On the evening of March 28, the applause of the audience filled the PAC as the students of IB Theatre performed in the first ever IB Theatre Night, which served as a way for the students in IB Theatre to fulfil requirements for the class. For this event, the students needed to either create an original piece or create their own interpretation of an existing piece using unique theatrical elements.

Giavanna English, junior and IB Theatre student, reflects on the endeavor. “IB Theatre Night was a huge event that we had to do as IB Theatre students to present our collaborative and solo pieces, especially for those that are testing because it gets put in for an IB grade,” English said.

Twelve students presented their work at the event, covering a wide variety of genres.

These performances were the end product of months of preparation. “It took a lot of time and effort to make sure that our pieces turned out the way we wanted them to,” English said.

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NPHS has never been short of student talent. From academics to sports to the arts, the high school has seen amazing achievements being made by its students across the board. In the world of photography, Max Clark, senior, has showed off some of his own talent in digital and darkroom photography.

Clark first took interest in photography in sixth grade under the influence of his grandfather, who is an artist. “I just started taking photos and I fell in love with it,” Clark said.

Over the past three years, Clark has completely immersed himself photography, travelling all over the world to get better at his craft. “I’ve gone to Africa, I’ve gone to the Serengeti and taken pictures there, I’ve been to Peru and taken pictures and Machu Picchu and all around it’s really cool.”

While in Africa, Clark drove around the safari in the Serengeti in a Land Rover Defender taking pictures of the wildlife just feet away.

“It was scary but exhilarating because of how close these animals will get you. At one point we were in between a den of lions and their lunch- the zebra. It was a really weird feeling, didn’t know whether to be scared or excited,” Clark said.

Clark has also taken classes such as Photography 1/2 and AP Photography along with his friends under teacher Eric Lindroth to refine his skills and learn more about his craft.

“Max has got a lot of attention for his work, especially his photography on the safari in Africa. He made some really compelling images there,” Lindroth said. “Max likes to work around a lot of different range: he does darkroom, digital and he’s always got a really positive attitude and outlook about everything. With his photography, it’s the same thing. He’s really into it and really excited about being a photographer.”

Braeden Rice, senior and fellow photographer, developed an interest in photography at the same time and has seen Clark’s photography develop through the years.

“Max is extremely talented due to his unique style and even more unique subjects. Max’s photos that he took in Africa easily belong in National Geographic. They’re so incredibly beautiful and raw. It takes a special kind of photographer to be able to capture that sense of emotion and display it to the world,” Clark said.

As an aspiring photojournalist for National Geographic, Clark has submitted his photos to the Westlake Village Art Guild, as well as the Newbury Park art show where he won best picture.

“He definitely has a future in photography if he wants it because he has the enthusiasm which is the most important. This is true with everything, but especially photography because it’s very competitive to be a photographer and he’s got the discipline that contributes, so it goes a long distance for him,” Lindroth said.

Clark feels that photography can be open to everyone, as long as they put in the effort. “If you think you like photography, you should go out and do it. It’s an amazing experience,” Clark said. “Just practice. Just taking photos and watching videos on how to use a camera and what to do. Going out to practice helps a lot.”

Max Clark

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On March 6, 13 and 20, the Knowledge Bowl team had their competitions at Hueneme High School, Buena High School and Adolfo Camarillo High School. Knowledge Bowl is a trivia competition between various schools throughout Ventura County where four students from each school’s team go head to head answering academic questions.

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Generation Z (born from 1997-2012) may not be facing the struggles that past generations have, but that does not mean that school is any less stressful for these students. According to the American Psychological Association, 45 percent of all teens said they were stressed by school.

Data collected from the American Psychological Association for the Stress in America Survey shows that the stress levels experienced by teens rival that of adults. Teen’s stress can be dangerous and unhealthy, and is sometimes underestimated, which can deepen its impact. The most common sources of teenage stresses are school (83 percent), the future (69 percent) and family finances (65 percent). Many high school students reported feeling angry and appearing visibly stressed. Teens reported lying awake at night, overeating and skipping meals due to their stress levels.

Students find coping with this stress to be difficult and often turn to external sources to help alleviate the burden, including exercise, religion, self-medication and screens.

Sweating out the stress

Harvard Medical School’s Health Publishing states that, “Exercise reduces levels of the body’s stress hormones, such as adrenaline and cortisol. It also stimulates the production of endorphins, chemicals in the brain that are the body’s natural painkillers and mood elevators.”

With the stress that is presented in our modern society Paige Henry, freshman, finds that even exercising can help alleviate the stress she deals with on an everyday basis.

“Two years ago, the summer before eighth grade, I started exercising regularly…it’s definitely helped me relax, especially because it releases endorphins. It just really helps calm my whole body down,” Henry said.

From agility to weightlifting Paige does different exercises, allowing her to replenish her mind and get ready to do all her activities.

“Sometimes I’ll have so much homework, and I’ll save it for after workouts, because I feel like my mind is refreshed and I’m not in a very panicked mode,” Henry said.

Henry works out three times a week and is planning to start a new form of exercise at Studio Barre by the Newbury Park Library. Henry finds that if you want to start exercise as a form of relief, “just go for it. Even if you only want to go for stress, just put all your effort into it because it will help you personally.”

Kian Alamir, junior, also uses exercise to relieve stress and to help balance out his busy lifestyle. “When I go to the gym or go surfing or go hiking, I 100% focus on that, I don’t think about anything else. Forcing myself to focus doesn’t allow me to think about the other stresses in life,” Alamir said.

Alamir makes sure to stay healthy and fit, exercising frequently both at home and at the gym. When he does not have access to the latter, Alamir runs or uses his punching bag. “I’m told, scientifically, it boosts endorphins, and makes you happy,” Alamir said. “It makes you tired but it makes you feel better in your mental state.”

Alamir feels the pressures of high school life frequently — whether it is balancing social life with school, preparing for his future in which he hopes to study law by participating in mock trial or juggling his many AP and IB classes.

“What’s great about (exercise) is that you are not only relieving stress, you are literally making yourself healthier so you can do more things. When you exercise, you feel proud of what you’re doing, like you have accomplished something positive. It boosts your self esteem,” Alamir said.

Rebooting the mind 

Many teenagers today rely on their screens as a short-term solution to a long-term accumulation of stresses. According to Pew Research Center in 2018, 95% of teens have access to a smartphone and 45% say they are online “almost constantly.” School, family life and even just getting adequate sleep can become major issues that the calming blue screens seem to keep under control. Keene Debler, freshman, uses screens to distract himself from his burdens. “Watching things is relaxing because I am invested in it and forget about worries in my life,” Debler said. Debler spends around three hours a day on his phone or watching TV. “I am on my screen about fifty percent of the time to escape life, but the rest is just for entertainment which could also be an escape from life,” Debler said.

Riley O’Leary, freshman, finds that using her phone helps her to temporarily relax. “I’m only a freshman and I’m already freaking out over schoolwork,” she said. “Phone usage, for me, can easily be a good distraction from everyday stresses.” O’Leary spends around three to four hours a day on her device, but is aware that this elongated time of scrolling can catch up to her in the long run. “I think that there is no way to escape unless you tackle the things worrying you, head on. The phone can’t solve those things for someone,” she said. “I usually wind up getting tackled by procrastination.” Though O’Leary realizes the repercussions that come with too much screen time, the short-term fix that it provides seems to make it worth it. “It’s a temporary distraction from the things nagging in my mind.”

Screens have been a way for people to relieve themselves of their daily stresses and escape since the beginning of computers. The universality of screens between age groups can be seen through freshman all the way to seniors.

Aaron Grossman, senior, spends around five to six hours a day using screens to play video games and watching YouTube. “(Screens) help me relieve stress by letting me focus on something other than my pressure. It also allows me to relax and have fun,” Grossman said. Most of Grossman’s sources of stress are school related: “IB and testing, theatre, choir, relationships with others and school drama.”

Grossman understands that video games play a conflicting role in his life, but at times the ends justify the means. “Without monitoring and specific limits, it can be more harmful than helpful. However, when controlled, it is very beneficial to tune out with video games,” Grossman said.

Turning to self-medication

To manage the psychological aspect of stress, many teens have resorted to self-medicating. Marijuana, in particular, has become prominent due to its relaxing effects. Many students find that their drug usage was triggered by stressful situations.

Blake*, senior, uses a wax pen to vape marijuana. “I use it to ground me and to relax on the weekends,” he explained.

“I primarily use (the wax pen) when I’m being swarmed by a lot of work, or when I’m having trouble with friends,” Blake said. “I find that it’s really good at making me worry less and it helps me rationalize the issues I’m facing, so I’d say it’s really effective for relieving stress.”

For Daniel*, senior, taking painkillers and smoking marijuana every day is his way of coping with mental health struggles. “I have generalized anxiety disorder, so I’m kind of a stressed out person and I got good at hiding it and I just used drugs as something as an escape from myself,” Daniel said. “Drugs just let me hide from a person that I was forced to see all the time. Whenever, I am high, I’m just hiding from myself. I wasn’t someone else. It’s impossible to be sad or anything when you’re high because you’re just having too much fun.”

Jane*, senior, began using medical marijuana to stymy her chronic pain, anxiety and depression. “My anxiety is caused a lot by school, the hyper competitiveness in our school, especially, and external factors relating to my family,” Jane said.

In terms of stress relief, Jane believes that it is an effective solution. “(Marijuana is) 100% effective, as soon as I smoke it, I’m just relaxed: all my worries and anxieties just fade away. I don’t overthink and I don’t stress about unrealistic things. I just am completely in a relaxed state,” she explained.

Even with other methods of coping with stress, Jane believes that without her medical marijuana card, she would be at a disadvantage. “I think I would be in more of a heightened state of anxiety. I think I could survive, but I’d just be a lot more anxious.”

Jane also believes that her medical marijuana usage helps her academic success. “I just think I would be way more overwhelmed with what I have to do. As soon as I’m calm when I smoke, I can do one task, and I’m not overwhelmed with all the tasks that I have to do. And I’m not an anxious mess.”

Finding solace in faith 

With school, stress from home and the growing sense of disconnect that teens often feel, many turn to religion and faith to find solace during difficult times. A local youth group hosted through Calvary community church is a place for students to meet with friends, share inspirational stories, participate in service and talk about faith.

Ethan Ronk, senior, experiences stress from school, sports and family life. He is part of a subgroup of 15 Calvary members that meets every Tuesday night.

“It’s a good place to commune and be in fellowship together, and that helps me a lot,” Ronk said. “Having that community of people who feel the same way about certain things as you do, and having people that are there to lift you up and support you is always a great system to relieve stress.”

Within the Calvary church, there are three subgroups: the high school ministry, the main service and the elementary and middle school ministry. This allows the sermons to be catered to the specific demographic of worshippers.

“The high school ministry focuses on stresses that high schoolers may be going through, so we talk a lot about dealing with stress and dealing with certain things in certain ways,” Ronk said. The pastors are also open to talking with people and praying over them after sermons.

“There have been instances where I’ll have a super stressful week and there is a lot going on with school and sports, and then the sermon will line up to that.” Ronk said. The group just wrapped up an eight-week long series on the book of James, which was heavily focused on dealing with stress. “Having direct sermons that apply to high school life is really helpful when it comes to learning how to deal with stress with faith,” Ronk said.

Zain Kazi, senior, also turns to his religion as a release. “When I get stressed out with school and stuff like that, when I come home I just read the Quran and pray and kind of escape from all other distractions that are going on, and makes me feel more secure,” Kazi said.

As a part of the full IB diploma class, Kazi has consistently experienced the stressful dynamic that comes with balancing school, social life and personal health. “When I practice my faith, I feel like I perform better and I just feel more positive,” Kazi said.

Kazi is a member of the Muslim community, and is devout in his faith. “I follow most of all the rules of Islam. I don’t do all my prayers five times a day, but it’s like an escape — when I’m not feeling well, it’s something I look forward to like a guidance path.” Kazi tries to do the prayers as frequently as he can, makes sure to eat Halal and follows the five pillars of Islam which provide a moral framework for character in his day to day life.

Kazi also took a religious pilgrimage to Mecca last summer, during which he payed respect to the followings and passages of Mohammed. Kazi feels that these aspects of his religion enrich his life and help him balance his academics with his personality.
“We have our own youth group, and it’s good because it brings the community together,” Kazi said. “I didn’t really know many people that were my age in the community that were Muslim before, but the activities in the youth group where we volunteer at the food bank and soup kitchens also help us come closer together and share our personal experiences.” It is meaningful to him that he is able to bond with others who share his faith.
“It’s the whole idea of hope,” Kazi said when describing why he prescribes to Islam. “If I have religion by my side, God will make the whole process of my life a lot easier. It helps me find clarity in difficult situations.”

Therapy 

Although people find that they are capable of finding ways to relieve their stress through their own methods, sometimes what they need is someone to talk to. Finding help from a medical professional or therapist can be transformative.

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High school is often a time to explore one’s interests, even if they are outside the classroom settings. Some students are lucky to find their passion in the classroom and carry it on for the rest of their lives. For Mina Schwind, senior, that passion is through creating art.

Schwind has been drawing for as long as she can remember. “My grandma was an art teacher, so I did it a lot because she did it a lot,” she said. However, she started to focus on her technique in middle school and freshman year. “I started to think that this is something that I enjoy doing and I want to do this for my future. So that’s when I tried to apply myself the best that I could.” That same dedication has carried on throughout the years, as Schwind continues to draw for at least two hours a day.

Even for Schwind, creating art is not always easy. In the past, Schwind has struggled with doubting herself in regards to her art. “I think the biggest challenge is just getting inside your own head and confidence… that’s something that I struggle with a lot, feeling like I’m not improving,” Schwind said. However, she thoroughly enjoys the process of creating an art piece and plans to continue for as long as possible.

Unlike most students, Schwind has taken every art class offered at NPHS. “I’ve taken art media, life drawing…right now I’m in IB art, and I’ve also taken AP Art History,” Schwind said. These classes have made Schwind aware of the different art styles used around the world, which she tries to incorporate into her own art. “I try to look at a lot of different artworks like Ancient Chinese or Islamic and a lot of contemporary artworks… I try to draw inspiration from everywhere,” Schwind said. Additionally, Schwind has gotten to form closer bonds with her teachers and classmates who are passionate about art. “It’s definitely a community. Everyone knows each other and everyone is very supportive of each other,” Schwind said.

Suha Hussain, senior, became friends with Schwind through shared art classes. Hussain has seen Schwind grow as an artist throughout the years. “I really like how she has a whole backstory for her theme, so I think she’s really strengthened her artworks over time,” Hussain said. Most of Schwind’s pieces center around themes such as female empowerment. “She has a sense of this bigger picture that she wants to accomplish through her art and I really liked that she has a vision for her artwork,” Hussain said.

Jennifer Lee, art teacher, has taught Schwind for the past four years. “She’s a very hardworking student and always very creative. She’s always pushing herself to do something outside of her comfort zone,” Lee said. Lee has seen Schwind improve her art skills, as her classes taught Schwind to experiment with different mediums and forms of composition.

Lee is aware of Schwind’s plans to pursue art as a career. “She’s already gotten a few freelance jobs… she went to UCLA for their summer program and then she’s talked about applying to schools to pursue art further,” Schwind said. Schwind is planning to attend CSUN in fall 2019.

As a young artist, Schwind has advice for any student who is interested in making art. “Just accept that from the get-go it’s going to be rough and it’s going to be challenging to look at, but if you enjoy the process and it makes you happy… just stick with it and everything will work out,” Schwind said.

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We have a nice pal who prides himself on being a feminist. He respects women. He listens when we speak. He doesn’t interrupt us. He stops mansplaining when we call him out on it. However, that all changes when we disagree. Then, we become catty, bossy rude, aggressive and mean.

Even the best male feminist is first a male, then a feminist. A fair-weather supporter of the cause, if you will. The effort to upend gender inequity and personal bias comes to a halt at any inkling of a storm.

In order to have a debate, you need to respect your opponent, which becomes difficult when a woman’s impassioned argumentation is aggressive, confidence is arrogance and emphasis is shouting.

Men try to withdraw and elevate themselves by labelling any fight pertaining to women as “girl drama.” By cheapening a woman’s argument to a “cat fight” or “girl drama,” it becomes impossible to be received with any validity (because, of course, girl drama is hormone fueled and jealousy driven!). Arguing against someone that thinks nonsense of every word that comes out of your mouth is belittling.

Women have a double battle to fight: 1) the actual debate and 2) they have something valid to say in the first place. They carry the constant burden to prove that their opinion has worth. Take, for example, the 2020 Presidential Race. We constantly hear how women have no way to win because of the “likeability issue” or how people don’t find women “electable.” How many times do we have to hear how Elizabeth Warren is a crazy lady because she wants to tax the ultra-rich to pay for college. All while Joe Biden regurgitates some tired, substanceless line about bringing people together and automatically becomes the beacon for hope in America.

Beto O’Rourke loses a Senate election, leaves his family for weeks to road trip around the country to “find himself” in the wake of this devastating loss and then announces his presidential candidacy on Vanity Fair, declaring that he was born for the role. And still, people view him as a solid, legitimate candidate. If a woman candidate were to act that way, she’d become the biggest laugh of America. The message is abundantly clear: empty, ridiculous words from men hold far more value than substantive arguments from women. But male “feminists” don’t bat an eye. The notion that a woman can run for president is accepted, but actually winning? Ha!

The idea behind this particular brand of feminism is far more about men validating themselves as decent, good quality dudes, not the actual support behind the movement to equality. At the end of the day, it is far easier for a man to make women feel small in order to make himself big. Where a woman can be exploited is where a man reaps his strength.

Feminism is not just a buzz word to pin to your vintage Dickies. It also means absolutely nothing when you only apply it at your convenience. To be an actual feminist, you have to constantly monitor your behavior and ask yourself, are my actions the product of ingrained stereotypical modes of thought? Am I being a ninny?

But that obviously takes a lot of effort and it is much easier to don those pair of Dickies and call it a day.

The post Even the best male feminist still sucks appeared first on Panther Prowler: the official newspaper of Newbury Park High School.

Victory is ours

Wonjin Ko, sophomore, Evan Lin, sophomore and Tommy Zheng, sophomore celebrate their first place victory during boat races on May 24, 2019. There were a total of nine teams that participated in boat races, and their team was the fastest. “Building the boat and then testing it to see if it works, that was pretty fun,” Ko said. Ko’s team used a lot of duct tape and spent around 12 hours building their boat. Sarah Lu/Prowler

Focus

Griffin Stepler, senior and Thomas Kitchell, senior, look towards the wall as they concentrate on paddling faster. Stepler and Kitchell’s boat’s name was “Free Shipping,” relating to Amazon Prime. “I was just feeling ecstatic the whole time, a mix of surprise and excitement that we were able to go forward. We were on top of the water, which is more than we could’ve ever asked for,” Stepler said. “Free Shipping” was built with the purpose of the bottom half coming off during the race, which it was successful in doing. Sarah Lu/Prowler

Behind the scenes

Tyler Zielinski, senior, asks Kyle Yasui, senior, and Sean Price, senior, how they feel about their boat race. Yasui and Price won the second heat of boat races with their boat, “Codfather,” but it capsized during the final heat. Boat races were made a school event three years ago, with the purpose of being “a fun event for students to put their creative minds to work and make something to test their skills and have fun while doing it, and to get the whole school involved to watch a really hilarious event,” Katie Rose, senior and boat races event planner, said. Rose organized for there to be tacos, shaved ice and a performance by a school band, Zack’s Friends. Sarah Lu/Prowler

Paddle away

Nina Almaoui, freshman, and Anna Li, freshman, paddle towards the wall in their boat, “Jaws” during the final heat of boat races. Originally, Almaoui and Li were not one of the top three finishers, but their boat was still intact after their first race, so they advanced to the final round. “We just put our all into it and really it turned out to be a positive experience and really fun with the whole background cheering us on,” Almaoui said. “Jaws” ended up placing second out of the nine teams that participated. Sarah Lu/Prowler

Men overboard

Daniel Xu, senior, Gaurav Dhirar, senior, and Samuel Liao, senior, swim with the remains of their boat, “Tesla Model H2O,” after capsizing. “Tesla Model H2O” was built similar to a canoe, very long and thin, but this strategy did not work for the team. Despite this, the event was still very fun. “That surprise factor of waiting until that moment to see whether or not it’s going to work is really what it’s all about,” Dhirar said. The idea of making the boat like a canoe was Liao’s. Sarah Lu/Prowler

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After 10 years and 22 movies, Iron Man dies. Marvel Studios finally released the final installment of the Avengers saga, Avengers: Endgame. From just its opening weekend, it broke every box office record, pulling in $357 million, and is now one of the largest grossing films of all time. It was a heartfelt ending to an era that many fans have been part of since the first Iron Man movie released in 2008, although nobody could imagine what the Marvel Cinematic Universe would turn into from there. Ten years ago, no one could predict Iron Man’s death, sacrificing himself to save the planet and snapping away Thanos’ existence. But did this movie live up to the hype?

In short, yes it definitely did. Every scene was gripping fans at the edge of their seats, especially those that have been waiting 10 long years for everything they were about to see on screen. There was a balance of humor, sorrow, and action throughout the entire movie, blending nicely into each other from scene to scene.

Marvel is known for its witty remarks during a serious situation, so anyone can imagine how many jokes there were during the somber scenes of Endgame. This was the main problem with the movie, as it has been in past Marvel movies, where jokes are forced into situations that don’t really lend themselves to it. Sometimes it works, but most of the time it doesn’t.

By the end of the movie though, superfans and first-time watchers alike left the theater entirely satisfied with the ending of the movie. Through all the heart wrenching as well as heart pounding scenes, Endgame was a very fitting ending for an epic saga, bringing together every corner of the MCU, so far, into one giant finale.

Endgame was so full of surprises for fans that it’s hard to keep track of it all. From the get go, Thanos destroys the infinity stones. We watch Thor execute Thanos as he “goes for the head.” Captain America joins a support group to cope with the recent events. Bruce Banner becomes Professor Hulk, a mix of Banner’s intelligence and Hulk’s body. Hawkeye becomes an assassin and goes on a killing mission for those unaffected by the original snap. Thor is fat. Captain America gets his shield back. Stark runs off and lives a quiet life and starts a family with Pepper. And probably none of this makes sense at all for readers who haven’t seen the movie.

The Avengers then use time travel to steal infinity stones from the past. Nebula kills herself to save Gamora. Hawkeye and Blackwidow fight to decide who should commit suicide for the soul stone. Tony talks to his father about parenting. Captain America sees Peggy Carter again. Thor steals his hammer after time traveling. And Thanos from the other timeline follows them all back to the original timeline.

Professor Hulk snaps everything back to normal. Captain America picks up Mjolnir. And Dr. Strange brings everyone back for the final fight. Tony snaps his fingers. The infinity stones are returned to the other timeline.

Was this article just a list of spoilers? Yes, yes it was. Marvel Studios pulled out all the stops, ending this chapter with a bang that was something fans could truly appreciate after this decade journey. And there is no need to reminisce either. Marvel will be releasing Spiderman: Far From Home on July 2nd, and the next chapter will begin.

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Recently Joe Biden has publicly stated that he will be running for president in the democratic primary, and Pete Buttigieg has seen a spike in interest following a break out town hall performance.

Former Vice President and former Senator from Delaware Joe Biden, 76, announced his intent to run for President of the United States on Thursday, April 25 in a three-minute video. Biden served on the US Senate from 1973 to 2009 representing Delaware. Biden has taken a much stronger stance on attacking current President Donald Trump. Some of Biden’s policy goals, according to his website, is combating climate change, reforming the criminal justice system, fixing the immigration system and helping the middle class.

In the 2020 general election the midwestern working middle class will be essential for democrats looking to see an electoral college win over Donald Trump. In 2016, Trump won Wisconsin, Michigan and Pennsylvania by less than one percent, and if the democrats can gain these three states in the upcoming election their road to victory will be practically layed out for them, and the major demographic in these states is the working middle class.

Mayor of South Bend Indiana, Pete Buttigieg, has seen massive gains in polls and attention since he appeared in a CNN town hall on March 10. Buttigieg, 37, is a young mayor from a small city in Indiana, and became the first openly gay mayor of Indiana, and is also the first openly gay politician to run for president. Buttigieg is a Harvard graduate and speaks seven languages, and has seen his popularity go from zero percent before the town hall to currently being at around six percent in national polls (which puts him ahead of senators Cory Booker, Amy Klobuchar, and Kirsten Gillibrand), and some polls have Buttigieg in third place behind Vermont senator Bernie Sanders and Joe Biden.

New arrivals

There are ten other new candidates who have recently joined the democratic primary race. These candidates are Michael Bennet, Senator from colorado, Bill de Blasio, the mayor of New York Steve Bullock, the governor of Montana, Mike Gravel, former senator from Alaska, John Hickenlooper, the former governor of Colorado, Jay Inslee, senator from Washington, Wayne Messam, mayor of Miriam Florida, Seth Moulton, representative from Massachusetts,Tim Ryan, representative from Ohio, Eric Swalwell, representative from California.

What to expect from the democratic debate

The upcoming democratic debate will take place in June, and the Democratic National Committee laid out two requirements for qualifying for the debate stage: either have 65,000 individual donors to your campaign or reach at least one percent in three polls certified by the DNC. The DNC said that it will only be accepting 20 candidates spread over two nights, and those candidates who have reached both requirements will be given priority.

Currently, the candidates who have met at least one of these requirements, according to The Washington Post as of May 16, are Steve Bullock, John Delaney, Kirsten Gillibrand, John Hickenlooper, Jay Inslee, Tim Ryan, Eric Swalwell, Joe Biden, Cory Booker, Pete Buttigieg, Julian Castro, Tulsi Gabbard, Kamala Harris, Amy Klobuchar, Beto O’Rourke, Bernie Sanders, Elizabeth Warren, Marianne Williamson and Andrew Yang.

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Charlie Bucket, the nine-year-old boy, walks on stage wearing his overalls and knee-high socks as he braces himself for a tour that no one could have imagined. Lights on, curtains lifted, the play begins.

The spring play, “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory” was successfully showcased in the PAC. A production consisting of around 30 actors started rehearsal at the beginning of March and had their opening show on May 10.

Charles Ocampo, senior, played the role of Charlie Bucket. This is Ocampo’s fifth main stage show at NPHS. In order to better act as a nine-year-old, Ocampo gains inspiration from his past experiences with children.

“I have worked in Chuck E’ Cheese and I am tutoring little kids right now. I wanted to portray my character as a nine year old through the kids I take care of and the kids that I tutor at work. So I just try and embody the characteristics they have and put myself in my nine-year-old shoes,” Ocampo said.

The story takes place in Willy Wonka’s chocolate factory where five children are taken on a tour. To better act out the characters, the actors used many ways to bring them back to their childhood selves. During blocking rehearsal, students took the time to play some childhood games.

“We would actually play a little game such as charades or duck duck goose, some kind of childhood game like that to make us get into the mood of a child. It was really fun,” Ocampo said.   

There are always actors that have something to struggle with in any production. The amount of work put into their struggles helped them achieve flawlessness for their performances. Aspen Roos, freshman, played Veruca Salt, one of the golden ticket winners.

“The challenge I faced was throwing a fit. I knew I needed to put all of myself out there and really just dive into the character. I was embarrassed at first, but it turned out to be really fun and helped me develop as an actress,” Roos said.

Preparing a play is a lot of work. From running lines, being able to put their shoes in the characters’ and really, at the end of things, enjoying the play. The actors and actresses worked constantly to bring this play to a presentable condition.

All the actors and actresses had to use much of their day in preparation for “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory”. Joah Ditto, freshman, had participated in all of the major school plays this school year, and had encountered many long days and nights prepare for these major productions.

“(Since March) The cast took a few hours out of their day, everyday, except for Tuesdays, to rehearse the play, and/or learn new blocking for scenes,” Ditto said. “There were two hours of rehearsal every weekday excluding Tuesdays. There was a week of rehearsals that didn’t include the weekends, called “tech week.” This is done for every single show in the theatre world. In tech week, the actors were called from 3:30 p.m. until whenever Mrs. Strange needed us.”

The annual spring play is always an opportunity for students who love theatre to find a time to enjoy themselves. From actors, directors, technicians to costume designers, their time and hardwork is what makes the show enjoyable to them and their audience.

“My favorite part of the show was the collaboration of every person to create such an energetic and fun show,” Ditto said. “That is something I will always love about the community that the NPHS theatre provides.”

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The College Board, the organization responsible for the SAT and AP exams, has recently began to implement a new “adversity score,” which takes into consideration the hardships that students face throughout their lives.

The “adversity score,” formally known as the Environmental Context Dashboard, measures a total of 31 factors. Some of these factors are about the community that the student lives in, such as median family income, percentage of people that are unemployed and the likelihood of crime taking place. However, other factors are about the school that the student attends, such as the percentage of individuals that are on free or reduced-cost lunch programs, as well as senior class size. The College Board claims that “The robust data included in the Dashboard shines a light on students who have demonstrated resourcefulness to overcome challenges and achieve more with less.”

Additionally, the “adversity score” measures a student’s achievements compared to other students in the area. According to the College Board, a “Student’s SAT scores can be seen within the context of the 25th, 50th, and 75th percentile of SAT scores from the student’s high school.”

While this adversity score is currently only in effect for about 50 colleges and universities, the College Board said that it will expand to nearly 150 colleges and universities by the year 2020, meaning that it will be taken into account for the current junior class.

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We’ve finally reached the light at the end of the tunnel. Since August, students have been counting off the days until the last day of school, when we can go home and stay home for the next three months. Personally, I’ll be living in my bed, getting ignored by my friends and contemplating the purpose of my existence. But as most people say, you shouldn’t be like me! Here’s a guide for how to make this summer the best one yet.

One good way to spend the summer would be volunteering. You can volunteer for “for profit” organizations, like Exxon mobile or BP, or you can even volunteer for, like, a dog shelter or something. Volunteering is a great way to give back to the community, and has flexible scheduling; since you don’t get paid anything, everyone still likes you even if you basically never show up. You can tailor your volunteer schedule to avoid other responsibilities. For example, if your mom asks you to attend the neighborhood block party full of racists, think about it for a second and reply: “Sorry mom, I have to volunteer!”

And if you really want money, (Although this may seem totally embarrassing) , getting a summer job is so worth it. Not only does this allocate monetary funds, rather than just “goodwill” and “the giving spirit” to your personal bank account, it is also potentially helpful in scoring a “date”. What we’re really looking from a job is that classic summer fling. On the first day of work, make sure to spot the most attractive employee and start flirting with them instantly. Say cool things like “hey there” and “hey can I have your number” and “hey do you have kik?”. If you keep this up, going to work won’t even feel like an ordeal anymore.

In terms of fun activities/ sports, you can do those also. For sports, either you can physically do them or you can’t. Some people just don’t have it. If you aren’t good at the mainstream ones like soccer but you still want to list “sports” as a hobby, try something less known like curling. People have heard of it, maybe, but they don’t really understand it so it’s pretty easy for you to pretend you’re really good at it when you are actually very mediocre. Like, I bet no one you know can name the top 5 nationally ranked curlers.

I would give you more suggestions for how to spend your summer, but my brain hurts too much right now. Just remember, stay safe, use your judgment and follow these tips to have the most awesome and productive summer ever. We only have a decade until the Earth blows up, so might as well make the most of it. Toodles!

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A wave of students filed into the Performing Arts Center for the six o’clock start. On Wednesday May 29, 250 students were invited to be honored at Senior Recognition Night for both academic and athletic achievements. Peers and family members smiled as the ceremony proceeded, where teachers and school faculty highlighted student accomplishments from the past four years.

During the ceremony, many groups of students were recognized, from thespians to athletes to valedictorians. Students received an array of awards as well, such as gifts from teachers, tassels and stoles to wear at graduation and certificates of achievement.

This year, NPHS had a record number of full IB diploma recipients, with 55 students making it through the rigorous coursework. Additionally, an almost unheard of number of valedictorian, students who received higher than a 4.65 GPA after four years, were recognized, as 34 students took the stage.

Further, on Thursday May 30, these students were recognized not just within the school, but within the district as a whole. In fact, prestigious students from many different high schools in the area, such as Westlake and Thousand Oaks, joined Newbury Park students at our Performing Arts Center to receive accolades.

Stephen Lepire, principal of NPHS, was happy to express pride in the class of 2019 as he announced student names. “For the last four years they’ve worked so hard to achieve that. We really want to celebrate that tonight and the hard work they’ve done,” Lepire said.

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*major spoilers ahead*

In the decade that Game of Thrones has captivated audiences, it has faced its fair share of clashes with sexism and racism. For the most part, however, writers have righted their wrongs and appeased watchers.

This final season has been different.

This season writers David Benioff and D. B. Weiss seem to have given up on their meticulously cultivated story arcs. The biggest story arc betrayal award goes to Daenerys Targaryen whose moral character went from heroine to barbarian when she followed in the footsteps of her family and went completely “mad queen.”

Since the dawn of the iconic show Daenerys has been the ultimate protagonist, a symbol of hope and a natural leader. Without warning, in the final three episodes of the series her character description shattered. Her decisions became increasingly irrational and culminated in the desecration of King’s Landing, in which she burned an entire city of innocent people.

There was absolutely no foreshadowing or build-up to this massive twist making it shocking to audiences, but not in a good way. Many people love a good twist, but this one was done with a heavy-hand and general lack of passion.

Not only is the show’s ending disappointing for the reasons previously mentioned, it also shows the underlying sexism that the show never really recovered from. Daenerys was unable to be a capable ruler and the loss of close friends drove her to insanity. While the male characters grow out of their adversity and grief, the female characters ultimately lose themselves due to these same circumstances. After the death of her three children Cersei Lannister came to be the cold, malicious and scheming queen we knew her to be by the end of the series. Let us not forget that Jamie Lannister is also the father of the same three children and he grew to be braver and kinder after the tragedies of losing his children.

All in all, the show’s ending was disappointing in every sense of the word. While the writers were striving to unnerve and surprise audiences they ultimately lost what makes the show special.

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There are a lot of changes coming to the NPHS bell schedule next year, and student input and awareness has been lacking. To start, there will no longer be late start days, which will be replaced with minimum days. A lot of people have different opinions on this, but a majority of the people we talked with were even aware of this schedule change. It is alarming that a change that directly impacts the entire student body has little to no student involvement. Indeed, not everything the district does needs to have student input, but when these changes directly impact students, it would make a lot more sense for the board/union/whoever to actually consult the people who it affects.  

One of the largest consequences of the schedule change is that students who have a fifth period will have to wait until 2:15 for their class because teachers and faculty will be in collaboration meetings right after school until then on minimum days when school ends at. What will students do between 12:40 and 2:15 if they can’t drive? Are they to remain on campus for an hour and a half? If that is the case, it does not seem fair to the students who will have to spend a lot of extra time at school. Again, the district did not hear or listen to those students who will be negatively impacted by the schedule change.

It is not just the schedule that the board is changing, and not all of the changes are bad, because the graduation requirements will change for the current eighth graders, as they will not have to have to take PE in ninth grade if they receive their credits elsewhere. But the problem is not the changes, but the lack of student input and awareness.

Though these issues are a major problem, the whole system is the problem, as the district does not seem to heed advice given by students and teachers, arguably the most important aspect of the schedule change is the lack of student voice and awareness, as not only where students voices not heard, but to a large number of students they were not aware of this change in the first place, which is almost more alarming.       

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edited Senior Map pg8-9[color]

We deeply apologize for any errors printed in the paper and for any hardships we caused students or community members. Any mistakes were unintentional. Please contact us if you have any questions or concerns. Congratulations class of 2019!

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A 2012 iMac sits in front of her as she places the small, shiny sparkles exactly where she wants them. When she is happy with the final product, she releases it for thousands of people who use it to make their surroundings look magical.

Gia Saputo, junior, is a 16 year old Official Lens Creator (OLC) for the social media app Snapchat. With 36,000 people subscribed to her account, she creates her own original lenses on her computer which Snapchat posts on the Discover page. 

Lenses are visual effects or filters that can be applied to a Snapchat photo or video. It ranges from funny faces to flattering filters, and the possibilities are endless as to what lenses can be created. 

“It was November of last year and it was during the fires, and I had nothing to do because it was two weeks off, and I was sitting at home,” Gia said. “It doesn’t seem too hard, but actually it was pretty hard to figure out at first and then I published my first lens.” Gia’s first lens became one of her most popular lenses. 

“I got an email from someone at Lens Studio which is the application that I use,” Gia said, “so I applied and I was on a conference call with people who are like the head of the OLC stuff, and they really liked me and so I became an official lens creator in November 25 (2018).” 

A Snapchat OLC is provided with free Snapchat merchandise, exclusive invitations to certain events put on by Snapchat and more publicity for their lenses.

“I like a lot of vibrant things… I like magical stuff, so like a lot of my lenses have to do with like sparkles or like super bright colors,” Gia said. She uses Lens Studio, a software for lens creators that partners with Snapchat.

“I get a lot of like anonymous messages of like people saying they are really inspired by me, and they want to do what I do,” Gia said, “It’s really interesting that people that I don’t know from different countries or different states or like area codes, they think that I’m inspiring and it’s really motivating.” Gia links an anonymous messaging program to her Snapchat known as YOLO where viewers often send her a variety of responses ranging from criticism to compliments. 

“I’m actually…going to a festival in October called Lens Fest,” Gia said, “so I get to meet all my friends that I’ve made through this community. I’ve made one really close friend, Ana Casciello.” Lens Fest is a convention for OLC’s, and Ana Casciello has been creating lenses since October of last year.

“We met each other, I want to say through (direct messaging). We both had made lenses and we talked to each other, like almost looking for help with something that we were stuck on, and then we just kind of became friends through that,” Casciello said. She is currently a freshman at Virginia Tech with a major in Computer Science Engineering. 

“I love everyone in the (OLC) community. I’m friends with a lot of people in the community so I definitely feel like Snapchat did a great job of like allowing us to communicate with each other.” Casciello said.  Casciello often seeks help from other OLCs to balance lens creating with school work. 

“A lot of people ask me if I get paid, and I do not, but people can pay me to make them a lens,” Gia said. She has never accepted any requests to create a lens for pay, and she intends to decline until a company contacts her to create one.

“I don’t think anybody in our family has ever, you know, they don’t have traditional jobs…everybody is kind of creative,” Dana Saputo, Gia’s mother, said. It was not until Gia’s first lens became popular on Snapchat that she discovered Gia’s lens creations. 

“We don’t have any scientists (in the family). Let me put it that way,” Dana said. The Saputo family consists of three generations of creative types ranging from illustrators to designers to art directors, and Gia is proven to be no different.

“I didn’t think that I would be doing this at all, like this is something that has changed my life,” Gia said. “It’s opening a lot of doors.”

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Serving as the second official Republican presidential nominee running against Donald Trump in the 2020 primaries following Bill Weld’s April announcement, Joe Walsh is merely an escape for Republicans in toxic shock from the Trump presidency. Though Republicans who are not fond of the current president  deserve a more stable alternative, Walsh is made of the same flimsy material as Trump. 

The 2016 race had Walsh tweeting, “If Trump loses, I’m grabbing my musket. You in?” but his support for Trump seemingly ended after Trump’s 2018 Helsinki meeting with Vladimir Putin, the leader of Russia, when Trump sided with Russia over the FBI on the subject of election meddling. Walsh now calls Trump “a racial arsonist who encourages bigotry and xenophobia to rouse his base.” Ironic, considering Walsh launched his campaign with an apology for his many racist, unsubstantiated attacks against former President Barack Obama. “Obama encourages illegals to vote,” Walsh wrote in 2016. He also continually fueled the claim that Obama is a Muslim, tweeting in 2016 “I think Obama is a Muslim”, and telling MSNBC in 2013 that our enemy is “Young Muslim men.” 

Walsh also infamously said in 2017 “I’m sick and tired of the Sandy Hook parents. They’re partisan and political.” In another tweet, he added, “Sandy Hook parents: Your 15 minutes is up,” a reference to the concept of flushing events out for a few minutes of popularity.

On Sept. 7, 2019, Walsh hypocritically tweeted “(Trump) watches TV and tweets attacks on American citizens. That’s all he does.” Considering Walsh’s current legacy is that of an angry man with fast thumbs and a phone nearby, someone else tweeting too much should be the least of his problems.

Walsh mirrors Trump in nearly every aspect pre-presidency. Yet Never Trumpers, a group of Republicans whose sole intentions were to keep Trump from getting elected, endorse this carbon copy. While it is valid and increasingly common to disagree with the Trump presidency as a Republican, the validity of endorsing a person who is morally and ethically similar to Trump is questionable at best, and hypocritical at worst.

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From Wallows releasing two end of summer jams to Green Day’s pulsating return, the recent overflow of new alternative and rock music is looking particularly good as fall approaches.

Speaking of Wallows, the trio is growing increasingly popular every day. Their new singles “Trust Fall” and “Just Like a Movie” are weave-ins to the basket of alternative they’ve created, and following the release of their debut album “Nothing Happens,” listeners are bombarded in the best way possible with the band’s new music. 

Moving on, The Growlers latest release of “Try Hard Fool” is a perfect blend of the band’s earlier, grittier sound and their more recent, synthesizer-heavy record “Casual Acquaintances.” Lead singer Brooks Neilson’s vocals are on full display per usual, but the overwhelming feeling of the song is one of simplicity and casualty, with a more polished sound throughout.

Returning to the topic of Green Day, the rock band is back again with Billie Joe Armstrong trolling the entirety of his fan base for the millionth time.The band’s newest single and title track for their upcoming new album, “Father of All…” is exactly what you would expect from the band sound wise. However, the band is veering away from the specificity of politics and more into the topic of the world right now in general when it comes to lyrics. We can expect “a lot of depression, but with a sense of humor,” Armstrong said. 

In anticipation of the band’s new album “Beneath The Eyrie,” Pixies are back with a three song contribution of “St. Nazaire”, another great example of the band’s ability to achieve the signature Pixies sound without ripping it off or overdoing it. While over the years they have gone through a hefty amount of aesthetic and sound changes, they have kept their flare and impulsivity which is what makes great music, and one can only hope the full length record follows this path too.

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On Sept. 6 from 5:00 a.m. to  6:40 a.m., the senior class of 2020 gathered at the bleachers of the football field to watch the sunrise together. This is the first time NPHS has ever had a senior sunrise. The event was coordinated by the senior class board, AJ DeVos, Emily Nagamoto,  Kyle Wonders and Nikki Usares.  

As president, DeVos took the lead in coordinating the event and making sure everything ran smoothly.“A lot of work went into preparing for senior sunrise because it was the first event of the year” DeVos said. “It was an amazing turnout. I think everyone had a lot of fun. The performers were all great, and the sunrise was beautiful.” 

For the last performance of the event, Evan Metcalf, senior, sang “Here Comes the Sun” by the Beatles while Ryan Younes, senior, played electric guitar.

“I usually don’t want to show my voice to people because I’m shy, and then (Younes) just went into the center and wrote my name down without my permission and here I am,” Metcalf said. 

“Regarding all the singers, like Liv (Udall) and Evan Metcalf and Ryan Younes, I thought they were very good,” Jackson Rice, senior and attendee of the event said, “I found a lot of my friends and…I really liked how they gave free food and drinks out.” 

With coffee and donuts in hand, the class of 2020 watched the sun emerge from the horizon. “I think this was just a really great way to start off senior year,” DeVos said.

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