2021-22 Issue 5 by The Lancer

the

LANCER

Volume LV, Issue 5 » March 6, 2022 » Thousand Oaks High School » 2323 N. Moorpark Rd, Thousand Oaks, CA 91360 » www.tohsthelancer.org » thelancer.tohs@gmail.com » Circulation 1,900

SEASON 2 SHOCK The finale of the hit TV show Euphoria aired on Sunday night Feb 27 and opinions are varied. pg. 11

OFF THE GRID

OFF THE RAILS

OFF THE SHELF

Upperclassmen student counselors head to Ojai for this years outdoor school. pg. 4

Skete’s relationship status is causing Ye to go cray. See his Instagram for more details. pg. 10

The Lancer breaks down the complex world of non-fungible tokens.

PHOTOS » KENDALL FLEMING » THE LANCER

pg. 12-13

NEWS

Hits and Misses

STAFF EDITORIAL

THE LAST OF MASKS

What’s Up and Down with The Lancer Hit: Anything But a Backpack Day has finally happened! Notable mentions go out to the microwave and the crockpot.

Miss: Gen Z has been flooding Vladmir Putin’s Instagram with strange comments i.e. “Vlady Daddy”

Hit: The mask mandate will be lifted on Mar. 11th at 2:47 pm, just in time for the weekend.

GRAPHIC » KENDALL FLEMING » THE LANCER GRAPHIC » KENDALL FLEMING » THE LANCER

Should the mask mandate be lifted on March 13? EDITORIAL BOARD

yes

As of March 5, 2022, CVUSD has decided to lift the indoor mask mandate throughout the district starting on March 13. Opinions are varied as to whether this decision will result in another surge of the virus, but others are happy to finally experience the classroom maskless for the first time since 2020. Prior to the February 16 mask mandate lifted in public places, Ventura County had remained in the “low” category for COVID-19 activity. The last estimate of the effective reproduction number, which is the average number of people each infected person will pass the virus onto, is 0.75, which assumes that the spread of COVID-19 is likely decreasing. “The mask order is being lifted because the COVID-19 situation has changed thanks to effective vaccines, effective treatments and a variant that causes less severe disease. I still highly recommend that all community members wear masks indoors because there is strong evidence that masks, especially high-quality masks, protect both the wearer and those around them,” Public Health Officer Doctor Robert Levin said. There has been disagreement among public health experts as to whether or not the change is coming too soon. While the number of

infected people is currently at an all time low after the surge of omicron, professionals are weary of the complete removal of masks in schools. According to Ventura County Recovers, over 200,000 people in Ventura County are not fully vaccinated. And while the rate of infection for the unvaccinated population is only at 21%, the number is expected to increase after the indoor mandate is lifted. Students are put at the risk of contracting the virus when forced into classrooms among peers with complete autonomy to remove their mask despite their possible reckless actions, potentially putting them and their family at risk. The recent COVID-19 booster has proven to be eﬀective enough that those exposed to the virus are not put in danger. There is still the possibility of a new dominant variant occuring in the future, however, doctors expect the virus to continue to fade over the next few years until it is seasonal, similar to the ﬂu. With the restoration of pre-COVID-19 activities for children and the advocacy of schools remaining open through variant surges, the only next step was to lift the indoor mask mandate. The question is, is the early return to normalcy really worth it?

THE LANCER STAFF 2021-2022 EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Kendall Fleming NEWS Madeline Convy Nathan Yang Ella Wauchope OPINION Jake Crandall Griffin Lester Momo Sonada

ENTERTAINMENT Boden Adema Riley Keeler Finley Swanson IN-FOCUS Miles Cleary Nazo Niazi Molly Norton Abigail Tripp-Bullough

FEATURES Brooklyn Bonilla Karla Garcia Sara Guy Bella Moreno SPORTS Alex Aguilar Becca Glaubke Chase Patterson Hayden Mckinney WEBSITE EDITORS Dylan Cockerill

BUSINESS MANAGERS Remington Beaudoin Grace Williams PHOTOGRAPHERS Dylan Cockerill Tyler Lappin ADVISER Tasha Beaudoin

Miss: Ye has compared his recently finalized divorce to Michael Myers and the first play of the superbowl resulting in rolling your ankle.

Hit: Robert Pattinson, the meme sensation, is Batman in the new film, The Batman, directed by Matt Reeves.

Miss: Gas prices are at an all time high. Finally a Prius sounds like a good deal.

Hit: Attention Seniors! College decisions are starting to be released this month; looks like the senioritis is really setting in.

The Lancer is the official school publication of Thousand Oaks High School, created and produced by students in Advanced Journalism. This publication as well as additional stories can be found online at tohsthelancer. org. The Lancer reserves the right to refuse advertising deemed inappropriate for high school publication. Guest editorials and “Letters to the Editor” are welcome, but must be signed and are subject to editing for length, libel, obscenity and grammar. They can be sent to thelancer.tohs@gmail.com. The Lancer is a member of the Journalism Education Association (JEA), National Scholastic Press Association (NSPA), Columbia Scholastic Press Association (CSPA) and NSPA All-American Hall of Fame.

VISIT OUR WEBSITE AT: www.tohsthelancer.org

OFF-CAMPUS PASS

Women earn less on average than men, carry the majority of household and childcare responsibilities, and are underrepresented in leadership positions The two highest IQs ever recorded both belong to women

The first Women’s History Day was held in 1909

Wyoming Territory was the first place to grant women the right to vote

Women outnumber men as they grow older

Every Women’s History Month has a theme

At the first Winter Olympic Games in 1924, the only event open to women was

figure skating

WOMEN’S HISTORY MONTH “We need to reshape our own perception of how we view ourselves. We have to step up as women and take the lead.” - Beyonce Every president has declared the month of March as Women’s History Month

The earliest recorded female physician was Merit Ptah, a doctor in ancient Egypt who lived around 2700 B.C. Women make up 14.4 percent of active duty military members

Sally Ride was the first woman in

space

Marie Curie was the first woman to receive two Nobel prizes

Women’s History Month is a

The Equal Rights Amendment was passed in the Senate on March 22, 1972 International Women’s Day is celebrated on March 8, and was established as a holiday in 1911 Women make up 24 percent of Congress members

It’s a chance to reflect on the trailblazing women who lead the way for change

Aretha Franklin was the first woman inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame

month-long celebration of women’s accomplishments and contributions that is celebrated in March

https://people.com/human-interest/womens-history-month-facts-explainer/ https://www.womansday.com/life/a34908026/womens-history-month-facts/ https://www.harpersbazaar.com/culture/features/a4056/empowering-female-quotes/ https://www.mastersdegree.net/50-fascinating-facts-womens-history-month/ PHOTO » UNSPLASH » KARL MAGNUSON

NEWS

OUTDOOR ADVENTURES This spring, junior and senior counselors are headed out to Camp Ramah in Ojai for the annual sixth grade outdoor school field trip. Although overwhelming at times, being a camp counselor allows for new connections, reflections, and memories that last a lifetime. PHOTO » BRIAN LEE » THE LANCER

CAMPFIRE STORIES— STORIES Counselor senior Lex Ross leads his group of sixth graders on various hikes and outdoor activities.

MADELINE CONVY

ALL PHOTOS » LEX ROSS » WITH PERMISSION

News Editor

This spring, eleven and twelfth grade students have set out to outdoor school at Camp Ramah, Ojai, where they will lead groups of sixth grade students as counselors. From early Feb. through the beginning of April, counselors and campers will spend four days and three nights exploring different topics from the sixth grade science curriculum, including astronomy, ecology, geology, botany and zoology. “I wanted to see the outdoor experience from the counselor point of view,” outdoor schoool counselor senior Vivian Jewett said. “I also really want to help create those memories for kids, especially kids who have been online for a long time.” By participating in hikes, skits and other outdoor activities, campers have the opportunity to expand their social and intellectual boundaries. As for the counselors, not only do they develop newfound leadership skills, but they are also left with reflections of an unforgettable experience. “On the first day of the camp my only wish was it to be over, yet to my surprise by the end I was wishing it would last longer,” senior Lex Ross said. “My personal favorite memory was star gazing with my cabin kids, where in Ojai the stars seemed brighter than ever.” This year, outdoor school is held at Camp Ramah, a camp typically devoted to Jewish community

building, although it is only used for hosting purposes during outdoor school. The location features a variety of facilities, such as an observatory, a tree house, swimming pools, basketball courts and more. While outdoor school is no longer held at the same location as many of the previous years, the excitement of new independence and new experiences is no diﬀerent. “I remember loving it as a middle schooler,” Jewett said. “I really enjoyed going on hikes, and they had diﬀerent activities like basketball courts and a gaga ball pit at the camp.” The supervisors at outdoor school include two head cabin leaders, ten naturalist educators, classroom teachers from each middle school, and high school volunteers. Each counselor resides in a cabin with about six campers. “Being a counselor comes with a lot of stress and lots of responsibilities as you are in charge of a number of kids who want to do whatever they want,” junior Axel Soriano said. “It can be very stressful and chaotic at times, but the good parts are worth it.” Each year, the application period for outdoor school counselors begins in Nov. and ends in early Dec., and only juniors and seniors from select Conejo Valley high schools are permitted to apply. “For future counselors who are looking to apply and may have doubts, I would just support you to take the risk because it’s extremely less stressful when you arrive there,” Ross said. “But also, bring warm clothes.”

NEWS

FUTURE OPPORTUNITIES Students in The Center pioneer to make the Ventura County Science Fair affiliated with the International Engineering and Science Fair to open up more opportunities for the future. NATHAN YANG

News Writer

This year, seniors in The Center for Advanced Studies and Research are pioneering for future generations by competing in the International Engineering and Science Fair (ISEF) in order to allow the Ventura County Science Fair to become ISEF-affiliated. Previously, even if students made it past state-level fairs, they wouldn’t be able to progress any higher since they lacked participation in an ISEF-affiliated fair which serves as the gateway towards higher-level competitions such as nationals and international. ISEF is the world’s largest international pre-college science competition existing in the United States and 70 other countries, where the top placing project wins $250,000. However, in order to compete in the ISEF fair, students must have won honor participation at an ISEF-affiliated fair. In order to become an ISEF-affiliated fair, the fair must meet a plethora of requirements including certifications and rules. To start, ISEF fairs must have a Scientific Review Committee (SRC) to review and approve students’ projects to be suitable for the fair. The committee must consist of a biomedical scientist, science educator, and another member who may, but is not required to be, a biomedical scientist or a science teacher. All members must be registered with the Society for Science & Public. Students can either compete by themselves or in teams of up to three members. Projects research time can be up to a maximum of 12 continuous months between January and May of the current ISEF year.

PROCESSED—(Below) Seniors Devin Burkhart and Nathan Yang utilize chemical processing simulator DWSIM to simulate the burning of plastic polyethylene into usable fuel.

Projects from Thousand Oaks High School aim at providing potential solutions to problems that exist in the real world using research and experimentation. Projects include the students’ own work in that it is not a copy of a research project already done before, but rather a project that may aim at a weaker point in an overall field. For example, there may be research papers on different types of chip brands but no papers may compare all the brands at once. There are a wide variety of projects and topics for the fair such as computer science and biology. “My team is using publicly available data to conduct our research on wildfire prediction,” Senior Rose Wang said. Wang and her group are utilizing artificial intelligence in order to create a program that is able to predict wildfires. Wang’s group is utilizing Git to code their project. “Me and my team members are testing to see what ocean topographic features are best to implement electromagnetic barriers to replace shark barrier nets,” Senior Amelia Metz said. Metz and her team are working to determine the optimal placement of electromagnetic shark barriers because they are the safest and most effective method to prevent shark attacks while preserving the shark population. This year’s entries serve as a sort of pathway towards greater heights. “The hope is that sophomores and juniors will compete in the Ventura County science fair and move on to other elite competitions.” teacher Felix McGinnis said. By having more involvement with elite fairs students would have better chances at being admitted to top schools such as Stanford, Yale, and Harvard.

PRINTED— (Right) Seniors Andrew Bigelow and Oliver Herron use a 3D printer to create walls out of wood polymer in order to test the stability of two building models during an earthquake.

POLLUTION—(Above) Senior Sydney Miller tests soil taken from a field lab that had a partial meltdown in order to measure levels of phosphorous, nitrogen, and potassium to examine the negative effects those contaminants can have on the environment

ALL PHOTOS » DYLAN COCKERILL » THE LANCER

OPINION

... That’s Debatable Is the Saint Patricks Day inspired McDonald’s Shamrock Shake overrated?

YES

The beverage is a popular drink released at McDonalds each year for St. Patricks Day, but does it stand to weather the storm of its opposition?

The Shamrock Shake is delicious

JAKE CRANDALL

The Shamrock Shake is overrated

FINLEY SWANSON

Staff Writer

As the month of February rolls around, a light in the shining darkness emerges: the piquant McDonald’s Shamrock Shake. This scrumptious delicacy consists of vanilla ice cream, a whipped cream topping, and of course the main event, the mouthwatering heavenly secret McDonald’s minty shake syrup. Many will have already consumed this angelic delicacy, with an estimated 60 million enlightened individuals using their currency to acquire the drink. Infact, according to my fellow student and Shamrock companion, junior Andrew Banuelos was quoted as saying “The Shamrock Shake is bussin, like for real, no cap though, not going to lie, it do be bussing.” But some wrongdoers in the bunch will go against the truth of the aqueous solution, and tarnish its name with slanderous accusations of it tasting bad. These individuals who go against the thirst quencher will face their comeuppance when the time arrives, but for now, I will possibly attempt to educate on the reason for their distaste. Mainly, I shall pass the blame to the virus known as “Coronavirus Disease 2019.” This blight on man could be the reason why people do not stand for the drink, as a common symptom is the loss of taste. This obviously would impact the heathen’s abilities to guzzle the juice. Otherwise, little explanation is perpetuated for the existence of the creatures who ﬁnd our dear minty friend unpalatable. Luckily, even if they do not accept the Shamrock Shake into their heart, it sparks much joy to acknowledge that its love shall be eternal, as we now celebrate its 52nd birthday. Our dearest drink will outlive the heretics who attempt to disparage it. If the world is against the shamrock shake, then I am against the world. My departure is imminent my dearest of friends, so I shall leave you all with a choice. You must now decide, to fall into the evil web of propaganda and lies in order to stir your hatred onto our beloved, or to accept his loving embrace. Long live the McDonald’s Shamrock Shake.

“Yooooooo, [this] SLAP[s]!!!!!” Jay Johnson (11)

“I have no idea what I just ate but it was not mint.” MaKenzie Roberts (11)

“[It] tastes like bad medicine.” Alex Swanson (9)

“[This is] gas!” Genesis Arriaza (12)

“Mint.” Chase Norris (12)

“Bazinga!” Hunter Uliusz (12)

“No cap though, for real I’m not going to lie it do be bussin.” Andrew Banuelous (11)

“Amazing, highlight of my year.” Ava Davidson (10)

“So freaking good bro!” Niah Vasquez (11)

GRAPHICS » KENDALL FLEMING » THE LANCER

“Yum.” Taha Khambati (11) “Yessir.” Gracie Woodly (12)

Staff Writer

Each February, one foul drink plagues the hands of teenagers and moms alike: the McDonald’s Shamrock Shake. Beneath the delicious whipped cream topping and pretty green color, the detestable shake syrup lurks like poison. The Shamrock Shake is delicious- if you like eating toothpaste, that is. I once loved the Shamrock Shake, but as my taste buds changed from that of a ten-year old I found I no longer enjoyed the green beverage. At its core, the Shamrock Shake is a sham! “Tis the first green of spring,” the McDonalds ad for the drink reads, yet somehow it has found a way to disgrace an entire season! I enjoy mint, really, and I’m definitely not alone. According to FONA, a flavor manufacturer for many of the largest companies, mint is among the most popular flavors in the world. To dismiss the mixed reviews on Shamrock Shakes as a dislike of the flavor would be wrong. In reality, the drink is so painfully sugary and artificial it burns your throat, he mix of sweet, minty milk sounds bad on its own, but add the frothy and icy texture and this is truly a drink to induce vomiting. Even for the most hardcore sugar fan, the shake can be way too much. It isn’t the content of the flavoring that makes it revolting, but the sheer, unbridled intensity! We conducted a survey, pouring the green sludge into tiny plastic cups. It spilled across everything and left a war scene of half-drank and knocked over cups in its wake as students threw back shots of the substance. While some misguided students enjoyed the shakes or took another of our sample cups, others crinkled rightfully their noses and didn’t finish theirs. A number refused the sample altogether. “I have no idea what I just ate, but it was not mint,” Junior McKenzie Roberts said. The shake might be a staple of spring, but it is completely undeserving of its outrageous hype, the drink is far too sugary and too artificial to be respected.

OPINION

Silenced Stories In the last couple years, parents along with school administrations have been banning books that they have deemed as harmful to young students. BODEN ADEMA GRIFFIN LESTER

Staff Writer Staff Writer

Recently, book banning has become a controversial subject in schools. Across the United States, a surge of parents has been calling for the banning of certain books based on their own preferences and concern for their children. These attacks are mainly focused on novels by and about minorities and anything relating to sex. In Oklahoma, a bill was passed that would prohibit public school libraries from holding “sexually-graphic” books that scheme to “indoctrinate” the youth. “Teaching literature opens [student’s] eyes to other things… It’s history, as well,” English teacher Joanna Otey said. Although there is renewed interest, this is not something new. In 1963 a delegation of parents from a school in Columbus Ohio asked the school to ban the novel “The Catcher in the Rye” for being anti-white and obscene. The banning of books is becoming more and more common in schools across America, in 2021 more than 273 books were banned or challenged in schools. That does not even compare to the only seven books banned in the entire decade of the 1950s. While it’s easy to think of book banning as something of the

past, it has become a modern phenomenon and one that is increasingly detrimental to both society and the very children the banning supposedly protects. The main point of many of these arguments surrounds the well-being of students. For example, the graphic novel “Maus” by Art Spielman, a book about the horrors of the holocaust and antisemitism, was recently banned by a Tennesse school board for violence, profanity, and anthropomorphized mouse nudity. Again, this book covers the Holocaust, one of the most violent, horrible events in history, of course, it has violence and I sure hope it would make you uncomfortable. “Even if they make students uncomfortable, that’s ok. It’s how you learn things,” Senior Remy Fortney said. The way that most books get banned in schools is through the parents protesting and petitioning until the schools and state government listen to them. In a report by The State of America’s Libraries, it is shown that only 13% of all book censorship is initiated by a school board or administrator, and only 1% of censorship eﬀorts are initiated by students. While parents should deﬁnitely have a voice, there’s a disconnect between their concerns and how students feel.

“Parents should be able to speak up books that are more related to their children,” freshman Alex Swanson said, “[but] the only reason I think to ban a book is if the book incites violence.” Another huge topic for book restriction is keeping students from learning about sex or LGBT+ topics, which are often attacked for being sexual in nature even if they aren’t. In reality, students are already hearing these subjects from peers on the internet. When there isn’t room in classrooms for discussion of these topics, it stigmatizes them and leaves students without access to accurate information. “I don’t think parents should have the right to dictate what their kids learn because they could regulate what accurate knowledge their kids know based oﬀ their beliefs,” junior Sabrina Silva said, “These topics are talked about by kids anyway. If your parents never explain them, you won’t be protected, you’ll just only get poor information from your peers or the internet.” Truthfully, not all book banning eﬀorts are so clear cut as wrong. We should be able to have conversations about literature in schools, but too often it is unnecessary, damaging and hides behind student wellbeing. Discussions must allow for teacher explanation and above all else must include students.

“These topics are talked about by kids anyway. If your parents never explain them, you won’t be protected you’ll just only get bad information from your peers or the Internet.” —junior SABRINA SILVA

NATIONWIDE BANS—Book banning efforts have recently flared across the country, sharing concerns about student wellbeing. GRAPHIC» FINLEY SWANSON » THE LANCER SOURCES: WWW.PLAYGROUNDEQUIPMENT.COM, WWW.ALA.ORG

Most banned or challenged books of the last 5 years •

Thirteen Reasons why - Jay Asher

•

The absolutley true diary of a part time Indian -Sherman Alexie

•

George- Alex Gino

•

The Kite RunnerKhaled Hosseini

•

The Hate You Give- Angie Thomas

•

I am JazzJessica Herthel

•

Two Boys Kssing- David Levithan

•

Looking For Alaska- John Green

•

Fifty Shades of Grey- E.L James

•

Sex is a funny word- Cory Silverberg

•

To Kill a MockingbirdHarper Lee

•

Drama- Raina Telgemeier

•

The Handmaids TaleMagaret Atwood

•

Captain UnderpantsDav Pilkey

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ENTERTAINMENT

Movies of the Year With the 94th Academy Awards approaching, the Lancer looks at three movies from 2021 to check out.

Director: Paul Thomas Anderson Genre: Comedic drama Release Date: Nov. 26, 2021 Box Office: 24.3 million USD Nominations: Best Picture, Best Director, Best Original Screenplay

“Licorice Pizza”

ROCCO OLIVO

Entertainment Editor

A beautifully tragic coming of age story set in the San Fernando Valley in the 70’s. The film follows 15 year old Gary Valentine while he chases his dream of being a successful child actor. But everything changes when Gary meets 25 year old Alana Kane. This project by Oscar nominated director, writer, and producer Paul Thomas Anderson is a huge mixture of emotions that you should consider trying out.

SOURCE » LICORICEPIZZA » INSTAGRAM

Director: Wes Anderson Genre: Romantic Comedy Release Date: Oct. 22, 2021 Box Office: 45.6 million USD Nominations: None

“The French Dispatch”

An incredibly stylized and bold addition to famous director Wes Anderson’s filmography. This project is the definition of style and substance. This film follows a newspaper company trying to come up with a story they want to do for the first page. There are three stories in this film. The Concrete Masterpiece, Revisions to a Manifesto, and The Private Dining Room of the Police Commissioner. Each story has its own unique plot and style. The color palettes and visuals of all three of these stories is where the film really stands out. All these original stories and beautiful visuals make for a one hour and 48 minute eye candy trip.

SOURCE » FRENCHDISPATCH » INSTAGRAM

Director: Denis Villeneuve Genre: Science Fiction Release Date: Oct. 20, 2023 Box Office: 400.3 million USD

“Dune”

Nominations: Best Picture, Best Original Score, Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Visual Effects, Best Production, Best Cinematography, Best Design, Best Costume Design, Best Makeup and Hairstyling, Best Film Editing, Best Sound

A sci-fi masterpiece from director Denis Villeneuve that resurrects the genre alone. The first part of this trilogy is a perfect example of how to do sci-fi right. It has everything a sci-fi movie should have. A stunning world, mythical creatures, and advanced technology. With an all-star cast (Timothee Chalamet, Oscar Isaac, Zendaya) it is an absolute joy to watch. But what stands out the most are the visuals. Every shot in this film could be a painting you would see in a museum. This movie has probably the best camera work in cinema history. Every single second of this masterpiece is worth watching. All two hours and 35 minutes of it.

TV and movies made up

30% of all time Americans spent entertaining themselves in 2021.

SOURCE » DUNEMOVIE » INSTAGRAM SOURCE » BOX OFFICE MOJO

GRAPHIC » FINLEY SWANSON SOURCE » NPD

ENTERTAINMENT

The Talk Celebrities lives are always full of drama, especially someone as well known as Kim Kardashian or Kanye West lets find out what their relationship status is at this time.

PHOTO » KANYEWEST » INST GRAM

“I don’t see it as a bad thing but Kanye is taking it to the extreme”

“Kim truly seemed unhappy towards the end of their relationship, and no one should have to go through that.”

PHOTO » MGK’S OFFICIAL FACEBOOK » WITH PERMISSION

PHOTO » RIHANNA OFFICIAL FACEBOOK » WITH PERMISSION

LOVE ON THE BRAIN—(Left) A picture of musican/model Rihanna after shopping at Ulta Beauty. She is 3-4 months pregnant and expecting at the end of 2022!

RILEY KEELER

Entertainment

Everyone has heard the famous billionaire couple Kanye West and Kim Kardashian have gotten divorced and are seeing new people now. They divorced after almost 7 years of marriage and 4 kids. As of right now Kim Kardashian is dating Pete Davidson, who is an SNL comedian, and Kanye West just got out of a rumored relationship with famous actor Julia Fox. Kanye West still has hope that God will bring him and Kim back together. Kanye West has been going on a rant on Instagram, posting almost every 2 hours about his dislike for popular Rapper Kid Cudi and Pete Davidson for being friends. West had to post a picture of himself saying he was not hacked because of the pictures he was posting about them. West kicked Kid Cudi off of his album Donda 2 for being friends with Pete Davidson who Kanye refers to as “Skete,” no one knows why Kanye calls Pete Davidson “Skete” but some fans assume that it has a hidden meaning as a way to slander Pete Davidson, and for Kanye to express his hatred for Pete. “I feel that it is very sad that the West family has been torn apart.” said freshman Colin Sletcha Rihanna and A$AP Rocky, both famous singers, are expecting a baby soon. Though they are not married yet, they have been friends since 2013 and came out saying they were dating in 2020. Rihanna revealed her baby bump in February of 2022 saying she is a soon to be mom and very excited “I feel that it is very to be having a baby with sad that the West Rocky. Rihanna announced the pregnancy by posting family has been torn pictures of her and A$AP on her Instagram. They are both apart.” very excited to be parents and couldn’t be happier with each other. “I don’t see it as a bad thing but Kanye is taking it to the extreme” said freshman Olivia Cleary Actress Megan Fox, and musician Machine Gun Kelly have officially announced their engagement. They started dating in 2020 and Colson Baker known as MGK proposed in January of 2022. He proposed under a Banyan tree which has a significant meaning in their relationship. They said in July 2020 they sat under the same Banyan tree and asked for magic. The ring is shaped as a heart with an emerald and a diamond that can come apart, and the bands on the ring are actually thorns so if she tries to take it off it hurts her. “Love is Pain!” said Machine Gun Kelly. Megan Fox loved the proposal and she is so excited to be getting married. “Kim truly seemed unhappy towards the end of their relationship, and no one should have to go through that.” freshman Lulu Thompson said.

PHOTO » KIM KARDASHIAN’S OFFICIAL FACEBOOK » WITH PERMISSION

Last but deﬁnitely not least the new couple musician Travis Barker, and socialite Kourtney Kardashian have been dating for a year now. They have been friends since 2015 and have revealed in January of 2021 that they are dating. In October of 2021 they announced that they are engaged and fans are starting to spread rumors about a pregnancy. Kourtney has said that she is very happy with Travis, and that she is happier with him than being on their hit reality TV show “Keeping up with the Kardashians”. Fans are saying that Kourtney and Travis are the new Pamela Anderson and Tommy Lee, the whole rock star boyfriend and model girlfriend is quite a coincidence.

PHOTO » KOURTNEY KARDASHIAN OFFICIAL FACEBOOK » WITH PERMISSION

ENTERTAINMENT

Since its initial release in 2019, Euphoria has been lauded as a raw depiction of teenagehood. As season 2 airs, viewers dive back into the dark and angsty drama. MOMO SONODA

Staff Writer

Euphoria is a scrapbook of multisensory shots that follow several troubled teens through one bad decision to the next. The show is psychedelic chaos, and it has enraptured its audience with every hauntingly unnerving arc the characters journey through. The discomforting nature of the show stems from the producer Sam Levinson’s refusal to shy away from graphic depictions of taboo topics like drugs, abuse, and assault. The unrelenting realism in the show creates a gritty and powerful depiction of addiction in all of its forms. “A lot of shows, they don’t talk about this kind of stuﬀ… [Euphoria] shows the bad endings, and it shows that there are bad sides to things too,” said freshman Venice Chichester. Season 1 of Euphoria drew the curtains into the characters’ lives beyond the glitz and glam, exploring a world of drugs, sex, and violence. The haphazardly constructed episodes pieced together the teens and each of their struggles to chase their own euphoria; viewers were introduced to free-spoken narrator Rue, enigmatic new

GRAPHIC » MOMO SONADA » THE LANCER

girl Jules, manipulative quarterback Nate, his on-and-off-again girlfriend Maddy, sexually promiscuous Cassie, virgin-turned-camgirl Kat, and the drug dealer invested in Rue’s sobriety Fezco. With the show’s commitment to sensationalism and shock value, the series quickly cemented itself as a raw, messy, and beloved representation of teen angst. On January 9, 2022, the highly anticipated second season of Euphoria premiered with double the viewership of Season 1. The season began with a dive into the characters’ backstories, including fan-favourite Fezco and not-so-popular Cal Jacobs. With Rue’s relapse, the story delved deeper into her drug dependency and carved out complex confrontations of addiction, withdrawal, and trauma. However, while a few characters flourished this season, many others were put on a backburner, causing fans to question Levinson’s ability to separate his personal relationships from his writing. Fans noticed that Kat had little screen time and that her development from the last season had been largely forgotten, which people attributed to an on-set conflict between actress Barbie Ferreira and writer Levinson. “I think a lot of [the characters] went downhill,” said Chichester. This notion was echoed by many fans of the show, causing the already disliked creator to be further criticised by fans on various social media sites, such as Twitter and Instagram. Despite this, the show continues to thrive online. The cast have become household names, and for many of the actors, their characters on Euphoria are career-defining roles. Euphoria continually breaks out of the box, redefining what modern television should look like. “We couldn’t be more honored to work with this gifted, wildly talented team or more excited to continue our journey with them into Season 3,” HBO executive Francesca Orsi said. The renewal of the series comes as good news to many fans. For freshman Alexandra Lewis, she is excited for the show to explore new relationships and dynamics between characters. “It takes me a while to find a series that I like, but with Euphoria, it covers everything and I really like that,” said Lewis. On February 27, the show closed its curtains with the persistently provocative Season 2 finale. The numerous subplots that had been spun throughout the season were weaved together in the final episode to create a dichotomy of nihilistic and hopeful narratives that ended the season with untied knots and unanswered questions. Theories are already being crafted as to what the next season will bring, but for now, all fans can do is wait.

IN-FOCUS

From commercials on television to postings on celebrity social media accounts, NFTs are rapidly creeping their way into our everyday lives. In this issue, The Lancer Newspaper breaks down the complex digital world of NFTs, including their environmental and economic impacts. ABIGAIL- TRIPP-BULLOUGH

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Non-fungible tokens are unique digital items that can be bought using cryptocurrency. The cryptocurrency can be whatever is commonly used or acceptable for the blockchain, or the record of the crypto transactions that the NFT is being purchased on. An NFT is essentially the opposite of bitcoin, which is tradable. NFTs are seen on popular blockchains like Ethereum, which is commonly used for digital payments and global transactions. NFTs can take many forms including stocks, music, and visual art. “You can copy a digital ﬁle as many times as you want,” The Verge writer Mitchell Clark said, “including the art that’s included with an NFT.” The ability to copy the digital art associated with an NFT is where they start to become problematic. Somebody could bid and buy an art piece for an extreme price and in the time that it is still existing on the web, that art piece could be downloaded by simply right-clicking and saving. Although the original NFT cannot be replicated, the downloaded copy can be used to scam consumers. There are a few legal issues that hover above the world of NFTs. One major problem is the fact that businesses that drop NFTs could struggle with the misuse of intellectual property rights, and only some NFTs come with intellectual property rights. The legal issues surrounding issues also lean the other way, where some musical artists recently found their music placed as NFTs on HitPiece- a streaming

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website. While HitPiece claimed to be paying the artists, many claimed they never received money and many others were upset that their songs were placed there without consent. Nonetheless, NFTs have the attention of entertainers and corporations across the world. Celebrities including Snoop Dogg, Mike Tyson, Lindsay Lohan, Grimes, and Tony Hawk have dropped and sold many NFTs of their own. Big businesses have also dropped NFTs, such as Taco Bell, Coca-Cola, and Nike. “Eminem owns one [NFT],” freshman Ryan Shaﬁei said, “and it’s mad weird.”

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There have also been some accusations of hypocrisy towards some celebrities selling these NFTs, as they are simultaneously claiming to be helping the environment and then turning around to further damage the atmosphere. A prime example of this is actress Cara Delevingne, who launched a recent climate change campaign, only a few months prior to when she sold an NFT on the internet. Despite being big amongst influencers, entertainers, and businesses, NFTs are definitely not favored by gamers. The fact is that with NFTs, games are based on the play-to-earn model. This type of gaming allows players to buy and sell in-game items as NFTs, which directly affects the quality of the game and the gaming experience. With all that being said, game studios and developers haven’t removed NFTs from their games for virtually one reason: they make more money. This is what may lead many games to become centralized around NFTs and become blockchain games, therefore furthering the reach of NFTs to the general public. “They’re evil, bad for the environment, ugly, and useless.” senior Lucia Salazar-Davidson said. Some digital artists also have an issue with NFTs. Despite NFTs consisting mostly of digital

art, smaller artists think that the idea of an NFT is impersonal, like art should be, and people are assigning improbable values to art pieces. “People are like, I have assigned this [referring to NFTs] as having a value,” junior and digital artist Aran Denis said. “You don’t even have anything personalized.” NFTs just began to gain their traction in 2021, so now that 2022 is heading into its third month, the possibilities of how NFTs will develop in the future are endless, whether the inﬂuence is negative or positive. LOADING

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Sources SOURCE » FORBES MAGAZINE SOURCE » THE STREET SOURCE »OPEN GEEKS LAB SOURCE » NFT NOW SOURCE » THE VERGE SOURCE » FOOL.COM SOURCE » BRIGHTLY.ECO SOURCE »LOUDWIRE MAGAZINE

GRAPHICS » FINLEY SWANSON » THE LANCER

IN-FOCUS

ECONOMIC FACTORS -

One NFT transaction uses as much as 340 kilowatts of energy

WARNING Energy from NFT transaction creates build up carbon dioxide Cancel cancel

MILES CLEARY

Staff Writer

The COVID-19 pandemic created an economic downfall not just in the United States, but the entire world. The downfall has made the world ripe for the emergence of vast markets of non-fungible tokens (NFTs). Unique blockchain-based digital assets are a transformative movement for how we understand digital transactions and stores of value. Over the last two years, we have seen an explosion in the market of NFTs and they are showing no signs of stopping. One reason why NFTs are so popular is that they take so many diﬀerent forms. These forms can vary from digital works of art to video clips. As the NFT market continues to grow we are going to see more platforms created to display them. The surge in NFTs is also contributing to a spike in investors. According to Reuters, there were $13.7 million in NFT sales in the ﬁrst half of 2020. This number shot up to two billion in the same year. The marketplace OpenSea sold $150 million of NFTs in the month of June. Also in 2020, a digital artist named

Mike Winkelmann sold a piece of digital art for $69.3 million in an auction in the month of March which featured 22 million viewers. A month earlier a ten-second video created by Winkelmann sold for six million. Despite digital art being one of the ﬁrst NFT mediums to come to mind, they only take up a quarter of NFT sales. Things like fashion and tweets can be sold as NFTs. One NFT version of a New York Times column ended up selling for $560,000. The possibilities for the creation and sale of NFTs are functionally limitless. For these reasons, VC investors are becoming more interested in the NFT marketplace. A PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) report says that blockchain technology has the potential to add one trillion to the global economy by the year 2030, and from the looks of things NFTs will comprise a large share of that total. The main question to ask ourselves is do these boosts to the economy really outweigh the harmful environmental risks?

ENVIRONMENTAL FACTORS NAZO NIAZI

DIGITAL MADNESS—(Left) In 2021, Yuga Labs created the “Bored Ape Yacht Club” NFT collection which consisted of customizable ape icons with unique color schemes, facial expressions, and outfits. A few weeks ago, these icons consumed celebrity social media feeds.

GRAPHICS » FINLEY SWANSON » THE LANCER

Staff Writer

While NFTs seem to not be too dangerous, they are partly responsible for the tons of carbon dioxide (CO2) emitted from the planet, which sparks from the type of cryptocurrency used to buy and sell them. The total estimate of how much power NFTs use and how much pollution they cause is shocking, a single NFT’s transaction can use as much as 340 kilowatts of energy. The decentralized currency Bitcoin produces 38 million tons of CO2 every year. Bitcoin alone could raise the Earth’s temperature by two degrees. To put it into a more clear perspective, the power usage of Bitcoin on a daily basis is equivalent to the average American household’s power use over a 25-day period. Sussanne Köhler, a Ph.D., and a sustainable blockchain technology researcher at Aalborg University mentions how the energy used to power these NFTs also poses an environmental threat. Due to the fact that miners aren’t aware of the damage being caused, they use cheap electricity, like fossil fuels, to increase the

proﬁt. Luckily there are some ways to make NFTs more sustainable in the future. One way would be to reduce the impact of the blockchains being used. As most NFTs run on Ethereum, if Ethereum moves away from proofof-work to proof-to-stake to secure the blockchain and to verify transactions, that will in relation make NFTs more sustainable. Another way would be to reduce the number of transactions that are needed for blockchains. This is explained by Köhler by building a second layer, which means that not every transaction needs to be on a blockchain; however, with the world mainly using fossil fuels as energy production critics say that NFTs and cryptocurrencies will still impact global warming for the worse.

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FEATURES

ASPIRING TO INSPIRE Peer mentoring is a class dedicated to honing in on the skills of leadership and communication. The class creates a comfortable and supportive environment for students to promote positivity and be themselves.

SARA GUY

Staff Writer

Leadership and communication are the foundation of many different careers. The application of these skills to everyday life is important to help find success in an environment where people must work together and communicate. To develop these skills effectively, the peer mentoring class at Thousand Oaks high school will make sure that our students can find success. This class teaches students how to not only communicate and be a leader, but also spreads positivity and shows the effective ways to help the people around us. This class aids students to follow in their teachers’ footsteps and gives them the right knowledge to find a job in the education field in their future. Part of the goals placed for the peer mentoring class is to provide a comfortable and happy environment where students can come and be themselves. This class attracts people that are searching for a carefree place to make friends and spread positivity. Finding genuine connection amongst our peers can sometimes be difficult and this class has helped make friendships easier and natural. “I’ve always had a hard time making friends and I heard everyone in that class is super nice and welcoming, so I wanted to join,” senior Ruby Rudko said. The peer mentoring class brings forth the idea of comfort and individuality. The students in this class can enjoy being themselves while discussing ways to use positivity to better our campus. The peer mentoring class also incorporates kindness and positive ideas into their goals. Their many activities all have the objective of bettering the school’s community and helping build up good morale amongst the students. The peer mentoring students help support the wellness center and they meet with the kids in the autism program and do scavenger hunts, art, activities for the holidays, talking activities and more. The peer mentoring class is part of the career and technical education

KINDNESS—(Left) Junior peer mentor Anakaren Acevedo-Garay poses for a photo outside of the lunch bunch classroom. program and during lunch, every Monday through Wednesday, Lunch Bunch takes place in J9 where anyone can come in and just eat their lunch. They also take part in kindness campaigns and other activities that promote their motivations. These various activities require students to go out of their comfort zones and to challenge themselves. “Favorite part is just the challenge. The challenge for the students to grow and move beyond their little comfort zone. This class is also new to me and has caused me to do the same,” teacher of the class Anna Sobrino said. Peer mentoring is an out of the ordinary class that gives students plenty of options for their future. The skills taught help students work with and build off of their own ideas to understand a pathway to success. These leadership and communication skills can be used throughout any career, especially in a teaching or counseling job. Working with the Wellness Center not only provides exercise to better mental health but to also understand anxiety and how to help others with any issues they may be struggling with. Anyone can participate in this class. “ Mrs. Cooper made it sound like something interesting and different, which she wasn’t lying [about]. Sadly I doubted myself and started peer mentoring this year, my junior year,” junior Anakaren Acevedo-Garay. Choosing the peer mentoring class on the class registration form will get anyone who wants to be a part of the program. During 5th period every day the peer mentoring class starts and positivity begins to flow from the minds of these students. This class will continue to provide students with skills, comfort and opportunity for students both this year and next year.

POSITIVE PEERS—(Left) Peer mentoring class member, senior Ruby Rudko poses for a potrait.

PHOTOS » SARA GUY » THE LANCER PHOTOS » ASHLEY COOPER » WITH PERMISSION

FEATURES

When I was in seventh-grade, I was in science class that i was not very good at. I had a. really hard test this one day and I did not study for it at all. I still did take the test and guessed on every single question. The next day, I got it back and realized I got almost every single question right. I passed the test with an A+ .-Ryan Moston

A few years ago my French bull dog, Fred, ran away. My parents had to explain to me what happened. He was a small dog, so we didn’t know if we would make it. We still searched for him anyways. The day after we looked for him and could not find him anywhere. The problem was Fred was not super attractive to people and she was super hyper. Then one day I came home from school, went up the drive way, and saw her. It was little and we had gotten our dog back. -Riley Stepner

LUCKY LANCERS With Saint Patrick’s day around the corner, four students were asked to tell a story of a time they were lucky. BROOKELYN BONILLA

Feature Writer

A few years ago, I went to Sea World with my family. They really wanted to go on wanted to go on rides and we were rushing to one. We walked through the arcade and I saw a big button on a game. The game where you pull the handle and press the button to win a certain amount of tickets. I was walking then just pressed it for fun. The lights started going off and a song. Turns out I won one thousand tickets. -Bryant Carey PHOTOS » BROOKELYN BONILLA » THE LANCER

I went to the beach with a friend and we were swimming. We got pulled out super far by riptides. The water was so deep. There was a mom and her son not far from us, and my friend went to save the kid and she was struggling because she was holding herself under water for a long time to keep the kid above the surface. I swam to the side to get out of the riptide, saw a boogie boarder and I asked him for help. And he saved me, my friend, and the little boy. We were getting tired and the waves kept hitting us making us fall off the boogy board and it was really then we got out of the water and I felt super lucky I did not drown.-Chloe Mello

FEATURES

AP Artistry ISABELLA MORENO Features Editor

Students all over campus are constantly finding new ways to reveal their artistic abilities, whether it’s through digital media, paints, or a pen and pencil. The school’s AP Studio Art Drawing class is a diversely talented class, consisting of students from various different grades who showcase both their long practiced and recently acquired skills in art portfolios. “My students this year are so much more interested in different artistic mediums than students I’ve had in the past.” Andrea Pappas said. “They’re excited about branching out and trying new things and challenging themselves as well as honing in on skills that they already have.” Ms. Pappas has taught AP Drawing for five years, along with other art classes such as Art Media and Drawing. Senior Emma Mackay has been doing art her whole life, incorporating her skills in drawing and writing into almost every one of her pieces. Having her own webtoon series, she’s gotten a headstart in her future career of writing

AP Studio Art Drawing students share their creative process and pieces to The Lancer.

and illustrating using both digital and non-digital art mediums. “In college I want to major in writing and minor in illustration. I like to write books, that’s where the character creation comes in,” Mackay said. “Character design and storyboard art is my thing.” Being an artist is not as easy or “stress-free” that many make it out to be. It is inevitable that one would experience art blocks and lose motivation to work after so many years of practicing. “Oftentimes it helps to just grab a new medium. Like trying something you haven’t done before.” Junior Kayenne Grecian said. Grecian has been practicing art since she was “old enough to pick up a pencil” and evidently has not taken a break since. Her work revolves mainly around digital art, portraying what she calls a “realistic but with stylistic inﬂuence” art style. This year she has found new ways to branch out from her digital skills and conquer other new mediums. “I work a lot with digital art. But this year I’ve found that I really like to use

DO IT LIKE THIS- Mackay’s frustration with an attempt of realism resulted in a beautiful, eye-catching piece consisting of markers, paint pens, and other various mediums.

use paint pens, acrylics, and a lot more traditional materials,” Grecian said. Grecian and Mackay, along with many other gifted artists, have been tasked with organizing an art portfolio along with completion of the class. This is not only a good way for students to broaden their interests, but it is also an important asset to have when applying for liberal arts based colleges. Mackay is merging her love for character creation and the fundamentals to create her portfolio, ﬁlled with large scale paintings, pencil drawings, and multi-medium pieces. “I call them characters that have a little piece of me in them…” Mackay said. “The pieces have places and things that kind of symbolize me in a way. I feel like that’s when I get the strongest pieces, when I put what I’m feeling down on pages.” While some students take this as an

PHOTO » KAYENNE GRECIAN » WITH PERMISSION PHOTOS » KARLA GARCIA AND DYLAN COCKERILL » WITH PERMISSION

DIGITAL FANTASYGrecian displays her love for realistic fantasy inspired art, working with shading and reflection in one of her digital pieces.

opportunity to experiment and create art that reflects them personally, some like to take issues or ideas they are passionate about and absorb that into their work. Grecian’s topic for her art portfolio stems from the idea of “what life would be like without us in it,” and broad observations of how society has taken over the natural world. “It has a lot to do with the passage of time and humanity’s effect on time as a whole,” Grecian said. Students still have a long time to pace themselves and get past the learning curve of expanding their artistic knowledge and abilities before finalizing their projects. Whether they choose an unconventional and abstract route or stick to mastering the basics, this year’s AP Art student portfolios are going to truly show their ability of overcoming challenges and staying passionate and creative in the process.

KAI HORIUCHI

I want to smell delicious, so definitely look like I smell bad but actually smell delicious, man I really want to smell delicious.

AIDEN BAGWELL

Would you rather look like you smell really bad but actually smell delicious or look like you smell so good and clean but smell really bad?

HAILEY LOVE

FEATURES

What’s the most embarrassing moment of your entire life that you try to forget, but just can’t? I fell walking up the stairs in middle school and dropped all my papers, and I kind of just stood there very awkwardly.

Who’s the meanest person you have ever met? It’ll probably be my dad he’s pretty harsh on me but you know he loves me so it’s okay.

EVERY LANCER HAS A STORY Every Lancer Has a Story is a reoccurring feature in the Lancer about students who are selected on campus at different times and places. Each student is asked a different question about their unique life experiences.

Do you like Barbie movies? If so, which ones? I love Barbie Mermadia, but Barbie Fairytopia is my favorite. Swan lake is whatever, but they are absolute fire.

Features Writer

IVAN VALLADARES

I had a dream one time that I was hanging out with Mr. Lewis (science teacher) and we were actually having a great time.

BECCA SIMONI

What was the weirdest dream you’ve ever had?

SAM JOHNSON

KARLA GARCIA

What is the most awkward situation you’ve ever been in? In middle school I was invited to go to the movies with a high school student and it wasn’t supposed to be a date but I guess it ended up being one, we didn’t talk at all during the movie, even after it was over It was complete silence and very awkward.

PHOTO » KARLA GARCIA » THE LANCER

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FEATURES

ANYTHING BUT A BACKPACK

DAY

ROCKIN WITH THE CROCK—(Left) Jatin Paniz is seen carrying his laptop and other classroom materials to school in a crockpot for anything but a backpack day.

SPORTS

SUSPENSFUL SALVATION— Junior Eli Steinhaus waits to field a ground ball at game against Saugus High School.

PITCHING WINDUP— Senior Peyton Miller prepares to throw a pitch at game against Saugus High School.

AWAITING INTEREST— Junior Grant Rodriguez waits for play to be made at game against Saugus High School.

SEASON CHANGEUP Varsity baseball team starts season off with a record of 3 wins and 4 losses. Players reflect on goals and expectations as game against Birmingham High School comes up with high hopes of matching their previous record. HAYDEN MCKINNEY

Staff Writer

The Varsity Boys Baseball team is now in the midst of their season. This season they have had a mediocre start with their current record being only three wins and four losses. Last year, the team had an exceptional record of twenty-six wins and one loss with the addition of becoming the division II CIF champions. For that season, they had multiple division one recruits helping them reach their season goals. However, with most of those recruits moving on to playing at the collegiate level, it will be interesting to see what the future holds for them. The team features many gifted athletes, with possibly the most interesting being Seniors Peyton Miller and Dylan Jackson due to their background. “I deﬁnitely play the best with Dylan,” Miller said, “ I have grown up playing with him since I was 6 years old and we have this connection where we know where we are going to be without having to talk, as well as him knowing what pitch I want to throw in which count.” Furthermore, Jackson and Miller are a pitcher and a catcher, two positions that go hand in hand with each other. The catcher serves as the pitcher’s safe haven as they keep them grounded with the signals they have to send so the pitcher knows what to do next. Great teams and athletes alike do not operate

without an adequate coach at the center. This season, former Varsity Baseball assistant coach Rod Stillwell is taking charge. Now with a new head coach, many ask how the team will function differently, and how it affects the ongoing season. “Having Coach Stillwell as the new head coach has definitely been a good change of pace for our team,” Miller said, “Due to the fact that he had already been coaching in this program for a while, the players were excited to see a familiar face as head coach.” In terms of team spirits, they have been high due to last year’s achievements and the improvement of team bonding. “We have definitely been improving every day and coming closer as a team,” Senior Dylan Jackson said. As for team goals, Thousand Oaks is set on performing just as well as their previous year, if not better. “For this year I want to bring another Marmonte League championship back to Thousand Oaks with the team we now have,” Junior Brady Francisco said. Hopefully, with the help of the team’s young athletes, the team can turn its record around and reach its goal of becoming Marmonte League champions, even though it will be difficult to achieve the near-perfect record that they had in the previous season.

ALL PHOTOS » TYLER LAPPIN » THE LANCER

SWING FOR THE FENCES— Senior Dylan Jackson swings at incoming pitch at game against Saugus High School.

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SPORTS

Set Up For Success Boys Varsity volleyball, starts off their season with four consecutive wins. With hopes of making their way to the CIF tournament, the team practices have been extensive.

ALL PHOTOS » DYLAN COCKERIL » THE LANCER

ALEX AGUILAR

Staff Writer

The Thousand Oaks Varsity Boys Volleyball team started their season oﬃcially on Feb. 22 this year. Last season Thousand Oaks had won 8 out of the 12 games they played in their short season due to COVID-19 protocols and having to share the time set for a regular season with girls volleyball and boys and girls basketball. The short 5-week season did not allow the volleyball players enough time to improve and refresh their skills during the season. “Last season was a little disappointing because I lost out on a lot of time that I could have been spent getting better,” Senior Outside Hitter and Middle Blocker Oliver Herron said. In addition to the lack of time preferred for improvement during the season, Thousand Oaks never felt like they were playing real games, as there was an absence of fans due to COVID-19 protocols, and the bus rides home were missing the buzz of energy that returning players would call comforting and normal Even with winning games and playing against other teams, many Thousand Oaks players wished the season had gone diﬀerently. “It was not the same feeling as a normal season, we missed a lot of the bus rides back after games,

and missed the whole feeling of having people other than our parents watch the games” Senior Libero Braden Gonzales said. The New season has kicked off their routine of practices along with their schedule of conditioning and working on their skills and techniques. While the Lancers have their sights set on making it into the Division 2 CIF playoffs, they are also putting focus on improving throughout the season. “I want for us to make CIF, otherwise win league, and get our banner hanging in the gym” Junior Opposite and Outside Hitter Tyler Linville said. Thousand Oaks played San Marcos on Tuesday of last week winning 3-2. During the home game vs San Marcos, Thousand Oaks played well, including the starting setter Alex Torreblanca who set a school record of 60 assists. Torreblancae also had 12 digs and 2 aces. Ben Greenberg had 12 kills, Braden Gonzales had 26 digs, two kills and an ace, Tyler Linville had 22 kills, eight digs and an ace, and Oliver Herron had 14 kills, two blocks and an ace to help Thousand Oaks win over San Marcos. Thousand Oaks will hopefully have a successful season and make it into the CIF playoffs to help bring excitement and school spirit to TOHS.

SUCCESSFUL SPIKE—(top left) Tyler Linville takes a swing while Matthew Snyder prepares for the block coverage. (top right) Oliver Herron tips the ball over the block. (bottom) Alex Torreblanca prepares to serve .

SPORTS

SPORTS ROUND UP SPORTS SCORES

OYS SOCCER Overall Record » 7-7-3 Star Player » Adam Williamson Best Game » Thousand Oaks vs Rio Mesa

Q&A: HOW DID THE 2021-22 WRESTLING SEASON GO? WITH HEAD COACH: KERRY LYNE

BECCA GLAUBKE

Staff Writer

THE LANCER: What is something you and IRLS SOCCER Overall Record » 11-8-1 Star Player »Sam Forde Best Match » Thousand Oaks vs Quatrz Hill

your team did well this season and what is something they struggled with?

Lyne: Our team this season did well with conditioning and grit. They really worked hard. Our main struggle has been with numbers. We need more Lancers to come out for the team. No experience necessary.

THE LANCER: Who do you consider the star athlete of your team that people should keep an eye on and why?

Lyne: The two “star” athletes would be Alan OED WRESTLING Overall Record » 5-0 Star Players » Lilly Tunnell and Alan Smith Best Game » Thousand Oaks vs Newbury Park

Smith at 120 lbs for the boys and Lily Tunnell for the girls. Both of these seniors placed at CIF to qualify for the CIF Southern Section Masters. At Masters, they both finished in the Top 12.

THE LANCER: What is your favorite moment or highlight of the season?

Lyne: Highlight of the season was defeating Newbury Park in our own gym on Senior Night

to win the Marmonte League championship.

IRLS BASKETBALL Overall Record » 5-18 Star Player » Kendall Huggins Best Game » Thousand Oaks vs Nordhoff

THE LANCER: What was your team’s bestplayed game and what made it their best game?

Lyne: The Newbury Park match was probably our best match but our victory over Orange Glen HS at the CIF Dual Meet championships to get into the

semifinals was huge as well.

OYS BASKETBALL Overall Record » 18-6 Star Player » Patrick Saari Best game » Thousand Oaks vs San Marcos

ONWARD —On Feb. 11, Senior Allan Smith qualifies for semi-finals and is in at Masters on day 1 of CIF finals held at Fountain Valley High School on Feb. 11.

PHOTO » PETER WOJCIECHOWSKI » WITH PERMISSION

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LANCER LUAU

2022 HOCO 2.0— Students hang out and dance to a new DJ at this year’s spring formal, outside by the pool deck last Saturday.

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