Author: Jasmine Zhang

  • Ventura Community celebrates Chinese New Year

    Ventura Community celebrates Chinese New Year

    As an orange gets tossed back and forth between the Chinese lion dancers, high-energy music fuels the performers, eventually leading them off the stage and into the audience. Weaving through rows of families, high school volunteers and other performers in the cultural showcase, the lion dance set the joyful tone for the rest of…

  • NPHS adapts new teaching strategies in the IB Middle Years Programme

    NPHS adapts new teaching strategies in the IB Middle Years Programme

    Newbury Park High School [NPHS] is taking the initiative to transition to the International Baccalaureate [IB] Middle Years Programme [MYP].  The IB MYP is designed to teach students aged 11-16, middle schoolers and lower-classmen in high school the fundamental learning skills needed in IB classes. Currently, IB classes are available to juniors and seniors…

  • Local libraries foster curiosity and knowledge for students

    Local libraries foster curiosity and knowledge for students

    Those who stand in the children’s section of any public library for long enough would likely see several children keeping the place abuzz, falling in love with a novel or a comic book. What most people do not see, however, are the hands guiding these moments, librarians who spend their days nurturing curiosity, learning…

  • Local community discusses eating disorders and body image

    Local community discusses eating disorders and body image

    Introduction Eating disorders are classified as serious and sometimes fatal illnesses that can cause significant ailments to one’s overall mental and physical health. Local Ventura County healthcare professionals, experts, students and community members have shared their insights and experiences with eating disorders and the impact of social media on self-perception.  Information  Disordered eating includes…

  • ICE impacts Ventura

    ICE impacts Ventura

    Introduction In early 2025, federal immigration enforcement actions intensified across California. In Ventura County, a series of federal immigration raids targeted agricultural workers, leading to over 200 detentions. The raids are a result of President Donald Trump’s objective of reaching 3,000 undocumented immigrant arrests per day, according to the American Immigration Council. Trump’s deportation…

  • Federal funding cuts for mental health services leave students without support

    One in seven adolescents between the ages of 10 and 19 has a mental disorder, accounting for 15 percent of all people who experience issues with mental health, according to the World Health Organization. Leaving these adolescents struggling with mental health unaddressed can lead to consequences in their adult lives. Adverse childhood experiences often…

  • University federal funding cuts halt development

    University federal funding cuts halt development

    Universities across the country have faced federal funding cuts, stated to be a result of ongoing investigations by the Trump Administration. Many of these investigations are in regards to anti-Semitism on campuses, programs that align with diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives and an overall reduction of government spending. With federal funding making up about…

  • DEI programs provide equitable opportunities for Americans

    DEI programs provide equitable opportunities for Americans

    Introduction  Diversity, Equity and Inclusion [DEI] are three values forming an initiative aiming to foster supportive environments where opportunities are accessible and equitable and all perspectives are valued. Most DEI objectives focus on ensuring that everyone feels empowered by an environment filled with respect and support. DEI is not about filling a certain quota…

  • Toxic algae blooms take Malibu shores by storm

    Toxic algae blooms take Malibu shores by storm

    Recently, there have been incidents of dozens of sea lions succumbing to illness off the coast of Malibu due to a toxic algae bloom. As of early March, the number of sea lions in the care of the Marine Mammal Care Center, a non-profit organization, has exceeded half of its capacity.  Although algae blooms…

  • Dance for Hope creates a multicultural experience

    The resonant rhythm of the audience’s synchronized claps joined the jingling of the dancers’ costumes and upbeat energy radiating from the stage. As the Dazzling Desi Divas closed out the show, Dance for Hope ended with many claims that it was an unprecedented success.  On March 1, the Interact Club hosted their fifteenth annual…