May 1, 2015Volume 101, Issue 7 forge.sbhs@gmail.com

THE SBHS

FORGE

What’s Inside?

Sports: tennis wins 15th straight league titleCenterspread: next stop, college!

News: ASb Elections

thesbhsforge.com

$12.7M stadium renovation races to the finish

Few high school stadiums in the nation have been witness to

so many celebratory triumphs as Santa Barbara High School’s own Peabody Stadium. Over the course of 90 years, Peabody Stadium has generated five CIF Football Championships, facilitated the graduation of more than 50,000 students, and spirited the entirety of the student body through countless pep rallies. Now the Foundation for Santa Barbara High School -- working in partnership with the Santa Barbara Unified School District -- has decided to give back to such a renowned stadium with an extensive, $12.7 million dollar renovation.

The project will take flight shortly after the upcoming football season in the fall and is scheduled for completion around December of 2016. “Santa Barbara High School is the flagship school in our district,” said Santa Barbara Superintendent David Cash. “This is possibly the most important project we will do in the next hundred years.”

The initial decision to address such an arduous and somewhat controversial challenge was based on multiple regulatory

requirements, as well as certain Santa Barbara High School athletic objectives. The current grandstand does not meet building demands regarding handicap accessibility, and is not up to code with California’s earthquake regulations. In addition, the cement track that surrounds the field is effectively unusable and is not certified for CIF track competitions.

“We didn’t get a lot of resistance from our alumni because we took them down there and talked them through our plans and showed them the renderings,” said Principal John Becchio. “However many people did not want us to change the name of the stadium and we respected that. They didn’t want us touch the ‘Walk of the Dons,’ and they were really sensitive about the ticket booth up top because it is a historic landmark. Those were the three main controversial points but once they were addressed, a lot of people became supportive of the plan to make the stadium a better space.”

The most significant variation to be made is the construction and repositioning of a brand new 2,300-seat concrete grandstand that will preserve the original style of the cherished stadium. It will

be centered on the 50-yard line, which allows a more enjoyable experience for the fans and encourages them to be more attentive to the action on both ends of the field. The repositioning also permits the installation of a new synthetic track that will match CIF specifications. The new formulation of the grandstand will include a team room, weight room, classroom, and trainer’s room and features a tunnel for the entrance and exit of the players. There will also be two new bathrooms introduced for the convenience of the spectators, as well as an elevated press box and film platform for professional videoing of every game.

Athletic Director Joe Chenoweth anticipates that the new project will enhance the student recruitment process saying, “I hope this will help increase our student body and I hope kids want to come to our school because of the new facility, not only for track, but for all the other sports as well. There are kids that take P.E. whom this project will benefit and when we have an event down in the stadium there will be new bleachers and new resources for everyone to enjoy.

Continued on page 10

Tyler GreenwaldEditor-in-Chief

Overhead master plan for the new Peabody StadiumPhoto courtesy of the Foundation for Santa Barbara High School

Drought updateThe California

drought has now reached stage two

of the drought rating system after three years of the driest weather recorded in California history. Due to levels of water falling rapidly and no replenishment in sight, the Santa Barbara City Council has followed state legislation by implementing anti drought measures to reduce water waste.”Waste” means any excessive, unnecessary or unwarranted use of water, including but not limited to any use which causes unnecessary runoff beyond the boundaries of any property as served by its meter and any failure to repair as soon as reasonably possible any leak or rupture in any water pipes, faucets, valves, plumbing fixtures or other water service appliances. Water saving measures include hoses must be equipped with an automatic shut-off nozzle, Washing of pavement and other hard surfaces is generally prohibited, The use of water in ornamental water features and fountains is prohibited, water rationing at restaurants, and several other measures all built to maximize efficiency.

Hopes for a brief respite via snowfall this winter were quickly dashed when snowfall this April was the lowest recorded. Furthermore, Californians in cities and towns reduced their water consumption by just 2.8 percent in February and March, marking the lowest conservation numbers since records began to be kept in the July of 2014. On April 1, 2015, Governor Brown issued an Executive Order mandating a 25 percent reduction in water use for all urban water users. The California Public Utilities Commission will work in coordination with the Water Board to direct the investor-owned water companies to comply with the new restrictions and rate structures in a parallel manner as adopted by the Water Board.

Mark GrossStaff Reporter

“Pot of gold” left to SBHS

In 2012, former SBHS principal Claud Hardesty passed away at the age of 102. It has been announced that he has gifted our school a “pot of gold”, and today at 11:30 on the front steps of Santa Barbara High School there will be a news conference where memebers of the SBHS alumni association board will be present and school officials will reveal Hardesty’s “gift of gold”. Today there will also be an alumnus “guest principal”, don’t miss it!

News

Meet your 2015-2016 ASB officers!

Students abuzz over 2016 presidential candidatesThe race for the

next American president is already

in full swing. As Obama’s second term comes to a close, the buzz among Santa Barbara High School students over the forthcoming presidential elections has begun. Although the vote will occur in 2016, a host of candidates have started their campaigns and have had their efforts spotlighted by the mainstream news. Many more candidates may yet announce their bids for president, but as of this issue of The Forge, these are the top contenders.

Among the Democrats, Hillary Clinton is currently the most popular. So far, no other major Democratic candidate has appeared on the scene, leaving Clinton unchallenged to be nominated by the Democratic Convention as their choice for president.

Clinton has not yet made any formal announcements, but her platform will most likely include new policies to help out working and middle-class families struggling in the current economy. Raising the minimum wage might be one of her proposals. Vice President Joe Biden could also become a top Democratic choice for 2016. However, he has not yet announced if he will run.

In the other major American party, the Republicans, the head competitors are Marco Rubio, Ted Cruz, Jeb Bush, and Rand Paul. There is also a Republican

female candidate, Carly Fiorina, who is trying to break into the political sphere.

A few Dons have already embraced the Republican ticket. As diehard conservative Mark Gross of the senior class said, “I’ll die before I let another Democrat into the Whitehouse!”

In the fight to appeal to Republican voter and win their party’s nomination, these Republican contenders have all endorsed conservative policies. They uniformly denounce same-sex marriage, refuse to consider any path for undocumented workers to achieve citizenship, and are uninterested in measures to fight climate change.

For those who do not agree with the current two-party Democratic-Republican paradigm, there is an array of alternatives to choose from beginning with the Socialist Party and the Communist Party, the Libertarian Party, the Transhumanism Party, the Green Party, the Prohibition Party, and the Objectivism Party among others. There are also hundreds of independent write-in candidates that can be voted for.

Senior Saul Nadis says he might be voting for a third-party candidate or Clinton, although he personally believes that “voting is problematic because it gives a people a false sense of fulfillment. Nevertheless, it has a nice symbolic potential to unite people over broader causes.”

Another senior, Spencer Glesby, also favors alternative candidates and would most likely be voting for Senator Bernie Sanders, a democratic socialist. “I trust Sanders as a candidate because of his lack of ties to, and outspoken criticism of, corporate businesses and Wall Street, and also because he has long been a huge advocate for middle-class workers. Sanders believes in finding more sustainable sources of energy in industry. He also puts high priority on quality education and health care in America, favoring more European/Scandinavian style systems in both of these areas. Sanders is also an outspoken advocate for women’s wage and health rights, something I greatly appreciate in a candidate.”

Among other potential and more “original” candidates, the rapper Waka Flocka Flames has also announced a bid for presidency; however, his campaign has come to a swift end due to not meeting the age requirement of 35. Before this roadblock, Flames’ campaign platform contained the planned legalization of marijuana, the outlawing of dogs in restaurants, and the banning of people with big feet from using the sidewalk.

In the coming months SBHS will begin to see more and more energy focused on the presidential race, with its culmination leading America into another chapter of its influential history.

Edoardo KaplanManaging Editor

ASB President: Sean Babcock“We’ve got a killer crew. I’m totally into

it.”

ASB Vice President: Porter Rees“SBHS till death.”

ASB Treasurer: Madeleine Schmidt“Make bank.”

ASB Secretary: Jada Howard“Let’s take some notes!”

Pep and Rally: Will Beightol and Connor Egan

“Die up?”

May 1, 20152

Editors

Emma CisekTyler GreenwaldEditors-in-Chief

Nicola FreelandLayout Editor

Edoardo Kaplan Managing Editor

Website Editor

Gabriel RealiNick Blondell

Entertainment Editors

Blake DeVineSports Editor

Beau LettieriWebsite Editor

Chris GuldenOpinion Editor

staff rEportErs

Emmanuel GonzalezMark Gross

Alonso MartinezAlyssa MendiblesLizzie Saunders

Sarina WassermanMitzi De La LuzEvelin Cervantes

Alexis Gaytan

ContributorsDavid ZevallosOlivia Harris

Pheobe MullenAntigone Greene

CartoonistsFrances and TessKeiran Meaney

advisorOtto Layman

Staff

The ForgeRoom 31, 700 E. Anapamu St.

Santa Barbara, CA 93103

805.966.9101 ex. 5031

Opinion

Real recognizes realFor the last

issue of the Forge, I wrote an

article that some people found offensive. I am now accused of bullying because it appears that today’s society is too politically correct to handle other people’s opinions, so I decided to write this article to clarify my last article. This is NOT an apology. I will give you legitimate reasons why I wrote my article and why I feel the way I feel.

First of all none of you are “unique”. You are all trying too hard to be different, so you can have attention you so dearly crave. The thing is, when people are authentic, they do not care what other people think of them. I heard from other students that some students don’t feel safe at school. First of all, our society has become super gentrified by people like you by crying victim when somebody says something you don’t agree with. You are the MAIN

reason why free speech is going down the drain in this country. It is impossible to talk anymore without offending at least one person. Secondly, nobody is going to be beat you up, especially nowadays, for dressing like “punk rawkers”. Back in the day, you would get beat for listening to punk music, or for people just not liking you. When you take the danger away from punk, it is no longer legitimate. Let me tell you why. If you are not willing to take a hit for something that you believe, then you don’t really believe in it. Being spineless gets you nowhere in the real world and only gets you trampled.

The bottom line is that real recognizes real. If you are fake you will get called out for it. You just use a different “identity” because you are insecure about who you really are. All you are doing by putting on your Halloween costume is masking your insecurities. If you are true to yourself then people will notice and they will respect you. Peace. #RealRecognizesReal

Emmanuel GonzalesStaff Reporter

Letter to the editor: Free speech or bully tactics?

I recently read an article, published in the Forge, about the

students who frequent the Meadow at lunchtime. Frankly, I was baffled. This was neither a scathing indictment nor a humorous prose sketch, instead the author’s tone was peevish and even, shall I say it? creepily obsessive.

Although attributed to one of the Forge’s staff writers, I found it hard to believe that this was written by a high school student at all. Instead it sounded like someone’s menopausal and reactionary mom having an ill-considered rant about what’s to be done with today’s youth: their appallingly rebellious attitudes, their outlandish fashion choices, and their refusal to conform to propriety. (Or worse, the mom’s louche boyfriend, who likes to hang around campus with a telephoto lens.)

Except for some poorly observed descriptions of neon hair and clownish “homeless” attire, this thoroughly unoriginal tirade could have been written by some old guy in the 1950s, the 1920s, or even earlier. “Our youth have bad manners, contempt for authority; they show disrespect for their elders; they’re on

Antigone GreeneContributor

social media instead of getting exercise; they contradict their parents; they text constantly; scarf down their food and tyrannize their teachers,” to paraphrase that most famous of old guys, Socrates. And I’m sure even he was not the first.

Well-informed parents and teachers (whether liberal or conservative) understand that an adolescent’s key developmental tasks are to separate from his/her/their parents and explore his/her/their world. And the parents are well-advised to stay out of it, instead of choosing their kids’ outfits for them or writing op/ed pieces under the nom de plume of “Spyke”.

So what’s your point? Don’t you dare to be different? Whether or not you know it, you already are. Afraid no one will sit with you if you have lunch in the Meadow? Stop skulking around behind the chain-link fence. Come out of that huge, obsolete, Reagan-era walk-in closet of yours! Don’t be scared, we don’t bite. (But I’ll see you after school…)

By the way, “Spyke”, there are plenty of great career choices for people with your journalistic talent: Movie Star, for instance, or even Astronaut.

Are you afraid of self expression? There’s an

article printed above mine that

clarifies a recent Forge article, an article that many viewed as offensive. I’ll say this first: I agree. It was rude and tactless. And the author’s response above is also very offensive. Instead of trying to restore his reputation as a journalist foremost and a blowhard pundit in the background, the author (quite stupidly) continues to steep himself in the murky bog of his own opinions. There is one reason I’m writing this article, and that is to speak up for the “scenecinatti” and respond to the author’s points in a carefully written rebuttal. Let’s dive in, shall we...

To start: the offensive article isn’t even well written; in fact, it’s simply an amalgamation of poorly worded, offensive sentences that don’t really make sense. So I’ll make my points clearly and concisely, and hopefully I won’t offend anyone.

First I’ll say this: just because you don’t understand the reasons why someone dresses the way they do is no reason to

say that they are “the main reason free speech is going down the drain.” Let’s be honest, the main reason free speech is going down the drain is because of ignorant, unintelligent things that written in the defense of free speech. But the author gets one thing right, and that is that no one chooses to be different. But what people can choose is kindness. Yes, that’s a clichéd statement. Honestly, who cares? If you enjoy writing hurtful articles for your pleasure, maybe take a look at your life choices and ask why your only source of enjoyment is in the pain of others. And don’t go saying that this is overwrought, because that article did hurt people.

Here’s what I’m saying. Don’t offend people without knowing that there will be serious backlash. Don’t deal with that backlash by another amalgamation of poorly worded, offensive statements. Don’t insult our intelligence. And when I say “our,” I am identifying with the “scenecinatti.” Hope that doesn’t scare you too much.

Nick BlondellEntertainment Editor

No, BDS is not short for badassB o y c o t t

d i v e s t m e n t sanction (BDS)

is a movement that has swept college campuses across our nation, including our beloved UC schools. Student senates at places like UC Davis, UCLA, and most recently, UCSB last Thursday, have voted on whether or not to support their university’s endowment dollar investments in companies that do business with the state of Israel. A majority of school-wide senates have voted in favor of BDS, while at UCSB the 50/50 split became a vote against BDS thanks to a single tie-breaking vote. There is more to this story, however, than meets the eye.

You are probably wondering what this has to do with us SBHS students. Let me explain. As soon-to-be college students, for the first time, many of us will be confronted with a multitude of opinions, races, religions, and political views. It is up to us to educate ourselves about the truth.

The debate around BDS on college campuses has recently become less about Israel’s political choices, and more of

a way to single out Jewish Americans on campus for their religious and ethnic identities. These are clearly two separate issues. As a Jewish-American half Israeli teen, this issue hits home, as it should for many of us. We live in a democracy where our rights to religious freedom are protected, while our rights to free speech allow us to express an opinion about another country’s actions. It should never be confused with racially segregating, marginalizing, name-calling, or physically harassing others with a differing view, which has been the case on several UC campuses around BDS.

Since we were young, we have (hopefully) been taught universal acceptance of others, and lived in a nation that was formed on the backs of immigrants. To me, there is an irony and sadness regarding what has happened most recently because these beliefs are not being upheld. This is a reminder to each one of us to not only read and understand controversial issues more carefully, but to support and protect the religious and ethnic rights of others… even when we do not agree with the politics.

Sarina WassermanStaff Reporter

A note from the publisherToday I met with two remarkable young

women and a concerned father, and the question they had was this: “When does writing that is demonstrably hateful cross the line and become hate speech.?” We spoke for a good half hour about their pain and chagrin in being singled out at school for nothing more than how they look, and how it re-inforces stereotyped visions of people based on shallow and spiteful observations. Given the relative slow response time of printed media in a digital world, it is unfortunate that we are not able to respond articulately to an opinion or article immediately, but must wait until the next issue--but we do respond, and offer a platform for students--all students--at SBHS to respond publicly.

The student responses to the article have been articulate, intelligent, foreceful and elegant. They offer a glimpse into real world repercussions and consequences for opinions--and should serve to remind the author of the original article that what students here seek is a place of acceptance, and that we should embrace difference.

Perhaps the author should bear in mind the Hippocratic oath, and adapt it from the ethics of medicine: Do no harm.”

Here at the Forge we encourage all students to advocate for themselves, to respond when provoked and help educate students in the brilliant diversity that exists on this campus. We pledge to provide, always, that platform for your voices.

Otto Layman

Submit letters to the editor at forge.sbhs@gmail.com!

3May 1, 2015

Features

HoroscopesAries: You’ll

soon come to realize one

thing: that you were born to follow your dreams. So from now on you’ll just sleep all day attempting to follow those dreams.

Taurus: Your life will soon change from comedy to tragedy, therefore sending all the wrong people into laughing fits.

Gemini: If you feel like you’ve run out of gas, that’s alright. There’s a gas station station on lower Milpas.

Cancer: Although you can’t run away from your problems, that doesn’t mean you can’t elude them. Just find the classic “glasses, fake nose, and mustache” disguise, and spend your days hiding behind a vintage 1950’s newspaper. You’re bound to not be found.

Leo: Mars is rising in your sign, but that just means that the earth’s orbit has changed drastically and we’re all about to die!

Virgo: So...I’m in a rut and don’t know what to write for you. I’m sorry bud.

Libra: Your antic disposition will become extremely uncomfortable, and you will therefore stop pretending to be a crazy person. Serves you right for reading Hamlet.

Scorpio: A visiting angel of the lord will come down to you, apologize, ask for directions, and advise birth control.

Sagittarius: Come on. It’s almost May! Get it together! (If you’re wondering what you should get together, don’t ask me. I’m not a freaking psychic.)

Capricorn: Expect little change from last month, except that polar bears have grown opposable thumbs and will soon take over the world using small rudimentary tools.

Aquarius: You will provide political insight at your local Starbucks/hipster coffee barista place by proclaiming that those politicians are all “damned dirty apes!”

Pisces: You are the fish. How does that make you feel? No, really. How does it make you feel?

Nick BlondellEntertainment Editor

Things overheard in the hallway

“We have a very nice Asian boy on our team.”

“My dad formed a YRC in college...but that was just to meet girls.”

“Nick blew it in front of Becchio”

“I raised you better than that!”

“You know what I realized? I’m a below average driver.”

“Yeah all my friends are mediocre drivers.”

“You know who’s a great driver? Blake DeVine...oh wait, I lied.”

“I got a shout out on @gays_in_paradise that got over 300 likes”

Letter to the editor: Worlds apart

Everyone’s different, just look around. The person to your left is different than the person to your right. You’re different, whether you like it or not. What sets many of us apart is if we choose to embrace our differences.

Many people are afraid, terrified even, that their true selves won’t be accepted. It could be because of social status or being afraid you’ll lose your “high standing,” when really no one will care about in a few years’ time.

It’s up to us to let everyone know that it’s okay to be different. That being different is a good thing. But, there are many people who feel the need to put others down for their individuality. Maybe, it’s because they are boxed in, because they haven’t been able to figure out who they are? Possibly they think society should fit into a cookie-cutter format, and that the masses of society would be better off being robots.

That’s not how we are born and bred to be. That people are supposed to have their own thoughts and feelings. Maybe you won’t agree with their ideas, but it is important that we are respectful towards one another and learn from one another.

Hating others won’t make you feel better about yourself. In the same way that I am part of the so-called “alternative social activist” group that “walk out of their houses looking like clowns every morning,” every “group” dons a uniform.

What some others fail to realize is that, personally, I don’t dye my hair unnatural colors and wear all black to try and stand out. In school I’m a decently introverted person who sits in the back and quietly does their work. I’m not trying to make a fashion statement; I couldn’t care less about fashion. I wear what I wear because

I feel comfortable and I like the color. The reason I dye my hair is because I see it as an outlet for healthy self-expression.

But, when someone attacks a group of kids who are seen as “different” saying that there is something wrong with us, that is not okay. There’s nothing wrong with us; if anything I feel nothing but pride when I look around at the people I am lucky to call my friends. They are some of the nicest, most caring people I have ever met. When I read the article entitled “The plague of attention seeking individuals,” which said that “together we can suppress and eliminate the scourge of the alienated non-conformist,” it felt like a jab at the people I consider family. I was angry and furious that people could be so ignorant and pretentious to write such rude comments.

These are human beings you’re talking about, not a virus. Individuality is beautiful; it’s what make every person unique. Just think about how different everyone is in the whole world, literally billions of individuals, each with their own story to tell. But, if you bully them to the point where they feel terrible about themselves, we’ll never know their story. That’s how we learn and change right? By formulating new ideas and concepts, talking to one another? How are we supposed to develop if we’re all the same? Maybe they should give us “different” kids a chance to show that we won’t be silenced and we will stand up for what we believe in.

“Respect existence or expect resistance.”

Sincerely,Resident of “Scene City”

Meet SBHS’s hidden talent!

As you might already know, Santa Barbara High School

offers so many activities to help students excel both in and outside of school. Two great examples of this are clubs and sports, which includes two dance teams. Everyone should know about the Donettes, right? But not everyone knows about the Santa Barbara Don Riders Dance Crew. They are a student driven organization that supports underprivileged students by giving them the opportunity to express themselves artistically and succeed in school. They also provide tutoring, college mentoring, career services, community service, and public speaking experience.

The Don Riders Dance Crew was established in 2010 by Pedro Menchaca who is the club advisor. Menchaca explained that it was a student’s idea to form the dance team. As time passed, the team became bigger and better. They have performed at both the State St. and Milpas Christmas parades, Old Spanish Fiesta Days, and the football and basketball halftime shows. The team members are motivated to interact with the people of our city in a positive way and express their ideas, individual needs, and start thinking about their future.

This year, the team choreographer, Brittany Sandoval, began working on the team harder to make it better. They work very hard at every practice to give the best they can. They hope to do great and make the team even better for next year. So if you’re interested in being part of this amazing team, make sure you get the information for next year’s tryouts which are coming very soon!

Mitzi De La LuzStaff Reporter

Recycle me!

May 1, 20154

Features

Artists of the Month: Ben WeiningerHow long have you

been VADA and what helped you realize

that art is your calling?I have been in VADA since sophomore

year, I was in Pre VADA my freshman year of high school. I would have to say definitely mentors and VADA helped me a lot with my art. They set me up with mentors most of the time for example Santa Barbara Art Fund, I did three mentorships with them. The first mentorship I did with Rafael Pieta who is a very famous artist. He is a very accomplished artist, he brought me through his technique and art. I had done two more mentorships, one of the two was with Collin Fershure Grey who is a classical artist. And the other mentorship with Michael Erwin who is a gallery artist but he also does a lot of abstract art. Overall VADA helped me out with materials so then I could make my own projects for class.

After high school do you plan on pursuing an art career?

Yes I do plan on pursuing an art career after high school, I got accepted to Central Saint Martins that’s in London for product design. So after high school I will be doing industrial design.

Did you ever expect to become artist of the month? How does it make you feel to be artist of the month?

I honestly only saw artist of the month about one time I really never thought about it, so no I never expected to be artist of the month. I feel much honored to be

artist of the month.

When did you begin to take an interest in art? When did you really begin to draw?

I really started to draw my freshmen of high school, I really just got a sketchbook and started to draw whatever I could. Then I realized that I could get better at it because I wasn’t ever a good artist until I practiced a lot.

Did you have an inspiration at the time you began to draw and any inspirations you have today?

Yes, I had an inspiration at the time recognition is always nice. My dad’s friend always said “Hey should start doing more art because you talent for not have done anything like it before.” Mostly industry inspires me today to see what’s out there and bringing inspired to do something. I mean art isn’t just painting, art is love design and everything. Everything you

see is designed by an artist like a watch a phone. Just seeing ways you could improve anything that exist.

In your opinion does your art say anything about you personally?

Yes my paintings are really abstract, weird and doesn’t really make sense which I like to do. I also like to put a lot of emotion in my art which makes it really abstract so yes my art really does reflect me.

Alyssa MendiblesStaff Reporter

Staff Spotlight: Ms. Slemp

Ms. Slemp is an English teacher at SBHSPhoto courtesy of Evelin Cervantes

I have recently interviewed one of SBHS’s English

teachers Ms. Slemp. This is her 12th year at SBHS. She has taught English & English as a 2nd language at SBHS. Ms. Slemp also taught at LCJH & GVJH and she student taught at El Camino Elementary School because she has multiple subject credentials.

Does she enjoy working at SBHS? She does as she was so excited when she found out that this would be her placement. She used to coach high jump, long jump and triple jump for SBHS’s track team. Who can say that their English teacher use to coach the track team? I know I can. Ms. Slemp says that she feels very supported by her fellow teachers.

Even teachers have lives outside of these walls. Ms.Slemp enjoys travel, in fact she has been to 43 different states and 61 different countries! She says that learning about different cultures is a passion she has, this is her favorite way to learn. I guess knowing what she already does is not enough. She also loves to do stand up paddle boarding, hiking, reading, and writing for fun. She also enjoys spending time with friends & eating the best foods this world can offer. She should invite me some time.

Being an English teacher is a lot of work so I asked Ms. Slemp what is the thing that she doesn’t like about being an English teacher. She said grading essays is

the toughest part of the job because it is so time consuming and it is a brain drain after a long day of teaching.

Many teachers establish a good relationship with their students so I asked Ms. Slemp if she establishes good relationships with her students and she said, “I truly hope so. They are what makes this job exciting to come to every day.” I feel special now. She continued, “If I looked at them as just a group of students instead of individuals then I wouldn’t feel the same way. I do a lot of pair & group activities and still try to talk to students 1-on-1 about their big writing projects so they understand how to improve. I try to attend to art shows, dances, and plays at school & supporting events as often as possible so I see a different side of them.”

Ms.Slemp is one of the many staff that help students reach their goals and I know it because she has been helping me out with my work and letting me know where I need to improve. Thank you Ms. Slemp and all the staff members of SBHS.

Evelin CervantesStaff Reporter

5May 1, 2015

Class of 2015: Where will they go next?

CaliforniaCal Poly Pomona: Michelle ChongCal Poly SLO: Levi Janney, Matt

Murray, Matt Gilligan, Jacqueline Starnes, Kyla Zavala, Dylan Carmody, Jessica Bitters, Alexis Gulden, Chris Gulden

Cal State Fresno: Pericles SpanosCal Lutheran: Marissa HolguinChapman University: Marcus

Tmur, Alex AlexanderConcordia University: Sienna

GoggiaMills College: Maia ZiaeeScripps College: Marianna AlevraUC Berkeley: Ruby Sapia, Jessie

MooreStanford: Colin Hyatt, Christina

BuchananUCLA: Hannah Ross, Chloe

Hordequin UC San Diego: Madison Hale,

Hannah CraigUCSB: Alexis RottmanUniversity of San Diego: Emily

CockellUSC: Duncan King, Sareena Hunt,

Mary Kogevinas

HawaiiUniversity of Hawaii: Tatum

Vedder

ArizonaGrand Canyon University:

Cassandra Amador, Erika Chavez, Valeria Reyes

ASU: Nicola Freeland

OregonLewis and Clark: Lauren

FlemingPacific Northwest College of

Art: Hannah CroshawUniversity of Oregon: Tessa

Fredericks, Julia Granet, Samantha St. John

Texas Rice University: Claire

Casey

ColoradoUniversity of Denver:

Devon Fitzgibbons

Seniors: Today is the day! Remember to let the counseling office know where you’ll be attending next

year!

Class of 2015: Where will they go next?

MassachusettsBerklee College of

Music: Liam CettiGordon College: Nick

BlondellHarvard University:

William Belfiore, Spencer Glesby

Tufts University: Jackie Cabral

Rhode IslandBrown University:

Dalton Schroeder, Rachaell Diaz

MinnesotaC a r l e t o n

College: Makala Hieshima

IndianaEarlham College:

Erik SektaUniversity of

Notre Dame: Andrew Fay, Brooke McGill

FloridaFlorida State University:

Blake DeVine

Montreal, CanadaMcGill University: Manon Taylor,

Alex Varner, Graham Collector

New YorkNYU: Maisie

Zimmerman, Emma Cisek, Julia Kupiec

Pratt Institute: Sydney Barton

VermontMiddlebury

C o l l e g e : Hannah Seabury

OhioUniversity of

Dayton: Mattea Kilstofte

MichiganUniversity of

Michigan: Zach Parent

TennesseeVanderbilt University: Olivia

Hayden

PennsylvaniaUrsinus College: Anika

Backelin-Harrison

Seniors: Today is the day! Remember to let the counseling office know where you’ll be attending next

year!

Arts & Entertainment

Movie Review: Paul Blart: Mall Cop 2

Paul Blart: Mall Cop 2 is an exercise in

stupidity. It’s not only completely unfunny, but also so unmemorable than it’s almost impossible to write a funny review. But I’ll make an attempt to find some good things in quagmire, but I doubt I will. So here goes…let’s dive in, shall we?

This film is awful. Kevin James, still living off the residuals from daytime reruns of King of Queens, simply doesn’t understand what’s the right material

for comedy. His jokes are completely offensive just because there is no humor to them at all, not to mention the fat, Indian, and security stereotypes. I think I forgot some parts of the movie just because of the product placement that is so obvious. I don’t think that the Wynn resort in Vegas actually asked Happy Madison (the production company, ironically owned and run by Adam Sandler) to make a giant walking commercial for their hotel, but that’s what it seems like.

There was actually one time I laughed

Nick BlondellEntertainment Editor

The Mystery of Edwin Drood

The Mystery of Edwin Drood will be playing tonight, Saturday, and Sunday afternoon in our theaterPhoto courtesy of Isaac Hernandez

Last week, our theater became the scene of a serious crime, and

hundreds of citizens from around town came to help solve The Mystery of Edwin Drood. The play was written by Charles Dickens, but before he could finish, he reached the end of his life, so actors everywhere now put on the show and allow the audience choose how they think it should end. With over 140 ways the show could end, each night is different, and our theater department, as always, did an incredible job of telling this story.

The Mystery of Edwin Drood follows a complicated plot of love and loss with twists and turns in every scene. The show stars Camille Umoff as Edwin Drood, Aaron Linker as John Jasper, Irving Soto as Neville Landless, Rio Salazer as Helena Landless, Natalie Cvitanic as Princess Puffer, Meredith Lemert as Rosa Bud, Blake DeVine as Durdles, Spencer Glesby as Bazzard, and Nick Blondell as Reverend Crisparkle. Our theater was truly transformed with a set that made it hard to remember what the room actually looks like.

Make sure you catch the last performances of this ineractive produaction tonight and Saturday at 7 and Sunday at 2.

out loud. I think it was in the beginning, and Paul Blart’s Mom got run over by a milk truck. Yeah, that was pretty funny. I enjoyed it. Apart from that, though, it was just awful. I know I can’t swear in the paper, but this might be an exception. This “film” (can we call it that?) is so extremely awful I can’t believe Sony let it out of its protection. It is digitally projected excrement (not literally.) Then again, Sony did go through a huge hack this year…maybe this was North Korea’s plan the whole time. Maybe they planned

to discredit America by portraying us as bloated windbags who need to ride segways to make themselves important; by letting us see ourselves as the stereotypes we are. Guys! I did it! I solved it! I’m the greatest detective of all time! Not even Batman can touch me!

Well, I’m running out of things to say, so I’ll end on this. To paraphrase William Shakespeare: “Oh, Kevin James! Thou, and thoust awful comedic sense and timing hast cleft my heart in twain!”

Kevin James takes to the big screen for a reprise role in Paul Blart: Mall Cop 2Photo courtesy of huffingtonpost.com

Emma CisekEditor-in-Chief

May 1, 20158

Arts & Entertainment

Comic by Kieran Meaney

SBHS alumnus hits BroadwayDana Musgrove

Costello was an active member of

the theatre program here at Santa Barbara High School. She starred in Gentlemen Prefer Blondes, Tale of Two Cities, and The Wizard of Oz and was a Madrigal singer under the direction of Phil McClendon. She was also a charter member of Music of the Night.

After she graduated high school in 2002, she attended the Pacific Conservatory of the Performing Arts in Santa Maria where she starred in many other shows such as Disney’s Beauty and the Beast (playing Belle), Annie, A Little Night of Music, and Guys and Dolls. After graduating from

PCPA, Costello moved to New York to pursue musical theatre on a larger scale. She was cast in Jekyl and Hyde for the national tour which later made it onto Broadway.

Dana is currently performing on Broadway in Finding Neverland, which began at ART in Cambridge, MA , directed by multiple Tony winner Diane Paulus. Her co-stars include Matthew Morrison (Glee), Kelsey Grammer (Frasier and Cheers), and Laura Michelle Kelly. Recently, Dana, who, in addition to being a member of the ensemble is the principle understudy for the roles of Mary Barrie and Sylvia Llewelyn Davies, has appeared twice thus far as Mary Barrie.

Lizzie SaundersStaff Reporter

Dana’s signature on the theater wall circa 2002Photo courtesy of Lizzie Saunders

9May 1, 2015

Rising AthletePreston Gomersall

has been making a notable impact for the

Santa Barbara High boys golf team this season. The young freshman has stepped up his game while leading the Dons (5-3 Channel League) into the hunt for a potential Channel League title. Originally introduced to the sport of golf by his father, Nigel Gomersall, the youngster quickly learned how to pick up a club and hit the golf ball. Most recently, the star swinger fired five birdies in a round of even par while leading Santa Barbara past Ventura 378-386. No matter how the year concludes, it is almost certain that for the next four years, we will be sure to hear the name Preston Gomersall relating to Dons boys golf team.

How much golf had you played previously before coming to Santa Barbara High and playing on the varsity team?

Quite a bit of golf actually, as I have been playing since I was six. Around the age of 10, I began taking lessons from my coach, Rich Barker, who works at Santa Barbara Golf Club.

Currently, who is your favorite professional golfer and why?

My favorite golfer right now is Rory

Mcilroy because I like his intensity and how he plays the game with a passion.

Have you participated in golf leagues independent from the school team during the offseason?

Yes, last year I won the Santa Barbara Junior Golf Cup. Currently, I’m playing in the Toyota Tour Cup, which is similar to the California PGA Tour.

What was your favorite golf course that you played on this season?

My favorite course this season was at Olivas Links. It was a short course and I hit my wedges really well so I could fire it in from up close. Overall, I shot a two under-par 70.

What are your goals both individually and for the team as the season wraps up?

Individually, I’d like to shoot some under-par rounds and hopefully compete in CIF individuals. As a team, our goal is to beat San Marcos for the Channel League Championship.

How do you predict the SBHS golf team will perform in the CIF Playoffs?

I think we will do pretty well because the course’s are short. With this in mind, we should be able to put it close and put with success. If we make our puts, we will perform really well.

Will you continue to play golf after your high school career?

Yes, I want to keep playing after high school. I would like to play on a college

team and then maybe go professional afterward. It is a little early for me in the game, but ideally, I would like to attend Stanford to play golf.

Blake DeVineSports Editor

Preston Gomersall has put together a stellar freshman season for the Santa Barbara boys golf team.

Photo courtesy of Will DeBruynkops

$12.7 million stadium renovation races to the finish

View from field housePhoto courtesy of The Foundatin for Santa Barbara High School

Continued from page 1. Overall I really hope that this

is something that the students will take pride in and see as a kind of second home.”

Another primary upgrade to be made is the implementation of artificial turf to substitute for the current delicate grass. This alteration is intended to maximize utilization by all athletic programs and P.E. classes, as well as conserve a million gallons of water on an annual basis, since it is 100% drought resistant. It will also be open to the public when vacant.

“I think making the new stadium being open to the public is going to make the place a lot more alive than it currently is,” said Becchio. “If you go down after school hours it’s just a dead zone. But I think it will become a place that people will use to exercise and it will be much more widely used than it is now for sure. This is going to be great for our community and great for the local neighbors to have a new track and field space to use.”

There will also be a new elevator placed in the stadium which will open access to the field from Figueroa Street, a café organized in the field house, and a graded hillside that will offer excess seating, similar to that of the Texas Rangers’ baseball stadium “Globe Life Park.”

This project has generated immense controversy around the community, specifically regarding the historic prestige of Peabody Stadium. However, history is not being tarnished. Not only is the entire environment and structure going to be preserved, but the stadium will maintain its legendary “Walk of the Dons” as well as the name Peabody Stadium, which

was named after the first superintendent of Santa Barbara High School, Frederick Forrest Peabody, after he gifted the stadium to the establishment in 1924.

The renovation raises multiple complications for the users of the current facility who will be without one during construction. The football program will need to sacrifice one year without its home stadium, and will instead divert to the Santa Barbara City College stadium for most of its games. Similarly, the soccer teams will host most of their games at Dwight Murphy Field near the Santa Barbara Zoo. The 2016 graduation, affecting the current 11th grade, will be held at an undisclosed location; the administration is in the process of finding an alternative place for the graduation to be transpire.

“It’s definitely going to be tricky situation with the football team and the different events that rely on the stadium to host such things,” said Chenoweth. “We’ve had some phenomenal teams at this school and I would like to think that in the long run the renovation will enhance the spirit at pep rallies and different games and build that excitement. Everyone at this school likes to see kids come out and support each other and with this new renovation I think it is really going to encourage that process.”

The 2016 graduation will be the first such ceremony not to be held in Peabody Stadium since it was built 90 years ago when Superintendent Peabody offered the school $100,000 to build the original facility. The current renovation tallies a total of $12.7 million. But how is the project being funded? The foundation for Santa Barbara High School has solicited

a $4.9 million grant from the Santa Barbara Unified School District, $2.8 million in seismic mitigation from the state of California, and is in the process of accumulating the additional $5 million from private funding around the school and community. The foundation has already met a little over half its quota, as there has already been a total of $2.7 million donated. A direct payment of $1,000 or more will earn the donor a designated seat marked by their name officially engraved into it while a contribution of $10,000 or more -- which can be paid incrementally through pledges -- earns similar recognition on the permanent donor wall.

Room and Facility titling opportunities begin at $100,000. Donations can be made through the foundation’s website, www.foundationforsbhs.com.

John Becchio explained the overall potential impact this stadium will have on the students and the community surrounding Santa Barbara High: “When people show up here and see the new facility, I believe they are going to completely change the way they view and participate in athletics. I think we are going to witness a whole new culture and a whole new way of programming because of this project.”

Tyler GreenwaldEditor-in-Chief

SportsMay 1, 201510

Social unrest causes MLB firstO n

We d n e s d a y, April 29, 2015,

something historical occurred: a Major League Baseball game was played without fan attendance. Due to riots in Baltimore, the afternoon game between the Baltimore Orioles and the Chicago White Sox was not open to the public. Orioles Park at Camden Yards, one of the country’s most popular ballparks due to its beauty, was unusually silent and grim as the Orioles trashed the White Sox 8-2. This brings up an interesting talking point-when is it right to sacrifice our national pastime for safety reasons?

Baseball has been one of my two favorite sports since I was born, so it’s disturbing to think that I myself could be barred from a game at, say, Dodger Stadium. Baltimore’s right to protest peacefully (that’s been the extent of the rioting, excluding the first night) should not go unnoticed, but baseball should not be the price. It is our first amendment right to protest, and there should not be punishment for exercising that right. I understand that this sounds trivial, but just listen. Baseball has never been prohibited from the fans before, even during times of difficulty much like Baltimore’s present

situation. If sports are the first thing taken away, what’s next? Food? Yeah, I know that’s an exaggeration. They’re

not actually going to take away our food. But baseball shouldn’t be held hostage by the city of Baltimore just because people

aren’t happy with their civic officers. That’s a fact.

Nick BlondellEntertainment Editor

The Orioles play host to the White Sox before an empty crowd as a result of the Baltimore riots.Photo courtesy of ESPN

Sports

Jasper Rhodes, Kyle Skinner, and Hayden

Millington combined to knock down 42 kills for the Santa Barbara High boys volleyball team en route to a riveting channel league victory over Dos Pueblos in Sovine Gym last Tuesday. The Dons clinched the league title in five game with the scores of 25-18, 25-17, 24-26, 23-25, 15-13.

“You have to give them a lot of credit. DP fought hard,” said Santa Barbara head coach Chad Arneson. “They did not want to lose in this gym in three straight and we got a little complacent and made some uncharacteristic errors.”

The Dons came out firing and secured the first two sets in timely fashion. But the Chargers retaliated with a huge momentum boost after they overcame two match points. Dos Pueblos went on to tie the game after taking both the third and fourth sets.

“We got a little cocky after the first two games,” said Millington. “We basically gave up during the third and fourth games. Once we got later and later into the match I think we recognized how close it was and realized that it was time to get it done. And that’s what we did.”

It was a back-and-forth affair in the final set (the score was tied twice at 12-12 and 13-13) before Cord Pereira stumbled to a lofted ball before dishing out a dime to Cooper Johnson for the lead. Skinner clinched the match with a huge kill on the subsequent point. Pereira tallied an impressive 52 assists on the day.

“We just kind of kept our attitude up. It’s pretty much all about that,” Pereira commented. “I kept on feeding my big

Dons Clinch Channel League Title with Victory over DPTyler GreenwaldEditor-in-Chief

hitters: Kyle, Jasper, Hayden, and then when we had a small block up front I kept on feeding the outside.”

The Dons prevailed over the Chargers not only to improve upon their undefeated record but also to secure the Channel league trophy.

Japer Rhodes goes up for a huge kill against Dos Pueblos late in the matchPhoto courtesy of Presidio Sports

“Whenever you win a title it feels amazing,” said Pereira. “I am really proud of the way our team has come together to build such a fluent chemistry with each other. Every one of these guys on the court tonight deserves this win and I’m happy I was able to do everything in power to help

give it to them.”Santa Barbara (7-0 league) went on to to

take tough loss to Valencia on Wednesday in four games and hosted Buena last night to close out the Channel League season. The Dons matchup against Royal for senior night on Tuesday.

11May 1, 2015

Dons look to bounce back versus VenturaWith only five

games remaining in the regular season, it

is now make or break time for the Santa Barbara baseball team. The Dons will look to shake off a three game losing streak when they play host to Ventura today at Eddie Mathews Field.

“We really need to rally the troops and win today,” said Santa Barbara head coach Donnie Warrecker. “I just talked to the team about how it is up for them to decide whether or not they are going to clutch up and have the fire to pull off a victory.”

Senior left-hander Trevor Moropoulos will get the start for the Dons against the Cougars. Santa Barbara (13-10 overall, 5-4 league) is seeking to get back in the hunt for a potential Channel League title with a victory today. Currently, the squad is in fourth place in in the league standings behind Dos Pueblos (6-3), Buena (4-3), and Ventura (4-3).

“Defensively and pitching wise, we are there and have kept teams to really low scoring games,” added Moropoulos. “What we really need to do is just trust ourselves with the bats and get those runs in.”

Recently, the Dons suffered a brutal 1-0 defeat at the hands of the Cougars on Tuesday. Despite a tremendous pitching effort from Kevin Gowdy, Santa Barbara was unable to manufacture any runs and fell to Ventura after 10 innings of play.

The pitchers dominated this

game as Gowdy and Travis Hawkins of Ventura engaged in a scoreless Channel League duel for seven innings. The Dons ace fired a gem while allowing only five hits, giving up zero runs, and striking out nine. However, in the bottom of the 10th, the Cougars scored on a walk-off single from Brock Mortenson.

“We had our opportunities to win the game and had base runners in scoring position on several occasions but we never came through in the clutch,” commented coach Warrecker. “It was a really tough loss as our pitching was lights out as we held them scoreless for nine innings.”

This game marked Santa Barbara’s third consecutive one-run defeat. Previous to this, the Dons lost 4-3 to Harvard Westlake in the Chatsworth Tournament. Last Friday, the squad suffered a painful 3-2 defeat at the hands of rival Dos Pueblos.

“The team has shown moments where our guys have lived up to the hype but we still have a lot to prove,” chipped in shortstop Bryce Morison

Some could say that Santa Barbara has critically underperformed after beginning the season with six victorious while outscoring their opponents 45-3. Despite a loaded roster full of college bound talent, the Dons have lacked timely hits and the ability to put runs on the board.

When asked about the team’s struggles, second baseman Carter Soto responded: “We are underperforming despite having a lot of talent on this team.

However, with two D-1 college commits on our roster, we have the potential to go to far places.”

Despite going through numerous struggles throughout the year, all is not lost for Santa Barbara. With a win today and a possible Dos Pueblos loss to Buena, the squad would be right in the thick of the title race with only two league games

remaining. “Trevor needs to give us a big

senior start on the mound today and our offense has got to get going. Essentially, our destiny lies in our own hands with a potential Channel League title if we win the next three league games,” concluded coach Warrecker.

Santa Barbara will turn to lefty Trevor Moropoulos for a crucial start against Ventura today.

Photo courtesy of Presidio Sports

Blake DeVineSports Editor

Sports

Dons capture 15th consecutive Channel League titleMost recently,

the Santa Barbara boys tennis team

continued their remarkable streak of success in the Channel League by clinching a 15th straight title. This championship extended the Dons’ outstanding run of league titles to 50 out of the past 51 years.

“It is a great accomplishment and it was definitely one of our top goals coming into the season,” said Santa Barbara head coach Gregg Tebbe. “Overall, our squad has successfully added to the great history of championships with the boys team that has continued over the previous fifty years.”

The Dons clinched the league title while obliterating Ventura by a score of 18-0 last Thursday. During the match, Santa Barbara was led by their singles lineup of Taggart Mills, Harry deBoer and Logan Lender; who all claimed three sets without a loss.

“It means a lot especially considering we tied for the league title with Dos Pueblos last season,” added deBoer. “This year, it was exceptionally special that we won the title considering how many times Santa Barbara has won it over the years.”

Previous to that, Santa Barbara defeated Dos Pueblos 13-5 during a rivalry matchup in Goleta on April 21st. The squad was led by Jackson Powell’s undefeated day in singles and another 3-0 performance by the doubles duo of Mills

and Harry deBoer. “This year, a lot of our success

has been from both Miles Hale and Harry deBoer playing really by getting us some great wins in singles. Also, Taggart Mills has been a great new addition to our team with his solid play in doubles,” chipped in Powell.

After the first round of play, the Dons led by a score of 5-1 over the Chargers. However, Dos Pueblos split the second round with Santa Barbara to close the gap. The team responded strongly by winning five of six sets in the final round. Vital wins came from from Max Mercurio in singles and the tandem of Tyler Greenwald paired with Jake Sutton in doubles.

“Carrying on the Dons tradition of being first in Channel League is a pretty big deal,” commented Mercurio. “Over the past few years, league titles have been huge for us as we have only lost a few over a long period of time.”

Yesterday, Santa Barbara defeated Buena in their regular-season finale at home. With the victory over the Bulldogs, the Dons currently hold a record of 14-2 overall and 8-0 in league.

When asked what has led to the team’s success this season, Tebbe replied: “It’s been a team effort and compared to the rest of league, we just had more good players. Dos Pueblos and San Marcos’ top players are right on par with ours, but we have a lot more depth.”

In the latest CIF polls, Santa Barbara was ranked 7th in Division 1. Members of the team will begin to compete in the Channel League Individuals on Monday. After this, the CIF Team Playoffs will get under way for the Dons on May 12th.

Blake DeVineSports Editor

“Winning league again is a great confidence builder for us and by doing so, we continue to be the dominant team in our league,” concluded Powell.

Santa Barbara’s Jackson Powell looks for a forehand turing a matchup versus Dos Pueblos

Photo courtesy of Presidio Sports

May 1, 201512