Contacts & Directions

Master Journalism Educator Trish McHale currently teaches Journalism, Advanced Journalism and Public Speaking. A former member of the Board of Judges for Columbia, she has over 25 years of teaching experience and serves as the adviser of "The Fourth Estate," the national award-winning student newspaper and its website. Trish’s newspaper staff won a CSPA Silver Crown Award in 2011 and an NSPA Online Pacemaker finalist award this year.

As the director of the Senior Project Program, Trish helps prepare the seniors for their presentations, and she coaches students who participate in the Lions Club Speech Contest and the Optimist Club Oratorical Contest. She is also the Interact Club facilitator, a student club sponsored by the Santa Barbara Rotary Club.

Trish leads the School’s community service program, which she helped to develop in 1994. Ms. McHale is credited with starting a number of programs for the School, including the student club program; the Humanitas Service Honor Society to recognize and involve students who excel in service leadership; the Middle School Media Literacy Program; the Mock Trial program; and the School’s debate team.

She was honored with the School’s distinguished Walk of Fame Award in 2010, the highest award recognizing remarkable long-term dedication, generosity and commitment to Laguna Blanca. She is also the recipient of the Windward District Teacher of the Year Award, Kailua, HI.

A member of the Santa Barbara Cinema Society, Trish enjoys film and supports the arts by attending interviews with directors, cinematographers and actors.