The Lancer

The Lancer

The Lancer

Celebrities catastrophic effect on the environment
Joseph Goodnight, Opinion Editor • March 27, 2024

With our current understanding of the climate crisis, it’s safe to say that everyone is trying to be more sustainable for the sake of the environment,...

Lancer-to-Los Robles volunteer system stays strong
Lancer-to-Los Robles volunteer system stays strong
Gemma Spraggins, Assistant News Editor • March 27, 2024

Los Robles Regional Medical Center benefits from the varied talents and experiences that volunteers offer, ranging from high school students...

Time T.O. Vote
Time T.O. Vote
Kailah Spencer, The Lancer Staff • March 27, 2024

Senior Maya Campo turns 18 in April, and she is ready to make her voice heard this November. As the presidential primary election nears, seniors...

Going Digital: The SAT’s New Normal
Going Digital: The SAT’s New Normal
Kailah Spencer, The Lancer Staff • March 27, 2024

Many Lancers students are familiar with the SAT; a paper test with over a hundred questions of varying difficulty. Now, CVUSD is introducing...

Around the Business Table
Around the Business Table
Julia Pineda-Dominguez, The Lancer Staff • March 27, 2024

The Majors program provides students with the opportunity to speak with mentors in many different careers. The program consists of monthly meetings...

Moreno heads to Washington
Moreno heads to Washington
Aandrea Pineda-Dominguez, News Editor • March 27, 2024

It was finally over. The bell gave its shrieking cry and off went hundreds of students to enjoy their freedom, at least for a moment. For...

TO Acorn With Permission
Lancers lose a forever friend
Jake Bradley, Sports Editor • March 27, 2024

Bill Gemberling has worn many hats at Thousand Oaks High: student, teacher, coach, sports announcer. But taxi driver? “I was one of (Brett...

Unexpected La Reina closure leads to transfers
Gemma Spraggins, Assistant News Editor • March 27, 2024

escribing how La Reina families felt upon receiving the news that their school, which opened its doors in 1964, will be closing at the end of...

New MegaMind TV and Movie Sequel Release
New MegaMind TV and Movie Sequel Release
Joseph Goodnight, Opinion Editor • February 20, 2024

In March of this year, Dreamworks is set to release a Peacock exclusive TV show and movie sequel to the beloved 2010 MegaMind movie. The trailer...

In Fastbreak Fashion
Jake Bradley, Sports Editor • February 14, 2024

Lancers lead the way in the second half. The Great Oak Wolfpack came into Thousand Oaks Tuesday night for the CIF quarterfinals and with them...

Perserving in Penalty’s
Jake Bradley, Sports Editor • February 14, 2024

The Lady Lancers traveled to a neutral site in Anaheim to take on the Katella Knights in the second round of the CIF-SS girls soccer playoffs....

Kanye - He's Back at it...or Maybe Not?
Elijah Brown, The Lancer Staff • February 14, 2024

Kanye West's new album “Vultures 1”, many nationwide were skeptical at first about Kanye's new album considering the controversies he has...

It’s Valentine’s, Baby
It’s Valentine’s, Baby
Momo Sonoda, Editor-In-Chief • February 14, 2024

St. Valentine’s Day commemorates the death of St. Valentine, but for others, the holiday marks a day of birth. Junior Chokee Weezer was born...

Health Science Majors Program hosts their senior showcase
Momo Sonoda, Editor-In-Chief • February 12, 2024

Last week, the seniors in Health Science Majors hosted a showcase, featuring various professions that they hope to pursue in the future. At the...

Advancing Again
Jake Bradley, Sports Editor • February 12, 2024

The Lancers left campus during lunch to travel to Temecula for their round two playoff game, and the ride wasn’t enough to stop the Lancers....

Fight the Flames

Fight+the+Flames

While most seniors are unsure of their future career paths, senior Colt Sanders has been planning his for years.

Sanders first signed up for the Los Angeles County Fire Department Explorer Program the summer after his sophomore year when a friend informed him about the opportunity. The Explorer Program is created for youth who are interested in learning about the fire service.

“It’s kind of like a pre firefighter program,” Sanders said. “You get to go to the station [and] learn about all the different things you have to do, how fires work, all about the engine, how to set up ladders and different things.”

After Sanders went through the long process of the Explorer Program, he went through the second level of the program, the academy, where he learned in more depth about fire fighting. For part of the training, Sanders had to shave his head.

“[In the academy] you learn a lot more, you get hands on training with fire, and you get to learn in even [more] depth,” Sanders said.

With the Los Angeles Explorers, Sanders was able to get hands on experience that will prepare him for a future as a firefighter, including 24 hour ride alongs.

Sanders was able to assist the fire fighters during all of the recent fires that plagued Thousand Oaks.

“I got to help out during all the big fires that were going on. That was cool. [I gained] a lot of experience,” Sanders said. “[I did] mostly medical calls for people that got burned. That was the biggest thing.”

Because of the expansive and dangerous conditions of the recent fires, Sanders and the explorers were not permitted to fight the fire.

“We weren’t allowed to fight the fire because it was so crazy, but in other circumstances we would get to,” Sanders said. “I helped out around the station, [with] all the firefighters coming in, making sure that they’re fully stocked with everything that they needed.”

Now that Sanders has graduated from the academy, he helps out with the other students in the program.

“I’ll try to go at least once or twice a week. So now I’m training people, which is what people did with me before I was certified. So that’s fun,” Sanders said.

Sanders said that his favorite parts about the program are the opportunities to help others and fight the fires. Sanders also finds many parts of the program challenging.

“There’s definitely a physical edge to it, you have to be in shape and you have to maintain staying in shape because you’re going to be working a lot,” Sanders said.

To Sanders, the hardest part about being a firefighter are the mental challenges.

“On certain calls, there’s things that you are going to see, and you’re going to experience terrible things that no one else does,” Sanders said.

When Sanders first signed up for the program, he did not plan on finding a career. Now, he looks forward to being a full time firefighter after graduation.

“I didn’t take it that seriously at first. And then I got into it and I loved it. I kind of decided that this is what I want to do,” Sanders said. “For this summer I’ve applied for jobs with the forest service and all these different departments. So hopefully I can get at least one job.”

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