2022-2023 Issue 8 (April 28)

PANTHER PROWLER

Tragedy strikes Westlake High School after fatal crash

Emerson Fuentes-Alabanza Graphic Artist

On Tuesday, April 18, four Westlake High school student pedestrians near the bus stop were involved in a fatal crash in front of Westlake High School on the corner of Lakeview Canyon Road and Thousand Oaks Boulevard. While three of the students, ages 14, 15 and 16, survived the impact, the fourth student, Wesley Welling, 15, died after arriving at the hospital.

The Los Angeles Times stated the driver who hit the students was identified as 24-year-old Austin Eis, a former Westlake High School student. The crash was the final event in a string of crimes committed by Eis, starting at a Simi Valley Walmart where he allegedly stabbed an employee. From the Walmart, Eis then went to his parents home in Camarillo, where there was an altercation resulting in the domestic dispute call to police, which led Eis to flee to Westlake High School and crash into the four students.

The other victims, two were released from the hospital on Wednesday. The third victim, Olivia Ludwig, was hospitalized for a broken femur which she had to undergo surgery for. All victims remain in stable condition.

According to the VC District Attorney’s news release, investigators believe the crash was intentional, and Eis holds 12 pending charges. These include murder, assault with a deadly weapon, commercial and residential burglary, false imprisonment by violence, use of pepper spray, brandishing a knife and special allegations of causing great bodily harm. Eis’s original bail was set at $5 million, however after being seen by a judge on Thursday, April 20, he is currently being held without bail due to public safety concerns. At this hearing, Eis did not enter a plea and his arraignment was postponed to May 19.

In honor of Welling, students and community members lined the crash site with flowers and various offerings the day following

the crash. In addition, a GoFundMe was created for Welling’s family and funeral expenses, which is currently at $256,000. That evening, a vigil was held at Calvary Community Church in Westlake Village to honor the death of Welling and pay respects. On Sunday, April 23, an additional fundraiser with a live concert and silent auction was held at the Canyon Club in Agoura Hills for the families of all four victims. The public service for Westley Welling will be held May 13 at the Calvary Church in Westlake. People wishing to donate to the Welling family can do so at https://www.gofundme.com/f/wesley-welling.

U.S. lawmakers push to ban TikTok

Jason Kiang Staff Writer

On March 23, 2023, the CEO of TikTok, Shou Chew, testified before the House Committee for Energy and Commerce in a trial concerning the safety of the app TikTok. TikTok is owned by a company called Bytedance, which is owned by China. The main concern over the safety of TikTok is that under a China data security law, companies based in China like Bytedance, have to give data over to the Chinese government if they are asked to. Lawmakers are concerned that TikTok may be a weapon used to spy on Americans and is therefore a threat to U.S. national security.

Kai Mekari/Prowler

Some lawmakers asserted Tiktok was a threat before the trial began. House Energy and Commerce Chair Cathy Rodgers (R-Wash.) said, “We do not trust TikTok will ever embrace American values. [TikTok] should be banned,” during the opening statements. Chew responded to the concerns by pointing

out that Tiktok’s “Project Texas” is establishing a subsidiary, which would ensure that all U.S. data is stored in U.S. servers run by Oracle, which is an American software company. He acknowledges that there is still some data TikTok needs to delete, but that once Project Texas is completed, ByteDance employees will no longer have access to U.S. user data. Chew further stated to lawmakers that he has “seen no evidence that the Chinese government has access to [user] data. They have never asked [TikTok], and [TikTok] has never provided it.”

If TikTok were banned, this would affect 150 million Americans who use the app. TikTok has become a part of American culture, serving as a source of entertainment for many and also a news, advertising and informational source for many. Statistics show that 53% of Americans support the ban, with 25% opposing it. Younger Americans, aged 18-34, of whom TikTok is more popular among, generally oppose the ban.

Samantha Stewart wins National Adaptive PE Teacher Award

Some of her colleagues sought to help her gain recognition for her work and nominated her for the Society of Health and Physical Educators’ award for Adaptive PE teaching in California. She won. Earlier this month, Stewart received the National Adaptive PE Teacher award from the Society of Health and Physical Educators of America or SHAPE America. After being nominated in fall of 2022, Stewart was awarded at the organization’s national convention in Seattle, Washington which was held from March 28 to April 1.

Stewart enjoys teaching Adaptive PE to help students learn new ways to enjoy life. “The most rewarding [thing] is being able to make an inclusive club and have an inclusive sport. A lot of my students at this age haven’t learned how to ride a bike and so we have bike days and I’m able to, with the staff, get the students to ride the bikes. Bringing new experiences to our students, teaching them new recreational and leisure games- giving them a taste of the world so when they go out in the community with their families, they’re able to access whatever they’re doing with their families,” Stewart said.

After winning these awards, Stewart continues to express her love for teaching. “I’m going to keep advocating and I’m going to keep pushing for inclusion, helping, doing this at the school, planting a little seed in all of our heads that this world needs to be more inclusive for all, especially for students with physical and cognitive disabilities,” Stewart said.

Smile - Stewart was honored to receive her award from SHAPE. “It was breathtaking. I think we all have imposter syndrome when you win something like that. I’m like ‘Are you sure it’s me?’ I’m still in shock that I won but it’s definitely an honor to have been voted California [adaptive PE] teacher of the year, then the western district [adaptive PE] teacher of the year, and then the national [award],” Stewart said.

Cameron Winick/Prowler

Parker Bohl Chief Photographer

Honor - After the incident, students lined the bridge at Westlake High School with candles and flowers to pay their respects to Welling. Emerson Fuentes-Alabanza/Prowler

Banning gender transitions is clearly regressive

On March 22, the government of Iowa approved Senate File 538. Included in this file are the prohibition of hormone-based medications or hormone blockers for minors, the prohibition of surgeries that sterilize (including vasectomies and hysterectomies), and the prohibition of gender reconstruction surgeries for adults, as well as minors. The state of Iowa is also expected to refuse medical treatment of any infections or injuries resulting from gender-reconstruction procedures. This bill deserves uproar. It is yet another example of state laws exercising intolerance, which is not only insulting to the proposed progressiveness that the government claims this country is working towards but also to American freedom.

The government should not have any right to infringe on the individual decisions of others, specifically decisions that have no repercussions for anyone except the person making them. People should have the ability to make decisions regarding their own bodies. Additionally, if gender-affirming surgeries and hormone treatments are criminalized, hate groups may see those who have undergone such treatments as justified targets for their violence. Already, those who identify as transgender are at an exponentially high risk of assault because of social intolerance. It is nightmarish to predict the violence they may be subjected to with a criminal label stuck to their backs.

Not only should we be concerned with where the Iowan government’s ideals are, but we must also acknowledge the intrapersonal effects that this bill will have on people, particularly youth, who identify as transgender. The possibility of a rising number of hate crimes will not only endanger the physical safety of those who identify as transgender, it may seriously endanger them psychologically and emotionally. It is difficult enough grappling with one’s own sense of identity when a person does not identify with the majority. Zacharia Wahls, an Iowa state senator, correctly explains that this bill will lead more of the community into suicide.

The passing of this file is one of the most on-thenose typical American moves that we have seen in our lifetimes. Horrific events, such as school shootings, provoke a few solemn words from the government and little to no action. However, people who choose to align their external bodies with the gender they identify with may be prosecuted.

The energy spent on this bill’s composition and approval could have been used in countless other ways. If as much time were spent handling shootings, homelessness, the skyrocketing rate of youth suicide, climate change, or starvation as it has been spent attempting to control other people’s self-expression, perhaps our country would be seeing some genuine improvements. As American high schoolers, we can assure you that automatic weapons and gun violence on campus are our primary concerns; we are terrified of being in the same room as an active shooter. Unfortunately, it seems that our country is starting to become more reliant on this concept of “the lack of separation between church and state” and hiding behind religion while acting maliciously. This imminent issue continues to be placed on the back burner by weaponizing religion and using and exploiting the “us vs. them” mentality. This nation’s compulsory counterproductivity is embarrassing. Fighting to maintain basic empathy and respect for the differences between ourselves and those surrounding us who are different should not be this taxing.

This bill is not just an example of transphobia, but it is a depiction of national hypocrisy. The sheer fact that these political figures claim to be working towards “the good of the community,” and then pass bills that will most definitely have detrimental effects on a large community of people is appalling. America continues to push back from all of the progress it’s made in the past few decades. We oppress harmless groups that we may not share lifestyles with when we should be protecting those we share humanity with.

PANTHER PROWLER

Editors-in-Chief

Allison Nguyen

Dhruv Patel

Front Cover Editor

Melissa Geher

News Editors

Nathan Fox

Josie Gardner

Editorial Editor

Cameron Winick

Features Editors

Dylan Kaseno

Rohit Ukkan

DPS Editor

Ava Prapaniku

Opinion Editor

Nandini Patro

Entertainment Editors

Taylor Gibson

Kira Ivarsdottir

Melina Wagner

Sports Editor

Isabella Boggs

Hayden Meixner

Back Cover Editor

Ariela Behar

Photographers

Chief // Parker Bohl

Nathan Fox

Gwen McCarthy

Cameron Winick

Movie Reviewer

Vincent Bennett

Managing Editor

Téa Sklar

Social Media Leads

Hayden Meixner

Nandini Patro

Téa Sklar

Copy Editors

Ariela Behar

Isabella Boggs

Melissa Geher

Kira Ivarsdottir

Dylan Kaseno

Hayden Meixner

Nandini Patro

Ava Prapaniku

Rohit Ukkan

Melina Wagner

Cameron Winick

Graphic Artists

Shana Blair

Emerson Fuentes-Alabanza

Kai Mekari

Téa Sklar

Shana Blair/Prowler

2022-2023 staff

Online Editors

Josie Gardner

Hayden Meixner

Nandini Patro

Téa Sklar

Rohit Ukkan

Melina Wagner

Cameron Winick

Staff Writers

Shana Blair

Emerson Fuentes-Alabanza

Nathan Fox

Jason Kiang

Gwen McCarthy

Kai Mekari

Jack Ranney

Nikhil Satyagal

Brody Sinutko

Cameron Winick

Adviser

Michelle Saremi

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.

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For the record in Issue VII: Rohit Ukkan and Melina Wagner credit missing on page 1 Ily King spelled wrong on page 1 Brody Wright spelled wrong on pages 8-9

Trump is indicted on criminal charges

For the first time in American history, a former president, Donald J. Trump, has been indicted on criminal charges. For over two centuries, presidents were considered ‘immune’ from prosecution while in office, and effectively afterwards. This taboo has been broken as a new precedent will be set all due to the allegations Trump is encountering. Considering whether the indictment is warranted or not, it creates a new level to which presidential candidates should be held.

On April 4, Trump surrendered himself to the Manhattan Criminal Court. Following this, he pleaded not guilty to 34 felony criminal charges, and is currently set to have another hearing on Dec. 4, 2023. According to the Supreme Court of the State of New York, Trump faces charges of falsifying business records and violating the state election law.

The Manhattan County District Attorney’s office has been investigating Trump’s connection with his alleged role in a hush money payment scandal involving adult

film star Stormy Daniels. The investigation dates back to the 2016 presidential election where a $130,000 payment was arranged by Michael Cohen, Trump’s former lawyer, to Daniels to silence her from going public about the alleged affair a decade earlier. Trump continues to deny these events. Cohen himself faced campaign finance violation charges in 2018 relating to Daniels’ payments, as well as other charges allegedly relating to the Trump Organization, which he was vice president of at the time.

Prosecutors alleged Trump was a part of an illegal plan to suppress negative information that could have affected the results of the election, including the payment to Daniels. In order to prove Trump is guilty of the crimes he is charged with, Alvin Bragg, an American politician and lawyer for the Manhattan County District Attorney, needs to prove he was hiding illegal information by falsifying business records.

Finland joins NATO after a year of waiting

On April 4, 2023, Finland officially joined the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) as the 31st member of the alliance, after their long reputation of remaining neutral. Their membership was completed during a gathering at NATO headquarters in Brussels, Belgium. This addition of Finland increases the organization’s border with Russia by about 830 miles.

Since the beginning of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine back in February 2022, European countries that share a border with Russia have expressed their fear of involvement. Partaking in NATO adds security and help everytime a new country joins, something that Finland could use and provide for the other members. NATO states that they have an “Open door” policy when it comes to adding new members. According to NATO, “Any European state which can contribute to the security and principles of the Alliance can be invited to join.” However, it requires the approval of every NATO member to accept a country’s invitation into the alliance.

Finland and Sweden had both requested

to join NATO in 2022, but they have had to wait for Turkey’s approval. Turkey was the last member of NATO to accept Finland after previous objections, according to Reuters.

Vladimir Putin has requested that NATO take its borders back to the way they were in the 1990s. That would include removing members such as Estonia, Poland and Romania, who have to come to rely on the perks that come with being in a military alliance, especially an alliance as big as NATO. While NATO considers Sweden’s membership, Putin has united countries across western Europe more than he expected. It is clear that Sweden is doing their due diligence in the situation, when the Swedish prime minister said that “I think you really have to analyze the new situation, do it very seriously, think about the consequences, the pros and cons of all potential ways forward.”

As for Finland being the newest member in NATO, the Security General, Jen Stoltenberg, expressed cheerful thoughts when Finland’s flag was raised at NATO headquarters, and said that “it will be a good day for Finland’s security, for Nordic security, and for NATO as a whole.”

Severe tornado rips through Los Angeles

Although tornadoes are most common in the Great Plains area of the United States, which have the ideal conditions for the formation of a severe thunderstorm, people living in Los Angeles and the surrounding areas are no strangers to uncommon weather patterns in recent years. This past March, Montebello, a city near LA, was hit with a very rare tornado, the second in two years.

According to CNN, LA’s tornado ranked as an EF1 with gusts of wind reaching 110 miles per hour,

second from the bottom on the Enhanced Fujita scale, a system with six tiers used to evaluate intensity and size of tornadoes. Despite the low rating, the tornado still managed to destroy properties ripping through roofs and scattering debris all over LA.

This wild weather occurrence came amid a strong Pacific storm that brought heavy rain and snow to much of California, which has been linked to five deaths in the San Francisco Bay Area, according to ABC news. With earthquakes being the most common disaster occurrence in the California area, many residents were startled by the presence of a tornado.

Fortunately, the tornado that ripped through LA was not directly linked to any fatalities, although it did damage 17 buildings, making 11 of them unusable as reported by the Los Angeles Fire Department. This recent tornado was a stark reminder that severe weather can happen anywhere, and that it’s important to be prepared for the unexpected. With climate change bringing about more extreme weather patterns, steps must be taken to mitigate the effects of these events.

Rohit Ukkan Features Editor

Josie Gardner News Editor Melina Wagner Entertainment Editor

Prosecute - Donald J. Trump has been indicted on criminal charges pleading not guilty to 34 felony charges. “Our justice system has become lawless,” Trump said. Photo Courtesy of The Davis Vanguard

Nathan Fox News Writer

Unity - Finland stands alongside the rest of the NATO countries, as well as being under their protection. Photo Courtesy of Pexels

End of drought leads to tremendous snowfall

Jack Ranney Staff Writer

The state of California has been in an off-and-on drought since 2011, with brief wet periods in 2018 and 2020. However, according to the University of NebraskaLincoln, 65% of California is now out of the drought, with 34.33% being exceptionally dry, and 8.79% under a moderate drought. This is in sharp contrast to January of 2023, when 100% of the state was abnormally dry, 97% was under a moderate drought, 80% was under severe drought and 35.50% was under extreme drought.

This has also led to an extraordinary amount of snow in areas, such as Tahoe. Tahoe reported roughly 685 inches of snow, far higher than the typical average of 382 inches. However, these high totals have been a tremendous inconvenience for the locals, with

many having to dig their homes up from under the snowfall.

The snowfall is at a 25-year high, and it happens to coincide with the resort unveiling a crop of new chairlifts. According to the Sierra Sun, “Palisades Tahoe has had what they are calling their most iconic year yet.” While the snow has led to tremendous headaches for locals, ski resorts have been quick to capitalize on it. They have taken time to groom the snow and create terrain parks. Some have even announced that they will be open until June, an abnormally long ski season, and the rainfall is expected to continue.

In spite of all of this, it is unclear if the wet period will last or if it is merely a respite from the drought that Californians have been experiencing for years.

France strikes for early retirement

Gwen McCarthy Staff Writer

On Jan. 19, 2023, a civil disturbance that was organized by opponents of the pension reform bill broke out in the streets of France. This bill would intentionally increase the retirement age from 62 to 64. April of 2022 President Emanuel Macron of France stated in his campaign that if he became president, he would increase the retirement age. Macron has thought out the plan to gradually raise the legal age when workers can start collecting a pension by three months every year until they reach 64 by 2030. Now that he is president, he has increased the age without a vote. Due to the population growth being down, people are living longer, medicine is better and benefits cost more. Many democracies have decided to balance their budgets by cutting the benefits mainly in countries with more of a generous plan like France’s, putting administrations at risk.

Some protests over the past two months have drawn over 1 million people to the cause. Garbage has filled the streets of Paris as a result of many sanitary workers walking

out to protest the increase in retirement age. For garbage collectors in Paris, the retirement age would increase from 57 to 59; being lower than most jobs because their jobs are physically harder. Many of these protests turned into riots including lighting the trash on fire. The trash strike started on March 6 and ended on March 29 2023, lasting a total of 23 days.

Sanitary workers have gone back to work with a heavy amount of trash to pick up. According to AP News, trash mounds reached up to 10,000 tons along the streets of Paris. Many strikes have taken place on the train railroads, causing trains to be out of service on March 16, 18, 30 and April first.

Due to Macron’s fear of not being able to get enough votes in order to pass the bill, Macron used a special article of the French constitution, allowing the government to force the bill through without a vote. Due to his actions, this diminished his popularity as a leader for the country.

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Strike - President Emanuel Macron of France is switching the retirement age from 62 to 64, with people striking due to this new law being passed without a vote. Photo courtesy of Flickr

Piled High - The snow in Tahoe has reached insane heights, nearly burying several neighborhoods. Here, Jack Ranney, junior, is putting his hands above his head to showcase the height difference. Jack Ranney/Prowler

Conejo Guardian shouldn’t call itself news

The Society for Professional Journalists (SPJ) Code of Ethics has four standards that journalists are supposed to abide by for their work to be professionally credible; however, The Conejo Guardian, a local publication, continues to break these rules and calling it “independent community news” is an insult to real journalists worldwide.

SPJ’s four Code of Ethics for journalists are their published information is “accurate, fair and thorough” by 1) seeking truth and reporting it accurately, 2) minimizing harm by treating subjects and members of the public as humans deserving of respect, 3) acting independently in efforts to best serve the public without bias, and 4) being accountable and transparent by taking responsibility for one’s work. (spj.org/ethicscode.asp)

The Conejo Guardian does not seek truth nor do they report information accurately. Rather, they cast unsubstantiated claims under a veil of anonymous sources, hence the reason they are an unreliable source of information. In their April issue, the writer claimed a transgender student was bunking with the opposite sex without the knowledge of parents. The article cited an anonymous source claiming the district threatened termination if the employee discussed the situation. However, we reached out to the school’s administration, and they stated that this story was untrue, nor was any employee’s job in jeopardy. SPJ specifically writes, “Never deliberately distort facts or context,” yet the use of unverified claims created unnecessary harm to the outdoor school program.

Any information published in a public forum has the power of framing rhetoric that influences people’s outlook on the world. A news publication is meant to inform the public and minimize harm, not create it. While they have the ability to reach thousands of driveways and share news through unbiased articles, they instead abuse their platform and direct hatred towards our public schools by pushing rhetoric such as, “CVUSD supports child genital mutilation”, and “For four years the [school board] has pressed an agenda to sexualize children of all the district’s k-12 classrooms.” These articles are not substantiated by verified cited sources, nor do they follow any of the basic journalistic writing styles that we learn in our high school journalism courses. It is irresponsible for a news publication to be making untrue statements. Based on SPJ’s code of ethics, The Conejo Guardian failed to “consider the long-term implications of the extended reach and permanence of publication.” The superintendent published a statement admonishing The Conejo Guardian’s spread of misinformation and community members have further criticized the publication as they feel it has empowered individuals to graffiti an elementary school and make death threats against district officials. One of the primary financiers of the publication, Pastor Rob McCoy of Godspeak Calvary Church outed himself after he pushed back against CVUSD in a podcast with Bryce Eddy, board member and writer for The Conejo Guardian, “The superintendent of schools wrote a letter to every parent in the district blaming the newspaper, The Guardian and saying WE were the ones responsible for the graffiti.”

SPJ’s code of ethics specifically states that all publications must act independently, meaning avoid conflict of interest. Professional news forums are supposed to be clear of bias, and while this is difficult to accomplish, The Conejo Guardian doesn’t even try to be unbiased or void of a political and religious agenda. The Conejo Guardian has financial ties with Godspeak Calvary Church and their pastor Rob McCoy, who sits on the advisory board for Public School Exit. McCoy has gone on record stating that his primary goal is to perform an exodus from public schools. Godspeak was cited as the paper’s assembly spot, inviting groups of all ages to “gather to prepare for the monthly newspaper,” which was printed in the TO Acorn. Moreover, McCoy recently announced his support for The Conejo Guardian and that Godspeak will be hosting a donation drive for it. McCoy continues to use this publication to push his agenda by publishing false hit pieces–the definition of a conflict of interest.

One of the most important steps a publication can take when printing something inaccurate is to print a correction so the public can receive the most transparent and accurate information. The Conejo Guardian continuously fails to acknowledge the harm their lies cause. The most vile of these journalistic sins is their failure to expose unethical journalistic conduct, especially within their own organization. The Conejo Guardian has also yet to address their failure of adherence to the three prior codes of ethics. Part of being transparent is responding quickly to questions about accuracy, clarity and fairness. While researching information for this article, I reached out to the editor of The Conejo Guardian, Joel Kilpatrick, to ask how his publication differentiates opinion articles from news articles, since we have noticed there is no delineation and they continue to print opinion articles as facts. However, Kilpatrick did not respond with a transparent answer, and offered me a job instead.

Sorry Conejo Guardian. I could not, in good conscience, sell my soul and write for a sketchy newsletter that writes fiction as fact, breaks every SPJ code of ethics, and trolls innocent bystanders by leaving trash on their driveway. Of course The Conejo Guardian still has the right to publish their hate-filled pamphlet, but if they continue to do so after they read this article, my final recommendation would be to change their title of “independent community news” as The Conejo Guardian is not independent, neither does it protect the community, nor is it news.

Cursive remains significant to students

In today’s technology-dependent world, people are too busy typing and tapping away instead of writing on old-fashioned pen and paper. At this rate, it seems as though humans will barely have to write with pen and paper ever again. While electronic devices have added an element of convenience to the writing process, putting pen to paper has benefits that typing cannot replace. Researchers have found ties between writing by hand and everything from language skills to memory to critical thinking.

For children, cursive handwriting requires more advanced hand movements than print handwriting. Students need to learn how much force they should apply to the pencil and paper, as well as the process of motor planning to form the letters in a fluid, constant motion from left to right. This promotes enhancing fine motor skills, which is crucial for elementary school students to develop at their young age.

In an academic study called “The Pen is Mightier than the Keyboard,” researchers Pam Mueller and Daniel Oppenheimer found that students that write out their notes perform better on conceptual questions than students who take notes on laptops. Mueller and Oppenheimer also concluded that students who type their notes tend to transcribe lectures and only scratch the surface of the material they need to know. Students who take notes by hand digest the content and reframe it in their own words which increases their

retention and comprehension.

Additionally, cursive handwriting has a historical and cultural significance that should not be Ignored, as it has been used in history for centuries. Historical documents like the Constitution are written in cursive. In schools, children are asked to read pictures of various historical documents and some children are unable to decipher the text. When children are not taught to write in cursive and are not exposed to it, they cannot read it, either. This is harmful to dealing with historical documents and memorabilia when students cannot interpret the documents.

Moreover, cursive is still relevant in formal settings such as signing legal documents and mailing wedding invitations. When it comes to signing the bottom of a document or letter, cursive adds to one’s personal expression and touch.

If one were to write their signature in normal print, it lacks authenticity and can be easily forged. Cursive has the added benefit of being both artistic and highly customizable. Developing a cursive hand to be used in a personal signature carries through in a unique form of writing that others can identify and associate with a particular individual. One can write cursive words in a super tight string, or loosely spread out. Students are not carbon copies, and education should include tools that encourage the individual personality.

History has its eyes on your dress

Kira Ivarsdottir Entertainment Editor

Ever since I was little, I was told that I focused too much on my appearance, regarding what clothes I wore, how I did my hair, even how much makeup that I put on. How can girls possibly find the inspiration to not care about how others view them in an ever-changing and ‘love yourself’ era when we are exposed to the ideal that after we die, despite the accomplishments we’ve made, we are only going to be recalled for how we looked on a certain day or event.

After visiting Washington D.C. over spring break, I was excited to immerse myself into the American history that D.C. is famous for. However, I quickly concluded that the way in which history is depicted and recalled is very different if you were a woman compared to if you were a man in the past.

While visiting the Smithsonian on one of our schedule-free days, I was eager to see the presidents’ exhibit that I had heard so much about along with the attached first ladies exhibit. The presidents’ exhibit was filled with lists of accomplishments and depictions of groundbreaking discoveries and contributions made by each of the men.

Moving onto the first ladies however, I was floored, and not in a good way. As soon as you step into the exhibit, guests are met with a long row of dresses from each first lady with the single caption of each dress stating the designer and the material. If you pan to the right however, you’re met with each of the table settings that that first lady had chosen for the house with a possible depiction of how their physique or dressing style was scandalous at the time, and that was pretty much it.

Eleanor Roosevelt, for example, was considered a considerable politician in her time for her contributions as a spokesperson for the United States, a press conference holder, and radio broadcaster; however the Smithsonian chose to reflect on her specific preference of dishware. As considered before, women hold just as many accomplishments in history as men; however, reflecting on women in history in matters of such simplistic domesticity as opposed to continues to put women in a seemingly inescapable box of fragility and underestimation.

I had hoped that other museums would have a different way of representing women in history, however, I quickly learned that the others weren’t much better. While men in history are recalled in terms of their effect on the world and those around them, most women are merely recalled upon as to how a choice of garment fabric had been all over the news that day. Though accurate feminist representation has come a long way, women are still viewed as mere objects of physicality and domesticity, which demonstrates the fact that the fight for recognition is far from over.

Parker Bohl/Prowler

Melissa Geher Front Cover Editor

Jack Ranney/Prowler

Brody Sintuko Staff Writer

Prowler Graphic Library

Justice served for Gwyneth Paltrow

Nathan Fox News Editor

Celebrity court cases, and the drama behind them, are nothing new to people who already keep tabs on celebrities. Whether it is between two celebrities, a celebrity and a 9-5 worker, they tend to get a decent amount of coverage. And the stereotype of people suing the rich for no reason other than money has proven to be true

. In 2016, Paltrow was hit by Terry Sanderson on a ski slope at Deer Valley Resort in Utah. Sanderson sued her for $300,000 on the basis that she hit him. She countersued, claiming that the ski accident was Sanderson’s fault. The jurors found Sanderson responsible, and awarded Paltrow the $1 (along with lawyer fees) that she sought. I agree wholeheartedly with the decision, and it’s clear that many other people feel the same way.

Sanderson did have injuries from the incident, but they were not as dramatic as he made them out to be. His life was normal, if not abundant afterwards. Paltrow’s lawyers showed photos from his social media where he traveled all over the world, including places like Morocco, Peru, Germany, and Italy. Sanderson even sent an email

hours after the crash to his daughters saying that he was famous, because the accident occurred with a celebrity. Plus in his deposition, Sanderson said that it was cool to be in a crash with a celebrity. That point in the trial led me to believe that this case was about Paltrow’s money, and not holding her accountable. Paltrow explained that Sanderson was behind her and made contact with her back, locking both of their skis together until they fell over. Paltrow also stated, “I was very upset, and it was still very strange to me what had happened,” Paltrow said. An expert witness even said that Paltrow’s account of the accident made sense on a physics level. For many people who listened to both testimonies, Paltrow’s testimony was much more airtight than Sanderson’s. Her account of the accident, combined with her lawyers’ attempts to diminish Sanderson’s character was enough for the case to go in her favor. Even though justice was served, this case was a massive waste of time, and taxpayer money.

The Confederate movement lies to you

Cameron Winick Editorial Editor

Something that I consistently find shocking about American culture is its strange obsession with the Civil War. Across the 50 states, one might find odd reenactments and museums relating to the war, and more specifically, the Confederacy. While Confederate iconography was always a strange piece of Americana, it was mostly contained in the southern U.S. states for a long time. However, efforts by Confederate sympathizers during the Trump presidency have spread the movement country-wide. The danger, however, is how the Confederacy lies to you. It does it on purpose, and as long as you wear a Confederate flag on your hoodie or backpack, you continue to fall for their act.

Since 1894, the United Daughters of the Confederacy, a southernbased group with almost 20,000 members have made it their mission to alter America’s perception of Confederates. In an average Georgia or Alabama school textbook, the American Civil War is still referred to as “The War of Northern Aggression.” This is meant to be a deliberate attempt by Neo-Confederates to make the enemies of the Union seem more palatable to a general public.

One of the first steps to the end goal of an accepted Confederacy is to alter the reason for the Civil War. To make a long story short, the war was about slavery and its abolishment. That’s it. To suggest that there was another reason that the Confederacy seceded from the Union would be a blatant lie, and Neo-Confederates are well aware of this fact. That’s why in their carefully-edited history texts, the war was not about slavery, but rather “states rights.” This is just one way

that they are able to use language to their advantage, as to soften the blow that comes when anyone asks the obvious question: What “state right” exactly were the Confederates fighting for? What right was so important to the Confederate states that they collectively chose to create an entirely new country seceded from America? The answer is obviously slavery, but that doesn’t seem nearly as vague as “states rights,” so it’s purposefully ignored.

The next move is to turn the Confederate movement into one of patriotism. If you see a Confederate flag waving in the wind, there’s more than a good chance that right next to it is the flag of the United States of America. Why is this? How did such an anti-American flag become so patriotic? The Daughters of the Confederacy wanted the Confederate flag to feel as American as apple pie and red, white and blue, another effort in which they succeeded. I believe that in reality, waving the Confederate flag around proudly is a traitorous and blatantly anti-American action. Unfortunately, the general consensus has adopted the Confederate flag as a United States symbol, seemingly here to stay.

While there are many other grievances that I have with the NeoConfederate movement, I think that the most important message to leave with is that no matter how much you end up defending them, it’s never not going to be about race. The Confederates fought for slavery, and the new generation of Confederates, whether they know it or not, are fighting for the same cause.

Elon Musk should not be individually responsible for Twitter

Nathan Fox News Editor

Social media has always been controversial. Whether the conversation is on the mental health of teens, politicians doing Godknows-what with Cambridge Analytica, or celebrities face-tuning their photos, there tends to be a lot of contrasting opinions on every social media platform. Lately, it seems that the discourse has shifted to account verification on apps such as Instagram, Facebook, and especially Twitter. However, Musk seems to be in over his head since his purchase of Twitter.

Elon Musk seems to be solely responsible for the recent focus and criticism on social media verification, since Twitter introduced Twitter Blue, a subscription plan that starts at $8/month and allows users to add a verification checkmark next to their username. And according to “India Today”, he also fired about 64% of its employees at the time, a decision that has cost him, since the board of directors was cut too. Previously, both celebrity and company Twitter accounts were the only ones that were allowed to be verified so that it would be difficult for them to be impersonated, but suddenly it became accessible for anyone willing to pay.

Once Twitter Blue was up and running, all hell broke loose. People

In a colorless world devoid of meaning, the only thing that brings me bliss is the immediate jolt of liveliness given to me by coffee. If I didn’t have coffee in my life, I probably would’ve flunked way more classes than I already have. Some people say that you shouldn’t have coffee past noon, but I don’t listen to the haters; I am a proud coffee day-drinker. I have been a Starbucks purist for the longest time. However, on my mission to become a coffee connoisseur, I decided to expand my palate by visiting Ragamuffin Coffee Roasters.

Ragamuffin is a shanty little coffee shop located in the Trader Joe’s parking lot off of Reino Rd. Upon entering, nearly every table was occupied with people chatting, and others typing. There was even a pile of Panther Prowler newspapers on one of the tables for people to read, which I appreciated. When it came to ordering, the menu was vast

all over the timeline made impersonation accounts of companies, and were able to make them look legit for only $8. A verified Eli Lilly account tweeted that “insulin is free now.” Despite some skepticism from the public, their stock price dropped 4.37%, and according to “The Hustle”, Eli Lilly lost around $15 billion. Not only does an $8 tweet making a company lose $15 billion sound unreal, but it also caused other companies such as General Mills and United Airlines to stop running their ads on Twitter. For organizations however, they have to pay $1,000/month for their checkmark. Several publications such as “The New York Times”, and “Politico” have stated that they will not pay for their accounts to be verified, considering that the value of Twitter checkmarks have fallen, now that just anyone can buy them. I can empathize with Elon Musk’s intentions to increase freedom of speech online. However, his execution has been a failure. It is incredible to me that someone who has been credited as a sharp businessman, did not predict such a daylong dumpster fire on Dec 12, 2022, the day that the new Twitter Blue was released. While Musk has increased the amount of free speech on his platform, Twitter Blue’s madness has proved that some things should be gatekept.

with plenty of artsy pastries and breakfast items. Their beverage arsenal is less extensive than Starbucks, however, there seems to be higher quality in every drink.

I ordered my go-to coffee, black cold brew and after my first sip I knew I was hooked. The coffee was very smooth, and its taste was incredibly raw, which I enjoyed. The smell of the cold brew smelled oddly similar to that of an aged red wine, rather than dirty coffee beans. The best part of this coffee is that it didn’t give me heartburn, which normally happens every time I have coffee. I didn’t have to take Tums to cure any pain.

Ragamuffin offers a more traditional take on a coffee shop than a typical Starbucks, with all of its well crafted pricey yet artsy beverages. It definitely makes a great addition to your coffee rotation, especially due to its close location to NPHS, where its mere proximity allows you to get your caffeine fix right before a test.

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Shana Blair/Prowler

Brody Sinutko Staff Writer

Bark in the Park brings “paw”sitivity to the community

Ariela Behar Backcover Editor

On Sunday, April 23, the cloudy skies parted for a hot and sunny day at Conejo Creek park, for the annual “Bark in the Park” event coordinated by the Conejo Recreation and Park District (CRPD). The event was filled with canine-enthused activities, like dog races and costume contests, sprinkler stations, a variety of vendors and more.

One annual attender of the event, Theresa Hanson and owner of two great danes Gus and Gracie, loves the welcoming atmosphere that “Bark in the Park” encourages. “It’s family, it’s community. Nobody comes here with a mean dog. You can actually come knowing your animals are safe, your kids are safe. There’s a little bit of something for everyone,” Hanson said.

Those “something for everyone” included multiple dog contests, one of the most notable being the costume contest. Costumes ranged from lions to bumblebees. The winner of the contest was particularly creative. Caitlain Bricker, a regular attendee of pup-related events, brought her dog Maizie in a homemade flower garden costume complete with a watering can leash. “I just love dog events. We go to all of them, usually ones that have costume contests…I really like seeing all of the rescues,

A great event - Great danes, Gus and Gracie are one of the many types of dogs that came to the event. “It brings all walks of life together through animals, and animals, you know, are therapy dogs, they’re seizure dogs. There are all kinds of different dogs nowadays,” Hanson said. Cameron Winick/Prowler

most importantly…I like seeing that they bring out the dogs so you can actually meet them and hopefully find homes for them. So that’s honestly my favorite part. I just wish I could take them all home,” Bricker said.

One of these rescues is the Canine Adoption and Rescue League, also known as CARL. The nonprofit organization has been coming to “Bark in the Park” since the event’s creation, bringing their rescue dogs to meet potential new owners and spread awareness about their rescue. Toni Kamm, a volunteer with the organization since its establishment in 1996, said that at the event, “We get a lot of lookers. And of course a lot of people here already have dogs. But, you know, sometimes they’re looking for another dog. And when the time comes they can always go online, once they know that we’re out there.”

From the vendors, the community volunteers, and the dogs themselves, Bark in the Park promotes a friendly safe space for everyone in the community.“People bring their animals everywhere and this is kind of an unspoken freebie where you can go without any judgment so it’s fun,” Hanson said.

The Random Acts of Kindness Club prepares for their final event

Téa Sklar Managing Editor

The Random Acts of Kindness Club (ROAK) has existed on campus for four years, and of those four years, they have been committed to making our school community a happier space. The club puts on events like the Valentine’s Day grams and portions of Teacher Appreciation Week, which this year is May 8-12.

Bryce Hutchins, senior and President of ROAK, has been a member since it was founded four years ago. His favorite part of the club is the environment created by the members. “I really love the atmosphere, it’s a very relaxed club,” Hutchins said. Despite the minimal amount of stress, however, the club gets their responsibilities done on time. “Even though we’re all very relaxed and chill, we still get a lot done and we have a lot of fun doing it,” Hutchins said.

Linnea Trotman, senior, has been in the club for all four years, as she enjoys the nature of which the club takes suggestions, and the freedom that the club has to do whatever they want, as long as it benefits the morale of the school. “I like that people can submit ideas for us to do stuff…since we’re a general club, we can

do anything that is suggested for us to do, rather than any specific thing,” Trotman said.

One of the main events that the club participates in is Teacher Appreciation Week, where they help put together notes and small gifts for all the teachers of Newbury Park. Gabriela Parsinia, senior, explains what the ROAK club does to make this week special. “For our club, we specifically write kind notes and give them kind of like little goodie bags all week to just show our appreciation for them,” Parsinia said.

Hutchins hopes that, after he graduates, the club will continue to provide some of that kind atmosphere that they have been so committed to. “At the minimum, the club will continue being a promoter of kindness and positivity throughout the school community,” Hutchins said. The club needs members to continue to exist in years from now, and as Hutchins explains, the process to join is easy. “Joining the club is very simple, just show up on Tuesday at B-8 at lunch…We’re there almost every Tuesday,” Hutchins said.

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Spread kindness - During one of the regular meetings for the Random Acts of Kindness Club a few members began working on a poster, as pictured from left to right, Bryce Hutchins, Lia Leizerovich, and Linnea Trotman planned out their goals. Parker Bohl/Prowler

The small yet present writers of NPHS go above and beyond the writing required in their English classes. Talented script writers, poets and authors are among campus, changing the world one word at a time through their artistic insights. Writing outside the classroom is highly beneficial for creative expression.

When creativity takes Books

For many of these writers, much of their time is spent working for long periods of time on their long-form ideas and bringing their stories to life. Our school is filled to the brim with student authors ready to write the next great American novel.

Many of these students use their writing as an escape from what they consider to be the mdanity of life. Maxwell Hellard, sophomore, has written two fantasy novels in his series entitled “Michelle Sage,” the sprawling story of a kingdom’s queen on a quest to save the world. Hellard oten uses his time at school to flesh out his ideas. “I think school is a criminal waste of time,” Hellard said. “So instead of doing my work, I often write notes and jot down images or other notes about the books on my homework, on classwork, on desks or on anything I can find. I think you just need to work with what you have and I don’t have too much time due to school and activities.”

Hellard has plans to finish the “Michelle Sage” trilogy and publish the books all at once, however, before he can do that, he wants to keep editing. “Editing gives you a chance to explore things that you missed and make things tighter so that you can be more proud of your work,” Hellard said.

While Hellard likes the process of editing the most, some students like Ajay Madhavapeddy, sophomore and author of “Monsters as Men,” and “Spirits of Eternity,” definitely prfer writing. “Writing books inspires creativity,” Madhavapeddy said. “I also run a D&D campaign, and in the campaign, I just kind of pull ideas

out. I don’t plan anything and it’s kind of that way with writing books. When you’re planning it, you just pull ideas and just set out an entire storyline just randomly at some point.”

Writing books isn’t an easy task, and can often take an extremely long time. “The past two books took about a year to write together,” Madhavapeddy said. “And the book I’m currently writing is probably going to take only six months to finish the first draft.” Madhavapeddy has also been able to make his writing public, posting both of his novels on the internet for everyone to read. “Monsters as Men” tells the story of a fallen protector attempting to regain his power, and “Spirits of Eternity” is about a power-hungry girl on a journey for revenge. Both books are currently available on royalroad.com.

However, some student writers find inspiration in more unique avenues. “I had this really weird dream,” said Dean Gillard, senior student author of “The Bewilder.” “Then I kind of felt like writing about it just because it’s pretty crazy…I took a lot of melatonin by accident. And then I just went crazy, you know?”

Gillard has not only published his novel, but has begun sales of the book to anyone interested. “I sold a decent amount. I got some printed and then just told people about it, posted about it on social media and then people bought them and I just distributed them myself,” Gillard said. He is currently printing more copies and plans to make more sales.

To many, writing books is both a creative medium to share stories and a relaxing pastime for anyone to enjoy.

“I’m very excited by writing and the opportunities that it brings out, but sometimes, it can be very daunting and if you don’t have the words already in your head, it can be a little scary, but you have to just go for it,” Hellard said.

Cameron Winick Editorial Editor Parker Bohl Chief Photographer

Dean Gillard, senior Cameron Winick/Prowler

Ashley Solano, senior Emerson Fuentes-Alabanza/Prowler

takes over the pen

Photographer Melissa Geher Front Cover Editor Jason Kiang Staff Writer

done by Shana Blair

Filmmaking

Some students at Newbury Park High School find that film expresses stories differently than all other modes of storytelling. Hayley Harris, junior, enjoys screenwriting, but she is drawn to the medium of film because of its visual nature. “I think [film] is different because it’s more accessible than reading a book for the general public. I think the visual elements along with the sonic elements are what help it stand apart from other mediums,” Harris said. “It’s changing, there’s so many different parts of filmmaking that there’s no way you can get bored of it because there’s so much you can do or explore and learn about.”

Inspiration for script writing often comes from something which appears insignificant at first glance but is symbolic for something much larger to the writer. Joshua Gonzalez, senior, composed a story that followed a schizophrenic girl who experiences a phenomenon known as the Jerusalem syndrome, drawing his inspiration from school. “[Inspiration] can sometimes come from small things. I got the Jerusalem syndrome idea from my senior capstone project,” Gonzalez said.

Script writing is also unique in that it allows for one’s writing to be visualized and allows for a wide range of creativity. “Script writing follows a completely different format in comparison to other forms of literature because instead of deriving emotion from readers, the script acts like a blueprint for the actors so they can bring characters to life,” Carr said.

Tyler Lacy, junior, believes films are a more efficient way of telling stories than written words are alone. “It’s easier to see. You can hear everything around you. You actually see and hear that world, rather than read it. You can read it but when you do you actually have to process and think about that image while, in film, the image is there. You hear the actors really display something that’s tense. You can’t see that in writing without them explicitly telling you their facial expressions,” Lacy said.

Lacy hopes to work with visual effects and computer generated imagery, citing the imaginative aspects of the medium as its main selling point for him, “Making your own story, making your characters come alive, [and] being able to take something that’s in your head and make it flourish [is exciting],” Lacy said.

Harris aims to focus on keeping her writing and filmmaking close to her own life. “My goal is to tell authentic, personal stories. I like being able to find other people who are passionate about the same thing that I am and talk to them and collaborate on it. I think that’s really, really special,” Harris said.

Shaun Foye, junior, plans to continue filmmaking as long as he can. “My dream is to make it to the big times, to make feature film movies, get them sold, and live off of my dream of filmmaking and just make that what I’m going to do for the rest of my life,” Foye said. Many of the script writers at Newbury Park High School are students in the creative writing class and have aspirations to continue writing in the future. “I want to be an author, and write short stories and poems in the future. I’ve been getting in those this year,” Gonzalez said.

Action - From top- Hayley Harris, junior, acted in the short film “Deleting Daisy Petal” by Parker Bohl, junior. Harris plans to build her portfolio of film work. “Right now my goal is to finish writing a short film before the end of the school year, which is more ambitious than I had anticipated,” Harris said. Parker Bohl and Nathan Adem/With Permission

or nature, sometimes people, other times myself and my teammates... I like to write things that I enjoy,” Solano said. “Sometimes the Internet helps me search up interesting topics.”

Through conveying thoughts, feelings, emotions or themes, poetry is a special type of literature focused on the aesthetics of language, wordplay and rhythm. The literary form serves as a creative outlet for people that desire to write out their feelings and thoughts in an artistic way. Here at NPHS, many enthusiastic poets embrace the beauty of poetry through their artistic word choice, emotional expression and personal touch.

Even since completing an exciting poetry-related extra credit assignment in her freshman year English class, Sophia Di Stefano, senior, has continued to write poems that express her inner thoughts during her free time. Having a busy schedule with full IB and being ASB president, Di Stefano only writes meaningful, quality poems when she can. “I don’t think I force [the process]… I really just only have a couple of poems that I really liked that I haven’t deleted or gotten rid of or shifted around,” Di Stefano said. To deal with any things on her mind or stress in her life, Di Stefano utilizes poetry as a creative outlet. “I think [poetry] is a great way to shove a lot of emotion and meaning, and literary elements into just one form,” Di Stefano said. “Instead of…what people use [as outlets] to write short stories, or novels, or things like that, or even journal, …I found that it’s easier for me to use poetry as a lens, to look at the world and to get exposed to a different world.”

Ashley Solano, senior and member of the Bold In Italics literary magazine, has had a knack for writing poems since middle school, and poetry serves as a safe space for her to write about a variety of significant topics. “It helps me to organize my thoughts and put my thoughts onto paper until it [becomes] pretty,” Solano said. Solano believes that there are many subjects to write about, proving the boundless nature of poetry. “There are many topics I can write about, like animals

Apart from standard NPHS English class writing such as essays or extended paragraphs, Lucia Lemieux, NPHS English teacher and avid poet, stresses the importance of poetry as extremely beneficial for students to know and write about. “I think that poetry is probably something that should be taught in all classes [because] it opens people up and it allows for expression,” Lemieux said. “Some people may not be great essay writers, but they can end up being really good poets.” In addition to poetry being critical to English classes, Lemieux believes that poets have always had great power and are very powerful when writing their words out. “Poets are the conscience of the world. And I think that expressing things that have a universal truth, it can connect people, and it can make people feel better and feel that they’re not alone,” Lemieux said.

Through the thick and thin of high school life, Di Stefano continues to write poetry when she feels inspired, as it is a nice creative outlet to release emotion into. “[Poetry] is more [meaningful] when I I feel inspired is when I do it,” Di Stefano said. Once she has some free time, Di Stefano will freely express herself through poetry. “If there’s no pressure [in life] because I have enough pressure in my life, and everyone has enough pressure, these outlets are supposed to be when you’re not feeling pressured, and it’s natural, and that’s what inspires you.”

Student

Andrew Castillo/Sophmore

1

Who hosted the first Soccer World Cup?

Castillo: England

Kick: Brazil

A: Uruguay

0-0

These answers deserve to be on the bench.

2

How many wings does a flea have?

Castillo: 2

Kick: 4

A: none

0-0

Their sense of confidence might be flea-ting

3

VS

Nikhil Satyagal Staff Writer

Kick Wins! 4-6

Richard Kick/Mathematics

6

An “omniscient” person has unlimited what?

Castillo: Intelligence

Kick: Knowing

A: Knowledge

3-3

At least they know this one.

7

What gas makes up approximately 74 percent of the Sun’s mass?

Castillo: Hydrogen

Kick: Hydrogen

A: Hydrogen

1-1

Looks like they aren’t full of hot air.

4

How much wider is a doubles tennis court than a singles tennis court?

Castillo: 8 feet

Kick: 6 feet

A: 9 feet

1-1

They both missed the ball on this one.

5

Who played Han Solo in the Star Wars film series?

Castillo: Harrison Ford

Kick: Harrison Ford

A: Harrison Ford

2-2

The force is strong with these two.

Nikhil Satyagal/Prowler

What does NASA stand for?

Castillo: National Administration

Kick: National Aeronautics and Space Administration.

A: National Aeronautics and Space Administration.

3-4

Kick’s score is blasting off

8 What is the most common letter in Scrabble?

Castillo: E

Kick: S

A: E

4-4

Castillo just kicked the competition!

9

What does MRI stand for?

Castillo: No idea

Kick: Magnetic Resonance Imaging

A: Magnetic Resonance Imaging

4-5

Castillo isn’t resonating with the question.

10

What is the world’s largest island?

Castillo: Is Antarctica an Island?

Kick: Greenland

A: Greenland

4-6

Castillo just made a continental mistake

Coachella headliner creates an ocean of controversy

Since 1999, Coachella has been supplying music lovers with a space to see hundreds of their favorite artists over the course of just three days. The music festival began its first weekend of excitement on Fri. April 14 and concluded a week later on Sun. April 23. With a lineup of the most trending and talented artists every year, this year included names like Bad Bunny, Boygenius, Kali Uchis and, after a hiatus of six years, Frank Ocean.

Gracen Mechling, junior, attended the music festival for the first time and was left stunned with the bounteous amount of music lovers and performers that showed up. “There were a lot of people there. We actually ended up looking at how many people walked in and it was like 250,000 thousand people a day… It was obviously a lot of fun,” Mechling said. “We loved Metro Boomin and all of the people he brought out like 21 Savage, Future and the Weeknd because it was just such a surprise. It was so cool that he like took time out of his performance to showcase his friends and other rappers. When Frank Ocean was announced as a headliner for Coachella, fans were eager to attend in any way they could, especially since he would be returning after a six year hiatus. PJ Cool-Tomasi, a long time fan of Ocean, saw first hand just how dedicated the artist’s fanbase was. “I set up like an hour before [he started], but there were people waiting there from like 12PM. His set was at 10PM. People were waiting there

for hours just to get barricade for him,” CoolTomasi said. “The crowd was getting super big. Everyone was like super stoked because he hadn’t performed in years. The energy was there, everyone was freaking out.”

When Frank Ocean finally walked onto the stage, his performance was met with mixed, controversial reviews. Ever Irate, junior, had no complaints and was simply happy to see her favorite singer live. “I wasn’t disappointed at all. I was just so excited to be so close to him in person. I’ve listened to a lot of unreleased songs and unpopular songs and it was super cool to hear those live as well,” Irate said.

On the other hand, a majority of the fans expressed their disappointment, including Cool-Tomasi. “We were waiting and waiting, and then he comes out like an hour late…for some reason there were like 8 minutes between each song which was really weird. He also had no stage presence. It just wasn’t doing what I thought it was going to do,” Cool-Tomasi said. “At the end, he was like ‘ok so that’s curfew, show’s over.’ Then he just left and didn’t say a word. Nothing.”

Other than the Frank Ocean debacle, those who attended still found themselves surrounded with a high-energy, inviting environment. “Everyone was happy. There really seemed to be no problems. It was like all great people and I felt safe, and it was genuinely just such like a cool and unique experience,” Mechling said.

Ariela Behar Back Cover Editor

Refreshing! - Aside from music, there were plenty of other entertaining activities for guests to interact with. “The rainbow tower that they have is super cool. It’s really cool to take pictures and there was also a lot of artwork everywhere you walked,” Irate said. Gracen Mechling/With Permission

Panther Prowler • April 28, 2023

It’s a-mid: “Super Mario Bros.” disappoints

Cameron Winick Editorial Editor

“The Super Mario Bros. Movie” is the latest feature from Illumination, the studio responsible for “Despicable Me,” “The Lorax” and the creation of the Minions, a pop culture epidemic we are unfortunately still living through. Released on April 5, 2023 to a lukewarm consensus from critics, the film still managed to rake in almost $400 million on opening weekend, making it the largest opening for an animated film in history. While the film is certainly lucrative, reactions between general audiences and critics have vastly differed. The film is jam-packed with countless references to the different Mario video games that the feature is based on, which is an aspect that I’m sure any fan will love. Ultimately, the movie struggles to be anything more than a thinlyplotted and conventional video game adaptation for children.

The movie follows the adventures of Mario Mario and his brother, Luigi Mario, as they navigate through the Mushroom Kingdom. I would normally continue with a more detailed plot synopsis, but tragically, “Mario Bros.” doesn’t have much plot to speak of. Everything in the film feels like a sugar rush, attempting to stuff as many references and easter eggs into the scenes as possible, which unfortunately leads to a terribly-paced movie. It goes by incredibly fast, without allowing for scenes of much-needed character development or worldbuilding. For how many locations the movie includes, none of them feel very fleshed out or lived-in, which is because no time is spent on examining their inner workings.

Another seemingly divisive aspect is the casting. The movie features the voices of Chris Pratt, Charlie Day, Anya Taylor-Joy and Jack Black. Aside from Jack Black, who gives an unequivocally outstanding performance as Bowser, the rest of the voices are a mixed bag. Charlie Day’s Luigi and Seth Rogen’s Donkey Kong are okay, but it was extremely hard for me to hear anything but those actors for the majority of the runtime. Anya Taylor-Joy seemed to snooze through her performance as Princess Peach, and Chris Pratt did not end up beating the celebrity voice actor

allegations, as he is tragically confused in his role as Mario. He continually switches accents from New York to Italian to just plain old Chris Pratt, and seems to be scared in the recording booth. Pratt is miscast, and the film suffers as a result.

Despite the poor script, the film does have a nice look to it. The animation is extremely polished and colorful, with the environments being especially appealing to look at. Additionally, the original score by Brian Tyler brilliantly weaves in the classic music of the games with his personal compositions seamlessly. It is a shame that the film seems less interested in utilizing this aspect and more interested in forcefully shoving in as many ear-bleeding pop songs as humanly possible.

In all, the “Mario Bros.” movie is a mixed bag. I suppose I get tired of the excuse that “it’s just for kids.” Nobody says that when a really good kids movie succeeds, so I do not think it is fair to make that excuse anymore. Based on the discourse surrounding this film, I believe that the best lesson to take away is the idea that it is okay for people to have differing opinions. Nobody is wrong for liking or not liking a movie. Especially if it’s “The Super Mario Bros. Movie.”

Season 3 of “The Mandalorian” is the way

Hayden Meixner Sports Editor

Season three of the Disney+ hit show, “The Mandalorian’’ was released on March 1, continuing the Star Wars spin off that got us all through the COVID-19 lockdowns. The new addition was action packed and exciting, adding many new characters to the beloved franchise. The show stars Pedro Pascal as Din Djarin, a Mandalorian we have been following since the very beginning of the show.

“The Mandalorian” is looking to redeem himself after taking off his helmet in the previous season and go back to the roots of his people, embracing “The Way” the best he can. “The Mandalorian” also encounters Bo-Katan Kryze on her journey to redemption, who will join him for the remainder of the season.

The third installment of the series had many positive contributions to the famous storyline. Of course, there were many endearing Grogu moments, and the character colloquially called Baby Yoda provided much comic relief, cutting the tension of the often violent show. Additionally, in episode six, artist Lizzo and actor Jack Black made a cameo appearance. The familiar faces were a welcome surprise. I also deeply enjoyed the history of the Mandalorians themselves that was provided in the new season. Viewers are able to get a sense of where these characters came from and why they live the way they do.

On the other hand, as with many Star Wars affiliated films and shows, the series can be a little hard to keep up with. With confusing names and many different planets involved, “The Mandalorian” requires much focus to keep up. Additionally, at times it feels as though the show goes off on unnecessary tangents that do not add much to the storyline. I would love for the season to have less auditions to the story and a more concentrated focus on the adventures of Din Djarin and Grogu, who we have learned to know and love.

Yet, all things considered, the newest season of “The Mandalorian” was a fantastic addition to the franchise, adding many new characters and continued great performances.

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CINEMA CENTER

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“John Wick” 4 creates a new summit

Vincent Bennett Movie Reviewer

I love “John Wick.” This is the fourth and likely final film in the best action franchise of the 2010s. Each sequel has built, and in many ways improved on what came before, resulting in creating one of my all-time favorite film franchises, and that trend continues here with what might be the best of all four films.

“John Wick: Chapter 4,” released on March 24, tells the story of Wick continuing his journey to bring down the corruption in the assassin society in order to clear his name after being labeled excommunicado (rebuked of protection). In this entry, Wick takes it national to seek out old friends for help with a new marquis on his tail.

I have nothing negative to say about this film. Hollywood has pumped out a perfect action film. Few of those exist and fewer are recent, but this and “Mission: Impossible - Fallout” are the gold standard of 21st century action filmmaking. Everything came together just right to create the best version of this story.

Keanu Reeves is one of my favorite human beings and he’s continued to impress me with his action performances. This is the longest film of the four, clocking in at 2 hours and 49 minutes, and therefore has the most action of all four films. You see Reeves the whole time tackling dudes, throwing himself around, performing real combat and kicking butt from beginning to end. Reeves is an awesome actor when you give him the right material and direction, and Wick being a character and franchise he was born to be part of makes the performance genuinely good.

In “John Wick: Chapter 4,” they introduce a handful of new characters that I really enjoyed. The standouts for me were easily Donnie Yen as Caine and Bill Skarsgård as Marquis Vincent de Gramont. The character of Caine is blind but at the same time very athletic and fast while carrying one of the more emotional turmoils of the story. That’s asking so much of an actor and Yen sells all of it seamlessly. Marquis is easily the scariest, most compelling villain in this

franchise full of intimidating and powerful antagonists. He’s the most reckless yet the most calculated villain and every moment he has onscreen demands your attention.

I’m not the first and I certainly won’t be the last to marvel at the cinematography in the film. Even for a visually distinct franchise, this film stands out as a genuinely beautiful film to look at. This was achieved by cinematographer Dan Laustsen who has received two Academy Award nominations for his work on Guillermo del Toro’s “Nightmare Alley” and “The Shape of Water.” He’s also worked on del Toro’s “Crimson Peak” and all of the “John Wick” sequels.

Then there’s of course the action and its set pieces. People can debate forever what the best action movie is but this is the most action movie I’ve ever seen. It is all fantastic, and even though the film clocks in at almost three hours, I couldn’t get enough. For the first 45 minutes, it’s set piece after set piece. He turns a corner and he’s immediately in his next big fight. The fights continue to get bigger, and better. My personal favorite is the water rave fight. This is the best film I’ve had the pleasure to review for the Panther Prowler. Out of all eight issues, two reviews each time, this is the best one. Please go support this film at a movie theater and if you’re not already a fan of this franchise, I highly encourage you to treat yourself. I give this film a 5/5.

“Air” displays an influential leap of faith

Vincent Bennett Movie Reviewer

Six years after Ben Afffleck’s previous directorial outing, “Live by Night,” he returns to tell the story of the creation of the Air Jordan shoe. I didn’t expect the story to be nearly as interesting as it is, but it is one of the best and most compelling movies of the year, so far.

“Air,” released on April 5, focuses on Nike trying to improve their basketball division to beat out their competitors: Converse and Adidas, in 1984. Sonny Vaccaro (played by Matt Damon), Nike’s marketing executive, is tasked with finding and funding 3 college basketball players for Nike to endorse. In his search, he puts his career and Nike on the line to only endorse and fund the young Michael Jordan before he became the world changing player that we all know today.

I have very little negative or even nitpicky things to say about this film; I thoroughly enjoyed it from beginning to end. It kept my interest throughout the whole movie, made possible due to the film’s pacing and writing. Written by Alex Convery, the writing is the standout of the film. This is especially impressive as this is Convery’s first screenplay, or at least his first screenwriting credit. This is also the first time Ben Affleck and Matt Damon have co-starred in a movie they didn’t write. It is laugh out loud funny, knowing when to be silly and when to tone it down and handle drama.

Ben Affleck made the 80s style noticeable and effective for the exciting nature of the film. He makes great licensed music choices, and properly dresses his co-stars to the time period. An interesting aspect Affleck brings to the movie is a retro aura that adds a VHS look to the picture. The change is subtle but it is a very cool addition to achieve escapism.

The cast is star-studded with the likes of Affleck (“Batman v Superman”), Damon (“Ford v Ferrari”), Jason Bateman (“Arrested Development”), Viola Davis (“The Woman King”), and

Chris Tucker (“Rush Hour”). They’re all an extension of the script in how they balance humor and seriousness which makes for a tonally coherent and dynamic film.

The musical score is one of the few examples of a synth film score that works in recreating the 80s. Too often they sound forced and thin, but here it is used sparingly and appropriately. As I previously stated, the licensed music soundtrack is full of classics and the score excellently pairs with the soundtrack to make a feel of the 80s escape.

I really appreciate how reverent the film is to Nike as well as the other companies and people involved in the plot. There’s not a comment made that isn’t a clear depiction of its status in 1984. Another aspect I really respect is that they intentionally never show Michael Jordan’s face, even though a young Jordan appears multiple times throughout the film. This was in order to ensure the film’s focus remains about the creation of the Air Jordan and who made it instead of becoming about the man who wore them. While the VHS aura was very cool, it was also a little hard to look at when the camera would pan. It made the image slightly blurry and hard to focus on something in frame. This was not a big deal whatsoever but it was a little hard to keep my eyes on the screen when the camera was panning. Also, I love sports movies and although this is a very good and interesting story, it is not one I’m going to revisit any time soon. If I’m going to watch a sports movie, this is nowhere near my first choice.

So far, this is in my top 3 movies of the year. Go support the film in a theater near you if you can find one showing it, if not, support it when it comes to Prime Video in May. I give this film a 4 / 5.

“It’s everything the Matrix sequels should have been: great action” 4.5/5 - Zohair Ahmed, Senior

““An absolutely phenomenal picture for every factor of not only filmmaking, but entertainment as a whole.” 5/5

- Casey Pardee, Senior

Jack Ranney/Prowler

Photo courtesy of UPI

Panther Prowler • April 28, 2023

“Shrinking” is consumed with positivity

Made by the creators of “Ted Lasso,” “Shrinking” has recently gained corpus amounts of popularity through their weekly releases of the show’s episodes, ending in late March. After watching the trailer and being mildly intrigued, I gave the unconventional Apple TV show a chance; and needless to say, my family and I were hooked.

The show follows Jimmy Laird, a middle-aged therapist, who has to deal with the aftermath of the death of his wife while also balancing fatherhood and his career. Viewers are first met with Laird’s typical night of partying and drinking to cope with his depression, after which the camera pans to his teenage daughter Alice, who is seemingly used to her father’s emotional absence.

As the pilot continues, viewers are quickly made aware of the fact that everyone in Jimmy’s life is worried about him, as he has had these selfdestructive tendencies for a long time.

Although Jimmy tries not to let his personal life

get in the way of his career as a therapist, he inevitably breaks his professionalism and finds himself telling his patients his brutally honest opinion about each of their situations. In doing so, Jimmy’s patients found themselves stepping out of their comfort zones, while Jimmy began to find new excitement in his job.

Jimmy’s family doesn’t just include his daughter however, and through each episode we are introduced to the many people in Jimmy’s life that love and care about him, but also have their own problems in life. In some shows I feel as though the side stories of characters can get too in depth to the point where the focus of the show is blurred; however, “Shrinking” does an exceptional job of validating each other’s characters while maintaining the main focus on Jimmy.

One of my favorite side character stories involves Jimmy’s boss and colleague, Paul. Paul carries the persona of a typical grumpy old man, who doesn’t like asking for help, yet finds himself desperately needing assistance after being diagnosed with Parkinson’s. As the series continues, viewers also find out that Paul is Alice’s unofficial therapist who has been helping the teen through her struggles with her mother’s death, even developing a wholesome friendship with one another which I found particularly heart-warming.

With Jason Segel playing Jimmy, Harrison Ford playing Paul, and Jessica Williams taking the role as Jimmy’s colleague, the cast reflects star-studded perfection which is clearly demonstrated through comedic yet loveable acting. Even actors that I wasn’t familiar with previously such as Lukita Maxwell, who plays Alice, I found myself being immensely impressed by her heart-wrenching yet relatable character who is simply trying to get through her highschool years unscathed. Similar to Ted Lasso, I was particularly pleased by the show’s use of music selection, featuring Phoebe Bridgers, Lord Huron, Vampire Weekend, and a lot more.

Filled with heartfelt moments, tear-induced scenes, and quirky yet positive humor, “Shrinking” carries the whole package. Officially renewed for another season as of March 9, fans such as myself are more than eager to see where season two will take the characters and their stories to a new level, and we can’t wait to see what happens next.

Metallica’s new album live up to expectations

Jack Ranney Staff Writer

On April 14, 2023, thrash metal titans Metallica released their 11th studio album “72 Seasons.” It comes seven years after their previous album, “Hardwired…to Self Destruct!” and is in many ways a continuation.

The album’s first single, “Lux Æterna,” was released Dec. 2022, and was immediately a hit due to its fast pace and melodic riff. The following two singles, “Screaming Suicide” and “If Darkness Had a Son” showed energy, and James Hetfield’s vocals sounded well, but the songs did not have the same powerful melodies that the previous single did. At this point, many listeners speculated that “72 Seasons” would be a sequel to “Hardwired…to Self Destruct!” with energetic, lownote riffs and fast-paced playing.

However, when the band released the album’s title track in late March, it showed that they still had their musical prowess. Kirk Hammett’s guitar solo was a nice breath of fresh air in the song, as it proved that he still had his chops as a guitarist. According to James Hetfield, the song was about how the first 18 years of someone’s life shapes them.

This final single left me with high hopes for the new album. The new album lived up to my hopes in some

Lana Del Rey’s most recent album, “Did You Know That There’s a Tunnel Under Ocean Blvd,” released on March 24 has proved to be among the many masterpieces that the artist has produced. Many Del Rey fans believe this is one of her most significant albums due to the abundance of vulnerability and personal connection displayed in each track of the album. The artist took a completely different approach to this album, providing a distinct story for each track and taking her sound to a completely new and experimental depth. “Ocean Blvd” cannot be pinned down to a single genre and seems to incorporate elements of folk, trap, synth-pop, indie, gospel,

ways, but it did fall short in others. “Too Far Gone?” features what may be Hammett’s best guitar work since Metallica’s 1991 self-titled album. “Chasing Light” has a breakdown that made me bang my head until my neck was sore. “Inamorata,” the album’s closer, is the longest song the band has ever done.

However, despite these amazing high points, there are some sub-par songs as well. The constant E-chord chugging on songs like “Crown of Barbed Wire” and “You Must Burn!” got obnoxious after a while. Another unconventional decision the band made was to not include a ballad in the album, marking the first time the band has released a ballad-less album since their 1983 debut “Kill ‘Em All.”

Overall, when comparing it to 2016’s “Hardwired… to Self Destruct!” it is impossible to give a clear answer of whether or not the new album is an improvement. The high points of “72 Seasons” stand out much more, but there are also more songs that sound like they were added simply to stretch out the length of the album. In my opinion, the new album has Metallica’s best songs since 1991, but also what may be their worst songs since their infamous 2003 album, “St. Anger.”

hip-hop, choral and ballad.

Del Rey is applauded for tossing aside a notion of perfection, expressed through her most unfiltered project and longest album. The production gives off a loose impression and leaves listeners understanding that the album is for herself. This idea of imperfection is sprawled throughout the album, but one of the known indicators is the moment when the artist’s voice breaks, opening the track with pure, raw emotion. Del Rey’s mindset is embraced through the purposeful imperfections that help explain some of “Ocean Blvd’s” excesses and experiments, which causes fans to love the album even more.

Kai Mekari/Prowler

Melina Wagner Entertainment Editor

Emerson Fuentes-Alabanza/Prowler

Téa Sklar/Prowler

Hockey players bar down on the ice

The puck flies from one player to another as they weave in and out of their competitors, and a crack echoes through the arena as the stick hits the puck, sailing straight past the goalie into the net. Although Newbury Park is not accustomed to ice, many NPHS athletes are. From local rinks in Simi Valley to Pasadena, students dedicate their time to improving and

Loving hockey is an understatement for Joe Lawrence, junior, who eats, sleeps and breathes the sport. “A lot of [hockey] is just bringing energy to it and sticking to the systems. A lot of the teams will have different systems and different game plans that the coaches will bring over,” Lawrence said. “The players will utilize the skills that are most likely to help that [specific] game plan. We’ll usually stick to the game plan and work as hard as possible to come out on

In addition to bringing his A-game to every competition, Cameron Carr, junior, takes time to observe and understand his opponents in order to assure the maximum success possible. “You go into each game with a different mindset based on whom you’re playing. Some games are going to be a lot more physical, some are going to have to be a lot more organized for you to make plays…We watch a lot of film, we watch the team we’re playing to see things they do, any little quirks they have that we can take

Cody Davis, sophomore, knows that athletes must constantly work hard to improve their relationships with one

Bending over backwards onto the beams

mind, but Galler’s mindset has grown to acknowledge and dismiss the risks she takes everyday. “Mentally, it’s really hard trying to get yourself to do something and physically, your body will start hurting [but] no matter how I do, I always put my best into it,” Galler said.

While most athletes find themselves drawn to the events they are best at, Cope enjoys the challenge of conquering her weaknesses. “I find bars the most fun [because] they’re different compared to any of the other [events] and it’s my most challenging event and so I’m drawn to it,” Cope said. “I get really frustrated by [bars] but the feeling of overcoming them and getting a

Gymnastics is not just a sport, but it is also a learning environment physically and mentally stronger addition to all the physical balance have from gymnastics, I think the you, like determination, discipline, bigger picture, all of those things important and they’re definitely going to play a part in my success

Unified Sports kicks off their annual soccer game

On Tues. April 25, the annual Unified Sports Soccer Game took place at Newbury Park High School against Thousand Oaks and Westlake High School. The event, just as all the other Unified Sports events, focused on the bonding and teamwork between neurotypical club members and students with cognitive disabilities.

Tyson Grimes, senior and president of the club, takes pride in representing a community that does more than what originally meets the eye. “I think that something people think when they think about our club is that it’s just a once a week meeting, but it’s so much more than that. It’s truly a team that is pushing for the goal of a more inclusive environment and being a part of it brings a smile to everyone,” Grimes said.

Within Tuesday’s event, Grimes was kept busy coaching, planning and playing within the soccer game. In past events he has done the same, “For our basketball game in February I served as a coach. The entire unified sports board has put a lot of time and effort into this event and Coach Sammi has put so much heart and soul into every single event all year,” Grimes said.

Similarly, Ariadna Coll Bech, senior and vice president of the club, holds the same perspective about

the goals this community strives for. “This club is a very fulfilling and recharging club that allows one to not only help others feel welcomed and loved but also makes oneself feel loved as the smiles and happiness in this club radiate to everyone in the room,” Coll Bech said. The wholesome and inclusive aspects of Unified Sports are what cause it to continue to be such a close knit community of people. “I saw unified sports as another method of getting involved; however now it has become much more than a club, but rather it’s more like a team and family,” Coll Bech said.

Unified Sports events emphasize their inclusivity in ways that everyone notices. NPHS track and football coach, Ryan Hurley, watched the event on Tuesday. “It’s really cool seeing all students competing and having fun together…just seeing everyone out there being inclusive is the most rewarding to me,” Hurley said.

Ultimately, Unified Sports consists of people wanting to make a difference in an environment that isn’t always inclusive. “This club is working toward a goal that is so much larger than just having fun or playing sports, we are trying to make NPHS a better environment for all students regardless of any disabilities,” Grimes said.

Celebrate! - Unified Sports students smile and throw their arms up in victory after the annual Unified Sports Soccer Game on April 25, Tues. Members of the club participate for more than just a fun way to exercise but a greater goal of being a part of the community, “.People should join Unified because it is truly the best way to both be involved and also make a difference on campus,” Tyson Grimes, president of the club, said. Cameron

Pickleball league thwacks it out of the court

Nikhil Satyagal Staff Writer Jason Kiang Staff Writer

The Newbury Park High School Pickleball league is an unofficial competition run by students between upperclassmen where players compete in teams of two. 42 teams are competing for an overall prize pool of $420, which every team contributes to through their entree fee. The winners of the first round winner bracket will receive a prize of $340 and the winner of the loser bracket will receive $80.

The tournament was created in order to bring people together while playing an easy to learn sport. Adi Chattopadhyay, senior, co-founded the tournament after recently learning the sport. “[Pickleball] was so fun so I thought that after water assassins ended, we should do another community based competition that could bring people together. It’s our senior year so we just want to do as many things as we can together,” Chattopadhyay said.

Pickleball provides a mixture of both social activity and competition, which creates a fun environment for players. Karthik Tholudur, junior, is a cricket and tennis player who has started playing pickleball in recent months. “I enjoy that it’s an easy game to just go and play for a short period of time and that it’s very social since you can talk to the person right across the net, and kind of joke around while you’re still playing a competitive game,” Tholudur said.

Tim Chen, senior who also co-founded the tournament, noticed the amount of people from Newbury Park High School who played pickle ball and wanted to bring everyone together to compete for fun. Chen is competing for the team “TC Dog,” which is an inside joke between him and his partner, Parker Knupp. “In middle school his email

Outta the kitchen - Karthik Tholudur, thwacks the ball away, winning the point for “Hurry Curry.” which consists of Tholodur and his partner Vivek Vunnum. Parker Bohl/ Prowler

Many students are on board with surfing

Taylor Gibson Entertainment Editor

Isabella Boggs Sports Editor

Just a half an hour drive from the beach, many students think of crashing waves and the hot sun blazing down. Whether it is for competitions or simply recreational, Students at NPHS are thankful for the many lessons and memories they have gained through their time in the ocean.

Cassandra Wallop, senior, has found that her favorite hobby has also served as a stress-free activity. “[Surfing is] something that I don’t have to compete in… It is a hobby that I don’t have to live up to any expectations, except for my own,” Wallop said. “[It is a] mental escape for me. It’s just something that I have for myself.”

Like any other sport, surfing can be a trial-and-error process. Ryan Stotser, senior, feels that surfing stands out because of how one can see improvement. “[Surfing] teaches you the value of putting in time and seeing those results,” Stotser said. “I think being able to see the progress every time you go out, knowing that every time, and with every wave you get better.”

Surfing introduces challenges that other athletes do

not face while participating in school-sanctioned sports.

“It’s a challenging thing to get into, because it’s a pretty intimidating environment, but once you overcome that barrier of being scared of the water, then it just makes you a more confident person all around,” Stoster said. The constant threat of tricky waves or sudden changes in the wind forces surfers to constantly keep aware and be ready for change.

Catching a wave can also be a great way to let loose and release pent up frustration. Cooper Eskigian, junior uses surfing to “relax and get away from all the craziness… Being able to get out in the ocean and just enjoy myself with friends or by myself is a nice way to let off steam,” Eskigian said.

Although surfing may take place far from campus, it allows many students to grow closer, and meet others that have the same passion. “The most rewarding part of surfing is the connections you make from it. You meet people out in the water and see [familiar faces] at a certain spot frequently,” Wallop said.

Winick/ Prowler

Ride the wave - Cassandra Wallop, senior, has been surfing from a very young age, and has grown to love the waves since then. She usually goes to the beach in the mornings to focus on school and other sports during the day. “I feel like it’s just like very, like it relaxes me. You know, and I always feel kind of like a better state of mind after I surf,” Wallop said. Cassandra Wallop/ With Permission

Panther Prowler • April 28, 2023

NPHS students create memorable promposals

Hayden Meixner Sports Editor Kai Mekari Graphic Artist

Dressed up - Kayla Knight, junior, promposed to her girlfriend Anna Miller, junior, after decorating a sign featuring popular band ‘Boygenius’ ‘, “When I came back, she and her friends were staying outside with a sign” Miller said. As the big night approaches, the couple are excited to be going together, “ I’m excited for pictures and then like I’m excited to see the venue I feel like it’ll be pretty. I’m excited to be able to wear a dress and get ready and feel nice” Miller said.

With prom coming up next week, dynamic duos within NPHS have been rushing to prompose. A good promposal takes a lot of meticulous planning: picking a theme, decorating the sign and finally surprising the unexpecting receiver. This prom season, many NPHS students went above and beyond, producing many unforgettable promposal moments.

No date no problem - Emily Klein, senior, will take on prom with one of her best friends, Kaylee Achbrenner, senior, following an unforgettable promoprosal, “We weren’t going with any dates, and we just wanted to go with our friends. So I had a lot of fun coming up with the poster idea. I was excited, because I’ve ever proposed to anyone” Klein said.

Faith Mineo, senior, is ready to take on her final prom after being asked by Marcel Moufarrege, senior at Conejo Valley High School. For Mineo, having a true date to senior prom wasn’t always the plan. “I asked him to go with me just as friends and then we started hanging out as more than friends,” Mineo said. The sign Moufarrege made for Mineo was volleyball themed, reminiscent of Mineo’s many years of playing the sport. For Mineo, color coordinating is of utmost importance, which she has already planned with her date. “We’re going all blacked out… and then the accent color is gonna be red because we got a red Corvette to take to prom,” Mineo said. Mineo and Moufarrege are ready to take

Last prom - Who said friends can’t ask each other to prom? Remi Parise recently asked their friend Maddie Soriano to prom “It was funny, mostly. It kind of started as a joke, because we knew that we were gonna go to prom together,” Parise said. Even though the duo are juniors, this will be their first and last prom together as Soriano will be moving to Oklahoma shortly, “I’m most excited to spend time with Maddie before she moves, we’re really close and I’m going to miss her like crazy, so we’re trying to be together as much as possible before June” Parise said.

Gnarly promposal - Keegan Fish and Paige Thompson, seniors, did not wipe out on their final promposal! Thompson’s plan to prompose to Fish was much grander than the classic poster. “She had a giant surfboard and she had written on it. It was some surf pun on it like, ‘will you wipe out prom with me?’” Fish said. Thompson pulled off the ultimate surprise, “[She] told me to take a walk outside and it was all set up. She had this surfboard on her van blasting music,” Fish said.

Emerson Fuentes-Alabanza/Prowler

All graphics done by Téa Sklar/Prowler and Emerson Fuentes-Alabanza/Prowler

Cameron Winick/Prowler