The Lancer

The Lancer

The Lancer

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....

Double-Double Galore
Jake Bradley, Sports Editor • February 12, 2024

The Lancers once again came out of a playoff game as a victor, behind a powerful Trent Maclean performance nonetheless. Maclean powered his way...

Avid Attack
Jake Bradley, Sports Editor • February 9, 2024

A massive performance from standout freshman led the way for the Lancers at Ventura College, freshman Maddie Linville started the game off strong...

Advancing at last!
Jake Bradley, Sports Editor • February 8, 2024

Fast start, with no slowing down, your Lancers took down the Chaffey Tigers 3-1. A very early goal from junior attacker Gabriel Torreblanca gave...

Elias Chin ready to take a shot
Onto the Next
Jake Bradley, Sports Editor • February 8, 2024

Advancing at last!  Despite a close score after each of the first two quarters, stars Elias Chin and Trent Maclean were able to help the Lancers...

Valentines Day grams for your special someone -- or not
Valentine's Day grams for your special someone -- or not
Gabriella Muller, The Lancer Staff • February 8, 2024

With Valentine's day approaching quickly, the student store is crowded with students buying Valentine's Grams for people they know -- and those...

Sephora Takeover
Sephora Takeover
Gabriella Muller, The Lancer Staff • February 8, 2024

With the rise of popular skincare brands coming from Tiktok, Sephora is seeing a rise in sales but a massive drop in age. “10-13 year old kids...

Point Counterpoint: The Super Debate
Point Counterpoint: The Super Debate
Kevin Starr and Christian-Isaiah AguilarFebruary 8, 2024

Two The Lancer columnists -- Kevin Starr and Christian-Isaiah Aguilar -- have strong opinions about the upcoming Super Bowl. Here, they square...

on the bottom is real animal based leather, while on the top is “vegan” leather, or “pleather”
Vegan Leather is Worse for the Environment than Real Leather
Joseph Goodnight, Opinion Editor • February 8, 2024

Throughout the the past 20 years the interest in sustainability and ethicality has risen immensely, especially in regards to fashion, as the...

A Nationwide Promise

Peer mentors gear up for homecoming weekend by spreading positivity and kindness around campus.
Peer mentors gear up for homecoming weekend by spreading positivity and kindness around campus.

On Dec. 14, 2012, 20 children and six administrators went to school and never came home. The Sandy Hook Promise organization is helping to create a society where nothing like that ever happens again.

A small town elementary school, a place where kids and teachers felt most safe and secure, became the site of one of the most deadly school shootings in the country. A single man, armed with a semi-automatic AR-15 assault rifle and two pistols, managed to steal the future from so many young lives before ultimately ending his own. Over 25 families were left to deal with the tragedy that was the murder of their sons, daughters, sisters, brothers, or parents. 

In the wake of this tragedy, several of these family members who lost their loved ones in the massacre have started a non-profit organization called the Sandy Hook Promise, created to educate and protect students throughout the nation from senseless acts of violence. Their mission is to promote a society in which children can learn and grow in an environment where they feel relaxed and comfortable, without the fear of being harmed.

The organization claims that over 4 million people have made this promise. The promise reads:

“I promise to do all I can to protect children from gun violence by encouraging and supporting solutions that create safer, healthier homes, schools, and communities.”

On June 18, the Conejo Valley Unified School District signed the Sandy Hook Promise, a three-year agreement to provide middle and high schools with the information necessary to spot the warning signs of a potential mass shooter. It supplies our schools with lesson plans intended to create a culture of kindness on campus, all while being free of charge. Our principal, Dr. Eric Bergmann, spoke about what this promise means to him.

“We all share responsibility…it’s not just the job of the principal or the teachers or student body officers…everybody has a role to play to make sure that everyone feels connected on campus,” Bergmann said. “We want to make sure that all students on campus are able to recognize friends and acquaintances who might really be in a stage of crisis so that we can reach out and make sure that they are getting the help and support that they need.” 

CVUSD will be implementing two programs: “Say Something” and “Start with Hello”. The Say Something program has the goal of educating students about when and where to speak out if they feel they are in danger or if something is wrong, while the Start with Hello program focuses on helping young people reach out to their peers with compassion and inclusion in mind.

“It [leads] to people being less hostile and rude towards each other,” peer mentor and junior Juliet Sessions said. “If everyone’s in a good environment and being nice…it’s definitely going to help.”

Lunch Bunch, a club run by science and health teacher Ashley Cooper, invites all students to hang-out and make new friends in room E7 during lunch. The club’s focus is to help students feel heard, welcomed, and provide a place where everyone can relax and have fun. They offer video games, Ping-Pong, air hockey, karaoke, foosball, and snacks.

“It’s our goal to include and connect every student to the Thousand Oaks High School campus. TOHS has offered Lunch Bunch for the past three years where all students are welcome to come hang-out, play games, and meet new people every day,” Cooper said. “It’s an honor to be a part of the Sandy Hook program, which is a national effort to involve and inspire students across our country.”

By understanding the signs of bullying and isolation, it will not only help a classmate, but potentially save a life. If a student feels in some way threatened, it is critical for them to immediately notify a trusted adult to ensure the safety of the school as a whole.

According to CNN, gun violence is the second leading cause of death among children in the U.S., with nearly 3,000 children and teens murdered with guns each year. The mission of this initiative is to, as a nation, work together to ensure that this will no longer be a normality. They want people to recognize that waving to a new student in the hallway or striking up a conversation with someone sitting alone is all it takes to make a change in our community and our country. The Sandy Hook Promise is just one of the many steps to get there.

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A Nationwide Promise