inventory_2 Archive: Fall 2010 - Spring 2014
Conflict-Free Minerals Club passes SMMUSD resolution
The Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District (SMMUSD) Board of Education passed a student-proposed conflict-free minerals resolution.
Rise in Santa Monica crime plays out on Samo campus
Santa Monica crime rates rose dramatically in 2012 and have affected Samo students both inside and outside of school.
UC website in danger of overload
According to college adviser Frank Gatell, the University of California (UC) Website has been reported to crash days before the UC college admissions are due. Due to the thousands of applicants accessing the website to upload applications, the site overloads, preventing students from being able to submit.
City Council and SSA work to sustain local water
As the Santa Monica City Council adopted the Sustainable Water Master Plan (SWMP), the goal of which is to have water self-sufficiency by the year 2020, the Samohi Solar Alliance (SSA) is working to improve water sustainability on campus.
The Village Nation holds assembly at Samo; block schedule implemented
Due to an assembly presented by an organization called The Village Nation, Samo students had a block schedule on Nov. 16 and 17.
Weekend Activities: Live This No. 8
Check out Staff Writer Micol Azcarate's tips on what to do this weekend!
Team Marine collecting clothes to help Hurricane Sandy victims
Samo's Team Marine is helping the Alliance for Climate Education (ACE) organization collect supplies to ship to students affected by Hurricane Sandy in New York.
Earthquakes are No Quaking Matter
Perhaps technology has given us a superiority complex towards nature, or maybe we’re just too young to realize the dangers, but no matter the reason, many people treat earthquake preparation as a time-wasting joke. Throughout my years at Samo, I’ve noticed that earthquake drills seem to be one of the most ineffective tools of preparation I’ve ever encountered, and I’ve taken online driving school.
Samo’s Clark named ABC Sports’ coach of the week
After hard work this season and perseverance throughout his four years of coaching, Samo football coach Travis Clark was named ABC 7 NFL High School Coach on Oct. 31.
Circle of Friends mixer kicks off new year for club
Samo's Circle of Friends club held a mixer in the Humanities Center at lunch on Oct. 19 for club members to meet each other and their buddies, the Special Education students they will work with this year.
Local cafe and hang out spot, Flying Saucers, closing
Local cafe and Samo student hotspot Flying Saucer Cafe has become a part of the Samo community, employing Samo students and featuring student work in their many gallery shows. After three years however, it will be soon closing its doors.
You're never too old to Trick-or-Treat!
With crisp autumn leaves in hues of marigold, burnt orange and crimson, it’s hard to not get into the Halloween spirit. Smiling pumpkins brighten your days and the sight of cobwebs frighten your nights. Unfortunately, as teenagers, many of us are unable to experience the true joy of Halloween.
Former Digital Design teacher Richard McGee passes away
Regional Occupational Program (ROP) Digital Design teacher Richard McGee passed away on Oct. 13 after an extensive struggle with cancer.
Samo raises API score by 19 points
Principal Laurel Fretz announced at the Homecoming Pep Rally on Oct. 12 that Samo's Academic Performance Index (API) score increased by 19 points this year, from a score of 804 to 823.
Boys' water polo defeats rival El Segundo on Oct. 17
The Greenies met their match on Wednesday, Oct. 17 when the boys' water polo team played El Segundo High School, its longtime rival and competitor in Ocean League. Though the game ended with an ultimate victory of 14-10, the boys needed to maintain the same momentum that they started the game with in order to ensure a win.
Art Extended
An investigative look at off-campus art programs that have assisted Samo art students through skill refinement.
Girls' volleyball excited about season
Coming off of a tough loss in last year’s California Interscholastic Federation [CIF] semifinals against Pasadena Polytechnic High School, girls’ volleyball has trained hard in the pre-season and from their performance in league, the girls say that they are back stronger than ever.
Santa Monica City Council prohibits AIDS Walk from advertising on Big Blue Bus
The Santa Monica City Council decided in August to prohibit advertisements from non-commercial campaigns, including the Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS) Walk, on the Big Blue Bus.
Girls' golf defeated by Marlborough on Oct. 9
The girls' golf team played Malborough on Tuesday, Oct. 9 and lost 291-231, which is an improvement from its previous scores. According to junior Angelina Hwang, the team keeps improving. Last week's match, which was against Beverly, was also a loss, but showed promise for the rest of the season.
Girls' tennis defeats Beverly Hills on Oct. 9
After three hours of play, girls' tennis pulled through and beat Beverly Hills High School 10-8.
Samo's Cross Country team performing well
Samo's Cross Country team ran towards success at the Woodbridge Classic invitational on Friday, Sept. 14.
Girls' tennis still optimistic after upsetting preseason and Poon's resignation
Despite missing six year coach Wilston Poon, and a difficult preseason the girls' tennis team has high hopes for league matches.
Football begins league season
The 2012 season for the Vikings has been a tough one thus far; Samo begins league at 2-3-0.
The HistoryMakers visit Samo
Hip-hop violinist Karon Briggs and spiritual sculptor Artis Shreve Lane performed in Barnum Hall on Friday Sept. 28 for the second annual Back-to-School with The HistoryMakers event at Samo.
S-House Leadership makes Samo students feel appreciated
S-House Leadership is attempting to make the 2012-13 school year more enjoyable for the entire school through their Kindness Campaign, introduced last year by teacher Meredith Louria.
Stephen Franklin named new M-House principal
M-House has welcomed Stephen Franklin as its new M-House principal, taking over the job from long-time House Principal Larry Boone.
Samo theatre to perform at regional drama competition
The Samo theatre department will perform at the Drama Teachers Association of Southern California (DTASC) competition for the first time in two years on Oct. 27.
Educational social networking comes to Samo
Samo teachers have started to use social websites to teach and communicate with their students more efficiently.
Weekend Activities: Live This No. 4
Check out a myriad of great ideas for fun this weekend: lots of movies and the homecoming game!
Campaigning for senior polls is the only way to win
How many of you in the senior class know that I am running for Biggest Drama King in the senior polls? Probably a very select few of my friends who know how well the title fits me and the 60 odd something who apropos receiving my group text asking them to vote for me, realized the accuracy of the title.
Why Proposition 30 Needs to Pass
The California state budget is still in crisis mode, and its ramifications have especially impacted students, teachers and schools. We have all seen our instructors laid off, our resources limited — from limited textbooks to unsafe classrooms — and our education put at stake, all because of a budget that leaves schools in the dust.
Why we need HP Language classes
Language classes aren’t considered a necessity for a high school diploma, but that doesn’t mean students taking them don’t want the same experience that any other of the core classes offer up. We need to have honors options for language classes to ensure that students get the most out of taking a foreign language.
Alice Wonders: Senior Extremes for College Dreams
Truth be told, by the time senior year hit, I thought the days of staying up all night to do work were over. Surely the relief of being a second semester senior wasn’t just an urban legend.
Campaigning for senior polls ruins the fun and point of the poll
The texts came flooding in when they got the email. “Senior polls are out! Vote for me for best dressed! Vote for me for best all around!” Now, collages are going up on Facebook and announcements are being made in classes
Bikers get it in gear
Riding my bike down Michigan every morning seems like a routine by now. I nervously merge into the left turn lane going down 11th street, nearly missing the car coming from the other direction, then cross my fingers that I don’t get hit coming down the street.
Racing ahead: SM5000
The Santa Monica 5000 (SM5000) is a race for funding and bragging rights alike. The annual race, which weaves itself through the streets and bluffs of Santa Monica, kicked off its seventh year on Sunday, Oct. 7 at 7:30 a.m. Samo’s sports teams were avid entrants, making up the bulk of the 900 Santa Monica- Malibu Unified School District [SMMUSD] race participants, in both running the course and raising funds for their respective teams.
Girls’ volleyball ends a successful pre-season and begins league
Coming off of a tough loss in last year’s California Interscholastic Federation [CIF] semifinals against Pasadena Polytechnic High School, girls’ volleyball has trained hard in the pre-season and from their performance in league, the girls say that they are back stronger than ever.
Kostas Garcia: Cyber Star
Sitting in front of a camera inside a studio in the valley, Samo senior Kostas Garcia shares his opinions – both humorous and serious – on a variety of current videos on YouTube.
Ware on the Air
Within minutes of meeting junior Matthew Ware you may see him make quotation marks with his fingers when discussing the latest cover of Newsweek, “Muslim Rage,” or hear him start off a conversation by discussing the critical flaws in Samo’s expulsion and suspension policies.
A Viking's Debut
Once a Viking, always a Viking.Samo alumnus Kevin McKeown returns to the Samo band room as the new lead band director, and looks forward to upholding blue and gold traditions.
Mind Games: chess and poker revived
Whether it’s from grandma’s midnight poker sessions, or the brainy kids in science class, we’ve all heard of poker and chess.
Athlete of the Issue: Sebastian LaRue
Samo wide receiver Sebastian LaRue is the second future Trojan to come from Samo in two years, and still has a league season before him.
Weekend Activities: Live This No. 3
Check out some great ideas for a fun weekend, from an open mic night to a charity walk for student athletes.
Samo garden suffers due to lack of water supply
The Samo school garden, once blooming with opportunity, has suffered due to a cut-off in the water supply brought on by the ongoing construction.
Weekend Activities: Live This No. 2
Carmageddon II is a great opportunity to bike to a farmer's market or even a haunted maze! LACMA also has some intriguing exhibits and tours this weekend. Admission half off for those who take alternate modes of transportation!
Samo witnesses flight of retired space shuttle
The space shuttle, Endeavour, flew over the Santa Monica Pier on Sept. 21. Samo students and staff left classrooms in the middle of instruction in hopes of glimpsing the shuttle.
Weekend Activities: Live This No. 1
This weekend, just like any other weekend, consists of Friday night, Saturday, Sunday, and buckets of homework, but don’t let that discourage you! You can still make it exceptional, I promise. Instead of procrastinating on Facebook and getting lost inside Internet’s black hole, use the time you aren’t spending on schoolwork doing something that will still stimulate your brain.
Club members and students adapt to new location for Club Rush
Samo students made their way to this year's annual Club Rush event on Friday, Sept. 14, during which club members recruited students to join their respective organizations.
College Center upgrades to Naviance
Samo’s College Center has adopted a new approach to college applications through Naviance, a system that allows students to complete much of their college paperwork online and replaces the need for physical transcripts.
Girls' golf begins season 0-1
Girls' golf lost its first game of the season to Palos Verdes 320 - 167 on Tuesday, Sept. 11. The newly formed team consists of six Samo golfers who have been playing anywhere from two weeks to nine years.