The Lancer

The Lancer

The Lancer

TOHS Theatre Flies Among the Stars
TOHS Theatre Flies Among the Stars
Gemma Spraggins, Assistant News Editor • November 21, 2023

With opening night of “Peter and the Starcatcher” on Thursday, November 16th, and closing night on Saturday, November 18th, the cast has...

Boston Journalism Convention goes in all the ‘write’ ways
Boston Journalism Convention goes in all the ‘write’ ways
Aandrea Pineda-Dominguez, News Editor • November 6, 2023

With a stinging chill in the air, professional writers and aspiring journalists gathered in Boston, MA for the annual JEA/NSPA Fall National...

Should schools have a block schedule?
Maximus Cover and Christian-Isaiah Aguilar November 3, 2023

Fall Sports Round-Up
November 3, 2023

No red flags for Girls Flag Football
No red flags for Girls Flag Football
Lilah Swaving and Riley Brown October 28, 2023

Former Thousand Oaks High School varsity head football coach Mike Leibin took on a new yet somewhat familiar challenge: TO girls flag football...

Lancers tie for Canyon League title
Lancers tie for Canyon League title
Jackson Kurtz, The Lancer Staff • October 28, 2023

Q&A THE LANCER: What challenges did you have to overcome in your first season?” MCENROE: “Every job is unique and there’s no such...

Lakers Preview: Title No. 18?
Lakers Preview: Title No. 18?
Jake Bradley, Sports Editor • October 28, 2023

With LeBron James entering his 21st season in the NBA, he only has his eyes on winning his fifth championship and, for the Lakers, their...

AROUND T.O.WN
Rhiannon Hendershot, The Lancer Staff • October 28, 2023

Reign of Terror 275 N Moorpark Rd East, Thousand Oaks, Sept. 29-Nov. 4, 7 p.m.-11 p.m. Walk through various bone-chilling rooms and exhibits...

Preserving the human aspect in the age of AI
Preserving the human aspect in the age of AI
Joseph Goodnight, Opinion Editor • October 28, 2023

With the ever-changing scope of technology, we as a generation constantly have to accept new ways in which artificial intelligence is integrating...

Día de los Muertos Dance strives for increased inclusivity
Día de los Muertos Dance strives for increased inclusivity
Kimberly Jerez, The Lancer Staff • October 28, 2023

The Latino Connection Club at Thousand Oaks, Newbury Park and Westlake High have come together to host their annual Día de los Muertos dance,...

OFF-CAMPUS PASS
Momo Sonoda, Editor-In-Chief • October 28, 2023

Unanimous GOP vote elects Rep. Mike Johnson for House Speaker More than three weeks after the historical outsting of the Speaker of the House,...

Cheers, Starbucks: a new staple in TO
Cheers, Starbucks: a new staple in TO
Kailah Spencer, The Lancer Staff • October 28, 2023

“Can I get a Lancer Frappuccino?” was something Starbucks manager Miguel Medina heard a lot of following the opening of the new store...

TO welcomes college visitors
Alyssa Kiszczak, Managing Editor • October 28, 2023

Throughout the year, TO provides students with college visits from many schools across the nation. They usually consist of an informational briefing...

Orchestra starting the year off on a good note
Orchestra starting the year off on a good note
Aandrea Pineda-Dominguez, News Editor • October 28, 2023

The instruments are finely tuning, patience is running out, and the maestro is preparing to orchestrate another musical masterpiece. Thousand...

Science Rooms gets a Facelift
Gemma Spraggins, Assistant News Editor • October 28, 2023

On the first day of the school year, TO forensics teacher Michael Flores watched his class experience science in a whole new way. As...

Cheers, Starbucks: a new staple in TO

Newest local coffee shop embraces TO students and faculty and finds early success
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Nikolas Walter
Nikolas Walter

“Can I get a Lancer Frappuccino?” was something Starbucks manager Miguel Medina heard a lot of following the opening of the new store adjacent to Thousand Oaks High School.
This new location has been very successful, with students, teachers, and parents popping in for drinks and pastries.
“So far it’s been really great,” Medina said. “Everyone’s been nothing but nice and friendly to us in this community.”
When plans were first being made for the store’s construction, there was lots of concern from the community regarding traffic. With the store being on the corner of a busy intersection, people were worried that the pre-existing congestion would be made worse.
“It has not been as bad as people thought it would be,” Medina said. He explained that the store is a little busy at the beginning of the day with students and adults trying to get their morning coffee, but it’s “nothing to what we expected.”
With the new Starbucks being so close to the school, it has served as a popular hangout spot for students. Supervisor Tanna Ceehoffer shared that the location of the store and its accessibility to students has had a direct effect on its success.
“Our main customer area is a lot of the high schoolers and the families that drop them off, as well as the neighbors that live behind and go to the school,” Ceehoffer said. “It has definitely contributed to the success of our store.”
A regular customer from TOHS expressed her love for the new Starbucks.
“I love it so much,” freshman Jessica Garrett said. “I’ve gone there like 50 times. It’s my favorite place.”
Running a popular coffeehouse isn’t an easy job, but Medina has it under control. Medina, having been a manager for nearly eight years, shared some of the joys and frustrations of the job.
“It would be watching the growth,” Medina said. “The growth of the workers, from when they first start to one, two months, four months, five months, even a year — the professional progression as they get better, that’s the best part of it.”
It’s frustrating when “things are out of our control” Medina also said. He listed problems such as scanners not working properly, computers not working, and other tech issues.
Ceehoffer also enjoys the morning rush, as it allows her and the baristas to “really work as a team.
We really work on connections here and making goals as a group, then at the end of the day we see if we met those goals.” Ceehoffer said.
The students of TOHS have represented their school well at Starbucks. Medina and Ceehoffer said they haven’t encountered many behavior problems with the teenagers. They only had one complaint.
“[The students] are a little messy. Of course, we’ll pick up after everyone, but if they can pick up their own trash, that would be nice. It’s manners,” Medina said.
Nonetheless, Medina has good news for the Starbucks lovers of TOHS.
“I am so excited to be near the school. I would like there to be a partnership, just like how we had the Lancer Frappuccino.”
Medina shared plans for monthly trivia nights “for the students to come, hang out, win free prizes, free drinks, and free food. That’s what I’m most looking forward to, so you can help spread the word that that’s coming.”
Medina also wants TOHS to know that “this isn’t just any other Starbucks, this is their Starbucks.”

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About the Contributors
Kailah Spencer, The Lancer Staff
Nikolas Walter, Assistant Opinion Editor