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“If love is the answer, could you rephrase the question?” -Lily Tomlin
February 13, 2020
Volume 72 Edition 05
Is traditional schooling not for you?
What’s inside?
Independent study could be the answer. Audrey Flynn Julianna Jacobson At the start of this semester, VUSD administrators began piloting a new independent study program at VHS and other high schools across the district. The program is intended to serve as an alternative education path for those who are struggling in the traditional public school environment. Students enrolled in Independent Study, which has yet to receive an official name, will be given high school credits towards graduation. Their course load will consist of online work and weekly proctored tests, and they will be required to complete the same amount of hours as in a regular six period schedule. “For any independent study (IS) program, I think the main disadvantage can be (it’s not always) the false perception that it will be easier than a traditional in-class/ brick-and-mortar kind of course,” explained Dr. Gregory Bayless, Director of Secondary Curriculum and Instruction for VUSD, in an
email to The Cougar Press. “In my experience, only those students who either are or learn to be self-motivated, self-disciplined and are good at thinking about their own learning are successful in IS programs.” According to a poll conducted on the Cougar Press’ Instagram out of 350 students, 34 percent have heard of this program and 20 percent are either currently enrolled or planning on enrolling in Independent Study. Though students will do most, if not all of their work independently, they may still take some classes at Ventura. “We believe that if we can retain them, we can better serve them in the long run,” stated Bayless. “Programs are...self-paced, which is particularly attractive for learners who want to accelerate. Perhaps most importantly, students in IS programs can use different hours of the day/week to work through the course as opposed to being limited to the standard 8:00 AM – 3:00 PM in-class schedule,” added Bayless. He went on to mention the possible negatives of the program: “It is also the primary
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Photo from: Gene Dunn
Sports Recaps pg. 2 Students are now able to move their education onto their personal laptop. Graphic by: Audrey Flynn
danger of them as well. It is extremely common for students to fall behind because the flexibility lures the student into thinking there’s always enough time to work on the course “later”...I think parents/guardians can sometimes underestimate the increased role they need to play when their child moves to an IS program.” A VHS counselor noted that the program isn’t for everyone, clarifying that it serves as a way for students who may have moved
to Vista or El Camino to remain a part of VHS. The counselor later mentioned that many of the students that have transfered to this kind of program are unsuccessful because of the expectation that they know how to manage their time well, and with El Camino, that they can take the rigor of difficult high school and college classes. . . . continued on thecougarpress.org
Photo by Yasmin Myers
History of Valentine’s day pg. 3
To panic, or not to panic? Sickness is spreading The coronavirus has people thinking about recent sickness at VHS. Alina Calamia Greta Pankratz The first semester of the 2019-2020 school year has come to a close, finals are over, and students are able to give their grades a fresh start. However, there have been many absences recently and there may be something in the air. All of the media attention on the coronavirus, a new and potentially fatal virus, though many have survived it, has led to the topic of illness at Ventura High School. Schools are full of different people, meaning that by attending school, students are touching things such as door handles, bathroom passes, and desks that come in contact with many people everyday. Hygiene is important, and it is one of the main ways to prevent illnesses like this from spreading. However, not everyone cooperates,
and the precautions aren’t always effective. Illness can spread quickly throughout campus, often leading to times with increased absences. Students have observed the class sizes, and how they have gotten smaller this past week after finals. A poll done on the Cougar Press Instagram on Jan. 30 asked, “Have you noticed a lot of absences this week?” Out of the 100 kids that took the poll, 73 students voted for “yes” and 27 students voted “no”. Illnesses such as the cold and flu are caused by viral infections. However, a stressful couple of days can also create similar symptoms. As students are trying to get over the tiring effects of finals week, the pressure and workload increases stress, which can make it more likely to catch a cold. The reasons people catch colds from stress are exercising too little, sleeping poorly, eating erratically,
Junior Mia Houle backs away from junior Morgan Jensen because she was recently sick. Jensen commented, “I don’t wanna get sick. I was just super sick, and I don’t want to die.” Photo by Greta Pankratz
and working too hard, according to the New York Times. During finals, students experience a lack of sleep, and tend to not be concerned about their health, being more concerned about the grade they will receive on an important project or test. When asked to reflect not just on the spreading virus in China, and the absences here at VHS, juniors Morgan Jensen and Mia Houle both noticed an increase in sickness and a decrease in attendance this past week after finals. Jensen had experienced the traveling cold herself. She recalled, “I was gone for a week because I was super sick, and I’ve seen a lot of people gone too. I think that since it’s the end of the first semester, everyone is just kind of giving up and stressing, and they might be getting sick from it.” Similarly, Houle commented, “There’s been like 10 kids out of my classes.” When asked what she believes could be causing this, Houle expressed her idea that, “It’s probably the end of finals, and everyone’s just like, ‘I don’t want to go to school’, and also the coronavirus. No one wants to get murdered by an infection. Also, people are just nasty and they don’t wash their hands.” Junior Owen Bouwman, however, didn’t notice any particular difference in the attendance. When asked if he had seen an abnormal amount of absences, he simply said, “No, not too much.” An illness that has also been on the minds of students is the coronavirus. It is a respiratory illness that as of Feb. 3, has not killed anyone
in the United States. However, as of that same date, the global death toll was 426. According to the CDC, its official name is the 2019 Novel Coronavirus, “novel coronavirus” meaning that it is brand new, and yet to be named. It is a new respiratory virus first identified in Wuhan, Hubei Province, China. There is currently no vaccine to prevent it and no antiviral treatment to cure it, which is why the Global Health Organization declared a global health emergency on Thursday, Jan. 30. Updated Feb. 3, the CDC reported that there have been 11 positive cases of the 2019 Novel Coronavirus in the United States among 5 states; six in California, one in Washington, one in Arizona, two in Illinois, and one in Massachusetts. Want to learn more? Visit www.cdc.gov/coronavirus. An email went out to teachers of VUSD schools, saying any student who has been in China’s Hubei province (home of Wuhan, the epicenter of the coronavirus) within the last 14 days will be subject to up to 14 days of mandatory quarantine. In addition to this, any student who has returned to the US from anywhere in mainland China, other than the Hubei Province, is advised to remain at home for 14 days before returning to school. If a parent or guardian notices symptoms in their student who is at home during that 14 day period, they are advised to contact Ventura County Public Health. Their number is 805-981-5201. . . . continued on thecougarpress.org
Graphic by Charlotte D’Orsi
Materialism of Valentine’s pg. 3
Graphic by Yasmin Myers
Dating Opinion pg. 3
The Love Doctors are in! Advice with Charlotte and Sam Advice Column pg. 4 For more content, check out thecougarpress.org
The Cougar Press Page 2
Winter Sports Recaps
Photo by: Riley Ramirez
Girls and Boys Wrestling Julia Davies Danny Ochoa The Ventura High School girls and boys wrestling teams netted a significant sum of wins this season. Michael Gacha, head coach of both the girls and boys wrestling teams, commented on past seasons and goals for future seasons, stating, “[In] the last two years, the boys team finished 272, and both losses were CIF semi’s, so it would be awesome to get that one win to get over the hump.” The girls wrestling team also placed 2nd in the
Pacific View League, losing only one match all season. However, they did have the highest stats out of every high school girls wrestling team in Ventura County. Gacha also wanted to congratulate his senior captains of the VHS boys wrestling team, Luc Le Vasseur, Riley Beeson and Diego Garcia, for, “Being the glue that held everyone together, and doing everything very well as captains.” He also congratulated members of the girls wrestling team, stating that senior Michaela Howe and juniors Selena Garcia and Makayla Ortiz pulled their weight this season.
Photo by: Gene Dunn
Girls Soccer Jocelyn Lee Peyton Redmond The varsity girls soccer team just finished their Pacific View League season on Tuesday Feb. 4. The team ranked third, following behind Oxnard High in second and Buena High in first. The Cougars went 6-3 in league and 116-2 overall, and are now moving into the CIF season. Junior Alyssa Henderson (number 3) commented on her highlight for the season, “The best part of the day was seeing Kalaiyh Brown’s
(number 2) header go into the goal, it was really nice. I also hope that as a team, we can make the [CIF] playoffs and move forward.” Junior Lizbeth Ramirez (number 15) gave the team’s goals for going into CIF, “Our goals are to prove the haters wrong and show them who Ventura is and hopefully place well.” Ramirez also shared who she thinks is the standout player of the team, “Definitely [senior] Tiffany Hernandez (number 18) because her touch [to the ball] is amazing and she works really hard and she deserves that title.”
Photo by: Logan Wilkov
Girls Waterpolo Anna Guerra Riley Ramirez Ventura High School varsity girls waterpolo are currently 10-0 in league, their last game ending with the win on Feb. 4 against Buena High. According to varsity girls, the season has been going great. “I think the season went very well, by the end I think we were successfully able to work as a team and conquer,” commented junior Taylor Nichols. Senior Izzy Tenison also
shared about her season, “We have two more league games to play until we are league champions, so that’s really exciting. We did really well at our tournaments [earlier] this year, placing third at Mistletoe Tournament and second at Oxnard Tournament which the girls program has never done before!” Senior team captain Kailey Garcia was also nominated as best player all around.“She does a great job [coaching] offense and defense,” said junior Lindsey Mcdermott, varsity goalie.
Print EIC Miles Bennett
Tatum Luoma Bella Young The varsity boys basketball team is currently 20-8 after defeating their rival team, Buena High on Feb. 5. They are 7-2 in Pacific View League and hope to “make it far in playoffs,” said senior Miles Ortiz. Ortiz commented, “The season is going really good, we have a great team, and we have all bonded together and have grown close over the past three months together.” Oriz also commented about his experience as a basketball player throughout high
Photo by: Gene Dunn
Boys Soccer Jocelyn Lee Peyton Redmond The varsity boys soccer team had a strenuous season with a total of seven wins, and one more game to go this season. They are currently ranked second in the Pacific View League, which makes junior Luke Chapman proud. He stated, “I’m very excited with how our season is going so far. My goal is [for us to] play well and win the next game.” Varsity boys ended their season with a tie
of 0-0 against Buena High. Junior Camilo Avilas commented on the highlight of his season, “My best memory from the season so far has to be getting pulled up to play varsity against Rio Mesa. The game was originally 0-0 and then during the last three minutes of the game I scored. I couldn’t even believe it, to be honest.”
Editorial Staff
Editors-in-Chief Sam Hicks Tatum Luoma
Boys Basketball
Managing Editor Bella Young
Online EICs Anna Guerra Yasmin Myers
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.
Photo by: Riley Ramirez
school, “Over the past four years, basketball has been a blast, and I’ve met some of my closest friends from it. I will definitely cherish the past four years of memories I’ve made.” The leading scorer is 6’11’’, junior Liam Cameron with an average of 14.9 points per game. Following Cameron is junior Caleb Gilbert with an average of 12.6. Cameron commented, “It’s been a fun season this year playing with my teammates. Our team chemistry grows each and every practice. With playoffs coming up, we have to get a lot done in practice. I’m looking forward to my senior year.”
Photo by: Juliana Jacobson
Girls Basketball Tatum Luoma Bella Young The girls basketball team has a record of 22-6 in league. Two girls in particular have had a strong scoring season, Amaya Fuentes is the top scorer with an average of 15.4 points per game, Sammie Henley followed close behind her teammate with an average of 14.2. Sophomore Alexis Howery commented, “Our season has gone great so far. The team has grown so much this year and so far we have
a 9-1 record [in league]. But, I am sad that our seniors are leaving. Our goal right now is to get first place in the league.” Senior Sammie Henley commented on a highlight from the season, “We beat a really good Pacifica team [62-37 on Jan. 30] which put us in a really good place for our position in league.”
Staffers Lola Bobrow Caroline Marsden Alina Calamia Katie Medina Shannon David Skye Mercado Julia Davies Danny Ochoa Charlotte D’Orsi Greta Pankratz Audrey Flynn Kole Petty Malia Gutierrez Riley Ramirez Juliana Jacobson Peyton Redmond Jocelyn Lee Doug Sandford Emily Looney Jack Schatzman Connor Lynch Jesse Zapata
Opinions/Features
The Cougar Press Page 3
Opinion: Valentine’s Day is less affectionate and more capitalistic
Valentine’s Day has become more about gifts and less about love. Charlotte D’Orsi We all remember decorating tissue boxes in elementary school and handing out paper valentines to all of our classmates. The sheer joy that one felt when they received a simple card or lollipop was insurmountable. It made us feel loved and taught us to spread love as well. However, could you imagine what someone would do now if their significant other just handed them a lousy card on Valentine’s Day? Most people would be disappointed, and that is mainly because modern day society has lead us all to believe that the amount of love that one feels for another is determined by the value and extravagance of their gifts. That’s messed up. Come on, did Travis Scott really need to get Kylie Jenner four giant heart-shaped rose archways for V-Day last year? She posted a picture to Instagram and then probably left them all to rot. Last year I gifted my boyfriend a Bang Energy drink and he gave me Sour Patch candy, we were both extremely happy that we even gifted each other anything at all. Then again, we aren’t self-made billionaires... I’m not trying to argue that gifts are altogether unnecessary because it’s always nice to receive a gift from someone you love, it shows that they care. A little box of chocolates or a bouquet of flowers is the perfect
gesture to remind someone of how much you love them. But if you need some type of grand gesture from your significant other in order for them to prove their love for you, then you’ve got some insecurities to work out. Companies love to capitalize on the idea that Valentine’s Day is like a mini Christmas. Their shelves are stocked with teddy bears, chocolates, and candies weeks in advance so nobody will forget the importance of buying their significant other a gift. Why does the celebration revolve around the gift? Valentine’s Day is supposed to be a day of appreciation for your loved-ones, a day to give you an excuse to be together and remind you why you love one-another. A VHS student who has elected to remain anonymous
expressed, “I believe [Valentine’s Day] has become more about spending money on objects to give to your [significant other] than spending time with them.” On the other hand, some couples do agree to keep their celebrations more low-key and less over-the-top. Senior Wendi Montejano explained, “I have seen so many people do things that may seem ‘simple’ yet mean the world to their significant other like writing them a letter...I don’t think it’s materialistic unless someone chooses to go all out, which is not bad. It’s all a choice.” At the end of the day, whether you enjoy grand, romantic Valentine’s Day gestures or not, never forget that you should love your significant other for who they are, not for the gifts that they give you.
Graphic by: Charlotte D’Orsi
Drawing by: Yasmin Myers
Valentine’s Day perspectives:
Opinion from a “taken” woman.
Opinion from a single woman.
Lola Bobrow
Julia Davies
Being in a relationship has a significant effect on how one spends their Valentine’s Day. I, for one, look forward to spending time with my boyfriend and reminding him of how much I love him. While Valentine’s Day surely isn’t as significant to us as a date like one of our birthday’s or our anniversary, it is a great excuse to be with one another and do something fun. If you’re in a relationship, I urge you to use this Valentine’s Day as a moment to slow down, step away from the chaos of daily life, and be fully present with your significant other. This can be as simple as going to the park together or a favorite restaurant, it is fun to celebrate the day while love is in the air. We have the excuse to be overly lovey and coupely for just one day out of the year.
I just don’t get the fuss around Valentine’s Day. I mean why do we need a holiday to celebrate love and relationships, like that’s what your anniversary is for, also those boxed chocolates kind of suck. Don’t get me wrong I’m happy that y’all want to celebrate that important person in your life but why do people feel the need to go so overboard with gifts, and don’t even get me started on the posts on social media about Valentine’s Day. This whole day also just calls out all the single people and can make people feel bad about there relationship statuses. But hey, I am glad we have school off for Valentine’s Day, so that I don’t have to see people eating each other’s faces. Maybe I’m just bitter because I don’t have someone to celebrate with.
Cupid shoots his arrows of love at Ventura High How does the history of Valentine’s Day compare to modern day celebration? Katie Medina Yasmin Myers Valentine’s Day, rooted in the legend and death of the mysterious Saint Valentine, is celebrated most by showering significant others with gifts and love. Although the true reason behind why couples still partake in the Valentine’s Day tradition remains unclear, there are many myths that have circulated since the 5th century. Although there are three different versions of how Valentine’s Day came to be, the most popular begins with the
Roman Emperor Claudius II, who outlawed marriage. It is said that a priest named Valentine continued to marry couples in secret. After the Emperor Claudius discovered this, he sentenced Saint Valentine to death, which was carried out on Feb. 14. Legend also has it that while in jail, Valentine left a farewell note for the jailer’s daughter, whom he had befriended, and signed it “From Your Valentine.” Valentine was named a saint after his death in A.D. 369 for his services, according to history.com. Another component of Valentine’s Day history consists of the greek legend of Cupid, a cherub
(From left to right) Juniors Stella Feingold and Angie Flum explained that they both believe in soul mates and will be celebrating the somewhat “cheesy” holiday together. Photo from: Stella Feingold
who mischievously shot arrows at people he saw fit for affection. Traced back to 700 B.C., Cupid would play with the hearts of mortals and gods to create mayhem. Depicted as a young man in his late teens, he was considered both handsome and intimidating, and would use his power to make people fall in love, according to time.com Valentine’s Day has since sprouted from such legends. Junior Julianna JacobsVargas expressed her favorite things about Valentine’s Day, “I love the bright colors, teddy bears, the chocolate and flowers. I love being around the people I care most about.” Jacobs-Vargas additionally revealed her viewpoint on love at first sight and soulmates, “I do not believe in ‘love at first sight’. To me love isn’t about appearance. I need to actually know somebody. It would definitely take more than a glance for me to fall in love with someone.” Junior couple Angie Flum and Stella Feingold shared their thoughts on the holiday. Flum explained, “I’m kind of neutral on Valentine’s Day.” Flum continued, “I used to hate it, but now that I’m in a relationship I can see the appeal, I guess. If you’re into Valentine’s Day and enjoy celebrating it, then yeah you can
(From left to right) Junior Finn Thompson and senior Max Bolle said, “Valentine’s Day is significant for us because we started dating the day before Valentine’s Day last year, so it seems extra important because it’s also [our] anniversary!” Photo by: Katie Medina
make a big deal out of it.” Feingold voiced her opinions as well, saying, “I kind of like it because it’s a day to show someone how much you love them, even if it’s pretty cheesy.” Senior Max Bolle added to the conversation, expressing, “I like Valentines aesthetically but not ethically, if that makes sense. I don’t think that companies and stores should capitalize on the idea of love, but I do like the hearts and the pink everything.” US manufacturers shipped over an estimated $33 billion worth of Valentine’s day products as of 2016, according to Business Insider. Although a majority of this money goes toward flowers, chocolates
and jewelry, not all Valentine’s Day gifts are for humans. Over 9 million people are expected to give a gift to their furry friends each year. Bolle continued to share his thoughts on some of the trite feelings that come with the spirit of Valentine’s Day, “I personally don’t believe in love at first sight or soulmates, in the way of having one person fated to be your perfect match for all time, because I think people are too dynamic and change too often for fate to have figured out a partner for you since the beginning of time.” ...continued on thecougarpress.org
Distractions
The Cougar Press Page 4
Graphic by: Anna Guerra and Yasmin Myers
Valentine’s Day Playlist For Couples
For Singles
Graphic by: Charlotte D’Orsi
Playlists by: Tatum Luoma and Bella Young
Nascar drivers at VHS
Why won’t you appreciate my grind?
Only the 1% can enjoy Valentine’s Day
Danny Ochoa
Jesse Zapata
Riley Ramirez
Photo by: Yasmin Myers
I’m aware that people want to get the heck out of this school the minute the day’s over, but there’s a safer way of exiting school grounds, rather than speeding out the lot at 30+ miles per hour. If you think you look cool burning out in your Nissan Altima, I am just gonna speak for everyone, you’re not flexing. Even if you think you have an exception for driving daddy’s Porsche (or Jeep Wrangler), we just want to be safe. We don’t want to get plowed down or rear ended, because you’re trying to show off for your sophomore girlfriend.
Photo by: Jesse Zapata
Graphic by: Peyton Redmond
Look people, I’m on the school wrestling team, and in all three years of being here, I feel like the announcements have rarely mentioned wrestling. Does anyone know if wrestling is even a sport at this school? Last year our team had 21 wins and one loss, that’s a big deal, but I didn’t hear a word about it at all. The season is already coming to an end and it was not announced that we are League Champions. I also didn’t hear that boys wrestling went to CIF dual meets and worked hard to get there. What’s up with that?
Apparently department stores don’t understand how low my bank account balance is, especially during Valentines day when they decide to gas up the prices. I’m not buying a chocolate bar for anyone else other than myself, so why should I be spending $10 for a single Ghirardelli? It’s fine every other day of the year. But for some reason department stores continually think it’s okay to break the bank and make us feel extra special when buying chocolate for others. News flash, it’s just me, and personally I don’t think I’m worth more than a $5.00 pack of Ferrero Rochers.
Graphic by: Shannon David
Mono: It happens Graphic by: Peyton Redmond