its the may issue ya'll

Laguna Blanca School - 4125 Paloma Drive - Santa Barbara - California - 93110- thefourthestate@lagunablanca.org

Volume XVI

May 26, 2011

Issue 6

Upper School Hosts Field Day

By JESSIE DUSEBOUT

I

n an effort to create another community event and a day of bonding for the students, Head of Upper School Mr. John Berry led the preparations for an Upper School field day.

On May 16, Upper School students took advantage of the warm spring weather by taking a non-academic school day to enjoy some fun and games on the Hope Ranch campus field.

Students started off the day by cheering for the senior class as they participated in a dunk tank activity planned solely for this year’s graduating class.

Throughout the day the student body and faculty had the opportunity to work together in teams and compete in various field games.

Team building exercises included; obstacle courses, eating contests, human pyramids, and water balloon tosses. Various group challenges were also organized--one of which included strategically fitting all members of a team into a van.

Taking a break from the games around noon, students enjoyed a barbecue lunch on the field and had time to relax with friends.

“I enjoyed the day hanging-

PHOTOS: TARA BROUCQSAULT

PHOTO: DANIELLE McCAFFERY

LET THE GAMES BEGIN: Upper School students, faculty, administrators, parents, and staff pause to take a picture before rushing into their Field Day activities. (Below): Senior Amanda Schulenberg leaps over a hurdle during the obstacle course activity.

Mc Caffery Wins District Level

out with my friends. The laid back competitions were great,” senior Sean Burke said.

Non-academic school days are not a common occurrence in high schools today, especially in private, academically focused schools like Laguna Blanca.

When asked what urged him to make this event happen, Mr. Berry said, “I wanted the school to come together to have fun and build more school spirit, and at the same time, find a way to compliment what we have in the Jogathon, but make it happen in the spring.”

“I want this to be the first annual and one of many to come. If students are in favor, then let’s make it happen,” Mr.

By JESS DAVIS

Berry said.

Mr. Berry hopes that the Lower and Middle Schools will join in years to come and help to expand this opportunity to strengthen school spirit and unify the student body.

“I wanted to have this Field Day three years ago and, for one reason or another, it never got off the ground.

I did not want another year to pass without the kids having an opportunity to have fun together before they departed for summer.

All in all, I witnessed many happy faces today. Just seeing the upperclassmen and women working with our 9th and 10th graders in the different events was worth the few months of planning.”

After winning the Club, Zone, and Area Contests, Andrew Mc Caffery went on to win the District level Optimist Club Oratorical Contest in Los Angeles on May 15. Andrew received a $2,500 scholarship for his speech “If I Were the Leader of the Free World” [see page 4].

This is the first time in 16 years that a Laguna student has advanced this far in the competition. In 1995, Ryan Brown won the District level.

“I enjoyed the process and the opportunity to speak at several Optimist Club chapters... public speaking skills have continued to serve me well. Yesterday, I gave a seminar on estate planning for my law practice,” said Ryan.

Journalism and Yearbook Students Attend JEA/NSPA Conference

Meet & Greet: Laguna students joined the journalism and yearbook staffs from Dos Pueblos, San Marcos, and Santa Barbara High Schools in front of the Marriott Hotel in Anaheim.

Design sessions, which were

By ANASTASIA ANTONOVA dreds that student journalists attended during the National especially popular, had long “Show not tell, probably the Journalism Education Spring waiting lines and few seats. two most important words National Convention held in Editors, writers, and photographers shuffled around the for journalists and storytell- Anaheim in April.

After the hour in Kennedy’s Marriott in Anaheim for four ers,” Jack Kennedy, president of Journalism Education As- session, that for some seemed days.

In the late afternoons everysociation, stated in the intro- more like a minute, the 4,000 duction to his lecture “Story yearbook and journalism body crawled back into his or Telling: The Heart of What We kids piled out of the rooms her room to catch up on sleep Do.” and frantically navigated the or study.

He continued by telling sto- crowded hallways looking for The Laguna Blanca jourries ranging from six words their next class, praying that nalism and yearbook staff into 300, explaining how read- there would still be a seat left cluded of sophomores Anastaers digest words at about 200 for them. sia Antonova, Caitlin Connor, words a minute, and how great The class capacities ranged Daria Etezadi, Brendon Nylen, writers write great stories by from 20 to 300 students, so Zoe Serbin, juniors Morgan breaking the rules. Kennedy’s everyone had to make a game Raith and McKenzie Scarsession was just one of hun- plan and hope to get a seat. borough, and seniors Caro-

lina Beltran, Elliot Serbin, and Amanda Schulenberg.

The group took classes including new styles for yearbook and newspaper design, journalism and news, journalism and business, and blog and website design.

Amanda Schulenberg describes classes on organization, “We learned a lot from the organizational classes they offered, and we will try to implement the skills we learned from them.”

The Laguna group joined the assembled 4,000 students attending the keynote speaker address.

The keynote speakers were sisters Laura and Lisa Ling.

They described their lifechanging and dangerous investigative journalism experiences: on sex trafficking in the US, the war in Afghanistan, and the story of how L a u r a was held in one of North Korea’s labor camps.

Attending the conference filled everyone with ideas on how to make publications better.

Most agreed that they knew one thing: their love for journalism was rekindled.

A big part of attending journalism conferences is participating in competitions.

The Fourth Estate’s Photo Editor, Elliot Serbin, entered the Write Off Competition in the Photography Portfolio section. He joined several hopeful student photojournalists for group and one-on-one critiques.

In addition to receiving excellent feedback from professionals on his work, Elliot was awarded a Superior Award for his body of work. The top award given in the section he entered. JEA featured Elliot’s photo [see below] as the single dominant image on their website page announcing the Write Off winners.

Senior Project Preview

The Obesity Paradox

Staying Healthy

Plans are underway for the seniors to embark upon their 3-week internships. Page 3.

American struggle with a growing social concern. Page 6.

Summer’s Frozen Treats

PHOTO: LERINA WINTER

Class of 2011 Senior Insert

Water for Elephants

AP Classes Going Extinct Homeless Stereotypes Should AP test taking be optional? Weighing the worth of AP Classes. Page 6.

Should we reexamine this issue? Page 7.

Walk of Fame Reception

Disasters Continue to Reek Havoc Across the Globe

Parent Volunteer Judy Bartlein is honored for her dedication to Laguna Blanca.

Page 5.

Page 8 & 9.

Tips on keeping your skin cancer free. Page 11.

Reviewing the popular movie based on bestselling book. Page 13.

Spring Sports Recap Prom Night Laguna Goes Hollywood. Page 10.

Laguna Sports. Page 14.

Sailing Team & Swimming Recaps. Page 15.

Featured Athletes. Page 15.

PHOTO: ELLIOT SERBIN

Popular ice cream desserts and recipes from Laguna students that are perfect for the oncoming summer months .

Page 16.

Staff Editorial Osama bin Laden’s Death: A Cause for Celebration?

D

uring “60 Minutes” two Sundays ago, a runner scrolled across the screen.

It read, “President Barack Obama will be addressing the nation.”

Immediately, minds began to race as to what the announcement would be. Regular news followers knew the address would be of great importance, as last minute Sunday night addresses are a rarity.

About an hour later the President announced that a team of American commandos had successfully eliminated Osama bin Laden.

The death of bin Laden was a pivotal moment in America’s War on Terror.

Some have described the event as this generation’s V.E. or V.J. Day. However, such a comparison, while symbolically relevant, seems at best, superficial.

The death of Osama bin Laden is merely a milestone in America’s War on Terror. In contrast, V.E. or V.J. Day represent the defeat of Nazi Germany and Imperial Japan.

Many met the news of bin Laden’s death with jubilation. Huge crowds gathered outside the White House and Ground Zero. Thousands were chanting, cheering, and waving American flags.

At that moment, American patriotism soared. As one former female Army officer put it, “There seems to be a shadow lifted off the White House.”

Her statement certainly seems to hold true. The death of Osama bin Laden represents closure for the thousands affected by 9/11.

The message sent by his death was clear in many people’s minds.

America will prevail no matter how

long it takes, no matter how tenuous the road, and as President Obama put it, “Justice will be done.”

Although the death of the infamous AlQaeda leader signaled the end of a dark chapter in America’s history, it also poses new questions.

Will this event hinder the global Salafi-Jihadist movement, of which Al-Qaeda is a member?

Has America’s reaction to Osama bin Laden’s death been morally appropriate?

Sophomore staff writer Helena Davila shares, “I feel that the death of Osama bin Laden should be recognized, but not celebrated.”

This point of view is shared by many who view the celebration and jubilation as an inappropriate showing of American pride.

Radical Islamists celebrated when the Twin Towers fell. Is it right for Americans to do the same while striving for the moral high ground?

Senior Arabella Watters feels differently saying, “I don’t think there is anything wrong with celebrating his death. This is a victory for every American. We have a right to celebrate.”

GRAPHIC: SEAN BURKE

This opinion is also held by many; look to the crowds which grew outside of the White House and Ground Zero as a testimony to this.

The death of Osama bin Laden begs the question, ‘Is bin Laden’s death a significant enough blow to knock Al-Qaeda off its fast track to power?’

While it may be a serious hitch in the road for Al-Qaeda, it will not derail the organization nor the SalafiJihadist movement as a whole.

Some indications of this are found on radical Islamic message boards where postings such as “We were not fighting for Osama, the jihad will continue even if the Amir

Letter from the Editor Hello Everyone!

I cannot believe that this is the last “Letter from the Editor” that I’ll be writing for the Fourth Estate, and I cannot believe that this is the last issue that I will be working on for the newspaper. I’d like to begin by thanking everyone: the staff, Ms. McHale, my fellow senior editors, our readers, and the students who give us something to write about.

The three years I’ve spent working on this paper have meant so much to me, and everyone deserves some credit. I cannot begin to explain to you the way that the Fourth Estate has started to shape my life. I’ve realized that journalism and writing are my greatest passions, and I couldn’t be more thankful to any and all supporters of this publication for helping me discover that. And now it’s over. The countless hours after school, sleepy Sundays spent finishing articles, laying out double pages, squeezing one last quote out of an overworked student, or recreating some ridiculous scene to capture a last minute photo request. And even though I know next year’s staff will produce an incredible newspaper, I am so sad to be leaving. After 13 years at Laguna, my friends are family, my teachers are mentors, and these classrooms are in many ways my home. This campus has watched me evolve from a wide-eyed child, to an angst-y teen, to a college-bound 18- year-old already nostalgic for her “days back at Laguna.”

To next year’s staff: You definitely don’t need me to tell you that you’re ready to run this paper. To our readers: thank you for supporting us, your interest means everything to the people putting this all together. To my fellow editors and Ms. McHale: the six of us share some strange connection I’ve again and again failed to explain to others. Some unspoken love for not only journalism, but the struggling industry of hard copy news, great photography, a good original layout and, of course, each other. I’ll miss you to the moon and back.

In an attempt to best leave our mark; this issue is the longest issue of the Fourth Estate to date. With an entire regular edition and senior issue pull out inside. Our readership will include the entire Laguna alumni. We hope you’re impressed, or at least pleased with our efforts to inform you about all the wonderful things that come with the Laguna community.

Enjoy! Goodbye,

Carolina Beltran

T

he Fourth Estate is a public forum for student expression. It is written and produced solely by the journalism students.

The Fourth Estate welcomes guest articles and letters to the editor.

Letters must be signed and be no longer than 300 words. Drop letters off in the main office or e-mail them to thefourthestate@ lagunablanca.org.

Editors reserve the right to edit for length, clarity, and/or taste. Anonymous letters will not be published.

The Fourth Estate accepts advertising. Contact Trish McHale, MJE. at thefourthestate@lagunablanca.org for more information. Subscriptions are also available.

(leader) is Shaheed (martyred)!”

Intelligence gathered at Osama’s compound suggests he was certainly more than a symbolic leader as many have suggested. It is clear that bin Laden’s death will not hinder Al-Qaeda’s plans.

While bin Laden was held to be the mastermind behind 9/11, it is clear the death of any one member of Al- Qaeda could never topple the growing underground terrorist group from power.

The death of Osama bin Laden merely high-lighted the fact that Al-Qaeda is just one of many SalafiJihadist groups who, as radicals put it, “Strive in the way of Jihad.”

A LOOK INSIDE NEWS

Sophomores Attend El Panim Conference in D.C. 3 The Inductees of Cum Laude. 4

PROFILE

Kai Gamble Wins Scholarship Trip. 5

THE OPINION

Two Viewpoints on Homelessness. 6 The Obesity Paradox. 7

THE DOUBLE PAGE Natural Disaster Awareness.

STYLE

8&9

Prom Night. 10

HEALTH

Tips on Tanning in the Summer Sun. 11

FEATURE

The End of the Harry Potter Movies. 12 Is Santa Barbara Losing Its Flair 13

SPORTS

Ending the Spring Sports Season. 14 Competitions in Sailing and Swimming. 15

BACK PAGE

Sweet Treats for Summer. 16

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Carolina Beltran

BUSINESS MANAGER Olivia Berci

SENIOR EDITORS Lillie Hodges Jordan Shannon Arabella Watters

ONLINE MANAGER Abby Reutzel

PHOTO EDITOR Elliot Serbin COPY EDITORS Helena Davila Andrew McCaffery Morgan Raith Zoe Serbin ARTISTS Julia Kent Sean Burke

STAFF Anastasia Antonova Brandon Bickett Caitlin Connor Eva Davis Jess Davis Jessie Dusebout Daria Etezadi Jeffrey Nelson Fletcher Sipple Monica Watson

Faculty Adviser Patricia McHale, MJE

Senior Projects Preview

By DARIA ETEZADI After a gruelling year and understand what inundated with college their lives are like beapplications and AP ex- cause that is what travelams, seniors are getting ling is all about.”

Meanwhile, Lillie a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to personally Hodges is preparing to explore their interests leave for London to assist organizing and phoand hobbies on site.

Senior Projects, direct- tographing a fashion ed by journalism teacher project.

Seniors Jordan ShanMs. Trish McHale, represent a long-standing non, Marshall Alex, and Matt Puzder, are pairing tradition.

Seniors are required up with Laguna alum, to devote 75 hours on David Bradley, to study a project that is either hedge fund managecommunity-oriented, re- ment.

“I had been looking sembling an internship, or similar to an indepen- into the field of finance dent study. They are also when this particular projcharged with keeping a ect fell in my lap. My offcampus daily journal, writ...Senior projects are aDdav ivs oi rd, ing a final a s s e s s - a very unique time Bradley, ment pa- where you get to choose came to per, and to do something based speak to my AP preparing and pre- purely on what inter- Economics class s e n t i n g ests you. a speech ~ Olivia Liebman and told us that which they he had deliver in a formal ceremony in been lured by his senior project advisor to learn Spaulding Auditorium.

Each year, seniors the skills of an investor,” choose unique projects Marshall describes.

Just a few hours away, to explore within a diverse range of locations. Abby Reutzel plans on Of the students who are studying under alum currently finalizing their Ashley Lambert to assist travel plans for their proj- with voice casting during ects, some will be travel- the post-production proling to Africa, Southeast cess of film and television in Los Angeles.

Asia, and Europe.

Sean Burke will be Senior Spencer Dusebout is looking forward working with Laguna to spending time in Ke- parent and board memnya to foster the promo- ber, Marina Stevens, to tion of economic sus- illustrate a children’s tainability in developing book.

As explained by Olivia countries.

“I am excited to look Liebman, who will be at these villages from an working in K. Frank on economic perspective State Street: “I would say that sebecause it is something I haven’t done before,” nior projects are a very time where Spencer explains. “I hope unique to see for myself what you get to choose to do I’ve been hearing for a something based purely long time…that water is on what interests you. the key to breaking the You don’t have to worry about putting it down on poverty cycle.”

Not too far away, Car- a college application or oline Pickett will be in have someone critically Thailand, teaching the review it. It’s really just local children how to an opportunity to exspeak and write in Eng- plore an interest.”

Regardless of the projlish.

“I hope that I will ect, this Laguna tradilearn just as much from tion always proves to be the children as they will a breath of fresh air in learn from me. I want to the transition from high discover a new culture school to college.

AP Classes Going Extinct?

By DARIA ETEZADI When students browsed through the course selections for the upcoming academic year, many noticed that three of the more popular AP classes were missing from the sign-up sheets: AP Psychology, AP Human Geography, and AP Economics.

Following two-weeklong Facebook petition, AP Psychology was finally brought back to the table, but the remaining two have yet to be reconsidered by the History Department.

From the faculty’s standpoint, certain AP classes are offered to accommodate a “departmental interest” and to “give [students] an introduction to college academics,” explains Mr. John Berry, Head of Upper School.

Even through a student’s eyes, the reasons behind taking an AP are strikingly similar. “[AP Human Geography] sounded interesting to me…I chose to take it this year because I thought it would intrigue me as well as introduce me to the APs,” sophomore Caitlin Connor said.

If faculty members and students alike seem to be on the same page regarding this matter,

what would prompt the school to offer these AP humanities some years, and not others?

“Now, colleges are getting away from accepting AP credits, which is why a lot of schools aren’t offering APs as much,” said Mr. Berry.

So long as taking an AP course doesn’t offer an advantage once you get into college, American schools can expect to see a significant decline in the number of AP classes that are offered.

“What colleges demand is that students take the most challenging courses they can, given their natural ability...

What matters is if you have the ability [to take an AP course] and you don’t,” clarifies college counselor Dr. Revells.

Rather than offer as many AP classes as possible, Dr. Revells explains that within the Social Studies Department, “The option of AP classes would still be there, but it wouldn’t be bound to offer APs at the expense of offering electives.”

Laguna plans on offering a few select AP courses every two or three years and substituting enrichment classes that foster student-related interests.

PHOTO: OLIVIA BERCI

SHALOM FROM THE CAPITOL: Sophomores Cassidy Shevitz, Justin Palmer, Olivia Berci, and Zoe Serbin take a picture outside of the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, DC.

Sophomores Attend Panim El Panim in Washington, DC

By ZOE SERBIN

O

ver the break, four of Laguna’s Jewish students packed their suitcases, donned their kipot, said ‘shalom’ to the nation’s capitol.

Olivia Berci, Cassidy Shevitz, Justin Palmer, and Zoe Serbin headed to Washington, D.C. for a conference called Panim El Panim.

The trip was made by 14 students in Congregation B’nai B’rith’s Confirmation class of 2011.

Sophomores from La-

guna Blanca, Santa Barbara High School, Dos Pueblos High School, San Marcos High School, and Bishop Diego High School went on the trip.

The four-day conference brought together a group of 150 students from all over the United States to talk about issues currently facing them and their community.

“The most interesting thing I heard was when the homeless speakers talked. It made me real-

ize how real of an issue homelessness is,” Justin said.

Groups such as the National Coalition for the Homeless (NCH) and American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) spoke to the students Other activities students participated in, other than seminar classes, included watching “Waiting For Superman,” and lobbying issues of interest to congresswomen Barbara Boxer and Lois

Capps.

Justin and Cassidy lobbied issues such as support for Israel and health care to Representative Boxer.

Olivia and Zoe tackled issues such as supporting after-school programs in schools and funding better rehabilitation programs in prisons on their visit to Capps’ office.

“I will never forget crying at the Holocaust Museum and lobbying on Capitol Hill,” Cassidy said.

Students Raise Funds for Japan

By JESSIE DUSEBOUT

In response to the 8.9 magnitude earthquake, countless aftershocks, and tsunami that haunted Japan on March 11, Laguna Blanca students have stepped in to aid the countless number of victims to the disasters.

Students Spencer Dusebout, Jack Davies, Jessie Dusebout, and Samantha Schurmer are leaders of a non-profit organization called Hands4others.

Hands4others (H40) is an organization dedicated to providing sustainable access to clean, drinkable water for those in need.

In order to raise the funds to install water systems in Japan, senior and cofounder Spencer Dusebout proposed a challenge for the high school students.

Each student received a water bottle with instructions to fill it up with spare change and return it to their class bin at school.

The fund-raising was turned into a competition between the classes and faculty.

Thanks to the Laguna

PHOTO: ELLIOT SERBIN

MIDDLE SCHOOL BAKE SALE: Middle School students eagerly wait in line to buy pastries and treats to support the people in Japan.

Blanca Upper School students and other donors H40 has been able to send a water system to Japan.

Along with H40, Middle School students stepped up to support the people affected by the recent natural disas-

ters in Japan.

Magistra Anderson’s advisory held an ice cream sundae sale with all proceeds going towards Japan relief.

Mr. Uyesaka’s advisory raised funds by selling treats at a bake sale. Additionally, his advisees

placed donation boxes in the library and faculty room.

There are countless charities providing relief to the recovering families in Japan; and Laguna students have aided in fulfilling their purposes of helping those in need.

Gamble continues, “Upon seeing these numbers, we realized the importance of assisting our injured veterans who need the help and support from such organizations as WWP.” Students for Soldiers choose to direct their fundraising efforts to WWP because they are confident that their donations directly benefit our veterans.

Laguna classmates also involved in the club include Luke Judson, Alex Greer, Andrew Mc-

Caffery, Justin Shand , Lauren McAlister, Lauren Mounts, Mitsi Gamble, Austin Abrams, and Julia Kent.

Students for Soldiers continues to develop and expand its organization.

The group recently added a branch at San Marcos High School under the direction of juniors Mikey Mead and Noah Zimmerman. For more information about supporting Students for Soldiers, please contact Kai Gamble at kai_gamble@ mac.com

Students Organize a Benefit Concert for The Wounded Warrior Project

By JESS DAVIS The Students for Soldiers Club held a benefit concert at San Marcos Theater on May 21 for the The Wounded Warrior Project (WWP). All proceeds aided wounded American veterans. Students from the Music and Arts Conservatory performed a variety of classical music including pieces by Bach, Shostakovich, and Chopin.

Junior Kai Gamble spearheaded the Students for Soldiers club.

Kai recognized that students should form bonds with the people serving our nation, and he decided to create an organization that would fa-

cilitate this relationship.

Students for Soldiers connects Laguna Blanca School and the larger community to the brave service people who are deployed and veterans who served our country in the past.

Kai explains, “The way that we meet our mission is by writing letters to soldiers currently fighting in Afghanistan and soliciting funds to help the WWP. There are 41,200 troops who are wounded in the War on Terror and 52% of those wounded suffer from severe mental and physical trauma such as post dramatic stress disorder.”

GRAPHIC: LUKE JUDSON

NEWS BRIEFS

By MONICA WATSON and HELENA DAVILA

Santa Barbara County 2011 “Water Awareness” Contest Junior Patrick Gainey and sophomores Alex Hawker and Duke Schnieder, along with participants from nine high schools around Santa Barbara County, engaged in the Santa Barbara County 2011 “Water Awareness” High School Video contest on Wednesday, April 5 at the Center Stage Theater. Their video won an Honorable Mention.

Their video, titled “Water is Money,” emphasized the importance of clean water and raised awareness for the necessity of preserving this special resource.

“Their video was well made and well produced. It showed a great team effort on their part. The competition was much tougher this year and I’m proud of their achievement,” says the digital filmmaking teacher, Dug Uyesaka.

Student Body Leadership Election On April 7, speeches were given by the potential student body of the 2011-12 school year. The outcome resulted in juniors Justin Shand as student body president, Alex Greer as vice president, Luke Judson as treasurer, Andrew McCaffery in charge of technology, and sophomore Daria Etezadi as secretary.

Young Soloist Takes the Stage Sophomore Daria Etezadi was one of the few soloists chosen to perform in front of hundreds of music appreciators at the Santa Barbara Young Soloists Showcase held at the Granada Theatre on April 10.

This was the 27th anniversary of the annual showcase. Each year, hundreds of classical music students audition for the competition, and a chance to play as a soloist at the Granada accompanied by a full professional orchestra.

Daria shared that she was very nervous beforehand. “I felt like I couldn’t blink because everything seemed to be happening so fast, which is probably why I was convinced that I was going to miss my queue and then not even get to play.

Thankfully, that didn’t happen!”

Freshman’s “Romeo and Juliet” Feud The freshman class performed the annual reenactment of scenes from “Romeo and Juliet” on Mar. 16 in Ruston Theater.

While Autumn van Diver and Grace Woolf each performed a famous scene from the play, jousting competitions also took place between the Montague and Capulet teams. Each team also picked certain people from their team to battle each other in an Elizabethan insult exchange. Their contests were judged by senior judges who were sitting in the stands, each holding a thumbs-up or thumbs-down card that they showed after every act.

PHOTO: TARA BROUCQSAULT

CUM LAUDE MEMBERS: Left to right: Lauren McAlister, Connor Lynch, Cameron Platt, Ian Carradine, Justin Shand, Alex Greer. Front row Lauren Alef, Kelly Furukawa, and Julia Kent gather together following the Cum Laude assembly outside of Spaulding Auditorium. (Not pictured: Abby Reutzel)

New Members Inducted into Cum Laude Society

By JORDAN SHANNON

Eight students were inducted into the Cum Laude Society on Apr. 28. The newest members of this prestigious organization were honored in a special assembly.

The Cum Laude Society membership is considered the highest scholastic recognition at independent schools nationwide, and Laguna Blanca School is one of only thirty schools in the state of CA authorized to admit new members.

At the ceremony, Headmaster Mr. Paul Slocombe shared the history and significance of Cum Laude and introduced LBS faculty members who are in Cum Laude.

Alumni and keynote speaker Dr. Jason Eldred ‘95 reflected on his time at Laguna Blanca.

“The most fundamental thing about my Laguna experience was that I was made to feel important...I was an in-

dividual that mattered: to my friends, to my teachers, and to the administrators.”

The newly inducted members include: Lauren Alef, Alex Greer, Cameron Platt, Justin Shand. Kelly Furukawa, Connor Lynch, Abby Reutzel, and Celene Silva.

Mr. Slocombe and College Counselor Karl Revells concluded by presenting the new inductees with pins and certificates.

“Chicago” A Dazzling Performance

Student Art Show Opens Walk into Emmons Art Center and you are greeted by vibrant oil paintings, whimsical ceramic art, and intricate pencil drawings which are part of the annual student art show. “A rich potpourri of the vast pool of talent that we have at Laguna,” Visual Arts Instructor Mr. Dug Uyseka said.

Throughout the year, students save their best pieces to be featured at the exhibit open from May 3-19. Students in grades 5-12 have the opportunity to feature their masterpieces.

“The art show turned out really well this year, and exhibited a wide range of grades and mediums,” senior ceramicist Austin Danson said.

PHOTO: DELPHINE LOUIE

CELL BLOCK: Starting left to right Rebecca Brooks, Bryana Schantz, Kelly Furukawa, Elia Doussineau-Coillo, Cameron Platt, and Arianna Rodriguez perform in the dance routine Cell Block.

The spring musical “Chicago” attracted a large and diverse cast, consisting of a range of students from grades 8-12.

Participants includPHOTO: ELLIOT SERBIN ed: seniors Sean Burke, Dante Bozzini, Layla FULL CANVASES: Upper School students exhibit their artistic talents in Christian, Kelly Furudrawing, painting, and ceramics during the Student Art Show in the gallery of kawa, Stewart Green, Emmon’s Art Center.

Parker Lilly, and Austin

“If I Were the Leader of the Free World”

By ANDREW McCAFFERY

I

f I were leader of the free world, the first issue I would address would be the United States’ modern fuel crisis; specifically, concerning the world’s growing energy demands and the improbability that gasoline will be able to supply for these needs.

In order to understand this escalating issue, we must first refer back to an earlier energy crisis.

Up until the 20th century, lumber had been a large source of energy. Unfortunately, this led to major deforestation of the United States: estimates show that, in 1900, only 20 per cent of our original forests were remaining.

This problem inspired President Theodore Roosevelt to initiate a wave of conservatory acts, specifically through the creation of many National Parks, such as Crater Lake National Park in Oregon.

In our modern age, we are facing a very similar crisis: a 2007 BP Statistical Review of World Energy projected that the world “has enough proven reserves to provide for 40 years of consumption at cur-

rent rates,” or until the year 2047. While this might seem distant in the future, the reality is that 40 years is not long at all.

Also, one must notice that this study provides for 40 years of consumption at current rates; however, it is clear that rates will not stay the same, since the world’s population will continue to grow.

In fact, the U.S. Bureau of the Census has projected that the world’s population will be over 9 billion in 2047.

Today, with over 6 billion people, we consume approximately 85-90 million barrels of oil per day. Proportionally, that means we would consume approximately 130-135 million barrels per day in 2047.

Our constant oil excavation is also dangerous to the environment. With over 250 million passenger vehicles in circulation in the United States today, we are constantly pumping toxic fumes and carbon dioxide into the atmosphere.

Just take a moment to imagine the ecological devastation that would occur with 9 billion

global inhabitants. We would release disgusting amounts of carbon dioxide and other toxins, which not only cause ozone deterioration, but also countless health problems, such as asthma…

Also, because a lot of the world’s oil resources are located in troubled areas around the globe -- such as the Middle East and certain parts of Africa -- the world’s demand for oil proposes harms to society. For example, oil interests in the Niger River Delta have caused problems between Africanlocals and oil giants since the mid-20th-century.

Specifically, there have been violent rebel uprisings in Niger, led by groups like the NDPVF (the Niger Delta People’s Volunteer Force), against the presence of oil companies such as Shell and Exxon-Mobile.

With these facts in mind, should we continue to extract the remaining oil from our planet’s sediments? Should we continue to damage the environment? Should we continue to trouble the inhabitants of oil rich areas? No! Instead, we should research, fund, and ultimately switch, to a modern, more eco-friendly alternative fuel source... Some possibilities are: biofuel, solar power, wind power, or natural gas.

For example, solar and wind

Rusack, juniors: Cameron Platt, Andrew McCaffery, Arianna Rodriguez , sophomore Bryana Schantz, freshmen Briggs Boss, and Autumn van Diver and eighth graders Rebecca Brooks and Elia Doussineau-Coillot.

They performed April 15-April 17 in Spaulding Auditorium at Laguna

Blanca’s Hope Ranch campus.

Bryana Schantz says, “I really enjoyed getting to participate in “Chicago. By the end of the show even I was amazed at what we, as students, were able to achieve when we all came together and put our best efforts forth.”

power -- unlike oil -- are sustainable practices: there will still be sunlight and still be wind long past our lifetimes, whereas oil reserves will dry up.

Also, there is little danger in solar and wind power in comparison to oil power… specifically, with oil rigs.

In last year’s BP oil spill, eleven lives were claimed by the explosion of the Horizon DeepPHOTO: DANIELLE MCCAFFERY water Rig, and the Gulf of Mex- DISTRICT WINNER: Andrew McCaffery ico was terribly proudly holds his District level Optimist Club Award with his public speaking instructor Ms. polluted.

In contrast, Trish McHale at the Optimist Youth Home in LA. solar panels are not life-threatening, nor do as with the BP oil spill and they pollute the environment... with the conflict in the Niger The same goes for wind tur- River delta… and three, our bines. planet’s oil supplies will run Our nation and our world out, and very fast. cannot afford to continue usIn order to ensure that our ing gasoline and oil products nation and our world has a as our primary fuel source, for dependable energy source for three reasons. One, it is too generations to come, we mustexpensive -- considering our start to make the shift to an alover-14 trillion dollar deficit. ternative fuel source, like solar Two, oil drilling is causing power or wind power or both. havoc around the globe, such The clock’s ticking.

Sisters Create an Online Fashion Magazine Called “SiS”

By JESS DAVIS

S

isters Luisa and Fer- sweater and earmuffs from creation of “SiS,” but working nanda Cameron casually Barneys, “SiS” offers some- on the magazine has allowed flipped through maga- thing for readers of all ages. her to further hone her skills. zines last summer when they “In order to make every isThe latest issue also includes realized that few of them were an interview with acclaimed sue of “SiS” new and exciting, for their age group—the only artist Charles Fine and a series we are learning new things,” prominent magazines for of photographs of his work. she says. young fashion enthusiasts are The sisters split up the reThe sisters’ talents range far “Teen Vogue,” “Cosmo Girl,” beyond graphic design, pho- sponsibilities of running “SiS” and “Seventeen.” tography, and writing, how- nicely while maintaining their Recognizing an opportunity ever. collaborative work style. to combine her love of graphLuisa is the Editor-in-Chief Luisa plays for Laguna Blanic design and and Graphic Destyle, Luisa, a signer of the Laguna Blanca magazine while seventh grader, Fanny works as asked her sisthe Assistant Editer, “Why don’t tor and a model. we make an They both work online fashion together as stylmagazine?” ists and photogFernanda, raphers. a fifth-grader “Fernanda is at Montecito very supportive Union School and offers great who shares her ideas, but there sister’s creative are certainly the interests, readoccasional sisterily agreed to squabbles that we collaborate on have, like fightthe project. ing over who will The young take the pictures duo worked on or who will model the magazine for the next photo throughout shoot,” says Luisa summer, and of working alongthey published side her little sistheir first issue ter. of SiS in AuTheir pargust 201o. ents, Kendall PHOTO: DAVID CAMERON Conrad and DaWhat started as a hobby has COLOR COUNTS: Luisa Cameron and her sister, Fanny, vid Cameron, since taken off work with an artist while preparing their magazine. have supported as a successful their daughters and impresthroughout the sive online creation of “SiS”. publication—with more read- ca’s basketball team, creates Creativity and a sense of ers and advertisers than the stop-motion animation films, style seem to run in the famgirls could have imagined. plays the piano, takes private ily as Ms. Conrad is a handbag The Cameron sisters recent- French lessons, and maintains designer, and Mr. Cameron ly released their third issue of high grades. is a fashion and commercial SiS—a 50 page PDF with beauFernanda, better known photographer. tiful photography, well-written as Fanny by her friends and When asked about the future stories, and several ads by well family, is pursuing piano and of “SiS”, Luisa said, “I hope that known companies.

French like her sister in addi- it will have a greater online cirThe magazine has developed tion to her regular singing and culation, and that more people from its strictly fashion begin- horseback riding lessons. will see it and realize that kids nings to include topics such as “It can be a challenge to bal- are capable of anything.” art, cooking, travel, and gar- ance school with all of my othLook for the next issue to dening. launch in July. er interests,” Luisa admits.

From its recipe for “Black To read the latest issue of “But while “SiS” is a lot of Pepper Tofu to the “Winter work, it's also fun.”

SiS visit www.jumpertailpress.

Look” piece that features items Luisa already had experience com/sis_winter.pdf such as a cashmere J. Crew with graphic design before the

PHOTO: BRAD ELLIOTT

A SPECIAL EVENING: The Bartlein Family gathered before the Walk of Fame Reception held on the Merritt Patio which honored Judy Bartlein.

Parent Volunteer Judy Bartlein Honored at Walk of Fame Reception

By ANDREW McCAFFERY

W

alking up the brick pathway to the Spaulding Auditorium, one cannot help but notice the metallic oak tree emblems bearing of the names of Laguna greats, from Kindergarten teacher Mrs. Barbara Franklin to legendary coach Mr. Ray Robitaille.

This procession of administrators, teachers and parents is better known as the Walk of Fame.

Each year, a new plaque is added to the walk to honor an individual or couple for remarkable long-term dedication, generosity, and commitment to the School.

This year’s addition marks the 22nd, and, as announced at this year’s auction—Rock the Kasbah—goes to none other than parent volunteer Judy Bartlein.

Mrs. Bartlein has been involved with Laguna ever since her son, Jake ’11, started Kindergarten.

Some of her past roles and leadership responsibilities have included, but are not limited to: serving as leadership roles on the Board of Trustees and President of the Parents’ Auxiliary. She chaired

two School auctions (back-toback).

In 2002, Judy created Laguna Links, a biweekly online publication, and continues to serve as author and editor.

Judy also worked on the school’s strategic planning committee and coordinated communications for the School’s transition to a twocampus institution.

Speakers at the reception included Board of Trustees Chair Mrs. Alison Rusack, current parent Wendy van Diver, former parent Arlene Geeb, Math Department Head Mr. Paul Chiment, and Judy’s son Jake.

Jake had the opportunity to speak at the dedication ceremony, giving a speech that left many of the audience members close to tears.

Towards the end of his talk, Jake made a reference to the Laguna Blanca Lower School’s famed Keys to Citizenship program, when he said, “Mom, if I were to describe you with one of those keys, it would be the key of ‘service.’ You have not only been the School’s favorite key player for some time, but you have also inspired the joy of giving in me.”

Kai Gamble Wins Scholarship and Trip to Washington, D.C. Junior Kai Gamble won the Busch Family Scholarship ($1,000) for Santa Barbara Youth Male Leader of the Year. He received an all expense paid trip to participate in the Youth Empowerment Summit in Washington, D.C. that will take place this coming October.

By MONICA WATSON Q: How did you get involved and interested in this competition?

A: Along with about 20 other Laguna juniors, I was nominated to attend the GLC conference.

Q: What process did you need to go through in order to participate and qualify for the position you have achieved?

A: All of the nominees had to fill out an application which included a short answer and essay section.

Then, each student had an interview where we had to answer questions like ‘Who are your idols?’ ‘What does being a leader mean to you?’”

Q: When and where did this event take place?

A: The event lasted for a total of 3 days (not in a row).

The first day was at UCSB where we met students from other local schools and did activities.

The second day was at SBCC, where we had our interviews.

Finally, the awards ceremony was held at Westmont on March 20.

PHOTO: ED GAMBLE

LEADERSHIP WINNER: Junior Kai Gamble holding the award and scholarship letter at the closing ceremony of the GLC at Westmont College.

Q: How many students did you compete against, and how many schools were represented?

A: Out of all the juniors in the Santa Barbara County, around 120 students were nominated for this leadership conference.

Students represented seven schools: Laguna Blanca, Dos Pueblos, San Marcos, Santa Barbara High, Bishop Diego, Santa Ynez High, and Cabrillo High.

who deserved this award just as much as I did.

Overall, however, it was a great experience; it was an experience that I will never forget.

Q: How did you feel when you were announced as winner?

A: I was astonished when my name was called for the Male Youth Leader of Santa Barbara award.

I was extremely happy because I was able to represent myself, my school, and most of all, my family in a positive way. I strongly believe that if it were not for my parents and my teachers, I would not have been recognized for this award. I was astonished upon hearing my name because I believed that there were others

Q: How would you explain the goal GLC has for their participants?

A: I believe that the primary mission of GLC is to teach the young leaders of our communities the importance of duty, respect, honor, dignity, integrity, morality, commitment, selfless servitude, and love to our friends, our family, our country, and the human race.

Its secondary mission is, I believe, to connect the future leaders of the community so we can strengthen our generation.

PHOTO: ED GAMBLE Standing Proud: Students gather after the awards were announced at the GLC Awards Ceremony. Three Laguna juniors received Leadership Team Ambassador Scholarships of $100 including Andrew McCaffery, Lauren Alef, and Eva Davis .

T

By OLIVIA BERCI

he fourteen of us, a group of young Jewish leadership students from Santa Barbara, now engulfed by over one hundred young students from across our nation, walked down the streets of Washington, D.C. As we approached a corner, we saw a man selling papers. He was wearing the same orange vest that I had ignored so many times in the few days we had been in our nation’s capital.

It was the same orange vest that stood at the top of the stairs, at the doors of the metro, and on the sidewalk.

The conference staff member I was walking with suggested I buy one of the paper’s this man was selling.

I gave the man the dollar I had in my hand, and as he smiled back at me, thanking me for the donation, he said “I’m on page 13.”

The paper is called Street Sense. It is written and sold by the formally or currently homeless.

They aren’t pan handling.

They are making a way for themselves. These newspaper vendors are writing about what they are impassioned by, what they are angry about, and what is important to them.

They are establishing a voice seldom heard—a voice for the homeless community.

As I read this man’s article, I felt a sinking feeling in the pit of my stomach.

“The Tales of a Vendor,” written

by Jeffrey McNeil, the column was an account of the way people treated him in his orange vest.

In his words, “Selling newspaper is not for sensitive people. People will cuss you out, ignore you, call security on you, make fun you, and scurry on by. Tourists can give you mixed responses, from curiosity to sarcasm and contempt.

In order to deal with biting comments from people, I’ve had to be quick on my feet and respond with kindness. I chortle when someone pulls out a twenty-dollar bill and gets nervous.

When I tell them I have change they get shocked and say, ‘I don’t want to take all your change.

Here’s fifty cents.

Then there’s the crying dollar: when someone who gives you a dollar complains about it and feels they own your soul.

They want to know what you plan to do with the dollar. They come back to see if you are drunk and criticize you for being out selling newspapers.

But the best put downs I get are from young women who will snap at you if you approach them in the wrong way. They will get tense, holler ‘I have no money,’ and scurry past you.

So I have a little fun and say I take Visa. That usually gets a smile and they buy the paper.

Attack by wheelchair was on 19th and L at the

T

o get into college today, high school seniors are expected to exhibit nothing short of excellence. Being Valedictorian and varsity captain while holding a perfect SAT score and GPA will no longer necessarily get students into the most selective higher education institutions.

Consequently, students are attempting to pack as much as they can into their resumes to prepare for the daunting college admission process.

High schools contain such a wide range of

Corner Bakery, when a guy in a wheelchair panhandling came up to me, stared and said angrily, ‘I hope it gets real cold and windy outside so I do not have to see you no more…’ I wanted to work there and wasn’t going to let him intimidate me.

So I continued selling newspapers.”

I felt awful about walking past the Jeffrey McNeils I had seen before and ignored.

I was ashamed by hugging my bag close to my body and trying to avoid eye contact with these men and women.

If I had looked into their eyes, I would have seen the light and laughter that filled them—I would have seen the struggle and strength that gave them such character, but all I had seen was the orange vest.

This was a realization.

At the conference, we had been learning to look past the orange vests and to look past the blankets that the homeless men and women h u d d l e under on the streets of Santa Barbara.

We were being taught to believe in their capacity as members of our society. I had always thought of myself as someone who respects others— as someone who cares — but Jeffrey challenged this self assessment of my character.

It had almost become a subconscious reaction, a second n a t u r e to keep my eyes forward a n d quicken my pace to walk with purpose past anyone who looked homeless.

I stood at the street corner, Jeffrey’s street corner, waiting to pass, waiting to walk away from the man in the orange vest, past the man who looked homeless.

I was prepared to step off of the curb and not look back. And if I had?

If I had walked away, would my day have gone differently?

As a journalism student, I have learned to ask myself “So what” when analyzing a piece of writing. Jeffrey’s article in Street Sense makes a point—with strength, grace, and humor.

I stepped off that curb in Washington D.C. with my nose buried in page 13. Reading Jeffrey’s story forced me into a process of realization and self-betterment.

My day?

It may have gone differently, but Jeffrey affected me—his column made me stop. His story made me think. people: musicians, artists, mathematicians, scientists, poets, and so much more.

The problem is that so many people in high school attempt to be Renaissance men―and women―in an attempt to bolster their college applications. Noted, not everyone knows what they want to do when they are 17.

Teenagers clearly have specific interests, so students should be able to amend their respective curriculums to fit them. Loading on the AP classes, which in their own regard, often choose

Homelessness, a National Issue and a National Solution TWO SOPHOMORES SHARE THEIR VIEWPOINTS ON A SOCIAL ISSUE AFTER AN ENLIGHTENING TRIP TO WASHINGTON, D.C.

O

By ZOE SERBIN

ver spring break, my presumptions about homelessness were snared and volleyed back at me. I was slapped into reality.

For four days, I participated in a seminar called Panim El Panim in Washington, DC, where a group of 150 Jewish teenagers were faced with social issues such as homelessness and faults in our education system.

We were encouraged to seek change through political activism and stopping our actions as bystanders. We were forced to face challenges head-on. We were reminded again and again of the passage in Leviticus stating not to “stand idly b y

blood of your neighbor.”

T h e thing that struck me most through the seminar was listening and speaking to currently and formerly homeless people.

Before the seminar, I believed all of the common stereotypes about the homeless.

In my mind, were firmly planted images of homeless people, many built on truth which had taken form through the sparse encounters I’d had with homeless people in our community. But I’ll admit - they weren’t flattering images. In fact, they were quite derogatory.

When walking past a woman sitting on a bench downtown, I would divert my gaze and quicken my pace.

Over those four days I spent in DC, my views were turned around, flipped upside down, and rotated in a 360 circle.

It all started the first night of the seminar, when formerly-homeless advocates from the National Coalition for the Homeless spoke to us.

They started out by asking us to shout out stereotypes typically associated with the homeless community. Three words that were presented were “dirty,” “substance abuse” and “crazy.”

“Now think about your community. Are there people there who are maybe a little bit dirty?” asked one of the speakers, Steve, who had bat-

tled a 30-year addiction to cocaine while homeless.

Murmurs of ‘yes’ reverberated around the room.

“Are there people there who maybe struggle with substance abuse?”

Again, we all nodded, a few of us exchanging glances.

“Are there people there who are maybe a little bit crazy?”

And then I pulled my finger off of the ‘zoom’ tab and saw the entire picture.

Our two communities weren’t all that different.

The only difference was that we have a home, and they don’t.

That was the first step.

That was what created the fissure that eventually split into a giant hiatus, cracking my previous views in two.

Steve then spoke about his detachment from society. He was ignored wherever he went. He was refused service at restaurants because of his appearance. He was treated as though he did not matter, and he began to feel it too.

He spoke of violence against the homeless, of kids who would throw cups of urine on him, and of others who would put human feces into pie tins and attempt to hit him in the face.

As he went on, I began to feel a yanking feeling of guilt hanging on my shoulders.

While I had never committed an egregious act against anyone homeless, I was responsible for avoiding eye contact.

I pretended not to see what was in front of me, who was in front of me.

However, I wasn’t fully convinced that these two men were speaking on behalf of the greater percentage of homeless people.

The next day we went to a park where a large homeless population in DC gather. In groups of two or three, we went out and approached women and men who were sitting on benches or at the fountain.

We just talked, and I quickly realized that all of my preconceived notions really were just the product of fear of the unknown.

Everyone I talked to was excited to engage in conversation. We asked them what their names were, where they were from, how they had come to be in their situations.

It dawned on me that all they want – all anyone wants – is someone to talk to, someone to smile at, and someone to relate to. That’s when I made the conscious decision to change, and I’m urging you to do the same.

Homeless people are not some group of social pariah. It’s time we stop seeing our two communities as separate, and we stop looking down upon the homeless community. If everyone tried a little harder to stop and offer a friendly smile, it might make someone’s day a little brighter.

they are learning.

The key is choices.

Students should not be forced into “cookie cutter” molds of education where they are expected to learn like everyone else; everyone is different and has different interests.

Secondary education, at least for upperclassmen who have a relatively strong idea of what they plan to study in college, should be modeled after the methods used in colleges.

This gives students the freedom to study what they want and opt out of classes that

do not intrigue them, given they already have a well rounded basis of education from their previous studies.

This could be extended to internships with local businesses and institutions.

Forcing students to get out into the community provides the hands-on experience needed, and gives them real world context of what they study in school.

Nevertheless, teenagers should have more choice over what they want to study in depth, so they will be more prepared for college and jobs later in life.

the

GRAPHIC: SEAN BURKE

For more information visit: http://www.nationalhomeless. org/ http://www.streetsense.org/ For opportunities to volunteer or help out locally, check out: The Transition House: http://transitionhouse.com/ services/ Casa Esperanza: http://casa-esperanza.org/cm/ Volunteer.html FINDING YOUR NICHE IN HIGH SCHOOL

By JEFF NELSON breadth rather than depth, students typically end up taking a very wide range of courses.

What I am criticizing is the notion that students have to be equally knowledgeable in all topics to be “qualified.”

In the most respected and prestigious liberal arts colleges, students still major in one or two specific topics.

On the other side of the academic spectrum,

there have also been schools created for visual and performing arts-focused students.

Idyllwild Arts Academy focuses on music, theater, dance, visual art, creative writing, moving pictures, and interdisciplinary arts. It not only let the students specialize, and thus gain a more reputable basis of knowledge, but also allows them to get hands on experience with what

By ARABELLA WATTERS GRAPHIC: JULIA KENT

As t h e editor of the Opinion/ E d i t o r i a l section of this fine publication, I have tackled a myriad of controversial, and shall I say touchy, issues over my wondrous three years on staff. I have written about

racism, sexism, g l a s s ceilings, divorce, marital issues, alcoholism, competition in the classroom, a n d friendship. It has been a good run and I have looked forward to nothing more than writing my column for the paper.

As this is my final article that will ever be run in the Fourth Estate, I hope to tackle a subject that I have touched on in a more microcosmic way in the past, and that is hatred.

Yes, I understand that hatred in itself is broad and abstract.

However, I see far too much of it in the news, in my community, and even among my own age group.

For a generation of young people, which supposedly are the generation of the future, there is a shocking amount of prejudice and arrogance filling the air around us.

This distinctive taste of judgment floats around us as we linger in the quads, seeps its way into our lungs as we lay on the sometimes trash dappled beaches of Santa Barbara, and flows out of our exhaust pipes as we speed out of the parking lot in our dusty cars.

If you think I’m just projecting my overly liberal p o i n t of view onto an entire mass of

t e e n a g e r s , how narrow pun simply pay attention (no the next time you’re in a i n t e n d e d ) minded we conversation.

I would bet that this really are. From column and my dirty birth, and I do not vehicle that something deny it, we are raised decidedly cruel would to venerate thinness, no come out of someone’s matter what our genetic makeup intends for us. mouth.

Anybody who we see Although I am not perfect, far from it, I who isn’t perfectly thin am tired of the constant is deemed “bad”, and haranguing that the people who are slim general population hipped and “perfect” are has to take in front my deemed “good.”

It is a form of supposedly “evolved” brainwashing, though generation.

Take for example subtle, and it has locked the last remaining onto the minds of every member of stereotype, American the big white The purpose of society like elephant in a nasty the room: this statement p a r a site. the innate is to realize I am judgment of how narrow (no not only any person pun intended) talking who is even r e m o t e l y minded we really a b o u t w o m e n close to are. From birth, being what and I do not deny either; the constant our society it, we are raised judgment considers to venerate towards “overweight.” thinness, no people who It is a don’t look d i s g u s t i n g matter what our vaguely habit we have, genetic makeup like the this quick and intends for us. h u m a n eager ability version of we have to a giraffe bite anyone’s head off who seems to be spans across both sexes.

Why do you think veering off of the course women are constantly of societal perfection.

The reality is that we dieting, and men spend live in a society that hours at the gym?

It is because generally reveres the super-skinny celebrity, the near Americans, and I don’t skeletal super model, want to stereotype the and the dangerous look whole population, there are probably a martyrous of “heroin chic.”

Yes, I realize that it few without this fear, is not 1990 and Kate have an almost morbid Moss is no longer the fear of gaining even a ubiquitous picture of smidge of weight.

I don’t blame them for it sophistication.

However, I think it is because society is a nasty fairly hilarious that the little monster who judges fashion industry pretends cruelly and unabashedly to be worshipping a more once someone is quote “healthy” (read bigger) on-quote “overweight.”

I recognize it is a body type when the only jump we’ve made is from round circle: people having all size 00 models who are overweight get on the runway to having judged and ridiculed, so therefore the rest of the a couple of size 2.

I digress, because the population is terrified of purpose of this is not to gaining weight. I’ll call it bash on models, some of the Obesity Paradox.

The only problem with whom are really naturally thin, although I believe this nasty cycle is that those girls to be in the most of the time the people who get judged minority.

The purpose of this are not obese. It is statement is to realize possible to be born with

the genetic makeup to not be stick thin.

Yes, I said it.

This might take a little bit of time to sink in, but those people who we spend so much time staring at, whispering about, deciding they are lazy or unworthy, simply were born that way.

That is the way their specific genetic code, the DNA which winds its way through every single one of his or her cells programmed their bodies to be.

There is nothing wrong with that, but with the world we live in, it seems blasphemous to look any different than our skewed perception of perfection.

Instead of ostracizing those people we deem to be overweight, we should worry more about people who are killing themselves to fit in with what we agree is “normal.”

It is alarming that society condemns those who are above “average” weight and then condones and even encourages those who do everything to those standards.

It is a cruel and ironic place we live in; people are brutalized for not trying to lose weight, and applauded when they dip dangerously below healthy standards.

Though eating disorders are not the subject of this article, it seems ridiculous to me that we celebrate mental diseases which eat away at your emotions and degrade you metabolism, glycolysis stores, and muscle mass in the process.

I have uttered a taboo; anybody who you talk to would deny the fact that they praise skinny bodies and hate “fat” ones.

However, this standard in our society is the lumbering, shiny, white elephant stomping around our living rooms and sitting on the hoods of our cars.

I challenge you to really think about how you see the world; I know that is a big proposition, but I guarantee you will be alarmed at the judgments you make every day.

When I think about the sometimes black and white way I see the world, I shudder. Try looking for the shades of grey and kick that white elephant to the curb, I guarantee, it will be much more fulfilling.

A Wandering Media: The Short Attention Span of Our Society

By LILLIE HODGES There is nothing that gets our attention quicker than a bold headline proclaiming “Breaking news.”

The media loves to cover natural disasters, tragedies, and war, and as media consumers, we provide a greedy and willing audience.

But, as the sad and graphic stories and images wane after the initial shocking events, the media quickly turns its attentions elsewhere.

Long-term coverage of disaster recovery just does not get the attention, or ratings, of the initial event.

Is there something wrong with the news media, or does news coverage simply reflect the short attention span of its audience?

As media consumers, we are adrenaline junkies.

It was exciting, and scary, to watch the handheld videos of building facades crumbling and office furniture crashing in the recent Japanese earthquake.

The potential global impacts from leaking radiation at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant kept us riveted to our TVs and favorite online news sites, and caused momentary hysteria as people scrambled to buy Potassium Iodide tablets (my dad ordered them from two online shops and did a midnight run to several local CVS stores).

But, as the days passed, and new, more immediately stimulating events (like the Royal Wedding) became the media darlings, news coverage of the Japanese earthquake and tsunami all but disappeared.

Another recent example of the short attention span of the news media was the

earthquake in Haiti.

In the first few weeks after a 7.0 earthquake devastated the island nation of Haiti in January 2010, news coverage was intense.

CNN’s frequent flier all-stars Anderson Cooper, Sanjay Gupta, and Christiane Amanpour spent most of the month in Port-auPrince providing graphic coverage of bodies being pulled from the rubble and of the city’s entire population camping outside in squalid conditions.

But then, predictably, they were gone, and we all started to forget the horrors we had just witnessed.

Of course, the crisis in Haiti did not stop when CNN left the country, and desperate conditions and slow recovery continue to this day. But we had all moved on to other things.

Maybe it’s natural that the news media focuses on where the excitement is.

After all, it is a business, and more viewers and readers means more ads which can be sold at high prices.

After a few weeks of non-stop coverage of the Haitian earthquake, it probably became obvious that ratings were starting to slide, and this must have been when CNN executives told Anderson Cooper to come home.

Even subsidized media, like the BBC in the United Kingdom, has to reflect what its audience wants to see, and cannot afford to provide longterm, insightful coverage if its audience wants to change the channel.

Emergency Supplies for Earthquake Preparation Ten gallons of water and purification tablets Fire extinguisher Wrenches and tools to turn off gas pipes First aid kit Flashlights with extra batteries Perishable and canned food Basic medications Camp stove or barbecue Portable radio with batteries Blankets, warm clothes, and sleeping bags

The Big Quake:

Are we really ready for the tremor which will rock the world?

By ARABELLA WATTERS California is, in most thing about these magnitude earthquake. respects, perfect.

Since Laguna Blanca statistics is that, unlike It is the land of the Third World was built the year the abundant sunshine, country of Haiti which Field Act was enacted, it beautiful people, sloping was devastated by an is easily possible that the mountains, world earthquake last spring, school was not checked renowned vineyards, and Japan, New Zealand, and for earthquake safe 800 miles of coastline.

Chile are all developed structures since then.

However, among other nations which seemingly However, it is not only things, California is would be prepared for a the physical dangers we also home to one of the large scale disaster such have to worry about in the largest and most volatile as an earthquake. case of an earthquake. fault lines in the entire At Laguna, we are Unfortunately, they world—the San Andreas were not. currently lacking Fault. disaster This is a chilling adequate Running directly under thought. preparation, specifically the city of San Francisco, America is arguably the for earthquakes. the San Andreas side of most developed nation Head of Upper School, the Pacific Plate is the in the world, but would John Berry gives his only side which has not we really be prepared if opinion. incurred a major “At this point quake since 1847. in time, I Research shows don’t think we “I have already written up a that major slips in would be well plan which involves working with fault lines occur prepared if an every 160 years; preparation for worst case scenarios, e a r t h q u a k e for example, a large magnitude we passed that s t r u c k earthquake with a large numbered mark all the way tomorrow. back in 2007.

We need injured in the rain. We would then This is to create a back track from there.” incredibly budget [for bad news for disaster Californians. preparation], Recent quakes in Japan an earthquake of a large provide training, run (9.0), Christchurch, New magnitude struck our through simulations, Zealand, and Chile (8.8) shores? and create storage space were disastrous, killing California is largely for supplies.” over 15,000 in Japan’s unprepared for a disaster Although Mr. Berry case and destroying that is inevitable in doesn’t believe we are numerous structures. our future, and when it ready at this point, he The most disturbing happens, the destruction does have high hopes for the future. and loss will be vast.

“I have already written In 1933, after a large earthquake destroyed up a plan which involves seventy schools in Long preparing for worst case Beach and killed two scenarios, for example, large magnitude students, a law called the a Field Act was put into earthquake with a large numbered injured in motion.

The Field Act is the the rain. We would then simple idea that no back track from there.”

While Laguna has a school can build a new building or large amount of space facility without all and resources Mr. Berry plans being first believes that the strength approved as being of the preparation could lie in learning how to use “earthquake safe.”

While this seemed them.

“We need to talk about like a foolproof plan, since 1933 over how to utilize our gym, 20,000 school projects incorporate search and have been built without rescue, plan and train for being approved by the first aid triage, organize Field Act, a nonprofit food and shelter, and program called California understand the need for a sanitation structure.

Watch reported.

Problems at these We have the plan, we just schools include weak need to refine it, practice anchor bolts, feeble it, and make time to concrete, and insufficient review it annually.”

While Laguna may welding.

These constructive anomalies not be prepared from a would literally lead to structural point of view, a school crumbling to students can take solace dust during a large in the fact that a strong disaster preparation plan is in the works.

Rising from the Ashes: Reflecting on My Family’s Escape from the Tea Fire

By Jordan Shannon

C

ertain events transcend the power of words.

There is no way, for instance, to have a clue what it’s like to almost have your house burned down until it actually happens.

Nov. 13, 2008, is a date which will always be imprinted in my mind.

When the Tea Fire erupted in the foothills of Montecito two years ago, it scared the Santa Barbara community, burned 2,000 acres, and destroyed 210 homes.

Of those homes, 151 were located within Santa Barbara city limits.

I remember the night well.

I distinctively recall looking from my house across the dark hills of Montecito on that Thursday evening; an ominous red glow already portended a crisis in the making.

My family and I were notified to evacuate our home immediately, for our home was located directly in the line of fire.

With winds gusting nearly 70 mph and a swirling inferno headed our way, we knew that we only had one option: to get out as soon as possible.

We were told by firefighters that we had only 15 minutes to pack our belongings and evacuate immediately.

Despite the severity of our situation, my father and mother remained calm and told my brother and me to gather our family photos and videos, and to quickly get into the car.

As we pulled out of the driveway, flames were torching the homes surrounding my neighborhood, I remember thinking that this was the last time I would ever see my house standing in its full form.

The only word I could use to describe the scene on our road was complete and utter chaos.

Our neighborhood was buzzing with activity—a mix of awe and panic as the glow of the fire expanded, people standing on street corners, amateur photographers pulling out their tripods, and residents taking a close-to-frontrow seat atop their cars and on the tailgates of pickup trucks to assess the situation.

Some pondered whether to pack up valuables and flee as my family and I did, or await orders to do so.

As law enforcement officers drove by with a bullhorn giving evacuation orders to residents north of Alameda Padre Serra (APS), I observed some 40 people gathered in the driveway of an abandoned home at the intersection of APS and Gutierrez St. to observe the fire beyond on the other side of the canyon.

Trees could be heard popping and emergency lights dotted the neighborhood spread across the hill.

Seeking refuge at a friend’s house,

my family and I were happy to have gotten out alive.

With the local news turned up all the way, we gazed in horror at the sight of homes in our neighborhood engulfed in flames.

All we could do was hope for the best.

We weren’t thinking

or sheer luck I will never know, but what I do feel is extreme empathy for those who were not so lucky.

Fire investigators were able to link the inferno to a group of college-aged partiers who had been drinking at the famed Tea House, but county prosecutors concluded

“Whether our home was saved by a miracle or sheer luck I will never know, but what I do feel is extreme empathy for those who were not so lucky.” about the fact that our home and material possessions were destroyed, instead we were thankful to be together in safety.

As the smoke cleared the next morning, my parents received the news that our home was one of the few spared in our entire neighborhood of West Mountain Drive.

Whether our home was saved by a miracle

the case was too weak to go to trial.

Instead, the Tea Fire 10, as they became known, were charged with the lesser offense of trespassing.

Most were fined and ordered to perform community service, in their hometowns, not Santa Barbara.

Looking back on this disaster that affected our sleepy beach town

two years ago, I can only express my deepest gratitude to our local firefighters and those families that were able to maintain strength through such a difficult time.

Although new homes have replaced those destroyed by the Tea Fire’s wrath, our memories of that terrible night will still remain.

What we are left to do now is to make the proper preparations in case such a disastrous event should ever happen again.

Disaster readiness experts like the Red Cross want the public to be reminded of the importance of keeping items such as extra medications, important documents, food, clothing, and water together in a predesignated container (such as a backpack or sturdy box) in case you do have to evacuate.

Additionally, the Red Cross encourages families to discuss their family plan to determine

what parents and children will do if there is such an emergency.

A family plan should include: knowledge of where to meet outside should a house fire occur, how family members can get in touch with one another if there is an emergency during work/ school hours, and an out of town contact in case family members cannot get in touch locally.

In terms of protecting your home from forest fires, the U.S. Fire Administration suggests you design and landscape your home with wildfire safety in mind.

Select materials and plants that can help contain the fire rather than fuel it.

In the end, if we can take the proper precautions before another disastrous wildfire such as the Tea Fire should occur, then we can hopefully avoid such massive devastation and pillage from wreaking havoc on our beautiful city ever again.

WILDFIRE PREPARATION Make sure your car is backed into the garage so you are able to drive away quickly. Keep the doors and windows in the garage are closed, but unlocked.

Don’t leave your pets behind. At night keep them in one room to facilitate evacuation.

Make sure to have temporary housing available with friends or family and contact someone outside of the fire zone.

Don’t ignore evacuation orders.

They are serious and potentially could save your life. Get out ASAP. Hold a napkin or a piece of cloth over your nose and mouth as you evacuate as not to inhale smoke.

Make sure to feel all doors and door handles for heat before opening them.

Classic stop, drop, and roll.

All tips provided by American Red Cross, for more tips visit www.redcross.org

PROM

Amanda Schulenberg and Conor Murphy

Pre-Prom Dinner at the Nelson’s

Lillie Hodges and Grace Woolf

Allie Lafitte and Jeff Nelson

Julia Kent, Lillie Hodges, and Lauren McAlister

Jessie Ditmore and Pascal Karam

Kelsey Douglas and McKenzie Scarborough

The Dance Floor

Chloe Richman and Clara Madsen

Prom 2011 May 14, 2011 UCSB Faculty Club

Marshall Alex Jr.

Julian Messina

Layla Christian, Mariah Hawes, and Krysta Brown

Michael Toth and Carolina Beltran

Logan Elder, Kevin Drew, Jake Bartlein, and Troy Ritter

Michael Reyes and Caroline Pickett

Austin Rusack and Coral Reef

Ryan Ortiz and Marisa Hutton

Spencer Dusebout and Kelly Furukawa

Seniors Depart on the Bus for Prom

Krysta Brown and Dane Rios

Grilled Eggplant and Pesto Lasagna A Kent Family Favorite Recipe

Dying for a Tan: The Cruel Effects of a Summer Sun

A creative medley of fresh grilled vegetables and savory cheeses make a perfect dish to eat Al Fresco on warm summer nights. Extra points for getting your produce from the local Farmer’s Market.

By JULIA KENT

INGREDIENTS 2 jars of Tomato Basil Marinara Sauce (26 oz.)

2 large eggplants - peeled, sliced in 1/3 inch rounds and salted. Let stand 30 minutes and pat dry before grilling 3 - 4 large yellow crook neck squash - sliced lengthwise in thin strips 1 jar roasted yellow and red bell peppers 3 large logs of fresh Mozzarella cheese - sliced 4 cups coarsely grated fresh Parmesan cheese Pesto, recipe below (Store-bought pesto is fine.)

Remove as much oil from the pesto as you can) Either fresh or no-bake lasagna noodles PESTO 4 cups packed basil leaves 1 cup sun dried tomatoes packed in oil ½ cup toasted pine nuts (optional) 2 cloves of fresh garlic - chopped 1 tsp salt (and more to taste) ½ tsp pepper (and more to taste) ~ 1 1/3 cups of extra-virgin olive oil 1 cup fresh grated Parmesan cheese Blend the basil, sun dried tomatoes, pine nuts, garlic and salt/pepper in the food processor on low.

Slowly add the olive oil to allow the sauce to emulsify. Add just enough olive oil to make the pesto into the consistency of a paste. Remove from the blender and add the grated cheese.

LASAGNA ASSEMBLY Heat a griddle to ~350 degrees, spread just enough olive oil to prevent sticking. Grill the eggplant and squash until they are soft. Spread 1 cup of marinara sauce in the bottom of a lasagna pan. Cover with unbaked noodles. Add the eggplant in an even layer. Cover with a generous amount of pesto. Add a layer of mozzarella cheese and sprinkle with half of the parmesan cheese. Cover with a second layer of noodles and repeat all of the steps above, using the squash and roasted bell peppers in place of the eggplant. Cover the top with noodles. Cover the entire surface with a generous amount of the remaining marinara sauce and bake at 350 degrees until completely heated through and bubbling hot (~1 hour)

Graphic: HELENA DAVILA

Heading to the beach? Don’t forget your sunscreen.

By CAITLIN CONNOR

W

ith the commencement of the 201011 school year on June 15, summer is fast approaching, and the school is abuzz.

Warm weather, tropical vacations, no homework, and lots and lots of sun are just some of the many things that Laguna Blanca students look forward to in summer.

“I go tanning or am in the sun about six hours a day on an average summer week,” says sophomore Bryana Schantz.

While that might be seem like a lot, this is a fairly practice among many adolescents.

Especially in the summer when students don’t have to be crammed inside studying, teens are eager to enjoy the sun.

Another factor that has led to more sun exposure is the trend in tanning. It has become common in high schools to be jealous of others tan.

This spike in sun exposure and want for tanning is what doctors blame for the skyrocketing incidents of skin cancer.

According to the American Cancer Society, almost one person dies every hour of skin cancer.

Similarly the National Cancer Institute found that skin cancer is the second most common type of skin cancer for young adults aging 15 to 29 years old.

Many people find these statistics shocking and realize how much their “harmless” actions of “fun in the sun” can hurt them. “It is stunning. I would have never expected those statistics to be that high.

I mean you hear about skin cancer, but no one really wears sun screen,” revealed juniorMarisa Hutton.

“I go tanning or am in the sun about six hours a day during an average summer week.”

It isn’t that people are completely ignoring the effects of sun exposure; most of the time people are just not educated about how deadly they can be.

With a five billion dollar tanning industry, aggressive ad campaigns, and TV shows like the “Jersey Shore,” it has become harder to adequately educate youth on the impacts of their time in the sun.

There is good news though.

Skin cancer is preventable if one takes a few precautions.

The best starting point is sunscreen, and while it is a common misconception that

sky-high SPFs protect you for longer periods of time this is not true. It is crucial to reapply sunscreen after swimming or sweating, as it washes off.

If you want no-fail sun protection, brands like Roxy make sun-blocking rash guards, with SPFs of up to 50.

Another available clothing choice to help protect from sun is a hat. While preferably wide rimmed, any hat that provides you with some sort of shade is better than none at all.

No one wants to be nagged by friends to put on sunscreen; they already have parents for that.

But when you are outdoors, try swapping sunscreen, and don’t forget to try and educate others. By doing this, you can protect both yourself and your friends from skin cancer.

What to not forget when packing beach bag: Sunscreen SPF 35 Water Sunglasses Chapstick SPF 5 Hat

Not All Sunscreens are Created Equal: Find the One That Works Best for You

By JORDAN SHANNON

Broad Spectrum: Look for sunblocks that contain broad spectrum coverage.

This means that the particular product protects against both UVA and UVB rays.

Active Ingredients: To make sure you are getting optimal UVA protection, look for active ingredients such as Avobenzone and Zinc Oxide.

PA Rating: It is also important to analyze a sunscreen lotion’s PA rating (a Japanese rating system which measures UVA protection on a scale of one to three pluses).

SPF: an indicator of how well a lotion protects the skin from the sun’s UVB rays. These are the rays that lead to sunburn. Look for types of sunscreen that provide at least an SPF of 30.

Water Resistance: Because most people spend a lot of time in the water during the summer, you should also look for types of sunscreens that provide strong water and sweat resistance. According to the FDA, a sunblock product that is labeled “water resistant” holds its SPF protection for at least 4o minutes of sweating or swimming.

GRAPHIC: JULIA KENT

“Water For Elephants” Film Review

By HELENA DAVILA “Water for Elephants,” is the newly released Blockbuster smash hit based on the New York Times bestselling novel written by Sara Gruen.

In a brief synopsis, Jacob Jankowski (Robert Pattinson), the main character, is a Cornell student studying veterinary medicine when his family is suddenly killed in a tragic car accident. Jacob realizes his father’s business was making no money, and he took out loans against their house to pay for Jacob’s Ivy League education.

Left with nothing, and no one to turn to, Jacob catches a circus train and lands himself a job cleaning the animal stalls. He meets the ringmaster’s (Christoph Waltz) beautiful wife, Marlena (Reese Witherspoon) and falls hopelessly in love with her.

Jacob Jankowski manages to climb the social hierarchy of the circus, while narrowly escaping all of the pitfalls that come with that accomplishment.

Many argue that ‘the book is always better than the movie.’ Usually, I would agree with this statement.

Books allow the read-

is its rich language and vocabulary. The language thickly describes characters and their surroundings, painting pictures of the grit of the Great Depression, the luster and radiance of the beautiful Marlena, and the coarse hay that lies at the bottom of Rosie, the elephant’s stall.

Instead of choosing to ignore this beautiful dialect, the director of “Water for Elephants,” Francis Lawrence, took many lines directly from the text and designed the sets according to the deep description in the novel.

This close attention to detail made PHOTO: WWW.IMDB.COM the transition from book to movie er freedom to customize nearly seamless, leaving the story to their liking, the audience crying for create characters, sets, more. and personalities as they My only complaint, if wish. any, is that in an effort to Yet, for me, “Water shorten the film, several for Elephants” proved poignant scenes from the this theory wrong. The book were omitted in the artful costuming, beau- movie. tiful cinematography, “Water For Elephants,” and impressive animal held its own up against spread are breathtaking other major league movand perfectly flamboyant ies released at the same and befitting of the spirit time such as “Hop,” “Afof the original novel. rican Cats,” and “Fast One of the most defin- Five,” and far exceeded ing features of the novel all of my expectations.

Photo: Austin Abrams MAJOR FANS: Laguna “Harry Potter” enthusiasts, juniors Vera Lopez and Marisa Hutton, pose with the upcoming HP movie poster in Santa Barbara.

The End of Harry Potter

By ABBY REUTZEL

T

he books and movies have defined an entire generation, and now it will all come to an end.

The release of the final Harry Potter movie, “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2” on July 15, will mark the end of the Harry Potter franchise as we have all come to know it.

“I have been reading and watching “Harry Potter” practically my whole life, so it’s sad to see it finally ending, but there are always reruns and my books are still there,” said junior Vera Lopez.

Over the last decade, there have been eight Harry Potter movies (including the unreleased film), each has come to hold a special place in fans’ hearts.

The members of the cast have all grown up and gone on to do great things.

Daniel Radcliffe, who plays Harry Potter, has become a well-respected theatre actor in both the United States and England and is currently on Broadway starring in the musical, “How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying.”

Rupert Grint, who took on the role of Ronald Weasley, has become a successful actor, best known for his roles in indie films.

Emma Watson, or Hermione Granger, has also become an extremely successful actress in her own right as well as a model.

When each received these roles, no one could have predicted that they

The Book Review “The Lost Books of the Odyssey”

By Zachary Mason

For any mythology buff or fan of Homer’s fantastical epic The Odyssey Zachary Mason’s reimagined idea of the classic story, The Lost Books of the Odyssey, will be cause for celebration. The novel is a series of vignettes and scenes from the original story; Odysseus’ decade long journey is given new vitality and perspective with Mason’s great skill and beguiling prose. Mason haunts the reader and subverts the original story by rewriting Odysseus’ return home to Ithaca and examines the complicated and impossible relationship between Athena and Odysseus. Though the novel at sometimes is quite intellectual and complicated, Mason is a true wordsmith and it is impossible not to continue reading; Mason gives a new and well-deserved heart to The Odyssey.

“Room”

By Emma Donoghue Room is experimental and interesting in its prose; written from the point of view of a five-year-old, the novel chronicles the life of a little boy, Jack and his mother who have lived for the last nineteen years in a shed. Jack’s mother was kidnapped at nineteen, imprisoned, and raped by her captor. Although the subject matter seems grim, Jack’s innocence and ignorance pair together sweetly; the novel is a celebration of a different kind of family. Donoghue writes with such poignancy and detail that you can imagine the inside of the shed, the image of Jack and his mother screaming against the skylight, the innate fear that permanently lingers in the back of their minds. The novel occupies that perfect niche between page-turning and intensely thought-provoking.

By ARABELLA WATTERS & ZOE SERBIN

would be such successes and assist in turning millions of people into not only Harry Potter, but J.K. Rowling fans as well.

The books have inspired millions of dollars worth of merchandise, a movie franchise, and most recently, a theme park at Universal Studios in Orlando, Florida.

Once this last movie is released, things in the Harry Potter universe will begin to slow down, however that doesn’t mean that the series won’t continue to grow with legions of new fans every day.

The greatest thing about Harry Potter is that no one will ever really outgrow it. It will forever inspire and influence millions of people, even after the movies stop being released and the merchandise sales drop.

“The Vampire Diaries”

By L.J. Smith

“The Idiot Girl and the Flaming Tantrum of Death”

By Laurie Notaro One of six hysterical auto-biographical tales of mischief, insecurities, and rapacious adventures, former humor columnist Laurie Notaro’s newest book is as fantastic as the rest. She recalls terrorizing memories of watching Discovery Health Channel’s specials about parasites and tapeworms, dastardly feats of revenge, and her grandmother’s uncensored and free-wheeling commentary on life. Her sarcasm and remorseless self-depreciation make each story a riot and this book a quick and enjoyable summer read.

“One for the Money”

By Janet Evanovich Deep in the suburbs of Trenton, New Jersey, Italian family life rules the scene. When biting and sarcastic Stephanie Plum loses her job, she is forced to beg her cousin Vinnie to let her work at his bail bonding company. Suddenly, Stephanie finds herself in the dangerous and hectic world of bounty hunting, hot on the trail of the infamous Joe Morelli. As she tries to stay on the case, Stephanie struggles to balance her emotions, pepper spray, and checkbook. The first in a 14-book series, One for the Money is a fun read that keeps its reader captivated and entertained.

Since their original publication in 1991, L.J. Smith’s addictive teen series The Vampire Diaries has since launched a highly rated supernatural drama for the CW network. Fans of the show will be more than pleased with the novels; they are devious, delicious, and dramatic, detailing the story of blond haired Elena Gilbert and her struggle to choose between two dashingly handsome vampire brothers who come into her life. Damon and Stefan Salvatore are yin and yang in the novels, Damon’s refreshingly evil bad boy is cleverly written while Stefan and Elena’s devotion to each other comes across as endearing instead of obnoxious. In an age where vampire novels are ubiquitous, The Vampire Diaries shines. Smith doesn’t shy away blood or violence which inevitably should come with a vampire story, giving this teen novel authenticity and heart (no pun intended).

“An Abundance of Katherines”

By John Green Washed-up child prodigy Colin Singleton likes girls named Katherine. Exclusively. Over the course of his 18 years, Colin has dated a sum total of 19 Katherines, and been dumped by each and every one of them. His last breakup comes as a swift and harsh blow, and as Colin struggles to come to terms, his best friend Hassan convinces him to go on a road trip. As the two boys find themselves in an unknown town and making new friends, Colin grapples with an equation that could solve the mysterious nature of dumper vs. dumpee.

PHOTO: ELLIOT SERBIN

Is Santa Barbara Losing Its Flair?

By HELENA DAVILA

PHOTO: EVA DAVIS TOGETHER OR APART: Students sit unposed and concentrated on the screens of their mobile phones hypnotized by the popular game “Words With Friends.”

“Words With Friends”

S

By EVA DAVIS

ince the release of the first iPhone in 2007, the App Store has been a major selling point of the product.

While there are numerous application categories such as “Health & Fitness,” “Productivity”, and “Education”, the “Games” category has consistently dominated the App Store scene.

In the past, games such as “Tap Tap Revenge” and “Doodle Jump” have been notorious consistent top-sellers.

With both a free version that places an advertisement before each turn and an ad-free version available for $2.99, Zynga’s “Words with Friends” has dominated the App store charts for nearly two years.

The game is also available for the two other Apple devices that run the iOS software, and more recently for the Android platform as well.

“Words” as it is called for short by Zynga themselves, uses an imitation Scrabble™ board and calls for players to create a username which becomes their “Words” identity.

It’s the new iPhone phenomenon. To start a game, users can input a friend’s username or opt to play a game against a random (real) opponent.

The game has the op-

tion of push notifications meaning that rather than having to open the application and check the status of ongoing games periodically, a message will pop up on the users iPhone, iPod touch, or iPad screen notifying them that an opponent has made a move.

Zynga was founded in 2007 and is responsible for the addictive Facebook games “Farmville”, “Fishville”, and “Mafia Wars” among others.

However, the fierce competition of the game has even driven some players to cheat.

While websites that provide “assistance” for word games have been on the internet for years, several site and game creators took this opportunity to make a profit.

This lead to the development of the application “Cheats with Friends.” For $1.99, avid but not such “pro” players, could plug in not only their letters, but the words played up until that point to allow for maximum point achievement.

The app combines the utilization of valuable tiles as well as strategic tile placement over Double and Triple letter, as well as double and triple word spaces on the board to get cheaters over one hundred points for a single word.

Style Profile: Chloe Richman

By MORGAN RAITH

PHOTO: ELLIOT SERBIN

CLOSED ITS DOORS: Creative Stereo & Video is one of the many dead storefronts lining downtown’s State Street.

F

ive years ago, downtown Santa Barbara’s State Street was abuzz with tourists, SB locals, shoppers, and daytrippers alike.

Local store fronts were stuffed with kitschy merchandise and Santa Barbara gradually developed a reputation for a unique boutique shopping experience.

When the economy crashed, store fronts began to darken, blinds were drawn, “For Lease” signs were posted, and gradually, the best of Santa Barbara’s down town began to fade.

Two months ago, locally owned Blue Bee issued a public statement thanking the public for a “wonderful ten years,” yet sadly announced that they too would be closing their doors and succumbing to the difficult economic times.

Following in their footsteps would be Santa Barbara’s This Little Piggy, downtown Indian restaurant The Taj, and local craft supply store Santa Barbara Scrapbooks.

With many local stores beginning to close up

As the rent rates for Santa Barbara store fronts have begun to soar, smaller, locally owned shops have struggled to keep up with the ‘big league’ corporate stores.

Strolling down State Street, few shops of interest remain. Many

“I think one of the things that makes Santa Barbara such a great town is all of the cute little shops. By taking them away, we are losing that special sparkle.” shop, is the city of Santa Barbara beginning to lose its unique flair?

Santa Barbara is well known for its locally owned shops, bookstores, bakeries and coffee shops, and without them it becomes just another vacation town: just another weekend getaway with an ocean view.

small boutiques have been replaced by large department stores such as Marshalls and Old Navy. The stores that once housed Santa Barbara charm are now black and empty.

“I think one of the things that makes Santa Barbara such a great town is all of the cute little shops. By taking

them away, we are losing that special sparkle,” said sophomore Monica Watson.

Although many local stores have now closed their doors, a new crop of high end boutiques and restaurant bistros are beginning to set up shop.

Blush in downtown Santa Barbara is quickly becoming a SB hotspot for local gourmet dining.

Blue Eyed Girl on State Street is also earning its reputation for urban chic clothes.

As old Santa Barbara favorites begin to move on, others step in to take their space.

As Santa Barbara and State Street begin the turn over, there is no doubt they will remain a vacation destination not only with an ocean view, but with a unique shopping experience for both locals and tourists.

HOW YOU CELEBRATED MOTHER’S DAY “My parents and I went on a picnic to the bluffs at Ellwood.”

- Ms. Pointer “My daughter bought me a gigantic card and embellished it with hearts and wrote five different things she liked and loved about me.”

– Ms. Santos “We went to the beach, had a BBQ, and gave my Mom her presents.”

– Courtney O’Donnell

PHOTO: ELLIOT SERBIN

ALL HER OWN: Chloe’s style is unique and playful with a twist of Bohemian.

Favorite Current What she’s wearing: Trend: “I like playful “A cardigan from LF, Bohemian style things.”

V-neck from Urban, Genetic Jeans, and Steve Where She Shops: “I really like to shop at Madden boots.”

Her Favorite Season: Free People, LF, and Urban Outfitters.”

“Winter because I can A Future in mix and match different Fashion?: “I like layers.” fashion design, Her Favorite particularly fashion Clothing Item: “My photography. I hope to Steve Madden boots pursue it in the future.” because they go with Her Inspiration: “I everything and I can am sometimes influwear them everywhere.” enced by my friends, but Favorite Accessory: I mostly just buy what “I love bracelets! I am looks fun and unique.” always wearing them.”

GRAPHIC: MORGAN RAITH

“I was going to go on a hike and go to dinner with my Mom, but that kind of fell through, so we just went shopping. It was a beautiful bonding experience.”

– Autumn Van Diver

Spring Sports Wrap Up

Cameron Matthews

BRIGGS BOSS

Pascal Karam

Troy Ritter

Lacrosse

Golf

Volleyball

Tennis

By Fletcher Sipple

By Fletcher Sipple

By Fletcher Sipple

By Brandon Bickett

Over the last few years, the Laguna Blanca boys lacrosse team has been a respected member of the Condor League, consistently competing well against other Southern California powerhouse schools such as Thatcher, and even Oaks Christian High School in Thousand Oaks.

However, despite the Owls’ positive past, this year’s squad faced a problem; specifically, the team experienced a crippling shortage of players.

There were many reasons for this, most devastatingly being injury – both junior “Fo-Go” Cameron Matthews and junior defense man Kai Gamble were out for the whole season.

This dilemma, most visible at the defensive end of the field, was commented on by senior goalie Austin Rusack, “With so few players, everyone had to work a lot harder.

I think we did really well though, considering our numbers.”

Although the bench was nearly empty, there was plenty of talent spread around. The speedy shot of senior Kevin Drew, the offensive awareness of junior Brandon Bickett and the dynamic defense of senior Fletcher Sipple all helped keep morale up.

All in all, the lacrosse team was able to be competitive even with its various disadvantages.

Per usual, golf is turning out to be the most enjoyable of the spring sports. Everyday the team travels to either La Cumbre Country Club or San Marcos Golf Course for their practices and games. The team dropped a few games early, most notably a close match with Dunn School.

Senior Marshall Alex, a two sport lacrosse and golf athlete comments, “We are having a ball out there this year. Briggs and BIG GUY have really stepped up. I think everyone’s been improving a lot and enjoying the afternoons on the links.”

Coaching staple Ace Angeloff decided not to split the teams this year, opting for a single “A” team format.

Alumnus Dave Bradley came on board to help coach the golf team.

“It was really fun to come back and help coach the team this year – there have been some impressive changes since I graduated in 99’! It was great getting to know the players and I’m excited to see the returning members next year!”

Senior Caroline Pickett comments, “I’m really happy we didn’t split the teams up this season. It gives everyone the opportunity to get out and play nine holes of golf everyday. I think that’s where the value of Laguna sports lie... in their ability to give everyone the best opportunity to improve.”

There were some initial reservations on the part of Laguna’s volleyball community early this season when 19-year-old Dylan Bennett stepped up to take the helm.

Needless to say, all doubts have been erased. Bennet, a member of the US World Volleyball team and graduate of Dos Pueblos, has used his knowledge of the game to coach Laguna’s boys volleyball team to one of its best seasons yet.

The Owls, who are currently undefeated in league after crushing Cate School, played a tough schedule.

“We’ve beat a few division four teams, we’ve participated in a few local tournaments which are filled with high end teams, and now we are ranked in the top ten for our division,” senior captain Pascal Karam said.

The tough schedule has prepared the Owls for their dominating sweep of the Condor League and has given them confidence for the playoffs.

Senior Pascal Karam commented on the boys’ loss to Flintridge Prep, “We just fell apart, they capitalized on our mistakes which was unfortunate. It’s sad, but I am just happy we did as well as we did.”

The scores reflected the tough match with Laguna’s loss in five games: 25-22, 25-20, 16-25, 11-25, 10-15.

Led by senior Ian Carradine and Troy Ritter, the number one singles player, the boys tennis team went 8-5 this year, as compared to last year's 3-7 record.

The highlight of the season was when the team beat Thacher twice 11-7 and 12-6, a feat at which has not been seen in the past seven years.

Justin Shand and Alex Greer were the most successful doubles team, and sophomore Eddie Conk led the singles with 29 overall wins.

Additionally, Benji Sorensen was honored as the most improved player, Justin Palmer received the coaches award, and Troy Ritter was awarded as the most outstanding player.

Freshman Joe Davies credits this year's success to Ritter, who he states is, "Obviously really necessary," and to coach Trevor Thorpe.

According to Joe, "[Trevor] is seriously good and knows how to destroy a tennis ball."

Apart from some early season mistakes, the boys have had a strong season. Ritter says, “We are looking forward to being even more successful in the upcoming year.”

Ian Carradine is the only senior who will be leaving the team next year and there are potentially some great new recruits from the Middle School that will be moving up.

Everybody Dance Now!— 5Years Strong

By JESS DAVIS & OLIVIA BERCI

O

ne year ago, Everybody Dance Now! (EDN!) was represented by founder Jackie Rotman.

She spoke to several million live viewers of America’s Best Dance Crew on national television, inviting young leaders to join their movement—a movement to inspire young people to use dance as a platform for social change.

Today, the EDN! movement continues to grow. They have received hundreds of emails from people in 11 countries across four continents, inspired by EDN!’s mission.

Teenagers have written to EDN! asking for advice as they start a campaign to raise money for sick children to have arts opportunities, a mother encouraged them to continue pursuing their work by sharing how dance helped her daughter overcome and survive an intense battle with anorexia.

Dozens of young people

have expressed their desire to create Everybody Dance Now! chapters in their own communities.

EDN! has trained chapter leaders in 11 cities throughout the United States and Canada, and have at least 20 young people waiting for the next application process.

“Five years ago, I was just like many of our new chapter leaders,” says founder Jackie Rotman.

“I remember walking into Harding School, excited but incredibly nervous about teaching my first EDN! class. I had no idea that my own life would be transformed by EDN! just as much as the lives of the students we teach.”

Pablo Gatica, then 10 years old, was one of the students Jackie taught in that first class. He was getting ready to perform in the talent show with his sister, Alondra.

He walked up to Jackie and asked, “Tell me when you’re teaching because I’m so there.”

Pablo’s voice has now

become familiar to her (but a little deeper).

At 15, Pablo is a member of EDN!’s performance dance troupe, where he gets to interact with his friends and EDN! family, express himself through frequent performances, and hone his dance skills in a supportive and creative environment.

Thanks to EDN!’s partners, Arts Mentorship Program and Santa Barbara Dance Arts, Pablo is now in a pre-professional dance company and recently had the chance to dance in Las Vegas with wold-renowned choreographers including Mia Michaels, Wade Robson, and Tyce Diorio.

Pablo is thriving as a young individual—as one of many young people whose lives has been positively transformed through their experiences with EDN!.

More than 2,000 youth have participated in their programs since 2006.

In April, not only did EDN! celebrate one year

PHOTOS: ELLIOT SERBIN

STRIKE A POSE: EDN! Students, teachers, and leaders at the end of the event’s group performance. (right) National Director Jess Davis, Performance Troupe Manager Claire Patterson, and Founder Jackie Rotman dance to Katy Perry’s “Firework.” since being featured on America’s Best Dance Crew and announcing their plans to create leadership opportunities for youth throughout the country, on April 23, 200 community members gathered to celebrate Everybody Dance Now!’s five years of service.

It has been five years since EDN!’s founding members taught that first class at Harding Elementary School.

The heartbeat of Everybody Dance Now! continues to beat - with more energy, love, momentum, and support than ever.

Now, it’s time to create an even more able body for this movement to continue to develop an effective institution to support the organization’s work. With love, gratitude, and joyful reflection, EDN! looks to its next chapter—another 5 years of success.

FEATURED ATHLETES

PHOTO: MORGAN RAITH

TEAMMATES: Tucker Atterbury and Jake Bartlein sail around the end of Stern’s Wharf after a race in the PCISA Gaucho Regatta in March.

Sailing Team Makes Its Mark

By Morgan Raith Since August, the sailing team has been gearing up and making their mark in the midst of stiff competition up and down the California Coastline.

Tucker Atterbury, Jake Bartlein, Savanna Brown, and Cassidy Shevitz have been practicing with the Santa Barbara Youth Foundation all year long.

California is one of the most competitive states for sailors. With so many teams with high levels of talent most sailors have to work actively all season just to keep their heads above the water.

The team geared up and dove head first into every competition available to them. Attending numerous regattas, giving up most of their weekends all year, in order to rack up as many points as possible throughout the season.

“Overall our team worked really hard, but I feel like we could have done a lot better in the competitions. We seemed to lose focus,” said Savanna Brown.

Despite being such a small team, they were able to gain entry into the Pacific Coast Championships (PCC), a competition held for the best 20 teams on

the California Coast. The team placed 17th.

In April, Savanna and Tucker participated and competed in the California International Sailing Association’s Advanced Racing Clinic at the Alamitos Bay Yacht Club in Long Beach.

In order to participate in the event, all entrants must fill out an extensive application including all personal qualifications as well as a detailed record of all results from previous regattas. Only the participants with the most impressive applications are accepted into the clinic.

The CISA clinic is extremely beneficial to a young sailor’s career. It pushes the young athletes to go up against stiff competition and to take part in rigorous workouts designed to get them into physical fitness on the water.

For four days Savanna and Tucker followed a rigorous training schedule with intense workouts and challenging sailing competitions.

The season has just drawn to an end and the sailors have had time to reflect.

Next year, Savanna says the team needs to have higher standards and focus on working as a team.

PHOTOS: EVA DAVIS

Quentin Tedesco

Logan Elder

By FLETCHER SIPPLE Junior Logan Elder also earns his Quentin Tedesco could easily be described as the future of Laguna sports. spot as a featured athlete for his perAs a freshman, Quentin has made a formance not only in football, but in name for himself among Laguna’s ath- lacrosse as well.

Logan, who was one of the lead scorletes.

Quentin was a member of the Owl’s ers on the Owl’s football squad this football squad, seeing lots of playing season decided to suit up with a stick to help out the struggling Owls boy’s time in his rookie season.

Senior Kevin Drew comments, team.

Logan brought a physical style of “Quentin is really athletic, I think that when his skills improve, he will be one defense, and an aggressive mentality of the better receivers in our league for which proved to be invaluable.

Fellow junior Cameron Matthews football.”

However successful Quentin was on said, “Having Logan on the team was a the gridiron, his achievements on the lot of fun. He does great on defense and lacrosse field was certainly something is really physical. It was actually pretty funny to watch kids just give up after to notice.

Senior Fletcher Sipple says, “Quen- being hit by Logan a few times.”

Logan’s football career has been filled tin is one of the better freshmen in our league. If he takes it seriously, I think with stellar performances for Laguna.

Logan and senior Kevin Drew had he can play college lacrosse.”

Freshmen are rarely considered “im- great chemistry all season with quarpact players” at any level of play, but terback Troy Ritter.

This threesome became Laguna’s Quentin proved himself this season.

Most notable is his performance in main offensive weapon along with runLaguna’s barn-burner game against ri- ning backs Joey Eckert, Joey Coleman and Austin Rusack. val school, Midland.

Logan will certainly be a leader on Quentin could be credited with the win, as he put in three goals during the the football field next year for the Owls third quarter which shifted momentum who are going to be entering a re-building season starting next fall. back to the Owls who won 8-7.

Swim Team Makes a Splash at CIF

By Brandon Bickett

PHOTO: MR. MILO FILIP

Milo Filip in the pool working on his stroke to lower his time.

The road to CIF playoffs is increasingly challenging. Members of the Laguna Blanca swim team qualified with ease as Lauren Alef, Milo Filip, and Austin Abrams posted times well under the status-quo.

In order to understand how these three superstars met the criteria for CIF, one must recognize their intense training and practice regiment.

Starting in the spring and continuing throughout the season, the team practice nearly every day after school.

Alef, Filip, and Abrams strove to master their stroke—perpetually working to lower their times.

According to Austin Abrams, one must participate in 6 “meets” through-

out the season in order to qualify for CIF. The LBS swim team attended swim meets at various high schools such as Santa Barbara, Dos Pueblos, and Righetti High to become individually eligible for playoffs.

Athletes must achieve a racing time under the CIF cut-off time, and try to get the lowest time possible earning their ticket into the CIF Swimming playoffs.

During playoffs from May 10-12, Alef participated in the 50-yard freestyle, while Filip and Abrams swam the 200 and 500-yard freestyle. In the end, Filip came in fifth for the 200 freestyle, and sixth for the 500 freestyle.

PAGE DESIGN: ARABELLA WATTERS PHOTOS: LILLIE HODGES GRAPHICS: JULIA KENT DESSERT CHEFS: LILLIE HODGES & ARABELLA WATTERS

The Grasshopper Sundae

WHIPPED CREAM

Top off with:

Hints of mint and crunchy Oreo’s make a refreshing and satisfying sundae on a hot summer day

Strawberry Storm Sundae Sweet sliced strawberries at the height of the summer season make a delicious dessert

OREOS

Sprinkle on:

Start with:

2 SCOOPS OF VANILLA ICE CREAM

Round up:

2 SCOOPS OF CHOCOLATE

HOT FUDGE SAUCE

Scoop up:

Drizzle on:

Add on:

2 SCOOPS OF STRAWBERRY ICE CREAM

2 SCOOPS OF MINT CHIP Spoon on: HOT FUDGE SAUCE

Sprinkle on:

Dulce de Leche Gingersnap Surprise

Chip-Wiches

SLICED ALMONDS

Bake fresh: 2 Chocolate Chip Cookies

Stack up:

2 GINGERSNAP COOKIES

Garnish with: FRESH STRAWBERRIES Scoop up:

1 SCOOP OF VANILLA ICECREAM Roll in: A LARGE PILE OF CHOCOLATE SPRINKLES

Scoop up:

1 SCOOP OF DULCE DE LECE ICECREAM

Swirl on: WHIPPED CREAM