Last week’s on-campus book signing was an inspiring moment as students, staff, and community members celebrated the debut novel of Malaika Kamau. Front and center was her incredible mentor from WriteGirl, Jenesis Scott, who has been a guiding force throughout the past three years culminating in a published novel! True magic happens when mentorship meets passion!

PBL seniors finished up their Voices in World Literature class with John by writing, producing, and directing short film adaptations of William Shakespeare's Hamlet in a variety of genres.

We welcomed Senator Ben Allen to campus as an active participant in our 11th grade interdisciplinary project focused on Climate Change Resolutions. Senator Allen engaged with students’ research, proposals, and presentations, offering insightful feedback and sharing his own experiences championing environmental policy. His visit followed Wednesday's Leaving to Learn to State Assembly member Rick Zbur's office. Quite the reminder of the value and importance of informed Youth Voices.

PBL seniors capped off their study of Hamlet with a night at the theater. The adaptation of the play by the Center Theater Group was inventive and surprising, mixing the original Elizabethan text and scenes with more modern twists. It also reinforced and further illuminated what they learned creating their own adaptations. A great time was had by all.

Click on the images for the PDF End of Year Schedule

📅

Key Dates:

• Monday, June 2nd - ALL PBL work Deadline (This is a hard deadline for ALL students. It is the last day to submit work for your PBL classes. Check with each teacher to know what can be submitted by this deadline)
• Monday, June 2nd - PBL Science FINAL EXAMS
• Tuesday, June 3 - Last LTI/ Project day (yes, the i-studio will be open)
• Wednesday, June 4 - PBL Math FINAL EXAMS
• Thursday, June 6 - POL Preparation (our seniors last day of HS classes!)
• Friday, June 6th - 10th grade POLs - SAMOHI AM FINALS
• Friday, June 6th - PBL Senior Stole Ceremony 5:30 - 8pm
• Monday, June 9th - 9 +10th grade POLs - SAMOHI per 1 + 2 FINALS
• Tuesday, June 10th - 9 + 11th grade POLs
• Wednesday, June 11th - Graduation! - SAMOHI per 5 + 6 FINALS
• Thursday, June 12th - L2L: Community Bonding @ the beach

Senior Obligation Information

1. Complete District Exit Survey HERE (REQUIRED)

2. Complete 2025 Naviance Graduation Survey (REQUIRED)

1. Clever --> Naviance --> About me (tab at the top) --> Surveys from Your School -> 2025 Naviance Graduation Survey

2. If you are planning to attend a four year college, make sure to check off the "Attending" box for the respective colleg

3. Request Final Transcript with your College/Career Counselor during lunch (REQUIRED if you are planning to attend a college that requests it)

1. To confirm your college requires a final transcript, check your Admission Portal

2. If a final transcript is NOT requested, one will NOT be sent

Grad Nite Tickets – Buy early to save money. Scholarship forms are available in house offices or in I305. You can check if you’ve already purchased a ticket by looking up your student’s ID on the regularly updated passenger list.

Grad Nite Lawn Signs – Support Grad Nite and celebrate your senior with a Class of 2025 lawn sign. Email florams@hotmail.com for more information.

Seniors! After cap and gown pick-up on Monday, June 9th, head to your elementary school to visit your childhood, say hi to your former teachers, and get clapped out by some excited little ones. Please wear your cap and gown to the schools.

Meeting times and locations are as follows for Monday, June 9th:

Edison Language Community: 1:30 pm enter through the front office and meet in La Plazita

Franklin Elementary: 1:15 pm at the front office

Grant Elementary: 12:45 pm in front of the school

McKinley Elementary: 12:45 enter through the kinder yard (please note that the school is under construction)

Roosevelt Elementary: 12:45 pm in the auditorium

SMASH: 1:30pm sign in at the SMASH at Obama Center front office

Will Rogers Learning Community: 1:15 pm in front of the school

** Muir Elementary: Please visit teachers Wheeler, Toapanta, and Ramirez at Grant Elementary or teachers Miller, Bozin, Prevett, Trubo, Hill, Benitez, Brizuela, and Griffin at Will Rogers**

Please sign up to let us know which school you will be visiting with this link. (Here is the long form in case that link didn't work: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScICs-sl42bnM8HpAeWM3Ni8gV0zv9kM0t4Cu1tY-QEIWY1WA/viewform?usp=sharing&ouid=108583689403232712968)

If you have any questions, please reach out to Ms. Chapman (achapman@smmusd.org)

Were you inspired by Elliotte's PBLxTalk? Sign up to get a special tour of the Santa Monica Conservancy. Who knows, maybe this will be YOUR LTI site next year...

The Santa Monica Conservancy is a 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to heritage conservation, from preserving cultural narratives to revitalizing historic places.

Samohi Beach Cleanup Day! Let’s make a difference—one piece of trash at a time.

WHEN: Saturday, June 8th, 2025 |

TIME: 10:00 AM – 12:00 PM

WHERE: Santa Monica Beach – Meet at Tower 28

Bring friends, sunscreen, and a reusable water bottle. Earn service hours and help protect sea life! Proudly hosted by SURFRIDER FOUNDATION

Camp Invention is coming back to Community Magnet Charter School serving as a 5-day (June 23-June 27) non-profit summer camp for students K-5. We have Leadership Intern roles for high school students grades 10-12, that allow students to develop and build leadership skills through hands-on, practical experience working with elementary students.

Students earn:

• Up to 40 Volunteer Service Hours and a personalized letter of completion from the United States Patent and Trademark Office

• Obtain valuable experience to build resume for colleges, universities, scholarships, and/or future employment

• Foster leadership and classroom management skills by mentoring younger students and facilitating activities

• Develop professional relationships and network with local educators

https://www.invent.org/programs/leadership-intern

MedReach at UCLA is pleased to invite high school students across Los Angeles County and beyond to our in person "Ready for Healthcare" seminar. The in person seminar will be held Sunday, May 18th from 10:00 AM to 12:30 PM on UCLA Campus (specific room location TBD). At this seminar, students will learn about various healthcare careers, participate in mock case studies to better understand the role of healthcare providers, and engage in fun activities to challenge their knowledge of medical terminology! Students will also have the opportunity to ask a panel of pre-health college students their questions regarding college applications, career choices, academics, and more!

If interested in attending our in person seminar, please have them RSVP via this link

College Essay Writing Class

😎 SMC Summer schedule is AVAILABLE! It can be found here: https://www.smc.edu/academics/classes/

All students must apply to be a SMC student before you can submit the SMC’s High School Concurrent Enrollment Form. Please follow the directions LINKED below on how to enroll at SMC as a student.

Students MUST turn in this SAMO Concurrent application to Nicole if wanting to take an SMC class: CONCURRENT ENROLLMENT APPLICATION 2025. This is in addition to the SMC application.

Please read thoroughly:

• All applications will be submitted virtually

• Your first step is to apply to SMC - apply online today

• Once that is complete, application materials must be submitted through the High School Concurrent Enrollment Application Form

• Once you complete the student portion of the form and attach the required documents, it will be forwarded to your parent to approve, and then to Nicole Nicodemus (your HS Counselor) smmusd email and mcruce@smmusd.org (HS principal) for approval - Summer Process ONLY.

• Students may take a variety of classes as long as you meet any SMC requirements and get approval from Samohi. Please speak to Nicole if you have any questions. IT IS RECOMMENDED THAT ALL CORE SUBJECTS ARE TAKEN AT SANTA MONICA HIGH SCHOOL. You must enter the correct course number when you fill out the High School Concurrent Enrollment form

We understand that many of the classes you are interested in taking at SMC are already full. This does happen. If you are able to get on the waitlist, it is recommended. You can also consider taking a class at another community college. Unfortunately, we cannot override or expedite their process.

College and Career Center Monthly newsletter:

https://secure.smore.com/n/2k5ue-college-career-center-newsletter.

Attention Seniors: if you are applying to colleges that require letter(s) of recommendation and/or official transcript, the Guidelines must be completed– Letter of Recommendation & Transcript Request Guidelines

Many of you have asked what you need to be working on for your college apps. We got you! The updated College Admission Application Survival Guide ~ It’s Your Senior Year! includes the knitty-gritty on to-do tasks, deadlines, and frequently used websites. We recommend you bookmark it and use it everyday.

Are you feeling stressed or overwhelmed by college apps? Feel free to speak to a therapist that can help support you and navigate the feelings! Click here to see the flyer!

Scholarships (look at the eligibility criteria)

• LPA Diversity in Design Scholarship - due 5/21

• Sigma Phi Epsilon Balanced Man Scholarship - due 6/1

• Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. Tau Tau Omega Chapter Scholarship Program - due 5/24

• Abbott and Fenner Scholarship Program - due 6/10

Summer Opportunities (9th-11th; please look at grade level eligibility before applying)

• NASA's GeneLab for High Schools (GL4HS)

• is expanding its program in 2025! Starting this year GL4HS is being offered asynchronously and will consist of 12-weeks of on-demand training during the summer. Program dates will be June 2 through August 29, 2025. The App deadline is May 15, 2025, or sooner if max number of apps have been received.

Juniors Only

• The Posse Foundation, a national organization that offers four-year, full-tuition, leadership-based merit scholarships to partner universities, is accepting nominations! If interested in learning more, click HERE and see attached flyer. To be considered for a nomination, complete the Posse Interest Questionnaire (SMMK12 login required) by Weds., 5/28.

Lastly, reminder that you also have a list of Fly-In Programs here.

Sign up to meet with you college counselor:

Flores (last names A-G) e.flores@smmusd.orghttps://calendly.com/appointmentswithflores/letsgettowork

Honda (H-N) jhonda@smmusd.org https://calendly.com/julie-honda

Mejia (O-Z) rmejia@smmusd.org https://calendly.com/cccmejia

Meet with our SMC rep:

Estela Ruezga– Ruezga_estela@smc.edu , https://calendly.com/ruezga_estela

Planning to attend El Camino College? Check out their Puente Project Program for excellent benefits and student support!

To report a student’s absence, please send an email to:

AttendancePBL@smmusd.org

or call Crystal Griffis at 310.395.3204 ext. 71-177

Please include your student’s first and last names, student ID numbers, and the reason they are absent (illness, family matter, medical or dental appointment, etc.).

• Students who become ill at school need to go to the nurse’s office to be released from school

• If a students leaves at lunch, we MUST have an email from you IN THE MORNING, asking for an early dismissal pass…if we receive an email AFTER they have already left, the absence will not be excused

• Students can pick up their early leave pass from the PBL house office after the 1st period of the day

• These passes CANNOT be delivered to their class

• When students leave early for a doctor’s appointment, they must bring a note back from the doctor so we can clear their absence…if we don’t receive a note, it is marked as a cut.

• All absences must be cleared in 3 days…please email the PBL house office if your child is out sick…after 3 days, it is an unexcused absence

• After a student has had 5 full day absences in the school year for illness, any further absence for illness must be verified by a physician

• Attendance for athletic participation is cleared through the athletics office

• This can take a few days to be corrected. Thank you for your patience.

• Questions about attendance procedures, please go to our website: https://www.smmusd.org/domain/3026

In AD 103- Across the hall from the nurse’s office,

Open on Tuesday from 1 to 3:45 pm and on Thursdays from 8:30 to 11:45 am!

• Immunizations

• Physicals

• Medical Care

• And so much more

Margaret’s Place is open for the school year in E117 and offers services to students every weekday! At Margaret’s Place, our mission is to help end the cycle of violence in our relationships, schools, and communities. We offer free counseling for students, open lunch drop-in, therapeutic recreation activities, and more! See our newsletter for students and our newsletter for parents/caregivers to learn more about services and how to get involved, email ldesanto@smmusd.org with any questions.

Wellness Services Center Website

Mental Health Referral Form

SMMUSD continues to provide free TAP cards to all of our students. For our PBL students this is important that each student have an active TAP card as this is our main mode of travel for many of our Leaving 2 Learn experiences (ie: field trips).

If your child did not receive a TAP card or activation code, please have them come to the PBL House Office (B111).

To reactivate your existing TAP card, please submit the following form to receive a new eligibility code: https://bit.ly/GoPass2024-2025.

SMMUSD's Weekend Bags Program offers nutritious, easy-to-prepare weekend food for Samohi students when school cafeteria breakfasts and lunches are not available. Each Weekend Bag holds two breakfasts, two lunches, and two snacks. The menus have been evaluated by a dietitian and provide a balance of healthy, nutritious non-perishable foods which change each week. Students can drop by and pick up their Weekend Bags on Fridays afterschool from the Vikings’ Hub in E113.

Students should let Carla Nuñez, Community Schools Specialist in E113, (or their House Office assistant or their House Advisor) know if they would like to receive Weekend Bags. Families wishing to have their students receive Weekend Bags on Fridays should contact Carla Nuñez at carlanunez@smmusd.org or 310 395-3204 ext. 71-143.

Support a young author and purchase Malaika's book on Amazon today!

Categorized as a coming-of-age psychological thriller.