The Student News Site of Foothill Technology High School

The Foothill Dragon Press
The Student News Site of Foothill Technology High School

The Foothill Dragon Press
The Student News Site of Foothill Technology High School

The Foothill Dragon Press
Inspired by the Humans of New York project, the Foothill Dragon Press staff aspires to highlight students around campus pursing their passions and interests.

Humans of Foothill: Siena Meter

Lyla Huff, writer • November 15, 2024

Siena Meter ‘26 has made a great impact so far at Foothill Technology High School (Foothill Tech) by participating in both the DTech Capstone Academy (DTech) and the Associated Student Body (ASB)....

Certain colleges that made the SAT optional are now reinstating the test for future applicants. Though this topic has been in discussion since the return of in person learning after the COVID-19 pandemic, students now wonder if they should pay to take the test and how much it really affects an applicant's profile.

Shifting back from test-optional to test-required: Some colleges reinstate the SAT

Audrey Szijj, Staff Writer • November 13, 2024

During the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, the college admission process underwent significant changes. On March 1, 2020. Columbia University became the first Ivy League school to get rid of the SAT score requirement...

Every year seniors are faced with the same struggles upon returning to their final year of high school. Almost immediately after returning to school, seniors must begin college applications of varying length and effort. Those who want to go to college must apply quickly after the school year begins, alongside managing their primary coursework and maintaining their grades. Providing insight into the process, Foothill Technology High School’s (Foothill Tech) class of 2025 shares their perspective on the college season and where they may end up going in the following years.

College application season at Foothill Tech

Morgan Houston, Writer • November 8, 2024

It’s that time of the year: as the first quarter comes to an end, college applications loom over the heads of Foothill Technology High School’s (Foothill Tech) class of 2025. Whether students plan...

The different childhood entertainment of Gen Z and Gen Alpha are representative of how technology like AI and social media affects each generation. For Gen Z, physical toys or education-based technology, such as Shopkins and LeapFrog, were popularly enjoyed by many children. For Gen Alpha, however, entertainment has shifted to being more technologically dependent. These relationships with media are formative in how both Gen Z and Gen Alpha react to technology in the present and the future.

How childhood entertainment affects generations’ technology use

Layla Solomon, Writer • November 6, 2024

AI platforms, such as ChatGPT and Mathway have become increasingly common to see used, especially in school settings. Generation Z (Gen Z), those born between 1997 to 2012, use AI technology occasionally,...

The Santa Ana winds, aptly nicknamed the devil winds, are notorious for their hot, dry nature and tendency to generate critical fire weather conditions in coastal Southern California. They typically blow through the months of September to May and occur when high pressure builds up over the Great Basin (the geographic area framed by the Rocky Mountains and Sierra Nevada) while a region of low pressure is present over the Southern Californian coast. The difference in pressure between the two areas creates a strong pressure gradient, causing the weather phenomenon known as the Santa Ana winds. As the winds flow down slope through mountain passes and canyons, they gradually gain velocity, lose moisture, compress and warm-up.

The Santa Anas: A local phenomenon

Oliver Kelley, Writer • November 4, 2024

As the first quarter at Foothill Technology High School (Foothill Tech) ends, Ventura Calif. gets the first taste of the Santa Ana winds. The annual phenomenon introduces a dry, hot air current from the...

Through the impressive exterior, Foothill Technology High School (Foothill Tech) provides students with a supportive community where students can grow socially and academically. Established in 2000 Foothill has encouraged and engaged the youth of Ventura. The modern look of Foothill Tech is a striking feature of the school which is a prevalent theme throughout the campus.

Foothill Technology High School: A high school that goes beyond the standards

Natalie St. Pierre, Reporter • November 2, 2024

Foothill Technology High School (Foothill Tech) is a historically academically accredited high school. Populated with over 1000 students and staff, Foothill Tech reigns in the top 2% of high schools in...

Throughout the year, many seniors progressively suffer from a disease known as senioritis. The symptoms of such an affliction may include a lack of motivation to do work, turning in late assignments and general burnout after completing three years of high school already. With just one last year to complete before starting adult life, they try to skate by on the bare minimum to enjoy one final year of being a teenager before being thrown into society as an adult. Whether they will be joining the workforce, going to college, taking a gap year or doing something else, senioritis is one final thing that plenty of seniors suffer through.

Senioritis in Foothill Tech: A not so menacing, yet thriving ailment

Viggo Bortolin, Reporter • November 1, 2024

The 2024-2025 school year has gotten past its early stages, and as October closes, students new and old come to classes in the swing of things. Seniors, who have already taken three full years of schooling,...

The Idea Center is a community center that is free for all Ventura Unified School District (VUSD) students. It offers a variety of resources ranging from 3D printing, computers and internet. Students can choose to work on different projects with the help of the staff as well as getting some school work done.

STEMbassadors and Idea Center

Kellen Spears, Writer • October 30, 2024

The IDEA Center, located on Ventura Ave. near De Anza Academy of Technology & the Arts (DATA), offers the STEMbassadors program, a nonprofit organization centered around creative expression and the...

On the bright morning of Oct. 23, 2024, Vitalant did its semi-annual blood donation event at Foothill Technology High School (Foothill Tech). Students who signed up were called in at different times to generously give blood to those in need. Arrows were placed surrounding different trailers, helping guide students.

Dragons help save up to 117 lives at the biannual Vitalant Blood Drive

Viggo Bortolin, Reporter • October 24, 2024

As students began to arrive at Foothill Technology High School (Foothill Tech), on the morning of  Oct. 23, 2024, they were met with the long-awaited presence of the Vitalant company buses, signaling...

On the night of Oct. 12, 2024, the Teen Advisory Group (TAG) filled with students from various high schools hosted the annual Horror In The Stacks event. Dressing up as different characters and themes, the six zones combined made a haunted house on the second floors of the E.P Foster Library. The screams of guests walking through echoed down Main Street and student volunteers gathered at the end of the event to capture yet another successful year of hosting Horror In the Stacks. After long months of planning, the students rush inside after the photo to store all the decorations and costumes on the second floor, where it awaits the coming year of this event.

Horror In The Stacks 2024

Kathleen Cheng, Writer • October 22, 2024

As Halloween approaches, the annual tradition of Horror In Stacks continues, following the success of the previous year. Hosted by the E.P. Foster Library on Oct. 12, 2024, and put into operation by...

On the sunny afternoon of Sept. 29, 2024, the Santa Clara Valley Wellness Foundation (SCVWF) hosted its second annual "Harvest and Health" pumpkin festival with the goal to raise money for the foundation's variety of scholarships and internships given out to students interested in the medical field. Read more to learn about the birth of the festival, how the SCVWF got started and what the festival entailed.

Santa Paula’s second annual “Harvest & Health” Festival raises funds for students interested in healthcare

Amber Duhs, Writer • October 21, 2024

On Sept. 29, 2024, The Santa Paula Agricultural Museum (Museum of Ventura County) hosted the Santa Clara Valley Wellness Foundations (SCVWF) second annual “Health & Harvest” fundraiser; an...

The advancement of technology has been getting more and more complex as well as more users getting involved. Schools have both digital and paper options for students but only if used in a correct manner. Using digital technology can help students with researching facts and databases making them more successful. However, teachers manage to balance by using paper as it prevents distraction and plagiarism from Artificial Intelligence (AI). By using paper, it is proven that students hang onto information better when it is physically in front of them and have the ability to express their understanding by writing their knowledge.

Paper vs. digital in schools: Which has the best results?

Audrey Szijj, Staff Writer • October 19, 2024

As technology continues integrate into the learning experience, there has been an increase in the amount of schools using electronics such as computers for test taking, assignments and more. Schools have...

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