2014-2015 Issue 7 (May 1, 2015)

in this issue

EATING DISORDERS

6-7

DAREDEVIL10

#NPHSPROM12 pantherprowler.org

PANTHER PROWLER Friday, May 1, 2015

Issue VII

Newbury Park High School

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

Student art to be displayed in Capitol Building Grace O’Toole Co-Editor-in-Chief On April 27, junior Jessica Han missed a call from Congresswoman Julia Brownley. So, instead of finding out that she had won the District-wide U.S. Congress High School Visual Arts Competition from the Congresswoman herself, she found out from a voicemail.

Han’s piece, a portrait she titled “Auburn”, was chosen to represent California’s 26th Congressional District. It will hang for a year in the Cannon Tunnel, the passageway connecting the House Office Building and the Capitol in Washington D.C, alongside other works from Congressional Districts across the country. She will be traveling to D.C. this summer to be recognized and to view her art in the Capitol.

According to Jennifer Kaye, AP and IB Art teacher, Newbury Park students participate in the Congressional art competition every year. “This is the first time we’ve had a winner or an honorable mention,” Kaye said. “I’m very excited that (Han) won”.

Senior Ernesto Ambrocio was also recognized with an honorable mention for his piece “E Pluribus Unum”,

Ernesto Ambrocio/With Permission

a photograph of water droplets refracting the seal of the House of Representatives. According to Ambrocio, his photo aims to represent how 435 diverse Congressional Districts come together to form one House of Representatives. “I felt that my picture was symbolic of how our government is supposed to work and how it does work,” Ambrocio said.

“I was very proud,” added Eric Lindroth, AP and IB Photography teacher. Although Ambrocio has had less than a year of photography experience, Lindroth admires how he “stepped up and put a lot of effort in to do something creative like that.”

Han entered the competition as both a freshman and a sophomore, but didn’t win either year. When she entered the competition this year, she didn’t expect to place, let alone win the entire contest. “The piece I entered last year I liked a lot more than the piece I entered this year,” Han said. “I thought I was going to do worse this year … it feels a lot better winning having lost.”

Ambrocio didn’t expect to be recognized either. “I wasn’t expecting it at all,” Ambrocio said. “I thought that out of the whole county I wouldn’t get anywhere near (winning). But it was a surprise and an honor, especially coming from Congresswoman Julia Brownley.”

Although submissions generally have a regional element, neither Han nor Ambrocio had that in mind when creating their pieces. Han actually drew inspiration for her piece from her IB Art portfolio theme of partially covered faces after browsing last year’s winners and seeing a large number of portraits among the winning pieces. “I’m not emotional or creative, or have deep insights or thoughts. I like doing things with perspective,” Han said.

Lindroth hopes Ambrocio and Han will inspire future students to enter the competition. “I’m going to push (more students) to (enter) next year,” he said.

Looking ahead - Above, Jessica Han’s watercolor and acrylic portrait titled “Auburn” won first place and will be displayed in the Capitol Building in Washington, D.C. Left, Ernesto Ambrocio’s photograph, titled “E Pluribus Unum”, won honorable mention.

Jessica Han/With Permission

Community rallies around Ryan Wilson Rachna Deshpande Staff Writer Mariam Syed News Editor “Tomorrow is never guaranteed.”

Most people don’t recognize this truth until the day that they are forced to. Ryan Wilson encountered that day one month ago.

After falling sick with what appeared to be the common cold, Wilson, junior, felt his hands go unusually numb when he was playing video games. His health drastically deteriorated almost immediately after and upon being rushed to the hospital, he was diagnosed with Guillain-Barre syndrome.

Wilson was admitted to the ICU at the Tarzana Medical Center on a ventilator and was unable to move or eat on his own. According to his fundraiser page, Wilson’s case is “among the most serious.”

In mid April, Wilson was transferred to Mattel Children’s Hospital UCLA. As of today, he has been moved to a rehabilitation facility at the Children’s Hospital. While he still has some complications due to the medicine’s side effects and his lack of mobility, he is on the road to recovery. “It’s the baby steps that mean the world. There was one day where he was slouching over and he was able to sit himself up back straight.

The worst of it is over. He [has] just gotten off a ventilator and he’s gotten a little movement back,” said Maddie Pappous, junior, who has known Wilson since kindergarden.

According to Wilson’s family, “he has many months of intense physical therapy ahead of him, but is expected to make a full recovery.”

Guillain-Barre syndrome (GBS) is a rare disorder, with less than 20,000 United States cases diagnosed each year. GBS is a nervous system disorder in which the immune system attacks one’s own nerves. This condition can causes muscle weakness, and in some cases complete paralysis. Although treatable, this disorder is extremely expensive to treat, often called the “million dollar disease.” To manage GBS, special blood treatments such as plasma exchange and immunoglobulin therapy are administered to the patient, as well as necessary physical therapy. More often than not, the purpose of these treatments is to relieve symptoms - not cure the disease.

“It’s one of those things you never expect to happen to someone you’re close to,” Pappous said. She added that Wilson’s illness only appeared several weeks ago, and that “it’s totally out of the blue. It really sucks to see someone you know that well in that much pain.”

The illness has not only taken a toll on both Wilson and his family, but also to those who have heard his story. Members of the community and close friends of the Wilson family have created an online fundraiser, hoping to help with medical expenses. In the month since the fundraiser has been set up, they have raised almost $19,000. “We’re all trying to do as much as we can to help,” said Pappous.

At school, FHA-Hero set up a medical help fundraiser for Wilson at the Quad on April 16. Before becoming ill, Wilson was a member of the Foods & Nutrition 1 and 2 class and

FHA-Hero wanted to make an effort to help out one of their own. FHA-Hero members offered cookies to those who made any donation. “People don’t really come back (financially) from a situation like this,” said Zach Archuleta, junior and FHA-Hero member. “It’s called a million dollar disease because it’s so ridiculously expensive (to treat). His mom couldn’t work because she was with him a lot, and the fundraiser was to help his mom pay the bills.”

Archuleta, who has known Wilson for seven years, knows that it is easy to look past situations like these in the daily hustle and bustle of school. “We go to a school full of people who base their life on materialistic objects,” Archuleta said. “They don’t understand the gravity of the situation. When it finally happens to a loved one, people take a step back and realize ‘oh.

This is real. This can happen to me’ … A lot of kids at our school aren’t really going to care that much, but they should.”

As of now, Wilson will most likely not return to campus for the rest of his junior year, and will take independent study classes to make up his missed coursework. However, he plans on returning to school for his senior year..

Although Wilson has started to regain his mobility, any donations would help his family immensely. To donate, visit Wilson’s gofundme page here: http://www.gofundme.com/qexncgg.

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news Panther Prowler • May 1, 2015

News in Brief

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K9s for Warriors

A first for football players, a goodbye for dance team seniors

Daulton Beck Opinion Editor

Dare to dance - Football team seniors Nathaniel Smith, Alexander Rivera, James Bonanno, David Foldes, Darick Holmes, and Daulton Geringer, junior Christian Egurbide, and sophomore Darnay Holmes perform at the concert #Instafame. Preluded by instagram pictures of the teammates, their numbers included Katy Perry’s “Firework” and Mark Ronson’s “Uptown Funk”. Kayla Borkovec/Pawprint

Lindsay Filgas Staff Writer Dance team took the stage one last time to wrap up their award-winning season in their spring concert “Instafame” on April 23-25. In addition, the concert served as a farewell to the team’s graduating seniors.

As the seniors performed their final dance, team members gathered on stage to watch it for the first time. “We don’t actually (see) it until the performance,” Mia Clark, freshman, said.

“It shows our emotions. Our song was a voiceover so we were ... talking and dancing to it which was really awesome,” Makayla

Jimenez, senior, said. “Everyone gets really emotional and it’s like a connection between the team.”

This year, seniors Shelby Rini, Sabrina Parker, and Natalie Herder decided to choreograph a dance for the football team, marking the first time that a sports team has danced on stage at an NPHS dance concert.

The players who were interested spent two months rehearsing to prepare the dance for the concert. “It was very entertaining and I think it had a lot of crowd appeal,” Jimenez said.

Rancho Campana ready for inagural class

Construction completed - On March 8th of last year, the Oxnard Union High School District and community celebrated the ground breaking ceremony for Rancho Campana High School. The first day of school will be Sept. 2, 2015. Oxnard Union High School District/With permission

Lindsay Filgas Staff Writer Two years after the opening of the school was announced and a year after construction began, Rancho Campana High School is ready to welcome its inaugural class. On Sept. 2, Rancho Campana, with principal Roger Adams, will open its doors to 700 new students.

In the summer of 2013, Oxnard Union High School District announced that they would be building a new high school near the Camarillo library. “Camarillo has been fighting to have another school besides (Adolfo Camarillo High School) because they’re afraid that everybody’s transferring (to Newbury Park),” Laney Nemets, freshman at NPHS, said. Nemets explained that the school will be an alternative place for students who live in Camarillo but who

don’t want to attend Adolfo Camarillo High School.

Nemets applied to the school in October when the first round of students was admitted. The school was looking to accept 200 freshmen and 200 sophomores for the 2015-2016 school year at that time.

However, they were forced to reopen the application pool in January after they didn’t get enough sophomores.

Rancho Campana is unlike any other school in the district - it plans to separate its students into three different academies health sciences, engineering, and performing arts.

“You get placed in an academy for all four years and then all of your classes are geared towards that,” Nemets said.

The Canines for Warriors project was a project set up by juniors Anastasia Pyrinis and Trysten Myers through the Thousand Oaks Rotary International program.

The purpose of the project is to raise money to get therapy dogs that will provide companionship and support to ex-soldiers who have been discharged from their military assignment due to a traumatic event.

In addition to their fundraising campaign, Pyrinis and Myers also set up an event on April 19 at the North Ranch Country Club to promote awareness and bring in more donations. At the event, speakers such as Sergeant Robert Graham, Rotary District Governor Lorretta Butts, and a representative from Julia Brownley’s office encouraged attendees to donate money alongside special guest performances

by NPHS student band Paper and a Jazz band led by trombonist Ira Nepus.

K9s for Warriors/With permission

The event raised approximately $2596.00, which is enough to get two dogs for veterans.

“Canines for Warriors was extremely successful, considering the amount of money we made,” said Pyrinis. “But next year we can make it more successful because we have the framework for it and know what to do.”

NPHS app updated to include “Beep” Angela Swartz Staff Writer On April. 10, the App Club released an update called “Beep” for their app “Newbury Park High”. Beep allows users to anonymously share their opinions, shoutouts, and jokes. “It allows people to share their opinion without being scrutinized for it,” said Harsh Karia, club president and junior.

The club credits Kevin Norgaard, junior, for helping invent the idea for Beep. “Kevin Norgaard came up with the user experience for beep. We basically redesigned the app and Kevin came up with the idea for the experience for the design,” Karia said.

In two months, the club has created a platform that now services all of the school, and not solely students in extracurricular activities. They hope it will increase the number of students on the app, which will in turn encourage more clubs to begin using it.

“I think it can be a really powerful thing because it connects students,” Karia said.

Beep! - The Beep update is being used for polls (above, which students studied for AP tests), anonymous sharing of ideas, and campaigning.

Linday Filgas/Prowler

Panther Prowler wins Pacemaker Award Kyle Popok Entertainment Editor Adrianna Robakowski Sports Editor On April 18, the National Scholastic Press Association of America (NSPA) awarded the Panther Prowler an Online Pacemaker Award, largely considered the highest honor in online student journalism. Co-Editorin-Chief Grace O’Toole, senior, traveled to Denver, Colorado to enter the publication and website in the National High School Journalism Convention. Pacemaker finalists are judged based on their “coverage and content, quality of writing and reporting, leadership on the opinion page, evidence of in-depth reporting, design, photography, art and graphics.” This is the first year that the Prowler has focused on having an online presence that supplements their newspaper.

The Prowler was also awarded sixth place for Best in Show for their website as well as seventh place for Best in Show for their print publication.

NSPA/With permission

staff editorial Panther Prowler • May 1, 2015

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It’s time to raise the minimum wage the evidence is contradictory, but the conclusion is clear

1 in 8

adults with minimum wage jobs have a or higher

Bachelor’s degree “

One theory holds that increasing the minimum wage forces businesses to get Another says it forces them to get

THINNER.

FITTER.

- Atlantic Magazine

“

McDonald’s plans to implement wage increases that will average $2.75 above the federal minimum wage

www.heritage.org/research/reports/2013/02/who-earns-the-minimum-wage-suburban-teenagers-not-single-parents

In his 2014 State of the Union Address, President Obama proposed a $10.10 minimum wage - $2.85 higher than the current federal mandate of $7.25 an hour.

On the tails of our latest recession, the minimum wage has become a hotly debated issue.

The debate hinges on two economic models: one that foresees a wage raise causing inflation, and increasing unemployment, and another that predicts a decrease in employee turnover, an increase in consumer purchasing power, greater business efficiency, and a collective net increase in income for the poor and middle classes.

While basic economics seem to support the first theory, the second theory takes into account nuances lost in the first. In other words, it’s time to raise the minimum wage.

But before discussing the merits and flaws of each theory, it’s important to understand the makeup of minimum wage earners. According to the Heritage Foundation, a conservative think tank, only 22% of those who earn minimum wage live at or below the poverty line, which is currently defined as $33,500 per year for a family of four. (This metric of poverty is also in question, but that is another debate entirely.) The Economic Policy Institute finds that if the minimum wage were raised to $10.10 an hour, almost 70% of affected workers would live in families earning less than $60,000 a year, which is almost $10,000 above the national median of $53,891.

In essence, research from both sides shows that raising the minimum wage will allow the middle class to spend more money, stimulating the economy as a whole. As President Obama once said, “when the middle class thrives, America thrives.”

And a minimum wage increase would help more than just the middle class. Even conservative researchers Joseph J. Sabia and Richard V. Burkhauser conceded in a study in the Southern Economic Journal that a rise in the minimum wage would collectively increase the income of the poor and working class.

One of the largest arguments against raising the minimum wage is that it is meant for entry-level jobs for young people and teenagers, not adults trying to support a family. However, it’s important to remember that teenagers only make up 30% of minimum wage workers, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. This means that over two thirds of minimum wage workers are lower middle class or impoverished adults in positions with very limited upward mobility. And it’s not that older minimum wage workers are entirely uneducated either - in fact, one in eight adults working minimum wage have a bachelor’s degree or higher, according to the Heritage Foundation. So while some say an increase will only serve to fill the pockets of teenagers looking to earn some spending money, that’s not how it would play out in the economy.

Critics also argue that it would cause inflation, and therefore increase prices.

However, most studies done on potential price implications have found that any price increase will be negligible or nonexistent. A 2008 study by Sara Lemos, a professor at the University of Leicester, found that a 10% increase in the minimum wage would raise overall prices by at most 0.4%. Others argue that raising the minimum wage would increase unemployment. However, even traditionalist economists concede that raising the minimum wage to $10.10 wouldn’t raise the overall unemployment rate. Rather, any decreases in rates of unemployment would occur among teenagers, with estimates ranging from a 1-3% drop. As a result, raising the minimum wage would put more money into the pockets of low-income workers (and the economy!) than it would take away due to unemployment.

Research regarding the minimum wage is varied and often contradictory.

However, when the arguments are compared, the conclusion is clear. Raising the minimum wage would allow the middle class to spend more, stimulating the economy as a whole. It would decrease employee turnover, meaning that people would stay at their jobs longer, leading to increased efficiency of businesses and a higher rate of employee satisfaction. And most importantly, it would offer more financial stability to thousands of families, and uphold the American ideal of hard work reaping its rewards.

PANTHER PROWLER 2014-2015 staff

Editors-in-Chief Courtney Brousseau Grace O’Toole Entertainment Editors Kyle Popok Rachna Deshpande Raevyn Walker

News Editors Ad Managers Monica Boedigheimer Chief / Tazaieen Sayeda Mariam Syed Rachna Deshpande Opinion Editors Daulton Beck Kellie Levine

Online Editors Victoria Juan Mariam Syed

DPS Editor Photographers Copy Editors Victoria Juan Chief / Samantha Meyer Monica Boedigheimer Daulton Beck Adrianna Robakowski Sports Editors Haley Berardinelli Raevyn Walker Shreya Chattopadhyay Adrianna Robakowski

Features Editors Haley Berardinelli Nevnit Gill Staff Writers Alyssa Boedigheimer Lindsay Filgas Angela Swartz Sam Ellison Graphic Artist Michael Hellard

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

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

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

Newbury Park High School 456 North Reino Road, Newbury Park, California 91320 (805) 498-3676 x 1110 prowler.newspaper@gmail.com

Adviser Michelle Saremi

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opinion Panther Prowler • May 1, 2015

Redefining what it means to be a sport Kyle Popok Entertainment Editor an additional emotional and mental aspect to take into consideration; one of the hardest parts about golf is having to control any frustration. Because it is a largely technical sport, frustration makes a player worse, as opposed to a sport like football where a frustrated player can take out their frustrations on the opposing team. Most people who make fun of golf don’t realize the complicated strategy and intense mental focus that it requires.

Tennis is another sport that has a certain stigma attached to it.

People say it is easy, or for older people in country clubs. However, tennis is neither easy nor an “old man’s sport.” It takes quick movements, coordination, power, accuracy, and technique to play well. These are all incredibly hard skills to master. Others knock tennis for being boring, but how entertaining a sport may be is completely irrelevant to whether or not it is a “real” sport.

In the world of sports, those that are less popular are made fun of because not many people know about them or understand how to play them, regardless of how difficult these sports actually are. Some people don’t recognize these sports as “real” for whatever reason. However, these are real sports that are hard to play and require ability that not everyone has. More people need to recognize that. ard el l lH ea ch Mi

ler row /P

Tom Brady, LeBron James, Derek Jeter. Almost everyone across America knows who these people are, and what sports they play. That’s because they play the “real” sports: football, basketball, and baseball.

However, there are plenty of other less popular sports that don’t receive the widespread recognition and credit that they should. Some people claim that they are not “real”, or that they are somehow disqualified from being sports. So here’s my line in the sand: a sport is an activity that requires practice, dedication, and certain level of athletic talent that not everyone possesses.

For instance, take golf. Golf is one of the sports that I hear people make jokes about, but the difficulty of the sport has always been underrated. I’ve heard people refer to it as a “leisure activity”. True, there is not as much physical activity involved in golf as, say, football, but it still requires power, control, and precision to perform well. People wouldn’t think that hitting a small ball with a club hundreds of feet toward a tiny target is hard, but it really is. A golfer needs strong power and perfect form to be able to drive the ball with accuracy, not to mention the ability to account for every slight bump and change in the grass that could affect the ball. With golf, there’s also

Don’t raise your voice, improve your argument Raevyn Walker Copy Editor A short while ago, I was sitting with a group of friends, having a conversation - a very loud and very passionate conversation - about which presidential candidates actually have a shot at winning. There was, of course, shouting, snide remarks, and everything that devours the progression of ideas. But the real problem with this debate was the same, inherent problem in most arguments that I get into with people these days: we all went in with a set belief and left the conversation with those same beliefs, without ever reconsidering our ideas. The only progression that we accomplished was the testing of our vocal prowess.

From mock trial to speech and debate, most public speaking school organizations teach that no matter what viewpoint a person is trying to defend, the way in which they present information and how they support can be all it takes to win. Students spend a considerable length of time practicing voice intonation and inflection, using pace effectively, and finding/presenting relevant supporting information.

Of course, these skills are important to the creation of an effective speaker, but perfect presentation should not always be the main motive. When taking these debating skills from the simulations to other places in our lives, such as the classroom seminars, there

should not be as much weight placed on how the person says something, but rather on what a person says. The focus on the presentation of a speaker fosters a culture that equates the person to the issues, rather than focusing on the issues themselves. We attach the belief to the person who is presenting it. I never understood this custom. Shouldn’t we argue on what is right, not merely who is right?

We use a string of logical fallacies on an everyday basis, because what is an argument without tremendous sums of ethos and logos (ethics and logic)? However, pathos, meaning passion, should be the most important rhetorical strategy in everyday conversation. Essentially, we all have similar passions.

I can vouch that every single person that I argued with has a desire for our rights to be protected, for the economy to thrive, and for families to have access to opportunities. It is the way to accomplish these goals on which we differ and the reason we argue.

When we recognize that we all are trying to reach the same goal and make the issue itself the central focus of an argument, I believe that we draw closer to this idea. As the presidential primaries begin to pull us off into teams and separate us by lines called political parties, may this be the bridge across to the accumulation of knowledge.

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

RACISTS DIE EVERY DAY Kellie Levine Opinion Editor When I was seven years old, I started thinking seriously about my death. I vividly remember my brother warning me about the impending end of the world in 2012, and for the following weeks it was all I could think about. I became preoccupied with the idea that soon, I too would die. Yes, as a seven year old I thought my death would be soon. I wouldn’t be anymore. I couldn’t understand how everyone else could go around and live a life that seemed to have virtually no effect on the world as a whole with the knowledge that they would one day die.

The whole concept of death is hard for even the most enlightened adults of the world to deal with, so as a first grader it was nearly impossible for me to make any conclusions on the topic. Most of the time, when death crossed my mind, I would just try to distract myself, usually with the intellectually stimulating genius that could only be provided by the masterpiece of Spongebob Squarepants.

As time went on, I matured, and the fear that went along with the concept of death dissipated, but it wasn’t until this year that I truly realized death’s value. The turning point in my understanding of death came one fateful day in APUSH. We were going over the Newsflash, discussing the idea that soon there will no longer be any Holocaust survivors left to directly share their stories. A heavy idea to think about.

Mr. Johnson paused, and then a moment later shared one of the wisest statements I have heard in my long seventeen years on this planet. In the midst of the heavy silence in the room, he imparted the wisdom that “the good news is, racists die everyday.”

Truer words have never been spoken. Oftentimes, we get bogged down with the idea of our own mortality, but there is certainly an upside to death. Every day, along with the elderly, old ideas die, and with them their nuanced forms of oppression that they have branded as “tradition.”

The misinformed, the stubborn, the roadblocks in the path to change cease to exist. New, ethical, and more logical ideas can be presented as time goes on, but some minds just cannot be changed.

New ideas would never permeate the barriers created by stubborn thinking if it weren’t for death. Death provides for progress - it allows the in-touch to become the majority.

The only true downside to death is that unlike the old racists who die each day, death does not discriminate. One could live the most pure and open-minded life and will still die. The truth of the matter is that while almost everyone has a blend of good and bad, it’s the good ideas that live on. Take Aristotle, for example. His contributions to science have long outlived his misogynistic preachings. Survival of the fittest applies not just to tangible creatures, but to ideas as well. Because of this, the ethical elders of the world can take comfort in knowing that they will not slip out of the human conscience.

The point is, death is not inherently sad or scary. There are cases in which the death of some contribute to the well-being of the masses. After all, if death didn’t exist, the world would be an overpopulated space rock where no one would be able to take a breath without unintentionally touching the person next to them. But there’s certainly more to it. Ideas would never change if it weren’t for death. Without death, Aristotle would still be around preaching to the masses that women are less than men. Death is the bouncer that finally kicks out the stubborn and handsy drunk when nobody and nothing else can get him to leave his barstool.

features Panther Prowler • May 1, 2015

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Conquering Chemistry IB chemistry students beat out the competition Lindsay Filgas Staff Writer Matthew Chow and Jared Simmons, seniors, recently qualified to participate in the national Chemistry Olympiad, an annual competition put on by the American Chemical Society.

Chow and Simmons took part in the local competition on March 17. “I thought it was a good opportunity just to see what I had learned,” Chow said. “I’ve taken two and half years of chemistry already so I figured I should put what I’d learned to the test.”

Students take a 90 minute multiple choice test which covers “general chemistry”, often going beyond what is taught throughout high school. According to Simmons, “it focused a lot on AP type questions.”

“I didn’t feel that I had done that well (in the local competition),” Chow said. “It turns out that you didn’t have to do that well numerically in order to advance. You just have to beat out the competition.”

The 10 highest scoring students in each local competition move on to the national round.

“We had two people who placed in the top 10 as well as first and second runner up from the region,” Deborah Dogancay, chemistry teacher, said.

After about two weeks of waiting, Chow and Simmons found out that they had scored high enough to advance into the next round. Elizabeth Zhang, senior, placed first runner up in the local exam and Zachary Chin, freshman, placed second runner up.

Although Chow relied solely on the knowledge he’s gathered from chemistry classes for the first round, he felt that the national competition required more preparation.

“I’ve gone online, taken a couple more tests. I went back through the test that I took last time,” Chow said.

According to Dogancay, the exam is “more geared toward the AP curriculum than the IB curriculum”. She added that because of this, the IB students were at a disadvantage on the written test, but “are much more prepared to design an experiment and conduct it on their own.”

On April 18, Chow and Simmons participated in the national competition at Westmont College, which consisted of a 90 minute multiple choice test, a 105 minute free response section, and a 90 minute lab. For the lab section, the students were presented with two questions and various materials that they had to use to create and carry out the labs.

“The free response section was really difficult,” Simmons said. “I didn’t finish all of the questions.”

Over 1,000 students competed in the national competition and of those, only 20 make it on to the next round. Results of the exam are expected to come out in June.

The students who do advance will attend a two week long chemistry boot camp at the U.S. Air Force Academy in June. Four of those students will go on to represent the country at the 47th annual International Chemistry Olympiad in Azerbaijan this July.

“It was fun,” Chow said. “Not everyone will think so, but if you’re in IB chemistry, you should take the test.”

Michael Hellard/Prowler

Samantha Meyer/Prowler

things you didn’t know about Caitlin Keeler Science Teacher

Alyssa Boedigheimer Staff Writer

Has an eight year old German Shepard named Georgia.

Enjoys camping and hiking, and recently got certification for scuba diving.

Has visited more countries than states (10 states and 12 countries).

Has never been to South Africa and wants to travel there.

Likes regular black coffee and prefers Peet’s Coffee over Starbucks.

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eating disorders Panther Prowler • May 1, 2015

SEEING, STUFFING, STARVING. ENTANGLED IN A CULTURE OF THINNESS, EATING DISORDERS ARE TORMENTING TEENAGERS’ MINDS AND BODIES.

a constant battle was in fourth grade and I just hated the sound of my thighs rubbing together,” said Olivia Saad.

Saad, sophomore, has been struggling with body image issues since the age of nine. “In elementary school, I hated that all the other girls could fit their hands around their thighs and I couldn’t,” Saad said.

Without being able to pinpoint the exact reason why she had insecurities about her thighs, Saad spent years concerned with her body image until she was recently diagnosed with Body Dysmorphic Disorder (BDD).

BDD is a distinct mental disorder that causes a person to be preoccupied with an imagined physical defect that others often cannot see. “I have the beginnings of anorexia, but my main problem is BDD. It’s usually directed at one particular area, which for me is my thighs. And so people will see me one way, but when I look in the mirror and see myself, I see myself in a completely different way,” Saad said.

Like Saad, Emily Alahakoon, junior, has felt “unhappy about her weight” since childhood. As a kid, she always felt she was too skinny. However, as Alahakoon became older, she began associating being skinny with being beautiful and strived to be even more thin. Food became a touchy subject for Alahakoon as she directly associated it with her body image issues.

According to Alahakoon, as a kid she would feel guilty about eating. “I always had this weird relationship with food,” Alahakoon said.

The more guilt that accumulated with eating, the more drastic her eating disorder became. “I was diagnosed with anorexia. I just didn’t really eat food,” Alahakoon said. “I was really good at fake-eating, like I would get a plate and put some crumbs on it and then leave it on the coffee table.”

For both Saad and Alahakoon, their eating disorders

induced a guilt that made them resort to extreme measures. “Last year, I started skipping meals. I would throw away my lunches and would purposefully wake up late to skip breakfast because I didn’t think I needed it. And then every time I did eat, I would be really, really hungry. I would just binge eat and then just destroy myself internally,” Saad said. “I would be like, ‘I didn’t need that, I didn’t need to spend money on that food, I didn’t need to eat all that.’ I spiraled out of control.”

When it comes to confiding in friends and family, people struggling with eating disorders often have a difficult time finding people who know

“People will see me one way, but when I look in the mirror and see myself, I see myself in a completely different way.

OLIVIA SAAD sophomore

“

“I

Rachna Deshpande Entertainment Editor

how to address the situation properly. However, if handled appropriately, telling trustworthy people can be beneficial. “A lot of the time when you’re suffering, it just consumes you so much to the point where it becomes second nature for you,” Saad said. “I told one of my friends and she kind of brought me back to the realization that this isn’t something that’s normal and that it wasn’t a healthy path that I was on.”

While some families understand that eating disorders are legitimate and are willing to help their children recover, not all families fully understand that eating disorders aren’t “just teenage angst.” According to Alahakoon, counselors eventually contact the families of students with eating disorders, and “depending on their situation that might not help.”

With regards to helping a person with an eating disorder, support is often the best way to do so. According to Alahakoon, most people with eating

disorders don’t want to be bombarded with questions and forced to eat. “My friends all wanted to help me, but depending on how they went about it, sometimes it helped and sometimes it didn’t. A lot of times they would just try to force me to eat, and that’s not how it works,” Alahakoon said. “Just be there for them and don’t bring it up. A lot of times acting like it doesn’t exist helps because I would eat more in front of someone who didn’t know because that felt easier. You can talk in private about it, but it has to be the right time.”

Saad agrees. “Be a solid support system,” she said.

“Because that’s really what they need since they’re just turning against themselves.”

After years of having an eating disorder and getting professional help, it is hard to “perfectly cure” someone who struggles with extreme body image issues. “I’m completely still in the process of recovery. I don’t know how far I’ve come but I know how far I want to go,” Saad said. “I can definitely say that I’m trying, which is honestly the best thing I can do at this point. I’m working towards finding a healthy balance, and I think that in itself is a big step.”

To those who are currently suffering or trying to overcome their past with eating disorders, both Saad and Alahakoon strongly recommend getting professional help. “If you have an eating disorder, definitely get help.

I know that it feels like you can get over it by yourself as the only solution,” Saad said. “You feel like this is the path you have to go down, to reach the distorted version of skinny, but that’s not true. You have to try as hard you possibly can, even though it’s incredibly difficult, to pull yourself out of that and get help. You have to realize that the path you’re going down is not healthy and it’s not going to make you happy.”

eating disorders Panther Prowler • May 1, 2015

7

The science & the stigma

Haley Berardinelli Features Editor Samantha Meyer Chief Photographer Adrianna Robakowski Copy Editor

O

ver 24 million people in the US have an eating disorder, According to the NEDA (National Eating Disorder Association), according to the National Association of Anorexia anorexia is the most deadly mental disorder.

Nervosa and Associated Disorders. However, despite the sheer “If you’re looking at it from a self-conscious standpoint where number of people affected by these disorders, there remain many they can’t stop themselves from (having an eating disorder), misconceptions and incorrect assumptions surrounding their then it can be seen as more of a mental thing,” Patrick Harley, legitimacy as mental disorders. sophomore, said. “But I think otherwise it’s more of a physical Many people develop eating disorders because they are insecure problem than a mental one.” about their appearance and their bodies. According to The Gale These disorders are also often looked at as “not real” and end Encyclopedia of Science, someone with an eating disorder may up as the punch line of jokes, making these illnesses seem less feel like they have to appear a certain way to be accepted, or may severe and offends those who have the illness. feel the need to be able to control something in their life. An “I don’t think it’s okay (for people to make jokes about eating eating disorder can also result from a traumatic situation such as disorders) at all. They should try to fit in their shoes and try to the death of a loved one, depression, know what it feels like to have an or divorce. “Body image issues are issue that they can’t control and usually an indication of a deeper that’s wearing them down every problem,” said Madhavi Williams, day,” Emily Azma, junior, said. high school psychologist.

“It doesn’t help when people are The most well known eating making fun of them, which is just disorders are anorexia nervosa breaking them down even more.

MADHAVI WILLIAMS and bulimia nervosa, commonly Everyone needs support if they’re school psychologist referred to as anorexia and bulimia. going to try to get better.”

Anorexia causes one to have an Treating eating disorders is almost uncontrollable desire to become increasingly thinner. difficult but not impossible. However, relapses during or after Those afflicted with bulimia vomit after they binge eat to avoid treatment are common. According to The Gale Encyclopedia gaining any weight and rid themselves of guilt. Both of these of Science, in order for one to overcome an eating disorder, illnesses are incredibly dangerous due to the fact that those medication may be necessary, or even hospitalization in extreme afflicted are robbing themselves of nutrition, and are keeping cases. The first step to recovery for someone with an eating themselves from maintaining a balanced diet. disorder is to tell a parent or trusted adult such as a school “The endocrine or hormone systems can be affected adversely,” physiatrist about their disorder, no matter how difficult it may said Lynn Baum, health teacher, said. “Nutrition also feeds the be. “It would be really important to have a support system that brain, enabling a person to think more clearly. If the person could listen to you, for one thing, and help you feel good about is starving the brain it can affect his or her feelings, behavior, yourself,” William said. academic achievement, and ability to manage stress.” According If a student that has an eating disorder feels comfortable to Baum, not having enough nutrition can cause heart and brain with telling their parent about the condition they are in, school damage, as well as many medical issues which could potentially psychologists, counselors, teachers and administrators are lead to death. available for help. However, people often feel they have to keep In addition, those who develop eating disorders in their teen their disorders secret because of the emotional pain tied to them. years have a higher risk of dying from them. Anywhere from 3.9% “I’ve seen people go through it and I’ve seen the struggle and to 5% of teens afflicted with an eating disorder will die from it. pain in their face that they don’t want to have it or go through “Their bodies have malnutrition and they are not getting enough that,” Azma said. ‘I think it’s easy to find help, but it may be tough nutrients to feed the body and the cells of the body,” Baum said. in the process of getting help.”

“Body image issues are usually an indication of a deeper problem.

Samantha Meyer/Prowler

“

Types of eating disorders include:

anorexia nervosa

82%

39%

believe eating disorders are real mental illnesses.

are unhappy with their body image.

In a poll of 211 students,

50%

know someone with an eating disorder.

unusually low body weight, great fear of weight gain and a distorted perception of weight

binge frequent consumption of eating unusually large amounts disorder of food and an inability to stop eating

bulimia nervosa how to get help

secret binges and purges (regurgitation of food) to rid of calories

Ask your primary care doctor for a referral to a specialist, or talk to a trusted friend or family member.

National Eating Disorders Association Hotline

1-800-931-2237

http://www.mayoclinic.org/

8

features Panther Prowler • May 1, 2015

STUDENT

VS

TEACHER

Isabella Adina Van Etten/Sophomore Alyssa Boedigheimer Staff Writer

1

Jennifer Kaye/Art

KAYE WINS!

What was the name of one of the first colonies in the New World that mysteriously disappeared?

Van Etten: Jamestown Kaye: Roanoke Answer: Roanoke

5-7

8 Where on the globe does the Atlantic Ocean meet the Pacific Ocean?

Van Etten: North of Antarctica Kaye: Antarctica or South America Answer: South of South America The Atlantic meets the Pacific South of South America, but both of these answers had the general idea, so we can give a point to both. The final score is 5-7.

2

7

rowle yer/P

French Fries: the American vegetable.

This round goes to Kaye with the score at 4-6.

r

This one was too easy. The Colorado River cuts through the Grand Canyon.

A point to both and the score is brought to 1-2.

What is the most commonly eaten vegetable in America?

Van Etten: Lettuce Kaye: Potatoes … because French Fries Answer: Potatoes

a Me

The Grand Canyon was carved by which river?

Van Etten: Colorado River Kaye: Colorado Answer: Colorado River

anth Sam

Ro, Ro, Roanoke gently down the stream … Kaye gets a point and the starting score is 0-1.

3

4

5

What is the name given to the crustaceans that attach themselves to the bottom of boats?

Van Etten: Barnacles or Muscles Kaye: Mollusks Answer: Barnacles

Which airline uses a Greek letter as its name?

Van Etten: I don’t know … Southwest Kaye: Delta Answer: Delta

What is the name of the temple in Athens that was built to honor the goddess Athena?

Van Etten: Pantheon … no Parthenon Kaye: Parthenon Answer: Parthenon

Both Mollusks and Muscles are shellfish, and not crustaceans.

Barnacles, on the other hand, are indeed in the crustacean family. Van Etten starts to catch up with the score at 2-2.

While Delta is the fourth letter of the Greek alphabet, Southwest is a direction, but nice try. Kaye gets the point, bringing the score to 2-3.

If it was a temple to the Panthers, it would be the Panthernon. Both get the point bringing the score to 3-4.

6 In the Southern Hemisphere, what season starts on December 21?

Van Etten: Summer Kaye: Summer Answer: Summer Olaf from Frozen would be proud.

While Southern California is all bundled up in tank tops and short shorts, the southern hemisphere gets to enjoy the warm temperature as well. Both get a point, and the score is now 4-5.

Going for the Black and Gold

Annual Special Olympics to bring together participants, clubs, and volunteers Daulton Beck Opinion Editor Every year in May, National Honor Society plans, coordinates, and collaborates with the Special Education program to put on the Special Olympics. In creating this event, both the club and the program plan to achieve two goals: to provide and increase students’ participation in exercise and to bring awareness to the community that students with disabilities can do everything that a normal student can do, just with a different pattern of thinking and different pace of learning.

In the Special Olympics, the participants go through a series of track and field events including the softball throw, long jump, and soccer kick. Every Friday, the special education teachers on campus, Ann Alvarez and Janice Crawford, take the special education students out to the track to practice their events.

Crawford, when explaining the process of preparing the participants, said that “in class we practice throwing, catching, hopping, running. Once a week, since January, everyone practices each event, we rotate them around and coach them through it.” Alvarez added that preparing these kids for life and

the races brings out the emotional aspect of teaching. “I go home with a really warm heart and a smile on my face,” said Alvarez. “It is truly a labor of love.”

Participants will not only compete in their events, but also go around to different booths set up by clubs on campus to play games while they wait for their races to begin.

Different clubs will be hosting different events at their booths, including a cookie decorating activity led by Interact.

“To watch the students on campus get involved and fall in love with some of the kids to come back next year and bring their friends, that’s what makes it really fun,” said Crawford.

Moreover, other clubs and committees from the surrounding area, including Oak Park and Westlake High Schools, will also be a part of the event with their own booths to further promote community involvement.

Maya Menon, junior, plans on volunteering to be a “buddy” and accompany a student and cheer them on during their events. “I’m very excited to be helping, especially knowing that this event brings so much joy to its participants,” said Menon.

Finishing strong - In last year’s Special Olympics, volunteers like Mikaela Coughlin (far right), junior, and Holly Reynolds (far left), junior, assisted students. This year’s special olympics will be held on May 2. (Anne Alvarez/With Permission)

entertainment Panther Prowler • May 1, 2015

9

Choir brings home the gold from Seattle Adrianna Robakowski Copy Editor Over spring break, the Men’s Chorus, Women’s Ensemble, Concert Choir, and Chamber Singers travelled to Seattle to compete in the Heritage Festival. Schools came from Bountiful, Utah; Irvine, CA; Corona, CA; Montana; and Idaho to participate.

“Every year, we take a trip to one of the Heritage festivals. We alternate years of going by bus or going by plane. For example, this year was to Seattle by plane, last year was to San Diego by bus, the year before last was to Chicago by plane,” said Lauren Hohls, junior, member of Concert Choir and Chamber Singers.

Before performing in the festival, the choirs had the opportunity to work with Dr. Boers of the University of Washington, a distinguished choral director and judge. This helped to fine tune the choirs and allowed them to receive some additional feedback before their final adjudicated performances.

Read the rest of the story at www.pantherprowler.org/choir/ Singing their hearts out - Winning a plethora of awards along the way, the choir team spent the majority of their spring break in Seattle competing in the Heritage Festival. Lauren Hohls/With Permission

Miranda Kildee/With Permission

Weird food combinations: Don’t try these at home Alyssa Boedigheimer Staff Writer Over the years, I have watched my friends consume all sorts of strange food combinations. After pestering me to try these weird foods for years on end, I finally caved (for a handful of them). Here are a few of their suggestions and what I thought:

Chocolate and Bacon

Applesauce and mac and cheese

This seems to be a very common combination. I tried the bacon with dark chocolate and it was not as bad as I was expecting. Chocolate does make everything better after all, and bacon is pretty amazing. While I would probably not go out of my way to make this combination, but I would try it again.

Two great tastes that just don’t taste all that good together. The first few bites were alright, but after a while the taste got much worse. However, I could see how some people might like it - it is vaguely reminiscent of cheese and apples - but I am not one of these people.

ler

im

ghe

ssa

di Boe

row er/P

Aly

Ketchup and avocado When I heard about this one, it didn’t make much sense. I thought that it might taste something like guacamole, but in the end it tasted more like a veggie pattie. And although I have nothing against veggie patties, I can say that combining these ingredients does not make them any better. ler

row

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h Mic

d/P llar

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Micha e

l Hella

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wler

Pickle and peanut butter When someone suggested this to me, I wasn’t entirely sure if they were being serious. After trying the combination, I am fairly sure that they were not serious. The flavors and the texture did not go together at all and the aftertaste was awful. I would not recommend this combination.

French Fries and Milkshakes A very good combination in any flavor of milkshake (many people like chocolate milkshakes, though I prefer vanilla with my fries). The French fries add a nice saltiness to the very sugary milkshake, similar to how salted caramel tastes good.

10

entertainment Panther Prowler • May 1, 2015

Reincarnations done right Marvel’s “Daredevil” pushes the boundaries of how to tell a classic story Michael Hellard Graphic Artist

Lawyer, Blind man...Vigilante? - Matt Murdock, played by Charlie Cox, fights crime on the streets of New York in his comic book-inspired suit. Marvel/With Permission

A freak accident involving strange chemicals?

Check. A young child growing up without parents due to mysterious deaths and disappearances?

Check. A brutal city boiling with criminal power and chaos? Check again. Marvel’s “Daredevil”, a 13-episode Netflix original series, has once more reimagined the stereotypical superhero story to feel fresh and innovative.

Based on the famed comic book hero, “Daredevil” is the story of lawyer by day, vigilante by night Matt Murdock (Charlie Cox), a blind citizen of Hell’s Kitchen (a community in New York City), who is gifted with extraordinarily enhanced senses that not only make up for his lack of sight but also allow him to uniquely experience the world around him. Joining the ensemble of characters are Murdock’s best friend and business partner, Foggy Nelson (Elden Henson), and client turned receptionist Karen Page (Deborah Ann Woll), who fight for justice in the office during the day before Murdock takes to the street at night as Daredevil. Murdock’s battle is as mental as it is physical, and the story follows his struggles to understand religion and his inner moral standards while facing crime lord turned public figure Wilson Fisk (Vincent D’Onofrio).

Although using a seemingly common setup, “Daredevil” proves to be one of the most interesting and unique crime/action shows of today. Taking place in the aftermath of Marvel’s “Avengers”, “Daredevil” manages to build its own story on the consequences of the last superhero plot while still being completely original and unique. The writers managed to do

this excellently: new audiences will understand the story completely but long-time fans of the cinematic universe will understand the easter egg references. The story is also written so that throughout the thirteen episodes, it feels more like a well-timed movie rather than episodes with an overarching plot. The time the writers took to grow the characters and fully explore the storylines pays off in the end and makes the series feel natural and steadily progressive.

Leading the rather unknown cast is British actor Charlie Cox starring as Matt Murdock. His acting as the blind lawyer/vigilante of New York is oddly relatable and believable as he questions his own judgement of people and justice. Sinister crime lord Wilson Fisk is played by Vincent D’Onofrio, who conveys the troubled character with the perfect blend of sympathy and complete viciousness.

The actors are not the only stars of the drama, however, as the cinematography itself steals the show. Choreographed fight scenes are stunning and leave the viewers in complete shock. Unlike anything seen in common media, two to three minute continuous, uncut shots make the show an example of directorial innovation.

In short, Marvel’s “Daredevil” on Netflix is pure genius. Taking a classic set-up and making it seem completely original is a challenge, yet somehow “Daredevil” masters this with ease.

The time and effort crafted into the show are apparent and the show shines in every aspect.

An A+ for Orchestra Nevnit Gill Features Editor Sam Ellison Staff Writer At the beginning of 2013, Orchestra had a mere nine members. In the past two years, it has won numerous awards, is nationally recognized, and has over 40 enrolled members at various skill levels.

Tina Huang, Orchestra advisor, is very proud of Orchestra for its hard work and many awards. “This year we participated in something called the Heritage Festival, and basically what it is is a friendly competition among orchestras throughout the U.S. and even in the world … we happened to get the highest score out of all the orchestras (the weekend we went). We received a rating of gold, the ‘Outstanding Orchestra’ award, and also an invitation to the festival of gold for the next school year,” said Huang.

Orchestra additionally received a superior rating at the Southern California Band and Orchestra Association competition, which Huang labeled as “the equivalent of an A+.”

Huang believes the awards Orchestra has won can be accredited to the hard work students have put in. “(The preparation for orchestra is like that of ) any other sport, you have to have repetitive practice for long hours, and we basically do that every day.

Every single day we do warm ups and pick a couple pieces and just fine tune them and make them really good,” said Huang. Huang tries to bring all students, despite their differences in skill and experience, to the same level. “That’s why when we went to the competition we just did what we usually do in the classroom, and then people recognized the amount of work we put into it.”

Orchestra student and violin player, Lily Brown, senior, agrees. “We went in just for the experience, just because we haven’t done that many competitions. We didn’t think we would get any awards from it, so it was a really good experience. It really validated a lot of the work we put in this year. We really made an effort to keep the program running and strong, because just a year or two ago it was on the brink of collapsing.”

Although Orchestra currently has over 40 enrolled members, Huang encourages interested students to join. “I have all kinds of students in my class; music is a universal language, and so is orchestra. I want people to know that as long as they are open, then they can join and I can work with them, because I accept anyone from beginners all the way to advanced players,” said Huang. “Even though we’re doing a lot more competitions and we’re getting invited to play at weddings and things like that, it doesn’t change my vision for the program. It’s still for everyone.”

Standing Ovation - Above, members of the orchestra perform in the Heritage Festival, where they recieved the highest score of all of the orchestras in attendance. Below, 40 members strong, orchestra poses for a group photo. Kelsie Embrey-Bergstrom/With Permission

sports

11

Panther Prowler • May 1, 2015

LUK E WUESTHOFF RE ACHING NEW HEIGHTS Lindsay Filgas Staff Writer After just three years of competing in pole vault, junior Luke Wuesthoff is already ranked 10th in the state.

Wuesthoff began his track career freshman year as a discus thrower and sprinter and was only introduced to the pole vault later in the season. “I thought it was one of the scariest things I would ever do, but I loved my first practice and decided to pursue it as one of my main events,” Wuesthoff said.

In addition to doing high school track and field, Wuesthoff joined Lucky Strike Vertical Leap, a track and field club team specializing in pole vaulting that practices year round. He started to include club practices into his schedule the summer before his sophomore year to improve as much as possible. On Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Sundays, he trains four to five hours a day with Brooks Morris, director of Lucky Strike Vertical Leap, to focus on his pole vaulting skills. “I have not always been good at pole vault but I have worked hard to improve my skills to where they are now,” Wuesthoff said.

“Most kids don’t put in the work he does. He really is a great athlete,” Morris added.

In addition to track and field, Wuesthoff also plays football. During the fall season, he still practices with the club team outside of school on a limited scale, due to the high demands of football and school. Although Wuesthoff is one of the best in the state in the pole vault, he doesn’t favor one sport over the other.

“They are so different. In football, it is a full contact sport and you are part of a team of all your friends that makes it really fun. Track is more of an individual sport because your biggest rival is yourself,” Wuesthoff said.

Although “pole vaulting is clearly his best event”, according to Stephen Svoboda, varsity Track and Field coach, Wuesthoff is versatile in competing in any track and field event “which only a few people (are able to) do.” Because of this, he doesn’t practice in one specific group of the team and instead “jumps around a lot … the coaches don’t have a schedule for him so a lot of that he does himself and figures out himself,” according to Svoboda.

Wuesthoff started off the season with a high goal of reaching 15 feet in the pole vault, expecting to greatly improve since last year. However, Wuesthoff started experiencing back

Raising The Bar - Throwing himself over the bar, Luke Wuestoff, junior, competes in pole vaulting during a track and field meet. After three years of dedication and hard work, Wuestoff is ranked tenth in the state. Luke Wuestoff/With Permission

spasms earlier this year which became worse after he fell doing hurdles. So far, even with his injury, Wuesthoff has reached a height of 14 feet during a recent meet against Calabasas. This broke the previous school record of 13.8 feet for a junior .

“I had a nice technical jump and I cleared by about six inches. I was very excited,” Wuesthoff said.

“I was very proud of him and how far he has come,” added Morris.

Wuesthoff had an MRI on April 22 to make sure his injury wasn’t serious enough to stop him from continuing in

the season. Unfortunately, the doctors took the MRI on the wrong part of his back and nothing was determined from the process. Wuesthoff still plans to attend the Ventura County Championships on May 1 and hopes to get another MRI at a later time. So far, Wuesthoff has been taking it easy to prevent further problems, but believes he can qualify for state this year if his back heals by then.

“I believe he will be able to continue. I don’t foresee there being anything that will stop him from competing the rest of the year,” Morris said.

Ultimate Frisbee The Ultimate Sport Lindsay Filgas Staff Writer

From Hobby To Sport - Kendrick James Koo, freshman, catches a frisbee during practice. Koo is a member of Frisbee club, which has expanded into a competitive team over the last two years. The team entered their first tournament on March 16 and 17 and finished in fourth place. Kendrick James Koo/ With Permission

Over the last two years, Frisbee club has evolved from a group of people “throwing around a frisbee” to a competitive team.

Jonathan Cummings, senior and vice president of the club, helped to start the club last year to stay active during his volleyball off season. “It’s a great way to stay in shape and just have fun,” Cummings said. “(Ultimate frisbee is) a lot of running and cardio, which you normally don’t get in the weight room.”

Since the club began, members have worked to take it from a hobby to a sport.

“Before, it was just a couple guys throwing around a frisbee, but it gradually got way more intense and competitive,” Cummings said. “It started out as just frisbee club but now it’s more (an) ultimate frisbee club.”

Twice a week, frisbee club holds open practices, allowing any student who is interested to come learn how to play. On “Frisbee Fridays”, less experienced Ultimate Frisbee players join in and the club teaches new members the basics of how to play ultimate frisbee, as well as how to throw the disc. Every Tuesday night, the club’s competitive team meets with their coach Dave Patton to practice drills and have scrimmages to prepare them for upcoming tournaments.

At these practices, the athletes learn the two ways to throw a frisbee: backhand and forehand, which Patton says are “the hardest things to learn by far” and can take

up to a year to master. Kenrick James Koo, freshman, added that “it’s not like a disc you throw for your dog.”

Koo explained that playing ultimate frisbee requires skills from several other sports, such as lacrosse, football, and basketball. According to Koo, the movement is like lacrosse, the offensive and defensive line is similar to football, and there is a pivot foot like in basketball.

“If (club members) were good players in those sports they usually transition really easily over to ultimate,” Patton said. “At that point it’s just learning how to throw.”

This year, the competitive team was able to attend their first tournament on March 16 and 17. They competed against six teams from the Southern California region and finished in fourth place. “We easily could have gotten first, but we were missing a lot of our better players due to other sports,” Cummings said.

Since ultimate frisbee is not a common sport in Southern California, there are not many teams for the frisbee club to compete against. However, in many northwestern cities, ultimate frisbee is not only popular but an official sport at most schools. “(Some northwestern) high schools actually offer frisbee as a lettered sport for the athletes to play,” Patton said.

“I hope it comes to Southern California eventually,” Koo added.

12

#NPHSProm2015 Panther Prowler • May 1, 2015

#NPHSProm2015

Victoria Juan DPS Editor Jordan Pancer @jordan_pancer

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@shane_sipes Men in Black #NPHSProm2015 6’3

Sam Wise

@AlexPoulos_

@samuelcwise

Glad I got to spend my last prom with the 640 seniors I’ve grown up with these four years. You rock #NPHSProm2015

Good luck Class of 2016 for trying to have a better Senior Year Prom than ours #NPHSProm2015

4/19/15, 7:04 PM

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took “dance like nobody’s @nat4ever27 adios prom watching” to a whole new level tonight #NPHSProm2015 IF YOU WANT TO SEE MORE, GO TO 4/19/15, 00:36 PM

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