the fourth estate march issue 2016
news
global diversity the odyssey project poetry out loud
feature
youth behind bars defining “cool� what’s in a name
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arts & entertainment
remembering bowie the illustrated interview makeup: the masks we wear
sports
basketball finale farewell mamba girls & boys soccer
our voice march issue 2016
editor’s letter For our March issue of The Fourth Estate magazine we chose an aqua cover as we thought it was an appropriate color to reflect our features on the teachers who surf at Laguna and the sailing community of Laguna and its alums. Additionally, in this issue, we wrote about a few of the speakers who have come to assemblies this quarter with a specific emphasis on the “Odyssey Project” that Michael Morgan runs with incarcerated youth. A few of our writers chose to expand on this topic to examine how we view incarcerated teens. As we began the second semester and our work on the third issue as a magazine, we gained two new members, Sonya Kotler and Beatrice Tolan. As we continue to learn and experiment with our new format as a magazine, we quite literally are running out of chairs and computers to work on in the classroom—and could not be happier about this predicament.
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. The Fourth Estate reserves the right to reject advertising. Opinions expressed in this publication reflect the perspectives of the staff. The Fourth Estate publishes four issues per year with a senior insert in the last issue. We mail issues to subscribers and advertisers and exchange papers with high school journalism staffs across the country. When factual errors occur, we will correct the error in the next issue. The Fourth Estate accepts both print and online advertising in either black and white or color. Contact Carson Shevitz at shecar@lbsstudents.org for advertising and/or subscriptions. Visit us online for daily updates: www.thefourthestate.net. “Follow” us on Twitter and “Like” us on Facebook.
photo: valeria romo
The 2015-2016 Fourth Estate staff (from left back to right front): Phillip Hicks, Beatrice Tolan, Sydney Edgecomb, Jack Stein, Philip Fauntleroy, Jacqueline Berci, Emily Lafitte, Kailea Hieshima, Sonya Kotler, Patricia McHale, Rose Houglet, Luisa Cameron, Carson Shevitz, Carina Tedesco, Ruby Haber, Caylin Zimmerman, Aura Carlson, Amanda Skinner, Katherine Perez, Kendall White, Mia Waters, Kelly Bickett. *Not pictured: Mathew Goldsholl, Pierce O’Donnell, Fiona Flynn. 4125 paloma drive santa barbara, ca 93110 www.thefourthestate.net 2
in this issue staff editor-in-chief jacqueline berci creative director luisa cameron photographer & business manager carson shevitz
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web editor phillip hicks news editor rose houglet co-news editor aura carlson
opinion editor mathew goldsholl sports editor pierce o’donnell lifestyle editor emily lafitte
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faculty adviser trish mchale, mje kelly bickett sydney edgecomb philip fauntleroy fiona flynn ruby haber kailea hieshima sonya kotler payton hassan katherine perez amanda skinner jack stein carina tedesco beatrice tolan mia waters kendall white caylin zimmerman
a performance outside the box by kailea hieshima
BOXTALES Theater Company’s performance of Homer’s classic “The Odyssey” was anything but inside the box. The three actors, Matt Tavianini, Joanne Lubeck, and Michael Andrew, used masks, acrobatic movement, musical instruments, and narration to convey the tone, characters, and events in the epic. The production consisted of different scenes from Odysseus’ travels home to Ithaca. The hero’s journey isn’t all fun and games, however. Along the way, he encounters many obstacles that hinder his progress. Among others, these encounters include: Greek god Poseidon, the Earth--Shaker and god of the seas; Prometheus, a one-eyed cyclops; and the Sirens, known for repeatedly luring sailors to their deaths with their alluring songs. Later, Odysseus meets his son, Telemachus, who informs him of the savage suitors who have taken over his palace. They create a plan of action to kill them. When the suitors are taken care of and Odysseus has reconciled with his wife, Penelope, the production comes to an end. Their performance included echoes of ancient Greek Theater. In the early years of Greek Theater, only a few male actors were allowed on stage. As a result, many productions used detailed masks to differentiate between characters. In the BOXTALES production, each character was distinguishable by costumes, masks, musical instruments, and differing tones of voice. “The BOXTALES performance was great. The actors did a great job at being able to switch who played Odysseus and fully commit so [the audience] barely noticed a change. The use of instruments [that] I had never heard or seen before to represent each character was my photo: carson shevitz favorite part,” sophomore Brooklyn Kinsler said.
the odyssey project by mia waters
photo: clarissa koenig
UCSB Theater Arts professor Michael Morgan spoke in a recent assembly and introduced students to a program he is very much a part of, “The Odyssey Project.” He created the program to help troubled youth find new and more productive lifestyles. Morgan teaches an intensive six-week program which includes writing and theater adaptations of “The Odyssey”. It involves collaboration of UCSB undergraduate students and youth from Los Prietos Boys Camp, a facility that provides a local commitment option for delinquent males between the ages of 13 and 18. The youth arrive at UCSB via van
escorted by probation officers. With help from Morgan and the undergrads these boys recreate Homer’s famous epic with their own twist. The participants are given the opportunity to perform renditions of “The Odyssey” in front of an audience. The main goal of “The Odyssey Project” is to show the audience the bond between the young juveniles and what they can achieve with a higher education. “With the Odyssey Project, Michael Morgan is doing something courageous and visionary. There are many programs out there to help at risk youth, but most stop
short of working with offenders while they are serving sentences,” AP English teacher Charles Donelan said. “‘The Odyssey Project’ has broken through that barrier, and as a result, Michael and his drama students at UCSB are among the first people in our society to take responsibility for addressing what’s happening to these young men who have strayed so far from home. Like Odysseus, the participants in the project use their whole selves and put everything they’ve got into this adventure. They act as though their lives depend on it. I can’t wait to see what the next step in the evolution of “The Odyssey Project” will be.”
angel martinez: ceo of deckers by emily lafitte
photo: carson shevitz
en·tre·pre·neur ˌäntrəprəˈnər/ noun: a person who organizes and operates a business or businesses, taking on greater than normal financial risks in order to do so. Visionary, focused, delusional. It’s an oxymoron, but that’s what it takes to be an entrepreneur,” said Angel Martinez, CEO of Deckers Outdoor Corporation. Deckers is not only one of the largest shoe corporations, owning Ugg Australia, Teva, Sanük, Ahnu, Hoka One One, and Koolaburra, but it has also been voted one of the best places to work by Outside Magazine. Deckers strives to accommodate anyone and everyone: “We are not a holding company. We are people. We are surfers, musicians, skateboarders, paddlers, dreamers, explorers, activists, raconteurs, sophisticates, extroverts, introverts, urbanites, suburbanites, natives, foreigners, hikers, go-getters, poets, lovers, fighters, men, women and children at heart. We make footwear, clothing and gear for people like us. And for people like you,” reads the main words on the homepage of the Decker’s website. Before entering the world of Deckers, Martinez held previous positions in the footwear business, both as the Chief Executive Officer and Vice Chairman
of Keen, as well as the Executive Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer at Reebok. During a casual sit-down interview in assembly between Martinez and senior Armon Ghodoussi, upper school students tuned in to learn from the best about what it takes to be a successful entrepreneur. Martinez grew up in the Bronx, New York, where he discovered “what [he] needed to know about people.” As an entrepreneur, people skills are a necessity, bottom line, not only in a sense of getting along with others that disagree with you, but also the skill to see through competitors and partners. For Martinez, the Bronx was a perfect example to demonstrate how leaders are born from all economic statuses, and those who are most successful most definitely do not all start off from riches. The most successful have been knocked down just to get back up and who have worked for each penny they own. “No one is self-made, we are all beneficiaries,” Martinez replied when asked about necessities in learning while 5
on the road to becoming someone who operates a business. “Part of the journey is being challenged with things by bosses and others who did not believe I could do them.” Martinez shed light on and stressed the importance that failure is a key component, not only in the business, but also in school, and nearly every aspect of one’s life. “Confidence is simply someone’s willingness to fail,” he added. “He said that there is a confidence and conviction with being an entrepreneur: you have to believe that you can do something despite what everyone says,” Armon said. Martinez closed by giving the audience a critical piece of advice: throughout our lives, our goal will always to be to move forward, get that promotion, get the A, and achieve our highest potential. To move north. “North is important, every compass points north. But that doesn’t mean that you aren’t going to go east. People have the ability to become successful once they realize that. All entrepreneurs have a sense of north no matter what it is.”
poetry out loud by kendall white
photos: carson shevitz
Silence filled the room as Jackson Hurley walked onto the stage not chosen as one of the finalists. to recite his poem. He was chosen as one of 16 students selected When asked how she chose her poem, “The Legend” by Garrett to compete in the annual Poetry Out Loud competition at Laguna. Hongo, Camila said, “I wanted to choose a poem that made sense Poetry Out Loud is a nation-wide contest that encourages high so that the audience would be able to connect with it. When I hear school students to learn about great poetry through memorization people recite poems that I don’t understand, I find it difficult to and reciting. In last year’s competition 365,000 students, 9,000 connect with the poem’s feeling or emotions.” teachers, 2,300 high schools participated. Hill has her 10th and 12th graders, compete in the Poetry Students in Bojana Hill’s English classes recite a poem of their Out Loud competition every year. When asked why she is so choice for class. A select few go on to recite in front of the entire enthusiastic about Poetry Out Loud she said, “Each year I ask school during assembly. myself if I should do it again and every Then, if they are selected, they go on to compete “It sharpens their skills year I come up with a strong belief that my locally, regionally, and ultimately nationally. will have a unique opportunity to get and makes them pay students After the selected students recited their poems in out of their comfort zone, take a risk, and do assembly, five winners went on to compete at the attention to each word.” something that they’re not doing on a regular next level. basis.” - bojana hill Senior Valeria Romo won first place in the According to Hill, it helps students, competition at school. She, along with Camila Lemere, Isaac Baron, appreciate a poet’s inner world, it sharpens their skills making them Carina Tedesco, (pictured above from left to right), and Armon pay attention to the use of each word. She said that it is difficult Ghodoussi were chosen to compete in a county competition. to select such few students to recite their poems at the assembly At the local competition, 22 high school student reciters from yet she explained, “I just think if this person is really feeling it, if five different schools in the Santa Barbara County competed. it’s natural, we all can collectively sense when someone’s doing Camila, a sophomore, won and went on to compete in a state- a good job.” wide competition in Sacramento against other county champions. “Poetry Out Loud is an opportunity for kids to bring to life the She made it to the second round of the state competition but was beauty of the words that poets have given to us,” Carina said.
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capturing cultures In recent years, Laguna has gained numerous international students and traveled not only in America but also around the globe. The following pages include a student-led interview of French sophomore Rose Houglet by fellow sophomore Clare Ogle; a collection of stories on how Chinese students chose their American names; and a preview of two spring-break trips—one to Vietnam and one to New Orleans. Below is Clare’s interview created as part of the French 3 Honors class with Madame Maud Maillard. All the students in the class were assigned to pair up and interview one international student and then translate their interview into French. To see more interviews visit The Fourth Estate’s website: www.thefourthestate.net
an interview with rose by clare ogle
Français
English
Q: Lorsque vous avez vécu en France, où avez-vous vécu? Quelle était votre truc préféré à l’endroit où vous avez vécu? A: Je vivais à Mougins, dans le sud de la France. Mon truc préféré à propos de la France était la nourriture et comment nous pouvions facilement voyager dans d’autres pays. Nous allions souvent en Italie ou en Allemagne pour avoir de belles excursions. J’apprécie vraiment le pain en France et aussi la télévision française. Ma chose préférée à regarder était les nouvelles.
Q: When you were in France, where did you live? What was your favorite thing about living there? A: I lived in Mougins in the South of France. My favorite thing about France was the food and the fact that we could travel to other countries easily. We would often go to Italy or Germany and have nice trips. I really enjoy the bread in France and I also really like French television. My favorite thing to watch was the news.
Q: Pourquoi votre famille a décidé de s’installer en Californie? A: Nous avons décidé de déménager en Californie parce que mes parents voulaient un changement culturel. Mon père avait connu la Californie parce qu’il est allé à l’université ici. Sa soeur avait travailler à l’Université de Californie à Santa Barbara, donc il connaissait et aimait Santa Barbara. La France avait aussi des problèmes, donc ils ont pensé que déménager en Amérique serait une bonne chose. Q: Est-ce que quelque chose vous manque le plus en France? A: Probablement ma maison, j’avais vécu dans cette maison toute ma vie jusqu’à ce que nous avons déménagé. Nous avions construit ma chambre et j’ai vraiment aimé cette chambre. Parfois, lorsque je tente de me rappeler la France, je me promène dans mon ancienne maison dans ma tête. Ca me manque d’être plus proche du reste de ma famille. Q: Quelle est votre cuisine française traditionnelle préférée et quel est votre cuisine préférée que vous avez eue depuis que vous êtes en Amérique? A: Ma cuisine française préférée est les crêpes. J’aime à la fois les crêpes salés et sucrés. En Amérique, j’aime vraiment les nuggets de poulet. Cependant, je n’aime pas les hamburgers ou les beignets. Q: Aimez-vous Laguna? Si oui, pourquoi? A: Oui, j’adore Laguna! Je pense que les profs de Laguna sont excellents. Je dirais que les meilleurs parties de Laguna sont comment tout le monde fais partie de la communauté. J’adore tous mes amis à Laguna et ils sont tous des gens très uniques et gentils.
Q: Why did you and your family decide to move to America? A: We decided to move to California because my parents wanted a cultural change. My dad had known about California because he went to college here. His sister used to work at UCSB, so he knew about Santa Barbara and loved it here. France was also going downhill, so they thought a move to America would be a good thing. Q: Is there anything that you miss most from France? A: Probably my house, I had lived in the house for my whole life. We had built my own room and I really loved that room. Sometimes when I try to remember France I walk through my old house in my head. I miss being closer to the rest of my family as well. Q: What is your favorite traditional French food, and what foods do you like in America? A: My favorite French food is crêpes. I like the savory the kind and the sweet kind. In America, I really like chicken nuggets. However, I really don’t like donuts or burgers. Q: Do you like Laguna? Why? A: Yes, I love Laguna! I think the features of Laguna are excellent. The campus is beautiful as well. I’d say the best parts are the community and how kind everyone is. I love my friends that I have made at Laguna and they are all very unique, kind-hearted people. 7
what’s in a name
the stories behind Chinese students’ American names by aura carlson & rose houglet When moving to America, international students often choose a new American name, either to make the pronunciation easier for Anglo Saxons or just to help the students adjust to their changing culture. While some of the names are just randomly picked by teachers or family members, others have a deeper story. We asked three Chinese students how they chose their new names: Helen, Cindy, and Kelvin.
helen ~ xinyuan “My name was chosen by my mother, who likes Helen Keller a lot. She wanted me to be strong and intelligent just like her, so she decided to call me Helen because those are the traits that she associates with the name.”
kelvin ~ kaihua “My mom wanted my English name to start with ‘Kel’ because the pronunciation of ‘Kel’ is similar to my Chinese name. In the Chinese alphabet, ‘Kel’ means victory and success. My mom wanted me to hear that sound whenever people called my name to remind me that I am going to be successful, and I am going to have victories. That supported me a lot when I felt lost, especially when I first came to America and I didn’t know anything. Everybody would be calling my name and I realized that I am here looking for success and that gave me confidence to figure out my problems.”
cindy ~ xinyi “I got my name Cindy from when I was five, and I was studying in Arizona with my dad and my mom. I loved the story of Cinderella at that time, so I really liked the name, Cinderella. However since it’s really long my dad abbreviated it for me to Cindy.”
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going global by aura carlson & rose houglet graphics: sonya kotler
Faculty members have once again created two new experiential learning trips – one to Vietnam and the other to New Orleans. English instructor and experimental learning coordinator Ashley Tidey said, “Laguna’s spring-study tours have grown out of our longtime commitment to experiential learning, in and through which the content, skills, and project-based learning activities that start in the classroom are transferred to worlds outside of it.”
This is not the first time that Laguna students have been offered the opportunity to go to Vietnam. Thirteen years ago, former faculty member Alethea Paradis created Friendship Tours and took a group of Upper School students to Vietnam. This spring history teacher Kevin Shertzer and AP Psychology teacher Meghan Roarty will bring a group of eight students, some from his War in Vietnam class as well as students not in the class to Vietnam. The purpose of the trip, as described by Shertzer, “is something about the healing nature of people— these people can continue and go forward with their lives after going through something so long and so terrible. The United States’ part in that is intriguing, so the healing is not only from our side but also from their side. We go with the idea of traveling, meeting, and healing the wounds of war by learning from what we have done so we don’t do it again.” Students will be given the opportunity to explore the northern capital of Vietnam, Hanoi, visit Ho Chi Minh’s Mausoleum, see the sunrise Tai Chi, visit Ho Chi Minh City, and tour the Reunification Palace. In the north, the group will be seeing the Hanoi Hilton, a former French prison where American pilots were held during the American War, including U.S. senator John McCain. In the south, they will also be seeing the Chu Chi Tunnels and visiting a Cao Dai temple. When asked what she is most looking forward to seeing in Vietnam, Roarty said, “I think I’m most excited to see the different perspectives that the Vietnamese have on the war. They have a completely different view of the war than we do; in fact, they don’t even call it the Vietnam War. So, I’m excited for all the new perspectives the students will gain and come home with.”
Once again led by Ashley Tidey, a group of 27 upper schoolers will be traveling to Louisiana for a five-day interdisciplinary experience. The location of the trip was originally suggested by Bojana Hill and announced in June 2015. As the idea sprouted into reality, Tidey found ways to connect the city to Laguna curriculum through science, music, world languages, English, and history. New Orleans has connections to the BP Oil Spill, French culture, traditional music, Hurricane Katrina, slavery, and varied literature. Freshman Jack Stein describes the trip by saying, “we are taking our passage analysis skills and applying them to a city.” Students will be given the opportunity to apply their critical thinking skills through touring the Whitney Plantation and French Quarter, adventuring through the swamps, listening to live music at the Square, sightseeing in the Lower Ninth Ward, visiting Preservation Hall, meeting up with Laguna alumni, eating Cajun food, and volunteering at a neighborhoodbased nonprofit. From riding streetcars to visiting Tulane University to going to the Tennessee Williams Literary Festival, the group will get the full NOLA experience. When asked what she is most excited to see in New Orleans, freshman Dylan Young said, “I’m excited to eat the food and see the French quarter. I think it’s going to be a great bonding experience and I’m excited to explore the city with my friends.” 9
photo: brad elliott
a trip to monte carlo
ball gowns, bugattis, and blackjack fill the bacara for the annual laguna blanca spring benefit by mathew goldsholl
The Laguna community took at trip to Monte Carlo on Feb. 27 to celebrate the annual auction, held at the Bacara Resort and Hotel. The net proceeds surpassed expectations by raising $600,000 from sponsorships, ticket sales, the faculty/staff raffle, and the silent, online and live auctions, the proceeds of which are used to fund the school’s classroom renovations, professional development and student programs. Over 300 parents, faculty and friends attended the benefit, seating marked by pictures of the attendees’ children, photographed and edited by sophomores Aura Carlson, Rose Houglet, Kathryn Norris, and Clare Ogle. Auction planning board member and alumni director Sam Buck described the benefit as providing a “current needs fund” that helps to keep everything at Laguna the best it can be. This year’s event was spearheaded by Committee Chair Cynthia McClintock and Sponsorship Chair Carol King. The Monte Carlo theme was complemented by the special cameo of a Formula One Bugatti, donated for the evening by the Cleary family. The festivities began with a silent auction, where guests mingled and bid on items including faculty-created art pieces from Arturo Flores’s ukulele, to Chris J. Johnson’s five piece hand-thrown ceramic bowl set to an original untitled assemblage piece by Dug Uyseka.
Traditionally, a short film, created by adults, whether parents or professionals, that features student life is shown after dinner. However, this year, for the first time, the film was created by students; sophomore Camila Lemere and juniors Mathew Goldsholl and Luke Smillie with guidance from Uyesaka. Following the viewing, Lower School Head Andy Surber, on behalf of former Board of Trustees member, Brett Hodges, lead the benefit’s Paddle Raising component with a donation of $100,000. “Have a Chantastic Day” was added to the online auction. It includes having a special lunch with history teacher and new Middle School Head Stephen Chan. Laguna parent and renowned artist Cassandria Blackmore is this year’s resident artist. She facilitated this year’s student art exhibit. The lower schoolers, in collaboration with Blackmore, created keepsake books and pieces of art, which raised $7,000. For the first time, the school hired an event planner to assist with auction planning, alumna Kendle Evans [Handtmann], owner-operator at Lauren Kendle Event Production. Her company was once hired to put on Elton John’s Oscar party. “Laguna was a great community to be involved with and the auction reminded me how fantastic the parents and the students are at the school. The generosity of the community was incredible, and that’s coming from someone who’s at an event just about every weekend of my life,” Evans said. 10
broken beauties the works of cassandria blackmore inspire the laguna community by luisa cameron
when did you first start making art? I’ve been making artwork since I can remember. I used to paste all my pieces in the barn I grew up in –– it was my first gallery. I drew a lot of people. I was always interested in figures.
did you go to art school?
Yes. I felt that it empowered me to put my work out there and to be able to take criticism, and also to stay true to my own heart and my own work.
tell me about your process.
I reverse paint on a sheet of glass. This means you have to think backwards; so the lightest colors go on first and then the darkest colors go on last, and then it’s flipped so it’s a mirrored image as well. After the painting is cured and the glass is fired, then it’s shattered and put back together. There are different ways that I break the glass; the figurative is all hand-cut and the abstract is smashed, so there are different techniques to each painting.
some examples of blackmore’s abstract pieces
what inspires you?
The single most inspiration for me is nature, and that’s why living in Santa Barbara and being surrounded by such natural beauty really fuels my inner artist.
why glass?
There was a sheet of glass readily available in my apartment and I just had the idea to start painting on it. I ended up being in one of the glass capitals of the world, which is Seattle.
who are your heroes? My children.
what are you looking forward to about working with laguna students?
I’m mostly looking forward to learning from them. I always find, as an artist, that children often have some of the brightest ideas; so there is an opportunity to learn from children creatively.
do you think creativity can be taught?
I think that creativity can be nurtured. I do believe that everyone is creative. As a child, everyone draws, everyone paints. We put our paintings and drawings up on the refrigerator. At some point, self-doubt enters. Unfortunately that self-doubt sometimes inhibits people from continuing to be creative. So I do believe that creativity can be nurtured; creativity is really essential in all important things in life. It’s an important skill to continue to have whether it relates to art or science or anything else in your life.
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global leadership connection sparks innovation by katherine perez photos: clare ogle
Juniors Henry Farrell, Clara Hillis, Grace MacNeil, Maddy Nicholson, and Zaira Paredes traveled to UCSB to join hundreds of juniors from local high schools to participate in the Global Leadership Connection (GLC), a Scholarship and Awards Program. The GLC program honors outstanding high school juniors who maintain a high scholastic average and have demonstrated leadership ability both in school and in the community. Participation in GLC includes completing an extensive application including writing essays on leadership, being interviewed, and participating in group activities. One example of an essay topic students could choose to write about is a moral dilemma they face. At UCSB, students had the opportunity to listen to GLC alumni speakers and other guest speakers. “My favorite speaker was Scott Voulgaris, who made a sock company in honor of his brother who has hydrocephalus. I liked hearing him speak because he was so humble and down-to-earth,” Clara said. Voulgaris was the 2015 GLC Santa Barbara Youth Leader of the Year. His topic was “The Power of Positive Connections.” A part of the GLC includes an interview process. Being interviewed can be uncomfortable for students; some said they were not anxious before the interview. “I have been interviewed before. I wasn’t really scared of the process and I thought it was a good experience,” Maddy said. However, interviewing can be stressful for others. “The interview was a bit intimidating at first, but once I realized that the women I was talking to were just trying to get to know me more, I loosened up and really enjoyed myself,” Grace said. “It was basically just a conversation. Some of the questions were: why do you think your school chose you to represent them, where do you want to go to college and what do you want to do, what is a honor your most proud of.” The highest award given by the GLC is Youth Leader of the Year. It is given to the top male and top female and includes a scholarship, funded by the Busch family, and an all-expense paid week-long trip to Washington, DC.
maddy nicolson
Grace MacNeil and Henry Farrell receive recognition at the GLC Awards Program held in Paige Hall on the Westmont campus. Henry received the top award and was selected as the Santa Barbara Male Youth Leader of the Year. He will join other Youth Leaders from across the country when he travels to Washington this fall. His parents and grandmother were in attendance at the awards ceremony. Grace was awarded an Ambassador Scholarship, which she can use at the university of her choice. It will be presented to her at graduation. Alumna and former Youth Leader of the Year recipient, Daria Etezadi ‘13, was on hand as a speaker along with her guest, Jason Green, former Deputy Associate Counsel to President Obama. In addition to her studies in the School of Foreign Service at Georgetown University, Daria is collaborating with Green on a documentary entitled, “The Quince Orchard Project,” which looks to preserve heritage in small towns across the country. Other alumni who received the Youth Leader Scholarship Award are Austin Patrick ‘12, Kai Gamble ‘12 and Andrew Vignolo’14. “I was really surprised [to win] because there were so many other qualified people in the room,” Henry said.
zaira paredes
clara hillis
YOUTH behind BARS
incarcerated teens struggle with the system by caylin zimmerman and carina tedesco art:luisa cameron
B
eing a sophomore at a prestigious college preparatory school, the same question seems to be asked at every family dinner, encounter with friends of parents, and phone call from relatives: “Where do you want to go to
up. For them, the path to juvenile hall and ultimately prison seems to be the only possibility. How do kids growing up surrounded by struggle do something other than what is set out before them? How do they find the right path? Writer and actress Anna Deavere Smith is trying to educate people of what many are calling the “school-to-prison pipeline.” The “pipeline” is a system in which predominantly Latino, Native American and African-American students, who tend to get in trouble at school, are placed onto a path where they are channeled into the criminal justice system for small, schoolrelated offenses. These teens and preteens are ultimately isolated, and their lives are changed forever. In her most recent project, “The Pipeline Project,” Smith traveled to seven cities and spoke to over 100 different people involved in the “pipeline.” By doing this, Smith uncovered every perspective on the issue, face-to-face. She uses the dialogue of her interviews, and embodies the character of the interviewee on-stage. The focus of her plays is to portray how the lack of hope, opportunity, and chances for so many students in poverty causes them to be filtered into the criminal justice system. (Continued on the next page . . .)
college?” In the environment we are surrounded by, close to every adult figure in our lives is a college graduate. Because of this, it seems that there is seldom a day of our high school careers that the idea of “where we want to attend college” is not a constant spotlight. Most of us never stop to question this; the path we have been placed on since before birth seems so normal, as if the only possible path is the one we are on. In a sense, we have become blinded and hyper-focused. Of course we have read about and heard about the many communities in various areas whose youth are not fortunate enough to have a high school education let alone a college one, whose path to us seems anything but normal, but the idea that in our own neighborhood live kids who are equally as blind to our path as we are to theirs is an eye-opening thought. We know so little about the struggles of kids in The Santa Barbara County Probation Department, a 24-hour maximum security juvenile hall, located in our “backyard.” It houses up to 140 male and female offenders, ranging from ages 10 to 18 who have committed offenses from misdemeanors to felonies. This is where many Santa Barbara teens believe they will end
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“They lock me up. They won’t let me tell my side of the story.” – from an anonymous sixteen year old in solitary confinement “juvenile in justice” by richard ross
( . . . Continued from previous page) Smith’s goal is to uncover why so many students in poverty are placed into juvenile detention for minor offenses, going on to suffer mentally and physically. In one interview, she powerfully states that, “Poor kids have pathologized and rich kids have mischief.” Because of their economic status and stereotype, “poor kids” are having their lives stolen from them for the same mistakes that “rich kids” would have a simple conversation about. Richard Ross, a professor at UCSB and teen incarceration activist, has dedicated his life to making the conditions better at juvenile detention centers and bringing awareness of what life is like for youth at teen incarceration facilities. “Juvenile in Justice” is a project founded by Richard Ross, in which he aims to bring to light the placement and treatment of American juveniles housed by law facilities that confine, punish, and occasionally harm the teens. Ross photographed and interviewed more than a thousand youths over a five-year period in juvenile facilities around the country; the result is both haunting and inspiring. The stories of these youth come from cities across the country, but are extremely similar to the stories of kids in Santa Barbara. One 16-year-old in solitary confinement told Ross his story, saying, “I’ve been in the time out room for two days. I’ve been in detention four times. The first time I was 13. I’ve been in isolation eight times. The longest time was two weeks. Any conflict or altercation they lock me up. Doesn’t matter who’s to blame, they lock me up. They won’t let me tell my side of the story.”
Similarly, a 17-year-old in solitary talks about her experience saying, “I’ve been in this room four months. I hurt myself. Why? I want to commit suicide. I don’t talk to a therapist. They ain’t doing no good. I can’t have nothing. No books. I pass the time by just sitting here. No friends. I get out of here for a hour a day. I hit my head against the wall because I was mad at the staff.” One can imagine that spending long periods of time in solitary confinement is psychologically damaging for young kids, who are most likely already suffering from mental health problems. Because of this, after many activists’ pleas to make solitary for juveniles illegal, on January 26, President Obama announced a ban on solitary confinement for juvenile offenders in the federal prison system. He stated that the practice is overused and has the potential for devastating psychological consequences. The reforms will take place within the next six months, marking a huge leap in the necessary steps to help America’s juveniles. Through the efforts of people like Anna Deavere Smith and Richard Ross, the chains on these kids that seem to be put on directly after birth are being broken, and steps are being taken to break the chains off later in life as well. All teens, regardless of race, social status or family history should have the opportunity to choose his or her own path. Awareness for what other people’s paths look like may be the first step to changing the future for kids struggling to break their chains.
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that’s a wrap! by kelly bickett photo: kevin shertzer
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he returning runner-up CIF playoff boys soccer team had a slow start to their 2016 season after losing five starting seniors. But once preseason training was over, the Owls picked up the pace by defeating almost every team in their league by six or more goals. Last year the Owls faced Dunn, Laguna’s main rival in soccer, in the CIF championship; unfortunately, losing in a close 2-1 game. This year, the boys faced them in one non-league and league match, and the boys were determined to set the record straight. The boys traveled up to Santa Ynez to face the Earwigs on the Los Olivos field. After an aggressive, competitive match Laguna came out victorious with a game winning header from sophomore Ethan Tyng off a throw in from senior Philip Fauntleroy (pictured left). The win over the Dunn Earwigs was a major confidence boost for the boys. This year, the soccer team acquired a new coach, Gof Boyoko, who has
played professionally and coaches the U15 boys team for the Santa Barbara Soccer Club. “He has done a lot of good things for our team. It is hard to come back from losing nine seniors but he definitely softened the blow and made our team a lot better over a course of a couple of months,” Henry Farrell (pictured above) said. “A lot of our success this year is dedicated to him and I appreciate that we have him as a coach. He is a great coach and I respect him a lot.”
“It is hard to come back from losing nine seniors, but our coach definitely softened the blow and made our team a lot better over a course of a couple of months.” -henry farrell In the Oak Grove game, the Owls were on fire and scored nine goals produced by junior defensive middle Henry Farrell and attacking middle Ethan Tyng. “Although the field size was a little funky, I thought the boys made good in-game adjustments to break down the different defensive strategies of Oak Grove,” assistant coach Jon Curry said. “I think at times we got sloppy and lost our team shape leading to a series of errors, which to their credit Oak Grove punished us on. Little things like these need to be
fixed before moving on to playing in the CIF Tournament.” The Earwigs traveled down to Laguna to play the Owls for the Condor League Title. In another competitive nerve-racking game the Owls came up short, losing 4-1 giving them second place in league. “It was a very good game and I am proud of the effort the boys put in today,” Boyoko said. “We will now regroup, wait for the CIF playoff draw and get ready to take the next team in the first round.” In a wild card match, the boys ended up with a home game against Santa Clara High School. Though the boys had lost to Santa Clara in preseason, their confidence wasn’t tampered. Both teams came out with high energy and intensity. The game seemed about equal in ball possession and shots on goal with people hitting the post on both sides. Finally, in the second half, off another throw-in from Fauntleroy, Tyng flicked a shot off his head into the top left corner to give the Owls the lead. With only eight minutes left in the game, Santa Clara moved their players up in desperation for a goal, but the Owls took advantage of this opportunity and got another goal to seal the deal. The Owls traveled down to Newbury Park to play against Newbury Park Adventist Academy and, in a quick game, they shut out the Gators with a final score of 3-0. Sadly, the Owl’s run in CIF was cut short after losing 2-1 to California Military Institute in the second round.
alex koke
phoebe 18 madsen 17
grace macneil
owls capture consecutive league titles by pierce o’donnell
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espite graduating over half of its team in 2015, the varsity girls soccer team capitalized on a winning combination of veteran leadership and young talent to pick up right where it left off a season ago with an undefeated league championship campaign. From a juggernaut offense averaging over six goals a game in league to a stingy defense conceding only one goal in six league contests, the Owls dominated their competition in every facet of the game. Led by seniors and four-year players Alexis Yabsley, Phoebe Madsen, and Danielle Abrams, the overwhelmingly young team poured in contributions from every grade level not only to qualify for the CIF-SS playoffs, but also to maximize team chemistry. Freshman Alex Koke gave the Owls numerous quality starts in the midfield while fellow first-year player Lexi
photos: kevin shertzer
Reyes contributed several big minutes throughout league play. Sophomore striker Kelly Bickett led the team in scoring for a second year in a row, while her classmates Tiffany Yabsley, Julia Fay, Sophia Fay, Clare Ogle, Kendall White and Aura Carlson controlled the midfield and defense for the Owls in front of the relentless goal tending of Brooklyn Kinsler. Upperclassman Grace MacNeil also helped lead the defense in her third year in a starting role. The Owls’ cross-grade-level chemistry and camaraderie showed in their playoff game against a very talented Webb team. After conceding one first half goal and giving up two more in the first two minutes of the second half, it seemed that Webb would run away with the game. The Owls buckled down and answered back with a goal from Bickett off of a long Madsen throw-in. With just a few minutes
left in regulation, senior midfielder Gabby Campbell was tripped 30 yards away from the goal and awarded a free kick. As time continued to tick away, Bickett slotted the free kick to bring the deficit to one. The Owls quickly rushed back to midfield to score the equalizer, but time ran out on their comeback and playoff aspirations. “I can’t believe it’s all over,” Yabsley said on the season. “Our team this year was definitely the closest we have ever been, and the season was an absolute blast. I was worried initially after the loss [to Villanova] at the beginning of the season, but as we got to know each other better, [our success] continued to surprise me as the season went on.” While the Owls graduate four seniors, they return over 15 underclassmen. The future of Laguna girls soccer remains strong and this team’s run and legacy will not soon be forgotten.
photo: carson shevitz
a turbulent season comes to an end by philip fauntleroy
The Laguna Blanca boys basketball season came to an end in the second round of the CIF playoffs against Capistrano Valley Christian after a memorable season. The boys started the season off with the Ojai Valley Classic tournament in Ojai that came to an end for the Owls in the championship round. In this tournament, the Owls won their first game against league rival Besant Hill by a total of 43 points with the final score being 64-21. This win gave the Owls confidence going forward and got them their second victory in the tournament , which was against Coast Union. After beating Coast Union in the semis, the Owls played Rio Hondo Prep in the finals and ended up losing a tough game 55-35. Following the tournament, the Owls played Thacher and Cate; they lost to Thacher 37-52 but beat Cate 72-52. The Owls then played in another tournament in Carpinteria and started it off with a win against Hueneme 61-58. Although they lost in their second and
third game to Santa Ynez and Carpinteria, the Owls won their last game 60-40 against Nordhoff. With two games left before league, the boys played Orcutt Academy and beat them with some last minute free throws from senior captain Pierce O’Donnell. Then followed a tough loss against Valley Christian Academy with an end score of 71-65. In league, the Owls only lost once and blew out every team that they played. However, the one game that the Owls did lose was the league championship; in a thriller against their biggest rival, the Providence Patriots won with a score of 50-52. Having won last year’s league, this loss was tough for the Owls because they came just short of winning again. Another thriller of the season was Laguna’s game versus Besant Hill. This was a big game because Laguna needed it in order to make the CIF playoffs. Besant Hill was looking for revenge after a tough loss and started the first half with a 34-20 lead. 18
The Owls’ playoff dreams were looking slim but they turned it around in the second half overcoming a 14-point deficit and ending the game with a win of 75-68. The boys first CIF playoff game was against New Roads. During the game, Pierce O’Donnell made school history scoring 30 points in the first half and ending with 50. Laguna won that competitive game 9182 and advanced to the next round of CIF. Little did they know, the next round was going to be a huge challenge. In the second round, the boys’ road to the finals came to an end in a game against San Capistrano Valley, which the Owls lost 8134. This loss was especially hard on the team because they will be graduating seven seniors. Those players will be missed, and this incredible season will be remembered. “I thought it was hard to see my last year of basketball come to an end,” said senior Atty Roddick (pictured above.) “The times that I’ve spent with my teammates and coaches are some of my most memorable moments at Laguna.”
“We can always kind of be average and just do what’s normal. I’m not in this to do what’s normal.” —kobe bryant
Kobe Bean Bryant announced his retirement on Nov. 30, 2015. The NBA superstar’s career began in 1996 when he was drafted to the Charlotte Hornets. Just days after Kobe was drafted to the Hornets, he announced that he didn’t want to play for them. Instead, he told the media he wanted to play for the Los Angeles Lakers. Fifteen days after this announcement the Los Angeles Lakers owner, Jerry West, traded for Bryant with his center Vlade Divac—and, without knowing, acquired one of the best players in all of NBA history. Whether it be an individual accomplishment like winning the MVP award or a joint success with his team such as winning five championship rings, anyone who is a fan of the NBA will remember the incredible accolades of Bryant. “He is the reason I started watching basketball, and I can’t imagine seeing a Laker game without him,” senior Chandler Aubery said. Bryant has had the drive to be the best ever since he was a little kid. When Bryant was growing up, his dad played basketball in Italy. Bryant moved overseas to join his dad and spent all of his time practicing his game instead of socializing like most kids. Bryant has always aimed at being remembered in a different way than any other player. “We can always kind of be average and just do what’s normal. I’m not in this to do what’s normal,” Bryant said.
In 2006, Kobe scored 81 points against the Toronto Raptors—this is the second highest record of points scored in a single game in NBA history. Bryant has played in 18 AllStar games and earned two championship rings with team USA. Bryant was given the nickname “the Black Mamba” because of his outstanding skills as a sharpshooter; when a Black Mamba, a venomous snake, strikes it has a 99 percent chance of killing its prey. Kobe Bean Bryant stands as an idol not only to his fans, but to all NBA players. Stephen Curry, a point guard on the Golden State Warriors, who won the MVP award last year, said that while he was growing up, Kobe was his favorite player; he vividly remembers getting a jersey signed by Bryant during a break in an AllStar game. Dwayne Wade, point guard for the Miami Heat, bought Bryant a year-long Netflix membership as a retirement gift, and former NBA star Michael Jordan gave Kobe 30 pair of shoes from his company Air Jordan—illustrating perfectly the extensive appreciation the entire sport of basketball has for this star. Current NBA players have not been shy about voicing their opinions on how Bryant changed the game forever. Kobe Bean Bryant is an idol in the eyes of basketball fans across the world. Farewell Mamba— you’ll be missed. 19
by philip fauntleroy graphic: alex furukawa
the ties that bind by caylin zimmerman
Sailing is no ordinary sport and sailors are no ordinary participants. Laguna alumni are going the distance and sailing into the Olympic trials.
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ailing stays with you for your whole life. For most young sailors in Santa Barbara, sailing starts with the Santa Barbara Sea Shells Association. In the community, young girls and boys ranging from age seven and above begin by racing little boats called Optimists. Parents of the beginning sailors are very involved and run the races blowing various whistles that signal the start and end of races. Beginning with Optimists and leading to Sabots, 420 boats, 49ers and eventually Catamarans sailors graduate to larger boats as they improve. High school sailing is a nationally recognized sport. Starting in 1930 by northeastern prep schools, today, thousands of high school sailors compete in regattas all around the world in hopes of qualifying for Junior Nationals or obtaining scholarships to attend the best colleges in the United States. High school sailing in Santa Barbara and Southern California has a very large and tightly-knit community of dedicated sailors. The Laguna sailing team members are very committed to the team and care greatly for each other’s sailing careers. Unlike other high school sports, sailing can also involve middle schoolers. For eighth grader Charlie Jacobs, being part of the high school sailing team helps bridge the gap between middle school and high school. By being on the same team, he has been given the opportunity to get to know the high schoolers on the sailing team. “I have really enjoyed getting to know a middle schooler like Charlie Jacobs. He is very committed to the team and to competing in sailing regattas. At every practice he tries that much harder to be one of the best because he’s so young and has so more to prove than the other high schoolers,” said Team Captain Carson Shevitz. Sailing is a sport that high school grads can continue in college where they often find a welcome mat and a community with built in common bonds. Many of Laguna’s sailing team members have gone on to race collegiately at colleges: Cuyler Zimmerman ‘14, now at University of Hawaii, Jake Bart Hueneme lein ‘11 and Tucker Atterbury ‘12, both went on to sail for Roger Williams University, Savannah Brown ‘12, for Boston College, Carly Shevitz ‘10 and Cassidy Shevitz ‘13 for the College of Charleston. “Sailing in college is one of the best experiences a sailor can have. Being able to travel all over the country and race against the best young sailors is a great opportunity,” Cuyler said. After collegiate sailing, some of the best sailors come from all over the country to compete on the U.S. Olympic sailing team. Former Team Captain Carly Shevitz, is currently competing in
COMPETING ON THE WATER: (from top to bottom) Carly Shevitz racing in the pre-Olympic trials; Cuyler Zimmerman at University of Hawaii; and the Laguna Blanca Sailing Team.
pre-Olympic races for the summer Olympics in Rio. “Sailing has allowed me to push my limits and continue challenging myself as both an athlete and teammate. Additionally, sailing has given me a wide variety of skills which will be helpful for me in a professional setting somewhere down the line,” Carly said. One of the reasons why sailing is different from other sports is because it isn’t just a game, it is also a life-long activity and the comradery that comes with sailing is very strong. The ties that bind sailors last a lifetime. “For me, it’s more than a sport, it’s a way of life. For me, being on the water became an oath to protect life, property, the environment and the homeland security of the United States as a US Merchant Mariner,” Carson said 20
ART has no LIMITS a look into hannah jaffe’s “orange art” by ruby haber
art: hannah jaffe
Despite being born without fingers or thumbs on her left hand, Hannah Jaffe does not allow this disability to hold her back. Jaffe mixes up the traditional, basic primary colors from her palette to tangerine oranges, rich reds, and deep blues. Jaffe, a young local Santa Barbarian, motivates others to follow their passion by setting fear aside. With her debut as a director and filmmaker at the Santa Barbara Film Festival, Jaffe took a step beyond mixing a paint palette and leapt to the big screen. Her innovative film, the story of “Orange Art” is captured through the lens of an iPhone. Jaffe demonstrated her bravery through placing her film in the competition against traditional high-tech cinematographers, and by overcoming rather than being limited by her physical conditions. 22
In the short documentary, we see Jaffe on screen dip her “little hand” into the paint to create a contemporary piece inspired from a previous dream she had of woman’s body. Slowly, after layers of shadow and texture are applied, the seated female figure takes form and warm colors cover Jaffe’s hand. After hiding her hand for years, this year, she came to the conclusion that “everything was just in my head.” Jaffe hopes to share her vulnerability through her art by encouraging others to be brave in order to achieve their true goals. A recipe for Jaffe’s favorite color, orange, is to mix the color of happiness (yellow) and the color of love (red). Jaffe hopes to cover many more canvases with her “little hand,” and “Orange Art” is just the start to Hannah’s film-making career.
10 out of 10 by beatrice tolan
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t is 6 p.m. at Braun House. Loud, pumping house music blasts through Hope Ranch as students play beer-pong and take shots on the same tables teachers have their meetings. This throw-down couldn’t be more lit until a firm voice shouts “Cut!” Everyone stops. “Alright, let’s do it again,” calls director and senior Kylan Tyng, and the very sober students pour water back into their Solo cups. “Take two.” The Santa Barbara International Film Festival (SBIFF) recently celebrated its 31st year. Taking place every February, the festival attracts movie-goers and filmmakers from across the globe. The festival entices young Santa Barbara directors and writers to take their dreams to the screen. 10-10-10, a high school and college film competition part of the SBIFF, brings young directors and screenwriters together to execute the art of collaboration—and time management. The rules to 10-10-10 are self-explanatory: after 10 student scriptwriters finalize their scripts, 10 student directors have 10 days to film and edit their chosen 10-page script. Five screenwriters and directors from college; five screenwriters and directors from high school. Tyng, soon-to-be an NYU student, participated in 10-1010 last year, directing the film “Misidentification,” written by highschooler Gordon Dawson. “It was really random. Back in junior year, someone told me that this competition would look really good on a college resume. It turned out to be a lot more fun than I expected,” Kylan said.
This year Kylan won Best High School Director, alongside his scriptwriter Courtney Morse, who won Best High School Script for her story “Lost and Found.” “Lost and Found” follows a grandfather with mild dementia. During a tense family dinner, he excuses himself from the table to go to the restroom, and instead wanders into a high school party. Countless Laguna Blanca students were involved in the telling of this story, both behind-the-scene and on-screen. Dozens of students, freshmen to seniors, gathered in Braun House to be extras in the party scene, some acting for the first time. Senior Theo Berriet, assistant producer and actor, noted, “Whenever I was the assistant, I had to carry stuff non-stop and relocate everything, which was a lot more demanding than just acting. The acting was really fun, but the camera work was quite intense and stressful.” The crew was made up primarily of seniors. Valeria Romo, lead actress on “Misidentification,” was the assistant director and script supervisor. The producer of last year’s production, Beatrice Tolan, acted as the young granddaughter. Isaac Baron was the sound man; Max Mayrock and sole junior Joan Curran assisted the crew. Winners were announced in the Arlington Theater following the screenings of all entries. “At first I was really surprised, I just remember them announcing my name and my friends cheering me on. I was so excited that I could barely write my signature on the check,” Kylan said.
photo: kristin tyng photos: kristin tyng
Filmmakers Valeria Roma, Kylan Tyng, and Bea Tolan on the set of “Lost and Found.” (Right) Extras for the party scene (left to right) Philip Fauntleroy, Bjorn Lindskog, and Pierce O’Donnell. 23
teachers who surf by ruby haber
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chris j.johnson Visual Arts Department Chair Chris J. Johnson, at age 15, was known by fellow surfers as “Twinkle Toes” for walking the nose of a long board. Having grown up on the California Coast, he picked up his first surfboard when he was 12 years old. At 15, he moved to Australia where he rode different styles of shortboards and longboards. This ceramics and photography teacher has carved a “quadruple +” over-head wave, which is about 20 feet tall. A world traveler, “Twinkle Toes” passed his legacy and love of surfing on to his son, Colton, and is “stoked that Colton surfs.”
zack moore “I am passionate when I am surrounded by passionate people,” said science teacher Zack Moore who shared his motivation for surfing for the last twenty-two years. “When dropping in on a wave, I connect with nature and harnesses an energy humans don’t usually have.” He recently caught a beautiful wave, however a strange dark shadow was following him. A few seconds after spotting this scary unknown figure, he realized, with relief , that it was a dolphin. You may find Moore paddling on a stand up paddle board or a surfboard at Naples, a local Santa Barbara wave.
paul chiment The salty sea has been Math Department Chair Paul Chiment’s outlet since he found a foam board in a local shop while in elementary school. Born and raised in California, Chiment developed a love for the ocean of North County San Diego. From the second he rode his first wave, he was determined to learn how to surf. Soon after, his brother let him camp out in his backyard with friends by Swamis in Encinitas and supplied him with his first board purchased at a garage sale. When Chiment paddles out, he said, “it is like being a child again.” Chiment long boards Santa Barbara’s Leadbetter wave, short boards a local big wave at Rincon and travels to Maui for warm winter waves at Lahaina. 25
Dreamiest Eyes: Pierce O’Donnell
Best Huggers: Dani Abrams & Miles McGovern
Best Smile: Joan Curran
Next Potential Couple: Philip Fauntleroy & Sarah Dillemuth 26
Cutest Couple: Lexi Yabsley & John Puzder
Your Best Valentine’s Day “Going to Magic Mountain.” -Joan Curran “Spending time with my wife and my children—maybe like a little movie night on the couch.” -Erik Faust “Going to a very nice dinner and surprising her with her favorite movie and dessert. -Theo Berriet “I’d want my Valentine’s Day date to be super spontaneous—like going on an exciting adventure.” -Holly Tobias “It honestly depends on the girl, for me, whatever she wanted to do.” -Henry Farrell “It would be snowing outside and we would sit inside by the fire and have hot chocolate with marshmallows.” -Clara Hillis “Waking up to Jeannine’s and then walking my dog Chloe on the beach at Henry’s. Then going in a helicopter over Thailand. Flying to New York to eat dinner overlooking Times Square and then falling asleep at Le Bristol in Paris.” -Fiona Flynn
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by jack stein People die. Lives end all of the time, every day, yet life goes on, oblivious to the despair and sorrow flourishing in the small circle of loved ones surrounding the fallen. Every once in a while, however, there comes a death that does not just drift by in the wind. It sticks to the back of one’s conscious, gnawing at the heart. It is a loss that you can taste in the air, a black electricity that hangs over the heads of us all. In January, the world collectively mourned one such passing. A man who was a cultural icon and a true deity of the music world. David Bowie, from his debut in 1967 to his final work released mere days before his untimely passing, changed the world of style and music in revolutionary ways. He immortalized the genre of glam rock and brought it to the forefront of the minds of the public in ways that many never considered possible. At age 69, Bowie was far too young to die, and we lost one of history’s great artists. Whether you love or hate his unique style of music, it is impossible to ignore the indelible mark he left on the art world, and the way he changed the way society views culture as a whole. I managed to get a quote from our head of school, who happens to be a David Bowie super-fan. “As I dove into his previous recordings, what struck me then, and continues to do so now, is the variety of ways he experimented with both his sound and his identity,” Rob Hereford said. This statement sums up the course of Bowie’s career: he would change the way the public saw him, the way he saw himself, with each new album. He was a man of many faces, each one completely new in its own right. David Bowie managed leave countless artists inspired in his wake. Among those who claim to draw influence from his style are Nirvana’s Kurt Cobain, Lady Gaga, and Queen. And those are only three of the countless groups who were inspired to, by Bowie, push past the limits of what had been done before. They, like him, changed the world of music in amazing ways. Who was David Bowie? He was a revolutionary, an alien, a musician, an outsider, an icon, a hero, and, above all, a true artist. He will be missed, and remembered through the somehow glorious strangeness that his music managed to capture.
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-ROB HEREFORD, HEAD OF SCHOOL AND BOWIE SUPERFAN
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Introducing Bernie Sanders, a different kind of candidate. If Bernie becomes President, he will balance taxes. And maybe, in the short term, some of us living it up in Santa Barbara might have to live on a budget for a few months, but this isn’t about having the freedom to buy as many jet skis as you want for your beach cabana. It’s about giving kids the chance to go to college, and people the chance to get an otherwise expensive surgery that could save their lives. Bernie will take the necessary steps towards making college and healthcare accessible for all economic classes. He will get things done. And if Trump gets elected? Well, I hear that Canada’s a lovely place to live. Great skiing, and a lot less Trump. But in the meantime, we need to focus on the short term. Before he even has a chance at the oval office, he needs to win the candidacy against Hillary, and that’s certainly proving itself to be an uphill battle. So, please. I am not asking you to give away your beliefs just because of one article. That wouldn’t be fair. All I ask is that you take a single moment. Take a moment, and think about a country that’s falling apart, a loudmouth monster, two corrupted political parties, and the one guy who’s just a little less corrupt than the rest of the presidential race he was roped into. Just take one moment, and please, do your best to feel the Bern. You just might like it.
As you read this, there is a political revolution taking place. In February, there was a benefit at the Ace Hotel, a benefit that I attended with my father. This was no ordinary benefit: while on the one hand Trump and Clinton were raking in the big bucks from large wig corporations, Bernie Sanders on the other hand chose to rely solely on the support and funding of his voters. Instrumental in this strategy is what he calls “The Artists for Bernie,” a group of cultural leaders ranging from comedian John C. Reilly to inventor Mark Wozniak, who raise awareness and money for his cause. The benefit was headlined by none other than the popular funk/punk band the Red Hot Chili Peppers. The Peppers rocked a 12-song set that was a mix of hits and classics, even throwing in a tribute to David Bowie in the form of a cover of his song “Cracked Actor.” The night was explosive, political, and riotously entertaining, and really solidified my support for the great Bernie Sanders. I am looking forward to, to quote his campaign, “A future to believe in,” proudly supported by some of the greatest artists of our day. Just take it from the Red Hot Chili Peppers: Bernie is not just a solid choice for U.S. president in 2016, he’s the only choice. His supporters rally around him, the crotchety old man who stole the hearts of countless Americans. Bernie is for the everyman, and the Chili Peppers are trying to get the rest of the country to see it. He may strike you as just another old guy, looking out and rambling on about what he thinks is wrong with our country, but the truth is, he is right. There is something seriously wrong with our country. No. There are many things that are wrong with our country, and Bernie is the only candidate who’s really acknowledging what those things are. The gap between the lower and upper classes is a travesty. Two thirds of all college students graduate with crushing debt following them for years to come. Our so-called “democracy” is run behind the scenes by big corporations only in it for the money. Bernie doesn’t just want to point out what’s wrong with the country: he wants to revolutionize the way that we go about fixing those problems. He isn’t Hillary: railing against Wall Street while taking their donations. He isn’t Trump: blatantly spitting on everything that America stands for. He’s an old man from Vermont who sees what’s wrong in America and has a plan to fix it. And that’s a movement that I feel is exactly what this country needs. 30
your guide to the perfect staycation by mia waters and fiona flynn
1. Bike along the Mesa, hike Inspiration Point or Tangerine Falls, and have a picnic.
2. Head to Stearns Wharf and enjoy some ice cream, go paddle boarding or kayaking, rent a surrey and go for a ride, or lay by the beach with your friends.
3. Dine at the Honor Bar, Ca’ Dario, Crushcakes, The Lure, or Lilac Patisserie
photos: mia waters and fiona flynn
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observing
at the los angeles art book fair photos & text by luisa cameron
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I enter the giant halls of the MOCA museum. Collectors, artists, graphic designers, publishers, and curators all swarm like bees around honey, exploring the museum’s labyrinthine setup. People hover around tables piled high with printed matter. MOCA’s white walls are covered in murals and posters, and hundreds of book lovers browse through stacks of publications, flipping page after page. Held twice a year, once in New York and once in Los Angeles, the Art Book Fair represents “publishing at its most innovative and affordable, to rare and antiquarian dealers offering out-ofstock print books and ephemera from art and artist book history” (via their website). This year’s fair saw almost 40,000 visitors over the course of three days, and as much as it was a fair, it was a fashion show. The public come here to discover new publications while to showcasing personal style. Quirky teens, tattooed hipsters, gender benders, grunge geeks, and normcore couples alike meander through MOCA’s anti-mainstream maze. It’s an extravaganza of American Apparel outfits and thrift store finds. Hats, cropped hair, dyed hair, chokers, retro glasses, high-waisted 501s, and septum piercings fill my vision. But the ultimate accessory –– the iPhone –– is glued to everyone’s hands, ready to Instagram their arrivals at the fourth annual LA Art Book Fair.
A man in a pink dress with bows in his hair floats by me, organizing the zines in his “Misandry” tote. A woman adjusts her choker and runs her long white nails through her short blue hair. A couple of teenagers wearing nothing but overalls share a cigarette outside. The crowd is artsy and self-aware. One installation piece is a woman texting her friends, her active phone screen projected onto the walls so everyone can watch. Her fingers type fast, sending messages like “did u see what i tweeted” and “what do u think of my new tattoo bb” and “let’s all get drinks tonight *emojis*.” The idea of anti-conformity has actually become a way of conforming. These people, ages 18-27, are working hard to look eccentric, yet at the same time, they make sure they appear as if they couldn’t care less. Posing as either unashamed extroverts or troubled introverts, the Art Book Fair attendees flock to MOCA to feel connected. Before I leave, I pick up a small pink zine with cute illustrations. I flip through the seven pages, and put it down when I read its price tag: $800. No thank you. Like the heightened preciousness of a cheaply printed zine, the artistic expression of some millenial’s identity, everyone is so unique, that no one is unique anymore.
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an interview with humanities instructor anna alldredge by luisa cameron / photos: carson shevitz
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what would you do if
we asked laguna’s highschoolers just that question by jacqueline berci, mia w
f you won the lottery?
ion, and here are some of the answers we received. ia waters and payton hassan
text and graphics by luisa cameron 38 38
Coolness is an elusive quality. It’s not too hot, and it’s not too cold. It’s cool. We all want to be cool. But what does that mean? Is it a certain swagger? The shoes you wear? Your personality? Or are the coolest people unaware that they’re “cool?” Shakespeare seemed to know how to stay cool. In Hamlet, he writes, “Upon the heat and flame of thy distemper, sprinkle cool patience.” In this Elizabethan sense, “cool” connotes rationality and calmness. Today, we are advised to “keep our cool.” Yet, it’s also an adjective describing more than mere composure; a word embodying a slippery mix of suavity, style, hipness and social poise. We decided to poll students asking if they thought they were cool. Eighty percent thought they were. But twenty percent responded “No.” Whether this was a result of lack of self-confidence or mere modesty, every student was able to define what they thought made a person cool. The most popular response was one simple word: “confidence.” The runners up were “good personality” and “sense of humor.” Despite the confusing concept of coolness, one solid golden rule remains: if you try too hard, you’ll never be cool. Below are a variety of anonymous answers from our high school students.
“They have swagger.” “Being happy and not caring what people think of you”
“Disrespecting authority” “Being different”
“If you think you’re cool, then you’re cool”
“Not being stupid”
“Cool people read good books and like to talk about life’s big questions and don’t care about popularity.”
“Clothes!” “I don’t know because I’m not cool.” “Cool can mean making bad choices, like drinking alcohol & doing drugs.”
“It’s how your friends see you”
“Everyone is cool” 39 39
“If they’re like me, they’re cool.”
“Anti-materialism”
“Being able to laugh at yourself”
“Being hot” “Originality” “They’ve just got that vibe”
say something are digital interactions silencing ‘real’ ones? by kailea hieshima
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onsidering the fact that a couple of days ago I walked into a stop sign while texting, I’m going to say that the answer to that question is a resounding “yes.” I was too busy looking at my phone to look up, talk to the person I was with, and figure out that there was a big fat stop sign right in front of me. Now, the reason why I’m telling you this (somewhat embarrassing) little anecdote isn’t for you to feel sorry for me or, probably more realistically, laugh at me. The point is, today, we’re spending way too much time communicating through texting, emailing, Facebook messaging, and whatever else we use.
We are so obsessed with our electronic devices that we can’t even take two seconds to look up and notice that there’s a giant red sign standing in our way. And it pains me to say this. Literally... my face still hurts. You could say that texting is “real” conversation, but, to put it bluntly, it’s not. How do you convey emotion through text? A sad face emoji? It’s just not the same as a face-to-face conversation. And the worst thing about texting? The fact that it is incredibly hard to convey sarcasm. And that’s terrible because I’m a really sarcastic person. And, yes, you could say something about the audiosending button, but, let’s be honest,
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that thing’s useless. The other day, I accidentally sent someone a 20-secondlong clip of me eating cereal. But don’t get me wrong, there’s a ton of great things that come with texting, Snapchatting, Facebooking, etc. I, for one, probably spend more time on Snapchat than I do asleep, but that’s beside the point. In the end, it’s your choice whether or not you want to stop texting and have a real conversation, but even if you choose not to, at least look up once in awhile because there’s nothing more ironic than running into a bright red sign that says “Stop” in all capital letters.
graphic: bea tolan
ever heard of snapchat? who would have thought that a fun-looking ghost could help you in business? by sydney edgecomb
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ven if you don’t have the app Snapchat, you probably know what it is. Created in 2011, the app has become one of the most popular social media apps around the world with over 8,000 photos being shared every second. That may not seem like a lot, but with a total of 6 billion videos being sent every day, Snapchat has one of the biggest audiences of any social media app in the world—100 million daily active users. Using Snapchat is pretty simple. You take a short video or picture and send it to people who are your “friends.” You can also post a picture on your story, which makes everyone able to see it for 24 hours before it disappears into the cyber universe. This simple interface is one of the reasons Snapchat is so popular. Like all social media programs that have become popular, Snapchat is starting to change from a photo sharing network used mostly by teenagers to a profitable business tool. With unique new features like ‘Snapcash,’ an easy way for users to send money to each other via
the chat feature, the marketing potential is only growing. Although some major media companies such as Buzzfeed, Cosmopolitan, and CNN have started to use this massive audience to advertise their products– the app’s potential still remains, mostly, untapped. With user base, between the ages of 13 through 38 using Snapchat, why wouldn’t
any company try to take advantage of the social media app? A Forbes survey found that 62 percent of young adults are likely to become a customer if a brand interacts with them on social media. In this modern day and age, traditional advertisement reaches a limited audience and the next generation is completely unaffected by it, and although Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram are highly successful advertisers, it is clear that they lack the same personal touch that Snapchat provides. Photos and videos are sent with a limited time window, which means the user has to pay attention. Also, colorful images and pop-up messages serve to grab the attention of the user, documenting what is happening ‘now’ in an authentic and unique way. However, Snapchat being a useful tool to entrepreneurs is completely up to them, but it’s clearly something to consider. Social media advertising, an ever-growing market, is definitely the future.
graphic: phillip hicks
the masks we wear Makeup. The word itself is pretty self-explanatory—making yourself up. Makeup can be used in different ways for different reasons—and at times even misused. It is understandable why we feel makeup makes us look more appealing, but why do so many girls and women feel the need to better their appearance?
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hen I was seven years old, after I cut my hair giving myself some particularly uneven bangs, I sneaked into my mother’s makeup drawer to scribble red lipstick on nearly half of my face. I wanted to be a big girl. At seven, I clearly hadn’t mastered the concept of coloring in between the lines (or keeping lipstick on the lips) yet I knew it was intended to make me look “prettier.” We live in an extremely fast-paced world where people are judged by a quick glance or even just a swipe through one’s Instagram feed—physical beauty is heavily applauded thus it is understandable why women and girls of all ages feel compelled to improve their appearance with makeup. Yet, however fast-paced and appearance-oriented society today may be, the idea of making up our face is no new philosophy. In 4000 BC, women in Egypt used to apply different forms of copper and minerals to color and define their faces. The reason we wear make up is to edge closer to what we, as a race, define as “beauty.” Obviously, the details of how we define this ominous word vary between cultures and time periods, however several attributes remain constant in almost every known definition of beauty. We are programmed to be attracted to physical characteristics that suggest reproductive health or health in general.
by jacqueline berci graphic:sonya kotler This is the psychological reasoning as to why we are attracted to those who portray youthfulness, physical fitness, and symmetry. For instance, younger people generally appear to have bigger eyes in correlation with their face. This is why makeup products meant to emphasize our eyes including eye shadow, eye liner and mascara are assumed to make people more attractive; the purpose of eye make up is to draw attention to your eyes, make them appear larger and more vibrant—demonstrating youth. According to a study done by the Renfrew Center Foundation, an organization that is
“44 percent of women feel unattractive without makeup” meant to aid those with eating disorders, 44 percent of women feel unattractive without makeup. Makeup has become something that many women and girls feel dependent on. The ideals women are collectively trying to impart upon young girls as well as the greater realm of society is that beauty comes from within; the idea of natural beauty is supposed to empower women. Yet, we are constantly advertising the thousands of products and treatments out there meant to help women alter, hide, or accentuate things about themselves in order 42
to attain what they believe to be beautiful. Ironically, we even go so far as to strive to have our makeup look natural. A full face of make up has become the norm so much so that celebrities are pointed out and praised for daring to go out in public bare-faced. Often girls or women say they wear make up for themselves—because it makes them feel better. For instance, a Laguna upper school girl said she wears make up “because it makes [her] feel more put together.” Most people would agree with this idea—when you look good, you feel good. However, when wearing makeup becomes a necessity to go out in public without feeling embarrassed or self-conscious is when it can actually lower our self esteem. When I asked another Laguna high schooler why she wore makeup I was met with the response, “because I feel ugly without it.” Something that is intended to make us feel more confident in our appearance in turn can actually lower our self-esteem because we develop a dependence or even a mere habit of wearing makeup, so when all of the artificial products are gone, girls now feel not “pretty” enough to go out in the world. Although I think I am slightly better at applying make up these days than I was at age seven, I am only beginning to understand this conflicting phenomenon of painting our faces full of makeup and then encouraging “natural beauty.”
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local food on wheels
by amanda skinner graphic: sonya kotler
Who would have thought that I would actually have a fun time tracking down the next best thing since sliced bread—gourmet food trucks. Food trucks are all the rage in gourmet dining, but the real trick is actually find them. Food trucks are sly when it comes to their locations and seem to enjoy having people hunt them down, driving from one great semi-hidden location to another. It makes sense. . . think about it. . . you are working up an appetite to eat. But who doesn’t love a little challenge every once in a while, especially when good food is involved? Of course, modern day technology comes to our rescue. Here in Santa Barbara, the app “Yelp” and the individual food truck websites make finding the best hot dogs in Santa Barbara a bit of a breeze. However, these social medias don’t excuse you from keeping an eye out. Food trucks always want you ready to hunt. Here is what I found out on my adventures (rated on a one to ten scale — one is worst, ten is best):
The Burger Bus
Tacos Pipeye
Dave’s Dogs 805
Quality of food: 3.5 Atmosphere: 6 Price: $$ Review: How long does it really take to make a burger? For the Burger Bus making a burger takes 20 minutes, and even then the cheese wasn’t melted. When you order the onion rings, which are just balls of onions soaked in oil, realize that the onion ring is comprised more of oil than of onion. Your stomach might not feel the best afterwards. Overall, not a pleasant experience.
Quality of food: 9 Atmosphere: 8 Price: $ Review: One can only best describe Tacos Pipeye in three words… fantastic, quick, and inviting. Tacos Pipeye had a wide variety of amazing traditional Mexican dishes at a price that made me want to try everything. After eating at Tacos Pipeye, one could say that it’s the best Mexican food place in town.
Quality of food: 9 Atmosphere: 7.5 Price: $ Review: Who would have known, that there are so many possible variations of hot dogs? From a pizza dog to your regular hot dog (like the one you would get at a baseball game), the options are endless and all seemingly delicious. And guess what. . . the wait was only five minutes. I highly recommend seeking out Dave’s Dogs 805.
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the illustrated interview with dug uyesaka
Artist and teacher extraordinaire shares some of his thoughts and assemblages. by luisa cameron
What makes you smile? Seeing people enjoying themselves.
If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be? Be better organized.
What is your idea of perfect happiness? I think that “perfect happiness” happens in increments all through our lives, both consciously and unconsciously. We just have to be open to the moment.
What is your greatest fear? Losing my sense of awe or wonder.
Please draw a self-portrait.
Who is your favorite person? My folks, the originators of my bad little zygote self.
What annoys you the most? Drivers who don’t use their turn signals and people who settle for less than they are capable of.
If you could have a superpower, what would it be? To fly . . .
What phrases do you overuse the most? Don’t really keep track, ask my students or my wife.
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lagunablanca school
art: luisa cameron
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