highlights
April 14, 2017 Volume 90, Issue Twelve Beverly Hills High School Beverly Hills, California beverlyhighlights.com
JUUL Generation INSIDE
Opinion
NEWS
SPORTS
this issue
Travis Scott preview
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SBAC rewards program?
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Boys varsity lacrosse
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2 news
April 14, 2017 Highlights
Dickens awarded WHO service Lauren Hannini staff writer After working in the district for 11 years, science teacher Lisa Dickens received the We Honor Ours (WHO) Award for her outstanding service to students and teachers inside and outside of the classroom. The WHO Award, which is given out by the Beverly Hills Education Association (BHEA) each year, honors a member of the organization who has contributed to their district through hard work and dedication. Along with teaching AP chemistry and physics, Dickens is also an active BHEA member, currently serving as the high school director and previously serving as the vice president for two years. With this position, she hopes to reach all the people in the district who feel the most comfortable talking to her. “A lot of people who don’t feel comfortable talking to a board member or talking to an administrator or talking to even people in the Union will come to me,” Dickens said. “So I’ve tried to be a conduit for the people who might feel a little less engaged and a little less welcome.” Dickens also makes sure that she is always making decisions that will benefit students. Although some of her colleagues may disagree with her opinion on how to tackle some issues, she is aware that they are all trying to achieve the best for the students. “We have an awesome staff
here...so I try to come from a standpoint that we’re all trying to do the best we can for kids, the best thing for education, and that sometimes there’s a miscommunication, and it doesn’t need to be combative,” Dickens said. “We may just be trying to do the best things for the kids and missing each other in terms of what that looks like.” Telly Tse, president of BHEA, is responsible for selecting the WHO Award winner, and this year he thinks Dickens deserves the award because of her devotion to colleagues and students. “She is a tireless advocate for her fellow staff and goes above Lisa Dickens laughs in amusement in front of her AP Chemistry Photo by PRISCILLA HOPPER and beyond to support the stu- class. “I grew up in Chicago, but my and I lost one of my kids my first dents she works with. Throughout family moved to Mississippi my year of teaching because of a gang her career, she has demonstrated senior year of high school. I really incident,” Dickens said. “But it resilience and has maintained a felt so foreign even though I was doesn’t matter where I am...sopositive attitude no matter the still in the United States,” Dickens cioeconomic differences aside, circumstances,” Tse said. said. “In my physics class one day, kids are kids. I have 10 nieces Tse also thinks that Dickens’ they said to me, ‘Say the alphabet,’ and nephews. I like kids, kids of ability to “do her job and mainand I went through it, and they all ages, even when they drive me tain professionalism no matter made fun of how I said all the let- crazy.” what” while supporting the comters. But it was a great experience Throughout her teaching camunity is a quality that sets her as for me and how it feels to be an reer, Dickens has encountered an example for others. outsider...I now try to watch out many different kinds of students “I believe the biggest contribufor my kids when one or the other and classroom environments, but tion that Ms. Dickens has made seems to be isolating themselves.” one thing has not changed: the in the last 10-11 years is being an After high school, Dickens went love she has for her job. example of an educator who truly on to studying education in col“I’ve always wanted to be a and wholeheartedly embraces the lege, and later got her first job in teacher. My grandmother and my Beverly community in every way,” Downtown Los Angeles. While great aunts were teachers,” DickTse said. “She is someone everyshe now teaches in Beverly Hills, ens said. “I think it’s one of the one can depend on for help and Dickens feels like her love for kids most important jobs in the world, support.” has stayed the same. and I try to take that seriously and Dickens’ ability to support and “I started out in the inner city do the best that I can...without belook out for her students stems with kids who were in gangs, ing too serious in class.” from her ability to relate to them.
Highlights Keith Stone, Ben Shofet, Max Yera, Veronica Pahamova editors-in-chief
Priscilla Hopper, AJ Wolken, Evan Minniti, Isaiah Freedman, Sam Bernstein, Lauren Hannani, Rinesa Kabashi staff writers
Ben Dahan, Jamie Kim news editors
Vivian Geilim opinion editor
Eleanor Bogart-Stuart culture editor
Sophia Goldberg sports editor
Jason Harward design editor
Natasha Dardashti multimedia editor
Gaby Herbst adviser —
Our goal as a student-run publication is to provide reliable, accurate and fair content that informs and intrigues the Beverly Hills community by following the principles of ethical journalism and represents the student body. We will deliver a broad spectrum of coverage through a variety of mediums, including online and print. Highlights is a forum for public expression that is produced by the Advanced Journalism class of Beverly Hills High School, 241 Moreno Drive, Beverly Hills, CA 90212. Letters to the editor may be sent to beverlyhighlights@gmail.com.
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news 3
April 14, 2017 Highlights
Jackson retires, search for new principal begins Jason Harward design editor
One thing is for certain: principal Dave Jackson is retiring. His replacement will be chosen by the Board of Education after a recommendation by the superintendent following a thorough interview and committee process has been completed. The most important trait, according to superintendent Dr. Michael Bregy, is somebody who is dedicated to the job, and will not leave in the near future. Bregy believes administrative turnover, as seen at Hawthorne Elementary, which has gone through four principals in four years, is best avoided. “There is a difference between someone who just wants to be a principal, [and who wants] to be principal at Beverly Hills High School...” Bregy said. “Through some of the questioning, I think we can determine that whether this is somebody looking for a stepping stone to that next job or somebody who really wants to plant themselves [at Beverly] and begin growing some roots.” As of publication, 55 prospective principals have applied, with more than half of them coming from outside of the school district. The application deadline is April 24. So far, it has been narrowed down to seven applicants who will be toured around the school before being interviewed by a committee comprised of teachers, administrators, district staff and parents, which hopes to genuinely reflect the interests of the school community. The student opinion, first voiced
by the Associated Student Body (ASB) and Service Learning members, will come soon, as Student Board Member Sam Schwartz work with Bregy to form a group who will represent the interests of the student body, with two students from each grade. Members of the community have already voiced their opinion about what a principal would look like. Parents and teachers had the opportunity to speak with Bregy at the last PTSA meeting and at another meeting on April 5, and he is taking those requests into consideration. “We’ve gotten lots of feedback on culture and climate,” Bregy said. “[The principal has to be] somebody who can handle a variety of issues at one time, including construction, and somebody who is really inclusive and very visible, much like Mr. Jackson has been,” Bregy said. For his part, Jackson wants to see a principal who can build off the work he has done over the past couple years to enrich the
school and student body. “I’ve worked so hard with my administrative team this year and last year and with the teaching staff that they’ve got to find somebody good because I didn’t put in 85 to 90 hours a week to watch it go down the drain.” Joanie Garratt, a history teacher who has been at the school for 21 years, conveyed that she wants a principal who has experience with academics and who is willing to listen to teachers. “I want someone that was a teacher, preferably an AP teacher, for at least 10 years,” Garratt said. “I want a principal who is willing to consult with veteran teachers, with people who have been here for a long time and who have a vested a interest in the school.” Senior ASB president Ryan Neydavood thinks a successful principal needs to be a visible friend to the students. “I would like to see a principal who interacts with students daily, is open to change in the community and, most importantly, cares about the school and the students,” Neydavood said. Jackson is appreciative of the time he has had at the school and the bonds he has built with the students and community members he has been serving, as well as the staff he has been serving with. “I have this connection; I love [my kids],” Jackson said. “My experience has been wonderful and I am most grateful for my students, staff and parents who have all been on the same page for excellence at Beverly Hills High School.”
Graphic by BEN SHOFET
Travis Scott previews Coachella show in Santa Barbara Rinessa Kabashi staff writer Travis Scott, one of the headliners at the Coachella 2017, gave some of his fans a little preview of his set on April 12 as he performed at the Santa Barbara Bowl in Santa Barbara. While having played only eight songs, Travis was still able to amp up the crowd. Throughout the entire performance, the entire performance attendees attempted to rush onto the stage and jump into the crowd, a common sight whenever Travis takes the stage. Travis played a wide variety of songs during his hour long performance. Several songs from his latest album, Birds in the Trap Sing McKnight, were played as well as some from his second album, Days Before Rodeo. With the stage illuminated and the entire crowd roaring, Travis took the stage with one of his hit songs, “Pick up the Phone.” Later in the performance “biebs in the trap” came out and dozens of watchers opened up space for an enormous mosh pit which lasted nearly four minutes. Travis’ performance at Coachella is just one stop in the middle of his 2017 tour across the U.S. While this will be Travis’ first performance at Coachella, the rapper is no neophyte when it comes to the art of performing. His Coachella performance will most likely be an amplified version of his most recent Santa Barbara performance; however, with the multitude of artists that
A snapshot from Travis Scott’s preformance of “Pick up the Phone.” will be present, it is inevitable that Travis will most likely collaborate with another big stage name, pos-
sibly Kendrick Lamar where the two could perform “goosebumps”, or with Gucci Mane, and that duo
Photo by RINESSA KABASHI
could perform “Last Time.” Regardless of whether Travis performs alone or if Kanye West
joins him on stage, Travis’ first Coachella performance will be remembered.
spotlight 5
Ho
of students have smoked a JUUL
44.7%
39.9%
RARELY
of those students have smoked a JUUL on campus * 251 students surveyed Pie chart: 123 responses
MULTIPLE TIMES PER DAY
10.6%
GENERATION
The portable nicotine blast that has Beverly smoked.
34.1%
ONCE A WEEK
UL? JU
40.2%
n do y e t f o o w
u
THE
6% . 10
4 spotlight
April 14, 2017 Highlights
EVERY DAY Infographic by: JASON HARWARD and PRISCILLA HOPPER
ANATOMY OF A JUUL Cap
highs
Cartridge
Battery indicator green = high yellow = medium red = low
ANATOMY OF A POD Contains: glycerol, propylene glycol, benzoic acid, nicotine, natural oils and extracts Flavors: Virginia Tobacco, Cool Mint, Fruit Medley, Creme Brulee, Mango Infographic by: PRISCILLA HOPPER
N I C O T I N E S
Nicotine’s drug element is significantly distributed through the blood stream, rapidly reaching the brain. It binds to the brain tissue extremely fast, acting as a stimulant. These result in an increase in the user’s metabolic rate which creates the “head rush” sensation the smokers feel.
lows Nicotine increases heart rate and blood pressure and constricts blood vessels. These lead to abnormally high blood pressure, congestive heart failure and an irregular heartbeat.
Sam Berstein staff writer Isaiah Freedman staff writer
Drug usage has been ingrained into the high school culture for years. Whether it be alcohol, marijuana or cigarettes, illicit substances have always been a present part of a high school’s culture. The most recent way students are consuming nicotine is by way of a small, slick black JUUL (Jooul), a mechanical cigarette device. JUULs contain the drug nicotine, and can only be legally consumed by adults ages 21 or older. JUULs come in five pod flavor choices, which include mango, virginia tobacco, cool mint, fruit medley and creme brulee, all containing the potentially harmful drug nicotine. Also, without having to use rolling papers, pipes or bongs, JUULs are small and discreet. They do not have a long lasting smell and can be inhaled very quickly and cleanly. JUULs are different from ordinary vape pens. JUULpods contain 0.7mL with 5 percent nicotine by weight, which is approximately equivalent to one pack of cigarettes or 200 puffs, according to JUUL’s website. JUUL’s proprietary formulation uses nicotine salts, which are found in the tobacco leaf. The same side effects of conventional nicotine vape pens apply to JUULing. JUULing can cause dry skin, dry mouth, facial rash, burning sensations to the face, dehydration, itchiness, caffeine sensitivity and bloody noses (Everyday Health). JUUL’s
website warns potential consumers of the harmful effects it has, such as birth defects and cancer. The website also notifies consumers about possible nicotine addiction, which can potentially call hiccups or belching, dizziness, upset stomach or nausea, throat or mouth soreness, watery eyes, watery or dry mouth, headache and constipation. JUULing is a popular trend that is rapidly spreading. 20.6 percent of students surveyed own a JUUL and 39.7 percent smoked through a JUUL before. 37.8 percent of students surveyed admitted
said. “Obviously, I think the purpose of [JUULS] is to be covert and that must be working pretty well, since it doesn’t have odor and doesn’t have smoke. It has nothing. I believe a combination of people not knowing to look for it and it being pretty hard to detect [has allowed students to get away with using them covertly at school.]” An anonymous senior who smokes cigarettes and JUULs finds them to be a very convenient alternative. “JUUL seems to be our generation’s cigarette. As a cigarette smoker, I hon-
“JUUL is like my cup of coffee in the morning; if I don’t have it, I’m not myself for the day.” to smoking JUULs on campus. Their small, sleek design and lack of scent or residue makes it easy for students to hide their JUULs from staff members. 37.5 percent of JUUL users on campus use their JUUL device multiple times a day, while 48.1 percent use their device rarely. English teacher Jamie Marrs, who is aware of JUULs and their effects, believes that students are able to JUUL during school because they are a relatively new product. “For adults, JUULS are a fairly new thing that they wouldn’t recognize or see, maybe in the same way that some teachers wouldn’t have realized that students shouldn’t be allowed to have Apple watches during a test,” Marrs
estly find JUULing to be just as effective in terms of achieving a lightheaded feeling, and far more convenient in terms of where and when I can get that feeling. It’s also apparently healthier than cigarettes,” the anonymous senior said. According to a report by UK’s Department of Health, electronic cigarettes and vaporization pens are at least 95 percent safer than tobacco cigarettes. The American Heart Association (AHA) reported that “E-cigarettes present an opportunity for harm reduction of smokers use them as substitutes for cigarettes.” Negative health effects of electronic cigarettes include possible insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes, as well
as increased heart rate and blood pressure, according to Harvard Medical School. However, the same senior mentioned the addictive nature of the substance and potential dependence. “It’s pretty obvious that using a JUUL can be pretty addictive pretty quickly. I don’t know if I’m technically addicted, but I definitely enjoy it enough to keep using it,” the anonymous senior said. An anonymous junior is not at all surprised that students secretly smoke in the bathroom. “I’m not surprised people JUUL in the bathroom. I think it’s honestly the same as when people used to smoke cigarettes in bathrooms during passing period. JUULs just happen to be a fad now, so me, along with my friends, are doing the same thing as generations before us, just with a different product.” A different senior integrated JUULing into his morning routine. “JUUL is like my cup of coffee in the morning; if I don’t have it, I’m not myself for the day. I become angry and irritated.” According to House A Assistant Principal Phil Wenker, students have been caught using JUULs and similar smoking products in the bathroom within the past three to six months. “E-cigs are against the ed code because they still contain nicotine,” Wenker said. “There are consequences for your actions. Just don’t bring those things to school and make the right choice.”
6 opinion
April 14, 2017 Highlights
Questionable incentives for taking SBAC Evan Minniti staff writer For the next few weeks, the juniors will be taking the Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium, SBAC. The test, which according to the Smarter Balanced website, “covers full range of college and career-ready knowledge and skills in the Common Core
State Standard” and its purpose is to measure the quality of education in school district. However, it also has a lot wrong with it. It is notoriously challenging for students who speak English as a second language, and its exact purpose is questionable. “We have one incentive and that
is the lunch pass as a senior. If you do proficient, which last year we had 90 percent of the kids doing proficient, you can get a lunch pass as a senior… If you do proficient or better on the SBAC, you can leave at the beginning of lunch, which is 1:10,” said Principal Dave Jackson. “If you are not proficient, you can’t leave until 1:40 p.m. This has always been the rule, so we have gone ahead and added another half an hour, because the kids are taking it seriously and doing well on the test. That is the only incentive we have.” Lunch passes, a rule that had already been put in practice, serve as the only incentive for Cartoon by VERONICA PAHOMOVA s t u d e n t s
to take the SBAC seriously. This might translate itself to a lot of students as not really being much of an incentive at all, certainly not a positive incentive. The message that comes along to the student body is that the administration wants juniors to take a test that has no discernible importance in their educational future. The SBAC has no clear importance in helping students get into college. According to the National Association For College Admission Counseling, “at their discretion, institutions may choose to include Smarter Balanced scores among the information they consider as they make admission decisions; however, the Smarter Balanced Assessment was not designed for that purpose.” The administration hasn’t been very clear as to why the test is important for students or in really providing much of an incentive for students to take it seriously. “I think the importance of SBAC is that it shows the rest of the country, because everyone takes the SBAC, the rigor of our instruction and that our kids actually are in a school that is academically challenging,” Principal Dave Jackson explained. Yet the SBAC has come under a lot of criticism from people in the education community. The California Alliance of Researchers for Equity in Education, or CARE-ED,
made of over 100 education researchers wrote a report in February 2016 criticizing Common Core standards and its use of “highstakes tests,” which in the case of California is the SBAC. “Here in California, the SBAC assessments have been carefully examined by independent examiners of the test content who concluded that they lack validity, reliability, and fairness, and should not be administered, much less be considered a basis for high-stakes decision making,” said a February 2016 report from CARE-ED. CARE-ED continued and said that SBACs would be particularly difficult for English-learning students. The report stated that during the 2015 SBAC-issued CAASP, “pass rates would go down, and would be particularly low for certain groups, including English-language learners (who make up over 22% of the enrollment in CA public schools), whom SBAC predicted would see an approximately 90% fail rate.” It is clear that the SBAC tests come with a whole host of problems. If the administration wants to continue the trend of increasing SBAC scores, they should give students a legitimate reason to care about the tests in the first place and address that it might not be beneficial for students who are learning English to take it.
Editorial After two years of leading our school, Principal David Jackson is returning to a well-deserved retirement. Now, the search to whom Jackson will pass the torch has begun. The district has already enlisted community members, teachers, parents and certain students to offer what they want to see in a new principal, and now the Highlights Editorial Board is throwing in its two cents, as we encourage all students to do. We need a principal who puts students first. While this first criterion may seem obvious, it is fundamental. Without a principal who has the best interests of students at heart, our entire education is jeopardized and our institution is undermined. The principal must cast petty politics aside and prioritize the education being provided to his or her pupils. We understand that school administration can be complicated and that the motivations behind certain policies may not always be obvious, but we must be secure in the knowledge that the principal is committed to
do what is best for us, and that his/her policies reflect that. We need a principal who is accessible. The high school is a community where students, teachers, parents and administra-
the principal comes from outside the school, as s/ he will need to get to know her/his new charges if s/ he truly wants to excel in his/her new post. We need a principal who is accountable. A principal
nor irreconcilable in decision-making. We need a principal who is open-minded. It is understandable for a longtime educator to come in with a set administrative and educational philoso-
“The principal must cast petty politics aside and prioritize the education being provided to his or her pupils.”
tors can openly interact with one another. The new principal, whoever he or she may be, must facilitate communal ties and communications throughout campus. They cannot allow the principal’s office to become an “Ivory Tower,” feared by students across campus. Instead, they need to prop their door wide open and welcome students with, as the phrase goes, “questions, comments or concerns.” This holds doubly true if
may be the chief executive of a school, but that does not mean they are allpowerful. Yes, he or she answers to the superintendent, who in turn answers to the Board of Education, but ultimately, they all answer to us: the students. They must be someone who will not shy away from answering the tough questions of a Highlights reporter, or anybody else, about a particular policy or decision. They must be someone who will not be arbitrary in judgement,
phy that he or she has crafted over his/her many years of service. However, s/he still must be able to deviate and adjust when necessary, and incorporate input and ideas s/he receives from students, parents and staff. The people on the “ground,” who experience the situation on a daily basis, namely teachers and students, often know best. At the very least, their input will be thoughtprovoking and serve to strengthen the course the
principal sets. This service is invaluable, and cannot be overlooked. We need a principal who is personable. There is no better feeling than enjoying yourself at a home game or at Winter Formal and seeing your school principal enjoying him/ herself alongside you. Our principal should be supporting the student body, and able to make connections with the individuals within it. S/he should be able to take a joke, crack his/her own, be lighthearted and open. S/he are our principal first, but that doesn’t mean s/he can’t be our friend too. Yes, we need a principal. But importantly, we need a principal who is a good fit for the school and the students s/he are serving. If s/he fulfill the criteria mentioned above, we believe s/he will make an excellent addition to the Norman Nation. We look forward to questioning, working with, learning under, and welcoming the new principal, whoever he or she may be.
culture 7
April 14, 2017 Highlights
Peer counselors aid students at Norman Aid
Senior Rebecca Meshkani works on the computer at the Norman Aid Center during fourth period. Photo by: LAUREN HANNANI creative projects and participating cate their concerns and stresses Lauren Hannani staff writer in different support programs at to peer counselors who have experienced what they are going As you walk into the Norman the school. Although they cannot privately through,” Khorshad said. “Because Aid Center, you first see colored meet with students, these peer the actual peer counseling class Post-Its on each side of the wall, a counselors act as teacher’s assiswas removed from the school, I table full of art supplies and colortants during different periods of wanted to create a program that ful posters with inspiring quotes. the day. Junior Rachel Khorshad, would implement the concept of Then, you walk to the front desk who works at the Norman Aid peer counseling and talking to and you see a student sitting there, Center at the beginning of the day, those who can relate to you.” looking up from his or her comis working with intervention counSenior Rebecca Meshkani, who puter, greeting you and asking you selor Ali Norman-Franks to design has been working at Norman Aid how your day is so far. That stuan email-based system for stufor two years, also wanted to make dent, a peer counselor, is not only dents at school who wish to coma new addition to the Norman Aid there to help students feel comfortmunicate with a counselor at any Center to keep students from feelable, but also to contribute to the time during the day. ing bored or tired while waiting to counselling center by partaking in “They will be able to communi- speak to a counselor.
‘Better Caul Saul’ returns
Photo courtesy of WIKIMEDIA Isaiah Freedman staff writer
“Better Call Saul”, crafts a story with manner that is polar opposite to its prequel, “Breaking Bad”. While “Breaking Bad” was a fastpaced explosion of tension at every turn, “Better Call Saul” frolicks along at a pace that rivals that of a snail, only providing the audience niblets of the action that trademarked “Bad” drama. We are into the third season of “Better Call Saul,” but still have not met Saul Goodman (Bob Odenkirk) himself, the sly and crooked lawyer notorious for helping client Walter White (Bryan Cranston) execute all his mischievous deeds in “Breaking Bad”. Saul is still Jimmy McGill, a much more innocent incarnation of the man he becomes in “Breaking Bad”, where he is the dirtiest lawyer in Albuquerque. Season three begins with a cold open, just like the previous premieres of that last two seasons, to the tune of Nancy Sinatra’s “Sugar Town”. With gorgeous black and white cinematography, we are transported deep into a post-Saul
future, after the events of both “Better Call Saul” and “Breaking Bad”. Saul/Jimmy is now operating under the identity of Gene, a Cinnabon manager in Nebraska, after he was forced to go undercover due to his actions in “Breaking Bad”. Creator and director Vince Gilligan takes us through every mundane task of Gene’s: retrieving his name tag, unloading flour bags, kneading the dough, applying the creamy frosting, taking the buns out of the oven, standing on the escalator for lunch, eating a boring sandwich on a boring bench. The detail is exquisite because it is heartbreaking to see a once animated and free-flowing person be reduced to rubble. In the past two cold opens, Gene has yet to utter a word. However, this time, as a young shoplifter is being escorted by the police, the old Saul bursts out of Gene as he is sitting on the bench. “Say nothing, you understand!” Gene shouts to the mischief being escorted away. “Get a lawyer!” Soonafter, Gene collapses, and the scene cuts to black.
Oddly enough, even though much of the cold open was excruciatingly slow storytelling, it may have been the fastest paced scene of the entire episode. Following the theme of slow story telling, Gilligan and co-creator Peter Gould take it to new heights of deliberate world-building. For five minutes, we watch Kim Wexler (Rhea Seehorn) agonize over whether to use a comma, semicolon or dash in a sentence of a will she is working on. We watch co-star Jonathan Banks’ crimeinvolved and stubborn old-man character Mike meticulously take his car apart for fifteen minutes trying to find a bug. In what probably should not serve as a surprise, we were not introduced yet to the much anticipated return of Giancarlo Esposito’s frightening yet reserved character of Gustavo Fring. Fring, who was the main villain of “Breaking Bad”, has been promoted by AMC countless times during the offseason, hyping his return. But of course, we still haven’t seen him yet. You have to respect Gilligan and Gould’s patience. Like any prequel, we know how this ends, we just don’t know how we arrive at the endpoint. Gilligan and Gould realize the audience is aware of all this, and in response, they have crafted one of the most gripping prequels in television. “Better Call Saul” is a show that can stand on its own without the Bad universe propping it up, even amid 20 minutes of screen time dedicated to the finer details of taking apart a gas cap.
“I created this art center in the waiting room where there’s a table with watercolor, markers, crayons, colored pencils...so anyone who is waiting who doesn’t just want to sit there can go and draw,” Meshkani said. “Sometimes when you don’t want to talk to a counselor, it’s nice to do something where you don’t have to speak to anyone. And anyone who makes something, we ask them if we can put it up on the wall.” Meshkani and Khorshad also participate in the Life Skills program, which is a school programt that peer counselors can join to teach special needs students important skills they can use every day. Meshkani meets with one of these students once a week at the Norman Aid Center to incorporate the skills the student uses in class into their conversations and activities. “We love to listen to music and sing together. She loves listening to Justin Bieber, so we like to listen to his whole album and sometimes we play board games and have conversations,” Meshkani said. “We mostly just work on her communication skills and what’s appropriate or not appropriate to say in social situations.” As a result of becoming involved with this program, Meshkani looks
forward to meeting with her new friend every week. “It’s really nice whenever I meet with her. Monday is now my favorite day because I get to see her,” Meshkani said. “The most special part is seeing how happy she is. She’s so funny and it’s a gift for me to just hang out with her. She’s hanging out with me...I’m not hanging out with her!” Other peer counselors also agree that the overall Norman Aid peer counseling experience is rewarding and valuable not only for the students but for the TAs as well. “Norman Aid has definitely inspired me to be the bestest friend I can be,” senior Abigail Price said. “I learned that just being an attentive listener can have a really positive impact on someone’s life.” The peer counselors, NormanFranks and the Maple Center college counselors are all available during lunch and school hours. Do you need someone to talk to and prefer communicating over email? NormanAid’s peer counselors are available to help! Contact them at normanaidmail@gmail.com
Back from a break
Photo courtesy of WIKIMEDIA AJ Wolken staff writer
The popular TV series on FOX, “Prison Break,” made its triumphant return t this past week after seven years off the air. The show began in 2005 as a tale of a mastermind working to break his brother out of prison after a wrongful murder conviction, but in its four seasons evolved into a story of suspense, romance and excitement. Now, eight years after “Prison Break” was taken off the air, it has been brought back to FOX and it truly delivers. The original four seasons of the show were full of twists and excitement, but creator Paul Scheuring always focused the show on the concept of breaking from prison, wrongfully sending characters to jail multiple times. This same idea was implemented in the rebirth of the series, as mastermind Michael Scofield, played by Wentworth Miller, finds himself in prison once again. Although one would expect this narrative to be overused and boring by now, the show continues to hold suspense
throughout its first four seasons. The return of “Prison Break”feels as if the show had never left, as the impressive cast returned along with the show for the fifth season. Only two episodes have aired so far, and we have already seen most of the main characters from the original seasons. In using the original cast and plot, FOX seems to be attracting fans of the original show, which gained most of its popularity through its presence on Netflix. The plot is a continuation from the original seasons so it is very enjoyable if you have seen the entire series. However the writers have designed the reboot in a way so that new viewers can catch onto the plot very quickly and become immersed in the world of “Prison Break.” FOX had been planning the return of “Prison Break” for many years, and after two full years of working on the project it has finally been completed. In its first two episodes of a nine episode event, the second-coming of the actionpacked thriller shows promise to leave viewers more than satisfied.
8 sports
April 14, 2017
Highlights
Swim competes in league meet Max Yera co-editor-in-chief Swim team faced their first Ocean League opponent, the El Segundo Eagles, in the Swim Gym yesterday. Results were not received in time for publication. For Head Coach Stephen Fixary, winning the meet began with attendance. “First, I’m hoping we have all of our swimmers show up. Second, when they are here, they can’t miss their races. Those are the first two parts of us succeeding in the meet,” Fixary said. This will be the third meet of the year for the Normans, excluding an invitational meet in Simi Valley on Saturday, April 8. Despite a strong showing from the swimmers participating, it was the team’s attendance against Torrance High School last Thursday, April 6, that frustrated Fixary. “At our last meet against Torrance, varsity and JV girls won, as well as JV boys, but varsity boys lost by one point, which I blame on some of our swimmers not showing up to the meet,” Fixary said. Fixary was also interested to see how El Segundo’s swim program compared to their boys varsity water polo team, a team he knew well as head coach of the Normans boys varsity water polo team this past season. “Well ‘gundo has a good team, a good coach and good facilities,” Fixary said. “They’ve got some big swimmers that I saw during wa-
The boys varsity lacrosse team lost by a final score of 2-13 to the Notre Dame Knights at Notre Dame High School this past Wednesday, April 12. The loss put the Normans record at 3-10 overall for the season. The Normans started out strong, as their defense maintained a 1-1 score after the first quarter of play. “In the first quarter, we were in the game. We were fresh, we weren’t tired and though we had
hits
Varsity baseball won a doubleheader against Brentwood 8-6 and 5-3 last Friday.
Varsity golf lost to Culver City 221-209.
Sophomore Severyn Segal competes in the freestyle event. Photo by: PRISCILLA HOPPER ter polo, so we’ll see if that talent translates over to the swim team.” The Normans’ swim team has been characterized as one made up of several strong, rapidly improving underclassmen. One such underclassman is sophomore Andy Nam, who was a member of the boys varsity roster for the second time this season. Nam had most recently placed fifth in the 50 butterfly with a time of 28.9 seconds at the Simi Valley Invitational. “I’m feeling pretty confident going into this one,” Nam said. Senior co-captain, and captain
of the boys roster, Josh Fouladian believed that the Norman’s youth may aid in the team’s overall performance against El Segundo. “We have a good team, but for a lot of our young guys, it’s hard for them to keep their focus,” Fouladian said. “They are good, but they just need to work hard and focus in on this program.” Senior co-captain, and captain of the girls roster, Sara Okum also believed some of the Normans’ strength lied in the performance of their young swimmers, who have been consistently practicing at the varsity level.
“We have a lot of people on varsity because we don’t have as big of a team, so our younger swimmers are getting better workouts in, which will hopefully translate to faster times at a meet,” Okum said. This young roster was put to the test against a rather consistently strong El Segundo swim program. “I’ve always put El Segundo Aquatics on par with Santa Monica,” senior butterflier Hannah Knecht said. “So, I think we’ll be up for a bit of a challenge.”
Lacrosse defeated by Notre Dame Max Yera co-editor-in-chief
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a smaller bench than normal, we were able to keep up and run our fastest and match up pretty well,” Head Coach Kyle Kobe said. “We had pretty decent defense and some good saves, but we just didn’t capitalize on many offensive opportunities.” One offensive opportunity that was capitalized on came in the first quarter when junior midfielder Benji Liker scored the Normans first goal, putting the Normans ahead by one. “I think I played pretty well, and
I scored, which was nice,” Liker said. “We really played hard all game.” The deficit for the Normans grew out of hand by the end of the second quarter, as the Knights jumped out to a 7-1 lead by halftime. “Unfortunately, during that second quarter, we had a lot of turnovers, and that led to a lot of opportunities for the opposing team, and, give them credit, they took advantage of those opportunities,” Kobe said.
Junior captain Charlie Green pants as he leaves the field. Photo by: PRISCILLA HOPPER
The second half would see more of the same, as the Normans struggled defensively and were outscored 6-1. “We finished the game really flat,” junior midfielder Brian Harward said. The Normans last successful offensive effort came in the fourth quarter of play with sophomore attackman Tyler Kiper’s goal. “Tyler puts himself in good positions to take advantage of the situation and that’s what happened for our second goal of the game,” Kobe said. “He had the ball behind the goal and he came right in front of the goalie and had a good shot and a good finish.” Moving forward, it appears that improvement, according to Harward, may come through practice and improved tempo. “We just need to go harder at practice and come out faster next game,” Harward said. The Normans will play tonight at 7 p.m. in an away game against league rival Downey High School.
Boys varsity lacrosse lost to Notre Dame 2-13 Wednesday night and will face Downey tonight.
Girls varsity lacrosse faced Downey in a home game on Thursday.
Varsity softball lost to Hawthorne 0-12 on Wednesday.
Varsity swimming competed against El Segundo in a home meet yesterday.
Boys varsity tennis beat Loyola 13-5.
Varsity track and field tied against Lawndale.
Boys varsity volleyball lost to Hawthorne 3-1 last Wednesday and played Culver City yesterday. Check next print cycle, coming out on April 28, to receive more sports updates. To see other sports coverage and sports game recaps on your favorite Norman sports team, check
www.beverlyhighlights.com.