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November 6, 2015 Volume 89, Issue 5 Beverly Hills High School Beverly Hills, California beverlyhighlights.com

Mental Health Awareness Day: lifting stigma Marty Schnapp co-editor-in-cheif Lauren Hannani staff writer In honor of Mental Health Awareness Day (Nov. 6), Highlights spoke with Norman Aid Intervention Counselor Alison Norman-Franks to discuss the importance of mental health, and resources available at Beverly to support those who suffer from mental health disorders. According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness, 20 percent of youth ages 13 to 18 live with a mental health condition.

Highlights: What does mental health awareness mean to you?

Alison Norman-Franks: Our goal for the assembly and as well as for the whole Mental Health Awareness Day is to let students know that we value their mental health as much as we

value their education, and that we see that if you’re emotionally healthy, you’re going to do better in [many aspects of] life. There’s also a big stigma to mental illness; people see it as something they have to keep private, as something to be ashamed of. So we’re trying to get rid of that stigma. We’re trying to help people to be aware if they start feeling [suicidal], then to reach out and ask for help. Or, if they start noticing a friend or a classmate who is showing signs of suicide.

there will be a mental health exhibit. There’s going to be a couple things they will see that will help them understand depression. We are going to have tables for Teen Line, Norman Aid and Active Minds. Active Minds is a chapter in almost all nationwide colleges and universities and their goal is to raise awareness of mental illness. We will have resources and support sources for those that

Highlights: How do you plan on letting students know there is hope and that you are the support system for students who suffer from mental health disorders?

need them and/or want to get involved.

Highlights: What are some tips students can follow to become mentally healthy?

AN: I think students need to slow down. You get so busy with your outside activities that you need to pause and have some time to be by yourself or with friends. Exercising is really important for mental health as well.

Having conversations about your feelings with an adult and not being afraid to ask for help. Sleep and eating healthy are also very important for your mental health.

Highlights: How do you think you and the students can create an impact in terms of mental health?

AN: Well, there is the assembly on Friday and

AN: I think we’re really showing statistics that will create an impact on the students during the assembly. The students are really going to realize that mental illness is not just someone who is weird. I think students are really going to see that these people are just like you and me, and that mental illness is something that can affect any of us.

Highlights: What are some things others can do to promote mental health?

AN: We will be bringing Active Minds to the high school and students are able to participate in that. There will be a club where they talk about how to help others. I think that it’s important to be a person others can trust that they can tell you what’s happening.

This is not the full Q&A. To read the rest of this article, visit beverlyhighlights.com

New coalition could affect application process Nirav Desai staff writer The college admissions process may be becoming more sophisticated in the coming months.

Eighty of America’s most prestigious universities and colleges announced in September the “Coalition for Access, Affordability and Success,” a new application that aims to integrate low-income students into the increasingly competitive admissions cycle.

The online Coalition, headed by heavyweight Ivy League schools such as Harvard and Yale, wellknown public universities such as the University of Michigan and Ohio State, and leading private institutions such as Stanford, the California Institute of Technology and Duke, is expected to begin accepting applications in July 2016. Before then, high schoolers across the nation can access free virtual lockers that can be filled with diaries, transcripts, non-academic work and art from

as soon as a student’s freshman year.

Though the growing collective of colleges has since been joined by five additional universities, others, such as Georgetown, have rejected the Coalition’s invitation of membership due to concerns that the application will put greater pressure on stressed high school students to begin the admissions process earlier than ever before. A group of 100 Jesuit high schools opposed to the Coalition recently criticized the notion of “starting to ‘collect items’ and ‘obsess’ in the ninth grade at a time when all our students’ focus should be on the growth of their personal and academic selves.”

Isaiah Berke, a freshman, grudgingly accepted the new state of college admissions, saying, “I wouldn’t like it, but I’d do it.”

Andy Park, a member of the class of 2016 whose college tuition will be paid for by the Unit-

INSIDE

ed States Navy while he begins participating in the Naval Reserve Officer Training Corps program as a cadet, recalls previous somber experiences with student stress at a pre-Coalition Beverly.

“I don’t think [the admissions process] is going to be stressful [as a result of the Coalition Application]. It’s sad how it already is stressful. Adults are finally catching on that there should be something to help us all the way. I remember fellow freshmen talking about their summer college readiness programs and how they were going to take ‘this many’ APs. And the sad part is, we had to do it all alone!” Park said.

Park’s sympathy and hope for change do not fully extend to the plight of his fellow firstgeneration students, saying he believes, “they should adjust and assimilate. We shouldn’t always cater to them. When they want to come to college in the US, there are standards they have to meet if

NEWS

they want to be part of anything.

I think a helpful program that encourages students to start in the ninth grade will guide them through a much smoother process than the hectic one I had to go through.”

However, Dean of College Admissions Ah Young Chi believes the earlier head start for underprivileged underclassmen may be more of a detriment than a benefit right now.

“What’s making people nervous is that it’s supposed to be a locker where you can deposit your work, and there is supposed to be a way to get feedback on that from colleges themselves. Starting to get evaluated in the ninth grade is not really supposed to be the purpose of it, but it could easily become that. I think it’s going in the direction, without knowing exactly what it looks like, of where it is going to increase stress [as long as] Coalition members use both the Coalition and Common Applications. It could also increase

CULTURE

the workload of your teachers and your counselors. Now we’re going to be invited to review your stuff in the ninth grade. Is that really what we should be doing in the ninth grade?” Chi said.

Jarrid Whitney, the executive director of admissions and financial aid at Coalition member Caltech, was quick to make clear in a statement to Highlights that the controversial online tools will be purely optional.

“Although this new online platform targets students who are underserved or under-resourced, the virtual college locker is free for any student to collect various documents throughout high school that may help you prepare for the college admissions process, regardless if you are focusing on one of the 85+ Coalition institutions. These tools are not required, and simply won’t be a factor in our selection process.

The benefit is more for information and education about the process,” Whitney said.

SPORTS

this issue

A Thousand Words: Homecoming

@bhhighlights

@bhhighlights

Page 2

/beverlyhighlights

The rise of ridesharing services

Page 6

An inside look at Beverly basketball

Page 8

www.beverlyhighlights.com

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HIGHLIGHTS NEWS November 6, 2015

A Thousand Words: Homecoming

Highlights Print Guy Ginsberg and Marty Schnapp editors-in-chief

Eleanor Bogart-Stuart, Nirav Desai, Sophia Goldberg, Lauren Hannani, Jason Harward, Evan Minniti, Keith Stone staff writers

Web Juliette Deutsch and Sadie Hersh editors-in-chief

A crowd of Normans launch orange powder into the air to celebrate the varsity football team’s win at Homecoming.

Photo by VIVIAN GEILIM

Senior Neema Soleimani attempts to get the crowd riled up by screaming and cheering as Beverly holds onto the lead.

Photo by KEITH STONE

BHUSD Board responds to media claims Nirav Desai staff writer Eight million, three hundred thousand dollars. That was the reported estimated cost of the Metro subway fight and other lawsuits incurred by the BHUSD Board of Education recently. This issue moved to the forefront of the latest school board campaigns.

An April 2015 LA Curbed article estimated that the district shelled out $8 million of Measure E funds to unsuccessfully obstruct the progress of the Metro Purple Line Extension that will tunnel under Beverly’s campus. The Beverly Hills Courier wrote last month that the district had spent more than $300,000 on cases involving former principal Carter Paysinger, $20,330 of which were spent aiding Paysinger to fight a lawsuit from former track and field coach Jeff Fisher.

However, board member Lewis Hall disputed the hefty $8 million figure in a statement to Highlights, saying that “included in the ‘legal fees’ for Metro is the $3

million on geo-science and $3.2 million on trenching BHHS and El Rodeo in order to disprove Metro’s false data-mapping of our campuses that purported to show active faults. Much has been distorted on this subject by most of the candidates in the recent election as well as by one of the city newspapers. A total cost for Metro litigation needs to deduct these amounts.”

Hall’s claims of distortion come at a time when some in the Beverly Hills community have expressed little faith in the judgment of the current school board.

“I believe that the legal fees paid in previous years are mainly because of poor management from the district. [I would] absolutely not vote for those people,” Andy Park, a senior, said.

Board of Education President Brian Goldberg echoed Hall’s justification of the board’s spending.

“As of Friday, Oct. 16, 2015, the Beverly Hills School District had a total of seven open cases. Six of

those lawsuits were filed mostly by disgruntled employees and, except for the deductibles, the costs will be covered by our insurance carrier. We are fighting Metro alongside the city of Beverly Hills.

This is a unique case as no other school district in the world has been threatened as we have with a subway tunneling under a school and through 80 abandoned oil and pockets of methane gas. The majority of these funds come from measure bond money which, by law, can only be used for construction projects, contrary to the popular belief,” Goldberg said.

Goldberg continued his defense of the board’s actions with the controversial lawsuit with former Beverly Hills High School principal Carter Paysinger.

“There should be no question that we live in a litigious society and the school district is not immune to this reality. Not a week goes by that we are not threatened by someone, whether an employee, parent or community member,

to file a claim against the district.

Once litigation was initiated by Carter Paysinger, we tendered the lawsuit to our insurance carrier to defend. As the cost of litigation continued to rise, the insurance carrier proposed a $685,000 settlement and agreed to split the costs with two-thirds paid by the insurance carrier and one-third paid by the district, $226,000,” Goldberg said.

Goldberg affirmed that he is prepared to fight for the district in outstanding legal cases, as well as in any that may arise in the future.

“I do not enjoy authorizing legal expenditures, but I also know that it is necessary to defend the district’s positions. Every dollar spent defending employees in legal actions caused while in their jobs is taking money directly out of our classrooms,” Goldberg said.

Mel Spitz, Carter Paysinger, Lisa Korbatov, Howard Goldstein and Noah Margo did not respond to requests for interview in time for publication.

Natasha Dardashti, Isaiah Freedman, Vivian Geilim, Jamie Kim, Veronica Pahovoma, Sydney Tran, and Max Yera staff writers

Ben Shofet business manager Gaby Herbst adviser ­—

Our goal as a student-run publication is to provide reliable, accurate and fair content that informs and intrigues the Beverly Hills community by following the principles of ethical journalism and represents the student body. We will deliver a broad spectrum of coverage through a variety of mediums, including online and print.

Highlights is a forum for public expression that is produced by the Advanced Journalism class of Beverly Hills High School, 241 Moreno Drive, Beverly Hills, CA 90212.

Letters to the editor may be sent to beverlyhighlights@gmail.com.

Visit beverlyhighlights.com.

Follow @bhhighlights on Instagram and Twitter.

Highlights is sponsored by PTSA and BHEF.

School hires students, puts Normans to work Evan Minniti staff writer

While it may be difficult to find jobs these days, Normans can get them right here at Beverly, managing the cafeteria and the student store.

As one might expect, the students working here had a variety of reasons for seeking out employment at the school.

Senior Eli Cohen, who works as a student clerk in the student store, explained that he inherited his position from his older brother and his older brother’s friends.

“My brother actually worked here before and his friends worked here too and they told me, ‘You should come up here and meet the boss, so when we graduate you can take over’ and that’s exactly what happened. And that’s how I got the job here,” Cohen said.

Sophomore Sophia Weissbuch proudly stated that her job as a cafeteria cashier helps keep the cafeteria up and running.

“I count the money and I help

them fund the cafeteria,” Weissbuch said.

In addition, Weissbuch said that she genuinely enjoys working in the cafeteria.

“I like being the cashier because it’s pretty fun. It’s really good experience and you really get to know your customers and it’s really fun that way,” Weissbuch said.

Jonathan Azziz, a senior, admitted that he had to get a job for financial reasons.

“I have a friend who works at the student store and I was talking about me needing a job because I’m broke and they were like, ‘Oh, we have an opening in the cafeteria’ so I talked to the manager here,” said Azziz.

Azziz has many responsibilities and duties as a cashier in the cafeteria.

“So people come in and I have to ring them up and I also have to make sure that people get the necessary nutritional requirements for lunch, because a meal consists of vegetables and [meat] and I

make sure they get all that. And in the end of the day, I put away all the [unsold food] in the coolers,” said Azziz.

Michael Lavian, a sophomore who works in the cafeteria with Weissbuch and Azziz, admitted that he didn’t know what job he originally wanted to do.

“Well I was always interested in getting a job. I went to Miss Oyamo and she told me about the job and it was very interesting to me, so I was like, why not? Let’s do it,” Lavian said.

Cohen elaborated on why he believes that his job benefits the very large section of the student population that use the student store every day.

“I’m the student clerk. Every time you guys come and need to purchase something, I am one of the three people that work here and you can come and ask for help and we’ll sell you the things,” Cohen said. “We like to say that we just take your money, but it’s not that simple. It’s about being here to help you.”

Senior Eli Cohen enters sales at the student store. Photo by EVAN MINNITI

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HIGHLIGHTS OPINION NOVEMBER 6, 2015

Tinder: the end of modern day romance Eleanor Bogart-Stuart staff writer Once upon a time, a long time ago, in a land far, far away, existed a prince named Chivalry. Chivalry was a good prince and was loved by every princess in the land. But then came along a prince called Tinder. He was a bad prince, and killed Prince Chivalry.

Alright, fine. Chivalry was dead long before Tinder came along.

But it’s not like Tinder has helped the idea of romance. In fact, it’s cemented the notion of a whole different kind of romance: a 21st century kind. For those of you who don’t know, Tinder is an app that allows people to meet nearby strangers who they may or may not share common interests. In order to actually talk to the stranger, you must deem them attractive enough to “swipe right” on his/her picture, and hope that s/he does do the same to you.

Gone are the days of candlelit dinners. Gone are the days of flower bouquets. Although many people fail to realize it, apps like this are making classic face-to-face

bonding and conversation extinct.

Tinder takes away all romantic nuance, and boils it down to a glance at a picture and a flick of the finger. Instead of asking a girl out to dinner, a right swipe and a “where u at” is now the new protocol for a date.

“Tinder was great for the first few minutes, however, I soon began to notice a sickening addiction as I was throwing boys faces left and right and it became a weird game.

I needed the validation of a match and the never ending pile of men and the ability to choose whomever I wished became distracting and unhealthy to my busy schedule,” an anonymous sophomore said.

Relationships have become far more casual than they used to be thanks to apps like Tinder. It’s almost become taboo to be in a committed relationship. What happened to the Danny and Sandy relationship of Grease? Why has the aesthetic gone out of fashion?

It’s true that some people have managed to salvage actual relationships from the app, and more power to them. But for the ma-

jority of Tinder members, going steady with someone isn’t the goal.

Co-founder Justin Mateen disclosed to “The Guardian” that “7 percent of Tinder users are between 13 and 17, a significant chunk considering 35-to-44-yearolds constitute just 6.5 percent.” A shocking amount of teens use the app, teens who should be learning how to socialize and have conversations without the use of emojis.

The widespread use of Tinder and the like is dumbing down an entire generation of teens and students who won’t be able to carry a faceto-face conversation when their older.

Author Christopher Ryan sees the use of dating apps like Tinder as a “gorging ... a kind of psychosexual obesity.” These apps allow men and women to indulge in a sexual playground of sorts, where there’s no responsibility and certainly no boundaries.

It’s time that we lift our heads from our phones and enter the real, non-cyber world, where rightswiping someone across the face doesn’t count as being flirty.

Did you know...

Tinder is available in over 30 languages worldwide 10 million daily active users 416,667 swipes made each minute Worth 1.6 billion as a stand alone business Sources: Wired, The Chive and Expanded Ramblings

Goosebumps benefits from nostalgia The People’s Opinion “I think it was a great movie. It made me feel very nostalgic because I used to read the books as a kid.”

- Junior Jeff Lee “It’s one of those series of books you read as a child...and Jack Black is half of it.”

-Senior Andy Park “I think it’s is a cash grab that plays into the current millenial generation’s nostalgia for the series.”

- Freshman Isaiah Berke

Editorial

This year’s homecoming assembly, put together by ASB with help from various leadership groups and sports team’s on campus, featured a “haunted” theme. Many different aspects that make our school great, like our various clubs and teams, were displayed in an effort to increase school spirit. However, while this assembly did depict many of our leadership groups well, it also highlighted some glaring discrepancies between the things that we as a school are tolerant of.

Per Beverly’s dress code, all clothing must reflect a “professional atmosphere of learning”.

During last Tuesday’s spirit assembly, sexual themes were undoubtedly present through multiple school functions’ dance routines.

Skits included blatant violations of the dress code, and dance moves that were sexually suggestive.

Prior to the assembly, all skits were rehearsed before administration to ensure their appropriateness.

So, what happened? sIt is possible that performers changed their skits and outfits between the rehearsal and actual performance, but even so, the assembly ran three times through. Administration would had to have missed these changes

Evan Minniti staff writer Monsters, scares, teen romance and Jack Black?! Sounds like the recipe for a perfect adaptation of R.L.Stine’s “Goosebumps”? Well... it certainly tries. “Goosebump” stars Jack Black, Dylan Minnette and Odeya Rush.

It revolves around a teenaged boy named Zach (Minnette) who moves with his mother to a town in Delaware. His next door neighbor is a fictionalized R.L. Stine (Black), who is a recluse with a friendly, home-schooled daughter Hannah (Rush). Stine is cold and ill-tempered towards the boy and tells him to stay away from him and his daughter. However, Hannah and Zach become friends behind his back, but accidentally unleash Stine’s literary creations from the pages of haunted manuscripts of the original “Goosebumps” books. These monsters wreak havoc on the town and Zach has to find a way to stop them before it is too late.

First things first, “Goosebumps” isn’t a bad movie. The dialogue is surprisingly well-written, filled

more than once, an unlikely occurrence.

Situations like this one bring about obvious problems in our school’s dress code policy that need to be addressed. Why is it

with humor that is simultaneously clever and juvenile. The lead characters are likable, though Zach is a bland character, but that’s because

of what was written for him, and not Minnette’s fault.. Zach befriends a socially awkward nerdy character named Champ (Ryan Lee) who is arguably the movie’s funniest character. As

for Jack Black, his character was difficult to sympathize with. However, even when Black’s Stine is being an unlikable jerk, he is still pretty funny in a cartoonish sort of way. In addition, there is an interesting plot twist towards the end that I will not spoil.

If you never read “Goosebumps” or watched its TV adaptation, then, well, who are you? “Goosebumps” was designed so that each book or episode was scary enough to spook kids, but not scary enough to emotionally scar them. And having seen this movie in a theatre packed with children younger than 14, I can tell you the movie basically did that. They gasped every time something scary happened, but everyone left the theatre happy and undamaged.

I will say that “Goosebumps” is a short (103 minutes), but fun ride. It certainly isn’t art, but if you have some free time and are familiar with the books or the TV show, then it won’t hurt to watch it. I’ll give it three and a half out of five stars.

Cartoon by: VERONICA PAHOMOVA

It’s almost as though, if even somewhat choreographed with good intentions, any leadership group or team on campus has suddenly earned the right to violate clear policies in heinous ways. Why is it that, in a show of school spirit, we violate the very policies that make our school worth fighting for?

These inappropriate violations of dress code policy don’t even serve the purpose of the homecoming assembly. These assemblies are put on in order to spur school spirit before homecoming. How do these gross and insensitive violations accomplish

that goal? What about a half-naked teenager makes someone think “Let’s Go Beverly!”?

If good intentions pave dangerous roads, then this homecoming assembly was a pothole. It’s obvious that these leadership groups and teams that violated school policy weren’t doing so on purpose, but did so in some sort of “spirited exclamation”. However, it is also obvious that these good intentions are the very same ones that are breaking down our BHHS values one by one. We need to take a good look at what we allow and what we don’t allow, because the unfortunate truth is that with every halfnaked assembly skit, we lose touch with the values that allow us to call Beverly Hills High School great.

“Why is it that, in a show of school spirit, we violate the very policies that make our school worth fighting for?” unacceptable for students to wear spaghetti straps on the science building stairs, yet it is somehow acceptable for them to dance half-nakedly in front of the entire school?

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HIGHLIGHTS SPOTLIGHT NOVEMBER 6, 2015

] o i d a R y g o l [Astro

Roses

s t e l o i and V

at K e [Th

Sophia Goldberg staff writer

Lauren Hannani staff writer On “Astrology Radio”, show hosts junior Yasmine Jebeli and senior Kyylexa Corday connect zodiac signs and horoscopes with their guests’ personalities. The show’s main focus is analyzing astrology and how it affects daily life and people. Jebeli and Corday are particularly interested in astrology.

Guy Ginsberg co-editor-in-chief When it comes to radio, there’s nothing like a pure music show. Simple yet elegant, these types of shows don’t dilly-dally with words and spices, they just get to the good stuff: the tunes. This is the mantra of first year Radio Airlift member, senior Kate Ganon, for her show “The Katie G Show”.

Senior Ruby Beenhouwer has created a medium where she presents spoken word poetry from many different authors, including herself: her Radio Airlift show ,“Roses and Violets”.

“I find it really fun to discuss astrology with different types of people, especially since it’s not a topic that’s brought up often in everyday conversation,” Corday said.

The hosts also frequently brings in guests to discuss how their zodiac signs affect their traits and relations with other people. This includes playing games to find out how well guests know their own signs.

“My favorite part of the show definitely has to be analyzing people’s behavior to see if it matches their zodiac personality. We thought a show describing zodiac would be something where we’d get to enjoy discussing something we love while explaining zodiac to people who may be skeptical or curious,” Jebeli said.

Eleanor Bogart-Stuart staff writer Evan Minniti staff writer Highlights: How did you get involved in Radio Airlift?

Bennett Gershwin: I was actually visiting Owen one day; he was talking to his friend from summer school class, Alex Legget, about this club called Radio Airlift.

Owen Lloyd: I think I heard it from Facebook. I ended up going up to [Guy Ginsberg] and asked him about it, and he directed me to Matthew Sater. Bennett and I created our very first show freshman year. The rest is history.

Highlights: Why did you decide to get involved in Radio Airlift?

BG: It seemed really cool. Alex Legget described it in a very eloquent way. At the time it was a really new thing, so it was cool for Owen and I to get in as it was picking up.

OL: I like the people a lot. I think the selling point was when I first saw the radio room. It was fun to see other peo-

w] o h S ie G

Beenhouwer organizes her shows as a thematic series with a different theme each episode. She also may begin implementing a system in which students can submit their own pieces of poetry to be read during the upcoming program.

“I just play music that is usually based off of something. My first show was based on a mixtape my brother made me for my 17th birthday of really cool music I like,” Ganon said.

“I came up with the idea because I have always loved poetry and I have always been too nervous to perform my own in front of people, so I thought that having a radio show would be perfect,” Beenhouwer said.

Joining Airlift in her last year as a Beverly student, Ganon appreciates the freedom of expression the club offers.

Beenhouwer believes the student body will connect to her show, especially because of the similarities between poetry and the rap most students listen to around school.

“I really like the freedom that Airlift gives us and how there are no strict guidelines, so we can express ourselves however we want to!” Ganon said.

“I think that our student body already loves poetry. Rap is just spoken word poetry put to music. I put a poem by Kanye on my first show just to show how accessible poetry is to young people,” Beenhouwer said.

As far as her favorite track she’s played on her show, Ganon chose “Going To California” by Led Zeppelin.

ple who had the same interests as me.

I think the overall vibe was definitely exciting.

Highlights: How did you finally reach this leadership position?

BG: It started because Owen and I were really active freshman year. We were very tight with our schedule. At a certain point, since we were so disciplined about it, I guess the leaders of the club started viewing us as more important people in the club. The year after that, when Sater was president, we were kind of his right hand men, and from then on there was no one else to really give it to, so we won by default.

OL: Weaseled my way up to the top.

Starting sophomore year, I became good friends with Matthew Sater, who was the acting president. I was always sort of the “idea” guy, who would propose far fetched, unrealistic ideas to him. I’d help with some things. Bennett and I became leaders because we were the ones who spent the most time in the radio room.

Highlights: What is it like being

a new leader of this club? What do you personally bring to the table?

OL: I can’t say that I’m much better than Matthew Sater, because even now, as president, I’m completely dependent on him. Anything that comes up I text him and he holds my hand through it even while he’s now at Berkeley, which is pretty absurd. I think we’ve given a face to the name more than Matt did.

So we’re narcissists.

Highlights: What’s different in Radio this year than last year?

BG: We’re focusing more on extracurricular things, outside of just the broadcasting. We’re planning on getting some live performances into the studio to videotape and record and we’re planning on making more merchandise.

Highlights: What are some events Radio Airlift will be organizing this year?

OL: In past years, our main event has been Battle of the Bands. This year we have high hopes as far as ad-

ditional events. This year we’re going to be doing live performances, even from teachers that are in bands. We’re also thinking about some dance parties.

Highlights: What kinds of dance parties?

OL: We’re thinking something 80’s themed. We’re cooking up ideas. We’ve got a lot of great minds here.

Highlights: Why should people join Radio Airlift?

BG: We’re the hippest thing at the school. It’s a place where you can express yourself and kind of make your own content without a lot of commitment or a lot of ties.

OL: It’s a super cool thing to do. If you’re interested in music, comedy orjust creating things of your own, then you should join. I wouldn’t say it’s for everyone. Radio Airlift is a platform for anyone with any amount of skill.

Bennett and I have said in meetings, we don’t care if your talent is juggling.

Even if it has no relevance to the radio, we want to know about it, because we’ll

try to find some way to incorporate it in.

Highlights: What are some shows that students should check out?

BG: At the moment we don’t have a lot of consistent shows. Our year is just starting out, and people are finding their footing. Personally, I like the talk shows a lot more. They have a lot more personality.

Highlights: Do you like the fact that the triangle is the symbol of Radio Airlift?

OL: I don’t want to spark any controversy, but I have no idea where the triangle came from. It’s just always been there.

Highlights: Describe Radio Airlift in one sentence.

BG: The coolest way to express yourself in school.

OL: Crazy teens take the mic.

Although there are many different clubs on our campus, there are a few which stand out as being special. Beverly’s resident radio station, Radio Airlift, is one of these important clubs. Despite a brief shut down in the 70s, it has recently become a vital part of extracurriculars at Beverly. Club presidents Owen Lloyd and Bennett Gershwin have taken the reigns from previous leader Matthew Sater, who played a key role in the resurrection of the club.

Bennett Gershwin

Owen Lloyd

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HIGHLIGHTS CULTURE November 6, 2015

Program to get drunk teens home safely, cancelled Keith Stone staff writer Sydney Tran staff writer Flip your ID card over. At the bottom are three phone numbers for Teenline, WeTiP and Safe Ride. Each of these programs is supposed to promote the safety of the Beverly Hills community.

However, one of these numbers no longer serves its original purpose. Beverly Hills Safe Ride, a program designed to provide confidential, safe transportation for Beverly Hills youth under the influence of drugs or alcohol, has ceased to exist.

Although it is active in some other cities, according to Ali Norman-Franks, the NormanAid Supervisor and BHHS Intervention Counselor, “the Beverly Hills Safe Rides Program has been cancelled.”

While many people did not utilize this resource, some students are still upset by its cancellation.

“I feel like the cancellation was unnecessary since this program could only benefit students by offering a safe ride home,” senior

Mishelle Arakelian said. “I believe that safety should be one of the top priorities of the school and community.”

Even though the ride ser-

vice wasn’t used often, there is another way that it helped students.

“I think that the program was beneficial while it lasted since it taught students to avoid impaired driving and it provided them a safe and responsible way to get home,” Arakelian said.

However, some students used the service and were thankful that it helped them get home safely.

“Safe Rides helped me out when I was too scared to walk home, and I was very intoxicated.

It was a good program when it worked,” a senior who wishes to remain anonymous said.

However, the Norman Aid Center has already started looking for alternate means of transportation for inebriated students and will not simply leave the students to their own devices.

Currently, Norman-Franks and members of the administration “are working on finding another safe ride program” to replace the now defunct one.

So when it gets late, pick up your phone instead of your keys and call a cab.

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operates in 63 cities in 30 states in the US

vs.

None of the drivers are professionals encourages tips to be given through the app

“The driver didn’t speak English and had no idea where he was going,” sophomore Tessa Rudolph said.

allows cost splitting between passengers has both professional and unprofessional drivers

“[The driver] offered me a microphone and there was a karaoke machine in his car,” freshman Lara Pastor said.

“[The driver] started asking me to solve [math] problems...He even offered to tutor me,” senior Deborah Newman said.

Dangers of Uber: What most people don’t know Eleanor Bogart-Stuart staff writer

A decade ago, the word “uber” was only used if you were German and were talking about something that was super cool. In 2015, the word has taken an entirely new context.

The word Uber now represents a massive, international company that has taken the transportation world by storm. Uber’s practically instant, cheap taxi service has become a go-to for anyone in the world in need of a ride. This easy accessibility to cars has become a vital part of nightlife around the world, especially that of the youth and students who can’t yet drive. But the question remains: is it truly safe?

There will always be an element of risk involved in getting into a car with a stranger. And in order to become an Uber driver, there are really only two things you have to do: earn a Commercial Driver’s License and pass a background check that’s implemented by the the Uber Safety Advisory Board.

Uber and other ride-sharing companies of its kind have fought

back against the idea of creating stricter background checks. Despite this, in April, Uber began c h a r g - ing a $1 safety surcharge for all of its rides.

According to Marie Claire magazine, an Uber

spokesperson stated that it includes “federal, state, and local background checks, regular motor vehicle screenings, driver safety education, current and future development of safety features in the app, and more.”

Even with this new investment in safety, in December of 2015, the cities of Los Angeles and San

Francisco filed a lawsuit against Uber for having misleading representations of the measures they were taking for customer safety.

After Uber’s true breakout year in 2014, a slew of scandals followed. The most common incidents involved male drivers sexually assaulting female passengers.

A woman in New Delhi who was allegedly assaulted by an Uber claimed that “until women can legitimately feel safe, we cannot obtain equality. Sadly, Uber doesn’t understand this.”

Some predators have even pretended to pose as Uber drivers in order to trick unknowing girls into their cars. In August of this year, a man in Tallahassee, who was pretending to be an Uber driver, picked up a 19-year-old girl and drove her to a gas station where he asked her to perform sexual acts on him.

Students at Beverly have had their own unpleasant experiences with Uber drivers.

“Getting picked up at Beverly Hills High School often strikes a conversation from my driver that I’d rather not partake in. Once a

driver asked how old I was and why my boyfriend wasn’t driving me home. Then I was stuck in the same car for the next 20 minutes, with uncomfortable forced conversation, and felt too awkward to ask to be let out,” junior Katie Hertz said.

Even with these kinds of incidents, the popularity of Uber continues to increase. According to the Washington Post, the number of new drivers signing up has doubled every six months for the past two years. Some Uber users have

no qualms about the company or its service.

“I do feel safe in Ubers. I’ve never had a problem in one,” sophomore Esmee Bernstein said.

Uber has begun making some safety reforms, although none that affect Californians. As a result of the New Delhi rape case, Uber will be implementing “Panic Buttons” and cab tracking features to ensure a safer ride.

Hopefully this kind of technology, and the Uber company’s focus, will find its way to the states soon.

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HIGHLIGHTS NOVEMBER 6, 2015

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HIGHLIGHTS SPORTS November 6, 2015

Boys varsity cross-country claims Ocean League Sophia Goldberg staff writer Placing first in Ocean League for the first time since 2012, boys varsity cross country ran an undefeated season in league, ending with the championship meet on Wednesday, Nov. 4 at Kenneth Hahn Park.

Many runners from the team placed well in their events, even beating some personal records.

Others placed in the league’s top 10.

“Boys varsity killed it. We all ran [personal records] and did really well. For the most part, everyone else on the team also PR’d and I’m really proud of everyone. We

won Ocean League, [which] hasn’t been done for cross country since 2012. We were really happy with winning and look forward to winning league in cross-country [next year],” three mile sprinter Jonathan Cohen said.

Junior Noah Lee, although he could not compete since he’s injured, traveled to Kenneth Hahn Park to cheer on his team during their final meet of the year.

“I was out there on the [sidelines] screaming my head off. I was chasing the boys as best as I could. I was so proud of them, seeing them make their moves at the end of the race. It was really great to see them all, especially the

top five,” Lee said. “I cheered on Johnny [Cohen], and then I turned

around and Jason [Cohen] was right there. Then I cheered him on and turned around and Shimon [Dubner] was

From left to right: Jason Cohen, Mohammad Abi-Kenari, Shimon Dubner and Johnny Cohen. Photo courtesy of MOHAMMAD ABI-KENARI

right there. Then I cheered him on and turned around and started cheering for Mohammad [AbiKenari], and then Dalton [Han].

It made me really proud being out there and seeing them do so well and succeed.”

This season was three-mile racer Mohammad Abi-Kenari’s last season running cross-country with his teammates and friends.

“The experience [this year] was absolutely amazing. The power, pleasure and emotion of running with my teammates was a constant speed of light; it will never be diminished, nor will my appreciation for everyone involved,” Abi-Kenari said.

An inside look at varsity basketball’s veteran five Ben Shofet business manager Lauren Hannani staff writer Fidel Quiralte

lot of work in practice and I hope my work ethic transcends to the younger guys,” Quiralte said.

Daniels also hopes to make impressive achievements for his team and as an individual this year.

“I just want to come in and be a good person and help the basketball team achieve things that they’ve never achieved before,” he said.

Planning to play basketball in college as well, Daniels hopes to take advantage of the new experi-

level and play college ball.” Artest said.

Artest hopes to play at UCLA, unlike his father who played at St. John’s University, primarily because of the close proximity.

With two more years to go, varsity coach Jarvis Turner hopes to turn “raw” talent into something greater than it already is.

“He’s all over the rim and a great rebounder,” Turner said in

Maddox Daniels A basketball player since kindergarten, senior Fidel Quiralte Ever since he was introduced enjoys his last year as a player on to basketball by his dad in eighth the varsity team. grade, senior Maddox Daniels has Throughout his athletic experi- been devoting most of his time ence, Quiralte has received many playing the sport. Coming from a benefits from playing the sport. private high school, he transitions “It’s taught me a lot of life lessons and I’ve had a lot of hard coaches, and that motivates me to work harder. I’ve got a good work ethic out of playing basketball,” Quiralte said.

Since the start of high school, Quiralte has been a proud member of Beverly’s basketball team, and he believes that the sport has gradually shaped him into a more experienced player.

“I’ve definitely grown since freshman year. I’ve added a lot more skills that I didn’t think I would have. They’ve helped me get stronger and that’s something I’ve always wanted to do in basketball. It’s really changed From Left to right: Fidel Quiralte, Mason Daniels, Mattix Daniels, Denzel Holt, Mattox Daniels and Ron Artest III. Photo by: BEN SHOFET my game,” he said.

Although he plans on attending college next year, Quiralte into his first and final year at Bev- ence and grow with the sport. an interview with the LA Times. “I wants to carry on his legacy at erly with specific goals in mind.

“It’s made me more disciplined think he can develop into a pretty Beverly and the community.

“You don’t want to have any re- and I pay more attention to de- good player.”

“I definitely want it to be known grets, so make sure to do what you tails in life and in general. that I’m one of the hardest work- do every day. Reach your goals,” Mason Daniels Since basketball takes up so ers in Beverly Hills. I do put in a Daniels said. much of my time, everything kind Senior Mason Daniels has been of blends together,” Daniels said. playing basketball for nearly his entire life. His father had introRon Artest III duced the sport to him and his Having only begun playing com- brother when they were in the petitive basketball in his sopho- seventh grade Having transferred from Montmore year at Palisades Charter High School, junior Ron Artest verde Academy with his brother III has had to use his father’s basketball experienceto his advantage.

“He gives a lot of good tips. He’s a good person to ask for help when I need to work on something,” Artest said.

Despite the fact that Artest had only been playing basketball at a competi- Maddox, Daniels came to Beverly tive level since just last year, he with the intention of preparing has had been playing “streetball” himself for a college basketball career. since middle school.

“Me and my brother were lookAlthough Artest is still a junior, his future plans include moving ing for a great opportunity beon to play for a professional col- cause some colleges on the west lege team, after having graduated coast have been looking at us. To come here and play for Jarvis just from Beverly. “[I hope to move] onto the next sounded like the perfect opportu-

nity for Maddox and I,” Daniels said.

In his final year of high school, Daniels not only hopes to improve himself, but also to help his teammates as well.

“I want to make a lot of my teammates better, not just myself. There are some guys here that want to get better, so I want to do what I can to help them out and overall just have a good year,” Daniels said.

As Daniels strives to win league and ultimately move onto state, he ultimately wants to be remembered at Beverly by the type of person he was, rather than just another basketball player.

“I wanna be remembered as a good guy, a guy that was nice and a guy that was a leader to his team and his school,” Daniels said.

Daniels hopes to move onto college basketball with his brother after having graduated from Beverly.

Denzel Holt Since his second semester of sophomore year, senior Denzel Holt has played on varsity basketball.

“Basketball allows me to free my mind and free the stress,” Holt said. “It’s taught me to be a leader and push my teammates and just make everyone on the floor better.”

Throughout his time on the team, his role has shifted from being just a playmaker to a leader.

“Sophomore year, I didn’t really play much, and junior year I had more of a distributor role and making sure everyone was just in sync, and this year I plan on just being a leader and making sure everyone works hard,” Holt said.

As Holt’s high school career comes to a close in his final year at Beverly, he aspires to push his team to new heights that they’ve never reached before.

“I just hope leave a mark and do the best we can as a team and push each other every day to greatness.

To win both CIF and state would be my goal. It’s never been done before,” Holt said.

“We are winning both [CIF and State] this year boy, get it right.

Yeah you heard, we ‘bout to get that chip, yeah!”

- Maddox Daniels