rowlerantherP Newbury Park HigH ScHool | Friday SePt. 24, 2010 | iSSue oNe | 456 N. reiNo rd. Newbury Park, ca 91320

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Sam MorganProwler Chief Photographer

pages 6 & 7

Freshmen elect class officers

In the midst of increased enrollment and scheduling issues, students now face larger class sizes.

According to Steven Johnson, International Baccalaureate History of the Americas and Advanced Placement United States History teacher, some classes are not available when students need them, which increases class sizes.

On the first day of school, one of Johnson’s IB History of the Americas classes had 44 students, while the other period had 38. Johnson recognized that with a class this large, there are fewer opportunities for individual instruction and attention.

“It’s important for each student’s voice to be heard,” Johnson said, “and it’s more difficult to do this with lots of students.”

Johnson’s IB students are “locked into” the majority, if not all, of their other classes due to the limited offerings. For example, IB History of the Americas is traditionally only offered third period. However, in order to alleviate Johnson’s large class sizes that were caused by over enrollment, an additional first period class is being offered this year.

Shannon Alavi and Rachel Cross,Prowler Editor in Chief and Staff Writer “There’s no easy solution, but we did the best we

could,” Johnson said. “The administration was very cooperative.”

Another contributing factor to the increased class sizes involves the rising number of students enrolling each year. The school faces a problem with overpopulated classes.

“With a larger class, it’s more about classroom management, and you’re not able to bring in as many interests for the students to help them learn,” Erin Ditlove, biology and geoscience teacher, said. With classrooms sometimes filled to their maximum capacity, students can have a harder time getting the attention necessary for them to excel in their classes.

“The main classes that have been affected [by the budget cuts] are the ninth and tenth grade classes because of the growing population,” Athol Wong, principal, said. “We’re fortunate that we haven’t had to cut teachers at our school.”

“[With larger classes] it puts stress on the students because we have less time to learn,” Jamie Eads, sophomore, said. “I used to go home and hang out for half an hour to an hour. Now I whip out my homework and start working immediately.”

Sam Morgan / Prowler

From left to right: Karen Randall, counseling clerk, assists seniors Chad Odahara, Aaron Dembla, Yvon Brousseau, Brienne Flaherty, Tyler Smith, Jayme Amann, Daniel Dipsia, and Benjamin Zhou as they attempt to fix their schedules by making appointments with their counselors.

Melissa Han / Prowler

Tyler Duffy came out first in the race for freshman president and is joined by Sarah Jiminez as vice president, John Kikuchi as treasurer, and Davis Garner as secretary.

“I felt like going for it and trying something different - if you have a shot, then go for it,” Duffy said.

A total of nine candidates applied for the positions of freshman class president, vice president, treasurer and secretary.

“This is a normal response for [freshman elections],” Shayda Ansari, junior, said. According to Ansari, the political affairs commissioner in the Associated Student Government, “as [students] go up in grade levels, [they] tend to get more involved.”

“Some people aren’t included in the school, and I just want them to feel included,” Duffy said. “I just want to raise school spirit.”

Lee Norgaard, Yoselin Roldan and Emily Sweetman joined Duffy as the candidates who ran for class president, while Samantha Masyr and Alex Paun also ran for vice president along with Jiminez.

For the office of treasurer and secretary, John Kikuchi from Monte Vista Middle School and Davis Garner from South Pasedena Middle School ran unopposed for those respective positions.

“Elections are taking place at lunch in the quad this year,” Ansari said before the voting that occurred last Monday and Tuesday. This is in contrast to other school elections that are held within the classrooms where students fill out surveys that are then collected and processed.

The candidates were given a week to present themselves to their class before elections took place.

Unlike previous years, the candidates did not have a chance to present speeches on Panther Television in order to express their positions and state their goals.

Instead, the candidates had to rely on their connections with their peers and their ability to promote themselves through other means.

ASG recommended that candidates should not to exceed a budget of $25 to promote their campaigns for the election.

“We don’t want you spending $300 on the election,” Ansari explained beforehand. “We don’t want anyone to have an unfair advantage.”

Posters taped up around the school featuring the names of Duffy, Masyr, Norgaard, Paun, Roldan and Sweetman displayed the candidates’ campaign slogans.

In addition, Norgaard went to the local Baja Fresh and asked them to support the her attempt to be elected as president. They sponsored her by providing her with coupons for free tacos to pass out to the voters.

Some candidates aspire to stay involved in student government. “I hope to be president overall in my senior year,” Sweetman said. “I also want to raise school spirit.”

Larger classes result in woes

Samantha Guhan, junior, won the Outstanding Young Scientist of California award for her science experiment involving mussels.

Each year, the California Association of Professional Scientists holds a competition to determine the winner of this recognition. Guhan was picked as one of three finalists out of 14 regional contestants before continuing on to become the overall statewide winner.

“I feel very honored and very lucky to receive this award,” Guhan said. For her achievement, she received a college recommendation letter and a $1000 monetary reward.

The experiment was titled “A Study of the Dopa Mediated Mussel Adhesion in Mytilus edulius.” According to Guhan, Dopa is a modified amino acid that is part of two main proteins found in the Mytilus edulius species of mussels.

“Dopa is used as a medicine for Parkinson’s disease,” Guhan said, revealing her motivation for working with the substance.

Guhan was also presented with a trophy in the form of a “gigantic rock that’s ugly on the outside but with gemstones on the inside.” According to Guhan, the engraved geode is “bigger than my head. It’s so cool! It’s the best trophy I’ve ever gotten!”Sa

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Sophie LiProwler Copy Editor

recognized by the scientific community

News The Prowler • Sept. 24, 2010

2

News in Brief • Noticias en Breve Norma HutchinsonProwler Sports Editor

Freshmen Maria Suarez and Becky Chi, enjoy the new tables that were recently installed around the quad.

Sam Morgan / Prowler

The Thousand Oaks City’s Community E n h a n c e m e n t

Grant Program provides funding opportunities for non-profit clubs and boosters. The grants range anywhere from $2000 to $5000 and are given out after the club performs some sort of community service such as tree planting, composting, or non-native plant removal. Grants are limited and online applications will be accepted from Oct. 1 to Oct. 29.

The start of a new academic year brought along many aesthetic

changes throughout the school. The Social Science Department received extra money to spend on technology, and thus, two new flat screen televisions were installed in the back walls of the cafeteria and several classrooms. In addition to this, several booths and new picnic tables were placed strategically around crowded areas on campus, and the “Paw Pantry” food stand in front of the C-building replaced old mobile food carts. The Girls’ Activity Room was sanded and re-polished.

Local grant provides funding for comunity service clubs

Statistics and Math Studies classes no longer combined

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El programa de mejora comunitaria de subvenciónes de la ciudad de Thousand Oaks provee oportunidades de financiamiento para clubes o organizaciones sin fines de lucro. Las subvenciónes otorgaran entre $ 2000 a $ 5000 y seran distribuidos después de que el club realize algún tipo de servicio comunitario como plantar arboles, poner composta o quitando plantas no natives al lugar. Las subvenciónes son limitadas y las solicitudes en linea para ellas serán aceptadas a partir del 1 octubre al 29 octubre.

La noche informacional de Naviance se llevó a cabo el 23 de septiembre a las 7 p.m. en el Centro de Artes Escénicas de la escuela. El propósito de esta reunión fue ayudar a los estudiantes y a sus padres con las aplicaciones necesarias para la universidad. Naviance es una herramienta que ayuda a los estudiantes a seleccionar una futura universidad que satisfaga todas sus necesidades e intereses.

Senior Naviance Information Night was held Sept. 23 at

7 p.m. in the Performing Arts Center. The purpose of this meeting was to help students and their parents complete the college application process. Naviance is a new tool the school is using to help students select a college which best suits their needs and interests.

Counselors present college information at Naviance Night

La primera semana de clases, una nueva maestra de matemáticas fue contratada debido a demasiados estudiantes en las clases de Estadísticas Avanzadas y en los Estudios de Matematicas del Bachillerato Internacional. Ambas clases fueron combinadas, matriculando 53 estudiantes en total. Como resultado, Kristen Rose fue contratado como la nueva nueva de Estadísticas AP, dejando a Richard Kick como maestro de los Estudios de Matematicas del Bachillerato Internacional.

The first week of school, a new math teacher was hired

due to the large class sizes for Advanced Placement Statistics and International Baccalaureate Math Studies. Both of these classes were combined with 53 students enrolled in total. As a result, Kristen Rose was hired as the new Statistics AP teacher, leaving Richard Kick to teach the Math Studies IB class.

El inicio de un nuevo año académico ha traído consigo muchos cambios estéticos alrededor de la escuela. El Departamento de Ciencias Sociales recibió dinero extra para gastar en tecnología, y por lo tanto, dos nuevas televisiones de pantalla plana fueron instaladas en las paredes de la cafetería y en varias clases. Además de esto, bancas y mesas de picnic fueron colocadas estratégicamente en áreas populares, un puesto de comida “La Pata de la Pantera” fue instalado frente al edificio C sustituyendo los viejos carritos de comida móviles, y el piso del cuatro de actividades de niñas fue lijado y barnizado.

2010-2011 school year comes with a new look

for a student to be dropped/failed from the class after a total of either four truancies or six tardies. Compare this to one truancy for ineligibility. To me, the proportions are unbalanced, even if an off campus pass is a privilege and not a guarantee.

According to the policy, “excessive” tardies, especially those to fourth period, can also jeopardize eligibility. I can’t decode the word “excessive” numerically, and I doubt that other students can either.

The policy for off campus pass eligibility can be found on page nine of the NPHS planner but, to be quite frank, very few students will read over the policies and instead will follow word of mouth. As a result, I’ve found that many students end up confused as to why they are restricted from leaving campus because they haven’t been adequately informed of the policy.

I do believe that the majority of students are well aware of the STAR testing requirements because it has been thoroughly presented orally by Principal Athol Wong, but attendance is another story. The policy for attendance seems to be an unspoken one.

I personally was unaware of the rigid requirements until recently when I discovered I was ineligible due to the very vague reason I was given: “attendance.” I didn’t understand what I had been charged with, and quite honestly still don’t know in full. If the administration were to announce the requirements for attendance orally, fewer students would be crowding our already populous campus at lunch and greater students would avoid having truancies and tardies all together.

The ineligibility period varies by offense, but typically lasts until the end of the first subterm. Though Principal Wong has had very few people try to revoke their ineligibility thus far, it is and has always been a possibility to petition.

To conclude, I would say that while off campus passes are a privilege, the policy for obtaining one is at times unclear and scantily publicized to the student body. We can fix this problem simply by ensuring that the policy is shared verbally to all students.

Now, as for us juniors and seniors stuck on campus, let’s at least get the word out while we can to our Panther cubs so they can ensure their own future eligibility.

Juniors and seniors are offered the privilege of being able to go off campus during lunch, as long as they comply with the regulations needed to obtain one. As many students are continuously turned away bewildered in response to being told that they are ineligible for an off campus pass, I personally question whether the regulations are fair and publicized enough to the student body.

Determined loosely by the school district and more in depth by the school, the factors that affect eligibility for an off campus pass are standardized testing performance, grade point average, and attendance.

Receiving advanced, proficient, or improved placement on the California Standardized Testing and Reporting tests in either English or Math, though other subjects may be included upon personal request, will help ensure eligibility. This requirement makes sense to me – students who do not perform at a sufficient level on testing shouldn’t be guaranteed a privilege that others had to work for.

Students must maintain a 2.0 GPA as well. This too is logical; it makes sense that students who are not doing well in their classes and aren’t keeping their grades up to par are found to be ineligible.

The final, and most concerning criteria to me, is the policy for attendance regarding truancies and tardies. It only takes one all day truancy or one truancy to third period to be deemed ineligible.

I am not trying to say that truancies are acceptable – they most certainly are not. However, I know students who have truancies in their attendance record due to an absence that should have been excused but was never cleared, as well as those based on mere error. While it is the student’s responsibility to maintain his or her attendance record, there are students who either don’t know about their truancy or do not think it will further affect them.

In addition, this policy is rather strict when compared to the class attendance policy, which calls

Opinion 3The Prowler • Sept. 24, 2010Editorial

The Prowler is the official publication of Newbury Park High School, created and produced by Advanced Journalism students. The Prowler is published every three weeks during the school year. Guest editorials and letters to the editor are welcomed, but must be signed and are subject to editing for length, libel, obscenity, and taste.

Newbury Park High School. 456 North Reino Road. Newbury Park, California 91320.(805) 498-3676 x 1103

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AdviserMrs. Michelle Saremi

Editors in ChiefShannon AlaviMelissa Han

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Justine Sizemore

rowlerantherP ’10-’11

Excess money gives the campus and new look

As most of the student body has realized, the school has had a bit of “sprucing up” this past summer. Of all the various changes made to the campus, the improved cafeteria has probably received the most attention.

Our previously-plain cafeteria now boasts a set of flat-screen plasma televisions along with rows of new restaurant-esque booths which line the walls, courtesy of ASG.

After all the initial “oohs” and “ahs,” many students begin to scratch their heads. It’s not hard to see that these new additions could have easily totaled in significant dollar figures. “Wait,” these students say, “didn’t we have a ton of budget problems? We can suddenly afford all of this now?”

Well… not really.The management of the school budget is an extremely

complicated system; for some reason that money can’t be used for this and for another reason that money must go here, etcetera, etcetera.

In a nutshell, at the end of the last school year, ASG had a certain amount of money which it had to spend on the student population as a whole. And this is how we got our new-and-improved cafeteria.

So as much as everyone wishes the televisions-and-booths money could have been used to help ease the stressful budget situation, the fact of the matter is that this probably couldn’t have been done.

Now we get to the real root of the problem – the budget system. It is evident that today’s economy is affecting American education in a very negative way. Because of budget cuts, fewer teachers are being hired, while the number of students per class is soaring higher and higher.

We here at Newbury Park are not exempt from this nationwide crisis. After all, you know your school’s budget isn’t doing very well when the library begins to charge you – a dollar per page – for defacing textbooks.

Now, we’re not trying to say that we’re experts on the school budget, or that changing the budget’s complex structure will be easy, as we can pretty much assure you that it will be the exact opposite.

We are simply posing a question: wouldn’t it be worthwhile to invest some time and effort into altering the system so that schools can try to ease their own financial troubles?

Looking for the hidden clues within the off-campus policyShannon AlaviProwler Editor in Chief

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Letters are subject to discretion and editing for taste and libel. Letters can be turned into room B-3 or to our e-mail: journalism.articles@gmail.com.

~Newbury Park HigH ScHool JourNaliSm Staff~

Melissa Han / Prowler

ASG spends leftover money from last year on new stuff for the campus.

Class sizes just ain’t what they used to be...

It’s Friday night and you just ended a treacherous week of school, so what do you do in little-known Newbury Park? That’s right, you ditch the homework and go to the movies. And if you don’t, I don’t know what the heck you’re doing because the movie experience has always been a timeless and cherished pastime for anyone, young or old.

If the movie, to put it simply, sucks, the experience has always been there as a fail-proof plan. But not anymore, my friends. NOT. Anymore.

Has anyone noticed how every movie now is in 3D? It’s kind of hard to miss, but really, what has happened to my beloved movie industry? No more can I go get my goodies (from the concession stand and never from the outside of course, wink wink) and skip into Theatre 3 with the same bounce in my step. Now, I am forced to carry a plastic bag filled with the most uncomfortable and disgusting glasses – who knows where they have been!

Oh and remember sitting in your seat even before the previews start, waiting for the lights to dim down? You may be thinking, ‘Why Beth, that surely has not changed…’ but watch out my uneducated friend, you are now given directions to ensure your viewing “pleasure.” The fantasy person inside the screen commands you to put on those wretched black glasses so you are transported into a world of headaches, frustration, and gag reflexes.

Granted, at first the feeling of being able to reach out and touch the people and objects in the movie you are looking at is pretty cool, but after a mere five minutes you begin to push your head farther back into the headrest and start to acquire a squeamish facial expression. However, it is pretty humorous to watch the neighboring people in the theatre with you attempt to grab the movie in the air and then shrink back with nervous laughter. And no matter how embarrassed they are the first time, they always come back for seconds.

And here’s another tip, there are only two people who can look good wearing sunglasses in an already dark building: Jack Nicholson at Laker games and Usher just being Usher. Also, I have always wondered, what do people who are of the glasses-wearing-kind do? My educated guess is that they place the stiff, imposter glasses over the real thing. That must be awkward and my heart goes out to all of you.

So, how do we solve these immense problems, readers? It is quite obvious: we simply stop making the 3D movies. Easy enough, yes? However, I am a sympathetic person and am open to compromise…sometimes, so I am willing to keep the vomit wrenching movies as long as there is a happy alternative I like to think of as two-dimensional films. If it is so easy to make the new movies jump out at you then it must be easy to put them back in the screen. That way we can all go back to the way things used to be, casually sitting with no equipment to watch a movie and shoving popcorn into our faces. With this notion I bid you readers farewell and send you off into the world with yet another apple of a thought in the fruit basket that is your brain.

OpinionThe Prowler • Sept. 24, 2010

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Beth Ellis Prowler Features Editor

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Adding adimensiondoesn’t give yourplot moredepth

High schoolers need naptime more than kindergarteners

Remember the good old days, back in preschool? No worries, no homework – life was as simple as could be. Day in and day out, it was just lunch, crafts, and my favorite – naptime.

Now, when we’re all feeling the stress of high school, all those mid-day dreams are just a distant memory. But why did they give us special time to sleep back then, when we were already as hyper as could be without an added hour of rest? High school students could seriously benefit from naptime during the school day, which would increase productivity, sharpen focus, and enhance attitude.

The average teenager gets less than six or seven hours of sleep each night, which is nowhere near sufficient to support their growing bodies and minds. According to the American Sleep Disorders Association (ASDA), nine to 10 hours is the minimal amount of sleep that teenagers need

every day to function at optimum capacity.

While it is ideal for students to simply aim for the goal of nine to 10 hours per night, the demands of homework, sports, and other activities make it essentially impossible to achieve every day of the week.

Napping during school is the clear solution. In fact, ASADA research suggests that an afternoon nap as short as 10 minutes can enhance alertness, mood, and mental function, especially after a night of poor sleep. Supplying a short period of rest following lunch would provide significant health benefits for students.

Better test and sports performances are just the beginning to the benefits naptime could bring. Sleep has also been proven to boost creativity, mental recollection, awareness, and attitude. With naptime, it is likely that students’ outlooks towards work would slightly improve. Naptime would give them something to look forward to during the day, and for once, school might not top their list

of complaints.Moreover, when fatigue reaches a

certain point, teenagers are going to fall asleep regardless of when, where, or whether it is permitted. Naptime would help to prevent the problem before it reaches this degree. It would be one simple way that school could give back to us what it constantly takes away. After all, meeting the needs of classes, sports, and social life is difficult enough without the burden of exhaustion.

Creating naptime for teenagers would be relatively easy. If the school day was increased by a mere twenty minutes, naptime could be realistically established just before fourth period. Students would require just a small pillow atop a desk, which could easily be carried to school or stored in the classroom.

Though the idea may not be given serious consideration at first, bringing back naptime would create well-rested, more productive, happier Panthers – a goal to which all school administrators should aspire.

Maia LaabsProwler Sports Editor

Find your own iDentity

Searching for your identity? You might want to check your playlist. Believe it or not, your iPod has as distinctive a personality as you do. The more music you add to it, the more its character develops and grows to reflect who you are.

In American society today, music is a huge part of our culture. It is played in movies, TV shows, advertisements, on the radio, in storeseverywhere. It is practically impossible to do anything without encountering music in some form.

In addition to this, there are countless different genres and styles to choose from. With all the music out there, it isn’t hard to develop your own unique musical taste.

This is typically how it works: you hear a song you like playing on the radio or at a friend’s house. So, when you get the chance, you look it

up on iTunes and, if it is really good, you buy it. Maybe you decide you like the sound of the band or singer and buy their whole album. In this way, you build up your playlist, collecting music you enjoy. The chances that someone else has collected all of the same songs you have are extremely low. Their taste may be very similar, but not exactly the same. For this reason, your music is part of what defines you.

Over time, the music you listen to comes to say a great deal about who you are. You may notice consistencies and patterns in the songs you have accumulated. Maybe you have a certain style or genre you tend to stick to.

On the other hand, maybe you enjoy a wider variety of music. Or, perhaps you find that, although your music differs greatly in style, many of your songs share a common theme. These are all indications of your personality and interests.

On top of this, your playlist may also bear signs of your culture, beliefs, friends, and family. This is because these are all major factors of your life that influence you greatly.

In a way, your iPod acts as a mirror. It reflects back who you are and what you stand for. Upon close investigation, you may be surprised at some of the things you find. You may control what goes into your playlist, but your playlist controls what comes back into you.

Just remember, your music has a greater effect on you than you may realize. So if for some reason, you don’t like your reflection or feel that the music you have really doesn’t suit you, you might want to tweak it a bit.

Rather than just listening to something because it is what everyone else is listening to, find a style that truly defines you. Do not be afraid to stand apart and discover your own iDentity.

Justine SizemoreProwler Staff Writer

Shasta BrooksProwler Staff Writer

The philosophy that your effort equals your reward has been driven into our minds since the first grade by well-meaning teachers.

Unfortunately, other students and I know from experience that our grades balance on more than our exertion.

Dedicated students’ report cards suffer, but needlessly.

After two years of failing to hold myself academically despite my every attention to schoolwork in junior high, I finally stumbled upon the secret - a series of habits and tricks, undermined in value because they seem too cliché or insignificant to make the impact they do.

Honors kids vary less from their lower class level peers, more in effort than in daily tasks.

After speaking with Kristine Zhang, sophomore and straight A honors student, I could already begin seeing the bridge between her and those making vain efforts.

First off, Zhang follows the pattern that the standard teacher will recommend; keeping organized, never procrastinating, and creating schedules with time limits.

However, the main tool she attributes to her success is her friends. “They really encourage me,” she said.

The benefits of combining socializing and schoolwork go even deeper than that of modeling yourself (academically).

After all, your high achieving friend can be one of the most effective ways to higher yourself by increasing classroom competiton.

From the perspective Peggy Walker, Advanced Placement European History and Psychology International

Baccalaureate teacher, the most important aspect students can improve upon “is analyzing information.”

The beauty behind this skill is that it can be applied in more places than you would think; though mainly English uses it, math, history, and science need you to dig deeper than the text, make connections, and form questions based on what you have learned to help you get ahead.

To create or enhance strong analysis skills, students can look at the “why’s” instead of the “what’s” in the lessons, and never assume that what the context directly states is the full meaning; analyze until you are sure you have run its full depth.

These skills seem to be the power source for high achieving students; and with them, plus the appropriate effort, any student can certainly make it academically.

Climbing up the academic ladder

Features 5The Prowler • Sept. 24, 2010

Saying that Nina Sobierajski is busy is an understatement. She has so many things on her plate that even her resume does not cover all of her activities.

“My focus is mainly on school activities because, well, I am bombarded with school,” the senior said. The list of school clubs she is involved with ranges from National Honor Society to Mock Trial to being Interact’s Community Service Director and everything else in between, including being the vice president of the senior class.

In addition to dedicating her free time to these clubs, Sobierajski is an International Baccalaureate diploma candidate, a program which involves taking a total of six IB classes and exams, a Theory of Knowledge class, writing a 3,500 word Extended Essay, a Theory of Knowledge essay, and completing 150 hours of community service by the end of senior year.

“I am a teenager, and yeah, I don’t want to go to school at times, but I know it’s for the best,” Sobierajski said. She dedicates a large amount of time to school related activities and her education. “This is my last period of time having free education,” she said. Despite Sobierajski’s daunting amount of club participation, she plans on applying for ASG next term because according to her, “I am an active member(…)I have to be.”

With Sobierajski’s schedule and commitments, one might find it hard to believe the amount of traveling she is able to do. “Traveling really develops you and allows you to mature,” Sobierjaski said. Out of the many places Sobierajski has visited, Poland and Spain have had the most meaningful impact on her.

Sobierjaski is a first generation American and both of her parents immigrated from Poland. She visits Poland often to see relatives and do community service. She participated in the Tall Ships Races in Gdynia, Poland where she was a translator for journalists and tourists.

This past summer, Sobierajski visited Spain through a study abroad program. “Poland has helped me open my eyes to who I am and my personal history, but Spain has given me a perspective of who I want to be,” Sobierajski said.

Sobierjaski hopes to enter the University of California system after high school to study law and psychology. She believes that traveling and dedicating her time to education will allow her to become more aware and intelligent in the future. She hopes to use the skills she has learned to better someone else’s life. “I have been given so much in my life,” she said. “ If I don’t do anything beneficial, it would be a waste.”

Emily JonesProwler Features Editor

Making Her Own Plans

activities because, well, I am

My focus is mainly on “

with school.”

Sam Morgan / Prowler

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PlagiarismThe Prowler • Sept. 24, 2010

PlagiarismThe Prowler • Sept. 24, 2010

6 7

cheating in today’s classrooms

Jennie Sun / Prowler

Sophie Li, Sneha Paranandi, and Kavya SingampalliProwler Copy Editors and Prowler Entertainment Editor

As the new school year starts to pick up, teachers are invariably forced to address the growing problem of academic dishonesty, the purposeful misrepresentation of another’s work as one’s own. Though many teachers are taking a firmer stance on dishonesty in the classroom setting, cheating is not a new concern.

“It’s always been a problem, but part of the confusion and laziness that causes plagiarism is because of the need for instruction on what needs to be cited,” Athol Wong, principal, said.

Other administrators agree, citing the district’s strict discipline policy as a necessary tool which openly states the expectation that students do their own schoolwork and equally clearly outlines the consequences of not abiding by these regulations. The administration agrees that such consequences make students think twice before cheating.

“On the first infraction, it’s important that an academic contract constitutes a written warning. That way, there will be no mistakes in coming years,” Wong said.

In addition, teachers and administrators routinely encourage students not to resort to “copying and pasting.” Though infractions have been recorded in a wide range of classes, academic honesty has become a serious concern in competitive classes where grades are of the utmost importance. According to the district’s Discipline Handbook, cheaters face not only the consequences of finding a simpler solution to unfinished homework, but also the much more serious charge of making a “deliberate attempt to disrupt the learning process.”

The consequences for academic dishonesty at the high school level include: Upon the first infraction, the student will receive an F for the assignment,

and the student’s parents, counselor, and the administration will be notified. The student is then placed on a contract, which states that the student understands that any other infraction in a period if two years will result in the student being dropped/failed from the second class.

Plagiarism was caught last year by the International Baccalaureate (IB) organization, causing a student to sacrifice his or her IB diploma and jeopardize the scores of others. Once papers have been submitted to IB, the organization once again checks for instances of plagiarism and, if one is found, notifies the school of alleged cheating.

“IB has a stringent policy, but there is a clear avenue for challenging it,” Thompson said. The process involves the student, teacher, and IB coordinator to write an explanation to IB regarding what happened.

Not only does this affect the student, but also taints the reputation of the school. Such incidents “are always possible [in] an academic program,” Christine Thompson, IB Coordinator, said, “and not only have ramifications for the students, but also undermine the status of our school.”

Because of such circumstances, many teachers have emphasized the importance of academic honesty.

Maya Stevens, physics teacher, defines plagiarism as “turning in others’ work

and thinking” and sees it most prominently in lab reports.One example was when Umar Qattan, junior, who had his physics

lab report directly copied and assumed all the consequences associated with plagiarism.

“It did affect me because my assignment was counted as a “zero” after I was accused of plagiarism and as a result of it, my grade dropped one letter,” Qattan said. “I really cannot complain because my whole entire work was copied and I have to take the blame because it was my work and no credit was given for stealing my work. But being accused of working hard and all that effort going down the drain is really devastating.”

Peggy Walker, history and psychology teacher, believes plagiarism “cheats the person who is involved in it by taking away an opportunity to learn.” Walker emphasizes that though sometimes students overlook “supporting the malpractice of others,” it is still plagiarism and helping someone else results in the same consequences.

According to Thompson, some instances of plagiarism include students

“completing homework for other for money” and by copying and pasting information from the internet.

Zachary Payer, senior, was accused of plagiarism in an English class for copying and pasting information from the internet, but was exempted from the punishments.

“I turned in my own work and I didn’t plagiarize; I just needed something to keep my thoughts straight and remind me what went on.” Payer copied and pasted online summaries onto the document on which he had his personal work in order to help organize his thoughts.

“I saved my work fervently, because my computer then crashed like a thousand times a day,” Payer said.

Payer accidentally turned in a paper with the online summaries still on it, and was accused of plagiarism, but after explaining his case, avoided further consequences.

Thompson said, in reference to copying off the internet, “This poses ethical problems, and can be controlled better. Students don’t always understand what is in public domain [on the internet].”

In order to counter this, teachers have been using turnitin.com, a website that finds the percentage of a paper that has been plagiarized.

Walker claims that “[turnitin.com] inhibits plagiarism, especially when a student can see how similar their paper is [to other sources], [but] it is not a fix-all.”

Payer admits that it is a good tool, though he wishes the plagiarism check was more available to students. He suggests teachers use the website not only “to check for plagiarism, but grade the papers as well.” Payer adds, “Paper copies are ridiculous, if we are turning them online anyway.”

In order to prevent plagiarism, Walker said the “better position to take [is] reporting it because you’re not doing anyone a favor by hiding it.” She compares it to a short circuit, in which the information goes from hand to hand, but does not reach the brain.

Thompson believes it is important for students to know that the “penalty can be large and the infraction tends to follow you. Not only can you be dropped from a class, but you can also sacrifice university admittance.”

“I totally believe that cheating is wrong, and I think the school’s system is good in the sense that it stops people from setting themselves up for failing out in the real world,” Payer said.

Stevens believes that when students “procrastinate to the point where it’s a little too late,” one bad decision leads to another, and results in plagiarism. Stevens advises, “When you do your own work, don’t give it to anyone else.”

[Cheaters are]setting themselves up for

failing out in thereal world.

“”

FeaturesThe Prowler • Sept. 24, 2010

8

STUDENTS TEACHER

Señora Tisor, Spanish teacher, and her two children, Austin, freshman, and Brandon, senior, battle it out

2 on 1.

When was the U.S. constitution 1. signed?

Brandon Tisor:1787Austin Tisor: 1776? Wait...Señora Tisor: Is that a trick question? Um... 17871787 is right! The game starts off as a tie. The score is 1-1.

What is the capital of Maine?2. B: It’s Augusta.A: That’s easy… wait a secondT: I know this, I taught all the capitols to my kids! Augusta.You’re all right again! That makes it 2-2. Come on Austin, you have to help out your brother with one of them.

Who were the founders of 3. McDonald’s?

B: They were two brothers… A: Ronald?T: I know it was the McDonald brothers... does that count?Saying they were brothers with the last name of McDonald does not count. Oh, and Ronald is the clown. It was actually Richard and Maurice McDonald. The score remains at 2-2.

What is one of the top ten songs on 4. iTunes?

B: Uh…A: Dynamite! That one was easy.T: A tune by Lady Gaga? I don’t know...Austin got it right! Congrats, you have managed to make up for the last few questions. Score is now 3-2.

What are 3 car companies owned by 5. GM?

B: Chevy, GMC, umm… come on Austin! …Pontiac?A: It’s…T: Dodge, Chrysler, Buick?Those are actually all right! The score is 4-3.

How many days did the oil spill in the 6. Gulf last?

B: Over 100... 110?

A: That’s not right Brandon.T: Lets see, May, June… 107.This was the trick question. The truth is that it never truly ended and it is still having an effect in the ocean. The score is 4-3.

The Deutsche Mark was the official 7. currency of what country until they adopted the Euro?

B: Holland?A: Yea, definitely Holland.T:Germany.Señora Tisor got this one, tying the score at 4-4.

In Bill Waterson’s popular comic 8. strip, what is the name of Calvin’s stuffed tiger?

B: Hobbes.A: I knew that one!T: Hobbes… I hope.Yes, that is correct. Everyone got this one, putting the score at 5-5. It is still anyone’s game!

Which English rock band had 9. Keith Moon as a drummer?

B: My mom probably got this one right… I don’t know the answer.A: Not the Beatles… I’m not good at this game.T: I should know this, is it Rolling Stones?Actually, the band’s name is “The Who.” The score is 5-5 still, someone better win the next one.

What burns more calories-sleeping 10. or watching TV?

This family rivalary was evenly matched.

Final Score: 6-6

George NasrOpinion Editor

Tisor Jr.s Tisor Sr.vs.

John DichiricoProwler Staff Writer

and not knowing the answer [during the quiz] will just make LaRocca

assume that you did not do the reading,”

Ampaya said. LaRocca is happy

to be back here at Newbury Park

High School and teaching

his favorite subject. He says his p r e v i o u s

job, which was an online

course, was not satisfying because he would

rather have been in a classroom than teaching over the computer.

“I didn’t enjoy it,” LaRocca said. “I’m [glad to be] back with my family.”

This is not only Rose’s first year at NPHS, it is also her first year as a teacher.

She feels that Newbury Park is a great place to start her career. “Newbury Park is a nice place, to be” Rose said.

In addition to Rose, another teacher, Matt LaRocca, was hired.

He has taught at NPHS in the past and is now teaching AP Government and World History College Prep.

During his one year away from NPHS, LaRocca found another job teaching an online class.

“Mr. LaRocca is interesting,” Delgado, who is also enrolled in LaRocca’s World History CP class, said.

According to Adam Ampaya, sophomore, LaRocca loves to have fun during class and does not enjoy making his students

Due to budget cuts, class sizes have increased.

One such class was the Advanced Placement Statistics class that had over 50 students. As a result, a new teacher, Kristen Rose, was hired.

Rose said it is beneficial to have smaller class sizes so that students can have more one on one time with their teachers.

As well as Statistic AP, she teaches Algebra 1A and 1B.

“Miss Rose explains [class

material] over and over,” Natalie Delgado, sophomore, said

According to Delgado, Rose’s teaching style is to pace the learning based on the students.

She will explain the process of a problem until a student can understand it.

Rose said it can be difficult to teach this way if there are huge class sizes since a teacher has to go over a large amount of information, as students tend to learn at different paces.

“[Teaching is] kind of stressful,” she said.

take notes all the time.LaRocca said he uses a question

and answer method for his teaching style.

Ampaya also said that LaRocca explains concepts

until a student knows the answer

and he is satisfied when

he or she understands.

“If a student is having trouble,

I help them to get back on track,”

LaRocca said.“He’s a nice teacher,”

Ampaya said. Ampaya also said

that if you do not know an answer or did not

complete the reading in LaRocca’s class he will

not get mad at you or lower your grade.

Reading is assigned daily and class quizzes are

conducted the next day. “Getting picked on

B: Sleeping.A: But you’re sitting when you’re watch-ing TV! Fine, sleeping it is.T: I hope it’s sleeping. Sleeping is right!

Sam Morgan/ Prowler

Sam Morgan/ Prowler

Entertainment 9The Prowler • Sept. 24, 2010

Justine SizemoreProwler Staff Writer

”

It’s too much money ... it wouldn’t be worth my time.

Matthew Stein, freshman

tudent oices:S“ ”

It’d be like the same thing, it’s just 8 extra minutes ... it’s nothing.

Maria Botello, junior

It’s a smart idea for them because they can make more money, and people can experience it the way it was meant to be.

Steven Savini, sophomore

“ ”“

V”

I would go to see Scott Pilgrim again, but not Avatar.

Brienne Flaherty, senior“

“We have a lot of talented kids at school. [Guys and Dolls] is a good musical to show off the wide variety of talent we have,” Michael Ollins, English teacher and head of the drama department, said of the Panther Players’ upcoming production.

Guys and Dolls tells the story of a gambler named Sky Masterson, who is convinced that all “dolls” are exactly the same. For this reason, he makes a bet with Nathan Detroit, a crap-game promoter, that he can convince a local missionary named Sarah Brown to fly to Cuba with him. His success in this wager marks the beginning of a long chain of events which end up changing the lives of everyone involved.

Ollins is not alone in his idea that this musical will make a good choice for a high school performance. He explained that the well-known production has become the most widely performed musical in high schools across the nation, as well as in colleges, community centers, and regional theater.

An explanation to the show’s success may be attributed to the quality of its music. John Sargent, music director of the school production, said the one thing that stands out about Guys and Dolls is its catchy, upbeat musical score.

“In all the musicals I’ve done,” he said, “this one has the best music.”

Sargent expressed that the role of music within a show is to

How do you feel about the extended Avatar movie?

Sarah Kline, sophomore, Paige Sentianin, senior, and Timothy Reese, junior, participate in line readings for the upcoming play in the choir room.

Sam Morgan / Prowler

Sam Morgan / Prowler

help emphasize the mood of any given moment.

“Music portrays the action going on at the time,” he said.

For example, during the scenes that involve the gamblers, faster songs are played. On the other hand, when Adelaide, a showgirl, sings about the fact that her fiancé Nathan will not marry her, the tone slows down and becomes less cheerful.

Sargent is very impressed with the score of Guys and Dolls, even referring to Frank Loesser, composer of the show’s music and lyrics, as a “musical genius.”

Jacob “Marvin” Eneberg, a senior who has been cast as Nathan Detroit, has a similar opinion of the production’s compositions.

“I like the music a lot,” he said. “It is very catchy. It gets stuck in your head, but you never get tired of it.”

Eneberg has been involved with the school’s drama department in the past few years. He was in his first high school performance during his freshman year. He played the role of Marvin in Laughing. This was the production

that earned him his nickname. “I have done a lot of shows here

since I was a freshman,” he said.He also served as the emcee at

last year’s talent and dance shows. For his senior year, Eneberg is excited to put on the best show possible.

Ollins is just as enthusiastic, viewing this musical as a chance to grant a number of his students their turn in the spotlight.

“It excites me because [the production] really gives me an opportunity to utilize some very talented kids who haven’t had a chance to shine before,” he said.

Ollins intends to spend a great deal of time working with these students in the coming weeks so as to be ready when shows are scheduled to begin.

The Panther Players have begun rehearsing for performances, which begin in mid-November. They practice Monday through Friday, from 2:15 p.m. to 5:30 or even 6 p.m.

“Sometimes we rehearse on Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., but it is usually later,” Eneberg explained.

“We work really hard,” he said, “but it is fun and it is worth it.”

Meanwhile, Sargent will be preparing the orchestra and singing groups. In the eight years he has worked in the music department, Sargent has been impressed by the maturity of his students.

“The kids do the most professional job

they possibly can,” he said.After four years working in the drama

department, Ollins feels equally confident in the performers’ abilities.

“One thing I have noticed over the years is a level of professionalism in the students,” he said.

“They study theater outside [of school] which gives them a certain polish and allows us to put on really good performances.”

Victoria Glasner and Timothy Reese, juniors, audition for roles in

Guys and Dolls.

singing the sweet sound of success

Shasta BrooksProwler Staff Writer

Entertainment10The Prowler • Sept. 24, 2010

Dennis GahmProwler Technical Consultant

JV dance team doubles the talentRachel Cross Prowler Staff Writer

The junior varsity dance team is a new presence on campus, accommodating the large number of interested dancers. With only 24 spaces available on the varsity dance team, the school has now created a JV dance team to take another 24 girls into the world of dance.

“Every year the program has grown and this was the best way I could think of to allow more of these talented dancers a chance,” Cameo Carolan, dance coach, said.

JV Dance is similar to other JV sports; it’s a way for students who haven’t been playing the sport as long to

gain experience that they need. Many of the dancers on the varsity

team have been dancing since a young age, while most members on the JV dance team

have started within the past few years. The JV dance team has scheduled practices Mondays, Wednesdays and

Fridays, when they join the varsity team in a group practice. They also attend a closed practice at a ballet studio once a week.

During these practices the girls warm up, do forty five minutes of conditioning, and practice their routines. The training that the dancers go through is very often misconstrued as easy or simple.

Raquel Leviss, sophomore (far left) prepares to do a pirouette, while Sarit Soto, junior, (left) poses during a routine. Rachel Liang, junior, Sarit Soto, junior, and Leviss (right) practice for their first show.

Ladies sing to a different tuneThe Women’s Ensemble was created this year to encompass

the large number of female applicants for choir. Since it is composed of only women, a new repertoire of music previously untouched by our school is now available.

Compared to other mixed choruses, the Women’s Ensemble has a “more pure sound and a higher range. [It is] clear and pristine,” said John Sargent, the music director of Women’s Ensemble. “They are able to access some very fine music.”

While a common ensemble has soprano, alto, tenor, and bass (SATB), this has only three ranges of harmony: soprano 1, soprano 2, and alto (SSA).

The repertoire, although focused in pitch, encompasses worldwide music - songs that are filled with tradition and history.

The ensemble plans to sing “Kling Glöckchen” (“Ring Little Bell”), a traditional German Christmas carol from the 19th century; “A La Nanita Nana,” a Spanish song made famous by the Cheetah Girls; “A Girl’s Garden” to musically supplement Robert Frost’s poem of the same name; “Hotarukoi” (“Come, Firefly, Come”), a metaphor for passionate love; and French pieces, like “Cerf-Volant” from the movie The Chorus.

Songs such as “Cerf-Volant” were originally sung by boys, but because they are written in treble clef, the Women’s Ensemble can sing these songs as well. Similarly, the ensemble can sing Barber Shop songs, which are also traditionally sung by men.

The audition for the ensemble consisted of singing scales and being able to match pitch. Abby Gilmore, sophomore, a singing-hobbyist who likes to sing pop, especially Taylor Swift, said “it was stressful.”

“I went in and they had me sing some scales, but since I was really nervous, my voice was shaky, but I guess I ended up okay because I got in,” Gilmore said.

Cori Maas, sophomore, believes “it was a great opportunity to get vocal training and would be a great experience. It’s a lot of fun.” From this experience, Maas aims to gain the confidence to sing any song and aspires to lead songs at the Lighthouse Church.

With the start of any new choir, challenges are to be expected. However, Sargent said the most challenging part about directing Women’s Ensemble is “getting up in the morning.”

Katie Guarra, senior, “The best part of singing in general is feeling like you are doing something beautiful that is unique to you.”

Sam Morgan / Prowler

Sam Morgan / Prowler

“The workouts these girls are doing are extremely vigorous, all the school really sees is the hip-hop performances and games, but they can do much more,” Carolan said.

The varsity and JV teams also do a number of activities together. At the upcoming Thousand Oaks vs. Newbury Park homecoming game, both teams will be performing with Thousand Oaks’ dance team.

“JV will perform at some games and we go to competitions,” Emily Resendez, senior, said.

“The teams are very supportive of each other,” Carolan said. Although their competitions are separate, there is the annual dance concert where anyone can come see the varsity dance team, JV dance team, the boys dance team and the physical education dance classes all perform in the Performing Arts Center on campus.

“It’s really great because it allows them to know who they are competing against not only now but in the future as well,” Carolan said. Along with their practices at school, many of the girls are involved in dance classes outside of school where they can try a variety of different styles of dance.

During the summer, the teams collaborated with Thousand Oaks and Westlake High Schools.

“You learn so much about performing, competing and yourself. I love it,” Resendez said.

Sam Morgan / ProwlerSam Morgan / Prowler

because of this. He believes that umpiring has changed the way he looks at and plays baseball. “I control the temperature of the game,” Jordan said.

making it happen. The sport is all about who wants it the most and who’s willing to push themselves the most to test their own drive.”

Another reason for running eight to nine miles every day?

“You can basically eat however much of whatever you want all the time,” she said.

Despite her previous successes, she still has goals to accomplish before the year is out.

“I would really like our girls’ varsity team to go to state this year in cross country and I want to be Senior of the Year in Ventura

Country,” Byrne said. “When track comes

around I hope to break the school’s senior record for the 1600 meter, which is held by Denise Ball at a 4:44

minutes.”But, like all seniors,

Byrne has her sights on the future as well.

“I definitely plan to run in college, and

fortunately my running has opened a lot of doors for me that I’m really grateful for,

but I haven’t chosen where I want to go yet,” she said.

John Dichirico and Justine SizemoreProwler Staff Writers

Sports 11The Prowler • Sept. 24, 2010

Four years ago, cross country was just an activity that Shannon Byrne, senior, used to keep in shape between track seasons.

But since then, running on both teams has become her main outlet that she intends to continue throughout college.

She grew so much that she went to the track California Interscholastic Federation finals last spring and placed fourth place for the mile, with a time just milliseconds over five minutes, and simultaneously rose to the No. 1 varsity member spot on the cross country team.

This record continued this year when the girls’ varsity team won the Oak Park Invitational on Sept. 15, something Byrne called “a difficult win.”

In addition, she set a second place all-time school record of 17:45 minutes at the Woodbridge Invitational on Sept. 18.

Running is in the blood of her mother, a youth coach, and brother Jonny Byrne, freshman, who is also on the varsity team.

“We have our own language when we cheer for each other, and it’s really nice that we both know the sport so well,” she said. “We have a big understanding for what the other person’s going through.”

Byrne offers words of encouragement to potential or fledgling runners from her own experience.

“My favorite thing about running is that anyone at anytime can decide that they want to be the best, and they have a really good chance of

Giving back to the community through sport

Nadia LynnProwler News Editor

The Associated Student Government (ASG) recently commissioned intramural sports, a new lunchtime activity, for the 2010/2011 school year.

The idea came from athletics commissioner Tony Milgram, a senior who “thought [it] would be beneficial [to get] the student body more involved with the school and [getting] school spirit up.”

Intramural sports are non-competitive sports which are played within a school by the general student population.

In other words, these different co-ed teams play against other teams within the same school.

The plans are set for flag football in the fall, soccer in the winter, and basketball in the spring.

“I wanted to make something to do at lunch for those who don’t go off-campus, and even for those who do,” Milgram said.

He explained that although all of ASG is involved with intramural sports, Anna Yoo and Aimee Maddox, both sophomores, are the two people who work directly with him.

“While playing intramural sports, you may realize that you actually want to play for the

high school’s team; so it might be something that persuades you to exert yourself and attempt something new,” Yoo said.

Milgram is pleased with the outcome of sign ups, which took place between Sept. 13 and 17.

“The turnout is much higher than I had originally expected,” he said.

Their informational lunchtime meeting took place Sept. 22 in room B-9 for all prospective players.

The meeting was conducted by Milgram, and a slideshow was presented to explain how future games were going to be laid out.

Upcoming meetings will be “game days” in which two to three games are expected to

be played, with two games going on at once, each using half of the stadium

field.P hy s i c a l

forms were distributed,

which are mandatory to

turn in before players participate.

“Anyone can play as long as they have

a physical form,” Maddox said.

Karla Villavicencio confirmed, “It’s not canceled, just on hold

until everyone has their permission [slips].”

Flag football will begin on Sept. 27, involving a total

of 12 teams of four people at the Panther Stadium. However,

Milgram is “hoping to get more [teams]” by that time.”

Lauren RewersProwler Ad Manager

Shannon Byrne:

Sam Morgan / Prowler

Mel

issa

Han

/ P

row

ler

Melgar, senior, has been on the swim team since her freshman year. She first became interested in swimming when the sport was suggested to her by several friends from her church that were already on the swim team.

“It looked like a lot of fun so I decided to try it,” Melgar said.

She did not regret this decision for a second. She took to the sport immediately. At first she was a little unsteady due to a lack of training. However, with time and effort, she improved greatly. Melgar was also aided by her own strong-willed determination.

“I’m just a competitive person,” the swimmer said.Now, four years later, Melgar has found a way to share her

passion with others. She works at the pool during the summer so that when she graduates, she will have money for college. “I am a lifeguard and a swim instructor,” she said.

Melgar believes that the highlight of her job, which consists mostly of sitting on the lifeguard tower, is teaching young children how to swim. Her favorite memory was when she taught a three year old to jump off the low diving board.

Juggling Advanced Placement and International Baccalaureate classes along with her time-consuming job is

often difficult, but she values both and manages. She feels that giving back to the community has changed her in a positive way, and she plans to continue for as long as she can.

Eric Jordan, sophomore, also enjoys helping other children with the sport he has been playing for about 13 years. Jordan now volunteers as an umpire and enjoys being on the other side of the game. Rather than pitching, he now gets to control the game from a new perspective and now views the field differently.

Jordan said he likes being on this new side but it has its toll since all the parents are yelling at him if they think he made a bad call. He said it gets stressful at times when he is umpiring

Burning up the trackIntramural sports addedto lunch time activities

High school students Eric Jordan and Caudia Melgar take their sports involvement a step further as they support a younger generation of athletes who are just starting off. ”

”

SportsThe Prowler • Sept. 24, 2010

12

Lancers

told the varsity team, in hopes of raising the Panther’s spirits.

Both teams, having lost the second game of the season, are eager to gain a victory and pride for the remainder of the year.

Thousand Oaks has the advantage of numerous returning players.

However, the Panthers also hold some advantages.

“Our team has smaller guys this year so we are going to come out with trick plays,” Calvin Carter, senior and varsity captain, said. “Mentally and physically, everything else will be the same.”

According to Fabricus, “we had a more

The rivalry between the Panthers and the Lancers has echoed through the football stadiums for as long as anyone can remember. As the highly anticipated game approaches, Newbury Park looks to achieve another victory over its long-term football foes.

Head coach, Gary Fabricius, is working to prepare the team for what he calls a challenge.

“[Thousand Oaks] is a very good team [and] has a lot of experience. We will have to play well.”

“We want positive thoughts,” Fabricius

Cooper Ellison and Emily JonesProwler Opinion Editor and Features Editor

veteran team last year and the Thousand Oaks game was at the end of the year so we knew were we stood. This year we don’t know what our strengths and weaknesses are.”

Though Thousand Oaks gave no response about the game, as our rival, they prove to be competition every year. “I think they are gonna try and stop Jake [quarterback] and Dakota [wide receiver]” Fabricius said.

Carter and Robert Chen, senior and another captain of the Panthers, both acknowledged the fact that this game against Thousand Oaks will not be easy. Carter expects that this game “is going to be a battle.”

Nick Henderson, senior, said “We’re just

focusing on working hard and improving on the good things we did against Moorpark.”

With the taste of victory from last year’s game still present, the Panthers are determined to attain another successful game against the Lancers.

In order to push the team to do their best, Fabricius quotes Mike Tyson, “‘Everybody’s got plans…until they get hit.’”

In addition to the drive of the coaches, the Panthers are ultimately in need of one thing according to Carter: “We need the whole school there, dressed to black out T.O.”

Sam Morgan / Prowler

Prepping for the showdown

Lauren RewersProwler Ad Manager

Instead of the stereotypical teenage summer of watching television and going to the beach, Genevieve Ireland, senior, made great headway into her favorite sport of rugby by making the national women’s youth team.

This team consists of a pool of accepted members. Whenever there is a tournament, players are randomly selected and put on a roster. Just because someone is picked does not mean they will be the next tournament. In July 2010, Ireland made the pool.

More importantly, her coaches have shortlisted her to a specialized pool of girls with a higher probability of making the roster. With this accomplishment, Ireland has a real possibility of making this semi-permenent team.

This team is in addition to the several she already is part of; since the all-star teams are all different seasons, she plays year round. “My life pretty much revolves around school and rugby,” Ireland said.

Despite the biweekly commute to Santa Monica for practice, she still makes the sacrifices to play on the higher level circuit.

Even her family is rugby oriented; her brother Jack Ireland, junior, is also in rugby teams and both her parents are involved administratively. Her dad spurred their interest: “[He] played when he was in college and he used to tell us stories about it, and then he just stumbled across this website for the club,” Ireland said.

That was four years ago, at the beginning of Genevieve Ireland’s freshman year. She has been playing on the all-star team for three years which takes her all over the United States for tournaments.

“I think that my favorite thing about rugby is that it’s more than just a sport,” Ireland said. “It’s a whole philosophy and a way of being, and the values of it –brotherhood and loyalty, responsibility and forgiveness, too, because there isn’t any animosity between the two teams at the end.”

”

”

Photo courtesy of Genevieve IrelandGenevieve Ireland passes the ball during a scrimmage. Ireland has been playing rugby on the all-star team for the past three years.

vs. Panthers:

The Newbury Park varsity football team tests out a play during practice three days before the game against Thousand Oaks High School.

See you tonight!