Samohi AlumniAssociation

Samohi Graduate Named Commander Of NASA's Next Artemis Mission

Santa Monica High School graduate Randy Bresnik '85 is a member of the Samohi Hall of Fame and will lead the next major Artemis test flight as NASA prepares for future Moon missions. Randy has already completed two space missions.

SANTA MONICA, CA — Santa Monica High School graduate Randy Bresnik has been selected to command NASA's Artemis III mission, the space agency announced Tuesday.

Bresnik, a veteran astronaut who considers Santa Monica his hometown, graduated from Santa Monica High School in 1985 before attending The Citadel and serving as a U.S. Marine Corps officer and test pilot, according to his NASA bio.

NASA named Bresnik commander of the Artemis III crew, which also includes European Space Agency astronaut Luca Parmitano as pilot and NASA astronauts Andre Douglas and Frank Rubio as mission specialists.

The Artemis program is NASA's effort to return astronauts to the Moon and eventually establish a long-term human presence there as a stepping stone for future missions to Mars.

Artemis III is scheduled to serve as a complex test flight in Earth orbit. Planned for 2027, the mission will demonstrate how NASA's Orion spacecraft can rendezvous and dock with lunar landing systems being developed by SpaceX and Blue Origin.

The Artemis III crew poses for an official portrait. From left: Andre Douglas, Luca Parmitano, Randy Bresnik, Frank Rubio. (NASA/Bill Stafford)

I awarded a scholarship to Santa Monica High School senior Iris Cortez. Twelve members of her family have preceded her in graduating from Samohi over the past decades and I’m especially proud to lend a helping hand to this outstanding student from my alma mater. Iris has a 3.75 GPA and will be attending Syracuse University this fall and studying psychology. She has been a member of choir since the fourth grade, is currently a Madrigal and a member of Samohi’s a-cappella group, Valkyries. In addition, Iris was part of the volleyball team as a competitor and manager, a dancer in the theatre production of Chicago and Hello Dolly. Finally, she was President of the Samohi club, Gift Hope, which raised funds to donate to charities in need in the Los Angeles area. Congratulations to Iris!

Samohi Alumni is seeking help in assembling the Viking News and readying it for email and online distribution. Please email [email protected] asap if qualified.

Samohi graduate Jane Wickline is on Saturday Night Live…

Essay: Jane Wickline is 'SNL's' most polarizing player. That's what makes her special The fact that Jane Wickline, a featured player on 'Saturday Night Live,' is so polarizing is, in its way, a recommendation. She's different. She's a mystery.

Samohi graduate Don McCowan ‘64 has passed away.

Don McCowan Obituary (2026) - Los Angeles, CA - Los Angeles Times View Don R. McCowan's obituary, send flowers and sign the guestbook.

Karl was a longtime board member of the Samohi Alumni Board of Directors. He will be missed.

Karl Edward Schober, a lifelong Santa Monica resident, community supporter, and philanthropist, passed away on March 7, 2026, at the age of 82.

Raised in Santa Monica, Karl came from a family that relocated from Minnesota in the 1920s and later became significant landowners in the Santa Monica area. His mother, Thelma Schober, was the original founder of the Santa Monica Bay Women’s Club, instilling in him a lifelong commitment to civic involvement and community service.

Karl graduated from Santa Monica High School, Class of 1962, and continued his education at Santa Monica College, Oregon State University, and California State University, Los Angeles. He remained closely connected to Santa Monica High School through alumni activities and contributions to alumni publications.

Known for his kindness and gentle demeanor, Karl was forever curious and deeply knowledgeable about world, naval, and military history. He was a member of the Santa Monica Kiwanis Club and the Santa Monica Chamber of Commerce, and quietly supported numerous local charitable efforts. He also owned the historic Mayfair Theater in Santa Monica.

Karl will be remembered for his generosity, intellectual curiosity, and enduring love for Santa Monica, its history, and its community.

A CELEBRATION OF LIFE
In Loving Memory of Karl Schober
June 8, 1944 - March 7, 2026
Saturday, April 25th at 1:00 PM
First Presbyterian Church
1220 Second Street
Santa Monica
Please share this post if appropriate.
For inquiries, please text 310-614-5357

Please share this post if appropriate.

Viking Bob Goon ‘58 has passed away

Robert Goon Obituary (2026) - Los Angeles, CA - Los Angeles Times View Robert Houston Goon's obituary, send flowers and sign the guestbook.

The December 2025 edition of the Samohi Alumni Association's Viking News is here. Read it now!!
https://tinyurl.com/SAAVikingNews132Dec25

For our Jewish friends celebrating Hanukah in Santa Monica, a great Santa Monica centric holiday song…

Hanukkah in Santa Monica (Tom Lehrer) Someone else put this video together in tribute to one of Tom Lehrer's greatest songs, but the original upload was out-of-sync, so I re-sync'd it and added s...