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The Cougar Press @the.cougar.press Friday October 22, 2021
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“You’re off to Great Places! Today is your day! Your mountain is waiting, So... get on your way!” Dr. Seuss
New dress code targets students, but why? “Let’s keep it classy” - Principal Cervantes
Avery Cameron “I was walking to my third period and it was a hot day… I was wearing some shorts that I myself deemed appropriate, and one of the people on the bikes took me aside and told me that my shorts were inappropriate and then sent me to the office,” said senior Avery Kightlinger. She shared her experience being dress coded, “they told me that it was fine just dont wear them again… I didn’t get any consequences but it was embarrassing.” After a new dress code has been proposed by Marissa Cervantes shown in VHS classes, students have strong opinions. The new dress code reads “No baggy pants, no short-shorts, bare midriffs or undergarments exposed” also mentioned are no gang related clothing or clothing with inappropriate writing. The dresscode slide ends with “lets keep it classy” which implies that dressing modestly is seen
as classy or more serious. Why would students have to dress modestly to be seen as classy or serious? Kightlinger continued her interview by describing the dress code as “shameful in a way because I don’t think that anyone dresses with the intent to be harmful or draw negative attention to themselves,” she said. When asked to speak on this new dress code Cervantes said, “due to this being an area I am still navigating as a new administrator, I am not ready to comment.” In a poll taken from The Cougar Press Instagram account, nine percent of pollers agreed with this dress code, 21 of the 210 that voted. And when asked if junior London Fletcher’s black tube top and jeans should be dress coded, 60 voted yes and 207 voted no. But why do they think this? Misogyny? Rape
In junior London Fletcher’s outfit of the day, displaying her midriff isn’t “classy” according to the new dress code. Photo by: Avery Cameron
culture? Or just a product of their sexist environment? Tank tops and shoulders are a big topic of debate within schools dress codes, but why? In writer @lylyanyeson’s opinion article “Why there shouldn’t be school dress codes”, from the LA Times she proposes her opinion about the shoulders debate. “I highly doubt that any boys are going to find collarbones or shoulders distracting. If they do, girls shouldn’t be responsible for that, it’s not on them to control the boys. They should be able to
control themselves.” Freshman Alyssa Garo agrees with this and also brought up the shoulder debate in her interview. Garo said, “I can’t show my bra strap but he can wear a muscle shirt. I think that it definitely is not a good idea.” She brought up the controversial topic of sexism and misogyny within dress codes.
Continued on... thecougarpress.org
The new security rules brought forward by Cervantes are being heavily enforced by campus security officers.
With Ventura High’s new principal Marissa Cervantes in charge, there have been changes on campus. One of these changes is increased security, which some Ventura High School students think is more strict and more strongly enforced than before. Students who are tardy to a class will now receive lunch-time detention. According to the VHS bulletin, “random tardy sweeps” have begun. A random tardy sweep is where administration will randomly pick days and times to check classrooms for tardy students. If students are caught being tardy, they will receive a lunch-time detention. This new rule says that students who are not in class when the bell rings — i.e. tardy — will be given detention. Junior Jasmine Bruns said, “It’s kind of absurd that we have a whole lunch detention if we’re a few minutes late to class.” Another new rule being implemented is that all students must carry their ID and be ready to show it to security during random times during the day. Students with a gap period must be ready to show their schedule. Administration therefore
enforces security both during class time and during breaks. Caroline Dickinson, who is a senior at El Camino, but is in the music program at VHS, was kicked off campus by security because she was still on campus after her class was over. She was told that El Camino students weren’t allowed to stay here during the times they had gap periods. “I was walking to Santa Cruz to get a snack, [. . .] and then I came back on campus and I was kicked off, because I didn’t have an off campus pass.” Another rule students have noticed is the locking of the gate at the main street gym and the portables gate, the gate to the parking lot by the portables that many teachers park in. The gates are locked due to risks of security breaches. This leaves many students with reduced ways to leave campus. English teacher Dr. Elizabeth Mainz said, “It’s kind of a bummer that [the gates] have to be locked. I understand why, and I don’t think I disagree with it, but I just feel like it’s just bad. For example, my son walks over here from Cabrillo, and I thought he could come through the gate to my classroom, but he can’t, then I was like ‘Oh
Volume 74 Edition 01
What’s Inside?
By: Belen Hibbler
New security rules on VHS campus have major effects on student life Elise Sisk
@thecougarpress
Campus supervisors are stationed all around the VHS campus during breaks, and during class. Pictured is supervisor Aaron Triana on the VHS golf-cart, watching the Poli St. side of campus during period 6. Photo by: Elise Sisk
shoot!’” Mainz continued, “I haven’t seen students hopping the fence [. . .] but if I saw someone hopping, I would be concerned for their safety more than anything else.” To some students, it may feel like there are constantly changing new campus security rules. Many students don’t know about them until they break them. According to Paul Hunt, the music director at Ventura High School, students are not allowed to enter the music/drama building from the Catalina side entrance during breaks anymore because it can’t be monitored. Music students now must have a pass to use practice rooms. However, according to the most recent VHS student handbook (which is from 2019), all of these security rules were in place in
the past, but they were never enforced. Aaron Triana, a campus supervisor at VHS said, “It’s not that [the rules] are different; it’s more that we’re just trying to be more consistent in maintaining the rules that have already been in place.” Cervantes is taking all of the pre-existing campus safety rules and having them enforced more strictly and regularly than former principal Carlos Cohen did.
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What’s up with Ventura High’s snacks?
By: Halle Gentry
Varsity Basketball Coach Felix Cortez
By: Jade Buck
VHS has a new tennis coach, Alison Ferguson
By: Brody Daw
Señorita Ellberg: A fresh take on classroom flexibility
The Cougar Press Page 2
What’s up with Ventura High’s Snacks?
Out with the old and in with the new, Ventura High’s snack bar undergoes changes involving free lunch and a new menu.
Belen Hibbler Where did our pizza go? As we’re well aware of, COVID-19 has affected many aspects of our lives, one being our very own school snack bar. If you’re new to VHS, you might not know that the snack bar used to sell a number of goodies that are no longer sold . A few to name would be chips, rice crispy treats, fruit snacks, slushies, and Domino’s pizza. Due to new regulations, Ventura High has had to change up the menu, which means that they’ve cut down on snacks that are considered unhealthy.
Junior René Marks is a new student at VHS, and she wishes that she could partake in the ritual of picking up some junk food from the snack bar. Marks said, “Recently it’s been getting hot and sometimes slushies sound good. And I like slushies.” As it turns out, not everybody loves pizza. Hard to believe right? Some students haven’t been negatively affected at all by the cancelling of the original snacks. Senior Charles Dwyer said, “I feel ecstatic about it.” regarding his feelings about the discontinuation of Domino’s pizza at school.
René Marks, a junior, is enjoying a Blenders smoothie since slushies are no longer an option at the school snack bar. Photo by: Belen Hibbler
All new students at VHS haven’t had the same experience with the snack bar that others have. All is referring to freshmen, sophomores, and anybody else who is freshly new to the school. It’s sad that they’ve never known the feeling of cruising on over to the snack bar after a long day of learning to get a slice of pizza and a nice cold slushie.
It is confirmed that we will continue to have free food for the entirety of this school year. Louise Smith, the lunch lady in charge, states, “Well I know it’s for this whole year... this whole school year, it will be free.”
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Managing EIC
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Editors
Opinion
Law pushes school starting times back Early bird gets the worm! I hate worms.
Sophia Denzler Did you wake up this morning and wish you had another hour to sleep? Have you ever fallen asleep in school? If the answer is yes to either, I have good news for you. This is the last school year high school students will have to be at their first period before 8:30 a.m. Shown in the LA Times, California will be the first state in the nation to push back school starting times starting at the 2022-23 school year. The Senate Bill 328 states that no high school’s first period may start before 8:30 a.m. and no middle school before 8 a.m. This does not apply to zero periods, so those will begin before the appointed time. In the book “Dreamland: Adventures in the Strange Science of Sleep’’ by David K. Randall, his studies show that as teens go through adolescence, melatonin releases in the brain around 11 p.m. This makes it near impossible for most teenagers to go to bed at a reasonable time to get enough sleep and wake up early the next day for school. A night of sleep from 11 p.m. to 6 a.m. is only seven hours instead of the recommended eight to ten. If students had another hour or two to sleep, this could result in better academic results, more energetic and alert students, lower car accident rates in the school vicinity and higher SAT scores. With all these benefits, why would anyone be opposed? A later starting time also means a later ending time. This will affect afterschool sports, clubs and
Staff
Avea Baker Jade Buck Willow Buck Avery Cameron Greta Pankratz
Caroline Marsden
Assistant Managing
Online
Brody Daw Adi De Clerck Sophia Denzler Isabella Fierros Gisselle Garcia Halle Gentry Rachel Gonzalez Alejandro Hernandez
Elise Sisk
Jocelyn Wood
Social Media
Broadcast
Belen Hibbler Olive Kranzler Jospeh Lombardo Tyler Lopez Julian Martinez Ava Mohror Rowan Muñoz
Livia Vertucci
Avery Cameron and Sophia Nacu
Emily Nguyen
Ryan Rackley is a tired student from Preston Biller’s period two math class. How many hours of sleep do you think she got? Photo by: Sophia Denzler
extracurriculars. Getting home late with a load of homework waiting for you as soon as you step through the door is not ideal. This could affect many students’ arrangements to get home. Parents may not be able to bring students to school later due to their work schedules. This would be even trickier to figure out with a sibling to add to the mix. Some students could use this as an excuse to stay up even later, being just as tired at a later time and counteracting the effort put into this law. There is a lot to consider when deciding to change the schedule of nearly every school in the state. VHS English teacher Elizabeth Mainz said, “There are ways that schedules can be designed so that we don’t necessarily have to end later anyway, things like block scheduling if we’re starting later, how do we make sure that we’re not ending at like 6 p.m.? Well, if we just see less classes for like more time in the day, then there’s still that dayish order, so I think there are some
creative solutions to be had.” Mainz agrees with the decision to push back school schedules for older kids. “There’s more than enough research to prove that older kids need to sleep later, like they can’t start school so early. I know it presents some problems, but I think on the whole it’s pretty good and healthy. Like I said, the research has been out there for years and years, and it feels like it’s taken forever to get people to acknowledge that it is something that we should pay attention to.” This year, we have one day a week where we get to start at 8:30 a.m. So,if you have ever been grateful the night before for this or felt more ready before school, next year will be like that, every day. “It seems like on Wednesday kids are a little more ready to go even by second period, I think there’s sort of a golden time in the morning where it just is nice,” Mainz said. Continued on... thecougarpress.org
Social Media
Record breaking XC season
Features
After being unable to have a season last year, the VHS cross country team is back, and they brought a new star runner with them.
The Cougar Press Page 3
The will of the GSA What is the significance of the Gay Straight Alliance, and how does it aid students?
Ava Mohror
Olive Kranzler
The return of cross country in the 2021 season has drawn attention to the Ventura High School team. After summer training, cross country runners have begun their season. A new runner onto the team this year, Sadie Engelhardt has already drawn attention to Ventura High due to her quick start to the season. The new addition of Engelhardt to the cross country team, combined with the team’s eagerness and discipline, anticipates a strong season. “I think our biggest strength is the will to succeed, and the will to do things even when Coach isn’t looking. I think we excel at pushing ourselves and pushing each other to be the best we can,” sophomore Henry Hammel said. “We are a lot better [than last year]. We have a lot of kids performing at high levels right now and we have moved up in the rankings a ton. Right now we are seventh in all of [the] Southern section. We’ve just been putting our noses to the ground, getting at it.”
Clubs at Ventura High campus range from academic to extracurricular and everything in between. They can give students something to look forward to when they come to school. Some clubs exist to be a safe space for a community of students, such as the Gay Straight Alliance. Originally advised by former VHS French teacher Sebastian DeClerck, this club is under new management as of this year. The new advisor, English teacher Elizabeth Mainz, said, “I was really excited to get involved with it, because I think it’s a really
One difference between this year’s team compared to previous years is the new freshman runner, Sadie Engelhardt. The first meet of the season was held on Sept. 3, at the Cool Breeze Invitational. Engelhardt broke 16 minutes
“It’s kind of just a big family, and we are all just there to push each other. We’re all competitive, so that’s good for the environment,” Engelhardt stated about working with the Ventura High cross country team. Photo from: @sadie.engelhardt via Instagram
during her three mile race, with a race time of 15:59, breaking a record. Engelhardt said, “Well I knew that course was going to be pretty fast, and there was definitely some good competition, and the upperclassmen, with all the competition there. I was super excited. I knew it was going to come out to be a fast time, so I’m just excited that I could do it so early in the season, but also trying to keep consistent for the future season.”, Engelhardt opened up about her thoughts moving forward, “I have a lot of pressure put on me, but I try
to keep myself within my own expectations, and just see what I can do. It was kind of destined to happen, since 8th grade I was doing pretty well. Stuff happens, and I just want to stick with the sport and see what I can do for the future too.” With such a defining start to the season, Engelhardt is undoubtedly facing stress to continue improving. Engelhardt did not always run with a team. In fact, she didn’t always do cross country either. Continued on... thecougarpress.org
College Bound Without a Destination?
good club and a nice place for people to feel comfortable and safe.” Every Wednesday at lunch students gather in room 102 to converse, meet new people, and overall to find a community of individuals who support them. As Mainz puts it, “This club is to create a safe space for folks that are gender or sexuality diverse. It’s LGBTQIA+ so any students that feel like they are questioning or any students who feel like they are in that spectrum somewhere, any students who feel like they want to push the boundaries of gender can come to the club.” Continued on... thecougarpress.org
For the celebration of pride month 2021. This was drawn in inspiration of not being ashamed of who you are, which is what the GSA is dedicated to. Graphic by: Olive Kranzler
The College and Career Center is hosting presentations from colleges both domestic and international.
Brody Daw The competition to get into college has students stretching themselves to the limit attempting to get the highest GPA and the most efficacious extracurriculars. Seniors especially have crucial upcoming decisions on whether to attend higher education and if they are college-bound, select the one most fitting for them. 30-minute seminars at the College
and Career Center allow students to learn more about a college and why it could be a good fit for them. These seminars are led by college admission representatives who can have a voice if students from VHS are accepted or not. Patricia Roberts, the college and career counselor at Ventura said, “I would highly recommend [the seminars] because it is an opportunity to learn about the different options
Loyola Marymount alumna, Letty Duenas presents to students, claiming “I loved my experience there[at LMU],” said Duenas. Photo by Brody Daw
that are available, so we have a variety of different colleges that come. Some that are large UC campuses and some that are smaller private liberal art schools, and it is good for students to... start to get a feel for the types of programs.” September and October are filled with college fairs and information nights for all students. Roberts recommends that anyone visit these presentations, even freshmen. However, she said, “It is ideal for juniors and seniors, especially as they are making their college list and seniors as they are making their applications and being able to ask last-minute questions.” This year, around 50 national and international colleges have reached out to Ventura High School to come and share what makes their college unique. Presentations usually occur twice a day on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday. Walkins are allowed, but Roberts said, “The best way is to sign up in advance; there is a sign-up sheet just outside my office.” Roberts does send out call slips, but a student’s class will take priority
Ventura High School College and Career Events continue taking place in October, November, and December. Graphic by: VHS College and Career Center over the presentation. Attending college Letty Duenas, a college seminars that document interest, presenter for Loyola Marymount “Is a huge advantage for that University, said, “My primary student if they want to go to that goal for students is to learn more school. Even if it is a school they about the LMU community and have not heard of, it is worthwhile see if it is a good fit for them. I to come because they get to learn think LMU is very caring, and about a school that they did not you have a lot of passionate even know existed that might be a students. It is a great place for really good fit.” Said Roberts. students to continue learning and transforming themselves into Contunued on... leaders in their community” thecougarpress.org
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.
Contact us at thecougarpressvhs@gmail.com
The Cougar Press Page 4
Distractions
Graphic by: Gisselle Garcia
Graphic by: Elise Sisk
Drawing by: Belen Hibbler
Graphic by: Avea Baker
Quiz by: Rowan Muñoz
Distractions
Graphic by: Elise Sisk
The Cougar Press Page 5
Graphic by: Adi De Clerck
Graphic by: Olive Kranzler
Cougar Catnips
Graphic by: Isabella Fierros
Ava Mohror
Halle Gentry
Livia Vertucci
Rachel Gonzalez
Drying our hands has never been so hard
WHY DO YOU WALK SO SLOW!?
My ice-cold feet
WHERE’S MY FOOD?
VHS bathrooms have never been known for their cleanliness. HOWEVER I think the Girls bathrooms at least deserve a way to dry our hands. The 90s wing bathroom hand dryer broke, and there is a lack of paper towels in all three campus bathrooms. I don’t know about you, but I will not be walking to the portables every time I have to pee, because that is the only bathroom with a way to dry my hands. Seriously, just do the bare minimum and put paper towels in the bathroom so I don’t have to vigorously shake my hands dry.
Why do people feel the need to walk so slowly in the hallways? YOU HAVE PLACES TO BE AND SO DO I. Why do people also feel the need to BLOCK the ENTIRE walkway? YOU ARE NOT THE ONLY PERSON IN THE WORLD THAT MATTERS. I am trying to get to class ON TIME, unlike you. MOVE OUT OF THE WAY, and then you try to walk around and they WON’T MOVE and BLOCK YOU IN. If you are going to be SELFISH and block the ENTIRE walkway AT LEAST LET ME PASS BY. STOP!! BLOCKING!! WALKWAYS!! PLEASE GUYS, C’MON!
My feet are ALWAYS cold. I put socks on and, somehow, my feet are frozen. I put a blanket over them and what!? You guessed it, they’re still somehow colder than before. Why can’t I just have warm feet? Maybe it’s a circulation issue? I don’t understand how a 16 year-old can have lousy circulation. Isn’t that something only older people have? Maybe I need to walk around forever to get the blood pumping, or perhaps I need to wear five pairs of socks. I think I’m going to dip my feet in a bucket of lava to warm them.
Getting the vending machines to work at Ventura High School is a hassle, to put it nicely. Everyday students line up with their money and it’s always a guessing game whether the vending machine will drop the item that is bought. When the vending machines aren’t working, students are lucky to be given back their money. It’s never guaranteed. Because of this students cannot grab a small snack before class or for nutrition break. Students are wasting their time waiting in line for a quick bite and we are regularly met with a handful of nothing. What’s up with that?
Teacher Features
The Cougar Press Page 6
Varsity Basketball Coach Felix Cortez Felix Cortez new position as varsity basketball coach.
Halle Gentry Felix Cortez is the head varsity basketball coach at Ventura High School. He started his basketball career at VHS playing on varsity for three years. He graduated from
this season. Cortez has spent many years coaching for VHS, he considers VHS his family. Two of his favorite memories from being a lower-level coach are the 2006 and 2011 CIF Championships. “Well I guess maybe
Felix Cortez is the Varity Basketball coach at Ventura High School Photo by: Halle Gentry
VHS in 1983, and then went on to play basketball for one year at Ventura College. He realized he wasn’t as good as his teammates and decided to retire from playing basketball at VC but that did not stop him from loving the game. Three years after graduating he was offered a coaching position at VHS from his junior high coach. He then spent 35 years as a lower-level coach before being offered the head varsity coaching position
the two right off the top of my head are the two CIF championships; they were great, great experiences all the way through.” said Cortez. Cortez looks up to Coach Larson the most. Cortez coached beside Larson before being offered head varsity coach; “I really look up to coach Larson, he’s a legend and his legacy here at Ventura is going to be hard to fill.” said Cortez.
Cortez’s favorite part of coaching is being able to teach his team. He said that being a lower level coach for as long as he was really helped him to teach the ways of the game. A student on the Varsity Basketball team, Jack Rose feels that the team had a little bit of a learning curve this summer adjusting to Cortez’s style of coaching but it has always felt productive. He feels good about moving forward this season as a team. Rose rolled his ankle multiple times last season and every time for almost a week at a time Cortez would sit and tape his ankle for him before practice. This was before Rose even knew that Cortez would be their head coach for the next season. This gesture Cortez did for Rose showed him that Cortez would always go the extra mile for him and truly cared for him and the team. “I love the energy Cortez brings to the court, I can always count on him to hold me and the team accountable and ensure we are focused on the game,” Rose said.
Continued on... thecougarpress.org
VHS has a new Tennis Coach, Alison Ferguson Allison Ferguson takes charge of the VHS girls’ tennis team.
Jade Buck Alison Ferguson, the new Ventura High School tennis coach, grew up in Costa Mesa, Calif. She learned to play tennis as a young child. She played in “Jr. World.” Jr. World is the premier level for worldwide competition among under-eighteen, junior tennis players. “But then volleyball took me. Took my heart,” Ferguson said. She played volleyball
In former coach Alyson Mandle’s transition out of VHS, she mentioned that Alison Ferguson might be interested in coaching the girl’s tennis team. Now Ferguson is coaching the girls’ tennis team. Ferguson said, “Another thing that interested me was that I started a podcast called “Empowering Women Through Sports.’” Ferguson gave a quick summary: “It’s about interview-
On top of teaching the girls VHS tennis team Allison Ferguson also has a podcast called “Empowering Women Through Sports” available on Spotify. Photo by: Jade Buck
in high school and college, she also played competitive beach volleyball. Ferguson went to the University of Colorado. Before teaching at VHS she worked at Patagonia for over 20 years.
ing women athletes and learning from them the benefits they have gotten out of sports...” Continued on... thecougarpress.org
Did you say free food?
Señorita Ellberg: A fresh take on classroom flexibility.
The Ventura cafeteria: after the pandemic.
Señorita Elberg has brought a new perspective to teaching language and culture at Ventura High School.
Rachel Gonzalez Making her first debut in the Ventura Unified School District as a “noon duty” staff 23 years ago, Lousie Smith is now the Cafeteria Manager at Ventura High School and has been for the past 4 years. Being a leader in the kitchen means that Smith has many daily duties. She lists her tasks, “I am in charge of all the ordering. Making sure everyone is on task. All our paperwork. -because we have to record everything we make.” Helping her get the work done she has
to students at VHS. “There’s a state guideline we have to follow,” explains Smith. When asked about changes due to COVID-19, she couldn’t help but mention the elephant in the room, VHS no longer has a snack bar. Which is a big concern for the VHS student body but isn’t the only change made due to COVID-19 guidelines. Cafeteria Staff must provide individual tissues for each fruit since students can no longer use communal tongs. However, by far the biggest difference between now and
The Cougar Cafe is where cafeteria staff-- Louise Smith, Romeo Jimenez, Margarita Ramirez, and Rhonica Barrio-- prepare food for lunch and nutrition. Photo by: Rachel Gonzalez
a team of food staff that work alongside her everyday including breakfast cook, lunch cook, salad/bistro box prepper, fruit and vegetable prepper. The Ventura School District plans the meals served
the past is the free food distributed at VHS.
Continued on... thecougarpress.org
Brody Daw Who is the new Spanish teacher in room 119? Grace Ellberg has a lot of history in Ventura, after growing up in Ventura, attending Buena High School and participating in Ventura’s youth track group, Tigres. She has settled at Ventura High School to teach Spanish. Her virtuosic ideas following flex seating and collaboration in the classroom have her current students intrigued by the interactive style. Savannah Marin, a freshman in Señorita Ellsberg’s Spanish two class, said, “I like how she teaches with interactive activities and has us listen and repeat Spanish, so we understand what we are saying. She teaches in a more natural way of learning a language which I like.” Ellberg, when asked about her favorite part about the VHS community, said, “Everyone could not be friendlier, the staff and the students have been so kind and welcoming, and that is something I definitely noticed my first day at Ventura.” Ellberg graduated from UC Davis, where she double majored in history and Spanish. She fell in love with traveling when she chose to study abroad in Spain. Ell-
berg said, “I was there for six months, and I loved it so much that I knew I wanted to go back to Spain and spend a longer time there, after college.” After she graduated from college, she found a teaching program that
berg has no desks, only chairs. This is a new approach to flex seating, allowing her students more freedom to collaborate and interact in the classroom. “When my students walk into my classroom, I want them to feel like they are in a really fun
Señorita Ellberg poses in her classroom. “I don’t really think of things as a challenge anymore” Photo by: Brody Daw
allowed her to teach English in Madrid, Spain for a year. She graduated from UC Davis with no intention of ever teaching high school. However, her experiences in Spain led her to realize how much she enjoyed teaching that age group, “I loved the age group, I loved working with teenagers.” Ellberg said, “I have learned that teenagers really are the same no matter where you are in the world.” Immediately upon walking into her classroom, students may notice that Ell-
and different learning environment,” Ellberg said. Ellberg has recently joined the cross country coaching staff alongside Coach Cruz and is enthusiastic about the prospect of helping with the Ventura cross country program. Ellberg has been running ever since her parents could put her in 5K races.
Continued on... thecougarpress.org
On Campus
The Cougar Press Page 7
VHS students stealing in the name of the Devious Lick
The not so secret issue on campus.
Rachel Gonzalez Over a month into the school year the new TikTok trend “The Devious Lick” has taken students across the nation by storm. The Devious Lick challenges students to take “licks” from the schools they attend. A “lick” is a new term used by the youth popularized through the devious lick, meaning a stolen item.
ities not really thinking about the dangers or the consequences behind it but more to see if they can gain followers,” said Cervantes. Each situation will be handled differently. Cervantes continues, “We have to consider each and every individual circumstance and apply or take action based on that particular situation.” In an attempt to stop the problem before it became a
@vhsbathrooms on Instagram said, “I have seen the soap dispenser myself but I was sent a couple photos of it in the toilet, nothing about it being stolen though. That doesn’t necessarily effect me personally but I do think that taking a soap dispenser in the middle of a global pandemic isn’t the best move for any of the students.” Photo from: @vhsbathrooms.
“Unprofessional. Uncalled for,” said senior Isaac Rivera referring to the devious lick. “Students are messing up the bathrooms and stealing from the bathrooms,” commented senior Shea Smith. #Deviouslicks has over 985.3 thousand views on TikTok as of Sept. Principal Cervantes said, “TikTok captures youth and students.” Sophomore Fransico Gomo said,“It’s funny on TikTok. It’s been trending everywhere.” The popularity of the hashtag is getting TikTok videos to be viral. However, participating may lead a TikToker to face consequences from their school admin. “Sometimes students engage in these types of activ-
problem, VHS administration made a post on social media via the @venturahscougars Instagram on the VHS weekly update of Sept. 17 which stated “Administration is aware of the TikTok ‘classroom item stealing’ trend. VHS holds high expectations for students and has a zero tolerance for this type of behavior continue to make us proud cougars!!!” But this has not stopped all “licks” on campus. The story starts after talking with freshman water polo player Ruby Welch. It was discovered that items from the pool were taken and placed in the pool. “There was a giant bin thrown in the pool. One of the [water polo] coaches has lawn chairs, and
Cougars hum with spirit!
they threw those in. They took one of the floating cages that doesn’t float unless it has kick boards underneath it. And we had to clean it all up.” Welch suspects that this all has to do with the devious lick challenge. She said “they might have had an influence from it.” When asked to give insight on specific devious licks perpetrated on campus Cervantes responded, “I have no information because we haven’t had anything we have been made aware of as an administration team.” Since 2019, an Instagram page has been dedicated to the bathrooms on campus called @vhsbathrooms. On the page, is a collection of all the mischief in the bathrooms perpetrated by the VHS students documented by an anonymous owner. It is unknown how this account receives it’s content. On Sept. 26, a picture was posted on the account exposing the soap dispenser “lick” incident. The picture shows a stolen soap dispenser from the wall lodged into one of the VHS toilets. The soap dispenser is now nowhere to be found. @vhsbathrooms said, “I don’t think it’s a super big problem but it’s definitely prominent
Francisco Gomo shares that “Students aren’t returning the school property.” Photo by: Alejandro Hernandez
enough to be an issue over and over again.” The missing soap has led to many problems for the male bathroom using students. Senior, Jesus Salecedo, said “I can’t wash my hands properly which is necessary to fully reduce the spread of COVID.” Elizabeth Jungman, director of CDER’s Office of Regulatory Policy, said to fda.gov, “According to the CDC, washing your hands with plain soap and water is one of the best ways to prevent the spread of infection and decrease the risk of getting sick,” during an FDA insight interview. Students are having to get creative. Lucas Thoma-
This sign was posted in the girl bathroom in the sophomore lockers. “Were talking about asking student to report if they see something say something,” said Principal Cervantes. Photo by: Rachel Gonzalez
son, sophomore, shares “I don’t like that they take the soap dispensers because you can’t really wash your hands anymore and you have to go to someone’s classroom to get hand sanitizer if you want your hands to be truly clean.” Thomason goes on, “The bathrooms are super unsanitary. I have to get dressed in there for cross country and it is awful. There’s always stuff in the toilets, stuff in the sinks, there’s stuff everywhere. It might seem funny but for the majority of the people who have to deal with it it’s not.” During an interview with Cervantes on Sept. 27, 2021 she said, “This has not been a Ventura High school issue or problem that we’ve had to deal with. We became aware of this about two weeks ago and it’s more through professional colleagues at work at different districts.” Cervantes continued, “At the same time, I think our district personnel ticked off on this is something that other districts have been experiencing issues with so the district sent out a unified message and we also pushed it out through our weekly updates and bulletins.” Cervantes wants students to “Be model citizens. Make good choices. Be proud of our school and take care of it.” In the simple words of Jaime Gallegos, the campus supervisor, “Don’t steal.”
and hip-hop teams perform during halftime to keep the energy up. Marissa Stadtmiller, a freshman on junior varsity cheer, is loving being a Cougar so far. “My favorite part is the sense of community that everyone’s together and everyone really has spirit and loves the cougars and our football team.” When asked what students can do to make the cheerleader’s jobs easier during games, Stadtmiller said, “Cheer with us and interact with us and be peppy too. Sometimes we’re cheering at them and they’re just blank, so have spirit too.” So what is school spirit and why is it important? School spirit is the demonstration of pride for your school. It can help students feel connected to their school, give them a sense of community, and is associated with good sportsmanship.
support,” said Navarro, who’s on the cross country and track and field teams at VHS. Navarro has some advice for students looking to be more involved, “Just take that leap, just go out and show school spirit. No one is going to think you’re weird or judge [you]. You’re just here to have fun, so just take that leap.”
Whose house? V house! Cougars have pride!
Livia Vertucci Everyone’s seen the cliché high school in teen coming-of-age movies. Athletes are walking around sporting their letterman jackets, students tailgate before the big game and there’s always an epic prank on the cross-town rivals. After a year away from the traditional high school events, students are getting back to make up for lost time. The VHS football team had their first home game on Sept. 10 against Newbury Park High School. The pep band blasted the VHS fight song, students cheered and our mascot “Cougie” ran around taking photos with students. The day of the game, the ASB got students into a spirited mood by having a blackout. Students wore all black to show cougar pride
and our school colors since Newbury Park is also black and gold. Then on Sept. 17, the VHS football team went to play against Santa Barbara High School. ASB junior class Vice President Mateo Navarro had a few doubts about the theme for that game “We’re always scared when we have out-of-the-box themes because we don’t know how well of a turnout it will have and the student section.” Some students go all out for football games, like wearing sparkly black and gold cowboy hats or painting their stomachs with their friends to spell out “GO COUGARS!” “It was crazy and we had a great spirit mentality the whole time! We lost, but it was super fun.” said Navarro. Along with the pep band and the student section, the VHS cheer team lead students in chants, and the dance
VHS students got into their best cowboy attire to cheer on the football team at the Sept. 17 game. Photo by: Veronica Slavin
Does cheering and having school spirit actually influence the outcome of the game and the athletes? “Absolutely, I think if I had no one to cheer me on, I wouldn’t see the point of it. I know that when I personally cheer on my teammates, it makes me feel good, too. There’s no negative side to it when everyone gets some
VHS Hot Takes
The Cougar Press Page 8
“I like sleeping with socks on.” - freshman Holland Kemble
“Orange juice is better than apple juice.”- sophomore Evelyn Farrell
“I don’t like bananas.” - junior Malekhy Balam
“Pinapple on pizza is bomb.” - senior Preston Purdy
“Sour cream tastes good.” - junior Ella Ullrich
“I hate chocolate.” - freshman Zoey Pence
“I hate mashed potatoes.” junior Kanan Welsh