2013-2014 Issue 5 (January 17, 2014)

pantherprowler.org

PANTHER PROWLER Friday January 17, 2014

Issue V

Newbury Park High School

456 N. Reino Rd., Newbury Park, CA 91320

Acceptance Week gains momentum Spreading the love - Margaux Jones, junior (far left), supervises poster signing during an anti-bullying lunch activity on Jan. 15. Samantha Meyer/Prowler

Cassie Stephenson Editor-in-Chief Acceptance Week, an event run by Peer Counseling to spread acceptance and kindness on campus, concludes today with Acceptance Day and a lunch full of competitions and prizes.

The week-long activities and discussions are an expansion of Acceptance Day, which has been a part of the school’s curriculum for freshman health and geography courses for several years.

Earlier today, freshmen in these courses met in the gym for icebreaker activities and discussion about school issues and stereotypes as part of Acceptance Day. Acceptance Week was created just last year. According to junior and peer counselor Margaux Jones, this year’s event was the first time the Peer Counseling group truly kicked off the event.

“Last year we kind of started planning for what we wanted to do,” she said, “But this year … it’s like taking off and we’re doing a lot more with it.”

Jones originally came up with the idea as part of her Girl Scout Gold Award project, adding daily “kindness challenges” and additional lunch activities to Acceptance Day to allow the entire school to participate. On Jan. 15, Peer Counseling held an

anti-bullying event in the quad during lunch and distributed candy. The following day, other clubs from around campus were invited to set up booths, handing out free goods to participating students.

This year, the group also hung “take what you need” fliers around school, sporting strips of paper with words like confidence, love and friendship for students to take with them. Circles printed with the words “You Make Me Smile” were also distributed so students could pass them on to others to show their appreciation, signing the back each time to create a collection of names.

“Since last year, Acceptance Week has gained familiarity with students and faculty,” said Nick Colangelo, Peer Counseling adviser. “The events and daily challenges that worked well last year are still in place for this year, and we have improved on a couple of them.”

For Jones, the most important part of the event is getting students to step out of their routine and take notice of others: “I know a lot of times at school we tend to stick with

our certain friend groups, but it’s good to look outside of who you normally hang out with and see that ‘even though I don’t talk to this person on a daily basis, we have things in common.’”

Tarren Tice, senior, joined Peer Counseling last year after she “fell in love” with the program last Acceptance Day. “I just hope the freshmen walk away as more accepting and less judgmental people, as well as the whole school, really,” she said. “But mostly the freshmen because they’re so young and have a lot of room to grow as individuals.”

Jones is already planning ahead for next year. Also a member of Associated Student Government on campus, she hopes to involve more people, possibly increasing ASG involvement, to add even more activities and new ideas.

Overall, she says that the event serves to spread awareness of Peer Counseling, acceptance and overall kindness.

“It doesn’t take that much to do that little extra mile to make someone’s day – and what a big impact that could possibly have on someone’s life,” she said.

Special Education students help plan new garden Blueprint by Milton Deleon, Carlos Novelo, Troy, and Aiden Hotchkiss

Raevyn Walker Staff Writer Void of life, the patch of lawn behind the E-Building may stand as an unnoticed section of the campus today; but through the blueprints of Special Education students and efforts of the Eco-Garden Committee, the space will soon be transformed into a beautiful garden.

The Eco-Garden Committee, a group of teachers leading the project, centered their vision on having a self-sustainable flower and vegetation garden, which would receive tending by Special Education students.

The project received $500 from the National Wildlife Organization, in addition to a $5000 Community Enhancement grant from the City of Thousand Oaks. The committee is still applying for more funding, but the garden is scheduled for completion by spring of 2014.

The Eco-Garden Committee works towards having a garden that is self-sustainable by having an irrigation system to water the plants, keeping all the crops organic, as well as raised plants beds with other garden constructions produced by the

in this issue

woodshop classes.

“I wanted to give them a place of their own and a sense of ownership in their own creation,” said Anne Alvarez, special education teacher, on her motivation to start this garden.

The special education department gains unique benefits from this project.

Learning how to work in real-life settings, such as maintaining gardens, will help to enrich students’ present curriculum of interacting with their environment. The students will plant and harvest the organic crops, which support the Culinary Arts program.

“I really like that we are having fresh food,” Miranda Berenstein, junior, said. “And I want everyone to come and see it.”

The special education students began their work on the Eco-Garden project by giving their own input on the blueprints. Olwyn Kingery, landscaper and designer of the project, brought the blueprints for the garden to the students.

They added their own unique touches, such as

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STUDENTPILOTS

a fountain, bench, and butterfly plants. Students were allowed to write on the blueprints and decide on the layout.

Nevertheless, this garden is planned to better all departments of this school as other departments will collaborate with special education to complete the garden. “(The garden) builds community,” said Alvarez adding that, “whenever you pull different people from all aspects of life it can only create a better environment. By having other students with my students, we all benefit.”

A garden in the Newbury Park facility offers every student another way to make this home even more welcoming and become more involved with nature in the process. Eric Lindroth, photography teacher and one of the main coordinators of the committee, said that “the question I’ve always asked is, ‘why aren’t there more gardens in California?’... I think most of us have a disconnect with nature, and this (project) is a practical way to change that.”

INDEPENDENT STUDY

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Plans for the garden - A blueprint of the proposed garden project.

The project will be constructed behind the E-building.

Olwyn Kingery/With Permission

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PHOTOESSAY

2 News in brief news

The Prowler • Jan. 17, 2014

Mariam Syed Staff Writer Grace O’Toole Copy Editor

Local Councilmember Jacqui Irwin runs for California Assembly City Councilmember Jacqui Irwin of Thousand Oaks announced her candidacy for the California Assembly on her website, www.jacquiirwin.com. The seat is being vacated by Assembly Member Jeff Gorell, who is running for Congress. Irwin, along with her husband, has lived in Thousand Oaks for almost 20 years. She is the mother of three college-age children, and is passionate about activities that benefit youth and families, such as working to reduce underage drinking and binge drinking. Currently, Irwin is involved in educating the community about the dangers of youth prescription drugs. Irwin was first elected to the Thousand Oaks City Council in 2004, and was reelected in 2008 and 2012.

“Miss Representation” screened at PAC On Jan. 9, the 2011 film “Miss Representation” was shown at the PAC. The film has won several awards from around the world, and focuses on the representation of women in America.

The 87-minute American documentary, written and directed by Jennifer Siebel Newsom, explores how mainstream media helps contribute to the under representation of women in influential and powerful positions by circulating disparaging views of women. According to film.missrepresentation.org, the documentary is a combination of stories from teenage girls and “provocative interviews with politicians, journalists, entertainers, activists and academics like Condoleezza Rice, Nancy Pelosi, Katie Couric, Rachel Maddow, Margaret Cho, Rosario Dawson and Gloria Steinem.” The film raises awareness on the lack of positive role models for women and calls for a change.

Online at PPANTHERPROWLER.ORG ANTHERPROWLER.ORG Interested in travel tips? Read “Dodging the Nightmares of Travel,” an informational opinion article by Mariam Syed.

Varsity has winning streak On Jan. 8, all winter varsity teams, girls and boys varsity soccer and basketball, won their games against Agoura High School. Girls soccer had a winning score of 2-1. The goals were made by Alex Albaeck, senior, and Maddy Spangler, junior, in the second half. “Hopefully, we can keep our success in winning these games and continue to be a strong team,” said Spangler of her team’s win. Boys soccer also won 2-1. Girls basketball won in their game against one of their biggest rivals, although “it was a close game throughout the night; we were winning by one point going into halftime,” said Alex Brunk, senior. In the final minutes of the game, the girls had two three-point plays back to back, and Makenna Murray, senior, sank two free throws, making the final score 48-45. Boys basketball won with a score of 63-50. The next day, Jan. 9, girls water polo beat Westlake High School with a score of 18-11.

Bond proposed to fund technology A new bond measure aimed toward funding building repairs, upgrading science labs, and adding new security features to CVUSD schools is in the works. According to Jeff Baarstad, superintendent of CVUSD, if the bill is passed all schools in the district will benefit from the bond measure. The majority of the funds are allocated for remodeling aging schools, with an additional sum for a bond technology endowment fund. This technology fund will help modernize classrooms. As Baarstad said, “Technology is not a subject matter, it is a tool used for careers and education.” He also presented the possibility of switching from textbooks to e-books on Kindles in three to four years as a potential benefit of the bond funding. The measure will be voted on in November, with the first funding planned on coming into schools in the 2015-2016 school year.

NPHS to change out of Marmonte League Justin Buchanan Ad Manager Newbury Park High School will be changing leagues for the majority of sports teams starting next year. All sports teams will be making the switch to the Camino League, which consists of Calabasas, Agoura, Moorpark, Newbury Park, and Oak Park. According to Jason Klein, football coach and athletics coordinator, football will remain in the Marmonte League for the next two years on an association with Camino. After the time period ends, the sport will transfer to Camino.

The California Interscholastic Federation mandates that schools “re-league” within their area every four years, according to Klein. Larry Berlin, assistant principal, said that the process is decided by votes of representatives who attend from each school, in this case Principal Athol Wong. He noted this allows “weak forces [school teams] of leagues (to) get into different leagues.” The area that Newbury Park High School is in, the Northern Area, stretches from San Luis Obispo to Calabasas. “We were hoping for a six-team league … it didn’t work out the way we hoped it would,” Klein stated.

The reorganization and inclusion of Newbury Park in a new league does not alter the current opponents Newbury plays by much, according to Klein. “With the exception of Moorpark, these are all teams we have played before,” Klein said, noting that traditional rivals Westlake and Thousand Oaks were excluded. “There will definitely be some people who will be disappointed, but … we can still go out there and play them (Thousand Oaks and Westlake) whenever we want,” he noted.

“It’s kind of a shame that they (the basketball teams) don’t play in league anymore with Thousand Oaks,” Gary Fabricus, government and economics teacher, noted. “Hopefully they’ll schedule a game with them in non-league.” Fabricus is a parent of two sons, a freshman and a senior, who play basketball.

Regardless, Klein does not think the new system will affect athletic performance, stating “I’m not sure (the process of changing leagues) is good or bad … because we will still be playing many of the same teams,” he said, adding that “right now, our athletic program is really on the upswing and having a lot of success … I’m not sure this really changes our position.” Berlin agreed, stating that “We have a chance to compete with teams like us, and learn new things.”

Sam Ellison, sophomore, had a slightly different opinion.

“I think it’s good that Oaks Christian and Saint Bonaventure (which) are two private schools, who can recruit, are out of our league because they have a higher standard, a higher playing value, and they should be playing with teams that they can actually play against instead of running over teams like us who try our hardest but don’t have the athletic ability to keep up with them,” he said.

Ellison also noted that the league’s bringing in two new teams will be “a smart move” because the current league matches are predictable in terms of ability and who is expected to win. “It’ll be good to have a fresh team to play,” he said.

Ellison is also confident of Newbury’s athletic ability in the coming year. “I think we are going to do well because with the way that it is this is the first time they are going to play us and the first time we are going to play them,” he said, “and as long as we come out and play our kind of ball, I don’t think anybody is going to stop us this season.”

On the verge of victory- Tyler Cartaino, senior, prepares to pass a basketball to a teammate during a play. Amanda Lu/Pawprint

opinion Panther Prowler • Jan. 17, 2014

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AF FLU EN ZA •

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noun • the guilt or lack of motivation experienced by people who have made or inherited large amounts of money. 1

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In recent news, a 16-year-old Texas boy charged with killing four and seriously injuring two in a drunk-driving accident received what The New York Times stated was a “lenient” sentence: 10 years probation and a year of rehabilitation at a $450,000 California center in Malibu. The defendant, who could have faced up to 20 years imprisonment with possibility of parole after two years, pleaded guilty to four counts of intoxication manslaughter and two counts of intoxication assault, according to ABC News, but what stood out from the trial was his defense. A psychologist charged with assessing the defendant concluded that his actions resulted from “affluenza,” a recent theory that children from extremely wealthy backgrounds have no perception of consequences because of their wealth.

The theory was popularized in the late 90s by Jessie O’ Neill, granddaughter of a former General Motors president in her book “The Golden Ghetto: The Psychology of Affluence.” In general, the theory posits that “children — generally from richer families — have a sense of entitlement, are irresponsible, make excuses for poor behavior, and sometimes dabble in drugs and alcohol.” Although the theory was used in the defense of the aforementioned defendant by a clinical psychologist, it in general does not hold validity among psychological circles.

It is clear that in the economic food chain, America resides near the top. Despite talk of national debt, the housing bubble, and credit card debt, a Forbes report notes that the “bottom 5% of the American income distribution is still richer than 68 percent of the world’s inhabitants.” The phrase “first-world problems,” with all its cynicism, provides evidence of the disparity that exists between even America’s poor and the rest of the world.

And wealth can distort a person’s concept of reality: take for example the aforementioned “first-world problems” middle-class Americans experience, such as cracked iPhone screens and slow YouTube streaming. Wealth fundamentally allows access to a whole new environment while simultaneously restricting access to another one. In the particular case of the middle-class American, wealth has opened them to an environment with certain problems that arise, e.g. the cracked iPhone screen, while simultaneously restricting their access to other environments and problems, e.g. wondering what to eat for your next meal.

While wealth does distance people from different realities, the affluenza argument does not hold similar validity. The theory has been rejected by most psychologists, and it would make sense: the cause-and-effect relationship that the theory posits excessive wealth denied to children is as elementary as the alphabet. Humans learn cause-and-effect from day one; watch a baby that tries to understand its world. That such an elementary concept that actions have consequences could escape a boy who graduated from high school at 16 on the basis that excessive wealth insulated him is ridiculous.

If that was the case, then almost every rich child would have to suffer from some sort of this “condition.” Yet, there is a plethora of the super-wealthy’s progeny that lead productive, successful lives and happen to avoid the media’s scrutiny for irresponsible decisions. Clearly, the lesson of consequences pushed through millions of dollars in insulation.

The particular case of the Texas boy responsible for four deaths and two serious injuries is not the result of “affluenza”; another LA Times article indicates that the defendant was left to his own devices from an early age, being “allowed to drink at a very young age, and even (beginning to drive) at 13.” He also had previous drinking violations, one of them involving a female minor. Daily Mail also noted that his parents have had multiple traffic offenses, many of them dismissed, and psychologists indicate that the defendant’s family life was volatile.

What is really at hand here, then, is the age-old argument that justice is susceptible to economics. A rich person with a history and behavior pattern of committing offenses similar to the recent tragedy is allowed a lenient sentence, most likely because of the quality of his attorney. What this case should indicate is that the true victim of the wealth disease is not the rich kids insulated from the basic principle that actions have consequences. The victim here is the justice system, and this case indicates how necessary a cure is.

USING AFFLUENZA AS A DEFENSE, A TEXAS TEEN WAS SENTENCED TO

10 YEARS PROBATION AFTER PLEADING GUILTY TO KILLING FOUR PEOPLE AND INJURING TWO WHILE UNDER THE INFLUENCE

“

That such an elementary concept that actions have consequences could escape a boy who graduated from high school at 16 on the basis that excessive wealth insulated him is ridiculous.

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http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/affluenza

PANTHER PROWLER 2013-2014 staff

Editors-in-Chief Patrick Rewers Cassie Stephenson

News Editors Victoria Koi Nevnit Gill

Sports Editors Preston Hill Kishen Majithia

Copy Editors Liam Brown Grace O’Toole

Opinion Editors Courtney Brousseau Nathan Hickling

Ad Managers Justin Buchanan Business / Victoria Koi

Photographers Chief / McCall Stone Samantha Meyer

Entertainment Editors Liam Brown Dana Foley

Online Editors Courtney Brousseau Mariam Syed

Features Editors Justine Sizemore Kimmy Ferrante DPS / Grace O’Toole

Staff Writers Mariam Syed Raevyn Walker Samantha Meyer Shreya Chattopadhyay

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

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

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

Newbury Park High School 456 North Reino Road, Newbury Park, California 91320 (805) 498-3676 x 1109 prowler.newspaper@gmail.com

Adviser Michelle Saremi

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opinion Panther Prowler • Jan. 17, 2014

2014 Resolutions

COLUMN: Smiles Like

Teen Spirit

Patrick Rewers/Prowler

If you’re anything like me, the shininess of the New Year has lost its sparkle with the immediate return to routine of school after the initial excitement of break and hype of the changing new year. And as promised with any new year, the let down of unkept New Year’s resolutions is once again more often than not. I understand that making a New Year’s resolution is more often than not a recipe for a disappointing outcome caused by forgetfulness and loss of motivation, but if you are looking to make 2014 not just another year, I have a few suggestions that will (hopefully) start off your new year in a more positive and inspired mood.

1) Keep your goal clear and simple.

It’s hard to know what you are trying to

achieve when there is no destination in mind, right? Deciding exactly what you are trying to accomplish or change will give you the better sense of direction to take to achieve that type of goal. Keeping the goal less complex will also help you avoid an overwhelming feeling of a lot of change at once and keep your efforts focused daily towards the ultimate goal. If your resolution is “to do better in school,” it’s difficult to work towards and accomplish such an open-ended goal. Instead, make a goal for one class, or set aside an extra couple hours a week for studying, which will lead you to doing better in school, keeping you focused because it is clear what should be changed.

2) Take it step by step. This may sound obvious, but slowly working towards a goal is easier than trying to tackle the entire thing at once. By setting smaller goals in shorter periods of time, you can focus on certain aspects of the goal and find that working towards your ultimate goal will be easily obtainable because of each shortterm success. Also, steadily increasing the difficulty of the goal for each month, for example, will make it less intimidating to start and continue forth with your resolution.

3) Reflect and reward your accomplishments. Along with taking a resolution step by step to maintain motivation to complete the goal, rewarding yourself along the way wouldn’t hurt either. By setting intervals of time that break up a goal, rewards with each short accomplishment will bring the selfsatisfaction you will need to continue towards your goal long after the month of January. The point of a New Year’s resolution is to better oneself, whether it be mentally, socially, physically, academically, spiritually, etc., and with self-improvement comes self-reflection. If we do not monitor our progress as positive or negative, the lack of desire to continue towards our goal will grow; likewise, with reflection we can improve or continue to produce the best possible results and bring us closer to our goal.

It’s a new year. Although you nor I can predict what will happen this year, how it will happen, or when, we can take this new period of time to better ourselves on our own personal level, which will in return give 2014 the best possible chance of being a better year as well.

Midterms / Why We Procrastinate Shreya Chatterpadhyay Staff Writer It’s January -- panic month. It’s the month of attempting to stick to new years’ resolutions, grumbling (or bragging) about 75 degree winters, and being slapped in the face with the end of the semester only a couple weeks away. That means finals.

The stress of the looming permanent grade is mixed with the inevitable apathy that follows us after winter break, leading to a less than an ideal condition for studying.

Even with the mountains of work we have to do, most students tend to put things off until the last minute, choosing not to deal with everything until it’s almost too late.

Why is it that so many students put off doing their work? Oregon State University conducted a study on a few reasons why people procrastinate: Not knowing how -- Many people put off work simply because they don’t know where or how to start. While it isn’t fun, the only way to stop this is to identify what it is that you don’t know how to do, and put your energy into learning how.

Lack of interest -- Schoolwork can quite often be incredibly boring, and we find ourselves putting off the task for longer and longer, and ending up doing a lessthan-stellar job that took twice the time it needed to. The only way to really stop this is to tell yourself that once you’re done, you can do whatever enjoyable thing you choose. In the meantime, we just have to steel ourselves to the numbing boredom.

Lack of motivation -- The idea that the task you’re supposed to do is completely pointless, the “this-is-a-stupid-assignmentso-I’m-not-going-to-do-it” mentality. This is one of the hardest reasons to combat, because the only way to do it is to adjust your attitude and convince yourself that everything must have some value, however small.

Fear of Failure -- Before people start a task, there is the idea that trying really hard and failing is worse than not trying and failing. This happens when something is especially difficult and you’re not convinced

For the record...

P.5 The captions were left off the page due to a printer error.

you’ll be able to do it either way. To solve this, don’t quite set your standards so high and don’t expect perfection from yourself on everything.

Rebellion/Resistance -- Sometimes, you don’t want to do something just because someone you aren’t particularly fond of told you to. To stop this, you basically need to understand that not doing it is only going to hurt you, and not the people you are trying to defy.

Of course, not everyone falls into these categories. Sometimes, your only reason for putting off tasks is the newest episode of the Big Bang Theory, or perhaps up a single youtube video for chemistry help somehow led to laughing at a dancing cat three hours later.

But for those times when we actively procrastinate, when we reassure ourselves that we’ll do it later, it’s helpful to identify what our personal reason is, and how we should stop.

The Prowler deeply regrets and apologizes for any errors we have made. If you spot any errors we have missed, help us correct them by sending mistakes to: prowler.newspaper@gmail.com.

Samantha Meyer/ Prowler

Kimmy Ferrante Features Editor

Dana Foley Entertainment Editor They promised me perfect teeth, a perfect smile and a perfect life. It was a perfect lie.

Like any good lie, it was coated with halftruth, like candy-covered pretzels. What was concealed beneath the surface was three years of pain in pursuit of getting all my teeth to point in the same direction, three years of cheerful optimism that my braces would be off “next month” and three years of Nickelback music. After three years of captivity, “next month” finally arrived – just last month. Hopeful middle schoolers with crooked smiles had squeezed their parent’s hands in anticipation of their first visit. I shook my head in sympathy.

It was during that awkward phase in the middle of junior high, known as the seventh grade, that I was taken into the private welcome room to get my molds taken. I had no idea what a mold was or what I was supposed to expect, but considering they came with flavors I was immediately suspicious. I found myself assigned to a bulky chair (colored a kind of pastel green used only in dental offices and school cafeterias) as I nervously awaited my minty flavored paste to be put into my mouth. I’m not quite sure what they did with that mold of my thencrooked teeth, but I imagine it being sold in some strange orthodontic garage sale. After this assistant created the mold whip, she then brought me a silver device that looked almost identical to a trap used in the “Saw” franchise.

“Alright, now bite into this,” she said, holding her watch, ready to not only time me but also to judge my facial expressions of the fake minty cement in my mouth. In my second visit to the pastel chair, I received the same amount of pain but this time with more rubber bands. These blue contraptions were known as spacers.

Between the scarring of metal traps and blue rubber bands in between my back teeth, I decided I was ready for my non-existent braces to come off already. After the mental and metal scarring of the preparation, I received my personal train tracks. “Are you excited to get on these braces?” asked my orthodontist, Doctor McSmile. I attempted to express my doubts with a gurgling noise as I couldn’t say much with his gloved fingers in between my bite. I look back now and wonder whether or not my gopher fangs appreciated being chained up for three years, but I also look back and remember my desire for the li-thp, that was formed when a word came out of my mouth, to be gone. Although the drilling of teeth and taste of plaque is never as pleasurable as popcorn and Tootsie Roll Pops, I can’t say I regret sitting in the oddly colored chairs too much.

Today I sit in the similar chairs with straight teeth and wait for my retainer while looking at the seventh grader getting her molds taken. I feel the need to reach my hand out and tell her telepathically that I feel her pain, but sometimes it is better not to unmask those perfect lies too soon. Perhaps, like the theory of equilateral triangles, nonfat yogurt and pep rallies, some lies are for our own good.

features Panther Prowler • Jan. 17, 2014

Take to the

Victoria Koi News Editor

Sky An honor - Ryker Wall, senior, shakes hands with Julia Brownley, congresswoman, after receiving his congressional nomination in order for appointment to a U.S. service academy.

Ryker Wall/With permission

Not for the faint of heart - Connor Lavi, senior, pilots the N2104H aircraft, his first introductory flight.

It is pronounced using the NATO phonetic alphabet as “novembertwo-one-zero-four-hotel”.

Connor Lavi/With permission

McCall Stone / Prowler

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The average high school student has the chance to participate in a multitude of extracurricular activities: sports, arts, chorus, student government, etc. However, some choose a more unique route and take to the skies. Ryker Wall, Connor Lavi, and Will Webster, seniors, are all pursuing flying.

There are two main ways to obtain a pilot’s license - getting a private pilot’s license or joining the military. Most take the military route, and all branches of the military have opportunities to operate aircrafts. In order to fly one must be an officer, have attended Officer Candidate School, gotten a ROTC scholarship to a civilian school, or attended a military academy.

“What initially interested me was seeing the Blue Angels flying over Annapolis when I lived there. I just remember thinking to myself that I really wanted to do that as my job because to me, it didn’t even really seem like a job. It just seems like being on the most insane roller coaster ever and getting paid to ride it,” Wall said.

Lavi also wants to pursue flying within the military. “I have always wanted to be a United States Naval Aviator. Naval Aviators are naval officers first, pilots second. More specifically I want to be a Strike Fighter pilot,” he said.

“After the military, I have a few ideas of what I want to do: an aerial fire fighting pilot, flying for humanitarian organizations transporting people and supplies all across the globe, or maybe even flying private jets for the world’s elite.”

Not all military personnel can fly and it takes a considerable amount of commitment and recognition. Wall recently received his congressional nomination, which is essential in order to go to a military academy.

“I am currently waiting for an acceptance letter,” Wall said. “Basically the representative from your congressional district can choose 11 people to nominate and I was one of them, so thank God for that”.

The passion usually manifests itself young, and Lavi brought up the idea of pursuing flying to his parents about a year and a half ago.

“They have always known about my love for airplanes and aviation, so this was no surprise

to them. I laid out the training timeline, the costs, and emphasized the fact that I have always wanted to fly. I was actually surprised when they said yes because it was going to be a costly endeavor. I started to fly the day after my 16th birthday on April 4th, 2012.”

Webster, who is currently in the process of obtaining his pilot’s license, was influenced by family members. “My grandpa flew for navy, dad flies a lot, and my cousin flies for the marines.

I’ve always been interested in flying as a career,” he said.

After high school, Webster wants to go to Moorpark College, transfer, and then join the military after graduating. “I plan on getting my license around the time summer begins, then probably go on to get my instrument license,” he said.

Locally, there are several places for people to begin. There are a selection of flight schools in the area, including Channel Islands Aviation, which is the premier flight school in Ventura county and has one of the best flight training programs in the country, according to Lavi.

“It is a very professional establishment and prides itself on its quality flight training with special emphasis on safety and professionalism, both of which are reflected in the pilots they train,” He said. “I am home based at Camarillo Airport and do the majority of my flight training in the skies over Los Angeles, Ventura County, and Santa Barbara County.”

Among high school students, flying is not very common. “I feel like not many students are introduced into it. It is very expensive but if you are interested in it as a career it is completely worth it,” Webster said. “In my opinion it would be the greatest job because I could not sit at a desk on a computer doing work”.

Flying is not for the faint of heart, Lavi says. Students must keep up with studies, as it requires a lot of reading, understanding of concepts, and memorizing information.

“It is serious, demanding work, but above all, it is fun. There is nothing like being in control of your own aircraft at 8,000 ft above the beautiful California coast. With that being said, I highly encourage anyone interested in flying to do some research and figure out if it is the path for them.”

things you did not know about thin

Jennifer Lockwood Je

Science Teacher

Courtney Brousseau Online Editor

Worked at an armored car company, sorting money and occasionally guarding the door with a shotgun.

Was originally a phototography major but switched to marine biology.

Began teaching career as a long term substitute for a teacher caught growing illegal substances.

Lived in Maui for two months working on dinner cruise boat after her first year of teaching.

Was once handcuffed in the back of a police car after a stolen car’s license plate was incorrectly recorded as hers.

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independent study Panther Prowler • Jan. 17, 2014

STUDY

school outside of school Nevnit Gill News Editor To enroll in independent study is a voluntary choice a student may make in his or her high school career. This entails working outside of a classroom environment, and is made possible through charter schools, at home, online courses, and in several other forms. To apply, one must be enrolled in a local school.

Success in this manner of learning requires a large amount of motivation and commitment to learning, so it is not an easy alternative. The process requires weekly meetings with a teacher to ask questions and obtain assignments, as well as regular homework and classwork assignments.

This choice is available to students who find that their needs are not met within a classroom, or have other responsibilities that keep them from working efficiently in school. Some, like the Vezina siblings, enroll in the program to focus on sports. It is a flexible program that shifts to assist the students’ manner of learning. Those involved with the program are not forced to independently study the material for all of their classes, and may take some classes on a school campus in addition to their at-home courses. State law requires that this program must be at least equal in time and quality to a regular classroom course.

Several high school level charter schools in the Ventura County area include Academy of Arts and Sciences, Golden Valley Charter School, River Oaks Academy, Valley Oak Charter School, and Vista Real Charter High School.

To learn more, one can speak with a counselor to decide the eligibility of joining and understand more of the process, or visit (http://www.cde.ca.gov/sp/eo/is/).

Exploring opportunities(Above) Friend and fellow biker Mark Wallace, Riley Vezina, and Mckay Vezina (from left to right) are waiting for a race at a meet in British Columbia. (Left below) Riley launches off the start of her 100 yard backstroke at the Ventura County Championships. (Below and bottom right) Mckay rides a trail at Sun Peaks, British Columbia. (Top right) At the Conejo Simi Swim Club invitational, Riley awaits the start of the 100 meter backstroke.

Chris Vezina/With Permission

RILEY VEZINA

independent study Panther Prowler • Jan. 17, 2014

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Chris Vezina/With Permission

Preston Hill Sports Editor Riley Vezina, junior, begins her mornings not bothered with bells and assignments, free from the everyday stresses of the academic career of most high school attendees. Instead, she drives to swim practice, dives into the pool, and begins to swim--all before six in the morning.

Riley and her brother Mckay are both enrolled in independent study. The Vezina siblings use their freed schedules to pursue different passions. Riley, who hopes to swim at a collegiate level in the future, enrolled in independent study to follow her brother’s mountain biking adventures around the world and to make time for her twice-daily swim practices (early mornings and late nights) as well as additional gym sessions. Yet this situation entails a whole new set of responsibilities.

Riley, who has been in the program since the beginning of the first semester, takes the same classes that she would at any normal CVUSD high school. Riley currently takes the same classes that many of her peers have the opportunity to take, such as American History and English 11CP. With the free time that independent study allows for, she is capable of

maintaining both club and high school swim practices. “During high school season, it’s a lot different than doing club swimming. (In) club swimming we train two times a day and without independent studies, I wouldn’t have been able to do both practices … doing two practices will help all aspects of my swimming, both high school and club,” said Riley. Among Riley’s favorite events are the 100 yard backstroke, the 1000 yard freestyle, and the mile.

A swimmer since the age of eight, Riley’s commitment and dedication has paid off. Now that she has more time she is able to focus on her goal of swimming in college. “In high school I am a varsity swimmer but I plan on swimming in college, so hopefully I will be able to make a team,” she said. Riley is certainly making headway toward her goal; this past summer, she qualified for and attended the Summer Junior Olympics, one of many meets she attends each year.

Riley will be coming back to school for the second semester of the year, but this will not deter her from focusing on her swim career.

Nathan Hickling Opinion Editor Life is a fastlane. It never stops moving, even if you do.

This is especially true for senior Mckay Vezina, who has spent the last few years traveling around the world as a professional mountain bike racer.

“It’s hard to be at school and racing at the same time,” Mckay says.

This is what drove Mckay, who has been biking competitively for more than four years, to choose independent study.

“It just helped me be able to ride more and travel a lot more,” he says of his schooling. “Most of the time, a lot of my friends are older than me so they can ride all day, whenever they want, and now I am able to ride with them and I don’t always have to ride by myself after school.”

The independent study life is not as easy as it may seem, however. Mckay studies the same material that he would be studying in a standard classroom setting, including Nutritions and English 12.

“You take the same classes that you would take at any of the CVUSD schools, it’s just you do it at home by yourself,” Mckay says, adding: “You don’t have a teacher telling you what to do.” Mckay and his sister Riley meet a teacher once a week for an hour each, when they are tested on their respective subjects.

A typical day for Mckay includes a morning ride, his daily homework, a visit from his trainer (depending on the day), and a trip to the gym. It may sound routine, but his mountain bike racing keeps him traveling. Independent study has helped him accomplish that goal.

“It’s helped me just by allowing me to travel a lot more,” he says. “Before, when I was going to school, I wasn’t able to travel, and now I get to go all over the world whenever I need to go. It’s helped me a lot.”

He has traveled to multiple World Championships, placing seventh in South Africa, and was in two finishing races in Norway and Austria.

“You don’t get much better if you’re just practicing all the time, you have to be able to race a lot,” he says of the sport.

“Being able to race all year long has really helped me.”

Chris Vezina/With Permission

MCKAY VEZINA

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features Panther Prowler • Jan. 17, 2014

STUDENT VS TEACHER Chris Reusch/Sophomore

1In what year was the last

Lisa Adams/Math

8 Who was the second man to

Shreya Chattopadhyay Staff Writer

Harry Potter movie released?

You both got it -- Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2 came out on July 15, 2011. The score is 1-1.

2What is the largest club on

6-6

Samantha Meyer/Prowler

Adams: 2011.

Reusch: Wow, I can’t believe it was that long ago...2011?

Answer: 2011.

step on the moon?

Adams: Buzz Aldrin.

Reusch: Not Neil Armstrong….I don’t know.

Answer: Buzz Aldrin.

Neil Armstrong was the first man on the moon, with Buzz Aldrin stepping on it just after him.

Adams ties up the score, making it 6-6.

7 Who was president of the US

campus?

Adams: FBLA or Interact- I’ll go with Interact.

Reusch: Interact.

Answer: Interact or JSA.

in 1996?

It’s a tie!!

FBLA is pretty big, but Interact is still the largest with over 80 members. The score is still tied at 2-2.

3 Who had the best selling

4 What is the highest grossing

album of 2013, called the 20/20 Experience?

animated Disney movie?

Adams: Uh, I don’t know - Justin Timberlake?

Reusch: JT! Answer: Justin Timberlake.

Justin Timberlake’s 20/20 experience was the top selling album, with 327,000 sold in just the first week after release! I’m assuming Reusch was thinking of the right “JT”, so the score moves up to 3-3.

Adams: Bill Clinton.

Reusch: Bush? No, Clinton.

Answer: Bill Clinton.

Point to both, so the score goes up to 5-6, with Reusch still in the lead.

5 Where will the olympics be

6 Who invented the modern day vehicle?

held in 2020?

Adams: Lion King!

Reusch: Well, I know Frozen is pretty up there by now...Wait!

Lion King!

Answer: The Lion King.

Adams: 2020? Let’s see, Brazil?

Reusch: Okay, not Sochi...

Tokyo.

Answer: Tokyo, Japan.

Adams: Well, I doubt he’s American, but I don’t know so I’ll go with Ford.

Reusch: Ford.

Answer: Karl Benz.

The Lion King is the correct answer, with a lifetime gross of $422,783,777. Right again. The score is still tied at 4-4.

The The 2014 Winter Olympics are taking place in Sochi, and the 2016 Summer Olympics will be held in Rio, Brazil, but Reusch pulls ahead on this one -- 2020 will be in Tokyo. 4-5.

You’re right, Mrs. Adams, he wasn’t American -- The modern day vehicle was invented by German inventor Karl Benz. No one gets the point on this one, so the score stays at 4-5.

Helena Van Brande NPHS athlete accepted to Princeton University for water polo Kimmy Ferrante Features Editor While competing at the Junior Olympics this past summer, senior and varsity water polo goalie Helena Van Brande did not know that the game would help her on the way to be a part of one of the largest Collegiate Water Polo Association teams in the country, let alone that of Princeton University.

The sport is nothing new to Van Brande, who has been swimming since she was just four years old and playing water polo since her eigth grade year. After making the Cadet National Team two years ago she considered taking her sport to the college level. During her sophomore and junior year Van Brande took initiative in contacting multiple coaches by sending letters and information about her academic and athletic accomplishments to prospective colleges.

Prospective athletes for college sports teams, like Van Brande, go through the “recruitment process,” the steps that students take to become eligible for National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) athletics in college. Although she said she did not have contact with the Princeton coaches until the summer before her senior year at the Junior Olympics, and was in turn considered late in the recruitment process, her efforts paid off.

“At some point during the ( Junior Olympics) tournament, the Princeton coach saw me play and talked to my coach, who in turn talked to me. The next day I gave him a phone call

and it just went on from there.” Next year Van Brande will be playing on the NCAA Division 1 Women’s water polo team, which will play other Universities such as Brown, University of Michigan and Harvard.

Princeton is one of the country’s most elite Ivy League schools with only a 7% acceptance rate, according to College Board, and does not offer merit-based or athletic scholarships because all students who are admitted are “already… an exceptional student and/or a top-notch athlete,” but does offer need based financial aid that is usually generous, she said.

At the college Van Brande is planning to study English Language and Literature as her concentration (or major) and creative writing or philosophy as her certificate (or minor.)

One of the advantages of the university is that students do not have to decide their focus until the end of their sophomore year, so there is a possibility her direction of study will change, she said. “[Playing on the team] has been great, but I have to say there have definitely been ups and downs to playing at NPHS…The team changes every year; some people leave, some people join,” she said. With the college team she “is looking forward to everything,” but in particular she is excited for the opportunity to become close with her college team: “I will be living, eating, studying and practicing with my team-

mates,” which is something she could not experience on the NPHS team.

Beyond college, Van Brande knows there are still amazing athletic opportunities available to her, although she is unsure of what will happen after she graduates. “It would be a dream come true to go to the Olympics, and it is certainly a possibility, but I also have the ability to go play professionally in Europe, where there actually are professional leagues for women’s water polo,” she said.

For those looking to join a collegiate team, Van Brande recommends compiling a resume of their past teams and accomplishments to send to college coaches and to continue working hard while updating them on their progress. As a part of NCAA rules coaches are restricted on their contact with a student athlete at certain times and she warns, “the rules of recruitment are tricky, so dont be discouraged if you don’t get responses right away, sometimes the coach will keep observing you without saying a word.” She also stresses that academics are just as important as athletics, especially when looking at a higher-end college. “Sports alone will not get you into college and neither will they get you a job.”

Although she is ecstatic she will be attending college on the east coast and will be playing against “Olympic-level athletes,” she said she is still “super excited with our team this year” at Newbury Park.

entertainment Panther Prowler •Jan. 17, 2014

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Nathan Hickling Opinion Editor over her voice is what makes it work.

“Heaven,” by contrast, is slower and more deep, with Beyoncé’s voice pushing out, “heaven couldn’t wait for you.”

An interesting, euphoric beat goes along with the clouded piano accompanying her haunting melody. The video shows the contrast between happy and sad, cheerful and mournful.

The last track standing out on “BEYONCÉ” is “Blue.”

It’s relaxing and calming. The video shows the beach-like, tropical location Beyoncé had in mind while writing this song. It’s named after her daughter, Blue, and the child’s voice at the end shows the love and peace that she feels when she looks at her child. “Hold on to me, hold on to me,” she says to her baby, as she walks onto the beach with her back to the camera.

Although “XO” seems to be the most hopeful as a mainstream hit, with more traditional lyrics and the crowd chanting in the background, it’s certainly not the strongest song on the album. I appreciate what she was trying to do, but it’s too late; the real Beyoncé Knowles-Carter has finally surfaced, and she doesn’t need to look back.

The bonus video, “Grown Woman,” shows a lot about how much Beyonce has grown as an artist. It’s more like the icing on an already delicately crafted cake.

Bottom line: what Beyonce isn’t sure about herself, she shares with the audience via the accompanying videos. Yes, she takes risks, but she backs them up by showing she has a meaning behind each of her songs.

The Queen Bey isn’t going anywhere. She’s here to stay.

Sony Music/With Permission

Beyoncé, now 32 years old, has been all over the musical spectrum.

But the former Destiny’s Child singer has yet again proven that her status as an international icon and musical savant is not fading with time.

In short, if there was any risk in producing a visual album to be released only on iTunes as well as expecting success without any publicity whatsoever, it has been generously rewarded in the way of sales and critical reception.

“BEYONCÉ” is full of color. It’s an album where the listener can truly see and hear what the artist is feeling while she’s singing, and what she’s revealing about herself in the process. Of the 80 original songs recorded, 17 videos and 14 songs eventually made the cut. There’s a message at the end of each song, and the added visual context even more so validates what she was trying to accomplish.

“Pretty Hurts,” a mid-tempo ballad about the challenges of being in the public eye, is most likely the most revealing song on the album, and the one where Beyoncé shines brightest.

Even as she belts out, “perfection is the disease of a nation,” it’s easy to hear the emotion and vulnerability in her voice.

“Blow” is a more traditionally Beyoncé-esque song, complete with the smooth and classy sound her fans have come to know and love. Most likely to make the listener want to turn his or her speaker up, it’s something you picture the female version of James Bond would have on her play list.

With her repeats of “keep me coming, keep me going,” it shows its very open and sexual nature, but Beyoncé’s control

2014 Oscar Predictions Liam Brown Entertainment Editor

Nathan Hickling Opinion Editor

“Saving Mr. Banks”

With three solid hits under his belt (“The Fighter”, “Silver Linings Playbook”, and now “American Hustle”), David O. Russell is fast becoming one of my favorite directors -- not just due to the strength of his films but also due to his story: once a brilliant but short-tempered firecracker known for picking fights with his stars (Google his name and “George Clooney” will also appear, referring to a near-fistfight he had with the actor while filming “Three Kings”). Now, he’s been able to overcome his past and his difficult image, entering a new era and creating thoughtful pieces on perseverance.

Very loosely based on the true events of the ABSCAM (short for “Arab scam”) scandal of the 1970s involving FBI investigations into stolen property trafficking and political corruption, “American Hustle” excellently assembles a dynamite cast and weaves a complex, satisfying plot, starting with Christian Bale and Amy Adams as two con artists who team up with Bradley Cooper as a wild-card FBI agent to take down even bigger targets. Jeremy Renner appears as a corrupt New Jersey mayor and a scene-stealing Jennifer Lawrence as Bale’s wife.

Thanks to Russell’s encouragement of improvisation, each actor dynamically makes their respective character their own -- especially Bale, who gained 40 pounds for the role and slouched his posture, herniating two discs in the process. Although it runs long, “American Hustle” is a fascinating, often hilarious portrait of deception and survival, and it’s a major achievement for Russell. Here is a man who has successfully turned himself around while completing arguably one of his most ambitious projects yet. Oscars predictions include recognition for Russell and Eric Warren Singer’s smart, funny screenplay, and for the excellent period production design put on display here.

You’ve been watching it all wrong.

For those who had any experiences with Disney films during their childhood, “Mary Poppins” stands out as one of the most iconic of them all. Unlike its counterparts, it stood on its own: unmarketed, unexploited, and without its own ride in Anaheim.

After seeing “Saving Mr Banks,” I can say with certainty that PL Travers, the tortured author of “Mary Poppins,” wouldn’t have had it any other way. The John Lee Hancockdirected movie starring Emma Thompson as Travers boldly shows the meaning behind the magic, pulling back the curtain on how cartoon penguins ever came to dance across Hollywood, and how Disney himself, portrayed by Tom Hanks, convinced Travers to trust him with her story.

“Saving Mr Banks” is refreshing. It’s emotionally pulling.

But most of all, it finally shows us the adult side of a beloved classic, and the hidden narrative within it.

We all remember childhood differently. The experiences we had shaped us to make us who we are today. There’s a deeper meaning behind every memory, and the more we remember, the less we understand. I think that’s the most important part of this movie. Anyone who remembers being young and vulnerable can relate to it (and besides that, Thompson’s performance as a quick and quippy perfectionist is both smart and entertaining).That’s why “Mary Poppins” takes on a completely different role after seeing this film.

“Saving Mr. Banks” is definitely expected to win at the Oscars, if not for Thompson’s performance, then for its screenplay. Although Sandra Bullock in “Gravity” would seem to have the competition wrapped up for Best Actress in a Leading Role, I wouldn’t put it past the Academy to choose a less popular but equally as suitable candidate.

Cassie Stephenson/ Prowler

“American Hustle”

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entertainment Panther Prowler • Jan. 17, 2014

Comedy Sportz Club: stepping up their improv comedy game

Justine Sizemore Features Editor Playing the games - (Below) Grant Escandon, senior, Grayson Nemets, junior, and Haley Chaney, senior, turn back the clock and must perform a sketch in decreasing increments of time in the game “Countdown”. (Bottom right) Nemets and Joe Barnes, senior, mime an excuse for why Escandon arrived late, which he must explain to Chaney in “Late for Work”.

McCall Stone/Prowler

Stuck in unicorn traffic at Disneyland with Barack Obama: it sounds wacky, but for Grant Escandon, senior, this is just another day competing as a member of the high school division Comedy Sportz team. “(Comedy Sportz is) so much fun. It’s a lot like theater but there’s so much more freedom in character,” Escandon said. “You get to decide which character you think would work best for each scene.””

The game against La Reina on Friday, Jan. 10 marked the beginning of “Comedy Month,” a promotional event involving home game performances every Friday in the month of January, except Jan. 17. The month-long function was senior and president Casey Bowen’s idea, which he hopes will generate increased awareness and interest.

“We are putting a more concentrated focus on media, and hopefully with Comedy Month we can pull some more followers of the program so it can live on after we graduate,” he said.

Comedy Sportz games rely largely on participation from the audience, who are expected to think on their feet and get involved nearly as often as the players themselves. Throughout the night, both teams perform in a number of improv games and skits, feeding off suggestions from the crowd. Points are awarded based on applause, laughter, and other forms of energetic response.

“This year in comedy sports has been very different simply because a lot of our iconic players within the team are gone. But that’s how it is every year,” Haley Chaney, senior, said. “When the seniors leave, new people have to step up, and this year it was finally our turn to take control of the team. So far, it’s gone pretty well considering we’ve won every game we’ve played.”

During weekly practices, the team focuses on ways to improve their individual improvisation skills as well as their group dynamic.

“We are really going back to the fundamentals so that we can all improve ... not just in technique but also in our own style,” Casey Bowen, senior, said. “You can really see the different flavors everyone performs with when we play.”

Student Voices: What are you looking forward to in the second semester?

Samantha Meyer Assistant Photographer

“(I’m looking foward to) the weather getting nicer.”

“I’m looking forward to the next rally ... because rallies are fun.”

Kristen Banaszkiewicz sophomore

Mark Daftari junior “I want to get better at dancing so I can be more professional.”

Amanda Lu senior

Samantha Meyer/Prowler

Chandler Martineau freshman

“I’m looking forward to a relaxed semester without many projects, and graduation.”

sports

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Panther Prowler • Jan. 17, 2014

HOLD ON TIGHT Risk of concussions and injury is not enough to keep Colt Oder off the bull

Patrick Rewers Editor-in-Chief Most sports at the school require buying some form of equipment and travelling for away games, but for Colt Oder, junior, wearing bullet-proof vests and driving to Fillmore are just part of pursuing his sport.

Oder was born in New Mexico to a family with a history of rodeo experience. His mom is a professional barrel racer, horse riding around obstacles for the fastest time as his sister is learning to do, and Oder himself is two years into bull riding. Oder rides “all over California”, and has been “to Utah, Nevada, and New Mexico, California. All over.”

Despite all his travelling, there are few places to ride locally. Besides practicing half an hour away, Oder has to seek opportunities to continue competing. “It’s really a dying sport. It’s tough because there’s not many competitions around California, so you have to travel, and I travel when I can get the opportunity and do it.”

One of the large concerns of bull riding is the chance of getting hurt. Until they reach the age of 18, riders have to wear a vest and protective helmet to keep them safe, and it is recommended they continue afterwards.

“There’s a lot of dangers. I’ve already gotten two or three concussions already, and I’ve been riding for maybe two years now. But anything can happen. People die.”

Despite the risks of riding, Oder still continues his passion for the intensity of the competition.

“I enjoy the adrenaline rush. You’re on a two-thousand pound animal, and you’re going against it, but you’re not trying to hurt it or anything. You’re just trying to make eight seconds (on the bull),” he said.

The actual riding time period is short, but the work behind it is complicated. The technique and practice that goes into being prepared physically and mentally helps the rider stay safe and ride professionally.

The better the control and body position, the higher the score, and every move helps determine the final score.

“There’s tons of different techniques and stuff. You can watch videos, because mental preparation is a big part of it. You can’t be scared or intimidated going into it. You have to be confident about it.”

Just a few more seconds - Oder rides for competition, staying on the bull for eight seconds to meet the required time.

Colt Oder/with permission

Panther wrestlers successful in finals Robert Knight and Jake Wood win weight divisions at Nogales Super Champs Kishen Majithia Sports Editor Raevyn Walker Staff Writer

Take Down - Kevin Luo practices wrestling moves in order to prepare them for upcoming matches.

McCall Stone/Prowler

Teardrops of sweat slither across every single face. Only ten minutes have passed into this practice, which is one of hundreds. Day in and day out, the team rehearses tactics, strategies, and wrestling moves, all in unity. They must be the swiftest, the fastest, the strongest. Members of the wrestling team have put in much time and effort in the off-season and now they are beginning to experience the results. A plethora of awards from the year of 2014 marks a season of success for the wrestling team.

The wrestling team receives records, medals and placings by having not only one star player, but by reaching their goals as a collective unit. Robert Knight, junior and heavyweight, took home a championship in the Nogales Super Champs Tournament where his performance also earned him MVP honors for the heavyweight class. His teammate Jake Wood, sophomore, also took home a championship in the 160 pound category for what he calls, “his greatest accomplishment.” Wood has won the last three tournaments. Lastly, Kevin Luo, senior, is one of the leaders on the team and looks to make his last season a strong one.

Luo says that, “Knowing that this is my last season has made me work harder.” Luo’s third place in the last tournament proves the validity behind his efforts.

Their returning head coach Gary Murphy especially attributes these accomplishments to the fact that their off-season was attended by many of the members. He says that they improved dramatically and acknowledges that now, conditioning is their main strength. Also, the new assistant coach, Lindley Kistler, gives them an advantage, as Kistler is a former wrestler who received top class training during his career. “(Kistler) has taught them exceptional strategies and techniques and improved their knowledge behind wrestling,” Murphy says.

Murphy says that the team’s biggest weakness is its overall health. Currently, many on the team work towards recovering from injuries. Additionally, he desires to grow his team to have more wrestlers in every weight category.

The wrestlers join the sport with a common goal, but not always for the same reasons. Kalani Sanchez, freshman, is wrestling this season for the first time in his life after being persuaded to take up the sport by his friends. Sanchez said he joined the team because, “I like that it is both a physical and contact sport.”

As the team approaches the heart of their season, they continue to push through intense practices, as all the wrestlers, newcomers and returners work towards keeping their reign of championships.

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sports Panther Prowler • Jan. 17, 2014

McCall Stone Chief Photographer Samantha Meyer Assistant Photographer The kick that starts it all - Nathaniel Johnson, senior, plays the ball upfi p eld. McCall Stone/Prowler Fighing for the ball - Quinn Allan, junior, battles for possesion during the match against Dos Pueblos. James Herron/Prowler

Victory - Jayne Avendano, junior, and Sarah Jimenez, senior, celebrate after Avendado scores a goal during the game against Camarillo.

James Herron/Pawprint Moving ahead - Katherine Wolfe, sophomore, leaves a defender behind as she maintains possesion.

Samantha Meyer/Prowler

Breaking through the boundaries - Ryanna Hammond, junior, evades her defender.

James Herron/Pawprint Running up the field - Freddy Cruz, junior, looks for an opening during the 2-0 win against Thousand Oaks.

McCall Stone/Prowler