2021-2022 Issue 2 (Oct. 25)

PANTHER PROWLER Monday Oct. 25, 2021 • Issue II • Newbury Park High School 456 N. Reino Rd., Newbury Park, CA 91320 • pantherprowler.org

2 Programs 3 Vaccine 5 Nationals 6 Community College 7 Nutrition 8-9 Resources 10 Athol Wong 12 Ted Lasso 14 Cross Country 15 Girls Tennis 16 Best Dance Crew

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staff editorial Panther Prowler • Oct. 25, 2021

New student resource programs benefit NPHS After a traumatic year online and a less-thaneasy return to campus, new student resources such as the Wellness Center and the Newcomer Program, are helping NPHS students transition into their new versions of normal.

The Wellness Center, established during the school’s tenure on Zoom, was created following a Ventura County survey asking where school districts should devote COVID-19 funding. This year, it is a physical room on campus, A-3, rather than virtually through zoom, run by mental health clinician Paige Pensivy.

Over the course of its establishment, the Wellness Center has been a safe haven for all students as a place to deregulate, get counseling or simply to relax. Maintaining mental wellbeing has been a major concern for students and was only escalated by the virus. The resources the Wellness Center provides are an invaluable investment into mental health and a much needed signal to the student body that the community cares.

For the number of students who have recently arrived from their native countries, the Newcomer Program has greatly aided in helping to acclimate these students to their new environment.

The Newcomer Program, which began in August, is a series of student supports including educational aides, social-emotional supports for families, free transportation, specialized classes, the English learner tutoring center and parent and student workshops, amongst many other programs which are developed as student needs are identified.

Due to the program, staff members are able to have direct communication with the students, enabling them to identify student needs and create immediate solutions. Since the program began, students have shown higher engagement with the presentations being held, asking questions, and using the resources provided. The Newcomer Program is one step further for the NPHS community, with native students now having a support system for their needs.

Seeing these student resources in action on our campus is an encouraging step forward for the school, and the Prowler praises the district for their efforts to support student wellbeing.

Read more in detail about these various resource measures at NPHS on pages 8 and 9.

For the Record:

Front Cover Caption:

For the record in Issue 1:

Smile- Vivienne Bell enjoys herself as other LEAP students prepare for the end of the day. Anne Alvarez, a teacher in the LEAP program, described the primary objective of the program.“The main purpose of the LEAP program is to teach our kids to be functional in the community.” Alvarez said, “We integrate the curriculum with skills that would allow them to function better in an independent life.”

Parker Bohl/Prowler

Emerson Fuentes-Alabanza is spelled incorrectly in the Panther Prowler staff box Kalyna Lewus is spelled incorrectly on page 14 Ella Holzberger is spelled incorrectly on page 14

Rejuvenate- The Wellness Center is a safe place for students to reflect on their lives either during class or outside of it. It provides a system for students who are in need of emotional support and counseling. “We help them self regulate or maybe talk something out. There’s always drama in high school so we can talk about that with friendships, healthy relationships, unhealthy relationships, tests, teachers. We try to help them in any way they need,” Paige Pensivy, a mental health clinician said. Reese Kelem/Prowler

PANTHER PROWLER 2021-2022 staff Editors-in-Chief Carter Castillo Abby Gorman

Entertainment Editor Emma Schoors

Front Cover Editor Karyss Amato

Editorial Editor Nandini Patro

News Editors Hayden Meixner Allison Nguyen Dhruv Patel

Graphic Artists

Online Editor Gwen Buchanan Tiana Hoang Prasheetha Karthikeyan Adalia Luo Allison Nguyen Téa Sklar

Copy Editors

Gwen Buchanan Emerson Fuentes-Alabanza Features Editor Tiana Hoang Prasheetha Karthikeyan Prasheetha Karthikeyan Anna Johnson Kai Mekari Sports Editor Adalia Luo Téa Sklar Sarena Kabir Allison Nguyen Photographers Dhruv Patel DPS Editor Chief // Reese Kelem Nandini Patro Adalia Luo Parker Bohl Téa Sklar Tiana Hoang Opinion Editor Emma Schoors Anna Johnson

Staff Writers Katelyn Arrington Ariela Behar Melissa Geher Taylor Gibson Kira Ivarsdottir Kai Mekari Rohit Ukkan

Social Media Leads Karyss Amato Gwen Buchanan Tiana Hoang Nandini Patro

Managing Editor Tiana Hoang

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.

The Panther Prowler is published every four weeks throughout the school year by Print 365 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

news Panther Prowler • Oct. 25, 2021

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COVID-19 vaccine mandated for California schools nz a/ Pr ow le ba te sAl a en Fu so n er

The vaccination mandate for California is unlike other vaccination mandates for schools because students and staff can opt-out of the COVID-19 vaccine with a personal belief exemption or a medical exemption and still go to inperson school. For someone to use the medical exemption, they would need a note from their licensed physician stating the reason for the medical exemption.

The medical exemption reasoning has to also be accepted by the school district.

This personal belief exemption is more complicated and includes religious and ideological reasons. However, if needed, legislators can make new laws to get rid of the personal belief exemption.

The general information for this article was taken from the “Los Angeles Times,” and “CalMatters.”

Em

On Oct. 1, California became the first state to mandate the COVID-19 vaccine for schools. This mandate affects grades seven through 12 and applies to all schools, public and private. However, it will only affect students once the vaccine is fully authorized for ages 12 and above. The mandate could be in effect

by July 1, 2022 or Jan. 1, 2023.

As of right now the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine is emergency authorized for ages 12-15, and is fully approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for ages 16 and older. However, the vaccine needs to be fully approved for ages 12 and 15, and not just emergency authorized, for the mandate to go into effect for grades seven through 12.

When this mandate does go into effect, every student attending school will need to be vaccinated. The unvaccinated students will have the options of enrolling in an online school or being homeschooled.

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Dhruv Patel News Editor

Microchip demands are at an all time high Rohit Ukkan Staff Writer Computer chips are everywhere. With the influx of electronics in the 21st century, the demand With the pandemic shutting down the economy in 2020, car factories and for electronic chips has skyrocketed. Due to the pandemic, microchip factories are other producers for electronics began to order chips and cut back on production. struggling to keep up with demands. These chips control processes such as water However, as people begin to work from home, money is being put towards plants, powerlines, and even your wifi router. computers.

A computer chip is defined as a series of electronic circuits printed on a With the demand for more electronics increasing, companies will have a hard conducting material, usually silicon is used for this job. They form building blocks time keeping up as the Washington Post has outlined. “The shortage could last within the electronic appliance in order for it to run. for a while, partly because of how long it takes to get new fabs(chip factories) The Washington Post explains how despite requiring few materials, chips are online, but also because demand probably won’t slow down, especially as hard to make as, “specks of dust, temperature spikes and even static electricity can economic activity picks up again through 2021.” r le damage the intricate workings of semiconductors,” Gerrit De Vynck said. This is the Prow tes-Alabanza/ Emerson Fuen reason why companies cannot just “make more” chips.

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/Prowler

entes-Albanza

Emmerson Fu

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news Panther Prowler • Oct. 25, 2021

Protesters march for female reproductive rights Gwen Buchanan Back Cover Editor On Saturday, Oct. 4, a march to protect female reproductive rights was held at Ventura County Hall. The protesters held various signs that read “Reproductive Rights are Human Rights,” “Keep your laws and paws off my body,” and “I support a woman’s right to choose.”

Many different people spoke out to the crowd about the importance of reproductive rights. Mo Roberts is a supporter of the Oxnard Women’s Committee. “We stand for working class women all over the world; we help women find a voice for injustices that happen,” Roberts said.

The protesters joined their voices in chants that were repeatedly shouted as they marched. Some of the chants included phrases such as “my rights, my body.” After speeches, flyers were distributed among protesters with information on how to join or support women’s committees in the area.

Roberts expressed the importance of women’s frustration on the issue of their reproductive rights. “Women should be angry, they shouldn’t sit there and wait for the perfect time, it’s never going to be the perfect

time,” Roberts said. “This anger is completely justified, it’s valid and it’s really important to show how powerful the people are when they become organized.”

The National Association of Social Workers (NASW) signed to be one of the many partners of the Women’s March. The NASW shares some principles with the Women’s March. “NASW views reproduction justice from an intersection perspective that centers the voices of those disproportionately impacted, especially low-income women of color,” NASW said in a Facebook statement.

Elise Penzin, a senior at NPHS, also attended the march. “[The march] really bands women together, even the people who aren’t women and just support women’s rights, and reproductive rights and just the rights of people that had their voices taken away for so long,” Penzin said.

While some people were having a casual Saturday afternoon, others were marching for what they believed in. “It is really important to see what the community is doing and what they can do when they come together,” Roberts said.

Top: Fight for your Rights!- Men and women both gather in the streets to protest limitations placed on reproductive rights. Gwen Buchanan/Prowler Bottom: March!- A group of people fighting for women’s reproductive rights walk for what they believe in.

Shouts, stomping feet and chants echo through the Ventura County Hall. Gwen Buchanan/Prowler

Class of 2022 celebrates with Senior Sunrise Allison Nguyen News Editor

Good Morning- Senior class board members, Michael Lindroth, Maddy Mekari, Thea Duc, and Carter Kawaguchi, rise and shine to watch the Senior Sunrise with the rest of their class on Sept. 29. Thea Duc, senior, one of the organizers of the event, enjoyed getting to see seniors reunite. “There were some people there that I hadn’t talked to in so long because of COVID and it was so fun to be able to see them again,” Duc said. Carly Adams/With Permission

As school returns to normal, the class of 2022 gathered together to celebrate the first senior event of the school year. On Sept. 29, seniors filed onto the football field to experience the annual Senior Sunrise.

Thea Duc, senior class vice president, is one of many who have been in charge of the planning behind this school event. “Senior Sunrise is a fun senior activity where all of us get together on the football field and have an early and chill morning,” Duc said. “This year was actually only the second school-associated Senior Sunrise we’ve had at NPHS, so it was super fun to get the new tradition rolling again. We played music, had donuts, and took lots of pictures.”

Compared to the many events planned for the school year, this is definitely one of the senior class board’s favorite events to plan. “We had to order around 750 donuts from Judy’s Donuts…[and] also made posters so that we could welcome all the seniors. Seeing the class board’s work come to life at this event was so gratifying because I’m so happy we get to give the seniors an activityfilled year,” Duc said.

Having played a large role in planning this event, Carter Kawaguchi, senior class president, is excited to see what future members have to continue. “I think we are just starting to make it become like a larger event for future senior or future senior classes, and [we hope to] maybe have some performers come in or have more like

games or food options,” Kawaguchi said.

This is an event that many seniors look forward to since the beginning of their high school years. Lexi Hodder, senior, was glad to have the sunrise experience with the rest of her friends, especially as her first senior event.

“Senior Sunrise is just an iconic event; everyone talks about it, and especially since the pandemic happened, we couldn’t really do a lot of like senior-oriented events. It made me want to go to this event more now that I have that opportunity,” Hodder said.

Even though it was a different experience from the usual school events presented, it was one that many students enjoyed. “I don’t like getting up early really but it was kind of cool to go to school before pretty much the rest of the students, and the sunrise was really beautiful that day,” Hodder said. “I just like being with my friends super early in the morning because I could finally drive my friends...and it was just fun listening to music and taking pictures.”

Overall, the event was a favorite among the students, and for the first senior event of the school year, it was very successful. “I think for the seniors that attended, they all generally said that they had a great time and that even if we didn’t have like a ton to do other than just like music and food, I think they had a relative time just to be there with their friends and start off the senior year,” Kawaguchi said.

news Panther Prowler • Oct. 25, 2021

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Cross Country Gets Another Chance to Run at Nationals Kira Ivarsdottir Staff Writer When the Nike Cross Country Nationals (NXN), which took place in Oregon, were cancelled on Sept. 24 due to new COVID-19 outbreaks, a new event was organized in its place. Newbury Park cross country and track coach Sean Brosnan and other cross country coaches from the county developed a new championship titled Runninglane Cross Country Championship set to take place Dec. 4 2021. The meet will be held at the John Hunt Cross Country Park in Alabama, where individuals and teams will run a 5K course around the area, including the NPHS girls and boys cross country teams.

After finding out about the original event’s cancellation, Brosnan recalls tirelessly working to find a solution. “That day I was on conference calls, probably half my day, trying to figure out who was gonna step up and put one on,” Brosnan said. Despite the small differences between this event and the original one, Brosnan has high hopes. “I actually think it can be one of the best ones out there... you have some of the best people in the country committed to go into it so I think it’s gonna be, it could be bigger because I think people are just a little bit desperate to get the championship back,” Brosnan said.

Along with the individual sections, teams will also have the chance to compete for additional gold, silver, and bronze divisions. One student in particular remarked on the new event as something to look forward to despite the original excitement for the NXN. “I think everyone on the team is sad that NXN was cancelled because it’s such a fun meet,” said Nora Lehto, sophomore, and teammate for NPHS cross country team. “But we are still very excited to race in Alabama and have all that competition in addition to the course being really fast,” Lehto said.

Runners from across the nation are ecstatic about getting another chance to compete in a new championship. Participants including NPHS cross country varsity runner Emilio Young, junior, are eager to begin the race. “It’s really incredible because we’ll still get to have a similar experience and race very similar opponents,” Young said.

While the new national championship was organized at the last minute, other teams did not hesitate to sign up and were filled to the brim with enthusiasm for the race. “Within a week, we had like 12 of the top 13 teams in the country [committed].

So everyone’s going to go [to the Runninglane Cross Country Championship],” Brosnan said.

Victory! Nora Lehto, sophomore, alongside her fellow teammates and coaches stand together while holding their ASICS Clovis Invitational trophy following the meet two weeks ago on October 9th in Fresno. Photo credit/ Nora Lehto

Labor shortages cause an economic crisis - Sklar Graphic Artist Tea The labor shortage is an economic crisis that has risen exponentially during the pandemic. The “Wall Street Journal” states that there are millions of openings. “More than a year and a half into the pandemic, the U.S. is still missing around 4.3 million workers.

That’s how much bigger the labor force would be if the participation rate—the share of the population 16 or older either working or looking for work—returned to its February 2020 level of 63.3%. In September, it stood at 61.6%. The absence comes as U.S. employers are struggling to fill more than 10 million job openings and meet soaring consumer demand,” the newspaper said.

According to the U.S. Department of Labor, millions are unemployed. “Among the unemployed, the number of permanent

job losers declined by 236,000 to 2.3 million in September but is 953,000 higher than in February 2020,” the department said.

Juliana Kaplan, an “Insider” reporter recently wrote: “There are currently anecdotal labor shortages all over the economy, as employers scramble for workers...It’s another marker of the strange labor market trend where millions are unemployed, but workers are quitting in droves.”

According to the “Wall Street Journal”, we are over a year into the pandemic, however, the labor shortage continues to get worse.

Graphic Credit/ Tea Skylar

Infastucture bill set to address prevalent word problems Rohit Ukkan Staff Writer In March of this year and later revised in October, President Joseph Biden proposed a new According to CNBC, Biden outlines how money through the infrastructure bill will go infrastructure plan. Biden spoke out to allocate money towards the construction of roads and to states based proportionally on the money needed. With the large majority of money going bridges in minority communities, helping fight racial inequality. He believes by restrictively towards the construction and rebuilding of roads and bridges, investing money into the nation’s infrastructure we will match with top Biden explained in an interview how the building of roads and bridges in countries. “And this agreement(bill) signals to the world that we can function, minority communities will better fight racial inequality in the system. deliver, and do significant things,” Biden says.

However, the New York Times states that the “House Republican White House officials have stated that the money will repair 10 of the most leaders are leaning on their members to reject the $1 trillion infrastructure economically important bridges. The plan also details how projects listed by bill…” as they argue it will “push through [Democrats] far larger climate Biden will create more jobs in America, and will make America more competitive change and social policy bill.” with other countries across the world, according to the New York Times.

Major setbacks delayed the infrastructure vote until Friday Oct 1 with The infrastructure bill outlines a plan to fight climate change.The bill aims several disagreements within parties delaying the voting process. Nancy to introduce more clean and efficient sources of energy, slowing pollution and Pelosi, speaker of the House, aims to pass the bill on Oct. 31 in order climate change. As racism becomes a prevalent issue in America, civil rights to resolve any and all disagreements about the bill within parties. Biden activists have identified several highways and roads across America as “racist Graphic Credit/ Emmy Fuentes Alabanza spoke freely on lacking enough voters in the Senate to pass the bill, highways” as they divide minority communities. Urban planners previously however Democrats are hopeful to have enough to pass the bill come had plans to tear down these highways, and Biden also has the same idea in voting time. his sights.

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opinion Panther Prowler • Oct. 25, 2021

The stigma around community college needs to be erased Tiana Hoang Managing Editor NPHS offers many opportunities through the International Baccalaureate program, numerous Advanced Placement classes and a wide range of clubs and extracurriculars. It comes as no surprise that many of our students go on to attend some of the highest ranking colleges in the nation.

However, this high-achieving environment creates a pressure to follow in the footsteps of our upperclassmen. After years of seeing the absolute--and of course, well-deserved--sense of pride that is associated with going to an elite school, it is only to be expected that many students would perceive this as the ultimate standard.

Unfortunately, this expectation also leads to a culture that tends to look down on community college. Many students adopt an elitist mindset that community college is a last resort option for those who were unable to get accepted into a four-year university. This stigma needs to be eliminated.

With tuition prices constantly increasing, many families struggle to make ends meet when the time comes to send their child to college. Students are often forced to bear the burdens of student debt long after they graduate, and this situation is only exacerbated by the elitist pressure to attend a prestigious school. Community college allows students to complete quality general education classes without the enormous price tag, especially if they choose to live at home.

Additionally, choosing a major can be extremely intimidating for high school students, and community college is an effective option for those who are still unsure.

It gives students more time and opportunity to explore their

interests without the pressures of tuition or an intimidating environment. As much as we love to romanticize university life, the shift from high school to college can feel extremely daunting, and there is no shame in wanting an easier transition.

Moreover, simply choosing to go to community college after high school does not mean that you’ll never attend a larger campus. Many community colleges, including Moorpark, offer a Transfer Admission Guarantee (TAG) program, where students are able to transfer to any one of the participating universities (which include high-ranking schools like UC Irvine and UC Davis) after two years, as long as they maintain the required grade point average for that school.

Having already completed two years of community college also gives students a much higher chance of getting into the school of their dreams regardless if it participates in TAG, as universities can clearly see how the student fares in a college setting.

As college admissions are more competitive than ever, I’ve seen many of my peers simply resolve to work harder, sacrificing their mental health and social life in the process.

However, resolving to go to community college is by no means an indication of lack of intelligence or ambition.

We need to recognize that community college is a clever strategy for highschoolers in several different situations, and stop perpetuating the idea that it is simply for the Téa Sklar/Prowler underperforming.

Our rallying needs to be respectful Reese Kelem Chief Photographer Many seniors have been so excited to get back to cheering on the sidelines at sporting events after a year and a half online. Our Panther pride shines brightly through the Panther Pit, where students overwhelm the bleachers to cheer on our sports teams, an activity loved by many. As much as I love seeing our school gather together and chant classic cheers, there is a growing issue with the inappropriate behavior in the Pit that could easily lead us to negative consequences.

This was clearly reflected in the Thousand Oaks vs Newbury Park football home game on Sept. 24, when the Pit was double its usual size and students roared in an intense school rivalry.

I love seeing the Pit rally with school spirit each game, but I was disappointed to see how some students were behaving. During the game, I saw the administration grow more and more frustrated with the several students shouting explicit cheers towards the opposing team. Even the Pit leaders attempted to stop these inappropriate cheers yet they still persisted, rising from the back of the bleachers.

This discourtesy has spread to sports events beyond football

as well. In the girls’ volleyball game against Westlake at home, the Panther Pit showed up strong with many water polo players coming to support the girls with rallying and posters. However, one of these posters stated, “I Love Volleyball + Spandex,” aimed towards the players wearing the short Spandex shorts they are required to by the sport. As a former volleyball player, I understand the frustration of constantly being sexualized because of the sports you play. Even after being initially kicked out of the game for this sign, a student was able to return to the game and continue holding it up.

With the increase in a lack of decorum, I fear that the administration may revoke our privilege to support our sports teams if we continue to act inappropriately in the Pit. I fear that we are setting a bad representation of NPHS conflicting with our school pride and love for Newbury Park. I implore students to keep up with the amazing energy and support for our competing teams, but urge that as the season goes on, we act respectfully towards others to maintain our school pride. Emerson Fuentes-Alabanza/Prowler

Creativity drives intelligence Téa Sklar Graphic Artist There is a scientific theory, the idea of being “leftbrain or right-brain dominant.” Left brain thinkers are analytical or methodical, and right-brain thinkers are said to be more creative. The left-brainers use logic and the right-brainers use subjectivity. AKA, good at math and not good at math. Normally, people are one or another, which ties into the idea that we think one way our whole life.

I’m terrible at math. I know it seems random, maybe even a little dramatic, but trust me, I’m absolutely horrible at it. All of the numbers and equations just seem to get scrambled in my head, and I can’t put them on paper. The people around me don’t understand it.

They always ask me: “Why can’t you do this?” and “It’s really not that difficult.” It seems as though I have always been surrounded by people who cannot understand why math is so hard for me.

Understanding the left and right brain theory, continuously being told that I will “become better with time” never has made sense to me and probably never will make sense. Understanding that we think one way or another makes the talent of being creative a little more impressive and should be recognized at all ages.

Maybe the reason why I struggle in math is that I’ve been drawing and doing art my whole life. For years now, the majority of my time was dedicated to learning drawing techniques and understanding color.

Little projects that started and ended for most kids in preschool never stopped for me. In my life, it seems like artistic talent replaced math skills.

I used to be so jealous of people who just “got math,” of people who could sit down, look at all those root symbols and f(x) equations, and just know what to do. I was jealous of these people because they did not need to spend hours staring at a textbook, praying for a C. I was jealous of people who haven’t been laughed at whenever they answered the question “What do you want to do when you grow up?” because they said something that is “unrealistic,” like being an artist.

I believe that creativity should be encouraged at a young age. Creative skills such as drawing can be just as complicated as math, and I don’t think that is recognized enough in society today. Society is always focused on what people aren’t capable of. Instead, the focus should be potential, even if that potential is not recognized as a skill. Creativity doesn’t even have to be putting a pencil on paper, it could be photography, playing an instrument, graphic design, science experiments, even daydreaming. No matter what it is, I believe that artistic skills and the ability to be creative should be taken more seriously.

Parker Bohl/Prowler

opinion Panther Prowler • Oct. 25, 2021

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Schools need better education on physical health Anna Johnson Opinion Editor

Téa Sklar/Prowler

In health class during freshman year, we learned the basics of nutrition, ending the unit by creating our own balanced meal.

However, I did not feel properly prepared for designing my meals smartly. I tried looking at nutrition labels and eating right, but quickly failed. Although health class does provide a good baseline on nutrition education, it does not properly prepare students to eat smartly in the future. Students should have yearly nutrition education to reinforce what they learned their freshmen year.

As a kid, I was never really taught about the food groups and how to eat right by designing meals around them. Physical education classes start from a young age, but they never taught us about a proper diet, despite the whole class learning how to be physically healthy. If students were taught the basics of nutrition and how to create balanced meals from a young age, by the time we reach health class in high school we would have the healthy habits that allow us to eat right.

Schools do not do enough to teach students to fight against

diet culture, as the media’s portrayal of skinny public figures is very harmful to young children and teens. Our culture dictates that skinny is healthy, and in order to get skinny you cannot eat certain foods. The reality behind the situation is that eating right is not easy, especially if you did not have the proper education that prevents you from forming bad habits. I had to learn that depriving myself of some foods does not work, as the brain only wants what it can’t have, and that everything in moderation is key. Working against these cultural ideas is important to stay on track and to not lose the confidence to eat right.

Like many other people in quarantine, I have gained weight due to my poor nutrition. I have had to hire a nutritionist to correct my years of poor dieting skills, which I do not think should be necessary for a student still in school. Schools have done a fine job in providing the basics on nutrition in health class, but starting earlier would make them even better at forming healthy habits that can last.

BMI is not a useful body image tool Emerson Fuentes-Alabanza Graphic Artist About a year ago, I came home from school to find that my sibling was crying. When I asked why they were upset, they said that they were weighed at school and told that they were overweight. At the time, my sibling was doing gymnastics and was a very active person with a lot of muscle. They had never had any health or diet problems and no doctor had never said anything about my sibling being unhealthy, because their high weight was due to their muscle mass.

The system that the school used that day and still uses is the Body Mass Index (BMI) system, which determines how healthy someone is based on the ratio of body weight to height. This system does not take into account body composition such as where the weight is held and muscle mass. Muscle weighs more than fat, therefore muscle takes up less space than fat.

The main reason for children getting their weight taken in their PE classes is that the state wants to get data to create statistics about the demographics in school. Think of it like a census, but

with your height, weight and physical education testing scores.

My sibling was devastated because the school had used BMI against them. I had to explain how they weren’t at all overweight, they just had more muscle mass than the average person. After the experience, I found that a lot of people, specifically girls, had a similar experience when they were weighed in school. Most of them felt uncomfortable with being weighed in such a public setting and did not think that the experience was worth a few data points for the state and I would have to agree.

Being told that you are overweight by a school official who is not a licensed physician is careless, even if the intention of the action is good. The risk of false information means a high risk of body image issues of students at a young age. PE teachers also are not licensed professionals, so it is not their place to give their input on a subject that could have such a large impact on a young child’s self-esteem and their life.

Téa Sklar/Prowler

iOS 15 is useful yet boring Melissa Geher Staff Writer

Apple Inc./With Permission

On Sept. 20, 2021, Apple released their latest software update to the public after going through beta testing. While the update has many customizable features to improve people’s lives, I feel that some of the new features lack creativity and are plain dull.

For instance, Apple added many important security features.

Users may remove their IP address from trackers in iOS 15. This means that websites won’t be able to turn your IP address into a tool that they may use to link all of your internet surfing. An IP address is a special type of address that identifies devices on the internet. This feature can be turned on by opening Settings, scrolling to find Safari, Hide IP Address and selecting “From Trackers.” This feature is a huge step for Apple because they have never released anything like this before. This feature can be very useful, especially when going on websites that seem sketchy.

The new update also introduced Live Text, which will digitize the text in photos. This feature is handy, as it is quite simple to use.

To use this feature, open the camera app and point at text, phone numbers, addresses, website urls, and email addresses to transform them into clickable links in real time. It doesn’t even need to even

take a photo to activate. I find this feature to be useful for students (like myself ) because it is more convenient to copy and paste text rather than writing it out.

A new feature in iOS 15 may help increase productivity. Focus is a new feature on Apple devices that helps to filter notifications and apps depending on current status. It works on and is designed to eliminate all distractions. When a device is set to a certain Focus, such as personal, school, or sleep, it will block distractions and even notify others that you are unavailable. I personally do not find use to this feature, as turning my phone on Do Not Disturb mode is more convenient, but if you have some extra time on your hands, using Focus could be beneficial.

As an update, iOS 15 is a bit underwhelming because I do not use many of the new features. As useful as they are, they don’t really stand out or excite me as much as iOS 14. I was expecting so much more, because iOS 14 had really fun, interactive features, such as customizing app icons and widgets. I hope that Apple will add more to iOS 15 throughout the upcoming year.

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student resource programs Panther Prowler • Oct. 25, 2021

Student resources benefit the community Katelyn Arrington Staff Writer Parker Bohl Photographer Taylor Gibson Staff Writer Emerson Fuentes-Alabanza for all graphics Melissa Geher Staff Writer

Wellness Center With the help of county funding, the brand new Wellness Center has opened on campus. It provides a safe space for students to go to relax and destress, with or without an appointment, giving support for students at varying levels.

Paige Pensivy, a mental health clinician at the Wellness Center, encourages students to utilize the resources available.

“If you’re stressed during class or maybe just had a bad morning or if lunch is over stimulating you can walk into the Wellness Center,” Pensivy said. “Every teacher also has a Wellness Center pass that you can ask from a teacher for and you can walk and come in here and deregulate, get some help, talk to someone and then we send you back to class.”

The second tier revolves around individual and group series. “If you want individual or group therapy, we provide those services with parent consent and also give out resources on Thursdays with our wellness events. We put out a table either in the quad or right outside the room and we give out resources and materials for that month’s awareness,” Pensivy said.

The Wellness Center also provides many group events to learn new skills and strategies. “We offer monthly workshops… [In] October we have journaling workshops

where you learn how to journal and habit track and make a schedule,” Pensivy said.

With the future of students in mind, Allison Seltz, the Assistant Principal of Student Support Services, helps students in need of mental health support. “A lot of times if a student will reach out, they’ll come in here, and we will chat about whatever’s going on, then I’ll refer kids to the counselors or I refer a lot of kids to the Wellness Center,” Seltz said.

So far, the Wellness Center has helped around 400 people.

“As a district, our plan is that we continue to get funding for all high schools, and then we’d love to expand to middle school to make sure there’s a room at every middle school and then our future plans are to make the events bigger and have a mental health week,” Pensivy said.

Seltz stresses the importance that students seek help now, so that they will remain successful even when help is not as accessible. “I think mental health is a big struggle that students should have more resources to help them with, and that is exactly what we are trying to do right now, so that when students are adults, they will be able to take care of themselves and hopefully not struggle too much,” Seltz said.

Assist- Paige Pensivy, takes in any and all new students at the Wellness Center in A-3. Taking walk-ins, scheduled appointments, and hosting workshops, Pensivy dedicates her work to making the Wellness Center a safe space for all students to be comforted. Reese Kelem/ Prowler

College & Career Center

Futures- Brittany Hong, CCC specialist, helps Kalyna Lewus, grey sweatshirt, with the immense pressure of preparing for college. Mrs. Hong makes getting a job and applying for college a lot easier. She cares deeply about every student’s future, and is committed to helping them thrive. Reese Kelem/Prowler

Having a stable mental state of mind is equally as important as preparing for your future. For many, the transition from high school to college can be overwhelming. Luckily, our campus has great resources at the College and Career Center (CCC) to help students easily learn about college.

Brittany Hong, the college and career guidance specialist, explained some of the benefits of the CCC. “[The CCC] help[s] you to prepare to know what you should be taking [in high school] to get to the college of your choice and also finding the right fit so you know what colleges you should apply to based off your interests and what you want to get out of college,” Hong said.

The CCC also has many events to help students find a career. “We host several colleges here as well as the military and careers,” Hong said. Representatives from different educational institutions come in to talk to students. “They come here to tell you about the opportunities that you’ll have after high school as well as any help for college applications, financial aid, finding a job, or getting your work permit,” Hong said. “Attend as many of the events that we host. The more that you become familiar with the verbiage that people are using after high school, the easier it’ll become for you to understand what you want to do and also make an appointment to come see us.”

Nick Guerin, the career education coordinator and teacher on special assignment (TOSA), helps manage grants for career technical education (CTE) programs. “I work directly with teachers and students and provide work based learning experiences [such as] internships, job shadows, field trips, [and] informational interviews,” Guerin said. “I also teach work experience [which is a] class where students can earn credit for attending class and having a part time job.”

In addition to career exploration, Guerin helps students who want to pursue education after high school. “I work a lot with our community college so Moorpark, Oxnard, and Ventura in relation to their career and education programs,” Guerin said.

“My advice is to start exploring your strengths and interests now, so by the time you graduate you have 1 or 2 more viable options that you’re excited about pursuing that will lead to a successful and fulfilling life.”

Many students find the CCC to be very useful. Jesus Gonzalez, senior, stopped by to get information for college and found it to be very productive. “Mrs. Hong helped me a lot in [thinking about] community college and how you can transfer from community colleges to universities,” Gonzales said. “I would come back to the CCC because they are really helpful and give lots of information, and I highly recommend going.”

student resource programs Panther Prowler • Oct. 25, 2021

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Newcomer Program Newbury Park High School’s Newcomer Program was established at the beginning of this year. The program helps to provide students who have been in the country for 14 months or less with resources to help them get the most out of high school.

Norma Lopez Magaña, the social worker for the NPHS Newcomer Program, provides students with tools to succeed. “Let’s say, for example, there is a student who [is missing] some basic needs in the home,” Magaña said. “I can help the student connect with community resources, whether that be within the school district so we could have some school supplies here in school or in the community.”

Magaña bridges the gap for non-English speaking students who may struggle to connect with resources in their community. Dr. Ricardo Araiza, CVUSD’s Director for Multilingual Learners and Equity, recognizes some of the different ways students can benefit from the program. “We have several newcomers who are interested in joining soccer[...] so [Magaña] connected them with the soccer trials, [and provided] the flyer. And then protocols, you know, we have students who are interested, just so that they are able to access this program,” Araiza

said. “Social workers in place to support them with that type of connection and conduct connection not just to the school, but everything around. Tutoring is another example.”

Magaña helps organize the English Learning (EL) tutoring center. “We just started our EL tutoring center for newcomer students. So this is for students that are in need of tutoring for different subject matters and for some students that are just wanting to practice their English,” Magaña said. One way the Newcomer Program is working to help native Spanish speakers at NPHS is with an English-learning center on Mondays and Thursdays in room E4. “If anyone is interested in being a tutor, definitely contact me,” Magaña said.

Newbury Park High School is the only school in CVUSD to have a Newcomer Program. “We decided just because there tends to be more [newcomer] students at Newbury Park, we’re wanting to focus on just one high school instead of all CVUSD Highschools at one time,” Araiza said.

Currently, there are 46 newcomers at Newbury Park High School, more than any other school in the district. Brian Mercer, CVUSD’s Director for High School and High School Education explained some of their plans for the future. “If the numbers increase and we have enough resources and enough funding to expand it to different sites then that could be a possibility, but right now, in Instruct- Julianna Kent, senior and tutor for the Newcomer Program, helps out by assisting the immediate future, the plan is to keep it at Alex Noe Duran Alvarenga, junior, and other new English Language Learner students Newbury Park,” Mercer said. through the newly established program. Reese Kelem/Prowler

Learn- A CVUSD official gives a presentation to newcomer students on anti-bullying. Many of the students are not native speakers, so the instruction is offered in multiple languages to allow every student to receive a fulfilling learning experience. Learning a new language is tough, but the newcomer programs offer the resources to help students adapt. Reese Kelem/Prowler

Learning Essentials Academic Program The Learning Essentials Academic Program, also called the LEAP program, is an all-in-one learning experience for students in special education classes at NPHS. In the LEAP program, students can be found learning how to count money, picking fruit from their garden and practicing social skills. Anne Alvarez is a teacher in the LEAP program. “[We] teach our kids to be functional for the community. We’re teaching them life skills,” Alvarez said.

Students in the LEAP program partake in a unique curriculum which teaches aspects of traditional school subjects integrated with skills that will allow them to live an independent life after high school. Lora Harney is another teacher within the program. “We connect learning to skills.

So we integrate the curriculum with skills that would allow them to function better in an independent life,” Harney said.

Adapted Physical Education (APE) is one aspect of LEAP, led by coach Samantha Stewart. “My goal is to teach them skills at catching, throwing, all of those skills, but then being able to take what they’re learning and implement it into going to the gym with their family, or maybe joining the Special Olympics, or having the knowledge to be able to generalize it from the class to a sport, or maybe at home they play cornhole, that kind of stuff, [we’re] giving them that and then working on their health as well,” Stewart said.

Hands-on work experience is another important aspect of the program. “We’ll go out in the community and work at different places, like CVS is one of ours, in addition to The Alamo, Mary Health of the Sick, and Sanchos. And then within the classroom we fold bulletins for the church, for those kids that have a hard time in that environment,” Stewart said. “We’re also starting with a new program, where we go out to a horse ranch, and learn how to feed the horses, pick up the manure, brush them, clean them, and walk them. So we have a variety of things for the kids so they know what they want later in life.”

While it is not a traditional learning experience, the teachers help all the students in the LEAP program thrive. Students are treated with respect and are taught how to independently succeed in a real life world. “We have a variety of things for kids so they will know what they want later in life,” Stewart said.

Parker Bohl/Prowler

Play- A student LEAP volunteer makes Vivienne Bell, freshman, laugh as the group learned to play various games for Unified Sports. Many volunteers helped LEAP students play bocce ball on the football field. Parker Bohl/Prowler

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features Panther Prowler • Oct. 25, 2021

Athol Wong inducted into VCE Hall of Fame Karyss Amato Front Cover Editor

Katelyn Arrington Staff Writer

Triumph- Athol Wong is inducted in the Ventura County Educators Hall of Fame. She is remembered by all as an amazing person and outstanding educator. NPHS would not be the school it is today without Wong’s contributions both as a principal and member of the board.

Athol Wong/With Permission

Athol Wong, former NPHS principal, was recently inducted into the Ventura County Educators Hall of Fame (VCEH). To be nominated, an educator must show exemplary work in the field of education, and work to preserve the rich heritage of the teaching profession, according to the VCEH website. Wong was nominated over a year ago but the induction was postponed from June 2020 to Oct. 2021.

Founded in 2005, VCEH is a non-profit organization that elects exceptional educators each year to honor their work. Along with Athol Wong, Curt Luft and Fred Phipps, other respectable educators from the Ventura County area were also chosen as inductees for this year’s ceremony.

Athol Wong was the NPHS principal for eight years, from 2006 to 2014. Her strong work ethic, positive attitude and sense of humor made her memorable on campus. Steve Johnson, history teacher, remembers his first experiences with Wong during her time on campus.

“She involved everyone’s point of view and perspective, and helped us to reach goals together. It was a pleasure to work with her,” Johnson said.

Christie Hodson, an English teacher at NPHS, was inspired by Wong’s attitude and motivating personality. “Athol Wong displayed

some of the most resilient, courageous integrity I’ve ever had the pride to witness in a principal. She took the baton from former Principal Max Beaman, and perpetuated our congenial ‘Nice People’ campus culture.

She will always be a Panther favorite,” Hodson said.

Being in administration for a public high school comes with many different challenges. While some are small, others seem unimaginable.

For Wong, the struggles began on her first day as principal, as a threat of Swine Flu hit NPHS and an evacuation was ordered. Another major challenge Wong faced were bomb threats which caused the school to order evacuations again. “[Max Beaman] walked me into what had been his office, reached into a drawer, and handed me the red ‘Bomb Threat’ folder, saying ‘Here you go!’, and stepped back,” Wong said in her acceptance speech. Wong never turned down a challenge and always persevered, keeping a smile the whole way.

Wong is well respected and remembered for her great wisdom and guidance that fostered the growth of students, as well as fellow members of staff. Athol Wong is an educator to remember. She influenced thousands of students and teachers, and was all around an amazing leader to the school community. “Athol Wong is most deserving of this award,” Hodson said.

New teachers arrive at NPHS Anna Johnson Opinion Editor

The return to on-campus learning sees many fresh faces on our teaching staff.

Teachers like Alejandro Fernandez, Jenna Chappel, and Andrea Ganon, have all joined the NPHS faculty this year.

Fernandez, a US government and world history teacher, decided to teach at NPHS because of the Newcomer Program. “I was an English learner myself growing up, my home language was Spanish, and I learned English in school.

That just really motivated me [to work here] because that’s the community that I wanted to be around,” Fernandez said.

“They remind me so much of myself.”

As a teacher, Fernandez hopes to leave his students with many lessons. “I hope that my students get as much as they can out of this class in terms of learning about history, and how it applies to the modern

day,” Fernandez said. “I just want them to enjoy the class, and to have long lasting relationships, even if it’s just here in high school with their peers.”

Inspired by her own background, Ganon teaches under the ELL program.

“My mom was an immigrant and I have been teaching foreign languages, French and Spanish, for so long that I am used to kids who do not speak the language, so it was perfect,” Ganon said.

Ganon wants to inspire her students to read. “I asked all my neighbors on the neighborhood app if they would donate books to my classroom and they did. I got all of these books to ‘bribe’ kids to read more. I give them as prizes, and the kids get to keep them. I was really poor in high school, so I never would have been able to ask my mom to buy a $25 book, so if

somebody had given me a ‘Twilight’ book I would have been so stoked,” Ganon said.

Chappel loves teaching economics and psychology. “I try to incorporate a lot of real world scenarios and lessons to prepare students for life after graduation. I’m also teaching AP psychology, which is a really interesting course. Students are able to learn a lot about themselves and other people as well,” Chappel said.

For Chappel, fostering an environment where students can trust her and their peers is essential. “I think my number one goal is always to give students that social and mental support that they need. I want them to feel safe and welcomed in my classroom, so creating an environment that students thrive in, as well as kind of setting up for my long haul hopefully career here,” Chappel said.

Adjust- Jenna Chappel was nervous to start at a new school this year but is now comfortable on campus. “Coming to a new school, I kind of felt like a freshman all over again, not knowing where the bathroom was, or anything else. But all the staff and students have been super supportive and helpful with that transition,” Chappel said. Parker Bohl/Prowler

Club Rush makes a comeback Karyss Amato Front Cover Editor Ariela Behar Staff Writer

The quad bursts with energy as students advocate for their clubs during the return of Club Rush. After being deprived of this event last year, clubs were eager to finally be able to participate in this annual event and help guide students to join. On Friday, Oct. 1, students had the opportunity to explore their interests in all of the clubs uniquely offered here on campus.

Many clubs had a particularly difficult previous year as they experienced low numbers of participants due to the pandemic.

Regardless of the bumps in the road, Relay For Life, a club that helps raise money for cancer patients through American Cancer Signing up- Club officials offer candies and use posters to Society, persevered. Kate Corlew, senior, is help entice people to sign up. “ It’s really great to have that opportunity for more people to come in and join because I know the vice president of Relay for Life. “It’s really last year it was really hard to advertise at the school because great to have that opportunity for more like you’re online,” Corlew said. Parker Bohl/Prowler people to come in and join because I know

last year, it was really hard to advertise at the school,” Corlew said.

Club heads were excited to finally advertise to people who may have not known about the various groups. In past years, a strong tactic used by clubs to help garner interest was bringing baked goods and other food. Due to COVID-19, food items needed to be individually wrapped and given out instead of sold. As a result, clubs persuaded people to join using balloons, eye-catching posters, and candy.

Girl Up, a club that advocates for feminism by raising money for the US foundation, was one of many booths appealed to students. Eliana Morris, senior and vice president of Girl Up, was especially excited to see underclassmen joining. “I think with COVID, I think a lot of underclassmen

aren’t really familiar with clubs and like a structure of them, so we’re hoping to have an even greater turnout for underclassmen,” Morris said.

This was the underclassmen’s first Club Rush experience. Jillian Abbott Gonzalez, sophomore, was excited to finally be able to participate in the event. “Everyone’s around and just learning about different clubs is awesome,” Gonzalez said.

Even though they were aware that Club Rush had to operate differently than past years, upperclassmen still had a positive experience. Nicolas Bronaugh, senior, summed up this sentiment. “I’m really glad to see everybody here still, you know, doing clubs. There was a lot more people here than I originally expected, so that’s good.”

Bronaugh said.

VS

Teacher Vanessa Denchfield/Teacher

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Sarena Kabir Sports Editor

What was the first drink in space?

Vanessa: Tang Lauren: Tang Answer: Tang

I guess the twin-telepathy shone through.

1-1

country consumes the 2 What most chocolate per capita?

2-2

It’s a tie. Twinning is winning!

Panther Prowler • Oct. 25, 2021

Teacher

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Lauren Denchfield/Teacher many sets did the NPHS 5 InGirlshowVarsity Volleyball Team win against Westlake?

Vanessa: 10 Lauren: 6 Answer: 3

Seems like the twins need to brush up on the school’s sports team.

2-2

6 What is a group of ravens called?

Vanessa: France Lauren: Belgium Answer: Switzerland

Vanessa: Murder Lauren: Murder Answer: Unkindness

Maybe they don’t have a sweet tooth for Switzerland.

1-1

Edgar Allan Poe would not be too impressed.

2-2

was the score of our 3 What home football game against

tissues connect the muscles 7 What to their bones?

Agoura HS?

Vanessa: Fascia Lauren: Ligaments Answer: Tendons

Vanessa: No idea Lauren: We won and it was a great score Answer: 34-28 (we lost)

Someone needs to go back to anatomy class!

2-2

Oops, wrong game.

1-1

is illegal to eat with a fork 8 What in the state of Georgia?

were Jack and Jill going up 4 What the hill to fetch?

Vanessa: Grits Lauren: Ribs Answer: Fried Chicken

Vanessa: A pail of water Lauren: A pail of water Answer: A pail of water

Maybe being an English teacher does have some benefits.

2-2

features

Parker Bohl/Prowler

And the Denchfield Twins tie, both getting 2 points!

2-2

NPHS theater holds Broadway Cares event Dhruv Patel News Editor

Bust a move- The ASPIRE Dance team displays their expert dance skills to the audience at the Broadway Cares event. Broadway Cares was inclusive to anyone in the community who wanted to showcase their skill, and there were tons of great performers at the event who performed their hearts out. “Basically, anyone that has a talent to share, can share it by putting an act together, and then saying that they want to be part of the cabaret,” Strange said. Tiana Hoang/Prowler

On Oct.15, the NPHS Theatre hosted a charity event called Broadway Cares, working with the organization Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS to raise money. Broadway Cares/ Equity Fights is a nonprofit organization who raises money all around the world for people who need help, especially people with HIV/AIDS. People from all over the community performed at this event, showcasing their special talents.

NPHS only began hosting the Broadway Cares event a few years ago. Marilyn Strange, the IB Theater teacher, works on this event every year since the organization was brought to her attention. “A couple of my students going to [California State Thespian Festival] went to a workshop that was being done about Broadway Cares, Equity Fights AIDS… and wanted to bring it back to Newbury Park High School,” Strange said.

Broadway Cares directly donates all of its profits to the Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS organization, who help people all around the community. Keeva Kerrigan-Mize, senior, participates in the event to support the organization.

“I’m a part of Broadway Cares to help raise money for people who suffer from HIV/AIDS. I believe the more of us there are participating in Broadway Cares, the more awareness is spread to our community,” Kerrigan-Mize said.

The organization also has ways of getting donations year round. Casey O’Brien, senior, was one of the student hosts for the Broadway Cares event, works to get more money for the organization during the theater’s normal events. “We usually

have [red donation buckets] at the end of our performances throughout the year and we will also have some at the event itself,” O’Brien said.

The event has evolved tremendously, considering it was only started a few years ago, and included performances from all over the community. “We had [performances from] Westlake High School, Thrive Dance Center, Agoura High School, Aspire Dance Center, Newbury Park Choir, Newbury Park Dance, [and] Newbury Park Strings.” O’Brien said. Nine students from Newbury Park highschool also performed solos and duets.

In addition, Broadway Cares was the first theatre event this year held in the Performing Arts Center (PAC) with an open audience. Being able to perform in the PAC gave the Broadway Cares team the opportunity to have more people.

“It was a pretty full house… and everything went pretty smoothly,” O’Brien said.

Broadway Cares this year lived up to the expectations, after a hard year online, as over $1000 was donated to the Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS organization and the event was very successful. “Having so many members of our community coming together and raising money for a great cause, doing what they love to do, was an amazing experience,” Strange said.

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entertainment Panther Prowler • Oct. 25, 2021

Ted Lasso season two wins over people’s hearts Ariela Behar Staff Writer happy-go-lucky father, the show equally displays his natural flaws and imperfections. This makes him easy to empathize with and keeps the show true to human nature.

Season two especially dives into the characters’ relationships, past lives, and emotional well-being. The accurate depictions of mental health especially stand out as the characters enter their senior season. While the show seems like a goofy sports comedy on the surface, they do not shy away from conveying honest scenes of anxiety disorders, trauma, and panic attacks. The writing humanizes the struggle of having these difficulties in ways that will especially hit home with those battling mental health issues.

However, no production is perfect, and even “Ted Lasso” encounters common flaws. In its first trailers, the show was marketed as a sports comedy with a coach blindly trying to coach a British soccer team. Although this narrative is the premise of the series, this sports lens is somewhat lost in the second season. Now that Lasso’s character has acclimated to his new environment, this conflict is no longer at play. As the story follows more interpersonal plots, the sports element of the show is pushed aside, which may come as a disappointment to fans who stuck around for that aspect.

When it comes to quarantine TV shows, Ted Lasso is as close to perfect as it can get. With feel-good vibes and characters that feel like family in every episode, the series offers a little bit of everything for anyone to enjoy.

Emerson Fuentes-Alabanza/Prowler

With the arrival of season two, “Ted Lasso” remains one of the top shows in modern television. The comedy series had an extremely successful first season, winning seven of its twenty Emmy award nominations.

Streaming on Apple TV+, the series follows a former American football coach named Ted Lasso, whose optimism and puns seem never ending. Lasso gets hired from across the world to manage England’s beloved sport of football (soccer in America) for the Premier League team AFC Richmond. In season two, the adventures continue as viewers watch the lives of the staff and players unfold.

“Ted Lasso” is accomplished in remaining true to the comedy genre while tugging at heartstrings like a feel-good drama. Season two continues to demonstrate Emmy-worthy episodes showcasing strong and artistic direction by Sam Jones in the episode “Beard After Hours,” and moving performances in “No Weddings and a Funeral” by powerhouse leads Jason Sudeikis as Ted Lasso and Hannah Waddingham as Rebecca Welton.

The characterization and scriptwriting are especially exceptional in the newest season. Every character is developed on an equal level which gives the audience an understanding of each individual’s behavior. The series’ titular character, Lasso, may become one of television’s most lovable characters yet, because of his outstanding growth. Although he acts like a put-together

Reign of Terror brings frights to Thousand Oaks Emerson Fuentes-Alabanza Graphic Artist

Sought-out scares- A horror actor offers a smile. Reign of Terror is an essential spooky experience in Conejo Valley. Complete with creepy, crawly props, terrifying actors and decorations, it truly is a worthwhile fright this Halloween season.

Kai Mekari/Prowler

Spooks, haunts and jumpscares are some of the highlights of the Halloween season. In Conejo Valley, a special highlight of October is the annual Reign of Terror haunted house, located in the Janss Marketplace off Moorpark Road. The award winning attraction is equipped with 130 rooms that create a minute tour..

The theme for this year was horror movies including everything from the 1984 thriller “Nightmare on Elm Street” to the creepy, crawly 1990 film “Arachnophobia.”

This year marked 22 years for the annual event, however due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the festivities were not able to take place in 2020.

Walking into the waiting area, guests are met with scares from various horror actors that keep people in line entertained as they wait to go into the building. Complete with fog machines, giant skeletons that tower over guests and the signature Reign of Terror hearse, the waiting area is a great photo opportunity to capture memories since photography is not allowed in the actual haunted house.

As you go into the building, you can take a picture in front of a green screen, which you can purchase online after you leave.

You then wait in one more line inside of the building, which is complete with amazing decorations; however,

Emma Schoors Entertainment Editor Sam Fender is about to take the musical world by storm. The UK-based artist’s new record “Seventeen Going Under” is a gut-wrenching love letter to North Shields, miles more intimate than his debut “Hypersonic Missiles.” It’s not lost on Fender that this album is a bittersweet reflection of himself more than it is of anyone else, describing the album in an Instagram post as “about growing up, the trials and tribulations that come with it, and the self esteem issues that we carry through to adulthood.” A poetic example of this

there are no jumpscares, which I found to help ease you into the experience. At the front of the line, you are taken into a small hallway where a video plays of the rules of the haunted house and safety procedures. The experience in that room was probably the most nerve wracking, because all that can be heard is banging and the screams of other guests. The door on the other side of the corridor opens and you are rushed in by the first set of actors in full costume. Going through the maze of rooms, you see Easter eggs that point to the theme of this year’s Reign of Terror.

All of the sets are top quality with amazing performances from the actors. There are plenty of well concealed hiding spots for jump scares that will make you wonder where exactly the actors came from. Some are hidden in plain sight among the realistic props, standing so still that when they jump out at you, you never see them coming.

This year’s Reign of Terror is a great experience to have with friends and a great way to celebrate the Halloween season. I was thoroughly terrified, but if you are not one to get scared easily, bring a friend who is. Our photographer on staff said they were thoroughly entertained by my fear (even more so than the actual haunted house), so there really is something for everyone at Reign of Terror.

Kai Mekari/Prowler

introspection is “Spit of You,” which details Fender’s eternal similarities to his father, while “Mantra” is a hard-hitting reminder that beauty is sometimes only surface-level. Through these difficult themes, Fender keeps his head up. “Primarily, it’s about hope.” Having earned headlining slots at Motorpoint Arena, SSE Arena Wembley, and Castlefield Bowl, among others, it’s only a matter of time before that electricity hits US venues.

entertainment

Panther Prowler • Oct. 25, 2021

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Squid Game brings a new perspective to wealth Kai Mekari Staff Writer

Emerson Fuentes-Alabanza/Prowler

The new Netflix show “Squid Game” was released, and viewers are already beginning to anticipate a new season. Even though the show is not originally in English, many people have been raving about the emotions this show will bring to you within the first season.

The show starts with a company gathering 456 random people who are in debt and desperate for money. In hopes of making billions, they agree to play a few games unaware of the fact that there will be major consequences to losing. They played a series of children’s games that are familiar in South Korea including; “Red Light, Green Light,” “Honeycomb,” “Tug of War,” “Marbles,” “Cross the Bridge,” and “Squid Game.” The rules of the game are simple, win and the players progress, but lose and they’re executed.

Whoever survives all games wins a multibillion dollar cash prize.

This show was not only thrilling and nerve racking but it was emotional. The players attach to the people around them making losses even more difficult to handle, especially when you can not keep the promises you originally made. Personally, I cried more than a couple times and got attached to each character very quickly. Getting further and further into the season, you learn about what happened in

each character’s past life, the lies and tragedies that got them where they are today. Watching this show is like having to sit on the sideline and watch as you want to desperately help those people succeed because you know they deserve better.

The socioeconomic divide is what drives society to its breaking point. The games are not only watched by rich men, but each player is bet on to see whether they will win or not. Whereas many lower classmen would bet on horses to gain money, the V.I.P.s would bet on humans in the games in an attempt to feel something. In the end, the antagonist explains his idea that the more money you have the more valuable you are to society therefore you have the right to take others for granted.

In many ways people who are poor and people who have too much money are very similar, they get bored and are looking for something to feel alive again. For the lower classmen they are trapped in this game by society because of a lack of money, they have no other choice but to play a risky game because if they go back to their normal lives, they have nothing.

On the other hand, for the V.I.P.s it was betting and gabling millions for the chance to feel alive again, while standing on the sidelines.

Dear Evan Hansen sings from the stage to the cinema Kira Ivarsdottir Staff Writer “Dear Evan Hansen’’ carries a message that high schoolers as well as adults can relate to, even if it is awkward at times.

The story of the musical is set in a 17 year old’s senior year of high school, with the accompaniment of social anxiety and depression. On his first day of school, Evan is faced with an assignment from his therapist where he writes a letter to himself starting with “Dear Evan Hansen,” in an effort to convince himself that the day would be a good day.

An unsuspecting Connor Murphy takes the letter from the library printer and gets upset after finding that his sister’s name is mentioned as Evan’s crush. He then storms out of the library, leaving Evan frightened. Little does he know that later that day Connor takes his own life following his difficult battle with drugs and depression. When Evan returns to school three days later he is called to the principal’s office and finds Connor’s parents with the same letter Evan wrote to himself, with the parents explaining that the letter was the only thing that Connor had with him during his passing. This process all unfolds through a series of heartfelt songs in the span of twenty minutes per musical fashion of course.

Evan then falls into a series of lies and betrayal in order to keep up the relationship he develops with Connor’s sister and family. The biggest lie being that he and Connor were best friends before his passing. With the falsehood surrounding Evan’s relationship with Connor, he meets another girl wanting to create a memorial service for Connor who struggles with anxiety as well. Although their friendship is based on a mistruth, Evan learns that he and Connor aren’t the only ones who struggled and are still struggling with mental health issues.

One song in particular titled “The Anonymous Ones”, performed by Amandla Stenberg, reveals

the true weight of how someone who struggles with mental health that tends to hide their feelings with a smile, can be struggling just as much as someone who doesn’t hide what they are going through.

Along with the struggles of anxiety and depression, the movie also captures the different stages of grief the Murphy family endures while dealing with the death of Connor. The mother, for example, grieves through denial regarding her son’s last days while Connor’s sister, Zoe, grieves through remembering the bad parts of her brother’s personality in order to avoid truly feeling anguish.

While struggling with the pressure of the family’s desire to get answers about Connor, Evan decides to lie in order to bring relief to the grieving family.

With Evan’s lies, however intentionally positive, helping the Murphy family grieve and move on only made realizing that they were untrue that much harder.

Following the anticipation for the truth to become known, the ending depicts Evan coming to terms with what he had done while the truth begins to unfold, along with him finding ways of connecting with Connor by talking to people that truly knew him. With the ending theme of revealing the truth, Evan also begins to reveal his mental issues with his mother in a tearful segment called “So big/So small” that brings light to his mother’s related struggles as well as his own. Although this movie is a musical which might not appeal to some, it beautifully reflects the complexity of the minds of teenagers as well as adults in the struggles with mental health. Sometimes people may feel that they are alone with what is going on in their own head but the more that we shed light and talk about what we are going through, the more we can help and support each other.

Téa Sklar/Prowler

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sports Panther Prowler • Oct. 25, 2021

NPHS XC sprints through national records Nandini Patro Editorial Editor

On Sept. 18, Newbury Park High School further established their name as a nationally-ranked team at the Woodbridge Cross Country Invitational. Woodbridge is the first official meet of the year and also the largest cross country High School meet in the country with just under 10,000 runners. Teams from all over the country come to this meet.

A few years ago Nicholas Young, a Newbury Park alumni and future Olympian, set the national record for the fastest highschooler to run three miles. Nicolas’s time of 13:39 was considered insane for a high school runner and he therefore set the national record. People believed that this record would stay for a while, considering how hard it was to beat. But, two years later Nicolas Young’s very own brother, Emilio Young, junior, has proved the nation wrong and beat his brother’s record with a time of 13:38 in the Woodbridge Cross Country Classic. “[The race] went very well, I enjoyed it a lot,” Emilio said.

Not only did Emilio excel in this race but the top four leaders of the race were all from NPHS. Emilio Young, Aaron Sahlman, junior, Alexio Young, junior, and Colin Sahlman, senior, all placed under 14 minutes merely seconds apart from each other, respectively. “The race went amazing,” Alexio said. “Team wise, we were able to control it from the start, which was the plan, we were able to work off each other and kind of divvy up the workload of pacing and leading, which I think is what in the end really allowed us to dominate so much in that race.” Overall the team averaged 13:54 beating the record of 14:14.

The teams’ training starts early in the summer where they travel up to Big Bear for four weeks.

“We’ve been training all summer,” Emilio said. “We’ve accumulated a large base of fitness throughout training in altitude and we’ve run a lot of hard workouts up there.” Running in high altitudes helps the runners’ endurance and pushes them to work much harder than they would closer to sea level.

The team runs about 60-65 miles a week, whether it be in their early morning practice before school or after school. All practices are supervised by Coach Sean Brosnan, the head coach of Newbury Park’s Cross Country and Track teams. Brosnan believes it’s worth it to do less miles if the quality is better, “There are a lot of other programs out there that do 70-80 [miles]... We believe in more quality over quantity,” Brosnan said. “We do a lot of the little things. You know, we have morning practice where we do supplemental training, we work on hip strengthening, glute strengthening, ankle stuff.” The culture and the environment on the team largely contributes to their successes. “We just have a good culture right now where everybody kind of believes in everything and it’s been good,” Brosnan said.

After their victory at Woodbridge, the team headed to the Clovis Invitational confidently on Oct. 9. As expected, the team emerged very successful with setting a new national team record for the 5k with a time of 14:44. Yet, another national record this team has beat. Individually, Colin Sahlman got first place with a time of 14:29 and the following places were Emilio Young, Alexio Young, and Aaron Sahlman. This marks another time that these runners have placed in the top

Almost there-The NPHS cross country boys push through the very end of their race at Clovis and begin to kick, the term used to describe how you close the race, “You’re just digging deeper than what you thought you had, because you’re already maxed out, you’ve already run as fast as you can for the time that you were running.

So then it’s just all about hurting even more than you possibly thought you could.” Alexio Young said. Emilio Young/With Permission

four. The environment of running in a pack greatly helps the runners in the real races, “If someone is having a bad day, the other people can pick it up,” Aaron said.

Overall, this team continues to make it clear that they are the best in the nation by continuing to work hard and push themselves more than they ever thought they could.

Drew Caswell dances their heart out Reese Kelem Chief Photographer

Pose- Drew Caswell dances among his team members,Presley Read, Olivia Pimentel, and Mika LAST during the football halftime show on Sept. 30. “I think since I feel like I’m confident when I perform and stuff like that, I could take it to a collegiate level and possibly beyond the professional” Drew is the first male to be on the NPHS dance team since 2019, But he has been dancing at Thrive dance center since 8th grade. Reese Kelem/ Prowler

As the NPHS football field lights up again and the bleachers fill with roaring crowds, the Panther dance crew is back to performing at halftime shows. On their team, they carry Drew Caswell, junior, the first male dance member on the team since 2019.

Prior to being on the Dance team, Caswell has danced for Thrive Dance Center since middle school and NPHS’ All Male Dance Crew. “You get more recognition on dance team, definitely.

Because on Thrive, for those competitions, you get more awards, but here, colleges look at a high school dance team rather than a studio,” Caswell said.

Many dancers, including Jane Saylors, senior, have enjoyed his presence and what it adds to the group dynamic. “It kind of breaks up all the girliness. It adds a completely different vibe to the team.

He’s just really fun to be around. He’s funny, and I absolutely love having him on the team,” Saylors said.

Although Caswell was new to the team, he quickly learned the choreography. “I [did] have to change a lot of the choreography because, I guess, it’s kind of choreographed for girls. But the coach is really accommodating,” Caswell said.

Cameo Carolan, the NPHS dance coach for the past 17 years, said Caswell is a committed and passionate dancer. Caswell is always ready to make sacrifices to carry out his dance team duties, including missing an NFL football game that conflicted with an NPHS football game performance.

“When he found out that we had a performance that day, he hands down was like: ‘I’m not going to the game. I’m going to go to our show, and I’m going to perform,” Carolan said.

Dancers and Coach Carolan alike see Caswell for his drive and work ethic. “That comment that people say, you know, make lemons into lemonade. That kind of saying, that’s who Drew is like. If a door shuts in his pathway, he finds another path. And typically that other path ends up being a better adventure than the one that was right in front of him,” Carolan said.

Caswell plans to carry his passion for the sport into college and beyond. “I feel confident when I perform. I think I could take it to a collegiate level and possibly beyond to professional,” Caswell said.

sports Panther Prowler • Oct. 25, 2021

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Girls’ Tennis serves into a new season

Taylor Gibson Staff Writer

The varsity and junior varsity girls’ tennis teams are still thriving even after the pandemic shut down most sports. The tennis players were able to return to their full season at the start of the year because tennis is a low contact sport which abides by safety regulations.

Elizabeth Benson, senior, is excited to return to a full season this year, especially since it is her last year playing. “This year we are able to do a lot more during practice than last year.

We are allowed to have our regular full length practices, including conditioning, hitting and practice matches, as opposed to last year where we had to have the team split into two pods and only allowed to touch our own tennis balls, which slowed down our matches,” Benson said.

Benson has been playing tennis for 11 years now and has not had any regrets since she started. “Growing up, I wasn’t very competitive so tennis gave me the flexibility to learn and play for fun. As I got more into the sport, I fell in love with tennis and overtime became more competitive,” Benson said. When Benson is in a match, she always tries to stay positive even when that seems impossible. “For me tennis is 49 percent mental and 51 percent skill.

When my partner and I are losing, it is hard to stay confident in our tennis abilities,” Benson said.

Edyn Stepler, senior, who also plays for the varsity team, has enjoyed playing tennis since sixth grade. “I actually just quit competitive dance after fifth grade and wanted to pick up another sport that didn’t deteriorate my mental health, and I found tennis,” Stepler said.

While in a match, team camaraderie can make a difference between winning and losing.

“Throughout the entire match, I make sure to cheer on my teammates while also thinking of strategies against the other school,” Stepler said. While this season is going great so far, Stepler is especially excited for a doubles competition at the end of the season. “We’ll put together a mini tournament. This is a great way for everyone to gain new experience during the off-season!” she said.

As a relatively new member of the team, Karli Bartlett, sophomore, plays tennis for the junior varsity team. Bartlett discovered her interest in tennis two and a half years ago while playing non-competitively with some friends. One of Bartlett’s most enjoyable parts about a match is the preparation with her partner. “Usually before we start our actual match, we work with the other players that we’re going against, and by doing that we can figure out they’re weaknesses. So then my doubles partner and I would try to figure out what shots to hit so that we could have a better outcome,” Bartlett said.

“Our team as a whole is very academic focused so I think that helps us have fun when Ace- Anna Li, senior and the varsity captain, takes a hard hitting swing at the tennis match against Thousand Oaks High we come to practice because it’s our only break from school… Overall I feel like our coach, School on Oct. 5. The varsity team won the match, scoring 16-2. Tiana Hoang/Prowler coach Milligan, tries hard to keep team moral strong,” Benson said.

NPHS wrestling team rolls back onto the mats

Allison Nguyen News Editor

With the new season just beginning, the NPHS wrestling team is starting to get back in shape and prepare for upcoming matches.

Brandon Bauman, senior, is glad to be spending his third and final year on the team with a full in-person season and actual matches. “One of my friends did wrestling, and I did baseball, and I just wanted to try something different. Since my friend was doing wrestling I decided, I guess I’ll try it, and I really liked it,” Bauman said.

Though the COVID-19 mandates are fewer than last year, there are still some precautions that the players must practice diligently. “We just had to take a COVID test from the beginning of the week... then you’d pretty much take one starting like each new week just to make sure you don’t have COVID,” Bauman said.

For some, this season is the first opportunity for many to compete in matches and tournaments, including Oliver Caputo, sophomore. “I haven’t been to any matches recently but we are starting somewhat soon,” Caputo said. “I don’t totally know how the tournaments work, but the type of meets we did last year had one school versus another, and JV and varsity both had a match for each weight class,” Caputo said. The team meets up for practices Monday through Friday from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. and their first tournament of the year is on Oct. 18.

Caden Terry, senior, will be spending his fourth year on the team this season. After a whole year of having changes, things are finally getting back to normal for the team. “For a long time we couldn’t do wrestling because of COVID, so there was just a lot of running, and then eventually we were able to do things in the weight room just outside.I think we tried wrestling outside too, but that was bad,” Terry said. “Normally we would try to do tournaments and do individual fights against a ton of other people your weight. Those were all canceled, so it was only like two teams playing against each other.”

Compared to last year, the numbers in matches have definitely increased. “Both freshman and sophomore year, I had like 30 something matches and last year there were like 10...the season was a lot shorter,” Terry said.

Overall, this is going to be a new and fun season for the entire team. “My favorite part about wrestling is the team, the coaches and teammates and how they are supportive and helpful especially when we learn new things and there is always a positive atmosphere during practices and meets,” Caputo said.

Slam- The wrestling team sits around the mat and watches Coach Matt and Brandon Bauman, senior, provide a demonstration for the team, teaching them a new move for the team to learn and master. Emma Schoors/Prowler

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back cover Panther Prowler • Oct. 25, 2021

Best Dance Crew steals the spotlight Hayden Meixner News Editor Have you ever wondered what a dancing football player would look like? Best Dance Crew, which took place Friday, Oct. 8, was full of energy, dances, celebrity judges and surprises. Different programs such as IB diploma, NPHS staff and various sports teams each took the stage as they showed off their hours of work and dedication to their routine.

Strike a pose- With a tribute to Britney Spears, JV Cheer started out strong! For Ever Irete, sophomore, the best part of perfecting the Cheer dance was team bonding. “My favorite part of this was just hanging out with everyone as a whole and getting to bond with [my teammates] as we worked through new formations,” Irete said.

Nandini Patro/ Prowler

Dance!- Levi Cook, a water polo player, puts his hands in the air to the music.

Reese Kelem/ Prowler

Perfect 10- The dancers were joined by celebrity judges Los Angeles Rams cheerleader, Shelby Rini, world-record holding strongman, Martin Licis and former MLB player, Mike Magnante. The judges were given the job of rating the dances and providing the performers with feedback, positive or negative, but they were looking for one thing in particular. “So we had noticed all the judges [saying], ‘Oh, you didn't have as much energy’ and we just brought the energy,” Rader, softball player, said.

Reese Kelem/ Prowler

Winners!- Girls Softball came out of nowhere and stole the show, scoring a perfect 40/40.

Kate Rader, junior, had the time of her life performing, “Nothing went wrong, I think in every single one of our practice runs at least one thing had gone wrong, but it was as if we actually became dancers,” Rader said. Reese Kelem/ Prowler

Tough crowd- Though the judges had some negative things to say, Erica Winerman, senior, felt they gave their best performance Friday night.

“I think we got cheated because we had a great dance… but you know it’s okay because we gave it our all and we did amazing despite what they said,” Winerman said.

Reese Kelem/ Prowler Leap!Quinn Haggarty dances with his fellow baseball players as he strikes a pose in the air.

Reese Kelem/ Prowler