As the semester ends, the Forge would like to take a quick moment to acknowledge the efforts of everyone who has made our work possible and give some thought to the future. Through the concerted efforts of over 20 writers, working from their homes in and around Santa Barbara, we have strived over the last several months to bring you the stories that matter. The Forge wants to thank all of our writers for their hard work, especially in such strange circumstances. Not only is this the first year in which the Forge has been published solely online, but it is also the full first year in which the Forge has even had an online presence. It’s been a year of experimentation and innovation for us and we have been ecstatic at the community’s response so far. We have also been extraordinarily lucky this year to have been graced by the guidance of our new advisor, Joanne Cloutier. Primarily a special education teacher, she stepped up to the plate as Otto Layman, advisor for half a decade, was retiring, in the midst of a pandemic and continued online learning no less. Her passion and dedication has been a beacon to us all. Lastly, a thank you to all of our readers. We will be taking a short hiatus as we rotate in and train a new team of staff writers, but we hope you’ll stick with us into the new semester. The Forge remains as committed as ever to our mission to teach our students the skills of journalism and inform the Dons community. Although we remain fully online for the moment, we are excited for the day when we’ll be able to deliver the Forge to you both online and in print editions handed out throughout the hallowed halls of Santa Barbara High School once again.

Sincerely,

Emerson Steady and Karissa Fields

Editors-in-Chief