2018-2019 Issue 2 (Oct. 5, 2018)

PANTHER

PROWLER Friday Oct. 5, 2018 • Issue !I • Newbury Park High School 456 N. Reino Rd., Newbury Park, CA 91320 • pantherprowler.org

Get to know the candidates

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Student Voting

8-9

4

Ballot Designations

School Board Candidates

10

5

PSAT

New Staff

6

Political Agendas

12

IB Theatre

7

Overbearing Parents

14

Nico Young

editorial

2 Students should vote on matters that decide their own futures Panther Prowler • Oct. 5, 2018

We are the ones most impacted by school board decisions, and we are the ones with the responsibility of electing officials who will not only hear our suggestions but also listen and implement them. We are tasked with selecting trustees that are deserving of our trust to fulfill our needs with moral integrity. Students, especially those who are 18 years old, wield more power than we are sometimes led to believe or are credited.

“The antidote to government by a powerful few is government by the organized, energized many,” Former President, Barack Obama tweeted on Sept. 25 in honor of National Voter Registration Day. Our country was founded on the basis of collective governance, where the actions of elected officials reflect the wishes of the majority. The system, ideally, guarantees this through the institution of voting.

While voting was not always considered a natural right for all U.S. citizens, it was hardfought for and won with the ratification of the Fourteenth and Nineteenth Amendment.

The social contract dictates that the people sacrifice some rights in return for the government’s protection and promise to respect their natural rights.

Voting is the most intrinsic tool of the public to contribute to a democratic government.

One vote may seem insignificant in the grand scheme of national or even state competition, especially with the complications of political parties and predetermined state affiliations with them.

The arena where your voice has the most volume and impact is local elections. On many occasions the results of these elections generally affect your life more than the national decisions.

Every student who has ever complained about an action done by a school board member or who has opposed a result of government decision should be registered to vote. If you do not do your part in crafting a board with students’ best interests in mind, then you have no grounds to grumble when the board or candidate acts predictably against our best interests.

From left to right, school board candidates Patrissha Booker, Amy Chen, Mike Dunn, Jenny Fitzgerald, Cindy Goldberg, Bill Gorback, Angie Simpson and Marlon Williams answer questions at a public forum at Godspeak Calvary Church on Oct. 1. As the election on Nov. 6 comes closer, the candidates have participated in two other forums, also hosting their own meet-and-greets, sending flyers and putting up lawn signs.

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VOTE Emily Augustine/Prowler

Even students who are not of age to vote have a voice. When it comes down to it, school board actions affect schools. Adults want to hear what students have to say because we know what we need. Parents want what is best for their children, so we need to tell our parents which candidates represent us best.

Now is your chance to do something about your grievances or objections to any school board ruling. Now is your opportunity to take action against unreasonable policies like the Opt-Out Policy, or attempted censorship of free speech like the email regarding Anonymous Mommy or violations of state legislature like the Brown Act by board trustees.

Three seats on the CVUSD school board are up for grabs and will be decided by the election on November 6. Remember to register to vote online by October 22, or show up to your local voting poll and register the same day as the election.

PANTHER PROWLER

2018-2019 staff

Editors-in-Chief Connor Keep Clare Wang

Entertainment Editor Daria Azizad Copy Editors Emily Augustine Kessa Chavez Marli Davis Kavita Rai Nidhi Satyagal Cover Editor Rahul D’Souza

Features Editor Kavita Rai

DPS Editor Kessa Chavez

Sports Editor Emily Nagamoto Jaycen Sussman Aditya Vunnum

Online Manager// Daria Azizad Maya Chari Kessa Chavez Rahul D’Souza Emily Nagamoto

Opinion Editor Nidhi Satyagal News Editor Emily Augustine Marli Davis Ad Manager Gianna Spiro

Staff Writers Christiana Borisoff Brian Fang Hannah Gross Manas Khatore Hailey Washington Jessica Zhou

Graphic Artist Emily Augustine Marli Davis

Photographers Chief// Emily Nagamoto Maya Chari Rahul D’Souza Sarah Lu Aditya Vunnum Jessica Zhou Adviser Michelle Saremi

The Panther Prowler is the official publication of Newbury Park High School, and is created and produced by the Advanced Journalism students. The newspaper is funded by advertisements from local companies. The Panther Prowler staff makes all final decisions on information published in its newspaper, its website and its publishing in other social medias. While Mrs. Michelle Saremi advises the Advanced Journalism students, the staff is solely responsible for what is printed.

The Panther Prowler is published every four weeks throughout the school year by American Foothill Publishing Co. For advertisement information, visit www.pantherprowler.org.

The Panther Prowler is accepting letters to the editor. To submit your feedback, please provide your full name, email and a letter about 300 words in length. Letters are subject to discretion and editing for taste, length and libel. Letters can be submitted to the email posted below.

Newbury Park High School 456 North Reino Road, Newbury Park, California 91320 (805) 498-3676 x 1110 prowler.newspaper@gmail.com

BRIEFS

Community Forums question board candidates

news Panther Prowler • Oct. 5, 2018

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Maya Chari Photographer In preparation for the upcoming CVUSD school board elections, several local groups have held candidate forums.

Controversy arose at the first forum, hosted by the Conejo Council Parent Teacher Association, when sitting board member and candidate Mike Dunn delivered his opening statement and then refused to participate in the rest of the forum.

Dunn claimed to be protesting the forum because another candidate, Amy Chen, was disallowed participation after she missed the deadline to RSVP. “I appreciate this opportunity to speak to you. I cannot participate in a forum that is discriminating against an immigrant, Asian woman, Dr. Amy Chen,” Dunn said. “Amy is an inspiration and should be heard. I ask that the PTA be reasonable and suspend the rules so that Dr. Chen could participate in our forum. I ask that the other candidates also oppose this discrimination.”

Rocky Capobianco, organizer of the forum, said Amy Chen was sent multiple invitations via certified mail but Chen did pick them up from the post office, no did she respond.

Dunn and Chen did, however, participate in another forum. hosted by Thrive Conejo, a nonprofit dedicated to advocating for individuals with disabilities. Moderated by Dani Anderson, executive director of the Independent Living Resource Center, and held at Cal Lutheran University, the forum centered around

the theme of “Inclusion” in education.

All candidates were present for the forum, and each had to respond to a series of questions, which were central to the wellbeing of minority and special needs students. Members of the audience were also able to submit questions for individual candidates, which candidates drew randomly and answered.

Last Sunday at 4 p.m., Moms of Conejo Valley hosted a meet and greet at Brendan’s in Newbury Park, invited every candidate running in Ventura County. All school board candidates except for Dunn, Angie Simpson, and Patrissha Booker attended. Each candidate was allowed 90 seconds to speak and constiuents were encouraged to mingle afterwards to ask candidates their questions.

A fourth forum held in the Godspeak Calvary Chapel, hosted by the Tea Party, did not allow audience members to ask questions. Rather audience members were asked to submit their questions in writing and candidates promised to email them promptly with their responses. The school board candidates, all of whom were in attendance, were given one minute to respond to questions asked by the moderator.

Voters interested in more information can visit each candidates website to learn more about them.

School locks down after weekend threats

Community Outreach- Current board trustee and candidate Mike Dunn, and candidate Amy Chen, who did not participate in the Conejo Council forum, were present for the Thrive Conejo forum on Sept 27. “When someone sends me an email, I respond. If someone calls me on the phone, I return their phone call,” Dunn said. “ I consider my primary reason to be elected, to represent the people of this community.” Board candidates were questioned on topics ranging from special needs inclusion to the inclusion of religion in board policy.

Maya Chari/Prowler

Community Outreach- Candidates, Cindy Goldberg, Bill Gorback and Angie Simpson, answer questions at the Tea Party public forum on Oct. 1. Daria Azizad/Prowler

Brian Fang Staff Writer A lockdown was initiated on Sept. 17 after an attempted break-in to the cafeteria and a threatening social media post occured over the previous weekend. The police investigation was carried out over the course of third period that day, although both the administration and sheriff ’s department believed that the search was more of a general precaution.

“Specific comments were mentioned on the social media posting indicating the lunch time hour. Those comments, coupled with the cafeteria burglary were suspicious in nature. Out of an abundance of caution for the safety of all children and staff at the school and due to the investigation occurring within 20 minutes

of the lunch time hour, it was decided to place Newbury Park High School in a ‘soft lock down’ until the investigation was completed,” an email from CVUSD to NPHS staff said.

The school administration, cafeteria staff and police department worked together to resolve the issue.

“Everything was carried out smoothly. First and foremost is the safety and security of the students on campus. Putting something on lockdown is not what you always want to do, but when there is security issues involved, we will do that every single time,” Joe Ramirez, the school resource officer and deputy at Ventura County Sheriff ’s Department, said.

CVUSD receives a letter threatening lawsuit Marli Davis News Editor The CVUSD Board received a letter from Shenkman & Hughes on June 8, 2018, demanding that board elections change from an at-large election to a district-based election.

An at-large system means that the people vote for the same number of candidates as seats available. A district-based election divides the area of people eligible for voting into specific districts, then the people only vote for the seats up for election in their district.

Shenkman & Hughes is a Malibu-based law firm representing the Southwest Voter Registration Education Project (SVREP).

The letter was similar to one sent to the Simi Valley Unified School District demanding the same things. SVREP was founded in 1974 in order to ensure the voting rights of MexicanAmericans in the Southwest. The letter states that “voting within

the Conejo Valley Unified School District is racially polarized, resulting in the minority vote dilution, and, therefore, the District’s at-large elections violate the California Voting Rights Act of 2001(CVRA).” The CVRA is a bill that “prohibit(s) the use of a district-based election in a political subdivision if it would impair the ability of a protected class, as defined, to elect candidates of its choice.”

The CVUSD Board is yet to make the change to a districtbased system and the upcoming school board election on November 6 will remain an at-large election. “We are working with our attorney firm on the best course of action moving forward,” said Conejo Valley Unified Superintendent Mark McLaughlin to a Ventura County Star reporter.

Controversy over California’s gas tax heats up Daria Azizad Entertainment Editor California Republicans are pushing forth with a motion to repeal the Gas Tax, implemented in Nov. 2017 by Gov. Jerry Brown. The current gas tax adds 12 cents per gallon on gasoline and 20 cents per gallon of diesel. Since California has the second highest gas prices in the nation, many Californians are looking for a way to cut costs.

Gov. Brown maintains support for the gas tax, despite its unpopularity, because it is used to fund transportation projects to come and those that are currently underway. Passing Proposition 6 is estimated to terminate funding for 6,500 transportation projects.

Firefighters and other groups concerned with public safety oppose Proposition 6 because deteriorating roads and bridges could pose a threat if allowed to worsen.

Republican Prop 6 advocates, headed by Carl DeMaio, are currently calling for a federal investigation into their accusations that the revenue generated from the tax is being used to fund Democratic campaigns.

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news Panther Prowler • Oct. 5, 2018

Ballot board designations stir controversy Kavita Rai Features Editor Marli Davis News Editor For most voters, ballot designations are a quick run-down of the candidate; according to California state regulations, ballot designations must be straightforward and accurate.

School board candidates, Angie Simpson and Amy Chen, experienced controversy due to their ballot designation choices. Simpson listed her ballot designation as “mother/ healthcare educator” but later had to change it to “parent/biotech professional” after her designation was challenged. Chen’s designation “Education Nonprofit Director” was also challenged; however, it was ultimately allowed by the Ventura County Elections Division.

The Ventura County Elections Division does their own form of background checks and occupation validation for candidates. “There’s certain positions that have certain qualifications. So a sheriff for example, you have to have law enforcement experience. A judge, you have to have law experience. So there are requirements associated with various positions. ...When the candidates come in to file, any obvious errors that we see on the form are brought to their attention. They are also supplied with a ballot designation worksheet that has to match with their ballot designation,” said a program administrator/public information officer at the elections division.

Mary Anne Van Zuyle, director of Conejo Together, was dubious of Simpson’s first alternative choice and challenged her board designation. “I challenged it because I just did not think it fairly represented her vocation,” Zuyle said. Angie Simpson has worked

Important paperwork- This official document from the office of the California Secretary of State is the registration of First Avenue Education, a for-profit tutoring organization, filed Feb. 22, 2016. School board candidate Amy Chen has claimed to be the Chief Financial Officer (CFO), but the paperwork names Jane Wuo as this position. Chen is not listed on the document. California Secretary of State Agency/With Permission

for Amgen in their marketing division and currently works as a “Thought Liason” at a BioTech firm, which could not be clearly defined via research.

Looking at each candidate’s ballot designations, Zuyle did not believe “health care educator” was a correct title for Simpson. “(Simpson) is running for school board, and I felt that if you call yourself an educator it can give you a leg-up,” Zuyle said.

In an email to the Panther Prowler, Simpson wrote, “I had a feeling going into filing my paperwork that regardless of what I put down as a ballot designation it would be challenged. When I filed my paperwork, I was encouraged by the clerk that my choices were appropriate.”

Chen’s designation was also challenged

by Zuyle; however, after having her position verified by Joslynn Lynn, a coworker of Chen, the county elections office decided her designation was valid.

The non-profit organization Chen states she is director of is Top Goal Education, an extension of First Avenue Education which is an organization in Arcadia, CA that provides Chinese language tutoring to students. Chen claims to be the Chief Financial Officer (CFO) of First Avenue Education; however, on official documents filed by the California Secretary of State in February of 2016, Jane Wuo is listed as the CFO of First Avenue Education. Chen’s nonprofit Top Goal Education has been placed under scrutiny for not having a website, phone number, or public acknowledgment online.

Amy Chen declined to comment on the situation when the Prowler reporter approached her and asked after the THRIVE Conejo forum held on September 27, 2018.

Students offered a chance to work the polls Sarah Lu Photographer Political tensions are high. The next several weeks are vital for both Democrats and Republicans, as the midterm elections this November will determine whether or not Republicans stay in power or Democrats take over the Senate.

Midterm elections for the United States are on Nov. 6, 2018. While not many students can vote due to their age, students can still get involved with the democratic voting process another way- working at the polls.

Steve Johnson, head of the social science department, both acknowledges and promotes this opportunity. “The County of

Ventura has a special program where students are able to apply, and if they are accepted and go through training, can work on election day,” Johnson said.

Matthew LaRocca, history teacher, explained his understanding of what students do during the day.

“You have an opportunity to help check in perspective voters, help find their name in the ledger book, and then possibly hand out ballots to them,” LaRocca said.

Since the election is on a school day, students who participate in the event are excused from school.

Additionally, students get a stipend

for their work.

This opportunity is not a onetime activity, students can work as poll workers any time there is a countywide election.

However, it is not as simple as just showing up on election day and starting to work, there are some requirements for working in the polls. In order to even be considered, volunteers must be at least 16 years old. Then, an application must be filled out.

In addition, “You have to have a 2.5 GPA, you have to be either a U.S. citizen or a permanent resident, you have to have parental and teacher

permission and you have to attend a training, and then you are assigned to a polling place on election day,” Johnson said.

Bradley Zienty, senior, worked as a poll worker in June for the primary election.

Training for the event took place in a local library, where Zienty learned how to verify voters’ identities and manage the equipment.

Zienty’s experience working in the polls helped him learn something about the process. “(It) was a good experience because I never really went with my parents to vote…so I decided that I was going to volunteer

for a student position and learn more about it,” Zienty said.

Johnson agrees that the event provides a chance to learn about politics. “(Students) are participating in campaigns, we have students who work for various candidates who are excited about voting and being a part of the process, and this is a great way to introduce that.”

LaRocca encourages students to seize this occasion. “You have an opportunity, we’ve told you about it, just go do it.”

news Panther Prowler • Oct. 5, 2018

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PSAT to be administered during school day Hannah Gross Staff Writer This year students will take the PSAT during the school day, on Wednesday, October 10.

Previously held on Saturday and costing $25, the PSAT is now offered to juniors for free. The test is open to all students, and school will be dismissed at 12:05.

The decision to hold the test during the school day was made by the district, the College Board said. “The College Board provides a few date options, but it’s the school or district that decides whether the PSAT will be administered on a Wednesday or Saturday,” said Jaslee Carayol, College Board Associate Director of Media Relations. While the school district opted for the change, they were left with few other choices.

“The College Board decided it by limiting our options,” said Bennett Wutkee, assistant principal. “They said if you do it on a Saturday, we’re not going to give you access to those

things that actually benefit the students, including keeping your test booklet. So, all the high schools in the district decided that it needs to be during the week so the students get the benefit of the exam,” said Wutkee.

The PSAT can be beneficial to students who plan on attending college. “The results of the PSAT will provide their strengths and weaknesses, which will allow students to focus their studies for the SAT,” said Lesley Nedwick, counselor. “The PSAT reflects what students are learning in the classroom, measures the skills and knowledge necessary for postsecondary success, and is an important step toward college,” Carayol said.

Wutkee emphasized the test’s importance. “If you’re planning on going to a four-year school, you definitely want to consider taking the PSAT as way to get a little bit more experience,” Wutkee said. Underclassmen can benefit from

taking the PSAT for practice, while juniors can qualify for scholarships. “Juniors can qualify for the National Merit Scholarship,” said Nedwick. “(The) National Merit Scholarship provides $2,500 towards the student’s freshman year of college.”

Students taking the PSAT will not miss any classroom instruction. “All teachers are aware of the testing schedule and will not go over any new material,” Nedwick said. The weekday test date ensures more students can take the test. “On a Saturday, there are conflicts with students and their extracurricular activities, so a handful of students cannot participate,” Wutkee said. “During the school day it is beneficial because the kids are already going to be here.” Wednesday testing also replicates a collegiate environment. “Administering the test during the school day fosters a collegegoing culture, especially among first-generation

college-bound students and students who may otherwise face barriers to standard Saturday administration,” Carayol said.

Despite the benefits, the change presents some drawbacks. “It’s really hard for teachers to have to stop what they’re doing so that there’s a day for kids to take the test, and it’s even harder at our school because of the block schedule and the rotators,” Wutkee said. “For kids it’s great, but for teachers it’s very challenging to give up a full day of instruction. (Proctoring is) part of their regular work day so they don’t get additional compensation,” Wutkee said.

Ultimately, whether it’s Wednesday or Saturday, the goal of the test is helping students succeed. “We’ve all got a vested interest in our students doing well, but at the end of the day we just want kids to be able to do their best so that they can have the best opportunities available for them,” Wutkee said.

School board rejects censure Maya Chari Photographer An unprecedented policy Everett’s original premise for silence parents by bullying and procedure at the Oct. 2 CVUSD the censure was an alleged misuse intimidation is wrong”. school board meeting left both of social media by Connolly.

Others spoke against the board members and community According to Everett, Connolly proposition. “(Connolly’s) members perplexed.

Vice engaged in several discriminatory work on this board is focused President Sandee Everett had interactions using a public social and makes a difference for previously proposed an action media account. Connolly sent our students, parents and item to censure Trustee Betsy out an email that, according to community,” Jamie Alberg, Connolly under the premise of Everett’s claims on the meeting community member, said. social media misconduct. Yet in agenda, “disparaged fellow board One piece of evidence the third hour of the meeting, members.” presented by Everett came from when President John Andersen Several community members a Betsy Connolly Twitter parody called for a motion on the issue, voiced their support for the account with the handle @ Everett was silent. dvmmum, which included After a moment of a post that read, “When confusion, Connolly a person claims to act on requested that Trustee instructions from God, I’m Patricia Phelps make starting to look for a place the motion for a to hide.” censure. “I think the “I did not find this good purpose of this is to behavior. That is why I agreed get the discussion on to put it on the agenda,” the table,” Phelps said, Everett said, referring to tearfully obliging. Panther voices- Gus Gress, Sophomore, Connolly’s alleged actions.

Connolly seconded. addresses the board during the public “I take these kinds of things I m m e d i a t e l y comments section on the October second very seriously. I do not want following, Everett board meeting. “I feel like I’ve seen so many anyone to feel cyberbullied.” requested that the complaints (about Ms. Connolly’s bullying on In their statements, social media), when we have the president motion be withdrawn. many community members of the United States,” Gress said. “I scrolled She was denied; through her twitter feed for 10 minutes and I compared the censure of according to board couldn’t find one example of what you were Dunn to the attempted bylaw, this action referring to. I scrolled through his for 10 censure of Connolly. “The could only have been seconds and I could.” Several students were last time we were discussing a valid had it been made present at the meeting, which adjourned well censure, Dunn was censured at the beginning of past 11:00 pm. Maya Chari/Prowler after he reached out to my the meeting when the employer and threatened agenda was approved. censure during public comments. retaliation to my employer if “This clearly was a political “Instead of apologizing for the I continued to speak at public stunt,” Mary Anne Van Zuyle, email, you claimed it was sent board meetings,” Jessica Weihe, community member, said. Every by mistake. That doesn’t make community member recounted, community member who spoke it legal or right,” Nikki Jones, noting the contrasting during the action item spoke community member, said, parameters of each censure. against the censure. addressing Connolly. “Trying to

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Issue I Caption Contest Winner “This is how I learned it in Boy Scouts.” Submitted by Katie Rose

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opinion Panther Prowler • Oct. 5, 2018 Sarah Lu/Prowler

Stop demonizing the “political agenda” Marli Davis/ Prowler

Daria Azizad Entertainment Editor A political agenda, as defined by “The Practice of American Public Policymaking,” is a list of subjects or problems to which government officials as well as individuals outside the government are paying serious attention at any given time. Considering the modern connotation of the phrase, you might be surprised that there is no mention of ideological warfare, or corrupting the youth or communist propaganda. It is almost as if a political agenda is just… an agenda.

I have a political agenda.

You, dear reader, likely have one too.

In fact, anyone who gives a golly gee about the roads being paved or having a justice system in place does as well.

However, our current school board candidates, specifically Amy Chen and Angie Simpson, claim not to have one.

At the Tea Party Forum on Oct. 1, they vehemently denied having any political agenda whatsoever. I was confused: does that mean if they are elected they will

have no ideas, plans or concerns to bring to the forefront of the school board?

Politicians have become intent on not being perceived as a politician. Whether you are a lawyer or scientist or parent, if you run for public office, you are now a politician. But every new politician is suddenly just an Average Joe -- political agenda, who? However this mislabeling is playing a dangerous game of semantics that results in no discussion, debate or progress. Board candidates are too busy touting their goals of “listening to everyone” and “improving things”-- no specifics, so no way to upset anyone.

I have listened to countless board candidate interviews, read through their pamphlets and websites and attended their forums. In all that time, none of them have laid out concrete plans for the future.

The board candidates believe they can pacify constituents with blanket statements like “I value students’ input,” but when questioned about letting

17-year-olds vote in local elections, they swiftly dodge the question.

Polarization is inherent to any political issue: some people will agree and some will not. Not everything will come to a perfect compromise where everyone is happy -- that is just not how the cookie crumbles. The solution is not to pretend the political field is devoid of politics. All that does is place a facade over reality and put a blockade in front of progress.

If you do not have plans more substantial than “listening,” please do not run for office. Listening is important, but a nine-year-old with a good attention span could do the same. We need candidates with political agendas that outline the issues they find important with specific solutions. Elected officials need to know what they are doing and what they want to do.

Constituents deserve to know exactly what the school board candidates’ political agendas are before Nov. 6.

Coach contact policies make it hard for student-athletes

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Hailey Washington Staff Writer If you really think about it, getting recruited is like marketing yourself. You are selling your skills and assets that are associated with your particular sport.

Being fast, strong, tall or even lefthanded can be some attributes that help you get far in the recruiting process. But the limitations on how these players can contact coaches at young ages is ridiculous.

Recruiting for students depends on what type of school they want to go to and their academics. After all, the coaches usually do not find you, you find them. After a bit of emailing and scouting at your games, you might sign or verbally commit. These words are what make the recruiting process confusing for students.

Being great at your sport from a young age is beneficial; you get additional acknowledgment from coaches and some might even email you. For example, a coach says, “You will be a great fit for our team in the future, I think it would be great if you can join us!” Maybe this coach is from your dream school and has

everything you are looking for, so you put all your eggs in one basket.

This is being verbal; you and the coach are talking, but the coach is not asking for your grades or transcript so nothing official has happened yet.

But, this can leave athletes confused about their future. Players may feel that this a verbal commitment to a college and subsequently stop looking for other potential colleges. Since college coaches are limited in the ways that they communicate with young players, clearing up this confusion is not a simple task.

Sometimes players find themselves clearly committed to a college. They send their transcript, their test scores and by sophomore year, they already know what college they are going to. However, in some cases, the coaching staff will change and players committed this early can be let go as late as their senior year. Changes in coaching staff can occur and the players who are unknown to the changed are the ones being punished.

Changes in coaching can happen randomly. It will not be a sudden shift in the middle of their senior year, but if you committed your sophomore year and coaching changes the end of your junior year, they could let you go and then you are left rushing to find a new college team in the fall of your senior year. The way that college coaches change is different and can depend on many factors. So, communicating with prospective students should be more expandable so problems like these are less likely to happen.

I understand that scholarships are given and some choose to play the sport for fun, since the majority of students who get recruited do not have a career in the sport they played in college. When recruiting, colleges should be thinking about long-term goals, and it might be hard to do that with all the limitations coaches have with communicating.

By opening the restrictions on the communication process between coaches and players, the recruiting process can an easier and more reliable system.

College Prep kids can keep their cool Emily Augustine News Editor As an Honors student...Wow, I already sound like a snob.

I am constantly surrounded by endlessly devoted students in my classes, who all have a bright future ahead of them, but it was not until I enrolled in a College Prep class that I saw the dark side of Honors.

In the eyes of Honors students, College Prep students often hold the stereotype of being unmotivated and having questionable judgement. I have heard the phrase “CP kid” being used as an insult. Please do not shoot the messenger.

Honors kids are just elitist. I will admit it, my respect for students in lower level classes has been compromised in the past, but recently I had a ground breaking epiphany: CP students probably live happier lives than most students in Honors classes.

When CP kids get anything lower than an A on a quiz or test, they do not have a mental breakdown- what a concept!

To be completely honest, I cannot relate to that. If I get a C, my life is over. People should still care for their grades, but it should not mean life or death. Last year, I overheard an Honors student say that if she does not become a doctor or lawyer, she thinks she would not be able to support herself financially, which is ridiculous.

A common quality of an Honors student is holding his or herself to an impossibly high standard. It is the endless devotion and fear of inadequacy that blesses and curses us.

It aids our success in academic classes, but it crosses a line in some cases, sometimes to the point where people need to seek help from a therapist.

Both Honors students and CP students have their own shortcomings. The primary flaw that Honors kids possess is the fact that a lot of them feel superior and overlook the positive qualities of CP students. Something about taking Advanced Placement classes and spending hours on homework everyday inflates many Honors students’ egos because they think their excessive amount of academic effort puts them above CP students. There is a stigma around CP classes being the easy way out.

Honestly, I had more fun in my CP math class last year than I did in any other Honors class I have been enrolled in, mainly because of my CP classmates. There was no looming atmosphere of stress, and it put me at ease. It was like I left a bubble of stress and was finally content with myself.

There is no time to relax in Honors classes. It is constant work, and students always have to be on their toes. In my case, I am surprised I have not gotten gray hairs. Since everyone in the room is stressed, it spreads throughout the classroom like an epidemic. I have become desensitized to the feeling, but it makes the lack of stress significantly noticeable in a CP classroom.

Sure, CP students do not always devote their life to academics, but at least they know their limits. Honors students need to learn from CP students, because newsflash, it is not necessary to put this much pressure on ourselves.

opinion Panther Prowler • Oct. 5, 2018

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Tiger parents need to be tamed Manas Khatore Staff Writer

Marli Davis/ Prowler

We all know that one kid who is the modern-day “Renaissance Man.” They are able to juggle a massive amount of extracurriculars, ranging from violin practice to club soccer, all while getting near perfect grades.

However, these students are not always self-motivated, as following such a schedule may be an avenue to please their parents.

Perfectionist parenting has become prevalent in an increasingly competitive world. With each parent wanting their child to succeed, children are pushed to be “talented” in all areas of life. Although this style of parenting may yield such children, the potential side-effects outweigh the rewards.

In 2011, Yale professor Amy Chua published Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother, a memoir on her style of parenting. Chua describes enforcing traditional and strict “Chinese” discipline on her two daughters, coining the popular term “tiger

parenting”. In one anecdote from the novel, Chua recounts her daughter Lulu being unwilling to learn a difficult piano piece. Chua told Lulu that if she did not master the piece by the next day, Chua would donate her dollhouse to the Salvation Army piece by piece, forcing Lulu to sit at the piano against her will.

As a result, whenever Lulu would practice the piano in the future, she may remember the anxiety that came with mastering pieces. If Chua had utilized supportive parenting that respected the process of learning piano, her daughter would be much more willing to practice and would have a lifelong passion for learning.

Although perfectionist parenting pushes for children to succeed academically, it can backfire severely.

The reality TV show “Child Genius,” in which brilliant children compete for a $100,000 college scholarship, embodies this principle.

Ryan Xie, a competitor in the - ADVERTISEMENT -

first season, was notorious for having “tiger parents.” Throughout the season, they forced Xie to study and criticized him if he scored below first place. Xie constantly complained about the pressure he faced from his parents, leading to an increasing lack of motivation throughout the season.

As a result, even after countless hours studying, Xie failed to place in the final round.

It is clear that perfectionist parenting negatively affects children.

Growing up, children look up to their parents for self-esteem, comfort and guidance. However, perfectionist parents spend years telling their children that they are not “good enough,” pushing them to work at an unhealthy level. Although they may accomplish many tasks, it often comes at the high cost of emotional stability.

Children who grow up with low self-esteem generally do not gain this back once they leave their parents.

As an adult, they may continue to struggle with “hating themselves,” degrading their overall success both in the workplace and in their personal lives. Depression and selfdeprecation follow, and in some cases, alcohol or drug dependency becomes a way to cope with mental issues.

This is not to say that parents who do not push their children are ideal. However, the line between encouraging and perfectionist parenting is sadly often crossed.

Demanding children to excel in all areas of life is not worth the emotional trauma that it leaves behind, and parents need to assess the long term consequences of whatever type of parenting they choose. Perfectionist parenting is not worth the short term rewards it may reap.

Visit pantherprowler.org to read corrections in “For The Record.“

8

q&a school board candidates

q&a school board candidates

Panther Prowler • Oct. 5, 2018

Panther Prowler • Oct. 5, 2018

Cindy Goldberg

Marlon Williams

Meet your board candidates

One thing that is often said about me is that I have an ability to sort of calm a room down, have everybody feel valued and respected, and I think everybody deserves that, and then to build a consensus that weaves everyone’s ideas together, and they all feel like it is their idea. That’s huge. I don’t think of it as a skill, because it is just something I have always done, but I think that our board needs some of that. I don’t bring an “us and them” mentality, I just bring “us.” People joke, because I say “there is you in CVUSD,” and we forget that, and I think it is important. Every school board candidate is going to tell you that they are kids first, and I would hope so, because this is not something anyone should do if they don’t think that that is important. But I can say I have a proven track record of doing that, and if you want to know what I’ll do, look at what I have done.

1

Question 1: What experiences do you think would make you a valuable school board candidate?

Question 2: How do you feel about the Vote 17 proposition that would allow more high schoolers to participate in local elections?

I’m not sure if (voting) would change, if people would actually get out and vote, but in this season, I think it would change a lot. I think it would be a game changer.

Could that be sustainable? Maybe. Maybe if the example is set that you start when you are your age, like those Parkland kids, they are spectacular. When kids come and speak at school board meetings, they are the best speakers and the most powerful advocates

2

By law, the school board adopts, the school board approves the curriculum that the teachers have vetted and done, that’s the law, so they have the ultimate say, but I think without everybody’s input, I don’t believe the school board has the right, it is not their job to create the curriculum, it’s just not. I can want to, but that doesn’t make it right. The curriculum should be crafted by the teachers with the informed, being informed by how it worked in the classroom, because they know what the goal is, they know what they need to teach you, how it is it going to best benefit you, to get you your best self.

Question 3: Who do you think should have the highest jurisdiction over student rights and the curriculum, the final say?

3

Patrissha Rose Booker First of all, I have three degrees: a B.A. in sociology, a B.A in social science and a Master’s in organizational management which I think would be very good on the school board to facilitate and mediate. I’m running because I know there are a lot of voiceless people in the community and I know there are at risk youth in the community. I think there should be unity on the school board and I think I can bring that because I can get along with everybody. I’m friends with the most conservative Republicans and we have our differences, but I can sit down and have a conversation with them. I think that’s why I’m running, so the focus can be brought back to the students.

1

2 3

I think they should be able to vote. From what I’ve seen from the young people personally with the gun violence and the schools and how they’ve taken a stand I think they should be allowed to vote. There needs to be a shift. I’m all for it.

I think teachers should have the first voice and the last voice and then everything goes from there. That’s just what I believe. I think what’s happening with the literature is insulting to the teachers and I just don’t like it at all. I was at a council meeting and a man got up and spoke at the comments. He said he was thinking about taking his family and moving out of the school district because he did not like how the school board was operating. I thought that was so eye opening. He was the first parent to say they were going to just take their family and move.

Angie Simpson I was a teacher here in the Conejo Valley Unified School District, I taught English, dance, coached volleyball, I was onsight counsel, so as a grassroots candidate, I understand the real day to day of what is happening for our teachers and our students.

I’m also a parent, my youngest son is in fifth grade, and I am a community leader so I serve on the City of Thousand Oaks Traffic and Transportation Commission and have had a lot of experience running meetings using the Brown Act. I work in the private sector now so I think that the blend of all these experiences professionally, personally, and civically have prepared me for this job.

1

9

What the other data is showing is that our current generation’s social skills and ability to be self sustainable is less than it was 10 years ago or 20 years ago. So it is kind of confusing to have voting to be something we should make (legal) for kids.

Now, all of a sudden, parents might be held responsible for kids who might be considered minors longer. I think 18 is the appropriate place for voting rights and that is the time when a person is legally an adult and they can also joining the military and I think those things have to go hand in hand.

3

Jenny Fitzgerald I’m running to be a board member because we have two kids currently in our school district, we have a fourth grader and a sixth grader, and to be honest, as a parent im really tired of watching the divisiveness that’s been created in our community I served as the student trustee on my college board and that gave me really good experience with education, policy, and learning to listen to students and teachers and concerns for people that were in that district. I’ve interned in the local office and capital office for two state representatives. I’m an attorney, and for me, that means that i can bring skills to the board such as negotiating, forging consensus between opposing viewpoints, which i think would really benefit us on the board, and advocating.

1

2

Local elections uniquely impact youth in ways that national and state elections don’t. For me, I think it’s important for our youth to be able to have a say in what’s going on and voting is an important way to do that. I also think it’s important to get students registered and to teach them the importance of voting when they go off to college and haven’t hit that voting age yet. .

It shouldn’t be a hierarchical system, the board’s job is to work with all stakeholders. Students have an obviously really important perspective, teachers actually implementing the policies the board passes have a crucial perspective, parents have concerns that they should be able to express and provide their input.

So for me, it is striving to have more of a positive environment where all of those different stakeholders feel like they can speak up without fear and knowing that their concerns and views are taken seriously

3

1

2 3

I I taught for 20 years, 12 of those years I taught at Moorpark High, mostly math, a little bit of peer counselling. But I taught a variety, I started out at elementary school and then taught middle school and then I was a counselor for 18 years. So I’ve always been in positions where I’ve been advocating for kids. the board needs someone who knows what it’s like to be in school.” To be in those classrooms, to be in those hallways. To have that impact to know what the impact of board decisions are on the teachers and therefore the kids I’ve been going to every board meeting since 2014 and I’ve been following all the issues and I really feel that the issues are such that the direction of this election is very very important and I felt that I had to get in. “it’s about the kids.” lets gets some social-emotional programs in, let’s do things that benefit the kids instead of arguing about limiting what we do for the kids.”

1

Particularly school board elections, I am so pro. I think that more kids at a younger age should have an influence on the school board elections. As I said, it’s about the kids. During 1992 President Bush said “read my lips” well I go around saying “read my pin.” I feel kids should have the right in local elections, whether it be school board, which I think is directly obviously pertaining to (17 year olds), but City Council, which also of course pertains to (17 year olds) . I think (17 year olds) deserve to vote, not just speak on it so that other people can vote, but I think (17 year olds) deserve to have a control over what controls (them).

2

There’s a Latin phrase, it was brought up and used even this past Tuesday nights, it’s called “locus parentis.” It’s an Italian phrase and what it means is, when kids are at school, the school has responsibility.

As far as the the issue, you know, the elephant in the room issue, teachers have been trained to look at a standard and figure out how to weave a curriculum around that standard so they can teach it to you. I think kids do tend to act differently at school than they may at home in front of their parents. Now that doesn’t negate the fact that I believe in parent rights for their own individual children.

I definitely feel that a parent has the right, that if they find that something in a curriculum is offensive, that they can pull their particular individual student. But, as I sure you’re learning in your American government classes and your civics classes, with rights come responsibilities.

So I’d say before you contradict the school curriculum and opt to pull your child out, you have the responsibility to totally know what you’re pulling your child out from, which means number one, reading a book that you may question, the whole book.

3

The issue is you should have a saying in local elections, everybody should.That’s what drives us countries, that we have a voice and if we can be comfortable with presenting ourselves, our voice, then we should express it. It’s our right.

Education and curriculum definitely has to be driven by teachers because they are the experts, and we have to fuel innovation and leave the morale high with our future teachers and cultivate teacher leaders across the district. . But at the end of the day, each school board member is elected to represent the community and is ultimately responsible for the district. So in the end, those curriculum changes do have to be approved by the school board

Bill Gorback

2

Education and curriculum definitely has to be driven by teachers because they are the experts, and we have to fuel innovation and leave the morale high with our future teachers and cultivate teacher leaders across the district. But at the end of the day, each school board member is elected to represent the community and is ultimately responsible for the district. So in the end, those curriculum changes do have to be approved by the school board and that is part of the American way.

What I have seen in the past, school board members tend to be targeted, I’m not here to be a target, I’d prefer not to be. I know what it’s like. That is one thing that I do not look forward to. The other thing is that there are a lot of people that are involved that make the district run, it’s not just the board members. You have your administrators at the schools, you have students, you have parents, you have a lot of people just making things run smoothly and as a board member I think it’s very important to listen to what people’s concerns are, especially parents and staff members. Everybody here is working together, so as a team player I think that it is crucial for everybody to work together as a team that is what I would like to add to the board.

Amy Chen

1

I feel my experience through homeschooling, private schooling, hybrid schools and just the experience in this vast educational landscape that we have right now brings a different perspective to what we’ve been doing because as I’m sure you’ve looked at the figures, we’ve done a study (the district) and we’re losing over 200 students a year. That’s very concerning. I think I can bring in is some diversity and I actually arrived here in ESL, when I arrived here in the states, I was put in ESL class, and at that time they didn’t have anyone that could speak Chinese and so I was taught how to speak English through Spanish that I had picked up when I was in Paraguay. I know the challenges we have about a 27% hispanic population, we have 10% Chinese population -- we have a high ESL population and I think it just brings some diversity in this mix where I really do understand the struggles. So it’s not just one group of students I’m trying to focus on, it’s just bringing some perspective and different experiences.

2 3

I think as of now, because the law says someone that is 17 years old is still a minor, to me that’s odd. And if you’re still a minor, I believe that voting should be restricted to adults.

I don’t think anyone should have the highest jurisdiction, I think this is a community and our public schools are really just public schools. We are one of the highest ranking districts, so we do definitely value our teachers, their input, we love their curriculums but at the same time I’m sure and from experience, teachers love input from parents. They want parents to be involved in their children’s’ education. From studies, the biggest indicator of a student’s success is parental involvement. I think that everyone needs to listen to each other, every group is valuable and important. Consider all of that, and come up with a decision that makes everybody happy.

Mike Dunn Dunn did not attend the panel interview.

8

q&a school board candidates

q&a school board candidates

Panther Prowler • Oct. 5, 2018

Panther Prowler • Oct. 5, 2018

Cindy Goldberg

Marlon Williams

Meet your board candidates

One thing that is often said about me is that I have an ability to sort of calm a room down, have everybody feel valued and respected, and I think everybody deserves that, and then to build a consensus that weaves everyone’s ideas together, and they all feel like it is their idea. That’s huge. I don’t think of it as a skill, because it is just something I have always done, but I think that our board needs some of that. I don’t bring an “us and them” mentality, I just bring “us.” People joke, because I say “there is you in CVUSD,” and we forget that, and I think it is important. Every school board candidate is going to tell you that they are kids first, and I would hope so, because this is not something anyone should do if they don’t think that that is important. But I can say I have a proven track record of doing that, and if you want to know what I’ll do, look at what I have done.

1

Question 1: What experiences do you think would make you a valuable school board candidate?

Question 2: How do you feel about the Vote 17 proposition that would allow more high schoolers to participate in local elections?

I’m not sure if (voting) would change, if people would actually get out and vote, but in this season, I think it would change a lot. I think it would be a game changer.

Could that be sustainable? Maybe. Maybe if the example is set that you start when you are your age, like those Parkland kids, they are spectacular. When kids come and speak at school board meetings, they are the best speakers and the most powerful advocates

2

By law, the school board adopts, the school board approves the curriculum that the teachers have vetted and done, that’s the law, so they have the ultimate say, but I think without everybody’s input, I don’t believe the school board has the right, it is not their job to create the curriculum, it’s just not. I can want to, but that doesn’t make it right. The curriculum should be crafted by the teachers with the informed, being informed by how it worked in the classroom, because they know what the goal is, they know what they need to teach you, how it is it going to best benefit you, to get you your best self.

Question 3: Who do you think should have the highest jurisdiction over student rights and the curriculum, the final say?

3

Patrissha Rose Booker First of all, I have three degrees: a B.A. in sociology, a B.A in social science and a Master’s in organizational management which I think would be very good on the school board to facilitate and mediate. I’m running because I know there are a lot of voiceless people in the community and I know there are at risk youth in the community. I think there should be unity on the school board and I think I can bring that because I can get along with everybody. I’m friends with the most conservative Republicans and we have our differences, but I can sit down and have a conversation with them. I think that’s why I’m running, so the focus can be brought back to the students.

1

2 3

I think they should be able to vote. From what I’ve seen from the young people personally with the gun violence and the schools and how they’ve taken a stand I think they should be allowed to vote. There needs to be a shift. I’m all for it.

I think teachers should have the first voice and the last voice and then everything goes from there. That’s just what I believe. I think what’s happening with the literature is insulting to the teachers and I just don’t like it at all. I was at a council meeting and a man got up and spoke at the comments. He said he was thinking about taking his family and moving out of the school district because he did not like how the school board was operating. I thought that was so eye opening. He was the first parent to say they were going to just take their family and move.

Angie Simpson I was a teacher here in the Conejo Valley Unified School District, I taught English, dance, coached volleyball, I was onsight counsel, so as a grassroots candidate, I understand the real day to day of what is happening for our teachers and our students.

I’m also a parent, my youngest son is in fifth grade, and I am a community leader so I serve on the City of Thousand Oaks Traffic and Transportation Commission and have had a lot of experience running meetings using the Brown Act. I work in the private sector now so I think that the blend of all these experiences professionally, personally, and civically have prepared me for this job.

1

9

What the other data is showing is that our current generation’s social skills and ability to be self sustainable is less than it was 10 years ago or 20 years ago. So it is kind of confusing to have voting to be something we should make (legal) for kids.

Now, all of a sudden, parents might be held responsible for kids who might be considered minors longer. I think 18 is the appropriate place for voting rights and that is the time when a person is legally an adult and they can also joining the military and I think those things have to go hand in hand.

3

Jenny Fitzgerald I’m running to be a board member because we have two kids currently in our school district, we have a fourth grader and a sixth grader, and to be honest, as a parent im really tired of watching the divisiveness that’s been created in our community I served as the student trustee on my college board and that gave me really good experience with education, policy, and learning to listen to students and teachers and concerns for people that were in that district. I’ve interned in the local office and capital office for two state representatives. I’m an attorney, and for me, that means that i can bring skills to the board such as negotiating, forging consensus between opposing viewpoints, which i think would really benefit us on the board, and advocating.

1

2

Local elections uniquely impact youth in ways that national and state elections don’t. For me, I think it’s important for our youth to be able to have a say in what’s going on and voting is an important way to do that. I also think it’s important to get students registered and to teach them the importance of voting when they go off to college and haven’t hit that voting age yet. .

It shouldn’t be a hierarchical system, the board’s job is to work with all stakeholders. Students have an obviously really important perspective, teachers actually implementing the policies the board passes have a crucial perspective, parents have concerns that they should be able to express and provide their input.

So for me, it is striving to have more of a positive environment where all of those different stakeholders feel like they can speak up without fear and knowing that their concerns and views are taken seriously

3

1

2 3

I I taught for 20 years, 12 of those years I taught at Moorpark High, mostly math, a little bit of peer counselling. But I taught a variety, I started out at elementary school and then taught middle school and then I was a counselor for 18 years. So I’ve always been in positions where I’ve been advocating for kids. the board needs someone who knows what it’s like to be in school.” To be in those classrooms, to be in those hallways. To have that impact to know what the impact of board decisions are on the teachers and therefore the kids I’ve been going to every board meeting since 2014 and I’ve been following all the issues and I really feel that the issues are such that the direction of this election is very very important and I felt that I had to get in. “it’s about the kids.” lets gets some social-emotional programs in, let’s do things that benefit the kids instead of arguing about limiting what we do for the kids.”

1

Particularly school board elections, I am so pro. I think that more kids at a younger age should have an influence on the school board elections. As I said, it’s about the kids. During 1992 President Bush said “read my lips” well I go around saying “read my pin.” I feel kids should have the right in local elections, whether it be school board, which I think is directly obviously pertaining to (17 year olds), but City Council, which also of course pertains to (17 year olds) . I think (17 year olds) deserve to vote, not just speak on it so that other people can vote, but I think (17 year olds) deserve to have a control over what controls (them).

2

There’s a Latin phrase, it was brought up and used even this past Tuesday nights, it’s called “locus parentis.” It’s an Italian phrase and what it means is, when kids are at school, the school has responsibility.

As far as the the issue, you know, the elephant in the room issue, teachers have been trained to look at a standard and figure out how to weave a curriculum around that standard so they can teach it to you. I think kids do tend to act differently at school than they may at home in front of their parents. Now that doesn’t negate the fact that I believe in parent rights for their own individual children.

I definitely feel that a parent has the right, that if they find that something in a curriculum is offensive, that they can pull their particular individual student. But, as I sure you’re learning in your American government classes and your civics classes, with rights come responsibilities.

So I’d say before you contradict the school curriculum and opt to pull your child out, you have the responsibility to totally know what you’re pulling your child out from, which means number one, reading a book that you may question, the whole book.

3

The issue is you should have a saying in local elections, everybody should.That’s what drives us countries, that we have a voice and if we can be comfortable with presenting ourselves, our voice, then we should express it. It’s our right.

Education and curriculum definitely has to be driven by teachers because they are the experts, and we have to fuel innovation and leave the morale high with our future teachers and cultivate teacher leaders across the district. . But at the end of the day, each school board member is elected to represent the community and is ultimately responsible for the district. So in the end, those curriculum changes do have to be approved by the school board

Bill Gorback

2

Education and curriculum definitely has to be driven by teachers because they are the experts, and we have to fuel innovation and leave the morale high with our future teachers and cultivate teacher leaders across the district. But at the end of the day, each school board member is elected to represent the community and is ultimately responsible for the district. So in the end, those curriculum changes do have to be approved by the school board and that is part of the American way.

What I have seen in the past, school board members tend to be targeted, I’m not here to be a target, I’d prefer not to be. I know what it’s like. That is one thing that I do not look forward to. The other thing is that there are a lot of people that are involved that make the district run, it’s not just the board members. You have your administrators at the schools, you have students, you have parents, you have a lot of people just making things run smoothly and as a board member I think it’s very important to listen to what people’s concerns are, especially parents and staff members. Everybody here is working together, so as a team player I think that it is crucial for everybody to work together as a team that is what I would like to add to the board.

Amy Chen

1

I feel my experience through homeschooling, private schooling, hybrid schools and just the experience in this vast educational landscape that we have right now brings a different perspective to what we’ve been doing because as I’m sure you’ve looked at the figures, we’ve done a study (the district) and we’re losing over 200 students a year. That’s very concerning. I think I can bring in is some diversity and I actually arrived here in ESL, when I arrived here in the states, I was put in ESL class, and at that time they didn’t have anyone that could speak Chinese and so I was taught how to speak English through Spanish that I had picked up when I was in Paraguay. I know the challenges we have about a 27% hispanic population, we have 10% Chinese population -- we have a high ESL population and I think it just brings some diversity in this mix where I really do understand the struggles. So it’s not just one group of students I’m trying to focus on, it’s just bringing some perspective and different experiences.

2 3

I think as of now, because the law says someone that is 17 years old is still a minor, to me that’s odd. And if you’re still a minor, I believe that voting should be restricted to adults.

I don’t think anyone should have the highest jurisdiction, I think this is a community and our public schools are really just public schools. We are one of the highest ranking districts, so we do definitely value our teachers, their input, we love their curriculums but at the same time I’m sure and from experience, teachers love input from parents. They want parents to be involved in their children’s’ education. From studies, the biggest indicator of a student’s success is parental involvement. I think that everyone needs to listen to each other, every group is valuable and important. Consider all of that, and come up with a decision that makes everybody happy.

Mike Dunn Dunn did not attend the panel interview.

features

10

Panther Prowler • Oct. 5, 2018

New teachers join Panther family Jessica Zhou Photographer

Danielle Ellis

Chris Forrest

Jennifer Graham

Danielle Ellis is the new IB and AP psychology teacher.

She has worked in psychology for years and the field has become a highlight of Ellis’s life. When Ellis moved to the US she became a high school teacher because she wanted have the chance to work with students and teach more teenagers about psychology. “I think that psychology helps make people be more thoughtful, more well rounded and able to connect better with others,” Ellis said. Previously teaching in Westlake High School for four years, Ellis came to Newbury Park to experience the IB program. Her goals NPHS are to spread more knowledge of psychology to students and help them experience the fun in it. “ I want to create a really solid psychology program, to have students who really enjoy the class to talk to their friends and recommend them taking it in the future,” Ellis said.

Chris Forrest has started his 19th year teaching special education.

He gained many experiences in education from previous jobs at Palisades Charter High School and the Conejo Valley Waverly Program.

Now, wanting to change his working environment and be part of a bigger school. Forrest began his first year teaching at NPHS. He is also the girls’ volleyball coach. “I want to make a difference in this population of students, to help the school out any way I can,” Forrest said when asked about his goals for the future at NPHS.

Growing up in Conejo Valley, Jennifer Graham wanted to return and be a part of this community. She is joining NPHS as a new special education teacher.

Graham has taught a total of 10 years in special education starting from a teaching assistant at Casa Pacifica in Camarillo. Originally, she wanted to teach English, but her experience as a teaching assistant led her to becoming a high school special education teacher. “I really liked it. I liked the staff and I liked the students,” Graham said. “I thought if I like this then I should do it because not everybody does. I felt called to.”

Lora Harney

Megan Lazar

Lora Harney always dreamt she would become a teacher. She also had an interest in special education in her previous years as a parent educator.

After finishing her student teaching at NPHS, Harney took the opportunity to become a special education teacher on campus. This is not only her first year being a staff at NPHS but also her first year teaching. Harney has loved her experience here and aspires to build up the special education program for in her future years of teaching.

“I want to do something within the school that gives the students more job skills so in the future when they go to the job sites they feel more confident and are ready,” Harney said.

Megan Lazar is entering her first year teaching at NPHS. She is the new directed studies, earth science and biology teacher.

Lazar has always had a passion for science and wanted to experience working at a high school so she took the opportunity to become a new member of the Panther family. “I really like working with students. Developing relationships and getting to know who they are as they are getting older is really something that I enjoy,” Lazar said. In her future years teaching at NPHS, Lazar aims to contribute as much as she can to the school. “I would love to continue working here as long as possible, expanding and teaching my knowledge of what I know to more students,” Lazar said.

things

5 yo u d id n ot know ab out

Hannah Gross/Prowler

Jennifer Pershes //Special Education Hannah Gross Staff Writer

Kyle Agnello is a Fortnite Fanatic

1

Emily Augustine News Editor

She was a competitive weightlifter in high school.

2

After graduating from college, Pershes lived in London.

3

Although she received her credentials in special education, Mrs. Pershes teaches multiple subjects.

4

She went to UCSB

5

Mrs. Perches has been a teacher since 2003.

It is not just a game. As he looks down from the battle bus, he sees a world of virtual anarchy. Ready for battle, he descends toward Tomato Temple with the press of a button. Kyle Agnello, junior, has mastered the game of Fortnite with over a thousand victories.

Fortnite is a video game in which the player is placed on an island with 99 other players who are all trying to eliminate each other. The goal is to be the last man standing on the island.

Since it was released on July 25, 2017, its popularity has been proliferating as it captivates primarily younger generations.

“I feel that as gamers, when bonding together, (we) can achieve anything we put our minds to,” Agnello said. He has played Fortnite with famous gamers such as ChickenxSlayer and Ninja over four times. Those gamers are widely known personalities who claimed their fame on YouTube as well as Twitch, which is a popular streaming network. Devoting the past eight months to this game, Agnello has developed a strategy.

“I often enjoy camping in bushes and hiding until there is me and one other person,” Agnello said. He advises new players to do the same.

“I find the amount of dedication that (Agnello) puts in is very impressive” Jacob Malone, junior, said, “I also find it really impressive that he is playing with such high tier people.” Malone used to play Fortnite regularly but had to reduce his play time due to school work taking up most of his time.

“All the hype around (Fortnite) has most likely died out but there are still a lot of top tier players out there that still get a lot of respect,” Andrew Young, junior, said. As Agnello’s classmate, he is aware of Agnello’s experiences with playing Fortnite among famous gamers.

Although Agnello’s reputation as a Fortnite fanatic is spreading throughout the school, he does not do it for the fame.

“Fortnite is more than a game to me. It’s a part of my life at this point,” Agnello said.

features Panther Prowler • Oct. 5, 2018

VS

Student Anastasia Borisoff/Senior

1

What were jack-o’-lanterns originally made from?

Hannah Gross Staff Writer

Borisoff: I don’t know, were they gourds? Squash?

Coffman: They were like lights, like string lights, right?

Turnips

Mrs. Coffman/ASL Teacher

many federal holidays are there? during 5 How the fall?

Borisoff: Oh um, 4!

Coffman: Can I look at my calendar?

4 (Columbus Day, Election Day, Veterans Day and Thanksgiving) Leave it to a student to know the holidays. The point goes to Borisoff.

1-2

It is a tie!

0-0

2

Teacher

3-3

It looks like no one is able to “squash” the competition yet.

Which continent are pumpkins not grown on?

states don’t fall back on daylight 6 Which savings?

Borisoff: Asia? Africa?

Coffman: Australia.. Antarctica!

Antarctica Well they both get an A for effort, but the point goes to Ms. Coffman.

Borisoff: Which don’t?

Coffman: Arizona..and Hawaii?

Hawaii and Arizona The clocks in Arizona and Hawaii stay the same, but the score changes. Coffman gets the point.

1-3

0-1

3

From base to point, what is the order of colors on a piece of candy corn?

How many colors are in a bag of m&m’s?

7 Borisoff: Red.. 1..2… uh 5- 6!

Borisoff: Oh um white orange yellow? White yellow orange.

Coffman: White, yellow, orange!

Yellow, orange and white Apparently they do not know the classic candy as well as they thought. No one gets the point.

0-1

4

11

Coffman: 5 Six colors It took a few tries, but Borisoff gets the point.

2-3

national park is the geyser, “Old 8 Which Faithful”, located in?

In, It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown, who does Linus mistake for the Great Pumpkin?

Borisoff: Uh… I don’t know.

Coffman: I’ve never even seen that! The dog? Snoopy?

Snoopy Despite being a stranger to the movie, Coffman still takes the point.

0-2

Borisoff: Yellowstone!

Coffman: Hmm..

Yellowstone National Park Although Borisoff blew this question away, it ends in a tie..

3-3

Rahul D”Souza/Prowler

Calvary touches the hearts of high school student Jessica Zhou Photographer The countdown reached the last ten seconds. Hundreds of high schoolers made their way to the front of the stage as the lights scanned across the room, the music blasting through the speakers and vibrating the floor. It was the final three seconds: three...two...one...and the worship began.

Around 300 students gather at the High School Ministry of Calvary Community Church every Sunday to learn about and worship God. Welcoming high school students from all different schools of Conejo Valley and beyond, Calvary has become a large community for teenagers to learn and have fun.

Sydney Leff, junior, has been going to the Calvary High School Ministry since freshman year. Being raised in a Christian family, Leff deepened her relationship with God as she grew up.

Now going to Calvary, she feels like there’s always something new waiting for her time she walks in the church doors.

“I loved the people that I met and I feel that I relate to the sermons a lot,” Leff said. “There’s always something that you can learn from going there and even if it’s times where I feel like I’d rather go do something else, if I encourage myself to go to church that day, I feel like I always get something out of it.”

Helping Leff deal with stress and difficulties, Calvary is the

wire that connects her to God and friends.

“I feel like when I’m there, I don’t feel really alone, I feel like there’s so many other people that are going through similar things to me and there’s always someone I can talk to about it,” Leff said. “It’s like God’s a friend that’s always there for you to lean on whenever you need it.”

Trying to be more than just a church community, Calvary is aiming to turn these 300 individual teenagers into a one big family. “Here at Calvary we take the idea that we are brothers and sisters in Christ seriously. That means we aren’t just a collection of people who attend a service together on Sundays, but rather a family that loves each other, prays for each other, encourages each other and challenges each other throughout the week,” Brian Howard, pastor of high school ministry, said.

According to Howard, Calvary is trying to create fun experiences for students and also provide them with support and guidance by having a world class worship team and well-trained, passionate adult leaders and mentors.

“I’ve never had someone go there and not enjoy some aspect of it and it’s definitely a lot different than any church that I’ve been to before,” Leff said.

Jennifer McDonnell, senior, has been going to Calvary for two years. After going to the Calvary high school summer camp, McDonnell experienced the love and power from God and has been a member of Calvary ever since. “It’s like a second home to me, everyone there is so kind-hearted and welcoming, and we’re always doing something fun,” McDonnell said.

Even though Calvary has been receiving praise and compliments from the majority of the students attending the church, they are always looking for ways to improve. In order to build stronger personal relationships, Calvary has been working on making sure they have fantastic small groups where everyone can have a chance to share, as well as trying to be better equipped to help serve students with mental illnesses.

Calvary is seeking to improve in every aspect they can think of, striving to reach the desires of the teenagers as more and more students join this big community. “Most of the pain in this community is hidden, but when you scratch below the surface you will find in every teenager the same desire for love, peace, hope and joy,” Howard said.

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entertainment Panther Prowler • Oct. 5, 2018

Students dive deeper into IB Theatre Gianna Spiro Ad Manager IB Theatre students in the Performing Arts Center (PAC), contemplating the deeper meaning of art on stage, discovering new ideas and learning more about themselves.

Marilyn Strange has taught theater classes at NPHS for five years, adding IB Theatre to her list. “(The class) is actually not as new as people think. It was taught here before a long time ago.

I’m excited about the class and this was the right time, it fit the schedule… It was time for IB,”Strange said.

“I think even if you don’t do theater, it’s such a great class to take because as teenagers we are all exploring ourselves and the arts are a great way to open that door,” Celina Kott, senior, said.

“It’s a mixture of directing, writing, creating and acting. We analyze scripts and the way culture affects theater and not just in America but also in different cultures,” Charles Ocampo, senior, said.

IB Theatre approaches teaching and learning differently from

a typical classroom. As the teacher, Strange tries to be hands-off, and lets students lead the discussions.

“The students are the ones that are really delving in, thinking about; ‘Who am I? Why do I hold the values and biases that I have based upon what I gravitate towards.’ It’s really exciting to watch them figure out and it also is gives me food for thought as an artist. It’s neat to see them explore theatre in a different kind of free way,” Strange said.

“I think it’s a really exciting opportunity, I have some students in there who are not as familiar as theatre as some as the others.

So there is all levels, and I think if anybody is just interested in that level of theatre and thinking too. It’s not just that kid who likes to sing and dance, or is a big Shakespearean actor it is for all levels and all kinds,” Strange said.

Hard at Work- The IB theatre class sits attentively as they listen to Ms. Strange speak at the front of the classroom. The class addresses a list of topics ranging from directing to the ways culture affect theatre. Aditya Vunnum/Prowler

Prepare to be enticed by... Pumpkin Spice!

Daria Azizad Entertainment Editor and Prowler Staff It is quite observable that Southern California has no seasons.

The last time I saw hail was in 2007. Spring showers are nowhere to be found during an endless drought. But for many places across the US, the changing seasons are something to look forward to.

For those places, the start of October represents the nascent stages of fall. For Californians, it is along the lines of, “Oh look, it is Fire Awareness Month already!” It is reasonable -- the only orange hues we see on trees are when they go up in flames. But not to worry, fellow Californians, there is a way to infuse this season with typical autumnal vibes: all we have to do is make a trip to the grocery store.

Quality: 1 Pumpkin Flavor:1 I had high hopes for this soup: I expected warm pumpkiny goodness and the aroma of spice. I was very disappointed with the reality. The soup had barely any flavor-- it kind of tasted like diluted tomato sauce.

All items reviewed can be found at Trader Joe’s. Ratings are the average value assigned by Prowler Staff.

Quality: 5 Pumpkin Flavor: 4 At first glance, these dark cookie sandwiches are just another box of Oreos. But that flash of orange prompts a double take, revealing their true Pumpkin Joe Joe nature. Their black and orange color scheme pair perfectly with the Halloween spirit while their sugary chocolate flavor are sure to please anyone’s taste buds. The crunch of the cracker coupled with the smooth frosting makes every bite satisfying. While the note of pumpkin is definitely present, it plays second fiddle to the sweet bass of the filling.

Quality: 4 Pumpkin Flavor: 4 I’m a big fan of the Perfect Bar in general, so when they came out with the Limited Edition Pumpkin Pie flavor, I knew I had to get my hands on some. The Pumpkin Pie flavor is a mix of peanut buttery goodness with lighter pumpkin hints. However, I wish that the traditional spices associated with pumpkin pies-cinnamon, nutmeg-- played a role in this bar.

Sarah Lu/Prowler

Quality: 2.5 Pumpkin Flavor: 1 The Trader Joe’s Granola Bark is a granola bar coated in dark chocolate, with pumpkin seeds sprinkled on top. The chocolate was sweet, but not overpowering, and nicely accompanied the rough texture of the granola. However, the pumpkin element was severely lacking -- the pumpkin seeds could barely be tasted amongst the other components.

Quality: 3 Pumpkin Flavor: 1 The pumpkin cereal bar from Trader Joe’s is an extension of the many pumpkin flavored foods sold this season. The cereal bar itself tastes pretty good, but it does not really taste like pumpkin.

When you first take a bite you taste the sugar and the cinnamon, but it tastes more like an apple cinnamon cereal bar than a pumpkin flavor bar. It’s a great snack, but has less appeal since the only time you taste a little bit of pumpkin is 30 seconds after you are done eating it.

Quality: 4 Pumpkin Flavor: 1 The Trader Joe’s Petite Pumpkin Spice Cookies are just as cute as the packaging suggests. Half the fun of eating these cookies comes from the pretty pastel frosting and fall colored sprinkles. The cookies themselves are shortbread with pumpkin spices, covered in yogurt frosting. I was not impressed with the pumpkin factor of these cookies-- they basically taste like fancy frosted animal cookies. They were tasty and nostalgic, but their autumnal vibes left something to be desired.

Quality: 5 Pumpkin Flavor: 2.5 The Trader Joe’s biscotti is the perfect fix for your holiday cravings. It can easily be paired with a warm pumpkin spiced latte or eaten dry for a crunchy delight. The spiced pumpkin flavor is very prevalent in the biscotti but does not overpower the biscotti’s inherently distinct texture. Make sure to pick these up next time you’re at Trader Joe’s!

entertainment Panther Prowler • Oct. 5, 2018

13

Christina Borisoff Staff Writer Cars roll into the parking lot of the Performing Arts Center at 3 A.M as participants begin the day with theater. This marks the beginning of 18 hours of writing, acting, directing and technical production.

18 Hour is a theater event that occurs twice a year. Students spend time writing, practicing and curating their performances in preparation for a live performance, during which audiences are entertained with seven creative skits. The most recent rendition of the event, held on Sept. 22, was full of hilarity, sleep depravity, and positive vibes.

Craig Hastings, senior and head coordinator of 18 Hour, has been in love with theater his whole life. Ever since he started in his freshman year, Hastings has participated in nearly everything the theatre department has to offer.

“I think 18 hour is a really important way for people to come out and meet new people and get active in our community. It’s also a really good way for us to show that we have really talented kids here who really like working very hard in this theater,” Hastings said.

Hastings, has done a total of six 18 hours.

He was enthusiastic about this year’s production because it would be one of his last.

His love for theatre has encouraged him to continue doing events like this on the side or as a hobby in the future. Hastings believes that he will be able to integrate the skills he has learned in theatre into his career.

“18 hour and theatre, in general, has helped me become a better person, a better friend, a better coordinator. It’s taught me a lot about people, it’s

Action- Laughter was heard spreading from the PAC as the audience watched several students on stage give their performance. 18 Hour is a theatre event, allowing students to sign up to be a writer, director or actor. “The best part of being in 18 hour is getting to meet and work with people you normally wouldn’t talk to, you get to meet people who don’t normally do theatre- some who play soccer, some in ASG, or just anyone from school who you wouldn’t normally say hi to in the halls,” Ocampo said. 18 Hour starts at 3 a.m., giving three hours for the writers to write a script, then giving the directors and actors 14 hours to put together a show and perform it at 8 p.m. Jessica Zhou/Prowler

taught me a lot about performing and it’s taught me a lot about authority, and becoming a leader,” Hastings said Grace Rebbe, sophomore, took on the role as the main character in an 18 hour skit called “The Addiction,” about a girl with a pumpkin spice latte addiction.

“I had to dig into the deepest part of my soul and think about flannel and warm weather during the fall and that lovely Southern California valley girl voice,” Rebbe said.

Rebbe’s role as the pumpkin-spice obsessed teenage girl came naturally for her because she compares her role to her relationship with her two older brothers.

“I really had to get into that little sister part of me that’s really annoying. I have two older brothers so that little sister part comes naturally to me,” Rebbe said.

“Eighteen-hour is really fun to do because it’s really low commitment and really easy. It’s really good for people who haven’t done theatre before to just go and experience this really intense thing that’s really fun,” Rebbe said.

Gus Gress, sophomore, will take over as head coordinator next year.

“I’m very excited to coordinate again in the spring and maybe in the future. We’ll see, but I’d love to try doing the whole directing process,” Gress said. He is encouraged by the positive impact the program has on students and community members.

“In this day and age I feel that it’s such an accepting place, and it’s one of the best places to be on the NPHS campus.”

Charity concert makes music for Manna Emily Nagamoto Chief Photographer Four months, six bands and one potential Eagle Scout was all it took to raise 1,421 cans for Manna Food Bank. On Sept. 22, around 200 people attended the Five For Live benefit concert at the Thousand Oaks Teen Center. The event featured student bands from around the area and had an admissions fee of five canned goods. For Ryan Younes, junior and eagle scout candidate, inspiration struck when he attended a similar event the year before.

“I was thinking, ‘Wow, if I could run something like this for my Eagle Project that I have seen some other guys in other troops do, that would be the coolest thing ever,’” Younes said.

Conceptualizing the idea in September of last year, Younes started planning it four months before the concert, in June. In that time he had to find and secure six bands, book a venue and more.

Before the concert, Younes also planned three restaurant fundraisers and received donations of money and food from local grocery stores like Ralphs, Trader Joe’s and Sprouts. All of the proceeds and donations from the concert are being donated directly to Manna Food Bank.

“You need very good communication with whoever’s doing the event,” Younes said. “You have to have the bands, the venue and the beneficiary all in perfect harmony with one another.”

When planning the music, as a fellow guitar player himself,

Younes knew some of the bands and hand picked each one himself, having “seen every single one live, somewhere, at some show. I knew they were good; I wanted them here.”

The list of performers included Sik Sik Sicks, Stereo Fidelity, Permission to Fly, Pushing Veronica, My Native Tongue and Let’s Get Out of This Horrible Sandwich Shoppe. When Maddie Lucas, sophomore from Century Academy and singer from Sik Sik Sicks, was approached by Younes to perform, she and her band immediately said yes, even though they had only been together for six months.

“We decided to perform tonight because it’s for a good cause, it’s with our besties: Pushing Veronica and Stereo Fidelity. It sounded really fun,” Lucas said.

It was the same reason why Jason Peters, senior, attended the concert.

“I think it is a good event,” Peters said. “Concerts are really fun…(and) Manna food drive is a really good way to tie it in.”

For the concert, Younes had help from close to 50 people, involving his boy scout troop, the Music Production Club as well as his friends and family, and said that the event would not be possible without all of the volunteers. But, volunteer Zak Logie, junior, said his favorite part of the night was “just seeing the amount of enthusiasm that Ryan has for this.”

Giving for good- Nikki Usares, junior and attendee, gives cans to Andrew Young, junior and volunteer, for the Five for Live donation concert. The concert raised just under 1500 cans total, a total Ryan Younes, junior, was not expecting. “Our goal is 500 (cans); we got some donations and stuff like that, and we went over it,” Younes said. Younes also organized restaurant fundraisers, including one at Chipotle that raised $100 and one at Mod Pizza that raised $176. Emily Nagamoto/Prowler

14

sports Panther Prowler • Oct. 5, 2018

Nico Young sets national record Sarah Lu Photographer

Pulse racing, lungs burning, legs pumping and arms swinging, Nico Young, junior, sprints towards the finish line, desperate to win. The crowd’s cheering fades away as he focuses on breathing. In, out. In, out. Holding their breath, the crowd watches as Young wins the race, running the fastest time in school history.

When he first started at age six, Young just wanted to run as fast as he could. Ten years later, Young is still running as fast as he can, now accomplishing achievements he never thought possible.

On Sept. 15, 2018, Young raced against 231 high school runners from across the nation in the Woodbridge Cross Country Classic.

In the race, the Panther Boys’ placed second overall in the Sweepstakes race (the fastest heat at the invitation) and set a new school record for fastest team in school history. Young ran 14:01.1 for three miles, not only winning the race, but also setting the fastest time across the nation.

Young was pleased to see the results of his hard work. “I feel really good because that means colleges are going to notice me. It’s really nice to know that what I’m doing is working,” Young said.

Sean Brosnan, head cross country coach, knew Young had a lot of potential when he joined freshman year, but he did not have a lot of experience. Now, Brosnan says Young is doing workouts “I don’t think most college guys could do. He’s running really fast at a really high level, so as a coach I really believe I’m almost having to hold him back right now.”

From a Brosnan’s perspective, Young seems to have a confident and cool aura around him, even before races. “He’s confident he’s done the work, he put in the hard workouts, and I believe that he thinks he’s one of the best in the country and he can beat anybody at any given day,” Brosnan said.

This mentality is what helped Young win

the Woodbridge race. “You have to go into it knowing that you can do it, and that it’s possible to do what you want to do in that race,” Young said. “At Woodbridge, (Brosnan) said that I could win it, so I just thought ‘I knew I could,’

so then I did. If he never told me I could win I probably would not have won the race.”

On average, Young runs more than eight miles per day and puts a lot of time into training. “I think people don’t really realize

Zoom- Nico Young, junior, practices at Peppertree Playfield near NPHS. Peppertree is a common place to see the team putting in work. “We put in a lot of time for training. For example, this morning I had morning practice, and I still went to it even though last night I had a fever,” Young said. Two weeks after running the fastest time for the three mile race in the nation, Young is already back to practicing. Rahul D’Souza/Prowler

Boys’ Water Polo preps for CIF Boys’ Water Polo made the playoffs last year after a long drought.

This year, the team has their sights set on another playoff run and even a splash at the championship.

Being almost two-thirds of the way through the season, the team is in full swing, currently holding a 14-3 record, but are still at the beginning of their League games.

“There’s definitely areas we can improve but our team this year is for sure the best team we’ve had in my 4 years,” Jarrod Norton, senior, said. “Team strengths are definitely our individual talent and our effectiveness on the offensive end.

We have a lot of dudes who play club at a high level in our program which is really cool.”

Dave Gleisberg, head coach, further believes that team is very

strong, especially with regard to their game sense and understanding.

“They all have a very high knowledge of the game in game situations. They’re all students of the game that understand what it takes to get to a higher level. They understand their own strengths and weakness and how to help their teammates. They understand the positions and where they excel at,” Gleisberg said.

Despite their strengths, the team is still focused on improvement, trying to get even further in the playoffs after last year’s accomplishments. Gleisberg has been working with the team, helping them improve their skills and patch their weaknesses.

“We are working on a little bit of everything. Team defense,

awareness on offense, working on our counterattack into offense, and also speed and strength,” Gleisberg said. “Our weaknesses include playing our best for four quarters.

We’re going to make mistakes and we have to minimize that.”

These improvements are all aimed towards a strong CIF performance.

With this competition in mind, Alexander Sanderson, junior, has high hopes for a long run.

“I expect us to make a strong showing in CIF this year, since we have a deep roster with plenty of talent and skill throughout. We most likely will have a rigorous CIF bracket this year but I think that we can make it far and really show how strong of a program Newbury Park is,” Sanderson said.

that we practice seven days a week, and practice goes until five each day, and we have morning practice twice a week,” Young said.

While practices can be a struggle, Nicholas Goldstein, sophomore and teammate, can see that Young is determined and hard working.

“Nico is always ready when he’s given a workout.

He thinks, ‘Yeah, it’s going to be a little rough,’ but he always puts in his best effort,” Goldstein said.

While racing, Young’s focus never wavers from the race at hand. The thoughts that run through Young’s head are simple. “It’s either, I do it or I don’t,” Young said. “I don’t really have the energy to think about anything.”

Ever since Young won the Woodbridge Cross Country Classic, the team sees Young as an inspiration. “(The team has) started realizing he is one of the best in the country, but I also think he’s brought our other teammates up,” Brosnan said. “They start believing that they can get better, and they can get faster, so it’s just kind of a snowball effect.”

Young is a key teammate that could allow the team’s goal of making it to nationals become reality. “My specific goal is to win the Division 2 state meet for cross country, so our team can make it to nationals,” Young said.

Young also strives to run fast enough to be noticed by colleges around the country, and believes that many coaches look for not just an athlete but also a leader. “He’s a great student, he’s a great athlete, he never complains and he’s just always willing to put the work in,” Brosnan said. “I think that’s contagious. And I think the good thing is having him as being one of our lead runners, it trickles down to the JV guys and all those guys and they see what the effects of the hard work.”

Young is proud of his accomplishment. “It just makes me feel really good, because that was my goal. I never knew I would be that good, but it’s really nice to know.”

Rahul D’Souza Front Cover Editor

Goal- Grant Coates, junior, fires the ball at the net. It narrowly misses a defending players grasps, knicks the fingers of the goalie, and swishes into the back of the net. “The goal is always a CIF ring. Last year we broke our playoff drought but ended up losing in the semis, so hopefully we can work as a team and go farther this year,” Jarrod Norton, senior and teammate, said. The team hopes to improve from last year and excel for the rest of the season. Rahul D’Souza/Prowler

sports Panther Prowler • Oct. 5, 2018

15

Palmer Jones leaps into cheer Brian Fang Staff Writer The spirit cheer team added their first male team member this year since over the last half decade, an addition that has positively changed the team dynamic.

Palmer Jones, senior, is a new member of the spirit cheer team this year and has decided to take a step out of his own comfort zone.

“I wanted to try something crazy and I’ve been having a blast since the beginning,” Jones said. “Cheer is like any other sport, it is what you make it.”

Maddy Weise, senior and teammate, believes that the team was initially tentative about Jones’ addition to the team, but has seen him grow and find his place on the squad.

“We were nervous that he would try out and make it but not actually be invested in the team so there was a little hesitation in welcoming him right away. But we quickly realized that he really wanted to be there and to learn so he earned my respect quickly and grew on us,” Weise said.

Overcoming this first bump in the road, the cheer team has made an effort to make sure that Jones is comfortable with the team. “We took to him and hopefully him to us. We all look out for each other and I think we came together to make sure he felt welcome and valuable to our whole team,” Weise said.

Additionally, Weise has felt that Jones gives the team a new energy even when they are worn out from the long hours of practice.

“I think it has been really beneficial to the team to have Palmer. He is really dedicated to the team and kind of pushes us to be more competitive but at the same time teaches us to have fun.” Weise said. “Our practices are long and we work nonstop so his humor is much appreciated.”

Not only do his teammates believe that he has had a positive impact on the squad, but Coach Megan McCarthy believes so too.

“I definitely believe that Palmer contributes to the dynamic of the squad,” McCarthy said.

“He has always been a ‘follow whatever coach wants’ kind of person and always goes the extra mile.”

Furthermore, McCarthy believes that Jones will be a good role model to both young boys and other new girls on the team.

“He is definitely a top person when it comes to what he puts into practice,” McCarthy said.

“He is a great example for boys who aren’t already a part of the cheer world to understand that they can be a cheerleader and that it’s not just a sport for ponytails and bows. A lot of people think that just standing on the sidelines is the only thing that you can do but they do a lot of stunting and tumbling.”

Jones shares this perspective. “I think the cheer program will positively affect any young testosterone-fueled stallion like myself,” Jones said.

Jump- Palmer Jones, senior, fIashes a grin as he jumps and does the splits in mid air at the halftime show at the homecoming football game against Saint Bonaventure High School. Jones is a new cheerleader this year, and decided to join it because he wanted to step out of his comfort zone. “He comes from a totally different background,” Megan McCarthy, cheerleading coach, said. “He has never done a sport like this which I’d say compared to football is so different.” Jones plans to go into the army, so he is very disciplined, and knows what should be done when it comes to cheer. Sarah Lu/Prowler

Girls’ Volleyball starts off the season strong Aditya Vunnum Sports Editor The ball whistles through the air as it smashes into the ground on the other side of the net. The crowd goes wild, teammates rush to congratulate each other on earning the point. Winning set after set, this years girls’ volleyball team hopes to reach new levels of success on and off the court this year.

As of Oct. 5, the varsity team is 3-5 in league and 16-12 overall. They hope to use this momentum to push themselves as far into CIF as possible.

Olivia Coronado, junior, is playing her first year on varsity and enjoys the atmosphere of the team this year. “It’s a lot more competitive, passes are harder and games are longer.

Coaches and girls play more seriously. It’s totally different than the games we played on JV and Frosh,” Coronado said.

Kenzie Hebert, junior, is also currently playing her first year on varsity. “We’re doing pretty well, we are second in league right now. We have a lot to improve on but I think it’s all going to come together,” Hebert said.

Under a relatively new coaching staff leading the program, the girls on the team have both individual and team goals going into season.

“We want to push ourselves harder so we can keep our place in league. By being better teammates to each other we can push ourselves farther into CIF. All the girls on the team are supportive of each other. That is really nice and that keeps us together. We support each other on and off the court,” Coronado said.

Teamwork was emphasized by head coach, Chris Forrest, who joined the program two years ago to help establish the girls’ volleyball team at Newbury Park.

“A lot of what I have been trying to do is getting the team to understand teammates, opponents, coaches, referees,” Forrest said, “and what it is to be a good teammate, what it is to be selfless, what is to have building fundamental skills along with having a system in good character, to have integrity for the game, having respect for your place regarding how we play volleyball- and sticking to itand making it as fun as possible.”

Forrest has one main goal for the season, and it’s not the generic “win league”.

We aren’t focusing as much on winning and more on what we do as a team and the process. I want the girls to understand that winning becomes a byproduct of that,” Forrest said. “I reinforce to the girls a lot, it’s not whether you win or lose all the time but it’s how you play the game.”

His mindset has carried over to the members of the varsity program and they share his views on teamwork.

“We want to work together better, have a lot of fun on the court, as much as we do of the court. Our team chemistry is not where exactly where we want it, but if we keep it up I think we will get there,” Hebert said.

Archer is happy with the team’s progress this year and looks forward to see what happens as their season continues.

“The team has definitely had its ups and downs but for the most part I am happy with where they are now and the things we have accomplished and the teams we have beat,” Forrest said.

The head coach likes what he sees so far during the season Serve it Up- Nicole Geis, senior, jumps up as she practices her serves and how the team has progressed towards their goals. before a home game against Calabassas. Going into the game, the team “We’ve come back from behind multiple times to beat record was 3-4 in league. “It’s not so much the wins as the commitment teams, which shows a lot of heart, shows a lot of effort and they’ve made and how they can band together and put their trust in commitment to the team and trust in each other,” Forrest their teammates.” Chris Forrest, head coach, said. The team has been said.

“It’s exactly what I’m trying to build.” focusing on their teamwork in order to improve their chemistry. Gianna Spiro/Prowler

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sports Panther Prowler • Oct. 5, 2018

Sarah Lu Photographer Emily Nagamoto Chief Photographer

Reach for the stars -The Sparkles cheerleaders raise their hands, while showing school spirit at Friday’s homecoming rally. Hannah Neiyer has been the Sparkles President for three years, but the program started at Newbury seven years ago. “We were the first California team, so we spread it to other schools like Westlake and Thousand Oaks, and last year Moorpark started it. We’ve been continuing the legacy of it,” Neiyer said. This year, the Sparkles team has 22 members, including some Sparkles cheerleaders that have already graduated. The ‘Sparkle Effect’ was started in Bettendorf, Iowa 10 years ago by Sarah Cronk, and has now spread to many across the nation.

All smiles! - Avery Finger, sophomore, smiles at the crowd at the homecoming football game during the halftime show. She works with her peer coach and sister, Jenny Finger, who is also a sophomore, on stunts and cheers. “(Avery) always has the biggest smile on her face when she's dancing on the field and everyone is cheering her on,” Jenny said. Avery’s favorite dance move is jumping, and she also loves stunts, with the homecoming rally being the first time she performed some new stunts in front of an audience.

Go Panthers! - Cynthia Martinez, senior, strikes a pose next to fellow cheerleader Madison Weise, senior, during the homecoming rally. Martinez has been on the Sparkles team all four years of high school and according to Sparkles President Hannah Neiyer, senior, is a dedicated member of the squad. “Cynthia is one of our best dancers. You turn the music on and she’s going. She really feels it,” Neiyer said. Martinez said that her favorite cheer is “Hay Hay What Do You Say.”

Hooray! - Nathan Summersgill, sophomore, sits on two cheerleaders, while participating in the Sparkles cheer during Friday’s homecoming rally.

The Sparkles team practices every Monday and Wednesday, learning new dances and stunts.

“It’s not go go go the whole time, we play games,” Sparkles President Hannah Neiyer, senior, said. “We go around and make sure we stay connected with all of them.” The Sparkles team performs at most home football games, and some basketball games, and sometimes travel to other schools with sister Sparkles teams and do a group dance.