highlights
April 17, 2015 Volume 88, Issue 12 Beverly Hills High School Beverly Hills, California beverlyhighlights.com
Radio Airlift’s Battle of the Bands rocks Marty Schnapp, news editor Jackson Prince, co-editor-in-chief Radio Airlift hosted Beverly’s second annual Battle of the Bands in the Salter Theatre on Wednesday. Run by senior president of Radio Airlift Matthew Sater, the event saw about 50 attendees and about eight acts. The show began with a fourchord song mashup presented by Ukulluminati, which comprises of sophomores Yasmine Jebeli and Sarah Rudolph. Jebeli feels that while her act did not go as planned, the event was a fun experience. “It was overall hilarious. Personally, my act did not go as planned, but looking back it seems pretty funny. I think all the acts did amazing jobs and I can’t wait to see what’s in store for next year’s Battle of the Bands,” Jebeli said. Later on in the afternoon, senior Cole Plante took the stage with senior Myra Molloy, collaborating under the band name P + M. “It was great to see the support from the crowd as well, because frankly I can’t sing that well,”
Plante said. “Having everyone cheer was pretty good.” In a turn of events, Sater and junior Shiryu Mihara came on stage, adding the letters “R” and “O” in between “P” and “M” to help Plante ask Molloy to prom. “Myra and I were just having fun on stage, and she didn’t know I was going to ask her to Prom, so that was great to see a surprise,” he said. A band from outside of school, called Alien vs. Predator vs. Brown vs. The Board of Education, played original songs. “Probably my favorite was the one with Brown and the Board of Education,” Plante said. “They were phenomenal; they had an original that was fantastic, and I loved talking to the lead singer.” Jabba and the Oriental, who put themselves on the map with their rendition of Riff Raff’s “Dolce and Gabbana” at ASB’s talent show earlier this year, was forced to perform minus Jabba. However, they didn’t let this setback impede upon their performance, according to Plante, as they honored Jabba with covers of Bette Midler’s “The Rose” and Aerosmith’s “I Don’t Want To Miss A
Radio Airlift president Matthew Sater and vice president Bennett Gershwin get the crowd on their feet with renditions of classic television show theme songs. Photo by: JACKSON PRINCE Thing”. “It’s a shame that Jabba left but The Oriental did a great job filling in and really commanded the stage,” he said. For the second year in a row,
3-2 Board vote closes K.L. Peters Auditorium Marty Schnapp, news editor The BHUSD Board of Education voted 3-2 to temporarily close the auditorium seating areas at Beverly High, Hawthorne and El Rodeo, as they are each at risk of a partial or full ceiling collapse in the case of an earthquake. As indicated in the Board’s agenda, the prospect of falling pieces of plaster in the auditoriums is especially serious because of their tall ceilings. “Even a small section of plas-
ter falling from the 30-plus-foot high ceiling onto the audience below poses a significant risk of injury or death,” the Board said. The Board also acknowledged that the current ceiling designs are inadequate and far below current codes. “Staff and consultants have observed deterioration of various elements in the system and must consider that the ceilings are weaker than previously assumed,” the Board said. The staff addressing the issue believes that the problem exists in the seating of the auditoriums.
INSIDE
the event was hosted by sophomore Bennett Gershwin. Last year’s show was less organized than Radio Airlift had hoped, and Gershwin wanted things to run more smoothly this time around.
“To be honest, it wasn’t much more organized this year, but I’d say that’s part of the charm of it. It’s more loose. If something goes wrong, it doesn’t really matter in a way,” Gershwin said.
BHEA protests Lucas Harward, staff writer
“Staff recommends and requests direction to close the seating sections of these auditoriums to student or public occupancy. The stage portions of the auditoriums are not at risk and may continue to be used for instruction,” the Board said. Student Board Member Josh Schenk advises students to stay out of the auditorium entirely, until further instruction. “Just as a precaution, until we have a licensed structural engineer evaluate the ceiling, it’s best not to have students inside the auditorium,” Schenk said.
The BHEA (Beverly Hills Education Association) is mobilizing to express their needs to the Board of Education and BHUSD. The staff hopes to bargain with the district to receive more in healthcare and welfare benefits, according to an email sent to staff by BHEA president Telly Tse. With two bargaining session dates left, BHEA hopes to reach a tentative agreement before the end of the school year. “Currently, we receive up to $7250 annually in benefits with an increase to $7500 for 201516. In comparison, LAUSD employees receive $10,500 a year.
Culver City educators receive $10,060 annually with an increase to $10,460 in 2015-16,” Tse wrote. Tse gave directions to staff on how to help further negotiations and raise awareness for the cause, which includes wearing green badges that state “Adequate Equal Healthcare.” “As soon as you receive your badges, wear them everyday,” Tse wrote. “Also, please plan on attending the next two Board of Education meetings to show the community and Board of Education we want our health and benefits package to reflect the professionalism and excellence we bring to work every day.”
SPORTS
SPOTLIGHT OPINION
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Beverly Hills’ role in California drought Page
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EDITORIAL: teacher participation Page
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Norman hockey culture analyzed
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HIGHLIGHTS NEWS April 17, 2015
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Class participation influences grades Marty Schnapp news editor A majority of both Beverly students (59.6 percent of 109) and teachers (91.3 percent of 24), according to data collected from a Highlights survey, believe that classroom participation should affect students’ grades. One teacher, who wished to remain anonymous, weighs classroom participation points and believes that participation is an opportunity for students to demonstrate effort that may not be as apparent in work samples. “It allows students to demonstrate their comprehension in a different modality from tests or essays, and can broaden the learning of the class as a whole,” the teacher said. The remaining nine percent of teachers feel that classroom par-
ticipation should not affect their students’ grades. One teacher had experimented with measuring participation in the past, but it resulted in students repeating questions and comments that were not helpful to their classmates. “If the student is truly committed, they have to participate in order to make class more interesting and useful,” the teacher said. English teacher Pattiann Harootian feels that weighing classroom participation in the gradebook is beneficial because it encourages students to participate more. “When students participate, they are more involved in the class discussions, and they usually perform better overall in the class,” Harootian said. An anonymous student feels that class participation reflects students’ attentiveness, think-
ing process and attitude toward school. Similar to nearly 63 percent of students who responded to the survey, the student believes that participation points positively affect grades most of the time. “Participation gives students an alternate way to earn better grades, other than written tests, or projects,” the student said. Senior Amir Kashfi says participation grades often encourage students to speak up and intellectually challenge each other. “Being able to effectively articulate your thoughts to a group of people is an important sill. In addition, participation grades motivate shy students to step out of their comfort zones,” Kashfi said. Junior Shiryu Mihara feels that when teachers measure participation, they are neglecting the Freshman Priscilla Hopper feels
that while forcing participation can be helpful to get shy students speaking, it may lead to classroom embarrassment when teachers call on students who are not prepared to answer questions. “This makes plenty of kids not want to participate because they may feel as though they will get [answers] wrong or be shot down by the teacher,” Hopper said. Sophomore Keith Stone feels that while each teacher measures participation differently, the most effective method is for teachers to measure in an objective manner, which entails recording each time a student participates in class. “Student participation can be good when teachers use it to reward students who speak up in class, but it can be bad when the teacher grades participation subjectively,” Stone said.
Highlights Juliette Deutsch and Jackson Prince editors-in-chief
Marty Schnapp news editor
Guy Ginsberg sports editor
Eleanor Bogart -Stuart culture editor Sadie Hersh photo editor
Ben Shofet
graphics editor
Karen Shilyan
business manager
Veronica Pahomova cartoonist
Ben Shofet graphics editor
Lucas Harward and Celine Rezvani, staff writers Gaby Herbst
adviser — The mission of Highlights is to deliver community-relevant news in a timely manner while adhering to professional ethics. Highlights is a forum for student free expression that is produced by the Advanced Journalism class of Beverly Hills High School, 241 Moreno Drive, Beverly Hills, CA 90212. Letters to the editor may be sent to beverlyhighlights@gmail.com. Visit beverlyhighlights.com
HIGHLIGHTS APRIL 17, 2015
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HIGHLIGHTS SPOTLIGHT APRIL 17, 2015
California Drought Beverly Hills plays role in massive drought Guy Ginsberg sports editor What’s the problem? California Gov. Jerry Brown issued an executive order on April 1, 2015, directing the State Water Resources Control Board to reduce the state’s 400 local water supply agencies by 25 percent. 2015 marked the fourth year of California’s worst drought in history, in which, according to the California Department of Water Resources website, statewide snowpack water content has dropped to 5 percent of average, and the state’s two largest reservoirs, Shasta Lake and Lake Oroville, have dropped to 62 and 65 percent of capacity in January 2015, respectively. “Department of Water and Resource’s state climatologist estimates that precipitation would have to be 150 percent of average for the entire water year that ends on September 30, 2015 for California to have a good chance at ending the drought this year,” the website reads. As well as reservoir and snowpack levels declining, 400,000 acres of farmland were left fallow last year alone, and $1.5 billion were lost in the agriculture industry, according to state officials. Who’s to blame? There seems to be a lot of finger pointing when it comes to who exactly is at fault for the current drought state. Some blame farmers. Three to four percent of Californians who account for 40 percent of water supply usage in the state, and only contribute two percent of the state’s gross domestic product. Farmers also produce 33 percent more crops by weight per unit of water than
Seven ways to save
Located near Bakersfield, California, Lake Isabella’s declinining water levels illustrate the dangers of the drought. Photo by: JOHN L. WILEY http://flickr.com/jw4pix they did 20 years ago. In their defense, California growers produce 90 percent of the country’s tomatoes, 95 percent of the country’s broccoli and 99 percent of the country’s almonds. Others believe the blame falls on cities and towns, whose residents could potentially be saving water by taking shorter showers, turning off the sink when brushing their teeth or watering their lawns less often. What is the government doing to stop this? As well as statewide government restrictions, cities and counties have been cracking down on water abusers. “The idea of your nice little green lawn getting watered every day, those days are past,” Gov. Brown said after issuing the executive order on April 1. In late 2014, the Beverly Hills City Council voted to require residents to reduce water usage by 10 percent, as well as creating a Beverly Hills Watering Schedule that restricts homeowners to watering their lawns a maximum of three times a week.
(published April 15, 2015), “Department of Water and Power data showed that on average, wealthier neighborhoods consume three times more water than less-affluent ones.” In July of last year, Beverly Hills alone used 226 gallons of water per capita per day, and in January of this year, that number dropped to 144 gallons. While that decline may seem substantial, the trouble is clear when comparing Beverly Hills’ data to that of Santa Ana (38 gallons) or Los Angeles as a whole (70 gallons). Beverly Hills Public information man-
Where are we headed? For now, the future seems grim. According to research, the number of devastating droughts like this one in California could potentially grow in the future due to climate change. A. Park Williams, a bio-climatologist at the Lamont Doherty Earth Observatory at Columbia University, believes that the drought will lead to a change in landscape, with the forests of Southern California possibly becoming shrubs and grassland. “These transitions occur largely as catastrophes,” Williams told ‘LiveScience.’ However, though the future looks grim as of now, there certainly is potential for a bounce back if California residents and the state government work together to fight the drought. For instance, desalination plants could potentially transform seawater into drinkable water by extracting the salt out of the water. This could cut costs on freshwater imports as well as relieve the stress currently placed on reservoirs. Ultimately, the road to a better, wetter California starts with the residents themselves, who must begin to understand the implications of every 45-minute shower, the dangers bottled up in every water bottle and the grim truths spraying out of every sprinkler. Until the rain starts pouring again, it’s up to Californians to take control of California’s water supply.
“Ultimately, the road to a better, wetter California starts with the residents themselves, who must begin to understand the implications of every 45-minute shower, the dangers bottled up in every water bottle and the grim truths spraying out of every sprinkler.”
What are Beverly Hills residents doing to stop this? Certainly not enough. According to an LA Times article titled “California’s wealthy lagging in water conservation”
ager Therese Kosterman addressed the water problem in Beverly Hills. “Beverly Hills certainly has work to do to achieve the 35 percent cuts required. Our City Council will soon meet to decide on additional measures needed to meet the 35 percent goal,” Kosterman said.
HIGHL IGHTS FEATURE APRIL 17, 2014
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Chilly Ribbons beats competitors in a close shave Veronica Pahomova cartoonist Eleanor Bogart-Stuart culture editor
The Bigg Chill, Pinkberry and Yogurtland have all become staples for everyone’s favorite cold snack, but frozen yogurt has a competitor. Shaved snow is slowly but surely becoming the go to treat on a hot spring day. Partly frozen yogurt, partly shaved ice, shaved snow is the perfect mix between the two. Highlights took the challenge and put shaved snow, from three different stores around Los Angeles, to the test. For every frozen snow shop, we ordered an original flavor that had strawberries and chocolate chips as toppings. We judged each store according to its atmosphere and quality. Ice Master 1244 Westwood Blvd Los Angeles, CA 90024 Ice Master is your typical holein-the-wall place. Located in Westwood near competitor Chilly Ribbons, it simply does not leave a pleasant taste in the mouth. Atmosphere: Although brightly lit, the space is small and the walls are bare. It seems to be designed for street traffic to come in, grab a treat and then leave. Its quick line and customer service almost made up for the bleak atmosphere. Quality: The shaved snow itself is not as impressive as the store’s name
A regular sized cup of frozen snow from Blockheads. photo by: VERONICA PAHOMOVA might suggest. Watered down, reminiscent of a coconut, it didn’t pack any kind of punch. However, there is an option to increase or decrease the amount of sweetness and ice that you want in the actual order. The order itself was half filled, and sprinkled with a meager amount of fruit and chocolate. Thankfully, it was fairly cheap for a shaved snow with two toppings: only around three dollars. Overall, although a nice place to stumble upon when it’s hot outside, Ice Master Blockheads 11311 Mississippi Ave Los Angeles, CA 90025 310-445-8725 Blockheads. A small shaved ice establishment that lies in the center of the infamous Japanese hub that is Sawtelle. One is not required to be of oriental descent to enjoy this “kawaii” aimed part of Los Angeles. However, one does
A small sized cup of frozen snow from Chilly Ribbons. photo by: VERONICA PAHOMOVA
have to have some peculiar tastes to enjoy the products from this certain shavery. Atmosphere: Lying on an awkward turn, almost unrecognizable, is this overhyped store. On weekends, the line manages to stretch all the way outside and overlaps the coffee shop next door. But once you enter, it’s very hard to leave. Not because it’s that good--but because it’s that small. Forget trying to bring along a group of friends, there’s always a crowd. Maybe just bring the one or two you like best. Quality: With the plain order that was selected, it was clear to see that the only way this snow can have any flavor is with a drizzle (syrup), which is a very depressing fact for those who are on a diet. The original flavor is literally just shaved ice. And one would think the strawberries and chocolate chips would add
A small sized cup of shaved ice from Ice Master. photo by: ELEANOR BOGART-STUART
some flavor, but again, that is only a false assumption. The staleness of the Chilly Ribbons 1135 Westwood Blvd Los Angeles, CA 90024 310-270-0926 Chilly Ribbons is not simply a hole in the wall like Ice Masters, it’s a diamond in the rough. Located right as you enter Westwood Village, Chilly Ribbons is certainly not your average frozen snow shop. Unlike most others of its kind, it offers a self-serve station for toppings, as opposed to asking an employee to place toppings for you. This results in complete customer control and satisfaction. Atmosphere: The inside of Chilly Ribbons is clean and modern. There were no lines, no wait and even the snow-making machines that usually create quite a bit of noise were
exponentially dulled down. The self-serve element of the store results in varying prices for every order based on the weight of the final product. A filled-to-the-brim small original with strawberries and chocolate chips totalled only $3.60. Quality: With one bite, Chilly Ribbons already beats the competition. Flaky, smooth and actually flavorful, this is what shaved snow should truly taste like. The strawberries are fresh and the chocolate chips of clearly good quality. The only problem is that it’s a bit of a drive. The Verdict: Without a doubt, Chilly Ribbons exceeds all expectations of the average snow shop. Don’t regard the hype around Blockheads, or be persuaded by the false promise in Ice Master’s name. Chilly Ribbons is the place to go.
English breakdown Broadcast succeeds at ‘Skills’ Jackson Prince co-editor in chief Text talk’s rise hurts English language “K” is very dangerous. Modern text-talk, a language distinguishable by fabricated abbreviations and poorlytrimmed phrases and words, has seeped into the spoken word of the Millennials, withering our generation’s ability to speak with any sort of eloquence. It is entirely common to hear this conversation in any situation on any given day: Millenial 1: Sup? Millennial 2: Ugh. I’m v tired. So nim. Millenial 1: Lol. K. Millennial 2: Pls leave. Ew. Written out, this dialogue seems ridiculous. But spoken, this talk is all-too-familiar to teenagers today, and it’s not a good thing. By devolving the spoken word to such paltry grammar and embarrassing vocabulary, our generation is killing the English language. Because it is rarely called upon, this degradation of language is practiced without concern. In the past, the people of society would pride themselves on speaking beautifully. With words, young
people were able to communicate profound emotions in face-to-face interactions, inspiring truthful and sometimes even magical reactions. Today, this language seems to be a distant memory, only on display when read from a script in the intangible world of a fantastical movie. The sad reality is that this world isn’t intangible. There was a time, before cell phones poisoned our jargon, in which people spoke beautifully. They would practice the art of language, crafting the ability to present themselves in situations reliant on effortless (or, seemingly effortless) speaking. We can’t do that today. There isn’t speech interrupted by an inappropriate “like”, or a spoken conversation tarnished with text talk. And “K” is an acceptable sentence. We can’t blame this one on our parents. This degeneration of the English language is on us. It is up to our generation to reward words with the respect they deserve, shedding our text talk before it infiltrates our adult vocabulary. Words can have immense power, if used correctly and genuinely.
“Our generation is killing the English language.”
Juliette Deutsch co-editor-in-chief
This past weekend, 13 CTE students and faculty attended the Skills USA competition in San Diego and competed against 1900 students from across California. Beverly students competed in the categories of Digital Cinema, Broadcast Journalism and Culinary Arts. Senior Ashley Griffin, juniors Molly Hersh, Eric Ross and Rachel
Gilbert all received third place in the state for Broadcast News. ROP director Cindy Dubin believes that the Skills USA experience is a remarkable experience. “I was truly inspired by our teachers and what incredible role models they were for our students throughout the experience, they were so professional, respectful, inclusive, and engaged. Our school community is so fortunate to have them. I saw first-hand how they
truly expect these learning opportunities to be top-notch, and yet, foster a “family-oriented” ‘cando’ environment for the students along the way. Really remarkable,” Dubin Said. In the 2016 competition, students will be able to compete in the categories of photography, architecture, advertising design, computer programming, robotics, animation and page layout.
Senior Ashley Griffin and juniors Eric Ross, Molly Hersh and Rachel Gilbert take third place overall in Broadcast news at Skills USA. Photo Courtesy of:CINDY DUBIN
HIGHLIGHTS OPINION April 17, 2015
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RFRA breakdown: freedom or discrimination? Guy Ginsberg sports editor
Two steps back On Thursday, March 26, 2015, Indiana Gov. Mike Pence signed into Indiana law the Religious Freedom and Restoration Act (RFRA). The exact text of the law says this: “...prohibits a governmental entity from substantially burdening a person’s exercise of religion, even if the burden results from a rule of general applicability, unless the governmental entity can demonstrate that the burden: (1) is in furtherance of a compelling governmental interest; and (2) is the least restrictive means of furthering the compelling governmental interest.” Essentially, the meaning behind this legislative jargon is this: the government is not allowed to interfere with a person’s exercise of religion (privately or publically), unless the exercise goes directly against government interest. The law garnered stern and overwhelming backlash across the nation, with many deeming the act discriminatory against gay and lesbians due to the fact that it gives religious business owners the right under law to refuse services to someone solely due to their sexual orientation or gender identity, and not face judgement in court because their exercise doesn’t go against government interest. The reason that this exercise of religion doesn’t go against govern-
Editorial
ment interest? Gays and lesbians are not a protected class under the Indiana state constitution. The Act has become so controversial that Indianapolis Mayor Greg Ballard signed an executive order that requires anyone doing business with the city of Indianapolis to abide by the city’s human rights ordinance. “Indianapolis will not be defined by [this law]. Indianapolis welcomes everybody,” Ballard said in a press conference. CEO Bill Oesterle of Angie’s List, a corporation headquartered in Indiana, canceled his proposal for a $40 million expansion that would have brought 1,000 jobs to Indiana because of his open disapproval for the RFRA. “Angie’s List is open to all and discriminates against none,” Oesterle said in a news release. “And we are hugely disappointed in what this bill represents.” CEO of Apple Inc. Tim Cook also took a stance against the Act, writing a column for The Washington Post declaring RFRA “dangerous.” Cook is an openly gay man. “Apple is open. Open to everyone, regardless of where they come from, what they look like, how they worship or who they love,” Cook wrote. A step forward In response to the widespread and concentrated backlash against the Act, lawmakers in Indiana amended it, adding that “this
chapter does not: (1) authorize a provider to refuse to offer or provide services, facilities, use of public accommodations, goods, employment, or housing to any member or members of the general public on the basis of race, color, religion, ancestry, age, national origin, disability, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, or United States military service.” The amendment was a direct response to the widespread backlash, and it was signed into law by Gov. Pence on Thursday, April 2, 2015, one week after the original act was signed, despite Pence’s backing of the original, controversial bill. Where are we now? At this point, neither those proRFRA nor those anti-RFRA seem to be happy, and who’s to blame them? Like a sugar-loving toddler, devoutly religious business owners and RFRA supporters were handed by Indiana legislators a bright pink swirly lollipop (the RFRA Act), and just before they could take a big lick, gay rights and antiRFRA activists took it away from them, or rather, unsweetened it. And those anti-RFRA activists?
Cartoon by: VERONICA PAHOMOVA They aren’t happy with just unsweetening the lollipop, they want to repeal RFRA altogether, as well as have gays and lesbians be made a protected class under Indiana law. Lets call it, taking all the candy from the baby? What does it all mean? As far as religious freedom goes, we as a nation seem to be pretty close to where we were before all this RFRA havoc began. While religious freedom is incredibly important and a main staple in the U.S. Constitution’s Bill Of Rights, the argument was made and won by those who say that one person’s or business’s right to religion can not
come at the cost of another’s civil rights. Indiana Rep. Ed DeLaney spoke against the law during a rally against the Act. “This law does not openly allow discrimination, no, but what it does is create a road map, a path to discrimination,” DeLaney said. DeLaney was right, and while this path seems to have been cut off, the road of discrimination is still very alive. And until the religious and the civil officialy conjoin in their aims, the road will rage. As far as the fight for gay rights goes, the road map has broadened into many different paths, and the future of gay rights comes down to which one is taken.
Class participation point system flawed
Each teacher has their own way of marking a student’s class participation. For some teachers, there are elaborate methods that add up a student’s contribution to class discussion, assistance in group projects, and whether they are understanding the material being taught and paying attention in class. Some simply mark how often a student aids in class conversations. And there are some teachers who treat participation points as a grade booster to help the borderline students. What can be seen as unfair in this procedure of tallying participation points is the fact that every student has their own way of processing information in the classroom. Some students are extroverts who constantly raise their hands and add to class discussion, while others may be introverts who absorb the most information by listening to the information shared by the teacher and classmates. For a teacher to reward the extroverts for living up to what comes naturally to them, yet to punish the introverts for living up to their contemplative nature, seems unjust. Participation should be judged on a broader scale, and not just be based on the action of raising a hand. The student should be judged on their intelligence beyond class discussion. Students can be at the same educational level, but differ in personalities. The quiet students can be just as intelligent as the loud students, so their participation grade should be an overall view of the
student’s work ethic, not just how often they choose to raise their hand. Having a student raise his/her
hand for a class discussion just to receive participation points takes away from the student’s ability to engage and add their thoughts to the conversation. The mere idea of grading a student’s participation in the classroom has created an environment where students are more concerned about their participation grades rather than meaningful
participation during a class discussion. They simply raise their hands for the sake of gaining points and say unrelated comments.
Teachers may continue to call on the same students consecutively and not realize how often those students talk over the quieter students because that has become the classroom dynamic since the beginning of the school year. This repetitive action pushes the introverts further in the shadow of class discussion. Especially in the cases where teachers are unknowingly playing favorites in their classroom. They can easily become unaware to how often they are calling on the same students. Even if the shyer feel confident enough to raise their hand and at least attempt to contribute to the class discussion, their teacher may continue to call on the students who Cartoon by: VERONICA PAHOMOVA have always particiClass participation, in some cas- pated. es, seems to be based not on the Some teachers have complex quality of the answer that a stu- methods for grading their students’ dent provides, but on a teacher’s participation that incorporate not subjective opinion based on how only a student’s participation in they act in the classroom. Partici- class, but also how effectively they pation points has been twisted into work in groups as well as individua battle where every student must ally. Some teachers use a process fend for themselves in order to as simple as randomly selecting boost their grades. students to answer questions or
using equity cards that have all of the students’ names to ensure that everyone has the opportunity to share in front of the class. By calling on random students, this evokes kids who would most likely not speak up to answer questions to be more vocal and gain points towards their grade. With a student body that is so diverse in the way they learn, educators should not expect all students to equally participate in their classes. A teacher must take a step back from the classroom to look at the student as a whole. It is extraordinary how a teacher can expect all of their students to participate equally, when each and every student have a different methods of retaining information, Student’s grades are ruined by a miscommunication that should’ve never been there in the first place. The way the majority of teachers at this school grade student participation is flawed and unfair to the many different types of students there are. It focuses on the extroverts in the classroom while completely disregarding those who are not as vocal in the classroom. Forcefully including participation in a student’s grade is not a productive way to attract students to participate in their classes. The defective system needs to be reevaluated by the teachers l to insure that students are receiving the best education they possibly can while at the same time receiving the grades to reflect their academic performance.
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HIGHLIGHTS SPORTS APRIL 17, 2015
Breaking the Ice Beverly students prove the rink is not deserted at BHHS “It’s fast paced. There’s no other sport in the world that moves at In Beverly Hills, the weather is the lightning speed hockey does,” almost always warm, sunny and LA Junior Kings hockey player, bright - so it’s shocking how a sport and Beverly senior Alex Legget like ice hockey, which is played in- said. doors, on freezing cold ice - stands Another LA Junior Kings hockey the heat of Beverly Hills. player, sophomore Lucas Yovetich, feels similarly. “I enjoy the speed and the physical aspect of the game,” Yovetich said. The excitement is what seems to draw these young hockey players away from the sunshine and toward the ice. Whether it’s due to the fast pace, the big hits or the daring slap shots, the passion these athletes show for their sports is undeniable. Much like the sport Yovetich skates down the ice with the he loves, Yovetich comes puck. Photo: LUCAS YOVETICH from Canada. He began
Guy Ginsberg sports editor
skating at the age of two and began playing hockey at age six after he moved to California. Hockey has shaped him as a person. “Hockey has taught me life lessons and has matured me for the real world,” Yovetich said. “It taught me that adversity is a reality and it’s all about how you bounce back from it.” Yovetich has been playing on the LA Junior Kings for nearly half his life, beginning at age eight, and is continuing today, at age 15. Legget waits for the play to begin. “Most of the players on my Photo: ALEX LEGGET team are some of the best Junior Kings. He accredits hockey friends I have now,” Yovetich with teaching him resiliency. said. “I learned to play against any Legget, growing up in Califorteam and just go out and give it nia, began skating at age two and my all every single game. After dobegan playing hockey at four. ing that every weekend for a good While he spent a few years playing chunk of my life, it taught me that team hockey with the Bay Harbor with effort I can do anything,” Red Wings, Legget, like Yovetich, Legget said. showcases his talents with the LA
Also much like Yovetich, Legget enjoys the relationships he’s built through hockey. “I love the team aspect, some of my closest friends are the guys I’ve grown up playing hockey with, and we really became a family over the course of a season or two,” Legget said. While athletes such as Legget and Yovetich are incredibly passionate about puck and ice, many Beverly students disregard the sport. “I don’t really like hockey, it’s boring,” junior Brandon Moghaddam said. Regardless of other students’ opinion, it’s obvious the impact the sport has had on its players. When asked if they believed they would be the same people they are today if they had never began playing hockey, they made the answer clear. “Absolutely not,” Legget and Yovetich said.
Competitive hockey sends BHHS senior skating across the nation Celine Rezvani staff writer Whether or not he’s on the ice, senior Frank Horowitz is consistently influenced by hockey. Originally introduced to the sport by his father, Horowitz has played the hockey since the age of three. “My dad is from Boston so he grew up playing hockey,” Horowitz said. “He wanted me to experience his favorite sport growing up.” Horowitz first began playing for hockey teams in the Los Angeles area. Though he participated in
other youth leagues, some of which were in Beverly Hills, Horowitz was most comfortable on ice. “I played for the Jr. Kings, Jr. Ducks and Los Angeles Selects when I was growing up,” he said. At the age of 13, Horowitz went east, where he continued to pursue his hockey career. “I moved away to play in prep school at Avon Old Farms,” Horowitz said. “At the beginning of this year, I went to play for the Junior Islanders in New York.” However, in January of 2015, Horowitz moved back to Los An-
geles and began playing with the California Titans. Horowitz plans to pursue hockey next year, joining the Minnesota Junior Hockey League circuit. “It’s taught me every life lesson I know,” Horowitz said. “I am who I am because of hockey.” Horowitz encourages others to appreciate hockey the same way he does. “Everyone should come watch hockey,” he said. “It is easily the fastest, most enjoyable sport to watch.”
Horowitz skates down the ice during a play. Photo: FRANK HOROWITZ