November 13, 2009

November 13, 2009
Volume XCIX, Issue 3
Santa Monica High School 601 Pico Blvd, Santa Monica, CA 90405
Superintendent
salary report
causes stir
Jessie Geoffray
News Editor
Matt Rich
Business Manager
A recent report lists
county superintendent
salaries; SMMUSD
Superintendent is
near the top for highest pay.
Photo by Sam Boloorchi
FISH OUT OF WATER : T h e g r e e n i e s s t o r m t h e G r e e k a t F r i d a y ’ s H o m e c o m i n g P e p R a l l y, e x c i t i n g t h e c r o w d .
Former Samo student fatally shot at Virginia Park
Danny Karel
Staff Writer
Former Samo student
Richard Juarez was fatally
shot at Virginia Park on
Tuesday, Nov. 3.
According to the police
report, two suspects coming
from Pico Boulevard opened
fire on a group of four individuals.
Three of those fired
upon were able to escape,
but 20-year-old Juarez had
received a fatal gunshot
wound. When the Santa
Monica Fire Department
got to the scene, Juarez was
dead.
The report stated that
a nearby police sergeant
heard shots being fired, and
saw two men running from
the park to a parked van. He
called for backup and detained the vehicle while the
suspects attempted to escape
on foot.
One was found under a
car during a K-9 search, and
another in the rear yard of a
vacant house. Four suspects
have been booked, including
both suspected shooters and
two individuals in the van.
This death affected
many students at Samo, and
grief counseling was provided for those who requested
it. Student Outreach Specialist and M-House counselor Alfredo Avila said he
has seen how this incident
has changed those who were
close to Juarez.
“I have noticed the
students closest to the man
killed are more focused and
determined to do something,” Avila said. “They
have stepped up and shown
leadership.”
The school continues to
provide counseling and has
increased security surrounding the campus. An investigation is ongoing, and those
with additional information
are encouraged to contact the
Santa Monica Police Department’s Criminal Investigation Division at (310) 4588451.
Samo administration creates student support progam
Strong
winds topple Evan Kahn
parents have to attend a meet- ed number will be in the POP
Staff Writer
ing describing the program, as studies class, where a teacher
30-year-old
well as sign a contract regard- will work with them to deFor students whose ing expectations.
velop their organizational and
are significantly low,
tree in science grades
“If a student is struggling study skills.
there was usually little aid of- in core classes because of perThe other four times a
fered unless they asked for it. sonal issues, the POP program week the same students will be
quad
Now, these students have ansplit into two POP skills class-
Lily Cain
Staff Writer
A ficus tree, which stood for
more than 30 years, fell in the science quad in the evening of Oct.
27. Strong gusts of wind toppled
the five ton tree.
The winds, reaching speeds
of 40-50 mph, exerted a tremendous amount of force on the tree.
“The tree wasn’t pruned recently, so the trees were like sails
and caught the wind as it was
blowing,” athletic director Norm
Lacy said.
Pruning the trees removes
branches that cause the tree to be
too top-heavy.
“The district looks at pruning as a constant concern,” Lacy
said. “The basic pruning cycle
[for Samo] is about once every
three years.”
However, the physical state
of the tree could have also affected its stability
“[As opposed to other trees],
this tree might have had dry rot
that caused it to fall,” S-House
principal Greg Runyon said.
The fallen tree was cut up
and will be used as mulch for
other trees and plants around the
school.
isn’t for them,” said M-House
other option.
Principal Larry Boone, who is es. One class focuses on indiThe Personalized Oppor- coordinating POP. “The pro- vidual improvement of math
tunity Period
skills, and
[POP] proone
class
gram, which
focuses on
began Nov.
English.
“This is meant as a positive intervention. It’s
12,
targets
“I want
sophomores our best guess as to what will help these students s t u d e n t s
and juniors
to be, not
based on research and
with Ds or
only as a
what we know.”
Fs in both
group, but
of their core
individually
— Larry Boone, M-House principal
classes: math
at a higher
and English.
level,” said
The goal
Samo prinis to educate
cipal Hugo
gram is designed to bridge
said students on a personal skill gaps.”
Pedroza. “I want to bridge the
level in order to raise their
With this new system achievement gap to go beyond
grades and improve study in place, once a sophomore groups, into individual student
skills.
or junior gets Ds or Fs in the performance.”
“We need to try some- two core classes on a progress
Pedroza said the teachers,
thing, because the achieve- report, their counselor enrolls one for each portion of the proment gap between students at them in POP.
gram (math, English and study
this school is so wide,” said
The program is intended skills) are all being hired from
science department chair Sar- to substitute for an elective outside of Samo.
ah Lipetz.
This is in order to not
during the school day.
“Since the student to
When enrolled, the stu- encroach on Samo teachers’
teacher ratio [in POP] will be dent will have to drop the elec- time, so that “teachers can foso low, and because we’re fo- tive (usually physical educa- cus on their regular classes.”
cusing on core subjects, I real- tion) in order to attend POP.
“These [POP] teachers
ly think it could be beneficial
During the period, the are all part-time, highly crefor those students.”
students will be split into three dentialed teachers who know
Prior to a student’s en- groups. Once a week, a selectrollment in POP, they and their
News, p. 2
A report released by
the Los Angeles County
Office of Education listing the county district
superintendent
salaries
has incited controversy:
SMMUSD
superintendent Tim Cuneo receives
an annual base salary
of $220,000, a $38,000
housing allowance and
a $12,000 car and cell
phone stipend—a salary
package second only to
one district in the county (Glendale) and, most
notably, a 34 percent increase from his predecessor, Diane Talarico.
While the report has
surfaced only recently,
the salary contract was
finalized in February of
2009 before the depth
of the current economic
crisis was clear, according to Barry Snell, Vice
President of the Santa
Monica-Malibu Board of
Education.
“At the time we negotiated, we felt he did
a very good job during
his interim period,” Snell
said. “We felt we needed
a competitive contract.”
Snell also notes that
the expense of searching
for a new superintendent
would have cost roughly
the same as the salary increase, if not more. “We
were comparing a known
commodity to and unknown commodity,” Snell
said.
Patti Braun, a Samo
parent and involved member of the PTA, said in
a letter to the editor of
the Santa Monica Daily
Press, “I have seen our
hardworking superintendent at work, with multiple meetings every night
of the week, and with the
stringent demands placed
on him…it’s clear — Mr.
Cuneo earns every penny.”
However,
current
negotiations
regarding
teacher contract have
made the idea of a high
earning
superintendent
less than appealing to
some.
“I say no to overcrowded classrooms, no
to bloated admin salaries…”
Lisette
Gold,
Samo parent, said in a
Samohi PALS discussion.
In order to cover a
budget shortfall of $12
million, the District proposed a faculty contribution to healthcare (the
district currently pays
100% of healthcare costs)
last spring, prompting
the ongoing and sensitive negotiations between
the Santa Monica-Malibu
Classroom Teachers Association and the district.
The initial inability of
both parties to come to a
consensus led to the dis-
News, p. 2
A chronic problem
Should marijuana be
legalized? Campus Life
Editor Pepito Escarce
discusses the issue.
Opinion, p. 3
“This Is It”
Kenny Ortega’s documentary about the making of
the ill-fated, bound-to-beclassic Jackson comeback is
a treat for fans. A&E, p. 12
Opinion.......................3
Campus Life..................5
Feature........................7
Special Report..............8
Arts & Entertainment..11
Sports.......................13
Photo Essay.................16
FACING OFF: The Vikings
went into their homecoming game against Inglewood with high expectations
News, p. 2
*If you would like to advertise with us, e-mail
samohiads@gmail.com
News
Nov. 13, 2009
Superintendent salary
causes controversy in
negotiations
representative, said.
According to Keiley,
the SMMCTA is not willing
trict’s declaration of an imto accept options that will
passe, at which point policy
negatively affect its memdictates that a state mediator
bers in the long term.
be appointed to help the two
“We are not going to
parties achieve an agreeroll
over
and allow this crisis
ment.
to permanently undermine
“This has become the
the wages and
most adverhealth benefits
sarial conof our teachers,”
tract negoKeiley said.
tiation that
While SMI’ve
been
MUSD
curinvolved in,
rently pays for
in a decade,”
Michael Felix, history teacher and
100 percent of
Harry Keiley
M
House
union
representative
teacher health
president of
benefits, it is
the SMMCnot necessarily
TA, said.
common.
In a statement to the easy and all of us will have
“We’re one of a few
Board of Education in June, to make sacrifices during
the SMMCTA offered sug- these difficult and unprec- districts in Los Angeles
County that pays 100 pergestions of budget reduc- edented financial times.”
cent of employee benefits,”
Given
the
Superintions that, according to
them, would least affect tendent’s salary, the union Ralph Mechur, President of
the District’s students. The members denounced this the BOE, said.
In light of the budget
SMMCTA defended their statement.
deficit, Snell said, “What
suggesabout
pritions, statorities?
We
ing, “Some
don’t wasn’t
districts are
to lay off any
using this
teachers.”
historic reThe third
cession as
in the series
an opportuof meetings
nity to gain
with a medialong term
tor is schedconcesuled to occur
sions from
November
classroom
Harry Keiley, president of SMMCTA
18,
with
teachers
the favored
and
their
outcome of
“We are scared, we are
leaders.”
reaching
an
agreement
that
sick,
and
we
are
insulted,”
Cuneo, in turn, refuted
the union’s suggestions, Michael Felix, Samo history will satisfy both parties.
(Continued from pg. 1)
trict website in which he
explained the specific downside of each. In this document, he asserts the need to
“take drastic steps to either
reduce expenditures or increase revenues.” In a summary, he restates this sentiment, adding, “It will not be
“We are scared, we are
sick, and we are insulted.”
“We are not going to roll over
and allow this crisis to permanently undermine the wages and health benefits of our
teachers.”
posting a memo on the dis-
teacher and M House union
POP program raises students’ grades
(Continued from pg. 1)
what they’re doing,” Pedroza
said.
In addition to the parttime teachers, Samo’s own
Student Outreach Specialists
will be helping out.
“They will be there to
supplement the curriculum,
establishing effective lines
of communication between
POP teachers and regular
English and math teachers,”
said O-House Principal José
Iniguez. “Most importantly,
they will be in contact with
the parents about the progress of their children, and
advise upon whether or not
the student needs the class
anymore.”
Once a student starts receiving higher than Ds or Fs
in their core classes, they are
eligible to leave the POP, as
long as there is consent from
advisers and parents.
“‘Mandatory’ is a bit of
a strong word for this program,” Boone said. “This is
meant as a positive intervention. It’s our best guess as to
what will help these students
based on research and what
we know.”
Page 2
photo by Henry Boyd
GREEN CLEANING: A representative of the Santa Monica Office of Sustainability and the Environment
and Dr. Rebecca Sutton of the Environmental Working Group speak about harmful cleaning products.
Current cleaning supplies harmful to
health, district plans to try greener ones
Lulu Mickelson
Special Report Editor
According to the UCLA
Center for Health Policy, approximately one in six Californians under the age of 18 have
been diagnosed with asthma, a
statistic SMMUSD is attempting to address with the launch
of a new initiative to shift to environmentally friendly cleaning
supplies.
On Nov. 2, the district
announced its plan to partner
with the Environmental Working Group, the Green Schools
Initiative and the City of Santa
Monica’s Environmental Programs Division to institute a
pilot program that will work
with SMMUSD custodians and
purchasers to replace the harmful cleaning products currently
in use with affordable, effective
green alternatives.
According to Rebecca
Sutton, a Ph.D. environmental
chemist working with the Environmental Working Group, lab
tests have “found that a typical
assortment of [school] cleaning
products released 457 distinct
chemicals into the air.” Sutton
argues almost all of these chemicals are linked to causing or inflaming conditions like asthma.
Many are also proven carcinogens, a finding that the group
found very distressing with the
current rise in childhood cancer
rates.
In addition to the negative effects of cleaning supplies
on student health, research has
shown “schools with better air
quality have higher test scores,
improved teacher productivity,
and better janitor health,” according to the Green Schools
Initiative.
SMMUSD hopes that the
success of the pilot program
will lead to larger reform and
an improved school environment. With the UCLA Center for
Health Policy labeling asthma
as the “biggest cause of school
absence from a chronic illness,”
the district also helps a switch to
green cleaners will improve the
health and attendance of Santa
Monica students.
“This is one of many ways
we are trying to make our district
more environmentally friendly
and improve the health of our
students and staff,” SMMUSD
School Board president Ralph
Mechur said.
said. “I want to show that you
can actually see history in the
world today. I think it’s a cool
trip to go on and enough students were interested.”
Both Kim and Semik
said they think this trip will
provide an excellent learning
experience for their students.
After landing in Athens, the group will embark
on a four-day cruise around
the Greek islands. The cruise
ship will dock in many ports,
including the Turkish port of
Kusadas where the group will
journey inland to Ephesus.
There will be many sights
to see, including the 5,000
year-old Palace of Knossos,
the Temple of Serapis, the
famed Monastery of St. John,
the Cave of Revelation and
the Temple of Apollo. The
group will also explore the
island of Santorini, climb the
Acropolis, and explore the olive groves of Delphi.
Though all students are
eligible to sign up for this
trip, Kim says that the program was intended for current
world history or Latin students since they will be most
familiar with the classics and
will take the most away from
the trip.
“Anybody who would
like to go can go,” Kim said.
“I don’t really want to exclude
anyone. If you want to learn,
good for you.”
The second is a good disciplinary record.
Kim is capping the
amount of students at 60,
as they need to consider the
number of buses that they will
need to take and the amount of
chaperones willing to participate. Kim said several parents
have expressed their interest,
but they are still looking for
more chaperones.
“It’s really hard traveling
overseas, so you want to make
sure this trip is right for you,”
Kim said. “If there’s a problem over there, it’s magnified
10 times by the fact that you
are so far away from home.”
The trip will cost around
$3600 per student, though
Kim and Semik have not finalized the price. Regardless
of the final price, if students
register prior to Dec. 4, they
will receive a $200 discount.
“We are trying to work
out funding,” Kim said. “I
never want money to be a reason why someone who has a
true love for history does not
go.”
Kim and Semik are also
planning historical trips to
Italy and then France in the
next two years.
“Learning is a lifelong
journey and you need to see
it up close and in person —
that’s when it really becomes
relevant,” Kim said. “Facts,
statistics, or numbers are not
really important to a student,
but when you are able to see
history and touch it, it makes
it incredibly real.”
For more information on
the trip, visit www.acis.com.
Samo history teachers Kim and
Semik plan class trip to Greece
Tessa Nath
Staff Writer
Samo history teachers Douglas Kim and Renee
Semik are in the process of
organizing a student trip to
Greece through the program
ACIS — “The Premier Educational Travel Company.” The
trip will span nine days over
spring break, leaving March
26 and returning April 4.
Semik, a Samo freshman seminar and U.S. history
teacher, has spent months
making sure the trip becomes
a reality.
“Last year I was working with my tutorial kids
and we had a project where
I asked them to plan a trip to
any place that they wanted to
go,” Semik said. “They chose
Greece and they planned out
all of the details themselves.
I thought it would be cool to
honor their work and actually go on this trip. Since
they were all H house kids
and have Mr. Kim this year, I
asked Mr. Kim if he would be
interested in starting a type of
travel club and tie it in with
world history.”
Kim, a world history
teacher, said that he was enthusiastic about the trip’s potential.
“I think it’s really important for students not to think
history is about dead people
and stuff that doesn’t matter,
and I’d like them to understand that it’s not just back
in time and irrelevant,” Kim
Opinion
Editorial: Put our money where our minds are
When teachers agree to write our letters
of recommendation, advise our clubs, edit
our papers after school, write musicals for
us to perform, host extra-credit book talks
or organize trips around the world, we forget
that none of this is in their job description.
However, we at the Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District are lucky enough
to have teachers who gladly take it upon
themselves to do all of the above, and more,
though they don’t get paid extra for it. We
often think of our teachers as altruists; because we see them picking up after messy
students, controlling unruly classrooms and
resigning hours of their weekend to grading
our sometimes mediocre work, it is easy to
think that they teach solely because of their
love of education.
While this might be the case, we must
remember they are not superhuman. Teaching is by no means a profession one enters
to make a fortune, but they too have bills
to pay and children to provide for. Our
teachers, like all other working adults, act
in rational self interest—it is irresponsible
for them to neglect financial reality simply
because they love their jobs.
Unfortunately, work in the public sector
often goes unrecognized monetarily. This
is especially true in public education; the
state of California’s budget deficit has left
many schools lacking adequate funds. In
our neighboring districts, some students do
not even have desks to sit in. In tough economic times, it becomes necessary for every
district to prioritize. Samo is no exception.
A-house was cut, staff was not rehired, and
many teachers found their benefits and salaries called into question.
It seems to be inevitable that teachers, along with the rest of their employees,
must face reductions in salary and benefits.
However, in our district, we are fortunate
enough to be able to pay our superintendent
$220,000 in salary, $38,000 in housing allowance, 25 paid vacation days and $12,000
in car and phone and gas in order to offer
him a “competitive contract.” In fact, it is
the second most “competitive contract” in
the state of California.
Therefore, it is only logical that we offer
our teachers an equally “competitive” offer,
or at the very least maintain their benefits.
Surely a district that manages to pay their
administrative staff as well as we do can
manage to match the offer for our teachers.
If not – if our teachers continue to see their
benefits cuts and their salaries fall short of
their basic needs – Samo and its students
will pay the price in the long run. Teachers
who find themselves unable to afford braces
for their children or gas for their cars cannot be expected to stay forever out of simple
altruism. At the very least, they deserve the
respect of a stable salary and dependable
benefits.
Page 3
Nov. 13, 2009
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Letter to the Editor to
SamohiOpinion@gmail.com
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our next issue!
Block scheduling
Nishok Chetty
Lily Cain
Staff Writer
We may have returned to our mundane, scheduled lives, but the recent two-day experiment with
block scheduling continues to stir debate among
teachers, students and administrators who are considering adopting the block scheduling system at
Samo.
In the block scheduling system, each class
would be approximately two hours long, and students would alternate schedules, attending each
class only once every other day. This scheduling
system has the potential to offer students learning
opportunities that are impossible in our current
scheduling system.
The prospect of spending two hours in each
class often elicits a groan from students who claim
they “can’t listen to a teacher that long.” What these
people may fail to realize, though, is that extended
class periods allow for a deviation from traditional
lecture, as teachers would now have extra time to
devote to questions, discussions, or activities such
as labs. (Imagine being able to complete a full science lab in only one day!) Given the time to do
such activities, teachers would be able to provide,
not just a surface explanation of a concept, but a
thorough look at it.
Of course, there is also the added bonus of having extra time for homework. As I am currently in
the meat of dreaded junior year, I can safely say
that it qualifies as “cruel and unusual punishment”
to have to study for multiple tests, finish projects,
and complete daily homework for seven different
classes on the same day.
We have all had that night: the books are stacked
up to the ceiling; you try to write an analysis of
theme in “The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn”
while simultaneously trying to catch up in “John
Adams” and studying derivatives for tomorrow’s
calculus test. Nights like this tend to lead to miserable days, in which all we want to do is sleep.
In a block scheduling system, students would
have two nights to complete all their homework assignments. This would make those sleepless nights
far less common, and would give students time to
do assignments thoroughly, rather than dashing
them off in order to move on to the next task – or,
as many of us tend to do, waiting to finish our fourth
period homework in third period the next day.
Having more time to get our work done could
potentially relieve some the excessive stress. A
transition to block schedule would give students
the freedom to “customize” their own schedule, potentially even allowing time for such luxuries as a
social life and sleep.
With block scheduling, school could potentially
cease being frustrating and become a nice, soft
cushion on which we can settle down and take the
time to actually learn.
Staff Writer
After the recent experiment with block schedules, two major questions arose: “Why?” and
“Is this system eventually going to be adopted?”
While I cannot answer either question, I can certainly respond to the second question with a hearty
“I hope not.”
I won’t deny it: I am a major procrastinator. I
put things off for as long as possible in hopes of
– of what? Things are not going to get any easier
the longer I wait to do them. The assignments are
not going to get any shorter, and I am not going to
have any more time to do them.
The reason I procrastinate is a mystery, but I
know that block schedule will only encourage the
habit. I never do work the day it is assigned, when
it is still fresh in my mind. I will wait until the day
after, when the information is stale and missing
chunks. With two days to do all my assignments, I
have more time to let that information slip away.
I experienced block scheduling for all three
years of middle school; I would take absolutely no
pleasure in experiencing it again. It may be useful
to accomodate testing or long assemblies, but having it every day seems like a waste of time.
Looking back on middle school, I can remember constantly looking at the clock, hoping (usually in vain) that more time had passed since the
last time I checked. The classes just seemed too
long, especially English and music. As crazy as
it sounds, writing or playing clarinet for an hour
and a half is not very fun and is sometimes even
painful.
Block scheduling also takes away that seven
minute break between classes. Even if it is spent
rushing to get to the next class on time, I am still
getting fresh air and exercise, something that does
not happen during class. The passing period also
gives me time to catch up with friends, or maybe
finish up a forgotten homework assignment. Either way, those seven minutes are like a power
boost so I can successfully get through the next
period. In one and a half hour classes, most teachers, no matter how nice, do not give breaks to allow us to clear our minds enough to get through
the next hour.
Some people may say that block schedules
give us another day to do our assignments, but I
do not find that completely true. Chances are, procrastinators (like me) will not use the extra time
to do the assignments better, but to put them off
longer. In fact, students might end up even more
stressed the next night because they did not realize
how much work they actually had. This defeats the
purpose of “having more time to do homework.”
To those in power, I make a plea: forget block
scheduling, and spare us the disappointments of
false hope.
What do Samo teachers think of block scheduling?
“Doing it every
day would be detrimental to math students’ growth, because they need to
practice their skills
every day.”
“For me as a teacher
it’s easier to plan a day
without block scheduling, but I also have a
feeling more students
will do work if I have
the extra hour to go after them about it.”
Photo by Henry Boyd
– Michael Surrago,
English teacher
Photo by Carlee Jensen
Contact ad editor Matt
Rich at (310) 948-2030, or
email
SamohiAds@gmail.com
for more information!
Photo by Carlee Jensen
– Ingo Gaida,
Biology teacher
“I’m generally in
favor of giving students more choice
and flexibilty in
their schedules.”
Photo by Lianna Cohen
– Luke Henderson,
Latin teacher
Complied by Evan Kahn and Lianna Cohen, Staff Writers, and Carlee Jensen, Opinion Editor
Interested in
advertising with
The Samohi?
Bring your business to
the Samo community and
beyond!
– Susan Gaynor,
Math teacher
“I wouldn’t want
to do it every day,
because I know it
makes it difficult for
some teachers...but
two days of block
scheduling a week
would be helpful.”
Editors-in-Chief:
Salonee Bhaman and Jane Kivnick
News Editors:
Jessie Geoffray and
Max Tamahori
A&E Editor:
Kourosh Shaffy
The Samohi is a tri-weekly student-run newspaper funded by ASB and a technology grant
from Lexington Acquistion, Inc. Our goal is to inform the student body and Samo community the best that we can. We do not represent the views of the Samo Administration
or staff. Unsigned editorials reflect the views of the entire editorial board. We do not
endorse advertisements placed in our paper.
Staff:
Opinion Editor:
Sports Editors: Art Editor:
Mya Anderson, Sam
Carlee Jensen
Sam Bleiberg and
Zane Four
Campus Life Editor:
Photo Editor:
Ad/Business Editor:
Kira Yoshimura
Matt Rich
Feature Editor:
Copy Editor:
Adviser:
Pepito Escarce
Lindsay Reno
Katy Cain
Special Report Editor:
Lulu Mickelson
Clare Sim
Kathleen Faas
Boloorchi, Henry Boyd, Lily
Cain, Nishok Chetty, Lianna
Cohen, Joe Colajezzi, Philip
Dinolfo, Taylor D’Andrea,
Chloe Director, Oren Friedman, Anthony Garcia Taormina,
Gus Graef, Evan Kahn, Daniel
Karel, Elena Kivnick, Rose Kleiman-Weiner, Andrew Locke,
Tessa Nath, Jason Reicher, Reva
Santo, Neil Thomas
Opinion
Trash the trash
Regaining our pride by maintaining our campus
in someone else’s leftover chip bag. Another
few feet —squish — oh, their goes a burrito,
all over your new, white shoes too. By the time
Let’s face it, we’ve all heard the PA an- you manage to maneuver your way to the class,
nouncements going on about something to do you’ll probably have to wait outside for the
with trash—for those rare instances where we next few minutes scraping off the unidentifiare actually inclined to listen. They either say able paste from your shoes before you enter.
that Samo needs to step it up, or give us an And then you can go in with your tardy pass,
arbitrary pat on our backs since the 12 people sandals stinking like leftover grapes fermentwho threw their lunch away today were a major ing in the sun. If that doesn’t disgust you, I
improvement over the seven yesterday. Good don’t know what will.
job, Samo!
But this is what happens when we take
I’m proud to be a Viking, knowadvantage of our environment. We
ing that the percentage of the
know that no one is going to
student body that actually
seriously chastise us for our
Do you want
cares about cleaning up after
behavior, so why should
humans hundreds of
themselves is smaller than
we change our ways?
years from now to look
the population of seagulls
The answer is simple:
that hover overhead. I back at us and laugh at our
Pride.
would love it if once, just
Pride in our school,
inherant lack of
once, I could walk down
and pride in the fact that
the main quad without
we are no longer blundercleanliness?
fearing for my life that a
ing Neanderthals, but rebig, slopping wet paste is gosponsible human beings. You
ing to come crashing down out
may think it’s not a big deal, but
of the sky and make its home on
it is. Do you want humans hundreds
my face—or shirt, or anywhere in my
of years from now to look back at us and
vicinity, really.
laugh at our inherent lack of cleanliness, respect,
I used to think that it was ridiculous wor- or even knowledge about the environment?
rying about the unexpected aerial attack, but,
No one likes to be laughed at — and I’m
having been hit myself three times in three laughing at all those of you who don’t care. It’s
years, I’ve realized it’s a reality that everyone not a hard thing to take the three extra steps to
has to face. Who wants to be standing there, a trashcan — or to the recycling bin if we’re
eating their sandwich, and instead of munching going to aim high. Just being a little more prodown on a nice BLT with mayo, find another active can go a long way.
white substance, only a little less appealing.
And for those of you who are about to throw
But it’s not just about the seagulls. How this newspaper on the floor at this very instant,
about when you’re running late to fifth period, at least take a second to think of all the hard
and you’re left gazing at the oasis of filth left work that goes into cleaning up your trash, and
behind. You take two steps – crunch — you’re feel the shame.
Tessa Nath
Staff writer
Page 4
Nov. 13, 2009
When tragedy hits home
eventually, we lose track.
Out of self-preservation, many of us tune out
the constant hum of violence raging around us.
Now and then, however, it is impossible to mainYou know Richard Juarez.
Even if you didn’t know Richard Juarez, you tain the barrier ­­­— a tragedy comes along that stops
us in our tracks.
know Richard Juarez.
Richard Juarez’s death is one such tragedy. It
You know Richard Juarez like you knew Eddie
Lopez. You know Richard Juarez like you knew was sudden, violent, and, like most crimes, wholly
Lily Burk. You know Richard Juarez like you unnecessary.
Those who knew Juarez are grieving for a
knew every victim of the Virginia Tech Massacre.
young man who loved to
When
tragedy
draw and laugh, lighting
strikes, that tragedy
candles at the spot where
seems to become part
his life was taken from him.
of everyone. Though
The community is grieving
the suffering of those
along with them.
close to the victim
Our teachers have read
cannot possibly be
us letters urging us to seek
overstated, and very
counseling if we feel unlikely cannot ever be
safe. But maybe it isn’t any
explained in words, the
concern for our own safety
pain does not belong to
that is so troubling to all of
them alone. The burus. Maybe it is something
den of life unnecessarPhoto by Carlee Jensen deeper. Maybe it is the unily lost is borne on the
shoulders of the entire In Memorium: Juarez’s family and friends cre- derstanding that, regardated this tribute to him in Virginia Park.
less of whether we knew
world.
Richard Juarez or not, this
The world seems
to become a more violent place with each passing tragedy is our tragedy.
What we do with this understanding is not for
year. Every day, newspapers arrive at our doors
filled with accounts of wars that seem never to end me to say. Maybe there is nothing that we can do;
– wars fought, not just in distant lands that few of but that seems too pessimistic, even for our world.
us will ever see, but in the cities and towns and To me, it seems like the only thing to do is remember this terrible event as we all go forward in our
backwoods of our very own country.
The wars are fought for drugs, for oil, for respective directions. Remember what has been
weapons, for power, for the satisfaction of some lost as the result of simple, meaningless violence.
impossible desire rooted deep in human nature Remember how far this world has to come. Rethe reasons barely matter. Car bombs explode, member that it falls to every one of us to fight this
child soldiers march, young men are tortured for growing trend of hatred and war, if only through
being gay, young women are murdered while run- the simple tools of acceptance and peace. Rememning errands. One war blends into another, and ber that the burden belongs to all of us.
Carlee Jensen
Opinion Editor
Art by Clare Sim
: Reefer madness
The Samohi asks:
Art by Clare Sim
Pepito Escarce
Campus Life Editor
Settling a long-standing states’ rights debate, the Obama Adminstration announced it
will no longer criminalize marijuana use for
medical purposes in states where it is legal.
In the past, even in states where medical cannabis was legal, it was nevertheless a
federal crime to use marijuana in any way.
It seemed that Californians could finally
relax after having to deal with this ridiculous conflict of law since 1996, when medical marijuana became legal. Then, a New
York Times article reported that virtually
all marijuana dispensaries in Los Angeles
County are run illegally, complicating the issue again. Wouldn’t it be easier just to make
it all legal?
An October Gallup poll showed that 44
percent of Americans favor legalization of
cannabis for both medical and recreational
purposes: the highest percentage ever. The
percentage is even higher in the Western
U.S. at close to 60 percent. According to
NORML, a marijuana reform law organization, about three-fourths of Americans favor
legalization of marijuana for medical purposes.
However, neither of these are valid reasons for legalization. Public polls are merely
a reflection of society, and history has shown
us that we can be a pretty screwed up society. When the government relies on the general public to create laws, we often suffer the
most damaging consequences.
The general public cannot be relied on to
be just, logical or insightful because it is often swayed by the views of a minority that
has a lot of influence.
Therefore, we solve this battle using reason and the principles on which our country
thrives. Fortunately, regarding marijuana,
society is headed in the right direction.
The main concern about legalizing marijuana is that it will increase the number of
users, will create a “high” culture and that
our country should not condone drug use in
any way. In fact, legal marijuana use will
allow the government and law enforcement
to better address the problems marijuana
causes.
The government heavily dissuades the
use of alcohol and tobacco, which can be
more dangerous than pot. By creating open
rehabilitation programs where people will
not be scared of joining for fear of legal
consequences, heavy users will have much
more access to help.
Also, legalizing marijuana will give the
government the ability to regulate its potency. Marijuana today has several times the
PCP level of marijuana from the 1960s. If
marijuana is legal, it will have to be approved
by the Food and Drug Administration, and
law enforcement can focus its target on those
who sell dangerously strong cannabis.
The idea that legalizing marijuana will
greatly increase use in the U.S. is absurd.
People who want to smoke marijuana will
find a way to obtain it. In fact, the Netherlands, where marijuana is legal, has a lower
rate of use than the U.S.
We have a lot of problems to solve. By
taxing marijuana, we will obtain enormous
funds that could pay for much-needed reforms that are lacking funds, such as the
public option.
Kudos to the White House for finally
taking a step toward addressing ambivalent
laws and policies ­– now maybe they can
consider trying the same for immigration
and the environment.
Do you believe marijuana
should be legalized?
Yes, for
medical
purposes
only: 19%
No: 16%
Yes, for medical and
recreational purposes: 65%
In an anonymous survey,
students said:
“Too much money is spent jailing
nonviolent drug users.”
“It’s a dirty habit that causes more issues than it’s worth.”
“If cigarettes are legal, why can’t
marijuana be legal?”
Compiled by Tessa Nath, Lily Cain, Joe Colajezzi and Evan Kahn,
Staff Writers
Campus Life
Page 5
Nov. 13, 2009
Latin SLAMs into Barnabus
Anthony Garcia
Staff Writer
The Latin program pushes the boundaries once again with the foundation
of Samohi Latin Media. Students
have already begun work on “Barnabus et Bella,” its initial production.
After last year’s rousing success, “Pacifica,”
Samo’s Latin program is focused on delivering
excellence again. Under the moniker Samohi
Latin Media (SLAM), Samo’s Latin teacher,
Luke Henderson, and a group of dedicated students have created the foundation for doing so.
“Until Samohi Latin Media, there was no
organization in the entire world producing high
quality audio-visual materials in Latin,” Henderson said.
He credits the surge in Latin programs across
the country as one of the major reasons SLAM
was founded.
“Considering that Latin programs are now
growing everywhere in the U.S., the need for
such an organization was apparent,” Henderson
said.
SLAM’s first product, “Pacifica,” has been
a huge success for the organization. In addition to providing a new aspect for Samo’s Latin
classes, its popularity has spread beyond the
city limits of Santa Monica.
“It is becoming known through the nationwide community of Latin teachers,” Henderson
ACTION: Ethan Corn and Corey Kramer capture a shot of Barnabus, played by Zac Geoffray.
said. “As it is the best Latin language film ever
made and deals with issues relevant to today’s
world, ‘Pacifica’ is bringing new excitement to
the use of Latin as a living language.”
Henderson also says that “Pacifica” has succeeded in that it has inspired creativity in students.
SLAM has two projects set for the future:
“Barnabus et Bella,” a comedy musical set to
premiere in the spring, co-written by seniors
Ethan Corn and Zac Geoffray, and Paradisus, a
new drama that is currently being written with
the hopes of premiering in 2011. And while not
Barnabus et Bella
Written by seniors Ethan Corn and Zac Geoffray
Comedy musical about high school love and succeeding in
the face of adversity
Translated into Latin, music score written and composed by
Latin teacher Luke Henderson, recorded by student musicians
Students have been working on it since April, started filming
Wednesday
Premieres this Spring, date TBA
Starring Zac Geoffray as Barnabus, Remy Nozik as Bella
Directed by Ethan Corn
official, SLAM is considering entering the Horror genre for the 2012 project.
Filming for Barnabus and Bella will start
in November, and continue through December
and January. All the songs for the film, about a
young man who is willing to give it his all to get
the girl, are ready. “Thanks to hard work over
the summer by many student musicians and
singers, the songs for Barnabus & Bella have
all been recorded and are ready. The show has
been cast with a wonderful group of students
and staff,” said Henderson.
Corn and Geoffray are excited to begin
filming. “We’ve done so much preparation for
Barnabus and Bella, knowing that we are about
to film is a huge relief,” said Corn. When asked
about the workload, he added, “I wouldn’t call
it work. Work isn’t enjoyable.” Geoffray, who
also stars as the main character, echoed Corn’s
sentiments. “We’ve done everything we can to
assure that we’ll succeed,” said Geoffray. “The
only place that success comes before work is
the dictionary.”
Though delivering high quality audio-visual entertainment is one of SLAM’s defining
features, Henderson says that the true goal is
to do this while also creating a helpful product.
“Samohi Latin is already known as one of the
premiere Latin-spoken programs in the U.S.,
and SLAM’s projects will help Latin students
everywhere improve their skills.”
As one final goal, Henderson hopes SLAM
will be able to clear any wrong impressions
about the Latin language. “There is a common
misconception about the Latin language. It is not
so much dead, as it is immortal,” said Henderson. “Latin has been purposely kept unchanged,
so that scholars and scientists from different
countries such as Copernicus and Isaac Newton
could communicate in a common language, and
so that their works would be understood forever,
not just during their lifetime. By learning Latin,
you unlock all the knowledge and innovation of
the past 2,000 years of Western civilization.”
LUKE HENDERSON: Latin teacher and
producer
ETHAN CORN: Writer and director
ZAC GEOFFRAY: Writer and lead actor
INSIDE PERSPECTIVE
Photos by Henry Boyd
Senior panorama: amid chaos, a moment of unity Pep rally: civil at last, for better or worse
Hundred of faces running down the Greek steps, seniors talking on their cell
phones trying to find their group of friends. I always knew roughly how many students were in my grade, but I could never fully understand just how massive the class
of 2010 really is until we were about to take the Senior Panoramic picture. As I stood
in the Greek, I was watching my class file in. For ten minutes, student after student
found their friends and took their places. Then, finally, we all settled down and for the
first time in four years I was only surrounded by seniors. The spirit in the Greek was
contagious; we were all so excited to be there, to be participating in the first official
senior activity of the year. Then, all of a sudden, tragedy struck. A junior is spotted in
the mix of senior faces. It took about thirty seconds for security to escort the imposter
away from the scene, followed by an ominous crowd of “boos,” from rowdy, standing
boys. But finally, order was restored.
After a feeble try for some year chanting, we were quieted down, and told to look towards the tiny camera in
the middle of the stage. It felt sort of weird to be posing and smiling when the camera was so tiny compared to our
class. Would anyone really be able to notice if we stuck our tongues out? It seemed unlikely. Then, Ms. Boyd called
out to us, “On the count of three,” the pictures were going to be taken. And in the next three seconds, the picture
was over and we had to go back to class. All of that hype for three measly seconds, it may seem insignificant, but
the picture brought the senior class together, we were all there, excited to finally be the oldest, and the panoramic
picture was the first thing that we accomplished together. —Rose Kleiman-Weiner, Staff Writer
A sea of blue and gold fills all vision as we take our seats
in the capacity filled Greek Theater. Through the Miley Cyrus
music and the babble coming from the students, we make out
some soft “1-0” and “1-1” chants. Yet quickly, the babble stops.
The theater is silent. All attention focuses on Victor and Vicky
Viking. The administration gasps a sigh of relief, the pandemonium is nowhere near what it was last year. As the choir comes
on the stage to sing our national anthem we all stand together, no
longer a collection of four distinct grades, but a unified school.
Some restlessness fills the theater, but it vanishes as the song and
cheer girls do their routine. Shortly after the fall sports do a brief
dance, the homecoming court enters the stage; a gasp of excitement fills the theater. In
the distance a “STEPH” chant breaks out, however, it is not large enough to gain any
momentum. The administration takes another sigh of relief just before the homecoming king prepares to be crowned. The suspense hits its peak as the crown finds its way
to AJ Perez. Some let out a cry of ecstasy and relief, others a cry of disappointment. As
Mrs. Garcia-Hecht announces the senior dismissal, we leave the rally slightly let down
by the absence of grade rivalry, but, wondering where all the other grades are headed,
excited for the Subway and pizza that waits. — Oren Friedman, Staff Writer
Campus Life
Page 6
Nov. 13, 2009
Dear Samo,
Last issue the idea of traditions and
upcoming activities was discussed and
I am proud to reflect on what has been
happening on and off our campus.
Thanks to ASB, Running with Speakers, the fall season sports, pep squad and
song leaders, administration, teachers,
volunteers and more our pep rally was
finally made possible. Hours and hours
of preparation went into the show including two after school rehearsals,
lunchtime meetings, decorating committees, proposal writing and brainstorming
sessions. And now, thanks to the cooperation, maturity and respect
from the Samo students, we will be able to have more throughout the
year. I cannot express how excited I am for the rest of our activities
to unfold because my ultimate goal for the Samo community is to
continue to grow closer as a school and to instill a stronger sense of
unity; we are only in high school once and it is important to recognize
that we are all here together as Samo Vikings. I commend all of you
who participated in Halloween activities, homecoming court, spirit
week, pep rally planning, non-violence week and more that has been
going on this semester and encourage everyone to indulge in what
our school is providing.
There are also some exciting events coming up in the near future
such as Club Day, Tom’s Shoe Drive, homecoming dance and more.
While some events are ASB sponsored it is important to recognize
the other organizations on our campus that are working hard to put
on events and make a difference at Samo including but definitely not
limited to pep squad, Running With Speakers, Team Marine, Samohi
Solar Alliance, and the theater, choir and band programs. ASB will
proudly help sponsor, advertise, promote and contribute to any production that wants it so please feel free to contact us and come in
during one of our meeting days (Tuesday or Thursday during fourth
period in T103B).
But enough about activities. ASB is also here to serve and advocate for what the students want and need from our school. Every two
weeks our student member of the board, Pyoung Kim, has a meeting
with the board of education, where they discuss what is going on at
Samo and in the district. We are currently discussing the benefits of
having a vote on the activities board because it was brought to our
attention as something the students may want. But it is up to you to
decide the changes and improvements that you, as a student or Samo
community member, want. Bring it to our attention and we will do
our absolute best to support what the students need.
In the meantime, Vikings: stay focused, have fun and get involved.
Zoe Gillespie, ASB Vice-president
H1N1 cases increase,
but students are hesitant
to stay home
Joe Colajezzi
Staff Writer
The H1N1 virus has begun to have a tangible effect on
students at Samo, but many fear the consequences of staying
home.
H1N1 virus, (swine flu), caused the past months to be the
worst flu season that R.N. School Nurse Lora Morn has seen in
her seven years at Samo.
“I can’t ball park how many students have the H1N1 flu,
though I find 1 in 4 cases a day of students with fevers over 100
degrees,” Morn said.
Any fever over 100 degrees classifies itself as a serious
illness, according the local board of health commission.
Nursing staff and local doctors are baffled by the number of
cases of the H1N1 flu that they have seen this flu season.
“We’re getting about 100 cases a day of the H1N1 flu,” Kaiser Permanante pediatrician Mark Haendel said. “7 or 8 students
in my office, alone.”
A cough, fever, and other serious symptoms aren’t the only
side effects students fear. Students missing weeks of school have
plenty to catch up on upon return, but are urged to stay home.
“I am finding that a lot of students are fearing penalization.
Teachers can not penalize them if they have an illness.” Morn
said.
Though healthy bed rest away from school is recommended,
students fear making up days, sometimes even weeks of school.
“It was really stressful coming back to school after I got
over the flu,” sophomore Tansu Diri said. “I had one teacher
in particular who wasn’t at all making my transition back into
school easy,” Diri said. “I had quite a few assignments and tests
to make up and with almost no time to do so.”
Doctors around the county are recommending isolation for
those with fevers, to contain the spread of the flu.
“Students should be getting the H1N1 vaccine,” Morn said.
“And please, If you are sick, stay home.”
Fast Facts
Flu symptoms:
Fever (100 degrees plus), vomiting,
body aches, diarrhea, and chills.
Students exhibting any of the
above symptoms, but not a fever
are asked to stay home.
Samo Theatre’s rendition of “The Crucible” chills a capacity crowd
THEATER REVIEW
Jane Kivnick
Editor-in-chief
In terms of theater, Thursday night opening shows are often
hard to pull-off successfully. It is difficult to attract a large audience, which the actors rightfully deserve, on a school night.
However, the first production of “The Crucible,” which opened
on Nov. 6 at 7 p.m. in the Humanities Center Theater, had a large
and supportive house.
Upon entering the theater, I was alarmed by the chilling monk
chant music that echoed within the space. From the moment the
doors opened, junior Ayinde Ross, who played Reverend Samuel
Parris, sat onstage beside the bed of Betty Parris, played by junior Tanya Choo. Choo’s and Ross’s presence forced the audience to focus immediately on the actors before them. As the lights
dimmed, the beat of a tribal drum drowned out the chants, leading
to the commencement of this riveting play.
“The Crucible,” written by Arthur Miller in 1953, recounts the
Salem witch-hunts of 1692 to draw parellels between the blind
accusations surround McCarthyism. Dozens of women, most
prominently Elizabeth Proctor, played by junior Clea Decrane,
are accused of witchery, and threatened with lethal punishment.
Elizabeth’s husband, John Proctor, played by senior Oliver Ludin,
tries to free his wife and reveal which of the convicted women
from his village are actually guilty of satanic affairs; he is however inhibited in his quest by his lecherous relationship with the
young Abigail Williams, played by senior Veronica Arbogast.
Daryl Hovis, the new theater department director, utilized
an “alley-way” set up, in which the audience risers border the
north and south sides of the stage. This allows the audience to
observe the action from a more intimate, close-up perspective.
Neutral brown and tan colored walls with jagged borders lined
the east and west walls of the theater, blocking the actors in a
prison cell-type formation. Stark blue and red lighting hues seem
to symbolize the contrast between holy Christian practices and
evil witchery.
Junior Rebecca Redman, who played Deputy Gov. Danforth,
reflected on her experience with this production.
“Being in the theatre is always an incredible experience, no
matter what you are working on and who you are working with.
There is always an opportunity to grow. I am so happy and lucky
to be in my third year of productions at Samo and Mr. Hovis
and the cast have just made my passion for the arts even more
strong.”
Photo by Sam Boloorchi
A SOLEMN PRAYER: Rev. Samuel Parris (Ayinde Ross) sits by bedstricken Betty Parris (Tanya Choo) in opening scene of “The Crucible.”
3 more shows: Tonight, 8 p.m.
Tomorrow, 2 p.m. and 8 p.m.
Feature
Page 7
Day in the Life: Beth Bitner’s class
Nov. 13, 2009
A peek inside the special education department at Samo
The seven students in Beth Bitner’s special education classroom face individual challenges
and disabilities, but their contributions to Samo and the community are unique and varied.
Photo by Taylor D’Andrea
ACQUIRING SKILLS: In the special education class room, life skills are emphasized. Here, Bitner helps Gabe
learn how to properly deal with money.
Taylor D’Andrea
Staff Writer
Photo by Reva Santo
PEERS: The students in Bitner’s class, including Gabe Dresner and Megan Morrison (above), form strong bonds with each other. However, it is sometimes difficult for them to develop relationships with regular education students.
Photo by Taylor D’Andrea
INDEPENDENT STUDY: The curriculum in Bitner’s class varies from student to
student. Sarah Kovacs strengthens her independence by preparing lunch for
herself.
Photo by Taylor D’Andrea
FIELD TRIP : Often, Bitner takes her students on field trips to give them realworld applications of the skills they learn in class. Here, Madi Collins picks out
groceries during the class’s recent trip to Whole Foods.
Room H127 is a foreign place to most students, both because of its unusual location
and the unique obstacles faced by those who
learn there.
Beth Bitner’s special education class, or
community-based learning class, is located
in an outlying part of the History Building. Her seven students — Sean Carr, Gabe
Dresner, Stella Farnam, Jorge Valdez, Madi
Collins, Megan Morrison and Sarah Kovacs
— work to overcome significant learning
disabilities on a daily basis.
Each student has a very specialized curriculum to combat their individual challenges.
Because of the disparities in student
needs — counting money or reading is difficult for some, for instance, while others may
have trouble with hand-eye coordination —
there are often seven different things going
on in the class at one time.
Although each session can cover anything
from reading to communication skills, each
lesson is designed to teach independence and
help the students master common, important
tasks.
Bitner hopes to improve her students’ relationships with general education students,
and help them establish comfortable places
in the real world.
“Part of some disabilities is the inability
to correctly read or understand social situations and clues,” Bitner said.
Sometimes this leads to their exclusion
from groups and interpersonal activities.
“[The students] are rarely included in outside social events ... Being included outside
of school is an important aspect of friendship,” Bitner said,
Despite these challenges, many of Bitner’s students find ways of assimilating into
the Samo community.
Sarah, for example, is currently in her
third year at Samo. She runs on the Cross
Country team and finds that her sport helps
her make friends and feel included. The
other runners consider her a vital part of the
team, and it has made her time at Samo much
more enjoyable.
Jorge is a sophomore this year, and is
finding his place in the school through acting in the theater class at Samo.
“I like acting. I like talking to people and
dressing up,” he said.
He also loves Halloween, explaining that
his new favorite song is “Monster Mash.”
At his previous school, Sean found it hard
to adjust and make friends. Now he is thriving at Samo, traveling by himself and becoming more independent every day.
Almost all of Bitner’s students are part of
Circle of Friends, a club they look forward to
each week. By connecting them with general
education students, or “peer friends,” the club
has helped them make great, long-lasting connections.
In addition to these co-curricular activies, some of Bitner’s students make their
mark outside of school: Gabe participates in
karate, Madi is involved in a swimming club
and Stella takes a modern dance class. Megan,
on the other hand, has more trouble being involved in activities such as clubs and sports,
but she enjoys spending time with her family
and taking walks with her dad.
Some students take their community involvement to the next level by joining the
workplace. Last year, Jorge and Sean worked
at the Ocean House Assisted Living Facility
in Santa Monica. The students are currently
looking for new opportunities to enhance their
skills and get hands-on experience, possibly
at other businesses in our area.
It is clear that the students in Bitner’s class
are faced with difficulties that challenge their
daily experiences. However, they are rarely
halted by these challenges, and instead try
their best to adapt to the Samo way of life.
All they ask is to be included, but sometimes
general education students have trouble living
up to the highest standards of acceptance.
“We don’t want to say something offensive
since we don’t know about their specific disability,” said freshman Amanda Bang.
However, this attitude has the potential to
make special education students feel isolated.
“You don’t stop talking to your friend when
they have a broken arm,” said sophomore Brian Kong. “Therefore, you should still talk to
people who have [all types of] disabilities.”
A smile in the hallway, a friendly greeting,
volunteering to be a peer buddy or mentor in
a shared class — anything and everything can
make a difference in their lives, and you will
be surprised how big of a difference it could
make in yours.
“
Samo is Packin’
I have had a banana in my backpack since the beginning of the school year. I’m never opening that zipper.
— Che Sanchez, freshman
I used to think that rolling back-
”
“
Mess
Style
packs were really nerdy till I turned
26 and tweaked my back.
— Rebbecca Hardt, Songs Coach
”
“
When a teacher gives me a paper I just shove
it in my backpack and hope for the best.
— Jenisse Castillo, senior
”
Organization
“
When I used to wear a backpack I felt like I was
carrying my life. I never got organized because it never
mattered. I could put in so much without it straining my
back. My tote bag keeps me more organized. When it
gets increasingly heavier I know there’s something that
I don’t need and I take it out. It forces me to only carry
my necessities.
— Chloë Director, staff writer
”
“
No matter how much I take out of my
backpack it’s still spectacularly heavy.
— Tona Borrego, freshman
Weight
“
”
Wearing a turtleneck is like being strangled by a really weak guy, all day. Wearing a backpack and a turtleneck is like a weak midget trying to bring you down.
— Mitch Hedberg, comedian
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Deconst
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Control
“
The mind is uncontrollable. Sometimes you think about things you do not
want to focus on.
— Libby Marquis, senior
”
“
I have had my dose of stress, but I
cope with it through music. The guitar
and piano have kept me from breaking
down; they help untangle the mess in my
head and organize it into melody.
— John Caldwell, senior
”
“
Pressure
During the beginning of the school
year, stress engulfs the lives of nearly
every senior. We quarantine ourselves in our homes because we feel
like the outside world is nothing but
noise and distraction. The ultimate
goal is to come as close to ‘perfection’ as possible, all to please and
entice the colleges of our choice. We
focus so much on making every little
thing count, and worry about making
ourselves so ‘perfect’ that we forget
about what truly matters: happiness.
— Raphael Mawrence, senior
“A mind is a terrible thing to waste.”
— United Negro College Fund slogan
s
Headache
”
Stress Doodles
Sleep Deprivation
“
My head hits my desk with a thud.
Did I really fall asleep again? I can’t ever
fall asleep that quickly at home, but the second the teacher starts talking, I’m out. Some
days I play the ‘head slipping off my hand’
game, or I’m better about it, and just
daydream. Most days though, I
just sit with one hand massaging my head because of the
ambush a thoughts. There’s
a faint voice mumbling
equations in the background, but I pay no mind.
— Emily Durram, sophomore
”
t
aff
rtis n, st
fa
taf erso
s
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er,
ich a A
Re y My
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b
o
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Ar ction
Se
“The mind is a gigantic collection of
neurons that are connected to allow
you to be conscious to feeling.”
— Ingo Gaida, biology teacher
Consciousness
r
ite
wr
“
If you think Marching Band is nothing more
than learning how to walk in a straight line,
think again. Imagine trying to think on the
move, figuring where you’re supposed to be,
where others around you are, what notes or
rest you need to be paying attention to, trying
to stay in tune despite the heat or the cold that
is not a comfortable practice room, and then
do all that in time, while looking up, playing to
hundreds of people.
— Christopher Capron, junior
”
“
“On April 5, 1999 Karmit Tsubera and Dror Opaz kissed for a record 30
Live your life, love your friends, too many
cute guys, only one a girl can pick.
— Gina Meza, freshman
”
Compatibility
“
I have had almost two whole
years with my lovely and beautiful
girlfriend. We brighten each other’s
days, and our relationship has definitely made my entire high school
experience much better than even
my greatest expectations.
— Wesley Evans, junior
“Nearly half (46%) of all
15-19-year-olds in the United
States had sex at least once.”
— Vital and Health Statistics, 2004
”
How’s your love life?
“
“Keep love in your heart. A life without it
is like a sunless garden where the flowers are dead. The consciousness of loving
and being loved brings a warmth and richness to life that nothing else can bring.”
—Oscar Wilde, writer
We were friends last year. It’s not a love relationship, but it’s definitely a bromance.
— Blair Buchanan and Ronald Sinai, senior
Breakups
“
My friend likes a different
guy every week, and so she
has a different boyfriend all
the time. She is really into
Samo. She made out with a
gay guy, and then he turned
bi, and then he got a boyfriend so he dumped her…
it’s really weird…
— Alana Walden, freshman
”
“
Bad. Breakup. Big fight.
And now we don’t talk at all.
It’s sad because he was really close to me.
— Xochitl Ramos, junior
”
Drama
”
“
“
“
On a scale of one to ten how would
you rate the attractiveness of Samo
students?
”
Women are a 7.5 and guys are a 10.
— Jordan Sloop, senior
I think relationships at school
are too drama filled and people
always look for issues that aren’t
there just to get attention.
— Taylor Roy, junior
School
“
I’d say a 9.5 because people at Samo
are just so much more attractive than at
other schools. — Sam Reynolds, senior
Attraction
”
”
Out of 3,000 kids at Samo only 2 I’ve seen are attractive.
”
— Nitzan Levinson, freshman
Art by Jason Reicher, staff artist
Section edited by Tessa Nath, staff writer
truCted
k is
Who’s des
“Post-its, paper clips, and an
ice blended mocha”
“Janice, my stapler”
— Michael Surrago, English teacher
“Purell”
— Ms. Gaynor,
math teacher
“Pictures of my wife”
hours 45 min
to win a kissing contest held in Tel Aviv, Israel. ” — Guinness Book of World Records
this?
A
— Chaneé Washington, I House Assistant
“My heater”
Teacher Desk
Survival
Kit
—Tomita Glover,
O House Assistant
“Harry Potter mouse pad”
— Heather Weathern, Spanish teacher
— Jimmy Chapman,
Spanish teacher
B
C
Art by Jason Reicher, staff artist
Section edited by Chloë Director, staff writer
Thought
“
”
If a clean desk is like a clean mind and
a cluttered desk is like a cluttered mind,
which is better? Mine is in between.
— Maria Stevens, English teacher
Ideas
“
I like to litter my desk with conversation pieces so that students and I
can bond...
— Michael Felix, freshman seminar
and U.S. history
” Clutter
”
Answers: A)Ms. Surago B) Mr.
Blatz C) Ms. Swenson D) Mr. Felix
“
At the desk where I sit, I have learned one great truth. The answer for all our national problems, the answer for all the problems
of the world , come to a single word. That word is education.
— Lyndon B. Johnson, 36th President of the United States
D
Feature
Page 10
Nov. 13, 2009
Big Fish in a Big Pond
Because we attend such a large school, the hobbies, contributions and special talents of many
students exist under the radar. Not anymore!
JASON PITTS: Marching to the sound of his own tune
Evan Kahn
Staff Writer
When he was four, junior Jason Pitts’s
parents plopped him down in front of
a piano. At the time, being able to play
“Row, Row, Row Your Boat” prompted a
gleeful thrust of two small fists in the air.
Now, after 12 years, Pitts’s fascination
with music is anything but rudimentary.
His one-instrument repertoire has broadened to include guitar, drums, harmonica,
trumpet, ukulele, electric bass and general percussion.
“My acoustic guitar is probably my
favorite,” Pitts said. “The vibrations of
the wood body make me feel a warm,
direct connection to the music I’m creating.”
As does everyone with a dream, Pitts
has a few musicians that he looks up to.
Well, more than a few.
“Jason Mraz, John Mayer, Alexi Murdoch ... the first three of a 100 name list,”
he said with a grin.
Rena Baum is his H-House Adviser,
and has only terrific things to say about
her pupil.
“Whenever he comes into our office,
which could be numerous times a day
just to say hi, he’s like a bright light,” she
said. “Jason’s like a Renaissance man;
he’s so good at so many things, yet he remains humble through it all.”
Besides playing percussion in both
Symphonic Band and Symphony Orchestra, he goes out and plays guitar at venues
once in a while. On Nov. 15, he will be
playing at the Pico Boulevard Best Buy
at 3 p.m. as part of a weekly showcase
of acoustic guitar players, where he will
perform some covers as well as some of
his original songs.
One of these songs, called “Withdrawn,” is about fearing the future as a
child, and not knowing what you want to
do for the rest of your life.
“What inspires most of my songs are
the relationships among people, everyday life and sometimes the generosity of
people,” he said.
Pitts is also the drummer in the band
Post Meridiem, a classic/progressive
band that has been together since September 2007. Jake Noveck (another
Samo student) is the band’s lead guitarist and writes many of their songs.
Post Meridiem will also be making an
appearance at the Best Buy on Nov. 15.
This year, Pitts is also starting a
fledgling club called “Chords for Kids.”
Meeting on Tuesdays in T208, the club is
intended to be a charitable group, playing music for kids in pediatric wards in
hospitals across Los Angeles.
“I’ve been wanting to do something
like this for a long time,” Pittssaid. “This
is what music’s all about.”
He is in already in contact with
UCLA’s Ronald Reagan Center, and
wants his club to visit Cedars Sinai in
the near future.
Pitts has big plans for his musical
future.
“My broad aspiration is to have a
career in music recording and/or performance,” Pitts said. “My highest hope is
that I go to the Berkley School in Boston. I’d really like to spread my original
music to the masses. Ultimately, I want
to be the one performing.”
Photo by Reva Santo
MUSIC MAN: Pitts plays the guitar, drums, harmonica, trumpet, ukulele, electric bass and general percussion.
Choir accompanist is worth singing about
Photo by Henry Boyd
GANELIS HARD AT WORK: Ina Ganelis, the Samohi choir accompanist, moved
here after living and studying in Samara, Russia.
Henry Boyd
Staff Writer
You might not expect the profession of piano accompanist to come
with a lifetime of prerequisite.
But if you happen to stroll into
M100 at lunch and hear Ms. Ganelis,
Jeffe Huls’s trusty sidekick, playing
Chopin’s nocturne in B Flat minor,
the experience is likely to make you
rethink your previous notions.
Just by watching her play, you can
almost feel the passion and drive
surging from her fingertips. Having begun classical piano training at the age of six, Ganelis has
certainly proved herself worthy of
the highest recognition and praise.
Her divine technique did not
come without years of practice.
Ganelis spent over 15 years in
three different institutions for music in her hometown of Samara,
Russia.
Whether you have choir second period or fifth period, Ganelis
always seems to be in a warm,
cheerful mood; it seems that she
loves teaching almost as much
as playing.
“This is the perfect job for
me because I get to perform all
the time, both onstage and off,”
she said.
The job does have one downside.
“Well, when I lived in Samara, I didn’t have to get up
at six every morning,” Ganelis
said. “That is probably my least
favorite thing about this job.”
For many people, one of the
hardest parts of immigrating to
America is learning English,
one of the most complicated
languages in the world. Luckily,
English is taught hand in hand
with arithmetic and science
throughout Europe.
Because of this training,
Ganelis claims her struggle to
overcome the language barrier
in this country is not a profound
one. She spoke lots of English
prior to her big move to Santa
Monica.
What with the recent donation of the Barnum Hall organ,
successful tours throughout the
World, and a multitude of fundraisers, it seems like the SMMUSD Music Program is inching its way up.
And certainly Ganelis is the
icing on the cake.
Lianna Cohen
Staff Writer
Grandma’s Mashed Potatoes
My mom is a great cook, and so is her mom.
But their styles differ drastically. My mom tends
to make light healthy foods like salad and fish.
Grandma is the one who makes the good stuff:
meatloaf, homemade ice cream and, for Thanksgiving, my favorite mashed potatoes.
Ingredients:
8-10 medium-sized potatoes, peeled
1 cup sour cream
1 8oz package (not a tub) cream cheese softened to room temperature
4 Tbsp butter plus extra butter for topping
salt and pepper to taste
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Boil peeled potatoes in a large pot for 15-20 minutes, until tender.
Pour into sieve to drain water. In a large bowl, beat
sour cream and cream cheese together. Add hot
potatoes and mash until smooth. Mix in butter and
add salt and pepper to taste. Place in a buttered
2-quart casserole dish. Dot with extra butter and
place in oven. Bake for 25 minutes.
A&E
Page 11
Nov. 13, 2009
Good food: eateries of the West Side
Max Tamahori
News Editor
Ah, the Landmark Theaters at the Westside Pavilion – our most accessible high-quality multiplex this side of town. Here we take a look at some of the fantastic surrounding eateries within
walking distance to this theater near you. Take a little time to savor the flavor(s!) of great places that make “dinner and a movie” the classic combination that it is!
Apple Pan
Sisley
This no-frills burger joint serves a seemingly limited
menu of classic American fare – three types of burgers, two salads, a few pies, fries, standard pop. Heard of this before, right?
Wrong! Standard burger bars fail to feed the soul, whereas the
Apple Pan both satiates the diner and leaves a wide smile on the
face (not to mention an increased waistband).
Independently owned since its opening in 1947, the
Apple Pan is, according to their very own saying, “the result of
the effort to do simple things exceedingly well.” Take either the
Steakburger or Hickoryburger. Both are palm-sized sandwiches
This tasty trattoria is perfect for those who want to
have a decent sit-down dinner before the show. Located just
inside the Westside Pavilion, Sisley sports a balanced menu of
standard Italian favorites, including several varieties of pastas,
paninis, calzones, pizzas and salads.
Brick-fired pizzas are colorful, diverse and flavorful,
boasting such toppings as sun-dried tomatoes, grilled eggplant,
goat cheese, avocado and even parmesan-encrusted pears. Pastas are accompanied by equally diverse sides; broccoli fusilli,
carbonara fettucine and linguini and clams are but a few to be
This is where your pre-movie meal gets hot. The rowdy,
steamy, Korean-inspired Japanese BBQ joint known as Gyu-Kaku
– translated as “beef corner” – is about as fun and interactive as
food can get. So put on your adventure hats, equip your wallets
and prepare yourself for a fiery feast.
The key concept here is diners cooking their own food.
No, the chefs aren’t lazy. It’s all part of the process of yakiniku, a
Japanese method of cooking bite-sized pieces of meat, fish or vegetables over a hot grill (each table has its own). The server lights it
up and explains the process: veggies go on the flames for about two
with the usual lettuce, tomato, cheddar. But add a perfectly
done rich, all-beef patty and a dollop of the Apple Pan’s to-diefor “special sauce” (which rivals that of In‘n’Out) and you’ve
really got a meal that hits the spot.
Order a soda to wash this all down and you’ll be presented with a stout, metal goblet with a paper cone filled with
ice; say good-bye to lukewarm drinks.
Finish it off with an absolutely unbeatable slice of
freshly-baked pie: sinfully delicious chocolate cream, banana
cream, cinnamon-flecked hot apple, classic pecan and more.
But it’s not just the outstanding grub that has kept the
place packed since 1947. A friendly, humble and inviting atmosphere is prevalent, all thanks to the plain and simple décor and
11-stars-out-of-10 friendly service. A communal vibe derives
from the horseshoe counter surrounding the kitchen, at which
all diners are seated; everyone’s sitting next to each other, all
eating, all happy.
Moral of the story: The Apple Pan will undoubtedly
remind you of the pure satisfaction to be had in chowing on a
burger and fries.
had. These dishes, however, range from swimming in sauce to
perfectly coated , and it’s up to you as a diner to decide what’s
good and what ain’t.
But do not come alone; Sisley is great for a group dining experience. A whole page of the menu is dedicated to “Family Style Platters” of very basic and traditional pasta, poultry,
seafood, or meat dishes. Each order serves around three to four
people, making for a great “everyone pitch in” meal.
Service is friendly, helpful and quick to answer any
questions, and servers are lively, even dressing up on Halloween.
But however friendly the vibe may be, the establishment itself is a bit tacky. A cheap paint-job, framed pieces of
clothing and old newspapers and a falsified outdoor dining at the
entrance generate an overall inauthentic atmosphere. Also too, a
mirror along the back is reminiscent of cheap, small dineries.
Sisley is a balanced Italian restaurant, and though a bit
pricey for movie-goers looking for a quick eat, if you aren’ big
on cooking your own beef as other chow-houses make you do,
Sisley will do more than satisfy.
to three minutes, sliced meat 30-60 seconds and seafood (wrapped
in foil) between three and four minutes.
The menu is fairly straightforward, organizing the little
grill-able bits by status of protein or vegetable. Simple items such
as the Kalbi short rib and assorted vegetables (Portobello mushrooms, onions, cherry tomatoes, zucchini) are good to start with.
Get adventurous by ordering a foil-enclosed “dish” of mahi-mahi
or buttered corn and watch the packet pop and steam as the insides
gain a delicious char. One can also take the whole lot by ordering
from a set menu; a true feast hardly conquerable by a single stomach (they’re built for two), these full-on spreads include miso soup,
rice, salad, seafood, meat, vegetables; it’s truly the whole shebang!
But with all great deals comes a catch; in order to have
a satisfying meal, one would have to spend at least $25, which is a
bit pricey for a pre-movie bite. Then again, Gyu-Kaku has a really
lively, group vibe to it, making pitch-in meals not so out of place.
Though not at all authentic Japanese cuisine, Gyu-Kaku
offers a truly exciting and delicious dining experience that will
surely fire you up for a night at the movies. But be careful; just
make sure you don’t actually get fired up
burgers: $6.50
pies (per slice): $5.75
fries: $2
West L.A. 10800 W. Pico Blvd
starters: $8-$12
entrees: $10-$20
platters: $15-$30 (serves three-four)
meat: $5-$8 per 3.5 oz (three orders recommended)
salads & veggies: $4-$6 per small plate
set courses: $50-70 (serves two)
West L.A. 10801 W. Pico Blvd.
cash only
Hours:
Tue-Thu. 11 a.m. - midnight
Fri-Sat. 11 a.m. - 1 a.m.
Sun. 11 a.m. - midnight
closed Mondays
Hours:
Mon-Sun. noon. - 10 p.m.
Gyu-Kaku
West L.A. 10925 W. Pico Blvd
Hours:
lunch
Mon–Thu noon–2:30 p.m.
Fri–Sun noon–5 p.m.
dinner
Mon–Thu 5 p.m.–11 p.m.
Fri & Sat 5 p.m.–midnight
Sun 5 p.m.–10 p.m.
Anna Karenina is the epitome of drama
Jane Kivnick
Editor-in-Chief
Who would have ever thought that the most
entertaining, complicated, juicy piece of dramatic literature was birthed in Russia in 1877? Internationally known as a pinnacle of realist fiction,
“Anna Karenina” is, simply stated, a true delight
(if you can get through all 853 pages).
The novel is divided into eight parts and
follows the lives of Anna Karenina, her family
and members of the social circles in which Anna
takes part. The book begins with one of its most
referenced lines: “Happy families are all alike;
every unhappy family is unhappy in its own
way.” This quote rings true for the Karenins,
and the other featured families in the novel: the
Vronskys, Oblonskys, Levins, Shcherbatskayas
and Ivanovnas. Though the names seem complicated and hard to remember, one becomes well
acquainted with the affairs of these families by
the end of the novel.
Anna Karenina is unlike any other Russian
female of her time. She is independent, does
Art by Jason Reicher
what she wants, and interacts with whomever
she pleases, disregarding all societal norms. The
taboo decisions she makes in terms of her relationships supply her with temporary happiness,
yet long term emotionally damaging results. Despite the pitfalls of her feminist actions, Anna
is a role model for many young women, including one of the supporting characters, Kitty. Both
Anna and Kitty aid each other in their problems
with love and marriage.
In addition to the focus on Anna and Kitty’s
feminine bond and their independent philosophies, a subplot features their male counterparts,
Vronsky and Levin. These two men also question their societal ordained roles, and seek alternative ways of life to the urban, business world
in which they are caught.
“Anna Karenina” has been adapted into
dozens of ballets, films, operas, plays and musicals in countries all over the world in the past
century. It appears on virtually every book list
currently published in the United States. Though
it is long, this novel is a must-read for the literarily curious individual.
A&E
Chloe Director
Staff Writer
Nestled in the vintage 1700 block of Ocean Park is Thyme Café and Market. Although it
might look pretentious compared to Slice Pizza, the humble bike repair, or even The Talking Stick
which used to be in its place (now located on 1411 Lincoln Blvd.), Thyme brings the community
together.
Sunset Park was eager for this new restaurant to open. The white doors and clean green
logo created anticipation for everyone, and when the health and city permits were approved and the
doors were open, not a soul was hesitant about giving Thyme a chance.
Inside the doors, the atmosphere is friendly and fresh. Women chat before yoga class
while eating their homemade granola and yogurt. A father grabs his three kids in his two arms to sit
outside while they each eat their very own red velvet cupcake. And teenagers grab sandwiches togo before their soccer games. The only issue is the seating, which is now expanding onto the back
outdoor patio and also lining the sidewalk on Ocean Park.
The restaurant, inspired by Clementine in Century City, provides a lot of healthy choices
but doesn’t scrimp on the desserts. There is a breakfast menu with an inventive bacon and egg
sandwich, and many salads, sandwiches, and soup to choose from on the lunch menu. Although
Thyme closes at 3 p.m. during their “soft” preliminary opening, they provide a great take-out menu
for dinner. You can pick up some sensational pork tenderloin with cherries marinated in the center,
meatloaf that will make you like meatloaf, or chicken parmesan that remains juicy and tender even
after sitting in the display case. For sides you can choose bright-green still-crispy sugar snap peas
Page 12
Nov. 13, 2009
with black sesame seeds, string beans, rice salad, or dense and creamy mashed potatoes. The salads
are also delectable, and a good choice for a take-home dinner, although they are small. I thought
the grilled salmon salad with mixed greens, haricot verts, cherry tomatoes and raspberry vinaigrette
was delicious. One morning, I stopped off and got a pressed roast turkey and brie sandwich to-go
on the way to school. The presentation was elegant, and the sandwich, prepared on a big ciabatta
roll, was perfectly intact at lunchtime. It was a little too rich because of the brie but the garnish of
fresh greens was a nice contrast.
Pastries are a Thyme specialty. The lemon bars are tangy, but still rich, and for dessert,
rich is always good. The presentation in a white paper box is perfectly intact when it is opened at
home.
Prices are low for the quality, but portions are sometimes small. Compared to the Novel
Café chain, with salads from $10 to $20, Thyme salads and sandwiches are easily bought from $7
to $9. Ocean Park Boulevard was in dire need of a place like Thyme. It was pathetic seeing so many
south-sider’s going to Montana Avenue’s Rosti or Le Marmiton for a suitable healthy meal.
The owner and chef, Marie Byrne, opened Thyme Catering in 2004. The company still
caters to businesses as well as parties and provides the décor for special occasions. Byrne graduated from the Culinary Institute of New York and then went to work at Chez Panisse Restaurant in
Berkeley.
Going to Thyme is a must for any Santa Monica resident. Foodies agree, the quality, reasonable prices, and vibe are almost flawless. Thyme is a place one will return to thyme and thyme
again.
Michael Jackson’s This is it
Salonee Bhaman
Editor-In-Chief
“This is It” was a movie intended for the fans.
Based almost solely on rehearsals for his upcoming tour taped for Michael Jackson’s
personal archives, “This Is It” relied heavily on the music to ease to keep ( ) minutes of rehearsal
engaging—and is fairly successful in doing so.
Beginning with the auditions for dancers, “This Is It” showcases the extent of Jackson’s
career by measuring the impact he has had on the public and the respect his work still commands
within the industry; there are upwards of a thousand talented dancers at his auditions, millions of
screaming fans when he announces that he will be opening at the 02 Arena. The interviews prior to
the dancer’s auditions are perhaps the most representative of Jackson’s legacy—they describe him
as equal parts inspiration and savior. The reverence with which they speak gives them a sense of
authenticity—it is genuinely believable that for some of the hopefuls, dancing to Thriller and Off
The Wall was what saved them from hopelessness; they were interviews that spoke to Jackson’s
tendency to attract those straddling the small but significant line between genius and madness.
Firstly, the film gives us a feeling for the amount of work that went
into these shows, featuring intricate choreography, collaborations with various
artists, special effects, pilates lessons, day long rehearsals. The reverence his
dancers feel for him is not lost on Jackson, who seems to thrive on it, dancing
and coaching them through every process. He is detail oriented to the point of
being finicky with his music, and is a steadfast advocate for being true to the
feeling of his records. “This Is It” also reveals Jackson’s final comeback tour as
more than just an orchestration of his greatest hits; while it (thankfully) spares
us Jackson’s flops of the new millennium to focus primarily on his most celebrated work, the concert is far from a last ditch effort to trot out old favorites
to pay the bills. While producers and Jackson’s financiers may only have asked
so much, it is clear that Jackson is committed to redefining each of his classics
to awe the audience: rather than resigning himself to the fact that this may be
his last time on stage, he seems to see it as a challenge to leave with a bang.
Despite the nefarious circumstances surrounding his death, “This Is
It” proves Michael Jackson as a viable and triumphant performer at 50, though
he frequently states that he must conserve his voice, Jackson is a consistently
hands-on producer of his show: he is aware of the tempo, key and feeling a
song should have, and doesn’t hesitate to demand that his crew rise to meet
his expectations. Within these rehearsals, Jackson reveals how shrewd of a
performer he really is, working with his dancers (who barely manage to keep
up with him on stage) through each of the routines, editing the videos, directing
actors during filming, with each of his artistic decisions are inspired, and reveal
just how attuned to the pauses and nuances of the music he is.
But perhaps the greatest success of the film is that it profoundly humanizes Jackson the
performer; revealing the flaws and triumphs of his character. Throughout the rehearsals, Jackson
vacillates between seven and 70, giving the audience some true insight into his personality. Before our eyes, he transforms from a slightly affected superstar complaining that he cannot afford
to sing full throttle in order to protect his voice to a small child, excited at how high his cherry
picker is capable of going. It is a film that allows the fans to become fans again, and see the
deeply complicated individual Jackson is, and reconcile that with the facts of his clear entertainment genius.
Ultimately, “This is It” is a movie for those who love Jackson, either his music, his
performance, the man and the legend, or simply the impression he has made on the world around
him. It skimps on the spectacle, and the most revealing moments within it are unrehearsed moments of tension, not loud brawls. It is a film that allows Jackson, independent of the spectacle his
life became, have the last word: it was this that he wanted to be remembered as.
Sports
Page 13
Nov. 13, 2009
Samo travels to Morningside for must win matchup
Sam Bleiberg
Sports Editor
The mantra for Samo should be
simple this week: win or go home.
The playoffs have started a week
early for the Vikings, as their playoff
berth depends on whether or not they
win against Hawthorne tonight.
Samo began the season badly, going
1-4 before league. After starting off
league 2-0, including the first victory in
several years against rival Beverly Hills,
the team looked as if they had a chance to
go undefeated in league and win an Ocean
League Championship. Unfortunately,
things did not go as planned: Samo lost to
Culver City and Inglewood — the former
at their homecoming game. But, all these
games are in the past, and irrelevant to
the team’s overall goal: winning a CIF
championship.
Now, the best they can hope for is
a playoff spot as the third seed from the
Ocean League. If they beat Hawthorne,
they will likely get the third spot and
have as good a chance as any team at
winning a championship. If they lose,
however, their chances at the playoffs
will be infinitesimally small.
Luckily, their opponent has been
the doormat of the Ocean League for a
good time and are currently 0-9. Still, no
team can be overlooked completely.
The team has been doing a great
deal of preparation, with regards to both
strategy and mental state.
Most essential to victory is
the offensive line, which has been
inconsistent and unable to dominate.
“We need to improve on our pass
protection,” said senior wide receiver
Chris Featherstone, who is averaging
about 70 receiving yards per game. “If
the line gives Garrett [senior quarterback
Garrett Safron] time to throw, the
receivers can make plays. Staying
focused is the key. We have the potential
to beat a lot of teams, it’s just the little
things that kill us.”
photo by Sam Boloorchi
SCRAMBLE: Senior captain Garrett Safron (1) evades an Inglewood defender during Samo’s homecoming loss to the Sentinels. Samo’s record now stands at 3-6.
This idea of paying attention
to small mental detail has been a
recurring theme for the Vikings, as
they have had trouble finishing games
and keeping up their intensity. It is
very likely that the game may come
down to mental tenacity instead of
skill or size.
“I’m going to put aside all the
losses and negativity,” said senior
linebacker Keelan Malone, who is
Tennis faces CIF competition
averaging just under 10 tackles per
game. “The game plan is for each
position to do their job and trust that
everyone will do the same. Then we
will have less mental errors and the
result will be a big victory Friday
night.”
It may be just as simple as
Malone makes it out to be. Samo has
shown bursts of greatness, and if they
can sustain that high level of play,
stopping them will be difficult.
“We’re going to work on giving
our full effort on every play and not
letting ourselves get overwhelmed in
times when we are losing or without
momentum,” said senior linebacker
Luke Zelon.
He leads the team with almost 11
tackles per game and about 30 yards
per game as a receiver.
Samo will especially need
Athlete of the issue: Luke Zelon
Oren Friedman
Rose Kleiman
After storming through league with an 8-0 record, the Lady Vikings are
ready for C.I.F. Early exits in the past have left Samo ready to compete for a
title. Individual matchups have now ended, but doubles continue.
“We’ve gone out in the first round every year, so we want to take every
match one at a time and try to get a lot further than we have,” said senior cocaptain Remy Nozik.
Junior Lucy Walsh also has high hopes for C.I.F.
“Because of the way the season’s been going, we hope to do extremely
well.”
Samo boasts an impressive record this year, including a sweep of bitter
rival Beverly Hills. This was the first time in over a decade that Samo topped
the formidable Normans.
“For the four years I have been on the team, I have seen all of our players
work so hard to gain the strength and stability necessary to beat Beverly and
become the best in our league. It was epic for us and made history for Samo as
well,” said senior Zoë Gillespie.
The victory was one of the highlights of the season as it helped prepare
the Lady Vikings for the strong teams they may end up playing in C.I.F. Nozik
said,
“It was kind of unreal. It was really intense; they were really close matches.
We ended up beating them in games both times. It was amazing! Such a good
feeling!”
Without the victories, Samo would have had some trouble winning league.
With more C.I.F. matches on the horizon, the Lady Vikings are also looking for
some redemption.
“We seniors want to prove that we can do more than just win league. We
have some really good competition so we’re going to need to step up our game”
Nozik said.
Senior
Katerina
Mozolyuk was able to advance
to the C.I.F. individual final and
although she lost, she is now
moving on to individual C.I.F.
Regionals.
Regardless of what happens
for the remainder of the playoffs,
Samo has already proved they
are a tough opponent.
“No matter what happens
in
C.I.F.,
we’ve
already
accomplished so much, and I’m
really proud of everyone,” Nozik
said.
Hard work and determination are synonymous with
the name Luke Zelon. Zelon, who has been playing
football since he was a little kid, is a member of Samo’s
football team for all four years and has been a starting
varsity player since sophomore year. Zelon says he
owes much of his football success to past team
members who mentored him during his first
games on varsity as a sophomore.
“Having to work and play with older guys
taught me how to step up my game,” he said. “I
would always try to meet their expectations,
learning from them took a lot of the
pressure off during senior year because I
had already had time to adjust to the fast
paced game.”
Because of his focus and effort,
Zelon has been named Captain this
year and has been working to unite
his team, so that they can win in their
last home game of the season. Zelon is
very well-rounded player, performing
on both sides of the field. He plays
linebacker and wide receiver and has
had an impressive season so far with 82
tackles, nine sacks, and four touchdown
receptions.
While he does whatever he can to
help his team to victory on the field, he also
assists with helping off the field.
“Luke motivates everyone on and off the
field,” said Samo senior and former football
player Joe Daou. “If he sees someone
slacking off, he makes sure to help them
get back in the game so that the team can
perform better as a whole.”
Zelon does whatever he can to
improve his game: he lifts weights and
watches a lot of film, so that he can see
what he needs to work on.
In the off-season, he runs as often as
he can, lifts more weights and works on
drills. Zelon’s efforts do no go unnoticed.
Even his teammates look up to him for all
Staff Writer
“No matter what happens
in C.I.F., we’ve already
accomplished so much,
and I’m reallly proud of
everyone”
- Co-captain Remy Nozik
this skill — often referred to as
short-term memory loss in the
sports world — in their upcoming
matchup, as, due to their two
game losing streak, they have
virtually no momentum going into
the matchup.
But enough talk—Malone
summed it up when he said,
“It’s business when I step on the
field.”
Staff Writer
his determination. Samo quarterback and senior
Garrett Safron, said, “[Zelon] motivates himself to
work hard everyday. Without excuses, he goes out
and puts in all he has, and it shows on the field. He
works hard all the time.”
All of this effort will soon pay off for Zelon,
who in addition to being so talented on the
field, has excelled in his schoolwork.
Because of his 3.8 GPA, Zelon has
offers to play college football from Harvard
University, Iowa State, Washington State
and San Diego State. Although he has
many options, he has not verbally
committed to any schools yet
and is still keeping his options
open.
Although
Zelon
would one day like to play
professional football, he also
has become very interested in
geology and could see himself
pursuing that in later years.
Anyone who has worked
with Zelon over the past four
years can vouch for all his hard
work.
“When it comes to game time
he’s a beast because of the hard
work he put in at practice and at
the weight room,” said senior wide
receiver Chris Featherstone.
Zelon is very humble and is
looking to achieve present goals.
“As always, we want to try and win
league championships and make a
run in the playoffs,” Zelon said.
There is no doubt that Zelon will
be able to motivate and unite his team
so that they can perform to the best of
their abilities.
It is the qualities Zelon posses as a
leader that make him the great player he is
today. Come see Zelon help lead his team
to victory at Hawthorne.
photo by Sam Boloorchi
Sports
Lady Vikings prepared
for CIF playoff matchup
Andrew Locke
Staff Writer
The Samo Viking’s
Girl’s
volleyball team powered their way
through the month of October.
They finished shaky, but are nonetheless determined to fight hard
during CIF championships, which
are approaching rapidly.
The team ended the month
competing in the Redondo Power Classic, a yearly tournament
that takes place at cross-city high
school Redondo Union, on the 30th
and 31st.
The Vikings were by no means
unsuccessful in their endeavours,
with a 2-1 win over Independence
High, a 3-1 win over Culver City
High, and a 2-0 win over Bakersfield Christian.
The Redondo Power Classic
often sees very high-level competition at its annual tournament,
including top teams from schools
such as La Costa Canyon, Santa
Margarita, and Thousand Oaks.
La Costa Canyon was ranked
Looking back...
La Bolsa High School
Who?
First Round CIF Victory
What?
November 10th
When?
Where?
Santa Monica, North Gym
No.1 on ESPN’s RISE FAB 50 national ranking system before the
tournament (but is now ranked
much lower).
Senior Jordie Cohen believes
that as long as the team keeps its
momentum and energy up throughout CIF, it can win.
There is no doubt that this
is now a very strong and capable
team.
In their last match on Nov. 10,
the Lady Vikings defeated Bolsa
Grande high school in a match that
lasted four games.
According to coach Lianne
Sato, the first two games were
played excellently.
In the last game, however,
Sato believes that too many serving errors occured.
The Lady Vikings’ second
round matchup, against San Gabriel, occurred after the Samohi went
to press.
Page 14
Nov. 13, 2009
photo by Sam Boloorchi
READY POSITION: Seniors Gabie Levesque and Nina Thomas are set to
lead the Lady Vikings on their CIF playoff run.
Cross country teams fare well at league finals
Boys win Ocean
League title for
8th year in a row
Danny Karel
Staff Writer
As the regular season comes to a close,
the Samo Boys Cross-Country team finds
themselves facing the CIF Southern Section
Divisional Prelims, and one of the most challenging courses in the nation. The notorious
Mt. Sac is home to the famous “Poop Out
Hill”, the name alone barely able to give a
glimpse at the difficulty of the section.
“We’ve been running hills non-stop”
said senior captain Daniel Redick. “We’re
trying to get mentally prepared for one of the
hardest courses in the country.”
The team is set to start at 7:30 a.m. on
Saturday, November 14.
They enter this race with high hopes,
fighting to make it to the next round of CIF,
needing to place as one of the top four teams
in order to advance.
The team is spurred on by their recent
victory at Kenneth Hahn Park, marking their
8th year in a row winning the Ocean League
Finals.
Junior Nick Salazar (17:00) was the first
to conquer the hill, placing first.
Senior Captain Jamie Levinson (17:25)
soon followed, and then Sophomore Andrew
Capron (17:29) taking third.
Sweeps have become commonplace for
the team as they have dominated all league
meets throughout the season.
Girls finish in 2nd
at league finals,
behind Beverly
Lianna Cohen
Staff Writer
At the prestigious Mt. SAC invitational, one of the nation’s largest cross country
events, girls’ cross country performed well.
The team came in 15th out of the 22 teams
in their heat. Junior captain Amanda Botfeld led the team again, coming in 33rd with
20:19.
“The league meet before that we fell
kind of short. At Mt. SAC we were coming
back from that. We did really well consid-
ering it’s a tough invitational,” said junior
captain Esme Levy.
After suffering a rough loss to Beverly
Hills at the second league meet, the girls
sought revenge at league finals. In a close
race for the league championship, the girls
lost to Beverly Hills again. Botfeld (20:48)
came in second. Junior Smilte Svilpaite,
freshman Emily Berkin, Levy, senior Matisse Ventura and sophomore Katya Mukhina
took 6th through 10th places.
“It was a really good way to end the
season, and even though we didn’t win, we
gave Beverly Hills a run for their money,”
Levy said.
Next up is CIF, where the competition is
substantially tougher than in league.
“We’re focused on getting a good place
as a team and improving from last year,” said
Levy.
Greenies dominate
first round opponent,
Philip Dinolfo
Eagles, 7-11.
Staff Writer
“We mainly fell apart at the fourth
After games that took them to all quarter,” said senior Max Malamed, “but
corners of Los Angeles, the Greenies we played a great first half. What we need
settled into the home portion of their to practice is playing a full four quarters.”
Exactly that sort of play occurred the
Ocean League saga in late October.
day after El Segundo,
E x p e c t e d
when the Greenies
victories
followed
decimated
Malibu
against
Torrance
High,
traditionally
(10/21), Culver City
their
greatest
non(10/28), and a violent
league rivals, 17 to 5.
Beverly Hills (10/26),
“We
came
out
who, perhaps angry
frustrated
from
over the lost prospect
El
Segundo
and
of another victory
ready to play,” said
against Santa Monica,
senior captain Kirk
gave junior Zack Gold
a twelve stitch wound — senior captain Kirk Follette Follette, “It felt very
exhilarating
beating
in the last seconds of
Malibu after losing to
the game.
them last year.”
November
4th,
A similar mentality
however, was marred
suffused the Greenies’
with tragedy: with starting junior goalie
Hunter McCarthy recuperating from a first CIF game on Nov. 10, against La
leg injury the previous weekend, the Habra, whom Santa Monica shut out in
Greenies went into a match with El the last half on the way to a 15-5 victory.
This upward trend seems to spell
Segundo.
While the injury was by no means good prospects for the Greenies as they
decisive- McCarthy was in half the game, continue their CIF run this week against
and players are quick to praise the work Los Osos.
Hopefully they will be able to
of junior Alan Gutierrez in the cage- it
did help put Santa Monica in a position capitalize on the momentum gained from
such that they suffered a wrenching- and their decisive victories against La Habra
League Title abolishing- defeat to the and Malibu.
“It felt very exhilerating beating
Malibu after losing to
them last year.”
photo by Reva Santo
CAPTAIN KIRK: Senior captain Kirk Follette catches a pass against Malibu on Nov. 5.
Sports
Page 15
Nov. 13, 2009
The fantasy bubble: Are you in?
For too long have Sundays been believed to be
one of the worst days of the
week. Sunday is football
day, a marathon of pads and
helmets from eight in the
morning to ten at night.
While the bone-cracking hits and game-winning
Hail Mary’s are great, the
best part of Sunday comes
with watching my fantasy
team come to life.
Football games are no
longer only a day to watch
my dreadful Lions, but now
a chance to cheer on Maurice
Jones-Drew, Greg Jennings
and the rest of my squad.
Fantasy football is the pigskin’s greatest evolution.
The marquee matchup
of the week is no longer Giants vs. Eagles but now Team
Genesis vs. Team Love.
Yet fantasy football
is more than just Sundays.
It’s checking the waiver
wire on Tuesdays and reading tips from the experts on
Thursdays. Fantasy football
is a whirlwind of highs and
lows. It’s coping with injuries to starting quarterbacks
and looking for trades to solidify the tight end position.
It’s analyzing the Chargers defensive scheme, seeing how long the Saints
might be on offense then
making the tough decision of
whether to start San Diego
or New Orleans at defense.
Perhaps the greatest
part of fantasy football is the
art of the perfect trade.
Team managers are usu-
ally skeptical about making trades unless their team
is in the gutter, but oftentimes they may agree to the
deal that sends you Larry
Ftizgerald for Roy Williams and Ronnie
Brown.
Being
conscious of your
players’ stats is
a must to succeed. It’s like
investing in
the
stock
market, sell
your players high, and
buy other superstars low.
If
you
are
lucky
enough
the
gamble will pay
off, other times
it just leaves you
outside of the playoff bubble.
With fantasy football, Monday Night Football becomes more than just
high definition and eight
hours of coverage. It becomes the fantastic burden
of continuously refreshing
the “Matchup” page, hoping
that fumble didn’t just cost
you a victory.
My fantasy team is my
opportunity to prove I am
just as bright as any other
general manager in the NFL,
the opportunity to earn undisputed bragging rights
until next season, and immortalize my team in the
holographic trophy Yahoo
art by Gus Graef
sends with a championship.
Although my running
backs and wide receivers are
playing for their respective
teams, I can at least carry the
belief that that last touchdown was caught solely so
my fantasy team could win
this week.
Oren Friedman
Staff Writer
I have no problem with
fantasy sports leagues. In
fact, I like the idea of creating your own team and seeing them through to victory.
What gets me however,
is the inside society created
by these leagues that I feel
so outside of.
Throughout
history,
there have been boys’ clubs,
areas or groups unknown
to and unwelcoming to females. These clubs stayed
far out of sight and were,
for the most part, secretive.
Fantasy sports leagues
however, are constantly talked about.
I cannot think
of a single day
where I do not
hear,
“My
team lost by
13
points
yesterday,”
or “I just
t r a d e d
Polamalu
for Roethlisberger.”
Maybe
if
these teams
were
not
constantly
talked about,
I wouldn’t feel
so out of the
loop. Or maybe
I feel resistant towards fantasy sports
because it seems like
they take over people’s
lives.
I will be in the middle
of a conversation with someone and all of a sudden it’s,
“I obliterated Jesse last night
in fantasy sports.”
I am not doubtful that
someone would be very excited to hear this news, but
as for me, I find it uninteresting.
I am not going to deny
there are parts of fantasy
sports that appeal to me, so
maybe my opposition stems
a little from my jealousy of
being completely shut out of
a huge aspect of many people’s lives.
To me, it seems crazy
to stay indoors on Sundays
in order to watch every football game on television, just
to see how a fantasy team
would do. This seems like a
lot of time spent on an imaginary sports team.
“I like the fact that I can
use my vast, almost infinite
knowledge in the realm of
sports, and manage my own
team using both insight and
foresight,” said senior Noah
Dubin on the concepts of
fantasy sports.
There can be some beneficial lessons to be learned
from fantasy sports, like
how to manage a team, but
the amount of time spent in
front of a television or computer seems to undermine
any real value that comes
from the idea.
I don’t think that anyone should stop participating in fantasy sports.
I completely understand
the camaraderie that comes
from defeating others and
making trades, and I know
the great feeling that comes
from winning the virtual trophy.
However, I think that
these teams can often consume a huge part of someone’s life, and leave me feeling pretty out of the loop.
Rose Kleiman
Staff Writer
Homecoming Rally
Homecoming court candidates Sherry Kimura and Garrett Saffron walk
down stage together, prefacing the final decision at the football game.
Alexis Picard, Jessica Weidemann, and Leah Swartz wait to wreak
havoc as cheerleading villains.
Samo cheerleaders perform their Superhero vs. Villains routine.
Senior Michael Freedman shows
spirit for the class of 2010.
Water polo greenies run across the Greek,
upholding Samo tradition.
Football
players put
their Vs up
during the
Hymn of
Praise.
ASB takes a celebratory snapshot in the Greek,
after a succesful pep rally.
Photo Essay By Kira Yoshimura, Photo Editor
Photos By Sam Boloorchi and Reva Santo, Staff
Photogrphers
Cross country runners Elsa Narfgren, Daniel Redick, Hadar
Shimshi, Nick Lamori and Faisal Merchant represent their sport,
relieved by the end of their season the day before.