The Forge Newspaper of Santa Barbara High School

Welcome back!

2008-08-26T19:09:00.000-07:00

Welcome to the 2008-2009 school year. New year, new Forge. Look for details coming soon.

The Forge staff

What Capritto can do to improve his image

2008-05-23T12:42:00.000-07:00

Ryan Nagy
Staff Reporter

As this is the last issue of the Forge of the year and my last perspectives piece for this school newspaper, I would like to go out by sharing some of my ideas to the school.

First of all, to those who will continue school here: enjoy the moment. It’s easy to look into the future, especially when you become seniors and have universities and opportunities just months away; but try to remember that when you graduate, it’s all over. High school is over and there is no way of going back. So get involved with what the school has to offer, like clubs, or group activities.

I would also like to say that my four years are up, but the timing is fine because I am not exactly a fan of our principal.

Dr. Capritto, there are several things I would like to suggest to you to help how you do things at this school. After having three principals in four years, I would consider myself somewhat experienced with principals and their interactions with the students.

It appears as if you do not have a lot of fun with your job because you are nowhere to be seen during the day. Do you hide in your office, trying to avoid kids? I have seen you only a handful of times on campus between classes and I cannot recall you being on a bulletin this year. Maybe you were on the first one to introduce the new year. Our former principal, however appeared almost weekly to say something to the school.

And yes, although Mr. Turnbull ditched the students for more money, he was in the hall with his shades, talking to students and like Mr. Meister, saying, “Get to class.” But at least he was enjoying surrounding himself with students and in a way, going to high school again. So I encourage you to be visible to the students.

When I do see you, however, you do not do a sufficient job of connecting with the students. For example, when you speak to the students at an assembly, half of them do not pay attention to what you are saying. At least when formal principals Dr. Robertson or Mr. Turnbull spoke to kids, they were captivating, outgoing even and could communicate to us on our level.

So when you are walking around on campus, try to say hi to students, or talk to them.

Many of the administrators have fun with students and I have never seen, or heard of you doing that. For example, during the King of Hearts saga starring Michael Bagdasarian, Mr. Hodges showed up and played a role of an administrator who told Michael that no girl wanted to go to the dance with him. It was hilarious.

But that’s what working at a high school is all about. Of course there needs to be discipline and organization, but that needs to be balanced with a nurturing of the things that makes us kids. The teachers, counselors, security guards, coaches, and everyone on the faculty, understand this (and I hope you can demonstrate this too).

For instance, you took away the two-minute bells to confuse students about the time and prohibit them from socializing. Please don’t say that the two-minute bell is “confusing.” I do not think one of the thousands of students here, at the junior high or anywhere across the nation is confused by this two-minute bell concept. I am glad that they are back, but the fact that they were omitted in the first place, I believe, shows that you cater to the parents, or someone else other than the students, which I find unfortunate because I feel like the students should be your first priority.

Finally, never come after the Forge, or any other school production like you did when Karl Sandrich made his jokes. That was awful how you singled out Danny Langhorne and Ms. Bartz. Your approach to the situation was uncalled for and unprofessional. What’s worse is that even after parents gave you heat, I heard that someone asked you how you would handle the situation differently and you said you would not have changed anything. Dude, wrong answer.

Students need a gregarious, outspoken leader and this year you did not seem to be that way. I hope that next year you can relate to students better and be with them.

Forge editor Zac Estrada's reflection on four years on The Forge

2008-05-23T10:35:00.000-07:00

Those who have come to know me in the last four years know that I have had my heart set on being a journalist practically since day one. During those years people didn’t second guess me when I would be holding a camera while sitting in the stands at volleyball games, or how I would be on the sidelines at the football games. They would only have to look over and see me feverishly writing notes on the back of my math homework at any school event.

I remember signing up for Journalism freshman year because I wanted to see if being on the newspaper staff would be able to shake the desire to be a reporter out of me. Being the editor of the Perspecitves pages didn’t do it. However, as young and naive as I was freshman year, nothing really phased me in the process. I just thought it was cool to have my name in print and under “editor.” Plus it was nice to brag about all of the seniors I knew, especially those who thought I was a junior.

Nothing was as much of a thrill and a challenge as being Editor-in-Chief. As a sophomore, I really didn’t know anything about being the top in the staff hierarchy. I hardly knew the software. But I knew I would be up to the task and the rest of the staff stood behind me because it was clear I was most devoted to the paper.

There were hurdles in every issue that, as Editor-in-Chief, I learned to deal with. The King of Hearts center spread of 2006, for example, nearly killed me after I was here until 7:30 at night working on putting together the entire page and hoping our printer hadn’t given away our printing time.

It’s also been an interesting time to be involved in a newspaper, especially in Santa Barbara. After the News-Press meltdown during the summer of 2006, the responsibility of maintaining an accurate record of events not only at SBHS, but in Santa Barbara as well, became increasingly important. As a source of history, the media cannot play favorites and report simply on what the staff wants. Newspapers, especially this one, have a huge obligation to the community they serve.

It was also amazing to write a number of articles for The Forge. For example, I wrote about the director of Ray, Taylor Hackford, who is a graduate of SBHS. And I worked on the campaigns of four city council candidates in November to discover what it was like to knock on doors and call voters at dinner time.

Needless to say, after four years and 51 issues, including an issue I put together with incoming freshmen to teach them how to publish a Forge, I don’t think I’m free of the news bug. I’ve grown to live with deadlines. I’m used to being on the edge of a nervous breakdown every two weeks or so as we send the paper off to the printer. And there’s an incredible feeling when working under the pressure of angry section editors breathing down my neck waiting for a very overdue story.

At the end of last year someone wrote in my yearbook something along the lines of ‘you have a thankless job as the editor of The Forge but you’re really good at it.’ I’ll take that kind of complement even though I don’t really view being part of The Forge as a thankless position. Yes, it’s hard work. Each year’s staff has had personalities so full of quirks that Holden Caulfield would appear normal by comparison. And on certain days while trying to get an issue out, the tension between Danny and me would rival that of the Montagues and Capulets.

But I’m still a journalist at heart. As it turned out there were too many successes and too few follies and ego-crushing moments to destroy my passion for writing, photography, editing, and running a newsroom. I can’t say that five years from now I’ll be working off my student loans as a reporter for a daily news outlet, or that 50 years on I’ll be my generation’s Bob Woodward uncovering a Washington D.C. scandal. What I can say is that five or 50 years from now I can think about my stint at The Forge and know I wouldn’t trade it for anything.

Zac Estrada Rosales
Perspectives Editor 2004-05
Editor-in-Chief 2005-07
News and Photo Editor 2007-08

Danny Langhorne's reflection on the last four years on The Forge

2008-05-23T10:32:00.001-07:00

With my last issue of the Forge completed I feel like reflecting on my time as a part of the staff. Now that the end has come I start to think about my induction into the paper. I remember during my journalism class on the first day freshman year our adviser, Ms. Bartz, took the entire class to the Green Academy just a short walk up the hill from our classroom. She pointed to the Green Academy and asked us how was school fortunate enough to have such a program. As we all remained silent she replied that this was what journalism was all about, finding out the facts about what is going around us on campus.

After grappling with whether or not I really wanted to be a committed member of the staff as a freshman I went into sophomore year as Entertainment Editor. What helped me decide that I did want to do this was my end of the year project in which each staff reporter is required to put together an entire page that is publishable for the Forge. After completing it I thought that this was something that I could actually do. Becoming Entertainment Editor came with its own problems. I started writing a column on video games because that was the type of writing I liked to read and I knew that there was a population of the school that wasn’t being catered to. But in doing this I got labeled as the “video game guy.” It was then that I became committed to never being referred to that way again. I went on to take more responsibility as Managing Editor and later Editor-in-Chief.

Since then the reactions I have received regarding the Forge have not all been pleasant. I have personally been called immature by Dr. Capritto in my refusal to print a retraction for accurately quoting our Senior Class President Karl Sandrich in the King of Hearts issue. One student told me that we presented information inaccurately, that there are numerous misspelled words (even though we spell check everything before it is printed), and other comments that are not fit for print.

If I have learned anything though from the malicious attacks on former News-Press Editor Jerry Roberts is that people will say anything to discredit and put down a journalist with whom they have a personal problem. I do not liken myself to Roberts in anyway but there does seem to be a common thread in our experiences.

All journalists must take the bad with the good criticism and I have been forced to do this with the controversial topics I have covered during the years. If the Forge has taught me anything it is the ability to take criticism. This would be one of the most important gifts the paper has given me. But it has also taught me to take a stand for myself and good journalism.

From day one our adviser has told us that when people want to know what was going on at Santa Barbara High School in the coming decades the first page of history they will look at the Forge. My only hope is that I have been able to leave a clear picture of SBHS during my time here so that this is possible.

I am extremely proud to have worked with all of the members of the various staffs since I have been here. Last year we were rated as a First Place Paper by the National Scholastic Press Association and were awarded as Gold Medalists by the Columbia Scholastic Press Association.

The Forge had so many talented seniors that left last year that I have to say that I was concerned about the ability of this year’s staff. My assumptions were quickly put to rest after the first issue of the Forge. This year we had the best staff in my four years on the staff. While some have had trouble with their commitment to the Forge, when the time came to put together this last issue of the year everyone came together and worked hard.

Those who are staying next year have my full confidence in their ability to put out a professional newspaper and I look forward to seeing how they continue this great tradition.

Danny Langhorne
Staff Reporter 2004-05
Entertainment Editor 2005-06
Managing Editor 2006-07
Editor-in-Chief 2007-08

Letter from the Editor-in-Chief

2008-05-23T10:32:00.000-07:00

On behalf of the Forge Staff of 2008 and the many staffs that Ms. Bartz has advised I would like to thank her for her time, effort, and dedication to The Forge during her time at SBHS. Ms. Bartz has spent countless hours of time reading and editing student work, taking photographs at sporting events, and a variety of other tasks for the paper that have gone above and beyond what is required of her as a teacher and what is compensated by the school district.

But it is not just time and effort that she has given to the students who have walked into the newsroom. Her experience as a newspaper advisor, a member of the journalism community, and a scholar has proved invaluable to all that we do at the Forge. She has also inspired a love for this strange thing we do in dozens of students including myself. It is one thing for an educator to say that they will stand up for a student but it is a different thing entirely for them to actually do so. It is a reality of our field that not everyone agrees with what we always publish and over the years Ms. Bartz has taken heat from administrators, teachers, students, and parents on our behalf; something that is not in the contract of any educator.

Members of the staff will attest to the fact that we do not always agree with her methods or suggestions but after the dust settles when the paper is printed we are thankful for what Ms. Bartz does for the paper. Any confrontation that occurs between members of the staff and her is because we all want each issue to be the best possible.
I think it is easy for some teachers to become detached from the reality that they are working with teenagers that still have some maturing to do. Whenever the staff has had to remind her of this she has taken it with a sense of humor and understanding that I don’t think many people our age would expect an adult to have.

Next year not just this publication but Santa Barbara High School as a whole will be losing a truly valuable resource. The loss will be tremendous to the Forge but the determination that Ms. Bartz helped the senior editors foster among the staff after the devastating robbery in February will continue after she is gone. But with the mantra that has been beaten into us as students at SBHS (once a Don always a Don) the staff and I realize that with such a tight knit community of Santa Barbara which is made even tighter by our love of journalism our adviser will never leave entirely.

Danny Langhorne
Editor-in-Chief

Letter: Red Hand Week

2008-05-23T10:31:00.000-07:00

Dear Editor,

There are over 250,000 soldiers under the age of 18 actively and illegally fighting in war zones around the world. The Red Hand Campaign is the perfect and easiest way for everyone at SBHS to help put a stop to this. A treaty came into effect in February 2002 banning the use of soldiers under the age of 18 in war. However, as many as 20 of the countries who signed this treaty are not abiding by it. The Red Hand Campaign is an effort to present one million red handprints with signatures to the UN in order to show them that we care deeply about the enforcement of this treaty.

The week of May 27-30 is our “Red Hand Awareness Week” at school and we will be providing multiple opportunities for each and every student to give their handprint and/or signature, and it is very important that everyone participates. We’ll be on the senior lawn as well as wandering around every day at lunch.

There is absolutely no reason not to be a part of this important movement: no money is required, and barely any time. Just show up and be counted. Most importantly, it is a big issue that drastically affects the lives of kids just like us every single day. If these government groups are corrupt enough to use 13-year-olds in combat, they obviously do not stop there. Many children are given a quota for the number of people they must kill everyday in order not to be killed themselves. The psychological damage that is done to hundreds of thousands of children is everlasting. A sixteen year old girl from Central Africa opened up to a Human Rights Watch worker and shared, “I feel so bad about the things that I did. It disturbs me so much that I inflicted death on other people. I still dream about the boy from my village that I killed. I see him in my dreams, and he is talking to me, saying I killed him for nothing, and I am crying.”

In sunny Santa Barbara it is hard to imagine that these things are happening to hundreds of thousands of members of our generation around the world, but they are, and these kids are helpless, but we have a chance to do something about it. The Red Hand Campaign is the perfect way for us to get involved because it gives us the opportunity to make a huge difference in a world problem affecting our peers. All we need to do is dedicate a few minutes of our time to sign our names or leave a handprint. Our collection of red hands and signatures will join the handprints being gathered worldwide and then be delivered to the UN by Human Rights Watch workers and possibly some SBHS ambassadors next February.

Anna Minsky
Junior

Staff Editorial: No news might be bad news for students

2008-05-23T10:29:00.000-07:00

The impending restrictions on students in the Santa Barbara High School District are starting to get out of hand. Next year there’s a good chance if you use a cell phone or iPod on campus, you’ll lose it. And let’s not forget the dress code changes that could finally be voted on soon.

For better or worse, clothing has come to define who we are as adolescents. Therefore it’s important to decipher what our friends at the District decide to tell us what to wear.

District officials are finally aware that gang members are dressing in clothing that the people important to them can distinguish as one group of hoodlums compared to another.

The intentions are possibly good. It’s reasonable to prevent gangs from affiliating in any way. But once again, we’re being told what to wear. Before long, we could be dressing in olive polo shirts and khaki pants, while girls will be told to wear some sort of plaid skirt that anyone wouldn’t want to be caught dead in.

Moreover, even the District doesn’t know how to say what it wants to do. The first proposal was rejected by the board because the wording in the official code of conduct was too vague, and subsequent votes have been unsuccessful with the board members.

The electronics ban is also a little up in the air. Students may think it’s the end of the days when they can use their phones to text their friends during class, but in fact there isn’t a formal plan to enforce the new district discipline code yet.

Board members don’t want to be painted as the villains in this situation, and they shouldn’t be. It should be simple to ask that students refrain from putting their texting above learning on their priority list of things to do during class. But it hasn’t been that simple.

What strikes everyone as controversial is the idea that students (or teachers for that matter) won’t be given the freedom to use their phones or iPods on their free time at lunch or between classes. But there’s the rub. It’s the little parts of our lives that feel as though they’re being stripped away. But it’s too early to start pointing fingers.

Student clubs raise awareness of children used in combat

2008-05-23T10:25:00.000-07:00

Danny Langhorne
Editor-in-Chief

Two groups of students on campus have resolved to make a difference in the global fight against the use of child soldiers. The two groups have worked independently to meet this issue head on but as the school year comes to a close both are staging events to spark student activism as students head into the notoriously lazy months of summer.

The first event is called Red Hand Week which is being organized by a group of APPLe students. It has been organized to focus attention on the United Nations’ lack of enforcement of a treaty signed by nations in conflict promising that they would end their use of children in military or logistical activities. One of the event’s organizers junior Anna Minsky said, “Our goal is to let the UN know it is not okay with them not enforcing the treaty in these countries. We want to see something done about it!”

APPLe is conducting this as a part of the international movement called the Red Hand Campaign led by Human Rights Watch, World Vision, and Amnesty International USA. Its goal is to send the signatures and hand prints of a million children and teenagers to the United Nations on the anniversary of the treaty’s signing on February 12, 2009.

The students were introduced to the Red Hand Campaign by a group from UCSB. “Two of the UCSB students have been working as mentors and helping us plan this week. They first came to us right before spring break and we have been planning since early April,” said Minsky.

Vicki Riskin of Human Rights Watch came and spoke to APPLe about the use of child soldiers as one of their monthly speakers and asked them if they wanted to get involved in this movement.

The students involved in the event include Lito Hernandez, Rachel Love, Margo Slaff, Elly Iverson, Brian Joseph, Larissa Lavender, Julie Friedman, Giovanna Acton, Lauren Savet, Madison Taylor, Jackie Jiminez, Ty Vestal, and Kimi Van Wickle.

The other group on campus engaged in the fight against the use of child soldiers is the Invisible Children Club. On Wednesday the club screened the documentary “Invisible Children,” the inspiration for the club, in the theater. The documentary tells the story of a boy named Sunday, a displaced kid living in Uganda who is moved out of his war torn home by the government into a camp where conditions are almost as inhumane as his home.

The Club is the brain child of juniors Billy Grokenberger and Parker Peterson after both of them saw the documentary. “Billy and I went to this screening of this film at Dos Pueblos High and when you see it you want to do something. We thought showing this was the best thing we could do at SB to make a difference,” said Peterson.

Money raised by the Invisible Children club will be sent to Uganda through the Schools for Schools program. Schools for Schools is run by the non-profit organization also called Invisible Children. “All of the money we will raise (at the) screening will go directly into Schools for Schools and through that to Sacred Heart School in Uganda,” said Peterson.

Schools for Schools is a program that helps build schools for displaced and abused children in Uganda through fund raising done by students in the United States. Each participating high school and college in the US is matched up with a school being built in Uganda. According to Parker Peterson the Invisible Children movement was started by, “three guys out of college who decided to take a trip to Africa to see if [the violence] was as bad as they were saying on the news.”

Anna Minksy from Red Hand Week said, “Invisible Children is doing great things on campus... hopefully [they] will just magnify the importance of this issue.”

Wall of Fame adds five new honorees

2008-05-23T08:44:00.000-07:00

Zac Estrada Rosales
News Editor

The Santa Barbara High School Alumni Association and members of the leadership class inducted five new members into the school’s Wall of Fame on May 16 in a ceremony at the SBHS theater.

Charles Ott Jr. ‘37, Peter Jordano ‘52, Sam Cunningham ‘69, Gary Goddard ‘70, and Tom Curren ‘82 were added to the wall.

Other members inducted in previous years include Charles Schwab and Martha Graham.

Ott is a graduate of Stanford. Shortly after his graduation in 1941 he started his army service during World War II. In 1950 he joined the 40th Infantry Division of the California National Guard. In 1974 he was appointed by the President of the United States as Director of the Army National Guard.

Peter Jordano is the CEO of the Jordano’s food supply company in Santa Barbara. He also serves on many community boards.

Sam Cunningham is a former Dons football player and track and field athlete. He later attended USC and was named an All-American in 1972 and Player of the Game in the 1973 Rose Bowl. He had a career in the NFL with the New England Patriots.

Tom Curren is a three-time World Surfing Champion. He rode for Channel Island surfboards and co-designed some of the boards he rode on.

Gary Gooddard wrote, directed, and starred in his own musicals during his time in the SBHS drama department. After graduating, he worked on several Walt Disney projects including The Hoop Dee Doo Wild West Dinner and redesigned and restaged the Polynesian Luau for Walt Disney World. He is the owner of Gary Goddard Productions.

Jewelry instructor leaves SBHS for personal endeavour

2008-05-23T08:42:00.000-07:00

Danny Langhorne
Editor-in-Chief

Jewelry and sculpture instructor, Ms. Jennifer Rabe, is leaving SBHS after 11 years of teaching. She had been making jewelry professionally before and during her time at SBHS and is leaving to pursue a career in high end jewelry making.

Ms. Rabe’s husband, who is also a jeweler, started his own business three years ago and she is planning to work with him after leaving the education field. and to pursue her own jewelry making.

“I have always wanted to work for myself and I wanted to do it now before I got too old. I also was more comfortable leaving while someone I knew who would be qualified and interested is applying for the job,” said Ms. Rabe.

Because the person she is suggesting for the job is not guaranteed the position of the jewelry teacher she could not release the person’s name.

She was brought into the jewelry program on campus by her predecessor Ms. Lorber in 1997. “[She was] the teacher who introduced me to jewelry here as a student. I am a Don, and she really inspired in me the love for jewelry so I wanted to bring that back to the students,” says Ms. Rabe. After Ms. Lorber left Rabe took over.

The American Gem Trade Association competition awarded Ms. Rabe a first place for the jasper butterfly she submitted to the evening wear category. “I won last year and I am planning to enter this year,” said Ms. Rabe as to whether or not she will continue to enter jewelry competitions.

Even though she will be leaving the education system Ms. Rabe and her husband both still have love for teaching jewelry making. They plan to start making educational videos that will help educate rookie jewelers on a broader scale. “We’re going to make videos that would teach jewelers how to make jewelry that could be sold in a high end store but is simple to make. And even though these pieces would be simple they are still powerful,” said Ms. Rabe.

As to why the school should continue the jewelry program after she is gone Ms. Rabe says, “This school needs art teachers because students need the fine art requirement for the UC’s and elective credits.” To graduate students require elective credits and those applying to campuses of the University of California are also required to take two semesters of the same fine art.

This semester, Rabe also acquired new metal soldering stations which she had been looking to get for the program for the past five years. According to Rabe they have been difficult to get because they are a hot ticket item in the industry.

“I think I will miss the enthusiasm and fun side of teenagers,” said Ms. Rabe. “Students are also so creative and open.”

Those interested in purchasing or viewing Ms. Rabe’s work can go to her website at www.jenniferjoailliers.com.

Alumni Association awards selected seniors with scholarships

2008-05-23T08:41:00.000-07:00

Ryan Nagy
Staff Reporter

Thirty-two seniors have been awarded Santa Barbara High Alumni Scholarships this year. At a Santa Barbara High School alumni barbecue held at Manning Park in Montecito on May 17, about 100 parents and alumni met in a ceremony to honor the recipients.

Laura Wilson, the Alumni Board Vice President and Scholarship Chair, says that they look for “students who work hard and who have learned to take advantage of their time at SBHS... We also encourage students who might not have started high school intending to go to college, but who came late to the realization that they could and would study to make it happen.”

The first Santa Barbara High Alumni Scholarship was “given in 1974 for only $50.00,” said Wilson. Since then, however, the association has donated more than $510,000.

The Alumni Association does not just award those who have good grades, or who are involved in a bunch of extracurricular activities; they aim to give students a second chance and help those with, “enthusiasm and perseverance in the face of difficulties.”

All of these scholarships are “donated by alumni or groups of alumni, some with specific goals,“ according to Wilson. “The Class of 1962 Scholarship, for example, is intended for a student who is not (planning) to start a four-year college, but who wants a technical or vocational education.”

Since the program was started 34 years ago, Wilson says the amount of scholarships given out has reached $510,000. She estimates about 600 students have been awarded.

Disconnected: SBHS yet to determine how to enforce district's electronics

2008-05-23T08:39:00.000-07:00

Zac Estrada Rosales
News Editor

By the start of classes in the fall, students walking with headphones in the halls or texting while talking to their friends could possibly be a thing of the past.

Last Tuesday the Santa Barbara School District board voted 3-2 to ban the use of electronic devices such as mobile phones and MP3 players on all campuses during school hours. For students, this will mean they are forbidden to use such electronics until after their last class ends.

But administrators at Santa Barbara High School are not yet sure how the new policy will be enforced in the fall.

At the May 13 meeting, board members Nancy Harter and Annette Cordero were against the policy, calling it unreasonable and unenforceable.

But the other members, Kate Parker Laura Malakoff, and Bob Noel, disagreed, and said students should be spending their class time listening to their teachers, and their free time interacting with other students.

The District does not have a standing rule on the use of electronic devices in class at the moment, but each school has added its own rules over the years. At Santa Barbara High School, all electronic devices are not allowed during class. However it is the teacher’s responsibility to confiscate the device and turn it into the Assistant Principal’s office for the student’s parent to pick up.

Kate Parker, who voted for the amendment to the discipline code, said the new rules ban the usage, not possession of electronics on campus. “Many districts across the nation, including New York City schools, have forbidden the actual possession of cell phones at school,” she said, “but we have not gone that far.”

Assistant Principal Dave Meister said, “the changes to the discipline code will make changes for the better in terms of thefts relating to cell phones and MP3 devices.” He said there have been more than 100 students reporting phones and iPods stolen.

But Meister said that nothing has been made official as far as enforcing the new district policy is concerned. So far there is no plan to monitor the use of cell phones between classes and during lunch.

“Students should be able to carry cell phones with them for a variety of safety reasons,” said Nancy Harter, who cast one of the two dissenting votes. “But phone and iPod use during the school day can present problems from minor interruptions to the more serious prospect of cheating or sharing inappropriate information.”

A policy similar to the one instated by the District is already enforced at San Marcos High School and at the District’s junior high schools.

SBHS economics teacher John Bolitho has his doubts about the new policy. He does not allow phones to be visible during his classes, but not all students follow the rules. “Who is going to enforce it,” he said.

Bolitho said he has personally taken student phones to the AP office to be picked up, but does not make it a regular practice. He also said he did not think the new policy would not cut down on cheating through texting.

Students also have yet to be sold on the idea of not being able to pull out their phones at any point in the day. “It’s problematic because people need to use their cell phones for emergencies and to communicate with parents,” said freshman Michael Starnes. “It will cut down on cheating though. All in all, it’s more important as a device for making contacts.”

Theft puts damper on theater’s plans

2008-05-01T08:35:00.000-07:00

Ian Black
Staff Reporter

For the second time in two years, the theater department has been the victim of a robbery. It was obvious to the head of the theater department Otto Layman, that the robbery was premeditated. “It was obviously planned, and specific things targeted ... except from those things stolen from my office.” The thefts occurred just weeks before SBHS production of Beauty and the Beast which begins performances on May 9.

The list of stolen items is long and includes a projector, a power amp, microphone equipment, computer monitors, a laptop, and a DVD player.

The thefts have greatly affected the theatre department. “We’re trying to pay for a big production, and represent SBHS in Scotland in August and the loss of $17-18,000 worth of equipment is hard to overcome,” lamented Mr. Layman.

According to Mr. Layman, the robbers went through great lengths to steal the items in the theatre and his personal office. The thieves scaled the wall behind the MAD Academy and climbed onto the roof. From there, the thieves pried open the metal grate that covered the window into the dressing room. Then they entered the little gym, and forced open an old door that connected the little gym to Mr. Layman’s office. While in his office, they stole two monitors and a laptop.

Leaving Mr. Layman’s office, they entered the theatre through the big double doors at the back of the little gym, climbed up to the balcony, and stole the projector, power amp, and DVD player. The thieves even used a pair of bolt cutters they found in Mr. Layman’s office to cut the bolt on the sound cabinet and take the microphones.

To prevent this from happening again, Mr. Layman assured his students that “we are installing cameras and will have 24/7 surveillance of the theatre, and all doors into and out of the theatre.”

But more than anything, Mr. Layman feels “violated” and “betrayed,” since he believes that people within the school stole from not just the theatre but also The Forge and the Yearbook.

He finds that although many of the students at SBHS would never do such a thing, the fact there are some that do, “hurts [his] soul knowing we share the same school.”

Mr. Layman is unsure of how exactly the theatre department will purchase new equipment because “we just bought most of the items two months ago to upgrade the system.”

Staff Editorial: Bathroom behavior not to high school standards

2008-05-01T08:34:00.000-07:00

A lot of insane things happen at this school. Morp, for instance, is a night most students will probably look back on in 20 years and wonder what they were thinking by wearing three-foot long tube socks, pink spandex, and not much else. And that’s not even talking about what the girls were wearing.

But the latest bit of nonsense comes down from the administrative pipeline in the form of a memo sent to teachers from the assistant principal’s office. It stated that due to the smearing of excrement on the walls of boy’s bathrooms in the 60s wing and the English building, these restrooms were going to be threatened with closure.

The mental breakdown is certainly not on the part of our school’s administration. Instead it lies on the part of the clinically insane students who feel it’s amusing to play with their poop. Wrapping your mind around that image is hard enough. These are the kinds of things teachers told us not to do in second grade, and even then most of us had the sense not to do so. Then imagine ninth or tenth, maybe even 11th or 12th graders, finger painting in the bathroom.

Guys on this campus already have a hard enough time without having more bathroom closures. Girls bathrooms outnumber ones for boys approximately 2-1. And it continues to be a mystery as to why there’s toilet paper on the ground on all of them by 8:30 on most mornings.

To those boys who do not appreciate restroom facilities on campus, do us all a favor and if you must play with your waste, do it in your own bathroom. Then it won’t be the responsibility of our janitorial staff and other students’ problem to deal with.

Forge writers win awards at national convention

2008-05-01T08:33:00.000-07:00

The Forge, an award winning student newspaper. So says the staff box on the Perspectives page.

On April 18, six members of The Forge proved once again that statement to be true. I congratulate this year’s newspaper staff as a whole and especially six outstanding journalists who have proven they can be successful in one of the most competitive atmospheres of journalism.

At the national spring convention hosted by Journalism Education Association / National Scholastic Press Association, the six students pitted their skills against more than 1500 students (just a portion of the 4500 students who attended) who participated in the competition phase. Seniors Wendy Echeverria (Voice editor), Zac Estrada Rosales (News and Photo Editor), Danny Langhorne (Editor in Chief), James Yee (Entertainment editor), and juniors Minerva Peralta (Sports Reporter), and Maria Vallejo (Sports editor), attended the convention and competed.

Individual recognition was given to three of them: Danny Langhorne and James Yee earned honorable mentions in commentary and editorial writing, respectively. And Zac Estrada Rosales won an excellent award in news writing.

It takes a great deal of courage to walk into a room full of up to 300 people and pit personal writing skills against other. These Forge staff members did just that.

To sit there, to try to write a perfect story by hand, completing the story and not giving up makes each Forge member who attended and competed an awesome journalist.

Within the three day conference were competitions in every aspect of journalism / media / communication. The structure of the writing contest is a timed, two hour long writing experience. Each competitor needs to listen to a speaker for about 30-40 minutes. Questions are allowed for about 15 minutes to supplement the fact sheet that each student is given. All writing is by hand and must be finished in the time allotted. No breaks are given and if instructions are not followed, the entry is disqualified. The judges are a mix of journalism advisers, professional journalists and college graduate students and professors. There are moderators who, as in any writing test, monitor the situation

This competitive tradition dates to the earliest beginnings of The Forge, as evidenced in our archives. The Southern California Journalism Education Association has a writing and scholarship competition every year. On that organization’s permanent Sweepstakes Trophy, The Forge is listed many times as the winner.

Individual recognition is not the only criteria for being “award winning” Forge. Every year, The Forge sends six representative issues are selected and submitted to the be critiqued and judged by The National Scholastic Press Association and Columbia (University) Scholastic Press Association. Once again, The Forge was awarded a Gold Medal from the CSPA and First Place from NSPA.

I am so proud of them.

-Ruth Bartz
Adviser to The Forge since 1985.

Opinion: Are seniors still awake this late in the year?

2008-05-01T08:30:00.000-07:00

Ian Black
Staff Reporter

The same thing is on every senior’s mind: Why am I still here? Right after the end of spring break, school seemed like a formality and senoritis was more infectious than it had ever been.

It is almost impossible to pay close attention in class because most seniors already know their plans for next year, and are looking toward a future of bigger and brighter things. It’s hard to see the point in homework and assigned reading while imagining about how great it will be to graduate.

I know for many students, the one thing holding their attention is the quickly approaching AP tests taking place throughout May. But after that, who knows what’s going to happen.

For many students the year’s workload is over after that time, and class time is nothing more than card games and movies.

The administration threatens consequences for not going to class such as being prevented from going to prom and walking down the hill during graduation if a student has too many unexcused tardies and absences.

But realistically, this isn’t going to make much of a difference. Seniors are still going to come to class late or often not at all because as graduation closes in, they just continue to care less and less.

But for all the seniors out there, just remember there are only twenty-four academic school days left on the year. If we have toughed it out for fifteen and a half quarters, one more half quarter is nothing.

If anything, try and enjoy the last days of high school because you will never get them back. And who knows, maybe ten years from now you will the miss the lack of responsibility and stress that comes with being an adult. I know it’s hard to have this kind of mind set because of all the obvious advantages that come with life after high school, but life comes at you fast, and it won’t ever be the same.

I say keep looking forward to finally getting out of high school, but in the meantime, enjoy your last moments of adolescence.

Crow causes time change in grad ceremony

2008-04-21T10:57:00.000-07:00

Zac Estrada Rosales
News Editor
The time for the 2008 senior graduation ceremony has been moved to 3 p.m. on Thursday, June 12. Students were to walk down the hill at 6 p.m. that day.
Assistant Principal Hodges stated, “the time was changed because of a conflict with a Bowl performance. The change has advantages, that being more time for grads to be with families before departing for Grad nite at Disneyland.”
According to Santa Barbara Bowl director Sam Scranton, the change had more to do with Sheryl Crow’s performance schedule. He stated that Sheryl Crow could only come to Santa Barbara on June 12. Knowing that this is graduation time, he didn’t think the school “would go for it.” Scranton said he then contacted Assistant Superintendent Paul Turnbull, who contacted Principal Mark Capritto.
An agreement with the Bowl and the school district allows concert attendees to park at SBHS for a fee.
Scranton said he and Capritto worked out a deal in which SBHS will receive $5,000 to go towards an undisclosed arts program on campus. “The actual beneficiaries are to be determined through conversations with Mark Capritto,” said Scranton. This would be in addition to the standard rate the district receives for using the school to park cars for Bowl events. The parking attendants for the Bowl will provide parking services for the graduation ceremony.
The Santa Barbara Bowl Foundation will donate $140,000 this year to arts programs in Santa Barbara.

Band Aids: Music likely safe, librarians uncertain as district slashes budget

2008-04-21T10:56:00.000-07:00

Zac Estrada Rosales
News Editor
As the school district scrambles to cut millions of dollars, board members gave a vote of confidence to students, parents, and teachers that their favorite music programs would not be silenced next year. But that did not stop many people from addressing the board and packing into the meeting room on April 8.
“To me, music truly began in school,” said Daniel Hanley, a senior and member of SBHS’ jazz band, in front of board members. “My passion for jazz guitar began in junior high, was nurtured in high school, and will continue to grow as I leave for college and beyond.”
Charlie Ortega, SBHS’ instrumental music teacher, said four performing arts teachers, including himself, have been given pink slip notices from the district. Depending on the amount of retiring teachers and how much the district cuts in other areas, some or all of the layoffs could be rescinded. “I think it is unfortunate that these cuts are happening,” he said. “Ultimately it will be the students who suffer as the number of quality teachers decreases and class sizes increase.”
Before the April 8 board meeting, board members and district officials ruled out sweeping cuts to the arts programs. Kristine Robertson, director of personnel for the district, said that at this point there was no discussion about cutting the band program at any site. Despite this, some classes may be combined in order to reduce the amount of hours a teacher might be needed per day. Something Robertson and Ortega have talked about before would be him teaching at Santa Barbara Junior High as well. “That certainly could be an option for us to look at and an idea that Mr. Ortega talked with me about in the past,” she said.
Deputy Superintendent Eric Smith described the cuts the district is planning to make as the “low-hanging fruit” in the budget.
Still on the table for the next meeting on April 22, is whether San Marcos High School will be able to keep its class sizes at current levels and leave its block schedule relatively intact, and if retiring librarians will be supplanted by librarian technicians.
SBHS librarian Marsha Barr is spreading the word and encouraging people to contact board members and Superintendent Brian Sarvis to continue the use of certificated librarians. Ms. Barr has received a number of supporting letters and she is taking them to the District office. “Isobel Downs wrote a nice letter as did Ms. Salontay. Letters of support have also come from (professional writers in Santa Barbara) Susan Gulbranson, Gayle Lynds, Marcia Meier,” Ms. Barr stated. Members of the public can help the library and other programs by writing letters and attending the April 22 meeting.

Seniors not left napping during STAR testing

2008-04-21T10:55:00.000-07:00

Sandra Ruiz
Staff Reporter
Seniors are responsible for being here during testing days. It is like a regular school day. They will attend first period which will be shortened to 30 minutes. Before testing begins, they will head to second period. Second period is extended to 145 minutes.
According to assistant principal David Hodges, seniors will either be in their second period or put into a class of 30 students. Those seniors who are in mixed classes will be put into study halls during the testing period. Testing will be from Monday through Thursday next week.
Study hall is an opportunity for students to focus on getting things done if they are behind and to take advantage to really get help from their teachers. Students will be allowed to work on anything from another class and be offered something else educational.
One day out of the four testing days will be an assembly for seniors which will offer different opportunities such as a hand book that will be handed out about graduation.
Hodges said the main goal is graduating. “Students need to remember that they are graduating soon and don’t have much time and should really focus on graduating,” he said. With less than two months left before graduation, there is little time left and so much to do.
That is why students should use this time to start working on whatever they need to get done and really use their time efficiently.
Seniors are required and expected to be responsible to be here. Many seniors may be upset that they need to be here but this is not the time to miss school. The school loses a lot of money every year for students who do not come to school especially during testing days.
ASB president Jackie Zupsic said that the school has lost millions of dollars per year in absences. Testing week will be both fun and educational.
Hodges said there will be fun events during lunch.
ASB has organized a drawing. Teachers will hand out tickets to students during class. During lunch there will be a DJ and tickets will be drawn. There will be all sorts of cool prizes for the winning tickets.

Catch a wave: Surf club wins big at latest competition and in season

2008-03-13T11:09:00.001-07:00

Zac Estrada Rosales
News Editor

The Surf Club of Santa Barbara High School triumphed over Dos Pueblos’ team in a competition on March 9 at Churches in San Clemente. In the Interscholastic Surfing Federation (ISF) League, the Dons took an 88-5 win, with Chelsea Zaniboni taking first place in the women’s long board category. She also placed sixth in the women’s short board category.

On the men’s side Shane Orr placed the highest among Santa Barbara’s team, with a second place finish in the short board match, and fifth in long board, bested by Tyler Millhollin also from Santa Barbara.

JP Garcia, the advisor for the SBHS Surf Club, was impressed by the team. “As far as our personal achievements, this contest marks the highest point total that the Dons have ever achieved,” he said. Garcia said the conditions that day were close to ideal.

SBHS is part of the Channel League, which according to Garcia includes teams from Santa Barbara, Ventura, and Los Angeles counties. The Santa Barbara team gets a “bye” in the final contest scheduled for April 6 at Mandalay Bay. Therefore, the Dons will finish their season with a 4-0 record.

Garcia started the surf club at SBHS four years ago with Mike Fair and Brennan Grace. “When (they) left,” he said, “I decided to keep it going because we had a mutual vision of putting SBHS on the map in terms of surfing competition, at both a state and national level.”

He points to influential surfers who have come out of SBHS, such as Tom Curren, Lauran Yater, Kim Mearrig, and Bobby Martinez as a reason to keep the surfing culture alive on campus. “We wanted to create a team that could continue this legacy.”

Seniors visit annual Shakespeare fest

2008-03-13T11:07:00.000-07:00

Danny Langhorne
Editor-in-Chief

For more than 25 years, the senior trip to Ashland, Oreg., for the Oregon Shakespeare Festival has been a part of the senior experience.

A busload of 52 seniors drove to Ashland last weekend accompanied by Ms. Callahan, Ms. Guss, and later joined by Ms. Ruth and former SBHS teacher Mr. McEachen.

This year’s trip was exclusively for seniors in AP English Literature classes.

“It’s fun (for students) to go with a group of like-minded students to a fun and beautiful town,” said Ms. Callahan.

During their time in Ashland students stayed at the Bard’s Inn, the traditional hotel for SBHS students.

In order of appearance, the plays that the students saw were The Clay Cart, Welcome Home Jenny Sutter, Fences, and A Midsummer Night’s Dream.

“Usually there is a weak link in one of the four, which is diappointing, but this time all four were excellent in different ways,” said Ms. Ruth.

Students were fortunate to talk with actors Michael J. Hume (The Clary Cart) and Gwendolyn Mulamba (Welcome Home Jenny Sutter) to discuss their process in being cast for roles, becoming the character and their history with the festival.

The actors talked with students the day after they had seen their respective plays.

Students were given a backstage tour of the theaters by the actors from the festival where they would be watching the various plays.

They showed how much work both actors and stagehands have to put into the hundreds of shows during the season from February to October.

Students had a lot of free time to shop and visit the many different restaurants in Ashland between the different events.

Coffee Shops, Lythia Park and organic restaurants were a few of the places where students could be found passing the time.

Plenty of music and dancing went on in the rooms of students at the Bard’s Inn.

When students filled out their checks to pay for the trip, they were asked to make them payable to the Ashland Shakespeare Club.

According to Ms. Callahan, this was done to keep the money in an account at SBHS.

She attributed the need for an account on campus for easier access to pay for costs of the trip.

A spot on the trip roster cost $370, but payment plans and scholarships were worked out with students who would have trouble paying.

“It is just easier for us to keep the money here rather than going to the school district,” said Callahan.

Staff Editorial: The hero and the heroin

2008-03-13T11:06:00.000-07:00

In The Forge’s King of Hearts issue last month, Karl Sandrich, the eventual winner of King of Hearts, was asked was if he had any addictions. His answer was, “Heroin but I don’t like to talk about it.” In no way were we at The Forge asking all six of the candidates if they were addicted to drugs or alcohol. Any attempt that would have been made to omit the quote would have been censorship. That is something that we will not allow. Principal Mark Capritto said The Forge was not at fault for putting it in, but it was bad judgment because there is a problem with some students coming to the homecoming dance intoxicated. The administration claims students’ cavalier attitude toward drug use will be fueled by comments like this. Since Karl is senior class president, the student body knows that he regularly uses humor to motivate and reach students. Sandrich was not serious in his answer.

The Forge Editorial Board, comprised of our adviser, editor-in-chief and news editor, concluded it would be out of line to change what Sandrich said.

The student body is our primary readership, and while we do enjoy seeing parents, administration and teachers reading our paper, The Forge is a reflection of the views of the student body. Ultimately, we concluded it would spark discussion among students, which is our primary goal as a newspaper.

The Forge does not condone drug use or make fun of addiction. We recognize addiction is a serious problem among teenagers. Because of this we think it is important that the paper should help generate discussion this topic.

Almost a month after the story ran, the adviser and editor-in-chief were called into the principal’s office along with ASB adviser Ann Fischer and Sandrich. We were essentially told The Forge was very lucky because if we had been in another school district, this issue would have never of happened. Other administrations screen school papers. We appreciate that The Forge is not censored in the same sense that we appreciate that our school obeys the law. School newspapers have a constitutional right to be free from the censorship of a school administration. It is incorrect to imply we should be grateful for not being censored before going to press. Since its inception The Forge has represented free speech on campus and has no plans to change.

We fail to see the connection and think that trying to hush up teenage drug use is worsening the problem rather than helping solve it. The intense hostile reaction that some administrators and parents have had in response to these comments are only pushing students in the opposite direction. It’s not driving students to smoke or shoot up, but it’s definitely having an adverse effect. Adults who are involved in teenagers’ lives need to take responsibility that they have as much to do with teen drug use as much as peer pressure or the social climate does. Only then can we start to talk through this tension between the two generations. The Forge understands that certain administrators’ jobs are at stake when these issues arise in certain forums. However, it is not The Forge’s duty to censor student quotes.

Opinion: Republicans are in, Dems still have a battle

2008-03-13T11:05:00.000-07:00

Ian Black
Staff Reporter

The March 5 primaries and caucuses in Ohio, Texas, Vermont, and Rhode Island wrapped up Arizona Senator John McCain’s dominating GOP campaign as he was solidified as the Republican nominee for President. Former Arkansas governor Mike Huckabee was finally forced out of the election after McCain nabbed the necessary 1,191 Republican delegates to clinch the nomination. It was comical that even though Huckabee never had a chance at the nomination after the first several primaries, he would never publicly admit any sort of defeat. However in the end, the miracle that Huckabee was hoping for never came and he bowed out graciously after the inevitable news reached his campaign headquarters; his fifteen minutes of spotlight were over.

However on the Democratic side, Senator Hillary Clinton broke Senator Barack Obama’s eleven state primary winning streak when she won three of the four states’ delegates including Ohio and Rhode Island, as well as a surprising victory in Texas. This was a disappointment to the Obama campaign which hoped that a victory in either Texas or Ohio would lead to Clinton’s suspension of her campaign.

Yet Clinton’s wins in Texas and Ohio, which hold 193 and 162 delegates respectively, moves her closer to Obama’s delegate total. However because of the proportional delegate nature of the primaries, Clinton’s 51% to 47% victory in Texas and the 55% to 43% in Ohio has not yet given her enough delegates to catch up to Obama, but has given life to her withering campaign. Both candidates are still more than 500 delegates away from clinching the 2,025 necessary to get the nomination.

This was an obvious disappointment for political analysts who smelled blood in the water and hoped that another Obama sweep would wrap up the nomination and embarrass Hillary to the point of the suspension of her campaign.

Yet with her new boost of confidence coming out of the primaries, Clinton is expected to continue her campaign with as much vigor as ever. At this point in time there is no end in sight for the Democratic Party to find their candidate. Unless one candidate makes great strides in the upcoming election, some political analysts are predicting that the nomination will go all the way to the Democratic National Convention in August.

Consequently, it seems that this extension of the Democratic race is actually beneficial to the party. With many more months of media attention to come as the primaries continue, the candidates will have increased time to convince more and more undecided voters to side with Democratic policy.

Regardless of who ultimately wins the nomination, the Democratic Party is excited about a possible Obama-Clinton or Clinton-Obama president and vice-president combination for the 2008 election. Many are calling this possibility a “dream ticket” for the Democrats with one of the strongest duos in the party’s history.

The next major test for the Democratic candidates is the Pennsylvania primary to be held on April 22.

In Brief: Virtual Enterprise staff organizes recycling meeting

2008-03-13T11:04:00.001-07:00

The Virtual Enterprise staff will hold a meeting on Monday, March 17 during fourth period in the school theater to coordinate a number of recycling efforts on campus. Seniors Karen Martinez and Mayra Ponce will lead the meeting.

Eric Lohela, recycling coordinator for the city of Santa Barbara came to the Virtual Enterprise class to help them towards their next competition, which is in the environmental division in Sacramento on March 26.

Out of Lohela’s meeting came the idea to coordinate the environmental efforts on campus. “Lots of students don’t recycle because they are not informed. We want to inform students... and invite (those) who have shown interest,” Ponce explained.

A Polar bear is the mascot for the recycling campaign because of the link between polar bears and the Coca-Cola commercials. It is hoped to catch people’s attention.

Students who wish to attend must first get teacher approval and contact Ponce and Martinez in room 22.

In Brief: ASB officers elected

2008-03-13T11:02:00.000-07:00

ASB officers for the 2008-09 school year were announced Wednesday after a school wide vote on Tuesday, March 11.

Luz Cordova took the position of president, beating Carter Crowe. Ty Vestal ran unopposed for Vice President. Caitlin Macker edged out Allie Cole for secretary, and Camillle Phillips took the treasurer’s seat over Lizzy Langhorne. Geena Boscacci and Arumi Salmeron also ran unopposed for the position of Pep & Rally.

The new officers will take office on the first day of the new school year in August.

Cash crunch factor in prom relocation

2008-03-03T08:08:00.000-08:00

Zac Estrada Rosales
News Editor

Prom season is still months away, but there are recent developments on that front. Senior Class President Karl Sandrich said that the 2008 prom has been moved from its usual post at Fess Parker’s DoubleTree resort to the exhibit building at Earl Warren Showgrounds.

The change in location has prompted a change in date as well. While Santa Barbara High School has in recent years held its prom over the Memorial Day weekend, this year’s will take place on June 7, the Saturday prior to the graduation ceremony.

ASB and the DoubleTree had trouble reaching an agreement about noise and price concerns. “We felt that the DoubleTree was a bad fit. They were charging $32,000 and most of that for food that in years past was rarely eaten,” said Sandrich.

He points out that the DoubleTree’s policy on noise levels posed problems for the dance itself. “We found out that when dances were held there in the past few people danced because no one could really hear the music,” he said.

The hotel’s management also required the dance end by 11 p.m. At Earl Warren, the dance will now end at midnight.

The biggest benefit to the dance’s change in venue, according to Sandrich, is that the room at the showgrounds will be significantly cheaper. “Now we have more than $25,000 to spend on things such as decorations so we can have a really loud dance,” said Sandrich.

However the largest hurdle to overcome in prom planning for ASB was the lack of funds that burden this year’s senior class. “We have raised a large sum of money, but we still have a way to go before we reach our goal,” said Sandrich.

Money for the senior class has come from the sales of senior shirts and money from the student store, as well as the raffling off of a parking space in the senior lot and fundraising letters students were asked to send off to friends and relatives. “We’re still working with our current fundraisers,” he said. “If necessary we will explore other ideas.”

ASB President Jackie Zupsic said students have nothing to fear about the state of their event. “No one should think that Earl Warren is going to be super lame,” she said. “Prom is going to be awesome.”

CERT training teaches Dons how to stay safe in crises

2008-03-03T08:07:00.000-08:00

Danny Langhorne
Editor-in-Chief

In November, the Santa Barbara Fire Department approached the administration in forming a teen branch of the Community Emergency Response Team.

It is led by members of the fire department. This semester it is being taught by firemen Matt McBride and Rich Grigouli. “It’s a really good mix of students that represents great aspects of SBHS,” said the program’s coordinator Assistant Principal Dave Meister.

According to McBride the program’s main goal is to train teenagers to help be more prepared in the event of a disaster. He also hopes it will teach them to react safely and do as much good as they can.

The fire department is hoping to create a team of students on campus who can help secure it in the event of a fire or earthquake. Among the tasks they would help with include turning off gas and water mains and assisting in basic first aid. “If we’re overwhelmed because there’s a building collapsed or something, we need you to do the most amount of good in the least amount of time,” Grigouli said to his students recently.

It is a 20 week class that meets on Tuesdays for two hours starting at 2 p.m. Students are able to receive 20 hours of community service for their work. On February 12 the class got some hands-on training when members of the Fire Department came to SBHS to teach students how to properly use fire extinguishers. Under the supervision of the officers students put out fires in a metal container on the senior lawn. In the following week’s class students also learned how to properly check a victim’s airway and breathing. In this particular class they also learned how to turn off the school’s gas mains to prevent a major fire in the event of an earthquake.

The ultimate test of the various skills that they have learned will be used in a school wide disaster drill towards the end of the year. Students will be delegated specific tasks that they would undertake in the event of a real disaster on campus. Mock victims will be spread throughout the campus and it will be the job of CERT students to react to the injuries of each victim.

“The program gives a first hand look at the emergency services and the community and certainly can get students thinking about a future career as an EMT or fire services,” said McBride.

Although the program is looking for interested students to join its class in the fall, McBride said it would be impossible for someone to jump into the program now in time to graduate from the program. CERT is exclusively taught at SBHS, the only school that plans to have one for the near future.

The adult CERT program was developed and implemented by Los Angeles County in 1985. However, it was Whittier Narrows Earthquake of 1987 that alerted emergency services in California of the need to train civilians to respond to disasters.

Brief: Tardy bell under review, new truancy policy

2008-03-03T08:06:00.000-08:00

Principal Mark Capritto, amid many student requests, promised at assemblies held with each class in December to reinstate the two-minute tardy bell during passing periods. Since the start of the second semester the bells have been back.

The school’s administration, however, is reconsidering its reinstatement. Capritto said that a query will be conducted after the end of the third quarter on March 21 into whether or not the bell has been an effective incentive in getting students to improve their attendance.

One of the factors that will be taken into account is the implementation of a new policy of dropping students from classes based on attendance. “What I can say is that once a student has been dropped from the class and everybody understands it can happen, the number [of students being tardy or truant] should go down,” said Capritto.

Students were told at the December assemblies that if tardies went back up that the bell would be taken away again.

Dr. Capritto is sticking to his argument that he was making at the beginning of the year, that students need to be responsible for their time in school.

“The idea is to get students to get to class on time. This, while it may appear new to students at SBHS, is not a new concept; holding students accountable for their time evidently is,” said Capritto.

Capritto said there are a group of students that are within days of being dropped from a class.
-Danny Langhorne

Editorial: Senior prom's move causes unrest

2008-03-03T07:24:00.000-08:00

A common discussion among seniors this week is where our prom will be hosted. I, and many other seniors, strongly disagree with where our ASB representatives have decided to host prom this spring. They have changed the location to the Earl Warren Show Grounds.

In the past, it has been common, and almost a tradition, to have our senior prom at the Fess Parker DoubleTree. This hotel has a very scenic landscape. The landscape is surrounded with tall beautiful palm tress, the sound of the ocean waves crashing, great outside lighting in the courtyard area, and a gorgeous sunset in the evening. Fess Parker’s DoubleTree is also walking distance to the pier and is near Chase Palm Park which is a great location for taking pictures. Roberts Photography will also be set up on the beach to take our prom pictures. This is a huge convenience to us and eliminates back tracking or going back and forth from locations.

The show grounds is not a convenient location. There is also not a lot of elegant restaurants near the show grounds. How do our ASB representatives expect us to turn a place where horses trot around all day into an elegant enough place for our senior prom?

No matter how many decorations are thrown up, it will still be the Earl Warren Show Grounds which is where we do not want our senior prom!
-Tahjanae Valteau, Senior

Staff Editorial: No place for hate on any school campus

2008-03-03T07:09:00.000-08:00

The tragic shooting of 8th grader Lawrence King at E.O Green Junior High in Oxnard is a reminder of how, despite school districts and schools’ attempts across the country to address diversity and acceptance, prejudice still is very prevalent in our schools.

Fourteen-year-old Brandon David McInerney walked into King’s first period English class and shot him in front of two dozen other students. McInerney was later taken into custody by police; prosecutors are seeking to try him as an adult. He is looking at a minimum of twenty-five years in prison with another 25-year firearms enhancement and a one to three year addition for a hate crime.

However this crime was not racially, religiously, or gang motivated. It is suspected that King was shot because he was openly gay and wore feminine clothing. This is the result of the prejudice and hatred that our society casually permits to exist towards the gay community. While the Santa Barbara School District clearly states that it will not tolerate put downs or slurs towards gays, lesbians, trans-gender, or bisexual students, derogatory remarks and chuckling is still heard in the hallways and classrooms at SBHS.

A banner was recently hung in the main hall with a quote from Dorothy Parker Love, “Heterosexuality is not normal it’s just common.” It was part of a campaign by Dons for Change as part of Diversity Month to help inspire students to be tolerant. A few days after the banner was put up it was torn down by a group of students.

Members of the religious right have perverted the Bible to justify banning of same sex marriages, gay adoption, and bigoted violence and hate. While this might not be what motivated these students to do this it certainly shows that some of our religious and political leaders who claim to be role models are putting kids on a potentially lethal path.

For our parents’ generation it was the struggle for civil rights. People in Citizen Councils and other white supremacist groups across the country (including in Santa Barbara) were as open about hating people based on the color of their skin as people openly are to gays today.

As a part of diversity month The Forge would like to remind students to take heed of the school shooting in Oxnard, that our words can have very real repercussions.

The kind of blind hate that drove the junior high school student to walk into a class and shoot a schoolmate is an indicator that hatred and prejudice is still keeping many people from the American Dream of life, love, and the pursuit of happiness.

29th of February brings with it an odd history

2008-03-03T07:04:00.000-08:00

James Yee
Associate Editor

There is a strange occurrence that happens only once every four years. It happens in years evenly divisible by four, like 2000 and 2004. Most would jump up and yell, “presidential elections,” citing years President Bush was elected Yet this occurrence has nothing to do with presidential elections. This strange occurrence is Leap Year, in which we have 366 days in the calendar year instead of 365 days. This is because our usual year is not exactly 365 days, but rather 365 days and six hours each. To make up for this, we add an extra day every four years and call it Leap Year.

This additional year, which lands between February 28 and March 1, has sparked many crazy traditions. In 13th Century Scotland. Queen Margaret, Queen of Scotland at the time, made it legal for women to offer a proposal of marriage to men on February 29 every Leap Year. If a man rejected her, he had to soften the blow by giving her a kiss, one pound currency, and a pair of gloves. This tradition also grew in popularity in countries like France and Switzerland.

This day has also been the date of interesting events. Christopher Columbus used his knowledge of a lunar eclipse that night to get supplies from Native Americans on February 29, 1504. In 1916, South Carolina raised their minimum working age in factories, mines, and mills from twelve to fourteen years old. When Leap Day 1940 rolled around, Hattie McDaniel became the first African American to win an Academy Award for her role as Mammy in Gone With the Wind.

February 29 also was the birthday of plenty of interesting people. Ann Lee, American founder of the Shakers, was born on February 29, 1736. Chilean-American novelist Gonzalo Lira was born in 1968. American rapper Ja Rule was also born on a leap year in 1976. Chris Conley, an American musician/songwriter active in bringing Crohn’s Disease to light, took his first breath in 1980.

February 29 is sometimes seen as having a coat of superstition. Because February 29 happens only once every four years, some feel that it breaks the normal pattern which allows things that don’t ordinarily happen to take place. They link February 29 to particularly perilous events because of a notion of “betwixt and between.” This is probably in the same vein of superstitions about ghosts coming into our world at midnight, when believers fear being haunted by ghosts in that “dark hour.”

Staff Editorial: Down, but definitely not out

2008-02-13T09:20:00.002-08:00

Friday, February 1 will go down in infamy for the staff of The Forge. When most of the staff was informed of the incident during third period that day, you could hear a pin drop while you saw the wide open mouths of some reporters. The first thoughts running through their minds when they heard five of our computers and a camera and a scanner and a printer were stolen was, “Is my work OK?”

While that question may sound self-centered in a time of crisis, it’s not at all without reason. It may come as a shock to some people at Santa Barbara High School, but The Forge does not have the ability to turn out a 12-page issue at the drop of the hat. It takes weeks of planning and hours of painstaking labor in front of a computer screen.

The Forge may have been robbed of roughly $12,000 of property but there is no monetary value for the hours of work lost and some of the artifacts on those computers that can never be duplicated. That is absolutely heartbreaking for the students most of all. The roughly 25 staff members, and the 25 students in the beginning Photography class, are the real victims in this case.

Nevertheless, every dark cloud has a silver lining. The issue in front of you today was the result of the incredible devotion our staff has to this paper. We spent our nights and weekends putting together the pieces of what we had left, to produce our planned issue. In the nearly century of Forges, there has never been an issue postponed. Staff members have been caught on the wrong end of landslides and have their houses ruined by floods, but the paper always comes out.

Here’s the basic truth: it’s students who put The Forge together. Our teacher advisor is there mostly to proofread some pages and lock the door when we leave. Those in charge of ASB and the TV bulletin understand that there is so much more work that goes into the product than most people realize.

We thank the Santa Barbara Daily Sound and the Independent for publicizing our story last Saturday, and Noozhawk.com for the story and offering to collect donations to help us pay for new equipment. Dr. Capritto is also commended for his pledge of $6,500 towards new equipment as well. And to Ms. Light and the yearbook staff for offering the use of their equipment even after their own break-in the same week and the loss of some of their own computers.

It’s absolutely pointless for the staff to keep dwelling on this issue. We resist making ourselves the front page story because we aren’t the news, we simply cover the news, and then move on.

Gangs of Santa Barbara: There’s clearly a problem, but is there a solution?

2008-02-13T09:20:00.001-08:00

Zac Estrada Rosales
Associate Editor

Timing is a funny thing isn’t it? It was no more than three weeks ago that I thought, “Yeah, there’s crime in Santa Barbara, but it’s not that bad compared to just about everywhere else.” I’m eating those words as we speak.

The events of February 1 change my view on the whole gang issue. Not that I suspect gangs were behind our break-in, but that there are some issues in Santa Barbara that aren’t being addressed that pertain to high school students. For almost a year now the majority of students have had it ingrained in their minds that there is definitely an increased gang presence in town. One dead teen behind Saks Fifth Avenue in broad daylight a year ago will do that. But stabbings that happen almost on a weekly basis and the sometimes shady characters lurking around on State Street are the start of a recipe for communal panic.

I’m stopping myself short of sounding like the News-Press’ gang gadfly Travis Armstrong, who lists off the problems on a weekly basis, who lambasts the wrong local leaders and never criticizes the ones who deserve it, ignoring the irony that after police officers won a hefty pay raise the crime rate goes up, and creates more pandemonium among the News-Press’ tens of readers.

Last spring, immediately following the first stabbing on State Street, I recall being completely confused by our school’s plan to tell all of its athletes in a quickly-assembled assembly to tell everyone to avoid the downtown area that weekend and let people know that we’re proud to be Dons, meaning that if we go walking around in clusters we should all wear clothing that said SBHS on it. Yeah, like I’m really going to do that.

There are two problems in this town, as much as they don’t want to hear it. The people giving the go-ahead to projects such as the teen center aren’t exactly in tune with the interests of the hooligans making life busy for the journalists and fun for Mr. Armstrong. So while the grown-ups are out of touch, the other problem at hand is the fact that the kids don’t want to follow. The teen center is a brilliant idea in theory, but the question remains: has it really caught on? I don’t think it’s really struck a chord with the kids who really don’t have a place to go and end up wandering the streets and getting into trouble.

During the city council elections last fall, I listened to all of the candidates and spoke with many of them. One in particular, Michelle Giddens, was most interested in pursuing the issue. And at her election party on the night results came in, she said even if she didn’t end up getting a seat on council, she’d work actively to crack down on the gang problem in Santa Barbara.

It’s not just those with political aspirations who want to help. At a community meeting I attended way back in June of last year, I saw countless parents, neighbors, and even children get up in front of government, business, and school leaders, and pour their hearts out over how they’ve seen people they knew as children stabbed on the street. Everyone wanted to know what they could do to prevent that from happening more than it already is now. No one had anything new.

There is one answer and it’s pretty simple: don’t join a gang. But that response is more convincing to some than it is to others.

Newly elected freshmen step into office

2008-02-13T09:18:00.002-08:00

The newest officers to ASB were elected late last month. Pepe Gil and Clifford Anderson took the freshman president and secretary/treasurer seats, respectively. In a runoff race, Katy Villanueva won the office of freshman vice president.

“It feels good to know that the freshman class went out and voted,” said Gil. “I look forward to the rest of the year.”

Vice President Katy Villanueva said her campaign, “was hard work, but it felt like an accomplishment.” She has been in the ASB class since the beginning of the year and said she is looking forward to helping more with school events.

Clifford Anderson meanwhile, was taken aback by the election results. “It was a surprising win for me,” he said. Anderson is new in ASB this semester but is also looking to help and get more involved with SBHS.

More ASB elections will be held later in the year for positions such as ASB officers, and senior, junior, and sophomore class officers.

C-Span bus makes Santa Barbara stop

2008-02-13T09:18:00.001-08:00

Danny Langhorne
Editor-in-Chief

As students strolled out of their second periods last Thursday a behemoth waited for them at the flag round about in front of the school.

After stopping at city hall in San Luis Obispo and UCSB the C-Span Election 2008 Bus rolled onto the grounds of SBHS at 10 a.m. on January 31.

AP Government teacher Mr. Gamble pushed for the bus to specifically come to SBHS. “Anything that can get students more engaged in the political process is a great thing. These type of events help show young people that politics is important and approachable,” said Gamble.

Students were invited in groups of 10 to 12 for 10-minute periods to learn more about C-Span.

The goal of the crew of the bus including Matthew S. McGuire, National Accounts Executive for C-Span, was to educate students about what the channel is all about just days before California held its primary with twenty-two other states.

“The great thing about our Network is that we show everything from start to finish. Commercials take a lot of time out of showing the event so that’s why we don’t show any,” said McGuire.

Students were given a sit down tour of the 45 foot-long mobile TV-studio. After a brief summary of the history of C-Span the crew went on to discuss how they can produce a show on board with the video and sound equipment of a professional TV studio. The mobility of the bus allows them to broadcast to their headquarters in Washington D.C. spontaneously with presidential candidates or other politicians either outside the bus or inside the bus’ interview area.

The C-Span representatives were able to show this with a video of an interview with former president Bill Clinton that was taken in 1995 in the White House’s driveway.

The C-Span Bus has been traveling across the country, stopping at town halls and schools to address people’s misconceptions. “We’re not going to tell you who to vote for,” said McGuire.

The bus was invited to Santa Barbara by Cox Cable.

Law and Order: Mock Trial team prepares for face off against area schools

2008-02-13T09:14:00.000-08:00

Zac Estrada Rosales
News Editor

Often lurking in the school’s field house long after the athletic teams have ended practice, Santa Barbara High’s Mock Trial team is working to perfect their arguments in preparation for scrimmages against other schools. These, in turn, are practice for the upcoming county competitions starting February 23.

Team advisor Mike Moyer said he’s impressed with this year’s team, which is largely headed by the six attorneys. “Everyone on the team has wowed us with their dedication and work ethic,” he said. “We’ve had scrimmages the last three Saturdays against non-county teams and it’s been fun to watch the team grow. We’ve been practicing since September and everyone is very excited to compete this year.” This year is Moyer’s first year advising the team. “I was a pre-law student at UCSB so I’ve always been intrigued by the law.”

Seniors Karl Sandrich and Brett Silverman and sophomore Ken Myers lead the prosecution side, while seniors Aubrey Toole, Jackie Rotman, and Cole Patterson side with the defense.

“I got into Mock Trial because it increases public speaking capabilities,” said Myers. “It allows me to think on my feet, and it is a great challenge.” Myers, much like the other attorneys, spends between five and six hours per week preparing for his role. Attorneys and witnesses are required to memorize their scripts, but must also know the case well enough to improvise during cross examination from the opposing team.

In a Mock Trial team, there is one fictional case given to all of the teams in the state. This year’s case, People v. Palmer, has the defense protecting their client, Alex Palmer, from being convicted of the murder of Hollywood producer and friend Jes Markson.

To help with the creation of questions and answers for the eight witnesses, Clark Stirling, Robert Curtis, Michael Berger, and Ken Rotman guide the attorneys and their witnesses.

While the team has been scrimmaging against schools such as Buena and Simi Valley High Schools in recent weeks, the next hurdle comes in two weeks at the first county competition at the Santa Barbara County Courthouse. Eleven teams from the county will be vying for a spot to represent the area in the State Finals in Riverside later this year. The team encourages the school to come out and support this team.

Moyer’s biggest draw to the team is the students themselves. “What hooked me more than anything was spending time with the students on the team,” he said. “They are truly an amazing group.”

Breaking News: Forge newsroom vandalized

2008-02-02T15:58:00.000-08:00

On the morning of February 1, room 72 at Santa Barbara High School, where The Forge produces its editions, was robbed of five computers, one scanner, one printer, and a personal Nikon D40 camera. CSI investigators were on campus Friday morning also to look into another robbery on campus. Earlier in the week three computers were stolen out of the yearbook's office, located in room 71, adjacent to The Forge.

The Forge's planned issue will be published as scheduled on February 8 along with the King of Hearts center spread. Look for more details on this website.

Sports Spotlight: Brandi Blackwell

2007-12-10T10:31:00.002-08:00

How long have you been playing varsity basketball?
Since freshman year, so about three years.

How has the season gone so far?
It’s been fun. We lost our first game, but we all tried hard.

How far do you think the team will go this year?
Umm, it’s kind of in the air with us right now. I think we will at least make it to play-offs though.

What games are you looking forward to this year? Why?
I’m really looking forward to playing San Marcos and beating them since we lost to them last year.

What was your most embarrassing moment on the court?
Ha-ha. I’m too embarrassed to tell, and only one of my teammates, Tess, noticed.

Who are some of the dynamic players on the team? Why?
Everyone works really hard and has something different to offer. You’re going to have to come to our games and decide for yourself.

What was your “welcome to varsity moment?”
I think when I made up our team motto (but that’s a secret), and teaching the team how to dance.

Can you touch the rim? Can any of your teammates dunk, or come close?
No I wish! I think only Jacky Kerns has come kind of close, but that’s okay
because I’m dunking senior year!
Ya-yaa!

Boys basketball looks forward to another prosperous season

2007-12-10T10:31:00.001-08:00

Rose Castellanos
Staff Reporter

Last year, the boys basketball team was great. They won several tournaments and had an outstanding record.
They will be different this year in that they only have two returning starters, Willie Reese and Roberto Nelson. “We won’t be the same, we’ll be better,” said Reese. Reese added that they will be going to The Pond (CIF).
Some of the key players on the team are senior Willie Reese who is a power forward and small forward, junior Roberto Nelson who is a guard, senior Jimmy Sexton who is a guard, senior Marcus Morten who is a small forward, senior Aaron Dixon who is a point guard, and junior Spencer Thomas who is also point guard.
Some games that the Dons are looking forward to are the San Marcos game because they’re our rivals, the Dos Pueblos game because they think they’re better, and the Ventura game because they beat us by one point in the summer.
Some of the team’s strengths this year include working as a team, dunking, scoring and they have good chemistry with each other.
This year is going to be exciting because the Dons are going to win many games and are going to be dunking a lot. Everyone should go to these games because it pumps up the team, and it intimidates the opponents.

Freshman Football Final

2007-12-10T10:30:00.000-08:00

Ryan Nagy
Sports Editor

The Dons frosh/soph football team, unfortunately, was overshadowed this season by the success of the varsity team, but now we would like to take the time to shine some light on the talent of the team and congratulate them on a remarkable season.
The Dons finished their season by going 5 and 5 overall and finishing 4 and 1 in Channel League. “We had a productive season,” said Clifford Anderson, wide receiver. ”We have a lot to work on in the off season.”
The Dons were able to sustain their ability to win even when quarterback, Collin Duel sprained his finger in the latter part of the season.
Some of the key players this year were Santos Espinosa, Jesus Uriarte and Malik Ellis.
“We’ll have a good JV team next year,” speculated Anderson. This team performed well at this level and it is going to be exciting to watch them grow and develop into a dominant future varsity team.

Dons finish season 7-4: appearance by Golden Tornado thrills fans

2007-12-10T10:28:00.000-08:00

Ryan Nagy
Sports Editor

The football season this year was a success by all standards. “It was a fun. It was a good way to bring back Dons football tradition,” said senior running back, Zach Chavez.
The team had a solid winning record of 7-4, beat both DP and SM, went to CIF, showed up as the Golden Tornado, and most impressively, rebounded from an embarrassing 1-9 record last year.
“We were more of a team this year,” commented senior Greg Dominguez, line backer and fullback. .
Chavez finished the idea of the team unifying this season by adding that Coach Will Gonzalez “brought us together in January and we stayed together all the way until now. He is a good influence in football and life.”
Unfortunately the Dons will be graduating some key players including Tad Slaff, Aaron Dixon and Will Hahn.
However, there are expected to be several top notch performers like Bryson Lloyd, Roberto Nelson, and quarterback Jon Uribe.

Boys Wrestling starts off well

2007-12-10T10:27:00.002-08:00

Brian Rueda
Staff Reporter

This season started with great performances by all the wrestlers. Frosh/Soph coach, Adolfo Bimbela, said, “Overall we had a great turnout from our group of beginners. We had a couple of wrestlers place at the tournament, like freshman, Jake Hirsch. He wrestled like a Don and followed our system. He’s a really hard worker, and his hard work seems to be paying off.”
Last Saturday there was a Channel League Tournament at our home gym. The next tournament will be on Saturday at Cabrillo High School. Come and support your wrestlers.

Saturdays Turnout:
Frosh/Soph:
2nd. Place: Jake Hirsch 135lbs.
1st. Place: Kramer Tartaglia 160lbs.
2nd. Place: Juan Salgado 189lbs.
JV
1st. Place: Jesse Lucatero 119lbs.
3rd. Place: Julian Kimmel 160lbs.
3rd. Place: Victor Macias HWY

Wrestler Stats:
119lbs- Jesse Lucatero (7-1)
Luis Gama (0-2)
125lbs- Edgar Bejarano (0-2)
130lbs- Raul Gutierrez (5-0)
135lbs- Luis Elias (0-0)
Jake Elias (2-1)
152lbs- Noe Lbarra (2-3)
Peter Estrada (4-1)
160lbs- Ricardo Neri (0-2)
Kramer Tartaglia (4-1)
Julian Kimmel (4-2)
171lbs- Bryan Rodriguez (0-0)
Michael Stillwell (1-2)
189lbs- Ricardo Pioguinto (2-3)
Jaun Salgado (4-2)
Theo Sagenitto (1-3)
215lbs- Alex Esobar (3-0)
Zachary McGee (3-2)
Graema Mewell (0-2)
HWT: Braulio Martinez (0-2)
Victor Macias (1-1)

Boys Varsity Soccer wins its first tournament

2007-12-10T10:27:00.001-08:00

Maria Vallejo
Staff Reporter

Right away the boys varsity team showed what they have by becoming champions of their first tournament of the season.
In the Cats and Hounds Tournament our Dons beat schools such as Dos Pueblos, St. Joseph, etc. With scores of 9-0 2-1, and 2-0 the boys dominated. During the four days and three nights which they were playing, only one goal was scored against them.
Offensive goals were scored by Vincent Alvarez, Chris Vasquez, Javier Garcia, and Jesse Gonzalez.
Christian Pardo did well in the South Torrance Tournament scoring five goals in total, one in each game.
The guys left Thursday evening at six and returned Sunday afternoon.
Junior Juan Torres stated, “It was a really fun experience and we are all very proud of what we accomplished during that tournament; everyone played great.”
Senior Javier Garcia added, “The tournament was a total success, we all worked as one and the results were great. Not only that, during games and in-between games we had a lot of fun.”
The guys also enjoyed spending time together as a team. This trip definitely brought them closer as teammates.
Sophomore Jesse Gonzalez commented about the tournament, “It was fun and it was even better that we were champs.”
They are now more confident than ever and more determined to continue to do well throughout the season.
On Tuesday the boys played Moorpark at Moorpark and were again victorious with a score of
4-0.

Reflections of the PTSA contest

2007-12-10T10:23:00.002-08:00

What awesome courage it takes to enter into that world of competition.
Congratulations to all of you who did; who entered the Parent Student Teacher Association Reflections contest that ended in the middle of November. Over 150 of you entered.
Beginning at the local level, This national arts recognition and achievement program provides opportunities for you to express yourselves creatively and receive recognition for original works of art.
This year’s awards go to:
LITERATURE
First Place: Myron Aguilar
Second Place: Adriana Rogriguez
Honorable Mentions:
Jason, Masho, Chris Dall, Christanthe Christodoulou, Carter Crowe

PHOTOGRAPHY
First Place:Taylor Bank
Second Place: Miranda King
Honorable Mentions:
Tao Antrim, Benjamin Samuels

MUSICAL COMPOSITION
First Place: Caroline Teti

All these students will receive awards from the SBHS PTSA. The first and second place winners will receive cash awards from the local PTSA and will continue on to the Council competition. The winner here receives a monetary scholarship, a gallery showing at the PTA National Convention (which gives national exposure) and placement / recognition on the national PTA web site.
At each step, the first two places will move on to the next level.
Catharine Morreale has chaired the Reflections contest here for the past three years and at San Marcos before that. She gave invaluable guidance by explaining how the judges look at the work. “The judges pay close attention to the interpretation of theme...it’s probably weighted 50 /50 against quality / creativity. If (students) don’t follow the instructions, the piece will be disqualified,” she said.
This competition could not function without the wonderful cooperation of volunteer judges Glen Serbin and Marcia Meier.
Serbin is the president of Serbin Communications which produces the BEST OF COLLEGE PHOTOGRAPHY ALBUM, and other contests. He stated that he was impressed with the overall quality of the photo entries.
Ms. Meier is the Executive Director of the Santa Barbara Writer’s Conference. She has also judged the Santa Barbara Scholarship Foundation’s creative writing contest.
This year’s theme was difficult, a real challenge. I CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE BY...
In writing, or even music, this could by interpreted. But photography? How does a picture represent this?
As Ms. Morreale stated, “A grade school student may show someone picking up trash....” At the high school level, something a little more creative, subtle is needed.
The photography students worked hard to come up with an idea, trying a variety of ideas and shots before settling on their final entries.
Ms. Morreale thanks all students who entered.

Miranda King said, “This topic was very hard. It was especially difficult to come up with an original idea. I was surprised when Ms. Bartz told me I won second place.”
She chose the idea of dominoes being knocked down to show how one person or action can make a difference.

Ben Samuels said, “The topic was hard; to think of a way to make a difference isn’t obvious. It took me a while but I like the topic a lot. When I heard I won fourth place, I was surprised and happy that my photo was chosen.”

Tao Antrim said, “I didn’t really fancy the topic. It was much too vague. It was really difficult to think of something to shoot that was relevant in some way. Winning third place? That was cool. When I shot, I wasn’t aiming to win but it’s always great to find out you do well.”

Myron Aguilar said, “Really, I did not expect to win. But I’m glad that my essay received recognition. Hopefully it will inspire others to make a difference.”

Commentary: Diversity in Holiday Traditions

2007-12-10T10:23:00.001-08:00

Many families have different traditions for Christmas. Many families use a Christmas tree and have assorted decorations, but not all families have the same traditions. My family likes having a Christmas tree and decorating it with lights and ornaments and a star at the very top. We also like to decorate the outside of our house with as many lights as we can have, so our house can be nice and decorated for the holiday, because during the month of December many trollies pass by, full of people looking at all the brightly decorated houses. With the trollies coming by every year, my family and my neighbors have formed a tradition so that when we hear the bell chimes of a trolley we all come out and wish all the people on board a Merry Christmas.
Many people have various traditions for Christmas dinners. My family, mainly my mom, likes making tamales for Christmas. Since my family is Guatemalan, tamales are something that my mom likes to make, and that I sometimes help make as well. My dad on the other hand likes to make his favorite punch which he makes mostly every Christmas. It is made of apples, prunes, cinnamon, pineapple, and brown sugar.
Another tradition that my family and I have is that instead of opening our presents on Christmas Day, on Christmas Eve we all wait until it is midnight to open our presents.
Many families share some of these traditions and some have different ones, but every family has its own unique traditions.
-Ericka Bobadilla, Senior

Commentary: Revelations of a stressed senior

2007-12-10T10:21:00.000-08:00

I again find myself the subject of culminated procrastination efforts, squandered ruthlessly in what I euphemistically designate as “enlightenment time” of the week (I belt Beyonce while simultaneously reading New York Times articles and peering at National Geographic pictures of Mayan ruins). In a tribute to the college applications process, I investigated and compared college colors this week. Sadly, no sophisms fitting enough to defend my deliberate procrastination come to mind. Senioritis, perfectionism, and the need for stress relief: all seem highly inadequate. And, perhaps my reasons have something to do with more than just a general malaise engendered on Mondays by widespread apathy among students at Santa Barbara High.
Yet, what makes my wasting of time even more reprehensible (beyond the fact that I am wasting time) is the realization that I rate myself around an 8 on the “how busy are YOU?” spectrum. The truth is, my fellow seniors and I are all busy, stressed from attempting to complete annoying forms. I would much rather be stressed over something of more importance, but I am powerless against the aggravations of college applications. Admittedly, the point of high school is to prepare for college. But that label, “college preparatory,” suggests that the main goal of any high school is for its graduates to go to college. For any school, shouldn’t the primary and ultimate goal be to provoke thought and debate? Or to challenge students to look beyond preconceived boundaries and question the surrounding world? While Thursday’s bulletins are spunky, amusing, and informative, there exists a lack of significance in them, and in The Forge, that should be present in the media of a high school such as ours.
Nearing the end of enlightenment time, I find an article on the peaceful military coup in Thailand that occurred last year, and wonder if the repercussions of that action were felt by students at this school. Diversity, while we have so much of it, doesn’t do anything unless we learn from each other. Left to our own groups, we risk the formation of cliques, who know only themselves, their cultures, their beliefs. Left to our own groups, we risk the formation of cliques who know only themselves, their cultures, their beliefs. Invariably, there is no one way to achieve the objective of diversity. But reacting passively by allowing people to develop their potential naturally is inaction, when the point of being around our many different heritages is that they give us incredible enrichment. Yet, while regulation of diversity within schools may lead to less discrimination, the danger of division poses as an obstacle.
We enjoy variety of opportunity and a student body much more talented, intelligent, diverse, and dedicated, than ever before. Our faculty, whose contributions are often taken for granted, devote effort and time to our intellectual and, dare I say, individual elevation. What is left is for us speak our minds in a way that will let all of us be heard. There is a place for issues of greater importance, not only in writing or in conversation, but also in the general consciousness. I challenge us collectively, both students and faculty alike, to make possible this atmosphere of actual interest and awareness at our school.
-Tessa Chu, Senior

Staff Editorial: December 2007

2007-12-10T10:18:00.000-08:00

Ask any Forge staff member about why they do it and you’ll usually get the same shrug for a response. Words cannot describe what possesses anyone to put up with what we do. At the same time however, it’s strangely intoxicating. You just have to get it. Plenty of people don’t however.
But now we can really stick one to the cynics. Last year’s Forges were praised, quite well in fact, by the suits at rectangular tables at the National and Columbia Scholastic Press Associations. These people have thousands of other papers scattered in front of them from thousands of other schools across the country. The judges evaluate every minute detail of several of our issues, from writing to photography, design to business practices. And essentially they gave The Forge a big fat gold star (officially, Gold Medal). Impressive, is the word you’re thinking of.
Don’t be frustrated that you don’t share the amount of excitement that we currently have. Even my fellow staff members can’t quite get in the same celebratory mood. But this bit of news is certainly welcome to those people who really put in their own time and effort for the whole team. They now have further evidence that this did not go unnoticed.
Normally we don’t put names on our staff editorials because the entire purpose of this editorial is to reflect the opinion of the newsroom as a whole. Nevertheless, I’m certain that our staff has the same opinion I do.
Zac Estrada Rosales
News Editor

ASB’s Dollar Drive continues raising money

2007-12-10T10:17:00.000-08:00

Ian Black
Staff Reporter
Once again the little containers are back in every classroom to collect the students’ spare change. This signifies one thing: Dollar Drive season. In the words of Senior Class President Karl Sandrich, the Dollar Drive’s goal is to “raise money to purchase gifts for under privileged children” in the Santa Barbara area during this holiday season. SBHS, and more specifically, ASB, began participating in the Dollar Drive “many years ago...” according to Sandrich. All the money that is collected in the containers is placed in an ASB account to purchase toys for the following year. The money that is raised from the winter of 2007 is used to buy toys for the winter of 2008.
Last year, close to $2300 was raised, but “ASB hopes to beat that amount by raising more than $2500” said Sandrich.
Every year before the Christmas holidays, the toys are bought from Kernahan Toys, a local toy store in Goleta. According to ASB President Jackie Zupsic, after the toys are bought, “the ASB class wraps the gifts [they] deliver them to the little kids, dressed up as elves and other ‘holiday’ characters.”
The toys go to the lower income preschools in the Santa Barbara community including Parma, Franklin, and Early Years.
Every year, after the Dollar Drive, there is a reward for the class that raises the most money, but Sandrich is quick to mention that “it is a surprise.” He also points out that English teacher Mr. Sandrich’s class usually raises the greatest amount of funds every year so “someone has got to try and beat him” and raise even more money.
Everyone should donate as often as they can because with 2500 kids at SBHS, a little bit can go a long way. Students have until December 14 to donate money to the Dollar Drive, when SBHS lets out for winter break.

The Space Race: Basketball games against San Marcos to be held at City College

2007-12-10T10:15:00.000-08:00

Danny Langhorne
Editor-in-Chief
More than three hundred supporters showed up to the Santa Barbara vs San Marcos football game on October 25. Many parents and students from SBHS had to stand at the game because of a lack of seating for all fans of the visiting team at San Marcos. To insure similar problems did not occur during the boys basketball season Principals Mark Capritto and Craig Morgan have decided to change the venue of the SM vs. SB basketball games to the sports’ arena of Santa Barbara City College. “We wanted to avoid this problem this basketball season because San Marcos gym is so tiny. It was just unfair for us to have a home field advantage because we can fit everyone in our gym fine,” said SBHS Athletics Director Nan Verkaik.
The option of moving the games to City College was earlier proposed by Capritto during the discussions to hold the San Marcos-Santa Barbara football game because it coincided with the opening night of the Halloween weekend in Isla Vista. “It didn’t make sense to have that problem again. The rivalry between the two schools is just too big and there is always a huge turn out for these games,” said Capritto.
Capritto added Morgan and he decided that it would be in the best interest of the schools if the games were moved to a larger facility such as SBCC’s gym. “The problem with our home gyms is that the fans are so close to the court, so all it would take would be one person tripping a player and it could start a major incident. That’s why City College’s gym is so good because the fan’s are farther away from the court,” said Verkaik.
The past practice of having games at SBCC was investigated by both Morgan and Capritto and it was seen as the best course of action for this basketball season. Security for the games will be provided by the Santa Barbara Police Department and will be paid for by the home team of the event according to Morgan. It costs $20,000 just for the football season which includes paying for ambulances and police at the games. “No matter what security is going to be our top priority for the games; money isn’t an issue when it come to the safety of our students,” said Capritto.
Renting the gym at SBCC will cost five hundred dollars but the athletics department will have to pay for police security as well. The first scheduled basketball game with San Marcos is January 11.
SBHS’ administration currently has no plans to relocate the SM vs SB football games in 2008 to SBCC but the issue of seating at San Marcos is being rectified.

Denzel Washington is a drug boss in American Gangster

2007-11-16T10:58:00.000-08:00

Danny Langhorne
Editor-in-Chief
(Three stars)
In the film American Gangster, Academy Award winning director Ridley Scott delves into the life of Frank Lucas, the alleged kingpin of Harlem during the 1970s. Played by Academy Award winner Denzel Washington, Lucas’ tough childhood and hatred for the police helped him survive the streets when he moved to Harlem. There he became the driver, enforcer, and collector for the established crime boss, Ellsworth “Bumpy” Johnson.
After Bumpy died Frank constructed his own empire, based on the Italian Mafia, and would come to control the flow of heroin in Harlem. At his peak Frank’s own brothers, parents, and other family members were his closest associates in the dope business.
What made his empire so successful compared to that of the mob, which had previously controlled heroin, were his direct ties to the producers of heroin in Southeast Asia.
By conducting business with suppliers in Vietnam, Lucas was able to cut out the Italian middle man by smuggling his famous “Blue Magic” in the caskets of dead soldiers from the Vietnam War. True blue was a hundred percent pure heroin compared to the diluted drugs that flooded the streets of America at the time.
But where there are amazing criminals there is usually a good cop sniffing around close behind. After he was blacklisted by corrupt cops in the NYPD for turning in almost a million dollars for evidence. Richie Roberts became the chief investigator of Lucas.
To many of the Special Unit Investigators, Roberts was a thorn in their side when it came to cutting off a slice of the drug empire for themselves. Richie walks a fine line as a narcotics investigator who finds himself between temptation and justice as he takes heat from crooked cops.
Roberts is played by Academy Award winner Russell Crowe who has worked with director Ridley Scott before on Gladiator. The all star cast and crew of American Gangster really bring to light the underbelly of the drug empire.
It not only shows how it expanded across continents and crime organizations but its effect on the people that lived smack in the middle of it. The movie is based on events that really occurred during the 1970s.
The disturbing corruption that ran rampant through the ranks of the NYPD during this time is one of the main highlights of the movie and makes Richie Roberts’ honest efforts as a detective all the more heroic.
Hip Hop artists Common and T.I. play two of Frank Lucas’ family members who are associates of his empire. Academy Award winner Cuba Gooding Jr. also plays one of Frank Lucas’ extravagant drug associates.
American Gangster is Rated R.

Lions for Lambs: political thriller or thinly-veiled propaganda?

2007-11-16T10:56:00.000-08:00

Two people with differing political opinions have reviewed Robert Redford’s political drama, Lions for Lambs, which contains several references to current events in US government, journalism, foreign affairs, and education. These are their reviews.

Zac Estrada Rosales
News Editor
(Three stars)
Lions for Lambs is surprising on a number of levels. Yes, it’s certainly a didactic political film, but it’s by no means a reason to nap. It kept me wide awake.
This film has something for just about every interest. There is a war story with a good dosage of military action. There’s a sleazy politician with one thing on the brain and a talented but sadly naive journalist. And finally there’s the aging political science teacher trying to get a pompous frat boy to learn something instead of being fixated on what he already knows. Minus the war subplot, it’s my kind of movie.
Actually I didn’t even mind the war story because it’s actually interesting; it isn’t another Black Hawk Down rip off. Tom Cruise is amazingly convincing as a devilish politico too, and the guy playing the frat student is so real, I can attach several names of students I share classes with to this character. It’s hardly dramatized, which is a nice change.
I was astonished by the simplicity of Lions. It has three (possibly four) story lines, but there are no superfluous characters aside from those of the key seven. It’s only 90 minutes long too. If I were to make a film like this, chances are it would end up being three hours long with the director’s cut being another hour longer.
But if you haven’t been paying attention to current events outside of mainstream media, this film is wasted on you. It does let the side down by being mostly talk other than five cumulative minutes of action. But that’s fine with me.
Regardless, it’s great that Lions makes you think. What’s more, it has excellent dialogue, spot-on characters, and makes excellent points. You have to like politics or journalism, or have a slightly cynical view on life. So it’s not hard to understand why I’d see it again.

Tony Johnson
Special to The Forge
(Two and a half stars)
Going into this film, I was expecting nothing less than a full-blown liberal propaganda piece that would be a stone’s throw away from Michael Moore’s Fahrenheit 9/11. I was delightfully surprised to see this was not the case and that Redford had included a fairly balanced view. Of course, a balanced view in Hollywood is about as balanced as Air America, so this was still a rather biased film.
The main issue that was raised, of course, was the current state of affairs regarding the war in Iraq. On this topic, I felt that the film gave a mixed message. Redford’s character seemed to have a conflicting stand on the issue with two of his students having enlisted to fight in the war. He stated that he approved of their motives, but not of... well, their motives. So he supported them, but he...didn’t.
The film’s purpose seemed to have been marred by what seemed to be the requirement of still supporting the troops, and because of this, the message was rather conflicted. After leaving the theatre I didn’t really feel as if I had gained some kind of new insight as the film seemed to just rehash the same old points that have been brought up and addressed for the past few years.
The film basically stated that it agreed with the soldier’s need to fight, but not of their involvement in the military. The most interesting part of it all, however, was Tom Cruise’s portrayal of a Republican Senator. Most likely due to my rather conservative view I seemed to agree with a lot of what he said, while it seemed most of the others in the theatre did not. I also seemed to tune-out whatever conspiracy theory garbage that Meryl Streep put out as the nosey journalist. In the end though, this film seemed to put most people in their place and was surprisingly not nearly as one-sided as I expected.
In fact, the most anti-war part of the film were the end credits during which many silhouettes of people slowly disappear in the background.
Overall I left the theatre reaffirmed in my beliefs and not swayed in either direction, which is something to be expected in a movie where essentially nothing happened.

Wrestling Preview

2007-11-16T10:54:00.000-08:00

Brian Rueda
Staff Reporter

This year’s wrestling season starts November 24 with a Six Way Rotational Dual Meat at Chaminade High School. When interviewed frosh/soph assistant coach Adolfo Bimbela is looking forward to face both Ventura and Dos Pueblos. With returning varsity wrestlers, this season’s team looks like it will go far.

Interview with assistant coach Adolfo Bimbela.

What are some of the team’s goals for this upcoming season?:
Get better as a team, and help each wrestler reach their full potential as a Don Wrestler.

Who are some of the team’s key wrestlers?
112 lbs.- Jesse Lucatero
119 lbs.- Edgar Bejarano
125 lbs.- Raul Gutierrez
130 lbs.- Louis Elias
152 lbs.- Peter Estrada

Who might be your season’s fiercest opponent?
Ventura and Dos Pueblos are always tough to face with all their highly experienced athletes.

What can the team can do to improve from last year ?
The team as a whole needs to focus on working together as a team. That means we won’t move on until everyone moves on; no one on the team is left behind.

Girls Volleyball season comes to a close

2007-11-16T10:52:00.002-08:00

Josie Martin
Staff Reporter

Girls volley ball finished their season with an outstanding record of 8-0 in League. Senior Jane Hinkle said, “The season went really good.”
So far they have met their goals for this year including making CIF playoffs.
Junior Natalie Guerra said, “We are number one in Division A and we do one game at a time.”
They did really well in the Mitty Tournament. They feel that they should have thought about their fist game in the Tournament of Champions a little bit more.
They made it to the second round of the CIF playoffs but unfortunately lost. Good job girls!!
The following is a tribute to some of the seniors on the team:

Girls Basketball Preview

2007-11-16T10:52:00.001-08:00

Josie Martin
Staff Reporter

The girls basketball team is looking forward to a great season. Coach Andrew Butcher said, “We have a new team of extremely hard working, team oriented players. Their efforts have been fabulous. I look forward to a fine season.” They practice and prepare for the season by conditioning at the weight room and running out at the track. Last year beating San Marcos was a problem for the girls but this year they seem pretty confident. Shooting guard Larissa Lavender said, “SM graduated all of their best players last year. They have about three key players who we can take care of. We have a strong talented team. Beating them should not be a problem.”
San Marcos is not the only team that will be challenging for them. Captain Kristen Acosta said, “Buena and Ventura have many skilled players who have played with each other for a long time so I think that will be a big challenge for us.”
There are a lot of changes on the team. There are many new players. Brandi Blackwell said, “There is a lot to get used to but having a new team keeps us open minded.” Andrew Butcher said, “We have many new players, all of whom work and cooperate very well together.”
But there are also new captains for the team. Senior Kristen Acosta and junior Larissa Lavender are the new captains. They have been keeping the team positive and willing to do their best at everything. Freshman Tess Emerson said, “They clean things up when (we) are confused by (using) great communication! They rock!”
Their goal this year is to make it into the CIF playoffs. Last year they didn’t get in but they feel that with this new team they will. Junior Geena Boscacci said, “If we focus and work hard we can do it. All of the Channel League games will be tough but our quickness and press is what will stand out.” Coach Andrew Butcher said, “(Winning all League games) is a definite possibility, if we continue to improve.”
They look forward to have a great season so go support them.

Spotlight: Ian Gamble, Boys Water Polo

2007-11-16T10:50:00.000-08:00

How has the water polo team done?
It’s been a tough season. We’ve had lots of really close games against really strong opponents.

What has led to the team’s success?
Our team success has derived from our core group of players who have been playing together for so long.

What is your welcome to varsity moment?
My welcome to varsity moment wasn’t anything special. It was in the first water polo game of the season, against Mira Costa, as I was lining up for the start when it hit me that was finally on varsity.

What is the team going to look like next
season?
We will look very similar because the bulk of our team is juniors. Hopefully, we’ll all have a growth spurt and actually be bigger than some teams we play.

How long have you played water polo? Why did you chose to play?
I’ve played water polo since the beginning of 6th grade. I initially wanted to use water polo as conditioning for Junior Lifeguards. Now water polo is one of my passions.

How will next season be personally
different for you?
I’ll have a lot more time to focus on water polo, rather than school because my class load should be significantly less.

How far beyond high school do you plan to play?
I would like to play water polo in college, for a college team or a club team, but I do not plan to try and play professionally in Europe or on an Olympic team.

What is something most people do not know about water polo?
WE CAN’T STAND ON THE
BOTTOM!

If I wasn’t playing water polo, I would be...
...really bored and really hyper.

Preview: Boys Soccer

2007-11-16T10:49:00.000-08:00

Maria Vallejo
Staff Reporter
The boys varsity soccer team has just started training and will have their first game on December 31. The head coach is Tod Heil and his assistant coach will be Fredy Martinez. Senior Javier Garcia shared, “Coach Heil is a great help on and off the field; he is a great friend as well.”
Training activities include, wight lifting, sit-ups, push ups, and plenty of running. This team will play local schools such as San Marcos and Dos Pueblos twice each during the regular season. Garcia explained that, “it all depends on our chemistry and pride as a team, if we will win games.” In addition he shared that although they “have lost a couple of key players to club teams, the season should still be a good one.” Returning players such as Vince Alvarez and new comers like Jesus Gonzalez will be great assets to the Don’s soccer team.
Garcia commented that the team’s seniors are looking forward to the season intensely because it will be their last for high school and “seniors really want to be champs.” The game against San Marcos is highly anticipated by the entire team. “We take that game very seriously and will play well and win.” The team will be in several tournaments against teams from Northern and Southern California. The South Torrance Tournament (November 31 - December 1) will be challenging because the majority of the teams will be Division One teams (our Dons compete in the second division).

Former Don makes appearance in World Series

2007-11-16T10:48:00.000-08:00

Ryan Nagy
Staff Reporter

This was a memorable year for Rockie fans because it was the first time in franchise history the Rockies went to the World Series. Unfortunately, the Rockies struggled to produce runs and were swept in the World Series by the Red Sox.
However, this World Series proved to be somewhat more important to the Santa Barbara community than in years past. Everyone had their eyes on Ryan Spilborghs, former Santa Barbara High baseball player.
Spilborghs started playing varsity baseball as a freshman in 1994 and dominated with a career batting average of .472. He capped off his playing days at SBHS by batting a school record .519 average his senior year and winning Channel League MVP.
Fred Warrecker, currently the baseball head coach, coached Spilborghs. He said Spilborghs had an “incredible mental and emotional stability. He was able to compete completely and then turn it off after the game.”
After graduating from Santa Barbara High, Spilborghs moved on to play at UCSB and from there, the minor Leagues. He continued to play in the minors until making his major League debut for the Colorado Rockies on July 16, 2005.
Spilborghs started in right field and went 2 for 4 with two singles against the Cincinnati Reds. “Ecstatic,” said Werrecker of Spilborghs’s debut, “I knew how hard he had worked, the sacrifices he had made. Yes. I was thrilled.”
In 2006, Spilborghs started in 34 games and this last season, was a reserve player and started many games because outfielder, Willie Tavarrez, was injured. Even when Tavarrez returned, Spilborghs stayed and found some playing time in the field and at the plate by being a pinch hitter.
“I realized that this might be a once in a life time moment. Many good players have played for years and never got a chance to play in a World Series game,” said Warrecker.

Dons are 7-3 going into CIF- Newberry Park game tonight @ 7

2007-11-16T10:47:00.000-08:00

Sandra Ruiz
Staff Reporter
The varsity football team has made a come back after losing against San Marcos in past years. This year the chain was broken. Football players had their minds set on winning and it showed. The Dons won with a final score of 24 to 10. Senior Greg Domingues said, “It was a tough game, but we won and I was excited.” In the beginning of the game Domingues ran a long run leading to our first touch down. Our football players were confident during the game making touchdown after touchdown. They won, just as they had predicted and took the rivalry trophy home.
Unfortunately we lost against Ventura, 27 to 20. This upset football players because if they had won, the Dons could have been in second place in the Channel League.
When asked what went wrong Domingues said, “We were just flat footed and not as focused as we should of been.” However our loss against Ventura inspired our football players to play well in the next game against DP.
Football players practiced hard and the pressure was on. Before the game, Domingues said, “It’ll be a hard game but we should win.” They came onto the field focused and determined to play. The game would determine if we made it to the CIF playoffs and become city champions.
It was hard to tell who was going to win the game, but finally, the Dons emerged victorious over the Chargers and won 35 to 32. Playoffs here we come! The DP game was our ticket into the CIF playoffs and the Dons will be competing for the championship.

Braving the field of campaign volunteering

2007-11-16T10:40:00.001-08:00

Zac Estrada Rosales
News Editor
Election season for this year is over. At least for local government that is. Which is a shame really because I have serious doubts about how many people knew about any of the candidates. Here’s a question though: how many high school students volunteer for candidates and their campaigns?
The answer is not many. But just to be contrary to the mainstream I set out on the campaign trail in support of four candidates for Santa Barbara City Council in the run-up to the November 6 election. My impression: if you’re a politics junkie like me, volunteering is a way to understand the campaign process better than just seeing a couple of documentaries.
I sent emails out to two candidates, Helene Schneider and Michelle Giddens, which was simple considering the amount of candidate mail I received at my home by the beginning of the month. Schneider sent me an invitation to a precinct walk that supported herself as well as fellow incumbents Das Williams and Brian Barnwell who were all supported by the Democratic Party.
Ms. Giddens, a challenger and newcomer in the field of local politics, asked if I would be willing to do a precinct walk with her as well. I picked a Saturday afternoon to walk some local neighborhoods with her and her campaign organizer.
But my first experience was a week before election night when I spent two hours between 5 and 7 p.m. making phone calls on behalf of Das Williams. He and his campaign organizer were also in attendance going through lists of registered voters in the city, most of which were labeled as undecided or lived in areas that Williams had not yet contacted. I had a script and plenty of information about Das if a voter wanted to know more about him. But I didn’t actually use any of it. I had a number of people who were already familiar with him, mostly for the better, but some for worse. Most people, surprisingly, did not mind that I was calling them between the time most get home from work or soccer practice and sit down for dinner. But I did get a couple people who said they wouldn’t vote for Das (or any of the incumbents) if their life depended on it, or something to that effect.
Walking around the Westside with the Democratic Party was similarly uneventful, partly because of the intensive organization of that walk. About 15 volunteers including the candidates and their significant others were grouped in pairs ready to drive to a precinct and go door to door with a set of literature encouraging last minute voters to vote for the incumbents. But the real reason I found it uneventful was because there was no one home in the middle of the Sunday I was out.
But I had a bit more of an event with Michelle Giddens the day before. I arrived at her house and campaign headquarters about 2:30 p.m. on a Saturday afternoon. She and her campaign organizer Darrin, a city college student, were awaiting a list of registered voters and their addresses. She briefed me on what I would be doing that day with her. The book, How to Run for Local Office, was her guidebook on running her campaign. Even then, Michelle was apologetic for her apparent disorganization that day.
The three of us later piled into her Range Rover with her dog Althea and decided to go to a section of town off of Mission Street, where no one from her campaign had really gone before. But Darrin and I weren’t having much luck with the people there so Michelle decided to try the area near Harding School on the Westside. There were more people answering doors in this area and Michelle took every opportunity she could to personally introduce herself to those answering their door and those out on the street.
Of course there’s always the one person who throws you a curve ball and it came in the form of one person asking me what Giddens thought of homosexuals. Completely flustered without a clue what to respond with, the first words out of my mouth were, “Well, she’s a Democrat.”
Strange occurrences aside, I had a good time with Michelle and the other candidates I volunteered for. And even though two of them won’t be sitting on council come January, it’s nice to think I made some impression on a voter before the election.

Staff Editorial: Veteran's Day

2007-11-16T10:39:00.000-08:00

The pictures and biographies that hang in the main hall around Veterans Day have been a valiant attempt by history teacher Mr. Dodson to help increase student remembrance and respect for the former Dons who have given their lives for our country. But for many students Veterans Day means a day off from school.
A lucky few students may have the chance to hear in their history classes about how it is held on November 11 to commemorate the Armistice of World War I which ended on the eleventh hour, of the eleventh day, of the eleventh month of 1918. The day, has over time, also come to be a state and federal day of remembrance of the fallen soldiers of every American war.
The wars in Afghanistan and Iraq have reinvigorated America’s support for the men and women of the armed forces but there is still a large number of teenagers who allow Veterans Day to pass by as an extra day on the weekend. Some people utilize it as a day to hang out with friends, to take a three day ski trip, or to put off homework.
A lot of students don’t even know about Arlington West. The privately run project sets up white crosses, just like in Arlington Cemetery, in the sand near Stearn’s Wharf. Each cross represents a US soldier who has fallen in Iraq or Afganistan. The weekly event is a powerful reminder of this war’s cost.
If we as students are going to keep getting Veterans Day off there should be some recognition of why we are getting the day off in the first place.
Talking about Veteran’s Day in your history class or writing a letter to someone in your family or that you know that has been in the armed forces might be a nice way to commemorate our fallen soldiers.
Whether or not you agree with what our country is asking our soldiers to do is not something that should be directed towards remembrance on this one day.

Teachers to consider proposed calendar for 2008-9

2007-11-16T10:13:00.000-08:00

Danny Langhorne
Editor-in-Chief
A calendar for 2008-09 was recently proposed and firmly defeated by teachers in a vote that was the most decisive no vote that SBTA President Layne Wheeler could remember in over 25 years. Yesterday, a special representative council meeting of the Santa Barbara Teacher’s Association (SBTA) was held to develop a new proposal for next year’s calendar. That will then go to District negotiations and then back to the teachers for a vote. SBTA President Layne Wheeler said, “If the Board agrees or modifies the proposal ... it will go back to the membership of SBTA for a ratification..”
The defeated calendar started the first semester on August 18 and brought teachers back on August 14. Summer was shortened by one week in order to end the first semester before leaving for Winter Break.
The school district’s motivations to add a week to Winter Break was to align the elementary school schedules with secondary schools.
The subtraction of a week from summer would affect activities that practice during the summer such as football and water polo training and band camp by cutting their crucial summer training by a week. For these activities practice during the vacation provides time in which students don’t have to worry about school yet.
“Most teachers recognize the difference in the quality of unwinding time during the summer (from) the time off during vacation when they still have to think about their classes,” said Association Representative Mr. Tony Sandrich. “The fight over the calendar is not about the number of days we teach; it is just when we each them.”

Six members start SBHS' first break dancing club

2007-11-16T10:12:00.000-08:00

Maria Vallejo
Staff Reporter
Did you know that there is an all-boy break dancing team on campus? They are called the D - boyz (Don boys). There are currently only six members but try-outs will be held soon, after the winter break. Their practices are held after school from 3 to 5 p.m. on weekdays, Tuesday through Thursday.
This is a brand new group, the first break dancing team in the county. Mr. Pedro Menchaca is involved as the in-school supervisor.
There are a lot of dance moves which the boys are working on. Senior Jesse Arroyo shared that he “just learned to do the headspin” and that’s the most challenging move he can perform so far. He is currently working on getting the “flare” down.
Sophomore Luis Flores can do the “wind mill” and a one-hand stand. Junior Javier Garcia has got a few flips and the hand stand.
Along with learning these moves comes a lot of practice the injuries which are bound to happen. Arroyo stated, “I got a huge bruise in my elbow during one of our practices. Garcia commented, “I injured my wrist, but not too bad.” Flores injured his wrist as well.
It is important for the members to get along with each other as Arroyo pointed out, Break dancing comes first to them so conflicts with one another had to stop. “In the beginning we had a lot of problems among ourselves, but we are all getting along fine.” Garcia added, “We all decided to, ‘Cut the crap.’” Flores described their choice of music, “We dance to Hip-Hop and Old school Music,” when they join with the Donettes.
Events which the group will be involved with and performing in are both holiday parades on State and Milpas Streets, the dance recital, and future pep rallies. In addition they will continue collaborating with the Donettes. Later in the year the D-boyz might be competing in places such as Hollywood. This is what the group is looking forward to and working towards the most.
The D-boyz members are Luis Flores, Cesar Leon, Javier Garcia, Eric Sanabri, Jesse Arroyo, and Robert Guttierez.

Application Anxiety: University Club helps groups of students with road to college

2007-11-16T10:08:00.000-08:00

Zac Estrada Rosales
News Editor
Ask a senior about college right now and there’s a strong possibility they will rip your head off. November is crunch time for applicants to get the myriad of forms turned in for various universities across the country, especially the public UCs and CSUs in this state.
For students who have parents who have not attended a college or have other socioeconomic disadvantages, the University Club is there to help.
Started by head counselor Susan Snyder in 2005, selected juniors and seniors are invited to meetings and involved in programs that help them through the process of selecting their schools and later applying to them.
“I was at UCSD in the summer of 2005 taking courses in college counseling and saw how few minorities were attending universities versus how many are here in California,” said Ms. Snyder. “I was appalled. I checked out our numbers (at SBHS) and it was the same huge gap.” She said that was what compelled her to find out which kids would most likely need help on their road to higher education.
To be in the University Club, Snyder uses the school’s Aeries system to find juniors and seniors with a 2.5 GPA, who are on the way to completing their A-G requirements to graduate high school, are either on the free or reduced lunch program, are first generation college students, or in underrepresented populations.
Mildred Quintanilla, a senior in University Club, said it has kept her on track to graduation and college. “I have a lot of friends in University Club and I can talk to them about classes and college plans,” she said. “(It) makes it enjoyable to join.”
Admission to the club is by invitation only, but Ms. Snyder said any student who feels they should be part of the club can speak to her about joining. Teachers and counselors also sometimes recommend students for the club.
University Club does not operate like student-run clubs on campus. There are no set meeting dates during the week or month. Members are instead encouraged to meet with Ms. Snyder whenever they need to or are called to assemble on a certain date in a certain room.
Additionally, Ms. Snyder calls them out of class to meet. “I meet them in the computer lab to help them with signing up for tests, doing college apps, college searches, and applying for financial aid,” she said. “We also have study sessions and meetings from time to time in room 306. We do some field trips to colleges and college fairs.”
Snyder said University Club uses resources on campus such as the Career Center and others such as Cal-SOAP and Santa Barbara Scholarship Foundation.
“Being in University Club gives students more opportunities,” said Quintanilla. “I’m very glad I am a part of University Club.”

Dons win the big game for the first time since 2003

2007-10-29T10:34:00.001-07:00

Santa Barbara's football team won against the San Marcos Royals for the first time in four years with Friday's 24-10 win. Senior Tad Slaff of the Dons was voted the game's MVP.

The Dons are at Ventura at 7 p.m. on Friday.
They are back at home for the final game of the regular season on November 9 against Dos Pueblos.

Dons fall to St. Bonnie, face off with San Marcos

2007-10-26T10:56:00.000-07:00

Sandra Ruiz
Staff Reporter
Our Channel League football team has been looking forward to the San Marcos game tonight, October 26. The SM game has also been the most looked forward to by fans. With this yearʼs record of five wins and only two losses, confidence runs high for teammates who are disciplined to win against San Marcos (and upcoming games).
Losing against San Marcos last year (27- 14) as well as the previous years has upset many fans. This year however we plan on making a come back and we expect a win.
Football players will continue their intense practices and will be prepared. Senior Greg Domingues said, “We are going to wax. They have no wins so I'm confident.” When asked how they will prepare for the game Zach Chavez and Greg Domingues, both seniors, agreed to “plan on taking a lot of No Explode and protein shakes.” They continued on about their preparations for the game the night before by explaining, “We plan on listening to Bob Marley and watching the movie ʻ300ʼ,” Even though they are coached by Mr. Gonzales who coached the Royals, it does not seem to bother any of our football athletes or fans. He has our football players prepared; is liked and well respected here. Domingues said, “Heʼs now a hater of San Marcos and he dislikes SM as much as we do. If we win we plan to party at Zach's house after the game and go to the Knot Knots house and watch Friday Football Focus and do special team events and cheers.”
Teammates run high with confidence and are focused and ready to play. Taking the game to victory is their intention. Senior Chris Manson said, “I'm very confident. I think we'll murder them. We are a much better team. They canʼt play at our level.” When asked how he will prepare for the game, he said, “practice hard, come in focused and ready to play.” The night before Manson will prepare for the game by washing “all my football clothes and pack my football bag, and dream about football glory.” Our fellow varsity football players are set. If we win Manson said, “Iʼll celebrate with my team at the Knot Knot house. If we lose Iʼll think about my mistakes and try to see what I can do differently for the next game, so fans get your popcorn ready.”
Of course losing is not a choice for this game and it is not the playersʼ intention. As for players, they practice hard and make it happen; but as for the rest of us we just have to sit and watch.

Sculpture teacer wins award for her jewelry

2007-10-26T10:53:00.000-07:00

Wendy Echeverria
Staff Reporter
Every year, there’s an event little noticed by most high school students. The American Gem Trade Association, AGTA, holds a jewelry competition that consists of different categories such as: Day Wear, Men’s Wear, Evening Wear, Best of Show.
In these different categories, various jewelers enter one of their very own handmade pieces with high hopes of winning.
SBHS has one of those hopeful jewelers, Mrs. Rabe. The Sculpture/Jewelry instructor and jeweler. She is inspired and influenced by her husband, Gregory Morin who is also a jeweler and enters the competition every year; she has entered the competition once again.
Her last year’s entry was very successful for her. She entered a brooch that she made out of 18K yellow and white gold, garnet, diamond, and jasper.
She thought that she wasn’t going to win because of her use of the jasper which is a very ordinary stone. It took her approximately 50 hours to finish this piece. After entering she, like other jewelers, waited eagerly for news on whether or not she had won.
A month and a half later, around mid-October during one of her classes, she received a phone call from the AGTA judges to let her know that she had won First Place in the evening category. Her first reaction was, “I what?! I what?!” After that moment of awe she wanted to share her happiness with her students so the first thing she did was announce to the class that she had won.
“If students can see, from their teacher, the ability to succeed, then they can take something they really like and have great success in what they do. They can learn to believe in themselves, succeed, and do it well so they receive admiration as well as accomplishment.” she said.
Her reaction was definitely one of great surprise specially because she got her piece modeled and photographed to be on the cover of “INSTORE” magazine which is one of the main magazines of the AGTA.
This year she has entered a ring, using 18K white gold, diamond, amethyst, and an agate cabachon-the stone which lays on the top of the ring. She has waited what seems an endless month and to her great surprise she has once again received the phone call she had been waiting for.
On October 15, during her fourth period, she answered her phone and was told that she had won again this year. This year though, she won two awards, an Honorable Mention in the evening category and Best Use of Color. She shared that she was very happy and excited that she has been able to win twice in a row. “I feel relieved that I found out I won because that way I don’t have to tell my students I lost. But at the same time I feel welled up with happiness.” She has shared her happiness with her classes, I’d like to express it to the rest if the students and staff,” she said.

Letter: Cultural diversity in classes addresses needs, not quotas

2007-10-26T10:51:00.000-07:00

Creating academic diversity and multiculturalism among our students at Santa Barbara High isn’t a negative thing. Whether or not the city of Santa Barbara and Santa Barbara Senior High is diverse is up to its citizens. The 2006 population estimate for Santa Barbara city is 85,681. Of these citizens 73.9% are White, 12.7% are Black or African American, 0.8% are American Indian and Alaska Native, 4.4% are Asian, 0.1% are Native Hawaiian and 14.8% are Hispanic or Latino (U.S. Census Bureau, 2006 Population Estimates, Census 2000, 1990). Santa Barbara High has 2,335 bright and intelligent students. 52 of these students reported that they are African-American, 944 White (not Hispanic), 11 Chinese, 14 Japanese and 1,232 Hispanic or Latino. 82 students are other (such as Pacific Islander) or declined to state (Aries, 2007). From these statistics it can safely be said that with such a large population, why shouldn’t we work to have more Latino’s in Honors or Advance Placement (AP) courses?
It isn’t about pushing students into classes they don’t want but addressing their needs. Students who take AP courses and do well in them are more likely to get into a University of their choice (Princeton Review, 2006). As counselors, we encourage and motivate students who don’t think they belonged in a certain class but obviously have the potential to thrive in them. We would like to see all the students who want to attend college have the chance to do so. As educators, it is not our job to force you to do anything you can’t do. However, it is our responsibility to promote diversity.
Diversity is defined in Merriam Webster’s Dictionary (1998) as; to make diverse: give variety to: increase the variety of products of. Do you think SBHS faculty is doing a good job of promoting diversity? On the other hand, is it just our responsibility to give our students the “tools” of diversity and hope that you will use them?
Maybe students should be required to go through diversity training as faculty and staff of Santa Barbara School Districts are obligated to. How about if parents were required to attend diversity workshops. Would that help to invite the gardeners in the house for lunch and be engaged in a conversation of politics? But that’s too cliché, how about if a recently arrived Costa Rican is invited to the home of third generation Mexican-American family and helped with immigration papers?
Maybe we should just appreciate the fact that many at SBHS are aware of our student population. Although we are the third oldest high school in California, it may take us longer than others to become fully diverse in action and thought. At least we are stepping towards that direction in a positive manner.

Melisa Perez
SBHS Counselor

Commentary: Suspension and Expulsion policy

2007-10-26T10:50:00.000-07:00

Danny Langhorne
Editor-in-Chief
Homecoming was the perfect example of the unequal level of justice at Santa Barbara High School. The administration suspended nine individuals for five days and two people being reccomended expulsion for being toxicated at a school event. The administration put memos in the student and video bulletins that said that breathelizer tests would be condconducted at the dance as well. So even with this ample warming people still decided to show up to the dance drunk. Many of these students come from families of high socioeconomic status and have the resources to fight the district overs these kinds of punishments. Mr. Capritto claims that he does not talk with lawyers about the punishment he adiministers. According to him if parents want to get lawyers involved they have to talk the school district.
According to Capritto parents vented their frustration with their children towards him and his rules, but he reminded them that he hadn’t done anything wrong and that it was the kids that had messed up. Despite the administration’s leniency, in terms of not handing intoxicated students over to the police, a couple parents argue that their student’s civil rights were violated because the police were not courteous enough while breathelizing their kids.
Those students who are faced with possible expulsion are doing so because they have been caught intoxicated before at other school events. Currently their fate is being decided by a committe at the school district. But if these students were gang members wouldn’t they have already been expediantly expelled. The school’s job is to provide a safe learning enviornment but when students decide to break the law by drinking they are also deciding as adults to break the rules.
The bottom line is that someone almost died at homecoming when they had an adverse reaction when they took medication before drinking alcohol. The administration needs to prevent potentially deadly situations from occuring by making it clear to students that there will be serious ramifications if they come to school drunk and that is exactly what they are doing with the suspensions.
Dr. Capritto’s underlying message for students was “At any school wide event don’t believe you can come under the influence because you will face the consequences for that choice.”

Study time: Let’s Cram workers relaunch site

2007-10-16T11:00:00.000-07:00

Zac Estrada Rosales
News Editor
The online network of students celebrated its one-year anniversary with a big change. Let’s Cram, the social networking site created by SBHS senior Mike Lewis last year was relaunched this month to steer users into more one-on-one interaction.
“The site is a lot more personal,” said Karl Sandrich, a member of the Let’s Cram team. “We really emphasize people-to-people communication and we think the additions (to the site) will do that.”
In order to participate in the discussions on the site, Let’s Cram requires new users to create a profile similar to that of social networking sites like MySpace or Facebook.
Each user can find their friends or “study buddies” to quickly ask questions to homework problems.
“We had a lot of people sign up and a lot of people use the site,” said Sandrich. “Now the new site adds on top of what we already had and I feel that kids will enjoy using the site even more.”
When letscram.com was launched at the start of last school year it was heavily promoted as a way for students at SBHS and at other schools to more easily connect to other students with similar homework problems. So far the site has more than 800 registered members from SBHS and other schools.
At SBHS the site gets help from Sandrich, Jimmy Sexton, Brett Silverman, Billy Grokenberger, Camille Fenton and RJ Rotman, among others. Creator Mike Lewis continues to head the site.
Sandrich hopes more Dons use Let’s Cram this year. “I want people from all over SBHS to utilize this site,” he said. “Who knows how much farther it can go.”

APPLe academy’s second season brings in sophomores

2007-10-16T10:59:00.000-07:00

Danny Langhorne
Editor-in-Chief
The newest academy at SBHS called APPLe (Academy of Public Policy and Leadership) is gearing up for its second year. APPLe is an academy on campus that helps students develop their talents in public speaking and debate, a unique environment to develop them.
It also encourages students to get actively involved in local politics and community service. Students hear guest speakers who are in local and state governments and other organizations including Congresswoman Lois Capps, former Secretary of State Madeline Albright, and David Krieger or the Nuclear Age Peace Foundation.
Around thirty members of APPLe spent a week last June in the Summer Institute at UCSB. While sleeping in the dorms and living on campus they debated the hot topic issues of immigration, torture, and global warming.
“The debates in the institute were very intense and we learned a lot about what it’s like being in a real court,” said junior Maria Vallejo who attended the summer institute.
They researched with the help of Professor John Park of Asian Studies just as if they were actual college students. “If the officials helping us at UCSB hadn’t been doing all they were, APPle wouldn’t be very good,” said Gamble.
In between research sessions for the debates, activities were held that helped bring the APPLe students closer, including a ropes course, ultimate frisbee, and karaoke. “It was also a chance for the students to get to know each other better. Some who had never really been friends before were really close after the experience,” said Mr. Gamble.
APPLe students returning as juniors will be attending a fall retreat at El Capitan Campground where the bonds they formed at the Summer Institute will be able to continue to grow.
Gamble’s goal for the juniors is that they play a leadership role in helping initiate this year’s sophomores. At the orientation held last Thursday juniors spoke of the experience at UCSB and the process of researching for the debates. Juniors Margo Slaff, Maria Vallejo and Ty Vestal talked about the week at UCSB and their roles in the debates and activities.
Gamble hopes to raise enough money to be able to take the students to Sacramento and Washington D.C. to meet with politicians and observe how government really works.
Every other week students will be sitting in on lectures with different speakers in the theater, including State Assemblyman Pedro Nava and Santa Barbara City Councilman Das Williams. David Krieger and Lois Capps will also be returning to talk with the students.
The first lecture of the year will be when Santa Barbara mayor Marty Blum comes to speak to the students in the SBHS theater on October 17 at 7:30 p.m.
All of the students meet every other Thursday in Mr, Gamble’s classroom, room 212 in the main hall, to plan events and discuss opinions and lessons from recent lectures.

Pep Rally #1!!!

2007-10-10T08:21:00.000-07:00

New VADA teacher Mr. Barnett looking festive for the occasion.

Pep Rally #1!!!

2007-10-05T17:18:00.000-07:00

Pictures from October 5's pep rally. Next issue of The Forge, the Homecoming issue, will be in newsstands October 12.

Pep Rally #1!!!

2007-10-05T17:15:00.000-07:00

Pep Rally #1!!!

2007-10-05T17:13:00.000-07:00

Virtual Enterprise shows off Eco-cell program at LA’s Peace Day

2007-09-28T10:24:00.000-07:00

Zac Estrada Rosales
News Editor
Dons Net Cafe earned a special distinction September 23 with a recognition by animal and peace activist Jane Goodall and the organization Roots & Shoots at the fifth annual Roots & Shoots Day of Peace at Griffith Park in Los Angeles.
Roots & Shoots is an organization working in approximately 100 countries around the world to reach out to young adults and teens looking to spread peace. It was created by Goodall, known for her work with chimpanzees, and is under the supervision of her institute.
“Dons Net Cafe was invited to by Roots & Shoots to Griffith Park because of our community service learning projects,” said ROP adviser Lee-Ann Knodel.
Roots & Shoots was interested in Net Cafe’s Eco-cell cell phone recycling program. “It is important to recycle old cell phones because it minimizes the mining process of the resources needed for the cell phone which is bad for the environment and the habitat of the wild animals,” said Knodel.
The event was held to celebrate the United Nation’s International Peace Day on September 21. Approximately 500 other elementary and high school children were among the crowd of thousands.
Goodall signed the box Virtual Enterprise made to collect their cell phones and applauded those groups making attempts in their projects to reduce their “footprint” on the earth. In addition she made a speech in front of the event’s attendees about the dream of world peace and future activism for the environment and human rights.
Virtual Enterprise set up their booth along with 20 other service projects and shared the information from their work with the other participants. “The reason why all of these service learning groups like us were invited was because Jane Goodall and Roots & Shoots believe that peace starts through the youth,” said Ms. Knodel. “And peace starts by giving back to the community.”
The Eco-cell program has collected 245 cell phones so far and 200 pounds of batteries.

Sports Snapshot: Boys Water Polo

2007-09-28T10:17:00.000-07:00

Zac Estrada Rosales
News Editor
With the loss of a few notable senior players on the team from last year, the Boys Varsity Water Polo team has had its share of challenges to maintain its title as CIF champion.
They narrowly lost at home on September 12 as Mater Dei pulled off a 6-5 win in a game where no team held more than a one point lead at any time.
More recently at Tuesday’s match against Ventura, the Dons allowed the Cougars to slide in with a 10-8 victory in overtime. While Santa Barbara held a 7-5 lead at one point, a penalty shot in Ventura’s favor brought the score closer to even. The game against Ventura is the first CIF loss since the 2005 season. “It was just a hard game,” said senior player Andrew Gonzales. “And we’re going to work on getting better.”
That’s not to say the Dons haven’t had the best of luck this season. With wins over Mira Costa and a 10th place finish overall at the South Coast Water Polo tournament last weekend the team has been giving it their all. They also beat out immediate rivals Dos Pueblos and San Marcos in the overall scoring. “We have great potential,” said senior Ben Wolfe. “We just need to work on applying that potential.”

Sports Snapshot: Cross Country

2007-09-28T10:11:00.000-07:00

Zac Estrada Rosales
News Editor
The Dons Cross Country team had their first League meet last week at Dos Pueblos. Senior Krista Dreschler crossed the finish line with a winning time of 18:26 in the girls varsity race. Senior Dominic Atkatz led the Dons on the varsity boys side with a time of 16:31 and a seventh place finish.
On Saturday the team participated in the Pepperdine Invitational at Pepperdine University in Malibu. The rain from earlier in the morning and the day before made a muddy course that met with disdain from falling runners.
Despite the poor conditions Dreschler placed second with a time of 19:28:47 in a varsity race with more than 100 participants. Atkatz topped the boys side for the Dons with a time of 18:07:13 and a 41st place overall in the varsity race.
The next race for the cross country team will be this afternoon at 2 p.m. at the College Park Invitational at College Park in Oxnard.

Lunch on the Lawn

2007-09-27T10:27:00.002-07:00

ASB has started a new tradition on the Senior Lawn this year: a Friday picnic. Students and staff members (such as Mr. Sandrich, pictured) are invited to bring their lunch onto the lawn today and every other Friday. Check the Forge calendar on page 8 for other school events in the upcoming weeks.

Zero periods start at 8 on late start days

2007-09-27T10:27:00.001-07:00

As a result of a staff-generated proposal, early bird classes will begin at 8:10 on late start days effective Wednesday. The move comes after four late start dates which left minimal security on campus when a number of students were wandering through buildings in between their zero and first periods.
Teachers with early bird classes will be given time before their 8:10 classes for planning and collaboration. The move affects only classes on Wednesdays with late start days. There are a planned 22 late start days remaining in the school year.

Past times at SB High

2007-09-17T10:41:00.003-07:00

Issue 1 September 1982

Capritto wants to keep students in their seats

2007-09-14T00:23:00.000-07:00

Zac Estrada Rosales
News Editor
Dr. Mark Capritto finds a lot to like at Santa Barbara High. So much in fact that he’s fully prepared to do what it takes to make SBHS even better. But the changes he’s enacted since he took the job earlier in the summer are already making waves in some circles.
Capritto replaces Paul Turnbull as SBHS’ principal. Coming from Calabasas High School where he served as an assistant principal, Capritto saw a lot to like in the students as they sat in their new classes on the first day of school. “The students are great,” he said. “I’m impressed with the manner in which they get started and get to class.”
He was equally impressed with the versatility of teachers and their ability to teach a variety of academic levels, from freshmen College Prep classes to AP sections. Capritto said that was uncommon in a number of other schools he had seen.
But Capritto wants to see improvements in SBHS and its students. “My goal is to look at the achievement gap and close it,” he said. “We have a pretty large gap between students.” In addition, he is seeking an increase in the school’s API score, based on standardized test results.
And to close that gap and increase the index score, Capritto is proposing changes that will force students into their seats. For him, it comes down to attendance. “We have a strong need to get our students to class,” he said. “A student won’t do well if they’re not in school every day.”
“If you can’t stay in class you can’t stay in school.” That’s Capritto’s belief when it comes to making the push for students to stay in class.
To do so, he’s proposing some sweeping changes not only for SBHS, but for the entire school district. Students who consistently skip out on class will ultimately be dropped from the class. No ifs, ands, or buts. “Interestingly enough it works,” said Capritto. He said students are looking for parameters and SBHS needs to make those boundaries a lot harder to cross.
In the short term however, Capritto has already signed detention and in-house suspension to the history books. He saw them as the most ineffective ways at discipline. “It was the 2007 version of ‘The Breakfast Club’,” he said, referring to students in the cafeteria during in-house suspension and lunch detention.
Instead, Capritto is looking to get delinquent students to beautify the campus on their own time instead of the school’s. Dons with discipline issues may be sent to pick up trash outside of class time. And in addition to Saturday School, the principal is looking to get the funding and a go-ahead to start a Saturday work program.
Seniors in particular will feel the heat from the tougher truancy policies. Capritto says every student must have a clean record to participate in senior activities, including the graduation ceremony. And he’s not holding back in threatening senior privileges. “There’s enough of a pride factor in this community to graduate from Santa Barbara High, that if it happens too late it’s very disappointing,”
Capritto said. “The tradition and culture of graduating from Santa Barbara High in this community is very strong. It’s the strongest I’ve ever seen.”
Nevertheless, Capritto acknowledges SBHS’ strong points, particularly its academies and ability for students to find a niche they’re comfortable with. He considers programs offered by MAD, VADA, and APPLe to be greater than what is offered in other schools of similar structure to SBHS. “The resources students are able to take advantage of is incredible,” he said.
Dr. Capritto doesn’t want to scare off students though. In his weeks as principal he’s learning what some Dons think of administration. “Students view administration as ogres and disciplinary figures,” he said. “We have to change that. We have to flatten the playing field and say we’re here to help them.”

Tardy, truancy rules top list of policy changes

2007-09-14T00:19:00.000-07:00

Danny Langhorne
Editor-in-Chief
As students dragged themselves back to school for the first day of classes it didn’t take them long to realize that everything about SBHS was not as they had left it in June. Among the changes was that SBHS has a new principal, Dr. Mark Capritto, to lead the faculty and ensure that students have a safe and educational learning environment.
The many administrative changes that have taken place have impacted the lives of SBHS students.
First and quite possibly the most notorious change on campus is the new policy on tardies and truancies. If students rack up five tardies in the same class they will receive four discipline hours. If they receive three cuts to the same class they will receive six discipline hours.
To clear discipline hours the administration may ask students to pick up trash at the end of lunch, after school, and on Saturdays.
Even more dangerous to students is if they receive ten tardies or five cuts they will also be in danger of failing the class and be assigned discipline hours.
One thing that left seniors in particular shouting out of their car windows was the administration’s decision to allow juniors to park in the senior lot. But due to outcry from senior class president Karl Sandrich and other members of the senior class the new policy was revoked; the senior lot parking lot is just for seniors.
“I convinced the principal that the seniors needed their own lot and it would be better for everyone,” said Karl Sandrich.
The condition on this change is that if there is any vandalism of cars belonging to juniors parked in the senior lot the senior parking lot will again be opened to juniors. Many members of the class of 2008 thought this a fair trade for not having to get to school a half-hour early just to find a parking space.
Changes in the bell schedule also bothered a lot of returning students. The fact that the two minute tardy warning bell is no longer in effect during passing period has definitely quickened the pace of students who must walk across campus to their next class and shortened the time that people have to talk to their friends in the hallway.
Another change was the shortening of the lunch period to only 35 minutes. This has not seemed to decrease the number of students driving downtown or hitting the pavement down to Milpas.
The addition of a late start at 9 a.m. almost every Wednesday was brought about due to the dropping of minimum days but the continuing need for a time in which teachers can conference. While many people just miss getting out early a couple times a month others are really faced with schedule problems. Students that are taking a zero period must attend the same as any other day at 7 a.m,. leaving an hour between their zero period and first period which starts at 9 a.m. Some of these students have coped with this space in between classes by making up home work or driving downtown for a late breakfast.
Even the structure of SBHS has changed during the summer. The four portables that sat the quad for the last couple of years were removed, leaving a barren, dusty, and fenced off wasteland. Also the bone-jarring rattle and noise of construction crews have left SBHS for the moment as the many elevators located around campus appear to be completed.

Varsity Girls Volleyball Co-Captain Kristen Dealy

2007-09-13T22:56:00.000-07:00

Season prediction, how do you see it?
I hope that we win League and hopefully win CIF.

Who are your fiercest opponents?
I think Santa Margarita, Redondo, Mitty, and Mira Costa are tough opponents.

What is something important for your fans to know?
That they should come to all of our games because it’s fun.

How many years have you been playing on the varsity team?
I’ve been playing since sophomore year, so three years.

What do you want to improve on from last year?
To win CIF and not lose any games.

Varsity Girls Tennis Co-Captain Lindsay Penner

2007-09-13T22:53:00.000-07:00

What is your season prediction?
Really strong! All of the returning players definitely improved over the summer. I see us hopefully winning CIF this year.

Who are your fiercest opponents?
Marlborough High School because we lost to them in the CIF finals last year.

What is something important for fans to know?
Girls tennis is actually an exciting sport. We are good and it is intense. It’s a vicious sport.

How many years have you been on the varsity tennis team?
This is my fourth year on varsity tennis.

What do you think you can improve on from last year?
Just myself to improve, and win CIF.

Season for 2007 is “looking good” for Dons Football!

2007-09-13T22:45:00.000-07:00

Maria Vallejo
Staff Reporter
With the intense two-a-day practices our Football Dons were put through this summer, the expectations for this 2007 season are immense. In the summer league the varsity team was extremely successful acquiring a 36-1 record. Coaches, players and of course us die hard football fans are impatiently waiting for our team to show all other schools what we Dons are made of.
When asked what the high light of the summer practices was, varsity player Memo Gutierrez said, “the times we worked out at the beach, definitely.” The beach sessions seemed to have been quite challenging as his fellow teammate junior Oscar Murillo agreed. Murillo added that his guess at the record this season would be 9-1. This sets the bar really high, but it’s nothing that this determined and driven group of Dons can’t accomplish. Chris Manson (senior) said that he is confident and feels that the team has a good chance at play offs, He looks forward to wearing his golden tornado jersey.
Senior Greg Dominguez, one of the captains of the varsity team, looks forward to both the game against our cross-town rivals, San Marcos, and the match against St. Bonnie. He comments that the ‘07 season “is looking good” for us in football.”
Coaches: Will Gonzales-VARSITY, Manuel Robledo-SOPHOMORE, Art Gonzales-FRESHMEN.

ASB Officers 2007-2008

2007-09-13T22:37:00.000-07:00

Jackie Zupsic
ASB President

"I am in charge of running the ASB fourth period class everyday. It’s kind of like being a teacher, I make lesson plans, ASB to-do lists, and write on overhead transparencies."

"I want this year this year to be fun. I want prom to be really awesome and to do that, we have to raise a ton of money. So seniors if you want a good prom help us raise some money! My ultimate goal of this year is to get people involved. I want all games to be packed; I guess I just want people to get into it. Our school has strong traditions, and we are responsible for keeping them alive. (cough...painting the cow that still says 2007!)"

"To bring the school together, ASB is starting picnics that will either be once a week or month. With a shorter lunch period why not spend one day hanging out on the senior lawn enjoying our Santa Barbara weather and your friends. Bring a guitar or an umbrella and a bagged lunch and we will see ya there"

Karl Sandrich
Senior President

"I want SBHS students to feel like we are all together in this community. I also want students to have real pride in being a Don."

"I really want to make senior year to be great, and for us to really enjoy our last year at SBHS. We will have to wait and see."

"I hope to get students involved by making (them) aware of events and making people fell like the school needs them."

"As senior president, my job is to raise money for seniors and to help students whenever they need it."

Brett Silverman
Senior Vice President

"I plan for this to be our best year at SBHS, and I know it’s going to be a fun one!"

"I was a student legislator from 2005 to 2007."

"A lot of great fundraisers to pay for the best prom SBHS has ever seen."

"We are trying to make freshmen feel more wanted on campus by limiting our use of negative language towards them, such as the comment ‘I eat freshmen’."

"I work a lot for the senior class, but I choose to spread myself out and get involved with everything that ASB is working on."

"I’ve run for ASB for different class officers in the past, so I have always had an interest in ASB."

"The passage and enforcement of the Alien and Sedition Acts has taught me a lot about the diversity necessary to run a smooth administration."

"I would like to shout out to the student body: ‘Quintessence is a premium sheet’."

Liz Elizalde
Senior Secretary/Treasurer

"As a Senior my vision of this school year is to make it as fun and different as possible. As an officer I hope to accomplish organizing all the fundraisers needed to have money for the best Prom/ Senior events ever."

"This my first year in student government and I am very excited about it."

"We plan to have events on the Senior lawn. We may be handing out free things at basketball games, and of course school dances."

"My specific job as a Secretary Treasurer is to organize a fundraiser for the senior class, as well as events. Basically making sure our budget is good."

"I got involved in ASB this year because Mr. Schultz introduced me to the class and it seemed like an awesome thing to do Senior year."

"Seniors! It’s our year! And it’s gonna be awesome!"

Geena Boscacci
Junior President

"This year I really want to make our dances better. I don’t want people saying “oh Homecoming was lame.” I also want to get more kids involved in school activities, such as sporting events. It’s a great way to show support for our fellow classmates."

"This is my first year in ASB."

"I want to help seniors fundraise so they can have their Prom at a nicer place. Prom is something you remember your whole life, so it’s important we do a good job planning."

"This year we came up with ‘Picnic Fridays.’ Everyone is going to hang out on the Senior lawn and listen to music at lunch. It’s a great way to meet different people."

"I help organize school events, such as Pep rallies and Picnic Fridays. I also help plan and set up dances."

"Last year, when an opportunity to run for a class officer came up, I thought it would a great way to get more involved with the school."

"If anyone has any ideas on dance themes or things they want to change around the school, just let me or any ASB person know. We want to know your opinions on how we can make the school a better environment for everyone."

Hannah Grokenberger
Sophomore President

"Overall, we liked the way that the events were run last year and will stick to the same ideas. But we have a really creative and involved ASB so I think we will come up some new ideas for fundraising, ideas like morP."

"Last year I was 9th grade class vice-president so I have some experience in student government."

"We have a great senior class this year and our senior class president Jackie already a bunch of senior classmen working together to come up with fundraising ideas and I know that they are looking at a new location for prom."

"We are trying out “bring your own bag lunch to school day” on the senior lawn on Fridays. Through events like these we think we can bring the upper and lower classmen together."

"I am in charge of a 10th grade fundraiser and on top of that I am in charge of the blood drive at the end of the year. I helped run the blood drive last year so I have some experience with that event."

"I love being a part of what goes on around school. My brothers also have all been involved in ASB and hearing them rave about it made it sound cool."

"We have a new group of ASB students. I think Jackie is doing an amazing job starting off the year by getting everybody busy and making this year fun."

Cindeezy Tran
Sophomore Vice President

"My vision for this year is to have more exiting and fun year, by creating lots of activities. I want to accomplish building a closer and friendly environment and have fun."

"This is my first year in ASB, but I would help sometimes during Homecoming last year making sure students had a Prom and a Graduation they can remember. Banners, advertising through friends to pass it on and maybe bulletins."

"I assist with everything needed to be done. I also assist as (President) Hanna’s ‘backup’ with anything."

"Last year I helped because my sister Listly is in ASB. It also seemed really fun so I joined ! I love it!"

"That everyone should get involved with all of our activities and events like sports games, dances, spirit week, anything to support the “Dons”! Have fun and enjoy your years at Santa Barbara High!’"

Senior remembers Tuesday morning six years ago that changed the world

2007-09-13T22:35:00.000-07:00

Danny Langhorne
Editor-in-Chief
Six years ago on September 11, 2001 I was in sixth grade and I woke up about 6 a.m. just the same as any other school day. I had to be at school by 7:30 for early morning chorus practice.
But as I walked into the kitchen to get breakfast I saw my Mom turn on the news and it was the apocalypse on “Good Morning America”. She said, “Oh my god” as I read the headline on the screen, “Hijacked plane flown into World Trade Center.”
I had no idea what the Trade Center was, that it was actually two buildings, or even that it was in New York. I had no real sense of the gravity of what just happened. No idea that when the plane hit the building hundreds of people died or how it would come to affect the lives of every American.
And then it happened again! Another plane hit the other building of the World Trade Center. Despite the morning’s carnage I was driven to school were everyone in the music room was talking about the attack. Just fifth and sixth graders; none of us had a clue what was really going on but almost everyone had seen something about it on the news or heard something on the radio on the way to school.
Some kids even said that a plane had hit the Pentagon. For those who somehow hadn’t heard anything about what had just happened in New York, only surprise and confusion came to their minds.
As soon as regular classes started at 8:30 the same chattering that had occurred in the music room was also going on in the homerooms. Not long into the day every class was instructed to gather into the auditorium where usually school plays, music recitals, and talent shows took place. This was so that the principal could address all the students of Montecito Union. The principal confirmed the attacks as “plane crashes” into the World Trade Center, the Pentagon, and in a field in Pennsylvania. Words like “You are all safe here in Santa Barbara. You’re safe here at school” were used in order to console the student body. I knew people were dying but it all just seemed like something out of a movie.
One thought that kept going through my head was that if there was an attack in LA that Santa Barbara would still be safe. But as a sixth grader I didn’t know how the systems that keep our country running smoothly would collapse if the attacks had expanded beyond the eastern seaboard.
All of us were then told to go back to class and try to concentrate on our work. But in my class our teacher asked us if we wanted to watch the news and with a resounding yes we all huddled around the TV. For over an hour we watched repeat after repeat of the towers falling, people running through the streets from clouds of smoke and dust, and the plane crashing into the different buildings. “America Under Attack?” dominated the headlines of the news for the rest of the day.
It only took a matter of hours for the blame of the attacks to be cast on Muslim fanatics led by some guy with a beard called Osama Bin Laden.
Having no idea about Islam or what “terrorists,” as they began to call them on the news, were about I started to hate them for attacking America.
For weeks it was if the whole of America was bleeding red, white, and blue. Here in Santa Barbara people gathered in droves to make a human US flag at City College in salute to brave men and women of the New York police and fire departments. People wore “God Bless America” T-shirts and hung flags on the side windows of their cars. With a little over 3,000 left dead and missing as the smoke cleared, America demanded response from the United Nations. The response came in October of 2001 as Bush proclaimed the War on Terror with support of most of the world’s countries behind him. That was the height of this administration’s support from the American people and that little sixth grader.
A moment of silence is a nice sign of respect towards those who lost their lives on 9/11. But I think never forgetting about the events of that day and where you were is also important.

Bill to stop teens texting while driving won’t curb distraction

2007-09-13T22:24:00.000-07:00

Zac Estrada Rosales
News Editor
New California legislation is attempting to put an end to teens texting. At least while they’re driving.
I can think of more dangerous places for people our age to be text messaging, such as in our math class when our teacher will unceremoniously rip our phones from our hands and place it in the top drawer of his or her desk.
I’m not immune from the bug. I will admit that I’ve sent a few dozen messages while in between lights or stuck behind a slow moving pack of cars led by a driver who is seemingly unaware of traffic signs.
However, there is a new state bill under the title of SB 33 that sets out to make it illegal for anyone under the age of 18 to be using their cell phone or PDA while driving, and that includes use of these devices with hands-free technology. And initially it makes sense. We’ve been told by our parents and other concerned adults that driving should be our priority when we’re driving. That’s why we’re not supposed to have our friends as passengers in our cars until we’ve been driving for more than a year, right?
But the more I think about this issue, the more I don’t believe it will be effective at keeping teens safer, as well as other drivers for that matter. After all, it’s known that a large number of us are driving our friends around practically the day after we get our licenses. And a number of us are rushing home at odd hours of the night, not only hoping our parents won’t catch us sneaking in but also that the cops won’t pull us over for speeding only to find out we weren’t supposed to be driving at that time of night in the first place. All of these laws are enforced in such a way that it’s only a problem if you get caught.
The ban on cell phones was intended to curb certain drivers who put the act of driving low on their priority list when they’re actually behind the wheel, lower on the list than putting on makeup or turning around to talk to their friends in the back seat, to name just a few of alternate activities. But will it really stop the most criminal offenders from driving into the car in front of them as they try to fix their message using the clumsy keypad on their iPhone? Probably not.
And more troubling is that these are the often same people who drink and spill their coffee while driving. Certainly, drivers our age are more likely to crash as a result of similar actions, but it’s not like you’re going to get pulled over for a liquid spillage.
Potentially problematic for the cops and other drivers is the fact that there’s new technology, namely from Microsoft, that allows your phone to connect to your car and have your text messages read out loud by your car. Amusingly, Microsoft claims the system will also interpret the classic text phrases such as “lol” “omg” and “wtf.” How they’re interpreted wasn’t mentioned.
But how much of this is really important to teenagers? You have to stop and think if any new law will make you safer behind the wheel. Will you become a safer driver by using more technology? Or will you bother to ignore your phone while driving? But the bigger question: will this proposed new law stop you from being a distracted driver? I’m thinking that’s a no on all counts.

New Forge on Friday

2007-09-12T20:26:00.001-07:00

The first issue of the new year will be out on Friday. Find a newsstand on campus, located in the main hall, English building, 30's wing, as well as some issues in the library, counseling office, and other various locations.

All stories will be posted online including pictures.

2007-2008 Forge Update

2007-08-24T10:06:00.000-07:00

The first issue of The Forge for the 2007-08 school year will be on September 14.

The production schedule as of August 24 is as follows for the new year:
September 14
September 28
October 12 (Homecoming Issue)
October 26
November 16
December 7 (Holiday Issue)
January 18
February 8 (King of Hearts Issue)
February 29
March 14
April 18
May 16 (Senior/Prom Issue)

The Forge is available in on-campus newsstands on the release dates listed above. It is also available through mail delivery to subscribers. Please contact The Forge for subscription details.

Next issue of The Forge-- April 20

2007-04-04T15:45:00.000-07:00

With Spring Break and all, the next issue of The Forge will appear online and on campus April 20. This is the final issue before the Senior Issue, which will be released on May 18, which is eight days before prom. If you don't know how all of this adds up, it pretty much means that this school year is almost over. In case it wasn't obvious, we thought you should know.

The Forge staff

Issue 10 Pages 1-3

2007-04-04T15:36:00.000-07:00

Issue 10 Pages 6-8

2007-04-04T15:26:00.000-07:00

Forge Issue 8- Pages 1-3

2007-02-23T18:13:00.000-08:00

Forge Issue 8- Pages 6-8

2007-02-23T18:06:00.000-08:00

Teacher rally pictures

2007-02-09T18:12:00.000-08:00

More pictures from the student-run rally on February 6

Teachers rally pictures

2007-02-09T18:03:00.000-08:00

More pictures from the student-run rally on February 6.

Teacher rally pictures

2007-02-09T17:59:00.000-08:00

Pictures from teacher rally held by students on February 6.

Forge Issue 7- Pages 1-5

2007-02-09T15:28:00.000-08:00

Issue 7 Pages 8-12

2007-02-09T15:25:00.000-08:00