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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
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Emily Augustine News Editor
She was a competitive weightlifter in high school.
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After graduating from college, Pershes lived in London.
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Although she received her credentials in special education, Mrs. Pershes teaches multiple subjects.
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She went to UCSB
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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.
