highlights
October 25, 2013 Volume 87, Issue Four Beverly Hills High School Beverly Hills, Calif. beverlyhighlights.com
ARCHITECTURE CLUB INSPIRED BY JACK WHITE
Seniors lead Team Beverly Hills program
Zoe Kenealy staff writer
Zoe Kenealy staff writer
Senior Sammy Schnapp has made a passion of his own into a club, providing Beverly with an architecture club. Students can go to discuss different styles of architecture and work on numerous architectural projects. “Every week someone presents on a different architectural topic. It may cover a specific architect, building or architectural style. After the person presents, we all have a discussion about the presentation,” Schnapp said. “This week’s presentation was on Gothic architecture and architecture of the churches of Europe.” Upon starting the club, Schnapp, vice president Ethan Grabel and secretary Alberto Ortiz were interested in providing a place where students who may not necessarily be in the architecture program but still share a passion for architecture could go. “Anyone can come as long as they are passionate about what we do. Skills don’t matter and the more dedicated members we have, the better,” Ortiz said. The club’s first project will be to build a couch. Schnapp got the idea because his idol, singer-songwriter Jack White was an upholsterer before his career as an artist. “I know that Jack White was an upholsterer before being a musician and that’s what caught my initial interest in architecture,” Schnapp said. “Now that I’ve gotten into it though, it’s a real passion of mine. Yet another thing Jack White has made me passionate about.” Three individual members of the architecture club, Schnapp, Hans Tercek and Navid Simanian, will be submitting individual projects to Scholastic Art Awards. Schnapp and Tercek’s designs are both 2-D plans of houses while Simanian’s design is a model of a toast shaped house he created called, “Toast House.” “I’m super excited about my house design to be finished. There is going to be a stream of water down the middle of my house,” Schnapp said. “I’m really hoping that my plan will get recognized at the Scholastic Art Awards, but even if it does not I feel as if I’ll be super proud of the finished product. It actually has already been a ton of fun planning every aspect of the house out.” Meetings are every other Tuesday at lunch in the ceramics room.
Seniors Maya Steinberg and Adam Steinberg have both been given a position in Team Beverly Hills, an interactive and educational program with the purpose of informing citizens about their local government representatives, departments and programs, community associations and community matters. Team Beverly Hills is designed to “create an environment that nurtures and encourages leadership, participation and responsibility by the City’s citizenry,” according to the team’s site. The team works to develop a community that is informed, excited and diversified in its involvement and leadership activities. “The whole idea of Team Beverly Hills is to keep everyone in the Beverly Hills community informed about what is going on, but also to encourage people to get active as well,” Adam Steinberg said. “I think that the team is doing a great job, and I am very glad that it picked me to be a part of the pretty well rounded group of people.” The group was started in 1996, and currently boasts 499 alumni members. Every year, 37 residents of Beverly Hills are picked to be in that year’s team. The team includes 35 members who are chosen by the City Council, and two members who are selected by the Beverly Hills Unified School District. “Around the end of last school year, I filled an application out,” Maya Steinberg said. “I really did not have any expectations going into the process, so to have earned a position on the team was a huge honor.” Over the span of six months, Team Beverly Hills meets on 10 different occasions. The members take part in a number of tours and presentations. “Team Beverly Hills has had officials and representatives such as the Mayor and City Council members, City Treasurer, City Attorney and City Manager come to speak,” Maya Steinberg said. Team Beverly Hills plans to have its next class for only the members of the team on Oct. 29, at the Beverly Hills Police Department. The class will cover how the police department works and w h a t its everyday practices are.
DANNY LICHT
Coming Home Again
On Wednesday of Homecoming week, ASB invited clubs to showcase work and interact with students. More on Page 3
ASB holds Olympic games At assembly, Brenda Mehdian staff writer As Homecoming week approached, the Associated Student Body (ASB) pumped up the student body for an Olympic themed Homecoming week. “At first we thought of the idea of having the homecoming theme related to the ‘Hunger Games’,” senior representative Mathew Mokhtarzadeh said, “From that we brainstormed some more and came up with the idea of the Olympics and thought that was a better fit for a Homecoming theme.” ASB decorated the hallways
“The planning process can be very difficult and time consuming,” Allison Kahn said. and other parts of the school with festive decorations in order to portray the week’s “Beverly Games” theme. In addition to the adornments placed throughout campus, ASB also organized various spirit days for every student to take part in and show their Norman pride. ASB began planning Homecoming in September. The initial phases consisted of voting and coming up with the overall theme,
followed by assigning people to certain committees in which they worked on different aspects of the event to put together the best possible product. “The planning process can be very difficult and time consuming, requiring a great deal of dedication. We have to be in touch with many companies to get everything we need, in addition to getting the student body involved,” senior commissioner of sports and spirit Allison Kahn said. To kick off Homecoming week, the student body participated in Pajama Day on Monday, Oct. 21, by wearing their favorite pajamas to school. Students who had signed up for the lunchtime activities participated in and competed in a bubble gum chewing contest, a game of blindfolded musical chairs and a game of tug-of-war. On Tuesday, girls and guys cross dressed in honor of the day’s gender blender theme. The spirit assembly was held that day in order to garner support and create excitement among the students. In addition to the spirit assembly, the lunchtime activities continued on the front lawn with a relay among the Homecoming Court nominees. Starting on Tuesday, students were also able to purchase their spirit packs, which consisted of a Beverly Games Tshirt, Norman-nation wristbands, Continued on Page 3
Sadka sings impromptu
Mabel Kabani editor-in-chief “Band is holding tryouts,” senior Yaniv Sadka said to the crowd at Homecoming spirit assembly A, on Tuesday, Oct. 22. Various members of band dressed up as animals from Ylvis’s “The Fox” video, which received over 20 million views on YouTube, and began to dance to the song as a part of the band’s skit. All was well until the “mouse went squeak.” Then the music stopped and everyone went silent. The band on stage stood still and stared at one another, waiting. Instead of apologizing for the technical difficulties and exiting the stage, Sadka began to belt out the lyrics to the song. The band members resumed dancing, the audience cheered and, at the end, Sadka received a thunderous applause. “I honestly just went with it,” Sadka said. “It’s my senior year so I just decided to rock out.” Technical Director Annie Terry “tried to decipher the problem” but was unable to identify it; the ASB president gave her a “faulty track.” Though there was no way to bring the music back, students enjoyed Sadka’s rendition. The skit went smoothly during Assembly B, though Sadka still sang along.
news
culture
comment
A series of glitches in one of the nation’s major online college application programs has students across America frustrated, and has prompted several universities to postpone their fall deadlines. page 2
When art teacher Michael Federman and his wife, Elizabeth, decided to have kids, they began to look at a piece of their lifestyle choice: their diet. They decided to go vegan. page 8
“The tourist species and I simultaneously fulfill its fantasy of Hollywood and my ambition of grandeur. It’s symbiosis. It’s perfect. But still I complain about them.” page 9
Woe Is Common App
Finding Health in Veganism
Conflicted About Tourists
spotlight
een w o Hall ure page 6 cult
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HIGHLIGHTS NEWS OCTOBER 25, 2013
COMMON APP FRUSTRATION The Common Application is experiencing a variety of technical difficulties as seniors start filling in their applications and sending them to colleges. These glitches have left prospective students confused and annoyed as deadlines approach.
Prospective students struggle with Common App glitches Michelle Banayan news editor A series of glitches in one of the nation’s major online college application programs has collegebound students across America frustrated, and has prompted several universities to postpone their fall deadlines. The Common Application, used by more than 515 colleges and universities, receives millions of applications annually. With the advent of the 20132014 school year, the site was remodeled in an attempt to make it more user-friendly. However, this version of the Common App, which was released on Aug. 1, seems to have only added more stress on prospective students. Technical difficulties and software malfunctions have left students on campus staring at frozen screens as they try to deal with the website’s glitches. “I’m feeling really aggravated at the moment because the Common App should have been pre-
pared,” one senior, who wishes to remain anonymous, said in a Highlights survey. “Now other students and I are confused and annoyed because one site isn’t able to get its act together.” This year, Beverly decided to work with Parchment, a program that facilitates the order of transcripts. The Common App, however, had been resistant toward allowing transcripts from Parchment to upload to its site. Though this problem has since been resolved, it pushed back the application process for several students. “For the longest time, I couldn’t send my transcripts directly to the Common App, which in turn made it impossible for my counselor’s letter of recommendation to be sent in,” senior James Fast said. Furthermore, additional complaints regarding the website’s refusal to let students submit applications or inability to let counselors and teachers upload
their recommendations have been circulating on campus. “My application is complete, but the Common App isn’t letting me submit it. I also can’t assign multiple recommenders,” senior Adam Steinberg said. “One of the universities I’m applying to extended its deadline, but I don’t know what I should do about the others.” In fact, as the key Nov. 1 deadline for early action and early decision approaches, a handful of universities, such as the University of Chicago, Brandeis University and Duke, have opted to push back their deadlines to Nov. 8 in light of the Common App difficulties. Princeton University, which has been a member of the Common App since 2004, even offered its prospective students a different online application: the Universal College Application. In a recent blog post, the Common App published a Statement of Commitment to its users,
apologizing for being “too slow to respond” and aiming to better live up to its core standards of reliability, service and integrity. “For many users, the new Common Application has not been a reliable service. Individual applicants and recommenders are still encountering problems,” the Statement of Commitment read. “Our member colleges have [also] faced similar disruptions in reliability, which have adversely impacted their internal processes.” The post continues to state how users with personal questions regarding the application can contact the site’s Online Help Center and will receive prompt responses, many of which have provided the solution to problems that users are currently experiencing. “In some instances, our support team can easily solve problems for users who contact us through the Help Center. In others, we continue to research
patterns among the individuals affected to ascertain where the root cause lies,” the Common App wrote. Despite the site’s multiple glitches, more than 229,000 applicants had been filed successfully as of Friday, Oct. 18. Still, students and counselors alike worry that the flaws in the Common App’s program will prevent them from submitting applications in a timely manner. “My biggest concern has been that students, teachers and counselors would all have trouble submitting on time to meet deadlines, so it’s very important that students don’t wait until the last minute to submit and that they use the help features for support,” counselor Celeste McDonald said. In addition to consulting the Online Help Center, users can visit the Common Application’s Facebook page to receive frequent updates on problems and/ or solutions to the system.
log s “The we bs ite some times save me ou t w he n I tr y to ne d in fo rm at ion . I’m co nc er lines aa bo ut applicatio n de ad re lian d th e Common App’s ablit y.”
-Yas i Sanandaj
my “I had trouble in vi ting on te ache rs on to th e Comm each App we bs ite an d th ey g my had a ha rd time re ce iv in es ts . re commen datio n re qu It’s so fr us trat ing!” -M arc Rudy
MICHELLE BANAYAN
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HIGHLIGHTS NEWS OCTOBER 25, 2013
School board approves library’s budget proposal Braden Bochner staff writer Continued funding for the district’s digital databases and the institution of e-books was approved by the Board of Education. “We wanted to bring an ongoing and more adequate source of funding to the five school libraries which have suffered greatly over the past couple of decades,” Head Librarian Karen Boyarsky said. The proposal was divided up into three phases, the first of which was approved by the Board of Education. Phase one will launch this school year and includes the software maintenance of online databases. “We are very grateful to the Board of Education for guaranteeing, at least for the next year, and hopefully further, that we do have resources that students can locate and will consistently be available,” Boyarsky said.
District-wide funding was approved to renew all nine database systems that the high school currently subscribes to, with the addition of 60 e-book reference titles. Prior to the approval of the budget, Beverly Hills High School remained the only high school in the Los Angeles region with no e-book access, according to the proposal. “We chose reference books to begin our e-book collection with because, at Beverly Hills High School, due to our lack of funding, our reference collection is extremely dated,” Boyarsky said. “[The new system] is going to allow students to search 60 different reference texts by simply typing in one keyword to find the best source that they need.” Chief Academic Officer Dr. Jennifer Tedford, worked closely with Boyarsky on the proposal and believes that expanding the resources will help students
learn outside of the classroom. “We realize that students need additional access to technology tools, particularly online databases for research and e-books that can be accessed on iPads and iPhones,” Tedford said. The funding will also add seven new databases to the K-8 libraries, which previously had none. “We are really excited for the K-8 students to have an opportunity to get ready to do what we’ve been doing in the high school for a long time,” Boyarsky said. The elementary and middle school students will gain access to resources such as a National Geographic Kids database, a World Book Online and a general database that covers current events, science, social studies, history, health and technology. “I think it’s great that my son and his classmates will now have access to these wonderful re-
sources,” said Robin Platt, who has a son in the fourth grade at Hawthorne. “It will prepare them more for high school.” After their introduction to the databases during freshman year, many students continue utilize the research tools for class papers and projects. “I was first introduced to the database system by [Tedford] during my freshman year as a part of our library project,” senior Nicole Sayegh said. “Since then, I’ve constantly found myself using the databases whether in writing research papers for English or for essays in other subjects.” Tedford believes that the resources will accommodate students, assist their educational needs and give them a competitive edge. “These resources will offer students additional ways to access information; research in particular. We are interested in
providing students with the latest technology to improve their opportunities for learning,” Tedford said. Boyarsky is adamant that a digital resource push will not only align with the expanding presence of technology, but prepare students for college as well. “I think it’s really important, in this 21st century, that we move from only finding resources in print to finding resources digitally and electronically,” Boyarsky said. “When students get to college, there will be 300 to 400 different types of databases they will be looking at. We want our students to attend college knowing that they are just as prepared as students from other high schools and districts.” With the first phase commencing immediately, Boyarsky and Tedford will present phases two and three, covering the 2014-15 and 2015-16 school years, later this year.
Key Dates
Let the games begin!
Homecoming Football Game
Leading up to tonight’s Olympic-inspired homecoming game, ASB organized a variety of activities and assemblies throughout the week to keep students spirited for the match against Morningside.
Tonight at 7:00 p.m.
CLOCKWISE: Senior Nerree Goldshmit roams the front lawn as she tries to find her seat in Monday’s game of blindfolded musical chairs. During Tuesday’s spirit assembly, the varsity cheerleaders debuted a portion of a routine they will be performing at the tonight’s game. Seniors Aaron Kohanzadeh and Ariel Khakshoy participate in Monday lunch’s tug-of-war. Junior Alan Wheeler sings his solo during the Madrigals’ performance of Queen’s “Somebody to Love” in Tuesday’s spirit assembly.
SAT Nov. 2
DANIEL KAHN, ASHLEY BANAYAN
Continued from Page One Service Learning teamed up with the Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) Association on Sunday, Oct. 20 at Exhibition Park and took part in the annual ALS Walk to help raise money and awareness for the disease. ALS, also known as “Lou Gehrig’s Disease,” is a neurodegenerative disease that affects nerve cells in the brain and the spinal cord. The motor neurons that attach the brain to the spinal cord and muscles degenerate progressively and eventually lead to one’s death. According to the ALS Association, 30,000 people can be living with the disease at any given time and about 60 percent of those people are men. One such victim was the father of substitute teacher Richard Kraft. “My father’s diagnosis was a huge shock to our family. It was hard to believe that someone as strong and vibrant as my dad, who had hardly been sick a day in
his life, was now facing an illness for which there was no treatment or cure,” Kraft said Kraft worked alongside the Service Learning students to help coordinate the event. The twomile walk was not scheduled to begin until a little after 11:00 a.m. Participants were asked to arrive at 9:00 a.m. for check in, where a complimentary breakfast was served. Junior Service Learning member Julia Shabanian and senior Service Learning member Pearl Koven began planning this event in early August and made a timeline sequencing when to start publicizing, fundraising, planning the assembly, etc. “This process was very helpful in planning the walk. By laying everything out and seeing what needed to be done, we were able to organize how we would plan this event in the most effective way possible,” senior Service Learning member Simon Hedvat
said. This walk took place last year and was the first time Service Learning had linked itself to the ALS Association. According to Hedvat, the event resembled that of last year except for the amount of student participation. To help fundraise, Service Learning asked each period six class for donations and in return, promised a pizza party for whichever class donated the most money. In addition, Service Learning held an assembly at which they discussed the disease, showed a documentary and had an appearance from ALS survivor, Scott Lew, in an effort to spread awareness. Although Lew was unable to speak due to the disease, his wife was able to answer questions about ALS and the impact it had on the couple’s life. “The assembly was necessary for informing our student body and staff on what ALS is. Service Learning, along with Kraft, re-
ally wanted to bring light to the disease by showing the documentary ‘Jujitsuing Reality’, which explains whom ALS affects and how,” Koven said. Service Learning also fundraised through the ALS website on the school’s team page. By the end of the walk the students on campus had raised about $2,800 for the cause, which was $200 short of the $3,000 goal. However, students were able to continue donating throughout the week following the walk. “I think it is important for the community to fundraise for this cause because it is not as well known as some other diseases, yet there are so many people impacted by it everyday,” Hedvat said. To continue spreading the word about ALS, Service Learning plans to participate in the walk next year and hopes that they will be able to raise more money and have more participation from the student body and faculty.
Veteran’s Day Nov. 11
Fall Play: “39 Steps” Nov. 13-16
Cross-country CIF SS prelims Nov. 16
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HIGHLIGHTS NEWS OCTOBER 25, 2013
Medical Science student interns at local OBGYN’s office clinic in order to develop close relationships with the doctors. After emailing a few local doctors, Eshtiaghpour was eventually accepted as an intern at an obstetrics and gynecology (OBGYN) center in Beverly Hills. “I knew I wanted to be an intern at a doctor’s office, but I didn’t want [it] to simply be a doctor for colds and the flu,” Eshtiaghpour said. “I decided to take an internship at an OBGYN’s office because I think it is one of the most interesting fields of medicine.” Medical Science Academy Director Colleen Lynch is confident that internships are a “wonderful asset for students” that help guide them in choosing a career in a field they may be interested in pursuing. “These experiences [intern-
ships] may help to shape future decisions that students make about their career aspirations,” Lynch said. “In addition, they are making contacts within this field that may help them achieve goals in the future.” One unique trait about the OBGYN field that struck out to Eshtiaghpour is that OBGYN doctors don’t just prescribe medication, but they build relationships with their patients, according to Eshtiaghpour. “I find OBGYN interesting because while most other doctors just see patients and prescribe medication, doctors in this study get to see the same patients and build lasting relationships with them,” Eshtiaghpour said. “Although during my internship I don’t get to work with patients often because of
privacy issues, I still enjoy being in that environment. Personally, OBGYN is the most interesting field of medicine that I don’t think I can get bored of.” Eshtiaghpour’s favorite aspect of the internship is having the opportunity to develop relationships with doctors while experiencing a glimpse of her intended career. Through the internship, Eshtiaghpour was able to learn how a medical office is run. Learning the process of how to treat a patient was eye opening for Eshtiaghpour. “I think it has really opened my eyes on how to treat patients well,” Eshtiaghpour said. “Patients are people who doctors need to take care of. You need to be able to provide the care that the patients need while helping
them as much as possible.” Lynch believes that internships are a “great way” for students to identify their interests while gaining exposure in the medical field. “Students may discover what they may like or not like to pursue before they enter college or have to declare a major,” Lynch said. “In addition, students are able to take advantage of the contact with health care providers, who may be experts in their field and could give insight or guidance.” The Medical Science Academy is a three year program beginning sophomore year; it’s designed to give students exposure to the medical field. Students interested in joining can speak with Lynch in room s302.
Service Learning attends ALS fundraiser walk
check in, where a complimentary breakfast was served. Junior Service Learning member Julia Shabanian and senior Service Learning member Pearl Koven began planning this event in early August and made a timeline sequencing when to start publicizing, fundraising, planning the assembly, etc. “This process was very helpful in planning the walk. By laying everything out and seeing what needed to be done, we were able to organize how we would plan this event in the most effective way possible,” senior Service Learning member Simon Hedvat said. This walk took place last year and was the first time Service Learning had linked itself to the ALS Association. According to Hedvat, the event resembled that of last year except for the amount of student participa-
tion. To help fundraise, Service Learning asked each period six class for donations and in return, promised a pizza party for whichever class donated the most money. In addition, Service Learning held an assembly at which they discussed the disease, showed a documentary and had an appearance from ALS survivor, Scott Lew, in an effort to spread awareness. Although Lew was unable to speak due to the disease, his wife was able to answer questions about ALS and the impact it had on the couple’s life. “The assembly was necessary for informing our student body and staff on what ALS is. Service Learning, along with Kraft, really wanted to bring light to the disease by showing the documentary ‘Jujitsuing Reality’, which explains whom ALS af-
fects and how,” Koven said. Service Learning also fundraised through the ALS website on the school’s team page. By the end of the walk the students on campus had raised about $2,800 for the cause, which was $200 short of the $3,000 goal. However, students were able to continue donating throughout the week following the walk. “I think it is important for the community to fundraise for this cause because it is not as well known as some other diseases, yet there are so many people impacted by it every day,” Hedvat said. To continue spreading the word about ALS, Service Learning plans to participate in the walk next year and hopes that they will be able to raise more money and have more participation from the student body and faculty.
Audrey Park staff writer
At the end of the school day, students empty the halls as they either head to sports practices, SAT prep centers, tutors or their respective houses to relax. Meanwhile, every Monday afternoon, junior Rachel Eshtiaghpour goes straight to the doctor’s office. Eshtiaghpour’s initial interest in the medical field motivated her to begin seaching for internship opportunities in Beverly Hills. Through her participation with the Medical Science Academy and ROP, she had the opportunity to job shadow a professional at Cedars-Sinai Hospital. However, Eshtiaghpour decided to look for a separate internship at a smaller private
Brenda Mehdian staff writer
Service Learning teamed up with the Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) Association on Sunday, Oct. 20, at Exhibition Park and took part in the annual ALS Walk to help raise money and awareness for the disease. ALS, or Lou Gehrig’s disease, is a neurodegenerative disease that affects nerve cells in the brain and the spinal cord. The motor neurons that attach the brain to the spinal cord and muscles degenerate progressively and eventually lead to one’s death. According to the ALS Association, 30,000 people can be living with the disease
at any given time and about 60 percent of those people are men. One such victim was the father of substitute teacher Richard Kraft. “My father’s diagnosis was a huge shock to our family. It was hard to believe that someone as strong and vibrant as my dad, who had hardly been sick a day in his life, was now facing an illness for which there was no treatment or cure,” Kraft said Kraft worked alongside the Service Learning students to help coordinate the event. The two-mile walk was not scheduled to begin until a little after 11:00 a.m. Participants were asked to arrive at 9:00 a.m. for
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HIGHLIGHTS CULTURE OCTOBER 25, 2013
Rubenstein incorporates music in class on Tuesdays Mabel Kabani editor-in-chief In order to spur classroom discussion as well as share his varied tastes in music with his students, English teacher Dr. Steven Rubenstein has recently started “You’re So Vain Tuesdays,” a weekly activity in which multiple pieces of music referring to a particular student in the class are played. Based on the words in the song or the name of the singer and/or composer of the music, students must guess which of their classmates the music is referring to. “This is a fun way to spotlight a certain student every week and make him or her the ‘star’ of the week, which I really like,” Rubenstein said. “I also get to share my taste in music with the class.” This weekly activity has proven popular among Rubenstein’s AP Literature students, who look forward to the excitement of walking into his class and potentially hearing a piece of music that refers to them. “This game is a great way to lighten up the atmosphere,” senior Sam Levy said. “It’s always fun to listen for a trait or a name of a classmate that can be hidden in a particular song.” According to Rubenstein, finding suitable music for each student is not difficult, in fact he claims it to be quick and simple, as well as a good way to continue incorporating the role of music into his daily lesson plans.
Rubenstein’s “You’re So Vain Tuesdays” How did you feel when your name was chosen for the week?
“I actually felt like I was bringing sexy back in class.”
“It was really nice to have my name recognized in a song.” Song: “Pata Pata” Senior Miriam Binman
Song: “SexyBack” Senior Justin Kim
“It was really cool. I was surpirsed by his selection.”
Song: “The Sound of Silence” Senior Simon Placik
“I didn’t know that the song was supposed to be about me at first. But after finding out, I thought it was so Song: “Slowly” funny.” Senior Zoe Zelkha
DAMI KIM
“Whenever I walk into Rubenstein’s class, there is always some kind of music playing, whether it be modern pop or classical music,” senior Paloma Bloch said. “I like that because it gives the room a familiar and comfortable feeling. Not only that, but the music being played always has something to do with the lesson of the day, which I think is clever.”
Though keen on discovering new ways to incorporate music into every day class lectures, Rubenstein has just recently become a “music guy.” “Ever since iTunes, Spotify and Pandora became popular, I really began to expand my taste in music,” Rubenstein said. “It’s actually thrilling when I’m looking for a specific kind of music that relates
to a concept in class, because I often unintentionally stumble upon music that I like.” He continues on to say that Spotify is one of the programs he uses for his “You’re So Vain” activity, because of the simplicity of the system. Though he has received positive feedback about the activity from students, Rubenstein is hop-
ing to take it to the next level by playing more music that relates to the students’ personalities. “I think I need to pick selections that do a better job of personally relating to the student that I pick music for,” Rubenstein said. “Overall, incorporating music in class settings is fun, so the students, as well as myself, get to enjoy this activity.”
SENIORS! It’s not too late to buy your friendship ads for the 2013-14 yearbook Stop by room 253 to pick up your ad contract during nutrition, lunch or after school OR Bring your contract, payment and images to room 253 to secure your space today
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HIGHLIGHTS SPOTLIGHT OCTOBER 25, 2013
HALLOWEEN CULTURE in Beverly Hills
Jackson Prince staff writer
Left to right: Seniors Caroline Yoo and Oliver Dorian pose with a Deadmau5 WeHo parader. Photo courtesy of Oliver Dorian.
Seniorss Daphne Levy and Cameron Chlavian join alumna Samaina Soltani at Universal Studios’ Halloween Horror NIghts. Photo courtesy of Cameron Chlavin.
Safety Rules
2013 Halloween Favorites
3 Do's 1. Take a flashlight when trick-ortreating. 2. Walk in groups. 3. Set a specific time to be home.
Costumes Witch Batman
3 Don'ts 1. Drink unidentified beverages. 2. Eat unwrapped candy. 3. Talk to strangers.
Candy Reese's M&M's Activity Trick-or-Treating
Source: CNN, Yahoo
Graphics and Infrographics by Audrey Park
“Trick or treat!” Responding to these three magic words, strangers open their doors in order to compliment costumed youngsters on their terrifying (or terrifyingly adorable) presence, and, with any luck, supply a decent handful of candy. For hundreds of years, Halloween (derived from the Celtic “All Hallow’s Eve”) has been celebrated in different forms all over the world. But since Irish immigrants brought the tradition to the United States in the mid-1800s, Americans have taken it to new heights, or maybe to new depths. In fact, “Trick-or-Treating” is purely an American invention, in which the begging for sugary snacks is accompanied by the threat of some kind of prank (hence, the “trick” aspect of the phrase). However, very few children growing up in Beverly Hills have had to resort to playing pranks on homeowners who refuse to hand out candy. (In fact, most of those growing up in this city make no association between Halloween and the very common “trick” of “teepee-ing” someone’s house.) But there are Halloween traditions that have become a part of almost every Beverly Hills kid’s experience: carnivals, parties, theme parks and our treasured “Witch’s House.” Junior Ally Weisfeld is a life-long Beverly Hills Halloweener who described her experiences in terms of distinct phases over the years. “I have gone through the different stages associated with the Beverly Hills Halloween experience, and as I have gotten older I have graduated into different ‘stages’,” Weisfeld said. She elaborated on her elementary school Halloween experience, with a memory of her first grade costume as a cheerleader. “You trick-or-treat with your parents kind of trailing behind and trying to act as if they aren’t there,” Weisfeld added. That same year, junior Mason Leib was a fireman, and he remembers the fun of the entire school day “going to school all dressed up.”
By middle school, freshman Sofia Miller – who often chose to dress as Sleeping Beauty – noticed a change in the Halloween tradition. “A milestone for children in Beverly Hills entering middle school (is) going to the annual Walden shaving cream fights,” Miller said. Sophomore Justin Dubin shares the same memory and treasures the late October tradition of “going to Walden and throwing shaving cream at all [his] friends.” There are few middle and high school students who don’t mention the “Walden” experience. For those not familiar, this is a reference to a gathering that takes place on each Halloween night, at the intersection of Walden and Elevado, across from Beverly Hills’ famed “Witch’s House.” Now owned by realtor Michael Libow, the house was built in the 1920s for a film studio located in Culver City. It was picked up and moved to its present location, where it has been a focal point on Halloween night since the 1970s. Halloween in Beverly Hills may be seen as a parent-child bonding activity for the younger kids, but it becomes a group activity for teens, who often start their evenings at a family and friends’ event and then move on to the more serious task of going trick-ortreating. Sophomore Molly Hersh remembers the night as one which begins and ends with family, but has some independent and unsupervised fun in between. “My friends and I would always have chili (with our families) and later run around on our own. After collecting all of our candy, we would all go back to meet our parents at another friends’ home (usually that of junior Jacob Hankin) to hang out and have his dad’s famous bread pudding,” Hersh said. In the 1990s and early 2000s, the City of Beverly Hills threw a Halloween carnival
at La Cienega Park, but the event has since been canceled. However, there are more than a few Beverly Hills students who, still prefering to forgo their tricks and treats, choose instead to attend one of the many theme park events held throughout the Halloween season, from Knott’s Scary Farm to Universal Studios’ Halloween Horror Nights. The final “stage” (as Weisfeld put it) of development for the Beverly Hills Halloween kid, is the famous West Hollywood Parade. Started in 1987, the WeHo Carnival now attracts over 500,000 people on Oct. 31, making it–for that night only–California’s seventh largest city. Leib and Weisfeld described the fun of this outrageous event, just a few blocks east of Beverly Hills borders. Weisfeld has been a number of times. “A lot of people dress up and go to the parade in West Hollywood. It’s a great vibe and you see some crazy costumes,” Weisfeld recalled. Getting dressed up for the occasion is not limited to the half-million adults in WeHo, as Normans, and their K-8 BHUSD brethren, have always found great joy in the costume experience. From private pizza parties to Walden’s shaving cream fights, and local trickor-treating to a WeHo costumed ball, Halloween has been a Beverly Hills institution. The holiday is beloved in the city, as creativity and ingenuity are celebrated and judgement is nonexistent. And, much like the candy that’s handed out, it seems as if there’s no expiration date on the celebration.
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HIGHLIGHTS CUTLURE OCTOBER 25, 2013
Ong launches Blacklist Autosport company
NATHAN ONG
Jessica Lu spotlight editor Alumnus Nathan Ong, class of 2012, is the CEO and founder of Blacklist Autosport, LLC, a company he founded after learning his passion for the fabrication of custom, bolt-on exhaust systems for cars. Blacklist Autosport makes axle-back systems, which consist of the exhaust components from the end of the car to the exhaust tips. “Development and production of these systems has become our main focus,” Ong said. Ong’s passion for cars has been around since he was “old enough to comprehend” what they were. After buying a car and deciding to improve its sound system, Ong searched for a solution under a $1000. The solution came when he went to GranTurismo, a shop
owned by Giovanni Cusimano, where he learned how to improve the sound without taking his car apart. “For a fraction of the price, I got what everybody who installs an aftermarket exhaust system ultimately wanted: improved sound,” Ong said. “To make things even more appealing, I didn’t have to take apart my entire exhaust system because this was a bolt-on part, so I’d simply unscrew the rear section of my old system and put the new one in.” He explained that many people find it difficult to upgrade a leased vehicle, but his company can address this issue. “I realized that if a lot of people knew that this product existed, they would be choosing this over a full exhaust system for the reasons mentioned above,” Ong said. Ultimately, Ong made a business
agreement with GranTurismo. All installation is done at their location on Sepulveda Boulevard. Initially, the company suffered from advertising issues, Ong said. Describing the services Blacklist Autosport provided proved to be more challenging than expected. “[It was] difficult to properly convey the business to anybody who asked,” Ong said. To solve the problem, he read a few business books and reorganized his mission statement. “One of the books that really resonated with me is called ‘Focus’, by Al Ries,” he said. “That book taught me to focus my business on one thing, rather than try to do everything.” The business now specifically focuses on producing “cheaper exhaust solutions.” “We aim to beat the more expensive full systems in the sound and
performance department,” he said. Ong said once he centralized his company’s focus, business picked up, but is still in its first stage. “We’re still in a development phase, trying to create and test as many prototypes as we can,” Ong said. “There’s a lot of potential for success in the future.” Ong added that his company can also install a cosmetic or performance upgrade if requested. The process involves a consultation in which the customer can choose from a list of available options. He cited his target customer as the “automotive enthusiast,” whom he described as someone with an appreciation for “automotive things.” “I believe that the way a car sounds contributes hugely to the driving experience, and anyone interested in that is considered a consumer for me,” Ong said.
Over the next five years, Ong predicts the company will have a fully-operational website with several products available to customers. “I see us as becoming a major player in the automotive performance upgrade game,” Ong said. For now, Ong is balancing the business with his studies at Santa Barbara City College, which he calls his “priority.” However, he still expresses his love for his business. ‘“The most rewarding thing about this experience is that I’m doing what I love for a living,” Ong said. “I’m so lucky to be able to mesh work and play at the same time. I’m really passionate about sharing something good that I came across with the rest of the world, and it makes me feel great to know that my work will make others happy.”
Meet the Teachers
Michael Federman prioritizes healthy lifestyle, chooses veganism
MARGUERITE ALBERTS
“I enjoy [cooking] because I feel very empowered to know that I can provide food for my kids when [my wife] is not home.” Marguerite Alberts graphics editor
When art teacher Michael Federman and his wife, Elizabeth, decided to have kids, they began to look at a piece of their lifestyle
choice: their diet. Mrs. Federman had been a vegetarian since she was a child and had since lost her taste for dairy products. “She really wanted to learn about it [veganism] so she could make her own baby food and so
that she could really investigate how she could be a responsible mother and save some money on things we don’t need to buy,” Federman said. One of the main reasons for the Federmans to make the change
to veganism was due to the incidences of cancer, diabetes and heart disease in younger people they knew. “The incidents and the prevalence of all three of those major killers are happening to people earlier and earlier in their life span,” Mr. Federman said. Since becoming vegan, Mrs. Federman has been certified by the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine (PCRM) on foods and cooking that relates to solving and reversing cancer, diabetes and heart disease, and is now a Food For Life instructor. Federman himself saw a huge change in his health after becoming vegan. Federman had always been a distance runner but had been dealing with asthma and allergies until he was 38. After changing his eating habits, he no longer needed the chronic medications for the asthma and the allergies that he had been taking since he was 12. “When I went vegan, it [asthma] was gone,” he said. “I dropped 30 pounds and I don’t have any congestion and I don’t have this
chronic condition.” Unlike some people who choose to make the lifestyle change, the Federmans found the switch to veganism was very easy for them. “Most people have a difficult transition because they don’t have the support at home,” Federman said. “My wife was a vegetarian so I would always come home to really wonderfully cooked meals.” Federman gradually became a vegan as his wife would do little things such not buying animal products and telling him to use separate pans when he did have chicken. “She was nice about it,” Federman said. “I didn’t really feel a need for a lot of the meat in my diet anyway. We always had a lot of vegetables at dinner time.” Additionally, Mr. Federman found that he cooks more often now that he is vegan. “I enjoy it because I feel very empowered to know that I can provide food for my kids when she is not home,” Federman said. “I make a great vegan pizza that is made out shredded eggplant, carrot and zucchini.”
HIGHLIGHTS COMMENT OCTOBER 25, 2013
Feeling conflicted about tourists Danny Licht editor-in-chief My friend left my house and walked toward his car, a BMW. An open-top tour bus approached. The tour guide said, “Hey, rich kid!” The tourists looked to see. “Everybody say, ‘Hi, rich kid!’” Everybody said, “Hi, rich kid.” I don’t remember which tour company it was, but it might have been City Safari, and if it was, it would have been the Westside Tour, alternately called the Blockbuster Tour, where, according to the promotional materials, “You will see architectural landmarks, historical treasures, cutting-edge art scenes and culinary one-time events that are unique to Los Angeles.” City Safari — “committed to promoting tourism in Los Angeles,” with a tour guide who is “addicted to having fun,” with
“new clean buses,” with cameras flashing, with “he lives here” and “she lived there” — does, in fact, resemble a traditional safari: open-air vehicle, tourists with binoculars, encroachment of habitat. I live on a street with a famous house, so I see these buses a few times a day, and when I do, I’m an extension of their metaphor. I become the animal that they seek. I can hear the Crocodile Hunter whispering about my mating call. I can feel them violating my habitat in a personal way. They’re loud and they’re everywhere. They take up space on the street. Their guides make fun of my friends. So I manipulate them. I co-opt their insatiable desire to see celebrities, their desire to tell their mothers and followers that they saw a somebody. Of course, I am not a somebody, but when I’m walking around the neighborhood and hear their march — the
AJ PARRY
growl of the engine, the voice of the guide — I ready myself. I take a quick look back at them, as if I’m not sure that they’re there, and then when they’re closer I cover my face with my hand, just as a somebody would. They photograph me. They whisper to each other. They “oh my god” and they “is that him?” One time an entire bus shouted “Harry Potter! Hey, Harry Potter!” to me over and over. In this way, the tourist species and I simultaneously fulfill its fantasy of Hollywood and my ambition of grandeur. It’s symbiosis. It’s perfect. But still I complain about them. We help each other, I love it, and still I whine about their presence. Because, to be frank, I like complaining about them. I like being annoyed by their famehungry eyes, their bizarre questions (“Is everyone here rich?”). I like their notion that Beverly
Bonding can improve security Marguerite Alberts graphics editor As students age, they are granted more freedom both at home and at school. Parents have faith that their children are able to take care of themselves, so they allow their kids to do all of the things teenagers enjoy doing, such as driving and going out. For the first time in their lives, students don’t have to be accounted for at all hours of the school day and are no longer forced to take as many specific classes. They aren’t stuck in a room during lunch or forced onto a specific field at recess. Previously, they had little say in what so-called “electives” they took and what their schedules looked like. However, teenagers have the ability to make their own decisions. Despite the severe rules and consequences of ditching school and skipping classes, on a big campus such as Beverly’s it is fairly easy for students to come and go as they please. Perhaps the school’s administration places a lot of trust in its students or perhaps it simply can’t keep track of the school’s
approximately 2,000 students. Either way, the students’ education is their own. Although students may receive a deduction on their overall grade or do poorly on a test, it is up to them whether they go to class or not and to what extent they learn the material. As Spotlight Editor Jessica Lu pointed out in the previous Forum article, clearing an absence by claiming illness is hardly a challenge. However, as students mature, the old adage “with great power comes great responsibility” becomes perfectly applicable to their lives. Although I, and many others, hate being restricted in any way, shape or form, and though I appreciate being able to go on and off campus as I please, it is possible to have too much of a good thing. In this case, the freedom granted to students is a double-edged sword. Although having freedom is an important luxury that Beverly grants its students, it is hindering the safety of the school. In a time when gun violence is a serious threat, one of the most effective ways members of this school can catch criminals is by word of
“Although freedom is an important luxury, it is hindering the safety of the school.”
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mouth. But, in a school as large and open as Beverly, no single person could possibly recognize every member of the Norman Nation. So, how are students, teachers and staff supposed to know who is a threat and who is not? Members of the community need to be more aware of each other, and perhaps the best way to do that is through bonding. Though this idea may seem improbable, the school should be able to host activities where everyone comes together at least on a smaller scale — within grades. If each grade does more education, interactive and, most importantly, fun activities, it will bring students closer together. Instead of having orientation and other events only for freshman each year, the school should host events for each grade. Although seniors have special events second semester, it’s too late in the year. Before the summer, when students come to campus to get their schedules and books and turn in their forms, there should be bonding events afterwards such as mixers or picnics.The school needs to be more unified; in order to spot outsiders, it is important to know the insiders. So although it is nice that we have the freedom to make most of our own choices, the extent to which we are free hinders our safety.
Hills is a fairytale. I honk when they slow down on my street and when they stop on Sunset, and I like doing it. I like playing the role they expect me to play, the jaded, fast-paced Angeleno. I like being a piece of their golden puzzle. Because even though I usually prefer to keep my distance from this city’s overplayed glory, it’s comforting to know that the residents of Beverly Hills, the mythical city, are the envy of the world. That the Oxford American Dictionary identifies it as “the home of many movie stars.” That tourists think I don’t have a calculus grade to worry about or a social life that requires effort or college applications that need polishing. When nothing feels like a fantasy, it feels good to walk outside and see the City Safari, to imagine the strangers romanticizing my life, to be a character in some crazy dream, even if that’s all it is.
THE FORUM
a debate within the Highlights staff How much freedom does the school allow us? Over the past several issues, members of the Highlights staff will continue to 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, Spotlight Editor Jessica Lu criticized the school attendence policy. The debate continues with Graphics Editor Marguerite Alberts’ argument for stricter school security. This article is the fourth in the series. Next week, Comment Editor Max Stahl will finish the debate. If you feel you have something meaningful to contribute to the discussion, don’t hesitate to send a letter to beverlyhighlights@gmail.com
Name corrections from page 8 of the Oct. 11 issue Brooke Teweles, 12 Katie Schindelheim, 12 Alan Wheeler, 11 Deven Martin, 12 Yassi Noubaharestan, 11
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HIGHLIGHTS COMMENT OCTOBER 25, 2013
Homecoming games lack student participation Juliette Deutsch staff writer The stands are crowded on an autumn Friday night. From behind their painted faces, students dressed from head to toe in their school colors cheer and applaud the players on the field. On the sidelines, coaches yell at their players, encouraging them to focus on their next play. In front of the action on the field, the cheerleaders continue to chant for the home team. Homecoming. This classic high-school event
marks the fall semester. Along with prom, Homecoming is always featured as one of the biggest events of the year. In films it is depicted as part of the quintessential highschool experience. However, at our school, Homecoming is less of a highly anticipated event, and can be experienced in a passive way. For me, Homecoming has always been somewhat exciting, but the lack of participation from students makes Homecoming an uninteresting event. However this year, the activities that took place during lunchtime activities and the themed days such
as pajama day and gender blender have been receiving participation from both the nominees and regular students. However, I think that there is still not enough participation from everyone in the lunchtime events. To make Homecoming the movie-style event that is exciting for students, everyone should get involved and participate for this one week out of the year. Besides dressing up for the themed days, students need to walk to the front lawn and support the nominees or participate as much as possible in the events that are taking place that day.
To make our Homecoming similar to the ideal one, students needed to actively participate in the daily games, themed days and attend the Friday night game. This would have created an atmosphere where we
“There is still not enough participation from everyone in the lunchtime events.” could come together as a whole and show that we have school spirit. Every student should attend tonight’s
game and show their support for our football team as well as the nominees, cheer and band. ASB has done a great job throughout this week in choosing interesting themes for each day, such as gender blender and work out Wednesday. This gives a variety to the typical activities that could have been expected. To add, hard work and thought were put into Tuesday’s assembly, beginning the excitement for this week’s sporting events and lunch games. Now, it is our turn to engage in tonight’s activities to create this ideal Homecoming that is envisioned and planned by ASB.
Preaching to whatever the opposite of a choir is Max Stahl comment editor Before you start reading this article, I’ll warn you that you’ve almost certainly heard my argument before. But, whether consciously or not, you’ve also probably ignored it.
Highlights Mabel Kabani and Danny Licht editors-in-chief
Michelle Banayan news editor
Max Stahl
comment editor
Dami Kim
culture editor
Jessica Lu
spotlight editor
Arman Zadeh
It’s no secret that we learn from our mistakes. The idea is so old, we even have a cliché that sums the entire thing up: “Just because you fail doesn’t mean you’re a failure.” Nonetheless, many students’ behavior, and even some elements of our academic system, seem inclined toward perfection. How many times, during a class discussion, have you noticed hands darting up around you while you or one of your classmates struggled to produce an answer? This may seem innocuous, but, on top of being disrespectful, it could potentially impede learning. Cognitive research indicates that attempting to solve a problem before knowing the solution enhances long-term learning, even if the attempt leads to a wrong answer. A study conducted in 2012 at UCLA by Nate Kornell, Matthew Hays and Robert Bjork found that “unsuccessful recall attempts might enhance
learning if [students] engage active learning processes.” In other words, struggling and failing tends to be more useful than memorizing or immediately being given an answer, provided students are willing to learn from their mistakes. In some cases, being wrong has proven even more useful than being right, in terms of retention of knowledge. According to a study published in the Journal of Cognitive Neuroscience in 2007, repeating mistakes sets off an “early warning signal” in the brain that alerts us that we have already made this mistake. The reaction, taking place 0.1 seconds after the mistake is made, is, in essence, an expression of surprise. In a more public setting, the reaction can also be linked to embarrassment. These sensations may be unpleasant, but they are essential to our growth. It is not enough, then, for most people to simply read course mate-
rial and take good notes in class. Participation and active engagement with the course material are critical to understanding and retention. This means answering questions before being given the answer and solving problems without giving up. Even if you’re wrong, you’ll still get something out of the effort. Teachers — and not just students — can also apply these psychological principles to their work. By encouraging students to struggle with difficult concepts and not allowing them to give up when they get frustrated, teachers can foster a deeper level of learning than students would experience from being spoon fed the information. Furthermore (and I know this will be unpopular with students), teachers can promote long-term retention by giving harder exams. According to the UCLA study, “taking challenging tests — instead of avoiding
errors — may be one key to effective learning.” Because of pressure from parents and anxiety about college admissions, students prefer to take easy tests, but, it turns out, taking more difficult tests may be in their best interest. The public has long known that the old model of errorless education is ineffective, and although much of it has been done away with, vestiges still exist. Standardized tests (especially those that don’t tell students which questions they got wrong), students’ obsession with grades and a general attitude of disdain toward “dumb” questions and comments in class contribute to an atmosphere that is not conducive to learning. Though we’ve made progress, we still favor perfection. But you already know all this. Perhaps writing this article was a mistake. Oh well, I guess I’ll just have to write a better one in the next issue.
sports editor
Marguerite Alberts graphics editor
Robert Katz and Dani Klemes web editors-in-chief
Marguerite Alberts and Dami Kim social media directors
Braden Bochner, Juliette Deutsch, Audrey James-Anenih, Zoe Kenealy, Eunice Kim, Brenda Mehdian, Audrey Park and Jackson Prince staff writers
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. Visit beverlyhighlights.com Like us on Facebook, and follow @bhhihighlights on Twitter and Instagram. Ads are not endorsed by BHUSD. Beverly Highlights is sponsored by PTSA and BHEF.
EDITORIAL
Weak ties with security create uncertainty Following Newtown, Conn., school security systems nationwide were reevaluated. The Beverly Hills Unified School District (BHUSD) responded in March of 2013 with official plans to strengthen security and surveillance. Yet school security still faces the threat of trespassers daily, and just last week the guards had to sequester a student concealed in large black trash bags entering campus. Assistant Principal Toni Staser later clarified this act as a case of discipline, and not trespassing, but nevertheless, it threatened student safety. Though specific goals were intended to be implemented this school year, the editorial board feels that students have only experienced the drawbacks of the restrictions without the additional safety. A big part of strengthening school safety was encouraging students to walk within the school by decreasing use of outside pathways. Ideally, there would be fewer students wandering in the open areas like the front lawn and science floor patio when getting to class. The district planned to lock doors and eliminate openings onto campus. However, we students are oftentimes the ones locked out. Mornings are even more exasper-
ating when dealing with the locked science building doors, which prevent many from arriving promptly to class. Whether or not this is a fault of the janitors or of school security, it poses the risk of leaving students exposed on the patio for longer periods of time. Simple measures like ensuring the doors are open on time would immediately reduce danger on campus. The editorial board encourages the idea of a kiosk sitting atop the front lawn, as formerly proposed. A kiosk would serve as a way for security to spot threats from one focal point, equipped with 360-degree camera views and automatic communication lines. Unfortunately, though approved by the board to be constructed in the summer, Staser confirmed that no formal plans were set in place. At this point, the kiosk is an idea without follow-through, simply acting as a placeholder for actual improvement. We understand maintaining school security is tough; after all, Beverly is famous inside and out of the city. Trespassers of all sorts — including locals, tourists and homeless people — may feel their benign motives allow them free access. The issue, however,
is not lack of communication with these friendly faces, but instead, between security and students. We are trained to dislike security because we see them as figures preventing our off-campus lunch plans. We don’t understand what their true contribution is to the school and often take our wellbeing for granted. What’s to blame is the lack of visible improvements to the system and the failure to implement new safety measures. The
answer to this is simply to fulfill the good ideas proposed by the board last spring, or draft new plans. We should also attempt to improve communication and understanding between security guard and student, without betraying classified information. These solutions should be among the top priorities for the school now, to avoid any regret. We should spend this current luxury of time and relative security on ensuring our safety.
SASHA PARK
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HIGHLIGHTS SPORTS OCTOBER 25, 2013
Games to
Watch
May the games begin! Beverly to face Morningside in Homecoming matchup The Normans will take the field on homecoming night against the Morningside Monarchs. It has been a tumultuous season for the Normans, as their new-look offense has not produced the results initially intended. However, many of the players are entering the game with the knowledge of its significance. “[The game] will be the last time I play football at Nickoll Field,” senior quarterback Zack Bialobos said. “It’s also my last homecoming and the goal is to have fun and stay aggressive.” In last year’s matchup, the Normans fell to the Monarchs 14-0. This year, they will look to “compete and move the ball on offense.” The game will be played tonight at 7 p.m., and will feature a 6:30 p.m. opening cermony and a halftime show.
Cross-country to race at Mt. SAC invitational The cross-country team will compete at Mount San Antonio College, Mt. SAC, on Friday, Oct. 25. The 3.1 mile course will be host to Beverly as well as other Southern California CIF schools. Beverly has been successful in the recent past at Mt. SAC, setting a number of school records for the course in last year alone. Now, without the star power of Sydney Segal, Eli Flesch or Chanan Batra, the team will have to work harder to reach its goals.
Girls tennis to host Culver City in second matchup with Centaurs this season The girls tennis team will face the Centaurs for the second time this season on Oct. 28. The Normans were victorious in their previous matchup earlier in October. The girls tennis team currently holds a winning record of 5-2 and is undefeated in league play. “I’m confident that we’ll be able to perform against Culver again,” captain Miriam Binman said. “We have a strong team this year and can probably beat any team if we all play well.” Arman Zadeh and Jackson Prince
Dodger fever dies as ‘Boys in Blue’ exit early Jackson Prince staff writer When a person’s heart breaks, the experience that caused the tear is embedded into that person’s soul and will continue to affect him the rest of his life. I can speak from experience, as I’ll never forget the sensation that overcame me upon witnessing the seemingly godlike Clayton Kershaw’s untimely, alltoo-human walk to the dugout after surrendering seven earned runs in four total innings. With his exit, the Dodgers’ magical season was out of tricks. They didn’t just lose. They were spanked, nine to nothing. The blame can’t be placed solely on Kershaw, though, because no team in the history of the game can win games and be scoreless simultaneously. Yasiel Puig looked young and sloppy, Hanley Ramirez couldn’t overcome his cracked rib, suffered from a Joe Kelly fastball, and Andre
Ethier stubbornly remained stuck in his postseason slump. So although it was no one’s fault in particular, the loss was painful nevertheless. It’s all over for 2013. The rocky road for the Boys in Blue hit a dead end last Friday night. Pray you remember, the journey to the postseason was by no means a coast on a gentle downhill to the finish line. Looking back, the Dodgers weren’t in line to be contenders in October. Two and a half months into the season, the Dodgers were 30-42 and comfortably sitting at the bottom of the National League West Division. It was a dismal time to be a fan, as it seemed our hearts were broken before they’d even had a chance to beat. Enter Ramirez and Puig. The lethal combination brought life to the team and came to energize an entire city. Within a matter of days, the Dodgers got
Highlights Asks: What was your favorite part of the Dodgers’ breakout season? “When Nick Punto shredded Adrian Gonzalez’s jersey after a walk-off win against the Giants.” Matthew Sater, Junior “The energy and fun that the Dodgers showed throughout the summer!” Amanda Christovich, Junior
“Definitely, the playoff game when Yasiel Puig turned a single into centerfield into a double.” Mark Mead, Director of Student Activities ARMAN ZADEH
ARMAN ZADEH
Dan Moroaica looks defeatedly at his Matt Kemp jersey following the Dodgers’ elimination at the hands of the St. Louis Cardinals.
hot, searingly hot, as they entered the next two months with a scorching record of 42-8. By the end of the regular season, the Dodgers held a comfortable double-digit lead over their nearest division rivals, and a joyous, laughter-filled, relaxing end negated their tumultuous beginning. Yes, the Boys rolled into the playoffs with high-fives, high hopes and high expectations. “We started off terribly but I remained confident, as I knew that the Dodgers had always been a second-half [of the season] team,” lifetime fan junior Mason Leib said. “Their hot streak was the most fun I had ever had watching their games.” Dodger fever swept through Beverly Hills High School as, for the first time in a long time, it was a baseball team, not a basketball, college football or hockey team, that was stealing the spotlight. Students donned Matt Kemp jerseys and “Puig Sabe” T-shirts regularly and phones were constantly buzzing with Dodger-related updates. Norman orange was tinged with blue. Social studies teacher Dan Moroaica had mixed feelings regarding the popularity of the Dodgers at the school, though his opinion regarding the the “bandwagoners” who might not have respected the team’s history was positive. “This year, I’ve seen a lot more Dodger fans, many of which ‘hopped on the bandwagon.’ I don’t mind it, though, because more support for the Dodgers is, ultimately, a good thing,” Moroaica said. Those who didn’t pledge allegiance to the Blue had also found themselves charmed. The spirit within the school was even able to cause devoted Yankee fan Amanda Christovich, a junior, to “root on the home team.” Upon the Dodgers’ entrance into the postseason, the morale of this writer’s classmates, teachers and myself was at an all-time high. There was hope, and an increasing expectation to win the World Series. And then, just as quickly as the Dodgers hit their hot streak, Clayton Kershaw walked off the mound and we were out. “It was extremely difficult to watch,” senior Adam Steinberg
said. “This was supposed to be the year that would prove that the money and the criticism was worth it. It was a punch in the gut.” Moroaica shared a similar disposition, but found some light in the loss. “I was destroyed when they lost, but I was extremely proud of what we did this year. They had a chance to go all the way this year, and it was painful to watch their fall,” he said. As for me, I couldn’t believe what I was watching. I, along with many other Normans, invested all of my hope and energy into the 2013 Dodgers. And it looked like a pretty wellthought-out investment until Ramirez was plunked, Puig stopped hitting and Kershaw was pounded. However, if there was ever a team to bounce back with a greater intensity than the year before, it would be the Los Angeles Dodgers. The team will look to keep its core together, while bringing in new talent and tying off loose ends. Steinberg described the change that he hopes will accompany the Dodgers into the 2014 season. “They’ll start off the season without the criticism and the unachieveable expectations. I trust that the ownership will supply new talent, as they’ve already shown with the signing of Cuban infielder Alexander Guerrero. They’re going to be better next year,” Steinberg said. There will also be a new attitude within the Dodger fanbase at Beverly, Moroaica predicts. “I think that the fans that the Dodgers gained this year will stick around next year. They’re a fun team to watch. They’re going to be so good next year, and the Giants won’t,” Moroaica finished. The 2013 season ended with many positives. Puig shone under pressure and Ramirez proved his worth. Juan Uribe became a hero and Matt Kemp will finally have the chance to regain his health. The 9-0 loss was brutal for many Dodgerloving Normans, as the heavily contagious “blue fever” was frozen in its tracks. Game Six was a sour ending that didn’t represent what was a sweet year for the Boys in Blue.
Girls volleyball sweeps Inglewood again Juliette Deutsch staff writer Girls varsity volleyball hosted Inglewood on Oct. 22. The match tested the strategies that the team has been building upon all season. The team swept Inglewood in three sets 25-4 256, and 25-11. This was the second time that the varsity team matched up with Inglewood this season, moving the Normans to
2-0 versus the Sentinels. “Inglewood was not our biggest competition but they still had to work hard to put their best effort forward to win the game,” according to team member Sara Neiman. “We focused this season on being consistent so when we play teams like Inglewood it is a easy win.” The team has been working on improvements since the start of
the season, according to Neiman. “We`ve improved a lot this year and our new plays and training strategies helped us come out and win today,” Neiman said. In honor of senior night, which ran alongside the match versus Inglewood, Coach Marla Weiss announced that two of the team`s seniors would con-
tinue playing volleyball in college. Liat Hackmann has decided that she will play at Georgia Southern University. Alex Sams was undecided on where she would attend, but has committed to volleyball nonetheless. The team is now focusing their attention on CIF playoffs as they plan to make a deep playoff run.
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HIGHLIGHTS SPORTS OCTOBER 25, 2013
Beverly’s rivalry with Samo, a look through the years
HIGHLIGHTS
Boys soccer defeated Samo 2-1 in overtime on its way to CIF playoffs on Feb.1, 2013. The “extremely physical” game featured Beverly alum like Elijah Lichtenberg (pictured), Golan Khorshidi and Gefen Laredo.
Danny Dayan rushes toward the crowd following Brandon Neman’s buzzer beating game winner vs. Samo in January.
ARMAN ZADEH
Beverly vs. Samo Selected Game Results 2010-2013
2010-2011
2011-2012
2012-2013
Boys Water Polo: 0-2 October 13 at Samo 9-8 (L)
September 10 vs. Samo 12-5 (L)
Boys Water Polo: 0-3
Baseball: 0-2 April 30 vs. Samo 6-1 (L) May 1 vs. Samo 2-1
November 1 vs. Samo 12-3 (L)
Football: 1-0 October 22 vs. Samo 19-12 (W)
Girls Softball: 0-2 April 14 vs. Samo 15-0 (L) May 3 at Samo 14-0 Loss Girls Volleyball: 1-1 October 14 at Samo 3-0 (L)
October 13 at Samo 12-9 (L) November 1 vs. Samo 14-12 (L)
Football: 0-1 October 21 at Samo 36-14 (L)
Girls Soccer 1-0-1 January 18 vs. Samo 2-1 (W)
February 3 at Samo 1-1 (T)
November 2 vs. Samo 3-2 (W)
HIGHLIGHTS
Girls varsity volleyball hosted Samo on Oct. 10. The Normans were swept 3-0. The team currently holds a league record of 1-2.
Boys Soccer: 1-1 January 16 vs. Samo 2-0 (L) February 1 vs. Samo 2-1 (W)
Girls Volleyball: 0-3 October 3 vs. Samo 3-0 (L) October 18 at Samo 3-0 (L) October 20 at Samo 3-0 (L) ARMAN ZADEH
Point guard alum Justin Ifekunigwe was unable to lead Beverly to victory vs. Samo on Jan. 16, 2013. The Normans were just short of a win, falling 63-62 and dropping their record to 2-1.
Robert Katz web editor-in-chief Beverly and Santa Monica High School (Samo) have had a continuing power struggle for years. For the past four years, there has been no clear winner between the two rivals. Although Beverly notably defeated Samo at Beverly’s 2010 homecoming game, the Norman football team has not since won against its rival. Basketball has had a more uneven track record, with the boys team performing better against Samo in 2010-2011 and 2012-2013 than in 2011-2012. Some teams, such as softball, have not won a game against Samo in years. Other Norman teams have given Samo a greater challenge, as teams including girls basketball and boys soccer won more games against Samo last year than in the past few. 2013’s fall season, however, has had a relatively weak start, with girls volleyball and football losing to Samo 0-3 and 0-75, respectively. Some players, including girls volleyball player Natasha Kashani, found games against Samo carry more tension and enthusiasm. “Playing Samo has more excitement and pressure than playing other teams because each player wants to win not only for the [vic-
tory] but for the pride that comes with beating [Samo],” Kashani said. Boys volleyball player Matthew Sater felt similarly. “There’s definitely something special about these games,” Sater said. “Both teams are much more motivated. It’s very much a pride thing.” For seniors, the rivalry means the most, water polo player Justin Kim noted. “There is definitely a stronger ambivalence for seniors toward Samo,” Kim said. “We’ve always had some tough times. For all the seniors on this team there’s a certain feeling when we play. Everyone gets amped up. Samo is the team to beat not because they’re the best, but because this is the team we want to beat for publicity.” The intensity reaches a peak when Beverly sets foot on Samo’s territory. “At Samo a lot of people watch their home games,” Kim said. “They’re very patriotic for Samo and very loud about their hate against us.” However, players take motivation from the adversity of away games. “When we hear [booing] we want to smash through it,” Kim
said. “We want to beat [Samo] and pound them to the ground. When we get in their pool and hear their cheerleaders screaming for Samo, that’s when we go, ‘This is it, guys. We’re going to beat them now.’” In Sater’s opinion, Beverly has held its own against Samo. “Because they have this big brother feeling we feel we have to match up to them. All in all, we’ve shown [Samo] that we’re a worthy adversary,” he said. Although there is no end in sight to Beverly’s struggle with Samo, Kim and other players are looking to dominate in the coming months. “It’s a back and forth battle, it’s a tug of war,” Kim said. “Neither of us seem to be backing down. I’m going all out [and] I have a very good feeling we will come out on top this league season.” With Beverly’s winter and spring teams preparing for competition, Normans, including boys basketball player Brandon Neman, are optimistic. “[I] can’t wait to kill off Samo this year, get our League Championship, CIF championship and have the Swim Gym packed every night,” Neman said. Beverly will resume the fight with Samo during the winter sports season.
ARMAN ZADEH
The varsity football team was defeated by Samo in October of 2011 by a score of 36-14. The team, then under Donald Paysinger’s coaching, ended the season with a record of 2-8.
HIGHLIGHTS
As the girls varsity water polo was approaching CIF in February 2012, it hit a snag as it faced Samo. The team lost 5-1 as they dropped to third seed in Ocean League.