ASB petition for new sustainability position
NEWS Audrey Stephansen, Staff Writer NEWS Audrey Stephansen, Staff Writer

ASB petition for new sustainability position

On Oct. 22, students in the environmental advocacy club Team Marine released a petition urging the Associated Student Body (ASB) to add a position focused on sustainability at school events. Samo’s student body has specialized committees for various categories, such as spirit, media and community service, and this position would focus on making ASB events more environmentally friendly to reach the school's sustainability goals. Since the petition began, it has gained the support of over 55 verified signatures and is continuing to grow. 


.

Read More
Is Mamdani the right direction for American politics?
OPINION Liam Sauer, Editor-in-Chief & Arturo Singer-Portnoy, Staff Writer OPINION Liam Sauer, Editor-in-Chief & Arturo Singer-Portnoy, Staff Writer

Is Mamdani the right direction for American politics?

Zohran Mamdani won the New York Mayoral election on November 4th, 2025. The 34-year-old Democratic Socialist ran an unconventional campaign characterized by grassroots fundraising, a strong social media presence and the advocacy of radical policies. His decisive victory has generated conversations surrounding the future of American politics.

Read More
The reality of stereotypes around safety gear in sports
SPORTS Kira Willinger, Staff Writer SPORTS Kira Willinger, Staff Writer

The reality of stereotypes around safety gear in sports

This year, new advancements of safety technology in a variety of sports have been introduced, including cooling vests in Formula One (F1) racing and specialized goalie helmets in water polo. While these inventions are effective in preventing potential injuries, they bring up questions on stereotypes around the use of extra safety equipment. Do athletes prioritize their reputation over safety?


Read More
ICC’s mission to clean up clubs
NEWS Devyn Hamilton, Staff Writer NEWS Devyn Hamilton, Staff Writer

ICC’s mission to clean up clubs

Samo’s Inter-Clubs Council (ICC) stepped into the ’25-26 school year with new guidelines for clubs to concise the number of clubs, putting the focus on club quality and publicity rather than variety.

Read More
JPL competition conquered
STUDENT LIFE Devyn Hamilton, Staff Writer STUDENT LIFE Devyn Hamilton, Staff Writer

JPL competition conquered

On Dec. 5, Samo’s Project Lead the Way (PLTW) Engineering team won third place in the NASA Jet Propulsion Lab (JPL) “Bucket Brigade Contest” competition. This follows their first place win in the regionals.

Read More
Netflix vs. Pentagon: the boots controversy
ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT Devyn Hamilton, Staff Writer ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT Devyn Hamilton, Staff Writer

Netflix vs. Pentagon: the boots controversy

“Our standards across the board are elite, uniform and sex neutral because the weight of a rucksack or a human being doesn’t care if you’re a man, a woman, gay or straight,” Pentagon press secretary Kingsley Wilson said. “We will not compromise our standards to satisfy an ideological agenda, unlike Netflix whose leadership consistently produces and feeds woke garbage to their audience and children.”

Read More
The play that goes wrong....goes right???!!!!!
ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT Jack Goldberg, Staff Writer ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT Jack Goldberg, Staff Writer

The play that goes wrong....goes right???!!!!!

On Nov. 14, Samo Theatre’s ‘Scotch’ Cast performed “The Play That Goes Wrong,” written by Henry Lewis, Jonathan Sayer and Henry Shields for their first of six showings, followed by the ‘Paint Thinner’ Cast on Nov. 15. The cast and crew did an excellent job bringing a massive catastrophe to the parents and students of Samo. The humanities center was filled with laughter as soon as the lights dimmed to begin the show. 

Read More
college admissions culture is too competitive
OPINION Jake Phasavath, Staff Writer OPINION Jake Phasavath, Staff Writer

college admissions culture is too competitive

Last year, many Samo students were accepted to prestigious colleges like Stanford and the Ivies. That kind of success sets a high standard for future graduating seniors, which can inadvertently cause considerable stress. Students will stretch themselves thin, and too often, seniors tie their self-worth to which college they are accepted to.

Read More
Questionable calls lead to growing criticism of referees
SPORTS Jack Goldberg, Staff Writer SPORTS Jack Goldberg, Staff Writer

Questionable calls lead to growing criticism of referees

The Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) has recently experienced a surge in popularity over the past couple years, following polarizing new stars like Caitlin Clark entering the league. During the current 2025 season, the WNBA has made sports headlines across the nation. Not because of the athletes, but stemming from intense criticism of the referees. 

Read More
Fujinomiya and Santa Monica celebrate 50 years of friendship
NEWS Jake Phasavath, Staff Writer NEWS Jake Phasavath, Staff Writer

Fujinomiya and Santa Monica celebrate 50 years of friendship

On Oct. 23, Santa Monica–Malibu Unified School District (SMMUSD) and the city of Santa Monica welcomed the delegates from the city of Fujinomiya in Japan to Samo, commemorating 50 years of the sister city partnership between the two cities.

Read More
Protecting your mental health at Samo
STUDENT LIFE Anna Ross, Staff Writer STUDENT LIFE Anna Ross, Staff Writer

Protecting your mental health at Samo

As the winter months progress, bringing colder weather and heavier work loads, Samo students may benefit from taking time to decompress through activities offered on campus. Whether it's resources that support mental health, or creative outlets like arts and crafts workshops, there are a variety of opportunities for students to use in order to find balance during these challenging months.

Read More
Mediocre media marketing: it’s boring please make it stop
ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT Maxine Kehoe, Centerspread Editor ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT Maxine Kehoe, Centerspread Editor

Mediocre media marketing: it’s boring please make it stop

Advertisement is the off-the-record make-or-break of any film. A movie can be serene and meticulously crafted beyond comprehension, but make absolutely nothing in box office if it's poorly advertised. Good marketing creates word of mouth and anticipation for all forms of cinema, television, movies and even music videos. Without it, the spotlight ceases to shine, leading potentially monumental films to be utterly disregarded. We are all taught at a young age not to judge a book by its cover. However, in the hyper-commercialized world we all live in, if a billboard is bad, it’s simple: just look elsewhere. Recently, it seems the marketing of up-and-coming blockbuster films with notable actors and beloved directors have been falling flat. 

Read More
Closure of I-Bathrooms: The what, where, when and why?
NEWS Otem Free, Staff Writer NEWS Otem Free, Staff Writer

Closure of I-Bathrooms: The what, where, when and why?

Since the beginning of the school year, multiple Samo bathrooms, primarily those in the Innovation building, have been closed to the student body for extended periods of time. School administrators cite vandalism and vaping as some of the main reasons behind the bathroom closures.

Read More
Girls soccer is off to an exciting start
SPORTS Lily Edwards, Staff Writer SPORTS Lily Edwards, Staff Writer

Girls soccer is off to an exciting start

Last season, the Samo girls’ soccer team finished second in the Ocean League with a record of 8-2, while advancing to the first round of the CIF playoffs. During the first round of CIF, they faced a 1-2 loss against Notre Dame Academy, which concluded their season with an overall record of 11-10-1.  The team coaches, Jason Daglis and Alyssa Pazzi, hope to build off of last season to strengthen their future performances, as well as the new five team captains that were named; LB Caldwell (’26), Audrey Howard (’26), Nyla Ryf (’26), Becky Scholze (’26) and Kayla Yee (’26)

Read More
Wrestling team shows promise in pre-season
NEWS Scarlett Goetz, Sports Reporter NEWS Scarlett Goetz, Sports Reporter

Wrestling team shows promise in pre-season

Samo’s co-ed wrestling team is back and ready to prove themselves once again. The season ended strongly last year, with Arata Sakamoto (’26), Fred Ekberg (’25), and Kenji Ineno (’25) all qualifying for the CIF Masters Meet. The team’s commitment was evident in their early fall and summer training, with intense practices to build strength and cohesion. 

Read More
E-bikes rise in popularity
NEWS Otem Free, Staff Writer NEWS Otem Free, Staff Writer

E-bikes rise in popularity

E-bikes have experienced massive growth in the years following the COVID-19 pandemic. With sales exceeding $ 1 million in 2022, according to the U.S. Department of Energy, this increase has been supported by government initiatives.

Read More