highlights
October 23, 2015 Volume 89, Issue 4 Beverly Hills High School Beverly Hills, California beverlyhighlights.com
Principal plans to boost SBAC proficiency Marty Schnapp co-editor-in-chief Max Yera staff writer In an effort to raise Beverly’s Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium (SBAC) scores and proficiency rate, Principal David Jackson is currently communicating at the district level and with ASB to come up with new solutions. The SBAC is a standardized test annually administered to seventh and eleventh graders through computers. Last year’s scores were, according to Jackson, “not real good.” He partially attributes the results to both a lack of effort and a lack of preparation. “I’ve talked to some seniors who said, ‘I just didn’t care, it just didn’t mean anything to me’,” Jackson said. “I think we just need to talk to the 11th graders and explain to them how important it is.” Jackson presented a plan to fix the issue at last month’s School Board meeting, but “nothing is set in stone”, so he is speaking with students in ASB to hear more ideas. “I need to talk to ASB and see what their ideas are, because they might have much better ideas than I have,” Jackson said.
Jackson’s original plan, which is not going to happen, was that students would not get to walk across the stage at graduation if they did not meet the “proficient” requirement. “One school [that I met with] was having lots of issues with testing. You have a right to your diploma, but you don’t have a right to walk across the stage. They implemented [the requirement] and their test scores went sky-high,” Jackson said. “The kids who didn’t care wanted to walk across the stage, so they put effort into it. They went from an area of 55 percent getting proficient or better, to over 90 percent getting proficient or better.” The SBAC is different from previously administered standardized tests in that it is interactive. If a student gets a question right, the next question is more difficult. If the answer to a question is wrong, the following question is less challenging. “I want to make sure that our kids are [practicing] at least once a week at English and once a week at math on the computer. There’s math parts on the computer, too. And if you’re used to using paper and pencil, and not a computer, then you don’t get the right answer,” Jackson said.
Graphic by: BEN SHOFET The PTSA has already committed to providing Beverly with 180 laptops for the test, and Jackson is hoping to get more from the district. “We’re trying to get more computers so you can take them into your classrooms in small groups instead of going to the computer labs,” Jackson said.
Jackson stresses the degree of importance by which Beverly’s overall SBAC scores can affect the college admissions process for individual students. “I used to read college applications. You’re not supposed to compare kids in schools, but that’s just not reality,” Jackson said. “They like to know what
school you’re coming from, because if they know there’s rigor in the school, then we know they’re ready.” SBAC testing will span two weeks, the first week English and the second math. Jackson hopes to begin testing by mid-March, but he is yet to decide on a finalized date.
Construction of Purple Line Metro begins Juliette Deutsch co-editor-in-chief Sydney Tran staff writer Construction of the controversial Metro Purple Line Subway Extension officially began in Beverly Hills on Oct. 5. The extension, which will run beneath Beverly, has faced a mix of opposition and support within the community. However, accompanying the beginning of construction was tension between the School Board, City of Beverly Hills and MTA. Upon the start of construction, district attorneys reportedly submitted a letter to City Attorney Larry Wiener expressing the District’s upset over an allegedly vio-
lated agreement. According to The Beverly Hills Courier, in the letter, the District’s attorneys claim that the City promised prior review of Metro permits before their submission to City Council to pend approval. According to a LA Times article regarding this issue, The District has spent over three million dollars of school construction bond money fighting the purple line subway. Student Board Member Shawn Ahdout thinks that it is important that the city and district work hand-in-hand on matters such as this.
INSIDE
“In order to have a strong school system, the City needs to support the District, even when they may disagree. The City should have at least solicited the District’s opinion before authorizing these permits,” Ahdout said. Senior ASB member Mishelle Arakelian shares her concerns about the Metro, as she feels it could be disruptive or distracting to students. “My main concern is that the construction would be disruptive or distracting to the students and that it would negatively affect their attitude towards the school,” Arakelian said. AP Government teacher Dan
Moroaica feels that the Metro should run mainly under Santa Monica Boulevard. “Like most teachers, I don’t like the idea of a Metro under Beverly Hills High School. It’s unnecessary. From what I’ve been reading, the bigger issue is that people want the metro exit at different locations because of real estate issues, which is sad. The biggest issue should be what’s best for the community. Santa Monica Boulevard is a much more used thoroughfare and it should be the major access point for the metro. We’ll be battling it. I do think that the metro should not go under Beverly and it should stop at
SPOTLIGHT OPINION
Santa Monica,” Moroaica said. Although Metro geologists say that the Methane isnt a issue, Moroaica still has concerns regarding methane in the areas where the lines are being built. “It’s safety issue in regards to the construction. There are methane pockets underneath; we don’t know where they are... There have been problems in the past. When they were building the green line underneath Hollywood Boulevard, they had unexpected land that collapsed and it hurt a lot of businesses. In this case, if land collapses, it doesn’t hurt business, it hurts the school and students,” Moroaica said.
SPORTS
this issue
ASB plans a haunted homecoming Page
@bhhighlights
@bhhighlights
4-5
/beverlyhighlights
EDITORIAL: The Metro construction
Page 7
FEATURE: Fall sports MVPs
Page 8
www.beverlyhighlights.com
2
HIGHLIGHTS NEWS October 23, 2015
Junior in her extracurricular element Marty Schnapp co-editor-in-cheif The epitome of extracurricular involvement at Beverly, junior Cathy Lee prides herself in having developed school spirit and leadership skills as a result of her activities. Lee is the President of Model UN, a member of DECA, a cub writer in Beginning Journalism and Link Crew Leader. Today, she works to develop experience in research, public speaking and creating resolutions to world issues such as women’s education, deforestation and sustainable development. Her passion for presenting coherent argu-
ments began in the eighth grade. “On the debate team at Horace Mann, I enjoyed competing and hearing a variety of perspectives on one issue,” Lee said. Her father’s position as a diplomat has piqued her curiosity of world relations. “Since birth, I’ve lived in four places: South Africa (where I was born), Taiwan, Washington D.C. and California,” Lee said. As a Link Leader, Lee aspires to help incoming freshmen in the same way which her Link Leaders helped her freshman self. “I remember the nervousness and anticipation I felt beginning
high school, and my Link Leader was very helpful,” Lee said. Outside of school, Lee plays plays piano and won third place in a state-level competition in the contemporary music category. “I’ve been playing piano for ten years. It’s been one of the few constants in my life, and my most loyal friend,” Lee said. Lee is now acquainted with “a variety of people”, and she feels she has furthered her passion in all that she does. “My involvement in school has made me much more cognizant of school functions, because being involved in these clubs, and lead-
ing one of them, allows me to pay attention to what’s going on in school, to have school spirit and to be a leader,” Lee said.
Highlights Print Juliette Deutsch and Marty Schnapp editors-in-chief
Eleanor Bogart-Stuart, Natasha Dardashti, Nirav Desai, Vivian Geilem, Jason Harward, Sydney Tran and Max Yera staff writers
Web Guy Ginsberg and Sadie Hersh editors-in-chief
Lee represents Switzerland in a Model UN competition at SCMUN Photo courtesy: SCMUN
A Thousand Words: Late Game Loss
Isaiah Freedman, Sophia Goldberg, Lauren Hannani, Jamie Kim, Evan Minniti, Veronica Pahovoma and Keith Stone staff writers
Ben Shofet business manager Gaby Herbst adviser —
Our goal as a student-run publication is to provide reliable, accurate and fair content that informs and intrigues the Beverly Hills community by following the principles of ethical journalism and represents the student body. We will deliver a broad spectrum of coverage through a variety of mediums, including online and print. Highlights is a forum for public 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. Follow @bhhighlights on Twitter and Instagram.
Senior Joe Kolko (ballcarrier) runs through a Hawthorne tackler in the first quarter of Beverly’ 35-42 loss to the Hawthorne Cougars. Beverly’s defense had a fumble returned for a touchdown as well as a blocked field goal returned for a touchdown. Photo by: JASON HARWARD
Highlights is sponsored by PTSA and BHEF.
(197 Total Responses)
College Night guides students entering college Eleanor Bogart-Stuart staff writer
Throughout the year, Dean of College Admissions Ah Young Chi helps Beverly host many events focused solely on college. These events provide opportunities for students to learn more about prospective colleges, the college application process and college essay writing tips. “We do this to bring more awareness about college options to our students. We moved our spring college fair to fall because we want to bring more options to juniors to engage with the process earlier in the school year rather than waiting until the end of the school year,” Chi said.
Chi controls and organizes all events having to do with college on the campus, and works yearround in an effort to bring more opportunities to students. However, she expects the students to meet her halfway when it comes to effort. “The reason we have so much programming is because I really want our students to learn how to
investigate and help themselves
students to do all these things. Don’t be helpless and don’t act helpless. Go and look for information because they info will empower you. Don’t wait until we come to you. Go help yourself. It’s not too early to start,” Chi said. The most recent college event took place on Oct.12, where a wide
“I really want our students to learn how to investigate and help themselves in finding the information they need to make plans after high school. That’s why we invite students to do all these things. Don’t wait until we come to you. It’s not too early to start,” Chi said. in finding the information they need to make plans for after high school. That’s why we invite the
range of college representatives set up camp on the third floor patio after school. College reps from colleges such as Yale University, University of Boulder and Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising were all present. “I was happy with it. I just wish it wasn’t 100 degrees that day. For the most part it worked out really well,” Chi said. But after school events aren’t the only way to find out information about college. Chi offers yearround guidance for students who want more help. Students can also take advantage of the Naviance website, where they can find much more detailed information about what college might suit them.
3
HIGHLIGHTS OPINION OCTOBER 23, 2015
Basketball bandwagoners should be benched
Nirav Desai staff writer
The schism in the Los Angeles sports market between fans of the iconic Lakers and those of the highflying Clippers has fueled basketball divisions among students for the past few years. The vast gulf that previously existed between the dueling hordes of hoop fans now shrinks with every traitorous defection, a growing phenomenon known as “bandwagoning.” Students should cease this pathetic behavior, for historical evidence and present attitudes suggest this rivalry will return to its historically dormant roots in a matter of years, with the Lakers likely reclaiming their place atop the throne of Los Angeles. Sixteen NBA championships versus none, a 48-116 record over the past two years versus a 56-26 record in the last season alone and half-asleep Jack Nicholson versus vibrant Billy Crystal. Fans at Beverly have been forced to choose between these stark contrasts since the infamous vetoed Chris Paul trade of December 2011, when the Lakers, the NBA’s glamor franchise, watched their aspirations
Pascoal said. of a loaded Paul-Kobe BryantThough Pascoal is a newcomer Dwight Howard core be stolen by to the league relative to other fans shady former commissioner Daat Beverly, his Clipper fan reflexes vid Stern, while the perennially are quick to deny that he is one of cellar-dwelling Clippers snatched many people, often former LakPaul for themselves. In doing so, ers fans, that have only recently the franchise added to their collection of young talent and even younger fans, as evidenced by a sudden increase in attendance since the trade. Fabriel Pascoal, a senior, is an avid Clippers supporter. He has been a fan for as long as the team has had its other superstar, Blake Griffin. “I became a fan when Griffin was drafted [in 2009]. I respect the Lakers, but I hate all those fans who only Cartoon by: VERONICA PAHOMOVA know about Kobe. I chose jumped into the Lob City bandthe Clippers because they’re doing wagon. better than the Lakers, and they’re “Obviously there have been so the most exciting and explosive many new Clippers fans since team in the NBA. Every time you Blake and CP3 arrived, I think 60 watch them, you expect to see CP3 percent of the fans. I’m not a freak[Paul] lobbing the ball or Jamal ing bandwagoner though, they still Crawford breaking ankles. You’ll sucked when I started liking them, never get bored [while] watching so I’m alright,” Pascoal said. them, even when they’re winning,”
Editorial
Why not support?
Construction of the controversial Metro line that is planned to run beneath the high school began on Oct. 5. The School Board has preached its general consensus of opposition toward the subway ever since it was proposed. Their most prominent arguments against the line running beneath the high school are the threats of a large-scale earthquake and methane pockets potentially Los Angeles currently has the worst public transportation system of all major cities. Our public busses and subways are underutilized. There are six running subway lines and 80 stations, with 26 of those currently still under construction. To compare, the city of New York has 24 lines total with over 400 stations that all function and conveniently take people anywhere 24 hours a day. Los Angeles is infamous for its traffic. Going from point A to point B in the heat of rush hour traffic can take time out of a person’s day. If we had a high functioning subway system similar to New York and other cities such as Washington, San Francisco and Chicago, the overall efficiency of
getting from place to place would greatly improve. By implementing this Metro system, roads would be less congested with cars and allow the notorious reputation of Los Angeles traffic to fade away. Imagine a world without the stress of managing time strictly around the flow of traffic. Another advantage of the coming Metro system will be its positive effect on our environment. With fewer cars traveling around the city, there will be less smog released into the air. With more subway riders, air quality will increase. Riding the subway is also cost effective. To add, the base fare of a Metrocard in LA ($1.75), compared to gas prices here, is huge. Chances are you are constantly having to fill up at gas stations or plan trips around it. So why not save the time and money that gas stations devour, and support a potentially-efficient and effective public transportation system? So listen to what the School Board has to say about the subway under construction, but listen with a grain of salt. Make sure that to consider the beneficial possibilities that the system can have on the City of Los Angeles.
The obvious correlation between the rapid influx of fanatics in the Clippers’ once miserable fanbase and a very public decline in fortunes for the Lakers has not been lost on senior Alex Alcalde, who still identifies as a Lakers fan, depending when you ask him. “Clipper fans couldn’t handle the adversity that the Lakers went through, so they took the easy way out and started following the newer, younger Clippers. Laker fans are better than Clipper fans, [we] support the iconic sports team of Los Angeles. The kids at Beverly are divided into both fanbases; now it’s easier to tell who the bandwagoners are,” Alcalde said. Despite this, the Clippers’ growing support will likely subside as soon as they return to mediocrity. “I’ll probably keep cheering for them until Blake, Jordan and CP3 are gone,” Pascoal said. The city’s least successful sports franchise has been successful in staving off this fate, but continued stagnation in the standings will ultimately cause Angelenos’ good will to subside, especially with the
Lakers now making strides in what had been a sluggish rebuild. “The Clippers might go far in the playoffs this year, but other than that, I have nothing left to say about them. The Lakers will improve,” Alcalde said. Pascoal agreed, saying, “I think the Clippers will make the NBA Finals this year, but the loss in the 2015 playoffs against the Rockets was my hardest moment as a fan. I am confident that the Lakers might make the playoffs this year; it’s a promising squad with Kobe Bryant and Julius Randle back.” Still, reverse-bandwagoning is no better than its original form, for a double-crossing of the Clippers by fans at Beverly will only serve to weaken the budding crosstown rivalry. Those on both sides of the city-wide basketball rift know that the increasing intensity of games between the two teams has produced endless entertainment, so with the Lakers’ rebuild gradually ending and the Clippers’ championship window gradually closing, it is time for fans at Beverly to seal their rooting fates by committing to a faction for good.
Time to check out of ‘AHS Hotel’ Vivian Geilim staff writer Disclaimer: The piece below contains many, many spoilers. Ryan Murphy and Brand Falchuk seem to have exhausted their ideas of “horror,” when creating season five of their dark anthology television series “American Horror Story”. It seems as if their seasons have downgraded each year by becoming exceedingly gory and sexual. However, after viewing the first episode in the new season “Hotel,” mixed feelings rose to the surface. In short, Hotel Cortez is definitely not a regular bed and breakfast inn. One thing Murphy and Falchuk never seem to forget is their adoration for ending each episode with loose ends. Every pilot of each season exploits several unanswered plots that don’t really make sense; nonetheless, each episode, as it comes, explains a part of the storyline that was developed in the first episode. This concept normally teases the audience with lingering thoughts of what may occur next. While these unanswered plot lines are typical of the series, the first episode of “Hotel” was left with one too many unanswered scenarios of which to keep track of. “Hotel” was left with so many undeveloped plots and stories that the viewers is not left wanting more, but left with the desire to never watch the show again. Murphy and Falchuk did not feel the need to hold back for the first episode. The only thing keeping me from shutting my computer during the first ten minutes of the show was the sudden man/creature manifestation that emerged from the two Swedish guest’s mattress; but of course, the scene was cut leaving the audience, as usual,
wondering what the hell just happened. However, there is something exquisite about “Hotel” that is unlike any other of the “American Horror Story” seasons. Murphy truly wanted to base the show on a more materialistic level. As with all things, Hotel Cortez has its flaws- with vampires roaming the halls and man demons emerging from sewn up mattresses- but it’s demour is definitely not one of its defects. Hotel Cortez is beautifully structured which is what mainly gives it it’s appeal. Not acquiring natural light, the hotel uses dim lighting from pendant chandeliers which produces a dark atmosphere and gives the air an opaque illusion. Shooting many scenes using a fisheye lense, the combination of
enriching reputation as the leading actress of “American Horror Story”. Gaga was evidently put on the show to captivate the audience in more ways than one. To begin, her wardrobe is breathtaking. She is dresses in gorgeous high gowns which give her a very elegant and sophisticated look. Due to her lack of lines, using dense makeup is the key to emphasizinh her facial expressions, which are crucial for her character and role. Complexions aside, Murphy obtained the attention the show desired when he produced a more than graphic, gory and intimate scene with Gaga and Boomer that should have given the audience a disclaimer as pornography, not your ordinary pilot that would air on Cable T.V. Perhaps Murphy’s profound yearning of a dark and twisted set is due to the loss of his leading actress, Jessica Lange. Lange’s absence may be the cause of Murphy’s potential feelings as though he needs a new attraction to make up for the shows vast loss. Therefore, to attract viewers’ attention, increase the graphics and gore. “The upcoming season that we’re doing is much more horror-based; it’s much more dark.” Murphy said during an interview with Deadline.“It’s about a theme and an idea that’s very close to my heart that I’ve always wanted to do that’s a little bloodier and grislier I think than anything that we’ve done before; it’s straight horror this year.” With intent of captivating the audience, Murphy and Falchuk surpass the meaning of appropriate, and graphic at that. Murphy’s ideas of horror seem to involve one too many blood bags as he tries to exhausted a new meaning of “horror” the show has ever seen.
“However, there is something exquisite about ‘Hotel’ that is unlike any other of the ‘American Horror Story’ seasons” the lighting and camera choice executes a seemingly large yet claustrophobic ambience. As for the actors and acting, Murphy made sure to have season five lead by well-known faces. The star based cast of Hotel involves Matt Boomer, Max Greenfield, Wes Bentley, Chloë Sevigny, Kathy Bates, Finn Wittrock, Denis O’Hare, Emma Roberts will be making an appearance in the end of the show, Sarah Paulson and Evan Peters who has been apart of all five seasons of American Horror story, and Lady Gaga as the main Countess Elizabeth. The storyline seems to be based off of Lady Gaga’s role as Countess Elizabeth. Season five is dependant on her, notably because of Lange’s absence in the show. It may be that Murphy knew he needed an exceptional actress to play this role and even to take over Lange’s
4
5
HIGHLIGHTS SPOTLIGHT OCTOBER 23, 2015
A HAUNTED HOMECOMING: Spirit rising ASB: The minds behind the magic
Resurrecting lost Norman pride
Sydney Tran, staff writer Eleanor Bogart-Stuart staff
Marty Schnapp co-editor-in-chief Vivian Geilim staff writer
cool.,” Ganon said. A foot dangling from the ceiling. A blood has all the sports involved that’s promoting ASB has also hired a private company to crespattered barn-door hanging on the wall. Spihomecoming,” Ganon said. ate a Haunted House on school grounds on der webs drooping from wall to wall. To honor the Halloween theme, ASB has Homecoming night, which will be free for all This is all the work of ASB, who’ve created created “Haunted Hallways”, in which each students; however, ASB card holders will have a spooky atmosphere to set off spirit week grade level is assigned both a specific theme the privilege of a fastpass. before Homecoming. ASB began working on and a floor of the science building to decoASB members have poured their hearts into Homecoming during the summer to not only rate and spook-ify. The first floor is desigmaking Homecoming special for the Norman ensure that it’s something students won’t fornated for the freshmen’s haunted barn, the Nation. However, they believe that the students get, but to make sure that they can thoroughsecond floor is designated for the sophoare equally responsible for participating and ly plan out each event. Homecoming isn’t just mores’ haunted hospital, the third is for the making the event fun. one football game. It’s an unique atmosphere juniors’ haunted graveyard and the fourth “School spirit isn’t important. It’s vital. Every that ASB creates each year. for the seniors’ haunted carnival. kid should definitely have it. It’s like saying why “We’ve been working hard to try and deco“Haunted Hallways has been a lot of fun. do you care for America. Why do you support rate the school. It’s been a lot of fun,” SophoAmerica? Why do you more Vice President Jonathan Artal said. support your basketball ASB’s hard work should pay off this team, your NFL team? year. In a survey distributed among the Because you’re teamstudent body, 72.1 percent of the 197 stumates, because you love dents surveyed claimed to be planning them, because they treat to participate in Homecoming events, as you well. And for even opposed to the 49.7 percent who have not more reasons. I don’t see previously participated in any Homecomany reason why someing events. one shouldn’t be there This year, timing is key because the [Homecoming],” Neytheme is Halloween-based, giving the davood said. school a particularly spooky ambiance. Despite the proposed “[The theme is] Halloween. Everybody vitality of school spirit, wear your costumes and have a great 49.7 percent of students time,” ASB Commissioner Kate Ganon who participated in the ASB members work to put together a gory a haunted barn door for the said. aforementioned survey do not freshman hallway, Photo by: ELEANOR BOGART-STUART Although 51.3 percent of the students feel that Beverly has good school surveyed were not aware of the theme at We have a bunch of spooky stuff. I think it’s spirit. the time of answering the survey, there are going to generate a lot of spirit,” junior repIt seems as if Beverly’s spirt is on the uprise events planned that should notify them. In resentative Ryan Neydavood said. considering the warm reactions of the students. order to raise student enthusiasm, ASB first For the day of Homecoming, Oct.30, ASB ASB taken every step necessary for Homeorganized the annual spirit assembly that will has even more exciting events for students. coming to be a special, eventful night filled with take place in the Swim Gym rather than the To kick off the night, ASB has organized exciting activities. All that students have to do auditorium(due to a seismic vulnerability cloa tailgate to occur prior to the SAMO game. in order to have a great time is show up, so be sure). “We’re also having a tailgate that I believe sure to participate in order to make Homecom“We’re doing a really cool assembly that is from five to seven. It’s gonna be really ing a night to remember.
Let’s face it. Morale at Beverly is at a low. Perhaps even an all-time low. For a multitude of reasons, Beverly students and faculty do not bleed orange and black, at least in comparison to what life at our school was years ago. School spirit should be an integral part of high school for all students. A complete high school education entails not only completion of academic requirements, but also a well-rounded social experience. Currently, some students are achieving the former but lacking the latter because they are not taking full advantage of the spirit-involved events that Beverly has to offer. However, as seen through their hard work and thought-out preparation to create an extraordinary Haunted Homecoming, ASB is proving their commitment to raising spirit on campus. In a survey distributed by Highlights, 50.3 percent of students reported to believing that Beverly has overall good school spirit, but the other 49.7 percent felt otherwise. Perhaps if more students exposed themselves to the spirit-based events that Beverly has to offer, that 50.3 percent of students would increase. The same number of students who responded claiming that Beverly has overall bad school spirit answered that they had never participated in Homecoming events at Beverly. ASB understands the importance of an involved student body. “Getting involved” is more than signing up for a couple of clubs and showing up to occasional meetings. True involvement is part of a larger movement, one that ev-
ery single Beverly student can join. Nothing is stopping you from attending every sports game, and nothing is stopping you from attending every Homecoming function. Something the Norman Nation should understand is the pleasure and increased excitement that high school will have with the enhancement of school spirit. Evidently, the stereotypes of “High School Musical” are not true; no one busts out into slick dance moves or sings ballads on a daily basis, but it’s substantially about sharing a moment and a feeling with peers that you will only share the four years that high school offers. So try showing up. Even if crowdbased events aren’t your thing, I think you’ll find that participating does make a difference, if not through building a sense of community as they occur, then through developing a sense of pride in Beverly in the long run. Let go of some academic stress by going to a football game or participating in a Hackathon. School spirit dosen’t have to be forced, it should be fun and relaxing. Morale is a flexible thing. There is no reason to accept Beverly’s current condition with an “Oh, well.” Let’s climb out of this hole in which we’ve buried ourselves. Let’s bring pride back to Beverly.
ASB decorates each floor of the Science buidling with halloween dectorations. The third floor is a haunted graveyard. Photos by: ELEANOR BOGART-STUART and JULIETTE DEUTSCH
MONDAY
PAJAMA DAY
TUESDAY
TOURIST TUESDAY
WEDNESDAY
BREAST CANCER AWARENESS
THURSDAY
TWIN DAY
FRIDAY
WEAR YOUR COSTUM ES!
6
HIGHLIGHTS CULTURE October 23, 2015
The Broad brings modern vibes to Downtown L.A. Juliette Deutsch co-editor-in-chief The most highly anticipated museum opening after this spring’s renovation of the Whitney Museum in New York has arrived: The Broad in Downtown L.A. The space is located on Grand Avenue next to Grand Park. Named after art philanthropists Eli and Edythe Broad, the museum is arguably everything one would want out of a contemporary art space: stylish, sophisticated and filled with natural light. Designed by Diller Scofidio +Renfro, the New York architecture firm famous for the Chelsea High Line in Manhattan and the Contemporary Institute of Art in Boston. The Broad’s honeycomb exterior fills the interior with and natural light. The combination between the light and modern designs is perfect to company the equally innovative art. The museum is currently home to the stunning works of notable modern artists such as Jeff Koons, Robert Rauschenberg and Andy Warhol. The space also has the largest collection of works by iconic photographer Cindy Sherman.
The Broad boasts a free admission policy in a neighborhood that has the potential to draw in a wide variety of Angelenos. Upon entering the lobby, your attention will be drawn to a single feature: the 105-foot-long escalator that pierces the rolling walls of the ceiling and leads directly to the main exhibition space on the third floor. The museum’s opening exhibitions include a generous helping – 200 works out of the founders’ total holdings. The works are primarily paintings, sculptures and photos, with a mixture of videos and installations. For L.A art viewers, much of the collection will feel familiar, particularly the pieces previously housed at the Jeff Koons collection at LACMA. A more permanent home for all of modern art makes sense, but The Broad’s role in other local museums has yet to be determined. Upon visiting The Broad, make sure to check out the exhibit Jeff Koons: A Retrospective and all the photographs by Cindy Sherman. The modern flare that The Broad has on already brilliant contemporary art is a must see.
Jeff Koons: A Retrospective displays some of his famous ballon inspired work, followed by the famous America neon light exhibit by Glenn Ligon. Photos By: JULIETTE DEUTSCH
Advanced Culinary holds first annual Bake-Off
Chocolate dipped marshmallows with a graham cracker coating wait to be judged. Photo by: JULIETTE DEUTSCH
Juliette Deutsch co-editor-in-chief was cool to give my students the chance to demonstrate some of The Advanced Culinary Arts their skills and get more competiheld a baking competition among tive, and give them a chance to try its students this past Wednesday. a certain recipe and experiment,” Each student was instructed to Leece said. bake his or her own take on a traStudents are prepared through ditional dessert. Many of desserts their experience in Introduction presented included tiramisu, chocto Culinary and by researching the olate lava cake with mint, pumpkin recipes beforehand. souffle, ice cream sandwich maca“The students who are involved rons, chocolate dipped marshmalin the bake off are all advanced so lows with graham cracker and they learned their skills through snickerdoodle benigets. Various Intro. I had them research a recipe teachers judged the competition. and give me a list of ingredients Chef Rick Leece was inspired to they would need. Some students come up with the bake-off compedo it all on their own; for the most tition idea. part, I let them tackle it on their “They do the edible book conown,” Leece said. test once a year, and I thought it The desserts are chosen based
off students’ personal requests and are then tested before the competition. “We did test runs last week, so they knew what they needed to tweak for the actual competition,” Leece said. then are tested before the competition. Senior Bailey Henderson found her inspiration from TV. “I found the recipe on Ina Garten’s Food Network show and I thought it would be good for the competition,” Henderson said. She feels that the competition has enhanced her skills overall. “We didn’t know how to melt chocolate when we found the recipe and it took some time, but we figured out,” Henderson said.
Halloween Recipe: Cinnamon Sugar Pumpkin Seeds Vivian Geilim staff writer
Ingredients below are to bake 1 ½ cup of cinnamon sugar pumpkin seeds. 1 ½ cup of pumpkin seeds 2 tablespoons of melted butter 2 tablespoons of sugar 1 ½ teaspoons of ground cinnamon Directions 1. Heat oven to 325 degrees F. 2. Cut a circle at the top of the pumpkin to make an opening. 3. Scoop out pumpkin seeds and place 1 1/2 cups of seeds in a medium bowl, then fill the bowl with water. Make sure that the water is completely covers all the seeds in the bowl. 4. Leave seeds to soak for a minute or two. 5. Strain the water from the bowl, rinse and pat the seeds dry with a paper towel. 6. Place dried pumpkin seeds in the bowl first, then add melted butter, sugar, and cinnamon. 7. Mix all ingredients. When October creeps in and you’re craving that seasonal 8. In a single layer, spread the seeds on an ungreased cookie sheet over the pan. specialty, next time you carve a pumpkin, keep the seeds to 9. Bake for approximately 20 minutes until seeds become golden brown. enjoy a tasty snack! Photo by: VIVIAN GEILIM Wait to cool, and enjoy!
HIGHLIGHTS OCTOBER 23, 2015
7
8
HIGHLIGHTS SPORTS OCTOBER 23, 2015
Fall sports stars Football
Solomon Nwankwo
Cross-country Jonathan Cohen
Water polo Kyle Mehrian
Volleyball
Tennis
Sara Neiman
Rebecca Eberle
Max Yera staff writer
Eleanor Bogart-Stuart staff writer
Jason Harward staff writer Max Yera staff writer
Ben Shofet business manager
Natasha Dardashti staff writer
At 6 foot 1 inch and over 250 pounds of muscle, there’s little doubt that senior Solomon Nwankwo is one of the most physically intimidating athletes walking the halls of Beverly today. A star tight end and defensive tackle on the football team, Nwankwo ensures his physical strength does not go unused. “[On defense] he carries players like toys,” senior teammate PJ Goolsby said. Though many view Nwankwo as a leader, he refuses to believe that he is the only one. “On our team, everyone is a leader...from the player that never comes off the field to the person [that only plays] a second,” Nwankwo said. Nevertheless, Nwankwo’s teammates are the first to admit that he is one of the most significant leaders on the team. “[Nwankwo] is a major leader on the team. He picks up our intensity through his effort, ability to motivate and constant inspiration when we are down or in a rough situation,” Goolsby said. Above all, Nwankwo is proud to say that he has grown as a person. “I’ve noticed that life doesn’t come easy. You have to fight for every inch,” Nwankwo said. This fight on the football field will continue, as Nwankwo plans to continue his career at the collegiate level as he has spoken with both USC and Iowa. Although such opportunities do not come around often, his teammates would not put success on the football field past him. “If anybody, I would put my money on seeing [Nwankwo] on the big screen,” Goolsby said. Before Nwankwo gets on any big screen, however, the Norman nation is given the opportunity to watch him grow as a player, or as he would prefer, a person.
It wasn’t always in the cards for junior Jonathan Cohen to become a running success on the varsity team. In fact, Cohen didn’t even want to be part of the track team when he first came to high school. “I tried out for the basketball team, but did not make it. I didn’t want to do P.E. because I felt that colleges would prefer a student in a sport. My friend was doing crosscountry and told me to try out, so I went to tryouts and started running on the team,” Cohen said. The more circles Cohen lapped around the track, the more he warmed up to the sport. His main motivation was his desire to break his own personal records. But his personal records weren’t the only thing that kept him running. “I like to run because you build a strong friendship with everyone on the team. We all go through the pain together that comes with running, the hard workouts, big hills and hot weather,” Cohen said. Cohen’s closeness with his team members is clearly revealed in the way they talk about his work ethic. “He’s willing to put the work in that others won’t. Jonathan and the other varsity team members put in a tremendous amount of training this summer and their results are paying off. I am honored to call them my teammates,” junior Spencer Edelman said. Cohen eventually found his niche in the 3 mile for cross-country, and the 1600 meter, 3200 meter and 800 meter for track. After finding exactly where he fit, Cohen began to truly succeed. His personal best for the the 1600 is 4:41 and for the 3200 is 10:11. At his most recent tournament, Cohen took third place overall and set a Beverly record. Cohen’s determined and dogged mindset, even under duress, turned him from basketball reject to running star.
Senior Kyle Mehrian, varsity water polo co-captain, has made many sacrifices to become the player he is. “I started playing water polo freshman year and I wasn’t good. A lot of my success has been attributed to hard work in and out of the pool,” Mehrian said, “Former coach, Rob Bowie, would have me practice twice a day five days a week and it paid off. I feel that to be good, it’s the little things that make the difference.” Mehrian leads the team with 11 league goals. However, despite his personal improvements and success, this season has not been an easy one. “The team has been struggling. A lot of seniors weren’t able to keep their commitment so our roster has been depleted for a majority of this season,” Mehrian said. As co-captain and one of the few seniors on the team, Mehrian is doing his best to improve the play and overall morale of the winless water polo team. “As captain this year, along with Blake Ackerman, we’ve been trying to push everyone on the team to get better all the time,” Mehrian said. “I try to push everyone to be their best during practice and in games.” This will to push himself has led Mehrian to do the “little things” and become the player he is today. “The attention to detail, making healthy decisions, pushing yourself on weekends when there isn’t mandatory practice, those are the things that improve one’s ability to play,” Mehrian said. In addition to his hard work, determination has shaped Mehrian as a water-polo player. “I’ve never been bigger or stronger. It’s just the will to find a way to keep going hard that’s kept me in games,” Mehrian said.
Varsity girls volleyball captain Sara Neiman has played volleyball for nearly half of her life, and has played on Beverly’s varsity team all throughout high school. “I enjoy the competition and excitement of the game. I love playing and going after every ball with everything I have,” Neiman said. Her freshman year, Neiman faced obstacles walking onto a team of primarily upperclassmen. “It was intimidating, but after a while all the girls loved having me on the team and considered me very helpful to the team,” Neiman said. “It helped me develop into a strong player.” Now in her senior year, Neiman has established herself as a role model for her entire team, both on and off the court. “It is great having someone like Sara on my team because she is such a great team leader and also a great friend,” varsity co-captain Rachel Monasebian said. “She is a leader and somebody all of us players look up to.” Neiman has been the captain on varsity for two years now. However, her role as a leader has transcended throughout her volleyball career at Beverly, regardless of whether she was the captain. “My roll has changed a little because I am always the person that people look to for advice if the coach isn’t giving them what they want to hear, and I am always talking and trying to encourage the team,” Neiman said. In her final year on varsity volleyball, Neiman hopes to beat Culver City and El Segundo, which would ultimately lead her team to CIF. “The future of this team is in our hands and I know that we can win the rest of our games. Everyone works very hard and I am confident that we can achieve success,” Neiman said.
It all began with an old tennis racket when then-seventh-grader Rebecca Eberle’s school was looking for tennis recruits. She decided to pick up the dusty racket in her garage and give the sport a try. Eberle was only a freshman and had been playing tennis at Beverly for a year when she was awarded with the title of MVP. She had been playing for three years, but beat out several other contenders for the name who had been older, and playing for longer. Though the award is individual, Eberle finds her teammates to be an important part of her success. “I was not expecting to win MVP last year. I was only a freshmen, so when I won I was super surprised. The only thing I cared about was being part of the team,” now sophomore Eberle said. A strong passion for tennis has remained in Eberle since the seventh grade when she decided to try out for her school’s team. “Tennis just became a way for me to relieve my stress, have fun and compete,” Eberle said. Currently, Eberle plays for both the girls’ JV and varsity team. “It is rewarding to be recognized for your talent after so many years of playing. Sometimes you win, sometimes you lose, but the most important thing is to keep focused,” Eberle said. Besides MVP, Eberle has won tournaments in the La Cienega Tennis Club and games in the USTA (United States Tennis Association) Texas and Beverly Hills leagues. Playing tennis transports Eberle into another state in which the game is the only thing on her mind. “It feels like nothing else matters but that game. Every ball that I hit makes a problem go away, and every step that I take is a step towards a happier version of myself,” Eberle said.
Sport V XC V Water Polo V Football JV Volleyball V Tennis JV Tennis V Water Polo
October Sports Schedule Date Time 10/23 10:00 AM 10/23 3:00 PM 10/23 7:00 PM 10/24 8:00 AM 10/26 2:30 PM 10/26 2:30 PM 10/27 4:00 PM
F/s Water Polo 10/27 V Tennis 10/28 JV Volleyball 10/28
4:15 PM TBA 8:00 AM
Place Away Away Away Away Away Away Home Home Home Home
Sport Opponent V Volleyball Mt. SAC Invitational El Segundo high School F/s Volleyball V Tennis Lawndale High School V Water Polo Lakewood F Football Culver City High School Culver City High School F/s Water Polo Culver City High School F/s Water Polo V Football Culver City High School Ocean League Singles Lawndale High School
Date Time 10/28 3:15 PM 10/28 4:30 PM 10/29 11:00 AM 10/29 3:00 PM 10/29 3:15 PM 10/29 4:15 PM 10/30 3:00 PM
10/30 F/s Water Polo 10/31 V Tennis 11/3
7:00 PM 4:15 PM TBA
Place Home Home Home Home Home Home Away
Opponent Lawndale High School Lawndale High School Ocean League Doubles Santa Monica High Santa Monica High Santa Monica High Brentwood High School
Home Away Home
Santa Monica High Brentwood High School CIF Team Playoffs