March Issue

FOURTH the estate

KIDS THESE DAYS

LAGUNA BLANCA SCHOOL

4125 PALOMA DRIVE SANTA BARBARA, CA MARCH 2024

FACULTY ADVISER

Trish McHale

EDITORS-IN-CHIEF

Dionne Peterson

Lucy Wang

Sofia Ramirez

MANAGING EDITOR

Ada Green

OPINION EDITORS

Christiana Cino

Cierra Nervo

FEATURE EDITOR

Jinling Wang

BUSINESS MANAGER

Magdalena Amezaga

A&E EDITOR

Milla Hirsch

NEWS EDITORS

Lucia Camp

Niccolo D’Agruma

WEBSITE EDITOR

Owen Noble

SOCIAL MEDIA EDITOR

Milla Hirsch

COPY EDITORS

Dylan Charney

JJ Stone

SPORTS EDITOR

Davis Ohanian

PHOTO EDITOR

Jackson Baltes

MAGAZINE STAFF

Alexia Acosta

Lyla Bollag

Jules Leclercq

Daphne Shiebler

Mason Siegel

Elyse Weaver

GUEST ARTIST

Olivia Sofranko

GUEST WRITERS

Alice Newman ‘29

Ananda Johar ‘29

A Letter from the Editors-in-Chief “

Ever heard of “rizz,” “periodt,” “brain rot” “bet,” or “fanum tax”? These are the terms that kids are using these days.

Gen Alpha, which refers to people born after 2010, is a generation that entirely grew up with technology and social media.

They are often seen as digital natives, effortlessly navigating smartphones and all other electronic devices with ease.

Even as Gen Z ourselves, there is a massive gap between us and the generation that comes after us. There is not much we can tell Gen Alpha about technology, but we can offer a few words of wisdom, input, advice and experience.

Gen Z refers to the people born in the mid-to-late 1990s to early 2000s.

We are a generation that is born into a world that straddles the old ways while simultaneously embracing the new. We did not exactly grow up with technology, so we get to experience the excitement of having it.

We are a generation that is deeply unhappy and depressed, and much of it is due to how attached we are to our phones.

We are a generation that is ambitious and perhaps idealistic; we are dissatisfied, seeing the world dying and dividing right in front of our eyes and yet feeling powerless.

We learned that “the world is yours,” yet we can hardly grasp it. There is a deep connection between Gen Z and Gen Alpha, one that is not only tied by age but also by relatability.

In this issue, we covered lots of topics about young kids growing up too fast, like the Skin Care Craze to the iPad Generation. Gen Z experiences all of these things as well, but much later in our lives.

It wouldn’t be fair to talk about Gen Alpha without hearing Gen Alpha speak for themselves.

In this issue, two seventh-grade guest writers, Alice Newman and Ananda Johar, wrote about social media and equestrianism. Their maturity shows in their writing, and we are grateful for their contributions to The Fourth Estate.

This issue also includes topics ranging from the Oscars, Santa Babara International Film Festival, the Presidential Race, and the Super Bowl. Our staff members put everything into perfecting and elevating this issue: watching all 10 Oscar Best Picture nominated films, interviewing some of the actors in those films at SBIFF, conducting research and following the news about Biden and Trump.

They went out of their way for every single article, and we, as editors, are so extraordinarily proud of the way they have pulled it all together with quality and grace. We took pleasure in creating this issue, and we hope you do the same reading it.

Sincerely,

Dionne, Sofia and Lucy

• 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.

• 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.

• 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.

• 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. Note: the Recycled Music article, which was published in the January Issue was not the latest version. Please visit www.thefourthestate.net to see the newest version.

• COLOPHON

Mock Trial Team Advances

For the first time in school history, the Mock Trial team advanced to semi-final rounds.

WORDS by NICCOLO D’AGRUMA

PHOTO by JESSICA TYLER

All rise. Court is now in session. Mock Trial is a competitive extracurricular activity, which started at Laguna in 2000. It is a rigorous, intensive, and time-consuming program, which requires months of preparation alongside multiple scrimmages with other schools, culminating in a series of trials held at the historic Santa Barbara Courthouse.

At the beginning of October, the team started meeting to review the case file, and to learn their roles.

Meanwhile, the defense’s job is to defend their client by proving them innocent.

This is the third issue and the 29th volume of The Fourth Estate. Laguna Blanca School, 4125 Paloma Dr., Santa Barbara, CA 93110. Contacts are available at tmchale@lagunablanca.org, (805) 687-2461 x0317 or www.thefourthestate.net. Laguna Blanca School has an EK-12 grade student population of 430 with 100 in the Lower School, 139 in the Middle School, and 191 in the Upper School. The Fourth Estate is an 8.5 by 11 general magazine, created on MAC computers using Adobe InDesign CC2021, Big Moore, LTC Caslon, Kings Caslon and Meno Banner font families and printed on glossy paper free for students and $30 for an annual subscription. The magazine is distributed to all Upper School students through the school’s advisory program and sent by mail to subscribers with 300 copies printed per issue. We are associated with NSPA, CSPA and JEA.

“This year’s case is about a murder of a CEO and a patent attorney, Tobie Clark, charged with first-degree murder for murdering CEO, Keiran Sunshine. The murder was alleged to conceal a huge secret regarding false results of a case study for a product that was supposed to make millions,” junior Eleanor Crafton said. “If they exposed the secret, they wouldn’t be able to put the product on the market and lose millions of revenue.”

Two sides prepare to compete: the prosecution and the defense. The prosecution’s job is to represent the people by presenting the evidence needed to convict the lawyer, Tobie.

“This specific case has been hard for the prosecution team. The prosecution team has the burden of proof, which means they have to prove their case without any other reasonable explanation,” Eleanor said. “This has been hard this year because most, if not all, of the evidence that points to Tobie Clark is circumstantial. This means we have to rely on strong witness testimony during the competition.”

After individual work, scrimmaging against each other and other schools begins.

“The purpose of [scrimmages] is to point out each other’s weaknesses and hone arguments before the final competition,” sophomore Jack Grube said.

For the competition, the teams are paired up against larger public schools in an elimination round, where the best four out of six teams go onto the final rounds; whoever wins goes to state, and if they win, they compete in nationals.

Winning requires more than just preparation; it demands a whole host

of skills from each student, whether portraying a lawyer or a witness. Confidence, communication skills, critical thinking, teamwork, time management, legal knowledge, professionalism and dedication are all essential.

“[But] success in Mock Trial often results from a combination of these skills,” said Jessica Tyler the Mock Trial Coordinator.

These skills are showcased during the trials where students compete for recognition.

“In essence, the final trial in a mock trial competition is a crucial event that not only determines the immediate outcome of the competition, but also pays a vital role in the overall growth and reputation of the participating students and mock trial program,“ Tyler said.

The following students received awards:

Senior Jayla Provance: Best Prosecution Trial Attorney

Senior Lucia Camp: Best Prosecution Pretrial Attorney

Senior Dylan Charney: Best Defense Trial Attorney

Sophomore Dakota Risley: Best Prosecution Witness

“An exponential increase in social spending and money provided to the state’s school system are now starting to hurt Californians.” - Rio Valle

Human Trafficking

SOCK Club and All Voices Heard hosted a human trafficking awareness presentation in collaboration with Noah’s Anchorage and Hope Refuge.

WORDS by LUCIA CAMP

ART by DIONNE PETERSON

“Human trafficking is being forced into doing work for someone else, being forced into performing sexual acts, or people being treated as commodities, essentially, modern-day slavery,” said Amy Tovias, Executive Director of Youth and Family Services at the YMCA, a program that includes Noah’s Anchorage, which serves youth and young adults between the ages of 12 and 24.

On Feb. 7, the high school community gathered in Spaulding Theatre for a presentation on human trafficking, specifically teen sex trafficking.

“Connecting with outside community leaders is a really important mission of AVH. We wanted to spread awareness of this problem to our peers while also educating them on how to stay safe and informed,” said Cierra Nervo, Co-president of All Voices Heard.

Jeff Shaffer and Kayla Petersen, who work with Kingdom Causes at Westmont College, have partnered with Sock Club since 2015 and informed club members of their involvement in the Human Trafficking Task Force in Santa Barbara County.

of Operations at the Channel Islands YMCA Youth and Family Services, which focuses on risk, health, and safety regarding human trafficking in the community.

“Collectively, we serve youth and young adults between 12 and 24 who are experiencing housing instability, homelessness, lack basic necessities, or are in conflict with their families,”

“I think a lot of people think that human trafficking is something that used to happen, that doesn’t happen anymore, or that it doesn’t happen in California, or definitely not in Santa Barbara,” Tovias said.

California is the top location for human trafficking out of all 50 U.S. states. The presenters emphasized that human trafficking is a crime that exists anywhere there is a demand for it.

“This happens most online. We are seeing cases grow astronomically because a lot of teens don’t know who they are talking to,” Tovias said.

Cook and Tovias cautioned against location sharing on Snapchat’s “snap map,” which allows “friends” to see each other’s live locations, whether they are acquainted or not. This enables groomers to see where one spends time and creates vulnerabilities.

Source: District Attorney of Santa Barbara County

Tovias said. “All of that often leads to those who are at great risk of exploitation.”

“If you are a predator, you are looking for someone to trust you and to create a need. You look for emotional vulnerabilities like low self-esteem, low confidence, or isolation,” Cook said.

“Jeff and Kayla told us about their new work with the County’s Human Trafficking Task Force, and we wanted to create the opportunity to share information with our peers and spread awareness on the rising problem of human trafficking in Santa Barbara County,” said junior Eleanor Crafton, president of SOCK Club, Laguna’s outreach club to assist the unhoused.

The presenters were Sally Cook, Director of Development at Hope Refuge Olive Crest, and Amy Tovias, Director

Cook and Tovias told the story of a 14-year-old from Santa Barbara named Jenny who was swept up into the world of sex trafficking by her 19-year-old boyfriend.

“We want to look over human trafficking as a whole, how it happens, and how you can protect yourselves,” Cook said.

The presenters distributed pamphlets illustrating the six stages of grooming: targeting, gaining trust, filling a need, isolation, abuse, and control.

Cook and Tovias encouraged creating a private profile and being cautious about who you talk to and what you share online to protect yourself and your friends and family.

“(Jenny) was commercially and sexually exploited right here in Santa Barbara, where the demand was. We have this cycle, and it’s happening right here.

When a friend comes to you with concerns, it’s important to talk to them about it and connect them with someone else who might know how to intervene,” Cook said.

The TEDx elective produces the event with a team of dedicated and hardworking students. Together, under the guidance of faculty, the students collaborate to find speakers who would spark inspiration in the audience.

Opportunity Advocate & Dept. Chair Michelle Fink, TEDx Instructor & Summer@Laguna Asst. Director Katherine Niksto and 5th Grade Instructor Jill Sonbudtasan.

Students are split up into teams including the executive team consisting of Regina Lujan, Lily Rice and Danica Damiani. The business development team made up of Jinling Wang, Serena De Ponce, Spencer Hlavaty and Paloma Lujan.

The design team includes of Siena Wyatt, Cierra Nervo, Lucy Wang, Milla Hirsch and Jack Garcia.

The communications team is made up of Caroline Kenny, Carson Stewart, Chloe Gidney and Peyton Gimbel.

Members of the operations team are Sarah Woodhouse,Dakota Risley and JJ Stone.

The curations team include Cyanne Blabey, Dania Zamudio, Sydney Fisher and Lila Foster.

Each has a specific role in the making of the event.

“Business is really chaotic at the beginning, sending out emails, going to pitches with companies like SONOS, Chevron, Mosher Foundation, SB Womens Club, etc,” Regina said. “Design is pretty busy all year, designing the logo, brainstorming for interactive galleries, stage design, foyer, then they make the lanyards and pamphlets.” Regina said.

Curation is also always super busy, they are always communicating with our speakers. Operations is also pretty busy, they do all the logistical aspects of the event, tech, sound, recording, stage, tables, food, booths.”

Regina elaborated on the commitment of her specific role as the executive director saying,

“The week however, is super chaotic for the execs, I couldn’t even tell you what I was doing but there are thousands of little details that go unnoticed that execs do,” she said.

“We make the MC script that everyone uses, answer questions, create the greenroom for the speakers, run the dress rehearsal, communicate with the tech team, help design[;] this year[,] I was the student lead on the 5th-grade dance with the help of [instructors Jenifer Carney, Andra Wilson and Michelle Finck and Laguna parent Jamie Lopes to pick out short films, the list goes on and on.”

Dania shared a rough timeline of the process,

“Within the first two weeks of classes, we select a theme collectively as a class.”

The curations team quickly begins to review applications and recommendations. They carefully choose speakers that they think will best fit the theme. They also coach and support the selected speakers as they craft their talks. The day before the event, a speaker rehearsal allows speakers to polish their talks and get comfortable with the stage.

“I think TEDx is really valuable to our community because you hear all new ideas through people’s experiences, trials, errors, and how they maneuvered their way through obstacles and tribulations and everything in between,” Regina said.

WORDS by SOFIA RAMIREZ & LYLA BOLLAG

PHOTOS by BRAD ELLIOTT

Junior Milton Lopez

The 2024 TEDx Team

Junior Ada Ray

Senior

A Tribute to Matt Struckmeyer

In shared moments of remembrance, students and faculty reflect on their favorite memories of former College Counselor Matt Struckmeyer, recognizing his significant influence on the community.

“When Matt joined Laguna in the fall of 2016, he immediately sought to create a robust, professional College Counseling Program, eagerly implementing new strategies to guide both students and families toward success in college admissions. Over the next six years, many Laguna graduates were admitted to some of the nation's most prestigious and competitive colleges — and even abroad—as Matt introduced a desirable destination of the University of St. Andrews in Scotland (still a popular option for our current students). More importantly, Matt demystified the application process. One of his initiatives was to invite college representatives from a variety of schools—from UCs to U of Chicago—to join the Fall Senior Retreat at the bucolic El Capitan—an invitation all reps eagerly accepted. All the teachers chaperoning witnessed the incredible value of the reps’ wisdom bestowed upon the students. As they pored over the seniors’ college essays, the reps provided individualized feedback, only to speak later to the families over a picnic on the green. Matt’s newly revitalized counseling process led to a shared experience, uniting the teachers, students, families, and the abstract world of academia.”

“Of course, his passing was heartbreaking and I have been looking back at all of the great memories that I have had with him on the Los Padres Trips. One of my best memories of him was when we were on one of our trips and George, Harrison, Struck and I went up a mountain. I remember that we left as a big group, and the number of people slowly started to dwindle down until it was just the four of us. I remember talking to him about his experience out in the wilderness and his connection to it and feeling a very similar connection to what he was referring to. I loved Struck for going out with us, as we hiked up this giant mountain and keeping up with us teenagers who were very fast hikers. He was always happy to go do something fun like go on a hike or a late-night stroll, and he also seemed to have time to connect to the people who didn't want to do all of that. I think that Struck really opened many eyes to the beauty of the outdoors, and by showing us his passion, he gave us a little bit of it. His attitude towards doing work to make these places more beautiful and easy to hike was inspiring and I will miss him for it.”

“I had the opportunity to work closely with Mr. Struckmeyer in running the Los Padres Club, as a senior. The Los Padres Club would run backpacking trips to the Los Padres National Forest, where we would work with the Los Padres Forest Association to do trail maintenance deep in the backcountry. They were the high point of my time in high school, and were the same for many of the other club members. And the towering shadow they cast over my time at Laguna was due in large part to the dedication and the work of Mr. Struckmeyer. It is also worth mentioning that the planning of these trips was not trivial. Coordinating with the school, the LPFA, and parents, and then handling the logistics of supporting 20 kids in the woods for a week, took immense time and effort. I can say that personally, I owe a lot to Mr Struckmeyer, both for introducing me to the college I now attend, and for being a pivotal part of one the most meaningful experiences I had during high school. I’ll be eternally grateful for what he did for me.”

Teacher Feature: Meaghan Harris

The Math Instructor who runs marathons and loves to cook.

INTERVIEW by DAPHNE SHIEBLER PHOTO by JACKSON BALTES & ART by LUCY WANG

Q: Can you tell us about any extracurricular activities or projects you’re involved in outside of teaching?

A: “To stay sane, I do a bit of running and cycling. I run on the bluffs in Carpinteria a few times per week (where I’ve crossed paths with Ms. Pointer a time or two) and spend most Sunday mornings climbing Gibraltar Road or Painted Cave with another cyclist friend.

Running and cycling keeps me fit enough to enter athletic events in the running and cycling world here and there. Fun fact — in 2018, there was a cycling event held in Santa Barbara called “Hillclimb World Champion ships.”

The race went up Gibraltar Road, a road popular with local cyclists, acces sible just behind the mission… and I won it.

I also enjoy playing in the kitchen. I usually cook at least one big meal on the weekends that can be eaten throughout the week. I have also been known to make a solid cookie recipe or two. This winter, I pur chased a cookbook called, “Love and Lemons: Simple Feel Good Food.”

I have cooked more than 10 dishes from this book al ready! It has introduced me to new ingredients (like nutri tional yeast as a cheesy-tast ing substitute) and new sauce techniques (like using cashews for a creamy en chilada sauce).”

Q: What is your biggest ath letic accomplishment?

A: “It’s a close call… in 2014, I completed the Lake Place Ironman (2.4-mile swim, 112-mile bicycle ride, 26.2-mile run).

The hardest part about completing an Ironman is staying healthy through the training process! I showed up to the starting line with a strained calf muscle but grinded out the day. I managed to finish in under 12 hours. While I like to consider myself a competitor rather than a completer of athletic events, I was happy to cross the line and check the ‘I am an Ironman’ box.

Q: Who do you admire?

A:“I wish that I could French braid my

own hair like senior Kendall Keshen. I wish that I could speak another language so that I could join conversations with juniors Ethan Carrington and Jules Leclercq.

I wish that I looked as astute in spectacles as senior Griffin Rick. I wish to be as easygoing as senior Brody McGonigle.”

Q: Can you share any tips for effective studying and time management?

Sometimes it seems the more free time students have, the more difficult it is for them to manage their time.

Additionally, it seems that distractions in our ever-changing world are

It’s important to carve out time dedicated to studying if one wants to strengthen skills in any

Put your phone away and utilize your “do not disturb” functions on electronic devices in order to be able to center your attention if it’s a limitation!

At the end of a chapter or unit, I encourage students to complete a reference sheet or “one-pager” of all of the most important concepts covered.

Also, check in with your friends about their study go-tos! It can also help you hold each other accountable for staying on task.

There is no reason to go at it alone.

Quiz each other… quizlet each other… you know, whatever it is kids are doing these days (see how I age myself…?).

BOJANA HILL English Instructor

ANDREAS MCCLINTOCK ‘24

GEORGE NICKS ‘22

IImmerse yourself in the world of Jane Austen as the Laguna Blanca Theater department brings “Emma” to life.

WORDS by ELYSE WEAVER

ART by LUCY WANG & PHOTOS by BRAD ELLIOTT

n its fifth in-person production since COVID, Laguna Blanca Theater tackled accents, choreography, 19th-century dialogue and costumes, and technical challenges of all sorts in an onstage production of Jane Austen’s “Emma.”

Lillie-Liberto, the Production A/V Designer. “We haven’t really run into those types of restrictions in my time so far here at Laguna.”

“As this was adapted from a novel, typical theater conventions were out the window, so the creative implementation of projection, lighting, sound, and wicked-fast deck and costume changes allowed us to move through 23 rapid-fire scenes seamlessly,” said Theater Instructor & Performing Arts Department Chair Dana Caldwell. “Emma” is an adaptation, “Emma” that was originally published in the early 1800s. It demands a level of performance and design accurate to the time.

The production design team — consisting of Richard Croy, Flynn Brady, and Zack Lillie-Liberto, as well as choreographer, Kateri Ransom — took challenges head on.

“‘Emma’ is a period piece; it required a certain additional level of scrutiny. Costumes, set design, music, and all of the other production elements had to be as close to right as we could get them,” said

“Laguna Theater is going to change a lot, as I know of quite a few seventh graders looking to join. This will change the dynamic, but it will be good to see how the new people impact our wonderful environment,” said freshman Cooper Green, who was on sound and projection for “Emma.”

Jane Austen’s classics are well established within the Laguna community. On top of being beloved works of literature, AP English Literature students read and analyze “Pride and Prejudice” with English Instructor Bojana Hill.

Austen’s renown added additional pressure to actors, especially senior Amelie Dalporto, who took on the demanding lead role of Emma and was onstage nearly the entire play.

“It was definitely a challenge. I mean, 90 pages of memorization, but everyone was super supportive and helped each other out. There were definitely some concerns about ‘Emma’ because it’s Jane Austen, but it was really fun,” Amelie said.

Despite setbacks, the production navigated Austen’s nuanced work expertly.

“I was pleasantly surprised by the overall quality of the show: not only were long monologues perfectly memorized, but also in a consistently adhered-to-British accent. Spaulding [Theatre] provided an intimate setting conducive to a thorough enjoyment, especially of the expressions on each character’s countenance. Austen’s language was made clear; Austen’s subtle irony and satire were made clear as well,” Hill said. As COVID regulations loosen, more and more every year, audiences and actors alike can return to a sense of togetherness that was mitigated by the virus.

“You get closer with people, when you don’t have to be six feet apart. You’re all in a dressing room together, you’re all backstage together, so I think there’s definitely been a larger sense of camaraderie,” Amelie said.

Other investments in the theater department have paid off.

“Investment in new sound, lighting, and projection equipment has elevated our theatre and student technical theater learning experience. And the addition of the amazing Lillie-Liberto to our production team,” Caldwell said.

In “Spamalot,” the spring musical, and other upcoming productions in the near future, even more positive changes are on the horizon.

Besides new additions, current theater members take on new titles and responsibilities every year, most often with rising seniors leading the charge.

“I think it’ll be really exciting because I haven’t had leadership role in a theater before; I’ve always been kind of a background character, so it’ll be fun to see how I can step up and help the theater run [next year] because it’s what the seniors do,” said junior Katja Broomberg, who played Jane Fairfax.

The past few years, despite the added obstacle of COVID restrictions, brought immense positive changes to the Laguna Blanca Theater department in the form of new students, faculty, technologies, and more.

Sophomore Elizabeth Robilio turns to junior Katja Broomberg.

From left to right: senior Amelie Dalporto narrates junior Ada Green and senior Owen Noble.

Evie Comis, Amelia Noble and Lucas Acosta witness Niccolo D’Agruma officiate Amelie Dalporto and Dylan Charney as Emma and Mr. Knightly.

The cast, crew and production team pose together.

Seniors Amelie Dalporto and Owen Noble dance.

Niccolo D’Agruma, Amelia Noble, Lucas Acosta, Brandon Fuladi, Dylan Charney and Amelie Dalporto converse in the drawing room.

What Do You Do?

We all talk to our friends, but rarely do we ever ask them what they do. How do your friends spend their free time, in ways you might not know, doing things you probably have never even thought about.

INTERVIEW by MAGDALENA AMEZAGA ART by DIONNE PETERSON

Mary Stoll - Dirt Biker

Q: What made you want to start dirt biking?

I first got into riding motorcycles at my cousin’s ranch in Buellton. My brothers and I all grew up riding on motorcycles and quads.

Q: What would you say is the most valuable lesson you have learned?

The most valuable lesson I have learned is to always wear your gear and helmet. I have taken a lot of falls without wearing protective gear, and it doesn’t end well.

Q: What type of bike is your favorite and why?

My favorite bike is my dad’s KTM 350 EXC-F. It has a powerful 4-stroke engine and is really fun for off-roading.

Q: What has been your worst injury yet? If any or a scary circumstance?

My worst injury was when I was rid ing on dirt trails with my dad at West Camino Cielo.

We were riding on a side trail that was very narrow and steep and I fell and rolled down the side of a cliff.

Olivia Sofranko - Artist

Q: What drove you to create your form of artwork?

I think of my art as something I can always learn more of. It might be challenging at times, but I enjoy it so much. I enjoy learning new skills. I love how many branches of art there are, so I always feel like I have something to do. My art is inspired by exotic, colorful animals and Harley Davidson graphic tee designs.

Q: What does the creative process look like for you?

The process of all of my artwork starts with envisioning something from a song or feeling and drawing whatever I feel fits. It’s very chaotic. I can go weeks without art, and then I’ll do it randomly for hours. My commission artwork starts with a sketch on canvas and layering colors starting from the background and working my way forward. This takes around a month.

Q: If there are any artists you look up to, who are they and why?

I think the TEDx presentation by DJ Javier was incredibly motivating. It can be scary to rely on art as a profession because there’s a chance you won’t be successful after how much work was put into it. Even when he was starting small, he never let irrelevancy stop him. He put in so much effort to be seen by brands. He taught me that success isn’t linear and that you have to make it hap pen if you want something.

Q: What does a creative block look like for you, and how do you overcome it? There will always be times when I don’t want to do a commission piece because it’s another dog painting, stress about school, etc. To overcome this, I take time to work on my own art using oil pastels. I go crazy with different col ors and designs that I make up or use from Pinterest.

Amelia Noble - Dancer

Q: How long have you been dancing? How many hours a week would you say you practice?

I’ve been dancing since I was eight or nine. I started my training with Momentum Dance Company, where I danced competitively for about five years before switching studios. I now dance with the Santa Barbara Festival Ballet. Currently, I’m dancing about 6-8 hours a week, but I often do much more than that.

Q: How do you balance the commit ment to not only your academics but also your dedication to this art form?

Honestly, for years, I didn’t really know how to. I was doing so much dance — competitions, conventions, travel, and long hours at the studio,

Jack Garcia - Actor

Q. What inspires you to pursue a career in acting?

sion piece, I feel pleased with whatever I create. After I’ve done this, I feel a lot more motivated to paint.

Q: What has been your favorite piece

What inspires me to pursue a career in acting generally is the craft itself and the skills that go into it. On face level, it’s just getting handed lines and playing

but now, I’ve learned to see it as an opportunity to improve.

off, but it can’t be disclosed since I have signed NDAs.

Q. The entertainment industry is diffi cult, how do you stay motivated?

The entertainment industry is one of the most difficult industries to work in, considering the competition. But with work ethic and consistency, anyone can

make it. I stay motivated by this same mindset: no matter how many no’s you hear, it only takes one yes.

Q. What does the acting vs academic balance look like?

The acting vs. academic balance/ratio in my life is a real struggle, considering I need to memorize pages and pages of lines within a week’s notice as well as study for exams and complete homework. I’ve balanced this with my tight school schedule, acting, and then “me time.” But when time is really scarce, I tend to focus more on my academic work before I tackle my “actor’s homework”.

The Skin Care Craze

Skin care products are grasping the attention of Generation Alpha, another example of the detrimental effects of beauty standards on children.

PAGE by CIERRA NERVO & DIONNE PETERSON

First, it was makeup tutorials and YouTube videos that dominated trends throughout the 2010-20s.

Mastering the art of contouring and attaining the perfect brow shape was what initially had a grasp on Generation Alpha.

Now, skin care manufacturers are pushing the limits of beauty and the obsession with de-aging by manipulating the current skincare craze on social media.

“I would say I started consistently using skincare when I was 12,” junior Eleanor Crafton said.

Over the past few years, skincare has become all the rage on social media platforms. Platforms such as TikTok and Instagram offer a plethora of information on the skin care brand practices that are the most trendy at the moment.

Influencers play a significant role in the popularity surrounding skin care, making posts about tips, treatments, and product reviews for their large followings to see. These influencers emphasize the importance of taking care of one’s skin.

“Every great skin care routine is going to have a lot of steps, including cleansing, treating, and protecting,” Dr. Sah, one of TikTok’s largest skin care influencers and dermatologists, said.

While taking care of one’s skin with anti-aging creams, glow serums, and various SPF sunscreens has been a normal occurrence for years, the surge of pre-teens hunting for the current must-have TikTok skin care products in Sephora aisles is fairly recent.

Through the collaboration of social media in fluencers, the multi-billion dollar beauty industry, and toxic slogans

promising ageless perfection and immediate results, beauty standards have evolved now more than ever.

The once popular beauty trend of making the pre-pubescent face more mature with makeup has now switched to preserving the pre-pubescent face with skin care.

The most popular retail chain selling skin care products currently is Sephora, which is where most adolescents shop for skincare products.

The easily influenced minds of preteens, especially the largely female audience, are the main targets of this exploitation. The encouragement of skin care usage to pre-teens is largely due to a fast consumerist culture.

“It wasn’t until I was 13 or 14 until I started using make-up every day. I had always played around with stuff like lip gloss whenever I wanted to or for fancy dinners and things, but it wasn’t ever a priority,” Eleanor said.

Influencing on social media platforms refers to the promotion of goods and services to a specific audience, such as online shopping for clothes or subscription services to streaming platforms.

Since the information is spread so easily on social media, fashion and other beauty trends become unpopular as fast as they arrive. This creates a sense of competition and urgency, pressuring viewers to invest in these products repeatedly.

The endless scrolling and pressure to

younger age groups, such as Generation Alpha (b. 2011 and 2024).

It is now deemed normal to see members of Gen Alpha casually hovering in front of the expensive Drunk Elephant and Rare Beauty aisles in stores like Sephora, debating on whether to spend their allowance on the Watermelon Glow Recipe Dew Drops or Drunk Elephant Bronzing Drops.

Their behavior is being immensely criticized on social media by older generations, who are baffled by their lack of manners.

“I feel like a lot of these kids, because they are so young, they like to have fun, but they tend to mess with the displays and the testers,” junior Sofia Ramirez said. “Which I think the employees other shoppers don’t appreciate their behaviors.”

On TikTok, these Sephora 10-yearolds are criticized not only by members of Generation Z (b. 1997 and 2010) and their older counterparts, but also by makeup influencers for being inconsiderate to the other customers and employees, and making a mess of the tester products.

“I have so many stories of Sephora 12-year-olds making a mess of the store… it’s crazy,” Olivia Vaphiades, a TikTok influencer who posts about her experiences as a Sephora employee, said.

Many find it appalling that this behavior is being condoned and funded by parents, because of the lack of knowledge that these parents have on the dangers of skincare and the negative effects of beauty trends. Being affected by pressurizing beauty trends at such a young age exposes chil-

dren to harmful chemical ingredients found in the products that will give the “perfect glossy skin,” or will supposedly put a halt to aging.

Drunk Elephant, one of the most popular skincare brands on social media that has taken hold of Generation Alpha, is known for its serums and bronzers that are clinically proven to provide 24-hour moisture to chronically dry skin.

Its vibrant displays and design appeal to the eyes of the young viewers consuming its product. But it is not meant to be used by 10-year-olds.

The founder of Drunk Elephant and stay-at-home mom Tiffany Masterson said to Glamour that her products were designed for a specific age group.

“We do not recommend children under 13 use acids or retinol (vitamin C is an acid).”

Retinol is a form of vitamin A that many lines of skin care use to treat acne. It contains anti-aging effects that are typically marketed to people in their twenties or older.

influencers started trends such as “#grwm,” standing for “get ready with me,” where influencers talk through an event in their life and show their viewers the products they are using as they get ready for the day.

The trend, which first started as a fun way to share different skin care or makeup products, has become one of the most dominating trends on social media.

These trends influence the younger generation in a negative way, creating an obsession with de-aging.

Many young influencers have expressed their anxiety about aging or

negative influence on girls who are trying to achieve the unachievable.

“The other day, I saw an eightyear-old unregulated on social media, which I think is very damaging, thinking about them being brought up on unrealistic and toxic beauty standards that you couldn’t possibly keep up with,” Sofia said.

Additionally, with social media influencers mostly being over the age of 20, children now feel the urge to grow up faster to fit in with the “trend.”

These pressures to mature faster through physical characteristics are restricting them from enjoying their childhoods due to beauty insecurities.

“We do not recommend children under 13 use acids or retinol (v).”

- Tiffany Masterson, founder of Drunk Elephant

Designed specifically for older skin, Retinol contains strong ingredients that can be damaging to young complexions. Retinol is not the only damaging product to youthful skin.

Tretinoin, a prescription-only synthetic retinoid meant to cure acne on older skin, and vitamin C products that are meant to reduce wrinkles are found in many of the skincare products that these children have been using.

Under the influence of content creator’s social media pages and having a lack of purchasing age restrictions on skin care products, parents are unknowingly contributing to the harm to their children’s faces.

growing wrinkles and end up investing in skin care products.

Social media is known for its detrimental effect on teenagers — however, now it’s stemming back to pre-adolescents worrying about acne and skin care products.

This ideology comes directly from social media since it portrays beauty standards and proportions that are unrealistic and physically impossible.

These toxic standards displayed openly on social media have a large

While these ingredients in the advertised products are damaging enough, the real problem lies in the negative influences of the trends themselves.

Gen Alpha is becoming victims of beauty standards that are convincing them to be scared of aging.

The influx of social media

Although pre-adolescents seem to be taking de-aging skin care to an extreme, there are positives to their skincare craze.

Exposure to skincare practices at a young age can help shape positive skincare habits, which encourage young users to take care of their skin from an early age.

It’s important to recognize that aging should not be viewed negatively.

Generations of women have been programmed to think that wrinkles are ugly and unattractive. Especially now, being surrounded by ‘anti-aging’ products and campaigns, we are forced to want the desired look of having our skin look eternally youthful.

The so-called Sephora 10-year-olds are not to blame for the continued cycle of unhealthy beauty expectations; they are just the victims of toxic consumerism.

Both parents and social media influencers need to focus their attention on the well-being of the younger generation instead of focusing on how glowy their skin will look in 20 years.

The Innocence Project

Seeking to reform the disparities and racist practices in the criminal justice system in America, the Innocence Project seeks to free the wrongfully incarcerated.

WORDS by JINLING WANG ART by LUCY WANG

In a recent study conducted by Georgia, the Innocence Project reported that between four to six percent of people incarcerated in U.S. prisons are actually innocent.

Established in 1992 by trailblazing attorneys Peter Neufeld and Barry Scheck, the Innocence Project has been the catalyst for criminal justice reform as they seek freedom for the wrongly convicted. Their mission is to help create a more equitable justice system for all.

With the help of DNA testing and other technological advancements, the Innocence Project has taken the lead in freeing more than 200 wrongfully incarcerated people.

Recognized as a national litigation and public policy organization since its inception, the Innocence Project not only focuses on exonerating hundreds of innocent people in prison, but it also hopes to work on passing state laws that would further advance the movement.

Since the rise of DNA testing in the 1980s, those who have been wrongfully convicted were represented with stronger proof of innocence.

Wrongful conviction is supported by the possibilities of false confessions, official misconduct, faulty forensic science, and eyewitness misidentification.

The Innocence Project reported that their clients have collectively spent more than 3,700 years behind bars, with a majority of them belonging to communities of color. People of color

have been statically shown to be more policed, face higher poverty rates, and experience discrimination.

The presumption of innocence until proven guilty allows alleged criminals to prove their innocence. By laying the burden of proof on the prosecution, it allows those charged a chance to avoid unfair judgment. According to U.S. law, one should be presumed innocent unless proven otherwise.

By working with several lawmakers from around the nation, the Innocence Project has prioritized transforming the flawed criminal legal system in attempts to reduce the number of wrongful con-

“Humans are inherently fallible, and our legal apparatus is riddled with inconsistencies and biases.”

- Kevin Guay

victions, especially when predominantly harming people of color. With over 50% of exonerates identifying as Black, the Innocence Project dives deeper into the implicit bias people of color face when charged by the federal court system.

“The Chinese Exclusion Act, black codes, vagrancy laws, anti-miscegenation laws, segregation, racial profiling, “sexual perversion” laws, the war on drugs, and countless other legal forms of discrimination unequivocally show-

case class, race, gender, and sexual orientation have played, and continue to play, a consequential role in our criminal justice system,” Kevin Guay, instructor of AP U.S. History and Comparative Government said.

Joining hands with policymakers and other organizations, the Innocence Project aims to examine and enforce both federal and state-based legislations.

The hope is that it will help uncover and shed light on wrongful convictions while preventing future errors from unfolding.

Actions include increasing accessibility to “post-conviction courts, strengthening police and prosecutorial accountability to prevent wrongful conviction, compensating wrongly convicted people, and a range of other reforms,” according to the Innocence Project.com.

In spearheading legislative change, the Innocence Project has since helped enact over 200 state laws and federal reforms that further protect the rights of exonerees.

Not only does the organization seek to transform the justice system, but a huge emphasis has been placed on improving the use of forensics and scientific evidence in the criminal legal systems.

The Innocence Project encourages those in the system, such as judges, prosecutors, and forensic experts, to reconsider and thoroughly examine the evidence for scientific accuracy, as

faulty investigative technologies and surveillance can violate civil rights.

The Innocence Project devotes its organization and resources to freeing its clients, but it also assists those who have been wrongfully convicted in re building their lives and getting them back on their feet.

The Innocence Project partnered with social work departments in order to improve their post-release life with the help of the Exoneree Fund, which “provides trauma-informed re-entry support.”

Working hand in hand with the ex onerated, the Fund provides accessible and safe housing, healthcare, and job opportunities while ensuring that com pensation is lawfully provided for the wrongfully convicted.

Under the umbrella of the Inno cence Network, smaller independently funded innocence organizations came together through investigative support and legal representation in all 50 states, including 12 countries outside of the U.S., to help people claim their inno cence.

However, in 2023, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that some innocent federal prisoners have no choice but to serve the remainder of their sentence with out the opportunity to challenge their unlawful conviction.

Vox.com reported that “One of the most fundamental principles of crimi nal law is that no one may be convicted of a crime unless the legislature previ ously passed a law making their actions illegal.”

In the case of Jones v. Hendrix, the Supreme Court ruled 6-3, for “ a man serving a criminal sentence for a crime of which he was actually innocent had no opportunity to petition the courts to be released, because his previous requests for relief had been denied (before the Supreme Court made clear that his conduct was not criminal)” according to the American Civil Liberties Union.

inal trial in 2004.

Although there was not a direct attack against this principle, it restricts the incarcerated from having their convictions overturned, even if innocent.

In Clarence Thomas’ ruling, the Texas Defender Service expressed its growing frustrations after several compelling claims of innocence from their

The attorneys from the LA Innocence Project have since stated that Peterson’s federal and state constitutional rights have been infringed upon, as they believe there has been a “claim of actual innocence that is supported by newly discovered evidence,” according to the court filings.

Since then, the director of the LA Innocence Project, Paula Mitchell, observed deficiencies in Peterson’s case regarding informal productions of nu-

can be taken too far” junior Eleanor Crafton, a member of Mock Trial, said.

“Cases such as sexual assault and grooming are a bit different for me, even if that does sound hypocritical.

Because of the psychological nature of things like grooming and sexual assault, false allegations are extremely rare.”

The California Supreme Court overturned Peterson’s death sentence in 2020, though they declined to overturn his conviction. He was resentenced to life in prison and taken off death row.

Chronically Online

Think about how much screen time you use daily. Then think about how you spend that time. The majority will say they use social media.

WORDS by GUEST WRITER ALICE NEWMAN ‘29 ART by DIONNE PETERSON

Researchers from the Pew Research Center found that 81% of teens in the U.S. use social media. Screens are a black hole that can immensely obscure the public’s idea of what is normal and acceptable in society.

The idyllic world of posts on social media is an illusion, and trying to live in such a picturesque way is impossible. The ineffable beauty of the people teens see on social media is, in reality, not flawless.

Constant exposure to social media can significantly threaten teenagers’ self-esteem. Adolescents are seeing altered images that give them a false image of beauty.

Only 2% of females describe themselves as beautiful. However, most try to change their physical appearance to “fit in.”

“I’m not one to advocate for banning stuff, but seriously, some websites and YouTube videos need a big red ‘Restricted Access’ sign slapped on them. S Take TikTok, for example. It’s like a factory for promoting these stick-thin ideals as the gold standard, making impressionable teens think they need to look like that,” English and French instructor Maud Malliard said. “It’s also about the derogatory language, discriminating values, or extreme ideas. Sadly, teens who are par ticularly influenceable tend prioritize superficial cri teria in their lives.”

Teenagers who use social media are more likely to develop eating disorders and mental health problems. Depression has often been linked to sui cide, which is worrisome be cause suicide is the third leading cause of death in adolescents.

Society must address depres sion so we can lower these statis tics.

One of the leading causes of eating disor ders, such as body dysmorphia and anorexia, is the seemingly perfect

The Generation of “iPad Kids”

Generation Alpha’s immersion in technology is a growing concern of older generations.

WORDS by CIERRA NERVO ART by OLIVIA SOFRANKO

images we compare our bodies to.

Roughly 2.7% of teenagers have eating disorders, and most teens dislike their bodies. The majority of those who have eating disorders are women.

Depression and anxiety can lead to further issues, such as isolation and becoming cantankerous and rude. It can ruin relationships with people teens care about by causing them to feel irritable and irrational.

“Social media was a way to connect during the pandemic, but now it’s kind of just used to get away from life,” seventh grader Charlotte Carpenter said.

The draconian feeling of anxiety can make someone hurt people they care about and constantly seek reassurance.

Teens suffering from poor mental health tend to struggle with socializing, and when put under pressure, they become fragile.

School feels less important when you are mentally struggling,

It leads to fights with parents and time away from the people they care about. Yet, people keep using social media as if it is addictive. Why? Using social media gives users rushes of doThis neurotransmitter works in your brain’s reward system, giving consumers pleasure and making them want to continue using social media, which makes the apps harder to avoid and more likely to be used again.

Yet, the more time spent on social media, the more likely there will be adverse side

Most supermodel-worthy appearances are unachievable because they are unrealistic, and the photos are edited to enhance the concept of “perfection,” which is why social media is so toxic to men-

Today’s youngest generation is being exposed to largely unrestricted internet access. These children can be found in booster seats, pressing their fingers to screens, glued to gaming apps advertised to their age group. This generation is commonly referred to on the internet as “iPad kids.”

“Trying to control my kid’s technology is a new chapter in life. None of the other generations had to deal with it,” Laguna parent Tayla Engel said. “Nobody knows what’s going to happen with this generation when they are older.”

“iPad kids” is a term used by many members of Generation Z (b. 1997 and 2010) to refer to members of Generation Alpha (b. 2011 and 2024), who are visibly addicted to their screens.

iPad kids have become an internet meme, being criticized on social media platforms for their short attention spans and minimal social interactions with their families.

While the sight of a nine-year-old wholly absorbed in a Candy Crush or Crossy Road level at the dinner table may be easy to laugh at, there are many concerns about the detrimental effects of raising an entire generation by putting iPads in front of their faces.

Many of these criticisms are brought up by Gen Z-ers, who compare their upbringings to that of Gen Alpha.

“Gen Alpha is growing up in the era of YouTubers and TikTokers,” senior Sasha Drucker said, comparing herself to her younger sister. “And because they are consuming so many videos, they are growing up faster than we ever were.”

Growing up addicted to screens impacts typical childhood experiences and forces children to conform to the pressures of growing up faster. Still, it decreases their literacy, social skills, and attention spans.

According to NPR’s Debbie Elliott,

last year’s reports from the National Center for Education Statistics show that reading and math scores among 13-year-olds in the U.S. have fallen to their lowest levels in decades.

While some argue that these statistics have nothing to do with the upward trend of raising children on iPads, it is hard to avoid the common knowledge

to monitor every aspect of the internet that a child has access to without 24/7 parental supervision.

Considering that this is the age of the internet, completely restricting a child from all technology would only set them behind.

However, there should be limits.

“iPads can be good in limited

The portrayal and treatment of women is drastically unequal to that of men, especially in the entertainment industry.

WORDS by MILLA HIRSCH & CHRISTIANA CINO

ART by MILLA HIRSCH

What was your diet for the movie role? Are the dating rumors true? What was the hair and makeup process for this red carpet?

Imagine devoting months or years to a movie production only to be asked fluff questions about your looks or relationships. This is a common story for successful women in the entertainment industry.

“Most of the questions are either surface level or not about the character development of the actor, and they are instead about the physical attributes of that character,” Upper School Science Instructor Katherine Pointer said. “Anybody wants to be respected

dustry, female actors are judged based on physical appearance, whereas respect toward male actors is judged based on the merit of their work.

Beyond the gender treatment in the media and promotional industry regarding actors, the characters portrayed in film differ based on gender.

The concept of a male versus female gaze has recently become a well-known feminist theory. According to Oxford Reference, the female gaze is “the ways in which women and girls look at each other, at males, and at things in the world.”

“The male gaze is very objectifying. It’s very much about whether she’s hot, she’s not, and all that,

woman. It’s about personality and character as opposed to just what you look like,” senior Sasha Drucker said.

“I think people need to be looking through the female gaze to actually appreciate the complexities of a person instead of just looking at their appearances.”

While the female-gaze prioritizes beauty from within and women dressing for themselves, the male-gaze accentuates stereotypical beauty and dressing for the appeal of men.

Regarding the female and male gaze in films, the portrayal of female characters is constantly evolving.

The female gaze focuses on the multidimensional aspects of a person,

as a side character oriented to the malegaze.

Yet even in her solo movie, there are several scenes where the camera is focused solely on her body, even though it serves no purpose to the storyline.

Fans noticed and commented, “why are there shots just of her butt?” While Natasha Romanoff uses her sexuality as an asset for being a secret agent, the movies’ objectification degrades her by equating her body to her power.

In the shaping of women in film, a long history of unrealistic beauty standards and oversexualization of women creates an illusion of unrealistic ideals.

The exploitation of women’s physical attributes is often objectifying rather than embracing.

“I have noticed trends in the assets that are required for a particular role where gender is an issue where it didn’t need to be. Ironically, my own discipline; if you were to look at the way male scientists in movies are portrayed versus the way female scientists are portrayed, you would notice a dramatic difference in the attractiveness of the two. Sometimes for women, attractiveness seems to matter where it shouldn’t matter and for men it does not,” Pointer said.

Both films addressed the same real-life people, but the portrayals of Elvis and Priscilla themselves varied drastically between the two films.

“Priscilla” dove into the finite details of her life, developing her character to reveal her emotions as a human even without her husband’s fame.

“I would imagine people identifying more with other individuals who share similarities with themselves. Men see men as main characters in a story because men are the main characters in their own story,” Faust said.

There are a plethora of prominent double standards for men and women in society, especially those in the spotlight.

“I just play what they give me. You know, I need a job,” actor Jacob Elordi

Koy degraded Barbie down to “a plastic doll with big boobies,” while applauding “Oppenheimer” as an accomplished movie “based on a 721-page Pulitzer Prize-winning book about the Manhattan Project.”

“Barbie has been influential to women, and the movie is about female empowerment. The point of it is womanhood and the experiences that all women go through. It’s not just about a doll with big boobs,” Sasha said.

Overanalyzing the male versus female gaze can be hypercritical–how do we make it so that there is more equal representation and respect?

The concept of a “strong” female character under the scope of the malegaze often masculinizes said character or separates her from feminine qualities such as motherhood.

“It’s not wrong to want to dress to be thought of as pretty, and yet it’s also disappointing when, because you have dressed to be pretty, that is all you are assumed to be.”

- Katherine Pointer

Among female characters, it’s rare for them to be portrayed simply as people with personalities—it’s their identity as women that always comes first: a woman is never just a boss, she’s a female boss.

The film industry’s goal is profit. So, what sells? For hetero-normative and male-oriented audience, the objectification of women is an overused business strategy.

Even beyond the film industry, platforms like video games are designed for the appeal of men: female characters are overly sexualized and dressed in bikinis for the sole purpose of visual appeal.

“When a particular character is written by a screenwriter, it’s not necessarily the actor’s choice in how that character is portrayed based on the way it’s written, the way the director sees it, the way the costume designer sees it, etc.,” Pointer said.

“Elvis” (2022), directed by Baz Luhrmann, told the story of music icon Elvis Presley; his wife, Priscilla Presley, was a side character.

“Priscilla” (2023), directed by Sofia Coppola, told Priscilla’s story.

thefourthestate.net

said in an interview with IndieWire. In response to this remark, Elordi received praising comments saying he was “relatable” and “comical.”

Yet, when actress Rachel Zegler said she took an acting role in “Shazam! Fury of the Gods” because she needed work and “couldn’t get a job for the life of me,” she was “canceled” online and received extreme backlash with comments stating she was ungrateful and did not deserve to pursue acting roles solely for money.

“There are so many men that will come out against the movies they’re in, but a woman will say the exact same thing, and she is ungrateful,” Sasha said. “It’s just the double standard… A man and woman do the same things, and only she gets hate for it.”

Comedian Jo Koy’s opening monologue at the 2024 Golden Globes inflicted controversies regarding his “comedic” comments on “Barbie” and “Oppenheimer.”

Under a female-gaze scope, a woman can possess both feminine qualities while being assertive; she can pursue whatever she wishes, and not have to compromise aspects of herself to fit into a box.

This is portrayed especially well in Greta Gerwig’s rendition of “Little Women” (2019).

“Women have minds and souls as well as hearts, ambition and talent as well as beauty and I’m sick of being told that love is all a woman is fit for,” Jo March said in “Little Women”.

To understand a person, you have to look at the whole: not just gaze at the outermost layer of appearance.

“It’s not wrong to want to dress to be thought of as pretty, and yet it’s also disappointing when, because you have dressed to be pretty, that is all you are assumed to be. Those don’t have to be the same thing,” Pointer said. “I would hope no matter what gender a person identifies, my hope is that [the audience] would choose to judge them by their actions and their words rather than how they choose to dress.”

Trump vs. Biden

Misinformation runs rampant across social media comparing Biden’s and Trump’s achievements, but actions speak louder than words.

WORDS by NICCOLO D’AGRUMA

ART by DIONNE PETERSON

Staff Editorial

“We in America do not have government by the majority. We have government by the majority who participate.”

-Thomas Jefferson

Let’s talk about the elephant in the room: the presidential election.

The 2024 presidential election will take place on Nov. 5, and this race will be closer than ever before. Since we last introduced the five republican candidates in the January Issue, only Donald J. Trump and Nikki Haley are left in the G.O.P. race.

By the time we are writing this, Trump just won the Missouri, Michigan and Idaho caucuses, putting him far ahead of Nikki Haley.

There are plenty of other candidates running for president in 2024, such as Cornel West, a philosophy professor who has taught at multiple Ivy League institutions and one of the harshest critics of former President Obama.

Also running is Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the nephew of J.F.K. who is an anti-vaccine activist, and Nikki Haley, the former governor of South Carolina and former U.N. ambassador during Trump’s presidency.

But all of these candidates are cast under the shadow of the same two men who faced off in 2020: President Biden and former President Donald J. Trump.

thefourthestate.net

So, what does this rematch mean for America?

First of all, their rematch shows that the political system in the U.S. favors incumbents since the majority of Americans don’t want either to become president again, but it also mirrors an extreme divide in the country.

There is a disconnect between the left and the right, where both sides simply refuse to listen to the other because there is a lack of the foundation of truth.

Almost a third of Americans still believe that the 2020 election was stolen and that Trump should have won.

If you tune into Fox News or CNN, you will hear two vastly different narratives.

If Americans seek news from platforms that disagree on fundamental truths, how can there not be a divide?

Trump faces four indictments and still claims that the 2020 election was stolen from him. He has already pleaded not guilty to 34 felony counts of falsifying business records.

Biden is under scrutiny over his stance on the war in Israel and Ukraine, and there has been rising

concern about his ability to hold office due to his age.

It is crucial to exercise your right to vote. No matter whom you decide to vote for, your voice matters. Make a difference. Be heard.

Our job as journalists is not to tell you who to vote for but to present the facts as they are, bridging the gap between the two parties and trusting that our readers have the ability to see matters clearly and think critically about them.

The current divide and dissent in America do not stem from disagreements on ideologies; rather, they are becoming increasingly rooted in hostility and hatred, one that is irrational and overwhelming.

As journalists, it is our responsibility to seek the truth and present it to you, but we hope you approach it with caution, curiosity, and conscience.

We hope you ask for more than what is being presented. We hope you question the state we are in right now. We hope you can think rationally and deeply on these important matters that lie at the very center of American democracy. We hope that you be part of the change because that is what makes our work as journalists meaningful and worthwhile.

The Stanley Cup Phenomenon

The trend cycle is moving faster than ever, and Stanley Cups — the newest, musthave sustainable water bottles — are dominating both the digital and real world.

WORDS by ELYSE WEAVER

ART by LUCY WANG

Single-use plastic water bottles are notorious for their debilitating environmental impact; so, as awareness spreads about climate change, it is not surprising that reusable water bottles have become more popular in the past couple of decades.

Living sustainably has become increasingly admired in recent years. While it is significant that people are putting in the effort to make better environmental choices and encouraging others to do the same, it has also led to sustainability becoming a trend and status symbol rather than an environmentally conscious choice.

“I do hope using sustainable products becomes trendy, in the sense that I hope it will become common/popular to buy sustainably produced merchandise. However, if trendy means that those very products are discarded quickly to move on to something else, then, yes, it defeats the purpose,” Chemistry Instructor Katherine Pointer said. Pointer is well-known in the school for educating the student body about recycling and environmental news.

Reusable water bottles are just one example of how sustainable products can be overconsumed, but with the rise and decline of brands like Stanley, Hydroflask, and Yeti, it is no surprise that many have begun criticizing the trend cycle through the popularity of water bottles.

“I am frustrated and disappointed that reusable cups/mugs, in particular, are now treated as disposable. If you visit your local thrift store, you will find shelves and shelves of discarded reusable water bottles and coffee mugs,” Pointer said.

The issue with reusable water bottles becoming trendy is that they have become “collectibles.” People do not use them for practicality or sustainability but buy them as accessories and fashion statements. Social media platforms like TikTok and Instagram have greatly exacerbated this problem, as influencers pressure audiences to keep up with the breakneck pace.

Stanley Tumblers (or Stanley Cups) range from $35 to $57. Buying a single one may be financially attainable for some, but buying several is a luxury most people cannot justify. The point of reusable water bottles is that they minimize the plastic used and put into the environment.

Purchasing more than needed for aesthetic purposes ignores the reasons for investing in these “environmentally friendly” products.

“Ideal consumption of sustainable products would be buying one to two over one’s lifetime, taking care of them, and disposing of them responsibly. We must constantly remind ourselves that we do not need more of these products and to question societal pressure to buy more,” said Michelle Finck, Spanish In structor and Educational Opportunity Advo cate & Dept. Chair.

Buying anything, especially multiple versions of a product, you only need one is negatively impact ing the environment, whether that be through transportation, production, or material methods.

“Products that are advertised as sustainable, are in reality products that attempt to reduce environ mental impact. When a product like the Stanley cup goes viral, the marginal harm reduction the company was ‘attempting’ is rendered ineffective,” Finck said.

Stanleys, Hydroflasks, Yetis, and other “trendy” reusable water bottles are high-quality products. They are often made using ethical practices and materials, and they are an excellent way to reduce waste caused by plastic water bottles. The issue largely stems from consumers and influencers viewing them as accessories to collect rather than a long-lasting product.

“I don’t judge anyone who has bought multiple Stanley cups; more so, I am critical of the way overconsumption has been pushed to its limit through trend cycles, social media, and peer pressure,” Finck said.

The pressure to keep up with the trends of different products–mainly when they’re associated with fads like the “Clean Girl” or “VSCO Girl” aesthetics is understandable but not excusable.

“It is really about a mindset shift that the overall goal is less consumption rather than merely purchasing sustainable items,” Pointer said.

Even if a product is sustainable, it is not free from environmental impacts. Ethical practices are not an excuse for overconsumption, and we must be more mindful and deliberate in our purchases.

“It’s All in Your Head”

The medical field is unprepared for Women’s Health issues.

WORDS by LUCIA CAMP & ART by OLIVIA SOFRANKO

Women suffer much more from chronic pain and pain disorders than men. The reasons for these differences are biological, psychological, and sociocultural,” psychology instructor Meghan Roarty said.

Despite this, the age of first diagnosis is typically higher for women than men (Nature). Additionally, women are more likely to be treated with minor tranquilizers and sedatives rather than analgesic pain medicine (Time). Women’s pain is more likely to be blamed on an emotional or psychological cause as opposed to a bodily or biological one.

“In medical school, there should be mandatory training in aspects of women’s health that are relevant to the field,” Elle Murata, a Ph.D. student studying neuroendocrinology said.

In her lab at UCSB, Murata studies the intersection of women’s health and neuroscience. She uses brain imaging tools to understand how the brain is shaped by sex hormones (estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone) across the lifespan.

In particular, she is interested in the impact of endometriosis and menopause on the brain.

“At the clinical level, we tend to think that ovarian hormones just act locally for reproduction, but they actually affect the entire body, including the brain,” Murata said.

Since the dawn of time, women’s health has come second to men’s.

Women’s hormones were considered to be too unreliable and their bodies too weak to handle the plights of medical trials.

Because of this stereotype, the medical field lacks information about how women’s bodies handle certain med-

ications and how diseases present in women.

“A lot of pain research has been conducted on rats, but that research is with some flaws, as the vast majority of those studies has only tested male rats, up until recently. This is greatly important given the role of hormones in experienced pain,” Roarty said.

Cancer and heart disease symptoms vary between men and women, but most of the time, the only symptoms women are told to look for are those present in their male counterparts.

As medicine developed in ancient Greece, the female body was considered an inverted male body; the only distinct importance was the womb because of its ability to bring new life into the world.

The possibility of further exploring women’s health was looked down upon, and it was seen as an unnecessary attribute to a field where the male body was the norm.

These beliefs continue to negatively influence the medical field to this day.

“Historically, we can think about the educators, scientists, and people in power making decisions about classes and requirements. When you look at who has been asking the questions, it’s historically been white men,” Murata said. “Because men weren’t experiencing hot flashes, menopause, pregnancy, and periods; they couldn’t think about these things and how they

affect the brain and medicine.”

Before 2016, the National Institute of Health did not even require consideration of sex as a biological variable in its studies.

Since studies suggest that women are more likely to experience and express pain, medicine continues to ignore and dismiss female pain as psychological hysteria instead of addressing its chronic roots.

“In terms of social stereotypes, some studies have found that a woman’s reported pain is not taken as seriously as a man’s. These studies involved women and men expressing the same amount of pain, but participants in the study perceived the men’s pain to be more intense than that of the women’s pain,” Roarty said. “These types of studies have major implications for suggested treatments, such as prescribing medication versus psychotherapy.”

For example, the painful procedure of an IUD insertion is done without painkillers, and often, the cries of women’s intense pain during childbirth are ignored even if the IV bag has run out of painkillers.

“Psychologically, one area of research found that catastrophizing experiences, where pain signals get magnified and ruminated upon, are associated with increased sensitivity to pain. Women tend to engage in catastrophizing more often than men,” Roarty said.

The narrative that women are just being dramatic is especially visible in the diagnosis of painful periods, endometriosis complications, or migraines, where female patients are told that they have normal symptoms that they must tolerate and simply deal with. In reality, these symptoms can lead to severe illness and life complications.

“Birth control is slapped onto a problem whether it be missed periods from exercising or missed periods from a condition,” Murata said. “The issue is that we don’t talk about the side effects.”

Hormonal birth control works by adding hormones to correct an imbalance.

However, these hormones are different from the natural hormones produced by the body. These hormones

don’t just have a localized effect; there are receptors in the brain specifically designed for them.

A 2016 study in Denmark found that when women take birth control, they have an increased chance of being diagnosed with depression.

Often, women are prescribed these life-altering medications with little information on how their bodies and minds will change.

The likely possibility of still having an undiagnosed issue that persists in the background of hormonal shifts is ignored.

“Some research has found that high levels of progesterone are correlated with pain reduction. When progester one levels are high, women report less experienced pain and reduced pain in tensity. Testosterone also appears to be correlated with pain reduction, which may be one reason why men overall may experience less pain,” Roarty said. Birth control being used as a patch fix for problems females experience links to a greater issue of dismissing fe male issues as trivial.

“There are problems you could be ig noring or failing to treat when you are prescribed birth control. It’s given out so easily that you may not even know if you have Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) like me. The same could be said for people with endometriosis who have chronic pelvic pain, so they are given birth control. There are many ways we could better educate people about the consequences,” Murata said.

Racial biases also play a significant role in properly diagnosing chronic pain, especially for women.

Doctors are more likely to ask Black and Hispanic women expressing their pain about their housing situation and financial status when compared to white women.

Only 35% of women ages 40-64 say their healthcare provider ever talked to them about what to expect in meno pause (kff.org), and 8% more women than men aged 18-64 reported their doc tor dismissed their concerns between 2021 and 2022.

“We are doing some really cool work with pregnancy right now that shows the brain changes at the structural

and functional level with changing hormones. This is likely related to the fine-tuning of the brain to prepare for the new territory that is parenthood,” Murata said. “Through our work, we are trying to shape sex hormones as not a nuisance, burden, or something to be ashamed of, but something to be proud of.”

Gibson-Helm et al., 2014; Soucie et al., 2021, Long et al., 2023

á la mode - Valentine’s Sweets

In honor of Feb. 14, we asked students about their favorite Valentine’s Day treats and picked up candy from Carpinteria’s very own Robitaille’s Fine Candies and shared it around campus.

WORDS & PHOTOS by MILLA HIRSCH

55% of students voted chocolate as their favorite candy for Valentine’s Day. Others said Conversation Hearts, Hershey’s Kisses, lollipops,

44%

of polled students favored See’s Candy, another 16% said Hershey’s was their top choice.

Poll results of Upper School students

Categorize these 16 words into four secret groups by figuring out how the words relate to each other. Good luck!

PAGE by DIONNE PETERSON

SYNONYMS FOR SMART CONDITIONAL WORDS ANIMAL GROUPS

Seniors Elyse and Eka sharing a chocolate heart.

Juniors Liam and Ethan enjoying sour candies.

Juniors Eleanor and Tallulah indulging in treats.

Juniors Jules and Mason checking out gummy candies.

Juniors and seniors share their favorite off-campus lunch spots.

PAGE by CHRISTIANA CINO & LUCIA CAMP

A mere five minutes away

school, Starbucks has two close locations: one in Five Points and one in La Cumbre Plaza. Starbucks’ menu includes a variety of coffees and teas, sandwiches, and baked goods. Most students prefer the mobile order option for faster pick-up times. Both drinks and food are typically $5-$6.

“I like to go to Starbucks, and I usually get a Pink Drink and a lemon loaf,” senior James Couvillion said.

Whether it be a bowl, burrito, or some quick chips and guac, Chipotle is a reliable spot for lunch. Located conveniently in La Cumbre Plaza, it is an easy place to get a substantial meal for under $15. Students have the option to mobile order or customize their order in person.

“I would say my favorite [lunch] place to go is Chipotle. I always get a Chipotle bowl,” junior Eleanor Crafton said.

A bit of a longer trek from Laguna, the Chick-fil-A drive through is a sure spot to find students at lunch period. It’s good to allow yourself more time to venture to Chick-fil-A because the food times are dependent on the drive through traffic.

“I go to Chick-fil-A every day. I get two spicy chicken sandwiches, a fry, and a large coke,” senior Buck Stoll said.

Backyard Bowls is located in La Cumbre Plaza; its menu consists of smoothies and açaí bowls. The wait time for Backyard Bowls typically ranges from 10-20 minutes, so students sometimes mobile order unless it is “long lunch.”

“I really like to go to Backyard Bowls because it feels refreshing. I order an Island Bowl with just bananas on top,” senior Paloma Lujan said.

Tucked in the corner of nearby Five Points Plaza, Blaze Pizza allows students to customize their own pizzas and still return to school on time. Blaze Pizza is an affordable option with pizzas being only about $8.

“My favorite place to go for off-campus lunch is Blaze Pizza. I usually get two pepperoni pizzas,” senior Mason Berg said.

Bristol Farms is a high-end grocery store that offers quick options for lunch. Students enjoy prepackaged to go options like fruit or sushi, as well as a daily selection from their hot bar. Bristol Farms is rather expensive for a grocery store, but it is a quick and easy option for students to get lunch.

“My favorite place to go is Bristol Farms. I get a spicy tuna avocado roll with ponzu and eel sauce,” junior Sydney Fisher said.

Photo credits: Milla Hirsch and Chipotle.

From left to right: Juniors Eleanor Crafton, Tallulah Staeger and Ada Ray pose with their Chipotle orders.

Photo Credits: Chick-fil-A.

Junior Sydney Fisher with a sushi roll from Bristol Farms.

Photo Credits: Backyard Bowls

from

Senior Paloma Lujan with a bowl from Backyard Bowls.

Senior James Couvillion with a drink from Starbucks.

Senior Mason Berg with two boxes of Pepperoni Pizza.

Senior Buck Stoll with his order from Chick-fil-A.

Santa Barbara International Film Festival

Santa Barbara hosted its 39th annual film festival downtown. Attendees included several A-list actors and Oscar nominees.

WORDS by LUCY WANG & ADA GREEN ART by LUCY WANG

Every year, Santa Barbara hosts one of the leading film festivals in the world, attracting filmmakers, celebrities, and 100,000 attendees. This February, SBIFF held its 39th annual event in downtown theaters. Events included individual awards, panels, film screenings and Q&As with the filmmakers.

The Fourth Estate journalists had the opportunity to speak to filmmakers on the red carpet. Some were Academy-Award-nominated stars and show business veterans such as America Ferrera, Da’Vine Joy Randolph, Mark Ruffalo and Jane Lynch.

Others included writers, directors, producers, and actors whose films premiered here in town during the festival.

Many of the biggest Academy Award nominees this year came together to provide an inside look into their films and engage in a one-on-one conversation with the host in front of 2000 attendees.

in “Maestro” along with his co-star, Carey Mulligan.

“Maestro” directed and staring Bradley Cooper is a biopic that follows the life of the American conductor Leonard Bernstein: his career, family and romantic life. Cooper calls it a love story between Bernstein and his wife, Felicia.

When accepting his award, Cooper spoke about his love for acting.

“People made movies, I watched them, they changed me, inspired me, kept me alive. Now that I get to do these things, the thing I benefit from is the doing. Seeing these projects that I’ve been a part of, these memories,

magical made-up stories, it’s such a privilege.”

From Feb 8. to Feb. 17, the Arlington Theater hosted a free screening of every film nominated for Best Picture at the Oscars. Following the free screening of “Oppenheimer” on Feb.

On the opening night of the festival, Bradley Cooper was given the Outstanding Performer of the Year Award for his role as Leonard Bernstein

9, Cillian Murphy, who plays J. Robert Oppenheimer in the Roger Durling, the director of SBIFF. When asked about how he managed to learn the mannerisms mad contradiction between somebody who is so physically frail but so powerful intellectually. So you kind of have to condi tion your body to find

Durling that Christo pher Nolan once sent him pictures of David Bowie for inspiration,

heavily influencing Murphy’s portrayal of Oppenheimer.

At the Virtuosos Award on Feb. 10, America Ferrera, Greta Lee, Da’Vine Joy Randolph, Andrew Scott, Charles Melton and Lily Gladstone were honored in the Arlington Theater, where they spoke about their acting careers and new films.

Dave Karger, the host of the Virtuosos Award, called this group “the most impressive and accomplished group Roger [Durling] and I have ever put together.”

The group of eight recipients has, in total, received two Emmys, two Gotham Awards, one Grammy, two Critics Choice Awards, one BAFTA Award and two Olivier Awards.

America Ferrera, who plays Gloria in the blockbuster film “Barbie,” spoke on her experience working with Greta Gerwig during an interview with The Fourth Estate.

profoundly intimate relationship with Harry.

“Vulnerability is our greatest power,” Scott said.

“All of Us Strangers” is one of the most personal stories of the year, and Scott calls the tender relationship between Adam and Harry “radical” for its authenticity.

At the Outstanding Directors Award on Feb. 12, French filmmaker Justine Triet spoke about the production of her Oscar-nominated film “Anatomy of a Fall.”

The story takes place in the French Alps with the mysterious death of the aspiring writer Samuel; the first suspect is his wife, Sandra, a woman with a more successful career than her husband. She is unduly calm, stoic and cool when facing accusations of murder, and the film is essentially an anatomy of their complex marriage.

Scorsese when asked the story behind “Killers of the Flower Moon” and how the story developed to where it is today.

The plot evolved from a murder mystery to a more profound and complex story, where love and betrayal co-exist. “Killers of the Flower Moon” received ten Oscar nominations this year.

While the festival is known for attracting big names, it is also a commemoration of over 200 films — the vast majority of which had their U.S. or world premiere at SBIFF — that capture stories that have yet to be widely told and highlight creators whose names are less known behind the camera.

The creators of these lesser-known films had the opportunity to shed light on stories and cultures that captivated them.

“It was amazing just simply existing inside such a unique vision. Greta is such a singular filmmaker, and she has built something so original,” Ferrera said. “Just to come to the set every day and look at all the levels of incredible craftsmanship, you realize there’s such thought placed into every single decision.”

Triet switches the gender dynamics in the story to create friction, where the female is the dominant figure in the family, and when asked about the inspiration for the story, Triet said that she wrote it deliberately for Sandra Hüller, the lead actress (yes, the character and the actress have the same name).

In an interview with The Fourth Estate, Tony and Oscar-nominated actress Da’Vine Joy Randolph shared her experience about the differences between screen and stage acting.

“I actually don’t think there is that big of a difference. Do not feel over-encumbered or nervous; just remember that the camera is the other actor. So if you think [the camera is] a person, just talk however loud you need to reach them.”

Other recipients of the Virtuosos Award took turns speaking on stage with Karger about their films, including Andrew Scott, who plays Adam in “All of Us Strangers.”

Adam is a screenwriter living in London who develops a romantic relationship with his neighbor Harry, played by Paul Mascal.

Tina Cordova, a sixth-generation native New Mexican, spoke on the radiation poisoning that impacted Los Alamos and the untold aftermath of the Manhattan Project.

“How can we dive into this complex woman? She gave me the inspiration, of course. She’s a mystery in a way,” Triet said.

“Anatomy of a Fall” is gaining momentum from all of the awards shows leading up to the Oscars. It has already won the Palme d’Or at the Cannes Film Festival, Best Original Screenplay at the Golden Globes and British Academy Film Awards (BAFTA); Triet is the only female nominated for Best Director for the Oscars.

The other director honored at the Outstanding Directors Award is Martin Scorsese. His newest film, “Killers of the Flower Moon,” which stars Robert De Niro, Leonardo DiCaprio, and Lily Gladstone, is a three-hour long epic based on the real story of the series of murders of the Osage people.

“Our film “First We Bombed New Mexico” picks up where “Oppenheimer” left off. The film is about the horrible consequences of being exposed to radiation from an atomic bomb.” Cordova said. “We are the people who live within 12 miles of the test site and have been dying ever since.”

Everybody who attended the buzzing events — from the internationally renowned directors and actors to the budding filmmakers with new, inspiring stories to the thousands of fans who lined up around the block, eager to experience the films and events — one thing drew them to this celebration is an undeniable love for film.

“[My favorite part of the SBIFF] is that it’s home. And that it’s so exciting. And that it’s done so well!”

Adam struggles through a reconciliation with his sexuality, childhood and parents while trying to navigate a

“When I heard the Osage speak and hung around them at dinner, somehow this tragedy had a face. And [the script] changed,” said director Martin

Emmy-award-winning actress and Santa Barbara local Jane Lynch said in an interview with The Fourth Estate. “The people who come to this film festival love movies so much. It’s not just movie people from LA; it’s everybody.”

Hollywood Spotlight: Oscars Predictions

The 96th Academy Awards will take place March 10. Best Picture nominees range from blockbusters like “Barbie” and “Oppenheimer,” to smaller size productions like “Anatomy of a Fall” and “American Fiction.”

WORDS by LUCY WANG & ADA GREEN

ART by LUCY WANG

BEST PICTURE: OPPENHEIMER

Christopher Nolan’s three-hour biopic is the favorite to win Best Picture; “Oppenheimer” received 13 nominations, leading in the Oscars race. The film’s production is grand, prestigious and yet delicate. It is a “work of art” with the breadth and depth that the Academy tends to favor.

“Oppenheimer” has already won Best Picture (Drama) at the Golden Globes and Critics Choice Awards, which are considered the two most vital indicators of an Oscars win. Runners up for Best Picture are “Killers of the Flower Moon” by Martin Scorsese and “Poor Things” by Yorgos Lanthimos. The man behind the camera, Christopher Nolan, is expected to win his first individual Oscars for

BEST ACTOR: CILLIAN MURPHY

This is Cillian Murphy’s sixth time working with Christopher Nolan and his first time taking a lead role in Nolan’s film. Cillian Murphy plays J. Robert Oppenheimer, the director of “The Manhattan Project” and the star of Nolan’s masterpiece. His performance in the film is certainly outstanding, and Murphy mastered all the technical aspects of the acting. What contributes the most to Murphy’s chances of winning the Oscars is not his performance, but the weight of his role and the buzz around it. Murphy won Best Actor at The Golden Globes, Screen Actors Guild (SAG) and The British Academy Film Awards (BAFTA); Murphy stands as the front-runner for the Oscars.

BEST ACTRESS: LILY GLADSTONE

Lily Gladstone is the first Native American to be nominated for Best Actress and might be the first to win it. Her performance in “Killers of The Flower Moon” as Mollie Burkhart is transformational. Gladstone’s presence and charisma can be felt whenever she appears on screen; she conveys so much emotion with so little movement. Runners up for Best Actress are Emma Stone and German actress Sandra Hüller. Stone has already won an Academy Award for her role in “La La Land.” She would need a breakthrough to win a second. The Academy rarely gives this award to foreign actors, which puts Hüller in third.

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR: ROBERT DOWNEY JR.

Robert Downey Jr. is almost unrecognizable in “Oppenheimer,” but in a positive way. His role as Iron Man in the Marvel universe defined a period in his acting career, but his role as Lewis Strauss in “Oppenheimer” elevated it. RDJ won the Golden Globes this year for Best Supporting Actor in a Motion Picture. In his acceptance speech, he called this award for him a “most improved player thing,” which is true in many ways; he just opened a brand new chapter in his career and proved his range as an actor in one of the most critically acclaimed films of the year.

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS: DA’ VINE JOY RANDOLPH

Da’Vine Joy Randolph’s performance in “The Holdovers” pulls together the emotional weight of the film. She plays a grieving single mother, Mary Lamb, who recently lost her son in the Vietnam War. Randolph’s performance stands out amongst other nominees in her category, which include America Ferrera and Emily Blunt. “The Holdovers” is a film about heart, and Randolph’s on-screen work opposite Paul Giamatti is a highlight. Her performance holds an eloquent balance of drama and comedic timing that enhances the emotion of the picture. Her work is subtle, yet it brilliantly captures the complexities of her character and message of the film.

thefourthestate.net

Disney released a thrilling new adaptation of “Percy Jackson and the Last Olympians.” It outshines its predecessors by staying faithful to the beloved books while delivering a captivating narrative that rekindles the magic of the series.

WORDS & ART by DIONNE PETERSON

Where the divine, humanity and those who fall in between collide, Rick Riordan’s thrilling tale of “Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Lightning Thief” served as a fundamental staple of each of our

like through how one person envisioned it.”

portrayal of the three main characters should be more accurate to the book descriptions.

“In the books, Annabeth being blonde was important to her character, because it meant that people didn’t expect her to be intelligent, and she was constantly underestimated, so I was disappointed to see that wasn’t included,” Laguna Blanca math instructor Lauren Bedard said.

“Now watching the TV show as an adult, I love the intentionality behind making Annabeth a young black girl because it stays true to Annabeth’s development from a girl who is con-

support for Riordan’s casting.

“I think many people feel like the cast are all like their characters, which is al ways good, especially for kids media. If you watch the cast interviews, Leah, Walker, and Aryan are ba sically just the characters in real life,” senior Grace Trautwein said.

The show debuted on Dec. 19, 2023, and even after a twomonth trend of a Rotten Tomato score average above 90%, the show is not without its faults.

“I think that the characters in the show seem less goofy than they did in the books. There have been many instances where it took more time to get to different plot events in the books because they were joking around, navigating events with humor, and they were 12-year-

Captivated by Riordan’s masterful storytelling, readers were left drawn into the epics of Greek mythology from the very first page of the modern-day Odyssey.

The movies, consisting of the first and second books in the series, garnered such immense backlash from fans that the series was abruptly discontinued in 2013.

In 2019, Riordan decided to take matters into his own hands and work with Disney to produce a television series of “The Lighting Thief” that fans know and love.

Initially, the movies faced severe criticism due to the deviated narrative from the books. People viewed them as unrecognizable from the book’s original plot line.

“It feels like some of that excitement and naivety is gone from the show.”

- Grace Trautwein

turning it into a film or series is that everyone has expectations about what they will look like. When you’re reading, you can create what’s going on in the book in your head,” junior Natalie Schweitzer said. “Because of that, everyone pictures the same scene differently. As there is the freedom to imagine it however you want; when it’s adapted, you’re just seeing one version of what it looks

Another main reason was that the movie actors did not accurately reflect the characters described in the books.

“In the books, the characters are twelve, and in the TV series, the cast was closer to that age. It felt more realistic compared to the movies, as they cast much older people,” Natalie said.

Not only were the actors perceived by fans as simply too old for their roles portraying young teenagers, but additionally, the casting choices were seen as contradictory to the preconceived appearances of the characters.

This comment was particularly directed towards the female lead Annabeth Chase. In the books, Annabeth is described with blonde hair, fair skin, and grey eyes; yet in the movies, she is seen with dark brown hair and blue eyes.

Harsh criticism erupted from some who believed that the

“I’m looking forward [in the Sea of Monsters] to see the characters grow up separately and reunite after their summers apart! I also can’t wait to see how they handle Luke’s redemption arc,” Bedard said.

Freshmen Olivia De Meyer and Olivia Sofranko at dinner before Winter Formal.

Sophomores Lila Foster, Sophie Otte and Lina Smith enjoying Galentine’s Day.

Senior Griffin Rick taking on the view of Mammoth Mountain.

Juniors Dania Zamudio and Olivia De Ponce before Winter Formal.

Junior Ada Ray enjoying the spring weather.

Seniors Cierra Nervo, Sasha Drucker and Victoria Chow pose during golden hour.

Senior Kendall Keshen is all smiles while in the snow.

Senior Paloma Lujan at Lily Rice’s beach birthday celebration.

Senior Jack Garcia poses for the camera.

Spring Sports Preview

During the beginning of the spring sports season, athletes look forward to success and triumph through what will be a competitive environment across the board.

INTERVIEWS by DAVIS OHANIAN & MASON SIEGEL

PHOTOS by JACKSON BALTES & BRAD ELLIOTT

Danica Rux - Girls Beach Volleyball

Q: As a varsity player, what are your aspirations and goals in beach volleyball?

A: In beach volleyball, I always want to have fun as well as make sure I am the best teammate I can be knowing there are only two of us on a court at a time.

Q: How did you first get involved in beach volleyball?

A: I first got involved with beach volleyball during my freshman year, that was my first year playing beach and I have loved it ever since.

Q: How will the underclassmen help the team throughout

Liam Knezevic - Boys Volleyball

Q: What are some spots on the floor you are going to have to fill with the loss of some impact seniors, especially underclassmen?

A: We are looking to fill libero, a second middle hitter, and opposite hitter. These are all very crucial spots on the court that can affect our success drastically.

Q: Being in a lower CIF division this year, what are your team’s expectations?

A: Same as always, we go in expecting good competition and we play our game.

Q: What is the team’s pregame hype song?

A: “The London” by Young Thug is a classic for our team.

Mason Berg - Boys Tennis

Q: How will the team benefit from a new assistant coach?

I think that the assistant coach will really help the new kids become acclimated to the team tennis environment. He will be able to hone the skills of the younger kids so that they can perform well in our matches.

Q: What are your goals for this season?

My goals for the season are to go positive in league play and to just be a good and welcoming captain for the newcomers.

Q: How will the use of underclassmen affect the team’s performance this year?

I think that the underclassmen will be a very important part of the team. With only 2 upperclassmen as of right now, the weight is on us for whether we win games or not.

because of a shoulder injury.

Q: Who/What inspired you to play your sport?

A: My older sister inspired me to play volleyball because I wanted to be just like her when I was younger. Also, my dad played in high school and encouraged me to play.

Q: Did/do you play any other sports before volleyball?

A: I started playing soccer when I was four, and then played until I was 10. I decided to transition to exclusively volleyball. Other than that, I played soccer for Laguna as a goalie just because it is my senior year, and I wanted to do something different.

Q:What are your predictions and goals for your team this upcoming season?

A: I am hoping we make CIF again and beat one of the public schools (Dos Pueblos, San Marcos, Santa Barbara High), as they are some of our fiercest and most competitive rivals.

Q: What are your plans for continuing volleyball in college - beach or indoor?

A: I am planning on walking on to the D3 volleyball team at Connecticut College, a liberal arts school in New London, Connecticut. I can’t imagine my life without playing volleyball, so I want to continue to play for as long as I can.

Q: How often do you play sports outside of school?

A: I am no longer playing club this year, so I don’t play a lot of volleyball outside of school. However, I just started coaching a team of fifth and sixth graders with the Santa Barbara Volleyball Club (SBVC).

thefourthestate.net

Junior Liam Knezevic gets ready to set his teammate in a game against Orcutt Academy.

Senior Mason Berg gets ready to hit a serve against Santa Ynez.

Super Bowl Recap

After the Super Bowl, athletes and statistics provide a reflective lens that creates an overview of one of the most memorable days on the athletic calendar in 2024.

WORDS by DAVIS OHANIAN & MASON SIEGEL & JULES LECLERCQ

ART by OWEN NOBLE

F(58) between the Kansas City Chiefs and the San Francisco 49ers, two sto ried franchises that originally faced off in 2020 for Super Bowl LIV.

Led by the tandem of Patrick Ma homes and Travis Kelce, the Chiefs feature a high-powered offense that is a well-oiled machine. On the defensive side, with star defen sive lineman Chris Jones and lockdown cornerback L’Jarius Sneed, the Chiefs have held some of the best offenses in the league to under 14 points a game in the playoffs, marking their best defense in the Patrick Mahomes era. On the opposite sideline, led by the young quar terback Brock Purdy and reliable veteran running back Christian McCaffrey, the 49ers feature one of the most productive offenses in the league. On the defensive, led by Nick Bosa and the respected linebacker duo of Dre Greenlaw and Fred Warner, the 49ers’ defense has proven to be a reliable defensive unit.

A game that came to the end of the wire, Super Bowl 58 was a thriller. Fumbles, questionable calls, and a fantastic halftime show, The 49ers held a commanding lead in the first half, leading 10-3 at halftime with a trick play touchdown from wideout Jauan Jennings to running back Christian

Even after an early fumble, the 49ers were absolutely rolling, with elite play-call ing on both sides of the

“Playoff Pat” and the Chiefs defense weren’t

Even after an inter ception to start off the second half, Mahomes could not be stopped. Going ahead with a two-score second quarter, the Chiefs didn’t look back

Patrick Mahomes - Chiefs’ Starting Quarterback

Laguna Blanca Football quarterback and team captain Spencer Hlav aty has some varying opinions on the reigning Super Bowl MVP Patrick Mahomes.

“I think Mahomes is an elite quarterback due to his innate ability to hit any target, from anywhere, from any angle. I feel like we could be witnessing the next G.O.A.T., though he has been slightly overhyped in some sce Mahomes made it to the AFC championship (the game before the Super Bowl) for six straight seasons, as well as having three Superbowl MVPs, and two regular season MVPs in his six years as a starter. It is undeni able that if he continues at this rate, we will be talking about him in the G.O.A.T.

And with Mahomes’ Super Bowl performance, granting him his 3rd ring, many are drawing comparisons between him and some of the greats. Throwing for over 300 yards and two touchdowns, Mahomes was effective and efficient as the conversation regarding his play compared to some of the greatest of all time transpires.

Nick Bosa - Chiefs Starting Defensive End

Andy Reid put his elite play-calling on display, demonstrating his experience.

Leading a 22 -12 run in the second half, Mahomes was electric and the Chiefs defense was a force that could not be overcome.

Cruising to a 25-22 victory, the Chiefs hold three Super Bowl victories in the past three years, a mark

Junior Carson Stewart spoke about star defensive lineman for the 49ers Nick Bosa.

"He's such a powerful guy who can get after the quarter back and force quick decisions."

Franchise players such as Bosa have become increasingly more important in the past few years as contracts have sky rocketed and “generational talents” have become harder and harder to keep on a team, especially in an era of supermax contracts.

These skills by Nick Bosa were shown throughout the season as he was always a player that the offense had to look out for. Over the last summer, he signed a huge contract extension for a five-year deal for over $170 million. In Super Bowl 58, he had 12 pressures and was a dominant force even though the 49ers fell short.

“You can just tell he is loved by his teammates, he’s cer tainly a guy that contributes to team morale, Carson said. “He also strikes fear into opposing quarterbacks, despite any statistics that may suggest otherwise.”

ning backs don’t necessarily need to be paid as much as other positions.

“For the years to come, Pacheco will definitely be a player to look out for. A better running back is not a good idea for

My Therapist Eats Hay

The connection one makes with a horse is like no other.

WORDS by GUEST WRITER ANANDA JOHAR ‘29

PHOTO by HIGH DESERT SPORT PHOTO

Horses can be the one stable in a chaotic life, whether it is jumping, walking, grooming, or dressage; there is something about working with horses that gives one a deeper connection with the animal than any

care is reciprocated- if they understand that you will never hurt them and want what is best for them.

Interestingly, horses are like snowflakes; not all are alike, so learning with them is complex. They are also brilliant creatures who can pick up on your emotions, which means that showing your horse that you love them is crucial to

The Boys Golf team makes their annual return to the field as they share their hopes for the upcoming season.

WORDS by DIONNE PETERSON & SOFIA RAMIREZ PHOTOS by MASON SIEGEL

Some ways to tell your horse you love them include but are not limited to showering him with kisses and spoiling your horse every once in a while, Treats are a great way to spoil your horse a little. Sometimes just let him hang if he

Spending time with your horse, not doing anything in particular, will do wonders for your partnership. Talk to him. Horses respond positively to touch and sound—never underestimate the power of a soothing tone. Let your horse have an opinion on what he wants to do during your ride; for example, let him have a nice gallop outside if he is

Work doesn’t have to feel like work. Nevertheless, the most important thing is just to tell him how

Horses show affection not only to people but also to other horses, animals, and even places.

Horses’ love for each other can look like approaching/seeking out each other’s company, standing close together, physical contact, for example, sniffing, nuzzling, mutual grooming, sharing food, or even

Other animals, such as dogs, barn cats, and birds are also recipients of horse affection, usually showing this care by stretching their necks to greet

Because horses have this incredible ability to have such deep feelings for people, animals, and things, being around them significantly impacts one’s mood. Just being around them helps raise spirits because whether you are having the worst day of your life, the best, or even the most average one, horses can pick up on it without you having to explain your whole day awkwardly, and they also know how to be there if you do want to talk. (they mostly do not judge, but my horse has thrown hay and

Although only 2.3% percent of people in the world have therapists who eat hay, for those select people, even the sight of a horse can make their day because they are in on the secret; they understand the amazing creature that is the horse, and how their bonds are life-changing.

thefourthestate.net

As the spring sports season commences once again, the Laguna boys golf team gears up for another round of challenges and triumphs on the greens.

Golf Coach and French Instructor Valerie Yoshimura, who has been coaching both the girls and boys’ golf teams for over three years, shares her goals for the team this coming season.

“For this upcoming season, I would really like to see some clear leadership emerge. I’d like to see some of the kids who have been now heading into their third year really kind of get a quantum leap of improvement in their shot making and in their joy of the game and their attitude towards it and ability to recover from a bad shot,” Yoshimura said.

Hours of focused practice and improvement are needed to master the golf swing, learn the short game, and read greens. As golfers work to develop muscle memory and perfect their swing, they are always seeking consistency in their execution.

Junior Ethan Carrington who’s been on the team since freshman year reflects on the season ahead.

“I hope as a team we make it to the team CIF, and also individual CIF,” Ethan said.

Golfers also have to deal with a wide range of variables that can affect their performance on the course, from unforeseeable weather conditions to the intricacy of the course conditions.

Beyond the physical aspects of the game, boys’ golf also presents a mental challenge. Although each sport provides emotional obstacles, golf is known to be especially taxing. As golf is a solitary sport, success depends on overcoming self-doubt, controlling emotions in the face of difficulty, and keeping a positive outlook despite the ups and downs of each shot.

“I think my number one goal is to get the boys to understand that the way that they respond emotionally, really makes or breaks their game. I also just love watching them when I can give them a little fix, and then it connects,” Yoshimura said.

Senior Griffin Rick shares how he overcomes these mental boundaries. “In navigating this issue, I’ve found that cultivating confidence is paramount. Building trust in my own abilities has been instrumental in overcoming the emotional strain of golf,” Griffin said.

Senior Cole Sharpton hits a drive off the 6th hole at the Santa Barbara Golf Course.

Following a round, the boys golf team gather on the putting green.

“Growing up is losing some illusions, in order to acquire others.”

― Virginia Woolf