There is a word that has been used a lot throughout this pandemic: unprecedented. But I do not believe that it has been overused. The world is in a very difficult place right now, unlike what has been seen certainly in our lifetimes and probably in the lifetimes of our parents as well. Even as we all collectively face down this unprecedented trial and tragedy, The Forge’s mission remains the same as it has always been: to inform the students, teachers, and parents of Santa Barbara High School and empower our student writers to have their voices heard. The Forge has been continuously published since 1914 and has endured two world wars, the civil rights movement of the 1960s, Vietnam, the September 11th attacks, and the tenures of eighteen Presidents. In March of this year, for the first time ever, the Forge stopped being physically published and distributed on campus. As we transitioned to an online format, some people expressed concern that the Forge would become obsolete. However, we believe that our mission is more important now than ever. Between coronavirus, the fight for racial justice, climate change, and the presidential election, time and time again we have been shown that the youth are the ones who must take the lead in these movements as they are the ones who will bear the brunt of these decisions. In these trying times, we are also granted a unique opportunity. As opposed to our usual monthly issue-based format, the Forge will be publishing individual articles as they are written for the most up to date news on our website at all times. To stay even more on top of the issues and events that matter to Dons, you can sign up for our newsletter here. We are meeting daily over Zoom with our new advisor Mrs. Joanne Cloutier, our driven section editors, and most importantly our talented team of staff writers and working diligently to cover the latest news from Santa Barbara High School and beyond. The best way to continue to support our work is to read our content online, engage with our articles, and keep in contact with us at admin@sbhsforge.com

Sincerely,
Karissa Fields and Emerson Steady
Editors-In-Chief