2000-2004
Buena Life in the New Millennium
Bulldogs show off their pride
Buena's Artists present their work in Buena Speaks
Student illustrated comics
Students represent the West Coast fashion
2002 Senior Class
2nd-to-last graduation in the Quad
2002 German Exchange
BHS Drumline 2002
Big Bad Voodoo Daddy
2003 Spring Musical: Popeye
Based on the 1980 movie with Robin Williams
Construction
During Winter Break between the years of 2001 and 2002, various updates were made on campus, thanks to the passage of Measure M. For example, the E wing was completed with new cabinets and floors. The pool was completed before break, with a heating and timing system. On October 5, 2001, remodeling took place all around campus. New paint and ceiling, heat and air-conditioning systems, new blinds and white boards were supposed to be installed (Cameron). However, there were many inconveniences while the new improvements were being made, making teachers impatient (Kinnear). All art and science buildings were being remodeled too, when finished the rooms would be bigger - a huge improvement. During this process, many zones were blocked off, making the hallways very cramped, and upper-class men no longer had lockers due to the adjustments. Hand dryers were added to all bathrooms, as well as a big mirror in the girls restroom (Cameron).
Home At Last!
After 42 years, Buena finally started the construction for the athletic stadium, on June 5, 2003 (Harvey). The project was estimated to cost around 3.8 million dollars, the total funding that the school had accumulated was 2.8 million, so we would need to get the rest through a fundraising campaign called “Home At Last” (Glassman). During all this time, a dirt track was installed but there was no stadium, so football games needed to be at the neighboring high schools. The ribbon-cutting ceremony and Buena’s first track meet were held on March, 18th 2004 (Harvey).
Expanded Library
Buena Speaks Article about Library Upgrades (Pearson 2).
Original Layout in 1961
Plans for expansion
Ethan Klein, a famous YouTuber known as H3H3 or H3H3Productions with approximately 3 million subscribers, graduated from Buena in 2003.
The 9 AM Debate
The lack of 9 am days for high schoolers has been going on for years and Buena Speaks newspaper covers this topic. Given the fact that all Ventura middle schools start at 9 and all highschools start at 8, has caused and is causing irritation within the students (Phillippe 9).
Sports
On March 2nd, 2001, girls water polo went to CIF with 3 wins and 5 losses during this time in the league (Setterfeild). In the last game against Dos Pueblos, Buena was down by 2 points, with 40 seconds left, they were able to catch up and slip into overtime, ultimately taking the win. During this same time, boys basketball was entering the playoffs for the second year in a row (Plum). Girls soccer also made it to the CIF championship this year on a 19 game unbeaten streak and they took the win in the championship game.
New Locker Rooms
The new locker rooms were finished on November 1st, 2002. The changes were drastic. All lockers faced the coach’s and PE teacher’s office, to provide for better supervision. New restrooms and showers were also added to the boys and girls locker rooms. The equipment room has been made larger to accommodate athletic gear. During this time, the dance room was also added for PE activities to be held (Glassman).
2000s Buena Fashion
The Buena yearbook shows what's new, in, and trendy
Buena has a long tradition of sports, academics, musicals, and theater; but from the years 2000-2004, it seems like fashion was all the focus. They had school newspaper columns about what was “in & out” including the do’s and dont's of pop culture relating to both style & music.
Wuthering Heights
Wuthering Heights written by Author Emily Bronte, was your typical Romance story where the poor orphaned boy could not have the beloved rich girl due to the fact that they are from two different social classes. This fall play features some Buena teachers today, such as Kevin Downey and Molly (Brady) Ensminger.
Buena Steppers
The Buena Steppers was a short lived group consisting of 21 girls who found love in dancing. The girls were taught many different things, but the most important being how to become more confident in themselves and the group.
Buena Alumni Story
In the early 2000s, we definitely acted a lot differently from how we are today whether it be fashion, slang, or cliques. I got to talk to a former student from the 2000s about that change. I interviewed Ms. Ensminger to ask her how she felt Buena had changed in the appearance of its students. Back when she went to school, dying your hair was seen as “outsider-ish” and definitely crazy from others' perspectives.
“I remember in high school wanting, like really really wanting and considering dying my hair like, blue at the tips to make it look like it had been dipped in aquamarine coloring, but then I'd always think ‘no no, that's too crazy! That's too wild. I would never.’ But nowadays someone hearing that would have the reaction of ‘Do it! don't be silly! Go for it.’”
-Mrs. Ensminger
Individuality has definitely made a boom in the last decade. Clothing, jewelry, hair color, makeup, all of it is susceptible to change depending on who you are looking at. Everyone's more open to being different from one another and because of that people are a lot more accepting.
Works Cited
Yearbooks:
Buena High School. Buena Bulldogs, Vol. 39. Ventura: Graduating Class of 2000. Print Archives, Buena High School Library.
Buena High School. Buena Bulldogs, Vol. 40. Ventura: Graduating Class of 2001. Print Archives, Buena High School Library.
Buena High School. Buena Bulldogs, Vol. 41. Ventura: Graduating Class of 2002. Print Archives, Buena High School Library.
Buena High School. Buena Bulldogs, Vol. 42. Ventura: Graduating Class of 2003. Print Archives, Buena High School Library.
Buena High School. Buena Bulldogs, Vol. 43. Ventura: Graduating Class of 2004. Print Archives, Buena High School Library.
Newspapers:
Cameron, Danielle. “Construction Zone Highlights.” Buena Speaks [Ventura, CA], vol. 41, no. 4. 18 January 2002.
Glassman, Amy. “A Stadium and a Budget Crunch.” Buena Speaks [Ventura, CA], vol. 42, no. 8. 5 June 2003.
Glassman, Amy. "Lovely New Lockers." Buena Speaks [Ventura, CA], vol. 42, no. 2. 1 November 2002.
Harvey, Caitlin. “Home at Last.” Buena Speaks [Ventura, CA], vol. 43, no. 6. 6 March 2004.
Kinnear, Micheal. “The Results Might Not Be A Peeling.” Buena Speaks [Ventura, CA], vol. 42, no. 5. 28 February 2003.
Pearson, Chelsea. "From Old Library To New." Buena Speaks [Ventura, CA], vol. 42, no. 8. 5 June 2003.
Phillippe, Katie. “9:00 Days for High Schoolers” Buena Speaks [Ventura, CA], vol. 39, no. 6. 39 March 2001, p. 9.
Plum, Jason. “Boys’ Basketball Slips into Playoffs.” Buena Speaks [Ventura, CA], vol. 39, no. 5. 2 March 2001.
Setterfeild, Sean. “Girl’s Water Polo Goes to CIF.” Buena Speaks [Ventura, CA], vol. 39, no. 5. 2 March 2001.
Interviews:
Esminger, Molly. Interview. Conducted by Faith Lewis.
This part of the project was completed by:
Archivists: Josiah Burciaga, Daniell Carazolez, & John Maida
Researchers: Lina Aparicio & Jacob Winter
Narrators: Jadyn Paz & Faith Lewis
Web Designers: Aidan Parker & Andrea Alamillo
Editor: Mr. Downey
