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Friday April 29, 2022
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“The future depends on what you do today.” -Mahatma Ghandi
Los estudiantes de inglés perseveran en la escuela secundaria Ventura Los estudiantes de inglés constituyen más del 16 por ciento del alumnado, pero ¿cómo se acomodan?
Alejandro Hernandez Rachel Gonzalez English version on... thecougarpress.org Los estudiantes de la escuela secundaria Ventura están separados en diferentes grupos según su estado de adquisición del idioma inglés (ELAS), que está determinado por la fluidez en inglés. Estos grupos son solo inglés (EO), dominio inicial del inglés fluido (IFEP), dominio del inglés fluido reclasificado (RFEP), aprendices de inglés (EL) y por determinar (TBD). Entre estas clasificaciones, EL se considera la más baja en fluidez. El Departamento de Educación de California (CDE, por sus siglas en inglés) define EL cómo «un estudiante que se inscribe en una escuela de California a partir de cualquier nivel de grado, desde kínder de transición hasta el grado doce, tiene un idioma que no es inglés identificado en la Encuesta del idioma del hogar, y luego de la evaluación, obtuvo un nivel de competencia en inglés que indica que los programas y servicios son necesarios». Según la Oficina de informes del CDE, 365 de los 2165 estudiantes de VHS están
amigo, solo té traduce y ya». De acuerdo con la Sección 48985 del Código de Educación de California, si el 15 por ciento o más de los estudiantes en una escuela pública hablan un idioma principal que no sea inglés, todos los documentos escolares deben estar escritos en ambos idiomas. VHS cae bajo la regla del 15 por ciento ya que el 31.78 por ciento de los estudiantes hablan español como idioma principal. Legazpi dijo: «Todos mis clases están en inglés. La única clase que tuve como por una semana fue matemáticas con Rivera que si él habla español, pero me cambiaron. Después tuve puras clases con maestros que no hablan español pero siempre tratan de buscar compañeros que hablan español e inglés para que me puedan traducir. A veces algunos maestros me daban las hojas en espanol para yo poder lo entender y hacer los trabajos». Los estudiantes de EO son personas que solo hablan inglés. Los estudiantes de IFEP son aquellos que generalmente tienen habilidades del idioma inglés bien desarrolladas, pero que ocasionalmente pueden necesitar ayuda con temas menos familiares. Los alumnos RFEP son ex
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What’s online?
Infographic by: Rachel Gonzalez
Todos los miércoles durante el almuerzo, la maestra de apoyo para estudiantes de inglés, Emily Bradvica Downard, lleva a cabo sesiones de «Simon dice» para estudiantes de inglés en el salón 50. En las sesiones, los estudiantes adivinan la palabra en inglés para la acción de otro estudiante. Foto por: Alejandro Hernández
inglés, historia, matemáticas, etc.), si aprobaron el examen general de inglés SBAC, y otros puntos de datos para determinar si están listos para ser reclasificados. Finalmente, los padres son informados y deciden si están de acuerdo con la reclasificación o no». Carlos Ayala (grado 11), quien es un EL, dijo: «Me agrada mucho la escuela me gusta y voy bien en cuanto a mis calificaciones y actividades. No tengo mucha tarea y me asignaron varias clases donde se habla español para poderme facilitar la escuela en lo que aprendo
nacieron en los EE. UU. y han ido a la escuela aquí desde la escuela primaria. Algunos se han mudado recientemente aquí desde otro país». Bradvica Downard y el consejero EL Francisco Castillo ofrecen recursos de apoyo para los EL. Bradvica Downard dijo: «Aquí en VHS, cualquier estudiante ELL o ELL reclasificado puede venir al Salón 50 para ver al Sr. Castillo o con cualquier pregunta, inquietud o para obtener apoyo académico o emocional. ¡Somos el equipo de apoyo de VHS ELL! También hay un equipo de
Are people of color represented at VHS?
Photo by: Lauren Minadeo
VHS art students take on Italy- how did it go?
Photo by: Brody Daw
Wait… college can be affordable? Según el Departamento de Educación de California, los estudiantes de inglés que hablan español constituyen el 97.26 por ciento de la población total de estudiantes de inglés en VHS. Foto por: Alejandro Hernández
clasificados como EL (a partir del año escolar 2021-2022). Esto significa que el 16.86 por ciento de la población estudiantil se considera EL. Uno de esos EL es Karley Legazpi (grado 12), quien se mudó a los EE. UU. en 2019. Legazpi dijo: «Es muy difícil [la escuela sin hablar inglés] porque puedes tener amigos que no hablan inglés pero no te pueden ayudar porque no hablan inglés. También es muy difícil hacer amigos que hablan inglés y español porque muchos los conocen porque son primos o algo así. No tienes a nadie. Mejor tienes un traductor en alguna clase. Te traduce pero como que no trata de ser tu
alumnos EL que lograron fluidez en inglés, eliminando la necesidad de apoyo y permitiendo la reclasificación. Los estudiantes por determinar no han sido verificados en sus habilidades del idioma inglés. La maestra de apoyo para estudiantes de inglés, Emily Bradvica Downard, dijo: «Un estudiante ELL puede ser reclasificado como NO ELL si primero obtiene un cuatro en el examen ELPAC. Luego, un maestro, un consejero [o] un comité administrativo revisa el puntaje actual de lectura léxica de cada estudiante, sus calificaciones en sus clases (especialmente en sus clases principales como
inglés. Si he reducido mucha ayuda de varios maestros y mi consejero para poder tomar clases y ayudas para facilitarme el trabajo, como en las clases de historia me han ayudado mucho». Paola Chavez (grado 12) dijo: «Cuando no hablaba inglés en la escuela, estaba muy frustrada porque no me podía comunicar con mis maestros y era muy difícil hacer amigos porque la mayoría del tiempo se reían de mí sin que yo supiera». Bradvica Downard dijo: «Cada estudiante designado “EL” tiene una historia y situación diferente. Algunos estudiantes EL
apoyo a nivel de distrito. Ayudó a los ELL reuniéndose uno a uno o en grupos pequeños con ellos, brindándoles apoyo académico, observando clases, apoyando a sus maestros, haciendo llamadas telefónicas a casa, reuniéndose con las familias, celebrando sus éxitos, brindando preparación para exámenes (ELPAC), conectando a ELLS con otros recursos (ACTIVOS, tutoría, terapeutas, etc.), conectándonos con oportunidades (excursiones, información universitaria, información laboral, etc.) y mucho más». Continued on... thecougarpress.org
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What’s the word about Wordle?
The game “Wordle” had found its way to the VHS campus, nowhere near unpopular
Elise Sisk
Wordle, a word game from England, has recently swept the nation and made its way to the VHS campus. Many students can be overheard in the halls talking about that day’s Wordle. The point of Wordle is to guess the five-letter word in six guesses or less. Each day, there is a new word for players to guess. Many players run the risk of the word being spoiled for them if they do not play it early enough. The game was released in October 2021, but gained popularity on TikTok in January.
It was bought by the New York Times at the end of the month. This acquisition sparked outrage throughout the Wordle community, as they feared that daily Wordle would no longer be free. However, according to The New York Times, “Wordle will be free to play for new and existing players, and no changes will be made to its gameplay.” Wordle has had its fair share of spin offs, including Taylordle (about Taylor Swift), Heardle (guess the song), Nerdle (math equations) and many more. But the original version remains the most popular. Continued on... thecougarpress.org
When people get (or don’t get) the daily Wordle, there is the option to share the results. The Wordle website autogenerates these messages, letting people share their Wordle scores without giving away the answer. Photo by: Elise Sisk
VHS knows Mose
Learn a little extra about VHS extrovert, Mose Cook
Alina Reitz Mose Cook is a senior at Ventura High who loves donuts, “annoying” his track coach, Tyree Cruz and making those around him happy. He is an extremely outgoing student who has a positive impact on everyone around him. Cook has been voted “Cougar of the month” twice, and homecoming prince, so his impact on the school has not gone unnoticed. “I think people just like my energy. I know there are people who are too energetic and are really annoying but I think I’m a little less of that. I’m just energetic enough for people to like me, so it’s easy for me to meet new people,” Cook said. However, the Mose Cook VHS
knows today wasn’t always so talkative. His life leading up to high school has taught him valuable lessons, shaping him into the person he is today. “When I was little… I didn’t talk much, and when I got my tonsils removed, then I started yipping, yapping and talking whenever. But I think the reason why I’m so social is that I learned not to be afraid of people– and if anyone was gonna do something to me– I learned how to run fast.” In his interview, he made it clear that talking is his personal mechanism to deal with hard situations. He said, “I’ll talk to get someone else out of trouble. I’m a good talker.” He is loyal to his friends and he would go to great lengths to help them out.
Editors
Features
Student feature: Robert Wolfe’s journey to greener pastures
Sophomore Robert Wolfe on his embracement of nature and frontiersmanship
Alejandro Hernandez Sophomore Robert Wolfe calls himself a frontiersman. Frontiersman is defined by Merriam-Webster as, “a person who lives or works on a frontier.” Frontier is defined as, “a region that forms the margin of settled or developed territory.” But how does Wolfe define frontiersman? Wolfe defines a frontiersman as someone who is a “trail-blazer” and prefers to take their own path rather than following an existing one. He said, “I would refer to myself as a hiker, but a hiker is someone who follows the trail. I’m a frontiersman and I reckon that I’m the one who makes the trails.” Specifically, Wolfe identifies the activities of a frontiersman as explorationbased. Wolfe said, “Frontiersmen like making trails, walking trails and just exploring areas that ain’t nobody has walked before. It’s a really fun experience because you know you’re probably going to find something or uncover something that’s been lost for a really long time.” Sophomore Maximus
This only goes to show why so many people are drawn to him and consider him a great friend. Freshman Alina Garcia described Cook as, “Crazy and funny,” she continued, “I haven’t known him too long but he’s been a good friend.” Freshman Bailey Burmam became friends with Cook through track. She described him as, “Energetic and really nice. He’s a really good friend and I’m always laughing when I’m around him.” These are just a few statements made by some students that see Mose’s attitude towards life. He’s known to often sprint around campus and introduce himself in
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Sophomore Robert Wolfe said, “As a frontiersman I like being in nature. I really love being barefoot when it’s not snake season. But when it is snake season, snake hunting is definitely a good activity that me and some of my other friends do.” Photo by: Alejandro Hernandez
McTaggart said, “I’ve known Robert since the beginning of the school year. He is like Dwight Schrute from the office and he is the coolest person in our school. His frontiersmanship is gnarly.” Some of Wolfe’s non-outdoor-related pastimes include going to the gym and playing guitar. However, Wolfe estimates that he spends approximately 60 percent of his free time outdoors. Wolfe said, “Being in nature, doing anything in nature, climbing trees, digging holes for no reason– they’re frontiersman activities. I like
doing them.” Wolfe didn’t always consider himself a frontiersman. He said, “I realized that I was a frontiersman when people started calling me one. When I was doing what I did, I didn’t even know the word ‘frontiersman.’ I was just hiking barefoot through uncharted territory but as I got more and more educated off of books I read and such, it occurred to me that I was a frontiersman. It’s what I am.”
classrooms. “It’s mostly Gallo’s because not only do I like him but I like econ, and he’s fine with it, I’ll just sit down and chill and answer questions… it’s usually
teachers that I’ve had before and if not it’s classes that my friends are in,” Cook said.
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Bailey Burmam said, “Mose is always doing weird things and making us laugh when we hangout during sixth period.” Photo by Alina Reitz
Staff
Avea Baker Brody Daw Avery Cameron Samantha Castañeda Adi De Clerck Sophia Denzler Isabella Fierros Gisselle Garcia Halle Gentry
Alejandro Hernandez Belen Hibbler Olive Kranzler Tyler Lopez Julian Martinez Ava Mohror Rowan Muñoz Sophia Nacu Emily Nguyen Alina Reitz
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On-Campus
Should students be allowed to receive food Simulating the United deliveries? Nations Food deliveries from outside vendors are banned at VHS
A perspective on the Model United Nations club
Alejandro Hernandez Food delivery is a service that is currently dominated by DoorDash, Uber Eats, Grubhub and Postmates. They deliver to homes, businesses and in the case of Ventura High School, schools. According to the April 24 Ventura High School weekly newsletter, “VHS has seen an increase in students leaving class early before the bell rings to try and meet food delivery services on the perimeter of campus.” VHS Principal Marissa Cervantes said, “Due to safety concerns with unknown adult contacts, our site has prohibited [food deliveries] from occurring. [Food deliveries] have not occurred at a high number due to the newsletter communications, bulletin slides and warnings issued. Most consequences have been warnings as well as advising drivers [that] VHS drop offs will not be allowed in the future. Campus supervision assists with this as well.” The newsletter also said, “Admin would like to reiterate that food deliveries from outside vendors such
Alejandro Hernandez
Students for Latino rights A synopsis of the Latino Rights Club
Alejandro Hernandez The Latino Rights Club (formerly known as the Latinx Rights Club) is a club at Ventura High School that focuses on activism for the Latino community. Its presidents are juniors Mateo Navarro, Sinthia Cardenas and Lilia Duque. The club was founded in fall 2021.
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The Model United Nations club, also known as Model UN or MUN, is a club at Ventura High School. The club has been around since 2015 and it has nine members as of March 6. MUN meets every second and fourth Thursday of the month in room 102. The club is advised by English teacher Elizabeth Mainz. Its president is sophomore Emily Sehati. The 2021-2022 school year is Sehati’s first year as MUN president, a position previously held by now VHS alum Talia Wilcox. Sehati said, “MUN teaches skills that can be used beyond the classroom. Students learn how to express themselves professionally, research and become educated on past and present matters, practice public speaking and learn the ability to look for solutions and compromises.” During MUN meetings, members participate in both moderated and unmoderated caucuses. A caucus is a discussion session where participants decide on a strategy or response to global affairs, similar to the real United Nations. Moderated caucuses are overseen by a moderator and “delegates” are given
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to let voices be heard and people be seen.” The club organizes various projects such as movie nights, Spanishlanguage book drives and partnering with organizations such as the Central Coast Alliance United for A Sustainable Economy (CAUSE) or the Mixteco Indigena Community Organizing Project (MICOP). The club also occasionally holds workshops. Freshman Kamilah Montes de Oca, who is a Latino Rights Club member, said, “I’ve been in it [the club] since the first meeting. [I like] the feeling of accomplishment, I feel like we could make change. Mateo, Lilia and Sinthia are great and kind people and they’re amazing leaders. Also the members are really creative and hardworking.”
There are nine active members in the Latino Rights Club as of April 12. Navarro said, “The club took two weeks to start up.” Senior Alex Valianos, who is a member of the Latino Rights Club, said, “The club definitely provides insight on other cultures than I know. I grew up in a completely European household, so listening to the discussions in the club amongst the Latino members has helped me to learn and understand some of the quirks and struggles of that community.” The club has previously hosted a showing of the movie “McFarland, USA,” which took place at the senior lawn on Dec. 17, 2021. The club sold tamales, horchata, hot chocolate and popcorn at the event. At the fall Food Faire on Nov. 19, 2021, the club sold pan
dulce. Later at the spring Food Faire on March 25, the club sold duros and raspados. Valianos said, “My favorite part of the club is the open and fun atmosphere that it has. I would absolutely recommend that others join the club. There are never too many people when it comes to discussing, understanding, and acting for the rights of Latino people. For my other non-Latino friends as well, joining would be a wonderful learning opportunity of a culture and ethnicity different from theirs.” To join the Latino Rights Club, students can go to club meetings that take place every Monday and Friday at the ASB room (number 113). The club can also be joined through its Remind (its class code is @latinorig). There are no prerequisites to join.
The Atoms for Peace statue on north Catalina street is one of the two main food delivery pickup locations (the other being Poli street). Photo by: Alejandro Hernandez
as Uber Eats and DoorDash are not allowed. Please pack a lunch for your student or encourage them to eat a free meal at our cafeteria.” Senior Jackson LaTourette, who has ordered food delivery to school, said, “They should [be allowed to order food deliveries] because it’s their money and they have the right to do so. It doesn’t affect anyone else.” If a student wanted to order Jack in the Box from Postmates, it would arrive at VHS in approximately 10 to 20 minutes. If students ordered their food beforehand as the newsletter claimed, then students could receive food
Navarro said, “The Latino Rights Club is a club dedicated to activism, legislation, appreciation and forum of Latino community and culture. It was started as a chance to finally have a place to outreach towards our Latino population on campus, as we didn’t have any form of representation before this, and we wanted
On April 11, the Latino Rights club held a meeting at lunch to discuss options on what activism organizations to partner with. Photo by: Alejandro Hernandez
the floor with limited time to speak. Sophomore Katie Wicks, who is a MUN member, said, “unmoderated caucuses are like Locher fishbowls on steroids.” Junior Siena Cherry, who is vice president of MUN, said, “I have been in MUN since my sophomore year. I love all the people you meet at conferences, and how we discuss and stay on-top of current political and global issues.” Model United Nations conferences are events where international students partake in a simulation of the United Nations. They tackle a central issue and pass resolutions in an attempt to solve the issue. Participants are given countries to represent. MUN members must attend at least one Model UN conference per semester. Model UN conferences are held by the Model United Nations Institute. Cherry said, “I have only attended [MUN] conferences on Zoom. I believe last school year I went to three online conferences.”
deliveries at the beginning of lunch. Junior Isabelle Rivera, who has not ordered food delivery to school, said, “I think students should be allowed to order food delivery services. Especially lowerclassmen since they can’t apply for an off-campus pass yet. Even as an upperclassman that has an off-campus pass, I would still order from food delivery services. I don’t think it’s a bad thing to have it ordered once in a while, but it could become a problem if it’s constant.”
Mission Statement
Sehati said, “Beyond public speaking, MUN teaches students how to research topics, debate points, how to improvise and compromise...”
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.
Contact us at thecougarpressvhs@gmail.com
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Sports
The Sletten sisters are the top duo on the VHS beach volleyball team In the 2022 season of girls beach volleyball, Olivia and Sophia Sletten are proving to be quite the set
Ava Mohror Senior Olivia Sletten (#13) and sophomore Sophia Sletten (#22) are in the top spot for duos on the beach volleyball team at Ventura High School during the 2022 season. This is also the first season that beach volleyball is a CIF sport at VHS. This season, Olivia Sletten is also captain of the varsity beach volleyball team. “It’s so sick to be a part of and be the captain of the first CIF beach volleyball team at Ventura. I’m excited to have the Santa Barbara team’s in our league for some more good competition,” said Olivia Sletten. Being part of CIF this year opens up the VHS girls beach volleyball team to playing with more teams in the league. Sophia Sletten also expressed her eagerness to play against Santa Barbara teams: “It is exciting that we have Santa Barbara team’s in the league for some more competition.”
before joining the VHS team. Sophia Sletten said, “I have been doing beach volleyball competitively since freshman year, but overall I have been playing for three years.” “I’ve been playing volleyball for ten years, and I’ve been playing beach volleyball for six years,” Olivia Sletten said. This year is different for the two players, because they are on a team together this season. Olivia Sletten expressed her feelings
playing with her younger sister this year: “Sophia and I have always been incredibly close. Some people might have problems playing with their younger sibling but it is honestly the best to be able to play and compete with her. It’s been so cool to be able to watch her get better and better over the years, and now I get to cheer her on and celebrate with her as her partner.” Continued on... thecougarpress.org
“My hopes for the season is that everyone has so much fun learning the ins and outs of beach volleyball, and that we catch a few dubs along the way,” said Olivia Sletten. Photo from: @vhs_beachvb via Instagram
So far in the season, the team has competed in four official league games, winning all but their most recent game against Santa Barbara on March 17. Sophia Sletten shared her hopes for the rest of the
season: “My hopes for this season is just to have a lot of fun and get the program going because it is a first year CIF sport.” Both sisters have had previous beach volleyball experience
Olivia Sletten playing during a game against Buena, the first official game of the league. Photo from: @vhs_beachvb via Instagram
Opinion: VHS boys volleyball kicks butt… except nobody knows I bet you haven’t been to a boys volleyball game, why is that?
Livia Vertucci Brody Daw Sophia Denzler When you think of VHS sports, does boys volleyball come to mind? If the answer is no, then it should, because boys volleyball is the most underrated sport at VHS. Freshman Max Mechtenberg has been
playing volleyball since sixth grade, and currently plays middle blocker. Mechtenberg said, “[The environment of the team is] very positive, everyone is part of the team, we are just all there to play and have fun.” On the subject of the recognition boys volleyball receive, he said, “For the amount of interest we have [which is not a lot], it is hard because we don’t have a lot
VHS boys volleyball during their game against cross town rival Buena. Photo by: Ava Mohror
of interest so it is difficult. It is hard competing with Track, in the Spring. If we were in the fall Volleyball would have more interest.” Players such as him, deserve to have support for all of the time they put in. How would you feel if you put time and sweat into your sport and yet no one ever seemed to acknowledge it? Another member of boys volleyball is sophomore Scott Vreeland who has been playing for two years, said, “I think it could get more recognition but we have a small team.” At the beginning of every week teachers go through a slideshow with everything that’s happening that week. Vreeland said, “I think that teachers do a good job at recognizing our games when they’re on the announcements.” Boys volleyball is not only the most underrated sport but it’s also the most exciting, as you watch the
Boys volleyball team huddling up and making a game plan. Photo by: Ava Mohror
game you can’t help but feel glamored by the snappy moves of the players and on edge when a player is racing towards a ball. Boys volleyball covers all the emotions, from happy to sad when you go to a game you’ll leave fulfilled and content. Boys volleyball, along with other VHS sports have garnered significantly less attention than sports, like track and football, though there numbers might be smaller they don’t
deserve any less attention or recognition than a football player would. The day of a football game, themes and excitement sweep through our school, this is well deserved. However, this encouragement should be for every sport. Not one that is being obviously favored. As a VHS community, our goal should be to uplift and highlight the unique skills of each sport, no matter the size.
Photostory
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VHS Track makes a run for it, captured by Samantha Castañeda
On March 17, 2022, Ventura track and field had their second home meet against Rio Mesa and Pacifica. Photo by: Samantha Castañeda
Senior AJ Monarres’ long jump was measured at 19-06.50. Photo by: Samantha Castañeda
Sophomore Parker Powers has been doing track since her freshman year, she said, “I originally just wanted to try track out and see how it was, I wasn’t really planning for it to be my main sport in high school. I run sprints and do long jump.” Powers’ jump was measured at 12-01.50. Powers said, “One of my biggest challenges with track is probably not getting injured. Something that I’ve improved in track is my times. Track is so much fun, despite being really challenging.” Photo by: Samantha Castañeda
Freshmen Alina Garcia has been doing track for three months and she said,” I was motivated by my parents to join track, My dad always tells me that I am a fast runner and track would be a great way for me to set personal goals for myself, My mom is an accomplished marathon runner and I grew up watching her train for then and run them.” Garcia’s Long jump was 11-05.50 Photo by: Samantha Castañeda
Freshman Bella Di’Silvestri has been doing track since August, she said, “My sister Julia Di’Silvestri motivated me to start doing track, I do long and triple jump and I also do pole vault. My biggest challenge was my injures from doing both track and gymnastics. Something that I improved was my speed. I am not really struggling with anything but I am trying to beat the freshman record for the triple jump. The best part about track is the people, they are all amazing.” Di’Silvestri’s Long jump was 14-08.25 Photo by: Samantha Castañeda
Junior Grant Baysinger placed first for the 1600 meter run with the time 4:49.3, Sophomore Henry Hammel placed second with the time of 4:29.49, Sophomore Micah Grossman placed third with the time of 4:29.55 Photo by: Samantha Castañeda
VHS hosts their first annual science fair since online classes, captured by Samantha Castañeda
“My science fair project was about teen stress. I asked teens from the ages of 13 to 18 a series of questions like what their stress levels were on a daily basis, their mood by the end of the day, their usual causes of stress, ways they relieved their stress and some effects stress had on them. I wanted to be able to see what was the main cause for teens amount of stress.” said sophomore Julia Cruz. Photo by: Samantha Castañeda
“My science fair project was, ‘Is it possible to learn a new language while asleep?’ I got a total of 30 people to participate, there were three groups, French, Spanish, Mandarin. I had everyone take a pre-test to get an understanding of how well they already knew the language. After that I had them listen to a beginner video of a lady talking in the language. They did this for 14 days and also recorded how long they slept. After the 14 days they took a post test to see if they learned anything new.” said junior Malekhy Balam. Photo by: Samantha Castañeda
Sophomore Victor Villaloboz said, “My presentation was called ‘Pursuit of Happiness’. It had to do with if gratitude leads to increased levels of happiness. First, I asked people to say how they felt on a scale from one to ten , and once they gave me a number I asked them to write for about 5 minutes about someone in their life who has a lot of meaning to them and has perhaps inspired them. At the end, I told them to call or text the person what they had written down (this caught them all by surprise). After they got a reply or an answer after telling them through call I asked them how they felt after, in hopes that they had an increase from the original five example.” Photo by Samantha Castañeda
Sophomore Lily Manes said, “My science fair project compared the income and home life VHS students receive and compared it to their grade average in school, in hopes to visualize a correlation between the two. My first thoughts were that the more well off students would naturally perform better than those who have worse conditions, but it turned out that it didn’t matter how your bad your home life is or how low income you get, everyone who responded reported good grades.” Photo by: Samantha Castañeda
Sophomore Atziri Torres said, “My question was ‘Can teens’ screen time be correlated to their mental health state and grades?’ My objective was to find if there was any correlations so I mainly wanted to see what was the main reasoning for bad mental health, high screen time and bad grades. My hypothesis was wrong, my hypothesis basically was that bad mental health will always lead to high screen time and bad grades and good On March 28, 2022 Ventura High School had mental health led to low screen time and good grades for my their science fair hosted by all the Ventura experiment I made a Google form and had about 100 students science teachers. Pictured are sophomores (left to right) Merrick Gilles, Josh Stewart and Adrian fill it out and I would look at my new data daily.” Photo by: Samantha Castañeda Herrera. Photo by: Samantha Castañeda
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Arts & Entertainment
Movies versus books, which is better? Better read than watched?
While watching movies may be a popular opinion for many, I personally prefer books. They are usually the base and source material for movies, which means it is the original material without any changes or additions as movies might be. For example, movies are required to fit a lot of the plot within a short amount of time, meaning they will almost always end up cutting out some part of the book or significant details. One major example of cutting out important details is the book “IT” by Stephen King and one of the movie renditions (“IT: Part 2”). While the movie itself was fantastic and generally a good horror film, there are so many details within the book that are cut out from the movie. Throughout the movie, there are multiple parts that are brushed over or never explained but are all in the book. When reading the book, you’re able to get all of these details and scenes that were cut from the movie and enjoy the plot to the fullest. If you had read the book, you would know much more about Stanley Uris’s wife, Patty Uris, as a character and her
Let’s be honest, would anyone actually prefer to read a book for hours on end, when instead you can just watch the movie version in a fraction of the time? If you really think about it, the movies are so much more enjoyable. You can watch the action from your favorite books come to life. It is also so cool to see the different ways scenes are interpreted. Sometimes the vision you had in your head when reading a book can be vastly different from the corresponding scene, which is always interesting to see. Also everything is so much more exciting when you get to watch it be brought to life. You can see the actors portray emotions with such talent that you forget it is just fiction. There is nothing more satisfying than watching a perfectly cast actor embody their character and make them feel real.
Sophomore Kinda Mehael said, “I prefer watching the movies. I haven’t really been reading much lately. I’ve distanced myself from reading, so I like movies better. Mehael gave the example of ‘The Hunger Games’ series by Suzanne Collins. ‘The Hunger Games’ movies [were] visually better,” said Mehael. There are also other elements that are added to movies that make them exciting. For example, the soundtracks to some movies match so perfectly and it takes the film to a whole new level. Junior Tomás Juarico prefers “watching the movie” over reading the book. “It’s easier for my brain to see it and picture more things,” said Juarico. He said, “[In movies] it seems like there is more action. You can kind of see it in the movie, instead of reading it.” Now I’m not saying to just skip the book and go straight to the movie because sometimes it can be cool to see how the movie differs from what the author wrote. Sometimes parts of books can be taken out to shorten the length of the film, which can be frustrating, but overall it is just so much less time consuming to watch the movie. It also makes for great entertainment.
Farmers of America, it is now officially called the National FFA Organization. Agricultural Business pathway students are required to be a part of the FFA. According to the FFA, “FFA is an intracurricular student organization for those interested in agriculture and leadership. It is one of the three components of agricultural education.” Lewandoski said, “The FFA program teaches [students] leadership. FFA is the integral youth leadership organization that all Agricultural Business pathway students are involved in.” Senior Nicolas Aoki, who takes Floral Design during second period and is an FFA member, said, “FFA is a really good experience to meet new people and do things you haven’t done before.” Lewandoski said, “I think that the [FFA] program provides students with knowledge about an
industry that is largely misunderstood. I think that it is largely looked down upon. Hopefully it gives [students] knowledge and desire to work in the [agricultural] industry and support it even if they don’t necessarily work in it.” Among all the agricultural business pathway classes, there are approximately 155 students enrolled. The classes are all taught between periods one and five. Aoki said, “I think that the class [Floral Design] is really good and it teaches you a lot of life skills. It teaches you things that you will be implementing at work in the real world.” Lewandoski said, “I would encourage students to sign up [for Agricultural Business pathway classes] because these classes all count towards graduation. If they enjoy working with their hands or enjoy working outside, this is a good pathway for them to belong to.”
and energy than watching a movie, but you’re also able to obtain a lot more from reading a book. Details, thoughts, feeling as well as more character depth and even more of the plot. Due to all of these reasons, it is much more enjoyable to read.
Emily Nguyen Isabella Fierros
Opposing side: The book “A Christmas Carol” by Charles Dickens has the most movie adaptations. There are about 20 film versions. Photo by: Emily Nguyen
relationship with Stanley. She was genuinely fleshed out and you could see her as a person rather than just a random character. In the movie, they brush over the wife completely and focus more on Stanley as a whole. Another reason as to why I favor books is that books are able to convey feelings, thoughts and emotions much better than their movie counterparts. The author is able to describe the character’s internal thoughts and feelings, allowing the reader to feel what the character is feeling. In movies, you’re only able to watch the expressions and actions of the actors. Sometimes, movies just don’t quite hit the mark when it comes to emotion. A notable example of this would be “Of Mice and Men” by John Steinbeck with the book and its movie version. I feel that
the ending in the book hit much harder than what was portrayed in the movie as it seems much more shallow. It didn’t have the same depth that the book did. Freshman Kamilah Montes De Oca said, “It depends. Like if it’s a really good movie, then the movie. Sometimes books are just better. The book [‘Speak’] was better than the movie. In the book you could see the main characters’ thoughts or hear about them. The movie was just a really watered down version of the book.” While I agree there may be some outliers and movies that outdo the book, generally, the book is almost always better. The main issue with movies is generalizing and simplifying the plot of a book too much, or as Oca said, “A watered down version of the book.” Reading can take more time
Seeds sprout at Ventura High School A rundown of the Agricultural Business pathway
Alejandro Hernandez Ventura High School’s Agricultural Business pathway is a program that is made up of three classes. These classes are agricultural biology, landscape design and floral design. They are taught by agriculture teacher Amy Lewandoski, who has been teaching at VHS since 1990. Agricultural Biology’s credits are
equivalent to any other biology class according to the A-G requirements. The class not only teaches about the biological aspects of agriculture, but also how to grow food and other information on the actual process of cultivation. Students work in the class’s garden where they grow vegetables and flowers from seeds. Landscape Design counts as a fine or applied art credit. Lewandoski said,
VHS Agriculture teacher Amy Lewandoski said, “Agriculture is the most critical industry on the planet because if people don’t know how to feed themselves, then not much else matters.” Photo by: Alejandro Hernandez
“Its purpose [Landscape Design] is to teach the elements of landscaping, as well as plant care and maintenance. It also teaches the basics of landscape design.” Landscape Design students apply their knowledge on the VHS campus landscape. They also create designs for the Ventura County Fair. The Floral Design class has similar design principles to the Landscape Design class but with a particular focus on flowers, unlike the living plants of Landscape Design. The class also creates floral arrangements. These arrangements are designed for particular events such as weddings, funerals, parties, etc. In addition, arrangements are created for the banquets of VHS sports team’s and other school sponsored events (such as homecoming or graduation). Another component of the Agricultural Business pathway is the FFA. Originally the Future
Opinion
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Opinion: Gas prices shouldn’t be this high The United States needs to nationalize its oil industry to lower gas prices and more
Alejandro Hernandez Gasoline. It is a commodity that is also known as gas or fuel. It has sharply risen in price, while the corporations selling it continue to reap large profits. However, it doesn’t have to be so. There is a method that could make gas prices a nonissue. According to Accountable.US, which is a corporate watchdog organization, the energy companies of Shell, Chevron, BP and Exxon profited $75 billion during the year 2021. According to AAA, California has the highest average gas price of any U.S. state as of April 14 ($5.72 per gallon). Senior Karely Legazpi Torres said, “Gasoline prices are very expensive and ridiculous, people need gasoline because their only means of transportation is a car and the money they earn is not enough for them, so I think it is very bad that prices have risen.” The solution to the gas price crisis is to nationalize the American oil industry. This would mean that the U.S. government would take direct ownership of oil assets, including private property (also known as expropriation). This would likely result in a state-owned oil company that oversees national oil assets. There is an international precedent for the nationalization of oil supplies. Mexico was the first country to
Oil is a dying industry, and its hospice caretaker should be the government. Graphic by: Alejandro Hernandez
nationalize its oil industry in 1938, leading to the creation of the state-owned gas company Pemex. Since then, many other states have nationalized their oil industries. Examples include Norway, Canada and Iran, among many others. There are many justifications for a country to nationalize its oil industry. In the case of gas price increases, having energy resources within the ownership of the state allows them to cap or limit prices. This is because governments don’t have to deliver a profit to their shareholders, and they can operate at a loss. An example of this would be the stateowned rail service Amtrak, which operates at a loss due to government subsidies. In the case that a stateowned oil company makes a profit, it can be allocated to various other government programs which ultimately improve the lives of American
citizens. Its profit could be used to improve already existing infrastructure, similar to California gas taxes but on a larger scale, or it could be pumped into new infrastructure such as high-speed rail. With great power comes great responsibility, which also holds true for expansions of government power. Petrostates like Equatorial Guinea or Saudi Arabia are dependent on their energy sectors for funds, and they don’t have to democratize either. Corrupt states can theoretically use their natural resources for the benefit of their people, but it does not happen because corrupt leaders hoard the wealth for themselves. The U.S. isn’t the most stable nation on Earth, but it is stable and uncorrupt enough to use its wealth to improve the lives of its citizens. There are also environmental benefits to oil nationalization. If the U.S. is
committed to phasing out fossil fuels, then there isn’t a reason to allow for-profit companies to continue to operate. Oil companies will try to maintain the status quo. They already have been for decades. A government that has no stake in fossil fuels should become the old resource’s caretaker, enabling its discontinuation before it emits its last CO2 emission. The U.S. oil crisis is also a product of its lack of a proper public transportation system and its poor overall walkability. The machines that hunger for oil are the same machines that have been destroying American city planning for a near century. Cars themselves are a part of the problem, and they can be replaced with better public transportation (of course
funded by state-owned oil money). Senior Grace Morton said, “It’s possible to get the state government to do something to lower the prices, or just go electric. Driving is a necessity in California since there isn’t really public transportation and the cities aren’t really walkable. Unfortunately, I’ll just have to keep paying the high gas prices.” The move to a nationalized oil industry in the U.S. is necessary for the sake of its national interests. It won’t only be helpful in the short term to control gas prices and their inflation, but also the total discontinuation of oil as a source of energy, paving the way for renewable sources to replace it.
On April 12 at the Chevron on East Main Street in Ventura, the price of regular fuel was $5.79 per gallon. According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, that price is over a dollar more expensive than the average California gas price of Feb. 2022. Photo by: Alejandro Hernandez
Sadies: Why are we STILL enforcing old gender roles? What does VHS think about the outdated tradition of Sadie Hawkins?
Sophia Denzler Part of the traditional school dances (Homecoming, Prom, etc), there is also the Sadie Hawkin’s dance. The difference about Sadie’s is that girls invite the boys, contrary to Homecoming and Prom. Sadie’s usually takes
place in the springtime and is typically informal. The very concept is outdated and its origin certainly has a sexist undertone. Sadie Hawkins is named after a comic strip character (deemed “undesirable”) who was allowed to physically chase
The original Sadie Hawkins comic by Al Capp. Graphic by: Sophia Denzler
bachelors around for one day of the year. If she caught one, they were obligated to marry her. Thus, the Sadie Hawkins dance was born, in the very old time of 1937. The original intention of “empowering” women to ask a man on a date is very old and tiresome. While there may have been good intentions at creating a more progressive dance, in this day and age, we simply do not need this dance, where girls are “allowed” to ask guys out on this out-of-the-ordinary day. Sophomore and current ASB frosh-soph president Emily Sehati said, “I think the tradition of having a Sadie Hawkin’s dance is a really great tradition we have at VHS. While I don’t think it’s as relevant as it was years ago, having the dance itself is, I think, personally, it is a big part of the ‘high school experience,’ especially at VHS. The gender norms (personally) aren’t enacted significantly within the dance, at least for me.” On the topic of the name itself, Sehati said, “Calling the dance ‘Sadie’s’ was actually something we had to reconsider, yet based off of
The Sadie Hawkins tradition is still very present in high schools in America, without changing the name, the reminder will be there. Graphic by: Sophia Denzler
the poll that ASB posted, VHS seemed to lean towards calling it Sadie’s.” Also part of ASB, freshman Bailey Burman said, “As an underclassman I’m not too familiar with the tradition of Sadie’s at VHS and I know the origin of Sadie’s has some issues, but that is something my committee is taking into consideration as we plan the
dance.”
While I don’t think the message of the dance is relevant today, I don’t think we should get rid of it altogether. Sadie’s is typically the most casual of the school dances and can have a cool and fun spring theme, but giving it a more current name could take the focus off of the old tradition and help us get past it.
Distractions
Graphic By: Sophia Denzler
Graphic By: Ava Mohror
Graphic By: Alina Reitz
Graphic By: Gisselle Garcia
Cougar Catnips
Alejandro Hernandez
Olive Kranzler
Sophia Denzler
Why are the portable restrooms locked during break and lunch?
Anyone got a charger?
Fix the senior lawn!
It’s break, maybe lunch. Instead of using the restroom during class time, I decide to use it during my free time like a “good student.” That’s what I have been told for practically my entire life. With the fact that students are not allowed to use the restroom during the first and last 10 minutes of class, using the restroom outside of class time is more enticing. Somehow, Ventura High School prefers menial deterrence for vaping to students’ basic needs. I understand that there are other restrooms open, but I should be allowed to use the restroom at the portables.
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Students need to start bringing their chromebook chargers to school. I know it can be hard to remember to charge them at home, so it’s a great idea to bring them just in case! Ever since I started bringing my charger, I’ve been able to avoid my chromebook dying. In addition, if one of my classmate’s chromebook dies, I can help them out. It’s a big setback when students can’t use their chromebook at school, especially if they need it during multiple class periods. It’s annoying and bulky, but overall, I think bringing a charger is necessary for student success!
Ever since the beginning of the school year, walking across the senior lawn is one of the scariest parts of my day. There are always puddles and mud that appear no matter the weather. There is never free space on the concrete to walk, so I am always scared that my shoes will get dirty or I am going to slip. The concrete should be extended so there is more room to walk, and there should be tables to sit at during lunch so I don’t get my clothes muddy with the same slippery mud. It’s time to fix it!
Graphic By: Avery Cameron