelie when asked if masks should be implemented in schools “Covid still around we need masks to stop the spread of COVID-19 and masks have proved to be effective in doing that “ Isabella added.

I also asked Kaelie and Isabella what they would think if the vaccine would be implemented in the Santa Barbara school district and they both think it’s a good idea “I think it’s a good idea in theory as long as everyone has equal access to get vaccinated” says Kaelie. “I think it would be effective as it would prevent a lot of infections, although I predict there would be resistance against it becoming mandated as it has become a political issue” replied Isabella. Both parties commented that they are both vaccinated and got vaccinated very early on. They both said unfortunately many people have fallen victim to fear based information and don’t have the right information on the subject. “Getting vaccinated is not just a personal choice, getting vaccinated is a choice that affects everyone around you and keeps them safe” says Isabella.

People now look to the S B Unified School District to see if they will require vaccines for students. Teachers are now required to get vaccinated, start the termination process, or resign.

4 | NEWS

OCTOBER 8, 2021

Ribbon Cut for Renovated Peabody Stadium

BY EMERSON STEADY The energy was electric at the newly renovated Peabody Stadium as generations of Dons filed in to celebrate the completion of a yearslong, community-led construction project. School board members, donors, Principal Elise Simmons, Mayor Cathy Murillo, and ASB President Lila Gibson were among those who lined up to officially cut the ribbon while the crowd in the massive new grandstands looked on in wonder.

The immense community support for this renovation project has been illustrated by just how much it has endured: multiple principals and superintendents, almost two years of delays, and a global pandemic.

But now that the project has finally been completed, it is clear that it was worth the wait. Spectators expressed their awe at the new stadium and its state-of-the-art features. Donor David Borgatello described the completed stadium as simply “beautiful.”

The event, which took place at the start of July, was originally planned as a private gathering, but with loosening Covid restrictions and the immense excitement of the community, it was opened to the public. The SBHS Madrigals performed at the beginning of the program, and donors and administrators spoke on the success of the project and the importance of

high-quality athletic facilities. Cheerleaders, athletes, and other students shared in the revelry.

The initial aim of the project was the improvement of the track, but it soon evolved into a complete overhaul of the historic stadium. The initial $5 million of funding for the project was raised from private sources by the Foundation for SBHS between 2014 and 2016. They broke ground back in August of 2017, and the stadium has been under construction since then. In the meantime, various sporting events and ceremonies were held at SBCC and the Santa Barbara Bowl. An additional $34 million of funding came through various sources including voter-approved bond measures. Capital Campaign Chair Greg Tebbe was included in those who spoke at the ceremony.

Among the stadium’s remarkable improvements is the new synthetic track which is made of the same quality material as those used in the Olympics. This track adheres to the CIF’s standards and will allow SBHS to host competitive meets for the first time since the 90’s. The track is dedicated to the four Cunningham brothers, each of whom left a mark on SBHS’s athletic history. The eldest, Sam, was high school state champion in the shot-put, and went on to play as a fullback for the New England Patriots. Unfortunately, Sam was unable

to attend the ceremony and recently passed away due to unknown causes. Randall, the youngest, was a star quarterback and went on to play for both the Philadelphia Eagles and the Minnesota Vikings. Following his retirement, he also coached football at Silverado Springs High School. Randall attended the ceremony before flying to Tokyo to coach his daughter in high jump for the 2020 Olympics.

Both brothers were important figures in the fight for racial equality in professional football at a time when discrimination was common.

Other improvements to the stadium include the installation of artificial turf in the field to allow sports to play and practice year-round. The lighting and sound systems were renovated to increase energy efficiency.

A new press box was installed with stunning views of both the field and the Riviera. Superintendent Hilda Maldonado spoke about the importance of these improvements, saying that “students connect to school via the academics, the arts, or athletics.

For those who are drawn in by athletics, this shows how much we care about them.”

A majority of the money for the project actually had to be spent on below-ground improvements though.

A major complication for the project was that Peabody Stadium happens to be located on the drainage basin

for the Riviera, meaning that it must have an impressive ability to route water. Two old storm drain conduits were replaced to prevent flooding during storms.

Various other parts of the stadium are named in honor of the people who made the project possible. The Hutton Parker Foundation Tunnel, where athletes can enter the field from, is named in honor of the Hutton Parker Foundation which provides grants to community organizations. The MarBorg Industries Plaza is named after the waste management company which is run by a prominent multi-generational SBHS family, The nearby Veterans Memorial which honors SBHS alumni who have died in the line of duty is named for Doug Allred, a real estate developer who played football at SBHS and the University of Arizona, and his late wife Ann. Everyone who gave over $10,000 to the project is commemorated in the Peter and Gerd Jordano Donor Plaza. Finally, the scoreboard is sponsored by Montecito Bank & Trust.

GIven the immense history of Santa Barbara High School and particularly SBHS’s athletic programs, it’s no surprise that many generations of alumni came to the first public event in the stadium. One attendee was particularly notable: Barbara Upton, the Girls Athletic Manager from the

class of 1939. She described how in her day, girls’ sports were not taken as seriously, and they rarely got to play other schools. Given the progress for gender equality that has been made since then, getting to witness the dedication was a very moving event. ”I’m a critic,” she said, “but I’m very pleased. I think the new stadium is beautiful.”

While the stadium already played host to graduation ceremonies for the Class of 2020 and Class of 2021, as well as an interdepartmental performing arts showcase last Spring, this ribbon cutting marked the official start of a new era for Santa Barbara High School. With all students now back on campus full time, the stadium and conditioning center are put to good use by PE classes and a multitude of sports and was used for the Homecoming Pep Rally in September. Although this year is far from normal, the fanfare around this new stadium seems to reflect the general sense of optimism among students and staff. Camie Barnwell, Chief of District Communications, described the “excitement, joy, and gratitude” she felt that day. School Board President Kate Ford said that being able to be in the new stadium “reinforces the love for your high school and the pride in your high school.”

Meet the New Staff at SBHS - Part 1 This year we have many new staff members at Santa Barbara High school. After a year on Zoom, there are a plethora of teachers who just completed their student teaching programs. Now, this is their first year teaching a class of their own.

These new staff members range from teachers transferring from different schools, to no longer student teachers, but student’s teachers.

One of our new teachers includes Mr. Martinez, who is currently a chemistry and AVID teacher. When Mr. Martinez was asked what it was like going from teaching on Zoom to in person, he responded with “It was hard to learn how to manage a classroom, because on Zoom no one talks so I didn’t have to deal with behavioral issues and students talking.” His favorite part about teaching is seeing students understand what they are learning. His first year teaching was last year through Zoom which was different from in person school. Mr. Martinez is not only new to SBHS, but also new to teaching as it’s his first year teaching in person. He took Chemical Engineering at UCSB but soon found his passion in pure Chemistry, which was a much more enjoyable path for him. He continued to attend as an undergrad at UCSB

but didn’t want to work in the lab so he decided to take an education course. After getting a minor in Math and Science Education, he applied and was accepted to the Teacher Education Program at UCSB. This year he is looking forward to teaching a whole term of Chemistry, since he is also teaching AVID this semester.

He enjoys teaching AVID because he feels he is making a difference by helping prepare students for college.

Outside of school he likes gaming, watching shows and reading. One of the games he plays is Super Smash Bros and last time there was a ranking in Santa Barbara he got 2nd place.

Mr. Martinez ended by saying “I am very happy and blessed to be here.”

Ms. Macias is a new English teacher here at SBHS. She graduated from college at UCSB and then moved back home to Riverside. She started working in schools, first as an after-school program leader which she didn’t like at first but grew to enjoy, and then she became a bilingual aide. After that, she switched to the attendance office at the same school, which made her realize how much she missed being in the classroom and helped her decide she wanted to be a teacher. She applied to three different schools and ended up going to the Teacher Education Program at UCSB. Last year she was a student teacher on Zoom

and this is her first year teaching her own class. I asked her what her favorite part about teaching was, to which she responded, “I love connecting with my students and seeing that they trust me enough to be open in their writing.” Ms. Macias shared that her least favorite part about teaching is grading long essays. This year she is looking forward to making memories with her students. She hopes that by the end of this year her students can say they shared at least one good memory. Outside of school she enjoys going to the beach, watching Korean dramas and trying new restaurants with friends. She wants to let everyone know that even though she shares her classroom with another teacher, she is here for any students that need assistance.

Another one of our new teachers is Ms.Vasquez, a Latino Studies and World History teacher. She went to high school here at SBHS and was inspired to become a teacher by many teachers she had. When the school made Ethnic Studies a graduation requirement, she really became interested in being a teacher. She went to UCSC and got her undergraduate in Ethnic Studies. Last year she was a student-teacher on Zoom. She says she prefers in-person teaching because it is more fun to see everyone and talk in person. Ms.Vasquez

shared that her favorite part about teaching is interacting with the students while her least favorite part is that there are not enough hours in the day to get everything done. Ms. Vasquez wants everyone to know that she is very happy to be here and that her classroom is a safe space open to all.

Ms. Cardenas is our new Registrar this year. Before this she worked at the district offices and elementary schools but never worked at a high school. She thought that it would be different and a good change. Ms. Cardenas shared that her favorite part about her job is the interactions with students and parents while her least favorite part is organizing all the files. I asked what she is most looking forward to this year and she replied, “I’m excited for all the school events.

I graduated from SBHS in 2010 and now everything is very different so I’m looking forward to seeing all the events like homecoming, prom and pep rallies.” Outside of school she likes to garden. Recently she just started growing her own vegetables.

Because of COVID, she doesn’t go out as much, and instead she relaxes at home and watches Netflix.

Ms. Mendoza is a new Spanish teacher here at SBHS. She used to work at a tech company until one day a coffee machine broke, and people

were complaining about it, which made her realize that working there is not what she wanted to do with her life. She has always loved the Spanish language, she is Mexican American, so it helps her connect with her roots as she loves traveling and learning about other cultures. She has also worked with kids programs in the past, and she thought that being a Spanish teacher combines all of that. Originally she taught mMiddle School, but her dream was to teach high schoolers, especially Santa Barbara High School. After asking why she likes teaching high school she responded, “High school is a really fun time in one’s life, they are getting ready to go on to the next step and being part of that journey is really exciting.” Her favorite part about teaching is her students, they make her smile every day. She loves connecting with the students and being able to talk about Spanish heritage and language. She is most looking forward to experiencing what it’s like to be a Don. This is her first time at a school that has homecoming and football games so she is super excited to see all the events.

We are happy to have all these new teachers and staff members at our school. They are a great addition to our campus. All of them are excited to be here at SBHS and to work with the students.

Steven Martinez

Noemí Macías

Miranda Vasquez

Natali Cardenas

Alison Mendoza

BY MAYA FISHER

NEWS | 5

OCTOBER 8, 2021

2021-2022 Learning Loss

Gavin Newsom Survives Recall Election

BY BENNETT VAN DONGE

Compare Fibre

BY VALERIA POLANCO LUJAN After a difficult year of online learning, there were many challenges and changes that students had to adjust to. One of which was an apparent learning loss. Of course, all challenges were understandable considering how our lives changed from the pandemic. Many families struggled during this time, whether it was from financial issues, or the isolation and anxiety of quarantine, all which affected students’ focus in school.

A lot of people have mentioned they noticed grades dropping. According to a recent article from Forbes, “Learning loss, Urgent Crisis or Harmful Myth,” it is estimated that we’ve lost about four or five months of learning. However, some people may argue that we didn’t lose any time, “Students haven’t missed out on any learning at all; they’ve just learned differently, and possibly more valuable things,” mentions Forbes. We definitely learned differently, through a zoom screen and doing work online and we also learned different things like Rachel Gabriel said, “Perhaps, they’ve learned more than previous cohorts of students, because of what they have lived through and lived without.”

Upon interviewing an English teacher here at SBHS, Mr Howe, he admitted to noticing last year’s learning loss. When questioned about the time that was lost and what caused such a drop in student grades he an-

swered saying, “Lack of engagement by students which wasn’t their fault, lack of connection really created this environment where communication was virtually impossible…Teachers were trying their hardest but when you talk to students through a screen without seeing their face, eyes, without being able to read their body language, it creates an awkward environment.” Mr. Howe continued, commenting on how grades dropped to the point where the district instituted a policy where teachers couldn’t give F’s. “I saw grades drop, I talked with colleagues, they saw grades drop.”

After being back in person learning for a couple months now, when asked if he saw improvement, he responded with, “Absolutely, but I also feel like students are still a little shellshocked, you know when we first came back, at times I felt like I had to remind students that we weren’t on a computer screen… but I think students are re-engaging.” This wasn’t just hard on students but on teachers too which is why when asked if he felt happy to be back, Mr Howe said he is super happy to be back but it was super hard as well. “As teachers, we had to reinvent ourselves…. but we are definitely happy to be back and move around and talk and you know, joke around with people.”

Ms. Jordan, another English teacher here at SBHS, was also interviewed. She had a different point of view, perhaps a more positive one.

When asked if she thought online

learning made us lose time she answered saying that she actually thinks it saved time, “no need to get dressed or catch a ride- just slide into your robe and bunny slippers and get to the class Zoom.” Ms. Jordan has a lot of positive things to say about online learning, and actually said that a lot of kids did better last year since there were less distractions as there are in a classroom setting. “Grades were pretty much the same. Kids who always did well figured out a new system to keep them current and on top of their work. Kids who found ways not to do the work before the Covid crisis found even better ways not to do the work on Zoom,” she says. The only negative thing she’s noticed is that students seem very tired, more than in the pre-COVID days, probably since many kids attended school from the comfort of their bed. Ms. Jordan shared that she is very happy to be back in person and being able to check in and have real conversations.

“It was a downer trying to teach to a screen of colored cubes,” she joked, although she can’t deny the fact that part of her misses being able to teach in her slippers with her cat on her lap.

As a student who was on the other side of that Zoom screen, I think grades dropped a lot and students weren’t as engaged. It was hard to concentrate and participate when most screens were off. I know that most of us students are happy to be back in person.

The California Gubernatorial Recall Election was held for only the second time in California history on September 14, 2021.

Current governor, Gavin Newsom, was facing a recall from the California people. In California, a governor can face a recall if 1.5 million signatures are verified through the state. Reaching the deadline for signatures in March 2021, California received 2.1 million signatures to recall Governor Newsom. They verified 1.7 million signatures, allowing this recall election to happen officially.

This was not the first time in Governor Newsom’s career that the California people had attempted to recall him, this was attempt number seven. Number seven, however, just happened to be successful. According to The New York Times, the main reasons for the recall were the issues of high levels of crime, the abundance of COVID-19 restrictions, and massive numbers of homelessness. Many California residents believed Gavin Newsom poorly handled these 3 issues which pushed them to work towards a recall. It was official, Gavin Newsom was facing a recall.

In the state of California, a recall election works as follows. According to Politico, on your ballot, there are two questions. Question one is, “Should the governor of California be recalled?” A yes or no answer only is required. Question two is, “If successfully recalled, who should replace them?” You then select whichever candidate you most align with to take the position of governor if the people vote 50% or more to remove them from office. If the people vote yes by 50% or more, the governor is then recalled. The governor’s position then goes to the candidate with the most votes in the second question even if the recalled governor receives more total votes. For example, if Governor Newsom was to be recalled by the people in the first question, the candidate with the majority of the votes would now be the governor.

However, if the no’s win with 50% or more of the vote, the election is over and the current governor wins and stays in power. In 2003, the first

Junior High vs. High School Schedule

BY ANAHI MEDRANO Since the beginning of last year there have been obvious changes in how schools have scheduled their classes for students because of COVID-19. Some schools have only been giving four classes per term, while others kept their regular schedules which are six periods and their zero and seventh periods. Schools have been trying to find a way for students to have enough time so that they don’t feel rushed and understand the curriculum. Some schools have given students a longer lunch period so that students can have time to relax, eat, and socialize.

After talking to Fernanda, an 8th grader from Santa Barbara Junior High, she was able to tell me that students are complaining about this year’s new schedule. Every Monday they attend all of their classes which are 55 minutes long. When asked how she felt about the new schedule having the odd numbered classes on

Wednesdays and Fridays, and having even numbers on Tuesdays and Thursdays,she commented, “it’s confusing because you gotta remember what you learned on one day then remember it for another day when (you don’t) even have the same classes the next day.” Another comment was that she “likes it” because you get to socialize with different people every other day.

I also interviewed a high school student at Santa Barbara High School who was there during the old schedule, when they had six periods instead of four a day. I had the chance to interview Valeria Polanco, a junior at Santa Barbara High. I started off asking Polanco about how she feels about only having four periods a day. She answered with, “It’s definitely weird, the classes feel really wrong, but I like that we have less classes at one time; it gives me time to concentrate on every class.” Another question I asked her was, “do you like that we have less classes but

they’re longer? She replied with, “I wish they were a little shorter.” I also asked, “how do you feel about the 30 minute lunch?” She said, “I think it’s unfair; we deserve more lunch time especially after 90 minute classes. We need more time to eat, use the bathroom, and should be able to socialize, and 30 minutes just isn’t enough.”

The Principal of Santa Barbara Junior High, Arielle Curry, gave me some insight on the junior high schedule. This is Ms. Curry’s first year being a Principal at Santa Barbara Junior High and dealing with this type of schedule. I asked Ms.Curry, “why is it that junior high has six to eight periods and not fourlike the high school? She replied with,“high school students are working on their A through G requirements so their schedule is designed and geared towards that. After Junior High level there are also required classes that junior high (students) need to take, but we also have some students that need additional support like a Math

support class, English support class, something like that. Like any new thing it’s difficult to adjust to something that you’re not used to, it takes time to get used to it… between distant learning for most of last year and now the schedule is different.”

It is a longer time for students to be in class and it’s taking some time for students to get adjusted to. I also was curious to know if this year’s schedule is going to continue next year, to which Ms.Curry answered “we are in the process of making a timeline on the bell schedule for the staff, periods, teachers, students from their perspective related to our current bell schedule to help us with making some adjustments to what it currently looks like.”

With our schedules constantly changing, it has been hard on all of us. Principals, teachers, staff, and students have been stressed because of these new schedules. We are all looking forward to having a stable schedule soon if possible.

ever recall election for governor in California, the recall was successful. The governor at the time, Gray Davis, was recalled by the yes’s at 55.39% and the no’s at 44.61%.

With Gray Davis being recalled, the winner went to the person with the most votes, Arnold who happened to be Schwarzenegger. Republicans wished for a 2003 repeat result in this election, while Democrats were hoping for the opposite.

As this recall election goes on, some of our own Santa Barbara High School students have had a chance to vote for the very first time in this recall election. I had the chance to sit down with Tucker Dilbeck, a senior here at SBHS, about his experience voting in this recall election. Dilbeck decided to vote by mail and talked about his experience voting in his first ever election. “It was cool to know that I was making a difference and that my opinion was being accounted for,” states Dilbeck. Knowing that this recall election was a huge event, and that our own Santa Barbara High students could participate in it was very special.

As the recall election date, September 14th, started getting closer and closer, a total of 46 different candidates were campaigning to be the next governor of the Golden State. With so many people in the race, campaigning during an election like this is different from other elections. Typically in a general election, 2 different party nominees are running for this position, but not 40 to 50 other candidates running simultaneously like this special recall election had.

September 14th, 2021, the day o the recall election finally came...

The question looming in everyone’s head was will Gavin Newsom be recalled? If so, who would be our next governor? People put their stamps on their mail-in ballots, while others were checking the boxes (what boxes?) in the polls. At around 8 PM, the race was finally called with 65% of the vote responding and according to CNN, Gavin Newsom had officially won the election. He will remain the Governor of California until the official California Gubernatorial Election in November 2022.

6 | MAGAZINE

OCTOBER, 8, 2021

Artist of the Month: Shea Lily Whelan

Anya McCue

BY ANYA MCCUE Shea Lily Whelan is a senior at Santa Barbara High School. She is involved in Green Club, Ultimate Frisbee Club, Architecture Club, Fashion Club, Music Production Club, and even Small Scale Food Production.

However, this is not all; Shea Lily is also an incredible artist here at SBHS and an active member and leader of the Visual Arts and Design Academy.

Shea Lily was first introduced to

Shea Lily Whelan

Contribute to The Forge Magazine

the world of fine art when she was a kid sketching with her mom and sister. However, it was not until she took her first art class in fifth grade that she realized her passion for creation. As a perfectionist, Shea Lily sometimes finds it challenging to work on projects because she gets so caught up in the details of her piece.

Her fifth-grade art teacher, Miss Kaufman, helped her feel more comfortable with the messy endeavors of creation. Shea Lily explains, “She always made sure to share the idea that art is not perfect. I think that made me feel a lot more comfortable in experimenting with new things.”

Whelan explains that although perfectionism and overthinking can sometimes get in the way of her artistic endeavors, she still loves making art. I asked why she thought she loved creating so much. Shea Lily answered, “I think it’s an interesting way for me to express myself and it’s kind of fun to try to make something by experimenting with different materials.” Whelan’s favorite mediums to experiment with are acrylic paint as well as working with clay and wire in sculptural art.

No matter what the medium,

Whelan finds that inspiration is the key to beginning an art project. She is especially interested in human figures as well as nature, inspiration that heavily plays into her art pieces.

Whelan also explains that she usually finds her inspiration right before she falls asleep. She will then quickly write it down in her sketchbook. If it is sculptural, she also will try to plan the mechanics of it. From here, Shea Lily Whelan enters her flow state. She finds that she is most productive in her VADA classroom, but she also works at home while listening to music or a podcast.

After many hours of hard work, the end product is finally presented. A few of Shea Lily Whelan’s pieces can be seen here. Whelan explains, “I’ve been working on animal portraits and seeing if there’s something that I’m interested in there with the hyperrealism and the detail. I am also interested in seeing what kind of textures I can make with the new brush strokes in painting.” Both of the animals shown are Shea Lily’s pets. In her human flower portrait, she also explains that she had been experimenting with human figures and she felt like something was missing from this piece. “I wanted to make a 3D element of it and so I put the vines wrapping around. But the vines are wrapping around like tiny heads and little tiny hands. So it’s like, there’s a creepiness, but it’s also kind of pretty.” She states that the purpose she tries to put behind her art is finding beauty in unique human features and normalizing that everyone and everything is different. Whelan continues that she is also interested in the way humans interact with one another and how they interact with the natural world.

Shea Lily Whelan hopes to pursue art professionally, whether this is within fine art, design or even architecture. She believes that architecture and design could align with her eye for perfectionism, as well as sustainability and animals, which Whelan also finds herself passionate about.

As for now, she is focusing on new exciting projects and beginning her senior year at SBHS.

Shea Lily Whelan

Shea Lily Whelan

Things Overheard in the Hallways

VADA’s Trash Can Art

BY THE FORGE STAFF Every month, The Forge Magazine showcases all varieties of student artwork: paintings, creative writing, poetry, comics, and so much more. SBHS is an extremely creative community, and we want to put your talents on display. To be featured in The Forge and share your work with our school, please email admin@sbhsforge.com Additionally, if you are interested in being a regular contributor to The Forge or The Forge Magazine, join the Journalism Club which meets on Thursdays at lunch in room 26.

Kelly Meeder

BY KELLY MEEDER Over the summer, a group of students from the Visual Arts and Design Academy led by Mr. Teris, a Painting/Sculpture teacher, took on the task of enhancing and beautifying our campus through painting

trash cans and stall doors.

The installments were created with staff, students, and teachers in mind, and many of the paintings include empowering or inspirational messages. Many students were inspired to paint about women’s empowerment, according to Mr. Teris.

The students were given creative freedom with one goal in mind– to promote “peace, love, and harmony” through art around campus, and accomplished this goal using their creativity, talent, and colorful paints.

Many students have commented on how the trash cans in the quad give more life to the area. One student commented that seeing the art every day on her way to AP Seminar makes her happy, and she appreciated what VADA has done to bring color to campus. From the lane dividers painted at the front of the school to trash cans and doors, the contributions of VADA students’ art makes the campus a brighter and more inspiring place.

“I would rather die than eat a school pear.”

“I’m finna go lift after this.”

“Ninja died of ligma.”

“What’s ligma?”

“Jeremy Sherman, AKA ‘Big Sherm’” “I’m working on my aura.”

“There’s no xylophones in the real world.”

“Succumb to the weak world of cow’s milk” “Wait, do you still have asthma?”

Submit funny things you overhear in

the hallways using this QR code!

Kelly Meeder

MAGAZINE | 7

OCTOBER 8, 2021

Grace Fisher Triumphs in New Documentary “Amazing Grace”

Amazing Grace

BY EMERSON STEADY When Grace Fisher graduated Santa Barbara High School in 2015, it was nothing like she had thought it would be. Fisher was a third-generation SBHS student who loved music above all else. She was singing with Madrigals, working on her college applications, and trying to savor her final year at SBHS. But then on her 17th birthday, surrounded by friends and family, Fisher suddenly began to have intense pain in her spine. She didn’t think “anything serious was going to happen,” but over the course of the night, she lost the ability to walk and breathe on her own. Cottage Hospital was able to determine she was infected with Acute Flaccid Myelitis, an extremely rare polio-like illness, and she spent seven months at the Craig Rehabilitation Hospital in Denver. When she videocalled into her class’ graduation ceremony to give a speech, it was clear that her life had been permanently changed.

But that’s not the story that Lynne Montgomery tells in her impactful new documentary Amazing Grace.

Instead of focusing on Fisher’s setbacks, the film highlights her successes since that fateful day. It certainly doesn’t shy away from portraying the difficulties of living with a disability, but Fisher and her family, through their individual strength and closeknit bonds, prove Fisher’s sentiment from that graduation: no matter the circumstances, one can always find a way to achieve their full potential.

It is an important story for everyone, especially with the current state of the world, and Fisher’s optimism

provides dazzling hope to even the most jaded viewer. Almost no one can leave this film with dry eyes, not because they feel bad for Fisher, but because few people are as inspiring in their passion and perseverance.

A musician practically from birth, Fisher played guitar, piano, and cello growing up and also sang and danced. After becoming paralyzed, she found new ways to reconnect with the world of music. At first, she learned to play piano with her mouth, and then she became inspired to compose. She studied Music Composition at UC Santa Barbara, where she learned how to express herself in new ways through accessible composition software. While music has taken on a more theoretical than physical form in her mind, it still serves the same purpose: authentic self-expression. In a world in which people with disabilities are often only seen for their disabilities, Fisher is proving in a radical way that she is a complex and passionate person. She is also a painter, and, in fact, she has been featured in international news coverage for her incredible ability to paint with her mouth.

Perhaps Grace Fisher’s largest impact in the community is through the Grace Fisher Foundation. When Fisher was approached by the Makea-Wish foundation, an organization that assists kids with illnesses, she knew that she wanted to use that opportunity to give back somehow. Just before turning 18, with the support of the Santa Barbara Foundation, Fisher began her organization as a way to bring the joy of art to kids living with disabilities. After her own expe-

riences doing art therapy and using music to heal in rehab, Fisher wanted to bring that back to her community in Santa Barbara. The foundation runs a range of programs including an all-inclusive drum circle and an adaptive dance series, all of which are aimed at empowering children with disabilities through artistic expression. Their most recent project is Park Pals, “a neuro-diverse group for kids who want to make friends, create art, move their bodies and sharpen social skills in nature.” They meet weekly in Oak Park with sessions facilitated by therapy professionals. More information about the foundation can be found at GraceFisherFoundation.org In 2020, Grace Fisher continued her tradition of the annual Winter Concert where Santa Barbara musicians perform to spread holiday cheer and support the foundation.

Although the COVID-19 pandemic greatly complicated their plans, Fisher insisted that the show go on.

With many safety precautions taken to prevent the spread of the virus and support from the community, they were able to create their first fully live streamed concert from the Granada Theatre. Local American Idol celebrity Jackson Gillies performed alongside many others, including current SBHS senior Bridget DeVine and a choir made up of alumni of the SBHS Madrigals. Fisher also worked with the kids from the foundation to create the animated film “A Critter Fable” about a caterpillar who learns that “ground insects are happy on the ground. Just because they don’t have wings, that doesn’t mean they can’t have a happy life too.”

The first Winter Concert, three years ago, began as a surprise for Fisher from her mother, but as soon as Fisher caught wind of it, she knew that she had to write a piece for the performance. Fisher said her mentality was very much “I want to prove that I can do it.” In typical Grace Fisher fashion, she has now set a goal for herself to write an original piece for each concert. With many performers from throughout Fisher’s life and around Santa Barbara’s artistic community, Santa Barbara High School’s theatre was filled with the euphony of Santa Barbara Strings, the Santa Barbara Youth Music Academy, the Santa Barbara Youth Symphony, and many more musicians. Fisher’s original composition, “Waltz of the Waves,”

was a particularly touching moment, and Fisher remembers how special it was to hear her work brought to life for the first time. The organizations that helped create this event have consistently supported Fishers’ efforts, and she said it was really special to see “how our community was able to rally behind us.”

With such an incredible story, it’s clear that Fisher deserved to have someone very capable help her to tell it. Amazing Grace is intimate and stunningly personal. Rather than coating over the edges, the director Lynn Montgomery has portrayed the life of someone with a disability in an authentic way, the kind that is often missed in the big-budget dramatic Hollywood representations. Amazing Grace interpolates footage from Fisher’s childhood with more recent moments, ranging from her playing music with La La Land composer Justin Hurwitz to her video calling with kids who have the same condition as her. While the film often shows Fisher and her family at their most vulnerable moments, Fisher said that at no point in the filmmaking process did it ever feel invasive. More often than not, she said, those types of shots would just be Montgomery, who is a friend of the Fisher family, pulling out her iPhone to document a moment that felt important to Fisher’s story.

With its premiere at the Santa Barbara International Film Festival in 2020, Amazing Grace immediately touched the hearts of many community members. The producers had planned a multi-festival run for the film, but those plans had to be put on hold due to the pandemic. Now, with the world reopening, the film has been able to reach a larger audi-

ence and gain international acclaim.

Screenings are still held on a limited basis because the movie is on the festival circuit, but the producers are working on plans for a wider release.

Indeed, Fisher hopes that as many people as possible are able to see the movie and that it will help them understand that disability does not diminish anyone’s value or potential.

In particular, she wants people with disabilities to know “that even if your life dramatically changes, it’s not the end of everything. There’s still hope to do what you want with your life.”

What shines through above everything else in Amazing Grace is the joy in Fisher’s eyes when she is doing what she loves. Whether it’s her as a teenager strumming her guitar on her bed or her now writing music for an orchestra with the help of a mouth-controlled device, there is a clear moment where she ascends and leaves everything else behind except for the music. Grace Fisher is now off to study at the Berklee College of Music in Boston to continue pursuing her passion, but she takes the Santa Barbara High School spirit for creativity, self-expression, and persistence with her. Part of Fisher’s mission in life is clearly to show that people with disabilities are able to live their life in the way that they want, but it is a lesson that she is continuously learning as well, from people with disabilities on social media who she sees “do what they want with their lives, get married, have kids,” and from the children she works with. Grace’s journey has not been as simple as she may have hoped, but she has proven that with a strong community, an irrepressible spirit, and a lot of music, nothing can stop her from being “amazing.”

The Fisher Family

Growing Small Business: Jubilee Lettieri

Jubilee Lettieri

BY GISELA BRITO INFANTE We all see small businesses everywhere we go and it’s important to recognize how much work they put in. People of all ages have a small business and when you support their business it motivates them to keep working on what they are passionate about.

In order to highlight a successful small business and help promote

them in these trying times, I reached out to Jubilee Lettieri and had the opportunity to interview her about her business. Jubilee is an 18 year old who recently graduated from Olive Grove charter school. After graduating high school, Lettieri felt like she needed to find an interest, and she states, “I was talking to my mom about what I wanted to do as a hobby because I was on a road trip and like I didn’t have any hobby and I was like

hey let me try nails”.

Jubilee started doing nails at 16 years old and now has been doing them for 2 years. She taught herself by practicing by hand, watching YouTube, Instagram videos, and TikToks. Jubilee started by posting pictures on Instagram of her practicing nail art,and the products she used, and shortly after started building a clientele. Since the start of her endeavor Jubilee’s family and friends were very supportive, her parents acutely bought her all the materials she needed to start her business.

Jubilee shared that she really likes to do nails that are in trend such as themes like Valentines, Christmas, Halloween etc. She really loves to do marble nails because she can mix different colors. She also loves creating the popular taper square look . On learning new designs she comments that, “If I don’t know how to do a design I will look it up on social media, and learn from there because I’m a visual learner,”

For Jubilee, managing her own business and her own life has changed a lot for her. Before having her business she didn’t really do much but now that she has her business, she works four days a week, Monday through Thursday. In her free time she focuses on her personal life.

I was curious to know if COVID affected her business, but she said that only for a couple months because she didn’t know how bad it was at first.

Then she started requiring clients to wear masks, and also had a shield for protection. Her biggest challenge was actually committing to the business as she shared that she’s never really stuck to previous interests but didn’t want to quit doing nails because it’s something that she is actually passionate about. Her business changed her life for the better, “I make like three sets a day, and enjoy meeting new people and having conversations with them,” she added.

Jubilee is looking forward to seeing her business grow. She shared

that in the future she wants to open a business with someone that really supports her such as her dad. He is always asking her how many nails she does a day, or he is always liking her instagram pictures, and he follows her instagram. He is going to help her open a business in town. Her goal is to have her own salon, work with more people, renting chairs and stations so they could build their clientele.

Jubilee Lettieri

8 | FEATURES

OCTOBER 8, 2021

California’s Steel Giants:

The Artemis

Following the Story of SoCal’s Oil Rigs

BY SAR`AH BERGSETERN STRANGE

BY JULIANA AVIANI On July 22 of this year, the Biden administration announced the decommissioning of California’s oil rigs, specifically centered around Santa Barbara county. Since then, however, no other updates have been reported, and the oil derricks remain the same. So why is it so challenging to remove hunks of metal from the sea? Why haven’t we removed them already? Some of the answers lie hundreds of feet beneath the surface of the ocean, whilst others hang among the highest ranks of prominent oil companies.

1966. The oil business was at an all-time high, and demand for more oil was soaring. Upon the discovery of oil off of California’s coast, major oil corporations began building massive pipelines and incredible derricks to further expand their empire.

During this golden age, 23 derricks were built off of Southern California, four of which were within Santa Barbara County. Then, in 1969, tragedy struck, and Santa Barbara’s oil derrick, Holly, spilled 80,000 barrels of oil into the Pacific Ocean. Dead dolphins and dying coral washed ashore, sparking protests all around the world. Since then, environmental activists and locals have fought against the multibillion-dollar industry, and today, the majority of these oil derricks lie dormant off of our coast, unused and virtually unattended. But that’s a good thing, right; at least they won’t be in use anymore? Unfortunately not. The webs of pipelines and shipping routes still wreak havoc on our ecosystem, whether it be from the toxic sludge that drifts from the sand or the oil ships passing through.

In fact, the seaward method of ship-

ping is the most dangerous way of transporting oil, with thousands of accidents occurring a year. So obviously, these skyscrapers of the sea should be removed, but here is where the controversy begins.

Currently, there are 3 main options regarding the potential removal of the oil derricks, the first being complete removal. This means that all pipelines, supporters, and cranes would be removed, and there would be nothing left. The second option is to remove the top half of the rig, as well as a third of the supports left under the surface. A large light would then be added to each remnant of the oil derricks so ships do not pass over it. And finally, the third option would be recommissioning each oil derrick as a shipping pit stop for oil tankers.

Each of these options come with their own pros and cons, but only one can be chosen.

Option 1 – Complete removal This option seems great – it’s like we are simply leaving the area as we found it, and no harm no foul. But, several downsides are associated with this seemingly perfect plan. Firstly, removing all of the derricks and their corresponding parts would cost millions of dollars, assumingly from the taxpayers money. Considering that we already have high taxes as is, and our limited resources are heading towards battling covid, the majority of people may not be up for paying for the removal. In addition, enveloped around the underwater supports lays the most prosperous man-made marine habitat in the world. You can just imagine how many fish, coral, and other marine creatures have made their home between these supports.

Removing them would result in the deaths of thousands, if not more,

aquatic animals. However, there would be a couple of benefits to come with this otherwise horrendous occurrence. Number one, our views would be clear, free of metal burdens sucking beauty out of our coastline.

This not only would make the view more pleasurable, but it would boost the housing market by a considerable amount. The second reason is simply that we are undoing the wrongs that we made when we built these monstrosities; a clean slate if you will.

Option 2 – Partial removal I am partial to this option because it keeps 95% of the biomass surrounding the supporters alive and well, while still clearing our views of these towers. However, a few cons come with this as well. First of all, due to the coast guard’s regulations, we would have to install large, bright lights above the remnants of the derrick, so ships would not be harmed passing over it. This would take away some of our views, but it is definitely better than what is already there.

Another con is that all the pipelines and piles of toxic sludge would still remain in place, potentially causing another environmental disaster further in the future. While this theory is unconfirmed, there is certainly merit behind it. However, this whole strategy would also save tons of money and manpower, while maintaining the surrounding habitats and views.

Option 3 – Recommissioning Option three is the recommissioning of the oil derricks, and this would have the greatest impact in all economic, political, and environmental categories. This was first proposed by the Santa Barbara County staff, and since then, they have officially endorsed the renovation and recommissioning of our oil derricks, which

Missions

would also come with the reinstitution of Route 166. Route 166 used to be a route taken by oil tankers, with 70 tankers coming through a day. It was also the most destructive shipping route used in the oil industry.

This endorsement also adds political pressure to surrounding counties as well and has caused tension among anti-oil activists and our local government. Indigenous peoples are also opposed to this plan, “The proposed trucking of oil, while simultaneously moving forward with an entire oil pipeline replacement project, is unthinkable.” Oil trucking is the most dangerous way of transporting oil, which is why SB county’s endorsement is so controversial. However, an argument could be made that the recommissioning would bring a much-needed economic boost, and theoretically, it could bring new jobs and opportunities for Santa Barbara residents.

These ghosts of the past have been a burden on Southern California, whether it be environmentally, politically, or economically. For a long time, they have been forgotten, a figure in the distance, but now, they are coming into the limelight yet again.

What do you think of these oil rigs that lie on the horizon? Answer in this online poll and voice your opinion!

Global Teen Feature: Taro Arthur d’Aronville

Taro Arthur d’Aronville

BY MILA MCGONIGAL Taro Arthur d’Aronville, fourteen year old living in Tokyo, Japan hopes to “impact people’s emotions” through his electronic, cinematic and philosophical music production.

Taro’s fascination with music stems from his early childhood days. His parents claim that the sounds produced by his electronic toys sparked an animated reaction in him. This appreciation for basic melody led to a deep admiration for classical music at an unusually young age. Following this, Taro says, “I also started piano because I wanted to compose.

I had this sudden urge to compose.”

Though the lessons “didn’t go too well,” they offered him insight into the power of creating music of his

own. Around this time, Taro discovered b e at b ox i ng : “Through b e at b ox i ng , I found out things like EDM and started listening to bass trap music.”

As he was discovering a variety of genres, his school iPads began to offer the GarageBand application. After some experimenting, Taro says, “I kind of later went on to find out, hey, that’s how you make music.” Taro recalls, “Initially, production-wise, I really just started recording my own beatboxing or doing covering famous songs or stacking loops on top of each other, and then sort of trying to make a track.” He eventually graduated from GarageBand after receiving his first iMac and transitioned to LogicPro. Nowadays, Taro says, “I often finish homework and open up LogicPro, the software I use to make music.

And then I either work on a cinematic/orchestral piece, or make an EDM track – something like house music or future bass. I kind of fluctuate between those two genres.” He produc-

es them both separately and together, describing it as a “niche of music that I really like and that I can create really well.” However, despite his love for the two, he has recently explored additional genres through newfound connections and collaborations.

One of such endeavors is a new cinematic album in which he explores the concept of a paradox, titled “Spectra”. Furthermore, he has a number of minor EDM projects in which he is “exploring tech/bass house – club music genres and mid tempo”. Additionally, Taro leads the Music Production Club at his school.

As the head of the club, he aims to help others better understand and execute music production. More specifically, he is helping club members by creating a sample pack, which he defines as “a collection of sounds, from everything from drum sound to ambience, to synthesize the presets.”

Moreover, Taro has been collaborating with a classmate: “She does the vocals and then I produce the track.

I think we started with a pop track, then that kind of later moved into hip hop, and then a bit of EDM… So that kind of experimental, but still listable, cool pop track.” Overall, Taro has recently sought to create more layered, dynamic artwork: “Now I’m sort of leaning towards multimedia sorts of artwork. {That is,} not just music, but combining it with something like poetry and adding a bit of

CG and visuals – a multi-dimensional piece of art.”

In a world obsessed with labeling music, Taro’s genre-blending is a breath of fresh air: “I experiment in combining music like Cuban music with house music, UK drill or Middle Eastern music. I’ve found interesting combinations… experimenting a lot with sounds while still sort of making something listenable: that big blockbuster Hollywood sort of sound that I often try to recreate, while still exploring deeply philosophical concepts.” Taro lists Beethoven, Mozart, John Williams, James Horner, Far Out, Kloud as composers/artists that inspire him to create. These influences are clearly reflected in Taro’s work, creatively fused together to make his own sound.

Taro looks to the future in hopes of cultivating a career in creating multimedia artwork through film.

Until that time, however, Taro simply seeks to make others happier, even if that means simply improving their day through music. As he says, “My source of intent with music is to make that big inspiring sound yet still very listenable.”

To support Taro, check him out on Spotify (Sh@d0w) and Youtube (TheShad0wMusic)

The Artemis Missions are a series of undertakings set to launch into space starting 2021 to 2024.

To test the waters of these explorations, the first few missions will be fully manned by artificial intelligence.The purpose of the mission is to return to the moon’s lunar south pole to bring humanity to the moon to set up camp, settle and stay for good.

Many question the necessity of this, arguing we already know enough about the moon, and we should use our funds for more relevant missions. With the Artemis missions, NASA will land the first woman and first person of color on the moon. This is an enormous step towards achieving representation for minority groups in the STEM field. Artemis 1, 2 and 3 will use innovative technologies, such as the spacecraft flying by means of solar electric propulsion. This will provide means of fast transport three times more powerful than what has flown so far. This will allow NASA to explore more of the lunar surface than ever before. The first two missions will be controlled by robots, and the third will be manned. The spacecrafts are also set to establish the first long term presence on the moon.

However, there are some negative aspects of this. Occupying the moon constantly means that we will start to incorporate space tourism into our daily lives. Because of the hefty price associated with space exploration, only the extremely wealthy would be able to participate. Essentially, these wealthy people would be spending a fortune to take a joyride around space instead of using those funds for something ethically better. Or even chipping a dent into their savings to help further space exploration.

As for now, according to the official NASA website, they currently have plans to build an Artemis Base camp on the surface and the Gateway in lunar orbit. These elements will allow robots and astronauts to explore more and conduct more scientific experiments than previously thought possible.

Using the data collected from these experiments on and around the moon will prove useful in humankind’s next giant leap: sending astronauts to Mars.

Our school recognizes the importance of allowing students to explore this topic, and has introduced the Computer Science Academy, as well as the Robotics Club. These organizations help inspire the next generation to pursue their dreams of potentially helping humankind traverse the universe by inventing unique technology to further our projects.

Compared to previous odysseys of ours, space exploration has advanced at an extraordinary rate. It was not too long ago that we thought we knew everything there was to know about space.

Now we know that space disquisition can never truly be fulfilled, as there will always be more out there, more opportunities and more discoveries.

FEATURES | 9

OCTOBER 8, 2021

Homeless Encampment Fires: Causes and Prevention

BY JAMES SANCHEZ With consistent warm weather through most of the year and breathtaking scenery it is very obvious that a city like Santa Barbara attracts many people from all walks of life, especially the homeless. Homelessness is a problem in Santa Barbara that has affected the city for a long period of time. Fires have also plagued the city and effectively the whole county.

According to statistics from the Santa Barbara County Fire Department, illegal campfire responses went up ten times in 2020 compared to 2019.

These two problems do not mix well and have (for the past 12 months) caused major complications that put many different city departments in a standstill on how to address the problem of homeless encampment fires. Encampment fires have been on the rise in the city of Santa Barbara and in a more grand sense the county as a whole. While the source of these fires are well known not much is being addressed in order to prevent future fires. With different laws, court cases, complex history, and moral dilemmas it is very hard to find an effective strategy that addresses all aspects of homeless encampment fires.

To address the ongoing problem of encampment fires in Santa Barbara one must look at the source of why these encampments were erected in the first place and what is the main cause of these fires. When the fire investigator for Santa Barbara City Fire Department Ryan DiGuilio was questioned on the origins of these encampments he responded with “the economics that have come out of events like the pandemic and how some people have been forced out of their houses or living in their cars, we’ve definitely seen an increase in the transient (homeless) population relative to the past 12 months.” While the homeless population in Santa Barbara was elevated compared to its neighbouring communities, it was nothing in comparison to the rise in homelessness in 2020 due to economic instability that came from the Covid-19 pandemic according to DiGuilio.

Another reason for the existence of these encampments is partially due to their legal right to set up camp on public property because of the Martin v. Boise court case which started in 2009 and was not decided until 2019. Robert Martin was a homeless man living on the streets of Boise, Idaho in 2009. Boise was more hostile towards the homeless in 2009 than it is now, in order to sleep or set up an encampment on the streets one must have a warrant which was virtually never given out. Failure to acquire this warrant allowed you to receive hefty fines. Martin, who had trouble walking, was resting near a shelter and was fined 150 dollars.

On October 22nd, 2009 he and nine other individuals sued the city for violating their eighth amendment right of unlawful punishment. The city however still retracted some of its very restrictive rules on the homeless in January of 2010 they didn’t allow law enforcement to take action on the homeless if shelters were full as well as only enforcing previously said Bosie rules during the night time and never during the day. Once the case was ruled in the court of appeals in 2018 and rejected to be heard by the supreme court in 2019, many interpretations were already made about the lawsuit. For example, in Sacramento it is legal to sleep outside the city hall during the nighttime but not during the day. Or in Santa

Barbara when DiGuilio was asked about a change in strategy to address encampment fires after the recent Loma Alta fire that ragged on T.V. Hill responded with “The city council decided on how to address the fires specifically along the railroad corridor (where the train tracks come through) which was a really big heavily populated transient area. With collaboration with multiple different departments [Police department, County and City Fire departments] they recognized those areas as ‘high fire hazard areas’ because of the vegetation around the area. They declared an emergency ordinance in which the public were not allowed to camp in these areas.” While public places like these saw a dramatic decrease in encampment fires, one could make the argument that the city purposefully marked highly populated areas in terms of homeless encampments and homeless people in order to remove them out of those public areas and hope they go somewhere else, which is a violation of Martin v.

Boise. When DiGuilio was asked if the decision made by the city council was a contradiction to the Bosie court case he responded with “it is; only in the fact that the government or agency would need to have something that superseded the court case.

The city deemed those areas to be high fire hazard because of the dead vegetation and the number of fires that happened there which is probably how they dealt with that court case.” He then went on and said that while “the land is used by all either by cal trans or union pacific, however, they are technically privately owned because Union Pacific is a railroad company.” Since the railroad and the area around it is privately owned they technically have the right to kick anyone off their land, but it is kind of odd that DiGuilio said it’s publicly owned land then references railroad companies owning said public land.

When Division Chief and Fire Marshal Rob Hazard was asked on the origins of these encampments, he gave a more different response and states a few reasons, one of them being “Definitely Covid as the CDC (center for disease control) put out guidance (he said “guidance” with great emphasis and made sure that it was not a rule the CDC put out) to federal, sate, and local governments that warned them of interacting with the homeless because they all get packed into different shelters which cause superspreader events.” Another reason he gave was “[the United States’] economy for a long time (Covid did make it worse, but ever since The Great Recession in 2008) has mostly benefited the middle and upper class, while not benefiting those below the poverty line.” It is very obvious to see the fine line between who has the resources to recover from different events like the 2008 recession or the current global pandemic, and who does not (usually those who are homeless and start creating these encampments).

The current economic situation for most Americans and more specifically those in Santa Barbara have led to some resorting to a life riddled with extreme poverty and desperation to achieve resources that more fourtinite people can achieve with ease.

This desperation of resources can have a great effect that can impact many people. An example of this is the Loma Alta Fire which was caused by a man who was clearly in need of mental help and more likely could not afford said help. Lack of resources for this man (mostly because he could not afford it in the first place,

SB County Fire Deaprtment prior to him being eligible for any type of government help) caused multiple houses and a news station to be put at risk of burning down.

When Hazard was asked if he’s ever seen the County Fire department contact law enforcement assist on addressing specific encampments he responded with “there is a very big reluctance [from the police department and sheriffs] to use trespassing laws to get rid of homeless encampments, they prefer for it to be addressed through social services.”Hazard understands why as he saids right after “many people would be opposed to that, and the law enforcement community are somewhat reluctant.”

While law enforcement does not take part in removing the homeless, this can have a few positive and negative effects. A positive effect is that they do not violate any humanitarian laws and rights established by multiple local and global organizations. A more negative effect is that the homeless may get the wrong idea and believe they can set up camp wherever and not face any repercussions. The Santa Barbara Police Department gave no response when asked to participate in this feature story.

When Hazard was asked how these fires are started he responded with “however your fire is started you have to look on this pick list, was it a campfire or was it someone that was smoking in their tent. We would have to pick what most fits with the cause of this fire “sometimes it isn’t a campfire, sometimes it might be rubbish.”

Hazard followed up with “it might not be burning wildlife but just burning trash, in these encampments you tend to see a lot of rubbish.” Those native to Santa Barbara know what Hazard is talking about as major encampment hotpots like many on and off ramps across the 101 have large communities with multiple piles of trash. Hazard warned that “if they are in a back alley or near a building and start a rubbish fire then they could set the whole budding on fire.” He then offered information from the County Fire Department that stated in 2019 in which there were only one to two emergency responses from the county fire department related to illegal campfires. In 2020, that number was 20, a ten times increase within the span of a year. When Arson Investigator and Santa Barbara County Fire Captain Jay Snodgrass was asked on the origins of these encampment fires he said “it could be a makeshift tent with a fire inside...If they fall asleep while they have the fire going, an ember could fall into the improvised carpeting and start a fire.” He continued about another potential cause and claimed “[the homeless] could have heaters in there” Snodgrass then makes a theory that the homeless are afraid that the public would call authorities on their cooking fires which are burning on the outside and say they are starting a fire. Snodgrass

then said “They are trying to hide them, to make them not as obvious so the fire department and the police department do not show up.” Another cause that Hazard, Snodgrass, and DiGuilio all responded with was “generators.” Generators getting into homeless possession is another story in itself, but most are acquired through waste or stealing.

When it comes to assessing the city and fire departments strategy and actions to addressing homeless encampment fires, it is very much up to the individual’s interpretation of what is a “good” or “bad” strategy.

The city has taken more enforcement as they passed the emergency ordinance in the aftermath of the Loma Alta fire and kicked the homeless out of specific hotspots along the railroad which contain high vegetation and are susceptible to fires. This has led to them moving over to neighbouring communities like Goleta and along their part of the 101 freeway. Hazard claimed to have seen new encampments pop up across Goleta and especially the freeway that he has never seen before. While the City may see a decrease in vegetation fires and illegal campfires in these high risk areas in the Santa Barbara city limits, folks like Hazard and other residents of neighboring communities in the county may have to deal with the effects of the ordinance as they see increases in their homeless population and more significantly, encampment fires. Elizabeth Stotts and Rene Eyerly, two staff members who are addressing homeless encampment fires in the City of Santa Barbara gave no response when asked to participate in this feature story.

When DiGuilio was asked how the City Fire Department is addressing the encampment fires and preventing future fires that are a product of the rise of homlessness and encampments he said “were just in that collaborative effort with teams of people that are trying to get these people housed and get them off the streets so they can be warm for the night and not cook in any unapproved containers that can start fires and try our best to prevent another Loma Alta fire.” When asked where the department has found most success, DiGuilio’s response was “trying to get these folks to take advantage of the services that are being provided for them, and trying to get them out of the high fire zones.” Hazard’s response to the same question but in context on the county fire department was “ our role is to evaluate if a section of an area is a life safety or fire hazard, just like how we evaluate a business we send our inspectors to inspect on different encampments to see if they have campfires, barbeques, car batteries used to charge phones, generators that were buried in the ground so they became sound proof which gave them electricity to watch T.V.” He then went on and said that

“we have seen encampments that have built makeshift houses from scrap wood and tarps so they look like a mini shed.” Hazard then described what they do with this information: “we map it out on our iPads through a specific app, this information is for the public to see through reports. We then get to determine if a specific spot is a low or high fire hazard zone. The final thing we do is if the occupants are there we tell them what they are doing that is causing it to have risk.” Hazard explained that they knew they were going to start a fire so they tried their best to educate these people. Hazard was not too confident about the education being very effective but claimed to be duty bound so they have an obligation as a department to educate the people.

When DiGuilio was informed about Hazards remarks towards education of how to prevent these fires, he tended to agree.

Hazard claimed that the issue of encampment fires is a “myriad of problems that make it worse and worse.” Various socioeconomic factors that span for decades play a role in the origins of these homeless encampments, as well as lack of knowledge and desperation of resources can be attributed to the rise of encampment fires. While both the County and City Fire Departments have desperately tried to educate those most commonly found in these encampments, this strategy seems to barely affect the situation in a positive way. When asked about how he would address the situation, Hazard responded with a temporary transitional center that acted as a campsite so the homeless could bring their belongings to these places while being evaluated and rehabilitated. But what are the chances that the city or taxpayers are going to get behind an inherently expensive project like the one Hazard proposed? DiGuilio (who was asked the same question) gave a more simple response and claimed that he would take a similar strategy the city is taking. How would neighboring communities like Goleta or Montecito react to the city using the current strategy of removing homeless in specific hotspots, just for them to go to their communities. “The only way governments can respond to encampments initially, generally, is through law enforcement” Hazard claims, but how can one use enforcement when sheriffs and police departments are extremely hesitant about using trespassing laws? While many solutions have been offered from multiple different viewpoints, none have addressed the problem of homelessness and homeless encampment fires as a whole. It is then effectively up to the individual person to decide which is the best strategy to adress this very complex and nuanced problem.

10 | ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

OCTOBER 8, 2021

Met Gala 2021: Theme Confusion and Decadence

jeffamadi

BY LULU MARSETTI The Met Gala is known as “fashion’s biggest night out.” September 13th marked the night of the American-inspired fundraiser benefit for the Metropolitan Museum, cochaired by Billie Eilish, Timothée Chalamet, Amanda Gorman, and Naomi Osaka. A pivotal aspect of the Met Gala is the theme. Past themes include Camp, China, Catholicism, and punk. This year’s theme of the Met Costume Institute’s first exhibi-

tion is titled: “In America: A Lexicon of Fashion” and is subject to a myriad of different interpretations. However, it was presented as a chance to “reexamine American identity and fashion, especially as it has changed over the last several years due to both political and social justice movements” (Vogue). But how does this translate to the red carpet?

What might ‘In America: A Lexicon of Fashion’ look like? Andrew Bolton, the curator in charge of the Met Costume Institute, spoke to

Vogue regarding his opinions on this year’s theme. He said: “American designers are at the forefront of conversations around diversity, inclusivity, sustainability, gender fluidity, and body positivity…” In truth, many of the ensembles failed to connect to these prospective themes. “The framework of the show enables us to focus on the younger designers who are engaging thoughtfully and deeply with those ideas.” The red carpet this year had many fashion moments which could be attributed to past themes. For example, Iman’s

A New Voice in Pop Music: Olivia Rodrigo

BY ANA HUDSON-ZAPATA Olivia Rodrigo’s debut album, SOUR, is an alternative-pop record with hints of punk and bedroom-pop influence. Released on May 21, 2021, this eleven-track album was written almost entirely by Olivia Rodrigo herself. The album boasts collaborations from writer and producer Daniel Nigro, and writers Annie Clark, Jack Antonoff, Hayley Williams, Josh Farro, Casey Smith, and Rodrigo’s biggest musical influence, Taylor Swift.

The record starts with punk-altpop track ‘brutal’ and follows up with the ballad ‘traitor.’ The third track is a radio hit and the first single off of SOUR, ‘drivers license,’ followed by bittersweet songs ‘1 step forward, 3 steps back’ and her second single from the album, ‘deja vu.’ The next track is the third and final single released before the release of SOUR, ‘good 4 u’. Next on this chaotic and emotional tracklist is ‘happier’ followed by angry and alternative ‘jealousy, jealousy,’ with the Bonnie and Clyde-esque ‘favorite crime’ next. The final track is a heartbreaking ‘hope ur ok.’ With a tracklist as diverse as this, it’s no wonder this album became the longest-reigning number one album by a female artist in 2021, spending a total of five weeks at the number one spot on Billboard’s top 200.

Rodrigo wrote the majority of these songs in late 2020, after she was rumored to have broken up with her co-star on Disney’s “High School Musical: The Musical: The Series,”

Joshua Bassett. Bassett is rumored to have started dating actress and singer Sabrina Carpenter a mere two weeks after the breakup. According to Rodrigo in chart-topping “driver’s license”, “[She] just can’t imagine how you could be so okay now that I’m gone”. Bassett clapped back with the lyric, “You’ve been acting oh so innocent like I’m the only one to blame, you’ve been lying to yourself,” on his single “Lie Lie Lie” released January 14, 2021. Carpenter fueled the flame with the release of “Skin” with lyrics, “You can try to get under my...skin while he’s on mine”. The trio has yet to confirm any of the drama, but fans of Rodrigo unabashedly attacked both Bassett and Carpenter, going as far as to send them death threats. These did not stop even when, according to Billboard magazine, Bassett was hospitalized. This hospitalization occurred the same day of the release of his single “Lie Lie Lie.” Bassett suffered from heart failure with only a 30% chance of survival, and was told that if he had come in even 12 hours later, he would have been found dead in his apartment. He thankfully survived, though the threats did not subside.

Olivia Rodrigo is not only a singer, but a songwriter. She has written many songs including all of the tracks on SOUR. The majority of her lyrics revolve around the idea of someone being perfectly fine after a breakup, and feeling alone in the very feeling of being alone. The bittersweet theme that fills this album is extremely prominent, as seen in the song “traitor” with the lyrics,

“God, I wish you had thought this through before I went and fell in love with you,” amongst many other similar lyrics that enunciate the idea of unrequited love that is eminent throughout “SOUR.” This record also has themes of “reused” love. In the track “deja vu” she has the lyrics, “A different girl now, but there’s nothing new” alongside “Strawberry ice cream in Malibu? Don’t act like we didn’t do that sh*t too,” that reinforces this theme. Rodrigo has also stated that the song “deja vu” is influenced by “Cruel Summer” by singer/songwriter Taylor Swift. This isn’t the last of Swift’s influences in “SOUR.” On “1 step forward, 3 steps back” Rodrigo sampled the music in “New Years Day” from Swift’s sixth studio album, “reputation.” The final theme on this album appears to be self-hatred. This is extremely notable in tracks “brutal” and “jealousy, jealousy” with lyrics like, “I’m so sick of myself, I’d rather be, rather be, anyone, anyone else,” and “I feel like no one wants me, and I hate the way I’m perceived.”

However, these lyrics could also be a reflection on the music industry rather than the feeling of self-hatred.

Olivia Rodrigo has had a fantastic year career-wise, and her album was wildly successful and extremely well received by the younger generation.

This eleven-track record helped Rodrigo transition from actress to musician. Bouncing back from a difficult time in her life, Rodrigo has shocked the world with her musical abilities, and her fans are excited to see what she has in store next.

golden sun-goddess getup and Lil Nas X’s emperor-esque golden cape fit perfectly into the Heavenly Bodies theme from 2018. Over-the-top, Camp looks were in large supply, leaving us to wonder: why follow the theme?

I spoke to a few students about their thoughts on succession and failure of theme following. One said “I think it’s hard to have a Met Gala theme based on ‘American fashion’ when ‘American fashion’ is just a catalog of appropriating other cultures.”

Regarding the physical renderings of the theme: “My favorites were Lorde, Kendall Jenner, Lil Nas X, Anok Yai, Gigi Hadid, and Billie Eilish. My least favorite was Dan Levy.” Another made the case for her own opinion: “Technically, a lot of people did follow the theme, however I personally found them hideous, like Ciara’s bedazzled football dress.” I followed up, asking why she thought people failed at following the theme. “I think in more recent years people have followed the theme less and less, and it’s more of a guide. While it’s interesting to see designers use their own imagination, it would be cool to see more literal interpretations. A ton of designers saw the theme and went with Old Hollywood styles, which looked great on many celebrities like Billie Eilish, but I think it ended up being very overdone.”

So who ended up following the theme? In my opinion, some few successful executions representative of American fashion drew inspiration from the Wild West, Old Hollywood,

and pieces by American Designers.

Jennifer Lopez drew on both the wild west and American designer’s inspiration with her Ralph Lauren cowgirl look. As mentioned before, many guests showed up in looks inspired by former Hollywood stars, like Billie Eilish (Marilyn Monroe), Yara Shahidi (Josephine Baker), and Kaia Gerber (Bianca Jagger).

It’s unclear why so many guests would show up to fashion’s biggest night out wearing something completely off-point and seemingly random. One reason might be them referencing a kind of cognitive dissonance of the moment, where people’s executions of their ideas are completely disconnected or contradictory to the ideas themselves. Sure, if you analyze any outfit enough I’m sure you could make a connection to America in some way, even a golden multi-layered nesting doll outfit a lá Lil Nas X. Another reason could be narcissistically taking advantage of an opportunity to get as much attention as possible by either looking extremely bad and out of place or making some form of political statement.

Or maybe they believe Met Gala has never had a purpose in the first place and completely ignore the theme as a chance to rebel against this seemingly pointless affair that they’re forced to go to. In conclusion, all of these are good hypotheses, but at the end of the day it’s good to just take this event for what it is: a celebration of materialism and a decadent display of the world’s most rich and famous parading around for public enjoyment.

Red Dead Redemption 2 Review

BY LOGAN HUBBELL Rockstar Games is best known for the Grand Theft Auto series, but another one of their amazing game franchises is the Red Dead Redemption series. In this article I will be giving an in-depth review of Red Dead Redemption 2.The game designers are Christian Cantamessa and Imran Sarwar. Some of the characters and their voice actors are Arthur Morgan – Roger Clark.

Dutch van der Linde – Benjamin Byron Davis. Micah Bell – Peter Blomquist.

The story of Red Dead Redemption is amazing, with wonderful missions and characters throughout the game. The game explores a story about familial bonds and gang life in the old Wild West. The story shows you what it would be like to be in an old west gang with a high degree of realism. Chapters of the game are often filled with exhilarating heists as well as escaping the law. As you progress, the game displays themes of loss, betrayal, and, as the title suggests, redemption. The character you play as, Arthur Morgan, is a very complex man with a history. As you progress through the story, you get to make important decisions that can dictate Arthur either having high morals or becoming a ruthless killer. The story is definitely a 10/10 with remarkable twists and turns.

The gameplay in Red Dead Redemption is phenomenal with the old west gunplay feeling very seamless. On most consoles, the game will run at 60 frames per second with no problems and performs similarly for mid to higher-end PC’s. New mechanics to the game,

like talking to people,are entirely your choice whether you greet or antagonize npc’s (non-player characters). Another new game feature is the ability to upgrade your camp, and as you upgrade the camp over time, it starts to look a lot better cosmetically and you get new items and ammunition. Overall, the gameplay is amazing, but a few tweaks like better horse control and movement hold it back slightly, so I’d rate the gameplay a 9/10.

The controls for Red Dead Redemption 2 are very good on consoles like the PS4, Xbox 1, Xbox series x, and PS5. Unfortunately, the controls on PC are very janky and awkward in some areas. On consoles when you aim a weapon it auto locks onto the target, but on PC there is no auto locking which makes it very hard to aim at enemies if you are not extremely experienced with the game. This also applies to lassoing enemies because it’s under the same item categories as weapons. This all leads me to unfortunately rate the controls a 5/10 because of poor PC weapon aiming In conclusion, most of the game is perfect, except for the PC’s weapon aiming issue. Even though the game’s PC aiming issue is a hindrance, the game is still very playable despite that. Overall the game is a masterpiece, which brings me to my final rating of the full game.

I rate the game Red Dead Redemption 2 a 10/10. I recommend that every gamer tries this game at least once because it’s that amazing!

OCTOBER 8, 2021

SBHS Girls Volleyball Atop Division 6

Carlo Maguire

BY TOBIN SHYROCK During the later days in September, the Dons participated in one nonleague away match against the Westlake Warriors, where they won in four sets by a score of 3-1. Propelled by this big win, they then traveled south again to Oaks Christian High School for a two-day tournament.

The Dons went 4-2 with wins against the West Ranch Wildcats, Ventura Cougars, Foothill Tech Dragons, and Archer School. Unfortunately, the Dons suffered both losses to powerhouse Chaminade who currently has a 20-0 overall record and are ranked in the state.

The Dons are currently led by their Captains, Annie Knecht, a junior, and Emma Zuffelato, a senior. The current coaches are head coach Kristin Hempy, who is currently in her first year of coaching here at Santa Barbara High school, assistant coach Kim Zuffelato and Statistician Teo Diaz.

The team is currently ranked 73rd

in California Division 1 and 2nd in California Division 6.

The Dons competed in three nonleague scrimmages as well in addition to the weekend tournament.

They traveled to Thousand Oaks to beat the Lancers 3-1, led by Junior Shae Delany’s 17 kills. Emma Zuffelato added 12 kills, and Mary Johnson added 6 kills as well. Annie Knecht had 40 assists averaging a remarkable 10 assists a set against Thousand Oaks. They then faced up against the Foothill Tech Dragons for a rematch at home, where Zuffelato and Delany combined for a total of 26 kills. Annie Knecht added 33 assists to the game in addition to the 26 kills. Finally, the Dons’ last league game was at home against the Ventura Cougars, where they ended up defeating the Cougars in three quick sets.

The Dons now shift their attention to teams much closer to home. The Dons started their league schedule with the Chargers and then the cross

town rival Royals. The games did not go as planned, and although the Dons were swept in both games they played against San Marcos and Dos Pueblos.

Upon inquiry, Captain Emma Zuffelato commented, “Out of the games I’ve competed in, the most intense has been the DP and SM games. Even though we didn’t play to the best of our abilities, it’s just a different feeling playing against rival high schools no matter the scores. There’s still that feeling of intensity that other games just don’t give.”

About the responsibility of being a student athlete, Emma said, “I think being a student athlete has made me a better person because it has forced me to become more productive and learn to manage my time better. Also, it’s helped with communication and perseverance because being a student-athlete forces you to have to communicate all the time with teammates, teachers, coaches, etc. Also, having to persevere through difficulties with both volleyball and school.”

When speaking to the Dons Captain about the love for playing volleyball at the HS, she said, “ My favorite part about playing volleyball at SBHS is being able to be on a team with a bunch of my friends, also being able to represent the school because for beach volleyball it’s more individual, so at the high school it feels more like a team working together.” The Dons have 6 more league games, and then they will go to the playoffs, where they hope to win CIF this year. They have a great roster and are very well coached this season. Keep a lookout for more Dons girls volleyball games to come!

Frosh Sports Return

BY AVALON SCHEIM Many underclassmen at Santa Barbara high school feel that this school year has been quite a leap from past school years. From learning to adapt to a new and bigger school to learning how to be safe, underclassmen student-athletes have had to adjust and learn to many new rules and regulations. Below are interviews of freshmen and sophomores about how their year has gone by so far, their interests, and how the pandemic has affected their athletic and school experiences.

The first group of underclassmen interviewed were Jaeda Natale, Desire Cervantes, Melanie Sierra, Samatha Gutierrez, Grisa Alfaro, and Alejandra Duenez. These 9th and 10th graders gave me significant insight into what it’s like participating in cheerleading during the pandemic. When asked if they’ve had any cheer experience in the past, though the majority of them said no, almost everyone participated in other sports in the past. One thing they wish people knew about cheer is that it’s just as difficult and mentally draining as any other activity and that it is a real sport. After asking the group why they wanted to join the team, they replied that they wanted to do a sport and they liked their past experiences.

When asked to reflect on past performances at games, and what they would change if they could, the group thought they did pretty well, however they wished they had been louder and smiled more. All interviewed cheerleaders are planning on continuing cheerleading and when

asked the reason, they said they like how it pushes them to their limits and makes them stronger. Regarding playing a sport during the pandemic and what they would change about it, they wish they had practice more and wish they had more opportunities.

So far, 2020-2021 has been a stressful year for them. They have lost a few family members, and as Jaeda Natale put it, “It’s been hard dealing with this past year, but it’s been a learning experience.”

The next group interviewed were several freshman and sophomore football team players, Joel Robles, cornerback, Sergio Quiroga, left guard, Dylan Morelores, right guard/ defense and tackle, Edgar Gastelum, center, Sammy Congdon, wide receiver, Ashton Jackson, receiver.

Asking the same question the cheerleaders were asked, did you play or practice any sports during the pandemic? There were a majority of no’s but Congdon played soccer and basketball. Regarding how prepared for the season they felt because of the lack of practice due to the pandemic, they felt relatively ready for these next games and were proud of their performance in the recent game.

The only critique on their performance was how much they fumbled the ball and wished they’d blocked more. They all plan on pursuing football as their careers and their main support system is their families. The main inspiration for their aspiring football career was cited as growing up watching NFL games, with many having participated in other sports besides football in the past, such as golf, soccer, basketball, and baseball.

For freshman football the season has been quite strange, they’ve had less games and less practice than they usually would and they hope that they eventually get to play more.

2020-2021 in general, has been just as strange for them as the Cheer team.

“Masks are annoying,” Quiroga puts in, along with the team unanimously agreeing that they wish they had been less lazy during quarantine.

Overall, writing this article and doing these interviews has illustrated how much of a burden covid has been to sports teams especially. A special thanks to coaches Antonia Bautista and Christine Simms for helping set up these interviews and a thank you to the teams.

Carlo Maguire

SPORTS & CULTURE | 11

20th Anniversary of 9/11

BY VIVIANA RUIZ It has been 20 years since the tragedy on September 11th, 2001.

No one alive then or learning about it now will ever forget that day. On that day, 2,977 people passed away in one of the biggest terrorist attacks in the world. Four commercial airliners (American Airlines Flight 11, United Airlines Flight 175, American Airlines Flight 77, and United Airlines Flight 93) were hijacked by a group of 19 al-Qaeda terrorists. The hijackers were organized on the planes into three groups of five and one group of four, with one hijacker in each group having some flying experience. These four, when hijacked, later crashed at the World Trade Center, The Pentagon, and at a field near Shanksville, Pennsylvania. The flight that hit the first target in New York City was Flight 11, hitting the North Tower of the World Trade Center at 8:46 am. Seventeen minutes later, at exactly 9:03 am, the South Tower of the World Trade Center was struck by flight 175. Both towers collapsed within an hour and forty two minutes later. Flight 77 then crashed into the west side of The Pentagon in Arlington County, Virginia at 9:37 am. The fourth flight was Flight 93 and crashed into a field near Shanksville, Pennsylvania.

Flight 93 was on its way to Washington D.C. and it is believed that if the passengers didn’t overrule the hijackers it would’ve hit the capitol or white house.

Now, 20 years later, Saturday, September 11th, 2021, President Joe Biden flew to all three crash sites to acknowledge the victims from that morning. According to Reuters, Joe Biden arrived in New York City with former presidents Bill Clinton, Barack Obama,first lady Jill Biden and former first ladies Hilary Clinton and Michelle Obama. They all had a moment of silence at 8:46 am to remember when the first plane hit the North Tower. At that time, heads were down as they listened to relatives read the names of those who passed away. Later that morning, Biden then flew to Shanksville, Pennsylvania, before heading to the Pentagon. The passengers on Flight 93 were true heroes because they were able to stop another plane from hitting another target and by overpowering the hijackers. At Shanksville, he visited the memorial for Flight 93 where all the names of the passengers are engraved into a marble wall. Although Biden didn’t say much at any memorial he visited, he did make a video Friday

expressing his deep condolences to the families affected from 9/11.

Lastly, the Bidens then flew to their last stop at the Pentagon with Vice President Kamala Harris and second gentleman Doug Emhoff. They all touched a memorial where there is a series of benches that have been placed for all 184 victims.

Although at the time nearly 3,000 people died, 20 years later many 9/11 survivors are impacted by long lasting impacts to their health.

Illnesses are a common occurrence from when people breathed in debris or were in the dust and smoke from when the twin towers fell. Many ailing from this are first responders from NYC. The New York Times stated “off the 111,005 ground zero responders and survivors enrolled in the World Trade Center Health Program, 4,610 have died, according to officials at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.”

According to The New York Times one person who suffered from a 9/11 related illness was Daniel Foley who died in 2020 at the age of 46 from pancreatic cancer, the underlying cause believed to be attributed to 9/11. The New York Times stated that his illness was most likely “linked to his exposure to airborne debris while he searched for survivors at ground zero, including his firefighter brother, Thomas J. Foley, 32, whose body was found 10 days after the collapse.” Many people to this day are still dealing with the aftermath of 9/11 and hopefully the death toll will stop rising.

Locally, at the Santa Barbara County Courthouse was the first annual 9/11 Flag of Honor Across America Memorial. CADA, a teen court program, was selected to be a part of the 60 participants across the country to lead the national project. It was held at the Sunken Gardens at 9 am that Saturday.

Noozhawk cited that the ceremony took place across 60 communities and they all joined together to remember the lives lost on 9/11 and the bombing on February 26, 1993.

This event was the largest 9/11 remembrance in the country for the 20th anniversary.

The outcome of that tragedy truly changed the world and especially the United States forever. Here we are 20 years later still remembering the lives we lost and will never forget what happened on the morning of September 11th, 2001.

12 | SPORTS

OCTOBER 8, 2021

Santa Barbara Dominates in Football Season

BY ANDRE BATTLE Hundreds of people in white shirts jumped and screamed in the Dons Den as captain captain of the football team, Miguel Unzueta, caught a pass from Abel Renteria for his first touchdown of the season to bring the Dons further ahead over their rivals, the San Marcos Royals. The big game’s best part was being played at the newly renovated Peabody Stadium at full capacity. As a rivalry game against the Royals it was a packed house, and the Dons came to playand conquer, winning against SM, 40-7.

Football at Santa Barbara High School has always been popular, and with COVID-19 shutting down all sports, the Dons lost a huge gem last year. Even though the Dons were able to finally play a game at the Peabody stadium last season for the first time in years, the environment was not the same with a limited fan count due to COVID-19 regulations. to people staying safe over the summer, and school returning full time, the Dons were able to finally have a real season, and official home games.

What a better way to start a new, non-COVID affected season than with a home game? The Dons played their first game against Saugus, a very strong and well known football team, so the Dons initially knew it would be a battle. The Dons struggled throughout the game, and never truly seemed to be in control. Although the Dons may have gone scoreless and lost 35-0, the energy in the stadium was practically palpable, as every seat on the Dons side was filled. Even

with a loss, everyone on and off the field was just happy that football was finally back and could finally be enjoyed in our own stadium for the first time in almost half a decade.

The Dons weren’t going to let that one game define their season, though, and were ready to attack the next week against Thousand Oaks.

Proving that the Saugus game was a fluke, the dons beat Thousands Oaks 27-3 .Led by an amazing defensive effort by the Dons, the team did not allow their opponents to score even one touchdown. They continued their domination again the next week back home, wanting to prove to all of Santa Barbara that they’re a team to watch out for. They played against Righetti, a school well known for football.

Yet, once again, the Dons proved statistics wrong and won easily. When the Dons got their first touchdown at home this season, the crowd erupted into cheers that could be heard miles away. Finally at full capacity, and in their own stadium, the Dons were able to score “for six” for the first time in what felt like forever. The feeling in the crowd was indescribable, and as the varsity football team took their last snaps for their first home game win of the season!

The next game would be one of the biggest of the Dons’ season, as they were playing against their rivals, the San Marcos Royals. The tickets for the game sold out for students within the first day they were released, everyone was planning on going to the game.

It was the first home game against San Marcos the Dons had played in a long time, so the stands were set to be filled to capacity. The Dons did not

Carlo Maguire disappoint too, as previously stated, they crushed the whole game in front of thousands of screaming fans. They never seemed to ease pressure on the Royals, who were only able to score once the entire game, and the game seemed to be over by half. All together, the big game was definitely worth the long lines to get in,the troubles of finding tickets, and will be memorable for years to come.

The Dons aimed to keep their winning streak, and momentum from the past few games alive as they moved onto playing away at Ventura High School. Ventura has a reputation of being a strong high school, and the game would be much more of a challenge than the Dons had faced in the past few weeks. The scores ricocheted back and forth throughout the whole

game, and every time the Dons seemed to take a large lead or have an advantage, Ventura came back just as hard. It came down to the last play, with Ventura fifteen yards away from the end zone, and the Dons defense were able to stop the Cougars from coming back; securing the 28-21 win to add onto their win streak.

Players especially are so pumped to get back to playing normally and are trying to ease back into the intensity of a regular football season.

When I asked a player how he felt about being back to a somewhat “normal” football year, he said, “It’s nice to have the energy back, playing in front of our fans is a feeling like no other. I haven’t been this excited to play a game in years, especially now with our new stadium. It is

nerve-wracking though. This year is so much different than last year!”

Last year, football was much more latent, it was an extremely short season, and hardly any fans were able to go. Now, there seems to be endless fans, and the team is going back to a long, and intense season, with the energy being given and received at an all time high . Returning athletes have had to adapt to a new type of environment with this season, as we finally get back to a new normal. But in the end, everyone involved in the Santa Barbara High School football program, whether that be playing or watching, are ready for what this season holds. Make sure to check out the Dons play at the Peabody Stadium, and cheer them on!

and 232.3 yards per game. Abel has played very well, with very few interceptions thrown, many yards gained, and completed passes. “I am very confident about my team. Once we start fixing our mistakes and start playing the way I know we can, nobody will be able to stop us. I believe we can beat any opponent that gets thrown to us this season.” Abel declared. Although passing is one of his strengths, he can also run with the ball very well, using his speed and strength to outmaneuver and run right through linemen and defensive backs.

Abel has more competition coming at him this season, including the Lompoc and Oxnard High School teams. Both schools have been known for having very exceptional varsity football teams. He will have to continue working hard and staying committed to keep succeeding in

the way he has so far. He has a tremendous responsibility and a lot of pressure on him because of the reputation he has been given. Still, he is handling this very well and showing everyone what he can do. On the topic of pressure and expectations, Abel says, “Of course, having such a huge role to fill at such a young age, I will have some pressure on me. But I know what I can do on the field, and I have some of the best guys around me to help.” Being a sophomore with this role on a varsity football team is a significant duty for him and requires a lot of trust from his coaches and teammates. Abel has been dominating his competitors and representing his family and school successfully. He has trained his entire life for this, and we are all looking forward to his future not only in high school, but for his career as an incredible athlete.

Athlete of the Month: Abel Renteria

Carlo Maguire

BY CARTER BATTLE Abel Renteria has led the Santa Barbara High School Varsity football team to 4 wins so far in the season. He has been nominated to be Athlete of the Month due to his grueling work and dedication to the game. Abel reflects that, “to be nominated as Athlete of the Month is a big honor…I’m really happy with where I’m at right now but I know there is always room to improve and work harder.” Following the great reputation of his father, Poncho Renteria, Abel is a very talented and hard-working sophomore.

Playing a crucial role in the varsity football team’s success, he has led them to a 4-1 record.

Abel has had to work very hard to be where he is today. He has been working out, training, practicing, getting faster, stronger, and better every day, and it has clearly paid off.

He has earned his spot as the starting quarterback by proving himself to his coaches and showing everyone what he can do. “I don’t think of anything else besides playing football and doing my job. I’ve been playing this specific position my whole life, and I will never let anything affect the way I play,” Abel says about his commitment. He has put a lot of effort into his game, and it is showing on the field.

Abel also gives a lot of credit to his teammates and coaches who

have helped him improve. He says, “I wouldn’t have been able to accomplish it without the guys surrounding me. They make my life easy, they are the ones who should be getting praised.” He sees his team as a second family to him, with everyone getting better and growing together.

From the wide receivers catching his throws to the linemen protecting Renteria from the opposing team, everyone on the team works together to accomplish their goal; with Renteria leading the way.

With a couple of games into the season so far, Abel has completed 11 passing touchdowns and 5 rushing touchdowns. The team all together has averaged 17.3 points per game

Carlo Maguire