2018-2019 Issue 7 (March 1, 2019) by NPHS Panther Prowler

PANTHER

PROWLER Friday, March 1, 2019 • Issue VII • Newbury Park High School 456 N. Reino Rd., Newbury Park, CA 91320 • pantherprowler.org

These Kids Rock

2 7

Teacher Salaries

Global Warming

8-9

Student Hit and Run

Garage Bands

WBC Protests

Music Records

Discriminating Jokes

Mystery Dinner

Spring Sports

editorial Panther Prowler • March 1, 2019

UACT needs to negotiate a better deal for teachers

For the past year, the teacher union Unified Association of Conejo Teachers (UACT) and the Conejo Valley Unified School District (CVUSD) have been negotiating about salary, caseload, health insurance, etc. However, the tentative agreement does not sufficiently meet the needs of our teachers. Teachers have not been getting paid enough, and this new tentative agreement is offensive to teachers who deserve smaller class sizes and a fair raise. The agreement also says there will be a class size cap average from 42 to 40, but that is the average class size, so if a teacher has one smaller class, then they could theoretically still have a class with 45 students. This is only trying to solve the PR problem, and not getting to the root of it. Just earning a living wage is not sufficient for the high cost of living in this area and supporting a family. According to Living Wage Calculator MIT, teachers in Ventura County have an average annual salary of $51,631, but the cost of living for a family of two adults and two children is $82,187, meaning that the average teacher in the Conejo Valley would not be able to provide for their family unless their spouse was also working, and their entire salary would be dedicated to those costs. Furthermore, a teacher who is also a single parent would have the average expenses of $63,703, meaning that annually they would need to find an extra $12,072 to pay for food, housing, transportation, etc. The fact that the school district is not paying our teachers enough is already a problem, but an agreement that gives them a two percent raise, after they have not gotten a raise for two years, is a joke. Many teachers have stated that in order for their jobs to be sustainable, they would need a raise larger than two percent, and this two percent raise will not change the fact that these teachers need to work long hours, for a salary that may not be enough to provide for themselves. The agreement also says that the district will, “Commit to finding $250k in Health Benefits changes by February of 2020 or In Network Out of pocket maximums will increase from $2000-$3000 for an individual and $4000-$6000 for a family,” and we certainly hope the district can find these funds. However,

Marli Davis/Prowler

the agreement states only a few lines later, “We did not agree to changes to Health Benefits,” which means that the district will find the funds for health benefit changes in the future, putting off any changes until 2020. Who came out of this deal the winner, the district did, because although the teachers got a raise, it was only two percent, and the district gets to delay the health benefits issue, and even though average class size was reduced, it was only by a little bit, and the average is still pretty big. We understand that the district does not have unlimited funds and can not do whatever teachers want, however these teachers at the very least deserve better negotiations from their union, and certainly better than this deal. Front Cover Caption:

Jammin’ outout The band Sik Sik Sicks practices their set list at Lion City Studios in Ventura. Sik Sik Sicks consists of Maddie Lucas, sophomore and lead singer, Justin McAlister, junior and bassist, Jackson Gallo, eighth grade and drummer and Julia Dourthe, freshman and lead guitarist (not pictured). Sarah Lu/Prowler

PANTHER PROWLER

2018-2019 staff

Editors-in-Chief Connor Keep Clare Wang

Entertainment Editor Daria Azizad Copy Editors Emily Augustine Kessa Chavez Marli Davis Kavita Rai Nidhi Satyagal Cover Editor Rahul D’Souza

Features Editor Kavita Rai

DPS Editor Kessa Chavez

Sports Editor Emily Nagamoto Jaycen Sussman Aditya Vunnum

Online Manager// Daria Azizad Maya Chari Kessa Chavez Rahul D’Souza Emily Nagamoto

Opinion Editor Nidhi Satyagal News Editor Emily Augustine Marli Davis Ad Manager Gianna Spiro

Photographers Chief// Emily Nagamoto Maya Chari Rahul D’Souza Sarah Lu Clarissa Shin Aditya Vunnum Jessica Zhou

Graphic Artist Emily Augustine Marli Davis Gianna Spiro

Staff Writers Carter Castillo Brian Fang Hannah Gross Sarena Kabir Prasheetha Karthikeyan Manas Khatore Jacob Malone Emma Schoors Hailey Washington 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 American Foothill Publishing Co. For advertisement information, visit www.pantherprowler.org. The Panther Prowler is accepting letters to the editor. To submit your feedback, please provide your full name, email and a letter about 300 words in length. Letters are subject to discretion and editing for taste, length and libel. Letters can be submitted to the email posted below. Newbury Park High School 456 North Reino Road, Newbury Park, California 91320 (805) 498-3676 x 1110 prowler.newspaper@gmail.com

news

CVUSD Board votes on a final map

Panther Prowler • March 1, 2019

Students’ Election Guide 2020 presidential race

Gianna Spiro Ad Manager On Feb. 19 the Conejo Valley Unified School District school board held their fourth meeting of the year where they made a final decision on a By-Trustee area map, and discussed a possible revision of the “opt-out book” policy. CVUSD has been in the works of transitioning to a ByTrustee area election system since receiving a letter on June 8, 2018 claiming that the District’s current method of electing board members through at-large elections violates the California Voting Rights Act (CVRA). There were three drafts created by the District’s demographer and legal counsel which placed the five board members in separate electoral zones.The maps also included a data table showing the total population, the population of people over the age of 18 and the number of registered voters. This data comes from a census done in 2010. The board members voted 4-1 and chose Map 3A, a revised version of original Map 3 that takes into account community suggestions. Many community members favored this one, despite feeling that none of the maps were perfect. “After learning about the maps and considering each carefully, I feel that Map 3A is the most effective for the community, and will provide a voice for latinos within the community and school board,” Naomi Centeno, senior at Thousand Oaks High School, said. “After reviewing all the maps we support Map 3A… and we think that the implications of the map will bring positive change not just latinos but for everyone,” said Lilian Mendoza, president of Adelante de Comunidad for Conejo Valley. Board member, Sandee Everett, was not in favor of map 3A due to her belief that it was altered by community members and by a politically associated organization, “Conejo Together.” “My concern with (Map 3A) and any of the maps presented by Conejo Together is that if the district is faced with a lawsuit it shows that we paid a demographer $18,000 and we chose a map created by community members. They have a Political Action Committee that donated money to three of our trustees. I just don’t know if that’s going to make us look good,” said Everett During this meeting the members also discussed a possible revision of policy 6161.1, commonly known as the opt-out

Marli Davis/Prowler

policy. With about 20 public comment cards, it was quite clear that the community had a lot input to the discussion. “It seems to me there are just two opinions. One opinion, which in my research I have found there are a number of items that obviously came from CNN T.V. news, they are fake…. Parents have a right to teach their children values...a lot of that comes from literature,” Bill Spangler, community member, said. “I want to thank the board for reopening this policy. It’s essential that a new alternative assignment is written by curriculum experts, with no trustee influence. The cenerious elements in 6161.1 must be stripped out of the policy, ” John Cummings, community member said. In the end, the board discussion resulted in a decision to revise the policy, using a teacher committee and possibly other school’s ideas.

Vote- On Feb. 19, the CVUSD Board had their fourth meeting of the year, deciding on a By Trustee Area map, and the possible revision of the well-known “opt-out policy”. Many community members were in favor of Map 3A, like Naomi Centeno, senior, at Thousand Oaks High School. “ I feel that Map 3A is the most effective for the community, and will provide a voice for latinos within the community and school board,” Centeno said. Gianna Spiro/Prowler

Four new candidates join the presidential field Carter Castillo Staff Writer The past three weeks have seen four new potential presidents throw their hats into the ring as they join an already large democratic field. Vermont Senator Bernard (Bernie) Sanders, 77, announced his candidacy on Feb. 19. Sanders is a self-proclaimed democratic socialist, and as such many of his policy positions fall to the left of most democratic senators. Sanders is an independent senator, meaning that he is not technically a registered Democrat, however he does caucus with the democrats and is seeking with their nomination. Minnesota Senator Amy Klobuchar, 58, announced her candidacy at a rally, met with lots of snow. Klobuchar has been a Minnesota senator since 2007. Klobuchar has the highest staff turnover rate according to Politico, and she told voters in New Hampshire that “Am I a tough boss sometimes? Yes. Have I pushed people too hard? Yes”. Klobuchar has also described herself as the “senator next door.” Former Republican Governor Bill Weld of Massachusetts, 73, has announced that he is challenging incumbent President Donald Trump for the republican nomination for president. Weld has not held political office since 1997, however he did run for vice president with the Libertarian Party in 2016 with former New Mexico Governor Gary Johnson. Weld describes himself as socially liberal and fiscally moderate. Former Representative of Texas Beto O’Rourke, 46, has stated that he has come to a decision on his potential presidential run. O’Rourke ran an unsuccessful senate bid for one of the two senate seats in Texas, ultimately losing to incumbent Ted Cruz, however he gained over 47 percent of the vote in Texas, but ultimately losing to incumbent Ted Cruz.

TOHS Employee and parent still hospitalized after hit and run Manas Khatore Staff Writer Lisa Solis faced a life-threatening situation on Feb. 8. The 50-year-old woman was confronting a 16-year-old about candy that he stole from a concession stand at Thousand Oaks High School when he deliberately hit her with his MercedesBenz. Solis suffered major injuries, including punctured lungs, internal bleeding in the brain and several broken bones. She was immediately taken to Los Robles Regional Medical Center and remains in critical condition as of Mar. 1. According to Sheriff ’s Office Sgt. Eric Buschow, the Westlake High School student fled to his car along with four other teens after stealing a chocolate bar. Solis stood in front of the car and told the boy to stop, to which he responded by accelerating and running her over. The teen got his driver’s license the day before the incident, and on Feb. 9, he was arrested on suspicion of felony assault with a deadly weapon. The teen made his first appearance at the El Rio courthouse on Feb. 14 alongside defense attorney Ron Bamieh. Bamieh stated that the teen is a good student and feels remorse for Solis. According to Bamieh, the incident was largely due to panic and inexperience behind the wheel. Deputy District Attorney Maureen Byrne provided a rebuttal for this argument, stating that the teen deliberately used the car to seriously injure Solis. Superior Court Judge Kevin McGee decided to keep the teen in juvenile hall, potentially facing a sentence of seven years in

state prison. The CVUSD community has seen an overwhelming amount Solis is the activities assistant for TOHS and conducted the of support for Solis’s family. Vanessa Hernandez, Solis’ sister, school’s morning announcements. CVUSD Superintendent set up a GoFundMe page titled “#stayingstrongforlisa” the day Mark McLaughlin issued a statement showing his concern for after the incident occurred. In less than a week, the fundraiser Solis and her family. “Mrs. Lisa Solis…is a dedicated member gathered over $30,000 from community members. “We are of the TOHS team and a parent of CVUSD students. Please overwhelmed by this outpouring of love for our sister, wife, keep Lisa and her family in your thoughts and prayers,” mother, daughter and friend. Your words have truly comforted McLaughlin said. and helped us,” Hernandez said. - ADVERTISEMENT -

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news Panther Prowler • March 1, 2019

NHS recognizes students at annual award ceremony Kessa Chavez DPS Editor

Trustworthiness, respect, responsibility, fairness, caring and citizenship. These are all things that make a student one of character in the eyes of our school’s National Honors Society (NHS). The cafeteria filled with students and their proud families as the annual ceremony for Students of Character began on Feb. 1. The event took place from 6:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. For two years, Richard Bradley, co-advisor of NHS and social science teacher, has worked alongside Anne Alvarez, co-advisor of NHS and special education teacher, to promote the club’s values. Despite having only co-advised NHS for a couple of years now, he has participated in the Students of Character awards every year. He insists that the ceremony reaches beyond academic success, “For me, it’s special because a lot of the time the students who get recognized aren’t your valedictorians. I always try to (award) the students who are quiet leaders, people with moral character, integrity and compassion,” Bradley said. Hannah Neiyer, senior and NHS president, received her first Student of Character award her sophomore year. As president, she has spent much of her time planning for several of the club’s events alongside Alvarez and Bradley.

She especially enjoys this ceremony for several reasons, but her favorite part is, “hearing all the staff members speak about each student because it is really heartwarming and is a really special moment for those students and their families,” she said. Carol Garcia, senior, received a letter about a month ago in her third period class which notified her of the ceremony and her award. Award recipients were not aware of which teacher nominated them until the night of the ceremony. After weeks of contemplation, Garcia learned that Lorena Caulfield had recognized her as a student who goes above and beyond, in and outside of the classroom. Garcia said she felt “very happy listening to the nice things she said to (her).” Students of Character is one of the many events hosted by NHS that brings together not only students but also the community. “My favorite part of the ceremony is just seeing how diverse character is… It shows you that there is no definitive definition of character. It’s very diverse, you just know it when you see it and I like seeing the joy in the parents because it’s not just about the students, it’s about the families too,” Bradley said.

Model Students- Mary Harold, sophomore, was awarded with the Student of Character by Lynn Baum, the health teacher. Students and their families gathered in the cafeteria to celebrate the student’s recognition with a dinner award ceremony. “They have demonstrated qualities like trustworthiness, kindness, and compassion. They have the courage to do the right thing, and set a good example for other students on campus,” Hannah Neiyer, president of NHS, said. Student of Character is annual award ceremony that is held by NHS. Jessica Zhou/ Prowler

Thousand Oaks stands together Marli Davis News Editor

On a brisk Monday morning hours before the start of the school day, Conejo Valley students gathered together protesting the Westboro Baptist Church’s presence outside of Thousand Oaks High School. The Westboro Baptist Church (WBC), an Old School Baptist Church located in Topeka Kansas, was there protesting the “sins” of the Thousand Oaks Community. They preached that the recent California tragedies were due to God’s wrath. Dressed in rainbow and carrying signs advocating for love and equality, approximately 100 students stood on the corner of Moorpark and Avenida de las Flores at 6:30 in the morning. Police and school administration kept the two groups far from each other to avoid any type of confrontation. “I went because I wanted to show my support for TO and everybody that the WBC is against. I think I gained a new appreciation for my community because I went,” Mina Schwind, senior who attended the protest, said.

Better together- Paulina Mata, a student at California State University Channel Islands, stands in the crowd of people protesting the Westboro Baptist Church. She holds a sign reading “Borderline strong” in reference to the tragedy that took place at Borderline Bar and Grill in Thousand Oaks four months ago. Mata was at Borderline the night of the mass shooting. Maya Chari/Prowler

It was important to many people that attended the event to show that the beliefs of the WBC will not be tolerated in our community. We love our community members, including those who identify as LGBTQ+, are Jewish or Muslim, are veterans, or are anything else that the WBC hates. “Standing up for yourself and your community is one of the most important skills to have in my opinion,” Shannon King, another senior who attended the protest, said. Students, parents, college students, and community members came to the protest to show the love they have for the Thousand Oaks community. “So many people from all different walks of life came to show their support and it made me so happy and proud to see that. I think the church and their beliefs are absolutely disgusting and that they have no place in our world today. There’s really no excuse for being so hateful and harmful to everyone who doesn’t exactly conform to their image,” Schwind said.

news Panther Prowler â&#x20AC;˘ March 1, 2019

Art students explore PTA provides free UCLA Fowler Museum heart screenings

Kessa Chavez DPS Editor

As the famous artist Romero Britto once said, art is too important not to share. Jennifer Lee and Tracy Acosta, art teachers, took their students on a field trip to the Fowler Museum on Jan. 20. Many students from art classes varying from color and design to IB Visual Arts attended the field trip which allowed them to not only see new forms of art but to also visit the UCLA campus. Lee has been teaching art at NPHS for 11 years and has personally been to the LACMA museum a handful of times. Despite having been to several art museums she still enjoys these trips because she has the opportunity to â&#x20AC;&#x153;see whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s out there and to appreciate different types of art.â&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x153;I like going to art museums because Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m still discovering new artists, and seeing different ideas of what art can be,â&#x20AC;? Lee said. Nicole Lewis, senior, recalls that as an IB Visual Art student she values any opportunity to expose herself to new art forms which may lead to sources of inspiration for her own work. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I can look at different styles, I can look at the masters and I can look at the lesser-known people and get a broad view of how different techniques are used, how different mediums are used and the different kinds

Hannah Gross Staff Writer

of subjects,â&#x20AC;? Lewis said. Personally, Lewis was drawn to a paper mache piece at the end of the gallery tour. It was a scene composed of skeletons and a depiction of Satan holding a police officer and a cauldron of burning bodies. With such complex themes like the piece previously mentioned Lewis valued the fact that those running the tour â&#x20AC;&#x153;looked more at the themes and the different aspects of the art rather than just reading the plaque and doing a lecture. It was very much like a conversation,â&#x20AC;? Lewis said. Seeking to broaden her horizons beyond Acostaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s classroom, Kira Germann, senior, decided to attend the field trip since she had yet to attend one throughout all of high school. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I thought it would be a cool experience with everybody to get out of the building of school and learn through experience,â&#x20AC;? Germann said. The Fowler Museum is the home of many different masks and sculptures from a variety of cultures. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I love learning about places globally and it was so beautiful to see all the unique ways (the art pieces) were different from each other,â&#x20AC;? Germann said.

Numerous students received free heart screenings at Westlake High School on Feb. 9, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Conejo Council PTA-sponsored heart screening day, organized by the national nonprofit Savings Hearts Foundation. Originally scheduled in November, the February event offered students an opportunity to have their heart health evaluated by professionals, free of charge. â&#x20AC;&#x153;This program provides free heart screenings to our youth and helps identify cardiac anomalies that may lead to sudden cardiac arrest,â&#x20AC;? said Rocky Capobianco, president of the Conejo Council PTA, event sponsors for the past three years. Open to 12-to 24-year-olds, the screening process took approximately 30 minutes, involving a medical history questionnaire, an EKG and an echocardiogram when necessary. Cardiologists worked with members of the

Saving Hearts Foundation at the event. Founded by three UCLA undergraduate students, the Saving Hearts Foundation strives to provide free heart screenings and automated external defibrillators for schools that cannot afford them. According to the organizationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s website, sudden cardiac arrest is the number one killer of student athletes and the number two killer of people under 25. Between 5,000 to 7,000 people under 25 die from sudden cardiac arrest each year. Heart screening events can save lives by providing students with a free and easy way to have their heart health checked. â&#x20AC;&#x153;This event continues our tradition of being proactive and supporting student health,â&#x20AC;? Capobianco said. For more information about the Saving Hearts Foundation and future heart screening events, visit SavingHeartsFoundation.com. Graphic by Marli Davis/Prowler

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6 Discrimination is not a joke opinion

Panther Prowler • March 1, 2019

Kavita Rai/ Prowler

Prasheetha Karthikeyan Staff Writer groups. A study from West Carolina University found that “People who enjoy sexist jokes show higher tolerance for sexist events, tend to accept rape myths, and tend to show greater willingness to discriminate against women.” The study found the same correlation also applies to racist “jokes.” Essentially, these remarks normalize sexism and racism. Even if something is not meant to be taken as offensive, “you don’t need to subscribe to doctrines of racial superiority or incite racial violence to say or do something with racist implications. We shouldn’t forget about those who are on the receiving end of discrimination. Harm can occur even if conduct isn’t motivated by hate or malice,” says the Australian Human Rights Commission.

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A few weeks ago, my physical education class was watching a movie, in which the conventionally attractive teenage girl took off her shirt to go for a swim in her underclothes. Cue the obnoxious, uncalled for comments and whistling from primarily the 30+ boys in the room, even though she was covered. I listened to the comments build up off of each other, until I heard one in specific, piercing through the air, from beside me that was particularly rattling: “There is only one gender. Women are property.” At the very least, I would have hoped the rest of the boys who had originally begun this train of remarks would recognize that it had gone way too far. But they, with full knowledge of this, continued to laugh about it, even going as far as to give their support to the original speaker, emboldening him. The only justification was that it was “just a joke.” This is ridiculous. A joke is meant to be something humorous said harmlessly, not throw someone or a group of people under the bus for the entertainment of others. There is a line that many people fail to recognize, and this ignorance costs the social progress of many marginalized

People need to realize that their so-called jokes have consequences. Regardless of what they “meant,” it doesn’t erase the harm it causes. Discrimination is just as much about impact as it is about intention. When you are about to make a joke about female objectification, keeping women in the kitchen, lack of education within a race, racial stereotypes, police brutality or about heightened levels of domestic violence and rape, just think to yourself: what is so funny about this?

Hailey Washington Staff Writer

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In most cases, I support all forms of expression: music, dance, even street art. However, when I heard of the artist Marina Abramović, I was surprised to find that artists can take forms of extreme to a whole new level. Marina Abramović is considered to be a performance artist, but not the kind of performance artist that does beautiful pirouettes; she is the kind that immerses herself into her own installations. I find that

her art makes clear messages about society, but the extent that she goes to present these messages is a little unnecessary. For example, one of her first pieces called Rhythm 10, done in 1973, was where she carefully laid out 20 knives and where she outstretched her finger, performing the knife game where you skip over every finger stabbing the gaps. For the first half of the performance she recorded herself, “playing” this game where every time she stabbed herself she would change knives. She would then, play that recording and try to mimic the sounds that it created. This seems a little extreme. It is definitely unnecessary to put yourself in physical harm, just to display the concept of rhythm. Although she goes to unnecessary extremes to convey her message, I actually find one of her works very interesting. The piece Rhythm 0, made in 1974, has spectators become involved with the piece itself. Abramović became the object and allowed the audience do whatever they wanted to her with 72 objects laid out in front of her. This included a pen, scissors, chains, a axe, a

loaded pistol and others. Some decided to protect her, like wipe away her tears, while others decided to put her life in danger by pointing a gun against her head. The piece displays a great message about humanity and how corrupt power can really be. However, I only find this piece so intriguing because it reveals that a free-thinking audience can have the morals to put someone’s life in danger. Abramović had her good and bad days, but when I tell you about what she is going to do in 2020 you have no choice but to question her sanity. In 2020, Abramović plans to shock herself with 1 million volts of electricity in order put out a candle with the electricity. Now whether or not she is going through with this plan is highly questionable, but the fact that she thinks this is a good idea in the first place shows that she places her art above her own life. Art is not supposed to be something that you have to endanger yourself for in order to convey a message. Art allows you to express yourself, but you can’t express yourself when you’re dead.

I have a few things to say about how much I dislike capitalism. All “altruists” who have a name in society are capitalists; everyone is just trying to advance their own agenda. Let’s take Jeff Bezos, for example. I just read this article in the LA Times about his ties to the Trump administration and the coal and oil industry. Everyone is just a damn tycoon and I’m irked. Actually, I’m just straight up not having a good time. The only good thing about Jeff Bezos is that his wife divorced him and they didn’t have a prenup. Anyways, here is a mildly cynical instruction manual for anyone interested in building a corporate empire. Step 1: Found a company called Amazon (or something similar) that sells virtually anything, like that Giant Tube Worm keychain you saw that one time at that thing you went to. Make sure that the people selling through your company are reputable by checking that their username isn’t “Hellboy666” or something. Step 2: Found an exclusive club within the company called Amazon Prime (or something similar) for special people who pay extra money each month to have some things shipped for free. Make sure to throw in some complimentary movies and shows too. It’s best if you have a couple big names like “The Post” to show that you are socially aware, and that you include at least one or two of those documentary series on, like, what really happened in World War I. Step 3: Buy Whole foods. Note: After completing step 3, you may be thinking “Why did I just do that”. Don’t worry, it’s all part of the plan. Trust us, this has worked 100 percent of the times it has been tried. Step 4: Make all the products at Whole Foods have two separate prices, one for regular people and one for people who shop at whole foods and also have Amazon Prime (or something similar). This should mostly just confuse people but don’t worry about that, I know what I’m talking about. Step 5: Once you realize that the people who shop at Whole Foods aren’t converting to Amazon Prime (or something similar) even though your 15 cent price reduction seemed like a really smart incentive for the upper-middle class people who can afford to shop at Whole Foods in the first place, don’t give up on trying to get them to convert. Just remember, Whole Foods shoppers are THE MOST IMPORTANT demographic to target. Trust me on this one. Step 6: Design special parking spots closest to the entrance to the Whole Foods that are reserved for Amazon Prime (Or something similar) members only, but that are literally right next to the normal parking spots, which are always empty. Make sure the signs are chic but also eye catching, so that people are more drawn to them and want to convert to Amazon Prime(Or something similar). Don’t worry about the fact that there is literally always a parking spot at Whole Foods; that’s not really important in this scenario. As a consumer, I would advise just shopping at Sprouts-it’s cheaper there and they still sell, like, almond milk and stuff.

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Panther Prowler • March 1, 2019

Sarena Kabir Staff Writer Emma Schoors Staff Writer The heated (no pun intended) debate over global warming has revved up in recent years. Some believe the staggering facts while others call it a hoax, citing colder weather as an apparent source. However, the rapid speed with which the world is experiencing climate change is hard to deny, and the world is falling behind in doing anything about it. A Jan. 29 article from USA Today highlighted how the frigid temperatures in places like Chicago in January were colder than Antarctica, Alaska and the North Pole. These record-breaking, below zero feats are not only concerning. They’re deadly. Global warming affects not just hotter temperatures, but freezing ones too. It’s making both of those extremes less adaptable. According to a recent article in the New York Times, LA’s projected climate will feel like that of Cabo San Lucas by 2080. Global warming affects the seas as well. According to NASA,

“Earth’s seas are rising. Globally, sea level has risen about eight inches (20 centimeters) since the beginning of the 20th century.” Due to Earth’s warming, ice caps melt in the ocean, causing the sea level to rise, and the Earth to have a higher chance of flooding. Without these ice caps and with the warmer ocean, many animals who only thrive in the cold are at stake. According to National Geographic, greenhouse gases are at their highest levels in 800 thousand years. Now that humans have upped the carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, “it’s changing the climate faster than some living things can adapt to.” Carbon dioxide is an extremely dangerous, over-released greenhouse gas that needs to be cut down and regulated. Current House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has attempted to pass deals to cut down on these gases, but they’ve failed. The Green New Deal, first publicized by Democratic Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, is a

similar feat facing criticism from people not dealing with these issues tangibly enough. By making little changes in our day-to-day living, we can make a big change in the destruction of our environment, but that is not enough. Legislation needs to be passed soon in order to slow the extremity that future generations will have to live through. The prevention of this partially man made emergency will cost us, but sitting back and not doing anything will cost us much more. “2017 was the United States’ costliest disaster year on record,” according to a study from UC Berkeley. These statistics will only get worse without serious action.

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Emily Augustine News Editor Jacob Malone Staff Writer Valentine’s Day -- stereotypically, the most romantic day of the year. Although this holiday is meant to celebrate the genuine love people have for each other, the pressure is on for couples to flaunt their romantic gestures. The common question we get is “What are you going to do for Valentine’s Day?” It’s not an offensive question, but we often see a look of disappointment or confusion when we say that we are just going to hang out and enjoy each other’s company. On the Instagram explore page, there are countless videos of extravagant romantic gestures for Valentine’s Day. It tends to give people a false perception of “what most couples do” on special occasions. On top of that, many expensive things like cars, TVs and smartphones go on sale for Valentine’s Day, encouraging people to buy their partner’s affection with a non-romantic material gift. The way we see it, love should not be defined by elaborate romantic gestures or expensive items. You should not have to impress your significant other with materialistic things to convince them to love you. Rather, your partner should love you for the little things you do for them, like giving you

compliments or holding your hand. With that being said, we are not totally anti-materialist. We exchanged gifts on Valentine’s Day, but they were thoughtful, not expensive. They were just enough to make the day special. We also had a great night just hanging out, surfing Netflix and eating pizza. A quality Valentine’s Day can cost as little as 12 bucks, and staying in sweatpants is an added bonus. This is not to say that couples should never do anything elaborate for Valentine’s Day. If fancy dinners and expensive gifts make your partner happy, that is fine, as long as you are not doing it just for Instagram or to prove to the masses that your relationship is legitimate. For us, the only difference between Valentine’s Day and any other day is the fact that we got each other gifts. We are reminded everyday why we love each other, which is probably why it did not feel much different. Now for the cheesy sentiment. The best thing about having a valentine on Valentine’s Day is just appreciating the fact that they exist and are a part of your life. No gift or elaborate date could beat that feeling.

Hailey Washington Staff Writer So it is March and as a senior who is applying to college, my fate is now being determined. And before I finally get to decide what school I am going to I want to express my opinion on affirmative action while it still affects me. I want to talk about affirmative action, but not the racial kind that everyone immediately thinks of, rather the legacy kind. The point of affirmative action is to improve the opportunities of minority groups that are historically discriminated against and to me legacy-based affirmative action does not accomplish this goal. To me legacy-based affirmative action is just affirmative action for the wealthy, and I am pretty sure the wealthy is not a historically discriminated minority group. According to Brian Clark, the overseer of communications at Brown, legacy is used as a tiebreaker for equally qualified students, because the students will have a “natural affinity for the University that often emerges among children of alumni.” So does that mean I have a natural affinity to steal from stores, because both my parents used to steal

Marli Davis/Prowler

while they were young, obviously this not true. What your parents do should not determine your character, good or bad. The majority of people only happen to be legacies because it was available to their ethnicity generations before. Take for example, an African American student and a Caucasian student that both want to go to Columbia. There are definitely cases where the African American student’s parent could have gone to Columbia, but due to their race it is unlikely that would have had access to do so, due to their economic standing. Compared to the Caucasian student’s parent, who more likely had more money to not only afford college, but to the money to better their education. This whole discussion makes me worried as a student who is applying to schools. Clearly the reasoning for using legacy-based affirmative action is unclear and does not support the goal of affirmative action in the first place. If the last thing that determines if I am getting into a school over my peer is whether or not my parents went to their school, it is frustrating that it is something that I can’t even control. The only people it helps are those who don’t need it. ha

garage bands

Panther Prowler • March 1, 2019

Marli Davis/Prowler Alyssa Boedigheimer/Prowler

Record breaking- Justin McAlister, junior and bassist, Maddie Lucas, sophomore and lead singer and Jackson Gallo, eighth grade and drummer, sit in the recording studio at Lion City Studios with their manager, Aaron Burch. The band started about a year ago, but now has all new members expect for Lucas. The goal for the band is to one day sell out. Sik Sik Sicks just signed a contract with Lion City Management, and will soon go on tour, traveling from San Diego to Santa Barbara. Sarah Lu/Prowler

ground to combine all of their interests. “We got Braden en as kindd of the overall leader; he’s the serious guy, wants to get down to Brian Fang Staff W Writer business. Then Jake comes in with the grub; we kind of just ju fool around, you know we go shirtless sometimes, ” Chen said d. said. Manas Khatore re Staff Writer 3% Milk mainly uses the band as a way to have fun n “We fun. Jacob Malone Staff Writer have played for a live audience but we’ve never been paid,” Hewig said. “We’ve jammed and we have people come and Nidhi Satyagal Opinion Editor hang out and watch us.” For the band members, music serves as a mood-booster and a creative outlet. “This honestly makes us happy. If you’re feeling down and we play something it just brings your mood up,” Chen said. The band’s future is still a bit up in the air. All the members of 3% Milk have different plans for the future, but agree on It’s no secret that NPHS students are talented. With so coming back together in the future with their shared love of many students that are capable of showing their artistic side each other and the music. “When we’re all in our 40s or 50s and through a multitude of mediums, it’s hard to find someone that we all have no money we’ll do like a resurgence again,” Hewing doesn’t have one thing or another to show off. Just one of the said. “We’re definitely going to miss it but we all know when our mediums that our panthers have chosen to express themselves midlife crisis around 50 to 60 age...” Chen seconded. through is music, as these musicians have found passion in “Th at’s when we’re going to take over the world. That’s when getting groovy. Several garage bands share our campus, from we’re going to top the chart,” Hewig finished for him. The Cacti to The Sik Sik Sicks to 3% Milk, all of whom take At the end of the day, 3% Milk is a band made up of friends their music talents and display them on stage. who love each other and love hanging out together. “It’s like a tight little family,” Chen said.

Ma Chari Photograp Maya apher Photographer

Opening Act

3% Milk

Darrell Chen and Jake Hewig’s band 3% Milk functions both as a way for them to make music and hang out. As a creative outlet, the band uses music mainly to both express and pick themselves up, bringing the band members closer together. They started the band in seventh grade after discovering their shared interest in making and listening to music. “We all played instruments and we all liked similar music, we always thought it was fun playing together and we were all friends anyways,” Hewig explained. The band ended up being composed of Chen on drums, Hewig on bass and Braden Handy, senior, on guitar. The band’s practices are mainly them just “goofing” around and having fun with the music. “We just write songs and riffs and just like that stuff it’s hanging out and also jamming,” Hewing said. While all the bandmates bring something different to the table, one of their main obstacles has been finding a middle

The Cacti The potent sound of power chords and drums radiates from the garage as the band begins their practice session. With a new song in the works, the members of The Cacti are determined to practice until they are able to perform it flawlessly. The Cacti is an alternative rock band that is composed of guitarist Ryan Younes, junior, guitarist Thomas Kitchell, senior, bassist Justin McAlister, junior, vocalist Evan Metcalf, junior, and drummer Judah Lewis, junior. They are relatively new to the music scene and are eager to prove themselves. Younes reflected on the beginning of his interest in music. “During an event I was at, there were a couple music videos playing on a screen that they had set up and one of them was ‘Enter Sandman’ by Metallica,” Younes said. “I heard the power and the intensity of the song and I wanted to be a part of it, so I picked up a guitar not long after and learned the opening riff and that’s how I got to where I am right now.” With his newfound interest in music, Younes began to practice nonstop.

Eventual lly ly, the bband began to form. “It w as about a Eventually, was couple months month th hs ago when w her,” Younes the band got togethe together, said. “I brought brougght my guitar, g ass, and Justin brought his bbass, we got a few others oth t ers err to bring their instruments aass well.” The begaan as an n experiment between frien nds but The Cacti began friends eventually developed into a fully fledged band, where they began to create their own songs. While some garage bands are in it for the fame and fortune, Metcalf says that their band is striving to achieve another goal. “I feel that the band’s goal is to just make songs that we want to make, “ Metcalf said. “We don’t make songs with the goal of performing them in front of an audience but more along the lines of recording so that we can enjoy it.” Younes’s thoughts about being in a band have changed since the beginning of the endeavor. “You look at a band beforehand and think ‘Hey, that looks like a whole lot of fun and games,’” Younes said. “When you get into it, you realize that the music industry nowadays is much different from the stereotypical industry in play thirty years ago.” From the beginning, the band has been learning the ropes of the music industry. Despite these challenges, Younes believes that The Cacti will grow and become well known in the local music scene. “We definitely have what it takes to gain a following and succeed,” Younes said. “We just need to hone our skills and gain a bit more experience and then we’ll be good to go.”

Sik Sik Sicks

guitar and piano. “We are kind of a new band, so we are still trying to grab ahold of the ropes and figure out how the whole music scene works. We’re also finding a bit of difficulty in getting our music under a record label. We’ve got one song out right now, but we’re trying to get more out soon.” The band performs live two to three times per month, playing a combination of covers and originals. They plan to go on tour under their management from Santa Barbara to San Diego in the near future. “We change it up normally... it’s just the same few songs unless we have a new cover. We do one or two covers every show and the rest are originals. Sometimes we change the covers and sometimes we change up the order, it really just depends on where we are playing,” Lucas said. “Just last week we performed at The Canyon Club in Agoura Hills and it was really fun. It was pretty good, and apparently it was one of our best shows,” McAlister said. The Canyon Club has hosted many influential artists and bands, including Blue

With Justin McAlister, junior, on bass, Julia Dorth, freshman, on guitar and Maddie Lucas, sophomore, on guitar and vocals, Sik Sik Sicks has been a successful band for several months now. “When I was really little, I did School of Rock and stuff like that when I still lived in Texas,” Lucas said. “Here [in NP] I met all the people because there’s a whole little scene thing I guess. It was a really good community and scene to be with so I was like let’s start a band man.” Lucas has been performing since the age of five, and has progressed from singing and dancing in theater to performing music in front of crowds of eager fans. “Sometimes I still get scared. It’s totally different,” Lucas said. “There’s a lot of trouble that we have booking gigs. It’s honestly really difficult nowadays to build up a reputation as a good band and rise to the top, “ McAlister said. He has been playing music since the age of 12 and is skilled in bass, accordion,

Öyster Cult. Sik Sik Sicks is based in Ventura, where the band has access to a recording studio and the help of one of their managers. “In practices we normally run through our set, we write new songs like everyone writes their part in a new song, or recording or working on whatever we’re not good at,” Lucas said. She expects the band to be ready for a record deal within the next year. The band has been characterized as alternative rock, and most of the songs are written by Lucas, though all members contribute with their respective instruments. “I personally really listen to anything that is not country or death metal. I really like rock, alternative rock, alternative in general, and lo-fi music,” McAlister said. “In the future, we’re definitely going to try and branch out and grow in popularity,” McAlister said. “I think we already have the potential to gain quite a bit of traction in the music scene, and we’re only going to get better and have more fun along the way.” Lucas encourages anyone interested to join a band themselves. “It started off with me and my friend, she did bass and all it was was asking around and getting people to practice with you,” Lucas said. “Just do it, full send.”

Shoulder to lean on- (From left to right) Guitarist Ryan Younes, junior, bassist Justin McAlister, junior and vocalist Evan Metcalf, junior of The Cacti do a silly pose for the camera. The Cacti also includes guitarist Thomas Kitchell, senior and drummer Judah Lewis, junior. The band’s purpose of creating music is not necessarily to perform for an audience, but to enjoy the music themselves.. Sarah Lu/Prowler Lu

Badum tss- Darrell Chen, senior and drummer for 3% Milk, practices his rhythm for future band practices. 3% Milk consists of Chen, Jake Hewig, senior, on bass and Braden Handy, senior, on guitar. The band is influenced a lot by classic metal, both in their covers of songs as well as originals. Practices are usually once or twice a week, and consist of donuts and goofing around while playing songs. Sarah Lu/Prowler

garage bands

Panther Prowler • March 1, 2019

Marli Davis/Prowler Alyssa Boedigheimer/Prowler

Ma Chari Photograp Maya apher Photographer

Opening Act

3% Milk

Sik Sik Sicks

features

Panther Prowler • March 1, 2019

IB Theatre gains inspiration from Cinderella Jessica Zhou News Editor The clock strikes 8:15 a.m., as the school bell starts ringing, and the students hurry into their pumpkin-colored school bus and head off to the Ahmanson Theatre. For their field trip, the IB Theatre class had the opportunity to go to the Ahmanson Theatre to see the production of “Cinderella.” After seeing a professional performance, the students were able to get insights on how to better improve the school performances in different aspects. Also, students were able to be inspired for their IB tests coming up in March and April. From directing and acting to stage design and costumes, they expanded their knowledge and received new inspirations in each category. “With our Director’s Notebook, we take a published play and create our own vision with it, writing out how we would direct the show, stage the play, with lighting, sets, costumes and all that jazz in theatre,” Charles Ocampo, senior, said. Ocampo has been an active member of the NPHS theatre department for four years. His favorite part of being in theatre is being able to meet people from different backgrounds but who also share the same passion for performance. Going on this field trip, he especially enjoyed seeing students from different schools who are “just as passionate about theatre and are involved with supporting live performance.” With the help from the Center Theatre Group, the IB Theatre students were able to apply to a student matinee program. This program gives students from Southern California the opportunity to watch theatre shows for free. The whole class received free tickets to three shows: “Cinderella,” “Lackawanna Blues” and “Falsettos” -- the latter two are later in the year.

things

5 yo u d id not know ab out

Clarissa Shin Photographer

Monarch Photography/Pawprint

Carter Castillo Staff Writer

I’ve always enjoyed working with kids, but I got married to a lady who loved teaching, so I decided that teaching would be a really great way to finish off my career, it gives back to society and it is fulfilling.

My favorite type of math is geometry. I love that it is so visual, but I think logic itself is also really high up their on my list.

If I could be any celebrity for a day, I would be Tom Hanks; that guys is just so awesome. He’s a role model for who we are supposed to be.

A day at the theatre- The IB Theatre class strikes a pose as they visit the Ahmanson theatre in Los Angeles to watch the play, Cinderella in a World War II setting. The students were able to talk to the actors and dancers after the show. “During the questionnaire they emphasized a lot about the historical accuracy and how to incorporate that into character,” Kott said. This was the first field trip of the new class, and their next performance will be in April. Cameo Carolan/With Permission

Samantha Pedroza pursues cosmotolgy career

Michael Weingarden

Unlike the Cinderella story everyone knows, this show was set in 1940 war-torn London during World War II. Cinderella was a woman part of the Blitzkrieg campaign during that time period with her fairy godmother as her Guardian Angel. Without any singing or voice acting, the whole performance was a ballet that conveyed the story through movements only. Craig Hastings, senior, has been in theatre for four years and participated in many of the school shows. He was the director for the Fall 18 hour, the musical “Little shop of Horrors” and Mystery Dinner Theatre. He loved the performance in the field trip and how it was unique and well designed. “The show was very interesting and captivated the audience throughout the entire show,” Hastings said. “It had really good design elements and the dancers knew every step, everything was purposeful and had meaning to the production.” Celina Kott, senior, has also been a member of the school’s theatre department since freshman year. She noticed for many of her classmates, it was the first time going to the Ahmanson Theatre. “Some of us cannot afford to go out to theatres and some of us do not have access to that kind of experience so it is really cool that your class can provide that. A performance can be life changing,” Kott said. After the day of the performance, all the students gathered in class and shared their inspirations from the field trip. “We will definitely be seeing more advanced usage of tech elements like projections and new concepts with our sets,” Ocampo said.

I love the movie Coco, and I love the spirit animals in that movie. I really liked that cat or the lion with wings. I think my spirit animal would be the big cat with wings. If I had to eat the same food for every meal, I would eat Acai Bowls.

The cosmetology industry is one that challenges individuals to stay up-to-date on current fashion, beauty and style, while utilizing their creativity to work on a variety of forms of beauty treatment. Samantha Pedroza, junior, is passionate about this field of work and aspires to pursue cosmetology as her future career. Inspired by YouTube sensation James Charles, Samantha has been practicing cosmetology since September of 2018. She focuses on the sector dedicated to makeup, more specifically fashion-runway looks. “I’m into fashion runway kind of makeup. Weddings, I’ll do here and there, but it’s mainly fashion. Big, kind of crazy makeup,” Samantha said. With hopes of supporting her career as a cosmetologist, Samantha looks forward to going to several trade schools that provide her with the training and experience she needs. “After high school I’m definitely going to a trade school out in LA. I want to go to either MUD or Los Angeles Makeup School,” Samantha said. She enjoys the creative aspect of cosmetology and believes doing makeup is for anyone. “My favorite part is that it’s so creative and there’s no right or wrong way. You get to do whatever you want and it’s honestly so fun. You just have to really get into it. Anybody could do it, you just have to pick up a brush and just go for it,” Samantha said. Veronica Pedroza, Samantha’s mom, supports her daughter’s aspirations and recognizes the dedication and time she puts into her makeup looks. “I, 100 percent support her, just because I can see her passion in it. She’s very dedicated to it and anything that makes her happy, I’m happy with,” Veronica said. Besides being supportive of her career, Samantha‘s mom is attentive and notes the time she spends practicing makeup as well as the detail she puts into every look. “The way her techniques are, it can take her a bit. You’re talking maybe two hours or maybe even three. She uses a lot

of bright colors which makes her stand out. When she comes down to show us, there’s different lengths of her eyelashes to the different colors that she put on her eyes. I just love that she is not afraid to use color,” Veronica said. Samantha’s sister, Alex Pedroza, takes into account the time and effort her younger sister puts into pursuing makeup. “The more creative she gets, it will take about two hours. I know there are times that she’s working on the eyes and it takes maybe about an hour, just for the blending. It just all depends on the look and it ranges between an hour and a half to three hours,” Alex said. Samantha’s future career continues to be supported by her family members, as well as the time and effort she dedicates to refining her makeup skills.

Glamour- Samantha Pedroza, junior, wears colorful eye makeup displaying her talent. Pedroza has been focused on practicing her makeup skills, with hopes to become a future cosmetologist. She enjoys the creativity aspect of the industry. “My favorite part is that it’s so creative and there’s no right or wrong way,” Pedroza said. Her colorful looks are inspired by fashion runway makeup. Samantha Pedroza/With Permission

features Panther Prowler • March 1, 2019

Student Lexie Hodder/Freshman

1 How many counselors are there at NPHS? Hodder: 25 Mr. Coull: 5 A: 5 We all need a little counseling sometimes! 0-1

VS Sarena Kabir Staff Writer

Teacher Mr. Coull/English Teacher

1-4 6

What are male honey bees called? Hodder: Male bees? Mr. Coull: Worker bees A: Drones MayBEE they need to study their insects more. 1-4

Who was the 26th president?

Mr. Coull: Providence A: Providence Kids, don’t skip geography class! 0-2

What color is a giraffe’s tongue? Hodder: Pink...no, brown Mr. Coull: Purple A: Blue/Black/Purple Wow, Coull is dominating the game. 0-3

sport is played by the Pittsburgh 4 Which Pirates?

How much money do you gain when you pass the “GO” tile in Monopoly? Hodder: $200 Mr. Coull: $1000 A: $200 1000 dollars? In this economy? 1-4

Coull Wins!

is the capital of Rhode Island? 2 What Hodder: Dang it, I don’t know

Hodder: Wait, wait - I don’t know Mr. Coull: Garfield A: Theodore Roosevelt Garfield is out eating lasagna, not out running the nation. 1-4

Which main character on the show “Friends” was the only one to not get married? Hodder: Phoebe Mr. Coull: Phoebe A: Joey The game is done and Mr. Coull won! 1-4

Hodder: *silence* Mr. Coull: Baseball A: Baseball Coull really knows his stuff. Can Hodder catch up? 0-4 Jessica Zhou/Prowler

Records resonate with Panthers Clarissa Shin Photographer Hannah Gross Staff Writer Where do people go to listen to music? Today, they might reach for an iphone, a laptop or even a pair of airpods. However, for some students, their preferred listening device can be found in the 1950s or at an Urban Outfitters -- a record player. Records have recently experienced a surge of popularity. For many, they provide an experience that is vastly different from modern music streaming services. “I think it’s such a unique experience that we don’t get when we plug in our iphone to listen to our most recent playlist,” Catie Parker, senior, said. “I think it’s unique that you get the opportunity to listen to music how the artist intended it, on a record from the start to the end.” Parker has been collecting records since seventh grade, when her father bought her a record player and the Beatles’ “Sergeant Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band” album. Parker’s family has a small collection of records. Her favorite records are “Sounds of Silence” by Simon and Garfunkel, “Harvest Moon” by Neil Young and “Rubber Soul” by the Beatles. Record listeners also tend to gravitate towards them due to the difference in sound quality. Thomas Kitchell, senior, has a collection of over 300 records, and believes that sound does make a difference. “This could totally be placebo, it’s hard to explain, but it almost sounds warmer and happier on the actual vinyl,” Kitchell said.

Katie Rose, senior, experiences the same effects from sound as well. “It’s a better sound quality because it’s not digitized, and I have compared it before and I could see a difference, but that might also be the placebo effect,” Rose said. Rose collects records from the Record Outlet in Thousand Oaks and has been inspired by her brother to hold a collection of albums she likes. “My brother was a fan of collecting records as well, and he bought me my first record and said that I should start a collection, and I really liked the idea of having a nice collection of albums that I like,” Rose said. Rose has been collecting records since her sophomore year, and enjoys listening to “American Beauty” by The Grateful Dead and “Planet Waves” by Bob Dylan. She has around 20 records in her collection. For some, collecting records can be about more than the music itself. Parker collects records while traveling. “I picked up one when I was in Scandinavia this last summer, most recently when I was up in San Los Obispo there was a record store and I picked a few up from there,” Parker said. These records help memorialize her experiences. “I think even for people who don’t have a record player yet it’s still a valuable experience to start collecting records because with each record there comes memories and everytime you pick up a new record it comes from a new location,” Parker said. Although student’s reasons for collecting records may differ, it is ultimately about the experience. “There’s something awesome about listening to your favorite music on vinyl,” Kitchell said. “It’s entertaining to watch the record spin around and to hold the

album cover. They’re basically like pieces of artwork. I have them hanging on my wall and I also have friends who collect records so it’s awesome to bring records over to each other’s houses and listen to them and just share the experience together.”

Happiness Catie Parker, senior, holds two albums that give her nosHappinesstalgia and joy. Parker has been collecting records since seventh grade and enjoys listening to older music. Parker believes with each record comes new memories. “I think even people who don’t have a record player yet, it’s still a valuable experience to start collecting records because with each record there comes memories and everytime you pick up a new record it comes from a new location,” Parker said. She continues to grow her collection by picking up new records anywhere she can get them. Clarissa Shin/Prowler

entertainment Panther Prowler • March 1, 2019

Disney princesses attend a high school reunion

Gianna Spiro Ad Manager

High school reunions are scary enough, but when someone is murdered, everyone fears for their lives. The NPHS theatre department hosts a Mystery Dinner as an annual fundraiser and show. On Feb. 8 and 9 at 6 p.m., the cafeteria filled with guests and the aroma of catered Italian food; then Disney princesses walked in. Cinderella greeted the audience members to the tenth reunion of Grimm High School, a school for fairytale characters. Very quickly, the audience and the three main princess, Ella (Cinderella), Rory (Aurora), and Snow (Snow White) discover they were all in a relationship with Prince Wilhelm, who is then almost immediately found to be murdered. The characters then attempt to uncover who is responsible for the murder, with the help of a detective and the high school home economics teacher (Ms. Heckson). Craig Hastings, senior, directed and organized everything backstage for the show. “This is my first full length show that I’ve directed, I directed a student one act my sophomore year, but that’s it. Mystery Dinner went pretty well, it was very nerve racking to watch the production because I was scared something was gonna go wrong but it didn’t so I’m very happy about that,” Hastings said. Celina Kott, senior, was quite chipper when playing the role of Snow White. “It’s really interesting to work in a dinner-theatre setting, where the stage is essentially all about the audience. You got to be aware of where you are, and who you can and can’t see,” Kott said

Ready… Action- Gus Gress, sophomore, Haley Ligsay, senior, Celina Kott, senior, and Justin Mcalister, sophomore, all stand side by side in the theatre’s annual production of Mystery Dinner. Directed by Craig hastings, the production went well, and everyone had fun performing. “It went great, I had a ton of fun doing it and I think the audience really enjoyed it as well. With it being very interactive we ended up having lot of participation and laughs throughout the show,” Thomas Kitchell, senior, said. Sarah Bean/With Permission

Months in the making, this production took a lot of preparation. “There’s a lot of stuff that needs to happen backstage to even make the show possible and the typical audience doesn’t even know about any of it. As a director I had to plan out each scene and where to place the actors which kept changing of course. I also had to communicate with tech for sound cues,

props, then costume inspiration and collaboration,” Hastings said. Thomas Kitchell, senior, enjoyed the preparation experience, especially as playing Jack. “Craig was an amazing director, a lot of rehearsals consisted of improv games at his house because the whole interrogation scene is improv. It was super fun playing the detective because I got to lead the interrogation, and I was able to answer all of the audiences questions not matter how ridiculous they were,” Kitchell said. Many of the actors also had fun with the interrogation scene. Catie Parker, senior, enjoyed the crazy questions.“ The best part of rehearsals was when we did mock questionings to try to ask each other the most absurd questions possible as a way to practice for anything the audience might give us. It was truly an honor to practice with such talented people, it gave me the ability to improve my own skills,” Parker said Overall Mystery Dinner was a success with everyone enjoying the show. “If I were to describe my mystery dinner theatre experience in four words it would be “constantly holding in laughter,” Kott said. Like many of the other actors, Parker liked performing above everything else. “The show went extremely well, we had a full house both nights and lots of audience interaction, which made the show more interesting for both the actors and the audience. Practicing for the show was a lot of fun, but nothing can top the feeling of performing for an audience. I love getting to show what we have worked for and embrace the character I am portraying” Parker said.

Aditya Vunnum Sports Editor Abra cadabra! ‘Oohs’ and ‘ahhhs’ scatter the audience as cards flutter across the stage and bunnies and bowling balls appear out of thin air as three magicians from the Magic Castle entertained students and family in the PAC. Newbury Park’s band program held the magic show on Feb. 23, inviting families and friends for a night of surprise. Band got half of the profit from the show; the cost was $10 at the door for performances from three different talented magicians from the Magic Castle of Los Angeles. The magicians entertained the audience with jokes and frequently called up volunteers, including Dennis Crystal, band director, to take part in their performance. “The need to raise money for the arts programs and the band programs is constant. So, we need -- as students, as band parents, as teachers that run the band program here -- to work together to fund our programs largely on our own,” Crystal said. “We do get money from the school and the school district and that’s very helpful, it’s just not enough to fund all the things that we do.” As a result of minimal funding, the band program is constantly searching for new ways to support themselves: “We’re always looking for things to do to raise money for the band

program, but also add value to the community. Putting on a magic show is something that almost anybody would want to go to. It was a lot of fun, the magic was pretty fantastic and it seemed that would be a better option than trying to sell candy bars or some of the other typical stuff,” Crystal said. In past years, the band has had fundraisers ranging from golf tournaments to mattress sales, and they decided to take on a different approach in the hopes to attract more people. Each band member had to sell five tickets over the course of three weeks so that they could get the word out. Dasha Manzhos, senior, felt that although the turnout was decent, other past fundraisers worked better. “I don’t think this fundraiser worked better than previous years, so I don’t think we’re going to do it again. It was about 160 people or so. We could’ve done better but it wasn’t a tragic fail,” Manzhos said. Grace Renouf-Bilanski, junior and three year band member, enjoyed the performance and thought it was an excellent first magic show fundraiser. “I thought the performance went great,” Renouf-Bilanski said. “It was really funny and I loved how the band director Mr. Crystal participated.”

Electrifying- Three magicians from the Magic Castle in Los Angeles came to the PAC to throw a fundraiser for the band program. The program has tried several different methods to raise fundraisers over the past few years and decided to go a different route this year. It was a lot of fun, the magic was pretty fantastic and it seemed that would be a better option than trying to sell candy bars or some of the other typical stuff,” Crystal said. The show resulted in a turnout of 160 people by the end of the night. Aditya Vunnum/Prowler

entertainment

Brian Fang Staff Writer Before seeing the second lego movie, I thought I was in for some typical children’s entertainment. I thought it would be just another hero arc, where my main man Emmet would be back at it again overcoming whatever obstacle he faced. Whoopty doo, yet another happy ever after after conquering another falsely constructed challenge. Of course that’s just what I thought I’d see, and I’m not saying that there really is anything wrong with movies like that. It’s just, what I didn’t expect to see were some deeply interwoven moral themes and pop culture references that make the “Lego Movie 2: The Second Part” just that much more worth seeing. Anyone can really ramble on about the plot elements of the movie and how they were funny considering the parallels to real life and growing up with siblings. How the adventures of all the legos were just the imaginative world of a kid, and how the doomsday for the legos was “Armomagedin,” or “Our momma get in,” where the legos would be sent off to storage. On

some level these elements do make it a good film. But I’d rather focus on the small details and references that make this movie experience great. Take for example, the scene with lego Bruce Willis. When he was introduced in the movie, he was inside of an air vent, a reference to the “Die Hard” movie series. Another example would be Rex Dangervest, a reference to other movie franchises that Chris Pratt (voice actor for Emmet), played in. It’s no coincidence that Rex is a “galaxy defending” (“Guardians of the Galaxy”), “archeologist” (Pratt rumored to play Indiana Jones), “cowboy” (“The Magnificent Seven”), “raptor trainer” (“Jurassic World”), and has “chiseled features previously hidden under baby fat” (“Parks and Rec” to movie star). As a film riddled with pop culture references that only older audience members will catch onto, it’s esoteric to watch. The film further tackles themes of depression and self-worth -a message that anyone can take home. With the song “Everything

Gianna Spiro/Prowler

Panther Prowler • March 1, 2019

is Not Awesome,” the film points out how there’s no use in not working towards something ideal, even when things don’t shape up the way you want. And this message was portrayed in a surprisingly striking way. It was interesting to see how the film’s message wasn’t insensitive, and was presented in a manner that could open audiences up. After seeing the movie, I can say that it isn’t just for kids. It’s for parents too. Heck, it’s for anyone who wants to see it. To me, the movie was really about all the moral themes and small references that are scattered throughout the film, that make you smile whenever you can catch it.

Kavita Rai Features Editor

Sunshine- Stopping at Pt. Mugu just off the the Pacific Coast Highway, Catie Parker, senior, poses with her team. From left to right, seniors Jaycen Sussman, Parker, Thomas Kitchell and Zack Goad capture a beautiful moment with the gleaming Pacific Ocean. ”What added to the overall excitement of the competition was how we were able to see our competition and still spend time with them too,” Parker said. Halfway done with the scavenger hunt, the team swiftly got back on track to keep their lead in points. Jaycen Sussman/Prowler

Several senior classes go on picnics, other classes go to Six Flags. Several senior classes go on picnics, other classes go to six flags and some even have class scavenger hunts. Luckily, the Class of 2019 has all three this year. On Feb. 9, many senior students partook in a fun, tiring day around Ventura and Malibu County. Brian Fang, senior, organized the hunt for his fellow peers.

Each member logged onto a website created by Joseph Sullivan, senior, who helped Fang create an efficient way to receive hints and track other players’ progress. The website provided hints to the next location once team players inputted the clue they found from the prior location. Clues were hidden at each location on a pink sticky note, and the goal was to be the first to each clue. Planning since mid-December, Fang was strategic when picking destinations and always kept in mind what would be the most fun for the teams. Whether it was climbing up a hill on the side of the Decker Canyon freeway for bonus points or completing challenges like “chubby bunny,” Brian ensured each player was always kept busy. Zain Kazi, senior, loved the hectic, competitive energy while completing each clue. “It was really fun to see everyone so committed to the scavenger hunt, and I really enjoyed watching all my friends and peers get so competitive with it.” Kazi’s favorite part of the scavenger hunt was the karaoke challenge. “I’ve always been a fan of singing even though I’m not the best, but this challenge really let me express my vocal talents,” he said. Catie Parker, senior, heard stories about how fun the scavenger hunt was last year, and wanted to participate this year. “I thought it would be a good way to spend a day with friends. It seemed interesting because I have always been a big fan of amazing race, and this seemed to be a smaller version of that,” she said. Kazi also believes the scavenger hunt was a great addition to senior year festivities. “Brian Fang did an exceptional job putting the whole hunt together. The amount of effort and time he put into this activity is extremely impressive. I couldn’t thank him enough.”

The scavenger hunt gave many seniors great memories to remember their last few months here at NPHS. “It was definitely a memorable experience filled with cool adventures and lots of funny photos,” Kazi said.

5th Stop- From left to right, junior Aditya Vunuum and seniors Zain Kazi, Tommy Joseph, and Varun Patro make a stop at Neptune’s Net, one of the many checkpoints along the scavenger hunt. The team made the stop after figuring out the clue regarding popular Beach Boys song “Surfin’ USA,” which directed the group to the Ventura County Line. “The scavenger hunt was honestly a perfect addition to the senior year festivities and was something I’ll always look back on my high school days about,” Kazi said. Although the team was towards the end of the pack, they still had fun finishing up the race. Zain Kazi/With Permission

sports Panther Prowler • March 1, 2019

New sports spring into season Sarah Lu Photographer Emily Nagamoto Chief Photographer As the weather turns warmer and AP tests get closer, new sports are coming into season. These athletes have begun training for this year’s season, and they are ready to take on the competition. Read on to see what STUNT, boys’ swim, girls’ lacrosse, boys’ tennis, softball and girls’ sand volleyball are up to as they prepare for their first games. Check out the rest of the Spring Sports on the Panther Prowler website, pantherprowler.org.

STUNT In the air- Practicing for their first game of the season, Cori Galante, senior, poses in an arabesque while Aubrey Bradish, Elaine Panico, and Olivia Nerland, all seniors, support her leg. Galanti has been on the STUNT team since it started her sophomore year, and this year, she says the team is very focused on their goals. “We really want to win league, we really want to beat Westlake,” Galanti said. “Last year we tied with them for first place for league, so beating Westlake is our goal.” Their first game is on March 6 in the gym, and anyone can watch. Emily Nagamoto/Prowler

BOYS’ SWIM Butterfly- Justin Copeland, freshman, swims at the annual Black and Gold intersquad meet on Feb. 26. Declan Debler, junior, enjoys watching his teammates race. “It’s cool swimming with my friends (and) it’s fun to see people win,” Debler said. The team is using the new pool, so there are more swimmers and more opportunities for team bonding. Sarah Lu/Prowler

GIRLS’ LACROSSE Fast break- In a drill at practice, Maile Kuo, junior, practices moving quickly across the field in a move called “fast break.” Kuo is a midfielder on the varsity girls’ lacrosse team, and has been since freshman year. “My favorite part about lacrosse is finding new ways to improve my game, physically and mentally,” Kuo said. This year, the team is working to win Marmonte League and make it to the playoffs. Emily Nagamoto/ Prowler

BOYS’ TENNIS Aces- Dhilan Patel, freshman, tosses a ball up to serve during practice, working on his skills for the upcoming season. According to Regnar Madarang, senior, who has been on the team for four years, tennis is all about practice. “You just got to get used to hitting the ball over and over and over again until it becomes second nature to you,” Madarang said. After winning Marmonte League last year, the team hopes to defend their title and bring home another win for NPHS. Sarah Lu/Prowler

SOFTBALL Winding up- Cory Carillo, senior, throws a fastball at a batter from Royal High School during Newbury’s first home game this season. Carillo’s favorite part of softball is “stepping onto the mound. You kind of have the game in your hands... I’m always about challenging myself. Being a pitcher, you face so many challenges, and I think that’s also a really good life lesson.” Carillo hopes that the team can win CIF again, as well as go to the state championships. Rahul D’Souza/Prowler

GIRLS’ SAND

VOLLEYBALL Get the ball- Camille Lee, junior, jumps to hit the ball while Simone Overbeck, senior (not pictured), attempts to block. Lee and Overbeck are partners for this season and are ready to compete. “I’m most excited about being partners with my best friend and playing our hearts out to finish out my senior year strong and have a ton of fun in the process,” Overbeck said. Overbeck has played for the NPHS sand volleyball team for two years. Jessica Zhou/Prowler

sports Panther Prowler • March 1, 2019

Boys’ Soccer scores another title Rahul D’Souza Front Cover Editor Last year, the soccer team lost due to bad circumstances. took home the Marmonte “I believe our preparation was League Championship with strong, and we did everything we an outstanding record of 9-0could to come back in that game, 1. This year, they have kept up but unfortunately we just did not that momentum, winning yet execute properly during two very small another championship, this parts of the game that kept us out of time with a record of 7-0-1 and advancing,” Sanford said. a ranking of 64 in the state. Coming so far into the season The team lost quite a few only to be cut by an off-day stung, seniors, with their numbers especially for the seniors on the team, dwindling from 28 players since it is their last season. Ke wishes down to 23. Despite this, they they could have gone farther or at least were able to pull through, had a better loss, but he enjoyed the relying on the experience of season regardless. their juniors and seniors. Luke “The season went pretty well. Varav, junior, was a varsity Obviously we wanted to win CIF, captain this year. and we totally could have, but things just didn’t go our way. But being able “Everyone had a key role in to win Marmonte undefeated for the the amount of success we had second straight year is always cool and this year, from your goalie and winning so many games was special,” defense to your offense, as well Ke said. as the coaching staff,” Varav The team high hopes for next said. season, with the strong junior core of Varav scored seven goals the team to return as seniors as well this season, on top of 16 assists. as the current sophomores. Sanford He helped lead the team to thinks they have a great chance of victory on defense and offense as a midfielder. Varav believes Pow!- Randy Wright, varsity senior, playing as striker, crosses the ball from midfield to another player for a goal. Wright is one of the many keeping yet another undefeated record everyone has been giving it their seniors on the team who contributed a lot to the team’s success but will sadly be leaving next year. “We definitely could not have achieved all that and bringing home a Marmonte all this season and doing their we did this year without the seniors, they were helpful in all aspects,” Luke Varav, junior, said. The seniors on the team combined for 33 goals League Championship for the third this season. Emily Nagomoto/Prowler year in a row. most for the team. This year provided a memorable Unfortunately, the team lost there was much we could have done about it,” Victor Ke, varsity experience for all the players, who played their hearts out and in the third round of CIF against La Habra High School, falling senior, said. short 2-0 after beating Paso Robles and then Valley View in the Coach Paul Sanford was very happy with the team’s left it all on the field. Back to back league championships with previous rounds. This was a tough loss for the players, who knew performance, following up last year’s undefeated record with yet an undefeated record is a monumental achievement that every they could have done better. another, as well as another Marmonte League Championship. In player contributed to. “Strengths: Being dope as heck,” Ke said. “We should have clapped that team; they were not good but regards to the last game, Sanford was not too frustrated with the we were just unlucky and then to lose on penalties I don’t think loss, as he believes our team was the better of the two and only

Girls’ Basketball competes in CIF playoffs Emma Schoors Staff Writer Dribble- Melanie Dribble Masson, dribbles the ball across the court. The team gave the CIF basketball playoffs a well-played run, and made sure to have fun doing it no matter the result. “Even though we lost, the most exciting game [this season] was when we played Saugus because the score kept going back and forth,” Masson said. Marvin O. Jimenez/With Permission

Girls’ Varsity Basketball has had a smashing season full of determination, hard work, and fitting results. The team took part in the California Interscholastic Federation’s (CIF) playoff basketball games this year, and lost in a close game. Sara Winerman, senior, reflected on last year’s CIF achievements. “Last year we won our first two rounds of CIF at home and advanced to the quarterfinals. It was a really great feeling to win at home with people supporting us and cheering us on,” Winerman said. Winerman was a part of the team this year as well, but the team suffered a different result. “This year, we were able to host our first round playoff game and we unfortunately lost in a really close game,” Winerman said. The team prepared rigorously for the games, attending practices typically over two hours long. Melanie Masson, junior, reflects on her team’s wins this season. “The most rewarding part was being a part of the Maramonte League Champion team and being undefeated, because we finally beat Oaks Christian twice in one season.” Though it may not have lasted as long as some of the team members wanted, CIF was an ultimately rewarding experience.

“Even though it was short this season, I had a great time competing in CIF because we definitely bonded over wanting to go far and everyone put their all into the practices and the game,” Masson said. “We definitely bonded over wanting to go far and everyone put their all into the practices and the game. The varsity team is not all seriousness, made up of girls dedicated to having fun amidst the hard work as well. Winerman says that if she could describe her team in one word, it would be energetic. “...we all hype eachother up and we all have fun being around each other,” Winerman said. Basketball is not just for those currently on varsity, though. Simone Overbeck, senior, has advice for anybody looking for a way to start in basketball or on a team. “Talk to some of the girls who have played before and just go try out and give it a shot.” Overbeck joined the team freshman year and has been playing basketball for twelve years. “...you’ll make a ton of friends,” Overbeck said. “I love the girls and the drive to win that we all had.”

sports Panther Prowler • March 1, 2019

Sarah Lu Photographer

Team spirit - Biking around a bend, Jordan Hurdle, junior, Sofia Hillman, junior and Aidan Doyle, sophomore, practice their skills. People are separated into different groups based on their skill level, but the whole team is very unified. “We're really a huge family; at races, it's a big event. Everybody goes up and we stay and we have dinner together and we hang out the whole weekend and it's just it's really fun,” Hillman said. The mountain biking team is not run through the school, so students do not get physical education credits. Instead, it is through an league called the National Interscholastic Cycling Association (NICA). Sarah Lu/Prowler

Emily Nagamato Chief Photographer Sarah Lu Photographer Ready - Training for this year’s racing season, Aidan Doyle, sophomore, rides his mountain bike on the trail behind NPHS before the team practice. Doyle originally joined the team because his brothers also biked, but now he is ranked high in his division for the first race of this year. “I'm excited to see how I do and how good everyone else has gotten like since last year,” Doyle said. His favorite part of mountain biking is being able to be in nature. Sarah Lu/Prowler

Smooth ride - Jordan Hurdle, junior, bikes on the WendyPotrero trail. Hurdle encourages everyone to join the team, regardless of experience. “Everyone's super supportive, we have a ton of coaches that are licensed and have been riding for really long time,” Hurdle said. “So just YOLO.” Sarah Lu/Prowler

Smooth ride - Sofia Hillman, junior, rides down Wendy trail as she trains for her upcoming race. Hillman began biking in seventh grade, joining the biggest team in Southern California. “Mountain biking is a pretty up and coming sport, especially for young people, so there's lots of different race series that you can go to,” Hillman said. Now on varsity, her races can be over 16 miles long. Sarah Lu/Prowler

Splash - Dashing through a creek, Jordan Hurdle, junior, rides up a trail near Mt. Boney. “Climbing mountains sometimes sucks but once you get to the top it's pretty cool to see where you’ve gone,” Hurdle said. “There's always a new goal and when you're racing, you can always chase more and more people.” Sarah Lu/Prowler

2018-2019 Issue 7 (March 1, 2019)

Articles inside

Music Records

Mystery Dinner

Student Hit and Run