Volume 86, Issue 11

highlights

Beverly Hills, Calif.

Beverly Hills High School

Volume 86, Issue Eleven · March 22, 2013 Candice Hannani and Max Stahl Feature Editor, Staff Writer A high school girl takes a deep breath as she navigates a sea of curious and judgmental eyes in the hallway. She carries many teen-related insecurities: those pertaining to her acne, her frizzy hair, her giant-sized braces. But those insecurities are very small in comparison to her current situation. When students stare at her, they aren’t paying attention to those kinds of details; they are looking down at her bulging belly that can only grow bigger. The girl’s vision blurs as she swipes away a tear, filled with uncertainty and anxiety about her and her baby’s future.

Teen pregnancy rates in the U.S. have been in decline since the 1980s, but they remain the highest in the industrialized world. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 329,797 babies were born to mothers age 15-19 in 2011, an 8 percent drop from the 2010 rate. Still, the U.S. teen pregnancy rate is currently twice Canada’s, four times Germany and France’s, and eight times Japan’s.

OLIVER GALLOP

[continued on page 6]

New security measures to restrict access to campus Mabel Kabani News Editor After discussing the high school’s security measures, the Beverly Hills Unified School District (BHUSD) has decided to restrict and limit access to the grounds of the high school by upping the school’s security and surveillance systems.

“Altering school security has been a topic of discussion among the district for about 10 years,” Superintendent Dr. Gary Woods said. “We finally decided that it was time to act and are now working on imposing the means that will limit visitor access to the school.”

Though the high school is proud of its open campus, it can, according to Woods, pose a threat to the safety of staff and students.

“Nothing is more important than assuring faculty and students that where they arrive every day is a safe place,” Assistant Principal Toni Staser said.

“These tragic instances that have been taking place in schools all around the country are not the primary motivation

for these security changes, but they do remind school districts to prepare, reevaluate and maybe even improve their current security.”

The district has called for the building of multiple interior perimeters within the school, in addition to “working on gates and doors and tightening fence openings around the school,” according to Woods.

“We want to create an interior pathway for students to walk to and from different parts of the school,” Woods said. “Instead of having to walk outside the science building or in front of the lawn, we want students to have access to anywhere they want to go by traveling within the school, and that’s what the perimeter will help accomplish.”

Locking doors to limit only one point of entrance for students and visitors will also help weed out unwanted visitors.

According to Woods, crash bars will also be implemented, which will allow students to leave the building using doors, but prevent visitors from entering the building without alarms going off.

In addition, visitors will have designated parking, most likely, according to Staser,

in the swim-gym lot.

“Designating parking and creating a singular area of entrance will help control and restrict foot and car traffic around the school,” Staser said. “There will probably be a gate around the North entrance in order to augment areas around the campus that have high traffic.”

However, the largest change to the campus, according to Woods, is the kiosk that will be stationed on top of the front lawn.

“There will be security guards within the structure at all times that will have complete control over those who enter the school,” Woods said. “[The kiosk] will contain electricity, phone lines and video surveillance with a 360 degree view of its surroundings.”

The estimated cost for all the new security measures, according to Woods, will be $250,000 that will be extracted from Measure E funds that are created to aid schools in regards to security and architecture.

Though the plan to secure the school from plausible danger is underway, certain students feel that the district is

taking unnecessary courses of action.

“We live in such a safe area that I don’t know if establishing a watchtower on the lawn or having an interior perimeter within the school is really necessary,” junior Sam Levy said. “Why introduce concepts that don’t need to be introduced?”

Senior Max Parnia also does not believe that the school needs to “become so stringent with its security.”

However, some students, like the administration, believe that it is better to be safe than sorry.

“I would rather come to school with tighter security than have to face the fatal consequences of not having any security at all,” junior Paloma Bloch said.

Though certain students do not see benefits of additional security measures, Staser believes that the district and school need to be prepare for possible dangers and be proactive in matters concerning security.

Construction is expected to begin during the summer of 2013, and changes are expected to be enacted at the start of the 2013-2014 school year.

INSIDE Woofstock brings doggone fun page 2

Softball slams Marymount page 12

Crews set stage for musical

page 5

2 news

March 22, 2013 Highlights

BHEF charges for credit recovery summer program Robert Katz Co-Web Editor-in-Chief The credit recovery summer school program, which provides students with an avenue for retaking courses they have previously failed for graduation credit, will be hosted by the Beverly Hills Education Foundation (BHEF) this summer and will require a mandatory fee per student for the first time in Beverly’s history. Classes acting as year-long courses will cost $730, and semester-long courses will run for $365.

Although the district has traditionally offered free credit recovery courses for students who have failed courses but do not wish to retake classes during the school year, the threat of Proposition 30’s budget constraints has forced BHEF to absorb summer classes into its own Summer Academy.

“We have absolutely no state funding,” Superintendent Dr. Gary Woods said.

“We just can’t afford to cover the costs anymore.”

For students who cannot afford to pay for these courses, the school will continue to seek out cheaper alternatives.

“We’re looking to see if there are any summer school courses that are free [and] we’re looking at community colleges to see if students could take a [less costly] college class,” Head Counselor Diane Hale said. “We’re looking at other options for them but it’s really up to the students and the parents [as to what the students do].”

While students such as junior Michael Simozar admire Beverly’s encouragement

of an internal summer school program, they did not agree with the new price tag.

“If the school is forcing you to make up classes, you should not have to pay to make up requirements,” Simozar said, “But you have to respect that the school is going out of its way to work extra hours.”

Freshman Jonathan Gunn expressed his concern that low-performing students might have difficulties with overcoming the fee.

“Students that don’t do well in school may have some family problems and may not be able to afford [summer school],” Gunn said. “There should be some way to fund [their courses]. [Cheaper options at] community college [are] good, but Beverly is a much more suitable environment.”

Some hoped the charge would deter students from underachieving in class.

“This should be an incentive for students to work harder, knowing they’d have to pay to repeat a class if they do badly,” Hale said. “I hope we can encourage them to do the very best they can in their classes so they don’t have to go to summer school.”

Though in agreement that making students pay for credit recovery classes may encourage students to perform better in classes during the year, Woods denied that student performance was considered in the district’s decision.

“The primary motive for this was not to encourage students to do better in school,” Woods said. “Though we hope it does.”

The BHEF did not respond to requests for comment.

For the first time, BHUSD will require that students will have to pay for credit recovery classes taken during summer school. JULIA WALDOW

Who let the dogs out: Pups compete at Woofstock

From left to right: An employee for Disc (Disc Dogs in Southern California) works with Nike, a 9-year-old Border Collie, to show off her talent during a performance. A vendor sells dog necklaces to owners looking to decorate their pups. A German Shepherd poses for Los Angeles Responsible Pit Bull Owners, a dog training class. Nike and her owner, Robert Gutierrez, revel with their trophy after placing first during the relay race. MICHELLE BANAYAN and OLIVER GALLOP

Michelle Banayan Social Media Director Dogs of all shapes and sizes, along with their owners, crowded the Roxbury Memorial Park on Sunday, March 10 for the fifth annual Woofstock 90210. This free event, open to the Beverly Hills community, allows pet owners to spend the day with their dogs while shopping, eating and competing.

“The fun part [about Woofstock] is seeing all the community members get together and play with their four-legged friends,” event coordinator Cindy Brynan said. “People seem to have the best time when they are here and their dogs behave so well.”

Of the approximately 3,000 people in attendance, multiple students from Beverly

volunteered or simply enjoyed the day with their dogs.

“I go to Woofstock every year, and each time I seem to have a different, yet exciting, experience,” junior Yasi Sanandaj said.

“The ambience was great and there was a new layout this year, which made the day all the more exciting.”

Various vendors, such as iDoggiebag, which held its first taste-testing for dog treats that were available for human consumption, ran booths which were scattered across the park’s lawn.

“Health is a main concern – not just for pets, but for humans – and either people will pay for [their health] upfront in good nutrition, or down the road in vet bills,” iDoggiebag chef Sally Thune said. “Part of iDoggiebag is to find a cure for pets and humans for cancer, as well as to create food

that is edible for pets and humans.”

Furthermore, crowds of children and adults alike gathered to pet and possibly take home the dogs that were being cared for by the multiple adoption organizations present at the event.

“There are so many homeless dogs that need a home and we do anything we can to help,” Chad Steveson, from Saving Spot Dog Rescue, said. “We usually get about ten dogs adopted, if not more, each time we come here.”

In addition to the vendors, there were five food trucks selling everything from snow cones to lobster.

Woofstock 90210 also held multiple competitions for owners and their dogs, such as a talent show, during which Robert Guitierrez and his agility champion Border Collie, 9-year-old Nike, won first place.

“Nike has competed in competitions pretty much all her life and it feels really great to win,” Guitierrez said. “Nike is the name of the great goddess of victory, so [the fact that] she placed is really consistent with her name.”

Another competition was the Owner/ Pet Look-Alike, in which resident Hannah Sokolovsky took home the first place trophy with her 7-year-old Schnauzer, Cassie.

Both were adorned in a bright green ensemble while wearing black Converse All Star sneakers.

“It took about a week to decorate myself and my dog, but even though it was hard, it was a lot of fun,” Sokolovsky said.

The money raised during Woofstock 90210 will go toward the Beverly Hills Community Services Dept. to benefit the Beverly Hills community.

March 22, 2013 Highlights

3

4 opinion

March 22, 2013 Highlights

Later start could increase health, productivity Julia Waldow Print Editor-in-Chief Ben Franklin once said, “Early to bed, early to rise makes a man healthy, wealthy and wise.” However, as students struggle to juggle homework, extracurriculars, college test preparation and decent amounts of sleep, they can face serious consequences in regards to academic achievement and social and emotional behaviors.

Although adolescents require eight and a half to nine and one quarter hours of sleep a night, few actually get the beauty sleep they need, according to the National Sleep Foundation. Sixty percent of minors complain of being tired during the day, and 15 percent of students fall asleep at school

during the year. However, one clear-cut solution may help students from falling into the vicious cycle of staying up late to finish their work and getting up early to go to classes at or before 8 a.m.

God knows that Beverly has faced its fair share of schedule shifting over the past few years, but a later start time is in desperate need. Students who operate on a few hours of sleep due in part to early morning classes have a higher likelihood of experiencing depression, tardiness, absenteeism, lower grades, falling asleep at the wheel and metabolic and nutritional deficits associated with insufficient sleep, according to the National Sleep Foundation. Our school commits itself to academic excellence and maintaining and

monitoring students’ well-being, but early start times hinder students’ progress on all levels.

Additionally, students who start their classes later will spend the day feeling more refreshed and will be more compelled to participate in their classes, thereby creating a more enriching classroom experience.

For example, according to The New Yorker, a Minnesota school district that adopted a later schedule found that the average SAT scores for the top 10 percent of the class rose by more than 200 points.

Although some claim that students who wake up early for school will find it easier to eventually wake up early for work, the American public and lawmakers believe that the benefits of later start times

outweigh the negatives. In a poll conducted by the National Sleep Foundation, 80 percent of respondents said high schools should start no earlier than 8 a.m. each day. Additionally, the House Congressional Resolution 135 was introduced in 2005 to encourage schools and school districts to start school no earlier than 8:30 a.m.

As the English dramatist Thomas Dekker said, “sleep is the golden chain that ties health and our bodies together.” Later start times will enable students to better connect that “golden chain” of progress, become successful both inside and outside of the school gates and reach their full academic potentials. After all, what better way is there to hone mathematical skills than by counting sheep?

The h.u.m.a.n.s orchestrate invasion of Beverly Max Stahl Staff Writer There’s something that’s been bothering me about our school’s new vending machines. I’ve tried several times to convey to my friends my discomfort with the new dispensers of sweet and salty treats, but to no avail. Perhaps I will have greater success in writing.

There are a couple of fascinating and commendable things about the new vending machines. This I freely admit. That 10 percent of their proceeds are donated to fight childhood obesity earns the new machines considerable merit. That the machines store their snacks and beverages at a chilled temperature (41°) is also worth noting. This feature, absent from most other models, allows our vending machines to sell both food and drinks in the same place.

The added convenience is appreciable.

Clearly the designers of this model sought to innovate, to create a machine that stood out from its competitors and embraced modern technology and sentiments. And they did.

But perhaps they went too far. It all starts, really, with the message above the glass display: “hello, I am h.u.m.a.n.” Err, no, you are not. I’m not sure what compelled the machines’ designers to give their product a voice.

Whatever effect the designers had intended, though, the vending machines fail to produce it. More than anything else, they’re just creepy.

With their screens flashing advertisements

of the food they sell and their quasi-robotic greeting plastered across their exteriors, they are the snack machines of Stanley Kubrick or George Orwell, not of Beverly Hills High School. (Granted, Kubrick’s Krunchies does sound pretty awesome.) Never before had I felt so threatened while buying chips from a vending machine than the first time I interacted with our “h.u.m.a.n.”

Then the machines go on to boast that they

SASHA PARK

are “Helping Unite Mankind And Nutrition

by Offering the Tastiest, Healthiest Foods & Drinks.” I’m not sure I would count Jack Links Beef Jerky, Gummi Bears and Vitamin Water among the “healthiest foods and drinks.” It appears that our new vending machines are not only creepy; they also lie. True, some of their offerings are healthful: apple slices, V8 Fusion, Pop Chips and pretzels all have reasonable nutritional value. And I can’t argue with the machines’ claim that their snacks are the

“tastiest”; taste is subjective, and of course all advertisers will flaunt their product as the best. But I have serious qualms with their assertion that their food is the “healthiest,” because clearly it is not. These machines, it seems, are not doing a very good job uniting mankind and nutrition.

Lying aside, the h.u.m.a.n.s pose still more problems as practical machines. Equipped with credit-card swipers and video monitors, the vending machines seem intent on impressing us with high-tech gizmos.

But their ostentatious displays of modern amenities hampers their efficiency. Rather than merely dropping purchased items into a bin at their bases, our machines situate a tray directly beneath the purchased items. The tray elevates itself to the correct position, collects the food or drink, levels itself with a receptacle at the right of the machine and slides the food or drink into the receptacle. Slowly. This process, while more gentle (and certainly more interesting) than that of the average vending machine, lasts an excessively long time – about 14 seconds on average. While that may seem insignificant, the substantial lines that form in front of the machines tell otherwise.

But I’ve grown self-indulgent. In the end, none of this really matters. There are people starving all over the Third World (and the First, too), and I’m complaining about the aesthetics of our school’s largely benign vending machines. Although I stand by my convictions, I concede that they are nothing if not

EDITORIAL

Credit recovery: our pricey privilege From its establishment in 1921 to presentday 2013, Beverly has become a solid foundation that can not only support students with adept staff members, but also propel students to discover their inert capabilities.

And in the times when students struggled to find motivation to perform better in their academics, it offered an opportunity for students to start new and retake failed courses during the summer at no cost.

However, according to Superintendent Dr. Gary Woods, the credit recovery summer school program will not be able to cover students’ tuition starting this year.

Due to the elimination of state funding for supplemental curriculums, the school has partnered with the Beverly Hills Education Foundation (BHEF) to further regulate the credit recovery program. Unfortunately for students, summer school credit recovery courses hosted by BHEF will now entail a mandatory fee.

The initiation of the obligatory fees for

credit recovery courses may seem abnormal for a public school. Nonetheless, the school’s effort to persistently provide additional programs to help students succeed is exceedingly admirable.

According to California State Education Code Section 37252, each school district consisting of 7th to 12th grades “shall offer...supplemental instructional programs” for students who do not show adequate progress toward high school graduation requirement. Although the state laws bind government-funded schools to institute subsidiary measures for struggling students, the schools are not obligated to provide summer school as an option. Fortunately, our school has found ways to implement this program, though suffering from funding cuts, so that students will not have to sacrifice their schedule during the school year to retake the course.

Additionally, the annexed cost of the credit-recovery courses may encourage

students to become self-motivated, since there will be an incentive to avoid attending and paying for summer school if students perform better during the school year.

Even though the change in credit-recovery courses does not guarantee a drastic change in the attitudes of underachieving students, the extra cost and time that will be taken during summer in consequence of a failed class is certainly undesirable.

For students who truly cannot afford to pay for the costs of the summer recovery courses, however, the school should devise an alternative plan to support them financially. Donations from the community and fundraising events sponsored by BHEF can potentially offset the tuition for a lower price if not, none at all.

With the summer fast approaching, we hope to see the school maintain its respected summer school system and formulate suitable arrangements for students who are unable to pay.

trivial. Those of you who buy from the vending machines will continue to buy from them, and those of you who do not still won’t. And for those of you who do, I won’t judge. As the vending machines shamelessly proclaim, “treat yourself… and feel good about it.”

STAFF Julia Waldow Editor-in-Chief

Danny Licht Sous-Chief

Mabel Kabani News Editor

Candice Hannani Feature Editor

Dami Kim Culture Editor

Arman Zadeh Sports Editor

Oliver Gallop Graphics Editor

Marguerite Alberts Assistant Graphics Editor

Pasha Farmanara and Robert Katz Chief Web Editors

Michelle Banayan Social Media Director

Audrey Park, Sasha Park and AJ Parry Cartoonists

Ryan Feinberg, Celine Hakimianpour, Benjamin Hannani, Zoe Kenealy, Jessica Lu, Brenda Mehdian, Alex Menache, Kevin Park, Jessica Saadian and Max Stahl 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 well-designed 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.

-

The journalism program is sponsored by PTSA and BHEF. Ads are not endorsed by BHUSD. -

Highlights follows California Ed Code 48907, 48950 @bhhighlights on Twitter and Instagram -

beverlyhighlights.com

culture 5

March 22, 2013 Highlights

Behind the scenes:

‘The Secret Garden’ crews help produce successful spring musical Celine Hakimianpour Staff Writer

The Crew Life

The spring musical, “The Secret Garden,” is a reenactment of the novel by Frances Hodgson Burnett, whose play premiered on Broadway in 1991. The musical is set in the early 20th century featuring a young, orphaned girl named Mary Lennox, who is born and raised in the British Raj but sent away to live in England due to an outbreak of cholera in India. Lennox’s personality blossoms when she meets a younger gardener who wishes to bring life to a neglected garden, as well as to Mary’s ill cousin and uncle.

“We’ve wanted to do [the musical] for many years, but needed the right mix of students who could handle the acting and technical aspects involved,” Performing Arts Dept. Chair Herb Hall said. “We also wanted to do a show that used the orchestra, since ‘Grease’ only used a small band last year.”

The musical deals with themes such as love, compassion and learning how to deal with the loss of loved ones. Due to the unique essence of the musical, actors rehearsed not only to perform but also to help change the sets simultaneously in

between scenes.

“There are no blackouts to change the sets between scenes because the action and music are both continuous. Therefore all scene changes have to be done by the actors and they become part of the performance,” Hall said. “[The musical] is written much like a movie because it jumps from location to location without any breaks in the action.”

The 31 actors of the musical had to adjust to performing through various scenes and location changes. According to actress Emily Ebrahimian, however, the musical “could not have been successfully carried out” without the help from the approximately 100 students in its numerous crews, which conducted lighting, sound, orchestra and stage set.

“This is one of the most difficult musicals we’ve ever put on at Beverly, both technically and musically. [All] students have really risen to the challenge to make it great,” Hall said.

The curtains will close on March 23 so make sure to purchase tickets online or at the door of the event. The spotlight will be placed upon the following crews responsible for making the musical to the highest potential.

Pit crew creates eerie aura through music composition Marguerite Alberts Assistant Graphics Editor Music is a crucial factor in producing a musical. The 35 orchestra members comprise the pit crew and perform various musical scores for “The Secret Garden.” The orchestra began practicing for the performance in the beginning of February.

“We joined the actors two weeks before the performance,” pit orchestra member and trombone player junior Tommy Marcus said.

In contrast to a normal orchestra performance, the pit crew supplements the singing of the actors and actresses in the play. The orchestra creates the music and the sound crew alters it.

“The pieces make the musical alive in many ways,” Marcus said. “It is very similar to a movie [without music they are boring} and the music creates a sense of movement, causing the audience to understand more of what is happening.”

The score includes intricate and melodic pieces such as “House Upon the Hill" and "Show Me the Key" that move slowly and have ballad-like

pieces that are very quick such as "Where in the World.”

“We have a lot of background music, and we have to watch for many different scenarios that are not written, such as a drastic tempo change from fast to slow,” Marcus said.

Members of the pit crew find that performing the music is a difficult task because they have to look for various cues and sudden stops.

“A lot of hard work goes into the musical, but the final product of the jointing of the orchestra and singers is rewarding,” second violinist James Dohm said.

Additionally, students practice pieces for many hours at home. Because the play is written to be performed on Broadway, students are supposed to know as much music as a professional would.

“The music in the musical is very difficult, and it basically throws everything we have to know at us; it leaves no room for mistakes,” Marcus said.

Top: Music Director Joe Pressman and members of pit crew rehearse after school. Bottom Right: Senior Eric Shim help tune the pit crew’s instruments by playing his xylophone.

Bottom Left: Junior Allison Rishwain alter music and sound played by orchestra members.

MEG ALBERTS and DAMI KIM

Makeup crew helps actors find their character Dami Kim Culture Ediotr

Top: Junior Grace Yunker draws fake wrinkles on actress Emily Ebrahimian’s forehead. Bottom: Freshmen Carmen Cacavas and Ella Tat pin curl an actress’s hair.

DAMI KIM

“Makeup is a form of art,” junior Makeup and Hair Director Grace Yunker said..

Although this year is her first year of directing the makeup and hair crew of the musical, Yunker was delighted to become a part of “such a rich tradition” that has allowed students to learn about the makeup and costume design.

“I have never been a part of such a wonderful program at other schools,” Yunker said. “It’s not just about helping the actors develop their characters through costumes and makeup, it’s also about the crew acquiring the [makeup and hair] skills and being proud of our work put on stage.”

The makeup and hair crew emphasized the importance of putting on costume and makeup for actors who are trying to find a connection with their characters. According to Yunker, who is an actress her-

self, actors start to feel closer to their roles when they are in full costume and makeup.

In order to create a more in-depth connection with their characters, the crew insisted on putting makeup that gave an illusion of wrinkles and age, since most actors played older characters.

Freshman Carmen Cacavas helped with putting on wigs for the actresses of the musical.

“One of the difficult jobs of the [makeup and hair] crew is when we have to put wigs on wgirls,” Cacavas said. “Before putting on a wig, the girls have to pin curl their hair, which can take hours, depending on the length of the hair.”

Yunker also explained the difficulty of finding the right balance in makeup for actors when they are on stage.

“You never know when [the makeup] is too much,” Yunker said. “Sometimes too much makeup can be clown-like. It’s very important to find the right balance.”

Interested in finding out more about the rest of the “Secret Garden” crews?

The behind-the-scene stories of set, lighting and costume crews can be accessed by scanning the above QR code.

6

Highlights

centerfold

OH b ab y [Continued from page 1] The CDC warns that children of teen mothers are more likely to struggle in school, drop out of school, suffer from health problems (e.g. low birth weight, blindness, deafness, mental retardation and cerebral palsy), become incarcerated and become unemployed as young adults.

Daughters of teen mothers are also 22 percent more likely than daughters of adult mothers to become teen mothers themselves.

“Teen pregnancy takes away a teen’s sense of youth and freedom, propels them into an adult world before they are ready, interferes with their ability to attend high school and have a ‘normal’ social life and changes a teen’s future plans after high school,” school psychologist Gene Michelman said.

However, a Beverly student, who chose to remain anonymous, has experienced teen motherhood

March 22, 2013

and believes there is both a positive and negative side to being a teen mother.

“At first I was so happy to know that I was having a baby. It was an amazing feeling to hear my baby’s heartbeat,” she said. “But then I started thinking about the hard stuff: diapers and daycare, none of which is cheap.”

School support can also have a large impact on a pregnant teen’s academic success, according to The Huffington Post. In 2008, California legislators cut a successful program that gave such students more aid in school, claiming that it was no longer necessary, and left school districts to use the money for other programs.

Despite the ruling, Beverly provides pregnant teens with a relatively large amount of support and understanding.

According to Intervention Counselor Ali NormanFranks, the Norman Aid Student Support Center offers confidential counseling and can help pregnant students to see their options.

If a student decides to proceed with the pregnancy, the center would connect the student with the

school nurse and programs like Planned Parenthood and Los Angeles Services, both of which offer education, counseling and financial aid.

“Because the pregnant teen’s health is crucial and their parents’ support may be needed, we would encourage them to tell their parents. If the student needed support with telling their parents that they are pregnant, we could set up a meeting with them and their parents and help them share this sensitive information,” Norman-Franks said.

She also claimed that, if a student was comfortable with informing teachers about her situation, the Norman Aid Center could help establish an educational plan to help the student graduate.

The anonymous teen mother claimed that Beverly provided her with immense support during her pregnancy.

“The school was really understanding [about my pregnancy] as long as I had a doctor’s note for all appointments,” the anonymous student claimed. “I know it was hard for teachers to bend the rules because I know they didn’t want other students getting upset that I was getting special privileges because of my pregnancy. Still, the school was amazingly

supportive with my pregnancy and I know they appreciated the fact that I didn’t use my pregnancy to get out of schoolwork or classes.”

According to the CDC, fighting teen pregnancy is a “winnable battle.” The most effective way to prevent teen pregnancy is abstinence. All methods of birth control, California Rural Indian Health Board (CRIHB) claims, are capable of failure.

CRIHB also reports that more U.S. teens are using contraception the first time they have sex, but are less likely than in past years to continue using contraception later on. Couples that do not use birth control during intercourse have an 85 percent chance of pregnancy within the first year.

Michelman recommends abstinence to high school students as the best means of preventing teen pregnancy. She also urges teens to talk to trusted adults about sex and the dating process.

“Both parents and teachers play a role in educating youth about teen pregnancy; it is important to be able to have open communication between teens and their caregivers. Schools can provide an objective perspective on the issues surrounding teen pregnancy,” Michelman said.

7

Teenage pregnancy cases carry unfair stigma Robert Katz Co-Web Editor-in-Chief The miracle of childbirth is astounding, overwhelming, marvelous, and, to a startling degree, temporal. Contrast the shiny, glowing pride and goodwill we shower new parents with against the cold, sharp stigma any teenage parent normally receives, and it’s not difficult to understand how distinctly society draws the line between graduated parents and high school couples.

People tend to fear the unknown. “Modern” society’s perception is that the average teenager is unready mentally and sometimes physically for the thousand-ton pressure that is a child’s life. The first 18 years of our lives are a tutorial for the sheer realities of adult life -- we practice, experiment and learn in order to become precisely the sort of people we will end up being, for better or for worse.

The moment of conception, to the perception of some, is the moment the grape juice hits the rug; the purity of childhood is stained forever.

Humans desire to blot out what we feel has been ruined. We want to avert our eyes from whatever we are sure we cannot fix, or, alternatively, distort our fears to the point of hilarity, where what was once horrific has been made so absurd as to never pose a threat to our supposed security. Think of the spell in “Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban” that makes our darkest fears into laughingstocks.

To many of us, teen pregnancy is that deep dark fear, the giant spider or creepy hovering shadow. It is, for a brief moment in a lifetime, the complete loss of control that comes with having a human being dependent on us for everything. It would be impossible for me to come close to estimating the degree of isolation

the pregnant teenager endures. We make no mention of the deep accomplishment, love and attachment of childbirth, and we refuse to imagine anything other than the negativity we, as outsiders, inflict on these early adults.

So how do we erode our fears? We put clown noses and oversized shoes on them.

MTV, the greatest culprit of our campaign for the unreality of teen pregnancy, hit gold with “16 and Pregnant.” It took our concerns and molded them into 60 minutes of entertainment. This new, friendly presentation mixed the pitiful and the ridiculous, realizing some hard truths of the life of a pregnant teen, but never forcing its audience to actually relate to anyone in particular; we felt sorry for her, but not because we could see ourselves in her shoes. We rooted for her, but only because who else were we going to root for when “How I Met Your Mother” was hours away?

I still believe that, six years since its release,

“Juno” is the only visual media to have adequately captured anything close to what being a pregnant teenager must be like. It made us laugh, but only out of its endearing sweetness. It made us coo, but only for the plot’s legitimately tender romance and twisting horror. It built fake characters that felt more genuine than the “reality” MTV fed us.

The stigma that has cast teenage parents, especially mothers, into the shadows of society is not arbitrary. It is based in the real human mentality that illuminates the non-progressive dredges of the contemporary world. However, the perception an “enlightened” civilization holds of teen parenthood remains in a disconcerting darkness. Compassion and real understanding of the surprisingly normal lives of teen parents must come about to prove there’s more to their reality than reality television.

MICHELLE BANAYAN and CELINE HAKIMIANPOUR 164 students were polled on March 14, 15 and 18.

Have you ever engaged in sexual intercourse?

Of males who say yes: Do you wish you had waited to have sexual intercourse?

Of females who say yes: Do you wish you had waited to have sexual intercourse?

0.6%

30%

What is your perspective on teen pregnancy?

20%

38%

70%

100%

62%

79.4%

Teenagers are too young to be getting pregnant and taking care of another child I don’t mind if teenagers get pregnant. It is their life and they can live it however they want.

Yes

Yes

Yes

No

No

No

Being pregnant is a miracle, no matter how old one is.

8 feature

March 22, 2013 Highlights

Football players turned bakers create business Alex Menache Staff Writer Rolling pins, gourmet chocolate, powdered sugar and dainty ribbons seem incongruous to a high school football player’s vocabulary, although brothers Ethan and Jared Forman debunk this stereotype while employing their unique abilities in the kitchen.

The brothers’ determination to exceed the social norm has led to their establishment of Forman’s Cookies, a company described by the brothers as a “modern, sleek and simplistic” approach to the gourmet cookie.

While being dedicated athletes, the Forman brothers acknowledge the eccentricity in their passion for baking, and even though the two hobbies seem

to lack correlation, their determination is the common thread.

“I am an entrepreneur that will do almost anything to succeed,” founder Ethan Forman said. “From playing football to playing baseball to baking, I am determined to be the best I can be.”

What once began as a hobby for Ethan quickly transitioned into an idea for a business inspired by modern food trends.

“I came up with the idea when I realized that so many people had hopped on the ‘gourmet cupcake’ train, but there was no market for gourmet cookies,” he said.

“In my mind, if people would be willing to pay $3.75 for a Sprinkles cupcake, why wouldn’t they pay $1.50 for a gourmet cookie?”

Although Forman’s Cookies are currently being distributed to Beverly students for

free upon request, students appreciate the Forman’s cookies’ affordable prices.

“The cookie is truly amazing and definitely worth $1.50,” senior Zoe Josephson said. “You can taste the freshness and care put into each package.”

The brothers’ vision was conceived in their own kitchen, where they meticulously bake, cool and package hundreds of cookies on their own.

Although the Formans will make any type of cookie upon request, their most popular flavors are milk chocolate chip, white chocolate chip, butterscotch and oatmeal raisin.

The Formans continue to exercise their creativity, as they hope to open up a storefront that sells unique flavors such as fresh mint chocolate chip and rocky road. They also plan to give customers the

option to dip their cookies in different chocolates or make them into ice cream sandwiches.

With the help of seniors Nick Reskin and Stefan Lachkar, the Forman brothers are currently waiting on licensing and receiving insurance and health department permits to become a legitimate company. In addition, the cookie clan is preparing to sell their products at farmers’ markets throughout Los Angeles.

Ethan and Jared, who exhibit the will and determination that is crucial for the success of any business, cherish the opportunity as a learning experience.

“You only get to live life once, so take chances and never regret any decisions,” Ethan said. “ If baking cookies makes me happy, then I’ll bake cookies.”

Informafi takes unique spin on news website Pasha Farmanara Co-Web Editor-in-chief Senior Ryan Shoushani, host of KBEV’s “Shoush Tonight,” has begun a new project, a news-broadcasting website called Informafi. Informafi is not an average news website, due to the fact that it will lean heavily on video content produced by the Informafi staff.

“Initially I wanted to provide a forum to go along with my show [Shoush Tonight].

I see news and broadcasting as a whole going online. If someone in our generation wants to know what is going on in the world, the first source he or she goes to is the internet,” Shoushani said.

Shoushani’s journalism resume, containing feature interviews with retired show host Larry King and founder and CEO of American Apparel Dov Charney,

has caught the eye of students on campus.

“I am very impressed with Ryan’s show.

He gets such high-profile people to come on and does a great job during the interviews,” senior Sadie Katz said. “He does a good job at making the interviews smooth and getting the viewers to feel as if they are there.”

Shoushani’s introduction to cyberspace has gone as expected, even though he is new to the field.

“I knew making a website was going to be a lot of work, and my prediction was correct. Making a website is like architecture and engineering. Architecture is designing your vision and getting it on paper, or in this case, the screen. Engineering is building the infrastructure to support your vision,” Shoushani said.

In addition to coordinating the entire website, Shoushani will also be contribut-

ing his own content to Informafi.

“Right now we are hiring writers and coming up with interesting ideas for new shows to compliment what we have so far from my previous work,” Shoushani said.

“I’m also working on writing my own articles, which I have gained a passion for.”

Shoushani has recruited students from Beverly, including seniors Bailey Berro and David Javidzad, as well as local college students, to help develop and work on the website.

“I’m very excited to be on board with this project,” Javidzad said. “The website’s idea is original, and I feel people are moving to the internet for more video content. On the staff everyone is doing something different and it is slowly coming together into a awesome website.”

After a brief sneak-peak of the website, students feel the site can become a staple

of their web browsing experiences.

“It’s a very user-friendly website. I am able to access transcripts of his past shows and see what interesting people he had last on his show,” senior Jonathan Levi said. “Although some of the categories such as ‘life’, ‘entertainment’ and ‘news’ don’t seem to be finished yet, the website looks promising. He seems to have put a lot of time and effort into the website. I can see myself using Informafi regularly.”

Informafi is expecting a “soft launch” by the end of March. Shoushani plans for a “heavy launch” next fall, which will include a total redesign with new upgraded features.

Going forward, Shoushani hopes to “focus on marketing the website and continuing to create excellent content on a user friendly medium.”

Q & A: Suits actor Gabriel Macht, ‘90 Benjamin Hannani Staff Writer Now the star of the USA Network’s critically-acclaimed “Suits,” class of ‘90 alumnus Gabriel Macht once strolled the hallowed halls of Beverly. During high school, Macht was highly involved with the school’s performing arts program and recalls acting under the tutelage of longtime theater teacher Joel Pressman. In an exclusive interview with Highlights, Macht reflects on his time at Beverly and how it influenced his professional acting career.

What are your favorite memories from Beverly?

There are a lot of memories I have from my time at Beverly. I remember on the first day of my senior year, I got together with my buddy, Jon Song, and we were driving home after school considering giving one real ‘go’ at being the stereotypical ‘obnoxious... senior’ by teasing a freshman.

We weren’t the type of guys to continue that sophomoric behavior but we thought we’d have a laugh by doing it just once on the first day of school to one kid. So, we saw this young kid on his bike riding beside us and as we drove up next to him, we started screaming and pointing at him, “Freshman, you freshman!” As we drove past him I see that he’s giving us the finger in my rearview mirror. We couldn’t believe the guts on this kid. We’re idling at the stop sign waiting for him and as he drives by us...he confronts

us with, “I’m a sophomore!” Needless to say that’s as far as we were to being total jerks!

Who were your favorite teachers at Beverly?

Coach Newman was a favorite of mine. He seemed the most down to earth and I continue to connect with him every once in a while. I remember getting into a car accident on a weekend and he was there at the intersection, coincidentally. He stayed at the scene to make sure we were all right. I’ll be forever grateful to him for that.

Do you remember performing under the direction of [drama teacher] Joel Pressman?

I performed in many of the school productions, including two musicals. I was in the chorus in “How To Succeed Without Really Trying” and again in “The Music Man.” Joel was always very specific about diction. He made sure we pronounced our consonants. He was also very good at waving his arms to the orchestra. He also had a great way of growing his beard. Seriously, though, he was very supportive of me in the chorus and when I played some bigger parts in the straight plays.

I ran into him at the High Holidays a couple years ago and he was very friendly and very proud of where I’ve gone in my career. He was definitely influential in my early years of becoming an actor.

How would you describe yourself during your high school days?

I was an okay student. [I was] very active

in baseball my freshman year, although my coach, Vonzie Paysinger, put me on the bench for the better part of the season in order to play the sophomores and then I knew early on that I wanted to get into drama, so I had to decide whether to pursue baseball or acting. When the frosh/soph baseball lineup was called my sophomore year in front of the swim gym, I happened to be hanging there. When Vonzie called my name and I told him and the rest of my team that I wasn’t playing that year, he replied, “GOOOOOOD!” That gave me a lot of confidence! (Not really.)

I started taking acting seriously then. I spent a lot of time going to see my pals play baseball, football and basketball when I wasn’t behind the scenes my sophomore year in the theater and then onstage my junior and senior years. I was involved with the Television and Radio classes with Dave Stiles. I went to the drama competitions where I directed and acted in scenes that won at the state championships. I was very active in school.

How actively involved were you in the Performing Arts Dept. at Beverly and what are your most vivid memories from performances and rehearsals?

I was very involved in the performing arts.

I had landed the role of Cyrano de Bergerac my senior year while the teachers were on strike. My director and I had a discussion about not being prepared enough if she was on strike with the other teachers. She secretly crossed the line to direct me one-on-one so that our production would get on its feet if the

teachers approved a deal. Fortunately, that happened and we were ready to perform. I fell in love with that play. I am so thankful she stuck with me through that tough time.

How did your time in the performing arts at Beverly shape your acting career and/or inspire you to pursue acting professionally?

I wanted to be an actor from a very young age even before high school. I loved being in the drama department at Beverly and it really prepared me for the same discipline you need in [college] and in the professional world. [The summer entering my junior year] I went to a Carnegie Mellon pre-college acting program and at the end of the six-week course, I auditioned to get into Carnegie Mellon when it came time to go to college. I was one of six others who were accepted and the rest is history. I also felt that my time at Beverly gave me the opportunities to fail as an actor. It’s much harder to fail professionally than in school.

Acting at Beverly helped [form an] early foundation of my craft which continued to strengthen [during college].

To read the full interview, scan this QR code:

March 22, 2013 Highlights

9

10

March 22, 2013 Highlights

March 22, 2013 Highlights

sports 11

Tennis loses to Mira Costa, sweeps Peninsula Jessica Lu Staff Writer Boys tennis lost 15-13 against Mira Costa on March 12 but pulled itself up by winning 13-5 against Peninsula, sweeping the sets on March 14.

Captain Drew Freeman won his singles matches 3-2 against Mira Costa despite being up against, as the team described, “tough players.” According to junior Ethan Kunin, many of these opponents were four-star recruits, one indication that they may play competitively in college.

“This team had great depth,” Kunin said. “Our team weakness right now is consistency. We just need to start playing our best every match. We need to get

more ‘match tough.’”

Senior Cosimo Bocchi played doubles with senior Austin Towns. Although the two got off to a slow start in their first two matches, Bocchi reflected that their “power” increased, enough to pull away 7-5 and snag a win in the third match.

“We could’ve done a lot better,” Bocchi said. “We have a picture of the game but we need to work on strategy. We need to work on more specific technical things.

Pivotal points in the game of tennis.”

The team seemed to take Bocchi’s advice and jumped on track in its match against Peninsula. Kunin describes that coming off the Mira Costa loss added to the team’s apprehension before the match.

“We were a bit down,” Kunin said. “We

Senior Eric Busi lunges far left to return his opponent’s shot. Photo courtesy of FABIANA SPITZ

just came off a tough loss and knew this team would be very good considering itbeat Harvard Westlake. Also, we haven’t beaten this team in over 15 years.”

The previous record failed to be an obstacle, as the boys were tied 3-3 the first round, won 5-1 the second round and won 5-1 the third round.

Kunin attributes the team’s success largely to the doubles players’ win during every match. Even if the singles players had lost all their matches, Beverly still would have taken the victory due to the doubles’ performance.

“I am very excited about our win. It was a great team match and we beat a team we haven’t beaten in [15] years, so that always feels great,” senior Matthew Dubin said. “I was also pleased with the way I

played. I thought it was probably the best I played this year.”

His doubles partner, senior Eric Busi, also was pleased with sweeping their sets.

“The most important thing that stood out is our chemistry,” Busi said. “We’re able to work together and really help each other out.”

Kunin was more pleased with his performance compared to that of Tuesday and says the team has its eyes set on CIF. “Coming off this match, a CIF title is looking more and more realistic,” he said.

The boys team is currently ranked fourth in the second division of CIF and hopes to win CIF. With no more competitions in March, boys tennis is currently preparing for its league matches next month, starting with a match in Ojai.

Captain Drew Freemen prepares for a powerful forehand swing. Photo courtesy of FABIANA SPITZ

Boys lacrosse looks to rebound from early slump Oliver Gallop Graphics Editor The boys lacrosse record does not tell the whole story of the team’s season so far.

Although the team has a record of 1-4, the Normans have played some high-ranked opponents, including Harvard-Westlake and Oak Park, and have come closer than some might have thought to a victory, according to midfielder Jason Friedberg.

“Those are all games we all know we should’ve won,” Friedberg said. “We’re improving every day, but our offense, defense and transitional play all need to come together. We have exceptional talent this year and once we get our act together, we will be a pretty tough team to beat.”

The squad began the season with two road games against Harvard-Westlake and Brentwood, both of which are nonleague opponents. The Normans struggled in both games but stayed close, losing by three goals in each. Midfielder Nick Heller scored three goals in the 10-7 loss to Harvard-Westlake and goaltender Michael Suh had 16 saves in the 6-3 loss to Brentwood. The team then came back home and lost to Loyola 6-4, despite leading 3-1 at the half.

Attackman Yaniv Sadka, who had one goal in the Harvard-Westlake game, faced various challenges when playing highranked, more established teams.

“The game moves faster, hits are harder and goalies are better,” Sadka said. “We are holding ourselves back from victories

because of self inflicted wounds such as penalties, missing easy shots and missing assignments on defense. Elite teams force you to work hard for all four quarters.

They make you earn every goal.”

On March 8, the team found the goal more easily in a 10-5 win at Chaminade.

Heller and Midfielder Sam Edwards led the attack with three goals each.

To add to the team’s recent success, Heller believes the team needs to “play within [its] offense and defense system and trust each other to make plays.”

On March 13, the squad played Oak Park, a team that defeated Loyola 11-2 and Chaminade 20-2. The Normans fared the same as these other teams, only scoring three goals versus Oak Park’s 15.

Midfielder Matthew Leib tries not to

worry about the past losses and focus on the future.

“We’ve had a rough start but now it’s time to play as a team,” Leib said. “As a team we all need to show up to practice and stay focused in order to build team trust and skill. I will try to get out on the field more and throw around outside of practice hours.”

On March 18, the team traveled to Downey and despite a fourth quarter comeback, fell short by one goal. Downey scored four points in the first quarter and one goal in each of the following quarters to hold on for a 7-6 win.

The team plays March 20 against Mira Costa at home and March 22 at Redondo, but results were not available as of press time.

Boys swimming begins season with momentum Arman Zadeh Sports Editor The boys swim team has started the 2013 season by sweeping its first two meets of the regular season against Ocean League rivals Samo and Torrance.

The team began its run with a victory at Samo on March 7, followed by a win over Torrance on March 14.

This season, varsity veterans Steven Turnbull and David “Frosty” Kotlorenko lead the Normans into the 2013 season with high expectations typical to the skilled squad.

“We want to win league and make it

to CIF,” Kotlorenko said. “We just keep working hard and pushing ourselves to do our best. It’s always been like that.”

With 24 points, Turnbull currently leads the team in individual scoring.

Relays included, he has scored over 50 points. Freshman Daniel “Choi Boi” Choi, a rising star of the varsity team, is second in individual points this season with 14.

The Normans’ most recently defeated Torrance by a narrow margin, 89-83.

In the team’s most popular event, the 4X50 freestyle relay, Turnbull finished with the team’s fastest time of 23.96,

followed by senior Ben Hakakian with a time of 25.14. Turnbull also finished with the team’s fastest time in the 4X100 freestyle with 51.09, and the 200-meter freestyle with 1:59.22.

Even though the season has recently started, the team is keeping an eye on its main goal for this season, Ocean League finals.

“We are pleased with our performance so far and hope to keep swimming strong as League finals approach in May,” junior Sam Schnapp said.

Schnapp is confident in the team’s future thanks to the addition of two skilled

freshmen to this year’s squad, Daniel Choi and Shota Ishizawa, who participate in events from the 200 I.M. to the 4X100 freestyle relay.

At the Torrance meet, Choi secured the team’s fastest time in the 200 I.M., finishing in 2:18.90.

The team next faced South Torrance and Inglewood on March 21 in a Pioneer League meet, but results were not available in time for the press.

The team will participate in the South Bay Invitational at Mira Costa on March 26 and will play at home on April 11 against El Segundo.

12 sports

March 22, 2013 Highlights

Boys golf struggles, remains winless in league play Ryan Feinberg Staff Writer

Co-captain Pasha Farmanara tees off on the first hole at the Rancho Park golf course. RYAN FEINBERG

The golf team teed off against Palos Verdes High School on Monday, March 19. The boys’ performance was subpar, as they were unable to sink a win.

Monday’s loss leaves the team with a record of 0-3, tied for last place in league.

Freshman Carson Mandic attributes the struggle to players not playing to their “full potential.”

Co-captain Oliver Gallop, on the other hand, says the recent performances may be a result of inconsistency.

“None of our players play well every match,” Gallop said. “We always switch off with the best score. I can shoot the best one day and the worst the next day.

That is what is so difficult about golf.”

Freshman James Dohm shot lowest for the Normans, shooting 41. Senior Pasha Farmanara and Gallop performed second best for the team, both shooting 42.

Mandic shot 44, freshman Justin Hong shot 52 and senior Joseph Leifer and sophomore Josh Masjedi both shot 51.

“The team needs to be more consistent,” Farmanara said. “We all are capable of shooting low rounds. If three out of five guys play well, we will still lose. We need everyone shooting his best score every round.”

Although the team lost on Monday, the golfers still see positive aspects of the performance.

“We are really happy with the play of our two freshmen, Mandic and Dohm,” Farmanara said. “We weren’t expecting to have two players step up as freshmen and give us low scores. We lost Brian Song [last year], one of Beverly’s finest to ever play the game. The addition of the two freshmen really [made] up for...

losing Brian.”

The freshmen’s performance could be due to the squad’s chemistry this year.

“The team’s chemistry this year is surprisingly good,” Farmanara said. “We lost three players last year, which was tough. This year we have had five freshmen join the team and we have all become a family.”

Mandic concurs with Farmanara’s beliefs on team chemistry.

“Team chemistry is great. No one has any grudges toward each other, and all of us seem to get along well,” Mandic said.

The ultimate goal for the season would be to compete in CIF; however, the golfers do not feel this is possible.

“I do not think we will make CIF because the competition seems stiff this year,” Gallop said. “In the individual tournament, if one of us plays well we could place relatively highly.”

Gallop feels CIF is not the only goal worth setting for the boys.

“Hopefully, during one match, we can break 200 strokes for five players,” Gallop said. “This would be a huge accomplishment for our young team.”

The possibility of making CIF will only result if the team practices, according to Gallop.

“That is the only thing that we can do to improve,” Gallop said.

Some of the boys’ goals with golf, however, go beyond this season.

“Some players like myself would love to play college golf, and maybe see how far golf can take [us],” Mandic explained.

The golf team faced Palos Verdes again on Thursday, March 18, but results were not available in time for press.

The squad next faces North Torrance at Victoria Golf Course on Tuesday, March 26.

Softball crushes Marymount in final pre-season game Zoe Kenealy Staff Writer Girls varsity softball was victorious at home against Marymount High School on Friday, March 15. The team won by an overwhelming score of 17-4.

“We really played the best we could and our all was enough,” left fielder Molly Hersh said. “Winning against Marymount was such a great feeling for the girls and I am confident in the rest of our season if we can keep this up.”

The game only went to five innings, with Beverly scoring 11 runs in the first inning.

The girls mercied Marymount just after the fifth inning due to the substantial lead.

“From the start it was apparent that we were up for a good game,” right outfielder Nicole Yuan said. “The first inning was incredible for our team and I think Marymount really knew what they had coming for them from the beginning. Having to mercy Marymount was a great pat on the back for our team. Our work is really paying off, it seems.”

Despite the girls’ prior lost matches, the team feels that the season will show great improvement now that the girls have gotten used to working as a team.

“In the beginning of the season I felt we were struggling a little bit, only because we were not all on the same page and did not know whose strength was whose,” Yuan said. “Now that the girls have all grown an understanding of one another, I am really excited for the ultimate turnout of our sea-

son.” that while the team could improve on hit- portant aspect of the team’s success at the The team’s previous 6-2 loss against ting, if players work hard in practice, they match against Marymount.

Serra High School is what drove the girls to can continue to carve a successful path The team’s next home game was on give the Marymount match their complete against some of the older teams.

Wednesday, March 20, at Archer High effort and determination.

While the girls each bring a particular School, but results were not available as of “It did not feel good to lose against Ser- strength to the team, Mitchell feels that press time. The Normans next play Inglera High School, so we all knew that at the sophomore Shyra Costa and freshman wood on April 16 in their first league game next game, we had to give the entire game Aleks Recupero’s solid pitching was an im- of the season. our 110 percent effort,” Yuan said. “Clearly it paid off for us and I feel the team knows that it needs to keep up the hard work in order to get the kind of season all the girls want.”

Although the girls’ recent victory on the field demonstrates an improved work ethic, the team feels that the girls could still improve in terms of communication.

“If we better our communication skills, then I really think our team will be unstoppable,” Hersh said. “We have so many strengths and every one of our players is just phenomenal, so I have complete faith in the team’s capabilities. Bettering our communication would only take us 1,000 times further in the game.”

The team is a relatively young one, with four freshmen starting. In this respect, coach Leonard Mitchell feels Senior Leah Shapiro slides home to score Beverly’s fourth run against Marymount. OLIVER GALLOP