The April Issue 2022

the

FOURTH

estate

THE EXPRESSION ISSUE: Celebrating identity, creativity, individuality, and strong voices within our community.

LAGUNA BLANCA SCHOOL

4125 PALOMA DRIVE SANTA BARBARA, CA

APRIL 2022

NEWS

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Letters from the Editors Ukraine Security Shortage Supreme Court Dangerous Wildlife Heart Transplant

FEATURE

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TEDx Day in the Life Play Review Extracurriculars Interview with Jenny Sims

THEME

OPINION

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32 33 34 36 38 40

Education Bans Spring Instagrams Stance of the Staff Good Anxiety Protests in Schools

Spending Spree Meritocracy in Society Housing Hypocrisy Beauty Standards Who is “THAT” Girl?

Origin of Antisemitism

LIFESTYLE

SPORTS

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50 Sports Report

Coffee vs. Matcha Oscar Predictions Movie Musicals Solely Fashion Bon Appétit à la mode

COVER shot by Frances Carlson, Madeleine Nicks, Hanna Masri, Alexandra Siegel, and Dare Fitzpatrick featuring junior Ashly Pryor on the upper campus.

OUR TEAM EDITORS-IN-CHIEF Frances Carlson Madeleine Nicks

THEME EDITORS Frances Carlson Madeleine Nicks

MANAGING EDITORS Dare Fitzpatrick Hanna Masri

OPINION EDITOR Hanna Masri

WEBSITE EDITOR Owen Noble NEWS EDITORS Myles Hazen Luca D’Agruma FEATURE EDITOR Dare Fitzpatrick

LIFESTYLE EDITOR Alexandra Siegel BUSINESS MANAGER Abby Kim EDITOR OF FUN Jackson Baltes

MAGAZINE STAFF Jackson Baltes Annika Firlik Ada Green Milla Hirsch Aden Meisel Dionne Peterson Sofia Ramirez Jinling Wang Elli Westmacott Olivia Davenport FACULTY ADVISOR Trish McHale

Letter from the Editors Dear Readers, As we continue through the third quarter, it seems our community has officially settled in and reached its stride.

And now, as we put our third issue to print and prepare to go on spring break, the school year feels like it’s quickly coming to a close.

With so many “lasts” approaching, everyday feels more special, symbolic, and significant. Following this sentiment, our staff took the chance to slow down and think about the social, political, intellectual, athletic, and artistic endeavors that make up our lives.

So, as we were brainstorming articles for this issue, our staff chose to focus our theme around celebrating self-expression and our freedom to do so.

This publication discusses the threats posed to issues we care about: eliminating book bans, the importance of protests and walkouts during school hours, representation within the Supreme Court, and reframing anxiety, among others.

Within our staff, people took our theme to heart and had the opportunity to break out of their shells, take more ownership of graphics, and write bold articles.

Instead of looking at journalism as an elective, it became a way for everyone to express themselves. The Fourth Estate has become a true team, where everyone can help anyone, and no idea is wrong.

We fought with our ancient scanner, made more colleges than we can count, ate large quantities of Hostess powdered donuts, and made an issue that is a true expression of our staff: scrappy, dedicated, and full of love.

But in the middle of writing, editing, and designing these articles, Russia invaded Ukraine. Our classes then started with check-ins about what news we had seen the night before and how everyone was coping with what we were reading, hearing, and seeing.

And as we watched this unprecedented attack on the freedom and independence of Ukraine, we gained a new perspective on the issues we had been writing about. Our hearts are with the people who have lost their homes, sacrificed their lives, and been separated from their families.

Editors-in-Chief Frances Carlson and Madeleine Nicks 4 • NEWS

• MISSION STATEMENT The Fourth Estate is an open forum created for and by journalism students of Laguna Blanca Upper School. We hope to use this space to cover events, interviews and topics of interest in greater depth.

Our staff seeks to be a platform for creative expression and to report on events and ideas of importance to our readers and to focus on topics of significance and interest to inform and entertain the school community.

• LETTERS TO THE EDITORS The Fourth Estate welcomes guest columns and letters to the editor. Letters must be signed and must be no longer than 400 words. Editors reserve the right to edit for length, clarity and/or taste. Anonymous letters will not be published. The Fourth Estate reserves the right to reject advertising. Opinions expressed in this publication reflect the perspectives of the staff whose goal is to inform our readers with reliable information from which to base decisions and opinions. Editorials represent the voice of the staff and are voted on by the entire staff. Columns and commentaries are labeled as such and represent the opinion of the author. The Fourth Estate publishes four issues per year with a senior insert in the last issue.

• BYLINE POLICY When two or three people work on a story, all names will be listed. If an editor rewrites a majority of a story, the editor’s name will be listed.

• ADVERTISING POLICY The Fourth Estate accepts paid advertising and will accept ads from all sources and shall determine if any advertisement is not acceptable. Ads for illegal products or services will be rejected.

• CORRECTION POLICY The staff strives for accuracy. When factual errors occur, mistakes are found or brought to the attention of the staff, corrections will be printed in a corrections box in the next issue.

• COLOPHON This is the 27th volume of The Fourth Estate magazine and the first issue of 2022. Laguna Blanca School, 4125 Paloma Dr., Santa Barbara, CA 93110.

Contacts are available at tmchale@lagunablanca. org, (805) 687-2461x0317 or via the website www. thefourthestate.net. Laguna Blanca has an EK-12 student population of approximately 400, and a faculty of approximately 60. The Fourth Estate is a general magazine, created on MAC computers on Adobe InDesign CC2021, using Avenir Next and Mencken font families. 300 copies are printed and distributed free for US students and faculty, and available at $30 for annual subscriptions. We are associated with NSPA, CSPA and JEA. thefourthestate.net

A Look into Ukraine Ukrainians are fighting to save their country while the world watches.

WORDS by GUEST WRITER, GEORGE NICKS ART by LUCY WANG

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n Feb. 24, Russia launched an all-out invasion of Ukraine by land, air and sea.

The roots of the war began when the Ukrainian people protested their corrupt government and began to demand reform in 2014, which would lead to ousting of the Russian-controlled oligarchy and gradual democratization of the country.

Russia was threatened by the sudden change and began to support rebellions in eastern Ukraine. Later that year, disguised Russian soldiers staged a rebellion in Crimea, a strategically important peninsula, claiming that it had wrongly been given to Ukraine by the Soviet Union.

War erupted in the East as Russian-backed militants seized parts of the Donbas region. Fighting there continues to the current invasion.

Putin has given several reasons for the invasion.

To the West, he has primarily enforced the narrative that NATO is a

threat to Russia, and by moving into Ukraine, they are attacking his sovereignty. To his own people, he has weaved a narrative that the West installed a far-right dictatorship in Ukraine and that Russia has to save their brethren in Ukraine from the West.

While these are lies, they may reflect the reality Putin sees. He regards the U.S. and NATO as the main drivers of democracy in Ukraine, not the Ukrainian people.

Because he relied on the Ukrainians to be apathetic to his invasion, he thought he could overwhelm them without significant resistance.

This was wrong, and is why many believe he’s already lost the war.

While logistical issues and a surprisingly competent Ukrainian military have slowed the Russian advance, the main problem for Putin is that he’s facing an enemy far more determined than he thought.

He may take Kyiv and occupy the country, but Russia cannot fight a war forever, and as long as Russia tries to control Ukraine they will continue fighting.

To the shock of both the West and Russia, Ukrainians have shown an unbreakable will to resist.

Kharkiv, a city

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Russia expected to take within days, has continued to hold out even as bombing and shelling ramp up.

The Ukrainian army has surged in size, and Russian troops have stalled on all fronts.

From the last stand at Snake Island, the Ghost of Kyiv, and Vitaliy Volodymyrovych Skakun’s self-sacrifice to blow up a bridge to stop the Russian advance, stories of Ukrainian resistance have become known across the world.

Protests are what initially planted the seed for the war, and they might be what ends it.

There has been an out swelling of support in the West as thousands have marched to demand stronger sanctions.

Online the Hacker Collective Anonymous declared cyberwar on Russia and has carried out cyberattacks, hijacking government websites and state television, leaking classified information, and disrupting Russian propaganda. Massive demonstrations in Berlin have helped push its initially reluctant government to act.

However, the most surprising and meaningful are acts of protest in Russia. Facing long sentences, torture, and reprisals, thousands have taken to the streets to protest the war in Russia.

While many in Russia believe the Kremlin’s story of rescuing Ukraine from the West and Nazis, a growing number do not. And as the war continues and Putin gets more desperate, the gap between the reality on the ground and the official story widens.

Ukraine is determined to fight to the bitter end, and it seems if the war continues, Russians may not.

NEWS • 5

The Security Shortage As temperatures around the world climb as a result of climate change, so do the premiums of our homeowners insurance policies.

T

WORDS and by ADEN MEISEL ART by HANNA MASRI and ADEN MEISEL

he Thomas Fire destroyed over 1000 buildings, burned over 281,000 acres of property, and inflicted over $2.2 billion worth of damage. Following this event, California Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara deemed many of these destructive wildfires “climate change-intensified.”

Such destructive natural disasters have provoked many negative ramifications—one of the most significant and conflictual of which is the statewide rise in prices of homeowners insurance policies.

According to Kathy Orton’s article in the Washington Post, California experienced nearly a 10% increase in average homeowners insurance premiums—3% higher than the current rate of inflation.

But this isn’t abnormal. “Insurance companies transfer risk,” local insurance broker Dan Baxter said. “Raising the monthly or yearly premiums of people who live in high-risk areas is how insurance companies ensure that their liability balances their revenue.”

This isn’t the only way insurance companies make money. “To further ensure that their funds can cover any incidents that may occur

with their clients, insurance corporations make money in two ways: collecting premiums and reinvesting that revenue in other financial assets that grow over time,” Baxter said.

During the Montecito debris flows of 2018, the community of Montecito suffered from the many impacts of this phenomenon.

According to Economic Consultant Robert Niehaus’ Preliminary Impact Assessment of the Montecito Mudslides, residential property repairs would cost up to a total of $204 million.

Though it is evident that this natural disaster had many other county and region-wide effects, the sheer destruction it brought to the Montecito community was severe. “I was blown away by the devastation,” said member of the debris flow response team Ann Burgard. “The destruction was far beyond what anyone could have expected.”

Local attorney Jonathan Blinderman, who had to relocate his family following the aftermath of the debris flows said, “Lots of my colleagues have been dropped

6 • NEWS

from coverage following this event.

Though California law prohibits insurers from dropping clients 12 months after a claim is finalized, those who were able to keep their policies after that period of time experienced a substantial increase in their premiums.”

Additionally, unique to this particular event, it has

been confirmed that the mudflows were actually a result of the Thomas Fire that swept through the Santa Ynez Mountains. “If there hadn’t been a fire, even without the amount of rain that we got, there would not have been debris flows,” Blinderman said.

According to Blinderman, in many states, if an insurance claim is attributed to two different causes, thefourthestate.net

and one of those causes is not covered, then the claim can be rejected. “However, California does not permit any specific exclusion from coverage, meaning that if over 50% of the incident is caused by the covered claim, then it will be insured.”

Thus, fire insurance, for many individuals affected by this catastrophe, was accountable for covering much of the damage inflicted in this event.

According to Burgard, there was a spectrum of coverage scenarios as many Montecito residents had to negotiate with their providers to be granted coverage.

“I had friends who had to fight with their insurance companies every step of the way, and are still thefourthestate.net

fighting over the final coverage,” Blinderman said.

“Where you get a lot of difference is in how the different companies adjust claims.”

“All insurance policies offered by firms are fixed and specifically outlined” to prevent any loopholes that create a confusing situation regarding coverage,” Baxter said. “In this respect insurance companies don’t exactly attempt to maneuver or find loopholes in given situations to avoid compensation, but if they discover that an incident lies outside their frame of policy, the firm will not be obligated to pay.”

Nonetheless, dispute over coverage is not uncommon.

According to Katherine Chiglinsky’s article in the Insurance Journal, because of the escalated risk of insuring homes in California and other high-risk burn areas, insurers have not only been drastically raising their premiums, but dropping their clients by refusing to renew homeowners policies altogether, saying “they can no longer shoulder the losses at current prices.”

In fact, according to the California Department of Insurance, in 2019 there was a 31% increase of non-renewed coverage policies statewide and a 61% increase of non-renewed coverage policies in ZIP codes that have a moderate to high fire risk.

In Jenny Darmody’s interview with Chief Operating Officer of Aon (Multinational Insurance Company), James Platt, Platt says that risks emerging around climate, pandemic, and supply-chain cannot be assessed using traditional methods—which use time and history to understand the risk or current value of something (like property).

Because of this, the insurance industry is evolving in respect to how they analyze risk through the use of modern technology.

With the rise of what is called the Insurtech industry, private data collectors can now provide probability measures to serve as “modeling that insurers and capital providers use to feel confident putting their money behind people’s risks,” Platt said. Taking factors such as climate and other current-day issues into account, this data can prove incredibly effective.

In the long run, however, as our climate situation worsens, “It’s difficult to foresee how this could all play out,” Baxter said. “It is likely that a multitude of people will face the devastating ramifications of climate change-influenced natural disasters in the near future.”

That being said, it is completely plausible that people around the world deemed moderate to high risk at the hands of climate change could be dropped by their insurers.

One could say that this technology is either making the industry more efficient or turning it upside down, as it is slowly transitioning from people looking to buy coverage, to firms looking for specific individuals that fit their risk specifications.

“We are currently facing a multifaceted situation,” Baxter said. “We need to sustain a business model on one hand and cover unforeseen incidents on the other. If what people are looking for is more affordable coverage, the situation is not in our hands, but in those of the climate and the world.”

NEWS • 7

The Future of the Court

Justice Stephen Breyer's retirement will change this country forever.

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ustice Breyer, one of the most powerful men in the United States recently announced his retirement from the Supreme Court, creating a battle for the nomination of the next justice.

The Supreme Court is the most powerful court of law in the United States. It has the power of judicial review, allowing the court to overturn any law the legislative branch makes.

Members serve lifelong terms, something unheard of in democracies. Despite this, it is often overlooked by the public.

The U.S. government has long been led by white men, despite being a diverse nation, and the court has yet to break the trend.

Only about five percent of Supreme Court justices have been a minority or a woman, and only three justices over the course of the entire court's history have been a person of color.

Historically, the lack of demographic and ideological diversity lead to now universally-condemned decisions

WORDS by MYLES HAZEN ART by MADELEINE NICKS

on slavery and civil rights.

Opponents say looking at race alone will allow someone who doesn't have enough "merit" onto the court.

“The Supreme Court is not in line with the American people,” said AP US History teacher Dena Montague.

The Supreme Court is also being politicized. According to the same a 2018 C-SPAN poll, 56% of voters believe the Supreme Court is split on ideological grounds.

Trump appointed three conservative judges to the Supreme Court, changing the balance of the court to a 6-3 conservative majority.

In 2000, the Supreme Court decided the results of an election by ruling that George W. Bush won Florida's electoral votes.

This politicization and its danger has led calls from the left both to appoint a more liberal judge and to end the cycle of politicizations.

As to who Biden chose, according to the New York Times, “A review of a substantial sample of Judge Jackson’s roughly 500 judicial opinions suggests that s h e

would be about as liberal as... Breyer.”

The politicization of the Supreme Court has its roots in some of the earliest judges appointed. As John Adams lost the presidency, Adams appointed 42 officials to the courts in order to maintain his party’s control of the judiciary.

Several of the powers of the government, such as judicial review and the ability to create a federal bank, were established under this court.

These powers, often seen as necessary for the government to function, were created against the wishes of the majority of the population which leads to a question. Was implementing these policies moral?

Montague, believes that Biden's pledge is the only way to get representation in the court, otherwise candidates of color would be overlooked.

Whether or not Jackson gets confirmed remains to be seen, but what is certain is that whoever is confirmed will influence the country for decades to come.

Living with Dangerous Wildlife People should be aware of the presence of dangerous animals including bears, coyotes, and snakes.

According to American Expedition, coyotes are very good swimmers.

According to A-Z Animals, mountain lions can run up to 50 mph.

According to Treehugger, rattlesnakes hear by sensing vibrations.

According to One Kind Planet, bears care deeply for their family members.

10 • NEWS

L

WORDS by ANNIKA FIRLIK ART by ALEXIA ACOSTA

ions and tigers and bears, oh my! Well, maybe not lions and tigers, but bears are one of the many species of wildlife that Santa Barbara residents have come into contact with lately.

Sixty percent of students have seen dangerous wildlife in Santa Barbara and many do not know the potential dangers that live in their own backyards and neighborhoods, including black bears or grizzly bears.

A black bear made a guest appearance on the Lower School campus in September damaging a fence and causing quite a stir in the process.

Students reported their own encounters with wildlife, including bears. Sophomore Jesus Arriaga said he “saw a bear at his house.”

Wild animals encroaching in populated areas is a new phenomenon, which is mainly due to habitat loss.

Large expanses of nature are being either burned down in fires or built up with construction causing animals to have no place to catch food or stay safe resulting in animals coming into densely populated areas to sustain themselves.

Besides bears, coyotes make frequent appearances in neighborhoods, especially those in more natural areas and pose a threat to pets, particularly small dogs or cats.

People should be aware that coyotes inhabit this area and know not to leave their pets out at night or unsupervised for long periods of time to prevent any harm to them.

In February, a mountain lion was spotted in Hope Ranch not far from campus and students’ homes.

Like coyotes, mountain lions are a threat to pets and people.

It is rare for anyone to see a California mountain lion because they are endangered. These sightings prove that habitat loss is more important now than ever before.

Additionally, California is home to a few types of venomous snakes, all being from the infamous species of the rattlesnake.

These snakes are present more in the brush and wild places of Santa Barbara than residential areas, but it is still good to be aware of them.

For example, sophomore Vanessa Mielcarek said that she “saw a snake while [she] was on a hike.”

If you are going for a walk or hike in the mountains or natural areas of Santa Barbara you should always be mindful to look where you step and not leave the trail.

According to Healthline, “A rattlesnake bite is a medical emergency and must be treated immediately.”

Fortunately, however rattlesnake bites are rarely fatal.

Other types of wildlife in Santa Barbara include bobcats and foxes.

It is increasingly likely for these rare and endangered animals to come into contact with humans.

Freshman Milla Hirsch said that she “used to see bobcats in her backyard.”

These animals go into yards and come too close to residents. It is important for people to be aware that animals inhabit the same space that they do and to know how to both protect themselves and help with the issue of habitat loss. thefourthestate.net

The Future of Transplants

A groundbreaking transplant surgery allows a greater understanding of the world of xenotransplantation, making advancements in science.

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an. 7 a regular day for most, but not for the doctors performing a life-changing procedure: transplanting the first genetically modified pig heart to a human.

Researchers celebrated this milestone, in hopes that nonhuman to human “xenotransplants” will slowly become more feasible.

According to the Food & Drug Administration (FDA) this type of “transplantation, implantation or infusion into a human recipient of either (a) live cells, tissues, or organs from a nonhuman animal source” is called xenotransplantation.

When the news about the surgery’s success first broke, the scientific world erupted in celebration. However, questions arose regarding the risky experiment and its ethics.

In hopes of using this groundbreaking experiment to save more lives, teams, regulators, and ethicists need to discern what makes someone eligible for this transplant since this procedure only resorted to be used as an emergency rescue.

“We are still going to be trying to improve this immune response. It’s kind of a fine line because you want the host to have a strong robust immune response to other things by normal infections.

So you don’t want to tamper it down too much so that your are susceptible to everything,” said biology instructor Penny Pagels. “There is still so much we need to learn about these immune system reactions so we are going to still work on that.”

Many breakthrough advancements in xenotransplantation are derived from CRISPR-Cas9, a tech-

thefourthestate.net

WORDS by JINLING WANG ART by LUCY WANG

nology that is used to edit genomes in order to help create pig organs that are less likely to be attacked by the human immune system.

On Jan. 10, the University of Maryland Medical center made the executive decision to proceed with the first-of-its-kind surgery.

David Bennett, a 57-year-old, was diagnosed with arrhythmia and blocked arteries. His condition required him to be connected to a

heart-lung bypass machine in order to breathe properly.

While he was not a feasible candidate for the transplant list, his time-sensitive condition allowed the FDA to reconsider and agree to proceed to an emergency authorization.

Bennett survived for two months

following the surgery. But his condition began to deteriorate, his doctors in Baltimore said, and the 57-year-old died on March 8.

There is a massive shortage of organs and half a million Americans are waiting for the day they receive a matchable organ transplant/donor.

The surgery allows for a renewed sense of hope that will increase the supply of organs and will save lives.

A study in 2018 conducted by the American Heart Association reported that the number of adults with pre-existing heart failure is projected to reach more than 8 million by 2030.

“Currently there are over 100,000 people who are waiting for human organ donations, dying while waiting for them. I think the possibility of being able to make these modifications to make these organs human compatible is tremendous,” Pagels said.

While there are still hurdles and improvements to be made to this procedure—past the myriads of ethical issues and uncharted outcomes—little steps at a time will lead the medical industry closer.

For those who are waiting for their organ transplant call, the future of xenotransplantation could lessen the wait.

“I think this is a huge step forward and the implications of this is are going to have implications on cancer research as well, because a lot of cancer research is working on modifications to the immune system,” Pagels said. “That’s exciting stuff, because it all plays a role in the future for cancer cures as well.”

NEWS • 11

Presenting the Fourth Annual TEDxLagunaBlancaSchool After facing the adversities of COVID-19, TEDxLagunaBlancaSchool is finally back for the fourth time.

WORDS by JINLING WANG and ALEXANDRA SIEGEL PHOTOS by BRAD ELLIOTT

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n Feb. 2, the fourth annual TEDxLagunaBlancaSchool event took place on campus, allowing 18 speakers and performers to share their ideas at this day-long conference.

Paul Chiment, Mathematics Department Chair and Instructor, got the idea to bring TEDx to Laguna during his time teaching the Entrepreneurship elective. Chiment saw the value in project-based classes, and wanted to find a way to expand these opportunities at the school.

After doing some research and meeting with local TEDxSantaBarbara organizer, Mark Slyvester, Chiment brought the idea to Lagu-

12 • FEATURE

na teachers and administrators.

The school attained a license to host a TEDx event for the winter of 2018, and, in turn, created the TEDx elective.

Students are actively involved in every aspect of the event, from selecting and training speakers, designing and organizing all visual aspects, creating and managing budgets, and making the event accessible to a vast audience.

“TEDx has three dimensions; it is a win-win-win. First, all the students who participate get real world experience,” Chiment said.

“I really appreciate the fact that the program allows for students to gain those skills.”

“Second, dimension is more about the school; the program is a great way to promote Laguna to the broader community. This invites people onto our campus to see our school and see what we are capable of. The third part is for the community. We all come together to share ideas and build that sense of collaboration.”

With the theme “Beneath the Surface,” this year’s event invited audience members to explore the depths of our contemporary world, whether that be the threat to our coral reefs, the future of surgical microscopes, or the hope of making positive change through community-building.

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FACULTY GUIDE Anna Alldredge

Q: What was the motivation for starting a TEDx event at Laguna?

A: “TEDx aligns with our school mission so beautifully. We are a school that values real world engagement, student leadership, project based learning, informed citizenship, and a balanced approach to both humanities and STEM. TEDx holds all those elements in such a dynamic nutshell.

It combines the power of oration and rhetoric with cutting edge technology, innovation, and art. And at the end of the day, TEDx is all about building community, sharing compelling ideas, and making our world a better place. What’s more Laguna than that?”

EXECUTIVE PRODUCER

Frances Carlson ‘22 Q: How has TEDx helped you grow and what inspired you to join the team?

A: As soon as I heard about Laguna’s new TEDx program, I wanted in. The first event took place during my eighth-grade year, so, while I could not be in the actual class, I joined the “Swoop Group.” I immediately fell in love with the atmosphere of creativity and critical thinking. The next year, as a freshman, I joined the actual TEDx class, and I have been in it ever since. TEDx has been invaluable in developing my skills of communication, working with a team, public speaking, problem-solving, email writing, designing, and so much more. I will miss having my TED times next year, but I know that the students and teachers in the class next year will take it in stride and take the program to new levels.

PRESENTER & PERFORMER

Holly Ballenger Q: What is one idea you wish everyone could take away from your talk?

A: “I think just the overall gist of what we were trying to say like the title: Create, and to not be scared to create, but knowing that even failing along the way is part of the process, so it’s about a process not necessarily the product. And it’s about being willing to take risks and try something new because I think we are all made with this ability to create. That doesn’t have to look the same or be clay or any traditional style. I just want people to know to not be afraid to create.”

PRESENTER & PERFORMER Maura Jaye ‘22

Q: How did it feel to be on the TED stage?

A: “Being on the TED stage was simultaneously invigorating and terrifying. Performing my original music is like revealing my most vulnerable self, and to do that in front of hundreds of my peers definitely made me a little nervous. However, when I stepped up on stage, I knew right away that I was standing before a warm and welcoming audience, ready to support me.”

PRESENTER

Molly Morouse ‘23

Q: How would you describe your experience finding a topic your are passionate about and translating that into a speech?

A: “For me, my topic sort of presented itself. I talked about growing up with a stutter, something that I haven’t really had the chance to fully address after overcoming it. As far as writing the talk, it also came very naturally. I sat down one day over winter break and wrote the rough draft, which basically ended up being my final draft.” thefourthestate.net

FEATURE • 13

Follow freshman Luz Schubert an carry out their d

WORDS and ART by ABBY KIM

I start my morning waking up and getting ready for school. I first do my makeup and then choose an outfit.

Today, I golfed with my sister Emma. We usually practice with each other and try to go out as much as we can.

Today, I wore a navy blue tie top with comfy white pants. I paired it with white Air Forces and some jewelry.

Afterwards, I went to the gym where I ran on the treadmill.

I then packed my backpack with everything I needed for school and golf clothes for practice later. After that, I made my breakfast.

For breakfast I had my usual coffee and overnight oats.

Then I packed my lunch which was a sandwich with some fruit.

I left for school at my usual time, around 7:55 a.m.

Then I went to my classes. Today I had study hall first, then Drawing and Painting, lunch, geometry, Entrepreneurship, and biology.

When I was done, I went back to school to watch the boys volleyball game.

The varsity boys volleyball team went against Carpinteria High School and won 3-0. It was a really good game to watch, and I had a lot of fun.

After I went to eat dinner on State Street and had dinner at Eureka! I had the Fresno Fig with a side of truffle cheese fries. This was my first time at Eureka, and I really enjoyed it.

After I was done I went to McConell’s to get some ice cream and then went home.

This is me with Molly Stoll in Drawing and Painting with Mr U. I love this class because it is super fun and the teacher is amazing. It is also challenging, but I’ve learned a lot and enjoy spending time with my friends in that class.

On most days when I eat dinner at home, and I try to finish my homework before having dinner. I usually have dinner with my family at around 8 p.m. If I don’t finish my homework before dinner, I will do it after.

During lunch, I went down to the basketball courts and had lunch with my friends.

Today, I didn’t have homework though, so after I went home, I got ready for bed. I did my skincare, changed, and then watched some TV before I went to sleep.

After school, I went to the golf course and practiced for a couple of hours.

14 • FEATURE

thefourthestate.net

t and junior Franky Baron as they ir daily routines.

BY KIM and ELLI WESTMACOTT

I wake up, I brush my teeth, and then I put on the fit for the day.

I threw on my Tyler, the Creator IGOR Tour white t-shirt, my cream colored Pastel Radio pants, my triple black special forces Air Force Ones, and my gray KSUBI hoodie under a Levi’s jean jacket.

Anyway, I got my school essentials which consists of my computer, my binder for English Seminar, my water bottle, and my notebook for AP Psychology then I drove to school in my car.

First period I had English Seminar and a book club meeting with my book club which consists of Paloma McKean and Miles Sedlin. We are reading, “And Then There Were None,” by Agatha Christie.

Then I had a free period, in which I worked on math homework for my Algebra Two class with a peer.

After that, because I am a junior, and because it was Friday, I proceeded to the Senior Quad where college counseling took place.

We talked about keeping up with the college-search process, and then I spent some time socializing with my friends.

My next period was Drawing and Painting with Mr. Uyesaka, so I walked to class with a few friends.

When I got to class, we started presenting our first project of the thefourthestate.net

semester. For the project, we had to choose an image to do a rough sketch of, and then, once it was approved, we proceeded to scale it up and make a more refined version of the original.

My project was an interpretation of Sponge Bob floating over Bikini Bottom while listening to his favorite tunes. After everyone presented, we began working on blind-contour drawing of our hands which was pretty interesting, to say the least.

Then it was time to eat, so I headed down to the gym, got in my car, and drove to the nearest Chipotle.

I ordered a burrito with white rice, black beans, steak, cheese, guac, sour cream, and lettuce.

Afterwards, I headed back to school, where I ate my burrito in the parking lot with my friends. We were all pretty drained from the long week, and so we just kicked it until C period, the last period of the day.

C period I had AP Psychology.

We learned about cognition and emotion, and we also started learning about stress and health. The question came up: ‘Is stress always bad for us?’ and apparently the answer is no.

I then went home for a few hours, only to return to campus to support the varsity boys volleyball game against Carpinteria High School.

FEATURE • 15

Winter Play Review After two years of online accommodations and COVID-19 protocols, the theater department made its way back to the stage to perform the winter play, “The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (Abridged),” in front of a live audience.

WORDS by DARE FITZPATRICK PHOTOS by BRAD ELLIOTT

T

he Laguna Blanca Reduced Shakespeare Company’s, “The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (Abridged)” premiered on Feb. 11.

Students in the Play Production class returned to the stage two years after the last in-person, live performance of “Anatomy of Gray” in Dec. 2020.

The audience was excited to be in Spaulding Theater to see a live performance.

“It was really great to have such an amazing reception for something we worked on for so long,” said junior Luca D’Agruma.

Due to COVID-19 protocols, the cast and crew faced adversities in the play’s production.

“Our show was the week following coming back from [winter] break, and that was when Omicron happened—that really derailed everything we had going because a lot of our cast was out on Zoom,” Luca said.

“We were all on our heels almost every day that the performance was pushed back. We first heard we were going to be delayed, and then we had to reconsider some obstacles, like last year, doing it with film instead of a live perSenior Foster Smith, freshman Ada Green, and sophomore formance,” senior Dylan Charney introducing their trio scene.

Foster Smith said.

“It was all just really nerve racking terest in directing for a long time— since we put so much work into it, it’s always been something I’ve been and one of our classes was put into interested in, but we don’t offer any this play, so the thought that it could class or any avenue to pursue that be taken away was very scary.” at this school. So, I talked to CaldIn addition to the adaptations nec- well about it, and she gave me the essary for meeting COVID-19 pro- opportunity to be with her through tocols, this production had other, casting and rehearsing.” new facets.

The cast members, Caldwell and Senior Madeleine Nicks served as Madeleine, worked collaboratively an assistant direc- to make the play personal to their tor to play pro- cast. duction instructor “I think something we kept saying and performing through the whole show, and esarts department pecially the closer we got to perchair Dana Cald- forming it, was that it felt like one, well for this play. big inside joke to us,” Madeleine “As assistant di- said. “Anything we were laughing rector, my main at, anything we found funny made roles were basi- its way into the show. It was really cally to just be just a representation of our collecCaldwell’s right tive sense of humor so any modern hand woman,” jokes, any little bits, many of those Madeleine said. came from us, our brains, and it just “I’ve had an in- came about very naturally.”

Senior Madeleine Nicks calls out in her role as Hamlet.

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Sophomores Dylan Charney and Amelie Dalporto make pie in their “Titus Andronicus” spoof scene.

Senior Madeleine Nicks and sophomore Dylan Charney lunge into a fighting scene from “Hamlet.”

The entire cast and crew of “The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (Abridged)” gather after the performance.

Junior Luca D’Agruma and senior Noah Kamps converse in a heated “Romeo and Juliet” scene. thefourthestate.net

Social Science Instructor Kevin Shertzer makes a cameo on stage with seniors Noah Kamps and Madeleine Nicks.

FEATURE • 17

Exploring Extracurriculars Students reflect and share about their on and off-campus extracurricular activities, which include clubs, sports, and theater.

WORDS and ART by DIONNE PETERSON

Katherine Ball ‘23 Q. What extracurricular activity are you involved in currently?

A. Acting at Lights Up! Theater company.

Q. How long have you been doing this?

A. Four years, specifically at this theater company.

Q. How were you initially drawn to the acting program?

A. I was in a production of “Les Mis(érables),” and one of my friends there founded a new theater company. I decided to give it a shot, and it was awesome.

Q. What’s your favorite thing about acting?

A. Definitely the people. It’s just the most weird, amazing, crazy mix of people, and just getting to come back year after year and see people I already know and meet new friends is really fun. Also being able to see it all come together after months of rehearsal is pretty cool.

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Q. If you have taken a theater program at school, how does it differ from the one you are taking currently?

A. I think the school play can sometimes face limitations caused by the need to condense rehearsals into one period, but the school musical is very similar to the ones I do outside of school, because rehearsals are after school. A benefit of doing a program outside of school is that it can have a bigger pool of people to draw from than

Laguna (because Laguna is rather small) and also allows for a longer rehearsal process that is not restricted by one semester.

Q. Has acting helped you in opening up new pathways?

A. It provides a safe space for improving at acting, which can sometimes feel difficult and embarrassing and weird, and really lets you get comfortable with those parts of acting.

Molly Newell ‘22 Q. What extracurricular activity are you involved in currently?

A. I am part of the Diversity Equity Inclusion (DEI) committee.

Q. How long have you been a part of DEI? A. Ursula Chan officially created the committee this year, so I have been part of it since then.

Q. How were you initially drawn to the committee?

A. I think at Laguna, there was a lack of diversity, and there were a lot of people having conversations about minorities.

I think it is important to educate everyone since we are so privileged at Laguna and in a bubble.

Q. What is your favorite part about the DEI committee?

A. We are planning a movie night for Black History Month, and that’s going to be really exciting, because we are going to watch “Black Panther” and include a discussion about it, which is important to talk about race in film and representation. thefourthestate.net

Q. How has the committee helped open up new pathways for you?

A. I think I just have learned a lot about all the different backgrounds and learned how to be able to acknowledge it and bring diversity and inclusion into conversations, and be able to educate others just from the material Chan brought into our meetings.

Q. How has being part of the squash team helped you open up new pathways?

A. Santa Barbara School of Squash (SBSOS) is the reason I was introduced to Laguna. I didn’t know the school existed before then. My grades are good, we thought this school would benefit me. So I came to Laguna, and I’m so glad I did.

Nayeli Castrejon-Peralta ‘25

Dylan Charney ‘24

Q. What extracurricular activity are you involved in currently?

A. The extracurricular I am doing currently is squash.

Q. How long have you been playing squash for?

A. I have been doing squash for about three years.

Q. How did you find out about squash?

A. In the fall of 2019, my mom found their Facebook page, and she asked me if I would like to try it out. Because at that time, I was still playing soccer.

Q. What is your favorite thing about squash?

A. Everyone in the program is pretty close, we all talk to each other.

Sure, sometimes we laugh at each other or like to tease each other, but we all support each other, especially in tournaments.

Q. If you have been in any school sports before, how does that differ from what you are taking outside school sport?

A. The school sport is seasonal, so you’re only with those people for a certain amount of time before you guys split off. Sure, you might keep some connections, but not all.

Meanwhile in squash, we’re all together for a while and get to know each other really well.

Q. Have you been in any squash competitions?

A. I have only been in one tournament, when I played for the Laguna team. I lost two of my games, but I did win one, but even then, I had a lot of fun, and there was a lot of support from my teammates.

Q. What extracurricular activity are you involved in currently?

A. At the moment, we wrapped up Mock Trial.

Q. How long have you been in Mock Trial?

A. This is my second year doing it. It is only offered to high schoolers, and it is a couple months long.

Q. What initially drew you to Mock Trial?

A..I have always been interested in history and law. Last year, my history teacher Kevin Guay thought that I should try it out and that I would enjoy it, so I tried out and I did really enjoy it.

Q. What is your favorite thing about Mock Trial?

A. My favorite thing is when we’re doing the scrimmages, working through all the kinks, and going through the whole process while we are all there.

Q. If you have been in another program outside of school before, how does that differ from what you are currently in school?

A. What makes this one different is that it’s a very tailored experience.

It is much more enriching than the other curriculars than those available, and it’s a bonding experience between classmates that maybe don’t really know each other.

Q. Have you been in Mock Trial competitions?

A. Yes, at the end of the season we always have a competition; I was sad to miss the last one due to an illness. However, I did participate in last seasons.

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Q. Has being part of Mock Trial helped you by opening up new pathways?

A. Yes, but it is less about directly opening up a pathway and more kind of what you want to explore in the future and opening up a roadmap for you.

FEATURE • 19

An Interview with Jenny Sims Get to know our new varsity beach volleyball coach, Jenny Sims.

WORDS and PHOTO by FRANCES CARLSON Q: What first inspired you to become a teacher?

A: I was born into an athletic family in the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains of Asheville, North Carolina.

My grandfather was drafted as a left handed pitcher by the Boston Red Socks and my grandmother coached my aunt to the 1972 Munich Olympics in swimming.

My mom is a two-time Hawaiian IronMan finisher and currently holds the national title of second fastest female triathlete in her age group and still competes at age 70; my older sister was a three-sport highschool player and varsity college volleyball athlete.

I attended a small private school called Carolina Day School pre-k through 12th grade and I always played three sports: volleyball, basketball, and soccer.

I fell in love with team sports at a young age and felt most like myself at practice after school.

In fact, the highlight of my day was always after school sports! I eventually got offered a scholarship to play Division 1 volleyball at UNC-Asheville my senior year of high school.

Unfortunately, my freshman season got cut short due to needing to take time to focus on my mental health.

As much as I loved playing volleyball for the Bulldogs, my mental health came first.

I decided to take a gap year to travel, work, and heal.

That’s when I first got into coaching and I fell in love with it.

That was 10 years ago and I’ve been working with kids and coaching all levels of volleyball ever since!

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Q: How would you describe your coaching style?

A: Coaching is definitely a passion of mine. It challenges me constantly, pushes me outside my comfort zone, and makes me strive to show up everyday as my very best for my team.

My coaching style has evolved in many ways over the past 10 years, but two things have always stayed the same: I emphasize “Effort over Perfection,” and I strive to make great teammates.

I care about each player I coach, and what matters most to me is the relationship I create with them. I want to be a role model to my girls and for them to feel I am always in their corner.

I believe sports give you so much more than just an activity to do after school. I believe you learn how to be a better person through sports.

You learn how hard work can pay off. You learn how to set goals and meet them. You learn how to be someone others can rely on. You learn how to push through learning a new, difficult skill and perseverance. You learn how to encourage others and work through hard times together. You learn to put others’ needs above your own and you learn responsibility and accountability.

These skills are invaluable for athletes and it’s what makes my job so important to me.

Q: How has your background as a volleyball player shaped your view of how to coach?

A: As a player who started with indoor volleyball and has fully transitioned to the sand, I understand the challenge my girls are facing this

season. Most of my team at Laguna has never played on an organized beach volleyball team before.

They are currently learning an entirely new sport that is vastly different from what they are used to indoors.

As a student of the game myself, it’s an awesome thing to see my team start to make new connections and really buy into my knowledge of the sport, because that’s exactly what I had to do with my coach. I train at least four days a week with my coach, and I always gain such valuable knowledge I can turn around and teach my girls. I’m constantly thinking of ways to better myself and my team—it often keeps me up at night!

Q: Did you have a specific coach who impacted your view on volleyball/life? If so, how? And how do you want to pass down those lessons, traditions, or goals onto this team?

A: I’ve had three coaches in my life that have been incredibly impactful and have shaped everything I know about being a great athlete, teammate, and coach.

When I think of these coaches who have touched my life in such immense ways, I feel tears come up, because that’s how powerful their influence still ripples out in me to this day.

Coach Joe Carrington was the first coach who showed me a whole new level of team organization, preparation, and grit. He was my sophomore year basketball coach.

He believed in me as an athlete and cared deeply for his each of his players. While playing for Joe, to thefourthestate.net

this day, I got to be a part of some of the toughest practices I’ve ever been through.

Morning practice, weekend practice, tournaments on the weekend, you name it, we did it, and we worked harder than we thought was possible for that man because we respected him and loved him so much.

Some coaches you would just about die for and he was one of those. But it showed me how hard work, tried and true systems, and preparation translates to a team of winners—he won eight state championships for our school. His leadership changed everything I had known about athletics up to that point in my life.

The second coach who impacted my life was Coach Raquel Miotto. She was my indoor volleyball coach my junior year.

She played libero for the Brazilian junior national team growing up and I have no clue how I got that lucky to have her in Asheville, NC, but she was a godsend.

She was the first coach to tell me I had the potential to play division one, she was the first coach to teach me how to be a leader on the volleyball court, and she was the first coach to come to my house to check on me when I had a bad day.

She showed me how to be creative on the court and shared her extensive volleyball knowledge with me every chance she could get. I liked volleyball before Coach Kel (Rachel), but, after her influence, I was absolutely hooked on volleyball. She was the only reason I had any shot at Division 1 volleyball. thefourthestate.net

And she did that through just one year of coaching me. She still means the world to me and I would still do anything for that woman.

The third coach who changed the trajectory of my life is Coach Mike Maas of East Beach. I first met Coach Mike because he was my SBCC beach volleyball assistant coach to his daughter Sam (who now, side note, happens to be my favorite partner to play with on the sand).

When I came to play for Mike and Sam, I had little-to-no beach vol-

leyball knowledge. I was an indoor player who just wanted to try my luck on the sand. Everything I know now about beach volleyball is from Mike and Sam. They both really invested in me and took me from an indoor player who knew nothing about the game of beach, to a now competitive beach volleyball player and competent beach volleyball coach in a matter of three years.

Mike was there for me through

good days and bad days. He’s seen me at low points and high points of my life and he’s patiently guided me through both.

He has truly became like a father figure to me. He coaches me at least 4 days a week now and I question how I got so lucky to have someone like him in my life who gives so much to me everyday and asks for nothing in return. Great coaches are more than just people who can teach you a sport, they put the relationship first and care about the person first. Mike has always done that with me. He’s given me something no one can ever take away, and that’s confidence on and off the court.

The person I was before I met mike and the person I am today are night and day, he’s truly made me better in every way.

That’s how I want to be as a coach, I want to leave my players as better people than before you met me.

Q: What has been your favorite part of the season so far?

A: My favorite part of the season, is seeing my teachings “click” into place. The girls are sometimes skeptics of what I know they are capable of, and it’s an awesome feeling when they start to see and believe the results are possible. I can’t wait to see more of that!

Q: What are your goals for the rest of the season?

A: My goals remain the same. I want my athletes to be great teammates and learn how to dig deep and lift others up. I hope to be half the coach all three of the previously mentioned coaches are and I should be in good shape!

FEATURE • 21

Banished Books

Schools across the country are censoring books and curriculum according to conservative ideology.

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or children, stories often act as portals into the lives and cultures of others.

To understand the essence of literature, readers place themselves in the characters, and, as we get older, we put ourselves in the minds of characters. We appreciate the stories of people and contexts across the globe.

We develop empathy and form pathways between the reader and the storylines lived by other people through stories. American author Christopher Paolini depicts the bridge between narratives and real life.

“At this point in our country, political views, namely the sharp division between liberal and conservative ideology, is the fuel for almost every debate and until we invent telepathy, books are our best choice for understanding the rest of humanity.”

In over 30 states across the United States, conservative school boards are fighting to remove “offending” literature, which also happens to be predominately stories depicting how harmful bigotry can be.

Recently, the school district of Oneida, Illinois, “disallowed” the teaching of Angie Thomas’ “The

WORDS by ELLI WESTMACOTT ART by OLIVIA DAVENPORT

Hate U Give (THUG)” for controversial content.

According to WQAD News 8 in Moline, Illinois, the action took place to “indefinitely postpone taking action to either suspend or allow a young-adult novel from being taught.”

“Until we invent telepathy, books are our best choice for understanding the rest of humanity.”

-Christopher Paolini In Katy, Texas, the Katy Independent School District banned the same book from classrooms and libraries across the entirety of the district because of “discussion of drug use and explicit language.”

A parent at a school board meeting in Dubois, Pennsylvania worried about “The Hate You Give,” which focuses on a teenager who killed his childhood friend by the police.

The book was described as inap-

propriate “because it features elements of police brutality, profanity, racism, drug use, and violence.”

This is one of the thousands of books raising controversy; it represents the intensity of the censorship throughout many southern school systems.

Censored black author Jason Reynolds responded to address the backlash. “The heartbeat of racism is denial, and the history in ‘Stamped’ will not be denied, nor will young people’s access to this book be canceled.”

“The Hate you Give” serves as a meaningful novel for students to read, yet it is one of the novels on the chopping block.

“To take away THUG from schools is to take away a book that is accessible and feels incredibly powerful and contemporary and relevant to what is going on today and the historical and cultural legacies of racism and slavery that are working throughout our current lives,” said English instructor Ashley Tidey.

“Canonical texts vs. non-canonical texts; what should be read in the classroom is huge, and I think perhaps what is most important is to have the conversation not only with other teachers but with students.”

#springinstagrams PAGE by HANNA MASRI

Sophomores Paloma and Penelope pose before Spring Fling.

A group of sophomores get together before the dance.

Senior Rymer Popovich stops to shoot in his basketball game.

Senior Maud Christal has a sunset photo-op.

Junior Molly Morouse relaxes at Butterfly beach.

Freshmen Chloe, Luz, Tallulah, Grace, and Danica take photos.

Junior Claire Kellett hangs out by East Beach.

Senior Mike Janey looks into the sunset, getting ready for spring.

Freshman Milla Rae snaps a mirror selfie.

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Junior Ashly Pryor on stage in Spaulding Auditorium.

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stance of the staff editorial

Self-expression is about communicating your individuality and is core to one’s self and identity. Young people are surrounded by pressures and new experiences, deepening our understanding of the world and ourselves.

To find ourselves within the storm of our ever-accelerating lives is a monumental task. Despite it all, we persevere.

From the theater students to the writers on our staff, there are limitless forms of expression in our community. But how much about our interests, background, culture, and experiences are we able to express?

We explore students’ and faculty members’ unique, diverse stories and passions in this issue. Creativity is flourishing around us, and there are limitless opportunities to interact with our community to find our definition of self.

Just this year, Laguna students and faculty came together to put on unique and collaborative expressions of our community. We started off the third quarter with the annual TEDxLagunaBlancaSchool event, where our student speakers shared the messages that are important to them and performed original songs. At the same time, faculty members showed off their pottery talents.

Our theater department burst back onto the scene with “The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (abridged),” giving our community a much-needed opportunity to gather and laugh.

We cheered on everything from card tricks to songs to a very enthusiastic AP Econ class at the talent show.

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And we even got a sheriff-delivered noise complaint at our spring fling. Our current sports times are flourishing, and the student section at each game is stronger than ever.

As a staff, we learned that the beauty of our individuality shines through our day-to-day experiences and interactions. We focused on telling our stories through the minutiae: the shoes we wear, what we love to eat, or how we greet our teachers every morning.

With the busyness and stress that takes over our everyday lives, it is easy to dismiss the different forms of self-expression and identity in our community.

So for this issue, we decided to take the time to appreciate the vast array of creativity and individuality around us that brings us closer as a community and opens the door to new ideas among us.

We express ourselves with everything we do in our day-to-day lives, whether it be classes, sports, dancing, acting, or writing. We all need to appreciate the people and programs that bring expression and purpose to our community because it allows each and every one of us to thrive at this school.

Healthy self-expression is essential because it validates our interests and shows that everyone has purpose and meaning.

It can be hard to navigate the world around us, but when we are confident in our skills and purpose, it makes it easier to find new connections, build stronger relationships, and grow as individuals.

THEME • 27

Good Anxiety

Everyday stressors are pervasive—especially in high schools like Laguna. However, the excited state that anxiety brings can be used for productivity rather than being debilitating.

WORDS and ART by DARE FITZPATRICK

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hile stressors are ubiquitous in the society we live in—within school, work environments, etc.—Professor of Neuroscience at New York University, Dr. Wendy Suzuki, explains solutions to coping with anxiety in her book “Good Anxiety.” She explains in this interview how we can use the excited state anxiety brings us for productivity.

Q: How would you define Anxiety as the term is used in this book?

A: Anxiety is that feeling of fear and worry typically associated with situations of uncertainty. Anxiety is worrying about what’s not immediately in front of your face but what could happen to you, which, of course, has infinite possibilities.

Our stress response and defense mechanism deploy almost identically for fear. That is why Anxiety can become so debilitating and overwhelming because it takes advantage of that natural protective circuitry.

[Anxiety] is basically masquerading as a real threat to your immediate need, when in fact, it is an imagined possibility that may not come to pass at all.

Q: You say it’s common for people in today’s world to feel out of control with their Anxiety—how does the concept of an external locus of control* relate to Anxiety in this way?

A: It has to do with your own feeling of self-efficacy* and power, and that really is exported to the environment where these random, it seems, illogical things have been happening. That is very destabilizing for your general psyche. So, yes, it is very related and is how many people with Anxiety feel— they have no control, can’t predict what’s going on, and therefore the worst may be happening in the next moment.

Q: Can you talk about the term ‘stress inoculation’* that you use in the book?

A: Stress inoculation are some of my favorite experiments that have been done. They were done in animals, and what they found is that if you give young animals a little bit of moderate stress—this is stress that’s uncomfortable, unpleasant, but it’s stress that you can get through—that that actually inoculates you against further stress.

You build up this vision that ‘yeah, actually I can get through it,’ versus other animals that got no stress at all during that time. Then they’re both subjected to the same kind of stress, and the ones who got intermittent, moderate stress are much better at getting through it.

I find it such an empowering way to think about [Anxiety]. Did I get through it? Am I still standing? And if the answer is yes, then you have just been inoculated from stress.

Q: In the book, you talk about adaptive vs. maladaptive coping strategies*. What is the difference?

A: The most obvious maladaptive coping strategies are [alcoholism]— not only the sleep disruptions you get, but it’s addictive. It can lead you down a pathway that’s very hard to get out of. Same with drugs and food.

Food is perhaps slightly more common and equally addictive— just like drinking, that first bite of chocolate cake tastes so good, but over and over, the higher levels of sugar affect your emotional health and your brain health, and so it becomes maladaptive.

To distinguish the maladaptive

WORDS TO KNOW EXTERNAL LOCUS OF CONTROL: the belief that one’s successes or failures result from external factors beyond their control.

SELF-EFFICACY: one’s belief in their capacity to execute behaviors necessary to produce specific performance attainments.

STRESS INOCULATION: a psychotherapy method to prepare subjects for stressful events successfully.

MALADAPTIVE COPING STRATEGY: strategies intended to reduce discomfort that increases anxiety.

PARASYMPATHETIC NERVOUS SYSTEM: the “rest and digest” side of the nervous system.

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ones, they have this diabolical quality about them that they feel so good in that first moment but quickly can lead down a road to addiction.

In the other direction, [positive coping strategies] still feel good, but they are sustainable and yield good habits: meditation, exercise, other tools. A Netflix comedy special binge is a wonderful way to get out of a really stressful day.

So many things that are not addictive, or at least not addictive in a negative way, have more specific benefits or parts of your brain and brain networks that are vulnerable in periods of Anxiety.

Q: What is the ‘power of anxiety’ that you discuss?

What makes ‘good anxiety’?

A: The core of this is really appreciation of the wisdom that comes from getting through difficult situations.

It’s not just, ‘oh I survived,’ but that mindset shift of, ‘oh what did that teach me, what can I learn about myself’ or the situation that can help me in the future and I do believe that you learn more from failures and difficult situations versus when it’s so easy.

There’s so much wisdom in learning.

The two [superpowers of Anxiety] I talk about more are the superpower and gift of productivity that comes from Anxiety. This comes from a very common form of Anxiety which is the ‘what-if list.’

The trick is noticing that the worries are often real, about your school, your personal life, all these thefourthestate.net

things that you truly value in your life, and what you’re trying to do well at. Try to turn those what-ifs into to-dos.

If you’re worried about something, it’s a sign. Instead of dwelling on the what-ifs, take each one and make a to-do.

The other one I often talk about is the superpower of empathy that comes from Anxiety.

This is very personal, which comes from my own, oldest form of Anxiety: Social Anxiety. I was shy, I always had this fear of asking questions in class as well, and so after years of that Anxiety and fear, I find myself at the front of that classroom—I’m the teacher.

Of course, I would never say, ‘that’s a stupid question.’ Because I

had this sensitivity, this anxiety experience, because I empathize with all those silent students that weren’t asking a question in class because they were afraid, I stayed late and arrived early and made sure all those questions were answered.

The power is to turn [your Anxiety] to the outside, and you have this wonderful gift of empathy.

Q: How can high schoolers apply this ‘power’ to their lives (in terms of college application stress, school work stress, etc., especially when the proper rest to recover can’t always be taken)?

A: The strategy really is to take a look at the schedule and work in and make time in your schedule for that decompressing and relaxation time.

One of the most important times is every night when we sleep—I know sleep deprivation is pervasive in high school and college students. Yet, it’s so important for cognitive brain function and good emotional regulation.

The famous experiment done by Professor Walker at UC Berkeley compared, for college students, an all-nighter versus eight hours of sleep. The difference in the morning in their ability to learn was the difference between an A and an F on a test.

The students who stayed up all night essentially failed to learn.

That’s just one all-nighter—but it also takes a toll if you have many nights of not enough sleep.

If you do put sleep in, the lesser amount of time that you study the next day will be so much more effective.

THEME • 29

Protests in Schools Do students have a constitutional right to participate in non-disruptive protests during the school day?

S

WORDS by ALEXANDRA SIEGEL and FRANCES CARLSON ART by ALEXANDRA SIEGEL

tudents and teachers left their classes at 10:00 a.m. on March 14, 2018, to gather on the field for 17 minutes of silence, dedicating one minute towards each death caused by the mass shooting at Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida.

Among the many political, economic, and social issues of the past four years, the Laguna community has not seen any other student-organized walkouts or protests that could compare to the walkout in 2018.

Yet, acts of political activism are happening worldwide, whether in the Santa Barbara community, at other schools across the nation, or on countless social media apps and online forums.

So, is there something specific about Laguna's culture that can be pin-pointed for this lack of activism within the school community?

It seems to boil down to a general lack of political participation and discourse on campus for many students and teachers.

"I think student walkouts and protests should be encouraged at Laguna more. Protests organized outside school hours seem easier to attend, obviously, because we aren't missing a class. Still, the idea that we feel obligated to sit in a classroom for 55 minutes instead of walking for a cause we believe in doesn't make sense," said senior Molly Newell.

For decades, there have been reasons to speak out and fight, from the Black Lives Matter movement to gun control to international climate justice.

The United States holds a long, rich history of peaceful protests and walkouts, dating back to the 20th century.

30 • THEME

Most notably, in 1963, Martin Luther King Jr. and other civil rights leaders led peaceful, non-violent demonstrations for the rights of black people in the United States.

In more recent years, there have been numerous nationally televised movements that have touched the lives of many Americans. In the summer of 2020, after county police officer Dereck Chauvin killed George Floyd, there was nonstop talk, coverage, and discussions about the future of America's justice and policing systems.

In anger, sadness, remembrance, and confusion, people took to the streets over the innocent life lost.

While many of these demonstrations did turn violent, those acts did not reflect the core values of the BLM movement.

“I think student walkouts and protests should be encouraged at Laguna more.”

- Molly Newell Often, the media portrays protests in a negative light, giving people obstructed views on what the movements stand for.

"In my experience, protests are safe… The community that protests together also takes care of each other. Many people often offer water, start conversations, and sometimes even dance," said junior Claire Kellett.

While the outpouring of emotion and discussion was prevalent in the many long-lasting in-person protests, similar sentiments were conveyed online. Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, and Snapchat feeds were

overflowing with articles, images, and commentary about the history and future of racial justice.

Clearly, protests (both in-person and online) are a vital tool of democracy that allows citizens to exercise their First Amendment rights through freedom of speech and self-expression.

In the 21st century, these critical discussions go hand in hand with charges of performative activism.

This term defines someone who advocates for a cause only to garner attention and social benefits instead of a genuine passion or devotion to the subject matter.

"Once you know what you care about and are doing more than just a repost on your Instagram story, that's when it isn't performative activism. But if all you do is click a button and think that you are helping the cause, then you are very wrong," Molly said.

Performative activism can take attention away from critically important issues and causes. It shines a light on the "activist" instead of the issues at hand.

So when thinking of activism in schools, when do you know what is passionate versus ingenuine? It can be hard to tell whether students are protesting for the right reasons, as their intentions can get lost in social media expectations or peer pressure. With walkouts during school hours, there comes a risk of students participating to get out of class.

"When it comes to protests or walkouts, specifically in the Laguna community, it feels like an all or nothing scenario. From personal experience, if everyone is going to walk out, then that's fine, but when you as an individual have the opportunity to leave school to protest thefourthestate.net

something like abortion rights, for some reason, missing class is more consequential than losing the rights to your freedom of choice. I think that decision of prioritizing school sort of goes against the common belief that kids use protests to skip class," Molly said.

While it does seem that demonstrations of political activism can be both misrepresented and misused, the overarching idea remains important for young people to learn: practicing self-expression, advocating for their opinions, and engaging in difficult conversations.

As young people face the multitude of issues that will define the upcoming decades, they need to shape the environments and attitudes that will shape the future.

It is crucial to demonstrate interactive, purposeful learning in a student's education.

Protests and walkouts allow students to engage in personal work supporti n g the greater community and actively exploring passions.

While leaving meaningful learning at school for a protest may be challenging, it is part of what makes rallies educational and important. " Pro t e s t s are disruptive to the learning e n v i ro n m e n t , and I believe that's the point. It's supposed to be a disruption, a call to action, and an act that demands attention," said DEI coordinator Ursula Chan.

Alternatively, a lot of important work can be done outside of a rally. thefourthestate.net

Whether it's informing your friends about different movements or engaging in critical conversations in class, there are a plethora of ways students can become involved in different discussions and dialogues.

"The more that our students can read about current events, situations, and local/national/international politics the better. I want every student to want to learn about

the world around them, that wants to be engaged in the dialogue, and that wants to do the research to understand various perspectives and stakeholders, said Head of Upper School Melissa Alkire. “Political activism should be a part of every American student's educational understanding because America was built on many tenants of rebellion and activism.”

THEME • 31

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Wars cost money, and the United States is footing the bill.

I

t is no secret that wars are both destructive and incredibly expensive. The U.S. military is one of the world’s largest fighting forces, with troops stationed around the globe and an annual budget of hundreds of billions of dollars.

With so much money at stake, almost any taxpayer would wonder how exactly all that money is being spent and why the United States manages to fail trying to take care of those who have served.

Historically, the United States has been involved in a significant number of armed conflicts.

Before the 20th Century, the amount of death and destruction the United States witnessed was microscopic compared to both of the World Wars, Vietnam and the War on Terror.

The United States government is notorious for racking up astronomical debt through government spending. According to the U.S. National Debt Clock, the federal debt is currently standing in excess of $30 trillion.

One massive staple of federal government spending is the annual military budget.

“I think the government spends too much on the military,” sophomore James Shiach said.

One explanation for this massive budget is the cost of the equipment the U.S. military utilizes, such as the M1 Abrams Main Battle Tank or M-1.

According to a report by the Subcommittee on International Trade, Finance, and Security Economics, the latest reported cost to produce an M-1 tank is about $2.5 million per tank. This value adjusted

32 • OPINION

WORDS by JACKSON BALTES ART by OLIVIA DAVENPORT

for inflation equates to over $7.7 million today.

War’s damages are not just bound to the physical world; according to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, “About 11-20 out of every 100 Veterans who served in Operation Iraqi Freedom or Operation Enduring Freedom, have PTSD in a given year.”

Veterans qualify to receive coverage from the Veterans Affair Office (VA), after they finish their service.

According to the VA’s website, “If you qualify for VA health care, you’ll receive coverage for the services you need to help you get—and stay— healthy.”

The only problem with this is that the services provided by the VA have become difficult, if not impossible for veterans to access.

According to a report by Rolling Stones magazine, “At least 40 veterans had died waiting for care at VA facilities in the Phoenix area.”

Another problem that continues to plague the VA is the lack of an effective program to get veterans re-integrated back into society.

Groundskeeper Dave Childers, who was drafted to serve in Viet-

thefourthestate.net

nam, explained that, “[a reintegration program] didn’t really exist… they basically told you that you were free to go do what you want to do… good luck.”

It would be logical to assume that the VA fails to take care of veterans simply because they don’t have the necessary resources.

It has become incredibly frustrating to both the government and reform activists that the VA fails to care for veterans even though its annual budget reaches hundreds of billions of dollars.

The United States likely will continue to be a major military power for the foreseeable future. However, it is incredibly embarrassing that the country that is seen as a pillar of hope, freedom, and equality by many across the globe continues to fail the men and women who put their lives on the line to defend America’s values.

If the United States fails to get its spending straightened out and fails to provide veterans with the care they deserve, there will be no positive incentive for people to join the army.

The Meritocracy Myth

Instead of rewarding high-achievers, the meritocratic system reinforces existing class hierarchies and makes it harder for everyone to live successfully and securely.

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WORDS by LUCA D’AGRUMA ART by OLIVIA DAVENPORT

o measure the competency and intelligence of children, our education system ranks them. Through every facet of our world, children are scored, tested, and set against each other in a vicious fight for academic resources and opportunities.

Schools and communities are ranked and categorized, and from birth, parents fret over sending their children to the “best ranked” preschools, elementary schools, and high schools.

Families flee from cities, searching for the perfect suburban nest to nurture and prepare their children for what is to come: a winner-take-all game for a financially secure life.

Our American meritocracy is broken. Instead of rewarding the hardest workers, rewards go to those gifted with the most resources. It’s not a fair game if someone starts on third base.

Our education system creates a hierarchy of success by sorting children into classes.

However, above intelligence, familial wealth is the single most important factor for career success and college admissions.

The U.S. meritocratic system promises socioeconomic mobility: if you work hard, you can move up in the world. The American dream promises success with hard work, but America consistently ranks low among peer nations.

America is ranked 27 in the Global Social Mobility Index, and other metrics tell a similar story. Absolute mobility, how many people make more than their parents, has fallen from 90% to 50%.

According to the right-leaning think tank American Enterprise Institute, the highest income brackets see the highest rates of downward mobility, meaning it’s highly likely that a rich kid will make less than their parents.

When underprivileged kids miss out on an opportunity like gifted programs, it permanently sets them back, while privileged kids get a larger and larger slice of the pie.

The Ivy League is a simple example of this problem. We’d think that the most prestigious schools with the highest concentrations of opportunities, resources, and connections would only be available to the hardest-working or most intelligent.

Still, the statistics reveal that it’s easier to get in if you know the right people, even if poorer and less connected kids have accomplished more.

The exclusionary system of prestige launders wealth within a closed circle. Parents want what’s best for their children. thefourthestate.net

It’s why they send them to the best schools, spend countless nights helping them with homework, or endless hours curating the perfect application for a top-ranked preschool, but the pressures placed on the elites’ children are harmful.

Instead of constraining affluent kids to a stressful, fast-track plan aiming to ensure stable income and hurting poor kids by limiting their opportunities, the government should expand universal programs and pre-K, college, and vocational schools to increase social mobility.

Instead of constraining successful careers to a narrow view of wealth, we should create alternatives by investing in social programs to increase equality of outcomes and financial security for everyone no matter their background..

OPINION • 33

Housing Hypocrisy The housing crisis in California represents the discrepancies between Democrats’ and residents’ values and their actions.

N

WORDS and PAGE by LUCA D’AGRUMA and HANNA MASRI

ot in my backyard!” is the rallying cry of suburban homeowners, elderly progressives, and California Democrats alike.

Known as NIMBYs, a pejorative acronym that’s used to describe those who oppose new, multi-family, or affordable housing developments in their “backyard.”

In short, California liberals champion affordable housing, yet, California has the largest homelessness population and is the third most expensive state to live in.

Although Governor Gavin Newsom signed a series of bills at the end of last year intended to incentivize affordable housing production and address systemic biases in housing, legislation has been met with condemnation and scorn from activist groups and wealthy California liberals.

Senate Bill 9 (SB 9), which went into effect this year, allowed property owners to develop duplexes within single-family zoned areas and bypass the approvals

such as those found in the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA).

Proponents of the bill, like the group California YIMBY (Yes, In My Backyard), cited SB-9’s lot splits as an effective measure to increase middle-income housing.

Ultimately, the state of housing in California reveals the hypocrisy and discrepancies in Democrats’ platforms and their actions.

Opponents of the bill, like former state Senator Leader Kevin De Léon, criticize this solution to the problem, arguing that single-family homes are a part of California’s appeal.

Students can feel the effects of SB 9. On Feb. 10, a California Court of Appeal ruled that the University of California, Berkeley had to restrict the number of students to 2020-21 levels, cutting enrollment.

The lawsuit, filed by Save Berkeley’s Neighborhoods, cited the

CEQA as grounds to reduce the number of accepted students.

They argued that admitting more students would lead to the displacement of

34 • OPINION

long-term residents, increased noise levels, and other environmental effects.

“This lawsuit is an outrageous example of the perverse use of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) to block growth and change at any cost… thousands of students applying to Berkeley this cycle, and their families, will be denied an education at UC Berkeley,” according to opposition group East Bay for Everyone.

CEQA has been weaponized for a long time by a multitude of groups.

Since anyone can sue under CEQA, even the threat of lengthy and expensive litigation can force concessions. CEQA lawsuits have been held up on subjective matters like “aesthetics” and “neighborhood character.”

The UC Berkeley situation sets a precedent for how residents can use this new legislation and the exemptions to CEQA in SB 9 to prevent frivolous lawsuits that tie up development.

Ultimately, the state of housing in California reveals the hypocrisy and discrepancies in democrats’ platforms and their actions.

Although legislation such as SB 9 is a step in the right direction, it’s a far cry from the 3.5 million houses Governor Newsom promised.

Residents, voters, and legislators in California aren’t aligning their lifestyles and votes with their political beliefs and values.

The high cost of living is driving neighbors out. The question is, do we want people to leave, or do we want to make the California lifestyle accessible? Because right now, our so-called values and actions have two different answers. thefourthestate.net

Asian vs. American Beauty Standards From face to body, American and Asian societies strive to meet cultural standards proving that beauty is subjective.

WORDS by SOFIA RAMIREZ and DIONNE PETERSON ART by DIONNE PETERSON

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eauty is idolized across the globe. Individuals strive to meet the cultural ideals of beauty. Each culture has its subjective view of what constitutes beauty, for which gorgeous icons are portrayed in the media.

Beauty standards vary across the globe, but the most notable difference exists between East Asia and America.

Asians favor innocent-like beauty and slim physiques, Western standards seek sensuality and a more prominent hourglass figure.

East Asian society emphasizes looking as thin as possible.

Korea expects its idols to have a 9-1 ratio where the body is nine times as long as the head.

While American standards are not known for expecting precise proportions, they also have high standards for women’s bodies.

American standards fluctuate.

The 50s brought a desire for a full figure while still staying in the hourglass form. Stars like Marilyn Monroe were envied for their “perfect” curves despite their bodies being considered “plus-size” now.

The early 90s increased the popularity of extremely thin body shapes. Models like Kate Moss and Twiggy flooded mainstream media with their waif-like physiques.

With the rise of these idols came the heroin chic revolution, which popularized features usually associated with the drug.

Despite these models being icons of their time, their bodies do not achieve the ideal physique

36 • OPINION

that American women desire.

In the 2000s, curvier figures such as those of Beyonce and Jennifer Lopez became popular.

Despite this influence from the 90s skinnier bodies like those of Paris Hilton remained desirable.

Kim Kardashian is perceived as a beauty icon with her tan skin and tall, hourglass figure representing a slim-thick body, which led to a renewed emphasis on working out to achieve this standard.

“Any beauty standard really narrowly defines what beauty is and has really harmful impacts on everyone.”

- Ursula Chan You can find transformation montages all over social media.

Many speculate that Kardashian’s body is enhanced by a butt enlarging procedure.

Women find her body so desirable that they spend thousands of dollars on surgeries, such as the Brazilian butt lift (BBL), a cosmetic procedure where fat is sucked from “unwanted” areas such as the thighs, hips, or belly and injected into the buttocks.

Despite its popularity, the BBL procedure has the highest mortality rate of any other cosmetic procedure.

There is a high risk that the fat being transferred can enter the bloodstream and cause a blockage in the lungs, which can be fatal.

Although it is the most fatal cosmetic procedure, with a 1-2 in 6,000 BBL procedures resulting in death, it is also one of the most popular.

The American Society of Plastic Surgeons reported that 20,000 people got a BBL in 2017, a number much higher than in the early 2000s.

Irene, a K-pop idol, is one of the chief icons in the K-pop industry in East Asia.

Beauty experts claim that she meets beauty standards with her slim, tall body and fair skin.

Irene debuted in “Red Velvet” in 2014, and gained popularity for her idealistic physique.

“Any beauty standard really narrowly defines what beauty is and has really harmful impact one everyone,” Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Coordinator Ursula Chan said.

The problem with influencers and celebrities and projected ideal body types is that their influence causes their followers to want to meet the standards of beauty they represent by being surgically enhanced.

According to the International Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, Korea has the highest plastic surgery rates of any other country, with more than 2,500 plastic surgeons in Korea in 2019.

Some of the most popular surgeries performed are rhinoplasties and double eyelid surgery.

Many native Koreans are born with a single eyelid. Men and women thefourthestate.net

across Korea have opted to get this procedure to create a double eyelid.

Idols such as Jennie and Rose from Blackpink have double eyelids. Aside from the eyelids, East Asia also prefers big eyes, contrary to the West, where sloped almond-shaped eyes are preferred.

A surgery commonly used in Korea for lips is called the “cherry lip” surgery, resulting in fuller lips.

This style became popular in the K-pop industry, as idols such as members of BTS and many other K-pop idols have these lips.

Modeling the Kardashians, Western standards are all about full, round lips that are even coated over the sides with lip product to give them more volume.

In America, the ideal facial structure is an oval face shape.

In contrast, Asians aim for a slender, seed-like face, including a jawline that tapers into a v-shape with slightly curved sides with no sharp angles.

The cultural debate over standards for beauty as to which is more idealistic continues, but this discourse is not settled with an easy answer.

Beauty ideals differ in each region.

What one finds beautiful the other dislikes. East Asia and America are examples of the fact that beauty lies in the eyes of the beholder.

One beauty standard cannot please everyone because beauty is and forever will be subjective.

Who Is “THAT” Girl?

Is “that” girl a role model and an example of what we should emulate in our own lives, or is she just the latest iteration of an abstract, purely aesthetic ideal?

WORDS and PAGE by HANNA MASRI

Everyone wants to be her. They want her food, skincare routine, Alo yoga sets, morning workouts, and daily $7 matcha lattes. She’s beautiful; she’s the epitome of health; she has her life together.

Who is she? “That girl.” She’s permeated our TikTok feeds and saturated our Pinterests bringing toxic positivity back into the trend cycle under a different name.

In general, to be “that girl,” you get up early to workout or journal while drinking by some green beverage.

After a shower and a “clean” beauty and skincare routine, she makes herself some avocado toast (or health-food equivalent) for breakfast and starts her productive day filled with note-taking on her iPad. Followers and supporters praise the movement for making health and wellness trendy. That the trend provides a space for participants to become the healthiest version of themselves.

But in actuality seeking out the life

of “that girl” is just the latest substance-lacking iteration of self-optimization.

“That girl’s” life is portrayed as the life we all should want in order to be the best version of ourselves: productive workers who fit western standards of beauty.

The life depicted on TikTok and Pinterest is just a snapshot of what these women’s lives are actually like.

This idea of bettering oneself can be traced back to Aristotelean virtue ethics.

This branch of philosophy is based on Aristotle’s theories of character and virtue, in which your inner states drive your actions.

Virtue ethics champion the idea of acting ethically with intrinsic motivation, not because of external rules or regulations.

In short, being a good person means that you have good values and therefore can make good, ethical, virtuous actions.

Aristotle disputed whether we are born being an innately good or bad.

He was an empiricist who be-

lieved that our morality and whether we are “virtuous” is based on our actions and experiences — we can grow into virtue.

We grow into this virtuous role by participating in self-optimization through moral education and development and finding role models.

Humans have always been preoccupied with the self-centered idea of examining ourselves and asking if we’re good people with good ethics and morals.

“That girl” is all about looking at our lives and trying to fix the problems. It’s about pushing out the ugly and bad parts of our lives to embrace a standard of perfection, which isn’t what becoming a virtuous person is. “That girl” isn’t a virtuous person.

Her life doesn’t exist outside of the vacuum of social media. She isn’t a substantive person because her “perfect” life is entirely built on aesthetics.

“It’s an unrealistic expectation.

Obviously it’s important to have a

healthy lifestyle but I think it’s about balance and not about always being perfect,” senior Julianna Seymour said.

The popularity of “that girl” pushes this new standard of what a virtuous person is. The new virtuous characteristics are the characteristics of that girl: being pretty and skinny with a Peloton and a green juice.

She’s acting as this role model for other people to gain virtue. “There are definitely times where I feel like I need to document my healthy routines in order for people to know I’m doing them just like ‘that girl,’” junior Molly Morouse said.

“That girl” is entirely based on aesthetics, and therefore defining her as a virtuous person defines virtue and health as having one look, her “look.”

It narrows the scope of morality to skinny, white, productive, standardly beautiful people.

“It’s kind of unrealistic having everything be perfect where you’re always working out, always eating your

greens, and never eating anything sugary,” Julianna said.

She’s not a virtuous person; she’s the epitome of spiritual materialism. She’s defining her success and worth by material accomplishment in the context of her “glow-up.”

Being a virtuous person can’t be defined in a 15-second TikTok. Optimizing yourself isn’t editing ourselves in such a way that we fit the one, limited idea of perfection.

Looking for ways to improve ourselves and our lifestyles isn’t bad.

An issue arises when we plagiarize our desired lifestyles from a role model that isn’t real.

We imitate and seek out the life of an unattainable, impossible ideal of perfection which falsely labels itself as virtue.

Is this really how we want to define our worth—always grasping onto the newest trend of self-help?

If you aren’t that girl, don’t worry.

If you don’t get 10,000 steps a day, drink lemon water every morning, or have an impossibly small dog, don’t worry—you’re not a bad person, and you’re certainly not unhealthy.

The Origin of Antisemitism One of the world’s oldest forms of discrimination is unique—not because of who it targets, but because it never ceases.

WORDS by ADEN MEISEL ART by HANNA MASRI and ADEN MEISEL

W

hen major events such as the 2014 Jerusalem synagogue attack, the 2018 Pittsburgh synagogue shooting, the 2019 Halle synagogue shooting, and the 2022 Colleyville synagogue hostage crisis reach headlines, the hostility behind these hateful attacks is often highlighted instead of the ‘why?’

With regard to the many anti-semitic events within the past few decades, they are by no means a new societal issue but an evolved

hending how the Holocaust happened is impossible without first understanding the near 2000 years it took to develop.”

Antisemitism can be traced as far back as the Dionysian Era (before Christ) in the Greek and Roman world; there was much animus toward Jewish groups due to their unwillingness to worship Roman gods and emperors because of their monotheistic values.

Following the branching of Christianity from Judaism 700 C.E., frustrated Christian radicals blamed

to preserve their culture and values. And as Christianity continued to manifest itself in Europe, Jews began losing rights to property, unionization, and even the practice of their religion.

According to the Anti-Defamation League’s National Director of Antisemitism Programs, Vlad Khaykin, because of this, it became evident that “antisemitism is not just an interpersonal prejudice that lives in the hearts and minds of human beings, but from this point on, one that embeds itself within the systems, structures, and institutions

continuation of a particular type of bigotry that has plagued the world for thousands of years.

The bigotry concentrated on Jewish communities throughout history can be attributed to the constantly changing situation in their global position. And to understand the origin of antisemitism and why this particular bigotry is so different from any other, it is crucial to evaluate its context.

According to a lecture given by Lafayette College professor Robert Weiner in 2012, concerning the climax of anti-semitic action being the Holocaust, “Jewish-Christian relations are critical from year 0 through 1900 because compre-

the death of Christ on the Jews who were unwilling to embrace the new testament. This false belief would set the stage for Jews being resented in a then Catholically embraced Europe.

As the Catholic Church gained influence over the world in the Middle ages, Catholicism was so strong as to influence European monarchical rule and configure a continental economic pyramid social structure, which later became known as the feudal system.

But because the feudal system relied on oaths of Catholic loyalty to ensure stability, Jews were wholly excluded from almost all social and economic activity in an attempt

of our society, its cultural norms, social dynamics, the very fabric of our civilization,” Khaykin said.

Despite this societal rejection, Jews “created their own way of living by lending out money which led them to pioneer early banking along with pursuing small crafts,” Weiner said.

Apart from this, there are countless other instances in which this group showed perseverance through times of oppression and discrimination that continued centuries to come.

In short, according to Weiner, due to Zionism not yet being a widespread idea and Jews still being a diasporic people, they

40 • OPINION

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were removed and re-accepted from European nations repeatedly as the prevalence of Christianity in Europe fluctuated during the Protestant Reformation.

Though at times Jews would be considered equal by law in a given country, “anti-Jewish stereotypes remained in the masses,” Weiner said. “Thus, stereotypes stay regardless of there being equality.”

By the 19th century, According to Weiner, Jews were more urbanized and prototypical because of their high literacy ability and financial experience. “They modernized faster than any other ethnic group wherever they went,” Weiner said.

“They dominated urban economic life in Europe because they were willing to take more risks after being kept out of everything.” Consequently, most Jews were either middle to upper class or immensely wealthy.

From this elevated status came the rise of many modern Jewish

stereotypes. According to Khaykin, what makes modern antisemitism unique is that “unlike other bigotries which treat their targets as inferior, antisemitism treats Jews both as inferior and as incredibly powerful—able to control banking, global media, even the weather.”

On account of this, “modern racial theorists re-stereotype Jews as disloyal, greedy, and sneaky,” Weiner said. And because Jewish communities (until the past century) had no official state to reside in, they were forced to endure all sorts of oppression abroad and disperse throughout the world.

“Although diaspora has certainly thefourthestate.net

weakened Jews in terms of being targets for violence and discriminatory laws from the state, being a minority means that there is a stronger bond between members of that group. Being a common target for violence has unified Jewish people in many ways,” said Social Science Department Chair Kevin Shertzer.

With regard to Jewish communities, “viewpoints and stereotypes, positive and negative, get passed down generation to generation and stick with people forever.

People who make fun of Jews often don’t even understand what a Jew is,” Shertzer said.

Such false stereotypes of Jewish culture also exist in the Laguna community.

“I have heard anti-semitic jokes that usually involve Jewish stereotypes, but none seemed to be ill-willed or targeted. Though they were meant to be playful, they were still said,” freshman Ethan Somer said.

walls. It’s people on the ground recognizing that the other side is people too. It’s humanizing them and creating friendships and a moment where they can actually see each other’s humanity.”

Fortunately, efforts are beginning to use this approach in combating conspiracy and stereotypes.

When American Football player DeSean Jackson posted several conflictual anti-Semitic tweets in 2020, Jewish American Football player Julian Edelman replied with a heartwarming proposition and a powerful message.

“It was only after I was part of this [Jewish] community that I realized how destructive hate is. Antisemitism is rooted in ignorance and fear…There is no room for antisemitism in this world,” Edelman said.

“It’s hard to see the challenges a community faces when you’re not part of it.”

Edelman proposed a solution that involved mutual learning of each other’s backgrounds: “To that

Furthermore, “Antisemitism is not merely a form of prejudice, it often manifests as a conspiracy theory.

Think of it as a kind of lens through which human beings view the phenomena of this world to make sense of it,” Khaykin said. “Antisemitism takes what are often complex, abstract, or systemic problems with the world and personifies them as the Jew. ” However, according to Shertzer, “The greatest thing that eliminates negative stereotypes and heals people is being in direct contact with people from different backgrounds. That will break down

end, DeSean, let’s do a deal: How about we go to D.C. and I take you to the Holocaust Museum, and then you take me to the Museum of African American History and Culture.”

Nonetheless, anti-semitic sentiment can go to great lengths. As Khaykin said, “These events sadly clarify how biased attitudes can lead to violence.

Antisemitism is not just a Jewish problem, but a broader social problem, as we have seen with similar violence against other marginalized communities. We can never let antisemitism be underestimated; Human beings die, but ideas last forever.”

OPINION • 41

Coffee vs. Matcha Has the good old cup o’ joe met it’s match?

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WORDS and PHOTOS by MILLA HIRSCH

ccording to a recent school poll, 52.6% of students prefer coffee over matcha, while 47.4% have a preference for matcha drinks.

The mere mention of coffee strikes joy in many adults and teens all over the world. Coffee can act as a pick-me-up on a lousy morning, or can be used as an opportunity to meet up with an old friend and share a cappuccino. Coffee has been a long-time favorite drink throughout generations, no matter the season or time of day.

Matcha is a tea-based beverage from China and in parts of Japanese culture. Matcha itself is a finely ground powder made of Japanese green tea leaves. According to Cosmopolitan, matcha holds 10 times the antioxidants than regular brewed green tea. The distinct shade of green comes from other nutrients, such as vitamin C and chlorophyll.

Junior Jade Silva prefers matcha over coffee. Jade says, “Matcha is delicious and has lots of benefits.”

Others, like junior Molly Morouse, prefer coffee. Molly says, “Matcha is very hit or miss. Sometimes it tastes like dirt and other times it’s heaven-sent.” However, she says, “Iced Matchas with oat milk and vanilla” are a favorite of hers, and she recommends trying DUNE Coffee Roasters.

These two drinks have contrasts as well as similarities. The caffeination is diffused at different rates. Coffee gives its drinker an instant zap of energy and helps keep them awake, whereas matcha boosts energy at a slower, steadier pace. Coffee addictions are common, but the caffeination in matcha does not have the same addictive properties.

Both drinks are super foods with the ability to boost mood and brain function and improve liver health. The amino acid L-theanine found in green tea can reduce stress and help with concentration, more than coffee can help its drinker by providing a temporary, jittery fix.

Authentic, good-quality matcha can be very expensive to consume regularly. Starbucks serves popular adaptations of matcha lattes loaded with sweeteners. Quick and easy matcha appeal is less time-consuming than a more traditional matcha brewing ceremony, plus it’s more affordable. Coffee can come from kettles, powders, grounds, and many other forms, and can be found everywhere from gas stations to luxury hotels.

Freshman Caroline Kenny has never tried matcha before but “would definitely try it soon” if given a chance. Sophomore Cierra Rogers prefers coffee over matcha and is just “more used to the taste” of coffee.

Coffee is a distinct, refined flavor that does not appeal to all audiences. Sophomore Magdalena Isabella Amezaga believes matcha is best because “It is caffeine that tastes decent,” whereas junior Aden Meisel doesn’t like any matcha and drinks his coffee black.

Whether it’s coffee or matcha, hot or iced, milk and sugar or plain, these are enjoyable options for any age.

Which one do you favor?

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thefourthestate.net

And the Oscar Goes To...

With the Oscars back at forefront of Hollywood buzz, here are our predictions for the four main categories.

WORDS and ART by MADELEINE NICKS BEST DIRECTOR

PREDICTION: JANE CAMPION

This year’s Best Director category gives a window into the true standouts of the year’s extremely long list of Best Picture nominees. And yet, Paul Thomas Anderson’s “Licorice Pizza” and Steven Spielberg’s “West Side Story’’ serve as two of the more mysterious films at this year’s awards. If I had a vote on the academy, I would lean towards Anderson and “Licorice Pizza,” but both directors don’t have much foundation within the nominations to garner the best director distinction. Instead, “The Power of the Dog” director Jane Campion is beautifully set up to make a historic win. As the academy is looking to continue diversifying its list of winners, and Campion would not only do that, but rightfully deserves the statue.

BEST ACTOR

PREDICTION: WILL SMITH

This category consists of a fascinatingly confusing array of performances. Javier Bardem beat the odds and took a nomination for his performance in “Being the Ricardos.” Andrew Garfield gave a powerhouse performance in “Tick, Tick… Boom!” but is the only nomination for the film. Cumberbatch leads a heavily celebrated cast in “The Power of the Dog,” but has been receiving less accolades than the rest of the ensemble. Therefore, the win likely falls to Will Smith in “King Richard,” who carries the heart and gravity of the film, giving a maturity to the performances of his younger counterparts. He also recently won the SAG award for Best Actor, which is a common signifier of the Oscar win. thefourthestate.net

BEST PICTURE

PREDICTION: POWER OF THE DOG

This was a year of powerful, impressive movies, many of which rely on a group of extremely strong actors to carry it through its grandeur.

In this long list, it’s hard to think that anything was excluded, but Wes Anderson’s latest creation, “The French Dispatch,” which boasts dozens of A-list actors, is noticeably missing from this year’s nominations. While it was a surprising absence, it makes the ensemble cast pictures that did make the list that much more important. “The Power of the Dog,” with 12 nominations, is undoubtedly among the top of this year’s films.

With a complexly understated tone, stunning cinematography, vivid performances, and Jane Campion’s leadership, “The Power of the Dog” has a good chance at the statue.

BEST ACTRESS

PREDICTION: KRISTEN STEWART

While Jessica Chastain and Olivia Colman’s nominations came a bit out of left field, and with Nicole Kidman and Lady Gaga both absent from the list, the main attention for the win falls to Kristen Stewart. In the highly-anticipated “Spencer,” Stewart is not just at the front of the film, she is the soul of it. Throughout this entire category, one theme emerges: motherhood. And after watching “Spencer,” even as the movie took surprisingly dark and haunted turns, Stewart gave an exceedingly impactful window into the core of Diana’s heart: her children. Any scene with her two boys was delicate, real, and beautiful. Those moments grounded the film and gave a new sense of maturity and intimacy to Stewart’s performance.

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Evolution of Movie Musicals Movie musicals have been building off each other and inspiring audiences for nearly a century.

WORDS and ART by ADA GREEN

The Golden Age (1930s-50s) Combining film and musical storytelling started to gain momentum with the popular hit “Anything Goes” (1936).

Movies brought fun and entertainment that appealed to a larger demographic because they were aimed at a wide age range and incorporated music.

Released over 80 years ago, “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs” (1937) and “The Wizard of Oz” (1939) remain some of the most beloved and iconic films of all time. The 1950s brought in a myriad of lighthearted, romantic, comedic musicals, like “Singin’ in the Rain” (1952) and “Guys and Dolls” (1956).

Welcome to the 60s (1960s-80s) “Mary Poppins” (1964) and “The Sound of Music” (1965) were catalysts for a new level of quality in movie musicals. Superstar Julie Andrews helped propel film to a new cinematic height.

“Grease” (1978) and “Little Shop of Horrors” (1986) brought a contemporary edge and a dark side to movie musicals that hadn’t been showcased before.

A Whole New World (Disney Animation 1990s and 2010s) Following the enormous successes of “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs” in 1938 and “Cinderella” in 1950, with constant hit movie musicals, Disney Animations dominated the movie industry in the 90s. “The Little Mermaid,” “Pocahontas,” “Mulan,” “The Lion King,” and “Aladdin” are just a few that became instant classics.

“Colors of the Wind,” “You’ll Be in My Heart,” “Beauty and the Beast,” and “A Whole New World” are some top-charting, academy award-winning songs from the time.

Disney acquired Pixar in the 2000s and retreated from musical films. After slipping away for a decade, Disney is popping back with new acclaimed movie musicals like “Frozen,” “Moana,” and “Encanto.”

Modern Boom (2016-Present) After falling largely under the radar, movie musicals made their comeback with the 2016 Oscar-nominated film “La La Land.” Just missing the Oscar for Best Picture, “La La Land” set a new standard for the quality of original movie musicals, followed by “The Greatest Showman” (2017) and “A Star is Born” (2018).

After Broadway and the rest of the world shut down in 2020, “Hamilton” (2020) made its appearance on our televisions in the form of a filmed stage performance.

When playing on Broadway, tickets for the 11 Tony award-winning live musical were nearly impossible to get before it came to Disney’s streaming platform, DisneyPlus. Still, the filmed version reached fans, new and old, bringing millions back into their “Hamilton phase.” As live theater started to return to normal, 2021 brought new screen adaptations of musical favorites such as “In the Heights” and “Tick, Tick…

Boom!” as well as a remake of the classic “West Side Story.”

These movies received Oscar buzz beyond best original song, marking the new attention and high caliber of modern movie musicals. This recent generation of talented filmmakers have raised the bar for the entire genre, combining the magic of cinema and stage to create a whole new level of art.

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thefourthestate.net

SOLELY FASHION. Sneaker culture is on the rise.

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WORDS and PHOTOS by ALEXANDRA SIEGEL

neakers, once a symbol of athleticism, have taken on a new purpose and transcended their primary function into a new culture of expression. You can see it anywhere; walking around campus, on your favorite influencer, or even on fashion runways.

This new era of sneaker culture has inspired creativity and self-expression. “I love to use sneakers as a way to compliment certain aspects of both what I’m wearing and my personality,” junior Lola Hall said.

There is a huge cultural shift in how sneakers are being worn. Now more than ever, people can define their style solely based off a pair/ collection of shoes. Some even use their footwear as a color palette and template for what their outfit will look like.

“Even before I pick an outfit for the day, I decide on the pair of shoes and base my outfit on that pair,” senior Miles Sedlin said.

In 2020, Nike SB Dunks made a comeback after years of being known exclusively in the skateboarding world.

Nike rewrote the SB manifesto and changed key elements of the sneaker to enhance its performance on the market:

limited numbers, interesting stories, and a strict distribution exclusive to selected independent skate stores.

In turn, this increased demand of the shoe, and now people wear the sneaker for fashion over sport.

Senior Amelia Fowler said her favorite pair of shoes are her “Laser orange Nike SB dunks… I love the color and how they make any boring outfit so much better.”

Another aspect of the scarcity and limited appeal is the secondary marketplace. The rapid rise of online platforms like GOAT and StockX advanced accessibility to these limited sneakers.

Nike or Off-White may drop just a hundred pairs of a sneaker, and the demand for it will skyrocket. In return, the value of the shoe grows, and the secondary market becomes a frenzy of eager sneaker collectors.

Through the accessibility on Instagram and the online market services, it is increasingly easier to get a pair of trendy sneakers. However, it comes at a cost.

“I look at what’s relatively cheap and the drop. Like when the drop is happening, so I can get them for cheap and not pay what the market is,” Miles said.

Others, like sophomore Jack Garcia, choose their next pair of

sneakers “not really based around price or demand” but rather, “how cool the shoe is, and how it can help my style.”

Off-White and Nike routinely design new sneakers, like the Nike X Off-White Low Dunks. New Balance and Casablanca collaborated to designed the MS327 sneaker.

The contrast between the athletic companies like Adidas and Nike pair well with the patterns and colorways from designer brands like Supreme and Dior. For many sneaker-heads, sneakers are important to their social identities, and are crucial parts of forming their wardrobe.

“Sneakers are how sneaker-heads connect,” freshman Mason Siegel said.

They share norms, practices and even a vocabulary, such as the term “drops,” which references the release date for a shoe, and “color way,” which is the color scheme a shoe might come in.

Around campus, you can see teachers and students rocking different types of sneakers. Lola’s favorites are “definitely [her] Scooby-Doo converse.”

What started out as a niche community has shifted to mainstream culture thanks to the efforts of sneaker-heads to bring like-minded people together.

Bon Appétit Santa Barbara local restaurants provide a variety of foods for breakfast, lunch, and dinner that are unique to this coastal city.

WORDS and PHOTOS by ABBY KIM

JEANNINE’S

Jeannine’s is a Santa Barbara staple, complete with a multitude of breakfast and lunch options. With four locations across Santa Barbara, Goleta, and Montecito, Jeannine’s is a popular destination for their croissants, scones, coffee, benedicts, and more.

“I personally love the eggs benedict and the Belgian waffles,” junior Ashly Pryor said. Jeannine’s attracts both locals and tourists.

PANINO

Panino is part of a small chain of popular lunch spots serving sandwiches, salads & soups ordered at the counter. Panino is known for their sandwiches and salads. With 30 different types of sandwiches, including vegetarian options, Panino caters to a large customer base.

“Panino is my favorite. My go-to order is the turkey pesto sandwich. I ask for no sun dried tomatoes, mozzarella cheese, and no mayo,” said senior Nicole Khodabandehlou.

Another well known sandwich is the Italian Combo, which consists of prosciutto, salami, fresh basil, balsamic vinegar, red onions, and more.

SECRET BAO

While Santa Barbara is known for the caliber of beachside restaurants, there are other hidden gems that locals love as well. Secret Bao, a restaurant on Anacapa Street, offers a variety of Asian fusion food. With their menu ranging from Korean food, Chinese food, and Asian drinks, Secret Bao is a favorite of freshman Mason Siegel.

“My favorite item from Secret Bao is their K.F.C.Bao. I usually get Ito En green tea with it,” Mason said. Secret Bao’s K.F.C. Bao, standing for Korean Fried Chicken, includes their special dragon sauce coleslaw, kewpie mayo, and pickled red onions.

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thefourthestate.net

à la mode A growing style of classic dance attire and modern interpretation.

WORDS and ART by MILLA HIRSCH

B

State Street Ballet Academy.

Ashly knows the ins—and— outs of ballet style; she said, “For in—class practice it’s very, delicate, and very feminine [clothing] I would say… leotards, pink colors, stuff like that, and then for shows it’s the tutus… and the corset kind of tops.”

Feminine style mixed with grungier pieces have a juxtaposition in streetwear style, as aspects of modern trends combine with classic pieces of clothing. The ballet aesthetic acts as a muse in runway fashion and designer collections of editorial works and wearable styles, as seen in Christian Dior looks.

Recently, Zara released a New York City Ballet Collection, which includes photographs advertising the ballet aesthetic with sweaters, tulle pieces, cozy accessories, and even a version of dance—able ballet slippers.

Ashly has noticed a few trends that reflect the ballet aesthetic, she says “Shoes, jewelry, and maybe like the tops you wear… like corset tops.”

Ballet has affected Ashly’s personal style, “The colors I wear are very pastel… and I guess just my style is very feminine…my hair is up…delicate jewelry, and stuff like that,” she said.

Clothing brand Orseund Iris designs dance inspired bodysuits with ties and delicate frills. Even SKIMS sells popular pointelle pieces. Accents of ballet are found in Nordstrom, Miu Miu, Pretties Venice, Rouje Paris, Brandy Melville, Jacquemus, and also athletic brands like Alo Yoga that cater to their audience of dancers.

Ashly said style in the world of ballet is “constantly changing… two years ago we were wearing completely different brands… I am now wearing YUMIKO, kind of like a trendy ballet brand.”

From the lavish beginnings of ballet in Italy to 2022, ballet inspiration adds a special element of attention to detail and soft touch.

allet style centers around a few main details— the light pink hues, opulent fabrics of tutus and satin, dainty sweaters, tights and leggings, leotards, and of course the ballet slipper.

The model off—duty look is the desirable, effortlessly chic appearance of celebrity style. Model Lily— Rose Depp has been an influencer of this aesthetic by styling basic pieces with a feminine, ballet-esque touch, consisting of bodysuits with jeans, wearing ballet flats with any outfit, and adding textures like pointelle and lace into every—day wear.

Junior Ashly Pryor, dancer since age 2, is an avid ballerina at Collage of ballet styles featuring junior Ashly Pryor.

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The popular television series, “Euphoria”, depicts today’s youth in a shockingly dark light, but the question is whether this shower portrays the truth or not.

E

uphoria. A profound feeling of elation and happiness. A feeling many spend the entirety of their lives chasing. To feel euphoric is to encounter a pure sense of joy, untainted and somewhat divine, but the natural rush of Euphoria is not to be confused with the artificial, drug-induced feeling of happiness.

Sam Levinson, the producer of the popular and highly controversial Netflix series “Euphoria,” conveys this brewing of drugs and party culture to numb the pain of one’s everyday life. Through graphic content and aesthetic lifestyles, “Euphoria” proposes many debates over how the underlying message is told.

“Euphoria” first found its fans when it came out in June 2019. The show spotlights the life of a 17-year-old, Rue Bennett, and her struggle with drug addiction and mental health issues. It follows her and other characters depicting other insecurities that are common during the high school years.

The show hones

WORDS and ART by ELLI WESTMACOTT in on the issue of drug addiction amongst youth and the themes of discovering one’s sexuality, casual sex, insecurities regarding body image, excessive party culture, the challenges between youth and adult perspectives, and more.

One may wonder why something as simple as a television show could have so much power over viewers. There are many different opinions on this series.

“Euphoria” is a raw depiction of today’s rising generation, whether it be through social media, gossip and cancel culture, pressure to mature, or the normality of masking one’s feelings of insecurity. Many of these issues manifested within the past decade, so generally, those growing up in this bi-

48 • LIFESTYLE

zarre media-dominated world can find a more profound correlation with the characters and the addictions or weaknesses they represent.

“I think our generation relates to it [“Euphoria”] because it depicts something new and more accurate than other high school shows. The plot is more real and relatable,” junior Fiona Hernandez said. “It also evokes emotion and sympathy for the characters.”

Another reason people can reflect on their own lives through “Euphoria’s” twisted and dramatic illustration of today’s society is because of the diversity of the cast, whether it be regarding race or sexuality.

On top of the spotlight on sexuality and identity, each character represents a destructive addiction of some sort.

When interviewing senior Zoë Stephens, she put each character into context on the essential issues the characters represent.

“Cassie lost a father figure early in her life, which has made her search for male validation in her relationships. She always wants to be enough, but she never is and this drives her to a point of insanity… Rue is not a character who glorifies anything.

She represents the fear, anxiety, and depression that teens may experithefourthestate.net

ence, and how coping with drugs is affecting her and everyone around her in absolutely negative ways.

Jules portrays the difficulty and successes of finding your identity.”

The topics in “Euphoria” are candid portrayals of the darkest parts of surviving the teenage years, but the rich and graphic content intertwined with enchanting color and “euphoric” scenes involving drugs makes people question whether it can be harmful to those watching.

In an interview The Hollywood Reporter conducted with Sam Levinson, the director addresses this and the horror it brings to adults, especially parents, who have watched “Euphoria.”

“There are going to be parents who are going to be totally freaked out,” he said. “It’s a good insight into how hard it is to grow up in this time.”

But some wonder whether the show is entirely accurate while portraying the difficulties of finding oneself in today’s environment.

The second season’s kickoff stirred some controversy over whether the show is genuinely relatable or not. To raise awareness of the inaccuracies of the show, the Drug Awareness Resistance Education program responded by stating that the series “chooses to misguidedly glorify and erroneously depict high school student drug use, addiction, anonymous sex, violence and other destructive behaviors as common and widespread in today’s world.”

Levinson does introduce heavy topics such as casual sex and severe drug abuse as normal activities, which inflict a feeling of unthefourthestate.net

ease upon his watchers.

Stephens follows up by talking about the glorification of this series.

“I would say that this show romanticizes the modern teenager, whether it is the outfits, school, partying, severe mental issues, or lack of parental figures.

“The plot is more real and relatable. It also evokes emotion and sympathy for the characters.”

-Fiona Hernandez My mom has brought up to me articles regarding how Rue deals with her anxiety and depression and how it can be unhealthy for someone like me, who struggles with both of the mentioned, to see how she copes through drugs and dissociation.”

The show depicts the lives of each character in the darkest possible light, which inflicts shocking hopelessness onto those following the series.

Zendaya, who plays Rue Bennett, addressed this distress before “Eu-

phoria” first premiered by saying, “Euphoria is for mature audiences.

It’s a raw and honest portrait of addiction, anxiety and the difficulties of navigating life today. There are scenes that are graphic, hard to watch and can be triggering.

Please only watch if you feel you can handle it.”

Because the show is most famous for its cinematography and vividly glamorized wardrobe, some viewers look up to the characters and aspire to live that lifestyle.

“Euphoria” is a representation of the loss and insecurity that spreads like a virus through young adults and the deprecating ways of dealing with emptiness. When younger viewers don’t understand that, they see sparkles and sedation, which romanticizes the use of drugs and party culture.

LIFESTYLE • 49

Sports Report A Look back on our last season of sports, and an inside perspective on our current teams’ goals going forward.

WORDS by MYLES HAZEN PHOTOS by BRAD ELLIOTT, ASHLEE MAYFIELD, BLAKE DORFMAN, AMELIA FOWLER, VALERIE YOSHIMURA, and MASON SIEGEL

Senior Owen Pryor defends the ball heading to the goal.

BOYS SOCCER

One-on-One with Aden Miesel Q: Talk about what the sport means to you and your experience.

A: My journey with soccer at Laguna began as a freshman. Playing competitively, I didn’t consider it as anything more than a hobby, but after playing for Laguna’s varsity team, I have come to see how cohesive this sport can be. A skilled team thinks and reacts as one.

Junior Aden Meisel in a chase for the ball.

Q: What was your biggest take-away from the season?

A: Though we may not have gotten as far as we wished, I confidently speak for the team when I say there were no regrets. Strong chemistry guided us through matches in which we knew we were out skilled and outnumbered. Midway through the season, our coach had to be temporarily replaced because he was COVID positive.

Regardless, we maintained a winning record which got us into CIF. Lastly, we were extremely grateful for the dedication shown by our coach James Kiffe throughout the season. We owe him one.

BOYS GOLF

One-on-One with Mason Siegel Q: What are your team’s goals for the future?

A: We would love to place first in our division and make the CIF playoffs. We have very helpful and supportive coaches Coach Yoshimura, and Coach Sugano. It’s very thrilling to see our team grow and adjust to the game of golf.

Q: What else do you wish to add on the topic of your sport?

A: Golf is a very difficult and mental sport as staying in touch with the game is vital to success. We can’t wait to see how our team perTeam players walking the course. forms this year.

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Mason Siegel hits a driver. thefourthestate.net

BOYS VOLLEYBALL

BOYS TENNIS

One-on-One with Ben Rodgers

One-on-One with Jack Shiebler Q: How has the team done is past years?

A: In all of my four years our team has been very successful and we have won our league twice. We have made great runs in both division four and division three CIF. Q: What are your goals going forward?

A: We hope to make a run at winning CIF division three along with winning the Chadwick tournament we attend every year.

Players react after a close call.

Senior Jack Shiebler ready to serve.

GIRLS SAND VOLLEYBALL

Q: What are some of the team’s intentions going forward?

A: This year our expectations are to make playoffs and our hope is to possibly win. But even without winning the league, we can hopefully still make a deep playoff run, especially because the team also has a lot of good young players.

Q: How have your past seasons gone?

A: My freshman year we lost in the early rounds at playoffs, my sophomore year was cut short, and last year we opted out due to COVID-19 concerns.

One-on-One with Amelia Fowler

Senior Amelia Fowler warming up.

Junior Lola Hall goes up to hit.

Q: What progress has the team made so far?

A: Our team has won both of our home games and there has been so much hard work and growth at every practice. We have a range of different grades, some are new players to volleyball completely, but we’re all improving everyday.

Q: What has been your favorite part of the season?

A: I love how much fun the teams have together. Everyone is so kind and supportive and I strongly encourage everyone to try sand volleyball.

Senior Ben Rodgers smashes a serve.

Junior Cody Busch-Weiss runs to a ball.

SAILING

One-on-One with Hudson Mayfield

Q: How are you hoping the team can grow going forward?

A: Hopefully, we are able to maintain a competitive team going into next year, as well as being able to keep the environment that we currently have. If anyone is interested in joining next year reach out to me or Myles for more information. thefourthestate.net

Hudson and John Mayfield hiking out of the boat.

Myles Hazen and Jack Andrews sailing upwind.

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