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  • Also referred to as a red tide or an algae bloom, the brilliant blue waves are caused by phytoplankton that emit blue light when disturbed. In previous years the event has been rare to find, occurring sparsely. Recently, primarily during the summer of 2023, bioluminescent waves could be seen splashing the shores of Ventura County.

    Features

    Bioluminescence: Wonders of the bright blue ocean

  • On Sept. 21, 2023, the Foothill Technology High School (Foothill Tech) Girls Volleyball took a devastating loss of 3-1 in a league game against Bishop Diego High School. Students, Addi Fallon 25, Zac Crist 24 and Petra Falcocchia 24, show their support with colorful face paint. Many students also dressed to the theme of the game, which was cowboys and cowgirls.

    Girls' Volleyball

    Girls’ volleyball beat by Bishop Diego 1-3 in hard fought game

  • Throughout the city of Ventura, pollution is washed down to the beaches through rivers and gutters, depositing cups, bags and other various trash onto our beaches and into the oceans.

    Features

    Just how deadly is stormwater runoff?

  • The charming exterior of Butter and Fold attracts many customers at all hours of business. From the elegant teal and gold color scheme to the waft of freshly baked breads, it’s impossible to simply pass by without taking a peek inside.

    A&E

    Butter and Fold: The perfect place to satisfy your pastry cravings this fall

  • At the Olivas Links Golf Course, on Sept. 21, 2023, the Foothill Technology High School (Foothill Tech) girls golf team faced off in a league match against Bishop Diego. The Dragons played well and won the match with an overall score of 249-303. Pictured above, Maddie Wicks 26 concentrates as she putts her ball toward the pin, finishing hole five with three over par.

    Girls' Golf

    Recap: Girls’ golf takes Bishop Diego 249-303

  • On Sept. 22, 2023, Foothill Technology High School (Foothill Tech) competed in their first Tri-County Athletic (TCAA) league meet. Foothill Tech races with five girls on varsity, including Danika Swanson-Rico 25, Bennett Rodman 26, Kalea Eggertsen 26, Emma Anderson 26 and Isabella Efner 25. They warm-up on the start line, exchanging words of encouragement and waiting for the queue to begin the race.

    Cross Country

    Cross country starts off strong at first league meet of the 2023 season

  • With beloved melodies and nostalgic anthems dating back over a decade, fans and general audience members alike enjoy singing along to her award-winning album, Fearless, from 2008.

    A&E

    The Eras Tour: an adventure spanning 17 years of music 

  • On Sept. 21, 2023, Foothill Technology High School (Foothill Tech) boys water polo hosted a home game against their opponent Malibu High School (Malibu). With lots of splashing, Ethan Ortiz 24 attempts to find an open teammate to give Foothill Tech an advantage to win their league match.

    Boys' Water Polo

    Recap: Boys’ water polo bested by Malibu

  • Students of Foothill Tech try to make button pins of their own design at Back to School Night. This college and career class provides an opportunity to learn life skills and creativity.

    Latest

    Foothill Tech welcomes parents and guardians at Back to School Night 2023

  • In the teen show “The Summer I Turned Pretty,” an adaption of the popular Young Adult novel, protagonist Belly Conklin navigates her love life in a triangle between brothers Jeremiah and Conrad Fisher.

    A&E

    “The Summer I Turned Pretty”: In Defense of the Fisher Boys

  • During F.I.R.E and lunch, members of the Associated Student Body worked hard to prepare an assembly line of delicious In-N-Out for the Class of 2024.

    Latest

    Class of 2024 connects through In-N-Out Burger and festivities

  • On the sunny afternoon of Sept. 19, 2023 girls tennis played against the Villanova Preparatory (Villanova) School Wildcats. The tennis team huddles together and chants in a pregame ritual before beginning their matches.

    Girls' Tennis

    Girls’ tennis triumphs over Villanova in first league match

  • The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom is the much anticipated sequel to the critically acclaimed and beloved video game The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. Announced in 2019 by Nintendo at the Electronic Entertainment Expo, Tears of the Kingdom was released on May 12, 2023 after nearly four years of waiting. Since its release, the game has been met with widespread acclaim from critics and fans alike. The game directly follows the events of its predecessor, building upon them and expanding an already immense world. Writer Kelly Quinn shares his thoughts.

    A&E

    “The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom” is victory for gaming

  • The three cakes that were reviewed were Lemon, Pumpkin Spice and Red Velvet all topped with a generous amount of cream cheese frosting.

    A&E

    A dive into Nothing Bundt Cakes: America’s largest specialty cake company

  • Comprising of 12 songs, Olivia Rodrigos new album GUTS is her second studio album and was released on Sept. 8, 2023. Rodrigos first studio album, SOUR, released in 2021, was critically acclaimed and beloved by fans, making her second album long anticipated. Writer Isheeta Pal takes on the task of listening to GUTS and reviewing it, delving into its key themes and messaging.

    A&E

    Album Anatomy: “GUTS”

  • A sign displayed in the store highlights the unique vendors in the store as well as promoting shopping from local artists.

    A&E

    Hey! Friends shows Ventura why shopping locally matters

  • Christopher Nolan hits it out of the park once again with his brilliantly done biopic about the man who invented the atom bomb, Oppenheimer.

    A&E

    “Oppenheimer” is a mind-blowingly impactful film

  • In Laufey’s latest album “Bewitched,” released on Sept. 8, 2023, she brings a jazzy and soothing take on the journey of love. Following the success of her previous album, “Everything I Know About Love,” her sophomore album comprises 14 songs, each bringing their own unique spin that is sure to bewitch the listener. Join writer Lily Toreja as she reviews each song and delves into their individual meanings.

    A&E

    Album Anatomy: “Bewitched” by Laufey

  • On the eventful evening of Sept. 14, 2023, the Foothill Technology High School (Foothill Tech) Dragons faced off against Cate in their third league match. The matchup was very even and came down to the fifth and final set in which the Dragons were unable to secure the win. After bouncing and hitting the ball to set her rhythm, Malia Gray ‘24 (number 9) goes to serve, as her teammates and her alike hope for the best.

    Girls' Volleyball

    Girls’ volleyball endures a hard loss against Cate

  • Jackson Basurto ‘24 and Alfred “Mason” Borkowski ‘24 are in full recruitment mode as students pass by their table. The club offered a fun way to engage with other students while doing something they all enjoy.

    Events

    Dragons find their connection at Club Rush 2023

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California’s deficit has left our education system reeling

With a state deficit of $27 billion, is our education system going to survive the cuts? Credit: Alex Phelps/The Foothill Dragon Press.
With a state deficit of $27 billion, is our education system going to survive the cuts? Credit: Alex Phelps/The Foothill Dragon Press.

Then: small classes, one-on-one teacher student interaction, teacher assistants (adult TAs, not student TAs), enough classroom supplies, books, libraries, field trips, science labs, art, music, gifted and talented programs, special education programs, an all around good education, and even, dare I say, fun!

Now: large classes that occasionally don’t have enough seats for all the students, student TAs in a few classes, help from other classmates and the teacher if you’re lucky, hours of homework, decreasing classroom supplies, increased demands on everyone, a rushed classroom, a tired teacher, and busy, stressed students.

What brought on this change in schools in California? Well, let’s see… In the 1950s and ’60s, the California school system was third in the nation and, now, in 2011, in we have slipped to the bottom five. What could have happened to make such a drastic fall in California? There are several things, but the first and foremost is Proposition 13, which was passed in 1978.

If you know anything about Prop 13, you know it was a proposition to limit annual property taxes to only one percent of the estimated value of a home. This meant a drastic drop in tax revenues, and therefore, a drastic drop in funds available for education. As an added bonus, the measure required a two-thirds majority to increase any taxes in California, which is almost impossible with our diverse voting base.

You may be thinking, “Well, okay, that’s good and bad but what could this possibly have to do with schools in California?” Schools get funding from property taxes. And with barely any money from property taxes because of Prop 13, California schools have been slowly but steadily sinking below the rest of the nation in education.

Now, after 30 years, this proposition has taken its toll on California schools, and, unfortunately, it could get worse from here.

California’s massive debt still needs to be paid off, and since no new funds are appearing due to the slow economy, Ventura Unified has already had to cut $20 million from its budget. What this money would have been specifically used for is unknown, but it could have helped pay for more teachers or may have been able to stop the addition of more furlough days to the school year (there are already quite a few here at Foothill which may now increase in number). It could have even provided the district with simple things like textbooks, desks and classroom supplies. Now, we are hoping to hang on to what we’ve got.

Realistically, with the requirement of a two-thirds majority to pass a tax extension in Ventura to keep another $6 million from being lost, this just won’t happen. America, California, Ventura, they all claim to want the best for our children’s education, but, like the recent Wright Library scenario, as soon as we realize that we have to actually pay for it, we decline by voting down any measure that will raise much-needed revenue.

As a high school student, part of me at thinks “More furlough days means less school, nice.” But the truth is, as much as I like an extra day or two off, I do want a good education, and I clearly see its value. With these seemingly constant rounds of tax extensions and tax cuts causing California’s educational reputation to tank, I’m really not sure that I, or the children growing up now, can get the best possible education. And why? So we can save a few bucks on property taxes today, and lose a couple of generations of well-educated citizens tomorrow? How is that rational?

Is it worth it? Since when do we as citizens not have to pay for the benefits we receive? Our democracy depends upon a well-educated electorate. We not only need to demand it, we need to fund it.

What do you think?
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