2013-2014 Issue 7 (February 28, 2014)

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in this issue

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ALEX’SLEMONADE STAND

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pantherprowler.org

PANTHER PROWLER Friday February 28, 2014

Issue VII

Newbury Park High School

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

Former coach honored in court naming Cassie Stephenson Editor-in-Chief Grace O’Toole Copy Editor

Queen of the Court - Former coach Nori Parvin holds her plaque as 1995 alumna Julie Wastell speaks about her experiences as a player on Parvin’s girls’ basketball team at the court naming ceremony on Feb. 13.

Samantha Meyer/Prowler

People crammed together in the corner, shoulderto-shoulder under a jersey hanging on the wall; former coach Nori Parvin stood slightly apart from the group, intently watching the JV girls basketball team play on the court.

Coming up to her was a steady stream of faculty and alumni, offering congratulations through the roar of the crowd. Parvin chatted amiably while keeping one eye on the game, a banner with her name on it unfurled and tacked to the wall behind her.

On Feb. 13, the gym court was named after former girls basketball coach Nori Parvin in honor of her many years of dedication to her athletes and students.

Although the initial hope was for the gym itself to be named after Parvin, it was eventually decided that naming the court would parallel the naming of Hurley’s Field; that is, naming the court itself rather than the gym, just as the field instead of the stadium was named after former coach George Hurley.

“That’s where she was working, on the court,” Athol Wong, principal, said, adding that “the only disappointment is that ‘Parvin Court’ isn’t alliterative -- but that’s okay!”

Wong nominated Parvin as a candidate for the highly selective naming process on account of her

extensive service to the school. Among the requirements were letters from colleagues, former team members, and administrators.

However, Wong had no doubts that Parvin would qualify, saying that she (as well as Hurley) “exceeded the qualifications for the service component.”

In Wong’s view, Parvin was not only an experienced as well as a dedicated coach and teacher, but also an integral part of the school’s culture.

Even more so than her “success athletically, I think more important to me are the contributions … made to the culture here,” Wong said, adding that although the school has demanding athletics and academics, “going after the win at all costs” is not a part of the general attitude taken toward sports. “Part of the reason that such culture exists is because of people like Coach Parvin,” Wong said.

“Parv is so much more than just a basketball coach,” said Julie Wastell, 1995 alumna, “she’s one of the nicest and most caring people I know.” Wastell played under Parvin’s coaching from 1992 until graduation. Her team went to State Championship and CIF in her senior year, with Parvin at the lead. “I can’t imagine walking in this gym and not thinking about the legacy that Parv has left,” Wastell said.

Westlake High School student files appeal over suspension Kimmy Ferrante Features Editor A video released on Feb. 10 showed community members speaking out against the five-day suspension of Westlake High School senior Dominic Conti. The same community members addressed sexual harassment and their dissatisfaction with how Westlake High School has dealt with past incidents.

Conti was suspended after a football game on Oct. 11, 2013 in which he was involved in an altercation with a football player who was allegedly sexually harassing his younger sister.

He, his father Larry Conti, and a security guard approached the player, who responded by lunging at Conti. Conti’s father allegedly threw a punch at the player and Conti pushed down the player’s arm in self-defense, according to CBSLA.com.

Both the Contis and the football player’s families have filed restraining orders against each other, officials reported.

Conti, a 4.4 GPA student who is well known in his school and his community as ASG President, lost his presidency title and the privilege to participate in extracurricular activities.

However, he is fighting back against the restraints and

punishment that the school has placed upon him. Although Conti has reportedly said, “I do not regret protecting my sister,” he believes that his suspension and loss of involvement within school programs will hinder his ability to gain scholarships and acceptance to colleges.

In the hearing of testimonies at the board meeting published on Feb. 10 on YouTube, nearly 20 family members, friends, and teachers spoke on behalf of Conti and his 14-yearold sister, Gianna, and asked that he be allowed to continue his senior year “without the delinquent student constraints.” They also expressed their concern at how this and other situations of sexual harassment are being handled by the administration, including an incident in Hawaii during August of last year in which some members of the Varsity team were sent home after a dispute in their hotel room.

Friend and fellow senior Cameron Butler, who was an eyewitness to the events that occurred on Oct. 11, stated that he was “not afraid of (harming his) reputation to defend

somebody who (he knew had) a good character.” He also said his statement was never used as evidence for deciding the outcome of Conti’s case.

On Feb. 24, the CVUSD Superintendent Jeffrey Baarstad told the Prowler that “there is a lot more to this story in terms of both substance and detail than is being shared by the Conti family.” He said that the removal of Conti as ASG president was “based upon the WHS Code of Conduct and the WHS ASG Constitution and Bylaws,” and was therefore warranted.

In regard to the harassment, he said, “the allegations were investigated, and the student was very quickly disciplined, decisively, and the harassment stopped.”

The Conti family filed an appeal with the California Department of Education and will prepare to file a lawsuit if they are not satisfied with the outcome of the appeal, reported the Thousand Oaks Acorn. The entire video of the CVUSD board meeting can be viewed on YouTube on Shaun Kennedy’s channel.

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news The Prowler • Feb. 28, 2014

News in brief Haley Bernadelli Staff Writer Liam Brown Copy Editor

Online at PPANTHERPROWLER.ORG ANTHERPROWLER.ORG If you can’t make it to Dance For Hope tonight, check out our coverage online.

Hang With The Best show Robotics Club gears up for honors school’s art students competition Art pieces from AP and IB photography and art students were displayed and awarded at the thirty-third annual “Hang With The Best” art show, held on Feb. 6 at the Hillcrest Center for the Arts in Thousand Oaks. “Our students did really well,” said art teacher Jennifer Kaye, who requires all of her AP and IB students to submit a piece in the competition. Out of the 23 total awards, NPHS art and photography students won 12. Everyone that participated received a certificate, while the winners received ribbons and cash prizes. The winning NPHS students include Emma Fife, senior, who won first place in Graphics; Sofia Randel and Ian Bertram, seniors, who won second place in Graphics; Callie Stark, senior, who won third place in Graphics; Cassie Stephenson, senior, who won first place in Watercolor/Drawing; Emilie Bondi, senior, who won second place in Watercolor/Drawing; Jessica Han, sophomore, who won third place in Watercolor/Drawing as well as the Staff Favorite Award; Kierra Landon, junior, who won the Greg Cole Memorial Award; Emily Manwell, senior, who won the People’s Choice Award; Sydney Fraser, senior, who won first place in Photography; Johnny Agulia, senior, who won second place in photography; and Jonny Byrne, senior, who won third place in Photography.

The Robotics Club has programed a robot that lifts and tosses medicine balls like a catapult, which will be used to hopefully succeed in the next upcoming competition that takes place in March. They must engineer the robot to play a basketball-like game with two teammate robots, and three robot opponents. Whichever team scores the most points wins.

For the past seven years the Robotics Club has been engineering robots. When the club began they were part of a collaboration with Thousand oaks and Westlake high school. The founder of the Robotics Club is math teacher Michael Weingarden. However, the current supervisor is Dr. Charles Seabury. They have multiple sponsors including Robotics and Things, Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers and Amgen. Their sponsors supply enough money for them to be able to build their robots and participate in competition season, sometimes advancing to playoffs. The current competition the club is involved in is called The First Robotic Competition. “It is for inspiration and respect for science and technology,” Seabury said.

College acceptance for sports brings relief to student athletes Shreya Chattopadhyay Staff Writer Raevyn Walker Staff Writer For the 650 students in the senior class, these next few months overflow anxiety and uncertainty. Students question their next path and everything the future has in store. For 16 student athletes, however, Signing Day diminished this anxiety.

During the Signing Day event on February 7, speakers in the quad announced the successes and accomplishments of a handful of senior panthers to the rest of the school. This event may have been a small proclamation, but for these students, Signing Day marked the finish line for accomplishing their dreams.

“This is what I’ve wanted do for basically half of my life,” Jenna Segin said on her scholarship to Pace University for water polo, “Getting this is a dream come true.”

Throughout high school, these students juggled not only academic responsibilities, but also being one of the best in their sport.

Elise Begg, who was accepted into Wagner College for water polo, said “It’s great because I get to bring back my sports life into my academics, because academics are a big part of my life, and I think it’s very important that I get to include something that I love into a college that I get to go to- It’s a good feeling.”

Their much deserved rewards are scholarships to some of the most prestigious universities in the United States-- including Princeton University, University of California Los Angeles, and New York University, among others-- and the lack of the stress of college admissions.

The cold, hard, classroom seats that each Signing Day participant sat in proudly on the stage of the quad are the seats that many other Panthers desire and are working towards-- seats that represent a validation of years of hard work.

As advice for anyone desiring to sit in those seats in the future, Helene Van Brande, who was accepted into Princeton University for water polo, said “Just work hard, get your grades, put yourself out there, (and) have fun.”

Scholarships- The twelve chosen athletes announce their achievements and accomplishments to a crowd of friends and family on Feb. 7. Samantha Meyer/Prowler

opinion Panther Prowler • Feb. 28, 2014

WESTLAKE ADMINISTRATION UNDER FIRE FOR

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CONTROVERSIAL SUSPENSION The Westlake football program has been having a tough time with the media this year.

First, there was an incident with a hazing back in October when the football team went to Hawaii, which was followed by charges of sexual assault against team members. More recently senior class president Dominic Conti was suspended for allegedly protecting his sister from sexual harassment by a freshman football player.

In the wake of the incident, which involved a physical confrontation between the player, Dominic Conti, and his father Larry Conti, the event ended with Dominic’s five-day suspension and a recommendation for expulsion, the stripping of all titles, and a ban from extracurricular activities. The football player received a two-day suspension.

However, in addition to the football player’s inappropriate actions, which were irresponsible and completely in violation of the district’s sexual harassment code, blame also rests with Westlake’s administration, whose abrupt delivery of punishment onto Conti is unwarranted. The school, bluntly put, is meting out punishment unfairly. And rather than focusing on the real problem -- blatant violation of the school conduct code -- administration has instead decided to focus on a brother who was defending his sister from the destructive behavior of another student, undermining their own conduct code in the process.

It is also important to point out that a third-party witness’s account was not considered before punishment was delivered, as noted during a hearing before the district school board.1 Conti’s version of the story was supported by the witness, who agreed that the football player lunged at Conti’s father. Conti responded by pushing him away in selfdefense.

Of course, the Conti family could simply be trying to recover their son’s lost reputation after what might have been a completely different event; according to another Westlake parent, Marcus Evans, Dominic Conti or his father was choking the football player during the altercation.

The chances of this being true, however, are minimal, given that the football player had repeated incidents of sexual harassment with Conti’s sister, all of which were reported before the altercation, as well as the fact that the Conti family has a third party to support their story.

Also, it is important to consider that Conti has an excellent behavioral track record, served as senior class president, and was a recipient of the Ronald Reagan Foundation Scholarship. How does that behavior compare with a freshman football player who had not been in high school for more than two months when the incident occurred?

Beyond the skewed judgment of the Westlake High School administration in delivering punishment, it is also interesting to note just how quickly the decision was made. Conti was called in the very next day, a Saturday, and was promptly given his sentence. By his account, Conti was denied his due process of law. He was treated with hostility; in his statement at the district hearing, when voicing concerns over the effect of the punishment on his college applications on that Saturday, the principal responded with “bummer for you.”1 Thus, the decision is flawed and somewhat unprofessional at every level, from the lack of consideration of all the evidence to the rapid administration of punishment.

Superintendent Jeff Baarstad commented on the situation, although he also said that the responsibility to protect student’s confidential information prevents officials from talking too much about the details of the event. Baarstad claimed that the Conti family did not share all the details of the story, and that an investigation was promptly undertaken, resulting in swift punishment to the offender.

There is speculation that the football program at Westlake receives preferential treatment, allowing inexcusable behavior to pass when, had it been any other program or student, would have been met with harsh terms. The Westlake administration needs at the very least to reconsider their actions and account for new evidence. They then need to make a decision that reflects all the facts and administer the correct punishment to the correct people, regardless of what programs they may or may not be involved in.

Punishing the football player was the first step. Conti was wrong in attempting to confront the student in the manner he did, but whether or not he is telling the truth, the school’s failure to handle the situation professionally is evident.

1 2

August 26, 2013 Football player arrested in Hawaii for allegedly sexually assaulting five teammates.1

October 12, 2013

At WHS homecoming football game, Dominic Conti and his father confronted another football player about sexually harassing Conti’s 15-yearold sister. A confrontation occured between the football player, Conti’s father, and Conti and the police were called. 2

Conti called into school and suspended for five days

October 18, 2013 District adminstrators uphold Principal Lipari’s descion

Febuary 4, 2014 After an appeal submitted by the Conti family, the CVUSD school board votes 4-1 to sustain the decision regarding Conti’s suspension

“

And I looked him straight in the eye and said, ‘Mr. Lipari, I don’t regret protecting my sister.’2

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CIoO6WtWPUA http://www.toacorn.com/news/2014-02-13/Front_Page/I_dont_regret_protecting_my_sister.html

--DOMINIC CONTI

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

“

Thousand Oaks Acorn/With Permission

PANTHER PROWLER

Photographers Entertainment Editors Chief / Samantha Meyer Liam Brown Dana Foley

October 11, 2013

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

Staff Writers Daulton Beck Haley Berardinelli Shreya Chattopadhyay Online Editors Samantha Meyer Courtney Brousseau Raevyn Walker Mariam Syed

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

Panther Prowler • Feb. 28, 2014

COLUMN:

TEXAS: TURNING BLUE? Nathan Hickling Sports Editor In an upside-down world where political dissension has cost the Republican Party a Virginia election that should have been an easy win, Sen. Rand Paul has come forward with a frightening and somewhat vague warning of the future: “Texas will be a Democratic state within ten years if you [the Republican Party] don’t change.”

It’s a shocking thought that one day the Lone Star State could turn into a southern version of California, but with an evergrowing population of both immigrants and former Rust Belt Democrats, it’s also a very real possibility. Though it’s hard for the Republican Party to accept, it would no longer seem to be a question of if, but instead when. In fact, the state might be well on its way to electing its first Democratic governor since the 1990s -- Wendy Davis. Her political viability as a candidate in what has long been considered a Republican stronghold should be making Tea Party hopefuls such as Rand

Paul and Ted Cruz sweat bullets.

Davis is currently polling below Texas Attorney General Ted Abbott by six points, according to a Politico article published in November. However, there is plenty of time for Abbott’s views on strengthening voter ID laws and repealing the Affordable Care Act to lose him the support of lower income and minority voters. There’s time as well for Abbott to make the all-too-familiar mistake of letting his views on sensitive topics such as abortion lead to his downfall. Is it likely that Davis will gain in the polls between now and the Texas gubernatorial election this November? Perhaps not, and yet it was these mistakes that led to Virginia gubernatorial candidate Ken Cuccinelli essentially handing the election to his opponent, Democrat Terry McAuliffe, in November of 2013.

The Virginia state government, which has historically leaned conservative during times when the White House leans liberal, is now

under Democratic control.

Yes, it’s true that Texas could continue to pursue voter identification laws as a way to suppress the vote, as many other conservative states have done, but in the end this won’t matter. Paul’s words do not seem to come with any sort of useful advice. In fact, at a national level, it’s people like him who are causing problems for the Republican Party. Extremist conservatives that support bans on abortion in cases of rape and incest, as well as the use of congressional budgets as hostages whenever the House and the Senate can’t solve problems, are giving the Republicans a bad image. Ultimately, if the Republican party continues to support candidates that do not represent the views of the majority of their own party, it won’t only be states like Texas that will be turning blue.

Patrick Rewers/Prowler

Keystone XL pipeline decision will be a tough choice in the next few months Justin Buchanan Ad Manager There are a few things in life that I couldn’t give a hoot about. The life expectancy of a Twinkie (who cares? Just eat the thing and puke up the uranium afterwards). The color of a Snuggie that will most likely cause a bull to attack you (pink, I think- it’s the closest color to red). The number of licks it takes to get to the center of a Tootsie Pop (okay, that’s actually kind of important).

There are also other issues that I really could care less about, simply because I don’t know enough about them and don’t want to sound stupid offering my opinion. One of those is the Keystone XL issue. At first glance, it sounds like a T-shirt size for some kind of exotic diamond, but it turns out that it’s this massive pipeline we Americans have been working on for years to connect us to “Canadia’s” oil supply. And being Americans, we wait until halfway through the project, when millions of dollars have been spent developing the pipeline within the United States, to have second thoughts.

As I said earlier, I don’t want to stupidly offer my opinion on a topic that I don’t know anything about, so I did some research, which consisted mostly of reading unbiased articles on why we shouldn’t be building a Keystone pipeline. Basically, the argument comes down to economics versus the environment; in other words, nothing has changed since the 70’s. In this case, it involves transporting the extremely volatile (and, incidentally, profitable) tar sands from Alberta, in Canada, to refineries in Texas.

Besides the obvious question (“What is tar sand?”) and the second most obvious question (“Can we smoke it?” -- I’m talking

to you Colorado), I should really note that the issue is left, constitutionally, to the executive branch -- more specifically, President Obama. Rather than argue whether this is legal (it is if my completely unbiased research serves me well), the debate, and the focus of this article, center more on whether or not Obama should approve the pipeline.

To be honest, I can’t give you a rock solid opinion, because the issue is about as convoluted and mysterious as the debate over whether Elvis still lives. And one of the benefits of not giving a hoot is that I am not obliged to offer you a rock solid opinion. The situation, however, is very much “damned if you do, damned if you don’t.”

In terms of the benefits of the pipeline, the construction and maintenance of the line would create thousands of new jobs40,000 according to a Washington Times article. And the oil transported through the line would generate new work in areas such as Texas, where workers for the refineries would be needed to process the oil. The State Department issued a report recently declaring no major environmental damage would emerge from the project (provided everything goes as planned -- BP and Exxon Valdez, I’m talking to you). And the pipeline would reduce American dependency on the Middle East, which is a political hotspot and probably not the best place to rest our economic stability right now.

On the flip side, the product in question, tar sand, is extremely damaging to the environment: it’s the petroleum equivalent of radioactive uranium. It’s corrosive and gives off huge carbon emissions, according to an article by the Daily Courier, which cites it as

For the record...

In the February 7 issue, on the Student vs. teacher feature, Matt Wallack was incorrectly named as a sophomore when he is in fact a senior. Also, Liam Brown is the copy editor, not the entertainment writer.

“far more toxic than all other fossil fuels” and untested in current transportation methods.

The environmental concerns, protesters are lobbying, could be catastrophic, “game over for the planet” if the pipeline is built, according to NASA climatologist James Hansen.

Of course, pipeline delivery of oil is safer than other methods, such as by train or truck, the same article contends, and that the emissions from these transportation methods cause more emissions than the tar sands themselves. Additionally, the pipeline planners are earmarking territory away from residential areas, protected environments, and water supplies, the Washington Times article contends.

In reality, the question of economics versus environment is very difficult to make: it’s the same question as solving today’s problems today or tomorrow’s problems today. The former helps keep us out of an urgent crisis, while the latter prevents future urgent crises. And ultimately, the Keystone question could come down to how you view economics: is today’s economy stable enough to handle the lack of such a pipeline, or does it need some bolstering?

In my (non-stupid) opinion, I think the question should not be “what to do?” but “what to do next?” It doesn’t matter what decision Obama makes if it does not offer concessions to the other side, because both arguments are equally as valid. If there is a pipeline, it needs to be environmentally sensitive. If there is no pipeline, there needs to be a rock-solid alternative to the economic issue.

One with the life expectancy of a Twinkie.

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.

Line of the Flies

Samantha Meyer/ Prowler

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opinion

Dana Foley Entertainment Editor As evidenced by any attempt at a high school fire drill, it is clear that anyone over the age of 12 is incapable of forming a line.

By the time we enter high school, a simple textbook pick-up trip to the library with your history class is transformed into a student stampede. Even as established adults, we find ourselves confused when the women in the matching tracksuits that were once behind us maneuvered their Spandex selves to the front of the line. What, you may wonder, is the cause of this transformation from obedient second graders to hyped-up soccer moms and road rage dads? Why is it so hard for ten people to take turns ordering at Starbucks without it turning into a caffeinated mosh pit? Mobs give way to mosh scenes and soon we have the storming of the Bastille being reenacted right in the middle of the latte line.

It wasn’t always this way… There was once a time when we took turns being the lunch basket carrier in the front of the line and when we were able to wait for our slice of cafeteria pizza without invading the personal space of that strange kid who wore the same jacket all year round. Our skill at lining up peaks sometime around third or fourth grade. By the age of eight, we are able to organize ourselves up at a moment’s notice.

We can arrange ourselves by age or height, by gender or according to the alphabet. But as the lunch boxes and rollaway backpacks disappear, so does our sense of innocence.

So perhaps it is ironic that on Valentine’s Day weekend at the Cheesecake Factory, I encountered line jealousy while waiting my turn for a table. The unfed patrons looked with dismay each time another diner was escorted past the cheesecake case and into the restaurant. As my date and I were called and taken to a small table near the kitchen, members of the disgruntled masses raised their paging devices in protest. “What about us?” Their demands for justice were met with polite requests for patience and mercy from the hostess.

It wasn’t until the next day that my faith in humanity was restored, when I stood in line at Target. I saw the person behind me holding some heavy packages and I invited them go ahead of me. At first, they paused, unsure if this was a prank or if they had misheard. What came next was relief and gratitude for the small favor. This act of line karma brought me such satisfaction that I let another young mom with a stroller and drooling babies take my place.

It is my hope that we can still summon those line-standing skills, like some forgotten equation from Algebra 1 class. Maybe we don’t have to see life as a scene from the “Lord of the Flies”; a novel which reminds us that civilization is what keeps us from acting like savages (take notes for future essay writing tips, sophomores). So the next time you walk into the line at Starbucks at the same time as the girl from theater class, try giving a smile and greet her by saying “after you…”

Somewhere, your second grade teacher will be smiling upon you.

features Panther Prowler • Feb. 28, 2014

Alex’s Lemonade Stand

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Haley Taggart and FHA-HERO makes a difference in cancer research

Leading by example - FHA-HERO members continue the tradition of selling lemonade at Alex’s Lemonade Stand to raise funds for cancer research. Hayley Taggart, sophomore, (left) participates in honor of her brother John, who lost his life to cancer. Samantha Meyer / Prowler

Dana Foley Entertainment Editor

Samantha Meyer / Prowler

Every summer in June since 2005, the Taggart family has hosted a lemonade stand in their hometown of Orange County. But unlike most stands, theirs is set up to make a difference: the money raised is dedicated to cancer research in honor of John Taggart. On Feb. 5, Hayley Taggart brought John’s story to campus.

Five-year-old John Taggart was diagnosed with neuroblastoma, a pediatric cancer, in 2005.

When he was diagnosed, John began to read a book about Alexandra Flynn Scott, a girl with neuroblastoma, who died of cancer only a year earlier. Just as “Alex” inspired millions of people in her annual lemonade stand, John decided to have his own. That October, John Taggart passed away, but that didn’t stop his family from holding their own summer lemonade stand in his honor.

“He was my hero, he was so strong. I never saw him cry. He went through everything you could think of,” said Hayley Taggart, sophomore. The oldest of six children, Hayley has seen her share of what it means to make a difference. So far, her family has raised over $80,000 for childhood cancer research.

“It was really hard to lose him, but I feel like through this lemonade stand and whenever I

talk about him, it’s so inspirational,” she said.

On Feb. 5. Hayley decided to bring her story to school. Taggart brought the idea to sell lemonade for the organization right on campus to Leigh Ann Diffenderfer, the adviser for FHA-HERO. By December, they began preparing for the event.

“I was amazed and so pleased with the response of the students,” said Diffenderfer. The event was held during FHA-HERO week, a time which the committee participates in a community event. Over one lunch period, they raised over $300. Even after running out of lemonade, they still received several donations towards the fundraiser. “For students to make a contribution at that level was just outstanding. I was delighted at the response of the school community,” said Diffenderfer.

In this small period of time, Hayley Taggart has not only created an annual event but has also made a difference throughout the community. “Hopefully someday people won’t have to go through what my brother did. I want kids to survive this terrible disease and maybe someday there might be a cure,” said Taggart. “We never know, it could happen at any moment, but until then we just have to keep fighting.”

things you did not know about thin

Scott Ellis S

European and World History Teacher

Victoria Koi News Editor

Had stomach pumped as a kid after his friend convinced him moth balls were candy.

Prior to teaching, worked for the LA Kings Hockey team.

Was a 3-sport varsity athlete in high school beginning in sophomore year.

More susceptible to vertigo than the average person.

Continuing family legacy as second generation teacher at NPHS, after his father who taught English.

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e-cigarettes on campus Panther Prowler • Feb. 28, 2014

E-CIGARETTES: VAPING IN CLASSROOMS

1of every 10 American high school

students used e-cigs in 2012.*

That’s 1.78 million children and teens.

76.3% of these users also smoke traditional cigarettes, around DOUBLE the number from 2011.

Of these, 60,000 have used e-cigarettes without ever smoking traditional cigarettes.

*http://articles.latimes.com/

e-cigarettes on campus Panther Prowler • Feb. 28, 2014

7

Quickly gaining popularity among students

Samantha Meyer Staff Writer Electronic cigarettes: supposedly safe and easily obtainable. All that’s needed is someone above the age of eighteen to purchase one and a place to smoke. Recently, students on campus have been pushing the limits by bringing e-cigs onto campus and smoking them during classes, lunch or after school, managing to hide them at the same time.

Although it may seem surprising that this trend has caught on, students like Kendra M.* find that it is “not usually treated like a big deal.”

Kendra M. has smoked electronic cigarettes about ten times, including during lunch on campus and at certain afterschool activities on campus.

“I (had) never tried one before but I heard they were safe, so I was okay with using one,” said Kendra M. “It doesn’t really feel like much because it is just vapor, but they usually taste good. They have different flavors, like blueberry or strawberry.”

The different flavors offered are one component that attracts teens to the product. When “vaping”, a term used to describe using an e-cig, the smoke can also be used for certain “tricks”, like blowing rings through the mouth. These kinds of tricks have become more popular, spread through sites such

as Vine, where millions of viewers watch demonstrations of these activities.

“It’s all about the smoke tricks,” said Allen C.* “Can you inhale through your nose and exhale through your ears? I didn’t think so … But I can.”

Allen C. started using electronic cigarettes last year, and although he smokes them about four times a day, he does not do it on campus because he doesn’t “want to get in trouble for that.” But, he still thinks that they are “safer than cigarettes.”

“I know a lot of people make it out to be dangerous, but I don’t think it’s that unhealthy,” added Kendra M. “It also doesn’t hurt your lungs when you breathe it in or cause a bad smell … It honestly just tastes good.”

Another student, Mallory J.*, was in LA around two in the morning when she and her friends came across a stranger who was using an electronic cigarette and asked if they wanted to try it. Mallory J. and her friends decided to do it. Since then, she has gotten her eighteen-year-old friend to buy her a few disposable electronic cigarettes.

“I just love the rush it gives me,” said Mallory J. “I think it’s better than actually smoking or doing drugs, as long as the (electronic cigarette) is nicotine-free.”

Vaping about eight to nine times a day, Christopher T.* finds that it is easy to hide and use the devices during school without getting caught, but stated that it is “done more in the elective classes.”

“In one of my classes, people do it all the time when we’re doing certain work,” said Christopher T. “As soon as one guy pulls it out, we all pull it out … (Teachers) don’t care. It’s not cigarettes or weed.”

But some students are against the use of e-cigs, especially in a school environment. Rebecca W.*, who has family members that “do bad things like this”, does not approve of e-cigs, especially in regards to her friends that use them regularly.

“I just don’t see the point in them, or how they’re positive,” said Rebecca W. “It goes against the morals my parents have raised me with.”

Rebecca W. worries about her friends “every day”.

Although she “doesn’t know the facts about e-cigs”, she hopes they quit.

“I just don’t like it,” said Rebecca W. “I don’t see how they’re doing any good.” *names changed upon request

ANATOMY OF AN E-CIGARETTE ATOMIZER

NICOTINE CARTRIDGE

FLAVORS Cotton candy

Bacon

Mocha

Roast beef

Tobacco

Butter

Crab legs

Pineapple

Worcestershire sauce

Cherry

Popcorn

Dill pickle

Nevnit Gill News Editor

Compared to cigarettes

The use of electronic cigarettes, battery powered alternatives to regular cigarettes that emit a thought-to-be-harmless vapor, is becoming more and more popular because they are rumored to be “safe smoking.”

E-cigarettes consist of a cartridge of solution that can contain varying levels of nicotine, a heating element which vaporizes the solution so it can be inhaled, and a rechargeable battery to power the device. Vaporized solutions without nicotine are offered as well, however e-cigarettes are not regulated by the FDA, and information on the levels of nicotine in certain solutions may be false. Studies have shown that e-cigarettes are a better alternative to smoking because they heavily reduce the possibility of smokinginduced cancer, but can increase risk of asthma.

Many e-cigarette users use e-cigarettes as a safer alternative to tobacco, to help with their smoking cessation. The FDA has not approved of e-cigarettes

as a smoking cessation device. Most professionals consider nicotine to be harmful only in incredibly large amounts, and the claimed small amounts of vaporized nicotine in e-cigarettes are defended to be safe by this fact. In return, some argue that e-cigarettes could lead to using more deadly cigarettes, or users might become addicted to e-cigarettes themselves.

There have also been reports of e-cigarette devices exploding.

Since little research has been conducted on e-cigarettes, there are possible unexplored dangers in using them. Several studies have shown certain flavors to be toxic, and the heating filament can contaminate the vapor with tiny particles of tin, nickel, chromium, and silica. Out of the eleven elements found in e-cigarette vapor, nine have been found to be at equal or higher concentration than those found in classic smoke.

Evidence heavily suggests that e-cigarettes are safer and less addictive than smoking, but they still have their dangers.

Justine Sizemore Features Editor As the electronic cigarette trend increases in popularity among teens, administration faces the challenge of addressing the issue on campus.

“We have talked about it as a staff.

Obviously (students smoking in class) is a problem and it’s suspendable. If the teacher picks up on it we would certainly take that action,” principal Athol Wong said. “I believe our staff is … a little younger on the average and so a little more alert to those issues.”

Electronic cigarettes are regarded by administration as drug paraphernalia, and as such a student discovered in use or possession of such a device may be subject to a five day suspension.

“It is a concern of the whole faculty because supposedly they’re putting more than just nicotine vapor in those things, there’s other stuff supposedly going in those,” Lynn Baum, health and physical education teacher, said.

“Obviously (students) do a good job of hiding it (when they smoke on campus) because I haven’t seen it.”

Although Wong has noted an increase in the use of electronic cigarettes from the

William Warby/With Permission

LITHIUM BATTERY

Enforcing policy beginning of the year to the present, she expressed that it remains a less prevalent issue on this campus than others.

“I did see students last year using (electronic cigarettes) outside of school,” Lorena Caulfield, health teacher, said. “I personally haven’t seen any of them … on campus, but I have heard that there have been people using them on campus.”­­ While there is still a substantial lack of information regarding the potentially harmful effects of smoking electronic cigarettes, concerns have been raised concerning their role as a gateway to other known hazardous drugs.

“Originally I think they were designed to help people stop smoking but if they do that as an alternative they’re still getting addicted to the nicotine,” Baum said. “That’s one of my biggest concerns with it; it could lead to use of other substances.”

As with all matters regarding the health and safety of students, administration takes this issue very seriously.

“I’m concerned any time students are doing something that is potentially dangerous and is distracting to other students who are here to learn,” Wong said.

8

features Panther Prowler • Feb. 28, 2014

STUDENT VS TEACHER Mel Pralgo/English

Haley Wargo/Sophomore

1 Who ran for president against

5 How many feet are in a mile?

Daulton Beck Staff Writer

Obama this past year?

Pralgo: “5,280.”

Wargo: “5,218.”

Answer: 5,280.

Pralgo: “Romney.”

Wargo: “Romney.”

Answer: Mitt Romney.

Wargo’s friend just told her what it was and she forgot, oops try again next time. Pralgo gets the point and ties up the score at 2-2.

Hooray! What a great start to this “pop-quiz.” The score is 1-1.

2 Who played Captain-Jack

6 Who played Katniss in the

sparrow in Pirates of the Caribbean?

Hunger Games?

Pralgo: “Oh boy...oh boy.”

Wargo: “Johnny Depp.”

Answer: Johnny Depp.

Pralgo: “I don’t know.”

Wargo: “Jennifer Lawrence.”

Answer: Jennifer Lawrence

Wargo gets the point, but Pralgo should get the next one. Wargo takes the lead at 2-1.

Looks like trouble for Pralgo Wargo gets the point and the lead with the score at 3-2.

3 What is the name of latest

7 How many books are in the

Pixar movie?

Pralgo: “Oh boy...Oh gawd.”

Wargo: “Frozen!...I don’t know!”

Answer: Monster’s University.

4 What year did the modern-day Olympics begin in?

I thought Pralgo would know this, since he watches the Olympics.

The score stands 2-1.

Pralgo: “Oh gawd.”

Wargo: “Seven.”

Answer: Seven.

4-3

How could Wargo and Pralgo not know this? The score is still 2-1.

Pralgo: “It’s before World War II.” Wargo: “Do you know?”

Answer: 1896.

Harry Potter series?

Samantha Meyer/Prowler

Wargo remains in the lead and gains another point, upping the ante with a score of 4-2.

8 How many years ago did the movie ‘Ratatoullie’ come out?

Wargo wins!

Pralgo: “Seven years ago.”

Wargo: “I don’t know.”

Answer: 7 years ago.

Pralgo gets the point, but it’s not enough to net him the win! Wargo takes the game with a final score of 4-3.

Mock Trial prepares and competes Raevyn Walker Staff Writer Haley Berardinelli Staff Writer Mock Trial students had their dedication and commitment put to the test during the competitions that took place this week in the Ventura County Hall of Justice courtrooms.

As a class, Mock Trial encompasses all the possible aspects of a professional courtroom in a high school setting. There are four different teams representing Newbury Park this year.

Different members of each team participate as attorneys, witnesses, clerks, and bailiffs. Throughout the season, the teams prepare for competing with one fabricated case.

This year’s case focused on an alleged murder by Rae Concha, who allegedly sold the drug Adderall to a friend with a fatal heart condition. Soon after, the friend died.

Prosecution and defense teams debate against each other to convince a judge of whether or not the defendant was guilty of murder. In this last and main competition, Mock Trial competes against schools such as La Reina and Trinity.

“This year’s team has been one of the best in years at putting in the effort we need to really improve, and it has

shown! Every person has improved incredibly,” said Michael Cho, senior and president of the Mock Trial.

A volunteer staff of parents serve as Attorney Coaches and equip each student on the team with skills they can use throughout their lifetime, especially in careers such as public speaking. The realistic setting requires an amount of effort that mimics real-life courtroom situations.

“They are a very hard-working group of students,” said Peggy Walker, the teacher adviser for mock trial. “We are there to assist them, and we are there to help them, but we don’t do it for them.”

Every late night practice and strenuous scrimmage that the Mock Trial team competed in this year led up to this crucial competition. The four teams practice a total of four and a half hours a week, not including scrimmages.

“They become really good friends because they spend so much time together, and it’s fun for them,” Walker said.

This year, they conquered a newfound source of stress. The Mock Trial club has four different teams, more than any other

school competing against them, and consequently an overflow of members; there are more than seventy students in the club.

For the most part, the large staff of volunteer attorneys played an essential role for them to succeed through this challenge.

Regardless, Walker said that having four teams is not going to be attempted again in the years to come.

“When I came to the school I realized how close a community mock trial was, and I really wanted to boost my own speaking skills,” said Snow Li, senior, who has participated in Mock Trial for two years.

During the first day of preliminary trials, teams from the Mock Trial club faced up against each other -- twice. Two of the four teams progressed from the preliminary round into the semi-finals, which took place on Wednesday. The final awards ceremony for the competition will take place tonight at the Ventura County Hall of Justice.

Regardless of the final results, members gain valuable skills and experience. As Li said, “I felt that I got a good look at what law looks like in the real world.”

entertainment Panther Prowler •Feb. 28, 2014

Movie Review: Lego Movie

Nathan Hickling Sports Editor Not all films created for a younger age demographic are created equally.

It’s clear that the creators of “The LEGO Movie” took this to heart when they sat down to make a film that ultimately transcends age and effectively brings its message, (to never be afraid to not follow the instructions), to life. According to CBS News, the film has brought in over $129 million dollars from the box office in the U.S. alone, demonstrating that its success has crossed multiple age groups and found a way to reach adults as well as children.

Directed by Phil Lord and Chris Miller, the movie escapes the trap of using the offcolor humor traditionally found in children’s movies, instead relying on situational humor and a series of comically improbable events. Lord and Miller have collaborated together before on such projects such as “21 Jump Street,” “Cloudy With A Chance

of Meatballs,” “How I Met Your Mother,” and “Brooklyn Nine-Nine.” In addition to directing the movie, they also wrote the story and screenplay.

Fans of the toy sets will be glad to know that the movie acknowledges the importance of being creative with the building blocks from which the movie derives its name, rather than simply relying on the instruction manuals included with them. Though the transitions between the animated and liveaction scenes towards the end are awkward and it winds up feeling a bit long, the film is overall very enjoyable, especially for childhood fans of LEGOs. Morgan Freeman once again fits right into the role of the wise mentor, while Will Ferrell brings a playful angle to the evil Lord Business. However, the real standout would seem to be Chris Pratt as the voice of Emmet, an ordinary and seemingly conformist character that eventually learns to embrace his individuality. The entire cast is, of course, filled with high-profile actors such as Elizabeth Banks, Will Arnett, and Liam Neeson, each adding their own personality to the characters.

The most refreshing thing about “The Lego Movie” is that it doesn’t take itself seriously. It’s nice for once to see a movie that works simply because it’s not trying too hard. Instead of building up expectations and then inevitably falling short, the movie instead chose to call itself exactly what it turned out to be: two hours of entertaining

and chuckle-inducing antics with extremely likeable characters, each of them continuing to add quirk to a simple and easy-to-follow

9

plot. This is a movie which finds its success in its characters and their world, rather than a unique or clever script.

Everything is awesome - Emmet, the rule-following and seemingly unordinary main character of The LEGO Movie, finds himself in a world of creativity after he is assumed to be the most interesting and most important person in the world. Haley Berardinelli/ Prowler

ONE ACTS Students produced and directed plays in a short amount of time Daulton Beck Staff Writer Raevyn Walker Staff Writer With limited time to prepare and limited time to perform, drama students produced four different and successful short plays.

The One-Acts Festival ran from Feb. 20 through Feb. 22, alternating between a total of four plays, ranging in genre from thriller to comedy.

Drama and tech theater students produced the plays with supervision from Danielle Rollins, the artistic director. The practice for One-Acts began three weeks before the performances, with auditions where the actors had to prepare a one-totwo minute monologue for the directors.

Afterwards, the directors chose the actors that worked best for their plays.

“Directors looked … for some chemistry (as to) how actors would work with other people,” says Corbin Trumble, junior, one of the directors. Trumble directed Bob Tucker’s play “Airfield”, a mystery-comedy that followed the troubles of a couple trying to embark on a vacation through a dilapidated airport.

From the memorizing lines to every stream of light that falls on the actors’

faces, the One-Acts’ members planned and practiced these plays for a month. The directors sent in applications stating their their choice for the One-Act and their exact plans for the play.

“The special part about this production is that these directors get to pick the work that they want to do. They find the play that speaks to them and create it, making it their own. They get to cast it (and) decide the lights and the set,” says Rollins. She sees herself as a mentor and stresses how these students were able to successfully direct these plays on their own.

Each One-Act includes a range of three to eight characters. Some actors are doublecast (featured in more than one of the plays) causing a difficulty in production. The plays utilize time frames of thirty minutes to immerse the audience in the setting, understand the characters, and conclude with a plot twist.

Hannah Crooks, sophomore, who watched the event, said “It’s amazing how much you can do in a short amount of time.”

One flight to paradise - In the mystery comedy “Airfield”, Alex Reese, senior and Miranda Kildee, junior, play Fred and Lucy, a young couple who are preparing for their vacation. vacation.McCall Stone/ With Permission

Reality check- John Ferraro, freshman, plays Fred Peterson and Demi Boxley, junior, plays a doctor in “Mirrors”, an abstract thriller with a twist written by John O’Brien. Olivia Saad (above right), freshman, plays Fred’s wife in a play in which alternate versions of reality are presented and questioned. McCall Stone/ With Permission

10

entertainment Panther Prowler • Feb. 28, 2014

Student Voices: What are your thoughts on Flappy Bird?

Shreya Chattopadhyay Staff Writer

Manas Kumar junior

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“ I actually don’t like the game. The game itself is ... a travesty, however ... it’s a good case study in viral culture.” (High score: 6)

Katie Rogers senior

“Flappy Bird makes me feel like it’s that time of the month, because it gives me major mood swings.” (High score: 58)

Shreya Chattopadhyay/Prowler

Chloe Diestel sophomore

Shreya Chattopadhyay/Prowler

“I think it’s a really basic game, but it’s really addicting, and it’s easy to get frustrated.” (High score: 21)

Shreya Chattopadhyay/Prowler

Samantha Meyer/Prowler

Justin Kawaguchi freshman

“I think Flappy Bird is stupid, and it wastes my time!” (High score: 70)

“Dude. Be Nice.”

Mike Smith speaks for “You Matter Week” Cassie Stephenson Editor-in-Chief On February 19, Mike Smith stood in front of bleachers overflowing with students, wearing a t-shirt proclaiming “Dude. Be Nice” and a “Skate for Change” baseball cap over shaggy blond hair, microphone in hand. Smith, who identifies himself as a “professional teenager” rather than a professional speaker, told his life story to the crowd as part of ASG’s “You Matter Week”.

After the gym fell silent, Smith began to share his story.

The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle lover recounted the beginning of his love for skateboarding. He explained how excited he was to move to a new city in the eighth grade, until he found out that the city was in Nebraska, where there were “more cows than people.” And he described the lonely freshman year that followed, playing a sport just to fit in.

Then, Smith’s story took a turn for the better: he grew ten inches, gained forty pounds, and became a four-sport varsity athlete, pulling in many college offers throughout his junior year. This fortune, however, had its trade-offs: “And all the sudden, I made it,” he said. “And I got so cocky and so mean.”

When a friend died after a drunk driving accident and his father was diagnosed with cancer, Smith was forced to face what he had become: “I hated who I was, I hated how I treated people, and I hated what everyone expected me to be.” He told how he boxed all of the sports trophies in his room and covered his walls with words scrawled in Sharpie instead - what mattered most to him, who he wanted to be, and “You’re going to make it” on the ceiling, underlined three times.

He shared how he got serious about school, convincing the janitor to let him in at 6:30 every morning, and met a lonely freshman named Calvin in the halls one morning

when he forgot his headphones, eventually winning over Calvin’s friendship and becoming his protector. And he explained the “look” that people gave Calvin when he brought him to his first party. “All (that look) is, is a pathetic little habit that starts when you’re your age,” he told the students.

After high school, Smith went to college but continued to give back by collecting socks and food for the homeless.

In fact, Smith has continued to collect socks, setting his goal at 1,000,000. “The way he persevered through everything … and the part where he was helping homeless people was pretty inspiring,” senior Anjali Paramanandam said after attending the talk.

“I was 12 credits shy of a college degree and I was like forget it, I’m good,” he said. “I’m just going to start helping people. So I started my first nonprofit. And that nonprofit was a 5,000-foot little skatepark inside of the mall.” He is now the CEO of two nonprofit organizations: The BAY and Skate for Change. Smith pointed out a tattoo on his forearm (his new form of inspirational art since he can no longer write on his walls). “This tattoo says, ‘speak for the silent, stand for the broken.’ That’s what I want my legacy to be today,” he said.

These words ring true for Kaleb Cole-Wood, freshman.

“From Mike’s speech … I learned that you have the power by yourself to make a difference in other people’s lives,” he said.

“Sometimes you may need help from other people, but when you have other people working with you, you can do a lot.”

Before the hordes of people filed out of the gym’s double doors, he offered one last reminder for students to consider throughout their lives. “It all comes down to asking yourself one question: what’s your legacy?”

Speaking to the crowd - Mike Smith, who refers to himself as a “professional teenager”, speaks to students about helping the homeless and speaking up for the silent in an assembly held on February 19. James Herron/Pawprint

sports

11

Panther Prowler • Feb. 28, 2014

NORI PARVIN: ON COACHING & HER SUCCESS Mariam Syed Opinion Editor

Saying goodbye - After coaching for almost 36 years, Nori Parvin announced her retirment from coaching girls’ basketball back in 2010. Now, the basketball court is being named in honor of her many years coaching at Newbury Park. James Herron/Pawprint

She has earned nine Marmonte League Champions, coached for 36 years, and has won 535 victories, the most wins by a female coach in Ventura County history. Coach Nori Parvin, who retired from coaching girls

basketball in 2010, was given the honor of having the Panther Gym basketball court named after her.

Darren Burge, head varsity coach, said that he fully supported the ceremony honoring

Parvin, in which the gym was renamed.

“I was really hoping that they would get around to naming the court after her,” he said. “We’ve been trying to push them in that direction for a while.”

Parvin, or Coach Parv, as her players call her, was Newbury Park’s first girls basketball coach, teaching since 1974 until her retirement in 2010. During her time at the school, Parvin taught physical education classes, as well as coaching students in several sports. Parvin coached girls volleyball for seven years, girls softball for two years, track and field for ten years, cross-country for 15 years, and girls basketball for 36 years before retiring. She currently coaches the girls golf team, who went undefeated last season.

When Parvin, who played volleyball, basketball and softball in high school, first began coaching girls’ basketball, there were no other women coaches at the school. For Parvin the decision of coaching basketball consecutively for 36 years was because of her own personal love for the game. “Basketball was and still is one of my favorite sports. I played (it) in high school and college,” Parvin said.

“There are a lot more girls playing and the skill level has grown tremendously,” Parvin said in reference to the changes she’s seen in coaching basketball since she began in 1974.

Although Parvin has broken records with her teams and won many awards in her coaching career, such as being named Coach of the Year, she believes that the true essence in training athletes is not in the results. “When you coach (it’s) not so much about what your record was or is, (it’s) watching the athletes grow as an individual in what ever sport, the team building and companionship the girls develop,” Parvin said.

PART OF THE DREAM TEAM Kishen Majithia Opinion Editor Hunter Conley, sophomore, has been practicing archery since he was a child. His father has been practicing the sport all his life and bought Hunter his first bow when Hunter was three years old, and Hunter has been shooting ever since. Shanon Conley, Hunter’s mother, recalls, “from a very young age, he watched his father shoot archery and he was like a magnet to it. He was a natural at it, from the first time he ever picked up a bow.”

A natural? It would appear so.

Hunter was selected by the Olympic Archery coach Kisik Lee to be a part of the USA Olympic Dream Team in 2011, and he aims to compete in the 2016 Summer Olympics in Brazil by first becoming a Resident Athlete in Chula Vista. He practices every day in order to achieve his goal, and he competes in many tournaments every year. “I would love to see him go all the way to the Olympics. He has a lot of family and friends that support him, and as time goes on, he may chose to travel

with the sport and possibly teach it,” his mother said.

He also enjoys bow hunting and bow fishing. Hunter also played basketball for a period of time but had to let it go due to conflicts in his archery schedule. Hunter refers to archery as his “calling.” Hunter has plenty of adult support from his parents and coach. His mother explains, “My role with Hunter is to keep on top of his schedule and all the events coming up, I travel with him and his dad to all of his tournaments, he has to attend quite a few tournaments a year that is required by the USA Dream Team.

His father is his coach at home which who plays a larger role in his everyday workout, the sport is demanding and takes a lot of time.

His dad and him work very closely at home and he has a coach that he goes on Skype with once a week.”

“I love the idea that the sport is not real popular and it takes people by surprise sometimes and they seem to be very impressed.”

Practice makes perfect - Hunter Conley aims at the target and fires the arrow. He has been practicing archery since he first tried the sport and discovered his aptitude for it. Hunter Conley/With Permission

12

sports Panther Prowler • Feb. 28, 2014

WINTER SPORTS WRAP-UP

“Every team we had in winter sports made it to playoffs.” - Larry Berlin, Assistant Principal of Athletics

MANNY GARAY, sophomore was named the 2014 Cullen FitzGibbons Inspirational Wrestler Award

wrestlers who qualified for CIF:

RYAN SANDSTROM, junior WILL SCHROEDER, sophomore NATHANIEL DEGUZMAN, junior

WRESTLING

Anna Sandstrom / With Permission

KEVIN LUO, senior 5th place ROBERT KNIGHT, junior 4th place JAKE WOOD, freshman 4th place

Intense struggle - Jake Wood, freshman, wrestling during the Northern Section CIF Championship last week.

THIRD IN LEAGUE “What I liked about this season is that the team not only performed well on the field, they performed well in the classroom... It’s the scholar side of the term scholar athlete, I was real proud of them.” - Larry Berlin

BOYS’ SOCCER

PLAYOFFS: 0-2 versus Paramount High School

Starting from the back - Bradley Vansant, senior, passes the ball to a teammate in order to maintain possession.

McCall Stone / With Permission

LEAGUE CHAMPIONS for the second year in a row

PLAYOFFS: 55-43

46-19

GIRLS’ BASKETBALL

versus Arroyo Valley High School

NEXT GAME

versus Lakewood High School

Saturday Mar. 1

Heading for the basket - Karli LaPerche, senior, signals her teammate for a pass.

Samantha Meyer / Prowler

SECOND IN LEAGUE PLAYOFFS:

8-6

versus Trabuco Hills High School

GIRLS’ WATER POLO

7-12

versus Wilson Long Beach High School

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

Samantha Meyer / Prowler

FOURTH IN LEAGUE “[Boys Basketball] came off a rough season last year to finish strong this year” - Larry Berlin

PLAYOFFS: 66-49

BOYS’ BASKETBALL

versus Buena High School McCall Stone / With Permission

2-0 versus Canyon High School

NEXT GAME Tuesday Mar. 4

Looking for an outlet - Kevin Russell, senior, fights to keep the ball and looks for a shot.

LEAGUEfinished CHAMPIONS 14-0 PLAYOFFS:

51-50 versus Mira Costa High School

GIRLS’ SOCCER 0-2

versus West Torrance High School

Victory - Jayne Avendano, junior, and Sarah Jimenez, senior, celebrate after a goal against Camarillo.

James Herron / Pawprint