Madelyn Janisse

Panther Prowler • Feb. 12, 2021 Madelyn Janisse fights with her art

Allison Nguyen Staff Writer Dhruv Patel Ad Team

A few months ago, Madelyn Janisse, senior, decided to enter a photography contest run by Unshuttered at the J. Paul Getty museum with the theme “In pursuit of...”. The event was held nationwide, allowing artists from all across America to express their creativity. This contest was an open call art contest and all the winners get to have their pictures displayed in Los Angeles, New York, Seattle, Anchorage and Washington D.C. Janisse channeled her passion for freedom of speech through her unbridled creativity in her art and became one of the 30 winners out of 1500 contestants.

Exploring the field of photography since she was just 11 years old, Janisse has always found a passion for expressing her creativity in different ways. “I think being creative helped a lot [with the development of the project]. With the pandemic, [going out and] taking pictures is difficult so being able to think outside of the box and use different resources helps,” Janisse said.

Having experience in both AP and IB photography, Janisse focused on channeling her inner creativity within her artwork. Eric Lindroth, the NPHS photography teacher, has had Janisse as his student for the past two years.. “In these times, students have had to do a lot of DIY to come up with tasks that they can more easily do in our school lab/studio. Madelyn has done very creative things to replicate these techniques...she is not letting the pandemic stand in her way,” Lindroth said.

Janisse always labors to make sure her pictures and art are to tip-top perfection. Haven Roper, senior, is one of Janisse’s friends and recognizes Janisse’s hard work and her love for photography. “It doesn’t matter whether she is taking pictures on a phone or a 1000 dollar camera, she has an eye for beautiful composition,” Roper said.

Janisse has always fought for freedom of speech, and was inspired to pick this as her topic because of the world’s current social climate. “I chose to [do it on] the pursuit of freedom of speech because it’s important to me,” Janisse said. “Today, people try to silence anyone who has a different opinion or view. It doesn’t matter whether it’s far left or far right or everything in between, everyone should be able to say what they think and be respected.”

Even after practicing photography for the past seven years, Janisse has never lost her devotion to capture moments to help her express her passions, like her “In pursuit of freedom of speech” project. “People are so quick to reject other people’s opinions just because they’re different from their own. I really value being able to say what I think and everyone else has that same freedom as me,” Janisse said.

Top left: Glow- Experimenting with different techniques, Janisse and one of her friends decided to take portrait photos. “I really liked how the sun caught her eye. The combination of the unique hair and make-up and the lighting made this image a bit more interesting to look at rather than a plain portrait,” Janisse said. Top Right: Peace- Janisse took her opportunity to showcase the rights of peaceful protests and the First Amendment within her contest application. Making her photo black in white, but changing the letters, she hoped to create a bolder message to people looking at it. Bottom: Youth- Photographing her baby cousin, Janisse used this chance to show her depiction of the youth. “This was just a small moment of calm and seriousness during her usual childish antics. I really liked how she stared right into the lens,” Janisse said. Madelyn Janisse/With Permission

NPHS Students for Social Justice strive towards equality

Allison Nguyen Staff Writer

Equality- A group of sophomore friends came together after many acts of injustice inspired them over the summer. “We have so many ambitions and it feels like everything’s going so slow right now, but we know that when COVID is better, we can create a lot of great change that we can bring to the community,” Kulhanek said. Emily Kulhanek/With Permission

Inspired by multiple social movements during quarantine, a group of sophomores came together to start NPHS Students for Social Justice to both educate and promote the importance of activism among the community. Although the club has only been running for the past few months, members have a lot of hope and ideas for future events.

Brady Craven, sophomore, founded the club and is the president of this new group. Among the many possible areas of focus, the members took this as a chance to bring attention to the lack of diversity and work towards social issues at the school. “The goal of our club is to promote social justice, which includes racial equality, gender equality, LGBTQ+ equality and environmental justice,” Craven said.

As the club grows day by day, more students start finding their way toward the fight for social equity in our community. Ashley Neier, sophomore, is the publicist for the club and has been a big advocate for equality. “I think what really started to push [the idea for starting the club] over the edge was George Floyd and the protests that happened during COVID and I think it really inspired us to be like, ‘We should have something like this at our school,’” Neier said. “Personally, I want to focus on the discrimination of women, focusing on how people might think that people are equal, but in reality, women of color especially are greatly discriminated against.”

Over their past few meetings, they have set many goals that they would like to achieve once clubs are able to meet on campus. “Our main focuses right now are hopefully working with a school board to push for some more inclusive education and like a curriculum, such as more books written by Black and Brown authors for LGBTQ+ education,” Emily Kulhanek, sophomore and vice president, said.

The process of creating and building the club has been difficult. “It’s definitely a challenge to advertise and get people involved...we’ve also had a couple of Zoom bombers because people can hide behind a screen with a different name, and they said a lot of inappropriate things on our calls,” Kulhanek said. “It’s been a little messy with that, but just getting the right people to join and participate is one of our goals.”

From protests and fundraisers, to organizing and planning future events, the members of Students for Social Justice are excited for what issues their club will be able to help advocate for. “A goal of ours is to help spread awareness for social justice issues in our community through social media. By building that base and creating connections with our school board, we can make changes within our district,” Craven said.

with PJ Cool-Tomasi

Gwen Buchanan Back Cover Editor

PJ Cool-Tomasi/With Permission As an NPHS student, famous TikToker, and friend to many, PJ Cool-Tomasi is conquering all aspects of life at the age of 18. Learn more about Cool-Tomasi and his TikTok career in this Tea Time!

How did you first get into TikTok? Honestly it was just a growing app and I decided to just hop on it. I made my first few videos with my friends and they kind of just hit off, and ever since I’ve been making videos.

How has your following on TikTok affected your real life? Honestly my real life and my TikTok life are completely separate. I feel like it doesn’t affect it in any way though. I don’t know, I don’t think about it too much, it doesn’t really matter to me. My followers mean a lot to me, but in reality it just doesn’t get to my head, you know?

When did you first realize that you were an influencer? I still don’t even think of myself as an influencer, like I said, I just like to post videos, and I post videos to post videos. My fans mean a lot to me but I don’t let it get to my head and I don’t really think of myself as an influencer but I just do it for fun.

Do you think TikTok is an important platform to have?

I definitely think it’s an important platform. It’s growing, it’s huge right now, like everyone knows about it, and I think it can really influence. TikTokers are strong, I feel like they can get anything done, you know? Song creators can go from literally not being known to being viral, like number one, you know? It’s just crazy how good of a platform it is, so definitely.

What advice would you give to other less-known TikTokers? To not take it too seriously and to not let numbers and stuff go to your head because it can really affect you, and to just have fun.

How do you deal with negative reactions or trolls? I don’t really let it get to my head. I realize that it’s just not that big of a deal. People are always going to be negative about something, so might as well just let them be negative and not let it affect you. You know?

What videos were the most fun? I like to make videos with people, like with friends. Dances too, the dances are fun.

What is your favorite part about TikTok? My favorite part about TikTok is the amount of support I get, the amount of love I get from my supporters and the enormous amount of opportunities I get, of just meeting new people, and it’s so much. It’s just so cool, the whole thing.

Carl Campbell games the stock market

McGlauthon Fleming IV Staff Writer

The forced rise of GameStop stock stimulated by a subreddit throughout the end of January shook the world of trading, with Carl Campbell, 48, riding that wave. Campbell’s 15 years of experience in investing has allowed him to earn copious amounts of money with little work. “It’s a solid way to make money without having to go out there and make it with your hands,” Campbell said.

When he saw the GameStop stock shoot up in value, he decided to take advantage of that opportunity. “It was clear that it was going to be a money winner, so I got in early with it selling $67 a share as it was starting to climb there. And I held it for a couple of days and watched it break the $100 mark and come back down,” he said. “I liquidated the last little bit of my position at around $136 because I figured that was as good as it’s going to get.”

As seen with the GameStop stock, there is a lot of unpredictability with the stock market. “Anyone that says that they can predict the market is either lying or they’re a fool. Nobody knows what the market’s gonna do. Everybody can make predictions and boast if they get it right,” Campbell said.

Given his experience in investing, Campbell believes that more people should get involved in the stock market. “It’s the Wild Wild West right now and it’s not a bad time at all to get in and just, you know if you have a little money here or there. Throw some in on some good plays. It’s definitely a good time because of market volatility.” Campbell said.

Campbell, in his years of experience, has found that DogeCoin is a lucrative investment opportunity. DogeCoin is a type of cryptocurrency that makes Campbell, and other investors, a major amount of money even though the stock is less than a dollar. His most important piece of advice about stocks was to “buy Doge. Stop doing what you are doing right now and buy Doge.”

12 entertainment Panther Prowler • Feb. 12, 2021

Unique teas bring joy

Abby Gorman Editorial Editor Prasheetha Karthikeyan Sports Editor

As two avid tea drinkers ourselves, we are well aware the world of tea and its wide range of flavors can be a bit overwhelming-or even daunting--at first glance. Thus, to ease this process, we have taken the liberty of compiling some of our favorites, rated with an emphasis on how much joy they brought us, the most important factor when selecting a new tea.

Arguably, the most intriguing of the teas that we have assembled was Tazo’s Lemon Loaf Tea. It is part of Tazo’s Dessert Delights collection, which features a small array of dessert flavored teas. Personally, we have never looked at a lemon loaf and thought “hey, this would make a darn good tea,” but we were up for trying it out regardless. When first steeping the tea, our first impression was that the tea smelled heavenly, exactly like a freshly baked lemon loaf. Taste-wise, the tea was surprisingly accurate in its ability to capture the essence of what eating a lemon loaf was like without being sickeningly sweet.

Up next was Tazo’s Passion Tea, an herbal tea described on the box as “bursting with hibiscus flowers, orange peel, and rose hips” that would send you “straight to a lush, tropical paradise.” While this may be a bit of an overstatement, we have no doubt that drinking it was an enjoyable experience for us. Perhaps the most captivating part of this tea was the bright red color, provided it is steeped long enough, which definitely enhanced the experience. Prasheetha Karthikeyan/Prowler

Overall, this unique blend created a strong, fruity flavor which is definitely one of our favorites. While we tried ours hot, this tea would definitely be good iced as well, making it suitable for any season.

Trader Joe’s also sells its own original blend of tea, which it dubs as the Watermelon Mint Black Tea, the contents of which are self-explanatory. Although the tea itself is not particularly different from your average black tea, it has subtle hints of the watermelon and mint as described that make all the difference. It tastes terrific both hot or iced, and the iced version is perfect for those hot summer days.

For those who enjoy citrus, the Yogi Sweet Tangerine Positive Energy could be a great addition to your collection. The flavor is certainly reminiscent of tangerine without being too overpowering. However, the name is a bit misleading; sure, the tea was good, but the amount of positive energy we got from it is certainly debatable. Nonetheless, it is worth trying, and we recommend steeping for a decent amount of time to ensure the best flavor.

Tea is good. That being said, it should not be the sole indicator of your happiness. Your happiness is dependent on you and you alone. Although tea definitely doesn’t hurt.

Celebrate SOPHIE’s legacy

Adalia Luo DPS Editor Emma Schoors Opinion Editor

Prasheetha Karthikeyan/Prowler

Sophie Xeon, more commonly known as SOPHIE, passed in an accident on Jan. 30 trying to look at the full moon in Greece. A radical creator and a visionary artist, SOPHIE made an immeasurable impact on the world. A producer, singer-songwriter, DJ and more, SOPHIE paved the way for the hyperpop movement and LGBTQ+ rights and representation in the industry. As a queer female producer, she furthered empowerment across genres and enabled queer, female and BIPOCbased experimentalism to hit the forefront of the music scene.

Rewind to 2013, a time wherein mainstream pop and experimentalism a la the stylization of Grimes, Purity Ring and synth-characterized music powered by the voices of women were relentlessly clashing with the mainstream. Many believed that there was no space for both processed electronics and for the stripped vulnerability that was pop at the time. Enter SOPHIE: a trans woman with a voice and vulnerability powerful enough to meld both the mainstream and the experimentalism of the era together.

While some artists like Grimes would continue to blast transphobic rhetoric all the way until 2016, comments she has since apologized for, SOPHIE would develop a cult-following dedicated to her fundamentally magnetic sound, queer themes and futuristic aura.

“Nothing More To Say” changed the scene permanently, creating the possibility for artists, especially for women and trans creators, to succeed within the field. Artists from 100 gecs to Rico Nasty and from Charli XCX to the entire microgenre of hyperpop have SOPHIE’s foundation to thank.

From that, SOPHIE’s following projects: singles such as “MSMSMSM,” “L.O.V.E.,” “IT’S OKAY TO CRY” and more, queer artist collaborations such as with drag DJ Jodie Harsh on Charli XCX’s fan favorite “Vroom Vroom” and SOPHIE’s profound solo album, “OIL OF EVERY PEARL’S UN-INSIDES” (all stylized as such), continued to make the same impact. Fans got to listen as SOPHIE’s sound developed and influenced, and as her music became more and more radical on her path to coming out.

SOPHIE’s music has always been, as many critics derisively put it at the time of its release, “uncommercial” and “abrasive,” but it is that rejection of systemic structures that trap queer and POC bodies and minds that made her music that much more radical, futuristic and visionary. An endlessly strong woman and a genre-creating talent, SOPHIE and her impact will never be forgotten.

WandaVision excites Marvel fans

Emerson Fuentes-Alabanza Staff Writer Hayden Meixner Staff Writer

Cinematically progressing through the decades, the first five episodes of Marvel’s new show, “WandaVision,” were released on Disney+ on Jan. 15. Directed by Matt Shakman, the show is the newest installment of the notorious Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) starring Elizabeth Olsen and Paul Bettany, with new episodes released every Friday. The structure of the show being popular sitcoms for each decade, is a very different approach from the rest of the MCU which is a welcomed artistic change.

Episode one opens up as a black and white 50’s sitcom. We are introduced to Wanda, who can move things with her mind, and her robot husband Vision. The newlyweds have just moved into the city of Westfield for a fresh start. The extraordinary couple, appearing normal to everyone else, must get through the day catering to Vision’s needy boss without revealing their secret powers to anyone else. But, throughout the episode, we pick up cues that there is much more to this picture perfect city than originally shown. In episode two, we are introduced to a neighbor named Gereldine, and she and Wanda click instantly over the shared hatred of another neighbor.

At first the show seems unrelated to the MCU aside from using two of its characters, but as the show progresses viewers slowly start to pick up on the bigger picture. While “WandaVision” takes on the form of a light family sitcom, new eerie details begin to emerge from all over Westfield that lead viewers to believe that there is a dark secret hidden deep in the town’s roots.

Something we really enjoyed about the show was that each episode was based off of a new decade, beginning with the 50’s in the pilot and with sets and costume designs that portray the time periods very well. The way the filming and style changes with each episode, has viewers wondering and anticipating what the style of the next episode will be. Plot twists occur frequently, keeping the content engaging and suspenseful and you never know what’s going to happen next. However, because all of the episodes have distinctively different premises, it can be hard to figure out what’s going on at times. Additionally, the concept of the show can be a bit hard to grasp without any prior knowledge of the MCU.

However, we are very pleased with the direction that “WandaVision” has taken. The cinematic variety in the series keeps viewers on their toes and it just goes to show the artistic talent of the crew. The first few episodes of this exciting story definitely gave us something viewers haven’t seen before and we are excited to see where the rest of the season goes.

Emerson Fuentes-Alabanza/Prowler

“Night Stalker” shocks and informs audiences

Emma Schoors Opinion Editor

Carter Castillo/Prowler

“Night Stalker: The Hunt for a Serial Killer” is a dark, deeply disturbing Netflix documentary series that details the gruesome murders of Richard Ramirez.

Set in California in the mid-80’s, the series covers the extensive detective and community work that led to Ramirez’ 1985 arrest, namely with interviews conducted by Detectives Gil Carrillo and Frank Salerno. However, the bulk of the content is focused on the devastating crimes that wreaked havoc across the Golden State, and captured the attention of the rest of the world.

One of the most gruesome aspects of the series is the graphic content. Anastasia Hronas, who was six years old when she was kidnapped and assaulted by Ramirez, offered a gut-wrenching and emotional interview about her traumatic experience. Her recount covers the event minute by minute, and is extremely difficult to watch. There are also many instances in which photos of the victims’ crime scenes are shown on screen. With no disclaimer, this can be extremely triggering imagery for some viewers. Of course it’s understandable to expect gore in a documentary about a serial killer, but it’s still critical to be respectful of the victims and their privacy or give a clear and detailed content warning before each episode. All in all, viewer discretion is inarguably advised.

On the other hand, the series did an excellent job of allowing victims’ family members to speak out about their experiences. Ramirez tore countless people from their families and if there is one thing they deserve, it is an avenue to share their grief with others who may have gone through something similar. The ongoing trauma and pain the families are still going through is evident in their interviews, with many tearing up or expressing their confusion and disgust at Ramirez. There will never be anything that will make what happened to them and their loved ones okay, and there is nothing that can undo it. But sometimes sharing experiences can be healing, even if only a little.

As a whole, “Night Stalker: The Hunt For A Serial Killer” is a detailed and investigatory look at a killer who was, and still is largely and disgustingly glorified by the media, with fan accounts for Ramirez still active. By allowing victims to speak out, audiences can more accurately judge who Richard Ramirez was: a pedophile, rapist, kidnapper and murderer who caused immeasurable suffering, and should never be romanticized in any form.

Sarena Kabir News Editor Allison Nguyen Staff Writer

Olivia Rodrigo, star of Disney+’s “High School Musical: The Musical: The Series,” released the new smash hit single “drivers license” on Jan. 8, which has since topped countless charts.

Rodrigo’s vulnerable lyricism has resonated with millions of her fans and instigated widespread speculation on the story behind the song. Fans have drawn many possible references towards a co-star, Joshua Bassett, and another singer-songwriter actress, Sabrina Carpenter.

“drivers license” has reached the hearts of millions across the world. Pouring the depths of her personal life into the song, Rodrigo’s vocals make it seem as if she is singing directly to the audience and to the person the song is about simultaneously.

Rodrigo, while maintaining much-needed originality, has spoken on taking significant inspiration from Taylor Swift’s romantic and at times understandably desperate songwriting style. While the subject of getting heartbroken is inarguably a common one, Rodrigo’s soulful voice cuts right through to listeners, and sets her single apart from today’s other love songs.

Not only so, fans of Rodrigo are drawn not only to “driver’s license”, but also the cinematography of her music video. The dynamic scene changes added a different ambiance towards the perspective of the song.

There will never be a set rubric for what makes a hit song, but as we approach week four with the ballad topping the charts, one thing remains crystal clear: Olivia Rodrigo’s “driver’s license” is here to stay.