highlights
October 9, 2015 Volume 89, Issue 3 Beverly Hills High School Beverly Hills, California beverlyhighlights.com
Changes in construction plan guarantee parking Isaiah Freedman staff writer Sophia Goldberg staff writer The plan for the modernization of Beverly has been in a constant state of flux over the past month. That is about to change on Oct. 13, when the Board of Education will officially announce all changes in the modernization plan. These changes will likely answer many questions that students and faculty have regarding the campus. The original date for students to begin moving into cottages was Jan. 4, 2016, although the date and the number of classrooms moving could change, according to Principal David Jackson. “As of this moment, construction is still set to commence at the beginning of second semester, but there are still all sorts of contingencies. We are slowly on track,” Jackson said. The change that has garnered the most attention is that student and faculty parking will now be
available throughout the entire process of construction. “To ensure that my students have parking was obviously a big deal, one I really heard them loud and clear on, and one I expressed loud and clear to the board. I think the board has made a wise decision because having parking for students is a huge deal at a commuter high school,” Jackson said. “Doing [construction] in two phases makes it less of an upheaval and I think parking at any high school, especially for seniors, is a very big deal. ” As senior Jehman Williams explains, parking provides freedom and transportation for those that drive to school every day. “It’s super important to be able to park on campus. It allows me to drive to school, and have my own transportation. I also get my own convenient parking spot. I’m glad to know that the construction will not interfere with school parking. If it did, it would be an added stress to senior year and very inconvenient,” Williams
said. However there are still questions concerning the conditions that come with cottages. “There will still probably be, eventually, forty-ish cottages out there. The plan at this moment is that I will have to move around 20 classrooms into cottages over winter break. This is, of course, subject to change, but the plan is the first phase will only move 20 to 21 classes out there,” Jackson said. According to Jackson, the new plan is to first work on building B, then transition over to building A, and finally building C. Each time, they will switch classes in and out of the cottages and make sure parking is available for students and faculty the whole time. “So the plan is that we will have parking and we will start remodeling and construction of building B. Once we get that section of the school done, which should take about two years, we will flip flop and take kids out of the other section, move them over to the
The construction plan that hangs outside the K.L Peters Auditorium. Photo by: SOPHIA GOLDBERG cottages, and then start construction on building C, which will be a new gym with subterranean parking,” Jackson said. “Once we have that built and have parking for students and faculty, then they will take all of this down and the parking. That is the plan as of this moment, but that doesn’t mean it can’t change, since it has changed two or three times already.” A long and grueling three year
process is ahead for the students, faculty and administration. Jackson though, believes that the final product will definitely be worth all the hassle. “You are going to see a gorgeous, state-of-the-art high school with tremendous computer capabilities, better lighting, and much more. There will be some aches and pains getting there, but it will be a 21st century school,” Jackson said.
National Merit scholars recognized for scores Keith Stone staff writer Jamie Kim staff writer Three students were named National Merit Scholarship semifinalists and 18 students were listed as commended students this year. The three National Merit semifinalists were seniors Shawn Ahdout, Kevin Lee and Mary Yoo. Based on their scores from last year’s PSAT, current seniors who scored higher than a 222 out of 240 were automatically named National Merit Scholarship semifinalists. Those who scored over 202, but did not make the state cutoff score (California’s was 222), were named commended students. This year’s number of recognized students was very similar to last year’s. “It’s a minor difference [be-
tween last year’s and this year’s scores]. If you look at it, only a difference of a couple students. I think we had five or six [semifinalists] last year, but we have three semifinalists this year. We had 10 commended last year, but we have 18 commended this year. These commended students probably missed that semifinalist mark by a small mark, by like one point or something,” Dean of College Admissions Ah Young Chi said. Although almost every state has a different cutoff score, most states have a cutoff score above 205 and below 220 for students to be named semifinalists. However, California, in the second highest bracket, required students to get over a 222 on the PSAT to become semifinalists. “I think [the differences in state cutoff scores] happens because California is a state that empha-
INSIDE
sizes education and competition. The huge population that we have provides more students who score well. Even though I feel like it’s a good system to honor students from every state, I feel like it may be unfair to the students in California who perform very well but are not qualified due to the high cutoff score,” Yoo said. Students not only devoted their time on the test day of Oct. 15 for a little over two hours, but some of them prepared with tutors while others studied by themselves. “I did really well [on the PSAT] my freshman year. So, it was a motivation that I may be able to be a National Merit semifinalist. Taking practice tests definitely helped because I knew what to expect on the PSAT,” Yoo said. Some did not even prepare for the test, but only happened to take the PSAT because it was
NEWS
mandatory for all juniors. “My story is kind of unique. I went into the test not thinking much of it because I knew the only purpose was to qualify for the National Merit, and I thought there was no way I would get it because I hadn’t studied or prepped beforehand,” Adhout said. “I actually almost didn’t take it at all because I had a prior commitment that day. I would never have taken it unless it was paid for by the school and mandatory for juniors, so I really have the district and the school to thank for this program and providing this opportunity.” Semifinalists then have the choice to enter in the application process to be selected as a finalist. “If you go through the application process and you’re identified as a finalist, then you have opportunities to win scholarships,
CULTURE
either directly from colleges or from the National Merit Scholarship office. So, that’s a nice monetary benefit, but at this stage where you’re not a finalist yet but you’re marked as a semifinalist or as a commended student, during the college application process, you’re able to be mark that, which is somewhat of an honor because you did have a very high PSAT score,” Chi said. For the sophomores and juniors who will be taking the PSAT Wednesday, Oct. 14, Chi stressed the importance of this standardized test. “I think the PSAT is very important because it’s a way to see where you’re at. You need to take the SAT or ACT to get into most colleges. PSAT is a way to see how prepared you are for that, but it’s also a way to see how ready you are for college-level work,” Chi said.
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HIGHLIGHTS NEWS October 9, 2015
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Thousand Words Cafeteria conundrum Ben Shofet staff writer
The last of the four Blood Moon’s in our recent tetrad series occured on Sept. 28. The term Blood Moon is used to describe a total lunar eclipse. When the Earth casts its shadow on a full Moon and eclipses it, the Moon may get a red glow. Photo by: DAN MORAICA.
When the Beverly Cafe first opened its doors in 2011, the food was transformed completely. They offered freshly cooked meals by Beverly’s own culinary staff. However, after a few years the Cafe began feature lunches from popular local restaurants. According to food services manager Heather Oyamo, the Cafe has completely abandoned the process of importing food from restaurants. For example, the Fresh Brother’s pizza that once filled the shelves at the Cafe has now been replaced with the cafeteria’s own cooked pizza. “I don’t know all of the implications, but I feel that it’s a lot more fresh and better for the school. It’s a lot better than last
year. They are adding more and more foods, which provides for a lot more variety for the students,” junior Ryan Neydavood said. Senior Michael Barcohana, who eats at the cafeteria three times a week, holds very strong feelings against the cafeteria food. “The changes are terrible, now the food’s disgusting. They force us to stay for lunch. What am I gonna do, starve? I might as well eat something,” Barcohana said. While some may feel that the cafeteria serves “terrible” food, others feel there is a social stigma associated with the cafeteria. “People have often had a stigma, but it’s often an unwarranted stigma. If people actually sat down and ate in the cafeteria, they’d see their food is pretty good,” history teacher Dan Moroaica said.
Online decla(fake)tion of independence Keith Stone staff writer “Facebook is now a public entity. All members must post a note like this. If you prefer, you can copy and paste this version.” “If you do not publish a statement at least once it will be tactically allowing the use of your photos, as well as the information contained in the profile status updates.” “Now it’s official! It has been published in the media. Facebook has just released the entry price: £5.99 to keep the subscription of your status to be set to ‘private’.” Recently, newsfeeds all over the world have been flooded with posts like these. These posts are part of a scam that has been circulating the internet that Facebook has suddenly decided to offer a paid membership and is now able to publish users’ posts wherever
and whenever they want. First of all, Facebook has always had and will always have the right to post or repost the pictures and thoughts that people share on
their profiles. According to Facebook’s Terms and Conditions that every user must accept before getting a profile, “[Y]ou [the user] grant us [Facebook] a non-exclu-
sive, transferable, sub-licensable, royalty-free, worldwide license to use any IP content that you post on or in connection with Facebook.” The users who post sta-
tuses declaring their rights may want to read through the Terms and Conditions before they junk up their newsfeed with false information. They may want to se-
cure their privacy, but posting a short statement that shows their unwillingness to have their posts shared is not going to do it. This scam has showed up before in 2011 and will no doubt show up in the future, but Facebook has already taken steps to let the public know this is fake by posting a joking yet serious status on their page. No matter who shares this post, unless it is Facebook creator Mark Zuckerberg or Facebook itself, it is most likely a scam. Many of these posts may be full of complex legal jargon, using random treaties like the Rome Statute, which created the International Criminal Court in 2002, but these posts are phony and not to be believed. Lastly, if Facebook ever came with a price tag, why would this American company ever offer it in British pounds?
Reflects on move from Argentina to U.S.A. Jamie Kim staff writer Needless to say, Beverly has always been a home to a myriad of cultures. These ethnicities and the aspects that make them unique are prevalent in this community. As for one faculty member, she reflects on her immigration to the U.S. from the “Country of Contrast,” Argentina. The head of the textbook room, Marcela Orelo, decided to move to the U.S. with her family for a more successful life, with the American dream in mind, like many other immigrants. “[I decided to move from Argentina to the U.S.] because my husband got a job here, and we thought it was a great opportunity for my daughters. Because unfortunately, Argentina is a great country, but there was a lot a corruption, and there aren’t a lot of chances and opportunities like they have here,” Orelo said. But she also loved her life in Buenos Aires. “I had a lot of great experiences. I remember when I was in the last year of high school, my country was in war with England for some
islands in the south of Argentina. With my friends, I decided to join a group of volunteers that helped the soldiers sending food, clothes and a lot of different things that were necessary for them. It was sad, and it touched my heart because the soldiers were pretty much our age, and a lot of them died,” Orelo said. “For the people that know who is Pope Francis, years ago, when I was in school, he was a priest in my neighborhood. I am proud to say that he gave me my confirmation that is a Catholic ceremony, which is almost the same for the Jewish religion when they celebrate the bar mitzvah.” Her initial reaction upon her arrival in this vast country was a mixture of anticipation and homesickness. “When I first landed in the U.S.A., it was a bittersweet feeling, leaving all my friends and family in Argentina, but at the same time, I came with the dream that America would be the country that could give a lot of opportunities to my three daughters-- I was right. The excitement of thinking about a new life and new experi-
ences helped me a lot, and having three little daughters didn’t give me too much time to be sad and depressed,” she said. One of her first jobs was working as an instructional aide in BHUSD. However, she first became a teacher in her home coun-
“In this room, always, things happen. Every day, there is something new or special,” Orelo said. Photo by: JAMIE KIM. try a few years before. “For many years I thought I would study and become a doctor, but then I decided that considering one of my dreams was also to have a big family, I should study
something that gives me that chance to have more time for my kids. So, I decided to study to become a teacher,” Orelo said. She noticed similarities and differences between the Argentinian and the American education system. “Argentina’s system of education is an European system. In high school, we have 14 mandatory subjects every year, and we learn a lot about everything in the world. However, the classroom dynamic is very traditional compared to the one here. I remember when my oldest daughters (at that time they were in second and fourth grade in Horace Mann), they would tell me that they were so much happy, and they didn’t want to miss one day of school,” she explained. Even her position in the high school varies from her job in Buenos Aires. “[My current job] is a totally different job from the one that I had because in the one that I had, I had to work in a personal way with kids. In Argentina, I was a teacher. So, I was doing the same job as I was doing when I was
Highlights Print Guy Ginsberg and Sadie Hersh editors-in-chief
Isaiah Freedman, Sophia Goldberg, Lauren Hannani, Jamie Kim, Evan Minniti, Veronica Pahovoma and Keith Stone staff writers
Web 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
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. Highlights is sponsored by PTSA and BHEF.
CORRECTION: The article titled “R-U-N, what does that spell?” from Sept. 25 was not a news article, but was, in fact, an (sunlabeled) opinion article. In addition, we want to clarify that members of the cheer squad were only ever made to run one time. an instructional assistant [in the K-12 schools],” Orelo said. While she misses her family, friends, and food unique to the country, she still stays close to her Argentinian roots. “I like to study. I went back to school two years ago to get my certification as an interpreter. I like to interpret from Spanish to English, from English to Spanish,” Orelo said. Overall, though, Orelo does not regret moving here at all and is extremely grateful for the futures this country paved for her daughters. “One of my favorites things living in this country is that you just need to work hard and want something very much- that chances are for everybody and you can pursue your goals if you want!” Orelo said. “And as an immigrant, I will never forget the first day of school in Horace Mann when my daughters and I didn’t know English at all. Everyone in the schoolteachers, secretaries, students, etc.- were so nice and helped us so much. That showed us since the beginning how generous is this country.”
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HIGHLIGHTS OPINION OCTOBER 9, 2015
Some of our back habits are actually bad habits Sophia Goldberg staff writer Keith Stone staff writer
Weight-lifting may be an Olympic sport, but students should not be forced to participate due to overloaded backpacks. While many students use backpacks to carry their supplies around campus, this can cause serious health concerns in the present and the future. Most students have multiple classes throughout the day in which they need a textbook. To manage their class load, these students will end up carrying multiple textbooks around in a backpack, straining their shoulder, arm and back muscles. These daily struggles may help them get the grade they want, but this added weight may lead to serious back pain and posture issues. According to spinehealth.com, heavy backpacks deform the natural curves in the middle and lower back, causing muscle strain and irritation to the spine, joints and the rib cage. Heavy backpacks also can reduce the person’s balance. Wearing backpacks on one shoulder causes an uneven strain on
the back muscles, which can lead require the book every day. One students fill their normal-sized to the spine bending unnaturally. textbook is already a lot and with lockers as they are, and the large All of these will lead to back pain. every successive class, this pile will stacks of books students place in Most of it is their lockoften shorters now will term and not fit later. will go away Students will after a few end up havdays withing to carry out a heavy textbooks backpack,but that they curmost sturently put in dents need their lockers. these textAccording books every to the Ameriday. With no can Physialleviation of cal Therapy the constant Association, stress on a person their backs, should only this problem carry 15 permay become cent of their a long-term body weight. one. However, in M a n y Reorganizing the textbooks between her locker and her backpack, a student a 2009 study teachers at shows off her full locker of books and binders that she would otherwise have to c o n d u c t e d Beverly pro- carry around on her back. Photo by: SOPHIA GOLDBERG by a memvide their stuber of APTA dents with in-class copies of text- begin to stack up. and professor of physical therapy books or do not require the book This issue is just going to get at Simmons College Shelley Goodduring class. However, there is worse as Building B and Building A gold, 55 percent of her subjects caralso a large group of teachers that are remodeled. Even though small- ried more than the recommended does not have an in-class set, and er lockers will be available, many amount. Due to these results, it is
no shock that 75-85 percent of students will experience back pain in their lifetime. School is supposed to be about learning the humanities and sciences and how to use one’s brain, not about learning bad habits that will be harmful in the future. Although many people do lift weights for exercise, a career or just to look good, consistently carrying around a hefty backpack is not the way to go. Weight-lifting exercises like bicep-curls and bench pressing will lead to increased fitness and a more comfortable body, while staggering around, being slowly crushed under a dense backpack will lead to aches and pains that can last a lifetime. Now that we’ve got you scared, here’s what you can do: first off, lighten your load by taking out any nonessentials and leaving them at home. Additionally, using both shoulder straps, a crossbody bag, or tighter straps ensures that back pain does not start and worsen over time. Do yourself a favor and shave a couple pounds off your daily burden. You’d be surprised at how well your back will thank you.
Our beauty should not be measured by our BMI Lauren Hannani staff writer Since the 20th century, ultra skinny women have been hired to represent quintessential appearances, creating a terrible trend in which eating disorders and self disatisfaction have become popular. These models are beginning to reflect the perfect female body, when ironically they represent unhealthy, emaciated women that are the face of a million stores we see all the time. It’s not a surprise that models are required to fit under a certain range of body weight and height, or body mass index (BMI). Since the 1900s, overly thin women have
been chosen to represent the ideal body of females all over the world. However, a model’s BMI should not determine whether they make it to the runway or not. Beauty can be defined in many different ways, but underweight models with unhealthy BMIs should not be what millions of people around the world are striving to look like in order to be considered beautiful. Underweight models depict an unnecessary flawless image that many girls feel determined to match no matter how unrealistic the body might look. Most girls are already heavily pressured to fit into the skinniest pair of jeans; unhappiness with one’s weight is
nearly universal. According to UCLA’s statistical data, an average model’s BMI is 17.73 and an average supermodel’s BMI is 16.83. For clarity, an underweight BMI is 18.4 and lower, and a healthy BMI is anywhere from 18.5 to 24.9. So basically, the only image of women that people can look up to besides the people around them are super thin girls who have been forced to look a certain way in order to be hired. Like those models who have to fit under a standard size, women all over the world are pressured to fit into a small size to “fit in” or to “be accepted” by their community. Although BMI does not measure
the amount of fat or muscle, that is not an excuse for models to be required to have such low representations of their body mass. Thankfully, countries such as France, Spain, and Israel have banned models under a specific BMI to prevent their models from having BMI levels lower than those recommended by health authorities. According to CNN, Spain agreed in 2006 that “they want to project an image of beauty and health, rather than a waif-like, or heroin chic look.” The United States should have been the first country to make that decision; like Spain, we need to claim that the women we see representing every
shop are healthy, and truly love their body no matter how many pounds they read on the weight scale. We see models everywhere. Their bodies on a poster are practically the first thing that most people see as they enter a store. We need to bring an end to these underweight models to influence women to feel comfortable in their own bodies, and inspire confidence in those females around the world who are starving themselves to look like some anorexic women. We should hire models who love their bodies and feel amazing in whatever size they fit in. Those models will be truly beautiful.
What are we going to do with these presidential candidates? Guy Ginsberg staff writer The 2016 Presidential election is coming in a little over a year, and the campaigns are in full force. With a wide variety of candidates, ranging from seasoned politicians to billionaire entrepreneurs to established medical professionals, the pool is looking large and loud. However, when watching these candidates battle through the polls and debates (there is yet to be a democratic debate, but two republican ones), one thing is tremendously clear. Is this really the best we got? Remember George Washington, Abraham Lincoln, the Roosevelts or Kennedy? These are leaders who would take advantage of a presidential debate to exhibit their strength, knowledge and political ability, not bicker about each other’s looks or admit to their mothers that they tried marijuana 40 years ago. So all of this begs the question, what makes a good president?
First off, basic human morals. Sorry, Donald (not really). Second, a good campaign with proper funding and strategy is important for any candidate hoping to get a second look from voters, so if we haven’t heard of you yet, you’re probably lacking something. Sorry Lincoln Chafee (though you have a great name), Jim Webb, Lawrence Lessig (also a good name) and Jim Gilmore. Third, political experience is key. It’s very difficult to go from having no experience in federal, state or city government straight into being the most powerful person on Earth. Sorry Carly, Dr. Ben and Donald (not really). Fourth, we need to have someone we can trust in office, someone we know would never lie to us. Sorry Mrs. Clinton, we’ll send you an Evite to the inauguration (just don’t delete it). If you don’t understand what I mean when I remark on Clinton’s “sketchy” nature, I’m talking about
the infamous email scandal which has plagued and redefined her candidacy (the controversy even has it’s own Wikipedia page). The scandal is about Clinton’s use of a personal email to conduct govern-
it comes down to making tough decisions like whether or not to tell the truth (he lied about his parents fleeing Castro in Cuba). Ted Cruz has gone on record saying that he thinks Donald Trump is “terrific”. Need I say more? Bernie Sanders’ campaign focuses mostly on millennial social issues, and he tends to poll well with young liberals, but some of his ideas seem a little far-fetched, like making public college tuition essentially free in an effort to reduce out-of-college debt. He’s also a self-proclaimed democratic socialist, which probably won’t bode very well with the average American capitalist. New Jersey Governor Chris Christie’s campaign is looking far from healthy, with Republican voters calling him the second least supportable candidate after Trump. It’s going to be tough to get votes when you’re surrounded by such unwelcomed company. There’s also Mike Huckabee, but
“Ted Cruz has gone on record saying that he thinks Donald Trump is ‘terrific.’ Need I say more?” ment business during her time as Secretary of State. So, what about the other guys? Well, there’s Jeb Bush, who topped polls for months until he got trumped by Trump. His campaign showed promise until he allowed himself to turn into Donald’s personal floormat. Can we really expect the guy to stand up against Putin when he can’t even stand up against Donald The Immoral And Loud? There’s Marco Rubio, that Florida cutie we all love to pretend we love, but he won’t really cut it once
he’s more of a ballot/panel filler than a notable candidate. On voting day he’s likely to be glanced over. Ohio Governor John Kasich is well known for helping Obama expand Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act, the Lord Voldemort of Obama-era achievements in the eyes of strict conservatives. It’s gonna be hard for Republicans to look past that. Kentucky Senator Rand Paul’s stance on foreign policy could be described as somewhat isolationist, and as most of us know from U.S. History class, we can’t really do that anymore. So looking at the whole picture, it seems less developed than it should be at this time in the race. We’re a year from the start of a very important race at a very important time in our history. We as a nation need to look around and find out what we collectively need to help our country grow, because this group of candidates is looking pretty grim.
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HIGHLIGHTS SPOTLIGHT OCTOBER 9, 2015
Isabel Hacker
Shedding Light on the Election Jamie Kim staff writer A new face to the board of education election, Isabel Hacker is running on a four-point plan “for a new direction for BHUSD.” “I am running because we need new school board members who will bring leadership and fresh perspective. Beverly Hills is smart and caring community, and we have all the available resources to make this district great. I am committed to working collaboratively to craft solutions and make our children’s education the focus of my efforts,” Hacker said. Aside from being a parent in the community, she has undertaken numerous leadership roles to help voice her opinions.
“I have been involved in our school community since my children became students in this district. I have served in multiple capacities: Horace Mann PTA Community Service VicePresident and Parliamentarian, Beverly Hills PTA Council Treasurer and Reflections Chair, Hawthorne PTA Vice President of Communications and Site Council Member and former member of the Citizens’ Oversight Committee. In addition, I have over a decade of experience in public education,” Hacker said. In this election she and the other candidates have agreed to respect one another’s campaigns.
“From the very start, it was important for me to define my campaign clearly; therefore, my first ‘friends and neighbors letter’ and website let people know that I wanted to run an ‘open and positive campaign,’ ” Hacker said. “Furthermore, we all agreed that we would all be respectful of other campaigns and our community. I am fortunate to have a large and diverse group that is dedicated to our schools and our community.” If elected to a spot on the board of education, Hacker pledges “to be an informed and independent voice for our students and for this community.”
the Next Hundred Years Committee, which is looking at expanding opportunities for all residents. “I’ve breathed education my entire life, from experiencing two diverse high schools when growing up, making half a dozen awardwinning educational films, working for the top news organizations around the world, teaching at the college level and volunteering at Moreno HS, I’ve directed and co-wrote 74 lessons on pre-algebra, and have 16 apps that teach middle school math,” Hall said. Hall has many plans for the future of the dis-
trict if re-elected to the Board. “I’d like to increase revenue – possibly by developing the district’s property, bringing foreign language to elementary grades, bringing back reading specialists so every student is reading at grade level by second grade, letting all students have the ability to attend college, evaluating out all ineffective teachers, increasing the professional development of teachers to help them become better instructors and mentors, making our schools safer by bringing back SROs in some form, eliminate the Metro problem,” Hall said.
Lewis Hall
Sophia Goldberg staff writer Lewis Hall is running for reelection on Nov. 3. He originally joined the Board of Education in 2011. Hall ran for the Board of Education because of the problems he saw at Beverly. “I care deeply for the students here. They don’t have the rights that an adult has and I want to be their advocate. I want to continue to help the District move forward, and I now have the experience to continue this progress,” Hall said. In the past, before working on the Board, Hall worked in many different fields, from directing to teaching. He is also a member of
Carter Paysinger
Noah Margo
Lauren Hannani staff writer As a current member of the School Board, Noah Margo is running for reelection to accomplish his goals of improving every student’s experience at school. Margo decided to run again in order “to complete the positive work” that he has started with his colleagues, and to help make more accomplishments in the education and construction program. One of his main goals continues to focus on the students and their success. “That’s what a school district should inevitably be about: the students and their achieve-
Sadie Hersh co-editor-in-chief ments, whatever they are. Whether it’s getting into a really good school or getting an athletic scholarship or winning a national culinary contest. So as far as accomplishments, if we get the district back to that on a daily basis, I’ve done my job,” Margo said. Margo believes that the district should only promote a positive direction toward students and he wants his campaign to be positive as well. “I’m not attacking, I’m not defending; I’m just focusing on my solutions, my ideas, what I have done, and what I want to do. Everything
about a school should be positive. There are issues and problems to be worked out, but there are people in place to work those out,” Margo said. Margo is determined to make a solutionbased process in which their focusis on the students’ experience. He hopes to make a difference in the Board by making a solutionbased process focused on issues if reelected for his second term. “I always feel like those who can, should, and that’s why I ran the first time and that’s why I’m still going for it again,” Margo said.
ensure that the only money spent by the school board is money that will benefit the students and schools before anything else. Paysinger has witnessed the effects of the School Board and will bring to the board many sweeping policy changes. These changes will allow “administrators to do their jobs without interference or micromanaging,” Paysinger said. Paysinger is not only endorsed by influential groups like the Beverly Hills Chamber of Commerce’s Leadership PAC and BHEA, but he is also supported closer to home. Paysinger was initially convinced to run be-
cause his “wife inspired [him] to run for a seat on the BH Board of Education. We both felt like I had the experience to help move our district in the run direction,” Paysinger said. He and his family also have very deep ties to the community with Paysinger and his three brothers and three nephews having graduated from Beverly and his two nieces currently attending Beverly Vista. If elected he plans to restore the reputation of the school district and make Beverly Hills schools a place where “each and every one of our students [has] the absolute best opportunity to succeed.”
and the other was [in Cleveland]. So I know how a school should be... And it is a far cry from how it is today,” Spitz said. Spitz believes that BHUSD schools do not provide the best possible education, and that the school board has used too much resources focusing on legal problems and not the students. “The school boards…have not been concentrating on the educational program. They spend too much time focusing on legal fees, lawsuits, and other things that aren’t even remotely connected with the educational program… [there have been] millions of dollars
that have been spent on legal fees and consulting fees that are unrelated to the academic program. If you count the last three years, it is twenty six million dollars!” Spitz said. Spitz also believes that the Board is too powerful. “The superintendent is supposed to be the chief executive officer, he’s is supposed to be running the district, running the schools, responsible for them. But, this school board believe that they are the chief executive officer. And there is not a single one of them that’s really capable or trained and experienced in being a superintendent.”
Keith Stone staff writer After college, a young Carter Paysinger came back and served BHUSD as a teacher, coach, athletic director, department chairperson, assistant principal and principal for 36 years. Now, he is running to be a School Board Member because he feels he is best suited to leadership. “With my experience, vision and ability to work with people, I’m confident that I can help restore the Beverly Hills School Board to its once prominent place as a leading school district in California and the United States,” Paysinger said. He plans to do this by developing a plan to
Mel Spitz
Evan Minniti staff writer Mel Spitz, is now running once again for this public office. Spitz’s campaign focuses primarily on spending the public’s money on improving the conditions at BHUSD schools and not on expensive lawsuits, which he believes the current school board caused. When Spitz first served on the Board of Education, 1970-1979, the BHUSD was among the top school districts in America. “...At that time, Beverly Hills schools were among the best in the nation… and there were maybe two other school districts in the country that could be considered the very finest in the country. One of the them was [in Chicago]
Elections highlight school board importance Isabel Hacker, Lewis Hall, Noah Margo, Carter Paysinger and Mel Spitz… these are all familiar names to many of us because we see signs with their names on the lawns of our neighbors. These five candidates are running for three available seats on the school board in the coming election on Nov. 3. As students, it is easy to overlook the impact that the school board has on our day-to-day life at Beverly, but it is important that we understand the role they play. So, what does the board do? The school board’s mission statement states their goal is to “inspire and empower each student to achieve academic excellence, embrace social and individual responsibility, and lead with integrity.” These decisions can range from voting on issues that involve a school department or class, to something as big as the rebuilding of the four lower schools and the high school. Most decisions, whether
you notice them or not, have probably been voted on and/or approved by the school board. In addition to providing us with a safe and inspiring academic atmosphere, the board has final control over the budget for each school. One of the financial decisions the board recently made was regarding the institution of the Measure E bond, which funds the construction project taking place at Beverly next semester, in addition to construction projects already begun at the K-8 schools. Meetings are held twice a month for the board to discuss issues that have been brought up within the community. It was at these meetings where they discussed whether we will have parking during second semester due to the construction (which we will). Our bell schedule has also been a previous topic of discussion in these meetings. But by far, the most pressing issue is completing construction at all five of the school district’s campuses. This is a huge undertaking, and there’s a lot at stake with
this election, as this massive project will shape the future of our schools. Many residents are interested in what the candidates stand for and why they are running. That is why it is important to be knowledgeable about each candidate, what they stand for and what they plan to do for our schools. Even though few current Beverly students are able to vote, Beverly is given a student representative on the board to give the student body a voice and allow any issues we have to be brought into the discussion. Our current acting student board member is senior Shawn Ahdout. “As student board member, I am given a lot of opportunity to make the student voice heard. I sit on the panel with the five adult board members at every meeting and I make a report at the beginning of every meeting regarding what is happening on campus. Then, when every item is being discussed and voted on, I partake in the discussions and have a vote (which does not count), but helps
show the student opinion on the matter,” Ahdout said. After meetings, Ahdout shares the information with the students both in ASB meetings and on his blog, bhusdsbm. blogspot.com. The blog consists of all of the important decisions made by the board that students should be aware of, with the most recent post discussing the news about parking during the second semester. Along with Ahdout’s blog, the board meetings can be watched on KBEV and live-streamed on the school board’s website. The board impacts everything that students experience each day. Because of this, it is important to be in the know and share your thoughts. Being vocal with either Ahdout or at board meetings is a way to get involved and be heard. The coming election will bring change to our community that we will see for years to come. Students should care about this election because this determines who will make the choices for all of the District’s schools.
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HIGHLIGHTS CULTURE OCTOBER 9, 2015
#TGIT: The scandalous Shondaland TV takeover Juliette Deutsch co-editor-in-chief Sadie Hersh co-editor-in-chief Whether you are into medicine, politics or law, Shonda Rhimes has your attention every Thursday night. Die-hard fans of the Shondaland trifecta (“Grey’s Anatomy,” “Scandal” and “How to Get Away With Murder”) want to understand what makes Rhimes’ shows as popular as they have become. Rhimes has created three elaborate plot lines with three dynamic female leads. As a viewer gets sucked into the drama, there is a feeling of a personal connection made with each character. Once Rhimes has your attention, she takes you on her roller coaster of emotions as she creates complicated love triangles, heart-wrenching deaths and unsolved murders. The pattern her shows have developed exhibits a strong beginning with a coherent and elaborate
plot that slowly falls off from its original path and becomes too absorbed in the drama of individual characters, and less about the overall drama. Rhimes has 12 seasons of “Grey’s Anatomy,” five seasons of “Scandal” and two seasons of “How to Get Away with Murder” under her belt and shows no sign of stopping. Over the years, fans have become emotionally invested in the shows to the point where they may think the show has lost its spark, but continue to watch because there is a need to know what happens to their favorite characters. After the dramatic end to season
11 of Grey’s Anatomy, fans were left asking, “What’s next for season 12?” According to the New
The last season of Scandal was not worth watching at all as the plot line of the show completely diminished with the kidnapping of Olivia Pope (Kerry Washington) at the end of season three. However, at the end of the season we were drawn back in due to the revival of the relationship between Fitz (Tony Goldwyn) and Olivia. As Rhimes begins to venture into her second season of How to Get Cartoon by: SADIE HERSH. Away With MurYork Post, “The emotional episode der, she uses the same techniques generated 620,000 tweets about of attracting her audience as she ‘Grey’s Anatomy.’” These tweets has with her other two shows. The prove the fan loyalty Rhimes has season starts with a detailed piece built over the years. of the story that slowly connects
with the overall plot. This zoomedin beginning keeps fans on the edge of their seats throughout the show. Rhimes has made a brand for herself with the help of social media accounts. She created #TGIT (thank God it’s Thursday) on Twitter, and takes over her audience’s Thursday nights to fill them with the latest drama in Meredith Grey (Ellen Pompeo), Olivia Pope and Annalise Keating’s (Viola Davis) lives. Along with her Twitter takeover, Rhimes also has created a Snapchat account for her shows, along with specific emojis for them, to keep her viewers invested. At this point in her shows, Rhimes feels a need to draw her fans back every Thursday night because they are only watching to see what is going to happen next, not because of the original reasons they started the show.
‘Black Mass’ shines Ode to our favorite sponge Evan Minniti staff writer There are a number of things people never want to see in their lifetimes, like the cold, angry homicidal gaze of Johnny Depp’s James ‘’Whitey’’ Bulger. *Shudder* Scott Cooper directs ‘’Black Mass’’, a chilling crime drama about Bulger and the Winter Hill Gang. In the 1970s and 1980s, blood stained the streets of Boston as Bulger ruthlessly rose in criminal power. Every time the FBI thought it had a reliable source against him, one of its own agents, John Connolly, played wonderfully by Joel Edgerton, would dismiss them as uncredible and have them thrown back onto the violent streets. As time would tell, Connolly was protecting Bulger, exchanging a blind eye from the FBI for information from Bulger on the Italian Mafia. Depp delivers a masterful performance, perfectly navigating
Bulger’s sickening personality, especially his ability to coldly calculate his next, often bloody decision. In addition to Depp and Edgerton, the film features a supporting cast that includes Benedict Cumberbatch, Dakota Johnson, Corey Stoll and Peter Saarsgard. All these actors use spot-on Bostonian accents and despite some of them only having limited screen time, are all enjoyable to watch. With all this being said, in total, the film is 122 minu t e s long, which is surprisPhoto by: EVAN MINNITI ingly short compared to other crimedramas. By comparison, Martin Scorsese’s ‘’The Departed’’, which is a fictionalized version of the same story, is 151 minutes long. Despite the fact that the movie would benefit from being longer, it is still a great movie, and I strongly suspect will be one of my favorites of the year.
Veronica Pahomova cartoonist Are you ready kids? The French know him as Bob l’eponge. Germany rattles with excitement for Spongebob Schwammkopf. Even Israel’s citizens tune in to watch Bobsfog Michnasmeruba. In America, however, we know this international invertebrate as Spongebob Squarepants. Under the sea, in the depths of Bikini Bottom, lies a pineapple resident and his pet snail. We all know his name, but do we know the revolutionary significance that lies within each tenminute episode? Not only is this friendly, loving sponge a joy to watch, but this Nickelodeon series has raised all of the standards for average children’s television shows and the culture of major characters in general. Most of the thanks goes to Stephen Hillenburg, the marine bi-
ologist and creator of our beloved sea creature. Not only is he the founder of a show that has been running for almost 16 years- airing its first episode on May 1, 1999but he is also the cause for fuel that started the campfire of affection in
severe questions of Hillenburg’s expected knowledge of marine biology, there is no question as to why this series has grossed over $140 million worldwide. The truth is: Spongebob Squarepants is one of the most memorable ongoing children’s cartoons in this generation. Even some of the most memorable shows of the 90’s, like Powerpuff Girls, Teen Titans and Dexter’s Laboratory for instance, are all masked underneath the shadow of this marine majesty. Where would any of us be without the knowledge provided by underwater poriferan? The current understanding of things like of wumbology, the instrumental role mayonnaise does not play and P.O.O.P., has morphed the children of the late 90s into the sensibly humored young adults they are today. Overall, should the reCartoon by: JAMIE KIM spect of this charismatic our hearts. sponge and his team of friends be Though the scientific accuracy raised higher than it already is? the show contains might lead to The answer: aye aye, captain.
Fact or Fiction
There are countless rumors out there concerning school. Some are just misconceptions while others are true! Find out which are true or false by filling out this quiz! For answers, check page 7. 1. If your teacher doesn’t arrive to class 15 minutes before the bell rings, all students are excused for the rest of class. Fact
or
Fiction
2. Athletic teams do not have to run if it is 95 degrees or higher. Fact
or
Fiction
3. Applying chapstick on a scantron will cause all of the answers to be read as correct. Fact
or
Fiction
Graphic by: Isaiah Freedman
7
SAT, ACT--Get Best Score! 1:1 IN HOME WWW.THESTARTINGEDGE.COM 818-935-6053 Snapchat doesn’t last forever, but...
YEARBOOKSdo!
Don’t delay! Buy your Watchtower yearbook today
www.jostensyearbooks.com From page 6: Answer Key: Fact or Fiction? 1. Fiction 2. Fact 3. Fiction
HIGHLIGHTS OCTOBER 9, 2015
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HIGHLIGHTS SPORTS OCTOBER 9, 2015
Girls varsity volleyball prepares to defeat Lawndale Lauren Hannani staff writer Since day one, the girls varsity volleyball team has been practicing every day after school to perfect their skills on the court. Today, they prepare to win against Lawndale High School, which they did not have much conflict defeating in the past. Last year, varsity won both games against Lawndale, at Beverly and away. “Usually, we win. They are not our strongest opponent, but we still need to work hard. In the past, they weren’t a strong athletic team. They’re not as strong as SAMO or El Segundo or Culver City,” opposite hitter Maytal Sarafian said. For this upcoming game, the team is looking forward to testing their teamwork and individual skills as they come together to
move closer to making the play- the energy up the whole time and We split up into offense and deoffs. make them make the mistakes. We fense so we can work on specific “I think we will be successful work hard on the things we need to things more,” captain Sara Neiin playing them because we have work on in practice and just drill it man said. experience, we As well as work hard, we benefiting work together, from their and hopefully strong skills, that will put us the team also above them,” has good team outside hitter chemistry Carina Massana while aiming said. to defeat their Beverly’s goal opponents. in keeping mis“We’re all takes to a minifriendly to mum will be one another; important for we all respect tonight’s game, each other. something they We respect have been when we’re working on in The girls varsity volleyball team huddles together as they score a point durtrying to give practice. each other ing their practice game. Photo by: LAUREN HANNANI. “We keep our advice; we errors to a minimum and keep over and over until we get it right. don’t fight back or anything. We
5 key storylines for NBA season Isaiah Freedman staff writer Another NBA season is finally upon us! After months away from the best the game has to offer, opening day is right around the corner, with tipoff between the Cavaliers and the Bulls coming Oct. 27th on TNT. Here are some major storylines to keep your eye on for the upcoming campaign. Everything Rosy in Chicago Actually, not so much. The Bulls, desperately trying to bow their heads and stay out of the headlines, have once again failed to do so. Starting small forward Mike Dunleavy Jr. will miss the first month of the season due to back surgery. Former MVP point guard Derrick Rose, the one with the twigs for legs, sustained a left orbital fracture after being elbowed by a teammate. Rose also claims that he is “already looking forward to free agency”, and is is currently dealing with a civil suit stemming from rape charges. Not to mention, Bulls starting center Joakim Noah looked like he was running in tar throughout all of last season, and at 31-years-old, Noah is exhausted after years of being run into the ground by previous Coach Tom Thibodeau. But don’t worry, everything is rosy! Thunder Buddies For Life? Anybody who follows the NBA is aware that Kevin Durant is an unrestricted free agent after this season. This narrative will be hanging over the entire organization and fanbase like a cloud over a disgruntled cartoon character. If the injury bug bites the Thunder again this season (Durant missed 55 games due to injury last year), and they miss the playoffs for a second consecutive year, the chances of Durant staying will plummet like the Chinese stock market. On the other hand, this is a team, when injury-free, that is one of the most dangerous squads in the NBA. Spearheaded by Durant and cosuperstar Russell Westbrook, the Thunder have realistic title expectations for 2016. It will also be fascinating to watch everyone overreact to every little word Durant
utters regarding his free agency.
Clippers Finally For Real? Lakers fans, and pretty much everyone else on the planet would laugh at this question, yet it must be pondered. After humiliating playoff ousters over the past few seasons, the Clippers have yet to make it past the second round. On the other hand, the team made some great offseason acquisitions, such as holding onto DeAndre Jordan in peculiar fashion, as well as signing NBA champion Paul Pierce, athletic, yet crazy small forward Lance Stephenson and crafty power forward Josh Smith. Finally equipped with a lineup deep enough to play small-ball, head coach and “general manager of making ill-advised trades” Doc Rivers should be able to coax a top three offense out of this team. If
Cartoon by: VERONICA PAHOMOVA. Blake Griffin, Chris Paul and Co. can finally solve the playoff puzzle, watch out. Of course, the Clippers could always just lay another egg in the postseason. Lakers Ready for Return to Showtime? The Los Angeles Lakers trudged through a miserable drek last season, en route to a 21-61 record. Spoiled fans of the team were wax-
ing poetic about how unfortuitous their precious Lakers were, how it was inconceivable for a team to put up two straight clunkers for a season. A message to those people: try being a 76ers fan. The Lakers have some possible silver linings to show for those two years in power forward Julius Randle as well as guards DeAngelo Russell and Jordan Clarkson, yet they are all inexperienced and huge question marks. If folks are starting to talk themselves into the team being competent this year, they should just remember that the Lakers employ all three of Nick Young, Lou Williams and Metta World Peace. Having too many shot-munchers damages chemistry and disrupts the flow of the game for the whole team. Defense is also a huge question mark considering Roy Hibbert is the only player on the team that merits any faith on that end of the court. Remember, this is the same player, at 7’2, who was unable to grab a single rebound over three straight games last season. Overall, this team just does not fit together. Look for The Lakers and Clippers to move even farther in opposite directions. 2016 Finals Prediction: Thunder vs Cavs Last year’s championship was very entertaining, yet there was an air of what could have been regarding the absence of Kevin Love and Kyrie Irving. In response to those injuries, coach David Blatt decided he would simply play six players the rest of the series, and run Lebron into the ground. That strategy resulted in all of his players to be drained of all energy, ultimately ending in a loss. Well, that is how the 2015 Finals went. Fast-forward one year later, and it still might be the Cavs vying for the championship, except this time they won’t be playing the small-ball happy Warriors. I believe the Oklahoma City Thunder will represent the Western Conference in the 2016 Finals. It will be the two best players in the game going head to head, along with Kyrie Irving, Kevin Love, Russell Westbrook and Serge Ibaka along for the ride. Buckle up, because the timer starts...NOW!
accept it,” Massana said. Although their daily practices have improved their team effort, the team hopes to achieve more goals for their game against Lawndale. “I obviously hope to win, maybe keep it down to three games out of five, maybe get some nice hits, good blocks, talk to our defense,” Sarafian said. “This year, we’ve been working on moving to the ball and getting some nice hits, so I think we’ve improved in that. That’s something I’m proud of.” Overall, the girls varsity volleyball team has big hopes for their upcoming game against Lawndale, which will take place at Lawndale High School at 3:15 p.m. today. “We work hard every day, and it pays off when we play them and beat them. I am confident we will win and play hard the entire time,” Neiman said.
Fall Sports Schedule: October
Varsity Football: Date 10/9 10/16 10/23 10/30
Time 7:00 PM 7:00 PM 7:00 PM 7:00 PM
Place Home Away Away Home
Opponent El Segundo Hawthorne Lawndale SAMO
Girls Varsity Volleyball: Date 10/9 10/13 10/15 10/20 10/22 10/28
Time 3:15 PM 3:15 PM 3:15 PM 2:30 PM 3:15 PM 3:15 PM
Place Away Home Home Away Away Home
Opponent Lawndale SAMO Culver City El Segundo Hawthorne Lawndale
Boys Varsity Water Polo: Date 10/9 10/13 10/21 10/23 10/27 10/29
Time 3:00 PM 3:00 PM 3:00 PM 3:00 PM 4:00 PM 3:00 PM
Place Away Away Home Away Home Home
Opponent Culver City SAMO Torrance El Segundo Culver City SAMO
Girls Varsity Tennis: Date Time 10/13 2:30 PM 10/15 2:30 PM 10/20 2:30 PM 10/22 2:30 PM 10/26 2:30 PM 10/28 TBA 10/29 11:00 AM
Place Away Home Away Home Away Home Home
Opponent SAMO Culver City El Segundo SAMO Culver City Ocean League Singles Ocean League Doubles
Place Away Away Away
Opponent Santa Clarita Invitational Ocean League Cluster #2 Mt. Sac Invitational
Cross Country: Date Time 10/10 8:00 AM 10/15 2:30 PM 10/23 10:00 AM