highlights Volume 85, Issue One
Today Well Lived
Inside... Beverly Café redefines cafeteria food Page 3 Year of the Neman Page 5 Exclusive: “Entourage”’s Adrian Grenier Page 10
September 23, 2011
2 news New superintendent Dr. Woods operates with an optimistic outlook Julia Waldow Centerfold Editor Beverly Hills Unified School District’s (BHUSD) new superintendent, Dr. Gary Woods, has been chosen to lead the district for the 2011-2012 school year. Woods replaced former superintendent Richard Douglas. As a former superintendent of San Marino County School District, Woods hopes that his experience will enable him to keep the district running smoothly. “I have very high expectations of our schools and I’m going to work incredibly hard to make sure they’re in the best possible position in terms of their own success and reaching their own goals,” Woods said. “Many of our families are sacrificing to live here because they want their kids to receive a great education. Beverly Hills has a great history and a very solid program, and the community gets it,” Woods continued. Woods even enrolled his kids in the district because he is “confident that [his] kids, like every kid in Beverly Hills that goes to our schools, will be given every opportunity to maximize their potential.” Throughout the months of July and August, Woods conducted a 90-day listening tour in which he interviewed various community members about their experiences in the district.
PHOTO COURTESY OF PAM KRAUSHAAR
His three main questions, inquired as to what he needed to know about the BHUSD, what actions he should take and what the interviewee would do in his place, allowed him to create a plan for this school year. “My main priority is the core practice [of] good teaching and good learning,” Woods said. “We all have the responsibility to do our best and to be committed to this idea of excellence. Everything we do as a district has to be simplified, strategic, and understandable. We need to write it,
say it, and practice it.” Woods believes that it is crucial for the school community to cooperate in order to achieve higher API scores and wider recognition. “You have to have teachers that are working to the same end and you have to have students that are engaged and committed to excellence in the three As of academics, arts and athletics,” Woods said. “Those three can create a kid that is well rounded and who will have the skill set to challenge our international competitors.” Woods wants students to succeed in the district so they can contribute positively to society after high school. “I want students to be able to launch themselves from the high school to whatever direction they choose to go,” Woods said. “The more prominent we can become on the national scale, the better choices you have to go to the colleges and careers that you want.” Woods believes that developing relationships with top universities will help increase the number of Beverly graduates who attend four-year universities. “The competitive colleges have to know us by name and they have to know us individually,” Woods said. By working with teachers and students throughout the district to achieve a level of academic, athletic, and artistic superiority, Woods hopes to make this next year a successful and positive one in BHUSD.
Students succeed in increasing API Brenda Mehdian Staff Writer Beverly’s Academic Performance Index (API) has escalated from 839 to 873, an increase of 34 points. This jump has secured Beverly’s place as one of the top public high schools in California. Scores in all major subjects improved. The score in the mathematics department grew by 3.9 percent, English learners advanced 5.2 percent, and social studies scores increased by 8.2 percent. The science department had the greatest improvement, with an elevation of nine percent. Many teachers were elated by the rise in the API. “We’ve been working hard and it’s nice to see the scores go up,” science teacher Emily Smith said. Last year, after receiving lower scores on the 2010 standardized test than previous
years, the administration set out to make sure that Beverly would produce higher scores in 2011. A series of new methods were implemented to encourage students to take the tests seriously. “A big part of it was making people aware of the importance of the test,” Asisstant Principal Toni Staser said. Assemblies were planned to exhibit what was to come if the API scores kept decreasing and stood as a motivator for the student body to try harder on the tests. All around school posters were hung to display Beverly’s score compared to other local schools. “I think the assemblies, school spirit and the effort that ASB and administration put into raising our API scores really helped motivate the school to do better and take them seriously,” junior Megan Yee said. In addition, parking priorities and front
of the line passes, which can be used in the cafeteria to avoid long lines, were offered to those who scored exceptionally well on the tests or showed improvement. “The parking priority was a good motivator,” senior Tiffany Yadegar said. “What really made me want to do well was the front of the line pass, I hate waiting in those long lines everyday at nutrition or lunch,” sophomore Mathew Mokhtarzadeh added. The school plans on continuing these methods to keep the scores on an incline and on the road to further imprvement. “We will be updating the posters, but we want to include more information about the growth of other schools as well,” Staser said. In addition, individual students who showed growth in their API will be recognized by the administration in an assembly on October 4.
FROM THE PRINCIPAL’S DESK
Welcome Back! I hope you had an excellent summer and are ready for an outstanding 2011-2012 school year. I am extremely excited about the opportunity for us to continue our drive to be the best. Our commitment to academic excellence, an extraordinary array of programs and an unrelenting desire to offer our students the absolutely best opportunity to succeed continues to be our trademark. The tremendous support of our parents, community and city allows our students to enjoy an excellent educational experience. Our improved API score is an indication of the commitment of our staff and students to be the best. Our curriculum is now based completely on the University of California requirements and our rigor
is second to none. The accomplishments of our alumni over the years are a clear indication of how well our students are prepared. The programs offered at Beverly continue to be wide ranging and deep in quality. Performing Arts, Athletics, Robotics, Academic Decathlon and Service Learning are just some of the outstanding programs offered on our campus. We truly believe that we have something for everyone and we strongly encourage all of our students to participate in our extracurricular activities. This year in fact, one of our site goals is related to helping all of our students to better connect with our school through clubs and other activities. The pride, tradition and dedication of
our school community are stronger than ever. Our Education Foundation, PTSA and Alumni Associations continue to play a major role in our overall success. As the Principal of Beverly Hills High School, I believe that we have an outstanding staff, excellent students and unwavering support groups. Our desire and drive to provide our students with the best possible education should never be compromised. These continue to be inspiring times for everyone associated with Beverly Hills High School and we look forward to a fantastic 2011-2012 school year. Sincerely, Carter Paysinger
September 23, 2011 Highlights
Quick Reads Residency papers determine re-enrollment in the district This year’s enrollment of Beverly students has been filtered through residency papers to consist only of students living within the vicinity of Beverly Hills. Although the documents were questioned by some, many administrators agree that they were a successful way in determining which students were allowed to go to the schools in BHUSD and which students were falsely claiming their residency within the city. “We were able to catch students who were not enrolled within the district and who did not live in Beverly Hills. Those students were dropped from enrollment last year during the second semester,” House A secretary Andre Law said. In fact, as of March 31, 2011, 63 BHUSD students had already been kicked out of the district and forced to attend schools in their neighborhood. Adding to those who were dropped were several Beverly Hills residents who did not send back their residency papers to the district by the end of the school year. Despite the effectiveness of the residency papers last year, Law said the district is still unsure of whether or not they will become an annual sight for students. “We are currently uncertain about sending these out again this year,” Law remarked. The documents were sent in October of last year to each BHUSD student and were expected to be sent back to the district schools by mid-December. They requested several forms of evidence including property tax bills and utility bills which verified a student’s eligibility of attending a school within the district. The reason for the new requirements was due to the district’s adjustment to a Basic Aid district. State funding became dependent on local tax revenues instead of students’ attendance. Consequently, the number of students attending the district no longer affects the amount of funding BHUSD is given. Candice Hannani
Board of Educaton candidates discuss priorities for the city The Beverly Hills Education Foundation (BHEF) and PTSA Council co-hosted a panel for the Board of Education candidates at City Hall on Wednesday, Sept. 14. Frances Bilak, Dr. Brian David Goldberg, Lewis Hall and Andy Licht, faced eight pre-submitted questions from the public, moderated by former Parks and Recreation Commissioner Kathy Rothner. Each candidate had the chance to make an opening and closing statement. The candidates opined on topics ranging from the difference between the role of the superintendent and that of the board to special programs in the district. They were largely in agreement on most issues, including the unified stance against the MTA tunnel under Beverly, but were divided on the implementation of Measure E funds and the long-term future of technology in the district. Goldberg stressed “accountability, transparency, [and] oversight” as keys to the success of the board. The (CONTINUED ON PAGE 3)
3 news
September 23, 2011 Highlights
Quick Reads (CONTINUED FROM PAGE 2) are commited to restricting the board’s role in the district to policy-making, letting new superintendent Dr. Gary Woods execute the policy.” Rothner posed an audience-submitted additional question regarding the renewal of the VENOCO oil well contract. The entire panel stood against the renewal of the contract, but the candidates offered alternatives. “We are obligated to hold this lease until 2016; we then have five and a half years to find alternative revenue resources,” Hall said. Neighboring residents and the district receive over a million dollars in revenue from the oil drilling. Bilak recommended studying slant drilling and other means of less-intrusive extraction, but stated that as “our campus is drastically undersized, it would be welcome to have that land.” On Wednesday, Sept. 21, Licht withdrew from the race, citing time commitment concerns. This leaves three candidates for three open positions. The election is still scheduled to take place on Nov. 8. Mallika Sen
Parking Enforcement Tightens Among the changes implemented at Beverly this year is a change in parking enforcement. Every year, Beverly students have been given designated parking spots upon purchase of a permit. However, most ignored the rule, especially since there were no consequences for breaking it. This year, the administration will check that students are parking in their given spaces. “We are going to start checking this week for [cars parked in] the right parking spaces. The consequences are ticketing and after several warnings, towing,” House B Secretary Michelle Buckley said. Parking enforcement will check at random times����������������������������� in order to ensure that students park in their permanent spots every day. With the new security safety restrictions, Lot A appears to be less popular to the students when compared to previous years. Because the gate from the main building to the swim gym is locked during school hours, the students do not have easy access to their cars during passing period. “It’s a little annoying how you have to walk around the swim gym to get to your car. But then again, there is no traffic when you leave the lot. There are pros and cons of parking in Lot A,” senior Nick Marmureanu said. “At times when I forget my homework in my car, I do not have enough time to get to my next class on time because of the closed fenced gate. The new parking enforcement and laws are inconvenient, something that I did not have to deal with the years before,” senior Parmida Mahrou added. Even though some students are currently unsatisfied with these new changes, they were created to keep the school safe and orderly.
Hae Lee
The cafeteria undergoes a renovation that brings in more student customers and higher quality food. ALEX MENACHE
Beverly Café spices up cafeteria Celine Hakimianpour Staff Writer With a new school year comes a new change: the new Beverly Café (BC). The cafeteria not only offer a variety of foods including pastas, pizzas, paninis, noodles, wraps and salads, but the atmosphere of the new cafeteria is liked by many students. The food seems to have improved from last year as well. Students stand in lines that jut out from the cafeteria just to get a taste of the new food the BC has to offer. “The line might be really long, but the food is great so it’s worth it to me,” sophomore Nicole Mehdian said. Although the environment and the food has altered, the prices aren’t so different from last year. The cost ranges from $2.75 - $5.75. Many have questioned the costs of the remodeling, but Principal Carter Paysinger claims it was not an issue for the school. “For us, it didn’t cost us anything. Chartwells spends all the money in terms of food, labor, everything,” Paysinger said. Chartwells is a food service group consisting of dedicated food and nutrition specialists serving the academic community
and providing better quality food and better health for the students. “There are about 2,500 people on campus, and to think that we couldn’t feed the people on campus was ridiculous,” Paysinger said. Paysinger said he wanted to do something that was long lasting and would work. The BC is still undergoing remodeling. Walls were painted to make the environment more welcoming, and security around the entrances and exits ensures that everything will operate smoothly. Because the idea of having the Beverly Café was just approved this summer, the grand opening of the BC has been pushed to Sept. 26. The cafeteria has also changed its methods of organization. There are cashiers standing in front of the cafeteria waiting for students to enter from the doors. There is staff on duty standing by the door directing the students to come in small groups in order to maintain an organized system. The BC went cashless on Sept. 19. All students using the food services at the cafeteria must have money put on their account
to purchase food. Faculty, however, can still use cash to purchase products. Even though the BC has still not had its grand opening, students run from their classes to get a good spot in line as the café opens for lunch. The BC seems to be number one on many students’ lists. “I never used to go to the cafeteria, but because all the rave about the Beverly Café I had to see for myself what was so special that everyone was talking about,” junior Chloe Majdipour said. With the new rules enforced at Beverly, everyone must remain on campus this year until 1:45 p.m., including seniors. This is primarily why Beverly is now working on having a senior lounge. This gives seniors a place to hang out with one another before leaving school. “Having a senior lounge, dedicated to only us, really makes me feel like I am a true senior at Beverly. I love it!” senior Tiffany Yadegar said. Students are encouraged to visit the Beverly Café and get a new taste of what Beverly has to offer.
With the beginning of the new school year, Highlights has seen a new change among its ranks. From being last year’s Spotlight and Opinon editors, Mallika Sen and Nathan Ong have taken on the role of improving the newspaper by becoming editors-in-chief. Sen and Ong aspire to turn Highlights into an award winning paper that catches the eyes of readers everywhere, and not just the students Mallika Sen and Nathan Ong look forward to enhancing at Beverly. The editors also hope the look and popularity of Highlights. DANNY LICHT to improve its execution, content and appearance. “Our mission is to defeat Shawnee “Someone always needs to have a cam- Mission. East, West, North and South, and era, cartoonists should always have ideas everything else around the compass,” to improve the paper’s artistic style and Sen said. writers need to meet deadlines and be very The new editors said they were excited dedicated for this paper to become some- and had a positive outlook on the future thing big,” Sen said. of this paper, but they did have some When asked about the upcoming problems with how Highlights functioned competitions at the JEA/NSPA convention in the past. in November, the editors-in-chief said Sen states, “We are not the school that the goal this year was to win awards bulletin. Our job isn’t to broadcast for the newspaper. They look to ultimately upcoming events. It’s to cover them.” defeat a group of high schools in Shawnee Sen and Ong both agreed that another Mission, Kansas that typically dominate issue that needed to be addressed was the Newspaper Best of Show categories. that this newspaper was not receiving the
proper amount of publicity or respect, which they admitted was partly its own fault. “We used to be the best and I am not sure why that cannot be the case again. I realized: it’s the respect factor. When the average person searches schools, they look at their football team and their newspaper. If our own school doesn’t respect and value its paper, how will others?” Sen said. Another factor that the editors have to deal with this year is a large staff. They agree that there are both pros and cons to having such a number of staff members. “A larger staff only means strength in numbers: more issues can be covered, more pictures can be taken and more ideas can be circulated. However, a large staff is more difficult to control, and the class can get pretty wild at times,” Ong said. “You have to wrangle them! It’s like a rodeo,” Sen added. The new editors are trying to encourage letters to the editor in which readers can write suggestions and opinions based on articles. They hope this new addition to the paper will help to publicize Highlights. They hope the new feature, as well as the quality of graphics and articles, should
New editors-in-chief of Highlights are ready to “wrangle a rodeo” Mabel Kabani Staff Writer
4 opinion
September 23, 2011 Highlights
Cultural conundrum for post Sept. 11 decade Vincent Brock Centerfold Editor
SASHA PARK
Learn for yourself, not for acceptance letters Danny Licht Opinion Editor My PE coach was infamous. He had been teaching at my elementary school for longer than anyone could remember, and his reputation was mixed. It included impassioned preaching about ethics morals, a harsh rivalry with a former principal (whom he called The Big Cheese), and a likely-exaggerated tale of how Angelina Jolie saved his job. He degraded us and praised us, rewarded us and awarded us, but the thing that has stuck with me the most is what he would yell at us while we ran the dreaded Mile Run. Our weak fourth grade bodies weren’t apt to this inhumane exercise: we wiggled around the artificial turf rectangle. Huffing and puffing, we’d take small breaks to walk, which Coach didn’t mind. We’d stop for water, which he also didn’t mind. But when we’d round off the corners of the field to slightly shorten our run, “No C.C.s!” he’d yell furiously. Cutting corners, or “C.C.s,” was taboo. Since starting high school, I’ve been occasionally thinking about cutting corners and incessantly thinking about universities and grades and community service and SATs and extra curricular activities and the rest of that mess. It seems as if we students don’t have a choice. And because of this, I’ve been wondering if high school is solely a liaison between adoles-
I
cence and college. I realized at this point that we are not taught why we are taught (or at least in a direct way). Further, when struggling, I sometimes ask why we need to take trigonometry and read mythology. When will I ever need to quote Shakespeare? After incubating the thought, I came to understand that high school is much more than a liaison. I realized that, until graduate school, education is not about mastering the specialized tools of our future professions; it’s not about learning to be a lawyer or a waiter or a surgeon. It’s about learning to be worldly, about becoming ethical, about having meaningful conversation, about understanding Woody Allen jokes, about understanding the Middle Eastern discord and about having the ability to think for ourselves. So, when reading summarized Shakespeare on SparkNotes, maybe we’ll pass the class, and maybe we’ll be accepted by a prestigious university. But what’s the point? We’ll continue cutting the corners of our intellect until we find our lengthiest conversations being based on “Jersey Shore.” By fooling our PE coaches, schools and admissions officers, we’re only fooling ourselves into a dull life, stripped of vitality and torn of understanding. Thankfully, however, I learned all this before recess. Now, I have the rest of the day to play.
Editorial
September 11, 2001. A date much more than a moment in time: a symbol, a representation of America and its vulnerability. Vulnerable, not because the strongest military and most powerful nation in the world could not stop such a surprise attack, but instead on the influence of the attack thereafter, whose fate lay completely in the hands of the media, the government and the American people. The constant stream of biased news, an uneducated population and the political bickering between parties have contributed to the catastrophic post9/11 decade. No one can be blamed for not intercepting the airplanes that pierced those iconic towers. Yet, the unimaginable effect caused by these terrorist attacks goes beyond words. The snowball started ten years ago and has ultimately grown to give leverage to politicians, eventually catapulting the United States into the second most costly war of all time, after World War II. Politicians injected fear of nonexistent weapons of mass destruction into the minds of millions for support and lied to a point that caused the American people look stupid for not being educated enough to act or take advantage of the potential influence they have on their government or ultimate freedom. According to CNN, officials, such as former Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld, have been quoted saying that the ultimate cost of the war in Iraq would be somewhere between “$50 billion [and] $100 billion.” Yet, ten years later, the devastating costs have racked up to about $900 billion of U.S. taxpayers’ funds. Meanwhile, we continue to cut education, health benefits and environmental protection. Moreover, innocent American troops continue to be forced to occupy foreign lands such as Afghanistan with no real purpose. Post 9/11 media has not made anything more intelligible, only projected distorted facts to force opinions on the viewer. The increas-
“...the unimaginable effect... goes beyond words.”
cord, particularly in San Marino, whose high school boasts the highest API in California, at 938. Woods is obviously a valuable asset and we hope that his nameplate in the district office will remain for many years. But as Woods put it succinctly, “it’s not about me: it’s about us.” Woods cannot single-handedly lift our district to the status of Best That Ever Was. As-
and effectiveness. This does not apply to teachers, however. One word: tenure. At the high school, we have a capable administration. Our assistant principals have been here for a relatively long time, and our “newest,” Toni Staser, is simply resuming her old position. Our principal, Carter—is there really even a need to add his last name?—epitomizes the beloved school veteran. We implore the district office to leave the lineup as is. We understand that it is useful to promote internal people to district administrator positions, as they are familiar with BHUSD, but it creates chaos at the school they leave behind, as everyone has to adjust to a new style. Similarly, we have a good team in place at the district. The whole system has made tremendous strides already, including the Beverly Café, a tremendous feat for the food services department, and the improved API score. Optimism needs to be pushed forward. Our school can be great again, but we must be led by our leaders.
“We implore the district office to leave the lineup as is.” cension requires the dedication of students, support of parents, ability of teacher, productiveness in the Board of Education and a strong team of policy-implementing administrators. We have little control over others’ natures, thus some of the criteria is rather hard to dictate. However, we do have the power to hire and fire administrators based on performance
The Staff Nathan Ong and Mallika Sen Editors-in-Chief
Candice Hannani News Editor
Danny Licht Opinion Editor
Benjamin Hannani Feature Editor
Vincent Brock and Julia Waldow Centerfold Editors
Sayeh Mohamadi and Chandra O’Connor Arts & Style Editors
Austin Grant-Dixon Spotlight Editor
Ryan Feinberg Sports Editor
Our school needs administrative consistency
n the past 12 years, the Beverly Hills Unified School District (BHUSD) has been treated to ten superintendents and an endless rotation of principals and assistant principals at all five schools. The label “interim” seemed like a permanent assignation due to the amount of people to which it was applied, including our two most recent superintendents. This not-so-merry-go-round has a distinct correlation with the broken light bulb in this former “lighthouse district.” In order for BHUSD to reattain the standard of excellence it was previously accustomed to, it must have stability. Stability encompasses many factors, including a fixed schedule, which would allow us to avoid spending the first seventeen hours of school time complaining about upheaval and confusion and, more importantly, a permanent administration—at all levels. Our new superintendent, Dr. Gary Woods, has the entire district enamoured with his re-
ing amount of manifested racism towards Muslims and Arabic people after the attacks has been utterly disgusting. All over the world, people have succumbed to judging an entire people, solely on a manufactured fear. Other significant factors, such as unemployment and the collapse of the housing market, have propelled the U.S. economy into the greatest recession since the 1920s. Although the economic crisis has angered the population, no one seems to know how to fix such a predicament. With the Republican-run House of Representatives and the Democratic-run Senate, it seems that when the nation needs efficiency from its government the most, it gets the least. Politics and greed have gotten in the way of government productivity. All that seems to be of any relevance is who will be next to inherit the throne. America is known to be one of the greatest nations in the world for a reason. As history proves, the United States is capable of so much. But in order for the land of the free to truly restore the morals of the Constitution, the youth must learn to question their government and improve it with their votes instead of inheriting the media’s views.
Sayeh Mohamadi Business Manager
Oliver Gallop, Alex Menache, AJ Parry and Ginelle Wolfe Staff Photographers
Bless Bai, Sasha Park and AJ Parry Staff Cartoonists
Lilia Abecassis, Michelle Banayan, Chanan Batra, Celine Hakimianpour, Mabel Kabani, Sarit Kashnian, Dami Kim, Hae Lee, Brenda Mehdian, AJ Parry, Shannon Toobi and Arman Zadeh Staff Writers
Gaby Herbst and Katie Murray Advisers
The mission of Highlights is to inform and entertain the community of Beverly Hills in an accurate, objective, timely and welldesigned manner. This newspaper is produced by the Advanced Journalism class of Beverly Hills High School, 241 Moreno Drive, Beverly Hills, CA 90212. Send letters to the editor to beverlyhighlights@gmail.com. Feedback is appreciated. Follow @bhhighlights on Twitter. Corrections from The Sports Edition (Volume II, Issue 1): the football photo picturing Parker Davis is by Marvin Moore; the crosscountry photo pictures Andrew Redston. As of time of printing, there was no official girls’ tennis captain.
feature 5
September 23, 2011 Highlights
Neman Nation: Cousins lead school
Fresh Faces Highlights welcomes new teachers.
Beverly’s
Gaby Herbst ROP Desktop Publishing “I hope that through ROP, we can build a stronger newspaper that comes out more often, and that we can start a version of Highlights online and a Highlights app by the end of the year.”
Aubrie Amelang Special Education MALLIKA SEN
Shannon Toobi Staff Writer It is no surprise that the Neman family has made a name for itself at Beverly Hills High School for many years. This year in particular, aside from having four Nemans in ASB, the school has a presidential duo with Tyler Neman, president of ASB, and Jordan Neman, president of the Student Body Action Committee (SBAC), as they work side by side to leave a trademark at Beverly. In regard to having the two ���������� Nemans simultaneously leading both ASB and SBAC, Jordan, also vice president of ASB, shared that the student body can expect more unity. “Both of us being leaders and best friends allows us to unite the educational system and the overall spirit of Beverly by pulling from two sides of the spectrum,” Jordan said. Tyler and Jordan, who are cousins, both agree that they have shaped into idealistic leaders through the great and not so great leaders they have seen come and go throughout their years in ASB. “They have grown into amazing student leaders who are respected by their peers,
teachers, and administration,” ASB Adviser Loren Newman said. “I know we are going to have a great 2011-2012 school year because of their leadership.” However, student government has not been their sole leadership experience. Tyler, for example, as captain of boys’ water polo and boys’ soccer, gained knowledge in effective tactics while working as the leader of a team. In comparison, Jordan uses his twin brother, Steven, as a mirror for his actions, experimenting with what works and what doesn’t. Steven, however, offered a different perspective on how Tyler and Jordan developed into leaders. “It’s great that Jordan and Tyler hold the two highest positions in the school, but what the school doesn’t know is that I am actually the man behind the curtain…and I am the one who actually taught them all they know,” Steven jokingly said. When it comes to decision-making, the Neman’s close-knit friendship allows them to comfortably address issues and solve them through simple communication. Even when it comes to one of them slacking off, the other has no problem confronting the other about it. “Being best friends definitely establishes
a high level of honesty and comfort, so we can easily just talk things out without any issues,” Tyler said. As heads of two different organizations, the Nemans have unique and overlapping goals. Leading the student government, Tyler and Jordan will strive to make our school fun and exciting as their top priority is to raise school spirit. “I want to bring the college campus spirit to Beverly!” Tyler said. In addition, Jordan also hopes to build on last year’s accomplishment, the exceptional rise in the API score, although he acknowledges that it will be challenging. If the Norman Nation is able to hit 900, as he hopes, Jordan will have seen about a 100 point increase since he entered Beverly. “I want to ensure that all students get into their reach school, rather than their backups,” Jordan said. Overall, the school has much to gain from the bond between their presidents, who have been through ups and downs together since their youth. “We’ve been through a lot together. At this point, we’ve really learned each other’s leading techniques and can work together to have the greatest efficiency when making decisions,” Jordan said.
Michael Jackson’s “Earth Song” and a version of Bill Withers’s “Lean on Me.” When they were not performing, the group explored the country, visiting the Great Wall of China and Tiananmen Square, in addition to other attractions. “We got to perform for millions of people together, which was really exciting,” Madrigals President Sarah Pollock said. “It was a really great experience for the Madrigals to have.” Prior to the trip, the Madrigals spent hours practicing with musical director Joel Pressman during the months of July and August. Pressman was unable to make the trip, so
Superintendent Dr. Gary Woods, parent chaperones Shirley Zaragoza and Deborah Forno and USC choral director Tammi Anderson traveled with the Madrigals to the Meet in Beijing Gala. One of Woods’s goals on the trip was to build relationships between Beverly and students from Beijing and the rest of China. “They want to have those kinds of relationships with us, so it’s just a matter of us extending our hand and gesturing to them that we want to have such a partnership,” Woods said. Woods’s goal was achieved. The students e n j o y e d getting to know other students from other countries. They went swimming, t a l k e d ,
“My biggest hope for the students is that they’ll get integrated in the high school community and find some good peers to be friends with.”
Brooke Lundy Introduction to Theater, Advanced Acting, and Technical Theater “I am trying to continue on with the legacy Beverly has. I may be different, but I’m focusing more on design – which the students may not have expected. It is good for them to learn how to adjust to new people. That’s how the theater business is: it’s fun but it’s tough.”
Graham Lockett Chemistry, (AP) Environmental Science “[I like how] the drive to work used to take me 45 minutes to get to my old school, but now it is just a 5 minute drive.”
ALEX MENACHE and GINELLE WOLFE
Eastside Story: Madrigals perform in Beijing Julia Waldow Centerfold Editor From Aug. 13-21, when a group of 17 current and alumni Madrigals traveled to China to perform for China Central Television Station, alongside seven other countries, the trip defied expectations. They came to appreciate each other, their country and their musical group while on their journey. While in China, the Madrigals sang, traveled, ate and spent time together as one community, allowing them to return for the school year as a close-knit family. “Our group got extremely close,” junior Sadie Katz said. “We aren’t just singers going to China, we are a family and the memories we shared will never be forgotten.” The Madrigals were one of two groups from the U.S. invited to sing and perform for the television station in a celebration of the arts. Beverly’s trip was paid for entirely by the television station. John Burroughs Middle School in Burbank, as well as schools from North Korea, South Korea, India, Russia, Australia and Japan also performed for the station. While in China, the Madrigals performed
SADIE KATZ
traveled and played games with teens from all of the participating countries. “It was fun to get to know people from other countries and find that we’re similar in many ways,” Pollock said. “The students from other countries were really nice.” Beverly students especially took note of the North Korean students’ behaviors. “On the last night, there was a big party where all the countries took part in some games,” junior Sadie Katz said. “The North Koreans took musical chairs really seriously. But it was really cool to be spending ten days with them because I know I will probably never see and associate with people from North Korea again.” Pollock added that the North Koreans’ ways of interacting with others was very different. “They didn’t really talk to anyone,” Pollock said. “It’s a very dictated country, and it shows in their students’ actions.” Throughout the trip, the Madrigals reflected on how different America is from other countries. “While all of the other countries are very uniform, America is really individual,” Katz said. “I felt proud to be an American.”
6
centerfo
Highlights
Life After Hi
College Bound 101: A Senior’s Advice For Success
colleges so they can fulfill the specific requirements for those that they are interested in. For seniors, these next few months may be stressful, as they must balance college applications with their schoolwork. Seniors applying through the Common Application, an online application site shared by private colleges, must send schools their standardized testing scores, high school transcripts containing grades earned in all classes, letters of recommendation, personal statements and any required supplements for each individual school. During this stressful time, it is crucial for students to apply to schools that fit their own needs, not their peers’ or their parents’ needs. The same rule applies for those inseparable high school sweethearts; though they may be hopelessly in love, don’t hold back one another other from pursuing his or her dreams even if separation is inevitable. Absence makes the heart grow fonder, right? Whether you’re a freshman or a senior, just remember that the people before you all survived. It’s important to remain levelheaded during high school and the college application process because, in hindsight, each year students persevere and end up at places that they feel best suit them. While the process can be a daunting one, it’s only as scary as one makes it.
Bless Bai Staff Writer, Cartoonist Attending college is one of the most popular and reliable options for those who want to further their education and advance in their careers. Although the emphasis on college preparation falls on the 11th and 12th grades, preparation begins freshman year. Freshmen should focus on doing well in their academic classes and finding extracurricular activities that they find interest in, whether they are clubs on campus or activities outside of school. Instead of participating in many extracurricular activities just to look good to colleges, focus on one or two activities and commit to them. While volunteering and participating in community service is rewarding, just be honest. You’re not fooling anyone by claiming to be the next Mother Theresa just because you’ve filled out some community service cards. Most sophomores can take Advanced Placement classes, but they should not feel obligated to unless they are prepared. They should focus on doing well in their classes and developing their reading, writing and math skills to prepare for taking the SAT or ACT in 11th grade. Aside from doing well academically, juniors should start researching
Michelle Banayan Staff Writer
Danielle Aboav Class of 2010
Lilia Abecassis Staff Writer
Vincent Brock Centerfold Editor
Judy Naziri Class of 2011
Joey Livingston Class of 2010
Why did you decide to go to SMC? Why did you decide to take a year off At first I went to SMC to get ahead while I before going to school?
Why did you choose to go to the Israeli was at Beverly, but once it was time to apply I knew I wasn’t going to find what I wanted Defense Force instead of college? to schools, continuing community college to do by going to a four-year college. I also
I went to the IDF because I wasn’t ready for seemed more appealing. college. I actually don’t think any 18 year old is Do you regret making this decision? ready for college. I didn’t want to have to decide I don’t regret this decision at all; it was very what I was going to do for the rest of my life. beneficial to me. I’m a freshman with the credits of a sophomore.
Do you think you made the right What’s your favorite part about SMC? decision? I love the small class sizes, the campus and the Yes. Every single day I learn something new and interesting. There is always a challenge present.If I don’t feel well, I can’t just ditch “class,” especially as a commander of 15 soldiers.
tuition cost. Yet my favorite part is the science department. Almost all of the professors have PhDs in their fields; they could easily have much higher paying careers. The fact that they’re teaching because they love to teach Do you plan on going to college after makes the experience much more enjoyable you serve in the Israeli Defense Force? for the students. I definitely plan on going to college. In my Would you recommend community final year of high school, I knew I wanted college? To whom and why? a unique experience that the normal I would definitely recommend community college experience could not provide. college, especially to the underclassmen. How else has being in the army While you are at Beverly, start taking some electives and as many APs as you can handle benefitted you? until you go to SMC. Just because you’re The army put me in uncomfortable situations going to SMC doesn’t mean you shouldn’t that taught me the values of responsibility work hard in high school! and leadership. Living in Beverly Hills, I never needed to be responsible for anyone, even myself. The biggest thing the army taught me, though, is seeing that I am capable of much more than I had ever thought.
needed money and I got lucky and got a good job in a law firm. The money I made allowed me to pay for theater school.
Do you regret making this decision?
Not at all. Staying home while watching everyone leave for college was hard to endure. Despite having friends in the grade below me, life became boring at times. However, in the end, taking my time off was definitely worth it.
What did you learn from being one of the few that stayed at home? I really learned what it was like to go to work every day. It was tough, and I understand why people do this for a living, but it taught me that I don’t want to do that the rest of my life. I’d rather do something I want to do.
Would you recommend this to anyone else? I think it depends on what you want to learn. If you know what you want to do, or have a definite passion, then I suggest following it. People say you have to go to college, but it isn’t for everyone.
nterfold
September 23, 2011
7
High School: Beyond Beverly Do Educational Institutions Really Have Students’ Best Interest In Mind?
Dami Kim and Austin Grant-Dixon Staff Writer and Spotlight Editor
A
s a new semester finally sets sail, seniors are finding the pressures to achieve high SAT/ ACT scores, obtain well-rounded grade point averages and complete college applications on time overwhelming. Concentrating on the present seems impossible for seniors since the almost mythical world of college is becoming an unavoidable reality. With a countless amount of tasks to worry about, how can students know what they need to complete, to whom they need to submit it and by when? Colleges, universities and institutions such as the College Board try to provide students with scholarships and as much financial aid as possible, yet the rapid rise in tuition fees in recent years has left some applicants questioning their enrollment possibilities, regardless of whether or not they get accepted. The struggles of applying to affordable schools, however, can be the most challenging time in students’ high school careers, leaving many students questioning, “Is it even worth it?” Thousands of students downgrading their post-high school options year after year raises the question, “Do educational institutions really have the students’ best interest in mind?” According to the 2008 tax returns, College Board president Gaston Caperton’s total annual compensation was $876,666. Coinciding with Caperton, 18 other individuals at the College Board grossed over $200,000 annually. As claimed by Bloomberg.
com, Caperton now earns a total of $1.3 million, making more than the head of the American Red Cross, whose organization makes five times more in revenue than the College Board. Currently, the College Board has 19 executives being paid over $300,000 a year. With annual profits topping $39 million and net assets worth $436 million in 2008 as well, the “College Board is dubious of not obtaining the legitimacy of its intent,” senior Jeffrey Neiman said. What must regain significance to restore maximum aid for students is the continuous audit to make certain these organizations withstand their integrity. When asked her opinion on a student’s
COLLEGE DECODED
SASHA PARK
potential to receive financial aid, College Counselor Jill Lewis stressed the importance “for students to realize that colleges look at many factors in evaluating their college applications.” Standardized testing is a crucial way for colleges to evaluate how prepared a student is, therefore impacting how many grants he or she may receive. Furthermore, once a student wades through the college
application process, picking a school becomes an important choice. Guidance Counselor Kathryn Marks conveyed her belief that the hardest part of the college process is choosing the college that bet fits a student. “You can still go to the college that is right for you regardless of your SAT scores,” Marks said. Students’ choices become more specific as acceptance letters start rolling in. Should they go public or private? Enlist in the military? Travel? Skip college and jump right into the workforce? The average student debt in 2009 was $24,000, a 6% increase from 2008, according to CNN. Ten percent of 2007-08 graduates borrowed $40,000 in student loans, as claimed by collegeboard.org. To put the risks of debt into perspective, a private college graduate’s median salary is $56,000, while a public college graduate earns an average of $49,600 annually, according to collegestats.org. However, on average, a public college or university graduate will earn $20,000 more annually than a high school graduate. Financially, it proves more cost-effective to get a degree, as earning a Bachelor’s can bump up a graduate’s average yearly income to $51,000. Despite any suspicion of corrupt industry in higher education, college remains the best shot at enabling a student to achieve long-term success. Although there are some statistics that may intimidate a student’s choice of whether or not to enroll in higher education, the financial risks are definitely worthwhile in order to maximize a student’s future opportunities.
8 spotlight
September 23, 2011 Highlights
One community. One week. One mil ion dollars.
CAMPAIGN
Sayeh Mohammadi Arts&Style Editor
60 50 40 30 20 10 0
The One Campaign had one goal: to save the programs that distinguish the Beverly Hills Unified School District. On May 2, 2011, the Beverly Hills Education Foundation (BHEF) issued a District-wide emergency campaign to bail out the school system that had been impacted by the statewide financial crisis. “I felt the need for us to declare an emergency,” Chairman of BHEF Jonathan Prince said. “People understood the emergency, they admired the transparency and the effort, they trusted the auspices and they gave.” The fundraiser was aimed at saving a dozen positions that were cut due to lack of funding. These targeted positions included specialists for disabled students, counselors, the journalism and performing arts teachers, an elementary school technology teacher, the middle school instrumental teachers and the high school’s custodial staff. “This was the first time in recent memory that the BHUSD was letting teachers and staff go, due merely to budgetary issues,” Prince said. Prior to this campaign, the district cut $500,000 in nonteaching positions and estimated the lay off of 23 teachers and administrators. Responsible for a 4,700-student district, the School Board worked diligently to maintain both small class sizes and unique extra curricular programs, privileges that other school districts sacrificed long ago. “We have always been a school district that prides itself on the ability to keep our programs alive for our students, by keeping the teachers who run those programs,” Prince said. Collectively, the campaign raised over $700,000 from approximately 1,900 private individuals and companies throughout the community. “The One Campaign really brought the community together,” Assistant Superintendent, Dr. Alex Cherniss said. “One of the most significant outcomes of the campaign was that the makeup was not just a few large donors but over a thousand large donors with smaller contributions, which showed that the entire community made the effort to raise the funds.” The BHEF and PTA relied on local businesses and alumni to account for a majority of the donations. Surprisingly, over 40 percent of donors had not previously made any donation to BHEF. The district was fortunate enough to receive $25,000 from alumna Lili and Jon Bosse, parents of Andrew and Adam, also graduates of BHUSD. Saks Fifth Avenue also generously contributed $10,000 for the cause.
“Beverly would not be the same without our amazing theatre department; it allows our students to shine, and we are very grateful for the opportunity!” senior Isabella Prida said. Although BHEF was not able to reach their initial goal, all of the positions were saved. “The School Board was able to fill in the rest of the money needed to save all the jobs by using certain funds that became available as they’d been earmarked for other uses that were no longer relevant,” Prince said. The One Campaign ran under the premise of saving positions, not individual teachers. While the positions were saved, many of the teachers whose positions were originally under the knife were laid off. The BHEF provided the funding for the courses, but had no say in the final decision in regards to the staff. “All hiring decisions, in fact all decisions that had to do with the faculty, were made by the principals, the superintendent, and the School Board,” Prince said.
Percentage of Donation Amounts 60 50 40 30 20 10 0
$10,000 and above $5,000 to $9,999 $1,000 to $4,000 $500 to $999 $200 to $499 under $200
Departments Saved
»» Journalism Dept »» Performing Arts »» Middle School Music Dept. »» Program Manager »» High School Custodians »» K-8 Technology Teachers
arts&style 9
September 23, 2011 Highlights
Kanye West & Jay-Z face off against Lil Wayne
Ryan Feinberg Sports Editor
In a time when rap music seems to be stepping out of the limelight, two recent hip-hop albums still manage to spark interest: Watch the Throne and Tha Carter IV. Watch the Throne (WTT) is a joint album by Kanye West and Jay-Z. Carter IV is an album by rapper Lil Wayne, with a large variety of production credits. West himself produced WTT, with assistance from producers like 88-Keys, Hit-Boy and Lex Luger. Jay-Z and West took a far more creative approach to the album, choosing to make an album with purpose, while Lil Wayne’s album is merely a collection of random songs with catchy hooks. WTT has a theme expressing Jay-Z and West at a point in their careers where all eyes are on them as they sit in the
“throne.” This is the origin of the title Watch the Throne. With such a large audience awaiting their next musical step, they can explore their musical capabilities and broaden their horizon. For starters, the track “Ni**as in Paris” samples a Will Ferrell line from the film “Blades of Glory.” As Ferrell says in both the song and movie, “It’s provocative…it gets the people going.” The first song released off WTT was “H•A•M,” which was released digitally on Jan. 11. “H•A•M” was produced by Lex Luger, allowing his trademark beat-
Commentary...
Surviving the mainstream Zoe Kenealy Staff Writer Word of advice: stop trying to be unique. However, if you must, (hipster) please do not do so by ignorantly disliking something simply because it’s too mainstream. Remember, the most independent people in life are the ones who care less about which stereotype they’re put into by other people, and have already figured out that liking even a “mainstream” idea shouldn’t have any affect on how others perceive them. When thinking about the actual definition of “unique,” what comes to mind? Certainly not a particular group of people that hate on mainstream trends as a way to separate themselves from the “norm.” However, it seems that’s what “unique” has come to these days. This idea that rebelling against what’s popular at the moment will make one different from the rest, has been the reason for the fall of many trends. Take for example, Miley Cyrus and “Twilight”: both have seemed to hold onto their fame pretty well, yet most people despise the singer and very successful saga. This is due to one reason. People have mistakenly planted this idea in their head; that the only way to differentiate themselves from everyone else is to be a part of the counter culture: a mislead group of people who avoid anything mainstream in an effort to appear somewhat different in the eyes of their peers. Now, if when reading this you think of someone close to you, or even yourself, please inform said person or yourself to stop! Take off the nerd glasses that you are most likely wearing(are they even prescription?), and look around you! There’s most likely a disturbed group of people who can see through your “I’m so unique, I don’t pay attention to anything mainstream” act. For example, when asked his opinion on what’s mainstream, sophomore Daniel Raban said, “Oh you mean like the people who don’t like things just
because they’re famous? No, I won’t not like something just because it’s mainstream or anything like that!” Think about Justin Bieber, the epitome of mainstream entertainment. I mean, the poor guy has done nothing but sing and occasionally make a stupid remark. Yet he probably has more haters than fans, and you have to ask yourself, “Why?” Justin Bieber gets an enormous amount of hate mail every day because of all the people in this world who are trying keep away from what, in their opinion, are the mainstream, ordinary people who aren’t “culturally diverse.” They, in their mind, are too immersed in other foreign movies, books, singers, etc. to be interested in any popular artists. These are the same people who say things like, “I started wearing Ray Bans before it was popular,” or “I listened to the Red Hot Chili Peppers before they were famous.” These desperate people will seemingly do, or say anything to let everyone know that they are something different from the rest. Example, Lilia Abecassis, an “unconventional” hipster from Beverly, “Listens to a lot of bands who aren’t on iTunes.” Why, of course! If your attempts to demonstrate to your peers how different your choice of music is from the rest of us has failed every time, why not just make sure that the songs you listen to aren’t on iTunes? Typical hipster mentality: choosing something for its exclusiveness, and not for its initial appeal. So yes, everyone wants to be somewhat different from his or her peers. However, I am here to tell you that if you avoid the mainstream media in an effort to separate yourself from the crowd, you are ultimately going to miss out. Keep in mind that the people who are the most independent, and the ones who are the actual trend starters, are the same people who choose things not in an effort to be different, but by keeping in mind those sweet words, “will this make me happy?”
making style to introduce the album to the fans. The next song released seemed to have a larger impact. “Otis,” sampling Otis Redding’s “Try a Little Tenderness,” was released July 20. The video for “Otis” features the duo renovating a Maybach with a chainsaw. Carter IV also had multiple singles, starting with “6 Foot 7 Foot,” featuring Cory Gunz. The repetitive, punch line-infested track was played incessantly on the radio. The second single, “John,” featuring Rick Ross, was also a radio success, but unfortunately made little contribution to the music com-
munity, whereas WTT’s second single did. It is sad that Carter IV went platinum within the first week of release, selling 1,000,690 copies, yet it is merely a collection of cheesy one-liners. WTT had more than hip-hop and jazz samples. West sampled “I Can’t Stop” by Flux Pavillion to make “Who Gon Stop Me,” a hip-hop/dubstep anthem. It is more than evident that West did not follow expected guidelines when making tracks, for “Illest Motherfu**er Alive” has a three minute intro of silence. Without a doubt, WTT is a more creative, diverse yet unified product. Though I really like Carter IV as well, WTT is just amazing. Carter IV: mainstream? Absolutely. Watch the Throne: overrated? Possibly. Brilliant? Definitely. GRAPHIC BY DANNY LICHT
Daily dress up made easy Sarit Kashanian Staff Writer
Not knowing what the weather will be like in the morning can make getting dressed for school a bit of a hassle. But senior Nina Vir’s original website, DailyDressMe.com, allows girls to view stylish outfits according to the weather anywhere in the country. Using clothes and accessories from Forever 21 and Madewell, this website displays the daily weather forecast, along with a fun and trendy outfit for each day of the week. DailyDressMe.com makes putting together an outfit simple instead of stressful. While Vir came up with the concept for the website, she received help creating it from her brother Raj Vir, class of 2011. Raj helped by developing an algorithm for DailyDressMe.com. Although simple in approach, Vir’s website facilitates a process that many teen girls find time consuming. “I’ve always had this idea because I check the weather every morning to decide what I’m going to wear. DailyDressMe.com makes getting ready in the morning a simplified process. It’s like the weatherman is telling you what to wear,” Vir said. Not crazy about the outfit of the day? DailyDressMe.com offers a new set of outfits for the week every time you refresh the page. The website presents a wide variety of outfit choices, each of which includes shoes and accessories. The range of outfits provided by the website ensures that users will always look great from head to toe. So far, DailyDressMe.com has had 30,000 page views. One of these viewers, freshman Sydney Wolofsky, was referred to DailyDressMe.com by a friend. “I saw Nina’s tips on what to wear, but I didn’t take [Nina’s advice], and regretted that decision because the next day at school was really hot. I was wearing jeans, and the model in
the picture told me to wear a dress or shorts,” Wolofsky said. Other users, such as freshman Elsa Sultan, first read about the site in the Beverly Hills Courier over the summer. “I thought it was a really good website because before, when I went to school, it used to take me ten minutes to find what I was going to wear and now, when I look at the website every day, I don’t have to waste a lot of time. I can see what [the model] is wearing, and I can just wear that,” Sultan said. The attention that Vir got from the website was more than enough to make her feel like this project was worthwhile. “Starting this website has made me realize that I like being an entrepreneur. I love the thrill of creating something out of nothing. It was really cool to see that so many people really like my idea,” Vir said. Running such a website does require the skills necessary to run a business. Vir has already made plans to link retailers with DailyDressMe. com so that they may feature their latest collections on the website. This way, users will be able to purchase featured outfits, and as retailers advertise their styles to the website’s viewers, Vir will receive a profit from each person who makes a purchase through DailyDressMe.com. Vir’s website is not entirely devoted to girls and their style, as it serves an additional purpose for the community. Vir has decided to donate all profits she makes from DailyDressMe.com to The Mountain Fund, an organization founded to provide mountain communities with healthcare, economic opportunities and extended human rights. “The Mountain Fund helps victims of human trafficking in Nepal. I have family from Nepal and India, so it’s an issue very close to my heart,” Vir said. By using Vir’s website, students can improve their fashion sense while also feeling a sense of contributed generosity. Vir successfully incorporated her personal style and passion for a good cause to create a fashionable product for teen girls in all areas of the country to enjoy. Photo by ARMAN ZADEH
10 arts&style
September 23, 2011 Highlights
Q&A: ADRIAN G
RENIER
After eight seasons, how did you feel during the filming of the finale? It was very touching; everybody was choked up and uber sensitive. I didn’t think these guys had any feelings until I saw them all choked up for the finale. What was your favorite season of the show? Why? I’m going say season 9 is my favorite season because in a perfect world, it would exist. How do you feel now that Entourage is over? It’s bit of a learning curve but I think its time for me to do some new things and I’m ready to embrace that. How do you feel about Entourage coming out with a movie? I think that’s amazing. What is SHFT.com? Why did you decide to start SHFT? I started it 18 months ago. It was really an opportunity to bring together the best things in sustainability. A resource and a platform for people to talk optimistically about a burgeoning market and a potential green economy. I was tired of all the negative doomsayers, trying to instill fear about the future on the opposite end. You had a bunch of people claiming [global warming] wasn’t true and that they are just environmental whackos. I thought it was nice common ground with a positive view, which is SHFT.com. What project are you working on right now? I’m on a college tour with my documentary “Teenage Paparazzo,” which I’m very proud of. We have been going to high schools and colleges around the country with the film. I would encourage you and everybody at your school to go to the website and demand a screening, we would love to come to you all one day. Why did you decide to film the documentary “Teenage Paparazzo”? I was trying to figure out what my role was in playing a celebrity on Entourage and that the effects did not only impact my own life but the effects of a celebrity on society in general. So I decided to film my insider point of view of becoming a celebrity by playing a celebrity I decided to pull the curtain back and revile the inner workings of celebrity. What future projects can we expect from you? I hope to do another documentary… I was trying to figure out what my role was playing a celebrity on Entourage. What is the new documentary going to be about? I think its going to be about love and getting older. Austin Grant-Dixon and Chandra O’Connor
Photo courtesy of Ryan Lennon
Phot o cou
rtesy
of Ele na Ba lshem
Entourage series comes to end Benjamin Hannani Staff Writer With plenty of questions heading into the finale, “Entourage” creator and writer Doug Ellin somehow managed to tie up all the loose ends while also ending his series with suspense. Admittedly, Vince marrying Sophia was a predictable way to conclude the couples’ relationship, but who could have foreseen Ari Gold’s resignation? During the final episode viewers saw a loving, humane Ari, a rare sight, though increasingly more common during the past season. In an admirable turn of events, the show came full circle with the guys leaving Los Angeles to head back to their native New York. On the whole, the last episode was satisfying, though not extraordinary. While there was suspense, no bombshells were dropped. The direction of the episode was clear from the beginning, especially since any surprises had already been established in the previous episode. Revealing Vince’s marriage plans in the opening minutes was necessary to move the plot, but ended any questions about the couple’s relationship right away. The rapid progression to marriage not only came off as an unrealistically quick decision, but questionable considering Sophia’s opinion of Vince. If Sophia already established that Vince was not her type, Vince’s persistent and bizarre methods of courtship would certainly not lead to marriage. “I thought it was a great end to a spectacular series, [but] I thought they jumped right into Vince getting married instead of leading into it,” junior Michael Yosef said. The most captivating moments of the episode were when Ari, as usual, was in front of the camera. Ellin made sure that the road to Ari’s happy ending would be fun to watch, combining the character’s trademark behavior with his newfound emotional side. Better yet was Ari’s passing of the torch to Lloyd, who was reassured he’ll be just fine on his own at the Miller Gold Agency.
The success in the last episode was in its return to the show’s roots. The plot revolved around the soul of the show – the boys and Ari. The final episode was rightfully devoted to the original cast. Prominent characters from the past season, like Rhys Coiro (Billy Walsh), Andrew Dice Clay and Johnny Galecki were nowhere to be found. Even Scott, Eric’s long-time business partner and a seemingly adopted member of the entourage, did not travel with the guys to Vince’s wedding. Thus, Ellin’s ability to induce nostalgia in the finale made the episode a success. It is clear that the boys who once roamed Sunset Boulevard evolved into mature men. Vince, whose only true relationships throughout the past eight seasons had been flicks with Mandy Moore and Sasha Grey, finally found and married “the one.” Drama and Turtle, who frequently mock Eric, protect their friend’s reputation when Sloan asked about his affairs. Eric finally gets serious with his on-and-off girlfriend, Sloan, who is pregnant with their child. Ari became enlightened about the importance of his family, resigned, and relocated his family to Florence. The finale may not necessarily mean the end of Entourage. In fact, when asked about whether the film was happening, Adrian Grenier (Vince), told WeGotThisCovered.com, “Yes, 100 percent it is.” Additionally, executive producer Wahlberg went as far as to reach for his checkbook to get the film made. “If I had to finance it myself I would do it...I certainly hope that this has a chance to become a feature film,” Wahlberg told People. “People are always saying the episodes are too short. They want to go on a journey with these guys.” “Entourage” deserves recognition for a memorable final season. Some would say that Entourage is just a show about friendship, but it’s much more than that. The series was based off of the real world lives of Ari Emmanuel and Mark Wahlberg – not some pretend Hollywood odyssey. Scenes filmed at L.A. hotspots and uncensored language made the show that much more authentic. “Entourage” had the banter of “Seinfeld,” but with significant conflicts. It had the group vibe of “Friends,” but with bravado instead of neuroticism. It was the brotherhood that every guy yearns to be a part of: the Hollywood saga that teenagers dream of.
sports 11 Sophomore golf phenom draws national attention September 23, 2011 Highlights
Ryan Feinberg Sports Editor Lydia Choi, the current holder of fifth place in the state for girls golf for her age, has colossal plans for her golf career. Choi has been on the varsity team since her freshman year and is the only member of the team who plays competitive golf in addition to high school golf. Being a freshman was no disadvantage to her, as she was the lowest scorer last year for every match on the Norman team. During the school year, Choi is able to participate in one competitive tournament per month; during the summer she can participate in about one tournament per week. Choi was invited to play in a US girls’ junior tournament in Chicago in the summer. The tournament is quite exclusive as only 156 girls are invited to compete. Choi finished seven out of the 156 girls, an outstanding ranking considering the competition presented. “It was a big accomplishment for me,” Choi said. “I learned a lot from that tournament.” Interestingly enough, Choi’s brother was her caddy for the tournament. Choi’s father played golf since childhood and passed on the passion and enthusiasm for the sport to his daughter.
“My dad played golf since he was little, so he got me into it,” Choi explained. “I have been playing since I was nine, for five years.” Although she plans to fulfill her desire for playing golf, Choi has another motive in mind. “My main motivation with golf is to help me get into college,” Choi said. Her goal is to attend the University of Southern California on a golf scholarship. Choi’s high school golf coach is Athletic Director Jason Newman, who has only good things to say about her. “She is a great teammate,” Newman said. “She is always willing to help her buddies on the team.” Captain Madison Steinberg agrees that Choi is a true team player; one who contributes a large part to the team, as well as looks out for the other team members. “She shows great leadership and is always willing to help her teammates,” Steinberg said. Newman specifically notes that her motivation is key to her current and future success. “She is tremendously self-motivated, which you have to be in golf,” her coach said, “particularly to get to her level.”
“She shows great leadership and is always willing to help her teammates,” Steinberg said.
Sophomore Lydia Choi ranks fifth in the state for her age bracket and is poised to take the Normans to new heights. OLIVER GALLOP
Staff Writer Brenda Mehdian contributed to this report.
Normans clinch victory against San Marcos Arman Zadeh Staff Writer Following the loss to Santa Barbaraon Friday, Sept. 9, the Sept. 16 home win against San Marcos gave a sign of hope to the Norman Nation. At Friday night’s home game opener the Normans defeated the Royals 20-14, bumping their record up to 1-1. Captain and quarterback Cameron Countryman, wide receiver Willie Green and running back Frank Brown all scored touchdowns. The game remained scoreless for the first half. The Royals scored the first touchdown of the game in the third quarter. Beverly quickly rebutted with Countryman throwing a 30-yard pass to Green, ending the third quarter with a score of 7-7. Near the beginning of the fourth quarter Brown ran a touchdown, soon followed by Countryman running in a touchdown as well. The Royals snuck in another touchdown before the game came to a close, resulting in a final score of 20-14. “We played hard for four quarters, played good defense until the offense got going and the offense was able to erupt and score those three touchdowns,” Head Coach Donald Paysinger said. Countryman was satisfied with the win, but understands the hard part is just beginning. “We had a rough first half but pulled out the win,” Countryman said. “We will just keep improving as a unit.”
Quarterback Cameron Countryman breaks tackle to run a touchdown in the fourth quarter. ARMAN ZADEH
Brown felt that although the team played well, they needed more discipline on the field. “We have to be more disciplined as far as the offensive line,” Brown said. “Our
defense was excellent.” Brown believes the team needs to improve specifically on the team’s passing game. The team’s next game is at home on Friday, Sept. 23 against Palos Verdes’
Peninsula High School. Countryman said the key to beating Palos Verdes Peninsula is being more aggressive on defense and throwing the ball more frequently.
12 sports
September 23, 2011 Highlights
Volleyball sets the stage for a successful season Chanan Batra Staff Writer After making it to the second round of CIF playoffs last year, girls’ varsity volleyball is looking forward to building on their success and finishing first in Ocean League for the 2011 season. Team captains Ginelle Wolfe and Halle Beesen lead the squad, which looks to improve on last year’s record of 5-3. After finishing second behind Santa Monica last season, the girls have been conditioning all summer to win league. “We are looking forward to league play starting,” Wolfe said. “One of the goals we’ve set for ourselves is to beat both Santa Monica and Culver this year.” The girls started their journey by traveling to Crescenta Valley where they played their first match of the regular season. Though they were not victorious, they took the match to the fifth and final set, and competed against a talented Crescenta Valley team to the end. Head Coach Marla Weiss was not displeased with the match. “Although we lost, there were lots of positives,” Weiss stated. “Our lower levels were very successful with victories in their opening match of the season.” On Tuesday, Sept. 13, the girls had their first home game against Rio Hondo Preparatory. The girls were once again
very competitive, taking the game to five sets, but eventually losing the final set 15-13. Although a loss, there were many positives to the game, specifically the school spirit. “It was really cool to see all my friends
Although they lost eight players from last season, the boys’ varsity water polo team looks to pick up where they left off and overcome the challenges needed to succeed. This year’s team is much younger than prior teams; six sophomores were added to the varsity squad. The team has only three returning players, seniors Dillon Silverstein, Zak Zukoski and Tyler Neman. With the team’s recent changes, Head Coach Robert Bowie pointed out that the sophomores and juniors new to varsity must fill in the gaps. “It may take us a little time to get in sync because of our inexperience,” Bowie said. “But we’ve got a great group of guys training hard who are committed to improving every day.” Although the players are young and inexperienced, they are eager to prove themselves to be a solid squad. Neman believes that in order to succeed in league, the team must focus on the big picture and not the personal stats. “We’re a lot more devoted this year. Everyone comes to practice. Everyone cares about the team,” Neman said.
Not only does the team have great devotion, but also fantastic speed, possibly the best in Ocean League. Zukoski believes they are one of the speediest teams, and can use their quickness and defense to ultimately lead them to a successful season. “Our whole starting lineup is fast,” Zukoski said. “When we know to counter, we can pretty much beat any team.” Silverstein and Zukoski lead this year’s team, as well. “We try as hard as we can to play hard defense against the other team and make them make mistakes,” Silverstein said. On Tuesday, Sept. 20 the Normans lost to Redondo 15-6. “I think we had a little of a mental lapse yesterday,” Bowie said. Sophomore David Kotlarenko scored one goal, junior Nick Goncharov scored two goals and Zukoski scored three goals. Bowie feels that in order to win the next game, the team is going to need to stay determined. “We have to refocus and come out ready to go from the start,” Bowie said. The Norman’s played on Thursday, Sept. 22 against Notre Dame, but results were unavailable as of press time. After losing to Redondo, the team has a record of 5-7.
Thursday, October 6: 3:45 p.m. Boys’ Varsity Water Polo @ Brentwood
Unfortunately, B e e s e n collided with a n o t h e r p l a y e r during the match against Windward, tearing her PCL. The injury leaves Beverly without their starting center, but the team looks forward to having some of the other players step up to the challenge. Despite the loss of one of their captains, the girls look to win league, advance even farther in CIF and grow as a team and a program. Pictured: Julia Mason OLIVER GALLOP
Sophomore Liat Hackman saves the play with a crucial dig. OLIVER GALLOP
Boys’ water polo swims swiftly through season Arman Zadeh Staff Writer
come to the game to support,” Wolfe remarked. “We had a pretty good crowd, and it was a lot of fun playing with all of the energy around us.” In addition to their first home game, the volleyball squad played away games at Windward and North High School.
Upcoming games: Friday, September 23: 4:00 p.m. Boys Freshman Football vs. Peninsula High School, 7:00 p.m. Boys Varsity Football vs. Peninsula High School. Tu e s d a y, September 27: 3:00 p.m. Boys Varsity Water Polo @ Crespi Carmelite High School, 3:00 p.m. Boys Junior Varsity Water Polo @ Crespi Carmelite High School, 4:00 p.m. Boys Varsity Water Polo @ Crespi Carmelite High School, 4:15 p.m. Boys Freshman Water Polo @ Crespi Carmelite High School. Friday, September 30: 7:00 p.m. Boys Varsity Football @ Canyon (Canyon Country). Monday, October 3: 2:45 p.m. Girls Junior Varsity Golf @ Peninsula High School. Tuesday, October 4: 3:00 p.m. Girls Varsity
Tennis vs. Morningside High School, 3:30 p.m. Girls Freshman Volleyball vs. Vista Mar. Wednesday, October 5: 2:00 p.m. Girls Junior Varsity Golf vs. Peninsula High School, 2:30 p.m. Girls Varsity Tennis vs. Peninsula High School, 2:30 p.m. Girls Junior Varsity Tennis vs. Peninsula High School, 3:00 p.m. Boys Freshman Football vs. Alemany, 3:00 p.m. T h u r s d a y, October 6: 3:45 p.m. Boys Varsity Water Polo @ Brentwood, 3:45 p.m. Boys FroshSoph Water Polo @ Brentwood, 7:00 p.m. Boys Varsity Football @ Alemany, 3:00 p.m. Girls Varsity Tennis vs. Inglewood, 3:00 p.m. Girls Junior Varsity Tennis vs. Inglewood. Friday, October 7: 3:15 p.m. Girls Varsity Volleyball vs Inglewood, 4:30 p.m.
Friday, September 23: 7:00 p.m. Boys’ Varsity Football vs. Peninsula High School
Wednesday, October 5: 2:30 p.m. Girls’ Varsity Tennis vs. Peninsula High School