Volume 87, Issue 8

highlights

January 24, 2014 Volume 87, Issue Eight Beverly Hills High School Beverly Hills, Calif. beverlyhighlights.com

NEW SECURITY OFFICERS BEAR ARMS Juliette Deutsch social media director, Mabel Kabani editor-in-chief, and Audrey Park staff writer The Beverly Hills Unified School District (BHUSD) Board of Education recently approved a new safety and mental health campus program for all five schools within the district. The program, which was implemented at the beginning of the spring semester, added an additional layer of armed security in order to improve the existing system.

The newly hired security guards, employed by Evidence-Based Incorporated in Irvine, Calif., comprise of six campus safety officers (CSO) who have all had extensive training with either law enforcement or the military.

BHUSD plans to create strategic plans in order to prevent violence, identify threats and respond quickly to future possible incidents.

“Unfortunately, we live in an age where we have all witnessed random acts of violence on campuses,” Vice Principal Toni Staser said. “Can we ever say we are totally satisfied with what we have in place or do we continue to pursue looking at every avenue of support to better protect our campus?

Any additional layer of safety we can provide to our campus is important.”

In addition to ensuring the physical safety of the students, the CSOs are also trained to ensure their mental safety.

“The training we provide is comprehensive and designed to thoroughly prepare Campus Safety Officers for virtually any kind of incident that arises,” Ron Lowenberg, a former police chief and current dean of the Criminal Justice Training Center, said. “But we also place a very strong emphasis on teaching officers how to identify and work with troubled children. Recognizing warning signs in at-risk children and then getting them to the services they need, from counseling to arrest, if necessary, is essential in our efforts to prevent violence in our schools.”

The campus safety program stationed two officers at the high school and one officer at each K-8 school. Beverly Hills Police Department veteran Joe Chirillo was hired as the Campus Safety supervisor. Chirillo currently oversees the activities at all five schools in order to ensure a “maximum level of security.”

Continued on Page 2

The new security guards (not pictured), employed by Evidence-Based Incorporative, wear uniforms and drive customized cars (right, top left). They are said to be supplementing, not replacing, the others. AUDREY PARK

Beverly Hills to celebrate its 100th Dami Kim culture editor Jessica Lu news editor Max Stahl comment editor To us, it’s simply a place we call home. To outsiders, it’s a must-see tourist destination.

To most Americans until the 1900s, it was a bean farm.

Beverly Hills may have been incorporated 100 years ago, but its history begins a century and a half earlier. In 1769, Spanish soldier Gaspar de Portola, in search of Jesuits to arrest, led his troops along the Native American trail that would become Wilshire Boulevard. Initially, relations with the indigenous Tongva tribe were relatively friendly, but when European-borne smallpox spread to the Native American population, these amicable tendencies quickly

soured.

In 1838, Mexico’s governor of California granted 4,500 acres — much of the land that is now part of Beverly Hills — to Maria

gaged in a shootout that Valdez ultimately won. Perhaps shaken by the assault, she sold her land to Henry Hancock and Benjamin Wilson two years later.

Through the rest of the 19th century and into the early 20th century, the area that had formerly belonged to Valdez changed hands several times, at different stages serving as a prospective settlement for German immigrants, a lima bean farm, a failed North African-themed AUDREY PARK subdivision (a technical Rita Valdez Villa, who called the term for a population that has property Rancho Rodeo de Las not yet been incorporated as a Aguas. For over a decade, Valdez city) called Morocco, an oil field operated her sprawling ranch in and, finally, the Rodeo Land relative peace, despite the trem- and Water Company’s source of ors of the Mexican-American land and water. In 1906, Burton War that would put California in E. Green, who owned the comAmerica’s possession. In 1852, pany, named his property Bevthough, three Native Americans erly Hills. attacked her property and enContinued on Page 8

A sophomore faces a difficult pregnancy Mabel Kabani editor-in-chief “I was terrified,” sophomore Brittany Cineus said. “I felt like everyone was talking about me and that was freaking me out.”

After having sex with her new boyfriend for “quite a while,” Cineus took a pregnancy test. In the mid-weeks of October, Cineus discovered that she was pregnant.

“I basically felt like my entire life was over.”

According to the U.S. Center for Disease Control and Prevention, the U.S. teen birth rate is higher than that of other developed countries such as Canada and the United Kingdom. However, according to Time magazine, teen birth rates have decreased by at least 15 percent in all states, with the exception of two. These results show an increase and upward trend in higher quality sex education, more access to birth control and a stronger likelihood of teen mothers considering

abortion as a viable option to giving birth.

Though the notion of raising a child at such a young age was terrifying, Cineus was more afraid to inform her parents of the news.

“My parents were scared at first....They were absolutely petrified, but after they settled down they got very angry and basically said, ‘This is going to be absolute hell for you,’” Cineus said. “Then the disappointment settled in and though they were sad, they had to face the logistics of planning for the baby.”

Her mother offered her advice about how to face the situation.

“My mom told me to look into and consider abortion,” Cineus said. “I went to an abortion clinic and learned more about the process and it just sounds cruel....

Refraining from abortion was a personal thing.”

Though her parents’ reactions were emotional and “difficult to Continued on Page 4

news

spotlight

comment

sports

Senior Parham Senehipour, host of KBEV’s hit show “Parham Talks Girls,” has recently been re-elected as the class of 2014’s Associated Student Body Senior President. page 3

Highlights looks into various aspects of this year’s Winter Olympics, in Sochi, Russia. page 6

The editorial board wonders, “Without prior knowledge of the officers, how are students supposed to trust these armed men claiming to be hired by the district?” page 10

Highlights takes a look at senior athletes Alex Sams, Maxwell Martin and Sammy Edwards, all of whom have committed to college athletic programs.

President Parham

Olympics

Shell Shock

Athlete-Scholars

page 12

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HIGHLIGHTS NEWS JANUARY 24, 2014

BEVERLY LOCKS DOWN ON SECURITY School security steps up na1onwide This past month, states enacted a variety of measures to increase school security. Measures include special forces, sophis1cated alarm systems, increased educa1on and expert panels.

Connec&cut Washington School leaders statewide have installed electronic access controls, staged drills and collaborated with local police. Some coun9es plan to create a school district police force.

Governor Dannel Malloy created the Sandy Hook Advisory Commission, a 16-­‐member panel of experts to make recommenda&ons to enhance school safety, mental health and gun violence preven&on.

Massachuse(s

New Mexico Schools in Farmington Area have changed protocol so that iden9fica9on checks, bag searches and metal detectors are regular parts of a@ending campus events.

Governor Deval Patrick created a new task force to recommend safer school procedures, but these will not be mandated for all schools.

Virginia

Last year, a bill to arm public school teachers failed, but gun control will be Graphic by jessica lu. Sources include www.azsos.gov, www.nbcwashington.com, debated once again. With new Democra<c governor Terry McAuliffe, ac<vists hope that www.nj.com, www.washingtonpost.com, gun control measures can be passed. www.edweek.org, wwww.wwlp.com, www. governor.ct.gov.

Continued from Page 1 “Our ultimate goal is to make sure this campus is as safe as possible. We want to involve the students and to make sure that they will come to us if they suspect anything,” Chirillo said. “We’re armed and district wide.”

Instead of primarily focusing on reacting to potentially dangerous situations, the CSOs are also working to create awareness and plans for preventing future potentially dangerous events. According to Chirillo, the CSOs are currently working on safety presentations for assemblies, enacting a better threat assessment program and hiring a mental health professional to be proactive rather than just reactive. This can only be done by “changing the mindset and culture of security at the school.”

“Our regular security officers oversee all areas of large campus, and assist staff and students as needed on a daily basis. They are our eyes and ears across the campus from early morning until late evening,” Staser said. “Our students have always turned to our security knowing that a caring individual will be there to support, protect and assist.”

The new security program is intended to improve the existing system rather than replace it.

“We want to integrate with security not take over,” Chirillo said.

“It’s like the relationship between a physician and a physician’s assistant. They have a lot of the same roles, but at the end of the day, the physician can do so much more.

And similarly we intermingle with them, but we do cover a wider scope.”

However, according to an already existing security guard on campus, who prefers to remain anonymous, members of the old system were informed by their union representative to stay quiet about the new security measures due to “some problems between the two programs.”

Although Staser states that the school sent out a formal notification, many of the students were shocked to see the new CSOs after returning from winter break.

“I feel like we should’ve gotten a warning or something. Our school emails us for everything, but they didn’t email us over this new security program,” senior Sam Levy said. “It’s been two weeks into the new semester and we still haven’t been formally introduced to this new program.”

The CSOs are permitted to carry weapons in order to secure the well-being of the students. However, some students were intimidated when they discovered that armed men would be present on school campus.

“The day I came back to school from winter break I was shocked to see campus security cars and men with guns,” senior Paloma Bloch said. “It kind of scared me.”

Similar to Bloch, junior Catherine Leon was surprised to learn that the security guards were permitted to carry guns. Leon understands the purpose of the new program; however, she is convinced that it was unnecessary.

“I don’t feel any safer because I rarely see them. And the fact that they have guns actually freaks me out,” Leon said. “I think they could have used that money to replace

textbooks that are beyond repair.

Spending [so much] on security guards is not necessary.”

Other students were more welcoming of the new system. Although the CSOs were “a bit unnerving at first” an anonymous sophomore believes that “it’s a good idea to try and increase safety at our relatively high-profile and open campus before anything bad starts to happen.”

AP Environmental Science teacher Emily Smith believes that money could have been spent more efficiently to support educational programs on the campus.

“I think that there’s a lot of fear in the world and I don’t think that we need to respond to fear the way that we do,” Smith said. “There are isolated incidents where horrible things do happen. [However] we’re spending an enormous amount of money to protect against a very small threat.”

According to Smith, if the high school were a high-threat community, the additional layer of security might be worthwhile; however, the school is not targeted for anything in particular, therefore the addition is “overkill.”

“I had kids that went to this school and I didn’t live in fear that some trauma was going to occur,” Smith said. “I don’t think that you could live your life considering that the world is going to explode.

I mean terrible things do happen.

But the likelihood of anything going on at Beverly is remote.”

Students who have any further questions about the new campus safety program can reach the CSOs in their office in the first floor.

AUDREY PARK

Key Dates ACT Practice Test Jan. 26

Culinary club goes organic, plants garden Brenda Mehdian staff writer Students of the Culinary Club began their work on the culinary garden in September to continue the tradition that former Head Chef Darrell A. Smith began in 2010. Every year since then, the club plants a new supply of crops and seedlings from a local nursery called Two Dog Nursery.

The garden started out with two raised, ten by three boxes filled with soil and compost that is derived straight from the kitchen of the Culinary Club.

“Although the garden has not expanded tremendously in size, we have been able to add new aspects to it such as compost egg, other fruits, vegetables and herbs,” sophomore culinary club member

Joel Gabai said.

According to Gabai, the garden was not only built to supply resources for the club, but also to show the culinary students how they could grow organic fruits and vegetables on their own.

In addition, Culinary Club member senior Ashley Kermani believes that growing fruits and vegetables from the garden offers benefits that store-bought foods, which often contain unhealthy hormones and pesticides, don’t have.

“Growing from the garden gives us the satisfaction of knowing that all of the plants we are growing will be tasty, ripe and organic,” Kermani said.

Gabai agrees with Kermani and also sees the difference in taste when comparing store bought in-

gredients to the crops from the garden.

“To me the difference in taste is pretty dramatic. From the time it takes to plant, water and harvest the crops to the time it takes to use the plant in a dish makes the whole experience extra rewarding,” Gabai said.

It takes two days to plant the seedlings in order for them to grow successfully throughout the semester and school year.

“Whenever we have free time in class we go out and water the garden and take out weeds so that all the crops will grow in a healthy manner,” senior culinary member Bram Geiderman said.

The Culinary Club uses the produce for various dishes such as salads, chicken seasonings and more.

Every time the members work in the kitchen, they save all the scraps such as the cob of corn, egg shells, peelings and unused produce and dump it in their big green compost egg that makes rich, healthy soil for the garden.

“The culinary garden shows us how we can construct a miniature organic garden even in such limited space, such as the third floor patio,” Gabai said.

If there are any changes that were to be made in the garden, according to Gabai, the changes would be a new variety of plants.

“It gets a little boring planting and harvesting the same things every year,” Gabai said. “However, many of the other aspects of the garden, like the soil and location would remain the same.”

Centennial Centennial Concert Concert Jan.28Jan. 28

SAT Practice Test Feb. 2

Presidents Day Feb. 10

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HIGHLIGHTS NEWS JANUARY 24, 2014

Parham talks spirit on campus Mabel Kabani editor-in-chief

DAMI KIM

Senior Parham Senehipour started to get involved in the Beverly student body when he became a host of his own hit show, “Parham Talks Girls,” on KBEV, Beverly’s student-run television station. He was then nominated for Homecoming King his senior year and has recently been re-elected to represent the graduating class of 2014 as Associated Student Body (ASB) Senior President.

As a student who wanted to be involved in the activities surrounding him, Senehipour yearned to “improve the school,” and when the opportunity arose to join ASB for the fall of 2013, he decided to jump on the opportunity.

“I found out that [ASB] elections were coming up soon,” Senehipour said, “and out of nowhere I decided that I wanted to run.”

Though Senehipour was new to serving on ASB, when he and senior Zack Bialobos were elected as senior class co-presidents, Senehipour spent the entire semester devoting himself to “understanding how the school system works.”

He believes that one of the main weaknesses of the ASB during the

fall semester was that there were a lot of new members on the staff and on Headrow.

“Last semester we had a lot of problems because there were a lot of new people, including myself,” Senehipour said.

Now with a semester of experience, Senehipour wishes to focus on increasing school spirit among the student body.

“Now that I have a better understanding, my goal is to improve school spirit,” he said. “It is very low compared to when I was a freshman here.”

Senehipour believes it will be easy to raise the school spirit by simply “making better events, going out and asking students what they’re specifically looking for and by just being welcoming to the students.”

However, striving to improve upon Beverly’s lack of school spirit isn’t the only reason Senehipour re-ran for class president.

“Last semester I learned a lot and had a lot of fun....Now I want to improve the school and put my image out there,” he said. “I [also] want to follow and put out new rules that didn’t exist previously.”

Though excited about winning

the spring election, Senehipour was hesitant about his chances for winning, as he “didn’t really have a campaign strategy.”

“Last semester I was trying to stay out of advertising...But this semester I was advertising a lot more because I had tougher competition,” Senehipour said.

Steinberg, senior representative and runner-up for class president, believes that “Parham deserves his title as president.”

“I think we can learn from each other throughout this semester,” Steinberg said.

And now, after having been reelected, Senehipour is excited to continue carrying out his favorite parts of ASB that include “hanging out and deciding things.”

“For example, today the lunch crew came to us and asked us what students would like for cafeteria food....These kinds of decisions I like making,” he said.

And as Senehipour continues to reign over the senior class 80 some days before the last day of school, senior Chloe Ticknor is satisfied knowing that her last ever high school class president is “the most well-spoken president we’ve ever had.”

Marcus compiles student talent into variety of bands Zoe Kenealy staff writer At the recent Dance Company showcase, you may have seen senior Tommy Marcus’s band performing to the Company’s dance numbers. Marcus assembled this band specifically for the show and plans on forming a similar band for the school band’s May concert.

Last year, Marcus bought the “James Bond: Skyfall” soundtrack and made his own solo pieces from the original arrangements. He also collaborated with Los Angeles choreographer Mallory Russo in constructing the perfect dance numbers to each individual track that he made. The pieces were performed at the Arts Reach Festival in May. “I remember Tommy’s work from last year [Arts Reach Festival],” senior Milan Walls-Smith said. “I was glad when I learned he would be collaborating with Dance Company this year because I have a couple friends in the Company so knowing that they were going to

have good music definitely promised an impressive show.”

In addition to running his selfc o n -

will occur on April 23.

ditioning prospective performers and helping the band’s direction,” Marcus said. “I

structed will instrumental act as the bands that have perproduction coordiformed at multiple showcases nator, [sophomore] Marcus directs his band at the Dance Company dress rehearsal. and festivals, Marcus will be Photo Courtesy of TOMMY MARCUS. Isaac Spector will be one of four people holding in charge of dance, auditions on Jan. 23 for the Per“I am not forming my own band [senior] Matthew Shterenberg will forming Arts Festival. The festival for this showcase, but I will be au- be in charge of music and [senior]

“We in MIT Admissions are aware of JRI's programs; we've seen many great applicants over the years who have participated.”

-Matt McGann, Director of Admissions, MIT

Deven Martin in charge of theater.”

When auditioning prospective performers for the Performing Arts Festival, Marcus will be looking for students who “know their craft and could tune into, putting on an exceptional performance.”

According to Marcus, the students need to have a lot of experience under their belts in what they are auditioning for, as the festival is highly anticipated, bringing about a great deal of expectation that must be met. “[We] are looking for students who are extremely aware of themselves and their art,” senior Deven Martin said.

“In order to make the performance great, we need to ensure that our band is top-notch and dedicated.”

Marcus’s upcoming shows promise a fair amount of expectation for the people who have seen his prior projects, but Marcus plans on fulfilling the his musical and artistic standards.

in the headlines

INTERNATIONAL The Geneva II peace talks began on Jan. 22, 2014, to end the Syrian conflict. Sponsored by the United Nations (UN), the conference aims to reconcile the government of President Bashar al-Assad and the political opposition.

NATIONAL Edward Snowden denies accusations that he is a Russian Spy, saying that leaking documents about the National Security Agency (NSA) was an independent act.

Get noticed! Get your success!

Jisan Research Institute The only research lab for students (ages 13-18) http://www.jisan.org ● (626) 458-0000

LOCAL Culver City Ice Arena is scheduled to close in February because it has lost its lease. Planet Granite, a Bay Area company, will convert the facility into a rock-climbing, yoga and fitness center.

Sources: www.aljazeera.com, www.washingtonpost.com, www.latimes.com. Image sources are www.cdc.gov, www.arctic.gov

4

HIGHLIGHTS NEWS JANUARY 24, 2014

Teen balances pregnancy, academics, with help from family, friends, NormanAid Continued from Page 1 face,” Cineus’ friends, though scared at first, were one of the reasons the sophomore felt so excited and supported regarding her decision to keep the baby.

“My friends were so caring of me and so strict over me and my diet,” Cineus said. “It made me feel like I wasn’t doing this alone.”

Though her friends supported her, Cineus began to feel depressed over her holiday break and stopped taking care of herself.

“It’s easy to pretend like everything’s fine when I’m laughing with my friends, but behind closed doors everything kind of falls apart,” Cineus said. “My grades dropped about a letter grade between the time before and after I found out that I was pregnant.”

Balancing school and pregnancy can be tough, and according to The National Campaign to Prevent Teenage Pregnancy, about 51 percent of teen moms have a

high school diploma compared to 89 percent of women who did not have a teen birth.

Though taking care of a baby and simultaneously pursuing an education is “extremely hard and seemingly impossible,” Cineus said, she also said that the NormanAid Center made her feel like “she wasn’t alone and that education was a priority.”

“The counselors offered me options; I could continue school here, transfer to Moreno where the hours would be more flexible or even to Santa Monica High School because it has a day care center,” Cineus said. “After planning everything out, having the baby didn’t seem so stressful anymore and I was excited.”

Though Cineus was now, after planning for the baby, excited about raising her child, her three months of pregnancy were still “extremely difficult….Being pregnant and managing school is not

82 percent of teen pregnancies are unplanned

+

30 percent of girls cite pregnancy as why they dropped out

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Almost 1 in 3 teens choose to get an abortion

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30 percent of women become pregnant before they’re 20

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Photo illustration by MICHELLE BANAYAN. Graphic by JESSICA LU. Sources include www. progressivepolicy.org, www.hhs.gov, sparkaction.org

an easy task.”

“It was hard to walk around and not know when you have to find a bathroom to hurl,” Cineus said.

“After a while, when I started getting mood swings and cravings, it started affecting me more and I started worrying about whether I could even finish school.”

Cineus ultimately decided that she wouldn’t let her pregnancy affect her future goals for life; she attributes her strength to make that decision to her mother, grandmother and brother.

“They were very supportive of me and my decision,” she said. “I had people to take care of me…but I really wanted support from the father, which I didn’t get at all.”

The father, who wishes to be kept anonymous, “freaked out and opted out,” preferring not to be involved in raising the baby.

“People started talking about me behind my back after my boyfriend left me and said I made up the

fact that I was pregnant because I [wanted attention],” Cineus said. “I’ve never paid attention to what people say though….People can say what they want but only I know the truth.”

The most difficult part, however, was the realization that she had come to about herself.

“I always thought that I had kept certain morals on topics like sex, but when I had started dating my boyfriend, it all kind of went away the more I got to know him,” Cineus said. “Obviously when you’re single you think ‘Oh, I would never do this,’ but when you’re with someone everything gets thrown out the window….I think I should just not date for a while.”

At the end of her first trimester, toward the end of December, Cineus was notified of “the most heart-wrenching news [she] had ever received.” Cineus suffered a miscarriage.

Though 10 to 25 percent of all re-

ported pregnancies end in miscarriages, according to the American Pregnancy Association, and Cineus was aware of the “common concept of miscarriages,” her life and expectations took a different turn.

“Everyone told me I should feel so happy and relieved, but after planning everything out, having the baby didn’t seem so stressful anymore,” Cineus said.

“I don’t see it as being too young or old when it comes to feeling attached.…The baby was a part of me and I felt like I was losing an organ or something.”

Though she felt like she should feel excited rather than disappointed, Cineus couldn’t help but feel as if a part of her life was missing.

“My teacher once told me that mothers are so giving because babies were once a part of them,” she said. “I had my baby in me and as a part of me, but I never got to know or meet that part of me.”

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HIGHLIGHTS CULTURE JANUARY 24, 2014

Dance Company ’14 a performance in review

$21,864 is the estimated total cost, including but not limited to costumes, lighting, guest choreographers, photography, videography, props, and technical director Money is raised solely by Dance Company by selling tickets, using DCO ASB fund, and money from donations and ads 750 tickets were sold this year; complimentary tickets were given to guest choreographers and district administration “Student choreography pieces were amazing. Sophomore [dancers] showed great energy and the future of the company seems promising.”

- English teacher Dr. Steven Rubenstein “Every year, the show has a different personality. This year was incredible and we were fortunate enough to produce a professional show.”

- Artistic Director of Dance Company Dana Findley “Mallory’s piece was by far one of the most challenging pieces I had to do in the show, but it pushed me to be a better dancer.”

- Senior dancer Paloma Bloch “Inspiring, yet sad.”

- Senior Alanna Montero “Really, really impressive. I loved watching all my friends perform.

I can’t wait to see next year.”

- Sophomore Fiona Massana “It was a good variation of dance styles.

Ms. Findley’s piece was very interesting.”

- Senior Alex Massachi

DAMI KIM MABEL KABANI

DANNY LICHT

Meet the Teachers

Michel Paul intertwines mathematics with philosophy

JESSICA LU

“I’ve always regarded mathematics as a doorway into philosophy. In fact, Plato hung on the doorway of his academy: ‘Let no one ignorant of geometry enter here.’ I just like discussing philosophy with anyone who is interested.”

Jessica Lu news editor Math teacher Michel Paul discovered that he liked math when he was in third grade. He had just finished a problem set when it came together for him.

“I realized that I liked math because I knew when I was finished [with a problem],” he said.

“I knew when I knew it and had generated the understanding. It wasn’t just someone else’s opinion.”

Years later, in middle school,

Paul discovered another interest of his.

“I was reading a newspaper article about some girl in my hometown who was going off to college to study philosophy,” he said.

“The word ‘philosophy’ just gave me goosebumps. It seemed to me that there was something significant, that it was an important type of knowledge and I wanted to pursue it.”

Throughout his life, Paul found that the subjects of math and philosophy tied together almost

effortlessly. For him, they evoke ideas from one another that lead to a deeper understanding of both subjects.

“I’ve always regarded mathematics as a doorway into philosophy,” he said. “In fact, Plato hung on the doorway of his academy: ‘Let no one ignorant of geometry enter here.’”

At Earlham College in Richmond, Va., Paul earned a Bachelor’s degree in mathematics and philosophy. Though he knew he wanted to teach as a profession,

he decided to travel first. He lived in India for several months, and while there, studied Indian philosophy through philosopher Bertrand Russell’s “Mysticism and Logic.”

“I traveled around the world because I was interested in spiritual philosophy,” he said. “At one point I realized it was time to start teaching, and so I entered a teacher training program.”

He first taught in East Los Angeles at Stevenson Junior High, and later applied for an open position at Beverly. While teaching Math Analysis Computational and Functions, Statistics and Trigonometry classes, Paul is also instructing Beverly’s first year of AP Computer Science. Paul wishes to share his mindset about mathematics with a philosophical spin with his students.

“I’d like my students to understand that mathematics comes from within,” he said. “It’s not a matter of memorization or imposing something from the outside.”

This belief may be related to Paul’s occasional meditation session that he holds during his classes. Outside of school, he still pursues his philosophical interests as a member of the Skeptics Society, which meets monthly at California Institute of Technology.

The Skeptics Society is a nonprofit scientific and educational organization that, according to its website, investigates “paranormal, fringe science, pseudoscience and extraordinary claims.” For Paul, it provides an opportunity to meet

with people with similar interests.

“I just like discussing philosophy with anyone who is interested,” Paul explained.

Though he did not major in Computer Science in college (it was not offered at the time), he believes that his studies in philosophy prepared him for the field.

Its relation to information theory, or the study of how information is quantified, particularly resonates with Paul.

“It was philosophy that gave me the mindset for Computer Science,” he said. “Information, matter and energy have always existed and they coexist. Humans did not create information, they discovered that it existed. That, in itself, is philosophical.”

According to Paul, an additional philosophical element comes from the questions that are emerging alongside the rise of Computer Science.

“Philosophy, mathematics and Computer Science are having all kinds of great dialogue,” he said.

“With the rise of artificial intelligence, all sorts of old questions in philosophy that used to be considered quaint are now being revitalized.”

Paul sees these “old questions” relating to what information and knowledge are, and how they can be quantified. Because he can draw these types of connections, Paul places emphasis on the future of Computer Science.

“It has become the new language of science,” he said. “It is giving us a new way of thinking what the physical universe is.”

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HIGHLIGHTS SPOTLIGHT JANUARY , 2013

Bode Miller Alpine ski racer Bode Miller is the only Olympic skier in history to have won five Olympic medals in four different disciplines. Miller will be returning to the Olympics after battling a major knee injury.

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Lindsey Jacobellis This will be snowboarder Kelly Clark’s fourth Winter Olympic games. At the Salt Lake City Games in 2002, Clark became the first American Olympic champion to win a gold medal in the women’s halfpipe.

Gracie Gold At 18 years old, Gracie Gold earned a spot to represent the United States in the figure skating. The skater, known for her jumps, won the U.S. National Championships this January and received the highest ever women’s score at nationals.

Lanney Barnes Biathlete Lanny Barnes was not expected to compete in the Sochi Olympics after suffering from an illness during the final qualifying races in Ridnaun, Italy this January. However, when Barnes’ sister Tracy declined her spot on the team and gave it to Barnes.

Olympics proceed despite opposition to gays Audrey Park staff writer Juliette Deutsch social media director

What to expect in the Winter Olympic Games Braden Bochner staff writer In the days leading up to the 2014 Winter Olympics, more than 6,000 athletes from 85 countries are preparing to compete in Sochi, Russia. The 22nd Olympic Winter Games are part of a historic effort to promote peaceful interactions among the nations of the world.

When the first winter games were held in Chamonix, France, in 1924, there were only seven sports in which to compete, including cross-country skiing, ice hockey and figure skating.

However, today’s Winter Games will host men’s and women’s Alpine skiing, biathlon, bobsleigh, cross-country skiing, curling, figure skating (individual and pairs), ice dancing (individual and pairs), ice hockey, luge, skeleton, Nordic combined, short track speed skating, ski jumping, snowboarding and

speed skating.

Team USA The American Olympic team is an elite group of athletes. Among the most notable to watch are 18-year-old figure skater Gracie Gold, snowboarding legend and two-time Olympic Gold Medalist Sean White, short track skater and Olympic bronze medalist J.R. Celski, women’s hockey team member Julie Chu, and Amanda Kessel and Phil Kessel, sibling hockey players who will be making their first appearance at Sochi.

Competing in the first ever women’s ski jumping event will be 19-year-old Utah native Sarah Hendrickson. At the age of 31, Noelle Pikus-Pace, a mother of two, has come out of retirement from skeleton racing to vie for a gold medal.

Pikus-Pace has won three gold medals, two silver and two bronze.

Notable for their absence in Sochi will be Lindsey Vonn and Apolo Ohno.

Until recently, Alpine ski racer Vonn was widely viewed as a favorite to win a gold medal at these Olympic games.

She is one of only two women to win the World Cup four times, winning it three consecutive years. Vonn’s Olympic hopes were extinguished after repeated injuries to her knee forced her to withdraw from competition this month.

Ohno announced his retirement in July 2013 from short track speed skating. He is an eight-time Olympic medalist, having won two gold, two silver and four bronze medals since he began competing in the 1996 Olympics. Ohno has become a symbol of American athletic excellence and will serve as a television commentator during NBC’s coverage of the games.

Paralympics The Sochi 2014 Paralympic Winter Games will take place March 7-16 in Sochi, Russia, two weeks after the

closing ceremonies of the XXII Winter Olympic Games. The Paralympic Winter Games will feature seven divisions of five sports, resulting in a total of 72 events, including men’s and women’s standing snowboard cross. The Paralympic Games provide disabled athletes the opportunity for athletic achievement. Competitors with disabilities such as amputations, blindness and cerebral palsy can accomplish personal goals and vie for medals in the same sports as Olympic contenders.

American servicemen and women who have sustained physical injuries and impairment are supported and provided with post-rehabilitation support by the U.S. Olympic Committee in order to compete in the Paralympic Games.

Seventeen active duty and veteran military athletes will compete in the 2014 Games, with at least one vying for a spot in each sport.

ONLINE NEWS SOURCES CITED: NPR, CNN, Washington Post nbcolympics.com, teamusa.org

The Winter Olympics, beginning in February, has become a platform for equal rights because of the host country’s anti-gay propaganda law, which prohibits the propaganda of nontraditional homosexual marriages.

Russia’s anti-gay law, legalized in June of 2013, has often been compared to the Nazi’s persecution of Jews by equal rights supporters because it stigmatizes the gay community by banning all information on homosexuality and imposing fines on those who participate in pro-gay rallies. Supporters of the law say that the measure was passed in order to promote the traditional values of Russia’s Orthodox Church and to protect the country’s children from homosexuality.

Infuriated by the content of the law, the Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender (LGBT) group in the United States has been pushing for a protest against the Olympics. They claim that the legalization of the law could have implications on the games and athletes, therefore Russia is an unfit host.

“I agree with the LGBT activists. A country with as much power as Russia should lead the fight in creating a world of equality instead of hindering it,” senior Oliver Dorian said. “Creating a law that gives the government permission to take away rights based on the person’s sexuality is morally wrong.”

The legalization of the law has not only angered national LGBT groups, it also proved to be unpopular among

Beverly’s students and teachers. Senior Aurora Hamner, a self-described strong supporter of equal rights, believes that the Russian government is taking the wrong approach in dealing with the situation.

“I believe that children shouldn’t be shielded from homosexuality. Homosexuality is a completely normal thing that is a part of everyday life,” Hamner said. “Shielding them will only make the problem worse. Children aren’t born to be afraid of homosexuals. It’s the bias and attitude of their parents that mold the children’s opinion on the issue.”

In August 2013, President Obama said on NBC’s “Tonight Show” that when “you are discriminating on the basis of race, religion, gender or sexual orientation, you are violating the basic morality that I think should transcend every country.”

In accordance with Obama’s stance, Dorian believes that “the law itself is corrupt because it’s against human rights.” The law is so vaguely defined that it’s possible for homosexuals to be prosecuted for something as simple as wearing gay-pride T-shirts.

“What if I were to create a law that restricted heterosexuals from holding hands? If boycotting the Olympics will bring awareness to the situation, then I think we should do it,” Dorian said. “I hope that one day Russia will be a place where all human beings, regardless of their sexuality, can make their own choices and love who they want to love.”

Obama, however, believes that instead of opting to a boycott of the games, a bigger impact can be made by

having “gay and lesbian athletes bringing home the gold or silver or bronze.”

“In general a boycott would be restricting our athletes from going abroad and performing in an international competition. That’s never a good strategy,” AP Government teacher Roel Hinojosa said. “Restricting says ‘no’ and it’s not a proactive way in engaging other countries on this issue; it’s a way of reacting to something that someone else is doing. That never seems to be a very good strategy for individuals or entire countries.”

In an attempt to ease criticism on Russia’s anti-gay law, Russian president Vladimir Putin recently met with a group of volunteers for a question-andanswer session, according to The Washington Post. In response to a question about Russia’s attitude toward homosexuals, Putin stated that “one can feel calm and at ease, just leave the kids alone, please.”

“I think that Putin is obviously a dictator trying to disguise himself as some sort of a democrat. The reality is that gay athletes may not have a particular problem but what if they step outside of the Olympic venues,” Hinojosa said.

“They’re going to be in Russia presumably for several days before and after the Olympics. Are they going to be hassled for exercising their freedoms? I think what Putin said about not approaching children is catering to the people in Russia who actually approve of this legislation. It’s trying to make the gay and lesbian community look kind of like the bad guys.”

In addition, Putin also emphasized

that homosexuality is not illegal in Russia, just the propaganda of it around minors is.

“I don’t think that you get thrown into jail for being gay but its always been a free speech issue,” Hinojosa said.

“While putting people in jail just because they’re gay is pretty bad, putting people in jail for speaking out on gay rights is still pretty bad too. Either way, you lose. Russia isn’t as bad as Saudi Arabia or Iran, but it still isn’t good.”

In order to provide U.S. athletes with a secure level of protection, former Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security was assigned to lead the U.S. delegation to the Sochi Games next month. Obama’s selection of sending two openly gay athletes, former tennis player Billie Jean King and figure skater Brian Boitano, portrays the America’s stance on the law.

“I think that this is a genius move on the Obama administration`s part to actively engage in this instead of having a boycott. It gets people more involved,” Hinojosa said. “If we boycotted, we never would’ve had the opportunity to send these world famous athletes to Sochi.”

Despite much protest from the LGBT community, the games will proceed to take place in Sochi. The Russian government claimed that it will follow the Olympic Charter, which prohibits the “discrimination against a country or person based grounds of race, religion, politics, gender or otherwise is incompatible with belonging to the Olympic Movement.”

The opening ceremony of the games will begin on Friday, Feb. 7.

Celebrating The Hills’ 8

HIGHLIGHTS CULTURE JANUARY 24, 2014

100th birthday Continued from Page One Beverly Hills’ first house was built in 1907, but it wasn’t until the 1912 construction of the Beverly Hills Hotel that the population began to grow. The hotel became the center of activity in sparsely developed Beverly Hills, catering to hundreds of guests who would eventually become full-time residents of the subdivision. In 1914, Beverly Hills had a large enough population to incorporate as an independent city.

The city boomed in 1919, when moviestar couple Mary Pickford and Douglas Fairbanks built a mansion, dubbed Pickfair by the media, in Beverly Hills. A wave of rich and famous actors, including Will Rogers, who would become the city’s first mayor, soon followed the newlywed celebrities, and Beverly Hills’ reputation as America’s capital of glamor and luxury was born. 1919 also marked the construction of the Beverly Hills Speedway, a shortlived racetrack that covered much of the southwestern part of the city, including the patch of land on which our high school currently stands. The Speedway, famous for being the first racetrack to feature banked turns, was torn down in 1924 in order to clear land for real estate.

Beverly Hills, like several other cities in Southern California at the time, is notorious for having promoted racial homogeneity. According to an early Beverly Hills restrictive covenant that remained in effect until the 1940s, no property could be “sold, conveyed, leased or rented to or inherited by or otherwise acquired by or become the property of any person whose blood is not entirely of the Caucasian race.” Nonwhites could live in Beverly Hills only if they worked as the servants or domestic employees of a white resident. In the early 1940s, the NAACP and several famous African-American actors argued against the restrictive covenant in court, and the federal judge Thurmond Clarke struck it down.

In the 100 years since its incorporation, Beverly Hills has become one of the wealthiest cities in America and one of the most recognizable names in the world. The idea of Beverly Hills, now rooted in the imagination of millions worldwide, exists as a timeless entity, separate from the actual Beverly Hills that we inhabit, the Beverly Hills that not so long ago was little more than a bean farm. This year, we celebrate the centennial of a city that has grown prodigiously since its modest inception, but we also celebrate the centennial of an ideal that, come what may, could very

well outlive all of us, even Beverly Hills itself.

Upcoming Events Float on The City entered the 2014 Tournament of Roses Parade in Pasadena in honor of its 100th birthday celebration. The City’s float theme was “City of Beverly Hills Centennial.” Volunteers from all over the city and groups like the Interact Club joined together to help construct the float, a process which took several months. “[Interact] was granted the phenomenal chance to work on our fair city’s Centennial float thanks to the wonderful Beverly Hills Rotary Club,” President Nicole Sayegh said. “Every day, my fellow interactors continually amaze me with their dedication to the community, and so I am so proud to serve alongside of them.”

The float was composed of the City Hall Government building, several fountains, the Beverly Hills sign, park benches, palm trees and other idiosyncratic features of the city. Materials on the float include corn husk, seeds, moss, flowers and sand. Due to financial reasons, the City does not plan on competing in subsequent years.

Highlights covered Interact’s volunteerism in a multimedia video, which can be found at beverlyhighlights.com.

In harmony On Tuesday, Jan. 28, the Los Angeles Lawyers Philharmonic will be hosting the Beverly Hills Centennial Concert at the Saban Theatre on Wilshire Boulevard.

The Concert also features a singa-long component and “surprisecelebrity guests” will be in attendance. Admission is free. More information can be found at www. beverlyhills.org Breaking ground The City will begin its Santa Monica Boulevard Reconstruction Project in the spring of 2015 to update the roadway and drainage system along North Santa Monica Boulevard. A Santa Monica Boulevard Blue Ribbon Committee was created to develop enhancements, such as bicycle lanes and landscaped medians.

“Pond” ering Restoration The Beverly Gardens Lily Pond Dedication Ceremony will be held on Tuesday, Feb. 4 in order to celebrate the restoration of the Beverly Gardens Parks. The Friends of Beverly Gardens Park are working to restore the lily pond in front of the Beverly Hills sign between Beverly and Canon Drives, just north of Santa Monica.

Making music From January through June of every year, monthly Sunday concerts are held at 2 p.m. at Greystone Mansion. The event, Music in the Mansion, brings together “prize-winning” international and local artists. Admission is $20 and tickets can be purchased at www.beverlyhills.org/ bhregonline.

Woofstock 90210 The annual Woofstock event will be held at La Cienega Park on March 4. The day-long “pet extravaganza” event features at Pet Parade, pet related vendors, pet adoptions and entertainment, along with food vendors.

“It was an incredibly fun atmosphere with relay races and costume contests and I would love to go back again next year,” senior Michelle Banayan said.

“Stadium to the Sea” The ASICS LA Marathon, nicknamed the “Stadium to the Sea,” will run through Beverly Hills, passing City Hall and going along Rodeo Drive. The event, on March 9, will close off several nearby streets and feature a Block Party and spectator viewing area on Dayton Way and Rodeo Drive.

The event brings together many charity organizations and volunteer groups, and students part of the Associated Student Body (ASB) or Interact Club often participate.

“Even though I didn’t run the marathon, I did think just volunteering and handing out water really made me feel like an active person in our community,” senior Maya Steinberg said. “You really do see people from all sorts of groups coming together.”

Ever since Beverly Hills’ incorporation in 1914, the city developed into “one of the most glamorous places in the world to live, eat, play, and, especially, show,” according to beverlyhills.org.

Below, Highlights explores some of the most significant events in the evolution of the city.

1919 The building of the Beverly Hills Speedway, which was located in the area bordered by Wilshire Boulevard, Lasky, Olympic Boulevard and South Beverly Drive, began in 1919 to “bring some action and visitors to our city, and interest them in living [here],” according to beverlyhills. patch.com. The construction for the Speedway ended in 1921 and it became a popular site for auto races.

1926

When Beverly Hills was threatened by Los Angeles, which wanted to annex the city in 1923, Will Rogers and Mary Pickford led the way to protest against the proposal.

In 1926, Rogers became the honorary mayor of the city.

1950 In 1950, the Sunset Boulevard was created when its sign, which also contained the Crescent Boulevard sign, was installed by actress Gloria Swanson.

The Outlook As noted by Mayor John Mirisch in an interview with Los Angeles Confidential magazine, Beverly Hills plans to continue preserving the city’s history and traditions while extending its iconic characteristics to neighboring areas that needs further development.

“I’m hoping that we can extend this notion of unique quality — I’ll call it ‘Beverly Hills-ness’ — to the southeastern part of town as well....The goal is to create a unique Beverly Hills vibe in that area, including creating an Arts and Theater District with the historic Saban Theatre as a fulcrum,” Mirisch said in an online article featured in Los Angeles Confidential website.

The city also hopes to improve and address its local concerns this year, with strong focuses in several categories of the city’s budgets.

1967-1970 Between 1967-1970 Beverly Hills High School changed its North Wing to the Main Building.

The Main Building was a five story building with classrooms and a two level parking garage. This was designed by Rowland H. Crawford due to rising enrollment.

Source: beverlyhills.org EUNICE KIM

The article continues on beverlyhighlights.com.

Scan the QR code to read on and learn more about the history of Beverly Hills by decades. Who was Beverly, anyway?

HIGHLIGHTS COMMENT JANUARY 24, 2013

THE FORUM

a debate within the Highlights staff

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What kind of culture has the school created? Over the next several issues, members of the Highlights staff will contend with this question. As the discussion develops, different writers will bring up different aspects of the overarching question, elaborating upon and refuting arguments brought up in previous articles. Last issue, web editor-in-chief Dani Klemes commented on the media’s role in our perception of Beverly. Now, spotlight editor Marguerite Alberts continues with an analysis of Beverly’s identity in relation to the merchandise it sells.

Beverly in need of representative merch Marguerite Alberts spotlight editor When the majority of people who have never been to California hear “Beverly Hills,” they don’t automatically think of Beverly Hills High School. In fact, that’s probably the last thing they think of, if they think of it at all. Or if they do, it’s in relation to a fictional television show. Instead, they jump to words associated with the music and film industry.

They think “Hollywood,” “movies,” “celebrities,” “television” and all sorts of stereotypes including but not limited to “rich,” “snotty” and “arrogant.” Our school does not have its own character to outsiders because it resides within such a high-profile city. Alternately, it blends into the city’s character.

It’s time Beverly makes a name for itself. Although academics and sports and competitions are three great ways to make most schools well-known, they aren’t enough to achieve this goal for Beverly. For our school, the best place to start is within. We are too often assumed to be something out of

a television show rather than a normal public school. Before we can start to have our own distinctiveness as a school, we need to be unified. Students need to feel a sentimental connection to our school. They work, eat meals, see their friends, participate in activities they enjoy (and others that they can’t stand) all at school. When taking into account the amount of time students spend at school, Beverly should be considered their home away from home.

One of the most effective ways of establishing sentimental feelings towards Beverly is by selling more merchandise that promotes the school and encouraging students to buy it. Merchandise is like “putting a face to a name.” Products as small as a keychain or as large as a flag allow outsiders to recognize a label and to get an actual idea of a place that they have always imagined, but may have never actually seen. Furthermore, merchandise provides something tangible for students to remember the school by. It allows them to physically wear their pride for all to see.

Plenty of students have some

sort of sweatshirt or T-shirt or another article of clothing that represents an activity or a club that they are a part of. It’s terrific that students they want to advertise the things they are involved in.

However, there is a noticeable lack in gear being worn by students representing the school itself. Students shouldn’t just be showing off the organizations they are involved in. Yes, those organizations are part of the school, but they tie students more to the individual groups that they are involved in rather than the school itself, ergo they feel connected to only that small part of the larger school.

They should want to wear clothing and other commodities that demonstrate a link to the place where they spend the majority of their teenage years.

Part of the issue may be that there is little advertisement for school-themed gear. Although students are constantly directed to the student store when in need of an ASB card or when paying for AP tests or prom tickets, there is very little advertising for the other merchandise at the shop. What marketing is

present clearly fails to gain the attention of the student body.

Perhaps ASB can work toward increasing sales by using the numerous social media sites it has at its disposal. A suggestion would be to host an entire week dedicated to getting students to be enthusiastic at school by sharing their favorite schoolspirited products. Each day will promote a certain type of good.

For example, Wednesday could be Waterbottle Wednesday.

Then, students would take a picture of themselves and their favorite merchandise in regards to that day’s specifications, post the picture and tag ASB. This event could be used as a means of promoting another upcoming event or it could be an independent occurrence that could happen at any time during the year. The incentive for students is that it combines three actions that teenagers love: showing off their gear, taking pictures of themselves and detailing their lives on the internet.

In any case, the end result would be an increase in school pride which would then result in an identity that is unique to Beverly and not to Beverly Hills.

Sacrifice security for liberty, and you’ll lose both Dami Kim culture editor “Government exists to protect us from each other.

Where government has gone beyond its limits is in deciding to protect us from ourselves,” President Ronald Reagan noted in “The Age of Turbulence,” former Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan’s memoir.

Though this statement may seem like an accurate justification for government control, Big Brother still does exist in America, a country that preaches freedom of speech and equality for all. Surprisingly, Uncle Sam is watching us more closely than we once thought.

As technology advanced and our standard of living rose, the government’s tactics of spying into our lives improved as well.

The controversial issue of privacy surveillance in 2013 proved this to be true.

The saga of Edward Snowden, a former intelligence contractor who leaked National Security Agency’s 20,000 documents and fled to Russia for temporary asylum, happened just months ago. Snowden did not have to use any sophisticated software or break down any computer firewall. He simply used a few thumb drives to exploit the National Security Agency’s pandora’s box that released forbidden information to the public.

Some of this information included NSA’s black budget that targeted many countries: China, Russia, Iran, Cuba and Israel, as top priority countries. The European Union was not an exception either, though plans for each participating country differed under certain circumstances. However, the most prominent issue of all dealt with a domestic privacy obstruction of all Americans. The revelation that the NSA had collected records of every U.S. phone call under a call log metadata program and the possibility that a spy agency managed to infiltrate massive worldwide data centers of Yahoo and Google both infuriated and alarmed the nation.

We knew privacy surveillance was an issue in a totalitarian past, but in a modern democracy? Could Reagan’s former statement be justified in this setting?

The United Nations’ “Universal Declaration of Human Rights” proposes that “everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression,” and this right “includes freedom to hold opinions without interference and to seek, receive and impart information through any media, regardless of frontiers.”

Under this declaration, agreed upon by nations including the U.S., Snowden deserves to be viewed as a hero, not a traitor.

Though he has broken a law and may have put unnecessary risks

to the safety of our country, he revealed one of the most crucial flaws of our government and thus indirectly forced the government to change. In response to this ongoing issue and increased mistrust of government, President Obama delivered a speech on Jan. 17 at the Justice Department that proposed to end the bulk collection of telephone records by the NSA and to place several immediate safeguards for privacy protection of those who have been affected by NSA’s past practices of privacy surveillance. He directed that the government must obtain a court order for each phone number that it puts in its records.

This, along with other proposed changes, would signify the first significant constraints administered since the extension of government surveillance programs due to terrorist attacks of Sept.

11, 2001.

However, even with the president’s efforts to modify the current system of intelligence collection, this proposal does not seem promising

to our nation’s future. It is more than evident that we should have the right to our privacy and the freedom to express our ideas. In this view, President Obama should be applauded for his first step in dealing with civil liberties versus security. Do the proposals seem practical, however? Certainly not. It almost seems to be a pain reliever to release the stress of the people temporarily.

The more essential issue is the argument for national security.

Even with democracy, the country is too big to openly allow a loose interpretation for public privacy protection. As Benjamin

Franklin said, “they who would give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety.”

Wasn’t this the main rationale behind increased security programs after our country suffered through terrorist attacks?

Though the government’s approach for national security may have been ineffective and morally incorrect, our country still needs strong security measures to prevent future harm.

It will be interesting to see how President Obama addresses the issue at his State of Union, which ironically falls on Jan. 28, International Privacy Day.

SASHA PARK

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HIGHLIGHTS COMMENT JANUARY 24, 2013

Doctors, patients responsible for fatal surgeries Audrey James-Anenih staff writer For most medical patients, a routine surgery usually doesn’t raise any immediate concern. However, the recent case of 13-year-old Californian girl Jahi McNath is a perfect example of how something that seems to be a simple surgical procedure can turn fatal.

After undergoing a tonsillectomy, the girl started bleeding from her nose and mouth, went into cardiac arrest and was later declared braindead. So my first question is: how can a routine surgery suddenly turn fatal?

Every surgery has its own set of complications. In a tonsillectomy, the third most frequent surgical procedure performed on children, bleeding is a known post-surgical complication. But it is a rare occurrence, and the probability of it leading to a patient’s death is frightening, especially since surgeons cauterize the area during the opera-

tion.

But certain patients are at greater risk during surgery than others. According to a study conducted by CNN, patients with pre-existing conditions such as heart, lung or liver problems are more likely to suffer from complications or die.

Dr. Albert Wu, director of the Center for Health Services and Outcomes Research at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, spoke to Jacques Wilson during an interview conducted by CNN, “The stress of surgery can be too much for you to be able to maintain [your body’s] equilibrium,” Wu said.

But what if the patient’s body is not at fault? What if it’s the surgeon who’s liable?

When a family puts trust into a doctor, it is the doctor’s responsibility to ensure that the patient’s medical history is put into consideration before advising and planning a surgery. Doctors must be more thorough when taking care of a patient, and have to create an environment

where the patient can discuss his or her entire medical history.

In order to avoid unexpected entanglement, patients should tell their surgeons everything that they know about themselves, including their past experiences with surgery and anesthesia, whether they have any allergies, and if they’re prone to bruising or heavy bleeding. According to the research conducted by the American Academy of Otolaryngology, patients should inform their doctors if they are prone to any complications such as bruising, bleeding or allergies. They should also ask if the surgery is necessary, since surgery can be discretionary and patients may have the option to not undergo the procedure.

Medical errors kill over 200,000 patients annually, according to a study conducted in September by the Journal of Patient Safety. With this high number of incidents, medical practitioners should not be excused from practicing medical negligence.

“Add them all up and you have probably the third leading cause of death [in the country],” Dr. Peter Pronovost, senior vice president for patient safety and quality at Johns Hopkins Hospital, told CNN during a 2012 investigation into common medical mistakes.

In 2005 Elaine Bromiley’s husband, Martin Bromiley, faced a nightmarish scenario similar to that of Jahi McNath.

Elaine Bromiley, a 37-year-old woman receiving surgery for what was supposed to be a routine operation on her nasal air passages, suffered catastrophic brain damage after unexpected complications occurred at the start of the procedure. Elaine’s airway had become obstructed. It was a rare event. As a result Elaine’s brain became starved of oxygen. She was transferred to intensive care but died several days later, as reported by the Clinical Human Factors Group.

Instead of looking for someone to blame, or demanding that some-

EDITORIAL

one should be fired from their job, he sent a longer-lasting message by addressing conferences and delivering lectures filled with medical practitioners from all over the world. Bromiley said in one of said conferences, “In healthcare there should be greater standardisation of procedures and more use of checklists to ensure that vital tasks are not omitted. But most importantly there should be systems of blame-free reporting and, in the wake of disasters, investigations that seek essential lessons rather than scapegoats.”

People seeking surgery, regardless of importance, should be aware of all the complications that can arise during surgery. Doctors have a responsibility to ensure our safety, but we, as patients, have a responsibility as well. We have to inform our doctor of any and all pre-existing medical conditions. This way we can be fully informed by our doctors about how our existing medical history may or may not surface complications while undergoing surgery.

Highlights Mabel Kabani and Danny Licht editors-in-chief

Jessica Lu news editor

Max Stahl

comment editor

Dami Kim

culture editor

Marguerite Alberts spotlight editor

Arman Zadeh and Jackson Prince sports editors

Michelle Banayan graphics editor

Robert Katz and Dani Klemes web editors-in-chief

Juliette Deutsch AJ PARRY

New security team takes students by surprise According to The New York Times, today’s students are currently living in “an age of school shootings,” with 18 incidents of school shootings on educational grounds being reported in America in 2013.

As the periodic fire drill is being replaced with frequent lockdown drills across schools nationwide, it appears logical that school districts, one of them being the BHUSD, will be taking additional measures to increase campus safety as 2014 rolls around.

As Normans arrived to school at the start of the spring semester, there was a distinct change: rather than the usual security guards located at places such as the entrance to Heath Avenue, there stood armed men next to a car that read “Beverly Hills USD Campus Safety.” In fact, these officers have been assigned to all five schools within the BHUSD as a part of the district’s Campus Safety Program, with one officer at

each elementary school and two at the high school. According to administration, students at Beverly should have received an email at the start of winter break informing them of this security change. However, Highlights surveyed students on campus, who claimed they did not receive any forewarning of the introduction to the new safety program. Additionally, as homeroom teachers read notes from administrators, tips from counselors and their classroom syllabi, the obvious presence of security officers walking around the school with guns and tasers on their belts was not a topic of discussion.

While the heightened safety measures are a greatly appreciated step toward keeping students protected during this countrywide mass-shooting dilemma, the lack of notification regarding the Campus Safety Officers (CSOs) is problematic. Without prior knowledge of

the officers, how are students supposed to trust these armed men claiming to be hired by the district?

Additionally, it is in the students’ best interest to be educated on the change in security. While most may have observed the CSOs’ presence, few know exactly what their duty is. It is unclear to the student body why we not only have the previous security officers but also the CSOs, and what the CSOs will do differently. What weapons do they have on them? When will they be used?

While these and most of the other concerns students and parents may have regarding the newly implemented measures have been easily answered in a BHUSD press release, those answers have not been projected toward the students, resulting in a school that must blindly accept the presence of armed men without actually knowing why they are here and what they do. And by not alerting its students of drastic measures

Corrections

such as this, the high school is in fact setting a precedent that will make it the norm for students to simply accept whatever changes occur on campus, some of which may actually pose a threat to the school.

All in all, the Campus Safety Program is a necessary implementation during this time when mass shootings are on the rise, and we commend the district’s steps toward improving student safety on campus. However, perhaps in future instances when there are noticeable changes on campus — be it with security, construction, etc. — students across the district can not only be notified through email, but also through class discussion in order to eliminate the possibility of a technical glitch. As a result, not only will students be more aware of who is on campus and what their purpose is, but they will also feel a greater sense of trust and confidence in their school district.

social media director

Braden Bochner, Audrey James-Anenih, Zoe Kenealy, Eunice Kim, Brenda Mehdian and Audrey Park staff writers

Nicole Leibman, Audrey Park, Sasha Park and AJ Parry cartoonists

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 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.

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Ads are not endorsed by BHUSD. Beverly Highlights is sponsored by PTSA and BHEF.

On page 11 of the Dec. 16 issue, Juliette Deutsch was credited as Jessica Deutsch, and Coach Gevorkyan’s name was spelled “Gevorkyal.”

On page 1 of the Dec. 16 issue, Allie Kahn was listed as ASB treasurer, and Gabriel Bogner was listed as senior treasurer, but it’s the other way around.

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HIGHLIGHTS SPORTS JANUARY 24, 2014

Aquatics coach Bowie resigns, accepts Brentwood job

Rob Bowie reviews the team’s event sheet during league finals at Mira Costa last spring.

Dani Klemes web editor-in-chief After 11 years of coaching at Beverly, swim and water polo coach Rob Bowie resigned from his position on Wednesday, Jan. 8 to pursue a coaching job at Brentwood School.

Bowie began his coaching career at Beverly in 2003 as the head boys water polo coach and the assistant swim coach, later becoming the head girls water polo coach in 2004 and the head swim coach in 2005.

During his career, the boys water polo team won the Ocean League Championship twice, qualified for the playoffs in 10 out of 11 seasons, won 8 playoff games, had one Ocean League MVP, three Ocean League Most Outstanding Players, 35 AllOcean League players and a to-

tal record of 176-116.

The girls water polo team faced similar successes. While coaching the girls team, Bowie led the team to win the first ever playoff game in Beverly history.

The team had two Ocean League Most Outstanding Players, 16 All-Ocean League Players and a 72-95 record.

While Bowie was swim coach, the boys team captured three Ocean/Pioneer League titles, had countless CIF finalists, multiple Master’s Meet qualifiers and saw every school record fall except for the 500 free.

“I really had a great time as Beverly’s [aquatics] coach,” Bowie said. “I’ve never been at a job as long as this one and I feel like the high school is always going to be a big part of my life.”

The Athletic Department staff

is still adjusting to Bowie’s recent resignation and the loss of a friendly face on campus.

“Bowie was very easy to get along with and meshed well into our staff,” Athletic Department Co-Chair Jason Newman said.

“He was well liked by all our coaches and teachers who knew him.”

The feeling appears to be mutual for Bowie, who admitted that he was going to miss the entire coaching staff and athletic department.

“They are a fantastic group of people who don’t always get the credit they deserve. Beverly is lucky to have them all,” Bowie said. “I’m [especially] going to miss Coach Fegan, who was such a huge part of the Aquatics Program while I was there.”

Aquatics coach and physical

education teacher Tricia Fegan claimed that she was saddened by Bowie’s departure, but knew that it was for an opportunity that he couldn’t pass up.

“We will miss him, but I’m happy for him in his new endeavor,” Fegan said.

For Bowie, the idea of working at a new school is daunting, but he believes he made the right decision.

“It’s weird starting all over again but I felt like I was at a time in my life where I needed to move on and pursue other opportuDANI KLEMES nities. As much as I loved my time at Beverly I knew that I’d hit the ceiling as far as career growth,” Bowie said. “Brentwood has a great facility, offered more money and more programs. If the faculty, parents and kids are half of what I’ve had the pleasure of knowing at Beverly then I think it was a great decision.”

Senior Justin Kim, who was a member of both the swim and water polo teams during his four years at Beverly, affirmed his gratitude for Bowie and all that he contributed to the aquatics teams.

“As sad as I am that Coach is leaving, I’m thankful that he stayed this long to keep our team together. He kept us hustling and on our toes,” Kim said. “I wish him all the luck at Brentwood, he deserves it.”

January 8 was a sad day for

other student athletes as well.

As Bowie exited the Swim Gym, a muddled group of teenagers flocked around him, bidding their farewells and pining for some sense of closure. Bowie kept his composure but claimed that he would miss a lot of things about Beverly.

“I’ll miss our lifeguard Clark, maybe the coolest guy on the planet. I’ll even miss all of the quirks the Swim Gym pool and basketball court had. All in all, though, I’m definitely going to miss the swimmers and water polo players most. It was really hard saying goodbye to them but, like I told them, they’ll move on and forget all about me once the new season with the new coach starts up,” Bowie said. “I hope that isn’t totally true but that’s usually how it works. The team is really strong and they’ll do fine without me.”

Currently, Artem Gevorkyan is the girls water polo coach, assisted by former Beverly student and water polo player Micah Smith. The Athletic Department is in the process of hiring a new swim coach.

“We will be having interviews for the swim position soon and hope to be able to make an announcement as soon as possible. We have placed an advertisement on the CIF website and we have received some inquiries from local swim coaches in the area,” Newman said.

As for Bowie, his imminent adjustment to a new school has encouraged him to provide some words of wisdom for the new swim coach.

“My advice: embrace the Norman Nation, treat my kids right and never go barefoot on the Swim Gym pool deck.”

Katya Souchitski: student, athlete, rhythmic gymnast Brenda Mehdian staff writer As sophomore Katya Souchitski prepared herself to perform her final routine of the competition, she could could feel the adrenaline pumping through her whole body and her hands begin to sweat.

“You are just practicing, relax,” she told herself as she stepped onto the mat.

Rhythmic gymnastics is a form of gymnastics emphasizing dance like rhythmic routines. The typical equipment of the sport includes ropes, balls, clubs, ribbons and hoops.

Originally, Souchitski was enrolled in ballet classes; however, her mother was not happy with her teacher’s techniques. When Souchitski was about five, her mother moved her into the sport of rhythmic gymnastics.

“I did not like that her teacher was putting so much attention into Katya,” mother Valeria Souchitski said.

Although impartial to the decision at the time, Souchitski is now grateful for being switched into rhythmic

gymnastics because the sport “completes her.”

Souchitski now trains at the Los Angeles School of Gymnastics and is coached by Olga Putsillo.

Since joining the sport, Souchitski has competed in numerous competitions such as Regionals in Thousand Oaks, Calif., Junior Olympics and many more. According to Souchitski, she is most proud of her most recent performance in Regionals in which she placed first in level seven out of 10 and made the all-star team. Here, she was able to qualify for Junior Olympics, although she did not place.

In order to prepare for her competitions, Souchitski had to endure a rigorous practice schedule. She practices for two and a half hours Mondays through Saturdays in which she not only rehearses her routines, but also runs, practices her jumps and works with the apparatus. In addition, she has private lessons and individual running practice on Sundays.

“Even though practice is hard I always push through because I know that in the end the hard work will pay off,” Souchitski said. “Although

it might stress me out at the time, the work I put in leaves me with rewarding results. Whenever I am tired and want to give up I just think about the competition.”

Balancing any sport with school can be difficult, but Souchitski was able to come to an agreement with the school to help this process. She is on a physical education contract which allows her to get out of class earlier. This gives her the chance to finish most of her school work before practice then come home and finish studying and reviewing.

According to Souchitski, her favorite part of the sport is that she is able to express herself through her dance and routines, and believes that her strength in the sport is her ability to work with the apparatus.

Souchistki is inspired by family member Luubov Cherkashena, a two-time Olympic Champion.

“She is an amazing rhythmic gymnast and never gave up. Although she retired from the sport, she is now a coach in Russia or Ukraine,” Souchitski said.

Souchitski hopes that one day she will be able to make the national team; however she also has a back

up plan to go to dentistry school after attending college.

Right now Souchistki is at level

seven and she aims to make it to level 10. Once she accomplishes this goal, she will set another, and so on.

Souchitski prepares backstage at a competition.

Photo courtesy of Katya Souchitski

12

HIGHLIGHTS SPORTS JANUARY 24, 2013

Beverly athletes recruited to colleges nationwide This year, Beverly students have been recruited by colleges across the country. In this issue Highlights takes a look at three athletes who have committed to a future of athletics.

Photo courtesy of Sammy Edwards

Sammy Edwards (Lacrosse) Jackson Prince sports editor

Martin participates in baseball practice sporting an Oberlin T-shirt.

Maxwell Martin (Baseball) Zoe Kenealy staff writer Senior Maxwell Martin will be attending Oberlin College in the fall, continuing his athletic career as a baseball player.

Oberlin College ranks at number 25 among the nation’s liberal-arts colleges according to US News. Martin will hold the position of pitcher on the school’s baseball team.

In picking Oberlin, Martin took into consideration the academic reputation of the school as well as its athletic program.

The numerous other schools that Martin considered attending neglected to meet his academic expectations. Some schools that showed interest in Martin include Claremont McKenna College, Carleton College and McGill University.

“I had an opportunity to play Division 1 baseball, but the schools that showed interest in me were not a fit academically,” Martin said. “I attended a showcase of colleges that were recruiting, and that’s where I met with the people from Oberlin. I

Zoe Kenealy

only attended one showcase and it was one that was specifically made for colleges ranked highly in academics.”

The start of Martin’s definite focus on high school baseball could be attributed to a gut feeling he had his sophomore year.

He played varsity football as an outside linebacker and was also a member of the baseball team as a pitcher. He dedicated himself to baseball full time when he felt a “pull toward baseball.”

Martin’s peers look at his success as an inspiration and are proud of his achievements so far.

“Seeing Maxwell get into a great college with all the hard work he put into baseball really motivates me to keep going and stay strong throughout my baseball career in high school,” freshman baseball player Sydney Steinberg said.

In his final season at Beverly, Martin would like to win league and lead his team to victory in the playoffs. He aspires to continue this season becoming a stronger baseball player with his cousin, Miami Marlin outfielder Christian Yelich, as inspiration.

Junior midfielder Sammy Edwards, formerly on the radar of top lacrosse colleges such as Bucknell, Syracuse, Jacksonville and Amherst, committed to Loyola University Maryland, a Division 1 school for lacrosse, this past December.

But Edwards, unlike many other high school athletes, didn’t choose lacrosse to merely fill his seventh period. The journey began in elementary school.

“I’ve been playing lacrosse competitively since fourth grade,” Edwards said. “It’s always been my passion.”

Edwards’ mother, Michelle, was impressed by her son’s love for the game.

“The thing I find most interesting about his success in lacrosse is that it’s the result of his desire, his drive,” she said. “His father and I each had played in high school, but lacrosse was only one of the many sports that we introduced to Sammy. He knew very early on that this was his game and that he wanted to play at the very highest level.”

Known as a “speedy run-andgun midfielder” and recognized for his “shooting ability and offensive prowess,” Edwards is a physical specimen, a 5-foot-10, 165-pound “behemoth,” according to junior Karl Oger.

Though Edwards was not primarily going to attend Beverly, his decision to attend was influenced by the

Alex Sams (Volleyball) Arman Zadeh sports editor

Sams (center) in a home game versus Inglewood earlier this season.

Amir Movassaghi

Senior varsity volleyball player Alex Sams committed to Vassar College earlier this year, choosing to continue her athletic career as a Vassar Brewer.

Although the decision came easy to Sams late in 2013, volleyball was not always something she considered continuing after high school.

Throughout her junior year, however, Sams slowly realized that she wanted to continue the sport she loved.

Beginning her junior year, Sams was contacted by schools such as

fact that Beverly “had a lacrosse program.”

After a season of freshman football, Edwards put all of his energy toward schoolwork and lacrosse.

He believes that his “on-field decisions” separated him, earning him the attention of collegiate scouts.

“I was recruited for my ability to succeed at the highest level possible.

As well as playing with [Beverly], I play with one of the best lacrosse teams in the country, The LA Lazers, and [we] compete against the best teams in the nation.”

Soon, the scouts’ notes turned into conversations, as colleges reached out to Edwards and his family.

Letters, emails and calls regularly streamed into the Edwards’ home.

However, other options were set aside upon his visit to Loyola University Maryland.

“I loved everything about the school,” he said. “I fell in love with the campus, the lacrosse program, the team. Loyola is a small school in which I can thrive...the lacrosse program is ‘big time,’ and I feel that I can accomplish a great deal on the field.”

His commitment to Loyola was recognized by lacrosse clubs and fans across the nation, as the 17-year-old African-American boy from Beverly Hills with the lacrosse stick in his hand had actualized his aspirations.

At Beverly, Edwards gained a significantly beneficial experience, as he found himself playing alongside Nick Heller, who currently plays midfield for Division 1 St. John’s University.

“Nick was a great friend, teammate and, most importantly, a great lacrosse player. I strove to be my best when playing with him,” Edwards said.

Senior Yaniv Sadka, his teammate, sees Edwards as a “confident guy,” but one who has earned the right to swagger.

“He is cognizant of his tremendous athleticism and talent and ultimately has what it takes to succeed in lacrosse and his future endeavors,” Sadka said.

Junior Jordan Etebar found that Edwards, one of his good friends, is simply a “hard worker.”

“He spent many weekends at tournaments across the country. He never took a minute off, as everything was about lacrosse,” he said.

Edwards is not shy in acknowledging his talent, but recognizes that he received a great deal of help along the way.

“I attribute my success to my parents, since they gave me the genes and the encouragement to arrive at the incredible athlete that I currently am. The training from my coach Kyle Harrison opened up many opportunities for me to grow as a lacrosse player,” he said.

Edwards, who gained his partial scholarship to Loyola University Maryland after having just two high school seasons under his belt, hopes now to “continue excelling on and off the field and train extensively for lacrosse to keep [his] skills up.”

For now, the sight of Edwards brandishing his A-stick on Nickoll Field is one that should inspire confidence in Norman lacrosse fans.

Tufts, NYU, Hamilton, Bowdoin, Connecticut College and Vassar, among others. Eventually, she decided Vassar was her best fit.

“I wanted to go to a school that was prestigious academically and somewhere where I could play volleyball that wouldn’t be overly demanding,” Sams said. “I also knew I wanted to go somewhere on the east coast for a change of scenery.”

Playing for over four years, Sams’ dedication to volleyball paid off when she was contacted by a Vassar scout after playing at a Las Vegas volleyball tournament.

Sams believes the opportunities she took to continuously play volleyball helped shape her into the athlete she is today.

“Playing for a prestigious and very competitive club team allowed me to develop key skills on top of the skills I had already learned during the school season,” Sams said.

“Dedication was also a major factor.

I’m always playing volleyball year round except for a two week period in summer where I don’t touch a volleyball.”

In hindsight, it is impossible for Sams to credit just one person for her success as it was a number of people who were responsible for helping her reach her goals.

“I can’t give credit to just one person,” Sams said. “Coach Weiss, my club coaches, teammates and parents have all been sources of my inspiration and success.”