After going up to Los Olivos and defeating Dunn School a month earlier, the Santa Ynez High baseball team played the Earwigs again April 10, and won 12-5 in a non-league game at the Pirates’ diamond.

Santa Ynez posted the victory thanks to two big innings in a game that was a little more competitive than the scored would suggest.

Dunn held a 1-0 into the bottom of the fourth, but Santa Ynez rallied for six runs in that frame. Then after the Earwigs closed to 6-5 going into the bottom of the sixth, the Pirates put up six more runs in that inning to break it open.

For SYHS, Bradley Lood went 3-for-4 with two runs, two RBI and a stolen base, while Adam Stephens went 3-for-4 with two runs, and Dallas DeForest was 2-for-2 with a run, RBI, and steal.

On the mound, Ryan Henrey went 5.2 innings, allowing three runs and striking out nine for the win.

For the Earwigs, CJ Hollister went 3-for-4 with a run and RBI.

The Pirates raised their overall record to 9-5, pending their April 11 game against Dos Pueblos, another non-league matchup. SYHS will try to improve on its 1-3 Sunset League record with games against Pioneer Valley on Wednesday, April 17 (at home), and Friday, April 19 (away).

The Earwigs, 7-9 and 1-5 in the Tri-Valley League, will return to action with games against St. Bonaventure on Monday, April 22 (at home), and Thursday, April 25 (away). They then will close out the regular season with a doubleheader at home against Legacy Christian Academy on April 27.

Pirates boys golf tops Sunset League foes

The Santa Ynez Pirates played in the third Sunset League tournament of the season on Monday, April 8, at Nipomo’s par-35 Monarch Dunes Golf Course and came out on top in the nine-hole competition with a team score of 197. The Pirates were led by Von Gordon with a 36 and Brayden Mlodzik with a 37. The medalist of the day was Talon Hawk of Morro Bay with an even par 35. Team results: 1. Santa Ynez, 197; 2. Morro Bay, 220; 3. Paso Robles, 221; 4. Cabrillo, 230; 5. Nipomo 248

Santa Ynez scores: Von Gordon, 36; Brayden Mlodzik, 37; Seb Perez, 40; Marcelo Andrade, 41; Cody Armenta, 43; Ernesto Suarez, 46.

Santa Ynez beach volleyball defeats AG 2-1

The Lady Pirates earned their first Mountain League win of the season in a tight one with the Eagles at Sunny Fields Park in Solvang.

“All three of our matches went to three games. Each game was a battle,” said Santa Ynez head coach Melissa Rogers. “AG is well-coached and the adjustments were constant throughout the duel, which made for some well-fought games. All three of our teams were new pairings. The girls had a few rough patches, but did a stellar job of lining out their games and playing some solid volleyball.”

Pirates No. 1 duo Helina Pecile/Natalie Bailey (SY) defeated Riley Glanville/Grace Kennedy (AG) 20-22, 21-19, 15-10. Arroyo Grande’s No. 2 Tana Long/Bella Strickland (AG) defeated Sadie Lishman/Kailyn Snekvik (SY) 21-15, 14-21, 15-10. Santa Ynez’s No. 3 Haley Spry/Ella Miller (SY) defeated Caroline Talley/Bixby Hardy (AG) 21-14, 18-21, 15-8.

The Pirates (7-10, 1-6 in the Mountain League) will finish the regular season with games against Mission Prep (home) on Tuesday, April 16, and Arroyo Grande (away) on Wednesday, April 17.

Pirates boys tennis suffers narrow loss on Senior Day

The Santa Ynez High tennis team lost 5-4 to Arroyo Grande on April 11 after celebrating the final match of the Pirates’ six seniors: Dominic Day, Lucas Doman, Jonathan Hansen, Clayton Madill, Elias Thomas, and Matthew Wolfe. Freshman McCall Halme had a great win in the No. 5 singles line, defeating his opponent 6-4, 6-4. Day also won at line 6 in singles with a 6-0, 6-0 victory. The doubles team of Wolfe and junior Adam Angel won easily, 8-1, while junior Bryce Wilczak played a tough match at the No. 1 singles line against the Eagles’ Lance Willkomm, taking the win 7-5, 7-5. 

Singles 3-3

1.Bryce Wilczak won 7-5, 7-5; 2. Lucas Doman lost 5-7, 2-6; 3. Cooper Haws lost 1-6, 2-6; 4. Elias Thomas lost 4-6, 5-7; 5. Mac Halme won 6-4, 6-4; 6. Dominic Day won 6-0, 6-0

Doubles 1-2

1. Wilczak and Haws lost 7-9; 2. Doman and Thomas lost 2-8; 3. Wolfe and Angel won 8-1

SYD Sliding home.JPG

Santa Ynez High’s Elias Palmer slides into home during the Pirates’ six-run fourth inning against Dunn on April 10. Santa Ynez won the game 12-5. Photo by Mike Chaldu

SYD Hollister.JPG

Dunn’s CJ Hollister gets ready to swing during the Earwigs games against Santa Ynez on April 10. The Earwigs lost to the Pirates 12-5 in the non-league game. Photo by Mike Chaldu

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By Mike Chaldu

michael@santaynezvalleystar.com

The Dunn School, the private boarding school located in Los Olivos, is one whose administration has never been afraid to think outside the box.

And that philosophy carried over into the school’s Commencement ceremony on June 3: During the awarding of the diplomas, instead of having the student just walk across the stage and sit back down, each of the 41 graduates of the Class of 2023 had a faculty member of their choosing introduce them and say a few words about the graduate, or as much as they could in the 45-second time limit.

That resulted in many fond memories — some humorous, some inspirational, some poignant, and some emotional.

For instance, Hannah Bishop got hear her personality be compared to a “jingle,” and got to hear an exercept read from a class-assigned letter from the point of view of herself as a 77-year-old, which included a characteristic “anyhoo” mixed in with the essay.

Bernard Grunzweig got to hear one last time from College Counselor Terri Devine a mantra she said she uttered everyday — “Thank goodness for Bernie” — as she recounted all the help her student had done and the great attitude he displayed in and out of the classroom.

Johnathan Johnson got to hear his former assistant baseball coach and advisor gush about “The Rhino,” Johnson’s alter ego known as “the most intense pitcher I’ve ever seen take the mound.”

And in maybe the most amusing introduction, David Mason introduced Ukrainian student Lev Prosvietin by speaking his language — literally. Although he never spoke Ukrainian before, Mason delivered his words in that language (to Prosvietin’s bemusement), while fellow faculty member Toby Castle held cue cards with the English translation for the benefit of the audience.

“I did it as a surprise,” Mason said after the ceremony. “I got together with someone who knew Ukrainian to writer it and work on the pronunciation. It was so hard, obviously.”

It was those moments that wrapped up a festive ceremony full of cheers and tears, and some entertainment.

A five-piece band performed a couple of songs, one of which had Aidan O’Neill and Willa Levy teaming up for a rousing version of the 1976 Elton John/Kiki Dee hit “Don’t Go Breaking My Heart.”

Dunn Head of School Kalyan Balaven began the Commencement with an original poem called “Ripples,” which was chock full of references of the people, places, and moments from the past year at Dunn.

“I read it last year, but each year I change it up a little bit to reflect what happened during each school year here,” Balaven said after the ceremony.

Eventually, Dunn’s three student speakers were able to take the podium.

First up was Joshua Marin, who spoke of his journey since arriving at Dunn as a sixth-grader, and issues he eventually had while there.

“In my freshman year, I felt like I’d been dropped into a maze, but what made it more difficult was it was pitch black,” he said. “I felt like I had to get through by feeling the walls and making random turns.”

However, Marin said, a classmate persuaded him to talk to a now-former faculty member to get the help he needed. He said the the closeness of the Dunn community is what helped him get through his “mental maze.”

“Dunn showed me that the beauty in life isn’t in the scenery or the money, though both are gorgeous,” Marin added. “But rather the bonds we create on our paths to success. This place will remain sacred not just because I grew up here, but because I met some pretty amazing people on the way.”

The next speaker, Quinby James, began her speech by introducing them to a girl who was a shy homebody who didn’t do much more than school, dance, and hanging with her mom.

“She came to this school seven years ago, but she’s no longer here,” James said. “She’s grown into the person standing before you today. She’s me.”

Thus began her story of how her experience at Dunn School has made her a “confident, outgoing, dynamic being that embraces all things new.”

It was her time at Dunn, James said, that taught her not to be afraid of failure (examples of which she told of while at Dunn), but to learn from them. She then told of when she decided to transfer to Santa Ynez High School, but came back to Dunn because SYHS was “too comfortable.”

In summary, she said to her fellow graduates, “I ask you to embrace the discomfort. I ask you to learn. I ask you to fail.”

The final speaker was Helen Pruitt-Kennett, winner of the Trophy of Excellence, Dunn School’s highest honor, for 2023.

Pruitt-Kennett began her speech by recounting how when she entered high-school age, she wanted to just “soar through” high school and instead go right to the “end” and enter college.

She then dabbled in extracurricular pursuits like racing motorcycles and, later, going on her first solo flight, which involved a flyover above the Dunn campus. 

“I was reluctant to get into the plane; some part of me feared I’d forget how to land,” Pruitt-Kennett said. “Then as soon as the wheels were off the ground and I was flying, and by some small miracle, I decided to come back.

However, there was a somber note to her achievement.

“What many didn’t realize was that the previous week, I had lost my mother,” Pruitt-Kennett said. “Flying was what I loved, but it was all I had.”

In all of that, though, Pruitt-Kennett realized something about her earlier wish to just soar through high school — that the “middle” wasn’t the waste of time she thought. With that she left a final message to her classmates.

“I stand here looking at the horizon of everything I want to be. Though I cannot see the setting sun past tomorrow, even if I take a step into the dark today, I will find my way down the path,” she said. “I don’t see an end — I just see the rest of my journey.”

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Staff Report

The Fourth Annual NatureTrack Film Festival will have a dozen wonderful premieres to see at the in person live pop-up on Saturday, Oct. 16 and in the virtual program that runs for two weeks Oct 17 – 31. 

The USA premieres include “Island of the Hippos,” “OPI,” “Seaturtle Watcher,” “Ingenuos,” “The Ants,” “The Accessible Outdoors,” and “Jurria – The Guardians of the Poles.”  NTFF has “Korovadu,” “Sebastian and Max’s Grand Canyon Adventure,” “ A Flyfishing Refugee,” “An Alaskan Fight,” (the previous two by the same filmmaker Brian Kelley who is based in Portland), and “Images of Guanwu” rounding out the California premieres.  All these films will be screened in Stacy Hall, at St. Mark’s in the Valley, 2901 Nojoqui Avenue in Los Olivos from 9 a.m. to 10 p.m.  Film Guide Here

Get your tickets now for the in-person festival because, of special note, the newly added venue the Cindy Bronfman Leadership Center on the campus at Dunn School, is where NTFF has set an additional screening of the BBC’s fantastic “Antarctica.” from 6:30 – 8:30 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 16.

They cannot show it virtually and wanted to give everyone a chance to see this important film about the Antarctic, only discovered 200 years ago. Find out why saving the coldest, darkest place on earth is really important for our planet’s future. The food chain is in full view here, from plankton to whales. A total WOW of a film with those incredible up-close and personal shots of wildlife the BBC filmmakers are always able to capture.

Stick around for the credits, you’ll witness some filmmakers in the tight spots.  This screening will be shown with “Korovadu,” filmmakers take you to Patagonia’s unpredictable terrain and explores our fragile relationship with nature.  “Light of the Night,” from Slovakia, is about the importance of dark skies.

Director Matej Pok in his director’s statement expounded on how the light at night negatively affects the lives of plants and animals and astronomers but also each of us, although we are not yet aware of it. NTFF invited members of  WeWatch to this screening. After the film, they’ll discuss how they’ve made a difference for the exquisite dark skies, here in SYV.  Free parking on Dunn campus, adjacent to the student center. Signs will lead you to the building from Hwy 154.  

Tickets are on sale NOW HERE. If you can’t make the in-person screenings, they’ve got you covered.  Enjoy ALL of the films virtually in the convenience of your own home from Sunday, Oct. 17 to 31 go to https://NatureTrackFilmFestival.org    

Live & Online $100; Online Pass only $75.   

At NatureTrack our mission is to inspire students to embrace our natural world with respect and wonder, encouraging them to be stewards of our natural resources; and to prepare school-aged students with the attitudes, leadership skills and habits for lifelong learning. The NatureTrack Film Festival expands upon our core mission by “igniting passion for nature through film.” NatureTrack invites filmmakers from around the world to share their adventures, stories, and documentaries with enthusiastic audiences. Located in Los Olivos, in the heart of Santa Barbara County we invite you to discover a film festival supporting the next generation of environmental stewards.

NatureTrack is a 501(c)3 non-profit that provides cost-free outdoor field trips for Santa Barbara County school-aged children, utilizing local trails and beaches throughout the county. Funds raised in the film festival support the year-round expenses for NatureTrack. 

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A psychotic break from his talented, driven and successful newlywed wife, Giulia, came completely unexpectedly for Mark Lukach. 

The trials that ensued as the whole family navigated her psychiatric treatment were easily the most traumatic experiences of their lives, and they taught Lukach valuable lessons about love, support, crisis and self-care.

They’re lessons that Lukach is bringing to Dunn School in Los Olivos to share with the Central Coast Community at his free talk at 6 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 30.

The Dunn Association, an organization comprised of parent volunteers of the boarding and day school, are bringing Lukach, the International Bestselling author and educator, to Dunn’s Cindy Bronfman Leadership Center to help put the COVID-19 pandemic into perspective through his unique lens. 

“When my wife was first hospitalized,” Lukach said, “I had to learn through trial and error how to take care of myself, so I could take care of my partner. Now, in 2021, we experience a global trauma in COVID, and I want to share that what I learned about being a caregiver was the exact skillset I needed to tap into as I confronted COVID.

“This won’t be the only trauma of our lives. The best thing to do is be prepared and learn how to take care of ourselves.”

Said Dunn Head of School Kalyan Balaven: “It’s a special opportunity for the Central Coast to have an author and person of Mark’s caliber and talent here to share his experiences and relate to our own. His compassion, honesty, and coping tools are exactly what we need right now.” 

Lukach’s work has been published in the New York Times, The Atlantic, Pacific Standard, Wired and other publications. He has also shared his story at The Moth Main Stage and at TEDx. He is currently the Ninth Grade Dean at The Athenian School, where he also teaches history. He lives with his wife Giulia, and their two children in the San Francisco Bay Area.  

My Lovely Wife In The Psych Ward is the product of 5 years of Lukach writing the story of how mental illness redefined his young marriage to Giulia and ultimately affirmed the power of love. Copies of the book will be available for purchase, and the talk will include a question-and-answer period as well as a meet and greet with the author. 

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About Dunn School: Dunn is a boarding and day school (grades 6-12) nestled in the beautiful Santa Ynez Valley of Santa Barbara County, Calif. Founded in 1957 from its campus in Los Olivos, Dunn has remained true to its mission of providing whole student education for more than 60 years through its unwavering set of core values: Emotional Wellness, Physical Readiness, Intellectual Growth, Social Responsibility and Moral Courage.

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Chad Stacy, CFO of Dunn School, has been awarded the 2020 Will Hancock Unsung Hero Award from the National Business Officers Association (NBOA). 

Stacy was one of 10 business officers nationwide to receive the award. He was nominated for the award by several members of the Dunn School administration to recognize his efforts in helping the 64-year-old private independent school navigate the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic with success.

The NBOA gives the Unsung Hero Award to independent school business officers who have made extraordinary contributions to their schools. The prize is named after Will J. Hancock, a school administrator who always went above and beyond the call of duty during his 35 years at Hawaii Preparatory Academy. Hancock influenced and inspired countless school business officers throughout his long career.

Head of Dunn School Mike Beck explained his motivation for nominating Stacy for the award.

“Chad is most deserving of this recognition,” Beck said. “He has been an outstanding financial advisor to the Dunn School Board of Trustees and a critical contributor to the Senior Leadership Team (SAT). From creating a financial heat map to managing the school’s budget, Chad has helped Dunn establish a sustainable financial model.”

For more information about the NBOA Unsung Hero award, visit https://www.nboa.org/about-nboa/awards/unsung-hero-award. 

For more information about Dunn School visit www.dunnschool.org.

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Christian Jimenez and Rene Pacheco first met as 6-year-old teammates on a Santa Maria youth soccer pitch. 

Their journey as friends and teammates over the next decade-plus saw them bring titles and awards to Dunn School and land Santa Barbara Soccer Club on the precipice of a national championship — all before they ship out to become college soccer rivals in the Big West Conference this fall.

On July 20, Jimenez and Pacheco will help lead Santa Barbara SC against Baltimore (Md.) Celtic Soccer in the opening match of the 2021 USYS Boys 18 Under National Championships in Lakewood Ranch, Fla. Eight teams, regional champions from all over the United States, are competing for the national crown.

“A national championship for the club would be really important,” Jimenez said. “There’s only so many years you’ll see a group like ours come into the club and make a run for a title. So we’re hoping to be one of those groups.”

The duo helped bring a CIF-Southern Section Division 6 championship to Dunn in 2020, with Pacheco scoring a pair of goals for the Earwigs in the 4-1 victory over Pomona Ganesha in the title match. That year, Pacheco earned All-CIF honors. 

This past season, Dunn’s playoff run ended in the section semifinals with both Pacheco and Jimenez earning All Tri-Valley League honors and Jimenez as the TVL Defensive Player of the Year. 

This fall, Jimenez will be walking on at UC Riverside, while Pacheco fulfills his childhood dream on scholarship for UC Santa Barbara. A Santa Barbara native, Pacheco has fond memories as a spectator among some capacity crowds at Harder Stadium, imagining the day he’d be suiting up for the Gauchos.

That day has nearly arrived. 

“The most exciting part is the jump in competition level from high school and club to college,” Pacheco said. “It’s a new challenge.” 

For now, the duo are enjoying their last opportunities to play together before they find themselves on opposite sides of the field.

“It’s going to be weird seeing each other on different teams,” said Jimenez, whose family is raising funds for his trip to nationals. To contribute or learn more, please visit gofundme. 

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About Dunn School: Dunn is a boarding and day school (grades 6-12) nestled in the beautiful Santa Ynez Valley of Santa Barbara County, Calif. Founded in 1957 from its campus in Los Olivos, Dunn has remained true to its mission of providing whole student education for more than 60 years through its unwavering set of core values: Emotional Wellness, Physical Readiness, Intellectual Growth, Social Responsibility and Moral Courage.

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Dunn Middle School student Kadence Freed spent her summer making 350 masks with “SBC Fire” printed in blue for the Santa Barbara County Fire Department. She also made about 50 masks for the Type 3 Incident Management Team.  

Recently when Kadence delivered the masks, Santa Barbara County Fire Medic Engine 31 thanked Kadence in person, with physical distancing protocol in place, for “a job well done.” 

Kadence made her mask project a family affair, enlisting her mother to help with the pinning and her younger brother to help cut elastic bands. She also enlisted the support of Dunn Middle School Office Manager Allie Andersen’s husband, Ken Andersen, of Nielsen Building Materials in Solvang. 

At first Kadence started making masks for the Nielsen Building Materials store to give to the public in exchange for a donation to cover the materials. The masks went quickly.

Then, Matt Farris, a County Fire division chief, told his friend Ken Andersen that someone had asked that the more than 300 fire personnel wear masks with the fire department’s name on them. 

So Nielsen Building Materials bought the fabric and elastic and used its silk screener to print “SBC Fire” on the fabric. Then they sent the lot to Kadence Freed for completion.

It took Kadence a few months to finish the masks. She learned to sew around age 9 when she attended a quilting camp at the Creation Station in Buellton, where she’s continued to take classes. Since then, she’s sewn seven quilts and made some of her own clothes.

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After an extensive, year-long search, the Dunn School Board of Trustees has unanimously selected Kalyan Balaven, currently the director of teaching and learning at The Athenian School in Danville, California, to succeed retiring Head of School Mike Beck at the end of the 2020-2021 school year.

Balaven is well-positioned to lead Dunn School and help it build on its leadership in whole student education. During his 15 years in education, including 12 years at The Athenian School, Balaven has held numerous teaching, administrative, and leadership roles. He has a track record of building innovative programs including the Inclusion Dashboard Consortium, a group of over 85 schools, recognized by the National Association of Independent Schools. He also serves on the California Association of Independent Schools Accreditation Board and is a liaison to the Mastery Transcript Consortium.

In addition to his leadership in education, Balaven holds a B.A in History from UC Berkeley, a J.D. from UC Davis School of Law, and a Certificate in School Management and Leadership from Harvard University.

As one of three finalist candidates who recently visited Dunn School to meet with faculty, staff, parents and students, the charismatic Balaven was well-received by the Dunn School community.

“We selected Kalyan for his deep commitment to the mission of our founder Tony Dunn — educating the whole child,” said Jay Conger, chairman of the board. “He will bring an engaging leadership style and a passion for learning and innovation that aligns wonderfully with the talents of our faculty, staff, and students.” 

“I became an educator to help prepare students to do good in the world, and I’m overjoyed in carrying on this work in service to the mission at Dunn, where the journey of a student is as valued as the end result and the end result is articulated as ‘responsible leadership in society,’” Balaven added. 

Balaven will move to the Dunn School campus with his wife Fatemeh and his two children, daughter Husna (age 11) and son Matin (7), when he takes over as Head of School in July 2021.

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Dunn School in Los Olivos is hosting open houses for families with students who are considering applying to Dunn Middle School. 

Each program lasts approximately two hours and includes information on admissions and financial aid, a conversation with teachers, and a tour of the campus. This year’s open houses are scheduled for 2 p.m. on Jan. 11 for the Middle School, with the Diagnostic Test and Interview day for Middle School applicants at 9 a.m. March 7. 

For nearly 60 years, Dunn has stayed true to its mission to educate the whole student. To accomplish this, the entire school community is committed to understanding and living by several core values: Emotional Wellness, Physical Readiness, Intellectual Growth, Social Responsibility, and Moral Courage.

Academics are carefully balanced with a focus on emotional development, physical activity, social responsibility, and moral courage.

For more information or to RSVP, email admissions@dunnschool.org or call 805-686-0650.

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publisher@santaynezvalleystar.com

Each spring the Santa Ynez Valley Star highlights students who have made an impact on the community or their schools and who will be going on to either higher education, military service, or trade schools. 

Today, we profile two seniors at Dunn School, Katriel Ford and Theo Brown.

Katriel Ford

When Katriel Ford saw the Dunn School facilities after her brother started playing baseball there, she told her parents she wanted to go to Dunn as well. 

“I love this school and the community that I have made here. While I’m excited to graduate and move on, I will miss it here incredibly,” said Ford, 18. 

She will be attending Pomona College in the fall and hopes to pursue a degree in astrophysics with a double major in English. 

“I started talking astronomy and physics and loved it so much. I also love writing, so hopefully I can find a career that combines all my passions,” Ford said. 

The Nipomo resident also was active in soccer, lacrosse and volleyball. She was the captain of the volleyball team. She also played in the school’s jazz and classical ensembles. 

Theo Brown

Theo Brown was home-schooled in his early years and wanted a sense of community. When he came to Dunn School his freshman year, he was thrilled to find a group of people who shared his love of education and learning. 

“My older brother and I play chess and while we play we talk about life and what we want to do. He’s currently in med school, and hearing him talk about what he’s doing really encouraged me to look into medical studies as well,” said Brown, 18. 

He is deciding between Pomona College and Harvard, currently wait-listed for Harvard, and wants to study neuroscience and bio technology. 

“I got really into genomics in my lab studies and want to get into applied sciences — hopefully help people in the real world by designing or creating a product to improve the human condition,” he said.

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