2020-2021 Issue 8 (March 26, 2021)

PANTHER

PROWLER Friday, March 26, 2021 • Issue VIII • Newbury Park High School 456 N Reino Rd, Newbury Park, CA 91320 • pantherprowler.org

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Editorial

3

School Reopening

10 I.B. Dance 11 Tea Time

4 Jenny Finger 5 Career Night 6 Blackfishing 7 British Monarchy 8-9 Women 12 The Grammys 13 Moxie 14 Colin Sahlman 15 Football 16 STUNT Cheer

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editorial Panther Prowler • March 26, 2021

The celebration of women’s history must be intersectional

Prasheetha Karthikeyan/Prowler

Front Cover Caption:

To celebrate Women’s History Month, our front cover this issue features a collage of many inspirational women in the community, including teachers, staff members, politicians and other community leaders.

Corrections from Issue VII:

Allison Ngyuen’s name was spelled incorrectly on the byline of page 8.

Caitlin O’Keeffe of the NPHS dance team, featured on page 16, is a junior, not a senior.

This March marks the 35th annual celebration of National Women’s History Month, a month dedicated to reflecting upon women in history and uplifting the women of today. However, intersectionality is often lacking from every celebration of women’s history. The only way to truly celebrate women is if we celebrate all women: trans women, women of color and disabled women alike.

Feminism primarily began with queer women of color, and over time, became dominated by White women co-opting their work, named accordingly thereafter by intersectional activists as “White feminism.” Their version of the movement centered and exclusively uplifted White, cishet and able-bodied women, despite the long and detailed history of queer women and women of color fighting at the forefront for each other’s rights before them.

Heroes of White feminism such as Susan B. Anthony are heralded for their actions and their contributions, with no acknowledgement made of blatant racism in Anthony’s case, and in this general pattern, the lack of intersectionality in the activism of these women.

This is not to say that these contributions are not valid or have no impact. However, it is important for the modern individual to acknowledge the lack of support the initial movement had for women of color, LGBTQ+ women, disabled women and other marginalized women in order to develop the intersectionality necessary to provide equity for all women. Not doing so is a dangerous consequence for the lives of these women, something we have seen manifest in recent events.

On March 16, a gunman went to Asian spas in Atlanta with the intent of murdering Asian women in

PANTHER PROWLER Editors-in-Chief Manas Khatore Jessica Zhou

2020-2021 staff

Copy Editors Photographers Gwen Buchanan Chief// Reese Kelem Carter Castillo Parker Bohl Sports Editor Abby Gorman McGlauthon Fleming IV Front Cover Editor Prasheetha Karthikeyan Anna Johnson Emerson Fuentes-Alabanza Reese Kelem Back Cover Editor Prasheetha Karthikeyan Hayden Meixner Gwen Buchanan Adalia Luo Nandini Patro Editorial Editor Allison Nguyen Online Editors Abby Gorman Staff Writers Carter Castillo Graphic Artists Karyss Amato News Editor Sarena Kabir Carter Castillo Parker Bohl Sarena Kabir Prasheetha Karthikeyan Prasheetha Karthikeyan Hayden Meixner Opinion Editor Adalia Luo Emerson Fuentes-Alabanza Nandini Patro Emma Schoors Tea Sklar McGlauthon Fleming IV Managing Team Adviser Lead// Cynthia Gao Emerson Fuentes-Alabanza DPS Editor Michelle Saremi Sera Mohammed Dhruv Patel Adalia Luo Allison Nguyen Social Media Leads Follow us: Entertainment Tea Sklar Gwen Buchanan @npprowler on Editor Deepa Venkat Prasheetha Karthikeyan Instagram/Twitter Anna Johnson Allison Nguyen NPHS Panther Prowler on Nandini Patro Facebook Features Editor Carter Castillo

particular, killing eight people in total. These recent increases of bigotry are not only Asian issues, but also feminist issues. Feminism goes hand in hand with intersectionality.

Marginalized groups are historically pitted against one another in order to reinforce and further the patriarchy and White supremacy. The divide between White feminists and female activists of color continues to exacerbate and feed into this manufactured competition, while simultaneously fueling facades of progress for women, when the only major progress that has been made has been that for White women.

While the push for inclusive curriculum in the United States is a step in the right direction, it often refuses to center the work of women of color. Ironically, curriculum efforts to include intersectionality is to pepper in White perspectives of the lives of people of color. In turn, the actual experiences of women of color by women of color are lacking and insufficient, or simply beaten around the bush. In discussions, especially about academia, queer women, disabled women and women of color must not only be included, but fully highlighted and embraced.

On page eight, you can find a diverse celebration of women within our community. Womanism is a beautiful thing, and as March passes, we are afforded a vital, albeit short, opportunity to do more for women who are leaders, women who are mothers, scientists, students, the list goes on.

This opportunity is nothing without intersectionality. Feminism, in and of itself, cannot be considered feminism without giving attention to women from all backgrounds. In order to truly celebrate women, we must celebrate all women.

The Panther Prowler is the offical 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 other 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 three weeks. For advertisement information, visit 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 can be submitted to the email posted below.

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

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news Panther Prowler • March 26, 2021

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Newbury Park students begin learning in person Nandini Patro Staff Writer

Hayden Meixner Staff Writer

Parker Bohl Staff Writer

Five days short of the one year anniversary of CVUSD’s last in-person day at school during the 2019-2020 school year, those who returned would finally experience something closer to normal. Blended students enjoyed their first day on campus on March 8. Masks were worn, temperatures were taken and students were told to social distance while on campus.

Students on Campus Ramya Ukkan, senior, attends in person school to finish off her high school experience. “Going back to school was an interesting experience. About one-third to one-half of the students in my classes were in-person with me and all the other students were remote,” Ukkan said. “Personally, I think it was better than remote because I was able to see my friends in person for the first time in a year and I really missed seeing them every day.”

Sage Denham, freshman, feels that she is more efficient with her schoolwork on campus and enjoys being able to work in the classroom. “With in-person school, I feel like we are held more accountable to get work done,” Denham said.

To go back on campus, the school has had to implement many safety precautions, but it has been up to the students to keep each other safe. “I think that the school has done a good job of following the CDC guidelines for in-person school, and the social distancing rules were enforced. All of my teachers are following the safety guidelines, so I feel safe at school,” Ukkan said. “I feel really safe on campus with all of the rules that have been put in place. I think our school is doing the necessary things to keep us all protected.” Denham said.

Online learning caused technical and emotional issues for many students, which led a lot of students to choose to return to campus. “A challenge I faced in online school was just getting the motivation to do my work and get up early in the morning,” Denham said.

With the end of the year approaching quickly, blended seniors are glad to spend their last few months of high school on campus. “I went back to school because this is my senior year, my last year of high school. I wanted to get at least some of that experience back before the end of the year. I also am looking forward to spending the last few months before graduation with my friends, because after that we’ll all be headed to different places for college,” Ukkan said.

Teachers on Campus Like most teachers at NPHS, Claudia Ortega, Spanish teacher, has had to learn how to juggle teaching her online students and her in person students at the same time. “It is more of a challenge to feel like we are all ‘on the same page’ when some students are online and some are in person, but we have only been back in person for a few days so I am hopeful that we can all adapt to this new situation,” Ortega said. Similar to Denham and Ukkan, Ortega feels safe teaching at the school. “I feel safer on campus than I feel in other public indoor environments due to the steps taken to improve ventilation in the classroom,” Ortega said.

Most teachers were not given the choice to come back on campus or work remotely. Alana Bond, English teacher, teaches on campus as well. “I believe more teachers requested to be online than could be accommodated based on student schedule requests,” Bond said. “However, our district and site administrators have been working to accommodate teachers on a case by case basis.” In terms of vaccinations, the majority of teachers have had their first dose already. “[Teachers] will be receiving their second dose in 2-3 weeks, myself included,” Bond said. “Since I received my first dose of the vaccine before we returned, I do feel safe.”

Reunited- After a year of separation, the students of NPHS can see each other face-to-face. Sage Denham, freshman, said “ I can see all of my friends and hang out with other people than just my family.” Parker Bohl/Prowler

The reopening of campuses has brought a sense of normalcy and excitement for many students and teachers. While keeping in mind the various safety protocols and difficulties that come with juggling remote and blended students, Newbury Park hopes to continue offering in person education through the rest of the school year.

GreetingsStudents wear masks as they reconnect. “I’m really glad we got to go back to school. It’s nice to see all my friends and safely socialize.”

Denham said, “I feel really safe on campus with all of the rules that have been put in place.”

Parker Bohl/ Prowler

Welcome back- As students come back to campus, seniors have only a few months left together.

Ramya Ukkan, senior, said, “I... am looking forward to spending the last few months before graduation with my friends because after that we’ll all be headed [to] different places for college.”

Parker Bohl/Prowler

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news Panther Prowler • March 26, 2021

Jenny Finger recognized as Lakers’ student of the month Sera Mohammed Staff Writer Many students can only dream of being recognized by a major sports team. For Jenny Finger, senior, her personality and commitment to the community allowed this dream to become a reality.

The Lakers’ student of the month recognition is given to four outstanding students from the greater Los Angeles Area every month of basketball season. Students are nominated by teachers at their school based on exemplary efforts in academics, athletics and community. Finger was nominated for this award in March of 2020, but COVID-19 caused its cancellation until this month, when Finger was ultimately awarded Lakers’ recognition.

Finger has spent the majority of her high school experience trying to create a more inclusive environment for the special education students at NPHS and was pleasantly surprised to hear that she had won the award. “When I found out I was nominated for this award I was super surprised.

Being nominated for this award made me realize how much support I have. But it made me feel really special. I think my effort to make a difference made me stand out from everyone else,” Finger said.

Anne Alvarez, special education teacher, took part in nominating Finger for the award. Alvarez had known Finger from her involvement in the special ed programs and her commitment to making NPHS a more inclusive school. Her inclusivity influenced Alvarez’s decision to nominate Finger for the award. “During her freshman year, Jenny got involved in the Sparkles cheerleading and became a mentor to the special needs student. She also became involved with Unified Sports and helped train the athletes to compete in different sports and they competed against different high schools,“ Alvarez said. “She also became President of Unified Sports Club and has continued to hold meetings and keep the students involved via Zoom this whole year.”

Richard Bradley, social sciences teacher, was also involved in submitting the nomination for Finger’s recognition and has been recommending students for this award for the past couple of years. Every year, Bradley looks for specific traits in a student eligible for the award. “I’m all about moral courage, integrity, compassion, somebody who’s obviously great in terms of their grades in the classroom but somebody who contributes to the school in such a positive way and then somebody who volunteers in the community,” Bradley said. “I really look for people who are all around great kids and we actually have a lot of those at Newbury Park High School, but in my eyes, Jenny just stands head and shoulders above everybody.”

Alvarez raved about Finger’s character and personality, emphasizing how kind and caring she is to everyone. “[Finger] does not tolerate injustice and she stands for all people being treated equally and fair. She has worked hard to make sure that all students are included at NPHS and absolutely deserves this award and honor,” Alvarez said.

Swish- Jenny Finger won the Lakers’ Student of the Month award for March 2021 after being nominated in March 2020 when everything closed. “I nominated her just because of the kind of person she is, the kind of character she has, her compassion, her integrity, her leadership,” Richard Bradley said regarding Finger.

Jenny Finger/With Permission

SDAC gives input on future health curriculum McGlauthon Fleming IV Staff Writer

Téa Sklar/Prowler

The school board is in the process of picking a new health curriculum, but before they make their final decision, the Student District Advisory Committee (SDAC) has been given their latest undertaking: gauging student opinion on a number of proposed health curriculums for middle school and high school students.

Adera Craig, a senior at Westlake High School, runs SDAC and the committee in charge of the review. “We’ve been hosting forums for student representatives in CVUSD to provide input on the three proposed health curriculums,” Craig said. “That way when the board makes a decision, we can give them a presentation and data gathered from students on the health curriculums.” SDAC is giving their presentation on March 29, which is ten days after the final committee meeting, to tell the board what opinions they have gathered. The board will vote on a final health curriculum to implement for the next school year on April 20.

Michael Lindroth, junior, is a member of the committee in charge of gauging the student census and believes the district needs a new curriculum, especially in these changing times.

“The district is in noncompliance with CHYA (California Healthy Youth Act). Our current curriculum was written in 2005, so it is very outdated. CVUSD is adopting a new curriculum to give students a better health education,” Lindroth said.

Alondra Padilla, a junior at Thousand Oaks High School and panel member, has been involved in the curriculum review process for weeks. “We have been meeting since early February and our last forum [was held on March 19],” Padilla said. SDAC has reached a consensus on which of the three curriculums are the crowd favorite and which they are going to propose for the board to adopt. “The three curriculums being discussed are Teen Talk, 3R (Rights, Respect, Responsibility) and Positive Prevention Plus. After going over the different curriculums, we favored Teen Talk because it best addressed these issues in an informative and inclusive way,” Padilla said. “Although, we agreed that the only issue Teen Talk didn’t do a good job on was sexual violence/abuse prevention. We are bringing this up to the board so this can be supplemented.”

There have also been health curriculum information webinars for CVUSD parents to attend and learn more about the options, with 3R being explained on March 18 and Positive Prevention Plus on the 24th. Teen Talk, SDAC’s choice curriculum, will be presented on Wednesday, March 31.

news

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Panther Prowler • March 26, 2021

CVUSD’s Career Night explores the future Sera Mohammed Staff Writer

Cynthia Gao Managing Editor

CVUSD’s high schools hosted the virtual event “Focus on Your Future” on March 18 to help students explore and navigate their paths going forth from graduation. The event covered a plethora of topics including post-secondary planning, College-2-Career programs, the benefits of associate and professional degrees, financial aid and more.

Nicholas Guerin, NPHS career education coordinator, believes that attending the event has many benefits for upperclassmen. “I think the timing is beneficial for students who might be on the fence with their plans for next year, especially seniors in that regard, and also for juniors who are just starting to really get serious about their post secondary plans,” Guerin said. “I think that having access to the program leaders in this format...and bringing everyone together in this way is

beneficial so that we’re all on the same page moving forward.”

Professors from the community colleges in the Ventura County area spoke at the “Focus on our Future’’ virtual event during the Career Night on each of their specialties. Guerin spoke enthusiastically about the variety of programs offered at the local community colleges. “Each school has about ten to 15 programs and students can earn certifications and/or associate degrees related specifically to these careers. We’ll have about eight or nine different specialties sessions, including things like Moorpark College’s ‘Film, TV and Media,’ ‘Cyber Security,’ ‘Culinary Arts’ from Oxnard College and paramedic training from Ventura College,” Guerin said.

Los Robles partnership vaccinates teachers Parker Bohl Staff Writer

CVUSD joined forces with Los Robles hospital to get COVID-19 shots into as possible and that we encourage folks to get vaccinated, ” Fitzgerald said. “Our staff ’s arms. “The school district partnered with Los Robles hospital, and the district is open to the capacity that it can be open… given the restrictions or on Ventura County Department of Public Health to set up a clinic for CVUSD social distancing because that’s really the piece that limits how many people can be employees,” Jenny Fitzgerald, school board president, said. “Employees are able on campus at the same time.” to go in line and reserve the time to go in and either their first or second dose Looking ahead, a vaccinated staff could lead to some modifications to in-person of the vaccine.” Despite the elementary schools opening in November, the 125 education. “There is a second shot that most will have to get. We are getting on-campus staff members who signed up for the clinic were vaccinated on March additional guidance daily regarding what the requirements are after one receives 13th. the vaccine, including relaxation of some mask and space requirements,” Victor In order to continue with reopening, it is vital for everyone working on campus to Hayek, deputy superintendent, said. “This should help us in the continued be vaccinated. “I think it’s crucial we get as many people who want to be vaccinated in-person instruction plan we put forth, and in planning for next year.”

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opinion Panther Prowler • March 26, 2021

Mixed race fishing is a gateway to cultural appropriation Adalia Luo DPS Editor

Emerson Fuentes-Alabanza Staff Writer

In our world today, racial fishing is a prominent form of other cultures freely and proudly, without question of backlash. modern cultural appropriation and erasure, popularized by In turn, the experiences of actually mixed people of color social media. As White creators continually make themselves are dismissed. Mixed peoples’ are often told that they are only appear to be a different race than they were born, falsifying their white passing because they don’t fit westernized stereotypes of experiences and their background, they commit harmful erasure, people in their racial group, while these people have literally speaking over people of color while simultaneously mocking stolen their identities. The experiences of those whose cultures them. Racial fishing represents the fundamental paradox of are being appropriated have to not only face the trauma that modern racism: the White colonialism this intrinsically leaves behind, but also culture of stealing and trend-ifying aspects face harassment for calling out these of POC appearance and tradition, but not influencers. the struggles, of which they caused.

White ideas of beauty standards change Most racial fishing online has been from moment to moment, but the “trendthat of imitating Black or Asian traits, ification” of the natural features of people hence the terms blackfishing and of color should not be something ever Asianfishing, but recently, a new type of considered in or out of season. Slanted racial fishing has risen: mixed race fishing. eyes, heavy tans, big lips and many others, Artists and creators like Ariana Grande, are appropriated on the daily by White the Kardashians and Mika Francis have peers while people of color are still often distorted their true race by making their mocked and told they aren’t as beautiful appearance seem racially ambiguous, as their white counterparts imitating the leading the public to be afraid to question exact look. their acts of cultural appropriation (see Mixed race fishing takes advantage Ariana Grande’s music video for “7 of this trust, and is a disgusting shortcut Rings’’ and her “tan” since Victorious, to get away with cultural appropriation the Kardashians’ regular acts of cultural guiltlessly. No one is entitled to present appropriation and Mika Francis’ box their experiences as the experiences and braids) for fear of being rude. By hiding Emerson Fuentes-Alabanza/Prowler traumas of others, and especially not their true backgrounds, but not quite assuming a distinctly that of people color. Society cannot pick and choose who they different one, these White people benefit from taking and using patronize for certain traits.

Fast fashion is more complex than it “seams” Prasheetha Karthikeyan Sports Editor The fashion industry is steadily growing at a global level, and with it, fast fashion. With the rise of advocacy for sustainable practices, sustainable fashion has also been involved in the conversation. However, the world is simply not ready to switch over to fully sustainable sources of clothing, creating a lot of displaced shame and anger on consumers.

Obviously, fast fashion is a problematic and morally wrong practice: it is filled with workers not being paid full wages, unsanitary working conditions, pollution and other environmental hazards.

But not everyone is privileged enough to give up fast fashion entirely. For many low income individuals and families, fast fashion is all they are able to afford. Ethically produced clothing can come at a high cost. Although thrifting and secondhand stores are an option, the selection in many regions is sparse and not diverse. For employees who have to adhere to a dress code for example, this simply is not an option This is not to say, however, that all fast fashion is cheap. While most well known retailers that are labelled as “fast fashion” (i.e. SHEIN, H&M) are, other more expensive brands, such as Zara, operate with the same fast fashion activities as the “lower end” ones. Nike, for example, has been under fire for having workers employed in sweatshops since the late 20th century. The company has shoes selling for hundreds of dollars, yet the 2019 Tailored Wages UK report by The Clean Clothes Campaign stated that “[Nike] show[s] no evidence of a Living Wage being paid to any workers.”

If you are able to shell out the money for expensive, unsustainable brands, then you are privileged enough to at least try to steer towards sustainable brands.

Fast fashion also tends to be more size inclusive than a sustainable company. Many fast fashion websites have an entire plus size section for individuals over a size 14, while contrastly,

a sustainable company is less likely to have the same range of selection as its straight size counterpart, if there even is a selection.

For all their virtues, many sustainable brands have their own vices as well. Reformation, arguably one of the most bought sustainable retailers, has been exposed by many former employees for racist treatment. Lucy and Yak has been under fire for promising size inclusivity two years ago and failing to deliver, as well as failing to compensate influencers associated with the brand for emotional labor. The New York Times reported that at Everlane, another sustainable online retailer, “iInvestigators found that insensitive terms were used while discussing Black models; that leaders violated employees’ personal space by touching them, and used inappropriate terms when referring to people of color.” Just because a company has sustainable practices does not necessarily mean it is exempt from all other immoral incidents.

As a consumer, there are certain things you can do. Refraining from throwing away clothes and choosing pieces that you’ll get a significant amount of wear out of is the most sustainable option, which can be applied whether or not you shop sustainably.

Furthermore, if you do have the privilege to be able to equally choose between supporting a fast fashion company versus a sustainable one, choosing the sustainable one is an ethically greater decision.

Shaming people for buying fast fashion disproportionately affects low income and plus size individuals due to the lack of accessibility. Companies should be held accountable for not adhering to fair labor laws, avoiding sustainable practices and lack size inclusivity. Placing the blame on the consumer is unproductive and wrong, and diverts attention from the real perpetrators.

Don’t waste your clothes.

Prasheetha Karthikeyan/Prowler

Old technologies are irreplaceable Gwen Buchanan Back Cover Editor Most teenagers crave play stations, laptops or the newest iPhone, but for my thirteenth birthday, all I wanted was a typewriter. A lot of people may think it’s silly to have something so old. After all, there’s nothing an old typewriter can do that a computer can’t, and the machine is bigger, heavier, louder and harder to use. Yet there’s a certain sense of serenity that comes from using older instruments that is simply irreplaceable.

Almost all new technologies are multipurpose; iPhones can text, call, take pictures and so much more with apps at everyone’s fingertips, literally. Computers have access to Google searches, Google Docs and email. Some people may think of this as being useful and convenient, and I do admit that there are certain things only available on modern technologies that have made life easier. But there is something unique in the fact that older technologies have simply one purpose- record players play records, typewriters write on a page, and that’s the beauty of them.

How many times have you logged onto a computer to do homework or complete a creative task, only to become distracted and end up doing something entirely different?

How often do you end up scrolling through Instagram or looking at Pinterest instead? I find it refreshing to be able to sit down at my desk with my typewriter without any distractions and to just write.

Along with a single purpose to keep you on track, old technologies take more technique and effort to use, making the product even more worth it. While it’s certainly easy to log onto Spotify and have any and every song you can think of readily available, there’s an entire process to buying and playing a record.

My sister bought a record player and began collecting records when she was in high school, and both of my parents have kept their own records from when they were young. I’ve grown up with scratchy and vintage sounding music, and have always had a great respect for the old technology. Records are delicate, with beautiful texture and black shiny surfaces.

Pulling out a record and placing the needle of a player onto it is a lot harder then pressing your fingertips against a flat screen, but the motions make it much more fun and interesting.

Keeping and using old technologies is also a constant reminder of the past, how the music and writing industries have grown and how much easier it is for our generation today because of that growth. To truly appreciate the present, it’s important to understand and appreciate the past.

opinion Panther Prowler • March 26, 2021

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The British monarchy needs to be dissolved Anna Johnson Entertainment Editor

Carter Castillo Features Editor On March 7, Oprah Winfrey interviewed the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, Prince Harry Windsor and Meghan Markle. In the interview, Markle revealed the trauma she endured as a member of the royal family and the lack of support she faced from the institution. She revealed the royal family’s struggles with her race, her declining mental health and Harry even made connections to his mother, Diana, Princess of Wales. To the public, this interview made one thing clear: the monarchy is an outdated institution that needs to either bend with the winds of change or break.

One of the most astonishing accusations was that there were discussions of the skin color of Markle’s child from multiple high ranking members of the royal family. This is only the tip of the iceberg of the royal family’s racism. For one external example, the British press has demonstrated a favoritism towards Kate, the Duchess of Cambridge. When comparing headlines on similar topics, it’s clear that the media paints Kate in a positive light while Markle is portrayed in a negative light. One can only come to the conclusion that race played at least some role in Markle’s character assasination in the British tabloids and also her treatment, or lack thereof, within the royal family.

Although the notion of their family having concerns over their child’s race is horrible, it comes as no shock that the institution that colonized most of the world and introduced racist laws to the world is treating their member of color unjustly. They have decided to not accept Markle for who she is, an asset

to them that would have earned them a considerable amount of respect in a time where many are contemplating the real need for the monarchy.

Them not doing so, in a very public way, is another catalyst online for people to consider the relevance of a monarchy in this modern era.

With the constant attack of the media online, Markle was told to stay at home most of her days to avoid further conflict with the press. Obviously, with constant harassment combined with isolation combined with a lack of protection from the press, it is no wonder Meghan sank into such a dismal mental state that she was contemplating suicide. Even when she and her husband begged for support from the institution to receive therapy, they were denied as it would make the royal family look bad. One might have hoped that the royals might have learned from Diana that mental struggles need to be treated, but they did not, forcing Markle to experience similar struggles.

The royal family is a de facto puppet head of state that merely serves as an overpaid group of mascots representing decades of oppression and colonialism that suck millions of dollars out of taxpayers annually. Despite all of this, one would hope that they would at least be capable of protecting their own, but it seems that history is doomed to repeat itself and people will learn nothing once again.

Carter Castillo/Prowler

Stop shaming women in the media Abby Gorman Editorial Editor On Feb. 12, 2007, the front cover of “Newsweek” featured the faces of Britney Spears and Paris Hilton with a striking headline: “The Girls Gone Wild Effect: Out-of-control celebs and online sleaze fuel a new debate over kids and values.” The story includes testimonies from several concerned parents about the possible effects that the “lifestyle choices” of these young women will have on their children. Yet, interestingly enough, the influence of male celebrities is not mentioned once in the entire piece.

Young women in the media are held to significantly higher standards of behavior, expected to maintain an image that is appealing to all in a way that their male counterparts will never face. While Miley Cyrus was harassed relentlessly and deemed a bad influence for her “Wrecking Ball” music video, Justin Bieber was arrested on account of multiple charges, including a DUI, during the peak of his career and it barely made a dent.

The discrepancy in the tolerance for “mistakes” between men and women with media attention is irrefutable and completely overlooks the nuance to these situations. Many of these female celebrities rose to stardom as teenagers, living out their coming-of-age with millions of eyes watching. Everyone makes poor decisions during this time of their life, but most teenagers are not given the unfair expectation to maintain a perfect image as all of their actions are analyzed and judged by strangers.

This is not to say that many celebrities lead unhealthy lifestyles that should not be admired. But, it raises an important question: why are the self-destructive plights of celebrities in the media being sensationalized in the first place? While Lindsay Lohan battled alcohol and drug addiction leading to multiple stints in rehab, the coverage was not about her mental health, and most definitely did not promote recovery or ways to seek help.

Instead, the cover of the New York Post featured an image of Lohan passed

out in the passenger seat of a car, plastered with the headline “Smashed: Lights out for Lohan 48 hours after DUI bust.” It is clear that addiction is painted in a manner meant to entertain, especially when these young women can be vilified for breaking the “role model” expectations they are expected to uphold.

It would be nice to be able to dismiss instances like these as a flaw within the media and the way the plights of celebrities are portrayed. But in reality, the “lifestyle choices” these young women have made are not the reason why they face much harsher criticism than their male counterparts; it is simply an excuse to belittle and dismiss women who challenge expectations and break the image people want them to have. It doesn’t matter what clothes they wear or what decisions they makewomen are constantly vilified for speaking out on issues outside of their career, dismissed as “just an actress” or “just a singer.” While it may be disguised through different phrasing, many are wishing these young women would learn to just “sit still and look pretty.”

Ultimately, if parents are concerned about the content their children are consuming, it is their responsibility to monitor it. Young women celebrities living their lives should not be expected to filter what they say and do because of their primary demographic. Recognize the inherent flaws within the media’s sensationalization of unhealthy behaviors as a whole, but take notice of the distinctively different criticism women face.

Best said in the words of Spears herself, “These parents, they think I’m a role model for their kids, that their kids look at me as some sort of idol. But it’s the parents who should be teaching their kids how to behave. That’s not my responsibility. I’m not responsible for your kid.”

Carter Castillo/Prowler

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women’s history month Panther Prowler • March 26, 2021

Sarena Kabir News Editor Deepa Venkat Staff Writer Nandini Patro Staff Writer Emerson Fuentes Alabanza Graphic Artist Anna Johnson Entertainment Editor Emerson Fuentes Alabanza and Prasheetha Karthikeyan/Prowler for all graphics

1792 Mary Wollstonecraft wrote “A Vindication of the Rights of Women” which argues that women are not inferior, but not properly educated due to sexism.

1840s Ada Lovelace, a mathematician, wrote the world’s first machine algorithm for an early computer.

1680s Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz, a poet and philosopher, published her poem “Hombres necios que acusáis” (“You Foolish Men”), which criticized the double standard and inequality men placed on women.

Given decades of the continued fight for equal opportunity, women across the globe celebrate the month of March every year in commemoration of those struggles women have faced. Women come together to cherish and celebrate the accomplishments, the victories and their importance in society. Locally, many women have pushed down the societal barriers by pursuing their jobs and passions in men-infiltrated work areas.

Women in STEM Many young women interested in STEM at NPHS participate in activities to further their knowledge and learn alongside like-minded individuals. One of the clubs that facilitates this is Mu Alpha Theta, which allows students with a passion for math to develop their skills further through participating in math competitions. While STEM activities may often be male dominated, students like Ananya Arvind, freshman, and Antonia Ang, junior, joined Mu Alpha Theta to pursue math regardless.

Ang especially enjoys problem solving using numbers and equations. “I have always enjoyed solving puzzles, jigsaw, Rubik’s cubes, you name it, and I remember how fun it was,” Ang said. “So, I decided to start up again this year.”

Women’s history month is important for both Arvind and Ang to remember the influential women within mathematics. “It reminds me of all the women who have made significant contributions to our society and have inspired others to do the same. It demonstrates to me that, regardless of gender, anything is possible if you put your mind to it,” Arvind said.

Another STEM-oriented club at NPHS is Science Olympiad,

1848 The Seneca Falls Convention was the first woman’s rights convention in the United States which sparked the women’s suffrage movement.

where teams of students compete to demonstrate their extensive knowledge in science. Emily Ho, senior, and Lianne King, freshman, joined Science Olympiad to demonstrate their knowledge and compete against other students.

Ho has always enjoyed learning new topics in science, and being the president of Science Olympiad has allowed her to explore the field more in depth. “Science Olympiad always challenged me in niche topics like circuit building or biotechnology or anatomy. I like how even if I briefly learn about these topics at school, SciOly makes me take it to the next level of understanding,” Ho said.

King shares a love of science, and joining this club has encouraged her to pursue a career in STEM in the future. “I hope to have a career in STEM. I’m not sure what I want to do, but I enjoy CS and biology,” King said.

Although the number of girls on the Science Olympiad team has increased this year, Ho hopes to see more female participation. “I ended up reaching out to a bunch of rising freshman girls from a local middle school interested in STEM to talk to them about SciOly and other science opportunities at NPHS,” Ho said.

Rithu Velu Mu Alpha Theta & SciOly Member “I believe that during women’s history month we get to celebrate and acknowledge all the achievements that women have had in history, and it also encourages women to find different ways to make more positive impacts in our society.”

Francesca Angletti Global Advocacy Relations Director

“On this Women’s History Month 2021 I reflect on the strength and resilience of the women who came before me. My grandmother who earned a living in the fields, growing vegetables and selling them at the town market, while caring for a family of six. She taught me that hard work and integrity are what make us equal.”

Jackie Sheng CEO of Gensun Biopharma, CSO of Zelgen “Looking back at my career since I stepped in STEM, there have been many challenges and obstacles...

One fundamental belief that never changed for me is that I firmly believe that women are not inferior to men in our ability by any means.”

1911 International Women’s Day was officially celebrated primarily in European countries, in which millions of people came together in support of women’s rights.

1903 and 1911 Marie Curie won two Nobel Prizes, one for her accomplishments in physics studying radioactivity, and one for chemistry by isolating pure radium.

1933 Dorothea Lange was a disabled female photographer whose photos documented important aspects of the Great Depressions, highlighting especially those who were homeless and/or displaced.

Student Organizations Many students at NPHS have come together to create and participate in women’s rights-related clubs. One of these clubs, Periods with Pride, is a branch of a statewide organization centered around collecting menstrual products and educating people on period poverty.

Nikitha Lakshminarayanan, founder of Periods with Pride, is currently a student at USC and created the group after a visit to a homeless shelter, where she learned some women could not afford to buy their own menstrual products.

“Something that I took for granted every single month was something that was so difficult for her to Charity DriveDrive Periods With Pride, a local get,” Lakshminarayanan said. “We club that provides menstrual products for decided to host a drive to collect people in need, held a Valentine’s Day drive. products within our community. The products received were donated to Many And within one week, we were able Mansions. Sarena Kabir/Prowler to collect enough products to supply over 50 women for an entire year.”

This month, the organization is using its social media to educate the community on women who have fought for menstrual equity. “We really resonated with the fact that we really want to challenge inequality, gender stereotypes and challenge ourselves to make a difference in the world around us,” Lakshminarayanan said.

At NPHS, Himani Pothulu, sophomore, is the co-president of the Newbury Park branch of the organization. “Menstruation is such a big thing that’s not talked about, normalizing it and making it talked about more, it’s really nice,” said Pothulu. She hopes that working with Periods with Pride will help normalize menstruation for everyone, especially at school.

Another club on campus that promotes female empowerment is GirlUp, where students meet to have discussions on issues related to gender inequity.

Sophia Distefano, sophomore, is the current secretary and joined her freshman year to further her activism.“It felt like a good place to start and kind of started using my voice and building myself as an activist… I like to focus on women’s rights,” Distefano said.

Currently, the club is underway in celebrations of Women’s History Month by sharing information to members about significant women in history. “We are doing presentations on women that were really impactful in history and who use their voices to kind of change society at the time,” Distefano said.

women’s history month Panther Prowler • March 26, 2021

1958 Rosalind Franklin was the chemist and X-ray crystallographer who discovered the molecular structures of DNA, RNA, viruses, coal and graphite.

1968 Shirley Chisholm was the first African American woman to be elected to the House of Representatives, and a huge advocate for the rights of women and minorities.

She served in Congress as the Former Vice Chair of the House Democratic Caucus.

1965 Patsy Mink was the first woman of color to be elected to the House of Representatives and was a key author for Title IX, a law that advanced gender equity within federal funding policies.

Kinsie Flame Co-Owner of Jacob Flame’s Tang Soo Do University “Most of the men in my industry are very aggressive and arrogant.

Being a woman in the martial arts industry has had its challenges from people not taking you seriously, to people simply not paying attention to you simply because you’re a female.”

Kavita Rai Founder of Justice in the Classroom

“I believe our ideas, innovation and work have historically been left out of history and continue to. I don’t think it should go overlooked [that] our operations team, [in Justice in the Classroom] is WOC-led either. Our success as a nonprofit and influence in our community is a testament to why more women need to be at decision making tables and in high leadership.”

Megan Goebel Founder of Unity Conejo

“Being a woman has empowered me to always push harder, fight for equal rights and to stand up for what I believe in. Doing so I believe has made me a better mother, wife, advocate and human overall.”

1995 The UN’s Fourth World Conference on Women in Beijing signed The Platform for Action, which committed to the “gender equality and the empowerment of women.” This was then approved by all UN nations.

1969 Marsha P. Johnson and Sylvia Rivera are both transgender women who are credited with starting the Stonewall Protests. The following year sparked the first Pride parade, which commemorated the protests.

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2017 Cecilia Chung, a Chinese transgender woman who is an LGBTQ+ activist and promotes social justice and spreads awareness about HIV/AIDS, is featured on the ABC miniseries “When We Rise,” documenting the history of LGBTQ+ advocacy.

2017 The first women’s march occurred across the country and even the world, protesting the inauguration of president Donald Trump and his policies.

2018 Greta Thunberg is a Swedish environmental activist who calls upon world leaders to take action against climate change. She first addressed the 2018 UN Climate Change Conference, which started a string of environmental protests around the world.

Women in Leadership In our community, many inspirational women have taken on leadership positions, breaking the gender barrier by being able to dictate their own lives and what the future holds for them.

Kelly Welch, assistant principal of attendance, has faced obstacles from being a woman in charge. In her prior years as the assistant principal of athletics, Welch attended the Southern California District Meetings and noticed how her remarks were taken in comparison to those of men. “There would be times where I felt that I would provide an opinion about something that we were deciding for high school sports, [and] there were some men that chuckled or [rolled] their eyes,” Welch said.

These struggles transcend beyond the school community. Claudia Bill de la Peña, mayor of Thousand Oaks, works hard to lead the community. As a Hispanic woman, Peña believes that much of her struggle has come from being a woman of color. “When I say that I didn’t struggle as a woman, that’s because I struggled more with my ethnicity. I was told when I ran for city council that I would never win elected office with the last name of de la Peña, and I proved them wrong,” Peña said.

In another government office, CVUSD board president, Jenny Fitzgerald, has worked hard to represent our district.

While campaigning, Fitzgerald noticed the public would ask her questions that were not asked of other male candidates.

“Some of it had to do with the fact that I’m a woman and a mom, and there were a lot of questions about my background with things, like PTA and school volunteering...but not questions about my professional background [and] the skills that I had from that,” Fitzgerald said.

Coming from a country where women were not seen working after marriage, Ina Casem broke the stereotype, and then transformed her passion for art into inArt Academy, her business in Dos Vientos. Casem has accomplished her dreams while balancing her family life, one of the hardest struggles a woman faces. “When I got married, I left my job as a teacher… [But] it wasn’t until I met another businesswoman in Korea who ran a franchise of [Art Hagwons, a private art institution] where I got my inspiration. She was married, had children and a thriving business,” Casem said. Casem then put her plans into motion, and the inArt Academy was born. “I knew then that I could definitely do this...I started small and taught the children of my close friends [and] before I knew it, I needed a bigger space to house all my art supplies,” Casem said.

These four women are just a few of many who continuously prove that gender stereotypes cannot, and will not, prevent Teach- Ina Casem started inArt Academy after moving from Korea. She soon found a new love in them from pursuing their Teach teaching kids how to paint. “The sense of achievement [and the smiles] the students have every time careers and passions. These their work is completed [is] wonderful. When I feel and see these things, I am confident that I have powerful women break down chosen this job well and will be able to endure it well,” Casem said. Ina Casem/With Permission the barriers put up by society.

Shivani Patel Reporter for the VC Star

“We should ensure that the voices and accomplishments of all women are being recognized. Looking forward, it’s so crucial that we create spaces and pathways for young women to excel in order to move toward a more equitable future...This doesn’t, and shouldn’t, go unnoticed.”

Celia Daniels LGBTQ+ Rights Director of Indivisible Conejo “Women’s History Month is a celebration of women’s contributions throughout the world to make this world a [compassionate] place. As a trans woman of color, I have learned to appreciate and celebrate the resilience and courage women across the world everyday.”

Dawn Megli Reporter for The Acorn

“Women’s History Month only exists because women have intentionally been edited out of history by scholars for centuries and even though we make up just over half the population... the fact that we have to celebrate this month means that when women accomplish something, it’s women’s history, but when men accomplish something, that’s mainstream history.”

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features Panther Prowler • March 26, 2021

IB Dance presents their virtual showcase Deepa Venkat Staff Writer

Karyss Amato Staff Writer

The IB Dance showcase virtually showcased the talents of their hard working dancers on March 19.

Taught by Cameo Carolan, IB Dance is a class offered for students with a passion to learn new styles of cultural dances, such as African, Bollywood, Cha Cha and Hula.

Carolan feels that the seniors have been deprived of their well-deserved recognition, so this year’s showcase is a tribute to them. “Normally in the show I present a lei to them as I speak about them and it kind of breaks my heart a little bit that I can’t do that in the video,” Carolan said.

While learning their dances through Zoom and being unable to meet in person for a majority of the year, the dancers faced many challenges to create this showcase.

Annette Gonzalez, junior, found it difficult to learn choreography over Zoom, but persevered through her passion for dance. “It was hard to hear the music because sometimes Zoom would glitch. I also Showtime- IB Dance tells their story with their unique dances that the students created themselves. had no space in my room so I could never do anything “We have a lot of talented dancers this year, I just think everyone has something different to bring to full out. When we met in person, the dances started the table and we’re showcasing so many cultural dances so I think it’s a really great show to watch,” making a lot more sense and we all felt a lot more Hundal said. Karyss Amato/Prowler

confident,” Gonzalez said. The juniors participating in the concert did not previously train in different ethnic styles of dance, so they had to face the challenges of learning over Zoom and comprehending new styles.

The showcase normally involves students choreographing various dances, but this year, they decided to make concept videos that portray different cultures and global issues. The students took the concepts into their own hands and made inspirational dances; some were filmed on their choice of location, rather than at the school.

Despite the difficulties with learning all of the dances, the seniors were still required to complete their requirements for IB. The seniors each performed a solo, choreographed a group dance with other students and participated in several other dances.

Riya Hundal, senior, has been a part of IB dance this year and is grateful to be dancing after her knee surgery. “I just think it’s so great to be able to showcase just like dance,” Hundal said. “I’ve been doing classical Indian dancing for twelve years so one of my solos is a classical Indian dance and just kind of getting to showcase, you know, my culture and heritage.”

Cosplayers strut their stuff Aided by the recent rise in popularity of anime and the app TikTok, cosplay, the act of dressing up as a character from a movie, show or book, has become more popular in the teen community over the past year.

Roshnee Moorthy, senior, first became interested in cosplay through anime and comics. “I have always been into watching anime and reading comics, which first piqued my interest in cosplay. Eventually, one of my friends who was in the cosplay community began to show me the ropes, and from there I began experimenting on my own,” Moorthy said.

When creating her cosplays, Moorthy typically recycles items from around her. “I usually re-use what I have and repurpose it. For example, my Katara [from “Avatar: The Last Airbender”] cosplay was made out of an old shirt dress, white ribbon and harem pants from one of traditional Indian outfits,” Moorthy said. “How I drape the fabric on myself is extremely important, since it can make or break an outfit. Because of that, safety pins are my best friend when it comes to the outfit. They ensure everything stays in place for the duration of the photo shoot or convention.”

To many people, such as Sydney Hardstein, junior, cosplay is another creative art form that they endeavor in. “When I make something cool, it’s fun to show it off in a new way besides traditional art,” Hardstein said.

Kai Kepe, sophomore, describes

-

Carter Castillo Features Editor

Tea Sklar Graphic Artist the process that he takes to create his cosplays. “I write down the small details, how to make the main pieces, what fabrics I want to use and other things that may be special to the character. I will either make the costume from scratch or find pieces in thrift stores, or on Amazon,” Kepe said.

Although cosplayers love their art, they are certainly not immune to rampant bullying, whether that be online or in person. This can be detrimental to their mental health.

“Cosplayers are still people; even if you are not fond of the hobby it does not give you the right to be rude. Words can hurt, be mindful of that. Cosplay is some people’s coping mechanism or comfort,” Kepe said. “It can help their mental health. Be kind to others no matter how strange a hobby may be.”

That being said, many find comfort in the cosplay community. “You get to meet a lot of really cool people in the community, and you learn a lot about different interests and media,” Hardstein said.

Cosplay is an impactful way of expressing oneself, and for many people, it can be a way to make a difference. “I try to spread awareness of POC characters and stress the importance of representation in animation and how important it is for our future generations to see characters like them accurately portrayed on the screen,” Moorthy said.

The moth- Sydney Hardstein, junior, cosplays the moth man in an extravagant black costume with wings.

The moth man is “not specifically from anything, just a common cryptid,” Hardstein said. Sydney Hardstein/ With Permission

Top: Water-bending- Roshnee Moorthy, senior, cosplaying Katara from “Avatar: The Last Airbender.” “Cosplay used to be a form of escapism for me,” Moorthy said. Roshnee Moorthy/With Permission Bottom: Painting- Kai Kepe, sophomore, cosplaying Edgar Valden from “Identity V.” Kai Kepe/With Permission

features Panther Prowler • March 26, 2021

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with Jennifer Lockwood Karyss Amato Staff Writer With the start of blended learning, many NPHS teachers have had to teach combo classes, juggling in person and remote students. Jennifer Lockwood, a science teacher at NPHS, is no exception. Read our Tea Time below to see how she feels about this new challenge!

What has your experience been with combo class teaching?

The first day was a little weird because it had been the first time I had been in a classroom with students in a year. I did notice that there may be some need for an “un-Zooming” training kind of thing because I asked the class is there something to the effect of “Does everyone get it?” and “Are you okay?” and I got thumbs up.

There’s a lot of technology, so it is a challenge. I’m learning to teach all over again, but I feel like I had a better day yesterday than I did the first day.

How has it been teaching in person as compared to Zoom?

It is more of a challenge, just in the sense that I’m also doing the combo teaching. If it’s just in-person then there are advantages, I get to see everybody, I can look people in the eye, I can say “Do you get it?” or “Do you need help?” If there’s a way to do a lab safely in science, then I can do that, or where everybody does their own thing. But when we’re in Zoom and cameras are on, I’m able to see people face to face and be able to pull someone into a breakout room and be able to have a one-on-one conversation and no one can hear.

If there’s one big thing you would change about teaching combo classes, what would it be?

I would hope that students who were at home would feel comfortable enough to ask questions. So that I can hear and help you, or let me know that you are struggling or going too fast. That’s the part that I worry about. I can see the people in class, it’s easier to engage with them, and I’m worried for the students who are Zooming in. If they don’t actively speak up for themselves, then I might not notice that they have a confused look on their face because I am doing two things at the same time.

What do you think the outcome of blended learning will be for both students and teachers?

I think for teachers, we’re going to learn how to teach a whole new way. I feel like there’s how I used to teach, then there was a complete new learning in spring. I can just easily talk to you or I can hang back after class and let everybody go, and just ask you. I think it’s easier to not drift away when everybody is in the same location. So I think it’ll help students become more engaged and on task. I think the downside is they don’t get to work as easily together.

Do you prefer blended learning or remote and why?

I do miss seeing students so I feel it almost feels like we’re walking back to normal which is exciting. I’m not gonna lie, it is more work to be blended (combo) than it is to be remote. In remote, I’m doing the same thing with everybody in that group as opposed to doing two things at the same time.

Jennifer Lockwood/With Permission

The talent show must go on Allison Nguyen Staff Writer

Sarena Kabir News Editor

As this spring’s activities start rolling in, several students take this as their opportunity to show off in the annual talent show on March 24. Even though blended learning has started, to ensure safety, this is the first ever time the talent show has been held online.

Kaiden Pemberton, senior, has been in charge of this year’s virtual talent show, and without a doubt, it is much different than what it used to be. “People submitted an audition video and [did] not rehearse live, since over a call, we felt we weren’t going to do the person justice with all the technical problems that could occur. [This year, the talent show] is a pre-recorded show, with live voting and that it is much shorter, around 30 minutes,” Pemberton said.

Although the show is still happening, Pemberton feels as though hanging out with the students in person is what made the event special. “I miss the atmosphere being in and around the acts the day of. From previously being in [the talent show] before and [even] before that, being a part of the production, it is such a fun night to be with the acts the night of [the show],” Pemberton said.

Eudia Ng, freshman, has been playing the piano for the past seven years and decided to display her experience through the event. “I’m going to be playing the Praeludium

by Bach...I’ve been playing it for a couple of months as I

had to play it for my [Certificate of Merit testing] as well,” Ng said. “It was kind of a spontaneous decision to do [the talent show] and participate.”

Shortly after the talent show was over, the winner of the show was announced live, via Instagram. Jason Jimenez, sophomore, stole the show with his piano performance of “Sweden” by Daniel Rosenfeld. The win was not anything Jimenez had expected. “I was astonished that I had won. I submitted my performance intending to share a piece of beautiful music, hoping to evoke the same sort of emotion I had experienced,” Jimenez said.

Jimenez had been working on this piece for roughly two weeks; however, he had known this piece for quite a while.

In the process of choosing his music, something had pulled him towards the song. “I happened to be going over my piano repertoire, and I thought this song was simple but described my feelings of nostalgia and serenity well. I felt my performance was so simple yet powerful,” Jimenez said.

There is some silver lining to having an online event, giving an opportunity to students who would not have participated if it was held in person. “I don’t think I would have actually [done the talent show] because I’m not completely comfortable like performing onstage in person,” Ng said.

Lights, Camera, Action- With the difference in surroundings this year, this gave many students a new chance to perform. Jason Jimenez, sophomore and winner for this year’s show, found this as his chance to shine. “The talent show being online allowed me to get rid of my nervousness and helped me focus on the approach for my performance,” Jimenez said.. Allison Nguyen/Prowler

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entertainment Panther Prowler • March 26, 2021

The 63rd Grammys make history Deepa Venkat Staff Writer

Allison Nguyen Staff Writer

The 63rd annual Grammy Awards, held on March 14, showcased a broad variety of artists and music from all different genres and all different places globally. Because of COVID-19, the event was held outdoors instead of its usual location at the Staples Center. Despite the changes made to the show, records from Grammy history were broken throughout the night.

During the show, history was made by Taylor Swift and Beyoncé. Beyoncé took home her 28th Grammy, breaking the record for the most Grammy wins by a single act. Taking home four Grammys this year, she was victorious in the categories for Best R&B Performance, Music Video, Rap Song and Rap Performance. Swift became the first female artist to win Best Album three times in three different genres.

Many artists got to showcase their yearly accomplishments throughout the night. Swift, winner of Album of the Year for her alternative album “folklore,” performed three of her songs from the album. Winning his first ever Grammy, Harry Styles took home Best Pop Solo Performance for his song “Watermelon Sugar,” and Billie Eilish’s “everything i wanted” dominated Record of the Year. Performing two songs from her album “Future Nostalgia,” Dua Lipa took Best Pop Vocal Album, following H.E.R’s win for “I Can’t Breathe,” the Song of the Year.

The Grammys consisted of energetic and entertaining performances by many artists, but Lil Baby’s performance of his song “The Bigger Picture” stood out to the audience with its powerful message regarding racial justice. While other artists had scenic backdrops and dynamic dancers, Lil Baby recreated the death of George Floyd with staged shootings and activist

Kendrick Sampson. H.E.R was also recognized for her song “I Can’t Breathe,” which emphasizes the repetition of crimes and discrimination against people of color.

Despite having many deserving wins and nominations this year, there were many unexpected turns of events. Being the first ever K-Pop group to ever be nominated for a Grammy award under Best Pop Duo/Group Performance, BTS, an internationally famous performing group from South Korea, broke the records with their hit “Dynamite,” selling over 1.3 million copies and over 1.26 million downloads in the past year.

Even with big numbers and the expectation from their hardcore fanbase, this had yet to lead them to their first win as Lady Gaga and Ariana Grande took home the award for “Rain on Me.” Many BTS fans took to Twitter and revived #scammys to display their disappointment for their opinion that the broadcast only uses the group’s large fanbase for the views.

Some of the most highly anticipated awards that were broadcasted were Best Pop Duo and Best Rap Album. These categories were removed from the live show and only shown as clips during the pre show which caused a controversy among viewers since people of color are usually nominated for these specific awards.

Even with the new adjustments many of the staff and celebrities followed to maintain a safe show, it never failed as the show still must go on. Regardless of the issues presented during this year’s Grammys, the show was still an entertaining evening for audiences in quarantine.

Prasheetha Karthikeyan/Prowler

“The Falcon and The Winter Soldier” continues Marvel’s action packed year Dhruv Patel Ad Team

Nandini Patro Staff Writer

Téa Sklar/Prowler

Marvel was put into a releasing slump due to COVID-19 restrictions. However, this year, Marvel is back and is adhering to a tight schedule of new movies and TV shows, releasing something new every month. This month, Marvel’s groundbreaking TV show “WandaVision” aired its season finale, and last Friday, the series premiere of “The Falcon and the Winter Soldier” was released.

The series finale of “WandaVision” left fans on the edge of their seats with new, unanswered questions. The ending of the episode also had hints for “Doctor Strange Multiverse of Madness”, a movie which is supposed to be released in 2022.

“WandaVision”’s series introduced a plethora of new characters who all are rumored or confirmed to appear in other movies coming to the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU). The ending of “WandaVision” also introduces Marvel’s new concept of the multiverse, and confirms Wanda’s identity as Scarlet Witch in the MCU. One of Marvel’s latest movies, “Avengers: Endgame,” ends with Captain America passing on his shield to Sam Wilson, who is Falcon. Winter Soldier is Captain America’s oldest friend and is also known as Bucky Barnes, a WWII veteran. He was turned assassin by a secret Russian agency known as Hydra.

“The Falcon and the Winter Soldier” follows Barnes and Wilson’s journey of filling Captain America’s absence along with the Marvel universe post-”Avengers: Endgame.” The TV show

also dives into the backstories of Wilson and Barnes, characters that fans currently do not know much about.

The first episode of “The Falcon and the Winter Soldier” starts off with Sam Wilson, the Falcon, diving head first into action, flying after a military general. As a result of this fastpaced start, it leaves the viewers excited and waiting for what will happen next. After the action scenes we get a close up look at Sam Wilson’s personal life, namely his relationship with his sister and his nephews. Bucky Barnes, the Winter Soldier, is then introduced, and he seems to be recovering with the problems of his past, specifically his mind-controlled assassin days. This helps to show Bucky’s actual character, which helps the viewer understand him. Later in the episode we are also introduced to one of the antagonists of the TV show, the flag smashers. At the end of the episode there was a new superhero announced, U.S. Agent, as a replacement of Captain America. The first episode was great, introducing new characters while catching up the viewers to the new lives of Barnes and Wilson.

With the high expectations, “The Falcon and the Winter Soldier” has a lot to live up to. Marvel is off to a great start with very high and positive reviews for the first episode. The show has a lot of questions to answer, and if the pilot is any indicator, viewers will get these answers and enjoy great content along the ride.

entertainment Panther Prowler • March 26, 2021

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“Moxie” makes a powerful statement Reese Kelem Chief Photographer Just in time for International Women’s Day, Netflix released comedy/drama film “Moxie,” encouraging teen women to stand up against misogyny and sexism in schools and be proud of their identities. The story, based on the novel written by Jennifer Mathieu, follows high schooler Vivian who was inspired by her mother’s rebellious past to create a “zine,” or an independent, selfpublished magazine that expresses the mistreatment of young women at her high school. As it grows more popular under the anonymous name of Moxie, these students band together to protest mistreatment.

This movie sounds like a classic, cheesy, heartwarming coming-of-age story that nobody can really take seriously- and that’s exactly what it is. The shy girl who nobody suspects writes a rebellious magazine, girls band together drawing stars and hearts in support for Moxie and the star football player boy harasses them for it. The principal blows off their actions as unimportant drama, despite the star jock repeatedly attacking the new girl and other girls at school. In the end, the girls unite in a school

walkout, and their voices finally get heard.

While the plot is predictable and corny, “Moxie” addresses major issues that teen girls face in the real world, ranging from sexual harassment, offensive inside jokes/rumors that guys make and purposeful ignorance by people of authority when it comes to harassment. Yes, this happens. Many testosterone-fueled boys in high school will make offensive jokes, telling women they belong in the kitchen, define women only by their bodies and what they are willing to do and doing trends such as Slap A** Day. This goes unnoticed by authority as “boys will be boys,” but when a girl raises her voice, heads turn the other way.

Rightly so, “Moxie” speaks out that teenage girls are not just hormonal teens trying to cause drama, but that we need to be heard and justified in order to stop sexual harassment.

After seeing past the cheesiness of the classic girl-power movie, “Moxie” is a must-see, as it provides good insight as to what girls face in high school.

Téa Sklar/Prowler

“The Map of Tiny Perfect Things” hits home Gwen Buchanan Back Cover Editor

Abby Gorman Editorial Editor

Carter Castillo/Prowler

With inspiration from the trope created in the 1993 film “Groundhog Day,” the newly released Amazon Prime movie “The Map of Tiny Perfect Things” takes the concept of an individual experiencing the same day over and over again with the rest of the world unaware and provides an interesting twist by placing two teenage protagonists together in a time loop.

The movie follows Mark, a young boy who has been in the time loop for quite some time, up until he meets Margaret, a young girl with the same predicament. To make the best of their situation, the pair decides to find and document all of the specific, important moments of the day, deemed “tiny perfect things,” and put each moment into a map.

While following Mark and Margaret on their journey, viewers will most definitely fall in love with the characters as they fall for each other. While Margaret gives off a cool and collected front, Mark brings out her sensitive side with his dorky and sweet personality.

Perhaps the most interesting aspect of the movie is how it

takes conflicts familiar to adolescents today and provides an interesting twist with the “Groundhog Day” premise. There is tension between the protagonists, for Mark is determined to find a way out of the time loop while Margaret has trouble with the idea of letting go of infinite time. In a heartfelt conversation, Mark tells her that “[The time loop] is not time. Time is the stuff that when you spend it, you don’t get it back.”

While the movie started out as endearing and lighthearted, it attempted to dive into deeper content in the end… perhaps a little too deep. Mark and Margaret were significantly less entertaining when the film shifted tones, losing some of the relatable and humorous charm as it approached the climax.

Despite this, the movie wrapped up the story in a satisfying way that leaves viewers content.

With likable characters and an engaging plot, “The Map of Tiny Perfect Things” makes an enjoyable casual watch for lovers of the classic coming-of-age trope with a slight sci-fi twist.

“

Emma Schoors Opinion Editor Téa Sklar Staff Writer “Leave The Door Open” by the American band Silk Sonic was released on March 5. Bruno Mars and Anderson .Paak dropped this single to prepare the world for their debut album, which has yet to be released.

After his last single was released in July 2019 and his last album, “24k Magic,” in November of 2016, Bruno Mars went on hiatus for two years. He wasn’t heard from until he announced on Feb. 26 that he was dropping a new album with his new band Silk Sonic.

Brandon Paak Anderson, more commonly known as Anderson .Paak, is an American rapper and songwriter from Oxnard, California. His most recent single, “Lockdown,” won the 2021 Grammy Award for Best Melodic Rap Performance,

beating Travis Scott’s “Highest In The Room” and DaBaby and Roddy Rich’s “Rockstar.”

If you are a fan of R&B and soul music, or a fan of Anderson .Paak or Bruno Mars, definitely listen to “Leave The Door Open” and stick around to hear the whole album when released.

Peter Framptom released the second cover from his new record of covers entitled “Framptom Forgets The Words.” The first cover, released in late January, was a soulful rendition of “Reckoner” by Radiohead. This time around, Framptom covered “Avalon” by Roxy Music. If you are interested in Frampton’s incredible guitar work and want to see where he gets his inspiration from musically, “Framptom Forgets The Words” is an essential album to look out for.

The original is such a perfect piece of music.

I really wanted to get as close to the vocal inflection as I could, and I think I almost did it!

-Peter Frampton

“

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sports Panther Prowler • March 26, 2021

Colin Sahlman breaks national record Prasheetha Karthikeyan Sports Editor

Running two miles in under 10 minutes seems superhuman to most people. But for Colin Sahlman, junior, it is just another walk in the park. At 8:47, Sahlman broke the fastest 3200m in the country for the 2020-2021 season on Feb. 27.

With the restrictions that California has set in stone, having meets locally is not possible, and instead, the runners go to Arizona. “It was just a race that our coach put on...and I ran the two mile there and then ran the fastest time in the country. [An] 8:47. That was pretty exciting and I just felt really good and closed in like 56 seconds in my last slot,” Sahlman said.

Although known for being a fast runner, this time was definitely something out of the ordinary for Sahlman. “I wasn’t expecting that.

I figured that out probably like two days after my race, I was like, ‘Oh, no way.’ This is really cool because my former teammate, [Nico Young], [is] the fastest junior to ever run it so I think it’s pretty cool to be on that list and the top five things,” Sahlman said.

Christian Simone, senior, is a teammate of Sahlman’s and has known him for a year and a half. He feels that Colin has improved significantly throughout the time he has known him. “Over the time I’ve known Colin, he’s improved from a good runner, to a great runner,” Simone said. “He’s established himself as one of the best runners in the country and he’s only just getting started.”

Along with physical training, mindset is a crucial factor in the performance of any athlete, and from what Simone observes, Sahlman is not an exception. “[Sahlman’s] tenacity, which

Sarena Kabir News Editor

Sprint Colin Sahlman, junior, runs across the track on his record breaking run. Sahlamn recounts his feelings Sprintwhen crossing across the finish line. “I knew that I had to close pretty hard to to get the time that I wanted and then after I crossed, I didn’t really see the time. I was kind of wondering what I got and then my coach was like on the loudspeaker saying the time. I was like ‘oh, no way.’ I closed so much better than I thought I did,” Sahlman said. Colin Sahlman/With Permission

he brings to practice every day, continues to create rapid success and improvement,” Simone said. “During our toughest workouts, he takes the lead and pushes the pace as much as he can. His mentality is what has allowed him to improve so quickly.”

Zaki Blunt, junior and another one of Sahlman’s teammates, has known him for about four years and had watched Sahlman since the beginning. “He has always been very competitive… [and it has] really helped him progress as a runner,” Blunt said. “In a race, Colin’s only focus is to win and in doing so, he ends up surprising everyone, and maybe even himself, with how fast he runs and he always has kept pushing the barrier on what we think he can do.”

Under these unprecedented times, things are not the same as before, and each meet they attend requires all the energy they have. “The meet in Arizona was a special atmosphere and was designed to have fast times. With so little opportunity this year, each meet is precious and great competition from around the country came to get a chance to run fast,” Blunt said.

Sahlman credits his achievements partially to his supporters, which include family, friends and most importantly, his fellow cross country runners. “My teammates push me to be better, and I think I push them to be better,” Sahlman said. “We always support each other at workouts and races, and I think we’ve created a team bond between us that definitely helps push us to be [the best],” Sahlman said.

Boys volleyball spikes into their season Hayden Meixner Staff Writer

Tea Sklar Staff Writer

Strike Jake Blaine, freshman, makes an approach and swings at the ball. Boys volleyball has begun a new season in Strikeperson that is currently underway. Parker Bohl/Prowler

Boys volleyball, despite the pushed back season, is in full swing. Anyone who was interested in playing the sport was welcomed back into the gym during the week of March 15. Practices will look close to normal, despite the fact that players will be required to wear masks while in the gym and get a COVID-19 test done 48 hours prior to any practice or game. Matches will be allowed with only one spectator per player.

James Goldston, freshman, is a libero on the frosh-soph team. Despite the odd circumstances for his first high school season, Goldston is excited to play. “I am excited to be able to play volleyball because I was not sure if it was going to start and it has been a while since we have been able to play,” Goldston said. Goldston has been playing the sport for quite a while now. “I have been playing volleyball since sixth grade and I enjoy the collectiveness of the sport and the activity I get from playing,” Goldston said.

The frosh-soph team is not the only team that is being affected. Alexander Hull, freshman, has the opportunity to play for the varsity team this year. “I’ve been playing

volleyball for a little over a year and a half.

My favorite part of volleyball would either be hitting the ball or blocking the other hitters,” Hull said. Due to COVID-19 regulations, the familiar crowd of cheering fans will not be permitted this season.

“This season is obviously going to be super interesting due to everything going on but I think the biggest difference for us would be not having everyone in the bleachers and everyone screaming for us,” Hull said.

Jorge Ostrovsky, varsity coach, was excited to welcome the athletes back onto the court. This year, he decided that all who were interested in playing would be allowed to, regardless of prior experience. “I figured after such a difficult year for students, the last thing I wanted to do is make cuts,” Ostrovsky said. Coach Ostrovsky is hopeful for the season’s games. “Matches will be different because there probably will not be anyone in the stands to start with.

Hopefully, that will change,” Ostovsky said.

Regardless of the circumstances, the boys volleyball team is ready to mask up and be successful in the season they have in front of them.

sports Panther Prowler • March 26, 2021

15

Football fires it up on the field Karyss Amato Staff Writer Football fans are excited for the return of the Saturday night lights of NPHS football, which began March 20. After the first games on March 20, the junior varsity went against Bishop Garcia Diego High School and varsity went against TOHS, with a small crowd and cheerleaders. “It was really fun and nice to be back out and be able to play, and be able to play with at least some fans in the stands,” Taggart said. While both players and cheerleaders are returning to the field, the season will be modified to comply with capacity guidelines. Per each cheerleader and player, four immediate household members can be in the crowd.

With COVID-19 restrictions, the football team has faced many struggles that required the team to problem solve. In order for the team to play, it is a requirement that they be tested every week before games. Despite these extra precautions, Luke Taggart, junior, is looking forward to playing for the first time in over a year. “We’ve been waiting for a whole year, so there’s a lot of good emotions going into the season because we can finally play,” Taggart said.

Normally, the team kickstarts practices throughout the summer, but due to the pandemic, the team was unable to do so. Jason Klein, the head football coach, has helped the team stay motivated and persevere. “There is some concern there, like are these guys going to be prepared and ready to

go, but beyond that ...these guys have worked really hard, they know what they’re doing so we’re excited to get started,” Klein said.

As of right now, five games are scheduled to happen, with three being home games. The games are scheduled on Saturdays, with the junior varsity/ freshman teams at 4 pm and varsity team at 7 pm.

The football team, as well as the cheer team have been putting in conscientious effort to prepare for this season. Megan McCarthy, the cheer coach, is very fond of all the cheerleaders and feels confident that they will perform at their best, despite all that they have faced and overcame with COVID-19.

“We’ve been waiting all season long so above everything, everyone is really excited but also just ready for this,” McCarthy said.

The season has been hard for both the football players and cheerleaders, but with ten months worth of practice, perseverance and hard work, their coaches feel confident in them. With the pandemic, they have experienced going back and forth between Zoom and pods in person, which definitely presented a challenge.

Only the players, coaches and medical personnel on the field and sidelines, with cheerleaders on the track, and limited crowd members in the stands will be present. Dance team is also allowed to perform at halftime, as well as cheer. “We usually have a packed house here at NP for our home games but it’s going to be a lot quieter,” Klein said.

Kickoff- The Panthers kick off football season on March 20 despite all the obstacles they have faced with COVID-19. “The teams’ goals is, you know, to just win... to go 5 and 0 and hang up a banner,” Travis Endicott, sophomore and quarterback for the junior varsity team, said. Madison Klein/With Permission

NPHS soccer returns to balling out Sera Mohammad Staff Writer

Sprint The NPHS varsity girls soccer team prepares for a thrilling game with Oaks Christian by doing drills Sprinttogether. “We didn’t have a lot of time to practice but all of the coaches and girls have been working really hard and we are hoping to have a great season,” Hurd said. Natalie Hurd/With Permission

As Ventura County enters the red tier, soccer has begun having games with other schools again. NPHS girls soccer had their first league game of the year against Oaks Christian on March 19, where NPHS lost zero to one. Both girls and boys soccer teams will have weekly games from now on as they have in the past.

The soccer teams have been working to create a new normal so that students can play while keeping themselves and spectators safe.

Natalie Hurd, senior on the girls varsity soccer team, reflected on how different the games and practices have been this past year. “At practices we have to wear a mask at all times and try to maintain our distance from one another.

At games we also wear masks while warming up, but we are allowed to take them off while playing but everyone on the sideline and bench must wear masks,” Hurd said. “We are also required to get a negative test the week of games before we are allowed to play and the amount of people on the buses to games is limited.”

Preparing for the upcoming soccer season was not easy, especially since practices were cut down in comparison to previous years. Jackson Cornett-Coert, senior and captain of boys varsity soccer, explains the old, more rigorous schedule and how the team works now during the pandemic. “We are practicing as much as we

can but usually on Mondays and Wednesdays.

In past years we would practice every weekday but because there are so many sports using the field, there is not enough field availability for us to practice every night,” Cornett-Coert said.

Even with reduced practice at school, participating in soccer in addition to online school and other activities is nowhere near easy.

Chava Orozco, the girls varsity soccer coach, has been coaching for eight years and cares for each of his players’ health and development. “I think this season will be a challenging one. Players are participating in both high school soccer and club soccer and also playing multiple sports at NP. This makes a risk for injury more likely to happen,” Orozco said. “We are doing our best to manage the girl’s workload throughout the week. Our main priority is to keep everyone healthy throughout our season.”

While the season may look different, the seniors are thankful that they will get another chance to ball out on the field. “I would just like to thank the coaching staff for everything they have done for getting us prepared for our games.

Most of us were very scared we would not get a final season and I know there are many people we have to thank for that. I would also like to thank my team for stepping up and playing their hearts out,” Cornett-Coert said.

16

stunt cheer Panther Prowler • March 26, 2021

Reese Kelem/Prowler

Reese Kelem/Prowler

Move!- A group of STUNT cheerleaders practices their kick while rehearsing their dance routine.

Kassondra Landry, head coach of STUNT cheer, is excited for their season. “My favorite aspects of STUNT is the emphasis on technique, cleanliness and execution; these are three things I prioritize in my coaching,” Landry said. “I have a great deal of passion for coaching so I am really looking forward to helping these athletes achieve new skills, get some fun and exciting new stunts in the air and overall just help this team become stronger athletes,” Landry said.

Friendship- The STUNT team supports Crystal Fuchs, senior, as they all work together to raise her into the air.

The entire team shares a close bond and must trust each other to be able to perform well.

Sara Mansourian, freshman, was especially excited to connect with friends at cheer. “I’m most looking forward to seeing new people in person and stunting with them,” Mansourian said.

STUNT cheer flies into their season Hayden Meixner Staff Writer After a long and hard year, the STUNT cheerleaders are overjoyed to be returning to in-person practice, with their first practice being held on March 15. Different from spirit cheer, STUNT cheer focuses on perfecting routines that showcase cheerleader’s skills through pyramids, tosses and intricate flips. Currently, no games or competitions have been scheduled and cheerleaders must practice with a mask on.

Reese Kelem/Prowler Trust- Alison Gengo, freshman, gets in position to fly while Annie Lucas, sophomore (left), Gabi Prusinski, freshman (middle), and Katelyn Newton, junior (right), support her. The team has not been able to practice together until March 15.

“I’ve only met my athletes over Zoom, so I’m also looking forward to getting to know them more,” Kassondra Landry, head coach, said. The team is currently practicing two to three times a week, in-person only.

Reese Kelem/Prowler

Strength- Kate Corlew, junior, is raised into the air by her teammates.

STUNT cheer is a high-contact sport that involves lots of skill. “I’m really excited to get a stunt called ‘The Lib’... because we got it last year and that was so cool,” Michela Maher, junior, said. Competition is also a large part of stunt, but it is still not clear whether the members of the STUNT team will be able to compete this year. “There’s a lot of hope for the season,” Maher said.

Reese Kelem/Prowler