Volume 86, Issue 10

highlights

Beverly Hills, Calif.

Beverly Hills High School

Volume 86, Issue Ten · March 8, 2013

Board denies ROP cuts, discusses staff layoffs

SEXTING Julia Waldow Print Editor-in-Chief

A teenager who wants to spice up his or her relationship decides to bare it all, literally, for his or her partner’s affection. He or she types out a racy message, snaps a provocative nude photo and sends his or her sext electronically to someone he or she likes. However, as technology advances and the boundaries of privacy blur, the sext is not solely limited to the teenager’s partner, and the sender might find his or her image or words forwarded to anyone or featured on Facebook, Twitter or other social networking sites.

“People send photos to people they like, and they think that by sending that type of photo, that person may like them more,” Intervention Counselor Ali Norman-Franks said. “People trust the person they’re sending a message to. They think, ‘Oh, my boyfriend or girlfriend won’t share this with anyone else.’ People don’t believe the consequences [of sexting] or think that these kinds of consequences couldn’t happen to them.”

Sexting, or the practice of sending sexually explicit messages and/or photos electronically, has become a trend among today’s youth. According to the Federal Bureau of Investigation, 22 percent of girls and 18 percent of boys have, at one time, sent naked or semi-nude images of themselves or posted pictures online, and one-sixth of teens between 12 and 17-years-old who own phones have received nude or partially-nude pictures from someone they know.

“I think that the term ‘sexting’ didn’t even exist until technology advanced,” Norman-Franks, who helped present a school-wide assembly on the dangers of sexting five years ago, said. “Prior to social media, if people wanted to share a picture of themselves naked, they’d have to actually give a photo to someone.”

A recent study spearheaded by Eric Rice, an assistant professor at the University of Southern California, of 1,800 Los Angeles high school students revealed that teens who sext are seven times more likely to engage in intercourse, according to The Los Angeles

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Jessica Saadian Staff Writer

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MARGUERITE ALBERTS and CANDICE HANNANI

Times. Of those polled, 15 percent have sexted, and 54 percent know someone who has sent a provocative message or image.

“I don’t think people should give into peer pressure, but if you’re good friends with someone who sexts, you’ll probably...start doing it if you have someone to sext with,” junior Paula Alexe said.

According to the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), “sexting can result in tragic circumstances.” Two 15-year-olds were sentenced to a juvenile facility for sending nude pictures on their phones, a 15-year-old boy received one year of probation for forwarding a picture of his genitals to a 13-year-old girl’s phone and an 18-year-old high school graduate committed suicide after a nude photo

INSIDE Edible Books Festival showcases students’ creativity

she sent to her boyfriend was forwarded to her former classmates.

To appropriately respond to an alleged case of sexting, law enforcement officers must decide if the sender’s behavior falls into one of two categories. If the image or communication involves transmitting sexually explicit conduct to minors, or if any illegal use of a computer is involved in the communication, then specific steps are taken to properly deal with the situation. In the case of the latter, a boy or girl who views, sends or stores inappropriate pictures on a school’s computer might face charges for “unauthorized use or damages,” according to the FBI. As officers continue to deal with cases of sexting, the misconduct has caught

The Beverly Hills Board of Education discussed and voted on the possibility of reducing both the number of ROP programs and teachers at the school, in addition to granting higher wages to the California Service Employment Association (CSEA), at its semimonthly meeting on Tuesday, Feb. 26.

Although ROP courses such as Desktop Publishing, Peer Tutoring, Fashion Technology, Fashion Marketing, Entrepreneurship, Culinary Arts, Work Experience and Office Occupations were on the chopping block for potential cuts, the Board voted 3-3 to currently keep the programs. The possibility of restructuring ROP programs will be discussed on either March 12 or March 28 at another board meeting.

In response to the possibility of cutting the Robotics program, teachers, students and parents spoke out in favor of the opportunities Robotics provides, as well as its growing relevance in today’s technological world.

“Through community service, engineering robots and developing specialties in business and engineering, hundreds of students have emerged from the RoboticsEntrepreneurship program, embodying the focus that Beverly Hills High School implements,” junior Michael Simozar told the Board.

Simozar credits the Board’s decision to maintain the Robotics program to the public’s support of the ROP course.

“I do feel that Robotics will continue to be challenged in the future, due to the nature of budgeting. However, I think attacks will become less frequent and less worrisome,” Simozar said. “The Board seemed enthusiastic to help the program as much as possible; possibilities will grow soon.”

Like the students and parents who spoke out at the meeting, Board Member Dr.

Health myths debunked

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Boys baseball takes the mound

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March 8, 2013 news 2 Highlights Edible Books contest brings more participants Candice Hannani Feature Editor Students and faculty participated in the third annual Edible Books contest to submit their own edible, book-related artworks. The contest was held in the library on Friday, March 1 in honor of Read Across America Day and included a record number of 38 participants.

“There seems to be more buzz [about the contest] and more teachers are giving extra credit,” librarian Karen Boyarsky said.

“Reading is the heart of all learning, and we

like to make it fun whenever we can,” she said.

During nutrition and lunch on March 1, students and faculty viewed and voted for the top entries. Categories included People’s Choice Award (received by Tiffany Desage and Olivia Ayl), Most Humorous (received by Allison Peschel-Keel), Most Bookish (received by Talia Banayan), Cutest (received by Shanny Lee), Punniest (received by Joseph Tannenbaum), Best Use of Food (received by Chad and Megan Lee and Raymond Son) Most Creative (Diane Petrosian and Jesse Elkouby), Best Visual Presentation (received by Ella Newman),

Most Appetizing (received by Christina, Sabrina and Dominique Desage) and Most Literary (received by Elizabeth del Rosario, Ireland Hamner and Patricia Tobing).

Although all students and staff could vote, the judges (English teachers Julie Goler and Christina Bahk, French teacher Corinne Carlson and sophomore Isabella Perez) made the final decision.

Boyarsky says her favorite part of the contest is seeing the students’ work.

“It just blows me away. I don’t really care if [their artwork] was their own idea...the execu-

From left to right: The record number of entries were available for public viewing at lunch in the library; both students and teachers could view and judge the edible books. English teacher Phil Chang analyzes at a cake entered in the competition. ARMAN ZADEH

Planning for Career Day commences Michelle Banayan Social Media Director Students will have the opportunity to explore three different career paths of their choosing during Career Day on April 17.

The day will begin with an assembly featuring two keynote speakers, who Steve Rappaport, the Career Development Director, wishes to keep private.

“The keynote speaker is always what I look forward to most for Career Day,” junior Chaliz Taghdis said. “I really enjoy hearing the interesting stories each speaker has gone through and the speeches are usually really entertaining.”

While the keynote speakers are presenting, approximately 150 guest speakers will be treated to a breakfast prepared by the Culinary Arts class. In addition, the speakers will receive assistance from students in ASB, Service Learning and Rappaport’s hospitality course.

“Every year, we try to bring in different speakers so students can get a variety of perspectives on a specific career,” Rappaport said.

Each guest speaker will speak to different students about his or her career. This gives students the opportunity to be exposed to a

prospective career path and learn from an experienced professional.

“I think it is really cool that we actually get to see people who work in the career that we chose,” junior Alex Desage said. “I hope this will help me finally decide what I want to study in college.”

Rappaport encourages all students to ask their respective speakers about different ways they can get involved with their possible careers through opportunities such as internships.

“Our number one goal is to try to get more students internships in order to really help them make better decisions for college,” Rappaport said. “When we recruit the speakers, we try to encourage them to offer internships or suggest how students can get one in that field.”

Career Day is one of the only days in the entire school year that is “designed for the student,” Rappaport said. Therefore, he hopes that students take advantage of this day and are enthusiastic to learn more about future careers.

“I am looking forward to expanding my scope of knowledge and learning about professions I am interested in,” junior Shayna Sharim said. “I think that Career Day allows [us students] to visualize our goals for the fu-

ture.”

Currently, getting students to register their courses is the main issue concerning the planning of Career Day, according to Rappaport.

They can do so by signing into Norman Link and choosing their desired occupations.

Interact club participates in marathon Jessica Lu Staff Writer The Interact Club will be working with volunteers from the Lupus Los Angeles Organization at the L.A. Marathon on Sunday, March 17. Members will pass out water and cheer on the runners.

“It’s a great way to help the community through service projects,” Vice President Adam Slavick said.

The club hopes to see at least 30 members at what Slavick describes as the “most important event of the year” for the club.

Lupus L.A. is the West Coast division of the Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Foundation. According to its website, lupusla.

org, the organization promotes awareness, research and education in order to find a cure for lupus, a chronic and often disabling autoimmune disease that affects 1.5 million Americans. All contributions the club raises will go directly to the organization.

“Lupus a serious disease that I had no idea about until awareness about the L.A. Marathon began to spread,” junior Eli Eshaghian, who is participating in the run, said. “It’s cool that the Interact Club knew about the importance of supporting the Lupus L.A. Organization and decided to actively participate.”

President Nicole Sayegh is also excited to work with the organization.

“Working with the Lupus L.A. provides

a great opportunity for the Interact Club members to hear about how they can contribute,” Sayegh said.

As the high school version of the Beverly Hills Rotary Club, the Interact Club looks forward to spend time with Rotarians at the marathon. President AJ Wilmer, former mayor Les Bronte and member Alan Kaye will be among those present at the event.

In addition to its work with the Lupus L.A. Organization, Interact Club is anticipating its first annual mock city disaster drill with the Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) on Saturday, March 16. More information can be found at beverlyhighlights. com.

tion is just fantastic. The students are very inspiring to me,” Boyarsky said.

Similarly, senior and winner of the Most Bookish award, Talia Banayan, claimed that this year’s contest was her favorite due to the creativity of the entries.

“I thought all of the entries were really amazing,” Banayan said. “Some were unbelievably crafted while others had lots of creativity.”

After school, the entries were returned to their creator.

[continued from page 1] Brian Goldberg was not in favor of cutting Robotics.

“It was very clear that the Board thought that this program was too critical for us to cut this program,” Goldberg said. “Instead of cutting, we should be talking about providing more support. It wouldn’t make sense to start a Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) curriculum one week and cut Robotics the next.”

The Board also decided to keep the Culinary Arts program due to its impact on students.

“Culinary exposes students to creativity and life skills,” Goldberg said. “We recently spent quite a lot of money on the [culinary] equipment and it would not make sense to waste all that money on upgrades and then cut the program.”

In addition to discussing cutting ROP programs, the Board considered the possibility of reducing faculty positions. Currently, teachers can only teach a maximum of five classes a day and a total of 145 students. According to Goldberg, teacher reductions will not affect class sizes, unless a teacher’s contract states otherwise.

Teachers will receive pink slips by March 15 and will know whether or not they are actually laid off by May 15.

“I am not aware of any potential layoffs.

We did not renew contracts for temporary staff [members] because we do not know what our needs will be for the fall,” Goldberg said. “If we don’t do any layoffs, we have to look at other areas of our general budget like services and supplies and legal fees to reduce expenses. We will not know how much to cut until the governor’s revised budget proposal [passes] in May.” The governor’s proposal, known as the Local Control Funding Formula, transfers money previously given to ROP programs to less fortunate schools. If it passes, Beverly will potentially face a $150,000 cut.

“I would be very surprised if anyone was in favor of cutting any of these ROPs,” ROP Dept. Chair Steve Rappaport said.

“It would be my hope that whatever cuts will be made, [they] will...least impact the students. We want to [maintain] these programs and find sponsorships to generate this revenue instead.”

The Board deliberated additional financial matters as members of the CSEA spoke out about receiving equal pay.

“This [CSEA] union is asking for a ‘metoo’ clause, meaning that [it] should receive the same salary increases that other units negotiate with the Board. As of right now, we are in a budget crisis and it’s not the right time to be asking for a raise,” Goldberg said.

Information about CSEA wages is confidential because negotiations are in process, according to Chief Administrative Officer Dr. Dawnalyn Murakawa-Leopard.

“I do not believe that the district has treated our CSEA unit members like anything but family,” Goldberg said. “An expectation that we would negotiate in good faith with CSEA...and then another unit [that] negotiates something different... is not good faith bargaining and seems counter-intuitive to me.”

Prior to the meeting, the CSEA had taken measures to ratify a successor contract, but the union was unsuccessful in reaching its goal. The Board did not reach a vote about raising members’ wages on Feb. 26.

February 22, 2013 Highlights

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March 8, 2013 Highlights

Clichés are not all they are cracked up to be Max Stahl Staff Writer Since the time of Shakespeare, clichés have taken the English language by storm.

In modern parlance, they are in effect inescapable. Too often will a hackneyed phrase drip from a complacent smile or an indiscriminant pen, beckon from a wellknown song, glare within the pages of a best-selling book. Clichés are language on autopilot; they require little thought to recall and repeat, and they sound nice, too.

They work because they make sense to us.

We’ve grown up hearing them and reading them, and by the time we’ve attained some command of the English language, they’ve become ingrained in our vocabularies. Thoughtless and meaningless, though, clichés are the Achilles heel of human communication.

These platitudes have no place in academic writing. Some of you may find this hard to swallow, but teachers (and most other readers) tend to lose their lunches when they notice clichés in their students’ papers. Such trite expressions are grossly unimaginative and divest essays of the for-

mal tone required of them. Inclusion of clichés in scholastic writing conveys laziness, unwillingness to think and put together an original string of words. As much care must be placed on the content of an essay as should be placed on how the content is presented. Fluid, original writing is not only more appealing than hackneyed slosh; it also sets the writer in a state of mind more conducive to critical thinking and innovation. If you’re one who generally neglects the quality of your writing, you’d best nip that habit in the bud before it bites you in the you-know-what.

Ours is a society of individualism. Most seek to distinguish themselves from their peers, to soar above the rabble, to stand out from the herd. We want to be the biggest, the best, the richest, the prettiest, the smartest, the strongest, the happiest, the brightest. We do not like to conform to the

mainstream – or at least so we convince ourselves. Why, then, are we so content to spew boilerplate phrases? Why are we so content to allow our writing to wither behind a veil of mediocrity? Why are we content to write as everyone else writes?

Perhaps because it is easy. Perhaps because we really are lazier than we’re willing to admit.

Some pride themselves in putting their noses to the grindstone, to working hard, to producing things that are uniquely theirs. But if this philosophy does not extend to speech and writing, then is it even accurate? Can we describe ourselves as hard workers, as rugged individualists, if we aren’t willing to cleanse our discourse of these impurities?

English speakers’ unwillingness to part ways with their beloved platitudes is a reflection of their true selves, a paradigm for a reality to which most turn a blind eye:

‘Clichés are the Achilles heel of human communication.’

we’re lazy. Like a newspaper article riddled with clichés, at first below the radar, slowly revealing themselves to the reader until ultimately they stick out like a sore thumb, this truth requires a good deal of unraveling, but once discovered, it seems patently clear. We’re lazy. Sorry to rain on your parade.

INBOX Regarding your piece on the candidates running for Beverly Hills City Council (“The Candidates Unveiled,” Feb. 22), it would have been nice to include the fact that two of the candidates you profiled in Highlights are also Beverly graduates.

Mayor Willie Brien is Class of ‘75, and Vice Mayor John Mirisch is Class of ‘81 Mirisch was editor of Highlights in 1981.

Josh Gross ‘91 President, BHHS Alumni Association Send letters to the editor to beverlyhighlights@gmail.com.

Feedback is appreciated.

STAFF Julia Waldow Editor-in-Chief

Danny Licht Sous-Chief

EDITORIAL

Value of privacy underestimated Privacy has become a rarity in the teenage world. With our lives dominated by social networking, constant competition and a haze of endless activity, students have drifted into a more communal lifestyle, expressing as much to each other as possible in as little time as possible. On and off campus, we share practically every moment and thought in our lives, keeping only the most intimate details to ourselves. As often discussed, Facebook, Twitter and other social media sites tether students tightly to each other and provide us with soapboxes from which we may shout to nearly anyone we know how we feel about any book, any person, any variety of packaged cheese.

Students often overlook the breakdown of social boundaries between people in the real world.

Throughout Beverly’s hallways, we share more than conversation. In an age where every built-up or torn-down relationship is signified by an update on an online profile, for example, many students have become much more comfortable with broadcasting their relationships on campus. Every “public display of affec-

tion,” or “PDA,” echoes a diminishing interest in maintaining secrecy and a growing preference for openness in our lives.

Naturally, teenage aversion to privacy harbors an insidious side. While

students may keep aspects of their lives hidden for fear of embarrassment, a feeling of self-worth often also motivates us to keep what is personal to us out of the limelight and in our own, closed spheres. Appreciation for ourselves keeps us in control of what we allow people to see of us

and what we want to keep veiled. It is highly possible that, in the hypercompetitive environment in which Beverly exists, self-respect among students has been thrown partly out the window in lieu of feelings of the self-deprecation and defeat that can accompany competition.

A lack of privacy can be particularly destructive for students. Sexting, arguably the most profound invasion of the privacy of teenagers, has begun to garner the attention of state legislation along with its popularity among students nationwide. The dangers of over-revealing ourselves, emotionally or physically, through social networks and systems have presented themselves at their worst in cases of arrests of offending teens and, more severely, the deaths of stuAJ PARRY dents harassed for leaked sexts.

The fallouts of sexting scandals serve as horrific omens of what may come in an extremely open society.

While comfort with sharing our personal lives around others is crucial to both our own social health and Beverly’s, we must hold onto the pieces of us that are most significant.

Mabel Kabani News Editor

Candice Hannani Feature Editor

Dami Kim Culture Editor

Arman Zadeh Sports Editor

Oliver Gallop Graphics Editor

Marguerite Alberts Assistant Graphics Editor

Pasha Farmanara and Robert Katz Chief Web Editors

Michelle Banayan Social Media Director

Audrey Park, Sasha Park and AJ Parry Cartoonists

Ryan Feinberg, Celine Hakimianpour, Benjamin Hannani, Zoe Kenealy, Jessica Lu, Brenda Mehdian, Alex Menache, Kevin Park, Jessica Saadian and Max Stahl Staff Writers

Gaby Herbst and Katie Murray Advisers —

The mission of Highlights is to inform and entertain the community of Beverly Hills in an accurate, objective, timely and well-designed manner.

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This newspaper is produced by the Advanced Journalism class of Beverly Hills High School, 241 Moreno Drive, Beverly Hills, CA 90212.

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Send letters to the editor to beverlyhighlights@gmail.com.

Feedback is appreciated.

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

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

beverlyhighlights.com

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March 8, 2013 Highlights

Food Trend Alert:

Eating

egan

Vibrant food, unique concept at Café Gratitude Alex Menache Staff Writer Tofurkey and soy cheese may be a meatlovers worst enemy, although with its natural, organic and creative alternatives to animal products, trendy vegan restaurant, Café Gratitude, never fails to disappoint even the devoted carnivore. With its multiple locations around the U.S, Café Gratitude has evolved to be not just a title, but also a concept: the idea of cherishing the natural flavors and nutrients embedded in fresh and raw foods.

This idea extends beyond the kitchen and onto the menu, where dishes with titles such as “I am Terrific” and “I am Awesome” force customers into complementing themselves, creating for a positive and

heart-warming experience.

“I’m not even close to vegan, but the unique and vibrant concept makes it an enjoyable experience for people with all kinds of diets” senior Tatianna Amatruda said.

As stated in its mission statement, Café Gratitude restaurants “support local farmers… select the finest organic ingredients and honor the earth and ourselves, as we are one and the same.” This aspect of the mission statement is evident through many famous dishes including “I Am Humble”, a combination of Indian curried lentils, brown rice, quinoa, sautéed vegetables, sweet potatoes, spinach and Indian sauces, as well as “I am Present”, a bruschetta made with Heirloom tomatoes, cashew mozzarella and fig-balsamic vinaigrette.

Without a reservation, the wait could last up to thirty minutes, although with the “question of the day” posted on the blackboard in the center of the restaurants; questions like “What is your purpose?” and “What intrigues you?” serve as a pass time or a topic for discussion.

Surprisingly, Café Gratitude’s makes rich and creamy desserts, some of which are the most popular among vegan restaurants and bakeries around the city including the “I am Cherished” Cheesecake or the “I am Awakening” Key lime pie, which are made with cashew cream, avocado custard and a pecan-macadamia date crust. With the high demand for these desserts, customers are advised to reserve certain desserts upon arrival.

ALEX MENACHE

Healthful vegan restaurant dishes lack in flavor Mabel Kabani News Editor

MABEL KABANI

As springtime approaches, teens are moving away from eating Chipotle burritos and greasy Fresh Brothers pizza and are opting for lighter foods like salads and sandwiches in order to shed their holiday weight and achieve the perfect summer body. Vegan food, especially that from Vegan Grill, is a great way to help one eat healthy and stay fit. There is no better way to eat healthy than to eat vegan.

Vegan Grill, a trendy restaurant on South Fairfax Avenue, located next to the Farmers’ Market at the Grove, is the perfect place to find healthy, great-tasting food, bright and trendy decor and a fresh atmosphere.

Drinks are free, and customers have the option to choose from a variety of ice cold and fresh teas, juices and lemonades. The drinks, like everything else in the restaurant, according to the cashier are made from healthy sugar preservatives.

The menu has a wide variety of selections

such as Thai chicken wraps, the Baja salad, sweetheart fries, mac-n-cheese and even daily soups.

The Baja fiesta salad consists of romaine lettuce, avocado cubes, sweet corn, cucumbers, cilantro, parsley, quinoa, papaya slices, tortilla strips and ginger-papaya vinaigr ette.

The sweetheart fries are made of sweet potatoes and seasonings, are fried in Rice Bran oil and are served with a side of Chipotle sauce. According to the Nutritional Ingredient Index, the sweetheart fries contain 470 calories, 170 of which were from fat. The fries contain 0 grams of trans fat and cholesterol, in addition to iron, vitamins A and C and eight grams of dietary fiber.

“Our food is 100 percent plant based,” the cook, who wishes to remain unnamed, said.

“Our dishes are packed with fiber, which helps customers lose weight and control their blood sugar levels.”

According to the cook, one of the most

popular dishes is the All Hail Kale salad, which, according to Veggie Grill’s official website, is packed with five times the recommended daily value of vitamins A and C, calcium and iron.

“Most of the food served here, especially the Kale salad, is served with Quinoa,” the cashier said. Quinoa is a grain-like edible seed that “provides vegetarians with the protein that they may lack from not consuming meat.” According to the cashier, who “appreciates the healthy lifestyle” at Veggie Grill, most of the establishment’s customers are animal-rights activists who do not eat meat.

Though tasty, the food was not exceptional. The fries were adequate, for they lacked zest and the salad seemed to be a neverending bowl of just plain lettuce. However, for $14, the food was not overpriced.

“Veggie Grill is a great place to eat,” junior Paloma Bloch said. “I’m always looking for someplace healthy, and this is healthy and delicious!”

Delicious food for vegans, omnivores at M Café Danny Licht Sous-Chief Vegan food is more diverse than one might think. The word “vegan” seems to carry a stigma, but perhaps unjustly so.

Restaurants such as M Café, with locations on Brighton Way and Melrose, provide an enjoyable, modern spin on the stigmatized diet. The café’s website emphasizes that their food is certainly not for only vegans, vegetarians and others with dietary restrictions. In fact, in addition to a wide-ranging menu featuring vegan and vegetarian options, M Café offers salmon, cod and tuna. Their foods do not, however, include any other animal products.

M Café avoids the term “vegan” throughout its promotional materials. According to its website, M Café is macrobiotic,

a diet that comes from Taoism, a religion that promotes balance, union with nature, simplicity — essentially a laissez-faire diet.

Macrobiotic cuisine serves whole, pure foods, which some believe is conducive to long, healthy living.

One such macrobiotic dish, the Teriyaki Brown Rice Bowl, which can be topped with vegetables, salmon or black cod. Each Teriyaki Brown Rice Bowl includes tempurabattered or steamed vegetables. Providing a wholesome, nutritious meal, the Teriyaki Brown Rice Bowl leaves one full and energized in a healthful manner. The salmon is tasty. It merges the sometimes distinct experiences of healthful and delicious eating.

Its deli salads include roasted broccoli with flaxseed, French lentils, roasted winter vegetables, celery root remoulade and kabocha couscous, among others. Along with a

soup of the day, M Café serves butternut bisque, mushroom bisque, winter root vegetable stew and creamy broccoli soup.

M Café is recommended to individuals who are vegan, vegetarian and all their friends who like to maintain healthy bodies and happy mouths.

DANNY LICHT

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Highlights

centerfold

Chew On This Increase in health awareness promotes healthful habits Dami Kim, Marguerite Alberts and Brenda Mehdian Culture Editor, Assitant to the Graphics Editor, Staff Wrriter The issue of physical health in teenagers constantly remains at the forefront of adolescent issues in the United States.

According to U.S. Teens in Our World, a government survey comparing United States teenagers’ eating habits with those of teenagers in other countries, American teenagers are ranked number one in the number of teenagers trying to diet, but ranked 17 out of 27 countries whose teenage population chooses to exercise in their free time.

In response to the lack of physical fitness and healthy nutrition in teenagers, first lady Michelle Obama stated in the 2010 launch of the “Let’s Move!” initiative that the general health of an entire generation of U.S. “is at stake.” The website of the campaign further explains that the obesity rate tripled over the past three decades and portion sizes for regular meals have increased two to five times from the recommended serving sizes.

However, the call for a healthier lifestyle has already taken over the minds of Beverly students. An increasing number of students are becoming more concerned with their body image and have been working to maintain their physical health.

“I know that many of my friends who do not participate in sports either go to the gym or participate in other physical activities outside of school,” junior Alex Sams noticed.

Junior Desi Kraiem concurred with Sams’ observation and hypothesized that the source of students’ interest in maintaining physical health and nutrition derives from the media.

“Society shapes everything, especially in the tabloids and on television,” Kraiem said. “People have a pretty clear image of what attractive is supposed to look like, thanks to the models and movie stars of our generation.”

Senior Remy Jamal-Eddine expressed that students often times struggle with finding the right balance in

March 8, 2013

HEALTH MYTHS

Fisher recommends core workout Marguerite Alberts Assitant to the Graphics Editor

Head Track Coach Jeffrey Fisher recommends that students strengthen their core abdominal muscles because they promote endurance and allow students to run for longer periods of time.

National number-one sprinter for 600 yards and number-three sprinter for 400 meters Alex Rohani shows his favorite workout, The Triple Fifties. It consists of a cycle of 50 crunches, 50 bicycles and 50 toe touches. He ends with an upper-abdominal cobra stretch to relax the core muscles.

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The rate of one’s metabolism does not change.

The best diet is to starve yourself of carbohydrates.

Metabolism can slow down or speed up, depending on what type of activities one participates during the day. Additionally, several small meals a day are better than a few big meals. Acting like a mouse and ingesting small snacks multiple times a day helps to speed up the metabolism because the body digests the food quicker and easier. A large water intake helps cure dehydration and enables the mind to better comprehend when one’s stomach is full.

“Sometimes we confuse thirst with hunger or hunger for thirst, and therefore, when we don’t over eat, we process our food down into fuel in three to four hours,” Goldberg said.

Carbohydrates, the body’s source of energy, are present in everything from rice to Greek yogurt. However, denying oneself of the complex carbohydrates such as pasta, rice and bread, is just a temporary solution and does not keep weight off in the long run. Those who opt out of eating carbohydrates may turn to proteins as sources of energy; however, proteins are not sustainable and a lack of carbohydrates can lead the body to lose water.

Although people may believe that a diet free of carbohydrates helps to shed pounds, those who do not eat carbohydrates are only losing water weight.

making healthy life choices.

“Students are aware of the choices they have to make in order to stay healthy,” Jamal-Eddine said. “But for many, it’s hard to stay or even find a good course of dieting.”

Although the idea of staying “fit” and “healthy” has helped students to become aware of their health, it has also overproduced misconceptions of nutritional needs and physical fitness. Robyn Goldberg (class of ‘90), nutrition therapist and certified eating disorder registered dietitian, suggests that students listen to their instincts when eating “right,” instead of trusting unconfirmed myths about nutrition and health.

“Honor what your body is craving and do not substitute for something else,” Goldberg said. “Being emotionally satisfied with food is often times better than being physically satisfied.”

Goldberg believes that people can stop themselves from overeating when they are emotional, a behavior that students may experience in relation to stress and other issues.

“Learn to eat when you are hungry, stop when you are satisfied and commit to some joyful movement several times a week [in order to maintain a healthy lifestyle], rather than just exercise after a guilty eating,” Goldberg recommended.

International Sports Sciences Association trainee and fitness counselor James Conroy II has noticed an increase in the number of teens going to gyms and exercising outside of regular P.E. classes.

“More teens are becoming aware of the benefits of a proper health and fitness understanding,” Conroy said. “That is why it’s even more important for students to be able to fully distinguish what is right or wrong when it comes to unapproved workout tips by a coach or a trainer. Exercise is a science, and understanding the principle of exercise will keep one healthy and fit.”

By differentiating between helpful and unhelpful exercise techniques and eating habits, Goldberg and Conroy debunked student-asked myths about nutrition and uncovered ways to sustain health (see page at right).

The Triple Fifties:

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Eating past 7 p.m is a gateway to gaining weight.

Eating past a certain time does not cause weight gain because there is no specific time when one’s metabolism shuts off.

The amount of calories in food does not change whether one eats during the day or at night; however, during the day, one is more likely to be active than he or she is at night. The number of calories burned, rather than the time in which calories are ingested, aid in losing weight.

A gluten-free diet is for everyone.

While pressed juices are a new trend to purify one’s body, these juices are merely a quick fix to overeating.

The problem is that, consumers may not be educating themselves enough on eating and enjoying their food in a healthy manner.

“I would never want one to skip solid food for juice and a cleanse, because you are going to be losing a lot of nutrients in your diet. You would never want to have your hair thinning or falling out,” Goldberg said.

Due to the body’s baseline of good bacteria, juice cleanses are not necessary. Smoothies are more beneficial because fiber remains in the smoothie.

High-fructose corn syrup is bad for you.

Although gluten-free diets have become the latest trend, a gluten-free diet is for people who are allergic to gluten or who have Celiac’s disease. Otherwise, a gluten-free diet cannot help one lose weight or solve any other health problems.

Sugar is sugar. The range of what is defined as “sugar” varies from molasses to white sugar to brown sugar to honey; the body breaks all of it into glucose. Corn syrup and regular sugar are essentially the same. Corn syrup even meets the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s requirements to be termed “natural;” it is just processed more than other sugars.

Sugar should be eaten in moderation.

It is good for me to count my calorie intake per day not only to stay healthy, but also to lose weight.

Coffee can subsitute my breakfast.

Caffeine is a stimulant that can temporarily spike up, and later slow down, one’s metabolism. Once caffeine wears off, one can feel intensely hungry, and may consume more food than usual. Coffee or caffeinated drinks are okay for snacks, but are not recommended to substitute an entire meal.

Juice cleansing helps with weight loss and nutrition regulation.

Quick Fact: Because a person’s metabolic rate is faster in the morning, the beginning of the day is the best time to have an indulgent and filling meal within one hour of waking up.

Every person has the ability to detect when he or she is hungry and when his or her hunger has been satisfied.

However, as people get older, their tendency to listen to this “internal wisdom” decreases and they begin relying on a set plan or diet to dictate their eating patterns.

“I think the idea of counting calories takes the pleasure away from food and makes one overly obsessed over what they should and should not eat,” Goldberg said.

According to Goldberg, one should stop eating once he or she becomes satiated, rather than once he or she has ingested a certain amount of calories. Additionally, the number of calories one many need from food can differ from day to day.

Running on the treadmill is the best way to lose weight.

Weight training is the best way to reduce excess body fat, maintain a high metabolism and stay fit. Muscle burns fat and one pound of muscle will burn 25 - 50 calories per day. Adding ten pounds of muscle to one’s body will help burn about 3000 calories a week, which is equivalent to losing about one pound a week.

Sources: Robyn Goldberg, James Conroy II

Crunches

2

Bicycles

3

Toe-touches

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Upper-abdominal Stretch

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[continued from page 1] lawmakers’ attention. According to the University of Michigan, 17 states have created laws regarding youth sexting and 13 states have drafted legislation that is currently pending. In 2009, legislators in Utah, Ohio and Vermont began considering making laws decriminalizing sexting among youth. If passed, a proposed bill in California would make it legal to expel students for sexting during school.

However, sexting is not solely limited to juveniles. Recent reports reveal that FBI employees have sent each other inappropriate messages from both personal and government-issued cellphones, according to NBC News.

“The instances described are not unlike those that occur among employees of any other large agency or organization in the country,” a spokesperson for the FBI Office of Public Affairs said in a statement to NBC News. “It is important to note that in an organization of more than 36,000 employees, these disciplinary incidents involve a fraction of 1 percent of FBI employees.”

The case is not the first instance of employees sending racy messages electronically. In 2010, the United States Supreme Court ruled in a Southern California case that employees should assume that their bosses will monitor employees’ communication, “meaning that those sending nude photos and explicit messages are bound to get busted,” according to NBC News.

Moreover, according to AARP Magazine, the practice is common among adults who want to spice up their sexual routines. But although they may be contributing to the statistics, adults could help bring down the number of sexting cases. According to the University of Michigan, 93 percent of parents polled believe that parents in general should have a more serious role in addressing the problem of youth sexting.

“Across the country, the public supports requiring schools to distribute in-

MICHELLE BANAYAN and CANDICE HANNANI

formation about sexting to students and parents. Since adults strongly feel that parents should play a major role in addressing sexting, this is a great opportunity for parents and schools to work together on this issue,” Matthew Davis, M.D., Associate Professor in the Child Health Evaluation and Research Unit at the University of Michigan Medical School, said in a public statement.

However, there is still a possibility that students may not feel comfortable sharing their sexting practices with their parents or even their friends.

“I do believe it’s possible that some of my friends may sext, but they do not discuss it with me because they know my conservative view on sexting,” senior

Valerie Deutsch said. “I know people who have been humiliated due to their lack of caution when it came to sexting. And why sext when you can actually spend time with someone or do something more productive with your time?”

Other teenagers feel that sexting does not pose a threat when done under certain circumstances.

“It’s kind of a fun distraction, but it can be [unproductive] if you’re doing it [every day],” one senior, who wished to remain anonymous, said.

Whatever a sender’s motivations may be, the FBI recommends that youth and adults who sext consider the consequences. An image or message that is originally sent to someone’s significant other could

end up being sent to another audience. In addition, those who forward a sexual picture of a minor are considered the original sender and could potentially face pornography charges, go to jail and register as a sex offender. The FBI advocates that those who receive messages should report any nude photos to a trustworthy adult, teacher or school counselor.

“It’s important for kids to know that anything they put out electronically (on Facebook, on Twitter, on Tumblr and through texting) is permanent,” Norman-Franks said. “They can’t delete it. They need to think if they’d be comfortable with a parent, administrator or college representative reading it, and if they’re not, then they shouldn’t send the message.”

Students respond to sexting in school-wide poll 21%

Of those who have sexted:

Of those who have sexted:

36% 79%

Students who have sexted Students who have not sexted

42% 58%

64%

Males who have sent sexts Females who have sent sexts

Males who have received sexts Females who have received sexts

50 freshmen, 23 sophomores, 43 juniors and 46 seniors were polled on March 1 and 4.

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Producer last to interview late Lakers owner Benjamin Hannani Staff Writer When Dr. Jerry Buss, the majority owner of the Los Angeles Lakers, passed away on Feb. 18, many news outlets reported on how Buss personally or indirectly mentored other sports franchise owners. However, no report mentioned Dennis Murphy, the founder of the American Basketball Association (ABA) and the man responsible for Buss’s foray into professional sports dating back to Buss’s purchase of a World Team Tennis franchise in 1974. Fortunately, class of ’73 alumnus and documentarian Dr. Elliott Haimoff had the dubious distinction of securing the last interview with Buss for two documentaries about Murphy and the ABA: “The Renegade League” and “Game Changer: The Dennis Murphy Story.”

“Because this interview dealt with a very good friend of Dr. Buss for over 40 years, the noted sports promoter Dennis Murphy, all that was required was a simple email to Dr. Buss’s PR guy to schedule an interview,” Haimoff, the founder of the sports production company Afterburner Enterprises, said.

Although Buss was traveling and participating in several poker competitions at the time, he allocated time for the interview at his sprawling home in Playa Del Rey. Like others who had interviewed the late Lakers owner, Haimoff found Buss to be humble and friendly. Haimoff was particularly

surprised by how complimentary Buss, who prided himself on being a self-made man, was of Murphy.

“I feel that my training from Dennis [Murphy] in World Team Tennis is what led me to my success with the Lakers later on,” Buss said in the interview.

“In bringing me to World Team Tennis, [Murphy] gave me the best possible preparation I could have for having a major league franchise. I thought for sure that this whole interview was nothing more than a scam because I thought Dennis was really trying to start another league. And to tell you the truth, I would have bought a franchise. I’m kind of disappointed. I really wanted to get involved with Dennis Murphy once again.”

Above all, Haimoff found Buss brilliant and humble.

“Just when meeting him, a person gets a feeling of ease, that even though he’s a billionaire, he met us in blue jeans and wanted to be portrayed on camera like that, and his brilliant mind was immediately noticeable,” Haimoff said.

Shortly after the interview, Buss’s health deteriorated. Within weeks he became very ill and was hospitalized for a variety of ailments related to blood clots in his legs. Despite being released, Buss never fully recovered and had to be readmitted a few months later.

“We did try to get a follow-up interview with him when we were pitching Dennis Murphy to get elected into the Basketball Hall of Fame,” Haimoff said. “But he

Pictured from left to right: producer Elliot Haimoff, cameramen Denny Hooten and Sam Oldham, Dennis Murphy, the late Lakers owner Dr. Jerry Buss and co-producer Randy Friend. Courtesy of ELLIOT HAIMOFF

never seemed to have the strength or ability to schedule another get together, and [could] not even write a letter to support Dennis [Murphy].”

With both documentaries completed, Haimoff is currently searching for a television distributor. Once he has secured a distributor, the shows will be broadcasted over TV stations in the

United States. Haimoff hopes to reach deals with ESPN, Fox Sports, NBA Sports or other sports television stations.

Additionally, Haimoff’s distributor will reach out to foreign television markets due to basketball’s increasing popularity abroad. Finally, the documentaries will be released as DVDs and uploaded onto sports sites.

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Boys baseball wins first home game of season Jessica Saadian Staff Writer The boys varsity baseball team defeated Bellarmine-Jefferson High School, winning a mercy rule 14-1, at La Cienega Park on Saturday, March 2. The team currently holds a league record of 2-3.

Partially due to the several errors made by Bell Jeff’s in-fielder, nine runs were scored in the first inning.

The team crossed home plate three times during the third inning, making the score 12-0. The squad was up by more than 10 runs entering the fourth inning when Bell-Jeff scored their first run. The umpire called a mercy rule and Beverly won the game in their fourth inning.

Pitcher Grant Thompson believes that they would not have changed the way they played during the game.

However, he does believe that he and his team need to continue competing, especially with the tougher schedule this season.

“During this game I think the challenge was staying within ourselves.

The pitcher threw slower than expected so it was tough to wait back,” Thompson said.

Nonetheless, second base Jack Ross believes that his team will improve on those challenges by focusing during their practices and listening to what the coaches say.

“We are confident that we are going to win [the next game] because we all like what we have this year as a team, and believe that our potential is through the roof,” Ross said.

Ross is assured that he and the team will have a victorious baseball season ahead of him.

“Our team this year is extremely senior-heavy, seven out of the nine starters in the lineup are seniors,” Ross said. “We have all been playing together since our younger ages

in Little League, so we are ready to have an extremely successful last year all together.”

The team played against Pasadena on March 5, resulting in another Beverly win with a score of 3-0.

Upcoming schedule: March 9 vs. Westchester March 12 vs. Peninsula March 16 @ Crensenta Valley March 18 @ Crensenta Valley March 19 @ Crensenta Valley

(Left) Catcher Ethan Forman makes contact with ball, driving in a runner, in his at-bat (Right) Pitcher Maxwell Martin pitches to an opponent batter from Bell-Jeff. OLIVER GALLOP

Skill, endurance dominate volleyball pre-season Celine Hakimianpour Staff Writer The boys varsity volleyball team is training for its upcoming season by working on endurance and skill movements. The team consists of 11 members and a new head coach, Dayvon Wright (Beverly class of ‘05), who previously coached at Shalhevet high school.

“It’s absolutely thrilling and rewarding to be the new head coach of Beverly’s Volleyball program,” Wright said. “I have always wanted to return to my own alumni program, which was so giving to me, and return the wisdom and wonderful memories I accrued while here at Beverly.”

Wright has implemented a new streamline-learning program to get the team ready for the season with both on the track and on the court exercises.

“We have been spending a lot of time working on our endurance with conditioning because having a tournament on backto-back days can be exhausting. We have also been working on our physiques as to attract females to watch us play,” wide receiver Eli Lloyd said.

The team has also begun working on becoming closer as a group. Since volleyball is a sport that revolves around communication, it’s essential for players to keep in contact with each other as they practice on the court.

“The team works very well together, but as with most athletic teams, has some with bigger egos than others. We work well with continuous communication, while maintaining a self-governing rule- lead by example,” Wright said.

With the hard work that goes into practice every day, the team’s starting lineup is solid.

“We have a solid starting six, each of whom bring an important part of the game with mastery when they step on the court. The five who back up the starters are all equally as important. Our key players include our Setter- Jack Sternshein, our dynamic Middle Blocker- Eli Lloyd, and our explosive Outside Hitter-Lucas Wohl,” Wright said.

Both Wright and the team acknowledge their strengths and weaknesses and are working hard to improve in the areas they were lacking from last year’s season including jump training, endurance building, and skill development.

“Some of my team’s strengths include their wonderful instincts on the court and incredible athleticism. They are well rounded, solid athletes some of which are capable of offering competitive times on the track in both sprints and the mile against other sports, while at the same time, having in-

credible verticals and a tenacity to rival most,” Wright said.

Wright has high aspirations and goals for the team and believes they can be very successful this season by implementing drills learned in practice.

“I hope this team can capitalize on their incredible talent without getting in their own way; with this success is imminent. A goal I have set for this team is for them to win first place in league and get into the first round of CIF,” Wright said. “These are very viable goals for the BHHS volleyball program; if you don’t believe me, just watch. The heart and tenacity of our team will distinguish us from our competition, as well as our unwavering want to win and represent Beverly Hills high school.”

The team’s first game of the season is at 3:30 p.m. today in the Swim-Gym.

Track team surges in opening weeks of season Oliver Gallop Staff Writer After only two meets, the varsity track team has shown its speed indoors and out.

The top runners from last year, including Alex Rohani, Sydney Segal, Chanan Batra and Eli Flesch are back and running faster than ever.

Batra believes everyone on the team, including himself, is in better shape this year and is hopeful for the future of the track program.

“Alex [Rohani] is in great shape after winning Brooks PR Invitational up in Seattle, Sydney [Segal] is fresh off being the Cross-Country Division III State Champion so she’s in much better shape, and I have a much better mileage base for the mile

because we had a very successful crosscountry season going to the state championship,” Batra said. “Also, we have a lot of good freshmen who are giving us a very bright future for the program.”

All of this quickness and endurance does not come naturally for all the runners.

Coach Jeff Fisher tailors workouts for different athletes, depending on their strength and events. With this tailoring, Fisher can improve the runners’ weak areas much more effectively.

Senior Lily Ting, who runs the 400 and 800 meter race, has improved her stride with weight training.

“I’ve done a lot of weight room training and heavy lifting, I lift more than a lot of the boys on the team, that has made me

much stronger than I was last year,” Ting said. “The weight room, morning practices, track workouts, and the upcoming races will help me improve my speed and competitiveness.”

The 2013 season kicked off with an indoor state meet in Fresno, Calif., on Feb. 18. In this meet, the experienced seniors were able to show off their hard off-season conditioning and practice. Rohani took first place in the 600 with a time of 74.57, Segal won her 800m race with a time of 2:21.48, and both Flesch and Batra won their heats in the 2-mile and 800-meter respectively.

Flesch believes it is too early in the season to start judging the squad’s talent and skill.

“I don’t think [our last] meet really reflects the strength of our program yet,”

Flesch said. “Personally I matched my personal best in the mile, but staying competitive will be crucial to my success in future meets.”

On March 2, the team traveled to the Oaks Christian Invite. Segal won the 1500 in 4:48.15, while Batra won the boys’ 1500 in 4:09.38. The boys’ Distance Medley Relay, consisting of Sebastian Vericella, Gabriel Bogner, Michael Redston and Flesch, came in second place with a time of 11:11.43. The boys’ 4x800 relay took first place with a time of 9:00.21.

On March 7, there was a tri-meet with Mira Costa and North Torrance at Mira Costa, but results were not available as of press time.

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March 8, 2013 Highlights

Rohani, Segal sweep individual track competitions Pasha Farmanara Staff Writer Seniors Alex Rohani and Sydney Segal have been running circles around the high school track scene all year, and they do not seem to be slowing down.

At the State Indoor Invitational on Feb. 18, Rohani took first place in the boys 600 yard run for the second year in a row and set a new meet record of 74.57 seconds.

He followed that win with another first-place finish at the 2013 Brooks PR Invitational in the 400-meter with a time of 47.89 seconds, the third-best time in the U.S. “This race proved that I can compete with the best runners in the country. I had never been in a race of that high of a caliber and I competed hard and proved I could stick with them,” Rohani said.

During the race Rohani initially fell behind but was able to regain the lost

ground in the last stretch of the race.

“During the race I was thinking that I needed to pick it up because I was too far behind. I started picking up the momentum and had good energy the last 100 meters. It helped me win the race,” Rohani said.

Rohani is planning to continue his success this track season and defend his state title.

“The next step to my track career is to have a successful outdoor season and run fast times,” Rohani said. “I want to be able to go to some more big meets and run well at them and defend my 400-meter title.”

Segal also attended the State Indoor Invitational and also left the race victorious. Segal ran the 800-meter, a race shorter than she is used to, but still came out in first with a winning time of 2:21.48.

“During the indoor race, I did exactly what [coach] Fisher told me to do. I Rohani as he races past the finish line at the Brooks Invitational. Photo courtesy of ALEX ROHANI

stayed on the outside in about fourth place, then closed strong. During the race I knew I had it,” Segal said. “After winning indoor state it was my second state victory so it makes me even more excited to try and win an outdoor state title.”

Segal’s victory in the State Indoor Invitational and her previous first place finish in the Cross Country put her in contention to win all three state titles.

On Feb. 21 Segal took first place in Beverly’s first 5,000-meter Invite, by running 17:18.00, a new school record and the top time in the nation this year.

“During my 5K it was 12.5 laps so I was bored and kept counting down the laps and calculating my splits,” Segal said.

“The time was a personal record and I know I can run much faster. Once I can dip under 17 I can become more competitive on a collegiate level.”

Segal’s most recent victory was at the Oaks Christian Invitational where she

ran a 4:48.15, with a margin of victory of almost half a minute.

Segal attributes her success with her intense, unorthodox preparation.

“I prepare with a lot of training, sleep and focus. I try to do the right things on and off the track, like not slacking off and eating right. Before every race I shave my legs and put on makeup so I feel fresh!”

Now that track season is in full force Segal hopes to continue her success and then looks forward to pursue her track career in college.

“I’m gonna finish off my high school strong. I want to get my 10th league title and hopefully my third state title. After that, I am off to Columbia University in New York to compete at the Division 1 level,” Segal said.

Rohani and Segal’s next competition is the Mira Costa and North Torrance Tri-Meet at Mira Costa High School on March 7.

Senior Sydney Segal dominates a track meet earlier this year. Photo coutesy of SYDNEY SEGAL

Girls lacrosse awarded at Rose Bowl Tournament Ryan Feinberg Staff Writer In the Rose Bowl Tournament on the weekend of March 2, the girls varsity lacrosse team finished in first place in the consolation bracket. The team maintained a record of 1-2 in the tournament but triumphed in the losers bracket.

Natasha Kashani led the team in goals, scoring eight of the 11 goals in the final game.

Captains Dillan Watts and Sarah Beak also scored goals in the tournament.

The squad was satisfied with not only the results of the tournament, but also the improvement of the team as a whole.

“This time we learned that passing the ball was better than running down the field with the ball,” Beak said. “We didn’t hog the ball this time and actually looked up and passed.

There was also a lot of support on and off the field.”

Kristen Huang was specifically pleased with the team’s defense and communication.

“Our defense was particularly great,” Huang explained. “We communicated well and our passing improved.”

Watts, however, believes that further gains must be made in order for the team to move forward.

“We need to improve on constant commu-

nication and looking up to see who is open when transitioning the ball from defense to offense,” Watts said. “We lose a lot of our possession in midfield by panicking to get rid of the ball and not making strong, solid passes.”

Watts has hope, though, that with certain emphasis in drills, the girls will improve.

“I believe if the team practices on their off time with wall ball exercises, this would have a dramatic impact on our ability to catch passes and reduce the number of caused turnovers significantly,” Watts explained. “This would allow us to really control the game, resulting in more wins, which could lead us into making the playoffs.”

The players did struggle in certain areas, however, namely picking up ground balls, according to Beak.

“Although we improved on many things, there was a problem with ground balls,” Beak said. “It was difficult to pick up the ground balls with more pressure.”

Beak believes the girls can improve through continuing to condition throughout the season.

“We have to strengthen our bodies and condition more,” Beak said. “We play for an hour for every game so we get tired pretty quickly. Even though the passing and catching has gotten better I still think we should work on that as well.”

The squad was missing Olivia Rehbinder due to a wrist injury.

Watts is confident that this year’s team is more apt than those of previous years.

“I think this year we have better chemistry than last season,” Watts said. “We have played together for a few seasons now and can predict passes and moves better on the field.”

On Tuesday, March 5 the team played Pali-

sades at home. The Normans won with a final score of 17-8.

The team was led by Natasha Kashani with seven goals. Rachel Benezra, Watts and Beak each scored three goals, as well as Huang with one goal. Defensively, goalie Inbar Avrahami had 11 saves.

On Thursday, March 7 the squad battled Birmingham in an away match, but results were not available in time for press.

Natahsa Kashani storms towards the goal anticipating one of her eight goals. RYAN FEINBERG