Samo cheer returns to competition after four year hiatus
On Jan. 25, the Samo cheerleading team took part in four Double A Medium Division CIF competitions at Riverside’s Martin Luther King High School. The event marked the teams return to competition after more than four years of not participating, due to the instability in coaching.
Signing Day: 12 Samo athletes make their college commitments official
On Feb. 5, Samo hosted their school-wide edition of national signing day for 12 committing senior athletes in the North Gym. Various sports teams came to support the athletes signing and cheer them on from afar. Surrounded by friends, family, coaches and staff, these athletes officially committed to their respective colleges, with putting pen to paper. They celebrated years of dedication and hard work. The event highlighted some of the athletes achievements and each respective coach gave a short speech commending the dedication they had given these past four years. As they embark on the next chapter, they look ahead to the next level of competition, ready to bring the same dedication and hard work to their college teams.
Our Last Names
Last names, commonly seen as family identifiers, can carry different meanings, structures and significance depending on each family’s traditions. Traditionally passed down from generation to generation in America, typically on the father’s side, last names can hold various meanings. Across the world, different countries have different cultural significance in their surnames, bringing people together while telling stories through waves of each generation. Samo’s diverse student body shares the stories behind their last names.
Music
Music is a universal language, transcending beyond borders and time. Despite disconnects in language, culture and generations, music has the power to bring people together, something everyone has in common. The Beatles, Michael Jackson, Amy Winehouse and Beyonce—each artist defines a generation. Music is more than just a sound; it is a bridge between generations, a shared experience that connects people across time. The songs of each era influence how society views the world and communicates with one another. Kloe Taheri (’26) noticed how songs from all generations always come back, to refine and benefit society.
After the flames: political disputes and policy management
The recent Los Angeles wildfires have been among the most devastating in the city’s history. The fires resulted in $275 billion worth of devastation and over 16,000 structures burned. In addition to the obliteration of numerous homes and businesses, a significant amount of resources were utilized during this period. 7,500 firemen combated the fires, with international support from Mexican and Canadian firefighters and hundreds of thousands of gallons of water used to help combat the fires.
A kalediscope of school spirit lightsup the gym in Winter Rally
On Feb. 7, students gathered in the North gym for the first battle of the grades pep rally. The rally was split up into sections: Freshman v. Sophomore and Junior v. Senior, energy and excitement had been building up throughout the week leading to the event, with active participation spirit days.
Trauma
Generational trauma, also known as intergenerational trauma, refers to the transmission of emotional and psychological trauma across multiple generations. This phenomenon suggests that the effects of traumatic events extend beyond those who directly experience them, influencing the lives of their descendants. First introduced by psychologists in the 1960s, the concept highlights how unaddressed trauma can extend throughout families, affecting future generations’ mental health and overall well-being.
New Climate Corps club empowers youth action
Climate Corps is dedicated to educating people about the climate, and has recently created a new, year-round club. Students are invited to join the club - ages 15 to 21 - at 237 Hill Street, Santa Monica. The club is an offshoot of a pre-existing Climate Corps program, hosted by Climate Action Santa Monica (CASM).
Boys’ soccer advance to playoffs semi-finals
The Samo boys’ varsity soccer team has had a season of immense success, earning the title of Ocean league champs and league tournament champs, in addition to qualifying for CIF-SS Open-Division playoffs for the first time in school history. Although they had a disheartening season last year, having an overall record of 9-10-1, the Samo boys’ varsity soccer team has come back soaring.
Samo welcomes new students as community rallies together after fires
On Jan. 7 fire broke out through the Palisades and Pasadena, collectively burning over 36,000 acres and destroying over 22,000 structures. As of Jan. 29, there have been 145 requests for enrollment from students displaced by wildfires. Seventy-seven were approved for enrollment, with 46 of those approved being in SMMUSD schools.
Pardon me, Mr. President!
Mere hours after his return to presidency, Donald Trump dealt one of his first (of many) devastating blows to our justice system; granting sweeping pardons, commutations and case dismissals for more than 1,500 rioters involved in the 2021 Jan. 6 Capitol riots.
Sundance Film Festival: catapulting acting careers
The Sundance Film Festival has brought remarkable opportunities to aspiring filmmakers and actors, ready to make their mark on the world. Every year the Sundance Institute hosts the festival in Park City and Salt Lake City, Utah. This year out of 15,775 total film submissions and 484 episodic submissions, the festival debuted 88 feature films and six episodic projects, both fiction and nonfiction, each film inspiringly unique.
“Severance”: Good tv is back, you’re just not watching
As a die-hard Adam Scott fan, a fiend for cinematic memory-wipes (“Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind” supremacy), and a staunch critic of capitalistic greed, I was bound to love “Severance”. But even if you don’t fit that mold, trust me: this show is a goddamn masterpiece.
A mixed perspective
It’s common to feel like you’re not enough of something—not pretty enough, not smart enough, not cool enough. But to feel as though you are not enough of your being—of what you are, blood, skin, and bones—is a different feeling entirely. Being mixed makes you wonder if you’re enough of your being.
Studet movements are shaping a better future
Student activism and teenagers have long been at the forefront of radical social justice movements and a powerful force for change. From the Civil Rights movement to climate strikes, it forces us to rethink the world we live in. Yet, whether student activism is truly effective solely depends on the organization and reach of the campaigns, along with the momentum and traction gained by supporters.
Samo moves forward with its transition to eLectric buses
Global design firm Stantec will work with Santa Monica to arrange a charging schedule for the new buses and coordinate with drivers—photo from Stantec.