75:04 Jan. 20, 2023

The Cougar Press

The Cougar Press

@the.cougar.press

Friday, Jan. 20, 2023

New VUEA raise: What does this mean for VUSD teachers?

On Dec. 18, Ventura Unified Education Association (VUEA) voted yes on an offer from the school board for a 10 percent raise for Ventura Unified School District (VUSD) teachers.

Alicia Verdades, VHS teacher and member of the VUEA negotiations board, said, “We [voted] for the past in a way, so starting from last July our salary will go up 10 percent. Going forward [VUSD teachers’ salaries] will be 10 percent higher and we will get a check to make [up] for all of those [past months]. This is called ‘on schedule,’ so 10 percent goes on and on again every year. Then the two percent is a one-time bonus, we wanted a higher amount and [VUSD] said they couldn’t do it, but they said they could do this one-time bonus.”

On Dec. 5, Sarah McLaughlin, the parentteacher liaison of VUSD, sent an email to parents and teachers of VUSD announcing a tentative agreement for a teacher salary raise with the district office.

Negotiations for a

raise have been ongoing since August after VUSD received a budget increase of over 13 percent for the 2022-2023 school year yet only one percent of the funds were allocated to teachers’ salaries. This was not accepted by VUEA, who negotiated for a salary raise comparable to the district’s budget increase.

After months of VUEA fighting for the higher raise by striking, closing their doors to students during break and lunch and protesting, VUEA and VUSD have settled on their final agreement of a ten percent raise. VUEA members voted on this raise, and it was passed, with the majority of members voting to approve the raise.

VUEA did have the option of rejecting this offer and pushing for a higher raise and more benefits.

Before the votes were tallied, Verdades said, “I am going to vote yes [on the 10 percent raise agreement] because I think it’s a good raise, and to push for [a higher raise] might necessitate a strike, and I don’t think that’s good for students or teachers, if it were necessary for sure we would do it.”

“I really experienced

the community and that no one is in this alone. If we come together and work hard and get educated, we can push and succeed. [I felt the] joy of being a part of a bigger group and achieving what all of these people wanted,” Verdades said upon hearing the new agreement.

VHS teacher Claudio Lonardo said, “When I saw [McLaughlin’s] email, it was the first time in a long time that I felt proud of this district. The

last few years it has been very disappointing, especially at the beginning of the year when they offered us one percent.”

Lonardo said, “I am proud of us because we worked hard for this. This is also a lesson for our students to understand when you fight for the right cause you just keep fighting and hopefully you get the result you want.”

Continued on. . . thecougarpress.org

What’s inside?

Student band Loop 83 performs at Topa Topa

What’s cooking in culinary?

VHS drama departments auditions for the “The Addams Family” musicals auditions are upcoming

“The Addams Family” is the upcoming musical at Ventura High School. Auditions for the musical take place Feb. 1516 and are open to all VHS students.

VHS drama teacher and director of “The Addams Family,” Stefoni Rossiter said, “[The auditions will take place] on the main stage, in the evening but if people want [to know] exactly [what time] they need to set up an

appointment with me and get the information. I’m always in the office in room 314 or they can email me and leave a message.”

“The Addams Family” musical was written by Andrew Lippa, Marshall Brickman and Rick Elice. It was first performed in 2009 before heading to Broadway in 2010, and the musical is based on “The Addams Family” TV series,an American black comedy sitcom based on Charles Addams’ New Yorker

cartoons from 1964 to 1966, comprising a total of 64 episodes.

Rossiter said, “[People will be able to audition for] the traditional roles of the ‘The Addams Family’ characters because ‘The Addams Family’ musical is based on the original TV series from the 60s. There’s Gomez, Morticia, Wednesday, Pugsley, Lurch, Grandmama and [Uncle] Fester for the family members. However, this version of ‘The Addams Family’ is set in the future [where] Wednesday, their daughter, is 18 years old and has fallen in love,so her fiance and his family are also main characters. [There’s also] the ancestors--the dead ancestors of ‘The Addams Family’ [that] come back to help the family resolve their issues.”

Robin Strunk ‘24 who is a first-time auctioneer said, “I will be auditioning for ‘The Addams Family’ musical. I want to be in the musical because I’ve always loved ‘The Addams Family’ and I’ve seen this musical

professionally performed a few times.”

Strunk said, “I will be auditioning for [the role of] Uncle Fester, but [I] would be open to any opportunity. I haven’t acted in any productions, but I was on the hair and makeup crew for the fall play ‘Puffs,’ which was a great experience.”

Marissa Prado ‘23 who is trying out for her first musical said, “I will be auditioning for this year’s musical ‘The Addams Family’ because I want to experience what it’s like acting onstage in the lights, including singing, and I think it’d be fun performing with my friends. I believe it will help me feel more comfortable to leave my comfort zone more often and get myself out there a little.”

Prado said, “I don’t think I’ll be auditioning for any specific role, but I’d really love it if I got Lurch or maybe even Alice. Any role would really be appreciated!

Opinion: What can teenagers learn from working?

VUEA teachers voted to accept a 10 percent raise offer after months of negotiation

Photo from the first VUEA teacher protest that took place on Oct. 21. “We [VUEA members] worked really hard, and there was so much support from all the teachers in the district wearing red t-shirts and showing up at board meetings,” said Alicia Verdades. Photo by: Brody Daw

Drama teacher and “The Addams Family” director Stefoni Rossiter [pictured] said, “We are looking for singers, dancers, and actors. As the director you just have to make your best choices as to who fits each role the best.”

Photo by: Summer Williams

Photo by: Ella Montano

Photo by: Lily Carnaghe

Photo by: Alejandro Hernandez

Ava Mohror

Brody Daw

VHS Students are preparing to audition for the spring musical “The Addams Family” in February

“Perseverance is not a long race; it is many short races one after the other.” -Walter Elliot

Summer Williams

VHS on: Finals happening after winter break, instead of before

Cal Harrison ‘24 said, “It’s kind of hard just because you go on break, and then you come back and you don’t really remember everything. So it’s difficult doing that, I’d rather just have a break and start a new semester after. I’d say [the better time to take finals is] either the last week before break or one of those last two weeks before break so you can kind of get it out

Opinion: After-school traffic on Wednesdays is a nightmare!

Can after school traffic at VHS be prevented?

Every Wednesday since the beginning of the 2022-23 school year, students at VHS have been getting out at 2:40 p.m., as there are no 7th-period classes on Wednesdays. Now, imagine approximately 2,200 students trying to leave school at the same exact time. What a nightmare that would be, right?

While some people may see that letting all the students out at the same time may be convenient for some parents as well as the district, it does not help lower the traffic problems caused by this decision.

Isabella Dalzell ‘24 said, “I have to go to practice so I can’t move my car from lower [lot] to upper [lot] and when I watch [the traffic] it looks terrible.”

Whether it was a

decision made by VHS Administration or the Ventura Unified School District, I truly believe that having all students get out at the same exact time was a huge mistake. Even a 1015 minute gap would have made a huge difference.

Adeline Vertucci ‘26 said, “One thing I can think of to improve [the traffic on Wednesdays] is [making] the student lot more accessible, instead of having such a small entrance make it bigger so more cars can get out faster, or create a designated entry and exit for cars.”

While the traffic in the student parking lot is a mess for student drivers, parents who pick up their children from the front of the school also encounter traffic problems on the streets that surround VHS.

The lack of accessible parent parking

Editors

is a major factor in the traffic that occurs. VHS is not granting nearly enough access to parent parking which leads to a build-up of irregular traffic and inpatient parents. The irregular traffic may disturb the residents living close by because of all the cars using their sidewalks as a means to pick up their kids from school. This not only is a problem for the homeowners but also for parents.

The small narrow streets, Evans and Catalina, which are located in front of VHS, make it much more difficult for parents to park anywhere. For example, often, parents decide to park and wait for their kids at the stop sign located on Evans, which only increases the chaos of the traffic.

Najwa Takla, a VHS parent said, “[I think that the traffic that occurs on Wednesdays is] bad, and

[that] the school can make this better. They should put a [crossing guard] to signal and make way for others.”

I agree with this and suggest that VHS invests in hiring a crossing guard on the streets of Evans and

Catalina, as this will bring many benefits that solve the problems at hand.

Continued on. . . thecougarpress.org

Staff

Lourdes Almalab

Isabel Andrade

Jane Armstrong

Weston Blackburn

Samantha Castañeda

Leslie Castro

Adi De Clerck

Kendall Garcia

Halle Gentry

Jayden Gentry

Santiago Gonzales

Belen Hibbler

Alejandro Hernandez

Annika Lange

Julian Martinez

Angelica Matehuala Kinda Mehael

Christian

Ava Mohror

Avery Cameron

Sophia Nacu

Editor-in-Chief Print Social Media

Sophia Denzler

Executive ME

Kinda Mehael

Ella Montano

Montecino

Christopher Morrison

Hugh Murphy Miles Newman

Savanna Nustad-Franzen Ace Rico

Katie Rundle

Alexis Segovia Soraya Stegall Nicklaus Shelton

Travis Rinehart

Summer Williams

Jocelyn Wood

This photo was taken on Wednesday, Dec. 14th, after school at the entrance of VHS. Photo by: Kinda Mehael

Isabella Fierros

Online

Ventura Unified School District went on its two week winter break from Dec. 16 to Jan. 2, and students will be taking their finals when they return to school. Kayla Enriquez ‘25 said, “I feel like [what] going to be hard because we have such a long break and then going right into finals, we’ll probably forget everything.”

Photo by: Ruby Lacques

of the way and then go on break.” Photo by: Ruby Lacques

Kevin Vazquez ‘26 said, “Well, our brain is lazy, we’re not prepared for it.” Photo by: Ruby Lacques

Mia Sinclair ‘24 said, “I think it’s horrible and I want to take it before [break so that] I get it over with and be free.” Photo by: Ruby Lacques

René Marks ‘23 (center) photographed with Sloane Feingold ‘23 and Celesste Zarate ‘23 said, “I think that the semester should end before we go to winter break and we should finish all of our first semester finals before we leave for winter break. That way when we come back, for the second semester, we’re just immediately going into the new start without having to worry about what we learned last year.” Photo by: Ruby Lacques

Luke Lisheki ‘23 said, “[Finals after break is] fine, I don’t really care.” Photo by: Ruby Lacques

KindaNameMehael

Brody Daw

Assistant EIC

Emily Nguyen

Co-ME

Ruby Laques

Co-ME

RubyNameLaques

JulianNameMartinez

On Campus

“Bomb cyclone” storm hits Ventura County; brings along heavy rain, floods and mudslides

With a week of severe weather, VHS staff and students have had mixed reactions. While reports seemed ominous, VHS stayed open and many welcomed the rainfall.

According to the National Weather Service, the storm known as the ‘bomb cyclone’ brought up to 2-4 inches of rain and winds as high as 45 mph across all waters in Ventura on Wednesday, Jan. 4 and Thursday, Jan. 5.

Leslie Caldera ‘24 said, “I think [the storm] is perfect. [The rainstorm] is something that we needed since we’re in a drought, and it will make Ventura County look more green.”

Science teacher Woody Maxwell feels good about the rain: “We need all the water we can get.”

Maxwell said “I [had] a weather station in Moorpark when I taught there in 1980[s] and then I moved [to Ventura] in 1995 and got another weather station… then Donors Choose bought me a really nice one about ten years ago. I’ve been charting the weather in my room since 1997.”

A weather station is “a collection of instruments

According to the National Weather Service, impacts of this rainstorm include small stream flooding as well as mainstem river flooding. Photo by:

Mehael down and people [having] to evacuate their homes.”

that measure atmospheric conditions to help study the weather and climate of a specific location,” according to the Weather Station Advisor.

While many students and staff did like the rain, many also despised the damage and destruction that came along with such a severe storm.

VHS Math teacher Mark Tolkmitt said, “We needed the rain really bad [...] I don’t like to see the destruction, that’s not fun, I wish it would’ve been a little less intense.”

Julia Cruz ‘24 said, “The rain storm… was really nice but it was scary seeing how it caused roads to be shut

Libby Gallo ‘24 said, “I loved the rain when I was warm at home by my fire. The sound helps me stay focused if I need to study or read. At school [I didn’t like] the rain because I felt like a wet dog.”

Tracking the storm: In a press conference held on Wednesday, Jan. 4, Nancy Ward, California State Director of Emergency Services said, “We anticipate this may be one the most challenging and impactful series of storms to touch down in California in the last five years.”

Mister Softee rolls into Ventura High School

Elizabeth Botello said, “[The school brings Mister Softee because] students enjoy this ice cream truck and it’s a fundraising opportunity.

[Mister Softee] provides a percentage of their earnings to the school organization sponsoring them. Mister Softee is provided through ASB, which means the money goes directly back to

supporting students.”

Josue Romero ‘24 said, “I love Mister Softee. I go any week that I can. I think [the Mister Softee truck] might bring even more people though if it was more advertised and [happened] less often.”

Romero said, “Being lactose intolerant, I would love to see other food trucks like maybe some Mexican or Chinese food, but I still think Mister Softee is always worth a painful trip to the restroom.”

Liam McFadyen ‘24 said, “I think that [VHS] should make the [Mister Softee] truck come every day of the week. I would like it if [the school] brought in all the food trucks in town. Make it a food truck party. I’m a hungry dude. What can I say?”

It is possible for VHS to see more food trucks in the future, Botello said, “[Bringing new food trucks after school] would be awesome. Clubs, campus-wide organizations and sports teams are more than

According to the National Weather Service, “surf will be dangerously high for the Central Coast and Ventura Coast on Thursday [Jan. 5] where heights range from 12 to 22 feet. Breaking waves in excess of 15 to 20 feet can cause pier damage and lead to coastal flooding.”

California Governor Gavin Newsom declared a state of emergency on Jan. 4. Newsom said, “California is mobilizing to keep people safe from the impacts of the incoming storm. This state of emergency will allow the state to respond quickly as the storm develops and support local officials in their ongoing response.” As of Monday, Jan. 16, the State of Emergency is still intact.

The National Weather Service recommended that all beach-goers stay back from the water’s edge and the rocks. Although the rain continued into Friday, Jan. 6, the heaviest rain was on Jan. 5.

According to ABC7 News, Ventura closed its pier due to the threat on Wednesday, Jan. 4 at around 5 p.m. through Friday, Jan. 6. On Sunday, Jan. 8, President Biden also declared a State of Emergency in

California, As of Monday, Jan. 16, this State of Emergency remains active.

Multiple waves of heavy rain and snow happened in California on Monday, Jan. 9, and strong winds as high as 60 mph hit the coastline, along with 2-4 inches of rain which struck the lowlands of California, as well as Ventura County according to the My Radar Pro App

KTLA 5 News said, “Coastal areas and valleys including Oxnard and Camarillo had received over an inch of rain by early Monday [Jan. 9] afternoon with two to six inches of rainfall at higher elevations, causing street flooding in low-lying areas.”

On Monday, Jan. 9, an evacuation warning was issued for the Ventura Beach RV Beach Resort up until Tuesday, Jan. 10. The evacuation order has been lifted, but the area remains closed due to flooding as of Monday, Jan. 16. The Ventura Pier is still closed until further notice.

Ventura experienced an additional 1-2 inches of rain the evening of Saturday, Jan. 14, and early evening of Sunday, Jan. 15.

welcome to fundraise through a food truck after school. The food trucks do have to go through a district approval process prior to sales or access at campus events.”

The Mister Softee company has over 625 trucks along with multiple stores and 350 franchise dealers in 18 states. In October 2015, Mister Softee opened

Mission Statement

in Southern California. In Southern California, Mister Softee has five trucks and two retail stores. One store is in Camarillo, and the newer one is open in East Ventura. The company was founded in 1956 in Philadelphia.

Continued on. . . thecougarpress.org

The Cougar Press is a completely student-run, public forum of the Ventura High School community. We strive to present all sides of an issue fairly and without bias while being as resourceful to our readers as possible. From time to time, we make an error. When this happens, we try to correct it as soon as possible. Students and community members are encouraged to write for The Cougar Press and to submit photos and videos. We welcome all submissions but may edit them for clarity and brevity. This public forum is only as good as the community support it receives.

Kinda

Kinda Mehael

Mister Softee sells ice cream to VHS students Isabel Andrade

Most Wednesdays, the Mister Softee ice cream truck comes to VHS on the senior lawn and students get in line to buy ice cream from the truck.

Assistant Principal

The Mister Softee truck parks in the senior lawn most Wednesdays to sell ice cream to VHS students. Photo by: Weston Blackburn

California Governor issued a state of emergency, VUSD schools remained open

Weston Blackburn

Nicklaus Shelton

A line builds up after school at the Mister Softee truck. Photo by: Nicklaus Shelton

The library has a sign for the

On Nov. 30, the library got a brand new sign funded by the PTA. The library previously only had a small handmade sign

taped to the back of the glass door made by VHS’ teacher librarian, Susan Adamich. Adamich said, “[The new library sign] is beautiful. I love the lettering and the style. I don’t know [who designed it], but the PTA paid for it. They got

first time

somebody to design it and I know it has been years that we have been talking about having better signs on campus. [Before] when you would go to the office and look down here [towards the library] it just looked like a blank door. Now it says library a lot clearer [,so people can see it way better].”

Adamich made it clear that the library has never had an actual sign.

Adamich said, “I was even thinking of just painting the word library by myself onto the wall, seriously. [This] is not an easy school to navigate by [just looking].”

It has become an idea within the VHS faculty, such as the counselors and a handful of teachers on campus, to add more of these signs around campus. For example, labeling places such as the office and the cafeteria with signs in a similar style.

“A couple of the teachers say, ‘well why don’t we have these signs all over campus?’ And I think that’s in the plan [for the future] because [now that the library has a sign]. If you look down

to the office, it just looks like a blank door. The only thing the office has [for identification are] the small letters that read office on the glass door. You can barely read [the sign] because it’s see-through. [I am] hopeful of them getting signs like this all over campus. I would love it. And I’m sure visitors

would appreciate it to help guide them around campus,” said Adamich.

Bailey Steen ‘25 said, “The library sign looks nice. It looks very sleek.”

Adamich said, “I think they did a good job with the sign. Let’s hope that nobody tries to vandalize it because [I really like it].”

What’s cooking in culinary?

course. In all classes combined, there are 180 students enrolled.

The Ventura High School food, service and hospitality pathway consists of two year-long courses: CTE concentrator culinary & hospitality and CTE capstone culinary & hospitality honors. The concentrator course is an introduction to the pathway, while the capstone course

Hernandez said, “The significance of [the food, service and hospitality] pathway is to have kids be able to take multiple levels of a course. So it’s to start off at something, an intro level and then go more advanced. It’s to give the kids the experience of what it would be like to possibly look at this as a career. Our courses

course is geared toward beginners and focuses on the fundamentals like handling cooking equipment, sanitation, doing dishes and more. Conversely, the capstone course focuses on career prospects in the food service industry.

Hernandez said, “The more advanced level is for kids that have already known [the basics]. So they learn how to work in the industry. They go off on internships, and I pair them with different chefs and restaurants in the community. In all classes they tend to have lectures, then they have lab days where they have hands-on activities where they do actual cooking.”

where it sold baked goods like cookies and cupcakes. Hernandez said, “We have some things that are being talked about right now since the last one was so successful. I know in February of last

must receive Hernandez’s signature on their registration forms during the registration period. Afterward, the form is transferred to counselors and students are enrolled according to the course’s availability.

teaches honors-level culinary material. Kayla Hernandez, who has taught the pathway for nine years, teaches four periods of the concentrator course and one period of the capstone

are considered to be CTE, [which is] career technical education. [This means] the way we teach our classes is what it would be like in the actual industry.”

The concentrator

Madeline George ‘23, a culinary student, said, “We cook a lot more in [the capstone class]. In the beginner class, you have to learn the basics and even though you still cook you take notes on different cuisines and that sort of thing. Whereas in this class we mainly just cook and we do more advanced recipes.”

The VHS food, service and hospitality pathway participated in a Dec. 3 market organized by Pete’s Breakfast House,

year we [sold cupcakes] for Valentine’s Day and it was very successful. We’re definitely going to be doing that again [this year].”

In order for students to register for the concentrator class, they

Students can bypass the concentrator class to enroll at the capstone level, but it is a decision they must make with their counselor and Hernandez. Otherwise, they must first complete the concentrator course before advancing.

The new library sign above the doors. In the glass window is the old handmade sign by teacher librarian Susan Adamich. Photo by: Kendall Garcia

All Ventura High School food, service and hospitality pathway classes are held in room 83. Photo by: Alejandro Hernandez

Ace Rico

Ventura High School’s library welcomes its first official sign

Ventura High School offers two different levels of culinary courses on campus, where students can learn about food, service and hospitality

Kendall Garcia

Keilani Kozen ‘23, a culinary student, said, “When my sister went to [VHS] she took the [concentrator] culinary class during her junior year. [Because of that], I’ve known about the class for a while and have wanted to join whenever I got the opportunity.” Photo by: Alejandro Hernandez

Kendall Garcia

Some consider the office sign to be hard to see from a distance. VHS staff are hopeful of getting a new sign for the office, just like the library. Photo by: Kendall Garcia

Alejandro Hernandez

Girls Varsity Water Polo Against Pacifica High School

Op-ed letter to the editor: CIF gender sports guideline

Editor, I am writing to express my disappointment with the opinion article in the print edition of the Cougar Press by Lia Hersh, “Opinion: CIF gender sports guideline is being shunned by VHS,” that came out on December 9, 2022.

Ventura High School is absolutely not ignoring any CIF rules or guidelines. On the State CIF website, Article 30, School Regulations, 300.

General Provisions states:

Gender Identity Participation Participation in interscholastic athletics is a valuable part of the educational experience for all students. All students should have the opportunity to participate in CIF activities in a manner that is consistent with their gender identity, irrespective of the gender listed on a student’s records.

(Approved February 2013 Federated Council/Editorial May 2022) Here is a link to that page: https://cifstate.org/ governance/constitution/300_ Series.pdf

When interviewed by Ms. Hersh for this article, I made it very clear that CIF rules and California state law are very clear that a high school athlete has the right to participate in a CIF sport with the gender they identify with. Schools absolutely may not require an athlete to “go through a physical examination, have them talk to a psychologist, and have them write a letter to the CIF to get approval.” I do not know where Ms. Hersh found “Understanding the Different Rules and Policies for Transgender Athletes” that she referenced in her article, but that information does not come the CIF and it is absolutely incorrect. I would hope that in the future the Cougar Press would do more relevant research and base their opinion pieces on factual information.

Sincerely, David Hess

Athletic Director

Trashy snowboarders vs preppy skiers

Winter to early spring is the prime time to hit the slopes. California has many ski resorts, some of which are only a couple of hours away from Ventura. Big Bear is located in the San Bernardino Mountain Range and offers different terrain levels to accommodate beginner, intermediate and advanced levels of skiers and snowboarders, the two sports are similar yet very different in feeling and style.

During the many three-day weekends during winter and especially during the two-week long winter break, many families head to the mountains. Winter sports are very popular in Ventura, despite the moderate weather. Stores like Patagonia, REI, Real Cheap Sports and Play It Again Sports sell everything one could need for these winter sports.

Reid Kemble ‘23 said, “I prefer snowboarding because I’ve been doing it for almost 10 years and haven’t really tried skiing. I feel that the motions of snowboarding are more familiar to surfing and skating. Being a beach town kid, [surfing] comes pretty naturally.”

Jake Eulenhoeffer ‘23 said, “I enjoy skiing rather than snowboarding for a couple [of] reasons. First, you get to

go faster down the mountain because you are more stable on skis than you are on a snowboard. Second, it is easier to land big jumps because you do not have to worry about your center of gravity in the air tilting as much, which is the cause of a lot of falls

popular in the U.S. during the 1980s, while skiing has been around since the mid1800s. Skiing was viewed as a more classy endeavor, while snowboarding fell into the “extreme sports” craze that swept across America. Stereotypes associated with

when snowboarding. Third, you have more control over skis, as you can turn each ski a different way and that allows you to take on the ski runs that are classified as ‘double-blackdiamonds.’”

Due to the popularity of both skiing and snowboarding, those involved in each sport tend to have strong opinions about the other. This has its roots in the relative newness of snowboarding, first becoming

skiing include “old money” families heading to the resort in the winter while snowboarding stereotypes lean towards teenagers and young adults seeking a thrill. Skiers viewed snowboarders as rambunctious and irritating, while snowboarders saw skiers as pretentious and stuck-up. This debate still persists today, though much less fiery.

Two sports very similar on the surface; yet their supporters would argue otherwise Annika Lange

Jake Eulenhoefer ‘23 skiing at Mammoth Mountain Ski Resort in 2021. Eulenhoefer said, “The worst part about both of them is that you have to traverse across flat ground sometimes, which is only manageable if you are on skis. You can skate across and use your poles to push you, but on a snowboard you basically have to walk.”

Photo by: Reid Kemble

Team captain Abigail Block ‘23 (pictured No.8) and Delaney Poulos ‘23 (pictured No.5) wait for the whistle to swim towards the ball on Wednesday, Dec. 7 at the varsity waterpolo game against Pacifica High School at Oxnard High School. Photo by: Annika Lange

Delaney Poulos ‘23 (left center, No.5) attempts to shoot the ball and score a goal for her team. Abby Block ‘23 (right center) is blocked by a Pacifica player. Photo by: Annika Lange

The final game score was 19-2, with Ventura winning by 17 points. Photo by: Annika Lange

Coach Matt Cherrie calls a timeout during the second quarter. Julia Cherrie ‘26 said, “I think one of the highlights [of the game] was probably Mikayla Base’s goals, as she is super talented and has a strong arm.” Photo by: Annika Lange

Valerie Lory ‘24 (No.13) said, “We did really well with a lot of people stepping up to play at the next level, such as JV playing with varsity. New players got the opportunity to play and get better in this game.” Photo by: Annika Lange

Hugh Murphy

Kelsee Espitia ‘23 looks to pass the ball to one of her teammates. Her defender swims head down. Photo by: Annika Lange

KatieNameRundle AnnikaNameLange

Student band Loop 83 performs at Topa Topa

vocals, Fletcher Freeman ‘23 plays drums, Reid Kemble ‘23 plays the bass and Foothill’s Aidan Connelly ‘23 plays lead guitar in addition to singing lead vocals.

On Nov. 18, at the Topa Topa Brewing Company

Loop 83 began their set list with “Intro”, the first

lifestyle-based project driven by connections to art, surf and skate communities. Innocnts posted an instagram post on Nov. 12 stating that “Strangeways is “Inspired by an interest in 90’s and early 2000’s surf / skate videos [and] is a 30+ minute edit in homage to that kind of vibe.” The movie puts emphasis on the fact that it is based on friends surfing and skating to good music without sponsors or professionals.

This is the band’s second live performance. They played in Downtown Ventura on Oct. 15 from 6 to 8 p.m. They had special guest appearances from other VHS students and played their entire set list to anyone walking down Main Street.

on 104 E Thompson Blvd., an Innocnts surf and skate movie titled “Strangeways” premiered. Local band Loop 83 played after the video premiered. They played a total of 13 songs around 8:30 p.m. Loop 83 consists of 4 VUSD high school students: VHS’s Jack Gordon ‘23 plays rhythm guitar and sings backup

song on their 2022 album “It Also Rains In Summer.”

Jack Gordon ‘23 said, “[I like ‘Intro’] because it’s really funky.” Gordon also said, “[I like ] ‘Watch What You Say’ because it’s really fun to play live and everyone really likes it so it’s good.”

Based in California, Innocnts claims to be a

Friends, family and even VHS staff came out to support the band. Jack Gordon ‘23 said, “A lot of familiar faces were here and a way better crowd turnout than I thought there was going to be, so it was a really fun time and we got to see a lot of friends.”

Loop 83 most recently released their single “Malibu” on Oct. 21 of this year. The band has not announced plans to release another album. Bennett Torgerson ‘23 said, “I think they should come out with a new album as soon as possible.”

TikTok is a short-form video sharing app that came from Musical.ly. In 2018, all users’ Musical.ly accounts automatically became TikTok accounts. According to Insider Intelligence, a research company that specializes in digital marketing and trends, TikTok will have over 750 million monthly users worldwide this year.

TikTok has been downloaded by users over

for content creators to be able to film and edit inside the app. When these videos are done correctly, they go viral quickly. TikTok is said to be a more authentic form of social media. In a study done by Search Engine Journal, 64 percent of users say they can be their true selves on TikTok and 53 percent of users say they even trust others to be their true selves on the app.

“I’m not really surprised that [TikTok is] the most downloaded app

become the only social media app that has the main focus of doing short video creation and sharing. The apps “for you page” is a personalized feed of content that analyzes a user’s likes, shares, views and is hyper-personalized to its user. Another feature of TikTok was added in September of 2022 is the TikTok Now feature. This feature is almost identical to BeReal, an app that came out in 2020 and promotes users to post “real” content. Both the apps send one alert throughout the day prompting users to take and upload a picture of what they are doing at that moment. The BeReal app rapidly gained popularity in 2022 which is around the same time “TikTok Now” made its similar feature within the TikTok app.

Kiera Golden ‘25 said, “My ‘for you page’ is hyper personalized by my likes because there’s a wide variety of things I like on my ‘for you page.’”

Lia Gillam ‘24 said, “[TikTok is] super personalized.”

even has NFL teams like the Los Angeles Rams (@rams) or the Minnesota Vikings (@ vikings). Users on TikTok have a large selection of audios, special effects and filters to choose from. The

of Public Health. Petrillo discusses the app’s popularity with teenagers making up one third of all accounts. TikTok addiction is even compared to a gambling addiction.

“[I believe I’m addicted to TikTok], because

three billion times according to Business of Apps, an app that helps people learn about app marketing and skills. There are many reasons why the app has become so popular. One of the main selling points of TikTok is

because I think that’s where a lot of trends form and people want to stay on top of trends,” said Sofia Hallahan ‘23.

TikTok is different from other social media apps. With the app Vine being shut down in 2016, TikTok has

TikTok reaches more than just the average person. TikTok is also used by businesses such as Target (@target) and Walmart (@walmart).

Celebrities are also on TikTok, such as Kim Kardashian (@ kimkardashian), and the app

app is filled with every topic one can imagine and is even considered to be addictive in a study done by Sophia Petrillo, Brown Undergraduate Journal

I think [that] ever since COVID-19 I have been very attached and I can’t seem to focus on things anymore.” said Golden.

TikTok is still at the top of the social media hierarchy, even in 2022

Band members Aidan Connelly (far left), Fletcher Freeman (middle left), Reid Kemble (middle), Jack Gordon (middle right) and supporter Wyatt Mojo (far right) after their second live performance at Topa Topa. Photo by: Jane Armstrong

Percentage of TikTok users by age the majority being high school aged people from 13-17. Graphic by: The Infinite Agency

Jane Armstrong

The high school band plays their second live performance at the premiere of the surf and skate movie “Strangeways”

TikTok has been the most downloaded app for the past three years, but why has the app become so popular?

Kendall Garcia

The app’s new TikTok Now feature is making users post before viewing other’s posts. The feature launched in September of 2022. Photo by: Kendall Garcia

Sophia Nacu

Loop 83 preformed at Topa Topa Brewing Company on Nov.18 following the premiere of the Innocnts surf and skate movie “Strangeways.” Graphic by: @Innocnts on Instagram

Ella Montano

What can teenagers learn from working?

Jobs for teenagers offer a variety of skills that will help students in their adult lives. Part-time jobs can help students learn about money management, negotiation,

great for teens. Getting paid every two weeks and actually working for their own money is a lot more rewarding than money just being handed over. Having their own paycheck also helps manage the value of money and gives a new sense

schedule that much which I like.”

Sophie Gonzalez ‘23 said, “I find my job to be pretty helpful in many areas of my life. I enjoy having my own money and knowing that I am earning it myself. Starting good financial habits now is a big reason as to why I’m working. If I can be responsible with money at 17, I can only hope that I’ll be doing the same when I’m older. I think that having a job is beneficial to my time management as well. It keeps me on a schedule that I otherwise wouldn’t have. I have never been very good with my time management and I can feel it improving as I continue to work. I like knowing how to plan out my days surrounding the time I’m scheduled for.”

Working opens up people’s worlds. Many people work minimum wage or parttime jobs, a lot more than just teenagers. Having a job forces people to work with people they would never usually be in contact with. At any and all workplaces, the staff is forced to be around people with different backgrounds, work ethics and general morals. For the most part, staff has to try their best to get along with each other.

Gonzalez said, “I’m surrounded by many different

kinds of people [at work] and I’m their equal despite being younger. It’s an interesting dynamic but I enjoy it.”

Teens can also learn great time management skills from having a job. Even if it is only a couple of shifts a week it is a great way to start managing time independently. Having a job forces people to start making decisions on what to put first in life.

Continued on. . . thecougarpress.org

time management and personal responsibilities.

A big stress for teenagers can be where to get money from. Constantly asking parents for money on the verge of adulthood can be embarrassing. Eventually parents will start saying, “No.” This is why a part-time job is

of freedom.

Lily Carnaghe ‘23 said, “I work at the Copper Coffee Pot Cafe across from school. I spend about eight and a half hours at work each week so it’s really not that bad. I think my job is pretty good as a source of easy money and usually it doesn’t disrupt my

An important lesson to learn early on in a teen’s working career is how to spot a hostile work environment and how to get out of one. Not all bosses are good ones, and it is important for people to learn this lesson early on in life. Preferably before they settle into a “real” job. Hostile work environments have a variety of different aspects. Some signs to look out for are a toxic workplace, threatening behavior and discriminatory or racist comments.

Movie review: “Barbarian,” think twice about renting this Airbnb

“Barbarian” is a twisty thriller consisting of a modern day setting and history that stretches all the way back to the 1980s. Zach Cregger wrote and directed “Barbarian”, this was Cregger’s solo debut and his first horror film, realsed on Sept. 9 2022. Cregger’s interesting twist on a horror had every horror fan shocked.

Our main characters Tess, played by Georgina Campbell, and Keith, played by Bill Skarsgard, turn out to

pouring rain set the tone for what was to come. Tess gave a knock at the door and received no response. She continued to knock repeatedly until a tall, confused man opened the door. Tess and who we now know as Keith realize the house had been double booked and Tess is very hesitant when Keith begins offering to share the rental for the time being. Having nowhere else to go, Tess agrees to share the rental house with a complete stranger instead of trusting her own instincts. The house, covered in fancy furnishings and decorations, is on a post-

can definitely be accredited to the fact that Tess was a woman as the main character and she was the sole survivor that didn’t rely on any men unlike the traditional concept of a horror film where women are portrayed as dumb or incapable compared to the male characters.

Melanie True ‘26 said, “Honestly, it was the most interesting horror movie I have ever watched, like it was actually entertaining. I liked the main character, she wasn’t dumb and stupid.”

her help and she finds multiple human-sized cages. All of a sudden Keith runs towards her from the opposite side of the tunnels and is severely injured. We are then introduced to the “villain” of this film and Tess and

tunnels. The deformed woman attacks him and takes him deeper into the tunnels where he is introduced to Tess. Tess is the only one left alive between her and Keith. She tells AJ that he needs to obey “the Mother” the deformed woman

be the victims of a doublebooking scam. Tess, the main character, goes to Detroit for a job interview and had previously booked a rental house to stay at for the time being. Upon arrival, the dark

apocalyptic street in Detroit.

In our opinion, “Barbarian” was very good and its non-traditional concept contributed to its quality and shock factor. The nontraditional aspect of the film

The next day, Tess is at the house alone after her interview and discovers a secret room in the rental basement, resulting in her being deeply unnerved by it. Tess finds that the basement door has locked behind her, and once Keith returns home he helps her out of the room. She immediately wants to pack her stuff and leave, encouraging Keith to join her, and he agrees but wants to see the basement first. Tess is visibly frustrated but waits by the front door. An unreasonable amount of time passes and Tess grows worried, so she goes down to the basement to see if he is okay. She finds a new room in the basement that she hadn’t seen before and goes down there to look for Keith. Once in the subterranean tunnels, she hears Keith screaming for

On a Nov. 16 Instagram poll on the.cougar.press on Instagram with 91 VHS student participants, we found out what percentage of VHS students have seen “Barbarian.” They were given the options “I have seen the movie” and “I have not seen the movie.” We found that the majority have not seen the movie “Barbarian.” Graphic by: Summer Williams

Keith are both attacked while trying to leave the tunnels by a severely deformed woman who is lengthy and nude. It is assumed that both are killed by this. At this point, the screen goes black and three weeks later we are introduced to an actor named AJ who we find out is the owner of the rental. He needs quick money due to legal allegations and decides to go inspect it so he can sell it. AJ inspects the house upon arrival and discovers the

and pretend to be her baby. Tess has managed to stay alive by obeying her and drinking from a large baby bottle that she gives her and now wants AJ to drink from. AJ refuses and is dragged away to a room where we see a TV playing an outdated 80’s program about breastfeeding. Tess uses this as her opportunity to escape.

Hannah Stamp ‘23 (left) and Malana Morton ‘23 (right) point to the tip jar at The Coffee Copper Pot Cafe. Teens with part-time jobs make money they can use on whatever they prefer. Whether it be their tips or their pay check, they have the freedom to manage their own money. Photo by: Lily Carnaghe

As of Nov 30. “Barbarian” has grossed $40.8 million in the United States and Canada, and $4.5 million in other territories, for a worldwide total of $45.3 million. Graphic by: Ella Duncan

Many students don’t need to work but should get a job anyways

Two strangers explore the basement of a Detroit rental home in this twisted horror debut that we can’t get enough of Summer Williams

Kendall Garcia

Having a job does put employees in some situations that seem impossible to deal with, but overcoming these types of situations builds confidence. Photo by: Kendall Garcia

Ella Duncan

Distractions