highlights
Beverly Hills, Calif.
Beverly Hills High School
Volume 90, Issue Five - November 23, 2016 Mechanic Danny Franco wields together a ball cage. Photo by: BEN DAHAN.
Mechanic Danny Franco wielding the links of a ball cage back together. Photo by: BEN DAHAN
Unsung hero keeps district operating Ben Dahan staff writer The phone vibrates. It is almost 10:00 a.m. Gino Garcia reluctantly reads the message that had interrupted his Sunday, the one day he was supposed to have off. A water pipe burst. Garcia’s going to have a busier day than he thought. “There is no such thing as free time with this job,” Garcia said only half-jokingly. “I’m in all trades now, and I have to make sure all that stuff gets done. It’s a seven day gig.” It is his second year as the director of maintenance and operations, working 12 to 13 hour days from behind a desk in the worndown trailer built by his predecessors, yet Garcia can still be found helping his team of tradesman, custodians and groundskeepers in the field.
“I usually come dressed in uniform and if they need help, I’ll jump in there and give them a hand. I learned how to get my hands dirty and that’s what I like to do,” Garcia said. Along with the new position came a host of new responsibilities, which Garcia, who starts the day at 4:00 a.m., devotes a majority of his time to. Nevertheless, Garcia feels as though much of the weight is lifted off of his shoulders due to the excellent team of “guys” under his command, most of whom he has worked with since even before most students at the high school were born. “The guys make it easier for me because when I ask them to do something, I know it’ll get done. Without them I couldn’t do it, I know that for a fact,” Garcia said.
INSIDE this issue
“Without them, I’m nobody.” His small, motley crew of tradesmen, carpenters, locksmiths, HVAC (heating, ventilation, air conditioning) repairmen, electricians, plumbers, and painters, work behind his office, in a makeshift workshop created in what used to be the second floor of Moreno High. The team works day and night to diagnose, scavenge, maintain, repair, install, build and whatever else is asked of them. Over the years, Garcia and his then-co workers, but now employees, have developed a close bond. “These guys, we’re one big family,” Garcia said, cracking a smile. “Half the guys here helped me build my house. These guys are great. We all do that for each other. It’s a good deal.” His team, most of whom have
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worked with Garcia for more than a decade, believe he is the best possible fit for the job. “I love working with Gino because he’s a very smart, very fair guy. If we need him, he’ll come to our side to help out because he has a lot of experience,” plumber Arturo Najera, who has worked with Garcia for 19 years, said. “I’ve had bosses before, but he’s the best.” Since their actual workshop burned down in 2001, the crew has been working in this chaotic mess of old equipment, tools, supplies and wires. This building has been broken into and vandalized twice this year, evident in the leftover residue from the fire extinguishers the vandals shot off and the painted obscenities on the ceiling. It’s in spaces like that where Garcia feels most at home, ready to fix or fiddle with whatever he can.
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“I’ve just always liked fixing things, it’s my thing. Kinda weird I guess, I don’t know,” Garcia said. Garcia began his mechanical career when he was 11-years-old in the back of his father’s barbershop. I used to go there on the weekends and he’d have carburetors and stuff in the back that I would tear apart and put back together,” Garcia said. “I always liked fiddling with things. It was just something that kinda took off, and now I’m making a living off of it.” Garcia began his mechanical career when he was 11-years-old in the back of his father’s barbershop. “I used to go there on the weekends and he’d have carburetors and stuff in the back that I would tear apart and put back together,” Garcia said. continued on page 2, “Garcia”
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November 23, 2016
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Garcia Continued from page 1 Ben Dahan staff writer In addition to being a barber, his father worked at BHUSD as an HVAC journeyman for two decades. It was from his father that he learned of an open position at the district for substitute groundskeeper and custodian. This was the now-51-year-old’s first step in his illustrious 27 year career. “I would work grounds from 7:00 to 4:00 and then custodial from 4:00 to 11:00,” Garcia, who was then 24-years-old, said. “I did that for awhile. [I was] also going to school when I wasn’t working, [I did] a lot of stuff on the weekends and just kind of learned a trade.” After a couple of days of this intense regimen, it was realized that the schedule was in violation of workday laws. But after a brief stint as a mechanic helper, Garcia gained a position in HVAC, working alongside his father. “We worked for about two or three years together. He taught me a lot. I wouldn’t be here today without him, that’s for sure,” Garcia said. “I’m proud of my pops.” Garcia then applied for Senior HVAC Journeymen. For the ensuing 20 years, he fulfilled his duty in his field, also doubling as a mechanic: responding to complaints, troubleshooting, fidgeting with air conditioning units, fixing up tractors, installing ventilation systems. For 15 years, Garcia was active in the CSEA union, holding various different leadership titles such as president and vice-president. “He came from the bottom up. He’s been in the trenches with us working, he knows,” John Jackson, carpenter and locksmith, said. “He’s not afraid to work.”
Gino Garcia inspects the plumbing equipment in the workshop. Photo By: BEN DAHAN. Since 2011, there has been much turnover in the directors of maintenance and operations (MNO), but last year the district offered the job to Garcia. “At first, I said, ‘Uhhh, I don’t really wanna do it, it’s kind of a thankless job.’ But I had made a lot of noise on the way I thought things could be,” Garcia said. “So I figured what the heck, I’ll throw my hat in there. If I do great, then great. If I don’t, at least I can say I tried. So far so good.” Garcia has an ally across the street at the district office in La Tanya Kirk-Carter, the chief administrative officer, to whom Garcia directly answers. He is also thankful for the support of the high school administration, especially from principal Dave Jackson.
“I really trust Gino, he is really smart,” Kirk-Carter said. “I couldn’t ask for a better Director of Maintenance and Operations. He really works 24/7.” Garcia acknowledges that his secretary, Jackie Turner, who has worked at the district for roughly the same amount of time, and is a high school alumnae, is vital to his and his team’s success, as well as to his sanity. What little time Garcia can steal away is either spent with his family, comprised of a sporty young boy, an academically diligent middle-school girl, and an 11th grade teenage girl, or in his garage. Sometimes, both together. “I used to have my own mechanic shop, so on my free time now I like to work on my hot rods. One of my
BHUSD initiates surveillance Max Yera co-editor-in-chief A new security project has laid the framework for a modernized surveillance system to be implemented at all five schools in the district. The project will be headed by Chris Hertz, the BHUSD Director of Special Projects. “Cameras will be strategically placed around the school to assist with security,” Hertz said. “The cameras will only be in locations where there is no expectation of privacy such entry gates, parking lot and hallways--never in areas where there is some expectation of privacy such as locker rooms, classrooms or bathrooms.” Although specific cameras may or may not be monitored, video data will be backed up for security and disciplinary purposes if necessary. However, the process is in its earliest stages and thus accessibility to such cameras is still being determined. “We’re in the beginning of where we’re going to put surveillance, how we’re going to use it and who’s going to have access to it,” principal Dave Jackson said. Discussion of surveillance modernization began with the Measure
A camera is placed on the second floor patio. Photo by: BEN DAHAN E Bond, which was created to assist in building modern and safe schools. Measure E is the project’s funding source. Plans for modernization will take several years to be complete district-wide, and as for the current status of video surveillance, Jackson has admittedly said, “Presently, I do not have access to any of the surveillance cameras.” However, video surveillance in district schools has proven to be insufficient. “Historically our previous efforts to utilize video surveillance has not been sustainable. Camera maintenance and data maintenance apparently proved to be too difficult
for us. However, modern schools have surveillance,” Hertz said. “Our city has a world-class surveillance system at intersections, government buildings and parks. The schools should be just as safe.” The project’s details are still yet to be approved. “Our legal team and the city’s are working on an MOU [memorandum of understanding] for the Board of Education and the City Council to review. If and when such as an agreement is worked through and policies are adopted, then the system can be activated,” Hertz said. “I am hopeful all the details will get articulated very soon.”
daughters is helping me build a car that I had before and we are just going through and fixing it all up. I didn’t realize how much I liked to do it until I got back into it. I’m like ‘Man, why did I stop doing this,’” Garcia said. “I’m still trying to figure this out for myself, it’s a pretty busy job.” Also once an avid golfer, Garcia used to go to the “great lawn” with his father and big brother, a Los Angeles fire captain. But when their father passed away in 2010, the Garcia brothers stopped. Despite the consensus of Garcia’s capability, his job isn’t easy, as he and his team are “battling old buildings,” with minimal resources and staff. “They are doing a really, really great job with not the best conditions, with as minimal staff that they can get away with,” KirkCarter said. The construction only adds to his troubles as it now absorbs about 80 percent of his team’s workload, especially due to incidents when the contractors hired to do the construction will have accidental mishaps, such as cutting a water main or data line. “When stuff like that happens it gets cast into our role, but we have work that we are already doing,” Garcia said. “It’s tough when we have to stop what we are doing so that we can take care of an emergency that could have been avoided.” Despite the “uphill battles,” Garcia points to his and his team’s dedication to the students as the reason for their hard work to make the transition period as unnoticeable and comfortable as possible for the students and staff. “The bottom line is that we don’t want it to affect the students. If it gets to you, we’ve failed,” Garcia said. “I don’t know about you, but I don’t like to fail.”
Highlights Print Ben Shofet and Max Yera editors-in-chief
Ben Dahan, Sam Bernstein, Lauren Hannani, AJ Wolken staff writers
Eleanor Bogart-Stuart culture editor
Vivian Geilim opinion editor
Sophia Goldberg business manager Web Keith Stone and Veronica Pahamova editors-in-chief
Jason Harward, Priscilla Hopper, Rinesa Kabashi, Evan Minniti staff writers
Natasha Dardashti multimedia editor
Jamie Kim news 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. Visit beverlyhighlights.com. Follow @bhhighlights on Instagram and Twitter. Highlights is sponsored by
November 23, 2016
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THe Brains Behind the Budget Earnings
Max Yera co-editor-in-chief writer Eleanor Bogart-Stuart staff writer ASB is the largest student organization on campus and has a major influence and authority over the funding of clubs and creation of events, whether it be for sports trips, dances or even just merchandise. Although the authority and money that ASB wields affects almost every student on campus, many students aren’t aware of what funds are used for or how they’re raised. The majority of ASB funding and money is focused on principal events like formal, homecoming and prom. ASB then fields various funding requests from clubs and sports teams throughout the year, as well as guaranteeing coverage of all non-athletic entry fees. “ASB is a non-profit group so technically, we do not make any money. However, we do have a budget provided for us that supplies us with money to spend on the specific events, supplies, activities, etc.,” ASB co-president Maytal Sarafian said. ASB is funded through the purchase of ASB cards and student parking permits, general donations, a flat bookkeeping fee from clubs, the PTSA and the Beverly Hills Education Foundation. At each event they host, ASB tries to offset the costs through ticket sales. “When groups do come ask for money, the first question that ASB will ask who’s asking us for money is, ‘We’re happy to give you that money if you make sure that all the members of your club have purchased their ASB card.’ That’s the tradeoff balance,” ASB advisor Jennifer Goolsby said. ASB regulates money in two different types of accounts: a regular account and trust accounts. While there is a trust account for each individual club at school, money in the regular account is used for a broader range of school funding such as officials at sports games, buses and dances.
“There are hundreds of clubs that ASB must account for and help financially. Because we do have limited funds and because funds do need to be distributed among many different groups on campus, we ask that the clubs who do ask for additional financial support host fundraisers of their own as well,” Sarafian said. Last year, ASB mandated a total of $325,000 in club funding, sports events and everything in between. ASB spent the most on prom, which totalled $48,000, grad night, which amounted to $43,000, and athletics entry fees, which added up to $40,000. $5,000 was spent on athletic awards, and $2,080 on club requests. “[ASB’S budget] is a little over a million, about a million to a million and a half. That’s a very lucrative ASB; they roll through about a million dollars a year. That’s pretty big. So you raise a million and you spend about a million a year,” chief administrative officer Kirk Carter said. “It’s a pretty big enterprise. Most ASBs at high schools I’ve been at, they’d be lucky if they got 300 thousand or 400 thousand. It’s a pretty lucrative ASB.” But ASB’s power isn’t absolute. With any request, from buses for a soccer tournament to ordering new sweatshirts for each grade level, the student government has to go through a series of regulations and checks and balances to get anything done. In other words, an administrator’s signature is needed for any expenditure. “ASB is always in contact with administration. Although we have had some contradicting opinions at times, administration has always supported ASB’s voice, and encouraged us to voice our concerns and helped us find a common ground between their ideas and ours. Mr. Jackson has been a huge part in maximizing the communication between students and administration by personally coming to our class and discussing his concerns and sug-
“I feel that they don’t do anything but take money from us.” Freshman
“ASB is one of the hardest working groups of students.” Senior
gestions,” Sarafian said. Although ASB has $10,000 in their atwill spending account, in order for a student organization to receive funding, a requisition must be written which details exactly how much money it’s requesting and what the money would be used for. This requisition has to be sent to and approved by the members of ASB. After that, principal Jackson or one of the three vice principals must sign off on ASB’s approval. The final rung of the process is the student store, which receives an invoice that Trish Garcia, the gatekeeper of student funds, uses to check the budget to see if the request is feasible. “In order to have an activity happen next week, we need to have been planning it two weeks ago. There’s a process and it takes time. It has to go through the chain of command. Students have great ideas and good things we want to do, but we got to make sure that everything follows the school rules. The adult intervention has to come in and say is it appropriate, is it reasonable, is it feasible,” Goolsby said. While ASB does have to go through a complex procedure to have their decisions approved, some members believe that the club itself still needs improvement. “It would be great for ASB to be a more transparent organization. Most other government organizations publish their meetings,” ASB co-president Noah Lee said. “Although we cannot do this, we will be updating the website frequently and posting news video updates to increase the transparency of our organization.” Although ASB does agree to most requests, it does have certain limits as to what it will help students pay for. Sometimes, it’s not ASB who vetoes the decision, but the administration. “The board and administration have our interests and ideas as a top priority and want all of our ideas to be heard,” ASB
member Maia Yosef said. “But there are some things that are not allowed to be approved, usually because of logistics and standards that need to be met, so sometimes they do interfere but to better us.” Lee agrees with Yosef’s sentiment regarding rare interference by administration. “They approve most activities we propose. There are quite few red flags. Only when we do something illegal does the administration interfere. The board pretty much never interferes,” Lee said. If a request is not economically feasible, or simply something that ASB has no jurisdiction for funding, ASB itself will veto the request. The proposition must be associated with the school or to the club’s purpose within the school. “I don’t think it’s ASB’s responsibility to help buy t-shirts. If it’s uniforms for a sports team that stays with the school, that’s one thing. But if it’s your personalized t-shirts or sweatshirts, then that’s not why you pay for an ASB card,” Goolsby said. While the money raised through ASB cards are actually a large factor in paying for athletic officials and entry fees, some believe that ASB focuses all of its money on sports and neglects other organizations on campus. However, ASB representatives are not the only ones in control of the funding for sports teams on campus. Athletics funding is also supplemented from donations by the Beverly Hills Athletic Alumni Association, the athletic department budget and from the student athletes themselves. “There’s that old saying that you only get what you ask for. If you never ask for anything, then ASB isn’t going to go out and go ‘Hey! Do you need some money for something?’ Ninety-nine point nine percent of the time if someone comes in and asks for money, we will say yes,” Goolsby said.
Expensess
“They’re ok, but their job is pretty easy and they seem fine with being average.” Junior “I like what ASB does for the campus. I hope students and teachers know more about those things.” Sophomore
November 23, 2016
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Highlights
Random Student Feature: Bennett Gershwin Eleanor Bogart-Stuart culture editor
Over the past few decades, our definition of what a family is has undergone drastic changes. Gone are the days when it only applied to a man and woman living with their son and daughter behind a white picket fence. Nowadays, the idea and composition of a family can pretty much be whatever you want it to be. But what happens when you find out that you have a secret family that you haven’t know about for most of your life? Senior Bennett Gershwin, who was born through in vitro fertilization, has faced this issue head on. But instead of shying away from this truth, he’s spent the past two years connecting with the sisters and brothers that he’s never known. It started in seventh grade when his mother, Nancy Gershwin, made him sit in the car in a movie theater parking lot before the two saw “High School Musical Three”. “I had never questioned the fact that I hadn’t grown up with a dad. There had always been some mystery around it. I didn’t really ask. I didn’t care. But it was in that car that she asked me if I knew what a sperm donor kid was. And then she told me that that was how I was born,” Gershwin said. “I was actually a little upset. I don’t really know why. But as I was leaving the parking lot I kind of felt like I was less a part of the Gershwin family for some reason. Even though that makes absolutely no sense. Before it had felt like I was 100 percent Gershwin, but then I felt like I was 50 percent Gershwin.” He wasn’t heavily impacted by the news, but admitted to being excited by the fact that it was pos-
sible he could meet his real father which the donor sample came Gershwin matched with a total of at some point in the future. from. six people on the website. His first “She explained to me that if I “I emailed them and said ‘Hey, message was to his brother who wanted to, when I was 18, I could look. I know I’m a product of you lives in Seattle. Although it wasn’t contact the sperm bank and they guys. I know I’m not allowed to his brother who first responded- it would give me my dad’s informa- meet my dad until I’m of age, but was his mother, who was weary of tion to contact him. I thought that could you point me in the direc- Gershwin and wouldn’t initially let was really cool.” tion of how I would get into con- him speak to her son. Gershwin may not have had a tact with any of my siblings. By the “She finally gained enough trust blood-related father around while way--three stars on Yelp. That’s in me and she gave me his number. growing up, but he did have two not something you want to be the He was the first of my siblings that “big brothers” over the course of product of,’” Gershwin said. I spoke to,” Gershwin said. his life who served as his role modThe sperm bank denied GershJacques*, who lives in France, els . In the end, however, being pri- win’s requests for information. was the next to respond. Then, marily raised by a single mom sim- Lost and confused, he shared his Gabby, who lives in San Francisco. ply did not have a major impact. story with his good friend Annie, Through her, Gershwin met an“A lot of people are raised by sin- who happened to have a fam- other San Franciscan brother and gle parents. The only really nega- ily friend who had a sperm donor sister: Tom and Allison. Allison, tive thing I could attribute to that child as well. She told them about at 13-years-old, is the youngest of is the fact that I’m not super into sports or things that are typically masculine,” Gershwin said. “I tend to be more co m f o r t a b le around women because I was raised by my mom, my nanny and a maid. ” Almost four years after hearing that he was the product of in vitro fertilizaBennett Gershwin poses with three of his nine half-siblings for a Father’s Day photo. tion, that Ger- Photo courtesy of BENNETT GERSHWIN shwin decided he wanted to discover more about a website called Donor Sibling all the siblings with whom Gershhis other half. He wanted to meet Registry, where members can en- win has connected. Through the his siblings. He researched and at- ter donor information in order to San Francisco siblings, he eventutempted to make contact with Pa- match with others who may have ally met Samson. Leila, Jason and cific Reproductive Services, from had the same donor as they. Braden are also all part of the fam-
ily, but hail from Boston. “I didn’t really have these profound first conversations with them that people think we might have. We talked about whatever. Just to talk to them at all, though, was a cool awakening. I just had my mom and my aunt before them. And like one cousin. It’s cool to have someone who’s my age and who I directly relate to who I can talk to, ” Gershwin said. Gershwin considers himself to be closest with his brother Samson. Samson managed to get in contact with the sperm bank and found out that, in total, there are nine other children they haven’t met yet who all come from the same man. In the summer of 2015, Gershwin journeyed to San Francisco to meet his siblings for the first time. “I went for three days. Gabby gave me a big bear hug when I first met her,” Gershwin said. “Gabby and I hit the town and spent like two hours going up these hills, trying to find a park that she swore had parrots in it. We found it after an exhausting hike through the entire city. Tom met up with us later and brought us donuts. We eventually met up with Allison. There was a lot of bonding throughout the night,” Gershwin said. Far from any kind of nuclear family, Gershwin is proud of what makes him different, and looks forward to many more years of getting to know his siblings. * Names of siblings have been changed to protect their privacy.
Census proposal to include ‘Middle Eastern’ Lauren Hannani staff writer The US Census is currently considering the addition of a new racial category for people of Middle Eastern and North African descent. After 30 years of discussion, the government has decided that if this proposal is approved and successfully carried out, the 2020 Census form will include a new box for people from the Middle East or North Africa who currently identify as white. Within this category, they would also be able to specify their national origin as well, such as Iranian or Israeli. 48 percent of students believe this proposal is beneficial for people of their descent because the category will be a better representation of who they are and the kind of national origin they come from. “Caucasian seems too general and shouldn’t be used for Middle Eastern because we are raised in somewhat different types of households,” sophomore Brandon Noorvash said. “I personally do not like to be considered white because it makes me seem the same
as most other people, but I like to be looked at more individually, even if that means I have to be a minority race in the US.” However, although this extra information prevents these citizens from being ignored in the
president, people are going to try to silence the Muslim community, and in a way it will affect the treatment of all Middle Easterners, regardless of religion,” senior Yasmine Jebeli said. “Anyone who isn’t white-passing, like myself, is
panics before the 1980 Census. Both of these proposals were created to better represent minorities in the US, but 14 percent of students think specifying their national origin will not have a direct effect on individual representation. Students surveyed: 104
2010 Census categories: student responses final count, some are questioning the safety of this decision since it comes at a time of increasing Islamophobia and fear of terrorist activity, especially with President elect Donald Trump’s views. However, students are hopeful that this category might help change that. “With Trump as our incoming
labeled an outsider or terrorist and treated as such. Giving us a voice and letting the rest of America see how many of us are actually here, living peacefully among them, might help give a better perspective on the situation at hand.” The last time a proposal like this has been carried out was with His-
“I don’t think putting a racial category for Middle Eastern or North African people is beneficial or dangerous in terms of representation because it doesn’t really make a difference which ethnicity or race you come from, or whether you’re Muslim or Christian or Jewish,” junior Leila Shamtobi said. “In the
end we’re all the same. We just believe in different things.” When given options from the 2010 Census, 68 percent of students categorized themselves as white, whereas with the additional options in the 2020 Census, about 60 percent identified as white and 40 percent as Middle Eastern or North African. As a result, many Middle Eastern students believe that it is imperative for the US Census to carry out this proposal. “It’s kind of embarrassing, but for the longest time, I didn’t know that I was Middle Eastern. My teachers have been telling me to fill in ‘white’ for my ethnicity since first grade,” Jebeli said. “I never made the distinction until a few years ago, but I’ve always felt weird about filling in ‘white’ for my ethnicity instead of ‘Middle Eastern’ or ‘Iranian.’ I don’t like being lumped into a category with people I do not identify with. These two groups of people are not the same, and it’s upsetting that people have the fear exposing their identity in order to stay safe. We deserve to be recognized.”
opinion 7
November 23, 2016
Highlights
Schedule reform critical to student success Ben Shofet co-editor-in-chief One of the major changes to the 2016-2017 master schedule was an additional early release day about every other Thursday. According to the administration, the purpose of the early release days are to accommodate for WASC’s recommendation that there be an increased amount of staff collaboration. While many students might otherwise be happy with the new early release schedule, it is important to consider whether ending school earlier lies within the best interests of the students. The effects of this nationwide issue are worse than suspected. A 2006 poll conducted by the National Sleep Foundation discovered that more than 87 percent of high school students receive less than the recommended eight to 10 hours of sleep a night. Sleep deprivation leads teens to become more susceptible to depression, obesity and many other health issues. To combat the adverse effects of beginning school early, Beverly should change the early dismissal days to late start days, providing students with needed sleep. In re-
Photo by: Vivian Geilim gard to the staff collaboration, the faculty could have their structured collaboration time before school. The effects of chronic sleep loss are far too large to be ignored by the Beverly Hills Community. “Getting poor sleep night after night is associated with increased diabetes, car crashes, sports injuries, substance abuse, depression and more. Over 60 studies have found a correlation between
chronic insufficient sleep and suicide,” mental health therapist Stacy Simera said in an interview with Highlights. Additionally, sleep deprivation can increase the risk of car accidents. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, “over the last decade, more than 7,000 people have been killed in drowsy-driving-related crashes.”
In the Mahtomedi School District, located in Minnesota, schools that started later than 8:30 a.m. saw a 65 percent decrease in car crashes, in a study by Dr. Kyla Wahlstrom of the University of Minnesota It is critical that some change is implemented before these effects become prevalent among students. One, however, might conclude that if schools start later students
Editorial The United States was rocked as votes began pouring in and Donald Trump took home battleground state after battleground state. At the end of a long night, he reached the threshold of 270 electoral votes and transformed from candidate to president-elect. However, across our country, thousands of Americans refuse to accept the results of this election and in seeking to strike against Trump, are striking back at our political system. School walkouts, freeway protests and massive rallies have characterized the last few weeks since Trump was elected president. While these demonstrations do have a purpose, they should wrap up in order to give Trump a fair chance. In many cases, these protests exist to: express the anger of the populace, show threatened minorities that they are not undefended, and to show Trump that he won’t be allowed to trample our country unimpeded. This is fair and necessary for those in fear of Trump’s rhetoric. However, when such protests turn from sending a message to the president-elect to refuting the will of the electorate (and thus chanting “not my President”), the left treads on hypocrisy, as a common Democratic fear prior to the election was that Trump himself would refuse to accept the results of the election if such did not go his way. A refusal by either side to accept the results of the electoral process only wounds our already increasingly fragile democracy. “We are all rooting for [Donald Trump’s] success,” Obama said following election night.
will go to sleep at the same time, if not later. While that might remain true for some students, the overall effects of beginning school later have been proven to benefit not only the students’ academic lives, but also their social ones. There have been numerous studies about the positive effects communities experience as they start their school days later. In a three-year study, Wahlstrom concluded that high schools that start later than 8:30 a.m. have seen scores on exams and state tests improve, attendance rates rise, and car crashes significantly reduced by 70 percent. In an article with Medical News & Perspectives, Wahlstrom added that “trend lines show grades rise when schools open later. We never see trend lines suggesting grades go down.” The positive effects of starting school later rather than ending earlier are clear. Although this change would affect two days of the schedule each month, if early dismissal days change to late start days, this will be the first step in proving that late starts will positively affect the school district.
Letter to the editor This letter by substitute teacher Richard Kraft is a response to the article titled “Not fit to be our president: Hillary Clinton” by co-editor-in-chief Ben Shofet, which was published in the Oct. 28 print edition. Dear Editor, Re: Not fit to be our president: Hillary Clinton, October 28, 2016
Anti-Trumpers lead the protest at nutrition showing their dislike toward the new president elect, Donald Trump, as the opposing side chants his name. Photo by: Vivian Geilim Such must be the sentiment of the Democratic Party. No matter the disagreement one has with the policies of the Republican Party or with the divisive claims that Trump consistently made at his rallies, a successful Trump presidency means a successful America. Already Trump has toned down many of his more controversial statements and has even completely reversed course on several key points. He has released a string of statements that steadily refute promises he made on the campaign trail. He is no longer going to attempt to prosecute Hillary Clinton, he is going to leave the basic framework of Obamacare and amend rather than repeal it, he has publicly stat-
ed that the decision allowing gays to marry will not be repealed and he has settled the Trump University lawsuit which he claimed he would never do. These attention-grabbing rallies have crossed the line from productive to negative. Students are putting themselves in harm’s way, infrastructure is frozen, and our country is steadily grinding to a halt as differences between Republicans and Democrats become increasingly pronounced. This needs to end. Protesters have made themselves heard. They have garnered worldwide attention and turned a spotlight on the actions of the president-elect. Now it is time to return to class, return to work, and fight policies through
positive measures. Instead of blocking roads to protest the inevitable defunding of Planned Parenthood, why not volunteer on one of hundreds of fundraising campaigns for said organization. Instead of screaming in the face of a Trump supporter about gun control, email California’s new senator, Kamala Harris, and let her know that you support stricter ammunition legislation. The time for fruitless and angry protestation has passed. Now the country must come together and attempt to bridge the divide created by this election. No matter the outcome, the method of protest should be dedicated hard work for a cause, not just loud voices railing against an individual.
Your editorial about Hillary Clinton states that she called supporters of Bernie Sanders a “bucket of losers” and expresses concern that The New York Times and Los Angeles Times did not cover the story. The reason they did not cover it was because the story is not true. That quote was debunked as a hoax (snopes.com/hillary-callsvoters-bucket-of-losers) and Fox News anchor Megyn Kelly, one of several journalists who reported the fake story, issued an immediate retraction and apology. While I applaud Highlights for striving to educate Beverly students about the presidential candidates, I encourage you to more thoroughly check the facts so your readers are not misled.
Richard Kraft
November 23, 2016
8 sports
Highlights
Character above all: twins take water polo by storm Max Yera co-editor-in-chief Soft-spoken, calm, kind. Not the typical characteristics of the average water polo player. But for twins Gabriel (Gab) and Leor Davoodpour, being “typical” is not their forte. The twins began their water polo careers at the age of nine, when their mother signed them up for a water polo program at Westwood Recreation Center. The two were able to make the water polo team upon their entrance into high school, though through their first year, playing time was limited. “We didn’t really play at all,” Leor said. “So during the summers going into sophomore and junior, we did a club at UCLA. We also lift weights or do some exercise at home to get stronger,” Leor said. This dedication outside of school hours translated into notably stronger play, and for Leor, a greater sense of self outside of the water. “I like to improve myself and water polo showed that I can improve at whatever I set my mind to,” Leor said. “I really have a passion for it and it let me become more confident in myself.”
This “passion” translated into notably stronger performances by both players through high school. “I’m not the biggest player, and we play teams like Samo with players twice as big, but even though I get tossed around sometimes, I know that positioning and simply working hard can mean the biggest difference,” Gabriel said. Strong play also led Leor to be elected as one of three captains this past season. “Inside the water he really is an animal. I think he’s been so underestimated because of his size that he just shows whoever what he’s all about,” senior set and co-captain Joshua Fouladian, said. Being captain would also lead to an interesting dynamic between brothers, who, for the first time, were separated in status on the same team. “I push him even though he’s still my brother,” Leor said. “I set the same standards for him as all other players so everyone on the team gets better.” Being brothers, however, led to some harsher criticisms. “I think it’s cool that he’s a captain, but I’m not really jealous. He
Leor Davoodpour (left) and Gabriel Davoodpour (right) look to score. Photo Courtesy of: GABRIEL DAVOODPOUR. told me I sucked all the time,” Gabriel said with a laugh. Both brothers were guiding forces of leadership for the team. “They’re two of our best players, and having been here for four years, they were definitely a strong leadership presence,” junior teammate Jonathan Artal said. For junior and first-year player Ivan Borzenko, it was Gabriel who
mentored him through the season. “[Gabriel and I] always got put together in drills for defense, so he was able to teach me how to be a better player and what to do on defense especially. Even on offense, he taught me how to properly grab the ball and shoot it,” Borzenko said. It was their patient and quiet demeanors that characterized the
duo for most of their teammates. “They were both patient with me, unlike a lot of upperclassmen who are just rude. Both of them are actually really quiet, so they’re both kind of secretly really good. If they do say something, however, it’s usually the right thing,” Borzenko said. “Simply put, every time either of them got the ball, something good happened.”
Column: High expectations for boys basketball Isaiah Freedman sports editor It’s that time of year again. Winter sports season is on the cusp of beginning, and with it comes the reemergence of boys varsity basketball, fresh from the depths of their notoriously brutal fall conditioning routine. The group is also now a certified Division I team for the first time ever. It’s #BevBall season. Get ready for a lot of players dressed in suits during school. Get ready for a jam-packed and blacked-out Swim Gym against Samo. Get ready for chants of “Scoreboard!”, “You can’t do that!” and “Na na na na...goodbye!” from fans. Get ready for boys varsity basketball 2016: Division I edition. Boys basketball has been one of the more successful sports teams on campus in recent history (Shoutout Tennis). From sweet-shooting sniper Siavash Yektafar (2014 League MVP), to the dunking machine Chance Comanche (2015 League MVP) and the bulldozing Denzel Holt (2016 1st Team AllLeague), the program has churned out stars and always been in the thick of the race for Ocean League Champion. Before the 2010 season though, the basketball team was just average, sporting a 68-93 overall record from 2004-2010. Then, Jarvis Turner took over the reins as head coach after a stint at Birmington High School. During his illustrious Beverly Hills coaching career, he has been named Coach of the Year multiple times and guided Beverly Hills in 2015 to its first CIF championship since 1969. Sources within the team fear Turner may flee to coach at the collegiate level, since he has received interest from various schools.
However, he remains staunchly committed to his high school program. “I’m Beverly Hills for life, man,” Turner said over the summer. Comanche, who now plays basketball at the University of Arizona, sent words of encouragement to his former team. “I already know Jarvis is doing what he’s got to do to get the team ready,” Comanche said over the phone from Arizona. “I want to see this team win that ring again. There is no better feeling than when it is all over and you’ve won.” Heading into its 2016-17 season, Turner’s squad is on the youthful side compared to teams from the past. Part of the reason behind this year’s team’s inexperience is due to an over-crowded 2016 class, which left only a few roster spots for non-seniors last year. With only six players returning from the 2015-16 season, what is left is basically a whole new batch of players. Turner, however, is not adjusting his expectations for the team. “My expectations are pretty much the same from last year. We are not as talented as last year’s group, but I think this group is a little tighter knit. They like each other a little bit better and I think the chemistry is moving in the right direction, and they play hard,” Turner said from his office before practice. Co-captain Grant Gaon echoes Turner’s beliefs that although the team is younger than usual, they make up for their youth with excellent chemistry. “This team is more together compared to last year. We are going to play together and have great chemistry, and we will be fine,” Gaon said.
One of the biggest embodiments of the team’s youth is freshman guard Nick Andrews, one of only four freshman to make varsity in the past five years. “It is such a privilege for me to be playing varsity as a freshman. I appreciate Jarvis for giving me this opportunity,” Andrews said while mopping the floor, one of his duties as a freshman on the varsity team. Co-captain Sam Cohen believes inexperience can melt off as long as the team grows accustomed to each other’s habits on the court, which they have been doing by frequently participating in summer and fall tournaments. “We have a great groups of guys. In my opinion, we Forward Sam Cohen shoots a free throw. Photo by: SHANY MADAN have much more chemistry than last year and I think we lack of height from years past, the students. That’s not my thing,” are going to have a great season. they still have Ron Artest III, their Turner said with a laugh. We have had a lot of fall and sum- 6-foot-8-inches center who can While it may not be Turner’s mer league games to get used to tangle with the best of them. Artest thing, it definitely is for his players. each other and now it is all coming III, however, is still relatively new “We are looking forward to playtogether. We are really executing to the sport. ing against Samo and hopefully it on offense, defense and every little “I have been playing basketball will be a fun and exciting game,” point,” Cohen said. seriously for two-and-a-half to Gaon said emphatically before The team also happens to be three years. I started playing soph- opening stretches. shorter than last year, but now omore year. I’m just getting more “My goal of the year is to beat they are equipped with more mature as a player each year,” Art- Samo,” Artest III said. speed, which has led Turner to ex- est III said. While the Samo game should be periment with his lineups. Besides the heightened expecta- a barnburner, the team still has a “We are going to mix it up a little tions of being a Division I team, lot of room for growth. bit and play fast, but we are not the varsity squad has its eyes set on “The best part of coaching is the going to play as fast as we would its infamous rival, Santa Monica wins, man,” Turner said. “Just like because we do not have the High School (Samo). coming to practice every day, seedepth that we had last year. It all Turner maintains that Samo is ing these guys and being around just kind of depends on matchups not a rivalry to him, even though it them, teaching them and seeing and that is how we will strategize it is a big one for his players. the growth from the start of the from there,” Turner said. “When I got here, Inglewood season to the end of the season. I While the team as a whole will was more of our rivalry than Santa think that is what makes it all so play speedier at times due to their Monica. That rivalry is more for enjoyable.”