Local students star in Regional Science Olympiad

By MARILYN MCMAHON NEWS-PRESS STAFF WRITER

Students and staff at Santa Barbara Unified’s junior high schools are celebrating a strong performance at the Regional Science Olympiad. Santa Barbara, La Cumbre and Goleta Valley junior high schools competed in the event on March 11 at UCSB.

The Regional Science Olympiad was in person for the first time since the pandemic.

The Science Olympiad is a national STEM competition featuring 6,000 teams at 425 tournaments in all 50 states.

Santa Barbara Unified students participated in the regional competition that included the Central and South Coast and Southern California.

SB Unified students earned 44 individual Science Olympiad medals at the competition.

La Cumbre won third place in the Fast Facts competition, the only school from Santa Barbara County to place in that event. The school also just missed medaling, fourth place, in Roller Coaster. Santa Barbara Junior High excelled in engineering events, winning silver medals in Bridge, Flight and Roller Coaster. The Condors also had solid showings in their other two events, “Crime Busters” and “Write It, Do It.” Goleta Valley Junior High’s two teams earned medals in 18 events:

• Gold Medals: Crave the Wave, Experimental Design, Rocks and Minerals, Sounds of Music and Storm the Castle.

• Silver Medals: Can’t Judge a Powder, Crime Busters, Disease Detectives, Meteorology, Rocks and Minerals.

• Bronze Medals: Anatomy and Physiology, Bio Process Lab, Bridge, Flight, Solar System, Code Busters, Disease Detectives and Write It Do It.

“The success these students had in the Regional Science email: mmcmahon@newspress. com

Olympiad shows their hard work and dedication to STEM,” said Dr. Hilda Maldonado, superintendent. “As we prepare future engineers, scientists and mathematicians, these events inspire and contribute to bringing real-life lessons that their teachers and coaches deliver daily.” Ellen Barger, associate superintendent, curriculum and instruction of the Santa Barbara County Education Office, helped bring the event back to the region.

My wife came downstairs this morning with some moisture patches on, under her eyes. They looked a little strange, but it’s a girl thing, and I get it, so I made a little joke and said, “Oh, maybe I should try those!”

The one second look in her eyes when she softly said, “Sure dear,” spoke volumes. I could hear what she wasn’t actually saying: “You have to be kidding me. These will not help those cargo bags under your eyes. You need a plastic surgeon, not plastic patches.” She lovingly tried to hide it, but I busted her and spoke every word I’d heard in my head. She almost fell over laughing. We both did. It was a very cool early spring morning here, and after coffee and our laugh fest, she suggested we take a walk, and I gave her my look and speech. “Honey, it’s 40 degrees outside, and you know I don’t do cold.” She came back at me with, “Just wear the right clothes.”

My retort was, “It doesn’t matter what I wear. Some people are just allergic to cold,” and she said, “I am too.”

Then I had to throw the challenge flag down.

I pointed out that she’s from Eastern Europe, and I made her admit that she has worn high heels in the snow. (The women there actually do that, I’ve seen it). So much for being allergic to cold, and we both laughed again. Being able to laugh with each other about real life is probably the best part of our day.

People are amusing much of the time, and if you can capture that, it makes life a little bit more enjoyable and fun.

The way adult couples play with each other changes over time, as it should. Sex becomes less important as you age, and physical touch becomes more important. Your connection and the knowledge that you are committed makes you feel empowered. That is true intimacy, and that is what your heart yearns for when you are in a committed relationship. I am fortunate enough to have this in my life — and my wife would like me to write her a letter of recommendation for being an outstanding partner, in case I ever fall off a cliff. She deserves one, but I avoid cliffs, and she’ll never need it. Finding someone who is a great person, who deserves that letter of recommendation, and who also loves you truly is better than winning the lottery, and it’s easier. But it does take some effort on both your parts.

Once you decide that being a good person is the most important attribute in a partner, you are on the right path to creating true intimacy in your own life. It is not luck or destiny but understanding that you have to always make good choices when it comes to the people you let into your heart. We all have made mistakes in this area, and the answer is simply not to make any more of them.

Dr. Barton Goldsmith is an award-winning psychotherapist and humanitarian. He is also a columnist, the author of eight books and a blogger for PsychologyToday. com with more than 34 million readers. He is available for video consults world-wide. Reach him at barton@bartongoldsmith.com. His column appears Saturdays and Mondays in the News-Press.

COURTESY PHOTO

In addition to playing with Jose Luis de la Paz, percussionist Adolfo Herrera will teach a workshop at the festival.

Flamenco

Continued from Page B1

Gustavo Dudamel, under the artistic direction of Siudy Garrido Company, in “El Amor Brujo.”

That same year, he debuted his first symphonic work, “Suite for Flamenco Guitar and Orchestra,” in collaboration with Alex Conde (arrangements) and Berto Boyd (guitar transcriptions). In 2020, he composed the music for “OléOlá,” the flamenco musical created by Cristina Hoyos, currently playing at the Teatro Eslava in Madrid.

For FAF 2003, he performed as

Inspiration

Continued from Page B1 she co-created the project “Gather for Good” to usher communities toward bonding through projectbased volunteerism and currently serves as vice president of the Carpinteria-Summerland Fire Protection District board of directors. She has a bachelor’s degree in social work and a master’s degree in counseling psychology. the musical director for “Ballet Cristina Hoyos” at the Lobero Theatre. email: mmcmahon@newspress. com

The “Women of Inspiration” event will feature an all-new format this year. Held as a luncheon in previous years, it will feature a half-day retreat and networking lunch.

Attendees can join two breakout sessions in the morning, participating in smaller group workshops created to uplift, engage and inspire. They will then join the larger group for a community lunch in Girls Inc. of Carpinteria’s brand new courtyard, followed by the keynote presentation.

FYI email: mmcmahon@newspress.com

Tickets for Jose Luis de la Paz are on sale online at newvictheater. com (link to store.ensembletheatre. com/17894). Tickets are $45 and $55 plus fees. Tickets for the cajón and guitar workshops are on sale online at Eventbrite at FAFworkshops523. eventbrite.com. Tickets are $15 and $20 plus fees. For more information, visit flamencoarts.org.

Workshop speakers include Sonia Aguila, National Teacher of the Year; Danielle Bordenave, owner of Spark45 Fitness; Lauren Bragg, goal coach and wellness vixen; and Marisol Alarcon, immigration attorney at Alarcon Legal.

Those who are unable to attend the half-day event but would like to participate in the luncheon portion honoring Ms. Benefield and Ms. Jenkins can contact Girls Inc. of Carpinteria at 805-684-6364 or girlsinc-carp.org.

Tickets are $200, and all proceeds support Girls Inc. of Carpinteria’s programs and mission to inspire girls to be strong, smart and bold. Girls Inc. of Carpinteria is a member of Girls Incorporated, a nonprofit organization. Girls Inc. of Carpinteria currently serves more than 1,100 youth in the Carpinteria Valley, from pre-K through 12th grade. To learn more, become a volunteer or offer support, visit www.girlsinc-carp.org/.

Sudoku

Thought for Today

“Truth is strong, and sometime or other will prevail.”

— Mary Astell