Downtown is a hub of Ventura culture. Close to the beach as well as the mountains, Main St. is home to a majority of Ventura’s businesses and restaurants. The choice of whether or not to allow cars on Main St. greatly influences the way it operates and how people interact downtown.

Downtown Ventura has been a point of contention for years. Starting during covid, Main St. has been shut down to cars. Now on September 16, 2025, the Ventura City Council is reconsidering their position. This has sparked action in Ventura’s residents to advocate for their preferred position.

A small group of seniors and one of their pet dogs sit on the beach to watch the sunrise, enjoying the company of their classmates and recalling the times that they spent together throughout their previous three years at Foothill Tech.

Noah Griardot ‘26, William Brown ‘26, Luke Huff ‘26 and Luke Sassen ‘26 take the opportunity with friends to make lasting memories of playing Spikeball and spending time together while watching the sunrise over the beach. They mark a great start to their morning and to their senior year as they appreciate the friendships they’ve created since they first met.

Jaylee Espinoza Aguilar ‘26, Sofia Vega ‘26 and Brianna Alvarez ‘26 pose together with custom hand-made shirts to enhance the festivities. Recollecting on how far they have come since their freshman year, they continue to look forward to all of the new memories that they will make throughout the school year.

The class of 2026 gathered on Pierpont beach during the early hours of the morning on Aug. 15, 2025, participating in a long lasting school tradition of watching the sunrise. The sunrise symbolically starts their last year at Foothill Technology High School (Foothill Tech) and is a tradition planned by the Associated Student Body (ASB) that most seniors look forward to every year.

Lilac Reyes ‘26 (number 6) confidently rises in the air and spikes the ball over to Buena High School’s (Buena) side of the net. Reyes’ spike was too powerful for Buena’s defense, and she ended up securing a point for Foothill Technology High School (Foothill Tech). As an outside hitter, Reyes had many hits throughout the game, making her a valuable asset to the Dragons, despite their overall loss.

Samantha Jacobson ‘26 (number 1) happily high fives her teammate Emily Turner ‘26 (number 4) after an amazing play by Turner. The Foothill Technology High School (Foothill Tech) girls volleyball team faced off against Buena High School (Buena) on Aug. 14, 2025, and secured a win during the first set. Despite this initial victory, the Dragons ultimately lost to Buena.

After a spike from one of Buena High School’s (Buena) hitters, Samantha Jacobson ‘26 (number 1) passes the ball from the back row to the setter, hoping to set up a successful play. Jacobson’s determination was shown throughout the game as she was running to save the ball no matter where it was hit.

The class of 2029 talked in small groups on the Foothill Technology High School (Foothill Tech) quad during the first day of school, Aug. 13, 2025. With new outfits and school supplies many students take time to connect with new classmates, share summer stories and ease first-day nerves. The relaxed conversations mark the beginning of their high school journey and a new chapter ahead.

A group of Foothill Technology High School (Foothill Tech) seniors, Scarlett Palmieri ’26, Caroline Vanderkooij ’26, Xiomara De La Torres ’26 and Lailah Davis ’26, group together to celebrate the official start of their last year of high school. For many seniors, this day serves as a bittersweet marker in their progression towards finishing high school and moving into adulthood.

Aug. 13, 2025 marked the official beginning of the 2025-2026 school year for Foothill Technology High School (Foothill Tech) as well as the rest of the Ventura Unified School District (VUSD). Around campus, numerous staff members could be seen showing off their school spirit, wearing astronaut attire to acknowledge the school’s theme of the year, “Chasing the Stars.” Foothill Tech’s Associated Student Body (ASB) went above and beyond with decorations, covering the halls with balloons, streamers and stars with every student’s name written on them, highlighting ASB’s dedication to creating a welcoming environment for new and returning students.

The history of pride month. Not only is June the half way point of the year, but it also is Pride Month. A celebration of all different forms of queer across the globe. It is important to recognize the struggles that the LGBTQIA+ have gone through in the past centuries, and even, today. Queer culture can be seen everywhere and has enriched history. This large community stands together to be celebrated during the month of Pride.

The 2024 to 2025 season went well for the Foothill Technology High School (Foothill Tech) boys tennis team, going 4-1 in the Tri-Valley League, resulting in a 3rd place positioning. In the overall season, the Dragons went 6-2, showing the extent of the talent and dedication of the boy’s tennis team.

The 2024 to 2025 season for the Foothill Technology High School (Foothill Tech) boys’ basketball team went extremely, with a record of 7-2 in the Tri-Valley League, placing them at 2nd overall. For the general season, the Dragons achieved a record of 16-15, which allowed them to advance to the California Scholastic Federation (CIF) Southern Section Championship game, which they unfortunately lost to La Puente High School (La Puente) 70-63. Despite the loss, the Dragons still displayed incredible talent and effort throughout the 2024 to 2025 season.

The 2024 to 2025 season was incredibly successful for Foothill Technology High School’s (Foothill Tech) swim and dive team, with numerous athletes making new personal bests at nearly every event. All of these athletes secured their own personal bests in varying events, highlighting the variety of Foothill Tech’s success. The Foothill Tech swim and dive team recieved various accolades throughout the duration of the 2024 to 2025 season, performing well at the Ventura County Swimming Championships and the Tri-Valley League Meet, both of which are hallmarks of the Dragons swim season.

The 2024 to 2025 season was somewhat rough for the Foothill Technology High School (Foothill Tech) girls tennis team, with the team advancing to Tri-Valley league finals, however failing to meet California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) standards to compete in the postseason. The teams league record was 1-7, with an overall record of 2-10. Despite their hardships, the Dragons showed resilience and dedication throughout the season.

The 2024 to 2025 season for Foothill Technology High School’s (Foothill Tech) cross country team went incredibly well, The girls’ section of the team went on to place 2nd TCAA League Finals, ending their season in the California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) Finals for Division 4, with Keera Wallace ’26 being a notable runner, as she earned a new personal best in the 3-mile event with a time of 18:27. The boys section of the cross country team did exceptionally well, ending up with a third-place finish at the 2024 CIF State Cross Country Championships.