The Santa Ynez Valley Elks Lodge, in collaboration with Santa Ynez Valley Union High School, is pleased to honor Sierra Freedman as the January Elks Student of the Month.

In the eighth grade, Sierra, like many other students,  found herself in the throes of the COVID pandemic. She didn’t want to do schoolwork at all and it took her until her sophomore year to recover from the negative effects of the pandemic. She now maintains a 3.6 GPA. The one thing that turned things around for Sierra was an early birthday gift of her dog, Koda! Koda brought her joy and helped her become more active.

Her love of animals got her involved in the ag program at the high school. She has helped her farm team all four years of high school, where she tends to the ewes and lambs, checking on them every morning and evening. She has been described by an ag teacher as the farm manager.

Sierra has been working since the age of 12 as a baby/petsitter as well as working at OstrichLand in Buellton as an animal caregiver.

Additionally, Sierra has played golf all four years on the SYHS team and helped the Pirates win back-to-back CIF championships in her junior and senior years.

Sierra loves spending her free time at the beach, golfing, and with her dog. Her favorite book is “Lord of the Flies,” her favorite class is veterinary science, her favorite concert is by Pink! and she would love to travel to Yellowstone.

Sierra will be attending Cal State Monterey Bay, majoring in marine biology or wildlife biology. She wants to work with animals, whether domesticated, wild, or marine. Her goal is to work in animal science and environmental conservation.

Santa Ynez Valley Elks honored Sierra with a check for $100. Congratulations!

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The Santa Ynez Valley Elks Lodge recently was able to reward a pair of outstanding Santa Ynez Valley Union High School students who were named Elks Student of the Month.

Cassidy Robinson was named Student of the Month for November, while Cailin Glover got the honor in December.

Robinson is a senior at the Santa Ynez Valley Union High School and is currently enrolled in two AP classes and two dual enrollment classes through Hancock College. She balances that with a part-time job. She still enjoys taking time for herself, driving with the music on, going to the beach, watching the sunset and spending time with loved ones. 

“It is not only important to me to make myself proud but the people around me,” Robinson said. “I enjoy being able to help around the community when I can even if it is as small as lending a friend a helping hand.” 

Robinson hopes to attend Arizona State University next fall, where she hopes to join the cheer team and major in criminal justice. 

“I am interested in making change in the world while also understanding how or why things happen the way they do,” she said. “From a young age I learned grit, determination and perseverance from competitive gymnastics, which showed me that even your hardest battles do not depict who you are as a person but how you deal with them.”

Glover is a student who has shined in athletics, most notably volleyball, where she’s been a three-year captain for the Pirates girls volleyball team, and has been named team MVP and a Scholar Athlete. She also plays for the SYHS girls beach volleyball team in the spring, and also plays for the Flight Academy club team.

Glover is not only a standout in her sport, but also a role model in the classroom, with a 3.9 GPA while taking two AP courses and three Allan Hancock College concurrent enrollment courses. Her teachers describe her as a delight to have in class and say she always contributes positively and with maturity.

“Cailin exemplifies the ideal of a student-athlete,” said SYHS Administrative Assistant Alexa Tomasini. “Her athleticism is unparalleled, as she dominates in her sports with a combination of skill, determination, and an indomitable competitive spirit that inspires her teammates. She consistently demonstrates leadership, strategic thinking, and a work ethic that sets her apart as a force to be reckoned with.”

Cailin hopes to attend the University of Colorado or San Diego State University, majoring in business and marketing, with the goal of being the CEO of a company one day. She loves the Santa Ynez Valley and says this is a great place to live and go to school because it is a small community. She would love to live here as an adult one day with her family, but she will live wherever she can to be near family, especially her brothers. 

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LOS OLIVOS — NBA All-Star and Basketball Hall of Famer Isiah Thomas reflects on his journey from the West Side of Chicago to international stardom in the latest episode of “The Whole Student,” Dunn School’s acclaimed podcast. Hosted by Head of School Kalyan Balaven and innovator Mo Pritzker, the episode dives deep into themes of community, mentorship, and education’s role in shaping lives and fostering belonging.

Thomas shares heartfelt stories of resilience and inspiration, including how his mother, Mary Thomas, instilled the importance of education and integrity during their most challenging times. Now the founder of Mary’s Court Foundation, which supports underprivileged families in Chicago, Thomas continues to champion the values his mother upheld.

“My mom, my biggest inspiration, my biggest motivator, … made it all work,” Thomas said. “We had some very, very difficult times … as I’m older now and I look back on what she really did and how she kept us together as a family … I’m in awe of what she did in the ’50s and ’60s as a woman.”

A unique perspective on belonging and leadership

As a student-athlete, Thomas navigated significant cultural and socioeconomic divides, experiencing firsthand the challenges of belonging in private and public educational spaces. He credits teachers and coaches like Bobby Knight for mentoring him through pivotal moments, helping him grow into both a leader on the court and an advocate for community development.

“Leadership, the way I see it, it’s given, it’s not taken,” Thomas shared. “When I look at those who lead … it comes down to trust. Can you trust this person? Can you trust their word to be accurate and also informative?”

Thomas also discussed the evolving challenges educators face in building trust and community in the classroom:“Without the teachers, without the mentors, without that passing on of knowledge, it’s a scary thought of where we would be,” Thomas said. “If we can get the students and our young folk back to being able to look at each other without suspicion, then you got a chance.”

This episode is part of “The Whole Student” podcast’s third season, which focuses on creating community and belonging in educational settings. The season has featured prominent guests like Illinois Governor JB Pritzker, Academy Award-winning actress Glenn Close, and NextDoor founder Prakash Janakiraman. Each guest brings unique perspectives on how educators, parents, and leaders can foster inclusive environments where all individuals feel valued and supported.

A platform for transformative conversations

Since its launch, “The Whole Student” podcast has been a platform for thought-provoking discussions about education and leadership. With episodes exploring the impact of exceptional teachers, women in STEM fields, and the social challenges of modern schools, the podcast has drawn attention from national education publications and local media alike.

“Our mission is to spark meaningful conversations,” said Balaven. “Through stories like Isiah’s, we aim to inspire educators and parents to rethink education’s role in building trust, resilience, and connection.”

The episode featuring Isiah Thomas is available on all major podcast platforms, including Spotify and Apple Podcasts. Seasons 1 and 2 are also available on YouTube. The episode comes at a critical time when educators and communities are grappling with how to create environments of belonging amid heightened social and technological pressures. Thomas’s reflections on mentorship and community offer timely insights for those seeking to make a positive impact in their schools and neighborhoods.

About Dunn School: Nestled in the scenic Santa Ynez Valley of California, Dunn School is a boarding and day school for grades 6-12. Since its founding in 1957, Dunn has prioritized Whole Student Education, empowering students to grow academically, emotionally, and morally within a supportive community. The school’s mission extends beyond academics to instill qualities like leadership, responsibility, and compassion in its students.

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The Santa Ynez Valley Union High School District (SYVUHSD) is excited to announce a groundbreaking partnership with the Santa Ynez Pirate Foundation and the Gainey Foundation to empower educators through Creative and Innovative Classroom Grants. This initiative, designed to support teachers’ visionary ideas and creative classroom projects, aims to transform students’ learning experiences and advance educational outcomes across the district.

“We are thrilled to partner with the Santa Ynez Pirate Foundation and the Gainey Foundation to launch this program,” said Dr. Kimberly Sheehan, superintendent of Santa Ynez Valley Union High School District. “These grants will provide teachers with the resources they need to bring their most innovative ideas to life, allowing our students to engage in new and enriching educational experiences that may not otherwise be possible.”

The Creative and Innovative Classroom Grants will be open to all Santa Ynez Valley Union High School teachers, inviting them to submit proposals for projects across all curriculum areas. These projects are intended to inspire creativity, critical thinking, and hands-on learning, helping students build essential skills for the future. By going beyond the limits of existing departmental budgets, the grants will give teachers the opportunity to foster a dynamic learning environment that emphasizes exploration and growth.

Teachers will design project proposals around a three-part framework:

• Project overview: Each project will be developed with specific educational goals and innovative methodologies, engaging students in unique activities that cultivate essential skills.
• Need and impact: Projects will address current challenges within classrooms and curriculum, bringing significant benefits to students, teachers, and the broader school community.
• Budget and resources: Teachers will submit detailed budget proposals, ensuring every dollar is utilized effectively on essential materials, technology, and resources.

At the conclusion of each project, teachers will share evidence of the project’s impact through photographs and sample project work, celebrating the direct results of the Foundation’s support. This initiative, made possible by the Santa Ynez Pirate Foundation and the Gainey Foundation, has the potential to set a new standard in education by highlighting how innovative projects can transform teaching and learning.

The Santa Ynez Valley Union High School District is grateful for the Santa Ynez Pirate Foundation and the Gainey Foundation’s commitment to advancing education. This partnership will inspire a legacy of creativity and academic enrichment that empowers both teachers and students in their educational journey.

For more information about the Creative and Innovative Classroom Grants, please contact Dr. Kimberly Sheehan at the Santa Ynez Valley Union High School District office.

Feature Image: The Santa Ynez Valley Union High School District has reached a partnership that will provide grants for projects teachers can do to “inspire creativity, critical thinking, and hands-on learning.” Star File Photo

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Attention all seniors in North Santa Barbara County high schools: Submissions for next year’s opportunity to earn the $5,000 NatureTrack Foundation’s Nancy Stearns Scholarship will be due sooner than you think.

The scholarship is geared for a graduating student (2025) from a North Santa Barbara County high school, so applicants should start thinking about what their essay will include and highlight. For your 500-word essay, the committee is interested in your educational and career intentions as they relate to nature as well as your goals within the field of natural science*. 

In addition to the completed application and essay, the student must submit a full high school transcript. Priority will be given to a student with a financial need to pursue higher education. Support is awarded for up to four years based on acceptable performance and continuation towards a bachelor’s degree in the natural science field. The 2025 cycle for  this year’s Nancy Stearn’s Scholarship is open until March 15. You can find all the info and apply on the organization’s website at https://naturetrack.org, under the “Get Involved” tab. 

Sue Eisaguirre, founder and E.D. of NatureTrack Foundation, is very grateful to Brett Stearns, who pledged to underwrite the scholarship in honor of his wife Nancy, who was a docent for NatureTrack since it began in 2011. “We hope this scholarship will provide students with the opportunity to pursue their college education all while fostering a stronger connection to nature,” Eisaguirre said. Stearns’s ongoing commitment ensures Nancy’s legacy will continue to empower and inspire future generations for years to come. 

Docents and committee members Dennis and Carole Nord noted “Nancy had more love and enthusiasm for nature. She was always up for exploring flowers in bloom, birds to be discovered or the latest botanical mystery.” Nancy Stearns pursued the experience in nature for the K-12 students on field trips in our county and proved her love of nature asextremely contagious.  

This is the fifth year for the essay contest. Previous winners include Catalina Kett, who’s at High Point University in North Carolina majoring in biology with a minor in Spanish; Brynley Ellsworth, who is studying botany at Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah; Erin Trathern, who is majoring in environmental engineering at Oregon State in Corvallis, Oregon; and Braiden Flaherty, who is at University of California, Santa Cruz, where he is pursuing marine biology.   

The Nancy Stearns Scholarship is broken up into four disbursements with $2,000 awarded the first year and $1,000 awarded year two, three, and four based on acceptable performance. The award is paid directly to the student’s school tuition account. For more information about the NatureTrack Nancy Stearns Scholarship or other ways you can get involved with the NatureTrack Foundation, please visit NatureTrack.org or call Sue Eisaguirre at (805)886-2047, or email her sue@naturetrack.org. 

*Natural science includes any study of nature. Suggested desirable majors to support (not inclusive): biological sciences (botany, aquatic biology, wildlife, ecology, entomology, horticulture, animal science, plant science, etc.), earth sciences (geology, oceanography, geography, remote sensing, cartography), wildlife sciences, outdoor education, and environmental sciences. Please note it does not include agriculture, health or medicine. 

The goal of this scholarship is to support students who will find a career in support of nature: conserving, preserving, researching or sharing nature with others. If there is another major which will prepare you for that goal, please apply and explain your educational path to that goal.

If you plan to study any other topic and intend to apply your knowledge and skills to the natural world, consider applying for this scholarship; go to naturetrack.org/scholarship-application/.

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Now entering its 24th year, and first with new director Amy Curti, The Santa Ynez High School Theatre Group is preparing for six weekend performances of a literary classic, “Little Women.”

The production, featuring SYHS students in the cast, is scheduled for three shows on successive weekends starting Friday, Nov. 15, and again on Friday, Nov. 22. Friday and Saturday shows start at 7 p.m., with the Sunday shows beginning at 2 p.m.

The shows will be the first under the direction of Curti, a 1991 graduate of SYHS who has taken over for Jeff McKinnon, the founder of the group who retired earlier this year.

“I was at St. Joseph for the last five years, in Santa Maria, and this is my alma mater, so I’d been kind of patiently waiting for Jeff to retire,” Curti said. “At one point, I knew he was close to retiring, so I contacted him to ask his timeline, and once he did make plans to retire, I applied for the job and got it.

“I did about 11 production during my time at St. Joe’s, all of them musicals. So, I’m kind of easing into this position by just doing a play.”

“Little Women” originated as a classic, coming-of-age novel by Louisa May Alcott, first published in the 19th century. The story follows the lives of the four March sisters — Meg, Jo, Beth, and Amy — and details their passage from childhood to womanhood. The story is loosely based on Alcott’s life with her three sisters.

“Jeff [McKinnon] had an advanced theater class last year, and he warned them I was coming, and asked to submit a ‘wish list’ of their three top shows,” Curti said. “So I got the list, and ‘Little Women’ was on there, and that was an easy choice for me. I teach American literature and ‘Little Women’ is one of my favorite childhood stories.”

Curti started with SYHS in August, and had auditions for the show at the end of the month.

“Jeff had told me he had some strong female leads in his class that I would get,” she said. “So I started two weeks, teaching my two theater classes, and I saw a few of them in ‘Bye, Bye Birdie’ that the Arts Outreach had put on, so I knew what kind of talent I had.”

One interesting aspect about the play is that the young actors will actually be wearing wireless mics while doing the show.

“This is the first time we’ve had a sound system, and we’ll be putting mics on the students, in addition to the hanging mics [above the stage],” Curti said. “Before that, we’ve just been using natural projection, which I wish the kids could do, but they can’t, so we’ll mic them. Plus, we’ll need to mic them for next semester’s musical.”

Ah, yes, as Curti disclosed, the group will be doing a musical, “School of Rock,” based on the movie starring Jack Black.

“I’ll be collaborating with Rob Cantrell, who’s the music teacher here and also in the [local band] Molly Ringwald Project,” she said. “He’s a guitarist, so we’re playing with the idea of having live music with that show. It’ll definitely be a bigger production.”

Of course, with theater, there is more than just what’s on the stage. Productions depend on people who know how lighting and sound works, and those that can build stage sets. That’s a fact not lost on Curti.

“We have a lot of outside help: For instance, we have a family here, the Kelseys, who are Civil War re-enactors, and they’ve let us borrow some of their costumes because that’s the time period for ‘Little Women,'” she said. “And we have Chris Mullin, one of our teachers, who helps us with the sets.”

“However, I’d say that’s something we need to build here; I’m working right now to really learn all aspects of the theater. And I would say a goal would be that we would build a technical theater program here, for students to learn this.”

But, for the moment, the focus is on “Little Women” and the upcoming premiere on Nov. 15 at the school’s Little Theater.

The shows will run on Nov. 15, 16, and 17, and again on Nov. 22, 23, and 24. Showtimes are 7 p.m. for the Friday and Saturday shows, and 2 p.m. for the Sunday shows. Tickets are $15 for adults, $10 for students, and $50 for VIP and can be purchased at syvuhsd.org/apps/pages/index.jsp?uREC_ID=1086199&type=d&pREC_ID=1468892.

Feature image: Amy Curti, a member of Santa Ynez High’s Class of 1991, is in her first year as the director of the SYHS Theater Group after five years at St. Joseph’s High in Santa Maria. Photo by Mike Chaldu.

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The Santa Ynez High School Pirate football will Go Pink on Friday, Oct. 18, in recognition of Cancer Awareness Month and to help fundraise for a local Pirate family who have been facing one of the biggest fights of their life.

“Go Pink Night is a very meaningful tradition for our football family as players, coaches, and fans honor all women and men who are fighting cancer, and we re- member those special to us who have fought the battle and have lost,” said head football coach Josh McClurg. “We lost [longtime football program supporter] Carl Rio a few years ago and it has hit us a few times within our own football family. This year, we have a friend, a Pirate parent, Trish Robinson, who is fighting a rare connective tissue disease attacking her lungs called anti synthetase syndrome with overlapping inflammatory myositis. This affects less than 3,500 people in the U.S. with no cure to date. However, with proper care and treatment, it can go into remission. She is currently undergoing treatment, which is going to take time and patience! We want Trish and the Robinson Family to know we stand with them and want to help as best we can.”

Santa Ynez High School Football Boosters will hold a fundraising raffle at the Oct. 18 game that will include a:

• Pirate football helmet signed by all the players
• Custom Pirate cooler
• Gift certificate for a letterman’s jacket from Dellavalle Embroidery

The fundraiser will also include a bake sale. This year, 100 percent of the proceeds from the fundraising effort will go to Trish and the Robinson Family.

If you would like to make a donation, please contact the SYHS Football Boosters at sypiratefootball@gmail.com or visit our website at sypiratefootball.com.

The JV game begins at 4 p.m. and the varsity game kicks off at 7 p.m.

Feature image: Trish Robinson, seen here with her daughter Cassidy, a cheerleader and track athlete at SYHS, is fighting a rare connective tissue disease called anti synthetase syndrome and will be the focus of the Go Pink football fundraising effort on Oct. 18. Photo contributed by SYHS.

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Santa Ynez High School held its Homecoming the weekend of Sept. 13 and crowned Queen Malia Ortiz and King Angel Gonzalez during halftime of that night’s football game between SYHS and Mission Prep High School of San Luis Obispo.

Ortiz and Gonzalez received the honor each among a field of eight candidates. The King and Queen were paired up and driven to the field in a classic car or pickup and each was individually introduced while being escorted by family members before lining up on the sidelines for the big announcements.

Homecoming Princesses were Gigi Demeure, Grace Vazquez, Haylee Fox, Kimberly Medina, Nataly Davalos, Sofia Tinajero, and Sophia Merz. Homecoming Princes were Aaron Figueroa, Dylan Ross, Hayden Blunt, Ilan Torres, Jack Fisher, Kurren Kays, and Luca Clifton.

The Pirates football was defeated by the visiting Royals 30-13 in the Homecoming game.

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The Vikings of Solvang donated four Pumper Cars to support students with special needs in the Lompoc Unified School District. Pumper Cars are innovative mobility devices that promote inclusion and provide children of nearly all abilities with a fun and vigorous way to exercise.

The donation request was made by Clint Ellison, an adapted physical education teacher serving eight elementary schools in the Lompoc Unified School District. Clint delivers tailored physical education programs specifically designed for students with special needs. 

“I am extremely grateful for what the Vikings of Solvang did to help our students,” Ellison said. “The students reallyenjoy using the Pumper Cars. In fact, much of the time it is difficult to get them out of the cars.”

The Pumper Car is a specialized mobility device designed for children, particularly those with therapeutic and health-related needs. Renowned for its effectiveness, the Pumper Car is an excellent solution for children who are unable toexercise in traditional ways. It promotes focused exercise, improves coordination, and strengthens muscles, all while offering a variety of activities that enhance fitness, hand-eye coordination, spatial awareness, social skills, and language development.

Ellison continued, “It was great to have several members of the Vikings come out and witness my students using them. Thank you again, Vikings of Solvang.”

The Vikings of Solvang is a social and philanthropic organization committed to advancing the well-being of Santa Barbara County citizens through medical assistance and volunteerism. A donation of $2,106 was made by the Vikings of Solvang to fund four Pumper Cars for students with special needs in the Lompoc Unified School District. By addressing the medical needs of individuals and supporting healthcare organizations, the Vikings strive to uplift the community. Since its founding in 1974, the Vikings of Solvang has provided over $3 million in medical aid. With members covering all operating costs, every dollar donated goes directly to helping those in need.

For more information, to apply for a grant, or to donate to the endowment fund, please visit vikingsofsolvang.org or email info@vikingsofsolvang.org.

Feature Image: Members of the Vikings of Solvang and Lompoc Unified School District teachers and students welcome the donation of four Pumper Cars to the district. Photos Courtesy of the Vikings of Solvang

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By Mike Chaldu

michael@santaynezvalleystar.com

Sitting in her new office as the superintendent/principal for Santa Ynez Union Valley High School, Dr. Kimberly Sheehan recalled the path she took through higher education and how the teachers, counselors, and coaches she had as a high-school student in Covina got her started on that path. 

“I had two amazing parents — my dad worked on the railroad and my mother was a stay-at home mom,” she said.”Since they hadn’t gone to college, they didn’t know how to navigate the educational system; however, they were smart enough to live in areas that had great schools for me.

“During high school, I was a typical student — I played softball, I was a cheerleader, I was really into the social aspect of high school,” Sheehan continued. “I did fine in class, but I never really thought of myself as smart, but there were teachers and others in the school who let me know I was smart, and pointed out my skill sets, and really believed in me and encourage me to set goals.”

And that was what inspired Sheehan to pursue a career in education that has resulted in her latest stop at SYHS. She graduated from Cal Poly Pomona with a degree in communications/public relations, earned her teaching credential at Azusa Pacific University, and got a Master’s at USC.

“Having those people [in Covina] believe in me is what really planted the seed,” she said. “It made me want to give back, to help students in the way that I was helped.”

The Santa Ynez Valley Union High School District announced Sheehan’s appointment to the newly created superintendent/principal position on April 16. She had spent the previous three years as director of The Accelerated Schools, a group of charter campus in Los Angeles. Before that she was a leader in public education for over 20 years, with experience in elementary, middle, and high schools. After beginning her career in education as a high school English teacher and counselor in Covina, she went on to work as a principal of an elementary coding and dual language immersion school. 

And before that, her first job out of college was a little different: She worked for the then Anaheim Angels of Major League Baseball.

“Coming out of Cal Poly Pomona, I thought I would be in that PR world, and I really liked sports, so I thought working for a team would be fun,” Sheehan recalled. “I worked in the front office, and enjoyed working with the community organizations and especially the Make-A-Wish Foundation when they would bring kids in, and that stuck with me.

“Seeing that and what they did for the kids made me realize how much I wanted to give back. Plus, I was thinking about starting a family and having kids and I thought ‘what would be the best job to do and still spend time with your kids,’ and education seemed to be a good option.”

Sheehan said she first became aware of the SYHS job in February, as the school board was in the midst of a long search for its combined superintendent/principal position.

“I came upon the job through some workshops with the ASCA (Association of California School Administrators) as an aspiring superintendent,” she said. “They would give me advice on searching jobs, and one was that some people have to draw a barrier around where they live because they need to stay in the general area.”

However, Sheehan had no such barrier.

“My kids are grown and out of the house, so I didn’t have to worry about how it would effect them, so I just figured anywhere in the state was fine with me,” she said. “I found out about this job, came up to Valley for a weekend to check it out, did a little more research, and decided to apply for the job.”

After working in the inner city of LA for the past three years, Sheehan said she welcomes the more rural environment of here new job.

“It’s a very large valley, but it has a very small-town feel, and I like that,” she said. “This is a community that has had a lot of tradition and legacy, and I feel I’m very aligned with that.”

Sheehan started her new job on July 1, and she has been very busy acclimating herself to her new surroundings and getting ready for the school year, which begins on Thursday, Aug. 8.

“The leadership team has been extremely busy,” she said. “I had the luxury of being able to attend three or four board meeting before I started here so that’s been helpful.”

One of the things Sheehan is addressing is the cellphone issue. Gov. Gavin Newsom recently proposed a statewide cellphone ban in schools that would take effect in 2026 if passed, and the LA Unified School District recently instituted a ban during classes.

SYHS, however, will not be going that far.

“The board adopted a new cellphone policy this year that will limit, but not ban, the phones,” Sheehan said. “How do we limit the phones? That’s what we’ve been working on all summer — the communication of that and theaccountability.”

Otherwise, Sheehan has seen the school’s latest AP test results and said SYHS students have scored above average on 11 of the 12 test administered. She’s seen the student production of “Bye, Bye Birdie” and attended the Santa Barbara County Fair in Santa Maria to see some of the SYHS students show their livestock animals.

“Also, I met with the ASB students and they had a really big ask: The seniors wanted their own reserved parking spaces on campus,” Sheehan said. “They also wanted to be able to decorate their spots, so we’ve OK’d that and set aside Aug. 10 as the day they can do that and we’ve gotten local merchants to supply paint and materials for that.”

As she embarks on her first year, Sheehan is just looking to maintain the operation and legacy of what she already considered an excellent school.

In fact, in looking at the school, she thinks of SYHS in the terms of her three adult kids and three grandkids.

“I feel like I picked Santa Ynez as much as Santa Ynez picked me,” she said. “And I think in terms of whether I would be proud to have my kids, or my grandkids, coming here. And this school, I would be very confident if they came to school.

“That’s one of the measures where you can tell that a school is doing it right.”

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