The Samohi | October 25th, 2002

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The Samohi | October 25th, 2002

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The Samohi is the official student newspaper of Santa Monica High School in
Santa Monica, California. Over 90 years old, the paper boasts a circulation of
3,200 and publishes bi-weekly for the students and alumni of Samo as well as the
surrounding community. We are funded jointly by the Associated Student Body
of Samo and by our own profit from advertising and subscriptions.

The Samohi is entirely written, edited, and designed by the students of Santa
Monica High School. As much as The Samohi is an educational experience for its
staff, the paper also serves as the only constant source of school news,
information, and commentary for the Samo community.

Santa Monica High School is located at 601 Pico Boulevard, Santa Monica,
California, 90405.

Editorial Staff

Editor-in-Chief.......................................David Ginsburg

Managing Editor..................................Lisa Strumwasser

News Editor...........................Rebecca Beasley-Cockroft

Opinion Editor..........................................Carl Lisberger

Feature Editor.........................................Daniel Morgan

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Special Report Editor..........................Brittany Benjamin

Campus Life Editor....................................Sunil Parekh

Sports Editors...........................................Jonathan Lee

Calanit Greenberg

Photo Editor.......................................Alexander Leitner

Ad Editor..................................................Sonia Sohaili

Copy Editors.............................................Emily Ferrell

Kesha Ram

India Brookover-Coleman

Art Editor.....................................................Sina Grace

Tech Editor/Webmaster..........................David Ginsburg

Adviser.........................................................Lorri Horn

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The Samohi Archives

2002-2003 School Year

October 4th, 2002
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Important editorial on Prop Student band rocking the Special Report: Too much
EE! Page 3 house Page 4 trash on campus Page 5

On the Internet:
www.thesamohi.org

Circulation: 3,500 Vol. XCIII No. 2 October 25, 2002 Published Biweekly

Plans to Redesign
School Underway
By Carl Lisberger climate, good professional develop-
ment and good morale” said Straus.
A redesign team made up of 34 In the current draft, each plan will
faculty members, parents, and students contain a teaching staff of 24, two
has begun working towards breaking advisers, a dean of students, and a house
Samo up into six small schools of 550 principal. Other points included in the
students each. The team has split up plan were a distinct separation of upper
into five small working groups of six or and lower classmen, a clear separation
seven people, who will meet weekly to between the two divisions, and a Senior
create a sketch of what an individual Project with demonstration of mastery.
school will look like. Suggestions made by the small
Assistant Principal Ruth Esseln, working groups ranged from prompt-
CEO/Principal Ilene Straus, and Asso- ing friendly competition between
ciatePrincipalMarkKellyhaveworked schools to proposing that all adminis-
with Consultant Paula Evans to estab- trators teach at least one period.
lish parameters for redesign. They pre- The small working groups will
sented the parameters to the redesign come together every month to put their City Council candidates answer questions at a candidates’ forum for City Council elections at Samo on
team on Oct. 17. individual plans into a cohesive plan Oct.18. City Council Mayor Pro Tem Kevin McKeown, candidate Jerry Rubin, and candidate Abby
According to Straus, the rest of the for each house. Each of the six schools Arnold from left.
fall semester will be spent drafting the will end up being the same, and will Photo by Lauren Brydon
redesign.Severaldesignsforthehouses contain the best parts of each small was being hired it was clear that the were invited by Straus. Over the next few weeks, each
will be presented to the faculty for a group’s plan. school was going to be in a state of She hopes to represent the con- small working group will add one or
vote. A 70 percent vote will pass the In two Oct. 17 faculty meetings flux,” said Tipper. He is optimistic cerns of the student body to the team. two student members. The teams
designs on to the School Board, and, facilitated by Evans, the entire Samo about the progress so far. “I think that Bolan said, “Originally I didn’t think themselves will pick the students,
implementation will begin next year staff read and discussed an article about it would be hard with over 30 people, that the small schools were going to but no student will be able to join
with grades nine and 10 at least. another high school that underwent a all putting in their two bits, but with six be better, and I didn’t like the idea at that has a current teacher on that
Evans, as principal of a school that process similar to the proposed rede- people you can come to an agreement all. Most of the students I’ve spoken team, or their own parent. Students
underwentsimilarchanges,wasbrought sign. The article raised several con- and actually work towards an end,” to don’t really want this to happen. If interested in joining a team or at-
to Samo because of her experience. cerns from faculty. Many agreed with continued Tipper. it’s going to happen anyway, I should tending a team meeting may contact
“[The redesign plan] came from a the plan in general, but wondered if it’s Tipper spoke to his students about make an effort to make it the best for the teams through Tiffany Tyler, Stu-
couple of places. I put it together with application would be plausible. Others the redesign plan and received mixed the students.” dent Support Adviser Lisa Demirjian,
Paula Evans, Straus, and Kelly. It came wereconcernedthatdepartmentswould response. “Everyone is resistant to The weekly meetings of the small Student Support Adviser Michelle
from work Paula did, Straus’ work at be negatively affected. The meeting change. Change is a universal thing working groups are open to all stu- Kenney, Assistant Principal Kathleen
Lincoln, research that we had all done, ended with a discussion of common that people don’t like. It’s also inevi- dents and faculty. The time and place Martin, and Science Teacher Dawn
our personal experience , and a survey themes which included the need for a table. One reaction was an awareness of of the meetings will be posted on the Omura.
that had been done last year. Partly it “clear and concise mission” and lower that change, and an acceptance of the bulletin board in the Curriculum and
came from the fact that so many kids class size. new plan. Other students think it might Redesign office.
leave here without feeling like they Evans stressed the faculty’s input
Samo Admin. Creates
feel too much like junior high. I think
have made a connection with an adult,” and involvement in the process, and some of the fears are more a fear of
said Esseln. announced plans to receive input from change than actually a fear of what the
Straus stressed the importance of
continuing to improve instruction and
the staff at monthly faculty meetings.
New Math Teacher and redesign
school might look like,” said Tipper.
The only current student mem- New Tardy Policy
curriculum. “To get a school good for team member Geoff Tipper said that he ber of the redesign team, senior By Rebecca Beasley-Cockroft and port adviser. Advisers will call stu-
kids you have to get it good for teach- had known about redesign since he was Bernadette Bolan, joined after mem- Brittany Benjamin dents out of class to schedule a
ers. There has to be a good working hired. “I’m new to the district and, as I bers of site governance and ASB lunch detention, which must be

More Student Parking Available

Samo’s administration imple- served by Friday of the week as-
mented a new tardy policy, which signed. Instructional Aid Ray
took effect on Oct. 7. The new policy Humphrey, who will clear the satis-

After Construction Completed states that students will receive a

consequence for every five tardies
factorily served detentions, super-
vises lunch detention in room L106.
they accumulate per semester. Failure to serve a detention by the
By Daniel Morgan introduced last year, Associate Princi- system, hope that it will decrease the As a team, the administration Friday will result in a two-hour Sat-
pal Mark Kelly said, “Their complaints number of cars around campus and decided to make the system easy to urday School.
Once construction crews complete centeredonhowdisrespectfulourSamo encourage alternate means of transpor- use and the consequences consis- Students have a chance to dis-
the exterior painting of Barnum Hall students were in their neighborhoods. tation. “We all believe that it’s not right tent. With those goals in mind, the cuss their tardies with their adviser.
(Phase III), Samo’s 40 senior parking It was expected that Samo students for kids who live ten blocks away to team created an accumulative If there is a specific problem keep-
spaces will more than double. would listen to the residents and try to take up a whole spot with their huge car. policy. After five tardies, students ing the student out of class, the
Last year’s parking changed most influence the behaviors of their peers.” There’s no logic behind that,” said receive a 30-minute lunch deten- adviser will help solve the conflict
drastically when the west side of 9th, all Because only one student attended the Goldstein. “We want to make it friend- tion, 10 tardies results in a deten- in order to prevent future tardies.
of 10th, 11th street, and the first three neighborhood meeting regarding the lier for students who use different ways tion and a phone call home, 15 “The idea is, we want students to be
Michigan blocks closest to school parking concerns in March of 2001, the to get to school—like walking, biking, tardies results in a two-hour Satur- in class more often. We don’t want
changed to preferential parking zones, voices and opinions of students were or taking the bus,” added Castillo. day School and phone call, 20 to give them detention,” said Dean
thereby eliminating over 200 spots. only voiced after the fact. Community When ASB voted on the system, how- tardies results in a four-hour Satur- of Students Jason Harley.
Thecommunity’salmostyearlongfight members find it hard to be empathetic ever, the vote was split almost 50-50. day School, 25 tardies results in an Some students feel that the new
to mandate preferential parking ended for the concerns of the students “when A few students look toward the In-School Suspension, and students tardy policy is too severe. “I feel
in the City Council with a five to there appears to be an unwillingness to Civic Center as a possible lot. Senior get a SARB referral if they have 30 that [the tardy policy] is really
one vote. Only the east side of 9th be part of the solutions” says Kelly. Brent Besson, who drives with his tardies. harsh. It’s impossible not to get
street, with 51 perpendicular parking The decision made by ASB to en- brother Eric Besson, said, “We have all By implementing this new rule, five tardies [in a semester]. It’s
spots, remains the nearest alternative forceacarpoolsystemforseniordrivers the parking spots across the street at the the administration hopes that stu- you’re own fault if your not at
for student parking, but even this area thisyearstemsfromthedecreasednum- civic center but they’re not in use, and dents will be in class more often, school on time and your grades
is not completely usable, as street clean- ber of available spots due to construc- it’s really frustrating to see all those and therefore focus more on learn- will suffer,” said sophomore Erynn
ing is on Friday from 9-11a.m. This tion and the sheer volume of licensed open spaces, and we have to get here ing. “Students can only be success- Dickerson.
preferential parking zone has obvi- senior drivers. Senior applicants ap- earlier than seven in the morning.” ful if they’re in class all the time, The administration is also
ously created extra strain on the blocks plied in tandem to be placed in ASB’s The administration has analyzed from the beginning of the period to looking into more ways to de-
directly south of school, where no pref- lottery. Seniors Max Goldstein and possible ideas for parking. “We have the end of the period,” said Associ- crease the number of tardies. Ideas
erential parking zones exist. Moises Castillo, the ASB members tried,unsuccessfully, the beach lots, the ate Principal Mark Kelly. include another bell, which would
After meeting with residents of the who created the plan to consolidate mall, the civic center, hotels, the Students are assigned their con- warn students one minute before
area where preferential parking was Samo’sdriversbyenforcingthecarpool college…unfortunately, we have had sequence from their student sup- the tardy bell, and tardy sweeps, if
no success” said Kelly. necessary.
 Opinion
Construction
By Christian McCovery
Costs
surrounding the construction sites,
Outweigh
teach the class without having to Kelly, defending construction
Benefits
would have allowed less suffering
such as the Language Building yell. “It’s been the most difficult noises. To lessen the pain, for the for the students who endured dis-
As many of you know, the and classes in the History Building and challenging part of my career. past four weeks, the school has ruptions.
current construction projects at (located next to the Language More challenging than my stu- allowed workers to work after Jeopardizing our education was
Samo are coming to a long awaited Building), that experienced inter- dents,” Felix said explaining his hours upon the request of Jacobs not necessary just to beautify and
end. The company hired to do the expand our campus. Education
construction, Jacobs Engineering, should be priceless, and not inter-
has done an excellent job of beau- fered with. The people in grades
tifying our campus and preparing lower than us will get the benefits
it for another 100 years of excel- that we suffered for. It was not only
lence. Samo has been around for educational suffering that we expe-
111 years and was in need of a rienced, but construction workers
little makeover. Now that the took our parking places and occu-
construction projects have come pied the space in which some stu-
to an end, thousands of Samo dents spent time during lunch. “I
students are able to view these used to kick it by the basketball
additions that better accommo- court a lot, but since the construc-
date the masses of students. While tion took place, me and my crew
in the process of bettering our got the boot,” said junior Bertrand
school, however, some students Nojang.
and teachers had to experience There are future plans of more
noisy disruptions that should not ruptions. They endured constant experience of trying to teach with Engineering. An earlier explora- construction projects to bring a
have taken place during the learn- drilling, hammering, and sawing the construction disruptions. tion of possibilities to lessen our Future Center, which combines the
ing process. noises. According to Associate Princi- “pain,” such as after hours con- ROP and College Career Center.
The disruption of our educa- To prevent these noises from pal Mark Kelly, our learning was struction, would have had a better Lets hope the administration will
tion while expanding our campus disrupting his class, History interrupted solely for the purpose effect on some classes. According think about the current students,
was an issue of controversy with Teacher Michael Felix, on several of ensuring a better school for the to Assistant Principal Greg and how they will be affected, when
some students as well as faculty occasions, closed all classroom Santa Monica community. “It’s Runyon, “The construction was planning new construction.
members. Although the makeover windows, causing the class to be- all part of the pain of gaining. Our very time consuming.” The mini-
was needed, there were classes come hot just so that he could job is to minimize the pain,” said mizing of errors within the projects

TV Minorities Mostly Stereotypes

By Peter Egziabher and slow-witted, cheating Russian. is set in New York City, which has
Jonathan Lee Gerald, Arnold’s best friend, is a huge black and Puerto Rican popu-
“jive-talking” African American lations, all six main characters in
Decades ago, the only minori- who is street-smart but doesn’t Friends are white. Most of the ex-
ties in television and film were cast excel in the classroom. Phoebe, tras on the streets and in a café that
in stereotypical roles. Today, the one of Arnold’s classmates, is a the main characters frequent are
ranks of network executives pro- stereotypical Asian student— also white. Apparently, only Cau-
fess that progress has been made in quiet, subservient, and always ad- casians drink coffee.
hering to authority. The white While there are many produc-
Weed and Booze: Not Yet
the casting of underrepresented
ethnic groups. But this “progress” Helga regularly bosses her around tions that have a lack of minority
is hard to see. When minority ac- characters, a few shows, primarily
By Michael Zinshteyn In regards to nicotine, 14 tors are actually hired, their char- on PBS and cable, are choosing to
percent of the world’s youth— acters are classic stereotypes, such ignore the status quo. One of these
There is a popular notion those below the age of 18— as the karate-chopping Asian math shows is a PBS show called “Ameri-
among this country’s youth, and smoke tobacco regularly accord- genius or the black, Ebonics- can Family,” which features His-
in this high school in particular, ing to the Center for Disease speaking criminal. These stereo- panics both in front of and behind
that there is nothing wrong with Control, which is a far cry from types are unrealistic and degrad- the camera. “American Family”
alcohol and marijuana con- America’s staggering 19 percent. ing to the people that they are shatters the perceptions that many
sumption. Though marijuana is Tragically, only 54 percent of supposed to portray. people have of Latinos. The series
capable of being harmless, the the American youth wish to quit Part of the reason why this type- follows the main character, Jess
young people of this country smoking as opposed to 80 per- casting occurs is that there aren’t Gonzales, as he attempts to deal
are seemingly incapable of con- cent of the world’s youth. Fur- with everyday issues and family
enough minorities behind the cam-
trolling consumption. It’s irre- thermore, what does it say of the problems that people of all races
era. Almost all directors, writers,
sponsible of young individuals American youth when, despite can relate to.
and producers are some shade of
to drink alcohol or smoke pot if the overwhelming amount of pub- The television and film indus-
white. Being Caucasian, they are
their nature is to excess. lic service announcements re- tries have a major problem when it
more likely to make TV shows and
In a recent study conducted garding the harm of tobacco,
movies about whites than they are because Phoebe never stands up comes to the portrayal of minori-
by CNN, spending in the past they still insist on smoking? This
about other ethnic backgrounds. for herself. “Hey Arnold!” is a per- ties in their productions. This is
six months has increased 2.6 brash and careless behavior can
The best that they can do is to add fect example of all that is wrong wrong and steps must be taken to
percent nationwide after in- not possibly mix well in the pres-
comes fell 0.8 percent. Since ence of alcohol or marijuana. one or two small roles for token with the children’s television in- bring about change. Hopefully,
minority characters. dustry. Hollywood will recognize this
the fall of the stock market in How can young adults be The television show with per- problem and make stereotyping a
2000, consumer spending has trusted with something poten- Even children’s shows suffer
jumped to an unprecedented 12 tially dangerous when they spend from abundant stereotyping. “Hey haps the most blatant disregard for thing of the past.
Arnold!,” which diversity is “Friends.” Although it
percent. What’s alarming about twice as much as they earn and
these numbers is that Ameri- see no qualms with their smok- runs regularly on
cans on the whole have a ten- ing habits? Young adults are in- Nickelodeon, fea-
dency to spend money that they herently driven to excess and to tures a cast of ste-
don’t necessarily have—encour- indulge. They spend more on reotypical minori-
aging a society based on indul- clothing than the average family ties. Mr. Hyunh, one Alumni Subscriptions
gence and excess. man and more on alcohol than of Arnold’s tenants, Editor-in-Chief...............................David Ginsburg $20.00 PER YEAR
Managing Editor........................Lisa Strumwasser
According to the Department grown adults who can biologi- is a simple Vietnam- Published biweekly during the school
News Editor.................Rebecca Beasley-Cockroft
ese man who speaks Opinion Editor...............................Carl Lisberger year by the Associated Student Body of
of Labor, the under 25 age group cally handle a spirit better than a
Santa Monica High School, 601 Pico
spends an average of $38,000 high school or college student. with an exaggerated Feature Editor................................Daniel Morgan
Blvd., Santa Monica, CA. 90405. Un-
annually, while only earning an Marijuana and alcohol are sub- accent. He is hard to Special Report Editor..............Brittany Benjamin signed editorials reflect the opinions of
average of $19,000 annually, stances meant to be enjoyed, not understand and eas- Campus Life Editor..........................Sunil Parekh the staff. Signed editorials represent
making it the only age group abused. The notion young adults ily excitable, a clas- Sports Editors...................................Jonathan Lee the opinions of the writer.
Staff
that spends more than it earns. have that they can freely partake sic Asian stereo- Calanit Greenberg
Michael Blackman, Lauren Brydon,
As far as alcohol is concerned, in these substances is irrational type. Working in a Photo Editor..............................Alexandra Leitner Gina Corso, Justin Dean, India
the same age group dedicates and potentially hazardous. These low-paying restau- Ad Editor...........................................Sonia Sohaili Donaldson, Peter Egziabher, Angela
rant job, Hyunh is Copy Editors.....................................Emily Ferrell Gonzalez, Donielle Hatcher, Megan
two percent ($380) of their an- substances are meant for the re- Healey, Jacob Honig, Jason Islas,
Kesha Ram
nual income to spirits and li- sponsible. Until we, as teenagers unable to come up Hanna Jacobsen, Samantha
India Brookover-Coleman Johnston, Wesley Krieger, Tim
quor. Young adults spend more and young adults, can prove that with the monthly Art Editor.................................................Sina Grace
Livingston, Christian McCovery,
money on alcohol than any other we’re responsible, let’s leave pot rent. Other tenants Tech Editor......................................David Ginsburg Rosa Ordaz, Molly Parent, Adam
age group with the exception of alone and leave the alcohol for include a crude Ital- Adviser....................................................Lorri Horn Siegel, Hannah Tepper, Ava Tramer,
Michael Zinshteyn
the 45-55 age group. the big kids. ian contractor and a
It’s Time for Active Pacifism Editorial: Vote Yes
on Measure EE
By David Ginsburg It’s hard to comprehend that can citizens a hint of the pain
number even in perspective: two inhabitants in many other coun-
Now that the United States is million is about 588 times the tries feel on a daily basis. But
on the brink of war with Iraq— number of students at Samo. America didn’t take the hint. Imagine coming to school next future of Santa Monica itself.
our president has the power to And this is only in a single Instead, the U.S. killed thousands year and finding your sports teams, Samo currently enjoys an
drop bombs and send thousands conflict. People need to realize of human beings in Afghanistan, art and music classes, guidance award-winning music program, a
of young Americans overseas— that America is extremely lucky; and may kill even more in Iraq. counselors, and APs gone. If two beautified campus, a highly-
it is time for the American people there hasn’t been a major war After experiencing firsthand the thirds of those who vote don’t say qualified faculty, and challeng-
to wake up to the reality of our fought on American soil since suffering of families who lost “yes” to Measure EE, that horrible ing courses. As much as we’d like
modern world and to do some- the Civil War back in the 1860s. uncles and sisters and cousins, fate may become a reality. to think otherwise, Samo has all
thing about it. Concerned people Perhaps it is because of this how can America support the kill- Over the past 30 years, the state of these things because of money.
must understand that the power lack of domestic war experience ing of uncles and sisters and cous- of California has been drastically If Measure EE is not passed, many
to affect change is in their hands. that the current generations of ins in other countries? cutting education funding. of the luxuries we take for granted
Everyday, human beings kill Americans can so easily support Wake up, people. It’s far too Though SMMUSD schools have will be no more. The citizens of
their fellow man in battles all President Bush and his war on easy to sit around and debate the managed to thrive, a recent budget Santa Monica are responsible for
over the world. Last week, BBC terrorism (Bush’s September ap- issues while the wars rage on. cut may cause numerous problems. protecting their right to an excel-
News reported on one of the proval rating was 61% overall, Actions speak louder than words. If Santa Monica is to retain its lent education.
many factions trying to control according to the Siena Research Demonstrate to your representa- reputation for great public schools, To the average citizen, it may
resource-rich areas in the Demo- Institute). The horrors of war tives in Washington that the U.S. it will require the funding pro- seem that $300 per year for 12
cratic Republic of Congo, which have not been felt in the United shouldn’t take more lives: par- vided by Measure EE. years is a lot to give in these
is engrossed in a conflict that has States for over 130 years—but ticipate in active demonstrations, The SMMUSD School Board stressful times. It is, but one should
taken the lives of two million then there’s September 11. send letters, make phone calls, do has proposed a solution to our feel proud to give so much back to
people over the last four years. September 11 gave Ameri- something! school’s slim state funding. Mea- one’s community. When put into
sure EE is an annual tax of $300 on perspective, $25 dollars a month
each residential or commercial par- takes little out of your own pocket,
cel for 12 years. This translates to but is a huge benefit to the schools.
$25 a month from every home- EE is an opportunity for residents
owner, and much less for renters. to do their civic duty and invest in
Although some have complained their community.
that the tax should be graduated In closing, we, The Samohi
for different property values, this staff, strongly urge all to vote yes
is still a relatively minor tax, which on Measure EE. Vote yes to en-
will translate into nine million dol- sure an excellent, challenging
lars a year for Santa Monica education for all students. Vote
schools. This tax is a small price to yes to ensure students have a func-
pay to ensure our children receive tional, safe learning environment.
a successful education. Vote yes for the success of our
The components of a good edu- youth, and for the future of Santa
cation include more than basic Monica. Do your duty as a citizen
reading, writing, and arithmetic. of our great city and give back to
In order to maintain Santa the community that has given so
Monica’s strong community 20 much to you.
years in the future, youth today *If you want to help the Com-
must build leadership, social, and mittee for Excellence in Educa-

My Turn: A Time To Rethink academic skills. Unfortunately, if

EE does not pass, programs like
music, art, and sports might be
tion, contact committee treasurer
Graham Pope at 310-899-6767.
There are opportunities for vol-

Our Foreign Policies cut—leaving students few options

to gain important skills, or partici-
pate in enriching activities. EE
unteers to work at phone banks,
precinct walks, speak publicly,
and obtain lawn signs.
By Alborz “Al” Farhoodi, junior will not only effect the future of
September 11 was, by far, one kids or bulldoze homes with people tal torture, massive corruption, and Santa Monica’s children, but the
of the most horrendous attacks on still living inside? And the Palestin- execution without trial.
our country. Countless lives were ians have a good reason to be angry The U.S. refused to turn him Top 5 Ways to Resolve the
Brewing Conflict With Iraq
lost and countless more affected by at us. The weapons used against over and, in response, the Islamists
this great tragedy. However, every- them are all American made, and took employees of the U.S. Embassy
one seems to have missed one major the U.S. government generously in Tehran hostage. Reminiscent of By Carl Lisberger and Daniel Morgan
question: Why did this happen? gives monetary aid to Israel, all the today’s media, the news immedi-
Why do they hate us so much? while turning a blind eye to the ately portrayed Iranians as barbar- 1. Declare War. From past experience with the “War on Drugs”
The media has done a great job plight of the Palestinians. ians and terrorists. However, the and the “War on Terrorism,” it is clear that the best way to solve
in covering the war on terrorism, It’s not only Palestine though. media did a very good job at not problems is to declare war. Also, a full, unaided military strike
but I’ve begun to notice that the Iran was a victim of U.S.-backed telling the public why a revolution against Iraq is the only definitive way to make sure Hussein doesn’t
media’s point of view is very one- oppression from 1943-1979 under had occurred and why the Iranians use his theoretical weapons of mass destruction. Wait a minute...
2. Become completely dependent on Iraqi oil. This strong
sided and, in some ways, preju- the harsh dictatorship of Shah were so angry at the U.S.
economic brotherhood will help to maintain a healthy diplomatic
diced. One example is in the conflict (King) Mohammed Reza Pahlavi. Bush has stressed that Iraq has
relationship.
between the Israelis and Palestin- Pahlavi’s secret police, SAVAK, ignored a U.N. resolution to destroy 3. Give billions of dollars to Israel. I’m not so sure about this one,
ians. Whenever a Palestinian sui- was trained by the CIA to keep him its weapons of mass destruction for it’s just like the “thing to do” every time anything happens in the
cide bomber blows himself up and in power by using the most brutal “eleven long years.” Israel has also Middle East.
kills one or two Israelis, the T.V. methods. Certain books were expressed this concern. However, 4. Make sure that U.N. Wepons Inspectors inspect our weapons
shows how much the Israelis are banned, the news heavily censored Israel itself has been ignoring U.N. really well, so that we can make sure they’ll do a whole lot of
suffering: Grandmas weeping, par- with meaningless propaganda, and Resolution 242, which calls for its damage.
ents beating their chests in sorrow, if you dared to criticize Pahlavi, withdrawal from all occupied terri- 5. Tell North Korea that Hussein thinks they’re chicken. With
and children realizing they will never you got a one-way ticket to SAVAK tories, since 1967. Israel has been any luck, they’ll use their recently discovered nukes against him,
see their parents again. While still a torture chambers. All this because ignoring the U.N. for 35 long years, and leave our Asian economic interests alone.
heart-wrenching scene, the same the U.S. wanted to make sure that something Bush would probably
cannot be said for the Palestinians. they had a free hand in Iran’s oil never say. The Samohi seeks submissions for the
A Israeli helicopter fires a missile industry, and that they had a strong The U.S. has allowed Israel to do
into a car holding one Hamas mili- counterweight to the Soviet Union whatever it wants to in Palestinian student-written column “My Turn.”
tant, who is surrounded by a huge in the region. territory, but whenever Palestinians
crowd in a marketplace. Over twenty Under such harsh rule, people fight back with stones or their own
Submit articles to E201. Submissions
Palestinians are killed, but do the eventually rise up, which is what bodies, we are quick to condemn may be edited for grammar and length
news networks show Palestinians happened in 1979. With the whole their defensive as “terrorist.”
mourning their loss? No, instead country turned against him and Usually we learn from our errors and are due no later than November 1,
they show another militant rally, abandoned by the U.S., Pahlavi left and build up from them. Apparently,
where Palestinians chant even more Iran, eventually seeking asylum in this isn’t the case with the Bush 2002.
anti-Israeli and American slogans. the U.S. Administartion. Send “Letters to the Editor” to Jour-
As a result, people tend to think of The revolution in Iran was at I’ll end with a quote from a nalism, c/o Santa Monica High
Palestinians as evil or terrorist. While first a popular revolution, but un- protester in Pakistan, “Americans
some Palestinians are indeed despi- fortunately the radical Islamic fac- think, why do we hate you?” Think School, 601 Pico Blvd., Santa
cable terrorists, can the same label
not be applied to the Israeli army,
tion took control and asked the U.S.
to hand over Pahlavi to stand trial
over it.
Monica, CA 90405. Letters must be
whose snipers routinely improve for his crimes against the Iranian signed and may be edited for clarity
their marksmanship on Palestinian people, crimes which included bru-
and length.
 Feature
Small Town Show Becomes a Big Success
By Sina Grace (Vivian Cardone), must struggle Writers of “Everwood” certainly seeing that he nocturnally emitted lipped about details for future plots
through elementary school ques- know how to make a viewer go all over his bed sheets. Supervis- of “Everwood,” The Samohi did
The WB’s hottest new show tioning God and finding new cross-eyed with all the plot twists, ing Producer/Staff Writer and Samo manage to get a few spoilers for the
does not take place on a creek, or in friends after the dismissal of her but they also know how to throw in alumna Rina Mimoun says, about fans: “You’ll be meeting Amy’s
a city infested with vampires, but the fight betwixt comedy and coma boyfriend pretty soon… Lots
rather a fictitious and quaint town. drama, that writers “try to of people seem to think that Nina’s
“Everwood” has proved to be a balance both. Some episodes husband (Dr. Brown’s neighbor
success, its debut drawing 7.4 work out to be a little heavier who gave birth to a senior citizen’s
million viewers. The show is on the comedy while others baby) doesn’t exist. Here’s the
such a hit that on Monday, Oct. come out with a more dra- scoop: Carl exists. And he’ll show
7 before the airing of its fourth matic feel. It all depends on up eventually.”
episode, the WB announced or- what stories we’re telling Many surprises are in store for
dering a complete season of week to week. But we like it the characters of “Everwood.” And
“Everwood,” making it the first best when you can cry in one judging by the ratings (the best the
drama to be picked up this fall. scene and laugh in the next.” WB has ever received), this show
“Everwood” is about world- The town and Characters will be around for a long time.
renowned neurosurgeon and wid- of Everwood, are the spawn “Everwood” airs on Mondays at 9
ower Dr. Andrew Brown, played of Executive Producer/Cre- p.m., and you can watch the previ-
by Treat Williams, who moved ator Greg Berlanti. The show ous week’s episode the following
his family to Everwood, Colo- isn’t even filmed in Colo- Sunday night at 6 p.m. during the
rado in order to find his deceased rado! Most filming is done WB’s “Easy View” lineup, a great
wife who claimed that if she died in Utah where cast and crew way to catch up on what seems to
her heaven would be Everwood. capture the essence of the be the network’s new key to glory.
In Everwood, the family experi- non-existent town.
ences more drama than a week of What’s in store for our
Jerry Springer; the son, Ephram eccentric Brown family? Al-
(Gregory Smith) has fallen for a hermaphrodite buddy. Dr. Brown a hearty laugh. In the premiere though Mimoun remains tight-

Mellow Beck
girl with a comatose boyfriend, must make peace with the death of episode, Ephram dreams about tell-
whose father, to make things worse, his wife, treat all his patients for ing the love of his life, Amy Abbott
is the competing doctor in the free, and find acceptance in the (Emily VanCamp), about comics
town. Brown’s daughter, Delia conservative town. and kissing her, only to wake up By India Brookover-Coleman from his heavily hip-hop and R&B
influenced party album,

You Cannot Define ‘Otis’

Once again, Beck has traded in “Midnight Vultures,” and even
his “two turntables and a that piece’s tempo was altered to
microphone” for an acoustic fit the somber mood of the
By Calanit Greenberg ing of the music. with much enthusiasm. “I liked guitar in his newly released album evening.
As with every great band, it…the way it flowed together “Sea Change.” Gone are the days Although unexpected in tone,
Around campus, you might see people are curious about the ori-
was great. There was a lot of chem- of his trademark hip-hop/country the concert was moving. Beck
students wearing t-shirts with a gins of the band’s name. One day,
istry and you could tell they work beats and humorous, however revealed his powerful voice,
single word “Otis” printed on on a bus ride through the streets
hard,” said Silverman. emotionally distant lyrics. With something that could never be
them, or even blue flyers scat- of Santa Monica, Jesse saw a sign The most recent concert was the release of “Sea Change,” Beck showcased on his heavily
tered on the ground, advertising and knew it was the answer. The held on Sep.21 at Pugz Music in reveals an even more complex, produced and instrument-driven
for “Otis.” What does it all mean? sign read “Otis,” and hence the Westwood. A group of about 30 sophisticated side of his already albums. His performance of It’s
About nine months ago, five band’s name was created. A neu- Otis fans gathered together to hear critically-hailed career. All in Your Mind, left many the
Samo students got together with tral name such as “Otis” allows Otis’ best concert yet. “I had no Like “Mutations,” Beck’s audience in a stupor—one could
the sole purpose of playing music listeners to focus more on the idea what I was going to see, but previous folk-rooted effort, “Sea hear a pin drop during the awe-
Change” is entirely acoustic, but inspired pause between the end
that they enjoy. With inspiration music, and not worry about the I was pleasantly surprised. I was
this time the lyrics are
from musicians like Jimi Hendrix, meaning of the name of the band.impressed by Jesse’s vocals and
introspective and truer to the
and groups like Oasis, Dave May 15, 2002 is a day that will
Dexter’s guitar playing is amaz- artist. In the opening track, The
Matthews Band, and Coldplay, go down in history as the first Otis
ing. It’s hard to find artists like Golden Age, Beck sings “these
the five have created a rich blend performance. Otis played Jimi that. They were unified a n d days I barely get by/ I don’t
of rock with a touch of motown, Hendrix songs at the ‘Harlem Re-connected with the au- d i - even try/ it’s a treacherous road
R&B and jazz. naissance,’ a school-sponsored ence,” said senior Eva with a desolated view/ there’s
Seniors Jesse Kivel, vocals and event, which was a celebration of
McDaniel. distant lights but here they’re
rhythm guitar, Matt Kivel, bass Afri- When asked to de- far and few...” Never before has
scribe the m u s i c , Beck been so candid—or, quite
McDaniel had frankly, sad. Titles of songs in
some trouble be- “Sea Change,” including
cause it is so eclec- Lonesome Tears, Lost Cause,
tic. “You can’t catego- End of the Day, and Already
rize it. Music today is in Dead, show what a low state
sections, like pop or rap. Beck is in. The lyrics mirror his
Good bands today are mood, too: “Already dead now/
‘cuz it feels like I’m watching
good because they don’t
someone die...” he croons. With
fit into just one category.
his pained voice and
Otis is one of those bands confessional lyrics, “Sea Change” of the song and the applause. His
that is hard to put into a leaves the listener wondering voice, something I admit I never
category,” said what could have possibly acknowledged in his previous
McDaniel. happened to everyone’s favorite albums or concerts, filled the
Freshman Nikki Ross happy-go-lucky “loser” who was room with a heavy sense of
is a big fan of Otis. “Otis often seen clad in rhinestone melancholy and absolute power.
is definitely a band that cowboy suits and who never Once again, Beck proves his
anyone with good taste failed to dance the robot at lively versatility and overall musical
would be into. They’re a concerts. genius. The artist has gone from
unique band and write At his recent show at the folk to rock to rap and back to
From left, Jesse Kivel, Ben Usen, Dexter Fairweather, Matt Kivel, and James they’re own stuff. They Wadsworth Theater, Beck proved folk again, never losing his fans’
Fraracci will perform at The Whiskey on Dec. 15. mix a lot of genres of that his emotional state is not interest. “Sea Change” represents
Photo By Chris Herold music with a good prod- limited to his new album. The a new maturity in his art. In
uct in the end,” said Ross. show opened with Beck seated addition to his already
on a stool accompanied only with acknowledged position as one of
guitar and back up vocals, Dexter can and African-American mu- Otis is having its next concert
an acoustic guitar and a single the most influential artists of the
Fairweather, lead guitar, Ben sic. The next two performances on Sunday, Dec.15 at 8:15 p.m.,
spotlight. He mostly performed 90’s, hopefully “Sea Change” and
Usen, piano, and sophomore were held at the Un-Urban Cof- at The Whiskey in Hollywood.
acoustic pieces from “Mutations” forthcoming albums will lead
James Fraracci on drums, are the feehouse on Pico and 32nd on For more information, email the and “Sea Change,” and some Beck to a well-deserved spot
members of the band. The lyrics Jun. 21 and Aug. 30. When asked band at [email protected]. throwbacks to one of his earliest among rock’s greatest musicians
are written by Jesse and all Otis about the Aug. 30 performance, releases, “One Foot in the Grave.” such as Bob Dylan and The
members contribute to the writ- senior Nick Silverman responded Beck only performed one song Beatles.
 Campus Life
A Friend in Best Buddies Rise in Drug Busts;
Admin. Stresses Policy
is a Great Friend Indeed
By Hannah Tepper takes my breath away to see so many activities for all members. On Oct. 30,
By Sunil Parekh discipline from the principals of
the schools they have been trans-
students involved in Best Buddies,” Best Buddies will have a fundraiser A recent rise in the number of ferred to.
When Speech/Language Pa- Palilis said. With the effective lead-at Shakey’s Pizza, which will also students caught and punished for The policy is known as the “zero
thologist and advisor of Best Bud- ership of Palilis and the new presi- serve as an opportunity for the par- the possession or use of controlled tolerance” policy because Samo
dies, Barbara Palilis, began what was dent, senior Annie Postolov, the club ents of the Buddies to meet their substances on campus has required gives all offenders the same pun-
called Circle of Friends four years is looking forward to its largest and sons’/daughters’ Peer Buddies. Samo’s administration to carefully ishment, regardless of the circum-
ago, she never anticipated the growth strongest year so far. The relationships established be- reiterate the current drug policy stances involved in each individual
her club would experience. Members of Best Buddies with tween Buddies and their Peer Buddies outlined by the school district. case. Factors such as the amount of
Best Buddies, an international developmental disorders, normally seem to have a powerful effect on both According to Associate Princi- substance at hand or the students’
organization founded in 1989, is called “Buddies,” meet with a differ- parties. Peer Buddies gain an under- pal Mark Kelly and Dean of Stu- actions and intentions upon getting
committed to improving standing that they didn’t have dents Catherine Baxter, a rise in caught are considered only by law
the lives of intellectually before. “[Peer Buddies] gain drug-related transfers is common enforcement officials who are of-
disabled people by pair- awareness that differences at the beginning of each school year ten contacted in these situations.
ing them with non-dis- aren’t something to run from; because, at this time, students are “Possession is possession, so if you
abled peers to form last- they’re something to embrace. prone to push their limits and bend have possession you’re going to
ing friendships. The or- [Having a friendship with a the rules set before them as far as suffer the consequences no matter
ganization involves stu- disabled student] allows us to possible. “We always tend to see a how much you have. Possession
dents from middle see the good in people instead little more activity at the beginning with the intent of selling is a legal
schools, high schools, of what they are lacking or of the school year just because matter and is dealt with by the
and colleges in the U.S. what is different,” said
some students may not be aware of police, not the school,” said Dean
and in six other countries Postolov.
or have forgotten the policies. It’s of Students Jason Harley.
across the world. Buddies gain from the re-
unfortunate and we try to articulate According to Kelly, the policy
At Samo, the pro- lationship as well. “What Best
the rules for students,” said Kelly. has been highly effective since it
gram began as a small Buddies means to me is friend-
Amidst all of the drastic admin- was strongly enforced during the
club called Circle of ship. I am a part of this club
istrative changes being made at 2001-02 school year. “We’ve seen
Friends, which differed because it is fun to meet new
Samo this year, the drug policy is a lot of success with the involuntary
from Best Buddies in the people. After being in Best
way it promoted friend- Senior Abby Gorman and her Buddy, sophomore Buddies, I have become more one issue that remains unaltered. transfers,” said Kelly. “It’s about
ships. The goal of Circle Andrew Yin, sit down for their weekly lunch mature and independent,” said The rule clearly states that students working with a student to give him/
of Friends was to create a meeting. junior Jennifer Blaauw. who are in possession of or are her a second chance. [The policy]
small community of Photo by Wesley Krieger Some students in the pro- using a controlled substance on or has made a great impact on stu-
friends for a disabled student with ent “Peer Buddy” every day of the gram form bonds with their Buddies around campus are given a five- dents’ lives.”
multiple Peer Buddies, whereas Best week, building multiple friendships. that continue even after they graduate day suspension along with an in- Obviously, Samo is not the only
Buddies pairs its members one-on- Like any other pair of friends, these high school and, in the most successful voluntary transfer to another high school where students are caught
one. In Circle of Friends’ first year, a students meet anywhere on campus cases, members gain skills to use school in the district and 20 hours with controlled substances. Accord-
representative of Best Buddies con- they wish to eat and converse. throughout their lives as well as memo- of drug counseling. This transfer ing to School Resource Officer Joe,
tacted the smaller club and encour- Peer Buddies are also encouraged ries that never fade. Senior Erin lasts either ten weeks or for the drug busts are seen in both public
aged it to become a chapter of Best to do out-of-school activities with McConocha said, “You go into Best remainder of the semester, which- and private schools across commu-
Buddies because the programs shared their Buddies such as going to mov- Buddies hoping to make a difference in ever is longer. Students are allowed nities of all socioeconomic levels,
the same goal. ies, sports events, and taking walks, your Buddy’s life and find that your life to come back to Samo only after although some schools choose not
Currently, Best Buddies at Samo in addition to calling their Buddies is impacted even more strongly.” they receive a positive evaluation to report them.
has over 100 student members. “It weekly. The club has monthly group in terms of grades, attendance, and

Teacher Spotlight: Liane Sato Where are They Now? A Glimpse into the
By Samantha Johnston corporate sponsors provided us with
jobs in their companies. It was great
Once a Samo student, Liane Sato for me to get work experience out in New Lives of Former Samo Faculty
is back at her alma mater coaching the real world. By Daniel Morgan and Carl ture, the people, the languages, plans regarding bringing “coher-
Varsity volleyball and now teaching TS: What was it like being in the Lisberger and the food and festivals of my ence to the instructional program”
health as well. The Samohi sat down Olympics? host country.” and enjoys “learning walks,”
with Sato to find out about her expe- LS: Going to the Olympics was an Looking around the school this The experience of teaching where she improves education and
riences in the Olympics, her interests, amazing experience. My youngest
year, we notice many changes. about places he is finally able to organization in LAUSD. She is
and her views on teaching. brother, Eric, who also went to Samo, Construction projects are coming visit makes “the history actually currently working to bring two of
The Samohi: How long have you was on the men’s volleyball team.
to an end, and several new teach- come alive” for him. At the end of her schools under state audits to
been a teacher at Samo? My oldest brother Gary, another ers and administrators have joined this month he plans to visit a tiny meet their targets in the state au-
Liane Sato: I’ve been here for five Samo graduate, was
years coaching the Samo community. What you island named Borcay which boasts dit findings.
an assistant coach might be wondering is where some one of the ten most beautiful Hibert misses Samo students
girls volleyball and for the men’s team.
substitute-teach- of your favorite staff members beaches in the world. the most. “I have very little con-
All three of us went have gone. What could possibly Emma Hipolito, a beloved fix-
ing, and I just got tact with students,” she said, and
together, both in
hired full time last fill their days with the same joy ture of the College Career Center misses the relationships she has
Korea in 1988 and
year teaching that Samo did? Apparently, quite last year, can now be found at built up over the years. She espe-
then in Barcelona
health. a bit. Center X, a part of the UCLA cially misses the class of 2003—
in 1992.
TS: Have you al- Chris Megaffin, remembered School of Education. She is the “we were freshmen together.”
TS: What other
ways wanted to be a mostly for his AP US History Co-Director of the UCLA History-
things do you do
teacher? besides teaching? classes, teaches 9th grade South- Geography Project. Her new post
LS: Yes, I LS: I like roller- east Asian History and 11th grade involves “working with social
wanted to be a P.E. blading, and spend- European History for the Interna- studies teachers in many different
teacher ever since ing time with my tional Baccalaureate program at capacities.” She meets with teach-
Volleyball coach and Health an international private school ers and their classes and also
elementary school. daughter who just
teacher Liane Sato gives the just outside of Manila in the Phil- brings teachers on campus for in-
I had the best
camera a million dollar pose. turned five. She is ippines. He is also the advisor of stitutes and conferences.
teacher, Jim Jaffe. really active. She
He’s still teaching, Photo by Daniel Morgan has a little scooter the Model United Nations Club “What I miss most about Samo
and he’s my hero. and I skate while on campus and will travel to are the people,” said Hipolito. “I
He got me to like physical activity. In she scoots. Beijing in March for a confer- worked there for 10 years and have
junior high school I also had awe- TS: What is your favorite thing ence. Megaffin enjoys his school many friends who I rarely get to
some coaches who interested me in about teaching at Samo? immensely, and said that, with see now.” She also misses inter-
teaching. LS: My favorite thing is relating only 500 students, “it is very small acting with students every day.
TS: What jobs did you have be- to the students. I just like talking to compared to Samo…This allows Kirsten Hibert, one of last
fore Samo? them and sharing information about me to spend more time with the year’s Co-Principals, spends her
LS: I was a travel counselor at the health. They’re so interesting, so students and help them to achieve days “at school sites helping prin-
Auto Club (AAA) in San Diego for willing to learn, and so well behaved. their full academic potential.” He cipals and teacher leaders with
five years, through the Olympic Job I am glad to be back where my entire also added, “When I am not teach- implementing standards based on
Opportunities Program. I played on family and I went to school. ing I am taking every opportunity school reform” at LAUSD’s local
the Olympic volleyball team, and to discover the beauty of the cul- district H. She discusses strategic
 Sports — Page 7 The Samohi October 25, 2002

Foreign Players Not So Foreign Golf 7-2 in

Ocean League
By Jonathan Lee the Pac Bell walls. Pitchers Hideo andDirkNowitzki,aseven-footerfrom broadcasted all over the world.
Nomo, Kazuhisa Ishii, and Kazuhiro Germany. All were able to overcome Although the NBA and MLB are By Jacob Honig
American athletic organizations Sasaki are all having successful ca- their language and cultural barriers, beginning to burst with an influx of
are becoming increasingly more di- reers, Nomo and Ishii as starters for the working together towards an impres- foreign players who are blossoming The Lady Linksters are playing
verse as the number of players from Dodgers and Sasaki as a premier closer sive 57-25 (‘01-‘02), until they were into superstars, other leagues have not superbly, with an impressive record
foreign countries grows. yet followed suit. While many Euro- of 7-2. The team now looks to clinch
With the first pick in the 2002 NBA pean players are prevalent in the NHL, a spot in the CIF-SS playoffs.
draft, the Houston Rockets selected a fewcanbeseenontheNFLfield.There On Oct. 1, the team faced Beverly
7’ 5” center named Yao Ming from is also a large discrepancy among Hills at Penmar and Samo won the
China. Ming shoots threes and moves Asians and Pacific Islanders in the match 224-239. The two teams met
with the grace and agility of someone NHL and NFL despite the dominance again on Oct. 3 at Rancho Park Golf
a foot shorter than him, and has the of Junior Seau, a legendary linebacker Course. Samo had no problem dis-
potential to become one of the most for the San Diego Chargers, and Chris pensing the opposing team again
revolutionary figures in the history of Fuamatu-Ma’afala, a bruising 250 winning with a score of 253-269.
the NBA. pound fullback for the Pittsburgh Althoughtheteamplayedsolidly,
Although Ming will probably be Steelers. Torrance proved to be too tough and
at the forefront of further integration When the NBA season begins, his- handed the Linksters their first two
into major league sports, other foreign tory will be made. A foreign player has losses. The girls lost both matches
players have been making their mark the chance to become one of the big- with scores of 202-224 and 220-254.
in the past decade, namely Japanese gest names in sports, and in the process, The team battled back the next
players in Major League Baseball. fortheMariners.NomoandIshiidomi- eliminated by the Sacramento Kings instill hope in kids looking to Ameri- weektodefeatopponentPalosVerdes
Ichiro Suzuki, an outfielder for the nated hitters in the ‘01-‘02 regular in the second round of the Western can sports for future professions.The with scores of 214-254 at Penmar,
Seattle Mariners, has demonstrated season, combining for a 30-16 record, Conference playoffs. The highly an- various foreigners who have made and 254-279 at the Palos Verdes
amazing speed running from home to while Sasaki compiled 37 saves. ticipated series boasted the foreign names for themselves are inspiring Country Club. The round of 214 at
first base (3.7 seconds along a 90-ft. The Dallas Mavericks of the NBA talent of both teams, with the Kings kids from their native countries to pick Penmarmarkedtheteam’sbestround
path) and an uncanny bat-wielding are a perfect example of what many of implementing Predrag Stojakovic and up balls and bats to emulate their of the year. Notable performances
abilityadmiredbybaseballfansaround the leagues in America will resemble Vlade Divac, both from Yugoslavia, heroes. Eventually, these kids will do include junior Megan Lamb’s score
the world. Tsuyoshi Shinjo, another in the future. A glance at the Maver- and Hedo Turkoglu, from Turkey. the same for the next generation. of 46 at Penmar and senior Jessica
talented Asian athlete, has captivated icks’ roster shows Canadian Steve Thanks to their array of international Bergman’s memorable round of 42 at
fans of the San Francisco Giants with Nash, China native Wang Zhi-Zhi, talent, the Mavericks have turned into the Palos Verdes Country Club.
his orange wristbands and blasts over EduardoNajera,aforwardfromMexico, a fast-breaking squad with games

NBA Preview Spotlight: Senior Fernando

By Tim Livingston Eastern Conference:
3. New Jersey Nets: With the
Navarette, Making a Splash
Western Conference: additionofDikembeMutombo,they By Gina Corso FN: One time in Junior Olympics, season, so I think I have a good chance.
1. L.A. Lakers: If Shaq stays could find themselves back in the as I was shooting the ball, a player TS: What’s your biggest accom-
healthy, the Kings are the only team finals. With 83 goals in this season struck me in the back of the head and plishment?
with the slightest chance of dethron- 6. Indiana Pacers: A balanced already, Boys Water Polo Player I blacked out for a few seconds. I was FN: In my freshman year here at
ing them. mix of shooters, ball-handlers, de- Fernando Navarrett is on a roll.The also punched in the face once…I al- Samo,wewontheBellGardens’Tour-
2.SacramentoKings:Couldthe fenders, and rebounders. The fight Samohi sat down with him to dis- most had to get stitches...Aside from nament. In one of the games at that
aggressive, athletic big-man Keon between them and the Nets for first cuss water polo and his plans for that, nothing really serious. tournament,wewentintosuddendeath
Clark be the final piece of the puzzle? seed come playoff time should be the future. and I scored the winning goal.
4. San Antonio Spurs: Still just interesting. The Samohi: How long have TS: Would you like to pursue wa-
good enough to not win a champion- 7. Boston Celtics: Paul Pierce you been playing water polo? ter polo in college?
ship. will need to shoot less and...no, actu- Fernando Navarrett: I’ve been FN: Yes. I really want to go to
5. Dallas Mavericks: This team ally they’d be better off if he shot 50 playing since I was 11-years-old. Pepperdine…Cal State Long Beach,
is going to be unstoppable when times a game. TS: How did you get started? or UCLA.
they’re hot, but all will go downhill 9. New York Knicks: The addi- FN: There’s a city pool where a lot TS: Do you play another sport, or
when owner Mark Cuban starts his tion of Antonio McDyess will finally kids go just to…cool off during the have any other hobbies?
head coaching career at midseason. give them the post presence they’ve summer. One time a coach…asked me FN: Basically just school and hav-
8. L.A. Clippers: AddingAndre been lacking. to join the team. Ever since then I’ve ing fun. I do swimming, and I did a little
Miller was basically clinching a play- 11. Orlando Magic:IfGrantHill been playing. TS: Do you have any goals set for bit of wrestling my freshman year, but
off berth. stays healthy, and that’s a huge if, TS: What’s your position? yourself this season? that didn’t go so well.
10.SeattleSupersonics: Asusual, they could go a long way in the FN: My job is basically FN: My first goal right now is to TS: Do you have any pre-game
the Sonics would be a champion- playoffs. to…control the offense. They give me make CIF with the team. My second is rituals?
ship-caliber team if they had a big 13. Atlanta Hawks: A healthy the ball and I go for a shot, or I go for a to break the record for most goals FN: Yeah, I have one. Before each
man. TheoRatliffandtheadditionofGlenn foul. scored in a season. Last year the record game, I kiss my number on my cap.
12. Minnesota Timberwolves: Robinson will help them make the TS: Have you had any serious in- was set with 124 goals, and I already And I have to kiss each side before it
A young team that is very talented playoffs. juries? have 83 with 11 more games in this touches the water.
and has players that could mesh well.
If they do mesh well, this team could
14.DetroitPistons:BenWallace
will never receive enough credit for
Lady Netters in Third Place; Potential for Second
exceed expectations. what he does for this team. By Calanit Greenberg first league loss to Torrance High with we are beating ourselves. Hopefully,
15. Houston Rockets: If Stevie 17. Toronto Raptors: Vince a close score of 7-11. On Oct. 8, the the girls will keep at it and get them-
Franchise and Mo Taylor stay Carter needs a better supporting cast The Lady Netters are currently 4-2 match against North Torrance High selves to the level that I know they can
healthy, this team will go places. to make noise this year. and are placed third in the Ocean resulted in Samo’s second consecu- achieve,” said Robertson. There is no
16. Phoenix Suns:Samethingas 19.MilwaukeeBucks:Ateamof League. tive loss, with a score of 5-13. doubt that these girls have improved,
Seattle, except they’ll be relying on individuals that needs to play solid Tennis is a challenging sport that and will continue to improve.
the ogre known as Jake Tsakalidis. defense to succeed this year. requires both mental and physical skill. Senior Christine Yi is enthusiastic
18. Portland Trailblazers: 20.NewOrleansHornets:Baron The main problem that is hindering about the team’s accomplishments.
Rasheed Wallace is a cancer. Davis leads a team of underachiev- the Lady Netters is a lack of the physi- “We’re doing really well this year as a
21. Utah Jazz: In their long ten- ers. cal and fundamental skills that are the team. It’s exciting to think that we
ure with the Jazz, Stockton and 22. Philadelphia 76ers: How key to success: the basic forehand, might make it to CIF. We’ve grown a
Malone have bought everything in not to improve: replace Mutombo backhand, volley, overhead, and the fondness for Coach Robertson and his
Utah. How about a retirement home? with Todd MacCulloch. serve. According to Coach Antonio coaching techniques. The girls are
24. Golden State Warriors: 23. Washington Wizards: Robertson, the girls often make both always encouraging each other and
We’ll just have to wait to see how MichaelJordanandJerryStackhouse physical and mental mistakes that are working hard. We’re cool beans,” said
strong coach Musselman’s is. still won’t make this team anything preventing them from being more suc- Yi.
25. Denver Nuggets: Denver special. cessful.
hopes its solid front line can lead 26. Miami Heat: I don’t see how Furthermore,
them from the depths of the Western this team can be successful. Eddie Robertson adds
Senior Joanna Turlik returns a thatthegirlsmust
Conference. Jones and Alonzo Mourning are go-
volley to beat Culver City on improve on their
29. Memphis Grizzlies: They ing to need to do everything for this
Oct. 2. formandonthese
have only three players with over six team.
Photo By Alex Leitner simple skills in
years of experience. Give them five 27.Cleveland Cavaliers:
order to fulfill
years and they’ll be okay. They’re young and jam-packed with The team’s game against Culver their potential. “I
(note:numberrankingsarebased talent, but that doesn’t mean they’ll City High on Oct.2 was a sweeping feel that it is not
in relation to the entire league-not win many games. victory for Samo, as the girls won the our opponents
the teams’ projected standing in their 28. Chicago Bulls: Would be a match 15-3. Unfortunately, two days that are beating
respected conference.) solid college team. later, the Lady Netters suffered their us, but it is that
 Sports
Vikings Take 3-3 Record Into Peninsula
By Jonathan Lee 45-14 outburst against Morningside yards. Gonzalez had 20 carries for handed great field position. Another while completing 7 of 12 passes for
that left spectators stunned and glued 83 yards, but, surprisingly, no Samo fumble led to a field goal, and 121yardsandaTDagainstasecondary
Six touchdowns in a single game. to their seats. Claremont put points on the that looked lost and confused. Helmy
More than 500 yards and 8 Against a tough scoreboard twice by stopping was Johnson’s favorite target, despite
touchdowns from senior tailback Division II opponent Samo in their own endzone for his smallish 5’-10”, 158 pound frame,
Adrian Gonzalez. An emotional and in Claremont on Oct. 2-point safeties. The 7-14 loss as he caught five passes of over 10
physical sparkplug in senior wideout 4, Samo’s lone score was indicative of Samo’s yards and evaded Morningside’s
Paul Helmy, who has made came in the second inconsistent offensive play. entire defense for a beautiful 30 yard
opponents look and feel silly on his half from the hands of Coach Norm Lacy states, touchdown.
way to 6 touchdowns and 25 senior Ricky Johnson, “We’re still trying to find Unfortunately, the level of play
receptions. A defense led by a who threw to Helmy balance on offense. There’s too demonstrated against Morningside
fearsome group of linebackers that for a 9 yard TD much pressure on the defense to did not carry over into the next week,
has stymied most opposing offenses. reception. Sloppy win games, so we’re still figuring when the Vikings brought a 3-2
All the elements seem to be in place. offensive play out what our best offensive unit record to Redondo, their first league
So why are we just 3-3? What is pressured a defensive is.” opponent. Though Gonzalez was
missing? unit surging from a After the stale, sloppily- able to score on a 2-yard touchdown
These are just some of the 28-27 victory the executed match against in just 8 plays on the opening drive,
questions the Vikings asked previous week against Samo blows out Morningside 45-17 on Oct. 11. Claremont, Samo hoped to a fumble and interception on later
themselves after devastating losses Venice, which was redeem themselves and found possessions led to two Redondo
in away games at Claremont and decided on a final Photo by Ava Tramer relief in a Morningside opponent touchdowns that seemed to shift the
Redondo. Sandwiched in between defensive stop by plagued by inexperience and a momentum of the game. Ricky
these two opponents was a display of Samo. Johnson had his least touchdowns. On Samo’s first drive, relatively new coaching staff. The Johnson attempted to spearhead the
domination that the Vikings would productive outing of the season, Claremont capitalized on a fumble 45-17 win at SMC was the result of Samo offense throughout the game,
like to be reminded of more often, a completing 5 of 15 passes for 48 and scored a touchdown after being an overpowering running game that but only 5 of his 18 passes found

Cross-Country: Setting the Pace

resulted in 265 yards on 23 carries their way into the hands of Samo
and 5 touchdowns. Gonzalez turned receivers. Though Clay went off to
12 touches into 150 yards and two the races on a 90 yard touchdown in
Boys Girls touchdowns, while senior Chris Clay
also took advantage of the porous
the second half, it was too little and
too late for the Vikings. The 31-14
By Hanna Jacobsen 5. Despite the absence of seniors Dexter By Justin Dean defensive line by rushing for 74 loss seemed over almost as soon as it
Fairweather and Kemal Cilengir, the yards and a touchdown. Johnson began.
The boys cross-country team has boys ran in a close-knit pack. The girls cross-country team is played effectively, gaining 36 yards At a critical point in their season,
been facing diverse competition, and is Junior Chris Chavez won the next running strong this year, and they and two touchdowns on the ground the Vikings are staring down a 3-3
handling it with remarkable race against rival teams West Torrance hope to win the CIF championship record and a very difficult opponent
assuredness and speed. and Beverly Hills. Fairweather summed for the first time in three years. in Peninsula. Though most of Samo’s
The boys team has fared extremely up the team’s happiness when he said, At the Oct. 5 track meet, they fans probably won’t be able to attend
well in Ocean League so far. They were “We [the team] have been preparing took fifth place. Leading the girls in today’s 2:30 game at Peninsula, the
introduced to competition outside their for this since the beginning of summer, the three mile run was sophomore Vikings hope they’ll be able to make
league on the final weekend of and we won-we destroyed West. ” Stephanie Thornton, who came in them proud. Here’s to 4-3.
September, when they ran in an 21st with an overall time of 20:16.

Girls Volleyball
The next league meet at Redondo
invitational at Stanford University that added to the boys’ undefeated Ocean Close behind was senior team cap-
drew 38 teams and numerous college League record. Zukerman, Chavez, tain Stephanie Ishler, finishing in
coachesonrecruitingtripsfromallover 37th place with a time of 21:52.

Hopes to Improve
and sophomore Yermie Cohen were
the west. The boys tied for 16th place three of the first five finishers. Coach Cady said, “I’m excited.
in the five mile event. Leading the way Most recently, the boys took third I think [the chances of winning a
was senior team captain Jacob place overall at the Cross Country championship] are really, really
Zukerman, who ran a personal best Invitational at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, good for us right now. Not only By Lisa Strumwasser
of16:43. He said the invitational was where they faced other Division I teams that, [but] we probably have seven
halfway mark, and the team looks to
a “good experience. It showed us like themselves, as well as Divisions II or eight really good sophomores The Samo girls volleyball team
up its level of play. “All we need is to
what big races at CIF will be like, and III teams. Chavez made an excellent behind varsity.” Thornton added continues to perservere through an
optomistically, “ I think we are be more aggressive on the court…we
races with other really competitive fourth place finish overall, and was the incredibly competitive season in Bay
doing pretty well, and we could win have a lot of good players, we just
teams.” second fastest runner in Division I. League with a 0-3 record.
need to use them all to work well
Following the Stanford meet, the The boys will face some of the very the league finals.” Although the team has collected
together,”saidreturningvarsityplayer
boys placed fifth at the Kenny Staub best teams in the biggest race on the With such a powerful team, the losses against North Torrance (Oct.
girls may see gold at the end of their sophomore Milan Clark.
Cross-Country Invitational on Oct. west coast tomorrow at Mt. SAC. 8), Culver City (Oct. 15), and West
finish line. Torrance (Oct. 17), the Lady Spikers

Greenies Playing Confidently are “learning a lot in the game situa-

tion,” said Head Coach Liane Sato.
By Tim Livingston three points, the Greenies exploded greatly assisted by the tenacious “The competition we play [against] is
in a 19-8 thrashing of against the defense of Goetz, who recorded pretty tough and we’re learning to
Even after losing to San previously unbreakable San seven steals in the contest. deal with it.”
Marino twice, Samo knew who Marino defense. In the trouncing, After a dismantling of the small Thus far the team has been having
the stronger team was. In their senior Fernando Navarette made private school Milken, the difficulty coming out of its slump. To
first meeting, San Marino six goals, senior Gregory Cruz Greenies prepared for their most remedy this problem Coach Sato said,
edged out an 8-6 victory. Yet threw in four, and senior Max difficult game of the season. They “We just need to have a little bit more
after the game, many Greenies Baumgarten and junior Jacob were getting ready to face long serious commitment [from the team]
felt they were the better team Honig threw in three apiece. time Bay-League power Mira to become better volleyball players.”
despite the loss. Junior Noel Coach Matt Flanders said about Costa, in a battle of two of the top According to senior captain Lindsay
Goetz commented, “We had an the victory, “Before the game, I teams in Division III. After falling Miman, the team’s weakness is frus-
off game the first time around. told them they needed to suck it up behind 5-1 in the second quarter, tration. She attributes the team’s per-
In terms of talent, we knew we and prove what they could do… the Greenies continued to fight, formance to “[the team] shutting
had the edge. We also knew that let their actions speak.” but the Mustangs always had an down. We try to talk and keep things
the outcome of our next meet- The Greenies’ next two games answer. The game ended in a 12- positive, but sometimes it’s hard be-
ing was simply going to come were against much less formidable 6 Mira Costa victory. cause we get discouraged.” At prac-
down to our execution.” opponents than San Marino. In After the game, Samo looked tices the team fine tunes its passing
The next game was figured the first game against Culver City, dejected and angry because of its game and players maintain their fit-
to be a walk in the park for the Samo sleepwalked through an 11- performance. When asked to ex- ness by conditioning.
Greenies, who might have been 7 win. Navarette led the team with plain the reasons for his team’s Playingagainsthighcaliberteams
a little over-confident in their five goals, while Honig played downfall, Flanders said, “We fell has shown a unique Samo strength,
approach to a game they thought great defense with six steals. into our old way of playing…very team unity. “We have a lot of school
would be an easy win. How- In their next match, against the one dimensional. We are best when spirit [and] team spirit. The girls all
ever, Samo simply couldn’t con- feeble Beverly Hills team, the our whole team contributes, not get along. They’re great girls,” said
vert on offense and lost a heart- Greenies easily strutted out to a just one or two individuals.” The Sato. According toMiman,theteam’s
breaker 2-1. How does the say- 17-3 victory behind the leader- emphasis on team cohesiveness passing and serving “are getting a lot
ing go? Third time’s a charm? ship of the usual suspects. will be key if the Greenies want to better.”
After losing two close games Navarette again threw in five goals, succeed in future games against The league season has reached its
to San Marino by a combined and Cruz added four. They were tough opponents.
 By Carl Lisberger
Opinion By Rebecca Beasley-
Should Samo be broken up into six Cockroft

PRO small schools?

Samo’s large size is an asset. Students have access to numerous activities and academic
CON
How can you create a small personal learning community on a campus with 3,400 plus
resources, and an incredibly diverse student body. But Samo has had the same basic structure students? The answer proposed by redesign teams at Samo is to divide the student body into six
since it was one third the size. The smaller learning community survey from two years ago smaller schools on the campus with the same staff. Dividing the students among the same
gave the administration valuable insight into several of the problems Samo is facing because number of staff will not accomplish anything. The redesign plan has too many flaws to be
of this. Sixty Two percent of students said that they “felt like a number.” Redesign will be successfully implemented.
beneficial to the student body and will correct many of the problems currently facing Samo. At middle schools like Lincoln or John Adams, a core, or a school within a school, makes
According to the survey, only half of the students at Samo feel that they belong here. sense. Each of those schools has a student body of about 1,200. And in each, students have
Although there are many motivated students that participate in activities, the system also cre- limited choices of electives because of the smaller size school. Since their options are limited,
ates a large number of students who feel they do not have “a place” at Samo. The six small students are all taking similar classes. It is possible in these schools to assign students to a core.
schools would increase motivation and school spirit. Samo on the other hand, is a much larger school
serving the needs of a much more diverse student popu-
Students would not only belong to the Samo commu-
nity, but would be part of their small school. Similar
The small Dividing the lation. One student could be on the varsity volleyball
team and be taking chemistry, French, and be in an
administrators and teachers, group activities, and a schools will students English class with another student who is taking phys-
student population that remain together for four years
would turn each small school into a learning environ- provide an among the ics, German, and band. Scheduling 3,400 plus stu-
dents is already complicated without adding the re-
ment much more intimate than the current Samo.
Every year, students graduate from Samo feeling environment same number quirement that certain students must share certain
teachers.
like they never connected with an adult. The current
system lets many fall behind. Almost every student where every of staff will not The redesign teams are also considering assigning
each school to a building on campus. There is a major
has teachers that never communicate with each other.
Redesign’s six small schools will provide a more con- student is accomplish flaw in this plan: the Science, Art, and Music build-
ings are all specialized buildings. There are signifi-
nected learning environment in which all of a student’s
teachers can work together to help a student achieve.
encouraged to the goals of cant number of teachers who cannot switch classrooms.
The redesign teams want to randomly assign stu-
Because of Samo’s large size, making profound
changes to its organization is often difficult. Rede-
succeed. redesign. dents to schools in order to avoid a segregated student
body. By doing so, they are creating more problems.
sign will be a valuable opportunity to implement a If there is no common interest among students in a particular school, students are going to have
series of changes that will improve the education of every student at Samo. Some of the to have a passport for every specialized class they take, thus defeating the purpose of a small
proposed changes include a “rite of passage” between the lower and upper grade levels. This school.
will help to prevent students from slipping through the cracks, and further President Bush’s To allow students to take classes at other schools, the redesign teams decided to create
goal to “leave no child behind.” passports. Because of the desire to divide students randomly, more and more passports will be
Samo is lucky enough to have CEO/Principal Dr. Ilene Straus and consultant Paula Evans necessary. As the number of passports increases, the new version of Samo begins to look like
facilitating the redesign process. Straus was previously the principal of Lincoln Middle School, the old. In addition to meeting in departments, teachers will now meet with their colleagues in
which operates on a core system similar to the proposed house system. Evans has done work their school. However, the number of students they share will become smaller and smaller with
with a school similar to Samo. Assisting Straus and Evans in the process have been five teams each passport assigned. It is unreasonable to believe that every student’s teachers will meet to
consisting of faculty, parents, and students. The meetings are open to all students. When rede- discuss them.
sign is implemented next year, it will have been shaped by the input of the Samo community. We don’t want the students of Samo to sacrifice their education if it will not drastically alter
Even though the redesign process will not affect this year’s seniors, and will require a huge Samo for the better. I hope that the redesign teams carefully consider the impact of the pro-
amount of time and effort, it will be worth it. The small school system will integrate advising posed changes before implementing them. Ask yourselves, “Will it change Samo enough to
and teaching and provide an environment where every student is encouraged to succeed. matter?”

Bovine Hormones
By India Donaldson cow naturally produces 10 lbs of milk
Inflate Udders, Danger
creased numbers of enlarged hocks the dairy industry resourcefully Whole Foods Market weren’t permit-
per day (that’s about 80 cups). After and lesions (e.g., lacerations, en- grinds them up to put back into ani- ted to label their products until a le-
Over the past few decades there a healthy dose of Bovine, a cow’s ca- largements, calluses).” The hor- mal feed and other meat products. gal settlement nearly four years later,
has been a surge in the use of growth pacity of milk production increases mone also speeds up maturation, Cows aren’t even meat eaters by na- on Aug. 14, 1997. Additionally,
hormones in cattle. Cows now bear- to 100 lbs, or 800 cups of milk per thereby hastening death. Naturally, ture, let alone cannibals. Companies that were using the hor-
ing udders the size of beach balls day. The FDA concluded in a 1993 farmers are forced to give their cattle The use of rBGH is now so mone were not required to label so.
have lead to an increase in milk pro- Freedom of Information Summary ample doses of antibiotics to com- prevalent in the dairy industry that The public was being deceived, and
duction. Yet, the horrific results of that artificially increasing the milk bat these deadly side effects. And it is hard to avoid. One must exam- no one knew what they were con-
these hormonal injec- who manufactures these ine the fine print on the milk car- suming.
tions make us wonder, magical cures? tons in order to rest assured he or Smaller, organic farms are being
is it worth it? Monsanto, the same she too are not being pumped full forced to either start using rBGH or
Recombinant Bo- people that manufacture of death hastening, milk factory hor- go out of business. As consumers, we
vine Growth Hormone rBGH, the lethal culprit. mones. Yet, even this is new. Merely must protect our right to choose or-
(rBGH) is injected bi- Not only are these in- a few months after the approval of ganic milk. The use of rBGH is un-
weekly into cows to jections detrimental to rBGH by the FDA, Monsanto filed healthy for humans and cruel to
increase milk produc- the health of cattle, but lawsuits against dairies opposed to cattle. Instead of complacently al-
tion. It first appeared also the millions who the hormones that wished to label lowing these large dairy manufactur-
on the consumer mar- consume the ample their product “rBGH- free”. Com- ers to jeopardize our health, we must
ket on Feb. 4, 1994, amounts of milk pro- panies such as Ben & Jerry’s Home- show them that we support those who
after a 90-day morato- duced. Due to the fre- made, The Organic Valley, and struggle to produce healthy milk.
rium on the drug’s quent in-
sale. Pressured by the fections
manufacturer of the the cows
hormone, the endure,
Monsanto Corpora- antibi-
Alumni Subscriptions
tion, and the Federal otic resi- Editor-in-Chief...........................................David Ginsburg
Drug Administration due, bac- Managing Editor.....................................Lisa Strumwasser $20.00 PER YEAR
Published biweekly during the school year
(FDA) prematurely t e r i a , News Editor...............................Rebecca Beasley-Cockroft by the Associated Student Body of Santa
approved it, unaware b l o o d , Opinion Editor.............................................Carl Lisberger Monica High School, 601 Pico Blvd.,
of its detrimental effect on humans production in cattle increases their and pus seep into the Feature Editor..............................................Daniel Morgan Santa Monica, CA. 90405. Unsigned edi-
and cattle. The only testing of the risk of udder infections by 79 per- milk. The bovine Special Report Editor............................Brittany Benjamin torials reflect the opinions of the staff.
Campus Life Editor........................................Sunil Parekh Signed editorials represent the opinions of
drug’s effect on humans was on hu- cent. The common udder infection, hormone also sur- the writer.
Sports Editors................................................Jonathan Lee
man dwarfs in the 1950s, and called Mastitis, causes bloody le- vives the pasteuriza- Calanit Greenberg
Staff
Monsanto rats in the 1980s. sions, and excess pus, which ends up tion process. How Photo Editor...........................................Alexandra Leitner Michael Blackman, Lauren Brydon, Gina
Now that rBGH is in the hands in the milk. Even the warning label about a nice bloody Ad Editor.........................................................Sonia Sohaili Corso, Justin Dean, India Donaldson,
Peter Egziabher, Angela Gonzalez,
of the large dairy manufacturers, of Monsanto’s Posilac drug, the glass of calcium to Copy Editors.................................................. Emily Ferrell Donielle Hatcher, Megan Healey, Jacob
cows are pumped full of hormones. brand name for rBGH, explicitly feed those growing Kesha Ram Honig, Jason Islas, Hanna Jacobsen,
Their udders swell to a painful mag- states, “Cows injected with Posilac bones? As a means India Brookover-Coleman Samantha Johnston, Wesley Krieger, Tim
Livingston, Christian McCovery, Rosa
nitude, developing grotesque bloody are at an increased risk of clinical of “recycling” the Art Editor...........................................................Sina Grace Ordaz, Molly Parent, Adam Siegel,
lesions. According to the Animal mastitis… Studies indicated that the carcasses of the bo- Tech Editor...................................................Daniel Morgan Hannah Tepper, Ava Tramer, Michael
Protection Institute, a typical dairy cows injected with Posilac had in- vine-injected cows, Adviser...............................................................Lorri Horn Zinshteyn
 Sports
Girls Water Polo Sinking
Tournament Opponents
By Jacob Honig girls’ level of teamwork and ambi- nior Joanna Bogosian. Samantilla
tion,” said Flanders. “They have led all scorers with a notable total
After an impressive season last really shown the ability to rise toof six goals.
year, the Lady Greenies are back the occasion and play solid team Following the monumental win
in action and are prepared for what ball.” against Bell Gardens, the team trav-
looks to be another successful The occasion that Coach eled south for the prestigious
chapter in the team’s winning his- Flanders refers to was the team’s Poway High School Invitational
tory. meeting with rival Bell Gardens. Tournament.
Samo’s girls water polo pro- Before Dec. 3, the Lady Greenies Playing against Escondito in
gram is perhaps the most accom- had never beaten Bell Gardens. The their first round match, the girls
plished program in took the game with ease,
Senior Theresa Moore fights for the ball in the Marlborough recent school his- winning 18-2. The girls
Tournament, which took place from Dec. 9 to Dec. 14. tory. In their mere moved on to the second
six years of exist- round, where they faced
Photo by Ava Tramer
ence, they have Bonita Valley and once

GirlsBasketball:New
won an unprec- again outplayed their op-
edented six straight position, 12-6. Samantilla
Bay League titles, led all scorers in both

Year, New Coach reached the CIF

Semi-finals three
times, and the
games, tallying five and
six goals respectively.
After two relatively
By Jonathan Lee girls won the consolation game and
Quarterfinals once. easy wins, the team faced
placed third. Though they lost to
The program has adversity when starting se-
Marcus Charuvastra, last year’s Marlborough 63-32, the girls displayed
produced 29 All- niors Cheny Dominguez,
JuniorVarsityGirlsBasketballCoach, flashes of the great performance they
League selections, Pearl Kim, and Sarah
has been thrust into the role of Varsity are capable of.
19 All-CIF selec- Samantilla left the tourna-
coach.AfterformercoachDavidBraff Starting lineups have not been set,
tions, and nine All- ment to take the SATs.
was fired, Charuvastra found out that, but senior Barrie Altshuler and sopho-
South-Bay selec- With half of the starting
in addition to his JV responsibilities, more Amanda McGrew have a strong
tions. The team’s lineup missing, the
he would have to deal with the pres- chance of starting as guards. Seniors
overall record is an Greenies had to play some
sure that comes from being a first-year Theresa Moore and Keryssa Robinson
impressive123-46. of the top teams in South-
Varsity coach. may start as forwards.
This year’s ern California short-
After participating in the Cross- Sophomore AJ Greene, who was
team is led by a trio Junior Kimberly Rea looks to score against Burroughs handed.
roads and Marlborough tourna- recently placed on Varsity, said, “We’re
of talented players on Dec. 16. Although the team lost
ments, the girls have gained valu- very confident after seeing how we
consisting of last the remainder of their
able experience that they hope they performedinthetwotournaments.Even Photo by Lauren Brydon games by scores of 4-14 to
year’s Bay League
will be able to use in the future. though the lineups are always changing
M.V.P. and All-CIF first team se- Greenies found themselves in an tournament champion Fallbrook,
Though Charuvastra is still modi- and we never know who will be where,
nior Sarah Samantilla, All-Bay- early hole, trailing by a score of 5- 6-7 to Division 1 Huntington
fying the starting lineups, the team we’ll get it right eventually.”
League second team senior Kristen 1. However, the team fought back Beach, and 8-15 to San Diego Uni-
looks strong overall. Charuvastra The girls start league play against
Hundley, and senior Julia Caldas. and cut the deficit down to 9-7 at the versity, the team played well. Many
said, “Our quickness and defensive Peninsula on Jan. 4. It is difficult to
The team is guided by Head Coach end of the third quarter. The team players who usually don’t see much
intensity are our main strengths. predict how the season will turn out.
Matthew Flanders, who is cur- rallied and was able to win the game, playing time had the opportunity
However, we are undersized. The Many changes are occurring in the Girls
rently in his seventh season coach- thanks to stellar performances by to experience a big time tourna-
key is to become a team in the next Basketball program, and the stakes are
ing at Samo. Caldas, Hundley, and Samantilla, ment, and the girls gained valuable
couple of the weeks.” high. Hopefully, Charuvastra will have
“I am very pleased with the as well as strong defense from se- experience playing as a team.
In the Crossroads tournament, the a successful start.

Vikings Lose to Paso Robles in Playoffs

By Jonathan Lee throughout the year, the season ended efforts of senior quarterback Ricky backer who seized the opportunity four short years at Samo: “Our se-
in their first playoff game against Johnson and senior running back and promptly ran 55 yards for a touch- nior class has done some great things.
Like the talented team that pre- Paso Robles on Nov. 22. Adrian Gonzalez, offensive drives down. With less than a minute left in They’ve never lost to Venice, and
ceded them, the 2002 Vikings had a At stake was a spot in the CIF were repeatedly stopped after some the half, Samo employed a dime de- were the first team to win against
season to be remembered. Last quarterfinals, as well as the pride from costly mistakes. fense in order to prevent any long Peninsula. They have contributed to
year’s Vikings set a high standard. defeating a perennially successful In the first half, Paso Robles passes from finding their targets. How- numerous playoff victories, and leave
Becoming champions entailed mov- team. scored shortly after they downed a ever, that’s exactly what happened, a legacy of good football.”
ing up six divisions and attaining But the challenge was too much fumbled punt return at the two-yard as a Paso Robles receiver snatched The Vikings’ season is over, but
championship rings that were the for the Vikings, as they fell 42-8 in a line. Johnson later threw a pass the ball between two Samo defenders next year brings a chance for even
envy of this year’s new varsity play- grueling match dominated by the Paso downfield that was deflected into at the two-yard line. Paso Robles capi- more success. The Junior Varsity
ers. After facing tough opponents Robles running game. Despite the the hands of a Paso Robles line- talized and scored yet again, making team placed second in their league
the half-time deficit 21-0 in Paso Rob- this year. Sophomore Kevin
les’ favor. Poindexter is next year’s projected
In the second half, Samo’s line- starting quarterback, while sopho-
backers, often regarded as the heart of more Terrell Patterson, who ended
the defense, had their hands full with the season as starting rover, is ex-
a Paso Robles attack that featured pected to start at running back. A
experienced backs and linemen. The strong nucleus of offensive lineman,
defensive line was bogged down by a including juniors Aaron Mason,
physical Paso Robles running back Adrian Buelna and Dylan Black and
that found and hit holes, running time sophomore Devin Packard, hope to
off the clock and limiting Samo’s provide maximum protection for the
chances at bringing the game back backfield. Members of the JV team
within reach. are building their bodies in the off-
Gonzalez was able to score in the season to get ready for the grueling
fourth quarter, but with Paso Robles season ahead, either on JV or Var-
piling on even more points, the touch- sity.
down came too late to warrant a This year’s seniors didn’t obtain
celebratory dance in the endzone. the 2002 championship rings, but
Samo’s inability to produce scores the memories of all their other suc-
and Paso Robles’ powerful running cesses will stay with them. Hope-
game characterized the match. fully the Paso Robles game will turn
Head Coach Norm Lacy, how- out to be a footnote compared to
ever, is proud of the senior class for all everything else they have accom-
they have been able to accomplish in plished.
 Sports — Page 7 The Samohi December 19, 2002

Boys Soccer Fields Vikings on Strong

Promising Varsity Team Winning Streak
By Hanna Jacobsen make a considerable difference.” quarterfinalist. Millikan scored By Tim Livingston key contributor. He is a tremen-
Juniors Daniel Dinay, Barry Jack- first, but Samo came back on a cor- dous athlete and competitor who
The varsity boys soccer team son, Andrew Marinez, and Ryan ner kick. Natale made a header into Senior Brett DeAngelis has does many things for his team that
returns to the Bay League this year, Natale will be key players this sea- the goal, which tied the score. At honed his incredible skills through don’t show up in the scorebook.
and is pumped for the challenge that son, while sophomores Luis Perez, the close of an exhausting second years of arduous work. His unbe- The last piece of the puzzle is se-
the league competition half, with only sec- lievable scoring ability, along with nior Arash Ghaffari, who is a ver-
will present. onds remaining, his excellent ball-handling skills satile player that the Vikings can
Returning seniors Millikan scored, end- and silent leadership are the main use in a variety of ways.
include Team Captain ing the game with a reasons why the Vikings have a re- Even with its strong roster, the
Jordan Kurland, goal- 2-1 score. The boys alistic shot at winning a Bay team struggled in its first four
keeper Danny Islas, were frustrated again League title that is typically domi- games. The boys ended up losing
midfielder Josh after a 0-1 loss to nated by the likes of Redondo and three out of four in the Westchester
Rodriguez, and defen- Long Beach Jordan. Inglewood. tournament. They defeated Pasa-
sive midfielder/stopper Although the offense DeAngelis said of the team’s dena, but fell to Hawthorne,
Corey Prost, who is attacked for the entire strategy, “What we really want to Locke, and Cleveland.
coming back from a foot second half, a scoring do this year is to try and run. We Instead of sulking after their
injury that kept him out opportunity never have an athletic team, so we should disappointing showing, they fixed
of the end of last year’s seemed to appear. get up and down [the court] pretty their mistakes just in time for the
season. Now back in the On Dec. 10, the well.” Head Coach James Hecht El Segundo tournament. In the
swing of things, Prost boys beat Inglewood added, “I anticipate us having a suc- first game of the team’s second
related that he is “very 5-2, and went on to cessful season based on the work tournament, they faced off against
excited for the season,” Junior Ryan Natale blows past Gahr on Dec. 12. smash Gahr High ethic the players have shown way San Pedro. The Vikings cruised to
and will focus on “ help- with a 4-0 score. The back since the end of last season.” an 89-66 victory. “We finally
ing the team to get to the Photo by Wesley Krieger game marked Islas’ The Vikings are one of the few started listening to what the
playoffs.” Other seniors first Varsity shut out, teams in their intensely competitive coaches were asking us to do,”
that will help lead the team are Alex Salice, Artur Szczepanek, and and Prost and Shokoufandeh were league that will have the core of commented McGrath, who also at-
Johnny Dahlem and Alex Farivar, Omid Shokoufandeh will also help the team’s goal ammunition. The their team returning this year. They tributed the season-high 89 points
who have moved up from last year’s to boost the team’s chance of suc- following Friday, the boys beat the boast a strong backcourt which, to a game plan more focused on
undefeated Bay League JV team to cess in the league. Crossroads Roadrunners 3-0, giv- along with DeAngelis, will consist defense. DeAngelis added,
offer their skills and speed to the var- The season opened up with a 5- ing Islas his second shut-out this of three-year varsity players seniors “Against San Pedro, we played
sity effort. 1 victory over Arcadia High School, season. The boys are now four and Mark Covin and Khalif Parker. The more together as a team. Before
The varsity boys are also fortu- which is a top Division I team. Gatell two, and gearing up to play against presence of Covin and Parker will we were playing a little too self-
nate to have a handful of junior and expressed his happiness over the win rival league teams such as Mira be vital on the floor because of their ishly.”
sophomore players who are ex- when he noted, “The guys were pri- Costa, Peninsula, West, and superb all-around games and their The Vikings then continued
pected to do extremely well this sea- marily playing together as a unit. Leuzinger. unquestioned guidance on the their dominance, beating Torrance
son. Junior powerhouse Carlos They were making good passes, con- For the past two years in the Bay court. and South Gate to advance to the
Lopez is returning to the team after necting well, and finishing well, and League, the team has placed fourth, Senior Scott Roberts, along championship against Pacifica.
seriously injuring his knee only five the score represented that.” missing playoffs by a fraction of a with junior standouts Greg Walker After going into the second half
games into the last season. Head Following the Arcadia game, the point both times. Everybody on the and Tim McGrath, will hold down tied 25-25, the boys outscored
Coach Frank Gatell noted, “Having boys team played Long Beach team agrees that the goal for this the frontcourt. They will be aided their rivals 35-20 to win the El
[Lopez] healthy this year should Millikan, which was last year’s year will be to place significantly by sophomore Jason Doitchman, a Segundo Tournament. Parker and

Wrestlers Ready
better for the playoffs. Gatell added, transfer from Brentwood who fig- Covin were named to the all-tour-
“Our work will be cut out for us.” ures to see significant minutes in nament team, and DeAngelis was
But with this year’s strong lineup, his first year at Samo. McGrath named the tournament’s Most
By Carl Lisberger mer of hard training, and led by
the hard work should pay off. You hopes to have a breakout season Valuable Player.
hardened veterans Arboleda and after being slowed down by an The Vikings are now 5-3, and
can support the team tomorrow,
Where are the Samo wrestlers? senior Ben Sheldon-Tarzinsky.
Dec. 20, as they play San Clemente ankle injury last year. hope to ride their winning streak
Just follow the trail of flipped and “All the guys have been working
in the South Holiday Tournament. Senior Kyle Troupe will be a as long as they can.
pinned opponents. The team is off really hard, and that’s what it takes
to a great start, defeating Bell, to make a good team. They’re
University, and Beverly Hills by coming together. We’ve got some
large margins at a quad in the good hard seniors. I ts going to
Girls Soccer Proves Much
south gym on Dec. 4, and placing be a good time,” said Assistant
five wrestlers at a 16-way tourna- Coach Russ Shugars. Strength and Success
ment in Torrance. Arboleda is looking forward to By Calanit Greenberg son. An early goal was made by score of 6-0.
At Torrance, Samo suffered a strong season.“This is the stron-
sophomore Payton Raffa with an as- On Dec. 11, the girls played
during team play due to injuries gest team I’ve been on in my four
With so many returning varsity sist by junior Kara Lacy. Although
Mary Star and prevailed with an
in the 179, 189, and heavyweight years at Samo. We’re gonna put
players, including a handful of four- goalkeepers Strumwasser and jun- easy defeat of 10-0. After a 2-0 half
classes. The wrestlers’ absence re- the hurt on every other team, no
year varsity members, seniors Nora ior Amara Russell had great perfor-
time score, the girls came back to
sulted in an 18-point penalty. doubt. I’m looking forward to go-
Wyman, Lisa score eight more in the
Samo recovered quickly from the ing to the state tournament,” said
Strumwasser and Cara second half.
losses in the team matches, reign- Arboleda.
Mclean, the girls soccer Two days later, North,
ing gloriously in the singles. Se- Head Coach Mark Black hopes team has high expecta- who is undefeated thus
nior Andrew Arboleda began his to see his wrestlers defeat long-
tions for success in the far, was a more difficult
season with a sweaty bang, tak- time rival Peninsula in league
Bay League. opponent. The first half
ing second place in the 152 class. play. Samo will face North,
Leading the team this was an even match after
Juniors Linas Arbudian and Geoff ranked first in CIF division III, on
season are senior co-cap- North managed to get an
Moy took fourth and fifth respec- Jan. 16. Other goals include send-
tains Wyman and incidental goal and tie the
tively. ing five wrestlers to the Master’s Strumwasser, along with game 1-1. Although the
The team looks strong this meet, an improvement from only
many contributions from girls came out hard domi-
year, after returning from a sum- one last year.
all the seniors. In addi- nating the second half,
tion, there are many re- the score remained a tie.
turning sophomores and The most challenging
juniors who will be able Sophomore London King juggling by Beverly Hills competition will be felt
to contribute and com- defender on Dec. 6. from West, South, North,
pete at a higher level Photo by Lauren Brydon Mira Costa, Redondo,
than in previous years. and Peninsula, however
“This is the strongest team I’ve mances, the team gave up two late the girls’ strength and team-work
played with at Samo. I think we’ll goals and ended up on the short end will allow the team to endure the
go far,” said Wyman. with a score of 1-2. challenges. “Our team this year is
The girls started off the pre-sea- A determined team quickly got more cohesive than last year. We
son on Nov. 25, with a scrimmage ahead of rival Beverly Hills on Dec. have a greater sense of team and
against nationally ranked (13th) 6. Junior Claire Beitcher scored five less individual agendas,” said Head
Harvard Westlake. The Lady Vikes goals, and sophomore Nicole Allen Coach Daniel Vinograd.
played a very disciplined defense, scored one. Assists were made by With such a strong sense of
but Westlake won with a final score Raffa, Allen, and sophomore Lon- unity, the girls soccer team will
of 1-0. don King. When all was said and surely be able to withstand and
The Dec. 4 game against West done, Samo destroyed Beverly for overcome whatever challenge may
marked the first game of the sea- the first time in three years, with a come their way.
 Campus Life
A Friend in Best Buddies Rise in Drug Busts;
Admin. Stresses Policy
is a Great Friend Indeed
By Hannah Tepper takes my breath away to see so many activities for all members. On Oct. 30,
By Sunil Parekh discipline from the principals of
the schools they have been trans-
students involved in Best Buddies,” Best Buddies will have a fundraiser A recent rise in the number of ferred to.
When Speech/Language Pa- Palilis said. With the effective lead-at Shakey’s Pizza, which will also students caught and punished for The policy is known as the “zero
thologist and advisor of Best Bud- ership of Palilis and the new presi- serve as an opportunity for the par- the possession or use of controlled tolerance” policy because Samo
dies, Barbara Palilis, began what was dent, senior Annie Postolov, the club ents of the Buddies to meet their substances on campus has required gives all offenders the same pun-
called Circle of Friends four years is looking forward to its largest and sons’/daughters’ Peer Buddies. Samo’s administration to carefully ishment, regardless of the circum-
ago, she never anticipated the growth strongest year so far. The relationships established be- reiterate the current drug policy stances involved in each individual
her club would experience. Members of Best Buddies with tween Buddies and their Peer Buddies outlined by the school district. case. Factors such as the amount of
Best Buddies, an international developmental disorders, normally seem to have a powerful effect on both According to Associate Princi- substance at hand or the students’
organization founded in 1989, is called “Buddies,” meet with a differ- parties. Peer Buddies gain an under- pal Mark Kelly and Dean of Stu- actions and intentions upon getting
committed to improving standing that they didn’t have dents Catherine Baxter, a rise in caught are considered only by law
the lives of intellectually before. “[Peer Buddies] gain drug-related transfers is common enforcement officials who are of-
disabled people by pair- awareness that differences at the beginning of each school year ten contacted in these situations.
ing them with non-dis- aren’t something to run from; because, at this time, students are “Possession is possession, so if you
abled peers to form last- they’re something to embrace. prone to push their limits and bend have possession you’re going to
ing friendships. The or- [Having a friendship with a the rules set before them as far as suffer the consequences no matter
ganization involves stu- disabled student] allows us to possible. “We always tend to see a how much you have. Possession
dents from middle see the good in people instead little more activity at the beginning with the intent of selling is a legal
schools, high schools, of what they are lacking or of the school year just because matter and is dealt with by the
and colleges in the U.S. what is different,” said
some students may not be aware of police, not the school,” said Dean
and in six other countries Postolov.
or have forgotten the policies. It’s of Students Jason Harley.
across the world. Buddies gain from the re-
unfortunate and we try to articulate According to Kelly, the policy
At Samo, the pro- lationship as well. “What Best
the rules for students,” said Kelly. has been highly effective since it
gram began as a small Buddies means to me is friend-
Amidst all of the drastic admin- was strongly enforced during the
club called Circle of ship. I am a part of this club
istrative changes being made at 2001-02 school year. “We’ve seen
Friends, which differed because it is fun to meet new
Samo this year, the drug policy is a lot of success with the involuntary
from Best Buddies in the people. After being in Best
way it promoted friend- Senior Abby Gorman and her Buddy, sophomore Buddies, I have become more one issue that remains unaltered. transfers,” said Kelly. “It’s about
ships. The goal of Circle Andrew Yin, sit down for their weekly lunch mature and independent,” said The rule clearly states that students working with a student to give him/
of Friends was to create a meeting. junior Jennifer Blaauw. who are in possession of or are her a second chance. [The policy]
small community of Photo by Wesley Krieger Some students in the pro- using a controlled substance on or has made a great impact on stu-
friends for a disabled student with ent “Peer Buddy” every day of the gram form bonds with their Buddies around campus are given a five- dents’ lives.”
multiple Peer Buddies, whereas Best week, building multiple friendships. that continue even after they graduate day suspension along with an in- Obviously, Samo is not the only
Buddies pairs its members one-on- Like any other pair of friends, these high school and, in the most successful voluntary transfer to another high school where students are caught
one. In Circle of Friends’ first year, a students meet anywhere on campus cases, members gain skills to use school in the district and 20 hours with controlled substances. Accord-
representative of Best Buddies con- they wish to eat and converse. throughout their lives as well as memo- of drug counseling. This transfer ing to School Resource Officer Joe,
tacted the smaller club and encour- Peer Buddies are also encouraged ries that never fade. Senior Erin lasts either ten weeks or for the drug busts are seen in both public
aged it to become a chapter of Best to do out-of-school activities with McConocha said, “You go into Best remainder of the semester, which- and private schools across commu-
Buddies because the programs shared their Buddies such as going to mov- Buddies hoping to make a difference in ever is longer. Students are allowed nities of all socioeconomic levels,
the same goal. ies, sports events, and taking walks, your Buddy’s life and find that your life to come back to Samo only after although some schools choose not
Currently, Best Buddies at Samo in addition to calling their Buddies is impacted even more strongly.” they receive a positive evaluation to report them.
has over 100 student members. “It weekly. The club has monthly group in terms of grades, attendance, and

Teacher Spotlight: Liane Sato Where are They Now? A Glimpse into the
By Samantha Johnston corporate sponsors provided us with
jobs in their companies. It was great
Once a Samo student, Liane Sato for me to get work experience out in New Lives of Former Samo Faculty
is back at her alma mater coaching the real world. By Daniel Morgan and Carl ture, the people, the languages, plans regarding bringing “coher-
Varsity volleyball and now teaching TS: What was it like being in the Lisberger and the food and festivals of my ence to the instructional program”
health as well. The Samohi sat down Olympics? host country.” and enjoys “learning walks,”
with Sato to find out about her expe- LS: Going to the Olympics was an Looking around the school this The experience of teaching where she improves education and
riences in the Olympics, her interests, amazing experience. My youngest
year, we notice many changes. about places he is finally able to organization in LAUSD. She is
and her views on teaching. brother, Eric, who also went to Samo, Construction projects are coming visit makes “the history actually currently working to bring two of
The Samohi: How long have you was on the men’s volleyball team.
to an end, and several new teach- come alive” for him. At the end of her schools under state audits to
been a teacher at Samo? My oldest brother Gary, another ers and administrators have joined this month he plans to visit a tiny meet their targets in the state au-
Liane Sato: I’ve been here for five Samo graduate, was
years coaching the Samo community. What you island named Borcay which boasts dit findings.
an assistant coach might be wondering is where some one of the ten most beautiful Hibert misses Samo students
girls volleyball and for the men’s team.
substitute-teach- of your favorite staff members beaches in the world. the most. “I have very little con-
All three of us went have gone. What could possibly Emma Hipolito, a beloved fix-
ing, and I just got tact with students,” she said, and
together, both in
hired full time last fill their days with the same joy ture of the College Career Center misses the relationships she has
Korea in 1988 and
year teaching that Samo did? Apparently, quite last year, can now be found at built up over the years. She espe-
then in Barcelona
health. a bit. Center X, a part of the UCLA cially misses the class of 2003—
in 1992.
TS: Have you al- Chris Megaffin, remembered School of Education. She is the “we were freshmen together.”
TS: What other
ways wanted to be a mostly for his AP US History Co-Director of the UCLA History-
things do you do
teacher? besides teaching? classes, teaches 9th grade South- Geography Project. Her new post
LS: Yes, I LS: I like roller- east Asian History and 11th grade involves “working with social
wanted to be a P.E. blading, and spend- European History for the Interna- studies teachers in many different
teacher ever since ing time with my tional Baccalaureate program at capacities.” She meets with teach-
Volleyball coach and Health an international private school ers and their classes and also
elementary school. daughter who just
teacher Liane Sato gives the just outside of Manila in the Phil- brings teachers on campus for in-
I had the best
camera a million dollar pose. turned five. She is ippines. He is also the advisor of stitutes and conferences.
teacher, Jim Jaffe. really active. She
He’s still teaching, Photo by Daniel Morgan has a little scooter the Model United Nations Club “What I miss most about Samo
and he’s my hero. and I skate while on campus and will travel to are the people,” said Hipolito. “I
He got me to like physical activity. In she scoots. Beijing in March for a confer- worked there for 10 years and have
junior high school I also had awe- TS: What is your favorite thing ence. Megaffin enjoys his school many friends who I rarely get to
some coaches who interested me in about teaching at Samo? immensely, and said that, with see now.” She also misses inter-
teaching. LS: My favorite thing is relating only 500 students, “it is very small acting with students every day.
TS: What jobs did you have be- to the students. I just like talking to compared to Samo…This allows Kirsten Hibert, one of last
fore Samo? them and sharing information about me to spend more time with the year’s Co-Principals, spends her
LS: I was a travel counselor at the health. They’re so interesting, so students and help them to achieve days “at school sites helping prin-
Auto Club (AAA) in San Diego for willing to learn, and so well behaved. their full academic potential.” He cipals and teacher leaders with
five years, through the Olympic Job I am glad to be back where my entire also added, “When I am not teach- implementing standards based on
Opportunities Program. I played on family and I went to school. ing I am taking every opportunity school reform” at LAUSD’s local
the Olympic volleyball team, and to discover the beauty of the cul- district H. She discusses strategic
 Feature
Nappy Roots Shakes the House of Blues
By Sunil Parekh stirring up everyone’s insides, ain’t about hustlin’ / It’s about
as B. Stille, Big V, R. Prophet, seeing your kids go without
They’re from Western Ken- Skinny Deville, Scales, and strugglin’,” is an excerpt from
tucky, they’re down to earth, and Ron Clutch appeared, two by “Peanuts.” Nappy Roots showed
they take hip-hop back to its two. Right away, audience the audience a good time and good
roots—however nappy they might members started screaming material to ponder.
be. The lively, rambunctious, and throwing up their hands About halfway through the per-
rhyming sextet known as Nappy in excitement. An overly- formance, the lights went out and
Roots continued the tour of their thrilled fan right in front of the sextet told the audience to take
latest album, “Watermelon, the stage grabbed one of the out lighters or cell phones and
Chicken and Gritz,” at the House sextet’s legs and refused to wave them in the air in apprecia-
of Blues in the heart of Downtown let them go, and later, mem- tion and remembrance of all the
Disney, Anaheim, on Wednesday, bers of the group poured hip-hop artists who died during
Nov. 27. bottles full of water out into the past several years.
First appearing on stage was the hot, dancing crowd. The group closed with two ver-
GRITS, a red-hot rap duo from The group started their per- sions of perhaps their most fa-
Tennessee. Consisting of two men formance with songs from mous hit, “Aww Naw.” The crowd
who called themselves “Coffee” their first platinum album members sang along at the top of
and “Bonafide,” the group’s fast such as “Peanuts,” “Hustla,” their lungs, and clapped enthusi-
beats, power-stacked hooks, and “Slums,” and the more popu- astically when the curtains closed.
catchy choruses were a great start lar “Po’ Folks.” Their rhymes Although attendees might have
to the night. Slammin’ party joints brought more and more people Nappy Roots finally took the weren’t like other hip-hop walked out of the House of Blues
like “Here We Go” and “Tennes- closer towards the stage in awe. stage after another break, and sud- groups’—they strayed away from and back through Downtown
see Boys” got the growing crowd The members of the family made denly the crowd seemed three cliché topics such as hoes, ice, and Disney with deaf ears, spinning
members standing in front of the up a complete band; their imple- times as large. The bass was boom- flashy cars. They offered a candid heads, and hoarse voices, most
stage to nod their heads, tap their mentation of electric guitar, bass, ing from the loudspeakers in front look at some of life’s universal agreed that the concert was very
feet and sway from side to side in drums and violin brought a re- of the stage, shaking the hall, and issues. “Ain’t about thuggin’ / It worthwhile.

Santa Monica’s Best Asian Food

appreciation. freshing new style to the hip-hop
After a fairly long but enter- scene. Their own beats and songs
taining break in the club-like at- combined with sassy remakes of
By Emily Ferrell and Hannah it. Food comes as soon as you are a ladle.
mosphere of the House, the “Kryponite” by Three Doors
Tepper seated and items are usually cheap. Diners can order thinly sliced,
Lookalive/4th Avenue Jones Fam- Down, and Nirvana’s “Smells Like
A good idea would be to come raw beef, chicken, fish or just
ily took the stage. The family’s Teen Spirit” and even excerpts
Royal Star is known as a classy, with someone who has been be- veggies served with fresh
performance, a combination of hip- from DeBeriot’s “Concert No. 9
Chinese Restaurant great for sea- fore because it can be a bit over- vegatables, noodles, rice, miso
hop, rock, and soul with a hint of for violin” proved a truly eclectic
food dishes. Dim Sum is a Chi- whelming. Also, stay far away sauce and sesame sauce. The beef
classical, was spectacular and presentation.
nese specialty in which carts of from the fried chicken feet. is tasty and fresh and dipped in

99¢ store: A cheap thrill Biblical figures, individual shots

appetizers are brought from table
to table for customers to choose.
Royal Star (Dim Sum-10am-
3pm) 3001 Wilshire Blvd. Santa
miso over a bowl of rice it is a life
changing experience. The veg-
By Kesha Ram The food varies from meat filled Monica 90403 Price Range: Inex- etables and lean meats make it a
of Ginseng, Betty Boop candy dumplings to vegetable salads, and pensive (Dim Sum) Usually less healthy and satisfying meal. Cus-
In a city of overpriced mer- jewelry, or a nightlight in the unusual Chinese desserts. than $10 per person. Grade: A tomers cook their food exactly
chandise from businesses bom- shape of a snail. Our personal favorites were Shabu Hachi is a diamond in how they want it in their boiling
barding you at every block with Their display windows can be their seaweed salad, chewy sea- the rough of one of Olympic water, and the activity is extremely
useless hodgepodge, one name viewed from Pico, exhibiting weed slices with a tangy sesame Blvd.’s many mini malls. This entertaining for friends and lov-
stands alone as a glimmer of af- perfectly stacked columns of dressing. Their Baus, steamed buns restaurant serves the authentic ers.
fordable hope: the 99¢ Only handy or interesting items all for filled with barbecued meat were Japanese home cooking style of At the end of the meal choose
Store. under a dollar. Shiny little bam- extraordinary, extremely fluffy Shabu Shabu, in which meat, veg- from green tea, red bean, or va-
Where else could you find ev- boo plants and N*Sync calen- and palatable along with their etables and noodles are cooked in nilla ice cream. It is a meal of
erything necessary to keep your dars flag the entrance, while shrimp shumai. Also unbelievable a pan of boiling water at each intense tastes and fun and we rec-
household functioning for less Marvin Gaye’s “What’s Going delectable were their egg custard table. The service is friendly, and ommend it to all who walk on
than a dollar? Above, the stores On” plays overhead. Each aisle tarts, that dance on the tongue and fast with a casual atmosphere. The god’s green earth.
supply their customers with more thereafter brings a new surprise, bring tears of joy to the eyes. staff is always willing to help in- Shabu Hachi: 11680 W. Olym-
than cheap household goods. The such as a new package of The atmosphere is interesting experienced Shabu-goers with the pic Blvd, West LA. Price Range:
selection varies from Jesus air Spiderman or Teletubby under- and fun. Customers will enjoy see- technicalities of cooking your own Moderately Expensive: $7.00-
fresheners to Hulk Hogan’s cas- wear or Superhuman Samurai ing their food before they choose meal with a pair of chopsticks and $15.00 Grade: A+

Rainy Day? Hit the Slopes

sette “Hulk Hogan and the Wres- Syber Squad’s “The Glitch That
tling Boot Band.” Stole Christmas” video.
The 99¢ Only Store here in Questions regarding
Santa Monica is conveniently lo- mislabeled prices, of course, By Ava Tramer man-made snow on the mountain. get some real weather this winter,
cated on Pico Blvd., never come up. Besides, most Big Bear Lake, a cozy little town remember to bring your sunscreen
complimenting an area made items seem of superior value in While the trees are bare and snow in the San Bernardino Mountains, is and sunglasses. The Southern
popular by nearby McCabe’s proportion to their standard price falls in heaps all over the rest of the only a little bit more than a two hour Californian sun reflecting on the
music store and the UnUrban tag. A customer shopping with country, us Southern Californians drive from Santa Monica. The white snow can make the sun even
Café with an equally wholesome his family who gave his name as remain snow-deprived. We town of Big Bear offers ski- brighter (and more painful) than
store. The first store opened in Sabino, an engineer who says he might get an occasional day ing and snowboarding, as usual. Also, try eating some snow
1982, with a chain expanding to makes over a hundred thousand of rain, but you have to well as a movie theater, this winter. Make your own snow
over 140 stores, most of them dollars each year, posed the ques- admit that slimy rain is a few arcades, many res- cone by getting a cup of clean
located in Southern and Central tion: “Why is there a person nothing compared to taurants, and plenty of snow (make sure it doesn’t have
California. making six figures shopping at fluffy snow. But don’t places to spend the any animal droppings or footprints
Some frequent the store to buy the 99¢ Store? The answer is, despair: snow isn’t as far night. Head down to the in it) and pouring some fruit juice
many of their household and per- because maybe he is smarter.” away as you think. lake and you might see over it. Orange juice and snow
sonal products, but others appre- Perhaps he is, perhaps not. Mountain High lies in the some ducks waddling around makes a delicious combination!
ciate the price and quality of cer- Sabino continued to say he San Gabriel Mountains, a town that and quacking, even on the coldest For more information and di-
tain novelty items. “I think, pri- doesn’t usually buy the edible was Southern California’s most vis- days of winter. Sledding and build- rections, go to www.mthigh.com
marily, I’m a junkaholic. I’ve products, but emphasized the ited ski resort in the 2000-2001 win- ing snowmen are easy activities to and www.bigbear.com.
got more junk at home than quality of the kitchenware and ter season. Snowboarding and ski- do when it
they’ve got in the store here,” brand-name toiletries. ing are the most popular activities at snows in Big
said customer Jack Mahoney as Regardless, one thing is made Mountain High, with ski lift tickets Bear, and even
he displayed his cart brimming certain: no matter what you’re for about $40 dollars per day. Over- if there isn’t
with bric-a-brac. looking for, next time you hap- night accommodations are plentiful any natural
pen to be nearby, try the 99¢ in the nearby town of Wrightwood, snow, the ski
It is a great place for teenagers
Only Store. You are sure to be a mere three miles away from the resorts will
to find great knick-knacks for
pleasantly greeted by the oblig- busy slopes, and only a two-hour have man-
themselves, or unique gifts for
ing employees, quality house- drive from Santa Monica. And don’t made snow on
their friends. Upon browsing
hold items, fun trinkets, exciting fear: if there isn’t any real snow their slopes.
through the 99¢ Only Store’s
when you take your trip to Moun- So if you do
busy aisles, one may chance upon and clean atmosphere, and ev-
tain High, there will most likely be decide to go
long-lasting candles depicting eryday low price of 99¢.
 Opinion — Page 3 The Samohi December 19, 2002

Hahn Goes Panda Crazy While L.A. Crumbles

By Brittany Benjamin city must pay $1.2 million per However, as Hahn told the Los wonder if a city that can’t even close.
year to China for the ten years it Angeles Times, “It’s a huge feather safely educate its students is Maybe L.A. can make use of
L.A. in the past weeks: 18 re- could keep the pandas, totaling in a city’s cap if they can get a ready to house pandas. Perhaps a the pandas in other ways, though.
corded homicides in nine days, $12 million. Not to mention the panda. It’s a very good investment better use of its money would be Perhaps the pandas can be kept
five officer-involved shootings in cities who have successfully re- for the entire zoo to have pandas. donating to the needy schools. in the prison to entertain the hun-
six days, one high school de- ceived pandas have historically They are a marquee exhibit. It Yes, it’s the state’s “responsibil- dreds of people that the LAPD
scribed as “out of control” by the is arresting with their Skid Row
Los Angeles Times, with its prob- sweeps. This would cut back on
lems ranging from crimes to sex the costs because the city
acts, and two LAPD sweeps that wouldn’t need to build a breed-
arrested nearly 200 people on ing ground and could write off
Skid Row and surrounding areas. the pandas as a business expense,
Meanwhile, Los Angeles Mayor drastically cutting back on ex-
James Hahn visited China, with penses. Or, better yet, with the
an array of goals, including one crime rate at a high and Chief of
to clinch a pair of panda bears for Police William Bratton stressing
ten years, which would cost mil- the importance of more police of-
lions of dollars and possibly years ficers, perhaps the city can make
of effort. Obviously the mayor is the panda duo law enforcers. The
not on the same page with the rest city can equip the bears with
of his city, because in no way is badges and guns and they can
the chaotic city of Los Angeles lumber down Skid Row looking
able or ready to spend millions on for criminals.
giving a home to a pair of pan- Whatever the mayor plans for
das. his bears, it won’t be an asset to
According to the Los Angeles pledged millions to the Chinese would be huge.” Huge? As huge ity” to give schools money, but it the city. Considering the problems
Times, acquiring pandas is a com- government in order to protect as 18 murders in nine days, some doesn’t seem too much to ask that the city is still forced to deal with
petitive game; it takes time, poli- the shrinking panda population. of whom were minors? As huge a city ensure that the future gen- daily, pampering a couple of pan-
tics, and most importantly: Cities must also develop a sci- as nearly 200 arrests in just two eration is educated instead of das doesn’t seem like an answer.
money. A home and breeding entific panda study while they different nights along the same dishing out $25 million for a And if the mayor actually has $25
area, because breeding is China’s house the pandas. With all these street? couple of bears. Besides, if the million to burn, he should take a
goal for loaning the large bears, costs, hosting a pair of pandas for Pandas are great, and it is very students want to see pandas, take walk around his city; there’s
would need to be built costing ten years would cost the city important to keep them off the them on a field trip to the San plenty he could spend money on
between $10 - $12 million. The about $25 million. track of extinction. But one must Diego Zoo; it’s fun and fairly to genuinely benefit the city.

Don’t Change Advisers

By Christian McCovery posed to see us through the re-
mainder of our years here at
Many students recall being Samo, but since redesign is in
told by previous counselors that progress it is hard to determine if
everyone would have one specific that will be possible. “We’re do-
counselor for the remainder of ing all we can to ensure that we’ll
their stay at Samo to ensure a bet- be with you for the rest of your
ter relationship between the coun- time here,” said Advisor Wendi
selor and the student. For juniors DeMorst. Our current counselors

Democracy: Tyranny of The Masses

at Samo, there have been three are said to be permanent, but that
counselor changes within their does not make up for the damage
three years of high school atten- that has already been done.
dance. The continuous changing The continuous changing of By Jason Islas propaganda to instigate the Red September 11, voters have put an
of counselors has been more harm- counselors has not been the best Scare. Frightened by the supposed unnerving amount of trust in a par-
ful than beneficial to Samo stu- experience for students. As the Americans take the vote for enemy outside their borders, the ticularly incompetent president be-
dents. counselors keep changing, stu- granted. It is our protection against American people placed their trust cause of repeated warnings that if
According to Adviser Michelle dents feel insecure, feeling as if tyranny and oppression. But does our in leaders like Senator Joseph we don’t act, the rest of America
Kenney, the continuous changing the counselor will only leave right to vote function as the found- McCarthy whose paranoid, anti- will soon follow the World Trade
of counselors was done in order them again. “We’re like a car be- ing fathers intended? Americans’ communist rampages destroyed Center.
to benefit the students all around ing made in a factory. [Advisers] right to vote is supposed to secure our thousands of lives. Immobilized by Are we capable of self-govern-
the Samo campus. Although the just wait for a new shipment, slap rights and privileges. But democracy fear, the people stood by and let it ment? We have failed to demon-
initial plan was to help students on their special little part and in the hands of ignorant masses can happen, sure that these trials were strate that we are. We continue to
have a better relationship with shove us to the next person to endanger our personal freedoms as making their lives safer. But the fall into the same traps. Though de-
their counselors, it is hard to fig- place on their additions,” said much as any fascist dictator. people’s fear was not justified. The mocracy and self-rule have had
ure out if it was successful. Ac- junior Christine Jenkins. America need not glance far back majority of Americans did not fully positive effects on our lives, is it
cording to the advisers, the coun- It seems that our new advi- to find an example of hypocrisy: our understand the supposed threat of worth the many lives lost and ru-
selor changes were done so that sers, instead of being there to free nation was built on the backs of Communism because the only infor- ined at the tyrannical, ignorant hand
the student would feel like more counsel us, are there to point out slaves. The popularity of slavery pre- mation available were the tidbits of the people? Not if we show no
than just a number, and for once what we are doing wrong. Little served the institution for almost 100 tossed to them by their sovereign hope of becoming better educated
actually have a personal relation- notes that say the same thing are years following the ratification of the leaders. on the issues at hand.
ship with them. Although the new being sent to students that are Constitution. In order to maintain One might think the situation has Ignorance is democracy’s great-
system of counselors may work doing poorly, telling them when their wealth, southern planters held gotten better and we have learned est enemy. People who make deci-
well for lower classmen, some up- tutoring is being held. The only fast to the colonial slave-holding tra- from our mistakes. That the Ameri- sions without knowing the conse-
perclassmen had good relation- personal connection we have to dition. By soliciting the voting pub- can people still saw fit to elect a Re- quences and truth of the matter can-
ships with their past counselors. our advisors is our I.D. number lic, politicians and wealthy business- publican majority to the senate, not be trusted. If democracy is to
Junior Melody Zermeno called the written in their handwriting at the men made policy that would main- knowing that they would support a work, then more must be demanded
relationship “perfect.” As a result top of the note. If that’s not im- tain this way of life. Black Ameri- war on Iraq despite overwhelming of voters. More programs need to
of the Smaller Learning Commu- personal, I don’t know what is. cans were subject to the whim of the evidence that the war is an unwar- be implemented to create an edu-
nity Survey and the Higher Places “My old counselor used to talk people and slavery endured until ranted, unsolicited, and unintelligent cated voting public. If not, then
Survey, Superintendent John to me and help me, but my new Northern Industrialists grew greedy endeavor, shows that there is an America has failed to achieve the
Deasy and the co-principals reor- “adviser” just calls me in for tar- enough to rebel. enormous fault in the fundamental lofty ideals proclaimed in the
ganized the guidance services. We diness and detention” said sopho- The Trail of Tears, the Indian Re- structure of our government. After United States Constitution.
now have 12 advisers instead of more Aarynn Jones. In defense moval Act of 1830, and Manifest
eight counselors. The difference of the new advisers, CEO/Prin- Destiny show how truly destructive The Samohi seeks submissions for the
between our counselors last year cipal Dr. Ilene Straus said, “At democracy can be. Popular opinion student-written column “My Turn.” Sub-
held that Anglo rule of the North
and our advisers this year are their least we’re calling them in now
American continent was God’s will.
mit articles to E201. Submissions may be
broadened role and the ratio of stu- which shows we care.”
dents to counselors. Last year The care in which Dr. Straus And by the will of the people, this edited for grammar and length and are
there were approximately 450 stu- is referring to is not enough for was turned into policy. Native due no later than February 3, 2003.
dents per counselor, but this year some students. As students grow American men, women, and children
there are only 275 students per and develop, they need a more were evicted or murdered so that the
American people might have their
Send “Letters to the Editor” to Journal-
counselor. However, some of the adult relationship and less of a
same problems the administration nagging motherly relationship. lands. ism, c/o Santa Monica High School,
hoped to correct with the new ad- The constant reminder of what America’s version of democracy 601 Pico Blvd., Santa Monica, CA
visers, such as tardies and ab- students are doing wrong is not leaves the masses open for manipu-
lation by their leaders. After World
90405. Letters must be signed and
sences, remain. a healthy way to begin a new re-
These new advisers were sup- lationship War II, the U.S. Government used may be edited for clarity and length.
Important editorial on Prop Student band rocking the Special Report: Too much
EE! Page 3 house Page 4 trash on campus Page 5

On the Internet:
www.thesamohi.org

Circulation: 3,500 Vol. XCIII No. 2 October 25, 2002 Published Biweekly

Plans to Redesign
School Underway
By Carl Lisberger climate, good professional develop-
ment and good morale” said Straus.
A redesign team made up of 34 In the current draft, each plan will
faculty members, parents, and students contain a teaching staff of 24, two
has begun working towards breaking advisers, a dean of students, and a house
Samo up into six small schools of 550 principal. Other points included in the
students each. The team has split up plan were a distinct separation of upper
into five small working groups of six or and lower classmen, a clear separation
seven people, who will meet weekly to between the two divisions, and a Senior
create a sketch of what an individual Project with demonstration of mastery.
school will look like. Suggestions made by the small
Assistant Principal Ruth Esseln, working groups ranged from prompt-
CEO/Principal Ilene Straus, and Asso- ing friendly competition between
ciatePrincipalMarkKellyhaveworked schools to proposing that all adminis-
with Consultant Paula Evans to estab- trators teach at least one period.
lish parameters for redesign. They pre- The small working groups will
sented the parameters to the redesign come together every month to put their City Council candidates answer questions at a candidates’ forum for City Council elections at Samo on
team on Oct. 17. individual plans into a cohesive plan Oct.18. City Council Mayor Pro Tem Kevin McKeown, candidate Jerry Rubin, and candidate Abby
According to Straus, the rest of the for each house. Each of the six schools Arnold from left.
fall semester will be spent drafting the will end up being the same, and will Photo by Lauren Brydon
redesign.Severaldesignsforthehouses contain the best parts of each small was being hired it was clear that the were invited by Straus. Over the next few weeks, each
will be presented to the faculty for a group’s plan. school was going to be in a state of She hopes to represent the con- small working group will add one or
vote. A 70 percent vote will pass the In two Oct. 17 faculty meetings flux,” said Tipper. He is optimistic cerns of the student body to the team. two student members. The teams
designs on to the School Board, and, facilitated by Evans, the entire Samo about the progress so far. “I think that Bolan said, “Originally I didn’t think themselves will pick the students,
implementation will begin next year staff read and discussed an article about it would be hard with over 30 people, that the small schools were going to but no student will be able to join
with grades nine and 10 at least. another high school that underwent a all putting in their two bits, but with six be better, and I didn’t like the idea at that has a current teacher on that
Evans, as principal of a school that process similar to the proposed rede- people you can come to an agreement all. Most of the students I’ve spoken team, or their own parent. Students
underwentsimilarchanges,wasbrought sign. The article raised several con- and actually work towards an end,” to don’t really want this to happen. If interested in joining a team or at-
to Samo because of her experience. cerns from faculty. Many agreed with continued Tipper. it’s going to happen anyway, I should tending a team meeting may contact
“[The redesign plan] came from a the plan in general, but wondered if it’s Tipper spoke to his students about make an effort to make it the best for the teams through Tiffany Tyler, Stu-
couple of places. I put it together with application would be plausible. Others the redesign plan and received mixed the students.” dent Support Adviser Lisa Demirjian,
Paula Evans, Straus, and Kelly. It came wereconcernedthatdepartmentswould response. “Everyone is resistant to The weekly meetings of the small Student Support Adviser Michelle
from work Paula did, Straus’ work at be negatively affected. The meeting change. Change is a universal thing working groups are open to all stu- Kenney, Assistant Principal Kathleen
Lincoln, research that we had all done, ended with a discussion of common that people don’t like. It’s also inevi- dents and faculty. The time and place Martin, and Science Teacher Dawn
our personal experience , and a survey themes which included the need for a table. One reaction was an awareness of of the meetings will be posted on the Omura.
that had been done last year. Partly it “clear and concise mission” and lower that change, and an acceptance of the bulletin board in the Curriculum and
came from the fact that so many kids class size. new plan. Other students think it might Redesign office.
leave here without feeling like they Evans stressed the faculty’s input
Samo Admin. Creates
feel too much like junior high. I think
have made a connection with an adult,” and involvement in the process, and some of the fears are more a fear of
said Esseln. announced plans to receive input from change than actually a fear of what the
Straus stressed the importance of
continuing to improve instruction and
the staff at monthly faculty meetings.
New Math Teacher and redesign
school might look like,” said Tipper.
The only current student mem- New Tardy Policy
curriculum. “To get a school good for team member Geoff Tipper said that he ber of the redesign team, senior By Rebecca Beasley-Cockroft and port adviser. Advisers will call stu-
kids you have to get it good for teach- had known about redesign since he was Bernadette Bolan, joined after mem- Brittany Benjamin dents out of class to schedule a
ers. There has to be a good working hired. “I’m new to the district and, as I bers of site governance and ASB lunch detention, which must be

More Student Parking Available

Samo’s administration imple- served by Friday of the week as-
mented a new tardy policy, which signed. Instructional Aid Ray
took effect on Oct. 7. The new policy Humphrey, who will clear the satis-

After Construction Completed states that students will receive a

consequence for every five tardies
factorily served detentions, super-
vises lunch detention in room L106.
they accumulate per semester. Failure to serve a detention by the
By Daniel Morgan introduced last year, Associate Princi- system, hope that it will decrease the As a team, the administration Friday will result in a two-hour Sat-
pal Mark Kelly said, “Their complaints number of cars around campus and decided to make the system easy to urday School.
Once construction crews complete centeredonhowdisrespectfulourSamo encourage alternate means of transpor- use and the consequences consis- Students have a chance to dis-
the exterior painting of Barnum Hall students were in their neighborhoods. tation. “We all believe that it’s not right tent. With those goals in mind, the cuss their tardies with their adviser.
(Phase III), Samo’s 40 senior parking It was expected that Samo students for kids who live ten blocks away to team created an accumulative If there is a specific problem keep-
spaces will more than double. would listen to the residents and try to take up a whole spot with their huge car. policy. After five tardies, students ing the student out of class, the
Last year’s parking changed most influence the behaviors of their peers.” There’s no logic behind that,” said receive a 30-minute lunch deten- adviser will help solve the conflict
drastically when the west side of 9th, all Because only one student attended the Goldstein. “We want to make it friend- tion, 10 tardies results in a deten- in order to prevent future tardies.
of 10th, 11th street, and the first three neighborhood meeting regarding the lier for students who use different ways tion and a phone call home, 15 “The idea is, we want students to be
Michigan blocks closest to school parking concerns in March of 2001, the to get to school—like walking, biking, tardies results in a two-hour Satur- in class more often. We don’t want
changed to preferential parking zones, voices and opinions of students were or taking the bus,” added Castillo. day School and phone call, 20 to give them detention,” said Dean
thereby eliminating over 200 spots. only voiced after the fact. Community When ASB voted on the system, how- tardies results in a four-hour Satur- of Students Jason Harley.
Thecommunity’salmostyearlongfight members find it hard to be empathetic ever, the vote was split almost 50-50. day School, 25 tardies results in an Some students feel that the new
to mandate preferential parking ended for the concerns of the students “when A few students look toward the In-School Suspension, and students tardy policy is too severe. “I feel
in the City Council with a five to there appears to be an unwillingness to Civic Center as a possible lot. Senior get a SARB referral if they have 30 that [the tardy policy] is really
one vote. Only the east side of 9th be part of the solutions” says Kelly. Brent Besson, who drives with his tardies. harsh. It’s impossible not to get
street, with 51 perpendicular parking The decision made by ASB to en- brother Eric Besson, said, “We have all By implementing this new rule, five tardies [in a semester]. It’s
spots, remains the nearest alternative forceacarpoolsystemforseniordrivers the parking spots across the street at the the administration hopes that stu- you’re own fault if your not at
for student parking, but even this area thisyearstemsfromthedecreasednum- civic center but they’re not in use, and dents will be in class more often, school on time and your grades
is not completely usable, as street clean- ber of available spots due to construc- it’s really frustrating to see all those and therefore focus more on learn- will suffer,” said sophomore Erynn
ing is on Friday from 9-11a.m. This tion and the sheer volume of licensed open spaces, and we have to get here ing. “Students can only be success- Dickerson.
preferential parking zone has obvi- senior drivers. Senior applicants ap- earlier than seven in the morning.” ful if they’re in class all the time, The administration is also
ously created extra strain on the blocks plied in tandem to be placed in ASB’s The administration has analyzed from the beginning of the period to looking into more ways to de-
directly south of school, where no pref- lottery. Seniors Max Goldstein and possible ideas for parking. “We have the end of the period,” said Associ- crease the number of tardies. Ideas
erential parking zones exist. Moises Castillo, the ASB members tried,unsuccessfully, the beach lots, the ate Principal Mark Kelly. include another bell, which would
After meeting with residents of the who created the plan to consolidate mall, the civic center, hotels, the Students are assigned their con- warn students one minute before
area where preferential parking was Samo’sdriversbyenforcingthecarpool college…unfortunately, we have had sequence from their student sup- the tardy bell, and tardy sweeps, if
no success” said Kelly. necessary.
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 Opinion
Construction
By Christian McCovery
Costs
surrounding the construction sites,
Outweigh
teach the class without having to Kelly, defending construction
Benefits
would have allowed less suffering
such as the Language Building yell. “It’s been the most difficult noises. To lessen the pain, for the for the students who endured dis-
As many of you know, the and classes in the History Building and challenging part of my career. past four weeks, the school has ruptions.
current construction projects at (located next to the Language More challenging than my stu- allowed workers to work after Jeopardizing our education was
Samo are coming to a long awaited Building), that experienced inter- dents,” Felix said explaining his hours upon the request of Jacobs not necessary just to beautify and
end. The company hired to do the expand our campus. Education
construction, Jacobs Engineering, should be priceless, and not inter-
has done an excellent job of beau- fered with. The people in grades
tifying our campus and preparing lower than us will get the benefits
it for another 100 years of excel- that we suffered for. It was not only
lence. Samo has been around for educational suffering that we expe-
111 years and was in need of a rienced, but construction workers
little makeover. Now that the took our parking places and occu-
construction projects have come pied the space in which some stu-
to an end, thousands of Samo dents spent time during lunch. “I
students are able to view these used to kick it by the basketball
additions that better accommo- court a lot, but since the construc-
date the masses of students. While tion took place, me and my crew
in the process of bettering our got the boot,” said junior Bertrand
school, however, some students Nojang.
and teachers had to experience There are future plans of more
noisy disruptions that should not ruptions. They endured constant experience of trying to teach with Engineering. An earlier explora- construction projects to bring a
have taken place during the learn- drilling, hammering, and sawing the construction disruptions. tion of possibilities to lessen our Future Center, which combines the
ing process. noises. According to Associate Princi- “pain,” such as after hours con- ROP and College Career Center.
The disruption of our educa- To prevent these noises from pal Mark Kelly, our learning was struction, would have had a better Lets hope the administration will
tion while expanding our campus disrupting his class, History interrupted solely for the purpose effect on some classes. According think about the current students,
was an issue of controversy with Teacher Michael Felix, on several of ensuring a better school for the to Assistant Principal Greg and how they will be affected, when
some students as well as faculty occasions, closed all classroom Santa Monica community. “It’s Runyon, “The construction was planning new construction.
members. Although the makeover windows, causing the class to be- all part of the pain of gaining. Our very time consuming.” The mini-
was needed, there were classes come hot just so that he could job is to minimize the pain,” said mizing of errors within the projects

TV Minorities Mostly Stereotypes

By Peter Egziabher and slow-witted, cheating Russian. is set in New York City, which has
Jonathan Lee Gerald, Arnold’s best friend, is a huge black and Puerto Rican popu-
“jive-talking” African American lations, all six main characters in
Decades ago, the only minori- who is street-smart but doesn’t Friends are white. Most of the ex-
ties in television and film were cast excel in the classroom. Phoebe, tras on the streets and in a café that
in stereotypical roles. Today, the one of Arnold’s classmates, is a the main characters frequent are
ranks of network executives pro- stereotypical Asian student— also white. Apparently, only Cau-
fess that progress has been made in quiet, subservient, and always ad- casians drink coffee.
hering to authority. The white While there are many produc-
Weed and Booze: Not Yet
the casting of underrepresented
ethnic groups. But this “progress” Helga regularly bosses her around tions that have a lack of minority
is hard to see. When minority ac- characters, a few shows, primarily
By Michael Zinshteyn In regards to nicotine, 14 tors are actually hired, their char- on PBS and cable, are choosing to
percent of the world’s youth— acters are classic stereotypes, such ignore the status quo. One of these
There is a popular notion those below the age of 18— as the karate-chopping Asian math shows is a PBS show called “Ameri-
among this country’s youth, and smoke tobacco regularly accord- genius or the black, Ebonics- can Family,” which features His-
in this high school in particular, ing to the Center for Disease speaking criminal. These stereo- panics both in front of and behind
that there is nothing wrong with Control, which is a far cry from types are unrealistic and degrad- the camera. “American Family”
alcohol and marijuana con- America’s staggering 19 percent. ing to the people that they are shatters the perceptions that many
sumption. Though marijuana is Tragically, only 54 percent of supposed to portray. people have of Latinos. The series
capable of being harmless, the the American youth wish to quit Part of the reason why this type- follows the main character, Jess
young people of this country smoking as opposed to 80 per- casting occurs is that there aren’t Gonzales, as he attempts to deal
are seemingly incapable of con- cent of the world’s youth. Fur- with everyday issues and family
enough minorities behind the cam-
trolling consumption. It’s irre- thermore, what does it say of the problems that people of all races
era. Almost all directors, writers,
sponsible of young individuals American youth when, despite can relate to.
and producers are some shade of
to drink alcohol or smoke pot if the overwhelming amount of pub- The television and film indus-
white. Being Caucasian, they are
their nature is to excess. lic service announcements re- tries have a major problem when it
more likely to make TV shows and
In a recent study conducted garding the harm of tobacco,
movies about whites than they are because Phoebe never stands up comes to the portrayal of minori-
by CNN, spending in the past they still insist on smoking? This
about other ethnic backgrounds. for herself. “Hey Arnold!” is a per- ties in their productions. This is
six months has increased 2.6 brash and careless behavior can
The best that they can do is to add fect example of all that is wrong wrong and steps must be taken to
percent nationwide after in- not possibly mix well in the pres-
comes fell 0.8 percent. Since ence of alcohol or marijuana. one or two small roles for token with the children’s television in- bring about change. Hopefully,
minority characters. dustry. Hollywood will recognize this
the fall of the stock market in How can young adults be The television show with per- problem and make stereotyping a
2000, consumer spending has trusted with something poten- Even children’s shows suffer
jumped to an unprecedented 12 tially dangerous when they spend from abundant stereotyping. “Hey haps the most blatant disregard for thing of the past.
Arnold!,” which diversity is “Friends.” Although it
percent. What’s alarming about twice as much as they earn and
these numbers is that Ameri- see no qualms with their smok- runs regularly on
cans on the whole have a ten- ing habits? Young adults are in- Nickelodeon, fea-
dency to spend money that they herently driven to excess and to tures a cast of ste-
don’t necessarily have—encour- indulge. They spend more on reotypical minori-
aging a society based on indul- clothing than the average family ties. Mr. Hyunh, one Alumni Subscriptions
gence and excess. man and more on alcohol than of Arnold’s tenants, Editor-in-Chief...............................David Ginsburg $20.00 PER YEAR
Managing Editor........................Lisa Strumwasser
According to the Department grown adults who can biologi- is a simple Vietnam- Published biweekly during the school
News Editor.................Rebecca Beasley-Cockroft
ese man who speaks Opinion Editor...............................Carl Lisberger year by the Associated Student Body of
of Labor, the under 25 age group cally handle a spirit better than a
Santa Monica High School, 601 Pico
spends an average of $38,000 high school or college student. with an exaggerated Feature Editor................................Daniel Morgan
Blvd., Santa Monica, CA. 90405. Un-
annually, while only earning an Marijuana and alcohol are sub- accent. He is hard to Special Report Editor..............Brittany Benjamin signed editorials reflect the opinions of
average of $19,000 annually, stances meant to be enjoyed, not understand and eas- Campus Life Editor..........................Sunil Parekh the staff. Signed editorials represent
making it the only age group abused. The notion young adults ily excitable, a clas- Sports Editors...................................Jonathan Lee the opinions of the writer.
Staff
that spends more than it earns. have that they can freely partake sic Asian stereo- Calanit Greenberg
Michael Blackman, Lauren Brydon,
As far as alcohol is concerned, in these substances is irrational type. Working in a Photo Editor..............................Alexandra Leitner Gina Corso, Justin Dean, India
the same age group dedicates and potentially hazardous. These low-paying restau- Ad Editor...........................................Sonia Sohaili Donaldson, Peter Egziabher, Angela
rant job, Hyunh is Copy Editors.....................................Emily Ferrell Gonzalez, Donielle Hatcher, Megan
two percent ($380) of their an- substances are meant for the re- Healey, Jacob Honig, Jason Islas,
Kesha Ram
nual income to spirits and li- sponsible. Until we, as teenagers unable to come up Hanna Jacobsen, Samantha
India Brookover-Coleman Johnston, Wesley Krieger, Tim
quor. Young adults spend more and young adults, can prove that with the monthly Art Editor.................................................Sina Grace
Livingston, Christian McCovery,
money on alcohol than any other we’re responsible, let’s leave pot rent. Other tenants Tech Editor......................................David Ginsburg Rosa Ordaz, Molly Parent, Adam
age group with the exception of alone and leave the alcohol for include a crude Ital- Adviser....................................................Lorri Horn Siegel, Hannah Tepper, Ava Tramer,
Michael Zinshteyn
the 45-55 age group. the big kids. ian contractor and a
 Sports
Vikings Take 3-3 Record Into Peninsula
By Jonathan Lee 45-14 outburst against Morningside yards. Gonzalez had 20 carries for handed great field position. Another while completing 7 of 12 passes for
that left spectators stunned and glued 83 yards, but, surprisingly, no Samo fumble led to a field goal, and 121yardsandaTDagainstasecondary
Six touchdowns in a single game. to their seats. Claremont put points on the that looked lost and confused. Helmy
More than 500 yards and 8 Against a tough scoreboard twice by stopping was Johnson’s favorite target, despite
touchdowns from senior tailback Division II opponent Samo in their own endzone for his smallish 5’-10”, 158 pound frame,
Adrian Gonzalez. An emotional and in Claremont on Oct. 2-point safeties. The 7-14 loss as he caught five passes of over 10
physical sparkplug in senior wideout 4, Samo’s lone score was indicative of Samo’s yards and evaded Morningside’s
Paul Helmy, who has made came in the second inconsistent offensive play. entire defense for a beautiful 30 yard
opponents look and feel silly on his half from the hands of Coach Norm Lacy states, touchdown.
way to 6 touchdowns and 25 senior Ricky Johnson, “We’re still trying to find Unfortunately, the level of play
receptions. A defense led by a who threw to Helmy balance on offense. There’s too demonstrated against Morningside
fearsome group of linebackers that for a 9 yard TD much pressure on the defense to did not carry over into the next week,
has stymied most opposing offenses. reception. Sloppy win games, so we’re still figuring when the Vikings brought a 3-2
All the elements seem to be in place. offensive play out what our best offensive unit record to Redondo, their first league
So why are we just 3-3? What is pressured a defensive is.” opponent. Though Gonzalez was
missing? unit surging from a After the stale, sloppily- able to score on a 2-yard touchdown
These are just some of the 28-27 victory the executed match against in just 8 plays on the opening drive,
questions the Vikings asked previous week against Samo blows out Morningside 45-17 on Oct. 11. Claremont, Samo hoped to a fumble and interception on later
themselves after devastating losses Venice, which was redeem themselves and found possessions led to two Redondo
in away games at Claremont and decided on a final Photo by Ava Tramer relief in a Morningside opponent touchdowns that seemed to shift the
Redondo. Sandwiched in between defensive stop by plagued by inexperience and a momentum of the game. Ricky
these two opponents was a display of Samo. Johnson had his least touchdowns. On Samo’s first drive, relatively new coaching staff. The Johnson attempted to spearhead the
domination that the Vikings would productive outing of the season, Claremont capitalized on a fumble 45-17 win at SMC was the result of Samo offense throughout the game,
like to be reminded of more often, a completing 5 of 15 passes for 48 and scored a touchdown after being an overpowering running game that but only 5 of his 18 passes found

Cross-Country: Setting the Pace

resulted in 265 yards on 23 carries their way into the hands of Samo
and 5 touchdowns. Gonzalez turned receivers. Though Clay went off to
12 touches into 150 yards and two the races on a 90 yard touchdown in
Boys Girls touchdowns, while senior Chris Clay
also took advantage of the porous
the second half, it was too little and
too late for the Vikings. The 31-14
By Hanna Jacobsen 5. Despite the absence of seniors Dexter By Justin Dean defensive line by rushing for 74 loss seemed over almost as soon as it
Fairweather and Kemal Cilengir, the yards and a touchdown. Johnson began.
The boys cross-country team has boys ran in a close-knit pack. The girls cross-country team is played effectively, gaining 36 yards At a critical point in their season,
been facing diverse competition, and is Junior Chris Chavez won the next running strong this year, and they and two touchdowns on the ground the Vikings are staring down a 3-3
handling it with remarkable race against rival teams West Torrance hope to win the CIF championship record and a very difficult opponent
assuredness and speed. and Beverly Hills. Fairweather summed for the first time in three years. in Peninsula. Though most of Samo’s
The boys team has fared extremely up the team’s happiness when he said, At the Oct. 5 track meet, they fans probably won’t be able to attend
well in Ocean League so far. They were “We [the team] have been preparing took fifth place. Leading the girls in today’s 2:30 game at Peninsula, the
introduced to competition outside their for this since the beginning of summer, the three mile run was sophomore Vikings hope they’ll be able to make
league on the final weekend of and we won-we destroyed West. ” Stephanie Thornton, who came in them proud. Here’s to 4-3.
September, when they ran in an 21st with an overall time of 20:16.

Girls Volleyball
The next league meet at Redondo
invitational at Stanford University that added to the boys’ undefeated Ocean Close behind was senior team cap-
drew 38 teams and numerous college League record. Zukerman, Chavez, tain Stephanie Ishler, finishing in
coachesonrecruitingtripsfromallover 37th place with a time of 21:52.

Hopes to Improve
and sophomore Yermie Cohen were
the west. The boys tied for 16th place three of the first five finishers. Coach Cady said, “I’m excited.
in the five mile event. Leading the way Most recently, the boys took third I think [the chances of winning a
was senior team captain Jacob place overall at the Cross Country championship] are really, really
Zukerman, who ran a personal best Invitational at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, good for us right now. Not only By Lisa Strumwasser
of16:43. He said the invitational was where they faced other Division I teams that, [but] we probably have seven
halfway mark, and the team looks to
a “good experience. It showed us like themselves, as well as Divisions II or eight really good sophomores The Samo girls volleyball team
up its level of play. “All we need is to
what big races at CIF will be like, and III teams. Chavez made an excellent behind varsity.” Thornton added continues to perservere through an
optomistically, “ I think we are be more aggressive on the court…we
races with other really competitive fourth place finish overall, and was the incredibly competitive season in Bay
doing pretty well, and we could win have a lot of good players, we just
teams.” second fastest runner in Division I. League with a 0-3 record.
need to use them all to work well
Following the Stanford meet, the The boys will face some of the very the league finals.” Although the team has collected
together,”saidreturningvarsityplayer
boys placed fifth at the Kenny Staub best teams in the biggest race on the With such a powerful team, the losses against North Torrance (Oct.
girls may see gold at the end of their sophomore Milan Clark.
Cross-Country Invitational on Oct. west coast tomorrow at Mt. SAC. 8), Culver City (Oct. 15), and West
finish line. Torrance (Oct. 17), the Lady Spikers

Greenies Playing Confidently are “learning a lot in the game situa-

tion,” said Head Coach Liane Sato.
By Tim Livingston three points, the Greenies exploded greatly assisted by the tenacious “The competition we play [against] is
in a 19-8 thrashing of against the defense of Goetz, who recorded pretty tough and we’re learning to
Even after losing to San previously unbreakable San seven steals in the contest. deal with it.”
Marino twice, Samo knew who Marino defense. In the trouncing, After a dismantling of the small Thus far the team has been having
the stronger team was. In their senior Fernando Navarette made private school Milken, the difficulty coming out of its slump. To
first meeting, San Marino six goals, senior Gregory Cruz Greenies prepared for their most remedy this problem Coach Sato said,
edged out an 8-6 victory. Yet threw in four, and senior Max difficult game of the season. They “We just need to have a little bit more
after the game, many Greenies Baumgarten and junior Jacob were getting ready to face long serious commitment [from the team]
felt they were the better team Honig threw in three apiece. time Bay-League power Mira to become better volleyball players.”
despite the loss. Junior Noel Coach Matt Flanders said about Costa, in a battle of two of the top According to senior captain Lindsay
Goetz commented, “We had an the victory, “Before the game, I teams in Division III. After falling Miman, the team’s weakness is frus-
off game the first time around. told them they needed to suck it up behind 5-1 in the second quarter, tration. She attributes the team’s per-
In terms of talent, we knew we and prove what they could do… the Greenies continued to fight, formance to “[the team] shutting
had the edge. We also knew that let their actions speak.” but the Mustangs always had an down. We try to talk and keep things
the outcome of our next meet- The Greenies’ next two games answer. The game ended in a 12- positive, but sometimes it’s hard be-
ing was simply going to come were against much less formidable 6 Mira Costa victory. cause we get discouraged.” At prac-
down to our execution.” opponents than San Marino. In After the game, Samo looked tices the team fine tunes its passing
The next game was figured the first game against Culver City, dejected and angry because of its game and players maintain their fit-
to be a walk in the park for the Samo sleepwalked through an 11- performance. When asked to ex- ness by conditioning.
Greenies, who might have been 7 win. Navarette led the team with plain the reasons for his team’s Playingagainsthighcaliberteams
a little over-confident in their five goals, while Honig played downfall, Flanders said, “We fell has shown a unique Samo strength,
approach to a game they thought great defense with six steals. into our old way of playing…very team unity. “We have a lot of school
would be an easy win. How- In their next match, against the one dimensional. We are best when spirit [and] team spirit. The girls all
ever, Samo simply couldn’t con- feeble Beverly Hills team, the our whole team contributes, not get along. They’re great girls,” said
vert on offense and lost a heart- Greenies easily strutted out to a just one or two individuals.” The Sato. According toMiman,theteam’s
breaker 2-1. How does the say- 17-3 victory behind the leader- emphasis on team cohesiveness passing and serving “are getting a lot
ing go? Third time’s a charm? ship of the usual suspects. will be key if the Greenies want to better.”
After losing two close games Navarette again threw in five goals, succeed in future games against The league season has reached its
to San Marino by a combined and Cruz added four. They were tough opponents.
 Sports — Page 7 The Samohi October 25, 2002

Foreign Players Not So Foreign Golf 7-2 in

Ocean League
By Jonathan Lee the Pac Bell walls. Pitchers Hideo andDirkNowitzki,aseven-footerfrom broadcasted all over the world.
Nomo, Kazuhisa Ishii, and Kazuhiro Germany. All were able to overcome Although the NBA and MLB are By Jacob Honig
American athletic organizations Sasaki are all having successful ca- their language and cultural barriers, beginning to burst with an influx of
are becoming increasingly more di- reers, Nomo and Ishii as starters for the working together towards an impres- foreign players who are blossoming The Lady Linksters are playing
verse as the number of players from Dodgers and Sasaki as a premier closer sive 57-25 (‘01-‘02), until they were into superstars, other leagues have not superbly, with an impressive record
foreign countries grows. yet followed suit. While many Euro- of 7-2. The team now looks to clinch
With the first pick in the 2002 NBA pean players are prevalent in the NHL, a spot in the CIF-SS playoffs.
draft, the Houston Rockets selected a fewcanbeseenontheNFLfield.There On Oct. 1, the team faced Beverly
7’ 5” center named Yao Ming from is also a large discrepancy among Hills at Penmar and Samo won the
China. Ming shoots threes and moves Asians and Pacific Islanders in the match 224-239. The two teams met
with the grace and agility of someone NHL and NFL despite the dominance again on Oct. 3 at Rancho Park Golf
a foot shorter than him, and has the of Junior Seau, a legendary linebacker Course. Samo had no problem dis-
potential to become one of the most for the San Diego Chargers, and Chris pensing the opposing team again
revolutionary figures in the history of Fuamatu-Ma’afala, a bruising 250 winning with a score of 253-269.
the NBA. pound fullback for the Pittsburgh Althoughtheteamplayedsolidly,
Although Ming will probably be Steelers. Torrance proved to be too tough and
at the forefront of further integration When the NBA season begins, his- handed the Linksters their first two
into major league sports, other foreign tory will be made. A foreign player has losses. The girls lost both matches
players have been making their mark the chance to become one of the big- with scores of 202-224 and 220-254.
in the past decade, namely Japanese gest names in sports, and in the process, The team battled back the next
players in Major League Baseball. fortheMariners.NomoandIshiidomi- eliminated by the Sacramento Kings instill hope in kids looking to Ameri- weektodefeatopponentPalosVerdes
Ichiro Suzuki, an outfielder for the nated hitters in the ‘01-‘02 regular in the second round of the Western can sports for future professions.The with scores of 214-254 at Penmar,
Seattle Mariners, has demonstrated season, combining for a 30-16 record, Conference playoffs. The highly an- various foreigners who have made and 254-279 at the Palos Verdes
amazing speed running from home to while Sasaki compiled 37 saves. ticipated series boasted the foreign names for themselves are inspiring Country Club. The round of 214 at
first base (3.7 seconds along a 90-ft. The Dallas Mavericks of the NBA talent of both teams, with the Kings kids from their native countries to pick Penmarmarkedtheteam’sbestround
path) and an uncanny bat-wielding are a perfect example of what many of implementing Predrag Stojakovic and up balls and bats to emulate their of the year. Notable performances
abilityadmiredbybaseballfansaround the leagues in America will resemble Vlade Divac, both from Yugoslavia, heroes. Eventually, these kids will do include junior Megan Lamb’s score
the world. Tsuyoshi Shinjo, another in the future. A glance at the Maver- and Hedo Turkoglu, from Turkey. the same for the next generation. of 46 at Penmar and senior Jessica
talented Asian athlete, has captivated icks’ roster shows Canadian Steve Thanks to their array of international Bergman’s memorable round of 42 at
fans of the San Francisco Giants with Nash, China native Wang Zhi-Zhi, talent, the Mavericks have turned into the Palos Verdes Country Club.
his orange wristbands and blasts over EduardoNajera,aforwardfromMexico, a fast-breaking squad with games

NBA Preview Spotlight: Senior Fernando

By Tim Livingston Eastern Conference:
3. New Jersey Nets: With the
Navarette, Making a Splash
Western Conference: additionofDikembeMutombo,they By Gina Corso FN: One time in Junior Olympics, season, so I think I have a good chance.
1. L.A. Lakers: If Shaq stays could find themselves back in the as I was shooting the ball, a player TS: What’s your biggest accom-
healthy, the Kings are the only team finals. With 83 goals in this season struck me in the back of the head and plishment?
with the slightest chance of dethron- 6. Indiana Pacers: A balanced already, Boys Water Polo Player I blacked out for a few seconds. I was FN: In my freshman year here at
ing them. mix of shooters, ball-handlers, de- Fernando Navarrett is on a roll.The also punched in the face once…I al- Samo,wewontheBellGardens’Tour-
2.SacramentoKings:Couldthe fenders, and rebounders. The fight Samohi sat down with him to dis- most had to get stitches...Aside from nament. In one of the games at that
aggressive, athletic big-man Keon between them and the Nets for first cuss water polo and his plans for that, nothing really serious. tournament,wewentintosuddendeath
Clark be the final piece of the puzzle? seed come playoff time should be the future. and I scored the winning goal.
4. San Antonio Spurs: Still just interesting. The Samohi: How long have TS: Would you like to pursue wa-
good enough to not win a champion- 7. Boston Celtics: Paul Pierce you been playing water polo? ter polo in college?
ship. will need to shoot less and...no, actu- Fernando Navarrett: I’ve been FN: Yes. I really want to go to
5. Dallas Mavericks: This team ally they’d be better off if he shot 50 playing since I was 11-years-old. Pepperdine…Cal State Long Beach,
is going to be unstoppable when times a game. TS: How did you get started? or UCLA.
they’re hot, but all will go downhill 9. New York Knicks: The addi- FN: There’s a city pool where a lot TS: Do you play another sport, or
when owner Mark Cuban starts his tion of Antonio McDyess will finally kids go just to…cool off during the have any other hobbies?
head coaching career at midseason. give them the post presence they’ve summer. One time a coach…asked me FN: Basically just school and hav-
8. L.A. Clippers: AddingAndre been lacking. to join the team. Ever since then I’ve ing fun. I do swimming, and I did a little
Miller was basically clinching a play- 11. Orlando Magic:IfGrantHill been playing. TS: Do you have any goals set for bit of wrestling my freshman year, but
off berth. stays healthy, and that’s a huge if, TS: What’s your position? yourself this season? that didn’t go so well.
10.SeattleSupersonics: Asusual, they could go a long way in the FN: My job is basically FN: My first goal right now is to TS: Do you have any pre-game
the Sonics would be a champion- playoffs. to…control the offense. They give me make CIF with the team. My second is rituals?
ship-caliber team if they had a big 13. Atlanta Hawks: A healthy the ball and I go for a shot, or I go for a to break the record for most goals FN: Yeah, I have one. Before each
man. TheoRatliffandtheadditionofGlenn foul. scored in a season. Last year the record game, I kiss my number on my cap.
12. Minnesota Timberwolves: Robinson will help them make the TS: Have you had any serious in- was set with 124 goals, and I already And I have to kiss each side before it
A young team that is very talented playoffs. juries? have 83 with 11 more games in this touches the water.
and has players that could mesh well.
If they do mesh well, this team could
14.DetroitPistons:BenWallace
will never receive enough credit for
Lady Netters in Third Place; Potential for Second
exceed expectations. what he does for this team. By Calanit Greenberg first league loss to Torrance High with we are beating ourselves. Hopefully,
15. Houston Rockets: If Stevie 17. Toronto Raptors: Vince a close score of 7-11. On Oct. 8, the the girls will keep at it and get them-
Franchise and Mo Taylor stay Carter needs a better supporting cast The Lady Netters are currently 4-2 match against North Torrance High selves to the level that I know they can
healthy, this team will go places. to make noise this year. and are placed third in the Ocean resulted in Samo’s second consecu- achieve,” said Robertson. There is no
16. Phoenix Suns:Samethingas 19.MilwaukeeBucks:Ateamof League. tive loss, with a score of 5-13. doubt that these girls have improved,
Seattle, except they’ll be relying on individuals that needs to play solid Tennis is a challenging sport that and will continue to improve.
the ogre known as Jake Tsakalidis. defense to succeed this year. requires both mental and physical skill. Senior Christine Yi is enthusiastic
18. Portland Trailblazers: 20.NewOrleansHornets:Baron The main problem that is hindering about the team’s accomplishments.
Rasheed Wallace is a cancer. Davis leads a team of underachiev- the Lady Netters is a lack of the physi- “We’re doing really well this year as a
21. Utah Jazz: In their long ten- ers. cal and fundamental skills that are the team. It’s exciting to think that we
ure with the Jazz, Stockton and 22. Philadelphia 76ers: How key to success: the basic forehand, might make it to CIF. We’ve grown a
Malone have bought everything in not to improve: replace Mutombo backhand, volley, overhead, and the fondness for Coach Robertson and his
Utah. How about a retirement home? with Todd MacCulloch. serve. According to Coach Antonio coaching techniques. The girls are
24. Golden State Warriors: 23. Washington Wizards: Robertson, the girls often make both always encouraging each other and
We’ll just have to wait to see how MichaelJordanandJerryStackhouse physical and mental mistakes that are working hard. We’re cool beans,” said
strong coach Musselman’s is. still won’t make this team anything preventing them from being more suc- Yi.
25. Denver Nuggets: Denver special. cessful.
hopes its solid front line can lead 26. Miami Heat: I don’t see how Furthermore,
them from the depths of the Western this team can be successful. Eddie Robertson adds
Senior Joanna Turlik returns a thatthegirlsmust
Conference. Jones and Alonzo Mourning are go-
volley to beat Culver City on improve on their
29. Memphis Grizzlies: They ing to need to do everything for this
Oct. 2. formandonthese
have only three players with over six team.
Photo By Alex Leitner simple skills in
years of experience. Give them five 27.Cleveland Cavaliers:
order to fulfill
years and they’ll be okay. They’re young and jam-packed with The team’s game against Culver their potential. “I
(note:numberrankingsarebased talent, but that doesn’t mean they’ll City High on Oct.2 was a sweeping feel that it is not
in relation to the entire league-not win many games. victory for Samo, as the girls won the our opponents
the teams’ projected standing in their 28. Chicago Bulls: Would be a match 15-3. Unfortunately, two days that are beating
respected conference.) solid college team. later, the Lady Netters suffered their us, but it is that
 Feature
Small Town Show Becomes a Big Success
By Sina Grace (Vivian Cardone), must struggle Writers of “Everwood” certainly seeing that he nocturnally emitted lipped about details for future plots
through elementary school ques- know how to make a viewer go all over his bed sheets. Supervis- of “Everwood,” The Samohi did
The WB’s hottest new show tioning God and finding new cross-eyed with all the plot twists, ing Producer/Staff Writer and Samo manage to get a few spoilers for the
does not take place on a creek, or in friends after the dismissal of her but they also know how to throw in alumna Rina Mimoun says, about fans: “You’ll be meeting Amy’s
a city infested with vampires, but the fight betwixt comedy and coma boyfriend pretty soon… Lots
rather a fictitious and quaint town. drama, that writers “try to of people seem to think that Nina’s
“Everwood” has proved to be a balance both. Some episodes husband (Dr. Brown’s neighbor
success, its debut drawing 7.4 work out to be a little heavier who gave birth to a senior citizen’s
million viewers. The show is on the comedy while others baby) doesn’t exist. Here’s the
such a hit that on Monday, Oct. come out with a more dra- scoop: Carl exists. And he’ll show
7 before the airing of its fourth matic feel. It all depends on up eventually.”
episode, the WB announced or- what stories we’re telling Many surprises are in store for
dering a complete season of week to week. But we like it the characters of “Everwood.” And
“Everwood,” making it the first best when you can cry in one judging by the ratings (the best the
drama to be picked up this fall. scene and laugh in the next.” WB has ever received), this show
“Everwood” is about world- The town and Characters will be around for a long time.
renowned neurosurgeon and wid- of Everwood, are the spawn “Everwood” airs on Mondays at 9
ower Dr. Andrew Brown, played of Executive Producer/Cre- p.m., and you can watch the previ-
by Treat Williams, who moved ator Greg Berlanti. The show ous week’s episode the following
his family to Everwood, Colo- isn’t even filmed in Colo- Sunday night at 6 p.m. during the
rado in order to find his deceased rado! Most filming is done WB’s “Easy View” lineup, a great
wife who claimed that if she died in Utah where cast and crew way to catch up on what seems to
her heaven would be Everwood. capture the essence of the be the network’s new key to glory.
In Everwood, the family experi- non-existent town.
ences more drama than a week of What’s in store for our
Jerry Springer; the son, Ephram eccentric Brown family? Al-
(Gregory Smith) has fallen for a hermaphrodite buddy. Dr. Brown a hearty laugh. In the premiere though Mimoun remains tight-

Mellow Beck
girl with a comatose boyfriend, must make peace with the death of episode, Ephram dreams about tell-
whose father, to make things worse, his wife, treat all his patients for ing the love of his life, Amy Abbott
is the competing doctor in the free, and find acceptance in the (Emily VanCamp), about comics
town. Brown’s daughter, Delia conservative town. and kissing her, only to wake up By India Brookover-Coleman from his heavily hip-hop and R&B
influenced party album,

You Cannot Define ‘Otis’

Once again, Beck has traded in “Midnight Vultures,” and even
his “two turntables and a that piece’s tempo was altered to
microphone” for an acoustic fit the somber mood of the
By Calanit Greenberg ing of the music. with much enthusiasm. “I liked guitar in his newly released album evening.
As with every great band, it…the way it flowed together “Sea Change.” Gone are the days Although unexpected in tone,
Around campus, you might see people are curious about the ori-
was great. There was a lot of chem- of his trademark hip-hop/country the concert was moving. Beck
students wearing t-shirts with a gins of the band’s name. One day,
istry and you could tell they work beats and humorous, however revealed his powerful voice,
single word “Otis” printed on on a bus ride through the streets
hard,” said Silverman. emotionally distant lyrics. With something that could never be
them, or even blue flyers scat- of Santa Monica, Jesse saw a sign The most recent concert was the release of “Sea Change,” Beck showcased on his heavily
tered on the ground, advertising and knew it was the answer. The held on Sep.21 at Pugz Music in reveals an even more complex, produced and instrument-driven
for “Otis.” What does it all mean? sign read “Otis,” and hence the Westwood. A group of about 30 sophisticated side of his already albums. His performance of It’s
About nine months ago, five band’s name was created. A neu- Otis fans gathered together to hear critically-hailed career. All in Your Mind, left many the
Samo students got together with tral name such as “Otis” allows Otis’ best concert yet. “I had no Like “Mutations,” Beck’s audience in a stupor—one could
the sole purpose of playing music listeners to focus more on the idea what I was going to see, but previous folk-rooted effort, “Sea hear a pin drop during the awe-
Change” is entirely acoustic, but inspired pause between the end
that they enjoy. With inspiration music, and not worry about the I was pleasantly surprised. I was
this time the lyrics are
from musicians like Jimi Hendrix, meaning of the name of the band.impressed by Jesse’s vocals and
introspective and truer to the
and groups like Oasis, Dave May 15, 2002 is a day that will
Dexter’s guitar playing is amaz- artist. In the opening track, The
Matthews Band, and Coldplay, go down in history as the first Otis
ing. It’s hard to find artists like Golden Age, Beck sings “these
the five have created a rich blend performance. Otis played Jimi that. They were unified a n d days I barely get by/ I don’t
of rock with a touch of motown, Hendrix songs at the ‘Harlem Re-connected with the au- d i - even try/ it’s a treacherous road
R&B and jazz. naissance,’ a school-sponsored ence,” said senior Eva with a desolated view/ there’s
Seniors Jesse Kivel, vocals and event, which was a celebration of
McDaniel. distant lights but here they’re
rhythm guitar, Matt Kivel, bass Afri- When asked to de- far and few...” Never before has
scribe the m u s i c , Beck been so candid—or, quite
McDaniel had frankly, sad. Titles of songs in
some trouble be- “Sea Change,” including
cause it is so eclec- Lonesome Tears, Lost Cause,
tic. “You can’t catego- End of the Day, and Already
rize it. Music today is in Dead, show what a low state
sections, like pop or rap. Beck is in. The lyrics mirror his
Good bands today are mood, too: “Already dead now/
‘cuz it feels like I’m watching
good because they don’t
someone die...” he croons. With
fit into just one category.
his pained voice and
Otis is one of those bands confessional lyrics, “Sea Change” of the song and the applause. His
that is hard to put into a leaves the listener wondering voice, something I admit I never
category,” said what could have possibly acknowledged in his previous
McDaniel. happened to everyone’s favorite albums or concerts, filled the
Freshman Nikki Ross happy-go-lucky “loser” who was room with a heavy sense of
is a big fan of Otis. “Otis often seen clad in rhinestone melancholy and absolute power.
is definitely a band that cowboy suits and who never Once again, Beck proves his
anyone with good taste failed to dance the robot at lively versatility and overall musical
would be into. They’re a concerts. genius. The artist has gone from
unique band and write At his recent show at the folk to rock to rap and back to
From left, Jesse Kivel, Ben Usen, Dexter Fairweather, Matt Kivel, and James they’re own stuff. They Wadsworth Theater, Beck proved folk again, never losing his fans’
Fraracci will perform at The Whiskey on Dec. 15. mix a lot of genres of that his emotional state is not interest. “Sea Change” represents
Photo By Chris Herold music with a good prod- limited to his new album. The a new maturity in his art. In
uct in the end,” said Ross. show opened with Beck seated addition to his already
on a stool accompanied only with acknowledged position as one of
guitar and back up vocals, Dexter can and African-American mu- Otis is having its next concert
an acoustic guitar and a single the most influential artists of the
Fairweather, lead guitar, Ben sic. The next two performances on Sunday, Dec.15 at 8:15 p.m.,
spotlight. He mostly performed 90’s, hopefully “Sea Change” and
Usen, piano, and sophomore were held at the Un-Urban Cof- at The Whiskey in Hollywood.
acoustic pieces from “Mutations” forthcoming albums will lead
James Fraracci on drums, are the feehouse on Pico and 32nd on For more information, email the and “Sea Change,” and some Beck to a well-deserved spot
members of the band. The lyrics Jun. 21 and Aug. 30. When asked band at [email protected]. throwbacks to one of his earliest among rock’s greatest musicians
are written by Jesse and all Otis about the Aug. 30 performance, releases, “One Foot in the Grave.” such as Bob Dylan and The
members contribute to the writ- senior Nick Silverman responded Beck only performed one song Beatles.
It’s Time for Active Pacifism Editorial: Vote Yes
on Measure EE
By David Ginsburg It’s hard to comprehend that can citizens a hint of the pain
number even in perspective: two inhabitants in many other coun-
Now that the United States is million is about 588 times the tries feel on a daily basis. But
on the brink of war with Iraq— number of students at Samo. America didn’t take the hint. Imagine coming to school next future of Santa Monica itself.
our president has the power to And this is only in a single Instead, the U.S. killed thousands year and finding your sports teams, Samo currently enjoys an
drop bombs and send thousands conflict. People need to realize of human beings in Afghanistan, art and music classes, guidance award-winning music program, a
of young Americans overseas— that America is extremely lucky; and may kill even more in Iraq. counselors, and APs gone. If two beautified campus, a highly-
it is time for the American people there hasn’t been a major war After experiencing firsthand the thirds of those who vote don’t say qualified faculty, and challeng-
to wake up to the reality of our fought on American soil since suffering of families who lost “yes” to Measure EE, that horrible ing courses. As much as we’d like
modern world and to do some- the Civil War back in the 1860s. uncles and sisters and cousins, fate may become a reality. to think otherwise, Samo has all
thing about it. Concerned people Perhaps it is because of this how can America support the kill- Over the past 30 years, the state of these things because of money.
must understand that the power lack of domestic war experience ing of uncles and sisters and cous- of California has been drastically If Measure EE is not passed, many
to affect change is in their hands. that the current generations of ins in other countries? cutting education funding. of the luxuries we take for granted
Everyday, human beings kill Americans can so easily support Wake up, people. It’s far too Though SMMUSD schools have will be no more. The citizens of
their fellow man in battles all President Bush and his war on easy to sit around and debate the managed to thrive, a recent budget Santa Monica are responsible for
over the world. Last week, BBC terrorism (Bush’s September ap- issues while the wars rage on. cut may cause numerous problems. protecting their right to an excel-
News reported on one of the proval rating was 61% overall, Actions speak louder than words. If Santa Monica is to retain its lent education.
many factions trying to control according to the Siena Research Demonstrate to your representa- reputation for great public schools, To the average citizen, it may
resource-rich areas in the Demo- Institute). The horrors of war tives in Washington that the U.S. it will require the funding pro- seem that $300 per year for 12
cratic Republic of Congo, which have not been felt in the United shouldn’t take more lives: par- vided by Measure EE. years is a lot to give in these
is engrossed in a conflict that has States for over 130 years—but ticipate in active demonstrations, The SMMUSD School Board stressful times. It is, but one should
taken the lives of two million then there’s September 11. send letters, make phone calls, do has proposed a solution to our feel proud to give so much back to
people over the last four years. September 11 gave Ameri- something! school’s slim state funding. Mea- one’s community. When put into
sure EE is an annual tax of $300 on perspective, $25 dollars a month
each residential or commercial par- takes little out of your own pocket,
cel for 12 years. This translates to but is a huge benefit to the schools.
$25 a month from every home- EE is an opportunity for residents
owner, and much less for renters. to do their civic duty and invest in
Although some have complained their community.
that the tax should be graduated In closing, we, The Samohi
for different property values, this staff, strongly urge all to vote yes
is still a relatively minor tax, which on Measure EE. Vote yes to en-
will translate into nine million dol- sure an excellent, challenging
lars a year for Santa Monica education for all students. Vote
schools. This tax is a small price to yes to ensure students have a func-
pay to ensure our children receive tional, safe learning environment.
a successful education. Vote yes for the success of our
The components of a good edu- youth, and for the future of Santa
cation include more than basic Monica. Do your duty as a citizen
reading, writing, and arithmetic. of our great city and give back to
In order to maintain Santa the community that has given so
Monica’s strong community 20 much to you.
years in the future, youth today *If you want to help the Com-
must build leadership, social, and mittee for Excellence in Educa-

My Turn: A Time To Rethink academic skills. Unfortunately, if

EE does not pass, programs like
music, art, and sports might be
tion, contact committee treasurer
Graham Pope at 310-899-6767.
There are opportunities for vol-

Our Foreign Policies cut—leaving students few options

to gain important skills, or partici-
unteers to work at phone banks,
precinct walks, speak publicly,
pate in enriching activities. EE and obtain lawn signs.
By Alborz “Al” Farhoodi, junior will not only effect the future of
September 11 was, by far, one kids or bulldoze homes with people tal torture, massive corruption, and Santa Monica’s children, but the
of the most horrendous attacks on still living inside? And the Palestin- execution without trial.
our country. Countless lives were ians have a good reason to be angry The U.S. refused to turn him Top 5 Ways to Resolve the
Brewing Conflict With Iraq
lost and countless more affected by at us. The weapons used against over and, in response, the Islamists
this great tragedy. However, every- them are all American made, and took employees of the U.S. Embassy
one seems to have missed one major the U.S. government generously in Tehran hostage. Reminiscent of By Carl Lisberger and Daniel Morgan
question: Why did this happen? gives monetary aid to Israel, all the today’s media, the news immedi-
Why do they hate us so much? while turning a blind eye to the ately portrayed Iranians as barbar- 1. Declare War. From past experience with the “War on Drugs”
The media has done a great job plight of the Palestinians. ians and terrorists. However, the and the “War on Terrorism,” it is clear that the best way to solve
in covering the war on terrorism, It’s not only Palestine though. media did a very good job at not problems is to declare war. Also, a full, unaided military strike
but I’ve begun to notice that the Iran was a victim of U.S.-backed telling the public why a revolution against Iraq is the only definitive way to make sure Hussein doesn’t
media’s point of view is very one- oppression from 1943-1979 under had occurred and why the Iranians use his theoretical weapons of mass destruction. Wait a minute...
2. Become completely dependent on Iraqi oil. This strong
sided and, in some ways, preju- the harsh dictatorship of Shah were so angry at the U.S.
economic brotherhood will help to maintain a healthy diplomatic
diced. One example is in the conflict (King) Mohammed Reza Pahlavi. Bush has stressed that Iraq has
relationship.
between the Israelis and Palestin- Pahlavi’s secret police, SAVAK, ignored a U.N. resolution to destroy 3. Give billions of dollars to Israel. I’m not so sure about this one,
ians. Whenever a Palestinian sui- was trained by the CIA to keep him its weapons of mass destruction for it’s just like the “thing to do” every time anything happens in the
cide bomber blows himself up and in power by using the most brutal “eleven long years.” Israel has also Middle East.
kills one or two Israelis, the T.V. methods. Certain books were expressed this concern. However, 4. Make sure that U.N. Wepons Inspectors inspect our weapons
shows how much the Israelis are banned, the news heavily censored Israel itself has been ignoring U.N. really well, so that we can make sure they’ll do a whole lot of
suffering: Grandmas weeping, par- with meaningless propaganda, and Resolution 242, which calls for its damage.
ents beating their chests in sorrow, if you dared to criticize Pahlavi, withdrawal from all occupied terri- 5. Tell North Korea that Hussein thinks they’re chicken. With
and children realizing they will never you got a one-way ticket to SAVAK tories, since 1967. Israel has been any luck, they’ll use their recently discovered nukes against him,
see their parents again. While still a torture chambers. All this because ignoring the U.N. for 35 long years, and leave our Asian economic interests alone.
heart-wrenching scene, the same the U.S. wanted to make sure that something Bush would probably
cannot be said for the Palestinians. they had a free hand in Iran’s oil never say. The Samohi seeks submissions for the
A Israeli helicopter fires a missile industry, and that they had a strong The U.S. has allowed Israel to do
into a car holding one Hamas mili- counterweight to the Soviet Union whatever it wants to in Palestinian student-written column “My Turn.” Submit
tant, who is surrounded by a huge in the region. territory, but whenever Palestinians
crowd in a marketplace. Over twenty Under such harsh rule, people fight back with stones or their own
articles to E201. Submissions may be edited
Palestinians are killed, but do the eventually rise up, which is what bodies, we are quick to condemn for grammar and length and are due no
news networks show Palestinians happened in 1979. With the whole their defensive as “terrorist.”
mourning their loss? No, instead country turned against him and Usually we learn from our errors later than November 1, 2002.
they show another militant rally, abandoned by the U.S., Pahlavi left and build up from them. Apparently,
where Palestinians chant even more Iran, eventually seeking asylum in this isn’t the case with the Bush
anti-Israeli and American slogans. the U.S. Administartion. Send “Letters to the Editor” to Jour-
As a result, people tend to think of The revolution in Iran was at I’ll end with a quote from a nalism, c/o Santa Monica High
Palestinians as evil or terrorist. While first a popular revolution, but un- protester in Pakistan, “Americans
some Palestinians are indeed despi- fortunately the radical Islamic fac- think, why do we hate you?” Think School, 601 Pico Blvd., Santa
cable terrorists, can the same label
not be applied to the Israeli army,
tion took control and asked the U.S.
to hand over Pahlavi to stand trial
over it.
Monica, CA 90405. Letters must be
whose snipers routinely improve for his crimes against the Iranian signed and may be edited for clarity
their marksmanship on Palestinian people, crimes which included bru-
and length.
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Vol. XCIII No. 2 October 25, 2002 Circulation: 3,500 Published Biweekly
Page 5 Page 3
Important editorial on Prop
EE!
Student band rocking the
house
On the Internet:
www.thesamohi.org
Page 4
Special Report: Too much
trash on campus
introduced last year, Associate Principal
Mark Kelly said, “Their complaints
centeredonhowdisrespectfulourSamo
students were in their neighborhoods.
It was expected that Samo students
would listen to the residents and try to
influence the behaviors of their peers.”
Because only one student attended the
neighborhood meeting regarding the
parking concerns in March of 2001, the
voices and opinions of students were
only voiced after the fact. Community
members find it hard to be empathetic
for the concerns of the students “when
there appears to be an unwillingness to
be part of the solutions” says Kelly.
The decision made by ASB to enforceacarpoolsystemforseniordrivers
thisyearstemsfromthedecreasednumber
of available spots due to construction
and the sheer volume of licensed
senior drivers. Senior applicants applied
in tandem to be placed in ASB’s
lottery. Seniors Max Goldstein and
Moises Castillo, the ASB members
who created the plan to consolidate
Samo’sdriversbyenforcingthecarpool
system, hope that it will decrease the
number of cars around campus and
encourage alternate means of transportation.
“We all believe that it’s not right
for kids who live ten blocks away to
take up a whole spot with their huge car.

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There’s no logic behind that,” said

Goldstein. “We want to make it friendlier
for students who use different ways
to get to school—like walking, biking,
or taking the bus,” added Castillo.
When ASB voted on the system, however,
the vote was split almost 50-50.
A few students look toward the
Civic Center as a possible lot. Senior
Brent Besson, who drives with his
brother Eric Besson, said, “We have all
the parking spots across the street at the
civic center but they’re not in use, and
it’s really frustrating to see all those
open spaces, and we have to get here
earlier than seven in the morning.”
The administration has analyzed
possible ideas for parking. “We have
tried,unsuccessfully, the beach lots, the
mall, the civic center, hotels, the
college…unfortunately, we have had
no success” said Kelly.
By Daniel Morgan
Once construction crews complete
the exterior painting of Barnum Hall
(Phase III), Samo’s 40 senior parking
spaces will more than double.
Last year’s parking changed most
drastically when the west side of 9th, all
of 10th, 11th street, and the first three
Michigan blocks closest to school
changed to preferential parking zones,
thereby eliminating over 200 spots.
Thecommunity’salmostyearlongfight
to mandate preferential parking ended
in the City Council with a five to
one vote. Only the east side of 9th
street, with 51 perpendicular parking
spots, remains the nearest alternative
for student parking, but even this area
is not completely usable, as street cleaning
is on Friday from 9-11a.m. This
preferential parking zone has obviously

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created extra strain on the blocks

directly south of school, where no preferential
parking zones exist.
After meeting with residents of the
area where preferential parking was
By Rebecca Beasley-Cockroft and
Brittany Benjamin
Samo’s administration implemented
a new tardy policy, which
took effect on Oct. 7. The new policy
states that students will receive a
consequence for every five tardies
they accumulate per semester.
As a team, the administration
decided to make the system easy to
use and the consequences consistent.
With those goals in mind, the
team created an accumulative
policy. After five tardies, students
receive a 30-minute lunch detention,
10 tardies results in a detention
and a phone call home, 15
tardies results in a two-hour Saturday
School and phone call, 20
tardies results in a four-hour Saturday
School, 25 tardies results in an
In-School Suspension, and students
get a SARB referral if they have 30
tardies.
By implementing this new rule,
the administration hopes that students
will be in class more often,
and therefore focus more on learning.
“Students can only be successful
if they’re in class all the time,
from the beginning of the period to
the end of the period,” said Associate
Principal Mark Kelly.
Students are assigned their consequence
from their student support
adviser. Advisers will call students
out of class to schedule a
lunch detention, which must be

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served by Friday of the week assigned.

Instructional Aid Ray
Humphrey, who will clear the satisfactorily
served detentions, supervises
lunch detention in room L106.
Failure to serve a detention by the
Friday will result in a two-hour Saturday
School.
Students have a chance to discuss
their tardies with their adviser.
If there is a specific problem keeping
the student out of class, the
adviser will help solve the conflict
in order to prevent future tardies.
“The idea is, we want students to be
in class more often. We don’t want
to give them detention,” said Dean
of Students Jason Harley.
Some students feel that the new
tardy policy is too severe. “I feel
that [the tardy policy] is really
harsh. It’s impossible not to get
five tardies [in a semester]. It’s
you’re own fault if your not at
school on time and your grades
will suffer,” said sophomore Erynn
Dickerson.
The administration is also
looking into more ways to decrease
the number of tardies. Ideas
include another bell, which would
warn students one minute before
the tardy bell, and tardy sweeps, if
necessary.
More Student Parking Available
After Construction Completed
Samo Admin. Creates
New Tardy Policy
By Carl Lisberger
A redesign team made up of 34
faculty members, parents, and students
has begun working towards breaking
Samo up into six small schools of 550

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students each. The team has split up

into five small working groups of six or
seven people, who will meet weekly to
create a sketch of what an individual
school will look like.
Assistant Principal Ruth Esseln,
CEO/Principal Ilene Straus, and AssociatePrincipalMarkKellyhaveworked
with Consultant Paula Evans to establish
parameters for redesign. They presented
the parameters to the redesign
team on Oct. 17.
According to Straus, the rest of the
fall semester will be spent drafting the
redesign.Severaldesignsforthehouses
will be presented to the faculty for a
vote. A 70 percent vote will pass the
designs on to the School Board, and,
implementation will begin next year
with grades nine and 10 at least.
Evans, as principal of a school that
underwentsimilarchanges,wasbrought
to Samo because of her experience.
“[The redesign plan] came from a
couple of places. I put it together with
Paula Evans, Straus, and Kelly. It came
from work Paula did, Straus’ work at
Lincoln, research that we had all done,
our personal experience , and a survey
that had been done last year. Partly it
came from the fact that so many kids
leave here without feeling like they
have made a connection with an adult,”
said Esseln.
Straus stressed the importance of
continuing to improve instruction and
curriculum. “To get a school good for
kids you have to get it good for teachers.
There has to be a good working
climate, good professional development
and good morale” said Straus.
In the current draft, each plan will
contain a teaching staff of 24, two
advisers, a dean of students, and a house

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principal. Other points included in the

plan were a distinct separation of upper
and lower classmen, a clear separation
between the two divisions, and a Senior
Project with demonstration of mastery.
Suggestions made by the small
working groups ranged from prompting
friendly competition between
schools to proposing that all administrators
teach at least one period.
The small working groups will
come together every month to put their
individual plans into a cohesive plan
for each house. Each of the six schools
will end up being the same, and will
contain the best parts of each small
group’s plan.
In two Oct. 17 faculty meetings
facilitated by Evans, the entire Samo
staff read and discussed an article about
another high school that underwent a
process similar to the proposed redesign.
The article raised several concerns
from faculty. Many agreed with
the plan in general, but wondered if it’s
application would be plausible. Others
wereconcernedthatdepartmentswould
be negatively affected. The meeting
ended with a discussion of common
themes which included the need for a
“clear and concise mission” and lower
class size.
Evans stressed the faculty’s input
and involvement in the process, and
announced plans to receive input from
the staff at monthly faculty meetings.
New Math Teacher and redesign
team member Geoff Tipper said that he
had known about redesign since he was
hired. “I’m new to the district and, as I
was being hired it was clear that the
school was going to be in a state of
flux,” said Tipper. He is optimistic

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about the progress so far. “I think that

it would be hard with over 30 people,
all putting in their two bits, but with six
people you can come to an agreement
and actually work towards an end,”
continued Tipper.
Tipper spoke to his students about
the redesign plan and received mixed
response. “Everyone is resistant to
change. Change is a universal thing
that people don’t like. It’s also inevitable.
One reaction was an awareness of
that change, and an acceptance of the
new plan. Other students think it might
feel too much like junior high. I think
some of the fears are more a fear of
change than actually a fear of what the
school might look like,” said Tipper.
The only current student member
of the redesign team, senior
Bernadette Bolan, joined after members
of site governance and ASB
were invited by Straus.
She hopes to represent the concerns
of the student body to the team.
Bolan said, “Originally I didn’t think
that the small schools were going to
be better, and I didn’t like the idea at
all. Most of the students I’ve spoken
to don’t really want this to happen. If
it’s going to happen anyway, I should
make an effort to make it the best for
the students.”
The weekly meetings of the small
working groups are open to all students
and faculty. The time and place
of the meetings will be posted on the
bulletin board in the Curriculum and
Redesign office.
Plans to Redesign
School Underway
City Council candidates answer questions at a candidates’ forum for City Council elections at Samo on
Oct.18. City Council Mayor Pro Tem Kevin McKeown, candidate Jerry Rubin, and candidate Abby

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Arnold from left.

Photo by Lauren Brydon
Over the next few weeks, each
small working group will add one or
two student members. The teams
themselves will pick the students,
but no student will be able to join
that has a current teacher on that
team, or their own parent. Students
interested in joining a team or attending
a team meeting may contact
the teams through Tiffany Tyler, Student
Support Adviser Lisa Demirjian,
Student Support Adviser Michelle
Kenney, Assistant Principal Kathleen
Martin, and Science Teacher Dawn
Omura.
Opinion
By Michael Zinshteyn
There is a popular notion
among this country’s youth, and
in this high school in particular,
that there is nothing wrong with
alcohol and marijuana consumption.
Though marijuana is
capable of being harmless, the
young people of this country
are seemingly incapable of controlling
consumption. It’s irresponsible
of young individuals
to drink alcohol or smoke pot if
their nature is to excess.
In a recent study conducted
by CNN, spending in the past
six months has increased 2.6
percent nationwide after incomes
fell 0.8 percent. Since
the fall of the stock market in
2000, consumer spending has
jumped to an unprecedented 12
percent. What’s alarming about
these numbers is that Americans
on the whole have a tendency

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to spend money that they

don’t necessarily have—encouraging
a society based on indulgence
and excess.
According to the Department
of Labor, the under 25 age group
spends an average of $38,000
annually, while only earning an
average of $19,000 annually,
making it the only age group
that spends more than it earns.
As far as alcohol is concerned,
the same age group dedicates
two percent ($380) of their annual
income to spirits and liquor.
Young adults spend more
money on alcohol than any other
age group with the exception of
the 45-55 age group.
Weed and Booze: Not Yet
By Peter Egziabher and
Jonathan Lee
Decades ago, the only minorities
in television and film were cast
in stereotypical roles. Today, the
ranks of network executives profess
that progress has been made in
the casting of underrepresented
ethnic groups. But this “progress”
is hard to see. When minority actors
are actually hired, their characters
are classic stereotypes, such
as the karate-chopping Asian math
genius or the black, Ebonicsspeaking
criminal. These stereotypes
are unrealistic and degrading
to the people that they are
supposed to portray.
Part of the reason why this typecasting
occurs is that there aren’t
enough minorities behind the camera.
Almost all directors, writers,
and producers are some shade of

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white. Being Caucasian, they are

more likely to make TV shows and
movies about whites than they are
about other ethnic backgrounds.
The best that they can do is to add
one or two small roles for token
minority characters.
Even children’s shows suffer
from abundant stereotyping. “Hey
Arnold!,” which
runs regularly on
Nickelodeon, features
a cast of stereotypical
minorities.
Mr. Hyunh, one
of Arnold’s tenants,
is a simple Vietnamese
man who speaks
with an exaggerated
accent. He is hard to
understand and easily
excitable, a classic
Asian stereotype.
Working in a
low-paying restaurant
job, Hyunh is
unable to come up
with the monthly
rent. Other tenants
include a crude Italian
contractor and a
Published biweekly during the school
year by the Associated Student Body of
Santa Monica High School, 601 Pico
Blvd., Santa Monica, CA. 90405. Unsigned
editorials reflect the opinions of
the staff. Signed editorials represent
the opinions of the writer.
Alumni Subscriptions
$20.00 PER YEAR
Staff
slow-witted, cheating Russian.
Gerald, Arnold’s best friend, is a

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“jive-talking” African American

who is street-smart but doesn’t
excel in the classroom. Phoebe,
one of Arnold’s classmates, is a
stereotypical Asian student—
quiet, subservient, and always adhering
to authority. The white
Helga regularly bosses her around
because Phoebe never stands up
for herself. “Hey Arnold!” is a perfect
example of all that is wrong
with the children’s television industry.
The television show with perhaps
the most blatant disregard for
diversity is “Friends.” Although it
is set in New York City, which has
huge black and Puerto Rican populations,
all six main characters in
Friends are white. Most of the extras
on the streets and in a café that
the main characters frequent are
also white. Apparently, only Caucasians
drink coffee.
While there are many productions
that have a lack of minority
characters, a few shows, primarily
on PBS and cable, are choosing to
ignore the status quo. One of these
shows is a PBS show called “American
Family,” which features Hispanics
both in front of and behind
the camera. “American Family”
shatters the perceptions that many
people have of Latinos. The series
follows the main character, Jess
Gonzales, as he attempts to deal
with everyday issues and family
problems that people of all races
can relate to.
The television and film industries
have a major problem when it
comes to the portrayal of minorities
in their productions. This is

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wrong and steps must be taken to

bring about change. Hopefully,
Hollywood will recognize this
problem and make stereotyping a
thing of the past.
In regards to nicotine, 14
percent of the world’s youth—
those below the age of 18—
smoke tobacco regularly according
to the Center for Disease
Control, which is a far cry from
America’s staggering 19 percent.
Tragically, only 54 percent of
the American youth wish to quit
smoking as opposed to 80 percent
of the world’s youth. Furthermore,
what does it say of the
American youth when, despite
the overwhelming amount of public
service announcements regarding
the harm of tobacco,
they still insist on smoking? This
brash and careless behavior can
not possibly mix well in the presence
of alcohol or marijuana.
How can young adults be
trusted with something potentially
dangerous when they spend
twice as much as they earn and
see no qualms with their smoking
habits? Young adults are inherently
driven to excess and to
indulge. They spend more on
clothing than the average family
man and more on alcohol than
grown adults who can biologically
handle a spirit better than a
high school or college student.
Marijuana and alcohol are substances
meant to be enjoyed, not
abused. The notion young adults
have that they can freely partake
in these substances is irrational

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and potentially hazardous. These

substances are meant for the responsible.
Until we, as teenagers
and young adults, can prove that
we’re responsible, let’s leave pot
alone and leave the alcohol for
the big kids.
By Christian McCovery
As many of you know, the
current construction projects at
Samo are coming to a long awaited
end. The company hired to do the
construction, Jacobs Engineering,
has done an excellent job of beautifying
our campus and preparing
it for another 100 years of excellence.
Samo has been around for
111 years and was in need of a
little makeover. Now that the
construction projects have come
to an end, thousands of Samo
students are able to view these
additions that better accommodate
the masses of students. While
in the process of bettering our
school, however, some students
and teachers had to experience
noisy disruptions that should not
have taken place during the learning
process.
The disruption of our education
while expanding our campus
was an issue of controversy with
some students as well as faculty
members. Although the makeover
was needed, there were classes
surrounding the construction sites,
such as the Language Building
and classes in the History Building
(located next to the Language
Building), that experienced interruptions.
They endured constant
drilling, hammering, and sawing

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noises.
To prevent these noises from
disrupting his class, History
Teacher Michael Felix, on several
occasions, closed all classroom
windows, causing the class to become
hot just so that he could
teach the class without having to
yell. “It’s been the most difficult
and challenging part of my career.
More challenging than my students,”
Felix said explaining his
experience of trying to teach with
the construction disruptions.
According to Associate Principal
Mark Kelly, our learning was
interrupted solely for the purpose
of ensuring a better school for the
Santa Monica community. “It’s
all part of the pain of gaining. Our
job is to minimize the pain,” said
Kelly, defending construction
noises. To lessen the pain, for the
past four weeks, the school has
allowed workers to work after
hours upon the request of Jacobs
Engineering. An earlier exploration
of possibilities to lessen our
“pain,” such as after hours construction,
would have had a better
effect on some classes. According
to Assistant Principal Greg
Runyon, “The construction was
very time consuming.” The minimizing
of errors within the projects
Editor-in-Chief...............................David Ginsburg
Managing Editor........................Lisa Strumwasser
News Editor.................Rebecca Beasley-Cockroft
Opinion Editor...............................Carl Lisberger
Feature Editor................................Daniel Morgan
Special Report Editor..............Brittany Benjamin
Campus Life Editor..........................Sunil Parekh
Sports Editors...................................Jonathan Lee

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Calanit Greenberg
Photo Editor..............................Alexandra Leitner
Ad Editor...........................................Sonia Sohaili
Copy Editors.....................................Emily Ferrell
Kesha Ram
India Brookover-Coleman
Art Editor.................................................Sina Grace
Tech Editor......................................David Ginsburg
Adviser....................................................Lorri Horn
Michael Blackman, Lauren Brydon,
Gina Corso, Justin Dean, India
Donaldson, Peter Egziabher, Angela
Gonzalez, Donielle Hatcher, Megan
Healey, Jacob Honig, Jason Islas,
Hanna Jacobsen, Samantha
Johnston, Wesley Krieger, Tim
Livingston, Christian McCovery,
Rosa Ordaz, Molly Parent, Adam
Siegel, Hannah Tepper, Ava Tramer,
Michael Zinshteyn
Construction Costs Outweigh Benefits
TV Minorities Mostly Stereotypes
would have allowed less suffering
for the students who endured disruptions.
Jeopardizing our education was
not necessary just to beautify and
expand our campus. Education
should be priceless, and not interfered
with. The people in grades
lower than us will get the benefits
that we suffered for. It was not only
educational suffering that we experienced,
but construction workers
took our parking places and occupied
the space in which some students
spent time during lunch. “I
used to kick it by the basketball
court a lot, but since the construction
took place, me and my crew
got the boot,” said junior Bertrand
Nojang.
There are future plans of more
construction projects to bring a

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Future Center, which combines the

ROP and College Career Center.
Lets hope the administration will
think about the current students,
and how they will be affected, when
planning new construction.
The Samohi seeks submissions for the
student-written column “My Turn.”
Submit articles to E201. Submissions
may be edited for grammar and length
and are due no later than November 1,
2002.
Send “Letters to the Editor” to Journalism,
c/o Santa Monica High
School, 601 Pico Blvd., Santa
Monica, CA 90405. Letters must be
signed and may be edited for clarity
and length.
Imagine coming to school next
year and finding your sports teams,
art and music classes, guidance
counselors, and APs gone. If two
thirds of those who vote don’t say
“yes” to Measure EE, that horrible
fate may become a reality.
Over the past 30 years, the state
of California has been drastically
cutting education funding.
Though SMMUSD schools have
managed to thrive, a recent budget
cut may cause numerous problems.
If Santa Monica is to retain its
reputation for great public schools,
it will require the funding provided
by Measure EE.
The SMMUSD School Board
has proposed a solution to our
school’s slim state funding. Measure
EE is an annual tax of $300 on
each residential or commercial parcel
for 12 years. This translates to
$25 a month from every homeowner,
and much less for renters.

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Although some have complained

that the tax should be graduated
for different property values, this
is still a relatively minor tax, which
will translate into nine million dollars
a year for Santa Monica
schools. This tax is a small price to
pay to ensure our children receive
a successful education.
The components of a good education
include more than basic
reading, writing, and arithmetic.
In order to maintain Santa
Monica’s strong community 20
years in the future, youth today
must build leadership, social, and
academic skills. Unfortunately, if
EE does not pass, programs like
music, art, and sports might be
cut—leaving students few options
to gain important skills, or participate
in enriching activities. EE
will not only effect the future of
Santa Monica’s children, but the September 11 was, by far, one
of the most horrendous attacks on
our country. Countless lives were
lost and countless more affected by
this great tragedy. However, everyone
seems to have missed one major
question: Why did this happen?
Why do they hate us so much?
The media has done a great job
in covering the war on terrorism,
but I’ve begun to notice that the
media’s point of view is very onesided
and, in some ways, prejudiced.
One example is in the conflict
between the Israelis and Palestinians.
Whenever a Palestinian suicide
bomber blows himself up and
kills one or two Israelis, the T.V.
shows how much the Israelis are
suffering: Grandmas weeping, parents

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beating their chests in sorrow,

and children realizing they will never
see their parents again. While still a
heart-wrenching scene, the same
cannot be said for the Palestinians.
A Israeli helicopter fires a missile
into a car holding one Hamas militant,
who is surrounded by a huge
crowd in a marketplace. Over twenty
Palestinians are killed, but do the
news networks show Palestinians
mourning their loss? No, instead
they show another militant rally,
where Palestinians chant even more
anti-Israeli and American slogans.
As a result, people tend to think of
Palestinians as evil or terrorist. While
some Palestinians are indeed despicable
terrorists, can the same label
not be applied to the Israeli army,
whose snipers routinely improve
their marksmanship on Palestinian
Editorial: Vote Yes
on Measure EE
My Turn: A Time To Rethink
Our Foreign Policies
kids or bulldoze homes with people
still living inside? And the Palestinians
have a good reason to be angry
at us. The weapons used against
them are all American made, and
the U.S. government generously
gives monetary aid to Israel, all the
while turning a blind eye to the
plight of the Palestinians.
It’s not only Palestine though.
Iran was a victim of U.S.-backed
oppression from 1943-1979 under
the harsh dictatorship of Shah
(King) Mohammed Reza Pahlavi.
Pahlavi’s secret police, SAVAK,
was trained by the CIA to keep him
in power by using the most brutal

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methods. Certain books were

banned, the news heavily censored
with meaningless propaganda, and
if you dared to criticize Pahlavi,
you got a one-way ticket to SAVAK
torture chambers. All this because
the U.S. wanted to make sure that
they had a free hand in Iran’s oil
industry, and that they had a strong
counterweight to the Soviet Union
in the region.
Under such harsh rule, people
eventually rise up, which is what
happened in 1979. With the whole
country turned against him and
abandoned by the U.S., Pahlavi left
Iran, eventually seeking asylum in
the U.S.
The revolution in Iran was at
first a popular revolution, but unfortunately
the radical Islamic faction
took control and asked the U.S.
to hand over Pahlavi to stand trial
for his crimes against the Iranian
people, crimes which included brutal
torture, massive corruption, and
execution without trial.
The U.S. refused to turn him
over and, in response, the Islamists
took employees of the U.S. Embassy
in Tehran hostage. Reminiscent of
today’s media, the news immediately
portrayed Iranians as barbarians
and terrorists. However, the
media did a very good job at not
telling the public why a revolution
had occurred and why the Iranians
were so angry at the U.S.
Bush has stressed that Iraq has
ignored a U.N. resolution to destroy
its weapons of mass destruction for
“eleven long years.” Israel has also
expressed this concern. However,

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Israel itself has been ignoring U.N.

Resolution 242, which calls for its
withdrawal from all occupied territories,
since 1967. Israel has been
ignoring the U.N. for 35 long years,
something Bush would probably
never say.
The U.S. has allowed Israel to do
whatever it wants to in Palestinian
territory, but whenever Palestinians
fight back with stones or their own
bodies, we are quick to condemn
their defensive as “terrorist.”
Usually we learn from our errors
and build up from them. Apparently,
this isn’t the case with the Bush
Administartion.
I’ll end with a quote from a
protester in Pakistan, “Americans
think, why do we hate you?” Think
over it.
future of Santa Monica itself.
Samo currently enjoys an
award-winning music program, a
beautified campus, a highlyqualified
faculty, and challenging
courses. As much as we’d like
to think otherwise, Samo has all
of these things because of money.
If Measure EE is not passed, many
of the luxuries we take for granted
will be no more. The citizens of
Santa Monica are responsible for
protecting their right to an excellent
education.
To the average citizen, it may
seem that $300 per year for 12
years is a lot to give in these
stressful times. It is, but one should
feel proud to give so much back to
one’s community. When put into
perspective, $25 dollars a month
takes little out of your own pocket,

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but is a huge benefit to the schools.

EE is an opportunity for residents
to do their civic duty and invest in
their community.
In closing, we, The Samohi
staff, strongly urge all to vote yes
on Measure EE. Vote yes to ensure
an excellent, challenging
education for all students. Vote
yes to ensure students have a functional,
safe learning environment.
Vote yes for the success of our
youth, and for the future of Santa
Monica. Do your duty as a citizen
of our great city and give back to
the community that has given so
much to you.
*If you want to help the Committee
for Excellence in Education,
contact committee treasurer
Graham Pope at 310-899-6767.
There are opportunities for volunteers
to work at phone banks,
precinct walks, speak publicly,
and obtain lawn signs.
Top 5 Ways to Resolve the
Brewing Conflict With Iraq
By Carl Lisberger and Daniel Morgan
1. Declare War. From past experience with the “War on Drugs”
and the “War on Terrorism,” it is clear that the best way to solve
problems is to declare war. Also, a full, unaided military strike
against Iraq is the only definitive way to make sure Hussein doesn’t
use his theoretical weapons of mass destruction. Wait a minute...
2. Become completely dependent on Iraqi oil. This strong
economic brotherhood will help to maintain a healthy diplomatic
relationship.
3. Give billions of dollars to Israel. I’m not so sure about this one,
it’s just like the “thing to do” every time anything happens in the
Middle East.
4. Make sure that U.N. Wepons Inspectors inspect our weapons
really well, so that we can make sure they’ll do a whole lot of
damage.
5. Tell North Korea that Hussein thinks they’re chicken. With

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any luck, they’ll use their recently discovered nukes against him,
and leave our Asian economic interests alone.
By David Ginsburg
Now that the United States is
on the brink of war with Iraq—
our president has the power to
drop bombs and send thousands
of young Americans overseas—
it is time for the American people
to wake up to the reality of our
modern world and to do something
about it. Concerned people
must understand that the power
to affect change is in their hands.
Everyday, human beings kill
their fellow man in battles all
over the world. Last week, BBC
News reported on one of the
many factions trying to control
resource-rich areas in the Democratic
Republic of Congo, which
is engrossed in a conflict that has
taken the lives of two million
people over the last four years.
It’s hard to comprehend that
number even in perspective: two
million is about 588 times the
number of students at Samo.
And this is only in a single
conflict. People need to realize
that America is extremely lucky;
there hasn’t been a major war
fought on American soil since
the Civil War back in the 1860s.
Perhaps it is because of this
lack of domestic war experience
that the current generations of
Americans can so easily support
President Bush and his war on
terrorism (Bush’s September approval
rating was 61% overall,
according to the Siena Research
Institute). The horrors of war

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have not been felt in the United

States for over 130 years—but
then there’s September 11.
September 11 gave American
citizens a hint of the pain
inhabitants in many other countries
feel on a daily basis. But
America didn’t take the hint.
Instead, the U.S. killed thousands
of human beings in Afghanistan,
and may kill even more in Iraq.
After experiencing firsthand the
suffering of families who lost
uncles and sisters and cousins,
how can America support the killing
of uncles and sisters and cousins
in other countries?
Wake up, people. It’s far too
easy to sit around and debate the
issues while the wars rage on.
Actions speak louder than words.
Demonstrate to your representatives
in Washington that the U.S.
shouldn’t take more lives: participate
in active demonstrations,
send letters, make phone calls, do
something!
It’s Time for Active Pacifism
By Alborz “Al” Farhoodi, junior
Feature
Small Town Show Becomes a Big Success
By Sina Grace
The WB’s hottest new show
does not take place on a creek, or in
a city infested with vampires, but
rather a fictitious and quaint town.
“Everwood” has proved to be a
success, its debut drawing 7.4
million viewers. The show is
such a hit that on Monday, Oct.
7 before the airing of its fourth
episode, the WB announced ordering
a complete season of

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“Everwood,” making it the first

drama to be picked up this fall.
“Everwood” is about worldrenowned
neurosurgeon and widower
Dr. Andrew Brown, played
by Treat Williams, who moved
his family to Everwood, Colorado
in order to find his deceased
wife who claimed that if she died
her heaven would be Everwood.
In Everwood, the family experiences
more drama than a week of
Jerry Springer; the son, Ephram
(Gregory Smith) has fallen for a
girl with a comatose boyfriend,
whose father, to make things worse,
is the competing doctor in the
town. Brown’s daughter, Delia
(Vivian Cardone), must struggle
through elementary school questioning
God and finding new
friends after the dismissal of her
hermaphrodite buddy. Dr. Brown
must make peace with the death of
his wife, treat all his patients for
free, and find acceptance in the
conservative town.
Writers of “Everwood” certainly
know how to make a viewer go
cross-eyed with all the plot twists,
but they also know how to throw in
a hearty laugh. In the premiere
episode, Ephram dreams about telling
the love of his life, Amy Abbott
(Emily VanCamp), about comics
and kissing her, only to wake up
You Cannot Define ‘Otis’
seeing that he nocturnally emitted
all over his bed sheets. Supervising
Producer/Staff Writer and Samo
alumna Rina Mimoun says, about
the fight betwixt comedy and
drama, that writers “try to

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balance both. Some episodes

work out to be a little heavier
on the comedy while others
come out with a more dramatic
feel. It all depends on
what stories we’re telling
week to week. But we like it
best when you can cry in one
scene and laugh in the next.”
The town and Characters
of Everwood, are the spawn
of Executive Producer/Creator
Greg Berlanti. The show
isn’t even filmed in Colorado!
Most filming is done
in Utah where cast and crew
capture the essence of the
non-existent town.
What’s in store for our
eccentric Brown family? Although
Mimoun remains tightlipped
about details for future plots
of “Everwood,” The Samohi did
manage to get a few spoilers for the
fans: “You’ll be meeting Amy’s
coma boyfriend pretty soon… Lots
of people seem to think that Nina’s
husband (Dr. Brown’s neighbor
who gave birth to a senior citizen’s
baby) doesn’t exist. Here’s the
scoop: Carl exists. And he’ll show
up eventually.”
Many surprises are in store for
the characters of “Everwood.” And
judging by the ratings (the best the
WB has ever received), this show
will be around for a long time.
“Everwood” airs on Mondays at 9
p.m., and you can watch the previous
week’s episode the following
Sunday night at 6 p.m. during the
WB’s “Easy View” lineup, a great
way to catch up on what seems to

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be the network’s new key to glory.

ing of the music.
As with every great band,
people are curious about the origins
of the band’s name. One day,
on a bus ride through the streets
of Santa Monica, Jesse saw a sign
and knew it was the answer. The
sign read “Otis,” and hence the
band’s name was created. A neutral
name such as “Otis” allows
listeners to focus more on the
music, and not worry about the
meaning of the name of the band.
May 15, 2002 is a day that will
go down in history as the first Otis
performance. Otis played Jimi
Hendrix songs at the ‘Harlem Renaissance,’
a school-sponsored
event, which was a celebration of
Afri-
can and African-American music.
The next two performances
were held at the Un-Urban Coffeehouse
on Pico and 32nd on
Jun. 21 and Aug. 30. When asked
about the Aug. 30 performance,
senior Nick Silverman responded
By Calanit Greenberg
Around campus, you might see
students wearing t-shirts with a
single word “Otis” printed on
them, or even blue flyers scattered
on the ground, advertising
for “Otis.” What does it all mean?
About nine months ago, five
Samo students got together with
the sole purpose of playing music
that they enjoy. With inspiration
from musicians like Jimi Hendrix,
and groups like Oasis, Dave
Matthews Band, and Coldplay,
the five have created a rich blend

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of rock with a touch of motown,

R&B and jazz.
Seniors Jesse Kivel, vocals and
rhythm guitar, Matt Kivel, bass
guitar and back up vocals, Dexter
Fairweather, lead guitar, Ben
Usen, piano, and sophomore
James Fraracci on drums, are the
members of the band. The lyrics
are written by Jesse and all Otis
members contribute to the writwith
much enthusiasm. “I liked
it…the way it flowed together
was great. There was a lot of chemistry
and you could tell they work
hard,” said Silverman.
The most recent concert was
held on Sep.21 at Pugz Music in
Westwood. A group of about 30
Otis fans gathered together to hear
Otis’ best concert yet. “I had no
idea what I was going to see, but
I was pleasantly surprised. I was
impressed by Jesse’s vocals and
Dexter’s guitar playing is amazing.
It’s hard to find artists like
that. They were unified a n d
connected with the au- d i -
ence,” said senior Eva
McDaniel.
When asked to describe
the m u s i c ,
McDaniel had
some trouble because
it is so eclectic.
“You can’t categorize
it. Music today is in
sections, like pop or rap.
Good bands today are
good because they don’t
fit into just one category.
Otis is one of those bands
that is hard to put into a

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category,” said
McDaniel.
Freshman Nikki Ross
is a big fan of Otis. “Otis
is definitely a band that
anyone with good taste
would be into. They’re a
unique band and write
they’re own stuff. They
mix a lot of genres of
music with a good product
in the end,” said Ross.
Otis is having its next concert
on Sunday, Dec.15 at 8:15 p.m.,
at The Whiskey in Hollywood.
For more information, email the
band at [email protected].
From left, Jesse Kivel, Ben Usen, Dexter Fairweather, Matt Kivel, and James
Fraracci will perform at The Whiskey on Dec. 15.
Photo By Chris Herold
By India Brookover-Coleman
Once again, Beck has traded in
his “two turntables and a
microphone” for an acoustic
guitar in his newly released album
“Sea Change.” Gone are the days
of his trademark hip-hop/country
beats and humorous, however
emotionally distant lyrics. With
the release of “Sea Change,” Beck
reveals an even more complex,
sophisticated side of his already
critically-hailed career.
Like “Mutations,” Beck’s
previous folk-rooted effort, “Sea
Change” is entirely acoustic, but
this time the lyrics are
introspective and truer to the
artist. In the opening track, The
Golden Age, Beck sings “these
days I barely get by/ I don’t
even try/ it’s a treacherous road
with a desolated view/ there’s

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distant lights but here they’re

far and few...” Never before has
Beck been so candid—or, quite
frankly, sad. Titles of songs in
“Sea Change,” including
Lonesome Tears, Lost Cause,
End of the Day, and Already
Dead, show what a low state
Beck is in. The lyrics mirror his
mood, too: “Already dead now/
‘cuz it feels like I’m watching
someone die...” he croons. With
his pained voice and
confessional lyrics, “Sea Change”
leaves the listener wondering
what could have possibly
happened to everyone’s favorite
happy-go-lucky “loser” who was
often seen clad in rhinestone
cowboy suits and who never
failed to dance the robot at lively
concerts.
At his recent show at the
Wadsworth Theater, Beck proved
that his emotional state is not
limited to his new album. The
show opened with Beck seated
on a stool accompanied only with
an acoustic guitar and a single
spotlight. He mostly performed
acoustic pieces from “Mutations”
and “Sea Change,” and some
throwbacks to one of his earliest
releases, “One Foot in the Grave.”
Beck only performed one song
from his heavily hip-hop and R&B
influenced party album,
“Midnight Vultures,” and even
that piece’s tempo was altered to
fit the somber mood of the
evening.
Although unexpected in tone,
the concert was moving. Beck

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revealed his powerful voice,

something that could never be
showcased on his heavily
produced and instrument-driven
albums. His performance of It’s
All in Your Mind, left many the
audience in a stupor—one could
hear a pin drop during the aweinspired
pause between the end
of the song and the applause. His
voice, something I admit I never
acknowledged in his previous
albums or concerts, filled the
room with a heavy sense of
melancholy and absolute power.
Once again, Beck proves his
versatility and overall musical
genius. The artist has gone from
folk to rock to rap and back to
folk again, never losing his fans’
interest. “Sea Change” represents
a new maturity in his art. In
addition to his already
acknowledged position as one of
the most influential artists of the
90’s, hopefully “Sea Change” and
forthcoming albums will lead
Beck to a well-deserved spot
among rock’s greatest musicians
such as Bob Dylan and The
Beatles.
Mellow Beck
Campus Life
By Hannah Tepper
When Speech/Language Pathologist
and advisor of Best Buddies,
Barbara Palilis, began what was
called Circle of Friends four years
ago, she never anticipated the growth
her club would experience.
Best Buddies, an international
organization founded in 1989, is
committed to improving

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the lives of intellectually

disabled people by pairing
them with non-disabled
peers to form lasting
friendships. The organization
involves students
from middle
schools, high schools,
and colleges in the U.S.
and in six other countries
across the world.
At Samo, the program
began as a small
club called Circle of
Friends, which differed
from Best Buddies in the
way it promoted friendships.
The goal of Circle
of Friends was to create a
small community of
friends for a disabled student with
multiple Peer Buddies, whereas Best
Buddies pairs its members one-onone.
In Circle of Friends’ first year, a
representative of Best Buddies contacted
the smaller club and encouraged
it to become a chapter of Best
Buddies because the programs shared
the same goal.
Currently, Best Buddies at Samo
has over 100 student members. “It
takes my breath away to see so many
students involved in Best Buddies,”
Palilis said. With the effective leadership
of Palilis and the new president,
senior Annie Postolov, the club
is looking forward to its largest and
strongest year so far.
Members of Best Buddies with
developmental disorders, normally
called “Buddies,” meet with a different
“Peer Buddy” every day of the
week, building multiple friendships.

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Like any other pair of friends, these

students meet anywhere on campus
they wish to eat and converse.
Peer Buddies are also encouraged
to do out-of-school activities with
their Buddies such as going to movies,
sports events, and taking walks,
in addition to calling their Buddies
weekly. The club has monthly group
activities for all members. On Oct. 30,
Best Buddies will have a fundraiser
at Shakey’s Pizza, which will also
serve as an opportunity for the parents
of the Buddies to meet their
sons’/daughters’ Peer Buddies.
The relationships established between
Buddies and their Peer Buddies
seem to have a powerful effect on both
parties. Peer Buddies gain an understanding
that they didn’t have
before. “[Peer Buddies] gain
awareness that differences
aren’t something to run from;
they’re something to embrace.
[Having a friendship with a
disabled student] allows us to
see the good in people instead
of what they are lacking or
what is different,” said
Postolov.
Buddies gain from the relationship
as well. “What Best
Buddiesmeanstomeisfriendship.
I am a part of this club
because it is fun to meet new
people. After being in Best
Buddies, I have become more
mature and independent,” said
junior Jennifer Blaauw.
Some students in the program
form bonds with their Buddies
that continue even after they graduate
high school and, in the most successful

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cases, members gain skills to use

throughout their lives as well as memories
that never fade. Senior Erin
McConocha said, “You go into Best
Buddies hoping to make a difference in
your Buddy’s life and find that your life
is impacted even more strongly.”
A Friend in Best Buddies
is a Great Friend Indeed
plans regarding bringing “coherence
to the instructional program”
and enjoys “learning walks,”
where she improves education and
organization in LAUSD. She is
currently working to bring two of
her schools under state audits to
meet their targets in the state audit
findings.
Hibert misses Samo students
the most. “I have very little contact
with students,” she said, and
misses the relationships she has
built up over the years. She especially
misses the class of 2003—
“we were freshmen together.”
By Sunil Parekh
A recent rise in the number of
students caught and punished for
the possession or use of controlled
substances on campus has required
Samo’s administration to carefully
reiterate the current drug policy
outlined by the school district.
According to Associate Principal
Mark Kelly and Dean of Students
Catherine Baxter, a rise in
drug-related transfers is common
at the beginning of each school year
because, at this time, students are
prone to push their limits and bend
the rules set before them as far as
possible. “We always tend to see a
little more activity at the beginning

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of the school year just because

some students may not be aware of
or have forgotten the policies. It’s
unfortunate and we try to articulate
the rules for students,” said Kelly.
Amidst all of the drastic administrative
changes being made at
Samo this year, the drug policy is
one issue that remains unaltered.
The rule clearly states that students
who are in possession of or are
using a controlled substance on or
around campus are given a fiveday
suspension along with an involuntary
transfer to another high
school in the district and 20 hours
of drug counseling. This transfer
lasts either ten weeks or for the
remainder of the semester, whichever
is longer. Students are allowed
to come back to Samo only after
they receive a positive evaluation
in terms of grades, attendance, and
discipline from the principals of
the schools they have been transferred
to.
The policy is known as the “zero
tolerance” policy because Samo
gives all offenders the same punishment,
regardless of the circumstances
involved in each individual
case. Factors such as the amount of
substance at hand or the students’
actions and intentions upon getting
caught are considered only by law
enforcement officials who are often
contacted in these situations.
“Possession is possession, so if you
have possession you’re going to
suffer the consequences no matter
how much you have. Possession
with the intent of selling is a legal
matter and is dealt with by the

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police, not the school,” said Dean

of Students Jason Harley.
According to Kelly, the policy
has been highly effective since it
was strongly enforced during the
2001-02 school year. “We’ve seen
a lot of success with the involuntary
transfers,” said Kelly. “It’s about
working with a student to give him/
her a second chance. [The policy]
has made a great impact on students’
lives.”
Obviously, Samo is not the only
school where students are caught
with controlled substances. According
to School Resource Officer Joe,
drug busts are seen in both public
and private schools across communities
of all socioeconomic levels,
although some schools choose not
to report them.
By Samantha Johnston
Once a Samo student, Liane Sato
is back at her alma mater coaching
Varsity volleyball and now teaching
health as well. The Samohi sat down
with Sato to find out about her experiences
in the Olympics, her interests,
and her views on teaching.
The Samohi: How long have you
been a teacher at Samo?
Liane Sato: I’ve been here for five
years coaching
girls volleyball and
substitute-teaching,
and I just got
hired full time last
year teaching
health.
TS: Have you always
wanted to be a
teacher?
LS: Yes, I

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wanted to be a P.E.
teacher ever since
elementary school.
I had the best
teacher, Jim Jaffe.
He’s still teaching,
and he’s my hero.
He got me to like physical activity. In
junior high school I also had awesome
coaches who interested me in
teaching.
TS: What jobs did you have before
Samo?
LS: I was a travel counselor at the
Auto Club (AAA) in San Diego for
five years, through the Olympic Job
Opportunities Program. I played on
the Olympic volleyball team, and
corporate sponsors provided us with
jobs in their companies. It was great
for me to get work experience out in
the real world.
TS: What was it like being in the
Olympics?
LS: Going to the Olympics was an
amazing experience. My youngest
brother, Eric, who also went to Samo,
was on the men’s volleyball team.
My oldest brother Gary, another
Samo graduate, was
an assistant coach
for the men’s team.
All three of us went
together, both in
Korea in 1988 and
then in Barcelona
in 1992.
TS: What other
things do you do
besides teaching?
LS: I like rollerblading,
and spending
time with my

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daughter who just

turned five. She is
really active. She
has a little scooter
and I skate while
she scoots.
TS: What is your favorite thing
about teaching at Samo?
LS: My favorite thing is relating
to the students. I just like talking to
them and sharing information about
health. They’re so interesting, so
willing to learn, and so well behaved.
I am glad to be back where my entire
family and I went to school.
By Daniel Morgan and Carl
Lisberger
Looking around the school this
year, we notice many changes.
Construction projects are coming
to an end, and several new teachers
and administrators have joined
the Samo community. What you
might be wondering is where some
of your favorite staff members
have gone. What could possibly
fill their days with the same joy
that Samo did? Apparently, quite
a bit.
Chris Megaffin, remembered
mostly for his AP US History
classes, teaches 9th grade Southeast
Asian History and 11th grade
European History for the International
Baccalaureate program at
an international private school
just outside of Manila in the Philippines.
He is also the advisor of
the Model United Nations Club
on campus and will travel to
Beijing in March for a conference.
Megaffin enjoys his school
immensely, and said that, with

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only 500 students, “it is very small

compared to Samo…This allows
me to spend more time with the
students and help them to achieve
their full academic potential.” He
also added, “When I am not teaching
I am taking every opportunity
to discover the beauty of the culture,
the people, the languages,
and the food and festivals of my
host country.”
The experience of teaching
about places he is finally able to
visit makes “the history actually
come alive” for him. At the end of
this month he plans to visit a tiny
island named Borcay which boasts
one of the ten most beautiful
beaches in the world.
Emma Hipolito, a beloved fixture
of the College Career Center
last year, can now be found at
Center X, a part of the UCLA
School of Education. She is the
Co-Director of the UCLA History-
Geography Project. Her new post
involves “working with social
studies teachers in many different
capacities.” She meets with teachers
and their classes and also
brings teachers on campus for institutes
and conferences.
“What I miss most about Samo
are the people,” said Hipolito. “I
worked there for 10 years and have
many friends who I rarely get to
see now.” She also misses interacting
with students every day.
Kirsten Hibert, one of last
year’s Co-Principals, spends her
days “at school sites helping principals
and teacher leaders with
implementing standards based on

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school reform” at LAUSD’s local

district H. She discusses strategic
Rise in Drug Busts;
Admin. Stresses Policy
Teacher Spotlight: Liane Sato Where are They Now? A Glimpse into the
New Lives of Former Samo Faculty
Volleyball coach and Health
teacher Liane Sato gives the
camera a million dollar pose.
Photo by Daniel Morgan
Photo by Wesley Krieger
Senior Abby Gorman and her Buddy, sophomore
Andrew Yin, sit down for their weekly lunch
meeting.
By Calanit Greenberg
The Lady Netters are currently 4-2
and are placed third in the Ocean
League.
The team’s game against Culver
City High on Oct.2 was a sweeping
victory for Samo, as the girls won the
match 15-3. Unfortunately, two days
later, the Lady Netters suffered their
NBA Preview
By Tim Livingston
Western Conference:
1. L.A. Lakers: If Shaq stays
healthy, the Kings are the only team
with the slightest chance of dethroning
them.
2.SacramentoKings: Couldthe
aggressive, athletic big-man Keon
Clark be the final piece of the puzzle?
4. San Antonio Spurs: Still just
good enough to not win a championship.
5. Dallas Mavericks: This team
is going to be unstoppable when
they’re hot, but all will go downhill
when owner Mark Cuban starts his
head coaching career at midseason.
8. L.A. Clippers: AddingAndre
Miller was basically clinching a playoff
berth.

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10.SeattleSupersonics: Asusual,
the Sonics would be a championship-
caliber team if they had a big
man.
12. Minnesota Timberwolves:
A young team that is very talented
and has players that could mesh well.
If they do mesh well, this team could
exceed expectations.
15. Houston Rockets: If Stevie
Franchise and Mo Taylor stay
healthy, this team will go places.
16. Phoenix Suns: Samethingas
Seattle, except they’ll be relying on
the ogre known as Jake Tsakalidis.
18. Portland Trailblazers:
Rasheed Wallace is a cancer.
21. Utah Jazz: In their long tenure
with the Jazz, Stockton and
Malone have bought everything in
Utah. How about a retirement home?
24. Golden State Warriors:
We’ll just have to wait to see how
strong coach Musselman’s is.
25. Denver Nuggets: Denver
hopes its solid front line can lead
them from the depths of the Western
Conference.
29. Memphis Grizzlies: They
have only three players with over six
years of experience. Give them five
years and they’ll be okay.
(note:numberrankingsarebased
in relation to the entire league-not
the teams’ projected standing in their
respected conference.)
Eastern Conference:
3. New Jersey Nets: With the
additionofDikembeMutombo,they
could find themselves back in the
finals.
6. Indiana Pacers: A balanced
mix of shooters, ball-handlers, defenders,

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and rebounders. The fight

between them and the Nets for first
seed come playoff time should be
interesting.
7. Boston Celtics: Paul Pierce
will need to shoot less and...no, actually
they’d be better off if he shot 50
times a game.
9. New York Knicks: The addition
of Antonio McDyess will finally
give them the post presence they’ve
been lacking.
11. Orlando Magic: IfGrantHill
stays healthy, and that’s a huge if,
they could go a long way in the
playoffs.
13. Atlanta Hawks: A healthy
TheoRatliffandtheadditionofGlenn
Robinson will help them make the
playoffs.
14. DetroitPistons: BenWallace
will never receive enough credit for
what he does for this team.
17. Toronto Raptors: Vince
Carter needs a better supporting cast
to make noise this year.
19.MilwaukeeBucks: Ateamof
individuals that needs to play solid
defense to succeed this year.
20.NewOrleansHornets: Baron
Davis leads a team of underachievers.
22. Philadelphia 76ers: How
not to improve: replace Mutombo
with Todd MacCulloch.
23. Washington Wizards:
MichaelJordanandJerryStackhouse
still won’t make this team anything
special.
26. Miami Heat: I don’t see how
this team can be successful. Eddie
Jones and Alonzo Mourning are going
to need to do everything for this
team.

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27.Cleveland Cavaliers:
They’re young and jam-packed with
talent, but that doesn’t mean they’ll
win many games.
28. Chicago Bulls: Would be a
solid college team.
By Jonathan Lee
American athletic organizations
are becoming increasingly more diverse
as the number of players from
foreign countries grows.
Withthefirstpickinthe2002NBA
draft, the Houston Rockets selected a
7’ 5” center named Yao Ming from
China. Ming shoots threes and moves
with the grace and agility of someone
a foot shorter than him, and has the
potential to become one of the most
revolutionary figures in the history of
the NBA.
Although Ming will probably be
at the forefront of further integration
into major league sports, other foreign
players have been making their mark
in the past decade, namely Japanese
players in Major League Baseball.
Ichiro Suzuki, an outfielder for the
Seattle Mariners, has demonstrated
amazing speed running from home to
first base (3.7 seconds along a 90-ft.
path) and an uncanny bat-wielding
abilityadmiredbybaseballfansaround
the world. Tsuyoshi Shinjo, another
talented Asian athlete, has captivated
fans of the San Francisco Giants with
his orange wristbands and blasts over
Foreign Players Not So Foreign
the Pac Bell walls. Pitchers Hideo
Nomo, Kazuhisa Ishii, and Kazuhiro
Sasaki are all having successful careers,
Nomo and Ishii as starters for the
Dodgers and Sasaki as a premier closer
fortheMariners.NomoandIshiidominated

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hitters in the ‘01-‘02 regular

season, combining for a 30-16 record,
while Sasaki compiled 37 saves.
The Dallas Mavericks of the NBA
are a perfect example of what many of
the leagues in America will resemble
in the future. A glance at the Mavericks’
roster shows Canadian Steve
Nash, China native Wang Zhi-Zhi,
EduardoNajera,aforwardfromMexico,
andDirkNowitzki,aseven-footerfrom
Germany. All were able to overcome
their language and cultural barriers,
working together towards an impressive
57-25 (‘01-‘02), until they were
eliminated by the Sacramento Kings
in the second round of the Western
Conference playoffs. The highly anticipated
series boasted the foreign
talent of both teams, with the Kings
implementing Predrag Stojakovic and
Vlade Divac, both from Yugoslavia,
and Hedo Turkoglu, from Turkey.
Thanks to their array of international
talent, the Mavericks have turned into
a fast-breaking squad with games
broadcasted all over the world.
Although the NBA and MLB are
beginning to burst with an influx of
foreign players who are blossoming
into superstars, other leagues have not
yet followed suit. While many European
players are prevalent in the NHL,
fewcanbeseenontheNFLfield.There
is also a large discrepancy among
Asians and Pacific Islanders in the
NHL and NFL despite the dominance
of Junior Seau, a legendary linebacker
for the San Diego Chargers, and Chris
Fuamatu-Ma’afala, a bruising 250
pound fullback for the Pittsburgh
Steelers.
When the NBA season begins, history

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will be made. A foreign player has

the chance to become one of the biggestnamesinsports,
andintheprocess,
instill hope in kids looking to American
sports for future professions.The
various foreigners who have made
names for themselves are inspiring
kids from their native countries to pick
up balls and bats to emulate their
heroes. Eventually, these kids will do
the same for the next generation.
Golf 7-2 in
Ocean League
Lady Netters in Third Place; Potential for Second
Spotlight: Senior Fernando
Navarette, Making a Splash
By Gina Corso
With 83 goals in this season
already, Boys Water Polo Player
Fernando Navarrett is on a roll. The
Samohi sat down with him to discuss
water polo and his plans for
the future.
The Samohi: How long have
you been playing water polo?
Fernando Navarrett: I’ve been
playing since I was 11-years-old.
TS: How did you get started?
FN: There’s a city pool where a lot
kids go just to…cool off during the
summer. One time a coach…asked me
to join the team. Ever since then I’ve
been playing.
TS: What’s your position?
FN: My job is basically
to…control the offense. They give me
the ball and I go for a shot, or I go for a
foul.
TS: Have you had any serious injuries?
FN: One time in Junior Olympics,
as I was shooting the ball, a player
struck me in the back of the head and
I blacked out for a few seconds. I was

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also punched in the face once…I almost

had to get stitches...Aside from
that, nothing really serious.
TS: Do you have any goals set for
yourself this season?
FN: My first goal right now is to
make CIF with the team. My second is
to break the record for most goals
scored in a season. Last year the record
was set with 124 goals, and I already
have 83 with 11 more games in this
season, so I think I have a good chance.
TS: What’s your biggest accomplishment?
FN: In my freshman year here at
Samo,wewontheBellGardens’Tournament.
In one of the games at that
tournament,wewentintosuddendeath
and I scored the winning goal.
TS: Would you like to pursue water
polo in college?
FN: Yes. I really want to go to
Pepperdine…Cal State Long Beach,
or UCLA.
TS: Do you play another sport, or
have any other hobbies?
FN: Basically just school and having
fun. I do swimming, and I did a little
bit of wrestling my freshman year, but
that didn’t go so well.
TS: Do you have any pre-game
rituals?
FN: Yeah, I have one. Before each
game, I kiss my number on my cap.
And I have to kiss each side before it
touches the water.
Sports — Page 7 The Samohi October 25, 2002
By Jacob Honig
The Lady Linksters are playing
superbly, with an impressive record
of 7-2. The team now looks to clinch
a spot in the CIF-SS playoffs.
On Oct. 1, the team faced Beverly
Hills at Penmar and Samo won the

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match 224-239. The two teams met

again on Oct. 3 at Rancho Park Golf
Course. Samo had no problem dispensing
the opposing team again
winning with a score of 253-269.
Althoughtheteamplayedsolidly,
Torrance proved to be too tough and
handed the Linksters their first two
losses. The girls lost both matches
with scores of 202-224 and 220-254.
The team battled back the next
weektodefeatopponentPalosVerdes
with scores of 214-254 at Penmar,
and 254-279 at the Palos Verdes
Country Club. The round of 214 at
Penmarmarkedtheteam’sbestround
of the year. Notable performances
include junior Megan Lamb’s score
of 46 at Penmar and senior Jessica
Bergman’s memorable round of 42 at
the Palos Verdes Country Club.
first league loss to Torrance High with
a close score of 7-11. On Oct. 8, the
match against North Torrance High
resulted in Samo’s second consecutive
loss, with a score of 5-13.
Tennis is a challenging sport that
requires both mental and physical skill.
The main problem that is hindering
the Lady Netters is a lack of the physical
and fundamental skills that are the
key to success: the basic forehand,
backhand, volley, overhead, and the
serve. According to Coach Antonio
Robertson, the girls often make both
physical and mental mistakes that are
preventing them from being more successful.
Furthermore,
Robertson adds
thatthegirlsmust
improve on their
formandonthese
simple skills in

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order to fulfill
their potential. “I
feel that it is not
our opponents
that are beating
us, but it is that
we are beating ourselves. Hopefully,
the girls will keep at it and get themselves
to the level that I know they can
achieve,” said Robertson. There is no
doubt that these girls have improved,
and will continue to improve.
Senior Christine Yi is enthusiastic
about the team’s accomplishments.
“We’re doing really well this year as a
team. It’s exciting to think that we
might make it to CIF. We’ve grown a
fondness for Coach Robertson and his
coaching techniques. The girls are
always encouraging each other and
working hard. We’re cool beans,” said
Yi.
Senior Joanna Turlik returns a
volley to beat Culver City on
Oct. 2.
Photo By Alex Leitner
Sports
Vikings Take 3-3 Record Into Peninsula
By Lisa Strumwasser
The Samo girls volleyball team
continues to perservere through an
incredibly competitive season in Bay
League with a 0-3 record.
Although the team has collected
losses against North Torrance (Oct.
8), Culver City (Oct. 15), and West
Torrance (Oct. 17), the Lady Spikers
are “learning a lot in the game situation,”
said Head Coach Liane Sato.
“The competition we play [against] is
pretty tough and we’re learning to
deal with it.”
Thus far the team has been having

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difficulty coming out of its slump. To

remedythisproblemCoachSatosaid,
“We just need to have a little bit more
serious commitment [from the team]
to become better volleyball players.”
According to senior captain Lindsay
Miman, the team’s weakness is frustration.
She attributes the team’s performance
to “[the team] shutting
down. We try to talk and keep things
positive, but sometimes it’s hard because
we get discouraged.” At practices
the team fine tunes its passing
game and players maintain their fitness
by conditioning.
Playingagainsthighcaliberteams
has shown a unique Samo strength,
team unity. “We have a lot of school
spirit [and] team spirit. The girls all
get along. They’re great girls,” said
Sato. AccordingtoMiman,theteam’s
passing and serving “are getting a lot
better.”
The league season has reached its
three points, the Greenies exploded
in a 19-8 thrashing of against the
previously unbreakable San
Marino defense. In the trouncing,
senior Fernando Navarette made
six goals, senior Gregory Cruz
threw in four, and senior Max
Baumgarten and junior Jacob
Honig threw in three apiece.
Coach Matt Flanders said about
the victory, “Before the game, I
told them they needed to suck it up
and prove what they could do…
let their actions speak.”
The Greenies’ next two games
were against much less formidable
opponents than San Marino. In
the first game against Culver City,
Samo sleepwalked through an 11-

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7 win. Navarette led the team with

five goals, while Honig played
great defense with six steals.
In their next match, against the
feeble Beverly Hills team, the
Greenies easily strutted out to a
17-3 victory behind the leadership
of the usual suspects.
Navarette again threw in five goals,
and Cruz added four. They were
By Tim Livingston
Even after losing to San
Marino twice, Samo knew who
the stronger team was. In their
first meeting, San Marino
edged out an 8-6 victory. Yet
after the game, many Greenies
felt they were the better team
despite the loss. Junior Noel
Goetz commented, “We had an
off game the first time around.
In terms of talent, we knew we
had the edge. We also knew that
the outcome of our next meeting
was simply going to come
down to our execution.”
The next game was figured
to be a walk in the park for the
Greenies, who might have been
a little over-confident in their
approach to a game they thought
would be an easy win. However,
Samo simply couldn’t convert
on offense and lost a heartbreaker
2-1. How does the saying
go? Third time’s a charm?
After losing two close games
to San Marino by a combined
greatly assisted by the tenacious
defense of Goetz, who recorded
seven steals in the contest.
After a dismantling of the small
private school Milken, the

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Greenies prepared for their most

difficult game of the season. They
were getting ready to face long
time Bay-League power Mira
Costa, in a battle of two of the top
teams in Division III. After falling
behind 5-1 in the second quarter,
the Greenies continued to fight,
but the Mustangs always had an
answer. The game ended in a 12-
6 Mira Costa victory.
After the game, Samo looked
dejected and angry because of its
performance. When asked to explain
the reasons for his team’s
downfall, Flanders said, “We fell
into our old way of playing…very
one dimensional. We are best when
our whole team contributes, not
just one or two individuals.” The
emphasis on team cohesiveness
will be key if the Greenies want to
succeed in future games against
tough opponents.
By Hanna Jacobsen
The boys cross-country team has
been facing diverse competition, and is
handling it with remarkable
assuredness and speed.
The boys team has fared extremely
well in Ocean League so far. They were
introduced to competition outside their
league on the final weekend of
September, when they ran in an
invitational at Stanford University that
drew 38 teams and numerous college
coachesonrecruitingtripsfromallover
the west. The boys tied for 16th place
in the five mile event. Leading the way
was senior team captain Jacob
Zukerman, who ran a personal best
of16:43. He said the invitational was
a “good experience. It showed us

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what big races at CIF will be like,

races with other really competitive
teams.”
Following the Stanford meet, the
boys placed fifth at the Kenny Staub
Cross-Country Invitational on Oct.
By Justin Dean
The girls cross-country team is
running strong this year, and they
hope to win the CIF championship
for the first time in three years.
At the Oct. 5 track meet, they
took fifth place. Leading the girls in
the three mile run was sophomore
Stephanie Thornton, who came in
21st with an overall time of 20:16.
Close behind was senior team captain
Stephanie Ishler, finishing in
37th place with a time of 21:52.
Coach Cady said, “I’m excited.
I think [the chances of winning a
championship] are really, really
good for us right now. Not only
that, [but] we probably have seven
or eight really good sophomores
behind varsity.” Thornton added
optomistically, “ I think we are
doing pretty well, and we could win
the league finals.”
With such a powerful team, the
girls may see gold at the end of their
finish line.
Girls Volleyball
Hopes to Improve
Cross-Country: Setting the Pace
Girls Boys
Greenies Playing Confidently
By Jonathan Lee
Six touchdowns in a single game.
More than 500 yards and 8
touchdowns from senior tailback
Adrian Gonzalez. An emotional and
physical sparkplug in senior wideout

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Paul Helmy, who has made

opponents look and feel silly on his
way to 6 touchdowns and 25
receptions. A defense led by a
fearsome group of linebackers that
has stymied most opposing offenses.
All the elements seem to be in place.
So why are we just 3-3? What is
missing?
These are just some of the
questions the Vikings asked
themselves after devastating losses
in away games at Claremont and
Redondo. Sandwiched in between
these two opponents was a display of
domination that the Vikings would
like to be reminded of more often, a
45-14 outburst against Morningside
that left spectators stunned and glued
to their seats.
Against a tough
Division II opponent
in Claremont on Oct.
4, Samo’s lone score
came in the second
half from the hands of
senior Ricky Johnson,
who threw to Helmy
for a 9 yard TD
reception. Sloppy
offensive play
pressured a defensive
unit surging from a
28-27 victory the
previous week against
Venice, which was
decided on a final
defensive stop by
Samo. Johnson had his least
productive outing of the season,
completing 5 of 15 passes for 48
yards. Gonzalez had 20 carries for
83 yards, but, surprisingly, no

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touchdowns. On Samo’s first drive,

Claremont capitalized on a fumble
and scored a touchdown after being
handed great field position. Another
Samo fumble led to a field goal, and
Claremont put points on the
scoreboard twice by stopping
Samo in their own endzone for
2-point safeties. The 7-14 loss
was indicative of Samo’s
inconsistent offensive play.
Coach Norm Lacy states,
“We’re still trying to find
balance on offense. There’s too
much pressure on the defense to
win games, so we’re still figuring
out what our best offensive unit
is.”
After the stale, sloppily executed
match against
Claremont, Samo hoped to
redeem themselves and found
relief in a Morningside opponent
plagued by inexperience and a
relatively new coaching staff. The
45-17 win at SMC was the result of
an overpowering running game that
resulted in 265 yards on 23 carries
and 5 touchdowns. Gonzalez turned
12 touches into 150 yards and two
touchdowns, while senior Chris Clay
also took advantage of the porous
defensive line by rushing for 74
yards and a touchdown. Johnson
played effectively, gaining 36 yards
and two touchdowns on the ground
while completing 7 of 12 passes for
121yardsandaTDagainstasecondary
that looked lost and confused. Helmy
was Johnson’s favorite target, despite
his smallish 5’-10”, 158 pound frame,
as he caught five passes of over 10
yards and evaded Morningside’s

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entire defense for a beautiful 30 yard

touchdown.
Unfortunately, the level of play
demonstrated against Morningside
did not carry over into the next week,
when the Vikings brought a 3-2
record to Redondo, their first league
opponent. Though Gonzalez was
able to score on a 2-yard touchdown
in just 8 plays on the opening drive,
a fumble and interception on later
possessions led to two Redondo
touchdowns that seemed to shift the
momentum of the game. Ricky
Johnson attempted to spearhead the
Samo offense throughout the game,
but only 5 of his 18 passes found
their way into the hands of Samo
receivers. Though Clay went off to
the races on a 90 yard touchdown in
the second half, it was too little and
too late for the Vikings. The 31-14
loss seemed over almost as soon as it
began.
At a critical point in their season,
the Vikings are staring down a 3-3
record and a very difficult opponent
in Peninsula. Though most of Samo’s
fans probably won’t be able to attend
today’s 2:30 game at Peninsula, the
Vikings hope they’ll be able to make
them proud. Here’s to 4-3.
Samo blows out Morningside 45-17 on Oct. 11.
Photo by Ava Tramer
halfway mark, and the team looks to
up its level of play. “All we need is to
be more aggressive on the court…we
have a lot of good players, we just
need to use them all to work well
together,”saidreturningvarsityplayer
sophomore Milan Clark.
5. Despite the absence of seniors Dexter
Fairweather and Kemal Cilengir, the

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boys ran in a close-knit pack.

Junior Chris Chavez won the next
race against rival teams West Torrance
and Beverly Hills. Fairweather summed
up the team’s happiness when he said,
“We [the team] have been preparing
for this since the beginning of summer,
and we won-we destroyed West. ”
The next league meet at Redondo
added to the boys’ undefeated Ocean
League record. Zukerman, Chavez,
and sophomore Yermie Cohen were
three of the first five finishers.
Most recently, the boys took third
place overall at the Cross Country
Invitational at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo,
where they faced other Division I teams
like themselves, as well as Divisions II
and III teams. Chavez made an excellent
fourth place finish overall, and was the
second fastest runner in Division I.
The boys will face some of the very
best teams in the biggest race on the
west coast tomorrow at Mt. SAC.

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Friday, June 14, 2002

New Cabinet Elected; Cynthia Santiago President

By Brittany Benjamin

Student’s elected their 2002-2003 executive board, but questions regarding the accuracy and fairness
arose when the ASB announced the results. [To read more click here]

“Dogtown and Z-Boys”: Not Just for the Skaters

By Michael Blackman

In the 70s a new trendy toy called the Pet Rock made millions of dollars. It was made popular by idiotic
kids who begged their parents to buy one just because their friends at school had them. The Pet Rock’s
popularity died out in the late 70s along with the Yo-Yo and the Hula-hoop of a decade before. [To read
more click here]

War on Terror Rhetoric Beats Around the Bush

By Jeremy Kutner

It seems the entire Bush camp has been trying to divert our attention a lot these days, blitzing the
American public with wave after wave of inconclusive, uncorroborated, and uncertain warnings about

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the, according to the Los Angeles Times’ quote of Vice-President Dick Cheney, “almost certain”
possibility of terrorist attacks in the United States in the near future. These warnings, however, only
serve to distract the nation from the fact that the president knew something about pending hijackings and
security lapses pre-September 11 and bungled the situation badly. [To read more click here]

Congratulations to the Class of 2002!

Valued Orchestra Conductor Retires After 39-Year

Career
By Ari Rosmarin

After five years of musical excellence at Samo and 39 years under his teaching belt, Orchestra Director
Christopher Schwabe plans to retire at the end of this year. [To read more click here]

Five Athletes of the Year

By Michael Biskar and Ari Rosmarin

As a tribute to some of the more impressive athletic achievements thus at Samo, The Samohi editorial
staff has accumulated a list of the top five senior athletes of the 2001-2002 season. [To read more click
here]

Contact the site webmaster to give feedback.

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 http://www.samohi2.smmusd.org/the-samohi/2002/061402/6-14news1.html

New Cabinet Elected; Cynthia Santiago President

By Brittany Benjamin

Student’s elected their 2002-2003

executive board, but questions
regarding the accuracy and
fairness arose when the ASB
announced the results.

Junior Cynthia Santiago won the

ASB Presidency , just ahead of
junior Christine Yi. The race with
the most candidates was Seaker of
the House, with nine people
running. Surprisingly, junior Jamie
“Fox” Wilson made a quick
speech of “Vote for me, please,”
and won the position. The other
candidates had long speeches that
most were unable to finish.

Other wins included junior Mark Hunter for Vice President, freshman Gus Walsh for Treasurer, and
sophomore Debbie Soleymani for Secretary. Junior Moises Castillo took the role of Student Member of
the Board and Commissioner of Elections went to junior Angela Rivera, both members of Santiago’s
campaign ticket MAC, an acronym for their first names.

Questions arose when ASB turned the microphone off on junior Stephen Miller and then escorted him off
stage after he made remarks about leaving trash for janitors and the crowd started booing. “[ASB]
claimed that he went over-time, which he obviously didn’t,” said junior Chris Moritz. ASB replied that
Advisor Don Hedrick had previously approved his speech, so he wasn’t being cut off because of his
remarks, but purely for time reasons; the crowd was yelling too loudly for him to make a quick closing.

Freshman Kristina von Hoffman, another candidate for Speaker of the House and the current Freshman
Representative, feels that there weren’t any ulterior motives in cutting Miller off. “I don’t feel that
anyone was out to get anyone. I feel the election was run as fair as it could have been,” said von
Hoffman.

Some teachers reported confusion in their classes with not enough candidate sheets and unclear
instructions on how the ballots would get to the counting room. In English Teacher Anoushka Franke’s
room, students voted but the ballots were never collected by ASB members and were never counted
because they didn’t make the time deadline. “The notice that was given to me said that an ASB person

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would come, but no one came. When no one came I figured that someone would come later, but they
never did,” said Franke.

It was such events that led juniors Alexandra Gillinsky, Diana Huang, and Janet Mozaffari to start a
petition asking for a re-vote between Santiago and Yi. They felt that since the numbers (unreleased by
ASB) were so close, even one class could have changed the results. Yi declined to comment on the
petitions.

Co-Principal Kirsten Hibert believes the count was fair because of timing. “My understanding was the
ballots had to be in at a certain time and at that time Cynthia Santiago won and I think we need to go
with that.”

Rumors also circulated that ASB might have been unfair while counting the ballots. However, several
staff members from The Samohi observed the counting process and reported no irregularities.

According to ASB, this year’s elections were similar to previous years in regard to the minor problems.
However, more ballots were counted this year than usual.

Even with the doubt some students have, Santiago is not worried about getting the help and respect that
will enable her to do her job; she feels the majority of the students felt their vote was counted. Her plans
include concentrating on the achievment gap and uniting the school. She wants to hold more activities for
the students, like music in the quads, and implant more tutoring and mentoring programs.

[GO BACK TO THE NEWS PAGE]

* Photo by Wesley Krieger

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 http://www.samohi2.smmusd.org/the-samohi/2002/061402/6-14news.html

New Cabinet Elected; Cynthia Santiago President

By Brittany Benjamin

Student’s elected their 2002-2003 executive board, but questions regarding the accuracy and fairness
arose when the ASB announced the results. [To read more click here]

New Look for Next Year’s Admin.

By Sunil Parekh and Ari Rosmarin

The arrival and establishment of the Ilene Straus administration is coinciding with the departure of a
number of current Samo administrators. But as administrations change, many are hopeful that fresh
leadership will bring new hope to the campus. [To read more click here]

Discussion to Expand Access for All Students

By Rebecca Beasley-Cockroft and Ari Rosmarin

Over 120 students, teachers, staff members, administrators, parents, community members, activists, and
school board members convened on the penthouse floor of the Four Points Sheraton Hotel in April for
the first annual Access Conference, a student-driven effort designed to shed light on issues of academic
inequity on Samo’s campus. [To read more click here]

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Correction:
In the May 3 issue of The Samohi, the article “The Union Battle: One
Hotel, Two Different Stories” falsely claims that the Doubletree
management asked employees to sign a petition.

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New Look for Next Year’s Admin.

By Sunil Parekh and Ari Rosmarin

The arrival and establishment of the Ilene Straus administration is coinciding with the departure of a
number of current Samo administrators. But as administrations change, many are hopeful that fresh
leadership will bring new hope to the campus.

In the last few weeks Straus has made a few changes to the administrative structure. Next year, instead of
the two Associate Principal positions under the CEO as previously planned, there will be only one, to be
filled by current Co-Principal Mark Kelly.

Among those leaving the administrative team at the end of the year are current Co-Principal Kirsten
Hibert, Assistant Principal in Charge of Testing Diana Garcia, and Assistant Principal in Charge of
Activities Frank Turner, who is applying for a Student Service Coordinator position. Assistant Principal
in Charge of Student Services Joy Bramlette plans to submit her resignation this week.

Hibert plans to leave Samo in order to take a job as the Administrator in Charge of Secondary Programs
in the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) Local District H, centered in East Los Angeles
(See Goodbye Letter). In this new position, Hibert will be working with high school principals to
implement school reform programs, and standards-based instruction and curriculum.

Garcia has also decided to leave the school to work with former Samo Principal Sylvia G. Rousseau, who
is currently the Superintendent of LAUSD Local District I, located mostly in South-Central Los Angeles.

Garcia has been a part of SMMUSD for 22 years, including 14 years as an English teacher at Samo and
the last four as an administrator here. Garcia said that she was originally planning to stay to fill one of the
Associate Principal positions, but it was subsequently eliminated in Straus’ reconstructuring.

“It’s a trying time. It’s really difficult to make change, especially when this school has been my home for
a very long time,” said Garcia.

Also departing from the administration will be Turner, who plans to apply for one of the 12 new Student
Service Specialist positions, which will replace counseling positions next year.

In Straus’ new structure, under the CEO will be one Associate Principal in charge of staffing, budget, and
instruction. Under him will be four Assistant Principals, each assigned to a different grade level. The
only definite Assistant Principal returning will be current Assistant Principal in Charge of Facilities Greg
Runyon, who Straus suggests will still be in charge of campus operations and additional duties yet to be
determined.

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One new face to the administrative team next year will be new Assistant Principal Anwar Salash, who is
currently serving as an Assistant Principal at a school in Kentucky.

Another new addition will be Assistant Principal Ruth Esseln, who is currently a graduate student at the
University of Washington. Esseln will focus on curriculum and improving instruction at Samo.

The fourth Assistant Principal has yet to be selected.

The last two members of the administrative team will be the Dean of Students, Lori Pawinski, and
current College and Career Counselor Catherine Baxter.

Over the last few months, Straus has been focusing on hiring her team, gathering data about the school,
talking to teachers, parents, and students about their concerns, and planning her strategy for next year.

Once the transition is settled, Straus wants to focus on clarifying attendance, tardy, and discipline
policies for students and staff members with clear expectations and enforced consequences. She also
wants to start intense staff development next year to work on alignment of courses, clear expectations for
students, rigor, and accountability. Lastly, she hopes to have a plan for smaller learning communities at
Samo in place by the Spring of 2003 to implement in the Fall of the 2003-2004 school year.

Straus and the new administrative team clearly have a huge amount of work ahead of them, but seem
ready for the task.

“Next year at Samohi will be a time of renewal and hope and hopefully excitement as we take all the
work that has been done and move to the next level for students and staff,” said Straus. “It is a huge
responsibility to guide the work, but one worthy of our time.”

[GO BACK TO THE NEWS PAGE]

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Not Found

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Item could not be found. It may have been deleted by another user. [1081]

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Discussion to Expand Access for All Students

By Rebecca Beasley-Cockroft and Ari Rosmarin

Over 120 students, teachers, staff members, administrators,

parents, community members, activists, and school board
members convened on the penthouse floor of the Four Points
Sheraton Hotel in April for the first annual Access Conference, a
student-driven effort designed to shed light on issues of academic
inequity on Samo’s campus.

The event, organized and hosted by seniors Brent Kastenbaum

and Justin Siplin, consisted of a series of presentations and
discussions among conference participants regarding various
examples of disparities in education at Samo that make up the “Two Schools Phenomenon.” Throughout
the day, different speakers presented data that detailed the racial breakdown of the campus.

AVID Senior Teacher Anthony Collatos provided a comparison among Samo and Lynwood High School
and Inglewood High School, in which Samo fared far better in the number of credentialed teachers,
spending per pupil, and a number of other categories. But when comparing how many of Samo’s Latino
and African-American students graduated with the necessary requirements to enroll in a University of
California School, Samo’s numbers were at least 10 percent lower for both ethnic groups.

After each presentation, conference participants broke into groups of 10 to 20 to brainstorm the root
causes of such inequalities and to try to find solutions to the problems. Then, representatives from the
groups would share with the rest of the room what findings they had come up with.

“The discriminatory influences of tracking, the school’s partiality toward the upper classes, the self-
fulfilling consequences of teachers’ expectations, and other forms of bias negatively affect students of
lower-class families,” said Siplin. “We hope to eliminate all of the programs and policies that take
students off of the four-year college path.”

Near the end of the day, Siplin and Kastenbaum, together with ASB President Justin Brownstone and
Student Member of the Board Chris Gary, announced the creation of a new administrative position at
Samo to be called the “Access Program Coordinator.” The new position, which Deasy publicly
committed to funding, would be responsible for coordinating all resources on campus that relate to access
and to create new programs when necessary.

A candidate has not been found yet for the position, but Siplin and Kastenbaum insist it will be filled by
September of 2002.

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The student leaders hope the conference will become a yearly event with community members coming
together to assess progress and necessary steps toward the goal of true equity in access to education at
Samo.

[GO BACK TO THE NEWS PAGE]

* Photo by Alex Leitner

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Five Athletes of the Year

By Michael Biskar and Ari Rosmarin

As a tribute to some of the more impressive athletic achievements thus at Samo, The Samohi editorial
staff has accumulated a list of the top five senior athletes of the 2001-2002 season.

Nikeda Cooks:

Throughout her four-year career on Varsity

Girls Golf at Samo, Cooks has dominated the
course like no other in Samo history. Each year
she successfully qualified for CIF Individual
competition and advanced to the final rounds
in three of them. Cooks’ teammates and Coach
agree that she not only shot the best score on
the team, but also showed the most heart. Head
Coach Mike Mitchell recalls times when
Nikeda would stay after the rest of the team to
practice and was always willing to lend a hand
to her teammates.

Charles Gordon:

A phenomenal three-sport athlete, Gordon

helped lead the football, basketball, and
baseball teams to post-season play this year. In
football, Gordon was instrumental in bringing
a CIF title to the Vikings, playing on both
sides of the ball in most games. In addition to
being a superb receiver with 66 receptions for
a total of 1,229 yards and 22 touchdowns,
Gordon also played as a safety on the
defensive end, punted for the team, and
returned kick-offs and punts from the other
side. At the end of the year, he was named to
the All-CIF First team. In baseball, Gordon
served as the team’s leadoff hitter and played
centerfield, earning him All-Bay League First
Team the past three years. Finally, Gordon’s consistent offensive contribution off the bench for the
basketball team propelled Samo to the playoffs this season.

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James Cooper:

As a two-sport athlete, Cooper led two Samo

sports teams to the CIF playoffs. While he
acted as quarterback of the Division X CIF
championship football team in the fall, he
played right field for the third-place Bay
League baseball team during the spring season.
In addition to his team’s successes, he has also
had individual achievements. He was named
All-Ocean League First Team for football and
All-Bay League First Team for baseball. To
add to his extensive list of accomplishments,
Cooper shattered the old Samo record for
touchdown passes in a season with 35
touchdowns this year while tying the
California state record for consecutive games
with at least one homerun at six. Through his play on the field, James has not only shown strong athletic
prowess, but also leadership and determination. Cooper ranks among some of the top athletes to have
ever graduated from Samo.

Martin Zarate:

Zarate dominated varsity soccer in the Bay League for all four
years at Samo. Not only did he post a remarkable 12 goals and 10
assists this season, but he amassed 48 goals in his Samo soccer
career, setting a new school record for career goals scored. Zarate
was also named Offensive Player of the Bay League this year. His
most successful season came two years ago when he led the
Vikings to the quarterfinals of the CIF playoffs with 20 goals
scored during the regular season. Zarate’s quick foot speed and
tricky ball handling skills earned him the nickname “The Shadow”
by his teammates. And while the varsity squad was unable to
qualify for the CIF playoffs this season, Zarate stood out as the
premier player in a league full of state powerhouses such as
Peninsula, Mira Costa, and West Torrance.

Terrell Maze:

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As another successful three-sport athlete, Maze

excelled on the football field, basketball court,
and track. As a member of the all-star caliber
football team, Maze still managed to make his
presence felt with his clutch catches and jukes
as wide receiver. He totaled 26 receptions with
an average of 15.5 yards per reception. Maze
also snagged a number of key interceptions as
cornerback. In addition, he was named to the
All-Ocean Leage First Team. During the
basketball season, Terrell acted as a key
ingredient in the team’s fourth place Bay
League finish. Maze competed at the state
finals last year and was a near miss at the finals
this season. Although Maze has achieved great
athletic successes, he remains humble about his impressive accomplishments, something that makes him
all the more deserving of our praise and recognition.

[GO BACK TO THE SPORTS PAGE]

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Five Athletes of the Year

By Michael Biskar and Ari Rosmarin

As a tribute to some of the more impressive athletic achievements thus at Samo, The Samohi editorial
staff has accumulated a list of the top five senior athletes of the 2001-2002 season. [To read more click
here]

Spring Sports Wrap-Ups

Tennis
By Elliott Birnstein

The Samo tennis team surprised many fans recently with its stunning playoff run. Advancing to the CIF
semi-finals, the Samo Netters exceeded their own expectations. “I really didn’t think we were going to
get that far,” said senior Kazim Narsinh. The great season was a nice end to Coach Chris Megaffin’s
career as Head Coach. [To read more click here]

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Track
By Hanna Jacobsen

Although neither the boys nor girls track teams won league, many individuals excelled in further
competition. [To read more click here]

Baseball
By Michael Biskar

Following a sweep of South Torrance and two disappointing one-run losses to Peninsula, the Samo
baseball team finished its Bay League season with a 8-5-1 record, good enough to make the CIF playoffs
for the first time in more than a decade. [To read more click here]

Softball
By Jacob Honig

The softball team ended the year on a high note, winning the last three league games. The winning streak
was highlighted by a phenomenal five hit shutout against West by sophomore pitcher Iris Early, as well
as an18-4 blowout victory over Hawthorne. Sophomore catcher Rosa Ordaz went on a tear near the end
of the season, with eight hits in her last fifteen at bats. In spite of the strong finish, the team finished with
a Bay League Record of 5-8-1 and an overall record of 10-13-1. [To read more click here]

Swimming
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By Jackie Len

While the girls swim team finished only 5th in Bay League, their individual efforts propelled many to
CIF competition. On May 9, the team headed to Belmont Plaza in Long Beach, nervously anticipating
the competitive CIF Preliminaries. Juniors Sally Sachs, Julia Caldas, and Kristen Hundley joined
sophomore Clara Lee in the 200 medley relay and finished in 17th place. Although this did not allow
them to advance to finals, the experience was valuable to all individuals involved. Coach Jeanneane
Houchin reflects: “We had a really good season, I am very proud of all the girls. They worked hard, and
our large CIF team shows that it was all worth it.” [To read more click here]

Boys Volleyball
By Lisa Strumwasser

In an attempt to compete against some of Southern California’s most aggressive and skilled teams, this
year’s boys volleyball team finished the Bay League season with a record of 3-12 and a second to last
place spot, ahead of only Culver City. [To read more click here]

Boys Golf
By Calanit Greenberg

After an 8-0 season characterized by great performances, it is not a surprise that the Samo boys golf team
won its third consecutive title as Ocean League champs. [To read more click here]

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College-Bound Athletes of 2002

Rocky Collis-Cornell University-Baseball

Nikeda Cooks-Bethune Cookman University-Golf

James Cooper-Loyola Marymount University-Baseball

Chris Gary-Georgetown University-Football

Charles Gordon-Kansas University-Football, Baseball

Aja Goss-Sonoma State University-Volleyball

Demetre Howard-UCLA-Track

Jessi Lafayette-UC Davis-Water Polo

Terrell Maze-San Diego State University-Football

Josh Smith-San Jose State University-Football

Dan Solchanyk-UC Davis-Football

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Boys Tennis Upsets Top Seed Dana Hills; Falls in

CIF Semifinals
By Elliott Birnstein

The Samo tennis team surprised many fans recently with its stunning playoff run. Advancing to the CIF
semi-finals, the Samo Netters exceeded their own expectations. “I really didn’t think we were going to
get that far,” said senior Kazim Narsinh. The great season was a nice end to Coach Chris Megaffin’s
career as Head Coach.

During the playoffs, senior Neema Samari, junior Eric Besson, and freshman Jonathan Sappaiboon
played singles. Narsinh, seniors Bo Hardt and Jean-Michelle Werk, juniors David Freeman, Besson, and
freshman Stephan Werk played doubles.

In the first round, eighth-seeded Samo ravaged El Rancho High 18-0 and advanced easily to the next
round.

When the Vikings arrived in the second round, Alisa Niguel High was waiting for them. Samo notched
another overwhelming victory with a score of 16-2. “At that point I was very proud of our team. They
were playing fantastic,” said Megaffin.

After defeating Alisa Niguel, the Netters faced Dana Hills, the number one seed in CIF. Despite Dana
Hills’ reputation, Samo showed no ill effects as Sappaiboon paved the path to victory, winning all of his
matches and shutting out Dana Hills’ number one player. While Sappaibon led the charge, the doubles
tandem of Werk and Hardt came up with a win that broke the tie. Narsinh and Freeman struck the final
blow, winning the last match to beat Dana Hills. “I was impressed with how everyone handled the tight
matches. I especially give credit to the two freshmen who, in their biggest match of the season, stepped
up and played huge,” said Jean-Michelle Werk.

Samo eventually advanced to the CIF semi-finals but had their fantastic playoff run ended by long-time
rival Peninsula. The score of 4-14, however, did not represent how close the match actually was. Stephan
Werk said, “It was unfortunate that we weren’t able to get any of the close matches in doubles,” (Samo
lost 9-0 in doubles). Samo also lost six tie- breakers that day, so the match could have gone either way.

Megaffin reflected on the season: “With our great heart and skill combined, it was inevitable that we
were going to go deep into the playoffs. Going to semi-finals is the culmination of hard work for seven
years.”

[GO BACK TO THE SPORTS PAGE]

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Track
By Hanna Jacobsen

Although neither the boys nor girls track

teams won league, many individuals excelled
in further competition.

An abundance of seniors qualified for All-

Bay-League and CIF, including team
captains Derrick Davis and Mike Ruiz, as
well as Shentora Bedgood, Demetre Howard,
Luis Orta, and Nancy Yu. Juniors Christian
Burrell, Sandra Hendricks, Allison Johnson,
Eryn Mack, Kai Oregugba, Aviva Regev,
and Jokubas Zukerman contributed to the
effort.

During the Bay League finals, Burell led the

competition in the 100m hurdles with a
personal record of 14.87 seconds and
advanced to the CIF finals and the Masters
Meet. Gumbrecht won the High Jump and
became a finalist in the CIF finals. Howard,
who will join UCLA’s track team as a triple
jumper this fall, set a school record of 46’8. 5’’ that pushed him into CIF competition, where he placed
second.

In addition to the various triumphs, team members were honored at the team banquet on Monday, June 3.
The varsity boy’s MVP was junior Terrell Maze. Junior Eryn Mack, a CIF finalist, was his female
counterpart for the award. Outstanding newcomers were freshmen Yermie Cohen and Sabrina Fields, and
the Captain’s Medal was given to Davis and Ruiz. The first Momma Bunny Appreciation Award, which
commends parents who served in similar ways as Carolyn Beug, was presented to Suzy and Nels
Mitchell, whose time and dedication have been helpful to the team.

Both teams can expect to become league champions next year, based on excellent performances by
budding track stars. Coach Williams emphasized this point: “The role of the individual was exemplified
during CIF; we found how strong the individual can be”.

With the powerful athletes in this year’s junior class, as well as the talented freshmen and sophomores on
the team, it looks like neighboring teams will be in for some tough competition next season.

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[GO BACK TO THE SPORTS PAGE]

* Photo By Alex Leitner

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Baseball
By Michael Biskar

Following a sweep of South

Torrance and two disappointing
one-run losses to Peninsula, the
Samo baseball team finished its
Bay League season with a 8-5-1
record, good enough to make the
CIF playoffs for the first time in
more than a decade.

Unfortunately, in their first round

match against the Roadrunners at
Oxnard, the Vikings playoff
season crumbled under the
pressure of an explosive Oxnard
offense. Although the Vikes
jumped out to an early 4-0 lead,
they were unable to hold on for
very long as a powerful Roadrunner lineup drove in 13 runs to Samo’s 10.

Head Coach Mike Czarnetzki brought up eight underclassmen for the playoff game. Although not one of
them actually played, the experience itself will undoubtedly prepare them a little more for next season.

Despite the departure of 14 seniors from the 16-man roster, the addition of several talented juniors and
sophomores will help next year. Junior Alex Corral was added to the Viking pitching staff, and a great
sophomore class will help to rebuild Samo into a CIF playoff-caliber team over the next two seasons.

Also adding to playoff hopes is the realignment of Samo’s league. Instead of the eight-team Ocean and
Bay leagues, there will be the Ocean, Bay and Pioneer leagues, each holding only five teams. This will
reward quality teams like Samo with a better chance of reaching the playoffs. Each league will still send
three teams to the playoffs, increasing the number of playoff contenders. The Vikings will remain in the
Bay League, contending with powerhouses West Torrance, Peninsula, and Mira Costa, along with newly-
added Redondo.

Said returning varsity junior Nick Borkin of the team’s chances next season, “It will definitely be a
rebuilding year. The JV players coming up will have to work harder so we can compete in the new Bay
League next year.”

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With such a talented group of underclassmen, the Vikings are sure to make a strong impact on the newly-
constructed league next season.

[GO BACK TO THE SPORTS PAGE]

* Photo By Alex Leitner

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Softball
By Jacob Honig

The softball team ended the year on a high note, winning the last three league games. The winning streak
was highlighted by a phenomenal five hit shutout against West by sophomore pitcher Iris Early, as well
as an18-4 blowout victory over Hawthorne. Sophomore catcher Rosa Ordaz went on a tear near the end
of the season, with eight hits in her last fifteen at bats. In spite of the strong finish, the team finished with
a Bay League Record of 5-8-1 and an overall record of 10-13-1.

Despite the average record, outstanding individual performances by underclassmen hint at a successful
season next year. Ordaz blossomed into the All-Bay-League First Team catcher, with a team-leading 18
hits and a .375 batting average. Sophomore Amara Russel and Junior Lisa Cisneros made All-Bay-
League Second Team by playing Gold-Glove caliber defense.

“We had a very good year,” said Head Coach Debbie Skaggs. “We are really looking forward to next
year when we move up to the Ocean League.” With an abundance of young talent returning next year,
the softball team’s future is looking bright.

[GO BACK TO THE SPORTS PAGE]

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Swimming
By Jackie Len

While the girls swim team finished only 5th in Bay League, their individual efforts propelled many to
CIF competition. On May 9, the team headed to Belmont Plaza in Long Beach, nervously anticipating
the competitive CIF Preliminaries. Juniors Sally Sachs, Julia Caldas, and Kristen Hundley joined
sophomore Clara Lee in the 200 medley relay and finished in 17th place. Although this did not allow
them to advance to finals, the experience was valuable to all individuals involved. Coach Jeanneane
Houchin reflects: “We had a really good season, I am very proud of all the girls. They worked hard, and
our large CIF team shows that it was all worth it.”

The boys’ swimming season was quite similar, as they also finished 5th in league. The 200 medley relay
and 400 freestyle relay teams both earned 3rd place at league finals. Junior Max Goldstein managed to
earn 6th place in the 100 breastroke and 9th place in the 200 individual medley in CIF competition,
setting a personal record in the breastroke during Preliminaries and making the entire CIF experience
worth the effort.

Senior swimmers are all looking to continue their efforts elsewhere, while the younger swimmers are
already training hard to stay in shape for next year. With an abundance of young talent, hopes are high
for next year. As Head Coach Matt Flanders said, “They are all great kids, and will do well in whatever
they do because of the discipline and hard work that they have learned in the pool. It has been an
amazing learning experience for everyone.”

[GO BACK TO THE SPORTS PAGE]

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Boys Volleyball
By Lisa Strumwasser

In an attempt to compete against some of Southern California’s most aggressive and skilled teams, this
year’s boys volleyball team finished the Bay League season with a record of 3-12 and a second to last
place spot, ahead of only Culver City.

The main obstacle that impeded the team from reaching the top this year was a lack of experience at the
varisty level. Junior Daniel Yu said, “This year people thought the volleyball team would be a clown
team, but we worked really hard.” The team was mostly comprised of the junior varsity team from last
year, and the team had trouble adjusting to the much faster and aggressive game that varsity volleyball
demands.

Although the team suffered many disappointing losses, some moments provided a sense of success, such
as the team’s slaughtering of Beverly Hills in three sets.

As for next year’s team, Yu stated, “I’m looking forward to next year because the JV team is a great
team.” With new talent moving up, Samo voys volleyball should be a daunting challenge for next year’s
opposition.

[GO BACK TO THE SPORTS PAGE]

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Boys Golf
By Calanit Greenberg

After an 8-0 season characterized by great performances, it is not a surprise that the Samo boys golf team
won its third consecutive title as Ocean League champs.

On May 13, the Linksters were represented in the CIF Individuals Tournament by sophomores Daniel
Wax and Jeremy Kramer, who placed third and tied for fifth, respectively. Six out of the ten members of
the All-League Team were on the Samo team.

Although the team’s overall performance was impressive, there was an obvious lack of strong teams at
CIF. Though this does not diminish from the great accomplishment of the season, the Linksters may not
be prepared for the tougher competition they will face next year when they move up to the Bay League.
However, Head Coach Mike Mitchell is confident the team is up to the task : “I’m proud of the whole
team. Obviously, I see room for improvement in everybody’s game and behavior, but, all in all, it was an
above average year for us, and I look forward to continuing to improve for next year.”

[GO BACK TO THE SPORTS PAGE]

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Friday, May 3, 2002

Click on the page banners to go to the rest of that page for this issue.

Lincoln Principal Ilene Straus Named CEO

By Ari Rosmarin

Superintendent John Deasy has appointed current Lincoln Middle School Principal Ilene Straus Chief
Educational Officer (CEO) for Samo as part of his reorganization plan for the school. Straus will
officially begin work Jul. 1 and has already begun meeting with current administrators, parents, teachers,
and students to develop her strategy for next year. [To read more click here]

One Book, One City Project Unites L.A. Readers

By Brittany Benjamin and Daniel Morgan

In 1998, an ingenious mass-reading program began in Seattle that encouraged all citizens to read the
same book as a community. Since then, cities such as Chicago, Milwaukee, and even our hometown of
Los Angeles have chosen books to experience as a city. The cities created these reading projects to
promote literary unity and conversation on excellent books. [To read more click here]

Pro/Con: Israeli Action In the West Bank

The Recent Israeli incursions against targets in Palestinian Refugee camps in the West Bank area have

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been necessary in order to eliminate the threat of terrorism. [To read more click here]

Students March for Doubletree Workers’ Rights

By Kesha Ram

Social activist Dolores Huerta led Samo students in a march on the doubletree hotel on Apr. 11 in an
effort to support workers’ efforts there to unionize. [To read more click here]

The Lady with the Green Thumb

By Hannah Tepper and Sunil Parekh

Some students find themselves in the Science Quad at lunch and during breaks because of the vending
machines. Those who are nature lovers find that the trees, Greenhouse, and rose garden all make it the
ideal place to be. This setting would have been concrete alone if it weren’t for the green thumb of Santa
Monica School Garden Consultant, Bonnie Freeman. Armed with a passion to beautify, Freeman
coordinated more than 120 school garden programs in and around Los Angeles and planted 20 bedding
areas and 53 trees on campus. She plans to remain the Coordinator of the Samo Beautification Project
and consultant for Environmental Biology classes for at least another year as well as building an urban
farm in Goleta, where she currently lives. The Samohi sat down with Freeman to get the dirt on this
gardening benefactress. [To read more click here]

Boys Golf Wins Third Consecutive League Title

By Calanit Greenberg

The boys golf team has once again swept the Ocean League for the third consecutive year. They are
undefeated with a league score of 8-0 , a varsity record of 9-0 and are moving their way into difficult CIF
competition. [To read more click here]

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Contact the site webmaster to give feedback.

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Lincoln Principal Ilene Straus Named CEO

By Ari Rosmarin

Superintendent John Deasy has appointed current Lincoln Middle School Principal Ilene Straus Chief
Educational Officer (CEO) for Samo as part of his reorganization plan for the school. Straus will
officially begin work Jul. 1 and has already begun meeting with current administrators, parents, teachers,
and students to develop her strategy for next year. [To read more click here]

New Developments in Maran Case

By Jeremy Kutner

Nearly four months after the tragic murder of sophomore Deanna Maran, the fifteen-year-old younger
half sister of Katrina Sarkissian was arraigned on charges stemming from events relating to Deanna’s
death. [To read more click here]

Parking Woes Continue

By Jordan Karney

Many students report vastly increased difficulty in finding parking spaces since the implementation of a
preferential parking zone covering much of 9th Street and Michigan Avenue by the Santa Monica City
Council last month. [To read more click here]

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Administrators’ Status Unsure for Next Year

By Ari Rosmarin

With fewer than two months left in the school year, only two out of the seven current senior
administrators have confirmed that they will be working at Samo next year, leaving many unanswered
questions about the remaining five. [To read more click here]

Suspension Numbers Don’t Add Up

By Maria Murcia

Student suspension data released by the Santa Monica Malibu Unified School District’s Student Services
Department shows a disproportionate number of Latino and African-American students suspended from
school last year when compared to their White and Asian counterparts. [To read more click here]

Samo to Premier First Ever Public Service

Announcement
By Michael Blackman

Samo’s first ever Public Service Announcement (PSA) will be broadcast on CityTV, Channel 16, on a
date in May not yet determined. The nonprofit commercial was made by Samo students in hope of
informing parents about the importance of taking an active part in their children’s school work. [To read
more click here]

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City Council Approves Athletic Field in Civic Center

Plan
By Megan Early

The Santa Monica City Council approved a plan for the Civic Center land renovation at its meeting Apr.
23 that includes the construction of one new athletic field that will be available for Samo use once it is
complete. [To read more click here]

News Briefs

Union Negotiations Continue for New Coordinators

By Ari Rosmarin

Santa Monica-Malibu Classroom Teachers Association representatives have been involved in ongoing
negotiations with SMMUSD officials for two months regarding the union status of the new Student
Service Coordinator positions to replace counseling positions next year. [To read more click here]

School Board to Ask Cities for More Funding

By Ari Rosmarin

In a recent memo to the School Board, Superintendent John Deasy detailed three options for saving the
district from an anticipated $2.5 million budget deficit for the 2002-2003 school year. [To read more

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click here]

Beloved Counselor Leaves

By Emily Finch

Counselor Liam Joyce, who has worked at Samo since 1994, recently decided to leave Samo to become
the principal of Topanga Elementary School. His last day at Samo was Apr. 12. [To read more click
here]

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Lincoln Principal Ilene Straus Named CEO

By Ari Rosmarin

Superintendent John Deasy has appointed current Lincoln

Middle School Principal Ilene Straus Chief Educational
Officer (CEO) for Samo as part of his reorganization plan for
the school. Straus will officially begin work Jul. 1 and has
already begun meeting with current administrators, parents,
teachers, and students to develop her strategy for next year.

Deasy selected Straus for the job after an initial nationwide

search and subsequent district screening process generated
four candidates to interview before a school panel composed
of teachers, students, administrators, classified staff, parents,
and community members. But after interviewing the finalists
himself, Deasy was not satisfied with any of the options.

“None of those candidates had all of the qualities that I was

looking for for the leadership at Samohi,” said Deasy. Those
qualities included experience in a large, diverse district, familiarity with reform initiatives in public
schools, and an understanding of national research on public schools.

Faced with the option of doing another search, Deasy looked inward and offered the position to Straus,
who, according to Straus, had recently gotten the job of Assistant Superintendent of Educational Services
at the district level.

“I think Ilene has a clear vision of what an excellent school is…She knows how to get people energized,
students, teachers, and parents, to deliver a high quality program,” said Deasy.

Straus then had to decide which job she wanted more.

“I had decided pretty much that it was time to think about doing something a little different and making a
bigger difference,” said Straus. “After the last part of vacation, I had not been sleeping for a couple of
days, and I really got clear that [Samo]’s the work I’m supposed to be doing.”

Straus enters the CEO position with a list of administrative accomplishments under her belt. Under her
16-year stewardship at Lincoln, the school was named a California Distinguished School twice, won the
National Blue Ribbon Award in 2000, and Disney named Lincoln its Spotlight School of the Year in
2001. In addition, Straus was named California Secondary Principal of the Year in 1991 and YWCA
Woman of the Year in 1996.

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She also has strong connections to the Samo community. Straus has lived in Santa Monica for many
years and her children, Julie (‘97) and Andrew (‘01), both graduated from Samo.

“I really respect Dr. Straus and think she’ll do an excellent job in taking Samohi to the next level,” said
Co-Principal Kirsten Hibert. “She will absolutely bring a set of skills here that are much needed.”

While it is now known who will be in the CEO position, what that position will entail is still unclear.

“I’ve had this job about a week, and I’m only beginning to get a sense of it,” said Straus.

According to plans laid out by Deasy in February, the CEO will be responsible for creating a “vision” for
the school and serving as a liaison between the school and outside community.

“The job of the CEO is to guide the whole picture,” said Straus. “I’m still the ultimate point person in
charge of the school, but I sort of carry the responsibility of helping people believe it’s possible, giving
people hope, and holding people accountable for what they’ve got to do.”

Straus’ office will be on campus, but the permanent location is still unknown. According to Straus,
possibilities for reorganizing the administrative office include creating a CEO area complete with
conference room facilities.

With a two-year commitment to the Superintendent to stay at Samo, Straus will begin to tackle the issues
that Samo has struggled with for many years, particularly making learning more personal, ensuring “the
instruction is interesting and engaging, and that all kids get access to exciting and engaging curriculum,”
said Straus.

One of the most challenging problems Straus will face will be addressing the “two schools
phenomenon,” in which the school is divided often ethnically and socio-economically between “high
achievers” and the rest of the student population.

Some have expressed concern that coming from a northern Santa Monica school, Straus may lack
experience in tackling issues of equity on such a dramatic scale. But the Lincoln principal is quick to
point out the fallacies of such an assumption.

“People think that because of where Lincoln is that we only deal with a white population, but that’s not
true. We deal with everyone,” explained Straus. “What I’m about is high student achievement for all
students.”

During her tenure at Lincoln, Straus successfully implemented a number of programs designed to boost
student achievement, versions of which she may consider bringing to this campus.

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Included in these was a “Core program,” in which the school broke up each grade into smaller groups of
approximately 135 students, a small number of teachers, counselors, and administrators in order to create
the feel of a smaller school-within-a-school. Straus recognizes that implementing this exact program at
Samo is impractical, but maintained, “I would think you would see a structure that would have students
and teachers connected in some way. If kids don’t feel part of a place, they don’t feel valued, they don’t
feel connected.”

Another program known as Guided Study required that students who did not complete homework
assignments stay after school to complete them. Despite the success of the program with over 90% of
students completing nightly assignments, Straus also sees the implementation of the exact program
unlikely given the size of the school.

In general, Straus plans to take major steps to achieve her goal of universal achievement for Samo
students. While the specifics of how she will do this remain unseen, she guarantees that her strategies
will be enforced.

“There are policies [here] but things don’t happen. You get a detention, they won’t catch you. That’s the
word I heard,” said Straus. “What you can expect from me is, if we agree on a policy, it will happen.”

As with many new initiatives that administrators propose at Samo, receiving support from the 150-plus
member faculty for her new policies will be a difficult task for the new CEO, but Straus appears to be
confident. She feels that because most faculty members are ready for things to get better, they will be
more receptive to change. But she also makes it clear that she will not tolerate resistance to change
beyond the usual discussions with faculty.

“I’m really great at hiring. I’m also nice and clear on letting people go, if that’s what has to happen. I’m
really clear that we have to fit right for Samohi…If people won’t go with me, it won’t work,” said Straus.

“If people are unified as a team, we’ll be fabulous,” said Deasy.

During the next two months, Straus’ main task on campus will be listening to students, parents, faculty,
staff, and community members about their concerns. She has already met with a number of parent groups
and also attended the ASB-sponsored Access Conference on Tue., Apr. 30.

“Every group I’ve been talking to is telling me that there are issues that they want dealt with,” said
Straus.

Besides learning the intricacies of Samo’s problems, Straus will also spend time for the remainder of the
school year hiring new administrators (See Related Story), teachers, and Student Service Specialists.
“I’ve basically said, no one’s getting hired without my being involved,” said Straus.

While everyone in the Samo community has high expectations for Straus and is eager to see how she will

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implement the changes that need to be made, the Lincoln Principal is relaxed and ready to work.

“I’m going to try to have a good time with it…Samohi deserves to be great for all kids. It’s a good school
for some kids, but it should be a great school for all kids. I think its going to be a great ride,” said Straus.

[GO BACK TO THE NEWS PAGE]

* Photo by Alex Leitner

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New Developments in Maran Case

By Jeremy Kutner

Nearly four months after the tragic murder of

sophomore Deanna Maran, the fifteen-year-old
younger half sister of Katrina Sarkissian was
arraigned on charges stemming from events
relating to Deanna’s death.

Los Angeles District Attorney’s Office

Spokeswoman Sandi Gibbons reported that
Sarkissian’s younger sister, who has never been
arrested, was charged with one misdemeanor
count of battery and one felony count of making criminal threats. As she is being tried in juvenile court,
she will most likely face a sentence amounting to probation.

At the arraignment, the girl denied the petition against her, the equivalent in juvenile court of entering a
plea of not guilty. “There is no evidence that [Sarkissian’s younger sister] participated in the actual
killing,” said Gibbons.

Maran’s family, however, believes the charges were not severe enough. “The charges were very weak.
Only one count of battery for [the younger sister’s] hand in this?” said Deanna’s mother Harriet Maran.
“For this young girl’s pride, she killed my daughter and killed her own sister in a way.”

The girl will be back in court on May 31 for the pre-plea report, which is similar to a pre-trial hearing.

On Nov. 17, Maran was fatally stabbed by Katrina Sarkissian following a fight involving Maran and
Sarkissian’s younger sister. Witnesses report that Sarkissian’s sister called her and asked her to come to
the party where Maran and the sister had initially quarreled. Once there, Sarkissian and Maran began
fighting. At some point, Sarkissian pulled out a knife and attacked Maran, stabbing her through the heart.
Maran was pronounced dead at Santa Monica Hospital later that night. According to the LAPD,
Sarkissian herself died the following day during a police interrogation from what an autopsy revealed to
be a fatal overdose of antidepressant medication.

The arraignment came amidst a very emotional period for Maran’s friends and family. Two weeks ago,
soon after the District Attorney’s office announced the arraignment, those who knew Maran gathered at
her home to celebrate what would have been her 16th birthday. Friends of Maran note that the birthday
gathering was very helpful in allowing them to grieve for their lost friend and celebrate her life.

“[The party] was a happy time and not really a sad one. Everyone was there to celebrate and remember

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Deanna. It was nice sitting in her room and looking through old photo albums and remembering what
Deanna did and what she was like,” said sophomore Daisy Tigler.

Though several months have passed since Maran’s death, emotions are still very raw. According to
sophomore Bryce Maddock, the intensity of feelings related to Maran’s death has led many to avoid the
subject as much as possible.

“[Dealing with Maran’s death] has been really tough. Since the tragedy, communication between her
friends about Deanna has broken down. But everyone remembers her,” said Maddock.

Tigler agrees. “[The subject of Maran’s death] is so difficult that many people don’t talk about it because
they are so upset,” said Tigler.

The tide of emotion has also produced a large outpouring of community support for the Maran family
and for efforts to promote non-violence among students. A tentatively titled “Deanna Maran Non-
Violence Scholarship” has been established by the Maran familiy in memory of their daughter.

According to College and Career Counselor Catherine Baxter, donations have been made from students,
parents, community members, and concerned people from accross the country. “Every week I receive a
handful of new checks in Maran’s honor,” said Baxter. “I am touched by people’s spirit of giving to
acknowledge the hope for our youth and the future.” As of now, the exact criteria of the scholarship has
not been determined, and it is unlikely that any scholarship will be handed out this year.

In addition, Samo’s choral program, of which Maran was a member, is spearheading an effort to raise
$1,000 for the purchase of a tree to be planted outside the new music room to commemorate all Samo
students who have died young.

According to PTSA fourth Vice President Inese Verzemnieks, the tree will be a living memorial for
Maran and the other students. “The tree will continue to live for many years and will hopefully provide
comfort for those who have lost friends,” said Verzemnieks. “It will help the community take stock of
the meaning of their own lives as well.”

The choral program has already raised $930 and plans to plant the tree sometime next fall after campus
construction projects are complete. Donations can be given to Choral Director Christopher Rhodes.

Though Maran’s family has had a great deal of difficulty coping with the murder, Maran’s mother notes
that Samo has been especially helpful in supporting the family though this difficult time.

Despite the tumult surrounding Maran’s murder, some students are skeptical that her death has triggered
much reassessment of student activities and actions. “I have changed a lot but as a whole I still see fights
and friends being aggressive. Not everyone has learned a lesson. I would like to think that Deanna died
for a reason and that people are not going back to violence after such a short time,” said Maddock.

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It is also clear that many students have changed forever as a result of the tragedy. “Thinking of Deanna’s
death still comes as a shock to me. Everyone is hurting, and everyone will remember Deanna,” said
Tigler.

[GO BACK TO THE NEWS PAGE]

* Photo by Zachary Elgart

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Parking Woes Continue

By Jordan Karney

Many students report vastly increased difficulty in finding parking spaces since the implementation of a
preferential parking zone covering much of 9th Street and Michigan Avenue by the Santa Monica City
Council last month.

The City Council’s decision, which restricted all-day parking to only the southeast side of 9th Street and
Michigan east of 10th Street, was reached after receiving countless resident complaints of appalling
student behavior in the area. Students who struggled to park on 9th and Michigan before permitting are
now being forced to park as far as 12th street or Euclid, or to forfeit parking east of school altogether.

“I have to come to school a lot earlier and it takes a really long time to find parking…It’s a lot more
competitive now because people just take my spots,” said senior Tara Nowakahtar.

Students are also having trouble parking south of Pico and west of Lincoln, where parking was, at one
time, plentiful.

“Unfortunately, Santa Monica is a great city with a great problem. Where parking-intensive uses like
businesses, schools and colleges are located next to residential neighborhoods, there aren’t enough
parking spaces to go around,” explained Mayor Pro-tem Kevin McKeown.

According to McKeown, some 9th Street residents are also advocating police support during the
morning, lunchtime, and after-school hours. Many of the residents are upset by the gap left on the east
side of 9th, where students are still allowed to park. “Cars are double-parked on both sides of the street,
just like before. It has not changed,” said 9th Street resident Herman Merchaonski.

There is also concern that while the preferential parking zone alleviated some stress for 9th Street
residents, it has worsened the problem for 11th and 12th Street residents. “I leave to take my kids to
school, and when I come back, I don’t have a parking space,” said 12th Street resident, B.J. Harper.

While many students are upset by the new parking restrictions, the City Council maintains that it had the
best interest of both students and residents in mind. “The City Council is [the students’] City Council as
well as [the residents’]…and we did the best we could to allocate too little parking among too many cars
as equitably as we could,” said McKeown. He also promised to change the street cleaning times on 9th
and Michigan to between 3:30pm and 5:00pm during weekdays so they do not further interfere with
student parking.

In six months, the City Council plans to review the success of the preferential parking zones since the
enforcement of the permits , and make whatever changes may be necessary. As for long term solutions to

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Samo’s worsening parking predicament, McKeown said, “The City and the School District are now
looking at the possibility of building a new sports field for Samohi as part of our Civic Center, and
putting a parking structure under it to serve students.”

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Administrators’ Status Unsure for Next Year

By Ari Rosmarin

With fewer than two months left in the school year, only two out of the seven current senior
administrators have confirmed that they will be working at Samo next year, leaving many unanswered
questions about the remaining five.

Aside from Assistant Principal in charge of Campus Operations Gregory Runyon, who “will definitely be
here next year,” and current Co-Principal Mark Kelly, no administrator knows whether or not he/she will
be returning to Samo for the 2002-2003 school year.

In the last few weeks, most administrators met with Samo’s new CEO, Ilene Straus (See “Lincoln
Principal Ilene Straus Named CEO”), to discuss her plans for next year and administrators’ roles. The
circumstances surrounding each administrator’s return are different, but some confirm one of the reasons
for the uncertainty is a lack of information coming from Superintendent John Deasy and Straus regarding
the details of Deasy’s new administrative structure for the campus next year. In January, Deasy unveiled
a new structure for Samo that created the CEO position, two new Associate Principal positions to focus
on instruction, reduced the number of Assistant Principal positions from four to three, and increased the
number of Deans from one to two. But according to some current administrators, the specifics of those
jobs have yet to be thoroughly explained.

“I feel very strongly that very soon those job descriptions do have to be flushed out in order for people
who might be interested in applying for administrative positions to have a better, more clear idea of what
they’re applying for,” said Assistant Principal in charge of Curriculum Diana Garcia.

Assistant Principal in charge of Athletics and Activities Frank Turner agreed. “It’s not comfortable to be
in a position and not having all the facts at this point and not all the information. So the comfort level is
not there,” said Turner.

When reached for comment, Deasy responded, “Actually, personnel matters I’m not going to discuss.”

Straus plans to spend much of her time in the next few months meeting with current administrators and
hiring more, if necessary. She emphasizes that hiring is one of the most important parts of her job and
that the success of the school depends on the quality of the administrative team.

In regards to current administrators, Straus said, “I want some of them to stay, but they may not want to.
It has to be joint…If you don’t want to work with me, then fine, I’m not going to beg you. But if you do,
then lets talk about what we both need.”

Regardless of who stays or leaves, the new structure next year will definitely reshape the current

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administrative team. After one year together, team members are feeling melancholy about the possible
break-up.

“It’s hard for me to think about all the caring and nurturing we’ve given to Samohi. We’ve shared our
hearts and minds with the kids and the staff and it’s hard for me to think of all of us not being here,” said
Assistant Principal in charge of Student Services Joy Bramlette.

The most recent development was Kelly’s decision to stay at Samo in an Associate Principal position.
Until this week, he had been weighing over his options and deciding what course to take next year.

“Mostly it was all about personal reflection and what are things that I want to accomplish for myself in
the next year,” said Kelly. “I’ve had conversations with Dr. Straus and there are still things that I have to
contribute to Samohi....I’m looking forward to continuing the work and to continue working on behalf of
students.”

Hibert appears to be less sure. She is currently looking at opportunities both inside and out of the district
but has not made any final decisions. “This has been a really tough decision to make. I really love this
school,” said Hibert.

In an overall assessment of her situation, Hibert said, “I may not be here next year.”

The circumstances at the Assistant Principal position seem to be more complicated than the Associate
Principal. Because of the reduction in Assistant Principals next year in the new structure, one position
will automatically be eliminated, leaving three, one of which Runyon has already secured.

According to Garcia, Straus has guaranteed Runyon and Garcia’s jobs, but she has yet to make a
decision. Part of that decision depends on the availability of an Associate Principal position, which if
available, she would be interested in filling. The other part is the possibility of her taking a senior district-
level position in another district in the area. But after 16 years at Samo, she is finding it difficult to part.

“There are other options that I’m looking into that are very tempting for various reasons,” said Garcia.
“Because of my long standing with the district and with the school, and my very strong emotional
connection to the school and everyone here…I’m having sleepless nights because its probably the most
difficult decision I’ve [had to make].”

Bramlette’s decision does not rest on the outcome of another job (although she has had requests to return
from both her former districts); she has to wait to find out if the school will hire her again for this one.
After a year at Samo, Bramlette “really likes the kids here” but has felt hurt by the way the restructuring
and hiring has been handled. When she was hired at the end of the 2000-2001 school year, she passed
through two interviews and a site-visitation by district and site personnel. Now, after working at Samo
for a year, she feels she has gone through enough to prove her worthiness, but does plan to apply for the
job. Applications are due today at 4:00 pm.

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“It has been a difficult decision but I’m committed to Santa Monica High School. I really want to
continue as Assistant Principal,” said Bramlette. “The students and parents have been really supportive in
helping me make this decision.”

Turner’s situation is also different from the rest. He is sure that he would like to return to Samo next year,
but does not know if that will happen, considering he is the newest member of the administrative team
and was hired on an interim basis toward the beginning of the school year. Of all the administrators,
Turner is the only one who has not had a conversation with Straus about plans for next year.

“I’m trying to determine where I would fit in, and where my position would fit in if, in fact, it would still
be in effect next semester,” said Turner. “More than likely, it’s not an advantage being a new guy on the
block.”

Turner expressed that he would be interested in a Dean position if that of Assistant Principal is not
available, but that if he is not at Samo next year, he might look for administrative positions in other
districts or start to sell real estate full-time, something he now does on a part-time basis.

Aside from the current Assistant-Principals, applications from other members of the school community,
including teachers and other staff members, will likely be part of the pile by the end of today’s
application deadline.

Dean of Discipline Lori Pawinski, while unable to make a definite commitment, said she wants to return
and “in all probability” will return next year, citing her intent to fulfill her promise to improve the
discipline office at Samo when she was hired a year ago.

In all, it is likely that some of the administrators will choose to leave or be chosen to leave, while others
will stay.

“I would expect a few changes but hopefully not a whole new team,” said Straus.

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Suspension Numbers Don’t Add Up

By Maria Murcia

Student suspension data released by the Santa

Monica Malibu Unified School District’s Student
Services Department shows a disproportionate
number of Latino and African-American students
suspended from school last year when compared
to their White and Asian counterparts.

Also, the 2000-2001 school year had a 12% drop

from the 1999-2000 school year’s number of
suspensions. The 353 suspensions of two years
ago fell to 311 last year.

Statistically, the breakdown of Samo’s four largest

ethnic groups last year was 49% White, 32%
Latino, 11% Black and 7% Asian. But according
to the data, Latinos have the highest number of
suspensions over the past three years with 47% of
total suspensions last year. Blacks served 21%,
and Whites served 30%.

The gap among these three ethnic groups and Asians is large. Asians served only 2% of the 311
suspensions.

Students and Administrators have grappled to find the root of this suspension inequality.

“I have concerns about this data. We need to ask what the underlying causes are for these suspensions.
Why doesn’t the data correlate with our socio-economic, ethnic, and racial demographic data?” said Co-
Principal Kirsten Hibert.

Junior Iris De La O, a Latina student, felt that student suspensions should not be an issue of race but
should instead continue being paired with the appropriately punishable actions of students. “These
statistics are fair. After all, those who break the rules should pay the price. I don’t think the reason why
students get suspended has anything to do with race,” said De La O.

Others on campus don’t agree, suggesting the problem is institutional rather than a coincidence. “The
stystem is set up in a way that is biased,” said AP Psychology Teacher A. Dee Williams. “The classroom
is set up where people are not going to be heard and that leads to what one person calls expression and

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another calls defiance.”

Information regarding this year’s suspensions is not yet available because the District compiles the
numbers at the end of the school year. However, Dean of Discipline Lori Pawinski is expecting an
increase in suspensions: “There will probably end up being a higher number [of suspensions] this year
than last year, because there is now one person who handles all of the discipline. In years past, the person
who handled discipline was responsible for so many other things.” Pawinski oversees all disciplinary
matters on campus, including suspensions.

Suspension from school is a consequence for severe offenses. Currently the most common reasons for
suspensions at Samo include fights, possession of drugs or alcohol while on school grounds, and the
disruption of school activities. The number of days of the suspension depend on what offense the student
has committed. For example, fighting or possessing controlled substances are both punishable by a five-
day period of suspension from school.

Some parents of suspended students believe suspensions are too stringent for some offenses. “The
parents feel that the suspensions are unfair because of the number of days the student is suspended for,
and sometimes they feel that the student is being punished for something that another student instigated
and who was not equally punished. However, I think Ms. Pawinski is very fair in making the
assessment,” said Estella Flores, Pawinski’s assistant who aids Spanish-speaking parents.

Not everyone shares the opinion that the school’s punishments are unfair. Senior Daniel Flax felt that his
week long suspension was appropriate. “I did learn my lesson and I don’t get drunk at school anymore,”
said Flax.

The large majority of students who are suspended on campus are students of color in 10th and 11th
grade. However, this year, Pawinski has stopped taking note of the students’ ethnic background.

“I thought [taking note of the student’s race] was illegal but as it turns out, the district can do it at the
district level but as a school, you are not supposed to write down the race,” said Pawinski. The District
keeps student files and suspension data that include the race of the individual.

There are no current plans to take action towards balancing the suspension inequality. Hibert
acknowledges that there is not just one answer for student suspensions but many pieces that will require
bringing counselors, administrators, teachers, students, and parents together in order to bring the numbers
down.

“These statistics overall would go down if in fact we were able to get to know every student on a
personal level,” said Hibert.

Faculty will continue educating incoming freshman about rules and consequences and reinforcing it
every year.

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Samo to Premier First Ever Public Service

Announcement
By Michael Blackman

Samo’s first ever Public Service Announcement (PSA) will be broadcast on CityTV, Channel 16, on a
date in May not yet determined. The nonprofit commercial was made by Samo students in hope of
informing parents about the importance of taking an active part in their children’s school work.

After attending a workshop put on by CityTV, Co-Principal Kirsten Hibert met with Multimedia
Instructor William Wishart and students from his ROP classes to discuss the possibility of making a
commercial entirely funded by CityTV. Hibert suggested to Wishart that he make a PSA with his
students.

Wishart’s students who were interested in the PSA met with him and brainstormed ideas. They also met
with Lee Livingston, a Samo parent who is involved in the television commercial industry. After meeting
with his students, Wishart agreed on a concept.

“The central idea we wanted to communicate, was we wanted parents to be more involved with their
kids,” said Wishart. With this idea in mind, the PTSA suggested the theme, “Make a Difference.” The
PSA depicts parents at school with their children, helping them out with their everyday work.

Although it airs only 31 seconds in length, the PSA took 60 hours to make. “We worked on it for four
days straight. I stayed up at one point after school till 12 o’ clock. We weren’t just working in class,” said
junior Teagan Morrison, who played an active part in the production of the PSA.

Parent involvement with their children is an issue that Samo students feel needs to be addressed.
Freshman Adam Siegel said, “It’s a very important concept. My parents are very involved with my
school work and are constantly motivating me to work harder.”

Wishart feels the work put in by his students will not only help parents connect with their children, but
was a good educational opportunity for his students. “For my students, it was an excellent opportunity to
get a commission, to do something on deadline, to work with industry professionals, and to take an idea
from conception all the way to completion,” said Wishart.

The PSA was shown at a PTSA meeting and the members’ reaction was positive. An article in the Viking
Voice, the PTSA newsletter, read, “We are proud and impressed by the quality of the final product.” If
the public has the same reaction as the PTSA, other networks could pick up the program.

Although Wishart and his students hope it is seen world- wide, their first goal is to motivate parents.

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“Hopefully a few people will remind themselves that they can always help with their children a bit more.
Even if a few parents start helping with their kids, it’ll be worth it,” said Morrison.

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City Council Approves Athletic Field in Civic Center

Plan
By Megan Early

The Santa Monica City Council approved a plan for the Civic Center land renovation at its meeting Apr.
23 that includes the construction of one new athletic field that will be available for Samo use once it is
complete.

The Council approved, in concept, one athletic field at the northwest corner of Pico Boulevard and
Fourth Street, which will, in theory, relieve much of the stress currently put on Samo’s limited fields.

“It is really exciting to be getting a new field; a lot of the problems we have been having will be solved,”
said Samo Athletic Director Mike Griswold.

The decision came after Samo students, faculty, and administrators, as well as supportive community
members, lobbied the Council for months for the inclusion of playfields and parking for Samo students.

Although Samo scored a victory in the approval of plans for a field, the Council chose to limit parking on
the land for Civic Center uses only. Student parking appears to be the worst it’s been in recent years due
to recent Council approval of preferential parking zones on many of the streets around campus Mayor
Pro-Tem Kevin McKeown, however, is optimistic.

“Once the new field is ready, it will be possible for the District to put parking under Samohi’s existing
field, which is already a full level above Fourth Street. That way the parking will be on campus.”

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Union Negotiations Continue for New Coordinators

By Ari Rosmarin

Santa Monica-Malibu Classroom Teachers Association representatives have been involved in ongoing
negotiations with SMMUSD officials for two months regarding the union status of the new Student
Service Coordinator positions to replace counseling positions next year.

Since Deasy unveiled his new administrative plan for Samo last January, district and union officials have
been at odds over the removal of the new positions from the teachers’ bargaining unit. While SMMCTA
officials would not reveal the content of the discussions, they confirmed that they expect to reach an
agreement that will address the union’s concerns.

“We’re confident a resolution will be found…We’re committed to doing what’s right for kids and for
teachers,” said SMMCTA President Harry Keiley.

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School Board to Ask Cities for More Funding

By Ari Rosmarin

In a recent memo to the School Board, Superintendent John Deasy detailed three options for saving the
district from an anticipated $2.5 million budget deficit for the 2002-2003 school year.

The options included across-the-board cuts in programs and staff, increased support from the cities of
Santa Monica and Malibu and the increase of the parcel tax, and increasing the student population in the
district by 500 to 600 pupils.

According to School Board member José Escarce, the Board, which received the memo at its Apr. 25
meeting, asked Deasy and district staff to “investigate and pursue” the second option, seeking increased
support from the cities of Santa Monica and Malibu, as its preferred choice.

The increases suggested for the two cities would raise Santa Monica’s contribution from $3 million to $5
million and Malibu’s from $25,000 to $275,000.

Some of the proposed cuts included a number of custodians, a security guard at Samo, teachers’ bilingual
stipends, Department Chairs’ extra periods, and transportation for athletics and music.

“The only way to avoid the cuts is to get more revenue...We believe that we will succeed in achieving
our revenue goals,” said Escarce.

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Beloved Counselor Leaves

By Emily Finch

Counselor Liam Joyce, who has worked at Samo since 1994, recently decided to leave Samo to become
the principal of Topanga Elementary School. His last day at Samo was Apr. 12.

Joyce chose to stop working at Samo for both personal reasons and due to the changes to Samo’s
counseling department next year. “I started to look for new positions after the announcement that the
counseling department was going to disappear,” said Joyce. Joyce’s new position as principal allows him
to work near his home residence. “I wanted to work closer to my family,” he added.

Although he is excited about this new position and career, Joyce lamented leaving so late in the school
year. “I developed relationships with students [of all grade levels] and now I cannot see them anymore or
further our relationship.”

Current Samo students were upset to learn of his departure. “[I’m] very sad. He was a good man. We
keep losing good people at Samo,” said junior Amy Larkin.

In addition to being a counselor at Samo, Joyce was also a Humanities teacher, the Committee 41
advisor, and on the administrative team from 1998 until 2001. He was also a teacher at Santa Monica
College. “I loved my experience at Samo,” Joyce said. “I learned to be a better educator. I was blessed by
great surroundings.”

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One Book, One City Project Unites L.A. Readers

By Brittany Benjamin and Daniel Morgan

In 1998, an ingenious mass-reading program began in Seattle that encouraged all citizens to read the
same book as a community. Since then, cities such as Chicago, Milwaukee, and even our hometown of
Los Angeles have chosen books to experience as a city. The cities created these reading projects to
promote literary unity and conversation on excellent books. [To read more click here]

Samo Junior Gets *NSYNC on MTV’s “Becoming”

By Angela Gonzalez

After receiving rave reviews for his *NSYNC performance at Café Samo, junior Ryan Gaynor had the
opportunity to appear on the MTV show “Becoming.” [To read more click here]

The Brilliance of Bay Cities Deli

By Millay Kogan

Bay Cities Italian Deli and Bakery, located only two blocks north of Samo’s campus, is described by
senior Vincent Sritapan as being “one of the best places to get food in the Los Angeles area.” Known for
its fine Italian groceries, pastries, bread, and sub-like sandwiches, this small bakery/deli/grocery store,
packed with customers daily, has truly made a name for itself. [To read more click here]

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One Book, One City Project Unites L.A. Readers

By Brittany Benjamin and Daniel Morgan

In 1998, an ingenious mass-reading program began in Seattle that encouraged all citizens to read the
same book as a community. Since then, cities such as Chicago, Milwaukee, and even our hometown of
Los Angeles have chosen books to experience as a city. The cities created these reading projects to
promote literary unity and conversation on excellent books.

Los Angeles Mayor James K. Hahn chose Ray Bradbury’s 1953 novel Fahrenheit 451 to commence the
One Book, One City program for Los Angeles. Hahn chose it for its dealings with censorship and its
futuristic setting, as well as it being one of his favorites. The city library started the program this spring
for the first time, culminating with an Apr. 27 reading of the novel by Bradbury himself at the Los
Angeles Times Festival of Books at UCLA. Balantine books, the publisher of Fahrenheit 451, donated
500 books to L.A. area libraries and certain Coffee Bean locations also hosted book discussions.
Bradbury has also been an active participant— appearing at many events to discuss himself, his career,
and reading as a whole. “Give them exhilaration. That’s what makes people read,” he told listeners at a
Barnes and Noble lecture.

Hahn’s support of this program has helped to sell numerous copies of the novel. “By reading great
literary works, like Fahrenheit 451, we can foster dialogue among our city’s diverse groups, and we can
create a community that’s unmatched by any in this great nation,” Hahn told the Los Angeles Times.
Because of Hahn’s selection for L.A.’s first One Book, One City novel, Fahrenheit 451 reached number
one on the Los Angeles Times best-sellers list for Apr. 15.

Yet one didn’t have to purchase a book to participate; the libraries had an e-mail system set up where
they sent people a chapter a day. The L.A. Unified schools also received many donated copies and
schools encouraged students to read the novel.

Although Seattle started the program, it was Chicago that really got the idea flying last fall when Mayor
Richard Daley chose Harper Lee’s To Kill A Mockingbird as his city’s novel. The city immediately
thrived off the program. Several branches of the Chicago Public Libraries held book discussions
everyday for a week. Outside, independent companies also participated in the city book club. Borders
Books and Music, Barnes and Noble, and Starbuck’s Coffee (with the lure of free coffee) hosted book
discussions, using city-made discussion questions and activities as their guides. Barnes and Noble even
held book clubs directed at certain groups of people including a Singles Book Club and a Mother-
Daughter Book Club. The city also planned and/or hosted other special events like dramatic readings,
movie marathons, and even a mock courtroom scene with local attorneys and ABC News Reporter Joel
Daly. It was after viewing the success of Chicago that other cities like Los Angeles started similar
programs for their own.

On a related note, the California Center for the Book and the California State Library began promoting

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the state-wide reading of John Steinbeck’s The Grapes of Wrath on occasion of Steinbeck’s centenary.

At Samo, English teachers plan to use this citywide reading project for their classes. Meredith Louria, an
English teacher, said “We are planning for the fall to integrate Santa Monica and California’s choice,
Jihad vs. McWorld, and The Grapes of Wrath.”

To find more information on this program, visit www.lapl.org/F451 or www.calhum.org

[GO BACK TO THE FEATURE PAGE]

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Samo Junior Gets *NSYNC on MTV’s “Becoming”

By Angela Gonzalez

After

receiving rave reviews for his *NSYNC performance at Café Samo, junior Ryan Gaynor had the
opportunity to appear on the MTV show “Becoming.”

Gaynor’s performance at Café Samo, which featured choreographed dance routines to songs like“It’s
Gonna Be Me” and “Pop”, compelled Gaynor to attend an *NSYNC concert in Anaheim, on March 11.
As Gaynor watched *NSYNC’s show, he became more eager to perfect his *NSYNC dance routines.
While at the concert, a friend of Gaynor’s was telling him of experiences she’s had being on the show
“Becoming,” and she happened to know that there was an *NSYNC audition on March 13. Excited,
Gaynor decided to pursue this opportunity and went straight to MTV Productions. MTV required that he
fill out a five-page application for this prestigious show. While at MTV Productions, where he was
required to lip-synch a random *NSYNC song and explain why he should become an *NSYNC member.
During the first week of spring break the producer contacted Gaynor and told him to come back for
another audition.

Back at MTV studios the choreographer who worked on *NSYNC’s “Pop Odyssey Tour” last summer
informed Gaynor that he had been selected to become Chris Kirkpatrick in *NSYNC’s video
“Girlfriend.” Gaynor was instantly put to work. The next two nights and three days Gaynor stayed at a
hotel in Beverly Hills called L’ermitage for the video shoot. Of all the members, Gaynor was the
youngest at 16. The other cast members chosen were from ages 19 to 22 for the characters of Justin
Timberlake, Joey Fatone, JC Chasez, and Lance Bass. At first, the group didn’t believe that Gaynor was
only 16. The casting director chose him for the part of Kirkpatrick partially because he had facial hair.
The guys didn’t annoy Gaynor much. “Even though there was a big age difference, I enjoyed working
with them,” said Gaynor.

While Gaynor rehearsed *NSYNC’s choreography to “Girlfriend,” he said, “even though it was a twelve
hour shoot for the video, I had a blast and still wanted another take.” Gaynor, being in the care of MTV,

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enjoyed going out to dinner, shopping, running around the studio and riding in a black navigator
limousine. “During the shoot, me and the other guys had fun running around. In between takes, MTV
catered for us.”

At the end of the video shoot, MTV had hours of footage off the set which eventually became twenty
minutes. The show will include the final music video footage as well as the intense work put into it.

When asked about his future plans or expectations, Gaynor said, “I hope that I will have the chance to
appear as an extra in a music video. It would be a great opportunity.”

As for souvenirs from the experience, Gaynor received from MTV a Nokia 3390 cell phone with one
month free service, a PlayStation 2 console with six video games, an MTV karaoke machine, a $100 gift
card to Wherehouse music, $25 to Chili’s restaurant, a $450 Ecko leather jacket, one pair of Diesel jeans,
black Dickies pants, two shirts, biker boots, $400 Frauden Haus sunglasses, and the outfit he wore in the
video.

The exclusive showing of Gaynor’s experience in “Becoming” Chris Kirkpat rick of *NSYNC, will air
on May 11 at 8:00PM on MTV nationally.

[GO BACK TO THE FEATURE PAGE]

* Photos by Alex Leitner

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The Brilliance of Bay Cities Deli

By Millay Kogan

Bay Cities Italian Deli and Bakery, located only two blocks north of Samo’s campus, is described by
senior Vincent Sritapan as being “one of the best places to get food in the Los Angeles area.” Known for
its fine Italian groceries, pastries, bread, and sub-like sandwiches, this small bakery/deli/grocery store,
packed with customers daily, has truly made a name for itself.

The origin of Bay Cities dates back to the year 1925, when a local Santa Monica business man named
Tony D’ Thomaso, fed up with the scarcity of authentic Italian groceries in his neighborhood, decided to
start a deli and grocery store where classic Italian food items could be purchased by Santa Monica
residents. Over the years, it has become an extremely successful business, frequented by many deeply
devoted customers who appreciated its supply of traditional Italian groceries, daily-baked bread and fine
deli meats at reasonable prices.

Bob Garacochea, who currently co-owns Bay Cities with his sister Irene Howard, said, “We try to keep
Bay Cities true to its roots. After we took over, Larry Nichols [the former owner] came in every day for
six months and helped us learn the nature of this business. Tradition is a very big thing in the Bay Cities
business.”

To this day, Bay Cities Italian Deli and Bakery tries its best to maintain what Garocochea calls
“D’Thomaso’s original motto: to make upscale foods affordable.” Although Bay Cities now sells other
imported goods from places such as Asia, the Middle East and Argentina, it remains mostly Italian-
influenced. Bread is still made daily, the “old fashioned way...just plain with no foo-foo,” said
Garocochea, with each loaf taking approximately 30 hours to bake. Meat is delivered to Bay Cities once
a week from Boars Head, a New York-based deli.

The deli section of Bay Cities continues to be the most popular division of the store and is frequented by
long lines of customers, most of whom come to enjoy classic Italian sandwiches. Joyce Christensen,
parent of a Samo student, goes as far as to say “if I could have one more meal in this lifetime, I’d ask for
a Bay Cities sandwich.” Popular sandwiches include turkey, caprese, and meatball, as well as Bay Cities’
originals “The Godmother” and “The Poorboy.” “Some people try to compare our grocery store to Vons
and Ralph’s, and our deli to places like Subway. But our general philosophy is to be unique. We stick
with our basics...and the customers seem to like it,” said Garocochea.

Bay Cities hopes to continue its tradition of providing great food for affordable prices. “We don’t
advertise…and we don’t plan to anytime soon,” said Garocochea, confidently. “But we have the best
core group of customers …and as long as we please them, we’ll probably be around for a few more
years.”

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[GO BACK TO THE FEATURE PAGE]

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Pro/Con: Israeli Action In the West Bank

The Recent Israeli incursions against targets in Palestinian Refugee camps in the West Bank area have
been necessary in order to eliminate the threat of terrorism. [To read more click here]

Viking Mascot Inappropriate, Marauding

By Carl Lisberger

The Vikings. A marauding group of murderers, arsonists, mercenaries, and conquerors. They carved a
bloody swathe through Europe creating a trade empire of fear and brutality that stretched from Iceland
and Greenland to the intricate river systems of Russia. Their main contribution to western civilization: a
series of epics boasting of the numbers killed and amount of goods stolen on expeditions. These savages
struck such fear into the hearts of ancient British and French peasants that it rendered them neurotic,
paranoid, and easily depressed to this day. And of all the worlds’ ancient warriors, of all the fearsome
animals, and of all the mythical characters of athletic prowess, Samo students of old chose these brutes to
represent the samo athletic teams and school spirit. [To read more click here]

Whatever Happened to the Sound of Musicals?

By Emily Ferrell

The recent decline in the production of blockbuster musicals marks the unfortunate end to an era in
American history and reflects on what Americans have become. Now, more so than before, this country

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is searching for something that we can all relate to, or something to unite us. And by combining what we
all love, music and movies, the industry cannot fail. A solid musical is what we need. The success of
“Moulin Rouge” proves this; however, it may require more than a medley of silly love songs to win over
a more diverse group of people. Something uplifting and original is what we, as a people, need.
Therefore, I demand the greedy people of the movie business to produce an original musical with which
we can sing along. [To read more click here]

Homeland Security A Little Too Close to Home

By Justin Peckner

The reduction of American civil liberties has been evident ever since the September 11 attacks, and is not
entirely uncalled for. However, the Defense Department’s recent decision to establish a new military
command which would increase the military’s role in fighting terrorism in America is the wrong
approach, excessive, and in some ways, threatening the people’s rights. [To read more click here]

Editorial: Activism, Learning By Doing

The Apr. 12 protest march, in which students, teachers, community members, and administrators came
together in support of Doubletree hotel workers’ efforts to unionize, represented what is best about
Samo. Those who participated saw students of all races and ethnicities marching side by side, together
with a broad spectrum of representatives from their community, for a cause they cared deeply about.
Since elementary school we are taught to get involved in our community, and that day, we sure did. [To
read more click here]

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Email "Letters to the Editor" to

[email protected]
or mail them to:
Journalism,
c/o Santa Monica High School,
601 Pico Blvd.,
Santa Monica, CA, 90405

The Samohi seeks submissions for the student-written column "My Turn."
Email articles to [email protected]
or submit articles to E201 (Santa Monica High School).

Submissions may be edited for grammar and length and are due no later than June 5, 2002.

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Pro/Con: Israeli Action In the West Bank

The Recent Israeli incursions against targets in Palestinian Refugee camps in the West Bank area have
been necessary in order to eliminate the threat of terrorism.

Use these links to navigate the page:

[Pro] [Con]

Pro
By Justin Peckner and Michael Zinshteyn

Put simply, the Israeli-Palestinian conflict no longer can be painted as a struggle over the right of the
Palestinians to a state; Israel has officially acknowledged that right and even Prime Minister Ariel Sharon
has made it clear that he supports it. The conflict is now over whether Israel maintains the right to live,
and to live securely, next to that Palestinian State. Israel is fully justified in the non-excessive force that it
has used against Palestinian aggressors.

The Palestinian bombers and their leader, Yasser Arafat, have answered the question of Israel’s right to
exist with a loud and clear “no.” Despite the extremely generous proposals offered to Arafat in the 1993
Oslo Accords and again at Camp David in 2000, Arafat and his Palestinian authority have clearly proven
that the Palestinians “never miss an opportunity to miss an opportunity,” and have instead resorted to the
age-old cycle of violence. They have made it plain that they will not abide Israel’s continued existence,
and that the West Bank and Gaza will not be enough. Arafat’s aims have not changed—Israeli troops
recently found documents in his compound which clearly show that Arafat funded terrorists (instead of
giving those funds to his people living in refugee camps that desperately need them), and now more than
ever he and his cohort believe those aims are achievable.

Israel’s operation of the past few weeks has been an attempt to rid them of that notion, and to rid them of
the ability to act on it. It has been an effort to make it clear that the question of Israel’s survival must be
answered in the affirmative. Israel’s goal was to capture the terrorists, their weapons and those who fund
them in their carefree annihilation of the citizens of Israel. If there is any doubt as to whether or not Israel
is fulfilling its goal in capturing those responsible for the 18 months of bloodshed, then take this for
consideration: the leaders of the terrorist groups Hamas and the Al Aqsa Brigades (the military wing of
Arafat’s regime) have been captured and arrested by Israel.

Arafat’s campaign of terror must stop, and Israel is rightfully using minimal violence to accomplish this.

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It is obvious that Arafat is not seeking a peaceful solution—sheer common sense says that any man who
would side with Saddam Hussein in the Gulf War is a foe of peace. Contrary to the opinion of many
Americans, Israel does have the unquestionable right to live—defending that right, just as America has
done after September 11th, is also justified.

[Back to Top]

Con
By Carl Lisberger

These attacks have been unjustified and unwarranted considering the massive destruction and numerous
deaths they have caused.

The Israelis, influenced by an aggressive war culture, have taken the wrong approach in halting the threat
of terrorism. Their target, Palestinian refugee camps, are the home to thousands of innocent women and
children, the vast majority of whom have absolutely nothing to do with any terrorist attack. The
Palestinians living in the West Bank have long been relegated to these camps, living in squalor and
poverty. Jenin, one of these camps, was victim to Israeli military strikes Apr. 18.. Much of the camp,
once home to 13,000 refugees, is now a pile of rubble, twisted metal, and bodies. The terrible efficiency
of the Israeli military machine was used to completely decimate many of the homes and shops that once
stood in Jenin.

The United Nations envoy to the region, Terje Roed-Larsen, told the Los Angeles Times: “What we are
seeing here is horrifying, horrifying scenes of human suffering…After the military offensive in Jenin, the
government of Israel has lost all moral ground in this conflict.” The Israeli military has denied many of
the claims made by eyewitnesses as to the extent of the devastation. While Israel was once “rooting out
terrorism” it is now clear that their intentions are most likely a reoccupation of the West Bank. Israel’s
attacks have brought them to the same level as the terrorists.

There is little evidence to show that these attacks have any part in eliminating terrorist threats to Israel.
They will only turn another generation of young Palestinians against Israel.

Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, elected in February 2001, has a history of aggressive military
campaigns. While serving as the Israeli minister of defense, he organized the 1982 invasion of Lebanon.
“The Bulldozer” as he is known, has a strong military track record, but is relatively inexperienced at
formal diplomacy, especially with Palestinian officials.

Whether it’s a Palestinian suicide bomber taking out a family gathered at a Passover dinner or an Israeli
tank bombing a crowded building in Jenin, both sides have one thing in common: a mutual disrespect for

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innocent lives. The terrorists do deserve any punishment they receive, but the women and children of the
Palestinian refugee camps should not suffer because of a few radicals in their midst.

[Back to Top]

[GO BACK TO THE OPINION PAGE]

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Viking Mascot Inappropriate, Marauding

By Carl Lisberger

The Vikings. A marauding group of

murderers, arsonists, mercenaries, and
conquerors. They carved a bloody swathe
through Europe creating a trade empire of
fear and brutality that stretched from
Iceland and Greenland to the intricate
river systems of Russia. Their main
contribution to western civilization: a series of epics boasting of the numbers killed and amount of goods
stolen on expeditions. These savages struck such fear into the hearts of ancient British and French
peasants that it rendered them neurotic, paranoid, and easily depressed to this day. And of all the worlds’
ancient warriors, of all the fearsome animals, and of all the mythical characters of athletic prowess, Samo
students of old chose these brutes to represent the samo athletic teams and school spirit.

The Vikings stand for values completely contrary to those espoused by the Samo community. The Viking
men relegated women to a subservient and domestic role in Viking culture. The male Vikings were
known polygamists, taking numerous wives in order to produce the strongest children. Husbands
expected wives to take care of the household when the men were away ravaging exotic countrysides and
seeing the world. The Vikings, in their child rearing methods, valued physical ability almost exclusively
over academics. This is vastly different than the samo scholar-athlete, who excels not only on the field,
but in the classroom as well. At least we’d like to think so. Viking literacy was extremely low until they
became Christianized.

Samo’s no tolerance drug and alcohol policy is at odds with the Vikings’ own beliefs about such matters.
These ale-quaffing ruffians loved the drink, and were known for their abilities not only to burn villages to
the ground, but also to binge-drink. The ancient religion of the Vikings even included an afterlife for
especially brave warriors, known as Valhalla, which consisted of an infinitely long alehouse. Here the
Vikings would live out eternity drinking themselves into a frenzy and reliving the bravest battle of their
lives until finally participating in the last battle, which would herald the end of the world. Samo football
coaches have historically referred to our very own football field as Valhalla, a name that might not be
appropriate considering its implications. I doubt the administration would be pleased if subservient
women in corsets served ale before games, and the players on the field were secretly harboring
apocalyptic fantasies.

SMMUSD maintains a strict no-tolerance weapons policy. The Vikings however, never went anywhere
without weapons, which included broadswords, battle-axes, and war-hammers. They were perpetually
ready for battle. Viking conflict was usually resolved with such weapons, and usually ended with a
decapitation or maiming. With no mediators or counselors to resolve differences peacefully and
nonviolently, the Vikings cannot be considered representative of the Samo community.

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Samo continues to have vandalism, causing much concern within the administration and student body. A
vandal recently lit a fire in a soap dish, and tagging has gotten so bad that many bathrooms are now
locked. Samo’s own seal fell victim to an egging. But the very individual depicted on the seal was
probably a vandal himself. The Vikings wrote their names everywhere they traveled. Viking writing has
been found as far away as the Middle East, ruining many nice rocks and buildings. The Viking likely
inspired the soap fire as well. A popular tactic of Viking mercenaries was to set large fires on the easily
flammable thatch roofs of many ancient peasants. If the administration wants to know the cause of
vandalism, it need look no further than our very own mascot.

Finally, in a school that prides itself on diversity, our mascot is a blond haired, blue eyed, powdery white
Nordic man. He winks at us from logos, binder reminders and paintings, with a bloodthirsty grin and the
gleam of cruelty in his eye. This Viking, meant to foster pride and school spirit, is someone few on
campus can relate to. Last time I checked, Samo’s Norse population was still relatively low. I’m all for
tradition, but the Viking has got to go.

[GO BACK TO THE OPINION PAGE]

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Whatever Happened to the Sound of Musicals?

By Emily Ferrell

The recent decline in the production of blockbuster musicals marks the unfortunate end to an era in
American history and reflects on what Americans have become. Now, more so than before, this country
is searching for something that we can all relate to, or something to unite us. And by combining what we
all love, music and movies, the industry cannot fail. A solid musical is what we need. The success of
“Moulin Rouge” proves this; however, it may require more than a medley of silly love songs to win over
a more diverse group of people. Something uplifting and original is what we, as a people, need.
Therefore, I demand the greedy people of the movie business to produce an original musical with which
we can sing along.

Try to talk to teenagers about a musical of their generation, and you’ll find yourself at a loss for words.
Mention “The Music Man” or “Cabaret” to their parents, however, and its likely their eyes will light up
with memories and music. Are there any movies out there that will hold such a power over today’s
youth? No, and that is the root of all stereotypes that we teenagers receive. Today, adults expect
teenagers to be little renaissance people. It is required that we take an art or music class at Samo. Yet
what do adults expect to spark all our interests in these subjects? Certainly not movies based on violence
and sex.

I say it’s time for Hollywood to release films the whole family will enjoy and respect, like they used to.
When people on the street break into song and expertly choreographed dances, it seems to renew hope
for our older generations. A Fred Astaire and Judy Garland for our present generation is what we need
for inspiration and a fun, clean time. Kids, the generation of the future, need music and movies to power
their imaginations and fill their hearts. And Americans, as a people, and as a nation, need musicals, just
like we need air to breathe.

[GO BACK TO THE OPINION PAGE]

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Homeland Security A Little Too Close to Home

By Justin Peckner

The

reduction of American civil liberties has been evident ever since the September 11 attacks, and is not
entirely uncalled for. However, the Defense Department’s recent decision to establish a new military
command which would increase the military’s role in fighting terrorism in America is the wrong
approach, excessive, and in some ways, threatening the people’s rights.

The use of the military in fighting terrorism at home is the wrong approach. The idea behind the new
“Northern Command” is that many more troops would be dedicated to fighting terrorism. However, no
matter how many troops there could have been ready and willing to fight America’s newest threat, that
still would not have stopped the hijackers involved in September 11. The hijackings and other potential
threats to America– suicide bombings, weapons of mass destruction, and other modern terrorist tactics-
are small-scale operations, requiring just a few conspirators willing to die for their cause that cannot be
stopped merely by a mass show of arms. According to Reuters News Service, the Northern Command
would provide support in the aftermath of a terrorist attack. How would the military really be able to help
in the aftermath of a terrorist attack? There is no way to undo the damage of an attack such as the
destruction of the World Trade Centers. Instead, such catastrophes must be prevented, by boosting
security locally and securely in key places such as airports, major population centers, and other locations
that could possibly play a role in a terrorist attack. Large-scale military presence scattered throughout
American soil will not accomplish this.

In addition, the expanded presence of the military in America is excessive and somewhat threatening,
reminiscent of a military so concerned with protecting its fellow citizens that it ends up oppressing them.
Fortunately, the Defense Department claims, according to Reuters, that the Northern Command will not

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use the military as a domestic police force. While it is not the intention of the military to become a
dominating force in American life, an increased presence suggests just that. There is no need to fear any
sort of military oppression, but in the wake of September 11 many Americans have taken it for granted
that liberties must inevitably be diminished. It is important to remember that this is not absolutely so– if
increased military presence should so happen to infringe unfairly upon the rights of civilians, Americans
need not tolerate it.

The proposal to involve the military more closely in fighting terrorism through an increased presence on
American soil is the wrong approach to the problem, and also frightening to anyone concerned with civil
liberties. If the Defense Department truly wishes to defend the American way of life, it might be best to
do so by staying farther from home.

[GO BACK TO THE OPINION PAGE]

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Editorial: Activism, Learning By Doing

The Apr. 11 protest march, in which students, teachers, community members, and administrators came
together in support of Doubletree hotel workers’ efforts to unionize, represented what is best about
Samo. Those who participated saw students of all races and ethnicities marching side by side, together
with a broad spectrum of representatives from their community, for a cause they cared deeply about.
Since elementary school we are taught to get involved in our community, and that day, we sure did.

As youth, it is difficult to have our voice heard. We are not part of this country’s electorate and because
of that, policymakers often ignore our calls, whatever they may be. This leaves us with few options, one
of which we exercised on Apr. 11: social action. Throughout our history, the youth have turned to social
action when it has wanted the world to hear what it has to say. And this march was no different.

Many members of the Santa Monica community were outraged by the events that took place here. In
several local papers and forums, concerned citizens have decried how we poor high school students were
manipulated and taken advantage of by the big bad union. Many have promised to keep a watchful eye so
that something like the march will never happen again. On behalf of those who marched, thanks for the
concern, but we don’t need it. In fact, suggestion that we were tricked into marching is downright
insulting. Even though we are only lowly high school students, we have the mental capacity to
distinguish between things we want to do and things we don’t. In fact, out of a school of 3,400 students,
only a little over 100 chose to participate in the after-school rally. Of the almost 400 students who
listened to Dolores Huerta’s pre-march assembly, only a quarter decided to show up. How can one
possibly make the statement that these 100 did not march by choice, but instead were only puppets for
the local union? It’s not only offensive, but illogical!

Beyond the students, even more criticism has come down on the heads of our administrators who bravely
chose to march in stride with the students. How lucky we are to have school leaders who share our values
and concerns and support our right to march, rather than suppress it as some have suggested they should.
The 1969 Supreme Court decision in Tinker vs. Des Moines Independent School District read: “It can
hardly be argued that either students or teachers shed their constitutional rights to freedom of speech or
expression at the schoolhouse gate.” Just because an individual may carry the title of Co-Principal,
Assistant Principal, or Superintendent, it does not mean he or she must shed his or her right to freedom of
speech. To those who marched, we commend you for it.

The day’s events and the outcry that came after it have proven to be more of an educational experience
than any other day in class would have. The marchers learned how to be peaceful in action while forceful
in message. The marchers learned that mass demonstration brings mass police response. But most
importantly, the marchers learned that despite the endless qualities that drive us apart, it is not impossible
for us to come together under the flags of justice and peace.

Overall, the event was inspiring to all those who were there. As the majority of our generation sits
comfortably in its apathy, a small minority woke up for an afternoon to make its voice heard, whether

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anyone was listening or not. The criticism that has come since should not prevent us from marching
again. Hopefully next time, whatever the cause is, Samo can come together again in greater numbers to
make its presence felt in the community.

[GO BACK TO THE OPINION PAGE]

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Boys Golf Wins Third Consecutive League Title

By Calanit Greenberg

The boys golf team has once again swept the Ocean League for the third consecutive year. They are
undefeated with a league score of 8-0 , a varsity record of 9-0 and are moving their way into difficult CIF
competition. [To read more click here]

Baseball Sweeps Costa to Keep Playoff Hopes

Alive
By Michael Biskar

Following a subpar beginning to the Bay League season, the Samo baseball team has battled back to win
three consecutive league games, improving its record to 6-3-1. [To read more click here]

Softball Shows Improvement

By Jacob Honig

Although the record may suggest otherwise, the Softball team (7-9-1, 2-6-1) has been on a roll, winning
an impressive three Bay League games in a row. [To read more click here]

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Netters Push for Playoffs

By Elliott Birnstein

As the boys tennis team hits the final stretch of the season, players find themselves in an unfamiliar
position. Although the third-place Netters have not reached their expectations, they have a chance to
redeem themselves with a strong showing in CIF. [To read more click here]

Swimming Stays Afloat

By Jackie Len

While the girl’s swim team has been consistently improving their times, it has not been enough to out
swim Beverly Hills or Peninsula in the past weeks. [To read more click here]

Individuals Make a Difference

By Hanna Jacobsen

Although the 3-3-1 boys track team will not lengthen their streak of three years as Bay League
champions this season, outstanding individual performances have set high hopes for the team. [To read
more click here]

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Boys Volleyball Fails to Serve Up League Wins

By Lisa Strumwasser

Boys volleyball began the season with high hopes of placing well in Bay League, but the team’s current
league record of 3-10 removes their chances of finishing within the top three spots. [To read more click
here]

Dan “The Man” Solchanyk: The Bench-Pressing

Doctor
Interview by Jonathan Lee

As you approach the gigantic football player, you are overwhelmed with stereotypical conclusions.
Senior Dan Solchanyk, a mountainous mass of muscle, appears to typify the image of an offensive
lineman: slow, dumb, and ill-tempered. Then you start talking to him and realize that, even though he is a
defensive lineman’s worst nightmare, he dreams of more than just crushing opponents’ bones. [To read
more click here]

Tall Ball Never Falls

By Elliott Birnstein

The NBA Playoffs are underway, and this year’s race to the Finals is going to be like no other in the
history of the NBA. [To read more click here]

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Boys Golf Wins Third Consecutive League Title

By Calanit Greenberg

The boys golf team has once again swept the Ocean League for the third consecutive year. They are
undefeated with a league score of 8-0 , a varsity record of 9-0 and are moving their way into difficult CIF
competition.

On Apr.19, the Linksters defeated Culver City High School at the Brentwood Country Club.

Following their impressive victory over their crosstown rival Culver City, the Samo boys golf squad
attended the prestigious Nogales Tournament on Apr. 24, which included the top players from all
Southern California high schools. For the Linksters, the match was not much of a challenge. “Most of the
competition is within the team itself,” said Head Coach Mike Mitchell.

The Linksters played a second match against Culver City on Apr. 26. They beat the opposition only by a
close score of 188-193 to remain the undefeated champion in the Ocean League.

The first round of League Finals began around on Apr. 30 and for the Linksters, it was a day filled with
success. Out of five teams in the Ocean League, seven out of a possible 14 Samo golfers qualified for the
second round of the Ocean League individuals competition.

“I think that’s pretty impressive and speaks for the quality of the kids themselves. It says a lot about how
strong we are,” said Mitchell. Unfortunately, senior team leader David Lenvin, a great contributor to the
team, had an off day and did not move on to the second round.

Sophomore Jeremy Kramer led the way with a score of 74, followed by sophomore Daniel Wax who
finished with a score of 76. Junior Alex Plotkin had a 77 and senior Sammy Lerner and junior Matt
Barzman tied with a score of 78. Other players that qualified were junior Ben Usen and junior Phillip
Bahn who both shot a score of 80.

With the amount of strength and unity within the team, the Linksters will certainly succeed in the CIF
competition and beyond.

[GO BACK TO THE SPORTS PAGE]

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Baseball Sweeps Costa to Keep Playoff Hopes

Alive
By Michael Biskar

Following a subpar beginning to

the Bay League season, the
Samo baseball team has battled
back to win three consecutive
league games, improving its
record to 6-3-1.

The Vikings traveled to El

Segundo on Mar. 30 to play their
first league match of the year.
Unfortunately, Samo fell 7-0 to
the Eagles, who simply
outplayed the Vikes with
flawless defense. But Samo
regrouped and came back to
hammer El Segundo 15-8 with
an offensive charge led by a 420
foot blast into the music building
construction site by senior Bobby Reynoso.

On the heels of a split with the Eagles, the Vikes faced off against West Torrance. In the first of the two
game series, the Warriors took a 9-4 lead into the bottom of the sixth inning, when Samo scored five runs
in the final two innings to tie the game. Unfortunately, the game was called in a 9-9 tie on account of
darkness. Samo’s momentum from their late-game comeback could not carry over to the final game of
the series as they lost 9-4 to fall to 1-2-1 in the Bay League.

However, the Vikings improved their record to 3-2-1 the following week after sweeping Culver City in
impressive fashion, 14-3 and 4-1 with stellar pitching performances by seniors Rocky Collis and Sonny
Redondo.

Samo next traveled to Torrance to play the always dangerous Tartars. After falling behind 5-0, the
Vikings mounted a comeback that culminated in a game-tying basehit in the top of the seventh by Collis,
forcing extra innings. It appeared that the game would head into the ninth with two outs and a Tartar
runner on third in the bottom of the eighth, when the Torrance hitter belted a double into center field to
win the game.

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The loss devastated the Vikings, forcing them into a position where they must win nearly all of their
remaining six league games to reach the playoffs.

With hopes of a CIF playoff berth fading fast, the Vikings defeated the Tartars on their home turf 9-1
thanks to Redondo’s two-hitter on the mound.

Next, Samo faced their toughest opponent yet in league, first place Mira Costa. Playing at the Mustangs’
home field, the Vikings jumped out to an early lead and maintained control of the game behind a career
outing by Collis on the mound, who held the Mustangs to only one run. Meanwhile, senior James Cooper
lifted the Vikes’ offense with an insurance homerun in the top of the seventh to defeat Costa 5-1. “”We
really came together as a team today. Our clutch hits at the plate and cluth defense in the field led to our
victory,” said Collis following the game.

Samo did not let up two days later as they came right back with an 8-3 victory, giving Costa their third
Bay league loss. Cooper extended his homerun streak to three games with a blast over the right field
fence. Redondo pitched five strong innings before being relieved by senior Jake Glick in the sixth,
getting Redondo out of a jam with a double play to end the inning.

Currently with a 6-3-1 record, the Vikings find themselves in fourth place in the Bay League. If they
continue to play as they did in their sweep of Costa, they will undoubtedly land a berth in the CIF
playoffs and possibly even snag the Bay League title. Said Redondo of the Vikings’ playoff chances, “As
long as we keep our minds on the game, we control our own destiny.”

[GO BACK TO THE SPORTS PAGE]

* Photo by Zachary Elgart

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Softball Shows Improvement

By Jacob Honig

Although the record may suggest

otherwise, the Softball team (7-9-
1, 2-6-1) has been on a roll,
winning an impressive three Bay
League games in a row.

After a strong showing at

tournaments and scrimmages
before league games, the ladies
started struggling at the start of
league competition. After going
0-6-1 through their first seven
games, they came back in a
hurry, winning big against
Hawthorne, powerhouse Mira Costa, and South.

Prior to this year no Samo Softball team had ever beaten Bay League rival Mira Costa at the Mustangs’
home field. That all changed this past week when the team played hard and rallied in the 10th inning
behind the swift running of sophomore Crystal Spencer. Spencer stole third and took home after an
overthrow to propel the Vikings to victory.

“I am very proud of the team,” said Head Coach Debbie Skaggs. “Our pitching, defense, and hitting has
greatly improved.”

Skaggs is referring to strong hitting by sophomore catcher Rosa Ordaz, and junior Casey Lieb. There has
been solid pitching by freshman Mandy Aguirre and stellar defense on the left side of the infield thanks
to sophomore shortstop Amara Russell and third baseman junior Lisa Cisneros.

After routing South 8-1 the team looks to take the role of “spoilers” as they hope to knock their
upcoming opponents out of playoff contention.

[GO BACK TO THE SPORTS PAGE]

* Photo by Wesley Krieger

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Netters Push for Playoffs

By Elliott Birnstein

As the boys tennis team hits the final stretch of the season, players find themselves in an unfamiliar
position. Although the third-place Netters have not reached their expectations, they have a chance to
redeem themselves with a strong showing in CIF.

As of Mar. 25, the Netters have a record of 3-4 with wins over Mira Costa and West Torrance (two), and
losses to top ranked Peninsula (two), and Beverly Hills (two).

The team has been hampered by injuries. Junior Brent Besson, one of the team’s top singles and doubles
players, has been out all season with a broken arm. This injury has opened the door for such players as
seniors Neema Samari and Carlos Babilonia to step up and play winning tennis. These two players have
joined forces to become one of the toughest doubles tandems in the Bay League, registering 5 straight
match victories.

Singles stars seniors Bo Hardt and Jean-Michel Werk also helped to keep the team afloat with victories
over tough CIF competition.

For now, the team’s morale is very high. After two consecutive tough losses, the Samo Netters have put
together two victories over West, the first a blowout of 16-2 and then another runaway victory tallying 17-
1. Samari, feeling good about his team’s chances, said, “We have a really good team, despite the fact that
some of our key players have been injured. Look for us in [the playoffs], because our team will be a
healthy team. We have the potential to beat anybody.”

[GO BACK TO THE SPORTS PAGE]

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Swimming Stays Afloat

By Jackie Len

While the girl’s swim team has

been consistently improving their
times, it has not been enough to
out swim Beverly Hills or
Peninsula in the past weeks.

Each swimmer is stronger than

they were last year, but this has
not yet brought them victory
over most league rivals. Mira
Costa forfeited the scheduled
meet, deferring their competition
with Santa Monica until league
Preliminaries. On Thursday, Apr.
25 the girls finally enjoyed a
victory against Torrance,
showing that they are gaining momentum. “Even though we have not come up with many wins, everyone
is improving, and that is what is important going into league finals,” said Head Coach Jeannine Houchen.

The 400 freestyle relay team made consideration CIF, and sophomore Clara Lee also qualified for
consideration CIF in the 100 Backstroke. These individual accomplishments should help the team as a
whole as they prepare for league finals next week.

The boys are having more luck in league meets this year. They triumphed over Peninsula and Torrance
and are looking forward to building on these victories. Although they lost to El Segundo, an optimistic
Coach Matthew Flanders said: “We have improved 310% over last year!” Not only have the boys been
succeeding as a team, they are also enjoying stunning individual successes. Junior Max Goldstein
qualified for automatic CIF in the breastroke and butterfly, a sign for great things to come.

Both the girls and boys are looking forward to league preliminaries and finals next week, which will
really determine the fastest swimmers in the bay league.

[GO BACK TO THE SPORTS PAGE]

* Photo by Alex Leitner

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Individuals Make a Difference

By Hanna Jacobsen

Although the 3-3-1 boys track

team will not lengthen their
streak of three years as Bay
League champions this season,
outstanding individual
performances have set high
hopes for the team.

Returning from Spring Break,

the team tied Mira Costa 68-68,
overwhelmed South Torrance 93-
38, lost to Torrance 64-72, and
was defeated by powerhouse
Peninsula 63-73.

The team put up a battle against

undefeated West High, but eventually lost to the heirs of the championship throne 61-75.

Seniors Anthony Colon and Josh Weigensberg consistently poured in points. Senior Mike Gumbrecht
cleared an amazing 6’-6” in the High Jump against South Torrance and senior pole vaulter Tyler
Gonzalez soared 13’-6” against Peninsula. Both seniors Terrell Maze and Demetre Howard leaped over
21 feet in the long jump, and over 45 feet in the triple jump.

Late season injuries to seniors Maze and Mike Ruiz, as well as to freshman sensation Yermie Cohen
played an important role in the losses this season. Had these competitors participated, the team may have
had a better chance in meets decided by a few points.

“We were really hoping to pull it together and win league, but a couple meets we didn’t push hard
enough,” said senior miler Nick Burleigh. “We went into the season relaxed [returning as three time
league champs], and when you go in with that attitude, losing is a possibility.”

Despite a disappointing season, there is a large possibility that many individuals will move on to CIF.

The girls track team has displayed perseverance and strength through several athletes’ excellent
performances, finishing 4-2-1 overall. After Spring Break, the girls lost to Bay League Champ Mira
Costa 56-80, beat South Torrance 90-46 and West Torrance 95-40, and nearly beat Peninsula with a score
of 61-75.

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Seniors Christian Burrell and Nancy Yu, and junior Jamila St. Cyr, had amazing seasons as 100 meter
hurdlers. Junior Eryn Mack was undefeated in the 400m and 300m hurdles, and junior Aviva Regev was
undefeated in the pole vault. Senior Shentora Bedgood was consistently solid in the shot put and discus
over the course of the season.

Unfortunately, a late-season injury to St. Cyr’s knee prevented her from competing in the long and triple
jumps, as well as the 100m hurdles. Head Coach Pat Cady noted that “the losses to Peninsula were
particularly painful since both of our teams were clearly better for most of the season but couldn’t
compete at full strength at the end.”

Several girls will go on to CIF, including St. Cyr. She said, “I’m sad that we didn’t do as well as we
should have, but at CIF we will take Samo’s name to the top.”

[GO BACK TO THE SPORTS PAGE]

* Photo by Zachary Elgart

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Boys Volleyball Fails to Serve Up League Wins

By Lisa Strumwasser

Boys volleyball began the season with high hopes of placing well in Bay League, but the team’s current
league record of 3-10 removes their chances of finishing within the top three spots.

In league games against Peninsula, Redondo, Mira Costa, and Beverly Hills, Samo lost each match in
three sets, while they won both matches against Culver City (in 5 games) and Beverly Hills (in 3 games).

Head coach Nguien Trinh said, “Compared to other schools we’re a little bit inexperienced in terms of
playing...Other schools’ players play off-season whereas [these players don’t] play off-season.” While
the team, comprised mainly of seniors, may seem to have had a huge advantage, Samo still lacks
experience.

Confident that they will end the season on a positive note, the team works hard at practice refining their
passing and blocking skills.

[GO BACK TO THE SPORTS PAGE]

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Dan “The Man” Solchanyk: The Bench-Pressing

Doctor
Interview by Jonathan Lee

As you approach the gigantic

football player, you are
overwhelmed with stereotypical
conclusions. Senior Dan
Solchanyk, a mountainous mass
of muscle, appears to typify the
image of an offensive lineman:
slow, dumb, and ill-tempered.
Then you start talking to him and
realize that, even though he is a
defensive lineman’s worst
nightmare, he dreams of more
than just crushing opponents’
bones.

At 6’2” and weighing over 300

pounds, Solchanyk is no doubt a force to be reckoned with. Benching 355 pounds and squatting 515, he
plans on being an instrumental part of the UC Davis football program. During the fall, the right guard
helped lead the Samo football team to victory in the CIF championship game, rolling opponents over
with devastatingly effective blocks and opening cavernous running lanes for Samo’s sensational
backfield. In the spring, his throwing prowess in the discus and shotput allows him to place in the
majority of track and field meets he attends. Along the way, Solchanyk has maintained a 3.8 GPA and
earned a 1250 on the SAT, making him an exemplary student-athlete.

The Samohi: What do you feel is your greatest accomplishment at Samo?

Dan Solchanyk: I’ve played football all four years, and I’ve been throwing since I was a sophomore. I
have contibuted to many aspects of the school. Samo has given me an opportunity [to be successful] with
all the great teachers and other staff. I think I’ve fully taken advantage of this opportunity. Also, bringing
the CIF championship back to Samo and wearing the championship ring really makes me proud. I think
I’ve influenced a lot of the younger kids coming in, teaching them how to play football and how to
throw. My career has been very fulfilling.

TS: Kind of like a couple of plates at Hometown Buffet.

DS: No... more like ten plates and some dessert.

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TS: What trait was most essential to the team’s great success?

DS: Probably brotherliness. We lost a lot of seniors this year, but we knew we had a great group of guys
since we were freshmen. We’ve really bonded as a team, going through hard times together. When my
teammates get hurt, I’m hurt.

TS: Have you sustained any injuries over your illustrious career?

DS: I’ve had four or five concussions. In my sophomore year I was taken out the entire season because of
one.

TS: What has football given you besides concussions? What about throwing?

DS: These sports have really taught me skills that I hope I can use in real life. I’ve learned how to deal
with stress, with all the away games and schoolwork. Practicing everyday was like throwing myself at a
brick wall for three hours, but I think all of that has [taught me how to balance] my life. I’ve gone to
some big track and field events, and there’s a great, fun-filled atmosphere with all the other throwers. All
these great experiences have influenced me, and I’ve used football to help get me into college.

TS: What do you plan to do at college? What about after college?

DS: I’ll play on the football team, and I’m going to take classes that will allow me to go into the
emergency medical field.

TS: And finally, if you could go out with any athlete, who would it be?

DS: Summer Altice, a volleyball player at San Diego State. She was recently in Maxim.

Solchanyk is the modern day Renaissance man exemplified. When he’s done abusing opponents at UC
Davis, emergency room patients and rival football players alike will be thanking him for their lives. Next
year, Samo’s campus will be void of this 300 pounder with an infectious laugh, an affable personality,
and football and throwing skills to boot. We are sad to lose Dan Solchanyk. UC Davis will be receiving a
tremendous gift come fall.

[GO BACK TO THE SPORTS PAGE]

* Photo by Alex Leitner

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Tall Ball Never Falls

By Elliott Birnstein

The NBA Playoffs are underway, and this year’s race to the Finals is going to be like no other in the
history of the NBA.

The 2002 NBA Playoffs represent the new age of the NBA with bigger, more athletic, and more skilled
players such as Tim Duncan, Kevin Garnett, and of course Shaquille O’Neal dominating the league. Shaq
has demonstrated that he has mastered every single move in the book from the Daryl Dawkin’s
“Chocolate Thunder” slam dunk, to the Allen Iverson/ Tim Hardaway (Depends on when you started
watching the NBA) killer-cross-over. The playoffs are going to be a canvas for these gifted athletes to
show the world that Mike’s comeback was nice, but the league belongs to them. Yes, Kobe Bryant,
Tracy Mcgrady, and Paul Pierce might think that they rule the NBA, but the truth is unless you have God
on your team, size wins championships.

The playoffs break down into two conferences: The West and The East. The West is the better
conference, housing the league’s five best teams. The Lakers, Kings, Mavericks, Spurs, and Trail Blazers
are all superior to the East leading Nets. The reason for this is that all of the best big men (Shaq, C-
Webb, Nowitzki, Duncan, Robinson, Wallace and Garnett) are in the West. There are no good power
forwards or centers in the east, which causes their inferiority. This fact makes the Western Conference
Playoffs much more important than the Eastern Conference’s. Basically, whoever wins the West will win
the NBA Finals. So, who will win the West?

The Lakers are the two-time-defending NBA champions and are not going to go down without a fight;
they are going to win the NBA Championship. There are only about six real superstars in the league right
now and the Lakers have two of them: Shaq and Kobe. This gives the Lakers a much better chance at
winning their third straight title than anyone else. If Shaq and Kobe play their hardest and use their
superstar powers to make the players around them better, then the Lakers will definitely win the
Championship with ease. If only one of the two basketball kings shows up for the playoffs and the other
forgets his shoes (figuratively speaking), then the Lakers might struggle a little. But they will still win.
So, the question becomes: who can beat the Lakers in a seven game series?

The Kings would probably have the best chance to beat the Lakers, but out of the last eight times the
Lakers and Kings have played in head-to-head competition, the Lakers have won seven. Okay, so the
Spurs have the best chance of beating the Lakers, they have the twin towers, right? Out of the last eight
times the Lakers and Spurs have gone head-to-head, the Lakers have won seven of those games. Sound
familiar? So maybe the Mavericks have the best chance, right? Yeah right, the Lakers are like 100-2
against the Mavs in the last 20 years. The Lakers have shown that they are the best team in the league
over the past three years and this year should not end any different than the last two. Want to know how I
know this? ‘Cause Charles Barkley said so. And, unless you like getting thrown through a glass window,
his word usually stands.

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The Eastern Conference is so bad that they are not even worth talking about. And since there is so much
east coast bias in the press these days, we here at The Samohi are going to balance it out by not talking
about the Eastern Conference at all in this playoff preview.

[GO BACK TO THE SPORTS PAGE]

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Thursday, March 21, 2002

Click on the page banners to go to the rest of that page for this issue.

Administration Implements Controversial Tardy

Sweeps
By Ari Rosmarin

Administrators launched their first announced tardy sweeps last week, finally implementing the strategy
after almost five months of discussion. While administrators call the sweeps a success, they have no
plans to stop using the strategy until the number of tardies each period goes down. [To read more click
here]

Suicide: A Samo Student's Personal Testimony

Anonymous

I tried to kill myself. I almost died but I am alive. Let’s just come right out with it and avoid the stigma
of it all. I let life beat me and, no, suicide is not a result of over-dramatization. I’m here to raise my fist in
BRAVE anonymity and speak up for the number of students who have committed suicide at our school
in all-too-recent history. There is an undeniable desensitization of death with the student suicides, student
murders, terrorism, and war of the past years. But death is serious. After all, suicide could happen to
someone you know. I am someone you know. I’m the average student dealing with social pressures,
family turmoil, and fear of my future. [To read more click here]

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Turn Off the Tube, and Save Your Brain

By Megan Healey

Television is the most powerful communications medium in the world. It can be a wonderful way to
educate and communicate to the masses, but TV has become an obsession that gives society a distorted
perspective of reality. It prevents human interaction, lowers peoples’ attention spans, and has become
harmful to the millions that look to their TV as a mere source of entertainment. [To read more click here]

A Closer Look... Foster Care in Santa Monica

“Can you love a child who, because of a fear of rejection, does not easily love you back?” This question
appears on a survey compiled by a Southern California organization called Inner Circle Care and
Adoption Services. The survey is intended for families and individuals that are considering foster
parenting. Another question from this survey asks, “Can you love with all your heart and then let go?”
These questions come with difficult answers for many potential foster parents and make interesting
implications about the struggles that face the children involved. [To read more click here]

Science Bowl Team to Compete in National

Competition
By David Ginsburg

Samo’s top science bowl team, the A-team, placed first in the 2002 Science Bowl, Jet Propulsion
Laboratory (JPL) Regional Competition, the first Science Bowl title ever won by Samo. The team,
undefeated at Regionals, will now travel to Washington D.C. in May to compete in the national
competition. [To read more click here]

Boys Volleyball Serving Up Wins

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By Lisa Strumwasser

The boys’ volleyball team commenced their league season Monday, Mar. 11, with their first win against
Culver City. [To read more click here]

Contact the site webmaster to give feedback.

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Administration Implements Controversial Tardy

Sweeps
By Ari Rosmarin

Administrators launched their first announced tardy sweeps last week, finally implementing the strategy
after almost five months of discussion. While administrators call the sweeps a success, they have no
plans to stop using the strategy until the number of tardies each period goes down. [To read more click
here]

Council Restricts Parking On Streets Around

Campus
By Jeremy Kutner

After a concerted effort of well over a year, the residents of 9th Street have succeeded in creating a
preferential parking zone for much of the street. This new zone, which was approved by the City Council
in a 5 to 1 vote, will prevent anyone without a permit, which are only available to 9th and 10th Street
residents, from parking on the street for more than two hours. [To read more click here]

News Briefs

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Large Section Of Pool Building Collapses

By Ari Rosmarin

A 15 by 25 foot section of an exterior wall of the Drake Pool Building collapsed last Monday evening,
Mar. 11, resulting in the closure of the pool for a day and significant damage to the building. [To read
more click here]

Construction Nine Months Behind Schedule

By Carl Lisberger

After a series of time-consuming setbacks, caused mainly by redesign issues, the construction projects on
campus are now projected for completion by March 2003, nine months behind schedule. [To read more
click here]

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Administration Implements Controversial Tardy

Sweeps
By Ari Rosmarin

Administrators launched their first

announced tardy sweeps last
week, finally implementing the
strategy after almost five months
of discussion. While
administrators call the sweeps a
success, they have no plans to
stop using the strategy until the
number of tardies each period
goes down.

In the first sweep, between second

and third period on Mar. 12,
school security personnel and
administrators “escorted” 45
students of all grades to the Greek
Theater, where they called the students parents and warned them about further consequences. For the
remainder of the period the students sat in the Greek, chatting with friends or reading a book.

If a student is caught in later sweeps, he/she will receive a Saturday School and another phone call on the
second sweep, a parent conference, an In-School Suspension, and finally a School suspension for
defiance of school authority on the fifth sweep.

Administrators and staff were pleased with the effectiveness of the sweeps. “I would consider the sweeps
a success,” said Dean of Discipline Lori Pawinski, who has focused on combatting tardiness this year.
“We have had a smaller number of students each time we had a sweep.”

According to administrators, the number of students collected in the sweeps, which have taken place
each day in various periods for the last two weeks, has leveled off below ten.

Although administrators have announced the last two weeks’ sweeps over the PA system, the sweeps will
begin to be random and unannounced following Spring Break. According to Co-Principal Kirsten Hibert,
the unannounced sweeps will remain in place until administrators see a consistent and significant decline
in the number of tardies.

While the numbers have been going down and administrators are optimistic, students caught in the first

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sweeps didn’t seem to see the strategy as effective.

“I don’t get in trouble for being tardy…If they call my aunt, I don’t care,” said sophomore Erika Wulfert,
who identified herself as someone who is frequently tardy. “I have math. Do you think I want to go to
math?”

During the second sweep, fifth period on Mar. 13, 30-40 students chose to show their disapproval of the
policy by voluntarily going to the Greek en masse. According to Pawinski, most students simply sat in
the Greek following directions, but a few exhibitied more aggressive behavior, including throwing items
over the Greek wall. Pawinksi said six students were suspended for defiance.

“We value student voice, but can’t tolerate students being disrespectful or defiant of adults on this
campus,” said Pawinski.

[GO BACK TO THE NEWS PAGE]

* Photo by Zachary Elgart

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Council Restricts Parking On Streets Around

Campus
By Jeremy Kutner

After a concerted effort of well over a year, the residents of 9th Street have succeeded in creating a
preferential parking zone for much of the street. This new zone, which was approved by the City Council
in a 5 to 1 vote, will prevent anyone without a permit, which are only available to 9th and 10th Street
residents, from parking on the street for more than two hours.

Resident complaints over the parking situation stemmed from several different sources. In addition to
heavy competition for parking spots during peak times with Samo students and commercial businesses
on Lincoln Boulevard, residents also pointed to what Council member Kevin McKeown referred to as
“appalling” behavior by Samo students. A series of residents addressed the Council and recounted
frequent sightings of incidents of speeding, smoking, loud music playing and generally disrespectful
behavior exhibited by students. Residents even showed photographs of the trash left behind by students.
“The situation has gotten out of control. It’s dangerous. You see kids flipping into spots as they open up
without any regard for any of the cars or any of the pedestrians around them,” said 9th Street Resident
Terri Lee.

However, the Council made it very clear that only parking considerations factored into the Council’s
final decision. “We are here to regulate parking, not behavior,” said McKeown.

The new preferential parking zone, titled Zone MM, will restrict parking on Michigan Avenue between
Lincoln Boulevard and 10th Street, 9th Street between the Santa Monica Freeway and Michigan Avenue,
the west side of 9th Street between Michigan Avenue and Pico Boulevard and the north sides of Bay,
Grant, and Pacific Streets between Lincoln Boulevard and 10th Street.

Notably absent from the new restrictions is the east side of 9th Street, which has 51 perpendicular
parking spaces that have been the hub of much of the before-school jostling for parking spaces. Much of
the debate between Council members over the new preferential parking zone did not center on whether a
new zone should be created, but whether the omission of the east side of 9th Street from the zone did not
go far enough in addressing residents’ concerns over a lack of available parking.

The majority of the Council decided that a six month trial period would be enacted in order to measure
the impact of the new preferential parking zone. At the end of six months, if a parking problem still
exists for residents, the Council will determine whether the zone should be expanded to include the east
side of 9th Street. “Every time we adopt something like this it is trial and error. We’re not absolutely sure
how it will work,” said Council member Pam O’Connor.

The lone vote against the proposal by Council member Ken Genser was cast because he felt the need for

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preferential parking to encompass all of 9th Street. “When you leave one side of [9th Street] as the only
thing in the area available to high school kids they are going to park there,” said Genser. “I don’t think
we have to experiment to find out that the problem is going to be concentrated in front of these people’s
houses. These people are going to live in a place that is worse than what they have now.”

The City Council vote came after a lengthy effort by residents to have the City address their parking
concerns. Two thirds of 9th Street residents signed a petition asking for the creation of a preferential
parking zone. This petition prompted an in-depth study by City staff into the parking problem. Once the
staff report recommended the creation of the zone, the issue was brought before the City Council.

Many at Samo are concerned about how this will impact their ability to park. At the City Council
meeting, ASB President Justin Brownstone urged the Council not to restrict parking. “Parking around our
City’s high school is a limited resource and one that needs to be shared,” said Brownstone. “Obviously
[the decision] hurts the students in the long run. But at the same time if students were not throwing trash,
speeding, and playing loud music, [parking] wouldn’t be as much of an issue,” said Brownstone
following the decision.

With massive construction problems on campus still far from completion, it is unlikely the estimated 700
students who drive to school will receive much parking relief in the near future. As a result, many
students were especially upset at the Council’s decision. “I’m outraged. It is really hard to find parking in
the morning and students are always late because they are trying to find parking. We need all the parking
spaces we can get,” said junior Collin Williams.

Senior Nima Daghigh agreed. “We need closer parking. The closest [parking] I can get is 12th Street and
that’s a ten minute walk each way. We need a place to park just as much as they do. We are already late
enough to school as it is,” said Daghigh.

Though the preferential parking zone will prevent students from parking in the area, the City Council has
taken steps to address Samo’s parking crunch. According to McKeown, the Council has already
approved the rescheduling of street cleaning on blocks around Samo to 3:30 to 5:00 pm, allowing the
majority of Samo’s students to avoid additional parking difficulties on street cleaning days. “[The
Council] understood that losing those [parking] spaces would make it harder for Samo students [to
park],” said McKeown.

The Council will also ask Santa Monica’s Big Blue Bus line to provide additional buses during peak
times for Samo arrival and dismissal. Longer-term solutions, such as the creation of an underground
parking structure at the Civic Center, are still a long way from approval and completion.

Council members were generally satisfied with the results of the new parking zone. “The compromise is
not going to satisfy everyone,” said Council member Richard Bloom. But he added the new zone was as
“equitable as we can get.”

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Parking enforcement of zone MM is slated to begin in about four weeks.

[GO BACK TO THE NEWS PAGE]

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Large Section Of Pool Building Collapses

By Ari Rosmarin

A 15 by 25 foot section of an exterior wall of the Drake Pool Building collapsed last Monday evening,
Mar. 11, resulting in the closure of the pool for a day and significant damage to the building.

The damaged section lies above the exterior door from the pool facility to the Greek theater stage.
According to Assistant Principal in charge of Campus Operations Gregory Runyon, the cost of repairing
the damage is still unknown.

The section collapsed late in the evening while City swim classes were taking place in the pool. Nobody
was hurt, but swimmers reported hearing a large crash outside of the building.

Although the school has not received a complete asessment from engineers, Runyon speculated that
rotting nails from exposure to moisture from the pool may have caused the collapse. “Nothing we know
of could have prevented it,” said Runyon.

Once the report is complete, the school will hire an outside contractor to strengthen and repair the
building.

[GO BACK TO THE NEWS PAGE]

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Construction Nine Months Behind Schedule

By Carl Lisberger

After a series of time-consuming setbacks, caused mainly by redesign issues, the construction projects on
campus are now projected for completion by March 2003, nine months behind schedule.

The district expects the three major construction sites, at Barnum Hall, the new Language Building and
the new Music Building to be completed sometime next semester, with other maintenence work dragging
on into March.

“There’s been quite a bit of positive progress…I certainly think it’s a possibility they’ll be done for next
semester,” said Owner’s Representative Ken Koslow.

However, even after the construction is complete, students will not have access to the science quad until
after the following spring, when the grass destroyed by the construction worker’s bungalows will be
replanted.

Some students and teachers report that the construction has not been easy on learning. “It’s a major
problem. The construction is negatively effecting all aspects of the classroom…now that the weather’s
warming up its hell on wheels,” said History Teacher Michael Felix. According to Runyon, the
disruption caused by the construction projects will decrease as time goes on.

[GO BACK TO THE NEWS PAGE]

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The Oscar Race Has Begun!

By Michael Blackman

It is that time of the year again. The honors, the red carpet, the most important day in film: the Oscars.
The Oscars are known for being unpredictable, and this year will be no exception. [To read more click
here]

Suicide: A Samo Student's Personal Testimony

Anonymous

I tried to kill myself. I almost died but I am alive. Let’s just come right out with it and avoid the stigma
of it all. I let life beat me and, no, suicide is not a result of over-dramatization. I’m here to raise my fist in
BRAVE anonymity and speak up for the number of students who have committed suicide at our school
in all-too-recent history. There is an undeniable desensitization of death with the student suicides, student
murders, terrorism, and war of the past years. But death is serious. After all, suicide could happen to
someone you know. I am someone you know. I’m the average student dealing with social pressures,
family turmoil, and fear of my future. [To read more click here]

Six Feet Under Remains on Top

By India Brookover-Coleman

A domestic drama like no other, HBO’s Six Feet Under focuses on the mishaps of the Fisher family, who
run a funeral home in Los Angeles. The show expertly balances suspenseful plotlines, thought-provoking
social issues and a darkly sardonic sense of humor. Three episodes into the second season, this show has

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proved to be unparalleled. [To read more click here]

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Turn Off the Tube, and Save Your Brain

By Megan Healey

Television is the most powerful communications medium in the world. It can be a wonderful way to
educate and communicate to the masses, but TV has become an obsession that gives society a distorted
perspective of reality. It prevents human interaction, lowers peoples’ attention spans, and has become
harmful to the millions that look to their TV as a mere source of entertainment. [To read more click here]

Animal Liberation!
By Kesha Ram

If you stop reading now, you miss the opportunity to save 40 to 95 lives per year. The number of animals
that die tragically to be eaten by people each year depends on each of us, so please do not ignore their
suffering. Because the meat industry disregards pain and cruelty, it is up to you to reconsider your
consumer bonds with such companies. Make a difference in the lives of the millions of animals that are
tortured and slaughtered daily. [To read more click here]

Money for Nothing: The Threat of Unchecked

Capitalism
By Daniel Morgan

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There’s a mentality, particularly in the west, that bigger, faster, and fancier is better. Progress at any
cost—regardless of impact on the environment, degraded quality of life, degradation of the
individual—becomes an obvious must in American way of life. People associate the American mind-set
with the attitude of capitalization at any cost because of our hunger for wealth. It is time we show that we
not only think of personal gain, but gain as a community, a country, and a people. [To read more click
here]

Letters To The Editor

Abstinence
To the editors of The Samohi,

In the March 8, 2002 edition of The Samohi, Jonathan Lee’s Opinion piece is misleading. He states:
“According to the California Department of Health Services, 49,636 per 100,000 girls aged 15-24
reported cases of chlamydia…Almost 1/2 of the girls in California reported having chlamydia.” [To read
more click here]

Permits
To the Editor:

I was disappointed to read in the February 22 issue of The Samohi that Samo will be restricting permits
severely. A group of students from my middle school’s highly gifted program came to Samo on permits
because we felt that it was a better school than any of our home high schools, which included University
and Venice. Most of us would not have been able to come to Samo, had the proposed plan been in place
four years ago. [To read more click here]

Waivers

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Dear Editor,

In response to Daria Mazey’s article about waivers, I would have to completely disagree. In the article
Daria makes a reference to the fact that some students are wavering into AP classes just to get AP credit,
as opposed to others taking the class to enrich themselves intellectually. It is that student’s right to take
the class to challenge himself, to increase his chances of getting into college, or to take a class that he/she
is interested in. I think that the student’s determination in taking an AP class is overlooked by many. [To
read more click here]

Editorials

Parking: From Bad to Worse

On Mar. 5, the Santa Monica City Council poured a generous cup of salt into the already festering wound
known as parking at Samo (See Council Restricts Parking on 9th Street) by establishing permit-only
zones on many of the streets Samo students currently park on each morning. [To read more click here]

Unlock our Bathrooms!!

Upon entering school, it is an expected truth that one will be able to relieve his/her bladder when
necessary at some point during the day. Recently, this has not been the case. For weeks, the
administration appears to have locked several of the bathrooms on campus, leaving students running
from building to building trying to find an open bathroom or squirming in their seats until the end of the
day. Frankly, this is downright cruel and unusual. [To read more click here]

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Email "Letters to the Editor" to

[email protected]
or mail them to:
Journalism,
c/o Santa Monica High School,
601 Pico Blvd.,
Santa Monica, CA, 90405

The Samohi seeks submissions for the student-written column "My Turn."
Email articles to [email protected]
or submit articles to E201 (Santa Monica High School).

Submissions may be edited for grammar and length and are due no later than April 24, 2002.

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Boys Volleyball Serving Up Wins

By Lisa Strumwasser

The boys’ volleyball team commenced their league season Monday, Mar. 11, with their first win against
Culver City. [To read more click here]

No Weak Links Here

By Michael Biskar

Following a swift 221-202 victory over the Redondo Seahawks last Thursday, Mar. 14, the Samo boys
golf team remains undefeated in the Ocean League with an impressive 6-0 league record. [To read more
click here]

Harriers Set the Pace for League

By Hanna Jacobson

Although the boys’ track team lost to West Torrance in the first meet of the season, bounced back to beat
Beverly Hills at the- Mar. 14 meet. [To read more click here]

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Netters Doing Damage

By Elliott Birnstein

The boys’ tennis team has gotten off to a great start. In their first three exhibition matches the guys have
dominated play, winning all three matches and sweeping the second match. [To read more click here]

Softball Looking Stronger

By Jacob Honig

After a slow 0-2 start to their season, Samo’s softball team has picked up the pace with an improving
record of 4-3. [To read more click here]

Staff Spotlight: Julie Aoyagi

Interview by Brittany Benjamin and Emily Ferrell

Many athletes know Julie Aoyagi as the person they turn to for their scrapes, bruises and broken bones.
The Samohi spoke with Samo’s Snoopy-loving trainer, the woman who helps to maximize athletic
performance. [To read more click here]

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Boys Volleyball Serving Up Wins

By Lisa Strumwasser

The boys’ volleyball team

commenced their league season
Monday, Mar. 11, with their first
win against Culver City.

In their first game of league

season, also their first away
game, the team handily won the
first two sets. Battling in the
third set, Culver stole their focus.
But the team came back in the
fourth game, ready for another
easy win. “[Beating Culver City]
was important for us. Everybody
was working well,” said the
team’s setter, senior Paul Fuller. “I think we just need to keep up our consistancy and we’ll do fine.”

The team returned to the North Gym on Mar. 14, ready to play cross-town rival Beverly Hills. The game
proved more difficult than their earlier win against Culver City, as Beverly challenged Samo’s skills
more so than Culver did. Still finishing 2-1, Samo pulled off a second win in the competitive Bay
League.

“I think the guys played a little bit better. In terms of passing and serving, it was much better than the
game at Culver City,” said Head Coach Nguien Trinh. “Defensively we dug some good balls and I
switched a couple guys around and that helped with the win.”

With a league record of 2-0, the team will take their positive attitudes and segway into the next games
against North, Penninsula, and highly-ranked Mira Costa.

As the season continues the team grows into a perennial powerhouse with a great blocking game that
other Bay League contenders must face.

“The team is really starting to come together,” said Fuller. “we’re communicating better and the
productive juices are flowing.”

[GO BACK TO THE SPORTS PAGE]

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* Photo by Wesley Krieger

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No Weak Links Here

By Michael Biskar

Following a swift 221-202 victory over the Redondo Seahawks last Thursday, Mar. 14, the Samo boys
golf team remains undefeated in the Ocean League with an impressive 6-0 league record.

Led by the consistently fantastic play of senior David Lenvin and sophomore Daniel Wax, along with
help from senior Sammy Lerner and sophomore Jeremy Kramer, the Samo Linksters continue to breeze
through Ocean League competition during this golf season.

Their only true challenge thus far was a nail-biter against the Torrance Tartars, in which they rose
victorious, 197-192. Leading the way for the Samo Vikings was senior Peter Kaldis who shot a 36 on the
day.

The Samo Linksters were able to withstand the Torrance Tartars’ top team score of 197 and overall
performance of the season with a clutch play by both Kaldis and Lenvin.

“Expect us to make a strong run for the Ocean League championship this season,” said Head Coach Mike
Mitchell. “We are looking forward to the CIF playoffs this year so that we can finally face some really
tough competition.”

If the Samo Linksters continue their streak of sheer dominance down the stretch this season in the face of
Ocean League competition, the boys golf team will undoubtedly improve its chances of advancing
through the early rounds of the southern section CIF playoffs.

[GO BACK TO THE SPORTS PAGE]

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Harriers Set the Pace for League

By Hanna Jacobson

Although the boys’ track team lost to West Torrance in the first meet of the season, bounced back to beat
Beverly Hills at the- Mar. 14 meet.

The boys scored 60-76 against West Torrance then realized that the meet was a “dress rehearsal” for the
team. “We need to take each event seriously, and not rely on wins in just the sprints, or the pole vault, or
any other single events,” said Boys Coach Tania Fischer. “[The Meet] was really a wake-up call for us.”

Thursday’s winning meet against Beverly Hills built confidence, especially since Beverly is one of
Samo’s long-time track rivals. The boys came from 30 points down after 10 events to edge out Beverly
69-67. The boys team swept the pole vault, the high jump and the triple jump, as well as gaining a first
and second victory for seniors Mike Ruiz and Derrick Davis consecutively in the 200m sprint. Senior
Terrell Maze placed second in the long jump, which opened the door for seniors Demetre Howard and
Kristin Currie to sweep up the rest of the events. Sophomore Michael Gumbrecht won the high jump
leading the sweep with Maze second.

Davis and Ruiz won the 100 and the 400 respectively and also ran on the winning 4x100 and 4x400 relay
teams. The boys 4x400 relay team, which included seniors Davis and Ruiz, and juniors Jokubas
Zukerman and Dexter Fairweather, secured Samo’s boys’ team victory by taking first place. According
to Head Coach Pat Cady, the third placers were the “heroes of the meet because those thirds made the
difference between two very evenly matched teams.”

The girls team begins league with a 2-0 record coming off wins against Beverly Hills 88-48, and West
Torrance 78-57.

Junior Stephanie Ishler won the 1600m and 3200m in both meets. Senior Shentora Bedgood won the
shotput and the discus in both meets. Junior Aviva Regev won the high jump and pole vault against West
and Beverly. Senior Nancy Yu won the 100m hurdles against West and took second against Beverly.

Standout junior Eryn Mack has been a top finisher in the 400m sprint, the 300m hurdles and the 4x400
relay. In fact, her super-speedy catch-up to the other relay teams secured a first for the girls team against
Beverly Hills.

The girls are off to a fantastic start and are getting ready for their most difficult meet against Mira Costa
after Spring Break.

[GO BACK TO THE SPORTS PAGE]

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Netters Doing Damage

By Elliott Birnstein

The boys’ tennis team has gotten off to a great start. In their first three exhibition matches the guys have
dominated play, winning all three matches and sweeping the second match.

The team’s first match was against Palisades High, a traditionally strong team, whom Samo defeated 10-
8. “We really came together and played with passion against Palisades,” said junior Kazim Narsinh.

Samo benefits from solid play from all of their players, which is contributing to good team chemistry and
a solid team play overall.

In their second match they swept Torrance 18-0. Every player dominated in this match, including Senior
Bo Hardt. “Torrance just couldn’t hang with us, we are too solid from top to bottom,” said Hardt.

The third match was against Crossroads. Samo defeated Crossroads 14-4, exhibiting another strong
effort. Crossroads had some solid players, but they did not have enough to combat Samo’s depth.

Overall, Samo looks forward to a strong season in Bay League, and they have a chance finish at the top.

[GO BACK TO THE SPORTS PAGE]

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Softball Looking Stronger

By Jacob Honig

After a slow 0-2 start to their season, Samo’s softball team has picked up the pace with an improving
record of 4-3.

At the prestigious Simi Valley Softball Tournament, the team maintained an impressive 2-0 record. In
their first game, the ladies beat Louisville 2-1, thanks to an amazing seventh inning two-run rally.

The team moved on in the tournament to face an always tough San Marcos team. Although San Marcos
struck first, scoring the first run in the game, Samo’s ladies answered with a bang, scoring four runs and
taking the game with ease.

One of the team’s standout players, sophomore Rosa Ordaz, steadily contributes behind the plate. “She’s
been playing awesome defensively and hitting really well,” said Head Coach Debbie Skaggs.

After a solid showing at the tournament the team went on to play a double-header against Torrance. The
team won the first of the two games, holding Torrance scoreless and winning 3-0. In the second game of
the double-header, the team faced an upsetting turn of events and lost 6-1. The team’s future is quite
bright as evident in their 4-3 victory over school rival Venice, and the team heads into league
competition with high hopes and playoff expectations.

[GO BACK TO THE SPORTS PAGE]

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Staff Spotlight: Julie Aoyagi

Interview by Brittany Benjamin and Emily Ferrell

Many athletes know Julie Aoyagi as the person they turn to for their scrapes, bruises and broken bones.
The Samohi spoke with Samo’s Snoopy-loving trainer, the woman who helps to maximize athletic
performance.

The Samohi: What does your daily job include?

Julie Aoyagi: My daily job includes prepping the kids for their sports—taping, stretching, heating,
icing—evaluating, rehabbing a little bit, not too much, and attending all the sports games.

T.S.: Tell us about your childhood. Where did you grow-up? Was there anything there that influenced
you to become a personal trainer?

J.A.: I grew up in Gardena, [a] Torrance area. I live there now—all my life. I probably [chose this job]
because I played sports. My brothers played sports and I played sports so that I was in a sport
environment like now. I’d rather be in a sports environment than behind a desk.

T.S.: Where’d you go to college? What degrees do you have?

J.A.: Cal State Dominguez Hills. Physical Education with athletic training as an emphasis.

T.S.: Many kids look up to you. Who do you look up to?

J.A.: My role model is my teacher in college. Her name was Wilda Bingum and she is my mentor.

T.S.: What do you like about Samo?

J.A.: It is multi-cultured, and I really like that.

T.S.: What is your favorite part of work?

J.A.: I like to watch the games. That is the most fun part—and the kids.

T.S.: What happens to kids who swear?

J.A.: Well, during football season I charge them 25 cents. Now I just scold them. If they say the S-word I
say ‘shoot.’

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T.S.: What’s the worst injury you’ve ever seen?

J.A.: I knew that was going to come up! I’ve seen everything. I don’t think there is a worst thing, maybe
a dislocated shoulder. That would be probably the worst.

T.S.: What do you do to relax? Why?

J.A.: Oh, I scrap—scrap book. It’s just stress free. You don’t need any brain power to do it.

T.S.: If you were a cartoon, who would you be? Why?

J.A.: Snoopy. I don’t know. I love Snoopy so much. He’s so cute. Is there a girl Snoopy?

T.S.: What advice would you give to students at Samo?

J.A.: To go for their goals, do what they like. If I never took one class I would have never started doing
this and I love my job. Just to do whatever they like to do.

[GO BACK TO THE SPORTS PAGE]

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Friday, March 8, 2002

Click on the page banners to go to the rest of that page for this issue.

Administration Revives Pledge of Allegiance

By Jeremy Kutner

In response to an outpouring of patriotism following the terrorist attacks of September 11, and in an
effort to comply with Santa Monica Malibu Unified School District policy, the Samo administration has
decided to reinstate the Pledge of Allegiance during second period announcements twice a week. [To
read more click here]

Música Latina-Americana en Formas Diferentes

By Erika Miguel

Es difícil encontrar música en español que se clasifica rock si uno no vive en Latino América. El rock
que se oye en el radio es “pop” y no rock verdadero. Por esa razón este viaje musical explorará diferentes
lugares latinoamericanos para encontrar rock en español. [To read more click here]

Veganism Nothing More than a Misinformed Cult

By Emily Ferrell

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Animal Rights activists have fought for realistic issues in the past. Saving whales and stopping poachers
were their main priority. But today by logging onto People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals’
(PETA) website, you will be bombarded with vicious accusations, facts lacking any evidence and
outrageous campaigns that cross the boundries of sanity. It’s time these sad, little vegans stuck to more
realistic issues, because they have stepped over the edge of reality. [To read more click here]

The L.A. Page

By Danielle Alkov, Jordan Karney, Millay Kogan, Jackie Len, and Carl Lisberger

In case you’ve never ventured east of Centinela, taken the 405 freeway, or been more than five miles
from the beach at any given time, Los Angeles is what’s happening.

L.A. is one of the most diverse cities in the world, bringing together an eclectic mix of art, entertainment,
food, and culture. Where else can you grab a chilli-cheese burger at Pinks, visit the Los Angeles County
Museum of Art’s Japanese Pavillion, buy cajeta on Olvera Street, and catch a show at the Mann’s
Chinese Theater all in one day? In L.A., every day is different and you never find yourself doing the
same thing twice. And with its laid back attitude, there’s no better place to relax and absorb all the city
has to offer. If you’re thinking about exploring what lies beyond Santa Monica, here’s a taste of the
diversity Los Angeles is serving up! [To read more click here]

Symphony Orchestra to Play Carnegie Hall

By Lisa Strumwasser

The Samohi Symphony Orchestra is on its way to New York to perform in Carnegie Hall, one of
America’s premiere music venues, for an Easter Sunday concert. [To read more click here]

New Fitness Center Opens in South Gym

By Michael Zinshteyn

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A prominent local foundation donated $70,000 worth of equipment for Samo’s new Fitness Center in the
South Gym, providing students with a new alternative to traditional P.E. classes. [To read more click
here]

Contact the site webmaster to give feedback.

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Administration Revives Pledge of Allegiance

By Jeremy Kutner

In response to an outpouring of patriotism following the terrorist attacks of September 11, and in an
effort to comply with Santa Monica Malibu Unified School District policy, the Samo administration has
decided to reinstate the Pledge of Allegiance during second period announcements twice a week. [To
read more click here]

Increased Parking and Playfield Space Proposed

For Civic Center
By Megan Early

The Santa Monica City Council is currently deciding the fate of 120 acres of prime real estate that
surrounds the Santa Monica Civic Center. This area, bounded by Pico Blvd. and the freeway, extending
from 4th Street all the way to Ocean Avenue, is also directly across the street from Samo. This
redevelopment of the Civic Center property provides an opportunity for Samo and the rest of the
community that will not come again. [To read more click here]

Community Proposes Education Solutions At

Planning Meeting

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By Millay Kogan

A group of 150 parents, teachers, students, administrators and community activists from the Santa
Monica-Malibu School District (SMMUSD) met Feb. 21-23 at the Doubletree Hotel to discuss and plan
various solutions to the many issues plaguing the district’s schools. [To read more click here]

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Administration Revives Pledge of Allegiance

By Jeremy Kutner

In response to an outpouring of
patriotism following the terrorist
attacks of September 11, and in
an effort to comply with Santa
Monica Malibu Unified School
District policy, the Samo
administration has decided to
reinstate the Pledge of
Allegiance during second period
announcements twice a week.

The pledge recited over the

Public Address system on
Monday, Mar. 4, marked the first
regularly scheduled Pledge of Allegiance at Samo in over four years. The only other recent pledge
occurred on Sept. 14, during the national Day of Prayer and Remembrance that followed the attacks.
Following the Sept. 14 recitation, and the recent appearance of a Samo student on a radio talk show
criticizing the absence of the Pledge at Samo, the administration received numerous queries from
students and teachers asking for the Pledge of Allegiance to be recited regularly. As a result, Speaker of
the House Colleen Yamamura-Clark will lead the school in the Pledge every Monday and Thursday
before the announcements. “It has been months brewing of people talking about [performing the Pledge].
I think that part of that was in light of September 11 and the fact that we did [the Pledge] on the Day of
Prayer and Remembrance,” said Co-Principal Kirsten Hibert.

Many students were pleased with the administration’s decision to reinstate the Pledge. “It’s good that
[the administration is] putting [the pledge] back. It allows us to show our patriotism,” said junior Steve
Galando.

Others, however, were less enthusiastic. “I think [the Pledge] is such a fake thing. Why now? Why didn’t
we start it before? The timing is bad,” said senior Michael Ruiz.

Despite the long hiatus, the Pledge has actually been a required part of the high school day in the Santa
Monica-Malibu Unified School District since 1978. District policy mandates a daily Pledge of Allegiance
to the flag of the United States, and the State Education Code requires a daily “patriotic exercise” to be
performed. Though it is unclear exactly why Samo decided to stop performing the Pledge, Hibert
attributes some of the decision to logistical problems, especially with the Public Address system.
However, until the surge in patriotism that followed September 11, the school had received very few
requests from the Samo community to reinstate the Pledge.

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Though the school is required to perform the Pledge and provide an environment in which students and
faculty can express their patriotism, no student or teacher is required to engage in the reciting of the
Pledge. Students and faculty are also not required to stand, place their hands over their hearts, or actually
speak the words of the Pledge. According to Hibert, those who choose not to participate must sit quietly
and respectfully while others recite the Pledge. “There may be a classroom where the teacher is sitting
down or there is a student sitting down and there are students standing up and [saying the pledge] and
other people not. And that is okay,” said Hibert.

Some teachers, however, indicated that there was some pressure on teachers from the administration to
perform the Pledge. Art Department Chair Amy Bouse noted there was an “expectation” of teacher
participation, and added, “I hope that teachers and students can discuss the issue [of performing the
Pledge] rationally and intellectually. Some problems could arise if people do not respect each others’
decisions.”

Other teachers disagreed. “I don’t feel any pressure,” said History Teacher Adrienne Karyadi. “There
might be a lack of awareness about why we are doing [the Pledge] and what protocols should be
followed for students (and teachers) who don’t want to say the pledge.”

Hibert acknowledges she needs to follow district rules. “I’m guided by board policy. I need to implement
board policy so that is what Samo is doing,” said Hibert.

Many of Samo’s faculty members are supportive of the administration’s decision. “After September 11,
many kids were sort of stunned at the outpouring of patriotism among people who were older. For some
who have grown up knowing the Pledge, it was a comfort to say those words in a heartfelt way after
September 11,” said Karyadi.

[GO BACK TO THE NEWS PAGE]

* Photo by Zachary Elgart

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Increased Parking and Playfield Space Proposed

For Civic Center
By Megan Early

The Santa Monica

City Council is
currently deciding the
fate of 120 acres of
prime real estate that
surrounds the Santa
Monica Civic Center.
This area, bounded by Pico Blvd. and the freeway, extending from 4th Street all the way to Ocean
Avenue, is also directly across the street from Samo. This redevelopment of the Civic Center property
provides an opportunity for Samo and the rest of the community that will not come again.

The council has the job of considering competing interests as it tries to address major needs that have
burdened the city for some time. The preliminary plan was presented by the Working Group, (a
committee created to explore and evaluate different options for the Civic Center, according to Mayor Pro
Tem and City Council member, Kevin McKeown) at a Jan. 22 council meeting. The plan included a new
police and fire headquarters, a parking structure, a day care center, and office buildings, as well as space
for low-income housing, parks, bike paths, artists’ studios, and performing arts facilities, according to an
explanation of the plan found on the city’s website. The plan, however, specifically forbade the use of the
park space for athletic fields, and did nothing to address the severe parking shortage at the high school,
causing a great deal of uproar from Samo supporters and the athletic community.

Housing, artistic facilities and more active field space are the three major elements currently being
disputed. Samo parents and staff, including Co-Principal Kirsten Hibert, also argued for a provision to
help relieve the high school’s parking shortage. A local architecture firm has published a proposed plan
where land at the corner of Pico and 4th Street could be used for elevated playing fields with
subterranean parking. This plan would replace the Civic Auditorium Park, established in the preliminary
plan as “an attractive setting for a variety of recreational activities and informal play,” according to a
description on the city’s website.

Many opposed the plan to forbid the use of this area by high school athletes and organized sports. “There
is such an obvious and enormous need that ignoring it really sends a message to high school athletes
saying, ‘We just don’t care,’” noted Neil Carrey, creator and chairman of the Sports and Physical
Education Advocates Committee and the Title Nine, Gender Equality Committee.

Two overused fields support the over 1,000 students that play on a CIF team at Samo. Games extend late
into the night because three teams must share one field, and practices must be staggered. “Not only is

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there no space, but the fields are a mess. The track field gets reseeded for football, but by the time we get
to use it, all that’s left is dirt,” said senior varsity girls soccer Captain Amy Crawford. To many,
including two playing fields in the southeast corner of the civic center complex—directly across the
street from Samo’s track—seems like an obvious solution to the problem.

“The recommendations brought to City Council were deliberately a reflection of the public opinion
gathered by the Working Group. During the months of meetings and workshops, there were relatively
few voices raised for playfields or parking,” explained McKeown. About a year and a half ago, Co-
Principal Dr. Kelly, Asst. Principal Greg Runyon, and Samo parent, Jean Gebman, did address Samo’s
needs at one of the public input sessions, but felt their proposals were not given serious consideration at
the time. “Given the nature of their response,” recalled Kelly, “we could tell it was early in the process,
and that the big decisions were not being made that night.” Mayor Michael Feinstein attributes the
omission of playing fields from the final plan to lack of sufficient advocacy: “The athletic community did
not turn out in large numbers until the very end of the process, so their concerns were not heard because
they didn’t organize.”

In addition to the request for playing fields on Feb. 5, one group emphasized the need for more low-
income housing in Santa Monica. Over the last 20 years, high-income developments have taken over
several neighborhoods and the lower economic segment of the city’s population has virtually been
weeded out.

Council members responded to their constituents, and concluded by agreeing to the proposed plan in
theory, while supporting further specific inquiries. “Rather than approve the plan as it was, or send it
back to the very beginning of the process to start over, the City Council asked staff to develop
alternatives based on playfields, housing and art, as well as different street configurations and increased
parking,” explained McKeown. “Personally, I’m hoping to see better connections between the Civic
Center and the Samo campus,” he continued, “a playfield at the Civic Center would be great for Samo
sports, and underground parking might help relieve the senior parking lottery crunch. On the other hand,
Barnum Hall, when finished, will be a valuable venue for City use, and the Greek Theatre could host
outdoor summer concerts or other events.”

“This is a legacy that we can leave future generations,” said Feinstein, “by creating an awesome public
space, like in many of the world’s great cities, we will have a great connection from Wilshire to Pico,
down the Promenade and through the Civic Center.”

[GO BACK TO THE NEWS PAGE]

* Pictures courtesy of pen.ci.santa-monica.ca.us

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Community Proposes Education Solutions At

Planning Meeting
By Millay Kogan

A group of 150 parents, teachers, students, administrators and community activists from the Santa
Monica-Malibu School District (SMMUSD) met Feb. 21-23 at the Doubletree Hotel to discuss and plan
various solutions to the many issues plaguing the district’s schools.

This three-day planning event was, according to SMMUSD Superintendent John Deasy, a meeting that
would “strategically plan, with the help of various community members, changes that would occur within
the next three to five years…mainly focusing on instruction and resources.” Participants, chosen by the
Board of Education’s Design Team to represent all groups in the community, were asked to discuss their
various concerns and create solutions that would attempt to solve the district’s flaws.

Through various brainstorming activities and discussions, different groups were able to convey their
concerns to the group as a whole. Those involved in the event generally regarded it as a success. “[There
was] very high participation, strong desire for excellence, and inclusion of all groups involved” said Jean
Katz, an outside facilitator hired to help the meetings run smoothly.

Some students had reservations. “Adults were not always listening to the kids,” complained seventh
grader Allegra Fonda-Bonardi from John Adams Middle School. Other students had a more positive
outlook. “There was an overall feeling of mutual respect,” said senior Daniel Goodwin.

Although very few Samo teachers were in attendance (most came from the district’s middle schools),
those who were there reported feeling more like social workers than instructors. Main concerns included
the extreme difficulty in working with students individually while maintaining district standards, the
unfair student to teacher ratio and the lack of support for teachers by administrators.

Parents complained of institutional racism, the lack of character development in schools, and the school’s
inability to teach to different types of learners. Many wanted to see the schools become centers for the
entire community where, as parent and PTSA President Cynthia Cottam stated, “students and community
members can congregate, and benefit.”

By the last day of meeting, supervisors came up with a list of the five most important and workable
themes to be implemented within the next few years. These themes included increasing differentiated
learning (teaching to all different types of learners), creating community centers within the schools,
maintaining and improving abundant resources for students, making a universal preschool system for all
children, forming a diverse curriculum for classes and individualized learning.

Although most found this list to be satisfying, Student Member of the Board Chris Gary campaigned to

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put “inequality among students” on the list of top issues. “I was pleased to see that the issue of equity
wasn’t just a minority student concern, but one of the superintendent, administrators, teachers and
parents at the conference,” said Gary.

Although the district plans to start working on these themes in July, results probably won’t be noticeable
for a few years. However, most remain hopeful. “I think a lot of good came out of the meetings,” said
Speaker of the House Colleen Yamamura-Clark. “If we keep up with this amount of participation and
involvement, things could definitely change for the better.”

[GO BACK TO THE NEWS PAGE]

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Música Latina-Americana en Formas Diferentes

By Erika Miguel

Es difícil encontrar música en español que se clasifica rock si uno no vive en Latino América. El rock
que se oye en el radio es “pop” y no rock verdadero. Por esa razón este viaje musical explorará diferentes
lugares latinoamericanos para encontrar rock en español. [To read more click here]

Bergamot Station: Santa Monica’s Oasis of Art

By Megan Healey

At first glance, Bergamot Station doesn’t look like much of an art gallery complex. Because of its plain
outer appearance, Bergamot Station still resembles a few of the former functions it held; a train station,
and even a celery packing factory. Its inconspicuous location at 2525 Michigan Ave. would almost force
a curious art-lover to drive right by, except for the few colorful flags and signs surrounding the area that
provide clues as to what’s inside. [To read more click here]

Let's Celebrate Our Women!

By Calanit Greenberg

Every year, the world celebrates International Women’s Day (IWD) on Mar. 8. It is a unique day to
honor women, their past achievements, and their continual struggles for equality. Women of all sorts of
ethnic and economic backgrounds can come together and reflect on at least nine decades of universal
struggle for equality, peace, justice, and progress. [To read more click here]

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Música Latina-Americana en Formas Diferentes

By Erika Miguel

Es difícil encontrar música en español que se

clasifica rock si uno no vive en Latino América. El
rock que se oye en el radio es “pop” y no rock
verdadero. Por esa razón este viaje musical
explorará diferentes lugares latinoamericanos para
encontrar rock en español.

Primeramente, es notable que el rock en español

antiguo no era sino imitación del rock americano.
Esto puede ser escuchado en temas como “Rock
de la carcel,” que es igual al tema americano,
“Jailhouse Rock.” Eso era el caso de antes, el rock
en español moderno ha creado un ritmo único; ya
no es imitación. Con esta información a un lado
podemos seguir el viaje.

Vamos al sur, México, que tiene bandas como

Café Tacuba y los famosos Maná. Café Tacuba ha
hechizado fans desde 1989. Su disco titulado “Re” es una prueba del talento que tiene para mezclar
géneros de la música mexicana tradicional. En este disco, se puede encontrar canciones influenciadas de
los boleros pero al mismo tiempo oír canciones como, “El borrego,” que es punk pesado o “hard-core.”
Han sido reconocidos alrededor del mundo y han ganado premios de mejor video por MTV en 1994 y
1996. Bandas como Maná parecen ser intocables, han sobrevivido años en la industria musical.
Emperazon a medios de los años setenta en Guadalajara. En ese tiempo imitiban temas de Led Zeppelin,
los Beatles, y los Rolling Stones. Tampoco se llamaban Maná sino The Green Hats, que finalmente
cambiaron cuando no tuvieron éxito con los dos discos que sacaron bajo ese nombre. Decidieron cambiar
su nombre a Maná y utilizar ritmos más latinos. El cambio les fue bien y desde entonces han tenido
varios discos de oro, y recientemente colaboraron con Carlos Santana.

Más al sur encontramos bandas como 2 minutos y Los Fabulosos Cadillacs. Estas bandas provienen de
Argentina. 2 minutos, proveedores del punk argentino, son considerados como los seguidores de Los
Violadores y Attaque 77. Miembros de la banda habían estado en otros grupos como, Héroe Camps, pero
en 1989 hicieron su debut como 2 minutos. Fueron la primera banda argentina de punk que tocó en los
Estados Unidos, durante su gira americana de 1995. Abrieron para los Ramones en su despedida
mundial. Los Fabulosos Cadillacs empezó en 1985 tocando ska como sus héroes Madness, The Specials,
y todos los grupos de los años ochenta que tocaban ska. Al principio, tuvieron mucho éxito que
lentamente se fue apagando hasta que hicieron su disco “El león” en 1992 que combinó estilos de ska,
reggae, calipso, salsa, y más. En su disco “Vasos vacíos” había éxitos como “V Centernario” y

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“Matador” que es su más famoso “hit.” El grupo decidió seguir rumbo diferente en el año del ‘97 y
produjeron su disco, “Fabulosos Calavera,” que ganó un Grammy en la categoría “Latin-
Rock/Alternative.”

Crucemos el Atlántico y vamos a Europa. Desde España llega Mano Negra que mezcla varios tipos de
música. El grupo empezó a mediados de los años ochenta con Manuel Chao como su líder, que nació en
París, Francia pero tiene origen español. Acompañado por su hermano, Antonio Chao, y primo Santiago
Cassriego decidieron empezar un proyecto que expresaría por medio de la música todas las influencias
multiculturales de sus vidas. Eso incluye la influencia francesa; rorteafricano debido al barrio donde
crecieron; argentina debido a la migración y más. Por esa razón su música tiene rastros españoles, árabes,
africanos, y obviamente franceses. Este grupo es un tesoro que tiene que ser excavado en la tienda más
cercana a tí.

Este es solamente un puñito del rock en español. Hay un mundo de música que uno puede explorar,
solamente es cuestión de buscar.

[GO BACK TO THE FEATURE PAGE]

* Foto por www.cafetacuba.com.mx

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Bergamot Station: Santa Monica’s Oasis of Art

By Megan Healey

At first glance, Bergamot Station

doesn’t look like much of an art
gallery complex. Because of its plain
outer appearance, Bergamot Station
still resembles a few of the former
functions it held; a train station, and
even a celery packing factory. Its
inconspicuous location at 2525
Michigan Ave. would almost force a
curious art-lover to drive right by,
except for the few colorful flags and
signs surrounding the area that
provide clues as to what’s inside.

Upon the first few steps into one of

it’s galleries (there are over thirty), it
becomes apparent that Bergamot
Station is anything but common, and
the rustic style of the buildings only add to its eclectic authenticity. Adrian Allebe, an art student from
UC Santa Barbara, was so impressed the first time she came to Bergamot, that she brought a friend to
share the experience with. “This was the first gallery I had ever been to in LA and I came from a small
town. Bergamot Station just seemed different, so we’re coming here today to get exposed to new and
different kinds of art,” said Allele.

Near the entrance of Bergamot is the G gallery, which holds several different rooms. One is a Cultural
Arts Center whose exhibition this month is a display of Asian art. Just down the hall is a gallery whose
specialty is in contemporary and modern paintings and drawings. The works of many well-known artists
are shown here, such as that of Jean-Michel Basquiat, Andy Warhol and even Pablo Picasso.

If you’ve got an appetite for photography, the building next door is the Rose Gallery, which houses a
culturally and stylistically diverse collection of photographs. The current show includes Manuel Alvarez
Bravo’s photographs taken during the Mexican Revolution. The Peter Fetterman Gallery, towards the
end of the complex, features old photographs taken in New York in the early 1900’s. You can even find
fine art in a hall that leads to one of the bathrooms, which is covered in photo’s taken of jazz musicians.

Bergamot Station seems to have something for everybody. “There’s a nice variety at Bergamot,” says
Christine Leahey, who is in charge of visitor services at the Santa Monica Museum of Art, which became
a part of the Bergamot Station complex in 1998. “There’s a paper store, a jewelry store, a furniture store,

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a museum and galleries. You get a sampling of everything,” she said. The furniture store is called the
Functional Art gallery. It includes chairs made of bicycle tires and even a brightly colored toilet. Another
interesting gallery held jokes written in huge text all over the walls. The Richard Heller Gallery held an
unforgettable exhibit called, “Straight to Hell”. This displayed disturbing, but fascinating contemporary
paintings of various artists, all sharing the topics of religious commentary and parody.

In 1999, Bergamot took on an even wider range of activities by holding film festivals, and theatre
activities.

The Track 16 Gallery has proven very popular for its regular poetry readings and musical shows. A few
up and coming events this month are a Writers Workshop on Mar. 15 and a lecture on Mar. 22, which
will discuss the influence of technology on creativity. Events usually start at 7:30p.m. and have a fee of
$5. Admission to Bergamot Station itself is free, and it’s right in Samo’s neighborhood. A slow Saturday
or Sunday of exploring the maze-like galleries of Bergamot Station is great for someone with a low
budget, and a high respect for unique artwork.

[GO BACK TO THE FEATURE PAGE]

* Photo by Megan Healy

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Let's Celebrate Our Women!

By Calanit Greenberg

Every year, the world celebrates International Women’s Day (IWD) on Mar. 8. It is a unique day to
honor women, their past achievements, and their continual struggles for equality. Women of all sorts of
ethnic and economic backgrounds can come together and reflect on at least nine decades of universal
struggle for equality, peace, justice, and progress.

In 1908, the Socialist Party of the U.S. established a Women’s National Committee. One of the
Committee’s first acts was to establish the last Sunday in February as National Women’s Day. The first
celebrations took place the next year on Feb. 23, 1909. During the following years, National Women’s
Day was widely celebrated by socialists, working women, and middle-class reformers.

Millions of women celebrated the first “IWD” on Mar. 11, 1911, however it is now celebrated on Mar.8.
Coincidentally, on Mar. 8, 1917, thousands of Russian women protested for higher wages and better
living conditions. These protests caused a series of riots and served as the final push that launched the
Russian Revolution. After the revolution, the USSR and China made IWD an official holiday.

From 1916 to the late 1930s, IWD was celebrated as a socialist holiday, mainly honoring working
women. In the late 1960s, with the revival of feminism, IWD gained more of a feminist character,
appealing to women with a wide range of political views. Many of these women supported the Day
because it celebrated women’s contributions to their workplaces, their families, and their communities.

On Mar. 25, 1911, 145 women were killed in Manhattan in a fire that started in the Triangle Waist
Factory. This factory was a sweatshop where many women worked on average from 7:30 a.m. to 6:30
p.m. in horrible conditions. They sometimes earned $1.50 for seven days work in a bad working
environment. This situation was not uncommon for women during these times. IWD is significant
because it honors these women who worked so hard while striving to improve conditions for the future.

According to www.womenaid.org, there has been progress during recent decades in the struggle for
equality between men and women. Women’s access to education and proper health care has increased
and there are more women participating in the paid labor force.

“I think that IWD is a good idea. Unfortunately, not enough people know about it so it isn’t celebrated
enough,” said Junior Gigi Kalika. There are many ways to celebrate IWD. Often, in the past, women
have protested on IWD. One could join a march, watch a parade, buy a book or attend a seminar.

International Women’s Day is a time to celebrate the history of courageous and determined women, and
to look forward to a future of change.

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[GO BACK TO THE FEATURE PAGE]

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Veganism Nothing More than a Misinformed Cult

By Emily Ferrell

Animal Rights activists have fought for realistic issues in the past. Saving whales and stopping poachers
were their main priority. But today by logging onto People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals’
(PETA) website, you will be bombarded with vicious accusations, facts lacking any evidence and
outrageous campaigns that cross the boundries of sanity. It’s time these sad, little vegans stuck to more
realistic issues, because they have stepped over the edge of reality. [To read more click here]

Waivers Suck; Learning Rocks

By Daria Mazey

Waivers allow any student to get into any AP or honors course they choose simply by getting a parent
signature. Students can waiver into a class even if they fail the entry test. Recently, an alarming number
of students have chosen to use waivers. However, this new epidemic is bad for education and students.
The school should stop the abuse of waivers. [To read more click here]

The Uncertain Future of our Social Security

By Justin Peckner

Social security has long been the “third rail” of American politics (touch it and die). Though the program

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has several years of life left in it and thus politicians have refused to admit any flaw with the program,
the time has come to face the very likely possibility that social security’s days are numbered. The war on
terror and other programs that have gained immediate priority over social security, in addition to an ever
mounting national debt, will likely contribute to the program’s downfall. [To read more click here]

Ban Phone and E-Trash

By David Ginsburg

They hit when it is most inconvenient: when you are just sitting down to enjoy an evening meal, when
you are in a hurry and literally walking out your door to go somewhere, or when you are just trying to
read your e-mail. Telemarketers and junk emails are annoying, distracting, an invasion of privacy, and, to
put it lightly, should be banned forever. [To read more click here]

Just Say Yes to Teen Abstinence

By Jonathan Lee

Abstinence, along with sterilization, is the only 100 percent sure method of preventing STD’s, unwanted
pregnancies, and heart-wrenching abortions. While teenagers’ sex drives are fueled by natural floods of
hormones, they must not let this bestial impulse to “get laid” allow them to participate in irresponsible
sexual behavior. Teenagers should refrain from sexual activity until they find lifelong partners whom
they trust and can enjoy long-term relationships with. [To read more click here]

Negative Ads Miss the Point

By Brittany Benjamin

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If there is someone in California possessing a few good characteristics and a small list of positive
accomplishments, he or she may want to consider running for California governor in the year 2006. The
candidates for the 2002 gubernatorial primary must not have such characteristics, as evidenced by their
negative ads. Politicians use negative ads only when they have nothing positive to say about themselves.
[To read more click here]

Web: No Place for Starvation

By India Brookover-Coleman

A disturbing trend has appeared on the Internet. Popping up among dieting information are pro-anorexia
and pro-bulimia websites and support groups. The website www.msn.com recently deleted several
communities such as “Bones are Beauty” and “Starving for Control,” yet thousands are easily found
under any search engine. This twisted promotion of self-abuse must stop. [To read more click here]

Email "Letters to the Editor" to

[email protected]
or mail them to:
Journalism,
c/o Santa Monica High School,
601 Pico Blvd.,
Santa Monica, CA, 90405

The Samohi seeks submissions for the student-written column "My Turn."
Email articles to [email protected]
or submit articles to E201 (Santa Monica High School).

Submissions may be edited for grammar and length and are due no later than March 13, 2002.

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Veganism Nothing More than a Misinformed Cult

By Emily Ferrell

Animal Rights activists have fought for realistic

issues in the past. Saving whales and stopping
poachers were their main priority. But today by
logging onto People for the Ethical Treatment of
Animals’ (PETA) website, you will be bombarded
with vicious accusations, facts lacking any
evidence and outrageous campaigns that cross the
boundries of sanity. It’s time these sad, little
vegans stuck to more realistic issues, because they
have stepped over the edge of reality.

Activists’ websites can not be trusted. Many pages

boast facts that seem all too perfect for what
they’re trying to convince. The “Kid’s Corner” of
PETA’s site is where the most outrageous facts can be found, yet nowhere can one find evidence or
sources sited. A couple facts were obviously fabricated to make animal eaters look evil. “In US alone,
billions and billions (around 9 to be sort-of exact) of animals are killed for food.” Sort-of exact doesn’t
cut it. Is this fact for a year? A decade? Things just don’t add up. The activists are also telling kids that
meat is bad for them. PETA’s “Kid’s Corner” says “If your cholesterol level is high, it means you’re
eating too much meat.” Is that so, PETA? According to scientific evidence and living proof, high
cholesterol can also be genetic. The PETA people make up these statements to make other people look
evil. They’ve gone too far.

PETA’s “Kid’s Corner” is colorful and bright, obviously attracting young people. Yet the content of the
corner seems to be written for adults. The gruesome facts would traumatize five or six year-olds. “Kid’s
Corner” gives detailed descriptions of how pigs and cows are brutally “murdered” in slaughter houses.
They even go as far as describing pig’s teeth being pulled out with pliers while they are still wide awake!
However, the gruesome facts have no evidence. How is one to know these statements are not the
fabrications of an angry activist trying to recruit a new generation of vicious vegans?

Lies like those prove that these activists have crossed a line. Lying to kids in an effort to recruit is cult-
like and unreasonable.

One of PETA’s new campaigns is anti-fishing. PETA and other anti-fishing activists argue that it
horribly hurts the fish and they suffer from stress as a result of being hunted by evil men. The activists
base most of their arguments on rumors and not evidence, saying that catching a fish is equivalent to
beating up a puppy. However, we don’t use puppies for food, and there are millions more fish in the
ocean. These activists don’t understand the food chain. People are at the top, and they need to eat fish to

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survive. Just like the Native Americans and ancient cultures did, we still do today, and that doesn’t make
us evil murderers.

Though this site has crossed lines of reason, its messages have morals. Animals are crucial to our
existence, and it is important they live happily. Animal activists’ hearts are in the right places, even if
their brains may not be. The sites do shed light on some horrible cases (see the circus elephant’s tapes on
PETA’s site) and animal abuse is never right in any way. However, a human’s life is worth more that of a
lab rat or a fish.

[GO BACK TO THE OPINION PAGE]

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Waivers Suck; Learning Rocks

By Daria Mazey

Waivers allow any student to get into any AP or honors course they choose simply by getting a parent
signature. Students can waiver into a class even if they fail the entry test. Recently, an alarming number
of students have chosen to use waivers. However, this new epidemic is bad for education and students.
The school should stop the abuse of waivers.

Amidst the constant pressure of high school life to get good grades, take lots of APs and honors courses,
and get into good colleges, students are pushing themselves too hard and resorting to unhealthy means in
order to become the perfect college candidate. Students rush to get into hard classes for the sake of
impressing colleges and not for learning. With the new wave of waivers, the situation has become even
worse.

If a student cannot get into an advanced class by his/her own means, chances are the class will be very
hard for him/her. Some students are up to the challenge and willing to work to learn about a subject they
care about, but most students just want AP credit. Waiver students will generally not be as prepared for
the class and will therefore ask lots of questions, which often slows the class down. This is unfair to the
rest of the students in the class, especially in AP classes, where a certain amount of material must be
taught to prepare for the test.

If the student does not ask questions, he might get lost, fall behind, and eventually do poorly in the class,
which defeats the whole point of impressing colleges in the first place. This is unfair for the student.
Superior education for all students is the goal at Samo. Waivering unprepared and unmotivated students
into high level classes goes against this goal for both the students in the class already, and the one opting
to waiver into the class. History Teacher Chris Megaffin said, “It makes it more difficult in terms of the
teacher preparing lessons because you have to alter the curriculum or the approach to the curriculum,
which may not benefit those students who are there who want a rigorous course.”

Some students may know the material but not pass an entry exam because they simply do not test well.
Other students are particularly interested in a certain subject and want to challenge themselves as much
as possible in that area. In these cases, a waiver is a good idea. But if waivers are used for the wrong,
aforementioned, reasons, then they are a disgrace to education. The whole point of getting into colleges
is to learn more. Students who take classes for reasons other than education are subjugating their own
learning process which they are trying to further by going to college, thereby defeating their own
intentions.

[GO BACK TO THE OPINION PAGE]

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The Uncertain Future of our Social Security

By Justin Peckner

Social security has long been the “third rail” of American politics (touch it and die). Though the program
has several years of life left in it and thus politicians have refused to admit any flaw with the program,
the time has come to face the very likely possibility that social security’s days are numbered. The war on
terror and other programs that have gained immediate priority over social security, in addition to an ever
mounting national debt, will likely contribute to the program’s downfall.

Since September 11, the nation’s priorities have clearly been rearranged. Because the need to fight the
terrorist threat was and still is so urgent, money for defense is quickly being diverted from other
programs. Whereas last year President Bush was foolishly toting his massive, irresponsible tax
cuts—$1.6 trillion over the next ten years—drawn from social security surpluses, now the nation is likely
to go into more debt than ever before (according to the Los Angeles Times, Treasury Secretary Paul
O’Neill recently asked Congress to raise the national debt limit from the nearly unfathomable $6 trillion
to an astounding $7 trillion). Even more infuriating is the fact that Bush still intends to include more of
his signature tax cuts in this year’s budget, which means, according to The New York Times, that he will
ask Congress to cut more than $250 billion from social security this year, and an even greater amount in
2003.

All these factors mean bad news for social security. Historically, while politicians, including Bush, have
always promised that all those eligible will receive benefits, the fact is that the program has always been
the first to be raided whenever budgets are tight. While the program has sufficient funds to last for more
than a decade, the fact remains that with the national debt mounting, it will have to be paid off in
enormous quantities one day, and social security will likely be the first to go when crunch time comes.

Don’t bet the farm on social security benefits, because it is very likely that the program will not exist in
even 20 years. Though ideally the nation would be able to pay off debts and pay out benefits, this won’t
happen with presidents in office who squander surpluses on tax breaks for the wealthy.

[GO BACK TO THE OPINION PAGE]

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Ban Phone and E-Trash

By David Ginsburg

They hit when it is most

inconvenient: when you are just
sitting down to enjoy an evening
meal, when you are in a hurry
and literally walking out your
door to go somewhere, or when
you are just trying to read your e-
mail. Telemarketers and junk
emails are annoying, distracting,
an invasion of privacy, and, to
put it lightly, should be banned
forever.

Heard too often is the sound of

some guy spitting out some sales pitch like it was last week’s putrid milk into your telephone receiver.
Too often the junk e-mail reappears, despite continuous deletion, as if it were crazed homing pigeons and
your inbox is home. Too often people have to deal with the time-leaching, bothersome solicitations in one
form or another. This needs to stop.

The American people should have the right to not worry about talking to a salesperson when they pick up
their phones. It is a blatant intrusion. People who want to shop and buy, go out and shop and buy. People
who are not out shopping or looking to buy something do not need someone to tell them that they want to
buy something. It just doesn’t make sense.

According to the SpamCon Foundation, a California non-profit corporation that’s against unsolicited junk
e-mail, there is an estimated 10 percent increase in Internet access costs because of junk spam e-mail. It
also reported that MyRealBox, a free e-mail service, has tracked that 25 percent of the total mail volume
in all of their 200,000 mailboxes was junk e-mail. This is unacceptable. One fourth of our e-mail is junk
and we’re paying more money for it!

The California state government has passed several bills to control telemarketing. In October of 2001,
Governor Gray Davis signed the bill SB 771. SB 771 requires the California attorney general to maintain
a “do not call list,” no later than Jan. 1, 2003, for residents who do not want to be bothered by
telemarketers. If telemarketers call those on this list they will be forced to pay a fine. This is a step in the
right direction; however, the law has it wrong. If a list is to be created, then it should be a“want to be
called” list. Then anyone who wants to listen to the telemarketers yap away can sign up for it and the
regular Joes that don’t, won’t have to worry about it.

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To put it plainly and simply: ban telemarketing and ban the sending of unsolicited e-trash. Save our time
and privacy! And for those who are interested in actually getting this stuff, be sure to put your name on a
“want to be called” list.

[GO BACK TO THE OPINION PAGE]

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Just Say Yes to Teen Abstinence

By Jonathan Lee

Abstinence, along with sterilization, is the only 100 percent sure method of preventing STD’s, unwanted
pregnancies, and heart-wrenching abortions. While teenagers’ sex drives are fueled by natural floods of
hormones, they must not let this bestial impulse to “get laid” allow them to participate in irresponsible
sexual behavior. Teenagers should refrain from sexual activity until they find lifelong partners whom
they trust and can enjoy long-term relationships with.

The misconception of many teenagers is that it is okay to have sex for sheer pleasure. Weigh these short
moments of happiness against the potential consequences, and suddenly sex does not seem as attractive.
According to the California Department of Health Services, 49,636 per 100,000 girls aged 15-24 reported
cases of chlamydia, a STD whose symptoms include pelvic pain, harmful burning when urinating,
nausea, and fever. According to this disturbing statistic, almost 1/2 of the girls in California reported
having Chlamydia- and that’s only one form of STD. Other STDs are harder to detect, and can be
transmitted from one partner to another without notice. Is it really worth having a night of fun if it means
that your partner could carry an undetected STD that could easily be passed on to you? It is not ethical to
have sex with someone’s future wife or husband, and it wouldn’t be too nice to have sex with someone
you know has already had sex before. Anybody who has listened to Alicia Keys should know “a
woman’s worth”, and should not treat sex as if it is the only way to find pleasure in a relationship. The
consequences could be dire.

Love encompasses all aspects of the relationship between two people. Teenagers should appreciate their
partner’s thoughts and emotions, not just how well they perform. People who really love each other
understand and complement each other well. A relationship can not be truly gratifying if it is just a fling.
Teenagers must realize that high school isn’t all about sex or obtaining as many partners as they can; in
doing so, they treat each other like objects. Sex is not an accomplishment; it is a mere act. High school is
a place for education, a transition to college and a successful life. True, teenagers should have fun in high
school, but it is possible to have fun without sex. Your plans and health could be jepordized, and if you
look at life as a whole, is sex all that valuable during the teenage years?

Save it for the STD-tested fianceé, brother.

[GO BACK TO THE OPINION PAGE]

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Negative Ads Miss the Point

By Brittany Benjamin

If there is someone in California possessing a

few good characteristics and a small list of
positive accomplishments, he or she may
want to consider running for California
governor in the year 2006. The candidates for
the 2002 gubernatorial primary must not have
such characteristics, as evidenced by their
negative ads. Politicians use negative ads only
when they have nothing positive to say about
themselves.

Weeks before the primaries, viewers began

seeing the ads pop up on TV. The ads were
black, harshly displeasing to the eye, and
displayed the worst possible picture of the targeted candidate. Most importantly, the ads battered the
target’s flaws. Republican Bill Simon attacked Republican Richard Riordan because of his semi-
conservative views. Democrat Gray Davis charged Riordan about his anti-abortion stand. Riordan
attacked Davis because of his use of blame pointing and creating negative ads. Republican Bill Jones
denounced Riordan because of the way Riordan changed the Los Angeles School District and then left it
incomplete. Riordan criticized Simon as irresponsible for not voting in previous elections. This
ridiculous pattern of attacking opponents completely undermines the importance of the office of
governor. With all this hubbub, how are voters supposed to distinguish? It is sad that the future leader of
our state will be a man who cannot even create a thirty second advertisement displaying the good things
he will do if he’s elected to office.

The candidates cannot argue that they used negative advertisements because it is an effective technique.
Political scientists Richard Lau and Lee Sigelman included a 1997 voting study in their volume “The
Effectiveness of Negative Advertising: A Literature Review,” which found that after viewing negative
campaign ads, viewers began to dislike the sponsor and actually like the targeted candidate more. Could
candidates be ignorant to that and think negative ads will familiarize the public with their name?
Somehow that seems implausible.

The Californian gubernatorial candidates are not the first politicians to torture viewers with negative ad
campaigning. Worthless candidates have been resorting to negative ads for many years. In days before
television, politicians made posters, recorded radio announcements, and publicly recounted stories to
audiences (but never when the targeted opponent was around) at speeches. In 1884, one candidate was so
desperate to somehow raise his own personal standing that he chose to criticize President Grover
Cleveland. The opponent decided to address Cleveland’s child out of wedlock and from that fact called

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Cleveland “a champion libertine, an artful seducer, a foe of virtue, an enemy of the family, a snare to
youth, and hostile to true womanhood.” Like the ads of today, this statement is not completely based
upon fact, but instead created solely to anger listeners. Viewers should check facts before believing
negative ads; they would be surprised to learn how much is only partially true.

A scary idea for Californians to think about is that our state will probably be run by one of four men who
can’t come up with anything positive to say about themselves. It’s time for us, as Californians as well as
Americans, to stop accepting negative advertisements, and demand politicians with the strengths and
skills to stand up and run for office.

[GO BACK TO THE OPINION PAGE]

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Web: No Place for Starvation

By India Brookover-Coleman

A disturbing trend has appeared on the Internet. Popping up among dieting information are pro-anorexia
and pro-bulimia websites and support groups. The website www.msn.com recently deleted several
communities such as “Bones are Beauty” and “Starving for Control,” yet thousands are easily found
under any search engine. This twisted promotion of self-abuse must stop.

Amateur web-designers across the country are creating sites that provide a “safe-haven” for those with
eating disorders. Anorexia and bulimia are so revered that the diseases are given pet names such as
“Ana”, “Rexy” or “Mia” and are often personified and treated as a friend by the delusional supporters.
The sites are littered with images of frighteningly skinny celebrities such as Lara Flynn Boyle and Calista
Flockhart. Site supporters send in their own “success” pictures of their bodies after starvation diets.
Some, with protruding ribs and concaved stomachs, closely resemble concentration camp survivors. The
only difference is the bright smile.

Among other features, most sites have “thinspiration” pages, which include tips, tricks and starvation
tactics. “Buy a ring that is small enough to fit on your pinky and make it your goal to lose enough weight
so it can fit on your thumb,” touts one site. Others simply tell readers “don’t swallow,” and almost all
sites recommend taking up smoking. On message boards, readers ask for support: “I’m 15 and I weigh 95
lbs., but I’d like to get down to 85 lbs.,” proclaimed one anonymous reader, who obviously doesn’t
realize the grave consequences of losing so much weight. Six percent of all anorexia cases result in
death, and only 50 percent are cured, according to The National Association of Anorexia Nervosa and
Associated Disorders (ANAD).

These websites have completely twisted and perverted the true intent of eating disorder support groups.
Anorexics and bulimics are prone to low self-esteem, guilt, anxiety, depression and a sense of
helplessness. A “supportive” website informing a highly impressionable anorexic/bulimic that “if you
aren’t thin you aren’t attractive” (according to many of the sites’ “pro-ana commandments”) is
misguided, cruel and dangerous. This philosophy reinforces the self-hatred and obsessive perfectionism
that anorexics and bulimics need to combat in order to be cured. Anorexia and bulimia are serious and
fatal diseases. According to ANAD, 7,000,000 women and 1,000,000 men are currently afflicted with the
disease in the US, and 11 percent of high school seniors suffer from serious eating disorders.

This support of abusing life is tragic, and should not be supported. Fortunately, Internet servers that
unknowingly hosted these sites are taking notice. Last July, www.yahoo.com removed hundreds of “pro-
ana” sites from its data-base, much to the dismay of supporters. However, this alarming trend has not
disappeared, and will continue to convince impressionable people to starve and eventually kill
themselves.

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[GO BACK TO THE OPINION PAGE]

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New Fitness Center Opens in South Gym

By Michael Zinshteyn

A prominent local foundation donated $70,000 worth of equipment for Samo’s new Fitness Center in the
South Gym, providing students with a new alternative to traditional P.E. classes. [To read more click
here]

Chatting with Laker Mark Madsen!

Interview By Hanna Jacobsen

As a power forward on the Lakers, second-year player Mark Madsen has already made a name for
himself, not only for his “Mad Dog” hustle and maniac dancing, but also for his outgoing, remarkably
genuine personality. The Samohi was lucky enough to have a chat with Madsen, and find out what is
going on his head both on and off the court. [To read more click here]

“Here, Have a Medal”

By Rebecca Beasley-Cockroft

The Canadian Pairs Figure Skaters Jamie Sale and David Pelletier, deserved first place in this year’s
Olympics. But the competition judges ruled otherwise and the International Skating Union (ISU) should
have respected their judging. [To read more click here]

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Spring Sports Previews

Baseball
By Michael Biskar

“I’ve been waiting for this day for the past four years,” said Head Coach Mike Czarnetzki before his
baseball team took the field in their first game of the season on Mar. 1 against Palisades High. He was
referring to the 14 seniors on his 16-man roster that he has trained since his first year as coach. [To read
more click here]

Boys Volleyball
By Lisa Strumwasser

Led by seniors Chris Clark and Paul Fuller, Samo’s boys varsity volleyball team prepares for a
challenging season in the Bay League. [To read more click here]

Swimming
By Jackie Len

This year the boys swim team is looking forward to a very productive season. Led by junior Max

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Goldstein and seniors Garret McLean and Jon Kim, the swim team is hoping to individually improve
while coming together as a team. [To read more click here]

Softball
By Jacob Honig

After a disapointing fifth place finish in the Bay League last year, the Samo softball team begins their
2002 season with the hopes of making the CIF playoffs. [To read more click here]

Boys Golf
By Michael Biskar

The boys golf season is back in full swing as the Linksters continue to breeze through easy Ocean
League competition. [To read more click here]

Boys Tennis
By Elliott Birnstein

With only four returning starters, this year’s boys varsity tennis team is a mere shadow of last year’s
team. Their years of varsity experience will undoubtedly make them stronger than the squad from one
year ago. [To read more click here]

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Track and Field

By Hanna Jacobsen

With an outstanding line-up of runners, jumpers and throwers, Samo’s track team kicks off the 2002
season. [To read more click here]

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New Fitness Center Opens in South Gym

By Michael Zinshteyn

A prominent local foundation donated

$70,000 worth of equipment for Samo’s
new Fitness Center in the South Gym,
providing students with a new
alternative to traditional P.E. classes.

Samo’s new fitness center and work out

facility was sponsored by Sound Body,
Sound Mind, a division of the Simon
Foundation, set up by Californian
Republican Candidate for Governor
Bill Simon and his wife Cynthia Simon.

As part of the foundation’s agreement

with the school, Samo had to supply a
room for the fitness center while the
foundation purchased the equipment for
the new facility. Along with supplying
a room for the center and workout facility, Samo must provide training on how to operate the new
equipment.

“As part of the agreement, the school must provide a room for the [fitness center],” said Co-Director of
the SMMUSD Physical Education Department Chris Corliss.

The total cost of the fitness center and workout facility is roughly $100,000 with Sound Body, Sound
Mind paying $70,000 for the equipment and Samo adding $30,000 for the training program and
renovations designated for the center.

The purpose for the new fitness center is to develop Samo’s Physical Education Program. “The center
will help to achieve that goal,” said Corliss.

Students and teachers who wish to use the new facility will have to participate in a training program
taught by Advantage Fitness Products, the vendor of the new exercise equipment. Following the course,
participants must take a test to prove they are knowledgeable of the available equipment and sign a
contract confirming they are aware of the rules and responsibilities involved with the center. Individuals
who successfully pass the course and sign the contract shall receive membership cards, which will serve
as a pass to the facility.

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Freshmen will be offered the opportunity to enroll in an intro fitness course using the new fitness center.
Advanced fitness courses will be available to the upper classmen. Both courses will serve as P.E. credit.

Students who have no room in their schedule for a P.E. course could enroll in an after school course. The
alternative measure will still serve as a P.E. course and students will receive P.E. credit.

Located in room SG16 below the dance studio, the center includes four treadmills, numerous advanced
weight lifting machines, a wide range of dumbbells, basic aerobic equipment, along with various other
resources to enhance one’s work out.

“The center is designed for the high school student to use, meaning, it’s easy to use,” said Corliss.

Along with the equipment are computer software programs that monitor one’s heart rate, muscle gain,
weight loss, and total calories burned.

Co-Principal Kirsten Hibert added, “This machinery will allow students to really track their healthy life
style.”

Simon feels staying physically fit is important. This attitude transpired to the foundation she and her
husband created. “We wanted to spread that [fitness] energy to all high schools,” said Simon.

The Sound Body, Sound Mind foundation has been funding fitness facilities for school campuses for
three years, starting with Palisades High School. Dorsey, Venice, St. Monica’s, Garfield, and Roosevelt
High Schools also recieved fitness grants.

“We try to spread our resources to all schools,” added Donna Fol, Co-Chairperson of the Sound Body,
Sound Mind Foundation.

Another program that the fitness grant offers is a scholarship of $1000 designated to seniors who are
members of the facility and maintain a 2.5 G.P.A. Seniors, along with the other lower classmen who are
members of the center, will also be eligible to fill out a questionnaire for a gift certificate to a local
fitness store. Only two certificates are available per class: one for a male student and the other for a
female student. A 2.5 G.P.A. is required for the certificate as well.

In all, the administration is pleased with the center. “I think it will really benefit the student body,”
Hibert stated.

Superintendent John Deasy added, “This facility is far better than the high schools in Rhode Island and
New York. There was an emphasis on physical education but not with this kind of machinery… I think
it’s great.”

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ASB President Justin Brownstone praised the Simon Foundation, “ I think it’s really nice of the donors to
contribute the center… I hope people will access it.”

The fitness center is not fully complete, with more equipment and software on the way. The facility is
expected to open later this semester.

[GO BACK TO THE SPORTS PAGE]

* Photo by Wesley Krieger

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Chatting with Laker Mark Madsen!

Interview By Hanna Jacobsen

As a power forward on the Lakers, second-year player

Mark Madsen has already made a name for himself, not
only for his “Mad Dog” hustle and maniac dancing, but
also for his outgoing, remarkably genuine personality. The
Samohi was lucky enough to have a chat with Madsen, and
find out what is going on his head both on and off the
court.

The Samohi: What is it like to be a member of the two time

NBA championship team the Lakers?

Mark Madsen: It’s a tremendous experience. Every

basketball player would love to be on the Lakers, and to be
on the team that has won the championship for two years.

TS: How is the season going so far?

MM: The season is going much better than expected. We’re realizing that we’re a great team when we
play together. Last season we had some internal problems on the team, that once we solved, we became
unstoppable. We started off nearly invincible. Shaq got hurt, and now we are learning to play with Shaq
not at 100 percent. All of us have to play better, harder, smarter, and make more plays.

TS: What do you think your fans expect the Lakers to do this season, and how do you feel about their
expectations?

MM: The public expects a third championship. I’m glad that their expectations are high. We expect it out
of ourselves [too]. Fans expect what we expect-to defend the championship and win our third
consecutive championship. These are high expectations, but we wouldn’t want to shoot for anything less
than what we could attain.

TS: How is the team doing physically? And how’s your wrist?

MM: I’m totally healthy. Shaq had surgery, and he is wearing kneepads because he’ll be diving on the
ground for balls now. Fisher’s foot is doing great. Shaq’s arthritic toe is a problem. He wears a size 22
shoe, and his feet take a lot of pounding. We hope that his toe will get better with rest. Of course there
are the normal bumps, bruises, and pains, but in general we are 100 percent. My wrist is totally
recovered, and [is] fully flexible.

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TS: What is your best move, or favorite thing to do in a game?

MM: The right-handed jump hook. It’s the shot that I can make every time.

TS: What has been the best moment in your basketball career so far?

MM: Winning the championship last year as a rookie.

TS: Going back to the beginning of it all, how did you get your nickname, “Mad Dog”?

MM: I got it in the fifth grade. My P.E. teacher had a nickname for everyone, but he didn’t have one for
me yet. I guess it was that I kicked the ball hard, or dunked on the hoop, I don’t know. He decided to call
me Mad Dog-Madsen. It kinda stuck.

TS: Outside of basketball, what do you like to do with your time?

MM: Reading, fishing, hiking in the mountains, [and spending] time with friends.

TS: What are your goals for the season?

MM: My goals are to bring energy and enthusiasm to the court every time that I step on it, and to help
the team win the third championship.

TS: What has been the biggest challenge for you so far this season?

MM: Fighting through injuries (abdominal strain, hurt wrist).

TS: How was it to play Michael Jordan?

MM: Playing Michael Jordan was awesome. I was amazed that a 39 year-old could play basketball like
he does. I realized how lucky I am. But during the game it was a battle. I looked at him like any other
player.

[GO BACK TO THE SPORTS PAGE]

* photo courtesy of madsen35.tripod.com

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“Here, Have a Medal”

By Rebecca Beasley-Cockroft

The Canadian Pairs Figure Skaters Jamie Sale and David Pelletier, deserved first place in this year’s
Olympics. But the competition judges ruled otherwise and the International Skating Union (ISU) should
have respected their judging.

Figure skating is one of the most controversial sports in the olympics because the judging is so
subjective. The Canadians skated very well; as soon as they finished, their faces lit up and they knew
they had bagged the gold. Yet the Russians, though not landing all of their jumps perfectly, did skate a
much harder program (the choreography was more intricate) and did not have any flaring problems (eg.
falling down, unparallel turns etc.). In the judges’ opinions, the small margin that set the Russians apart
from the Canadians was their more complicated program.

This year’s pairs figure skating judging illustrates how personal opinions affect the results. This personal
opinion is why there is so much debate in the skating world. No matter how logical the end result may
seem, someone is always going to be unhappy and will complain about unfair judging. Both the
Canadians, in pairs’ figure skating, and the Russians, in women’s figure skating, complained about the
judging; the only difference being that the Canadians got a gold medal while Russian figure skater Irina
Slutskaya remained the silver medalist.

Every sport has some debatable point. However, sports whose end result is not determined by a score or a
fast time depend upon judges. Judges for competitions such as the Olympics must be of the highest
caliber in order to prevent biased judging. These judges undergo rigorous training to be chosen for such a
high position. Due to this fact, their opinions should be respected and accepted regardless of what they
decide.

Was the French judge, Marie-Reine Le Gougne, influenced to vote for the Russians so that the Russian
judge would vote for the French in the Ice Dancing competition? If that is the case, I agree with the ISU
in their decision to award both the Canadian pair and the Russian pair gold medals. But if she was not
influenced to vote for the Russians, then it’s an entirely different story. If Le Gougne believed the
Russians were truly better, then the Russians should be the sole Olympic champions and the Canadians
should stay where they were as silver medalists.

[GO BACK TO THE SPORTS PAGE]

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Baseball
By Michael Biskar

“I’ve been waiting for this day

for the past four years,” said
Head Coach Mike Czarnetzki
before his baseball team took the
field in their first game of the
season on Mar. 1 against
Palisades High. He was referring
to the 14 seniors on his 16-man
roster that he has trained since
his first year as coach.

The team has been forced to

recover from the loss of skill and
leadership provided by All-Bay League First team pitcher Sean Gowers. Leaving for personal reasons in
the fall, Gowers will be greatly missed against such league powerhouses as Peninsula.

While seniors James Cooper and All-Bay League First Team member Charles Gordon will be adding
punch to the batting lineup, the pitching staff will be anchored by seniors All-Bay League Second Team
selection Rocky Collis, Danny Casanova, and Sonny Redondo. With such an experienced and dedicated
team of players, the Samo Vikings are sure to present the Bay League competition with a daunting
challenge this season.

[GO BACK TO THE SPORTS PAGE]

* Photo by Alex Leitner

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Boys Volleyball
By Lisa Strumwasser

Led by seniors Chris Clark and Paul Fuller, Samo’s boys varsity volleyball team prepares for a
challenging season in the Bay League.

This year’s team is completely different from last year’s due to its entirely new roster. There are no
returning varsity players, and all the current players must fill the positions of last year’s second round
CIF team. Most of the players are the stars of last year’s J.V. squad, and all players are seniors.

Practices have been based around the team’s strength, passing drills and blocking drills, in order to
prepare for the upcoming play.

A tournament at Redondo tested the team’s ability to work together under pressure as they beat
Lynwood, South Pasadena, and St. Monica’s.

Their losses were against Granada Hills, Lockwood, and Chatswoth, which left the team with a 3-3
tournament record.

Head Coach Nguien Trinh, a first year varsity coach for Samo, is hopeful that the team can perform well
against tough competitors in the Bay League, such as Penninsula, Torrance, and Mira Costa, which ranks
first in the Southern section.

“I’m really looking forward to developing with this team because there’s a lot of athletic talent and heart
in the squad,” said Fuller of the upcoming season.

[GO BACK TO THE SPORTS PAGE]

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Swimming
By Jackie Len

This year the boys swim team is looking forward to a very productive season. Led by junior Max
Goldstein and seniors Garret McLean and Jon Kim, the swim team is hoping to individually improve
while coming together as a team.

Head Coach Matt Flanders commented, “Boys aquatics as a whole at Samo are in a building stage...I
need to see desire from them because they all have the physical talent they need to succeed.”

Girls swimming is also in a building stage this year. There is a lot of young talent that assures the girls a
lot of success in the future. This year the team is anchored by senior Charisse Crosby and sophomore
Clara Lee. The combination of young and more mature talent gives the team the necessary depth to
succeed in league play. Head Coach Jeannine Houchen said: “There is a lot of raw talent. If they work
hard, they should all have a great season.”

Both the boys and girls have their first meet on Mar. 14th at Samo against Crossroads and Cathedral.

[GO BACK TO THE SPORTS PAGE]

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Softball
By Jacob Honig

After a disapointing fifth place finish in the Bay League last year, the Samo softball team begins their
2002 season with the hopes of making the CIF playoffs.

Returning varsity players from last year’s squad include All-Bay League Second Team sophmore Rosa
Ordez and sophmores AmaraRussel and Crystal Spencer, along with juniors Casey Lieb and Christine
Jones. “The team is very young,” said Head Coach Debbie Skaggs. “I love the team’s chemistry.”

This year’s team is very talented at almost all fielding positions. However, the team’s pitching and hitting
have been lackluster thus far as demonstrated by disappointing losses to Royal High 11-0 and Alemany
High 2-0. The team will have to rely largely on their offense and an extremely tight defense if they are to
make up for the team’s lack of pitching ability.

[GO BACK TO THE SPORTS PAGE]

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Boys Golf
By Michael Biskar

The boys golf season is back in full swing as the Linksters continue to breeze through easy Ocean
League competition.

Led by a strong core of experienced varsity seniors including Peter Kaldis, David Lenvin, Sammy
Lerner, and Ian Rubenstein, along with sophomore prospects Jeremy Kramer and Daniel Wax, the Samo
Vikings have accumulated an impressive undefeated 4-0 record.

Following smashing victories over Ocean League rivals West Torrance and Torrance, the boys golf team
has established itself as a force to be reckoned with in the Ocean League.

Said Kaldis in regards to his team’s chances this season: “We’re going to easily win the Ocean League.
But we also have high expectations individually and as a team for CIF.”

The Vikings hope to continue their four-game winning streak at home on Mon. Mar. 11 against Redondo.

[GO BACK TO THE SPORTS PAGE]

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Boys Tennis
By Elliott Birnstein

With only four returning starters, this year’s boys varsity tennis team is a mere shadow of last year’s
team. Their years of varsity experience will undoubtedly make them stronger than the squad from one
year ago.

Head Coach Chris Megaffin has assembled what he thinks is an “extremely talented team from top to
bottom.”

But when trying to identify one player who shines brighter than the rest Megaffin said, “Nobody really
stands out. Everybody is on the same level.” With four seniors, three juniors, a sophomore, and a
freshman, this year’s team is clearly experienced.

Megaffin hopes that his team will be able to make up this lack of experience with hard work. “ Our guys
will never stop working as hard as they can,” said Megaffin.

This year’s team captain is senior Jean-Michel Werk, a quick player with a dangerous forehand and a
devastating backhand, who will lead the team to what they hope will be one of their better seasons in the
last five years.

Also, look for athletic freshman Jonathon Sappaibaon to contribute a great amount of strong tennis and
give a big lift to a team that otherwise lacks athleticism.

Samo boys tennis is a sport that always produces strong teams and winning seasons, but Coach Megaffin
feels that they don’t always get the credit they deserve: “It has taken five years to get to be as good as we
are today, due to commitment, discipline and the efforts made by those players that have come before.”

He went on to add, “This year’s team is one of the best teams we have every had and I hope that they get
the proper recognition that the other ‘top teams’ at this school receive.”

[GO BACK TO THE SPORTS PAGE]

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Track and Field

By Hanna Jacobsen

With an outstanding line-up of

runners, jumpers and throwers,
Samo’s track team kicks off the
2002 season.

With senior standout mile and

two-miler Luis Orta, along with
juniors Kemal Cilengir and
Jokubas Zukerman and
sophomore Chris Chavez, the
boys’ team is ready to take on
tough Bay League competition.

Senior sprinting sensations and

team captains Derrick Davis and
Mike Ruiz, who qualified for the
California State 4 x 100 relay team last season, and Jump program co-captains seniors Terrell Maze and
Demetre Howard hope to be an unbeatable combination. In field events, seniors Anthony Colon and Josh
Weigensberg look solid in the vault, while seniors Daniel Solchanyk and Taj Lands are Samo’s best hope
for the league championship in Throwing. Junior hurdler Alex Phillips rounds out the impressive boys’
line-up.

On the girls’ track team, juniors Keryssa Robinson and Jamila St. Cyr are poised to deliver high profile
performances in the long jump and sprints, along with returning junior High Jumpers Erin Neff, and
Aviva Regev. Junior Eryn Mack and senior Nancy Yu expect to make a strong showing in the 300m
hurdles, while senior Christian Burrell and Yu will cover the 100m hurdles. Juniors Sandra Hendricks,
Jill Henderson, Allison Johnson, and Zoe Schweitzer, along with senior Jessica Willis are looking for top
finishes in the sprints. Senior Shentora Bedgood will grab success in Throwing.

“If we can offset with good throwing, with good hurdling and good sprinting,” said Coach Pat Cady, “we
can beat Peninsula and Mira Costa.”

[GO BACK TO THE SPORTS PAGE]

* Photo by Zack Elgart

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Friday, February 22, 2002

Click on the page banners to go to the rest of that page for this issue.

Youth Center In Pico Neighborhood Finally Opens

By Ari Rosmarin

After over three years of bureaucratic struggles and financial difficulties, organizers opened the Pico
Youth & Family Center last month to the celebration of many in Santa Monica’s Pico neighborhood,
which the center is designed to serve. [To read more click here]

Subway Vs. Quizno's

By Carl Lisberger and Danny Morgan

A flawless blend of bread, meat, vegetables, and condiments is not often produced by a commercial
sandwich-generating operation. Fast food sandwiches have historically paled in comparison to the fabled
deli sandwich or homemade version. Subway, however, has always been a staple of the American food-
on-the-run diet. Every day, thousands purchase sandwiches from Subway, not realizing that they are
making a terrible mistake. Sprouting up all over the nation are shining beacons of sandwich perfection,
palaces of decadent meat and cheese portions, exotic bazaars of spicy, innovative sauces. Of course, this
could only be Quizno’s. [To read more click here]

The New Hat and Cell Phone Policy

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By Carl Lisberger

A few months ago, the administration introduced a new hat and cell phone policy at Samo. In an effort to
make the confusing policy more understandable, I hereby present several guidelines for the benefit of the
students. [To read more click here]

Counseling Reorganization Draws Union Concern

By Ari Rosmarin

As part of his major reorganization plans for Samo next year, Superintendent John Deasy has called for
the elimination of the counseling department as it currently exists. Replacing the counselors will be 12
Student Service Coordinators, responsible for significantly more extensive duties than the current
counselors. While backers of the plan claim it is in the best interest of students, others express concern
that the district is not affording the current counselors the rights guaranteed in their contract. [To read
more click here]

An Evening to Remember
By Sunil Parekh

On Friday, Feb. 8, and Feb. 15, Samo’s choral department presented “Café Samo,” a three-hour program
of student performances in the Humanities Center. [To read more click here]

Girls Water Polo Wins Sixth Consecutive Bay

League Title; Loses in Second Round of CIF
By Sakae Sakai

In a dramatic double overtime win over Mira Costa, the Greenies won the Bay League Title for the sixth

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straight year only to fall short in the second round of the CIF playoffs once again. [To read more click
here]

Contact the site webmaster to give feedback.

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Youth Center In Pico Neighborhood Finally Opens

By Ari Rosmarin

After over three years of bureaucratic struggles and financial difficulties, organizers opened the Pico
Youth & Family Center last month to the celebration of many in Santa Monica’s Pico neighborhood,
which the center is designed to serve. [To read more click here]

PTSA Task Force Investigation Prompts Bathroom

Cleanups
By Jeremy Kutner

A Parent Teacher Student Association (PTSA) task force toured Samo’s student bathroom facilities on
Feb. 7 in response to reports from concerned parents and students that the school’s restrooms were
unclean and unsanitary. [To read more click here]

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Youth Center In Pico Neighborhood Finally Opens

By Ari Rosmarin

After over three years of

bureaucratic struggles and
financial difficulties, organizers
opened the Pico Youth & Family
Center last month to the
celebration of many in Santa
Monica’s Pico neighborhood,
which the center is designed to
serve.

The center serves primarily as a

place for teens to go to after
school to have fun. It boasts a 51-
inch television with DirecTV,
video game consoles, computers with Internet access, and $10,000 worth of music recording and mixing
equipment for kids to enjoy. “It’s a place where everyone gets together to chill, kick it, instead of chilling
in alleys and streets…It has something for people to do instead of going out and shooting someone,” said
Santa Monica College freshman and former Samo student Heriberto Jr. Gomez.

The center also provides numerous programs and services, all of which are geared toward giving Santa
Monica’s youth a voice. “We’re about empowering youth, empowering a community that for so long has
been disenfranchised and marginalized,” said Founder and Director of the Pico Youth & Family Center
Oscar de la Torre. To achieve this goal, de la Torre said the center will provide computer training,
emotional counseling, tutoring, and parent workshops.

De la Torre also seems most proud of the plan to create a youth council based out of the center. “Like the
Santa Monica City Council, we’re going to have a youth council…a group of young men and women
who are committed to social justice who will be trained in public speaking and will receive a political
education,” explained de la Torre. “Anything that’s affecting the community that young people decide
need to be addressed, [the council] will address.”

Located at 828 Pico Boulevard, less than two blocks from campus, the center hopes to develop bonds
with Samo as time goes on, including the possibilities of holding school-sanctioned classes in music
production at the center.

The idea for the center first began following a rash of gang shootings in the Pico neighborhood in
October of 1998. De la Torre, together with other community leaders, began planning to build a center
and create a support system that would give teens another option besides street life.

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The organizers won a $350,000 grant from the City Council in 1999 and proceeded to invest $40,000 of
it to remodel a church in the Pico neighborhood as a home for the new center. As plans moved forward,
internal conflicts developed between the groups coordinating the effort and the city of Santa Monica,
resulting in the city’s confiscation of all the furniture and equipment the group had purchased.

Faced with the possibility of the center never opening, de la Torre regrouped, created a new advisory
board with members from a broad spectrum of the community, and successfully appealed to the city for
the reinstitution of the grant. “I didn’t want to be remembered as just another adult who failed the youth,”
said de la Torre. “I was committed to resurrecting the program.”

After securing the funding, de la Torre set about the task of finding a site and staff for the center.
Following an exhaustive search, he found an empty warehouse blocks from Samo’s campus.

To man the center, he recruited a team of dedicated individuals willing to sacrifice pay and benefits to
work for the cause, including Yolanda Decordova, whose son, Daniel, graduated from Samo in 2000.
Decordova left her full time job to do office work for the center. “I wanted to be a part of [the center] to
help to give back to the community,” she explained. “It’s been a wonderful experience.”

The center finally opened on Jan. 26 and was especially significant for de la Torre, who graduated from
Samo as Student Body President in 1990. “I started out as a high school student wanting to make a better
change. I went out to college, got my Masters degree and came back to do this,” said de la Torre. “It’s a
dream come true.”

The center is planning a grand opening party for the youth on Fri., Mar. 1 from six to nine p.m.

[GO BACK TO THE NEWS PAGE]

* Photo by Alex Leitner

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PTSA Task Force Investigation Prompts Bathroom

Cleanups
By Jeremy Kutner

A Parent Teacher Student Association (PTSA) task force toured Samo’s student bathroom facilities on
Feb. 7 in response to reports from concerned parents and students that the school’s restrooms were
unclean and unsanitary.

The task force, which was comprised of four parents from the PTSA, was joined by Assistant Principal in
charge of facilities Greg Runyon and Santa Monica Malibu Unified School District Manager of Facilities
and Grounds Operations Cleveland Prosser. The group visited eight of Samo’s bathrooms in an effort to
validate claims that the bathrooms were substandard in terms of sanitation and were not being cleaned
and stocked appropriately. Parents and school administration were also concerned over reports that some
students were developing health problems and were suffering academically because those students were
unable to use the bathrooms at school due to the unsanitary conditions.

The task force, headed by PTSA 4th Vice President Inese Verzemnieks, found that no student bathroom
contained soap, many stall locks were broken, there were inadequate numbers of trash receptacles, and
that the bathrooms were distressingly unclean. Verzemnieks described the bathrooms as “totally
unacceptable.”

“People need soap and places to put their trash,” said Verzemnieks. She later added that the Samo
administration and the Santa Monica Malibu Unified School District were very determined to improve
bathroom conditions.

Students generally agree with Verzemnieks’ assessment. “For the most part the bathrooms are pretty
gross. There is never any toilet paper except on the floor and you can’t see in the mirrors,” said
sophomore Molly Parent.

To address the problems uncovered by the Task Force, Runyon is considering changing the schedules of
some custodians to allow for increased midday cleaning and restocking of the bathrooms. “We are doing
all that we can to ensure that students have clean facilities. Unfortunately, because of our limited budget,
any change in the schedule of a custodian would mean that someone would be reassigned from one of the
night shifts, which would hurt the nightly cleaning routine,” said Runyon.

The day of the inspection, Prosser sent over a team of two district employees to perform extensive,
according to Runyon, “deep cleaning” that would start in Technology building bathrooms and gradually
move to the rest of campus. Still being developed is a “Student Request For Services” form that will
allow students to directly request additional bathroom supplies.

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While major changes such as the repairs to bathroom stalls may take some time, the task force hopes to
address the supply problem immediately and have begun weekly spot checks of the more troublesome
Samo bathrooms, which have already shown, according to Co-Principal Mark Kelly “marked
improvement.” “The bathrooms need to be improved now. Kids have had to put up with unconscionable
conditions for a long time,” said Verzemnieks.

After initial sanitation and clean up problems are dealt with, the administration will turn its attention to
other bathroom-related problems such as smoking and graffiti. Currently, Samo averages one bathroom
closure a day due to offensive graffiti scrawled on bathroom walls, doors, sinks, and toilet seats.
“Students need to develop a sense of responsibility and respect for their campus,” said Runyon.

Students agreed. “The [bathroom] conditions could be better, but I understand that it’s not the school’s
problem. The students contribute to [the bathroom situation],” said junior Roberto Flores.

[GO BACK TO THE NEWS PAGE]

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Subway Vs. Quizno's

By Carl Lisberger and Danny Morgan

A flawless blend of bread, meat, vegetables, and condiments is not often produced by a commercial
sandwich-generating operation. Fast food sandwiches have historically paled in comparison to the fabled
deli sandwich or homemade version. Subway, however, has always been a staple of the American food-
on-the-run diet. Every day, thousands purchase sandwiches from Subway, not realizing that they are
making a terrible mistake. Sprouting up all over the nation are shining beacons of sandwich perfection,
palaces of decadent meat and cheese portions, exotic bazaars of spicy, innovative sauces. Of course, this
could only be Quizno’s. [To read more click here]

A Look Back in Time

By Sonia Sohaili

Everyday thousands of teens pile in and out of Samo, but what will they remember of this school when
they are in their 80s? Carleen Bentley (class of '41), Jane Whiting( '37), Leslie Potter ('41), and John
Bohn ('39), all described life at Samo back when they went to high school. [To read more click here]

I Phantom Planet
By Sina Grace

It’s been a while, but California’s pop/rock band Phantom Planet is making a dynamic return, on the
radio, and on television. Their album, “The Guest,” has been getting rave reviews from "Rolling Stone,"
"Elle," and "Entertainment Weekly." MTV’s very own Carson Daly chose the video for their single

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“California” as one of his picks of the week. The band even played on the David Letterman show, giving
them national acclaim. [To read more click here]

Slam Poetry Speaks to Youth

By Hannah Tepper

Many teens and young adults are finding an interest in Slam poetry. Young people all over the country
are becoming more and more involved in the spoken art form, expressing themselves through words,
sounds and stage presence.

[To read more click here]

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The New Hat and Cell Phone Policy

By Carl Lisberger

A few months ago, the administration introduced a new hat and cell phone policy at Samo. In an effort to
make the confusing policy more understandable, I hereby present several guidelines for the benefit of the
students. [To read more click here]

Grade Grubbing has no Place, Good sir.

By India Brookover-Coleman

According to Newsweek, this year’s class of college freshmen are ranked among the most academically
competitive generations. The high school and college age population is rising, and so are the standards of
college admissions. Thousands of motivated students across the country are meeting the demands, but at
what cost? [To read more click here]

LAUSD Makes Steps to Integrate

By Tina Ferris

Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) is adopting a new policy to integrate disabled children
into general education classes over the next four years. The plan proposes the integration of 35,000
students. Unfortunately, the word “disabled” is often too broad a term. A disabled child could be blind,

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autistic, schizophrenic or immobile. Some children may only need a wheelchair, whereas another student
could operate at the mental capacity of a seven-year old. Since integration is a necessary tool for
overcoming prejudice, there should be a regimented standard that recognizes each child’s needs on a case-
by-case basis. [To read more click here]

Samo Sells Soda At Expense of Health

By Megan Early and Millay Kogan

Once a special treat, soda has become the teenage beverage of choice, soaring past old time favorites such
as milk and orange juice. Unfortunately, by consuming the large amounts of empty calories found in soda,
teenagers are setting themselves up for major health problems such as obesity, tooth decay and even
osteoporosis later in life. And yet, the undisputed popularity of soda is evident at Samo by the presence of
many vending machines. Because of the health risks they cause, soft drinks should not be so extensively
promoted and distributed on campus. [To read more click here]

Second Semester: What Now?

By Millay Kogan and Jackie Len

So, you’ve finally made it. You’re a “second semester senior.” After three and a half years of worrying
about your grades, extracurriculars, SAT scores, and college applications, you are done. Only five more
months of following the sound of the bell, listening to announcements over the loudspeaker, and singing
the “Hymn of Praise.” Maybe you’re nervous. Maybe you’re excited. But for the next five months that lie
between high school and the future, you may be left feeling a bit confused. From now until graduation,
what exactly are you supposed to be doing? Is the rest of the year just a waste of time, or could it actually
be a blessing in disguise? [To read more click here]

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My Turn: Patriotism Versus Materialism

By Reed Heisley-Shellaby, Junior

What is patriotism and why should you care? Recently, a Samo student argued on the Larry Elder radio
show that Samo students and faculty members disregard and even discourage American patriotism. The
patriotism that this student defined was limited mainly to the practice of flag and idol worship. However,
the mere act of worshipping American flags and idols does nothing for the betterment of the United
States. Patriotism is not a series of ceremonies, but the act of striving for a better future through the
enlightened demonstrations of true patriotism: social responsibility and concern for future generations.
[To read more click here]

Email "Letters to the Editor" to

[email protected]
or mail them to:
Journalism,
c/o Santa Monica High School,
601 Pico Blvd.,
Santa Monica, CA, 90405

The Samohi seeks submissions for the student-written column "My Turn."
Email articles to [email protected]
or submit articles to E201 (Santa Monica High School).

Submissions may be edited for grammar and length and are due no later than February 27, 2002.

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An Evening to Remember
By Sunil Parekh

On Friday, Feb. 8, and Feb. 15, Samo’s choral department presented “Café Samo,” a three-hour program
of student performances in the Humanities Center. [To read more click here]

Ex-Child Soldier Speaks, Inspires Samo Students

By Elliott Birnstein

Ishmael Beah visited the Mortensen Library to speak to students about his former life as a child soldier in
his native home of Sierra Leone, Africa. On Feb. 12 Beah told his sad story to two classes of awestruck
students and their teachers. [To read more click here]

BSU Sponsors Black History Gallery

By Jacob Honig and Erika Miguel

The Black Student Union (BSU) held a poetry slam and art exhibit in celebration of Black History
Month. The exhibit, at Roberts Art gallery, features the many eras African-Americans have influenced
throughout history. The event was held simulatenously on Feb. 13. The exhibit will be on display this
whole month. [To read more click here]

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Teacher Spotlight: Michelle Kenney

By Sina Grace and Sunil Parekh

Michelle Kenney has been a Spanish teacher at Samo for a year and a half. The Samohi wanted to give
all the students a chance to get to know this shop-a-holic Spanish teacher. We conducted this interview
trying to get the lowdown, and not the newest bargains at The Gap. [To read more click here]

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An Evening to Remember
By Sunil Parekh

On Friday, Feb. 8, and Feb. 15, Samo’s choral department

presented “Café Samo,” a three-hour program of student
performances in the Humanities Center.

The idea of holding “Café Samo” was suggested last year by Ping
Ho, an enthusiastic choir parent in charge of organizing and
carrying out fundraising for the choir’s trip to New York City last
April. “Café Samo” was an amazing success last year, bringing a
large amount of much needed money into the choir department.
This benefit concert is to become a tradition due to last year’s
sucess. According to Choral Director Christopher Rhodes, “‘Café
Samo’ will continue to be an annual program as long it’s a
success and as long as there’s interest.”

This year’s concert was composed of three acts, each of which

consisted of eight or nine performances of all genres. Each
performance was entirely run, rehearsed and perfected by students alone. Highlights of the concert
included “The Promise,” a beautiful piano piece both composed and performed by junior Andrea Chang
and an energetic dance medley to a selection of ‘N Sync songs by junior Ryan Gaynor. Other memorable
acts were “Johnny One Note,” sung by sophomore Megan Gillespie, “Sonatina,” a bassoon work played
by junior Sally Sachs, “Steal Me, Sweet Thief,” sung by senior Tara Davison and “The Water is Wide,” a
duet sung by senior Erin Krozek and her mother, Karen Sadler. Performing twice were the
Testostertones, a student-run male choir whose members dressed accordingly to sing both “Men in
Tights,” from “Robin Hood, Men in Tights” and “Hit Me Baby, One More Time,” the popular song by
Britney Spears.

The choral department made money from ticket sales, a raffle, a silent auction, and homemade food sold
during the intermissions. Proceeds from the concert this year will go to purchasing shelves and risers for
the new Music Building which is currently being constructed. The money will also go to items that the
choir needs each year, such as sheet music, folders, scholarships, dresses, tuxedos, etc.

While “Café Samo” was an excellent experience for the audience members, who filled every single seat
in the Humanities Center, it also proved to be beneficial to the musicians as well. Many of the performers
felt that the concert was a good opportunity for them to get up on stage and do something they were
passionate about in front of an audience. “This is one of the greatest experiences for a high school
student,” said senior Emil Mebasser, who performed “Daydream,” “Papa’s Gonna Buy You A
Mockingbird” and sang with the Testostertones. “You can perform by yourself in front of a live
audience,” he added.

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Overall, viewers of “Café Samo” were pleased. They enjoyed all of the performers and were pleased by
the amount of talent they saw. “I loved the eclectic selection of music,” said junior Emily Schneider.
Those who were able to attend this program were lucky to be part of such a fine event. For those who
weren’t, there’s always next year. The third annual “Café Samo” will take place next February, and it is
sure to be another success.

[GO BACK TO THE CAMPUS LIFE PAGE]

* Photo by Alex Leitner

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Ex-Child Soldier Speaks, Inspires Samo Students

By Elliott Birnstein

Ishmael Beah
visited the
Mortensen Library
to speak to students
about his former
life as a child
soldier in his native
home of Sierra
Leone, Africa. On
Feb. 12 Beah told
his sad story to two
classes of
awestruck students
and their teachers.

Samo’s Free the

Children club put
on this special
event. “This event
raises awareness to
the rest of the
school about the
issues of child soldiers and it shows students some of the things that are going on outside our community.
Hopefully this will spur students to action so that they can help this problem,” senior Club President Ben
Binder said.

Beah was born in 1980 in Sierra Leone. Growing up, Beah lived with his parents and two brothers.
However, by the time Beah reached the age of nine everything changed. His parents separated and civil
war broke out in his country. “In 1993 I was 11 years old and attending boarding school in Sierra Leone
when the war came to my town for the first time,” Beah said.

Hoping to escape the war, which had already claimed his parents and brothers, Beah fled his home and
tried to reach safety. “While he was telling his story, I could really feel his emotions. I think this was a
great thing to have at Samo. I am really inspired to find out how I can help,” said junior Tigran
Nersissian. Faced with no other option, Beah joined the army and was then given a crash course in
military warfare. “At first I couldn’t pull the trigger. I was laying almost numb watching kids my age
being shot at and killed. The sight of blood and the crying of people in pain triggered something inside
me that I didn’t understand, and made me lose compassion for others. I lost my real being,” Beah

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explained.

Finally, the UNICEF, a foundation dedicated to protecting the rights of children, removed Beah from the
army and sent him to a rehabilitation home. “My soul felt corrupted and I was lost in my own thoughts
blaming myself for what had happened to me,” Beah recalled. He fell into despair, but was saved when
he found a love for writing song lyrics. Through these songs, Beah was able to overcome his depression.
Junior Amir Yaghoobian felt Beah’s pain: “I felt so bad for him. He had no choice about his life. But I
feel good that he was able to escape; it is really an inspiring story.”

Beah now attends Oberlin College in Ohio, spending most of his life fighting for a different reason. Now
he fights to free child soldiers, spreading his message to kids all across the world. “I want people to
realize what is happening in this world. As a former child soldier, I feel that it is my job to spread the
knowledge,” said Beah.

[GO BACK TO THE CAMPUS LIFE PAGE]

* Photo Courtesy of Anne McKechnie

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BSU Sponsors Black History Gallery

By Jacob Honig and Erika Miguel

The Black Student Union (BSU) held a

poetry slam and art exhibit in celebration of
Black History Month. The exhibit, at
Roberts Art gallery, features the many eras
African-Americans have influenced
throughout history. The event was held
simulatenously on Feb. 13. The exhibit will
be on display this whole month.

The art exhibit was opened to everyone in

order to enlighten the Santa Monica
community of the accomplishments of
African-Americans throughout history. BSU
members and the African-American Parent Group were in charge of bringing the art.

Although few students attended, BSU advisor Ada Hollie said, “The poetry really reflected students’
emotions. The show was very well done and the poems that were written by students were very moving.”

Senior BSU President, Niaje Wells-Hall, was in charge of putting together the event. She also read some
of her poetry along with her mother, JoAnn Wells, who later spoke of her time as a Black Panther. Wells-
Hall explained, “My mom got up there ... she wanted to tell the young students, personally... to fight the
struglge no matter if you’re Black, Latino, Asian, there’s still a struggle out there, we can’t let go, we
need to keep on fighting.”

Various students were also able to share some of their poetry, making the event emotional as well as
informative. Senior Jasmin Young, who also read, said,“The art gallery was very informative ... there
were people on the walls that I didn’t really know about, so it gave me a chance to find out about my
own history, that isn’t always taught in the classrooms. The poetry slam was a great experience, to get to
listen to other people’s poetry.”

The rest of the month will feature various activities to celebrate Black History Month. There will be a
book signing, cartoonist, among other guests. Although these events are very well organized and
informative, Humanities Teacher and BSU Member Adee Williams said, “I think that it’s tragic that we
only take one month a year to reflect on Black history. However, the students involved in making these
events possible did an extraordinary job.”

[GO BACK TO THE CAMPUS LIFE PAGE]

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* Photo by Wesley Krieger

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Girls Water Polo Wins Sixth Consecutive Bay

League Title; Loses in Second Round of CIF
By Sakae Sakai

In a dramatic double overtime win over Mira Costa, the Greenies won the Bay League Title for the sixth
straight year only to fall short in the second round of the CIF playoffs once again. [To read more click
here]

Wrestling Fosters CIF Qualifying Contenders

By Calanit Greenberg

The Grapplers finish this challenging season with an overall winning record of 7-5. [To read more click
here]

Lady Kickers Look to Future

By Michael Zinshteyn

One would imagine that after rolling through the pre-season unscathed, outscoring their opponents on an
average of 3 to 1 with a record of 8-1-1, the girl’s soccer team would continue their drive all the way to a
Bay League Championship. Unfortunately, their season said otherwise. [To read more click here]

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Senior Spotlight: Martin Zarate

By Millay Kogan

As a member of the varsity boys soccer team since his freshman year, Martin Zarate has established
himself as one of the top forwards, and players, in Samo soccer history. Last year, Zarate broke Samo’s
all-time scoring record with an impressive total of 33 goals, 20 of which were scored in his sophomore
season alone. With such success, it is no shock that he has caught the eye of college recruiters from
Loyola Marymount and Cal Poly Pomona. This season he added 12 goals to his overall 44 in his Samo
career. [To read more click here]

Clipping the NBA

By Michael Blackman

True fans are drawn not to just a team’s win/loss record, but to the heart shown by its players. A few
years ago, news of the Clippers overtaking such teams as the Sacramento Kings and Los Angeles Lakers
would have come as a shock to any sports fan. Now, with the help of Coach Alvin Gentry, the Clippers
have proven that they are true contenders. [To read more click here]

Boys Basketball Falls in Playoffs to Arcadia

By Elliott Birnstein

The Samo boys’ basketball team ended their season on Feb. 13 after a disappointing playoff loss to
Arcadia. [To read more click here]

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Girls Basketball: Still Inches From Success

By Lisa Strumwasser

It’s impossible to call a league record of 2-12 a success. However, Samo’s girls basketball team tried a
noble experiment by utilizing speed as a substitute for height. It suceeded in making games more
exciting, but it failed to help the win loss ratio. [To read more click here]

Boys Soccer Misses CIF Playoffs

By Michael Biskar

After a poor showing in Bay League play that landed them in fifth place with a 5-6-3 overall league
record, the boys soccer team missed the CIF playoffs for the second consecutive year. [To read more
click here]

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Girls Water Polo Wins Sixth Consecutive Bay

League Title; Loses in Second Round of CIF
By Sakae Sakai

In a dramatic double overtime

win over Mira Costa, the
Greenies won the Bay League
Title for the sixth straight year
only to fall short in the second
round of the CIF playoffs once
again.

Led by junior Sarah Samantilla

and senior Jessi Lafayette, the
Lady Greenies finished 17-12
overall with a 5-1 record in
league play. Being in the tough Bay League and facing some of the hardest competition the southland has
to offer, the girls came together and played as a team to once again work their magic.

Under the guidance of Head Coach Matt Flanders, the Lady Greenies have emerged as a dedicated,
strong, and unified waterpolo team. Not only have the varsity Greenies won league, but so have the
junior varsity and frosh-soph teams. After capturing the Triple Crown Title of Bay League, Flanders
declared: “I saw a beautiful thing Wednesday at the pool. I saw a bunch of girls on all three teams put
their trust in their teammates and risk it all to win.” With seniors Charisse Crosby, Lafayette, and Jackie
Len the Greenies had a strong mature backbone with a core of dedicated, hardworking players.

In the Bay League championship game, the girls water polo team was trailing 8-9 with less than 30
seconds left. However, with only 26 seconds left in the game, Lafayette used a skilled maneuver to put
the ball in the lower left corner of the cage to tie up the game, 9-9, which then brought on overtime.

With their season and hardwork on the line, Samo started the first double overtime quarter pumped with
adrenaline and energy. Samantilla scored on a 6 on 5 opportunity, and then junior Sally Sachs followed
with a break away goal to make the game 11 – 9 in Samo’s favor. Both Sachs and Samantilla had stellar
performances in the game; Sachs scored three and Samantilla added four timely goals. In the second
overtime quarter, Mira Costa scored 1 goal, but Samo was able to maintain its lead, and win the game,
continuing its almost decade-long dominance of the Bay League.

In the CIF playoffs, Samo was forced to play against high-seeded teams in the tournament. However,
Samo was not daunted by tough competition and pulled out with a win in their first game against Sunny
Hills, 10-8.

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Following this sound and impressive victory, the Greenies were scheduled to play against Corona Del
Mar, a nationally ranked team with great skill. Samo played strong and unified, but Corona Del Mar just
overwhelmed the Lady Greenies and won the game, 16-6.

Overall, Samo had an incredible season with lots of victories to be proud of. The return of Samantilla
will give the Lady Greenies some offensive punch, while junior Kristen Hundley can lead the way on the
defensive end. Under Flanders, the Lady greenies are looking strong for next year, and a seventh
consecutive Bay League Title is certainly within their grasp.

[GO BACK TO THE SPORTS PAGE]

* Photo by Wesley Krieger

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Wrestling Fosters CIF Qualifying Contenders

By Calanit Greenberg

The Grapplers finish this challenging season with an overall winning record of 7-5.

Varsity wrestlers closed their league season in fourth place with a record of 1-3. With seven graduating
seniors missing from last year, there were many empty spots to fill with few upperclassmen to fill them.
The younger Grapplers, some of whom are first- year wrestlers, such as freshmen Alex Darkovsky and
Brett Jellen, stepped up to varsity with a challenge ahead of them.

A painful loss against North Torrance on Jan.10 did not leave the Grapplers discouraged. They had an
amazing victory on Jan.17 at West Torrance with a score of 53-6. However, they lost to Peninsula in a
tough match on Jan.31.

As in previous years, many wrestlers qualified for individual competition in CIF. Senior Co-Captain
Vincent Sritapan was the only senior that qualified. In Bay League finals on Feb. 6, he placed second in
the 152lb-weight class, although teammates and Head Coach Mark Black would argue that he truly
deserved first place. As a result of a very close match and a controversial call, Sritapan lost during
overtime to a North Torrance wrestler.

Sritapan, however, still remains positive about the team. “This year, the team was definitely young. But
these guys worked really hard and a lot of them pushed themselves to the limit. It was worth it,” said
Stritapan.

Other wrestlers that qualified were freshman Alex Darkovsky, junior Ben Sheldon-Tarzynski,
sophomores Geoff Moy, Linus Narbutas and Juan Loza. Advancing alternates are freshman Brett Jellen,
and sophomores Arturo Sernas and Matt Ishler, juniors Daniel Tarle and Gabe Michalski, and senior
Bradley Flores.

Junior Co-Captain Andrew Arboleda qualified as an alternate, as well. A torn rotater cuff impedes him
from competing.

Black attributes the team’s success to “some good luck and a lot of hard work.” He can’t remember when
so many younger wrestlers have qualified for CIF. Next year, the varsity team will be very strong and
even more successful than they already have been. “I look at this team, and it’s the young kids that prove
to me that they are willing to do what it takes to be winners. They have shown the talent and the ability to
improve. We’ll work out harder next year because that group is willing to do that,” said Black.

On Feb. 15, the Grapplers competed at CIF finals. Sophomore Geoff Moy was the only wrestler that
moved on to CIF Masters. He is a top 30 wrestler out of 400 schools. Moy took fifth place in his 105lb

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weight class, with three wins and two losses. Today, if he is within the top eight at CIF Masters, then he
will go to state.

[GO BACK TO THE SPORTS PAGE]

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Lady Kickers Look to Future

By Michael Zinshteyn

One would imagine that after rolling through the pre-season unscathed, outscoring their opponents on an
average of 3 to 1 with a record of 8-1-1, the girl’s soccer team would continue their drive all the way to a
Bay League Championship. Unfortunately, their season said otherwise.

The girls had all the components of a great team: a keeper in junior Lisa Strumwasser who was one step
ahead of the ball and a pack of forwards who could dribble and pass circles around any defense.

They had a defense that seemed impenetrable, and a head coach that had the canny combination of
intelligence and wit. Yet these components could only harness the girls soccer team a 5-8-2 record in the
regular season. What hurt the team were a few simple necessities: lack of discussion on the field and a
young, unexperienced squad.

With four starting freshmen and several more starters coming off last year’s bench and JV team, the girls
couldn’t develop a consistent team unity. Maybe this hole in the squad would still lead the team to
greatness in the Ocean League, but the Bay League demands perfection.

The players didn’t talk to each other much on the field, a skill only mastered through experience,
resulting in opposing stoppers breaking up the attack from the blind corner of the offense and allowed
holes in the opposing defense time to close up, ruining numerous scoring opportunities. Freshman Nicole
Allen said, “We didn’t communicate on the field.”

On the other side of the field, the same lack vocalization plagued the team. The defense, though
swarming, didn’t verbally mark their counterparts as many times as needed to stop attacks. The
consequences were quite evident: giant gaps in the backfield, leaving the keeper hopelessly vulnerable.
Not even Oliver Kahn of Germany can make saves without his stopper and sweeper at his aid.

Like in every sport, the intangibles separate the champions from the others. This team was no exception
to the rule. However, this year’s experience is probably all the team will need to dominate next year. The
freshmen gained valuable experience from this season, leaving freshman Payton Raffa to say: “We hope
to better the team next year with our new found skill.”

With only two starters graduating, the roster will be almost identical. Team Captain and junior Nora
Wyman, who had four goals and four assists in the season, proclaimed, “There’s no question in my mind
that next year we will be hard to beat.”

The point leaders for the season were Co-Captain and senior Amy Crawford with 17 points, freshman
London King with 22 points, and sophomore Claire Beitcher with 26 points. The freshmen accounted for

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33 of the team’s total points, sending the team into the off season optimistic for next year.

[GO BACK TO THE SPORTS PAGE]

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Senior Spotlight: Martin Zarate

By Millay Kogan

As a member of the varsity boys soccer team since his

freshman year, Martin Zarate has established himself as one
of the top forwards, and players, in Samo soccer history. Last
year, Zarate broke Samo’s all-time scoring record with an
impressive total of 33 goals, 20 of which were scored in his
sophomore season alone. With such success, it is no shock
that he has caught the eye of college recruiters from Loyola
Marymount and Cal Poly Pomona. This season he added 12
goals to his overall 44 in his Samo career.

The Samohi: Were you born a soccer star, or did you have to
work at it?

Martin Zarate: I originally wanted to play baseball, but was

never really good at it. So when I was about eight or nine, I
went to a birthday party and saw a bunch of kids playing
soccer….I started to play with them, and really liked it. I was
really bad at first, but I knew that it was something I wanted to be good at, so I started working really
hard. I paid attention to players and games, and worked on my skill a lot. It didn’t come naturally at all.

T.S.: What makes a player a “good player”?

M.Z.: A “good” player is a leader, not a follower. He isn’t afraid to take charge, and isn’t afraid to take
risks for the team. All of the “good” players I watch take control of the game, and take it on themselves
to win.

T.S.: When you started playing at Samo, what was your first game like?

M.Z.: I was really nervous, but I actually did really well. On my first game, I scored a goal and got two
assists...it’s probably the moment I’m most proud of. During my first game, all I could think about was
not messing up. But in general, I really try to keep my mind on the game. A lot of my moves are spur of
the moment… I have to just go for the ball. But I also have to read the defenders. It’s really important to
know if they’re weak on one side and how fast they are…you have to play smart.

T.S.: Do you have any superstitions or routines that you have to do before you play?

M.Z.: No, not really. But I always wear a certain necklace whenever I play. It’s got religious symbols on

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it. It’s more of a symbol of respect than good luck.

T.S.: How important is the team in your performance? What makes a good team?

M.Z.: Without the team, you can’t do anything. A team needs to be very united, almost like a family.
Every single player needs to do his part. They need to feel like they’re representing the school. If you’re
not proud of your school, and if you’re not willing to play your best for your school, you shouldn’t be
wearing a jersey.

T.S.: If you could play for any team or country in the world, which team would you want to play for?

M.Z.: Probably the Chivas [a team from Mexico] or a professional team in Italy or Spain. The best
players in the world are on those teams.

T.S.: What are your plans for the future, in school and in soccer?

M.Z.: I plan to go to college and play soccer…maybe even professional…we’ll see.

[GO BACK TO THE SPORTS PAGE]

* Photo by Zachary Elgart

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Clipping the NBA

By Michael Blackman

True fans are drawn not

to just a team’s win/loss
record, but to the heart
shown by its players. A
few years ago, news of
the Clippers overtaking
such teams as the
Sacramento Kings and
Los Angeles Lakers
would have come as a
shock to any sports fan.
Now, with the help of
Coach Alvin Gentry,
the Clippers have
proven that they are true
contenders.

The Clippers fast play and strong attitude have not only earned them a potential playoff spot but have
caught the eye of many sports fans looking for a new team to support. This isn’t surprising. Regular
playoff successes like the Lakers don’t play with the same intensity as the Clippers, which is marked by
constant Laker losses to low ranking teams like the Vancouver Grizzles and Chicago Bulls - teams the
Clippers have beaten consistently within the course of this season.

Sports fans want to root for a team that they know is going to give their all, no matter how good or bad
the team they’re playing may be, like the Clippers. Most of the players, having little experience in the
NBA, have never before felt the rush of making a run for the playoffs.

It was no surprise when the Clippers defeated the Lakers, 95-90, on Jan. 23. The Clippers’ intensity was
too much for the Lakers. The real shock came in the final minutes of the game when the crowd at the
Staples Center began to chant “Clippers! Clippers! Clippers!” It takes more than just a championship ring
to win the respect of a true sports fan. It takes hard work and determination, something the up-and-
coming Clippers have learned and the veteran Lakers have forgotten.

Many of the young Clippers show potential to be stars. The fan favorite, Darius Miles, shows
improvement every game. Quentin Richardson is strong enough to play with any guard in the NBA and
his high percentage three-point shooting has made him a possible sixth man of the year candidate. Then
there’s Elton Brand, who the Clippers picked up during the off-season in a well calculated trade. Brand
averages 19 points to go with his 11 rebounds per game, making him second in the league in double-

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doubles.

As the stars of the Clippers continue to mature, the consistency of their game will improve. Who knows?
Maybe someone will start a new “Brand” of shoes, and possibly Miles will record a rap album. Someone
might even throw a punch at a player and miss, like a familiar player, but until then, I’ll still be a fan.

[GO BACK TO THE SPORTS PAGE]

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Boys Basketball Falls in Playoffs to Arcadia

By Elliott Birnstein

The Samo boys’ basketball team ended their season on

Feb. 13 after a disappointing playoff loss to Arcadia.

Overall, Samo had a rough season in league play. They

finished with a record of 7-7 after ending the season on a
two game losing streak.

In the Bay League, the top three teams are guaranteed

playoff berths. With a record of 7-5 and two games to
play, Samo faced off against Mira Costa, a decent team
who had some quality wins and some embarrassing
losses, and Redondo, the top team in the league. Samo went into the game against Mira Costa already
having beaten them earlier in the season. Samo lost the game by three points. Senior forward Kristin
Currie said, “We shouldn’t have lost the game...We weren’t playing as a team, we kind of played a little
selfish.” Head Coach James Hecht said, “They made the play when they had to make the plays, and we,
unfortunately, did not.”

The game versus Redondo was also a heart breaker. Samo led Redondo for most of the game and then
squandered their lead late in the fourth quarter and lost the game.

By losing their two remaining games, Samo was forced to hope for a wild card entrance into the playoffs.
Luckily, they were awarded a spot in a game against Arcadia.

The Arcadia game was a familiar story; it was a little more dramatic though. Samo jumped out to an
early lead on Arcadia but then fell behind in the second half. Realizing their season was in jeopardy,
Samo staged a fantastic comeback ending with a last-second three-pointer by Brett DeAngelis to send the
game into overtime.

Samo started the overtime period with a three-pointer and Arcadia answered with a three of their own.
Samo went on to lose the game by a couple baskets, devastating the team. Their inability to make free
throws and grab big rebounds were two main factors in determining their loss.

Samo ended their season on a three game losing streak. “All three games can be summed up by the
saying, ‘Opportunity was knocking we just didn’t answer the door,” said Hecht.

[GO BACK TO THE SPORTS PAGE]

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* Photo by Zachary Elgart

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Girls Basketball: Still Inches From Success

By Lisa Strumwasser

It’s impossible to call a league record of 2-12 a success. However, Samo’s girls basketball team tried a
noble experiment by utilizing speed as a substitute for height. It suceeded in making games more
exciting, but it failed to help the win loss ratio.

In preparation for the Bay League competition the team played in three tournaments: Marlborough,
Thousand Oaks, and the Lynwood Invitational. The team ended up in the consolation bracket in each of
the tournaments. While the girls may have been placed in these brackets, they triumphed over the other
teams, like Dorsey High, and they almost beat Pacific Heights.

Both wins of the season came against Inglewood, who ended league in last place. Samo ends the season
in second to last place. First place this year went to Redondo, and North Torrance placed second.

“We were a good, fast-breaking team at one point, but we play in such a tough league [and] we were so
outsized that we never really had a chance in those games,” lamented Head Coach David Braff.

While Samo lost the rest of their league games, the team competed against Mira Costa at home in a nail-
biting game. The lead went back and forth between teams and ended when Mira Costa won in the last
two minutes by nine points.

Samo will be playing in the Ocean League next year, and prospects are brighter. Retaining the three
freshmen they acquired this year and star players like juniors Berry Altschuler, Keryssa Robinson, and
Erin McConicha, Samo can expect a much more successful season. “Next year looks like an exciting and
positive season,” said junior Michelle Kim. “One that we all look forward to.”

Braff is upbeat about next year, “It’s not unrealistic to think that we can win league next year; we are that
good and we have that much talent.”

[GO BACK TO THE SPORTS PAGE]

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Boys Soccer Misses CIF Playoffs

By Michael Biskar

After a poor showing in Bay League play that landed them in fifth place with a 5-6-3 overall league
record, the boys soccer team missed the CIF playoffs for the second consecutive year.

Battling injuries to key seniors Trevor Walsh and Tony de la Rosa as they headed in league play against
Torrance on Jan.2, the Vikings suffered a 3-1 loss at the hands of the Tartars. However, they came back
the next day to defeat South Torrance 3-0.

Unfortunately, despite a roster boasting 14 seniors, the boys soccer team continued to hover around a
.500 record throughout the Bay League season.

Following their final game, Walsh commented on the team’s lack of success this season: “We didn’t play
anywhere close to our full potential this year due to constant injuries and missed opportunities
throughout the season.”

With so many years of previous varsity experience, the Vikings had high expectations to start the 2001-
2002 season. However the boys soccer team clearly underachieved this year. Ultimately, they were
unable to capitalize on the opposition’s mistakes.

And while 15 of the 20 players will be graduating this year, the Vikings’ future is still promising. The
return of sophomore Carlos Lopez and junior Josh Rodriguez will give the boys soccer team much hope
as they attempt to break a two year drought next season and make the CIF playoffs.

[GO BACK TO THE SPORTS PAGE]

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Thursday, December 20, 2001

Click on the page banners to go to the rest of that page for this issue.

Controversial Speaker Sparks Political Debate

By Jason Islas

Conservative radio talk show host Larry Elder spoke to students as a guest of Samo’s Political Forum
Club about a wide range of controversial topics on Dec. 13. [To read more click here]

“All Things Must Pass”

By Tina Ferris

George Harrison, lead guitarist of The Beatles, died on Nov. 29 from cancer. Similar to the death of John
Lennon, another member of the Fab Four, Harrison’s death will leave an imprint on both the heart and
music of American society. Over the past few years, Harrison struggled with radiation treatment for a
brain tumor, a cancerous lump in his neck, and lung cancer. [To read more click here]

Samo Theater: Should Good Things Come in Small

Packages?
By Jordan Karney

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Samo is home to almost 3,500 students, and hundreds participate in extracurricular programs such as
athletics, music, ASB, and on-campus clubs, yet there are only five chosen to be in the school play.
Samo’s latest production, “Only When I Laugh,” gives five Samo students a chance to flex their acting
muscles, three of whom have been in Samo productions before. It’s nice to know that the student body is
getting to see the best of the best that our school has to offer, but it just doesn’t seem right to produce a
play that only gives five out of 3,500 a chance to shine. [To read more click here]

Vikings Win CIF Championship!

By Michael Biskar

The Vikings have captured their first CIF title in 20 years with an emotional 28-14 victory over North
Torrance in the Division X CIF Championship. [To read more click here]

New Hat Policy Implemented

By Michael Biskar

Following a decision by the California Senate nearly six months ago, a new hat policy will be
implemented. As of Jan 1, 2001 students attending public schools throughout the state of California will
be allowed to wear hats on campus. [To read more click here]

Lady Hoopsters Aim High

By Lisa Strumwasser

Coming off a loss to Venice and a win against Dorsey, the girl’s basketball team went into the
Marlborough tournament with an optimistic attitude. Although they lost their first game, they came back
with three wins to take the consolation bracket. [To read more click here]

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Contact the site webmaster to give feedback.

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 http://www.samohi2.smmusd.org/the-samohi/2001/122001/12-20news.html

Controversial Speaker Sparks Political Debate

By Jason Islas

Conservative radio talk show host Larry Elder spoke to students as a guest of Samo’s Political Forum
Club about a wide range of controversial topics on Dec. 13. [To read more click here]

Tougher Standards Bring Drug Busts Down 23%

This Year
By Megan Early

This year the administration has more strictly enforced the rigid policy for dealing with the problem of
controlled substances on campus. In accordance with district policy, students have been receiving more
serious consequences, which seem to have been effective thus far in reducing the number of drug related
incidents at Samo. [To read more click here]

Tech Training Implemented

By Jeremy Kutner

In an effort to meet the provisions of the Digital High School Grant, the school Technology Committee
has initiated intensive teacher-training workshops and other programs aimed at integrating technology

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into classroom life. [To read more click here]

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Controversial Speaker Sparks Political Debate

By Jason Islas

Conservative radio talk show host Larry

Elder spoke to students as a guest of
Samo’s Political Forum Club about a
wide range of controversial topics on
Dec. 13.

Elder’s appearance came as a result of

the large response from the Samo
community following the appearance of
a Samo student, junior Stephen Miller,
on Elder’s radio program earlier this
month. On the program, Miller raised
concerns over what he determined to be
excessive amounts of political
correctness at Samo. Elder made it clear, however, that the purpose of his visit was not to discuss or
defend Miller’s opinions. “[Miller’s] comments on my show are what caused me to be here, but I’m not
here to malign your school… I’m here to tell you how I feel and I see the world,” said Elder.

Students crowded into the library during both third and fourth period to hear Elder, a self-described
Libertarian, discuss his views on Affirmative Action, liberal media bias, and sex and race politics in the
workplace.

Elder’s views on these controversial topics elicited heated debate from students in the audience. When
Elder entered the question and answer portion of his discussion, senior Maria Vivanco was particularly
vocal in her opposition to Elder’s stance on what he determined to be the true definition of being an
American.

During Elder’s fourth period discussion, the topic of sexism in the workplace sparked emotional
responses from students. Senior Nanci Argueta, choking back tears of frustration, argued vigorously with
Elder, and came prepared with several statistics to prove her side of the debate. “I got emotional not
because of how he responded to what I said but because I couldn’t believe that someone could ignore the
fact that sexism and racism still exist,” said Argueta.

Elder, however, countered with a plethora his own statistics. “I thought he had a very market-oriented
approach, but he definitely knew what he was talking about,” said junior Brent Besson.

Despite the emotional responses from students, Elder’s visit went smoothly. Elder also felt that he had

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accomplished his goal in coming to speak to Samo. “I had a good time,” said Elder. “I think I’ve opened
a few people’s eyes.”

Junior Christopher Moritz, president of the Political Forum Club agreed. “Students were exposed, for
perhaps the first time, to a new perspective of American politics that proved very enlightening,” said
Moritz.

Other students had mixed responses to Elder’s discussions. Junior Mark Hunter said, “I feel he has a very
realistic view of the world.”

Junior Erin Neff, however, was frustrated with Elder’s lecture. “[Elder] was very rude…and he wouldn’t
listen to what anyone else had to say,” said Neff.

Despite the wide range of impassioned student opinions on Elder’s stances on controversial topics,
Moritz feels that Elder’s visit was very positive. “It got kind of [heated], but that’s what we need,” said
Moritz.

[GO BACK TO THE NEWS PAGE]

* Photo by Wesley Krieger

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Tougher Standards Bring Drug Busts Down 23%

This Year
By Megan Early

This year the administration has more strictly enforced the rigid policy for dealing with the problem of
controlled substances on campus. In accordance with district policy, students have been receiving more
serious consequences, which seem to have been effective thus far in reducing the number of drug related
incidents at Samo.

Although the district policy has always been the same, Samo has not always enforced it. In the past,
students caught with drugs on campus were suspended for five days and then allowed to return to school.
According to Samo administrators, this system was not very effective. The Santa Monica Malibu Unified
School District Student Services Department reports that the number of suspensions for possession of a
controlled substance increased from 52 in the 1998-99 school year to 62 in the 1999-2000 school year.

The current policy, known as the “zero tolerance” policy, states that all students caught with drugs will
be transferred to another school for their first offense, regardless of the amount of drugs they possess
when caught. “[Zero tolerance] is a district wide policy. There is no reason that Samo should be the
exception,” said Co-Principal Kirsten Hibert.

During the months of September and October, there were 13 expulsions for possession of a controlled
substance. In the month of November there were three. Compared to previous years, the number of drug
related incidents at Samo appears to be going down. If the drug incidents were to continue at the same
rate, Samo would have about 48 expulsions by the end of this year, considerably fewer than the 62
suspensions from the 1999-2000 school year or the 64 from 2000-2001 school year.

The policy change has caused concern among students, especially those who have been directly affected
by it. An anonymous former Samo sophomore, who was recently transferred for possession of marijuana,
said, “Of course I knew you weren’t supposed to have drugs on campus, but I’ve heard of lots of people
that got off over and over again, so I didn’t really think anything serious would happen. But this year
there’s a new policy. I know it’s just the new principals trying to look like they’re doing something
good—stopping the problem or whatever, but it sucks that I get the same consequence as someone
carrying an ounce and planning to sell.”

Students often overlook the severity of the legal consequences involved in being caught with drugs on
campus. While possession of a controlled substance is a misdemeanor, resulting in penalties such as
expulsion, transfer, fines, and delay in obtaining a driver’s license, intent to sell is always a felony,
regardless of age. “Intent to sell is a serious conviction which requires thorough investigation. If a judge
convicts you, it is a felony, and it appears as a strike on your criminal record,” said Sergeant David
Thomas of the Youth Services Division/Community Relations for the Santa Monica Police Department.

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California’s “Three Strikes” law mandates lengthy imprisonment following a third felony conviction.

The administration stressed the importance of preventing drug, especially marijuana, possession and use.
“There’s a problem with the mindset of the community. Kids think pot is permissible. I mean, it’s not ‘no
big deal.’ Not only is it illegal, it has serious long-term consequences that teenagers seem to be oblivious
to,” said Dean of Discipline Lori Pawinski.

Thomas stressed that in order to curtail the presence of illegal drugs at Samo, faculty and staff must be
courageous enough to report incidents of drug use without fear of tarnishing the school’s reputation. He
also emphasized the importance of partnership among parents, the school, and the police department in
providing a safe environment for students. As a first step towards improving the drug situation at Samo,
Thomas will be leading a parent education workshop at the Jan. 8 PTSA meeting to help increase
awareness of the issues and alert parents to the severity of the situation.

The administration has opted out other, more serious alternatives, such as the use of drug sniffing dogs
and student informants, which are currently being implemented at other schools. “These programs create
trust issues, and there would have to be major discussions with student and community representatives
before we could consider anything like that. However, we have not ruled out these possibilities. We need
to balance privacy and trust issues with the greater good of the student body,” said Hibert.

[GO BACK TO THE NEWS PAGE]

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Tech Training Implemented

By Jeremy Kutner

In an effort to meet the provisions of the Digital High School Grant, the school Technology Committee
has initiated intensive teacher-training workshops and other programs aimed at integrating technology
into classroom life.

Samo received the roughly $1,000,000 Digital High School Grant, along with matching funds from the
school district, three years ago for the purposes of increasing the role of computers and technology in the
school. According to the grant proposal written by former Samo Principal Sylvia Rousseau,
implementation of the grant was intended to “prepare students for life in the information age,” and
improve students’ overall academic performance in both English and math.

To achieve the goals of the grant and the subsequent AB 2882 grant that aimed to reduce the ratio of
computers to students in the school, the Technology Committee has purchased large numbers of
computers and equipment and has begun teacher-training programs aimed at giving teachers the
knowledge to effectively use the new technology.

However, according to Assistant Principal in charge of facilities Greg Runyon, only 11% of the
Committee’s budget for the past two years has been used for staff training programs, far less than the
usual 25% to 40% earmarked by other schools implementing the Digital High School Grant.

Co-Principal Kirsten Hibert attributes the lack of focus on teacher training in the past to both a need to
devote most of the resources of the grant to the actual purchase technology and an insufficient number of
staff members associated with distribution of that technology. This lack of personnel has meant that until
recently, much of the technology that had been purchased had yet to be configured and delivered to
classrooms where teachers could make use of them. “There are hundreds of computers coming in without
the personnel to get that equipment out to people. That’s been our biggest struggle,” said Hibert. As a
result, Samo recently hired two additional staff members to aid in configuration and distribution of
technology, and has instituted a mentoring program that will facilitate teacher understanding of how to
correctly use technology in their classrooms.

Runyon agrees. “If you want to learn a sport without equipment, it’s not that easy to do. For a lot of these
teachers, it was hard for them to go out and [learn about] technology when they didn’t have [the
technology] in their classrooms,” said Runyon.

Now that a lot of the technology is in place, the Technology Committee has been running workshops
aimed at increasing teacher knowledge in specific areas of technology with the hope that teachers will
disseminate this information to other teachers and students alike.

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The workshops have taught teachers how to make PowerPoint presentations, plan their lessons on the
computer, show students how to access online skills tutorials in various subjects, and use a program
called MicroGrade, which will allow teachers to post students’ grades online. Teachers have responded
with enthusiasm and increasing attendance at these workshops. “Technology is a tool to facilitate
learning. If it’s a way in which learning can be enhanced or improved then I think it’s a positive thing,”
said History Teacher Chris Megaffin.

One of the main drawbacks to expanding teacher-training programs has been a lack of funding, which
has resulted from the fact that all of the initial Digital High School Grant money needed to be spent prior
to Jun. 30 of this year. Since most of the grant funds were spent on acquiring hardware, only a small
portion of the money remained for teacher-training. “We have very limited funding to do teacher-
training,” said Digital High School Coordinator Rose Anne Salumbides.

This year, however, according to Hibert, about 60 percent of the Technology Committee’s budget,
amounting to roughly $80,000, is set aside for teacher-training programs. “Philosophically the
Technology Committee and the administration decided in previous years to spend our funds on hardware.
This year we shifted funding to staff development to help teachers understand and use the new
technology,” said Hibert.

In addition to teacher training, the Technology Committee also hopes to implement a program by second
semester that will allow students who do not have access to computers at home to apply to receive a free
computer they can use at home until the end of the school year. Though this program has been delayed
considerably, Hibert expressed confidence that this program will start soon. “[The program is] something
that was put on the back burner in order to get equipment out to teachers and get the mentor program up
and running. It is now back on the front burner to really address needs of students who need those
computers,” said Hibert.

Despite funding constraints, the school is making significant advancements toward meeting many of the
numerous benchmarks set by the grant, and will likely pass a check-up of the school’s progress in
implementing the grant by state officials in April. “When the [state] committee comes in April, they will
be very impressed by where we are. Even though we haven’t quite met all of our benchmarks, we do
have a plan in place to meet all of them, and we are moving in the right direction,” said Salumbides.

Salumbides reiterated the importance of the successful implementation of the grant. “It’s important that
every teacher use technology or give students access to technology so students can be prepared for
what’s to come after high school,” said Salumbides. “Technology is everywhere.”

[GO BACK TO THE NEWS PAGE]

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Lady Hoopsters Aim High

By Lisa Strumwasser

Coming off a loss to Venice and a win against Dorsey, the girl’s basketball team went into the
Marlborough tournament with an optimistic attitude. Although they lost their first game, they came back
with three wins to take the consolation bracket. [To read more click here]

Challenges Ahead For Young Grapplers

By Calanit Greenberg

This season, with so many young members, the Viking wrestlers are having to adapt quickly to the
intense competition of wrestling. As the pre-season continues into league play, the Grapplers are gaining
the necessary skill it takes to compete with the best teams of the league. [To read more click here]

Greenies Prepare for Season

By Sakae Sakai

Despite a shaky start, the Lady Greenies have been able to pull out a 5-4 record. [To read more click
here]

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Good Start For Samo Hoopsters

By Elliott Birnstein

It has been an up and down start of the season for the Samo Hoopsters. They recently completed the 38th
Annual El Segundo Basketball Tournament, in which they placed tenth out of sixteen teams. [To read
more click here]

Lady Kickers Sweep Up Pre-Season

By Michael Zinshteyn

After seven pre-season games, the girl’s soccer team maintains a strong record of 5-1-1, outscoring their
opponents with 21 goals to 6. [To read more click here]

Boys Soccer Struggling

By Michael Biskar

Coming off of a 2-1 late-game victory against Culver City High School, the Samo boys’ soccer team has
improved their pre-season standings into a promising 2-1-4 record as they head into Bay League
competition against Torrance on Jan. 2. [To read more click here]

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Friday, December 7th, 2001

Click on the page banners to go to the rest of that page for this issue.

Samo Remembers Deanna Maran

By Hanna Jacobsen and Ari Rosmarin

The community gathered in Samo's Memorial Greek Theater to honor the life and mourn the loss of
sophomore Deanna Maran, known by close friends and family members as "Lala," who was murdered by
another teen at a party in Westwood nearly three weeks ago. [To read more click here]

Harry Potter Revels in the Glamour of Fame

By Sina Grace and Sunil Parekh

Lord of the who? Lord of the box offices. After months of anticipation, "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s
Stone" flew into theaters Nov. 16, and it’s nothing short of wondrous. After only seven days, the movie
shattered all previous box office records by grossing $129.6 million. The monetary success of the movie
hints at its overall quality. Sprinkled throughout the film were special effects that gave non-visual readers
a crystal clear vision of Hogwarts and all its enchanting glory. [To read more click here]

Deanna: A Beautiful Life

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By Jacob Honig

Over the past few weeks many rumors as well as angry and sorrowful emotions have circulated
throughout the school due to the tragic death of one of Samo’s brightest students, Deanna Maran. All of
the anger that many of us are feeling is normal, and many of us spread and listen to rumors because we
feel like something is missing and we need an explanation for her death. We seem to be failing to
remember the wonderful life of the beautiful person that Deanna Maran was and the importance of
practicing non-violence. Deanna would have wanted it that way. [To read more click here]

Opinion: Fight to End Violence

By Daria Mazey

When a fight breaks out at school, it is apparent because of the excited cries and the masses of students
running to get a good viewing spot. When a fight breaks out at a party, the entire bunch stands around as
if in an arena and is entertained or just scared numb. [To read more click here]

Ozomatli Spices Up Samo

By Jordan Karney

Normally, the only sound heard after the final bell on a Friday afternoon is students discussing weekend
plans on their way home, but on Nov. 30, Samo students were treated to the sounds of a live band:
Ozomatli. [To read more click here]

Football Advances To CIF Finals For First Time In

19 Years
By Michael Biskar

Following lopsided victories against Workman and La Cañada high schools in the first two rounds of the

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CIF playoffs, the Vikings raised their Division X championship hopes with a semifinal win on the road
against perennial powerhouse Paso Robles. This stunning victory put Samo in the CIF finals for the first
time since 1982. [To read more click here]

Contact the site webmaster to give feedback.

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Samo Remembers Deanna Maran

By Hanna Jacobsen and Ari Rosmarin

The community gathered in Samo's Memorial Greek Theater to honor the life and mourn the loss of
sophomore Deanna Maran, known by close friends and family members as "Lala," who was murdered by
another teen at a party in Westwood nearly three weeks ago. [To read more click here]

UC System Changes Admissions Policy

By Kesha Ram

Beginning with students applying for admittance to the University of California (UC) this year, a new
admissions review policy will be instated for the UC system. This new policy will move emphasis to
personal elements, as opposed to academic elements that have traditionally been more heavily weighted
when determining admissions. [To read more click here]

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 http://www.samohi2.smmusd.org/the-samohi/2001/120701/2/12-7news1.html

Samo Remembers Deanna Maran

By Hanna Jacobsen and Ari Rosmarin

The community gathered in Samo's Memorial Greek Theater to honor the life and mourn the loss of
sophomore Deanna Maran, known by close friends and family members as "Lala," who was murdered by
another teen at a party in Westwood nearly three weeks ago.

The Nov. 26 memorial and candlelight vigil, which drew over 1,000 Samo students, faculty, staff, and
community members, provided an opportunity for Deanna's friends, family, and teachers to share their
thoughts in the wake of her death, as well as to emphasize the importance of nonviolence.

The gathering also allowed Samo to grieve as a community. "It helped the campus to come together to
share thoughts, memories, and love for each other," said Co-Principal Kirsten Hibert.

The oldest of Deanna's four siblings, Amika Maran, addressed those in the crowd, thanking them for
attending and explaining the necessary path to nonviolence. "The first step toward nonviolence is
kindness and just acting like a human being," she said.

Throughout the afternoon, over 25 speakers reflected on the loss of the 15-year-old with poems, songs,
memories, and personal testaments.

Deanna was an honor student, participated in Samo's choir, and played on the girls volleyball, water polo,
and track teams. At the memorial, each organization announced gestures they would be making in honor
of Deanna. The choir will leave an empty space on the risers at their next performance. The volleyball
team signed a ball and will give it to Deanna's parents. The team also plans to frame Deanna's jersey in
the North Gym and create an annual spirit award for the team in her honor. The water polo team also
signed a ball and a t-shirt Deanna had made for the team for the first pep rally of the year.

In addition to the words of praise and fond remembrance, some students recounted their horrific
experiences the night of Deanna's death. "Everything was so inconceivable, so uncertain. Looking back,
its like fast forwarding a scary movie with the tears and the fright as the music in the background," said
sophomore Elisa Herrman.

While attending a Westwood neighborhood party of a Milken High School student on Nov. 17, Deanna
reportedly confronted another 15-year-old party-goer who was damaging property in the house.

According to sophomore Zoë Blake, a close friend of Deanna's who was with her at the party, the 15-year-
old girl was angered at Deanna's scolding and began pushing her. Deanna pushed back and a mild scuffle
ensued, which was quickly broken up by two Samo sophomores at the party.

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Allegedly, the girl then proceeded to call her sister, Katrina Sarkissian, 17, to inform her of the incident.

A representative from the Sarkissian family was unavailable for comment.

According to sophomore Ryan Natale, who was also at the party, the elder Sarkissian arrived at the
Westwood site approximately an hour later looking for Deanna.

Along with her younger sister, the 17-year-old then allegedly confronted Deanna and began yelling at her.
According to Blake, Deanna kept repeating, "Just listen to my side of the story," but to no avail.

A second fight broke out between Deanna and the Sarkissians, and two other girls. Other party-goers
quickly circled around them. According to Blake, the senior held Deanna on the ground and yelled
obscenities at her while the other girls proceeded to punch and kick her.

Allegedly, sometime during the fight, the older Sarkissian stabbed Deanna in the chest with a knife and
fled the scene. The younger sister followed, but returned to kick Deanna once again before leaving.

According to other witnesses, Deanna collapsed shortly afterward. After realizing the severity of her
wounds, Deanna's friends drove her from Westwood to Santa Monica Hospital where doctors said she
arrived in full cardiac arrest.

In the panic that broke out after the incident, no one called 9-1-1.

The next day, police took the two Sarkissian girls into custody. While in the middle of police questioning,
the older sister collapsed. According to Los Angeles Police Department Officer Jack Richter, police
rushed her to UCLA Medical Center, where she died.

Sources said the girl may have taken a large quantity of sleeping pills before police arrived, resulting in a
fatal overdose. The coroner's office has yet to release more information.

In response to the tragedy, school officials brought in 20 emotional counselors to assist over 300 students
through their grieving period.

As a testament to their goal of nonviolence, Deanna's family and the school have established the Deanna
Maran Memorial Scholarship for Nonviolence, which will be given to one student each year who exhibits
an exceptional commitment to nonviolence.

"I would like to get to the point where students would yell, 'Stop! Stop! Stop!' instead of, 'Fight! Fight!
Fight!'" said Hibert.

Organizers have raised over $2,500 through donations thus far, including over $1,100 from students.

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Slowly, life is getting back to normal, but students are now more reluctant to attend the parties that they
used to frequent. "It's less appealing to go out," said sophomore Ray Mack. "It all seems pointless because
something stupid like that could happen so easily."

The smiles and activities are returning but friends maintain that Deanna will never be forgotten. "She was
taken from us and moved on to the unknown, but she will always be within each of us," said sophomore
Kiyoshi Houston. "We will always remember [Deanna], no matter what happens."

[GO BACK TO THE NEWS PAGE]

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UC System Changes Admissions Policy

By Kesha Ram

Beginning with students applying for admittance to the University of California (UC) this year, a new
admissions review policy will be instated for the UC system. This new policy will move emphasis to
personal elements, as opposed to academic elements that have traditionally been more heavily weighted
when determining admissions.

The change is designed to help the UC system judge students from an individual, rather than purely
academic, perspective. "UC's are looking more holistically at students, as UCLA and UC Berkeley have
done for many years," said College Counselor Emma Hipolito.

The colleges will now look at students' extracurricular activities and other characteristic aspects in
addition to their academic records to reveal exceptional abilities, leadership skills, or notable
accomplishments. Colleges will also increase efforts to recognize students who overcame opposition and
hardship.

This year's seniors are especially affected by the change in admissions because they had a very limited
amount of time to refocus and rearrange their applications to conform with the new standards of review,
which were instituted in mid November. "I was lucky because I play music but I can see how it affects
people who have been working hard for their grades the whole time. It is a good idea, though, because
you want the diversity of well-rounded students," said senior Cynthia De La O.

While the admissions standards for all eight undergraduate UC campuses are technically the same, the
greatest impact is expected to be on the more competitive universities such as UCLA and Berkeley.
These colleges have already employed the "comprehensive review" to a certain extent because the
schools have many applicants of equal academic ranking and need to look further to narrow down those
who are accepted.

Supporters of the new review for all UC campuses feel that test scores and GPA alone do not accurately
represent many students' personalities and potential. A change will mean less weight on tests like the
SAT and more focus on extracurricular activity and personal attributes.

According to Hipolito, there have not been many problems with students who do not have something to
incorporate into their applications to satisfy the comprehensive review standards. "We don't see students
at Samo who lack extracurricular activities, it hasn't been a problem," said Hipolito.

[GO BACK TO THE NEWS PAGE]

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Harry Potter Revels in the Glamour of Fame

By Sina Grace and Sunil Parekh

Lord of the who? Lord of the box offices. After months of anticipation, "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s
Stone" flew into theaters Nov. 16, and it’s nothing short of wondrous. After only seven days, the movie
shattered all previous box office records by grossing $129.6 million. The monetary success of the movie
hints at its overall quality. Sprinkled throughout the film were special effects that gave non-visual readers
a crystal clear vision of Hogwarts and all its enchanting glory. [To read more click here]

Got Cookies? The Answer is Yes

By David Ginsburg

Every second, thousands of people receive cookies. These cookies aren’t chewy or crunchy. They aren’t
chocolate chip or mint. Girl Scouts do not sell them. They are Internet cookies that reside on every
computer that uses the Internet. [To read more click here]

Santa Monica's Famous Stage

By Paul Fuller

When someone mentions a city famous for its music, it’s usually New Orleans and jazz or Nashville and
country music--not Santa Monica. The city of Santa Monica harbors a gem unknown to the music
industry: The Stage at McCabe’s Guitar Shop on Pico Boulevard. [To read more click here]

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Samo Youth Active in Y&G

By Danielle Alkov and Jordan Karney

“Who are, who are, who are we? We are, we are Y&G!!” Imagine a sea of thousands of energetic high
school students from all over the state, chanting this and other cheers in unison as they come together for
“Joint Session.” The California Youth & Government program gives students at Samo (and other schools
across the state) an opportunity to express their ideas and political opinions to a forum of their peers.
"Y&G is a unique opportunity for kids to learn about government by actually participating in it," said
third year delegate, senior Trevor Walsh. Hundreds of Ys statewide hold weekly meetings and send
delegations to the three annual conferences. [To read more click here]

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Deanna: A Beautiful Life

By Jacob Honig

Over the past few weeks many rumors as well as angry and sorrowful emotions have circulated
throughout the school due to the tragic death of one of Samo’s brightest students, Deanna Maran. All of
the anger that many of us are feeling is normal, and many of us spread and listen to rumors because we
feel like something is missing and we need an explanation for her death. We seem to be failing to
remember the wonderful life of the beautiful person that Deanna Maran was and the importance of
practicing non-violence. Deanna would have wanted it that way. [To read more click here]

Poems In Memory
By Daniel Bald, Junior

Guiding Light

Life is a fire:
Once it gets started, it glows bright
Like the smile you wore on your face.

[To read more click here]

Even Americans Need their Vacation!

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By Justin Peckner

Compared to the rest of the world, and to all standards of human decency, the amount of paid vacation
time that the average American receives is a joke. Though some think that this makes America a more
hard-working and productive country, the opposite is in fact true. The meager average paid vacation time
of less than two weeks per year for the average American worker must be raised so that workers feel
happier and less fed-up with their jobs. [To read more click here]

Mandatory Activities Waste Clubs’ Time

By David Ginsburg

It has become quite apparent that school clubs must complete one activity—anything from putting on a
school dance to organizing a pajama day—per semester if they want to continue to be a club at Samo.
This is ridiculous and completely unfair to active clubs that would rather use their limited time to do club-
related work. [To read more click here]

Maternity Shouldn’t Affect Sick Days

By Daniel Morgan

An old problem in the district’s maternity leave policy provides faculty members with no sick days for
the remainder of the year if they have their child while school is in session. [To read more click here]

My Turn: A Time to Kill

By Stephen Miller, Junior

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I am not going to lie. I relish the thought of watching Osama Bin Laden being riddled to death with
bullets. The fact of the matter is that Bin Laden would gladly murder every one of us without hesitation.
We have all heard about how peaceful and benign the Islamic religion is, but no matter how many times
you say that, it cannot change the fact that millions of radical Muslims would celebrate your death for the
simple reason that you are Christian, Jewish, or American. We have always known this. However, it was
not until the catastrophic events of September 11th that many of us came to the realization that our
enemies would act on their convictions. [To read more click here]

Letter To The Editor

Dear Editor,

I am writing regarding the special report on recycling in the November 16 issue. I really, truly
appreciated this demonstration of care towards the future of waste management in Santa Monica, and the
effort to inform readers about it. And that is certainly what it did. Now I know what the water treatment
facility by the pier is for, how far a year’s worth of recycled aluminum cans would stretch if lined up, and
more importantly, what is happening with recycling at Samo. [To read more click here]

Email "Letters to the Editor" to

[email protected]
or mail them to:
Journalism,
c/o Santa Monica High School,
601 Pico Blvd.,
Santa Monica, CA, 90405

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The Samohi seeks submissions for the student-written column "My Turn."
Email articles to [email protected]
or submit articles to E201 (Santa Monica High School).

Submissions may be edited for grammar and length and are due no later than December 13, 2001.

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Football Advances To CIF Finals For First Time In

19 Years
By Michael Biskar

Following lopsided victories against Workman and La Cañada high schools in the first two rounds of the
CIF playoffs, the Vikings raised their Division X championship hopes with a semifinal win on the road
against perennial powerhouse Paso Robles. This stunning victory put Samo in the CIF finals for the first
time since 1982. [To read more click here]

Senior Spotlight: Nan Wu

By Elliott Birnstein

Samo holds approximately 3,400 students and each one has their own story. Senior Nan Wu’s story,
however, is different from most, if not all. [To read more click here]

Sports Briefs

Robbers Break Into Cheerleaders’ Bus

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By Ari Rosmarin

Vandals stole over $900 worth of money and jewelry from the Samo Pep Squad’s bus during the football
game vs. Paso Robles on Dec. 1. [To read more click here]

Increased Security at Playoff Games

By Sina Grace and Sunil Parekh

At Samo’s first two home football playoff games against Workman and La Cañada High Schools, fans
had to pass through a metal detector before entering the stands. [To read more click here]

Winter Season Previews

Boys Basketball
By Elliott Birnstein

It’s that time of the year again, when balls start flying, shoes start squeaking and nets start sizzling. Get
ready Samo basketball fans, because the season is here once again. The theme to this year’s basketball
season: youth. [To read more click here]

Boys Soccer
By Michael Biskar

After collapsing at the end of the regular season last year, the Samo soccer team comes out this year with
a number of returning varsity players looking to make an impact in their second year in the very tough

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Bay League. [To read more click here]

Girls Water Polo

By Sakae Sakai

This season, the four-time, back-to-back Bay League champion girls water polo team is looking to
extend their prestigious record. [To read more click here]

Girls Basketball
By Lisa Strumwasser

Finishing well in the summer and fall leagues, the Lady Hoopsters prepare for yet another year in the
Bay League. [To read more click here]

Girls Soccer
By Michael Zinshteyn

After a mediocre performance last year with a 7-7 record, the girls soccer team starts this season with
many young and new faces in the competitive Bay League. [To read more click here]

Wrestling
By Calanit Greenberg

The adrenaline is pumping as the wrestling season opens. In the strenuous sport of wrestling, great
balance, skill, speed, and strength are essential when competing. [To read more click here]

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Football Advances To CIF Finals For First Time In

19 Years
By Michael Biskar

Following lopsided victories

against Workman and La Cañada
high schools in the first two
rounds of the CIF playoffs, the
Vikings raised their Division X
championship hopes with a
semifinal win on the road against
perennial powerhouse Paso
Robles. This stunning victory put
Samo in the CIF finals for the
first time since 1982.

Coming off their first League title in more than a decade, Samo began the playoffs as the third seed in
Division X competition, earning them a first round playoff game on Nov. 16 against Workman High
from the City of Industry. While Los Lobos' sheer size may have gained them a third place finish in the
Montview League, they were no match for the Vikes' quickness and agility.

After senior Charles Gordon sparked the Viking attack with a 70-yard touchdown punt return only two
minutes into the game, senior quarterback James Cooper established a 14-0 edge by completing a 17-
yard touchdown pass to senior Terrell Maze with 6:45 left in the first quarter. Senior tailback Derrick
Davis continued the onslaught with three first-half touchdowns and nearly 100 total rushing yards to give
the Vikings a 41-0 lead at half.

With the reserves playing the entire second half for Samo, the Vikings were able to extend the final
margin of victory to an impressive 62 points, and defeat Workman 62-0. Meanwhile, the defense, led by
senior Peter Roses and junior Abraham Badillo, held Los Lobos to only four first downs and less than 70
yards of total offense the entire game. Said Gordon following the first round blowout, "We played hard
and did what we were taught. We were fortunate enough to come out here and win."

On the heels of their second CIF playoff victory in 12 years, the Vikings won the coin toss to determine
the location of the next game. This allowed them to host their second round match-up against La Cañada
on Nov. 23. Coming off of an emotional last-season win against Santa Maria St. Joseph's in their first
round game, La Cañada traveled to Corsair Field with great momentum. Employing their strong pass-
oriented offense, La Cañada posed a daunting challenge to the Viking secondary. However, the Samo
defense rose to the occasion.

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An interception by Davis on La Cañada's first drive of the game set up a 55-yard bomb from Cooper to
Gordon to give the Vikes a 6-0 lead midway through the first quarter. Following a field goal by La
Cañada to end the quarter, the visiting team had a high snap on the punt that rolled into the end zone for a
Samo safety. The Vikings widened their edge to 28-3 at halftime after three touchdowns, including a 43-
yard interception return for a score by senior Josh Smith.

While the Samo defense continued to stymie the La Cañada squad in the second half, the Vikes offense
steadily increased their lead with touchdown passes of 12 and 15 yards from Cooper to Gordon and
Davis, respectively. Samo went on to defeat La Cañada 49-3 to advance to the CIF semifinals.

In their most important game in recent years, the Vikings traveled 220 miles to face off against Paso
Robles, the team which had eliminated Samo in the second round of last year's playoffs 41-14. After
winning fourteen consecutive playoff games, the Bearcats were a force to be reckoned with.

In the midst of a moist fog, the Vikings took to the field in front of a packed crowd at War Memorial
Stadium on Dec. 1 in a game whose winner would move on to the CIF championship. Awaiting them
were the Saxons of North Torrance, who had defeated Inglewood in the other semifinal match-up the
night before. The Samo defense established their dominance on the first Bearcat possession with a tackle
for a loss by senior Peter Kaldis, followed by a sack by junior Adrian Gonzalez, forcing Paso Robles to
punt the ball. However, the Vikes’ offense was unable to move the chains on either of the first two
possesions due to five untimely false start calls by the referees.

It wasn’t until the end of the first quarter that Cooper hit Gordon for a 59-yard gain down to the Bearcat
eight-yard line. But following a sack on Cooper for a big loss, Samo found themselves on the 22-yard
line in Bearcat territory on fourth and goal. A little out of field goal range, the Vikings decided to go for
the touchdown. As Cooper retreated back into the pocket, two Paso Robles defensive tackles broke
through the Samo line and were five feet from Cooper when senior Dan Solchanyk saved the day by
knocking both Bearcats flat on the ground. Cooper seized the opportunity and made his way up field and
into the end zone to give the Vikings a 7-0 lead with only 1:14 remaining in the first quarter.

However, Paso Robles didn’t appreciate the Vikes’ scoring on Paso Robles’ home turf, and came right
back with drive of their own to tie the game at 7-7. They took 1:10 to score.

In the beginning of the second quarter, a Samo drive was called back once again following two holding
and false start penalties. Their crowd pumped, Paso Robles marched on to the field in the beginning of
the second quarter with the arrogant swagger that comes with three CIF championships. They were able
to drive 50 yards for the score with 3:14 left in the second quarter.

Trailing 14-7, the experienced Viking offense took to the field to try and put together an offensive strike
before the half. Cooper began the drive with two passes of four and five yards to Gordon. On a crucial
third and one play, Cooper completed a 13-yard pass to Maze to get the first down and more. However,
on the following play at the Viking 47-yard line, the Bearcats’ defensive line broke through and went

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after Cooper. As the Samo QB scrambled, he spotted junior wide receiver Paul Helmy wide open
downfield and threw a 49-yard pass on the run to land the Vikings at the Bearcat four-yard line. Two
plays later, Cooper found Helmy once again for a four-yard touchdown to tie the game at 14-14 as both
teams headed for the locker rooms.

As both teams trudged off the muddy field, the tension reached a feverish level. Fans from both sides
ignored the intense cold and screamed support for their teams throughout halftime in nervous anticipation
of the upcoming decisive half.

It was all Vikings in the second half as Gonzalez, who had three sacks on the day, recovered a fumble
caused by Roses on the first Bearcat possession of the third quarter. Cooper and company took over at
their own 29. Following a 13-yard pass to Maze, Cooper tossed a sky-high 26-yard throw into the end
zone. Gordon leaped over his man and made an acrobatic catch over the cornerback’s head to give the
Vikings a 20-14 edge after the missed extra point.

On Paso Robles’ next drive, they tried a fake punt on third and seven, only to be stuffed by Roses and the
entire special teams line for a loss of yards. The Samo offense marched onto the field with all of the
momentum in front of a suddenly hushed Paso Robles crowd. On the second play of the drive, Cooper
passed to Maze at the line of scrimmage, who proceeded up field to make something out of nothing with
a half dozen fakes and spin moves. In the end, it was a 23-yard gain for the Vikings, who found
themselves on the Bearcat five-yard line, at the brink of another touchdown.

Unfortunately, three hand-offs to Davis were only able to net four yards, bringing up fourth and goal on
the one-yard line. On a gutsy call by Head Coach Norm Lacy, Samo went for it and blew the game wide
open on a quarterback sneak by Cooper into the end zone to extend the lead to 26-14.

As the clock began to wind down late in the fourth quarter and the rain started to fall, the Samo defense
seemed to get stronger, stopping drive after drive of Paso Robles. And as the rain fell harder onto the wet
field, the Bearcats’ hopes of a fourth consecutive CIF championship were washed away.

Following the Vikings’ epic defeat of Paso Robles, with a final score of 26-14, Cooper, who completed
11 of 22 passes on the day for an astounding 261 yards, noted, “This game was big. They were the three-
time defending champs and they beat us last year on our field. But we just came together and put our
heads together and came out here and won it. We want to bring the championship home.”

Lacy added, “[This game] was a culmination of a year’s worth of hard work. But the job is not finished.
We get to play in the game but now we’ve got to go find a way to win the game.”

Samo’s CIF championship game will be played at North Torrance High School tonight in a rematch
against the Saxons, a team the Vikings defeated earlier this year in a thriller, 23-20.

[GO BACK TO THE SPORTS PAGE]

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* Photo courtesy of Tina Montoya

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Senior Spotlight: Nan Wu

By Elliott Birnstein

Samo holds approximately 3,400 students

and each one has their own story. Senior
Nan Wu’s story, however, is different
from most, if not all.

Born in China (well, maybe, he is not

quite sure), Johannes "Nan" Wu grew up
in Stockholm, Sweden. As a boy in
Stockholm, Wu played basketball, chess,
and the piano. He was a hard working
student who also enjoyed reading
Shakespeare and even writing poetry of
his own. In Sweden, he learned all four Scandinavian languages along with Chinese, French and English.
At age 15, Wu and his parents moved to Santa Monica because according to Wu, his parents wanted him
to receive an education in the United States.

Wu is currently living a dual life; by day he is a normal Samo student. By night, however, he is one of
the top table tennis players in the world. While receiving his education, Wu has won over fifty table
tennis tournaments world wide, including the Stockholm Championship and the Swedish Championship.
Wu is the two time defending Golden State Open champion, Pacific Coast Champion, and California
Open champion. He has participated in the Safir International, the European Championship, and the
European Top 12; each is an extremely prestigious table tennis tournament. There are many known and
unknown talented athletes at Samo but none compare to the most unknown of them all, Nan Wu.

While his accomplishments in table tennis are great, Wu chooses to pride himself on his piano playing
and poetry writing skills. He has been playing the piano since he was eight years old and performed in
various churches, city halls, and schools throughout Sweden.

His skill in the realm of poetry is equally as dazzling. Wu has won two poetry writing contests, both in
which he was given a topic and needed to write a poem about it in a certain amount of time. He won his
first contest in seventh grade and his second here in the United States where he won a $2,000 prize.
When he’s sad, Wu often quotes a favorite poem of his that he wrote a few years ago called "Smile". He
recites, "Smile, smile now for you/Never know when you will smile again /Smile away the tears running
down your face/Smile for your love, the love that you still have. /Listen to your heart even though it
jumps a pace. /So smile, smile now my darling."

Recently, Wu has been coaching the Santa Monica College men’s and women’s table tennis teams. Wu
said that he "enjoys this job, and enjoys seeing other people improve." While his accomplishments are

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amazing, Wu is still a student, so when you see him around, do not ask for his autograph, or for a date on
Saturday night: he’ll be busy. As Wu likes to say, "When you are not practicing, someone, somewhere
else, is practicing. So when you face him, he will win." Oh, if ping-pong were only just a game.

[GO BACK TO THE SPORTS PAGE]

* Photo by Justin Yang

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Robbers Break Into Cheerleaders’ Bus

By Ari Rosmarin

Vandals stole over $900 worth of money and jewelry from the Samo Pep Squad’s bus during the football
game vs. Paso Robles on Dec. 1.

According to members of the Pep Squad, who traveled five hours to support the football team in their
semi-final match against Paso Robles, they left their bags on the bus while they cheered inside the
stadium, assuming it would be safe for the duration of the game. When they returned, they found the bus
in disarray with five seniors’ personal belongings missing.

Those with missing possessions were seniors Jessica Lanthier, Jasmin Young, Jenna Stevenson, and
Niaje Wells-Hall.

The stolen items include wallets, cellular phones, bracelets, and necklaces with values of $200 and $675,
respectively. The driver’s purse was also taken.

Upon returning to the bus, the squad reported that they heard the bus driver say that she had had closed
the door, but left it unlocked. During the game, the driver was in War Memorial Stadium watching the
match.

According to Director of Public Relations Rachel McDaniel for Durham Transportation, which employs
the driver and owns the bus, the driver said she closed the door and found a window open when she
returned following the game.

Assistant Principal Frank Turner, who attended the game, immediately called the police. A Paso Robles
Police Department unit responded to the scene but as of press time have not found any suspects.

After traveling 220 miles to cheer on the championship-bound football players, the loss was especially
difficult. “The tears of victory turned to tears of loss…but as Pep Squad, we will continue to support our
team and represent our school,” said Songs Captain Wells-Hall.

[GO BACK TO THE SPORTS PAGE]

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Increased Security at Playoff Games

By Sina Grace and Sunil Parekh

At Samo’s first two home football playoff games against Workman and La Cañada High Schools, fans
had to pass through a metal detector before entering the stands.

The Santa Monica Malibu Unified School District decided to implement the use of the metal detector as
a response to seven shootings that had taken place within the surrounding Santa Monica area during the
12 days before the first playoff game. These acts of violence did not necessarily involve current Samo
students, but they were nonetheless causes for concern.

“I was not concerned at all because we have had very good behavior at past games. [Installing a metal
detector] is just a natural thing to do when there’s a rise in violence,” said Co-Principal Mark Kelly.

Most guests at the games understood the need to take this precautionary measure and did not complain or
protest. “From my understanding, there was nobody who objected to the metal detectors,” said Kelly.

According to Kelly, the use of a metal detector in the future will be decided on a game-by-game basis.
Even though there was no reason to expect violence, using the metal detector was an extra precautionary
measure. “We’ll take this game by game. Right now there are no plans to do this permanently,” said
Kelly.

[GO BACK TO THE SPORTS PAGE]

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Boys Basketball
By Elliott Birnstein

It’s that time of the year again, when balls start flying,
shoes start squeaking and nets start sizzling. Get ready
Samo basketball fans, because the season is here once
again. The theme to this year’s basketball season: youth. Senior Pablo Dresie goes up for an
uncontested layup.
There are many new faces on this year’s varsity
basketball team as the underclassmen outnumber the
seniors by a total of nine to six. There are seven players
returning from last year’s team vital to this season’s
success, namely senior big man Pablo Dresie, along with stellar senior football players Terrell Maze,
Charles Gordon, and Chris Gary.

As of now, Samo’s starting line up includes juniors Mark Covin and Brett DeAngelis in the back court,
while sophomore Greg Walker, junior Scott Roberts, and senior Pablo Dresie hope to control the inside.
With only one senior in the starting line up, Samo will need to make up for its lack of experience with
youthful energy and excitement.

Despite the lack of size and experience, the team is filled with talented shooters and ball handlers.
DeAngelis’ jumper is almost automatic and Covin has a good feel for the game and should be able to
penetrate and score or dish to his teammates. “Overall, we are very quick and athletic,” said Head Coach
James Hecht. “We have a good group of kids who work hard and are eager to play and win.”

[GO BACK TO THE SPORTS PAGE]

* Photo by Wesley Krieger

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Boys Soccer
By Michael Biskar

After collapsing at the end of the regular season last year, the Samo soccer team comes out this year with
a number of returning varsity players looking to make an impact in their second year in the very tough
Bay League.

Despite an impressive start in their first year in the Bay League last season, the Vikings finished poorly,
landing them fourth place and narrowly missing a CIF playoff berth. However, nearly the entire starting
squad this season is made up of returning varsity seniors, including Team Captains Trent Gould and last
season’s rookie of the year Tyler Gonzalez, along with senior and all-time Samo scoring leader Martin
Zarate at midfield.

Said senior midfielder and third-year varsity player Tyler Shahriary of the Vikings’ chances during this
season: “We’re looking to have a much stronger season this year and take the Bay League [title], as well
as make the playoffs and take the CIF championship.”

Samo began this season with a 2-1 victory in a scrimmage against Beverly Hills High School. In their
first non-league game against Arcadia, Samo controlled the game early and outshot their opponents by
seven. However, they only came away with a 1-1 tie. They have since defeated Culver City 2-1, giving
them a 1-0-1 record as they head into league play on Jan. 2.

With such a vast amount of varsity experience and senior leadership, the boys soccer team is
undoubtedly going to provide the Bay League competition with a daunting challenge during the
upcoming season.

[GO BACK TO THE SPORTS PAGE]

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Girls Water Polo

By Sakae Sakai

This season, the four-time, back-to-back Bay League champion girls water polo team is looking to
extend their prestigious record.

Despite the loss of sophomore Deanna Maran, both an amazing person and supportive teammate, the
Lady Greenies are looking strong and ready for the tough Bay League competition that is to come.

Head Coach Matt Flanders feels confident in the Lady Greenies’ athletic abilities and believes they are
ready for another competitive season against tough Bay League opponents: “We’re doing really well.
The team’s coming together really well despite the emotional hardship we’ve faced with Deanna’s death.
We have dedicated the season to her memory.”

The Samo girls water polo team will play the Deanna Maran Charity Water Polo Game on Sunday, Dec.
9 at the Drake Pool at noon.

Even though the Lady Greenies have not played any games yet, they are preparing to face stiff league
opposition in the weeks ahead. The girls water polo team is led by the valuable team leaders, seniors
Jessie Lafayette and Jackie Len. Not only do the three returning varsity seniors provide the Lady
Greenies with the necessary amount of experience, but they give the team a core level of maturity that is
a key ingredient to produce a Bay League championship-caliber team.

During the upcoming weeks, the Lady Greenies are scheduled to play 20 games. With so many integral
qualities, the girls water polo team must be considered a favorite to repeat as Bay League champions this
season.

[GO BACK TO THE SPORTS PAGE]

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Girls Basketball
By Lisa Strumwasser

Finishing well in the summer and fall leagues, the Lady Hoopsters prepare for yet another year in the
Bay League.

The team faced Venice on Nov. 27, only to obtain their first loss of the season. Following the
disappointing first game, new Head Coach David Braff said, “I think under different conditions... we
could have won. We’re a quicker team than they are.”

However, Dec. 1 marked their first win of the season, when they faced off against Dorsey. Braff said of
their wide margin of victory, “It’s a positive step. It’s our first win...and now we’re going to go into the
Marlborough tournament next week with a lot of momentum.”

Although these games are not nearly as important as tough league competition, they provide the team
with valuable practice to prepare for the difficult games to come. “Although Dorsey isn’t as good as the
competition in our league, it was a good place for us to pick up a win,” stated Braff.

Key players to the success of this year’s squad include returning varsity seniors Rennae Barnes, Shryel
Batalla, Claudine Said, Melissa Snyder, and Sequoia Todd.

The girls basketball team looks to have a strong performance in the Bay League. Although the team lacks
height, Braff feels that their speed will be enough to qualify for a CIF playoff berth this year.

Even though the Lady Hoopsters have a tough season ahead, the girls basketball team should rise to the
task and perform well in the face of stiff Bay League competition.

[GO BACK TO THE SPORTS PAGE]

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Girls Soccer
By Michael Zinshteyn

After a mediocre performance last year with a 7-7 record, the girls soccer team starts this season with
many young and new faces in the competitive Bay League.

The team shows promise early on after posting big pre-season victories over Beverly and El Segundo,
while battling Boroughs to a 2-2 draw.

Helping with the victories are the newest additions to the squad. These include freshmen forwards
London King and Nicole Allen. Freshmen halfback Payton Raffa and sweeper Zoe Mosk, along with
junior Eryn Mack who adds needed defense.

Returning key players include Co-Captains, junior Nora Wyman on defense and senior Amy Crawford
playing midfield. Four-time varsity senior Mari Rasmussen returns as well providing an integral part of
the defensive unit.

Pre-season practices have focused on finishing and widening the field. The team’s strength lies within its
powerful offensive attack, which has been working on finishing plays and getting used to the new faces
of the team.

Wyman said, “We definitely have had a strong start this season…our skill as a team and as individuals
will lead us to victory.” Crawford added, “We’ve been lucky to get a good group of freshmen … not just
as players but as people too.”

Sadly, two of last year’s valuable starters have been injured going into this season. Seniors Rowie Wolfe
and Maureen Noble have both suffered ACL injuries, preventing them from participating this season.

However, with a talented young crop of girls soccer players, the Lady Kickers are bound to start strong
when the regular season kicks off on Jan. 2.

[GO BACK TO THE SPORTS PAGE]

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Friday, November 16th, 2001

Click on the page banners to go to the rest of that page for this issue.

Admin. Cracks Down On Tardies

By Ari Rosmarin

Samo administrators have begun a renewed crackdown on tardies this year. In addition to increasing
enforcement of the existing tardy policy, the administrative team is also considering implementing a
more direct and controversial strategy: the tardy sweep. [To read more click here]

Open Letter to SUV Drivers

By Ari Rosmarin

Dear SUV drivers,

I write to you today in an effort to sway you from your selfish, obnoxious, and sometimes evil ways. If it
has not been mentioned to you in the past, your vehicles are a blight on the roads of the world. [To read
more click here]

Author Gary Soto Comes to Samo

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By Jeremy Kutner

As part of an ongoing author-and-book program through the Samo Mortesen Library, noted writer Gary
Soto came to speak to students Nov. 8 about his experiences as a writer. [To read more click here]

Football Wins League!

Football Defeats South Torrance to Take Ocean League Title;
Playoffs Start Tonight

By Michael Biskar

Following two decisive victories over Torrance and South Torrance in the final two games of the regular
season, the Vikings stand atop the Ocean League for the first time in 13 years as they head into tonight’s
first round playoff game against Workman at SMC. [To read more click here]

Contact the site webmaster to give feedback.

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Admin. Cracks Down On Tardies

By Ari Rosmarin

Samo administrators have begun a renewed crackdown on tardies this year. In addition to increasing
enforcement of the existing tardy policy, the administrative team is also considering implementing a
more direct and controversial strategy: the tardy sweep. [To read more click here]

School Begins CELDT Testing Of Bilingual

Students
By David Ginsburg

Currently, bilingual Samo students are being pulled out of class to take the California English Language
Development Test (CELDT), as mandated by the California government. [To read more click here]

Despite Setbacks, Construction On Track

By Ari Rosmarin

The major construction projects on campus are now further behind schedule than originally expected.
Following several unexpected complications, administrators set the completion date for each project back
three to six weeks. [To read more click here]

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News Briefs

Administration Alters Senior Absence Policy

By Calanit Greenberg

In an effort to curb the large number of absences traditionally accrued by seniors, the Samo
administration has altered the senior absence policy this year, deciding to not allow seniors to make up
the days that they were absent from school. [To read more click here]

School Board Cancels TES Testing

By Jeremy Kutner

As a result of California’s implementation of the High School Exit Exam, the Santa Monica Malibu
Unified School District decided to eliminate the Test of Essential Skills (TES) for all students graduating
after 2003. [To read more click here]

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Admin. Cracks Down On Tardies

By Ari Rosmarin

Samo administrators have begun a renewed crackdown on tardies this year. In addition to increasing
enforcement of the existing tardy policy, the administrative team is also considering implementing a
more direct and controversial strategy: the tardy sweep.

The existing policy, which was first employed in January of last year, calls for a student to serve one
hour of detention for every four tardies accumulated. As a student builds up more and more tardies, a
progressive discipline plan goes into action that can result in more detentions, Saturday School sessions,
In-School suspensions, and full length suspensions, successively.

Although this policy was implemented last school year, it was never effectively enforced. According to
Assistant Principal Joy Bramlette, the main reasons behind the policy’s failure were “issues around sign-
off corruption.” The administration found cases of teachers, administrators, and other staff members
signing off more than 24 hours worth of detentions the night before prom or graduation. This year, no
teacher will be allowed to sign off any student detention. Only Bramlette, Assistant Principal Frank
Turner, and new Dean of Discipline Lori Pawinski will have that jurisdiction.

Administrators admit they did not hold students accountable for their detentions and are setting up
additional “structures” to ensure the enforcement of the policy. The school hired Pawinski to oversee the
disciplinary measures. In the last few weeks, she has been meeting with students identified to have
“chronic tardy problems” to discuss the issue and dispense consequences. Additionally, school
counselors are monitoring students’ grades and attendance and calling parents whose students have
accumulated a high number of tardies. Administrators will also be posting tardy lists around campus and
providing more opportunities for students to serve detentions, including before school and during lunch.

According to Co-Principal Kirsten Hibert, the high number of detentions students had accumulated in
only two months of school prompted administrators to reevaluate and reorganize the tardy enforcement
procedure. “There were some students with 96, [or] 142 detentions. That equals four times [that number]
in tardies. That’s insane. That’s crazy-making,” said Hibert.

Besides the educational implications, the administration identifies tardies as a major safety concern at
Samo. “I cannot be a leader on this campus and continue with unsafe conditions…I can’t have upwards
of 300 kids in any one period out of class,” said Hibert. “I can’t do that. I wouldn’t be doing my job.”

If administrators’ current efforts do not succeed in significantly reducing the number of tardies on
campus, their strategy is to implement what are known as “tardy sweeps.” In such a sweep, if students
are not in class by the time the tardy bell rings, teachers will lock their doors and the remaining students
will be directed to the Greek by campus security guards and administrators. Security will then hold

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students there until the end of the period when they will be released to go to their next class.

The strategy will only be used as a last resort measure and if implemented, will be done so gradually. “I
would hope it is not needed, so I have faith that it won’t be needed,” said Hibert. “I already feel things
are getting better.”

According to administrators, the first few sweeps will be announced so students will understand the
process. Then, if the tardies do not improve, the sweeps will become unannounced and executed during
random periods.

Administrators first introduced the strategy to teachers in period-by-period meetings on Nov. 6. In order
for the sweeps to be successful, the administration needs teachers’ full cooperation. “We cannot do this
without the teachers’ support,” said Assistant Principal Frank Turner.

Although most teachers did not express objection to the policy, some are concerned about the educational
implications. “What I don’t think is right is a tardy sweep policy that asks teachers to lock their doors and
not allow students into the classroom,” said Acosta. “I think that is absolutely unethical and
pedagogically unsound.”

Others saw the potential for positive change in the sweeps. “I believe it will be effective if it is used as a
tool for intervention…I’m a little concerned about them being out of class but maybe they need that one-
on-one intervention with a counselor or an adult,” said Spanish Teacher Tina Urrutia.

Administrators acknowledge the potential faults of a sweep strategy but feel it may be necessary to make
improvements. “It’s not that we want to catch kids and that we want kids to be late so that they end up in
the Greek. What we want is for students to go to class on time…We’re out to change a culture,” said
Hibert.

“I think its a reasonable minimum expectation that students arrive to class on time,” added Co-Principal
Mark Kelly.

On Nov. 9, administrators officially brought the strategy proposal to students in a meeting with the ASB
and Activities classes. After hearing the strategy, students raised many concerns, some of which included
the staff’s ability to carry out a sweep, the inconsistencies in the length of passing periods, and the
communication between staff and students.

“We’re concerned about the ability of the staff to carry out a tardy sweep…We don’t see any evidence to
suggest that teachers will be more likely to comply with this than they were in the past,” said ASB
President Justin Brownstone. “The student council feels that getting to class on time is important but
we’re not sure that this is the best way to get students to do that.”

[GO BACK TO THE NEWS PAGE]

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School Begins CELDT Testing Of Bilingual

Students
By David Ginsburg

Currently, bilingual Samo students are being pulled out of class to take the California English Language
Development Test (CELDT), as mandated by the California government. The CELDT is a statewide test
that is given to all students in grades K-12 who have a home language other than English. The test is
intended to identify students who are English learners and determine and assess their level of English
proficiency with listening, reading, speaking, and writing exams. At Samo, the testing began in
September and is still under way. A total of 344 Samo students will take the test by the end of the year.

State law requires that all students with a home language other than English, even if they grew up in the
United States, must be tested in English as well as their original language. Samo, however, does not have
the necessary staff to test students in their original language, which resulted from a lack of
communication between the district and Samo. As a result, Samo is in violation of state law.

The LAS-II test, which tests students in their original language, is going to be held after winter break,
and next year’s CELDT testing is planned to start in May.

Students are pulled out of class, usually in the morning, to take the CELDT, not knowing in advance
when this will be. English Language Development Department Chair Adrienne Karyadi, with a team of
three officials sent by the Santa Monica Malibu Unified School District, and two college students, will
administer the exams, which vary in length from 20 to 90 minutes.

Teachers have expressed concerns about the CELDT. “I would just lump [the CELDT] in with a lot of
other tests that are a part of the state spending millions and millions of dollars to answer questions that
teachers could answer if they just asked us for a lot less money,” said Sheltered English Teacher Amy
Beeman-Solano. “I would rather have them spend the millions of dollars to educate the students instead
of [telling] me that all my sheltered students are not fluent in English.”

Some faculty members voiced doubts about the test’s ability to truly assess a student’s English level.
“[One particular score] has such a wide range of skill in it that ... [it] really doesn’t tell you anything
about what [the student is] good at,” said Karyadi.

Some students who will take the test are concerned about missing class. Junior Matthew Hakimi said, “I
think if it is after school it would be better. I don’t want to miss any classes.”

Other students do not mind the test. “I don’t have any problem with taking the test. It won’t hurt my
grades. I don’t think any of my friends would mind either,” said junior Karla Martinez.

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After being deemed fluent in English, students will not have to take the CELDT again. To prove fluency,
students must pass the listening and speaking portion of the test and then either pass the reading and
writing portions of the test, or score well on other exams like the Stanford 9 or the High School Exit
Exam. Students who do not qualify as being fluent in English must take the test again next year.

[GO BACK TO THE NEWS PAGE]

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Despite Setbacks, Construction On Track

By Ari Rosmarin

The major construction projects on campus are now further behind schedule than originally expected.
Following several unexpected complications, administrators set the completion date for each project back
three to six weeks.

As deep drilling began at the Language Building construction site early last month, workers discovered
unanticipated sand under the surface that caused the delay of progress at the site. According to Assistant
Principal Gregory Runyon, although workers took soil samples before beginning work, they didn’t know
the “extent of the sand” until drilling began. Before continuing, the construction company had to build
deep casing tubes to hold the sand back while work continued.

After work proceeded for a few weeks, construction workers realized that the foundation they had
originally designed did not meet the current conditions. They then had to redesign the plans, which
completely halted work for weeks awaiting the Department of State Architects’ (DSA) approval.
Administrators expected work to begin again yesterday, pushing the expected completion date back three
to six weeks.

At the Music Building site, workers encountered unexpected waterproofing issues, which may push the
completion date from April to May. According to Runyon, the company, S.J. Amoroso Construction,
“will be making every attempt to recover the time lost.”

Lastly, work on Phase II of Barnum Hall renovation restarted in the beginning of October. Work stopped
last April when the construction management firm Jacobs Engineering terminated the construction
company, Dawn Mar Construction, from the job. Although school officials were not directly involved in
the day-to-day operations of the construction, Runyon said the company was removed due to a variety of
reasons, including poor quality of work, failure to complete contractual submittals, and work behind
schedule.

The recently hired company to replace Dawn Mar, Haywood Construction, is currently completing the
work on underground utilities and the structural walls of the 2,000-plus seat theater. While final work on
Barnum Hall was supposed to be done in April of 2001, administrators now say it should be completed
some time in the next school year.

[GO BACK TO THE NEWS PAGE]

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Administration Alters Senior Absence Policy

By Calanit Greenberg

In an effort to curb the large number of absences traditionally accrued by seniors, the Samo
administration has altered the senior absence policy this year, deciding to not allow seniors to make up
the days that they were absent from school.

The current policy states that seniors are allowed to miss up to twelve days of school per semester.
Missing a full day of school, being tardy to nine classes, or missing three class periods in any given day
all are considered absences. If a senior has more than 12 absences by the end of a semester, that person
will not be allowed to participate in graduation ceremonies. However, that person will still receive a
diploma.

Despite the past policy of allowing seniors to make up absences by attending Saturday School, the
administration has decided that the policy did not adequately replace the learning experiences lost by a
student due to an absence. “Keep in mind the goal of this is to keep students in class. They cannot be
successful if they are not in class,” said Co-Principal Mark Kelly.

[GO BACK TO THE NEWS PAGE]

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School Board Cancels TES Testing

By Jeremy Kutner

As a result of California’s implementation of the High School Exit Exam, the Santa Monica Malibu
Unified School District decided to eliminate the Test of Essential Skills (TES) for all students graduating
after 2003.

The TES, which has been administered to students in SMMUSD since the late 1970s, was designed to
establish an eighth-grade proficiency for district students in writing, reading, language usage, and basic
mathematics before they graduated high school. Students who had not yet passed the test by senior year
were pulled out of class to take the test. However, California’s decision to require all public high school
students to take the High School Exit Exam made the TES unnecessary.

The elimination of the TES has been met with approval from the Samo administration. “The [TES] was
not a well made test. It was an outdated test and it needed to be updated, and that is what the state has
done with the California High School Exit Exam,” said Samo Assistant Principal Diana Garcia.

[GO BACK TO THE NEWS PAGE]

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Football Wins League!

Football Defeats South Torrance to Take Ocean League Title;
Playoffs Start Tonight

By Michael Biskar

Following two decisive victories over Torrance and South Torrance in the final two games of the regular
season, the Vikings stand atop the Ocean League for the first time in 13 years as they head into tonight’s
first round playoff game against Workman at SMC. [To read more click here]

Best Mountain Biking Trails!

By Maria Murcia

A mountain biker races the wind and battles the uneven terrain with the ingenious way they guide their
bike. Nothing compares to the powerful surge of energy that a mountain biker experiences. Due to their
proximity to the mountains, Santa Monica and surrounding areas are ideal places for riders. These
neighboring mountains provide a large selection of riding settings from which mountain bikers can
choose. [To read more click here]

Harriers Compete With the Best

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By Michael Zinshteyn

Saturday Nov. 10th at Mt. SAC was the sight of the CIF pre-lims where the boys cross country team
fought their way to a respectful 2nd place in the Bay League and a spot to compete in the pre-lims. [To
read more click here]

Wrap-Ups

Boys Water Polo

By Jackie Len

While the Greenies placed a disappointing fifth in the Bay League, they proved themselves with solid
performances at prestigious tournaments throughout the regular season. The boys earned a fifth place
finish at the Bell Gardens Varsity Tournament as well as eighth place at the Henry Stuart South Bay
Tournament. While senior Martin Hopkins led the team’s stellar offense with a total of 69 goals, senior
Jake Glick assisted the Greenies defense with an impressive 129 steals. [To read more click here]

Girls Cross Country

By Michael Zinshteyn

A splash of talent and valuable experience give the young girls cross country team a more than likely
chance to improve in league standings for the 2002 season. [To read more click here]

Girls Tennis
By Calanit Greenberg and Sakae Sakai

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Even though the Lady Netters worked hard and played as a team, they were only able to post a 4 - 5
record. However, they have a lot of young talent on the team that will return next season with enough
varsity experience to present a daunting challenge to the remaining Bay League teams. Head Coach
Antonio Robertson has also learned many lessons in his first year of coaching and will have a better feel
for coaching next year and more importantly, a young talented team to work with. In reference to the
team’s drop into the Ocean League, Robertson commented: “Hopefully with the returning talent, we’ll be
able to top the Ocean League and be back in the Bay League in two years.” [To read more click here]

Girls Volleyball
By Lisa Strumwasser

With a less than perfect finish in the Bay League, the Lady Spikers complete this season with an overall
record of 4-16. [To read more click here]

Lakers Corner

Laker Report
By Elliott Birnstein

The Lakers have started out the year with a spotless record of six wins and no losses. The Lakers have a
lot of new faces in the line up this year. Sharp shooting veterans Lindsey Hunter and Mitch Richmond
have provided good outlets when Shaq and Kobe have been double and triple-teamed. Inexperienced
forward Samaki Walker has struggled in the opening games; he has, however, shown flashes of good
basketball. Last years bench warmers Devean George and Stanislav “Slava” Medvedenko are playing
well and contributing. [To read more click here]

Who is the Hottest Laker?

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By Megan Early and Millay Kogan

As the Los Angeles Lakers prepare for another spectacular season, loyal fans look forward to devoting
many hours to intense game-watching, hoping for the third NBA championship in a row. Thus, it is time
for L.A. to stop and give thanks not only because its team is clearly among the most talented and
successful in the NBA, but because this team is made up of by far the best looking specimens in the
league. [To read more click here]

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Friday, November 2nd, 2001

Click on the page banners to go to the rest of that page for this issue.

Student Parking Problems May Soon Increase

By Danielle Alkov and Jackie Len

Residents on Ninth Street, Michigan Avenue, and Bay Street are considering requesting that their streets
be included in a preferential parking zone that would require permits of everyone parking on those
streets. [To read more click here]

Bush: "Love Me"

By Daniel Morgan

President Bush currently enjoys an 85% approval rating in the polls since the terrorist attacks on Sept.
11. Because there are things going wrong in our country, does this mean that he should be liked more? If
any president were in office at this time of national crisis, they would, without a doubt, receive the same
national support. [To read more click here]

Campus Begins Día De Los Muertos Celebration

By India Brookover-Coleman

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Samo’s art department exhibited student, teacher, and professional work inspired by the Mexican holiday
Día De Los Muertos at a reception in Samo’s Roberts Art Gallery. It will be shown from Oct. 25 to Nov.
8. [To read more click here]

Racism Running Rampant in the NFL

By Michael Biskar

After the selection of two African-American quarterbacks in the top three picks of the 1999 NFL draft,
football fans are increasingly being told that racism no longer plays a part in choosing players for
football’s most sought-after position. Such media ploys as “Black Quarterbacks Scoring in the NFL,” as
stated by The Los Angeles Times, are running rampant simply to avert our attention away from the subtle
color barrier that continues to plague the National Football League. [To read more click here]

Contact the site webmaster to give feedback.

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Friday, November 2nd, 2001

Student Parking Problems May Soon Increase

By Danielle Alkov and Jackie Len

Residents on Ninth Street, Michigan Avenue, and Bay Street are considering requesting that their streets
be included in a preferential parking zone that would require permits of everyone parking on those
streets. [To read more click here]

API Scores Drop; CAHSEE Shows Gap In Racial

Performance
By Daria Mazey and Justin Peckner

Samo’s 2001 scores in the Academic Performance Index (API), a statewide index based on standardized
testing, dropped in comparison to last year’s scores, denying the school and students financial incentives
awarded by the state for improvement. [To read more click here]

New Academic Eligibility Policy Is Proposed

By Emily Finch

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Samo’s Athletic Department recently discussed with the school board the possibility of changing the
eligibility requirements for high school athletes. [To read more click here]

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Student Parking Problems May Soon Increase

By Danielle Alkov and Jackie Len

Residents on Ninth Street, Michigan Avenue,

and Bay Street are considering requesting that
their streets be included in a preferential
parking zone that would require permits of
everyone parking on those streets.

Those living near Samo have complained

vocally to the City Council about the lack of
available parking in the area. This lack of
parking is caused by students who park on
city streets around Samo and by traffic from
businesses on Lincoln Boulevard. The
combination of these factors has greatly
restricted parking for residents.

Some residents have also voiced concerns over other disruptions caused by Samo students. An
anonymous Ninth Street resident said, “It isn’t only the spaces that are being taken away; it’s the trash,
the noise, and the kids speeding up and down a lot, and yelling.”

In order to implement preferential permit parking, residents must file petitions with the city that have
been signed by two-thirds of those living on the streets under consideration. The city then investigates
the petition, and determines if residents are not getting the parking they need. As of now, residents living
near Samo are in the process of getting these petitions signed.

David Ayala, the ASB member in charge of parking related issues at Samo said, “We are trying to fight
for [the parking spots] because we are tax paying citizens as well and those are public streets. We
deserve those parking spots.”

In an effort to prevent permit parking, ASB is urging students to turn down car stereos and generally
show more respect for the residents who live near Samo. In an effort to curb reckless student driving, the
Santa Monica Police Department will patrol popular streets before and after school.

“I know we are all out there on the road and if we see a parking space we are going to rush to get it, but
[students] need to take caution in what they are doing,” said Ayala.

Samo is already suffering from a parking crunch. A small student parking lot on campus, ongoing
construction projects, and a growing student population contribute to the lack of available parking for

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students. Many Samo students have expressed fears that the possibility of the expansion of permit
parking would make matters worse. “Right now, with permit parking only on Tenth Street, it is almost
impossible to find parking. We sit and wait 20 to 30 minutes for one person to leave and we might not
even get that spot,” said Senior Tyler Gonzales.

Those working to allieviate the parking problems for students have experienced significant setbacks.
Most importantly, students will not be allowed to park at the Santa Monica Civic Center. “The parking in
the Civic Center itself is already oversubscribed with courthouse and Civic Auditorium uses. There are
some days when there are spots there for students, but not every day, and so additional permits just aren’t
available,” said Santa Monica City Council member Kevin McKeown.

According to Ayala, the City Council has also rejected potential plans to expand the senior parking lot by
constructing two additional parking levels on top of the one that already exists. The $4 million proposed
project, for which blueprints had already been drawn, was shelved due to a lack of funding.

A proposal for the creation of underground parking under the Samo athletic field at Fourth Street and
Pico Boulevard has also been rejected. “This sort of thing has been done at other schools very
successfully, but it takes money which the [district] does not have at this time,” said McKeown.

There will be a City Council meeting in November that will discuss these issues, and all students and
their parents are urged to attend and voice their opinions.

[GO BACK TO THE NEWS PAGE]

* Photo by Wesley Krieger

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API Scores Drop; CAHSEE Shows Gap In Racial

Performance
By Daria Mazey and Justin Peckner

Samo’s 2001 scores in the Academic Performance Index (API), a statewide index based on standardized
testing, dropped in comparison to last year’s scores, denying the school and students financial incentives
awarded by the state for improvement.

The API is based on the results of the California Stanford-9, or Star-9, examination. Samo’s 2000 score
was 717; however, Samo’s 2001 score fell to 712, nine points short of the school’s goal, and 88 points
below the goal of 800 set by the state.

Samo received a bonus of $400,000 from the state last year because it met its 2000 API goals. According
to the Samo administration, that money was used to finance several ventures on campus, including
curriculum revision, low-level construction projects such as the making of signs and cabinets, the
Smaller Learning Communities program, and the expansion of Freshmen Camp to accommodate 500
students.

However, since goals were not met for 2001, the school will not receive a bonus this year. “We won’t be
able to improve the academic courses to the extent that we did last year,” said Samo Assistant Principal
in charge of curriculum and assessment, Diana Garcia. “This is a major reason why we need to take this
exam seriously.”

One possible reason for decreased scores is that many students took AP tests at the same time as the Star-
9, which exhausted many traditionally well-performing students.

In addition, some students decided to avoid risking exhaustion on the AP tests by waivering out of the
Stanford-9, further decreasing the pool of students taking the test. “We had about 400 students that
signed out of the test,” said Samo Co-Principal Kirsten Hibert. “[Star-9 testing] should be a clear picture
of all of us.”

Students and faculty had other ideas as to why Samo scores dropped. “[Scores fell] because no one cared
about it,” said Senior Michael O’Dowd. Calculus Teacher Steve Rupprecht had a different opinion. “The
schools that do well are the ones that teach to the test and prep the kids for it,” said Rupprecht.

School officials were optimistic about Samo’s potential to improve. “I don’t believe the numbers indicate
how well Samo can perform,” said Co-Principal Mark Kelly. “I absolutely believe that [a score of] 800 is
a goal that this school can reach, and exceed.”

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While the API shows a negative trend in Samo performance, other standardized tests produced more
positive results. On the California High School Exit Exam, Samo students performed very well, with
83% of last year’s ninth graders passing the Language Arts portion and 63% passing the Mathematics
portion. Both of these scores were well above the percentage of students passing these portions
statewide.

However, the High School Exit Exam also revealed significant wide differences in scoring among ethnic
groups at Samo. White and Asian students scored significantly higher than their Latino and African-
American peers, with Whites and Asians averaging a 94% pass rate in language, while Latinos and
African-Americans averaged only a 68% pass rate. In math, 89% of Asians and 85% of Whites passed,
compared to only 34% of Latinos and 32% of African-Americans.

These wide disparities in test scores caused various reactions around campus. “The other scores that we
have on campus reflect the very same data, so it was no surprise. We’re trying hard to solve the problem
with self-analysis and self-criticism. Yet there are other things outside of Samo that we can’t control,
such as socio-economic conditions and the city and community,” said Social Studies Teacher Daniel
Escalera.

Senior Max Senchak said, “[The racial disparities are] extremely surprising. Disheartening, really. It
makes me feel like I should be doing more to change it.”

Samo officials are working to try to improve test scores and achievement for all students. “What I see is a
concern about students having a sense of belonging, and tying into higher levels of math and science, and
gaining access to honors courses,” said Hibert. “We know that we need to make structural changes here
so that kids are known well and are achieving at higher levels.”

[GO BACK TO THE NEWS PAGE]

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New Academic Eligibility Policy Is Proposed

By Emily Finch

Samo’s Athletic Department recently discussed with the school board the possibility of changing the
eligibility requirements for high school athletes.

The current policy states if an athlete’s grade point average (G.P.A.) falls below a 2.0 after a grading
period or semester report card, that student cannot play or participate in a sport until his or her grades
improve on the next report card.

The proposed policy would place athletes who fail to achieve a 2.0 G.P.A. on a six-week long
probationary period that would allow struggling athletes to continue participating in their sports as long
as they attend mandatory tutoring. However, if after the probationary period, an athlete’s G.P.A. is still
under 2.0, that student would be deemed ineligible and would not be able to play sports at Samo until the
G.P.A. is brought up.

“I think that [the possible policy change] is good. It allows more players to participate and help the
team,” said junior Alicia Escalera, who plays softball.

According to Athletic Director Michael Griswold, the proposed six-week grace period is intendedto
allow struggling students the opportunity to improve their grades without becoming detached from
school activites important to keeping students involved in the school. “The coaches believe that
[struggling] students will stay connected to the school if they were allowed to [continue to] participate,”
said Griswold.

John Deasy, the superintendent of the Santa Monica Malibu Unified School District, strongly
disapproves of the proposed policy. “I am not supportive of any policy which alters the academic
standards for our students ... I actually think the current standards sit at nearly the bottom of tolerable
with respect to achievement,” said Deasy.

Students have also expressed disagreement with the proposed policy change. “If the athletes know that
they have to get a 2.0 or better, and enjoy playing their sport, they should be determined enough to keep
their grades up,” said senior Jean-Michel Werk.

The school board, which will discuss the possible policy change at a later school board meeting, remains
divided on the issue. “The issue hasn’t been decided on. I [personally] feel that the current policy is more
appropriate. This ‘grace period’ will lower the standard. If students are in danger, we need to address
those students personally. However, the opinions of board members vary,” said school board Vice-
President Julia Brownley.

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School faculty has also expressed a conflict of opinions regarding the proposed change. Track coach and
psychology teacher A. Dee Williams said, “As a coach, I would feel safer due to the shrinking chance
that I would lose an athlete. As a teacher, I ask for what purpose are we here for the kids - to increase
their opportunity to play or increase their opportunity to learn?”

[GO BACK TO THE NEWS PAGE]

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Friday, November 2nd, 2001

Gender-Based Salary Disparities in the Workforce

By Maria Murcia

Society steals more than $500,000 from working women in their lifetime. According to the American
Federation of Labor-Congress of Industrial Organizations (AFL-CIO), the average 25-year old woman
will lose more than $523,000 due to unequal wage distribution between males and females. Women
should be enraged by this statistic, but instead accept it. Society has successfully lied to women about
equality. But it is time to wake up. Women are not equal to men until they make the same amount of
money in the workforce. Money equates independence and at this point, men are more independent than
women are. [To read more click here]

Making Money from Disaster

By Calanit Greenberg

After the tragedies of Sept. 11, Americans have displayed a drastic increase of patriotism throughout the
country. Unfortunately, this patriotism has turned into another capitalistic venture as well as a trend for
consumers. In turn, patriotism has lost some of its meaning and has become popular for the wrong
reasons. [To read more click here]

Public Education: Education for All, or Just for

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Some?
EDITORIAL:

The argument for implementing the High School Exit Exam was that a diploma has to mean something
and that an alarming number of students were graduating without the required high school skills. A
straightforward knowledge-based exam that was not timed was the proposed answer. However, the
recently published scores from last year’s freshmen are alarming. [To read more click here]

Equal College Tuition For Everyone

By Erika Miguel

On Oct. 11, Governor Gray Davis signed a bill, AB 540, which will benefit students all over California.
The legislation will allow undocumented students, or illegal aliens, to pay the same in-state college
tuition as other residents of California. This bill is long overdue, although it still needs work. [To read
more click here]

Bush: "Love Me"

By Daniel Morgan

President Bush currently enjoys an 85% approval rating in the polls since the terrorist attacks on Sept.
11. Because there are things going wrong in our country, does this mean that he should be liked more? If
any president were in office at this time of national crisis, they would, without a doubt, receive the same
national support. [To read more click here]

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Letter To The Editor

Dear Editor,

I am writing in response to the article “Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Booze” that appeared in The
Samohi in the Oct. 19 issue. The writer, Carl Lisberger, makes a case for lowering the drinking age from
21 to 18. I read the article, and while I found that he had several good points, I completely disagree. [To
read more click here]

Email "Letters to the Editor" to

[email protected]
or mail them to:
Journalism,
c/o Santa Monica High School,
601 Pico Blvd.,
Santa Monica, CA, 90405

The Samohi seeks submissions for the student-written column "My Turn."
Email articles to [email protected]
or submit articles to E201 (Santa Monica High School).

Submissions may be edited for grammar and length and are due no later than November 5, 2001.

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Friday, November 2nd, 2001

Racism Running Rampant in the NFL

By Michael Biskar

After the selection of two African-American quarterbacks in the top three picks of the 1999 NFL draft,
football fans are increasingly being told that racism no longer plays a part in choosing players for
football’s most sought-after position. Such media ploys as “Black Quarterbacks Scoring in the NFL,” as
stated by The Los Angeles Times, are running rampant simply to avert our attention away from the subtle
color barrier that continues to plague the National Football League. [To read more click here]

Girls Golf Has Strong Finish

By Jacob Honig

Samo’s Lady Linksters’ season thus far has been one to remember. The Linksters have had their best
season in years, thanks to a great deal of hard work and dedication by all of the girls. The Linksters have
risen victorious in the face of tough Ocean League competition. [To read more click here]

Harriers Close to Finishline

By Michael Zinshteyn

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Boys

The Harriers are currently placed first in the competitive Bay League. Yet ranked number one doesn’t
guarantee much for the boys. [To read more click here]

Lady Netters a Threat to Bay League

By Calanit Greenberg and Sakae Sakai

As the girl’s tennis season comes to an end, the Lady Netters have an overall league record of 3-5. Over
the last two weeks, the team has played against North Torrance, West Torrance, and Redondo. The
Netter’s were focused for league, and their hopes were fulfilled as they won two of three games. [To read
more click here]

Lady Spikers Face Adversity

By Lisa Strumwasser

With half of the season tucked under their belts, the Lady Spikers continue to battle Bay League
contenders with an overall record of 4-11. [To read more click here]

Football Suffers Disappointing Loss to Inglewood;

Drops to 4-1 in Ocean League
By Michael Biskar

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Following an impressive victory against the Eagles of El Segundo, Samo, the number one ranked team in
Division X football, fell to the defending Ocean League champs, Inglewood High. This loss landed Samo
in a four-way tie for first in the Ocean League as they head into tonight’s Homecoming game against the
Torrance Tartars. [To read more click here]

Greenies Try to Stay Afloat in League Play

By Jackie Len

While a few key losses have seemingly placed the boys water polo team out of CIF contention, they can
learn many important lessons out of this year’s experiences. [To read more click here]

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Racism Running Rampant in the NFL

By Michael Biskar

After the selection of two African-American quarterbacks in the top three picks of the 1999 NFL draft,
football fans are increasingly being told that racism no longer plays a part in choosing players for
football’s most sought-after position. Such media ploys as “Black Quarterbacks Scoring in the NFL,” as
stated by The Los Angeles Times, are running rampant simply to avert our attention away from the subtle
color barrier that continues to plague the National Football League.

While more than 75% of the players in the NFL are African-American, only 20% of quarterbacks are
black. And that’s at an all-time high. How is it possible that blacks dominate nearly every position in
football, but they have not yet managed to take over football’s most important and glamorous position?
Pure and simple—racism. Black athletes have been repeatedly labeled by sports figures like ex-Dodger
General Manager Al Campanis as not intelligent enough to coach a team or play thinking positions such
as quarterback where quick wits and good judgment are vital.

Accomplished black quarterbacks like current Tampa Bay Buccaneer head coach, Tony Dungy, generally
aren’t drafted as quarterbacks out of college. Instead, despite the fact that Dungy broke nearly every
passing record at the University of Minnesota, he and players like him are forced to move to other
positions where their “speed,” “agility” and “athleticism” will be put to better use.

In some instances, like in the case of Warren Moon, a future Hall of Famer and one of the greatest NFL
quarterbacks of all time, black QBs are not drafted by the NFL at all. They are forced to prove
themselves first in the Canadian or Arena Football leagues. If not for the six years that Moon spent
playing in Canada, he would undoubtedly hold nearly every quarterback record in the NFL.

With the rise in dominance by blacks in sports like football, scientists like those at the University of
California, Berkeley have begun to publish studies stating that people of West African descent are
somehow at an advantage in athletics due to their lower natural body fat, faster metabolism, etc.
Regardless of the intentions of the authors of these studies, their theories only serve to minimize the
intelligence and trivialize the hard work and dedication that black athletes commit themselves to in order
to succeed. Potential and luck can only take you so far in athletics. These African-American football
players have been willing to push themselves that extra mile in order to achieve recognition and
excellence.

But sports commentators continue to feed the stereotype of the talented black athlete with poor work
habits. Just last weekend, ABC commentator Keith Jackson characterized a white fullback as “slow and
unathletic,” yet “scrappy and hardworking” and using his brains to succeed. Meanwhile, Jackson went on
to dehumanize the black receivers and cornerbacks by referring to them as “raw” players, often using
animal imagery to describe them. According to Jackson, the star black players were neither thinking out
there on the field nor playing to their full potential, but relying on “instinct” and “God-given talent.”

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Even though NFL owners and general managers continue to judge quarterbacks by the color of their skin,
this injustice has not overshadowed the fact that black quarterbacks are actually succeeding in
professional football. Five out of the 12 starting quarterbacks in last year’s NFL playoffs were African-
American; that’s nearly a third of all black NFL QBs. No matter how racist NFL management may be,
they are above all interested in making money. And if in order to win and be profitable they must allow a
few token black quarterbacks into the league, then they are clearly willing to make that sacrifice.

But let’s not mistake this increase in black NFL quarterbacks as a sudden surge in racial equality—the
NFL owners are merely using the African-American football players to line their own pockets.

[GO BACK TO THE SPORTS PAGE]

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Girls Golf Has Strong Finish

By Jacob Honig

Samo’s Lady Linksters’ season thus far has been one to remember. The Linksters have had their best
season in years, thanks to a great deal of hard work and dedication by all of the girls. The Linksters have
risen victorious in the face of tough Ocean League competition.

Straight off of a four-match winning streak, the Linksters headed into games against league powerhouse
Chadwick with momentum. The girls put forth a valiant effort in the first of the two meetings at Penmar.
However, Chadwick narrowly edged Samo’s Linksters 220-226. Senior Nikeda Cooks was the medalist
of the match, scoring a low of 35 (one over par).

In the second of the team’s meetings, the ladies ventured to Chadwick. Unfortunately, the match was not
as close as the previous, as the Linksters lost the match 255-274. Although the ladies suffered a defeat,
Cooks was again able to snatch the low score with a 43, and up and coming freshman star Amandala
McKwright shot the match’s second lowest score with a 51.

“We did not play our best,” said Head Coach Mike Mitchell. “We were disappointed, but we learned
from our mistakes and moved on.”

After the two rough losses to Chadwick, the Lady Linksters (currently with a 5-6 overall record and 5-3
in Ocean League play), looked to regroup and take some of their aggression out on a winless Beverly
Hills in their final two Ocean League matches. The Lady Linksters prevailed and locked up their third
place position in the Ocean League. Seniors Emily Payne, Jane Somboonsup, and Cooks all made their
last matches ones to remember as they flew past Beverly Hills, 230-246.

However, the second of the two meetings proved to be far more exciting. Samo’s Lady Linksters were
losing throughout the entire match. At one point, going into the final three holes, the girls trailed the
competition by a whopping eighteen strokes. However, thanks to clutch playing by sophomores Megan
Lamb, Jarin Somboonsoup, and Irene Vatjaranuk, the Lady Linksters miraculously prevailed, winning
the match by a mere three strokes.

In response to their performance during this year’s golf season, the entire squad of girls echoed superstar
Cooks, who said, “This year has been the best of all my four years at Samo. Coach Mitchell has been
great, but most of all my teammates and I have shared memories that will last forever.”

Cooks and Somboonsup, along with McKwright, will be representing Samo at the Ocean League
Invitational next week. While Cooks is favored to place within the top two slots, Somboonsup is also
expected to do quite well. In addition, a younger Amandala will surprise many.

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After an amazing finish to one of the girls golf’s most successful seasons in recent years, the Lady
Linksters look to the future in hopes to profit from the crop of young talent.

[GO BACK TO THE SPORTS PAGE]

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Harriers Close to Finishline

By Michael Zinshteyn

Boys

The Harriers are currently placed first in the competitive Bay League. Yet ranked number one doesn’t
guarantee much for the boys.

Head Coach Tania Fischer said, “We can win [Bay League], we just have to push ourselves a little
further.”

After running hard and placing third at the prestigious Mt. SAC Invitational, the boys commenced a
week of lengthy runs and a trip to the Peninsula course so they would be ready for the meet on Nov. 1.

The Peninsula course is nothing new to the Harriers, having won their first league meet of the season
there, yet this time a title is at stake.

Girls

The Lady Harriers are tied with North Torrance for last place in the competitive Bay League after
placing last and second to last place in their previous league meets. In preparation for their meet on Nov.
1, the girls have focused primarily on short, strenuous practices.

The girls have displayed less than they are capable of performing, “We’re a young team with a lot of
potential but …things haven’t been going our way,” said Head Coach Patrick Cady.

[GO BACK TO THE SPORTS PAGE]

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Lady Netters a Threat to Bay League

By Calanit Greenberg and Sakae Sakai

As the girl’s tennis season comes to an end, the

Lady Netters have an overall league record of 3-
5. Over the last two weeks, the team has played
against North Torrance, West Torrance, and
Redondo. The Netter’s were focused for league,
and their hopes were fulfilled as they won two
of three games.

At home, the Netters beat Redondo with a close

win of 11-7. Samo played with heart and came
out strong and victorious against the league
rival. This energy, however, did not come out
for the game against West. League rival West
was more prepared and focused for the game.
Even though Samo played hard, they were
handed their second loss, 6-12. Yet the Netters
were not daunted. They came out strong against
North with the skill and pride that has defined
the Netters all season. Samo won 12 - 6, and reminded all other league teams that they were a strong
threat.

This year, as a result of the change of coaches and many new team members, there is a different
atmosphere on the tennis courts. This has definitely been for the better, as the Netters are working hard
and winning. They have pushed themselves to their limits and worked hard for a common goal, winning.

However, this excellence has been individual and not always as a team. “Our team as a whole has a lot of
talent. In crucial times when we needed to play well, like against West Torrance, we fell apart. I hope in
the future we’ll have more team work,” said senior Melissa Snyder.

Samo will probably come in fourth place in the league. With five league losses, their chances at even third
place are very slim. Even though the Netters have been working hard this year, they did not live up to
their full potential. This is a major disappointment for the Netters as well as for their coach, Antonio
Robertson. “We had a good chance of making playoffs, however we might not pull through. We’ll
probably settle for a fourth place finish,” said Robertson.

Hopefully, the junior varsity players will be able to step it up for next season. Robertson intends to work
them hard during the off-season so that they are prepared to play at varsity level soon. With five key
players graduating, next season’s turnout seems to be in question. However, there is a lot of talent on the

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junior varsity team and the Netters future seems secure.

[GO BACK TO THE SPORTS PAGE]

* Photo by Justin Yang

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Lady Spikers Face Adversity

By Lisa Strumwasser

With half of the season tucked under their belts, the Lady Spikers continue to battle Bay League
contenders with an overall record of 4-11.

The team has faced, in the second round of league play, Mira Costa, Redondo, and West Torrance.

The away game against Mira Costa proved to be another sweep by the nationally renowned team. “Mira
Costa is wonderful in all aspects of the game...they play wonderfully as a team,” said Senior Samantha
Carnell. Mira Costa took the win in three straight games.

The Lady Spikers hold two previous wins against Culver City and West, and hope to repeat their
performances by playing at the fast pace they know how to play.

The home game against Redondo proved to be a dissappointment. In the absense of Head Coach Liane
Sato, the team was coached by Nguyen Trinh, who usually coaches J.V. The girls came out fired up, and
had a quick start against the sluggish Sea Hawks. It wasn’t long before they caught up with the Vikings
and took the win in three games. Senior Annie Braff noted that a possibility for the teams loss was
because of a lack of “rhythm.”

This weekend’s tournament at Marlborough brought the Lady Spikers a wave of challenges. They beat
Nortre Dame Academy, among other teams, and finished second in their pool. Junior Lindsay Ebata said,
“We did really well compared to the rest of the season...our team is finally coming together, which is
unfortunate, because it’s almost the end of the season. But it’s better late than never.”

The Lady Spikers were pumped after the wins this weekend. This overall feeling was carried over to the
next game on Monday, against West who they beat in three games. “A lot of the girls got a lot of playing
time, which was a good experience for them,” said Sato.

In preparation for the last couple of games, the team has been focusing on “everything,” according to
Sato. Even in the last few practices of the season, Team Captain Stephanie Walzcuk saw that there was
still a chance to capitalize on their serves because a lack of quality serves tend to “really hurt us.”
Practice, according to Walczuk, consists of working on defense, with focus on the back line, reading
plays, digging, six-on-six scrimmages, and conditioning.

The team looks forward to ending the season on a good note. “We’re pulling through [the season] in the
face of adversity,” said Ebata about their overall performance as a team this year.

[GO BACK TO THE SPORTS PAGE]

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Football Suffers Disappointing Loss to Inglewood;

Drops to 4-1 in Ocean League
By Michael Biskar

Following an impressive
victory against the Eagles of El
Segundo, Samo, the number
one ranked team in Division X
football, fell to the defending
Ocean League champs,
Inglewood High. This loss
landed Samo in a four-way tie
for first in the Ocean League as
they head into tonight’s
Homecoming game against the
Torrance Tartars.

Right on the heels of an

emotional victory against North
Torrance, the Vikings traveled
to El Segundo on Oct. 19 and dismantled the 2-1 Eagles, disappointing a packed crowd at the Eagles’
homecoming game. Senior Charles Gordon set the tone early by picking off a throw from Eagle
quarterback Matt Engle, ending his streak of 230-plus passes without an interception. Gordon would go
on to catch a touchdown pass in the first quarter from senior quarterback James Cooper, giving the Vikes
a 24-7 lead as they began the second quarter. Additional touchdowns by seniors Derrick Davis and
Terrell Maze lifted Samo to a 37-14 edge at the half.

Cooper went on to complete 11 passes for 196 yards and three touchdowns. Gordon finished with 10
catches for more than 200 yards and two TDs, propelling the Vikes to a 44-14 victory.

Although Samo had extended their winning streak to five games, they were plagued by personal foul
penalties throughout the game, including the ejection and one-game suspension of two key players:
senior 6’5” and 300-plus pound offensive lineman Chris Price and senior defensive standout Peter Roses.

As the Vikings prepared to play host to Inglewood on Oct. 26, the pressure was mounting. A win versus
the Sentinels would solidify Samo’s first place position in the Ocean League and provide for smooth
sailing into the CIF playoffs.

Samo began the game like a highly-ranked contender; as the Vike defense smothered the Inglewood
wing-T offense, forcing them to punt on their first two possessions. Led by Cooper, the Viking offense

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took to the field on their own 45-yard line. On the third play of the drive, Cooper threw a 55-yard
touchdown pass to a wide-open Gordon down field, giving the Vikes a quick 6-0 lead.

However, Inglewood came right back with an offensive strike of

their own, capping a 58-yard drive with a touchdown run by the
Sentinel tailback. Following a successful two-point conversion,
Inglewood took an 8-6 lead into the second quarter of the game.

After some superb defensive performances by both teams, Samo

began to drive deep into Inglewood territory with little time left
in the half. And just when it appeared that the Vikes would score
again and possibly take a lead into the locker room, a lack of
protection by the offensive line forced Cooper to hurry a throw
that resulted in a Sentinel interception. Inglewood took
immediate advantage of this turnover with one minute left on the
clock by completing a 59-yard pass to the Samo 1-yard line,
eventually converting the TD on the next play to take a 16-6 edge at the half.

This last sequence before the half turned out to be the momentum changer in the game, as it was all down
hill from there for the Viking football team. The Inglewood Sentinels would go on to win 30-12 by
continuing to capitalize on Samo turnovers—a total of six in the game. Clearly the absence of the two
valuable Viking starters had hurt Samo’s chances right from the outset. In particular, Price could have
provided additional pass protection for Cooper. Instead, the Samo quarterback was sacked nine times and
hurried on many more plays. A slight pre-game knee injury to the Vikings’ star tailback, Derrick Davis,
forced Cooper to throw more passes than usual.

Maze felt, “embarrassed both personally and as a team,” with the Samo football team’s poor playing.

While the Samo defense managed to hold Inglewood to less than 200 yards of total offense, the Sentinels
were successful in exploiting the Vikings’ two main weaknesses: their special teams and a weakened
offensive line. Said Head Coach Norm Lacy of his squad’s subpar performance, “We didn’t make the big
plays and we have to do that in order to win games against top-ranked teams.”

If the Vikes are to win a CIF championship, they will likely have to defeat teams of Inglewood’s caliber.
“We’ll see these guys again and next time it’ll be a different story,” avowed senior Peter Kaldis
following their loss to the Sentinels.

With the return of Price and Roses, Samo hopes to finish strongly in the last two games of the season
tonight against Torrance and on Nov. 9 at South Torrance, giving them confidence as they enter the CIF
playoffs.

[GO BACK TO THE SPORTS PAGE]

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* Photo by Zachary Elgart

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Greenies Try to Stay Afloat in League Play

By Jackie Len

While a few key losses have seemingly placed the boys water polo team out of CIF contention, they can
learn many important lessons out of this year’s experiences.

After falling to Peninsula in their first game of league play, the boys came up against El Segundo at
home. However, a lack of movement and teamwork caused the Greenies to lose yet again, 1-18. The
boys came back strong to beat Beverly Hills in their own pool on Oct. 23, keeping their CIF playoff
hopes alive.

On Oct. 25, the Greenies hosted Redondo High. This was the third time the two teams had played each
other this season, and each had a previous win under their belt. The first half ended with the Greenies
down, 2-5. But the boys water polo team shined in the third quarter, running great plays and working
well as a team. A true team effort lifted the Greenies to catch up by the end of the third quarter 6-7. The
greenies began the last quarter in tight defense, only letting by one goal.

The Greenies set up their six-on-five after drawing a kick out. Sophomore Noel Goetz shot, and while the
ball bounced off the goal, senior Ashkan Morim got up high, and pushed the rebound into the goal. As
the game was about to end, Goetz shot again, and this time scored to tie the game, 8-8. A phenomenal
comeback pushed the Greenies into overtime. But when the smoke had cleared after two hard-fought
overtimes, the Greenies lost both the game and any hope of a CIF playoff berth.

Head Coach Matt Flanders commented, “Although we did not win, we proved we could come back and
work together, and that is what counts.”

Although the Greenies are no longer in contention for CIF, they gained a lot from the season and expect
great things in the future.

[GO BACK TO THE SPORTS PAGE]

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Friday, October 19, 2001

Click on the page banners to go to the rest of that page for this issue.

Campus Struggles With Overcrowding Problem

By Calanit Greenberg

A combination of construction and large numbers of students is causing overcrowding at Samo this year.
The overcrowding is occurring both within classrooms and while students are en route from class to
class. [To read more click here]

To Boldly Go...Ah, Forget it

By Eric Schub

“Enterprise” is “Star Trek” in a can … condensed, with all the ideas, clichés, and photon torpedoes seen
in the prior series. Unfortunately that’s not a good thing. Poor writing and some rather tired ideas take
“Enterprise,” an almost guaranteed hit, and turns it into something you’ve seen about thirty times. [To
read more click here]

Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Booze

By Carl Lisberger

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In this country, it is entirely legal and plausible for an eighteen- year old to be drafted, trained to kill, and
shipped off to a foreign country to die. It is also legal for that individual to have a deciding vote in who
becomes the next mayor, senator, or president. However, it is entirely illegal for that individual to have a
dry martini or a cold beer after work. This is simply ridiculous. The drinking age should be lowered to
eighteen. [To read more click here]

Football Wins Battle With North Torrance; Remains

Undefeated in Ocean League
By Michael Biskar

Following their first Ocean League game, a lopsided win over Centennial, the Samo football team has
improved their league record to 3-0 after two impressive victories against Morningside and North
Torrance. [To read more click here]

A Look Into A Young Mother’s Life

By Maria Murcia

As a child, she had hopes of becoming a doctor but it never occurred to her that she would become a
teenage mother. [To read more click here]

Contact the site webmaster to give feedback.

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Friday, October 19, 2001

Campus Struggles With Overcrowding Problem

By Calanit Greenberg

A combination of construction and large numbers of students is causing overcrowding at Samo this year.
The overcrowding is occurring both within classrooms and while students are en route from class to
class. [To read more click here]

Speaker Addresses Role of Islam in Sept. 11

Tragedy
By Jeremy Kutner

Dr. Mahmoud Abdel-Baset spoke last Wednesday to Linda Kovaric’s AP U.S. History classes about the
nature of Islam and how the Islamic community is reacting to the World Trade Center attacks. [To read
more click here]

Samo Named Grammy Signature School

By Millay Kogan

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Santa Monica High School has been selected by the Grammy Foundation as one of the 100 Grammy
Signature Schools, an award that honors high schools that promote and preserve music education in their
curriculum. [To read more click here]

News Briefs

District Moves Towards Liberal Cell Phone Policy

By Carl Lisberger

At the Oct. 4 school board meeting, the board discussed a possible update of the district cell phone
policy. The current cell phone policy is based on a California State educational code that prohibits
electronic communication devices, except for medical reasons. [To read more click here]

Samo Starts New “Education and Power” Class

By India Brookover

A new college-level class, “Education and Power,” was introduced to Samo on October 15. The class,
which will meet every Monday and Wednesday after school, will count for both high school and UCLA
extension credit. [To read more click here]

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Campus Struggles With Overcrowding Problem

By Calanit Greenberg

A combination of construction and large numbers

of students is causing overcrowding at Samo this
year. The overcrowding is occurring both within
classrooms and while students are en route from
class to class.

Construction has begun due to the fact that Samo’s

population is growing. According to Data Entry
Specialist Gloria Davis, Samo has about 3,400
students with 935 freshmen this year, and is now at
112% of capacity. As a result of this construction,
there is a limited amount of routes around campus.
Trucks and trailers in the science quad and around
Barnum Hall take up valuable space where people
could walk or eat lunch. "This school is too overcrowded. It’s harder to get to classes and sometimes I’m
worried if I’ll be on time to class," said junior Ben Sheldon-Tarzynski.

The construction area of the Language building has entirely closed off two paths into the building,
forcing everyone who enters and leaves to walk through one designated area. "It’s a struggle to make
your way around. I feel like I’m constantly waiting to get places, whether I’m in the language, science, or
business building. It’s crowded everywhere," said junior Stephanie David.

Construction has also resulted in the temporary loss of eight classrooms, four in the Language building
and four in the Music building. Fortunately, when construction ends, Samo will regain all classrooms that
are currently unusable. According to Assistant Principal Greg Runyon, students will also enjoy the use of
eight new classrooms once construction projects are completed.

With all of these students on campus this year, classes are often being filled beyond capacity. According
to counselor Frank Gatell, last year classes typically had 30 students. However, this year, most classes
have 35 to 37 students, excluding the freshmen math and English classes that by law can have only 20
students.

Large classes are causing additional stress to teachers. As a result of the extra number of students, several
departments lacked sufficient numbers of teachers to fill all the needed classes. "All of my classes are at
or over maximum capacity. I agreed to teach an extra class, but wonder if my lack of preparation has not
only shortchanged me, but my students as well," said Pre-calculus teacher Mary Rubin.

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With many construction projects on campus not expected to be completed for some time, students will be
forced to deal with the effects of overcrowding for the immediate future. Gatell said, "We want everyone
to succeed and right now we just need a little bit of patience. We’ll get everything settled down and
working to make this the most perfect learning environment. Once we get this going, it should be
working really nicely. In order to grow we have to hurt a little bit.

[GO BACK TO THE NEWS PAGE]

* Photo by Zachary Elgart

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Speaker Addresses Role of Islam in Sept. 11

Tragedy
By Jeremy Kutner

Dr. Mahmoud Abdel-Baset spoke last Wednesday to Linda

Kovaric’s AP U.S. History classes about the nature of Islam
and how the Islamic community is reacting to the World Trade
Center attacks.

Abdel-Baset, the religious coordinator of the Islamic Center of

Southern California, began his talks with an explanation of the
pillars and basic tenets of Islam, but gradually turned his
attention to more specific question about the Sept. 11 attacks.
“I think animosity, misunderstanding, and stereotyping will
develop [against Islam], and Ms. Kovaric thought it was very
important that people come face-to-face with someone who can
explain Islam and try to dispel the myths that surround
[Islam],” said Abdel-Baset.

Students reacted with great interest, asking many questions regarding how members of the Islamic
religion view Osama bin Laden and the acts of terrorism he perpetrated. In response, Abdel-Baset
stressed how the Koran, Islam’s holy book, in no way condones the killings of innocent civilians. He
maintained forcefully that Islam regards all life as precious, adding that the “sacred trust” that exists
between people was violated by the actions of the terrorists.

“I saw how [the terrorist attacks] are not an Islamic problem or a Muslim problem. [The attacks] are one
group’s problem,” said junior Jacob Zukerman.

Abdel-Baset urged students to be aware of and try to diffuse the “hysteria” that has at times erupted
against Muslims, pointing out that much of this backlash has emerged from ignorance of Islam.
Zukerman agreed, noting, “Most of America probably doesn’t know anything about the Islamic religion.”

“There are all kinds of conflicting views and propaganda [concerning Islam],” said Abdel-Baset. “This
war is against terrorism and is not against any particular people or any particular religion.”

[GO BACK TO THE NEWS PAGE]

* Photo by Justin Yang

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Samo Named Grammy Signature School

By Millay Kogan

Santa Monica High School has been selected by the Grammy Foundation as one of the 100 Grammy
Signature Schools, an award that honors high schools that promote and preserve music education in their
curriculum.

Although Samo received recognition as a Grammy Signature School at the end of August, the
announcement of the top three schools, known as “Gold Signature Schools,” was not declared until early
October.

“We have a great music program here at Santa Monica High School,” said Samo Music Department
Chair Terry Sakow. “We have four excellent music directors, great parental support, and in general, a
huge participation rate. There are a lot of high schools out there, but I think our department really stands
out.”

Students were equally enthusiastic, hoping that their hard work and dedication would pay off. “I’m really
happy I’ve been involved all these years, and would be even happier to see Samo get the recognition it
deserves,” said senior Alexandra Cox, the marching band flute section leader.

Unfortunately, Samo was not picked as one of the top three schools. “It’s almost impossible to narrow it
down when it gets that close,” said Associate Director of Bands Carl Hammer.

Despite the fact that Samo was not selected, music teachers remain proud of the department’s
accomplishments. “I don’t know what else we could have done to be picked,” said Sakow. “ Just to be
named one of the top 100 is a big honor in itself.”

This year, the top three finalists included Mt. Carmel High School in San Diego, California, Green
Valley High School in Henderson, Nevada, and City High School in Iowa City, Iowa. These three
schools will receive $5,000 cash each.

Green Valley High School, which was given the distinct honor of being named the 2001 National
Grammy Signature School, will send a delegation from their high school to Washington D.C. to advocate
the importance of music in education.

Samo’s music program will enter the contest again next year.

[GO BACK TO THE NEWS PAGE]

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District Moves Towards Liberal Cell Phone Policy

By Carl Lisberger

At the Oct. 4 school board meeting, the board discussed a possible update of the district cell phone
policy. The current cell phone policy is based on a California State educational code that prohibits
electronic communication devices, except for medical reasons.

The board is currently working to try to rewrite the district’s policy to be more liberal while still trying to
limit the possibility of the cell phones causing interruptions in class. Board Member Julia Brownley and
others spearheaded the efforts to reform the policy. Brownley described both the educational code and
the current district policy as “ambiguous” and expressed a desire to use more specific language when
drafting the new policy. “I tend to weigh in on a more liberal side of it. I think it’s important that students
have access to, and use of, cell phones on campuses, particularly on secondary school campuses,” said
Brownley.

In the wake of the recent September 11 tragedy, many students expressed concern that they were not able
to get in touch with their loved ones during school hours. “When emergencies happen, I want to be able
to get in touch with my family,” said junior Daniel Freedman. “I have a cell phone to communicate with
my parents, and to do things after school. I never use it during class or anything.”

The board will meet again in at least a month to make a final decision on the possible introduction of a
pilot cell phone policy.

[GO BACK TO THE NEWS PAGE]

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Samo Starts New “Education and Power” Class

By India Brookover

A new college-level class, “Education and Power,” was introduced to Samo on October 15. The class,
which will meet every Monday and Wednesday after school, will count for both high school and UCLA
extension credit.

Taught by English teacher George Acosta, “Education and Power” will focus on issues surrounding
equality and access in California public schools. Junior Roberto Flores, one of the founders of the class,
said, “I would recommend any student of any race to take this class. It not only enlightens you
educationally, [but] it’s also a socially [enriching] class.”

The curriculum will focus on the sociology of education and how race and gender affect student
experiences in the public education system.

“Education and Power” will also address current issues at Samo, including the racial inequality in the
number of minority students in honors classes, commonly known as the “two schools” dilemma.
“Everyone is entitled to a free public education. Some students are getting a good education while other
students are getting an inferior education. [The class] is about how that happens within Santa Monica,”
said Acosta.

Interested students should see Acosta for an application in room E117.

[GO BACK TO THE NEWS PAGE]

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Friday, October 19, 2001

Football Wins Battle With North Torrance; Remains

Undefeated in Ocean League
By Michael Biskar

Following their first Ocean League game, a lopsided win over Centennial, the Samo football team has
improved their league record to 3-0 after two impressive victories against Morningside and North
Torrance. [To read more click here]

Greenies Gear Up for League

By Jackie Len

Although the Greenies have yet to play a Bay League game, they have been preparing in tournament
play. [To read more click here]

Harriers Keeping Up!

By Michael Zinshteyn

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Boys Girls

The boys cross-country team competed As the girls cross-country team overcame their rough
against cross-town rivals Beverly Hills and performance last week at Peninsula by defeating
West Torrance in an effort to keep moving Beverly Hills and running hard at West Torrance, they
up in Bay League. continue to show their desire and competitive edge.

[To read more click here]

Lady Spikers Struggle in League

By Lisa Strumwasser

Coming off of a series of five losses, the Lady Spikers have risen from the Bay League cellar with their
first two wins of the season over Culver City and West Torrance. [To read more click here]

Girls Tennis Off to Rough Start

By Calanit Greenberg and Sakae Sakai

After competitions against Peninsula, West Torrance, and North Torrance, the Lady Netters advanced to
the second week of league matches with a 1-2 record. [To read more click here]

Lady Linksters Light League Up

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By Jacob Honig

After beginning their Bay League competition with disappointing losses in two matches against top-
ranked Redondo, the Lady Linksters have ignited a fire within themselves, and are in the midst of a four
game winning streak in the very competitive Ocean League. [To read more click here]

The Race for the Cup Starts Now

By Rebecca Beasley-Cockroft

Who will drink from the Cup this year? Last year, the Colorado Avalanche beat the New Jersey Devils to
win the NHL’s Stanley Cup. Will it be an L.A. team? Only time will tell. [To read more click here]

WNBA Seeks Diverse Audience

By Angela Gonzalez

On Sept. 1, 2001, the Los Angeles Sparks defeated the Charlotte Sting, 82-54, to win the WNBA
Championship. Sweeping the best of three finals with confidence and pride, Lisa Leslie, who played a
key role, scored 24 points to lead Los Angeles to a 2-0 sweep of the best-of-three series. However, this
win does not override the areas of concern which the league faces. It’s a shame that while the league has
certainly made a name for itself, audiences are clearly not responding to their valiant efforts. [To read
more click here]

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Friday, October 5, 2001

Click on the page banners to go to the rest of that page for this issue.

Waiver Use Increases

By Carl Lisberger

This year Samo implemented a controversial waiver policy that allows students who were not accepted
or did not apply to Advanced Placement or honors courses to take these classes. [To read more click
here]

Aaliyah Remembered
By Angela Gonzalez

On Aug. 27, 2001, a loving, talented, and beautiful artist known as Aaliyah Dana Houghton,died in a
plane crash in the Bahamas. The tiny twin engine Cessna 402 charter that was carrying her back to the
Miami area, crashed immediately after take-off from the Marsh Harbour Airport in the Bahamas. Aaliyah
was instantly killed along with her crew. Aaliyah was in the Carribean filming a video for “Rock the
Boat,” the second single from her recently released third album “Aaliyah”. [To read more click here]

Are Our Busy Schedules Really Necessary?

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By Sunil Parekh

A lot of high school students nowadays feel like they have to take the hardest classes and participate in a
huge variety of extracurricular activities just so they can get into the best colleges. They are pressured by
parents, teachers and competitive peers to fill their schedules with hours of work that comes with taking
several APs, music lessons, sports practices, part-time jobs, volunteer training sessions, etc. Keeping
themselves busy, stressed out and overwhelmed is what will get them into college, so they overhear. In
reality, using college as a reason to take part in as many activities as possible is truly a sad thing—doing
this totally defeats the whole purpose of taking part in the activities in the first place. [To read more click
here]

Remembering a Special Mother

By Hanna Jacobsen

With her bright smile and mane of blonde hair, Carolyn Beug was easy to spot at Samo track and cross-
country meets. Often outfitted in a Samo track team sweatshirt, Beug was one of the team’s most loyal
and beloved supporters. The mother of 2001 Samo graduates and track stars, twins Lauren and Lindsey
Mayer-Beug, Carolyn was aboard American Airlines Flight 11 when it was hijacked en route from
Boston to Los Angeles. Accompanied by her own mother, she had just dropped off her twin daughters at
the Rhode Island School of Visual Arts. [To read more click here]

Interned Alumni Finally Receive Diplomas

By Ari Rosmarin

After 57 long years, ten Vikings from the classes of 1943 and 1944 finally walked the graduation stage
this summer. [To read more click here]

MJ is Back...Again!
By Elliott Birnstein

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It’s game seven of the 2001-2002 NBA Finals, Kobe Bryant and his “Unstoppable” Los Angeles Lakers
have blown a three games to null lead to Michael Jordan and his eighth seeded, Washington Wizards.
With fifteen seconds remaining in the game, Bryant drains a three-pointer to put his Lakers up by one.
Then, with three seconds on the clock, Jordan fakes right, goes left, leaving his defender, Bryant, laying
on the floor, grabbing his ankles and writhing in pain. Jordan elevates, shoots—Game Over. Wizards win
the championship. [To read more click here]

Contact the site webmaster to give feedback.

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Friday, October 5, 2001

Waiver Use Increases

By Carl Lisberger

This year Samo implemented a controversial waiver policy that allows students who were not accepted
or did not apply to Advanced Placement or honors courses to take these classes. [To read more click
here]

Construction Projects Alter Campus

By Megan Healey

Construction work at Samo has been the cause of much inconvenience to many students, teachers, and
staff, but has also been met with consideration and tolerance. [To read more click here]

Energy Efficiency Partnership

By Jason Islas

The Santa Monica City Council decided last month to begin a $500,000 Energy Efficient Partnership
with the Santa Monica Malibu Unified School District (SMMUSD) to make the district more energy

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efficient. Backers of the Partnership hope the new funding will help avert such problems as dark
classrooms during school hours. [To read more click here]

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Waiver Use Increases

By Carl Lisberger

This year Samo implemented a controversial waiver policy that allows students who were not accepted
or did not apply to Advanced Placement or honors courses to take these classes.

According to a master list, 225 students signed waivers. The most significant number of waivers appears
in the English department, where a total of 169 students were waivered into AP or honors classes. Of
these 169 students, 69 were waivered into 9th-grade honors English. 22 students were waivered into AP
U.S. History, 24 were waivered into classes in the math department, nine were waivered into Science
department classes, and one was waivered into a Language department class.

The policy is an effort by the Santa Monica Malibu Unified School District to offer more academic
opportunities to students, but the number of students who took advantage of the policy has some teachers
and students concerned. Any student may now apply for a waiver, to be signed by their parents, into an
AP or honors class, even if he or she was not accepted based on departmental criteria.

Although district and state schools have varying degrees of AP and honors admissions criteria, a
California law prohibits schools from denying a student access to any class.

The administration has received complaints from teachers about the new policy, but reactions from
students and teachers are mixed. An anonymous junior who was wavered into AP U.S. History said he,
“didn’t even know [he] could apply [to enter the class]. When [he] found out, it was too late.” He later
spoke to his counselor, and got a piece of paper signed by his parents stating that he must maintain a C
average and could not drop the class.

Teachers in particular have been wary of the policy. “I think [the policy] definitely affects the class. The
quality of the first assignments could have been more superior. I think I have a lot of work ahead of me.
The admissions criteria should be more of a challenge so that these kids know what to expect,” said AP
U.S. History teacher Michael Felix.

However, the reaction among students was not all positive; some expressed concern about the policy. “I
think the policy is good if a student is willing to be determined, and seek help, because they might not be
at the same level as the other students,” said sophomore Kristen Robertson. Another student, junior
Brittany Mitchell differed in opinion. “In my honors algebra II class last year, a student had waivered in.
He asked questions about everything, and it really slowed down the class,” said Mitchell.

The administration expressed concerns that students were not aware of the caliber of the courses they
were waivering into, and how rigorous an advanced class can be. “To me, it’s all about sound
advisement. I’m concerned about the number of students who have chosen to take advantage of the

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waivers without really thinking it through,” said Co-Principal Mark Kelly. He added, “I want to
encourage students to challenge themselves.” Next year, the school plans to take precautions to ensure
that all students who request waivers are fully aware of the demands of the courses they will be enrolled
in. “I think that what we’re going to try to do is do a better job communicating what the prerequisites and
the recommendations of a class are to a student going into them, in our experience the requirements for a
course are pretty accurate,” said Kelly.

[GO BACK TO THE NEWS PAGE]

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Construction Projects Alter Campus

By Megan Healey

Construction work at Samo has been the cause

of much inconvenience to many students,
teachers, and staff, but has also been met with
consideration and tolerance.

“So much of our staff has made some

tremendous and courageous sacrifices. We
have taken any available space on this campus
and turned it into classrooms. I think our staff
needs to be complemented on the fact of
dealing with a stressful situation: Bigger
enrollment and not as many facilities to
actually enroll those students in,” said Assistant Principal Greg Runyon.

The displacement of classrooms has been an inconvenience for many students, such as wind players who
must store their instruments in the South Gym basement, and then walk to the Cafeteria to rehearse with
the orchestra. In addition, the choir room has been moved to the Business building. “It’s quite a challenge
for all of us, but it’s a very positive thing, because it’s only temporary,” said Orchestra Director Chris
Schwabe. “It’s exciting too, because we’re adding onto the music room. We’re adding a new band room
and new facilities.”

This massive construction work, which began a few years ago, was made possible by Proposition X,
which was passed in 1999. This law allocated $62 million to SMMUSD for modernization and
renovation projects.

Progress on many of these modernization projects has been swift. This summer, new asphalt was laid in
the Science quad, and a new lighting and electrical system was installed in the Language building.
According to Runyon, construction on the Music building is expected to be completed this year around
April or May.

Despite significant progress on other parts of campus, problems have occurred with construction on
Barnum Hall and the Language building. Construction on Barnum stopped early last semester when the
contracting company was terminated for failing to do the proper work that the plans called for. When a
new contractor was hired, work began again on the week of Sept. 24.

Internal and external parts of Barnum are currently being remodeled. Seating is being redone, a new
ventilation system is being installed, and an acoustical wall and sound system have been added in the

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back of the auditorium. “Barnum will not be accessible this year to any of our activities, but other than
that we don’t know anything,” said Runyon. “We might be surprised and it might be ready, but right now
we’re going on the assumption that it will not be available at all this year.”

Seven new classrooms are being added to the Language building, and development in this area has been
difficult as well. “Currently we’re a little bit behind schedule because we ran into some problems finding
utilities and also because of some sandy soil,” said Runyon.

Future construction is also in the picture for Samo. In February, construction will begin on the baseball
field. As soon as the Language building is done, work will start on the Business building. Plans are also
being made to upgrade the College and Career Center. When the Music building is finished, work will
begin on the History building, and changes to the English building are being arranged for next summer.
Most of these projects are upgrades on the campus’ electrical system.

[GO BACK TO THE NEWS PAGE]

* Photo by Wesley Krieger

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Energy Efficiency Partnership

By Jason Islas

The Santa Monica City Council decided last month to begin a $500,000 Energy Efficient Partnership
with the Santa Monica Malibu Unified School District (SMMUSD) to make the district more energy
efficient. Backers of the Partnership hope the new funding will help avert such problems as dark
classrooms during school hours.

City Council members decided to enter into an Energy Efficient Partnership that will direct Utility Tax
refunds to several programs expected to lower the amount of energy used by schools in the SMMUSD.
At the top of the list of programs is an upgrade of the current light systems in schools. According to the
minutes from the Council meeting of Sept. 11, 2001, the City hopes to lower the cost of lighting the
schools by upgrading the current lighting systems.

Funds have also been directed to help educate staff members in methods of energy conservation. “The
plan combines energy efficiency training and education for teachers, students, and custodial and
administration staff with specific energy efficiency upgrades to existing District facilities,” said City
Council member Kevin McKeown.

The Energy Efficiency Partnership has been met with little opposition. “I’m very proud of this
community choice to invest in greater energy efficiency. By using less electricity, we not only save
money but help assure a safer environment because fewer power generating plants will need to be
constructed or expanded,” said McKeown.

[GO BACK TO THE NEWS PAGE]

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Friday, October 5, 2001

Aaliyah Remembered
By Angela Gonzalez

On Aug. 27, 2001, a loving, talented, and beautiful artist known as Aaliyah Dana Houghton,died in a
plane crash in the Bahamas. The tiny twin engine Cessna 402 charter that was carrying her back to the
Miami area, crashed immediately after take-off from the Marsh Harbour Airport in the Bahamas. Aaliyah
was instantly killed along with her crew. Aaliyah was in the Carribean filming a video for “Rock the
Boat,” the second single from her recently released third album “Aaliyah”. [To read more click here]

Healing the Bay

By Kesha Ram

How safe is it to swim in our Santa Monica Bay? The answer could mean health or illness and even life
or death for us and the living creatures with whom we share our oceans. Several Samo students recently
participated in a “Coastal Clean-up” organized by Heal the Bay where over 48,000 pounds of garbage
were picked up. Samo sophomore Megan Mack, a participant in the event, said, “I know I don't really
like going to the beach anymore because of all this pollution...There is no need to be lazy with trash in
the first place with all the facilities available. I'm sure most kids at Samo would want to swim in an ocean
much cleaner than ours is right now.” [To read more click here]

Madonna Drowns World

By Jordan Karney

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For the first time in eight years, the ever-controversial Madonna delighted fans by embarking on an
international tour. The 2001 Drowned World Tour, in support of her 2000 album “Music,” began in
Europe and ended up in the States in Philadelphia on Jul. 21-22. Tickets to the highly anticipated tour
cost anywhere from $45 to $250 dollars, and were in high demand across the country. Additional shows
were added in each of the twelve cities the tour hit in order to accommodate the numerous fans unable to
get their tickets before they sold out. [To read more click here]

Save Your Skin

By Maria Murcia

Six out of ten people practice routine habits that could speed up the aging process, guaranteeing them
their grandmothers' face at age 40. Many young people carry the notion that their skin will remain
looking young forever. These are the same people who, thirty years from now, will be taking $5,500 out
of their pockets to get face-lifts and other age-defying procedures done. If you’re not looking forward to
the expenses, there are easy techinques that can help prevent your skin from revealing your age. [To read
more click here]

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Friday, October 5, 2001

Are Our Busy Schedules Really Necessary?

By Sunil Parekh

A lot of high school students nowadays feel like they have to take the hardest classes and participate in a
huge variety of extracurricular activities just so they can get into the best colleges. They are pressured by
parents, teachers and competitive peers to fill their schedules with hours of work that comes with taking
several APs, music lessons, sports practices, part-time jobs, volunteer training sessions, etc. Keeping
themselves busy, stressed out and overwhelmed is what will get them into college, so they overhear. In
reality, using college as a reason to take part in as many activities as possible is truly a sad thing—doing
this totally defeats the whole purpose of taking part in the activities in the first place. [To read more click
here]

Viva El 16 de Septiembre
By Rebecca Beasley-Cockroft

September 16 may not be a significant day in the United States, but in Mexico it is a celebration of
independence. This year, due to the disaster in New York, the Mexican government postponed this
celebration. Although it is reassuring as U.S. citizens to have so much support, the citizens of Mexico
should celebrate their independence because it was hard to achieve. Not everyone is free, but those who
are, should cherish it and understand how lucky they really are. [To read more click here]

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Computer Censorship
Editorial:

The Internet censorship device installed on all Samo computers is, in a word, appalling. [To read more
click here]

No TV was Bad Call

Editorial:

During the events of September 11 students on campus were not allowed to watch television. We were
told that some of the images could be traumatizing and to act normally throughout the rest of the day.
However, the decision should’ve been made by either the teacher and or student. [To read more click
here]

Senior Parking
Editorial:

As a result of the extreme overcrowding at our school, we, the staff of The Samohi, realize that the lack
of senior parking spaces is not an easy problem to solve. [To read more click here]

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Email "Letters to the Editor" to

[email protected]
or mail them to:
Journalism,
c/o Santa Monica High School,
601 Pico Blvd.,
Santa Monica, CA, 90405

The Samohi seeks submissions for the student-written column "My Turn."
Email articles to [email protected]
or submit articles to E201 (Santa Monica High School).

Submissions may be edited for grammar and length and are due no later than October 22, 2001.

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Friday, October 5, 2001

MJ is Back...Again!
By Elliott Birnstein

It’s game seven of the 2001-2002 NBA Finals, Kobe Bryant and his “Unstoppable” Los Angeles Lakers
have blown a three games to null lead to Michael Jordan and his eighth seeded, Washington Wizards.
With fifteen seconds remaining in the game, Bryant drains a three-pointer to put his Lakers up by one.
Then, with three seconds on the clock, Jordan fakes right, goes left, leaving his defender, Bryant, laying
on the floor, grabbing his ankles and writhing in pain. Jordan elevates, shoots—Game Over. Wizards win
the championship. [To read more click here]

The Lady Netters: Young Yet Unified

By Sakae Sakai

The Lady Netters are looking good under the guide of Antonio Robertson, a former Samo standout and
the new tennis coach. Robertson, a former San Diego State tennis player, has chosen to bring his talent
and commitment to Samo, to lead the Netters to a successful season. [To read more click here]

Harriers Step It Up

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By Michael Zinshteyn

Girls
Boys
The Lady Harriers have started off the season in a bit
Boys cross country runners have stormed
of a struggle, coping with a talented, but inexperienced,
into this year’s season and are currently in
young team. They have done well in invitationals but
first place in the competitive Bay League.
struggled in their first league meet.

[To read more click here]

Girls Volleyball: “Competitive Spirit”

By Lisa Strumwasser

To witness a true testament of dedication, effort, determination, and competition, check out the North
Gym after school, at approximately 4:15pm. If you’re lucky, you’ll find the Samo girls volleyball team in
battle. [To read more click here]

Girls Golf Update

By Jacob Honig

After last year’s season of mixed performances and decent results under former Head Coach Don
Murphy, Samo’s Lady-Linksters began their 2001 season under a new Head Coach, Michael Mitchell.
[To read more click here]

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MJ is Back...Again!
By Elliott Birnstein

It’s game seven of the 2001-2002 NBA Finals,

Kobe Bryant and his “Unstoppable” Los
Angeles Lakers have blown a three games to
null lead to Michael Jordan and his eighth
seeded, Washington Wizards. With fifteen
seconds remaining in the game, Bryant drains a
three-pointer to put his Lakers up by one.
Then, with three seconds on the clock, Jordan
fakes right, goes left, leaving his defender,
Bryant, laying on the floor, grabbing his ankles
and writhing in pain. Jordan elevates,
shoots—Game Over. Wizards win the
championship.

Yes, Michael Jordan is returning to the NBA. While the scenario described above seems unlikely, when
it comes to Michael Jordan, the unthinkable becomes the norm. Not only is MJ going to bring his game
back to the NBA, he is going to dominate the league.

Rick Reilly of “Sports Illustrated” first broke the news of Jordan’s return to the public earlier this year
and since then the rumors have not stopped. Sports fans everywhere have been waiting patiently for
Jordan to make his final decision and finally that time has come. Jordan will return to the team that he is
part owner of, the Washington Wizards.

Jordan has been training for months in order to get ready for unquestionably the biggest challenge in his
tremendous career. Well, the moment of truth has arrived and not only will he reach everyone’s
expectations, he is going to fly above and beyond them. No one ever believed that Jordan would ever win
a championship with him taking so many shots; he proved them wrong didn’t he? Michael Jordan is a
man of tremendous pride, and he would never do something that would jeopardize his public image.

I am a huge Jordan fan and I am extremely excited to know that the greatest basketball player of all time
will once again grace the courts of the NBA. For the last three years I have gone to Jordan’s basketball
camp in Santa Barbara. I have witnessed him dominate the nightly scrimmages he holds with some of the
best college and high school basketball players in the country, and I am sure that he can hang with the
talented super stars of the NBA.

Jordan, however, does not have everything going for him; his main kryptonite being his age. MJ will turn
39 in the middle of next season. Even an athlete of his caliber does lose one or two or maybe even three
steps with age. Add in his three-year hiatus spent draining putts instead of free throws and you’ve got

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some stiff knees. Despite what Jordan now lacks in quickness, he can make up in basketball IQ. Plus,
keep in mind that zone defenses are now legal in the NBA, meaning that Jordan would not have to play
tough man-to-man defense against younger, quicker guards; instead, he can just hang out in one area of
the court and conserve his energy.

Another possible set back facing Jordan is the current state of the team he is playing for. Last season the
Wizards posted a record of 19 wins and 63 losses, missing the play-offs by 22 games. This was a team so
bad, NBA Commissioner David Stern couldn’t even name the starting five.

In the lowly Eastern Conference, if the Wizards can post around 40 wins they can probably make the
playoffs. Now that would be an increase in 21 wins, which would be hard to do. If there is anyone who
can cause such a huge change in his teams’ record it is Jordan. Allen Iverson and his 76ers showed us
this past season that one super star can put a team of role players on his back and take them to the finals.
Jordan saw this and knows that if he could rally his team and somehow make the playoffs, they would
have a decent chance at the finals. So beware KB, VC, and AI, MJ is back.

[GO BACK TO THE SPORTS PAGE]

* Courtesy of jordan.net

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The Lady Netters: Young Yet Unified

By Sakae Sakai

The Lady Netters are looking good under the guide of Antonio Robertson, a former Samo standout and
the new tennis coach. Robertson, a former San Diego State tennis player, has chosen to bring his talent
and commitment to Samo, to lead the Netters to a successful season.

On Wednesday, Samo played league rival Peninsula. Samo played with all their heart, but in the end,
they could not beat last year’s league champions. Samo ended up losing to Peninsula, 1-17. However,
this game was also educational, for it helped the Netters see their weaknesses and aspects that they
needed to improve. This experience will make the Netters develop as a team so they can beat North on
Thursday, another league rival.

Since the season has started, the Netters have posted a 1-3 record. Unfortunately for the Netters, they had
to play top seeded teams such as Marlborough and Peninsula. The Netters recovered undaunted from the
losses and beat Marlborough 16-2. These losses show room for improvement. The team is gradually
coming together, and this close unity is the ingredient for a successful season. “Samo’s girls tennis is so
unified this year. We are Vikings with rackets. This brings us together as a whole, as a team, we are lean,
mean, fighting machines,” said junior Christine Yi. Athletic Director Mark Griswold also added : “It
looks like a bright year ahead for the girls tennis team. The girls are rosy and ready to play to the best of
their abilities.”

This year’s squad has five seniors playing as the backbone of the team: Amanda Howie, Maria Murcia,
Melissa Snyder, Monica Upathumpa, and Rachel Nass. With these five strong elements, Samo is looking
to have a successful season.

[GO BACK TO THE SPORTS PAGE]

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Harriers Step It Up
By Michael Zinshteyn

Girls

Boys The Lady Harriers have started off the season in a bit
of a struggle, coping with a talented, but
Boys cross country runners have stormed into inexperienced, young team. They have done well in
this year’s season and are currently in first place invitationals but struggled in their first league meet.
in the competitive Bay League.
The Lady Harriers started off their season at Ventura in
Samo’s first chance to shine was at the Sea Side the Sea Side Invitational. Despite the tough
Invitational. Although the opposing teams competition, the lady runners placed 22nd out the 34
provided a challenge to the relatively easy teams that participated. Samo’s top finishers were
course, the Vikings placed tenth overall out of junior Stephanie Ishler with 20:17 and senior Caroline
37 schools. In the three-mile race, Samo’s top Van Ness with 21:15.
two finishers were senior team captain Luis
Orta and junior Jacob Zuckerman who finished The lady runners’ first league meet in the competitive
at 16:04 and 16:29, respectively. Bay League was held at Peninsula on Wednesday,
Sept. 26. This meet included all the members of the
“This race gives us an idea of how we are in our league, unlike past years when a meet consisted of two
own league, considering we deal with to three teams. The Lady Harriers ran hard in their first
Peninsula, West [Torrance], and Mira Costa,” race, but lack of experience and a tough course resulted
said boys Head Coach Tania Fischer. in a sixth place finish out of a possible seven places.
North Torrance placed last at the meet with a team
average of 30 seconds slower than Samo’s. The
The course at Huntington Beach proved to be
Vikings top runners were Van Ness finishing with
more of a challenge for Samo’s runners in
24:08, Ishler with 24:16, sophomore Lucy Fairweather
comparison to the flat course at Sea Side. But
finishing 24:27, and sophomore Nilou Assar finished
Samo rose to the task and was able to place
with 24:28.
sixth out of 25 teams.

Girl’s head coach, Patrick Cady had this to say about

The Vikings’ first league meet included all
the teams less tha stellar performance, “we came in
seven league members on Wednesday, Sept. 26.
flat...We’re a young team...”
Held on the very hilly and tiresome Peninsula

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course, the Harriers took first place, defeating

archrivals West Torrance and Mira Costa.
Samo’s top four runners placed in the top 11
with Orta placing fourth and Zuckerman
placing seventh. Samo’s next League meet will
be on Oct. 11 at West Torrance.

[GO BACK TO THE SPORTS PAGE]

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Girls Volleyball: “Competitive Spirit”

By Lisa Strumwasser

To witness a true testament of dedication,

effort, determination, and competition, check
out the North Gym after school, at
approximately 4:15pm. If you’re lucky, you’ll
find the Samo girls volleyball team in battle.

Team captain senior Stephanie Walczuk, a

strong core of returning varsity players, and
three freshmen are key factors to the success of
this year’s team. After suffering the loss of
three departing seniors from last year’s squad,
Samo fields a relatively new team.

Coach Liane Sato is looking for her team to

rise to the challenge and to show a
“competitive spirit.” Senior Aja Goss added,
“We’re a completely different team than we were last year so it’s a whole different dynamic.”

The difficult road ahead begins with the team’s first four matches, against Mira Costa, Peninsula,
Marlborough, and El Segundo.

The match against nationally renowned Mira Costa showed the girls how tough the competition can be:
The team lost after three straight games. The first game was a 0-15 shutout. Mira Costa played its second-
stringers in the second game and still won handily, 15-5. The third game brought Mira Costa’s third-
string, but as soon as Samo began to dominate, the coach from Mira Costa put her original starters in to
win the game, 5-15.

Following their second consecutive blowout defeat at the hands of Peninsula, Samo played their second
home game against Marlborough. The Lady Spikers lost, but in a respectable four games. Marlborough
won the first two games, both 15-8. Following many long rallies, Samo took game three, 15-13. After
three games, the teams were weary, with Marlborough pulling out the fourth game, 15-6. The team was
not distraught, however. As team captain Walczuk said, “The momentum was really good and everyone
was talking.”

According to Goss, “We were just being as competitive as we could against the other team. [Senior Dana
Kabashima] and I were talking and we’d be like ‘okay, we are blocking this girl,’ and we’d go up and
we’d block her.”

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The Lady Spikers have the whole season ahead of them to adjust to each other while competing in one of
the most demanding leagues in California: Bay League. As Sato promised, “there should be some really
exciting matches.”

[GO BACK TO THE SPORTS PAGE]

* Photo by Justin Yang

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Girls Golf Update

By Jacob Honig

After last year’s season of mixed performances and decent results under former Head Coach Don
Murphy, Samo’s Lady-Linksters began their 2001 season under a new Head Coach, Michael Mitchell.

Due to the recent national tragedy on September 11, the Linkster’s first pre-season match against North
Torrance was cancelled. The Linksters competed in their first actual pre-season series of matches against
Bay League rival Peninsula. The girls put forth a solid effort, but unfortunately came up six strokes short
of victory. In the two teams’ final meeting, Samo’s girls showed improvement. They lost by five strokes.
Senior Nikeda Cooks shot the lowest score in both matches with a pair of 36’s and walked away with
individual honors. This season, the Linkster’s will rely heavilly on Seniors Nikeda Cooks, Emily Payne
and Jane Somboonsup.

“The season is going well,” said Mitchell. “The girls work hard...In order for us to succeed, they must
continue to do so, and try even harder… All of the team’s golfers must continue to want to improve.”
Mitchell brings an enormous amount of knowledge and experience to the team. He competed for many
years as an amateur, and has coached various high school teams. “I hope that my background in golf will
help contribute to the success of this years team,” said Mitchell. Despite the very tough Bay League
schedule that lies ahead, the Linksters expect to rise to the occasion.

[GO BACK TO THE SPORTS PAGE]

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Friday, December 7th, 2001

Click on the page banners to go to the rest of that page for this issue.

Samo Remembers Deanna Maran

By Hanna Jacobsen and Ari Rosmarin

The community gathered in Samo's Memorial Greek Theater to honor the life and mourn the loss of
sophomore Deanna Maran, known by close friends and family members as "Lala," who was murdered by
another teen at a party in Westwood nearly three weeks ago. [To read more click here]

Harry Potter Revels in the Glamour of Fame

By Sina Grace and Sunil Parekh

Lord of the who? Lord of the box offices. After months of anticipation, "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s
Stone" flew into theaters Nov. 16, and it’s nothing short of wondrous. After only seven days, the movie
shattered all previous box office records by grossing $129.6 million. The monetary success of the movie
hints at its overall quality. Sprinkled throughout the film were special effects that gave non-visual readers
a crystal clear vision of Hogwarts and all its enchanting glory. [To read more click here]

Deanna: A Beautiful Life

By Jacob Honig

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Over the past few weeks many rumors as well as angry and sorrowful emotions have circulated
throughout the school due to the tragic death of one of Samo’s brightest students, Deanna Maran. All of
the anger that many of us are feeling is normal, and many of us spread and listen to rumors because we
feel like something is missing and we need an explanation for her death. We seem to be failing to
remember the wonderful life of the beautiful person that Deanna Maran was and the importance of
practicing non-violence. Deanna would have wanted it that way. [To read more click here]

Opinion: Fight to End Violence

By Daria Mazey

When a fight breaks out at school, it is apparent because of the excited cries and the masses of students
running to get a good viewing spot. When a fight breaks out at a party, the entire bunch stands around as
if in an arena and is entertained or just scared numb. [To read more click here]

Ozomatli Spices Up Samo

By Jordan Karney

Normally, the only sound heard after the final bell on a Friday afternoon is students discussing weekend
plans on their way home, but on Nov. 30, Samo students were treated to the sounds of a live band:
Ozomatli. [To read more click here]

Football Advances To CIF Finals For First Time In

19 Years
By Michael Biskar

Following lopsided victories against Workman and La Cañada high schools in the first two rounds of the
CIF playoffs, the Vikings raised their Division X championship hopes with a semifinal win on the road
against perennial powerhouse Paso Robles. This stunning victory put Samo in the CIF finals for the first

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time since 1982. [To read more click here]

Contact the site webmaster to give feedback.

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Friday, November 16th, 2001

Click on the page banners to go to the rest of that page for this issue.

Admin. Cracks Down On Tardies

By Ari Rosmarin

Samo administrators have begun a renewed crackdown on tardies this year. In addition to increasing
enforcement of the existing tardy policy, the administrative team is also considering implementing a
more direct and controversial strategy: the tardy sweep. [To read more click here]

Open Letter to SUV Drivers

By Ari Rosmarin

Dear SUV drivers,

I write to you today in an effort to sway you from your selfish, obnoxious, and sometimes evil ways. If it
has not been mentioned to you in the past, your vehicles are a blight on the roads of the world. [To read
more click here]

Author Gary Soto Comes to Samo

By Jeremy Kutner

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As part of an ongoing author-and-book program through the Samo Mortesen Library, noted writer Gary
Soto came to speak to students Nov. 8 about his experiences as a writer. [To read more click here]

Football Wins League!

Football Defeats South Torrance to Take Ocean League Title;
Playoffs Start Tonight

By Michael Biskar

Following two decisive victories over Torrance and South Torrance in the final two games of the regular
season, the Vikings stand atop the Ocean League for the first time in 13 years as they head into tonight’s
first round playoff game against Workman at SMC. [To read more click here]

Contact the site webmaster to give feedback.

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Friday, November 2nd, 2001

Click on the page banners to go to the rest of that page for this issue.

Student Parking Problems May Soon Increase

By Danielle Alkov and Jackie Len

Residents on Ninth Street, Michigan Avenue, and Bay Street are considering requesting that their streets
be included in a preferential parking zone that would require permits of everyone parking on those
streets. [To read more click here]

Bush: "Love Me"

By Daniel Morgan

President Bush currently enjoys an 85% approval rating in the polls since the terrorist attacks on Sept.
11. Because there are things going wrong in our country, does this mean that he should be liked more? If
any president were in office at this time of national crisis, they would, without a doubt, receive the same
national support. [To read more click here]

Campus Begins Día De Los Muertos Celebration

By India Brookover-Coleman

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Samo’s art department exhibited student, teacher, and professional work inspired by the Mexican holiday
Día De Los Muertos at a reception in Samo’s Roberts Art Gallery. It will be shown from Oct. 25 to Nov.
8. [To read more click here]

Racism Running Rampant in the NFL

By Michael Biskar

After the selection of two African-American quarterbacks in the top three picks of the 1999 NFL draft,
football fans are increasingly being told that racism no longer plays a part in choosing players for
football’s most sought-after position. Such media ploys as “Black Quarterbacks Scoring in the NFL,” as
stated by The Los Angeles Times, are running rampant simply to avert our attention away from the subtle
color barrier that continues to plague the National Football League. [To read more click here]

Contact the site webmaster to give feedback.

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Student Parking Problems May Soon Increase

By Danielle Alkov and Jackie Len

Residents on Ninth Street, Michigan Avenue,

and Bay Street are considering requesting that
their streets be included in a preferential
parking zone that would require permits of
everyone parking on those streets.

Those living near Samo have complained

vocally to the City Council about the lack of
available parking in the area. This lack of
parking is caused by students who park on
city streets around Samo and by traffic from
businesses on Lincoln Boulevard. The
combination of these factors has greatly
restricted parking for residents.

Some residents have also voiced concerns over other disruptions caused by Samo students. An
anonymous Ninth Street resident said, “It isn’t only the spaces that are being taken away; it’s the trash,
the noise, and the kids speeding up and down a lot, and yelling.”

In order to implement preferential permit parking, residents must file petitions with the city that have
been signed by two-thirds of those living on the streets under consideration. The city then investigates
the petition, and determines if residents are not getting the parking they need. As of now, residents living
near Samo are in the process of getting these petitions signed.

David Ayala, the ASB member in charge of parking related issues at Samo said, “We are trying to fight
for [the parking spots] because we are tax paying citizens as well and those are public streets. We
deserve those parking spots.”

In an effort to prevent permit parking, ASB is urging students to turn down car stereos and generally
show more respect for the residents who live near Samo. In an effort to curb reckless student driving, the
Santa Monica Police Department will patrol popular streets before and after school.

“I know we are all out there on the road and if we see a parking space we are going to rush to get it, but
[students] need to take caution in what they are doing,” said Ayala.

Samo is already suffering from a parking crunch. A small student parking lot on campus, ongoing
construction projects, and a growing student population contribute to the lack of available parking for

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students. Many Samo students have expressed fears that the possibility of the expansion of permit
parking would make matters worse. “Right now, with permit parking only on Tenth Street, it is almost
impossible to find parking. We sit and wait 20 to 30 minutes for one person to leave and we might not
even get that spot,” said Senior Tyler Gonzales.

Those working to allieviate the parking problems for students have experienced significant setbacks.
Most importantly, students will not be allowed to park at the Santa Monica Civic Center. “The parking in
the Civic Center itself is already oversubscribed with courthouse and Civic Auditorium uses. There are
some days when there are spots there for students, but not every day, and so additional permits just aren’t
available,” said Santa Monica City Council member Kevin McKeown.

According to Ayala, the City Council has also rejected potential plans to expand the senior parking lot by
constructing two additional parking levels on top of the one that already exists. The $4 million proposed
project, for which blueprints had already been drawn, was shelved due to a lack of funding.

A proposal for the creation of underground parking under the Samo athletic field at Fourth Street and
Pico Boulevard has also been rejected. “This sort of thing has been done at other schools very
successfully, but it takes money which the [district] does not have at this time,” said McKeown.

There will be a City Council meeting in November that will discuss these issues, and all students and
their parents are urged to attend and voice their opinions.

[GO BACK TO THE NEWS PAGE]

* Photo by Wesley Krieger

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Friday, October 5, 2001

Click on the page banners to go to the rest of that page for this issue.

Waiver Use Increases

By Carl Lisberger

This year Samo implemented a controversial waiver policy that allows students who were not accepted
or did not apply to Advanced Placement or honors courses to take these classes. [To read more click
here]

Aaliyah Remembered
By Angela Gonzalez

On Aug. 27, 2001, a loving, talented, and beautiful artist known as Aaliyah Dana Houghton,died in a
plane crash in the Bahamas. The tiny twin engine Cessna 402 charter that was carrying her back to the
Miami area, crashed immediately after take-off from the Marsh Harbour Airport in the Bahamas. Aaliyah
was instantly killed along with her crew. Aaliyah was in the Carribean filming a video for “Rock the
Boat,” the second single from her recently released third album “Aaliyah”. [To read more click here]

Are Our Busy Schedules Really Necessary?

By Sunil Parekh

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A lot of high school students nowadays feel like they have to take the hardest classes and participate in a
huge variety of extracurricular activities just so they can get into the best colleges. They are pressured by
parents, teachers and competitive peers to fill their schedules with hours of work that comes with taking
several APs, music lessons, sports practices, part-time jobs, volunteer training sessions, etc. Keeping
themselves busy, stressed out and overwhelmed is what will get them into college, so they overhear. In
reality, using college as a reason to take part in as many activities as possible is truly a sad thing—doing
this totally defeats the whole purpose of taking part in the activities in the first place. [To read more click
here]

Remembering a Special Mother

By Hanna Jacobsen

With her bright smile and mane of blonde hair, Carolyn Beug was easy to spot at Samo track and cross-
country meets. Often outfitted in a Samo track team sweatshirt, Beug was one of the team’s most loyal
and beloved supporters. The mother of 2001 Samo graduates and track stars, twins Lauren and Lindsey
Mayer-Beug, Carolyn was aboard American Airlines Flight 11 when it was hijacked en route from
Boston to Los Angeles. Accompanied by her own mother, she had just dropped off her twin daughters at
the Rhode Island School of Visual Arts. [To read more click here]

Interned Alumni Finally Receive Diplomas

By Ari Rosmarin

After 57 long years, ten Vikings from the classes of 1943 and 1944 finally walked the graduation stage
this summer. [To read more click here]

MJ is Back...Again!
By Elliott Birnstein

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It’s game seven of the 2001-2002 NBA Finals, Kobe Bryant and his “Unstoppable” Los Angeles Lakers
have blown a three games to null lead to Michael Jordan and his eighth seeded, Washington Wizards.
With fifteen seconds remaining in the game, Bryant drains a three-pointer to put his Lakers up by one.
Then, with three seconds on the clock, Jordan fakes right, goes left, leaving his defender, Bryant, laying
on the floor, grabbing his ankles and writhing in pain. Jordan elevates, shoots—Game Over. Wizards win
the championship. [To read more click here]

Contact the site webmaster to give feedback.

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MJ is Back...Again!
By Elliott Birnstein

It’s game seven of the 2001-2002 NBA Finals,

Kobe Bryant and his “Unstoppable” Los
Angeles Lakers have blown a three games to
null lead to Michael Jordan and his eighth
seeded, Washington Wizards. With fifteen
seconds remaining in the game, Bryant drains a
three-pointer to put his Lakers up by one.
Then, with three seconds on the clock, Jordan
fakes right, goes left, leaving his defender,
Bryant, laying on the floor, grabbing his ankles
and writhing in pain. Jordan elevates,
shoots—Game Over. Wizards win the
championship.

Yes, Michael Jordan is returning to the NBA. While the scenario described above seems unlikely, when
it comes to Michael Jordan, the unthinkable becomes the norm. Not only is MJ going to bring his game
back to the NBA, he is going to dominate the league.

Rick Reilly of “Sports Illustrated” first broke the news of Jordan’s return to the public earlier this year
and since then the rumors have not stopped. Sports fans everywhere have been waiting patiently for
Jordan to make his final decision and finally that time has come. Jordan will return to the team that he is
part owner of, the Washington Wizards.

Jordan has been training for months in order to get ready for unquestionably the biggest challenge in his
tremendous career. Well, the moment of truth has arrived and not only will he reach everyone’s
expectations, he is going to fly above and beyond them. No one ever believed that Jordan would ever win
a championship with him taking so many shots; he proved them wrong didn’t he? Michael Jordan is a
man of tremendous pride, and he would never do something that would jeopardize his public image.

I am a huge Jordan fan and I am extremely excited to know that the greatest basketball player of all time
will once again grace the courts of the NBA. For the last three years I have gone to Jordan’s basketball
camp in Santa Barbara. I have witnessed him dominate the nightly scrimmages he holds with some of the
best college and high school basketball players in the country, and I am sure that he can hang with the
talented super stars of the NBA.

Jordan, however, does not have everything going for him; his main kryptonite being his age. MJ will turn
39 in the middle of next season. Even an athlete of his caliber does lose one or two or maybe even three
steps with age. Add in his three-year hiatus spent draining putts instead of free throws and you’ve got

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some stiff knees. Despite what Jordan now lacks in quickness, he can make up in basketball IQ. Plus,
keep in mind that zone defenses are now legal in the NBA, meaning that Jordan would not have to play
tough man-to-man defense against younger, quicker guards; instead, he can just hang out in one area of
the court and conserve his energy.

Another possible set back facing Jordan is the current state of the team he is playing for. Last season the
Wizards posted a record of 19 wins and 63 losses, missing the play-offs by 22 games. This was a team so
bad, NBA Commissioner David Stern couldn’t even name the starting five.

In the lowly Eastern Conference, if the Wizards can post around 40 wins they can probably make the
playoffs. Now that would be an increase in 21 wins, which would be hard to do. If there is anyone who
can cause such a huge change in his teams’ record it is Jordan. Allen Iverson and his 76ers showed us
this past season that one super star can put a team of role players on his back and take them to the finals.
Jordan saw this and knows that if he could rally his team and somehow make the playoffs, they would
have a decent chance at the finals. So beware KB, VC, and AI, MJ is back.

[GO BACK TO THE SPORTS PAGE]

* Courtesy of jordan.net

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Bush on Reckless Warpath Who won $76,000 in prizes Boys Water Polo Sinking the
Page 2 on a game show? Page 6 Competition Page 8

On the Internet:
www.thesamohi.org
Ro

Circulation: 3,200 Vol. XCIII No. 1 October 4, 2002 Published Biweekly

Samo Commemorates Anniversary of 9-11

By Jason Islas sence of the and on the last note, several stu-
Twin Towers: dents released doves, which flew
On the anniversary of Sep- “I remember over the audience.
tember 11, Samo students gath- looking up into Speaking of peace, Track
ered in the Greek Memorial The- the space on the Coach Pat Cady addressed stu-
ater to honor the memory of horizon… And dents: “I urge all of you to fight
those lost a year ago. I remembered the hatred… with kindness.” He
Master of Ceremonies senior the tale of the emphasized the importance of
Amy Larkin introduced Chief Phoenix.” nonviolence in honor of those
Educational Officer/Principal Next, jun- lost in the tragedy. Cady also felt
Ilene Straus, who delivered a iors Andy Knab that the assembly allowed him to
solemn message about the im- and Brittany mourn on a personal level as well
portance of a nonviolent campus. Graves hon- as with a group. “I needed a little
After Straus’ speech, the U.S. ored the Santa commemoration to help me be-
Air Force Color Guard, carrying Monica Fire cause I lost a friend. It was a real
the American flag, marched onto and Police De- neat thing for me,” he said, in
the stage and led students in the partments. As- reference to personal friend and
Pledge of Allegiance. sistant Fire track team mother, Carolyn Beug.
Once students were seated, Marshall Jim Art Teacher Tania Fischer
Alumni Association President Glew and Of- said, “I was really moved by how
Michael Hill (‘64) spoke about ficer Dave the students were so respectful. I
the history of the Greek Theater Rinski accepted feel it went really well.” Straus
and the memorial plaques on the two certificates agreed, saying, “For my first all-
surrounding walls. Remember- of acknowl- school assembly, I was proud of
ing those who died a year ago, he edgment from everyone- those who presented
said, “We rededicate this memo- The U.S. Airforce Color Guard marches onto the Greek Theater at the beginning of the student and those in the audience.”
rial theater in honor of those who the memorial on Sept. 11. body following Students reported similar lev-
lost their lives in a war… of Photo by Lauren Brydon a recitation of els of satisfaction. Senior Brent
terrorism.” The Fireman’s Besson said, “I feel that [the as-
Student contributions made Senior Ben Spoer reflected on ter through his poem entitled Prayer. sembly] was effective in that we
up a large part of the assembly. his personal reaction to the disas- “Space.” Recounting a visit to As the assembly ended, Cham- got to see how other people were
ber Singers led the student body affected by [September 11.] I
Current Construction
Ground Zero, Spoer described
the empty space left by the ab- in “The Star-Spangled Banner,” think that can help you learn and
understand, too.”

Nears Completion Admin. Remodeled; Work

By Sunil Parekh

After a long summer of diligent

enhance the buildings’ current electri-
cal/lighting systems. While much of
this modernization will occur in the
to Redesign the School
work, construction projects at Samo afternoons and evenings, there is a By Rebecca Beasley-Cockroft school vision, fundraising, profes- students’ classes, meeting with stu-
are well on their way to completion. possibility that some of the minor sional development, and leadership. dents and parents, and lower level
With much of the labor out of the way, labor will take place during the school Near the end of the 2001-2002 The associate principal is in disciplinary issues.
all projects are expected to be finished day. If this happens, some classrooms school year, Superintendent John charge of staffing, the budget, in- The new administration is discuss-
by the end of this academic year. in these buildings will be temporarily Deasy proposed a new administration structional supervision, and respon- ing a plan to reorganize the school
Currently, three major construc- relocated. Next, the Science Quad will plan to make the administration more sible for creating the master sched- because of the large number of students
tion projects at Samo are approaching be redone as the trailers move out of the efficient so that the Samo community ule of classes. oncampus. Strausisencouragingcom-
completion. These include the addi- area that was once a spacious, grassy could focus on instruction. Each assistant principal is respon- munity input and wants to establish
tion of new classrooms and a language field. Improvements will also be made Since then, the structure of the ad- sible for a certain grade level in ad- committees of students, parents, com-
lab to the Language Building, the to the Baseball Field. According to ministration has changed. Instead of dition to a certain program. Esseln is munity members, and staff to get feed-
entire reconstruction of the Music Owner’s Representative Ken Koslow, two associate principals and three as- the administrator in charge of 10th back from all areas.
Building, and the last phase of work on “The bulk of the work will be done by sistant principals, Samo’s new admin- grade and is responsible for profes- One proposed plan is to separate
Barnum Hall, which includes laying the end of the calendar year, but then istration now consists of a grades nine and 10
down the carpet and painting the ex- there will still be some minor projects Chief Educational Officer into smaller schools,
terior. All of this work should be that should be done by the spring.” (CEO)/Principal,oneasso- between 350 and 600
finished by the beginning of Novem- As more and more construction ciate principal, four assis- students, so that stu-
ber. projects are completed, more areas on tant principals, and two dents can develop re-
Duringthepastfourmonths,work- campus that are now inaccessible will deans, in addition to the 12 lationships with their
ers put forth a huge effort to modernize become open to students and staff. student support advisers. teachers and improve
Samo’s aging buildings. High-tech The Pico entrance will be opened The applicants for the academics. Fortheup-
speakers,P.A.systems,andnewfloors before November, which might re- new administration went pergrades,thereisdis-
were installed in both gyms, and the solve some overcrowding issues at 7 th through a rigorous appli- cussionaboutcreating
pool was drained and replastered. The Street and Michigan. The completion cation process. They sub- magnet schools, so
art building received new cabinetry of Barnum Hall will open access to the mittedwrittenapplications Anuar Shalash, Gregory Runyon, Ruth Esseln, Mark that students can fo-
and locks, and the computer lab was sections of campus now fenced off andunderwentaminimum Kelly, Ilene Straus, Catherine Baxter, Kathleen Martin, cus on specific sub-
given new furniture designed for the around the auditorium, and will also of two interviews. CEO/ and Jason Harley from left. jects of interest.
use of computers. Additionally, new solve some of the senior parking is- Principal Ilene Straus had Photo by Alex Leitner All of the changes
windowswereputintheEnglishBuild- sues. “I expect that when we have the final word in selecting her new sional development and school re- that are being discussed would require
ing along with a new electrical system Barnum painted there’s a good chance administration. “It’sareallygoodteam. design. Martin is responsible for a reduction of class size in addition to
that ensures excellent maintenance of that we’ll get some additional parking Its got a lot of balance, a lot of energy. 12th grade, special programs, cur- large amounts of money. Because it is
all the building’s lights and comput- for the staff, which means we’ll move People on this administrative team riculum, and instruction. Runyon is unlikely that the State of California
ers. them out of the north lot. This means want to be at Samohi,” said Straus. in charge of ninth grade, data assess- will increase school funding, the Dis-
According to Assistant Principal there will be additional parking for The only returning administrators ment, and school operations. trict has proposed Proposition EE,
Gregory Runyon, this past summer’s seniors,” said Runyon. are Associate Principal Mark Kelly and Shalash is responsible for 11th grade, which would create a parcel tax, requir-
projects moved smoothly, primarily Although all of Samo’s current Assistant Principal Gregory Runyon. as well as student support services. ing everyone who owns property in
because Jacobs Engineering, the com- and pending projects are to be finished Dean of Students Catherine Baxter was The deans are responsible for two Santa Monica to spend $300 a year on
pany who oversees all the construc- by spring 2003, it does not seem as promoted from her position as college grade levels, which they will follow the SMMUSD. According to Straus, if
tion that occurs at Samo, staffed the though this is the last construction era career adviser. The new administrators through high school. Baxter is as- thepropositiondoesnotpass,theschool
projectswithnumeroushighly-skilled the campus will face. Administrators includeStraus,AssistantPrincipalRuth signed to grades 10 and 12, as well as district will cut $5.5 million this year.
architects and engineers who were still see a need for certain types of new Esseln, Assistant Principal Kathleen activities. Harley is responsible for Ifitpasses,SMMUSDwillreceive$9.4
able to easily resolve any issues that buildings on campus in the years to Martin, Assistant Principal Anuar grades nine and 11 and athletics. million every year for 12 years, some of
were hindering the workers’ progress. come. “We need a big, giant facility Shalash, and Dean of Students Jason The student support advisers will which will be used to reduce class size
After these projects are completed, here that’s a library, a student meeting Harley. also follow their designated grade while maintaining staff size. Straus
remodeling will begin in various re- area, and a student activity area, but The CEO/Principal is responsible throughout the students’ four years said, “Yes there’s a plan [to reduce class
gions on campus. First, work on the that’s just dreaming of the future,” said for public relations, instructional su- in high school. Their responsibili- size], but first we have to get the fund-
History and Business Buildings will Runyon. pervision, community liaisons, the ties now include the scheduling of ing.”
 Opinion
Bush Serves Up Texas-Style Diplomacy
By Jason Islas weapons of mass destruction capa- threat to the world by allegedly confirm whether or not the alleged their allies in the dark.
bilities.” This fear has been the developing nuclear and biologi- weapons program actually exists. America is risking alienation
The impending conflict with impetus behind America’s new ag- cal weapons. But according to With stakes so high as a military from the United Nations and many
Iraq spells disaster for America gressive attitude towards nations BBC Correspondent Paul venture in an incredibly volatile Middle Eastern countries by what
and the world. Based on little in the Middle Eastern region. How- Reynolds, the dossier Blair pre- region, it seems hasty to fight a war many see as a witch-hunt. The con-
more than assumption, President ever, Democratic Senate Majority sented is weak in supporting the without any real intelligence. cept of “preemptive defense” is a
George W. Bush is leading Leader Tom Daschle, told the BBC idea that Iraq is a severe threat. America will suffer more than product of Bush’s paranoia about
America down a dan- homeland defense,
gerous path of vio- and inexperience in
lence. foreign affairs. Never
Bush has picked before in history has
up the baton where America declared war
his father, Bush Sr., because of what
dropped it several amounts to a mere
years ago. The out- hunch or assumption.
come of the Gulf War Bush needs to learn
left Bush Sr. unable that his last name is
to depose Iraqi Presi- not a license to kill in
dent Saddam the Middle East.
Hussein. Instead, Now, Bush is push-
Bush Sr., in coopera- ing for executive
tion with the United power from the UN and
Nations, imposed that Bush’s cabinet has failed to Reynolds wrote for the BBC, “The just human casualties in this war. Congress to instigate what prom-
various weapons manufacturing produce any proof linking Al weakness of [this report] is that So far Russia and France, two na- ises to be a massive conflict in the
and human rights resolutions on Qaeda to Hussein. nobody actually knows what is tions with veto power in the Secu- already volatile Middle East. If
Iraq, the majority of which Hussein Hoping to gather support for going on inside [Iraq’s] factories. rity Council, have voiced opposi- America wants to save the world
has failed to comply with. military action against Iraq, Brit- And the report acknowledges that tion to England and America’s im- from malignant terrorism, a brash
Secretary of Defense Donald ish Prime Minister Tony Blair re- the factories can also be used for patient desire to use force and their invasion, without the world’s sup-
Rumsfeld told The New York cently approached the United Na- benign industrial purposes.” In all aggressive attitude towards those port, does not seem to be the first
Times, “We have what we con- tions Security Council with an out- their war rhetoric, Blair and Bush who oppose their actions. With logical step.
sider to be credible evidence that line of intelligence on Iraq’s weap- forgot to point out that the threat to their lack of intelligence support-
Al Qaeda have sought contacts in ons program. He claims, along peace they claim Hussein poses is ing their claim for war, America
Iraq who could help them acquire with Bush, that Iraq poses a serious based on intelligence that cannot and England have left many of

Top 5 ways to Prevent Un-Ameri-

can Activities (Terrorism) at Samo
By Carl Lisberger

1. Give all faculty members cute, yellow I.D. badges with

their picture on them. This will prevent terrorists from infiltrat-
ing Samo and teaching the students. Also, if teachers or faculty
ever suffer from amnesia, they need only look down to their lapel
to be given a friendly reminder of who they are.
2. Say the Pledge of Allegiance several times a day. The
pledge will reinforce the greatness of our nation, thus creating
an atmosphere unsuitable for terrorists, who hate freedom.
Students will have a daily reminder that our nation is still under
God.
3. Make parking so unavailable that terrorists are not able to
park their terror-mobiles close enough to school to attack.
4. Have many unnecessary construction projects going on at
the same time. Big, loud construction workers will take over the
entire science quad and many of the senior parking spaces, thus
scaring off terrorists.

Advisers Better Than Ever

By Brittany Benjamin classes one needs. Instead, stu- there. From past experiences I
5. Create many new positions, give administrators multiple
titles, and shuffle around offices. There is nothing more Ameri-
dents sit in class and get the worried that I would be spend- can than overly complicated bureaucracy.
With all the changes in the information they need for a suc- ing whole afternoons sit-
administration this year, there is cessful year. Everything works ting in the counseling of-
one department that stands out: out smoother when one’s sched- fice. Upon popping my
the Student Support Department. ule is correct, and this we owe to head into her office the
Much of the scheduling chaos the behind-the-scenes work of week before school be-
that we escaped this year is due the new advisers. gan, however, I found that
to their long hours at the other- The new advisers were very she’d come through. Al- Alumni Subscriptions
wise unorganized registration approachable this year, as well. though she was busy, she Editor-in-Chief...............................David Ginsburg $20.00 PER YEAR
and their work the week before Their offices seemed consistently found time to tell me she Managing Editor........................Lisa Strumwasser Published biweekly during the school
school began. Despite the ex- open, and if one couldn’t talk in had made the changes I News Editor.................Rebecca Beasley-Cockroft year by the Associated Student Body of
citement that always comes with person, than an e-mail or phone requested. Surprised, I Opinion Editor...............................Carl Lisberger Santa Monica High School, 601 Pico
a new year, the twelve Student call did the trick for many. “Ef- had to sit down; never Feature Editor................................Daniel Morgan Blvd., Santa Monica, CA. 90405. Un-
Support Advisers kept their cool ficient” seemed to be the word of before had anyone been Special Report Editor..............Brittany Benjamin signed editorials reflect the opinions of
and worked efficiently to get scheduling. Many kids never so successful at getting Campus Life Editor..........................Sunil Parekh
students’ schedules fixed quickly even got called back in to discuss my schedule fixed so eas- Sports Editors...................................Jonathan Lee
Calanit Greenberg
and with minimal hassle, all the the change; their request was ily and effortlessly on my Staff
Photo Editor..............................Alexandra Leitner
while with a happy and helpful granted by the next day without part.
Michael Blackman, Lauren Brydon,
disposition. any hassle. There was no mov- Although many stu- Ad Editor...........................................Sonia Sohaili Gina Corso, Justin Dean, India
Most students will admit that ing up the administration ladder dents do not think about Copy Editors.....................................Emily Ferrell Donaldson, Peter Egziabher, Angela
the first week of school is easier to someone who could grant the the work done at the coun- Gonzalez, Donielle Hatcher, Megan
Healey, Jacob Honig, Jason Islas,
when all of their classes are overload you needed; it was just seling office, perhaps Hanna Jacobsen, Samantha
correct. There’s no walking into taken care of. they should this year. If Johnston, Wesley Krieger, Tim
a strange classroom that one Most years it’s very difficult your schedule was fixed Livingston, Christian McCovery,
Rosa Ordaz, Molly Parent, Adam
knows one won’t be attending for me to get the schedule I need, in record time, perhaps a Siegel, Hannah Tepper, Ava Tramer,
in a week’s time. There’s no but this wasn’t the case this fall. nice word to the new ad- Michael Zinshteyn
dread of going to the counseling At registration I found my ad- visers would be good—
building, where one knows there viser, showed her the problem, they’re obviously work-
will be hours of talking to vari- and then left figuring on the first ing hard to meet students’
ous people just trying to take the day of school it would still be needs.
 Opinion — Page 3 The Samohi October 4, 2002

September 11 Rally Leaves

Some Students Alienated
By Sina Grace Wendi DeMorst, who was on the as if gun usage promotes peace?
committee to set up the rally. Likewise, was it relevant for
In respect of September 11, This intention might have been the rally to bring up Samo alums This year, students were wel- dents aren’t planning on being
the school held a 45-minute rally lost when the U.S. Air Force that have fought in wars past? comed back to Samo by a reorga- present in class, the planner’s pres-
before lunch. That morning, the Color Guard arrived to do a cer- The ceremony was about an nized administration and re- ence in their pockets makes no
administration announced that emonial march with rifles and American tragedy, not taking vamped campus. Among the many difference.
students who were “uncomfort- flags halfway through the rally. pride in our bitter victories. changes made was an apparent Of all the things that could be
able” with the event could go to The Air Force’s pres- The Activities Committee de- shift in the administration’s atti- used as a hall pass, the planner has
the library. Many students serves a pat on the back for re- tude towards students, who are got to be one of the worst. It must
falsely assumed that the library specting those who had lost some- now treated like middle- have taken a team of scientists
was for those who did not agree one dear on September 11, and schoolers. The administration years to design something to be
with the intentions of the rally. for honoring the Fire and Po- should treat us more like the young just too big to put in your pocket,
There was no sanctuary for lice Departments. However, adults it wants us to be. and just small enough so that you
students who did not agree they failed to recognize that One result of the new attitude feel stupid holding it. And in a
with the extreme patrio- mourning and grief are towards students was the imple- school with no hot water or soap,
tism espoused at the often intensely personal. mentation of the mandatory “stu- it can’t exactly be considered sani-
rally. Some students and dent planner,” which all students tary to take the planner to the
Senior Advisor Su- teachers might not purchased for five dollars. For bathroom. We are now expected
san Dresher, College have felt that a group those of us who enjoyed Dr. Straus’ to carry this ugly, pale blue, oddly
Career Counselors gathering of any kind visionary skills at Lincoln, the shaped thing with us whenever
Ada Hollie and Clara was an appropriate planner might be eerily reminis- we leave class. And if you are
Beard used the li- way to deal with cent of the binder reminder that found outside of class without
brary as a place their feelings. was required there. The new plan- your planner? Then I am afraid
where they could All students ner is so similar to its middle school you will not be able to go to the
support students should have been counter part eighth grade
who had been emo- given the choice that when I first beach party.
tionally affected by whether or not to at- thumbed “And if you are The other
September 11. The tend the assembly.
library started out If Activities
through my
planner I half
found outside of measures be-
ing taken
with roughly three
dozen students, but
Commitee could find
a place for those af-
expected to class without your against low at-
find a section tendance in-
once the purpose of fected by September about prepar- planner? Then I clude a tardy
11, couldn’t they have
this session had been
clearly stated, the mass set up a place for those
ing for high
school.
am afraid you will policy that has
yet to be writ-
dwindled. Junior Blake disagreeing with the ide- The plan- not be able to go to ten, and plans
Farber said, “I went there als of the rally? It would ner contains a to continue the
to get away from it all, but give students a place to be list of things we the eighth grade tardy sweep
they made the whole expe-
rience worse by talking
more constructive, instead
of participating in an event
cannot do, is
peppered with
beach party.” system. Con-
sidering the
about [September 11].” The whose message they didn’t agree hokey quotes, administration’s
amount of mourning students with. and has an en- extreme con-
that stayed in the library was close The September 11 rally was a tire section devoted to useless in- cern over tardiness, it seems
to a dozen. They spent their time ence f e l t good idea for students who formation. Exactly how important strange that the tardy policy is
during the ceremony to discuss quite inappropriate considering needed it. Next year, hopefully is it for us to know that Bradd Pitt unwritten a month after school
and reflect. the ceremony’s peaceful mes- the Activities Committee will and Jennifer Aniston are a 100 started. There is a great irony in
The intent of the Activities sage. It is difficult to reconcile consider giving students who are percent horoscope match when the fact that administration has
Committee, who set up the cer- CEO/Principal Ilene Straus’ plea made uncomfortable by such we’re writing down our home- been so tardy in developing this
emony, was to bring “remem- for non-violence when one is events an alternative place to be. work? policy.
brance and peace among the stu- watching members of the mili- I am sure that the planner has We all understand the impor-
dents,” said Junior Advisor tary toting rifles about the stage served it’s proposed function, to tance of students attending class.

My Turn: A Time to Kill, Again force students to organize. But

why does it have to do it in such a
condescending way? I might have
Believe me, I’ll be the first one to
admit that many students treat
school more like a casual hobby
By Stephen Miller, senior reiterated, gassed Iraqi women www.frontpagemag.com, his ha-
and children as well as Irani- tred for the United States is well appreciated an organizer that than a full time occupation. I just
Guess what? I was right. ans, displaying a contempt for known, as is his monetary sup- looked more like something a ma- feel that administration’s- goals
Last year I wrote an article life. His disturbing desire to port of suicide bombings. In ture, young adult would have, and for attendance could be met if
declaring that we must under- develop weapons of mass de- addition, one of Saddam’s in- less like something from my they treated us in a more mature
take military action in Afghani- struction was why the UN reso- telligence officers was seen meet- middle school backpack. way.
stan, removing the wicked lution that stopped the fight- ing with September 11 hijacker One of the administration’s If the administration wants us
Taliban regime and its blood- ing in the Gulf War required Mohammed Atta. Keep in mind, greatest concerns is the amount of to act like mature young adults, it
thirsty Al Qaeda cohorts. It has Saddam to allow weapons in- it takes only 20mg of smallpox students out of class every day. In needs to start treating us that way.
become clear that the U.S. spections. However, as out- in powder form to kill a build- order to solve this problem the At the same assemblies that we are
made the right decision. The lined by George Bush, in 1998 ing full of people—thus inspec- administration stressed the impor- told to act maturely, we are re-
people of Afghanistan may now Saddam threw the inspectors tors in Iraq would be able to tance of using the planner as a hall quired to raise our hands above
participate in a plethora of out, and he continues to regu- accomplish nothing of conse- pass. According to administration, our heads as a reminder to our-
activities the Taliban had larly shoot at planes in the no- quence, especially considering the hall pass system is not working selves to be quiet. We are no longer
deemed sinful. A democracy fly zone. Demonstrating his that Saddam has had years to as well as the administration trusted to go the bathroom with-
can take shape. insanity and disregard for his hide his weapons. hoped. The administration is just out the aid of a small binder.
As for our enemies, a num- own safety, he authorized an If we wait until Iraq attacks now finding out what every stu- What’s next, guided study? Learn-
ber have been captured or killed. assassination attempt on us, whether it be with an incon- dent has known since they bought ing to be responsible requires be-
We’ve obliterated terrorist George Bush Senior. Further- spicuous canister of anthrax or a the planners at registration. If stu- ing trusted with responsibility.
training camps where Islamic more, according to the State deadly explosive, not only will
fanatics practiced how to Department, Iraqi defectors there have been a horrible loss The Samohi seeks submissions for the
butcher innocent people like have claimed that he possesses of American life, but the task
you and me. The dismantling both disguised mobile and hid- ahead of us will be far more
student-written column “My Turn.” Sub-
of the evil terrorist infrastruc- den underground chemical war- daunting, as Saddam’s weap- mit articles to E201. Submissions may be
ture has begun. fare laboratories. Many of onry and defenses will far sur-
Presently our country is these chemical weapons eradi- pass what it is today—he might edited for grammar and length and are due
faced with a new question. cate people in a hideously grue- very well have nukes and the no later than October 11, 2002.
Should we attack Iraq and de- some and painfully slow man- means whereby to launch them.
pose Saddam Hussein? Much ner. The infected spread the The only way to ensure our
of the same logic that applied disease to those they come in safety is to act now against this
to taking action against Af- contact with, which can result sadistic tyrant. Send “Letters to the Editor” to Jour-
ghanistan applies as here: as in an epidemic. If we are successful in our
fervently as we may want peace, Possibly even worse, Khidir efforts against Saddam, we will nalism, c/o Santa Monica High
our enemies don’t. In fact, Hamza, former head of have eliminated a huge threat to School, 601 Pico Blvd., Santa
they want us dead. The danger Saddam’s nuclear weapons pro- all of us, while simultaneously
is real; we must take preemp- gram testified before congress rescuing the Iraqi people. Bush’s Monica, CA 90405. Letters must be
tive action. (broadcast on KABC) that number one job is to protect us. signed and may be edited for clarity
Why Saddam? For starters, Hussein will have nuclear He’s not willing to risk count-
he’s a twisted madman that has, weapons by 2006. As was less American lives on the hope and length.
as Donald Rumsfeld and others outlined numerous times on Saddam will behave rationally.
Are you?
 Feature
The Aero Theater Needs Support Red Cross
By Brittany Benjamin neighborhood’s Committee to Save
the Aero Theater is having
venture with General Cinemas broke.
The American Cinematheque shows
for his airplane factory employees.
Today’s viewers, like the factory Volunteers
Since 1939, the Aero Theater’s performances by Roy Zimmerman interest in the theater as well, and its workers, appreciate the convenience. By Peter Egziabher
shows have livened up Santa Monica. and Marc Maron at their show, plan would include many upgrades. As Ken Friedman, another Santa
But as attendance declines, theater “Laughing Matters: An Evening of The city is also looking into making Monica local, put it, “Best of all, A four-year-old boy receives the
manager and operator Chris Allen Serious Satire,” on Oct. 24, as well. the theater a landmark destination, there are no trailers [at the Aero]. It’s first Christmas present that he has
fears the doors may shut forever. Allen but Owner James nice not to spend the whole night ever had. An 84-year-old woman
reports that there is only one way to Rosenfield told theOcean going to a movie.” enjoys the first meaningful
keep the Aero in existence: getting Gazette he was against the While most stores and landmarks
conversation that she has had in
the neighborhood involved. plan because people in the neighborhood have
months. A 14-year-old girl gets the
In July of this year, the Aero faced would be less likely to disappeared, many locals see the Aero
satisfaction of knowing that she
its darkest hour: the theater was lease it. as a definitive landmark of old Santa
has made other people’s lives
$60,000 in debt from the last four Whether or not the Monica. “I think it’s the best thing on
better. All of these people have
months. Allen and the community neighborhood people Montana,” said Lewis. “[My family]
took action in response by trying to want the theater to change started living here 17 years ago when something in common: they are all
inspire more fun and a sense of is another question. “One there was still a gas station, a hardware affected by the Red Cross of Santa
community at the theater. “It’s a thing I was glad about store, and the Aero Theatre; and in 17 Monica’s Youth Services.
neighborhood thing at the Aero. It’s when I walked in here to years there’s nothing left that’s really The Red Cross, located on 11th
not going to the promenade to see see was that it hadn’t been good… except the Aero Theatre.” Street and Broadway, is a great
people you don’t know.” Since the changed,” said Gayle Enthusiastic words of support, place for teens to hang out and
Endangered Majesty: 1328 Montana Ave. make a difference in the
success of his first classic movie Lewis, a Santa Monica however, are not going to keep the
Photo by Daniel Morgan community. It is one of the few Red
fundraiser, Allen has shown two more, resident, at the “On the Aero in business much longer. The
and a third is scheduled. “Rebel As competition increased over the Waterfront” fundraiser. “It’s a little theater’s low ticket sales aren’t Cross chapters in the country that
Without a Cause,” “Casablanca,” and past decade, the theater experienced grungy…and I don’t have any generating enough revenue even with includes a Youth Services division.
“On the Waterfront” were all played many difficulties. In 2000, Robert objections to that.” the draw of a cheap seven dollar Youth Services works with the
on different nights, along with Redford and his Sundance Film Donald Douglas, founder of the ticket. The fundraisers and special other Red Cross departments to
catering from local restaurants, and a Centers tried to buy the Aero and put now-kaput Douglas Aircraft, events are helping, but it’s not provide a wide range of activities
screening of “Dr. Strangelove” is a restaurant next door, but the plan originally started the theater to run enough. for hundreds of teenage
scheduled for Oct. 16. The fell through. Also, Sundance’s joint 24 hours a day as quick entertainment volunteers. These young people,

Vote Elephant, Ass, or ... Grass?

who come from many different
countries and who speak 22
different languages, are the heart
By Kesha Ram [fighting] racial discrimination, and California that have come to the communities’ wishes in
[upholding] equality has begun to attention of current Governor Gray environmental issues. of Youth Services.
With Gray Davis and Bill Simon find a strong response,” said Camejo. Davis and all political parties involved Even with these important issues The youth volunteers, 320 of
as California’s top candidates in the As a party, Greens are opposed to in the election. Camejo is displeased circulating, officials say only 22% of whom either currently attend or
upcoming gubernatorial elections, “Big Money” and rely on grassroots with the manner in which Davis has Californians who were eligible to have attended Samo, participate
voters must chose between a democracy to spread their message. chosen to deal with these problems. vote in the primary actually did. in many different activities. Some
Democrat who is obtaining They stand for values such as social In response to the energy crisis, Camejo Although a strong population to are involved in the Red Cross’
controversial corporate funding and justice, ecological wisdom, and is working to install solar power in appease is the Latino community, Intergenerational Program in
a Republican who was recently on nonviolence. “Democracy is a good every home and facility. Davis struggles with bills that could which teenagers visit senior centers
trial in a civil lawsuit against his thing,” Camejo says, “but it should Davis recently vetoed a bill to damage his ties with the minority and talk to the residents. Others
family firm. not be dominated by money. The legally oppose racial profiling, while group. “I do not think people yet learn and teach CPR classes in the
There is, however, a third party Green Party differs by having the Greens are “explicitly opposed” understand the anger felt in the Latino community. Others participate in
candidate that is making waves with candidates who are average citizens to social injustice and police brutality. community because of governor Gray Share the Holidays, a toy drive that
his campaign. Peter Miguel Camejo, and [by] ruling out corporate funds.” Camejo also wants to decriminalize Davis’ betrayal on the Farm Workers benefits underprivileged children.
the Green Party’s candidate for Donna Warren, running with marijuana in defense of impoverished binding arbitration bill and the driver’s Interested students can get
governor, is bringing strong morals Camejo as the Green candidate for communities that are targeted in the license bill,” said Camejo. involved at Samo by attending
and honest politics back to the election. lieutenant governor, is an African “War on Drugs.” Camejo values young citizens meetings of the Red Cross Club. It
His stance on the education system is American woman who also believes Regarding the environment, highly, saying there are a higher ratio meets every Tuesday at lunch in
agreeable and fair, opposing the strongly in racial and social equality. offshore drilling has been a major of active, young Greens because room T112, starting on Oct. 15.
“testing mania” with implements from “I am in great praise of the Green upset in California and along its young people are more idealistic and For more information, contact
Gray Davis such as the High School Party, because it’s the only party coasts. Camejo and the Green Party ready to promote change. To the Youth Services coordinator Robert
Exit Exam, which is argued as unfair which addresses issues for poor want to end offshore drilling, help to youth,Camejosays,“Alwaysquestion Chatman at (310) 394-3773 ext.
to certain socioeconomic and ethnic people, especially poor people of subsidize global warming as much as authority; never accept the standard.” 103.
backgrounds. “The Green Party’s color,” said Warren. possible, and abide by local
commitment to social justice, Many issues have erupted in
The Best Cats in Dogtown
By India Donaldson
Strut Their Stuff
hundreds of cats had been Persian named Sundew Madam Premier after defeating 75 cats.
relieving themselves in LaZonga, relaxed behind a curtain of However, to LaGrippe, it was not the
As I pulled into the parking lot there for two days. Come white lace and fake pearls. The blue ribbons that brought her to the
of the Santa Monica Civic Center to think of it… My eyes Madam, with a flawless white coat show. “You’re with people who have
on Sept. 15, I flinched at the thought darted from fluorescent and innocent chestnut eyes, won the the same interests as you, so nobody
of waiting in line to see a cat show. pompom wands to plush praises of all who beheld her. Her thinks you’re nuts. We all wear our
At least 50 people were waiting to purple pet couches. plump white form was framed with an shirts that say ‘I love cats’ and we
get in, all eager to pay seven dollars Overwhelmed by the array of patriotic ribbons and colors. wear them proudly,” said LaGrippe.
to stare into the very eye of feline peacock feathers and Owner Lorraine Saunders, a When it came down to defending
madness. Were a bunch of caged jumbo cat teasers, I longhaired Persian aficionado was cats against other domestic pets, there
cats, maddened and sedated by noticed I hadn’t even seen not surprised by the “oohs” and was no lack of enthusiasm among
years of competition, worth the a cat (except for those “aahs.” “They’re glamorous. They’re show-goers. Laura Green, a hairless
money and the wait? emblazoned on t-shirts gorgeous. They’re for your ego,” she Sphynx breeder, said of her cats,
The parking lot was jammed and aprons) yet. Beyond said as she pulled back the curtain for “They’re part dog, part child, and
with cars, many with out-of-state the endless cat another eager onlooker. part monkey. They have those
plates from as far east as Ohio. One paraphernalia and bulk With over 400 purebred and monkey antics.” These cats can fetch,
car proudly displayed an “I Love quantities of “Bio-Groom household cats, the variety astounded shake hands, and pick locks, and
Maine Coon Cats” bumper sticker, Anti-Static Hair Control,” me. While, like Saunders, many had what it ultimately comes down to, as
while another proclaimed, there lay the reason we an allegiance to the longhaired Green put it, is, “A house full of cats
“Happiness is a Sphynx Hairless were all there: the prissy breeds, others swore by the shorthairs, is quiet. One puppy is loud.” The
Kitten!” Written in the dusty pageantry of cats. or even the hairless. Claudia question that remained unanswered
window of a red pick up truck was, In the vast rows of LaGrippe, Oriental Shorthair owner was, aren’t monkeys and children
“Cats are Sweet!” It seemed this Madam Lazonga absorbs complements at Santa cages, many altered to and Samo alumnus, anxiously waited loud?
twisted idea was the consensus. I Monica’s Cat Show on Sept. 15. look more like for the judges to call her turn. She Sorry if you missed such a fine
had entered a peculiar dimension: Photo by Daniel Morgan comfortable suburban showed her cat, Lummax Flying High display of feline festivities, but rest
The 36th Annual Santa Monica Cat I gave the attendant wearing an “I homes or enchanted castles, lay the of LaGrippe at the Premier level. assured that the Santa Monica Cat
Show. Each year cat enthusiasts love Cats” t-shirt my ticket, and cats. Owners sat tall and proud, eager Being neutered, Flying High was Club will bring the whole furry gang
from all over America flock to this stepped cautiously inside. The first to share their champion with the ironically named, as he could not fly back next August. And if you’re
Mecca of feline paradise, and I was thing that struck me was the odor. public. One of the most successful to the Champion title, but did have allergic to cats, there’s a dog show in
moments from entering. The civic auditorium smelled as if cats of the show, a longhaired white the opportunity to become a Grand August too.
 B o o k s
SPECIAL REPORT

Book Reviews Local Independent Bookstores

By Gina Corso By Hannah Tepper

“The House of Spirits” by Wilshire Books: 3018 Wilshire Blvd., Between

Isabel Allende Berkeley and Stanford St., Santa Monica 90403
Originally written in Spanish, this Wilshire Books, the oldest independent bookstore in
novel beautifully tells the story of three Santa Monica, has been in the same location since its
generations in a Chilean family during owner, Leigh Peffer, opened up shop in 1968. As a used and
the 20th Century Revolution. Allende, out-of-print bookstore, prices are about 40 percent less
the niece of the assassinated Socialist than most other stores in Santa Monica. For a store lacking
leader Salvador Allende, gives readers in size, Wilshire Books mysteriously does not seem to lack
the details of revolution, and shows books,withanarrayoftopicsfromJazztoMountaineering.
the hope that enable families to hold Although one might not find a specific book here, it’s great
together in hard times. for research or finding a good read, and its old-fashioned
atmosphere is like nowhere else.

Midnight Special:13183 rd St., Santa Monica 90401

Midnight Special is located on the Third Street Wilshire Book’s window sign.
“The Bell Jar” by Sylvia Plath Photo by Ava Tramer
Promenade until its move to a lower-rent area in March.
If you enjoyed “Girl, Interrupted,”
Thisbookstoreisnotafraidtoexpresscontroversialthinking,
you will love this novel. A young woman
and emphasizes independent thinking. “The only thing that’s important for high school kids is the ability to think for
in New York struggles to become a
themselves,” said Owner Margie Ghiz. In addition to books, Midnight Special sells international, national, and local
journalist while spiraling into a deep
newspapers, a large selection of magazines, and on Friday nights they host open-mic poetry readings. Midnight Special
depression. This story is insightful and
also orders books that customers may not find in stock.
thought provoking — similar to J. D.
Salinger’s “ Catcher in the Rye.”
Dutton’s Bookstore: 11975 San Vicente Blvd., Los Angeles 90049
Dutton’s in Brentwood, owned by Doug Dutton, is sectioned off into four wings. The North wing features compact
disks, the East has children’s selections and travel books, the West has novels, and the South is a café and gift shop.
Dutton’s has a large selection compared to many
independent stores, and often hosts book signings.
“Fugitive Days” by Bill Ayers Check out www.duttonsbrentwood.comto see a list of
This is the memoir of a political visiting authors.
rebel’s life on the run from the law. As he
battles the American government,
Angel City Books:218PierAvenue,SantaMonica
society, and lifestyle of the late sixties,
90405
readers are shown the inner-workings
Angel City Books and Gallery is unlike the majority
of the Black Panthers, the Days of Rage,
of other bookstores in the area. Owners Rocco Ingala
and the Weather Underground.
and Steve Rodriguez display the work of local artists on
Photos Courtesy of Amazon.com the walls, making Angel City Books not just a bookstore,
but a gallery as well. Angel City Books sells used and out-

Campus Voices: of-print books, and with its largest sections in Cinema,
modern art, poetry, and Eastern Philosophy, this
bookstore is a more alternative find. Ingala, referring to

Favorite Books the large collection of film books, said, “I think having
large sections in these areas is something kind of unique.
Rather than try to have a little bit of everything, we have A passerby looks at a Dutton’s window
Compiled by Gina Corso a small store, but what we do is comprehensive in our display.
The Samohi asked Samo students what their favorite books selective areas.” Visitwww.AngelCityBooks.com tosee Photo by Ava Tramer
are. Here are their responses: complete lists of the books they sell.

Send Your Books On An Adventure

“My favorite book is ‘A By Megan Healey tingle.” andadventuresometimesseemlimited
Heartbreaking Work of BookCrossing was conceived and to fiction, BookCrossing is a great
Staggering Genius’ by Dave Anyone feel like having an is maintained by a software and way to have fun, meet new people, and
Eggers because it’s really good. adventure? Instead of reading your Internet development company called give thebooks we love the same kind
I [like] his writing. It’s really copyof“HarryPotterandtheSorcerer’s Humankind Systems, Inc. Its goal, as of adventuresome experiences that
Stone” for the hundredth time, here’s stated on the introductory page, is they give to us.
honest.” something new, and it’s nonfiction. simply“tomake t h e
Bookcrossing.com is an internet book
Interesting Facts
whole world a
club like no other. It encourages library.” The
members to participate in a kind of website was Compiled by Ava Tramer
treasurehuntbyusing“thethreeR’s:” launched in
Read, Register the books at the web April 2001, and
site, and Release them in odd, public The three books that are most frequently challenged
“My favorite…books
-Andrew Izard, junior are since then it has
places, (lik e coffee shops,) for others spread by word by people and organizations are the “Scary Story”
actually all by the author to find. series, by Alvin Schwartz, “ Daddy’s Roommate,” by
of mouth, and
Hermann Hesse...There’s so If you have too many books on captured the Michael Willhoite, and “ I Know Why the Caged Bird
much imagery; it’s rich; it’s your shelf, take a trip to BookCrossing. imaginations of Sings,” by Maya Angelou. “Where’s Waldo?” by
like reading poetry.” It will first ask for information about over 40,000 Martin Handford is the 87th most frequently challenged
the book, and give you a printable people from all book.
ticket which gives brief instructions over the world. — CNN.com
for the finder, and an ID number for Some of
your book. The rest is up to you. Find BookCrossing’s The best-selling book of all time is “The Holy
an interesting place to release your f e a t u r e s Bible,” which has sold approximately 6 billion copies,
- book, and report the location on the i n c l u d e followed by “Quotations from Chairman Mao Tse
Sarah “My favorite book is ‘The website. c o n t e s t s , Tung,” which has sales figures around 900,000,000
Right
Elbroum, Stuff.’ …It’s about the “It’s a very thrilling concept,” said discussion
astronauts breaking the sound Joyce, a teenage “bookcrosser” from copies.
freshman boards, and a
Ontario, Canada, in an online — The Internet Public Library
barrier. I like real books that forum in which
tell the truth.” interview. “I was so excited when I got members share
my first e-mail from BookCrossing, t h e i r The best-selling children’s book of all time is “ The
-Tim Hayn, sophomore telling me that one of my books had Poky Little Puppy,” by Janette Sebring Lowrey.
experiences.
been found – I couldn’t stop smiling. In a society — Publisher’s Weekly 2000
Photos by Wesley Krieger Just the idea of someone finding a where mystery
book that was once mine makes me
 Campus Life
Administration Spotlight: CEO/ Local Artist Recognized
Principal, Dr. Ilene Straus By The
Molly Parent had always been more interested
in abstract art, says that she
work of local artist Jill stumbled upon the theme of “Bo-
By Megan Healey organization. know that their principal wanted to Sykes transformed Roberts Art tanical Meditations” when her
TS: What made you come to be here. Gallery into a vibrant botanical studio was being remodeled and
The position of a Chief Educa- Samo? TS: What were you doing before garden on Thurs., Sept. 19 from she was oil painting on the floor.
tional Officer (CEO) is one of the IS: I knew that it was time to do you were at Lincoln? 6:30 to 9 p.m. The art exhibit, “I was interested in folds and twists
many new developments that something new. . . I thought about IS: I spent 14 and a half years titled “Botanical Meditations,” and funny shapes,” she said. “I
Samo’s administration has under- being Assistant Superintendent be- working in elementary schools and displays Sykes’ oil paintings of found I really liked long, skinny
gone this year. Dr. Ilene Straus, cause then I could help all the 16 years in middle school. So now various plant life, featuring leaves stems and the negative space be-
former principal of Lincoln Middle schools improve instruction. So I high school. It’s interesting, you and flowers in abstract colors and tween the leaves, and I realized
School, recipient of California’s applied for that, and I got the job, don’t usually find someone that textures. The exhibit, which will that what I had capped into was
Secondary Principal of the Year but they couldn’t find someone for has all three levels of experience. be displayed in the art gallery actually the way I’d always seen
Award, 1991 YWCA Woman of the Samo. So the superintendent said TS: Where did you go to col- until Oct. 10, attracted many stu- things.”
Year, and mother of two Samo to me, “I really need you to go to lege? dents, teachers, and parents. Sykes is grateful for the oppor-
graduates, has been appointed IS: My bachelor’s is from Many were impressed by tunity to share her art with the
the position. Under Straus’ lead- UCLA so I am a Bruin, and my Sykes’ work. “I love her colors. Samo community. “I find that
ership, Lincoln Middle School doctor’s is from USC. Except I Everything just kind of blends. being around other artists creates
was merited as a National Blue never root for the Trojans in a That’s something I’ve been try- such a great environment,” she
Ribbon School, a State Distin- football game. ing to do,” said Brenda Ponton, a said. She hopes that everyone
guished School, and Disney’s TS: Do you like to travel? senior art student at Samo. will be able to take something
School of the Year. The Samohi IS: I love to travel. Last Christ- “I’m one of those weirdos. . .I personal away from the exhibit. “I
recently sat down with Straus to mas I did a bicycle trip through always knew what I wanted to don’t want someone to take one
get to know her better and to Vietnam. It was amazing. . . I also do,” said Sykes. Her formal art look and say ‘Oh, that’s nice’ and
discuss the effect she plans to went to Machu Picchu and to the training includes experience at move on…I believe that if you
have on the Samo community in Galapagos Islands. You can al- Santa Monica College and Otis can look at something on the wall
the coming years. ways expect me to be on some Art Institute in Los Angeles, and day after day…and it makes you
kind of trip over break. It makes she currently has her own open happy, then it’s a successful
The Samohi: What exactly my life interesting and it makes it studio in Hollywood. Sykes, who piece.”
does the role of CEO entail? CEO/Principal Ilene Straus at her desk. not all about work.
Ilene Straus: The CEO’s job TS: What do you like to do for,
is to guide the vision of the entire Photo by Alex Leitner say, a Saturday night date?
school, to be the Public Rela- IS: I like going to the theater,
tions person, to work with the ad- Santa Monica High School. You to concerts, to restaurants, and to
ministrative team, and to ensure can’t tell me no.” movies. Actually, the thing you
that we are effective. I’m in charge TS: Did you think about saying should know about me is that I like
of the whole organization much as no? variety.
the superintendent is in charge of IS: They’ve asked me a lot to TS: What else do you do in your
the whole school district. come here over the years, four times free time?
TS: Where did the term “CEO” actually. . . It just seemed to be the IS: I teach graduate school: el-
come from? right time, and it seemed like the ementary and secondary adminis-
IS: Superintendent [John] Deasy right work. Principals make the tration. I’m committed to this pro-
came up with that. . . If you think difference in schools. It’s not the fession and I’m committed to kids;
about it, we’re 3,400 kids, so a right job for everybody, but for the I like working in schools, but I also
[CEO] is not just the principal. It is right people, it’s a great job. I think like my life. I tried rock climbing
a role [similar to] a CEO over a huge that it’s important to let people this summer. It scared the daylights

Campus Life Briefs

out of me. . . When I got up the 120- Artist Jill Skyes poses in front of one of her abstract oil paintings at
foot canyon, I couldn’t believe it. her art exhibit entitled “Botanical Meditations.”
It’s like Samo: climbing up one
Staff Member Wins Big Bucks On Game Show step at a time and eventually get- Photo by Molly Parent
ting to the top.
By Donielle Hatcher

Senior Office Specialist Abi Medes, along with 14 other Samo staff Samo Math Teacher Takes a
Swing Against Breast Cancer
members, participated in the long-running hit TV game show “The
Price is Right” on Sept. 6. Medes won over $76,000 in prizes, which
included a refigerator, boat, off-road bike, and bar accessories.
Medes heard of the taping from a co-worker, Ninth Grade Advisor By Adam Siegel Mammograms can be expensive, “The whole Samo faculty and staff
Kelly Luddy. Luddy had recently recieved a memo inviting her and and the money raised at the tour- was incredibly supportive,” said
14 guests to the taping of the game show. Samo Geometry Teacher Ari nament will help pay for the cost McGee. “They were there for
On the show, Medes was the first contestant announced to get a Marken took up the fight against of mammograms for women who me…and if you have to go through
chance to play. She had a wonderful time. “It was great, we had a lot breast cancer on Sept. 21 by play- cannot afford them. this, it made it almost okay.”
of fun...I just had a feeling that my name was going to be called,” said ing 50 games of tennis over the Having an aunt with breast Although the tennis players
Medes. No one else from Medes’ party was called to participate course of the day at the Westside cancer made Marken aware of the were there for a serious reason,
onstage. Challenge to Beat Breast Cancer. disease, and motivated his in- they still enjoyed themselves thor-
This episode of “The Price is Right” will air in mid-October. The event, in its fifth year, took volvement in the event. Marken, oughly. “It’s doubles, it’s fun...
place at the Los Angeles Tennis a Minnesota native who has I’m having a good time... and it’s
College Representatives To Visit Samo Center on the UCLA campus. played tennis for 10 years, also what I want to do anyway: play 50
By David Ginsburg Marken raised $950 with the cited Administrative Assistant games of tennis on Saturday,” said
help of his sponsors, many of Leslee McGee as an inspiration Marken. The Westside Challenge
As a way to inform students and parents about various college options, whom work at Samo. The money for him to play, since she, too, had to Beat Breast Cancer raised a lot
Samo’s annual College Fair will take place Tuesday, Oct. 15 in the South will fund low-cost mammography the disease. “My aunt…and of money, and local health ser-
Gym. screenings at the Santa Monica- Leslee McGee are on the plaque vices are sure to benefit greatly
Representatives from over 100 colleges nationwide will be available UCLA Medical Center. The event outside [the tennis court], and I’m from it.
to speak with students and offer them various written materials that provide has raised over $100,000 in past playing for these people,” said
additional information about their colleges. years, and this year’s event was Marken.
The College Center and the PTSA are jointly sponsoring the College planned to be the biggest ever in McGee was
Fair. Parent Volunteers Lynn Naliboff and Chris Thornton are serving as terms of donations. touched by
co-chairs for the event. College Counselors Clara Beard and Ada Hollie The “Challenge” organizers Marken’s ges-
are the Samo staff members in charge. Both counselors encourage students noted that, while one in nine ture, and had
to attend the event. “I think that it’s very important, not only for seniors, women will develop breast can- kind words to-
but for [all] students to begin the exploration of colleges,” said Hollie. cer during her life, the disease is wards Samo’s
Samo students will be allowed to enter the College Fair at different very curable when diagnosed staff, who were
times, early. One method of early detec- supportive and
depending upon their grade level. Seniors are allowed in at 7:00 p.m., tion is through a mammogram, a assisted her
juniors at 7:30 p.m., and sophomores and freshmen at 8:00 p.m. procedure in which breast tissue through her dif-
is x-rayed for possible lumps. ficult times.
 Sports — Page 7 The Samohi Oct. 4, 2002

Oscar De La Hoya’s Week Four NFL

Comeback Pure Gold R a n k i n g s
By Angela Gonzalez Having had more experience in the ring. In the 11th round of By Tim Livingston and then blow it like old times.
in boxing and more agility than the fight, De La Hoya was able to 16. Jacksonville Jaguars (2-1):
After being away from the ring Vargas resulted in a definite vic- knock out Vargas. Even though 1. New England Patriots (3-1): Mark Brunell is still playing foot-
for approximately 15 months, Os- tory for De La Hoya. De La Hoya’s De La Hoya’s energy subsided in Chargers finally slow them down, ball?
car De La Hoya demonstrated to overall record prior to the boxing the second round, he was still but that doesn’t mean they’re the 17. Pittsburgh Steelers (1-2):The
the entire boxing community that match against Vargas, was 35 wins able to inflict destructive punches better team. Steelers are riding the Bus about as
he is still a talented fighter. and two losses as opposed to on Vargas’ face. De La Hoya’s 2. Philadelphia Eagles (3-1): often as Bill Gates.
De La Hoya power and swiftness proved to David “Green” Akers’ left leg is the 18. Atlanta Falcons (1-2): IfIever
has never had be too overwhelming for most prized body part in the NFL. startedmyownreligion,MichaelVick
such a strong de- Vargas. In the last minute of the 3. San Diego Chargers (4-0): would be its God.
sire to win. Hav- 11th round, De La Hoya’s in- Chargers wanted a bad boy image, so 19. Kansas City Chiefs (2-2):
ing lost his pre- tense power punches caused they asked Curtis to show them the Priest Holmes scores touchdowns.
vious two fights Referee Joe Cortez to stop the Conway. 20. Arizona Cardinals (2-2): This
against Felix fight,while keeping Vargas 4.OaklandRaiders(3-0):Q.How team proves that simply living in
Trinidad and from facing further destruc- do you make a team known for its Arizona is a Cardinal sin.
Shane Mosley, tion. dirtiness even dirtier? A. Bill 21. Baltimore Ravens (1-2):Un-
De La Hoya ab- De La Hoya’s absence from Romanowski. like the last couple of years, this team
solutely refused the boxing ring assisted him in 5. Denver Broncos (3-1): Not a has more holes than a box of Cheerios.
to lose another regaining strength and speed lot of flair, they just know how to win. 22. N.Y. Giants (2-2): Tight End
boxing match. once again. His intensive train- 6. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (3- Jeremy Shockey is the reason parents
Even though De ing indeed paid off in the 11th 1): Finally the great Warren Sapp don’t want their kids playing foot-
La Hoya was round of the match. Not only backs up his talk about how incred- ball.
slandered about did De La Hoya defeat Vargas, ible he is. 23.TennesseeTitans(1-3): When
his ability to but he also proved that despite 7. Miami Dolphins (3-1): They describing the Titans I would use
fight by his op- the scrutiny he received from have a sissy name, so Zach Thomas several expletives, but I don’t like to
ponent Fernando Vargas, De La Vargas, whose overall record was Vargas, De La Hoya was able to makes sure to remind everyone they Kearse.
Hoya took a hold of the criticism only 22 wins and two losses. De prove his fighting capability, should be the Dominant Dolphins of 24. Dallas Cowboys (2-2): The
and used it as a mental mecha- La Hoya’s experience of fighting while savoring every last bit of Death. cheerleaders make $50.00 a game
nism to defeat Vargas. Not only more opponents than Vargas, is his victory. De La Hoya proved 8. Green Bay Packers (3-1): and the players are millionaires—
did De La Hoya want to disprove the primary reason for his suc- that he has not lost his golden Favre’snewfavoritetargethasputthe who’s judging the talent?
Vargas’assumptions, he also cess. Another contributing factor touch or his irresistible looks. Pack in the Driver’s seat. 25. N.Y. Jets (1-3): Vinny
wanted to prove his talent. for De La Hoya, was his quickness 9. New Orleans Saints (3-1): Testaverde should have retired…
Aaron Brooks almost has as much when he left Miami University.

New Coach Hopeful for Girls Golf

potential as his cousin, Michael Vick. 26.WashingtonRedskins(1-2):
10. Carolina Panthers (3-1): Spurrier is finding it hard to win with
Could Rodney Peete be the next a team that finds stocks more interest-
By Jacob Honig has been in years. In addition, Basketball team for two years, and Steve Beuerlein for the Panthers? ing than rap music. (They’re really
sophomore standout Amandala is an avid golfer himself. 11. San Francisco 49ers (2-1): old).
After a year-long break, the Lady McKwright has been consistently The team has already gotten off The only guy with panache is Terrell 27. St. Louis Rams (0-4): Backto
Linksters are back in action with a scoring in the upper 30’s and low to an impressive 2-0 start defeating Owens. The rest of their guys should the days of Jim Everett.
new coach and an all-around solid 40’s. league rival Mira Costa in two be riding in the back of a Hearst. 28. Seattle Seahawks (1-3):You
team. The girls feel that they are Head Coach Marty Verdugo straight matches on Sept. 24 and 12. Chicago Bears (2-2): Da know you’re in trouble when Trent
ready to compete in a challenging hopes to guide the team to victory Sept. 26. Notable performances in- Bears Brian Urlacher would deck his Dilfer is supposed to lead you to the
Ocean League competitions. in his first year coaching and is clude rounds of 42 and 47 by own mother if she was in the oppos- promised land.
Led by senior Co-captains Laura hopeful about the Lady Linksters’ McKwright, as well as an opening ing team’s jersey. 29. Detroit Lions (1-3): At least
Skowland and Jessica Bergman, and chances. “I am very excited for this round score of 42 by Vatjaranuruk. 13.IndianapolisColts(2-1):NFL Harrington to Hakim is better than
assisted by juniors Meagan Lamb, season. The girls are enthusiastic This year’s Lady Linksters are has instituted a 15-yard penalty ev- Batch to Moore .
Jarin Somboonsup, and Irene and work extremely hard,” said off to a great start in league and look ery time Edgerrin James opens up his 30. Minnesota Vikings (0-4):Las
Vatjaranuruk, the Lady Linksters Verdugo of this year’s squad. to extend their winning streak. mouth. Vegas has announced the Culpepper
are the strongest that the golf team Verdugo coached Samo’s Boys 14. Buffalo Bills (2-2):Whocares vs. Moss fight will have Dante fa-
if they’re good? Its not like they’re vored at 3-1 odds.
Young Lady Netters Struggle ever going to win a super bowl any-
way.
31.CincinnatiBengals(0-4): The
poor residents of Cincinnati are stuck

for Success in Ocean League

15.ClevelandBrowns(2-2):This with the choice to either watch the
year, the Browns may be good Bengals or the Reds.
enough to make it to the playoffs… 32. Houston Texans (1-3): No
By Calanit Greenberg discouraged. The next day they ship with the un- comment.
proved victorious over Inglewood derclassmen. Be-
This year, the Girls’ Tennis sea- High School with a close10-8 win. cause of this,
son begins with a rough transition Fortunately for the Lady Netters, we’re able to in-
from last year. With the loss of the match against Inglewood was spire eachother
seven varsity members, which in- the first match to count towards and build unity,”
cludes five league. said Yi.
key graduated Following Coach Anto-
seniors, the a pattern of im- nio Robertson is
girls will be provement, hopeful about the
forced to work Samo beat girls’ overall po-
much harder if Palos Verdes tential as com-
they hope to with a 12-6 win petitors and for
stand a chance on Sept. 24. their improve-
in league Their next ment. “Now that
matches. league com- we have players
Although petitor was sup- taking practice
Samo has posed to be more seriously,
taken a step Morningside, we’re playing
down from the but its school better in the
Bay League to cut the tennis games,” said
the Ocean program. Robertson.“Every
League, the Sophomore Mackenzie Snyder Led by se- week that we play
lack of varsity swings to score against Palos niors Christine and practice we’ll
e x p e r i e n c e Verdes on Sept. 24. Yi, Lexi continue to im-
has proven to Photo by Alex Leitner Guiner, Joanna prove. By the
be a challenge Turlik, and time playoffs
this season. Tough losses of 0-18 to number one player sophomore Alex come around,
Palisades High School on Sept.17, Khoury, the Lady Netters are striv- we’ll be a well-
and 6-12 to Malibu High School ing for unity. “I think [us seniors] oiled machine.”
on Sept. 18, did not leave the girls have a really good, strong relation-
 Sports
Vikings 2-1; Opponents Reeling
By Jonathan Lee oriented team that ran 37 times and lowed junior Tito Simmons to pick the the long run. mage, and Palisades scored their only
attemptedonly15passes,Samolooked ball up and race 37 yards for the score. Luckily, Samo was able to bounce touchdown on a fluke fumble return.
As the fog settled over Santa lost and confused until the final quar- After a failed two-point conversion, back the next week against a Palisades The 20-9 Samo victory was more over-
Monica College’s Corsair Field on ter. Cornerbacks were team starting sopho- whelming than the score makes it out
Friday, Sept. 20th,astrongsenseofrelief beaten consistently in more Robert Ambers at to be.
washed over the Samo football team. single coverage, and the quarterback.Samo’sde- Bringing a 1-1 record onto a hostile
After a nail-biting 24-32 defeat at the safeties often provided no fensemadeAmberslook Venice field, the offense came together
hands of La Costa Canyon the previous relief. Despite the best ef- like a sophomore, pick- for the first time, with Gonzalez mov-
Friday, Samo held a 20-9 lead as the forts of Badillo and ing off two passes and ingthechainson169yardsandJohnson
clock ticked down in the final minutes Hamze,whocombinedfor forcing five punts. contributing with 34. Gonzalez left
of the fourth quarter. For the first time, 33 tackles, the La Costa Hamze, Badillo, and many a mark and bruise on the Venice
Samo resembled the team that won the running backs gained 201 Gonzalez were the most defenders as he scored on runs of 2, 19,
Division X championship last year. yards, zig-zagging active defenders, stuff- and 31 yards. Helmy caught a 19 yard
Samo’s execution carried over to through the defense as if ing runs up the middle TD, the benefactor of a rejuvenated
their Sept. 27th gameatVenice,inwhich they were in a video game. and bringing down Johnson,whocompleted10of18passes
Samo edged out a dramatic 28-27 vic- On the few occasions that tossesforshortandnega- for 110 yards and, most importantly, no
tory decided in the final seconds of the La Costa did put the ball in tive yardage. Ambers interceptions.
game. the air, employing vari- was hurried into throw- The game was decided in the final
Versatilerunningbacks,alongwith ous post routes and cor- ing inaccurate and wob- minutes. After numerous Samo penal-
the exceptional play of Samo’s ners, they were successful, bly passes that, if he had ties gave Venice second and third
linebacking corps, have made up for completing 8 out of 15 more time, would have chances at scoring, Venice capitalized
spectacular but at times inconsistent and setting up touchdown been easily completed. and made the score 28-27. They then
quarterback play. Senior tailback and runs. Gonzalez bull- faced a difficult decision: easily tack
linebackerAdrianGonzalezhasrushed In contrast, Samo was dozed opponents and on an extra point for a tied game or go
50 times for 326 yards and five touch- clearly devastated by the Samo lines up against La Costa on Sept. 13th. routinely dragged three for two and the win. Venice decided on
downs,whileinspiringthedefensewith lack of experience on both Photo by Lauren Brydon or four defenders on his the latter, but as the QB rolled out and
his senior counterparts Zeido Hamze sides of the ball. First-year way to 149 yards and attempted to dive into the endzone, his
and Abraham Badillo. Senior quarter- starter Johnson was picked off three Samo was still behind 24-25. The de- twotouchdowns.Samo’sveryfirstdrive Samo counterpart, Johnson, stopped
back Ricky Johnson has passed for 424 times and completed just three passes fense crumbled and allowed yet an- consisted of just 10 plays, ending in the him and preserved the victory.
yards, but five costly interceptions have in the second half. other touchdown to extend the lead 32- hands of Gonzalez, who burst through Sporting a 2-1 record and a team
offset three touchdown passes. Wide Following a TD run by senior 24. With the game on the line, Samo’s a small hole for a 20 yard TD. Senior that is starting to realize its full poten-
receiverPaulHelmyhashelpedtomake tailback Chris Clay, Samo faced a 18- next two possessions ended on an over- quarterbackChrisChristiansharedtime tial, Samo is looking forward to a suc-
his senior year a good one by grabbing 25 deficit in the fourth quarter. Senior thrown pass on fourth down and an with Johnson and completed five of cessful season. Samo is hoping that the
all four of Samo’s passing touchdowns. defensive back Kai Oredugba stripped interception. The set of plays character- eight passes for 77 yards and a 22 yard Palisades and Venice games are some
Facing La Costa Canyon, a run- a La Costa running back, which al- ized the game; just when Samo got TD to Helmy. indication of what lies ahead. Samo
close, some mistake proved costly in Samo dominated the line of scrim- faces Claremont at SMC today at 7 pm.

Girls Volleyball Digging Submerged in Victories

Into a Difficult League
By Tim Livingston 94 goals this year, but Flanders
knows that, "in order for us to
The boys water polo team has win, everybody has to contribute;
By Lisa Strumwasser sophomores Jade Chakon, Milan Clark, Spikers in three sets. Redondo hosted
jumped out to a 6-1 start, losing it has to be a team effort."
and Akilah Bledsoe. the Lady Spikers last Friday, Sept. 27, only to a strong San Marino team This is the reason the various
The girls volleyball team began its In its pre-season tournament at North and also won their game in three sets. (10-1) in the championship game contributions from seniors Max
league season last week with a pre- Torrance on Sept. 21 the team played The team came close to a win on Oct. 1 of the Bell Gardens Tournament. Baumgarten, Daniel Bald, Danny
season record of 0-3 and now boasts an against La Marada, San Gabrielle, and when it played El Segundo away, and The emergence of this year’s Maryanov, John Moore, and
0-3 record in league. Chadwick, losing two games out of lost in four matches. team as a genuine contender has juniors Noel Goetz and Colin
Captained by senior setter Lindsay three in each match. With many new faces in the starting Head Coach Matt Flanders say- Lennington have been vital to the
Ebata and outside hitter Florence In league games, the team faced two line-up, the team must come together ing, "This team has the possibil- team's success. Moore missed the
Kinslow, the Lady Spikers hold onto prominent teams: Peninsula and Mira early for a successful season. Given the ity to be as good as the CIF first five games recovering from
two prominent players for the 2002 Costa. On Sept. 23, Samo played competition the team has faced, Samo championship team three years surgery, which was related to a
season. Other strong players include Peninsula and lost in three sets. Two continues to learn from past games and ago." Led by seniors Fernando car accident he was the victim of
senior Hitana Vanmelle-Seaton and days later nationally ranked Mira Costa preservere through competitive games. Navarette (All-Bay League sec- last year, but has battled back to
junior Amy Kearsley, and returning came to Samo and handily beat the Lady ond team selection last year) and give the team a little extra fire-

Cross Country Speeding Gregory Cruz, the team fought

out a 15-9 victory over a rival
Bell Gardens team that was ranked
power. Baumgarten, Maryanov,
Goetz, and Lennington have been
solid in every aspect of the game,
By Hanna Jacobsen Dexter Fairweather, junior ners are seniors Amanda Hutt fifth among Division III teams in and Bald has been strong defend-
Chris Chavez, and sophomore and Bahar Yaghoubian, junior the Southern Section, until ing the goal.
With only four meets un- Yermie Cohen returning, the Nilou Assar, sophomores Samo’s victory moved them to "We're the dark horse team in
der their belt, the members of boys have an excellent chance Stephanie Thornton, Anna 10th in the poll (Santa Monica is our division, but I predict we'll
the cross-country team have at achieving their goal. The Nabel and Kathleen Wu, and currently ninth). make CIF," said Flanders. The
already proven themselves desired course is for “every- freshman Miriam Rubenson. The main ingredient in the “dark horse” team? With such an
powerful and speedy enough one to run together in a pack,” The girls took seventh place team's success so far this season impressive start and wins over
to take on the competition. said boys’ coach Tania at the South Bay Classic, can be directly linked to the some very credible opponents,
The varsity boys have al- Fischer. She explains, “We are ahead of their main competi- Greenies well-balanced team the boys water polo team is still
ready made a name for them- getting closer to getting our tor Redondo Union. Thornton that has shown no holes in their not considered a powerhouse. Of
first eight games. Navarette, course, maybe it will be good to
selves by taking third place in top seven [runners] under led the team again with a 19:30
Cruz, and junior Jacob Honig lay low for a while-until the CIF
both the South Bay Classic 16:30,” a time that will be finish, good for 24th place,
have accounted for 69 of the team's championship game.
(overall) and the Woodbridge competitive at the state level followed by Ishler at 20:12
Cross-Country Invitational and which has been surpassed and Nabel in 20:39. Most re-
(senior division). They most already by Chavez’s blazing cently, the girls took first in
recently swept first through 15:37 finish in the competi- the league meet, barely inch-
third place and the overall win tive South Bay Classic. ing past Redondo Union, with
in their first league meet. In- The varsity girls took 14th Thornton leading the pack.
juries have plauged the team, place at their first meet on Girls Coach Pat Cady said,
but they seem confident. Se- Sept. 13 at Santa Buenaventura “I’m really pleased with the
nior team captain Jacob Park in Ventura, where sopho- performance of the team, but
Zukerman, who is returning more Stephanie Thornton led we’ve given RU a big incen-
from a tendon strain, said con- the team with a speedy 19:30 tive for the second league meet
fidently: “[The team] will win time en route to a 10th place when we run on their home
Ocean League for sure. We finish in the sophomore girls’ course.” Nonetheless, the girls
are looking to do well at CIF division. Close behind were are aiming for the Ocean
in a month. The ultimate goal returning starters senior League title, and with their The boys water polo team eyes a victory against Bell Gardens on
is to make it to the CIF fi- Stephanie Ishler and juniors fast times and determination, Sept. 18th.
nals.” With seniors Phillip Julia Pratt and Lucy it seems their goal will be Photo by Wesley Krieger
Brunk, Kemal Cilengir, and Fairweather. New varsity run- met.
 Opinion
Bush Serves Up Texas-Style Diplomacy
By Jason Islas weapons of mass destruction capa- threat to the world by allegedly confirm whether or not the alleged their allies in the dark.
bilities.” This fear has been the developing nuclear and biologi- weapons program actually exists. America is risking alienation
The impending conflict with impetus behind America’s new ag- cal weapons. But according to With stakes so high as a military from the United Nations and many
Iraq spells disaster for America gressive attitude towards nations BBC Correspondent Paul venture in an incredibly volatile Middle Eastern countries by what
and the world. Based on little in the Middle Eastern region. How- Reynolds, the dossier Blair pre- region, it seems hasty to fight a war many see as a witch-hunt. The con-
more than assumption, President ever, Democratic Senate Majority sented is weak in supporting the without any real intelligence. cept of “preemptive defense” is a
George W. Bush is leading Leader Tom Daschle, told the BBC idea that Iraq is a severe threat. America will suffer more than product of Bush’s paranoia about
America down a dan- homeland defense,
gerous path of vio- and inexperience in
lence. foreign affairs. Never
Bush has picked before in history has
up the baton where America declared war
his father, Bush Sr., because of what
dropped it several amounts to a mere
years ago. The out- hunch or assumption.
come of the Gulf War Bush needs to learn
left Bush Sr. unable that his last name is
to depose Iraqi Presi- not a license to kill in
dent Saddam the Middle East.
Hussein. Instead, Now, Bush is push-
Bush Sr., in coopera- ing for executive
tion with the United power from the UN and
Nations, imposed that Bush’s cabinet has failed to Reynolds wrote for the BBC, “The just human casualties in this war. Congress to instigate what prom-
various weapons manufacturing produce any proof linking Al weakness of [this report] is that So far Russia and France, two na- ises to be a massive conflict in the
and human rights resolutions on Qaeda to Hussein. nobody actually knows what is tions with veto power in the Secu- already volatile Middle East. If
Iraq, the majority of which Hussein Hoping to gather support for going on inside [Iraq’s] factories. rity Council, have voiced opposi- America wants to save the world
has failed to comply with. military action against Iraq, Brit- And the report acknowledges that tion to England and America’s im- from malignant terrorism, a brash
Secretary of Defense Donald ish Prime Minister Tony Blair re- the factories can also be used for patient desire to use force and their invasion, without the world’s sup-
Rumsfeld told The New York cently approached the United Na- benign industrial purposes.” In all aggressive attitude towards those port, does not seem to be the first
Times, “We have what we con- tions Security Council with an out- their war rhetoric, Blair and Bush who oppose their actions. With logical step.
sider to be credible evidence that line of intelligence on Iraq’s weap- forgot to point out that the threat to their lack of intelligence support-
Al Qaeda have sought contacts in ons program. He claims, along peace they claim Hussein poses is ing their claim for war, America
Iraq who could help them acquire with Bush, that Iraq poses a serious based on intelligence that cannot and England have left many of

Top 5 ways to Prevent Un-Ameri-

can Activities (Terrorism) at Samo
By Carl Lisberger

1. Give all faculty members cute, yellow I.D. badges with

their picture on them. This will prevent terrorists from infiltrat-
ing Samo and teaching the students. Also, if teachers or faculty
ever suffer from amnesia, they need only look down to their lapel
to be given a friendly reminder of who they are.
2. Say the Pledge of Allegiance several times a day. The
pledge will reinforce the greatness of our nation, thus creating
an atmosphere unsuitable for terrorists, who hate freedom.
Students will have a daily reminder that our nation is still under
God.
3. Make parking so unavailable that terrorists are not able to
park their terror-mobiles close enough to school to attack.
4. Have many unnecessary construction projects going on at
the same time. Big, loud construction workers will take over the
entire science quad and many of the senior parking spaces, thus
scaring off terrorists.

Advisers Better Than Ever

By Brittany Benjamin classes one needs. Instead, stu- there. From past experiences I
5. Create many new positions, give administrators multiple
titles, and shuffle around offices. There is nothing more Ameri-
dents sit in class and get the worried that I would be spend- can than overly complicated bureaucracy.
With all the changes in the information they need for a suc- ing whole afternoons sit-
administration this year, there is cessful year. Everything works ting in the counseling of-
one department that stands out: out smoother when one’s sched- fice. Upon popping my
the Student Support Department. ule is correct, and this we owe to head into her office the
Much of the scheduling chaos the behind-the-scenes work of week before school be-
that we escaped this year is due the new advisers. gan, however, I found that
to their long hours at the other- The new advisers were very she’d come through. Al- Alumni Subscriptions
wise unorganized registration approachable this year, as well. though she was busy, she Editor-in-Chief...............................David Ginsburg $20.00 PER YEAR
and their work the week before Their offices seemed consistently found time to tell me she Managing Editor........................Lisa Strumwasser Published biweekly during the school
school began. Despite the ex- open, and if one couldn’t talk in had made the changes I News Editor.................Rebecca Beasley-Cockroft year by the Associated Student Body of
citement that always comes with person, than an e-mail or phone requested. Surprised, I Opinion Editor...............................Carl Lisberger Santa Monica High School, 601 Pico
a new year, the twelve Student call did the trick for many. “Ef- had to sit down; never Feature Editor................................Daniel Morgan Blvd., Santa Monica, CA. 90405. Un-
Support Advisers kept their cool ficient” seemed to be the word of before had anyone been Special Report Editor..............Brittany Benjamin signed editorials reflect the opinions of
and worked efficiently to get scheduling. Many kids never so successful at getting Campus Life Editor..........................Sunil Parekh
students’ schedules fixed quickly even got called back in to discuss my schedule fixed so eas- Sports Editors...................................Jonathan Lee
Calanit Greenberg
and with minimal hassle, all the the change; their request was ily and effortlessly on my Staff
Photo Editor..............................Alexandra Leitner
while with a happy and helpful granted by the next day without part.
Michael Blackman, Lauren Brydon,
disposition. any hassle. There was no mov- Although many stu- Ad Editor...........................................Sonia Sohaili Gina Corso, Justin Dean, India
Most students will admit that ing up the administration ladder dents do not think about Copy Editors.....................................Emily Ferrell Donaldson, Peter Egziabher, Angela
the first week of school is easier to someone who could grant the the work done at the coun- Gonzalez, Donielle Hatcher, Megan
Healey, Jacob Honig, Jason Islas,
when all of their classes are overload you needed; it was just seling office, perhaps Hanna Jacobsen, Samantha
correct. There’s no walking into taken care of. they should this year. If Johnston, Wesley Krieger, Tim
a strange classroom that one Most years it’s very difficult your schedule was fixed Livingston, Christian McCovery,
Rosa Ordaz, Molly Parent, Adam
knows one won’t be attending for me to get the schedule I need, in record time, perhaps a Siegel, Hannah Tepper, Ava Tramer,
in a week’s time. There’s no but this wasn’t the case this fall. nice word to the new ad- Michael Zinshteyn
dread of going to the counseling At registration I found my ad- visers would be good—
building, where one knows there viser, showed her the problem, they’re obviously work-
will be hours of talking to vari- and then left figuring on the first ing hard to meet students’
ous people just trying to take the day of school it would still be needs.
 Sports
Vikings 2-1; Opponents Reeling
By Jonathan Lee oriented team that ran 37 times and lowed junior Tito Simmons to pick the the long run. mage, and Palisades scored their only
attemptedonly15passes,Samolooked ball up and race 37 yards for the score. Luckily, Samo was able to bounce touchdown on a fluke fumble return.
As the fog settled over Santa lost and confused until the final quar- After a failed two-point conversion, back the next week against a Palisades The 20-9 Samo victory was more over-
Monica College’s Corsair Field on ter. Cornerbacks were team starting sopho- whelming than the score makes it out
Friday, Sept. 20th,astrongsenseofrelief beaten consistently in more Robert Ambers at to be.
washed over the Samo football team. single coverage, and the quarterback.Samo’sde- Bringing a 1-1 record onto a hostile
After a nail-biting 24-32 defeat at the safeties often provided no fensemadeAmberslook Venice field, the offense came together
hands of La Costa Canyon the previous relief. Despite the best ef- like a sophomore, pick- for the first time, with Gonzalez mov-
Friday, Samo held a 20-9 lead as the forts of Badillo and ing off two passes and ingthechainson169yardsandJohnson
clock ticked down in the final minutes Hamze,whocombinedfor forcing five punts. contributing with 34. Gonzalez left
of the fourth quarter. For the first time, 33 tackles, the La Costa Hamze, Badillo, and many a mark and bruise on the Venice
Samo resembled the team that won the running backs gained 201 Gonzalez were the most defenders as he scored on runs of 2, 19,
Division X championship last year. yards, zig-zagging active defenders, stuff- and 31 yards. Helmy caught a 19 yard
Samo’s execution carried over to through the defense as if ing runs up the middle TD, the benefactor of a rejuvenated
their Sept. 27th gameatVenice,inwhich they were in a video game. and bringing down Johnson,whocompleted10of18passes
Samo edged out a dramatic 28-27 vic- On the few occasions that tossesforshortandnega- for 110 yards and, most importantly, no
tory decided in the final seconds of the La Costa did put the ball in tive yardage. Ambers interceptions.
game. the air, employing vari- was hurried into throw- The game was decided in the final
Versatilerunningbacks,alongwith ous post routes and cor- ing inaccurate and wob- minutes. After numerous Samo penal-
the exceptional play of Samo’s ners, they were successful, bly passes that, if he had ties gave Venice second and third
linebacking corps, have made up for completing 8 out of 15 more time, would have chances at scoring, Venice capitalized
spectacular but at times inconsistent and setting up touchdown been easily completed. and made the score 28-27. They then
quarterback play. Senior tailback and runs. Gonzalez bull- faced a difficult decision: easily tack
linebackerAdrianGonzalezhasrushed In contrast, Samo was dozed opponents and on an extra point for a tied game or go
50 times for 326 yards and five touch- clearly devastated by the Samo lines up against La Costa on Sept. 13th. routinely dragged three for two and the win. Venice decided on
downs,whileinspiringthedefensewith lack of experience on both Photo by Lauren Brydon or four defenders on his the latter, but as the QB rolled out and
his senior counterparts Zeido Hamze sides of the ball. First-year way to 149 yards and attempted to dive into the endzone, his
and Abraham Badillo. Senior quarter- starter Johnson was picked off three Samo was still behind 24-25. The de- twotouchdowns.Samo’sveryfirstdrive Samo counterpart, Johnson, stopped
back Ricky Johnson has passed for 424 times and completed just three passes fense crumbled and allowed yet an- consisted of just 10 plays, ending in the him and preserved the victory.
yards, but five costly interceptions have in the second half. other touchdown to extend the lead 32- hands of Gonzalez, who burst through Sporting a 2-1 record and a team
offset three touchdown passes. Wide Following a TD run by senior 24. With the game on the line, Samo’s a small hole for a 20 yard TD. Senior that is starting to realize its full poten-
receiverPaulHelmyhashelpedtomake tailback Chris Clay, Samo faced a 18- next two possessions ended on an over- quarterbackChrisChristiansharedtime tial, Samo is looking forward to a suc-
his senior year a good one by grabbing 25 deficit in the fourth quarter. Senior thrown pass on fourth down and an with Johnson and completed five of cessful season. Samo is hoping that the
all four of Samo’s passing touchdowns. defensive back Kai Oredugba stripped interception. The set of plays character- eight passes for 77 yards and a 22 yard Palisades and Venice games are some
Facing La Costa Canyon, a run- a La Costa running back, which al- ized the game; just when Samo got TD to Helmy. indication of what lies ahead. Samo
close, some mistake proved costly in Samo dominated the line of scrim- faces Claremont at SMC today at 7 pm.

Girls Volleyball Digging Submerged in Victories

Into a Difficult League
By Tim Livingston 94 goals this year, but Flanders
knows that, "in order for us to
The boys water polo team has win, everybody has to contribute;
By Lisa Strumwasser sophomores Jade Chakon, Milan Clark, Spikers in three sets. Redondo hosted
jumped out to a 6-1 start, losing it has to be a team effort."
and Akilah Bledsoe. the Lady Spikers last Friday, Sept. 27, only to a strong San Marino team This is the reason the various
The girls volleyball team began its In its pre-season tournament at North and also won their game in three sets. (10-1) in the championship game contributions from seniors Max
league season last week with a pre- Torrance on Sept. 21 the team played The team came close to a win on Oct. 1 of the Bell Gardens Tournament. Baumgarten, Daniel Bald, Danny
season record of 0-3 and now boasts an against La Marada, San Gabrielle, and when it played El Segundo away, and The emergence of this year’s Maryanov, John Moore, and
0-3 record in league. Chadwick, losing two games out of lost in four matches. team as a genuine contender has juniors Noel Goetz and Colin
Captained by senior setter Lindsay three in each match. With many new faces in the starting Head Coach Matt Flanders say- Lennington have been vital to the
Ebata and outside hitter Florence In league games, the team faced two line-up, the team must come together ing, "This team has the possibil- team's success. Moore missed the
Kinslow, the Lady Spikers hold onto prominent teams: Peninsula and Mira early for a successful season. Given the ity to be as good as the CIF first five games recovering from
two prominent players for the 2002 Costa. On Sept. 23, Samo played competition the team has faced, Samo championship team three years surgery, which was related to a
season. Other strong players include Peninsula and lost in three sets. Two continues to learn from past games and ago." Led by seniors Fernando car accident he was the victim of
senior Hitana Vanmelle-Seaton and days later nationally ranked Mira Costa preservere through competitive games. Navarette (All-Bay League sec- last year, but has battled back to
junior Amy Kearsley, and returning came to Samo and handily beat the Lady ond team selection last year) and give the team a little extra fire-

Cross Country Speeding Gregory Cruz, the team fought

out a 15-9 victory over a rival
Bell Gardens team that was ranked
power. Baumgarten, Maryanov,
Goetz, and Lennington have been
solid in every aspect of the game,
By Hanna Jacobsen Dexter Fairweather, junior ners are seniors Amanda Hutt fifth among Division III teams in and Bald has been strong defend-
Chris Chavez, and sophomore and Bahar Yaghoubian, junior the Southern Section, until ing the goal.
With only four meets un- Yermie Cohen returning, the Nilou Assar, sophomores Samo’s victory moved them to "We're the dark horse team in
der their belt, the members of boys have an excellent chance Stephanie Thornton, Anna 10th in the poll (Santa Monica is our division, but I predict we'll
the cross-country team have at achieving their goal. The Nabel and Kathleen Wu, and currently ninth). make CIF," said Flanders. The
already proven themselves desired course is for “every- freshman Miriam Rubenson. The main ingredient in the “dark horse” team? With such an
powerful and speedy enough one to run together in a pack,” The girls took seventh place team's success so far this season impressive start and wins over
to take on the competition. said boys’ coach Tania at the South Bay Classic, can be directly linked to the some very credible opponents,
The varsity boys have al- Fischer. She explains, “We are ahead of their main competi- Greenies well-balanced team the boys water polo team is still
ready made a name for them- getting closer to getting our tor Redondo Union. Thornton that has shown no holes in their not considered a powerhouse. Of
first eight games. Navarette, course, maybe it will be good to
selves by taking third place in top seven [runners] under led the team again with a 19:30
Cruz, and junior Jacob Honig lay low for a while-until the CIF
both the South Bay Classic 16:30,” a time that will be finish, good for 24th place,
have accounted for 69 of the team's championship game.
(overall) and the Woodbridge competitive at the state level followed by Ishler at 20:12
Cross-Country Invitational and which has been surpassed and Nabel in 20:39. Most re-
(senior division). They most already by Chavez’s blazing cently, the girls took first in
recently swept first through 15:37 finish in the competi- the league meet, barely inch-
third place and the overall win tive South Bay Classic. ing past Redondo Union, with
in their first league meet. In- The varsity girls took 14th Thornton leading the pack.
juries have plauged the team, place at their first meet on Girls Coach Pat Cady said,
but they seem confident. Se- Sept. 13 at Santa Buenaventura “I’m really pleased with the
nior team captain Jacob Park in Ventura, where sopho- performance of the team, but
Zukerman, who is returning more Stephanie Thornton led we’ve given RU a big incen-
from a tendon strain, said con- the team with a speedy 19:30 tive for the second league meet
fidently: “[The team] will win time en route to a 10th place when we run on their home
Ocean League for sure. We finish in the sophomore girls’ course.” Nonetheless, the girls
are looking to do well at CIF division. Close behind were are aiming for the Ocean
in a month. The ultimate goal returning starters senior League title, and with their The boys water polo team eyes a victory against Bell Gardens on
is to make it to the CIF fi- Stephanie Ishler and juniors fast times and determination, Sept. 18th.
nals.” With seniors Phillip Julia Pratt and Lucy it seems their goal will be Photo by Wesley Krieger
Brunk, Kemal Cilengir, and Fairweather. New varsity run- met.
 Sports — Page 7 The Samohi Oct. 4, 2002

Oscar De La Hoya’s Week Four NFL

Comeback Pure Gold R a n k i n g s
By Angela Gonzalez Having had more experience in the ring. In the 11th round of By Tim Livingston and then blow it like old times.
in boxing and more agility than the fight, De La Hoya was able to 16. Jacksonville Jaguars (2-1):
After being away from the ring Vargas resulted in a definite vic- knock out Vargas. Even though 1. New England Patriots (3-1): Mark Brunell is still playing foot-
for approximately 15 months, Os- tory for De La Hoya. De La Hoya’s De La Hoya’s energy subsided in Chargers finally slow them down, ball?
car De La Hoya demonstrated to overall record prior to the boxing the second round, he was still but that doesn’t mean they’re the 17. Pittsburgh Steelers (1-2):The
the entire boxing community that match against Vargas, was 35 wins able to inflict destructive punches better team. Steelers are riding the Bus about as
he is still a talented fighter. and two losses as opposed to on Vargas’ face. De La Hoya’s 2. Philadelphia Eagles (3-1): often as Bill Gates.
De La Hoya power and swiftness proved to David “Green” Akers’ left leg is the 18. Atlanta Falcons (1-2): IfIever
has never had be too overwhelming for most prized body part in the NFL. startedmyownreligion,MichaelVick
such a strong de- Vargas. In the last minute of the 3. San Diego Chargers (4-0): would be its God.
sire to win. Hav- 11th round, De La Hoya’s in- Chargers wanted a bad boy image, so 19. Kansas City Chiefs (2-2):
ing lost his pre- tense power punches caused they asked Curtis to show them the Priest Holmes scores touchdowns.
vious two fights Referee Joe Cortez to stop the Conway. 20. Arizona Cardinals (2-2): This
against Felix fight,while keeping Vargas 4.OaklandRaiders(3-0):Q.How team proves that simply living in
Trinidad and from facing further destruc- do you make a team known for its Arizona is a Cardinal sin.
Shane Mosley, tion. dirtiness even dirtier? A. Bill 21. Baltimore Ravens (1-2):Un-
De La Hoya ab- De La Hoya’s absence from Romanowski. like the last couple of years, this team
solutely refused the boxing ring assisted him in 5. Denver Broncos (3-1): Not a has more holes than a box of Cheerios.
to lose another regaining strength and speed lot of flair, they just know how to win. 22. N.Y. Giants (2-2): Tight End
boxing match. once again. His intensive train- 6. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (3- Jeremy Shockey is the reason parents
Even though De ing indeed paid off in the 11th 1): Finally the great Warren Sapp don’t want their kids playing foot-
La Hoya was round of the match. Not only backs up his talk about how incred- ball.
slandered about did De La Hoya defeat Vargas, ible he is. 23.TennesseeTitans(1-3): When
his ability to but he also proved that despite 7. Miami Dolphins (3-1): They describing the Titans I would use
fight by his op- the scrutiny he received from have a sissy name, so Zach Thomas several expletives, but I don’t like to
ponent Fernando Vargas, De La Vargas, whose overall record was Vargas, De La Hoya was able to makes sure to remind everyone they Kearse.
Hoya took a hold of the criticism only 22 wins and two losses. De prove his fighting capability, should be the Dominant Dolphins of 24. Dallas Cowboys (2-2): The
and used it as a mental mecha- La Hoya’s experience of fighting while savoring every last bit of Death. cheerleaders make $50.00 a game
nism to defeat Vargas. Not only more opponents than Vargas, is his victory. De La Hoya proved 8. Green Bay Packers (3-1): and the players are millionaires—
did De La Hoya want to disprove the primary reason for his suc- that he has not lost his golden Favre’snewfavoritetargethasputthe who’s judging the talent?
Vargas’assumptions, he also cess. Another contributing factor touch or his irresistible looks. Pack in the Driver’s seat. 25. N.Y. Jets (1-3): Vinny
wanted to prove his talent. for De La Hoya, was his quickness 9. New Orleans Saints (3-1): Testaverde should have retired…
Aaron Brooks almost has as much when he left Miami University.

New Coach Hopeful for Girls Golf

potential as his cousin, Michael Vick. 26.WashingtonRedskins(1-2):
10. Carolina Panthers (3-1): Spurrier is finding it hard to win with
Could Rodney Peete be the next a team that finds stocks more interest-
By Jacob Honig has been in years. In addition, Basketball team for two years, and Steve Beuerlein for the Panthers? ing than rap music. (They’re really
sophomore standout Amandala is an avid golfer himself. 11. San Francisco 49ers (2-1): old).
After a year-long break, the Lady McKwright has been consistently The team has already gotten off The only guy with panache is Terrell 27. St. Louis Rams (0-4): Backto
Linksters are back in action with a scoring in the upper 30’s and low to an impressive 2-0 start defeating Owens. The rest of their guys should the days of Jim Everett.
new coach and an all-around solid 40’s. league rival Mira Costa in two be riding in the back of a Hearst. 28. Seattle Seahawks (1-3):You
team. The girls feel that they are Head Coach Marty Verdugo straight matches on Sept. 24 and 12. Chicago Bears (2-2): Da know you’re in trouble when Trent
ready to compete in a challenging hopes to guide the team to victory Sept. 26. Notable performances in- Bears Brian Urlacher would deck his Dilfer is supposed to lead you to the
Ocean League competitions. in his first year coaching and is clude rounds of 42 and 47 by own mother if she was in the oppos- promised land.
Led by senior Co-captains Laura hopeful about the Lady Linksters’ McKwright, as well as an opening ing team’s jersey. 29. Detroit Lions (1-3): At least
Skowland and Jessica Bergman, and chances. “I am very excited for this round score of 42 by Vatjaranuruk. 13.IndianapolisColts(2-1):NFL Harrington to Hakim is better than
assisted by juniors Meagan Lamb, season. The girls are enthusiastic This year’s Lady Linksters are has instituted a 15-yard penalty ev- Batch to Moore .
Jarin Somboonsup, and Irene and work extremely hard,” said off to a great start in league and look ery time Edgerrin James opens up his 30. Minnesota Vikings (0-4):Las
Vatjaranuruk, the Lady Linksters Verdugo of this year’s squad. to extend their winning streak. mouth. Vegas has announced the Culpepper
are the strongest that the golf team Verdugo coached Samo’s Boys 14. Buffalo Bills (2-2):Whocares vs. Moss fight will have Dante fa-
if they’re good? Its not like they’re vored at 3-1 odds.
Young Lady Netters Struggle ever going to win a super bowl any-
way.
31.CincinnatiBengals(0-4): The
poor residents of Cincinnati are stuck

for Success in Ocean League

15.ClevelandBrowns(2-2):This with the choice to either watch the
year, the Browns may be good Bengals or the Reds.
enough to make it to the playoffs… 32. Houston Texans (1-3): No
By Calanit Greenberg discouraged. The next day they ship with the un- comment.
proved victorious over Inglewood derclassmen. Be-
This year, the Girls’ Tennis sea- High School with a close10-8 win. cause of this,
son begins with a rough transition Fortunately for the Lady Netters, we’re able to in-
from last year. With the loss of the match against Inglewood was spire eachother
seven varsity members, which in- the first match to count towards and build unity,”
cludes five league. said Yi.
key graduated Following Coach Anto-
seniors, the a pattern of im- nio Robertson is
girls will be provement, hopeful about the
forced to work Samo beat girls’ overall po-
much harder if Palos Verdes tential as com-
they hope to with a 12-6 win petitors and for
stand a chance on Sept. 24. their improve-
in league Their next ment. “Now that
matches. league com- we have players
Although petitor was sup- taking practice
Samo has posed to be more seriously,
taken a step Morningside, we’re playing
down from the but its school better in the
Bay League to cut the tennis games,” said
the Ocean program. Robertson.“Every
League, the Sophomore Mackenzie Snyder Led by se- week that we play
lack of varsity swings to score against Palos niors Christine and practice we’ll
e x p e r i e n c e Verdes on Sept. 24. Yi, Lexi continue to im-
has proven to Photo by Alex Leitner Guiner, Joanna prove. By the
be a challenge Turlik, and time playoffs
this season. Tough losses of 0-18 to number one player sophomore Alex come around,
Palisades High School on Sept.17, Khoury, the Lady Netters are striv- we’ll be a well-
and 6-12 to Malibu High School ing for unity. “I think [us seniors] oiled machine.”
on Sept. 18, did not leave the girls have a really good, strong relation-
 Campus Life
Administration Spotlight: CEO/ Local Artist Recognized
Principal, Dr. Ilene Straus By The
Molly Parent had always been more interested
in abstract art, says that she
work of local artist Jill stumbled upon the theme of “Bo-
By Megan Healey organization. know that their principal wanted to Sykes transformed Roberts Art tanical Meditations” when her
TS: What made you come to be here. Gallery into a vibrant botanical studio was being remodeled and
The position of a Chief Educa- Samo? TS: What were you doing before garden on Thurs., Sept. 19 from she was oil painting on the floor.
tional Officer (CEO) is one of the IS: I knew that it was time to do you were at Lincoln? 6:30 to 9 p.m. The art exhibit, “I was interested in folds and twists
many new developments that something new. . . I thought about IS: I spent 14 and a half years titled “Botanical Meditations,” and funny shapes,” she said. “I
Samo’s administration has under- being Assistant Superintendent be- working in elementary schools and displays Sykes’ oil paintings of found I really liked long, skinny
gone this year. Dr. Ilene Straus, cause then I could help all the 16 years in middle school. So now various plant life, featuring leaves stems and the negative space be-
former principal of Lincoln Middle schools improve instruction. So I high school. It’s interesting, you and flowers in abstract colors and tween the leaves, and I realized
School, recipient of California’s applied for that, and I got the job, don’t usually find someone that textures. The exhibit, which will that what I had capped into was
Secondary Principal of the Year but they couldn’t find someone for has all three levels of experience. be displayed in the art gallery actually the way I’d always seen
Award, 1991 YWCA Woman of the Samo. So the superintendent said TS: Where did you go to col- until Oct. 10, attracted many stu- things.”
Year, and mother of two Samo to me, “I really need you to go to lege? dents, teachers, and parents. Sykes is grateful for the oppor-
graduates, has been appointed IS: My bachelor’s is from Many were impressed by tunity to share her art with the
the position. Under Straus’ lead- UCLA so I am a Bruin, and my Sykes’ work. “I love her colors. Samo community. “I find that
ership, Lincoln Middle School doctor’s is from USC. Except I Everything just kind of blends. being around other artists creates
was merited as a National Blue never root for the Trojans in a That’s something I’ve been try- such a great environment,” she
Ribbon School, a State Distin- football game. ing to do,” said Brenda Ponton, a said. She hopes that everyone
guished School, and Disney’s TS: Do you like to travel? senior art student at Samo. will be able to take something
School of the Year. The Samohi IS: I love to travel. Last Christ- “I’m one of those weirdos. . .I personal away from the exhibit. “I
recently sat down with Straus to mas I did a bicycle trip through always knew what I wanted to don’t want someone to take one
get to know her better and to Vietnam. It was amazing. . . I also do,” said Sykes. Her formal art look and say ‘Oh, that’s nice’ and
discuss the effect she plans to went to Machu Picchu and to the training includes experience at move on…I believe that if you
have on the Samo community in Galapagos Islands. You can al- Santa Monica College and Otis can look at something on the wall
the coming years. ways expect me to be on some Art Institute in Los Angeles, and day after day…and it makes you
kind of trip over break. It makes she currently has her own open happy, then it’s a successful
The Samohi: What exactly my life interesting and it makes it studio in Hollywood. Sykes, who piece.”
does the role of CEO entail? CEO/Principal Ilene Straus at her desk. not all about work.
Ilene Straus: The CEO’s job TS: What do you like to do for,
is to guide the vision of the entire Photo by Alex Leitner say, a Saturday night date?
school, to be the Public Rela- IS: I like going to the theater,
tions person, to work with the ad- Santa Monica High School. You to concerts, to restaurants, and to
ministrative team, and to ensure can’t tell me no.” movies. Actually, the thing you
that we are effective. I’m in charge TS: Did you think about saying should know about me is that I like
of the whole organization much as no? variety.
the superintendent is in charge of IS: They’ve asked me a lot to TS: What else do you do in your
the whole school district. come here over the years, four times free time?
TS: Where did the term “CEO” actually. . . It just seemed to be the IS: I teach graduate school: el-
come from? right time, and it seemed like the ementary and secondary adminis-
IS: Superintendent [John] Deasy right work. Principals make the tration. I’m committed to this pro-
came up with that. . . If you think difference in schools. It’s not the fession and I’m committed to kids;
about it, we’re 3,400 kids, so a right job for everybody, but for the I like working in schools, but I also
[CEO] is not just the principal. It is right people, it’s a great job. I think like my life. I tried rock climbing
a role [similar to] a CEO over a huge that it’s important to let people this summer. It scared the daylights

Campus Life Briefs

out of me. . . When I got up the 120- Artist Jill Skyes poses in front of one of her abstract oil paintings at
foot canyon, I couldn’t believe it. her art exhibit entitled “Botanical Meditations.”
It’s like Samo: climbing up one
Staff Member Wins Big Bucks On Game Show step at a time and eventually get- Photo by Molly Parent
ting to the top.
By Donielle Hatcher

Senior Office Specialist Abi Medes, along with 14 other Samo staff Samo Math Teacher Takes a
Swing Against Breast Cancer
members, participated in the long-running hit TV game show “The
Price is Right” on Sept. 6. Medes won over $76,000 in prizes, which
included a refigerator, boat, off-road bike, and bar accessories.
Medes heard of the taping from a co-worker, Ninth Grade Advisor By Adam Siegel Mammograms can be expensive, “The whole Samo faculty and staff
Kelly Luddy. Luddy had recently recieved a memo inviting her and and the money raised at the tour- was incredibly supportive,” said
14 guests to the taping of the game show. Samo Geometry Teacher Ari nament will help pay for the cost McGee. “They were there for
On the show, Medes was the first contestant announced to get a Marken took up the fight against of mammograms for women who me…and if you have to go through
chance to play. She had a wonderful time. “It was great, we had a lot breast cancer on Sept. 21 by play- cannot afford them. this, it made it almost okay.”
of fun...I just had a feeling that my name was going to be called,” said ing 50 games of tennis over the Having an aunt with breast Although the tennis players
Medes. No one else from Medes’ party was called to participate course of the day at the Westside cancer made Marken aware of the were there for a serious reason,
onstage. Challenge to Beat Breast Cancer. disease, and motivated his in- they still enjoyed themselves thor-
This episode of “The Price is Right” will air in mid-October. The event, in its fifth year, took volvement in the event. Marken, oughly. “It’s doubles, it’s fun...
place at the Los Angeles Tennis a Minnesota native who has I’m having a good time... and it’s
College Representatives To Visit Samo Center on the UCLA campus. played tennis for 10 years, also what I want to do anyway: play 50
By David Ginsburg Marken raised $950 with the cited Administrative Assistant games of tennis on Saturday,” said
help of his sponsors, many of Leslee McGee as an inspiration Marken. The Westside Challenge
As a way to inform students and parents about various college options, whom work at Samo. The money for him to play, since she, too, had to Beat Breast Cancer raised a lot
Samo’s annual College Fair will take place Tuesday, Oct. 15 in the South will fund low-cost mammography the disease. “My aunt…and of money, and local health ser-
Gym. screenings at the Santa Monica- Leslee McGee are on the plaque vices are sure to benefit greatly
Representatives from over 100 colleges nationwide will be available UCLA Medical Center. The event outside [the tennis court], and I’m from it.
to speak with students and offer them various written materials that provide has raised over $100,000 in past playing for these people,” said
additional information about their colleges. years, and this year’s event was Marken.
The College Center and the PTSA are jointly sponsoring the College planned to be the biggest ever in McGee was
Fair. Parent Volunteers Lynn Naliboff and Chris Thornton are serving as terms of donations. touched by
co-chairs for the event. College Counselors Clara Beard and Ada Hollie The “Challenge” organizers Marken’s ges-
are the Samo staff members in charge. Both counselors encourage students noted that, while one in nine ture, and had
to attend the event. “I think that it’s very important, not only for seniors, women will develop breast can- kind words to-
but for [all] students to begin the exploration of colleges,” said Hollie. cer during her life, the disease is wards Samo’s
Samo students will be allowed to enter the College Fair at different very curable when diagnosed staff, who were
times, early. One method of early detec- supportive and
depending upon their grade level. Seniors are allowed in at 7:00 p.m., tion is through a mammogram, a assisted her
juniors at 7:30 p.m., and sophomores and freshmen at 8:00 p.m. procedure in which breast tissue through her dif-
is x-rayed for possible lumps. ficult times.
 B o o k s
SPECIAL REPORT

Book Reviews Local Independent Bookstores

By Gina Corso By Hannah Tepper

“The House of Spirits” by Wilshire Books: 3018 Wilshire Blvd., Between

Isabel Allende Berkeley and Stanford St., Santa Monica 90403
Originally written in Spanish, this Wilshire Books, the oldest independent bookstore in
novel beautifully tells the story of three Santa Monica, has been in the same location since its
generations in a Chilean family during owner, Leigh Peffer, opened up shop in 1968. As a used and
the 20th Century Revolution. Allende, out-of-print bookstore, prices are about 40 percent less
the niece of the assassinated Socialist than most other stores in Santa Monica. For a store lacking
leader Salvador Allende, gives readers in size, Wilshire Books mysteriously does not seem to lack
the details of revolution, and shows books,withanarrayoftopicsfromJazztoMountaineering.
the hope that enable families to hold Although one might not find a specific book here, it’s great
together in hard times. for research or finding a good read, and its old-fashioned
atmosphere is like nowhere else.

Midnight Special:13183 rd St., Santa Monica 90401

Midnight Special is located on the Third Street Wilshire Book’s window sign.
“The Bell Jar” by Sylvia Plath Photo by Ava Tramer
Promenade until its move to a lower-rent area in March.
If you enjoyed “Girl, Interrupted,”
Thisbookstoreisnotafraidtoexpresscontroversialthinking,
you will love this novel. A young woman
and emphasizes independent thinking. “The only thing that’s important for high school kids is the ability to think for
in New York struggles to become a
themselves,” said Owner Margie Ghiz. In addition to books, Midnight Special sells international, national, and local
journalist while spiraling into a deep
newspapers, a large selection of magazines, and on Friday nights they host open-mic poetry readings. Midnight Special
depression. This story is insightful and
also orders books that customers may not find in stock.
thought provoking — similar to J. D.
Salinger’s “ Catcher in the Rye.”
Dutton’s Bookstore: 11975 San Vicente Blvd., Los Angeles 90049
Dutton’s in Brentwood, owned by Doug Dutton, is sectioned off into four wings. The North wing features compact
disks, the East has children’s selections and travel books, the West has novels, and the South is a café and gift shop.
Dutton’s has a large selection compared to many
independent stores, and often hosts book signings.
“Fugitive Days” by Bill Ayers Check out www.duttonsbrentwood.comto see a list of
This is the memoir of a political visiting authors.
rebel’s life on the run from the law. As he
battles the American government,
Angel City Books:218PierAvenue,SantaMonica
society, and lifestyle of the late sixties,
90405
readers are shown the inner-workings
Angel City Books and Gallery is unlike the majority
of the Black Panthers, the Days of Rage,
of other bookstores in the area. Owners Rocco Ingala
and the Weather Underground.
and Steve Rodriguez display the work of local artists on
Photos Courtesy of Amazon.com the walls, making Angel City Books not just a bookstore,
but a gallery as well. Angel City Books sells used and out-

Campus Voices: of-print books, and with its largest sections in Cinema,
modern art, poetry, and Eastern Philosophy, this
bookstore is a more alternative find. Ingala, referring to

Favorite Books the large collection of film books, said, “I think having
large sections in these areas is something kind of unique.
Rather than try to have a little bit of everything, we have A passerby looks at a Dutton’s window
Compiled by Gina Corso a small store, but what we do is comprehensive in our display.
The Samohi asked Samo students what their favorite books selective areas.” Visitwww.AngelCityBooks.com tosee Photo by Ava Tramer
are. Here are their responses: complete lists of the books they sell.

Send Your Books On An Adventure

“My favorite book is ‘A By Megan Healey tingle.” andadventuresometimesseemlimited
Heartbreaking Work of BookCrossing was conceived and to fiction, BookCrossing is a great
Staggering Genius’ by Dave Anyone feel like having an is maintained by a software and way to have fun, meet new people, and
Eggers because it’s really good. adventure? Instead of reading your Internet development company called give thebooks we love the same kind
I [like] his writing. It’s really copyof“HarryPotterandtheSorcerer’s Humankind Systems, Inc. Its goal, as of adventuresome experiences that
Stone” for the hundredth time, here’s stated on the introductory page, is they give to us.
honest.” something new, and it’s nonfiction. simply“tomake t h e
Bookcrossing.com is an internet book
Interesting Facts
whole world a
club like no other. It encourages library.” The
members to participate in a kind of website was Compiled by Ava Tramer
treasurehuntbyusing“thethreeR’s:” launched in
Read, Register the books at the web April 2001, and
site, and Release them in odd, public The three books that are most frequently challenged
“My favorite…books
-Andrew Izard, junior are since then it has
places, (lik e coffee shops,) for others spread by word by people and organizations are the “Scary Story”
actually all by the author to find. series, by Alvin Schwartz, “ Daddy’s Roommate,” by
of mouth, and
Hermann Hesse...There’s so If you have too many books on captured the Michael Willhoite, and “ I Know Why the Caged Bird
much imagery; it’s rich; it’s your shelf, take a trip to BookCrossing. imaginations of Sings,” by Maya Angelou. “Where’s Waldo?” by
like reading poetry.” It will first ask for information about over 40,000 Martin Handford is the 87th most frequently challenged
the book, and give you a printable people from all book.
ticket which gives brief instructions over the world. — CNN.com
for the finder, and an ID number for Some of
your book. The rest is up to you. Find BookCrossing’s The best-selling book of all time is “The Holy
an interesting place to release your f e a t u r e s Bible,” which has sold approximately 6 billion copies,
- book, and report the location on the i n c l u d e followed by “Quotations from Chairman Mao Tse
Sarah “My favorite book is ‘The website. c o n t e s t s , Tung,” which has sales figures around 900,000,000
Right
Elbroum, Stuff.’ …It’s about the “It’s a very thrilling concept,” said discussion
astronauts breaking the sound Joyce, a teenage “bookcrosser” from copies.
freshman boards, and a
Ontario, Canada, in an online — The Internet Public Library
barrier. I like real books that forum in which
tell the truth.” interview. “I was so excited when I got members share
my first e-mail from BookCrossing, t h e i r The best-selling children’s book of all time is “ The
-Tim Hayn, sophomore telling me that one of my books had Poky Little Puppy,” by Janette Sebring Lowrey.
experiences.
been found – I couldn’t stop smiling. In a society — Publisher’s Weekly 2000
Photos by Wesley Krieger Just the idea of someone finding a where mystery
book that was once mine makes me
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 Opinion — Page 3 The Samohi October 4, 2002

September 11 Rally Leaves

Some Students Alienated
By Sina Grace Wendi DeMorst, who was on the as if gun usage promotes peace?
committee to set up the rally. Likewise, was it relevant for
In respect of September 11, This intention might have been the rally to bring up Samo alums This year, students were wel- dents aren’t planning on being
the school held a 45-minute rally lost when the U.S. Air Force that have fought in wars past? comed back to Samo by a reorga- present in class, the planner’s pres-
before lunch. That morning, the Color Guard arrived to do a cer- The ceremony was about an nized administration and re- ence in their pockets makes no
administration announced that emonial march with rifles and American tragedy, not taking vamped campus. Among the many difference.
students who were “uncomfort- flags halfway through the rally. pride in our bitter victories. changes made was an apparent Of all the things that could be
able” with the event could go to The Air Force’s pres- The Activities Committee de- shift in the administration’s atti- used as a hall pass, the planner has
the library. Many students serves a pat on the back for re- tude towards students, who are got to be one of the worst. It must
falsely assumed that the library specting those who had lost some- now treated like middle- have taken a team of scientists
was for those who did not agree one dear on September 11, and schoolers. The administration years to design something to be
with the intentions of the rally. for honoring the Fire and Po- should treat us more like the young just too big to put in your pocket,
There was no sanctuary for lice Departments. However, adults it wants us to be. and just small enough so that you
students who did not agree they failed to recognize that One result of the new attitude feel stupid holding it. And in a
with the extreme patrio- mourning and grief are towards students was the imple- school with no hot water or soap,
tism espoused at the often intensely personal. mentation of the mandatory “stu- it can’t exactly be considered sani-
rally. Some students and dent planner,” which all students tary to take the planner to the
Senior Advisor Su- teachers might not purchased for five dollars. For bathroom. We are now expected
san Dresher, College have felt that a group those of us who enjoyed Dr. Straus’ to carry this ugly, pale blue, oddly
Career Counselors gathering of any kind visionary skills at Lincoln, the shaped thing with us whenever
Ada Hollie and Clara was an appropriate planner might be eerily reminis- we leave class. And if you are
Beard used the li- way to deal with cent of the binder reminder that found outside of class without
brary as a place their feelings. was required there. The new plan- your planner? Then I am afraid
where they could All students ner is so similar to its middle school you will not be able to go to the
support students should have been counter part eighth grade
who had been emo- given the choice that when I first beach party.
tionally affected by whether or not to at- thumbed “And if you are The other
September 11. The tend the assembly.
library started out If Activities
through my
planner I half
found outside of measures be-
ing taken
with roughly three
dozen students, but
Commitee could find
a place for those af-
expected to class without your against low at-
find a section tendance in-
once the purpose of fected by September about prepar- planner? Then I clude a tardy
11, couldn’t they have
this session had been
clearly stated, the mass set up a place for those
ing for high
school.
am afraid you will policy that has
yet to be writ-
dwindled. Junior Blake disagreeing with the ide- The plan- not be able to go to ten, and plans
Farber said, “I went there als of the rally? It would ner contains a to continue the
to get away from it all, but give students a place to be list of things we the eighth grade tardy sweep
they made the whole expe-
rience worse by talking
more constructive, instead
of participating in an event
cannot do, is
peppered with
beach party.” system. Con-
sidering the
about [September 11].” The whose message they didn’t agree hokey quotes, administration’s
amount of mourning students with. and has an en- extreme con-
that stayed in the library was close The September 11 rally was a tire section devoted to useless in- cern over tardiness, it seems
to a dozen. They spent their time ence f e l t good idea for students who formation. Exactly how important strange that the tardy policy is
during the ceremony to discuss quite inappropriate considering needed it. Next year, hopefully is it for us to know that Bradd Pitt unwritten a month after school
and reflect. the ceremony’s peaceful mes- the Activities Committee will and Jennifer Aniston are a 100 started. There is a great irony in
The intent of the Activities sage. It is difficult to reconcile consider giving students who are percent horoscope match when the fact that administration has
Committee, who set up the cer- CEO/Principal Ilene Straus’ plea made uncomfortable by such we’re writing down our home- been so tardy in developing this
emony, was to bring “remem- for non-violence when one is events an alternative place to be. work? policy.
brance and peace among the stu- watching members of the mili- I am sure that the planner has We all understand the impor-
dents,” said Junior Advisor tary toting rifles about the stage served it’s proposed function, to tance of students attending class.

My Turn: A Time to Kill, Again force students to organize. But

why does it have to do it in such a
condescending way? I might have
Believe me, I’ll be the first one to
admit that many students treat
school more like a casual hobby
By Stephen Miller, senior reiterated, gassed Iraqi women www.frontpagemag.com, his ha-
and children as well as Irani- tred for the United States is well appreciated an organizer that than a full time occupation. I just
Guess what? I was right. ans, displaying a contempt for known, as is his monetary sup- looked more like something a ma- feel that administration’s- goals
Last year I wrote an article life. His disturbing desire to port of suicide bombings. In ture, young adult would have, and for attendance could be met if
declaring that we must under- develop weapons of mass de- addition, one of Saddam’s in- less like something from my they treated us in a more mature
take military action in Afghani- struction was why the UN reso- telligence officers was seen meet- middle school backpack. way.
stan, removing the wicked lution that stopped the fight- ing with September 11 hijacker One of the administration’s If the administration wants us
Taliban regime and its blood- ing in the Gulf War required Mohammed Atta. Keep in mind, greatest concerns is the amount of to act like mature young adults, it
thirsty Al Qaeda cohorts. It has Saddam to allow weapons in- it takes only 20mg of smallpox students out of class every day. In needs to start treating us that way.
become clear that the U.S. spections. However, as out- in powder form to kill a build- order to solve this problem the At the same assemblies that we are
made the right decision. The lined by George Bush, in 1998 ing full of people—thus inspec- administration stressed the impor- told to act maturely, we are re-
people of Afghanistan may now Saddam threw the inspectors tors in Iraq would be able to tance of using the planner as a hall quired to raise our hands above
participate in a plethora of out, and he continues to regu- accomplish nothing of conse- pass. According to administration, our heads as a reminder to our-
activities the Taliban had larly shoot at planes in the no- quence, especially considering the hall pass system is not working selves to be quiet. We are no longer
deemed sinful. A democracy fly zone. Demonstrating his that Saddam has had years to as well as the administration trusted to go the bathroom with-
can take shape. insanity and disregard for his hide his weapons. hoped. The administration is just out the aid of a small binder.
As for our enemies, a num- own safety, he authorized an If we wait until Iraq attacks now finding out what every stu- What’s next, guided study? Learn-
ber have been captured or killed. assassination attempt on us, whether it be with an incon- dent has known since they bought ing to be responsible requires be-
We’ve obliterated terrorist George Bush Senior. Further- spicuous canister of anthrax or a the planners at registration. If stu- ing trusted with responsibility.
training camps where Islamic more, according to the State deadly explosive, not only will
fanatics practiced how to Department, Iraqi defectors there have been a horrible loss The Samohi seeks submissions for the
butcher innocent people like have claimed that he possesses of American life, but the task
you and me. The dismantling both disguised mobile and hid- ahead of us will be far more
student-written column “My Turn.” Sub-
of the evil terrorist infrastruc- den underground chemical war- daunting, as Saddam’s weap- mit articles to E201. Submissions may be
ture has begun. fare laboratories. Many of onry and defenses will far sur-
Presently our country is these chemical weapons eradi- pass what it is today—he might edited for grammar and length and are due
faced with a new question. cate people in a hideously grue- very well have nukes and the no later than October 11, 2002.
Should we attack Iraq and de- some and painfully slow man- means whereby to launch them.
pose Saddam Hussein? Much ner. The infected spread the The only way to ensure our
of the same logic that applied disease to those they come in safety is to act now against this
to taking action against Af- contact with, which can result sadistic tyrant. Send “Letters to the Editor” to Jour-
ghanistan applies as here: as in an epidemic. If we are successful in our
fervently as we may want peace, Possibly even worse, Khidir efforts against Saddam, we will nalism, c/o Santa Monica High
our enemies don’t. In fact, Hamza, former head of have eliminated a huge threat to School, 601 Pico Blvd., Santa
they want us dead. The danger Saddam’s nuclear weapons pro- all of us, while simultaneously
is real; we must take preemp- gram testified before congress rescuing the Iraqi people. Bush’s Monica, CA 90405. Letters must be
tive action. (broadcast on KABC) that number one job is to protect us. signed and may be edited for clarity
Why Saddam? For starters, Hussein will have nuclear He’s not willing to risk count-
he’s a twisted madman that has, weapons by 2006. As was less American lives on the hope and length.
as Donald Rumsfeld and others outlined numerous times on Saddam will behave rationally.
Are you?
Bush on Reckless Warpath Who won $76,000 in prizes Boys Water Polo Sinking the
Page 2 on a game show? Page 6 Competition Page 8

On the Internet:
www.thesamohi.org
Ro

Circulation: 3,200 Vol. XCIII No. 1 October 4, 2002 Published Biweekly

Samo Commemorates Anniversary of 9-11

By Jason Islas sence of the and on the last note, several stu-
Twin Towers: dents released doves, which flew
On the anniversary of Sep- “I remember over the audience.
tember 11, Samo students gath- looking up into Speaking of peace, Track
ered in the Greek Memorial The- the space on the Coach Pat Cady addressed stu-
ater to honor the memory of horizon… And dents: “I urge all of you to fight
those lost a year ago. I remembered the hatred… with kindness.” He
Master of Ceremonies senior the tale of the emphasized the importance of
Amy Larkin introduced Chief Phoenix.” nonviolence in honor of those
Educational Officer/Principal Next, jun- lost in the tragedy. Cady also felt
Ilene Straus, who delivered a iors Andy Knab that the assembly allowed him to
solemn message about the im- and Brittany mourn on a personal level as well
portance of a nonviolent campus. Graves hon- as with a group. “I needed a little
After Straus’ speech, the U.S. ored the Santa commemoration to help me be-
Air Force Color Guard, carrying Monica Fire cause I lost a friend. It was a real
the American flag, marched onto and Police De- neat thing for me,” he said, in
the stage and led students in the partments. As- reference to personal friend and
Pledge of Allegiance. sistant Fire track team mother, Carolyn Beug.
Once students were seated, Marshall Jim Art Teacher Tania Fischer
Alumni Association President Glew and Of- said, “I was really moved by how
Michael Hill (‘64) spoke about ficer Dave the students were so respectful. I
the history of the Greek Theater Rinski accepted feel it went really well.” Straus
and the memorial plaques on the two certificates agreed, saying, “For my first all-
surrounding walls. Remember- of acknowl- school assembly, I was proud of
ing those who died a year ago, he edgment from everyone- those who presented
said, “We rededicate this memo- The U.S. Airforce Color Guard marches onto the Greek Theater at the beginning of the student and those in the audience.”
rial theater in honor of those who the memorial on Sept. 11. body following Students reported similar lev-
lost their lives in a war… of Photo by Lauren Brydon a recitation of els of satisfaction. Senior Brent
terrorism.” The Fireman’s Besson said, “I feel that [the as-
Student contributions made Senior Ben Spoer reflected on ter through his poem entitled Prayer. sembly] was effective in that we
up a large part of the assembly. his personal reaction to the disas- “Space.” Recounting a visit to As the assembly ended, Cham- got to see how other people were
ber Singers led the student body affected by [September 11.] I
Current Construction
Ground Zero, Spoer described
the empty space left by the ab- in “The Star-Spangled Banner,” think that can help you learn and
understand, too.”

Nears Completion Admin. Remodeled; Work

By Sunil Parekh

After a long summer of diligent

enhance the buildings’ current electri-
cal/lighting systems. While much of
this modernization will occur in the
to Redesign the School
work, construction projects at Samo afternoons and evenings, there is a By Rebecca Beasley-Cockroft school vision, fundraising, profes- students’ classes, meeting with stu-
are well on their way to completion. possibility that some of the minor sional development, and leadership. dents and parents, and lower level
With much of the labor out of the way, labor will take place during the school Near the end of the 2001-2002 The associate principal is in disciplinary issues.
all projects are expected to be finished day. If this happens, some classrooms school year, Superintendent John charge of staffing, the budget, in- The new administration is discuss-
by the end of this academic year. in these buildings will be temporarily Deasy proposed a new administration structional supervision, and respon- ing a plan to reorganize the school
Currently, three major construc- relocated. Next, the Science Quad will plan to make the administration more sible for creating the master sched- because of the large number of students
tion projects at Samo are approaching be redone as the trailers move out of the efficient so that the Samo community ule of classes. oncampus. Strausisencouragingcom-
completion. These include the addi- area that was once a spacious, grassy could focus on instruction. Each assistant principal is respon- munity input and wants to establish
tion of new classrooms and a language field. Improvements will also be made Since then, the structure of the ad- sible for a certain grade level in ad- committees of students, parents, com-
lab to the Language Building, the to the Baseball Field. According to ministration has changed. Instead of dition to a certain program. Esseln is munity members, and staff to get feed-
entire reconstruction of the Music Owner’s Representative Ken Koslow, two associate principals and three as- the administrator in charge of 10th back from all areas.
Building, and the last phase of work on “The bulk of the work will be done by sistant principals, Samo’s new admin- grade and is responsible for profes- One proposed plan is to separate
Barnum Hall, which includes laying the end of the calendar year, but then istration now consists of a grades nine and 10
down the carpet and painting the ex- there will still be some minor projects Chief Educational Officer into smaller schools,
terior. All of this work should be that should be done by the spring.” (CEO)/Principal,oneasso- between 350 and 600
finished by the beginning of Novem- As more and more construction ciate principal, four assis- students, so that stu-
ber. projects are completed, more areas on tant principals, and two dents can develop re-
Duringthepastfourmonths,work- campus that are now inaccessible will deans, in addition to the 12 lationships with their
ers put forth a huge effort to modernize become open to students and staff. student support advisers. teachers and improve
Samo’s aging buildings. High-tech The Pico entrance will be opened The applicants for the academics. Fortheup-
speakers,P.A.systems,andnewfloors before November, which might re- new administration went pergrades,thereisdis-
were installed in both gyms, and the solve some overcrowding issues at 7 th through a rigorous appli- cussionaboutcreating
pool was drained and replastered. The Street and Michigan. The completion cation process. They sub- magnet schools, so
art building received new cabinetry of Barnum Hall will open access to the mittedwrittenapplications Anuar Shalash, Gregory Runyon, Ruth Esseln, Mark that students can fo-
and locks, and the computer lab was sections of campus now fenced off andunderwentaminimum Kelly, Ilene Straus, Catherine Baxter, Kathleen Martin, cus on specific sub-
given new furniture designed for the around the auditorium, and will also of two interviews. CEO/ and Jason Harley from left. jects of interest.
use of computers. Additionally, new solve some of the senior parking is- Principal Ilene Straus had Photo by Alex Leitner All of the changes
windowswereputintheEnglishBuild- sues. “I expect that when we have the final word in selecting her new sional development and school re- that are being discussed would require
ing along with a new electrical system Barnum painted there’s a good chance administration. “It’sareallygoodteam. design. Martin is responsible for a reduction of class size in addition to
that ensures excellent maintenance of that we’ll get some additional parking Its got a lot of balance, a lot of energy. 12th grade, special programs, cur- large amounts of money. Because it is
all the building’s lights and comput- for the staff, which means we’ll move People on this administrative team riculum, and instruction. Runyon is unlikely that the State of California
ers. them out of the north lot. This means want to be at Samohi,” said Straus. in charge of ninth grade, data assess- will increase school funding, the Dis-
According to Assistant Principal there will be additional parking for The only returning administrators ment, and school operations. trict has proposed Proposition EE,
Gregory Runyon, this past summer’s seniors,” said Runyon. are Associate Principal Mark Kelly and Shalash is responsible for 11th grade, which would create a parcel tax, requir-
projects moved smoothly, primarily Although all of Samo’s current Assistant Principal Gregory Runyon. as well as student support services. ing everyone who owns property in
because Jacobs Engineering, the com- and pending projects are to be finished Dean of Students Catherine Baxter was The deans are responsible for two Santa Monica to spend $300 a year on
pany who oversees all the construc- by spring 2003, it does not seem as promoted from her position as college grade levels, which they will follow the SMMUSD. According to Straus, if
tion that occurs at Samo, staffed the though this is the last construction era career adviser. The new administrators through high school. Baxter is as- thepropositiondoesnotpass,theschool
projectswithnumeroushighly-skilled the campus will face. Administrators includeStraus,AssistantPrincipalRuth signed to grades 10 and 12, as well as district will cut $5.5 million this year.
architects and engineers who were still see a need for certain types of new Esseln, Assistant Principal Kathleen activities. Harley is responsible for Ifitpasses,SMMUSDwillreceive$9.4
able to easily resolve any issues that buildings on campus in the years to Martin, Assistant Principal Anuar grades nine and 11 and athletics. million every year for 12 years, some of
were hindering the workers’ progress. come. “We need a big, giant facility Shalash, and Dean of Students Jason The student support advisers will which will be used to reduce class size
After these projects are completed, here that’s a library, a student meeting Harley. also follow their designated grade while maintaining staff size. Straus
remodeling will begin in various re- area, and a student activity area, but The CEO/Principal is responsible throughout the students’ four years said, “Yes there’s a plan [to reduce class
gions on campus. First, work on the that’s just dreaming of the future,” said for public relations, instructional su- in high school. Their responsibili- size], but first we have to get the fund-
History and Business Buildings will Runyon. pervision, community liaisons, the ties now include the scheduling of ing.”
Welcome

If you've never been to a cat show

We hope that this website will fill that void.

2002 The Samohi

<site created by motown>

From the creative genius of India (I love cats) Donaldson,

Daniel (Motown) Morgan, Carl (Carlos) Lisberger,
and Lisa (I want a kitty now that i've been to a cat show) Strumwasser

http://www.samohi2.smmusd.org/the-samohi/2002/100402/cat/catshow.htm [12/30/2002 11:30:49 PM]

 Cat Show Page One - The Samohi

Cat Show at the Santa Monica Civic Center, September 15th,

2002

Santa Monica Civic Center

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 Cat Show Page One - The Samohi

We knew we had to fit into the groovy cat-loving scene, so we rigged up some sweet t-shirts.

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 Cat Show Page One - The Samohi

Wretched Excess. $1200. Insane.

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 Cat Show Page One - The Samohi

oooooohhhh.

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 Cat Show Page One - The Samohi

The basic layout: Rows of cages and owners tending to their animals.

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 Cat Show Page One - The Samohi

See, cats ARE fun.

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 Cat Show Page One - The Samohi

Owners of this fine breed tell us that their face becomes more and more pie-like as they age. Awesome.

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 Cat Show Page One - The Samohi

A major concern with these Sphynxs is temperature control. Nobody likes a cold kitty.

They give me the heebie jeebies.

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 Cat Show Page One - The Samohi

Cat's don't usually wink at me.

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 Cat Show Page One - The Samohi

This one has won a few awards. It's name is Sundew. I am overwhelmed with splendor.

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 Cat Show Page One - The Samohi

A closer, cuter, mug shot.

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 Cat Show Page One - The Samohi

Where's Waldo?

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 Cat Show Page One - The Samohi

Marketing opportunities abound.

On to page:

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 Cat Show page two - The Samohi

The Scottish Fold

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 Cat Show page two - The Samohi

I feel cats all day.

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 Cat Show page two - The Samohi

Didn't win All Show Best Breed? Don't be sad.

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 Cat Show page two - The Samohi

I think this is a cage of some sort.

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 Cat Show page two - The Samohi

Some cat people are more intriguing than the Sphynx hairless wonder.

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 Cat Show page two - The Samohi

Cat people rule.

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 Cat Show page two - The Samohi

This is a t-shirt. God bless America.

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 Cat Show page two - The Samohi

The cat inspectors.

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 Cat Show page two - The Samohi

This is not a zoo.

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 Cat Show page two - The Samohi

Sometimes the cat people outdress the cats.

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 Cat Show page two - The Samohi

They are!

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 Cat Show page two - The Samohi

uh huh.

I heart bumper stickers.

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 Cat Show page two - The Samohi

What a wonderful ice breaker.

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 Untitled Document

Vol. XCIII No. 1 October 4, 2002 Circulation: 3,200 Published Biweekly

Ro
Page 8 Page 2
Bush on Reckless Warpath Who won $76,000 in prizes
on a game show?
On the Internet:
www.thesamohi.org
Page 6
Boys Water Polo Sinking the
Competition
By Rebecca Beasley-Cockroft
Near the end of the 2001-2002
school year, Superintendent John
Deasy proposed a new administration
plan to make the administration more
efficient so that the Samo community
could focus on instruction.
Since then, the structure of the administration
has changed. Instead of
two associate principals and three assistant
principals, Samo’s new administration
now consists of a
Chief Educational Officer
(CEO)/Principal,oneassociate
principal, four assistant
principals, and two
deans, in addition to the 12
student support advisers.
The applicants for the
new administration went
through a rigorous application
process. They submittedwrittenapplications
andunderwentaminimum
of two interviews. CEO/
Principal Ilene Straus had
the final word in selecting her new
administration. “It’sareallygoodteam.
Its got a lot of balance, a lot of energy.
People on this administrative team
want to be at Samohi,” said Straus.
The only returning administrators
are Associate Principal Mark Kelly and
Assistant Principal Gregory Runyon.

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 Untitled Document

Dean of Students Catherine Baxter was

promoted from her position as college
career adviser. The new administrators
includeStraus,AssistantPrincipalRuth
Esseln, Assistant Principal Kathleen
Martin, Assistant Principal Anuar
Shalash, and Dean of Students Jason
Harley.
The CEO/Principal is responsible
for public relations, instructional supervision,
community liaisons, the
school vision, fundraising, professional
development, and leadership.
The associate principal is in
charge of staffing, the budget, instructional
supervision, and responsible
for creating the master schedule
of classes.
Each assistant principal is responsible
for a certain grade level in addition
to a certain program. Esseln is
the administrator in charge of 10th
grade and is responsible for professional
development and school redesign.
Martin is responsible for
12th grade, special programs, curriculum,
and instruction. Runyon is
in charge of ninth grade, data assessment,
and school operations.
Shalash is responsible for 11th grade,
as well as student support services.
The deans are responsible for two
grade levels, which they will follow
through high school. Baxter is assigned
to grades 10 and 12, as well as
activities. Harley is responsible for
grades nine and 11 and athletics.
The student support advisers will
also follow their designated grade
throughout the students’ four years
in high school. Their responsibilities
now include the scheduling of
students’ classes, meeting with students

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 Untitled Document

and parents, and lower level

disciplinary issues.
The new administration is discussing
a plan to reorganize the school
because of the large number of students
oncampus. Strausisencouragingcommunity
input and wants to establish
committees of students, parents, community
members, and staff to get feedback
from all areas.
One proposed plan is to separate
grades nine and 10
into smaller schools,
between 350 and 600
students, so that students
can develop relationships
with their
teachers and improve
academics. Fortheuppergrades,
thereisdiscussionaboutcreating
magnet schools, so
that students can focus
on specific subjects
of interest.
All of the changes
that are being discussed would require
a reduction of class size in addition to
large amounts of money. Because it is
unlikely that the State of California
will increase school funding, the District
has proposed Proposition EE,
which would create a parcel tax, requiring
everyone who owns property in
Santa Monica to spend $300 a year on
the SMMUSD. According to Straus, if
thepropositiondoesnotpass,theschool
district will cut $5.5 million this year.
Ifitpasses,SMMUSDwillreceive$9.4
million every year for 12 years, some of
which will be used to reduce class size
while maintaining staff size. Straus
said, “Yes there’s a plan [to reduce class
size], but first we have to get the funding.”

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 Untitled Document

By Sunil Parekh
After a long summer of diligent
work, construction projects at Samo
are well on their way to completion.
With much of the labor out of the way,
all projects are expected to be finished
by the end of this academic year.
Currently, three major construction
projects at Samo are approaching
completion. These include the addition
of new classrooms and a language
lab to the Language Building, the
entire reconstruction of the Music
Building, and the last phase of work on
Barnum Hall, which includes laying
down the carpet and painting the exterior.
All of this work should be
finished by the beginning of November.
Duringthepastfourmonths,workers
put forth a huge effort to modernize
Samo’s aging buildings. High-tech
speakers,P.A.systems,andnewfloors
were installed in both gyms, and the
pool was drained and replastered. The
art building received new cabinetry
and locks, and the computer lab was
given new furniture designed for the
use of computers. Additionally, new
windowswereputintheEnglishBuilding
along with a new electrical system
that ensures excellent maintenance of
all the building’s lights and computers.
According to Assistant Principal
Gregory Runyon, this past summer’s
projects moved smoothly, primarily
becauseJacobsEngineering,thecompany
who oversees all the construction
that occurs at Samo, staffed the
projectswithnumeroushighly-skilled
architects and engineers who were
able to easily resolve any issues that
were hindering the workers’ progress.
After these projects are completed,

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remodeling will begin in various regions

on campus. First, work on the
History and Business Buildings will
enhance the buildings’ current electrical/
lighting systems. While much of
this modernization will occur in the
afternoons and evenings, there is a
possibility that some of the minor
labor will take place during the school
day. If this happens, some classrooms
in these buildings will be temporarily
relocated. Next,theScienceQuadwill
beredoneasthetrailersmoveoutofthe
area that was once a spacious, grassy
field. Improvements will also be made
to the Baseball Field. According to
Owner’s Representative Ken Koslow,
“The bulk of the work will be done by
the end of the calendar year, but then
there will still be some minor projects
that should be done by the spring.”
As more and more construction
projects are completed, more areas on
campus that are now inaccessible will
become open to students and staff.
The Pico entrance will be opened
before November, which might resolve
some overcrowding issues at 7 th
Street and Michigan. The completion
of Barnum Hall will open access to the
sections of campus now fenced off
around the auditorium, and will also
solve some of the senior parking issues.
“I expect that when we have
Barnum painted there’s a good chance
that we’ll get some additional parking
for the staff, which means we’ll move
them out of the north lot. This means
there will be additional parking for
seniors,” said Runyon.
Although all of Samo’s current
and pending projects are to be finished
by spring 2003, it does not seem as

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though this is the last construction era

the campus will face. Administrators
still see a need for certain types of new
buildings on campus in the years to
come. “We need a big, giant facility
here that’s a library, a student meeting
area, and a student activity area, but
that’s just dreaming of the future,” said
Runyon.
By Jason Islas
On the anniversary of September
11, Samo students gathered
in the Greek Memorial Theater
to honor the memory of
those lost a year ago.
Master of Ceremonies senior
Amy Larkin introduced Chief
Educational Officer/Principal
Ilene Straus, who delivered a
solemn message about the importance
of a nonviolent campus.
After Straus’ speech, the U.S.
Air Force Color Guard, carrying
the American flag, marched onto
the stage and led students in the
Pledge of Allegiance.
Once students were seated,
Alumni Association President
Michael Hill (‘64) spoke about
the history of the Greek Theater
and the memorial plaques on the
surrounding walls. Remembering
those who died a year ago, he
said, “We rededicate this memorial
theater in honor of those who
lost their lives in a war… of
terrorism.”
Student contributions made
up a large part of the assembly.
Senior Ben Spoer reflected on
his personal reaction to the disaster
through his poem entitled
“Space.” Recounting a visit to

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Ground Zero, Spoer described

the empty space left by the absence
of the
Twin Towers:
“I remember
looking up into
the space on the
horizon… And
I remembered
the tale of the
Phoenix.”
Next, juniors
Andy Knab
and Brittany
Graves honored
the Santa
Monica Fire
and Police Departments.
Assistant
Fire
Marshall Jim
Glew and Officer
Dave
Rinski accepted
two certificates
of acknowledgment
from
the student
body following
a recitation of
The Fireman’s
Prayer.
As the assembly ended, Chamber
Singers led the student body
in “The Star-Spangled Banner,”
and on the last note, several students
released doves, which flew
over the audience.
Speaking of peace, Track
Coach Pat Cady addressed students:
“I urge all of you to fight
the hatred… with kindness.” He
emphasized the importance of

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nonviolence in honor of those

lost in the tragedy. Cady also felt
that the assembly allowed him to
mourn on a personal level as well
as with a group. “I needed a little
commemoration to help me because
I lost a friend. It was a real
neat thing for me,” he said, in
reference to personal friend and
track team mother, Carolyn Beug.
Art Teacher Tania Fischer
said, “I was really moved by how
the students were so respectful. I
feel it went really well.” Straus
agreed, saying, “For my first allschool
assembly, I was proud of
everyone- those who presented
and those in the audience.”
Students reported similar levels
of satisfaction. Senior Brent
Besson said, “I feel that [the assembly]
was effective in that we
got to see how other people were
affected by [September 11.] I
think that can help you learn and
understand, too.” Current Construction
Nears Completion Admin. Remodeled; Work
to Redesign the School
The U.S. Airforce Color Guard marches onto the Greek Theater at the beginning of
the memorial on Sept. 11.
Photo by Lauren Brydon
Samo Commemorates Anniversary of 9-11
Anuar Shalash, Gregory Runyon, Ruth Esseln, Mark
Kelly, Ilene Straus, Catherine Baxter, Kathleen Martin,
and Jason Harley from left.
Photo by Alex Leitner
Opinion
Top 5 ways to Prevent Un-American
Activities (Terrorism) at Samo
Bush Serves Up Texas-Style Diplomacy
By Carl Lisberger
1. Give all faculty members cute, yellow I.D. badges with
their picture on them. This will prevent terrorists from infiltrating

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Samo and teaching the students. Also, if teachers or faculty

ever suffer from amnesia, they need only look down to their lapel
to be given a friendly reminder of who they are.
2. Say the Pledge of Allegiance several times a day. The
pledge will reinforce the greatness of our nation, thus creating
an atmosphere unsuitable for terrorists, who hate freedom.
Students will have a daily reminder that our nation is still under
God.
3. Make parking so unavailable that terrorists are not able to
park their terror-mobiles close enough to school to attack.
4. Have many unnecessary construction projects going on at
the same time. Big, loud construction workers will take over the
entire science quad and many of the senior parking spaces, thus
scaring off terrorists.
5. Create many new positions, give administrators multiple
titles, and shuffle around offices. There is nothing more American
than overly complicated bureaucracy.
By Jason Islas
The impending conflict with
Iraq spells disaster for America
and the world. Based on little
more than assumption, President
George W. Bush is leading
America down a dangerous
path of violence.
Bush has picked
up the baton where
his father, Bush Sr.,
dropped it several
years ago. The outcome
of the Gulf War
left Bush Sr. unable
to depose Iraqi President
Saddam
Hussein. Instead,
Bush Sr., in cooperation
with the United
Nations, imposed
various weapons manufacturing
and human rights resolutions on
Iraq, the majority of which Hussein
has failed to comply with.
Secretary of Defense Donald

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Rumsfeld told The New York

Times, “We have what we consider
to be credible evidence that
Al Qaeda have sought contacts in
Iraq who could help them acquire
weapons of mass destruction capabilities.”
This fear has been the
impetus behind America’s new aggressive
attitude towards nations
in the Middle Eastern region. However,
Democratic Senate Majority
Leader Tom Daschle, told the BBC
that Bush’s cabinet has failed to
produce any proof linking Al
Qaeda to Hussein.
Hoping to gather support for
military action against Iraq, British
Prime Minister Tony Blair recently
approached the United Nations
Security Council with an outline
of intelligence on Iraq’s weapons
program. He claims, along
with Bush, that Iraq poses a serious
threat to the world by allegedly
developing nuclear and biological
weapons. But according to
BBC Correspondent Paul
Reynolds, the dossier Blair presented
is weak in supporting the
idea that Iraq is a severe threat.
Reynolds wrote for the BBC, “The
weakness of [this report] is that
nobody actually knows what is
going on inside [Iraq’s] factories.
And the report acknowledges that
the factories can also be used for
benign industrial purposes.” In all
their war rhetoric, Blair and Bush
forgot to point out that the threat to
peace they claim Hussein poses is
based on intelligence that cannot
confirm whether or not the alleged
weapons program actually exists.

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With stakes so high as a military

venture in an incredibly volatile
region, it seems hasty to fight a war
without any real intelligence.
America will suffer more than
just human casualties in this war.
So far Russia and France, two nations
with veto power in the Security
Council, have voiced opposition
to England and America’s impatient
desire to use force and their
aggressive attitude towards those
who oppose their actions. With
their lack of intelligence supporting
their claim for war, America
and England have left many of
Advisers Better Than Ever
By Brittany Benjamin
With all the changes in the
administration this year, there is
one department that stands out:
the Student Support Department.
Much of the scheduling chaos
that we escaped this year is due
to their long hours at the otherwise
unorganized registration
and their work the week before
school began. Despite the excitement
that always comes with
a new year, the twelve Student
Support Advisers kept their cool
and worked efficiently to get
students’ schedules fixed quickly
and with minimal hassle, all the
while with a happy and helpful
disposition.
Most students will admit that
the first week of school is easier
when all of their classes are
correct. There’s no walking into
a strange classroom that one
knows one won’t be attending
in a week’s time. There’s no

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dread of going to the counseling

building, where one knows there
will be hours of talking to various
people just trying to take the
classes one needs. Instead, students
sit in class and get the
information they need for a successful
year. Everything works
out smoother when one’s schedule
is correct, and this we owe to
the behind-the-scenes work of
the new advisers.
The new advisers were very
approachable this year, as well.
Their offices seemed consistently
open, and if one couldn’t talk in
person, than an e-mail or phone
call did the trick for many. “Efficient”
seemed to be the word of
scheduling. Many kids never
even got called back in to discuss
the change; their request was
granted by the next day without
any hassle. There was no moving
up the administration ladder
to someone who could grant the
overload you needed; it was just
taken care of.
Most years it’s very difficult
for me to get the schedule I need,
but this wasn’t the case this fall.
At registration I found my adviser,
showed her the problem,
and then left figuring on the first
day of school it would still be
there. From past experiences I
worried that I would be spending
whole afternoons sitting
in the counseling office.
Upon popping my
head into her office the
week before school began,
however, I found that

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she’d come through. Although

she was busy, she
found time to tell me she
had made the changes I
requested. Surprised, I
had to sit down; never
before had anyone been
so successful at getting
my schedule fixed so easily
and effortlessly on my
part.
Although many students
do not think about
the work done at the counseling
office, perhaps
they should this year. If
your schedule was fixed
in record time, perhaps a
nice word to the new advisers
would be good—
they’re obviously working
hard to meet students’
needs.
their allies in the dark.
America is risking alienation
from the United Nations and many
Middle Eastern countries by what
many see as a witch-hunt. The concept
of “preemptive defense” is a
product of Bush’s paranoia about
homeland defense,
and inexperience in
foreign affairs. Never
before in history has
America declared war
because of what
amounts to a mere
hunch or assumption.
Bush needs to learn
that his last name is
not a license to kill in
the Middle East.
Now, Bush is pushing

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for executive
power from the UN and
Congress to instigate what promises
to be a massive conflict in the
already volatile Middle East. If
America wants to save the world
from malignant terrorism, a brash
invasion, without the world’s support,
does not seem to be the first
logical step.
Published biweekly during the school
year by the Associated Student Body of
Santa Monica High School, 601 Pico
Blvd., Santa Monica, CA. 90405. Unsigned
editorials reflect the opinions of
Alumni Subscriptions
$20.00 PER YEAR
Staff
Editor-in-Chief...............................David Ginsburg
Managing Editor........................Lisa Strumwasser
News Editor.................Rebecca Beasley-Cockroft
Opinion Editor...............................Carl Lisberger
Feature Editor................................Daniel Morgan
Special Report Editor..............Brittany Benjamin
Campus Life Editor..........................Sunil Parekh
Sports Editors...................................Jonathan Lee
Calanit Greenberg
Photo Editor..............................Alexandra Leitner
Ad Editor...........................................Sonia Sohaili
Copy Editors.....................................Emily Ferrell
Michael Blackman, Lauren Brydon,
Gina Corso, Justin Dean, India
Donaldson, Peter Egziabher, Angela
Gonzalez, Donielle Hatcher, Megan
Healey, Jacob Honig, Jason Islas,
Hanna Jacobsen, Samantha
Johnston, Wesley Krieger, Tim
Livingston, Christian McCovery,
Rosa Ordaz, Molly Parent, Adam
Siegel, Hannah Tepper, Ava Tramer,
Michael Zinshteyn
Opinion — Page 3 The Samohi October 4, 2002
This year, students were welcomed

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back to Samo by a reorganized

administration and revamped
campus. Among the many
changes made was an apparent
shift in the administration’s attitude
towards students, who are
now treated like middleschoolers.
The administration
should treat us more like the young
adults it wants us to be.
One result of the new attitude
towards students was the implementation
of the mandatory “student
planner,” which all students
purchased for five dollars. For
those of us who enjoyed Dr. Straus’
visionary skills at Lincoln, the
planner might be eerily reminiscent
of the binder reminder that
was required there. The new planner
is so similar to its middle school
counter part
that when I first
thumbed
through my
planner I half
expected to
find a section
about preparing
for high
school.
The planner
contains a
list of things we
cannot do, is
peppered with
hokey quotes,
and has an entire
section devoted to useless information.
Exactly how important
is it for us to know that Bradd Pitt
and Jennifer Aniston are a 100
percent horoscope match when

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we’re writing down our homework?

I am sure that the planner has
served it’s proposed function, to
force students to organize. But
why does it have to do it in such a
condescending way? I might have
appreciated an organizer that
looked more like something a mature,
young adult would have, and
less like something from my
middle school backpack.
One of the administration’s
greatest concerns is the amount of
students out of class every day. In
order to solve this problem the
administration stressed the importance
of using the planner as a hall
pass. According to administration,
the hall pass system is not working
as well as the administration
hoped. The administration is just
now finding out what every student
has known since they bought
the planners at registration. If stu-
September 11 Rally Leaves
Some Students Alienated
My Turn: A Time to Kill, Again
By Sina Grace
In respect of September 11,
the school held a 45-minute rally
before lunch. That morning, the
administration announced that
students who were “uncomfortable”
with the event could go to
the library. Many students
falsely assumed that the library
was for those who did not agree
with the intentions of the rally.
There was no sanctuary for
students who did not agree
with the extreme patriotism
espoused at the
rally.

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Senior Advisor Susan

Dresher, College
Career Counselors
Ada Hollie and Clara
Beard used the library
as a place
where they could
support students
who had been emotionally
affected by
September 11. The
library started out
with roughly three
dozen students, but
once the purpose of
this session had been
clearly stated, the mass
dwindled. Junior Blake
Farber said, “I went there
to get away from it all, but
they made the whole experience
worse by talking
about [September 11].” The
amount of mourning students
that stayed in the library was close
to a dozen. They spent their time
during the ceremony to discuss
and reflect.
The intent of the Activities
Committee, who set up the ceremony,
was to bring “remembrance
and peace among the students,”
said Junior Advisor
Wendi DeMorst, who was on the
committee to set up the rally.
This intention might have been
lost when the U.S. Air Force
Color Guard arrived to do a ceremonial
march with rifles and
flags halfway through the rally.
The Air Force’s prese
ncefelt
quite inappropriate considering

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the ceremony’s peaceful message.

It is difficult to reconcile
CEO/Principal Ilene Straus’ plea
for non-violence when one is
watching members of the military
toting rifles about the stage
“And if you are
found outside of
class without your
planner? Then I
am afraid you will
not be able to go to
the eighth grade
beach party.”
dents aren’t planning on being
present in class, the planner’s presence
in their pockets makes no
difference.
Of all the things that could be
used as a hall pass, the planner has
got to be one of the worst. It must
have taken a team of scientists
years to design something to be
just too big to put in your pocket,
and just small enough so that you
feel stupid holding it. And in a
school with no hot water or soap,
it can’t exactly be considered sanitary
to take the planner to the
bathroom. We are now expected
to carry this ugly, pale blue, oddly
shaped thing with us whenever
we leave class. And if you are
found outside of class without
your planner? Then I am afraid
you will not be able to go to the
eighth grade
beach party.
The other
measures being
taken
against low attendance
include

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a tardy
policy that has
yet to be written,
and plans
to continue the
tardy sweep
system. Considering
the
administration’s
extreme concern
over tardiness, it seems
strange that the tardy policy is
unwritten a month after school
started. There is a great irony in
the fact that administration has
been so tardy in developing this
policy.
We all understand the importance
of students attending class.
Believe me, I’ll be the first one to
admit that many students treat
school more like a casual hobby
than a full time occupation. I just
feel that administration’s- goals
for attendance could be met if
they treated us in a more mature
way.
If the administration wants us
to act like mature young adults, it
needs to start treating us that way.
At the same assemblies that we are
told to act maturely, we are required
to raise our hands above
our heads as a reminder to ourselves
to be quiet. We are no longer
trusted to go the bathroom without
the aid of a small binder.
What’s next, guided study? Learning
to be responsible requires being
trusted with responsibility.
The Samohi seeks submissions for the
student-written column “My Turn.” Submit
articles to E201. Submissions may be

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edited for grammar and length and are due

no later than October 11, 2002.
Send “Letters to the Editor” to Journalism,
c/o Santa Monica High
School, 601 Pico Blvd., Santa
Monica, CA 90405. Letters must be
signed and may be edited for clarity
and length.
By Stephen Miller, senior
Guess what? I was right.
Last year I wrote an article
declaring that we must undertake
military action in Afghanistan,
removing the wicked
Taliban regime and its bloodthirsty
Al Qaeda cohorts. It has
become clear that the U.S.
made the right decision. The
people of Afghanistan may now
participate in a plethora of
activities the Taliban had
deemed sinful. A democracy
can take shape.
As for our enemies, a number
have been captured or killed.
We’ve obliterated terrorist
training camps where Islamic
fanatics practiced how to
butcher innocent people like
you and me. The dismantling
of the evil terrorist infrastructure
has begun.
Presently our country is
faced with a new question.
Should we attack Iraq and depose
Saddam Hussein? Much
of the same logic that applied
to taking action against Afghanistan
applies as here: as
fervently as we may want peace,
our enemies don’t. In fact,
they want us dead. The danger
is real; we must take preemptive

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action.
Why Saddam? For starters,
he’s a twisted madman that has,
as Donald Rumsfeld and others
reiterated, gassed Iraqi women
and children as well as Iranians,
displaying a contempt for
life. His disturbing desire to
develop weapons of mass destruction
was why the UN resolution
that stopped the fighting
in the Gulf War required
Saddam to allow weapons inspections.
However, as outlined
by George Bush, in 1998
Saddam threw the inspectors
out, and he continues to regularly
shoot at planes in the nofly
zone. Demonstrating his
insanity and disregard for his
own safety, he authorized an
assassination attempt on
George Bush Senior. Furthermore,
according to the State
Department, Iraqi defectors
have claimed that he possesses
both disguised mobile and hidden
underground chemical warfare
laboratories. Many of
these chemical weapons eradicate
people in a hideously gruesome
and painfully slow manner.
The infected spread the
disease to those they come in
contact with, which can result
in an epidemic.
Possibly even worse, Khidir
Hamza, former head of
Saddam’s nuclear weapons program
testified before congress
(broadcast on KABC) that
Hussein will have nuclear
weapons by 2006. As was

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outlined numerous times on

www.frontpagemag.com, his hatred
for the United States is well
known, as is his monetary support
of suicide bombings. In
addition, one of Saddam’s intelligence
officers was seen meeting
with September 11 hijacker
Mohammed Atta. Keep in mind,
it takes only 20mg of smallpox
in powder form to kill a building
full of people—thus inspectors
in Iraq would be able to
accomplish nothing of consequence,
especially considering
that Saddam has had years to
hide his weapons.
If we wait until Iraq attacks
us, whether it be with an inconspicuous
canister of anthrax or a
deadly explosive, not only will
there have been a horrible loss
of American life, but the task
ahead of us will be far more
daunting, as Saddam’s weaponry
and defenses will far surpass
what it is today—he might
very well have nukes and the
means whereby to launch them.
The only way to ensure our
safety is to act now against this
sadistic tyrant.
If we are successful in our
efforts against Saddam, we will
have eliminated a huge threat to
all of us, while simultaneously
rescuing the Iraqi people. Bush’s
number one job is to protect us.
He’s not willing to risk countless
American lives on the hope
Saddam will behave rationally.
Are you?
as if gun usage promotes peace?

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Likewise, was it relevant for

the rally to bring up Samo alums
that have fought in wars past?
The ceremony was about an
American tragedy, not taking
pride in our bitter victories.
The Activities Committee deserves
a pat on the back for respecting
those who had lost someone
dear on September 11, and
for honoring the Fire and Police
Departments. However,
they failed to recognize that
mourning and grief are
often intensely personal.
Some students and
teachers might not
have felt that a group
gathering of any kind
was an appropriate
way to deal with
their feelings.
All students
should have been
given the choice
whether or not to attend
the assembly.
If Activities
Commitee could find
a place for those affected
by September
11, couldn’t they have
set up a place for those
disagreeing with the ideals
of the rally? It would
give students a place to be
more constructive, instead
of participating in an event
whose message they didn’t agree
with.
The September 11 rally was a
good idea for students who
needed it. Next year, hopefully

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the Activities Committee will

consider giving students who are
made uncomfortable by such
events an alternative place to be.
Feature
By Brittany Benjamin
Since 1939, the Aero Theater’s
shows have livened up Santa Monica.
But as attendance declines, theater
manager and operator Chris Allen
fears the doors may shut forever. Allen
reports that there is only one way to
keep the Aero in existence: getting
the neighborhood involved.
In July of this year, the Aero faced
its darkest hour: the theater was
$60,000 in debt from the last four
months. Allen and the community
took action in response by trying to
inspire more fun and a sense of
community at the theater. “It’s a
neighborhood thing at the Aero. It’s
not going to the promenade to see
people you don’t know.” Since the
success of his first classic movie
fundraiser, Allen has shown two more,
and a third is scheduled. “Rebel
Without a Cause,” “Casablanca,” and
“On the Waterfront” were all played
on different nights, along with
catering from local restaurants, and a
screening of “Dr. Strangelove” is
scheduled for Oct. 16. The
neighborhood’s Committee to Save
the Aero Theater is having
performances by Roy Zimmerman
and Marc Maron at their show,
“Laughing Matters: An Evening of
Serious Satire,” on Oct. 24, as well.
As competition increased over the
past decade, the theater experienced
many difficulties. In 2000, Robert
Redford and his Sundance Film

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Centers tried to buy the Aero and put

a restaurant next door, but the plan
fell through. Also, Sundance’s joint
venture with General Cinemas broke.
The American Cinematheque shows
interest in the theater as well, and its
plan would include many upgrades.
The city is also looking into making
the theater a landmark destination,
but Owner James
Rosenfield told the Ocean
Gazette he was against the
plan because people
would be less likely to
lease it.
Whether or not the
neighborhood people
want the theater to change
is another question. “One
thing I was glad about
when I walked in here to
see was that it hadn’t been
changed,” said Gayle
Lewis, a Santa Monica
resident, at the “On the
Waterfront” fundraiser. “It’s a little
grungy…and I don’t have any
objections to that.”
Donald Douglas, founder of the
now-kaput Douglas Aircraft,
originally started the theater to run
24 hours a day as quick entertainment
for his airplane factory employees.
Today’s viewers, like the factory
workers, appreciate the convenience.
As Ken Friedman, another Santa
Monica local, put it, “Best of all,
there are no trailers [at the Aero]. It’s
nice not to spend the whole night
going to a movie.”
While most stores and landmarks
in the neighborhood have
disappeared, many locals see the Aero

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as a definitive landmark of old Santa

Monica. “I think it’s the best thing on
Montana,” said Lewis. “[My family]
started living here 17 years ago when
there was still a gas station, a hardware
store, and the Aero Theatre; and in 17
years there’s nothing left that’s really
good… except the Aero Theatre.”
Enthusiastic words of support,
however, are not going to keep the
Aero in business much longer. The
theater’s low ticket sales aren’t
generating enough revenue even with
the draw of a cheap seven dollar
ticket. The fundraisers and special
events are helping, but it’s not
enough.
The Aero Theater Needs Support
By India Donaldson
As I pulled into the parking lot
of the Santa Monica Civic Center
on Sept. 15, I flinched at the thought
of waiting in line to see a cat show.
At least 50 people were waiting to
get in, all eager to pay seven dollars
to stare into the very eye of feline
madness. Were a bunch of caged
cats, maddened and sedated by
years of competition, worth the
money and the wait?
The parking lot was jammed
with cars, many with out-of-state
plates from as far east as Ohio. One
car proudly displayed an “I Love
Maine Coon Cats” bumper sticker,
while another proclaimed,
“Happiness is a Sphynx Hairless
Kitten!” Written in the dusty
window of a red pick up truck was,
“Cats are Sweet!” It seemed this
twisted idea was the consensus. I
had entered a peculiar dimension:
The 36th Annual Santa Monica Cat

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Show. Each year cat enthusiasts

from all over America flock to this
Mecca of feline paradise, and I was
moments from entering.
I gave the attendant wearing an “I
love Cats” t-shirt my ticket, and
stepped cautiously inside. The first
thing that struck me was the odor.
The civic auditorium smelled as if
hundreds of cats had been
relieving themselves in
there for two days. Come
to think of it… My eyes
darted from fluorescent
pompom wands to plush
purple pet couches.
Overwhelmed by the
peacock feathers and
jumbo cat teasers, I
noticed I hadn’t even seen
a cat (except for those
emblazoned on t-shirts
and aprons) yet. Beyond
the endless cat
paraphernalia and bulk
quantities of “Bio-Groom
Anti-Static Hair Control,”
there lay the reason we
were all there: the prissy
pageantry of cats.
In the vast rows of
cages, many altered to
look more like
comfortable suburban
homes or enchanted castles, lay the
cats. Owners sat tall and proud, eager
to share their champion with the
public. One of the most successful
cats of the show, a longhaired white
Persian named Sundew Madam
LaZonga, relaxed behind a curtain of
white lace and fake pearls. The
Madam, with a flawless white coat

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and innocent chestnut eyes, won the

praises of all who beheld her. Her
plump white form was framed with an
array of patriotic ribbons and colors.
Owner Lorraine Saunders, a
longhaired Persian aficionado was
not surprised by the “oohs” and
“aahs.” “They’re glamorous. They’re
gorgeous. They’re for your ego,” she
said as she pulled back the curtain for
another eager onlooker.
With over 400 purebred and
household cats, the variety astounded
me. While, like Saunders, many had
an allegiance to the longhaired
breeds, others swore by the shorthairs,
or even the hairless. Claudia
LaGrippe, Oriental Shorthair owner
and Samo alumnus, anxiously waited
for the judges to call her turn. She
showed her cat, Lummax Flying High
of LaGrippe at the Premier level.
Being neutered, Flying High was
ironically named, as he could not fly
to the Champion title, but did have
the opportunity to become a Grand
By Peter Egziabher
A four-year-old boy receives the
first Christmas present that he has
ever had. An 84-year-old woman
enjoys the first meaningful
conversation that she has had in
months. A 14-year-old girl gets the
satisfaction of knowing that she
has made other people’s lives
better. All of these people have
something in common: they are all
affected by the Red Cross of Santa
Monica’s Youth Services.
The Red Cross, located on 11th
Street and Broadway, is a great
place for teens to hang out and
make a difference in the

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community. It is one of the few Red

Cross chapters in the country that
includes a Youth Services division.
Youth Services works with the
other Red Cross departments to
provide a wide range of activities
for hundreds of teenage
volunteers. These young people,
who come from many different
countries and who speak 22
different languages, are the heart
of Youth Services.
The youth volunteers, 320 of
whom either currently attend or
have attended Samo, participate
in many different activities. Some
are involved in the Red Cross’
Intergenerational Program in
which teenagers visit senior centers
and talk to the residents. Others
learn and teach CPR classes in the
community. Others participate in
Share the Holidays, a toy drive that
benefits underprivileged children.
Interested students can get
involved at Samo by attending
meetings of the Red Cross Club. It
meets every Tuesday at lunch in
room T112, starting on Oct. 15.
For more information, contact
Youth Services coordinator Robert
Chatman at (310) 394-3773 ext.
103.
By Kesha Ram
With Gray Davis and Bill Simon
as California’s top candidates in the
upcoming gubernatorial elections,
voters must chose between a
Democrat who is obtaining
controversial corporate funding and
a Republican who was recently on
trial in a civil lawsuit against his
family firm.

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There is, however, a third party

candidate that is making waves with
his campaign. Peter Miguel Camejo,
the Green Party’s candidate for
governor, is bringing strong morals
and honest politics back to the election.
His stance on the education system is
agreeable and fair, opposing the
“testing mania” with implements from
Gray Davis such as the High School
Exit Exam, which is argued as unfair
to certain socioeconomic and ethnic
backgrounds. “The Green Party’s
commitment to social justice,
Vote Elephant, Ass, or ... Grass?
[fighting] racial discrimination, and
[upholding] equality has begun to
find a strong response,” said Camejo.
As a party, Greens are opposed to
“Big Money” and rely on grassroots
democracy to spread their message.
They stand for values such as social
justice, ecological wisdom, and
nonviolence. “Democracy is a good
thing,” Camejo says, “but it should
not be dominated by money. The
Green Party differs by having
candidates who are average citizens
and [by] ruling out corporate funds.”
Donna Warren, running with
Camejo as the Green candidate for
lieutenant governor, is an African
American woman who also believes
strongly in racial and social equality.
“I am in great praise of the Green
Party, because it’s the only party
which addresses issues for poor
people, especially poor people of
color,” said Warren.
Many issues have erupted in
California that have come to the
attention of current Governor Gray
Davis and all political parties involved

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in the election. Camejo is displeased

with the manner in which Davis has
chosen to deal with these problems.
In response to the energy crisis, Camejo
is working to install solar power in
every home and facility.
Davis recently vetoed a bill to
legally oppose racial profiling, while
the Greens are “explicitly opposed”
to social injustice and police brutality.
Camejo also wants to decriminalize
marijuana in defense of impoverished
communities that are targeted in the
“War on Drugs.”
Regarding the environment,
offshore drilling has been a major
upset in California and along its
coasts. Camejo and the Green Party
want to end offshore drilling, help to
subsidize global warming as much as
possible, and abide by local
communities’ wishes in
environmental issues.
Even with these important issues
circulating, officials say only 22% of
Californians who were eligible to
vote in the primary actually did.
Although a strong population to
appease is the Latino community,
Davis struggles with bills that could
damage his ties with the minority
group. “I do not think people yet
understand the anger felt in the Latino
community because of governor Gray
Davis’ betrayal on the Farm Workers
binding arbitration bill and the driver’s
license bill,” said Camejo.
Camejo values young citizens
highly, saying there are a higher ratio
of active, young Greens because
young people are more idealistic and
ready to promote change. To the
youth,Camejosays,“Alwaysquestion

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authority; never accept the standard.”

Premier after defeating 75 cats.
However, to LaGrippe, it was not the
blue ribbons that brought her to the
show. “You’re with people who have
the same interests as you, so nobody
thinks you’re nuts. We all wear our
shirts that say ‘I love cats’ and we
wear them proudly,” said LaGrippe.
When it came down to defending
cats against other domestic pets, there
was no lack of enthusiasm among
show-goers. Laura Green, a hairless
Sphynx breeder, said of her cats,
“They’re part dog, part child, and
part monkey. They have those
monkey antics.” These cats can fetch,
shake hands, and pick locks, and
what it ultimately comes down to, as
Green put it, is, “A house full of cats
is quiet. One puppy is loud.” The
question that remained unanswered
was, aren’t monkeys and children
loud?
Sorry if you missed such a fine
display of feline festivities, but rest
assured that the Santa Monica Cat
Club will bring the whole furry gang
back next August. And if you’re
allergic to cats, there’s a dog show in
August too.
Red Cross
Volunteers
The Best Cats in Dogtown Strut Their Stuff
Endangered Majesty: 1328 Montana Ave.
Photo by Daniel Morgan
Madam Lazonga absorbs complements at Santa
Monica’s Cat Show on Sept. 15.
Photo by Daniel Morgan
By Hannah Tepper
Wilshire Books: 3018 Wilshire Blvd., Between
Berkeley and Stanford St., Santa Monica 90403
Wilshire Books, the oldest independent bookstore in

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Santa Monica, has been in the same location since its

owner, Leigh Peffer, opened up shop in 1968. As a used and
out-of-print bookstore, prices are about 40 percent less
than most other stores in Santa Monica. For a store lacking
in size, Wilshire Books mysteriously does not seem to lack
books,withanarrayoftopicsfromJazztoMountaineering.
Although one might not find a specific book here, it’s great
for research or finding a good read, and its old-fashioned
atmosphere is like nowhere else.
Midnight Special:13183rd St., Santa Monica 90401
Midnight Special is located on the Third Street
Promenade until its move to a lower-rent area in March.
Thisbookstoreisnotafraidtoexpresscontroversialthinking,
and emphasizes independent thinking. “The only thing that’s important for high school kids is the ability
to think for
themselves,” said Owner Margie Ghiz. In addition to books, Midnight Special sells international,
national, and local
newspapers, a large selection of magazines, and on Friday nights they host open-mic poetry readings.
Midnight Special
also orders books that customers may not find in stock.
Dutton’s Bookstore: 11975 San Vicente Blvd., Los Angeles 90049
Dutton’s in Brentwood, owned by Doug Dutton, is sectioned off into four wings. The North wing
features compact
disks, the East has children’s selections and travel books, the West has novels, and the South is a café
and gift shop.
Dutton’s has a large selection compared to many
independent stores, and often hosts book signings.
Check out www.duttonsbrentwood.com to see a list of
visiting authors.
Angel City Books: 218PierAvenue,SantaMonica
90405
Angel City Books and Gallery is unlike the majority
of other bookstores in the area. Owners Rocco Ingala
and Steve Rodriguez display the work of local artists on
the walls, making Angel City Books not just a bookstore,
but a gallery as well. Angel City Books sells used and outof-
print books, and with its largest sections in Cinema,
modern art, poetry, and Eastern Philosophy, this
bookstore is a more alternative find. Ingala, referring to
the large collection of film books, said, “I think having
large sections in these areas is something kind of unique.
Rather than try to have a little bit of everything, we have
a small store, but what we do is comprehensive in our

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selective areas.” Visit www.AngelCityBooks.com tosee

complete lists of the books they sell.
Campus Voices:
Favorite Books
The Samohi asked Samo students what their favorite books
are. Here are their responses:
Anyone feel like having an
adventure? Instead of reading your
copyof“HarryPotterandtheSorcerer’s
Stone” for the hundredth time, here’s
something new, and it’s nonfiction.
Bookcrossing.com is an internet book
club like no other. It encourages
members to participate in a kind of
treasurehuntbyusing“thethreeR’s:”
Read, Register the books at the web
site, and Release them in odd, public
places, (lik e coffee shops,) for others
to find.
If you have too many books on
yourshelf,takeatriptoBookCrossing.
It will first ask for information about
the book, and give you a printable
ticket which gives brief instructions
for the finder, and an ID number for
your book. The rest is up to you. Find
an interesting place to release your
book, and report the location on the
website.
“It’s a very thrilling concept,” said
Joyce, a teenage “bookcrosser” from
Ontario, Canada, in an online
interview. “I was so excited when I got
my first e-mail from BookCrossing,
telling me that one of my books had
been found – I couldn’t stop smiling.
Just the idea of someone finding a
book that was once mine makes me
tingle.”
BookCrossing was conceived and
is maintained by a software and
Internet development company called
Humankind Systems, Inc. Its goal, as

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stated on the introductory page, is

simply“tomake t h e
whole world a
library.” The
website was
launched in
April 2001, and
since then it has
spread by word
of mouth, and
captured the
imaginations of
over 40,000
people from all
over the world.
Some of
BookCrossing’s
features
include
contests,
discussion
boards, and a
forum in which
members share
their
experiences.
In a society
where mystery
andadventuresometimesseemlimited
to fiction, BookCrossing is a great
way to have fun, meet new people, and
give thebooks we love the same kind
of adventuresome experiences that
they give to us.
Compiled by Ava Tramer
The three books that are most frequently challenged
by people and organizations are the “Scary Story”
series, by Alvin Schwartz, “Daddy’s Roommate,” by
Michael Willhoite, and “ I Know Why the Caged Bird
Sings,” by Maya Angelou. “Where’s Waldo?” by
Martin Handford is the 87th most frequently challenged
book.
— CNN.com

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The best-selling book of all time is “The Holy

Bible,” which has sold approximately 6 billion copies,
followed by “Quotations from Chairman Mao Tse
Tung,” which has sales figures around 900,000,000
copies.
— The Internet Public Library
The best-selling children’s book of all time is “ The
Poky Little Puppy,” by Janette Sebring Lowrey.
— Publisher’s Weekly 2000
“My favorite book is ‘A
Heartbreaking Work of
Staggering Genius’ by Dave
Eggers because it’s really good.
I [like] his writing. It’s really
honest.”
-Andrew Izard, junior
“My favorite book is ‘The
Right Stuff.’ …It’s about the
astronauts breaking the sound
barrier. I like real books that
tell the truth.”
-Tim Hayn, sophomore
Local Independent Bookstores
“My favorite…books are
actually all by the author
Hermann Hesse...There’s so
much imagery; it’s rich; it’s
like reading poetry.”
-
Sarah
Elbroum,
freshman
By Gina Corso
Compiled by Gina Corso
“Fugitive Days” by Bill Ayers
This is the memoir of a political
rebel’s life on the run from the law. As he
battles the American government,
society, and lifestyle of the late sixties,
readers are shown the inner-workings
of the Black Panthers, the Days of Rage,
and the Weather Underground.
“The Bell Jar” by Sylvia Plath

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If you enjoyed “Girl, Interrupted,”

you will love this novel. A young woman
in New York struggles to become a
journalist while spiraling into a deep
depression. This story is insightful and
thought provoking — similar to J. D.
Salinger’s “ Catcher in the Rye.”
Photos by Wesley Krieger
Send Your Books On An Adventure
By Megan Healey
A passerby looks at a Dutton’s window
display.
Wilshire Book’s window sign.
Photos Courtesy of Amazon.com
Photo by Ava Tramer
Photo by Ava Tramer
Book Reviews
Interesting Facts
SPECIAL REPORT
“The House of Spirits” by
Isabel Allende
Originally written in Spanish, this
novel beautifully tells the story of three
generations in a Chilean family during
the 20th Century Revolution. Allende,
the niece of the assassinated Socialist
leader Salvador Allende, gives readers
the details of revolution, and shows
the hope that enable families to hold
together in hard times.
Books
Campus Life
By Molly Parent
The work of local artist Jill
Sykes transformed Roberts Art
Gallery into a vibrant botanical
garden on Thurs., Sept. 19 from
6:30 to 9 p.m. The art exhibit,
titled “Botanical Meditations,”
displays Sykes’ oil paintings of
various plant life, featuring leaves
and flowers in abstract colors and
textures. The exhibit, which will

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be displayed in the art gallery

until Oct. 10, attracted many students,
teachers, and parents.
Many were impressed by
Sykes’ work. “I love her colors.
Everything just kind of blends.
That’s something I’ve been trying
to do,” said Brenda Ponton, a
senior art student at Samo.
“I’m one of those weirdos. . .I
always knew what I wanted to
do,” said Sykes. Her formal art
training includes experience at
Santa Monica College and Otis
Art Institute in Los Angeles, and
she currently has her own open
studio in Hollywood. Sykes, who
had always been more interested
in abstract art, says that she
stumbled upon the theme of “Botanical
Meditations” when her
studio was being remodeled and
she was oil painting on the floor.
“I was interested in folds and twists
and funny shapes,” she said. “I
found I really liked long, skinny
stems and the negative space between
the leaves, and I realized
that what I had capped into was
actually the way I’d always seen
things.”
Sykes is grateful for the opportunity
to share her art with the
Samo community. “I find that
being around other artists creates
such a great environment,” she
said. She hopes that everyone
will be able to take something
personal away from the exhibit. “I
don’t want someone to take one
look and say ‘Oh, that’s nice’ and
move on…I believe that if you
can look at something on the wall

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day after day…and it makes you

happy, then it’s a successful
piece.”
Local Artist Recognized
The position of a Chief Educational
Officer (CEO) is one of the
many new developments that
Samo’s administration has undergone
this year. Dr. Ilene Straus,
former principal of Lincoln Middle
School, recipient of California’s
Secondary Principal of the Year
Award, 1991 YWCA Woman of the
Year, and mother of two Samo
graduates, has been appointed
the position. Under Straus’ leadership,
Lincoln Middle School
was merited as a National Blue
Ribbon School, a State Distinguished
School, and Disney’s
School of the Year. The Samohi
recently sat down with Straus to
get to know her better and to
discuss the effect she plans to
have on the Samo community in
the coming years.
The Samohi: What exactly
does the role of CEO entail?
Ilene Straus: The CEO’s job
is to guide the vision of the entire
school, to be the Public Relations
person, to work with the administrative
team, and to ensure
that we are effective. I’m in charge
of the whole organization much as
the superintendent is in charge of
the whole school district.
TS: Where did the term “CEO”
come from?
IS: Superintendent [John] Deasy
came up with that. . . If you think
about it, we’re 3,400 kids, so a
[CEO] is not just the principal. It is

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a role [similar to] a CEO over a huge

organization.
TS: What made you come to
Samo?
IS: I knew that it was time to do
something new. . . I thought about
being Assistant Superintendent because
then I could help all the
schools improve instruction. So I
applied for that, and I got the job,
but they couldn’t find someone for
Samo. So the superintendent said
to me, “I really need you to go to
Santa Monica High School. You
can’t tell me no.”
TS: Did you think about saying
no?
IS: They’ve asked me a lot to
come here over the years, four times
actually. . . It just seemed to be the
right time, and it seemed like the
right work. Principals make the
difference in schools. It’s not the
right job for everybody, but for the
right people, it’s a great job. I think
that it’s important to let people
Administration Spotlight: CEO/
Principal, Dr. Ilene Straus
By Adam Siegel
Samo Geometry Teacher Ari
Marken took up the fight against
breast cancer on Sept. 21 by playing
50 games of tennis over the
course of the day at the Westside
Challenge to Beat Breast Cancer.
The event, in its fifth year, took
place at the Los Angeles Tennis
Center on the UCLA campus.
Marken raised $950 with the
help of his sponsors, many of
whom work at Samo. The money
will fund low-cost mammography
screenings at the Santa Monica-

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UCLA Medical Center. The event

has raised over $100,000 in past
years, and this year’s event was
planned to be the biggest ever in
terms of donations.
The “Challenge” organizers
noted that, while one in nine
women will develop breast cancer
during her life, the disease is
very curable when diagnosed
early. One method of early detection
is through a mammogram, a
procedure in which breast tissue
is x-rayed for possible lumps.
Mammograms can be expensive,
and the money raised at the tournament
will help pay for the cost
of mammograms for women who
cannot afford them.
Having an aunt with breast
cancer made Marken aware of the
disease, and motivated his involvement
in the event. Marken,
a Minnesota native who has
played tennis for 10 years, also
cited Administrative Assistant
Leslee McGee as an inspiration
for him to play, since she, too, had
the disease. “My aunt…and
Leslee McGee are on the plaque
outside [the tennis court], and I’m
playing for these people,” said
Marken.
McGee was
touched by
Marken’s gesture,
and had
kind words towards
Samo’s
staff, who were
supportive and
assisted her
through her difficult

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times.
“The whole Samo faculty and staff
was incredibly supportive,” said
McGee. “They were there for
me…and if you have to go through
this, it made it almost okay.”
Although the tennis players
were there for a serious reason,
they still enjoyed themselves thoroughly.
“It’s doubles, it’s fun...
I’m having a good time... and it’s
what I want to do anyway: play 50
games of tennis on Saturday,” said
Marken. The Westside Challenge
to Beat Breast Cancer raised a lot
of money, and local health services
are sure to benefit greatly
from it.
know that their principal wanted to
be here.
TS: What were you doing before
you were at Lincoln?
IS: I spent 14 and a half years
working in elementary schools and
16 years in middle school. So now
high school. It’s interesting, you
don’t usually find someone that
has all three levels of experience.
TS: Where did you go to college?
IS: My bachelor’s is from
UCLA so I am a Bruin, and my
doctor’s is from USC. Except I
never root for the Trojans in a
football game.
TS: Do you like to travel?
IS: I love to travel. Last Christmas
I did a bicycle trip through
Vietnam. It was amazing. . . I also
went to Machu Picchu and to the
Galapagos Islands. You can always
expect me to be on some
kind of trip over break. It makes
my life interesting and it makes it

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not all about work.

TS: What do you like to do for,
say, a Saturday night date?
IS: I like going to the theater,
to concerts, to restaurants, and to
movies. Actually, the thing you
should know about me is that I like
variety.
TS: What else do you do in your
free time?
IS: I teach graduate school: elementary
and secondary administration.
I’m committed to this profession
and I’m committed to kids;
I like working in schools, but I also
like my life. I tried rock climbing
this summer. It scared the daylights
out of me. . . When I got up the 120-
foot canyon, I couldn’t believe it.
It’s like Samo: climbing up one
step at a time and eventually getting
to the top.
Samo Math Teacher Takes a
Swing Against Breast Cancer
Campus Life Briefs
By Megan Healey
By Donielle Hatcher
Senior Office Specialist Abi Medes, along with 14 other Samo staff
members, participated in the long-running hit TV game show “The
Price is Right” on Sept. 6. Medes won over $76,000 in prizes, which
included a refigerator, boat, off-road bike, and bar accessories.
Medes heard of the taping from a co-worker, Ninth Grade Advisor
Kelly Luddy. Luddy had recently recieved a memo inviting her and
14 guests to the taping of the game show.
On the show, Medes was the first contestant announced to get a
chance to play. She had a wonderful time. “It was great, we had a lot
of fun...I just had a feeling that my name was going to be called,” said
Medes. No one else from Medes’ party was called to participate
onstage.
This episode of “The Price is Right” will air in mid-October.
By David Ginsburg
As a way to inform students and parents about various college options,
Samo’s annual College Fair will take place Tuesday, Oct. 15 in the South

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Gym.
Representatives from over 100 colleges nationwide will be available
to speak with students and offer them various written materials that provide
additional information about their colleges.
The College Center and the PTSA are jointly sponsoring the College
Fair. Parent Volunteers Lynn Naliboff and Chris Thornton are serving as
co-chairs for the event. College Counselors Clara Beard and Ada Hollie
are the Samo staff members in charge. Both counselors encourage students
to attend the event. “I think that it’s very important, not only for seniors,
but for [all] students to begin the exploration of colleges,” said Hollie.
Samo students will be allowed to enter the College Fair at different
times,
depending upon their grade level. Seniors are allowed in at 7:00 p.m.,
juniors at 7:30 p.m., and sophomores and freshmen at 8:00 p.m.
Staff Member Wins Big Bucks On Game Show
College Representatives To Visit Samo
Photo by Alex Leitner
CEO/Principal Ilene Straus at her desk.
Artist Jill Skyes poses in front of one of her abstract oil paintings at
her art exhibit entitled “Botanical Meditations.”
Photo by Molly Parent
Sports — Page 7 The Samohi Oct. 4, 2002
By Calanit Greenberg
This year, the Girls’ Tennis season
begins with a rough transition
from last year. With the loss of
seven varsity members, which includes
five
key graduated
seniors, the
girls will be
forced to work
much harder if
they hope to
stand a chance
in league
matches.
Although
Samo has
taken a step
down from the
Bay League to
the Ocean

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League, the
lack of varsity
experience
has proven to
be a challenge
this season. Tough losses of 0-18 to
Palisades High School on Sept.17,
and 6-12 to Malibu High School
on Sept. 18, did not leave the girls
Young Lady Netters Struggle
for Success in Ocean League
Week Four NFL
Rankings
discouraged. The next day they
proved victorious over Inglewood
High School with a close10-8 win.
Fortunately for the Lady Netters,
the match against Inglewood was
the first match to count towards
league.
Following
a pattern of imp
rovement,
Samo beat
Palos Verdes
with a 12-6 win
on Sept. 24.
Their next
league competitor
was supposed
to be
Morningside,
but its school
cut the tennis
program.
Led by seniors
Christine
Yi, Lexi
Guiner, Joanna
Turlik, and
number one player sophomore Alex
Khoury, the Lady Netters are striving
for unity. “I think [us seniors]

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have a really good, strong relation-

Oscar De La Hoya’s
Comeback Pure Gold
By Angela Gonzalez
After being away from the ring
for approximately 15 months, Oscar
De La Hoya demonstrated to
the entire boxing community that
he is still a talented fighter.
De La Hoya
has never had
such a strong desire
to win. Having
lost his previous
two fights
against Felix
Trinidad and
Shane Mosley,
De La Hoya absolutely
refused
to lose another
boxing match.
Even though De
La Hoya was
slandered about
his ability to
fight by his opponent
Fernando Vargas, De La
Hoya took a hold of the criticism
and used it as a mental mechanism
to defeat Vargas. Not only
did De La Hoya want to disprove
Vargas’assumptions, he also
wanted to prove his talent.
Having had more experience
in boxing and more agility than
Vargas resulted in a definite victory
for De La Hoya. De La Hoya’s
overall record prior to the boxing
match against Vargas, was 35 wins
and two losses as opposed to
Vargas, whose overall record was
only 22 wins and two losses. De

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La Hoya’s experience of fighting

more opponents than Vargas, is
the primary reason for his success.
Another contributing factor
for De La Hoya, was his quickness
in the ring. In the 11th round of
the fight, De La Hoya was able to
knock out Vargas. Even though
De La Hoya’s energy subsided in
the second round, he was still
able to inflict destructive punches
on Vargas’ face. De La Hoya’s
power and swiftness proved to
be too overwhelming for
Vargas. In the last minute of the
11th round, De La Hoya’s intense
power punches caused
Referee Joe Cortez to stop the
fight,while keeping Vargas
from facing further destruction.
De La Hoya’s absence from
the boxing ring assisted him in
regaining strength and speed
once again. His intensive training
indeed paid off in the 11th
round of the match. Not only
did De La Hoya defeat Vargas,
but he also proved that despite
the scrutiny he received from
Vargas, De La Hoya was able to
prove his fighting capability,
while savoring every last bit of
his victory. De La Hoya proved
that he has not lost his golden
touch or his irresistible looks.
By Jacob Honig
After a year-long break, the Lady
Linksters are back in action with a
new coach and an all-around solid
team. The girls feel that they are
ready to compete in a challenging
Ocean League competitions.
Led by senior Co-captains Laura

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Skowland and Jessica Bergman, and

assisted by juniors Meagan Lamb,
Jarin Somboonsup, and Irene
Vatjaranuruk, the Lady Linksters
are the strongest that the golf team
New Coach Hopeful for Girls Golf
has been in years. In addition,
sophomore standout Amandala
McKwright has been consistently
scoring in the upper 30’s and low
40’s.
Head Coach Marty Verdugo
hopes to guide the team to victory
in his first year coaching and is
hopeful about the Lady Linksters’
chances. “I am very excited for this
season. The girls are enthusiastic
and work extremely hard,” said
Verdugo of this year’s squad.
Verdugo coached Samo’s Boys
Basketball team for two years, and
is an avid golfer himself.
The team has already gotten off
to an impressive 2-0 start defeating
league rival Mira Costa in two
straight matches on Sept. 24 and
Sept. 26. Notable performances include
rounds of 42 and 47 by
McKwright, as well as an opening
round score of 42 by Vatjaranuruk.
This year’s Lady Linksters are
off to a great start in league and look
to extend their winning streak.
By Tim Livingston
1. New England Patriots (3-1):
Chargers finally slow them down,
but that doesn’t mean they’re the
better team.
2. Philadelphia Eagles (3-1):
David “Green” Akers’ left leg is the
most prized body part in the NFL.
3. San Diego Chargers (4-0):
Chargers wanted a bad boy image, so

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they asked Curtis to show them the

Conway.
4.OaklandRaiders(3-0): Q.How
do you make a team known for its
dirtiness even dirtier? A. Bill
Romanowski.
5. Denver Broncos (3-1): Not a
lot of flair, they just know how to win.
6. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (3-
1): Finally the great Warren Sapp
backs up his talk about how incredible
he is.
7. Miami Dolphins (3-1): They
have a sissy name, so Zach Thomas
makes sure to remind everyone they
should be the Dominant Dolphins of
Death.
8. Green Bay Packers (3-1):
Favre’snewfavoritetargethasputthe
Pack in the Driver’s seat.
9. New Orleans Saints (3-1):
Aaron Brooks almost has as much
potential as his cousin, Michael Vick.
10. Carolina Panthers (3-1):
Could Rodney Peete be the next
Steve Beuerlein for the Panthers?
11. San Francisco 49ers (2-1):
The only guy with panache is Terrell
Owens. The rest of their guys should
be riding in the back of a Hearst.
12. Chicago Bears (2-2): Da
Bears Brian Urlacher would deck his
own mother if she was in the opposing
team’s jersey.
13.IndianapolisColts(2-1): NFL
has instituted a 15-yard penalty every
time Edgerrin James opens up his
mouth.
14.BuffaloBills(2-2): Whocares
if they’re good? Its not like they’re
ever going to win a super bowl anyway.
15.ClevelandBrowns(2-2): This
year, the Browns may be good

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enough to make it to the playoffs…

and then blow it like old times.
16. Jacksonville Jaguars (2-1):
Mark Brunell is still playing football?
17. Pittsburgh Steelers (1-2): The
Steelers are riding the Bus about as
often as Bill Gates.
18.AtlantaFalcons(1-2): IfIever
startedmyownreligion,MichaelVick
would be its God.
19. Kansas City Chiefs (2-2):
Priest Holmes scores touchdowns.
20. Arizona Cardinals (2-2): This
team proves that simply living in
Arizona is a Cardinal sin.
21. Baltimore Ravens (1-2): Unlike
the last couple of years, this team
has more holes than a box of Cheerios.
22. N.Y. Giants (2-2): Tight End
Jeremy Shockey is the reason parents
don’t want their kids playing football.
23.TennesseeTitans(1-3): When
describing the Titans I would use
several expletives, but I don’t like to
Kearse.
24. Dallas Cowboys (2-2): The
cheerleaders make $50.00 a game
and the players are millionaires—
who’s judging the talent?
25. N.Y. Jets (1-3): Vinny
Testaverde should have retired…
when he left Miami University.
26.WashingtonRedskins(1-2):
Spurrier is finding it hard to win with
a team that finds stocks more interesting
than rap music. (They’re really
old).
27. St. Louis Rams (0-4): Backto
the days of Jim Everett.
28. Seattle Seahawks (1-3): You
know you’re in trouble when Trent
Dilfer is supposed to lead you to the
promised land.

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29. Detroit Lions (1-3): At least

Harrington to Hakim is better than
Batch to Moore .
30. Minnesota Vikings (0-4): Las
Vegas has announced the Culpepper
vs. Moss fight will have Dante favored
at 3-1 odds.
31.CincinnatiBengals(0-4): The
poor residents of Cincinnati are stuck
with the choice to either watch the
Bengals or the Reds.
32. Houston Texans (1-3): No
comment. ship with the underclassmen.
Because
of this,
we’re able to inspire
eachother
and build unity,”
said Yi.
Coach Antonio
Robertson is
hopeful about the
girls’ overall potential
as competitors
and for
their improvement.
“Now that
we have players
taking practice
more seriously,
we’re playing
better in the
games,” said
Robertson.“Every
week that we play
and practice we’ll
continue to improve.
By the
time playoffs
come around,
we’ll be a welloiled
machine.”
Sophomore Mackenzie Snyder

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swings to score against Palos

Verdes on Sept. 24.
Photo by Alex Leitner
Samo lines up against La Costa on Sept. 13th.
Photo by Lauren Brydon
Sports
Vikings 2-1; Opponents Reeling
Cross Country Speeding
By Tim Livingston
The boys water polo team has
jumped out to a 6-1 start, losing
only to a strong San Marino team
(10-1) in the championship game
of the Bell Gardens Tournament.
The emergence of this year’s
team as a genuine contender has
Head Coach Matt Flanders saying,
"This team has the possibility
to be as good as the CIF
championship team three years
ago." Led by seniors Fernando
Navarette (All-Bay League second
team selection last year) and
Gregory Cruz, the team fought
out a 15-9 victory over a rival
Bell Gardens team that was ranked
fifth among Division III teams in
the Southern Section, until
Samo’s victory moved them to
10th in the poll (Santa Monica is
currently ninth).
The main ingredient in the
team's success so far this season
can be directly linked to the
Greenies well-balanced team
that has shown no holes in their
first eight games. Navarette,
Cruz, and junior Jacob Honig
have accounted for 69 of the team's
94 goals this year, but Flanders
knows that, "in order for us to
win, everybody has to contribute;
it has to be a team effort."

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This is the reason the various

contributions from seniors Max
Baumgarten, Daniel Bald, Danny
Maryanov, John Moore, and
juniors Noel Goetz and Colin
Lennington have been vital to the
team's success. Moore missed the
first five games recovering from
surgery, which was related to a
car accident he was the victim of
last year, but has battled back to
give the team a little extra firepower.
Baumgarten, Maryanov,
Goetz, and Lennington have been
solid in every aspect of the game,
and Bald has been strong defending
the goal.
"We're the dark horse team in
our division, but I predict we'll
make CIF," said Flanders. The
“dark horse” team? With such an
impressive start and wins over
some very credible opponents,
the boys water polo team is still
not considered a powerhouse. Of
course, maybe it will be good to
lay low for a while-until the CIF
championship game.
Submerged in Victories
Dexter Fairweather, junior
Chris Chavez, and sophomore
Yermie Cohen returning, the
boys have an excellent chance
at achieving their goal. The
desired course is for “everyone
to run together in a pack,”
said boys’ coach Tania
Fischer. She explains, “We are
getting closer to getting our
top seven [runners] under
16:30,” a time that will be
competitive at the state level
and which has been surpassed

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already by Chavez’s blazing

15:37 finish in the competitive
South Bay Classic.
The varsity girls took 14th
place at their first meet on
Sept. 13 at Santa Buenaventura
Park in Ventura, where sophomore
Stephanie Thornton led
the team with a speedy 19:30
time en route to a 10th place
finish in the sophomore girls’
division. Close behind were
returning starters senior
Stephanie Ishler and juniors
Julia Pratt and Lucy
Fairweather. New varsity run-
By Hanna Jacobsen
With only four meets under
their belt, the members of
the cross-country team have
already proven themselves
powerful and speedy enough
to take on the competition.
The varsity boys have already
made a name for themselves
by taking third place in
both the South Bay Classic
(overall) and the Woodbridge
Cross-Country Invitational
(senior division). They most
recently swept first through
third place and the overall win
in their first league meet. Injuries
have plauged the team,
but they seem confident. Senior
team captain Jacob
Zukerman, who is returning
from a tendon strain, said confidently:
“[The team] will win
Ocean League for sure. We
are looking to do well at CIF
in a month. The ultimate goal
is to make it to the CIF finals.”

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With seniors Phillip

Brunk, Kemal Cilengir, and
By Jonathan Lee
As the fog settled over Santa
Monica College’s Corsair Field on
Friday, Sept. 20th,astrongsenseofrelief
washed over the Samo football team.
After a nail-biting 24-32 defeat at the
hands of La Costa Canyon the previous
Friday, Samo held a 20-9 lead as the
clock ticked down in the final minutes
of the fourth quarter. For the first time,
Samo resembled the team that won the
Division X championship last year.
Samo’s execution carried over to
their Sept. 27th gameatVenice,inwhich
Samo edged out a dramatic 28-27 victory
decided in the final seconds of the
game.
Versatilerunningbacks,alongwith
the exceptional play of Samo’s
linebacking corps, have made up for
spectacular but at times inconsistent
quarterback play. Senior tailback and
linebackerAdrianGonzalezhasrushed
50 times for 326 yards and five touchdowns,
whileinspiringthedefensewith
his senior counterparts Zeido Hamze
and Abraham Badillo. Senior quarterback
Ricky Johnson has passed for 424
yards, but five costly interceptions have
offset three touchdown passes. Wide
receiverPaulHelmyhashelpedtomake
his senior year a good one by grabbing
all four of Samo’s passing touchdowns.
Facing La Costa Canyon, a runoriented
team that ran 37 times and
attemptedonly15passes,Samolooked
lost and confused until the final quarter.
Cornerbacks were
beaten consistently in
single coverage, and the
safeties often provided no

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relief. Despite the best efforts

of Badillo and
Hamze,whocombinedfor
33 tackles, the La Costa
running backs gained 201
yards, zig-zagging
through the defense as if
they were in a video game.
On the few occasions that
La Costa did put the ball in
the air, employing various
post routes and corners,
they were successful,
completing 8 out of 15
and setting up touchdown
runs.
In contrast, Samo was
clearly devastated by the
lack of experience on both
sides of the ball. First-year
starter Johnson was picked off three
times and completed just three passes
in the second half.
Following a TD run by senior
tailback Chris Clay, Samo faced a 18-
25 deficit in the fourth quarter. Senior
defensive back Kai Oredugba stripped
a La Costa running back, which allowed
junior Tito Simmons to pick the
ball up and race 37 yards for the score.
After a failed two-point conversion,
Samo was still behind 24-25. The defense
crumbled and allowed yet another
touchdown to extend the lead 32-
24. With the game on the line, Samo’s
next two possessions ended on an overthrown
pass on fourth down and an
interception. The set of plays characterized
the game; just when Samo got
close, some mistake proved costly in
Photo by Wesley Krieger
The boys water polo team eyes a victory against Bell Gardens on
Sept. 18th.

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the long run.

Luckily, Samo was able to bounce
back the next week against a Palisades
team starting sophomore
Robert Ambers at
quarterback.Samo’sdefensemadeAmberslook
like a sophomore, picking
off two passes and
forcing five punts.
Hamze, Badillo, and
Gonzalez were the most
active defenders, stuffing
runs up the middle
and bringing down
tossesforshortandnegative
yardage. Ambers
was hurried into throwing
inaccurate and wobbly
passes that, if he had
more time, would have
been easily completed.
Gonzalez bulldozed
opponents and
routinely dragged three
or four defenders on his
way to 149 yards and
twotouchdowns.Samo’sveryfirstdrive
consisted of just 10 plays, ending in the
hands of Gonzalez, who burst through
a small hole for a 20 yard TD. Senior
quarterbackChrisChristiansharedtime
with Johnson and completed five of
eight passes for 77 yards and a 22 yard
TD to Helmy.
Samo dominated the line of scrimmage,
and Palisades scored their only
touchdown on a fluke fumble return.
The 20-9 Samo victory was more overwhelming
than the score makes it out
to be.
Bringing a 1-1 record onto a hostile
Venice field, the offense came together
for the first time, with Gonzalez movingthechainson169yardsandJohnson

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contributing with 34. Gonzalez left

many a mark and bruise on the Venice
defenders as he scored on runs of 2, 19,
and 31 yards. Helmy caught a 19 yard
TD, the benefactor of a rejuvenated
Johnson,whocompleted10of18passes
for 110 yards and, most importantly, no
interceptions.
The game was decided in the final
minutes. After numerous Samo penalties
gave Venice second and third
chances at scoring, Venice capitalized
and made the score 28-27. They then
faced a difficult decision: easily tack
on an extra point for a tied game or go
for two and the win. Venice decided on
the latter, but as the QB rolled out and
attempted to dive into the endzone, his
Samo counterpart, Johnson, stopped
him and preserved the victory.
Sporting a 2-1 record and a team
that is starting to realize its full potential,
Samo is looking forward to a successful
season. Samo is hoping that the
Palisades and Venice games are some
indication of what lies ahead. Samo
faces Claremont at SMC today at 7 pm.
ners are seniors Amanda Hutt
and Bahar Yaghoubian, junior
Nilou Assar, sophomores
Stephanie Thornton, Anna
Nabel and Kathleen Wu, and
freshman Miriam Rubenson.
The girls took seventh place
at the South Bay Classic,
ahead of their main competitor
Redondo Union. Thornton
led the team again with a 19:30
finish, good for 24th place,
followed by Ishler at 20:12
and Nabel in 20:39. Most recently,
the girls took first in
the league meet, barely inching

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past Redondo Union, with

Thornton leading the pack.
Girls Coach Pat Cady said,
“I’m really pleased with the
performance of the team, but
we’ve given RU a big incentive
for the second league meet
when we run on their home
course.” Nonetheless, the girls
are aiming for the Ocean
League title, and with their
fast times and determination,
it seems their goal will be
met.
By Lisa Strumwasser
The girls volleyball team began its
league season last week with a preseason
record of 0-3 and now boasts an
0-3 record in league.
Captained by senior setter Lindsay
Ebata and outside hitter Florence
Kinslow, the Lady Spikers hold onto
two prominent players for the 2002
season. Other strong players include
senior Hitana Vanmelle-Seaton and
junior Amy Kearsley, and returning
Girls Volleyball Digging
Into a Difficult League
sophomores Jade Chakon, Milan Clark,
and Akilah Bledsoe.
In its pre-season tournament at North
Torrance on Sept. 21 the team played
against La Marada, San Gabrielle, and
Chadwick, losing two games out of
three in each match.
In league games, the team faced two
prominent teams: Peninsula and Mira
Costa. On Sept. 23, Samo played
Peninsula and lost in three sets. Two
days later nationally ranked Mira Costa
came to Samo and handily beat the Lady
Spikers in three sets. Redondo hosted
the Lady Spikers last Friday, Sept. 27,

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and also won their game in three sets.

The team came close to a win on Oct. 1
when it played El Segundo away, and
lost in four matches.
With many new faces in the starting
line-up, the team must come together
early for a successful season. Given the
competition the team has faced, Samo
continues to learn from past games and
preservere through competitive games.

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