Budget cuts in the custodial department have led to lost positions, affecting some employees more than others.

Along with the three positions cut during the 2010-11 school year, one custodian retired and another, Manuel Ruiz, also known as “Manny,” passed away on Feb. 5, 2012.

As a part of one of the recent custodial changes, Corey Baines and one other c u s t o d i a n has had their work shift

changed to later h o u r s .

According to Baines, only

o n e or two custodians work during the day while about nine staff members arrive to work at night.

According to Baines, among the eliminated positions in the custodial staff were the custodial manager, the maintenance operations director, the night athletic custodian, the restroom custodian and the cafeteria custodians.

Baines believes that the greatest area of concern is the schedule of custodial working times. Two of the positions lost have since been replaced, but the gap in janitorial coverage still remains.

“There needs to be more creative structuring in terms of how our schedule is,” Baines said. “There is definitely a lack of coverage during the day.”

Inside this Issue...

Volume 86, Issue Nine · February 24, 2012Beverly Hills, Calif.

Highlights investigates where Normans myth the mark on school legends.

Pages 6-7

Spring sports rev up in hopes of a successful upcoming season.

Page 12

highlightsBeverly Hills High School

Sarit KashanianStaff Writer

Page 2

Faculty tours the front lawn trench and receives update.

VINCENT BROCK/AJ PARRY

STICKY SITUATIONThis lack of coverage, Baines believes,

has made it difficult for certain duties to be carried out during the day.

“Trash builds up [on the front lawn],” Baines said. “The staircases are not being attended to as often. Things that used to get done in the daytime are now falling to the nighttime.“

Lead custodian Pablo Jaramillo expressed more satisfaction with the custodial system, stating that he has not observed any specific changes besides the added and lost positions.

“I think everything in the high school is very good for right now,” Jaramillo said. “Nothing changed. I think everyone respects my job. [The custodians] get a lot of support from the administration.”

However, Jaramillo felt similarly to Baines in that some areas of the school are in need of more attention, specifically the staircases by the parking lot.

Assistant Superintendent Dr. Alex Cherniss gained responsibility as director

of the custodial department last year. “[Cherniss] has a lot more on his

plate, and it does not allow us to have the attention that the custodial staff really needs right now,” Baines said.

Cherniss seemed to feel differently about the effectiveness of the custodial department, affirming that all has been going well on the staff.

“I think every employee in the district is working as hard as [he or she] can,” Cherniss said. “We have high expectations for everybody, and hopefully we’ll continue to do the great work we’ve been doing in the district.”

Both Baines and Jaramillo spoke with Cherniss about their suggestions to revise the custodial staff schedule in order to resolve their concerns of under coverage during the day.

“I had a meeting with Alex Cherniss about four weeks ago,” Baines said. “I sent him an e-mail about how the shift could work. He always says he’s open to ideas, but he would not really give me a direct response of what he wants to do.”

Budget cuts leave mess in cleaning dept.

[continued on page 4]

February 24, 2012newsHighlights2

Bless BaiStaff Writer

Danny LichtOpinion Editor

Quick Reads Students unable to drop electives

Orchestra performs at Disneyland

Trench viewing clears misconceptions

On Tuesday, Feb. 14, the orchestra traveled to Disneyland to perform.

In total, 40 orchestral students played in the 20-minute concert. They came prepared with a set of “Disney-esque” pieces, such as a Little Mermaid medley and “Salute to the Cinema.”

“The songs give the students a challenge because they are a different style of music, a little more contemporary and not as much traditional,” orchestra conductor Bill Bradbury said.

The orchestra auditioned for a program in December called the Community Arts Showcase, and then received an invitation to play at Disneyland.

Students were able to experience the amusement park after their performance.

“I thought that our performance went very well, and even though there weren’t a lot of audience members, I felt like we were performing on the big stage,” junior Joyce Kim said.

Orchestra is now preparing for their next festival on March 28.

Candice Hannani

Oliver Gallop

Students rewarded for CST scores

Hae Lee

On Friday, Feb. 17, the 23 students who received perfect scores on the CST were rewarded a luncheon at Factor’s Deli during seventh period.

Since California Standardized Test scores at the high school increased from the previous year, the administrator organized a new reward system to acknowledge the students who received perfect scores.

“The luncheon was really fun and sweet of the administration to have for the students. They should definitely have it again next year,” junior Lili Eshaghzadeh said. Eshaghzadeh received a perfect score on the biology section of the CST.

According to the students, the new reward system is effective, since it was an incentive to answer every question on the test.

“Just try your hardest. Whenever you put your name on a paper, own it and take pride in what you do,” sophomore James Fast said. Fast received a perfect score in World History.

Every year in May, grades two through eleven are tested in order to measure the students’ progress toward meeting the state’s standards.

At the start of the second semester, students who requested a switch from their first semester electives were denied the change. Although in the past students were able to adjust their elective classes at the semester, the administration decided to follow schedule policies regarding students’ schedules this year, according to counselor Diane Hale.

According to Hale, students jumping from one elective to another at the semester complicate the number of seats available in each class, making it harder for teachers to teach their courses.

“We have to respect the teachers. We can’t allow students to keep switching because it’s disruptive to the flow of the classes,” Hale said.

Students trying to switch electives, such as senior Chandra O’Connor, were surprised by the enforced regulation and unable to move to their desired elective class.

“I have no problem with the fact that [the administration] wants to enforce it, but I just wish that they could have made the policy clearer beforehand,” O’Connor said.

The administration plans to continue enforcing this rule in the future.

The faculty was invited to tour the front lawn trench last Wednesday, Feb. 15. This 40-feet-deep ditch was scooped out to decide whether or not Beverly is seismically sound.

Superintendent Gary Woods escorted Principal Carter Paysinger, English teacher Krisha Deaver, custodian Corey Baines and library assistant Barbara Jebejian through the locked-off fence to a mud slab overlooking the trench.

“It was stated that there were somewhere around four different faults running through the campus at different angles,” Woods recounted. This word-of-mouth “evidence,” he said, “was a little subjective.”

The evidence was incomplete, and the district was “trying to connect the dots,” of which the high school appeared to be in the middle. Some community members even believed that the school was in the middle of four different faults.

This topic became active when the prospect of major construction at Beverly and Metro’s sub-school plans to tunnel met head-on. If there were a subway under the school, the extent to which it could build would be limited.

Metro argued that was a moot point, because they said there is a fault undernearth the school, which would nullify any building plans, regardless of the subway. Without

some sort of concrete e v i d e n c e , Woods said, it would be very difficult to make a compelling case.

A c c o r d i n g to the superintendent, the most rigorous and accurate test for faults is a continuous hole that crosses the entire campus. The general direction of the alleged fault was known, so they were able to cut it off in a contained line, rather than dig up the entire school.

In carefully choosing where to place the trench, they had to dodge utility lines, “which are all over here,” Woods said, gesturing across the lawn. “We had to zigzag this trench at different locations, but, if you look at it on a map, it’s almost a continuous, 300-foot trench across the property.”

Looking for cracks, scientists paid attention in the newest soil, soil younger than 11,000 years. It was, according to California law, not of great importance to find signs of erosion in the deeper soil. Those would only signify older, inactive faults.

As part of an ongoing initiative to get students involved in clubs and extracurricular activities, the most recent enrichment period was specifically designed to focus on various clubs.

Principal Carter Paysinger said that the teachers and the administration are working together to create a school environment with more students involved in clubs and activities.

“We’re continuing to improve the school culture. There’s a positive vibe on our campus. The teachers are working hard in helping our students connect to the school,” Paysinger said.

The Acts 29 Christian Club, Black Student Union, Debate Club, French Club, From Within Literary Magazine, Hope for Haiti

and Photography Club were some of the participants in this week’s enrichment.

Clubs utilized the enrichment period to raise awareness and attract prospective members.

“This enrichment was getting people aware of what’s going on and getting the word out. We’re trying to get people who are interested in community service to keep coming to the club so we can meet up better,” Teens Saving the World Treasurer Devin-Alexus Marin said.

Paysinger said that involvement in such clubs and extracurricular activities also helps students perform better in their classes.

“Kids do better academically when they feel connected,” Paysinger said.

Assistant Principal Toni Staser also pushes for widespread student engagement and places student participation as a priority

for the year.“One of the goals for the year is that

100% of our students will be connected to school in a school club or program. We’re looking at student participation in all of our extracurricular activities, our co-curricular activities, and clubs,” Staser said.

According to both Paysinger and Staser, the administration gathered data from various sources about how many students are involved in school-related activities. They are still in the process of sorting the information.

The administration is also looking for correlations regarding students who are more involved versus students who are not. By working with ASB, the School Site Council and staff, the administration plans on finding ways to increase student participation.

The geologists also made some unrelated discoveries.

“Their evidence showed that at one time there was seawater on this property,” Woods said. “There are deposits of little shells and little marine life” as well as “soil that came from the mountains,” leading them to believe that “there was some kind of a natural river” on the property.

The geologists concluded that there is no cracking in any of the soil, clearing the school for any building it desires. The refilling of the trench was scheduled to begin then, but was pushed back. New grass seeds will be planted soon after and the front lawn will be green for graduation.

Enrichment brings club awareness

Clockwise: Sophomore Nicole Sayegh speaks to students in the JSA Club. Seniors Jonathan Sayegh and Giuliano Bologna educate students about the Music Apprecia-tion Club. Coach J. Johnson lectures to students during the Debate Club. Senior Max Schwartz instructs students in the Interact Club. ARMAN ZADEH

Faculty was allowed to view the front lawn trench on Feb. 15. DANNY LICHT

February 24, 2012newsHighlights3

Quick Reads El Al Ambassadors visit Beverly

The Beverly Culinary Arts Team competed at the SkillsUSA Regional Competition on Saturday, Feb. 4.

Freshman Mahzad Ghorbani, senior Edmund Hong, sophomore Shivani Patel, senior Daniella Soofer and senior Crystal Valmadrid along with chef Derrick Spears attended the competition. These student competitors placed in the top ten of all students at the competition.

Four of the students will advance to the California State SkillsUSA competition, which is scheduled to be held in April in San Diego.

Candidates were given a recipe and a 45-minute window to set up a cooking station, cook and present their dish. However, each chef was given the freedom to change ingredients or add substitutes to give their dish a unique identity.

“We prepared twice a week for four weeks. Each session lasted about three hours; [the worst part was] we made five different soups to prepare [but] when we got there, [we had to make] chili, a soup we hadn’t practiced,” Soofer said.

Judges also assessed students based on their sanitation and knife skills, their measurements, blade movements, organization and taste.

“My favorite part was definitely being in the kitchen and cooking the chili because I was in my zone and I lost all my nerves and worries while I was in the

kitchen,” Soofer said. This fall, Regional Occupational

Program (ROP) Director Steve Rappaport worked with Spears and the Parent Teacher Student Assocation (PTSA) to start a SkillsUSA chapter at Beverly.

“In an effort to give students another opportunity to become competitive and develop leadership skills, our ROP Culinary Arts Program started a SkillsUSA Chapter at the high school this year,” ROP counselor Megen Anspach said.

“SkillsUSA provides quality education experiences for students in leadership, teamwork, citizenship and character development,” Anspach said. “It builds and reinforces self-confidence, work attitudes and communications skills.”

The Beverly Hills Education Foundation helped to fund the team and allowed Spears to attend the competition.

The PTSA also helped to fund necessities for the competition, including cooking materials and uniforms for the students.

Sayeh MohammadiStaff Writer

Lilia Abecassis

On Wednesday, Feb. 15, the Normans for Israel Club hosted four El Al pilots and flight attendants in English teacher Julie Goler’s room during lunch. The four are part of a group of 60 other El Al employees called El Al Ambassadors.

The El Al Ambassadors program goal is to educate non-Israelis about the Israeli lifestyle aside from what is portrayed about Israel in the media.

The program was created for employees of the airline who want to do community work but lack extended periods of free time. Thus, they speak during layovers. This was the first time they had visited a high school as guests.

“Our goal is to create a discussion about sides of Israeli that people don’t see or hear enough about through the media,” director of El Al Ambassadors Alon Futterman said.

The visitors told personal stories of their experiences in Israel in addition to engaging in a conversation with students.

The ambassadors talked about the strong sense of community in Israel.

The visit elicited a positive reaction from faculty and students.

“It’s nice to see the people come and talk about their experience and life in Israel,” Hebrew teacher Kalia Scheiner said.

Goler’s room was filled, with people from teachers to regular club members to those who are not part of the club.

“I thought it was interesting and it was cool to hear who these people actually are,” sophomore Shanna Benji said.

Normans for Israel will also be visited by Israeli soliders on Tuesday, Feb. 28.

Students cook their way to success

Sophomore Shivani Patel, senior Edmund Hong, senior Daniella Soofer, chef Derrick Spears, senior Crystal Valmadrid and freshman Mahzad Ghorbani attend the SkillsUSA Regional Competition on Feb. 4. Photo courtesy of DERRICK SPEARS

February 24, 2012featureHighlights4

AJ ParryStaff Writer

Massachi performs, helps charity

Michelle BanayanStaff Writer

Cooks hold mock restaurant during enrichment

Junior Lena Danpour works with multiple ingredients as she prepares her dish. GINELLE WOLFE

Chef and cooking teacher Derrick Spears hosts an optional enrichment class for his advanced culinary students to learn how a restaurant is run.

The class, which began on Nov. 14, 2011, separates students into three teams. The first team, “Kitchen,” is responsible for preparing food.

Next, there is “Wait Staff,” where students practice waiting tables.

There are also the “Customers,” who are the students that eat the food that

On Nov. 13, sophomore Alex Massachi used the power of music to help fund re-search for Crohn’s Disease. Crohn’s Dis-ease is a digestive disorder that causes in-flammation and irritation of the intestines.

The concert, Piano Concert Benefitting CCFA, was created by Massachi with the help of his piano teacher, Shilla Hekmat, whose house served as the concert venue.

The concert was in honor of one of Hek-mat’s students who has Crohn’s disease, Lowelly Dylan. Dylan performed at the concert after a speech made by his mother. All of Dylan’s parents and siblings were there to support him and help with the org-naization on the day of the concert.

“I made the concert and came up with the idea for it since I wanted to inspire children with Crohn’s disease and help raise money

[continued from Page 1]Jaramillo agreed that he had difficulty

establishing ideas for improvement with Cherniss.

“Right now there is a little complication talking to [Cherniss],” Jaramillo said.

Cherniss declined to comment on the conversations he had with custodians, saying that this was confidential information, but that custodians are to express their concerns with their supervisor or human resources if they observe any difficulty with their current situation.

Cherniss has recently been promoted to Chief Business Official at the LA County Office of Education. The date of his departure will be decided in the following weeks, leaving the Board of Education with the task of finding a new director of the custodial department.

The custodial staff has yet to discover whether or not any improvements, if necessary, shall be made in the department.

the kitchen staff prepares. The roles of students are switched regularly so that everyone gets a chance on each different team.

The courses prepared by the class vary, but much of the food has an international theme. They also have prepared different types of pastries and breakfast foods.

Spears has his students cook a variety of foods to give them a taste of other cultures, as well as the knowledge of how to cook those dishes.

Those who take Spears’s enrichment class also learn knife skills, and cook foods

such as seared salmon with barbeque glaze, and tomato and garlic bruschetta.

These dishes are unavailable to students who are not currently taking Advanced Culinary Arts, a Regional Occupational Program (ROP), which prepares students for joining the work force after they graduate.

Out of numerous ROP course electives offered at Beverly, Culinary Arts and Advanced Culinary Arts are two standouts. The requirements for taking an ROP class can be found online or with a counselor.

“I started this restaurant program because I believed that the kids needed a jump start for on-the-job training,” Spears said.

His restaurant class takes place only on Wednesday block days during enrichment period.

Spears expressed that the class is a great opportunity to experience working firsthand in a restaurant. The restaurant experience is available every enrichment to students who are taking Advanced Cooking as their ROP elective.

to fund reasearch [for it]. I love the feel-ing of helping everyone that has Crohn’s disease and helping inspire young children like [Dylan],” Massachi said.

Massachi’s goal for this event was to raise $2,000, but $10,000 was raised to benefit the search for a cure to the digestive dis-ease.

“The mission of the fundraiser was to raise about $2,000 for Crohn’s disease and we actually raised $8,000 more than ex-pected; we raised over $10,000,” Massachi said.

About 200 people attended the charity concert, including a number of well-known people. Comedian and former host of the Miss United States pageant, Sunda Croon-quist served as the Master of Cermonies for Massachi’s concert.

Also present were the owner of Colum-

bia Pictures, Vanessa Williams and Rick Fox, all of whom attended to support their daughters who were playing piano in the concert.

Out of the 25 performers at the concert, Massachi was one of the oldest. He per-formed Chopin’s Polonaise Op. 53 on the piano. He has been playing the piano for almost four years under the instruction of Hekmat.

Massachi’s successful decision to make a difference in a cause that he believes in has caused a positive reaction throughout the community.

“I think what [Massachi] did was amaz-ing– especially since he beat his goal of $2,000 by so much,” sophomore Paloma Bloch said. “It was really admirable of him and I think that more people at Beverly should start projects like this.”

Sophomore Alex Massachi performs at a concert benefitting the Crohn and Colitis Foundation. The event raised over $10,000. Photo courtesy of ALEX MASSACHI

Junior Elisha Sameyah dices several ingredients. GINELLE WOLFE

Sophomore Brandon Aminpour chops with preci-sion. ARMAN ZADEH

In RemembranceManuel Ruiz

The beloved custodian will be missed by all at Beverly.

“After a long day of school, as I entered the locker room knowing that I have a lot of homework and a ton of tests the next day, Manny would always put me in a

good mood.” -junior Ariel Rafalian

“Manny was a good guy. He knew what he was doing and would always be there to help out his co-workers. He would also make a lot of jokes.” -custodian Corey Baines

Custodial jobs shift

February 24, 2012Highlights 5arts&style

headbands, was seen popularly at the Golden Globes. Charlize Theron and Michelle Williams used the accessory to add a unique touch to their already exquisite gowns.

Last season’s statement necklaces have now become statement bracelets. Kate Winslet and Nicole Richie modeled this trend at the Golden Globes. The statement bracelet is generally worn to give a simple, elegant dress a bit of personality.

The next big trend is color, or lack thereof. Nude continues to stay in style as up and coming style icons such as Rose Byrne and Lea Michele wear the color at events like the SAG Awards. In addition to nude, black and white have also made a grand comeback

as stars such as Tilda Swinton and Claire Danes modeled these color extremes at the Golden Globes and the Critics’ Choice Movie Awards.

Lastly, the high neckline has become a popular 2012 red carpet trend. This ‘70s comeback was seen on the biggest music stars of the year including Taylor Swift, Adele, Katy Perry and Fergie at the Grammys.

With the Oscars around the corner, similar trends are expected to surface.

“I can’t wait for the Oscars,” junior Chanel Nami said. “I love looking at the long dresses with open backs.”

Junior Savannah Forno also displayed her

Rating the red carpet

“My favorite part of the Oscars is finding out who wins. I feel happy when I see my favorite movies get awards.”

-Michael Radnia, seniorLigh

ts, C

amer

a, R

eact

ion!

Behind the scenes: an all-access Oscars pass

2011 films feature variety of trendsadaptations of books have served not only to enable passionate readers to watch their favorite books be transformed onto the big screen, but also to popularize the books themselves. Stars such as Rooney Mara from “The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo” are nominated for their roles in these types of films.

“My favorite movie this year is ‘The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo.’ It is such an accurate representation of the book and all around a really entertaining movie,” senior Lucy Licht shared.

Historical movies have also become popular as movie watchers are drawn into an era of their youth or transported to a time they may have only read about in social studies textbooks. The historical movie “The Iron Lady” received a great amount of attention when people rushed to theaters to catch a glimpse of the story of the former Prime Minister of Britain, Margaret Thatcher.

Animated movies have also made a debut on the big screen this year by attracting viewers of all ages.

It is no mystery where street styles come from; in fact, many fads seen at school are directly related to high fashion and avant-garde trends displayed on runways and red carpets.

With the Golden Globes, SAG Awards and Grammys past and the Oscars coming up, the public is given a sneak peak to next season’s in-style colors, cuts and accessories.

One fashion trend,

The particularly loved movies of 2011 will be rewarded for their works of art on the big screen at the Academy Awards on Feb. 26, 2012.

Movies nominated for Best Picture include numerous films based on books such as “The Descendants,” “The Help,” “Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close” and “Hugo.” Movie

History teacher Dan Moroaica’s favorite film was an animated spin-off.

“[I love] ‘Puss and Boots.’ It was both funny and exciting. I loved ‘Shrek’ and that is the cutest friggin’ cat in movie history!” Moroaica said.

Overall, whether they were based on a book, history or animation, the movies of 2011 attracted movie-goers of all interests.

“My favorite part is seeing what celebrities wear and what the new fashions are. I also like knowing if the movies I saw won any Oscars.”

-Shauna Ebrahimi, junior

“My favorite part of the Oscars is finding out who won awards in big categories like ‘Best Movie’ or ‘Best Actor.’”

-Miguel Perez Garrido, freshman

Alex MenacheStaff Writer

excitement for the Oscars and its fashionable stars.

“I love seeing all the actors in their own sense of styles rather than in [those of] their characters,” Forno said. “It’s amazing to see how they’re just real people like us.”

There is no doubt that the red carpet is a fashionista’s heaven, and as soon as the red carpet trends hit the hottest stores and boutiques, Beverly’s very own fashionistas will be strutting the hallways in the newest styles.

Become a member of Bev-erly’s Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences! Visit beverlyhighlights.com or scan the QR code above on your smartphone to cast your votes for the 2012 Os-cars.

Shannon ToobiStaff Writer

AJ PARRY

JULIA WALDOW

February 24, 2012arts&styleHighlights8

George Harrison fans, rejoice! The George Harrison: Living in the Material World exhibit at the Grammy Museum has been extended from its original closing

date of Feb. 12 to March 25. The fantastic exhibit features six of

Harrison’s guitars, including his iconic Fender Stratocaster, as well as his 1972 Grammy for Concert for Bangladesh and a plethora of his handwritten lyrics for songs including “Here Comes the Sun” and “Something.”

The exhibit also features an extensive timeline of both Harrison’s life until his death in 2001 and the Beatles’ career. Handwritten postcards from Harrison while he was on tour to his father, mother and brother are also on display.

The extensive artifact collection, most of which is on loan courtesy of the George Harrison estate, not only showcases Harrison during his Beatles years, but also features Harrison’s career after the disbanding of the legendary group.

Harrison, who was born in Liverpool, England in 1943, met future fellow band mates John Lennon and Paul McCartney during high school and joined their band The Quarrymen. Although he did not have much musical experience, Harrison proved to be extremely talented on the guitar.

As a member of the Beatles, Harrison played guitar and sang lead vocals for most of the songs he wrote, including “Only a Northern Song” and “Blue Jay Way.”

George Harrison: Living in the Material World explains that after the Beatles broke up in 1970, Harrison went solo, founded the label Dark Horse Records and toured

“I enjoyed frying the donut [especially when] I watched it form and knew it was almost done.”-Kareem Nizam, senior

“I really enjoyed eating the do-nut because each and every bite I took was filled with a mouth-watering flavor.”-Jasmine Saidfar, sophomore

“[The chicken dish] is a blend of flavors and a great dish to pre-pare.”

-Edmund Hong, senior

“The hardest part [of making the dish] was following the measure-ments. You don’t want to make a mistake and have to start all over.”-Crystal Valmadrid, senior

Do it yourself: Culinary Arts class shares recipes

Grammy Museum showcases George Harrison’s lifeLilia Abecassis

Staff Writer

Michelle BanayanStaff Writer

Chef Derrick Spears, who teaches Intro-duction to Culinary Arts and Advanced Culinary Arts, had 35 years of experience

prior to teaching at Beverly. Spears com-peted against other chefs at the James Beard House in Manhattan, New York, attended the Culinary Institute in Hyde Park, New York and was a chef at the CBS studios.

The Culinary Arts classes, which receive funding and supplies from the Regional Occupational Program (ROP), are cur-rently working on specific skills that will enhance students’ culinary experiences.

“The advanced class is focusing on job

training and working experience, while the introduction class is working on their cooking techniques,” Spears said.

The cooking class has released the two recipes below so students can make delicious foods at home.

Chicken, walnut and zucchini pancakeIngredients: -5 cups flour-1-ounce yeast-1-ounce warm milk-1/3 cup shortening-1/3 cup sugar-1 egg

Pancake Ingredients:-½ zucchini-1 potato-1 egg-salt and pepper to your liking

Directions:-Mix in mixer flour in a bowl-Add butter, yeast, egg and sugar-In a small pot, warm milk and shortening to 160 -180 degrees-Add warm milk and shortening mixture slowly to flour-Let the dough come away from bowl-Rest for 30 minutes, shape and enjoy!

Pancake Directions:-Mix zucchini, potato and egg together and grate-Keep in oven for 15-20 minutes under 350 – 400 degrees

Chicken Ingredients: -6-ounces of chicken breast

Sauce Ingredients:-¼ stick of butter-Handful of chopped onions-2 tablespoons of flour-1-2 cups of milk

North America on his Dark Horse Tour. Buttons and outfits from his tour, which

was largely Indian-inspired, are shown at the museum. Harrison’s displayed overalls and brightly colored clothing capture the essence of the ‘70s.

The exhibit depicts Harrison’s interest in other cultures. Harrison went to India and learned to play the sitar, one of which is on display at the museum. He also used Indian music as inspiration for some of his songs.

Additionally, the exhibit mentions Harrison’s career in the Traveling Wilburys with Tom Petty and Bob Dylan, among other musicians. It also features pictures from the Concert for George event a year after the death of the famed musician.

In addition to learning about Harrison’s life, visitors can remix Beatles songs and listen to clips of Harrison talking about his guitar collection. Fans can also learn more about the guitars on digital tablets and listen to the songs played on them.

A television features McCartney talking about Harrison’s immense talent and what it was like to work with him.

The incorporation of technology enhances the experience for visitors and makes the exhibit much more interactive.

This extremely informative exhibit gives fans a glimpse into the life of the “quiet Beatle.” It is an essential visit for any Beatles lover or for anyone who wishes to learn more about Harrison.

George Harrison: Living in the Material World is shown at the Grammy Museum in L.A. Live near the Staples Center. JULIA WALDOW

The exhibit displays many portraits of the “Fab Four” member. Harrison even took some of the photos. Photo courtesy of GRAMMY MUSEUM

GINELLE WOLFE

Donut

Chicken Directions:-Pan sere chicken on one side until golden-Bake in oven 350 – 400 degrees (with patties, if desired) for 15 minutes

Sauce Directions:-In a pot, melt ¼ stick of butterand caramelize chopped onions -Once golden, add flour-Stir and add milk-Stir with a low flame

Nathan Ong and Mallika SenEditors-in-Chief

Candice HannaniNews Editor

Danny LichtOpinion Editor

Benjamin HannaniFeature Editor

Julia WaldowArts & Style Editor

Ryan FeinbergSpotlight Editor

Chanan BatraSports Editor

Sayeh MohammadiBusiness Manager

Oliver Gallop, Alex Menache,AJ Parry and Ginelle Wolfe

Staff Photographers

Bless Bai, Sasha Park and AJ ParryStaff Cartoonists

Lilia AbecassisAssistant to News Editor

Michelle Banayan, Celine Hakimianpour, Mabel Kabani, Sarit Kashanian,

Zoe Kenealy, Dami Kim, Hae Lee,Brenda Mehdian, AJ Parry,

Shannon Toobi and Arman ZadehStaff Writers

Gaby Herbst and Katie MurrayAdvisers

The mission of Highlights is to inform and entertainthe community of Beverly Hills in an accurate,

objective, thorough, timely and well-designed manner.·

This newspaper is produced by theAdvanced Journalism class of

Beverly Hills High School241 Moreno Drive, Beverly Hills, CA 90212.

·Correction from The Sports Edition: Oliver Gallop took

the photograph of girls’ soccer.

The Staff

The concept of chivalry has changed over time as it is no longer a relevant term in so-ciety today. Coming from a woman’s view in society, what are the new and sought-after characteristics of the ideal man? Why is it that everywhere we look we cease to find what we are actually looking for? This uncertainty brings most females to the in-famous statement: “Maybe it’s me that’s doing something wrong.”

Are we are the ones to blame? Growing up as young girls, we all heard stories and watched films of princesses finding their loyal, caring and honest prince charming. But as we are growing older and the world

is rapidly changing, we are finding this fai-rytale scenario ironically dreamlike.

Living in this day and age, we are almost forced to hold these double standards. We rant about our strength and independence with no man to bring home the bacon, but that does not mean we don’t appreciate chocolates and flowers. Yes, we are all wait-ing for that special someone to sweep us off our feet and make the first move. I know what all you men are thinking: “Why can’t women just say what they really want from our relationship?” To this we respond, “We don’t want to ask because we’re not asking for a fairytale.”

You may argue that we women ask too much from you men, but that is irrelevent; we do not ask for much. I am not saying this

applies to every man on this planet, but I have faced this argument numerous times.

We are not trying to confuse the men; we are actually making it easier. If it’s cold outside, offer us your jacket. If we’re walk-ing towards a door, hold it open for us. It’s really just common courtesy that we expect and appreciate.

All in all, men need to get one thing straight: all those gestures that you think are pointless and a waste of time really mean something to us—sometimes every-thing. Understand that we were brought up waiting for our true love’s first kiss and to be riding away on our honeymoon in a horse-drawn carriage. We’re not asking anything near that in the slightest, just something to show you care.

Try a little tenderness

My uncle is an avid old movie collec-tor, so he has movie nights about twice a year to show his favorite flicks on his projector. Over the course of these pop-corn-and-candy-filled movie nights I have seen a multitude of quality films, includ-ing Laurel and Hardy pictures, Charlie Chaplin classics and Jane Fonda’s “Cat Ballou.” Compared to some of the movies I have seen over the past few years, old movies seem even more appealing than hot chocolate on a cold day.

It appears that the quality of current movies is dwindling with every new film released at the box office. Movies in the past were creative, adventurous and fun-ny, but many movies now are overly raun-chy and unoriginal.

For example, when I saw “Bad Teacher” last year I wasted both $13 and hours of my life. In the movie, Cameron Diaz stars as a crass, rude and annoying teacher who

cheats and tricks her way into getting a bonus salary. The movie’s ridiculous cen-tral message is that if you insult others and cheat the system in your climb to the top, you will get what you want.

Other movies were not entirely enjoy-able, either. “New Year’s Eve” initially looked promising, but its storyline lacks depth and humor. “Like Crazy” is awk-ward and without a complete, all-ends-wrapped-up ending, leaving viewers con-fused.

Even recent trailers are enough to make me not want to see a movie. After I fin-ished viewing “Zookeeper,” “Mr. Popper’s Penguins” and “The Change-Up”’s ad-vertisements, I knew that I would not be viewing the aforementioned films.

Moreover, it is ridiculous that nowadays movies are constantly being shown in 3-D formats. Why do we need to see “Titanic” coming straight at our faces? What is so special about “Finding Nemo” in a third dimension? 3-D was exciting a few years ago, but now that converting to 3-D is

as popular as frozen yogurt, it is simply overkill.

Naturally, it is a breath of fresh air when new, innovative movies like “The Artist” are released. Some may think, “Silent movies? Not for me,” but its format is part of “The Artist”’s charm. In fact, the film is nominated for ten awards at the Oscars this year, proving that originality is key in producing a successful movie.

Additionally, movies based on books, such as “The Help,” “The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo” and “Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close”, are interesting and of-fer book lovers a new take on their favor-ite stories. Historical dramas like “The King’s Speech” are both exciting and in-formative at the same time. Why can’t we have more movies like these?

When cinema gems are hard to find, don’t waste money on a pointless motion picture. Dig up a few classics, like “The Great Race,” “Roman Holiday” or “Funny Girl”, grab some friends and popcorn and uncover what makes a true classic.

The Reel Deal

Julia Waldow Arts & Style Editor

The 17th annual Jon Cherney Humanitarian Award will be pre-

sented this year in loving memory of Jon Cherney, a 1985 Beverly

graduate and Broadcast Production Coordinator of the Media Center. This $2500 college scholarship is awarded annually to a member of

the senior class who epitomizes Jon’s unique combination of aca-

demic achievement, creative talent and spirituality, and, who like Jon,

embraces a sincere devotion to humanity and a great passion for

making a positive difference.

Jon Cherney Humanitarian AwardDescribe ways in which

your actions demonstrate a sincere devotion to human-ity and a passion for mak-ing a positive difference through an essay, video, picture collage, audio re-cording or any other medi-um. Also, please submit two letters of recommendation from two adults who can best attest to your humane qualities (parents and rela-tives excluded). One rec-

ommendation letter should be from a Beverly faculty member and both letters should directly address the

Cherney Committee. Ap-plicants may be requested to interview before the Committee. Please provide email and cell phone infor-mation with your submis-sion.

All submissions can be made electronically or as hard copy and are due by

Monday, April 16, 2012 by 3:00 p.m.

Please email your sub-mission as a .zip file to sub-mit@jcaward.org. or place your submission in Mrs. Hale’s box in the main of-fice. If size creates a prob-lem, please hand the entry personally to Mrs. Hale in House C or Annick in the Main Office. Any questions can be directed to ques-tions@jcaward.org

How to Participate

New movies can’t compare with the classics

Staff WriterCeline Hakimianpour

opinionFebruary 24, 2012Highlights 9

Sasha Park

February 24, 2012editorial/sportsHighlights10

Boys’ basketball on streak, gets to CIF semifinals

Your phone vibrates and, after sneaking a peak during a lecture on Shakespearean sonnets, an almost miniscule feeling of happiness permeates your soul: it is an email reminder to sign up for enrichment classes before all the good ones fill up.

Yet, a thought races through your brain, reminding you that as an AP Literature student, you are required to sign up for two AP Literature enrichment courses during the next three enrichment dates.

“Technically, teachers can hold mandatory AP review sessions if students are aware of them at the beginning of the year,” History Dept. Chair Dan Moroaica said.

It does not come as a surprise either that some students are in favor of AP preparations outside of class, enabling them to be better prepared in May.

“Most of those who do attend find that they benefited greatly, especially if we

have a long session where I can administer under test-like conditions,” AP Calculus teacher Jane Wortman said. However, some instructors who offer sessions make them mandatory, which can strike a chord in those pupils not in favor of Saturday AP practice sessions.

Being forced into signing up for AP sessions can leave a sour taste in the mouth of any adolescent, especially seniors.

It could be due to senioritis taking over, or the fact that teenagers are ignorant and do not understand the complexity of what is at stake, but it can still be very irritating.

After finally having the opportunity to use the tutorial periods efficiently (only to have them stripped down to one block week per month), the last thing any high schooler wants to do is ruin the chance to take a yoga course over AP testing practice.

It is not just enrichment either. Over

the last several years, AP teachers have required students to attend classes outside of the scheduled school day, including 7 a.m. “zero periods” (not inclusive of College Board-mandated science labs) or Saturday lectures.

Although these sessions are meant to benefit the students’, teachers’ and school’s reputations by increasing scores, they can also cause some damage. High school students have ambitions besides filling in endless amounts of bubbles.

We spend roughly 34 hours a week at school and the last thing any student wants to do is spend free time practicing for standardized tests. Keeping students from sleeping in late or hanging out on the couch is not a justifiable reason to summon students into five hour AP practice tests.

Given that teenagers have goals and hobbies despite those set for them by parents, teachers and even the College

Board, time outside of school should not be infringed upon by already too prominent test preparations.

Doing well academically is vital to any pupil who strives to get a college degree, but making extra courses a requirement puts standardized testing on an undeserved pedestal.

Students should be able to succeed on the APs without being forced to make them their top priorities in life outside of school.

It is important to note though, that teachers are not to blame for offering students extra help. It is only the extreme pressure put on educators to elicit strong test scores which cause the AP dispute.

Although teachers only want their students to do well, students should still have the freedom to choose whether or not to spend Saturday mornings writing essays.

AP Reviews: College BoredThe ediTorial

Arman ZadehStaff Writer

On Tuesday, Feb. 21, Beverly basketball faced Lawndale in the third round of CIF playoffs. The Normans were victorious, 67-65, in an intense battle with the Cardinals.

The team now holds a 20-9 record and a state record of 10-5, heading into the CIF semi-finals.

The team built a sturdy 12-point lead after opening up the game with a 12-2 run. The Normans held a double-digit lead for the entire first half of the game.

After blowing a 19-point lead in the third quarter, the Normans found themselves clinging on to a 44-43 lead within the final minutes of the fourth quarter.

“We always have a tough time coming out in the third quarter…but we just stayed calm and played together because we worked too hard in the offseason to go home this early,” forward Nick Reskin said.

The team was able to recover in the final seconds of the game when forward Brodric Smith and forward Mike Lanier scored the teams final three points off crucial free throws, giving the Normans a 67-63 point lead.

Lawndale scored their final points at the buzzer but were no match for Beverly basketball.

“We were really tough and were determined to win. We had a collective responsibility as our coach likes to say,” Reskin said.

Lanier led the team with 30 points and 15 rebounds, along with the game winning free throw.

Forward Ben Cohen succumbed to a knee injury after a collision with a Lawndale player and will not play for the team on Friday in the semi-finals.

The squad is part of the newly-formed Division 3AAA, according to the Beverly Hills Patch. They were seeded 14th in a 32-team field.

The Normans last went to semifinals in 1969, when they managed to capture the CIF title.

Over 40 years later, the team will face Pasadena, who currently holds a state record of 5-1 and is seeded second, on Friday, Feb. 24 at Muir High School, in the semi-finals.

Clockwise from top: Forward Mike Lanier drives the ball down as forward Nick Reskin anticipates; Lanier was the top scorer in the game, with 30 points. Point guard Austin Mills evades the clutches of a Lawndale defender. The Swim Gym was packed with both Lawndale and Beverly supporters, including Norman superfan senior Ezra Laemmle. ARMAN ZADEH

spotlightFebruary 24, 2012Highlights 11

Located on the first floor, near Moreno High School, lies the basis of the school’s learning resources: the textbook room. In the past, students have complained that this room is far out of reach.

There are incidents when textbooks may be misplaced, stolen or even inaccurately distributed to a class. If these mistakes occur among the Norman population of about 2,000 students over the course of the school year, it is almost impossible to solve the issues as soon as it comes up. Keeping these issues in mind, the one-man operation textbook room is always busy.

Keith Bolden, the textbook room manager, has worked in the textbook room for four years now from 7:30 a.m.

Textbook room tales trigger trouble for denizens

Heavy backpacks cause back pain

to 12:00 p.m. daily. Along with his two other jobs at the school, which include working at the student store at lunch and in the foreign language computer labs, Bolden has no time for breaks.

“I can’t always be here,” Bolden said. “I have to be in different places of the school at the same time.”

Bolden spends his time during the textbook room hours providing class sets of books for different classes. His usual day starts with emails from teachers ordering sets of 20 to 30 books to be organized and delivered to the class on time.

“Recently, I had to organize three reading books for Mr. Rubenstein’s sophomore English class per student. This ended up being about ninety books to be delivered to one period. It took me about two hours,” Bolden said.

Do you have difficulty carrying your books to and from school? Students are granted two sets of textbooks in special situations, such as divorced parents or health issues regarding the carrying of a heavy backpack. If applicable, be sure to take the necessary steps to attain a second set of books to increase convenience and have more time to

“Physical books will gradually be phased out in favor of ebooks. Increased technology will help not only with textbook distribution but with many other classroom processes, leading to a more efficient use of time for teachers and students alike.”

English teacherBill Hiatt

Textbooks guide class curriculum and supple-ment students with

resources whenever they need them. As high school

students, how-ever, students need their textbooks, in class, on a dai-ly basis.

Since all stu-dents are re-quired to take at least five

classes, students can be responsible for car-rying five textbooks, no matter how light or heavy, from home to school every day.

If this accumulates to weeks, months and years of high school, the results are broken straps and zip-pers on backpacks and painful backaches.

AJ PARRY

The Parent, Stduent, Teacher Association (PTSA) volunteers to assist Bolden in the textbook room.

“We have amazing PTSA parents. They volunteer and help me sort problems out in the textbook room. Without their help, the workload will be twice as much, and twice as slow,” Bolden said.

Students and teachers have been complaining about the inaccessibility of the textbook room and the absence of Bolden during school hours.

“Students after forgetting to retrieve their own textbooks, feel the need to blame me for not being here. I think teachers, rather than blaming me for not doing my job, should communicate with me and better understand the policies of

the room,” Bolden stated.Bolden says that students should not

arrive at the textbook room randomly throughout the day but arrange appointments via email.

This, he says, will make the process of exchanging textbooks a lot more efficient.

“I am always here during nutrition and lunch as well. It is not reasonable for students to assume, since the room is a one-man operation, that I

Textbooks on campus:read between the lines

will always be here and don’t have other meetings to attend to,” he said.

Another issue Bolden is facing is that students do not seem aware of the responsibilities they commit to when borrowing the textbooks. Bolden produces a stack of sheets titled “textbook policies” and says that each and every student received a copy in the beginning of the year. On the sheet are the responsibilities of the student while in possession of textbooks and the consequences of damaging or losing textbooks.

Another issue that Bolden has to deal with regarding textbooks are the concept of discontinued books.

“Every five years, it is a state regulated law that we update our history, science, and math books. However, there has been a freeze on updating other books due to the budget crisis in the state.”

After the books get old, the books are recycled in bulks and carried away. However, the discarding of books is a long process that first has to be discussed by the board.

Students looking to reutrn books when the textbook room is not open can use the book drop at the textbook room, or at the student store

Dami KimSocial Media Director

Mabel KabaniStaff Writer

BLESS BAI

According to school nurse Laurie Linden problems with heavy text-books have always been noticed at school.

“[Students] hate it. They always come in with a backache and a com-plaint of carrying too many books in-side their bags,” Linden said.

Linden mentioned that some stu-dents who are hurt or injured can request an elevator pass or can be excused from not bringing a textbook to certain classes with a doctor’s note.

“We are pretty good with accom-modating students’ needs. I think [students and staff] can understand each other, especially because we have all felt it before,” Linden said.

With increasing standards and expectations for technological ad-vances, the future of using traditional paper textbooks will inevitably alter.

“I am sure that the future holds many possibilities for us,” Linden said. “But until then, maybe students should be provided with a class set of textbooks or start using their lockers more often.”

February 24, 2012sportsHighlights12

athletes raise the bar this season. “We left last season with a bad taste in

our mouth because of some shortcomings, but we look forward to this year to avenge our shortcomings,” Fisher said. “It’s going to be interesting to see how we learn from those shortcomings.”

The track team has high goals this year, as Rohani explains.

“Our goals this year are to win all of our relay events at big invitationals like Mt. SAC and Arcadia,” Rohani said. “Most

Track team looks to build on last year’s success

Lacrosse in shape to win Golf swings for successRyan Feinberg

Spotlight Editor

After a victorious 2011 season, the boys’ varsity golf, a team that has five returning varsity athletes from last year, is looking forward to another opportunity to succeed this year.

Beverly finished first as a team in the Ocean League last year, with individuals Brian Song finishing first in league and alumnus Josh Newman finishing in

sixth place. In addition, six individuals qualified for CIF playoffs. Other than Newman, the squad did not lose any varsity starters this year. The team has a promising amount of experience this year with Brian Song, Ezra Laemmle, Pasha Farmanara, Oliver Gallop and Matt Shin all returning as varsity starters from last year. Moreover, aside from Laemmle, who plays football in the fall, the starters have had more available time to practice because golf is their only sport.

Laemmle acknowledges the team’s potential strengths but still feels the team has many areas for improvement.

“Our goals are to build off our successes from last year,” Laemmle said. “We want to win league and still be competing in CIF well into June…and improve our consistency.”

Farmanara acknowledged the positive aspects of this season.

“For the first time since I’ve been at Beverly the boys’ golf team was able to practice everyday during girls’ golf season,” Farmanara said. “That allowed us to get back into playing golf everyday and also gave us the opportunity to meet the younger kids and get to know them before the season starts.”

The squad’s first two matches are away on Feb. 28 against Peninsula and at home against Peninsula at Rancho Park on Mar. 1. Pasha Farmanara follows through with his swing. OLIVER GALLOP

Brenda MehdianStaff Writer

After ending their season with a record of 4-11 last year, the boys’ varsity lacrosse team showed improvement considering their 1-16 record from the 2009-2010 season.

According to Head Coach Steve Taylor, last year’s strength was the team’s strong sense of leadership, something he attributed to the amount of seniors on the squad.

The 11 seniors played a key role in their recovery from the previous year. However, the team’s record could have been much stronger. During the final minutes of many games, the team was unable to close games and earn wins.

“We really needed to finish games in the fourth quarter,” Taylor said. “We had a lot of close fourth quarter games that slipped away.”

In addition to the team’s inability to finish close games, the lack of physical conditioning and unity among the players, despite the large amount of seniors, contributed to the losing record.

“We need to improve on working together as a team rather than as individuals,” junior Sebastian Vericella said.

The team is also looking to continue their improvement from past years by putting an emphasis on physical conditioning so that they are better able to finish their games. In addition, practices have been more intense this year due to a higher level of focus among players

“There has already been a tremendous amount of improvement from last year,” Taylor said. “Practices are taken more seriously and the players are working together and helping each other improve.”

Each practice begins with a mile run, followed by 15 minutes of jumping rope, anywhere from ten to 15 sprints up the hill on Heath Avenue, and ends with full-field suicides.

“Although practice is demanding, we know that we need to work hard to achieve our goals,” sophomore Yaniv Sadka said. “Having an excellent season and reaching CIF playoffs is not going to be easy.”

There has also been a considerable shift in the team’s attitude from last year. According to Taylor, the team as a whole has a more positive attitude.

“[The players] have been more supportive of each other during practice by encouraging one another to do better,” Taylor said.

Palos Verdes and Mira Costa have dominated the Bay League in recent years, but Beverly is looking to challenge them this year.

This year, the team hopes to proceed with their improvement and hopes to make it to CIF.

“We are looking to improve from last year’s record and win at least ten out of our seventeen games,” Taylor said.

The squad’s road to improvement begins with its first game at home on Tuesday, Feb. 28 at 4:30 p.m. on the upper field against Loyola High School.

While the Normans’ 2011 All-American Sydney Gray may be in college now, the track team still has plenty of valuable pieces to achieve its lofty goals. The squad looks to build on the success of last season, during which both boys’ and girls’ 4x400m teams qualified for CIF Southern Section Finals. Additionally, junior Alex Rohani participated in the 400m and Brianna Simmons ran in the 800m at CIF Southern Section Finals.

“Last year we got a girl to state and she finished fourth,” Head Coach Jeffrey Fisher, referring to Gray, said. “From a program standpoint we closed well and her placing at state put a lot of energy into the program. She got a scholarship to Berkeley and her finish motivated a lot of people to come back this season and work hard.”

Gray is not the only runner from last season to have moved on to college track. Nicky Harper, a key member of last season’s boys’ 4x800m team that was ranked in the top five in the state, is now running for Colgate University.

Despite the loss of Gray and Harper, the team still has many of its runners from last year.

“Last year we were a very young team and we had guys who ran CIF for the first time,” Fisher said. “They got some good experience that will help them this year.”

With the team’s many accomplishments, Fisher identified “shortcomings” from last season. Evidently, there is always room for improvement. Fisher is eager to see his

Benjamin HannaniFeature Editor

importantly though, we want to win state in all of our individual events and in the 4x400m relay.”

With such ambitious goals, the squad knows that practicing hard is very important to their development. The team’s practices thus far have often consisted of hill workouts in order to build speed and endurance. Coach Fisher approaches the practices week by week

to get the most potential from his runners. While

the practices have been intense, junior Lily Ting believes they will

prove to be beneficial. “The track team has been practicing

and training like never before,” Ting said. “Although it’s tough, it’s rewarding. Coach Fisher is doing a great job in gearing us up for the upcoming season so that we will all perform our best when it counts.”

The squad’s biggest advantage may lie in team chemistry. Many track runners have been training together since cross-country season during the fall and in track conditioning throughout the winter.

Whether or not the team will win state remains unknown, but the players certainly have a high goal to run toward.

GINELLE WOLFE

ACADECA, the school’s course for students that compete at Academic Decathlons is proud to say that two members, Victor Lee and Jenny Chiu have performed their best, resulting in five gold medals for Chiu and a perfect score for Lee in the mathematics section of the exam.

The stereotype that some people have for Beverly Hills is that the youth here are spoiled, bratty and brain dead.

“Beverly Hills just strikes me as a place where the kids don’t care about much more than what their next car is going to be. I don’t think they actually have to worry about their future so they probably don’t try as hard in school,” Chino Hills High School junior Megan Rara said.

The performances of Lee, 11th grade, and Chiu, 11th grade, disproved the stereotype. Chiu received five gold medals and Lee earned a perfect score in the mathematics part of the exam. Lee feels that this year he performed exceptionally well due to the fact that the entire class has been giving much more of an effort than it has been in the past.

“This year the people [in ACADECA] all wanted to accomplish something and it made me happy to see [their determination],” Lee said.

Sure, there may be more BMWs in Lot B than Toyotas, but the academic performance of many Beverly students proves that they might not solely depend on their parents after all, and that the students of Beverly carry just as much responsibility as students from other schools.

6 7centerfoldHighlights Februrary 24, 2012

It has been widely suspected among Beverly students and parents that the oil well behind the track is detrimental to the health of students and the environment.

Over the years, many tests have been administered and results from these tests have repeatedly shown that no carcinogens, or cancer-causing agents, are in the air that Beverly students breathe. So the debate over whether the oil well is harmful should be over by now, right? Wrong. According to senior Andrew Redston, who is a member of the track team, the oil well’s effects on Beverly students cannot be ignored.

“It [the oil well] smells bad, and it is hard to run and work out with the awful smell,” Redston said. “Also, my chest often burns when I’m doing sprints because I have to take deep breaths of that air around the track.”

Redston isn’t the only one who is affected by oil well. Junior Alex Rohani also finds that too much exposure to the air around the oil well does not feel healthy.

“Even though it may look nice to outsiders,the oil well gives off a terrible smell and i find that my chest often burns when i breathe too much of it,” Rohani said. “New tests need to be done.”

Although the oil well still exists and agencies stay adamant that there are no harmful effects caused by the oil well, it is evident that the air affects our athletes. Our athletics program is one of the best in the area, and any athlete will support the claim that clean air is especially important to them. There is no way that an oil well would be completely safe for anybody spending numerous amounts of time around it. Despite the many tests that have been administered, the debate on whether the oil well pollutes the air Beverly students breathe seems to be one that will continue for years to come.

Staff WriterZoe Kenealy

Staff WriterZoe Kenealy

Sports EditorChanan Batra

Located on Beverly’s campus, Moreno High School is known as the alternative high school experience for students in the area. There has been the ongoing rumor that Moreno enrolled A-list actress Angelina Jolie throughout her high school years. However this myth is false; Jolie actually attended Beverly during her high school years.

It could be said that the myth about Jolie having attended Moreno sprouted from her history of depression and feelings of isolation; this led to her constant use of drugs and self harm.

“She would snort...cocaine and the heroin in front of me. It didn’t seem to matter to her who else was there,” Jolie’s former drug dealer, Franklin Meyer, told Life & Style Magazine.

Students tend to believe that Jolie attended Moreno instead of Beverly because Jolie’s high

Many students have speculated in the past about whether it is true that there is a secret tunnel under Beverly. The controversy of whether the tunnel is real or merely a myth is finally over. According to a source who has chosen to remain anonymous, the legend of the tunnel was first brought to his attention by a Beverly graduate two years ago.

The source described the interior of the tunnel in great detail.

“First off, I would like to emphasize that going into the tunnel was very dangerous and should not be attempted by anyone,” the anonymous student said. “The inside of the tunnel was 100% pitch black, but using a flashlight, I was able to see that there are five separate rooms within the tunnel.”

The first is an old supply cellar of sorts with mostly gardening and maintenance

Norman Mythology

equipment.At the back of this cellar there is a small

2-foot by 2-foot square hole in the brick wall with big metal air ducts.

“To the right of this brick wall is a narrow slit in the floor under a foot high in length. In this slit comes the true tunnel,” the anonymous student continued. “It angles ever so slightly downward, and it has to be close to 150 feet long. It is only about three feet high, so it was cramped in there. Once you pass through this

Sports EditorChanan Batra

Fact: Angelina Jolie was a NormanFact: There’s a tunnel under the school crawling space, you pass through two giant generator rooms and come out in an old bathroom somewhere in the theater arts department.”

Though the tunnel as described by the student may seem like the perfect place for an adventure, he made it very clear that going into the tunnel is “illegal, dangerous, disgustingly dirty, and should not be attempted by anyone.”

So, for those who stand by the concept of “Seeing is believing,” the validity of the tunnel may just have to wait. Until then, let your imagination run wild.

Fiction: We’re useless

In limbo: The oil well is harmless

It could be said that high school students in coming to school, on top of academics, have to deal with the struggles of bullying, relationships, hormones--the list goes on. Here on Beverly’s campus however, students have reported having to deal with ghosts in the school.

Although this myth has been floating around the school for some time now, students need to know that there is proof as to why this myth is nothing more than a false belief, and that it shouldn’t be taken too seriously.

O v e r the years, there have been multiple reports of ghosts in the school’s bell tower. Although the school has also been known to have had ghosts lurking in the hallways at night, the bell tower seems to be the

location that has had the most student reporting. “I don’t believe that there are any non-material

beings here [at the school]. The only thing that doesn’t have mass is light, so if they [students] believe in ghosts, they basically believe in intelligent light,” Kevin Bowers the AP Physics teacher said.

Despite the scientific viewpoint on the

existence of ghosts, many students at the high school don’t find it hard to believe that there is without a doubt, supernatural business going on in the bell tower. This is due to the fact that the students here have either themselves come across spooky situations, or heard about them from friends.

“I think it’s [the bell tower] definitely haunted and I have heard a lot of weird stories about it,”

sophomore Shana Kheradyar said.Although the students on campus may have been telling the truth

when stating that they’ve heard or seen supernatural beings in the bell tower, for as long as this

myth has been around there hasn’t been any proof to make our school’s ghostly occupation,

more than just a myth. There is

however, a ton of science to

c r u m b l e the idea of any and all actual g h o s t l y

existence.

Staff WriterZoe Kenealy

Fiction: There are ghosts in the bell tower

school life and behavior match up more with the face of the student body at Moreno than it does with Beverly.

Although she did have a history of frequent drug use and suffered suicidal depression, Jolie attended Beverly and not Moreno, and appears in the Watchtower Yearbook.

On a side note, Jolie is clearly doing well with her life and today speaks of her old high school personality as being the way it was only because she “couldn’t feel a bond with another human being,” Jolie told People Magazine.

Jolie now has her companion Brad Pitt by her side and a family to love. Jolie is an alumnus that Beverly is proud to call its own, and a story that students struggling with their personal life could look up to with hope and inspiration.

GRAPHICS BY AJ PARRY