2013-2014 Issue 6 (February 7, 2014)

in this issue

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pantherprowler.org

PANTHER PROWLER Friday February 7, 2014

Issue VI

Newbury Park High School

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

SpeechandDebate

tournament held on campus Full house - Over fifty rooms were used to accommodate close to 300 people as the Speech and Debate continued long into the night.

Sammy Meyer/With Permission

Nathan Hickling Sports Editor Close to 30 schools came to Newbury Park on Feb. 1 to attend the Speech and Debate Individual Events Competition, which began with registration at eight in the morning, and the awards ceremony afterward lasted until eight at night. The tournament, designed to judge individual speeches, utilized over 50 rooms.“ There are around 300 people, but you can only put so many people in a room,” Jessica Han, club president, said. “Like, six people, because that’s how many there are per round.”

According to Han, speech preparation takes about a month, with memorizing beginning a couple days before presenting, depending on how easily it comes to the presenter.

She described the hardest part as “just finding what you want to talk about, finding the right speech or piece that you want to do, and then portraying it or presenting it in a way that does well.”

Chaminade, Oaks Christian, and La Reina were among the many high schools that sent representatives to the tournament, as well as other schools from the San Fernando Valley. Initial

planning for the event began in November, and according to club advisor Miharu Altmire, everything ran very smoothly.

“Our job was to provide food and hospitality for the judges, and then food to sell to students,” she said. “The profits made from selling food go directly to our club.”

The profits gained will help pay dues for the Speech and Debate Club, as well as travel expenses if any student qualifies for the state competition, which will be held in Modesto.

Although the money hasn’t been counted yet, Altmire expects that the club made over $300.

Among those helping set up was Michelle Chau, sophomore, who worked the food tables and put up posters around campus to assist the visiting school.

“I made some friends along the way for sure,” Chau said. “It was just really fun seeing what other people do outside of school and how they performed.”

The club will be participating in six to eight more competitions throughout the year, with about half of the club’s 30 members having participated last Saturday.

School sports welcome new coaches

Round and round - Each event required participants to go through three rounds, including Blake Angelastro, Sophomore.

Sammy Meyer/With Permission

Patrick Rewers Editor-in-Chief Justine Sizemore Features Editor With the start of the spring season beginning in March, the new semester is set to bring more than just the usual change of sports. New head coaches Kelsie McMahon, John Brennan, and Carrie Wright are taking over for girls track, lacrosse, and volleyball, respectively.

“It’s not all that uncommon (to bring in new coaches,)” Larry Berlin, assistant principal of athletics, said. “We have an amazing coaching staff, and I can say they don’t do it for the money. The problem is … we don’t pay well.”

Berlin explained that it is often difficult for coaches to meet the required athletics schedule and simultaneously maintain a full time job.

“It’s very very difficult for professional people to coach,” he said. “It’s a little bit easier for teachers because their schedule is aligned with students. When you take fifth period out of the equation, it’s a lot easier to coach, and it’s a lot better than a walk-on coach. It’s a big commitment.”

When hiring a coach, several factors are taken into consideration.

“A coach needs to be a teacher ... I don’t mean they have to have credentials, but we like someone with experience, and we prefer someone who (has) coached before. They need an understanding of the game (to) be able to work with students and at the same time I want someone who will ... also focus on the academic portion,” Berlin said. “And organization is a must. The bureaucratic side with paperwork and people.”

McMahon, 2005 alumna, has exactly the skill set the athletic program is looking for. She has been a runner since youth track in addition to playing both basketball and soccer, and was student body president before graduating. She was coached by Marty Maciel, physical education teacher, and Stephen Svoboda, social science teacher.

Though the season begins on March 1 due to California Interscholastic Federation scheduling, McMahon has already started her coaching program.

“I have only met those runners who have come out for preseason, but I am very excited to meet the rest of the team,” she said. “I want to be able to help athletes succeed and have fun in track just as I did.”

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news The Prowler • Feb. 7, 2014

News in brief

Online at PPANTHERPROWLER.ORG ANTHERPROWLER.ORG Are you a fan of Sherlock? Read Grace O’Toole’s review on the dramatic new season online.

Samantha Meyer Staff Writer

Financial Aid Workshop Hosted For Seniors

Drought Emergency Strikes Ventura County

A USC financial aid representative spoke to the senior class and their families on Jan. 29 after school in the cafeteria at a financial aid workshop hosted by the NPHS Counseling Department.

Students and their parents learned that in order to receive financial aid, students have to fill out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) form, which is free, but if they want to see what kind of financial aid they can get, they have to pay $90 to fill out a College Scholarship Service- PROFILE (CSS-PROFILE) form. The representative also gave information on the yearly prices of different colleges and how it can affect the amount of financial aid, scholarships or loans students are able to receive.

Governor Jerry Brown declared a drought emergency in California on Jan. 17, asking cities across the state to cut back on their water use by about 20 percent, as state reservoirs are reaching low levels. This has hit Ventura County especially hard, since “the drought’s immediate impact is felt most acutely by our livestock producers, who rely on natural forage,” according to The Citizens Journal, a website discussing local news. “Without rain, there’s no grass, and that means they must either buy supplemental feed or sell off their stock.” It is recommended that residents try to voluntarily conserve water as best they can.

Margaux Jones chosen as Girls State Candidate Nathan Hickling Sports Editor McCall Stone Chief Photographer The American Legion Girls State candidate has been chosen from the group of five girls was called into the office and informed of her nomination.

“When I looked more into it, I was very excited,” she said. “ I saw it was something that I nominated by staff and teachers. Margaux Jones, junior, will be representing Newbury Park at would actually be interested in.” the event, which will be held at McKenna College in Claremont from June 23 through 28.

After being informed of her nomination, The program, which is nonpartisan, is Zhang turned to last year’s delegate, Nicolle San designed to educate its participants on the Jose. inner workings of state government. Its “The whole point is to get women more alumni includes an impressive list of current involved in the world and their government,” and former politicians, in addition to other San Jose said of her experiences, adding, “To see notable public figures. One candidate is chosen a completely female-ran government; that was from each school after being interviewed, and pretty cool.” given the opportunity to participate during the The Girls State program is sponsored by the summer.

American Legion, an organization founded for “It’s basically a convention that a lot of girls veterans that have served in war. The Girls State go to, and they create a mock government,” NICOLLE SAN JOSE Auxiliary that chooses from the nominees in the Elizabeth Zhang, one of the five nominees from area is located in Camarillo. this year, described. “Each girl has an elected or an appointed position, and they serve for that “I hope to gain a lot of leadership experience,” week that they’re staying at the convention.”

Jones said. “Hopefully, I can bring back some of Many of the nominees, including Jones and Zhang, were unaware of the program until they the things I’ve learned to our own school, as I’m involved in leadership here.” were nominated. Jones said she had no prior knowledge about what Girls State was before she

“

The whole point is to get women more involved in the world and their government

”

opinion Panther Prowler • Feb. 7, 2014

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THE DEATH OF THE INTERNET

AS WE KNOW IT

why you should be up in arms about the end of net neutrality a recent ruling by a US Court of Appeals

STRUCK DOWN NET NEUTRALITY

WHY SHOULD YOU CARE? WITH NET NEUTRALITY

INTERNET SERVICE PROVIDER YOUR COMPUTER

WITHOUT NET NEUTRALITY

INTERNET SERVICE PROVIDER

$

In a recent verdict of the United States Court of Appeals, a policy called “net neutrality” was struck down. “Net neutrality,” known under the Federal Communications Commission as the Open Internet Order, enforces the notion that the Internet is a freemarket, ensures that all sites will be treated equally in terms of connection speed and priority, and forces Internet service providers (ISPs) to follow these rules. Now, the end of net neutrality means the death of the Internet as we know it.

The open Internet made exponential growth possible. It’s a massive collection of ideas, sites, and constant growth, all completely free to access. There were no fees for accessing a certain site and having a faster connection. Also, it allowed small start-up companies to get access to the same consumer populace as large companies, giving them a fighting chance.

Before the decision, the Internet was more or less a giant sandbox. Large ISPs such as Verizon and AT&T could not block websites or content that is lawful, and could not discriminate against a particular site or content by slowing down connection speeds.

The largest and most immediate fear stemming from the end of net neutrality is that ISPs will begin to run the internet like a cable television package -- they will have the ability to slow down or block access to different sites, in turn forcing customers to pay extra. Think of it as a cable company as opposed to a telephone provider. Telephone providers (like the Internet with net neutrality still in place) cannot discriminate and only let some telephone calls through to a customer. Cable TV companies, on the other hand, make a customer pay for select channels, or even channel packages. For example, Verizon sells television deals starting with the “Select HD” package for $49.99/month, including 145 channels, and culminating with the “Ultimate HD” package, with 380 channels for the price of $89.99/month.

The fear is that the situation with the television packages will mirror itself with ISPs: “$15 for the popular Google/YouTube/Facebook package! And for the low price of $29.99, get unlimited access to Netflix as well!”

Not only will customers have to pay for faster access to these bigger, more well-known sites, but the access to smaller sites will become slower as a result; all the worse for the independent retailer or small business owner. If this happens, the Internet economy will gradually become dominated by a few major corporations that can dictate prices on their own terms due to minimal competition and deliver products of whatever quality they want to the consumer. The result: a higher cost of living.

All of this means that ISPs can make more money from the Internet while not actually improving it, and in the process solidify their own political standing, intruding into the free market of politics. While chances are that our world will not become controlled by evil corporations via the Internet, the risk of increased power to large companies at the expense of the consumer and innovation remains. The Internet could very well cease to be a network of activity and creativity with the potentially stifling blocks on accessing information and sharing ideas.

Of course, it should be noted that the FCC had no legal authority to regulate the internet, but that is a legal snafu that can be easily amended. But better a third-party organization to regulate our online economy than companies with ulterior motives that willl most likely manipulate it for their benefit.

The ISP’s should be a bigger worry, and many internet users have already reacted against this -- over a million took action in the first two weeks after the ruling. A group of organizations managed to gather these individual’s signatures on a petition aimed toward overturning the recent ruling. Other big-name companies are making their stances clear as well, with Netflix promising to do their best to revoke the order, warning that it would lead a mass customer protest against the law if it is implemented. Google is putting its might behind this movement as well.

If net neutrality remains revoked, the Internet will become just another market for ISPs to take advantage and cease being the buzzing hive of growth and creativity that it is now.

Graphics by Cassie Stephenson,Patrick Rewers, and Haley Berardinelli/Prowler

PANTHER PROWLER 2013-2014 staff

Editors-in-Chief Patrick Rewers Cassie Stephenson

News Editors Victoria Koi Nevnit Gill

Sports Editors Nathan Hickling Courtney Brousseau

Copy Editors Liam Brown Grace O’Toole

Opinion Editors Kishen Majithia Mariam Syed

Ad Managers Justin Buchanan Business / Victoria Koi

Photographers Entertainment Editors Chief / McCall Stone Liam Brown Assistant / Samantha Meyer Dana Foley

Online Editors Courtney Brousseau Mariam Syed

Features Editors Justine Sizemore Kimmy Ferrante DPS / Grace O’Toole Staff Writers Daulton Beck Haley Berardinelli Shreya Chattopadhyay Samantha Meyer Raevyn Walker

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 • Feb. 7, 2014

COLUMN: One-Third of Life Spent in Adventure Gotta Personalize

Patrick Rewers/Prowler

A dream is a succession of images, thoughts, or emotions passing through the mind during sleep. Dreams are created by your subconscious mind, and can be interpreted in the most intriguing manners.

Because you are not consciously aware of your subconscious mind, it is almost magical to find a connection to it through dream interpretations.

Without really caring for dreams or waving them off as unimportant, one can easily become lost in their happenings and not notice why they feel or act a certain way. There is so much you already don’t know about the world, so why not find out as much as you can in the easiest possible

way? Interpretation, however, is not the only interesting exploration of the world of dreams. One can also delve into out-ofbody experiences, and lucid dreaming as well. The average American spends about one-third of their life sleeping--why not make use of that time?

For example, if you ever dream of yourself trapped in an elevator, it would be difficult to imagine the meaning of something so plain. Yet dream interpretation argues that it means you are feeling anxiety and stress in the midst of a change. The dream process is an attempt to present troubling emotions and worries to the conscious mind to resolve. Recurring

dreams are evidence of this, and will continue to haunt you until you find their meaning. Your subconscious mind is far more perceptive than your conscious mind, and the entire idea of dreams in general is full of wonder-some parts that are simply waiting to be explored. There are “dream dictionaries” out there to help you interpret the work of your imagination.

In addition to simple interpretations, there is the entirely different idea of lucid dreaming. Lucid dreaming occurs when you can control your dreams while you sleep, although it does take away from the understanding your dreams factor. Lucid dreaming at times can give you so much power over your sleep that you might wake up when you really shouldn’t be awake and find that you cannot move, which can be excruciatingly horrifying. This is a naturally occurring phenomenon happens at a certain point during the night when your body becomes temporarily paralyzed, to keep yourself from moving during your time of rest.

But the most interesting of all forms of dreaming is the “out of body experience” or OBE. This is a less common experience to come across. In this form of dream, you leave your body and can explore the world. People who have gone through this report strange powers such as flying and walking through walls, and end up seeing buildings that actually exist. Perhaps what we are living in our conscious minds is not a simple reality, and there might be other dimensions we have access to. Maybe we truly have these almost supernatural powers, and the mind we are using now is a cage keeping you from using those powers.

Never underestimate your mind.

In any case, dreams should not be ignored.

The State of the Union is strong - is President Obama?

Courtney Brousseau Online Editor Everyone can relax. The state of the union is strong - at least according to President Barack Obama. In his address last Tuesday, President Obama outlined his agenda for the year and commented on the small amount of progress his administration was able to achieve in 2013. However with the midterm elections coming up in November and with his approval rating at a dismal 43%, the real question is if the President will be able to regainenough support from the American people to maintain the Democratic majority in the Senate.

Last year, the President’s legislative agenda was extremely ambitious and included increased gun control, comprehensive immigration reform, and a minimum wage increase. Despite his best attempts, however, Obama was unable to make much progress, mostly due to the administration being bombarded by criticism over the rollout of Obamacare, probed about the extent of the National Security Agency’s wiretapping, and blocked by the Republican-controlled House.

In contrast to last year’s agenda, the President outlined a more modest plan

that included many of the proposals from last year’s address and will rely much less on action by Congress. In fact, Obama has vowed to use the Executive Order to the full extent possible under the law and called upon individuals like business leaders and mayors to work towards collective progress.

While it is great that Obama is finally standing strong in the face of extreme opposition, the truth is that he can only do so much without Congress. For example, the President announced an Executive Order yesterday that will raise the minimum wage of federal contractors to $10.10 an hour however it will only apply to future contracts meaning that the impact will most likely be relatively small.

Above all, the State of the Union address showed that the President is weak. Scandal and an uncompromising Congress have left the President between a rock and a hard place. Obama’s greatest asset up until now has been his speeches. His message of hope and change allowed him to overcome being relatively inexperienced in order to win the election in 2008. In last five years, however, Americans have grown tired of hearing promises from Obama that were simply

For the record...

In the last issue, in the Student vs. Teacher feature, the biggest club on campus is actually FBLA, meaning Mrs. Adams is actually the winner.

unachievable which is probably why the President decided on a more modest agenda this year.

Obama has a lot of work to do to regain the support of the American people and he only has about 9 months to do it. He has to inform the American public about the extent of NSA wiretapping and quell the associated scandal. He has to get the rollout of the Affordable Care Act back on track and secure a presentable number of enrollees, both old and young, in the program. And he has to find ways to make even the most minor victories in the face of an uncompromising and counterproductive Congress.

While this is obviously a daunting undertaking, it is also an essential one. If the President is not able to regain support from the American people, he will risk losing the Democratic majority in the Senate and increasing the Republican majority in the House. Not only will this give the Republican party more leverage in the 2016 election but it will mean that the last two years of the President’s time in office will be riddled with even more obstacles, blockades and disappointment.

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.

‘Em All

Samantha Meyer/ Prowler

Nevnit Gill News Editor

Dana Foley Entertainment Editor We’ve all done it. Sometimes when no one is around, sometimes in those quiet, desperate moments when we think no one is watching.

We look down and think, wondering what motivated us to etch our initials on a school desk or park bench or to write our name in bubble letters on the back of our spiral notebook. There is a diagnosis for this form of self-gratification, found in young and old alike. The term is personalization. And unlike “team”, there most definitely is an “I” in personalization.

There is an unwritten rule that every minivan you run into in a suburbia must have a stick figure family decorating the rear window so that you know just how many kids are crammed in the back seat watching “A Bug’s Life” on the low quality DVD screen glowing inside. Some families try to keep it fresh by replacing the stick figures with sandals or even soccer balls to add that personal touch. It was only last week that I witnessed firsthand the dark side of personalization when following an SUV in Simi Valley decorated with parent-sized, teen-sized and kid-sized assault rifle bumper stickers. In case this personalization was too subtle, a phrase below proclaimed proudly “Our family plays hard!”

This personalization taken to extremes isn’t just limited to vehicle decorations (Shout out to my neighbor with the Romney 2012 sticker). We also tend to personalize food and beverages – like the custom triple foam latte with an upside down espresso shot at Starbucks, or my personal favorite, penne pasta from Olive Garden with only butter and parmesan. We even incline to mark ourselves with nicknames we give to ourselves like Skippy or Stevie on the first day of the new semester when in reality the only person who calls you that is yourself.

While not in league with the assault rifle family, I myself have become a victim to the allure of extreme personalization, expressing my unconditional love for TV shows like “Arrested Development” and movies like “Trainspotting” through posters, pins, iPhone backgrounds, and Tumblr reblogs.

Even at an innocent age, I worshipped at the altar of “101 Dalmatians”, buying every single piece of merch I could lay my fiveyear-old hands on and pledged my loyalty to the NintenDogs I haven’t played with in five years. But sometimes more personalization simply makes you a human advertisement.

Your name may be Bob, and you may have a BMW, but maybe having a custom license plate that reads “BMW4BOB” isn’t completely necessary.

As any self-respecting guidance counselor will tell you – self-expression is a good thing.

We all need ways to assert our quirks. At the same time, it’s not essential for me to know the names of all your children, your favorite radio station and your unsettling obsession with the cartoon character Betty Boop just by looking at the back of your Hummer (I’m talking to you, Shannon and Natalie).

Perhaps some personal details are simply best left as… personal.

features

A Day at Disney

Panther Prowler • Feb. 7, 2014

Kimmy Ferrante Features Editor

Samantha Meyer / Prowler

Associated Student Government members acquired new ideas for campus activities, visited with students from other schools, and regained their sense of school spirit on Friday, Jan. 31 at a leadership retreat held at Disneyland. The 33 ASG members and ASG co-advisors Jennifer Halpert and Alana Bond all enjoyed the day off from school to attend the convention hosted by USA Student Travel.

Emily Sweetman, senior and ASG president, says some of the highlights of the trip include “listen(ing) to an inspirational speaker (and) team bonding,” an essential aspect of ASG. She also says that it gives the group more practice in planning for future events and allows them to discuss ideas with other students from other schools.

The inspirational speaker, Keith Hawkins, spoke with two sets of students at the convention and gave valuable lessons in leadership. Sarah Jimenez, senior and ASG vice president says, “He talked about basically being a leader, making a difference on your campus, being that person to go out of your way to brighten someone’s day, to just don’t be afraid to be the leader on campus, or to be yourself.” Sweetman adds, “He had a lot of messages but mainly just to bring back positive energy to our campus and not be afraid to be the leader.”

While in the conference, every member was able to meet with other school representatives and discuss what activities they each do for their school and how they carry out the events. “We assigned groups and swapped ideas with a few students,” Sweetman explains, “Personally the ones that I heard we had already been doing at our school, but it was good to see how they were put on at other schools. A lot of our classmates did (get ideas.)” After the trip, “We’re going to have a discussion on the

things that we heard at Disneyland.” Because both junior and high school students attend the conference, some were paired with older students while others meet with younger representatives. Jimenez, for example, was able to share the school’s own activities and help others develop new ideas when she met with junior high students. “I was paired with middle school students so I was basically the one talking because I was the one in high school.” From conversing with other students, everyone “get(s) encouraged to create a better school,” she says.

Halpert, an ASG adviser for the past five years, says that this trip is beneficial to the members because it “kick-starts” the second semester and rekindles their motivation.

“When they (ASG) go to something and they see how excited all these other kids are, and they’re able to get ideas from other programs, and then they implement them into our school and when they see the results of it... it reminds them why they’re doing what they’re doing.”

During the summer, the staff attended a similar program at University of California Santa Barbara, called the California Association of Student Leaders, or CASL. Just as the Disneyland trip helps the students prepare for the spring semester, the summer camp starts off ASG’s year. “We do the CASL one over summer to kind of kick start the year, and by the time we leave the CASL camp, they pretty much have the first month of activities planned,” Halpert says. The four day “sleepaway camp” was similar in the activities that took place at Disneyland, but was “more intensive,” Sweetman adds.

ASG has been going to the USA Student Travel convention at Disneyland since 2007 and will continue to attend the leadership retreat in the years to come.

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ASG attends leadership retreat at Disneyland

Leading by example - Conrad Jones, freshman, Sarah Jimenez, senior,and other ASG members participate in chant-off with other schools as they enter a Disneyland hotel for a leadership confrence. Victoria Crider/With Permission

things you did not know about thin

Kira Burns IMT and Textbooks K Dana Foley Entertainment Editor

Self-proclaimed “crazy cat lady” but cannot own any cats because her landlord does not allow them.

Has been an on and off vegetarian since the age of 14.

Had pink hair in high school, sewed patches on her clothing, and wanted to grow up to be a rock star and photographer.

Loves the concept of time travel; favorite movie is Back to the Future.

Purchases vintage clothes at thrift shops which she sells on Etsy.

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ROP Panther Prowler • Feb. 7, 2014

Pawprint/With Permission

James Herron/Pawprint

Pawprint/With Permission Work and study - (Top left) Auto service students briefly look up from their activities. (Middle left) Students put together floral boquets as a part of their course.

(Bottom left) Chris Kemerling works on a metal horse.

(Top right) Welding student at work on project. (Bottom right) Christian Servin holds the final product of his and Kemerling’s work.

James Herron/ Pawprint

ROP James Herron/Pawprint

egional

James Herron/Pawprint

ccupational

rogram

preparing students for future careers

Shreya Chattopadhyay Staff Writer Daulton Beck Staff Writer

Regional Occupational Program (ROP) is a program designed to prepare high school students and adults for success in future careers.

The program focuses on hands-on learning for more than 500,000 participants. It includes 72 programs and centers statewide and is tuition-free, which allows those from all economic backgrounds to enter into the program.

There are two ROP programs offered on campus: culinary arts and cabinet making.

In ROP culinary arts, taught by Leigh Ann Diffenderfer, students are introduced to the hospitality and food service career track. “The students learn all kinds of principles in cooking in the commercial kitchen and the purpose is to give the students the opportunity to operate in a real life restaurant atmosphere. Many of my students go into culinary school and eventually into the food service,” Diffenderfer said.

The other on-site ROP program, cabinet making, deals with woodshop and building

skills to “train students in applied and hands-on skills if they’re interested in jobs relating to woodworking, construction … cabinet making, those interested in building trades. It’s a good class for students who are hands on, kinesthetic, realistic, (because) and they’ll have the opportunity to build things,” said Nick Colangelo, the career education coordinator.

According to the ROP website, approximately “85% of the ROP students secure employment or pursue additional education.” After completing the program, graduates receive a Certificate of Proficiency which grants the students more opportunities in finding a job.

“ROP gives students the opportunity to apply knowledge and to apply content knowledge and to build and construct things that are tangible and real and for a lot of students its a really meaningful experience because they can see in front of them, the value of their hard work physically manifest into something real,” said Colangelo.

ROP

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Laura Vajcovec, senior, joined the ROP program in hopes of gaining experience in order to pursue her interest in being a registered nurse. Initially one of her friends from another school was interested in the Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA)ROP course and set her interest in joining the program as well.

“I’ve always wanted to be a nurse, and I figured, what better way to gain some knowledge and experience of what the field would be like?” she said. The profession of being a nurse runs in Vajcovec’s family, which plays in a major role in why she wants to pursue this particular career.

During the first half of the semester students listen to lectures and practice skills in a lab with dummies and hospital beds. During the second semester, students will be interning at a long term care facility.

“We will be working with actual patients and shadowing CNA’s, & through the duration of our internship we will be working over 100 hours which will qualify us to be tested to become actual California Certified Nursing Assistants,” she said.

Vajcovec enjoys the program and believes it has helped her in pursuing her career. “You learn many new things about the medical field and how interesting and amazing the human body is,” she said. “This program is perfect for people who are interested in a certain career field and want to know more, but aren’t sure if it is something they would like to pursue. I would definitely recommend this ROP course to other students.”

In the field of culinary arts, students participate in an on-school restaurant called the Panther Cafe. Students get the opportunity to prepare food and learn sanitation techniques in a real-life setting. The class teaches students how to run all the aspects of a restaurant, even including the practice of table setting and proper attire, and serves the staff a completely prepared luncheon once a month. Students cook food, set tables, and serve food, running all aspects of the Panther Cafe on their own.

“The whole purpose of Panther Cafe is to give students the experience (of operating) a restaurant,” said Leigh Ann Diffenderfer, who is both the instructor and executive chef of the Culinary Arts ROP. This course effectively prepares each student for a position in the Culinary field, even awarding every student who passes with a certificate that qualifies them for a job in the field.

The Culinary Arts ROP goes further than learning information, as it teaches students citizenship and character that is just as necessary to succeed in the field as the skills themselves. For example, students recently helped give out lemonade and cookies to fundraise for Alex’s Lemonade Stand. Students with a passion for cooking and the culinary arts have the opportunity to thrive as a part of this program.

Mariam Syed Opinion Editor

Pawprint/With Permission

Victoria Koi News Editor

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Emergency First Responder

Pawprint/With Permission

When high school students are asked what career path they hope to follow, many mention careers in the medical field, such as being a doctor or a nurse.

Senior Madison Dederick has taken her first steps towards fulfilling this dream by taking an ROP class to train as an Emergency First Responder (EMR).

Among the ROP classes offered at the school, the EMR course provides hands on career preparation. The goal of the EMR course, offered twice a week in the afternoons and evenings, is to prepare the student for going into the field. For Dederick, whose course instructor was an Emergency Medical Technician (EMT), each class consisted of different scenarios pertaining to what the students learned that week, allowing the students to experience a variety of situations they could face as EMRs. Dederick, who first heard about the class at the end of junior year, opted to take the class in order to decide if it was something she wanted to do for a living. “The course sounded like the area of work I wanted to go into (and) I figured that taking a class like this would separate me from the pack,” Dederick said.

Senior Oscar Olvera, who is currently enrolled in the EMR class, is learning valuable skills such as taking vitals and taking blood pressure. For Olvera, the class is a way for him to gain professional skills in order to achieve his career goal of going into law enforcement. “At the end of the class, you get a certificate and (for this course) become CPR certified,” said Olvera.

ROP classes emphasize hands on experience, which allows students to gain knowledge on the skills that they would need for a profession. “There are plenty of classes at school to teach you the ‘things to know’ but in reality this class actually taught me the skills. Sitting in a class and actually having hands on practice are two different things,” Dederick said.

Certified Nursing Assistant

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Culinary Arts & FHA Hero

Panther Prowler • Feb. 7, 2014

Pawprint/With Permission

4 Experience a working reality - (1) Students training to be nursing assistants help make beds.

(2) At the health fair, two students run a table challenging attendees to test their reflexes.

(3) Those enrolled to train to be certified nursing assistants relax and take a short break from their duties.

(4) FHA Hero members catering College Night, hosted at Westlake High School.

Raevyn Walker Staff Writer

Leigh Ann Diffenderfer/With Permission

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features Panther Prowler • Feb. 7, 2014

STUDENT VS TEACHER Matt Wallack/Sophomore

1 The Great Barrier Reef in

Matt LaRocca/Government

8 What title did Yertle hold in

Liam Brown Entertainment Writer

LaRocca: “I’ll go with South Africa.”

Wallack: “Papua New Guinea?”

Answer: Belize.

Well, this is a less-than-promising start, as the correct answer is Belize. The score stands at 0-0.

Dr. Seuss’s book “Yertle the Turtle”?

LaRocca: “Hmm … King Turtle.”

Wallack: “I have no clue …

Turtle Bearer?”

Answer: “King of the Pond.”

Samantha Meyer/Prowler

Australia is the world’s longest. The second longest barrier reef lies off the coast of which country?

So close, LaRocca! The answer is “King of the Pond”. The score remains 5-4 as Matt Wallack is crowned champion of this round.

7 What song made it to

2 Which privilege allows

the number one spot on Billboard’s year-end Hot 100 chart at the end of last year?

members of Congress to send mail simply using their signature, sans postage?

LaRocca: “Franking privilege” Wallack: “Franking privilege” Answer: Franking privilege.

Mr. LaRocca isn’t a US government teacher for nothing, and it looks like Matt’s US government education has paid off. The score advances to 1-1.

3 At a $418 million domestic

Wallack wins!

5-4 4 Next year, NPHS will be

gross, this film beat out “Iron Man 3” to become the highest grossing movie of 2013.

changing out of the Marmonte League to a new league. What is this new league’s name?

LaRocca: “I’m gonna go with I don’t know.”

Wallack: “I’ll take a stab at it and say The Hunger Games.”

Answer: The Hunger Games: Catching Fire.

LaRocca: “Camino.”

Wallack: “Camino.”

Answer: Camino League.

It looks like both of you paid attention to The Prowler last issue.

The score moves to 3-2.

5 At NPHS, what does ROP stand for?

LaRocca: “Regional Occupational Program.”

Wallack: “Regional Occupational Program.”

Answer: Regional Occupational Program.

Moving along quite nicely. The score is now 4-3.

I’m giving Matt the point; the full answer is “The Hunger Games: Catching Fire”. Score moves to 2-1.

LaRocca: “‘Royals’ by Lorde.”

Wallack: “Uh...‘What Does The Fox Say’?”

Answer: “Thrift Shop” by Macklemore & Ryan Lewis feat.

Wanz.

Unfortunately, the top spot didn’t go to either song; the correct answer is “Thrift Shop” by Macklemore & Ryan Lewis feat.

Wanz. The score stands at 5-4.

6 This year’s Super Bowl is a face-off between which two teams?

LaRocca: “Seattle Seahawks and Denver Broncos.”

Wallack: “Seattle Seahawks and Denver Broncos.”

Answer: Seattle Seahawks and Denver Broncos.

Football’s biggest day and you two are both successful in something I only learned a few days ago. The score moves to 5-4.

The Panther Pipers Bagpipe group plays a role in role in NPHS tradition Raevyn Walker Staff Writer Haley Berardinelli Staff Writer The sound of bagpipes and drums are what brought the Panther Pipers together. Incessantly, every Thursday at seven o’clock the Panther Pipers gather in the cafeteria to share their love of music.

Most students and teachers know the Panther Pipers as one of the many groups, which performs at senior graduation every year. The band specifically plays for the faculty as they walk in to the ceremony, always with a rendition of a song called, “Pomp and Circumstance”. Their annual performance makes the moment unique for both the students and faculty.

The band began meeting twenty years ago and hasn’t stopped playing since. It first consisted of members of all different ages, who each had the common goal of having fun and playing music.

When describing their music, Rick Freed, a senior member of Panther Pipers said, “(it) broadens the usual musical spectrum.”

The members characterize their music as “bagpipe music”.

The Pipers play traditional songs which are themed for the venue of their performance. Occasionally, the Pipers feature covers of commonly known songs, or create their own original pieces.

“Turns out playing the bagpipes is (also) a competitive sport,” Rick said. When the Panther Pipers compete, they perform in a very specific way. The band marches out to the floor, then form a circle and play their music. There are about fifteen to twenty Panther Pipers participating in each competition. The Panther Pipers also play in local parades and can be hired to play for a party or event.

Many family members participate in the Panther Pipers together. The connections do not cease in this aspect.

Through the group, friendships were made, relationships were formed, and camaraderie persisted. Doug Freed, son of Rick Freed, attributes the group to what kick-started his musical

career. The musical interest that first led him into the band formed a lifetime love for music, even leading him to create a record and going on tour. Doug said, “The Panther Pipers have become more like a second family to me.”

For anyone who has experienced senior graduation multiple times, the Panther Pipers continue to be a cherished tradition that will persist not only in graduation, but as a memory for their listening audiences. Principal Athol Wong, reflects on the practice of the Pipers performing at senior graduation as she said, “To have the Pipers at our graduation ceremony seems to be a . . . tradition that has been developed.

Its not that traditions don’t change, its just that they change very slowly.”

In the future, the Panther Pipers hope to increase their members. They currently give free lessons to anyone of any age that is seriously interested. Rick said, “The bigger the band is, the more fun it is.”

entertainment Panther Prowler •Feb. 7, 2014

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Sadie Hawkins becomes an annual tradition Samantha Meyer Assistant Photographer Winter Formal started at seven o’clock on the music courtesy of the DJ encouraged students to dot, administrators collecting tickets at the door. dance.

Throughout the night, about seven hundred “School dances are a way for students to tickets were collected from students, meeting come together as a whole and to be proud of the ASG’s goal for sales. This, and the different vibe school they go to,” Ashley Berry, junior and ASG the Sadie Hawkins theme brings to the dance, member, said. “(They can) just have fun.” has given them the idea Although she chose to possibly continue the not to ask anyone to tradition if the students’ the dance, sophomore feedback on the event is Amanda Chiou supports positive. and looks forward to the At the past two Sadie Hawkins theme Winter Formals, ASG has becoming an annual promoted a Sadie Hawkins tradition. theme, in which girls “I like it as a tradition are encouraged to break because it goes against classic stereotypes and ask the mainstream of a guy a boy to the dance. But, if asking a girl,” said Chiou. students want to they can “It’s good to have the also go with friends, and other way around.” boys can still ask girls.

ASG members are “I think it’s different and currently working on it’s a good way to change making a pros and cons it up from all the other chart of how Winter dances,” Emily Sweetman, Formal went so they can senior and ASG president, talk about their opinions said. “I think it takes a lot on the dance. Soon, AMANDA CHIOU of pressure off the guys, they hope to discuss the but at the same time it possibility of extending makes the dance come off the theme into next year’s as a ‘date dance’, and that’s Winter Formal dance. something we want to try “We did it last year to avoid because we want as many people to feel and we got a lot of positive feedback from that, so free to come as we can.” we did it again this year,” Sweetman said. “As far Whether students had a date or went with as doing it again next year, we don’t know yet. It’s friends, this year’s dance was “a success”, Sweetman going to be (depending on) how much feedback said. At the event, a dessert table was provided we get from this dance and I know that some outside the gym where students could hang out people like it and some people don’t, but we’ll look and talk, and inside winter decorations and loud into (making it a tradition).”

“

I like it as a tradition because it goes against the mainstream of a guy asking a girl; it’s good to have the other way around.

”

Dancing the night away - Students take to the dance floor at this year’s Winter Formal held on February 1 in the gymnasium. The theme was Sadie Hawkins for the second year in a row, and may become a tradition in the future.

Samantha Meyer/Prowler

Student Voices: How should “Titantic” have ended?

Kishen Majithia Sports Editor

“Rose should have died with Jack because I think that’s what Jack would’ve done for Rose.”

“I think they both should’ve died… because it’s a tragedy and they kind of made it a happy love story since they got reunited at the end.”

Kareem Btaddini freshman

“Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet are on their little raft, and what happens is that Kate’s pneumonia just takes over and she dies, and Leonardo stays on the raft for a good ten minutes until he realizes he can’t take it anymore, and then he stands up and he’s about to drown himself but then somebody shoots him in the chest and he falls back into the water, just like in ‘The Great Gatsby’.”

Jeremy Pang senior Brenna Blomenkamp junior

“Jack should have pushed Rose off the door and shouted ‘SURVIVAL OF THE FITTEST.’”

McCall Stoe/Prowler

Nazzo Khalil sophomore

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entertainment Panther Prowler • Feb. 7, 2014

Review

a look at two of YouTube’s starring channels

Cassie Stephenson/Prowler

Vlogbrothers

MattG124

Shreya Chattopadhyay Staff Writer

Nevnit Gill Staff Writer

Vlogbrothers; noun. A vlogging duo of brothers on YouTube. Made of awesome (according to urban dictionary).

The YouTube channel vlogbrothers, run by brothers John Green and Hank Green (yes, THE John and Hank Green, bestselling author and creator of Vidcon respectively) started in 2007, when the two brothers refused to communicate in any other way than vlogging (video blogging). Now, seven years later, Vlogbrothers has turned into the hub of one of the largest, most diverse online communities of fans, and a catalyst for change.

What makes the Vlogbrothers different isn’t that they are funny, or informative, or meaningful, or even simultaneously all three -- what makes them different is their ability to spread ideas, their ability to make people care about things, and their success in creating a community dedicated to changing the world. While they are rarely cliche, the Vlogbrothers talk about things that matter in a funny, nonpretentious way, that makes you (god forbid) want to learn, and want to change things.

The videos on the channel don’t fit into any one category -- video titles include “Are Poor Countries Doomed?”, “How to Apologize like a Fartbag”, “On Middle School Misery” and “Global Warming and the Polar Vortex”. What they all share in common, though, is the energy and enthusiasm that has led to their 1,732,285 subscribers and their loyal community of fans.

As of late, many of the popular videos on Youtube are rants or hopelessly overdone, making finding a YouTuber with truly comical and original videos a difficult quest. MattG124 certainly fulfills expectations with his quirky personality and strange dares that take strong willpower to actually complete, and make his work incredibly enjoyable.

“Dare MattG” is the more prominent segment of his channel, with several rants and informational videos on the side that are, surprisingly, just as interesting. “Get Weird, Be Weird, Stay Weird” is his motto, for he is truly living his life to the fullest and having fun with every weird thing he does, without worrying about what others think. He has dyed his armpit hair, blended a Happy Meal into a drink and consumed it, placed blue Gatorade in a Windex bottle and drank it in public (alarming many civilians in an amusing manner), and jumped into a tub of water while covered in tampons. Yet these are only a few of the countless dares he has done. A concentrated handful of “no shame” in his wonderfully bizarre videos create an interesting dynamic in which he is not afraid to take on any challenge, no matter how crazy.

He also happens to film the nerdy side of things, making his channel all the more fantastic. And where else might you find someone with the will to actually follow through with such bizarre demands? So go watch MattG, the king of originality, on YouTube.

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18 Hour

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PLAY3 Festival 6

Theatre students create plays under pressure Raevyn Walker Staff Writer

Introducing theater students to a newfound source of both stress and satisfaction, the 18-Hour Play Festival took place in the Performing Arts Center on Saturday, Jan. 18. The students were able to successfully perform impromptu plays under pressure.

Students created, rehearsed, and performed five different plays all within 18 hours. The writers started to think about their scripts about two days before the event. But they had no clue what to expect. The director gave the writers limited choices for the props that they could use, only revealing on the day of the festival. With no time for auditions, writers hurriedly assigned each actor a role and the actors rushed to memorize.

The time pressures eliminated any possibility of a full practice of the plays. The first full run-through of the play also functioned as the first and only performance of the plays.

“There were a few meltdowns,” said Rena Dvoretsky, sophomore, the stage manager for the festival, “but I enjoyed the feeling of community and teamwork.”

The festival successfully raised $2,000 which entirely profited the drama department. This resulted from the lack of any expenses for the project. All of the props and costumes were reused from previous plays. A large audience viewed the plays, which generated much pride for every student who took part in the festival. Danielle Rollins, director of the festival and a drama teacher said, “I wanted to give the kids an opportunity to have a play that was one hundred percent student ran.”

The logistics of the plays seem at first to be mostly stressful, but participants insist that there was a balance. Mariah Cosner, senior and a lighting director in the festival, attributes her success to many people. She said, “It wasn’t just one person ... my show was very

organized and I was lucky to have a group that had some experience.”

Rollins formulated the idea for the 18-Hour Play Festival from a similar event she participated in college, except that event took place over a period of 24 hours. The director hopes that after the success of this festival that they will be able to sort out security and permission measures, in order to extend the 18-hour play festival into 24 hours in the coming future. She believes that anyone can and should participate in the festival, especially if they desire to immerse themselves in theatre through a unique production. Rollins said, “This is an experience like no other, that you can have with no experience.”

Solving the mystery - Miranda Kildee, junior, in a scene from “A Horrible Night at the Trufflesteins”, a murder-mystery whodunnit put on at the play festival. James Herron/Pawprint

sports

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Panther Prowler • Feb. 7, 2013

Boys Tennis Prepares for New Season Kishen Majithia Sports Editor As the end of the winter sports season Oaks. draws near, preparation for spring sports is “I am optimistic about the upcoming in full swing. The boys tennis team has been season and I think that we have a great shot at taking part in preseason training every day achieving our goal because of a strong incoming after school with the coach and mathematics class of freshman. In addition, the “net-game” teacher Richard Kick. Their first match is of the team is a high priority. We would like set for the to be able to attack the net and last week of end points efficiently in both February. doubles and singles,” said Lee. “We want to Kick has also been working always play as on improving the doubles best as we can,” play, with many exciting RICHARD KICK Kick said. “Last doubles players entering the RICHARD KICK year was great, team this season. and this year This gives the team even looks to be even better.” more to look forward to in terms of success on Seniors Alex Lee and Michael Hsiao are the court. getting ready to take on leading roles for “Traditionally we have been strong in the upcoming season as co-captains. Lee, doubles, and we’re excited for some additionally knowing that this is his last season, discusses good single players for help in doubles,” Kick the importance of taking care of the future of said. the tennis program.

For the seniors on the team, this will be “I hope to integrate the new freshman into their last chance to make a lasting mark on the the varsity team. By helping the lower class tennis program. men improve their tennis skills, I will not only “I would like to enjoy this last season, yet help the current team, but also establish a solid with a strong competitiveness. Win or lose, I foundation for future years,” he said. would like to take comfort in the fact that I left When asked about his upcoming role as everything on the court,” said Lee. team captain, Hsiao said, “I have picked up a With this realization comes a certain lot of tips and techniques from years of playing amount of pressure. “I have a greater sense of and from Mr. Kick that I hope to share with urgency to work hard and push the team to my teammates. I get to fire up the team this succeed this year knowing that I am a senior,” year because Jeffrey Yan (last year’s captain) is Hsiao said. “I’m really eager to play this year gone too, so that will be fun.” because I know that our team in general has The team hopes to qualify for a California made great strides since last year. Our school Interscholastic Federation (CIF) spot - a feat doesn’t get the respect we deserve and I feel they haven’t accomplished since 2011 - and that this could be a special year for Newbury to beat rivals such as Westlake and Thousand Park tennis.”

“

Last year was great, and this year looks to be even better.

”

Going out strong - Alex Lee (top left) and Michael Hsiao (top right), are working hard to have a successful last season of their senior year, while Andy Reddy (freshmen) and Cruz Thayne (sophomore) prepare for new responsibilities. McCall Stone/ Prowler

Dance Team Sets Goals for Future Shreya Chattopadhyay Entertainment Editor

The beginning of February brought with it the beginning of competition season for the school’s dance team. February 1 was the first competition of the notorious ‘comp season’, where the team competes in dance competitions almost every weekend.

Out of the six categories dance team entered, they placed in all six -- winning three first places and three second places.

As national champions and winners of countless awards, team members hold themselves to a high standard of excellence.

Emily Chea, a junior and third year dance team member, said “I personally think we did very well! There may have been little mess ups in each dance, but it’s okay because we learn from our mistakes and fix them for the upcoming competitions” about the team’s performance at the competition.

While the team entered six dances, the hip-hop dance is the widespread favorite, and the most inclusive. The entire team is a part of it. Of the dance, Chea said “we work so hard on this dance and its a dance with every person on our team so it truly requires team work. And plus hip-hop is super fun!”.

Dance team’s first success of the year was greatly celebrated on social media, especially Twitter. The @nphsdanceteam twitter page tweeted out “First competition was a success! 3 firsts and 3 seconds! #dt4l (dance team for life)”. The tweet got three retweets and eighteen favorites, and many people tweeted in congratulation of the team, saying things like “what’s losing when you’re on NPDT?” and “You’re boss. That’s why.”

“With us working extra hard in practices and working together as a team, I strongly believe we can make our goals happen -- which is winning everything!”, Chea said.

Amy Fang, a dance team sophomore, said “I’m excited for what competition season has in store. We’re going to win!”.

Ready to Rock - Posing for the applauding crowd, the dance team performs to “Don’t Drop that Thun Thun” by FiNaTTicz during the Winter Concert to prepare for their competition season, with Stephanie Murphree, freshman, at the front. Samantha Meyer/ Prowler

The Right Moves- As they dance onstage at the Winter Dance Concert “Fragments”, Emily Chea, junior, (left) and Sabrina Parker, junior, (right) practice their routines that they used for the dance competition.

Samantha Meyer/ Prowler

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sports Panther Prowler • Feb. 7, 2014

THAT’S A

WRAP Samantha Meyer Assistant Photographer Intercepting the ball - As she concentrates on the ball, Allison Barbee, senior, makes a grab to steal it from her opponent. Samantha Meyer/Prowler Kaitlyn Williams, Helena van Brande, Nevada Blankenship, and Sarah Marshall, seniors, recieve flowers at their final home game.

Samantha Meyer/Prowler

A flying pass- Amanda MacDonald, junior, throws the ball to one of her teammates.

Samantha Meyer/Prowler

A throw to victory- Aiming at the goal, Victoria Juan, freshman, forcefully tosses the ball.

Samantha Meyer/Prowler

Flowers and FriendshipHillary Flores, junior, gives a hug to Mackenzie Culbertson, senior, at the last home game. Samantha Meyer/Prowler

The kick that starts it all Focusing on her teammate, Elise Begg, senior, prepares to launch the ball. Samantha Meyer/Prowler