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November 22, 2019a
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“Compassion is the radicalism of our time.” -The Dalai Lama
School safety: A message from the editorial staff Editorial Staff School has become a stressful place for students all over the country. Not only do they have to deal with the typical stressors of homework and standardized tests, but the constant fear of school shootings and bombings looms over us. With multiple bomb threats, fire alarms being pulled and the recent Saugus shooting happening in frighteningly close proximity to our school, many VHS students have been, understandably, unnerved. We encourage students to connect with each other, give support where needed, and stay vigilant to keep their fellow classmates safe. STUDENTS THOUGHTS “I feel confident in the protection of our staff and administration provide, but ultimately I will always fear the possibility of gun violence on our campus,” commented junior Frances Kayser. “For the most part I
feel safe at school, but if I’m being honest the thought of a school shooting happening is always in the back of my head,” said senior Sally Niebergall, “The worst part about this is that I don’t feel comfortable when the fire alarm goes off and it’s not because of fire, it’s the fear of a shooting happening.” Freshman Robert Habaner said, “I don’t feel as safe as I used to at school because of everyone making bomb threats and school shootings. I really don’t trust school anymore. [Teachers should] try to keep us safe and have us do what we need to do in case something happens.” Habaner continued, “I want teachers to talk about stuff when it’s serious.”
SUPPORT FOR STUDENTS Start by talking to a teacher you trust, all of them will be willing and happy to talk to you. “If a student feels like they want more professional help, they can go in and talk to a counselor,” said Assistant
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Volume 72 Edition 3
What’s inside?
Photo by: Charlotte D’Orsi
Infographic by: Lola Bobrow
Principal Chris Murphy. “We [administrators] can recommend you go talk to the SAP counselor. Ms. Richards is really the person we use to supervise all the social and emotional problems on campus,” he added. REPORT “A student is going to want to report to their teachers, or any adult on campus campus supervisor, administrator counselor, etc. any clerical staff, any custodial staff, any adult on campus,” Murphy commented. “Usually a student will be directed
to Charles Cornwell who is the security advisor on campus.” Murphy continued, saying that students should “care about each other, care about students that they don’t know personally, be honorable and respectful. And when they see someone being honorable and respectful to say something and not give up. If we as a community create an identity of communal integrity, we will treat each other with respect. We need to get to a place were we act and speak with integrity on our own, with our family, with our friends, etc.”
Foreign Exchange Student pg. 3
Photo by: Charlotte D’Orsi
Fall Play Behind the Scenes pg. 4
This year’s seniors are once again, unfiltered
“Unfiltered” tradition lives on, through senior Malik Hibbler Lola Bobrow Doug Sandford Last year Ventura High School Alumni Claire Ortiz, a graduate of the Class of 2019, started a project that served as an alternative to VHS’s traditional formal senior photos with an organic and unedited film photo story of seniors and an, “unfiltered,” senior quote. The idea was to create a platform where students could freely express how they felt about school, in a yearbook format where they were free to say whatever they wanted. All of the senior’s photos and their respective quotes were posted online after the school year was over. “The thought of people carrying it on crossed my mind, but I didn’t expect much from it,” stated Ortiz, “I didn’t expect people to actually like my idea as much as to take the responsibility of carrying it on.”
The class of 2020 will carry this project on, with Hibbler taking photos and collecting the quotes. Hibbler plans to continue this newfound tradition with the Class of 2020, following in Ortiz’s footsteps by getting pictures and quotes from as many VHS seniors as he can. “I ask Claire if she cared if I did it, just because I thought it was really awesome last year and should be carried on,” stated Hibbler Hibbler is taking these photos, “using a camera, film, and a tripod, and some generic yearbook background,” in room 104/105. When asked how many people he hoped would partake, he said, “Claire’s was 103 people, and I’m trying to make it with at least 100 people.” ...continued on thecougarpress.org
Hibbler poses with his camera that he intends to take the, “unfiltered,” photos on. His camera is in front of his face because he wants to preserve his anonimity and keep the fiocusn on the students. Photo by: Doug Sandford.
Photo by: Charlotte D’Orsi
Blasting Through Finals pg. 5 The Route del Sol van has a battery storage capacity of 120 kwh (kilowatt hours). With correct angling towards the sun, the van can get 50 kwh of energy per day. Photo by: Tatum Luoma
Route del Sol: A journey fueled by renewability
Environmental advocate Joel Hayes is mid-way through his mission to drive a solar powered van from the Arctic Circle to Argentina Sam Hicks Tatum Luoma On the night of Nov 6., Joel Hayes was found in a dimly lit parking lot off of Santa Clara Street. Circled around him were Ventura locals, asking questions about the massive, solar powered van he stood in front of. Hayes, a native to Australia, is on a mission to drive a completely solarpowered vehicle from the Arctic Circle to the base of Argentina dubbed the, “Route del Sol.” The motivation behind Hayes’ journey is to raise awareness about climate change and bring people together around the common interest of environmentalism. “I studied climate change adaptation at University and I guess, well, I spent a lot of time in nature and traveling and all that sort of
stuff, and I just realized that what I was doing for the planet wasn’t as much as I could be doing. So my motivation is sort of based around environmentalism, ecology, but also humans. I really like people and I don’t want them to go through pain and struggle and I think that’s what is going to happen in the future if we don’t do anything about climate change,” said Hayes. Hayes’ van is retrofitted a 7.9 kilowatt solar array which with proper angle adjustment towards the sun can get 50 kilowatts per hour of energy a day. Combined with a 120 kWh charge capacity, the van’s battery storage tops even the best commercially available electric car, the Tesla Model S, which has a total charging capacity of 90 kWh. ...continued on page 2
Drawing by Yasmin Myers
Gun control opinion pg. 6
Photo by: Juliana Jacobson
VHS On... What are you thankful for? pg. 8 For more content, check out thecougarpress.org
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News
VHS Poet helps students live, “A Blissful Youth” Published Ventura High School student works towards ending youth homelessness Charlotte D’Orsi
“I was just parked at the beach in Summerland and someone came past and was like ‘You want to come and have a shower at my house?’ and I was like “No I’m fine!’ That’s the kind of hospitality I experience purely because of the vehicle that I’m driving and the message that it’s bringing to the world,” commented Hayes when asked about the people he has met on his journey. Photo by: Sam Hicks
Route del Sol: A journey fueled by renewability (cont.) Sam Hicks Tatum Luoma The differences being that the vans 50 mph top speed pales in comparison to the Tesla top speed of 155 mph. “This has got more energy storage, but the difference is that those are sedans that can sometimes go up to 400 miles [on one charge], whereas I’m in this fridge that catches a lot of wind resistance,” commented Hayes, “The drag coefficient is super high on this vehicle. With my 120 kwh I don’t get nearly as much range as a Tesla.” Hayes began his journey in the small Alaskan town of Coldfoot in August of 2018, stopping in the Pacific Northwest for about three and a half months during the winter. “[I] started up again in the spring and we have crossed the border since then,” Hayes stated with excitement, “So I’d say we’ve been traveling like ten or eleven months now.” He continued, explaining that, “it’s really hard to say how much longer it’s going to take, but it’s going to take as long as it takes. A good figure from here is probably a year or another year and a half to get to Argentina.” When asked about Route del Sol, senior Nathan Johnston commented that, “I think what [Hayes] is doing is really cool. I actually haven’t heard of this before,” he continued, “but I hope that Hayes is successful in his journey
and that he makes an impact.” Throughout his solar powered journey, Hayes stops at random locations to charge his vehicle and see what that area has to offer. For Hayes, not knowing who he will meet or what he will find is part of the beauty of his trip. “Sometimes I stop, because I’m just purely interested in what’s going on and I just want to check out that feature or that group or that person or whatever. Sometimes it’s specific, but most of the time I end up in a place that I have no idea [about], no idea who lives there or what is there and I love that, it’s amazing,” he added. When asked about the challenges of living in a van for months on end, Hayes explained that other than hygiene (finding places to regularly shower), life in a van has treated him well. “I don’t mind not showering, especially in this sort of weather. Being comfortable with hygiene is a huge thing for sure, I like being clean, but I just jump in the ocean. Most beaches have an outdoor shower, and if not, I don’t mind being salty.” As Hayes continues his journey, he will have to cross numerous borders throughout Central and South America. He has already crossed the Canadian border and will soon the Mexican border. Hayes maintains a positive outlook on these potentially dangerous crossings. ...continued on thecougarpress.org
On a sunny Saturday morning in downtown Ventura, Ventura High School senior Yalda Kotobi sat outside Palermo Coffee to sell and sign copies of her recently published book, “A Blissful Youth.” Passersby stopped and listened to Kotobi, as well as other featured authors, describe their work and the inspiration behind their work. Kotobi began putting her book together during her junior year and published it in Sept. 2019. The book consists of a collection of poems written by Kotobi at different points in her life, ranging from when she was 10 to her current age, 17. The poems all focus on the theme of growing up and the phases that come with it such as achievement, sadness and the effects of social media. 100 percent of its proceeds earned by, “A Blissful Youth,” go towards funding School On Wheels, a non-profit organization which tutors homeless children all over the nation. Kotobi has been an active tutor for the organization since she was 12 and her dedication to helping students in need inspired her to help them further. “I wanted to somehow give them extra funding and more support to their mission of spreading education,” stated Kotobi. Another unique aspect of Kotobi’s book is her inclusion of the students from School on Wheels. Within the book, each poem features one or more works of art drawn by students
Print EICs Miles Bennett Lola Bobrow
in Ventura County who have benefitted from the organization. Kotobi explained, “I sent out my poems and asked the kids to use them as a prompt to illustrate something based on what they felt. It was really cool to see how they reacted to my poems.” Though Kotobi was reluctant to share her private work, she overcame this fear and published it for the sake of educating homeless children across the nation. Her mother, Nazanin Kotobi explained, “When we first started tutoring … [Yalda] had a tough time seeing the things that she saw because domestic shelters and stuff are not easy to handle when you look at them.” This is no surprise considering that most 12 year olds do not spend time tutoring in domestic homes, shelters, and foster homes. However, Mrs. Kotobi added that “[Yalda’s]
“We are very proud, there is no question about it,” said Nazanin Kotobi (left), mother of student author, Yalda (left). Photo by: Charlotte D’Orsi
Editorial Staff
Editors-in-Chief Sam Hicks Tatum Luoma
VHS Senior, Yalda Kotobi, signing copies of her book for family and friends out front of Palermo Coffee. Photo by: Charlotte D’Orsi
Managing Editors Doug Sandford Bella Young
Social Media Editor Julia Davies
Our Mission Statement The Cougar Press is a student-run, community forum of Ventura High School and the surrounding community. As a publication, we strive to fairly report on the issues and happenings that occur throughout our school and community. We encourage involvement from our readers, as support from our community only improves the quality of our reporting. We can be contacted at thecougarpressvhs@gmail.com.
sadness became her courage,” and as she kept tutoring over the years, she eventually decided to share her poetry to further support the kids she worked with. Kotobi’s parents have consistently supported her throughout her time tutoring for School on Wheels and while writing her book. “My family and I have always been interested in helping our community and we believe that education is one of the most powerful forms of foundation that you can spread,” said Kotobi. Expressing the same sentiment, Mrs. Kotobi continued, saying, “As a family we believe in education… Whether it helps you get out a situation, change your future, or even invent something that can make this world a better place.” Through Kotobi’s tutoring, she feels as though she is giving the students an important tool to succeed in life. Kotobi has already sold over 1,000 copies of her book, and will be attending another book signing event on Nov. 16 at the screening of “Lost in America” which is a documentary about youth homelessness. Her book can be bought online at blurb.com for fifteen dollars. As Kotobi finishes her senior year, she will continue to tutor students at School on Wheels. She plans on pursuing her altruism in college through other clubs and organizations, since encouraging education is something that she is passionate about.
Staffers Tyler Andell Caroline Mardsen Chris Beal Katie Medina Alina Calamia Skye Mercardo Charlotte D’Orsi Yasmin Myers Shannon David Danny Ochoa Julia Davies Greta Pankratz Audrey Flynn Kole Petty Anna Guerra Riley Ramirez Malia Gutierrez Peyton Redmond Juliana Jacobson Jack Shatzman Jocelyn Lee Logan Wilkov Connor Lynch Jesse Zapata Emily Looney
Say, “bonjour,” to Jeanne!
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Features
Meet Ventura High’s newest quadlingual foreign exchange student. Charlotte D’Orsi Greta Pankratz Jeanne Florentin is a fresh face not only in Ventura High School, but also in America. She is from Bourgogne, a region in central France. Florentin arrived in Ventura in the end of August in order to spend her junior year here. Having seen her two older brothers go through the experience of studying abroad in high school, she decided to try it for herself seeing as she loves to travel.
Orleans, Florida, Iowa, Texas, and even Joshua Tree National Park. Due to Europe being such a large group of small countries, it isn’t unlikely for European citizens to speak more than one language. Florentin is no exception and can speak French, German, English and Spanish. She explained how she studied German and Spanish and is not as proficient in these languages as she never has the opportunity to use them regularly. One thing Florentin has noticed in
Jeanne Florentin (left) with juniors Peyton Redmond (center) and Juana Egusnavarro (right). So far this year, Florentin has attended the Neon Dance and homecoming, she commented, “I like going to school dances because they don’t have any in France.” Photo from: Jeanne Florentin
Florentin has experienced a variety of destinations other than the United States, including the Carribean, the Maldives, and many European countries bordering France. Not only has she covered some ground around the world, but Florentin has also had a wellrounded introduction to some staple US states and cities, such as New York City, Chicago, New
her experience at an American high school is that the school day is much shorter, and therefore easier. In France, school begins at 8 a.m, and ends at 6 p.m. In addition to this, students in France take more than only six or seven classes, and have a different schedule for each day. Florentin is excited to be experiencing life not only in an American public
school, but also life in Ventura. Florentin stated, “life [in Ventura] is so much better, I don’t want to go back to France.” Though she was unaware that Ventura, CA existed before being assigned to a host family, she enjoys the beach-town atmosphere and commented, “the weather in my region is so bad. It’s rainy and cold and foggy and here it’s sunny all the time. I love that.” When asked if she was experiencing any homesickness, Florentin laughed and replied, “Not really, I’ve heard that after 2 months people usually get sad but I’m not.” She even went as far as to say that she would like to return to Ventura and reside here later in life. According to Florentin, life in France for teenagers definitely has some differences. For all the partygoers out there, France is the place to be. It’s easy for teens to get into clubs since the legal drinking age is 16. This is the closest thing that students in France have to school dances. Attending school dances, such as the neon dance and homecoming, were new experiences for Florentin, and likely ones for her to share with her friends back home. Outside of going to school and spending time at the beach, Florentin is a player on the VHS girls tennis team. She expressed, “it was the best decision [she] made to join the tennis team because it’s like a family and [the other players] are all really nice people.” ...continued on thecougarpress.org
Rivers, islands, and preserving biodiversity
VHS Seniors take action in the environment. Bella Young Danny Ochoa
A handful of eager environmental students wake early on Wednesday or Saturday mornings to join science teacher, Jared McEntyre, in the immersive field studies course. “Honors environmental field studies is an ROP course, it is the capstone course in our environmental science pathway,” this means, “students have already taken AP Environmental Science as a prerequisite,” explained McEntyre. “Currently there are two sections [of field studies], there’s a Saturday course which goes out to the Channel Islands… once a month
and there’s the Wednesday course which works in various spots around Ventura..[we] meet at 7:15 a.m. to 9:15 a.m. every Wednesday.” The students taking the Wednesday course can be found at the Ventura River, at Ventura Land Trust’s property, working with environmental consultants, interacting with environmental engineers, and studying with water quality analysts. “One thing that we do on the Wednesday course would be, working with Santa Barbara Channel Keeper, a group whose main goal is to look at water quality parameters of the Ventura River and other local watersheds,” added McEntyre. Senior Taylor Vaughan explained,
Seniors Palmer Rovelli (left) and Eric Fedde (right) are testing the turbidity of the water in the Ventura River estuary. Photo from: Taylor Vaughan
“From testing the river, to identifying plant species, to setting up field cameras and tracking animals, we do a lot.” “Saturday, we are mostly out on the Channel Islands, students work with either the National Park Service and, or, the California Institute for Environmental Studies.” The Saturday course includes “planting native plants that were raised out on the island from seeds collected on the island, to maintain genetic diversity that exists.” McEntyre continued by saying, “another thing we [do is] look at different plots of land to figure out what’s the survivorship of particular species in particular plots.” Senior Rourke Rieman commented, “[we] take part in restoration projects, measuring species growth and population, and just get a better overall understanding of our local environment.” The most significant part of the class is the impact it makes on students and their views towards the environment. “The class has definitely influenced me and has deepened my passion for the environment. It provides me with time to appreciate nature and has shown me how much depth there is to every habitat,” Vaughan added. Senior Chase Currie has similar views as Vaughan as he explained, “[the class] has made me more aware of how important everything around us is, and it makes me want to preserve it more.”
“Recently, I’ve noticed that trends from the 80’s and 90’s are coming back,” said Junior Taylor Garcia when asked how she thinks fashion evolves over time. “It’s something that’s going to continue to go on.” Photo by: Katie Medina
Falling into Fashion As the days get shorter and the nights get colder, VHS students transition into fall fashion.
Anna Guerra Katie Medina As Ventura transitions into Autumn weather, students continue to find new ways to wear pieces they love while keeping warm. Junior Benet Bouchard shared that her favorite fall trend this year is, “the platform shoe look paired with baggy jeans… right now I really like silk scarves.” Lately, silk scarves are being used as a headpiece accessory instead of being worn around the neck. Bouchard also described her typical fall outfit which included, “a jean skirt with a sweater, some chunky shoes, and a grommet belt.” Junior Gavin Kernagis also illustrated his usual autumn outfit. “A chunky sweater and colored dickies is usually what I go for,” said Kernagis. “My favorite piece to add on to my outfits right now is a beanie.” Beanies were popularized by blue collar workers in the early 1900’s as they became essential to keep hair out of the face and staying warm. As the 90’s rolled in, beanies transformed from a practical use to a fashionable one. Additionally, more girls and athletes began to wear them. Taking a look around the school campus today, one sees a variety of people sporting beanies of all colors, emblems, and styles. Senior Xzandalyn Kallstrom acknowledges that, like many others, she looks for clothes at local thrift stores. “Just like everyone else these days I get all my clothes from thrift stores and people who don’t want them,” expressed Kallstrom. “I wear sweaters, Dickies, and plaid pants a lot but my favorite clothing piece is definitely my old man dance shoes.”
As students become more environmentally aware, many turn to thrift stores, online resale stores, and secondhand shops to find their newest outfit. This change of pace helps to eliminate fast fashion practices by reusing clothing pieces already made. It’s not uncommon to find students looking through the clothing racks at thrift stores in Downtown Ventura and other local shops. Sophomore Lucca Camus divulged some of his favorite autumn pieces while also spilling one of his secrets. “Cardigans, sweaters, Dickies and beanies are definitely my favorite fall trends,” continued Camus. “But my favorite accessory is definitely my kick-a** gothic cross. I’m not religious or anything, I’m just really afraid of ghosts.” Junior Taylor Garcia not only shared her favorite fall trends, but also the ones she’s seen around campus. “You always see people wearing Doc Martens and Levi’s around school, definitely super trendy,” observed Garcia. “Right now I like bucket hats, turtlenecks, tall socks, and layering tops. Something that I usually wear in the fall is a jean on jean outfit paired with some Docs.” Garcia also mentioned that she enjoys to shop at stores like Brandy Melville and Urban Outfitters, but has lately been turning to Depop, a more environmentally conscious way of shopping. The changing seasons bring opportunities for students to show off their individual style and experiment with new fashion pieces. Take a look around campus to notice the unique styles of those around us.
Junior Gavin Kernagis sports a beanie and a colorblock sweater, two clothing pieces that were created in the mid 1940’s and popularized by the end of the century. Photo by: Anna Guerra
Sophomore Lucca Camus shows off his cross that he wears daily. “It’s cool and gothic, but keeps me protected [from ghosts] at the same time.” Photo by: Katie Medina
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Arts & Entertainment
“Anatomy of Gray” rehearsals have us hooked on a feeling
Actors and techies give the behind the scenes scoop about this year’s Fall play Yasmin Meyers
Willhite practicing and working on new music with her ukulele. Photo by: Becky Willhite
Olivia Wilhite sings her way into VHS student’s hearts
Olivia Wilhite’s original song, “Runaway Man,” went from a school project to an indie anthem. Shannon David Sophomore Olivia Willhite had no idea that her eighth grade school project would turn into a well known indie song with over 1.5 Million hits on Spotify Her beach rock song, “Runaway Man,” is featured on countless playlists. Most notably Spotify’s curated playlists with just under 500K followers , “Lorem,” alongside famous artists like Frank Ocean, Rex Orange County, and Brockhampton. Willhite started writing music when she was 12 years old, stating, “I think [songwriting] started as a coping mechanism to help me survive the start of my teenage years.” When asked what she wrote, “Runaway man,” she said, “It’s mostly about unrequited love. But the lyrics are talking about a toy army man riding a paper plane.” She continued by describing how she “had so many ideas for songs and [she] could see it and hear it, but actually playing it was really difficult and frustrating
because [she] was never taught.” She explained that she was exposed to a wide variety of music at a young age and started taking singing lessons with her vocal instructor Asunta Fleming as a child, which served as the catalyst of her budding career as a musician. Wilhite wrote, “Runaway Man,” for Project of the Heart’s Desire, a project she was assigned while attending Ventura Charter School. This project is a special project students at Ventura Charter School get to experience. In this project 8th graders choose something to create and spend the year researching, creating, and eventually presenting it. Wilhite choose to write and produce a song which became, “Runaway Man.” She added her song to Spotify and Apple music in 2018 and since then has become an indie anthem. Willhite never expected the success she got and said “ It’s still kind of a mystery how it blew up so fast.”
Talented actors and stage managers came together on Anatomy of Gray to create a great production. “Anatomy of Gray”, written by Jim Leonard Jr. and directed by Drama Department Head Stefoni Rossiter, debuted on the 15th of Nov. while rehearsals started in late Sept. June Muldoon, one of the main characters of the play, is a fifteen year old who is bored and lonely. Muldoon is played by sophomore Nicola Blunt. Blunt revealed that actress Winona Ryder inspired her to try performing, “[Winona is] my idol. Her [acting] in ‘Heathers’ really changed the idea of acting for me. I’ve always had an attraction to being on stage so I just wanted to give it a shot.” Blunt stated that she’s most excited to “perform” and “see the crowds reaction” since it’s her first year performing in a play. Senior actress Sophie Rocha, who playing Rebekah
“I’m really looking forward to the audiences reaction and new people getting to see [the play] for the first time.”
Muldoon, shared that her favorite thing to do during rehearsals are joking around with her classmates since “inside jokes are kind of my main source of entertainment backstage.” Rocha shared that the way the story of the play is “pretty wacky” and adds that “there’s a lot of breaking the fourth wall.” The fourth wall is a term referring to breaking the invisible barrier between actors and the
essential stage managers are to the play, “some [stage managers] move props around and some call out lines if [the actors] forget them...they’re really helpful, without them we wouldn’t know what we’d be doing.” Sophomore Joseph Lombardo plays Homer, a teenage farmer. Lombardo uses the song “Hooked on a Feeling” by the rock band Blue Swede to warm up his vocal
Junior Angelina Flum states that there are “a bunch of interesting and funny things that keep you engaged [during the rehearsal]” and that it’s “exciting to see the play come together.” Photo from: Flum
audience, this can be done by directly referencing the audience. Since her sophomore year, Rocha has continued to do breathing exercises and meditations to calm herself before a show. Blunt stated that a favorite part of rehearsing the play is, “definitely tech week”, where actors get to put on costumes, makeup, try the lights out, put the music and sound effects in because “it makes [the rehearsal] feel really close to the [actual] performance.” Blunt also emphasized how
chords and get his voice loud. During rehearsals, senior Max Bolle, the Stage Manager, is up in the lighting room giving sound, lighting and any important scene or set changes cues. Junior and Assistant Stage Manager Angelina Flum shared Blunt’s thoughts by saying that, “I’m really looking forward to the audiences reaction and new people getting to see [the play] for the first time.” Flum remains backstage to give actors important cues, and doing any set changes.
...continued on thecougarpress.org
Minadeo has asked her AP art students to write “essential questions” that will guide their art and to push it to the next level. Photo by: Bella Young
Room 22, crafting future artists
College board changes AP art portfolio guidelines, and here’s what art students have to say about it Bella Young This year, the College Board changed the portfolio requirements for the AP Art and Design course. In years prior, the portfolio included 24 pieces which were divided into two categories, breadth and concentration. Art teacher Lauren Mindaeo explained the difference between these sections, “Breadth shows what [the students] can do in a lot of different media. Concentration is like a mini art show-- 12 pieces that all have meaning and connection.” Minadeo remarked that the college board got rid of the breadth section because “they were getting too many teacher projects-- the same skill building
things that every teacher does.” This year, however, the portfolio focuses on 15 pieces under a category called sustained investigation. Minadeo added, “The College Board wants students to think like artists and investigate a concept and a premise.” This includes, “com[ing] up with essential questions and creat[ing] a portfolio based on these essential questions.” Senior Max Bolle described that “‘Essential question” was poorly described by the college board, so it took students and teachers a while to understand what they were asking for.” Bolle continued, “What they want is just a concentrated portfolio, and the essential question is a theme that the
student explores in their pieces.” Bolle’s question is, “How can I show the relationship between light, color, and mood through embroidery?” Bolle explains, “I have been getting a lot more into embroidery recently and I want to develop that skill.” Junior Stella Feingold explained, “I like the portfolio change a lot better, I feel like it gives me more room to do what I want for my art.” Feingold’s essential question is “How can I explore contrast in my art to push the investigation of man and his creation?” The art students will be working diligently as they focus on the exploration and investigation of mediums and concepts in order to put forth their best work.
Sports Varsity boys water polo team destroys San Marcos Ventura water polo makes a splash winning the first round of CIF.
Riley Ramirez
Junior Dylan Nicodemus (number 3) passing the ball to senior Evan Moore (number 8). Photo by: Jocelyn Lee
putting Ventura in the lead 3-2. The game was neck and neck, with senior and goalie Arlo Berger blocking a shot from San Marcos, saving the cougars from a possible defeat. Berger later commented, “We were down the first quarter and when we started to come back, it was cool. I had a few good blocks in the second quarter, so that’s always a highlight. I also stared down a kid, so that was fun.”
Senior Evan Moore (number 8) preparing to take a shot on San Marcos, scoring another goal for the Cougars. Photo by Jocelyn Lee
Boys wrestling: Road to victory An inside look at the Ventura High School boys wrestling team. Kole Petty At 2:40 in the afternoon, the air is dry, the sun is high and the Ventura High School Boys Wrestling team is getting warmed up with a 40 minute run through side streets behind campus. With sweats on and minds set to overdrive, they start their practice for the day. A two hour practice follows with a combination of drills, situations, live wrestling and conditioning. It is just the start of the season for the Ventura Boys Wrestling Team, but the grind started long ago. In mid July, senior captains Riley Beeson and Luc LeVasseur lead their team in training towards one goal, to be one of the best teams in CIF. “This is a very talented team and we have become closer throughout the years, there are big shoes to fill left by last years seniors but we are making
Run, Cougars, run!
VHS cross country teams earn high ranks in Pacific View League.
Alina Calamia Jocelyn Lee On a chilly November evening, Varsity Boys Water Polo played against San Marcos High School at 3:15 p.m. in the VHS pool, winning their first round of CIF. Right before the game began, each senior on the team had their name announced and were spoken about positively by Water Polo Coach Spencer McGrath, while being greeted by their parents and guardians to receive a bouquet of flowers. When the first quarter began, the boys were off to a rough start. The Cougars were behind with San Marcos leading the game with a score of 2-0. However, San Marcos didn’t stay in the lead for long. Ventura got back on their feet right away and scored twice, leaving the score at a tie. At the start of the second quarter, senior Evan Moore assisted his teammate junior Dylan Nicodemus in scoring yet another point for the Cougars,
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them proud,” said LeVasseur. The boys wrestling team had a record of 22-1 last year. For every returning wrestler on that team, that was not good enough. This sport is not for the faint-hearted and some of the wrestlers take it to the extreme. This involves some pretty serious diets. Le Vasseur states, “I often have to watch what I eat, and work out all the time to keep my weight within my class.” Throughout the years, VHS has put out some very skilled wrestlers and records. Last year the team got to the CIF semi-finals, Beeson, Le Vasseur, and senior Diego Garcia are the returning wrestlers who placed in CIF last year. This team believes it is the best in the state. ...continued on thecougarpress.org
Senior Riley Beeson prepares for his biggest match of the day at the John Glenn Tournament. Photo by: Jacob Yale
As half time ended and third quarter began, the score was 4-3 with Ventura still in the lead, but San Marcos close behind. Six minutes into the third quarter, the tension continued to rise when senior Ilia Pilic scored a goal with an assist by senior Evan Moore. Pilic later commented, “My goal was sensational.” Both teams continued to rack up points, but Ventura stayed in the lead. Finally, in the fourth and final quarter, with two minutes and fifty-seven seconds on the clock, Senior Micah Amico assists the ball to senior Evan Moore who then scored the winning point for the Cougars. The final quarter was concluded and Ventura officially won their first round of CIF. When asked about how the game went, senior Micah Amico stated, “It was a well fought game, and really close in the beginning, but we played as a team and came out with a win towards the end.”
On Nov. 16th, varsity boys and girls cross country raced in Riverside, CA. for CIF prelims. The course was 3 miles long, and both team’s ran well enough to qualify for CIF finals. Both the boys and girls team’s raced in division two heat one. Both teams ranked in the top 10, girls ranking 8th with an overall score of 222, and boys 10th with a score of 244. This was less than 10 points away from ranking 9th. Senior Madeleine Locher was the first varsity girl to finish from Ventura at 17 minutes and 33 seconds, finishing in 6th place out of 186 racers. Senior Rita Soriano was the second girl to finish from Ventura at 18 minutes and 35 seconds, finishing 23rd. “[During the race] I felt great. While not all the girls had their best race, I think that it was a good learning experience for all of us so we know what to do, as well as what to expect next week
[in CIF finals],” stated Soriano. Senior Samantha Prehn finished the 3 mile course at 19 minutes and 36 seconds. “We did exactly what we needed to do for this race so I’d say it went pretty well.” said Prehn. “[In preparation for CIF finals] we’ll focus on having solid workouts, getting plenty of recovery, and preparing our race mentality.” For the boys race, senior Clayton Matthews was the first varsity boy to finish from Ventura at 15 minutes and 33 seconds, finishing 15th out of 170 racers. Not far behind him was senior Josh Maier, who finished 19th place at 15 minutes and 36 seconds. “I think the race went pretty much as planned. We did well as a team and were able to qualify for CIF finals. To prepare for next week, we’re making sure we are well rested and mentally ready.” The rest of the racers from both team’s also raced very well, which boosted Ventura to qualify for CIF finals.
Varsity girls race hard and stay strong during the tough 3-mile course. Photo from: Coach Bill Tokar
Cougars cycle through the fall season Student athletes speak their mind about their team’s performance this fall season. Katie Medina As Cougars approach the end of the first quarter, we cycle through the season of the fall sports Ventura High School has to offer. All of the fall sports team’s, which include cross country, girls golf, girls tennis, girls volleyball, boys water polo, and football have made it to CIF. This season went in Ventura High’s favor, and the athletes came to play. Some of the VHS student athletes gave a more in depth look into their seasonal highlights. Junior Liliana Ramos is a current varsity team member of girls golf, she said, “We had a good season. We only lost twice, both losses being to Buena which really sucked, but we made it to CIF for the second time in a row.” Ramos also gave some insight on personal and team accomplishments met this year, “I increased my clubhead speed with my driver, because of this I can now hit the ball farther. We prepared individually by finding what our weaknesses are and working on them.” The VHS golf team has had a phenomenal reputation in the past, and carried it through this year despite their CIF loss with a league record of 8-2. Junior Taylor Sovich also explained her season in cross country, “I would say my season went fairly well this year. The goal as a varsity group was to close the time gaps between
Amaris Garcia (12), Addison Weeks (12), and Aryssa Ozuna (11) get ready to receive a serve from Channel Islands. Photo by Katie Medina
each other and come in closer together, if that makes sense. I think I did a good job at staying closer to my teammates and being mentally stronger this season. We’ve been preparing pretty much all season in terms of workouts we’ve been doing.” Sovich continued, “For instance some of our teammates have gotten injured so it was important for them to take some time off in order to be back for this time in the season. Out of all the three years I’ve been on the cross country team, I feel like this year our group has been very close. As a team we can all relate to whatever anyone of us is going through, injuries, bad days, etc. Many of us have set such high goals for our team and work so hard not only for ourselves but
for our teammates because we care so much about one another. And having the goal to go to State this season and strong support for each other has pushed us through some pretty tough workouts where we start to doubt ourselves.” Junior Talia Wilcox shared her experience as a VHS tennis player. “I think the season was really fun and a great experience for me as a first year on the team. This is my first year on the team and so my main goal was to play. We have a lot of talented seniors and freshmen on our team and we are all very close and cheer each other on. Everyone is really good this year and it’s a very positive atmosphere on the court.” Girls tennis unfortunately lost their CIF match 7-11 but hopes to take the title for Ventura next season.
The Cougar Press Page 6
Opinions
Are you still gobblin’ da turkey?
Eating turkey for Thanksgiving: a less than saucy tradition Yasmin Myers Thanksgiving, a holiday observed by the United States is usually a day of sitting down with family and filling your stomach full of food, including turkey...unless? As a new generation arises, tradition evolves. Our present culture has turned the focus of Thanksgiving more to feasting, football, family gathering, and a day free of school or homework. So, do students at VHS eat turkey for Thanksgiving anymore? Junior Stella Feingold is among the students that don’t eat turkey on Thanksgiving. Feingold stated that she doesn’t like turkey and it’s “kind of meaningless, we could replace it with something else that’s healthier, but eat turkey if you want, I don’t care.” On Thanksgiving, Feingold normally eats stuffing, mashed potatoes and garlic green beans. When asked the question if eating turkey is a significant tradition, freshman Hannah Marie stated that, “Yes, I love turkey, I don’t remember a Thanksgiving without it.” Marie continued to explain,“I mean, come on, you’ve got to have turkey for Thanksgiving. It’s the one thing I look forward to.”
Senior India Hill shared what she does during Thanksgiving. Hill, although vegetarian, does eat most of the typical Thanksgiving foods and affirmed that mashed potatoes are her favorite. Regarding the tradition of eating turkey, Hill stated that, “I dont have anything against the turkey tradition in particular, but I do think limiting meat consumption is one of the most valuable ways we can help our environment.” Eating meat products, like turkey, take up a lot of resources. Millions of gallons of water are needed to grow grain to feed the turkeys. Not only that, but the meat industry’s treatment of animals like turkeys is often brutal. Factory farms
leave little space for the animals to move in to increase profits. Hill attends family festivities such as Thanksgiving but stated that, “I don’t think [Thanksgiving] is a tradition I will carry on with my own family in the future.” Hill continued to elaborate why, saying, “Many people fail to acknowledge the violent history behind Thanksgiving, and I feel that to show support to my ancestors and all Native Americans, we must [recognize] that the holiday has its roots in the genocide and abuse of Native people.” ...continued on thecougarpress.org
Junior Stella Feingold is seen denying the pungent turkey in her fridge. Photo by Yasmin Myers
Black Friday: Fun for some, traumatizing for me Black Friday at the Pacific View Mall? More like Hell on Earth Peyton Redmond Black Friday is one of the worst days of the year. People may love it, but I despise it. “You’ll get great deals,” they said, “You’ll save so much money,” they said. In the Pacific View Mall on Black Friday of 2016 I found out what true chaotic terror was. I was a 5’0” 13 year old girl who was simply no match for a mass crowd of cranky middle-aged people that towered over me like giants. People screaming, trampling, and fighting each other were the sights my 13 year old self saw when I looked out the glass window of Hollister, it was like a warzone. Chaos broke out everywhere and the only safe spot was the food court. You will never catch anyone getting a Hotdogon-a-Stick on Black Friday. I was in awe of what people were capable of doing when a good deal was at stake. Like, come on, you’re really going to break into a fight with some innocent stranger over a video game that’s 15 dollars off? Don’t get me wrong, 15 dollars is 15 dollars, but the lengths people went for said cash is utterly shocking to say the least. Discord was everywhere, people lost themselves in the idea of saving money, and true colors were shown. I left the mall in disbelief, it felt like a nightmare. I pondered about the things I saw and came to the conclusion that Black Friday was a twisted and smaller scale version of The Purge, only worse. Junior Marley Sapp agrees with my discomfort towards Black Friday, “I do not participate in it, it’s cool for people who want to get good deals but I don’t
care to participate, because it gets pretty wild and I don’t really care about my [clothing] appearance.” Three days after this horrible event, that some would consider a “holiday,” I found out about the hidden treasure that we call Cyber Monday. Like an angel is to devil, Cyber Monday is to Black Friday. You’re telling me I can find great deals and save money without having to go into that warzone? Sign me up. I can just go online, easily compare prices to check out all the different deals, purchase with the click of a button and do it all in my pajamas. Brilliant. Cyber Monday calls out to all those who love a sweet deal and don’t like to wrestle with mobs of people. So now instead of going into a near death experience on Black Friday, I wait until the following Monday to peacefully find sweet deals on the internet. It is such an exciting thought to be able to shop with
my cursor and not deal with a million people breathing down my neck, wondering when i’m going to get out of line. I seriously want to thank the creator of Cyber Monday for allowing me to enjoy my shopping experience without angry moms screaming down the aisle for their kids to hurry up. I am so glad that now I dont ever have to mouth off to other drivers in the parking lot because they snaked my parking spot. Who feels comfortable running around in a heated department store when they can just go home? Why would anyone spend their Friday fighting other families who want the same Apple iPhone as them when they can just wait till Monday? Or even Christmas? The sweaty, hostile holiday should not even belong on the calendar. Cyber Monday is clearly the better option, especially for teenage girls like me who just want to buy things stress-free for half the cost.
Black Friday is clearly not the right decision. Drawing by: Yasmin Myers
Drawing by: Yasmin Myers
How many more lives will it take? A VHS senior gives her take on gun control.
Guest Writer India Hill By 7:30 a.m. on Nov. 14, 2019, five students,excluding the gunman, were shot at Saugus High School in Santa Clarita, CA. This shooting is just one of many. In 2019 alone, 387 mass shootings have occurred in America, killing hundreds and injuring over 1,000 innocent people. Even in California, with some of the toughest gun control laws in the nation, we’ve had three mass shootings in the last week. It doesn’t help for just one state to enact these laws, we must work together as a nation. If 90% of Americans support universal background checks for gun purchases, then why haven’t they been passed? Our two-party system says that we must pick a side and stick with it to further the party’s ideals, but this keeps us from compromising to pass legislation. When gun control legislation is brought up in congress it’s either “not enough” for the Democrats or “too much” for the Republicans, which keeps us from passing necessary regulations to keep guns out of the hands of murderers. H.R.8 is the Bipartisan Background Checks Act of 2019, and in February of this year it passed the House of Representatives but has yet to be voted on by the Senate. It is our job to urge our politicians to support H.R.8 and ensure its enactment into law. This piece of legislation will ensure universal background checks across the nation and close the loophole that allows private sellers to sell guns without a background check. This loophole is often known as the “gun show loophole” as often times, individuals at gun shows sell guns to individuals who have not, and likely would not be able to pass a background check. By implementing universal background checks, we will be able to save hundreds of lives each year, but this is only the beginning. We must pass red flag laws that allow law enforcement to temporarily remove firearms from individuals at risk of causing harm to themselves or others. We must remove the boyfriend loophole that makes it possible for domestic abusers to pass background checks as long as they aren’t legally related
to their victims. We must enact an assault weapons ban. And we must educate ourselves and others on the topic of gun violence. The gunman in Santa Clarita used a ghost gun, an unregistered firearm built by and for its owner. Ghost guns can be manufactured by buying parts online, in gun shops, or even by 3D printing them. In California, owners of ghost guns are required to apply for a serial number, but as you can imagine, this is almost impossible to regulate. These firearms are often made by individuals who have previously failed background checks and
In 2019 alone, 387 mass shootings have occurred in America, killing hundreds and injuring over 1,000 innocent people.
are a danger to themselves and others. We must, as a nation, work together to prevent the manufacturing of ghost guns and keep firearms out of the hands of dangerous criminals. Gun control is not just a topic for debates and news headlines, it has real tangible effects on human life, especially that of students. According to Education Week, there have been 23 school shootings in America in 2019. With each new hashtag and tweet of “thoughts and prayers,” it just makes me wonder, how many more lives will it take before anything changes? As this issue is one that has such a significant impact on students’ lives, it’s not just important, but necessary that students are the ones leading the activism behind it. On our campus, the Ventura Students Against Gun Violence is a club that focuses on educating our community on gun violence and using our voice to advocate for changes we believe in. If you’d like to get involved, we meet every Wednesday at lunch in Room 125 and are always welcoming new members to join us; please feel free to stop by and learn how you, too, can be a part of the fight against gun violence.
The Cougar Press Page 7
Distractions
Graphic by: Charlotte D’Orsi
Graphic by: Charlotte D’Orsi
Graphic by: Charlotte D’Orsi
Poem by: Julia Davies
Graphic by: Charlotte D’Orsi
Ventura Track and Field Tryouts Wednesday, December 4th 3:45-4:30 @ the track Wear running shoes, shorts, and a t-shirt Don’t forget to bring a sweatshirt! For more info, contact Coach Anderson in Room 118 Drawing by: Juliana Jocobson
Graphic by: Tatum Luoma
Cougar Catnips
One man’s lost is another man’s found
Wacky Snackies
Not so lavish lavatory
First come, first serve
Hole-d Up!
Shannon David
Connor Lynch
Sam Hicks
Logan Wilkov
Juliana Jacobson
Photo by: Shannon David
Like an unwanted puppy banished to the shelter, the lost and found has become the sad animal shelter of belongings. I would kill to have these items in the lost and found-specifically the green jacket with bedazzled angel wings on the back. How could you have the audacity to lose this jacket? Imagine how sad that jacket is, with no purpose and no person to hold in its fluffy melancholy grasp. It could have been donated to a child in need or sold to help raise money for college. But instead it sits alone, molding in a pile of lost memories that ungrateful children no longer want.
Photo by: Connor Lynch
When I leave Mr. Raney’s class at lunch, the hallway between the 70’s buildings and the Tuttle Gym is already crowded with students roaming around. Having that daily is one thing. It’s another when they stand in the walkway at the snack bar line, blocking everyone’s path. While I appreciate the work the cafeteria workers do, the snack stand is kind of an inconvenience for people just trying to get on with their lives by having it there. Even if it’s not in the cafeteria for a good reason, the staff could relocated it somewhere less chaotic.
Photo by: Sam Hicks
Photo by: Logan Wilkov
Photo by: Juliana Jacobson
I have never pooped at school… seriously never. I dread having to go into the rank, derelict chasm of sorrow and stench that we call the boys bathroom. What is wrong with you people? Everytime I go into a bathroom, I feel like I need to get baptised to cleanse myself. Why is it that the toilet seats and floor are always covered with piss and toilet paper, the toilet is stuffed with someone’s lunch dolloped with a bit of fecal matter. Are we animals? Have some humanity, have some dignity. On behalf of all civilized lavatory users, please save your crude desire to trash the bathroom for home.
This is how it has always been since well, forever. The parking lot has always been considered, “fair game” among the students of all grades here at Ventura High School when it comes to parking spots. When the lower lot is filled the remaining students with a parking pass may park in the upper lot, regardless of grade or age. No parking spots, upper or lower lot, have a person’s name written or assigned to them. You don’t have priority over any other student who has a car and a parking pass. The parking lot is not for one but all.
Dear teachers, Can you PULEASE hole punch papers you want me to keep?!?!?? Dear god it’s been four years of me poking holes into papers to put them away, sticking them in the back of my binder, or just throwing them in the trash. By giving me an un-holepunched paper, you’re telling me, “This is as unimportant to me as it is to you.” Is that really what you want to say? I guess we could do this forever, or, we could have a mutual exchange in which I continue to let the questionable teacher moments you have slide by, and you start to give me holepunched papers.
Freshman Kevin George stated that he’s most thankful for his dad because “he’s a good advice giver.” “And I’m thankful to wake up every day,” he added.
VHS ON... Giving Thanks
Senior Omar Espinoza stated that he’s “thankful for Grant Lawler, he inspires me to become a better person. And Camron Neville.”
Photos by: Juliana Jacobson
Sophomore Preston Purdy said, “I’m most thankful for having a way to come to school and having a way to go back home, I’m thankful for a roof over my head and food on the table.”
Freshman Clover Higgins said, “I’m extremely thankful for my brother because he’s always there for me and he’s great. And he shreds, and I’m just happy that he’s my brother. And I’m thankful for my main girls.”
Senior Grace Wagner said, “I’m most thankful for my long-lasting friendships and relationships, because I’ve been best friends with the same person since seventh grade, and I’ve been dating the same person since freshman year.”
Freshman Olivia Roman said that she’s most thankful for, “dance, because it makes me look forward to something every day, and it keeps me fit and it’s also my passion, and I love to do it every day.”
Sophomore Iliana Macias said, “I’m most thankful for the people that I’m surrounded by because I have really good people that support me and my family and I really love how no matter what I do they’re always there.”
Linda Bergfeld, who teaches computer science and AVID at VHS said, “Since I was in high school I have always sent my parents a thank you card over Thanksgiving that includes thanking them for my braces, because I feel like my smile is something that I have appreciated all my life, and people notice. And then my college education, because it’s something that I value and it’s something that I’m really grateful for. They helped me not only get into a college and support me along the way, but gave me great advice when I was there to never give up. I feel the college degree can’t be stolen, burned, drowned, lost-something I always hold in my back pocket as something that I can use.”
“[I’m thankful] to be alive, because we live in a beautiful world,” said sophomore Nathan Pennington.
Senior Ali Taeb said, “I’m most thankful for my positive attitude... It’s gotten me super far with the sports that I play, the academics, the clubs that I was involved with and leadership roles. And just being in Ventura.”
Junior Lauren Padilla stated that, “I’m most thankful for having parents that are really respectful, they trust me and they have a lot of faith in me. And for my friends that always want to hang out and just do fun things, and we go with the flow and have adventures.”