Issue 1 2017-2018

**New Diversity Section** page 13

The Student Voice OCTOBER 17, 2017 | ISSUE 1, VOLUME 33 | THE BUCKLEY SCHOOL | 3900 STANSBURY AVENUE | SHERMAN OAKS, CA 91423

INSIDE 03

CAMPUS: Quinn Martin Building renovated

07

OFF-CAMPUS: Advisories begin Council program

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DIVERSITY: Director visits campus

19

SPORTS: Girls tennis strives to “improve power and consistency”

STUDENT

PU SE Do you think that locker searches are an invasion of privacy?

YES NO 56% 44% 167 responses collected Oct. 12-16

. un lock.ed

ColetteKanbarian ’19 campus editor When a parent signs the dotted line enrolling their child as a student, do either of them read the fine print? As Head of Upper School Deborah Monroe and Dean of Student Life George Russo stated at the Upper School assemblies earlier this month, the searching of students’ private property is a right of the school, whether the students know it or not. The privacy policy, which has been clearly stated in the handbook for nearly a decade, claims that “students have no reasonable expectation of privacy on campus.”

Russo justifies this policy by saying that “anything you bring on campus is Buckley possession.”

As a result, the school can search “your car, your locker, your bag, your person, and anything at Fashion Square, because that’s a satellite site.”

Assistant Head of School Peter Reinke maintains that the school’s ability to encroach on student privacy by looking through lockers, backpacks, and devices is enforced

in order to ensure the safety and well-being of students and aid those who seek to hurt themselves or others. The school reserves the right to search personal property on campus or at satellites sites like the Fashion Square parking lot.

Reinke further said that he believes they will go through a phone or other electronic devices “not for willy-nilly reasons, but when the administration has substantial evidence to believe that something in violation of the rules has happened, is happening, or is about to happen.” The administration has access to personal possessions such as lockers and backpacks at any time, and to search electronic devices such as phones and laptops “when there is suspicion that a device may have been used in violation of the law or school policies,” as stated in the Family Handbook.

But, Reinke adds, as defined by the law, is unnecessary at Buckley.

“Of course people have certain rights as an American, but they become more truncated in an independent school environment. Any decisions made, and how we make

No privacy for private school students

CelineFarhadi ’19 campus editor United States citizens are entitled to certain privacy rights regarding their person and their property; Buckley students are not.

When students and their families sign the Buckley Family Handbook at the start of each year, they are waiving their rights to privacy each time they step onto campus or park at Fashion Square.

The Fourth Amendment pro-

sure the campus remains safe, and how we move to consistently make the school safer is a decision that will be made with thorough consultation with all parts of the administrative team,” Reinke said.

Students and faculty members, upon reading the handbook, are left doubtless about the school’s legal ability to seize and search private property on campus, but doubtful about its moral basis.

“It is definitely an invasion of your privacy, but that does not mean they shouldn’t do it,” Sophomore Ryan Halperin said. “I think it’s a violation of privacy. It’s our private property. It’s annoying that just because some kids do something that’s messed up we all have to be penalized and have our stuff searched.

As the school deals with the fallout, students are left to decide for themselves whether property searches are ethical, despite their lack of power in the situation.

It breaks the trust between students and the administration,” Senior Sofia Russell said.

tects a person’s house, papers, and property against “unreasonable searches and seizures.” A warrant to search someone or their belongings, only granted if “probable cause” is proven, must be presented prior to the search.

By scribbling your name above the line that says signature, you sign away this basic, American right. According to the handbook, “school officials reserve the right to search the contents of lockers and continued on page 1

“The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no Warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized.”

- Constitution of the United States of America (1789, rev.

1992)

other school property at any time.

Personal items, such as backpacks or purses, are subject to search if the school suspects the student may have violated school policy.”

No warrant necessary, just reasonable suspicion, explained Assistant Head of School Peter Reinke.

At its core, an entity’s ability to infringe on the privacy of its constituents, whether it be a government on its citizens or a school on its students, comes down to who

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CAMPUS

tuesday, October 17, 2017 |

The Student Voice

Student rights at public vs. private schools WHAT RIGHTS DO YOU HAVE IN PUBLIC SCHOOLS? According to the Center for Public Education: “The hurdles erected by the U. S. Constitution’s Fourth and Fifth Amendments are exclusive to the nation’s public schools. Private K-12 institutions have far more leeway to conduct unfettered investigations, withhold findings if they choose, and unceremoniously ask a student or faculty member to leave. Tuition and employment contracts rule private school relationships, while America’s social compact and legal contract (the Constitution) governs how public officials must act.”

WHAT RIGHTS DO YOU HAVE IN PRIVATE SCHOOLS? As noted on U.S. Constitution.net.: Private schools work independently from the laws and motions enforced by the government: “As private institutions, private schools are not subject to any restrictions in terms of violations of the rights of students.

Hence, while a public school might have to prove that its violations are for a higher purpose or stem from its in loco parentis responsibilities, a private school may set limits arbitrarily.”

Discipline on Campus SaraBroukhim’20 opinions editor With any disciplinary action on campus, the administration works on a case-by-case basis to determine the appropriate punishment for each circumstance, according to Assistant Head of School Peter Reinke and the Buckley Student Handbook.

In disciplinary matters, a student can receive a detention/reflection, a day of separation, a suspension, or a dismissal. A day of separation does not go on permanent record concerning colleges, but, until read-

Our philosophy is that we like to look at each case holistically. Who is this person in our community, what’s their history in terms of relationship with the school, Reinke said. mitted, students will miss classes and other activities according to the Buckley Student Handbook. For more serious matters, a suspension will be issued and is reportable to colleges. Although many reasons for suspension or expulsion are described in the handbook, disciplinary actions are not limited to these causes.

Concerning suspensions, students receive this punishment for “severe behavioral or academic violation[s],” according to the Buckley Student Handbook and will be allowed to continue coming to school if a student is never again involved in a “serious misconduct.”

[When] we have no choice but to part ways with the family, we do that for student safety. When it’s not outlined fully or not clear in the handbook, we discuss it out. We look to be more thoughtful and merciful,” Reinke said.

The school may also dismiss students for more serious matters such as the destruction or defacing school property, theft, deliberate insubordination, the use or possession of any dangerous weapon, and the violation of school policies (among others).

Other institutions sometimes also apply a “safe home’s rule,” according to Reinke, whose previous school, the Head Royce School, instituted this policy.

“Children and families agree to not participate in abusing the laws of drugs and alcohol off campus, and if they did then the school would hold them responsible,” Reinke said.

The Buckley School Honor Council was created, according to its Mission Statement, “to help guide the Buckley community...through times of conflict.” Students subject to disciplinary action are invited to explain their situation to a committee of peers and adults, another way the school attempts to “look at each case holistically.”

WHAT DOES THIS MEAN? The laws that protect students in public schools do not cover private schools. As private institutions, schools act as legal guardians for students, and serve to assist and ensure well-being and safety. This does not apply to public school students. In an infamous Supreme Court case, a New Jersey student claimed that her fourth amendment rights were violated due to unreasonable searches and seizure. Ultimately, the court found that the search was, in fact, unreasonable citing that school officials act as representatives of the State, not as a stand-in parent.

Private schools laws come from contracts. Contract law is concerned with binding legal agreements, which at Buckley, comes in form of the student handbook. Contract laws ensure that students take accountability for their actions.

WHAT ARE YOUR RIGHTS? Your rights as Buckley students are explicitly chronicled in the Buckley Handbook. You signed a document stating that you read and understood the terms laid out by the school. If you are unclear or confused about one of the guidelines explained, ask for clarification.

continued from page 1 determines what justifies “probable cause” or reasonable suspicion. In the government, it’s the judicial branch. In a private school, it’s themselves. At any time, for any reason, an independent school can look through a student’s backpack, locker, pockets, car, person, or any other property on campus, without having to justify it to any outside authority.

In recent decades, the privacy controversy has expanded its borders to include personal electronic devices. Following the surfacing of evidence that exposed the National Security Agency (NSA) for taking part in secret surveillance of Americans through electronic devices, a heated public debate broke out over whether the nation’s safety justifies governmental invasions of privacy.

A parallel debate could be had regarding the Electronic Use Policy, which states that “electronic communications transmitted

or received through the Buckley server, a school-owned electronic device, or any personal electronic device used on campus are not private and may be viewed by the school in its sole and complete discretion.” There is a key difference in these two debates, however: there’s nothing students can do about it. Unlike a democracy, private schools do not need to seek the approval of their students for such policies. They have the right to institute and maintain any policy they believe will benefit the school.

Just like Google can see and record everything you do or create and any personal information you store while using the site-everything you search for, your IP address, your email address and password, the contacts you add, the photos you upload--Buckley reserves the right to seize and investigate your every action on an electronic device while on campus or while using the server.

The Student Voice

CAMPUS

OFF-CAMPUS ARTS

& ENTERTAINMENT

DIVERSITY

OPINION

PROFILES

SPORTS

tuesday, october 17, 2017 3

Diversity Week replaced by symposiums ElizabethSeo’18 diversity editor After five years of having Diversity Week, this year the traditional week will be split into symposium days, which will be dispersed throughout both semesters.

The first symposium, which occurred on October 3 and 5, focused on the topic of social justice while the second symposium, on January 18-19, will focus on Diversity, Multiculturalism, and Inclusion (DMI).

DMI Director and Diversity Club advisor Ralinda Watts explained that “having Diversity Week confined to a week didn’t allow for continuation of conversation,” and hopes the symposiums will allow for an expansion of the conversation, not only in advisories, but inside and outside of the classrooms.

The main departure from Diversity Week are the workshops, which will be attended as a class instead of assignments by advisory or grade level.

Watts wants the symposiums to prepare students for topics in real life so that students can learn about topics beyond the “Buckley bubble” and utilize others’ personal experiences to build informed empathy, especially for students going to college.

The Quinn Martin Building. 2017 Edition: With a clean, angular exterior and a highliy functional interior, the space caters to both the arts and athletic departments

Renovated Quinn Martin building opens doors for arts and athletics The Quinn Martin building, featuring three art studios, a fitness center, and the Head of School suite, marks the completion of Phase III of the Campus Enhancement Plan (CEP) ColetteKanbarian’19 campus editor The newly-renovated and completely redesigned Quinn Martin Building boasts over 8,000 square feet and is home to three spacious art rooms and a state-of-the-art fitness center.

On the lower level, the building hosts the head of school’s suite and the fitness center.

The 3,000-square-foot athletic center is outfitted with the best machines and workout equipment, comparable to the top Division One universities in the nation, according to Strength and Conditioning Coach Robert Wright. The abundance of space allows for both strength training with weights and performance agility training with the large turf section, giving the training program a “double threat,” according to Wright.

“We’ve taken away all the things that have added drag to our training program.

Now we can just focus on the components of strength training and conditioning that will make athletes motivated to train harder in an exciting, new [fitness] center,” Wright said.

Several sports teams and Upper School PE classes have exercised in the building since its opening in early September. Students, such as tennis player Junior Nicolette Kolesnikov, agree that the workout center is an upgrade from the weight room on Gilley Field.

“It’s a great space and I enjoy working out in there. I like the air-conditioned [room] compared to Gilley,” Kolesnikov said. “The

grass is also a cool feature.”

On the upper floor, three connected rooms are dedicated to the visual and digital arts department, as well as a technology lab for classes such as Video Production and Film Studies. Outside, there is an area dedicated to ceramics and welding. According to Visual Arts Department Chair Ellen Mahoney, the 5,000 square foot space has ample room for all the art students to work comfortably, in comparison to the 2,400 square feet of the previous art space.

“We’re ecstatic. We’ve only seen the [new building] in blueprints for a long time; to actually experience the open-concept space, height of the ceiling and the light coming in the wide windows is truly spectacular. Each room is very specific to each of the different art classes. It feels much more like a studio than a converted classroom, which is what we were before,” said Mahoney.

Visual Arts Teacher Rourk Reagan said that he is thrilled the school is one of the few in the area that still has a darkroom. The cutting-edge technology for photography and digital media is coupled with the strong foundation since many students want to learn the traditional methods, according to Reagan. The art program was expanded to include welding and glassmaking for sculpture and metal for the 2017-2018 school year, as both Mahoney and Reagan attended seminars over the summer to better learn welding and glassmaking.

“The new building is really nice. It’s very spacious. There is room for each class, as op-

posed to previous years, when the different art classes were jumbled together. I like that they kept the darkroom because I shoot film a lot,” Junior Arleigh Haskal, who is enrolled in AP Studio Art, said.

Steve Rollman, technical director and visual arts teacher, teaches five classes in the new video room: Film Studies, Middle School Video, and Video I,II, and III. The integration of all the film and video classes into one space is time-efficient and functional, while offering ample room, Rollman said.

Wright, Mahoney, Reagan, and Rollman all played a significant part in designing the layout of the building, allowing for the building to cater to the needs of students.

The building has kept its previous title after the renovation, named after the late American television producer Quinn Martin, who was a donor to the school, parent of alumni, and whose grandchild is third grader Quinn Martin.

According to Mahoney, the architects, the engineers, Director of Plant Operations Curtis Covington, and the visual arts department all worked together very closely for months, deciding on plans and ideas.

Wright explained, “They came to me and asked, ‘What do you need?’; it was a very collaborative process where I gave them some diagrams and pictures of gyms that had setups very similar to what I thought would serve our athletes best. They designed exactly what my dream was, and I couldn’t have asked for anything different.”

New schedule includes “Y” and “Z” periods

AmirBehbahani’19 news beats and profiles editor The schedule has changed from a previous eight-day rotation to a ten-day rotation. There are two new periods: Y and Z, which interchange every other day, and always occur after lunch. There is also a 10-minute break between the first two and last two periods on Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday, in order for students to have time to regroup and not have to rush to their next classes.

“I like how in between each class we have either advisory, lunch, office hours, or a break because it alleviates a lot of stress and the allotted time we have to sit in class,” Junior Arleigh Haskal said.

Harvard-Westlake School begins at 8:00 am and finishes at 3:10 pm on Mondays, but 2:35 every other day. Their schedule consists of 10 periods on a five day rotation, each lasting 45 minutes.

On Mondays, between their second and third periods, there is an “Activities Period,” a time for clubs to meet, which lasts 30 minutes, their only built-in, nonacademic period. Since Harvard-Westlake does not have a set lunch period, students can eat their lunch during their free period.

Oakwood School begins at 8:30 am and ends at 3:30 pm, but ends at 2:30 on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Their schedule consists of five periods in a five-day rotation, each lasting one hour and ten minutes. On Mondays, there is an advisory check-in and “town meeting,” which is their entire second period. Subsequently, there is a 10-minute break between their second and third periods. They also have a full advisory period during their second period on Fridays.

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NEWS

tuesday, october 17, 2017 |

The Student Voice

HOW TO:

RELIEVE LAST MINUTE TEST ANXIETY

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Cameron Ryan ’21 staff reporter

“[The students] blank out,” science department co-chair Aidyl Gonzalez-Serricchio said. “They’re twitching. I had one person that started to hyperventilate… tears, sometimes in extreme cases. I’ve seen a spectrum,” According to the Anxiety and Depression Association of America, roughly 16-20% of students suffer from high test anxiety, and another 18% suffer from it moderately. Test anxiety ranges from the panic of the uncertainty of what the test contains, blanking while taking the test, or the fear that comes after the exam of not knowing how they performed.

Students tend to face this type of anxiety when they procrastinate; cramming for a test the night before and poor time management has a significant effect on how big one’s stress will be when the student takes the test. Along with this, students have a habit of comparing themselves to how their friends are doing, and also secondguess themselves. A removal of these bad habits would also result in a dismissal of the test anxiety.

“I never try to second-guess myself, because usually, my gut feeling is right,” Freshman Icusa Kakinuma said. “Not saying you shouldn’t go over it twice; you should, but don’t always second guess yourself, you’re just gonna waste time.”

Students also have a habit of trying to be a perfectionist and go for a perfect A score.

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Because of this, the anxiety the student has increases because of their high-achieving goals.

“I would suggest students focus more on the content on what you’re being tested on rather than what grade you’re going to get,” said educational support specialist Sonia Capretta. “I think we see a lot of test anxiety come up when kids are more focused on ‘I need to get an A, I need to get an A, I need to get an A’ rather than ‘I need to know the material, I need to know the material.’”

Different people have different ways of showing their test anxiety, or stress in general. While some people can control their tension with a few deep breaths, other people don’t know how to manage themselves with their anxiety. They may show the stress they’re dealing with by starting to get physically ill, have moods of anger, or by thinking negative thoughts. Banishing and blocking out the negative thoughts and replacing themselves with positive ones will result in more confidence.

Recently, Dr. Gonzalez-Serricchio has been holding seminars to help students get organized and feel more confident with their tests and quizzes.

“They’re studying bite-size pieces every day,” Gonzalez-Serricchio said. “The students are learning to not worry about the number.”

HOW TO:

MAKE BREAKFAST IN A BUSY MORNING

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SophiaNorouzi ’21 copy editor

Many have heard that breakfast is the most important meal of the day, but sometimes the hectic rush of mornings eat up more time than we realize. Whether it’s craving an extra five minutes of sleep, or taking too long to get ready, the usual excuse for ditching breakfast is “I just don’t have enough time, I don’t need to eat.” Unfortunately, when comparing kids who take the bus versus kids who drive or are driven, bus kids are less likely to have breakfast.

“I need to catch the bus by a certain time, and I like to sleep in, so eating breakfast isn’t usually a priority,” freshman Jackson Roth said.

However, going without a substantial first meal of the day can lead to a slower metabolism, frequent unhealthy snacking throughout the day, or that mid-morning slump we all know too well. But between proper meal planning on the weekend/the night before, or with these simple recipes, achieving a healthy, filling meal in five minutes or under is possible.

The first helpful tactic in making sure you’re out the door and well-fed on time is prepping the night before or on the weekend. A simple meal to prep is chia seed pudding, where all you need is vanilla almond milk, chia seeds, and vanilla extract. Just leaving the seeds to soak overnight creates a thick, pudding-like consistency. Another overnight option that will last you the entire week is steel-cut oats. After just boiling

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steel-cut oats in milk for about 20 minutes, you can choose to leave your oatmeal plain or spruce it up with some spices or fruit.

“I like my oatmeal a little more flavorful, so I’ll usually add cacao nibs, raisins, hemp seeds or flaxseeds to it. Then I’ll mix that all up, keep the batch in the fridge throughout the week, and in the mornings I’ll put it in the microwave for 44 seconds, and it’s ready,” said fitness instructor Robert Wright.

Other options that are quick and easy include peanut butter and apples, smoothies, eggs, and toast with any topping of your choice. However, if you have more of a sweet-tooth, English teacher Dr. Schildkraut easy fix, merely freezing waffle mix at the start of the week.

“I freeze Belgian waffle mix. I just keep it in the freezer, so it’s ready to go whenever I need it,” Schildkraut said. “The secret is buttermilk, to keep it fluffy throughout the week. I just pour it into the waffle maker, and it’s ready in five minutes.”

These quick and filling breakfasts are cheap, healthy, and will help you get through the morning filled with energy and a full stomach. When comparing these options to that of Cafe Commons or other fast food restaurants, they are a lot more cost-effective and healthy.

NHS continues buddy program for second year DylanPrince ’19

staff reporter As the new school year starts, the National Honor Society (NHS) has renewed its annual sixth grade buddy program. The program serves as a way for NHS to welcome the sixth graders to the Middle and Upper School experience, according to NHS Vice President Celine Farhadi. NHS members and sixth graders bond over pizza lunch meetings. NHS members discuss academic, extracurricular, and social life at Buckley with their buddies, getting to know each other better and help brace the new middle schoolers for the year to come.

NHS co-presidents, seniors Taylor Shabani and Jessica Bushman, reflecting on the importance, impact, and future of the sixth grade partnership, agreed that the program works to create a comforting environment at Buckley for the new middle school students.

“We feel that having a connection with the 6th graders and vice versa really does create a welcoming environment,” Shabani said. “I see sixth graders waving at twelfth graders all throughout the year, and getting presents for each other just so they feel comfortable on campus.”

Bushman added that it “also gives them a friendly face to see around campus. Buckley is really big on creating a community.” When asked about where they hope to see the program in the future, they both agreed on more hands-on activities throughout the Buckley community.

“For example, during their free periods, NHS members could get involved and just play with them and hang out with them,” said Bushman.

Shabani, recalling a memory with her own buddy, said that her buddy “showed up one day randomly with four chocolate cupcakes and brought them to my locker.”

“My buddy last year was smarter than me - I’m not kidding,” Bushman said. “We always were all laughing and having a great time. I thought it was really cool to see the connection with them.”

The first NHS Buddy meeting was Sept. 20 during a common lunch in the sixth grade rooms. Pizza was provided to the students and paired the high schoolers with their buddies of the graduating class of 2024 of the same gender. During the forty-minute lunch,

Courtesy of Dana Shepard

Senior Sophie Antebi and her buddy, sixth grader Sophia Parsi, bond during the lunch. This is the second year of the sixth grade buddy system.

fifty-five groups crowded the halls of the Academic and Performing Arts building, discussing topics ranging from favorite class to favorite music.

Apart from this meeting, NHS plans to meet with their buddies twice more: on Tuesday, October 24 and Monday, November 27, each during advisory. In those following meetings, NHS members will form groups with other buddy pairs to form larger group discussions.

The Student Voice

CAMPUS

OFF-CAMPUS

A&E

DIVERSITY

OPINION

PROFILES

SPORTS

5

tuesday, october 17, 2017

Senior privileges include off-campus HOW TO: ACE YOUR lunch and free shoes and socks CelineFarhadi’19 campus editor Senior privileges for the graduating Class of 2018 includes the classics: black polo, plaid skirt for girls, on-campus parking, and off-campus lunch, with the addition of free dress shoes and socks in place of last year’s free dress Thursdays. As always, the privileges aren’t unconditional, meaning for this class that their privilege of off-campus lunch can go into effect no sooner than the last senior’s community service project gets approval. The privileges can also be revoked for a number of reasons, including failure to adhere to the parking regulations, consistently being out of uniform, misbehaving in class, or allowing their grades to be affected by senioritis.

According to Dean of Student Life George Russo, each year the Upper School administration meets to decide on the new senior privileges, trying to make slight changes from the year before, giving the students little to no say in their privileges. . Additionally, they include the potential for seniors to extend their off-campus lunches to two days a week beginning second semester, instead of the one day currently offered; the privilege extension is contingent on all the seniors doing “really well” with their community service sign-ups, Russo said, Their goal with these privileges, claimed

COLLEGE

Russo, is to act as “a kind of stress relief -- knowing that you can park on campus means that maybe you don’t have to leave so early to catch the bus, knowing that you can wear more comfortable shoes means that maybe you can feel a bit better on campus.”

However, some seniors criticize the privilege by claiming that “over time, [students] probably have collected a ton of shoes that fit within the dress code,” making the privilege more mundane, according to senior Kate Blaylock.

When asked about the impact of the new schedule with two non-moving Z and Y blocks following lunch on her off-campus lunches, senior Panna Gattyan said “it actually improved it” because of her Z period free. Other students-who don’t have either of those periods available nor do they have the luxury of office hours after lunch--are confined to the Mendocino Farms, Islands, and other restaurants within about a ten-minute radius.

According to Gattyan, the privileges contribute to the feeling that seniors are “halfway between high school and college.”

INTERVIEW

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Courtesy of Kelsey Gomez

HOW TO:

MAKE MONEY AS A TEENAGER Emma Lotts’21 staff reporter “I do enjoy having my job, it lets me have freedom to spend money on what I want,” junior and cashier at Jeff ’s Gourmet Sausage Factory Ben Michelson said.

Having a steady stream of income can be rewarding and beneficial. Some parents, as their children mature, give them more responsibility to buy their own things, and it is also great to have your own money to spend on personal items. A popular way to earn money is babysitting a young child when the parents need help. Many families utilize full time nannies or adult babysitters; however, teenagers can relate more to

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EmmaLotts ’21 staff reporter

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the child and be a cheaper option.

To make money the fastest way possible, you need to get a work permit. In California, teenagers ages 14-17 must have a work permit to be eligible for the job. Along with this, the company must have a permit allowing minors to work. Smaller boutiques and companies are more likely to hire younger employees. Another great option of an official job for teens is a grocery bagger at local markets. Physical education specialists Jonathan Klay worked at multiple sports camps as a teen. “[It’s] probably what got me into teaching,” Klay said.

The internet and social media also serve

as new ways for this generation to receive an income. A major plus to “working” online is that the probability of facing age discrimination is significantly lower. There are countless apps where teenagers can earn money by completing simple tasks. The app Job Spotter allows you to take a photo of a “help wanted” sign to get points (100 points equals $1) that can be converted into a gift card at anytime. On an app called Depop, you create an account, post a photo of clothes you no longer need, and sell them to other members of the app.

“I got my first sponsorship from being very active on social media,” freshman Mahari Blanks said.

Buses arriving fashionably late for first couple of weeks of school

CelineFarhadi ’19 campus editor The Fashion Square bus has three morning pick-ups: 7:20, 7:46-7:52, and 8:05.

While the official schedule boasts a 7:40 pick up time for students driving to Fashion Square in the mornings to park, the bus has almost never met this deadline.

“I would never make it by 7:40, because of the traffic,” Cynthia Reyes, driver of the 7:40 bus. said. With a Lower School drop-off on campus at 7:30, it is almost impossible for her to make that turn around in ten minutes, especially with Stansbury traffic levels reaching all-time highs. And this traffic isn’t just interfering with the Fashion Square route.

According to Transportation Coordina-

tor Lisa Dempsey, the traffic has forced her to “get creative” to ensure all buses arrive to both their pick-ups and their 7:40 dropoffs on time. It began to become a problem last year with the growing popularity of the Waze app that gives savvy drivers an alternative to the 405, as well as the closing of certain canyon routes at various times during the day.

Most buses leave the Tumbleweed yard around 5:00 a.m., forcing some bus drivers to wake up as early as 3:30 am, to avoid or account for traffic; but even that wasn’t enough on the first week of school. In the first two days that Upper School was in session, there was a fire on the 101 and a five-car pileup on the 405, causing traffic that led to buses

arriving over half an hour late to their stops.

Dempsey is currently in contact with Tumbleweed to find ways to “get around [the traffic] in certain ways and we’ve been trying to troubleshoot different routes.” Dempsey has been riding problematic morning buses to get a better understanding of the traffic situation and having all the bus drivers clock in each time they arrive on campus.

To further improve the situation, Dempsey made some of the pick-up times earlier for buses such as route 27 so they can avoid high traffic streets.

Additionally, “as the traffic has settled into more of a rhytm, the buses are now arriving more consistently on time,” Dempsey said.

AndrewChoi ’21 copy editor

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“It never hurts to do an alumni interview, it can only help,” assistant head of school Peter Reinke said. Reinke is an alumni interviewer for Brown University.

Alumni interviews are where students that want to go to a particular school have an interview from an alumni from that particular school. Usually, the interviewer will ask questions about your interest of the school to see if you really fit with the particular school you are applying to, according to Reinke.

“The interviewers are people who actually care about the school and want to see if you are actually a good fit for the school,” said upper school English teacher Dr. Elizabeth Phillips. Phillips is also an alumni interviewer for Brown University.

Rather than impressing the interviewer with obscure SAT words and attempting to oversell yourself, it is more prudent to show your true self, according to Reinke.

Listing off your accomplishments and not listening are two major things to avoid, according to Phillips. Instead, try to make eye contact and be communicative.

It is alright to be shy during an interview as long as you show effort that you are actually trying to have a conversation.

“Try to make a real human connection with your interviewer while having an authentic conversation,” Phillips said. “Otherwise, the interviewer will presume you are a bit pretentious.”

Reinke broke down the core components of an interview using PREP. PREP stands for making your Point, giving the Reason why you made the point, Explaining the point, and making the Point again.

Even though it is an interview, try to have a conversation about why you want to go to the particular school and how it ties into your interest, while asking questions of your own, according to Reinke.

The seriousness of the interview varies on the interviewer, according to Reinke.

When going into any interview, first impressions are important. You should dress formally, but do not overdo it. For boys, wearing a button-down shirt or a nice polo shirt should be fine, while girls can wear whatever is comfortable, as long the clothes make them look neat and collected.

“Make sure to read the vibe of the interview, as it depends on the type of person the interviewer is. The places you meet the interviewer also depends on them.

It could be a cafe or their house,” Reinke said. “What interviewers want to see from you depends on the type of person the interviewer is.”

Phillips offered some last minute tips: Go with an open mind. Come in prepared.

Bring some questions you want to ask, maybe about school life or culture. Show that you are interested into the school.

Alumni interviews may not be that important compared to your transcript and other factors, but they are recommended by both Phillips and Reinke.

“Schools want students to come to their school as much as you want to go into the school. Be confident and show that you are in the driver’s seat,” Phillips said.

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OFF-CAMPUS tuesday, october 17, 2017 |

The Student Voice

Increase in L.A. private school tuitions

Over the course of 10 years, L.A. private school tuition has almost doubled and hit the $40,000 mark AlexanderArejian ’20 RyanNorris ’19 off-campus editors The independent schools in L.A. require large investments by parents and guardians, who pay thousands and thousands of dollars to educate their children. Our Lower School tuition is $33,935, while Upper School tuition is $39,915, per school year. On average, tuition for students in Los Angeles private schools increases 4 percent each year, according to Beyond the Brochure, a book targeting parents of kids applying to private elementary schools. The cost of schooling, with an additional cost of donations, outdoor education trips, uniforms, fundraisers, and new student fees, the total cost can top off at more than $45,000. Buckley’s tuition increases by 1.5 percent each year.

While schools like Marlborough, Crossroads, Harvard-Westlake often increase their tuitions from 3-5 percent each year.

“The Board of Directors is attempting to [continue to] make a long-term effort to [keep] our tuition overall to less than an average increase of roughly 4 per-

cent,” Chief Financial Officer, Lisa Turchin said.

There are 259 private schools in Los Angeles, which are home to more than 45,000 students. The average tuition for elementary schools is $25,000, while for high school it rises to $35,000. South-

ern California, as a whole, has a higher cost of living than most states, which includes education fees. Aside from some northeast states, Califonia has one of the highest average cost of tuition at $18,535 in 2017. Just ten years ago, the private school tuition

looked very different. The school’s tuition was $12,000 cheaper, as it cost $24,250 for kindergarten through fifth grade, and $27,975 for sixth grade through twelfth.

Ten years ago, other independent schools cost almost half of their current price. The

Brentwood School costs $40,760 today, but was $24,800 in 2007.

Marlborough, Archer School for Girls, and Harvard-Westlake, have shown similar patterns. Although the inflation rate in the United States has varied, dipping as low as -.04 and going as high as 3.8, the price of private school education has increased steadily.

While there are many reasons for this, administrative compensation has been linked to the growing costs, according to HowMuch, a website dedicated to finances, and how to understand them. At many institutions, administration members have a bigger compensation package than teachers.

“The tuition increases are based on an economic model which sets out the school’s long-term strategic objectives in various areas,” Turchin said. “Despite having higher costs of living wages and insurance costs and increasing our financial aid budget as part of our commitment to economic diversity, the school was able to achieve savings by refinancing its debt at a lower rate and moving its business office to campus at the end of its lease term.”

Advisories and classrooms adopt council practice

ryan norris The Student Voice

COUNCIL TIME: Ms. Monroe and Mr. Russo’s advisory congregate in the CCA to participate in Council, complete with talking sticks and multiple topics of discussion, including the PSAT and college applications.

RyanNorris ’19 off-campus editor With a new year comes new additions. This year, one of those additions is “Council.” It is not linked to Student Council or the Honor Council, but instead, it is a form of personal communication. It was introduced to Buckley through the Crossroads School for Arts &

Sciences, who were inspired by several Native American practices. According to Crossroads’ website, during Council “every student has a voice and every student learns to listen actively to others.”

“Council is its own class at Crossroads. At our school, each circle is comprised of eight to twenty students. Grades six through nine meet for one hour a week; grades ten through

twelve meet for two hours a week. We call it Life Skills, Connections, or Mysteries, depending on the grade,” Crossroads Life Skills Department Chair David Listenberger said.

Buckley discovered this format when Upper School Head Deborah Monroe and Educational Support Specialist Sonia Capretta, visited Crossroads: “We felt that it was important to give our community another

form of positive communication,” Capretta said, “Council’s four intentions really speak to the kind of communication that we are striving for. With so much technology around us, we have lost a lot of genuine communication that used to occur.

Council is a great way to get that back.”

As stated in its website, for Crossroads, “Council” became a “non-denominational ceremony which fosters discipline, deep listening, focused speaking, respect for differences, and awareness of unexpected similarities.” Buckley hopes to achieve a similar outcome by including “Council” in classes to “provide a better tool for communication, improve relationships between students, and promote an environment of trust and respect,” Capretta said.

This exercise has been added to Human Development, Intersections of Identity, and the new 8th grade class, Voices and Choices, as well as being incorporated into many advisories, like Middle School Assistant Head Gregora Sacon’s and Upper School Dean of Student Life, George Russo’s, which he shares with Monroe. It has been met with positivity.

“People don’t interrupt each other. Everyone gets a turn. So it feels very equitable and civil.

We spend a good deal of our time sharing our stories and practicing good listening skills, but we also address a wide range of topics that students feel strongly about. It could be something as simple as where they like to eat or how they prepare for a quiz or something as complex as resilience or peer pressure,” Sacon said.

“I think Council is important because it really opens the door to healthier communication and can lead to creating relationships that people may not have thought they could have.

I think it is a fabulous tool for in class discussions and gives everyone the opportunity to participate if they choose to. I have found that it is not only great for student to student communication but student to faculty communication as well,” Capretta said.

While the conversations held in Council can be uncomfortable for students, the goal is not to please everyone but to push everyone.

“Not everyone likes every class session. Yet the skills practiced, the understandings gained, the connections realized, and even just the pause from the stress of ever increasing demands – the gains and benefits of this program is simply too great for most graduates to ignore,” Listenberger said.

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~150

Parking Spots on Campus

45-50

Number of current Students Parking at Fashion Square alexander arejian The Student Voice

Parking Lot: The main parking lot, housing the majority of the 150 on-campus parking spaces, is completely filled during school hours.

Independent L.A. schools find solutions for parking issues in residential neighborhoods SaraSarkissian ’19 staff reporter Parking issues continue to torment independent schools in the greater Los Angeles area. Buckley is cracking down on parking due to neighborhood pressure. More parking is being built at Archer. Harvard-Westlake is facing backlash over an additional parking structure, and Marlborough is struggling with lack of space in a residential neighborhood.

The Buckley School currently houses approximately 150 parking spaces, of which 18 are allocated to senior drivers, allowing for four drivers per parking space. The parking lot also contains a reserved amount of spaces for visitor and faculty parking. The limited capacity of the school parking lot and restrictions placed by the neighborhood council regarding the number of cars permitted to enter and exit the campus make it exceedingly difficult for students to get to school. Lower, middle, and upper school students who are not taking the bus to school are required to carpool. A minimum of three students are

86%

of students would not be in favor of getting rid of APs

80%

of students are more inclined to take an AP just because it is an AP 100 responses collected Oct. 12-16

71%

of Harvard-Westlake students are not in favor of getting rid of APs 265 responses collected by the Harvard-Westlake Chronicle

required per car. Faculty members have also volunteered to carpool.

Parking in the residential area is strictly forbidden. The school has a Conditional Use Permit, which disallows parking on the neighboring streets of any kind. The school’s security guards monitor off-campus parking regularly. Additionally, students who walk onto campus are required to present a walkon pass.

The school has addressed this issue by renting out parking spaces at the Sherman Oaks Fashion Square Mall. The school rents 45-50 spaces, increasing by 15-20 spaces during the second semester, as more juniors and seniors obtain licenses. Student drivers are required to take a shuttle service to campus, provided by the school. The school began renting out parking spaces at Sherman Oaks Fashion Square 12-13 years ago. While the program has greatly improved the parking situation on campus, it is costly to the school, consisting of a fee per parking space as well as a shuttle fee.

These issues are prevalent in other independent schools in Los Angeles. In fact, in-

dependent schools in residential areas, such as Harvard-Westlake and Marlborough, have been faced with backlash from neighbors, concerned with the rising traffic load from limited parking availability on campus.

Harvard-Westlake has addressed parking complaints by proposing an enhancement plan, titled the PSA Improvement Plan. This program of expansion calls for the construction of a new 750-space parking garage with a rooftop athletic field on Harvard-Westlake’s vacant land in Coldwater Canyon. This consists of the addition of three turn lanes in and out of the parking structure, aimed at reducing traffic.

Despite claims that the parking structure will enhance pedestrian safety, eliminate offcampus parking, and reduce traffic, neighbors have firmly opposed the construction of the parking structure due to the structure’s two-and-a-half-year construction time and increased traffic during this period. In fact, the neighborhoods surrounding HarvardWestlake are filled with signs reading, “STOP Harvard-Westlake’s Destruction of Trees and

Wildlife” and, “STOP Harvard Westlake’s Bridge Over Coldwater Canyon.” It is presently unclear whether the parking structure will be built, but Harvard-Westlake continues to insist on the approval of the PSA Improvement Plan.

Archer School of Girls, located in Brentwood, has also antagonized neighbors with proposals for a new parking structure. Their $100 million Campus Enhancement Plan includes a new 240-space underground parking facility. Despite facing initial opposition, this enhancement plan has won unanimous approval in City Council.

Unfortunately, Buckley does not have the space to build a parking structure, so for now, the solutions are not permanent. If Buckley were to follow in the footsteps of other independent schools in Los Angeles and build a parking structure, this could potentially solve the issue of limited parking on campus. However, Director of Physical Plant, Curtis Covington, said the school has no plans to build a parking structure at the moment.

Schools review their AP policies following Harvard-Westlake’s limits on AP courses AlexanderArejian ’20 off-campus editor Harvard-Westlake and Crossroads, two schools that have either limited or even abandoned the Advanced Placement (AP) curriculum, have taken an initiative to encourage students to take non-AP courses, individualize transcripts, and decrease their emphasis on academics.

After these dramatic changes to their curricula, students and faculty at Buckley begin to question if Buckley go along with the trend of eliminating AP courses, or stand as one of the few independent schools that offers these advanced courses?

Head of Upper School Deborah Monroe, along with other administrators, is meeting with a group of faculty in order to discuss the policies on AP courses, as part of the plan to realign the school’s policies with the new mission statement. The committee is planning on meeting four times throughout the semester.

According to the article “AP restrictions start with Class of 2022” in The Harvard-Westlake Chronicle, their recent decision to limit the amount of AP courses will allow students to create a more individualized transcript. Harvard-Westlake has also eliminated the grade bump AP students receive, which has caused a lot of controversy at the school. Harvard-Westlake has also shifted its focus to creating more well-rounded students who don’t just focus on academics.

These restrictions on AP courses per student will be implemented with the class of 2022, who are the current eighth graders at HarvardWestlake. With this change, teachers acquire the freedom to design their courses without considering the College Board guidelines.

Eliminating AP courses strips away a student’s opportunity to receive college credit, and consequently, some students on our campus worry this will negatively affect their college admission.

“An advantage to eliminating AP’s is that it evens out the playing field, but at the same time it restricts students ability to take more challenging classes,” Junior Amanda Sherman said.

A common misconception about abandoning AP courses is that abandoning AP classes will result in a less rigorous curriculum.

English Department Chair James Evans feels otherwise.

“When I teach regular classes, I provide a class that challenges students to be the best that they can be at writing. Institutionally, we have to search for what suits our students’ interests; as thinkers, writers, creators, we need to break out of the habit of seeing the regular classes as less than,” Evans said.

Director of College Counseling Julie Taylor-Vaz believes students will not be placed at a big disadvantage when applying to colleges without any AP courses on his/her transcript.

“The colleges will understand

that the school limits the amount of AP courses,” said Taylor-Vaz. “My guess is it won’t significantly impact their decision. If I were to choose, I would like to not abandon AP’s. I think that it’s important for our strongest students to present to the most selective colleges very rigorous profiles. We don’t want to hold anyone back.”

Taylor-Vaz also believes that individualizing student’s transcripts is not a big issue at the school. “I don’t think it’s necessary for students to specialize while they’re in high school. Students are still learning how to learn, and learning the skills that they need regardless of the specific topic.”

No immediate changes will be made to the AP program, but the school will be reviewing and possibly changing policies regarding these courses in the future.

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98%

of students feel safe on campus “I do feel safe on campus because I know the guards are vigilant and I am and will always be well protected.”

-Imogen Katcher ‘19

sara sarkissian The Student Voice

DRIVE BY: During prime pick-up hours, parents easily come onto campus and pass the guard tower.

SAFE AND SOUND?

58%

of students think it is easy to come onto campus 100 responses collected Oct. 19-23

With the ongoing concern of safety, schools evaluate and change their policies, is Buckley following?

SaraBroukhim ’20 opinion editor For almost two years, the school has had the security firm Chameleon and Associates on “retainer” and has worked with this company for a decade.

According to plant operations events coordinator Melissa Cortez, Chameleon and Associates consults with the school, gives pointers, and does red team training with guards.

Red team training consists of sending a random person to the front gate and have them try to come onto campus, and if the guards follow school procedures, the unidentified person would be refused access, Cortez said.

If someone comes to campus claiming they are a student, guards will ask them questions only a member of the community would know, according to Cortez. Some questions include: Who is your principal? What class should you be in right now?

“I would like to think that we have reevaluated how to make emergency preparedness an even bigger priority. We’re having a lot of changes in emergency

preparedness with overlaps into security and because of that we’re always looking at ways to improve,” Cortez said.

“If they’re posing to be a student, like if they have a Buckley sweatshirt on or it’s a college student that unfortunately has malintentions trying to get on campus, they won’t be able to answer those questions,” Cortez said.

Security guards on campus have past training experience and licensed through a “guard card” (issued by the California Bureau of Security and Investigative services), according to Cortez and AEGIS security. Guards occasionally complete outside training done by LAPD, the FBI, or Homeland Security.

“We perform extensive training with the security guards regarding intruders on campus, as well as we partner with LAPD for school trainings similar to the one we had last year on campus,” Director of Plant Operations Curtis Covington said. “The school is also equipped with a panic alarm system which when triggered notifies us of the exact location of the intruder.”

Compared to our institution, security guards at Sinai Temple have undergone training (firstaid and range training) taught by a combat veteran, who saved lives in Afghanistan, the Jewish Federation, or the police, according to Sinai off-duty officer Robert Leach. At Sinai, most security guards are armed Leach added.

Guards on our campus remained unarmed.

“There is a significant problem to one of the most high profile Jewish synagogues,” Leach said.

“The Jewish people are a target for violence and this is a very prominent place.”

At Harvard-Westlake, students do not need identification to get onto campus, but all students must sign in once on campus if they have a free first period, according to Harvard-Westlake sophomore Abby Kirchmeier.

Buckley has made some advances in keeping the campus secure. The Uber/Lyft policy is meant for student safety because if underage students take an Uber, they are considered a “liability to the school,” according to security guard Franz Gill.

“We’re not trying to make your life harder. It’s for your safety.

Safety is number one,” Gill said.

On weekends or during off hours (before 7:30 a.m. and after 3:00 p.m.), students are allowed on campus if there is a specific event with a supervising teacher or administrator, according to Cortez.

“If people are on campus without a purpose, then they’re not allowed on campus,” Cortez said.

The fact that our institution begins at kindergarten and ends in 12 grade adds another layer to safety protocol. The educational code and state law require the school to have one fire drill per month, two earthquake drills a year, and a minimum of two lockdown drills, according to Cortez.

“The best way to prepare for an emergency or crisis is to practice what to do. It’s just like playing a sport or being in a musical [or] play,” Cortez said. “The way you perform during practice or rehearsal will be a good indicator of how we, students/faculty/staff, perform during the real thing.”

As a security guard, Leach

alexander Arejian The Student Voice

WATCH OUT: Groundskeeper Armando Torres Reinaga stands guard. feels like he makes “a difference,” especially in a school around a lot of children. “[This is the] only place where people thank me for searching them. It’s kind of gratifying to work here,” Leach said.

NEWS QUIZ: 1. Which of the following countries has NOT restricted gun usage? a. Australia b. Finland c. Scotland d. United Kingdom 2. Which team is playing the Dodgers in the NLCS? a. Diamondbacks b. Yankees c. Cubs d. Padres 3. Which former child star initially defended Harvey Weinstein with a posted video? a. Miranda Cosgrove b. Bella Thorne c. Raven Symoné d. Lindsey Lohan

- OCTOBER 4. Who did the Men’s National Soccer Team lose to, giving up the chance to play in their eighth consecutive World Cup? a. Mexico b. Panama c. Trinidad and Tobago d. Costa Rica 5. Which rapper posted a freestyle rap video bashing Trump? a. Eminem b. LL Cool J c. Chance the Rapper d. French Montana 5. Which car company has just recalled approximately 11,000 vehicles? a. BMW b. Tesla c. Honda d. Porsche Answers: 1.b, 2.c, 3. d; 4. c, 5. a, 6. b

SEPTEMBER

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ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT tuesday, october 17, 2017 |

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Rollman’s room: hot voltage lights and popcorn

GraceMesenbring ’19 a&e editor In his previous 30 years at the school, Performing Arts Technical Director and video production/film studies teacher Steve Rollman had one office for designing theater sets, another for film design, and a separate classroom for film production. Now in his 30th year teaching here, Rollman gets a new filmmaking studio specifically outfitted for the craft.

“It makes teaching a lot easier because it’s a lot more spacious. It’s the biggest shooting space I’ve had and is a lot more outfitted to filmmaking than the other space, because it was specifically made for film production,” Rollman said.

Junior Sophie Hood believes the new space more conducive to learning because it has better technology for film editing and more space for storage.

Additionally, there are new gadgets that would not have fit in the last classrooms.

Senior Nic Boedeker’s favorite gadget is the new drone that flies above to film shots from above.

Because of the high ceilings, a new boom microphone is able to extend above the actors to catch their sound and speech. This makes the recording process less taxing because the “boom” microphone is less hazardous and clunky way, Rollman said.

“The room feels much larger and more open than the last, and as a result, I’ve noticed myself being more work-oriented and focused,” said Senior Nicholas Jensen, a member of Rollman’s Film Production III class.

There is a new set of five rollers that

Grace Mesenbring The Student Voice

LIGHTS, CAMERA, ACTION!: Rollman shows off high-definition lighting installments serve as backdrops to film and photography classes. There are two different-sized green screens, and grey, black and white backgrounds for photography.

“The two green screens can be shot from either direction. The two different-sized green screens cater to different-sized shots.

One green screen caters to a wide backgrounds and the other offers a wide-angle camera shots,” Rollman said.

Students in Middle School primarily use the green screen to make their broadcast news projects, but high schoolers can get creative with how they utilize the new addition.

“I’ve had students put themselves into different types of scenery, all types of situations and places. It all depends on what the students want to do,” Rollman said.

Professional grade software was added

and updated on the computers for film editing. The advanced classes edit on Premiere and the beginning classes edit on Final Cut, according to Rollman.

“I’m most excited to use the new editing software when editing my films because it’s professional and precise,” Hood said.

There is a series of six high voltage lights attached to the ceiling that can be pulled forward, backwards, and side-to-side, according to Rollman. This is a unique addition to the film studio that was not in place before the construction.

“I love this space and all that it has, but I do miss the intimacy of my old office. When I have advisory in here, it feels like my advisory just wants to be on the other side of the room and do their own thing. I feel like I’m not included,” Rollman said.

All the personal relics that were collected over the years, are finding new homes or making their way to the trash can, according to Rollman.

“I kept a few mementos that were special, but I didn’t have enough space for all of them. I had to store my theater books and plays above my desk,” Rollman said.

Although change is hard, it was time for a new and better space, according to Rollman, who is pleased with the filmmaking studio.

“I’m passionate about creating an atmosphere that allows people to escape their world and learn about someone else. Mr. Rollman helps me in every way he can,” Jensen said.

The tradition of karaoke, fresh popped popcorn, and decorated popcorn boxes still remains in Rollman’s advisory, despite his large new office and classroom.

BEST FILMS OF SUMMER

A GHOST STORY Directed by: David Lowery Written by: David Lowery Starring: Casey Affleck and Rooney Mara Rotten Tomatoes: 92% Metacritic: 84 IMDb: 7.2/10 View on: YouTube, Amazon Video, iTunes ($4.99-$12.99) So quiet and so, so beautiful, A Ghost Story is a gripping elegy that follows the speed and enormity of time through the eyes of a ghost. Although Casey Affleck and Rooney Mara’s faces aren’t seen much, and their voices are heard even less—silence and actions speak louder than words in this tranquil experience of a film—the constant of time ties together a powerful meditation about life. The movie boasts the summer’s most gorgeous cinematography, a unique 1.33:1 aspect ratio, and a score that is both calming and eerie. These elements help create an environment that is simultaneously soothing and distressing, atmospheric aspects that mimic Affleck’s character as he guides the audience through centuries of history in seconds but also makes viewers uncomfortable as he watches Mara’s character grief-eat a pie after his death; the dessert’s consumption takes less than five minutes, but it feels like an eternity, writer/director David Lowery taking advantage of the uncertainty and vastness of time to play with the audience’s emotions. Lowery’s utilization of time’s speed and magnitude to discuss the unknown surrounding people’s purposes, necessities, and relationships is incredibly moving and profoundly affecting. With an ending as potent and contemplative as they come, A Ghost Story leaves the audience treasuring the one thing they cannot get enough of: time.

[

CalebBrunman ’18 entertainment contributor

]

GOOD TIME Directed by: Joshua Safdie and Ben Safdie Written by: Joshua Safdie and Ronald Bronstein Starring: Robert Pattinson, Ben Safdie, and Buddy Duress Rotten Tomatoes: 89% Metacritic: 80 IMDb: 8/10 Preorder on: Amazon Video ($14.99) A heart-pounding thrill ride, Good Time masterfully demonstrates the lengths people will go for family; through a brutal character study that dynamically combines with harrowing commentary on the dangers capitalistic society and the neglect of the America’s underbelly, the film captures the consequences of life and the meaning of brotherhood. With insightful closeups and the incorporation of colors so astounding it’s reminiscent of 1955’s All That Heaven Allows—though Good Time emanates more of a fresh, neon flavor—Joshua and Ben Safdie create an intense atmosphere of desperation that Robert Pattinson brilliantly capitalizes on: Connie’s transformation from sympathetic brother to wild-eyed manipulator to humbled felon is truly mesmerizing.

Across from Pattinson, co-director Ben Safdie is no slouch as Nick, Connie’s mentally handicapped brother, who never fails to impact the audience with the struggle in his eyes and the weight of the world in his heart.

Featuring a kinetic score and frenetic action that waft over discussions of sacrifice, determination, and the humanity of trying to succeed even in the most dire of situations, the Safdie brothers shape an experience that is at once psychedelic and sobering. Add in an absolute sucker punch of an ending, and Good Time affirms itself as an utterly compelling film that completely understands the bond of family.

THE BIG SICK Directed by: Michael Showalter Written by: Kumail Nanjiani and Emily V. Gordon Starring: Kumail Nanjiani, Zoe Kazan, Holly Hunter Rotten Tomatoes: 98% Metacritic: 86 IMDb: 7.8/10 View on: YouTube, Amazon Video, iTunes ($4.99-$5.99) The Big Sick is one of the most accessible, perfectly awkward, and refreshingly sincere comedies in years.

Star and co-writer Kumail Nanjiani effortlessly portrays himself in this autobiographical film, but it is through the sweet and genuine script that he and wife Emily V. Gordon ensure every smile and emotional moment is completely earned. The movie’s brilliance is twofold: it’s a comedy that refrains from using cheap tactics to steal laughs, and it’s a romance film that creates real, compelling characters that don’t require an onslaught of sappiness to captivate an audience, qualities that are both increasingly uncommon in modern cinema. The Big Sick is complex, an authentic and carefully layered story that is wonderfully able to evade convention. In addition to its wit and heart, the picture also features strong performances across the board: Zoe Kazan is heart-wrenchingly poignant as Emily, who suffers from the titular sickness, and Holly Hunter and Ray Romano serve up some excellent complementary acting as her loving parents. There are also subtle commentaries on immigration, modernity, and family, all of which are disguised by humor—again, sophisticated writing elevates the film, in these cases through a splendid blend of satire and honest storytelling. Overall, The Big Sick is entertaining and touching, a genius at fusing comedy with drama.

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The Student Voice

HOW TO:

Bristol Brabson :

rtist

RETIREMENT: Brabson used watercolor to paint his ideal island GraceMesenbring ’19 a&e editor “There was never a point in my life where I wasn’t drawing,” Junior Bristol Brabson said.

Brabson’s inspiration for Aquatic Spinosaurus was the California drought, “Southern California’s overconsumption of water and lack of rainfall.”

He used fast-drying acrylic paint on canvas and he focused on color theory “and how you can experiment with different sets of primary, secondary, complementary, tertiary, warm and cool colors,” he said.

Brabson experimented with warm and cool tones in Aquatic Spinosaurus by separating the shades into seperate portions instead of mixing them.

“I used primary colors in the bottom right corner. The primary colors helps the man-made structures look artificial. I drew the ferris wheel from the inspiration of Chernobyl hazard sign,” Brabson said. “I chose to put warm tones in the top left corner of the piece because that is where the spino’s head is, and I wanted the viewer’s eye to be drawn to that place in the composition. Warm tones stand out.”

Brabson illustrated the effects of the drought through the use of dinosaurs.

“I’ve always enjoyed incorporating dinosaurs into my compositions because I find that because of the unique structure of a dinosaur’s figure, they give the viewer a sense of movement in a piece,” Brabson said, “Reptiles have defined body structures, making them somewhat easy to make look good in a painting.”

Aquatic Spinosaurus took Brabson a month to complete.

When it comes to creating his art, Brabson said, “My main goal whenever I start a composition is to sketch an idea that is both original and appealing to the eye. Inspiration for my pieces tends to come from whatever I think will stand out.

In this case [Aquatic Spinosaurus], I used a collage of magazine photos from National Geographic to develop a colorful composition.”

For his watercolor Retirement, Brabson drew inspiration from oceans and tropical islands, painting an island, he said, “I would like to retire to.”

“I felt that the watercolor and the cool tones would work well together to create a piece that has a tranquil tone,” Brabson said.

In his works, Brabson tries to incorporate an illusion of

take a good photo

of the Month

GraceMesenbring ’19 a&e editor

Courtesy of Bristol Brabson

depth to give his pieces a sense of realism.

“I have always created art in some form,” Brabson said.

“My parents have both had experience in the visual arts, so they have played a big role in inspiring me to keep creating.

I have also had a number of exceptional teachers throughout my school career who have encouraged and advised me. My ability to draw and paint has improved throughout my life.”

Courtesy of Bristol Brabson

AQUATIC SPINOSAURUS: an experiment with color using acryclic paint

Taking a photo requires focus and attention to detail. According to Visual Arts Department Chair Ellen Mahoney, “photography is about showing something different than what the human eye sees.”

Photographs tell stories, so knowing the intention and context of the photograph changes what angle completes the story best.

Instead of taking photos straight on, use angles that challenge what people see on a day-to-day basis -- from the side, from below, or from above. The eye does not naturally see images centered, so avoid placing the subject there without a reason. If one does decide to center the subject, the background should not distract. Repositioning the subject altogether is another technique that can create unique photograph, according to Mahoney.

Composition is the act of composing a balanced arrangement of elements, subjects and details to create visually pleasing images. A composition to keep in mind, much like in art, is the rule of thirds, which avoids placing the subject dead center.

Rather, place the subject along the guidelines of a nine quadrant graph and its intersecting lines. Rule of thirds transforms simple snapshots into pleasing photographs.

Leading lines can frame the subject and bring the viewer’s attention to the focus of the image. When taking a photo, I coordinate the natural lines in the frame leading to the subject, as well as the lines in the background that frame the subject. An example of leading lines is a sunset framed with telephone poles that lead to the center of the sunset.

Lighting is also crucial to achieve tones, proper exposure and definition in photographs. If a photograph is of a person’s face and a shadow is cast on their all over their face, the tone essence and mood of the photograph are different. If a photo is darker, the mood can be more eerie.

“The best lighting is in the morning and at dusk because the natural light from the sun is coming from the side. At high noon, the sun is directly above and can cast harsh shadows on faces,” Mahoney said.

Mahoney believes modern filters can alter subjects and allow photographers to do unusual things. The newer iPhone has wide angle lenses and focusing effects.

“Being passionate about the subject of the photograph will make the photo more meaningful and the process of photographing more enjoyable,” Junior Arleigh Haskal said.

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friday, february 3, 2017 11

Styled by McKagan

All Images by Grace Mesenbring The Student Voice

GraceMesenbring ’19 a&e editor According to Senior Mae McKagan, “Style is a way to express myself and make myself different than everyone else.”

McKagan defines her style as punk rock, vintage, and unique.

As someone applying to college planning to study fashion design, she believes she brings a fresh style, perspective and influence to the industry.

“My style is pretty different. I like bright colors, mixing patterns, and blending contrasting styles from

different eras,” McKagan said.

It wasn’t until her friend suggested that she go into the industry because of her unusual style that McKagan began thinking of fashion as a career choice.

“I’ve always been interested in fashion, but I really made my style unique when I got into high school and started figuring out who I am, what designers I like, and whose style I admired,” McKagan said.

Her favorite designers are Marc Jacobs, Enfants Riches Deprimes, Miu Miu, Chrome Hearts, Gucci, Vivienne Westwood, and Chanel.

When asked who has influenced her style the most, McKagan smiled and said, “my family.”

McKagan’s style is a concentration of her father’s rock influence and her mother’s designer-influenced style that has all collected into her own personal expression, according to McKagan.

“My dad grew up in the punk rock scene and Yves-Saint Laurent modelled a collection after him when he was in Guns N’ Roses in the ’90s,” McKagan said.

McKagan’s mother was a model and worked with an array of designers and artists. McKagan grew up seeing photographs, styled shots, and high fashion clothing and began recreating the different and eclectic looks.

Her dad has saved many pieces of his closet throughout the decades and has passed them down to McKagan and her sister. She individualizes her father’s vintage band t-shirts, accessories and relics to integrate them into her own wardrobe.

“I cut them up and make them my own,” McKagan said. “I grew up seeing all the pictures and clothing and I started recreating the style and look myself.”

McKagan’s eclectic outfits preach on confidence and nonconformity.

“One thing that you can tell about me through my style is that I

don’t care what other people think of me,” McKagan said. “I dress how I feel.”

She expresses her style by adhering to uniform guidelines, while still expressing her individual style.

“At school I accessorize with things I wear outside of school,” McKagan said.

Some of her favorite accessories in her closet are chain necklaces, which she believes typically connote urban culture and masculinity, but she makes them punk rock and feminine.

McKagan garners influence from Los Angeles itself because of the easy access to a variety of artists offering diverse styles. She finds artists, punk rockers, her sister, Grace, and Tyler the Creator particularly inspiring.

“Even if I go to the Melrose Fairfax flea market and I see new stuff that people are creating, that influences me and my style,” Mckagan said.

She and her sister are launching a fashion line in the next couple of months. The duo shares a lot the same ideas on fashion, according to McKagan, and both are very excited about it.

While shopping for clothing, McKagan looks for pieces that show her individuality. She prefers clothes with structure, clean lines, and vibrancy.

“I think people should learn to be more original. If someone wants to wear something, they shouldn’t be afraid to do it and own it.” McKagan said.

To others finding their personal style, voice, and identity, she encourages to stop caring and just be.

“Do whatever makes you feel confident and unique. Stop caring what other people think and start doing things to please yourself,” McKagan said.

12 friday, february 3, 2017

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The Student Voice

See the sea at fall musical The Little Mermaid RyanNorris ’19 off-campus editor Ariel, Ursula, Sebastian, and other creatures from The Little Mermaid will be leaving their home under the sea in order to perform onstage from Nov. 9-11.

The cast of eleven seniors, five juniors, four sophomores, two freshmen, and six middle schoolers, started rehearsals on Sept.

13th and is progressing quickly, according to Sophomore Sara David.

“We started learning the songs and the harmonies, and I’m really

excited to start learning the movement and choreography,” David, who will play a mersister, said.

Director and Department of Drama and Dance chair Neil Nash believes the musical is quite different from the animated film, but the audience will still get to sing along to the classics they love, along with many more songs.

One of the challenges continues to be the new stage in the Center for Community and the Arts.

“It is different from the gym, but as we worked with it before we

have kind of gotten used to what we can utilize and what we can’t utilize. It is all about working and showing off what we can do within our limits but still impressing the audience,” Junior Amanda Sherman, who is playing Flotsam, said.

According to Nash, this year, the crew is hoping to use smaller sets and more projections.

“That is not a space that is really conducive to scenery and that’s okay, it just means that we need to shift how things work,” Nash said.

Senior Teagan Wells, who will be

designing the stage, was not discouraged by the lack of space, and figured out a solution.

“We’ve designed sets that are back to back so we only have to turn them round in quick scene changes. Just trying to work more abstract around the subject, so that the audience can fill in what they want to see as background scenery,” Wells said.

As this is one of the more popular musicals, cast members voiced their concerns about playing such iconic characters.

Grace Mesenbring The Student Voice

SCENE STUDY: Cast members of The Little Mermaid running through “Daddy’s Little Angel,” a pivitoal scene in the musical.

School creates opportunities for student art displays LaurenGood ’18 managing editor “I think there should be art everywhere -- art dripping from the walls and all over campus,” Head of School James Busby said.

For the 85th anniversary of the school, the administration created an art project in order to get everyone in the community involved. Every student, faculty member, and even some parents painted coaster-sized slices of tree branches in the color(s) of their choice during the Founder’s Day celebrations on Oct. 6. The wood is displayed in the Center for Community and the Arts (CCA) on the staircase wall near the courtyard.

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Nov.

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In addition to the 85th anniversary artwork, students have many opportunities to display their work, according to Busby.

Photographs, drawings, and paintings are hung in the CCA and the glass cabinets in the Academic and Performing Arts Building display three-dimensional art, such as jewelry, pottery, and sculpture. Another opportunity to display one’s work at school is via the literary journal, The Oxford Comma, which displays written and visual works. Although the foyer was used for showcasing art, foot traffic due to sporting events has become too great in recent years for art to be secure.

Busby believes due to the nature of the rigorous, college-preparatory school, stu-

Senior Photos Due for Yearbook The Little Mermaid

Nov. 9 - 6:30 p.m.

Nov. 10 - 6:30 p.m.

Nov. 11 - 1:30 p.m., 6:30 p.m.

Spring Drama Auditions 2:30 p.m.-4:40 p.m.

“My challenge with playing Ursula is in making one of the most infamous Disney villains believable and even sympathetic at times. I think the best antagonists are ones who the audience can empathize with, despite their wickedness. My challenge is in finding this balance,” Senior Ella Beatty said.

Senior Zoe Constantinides, who will be portraying Ariel, said she is very excited to portray a character she has adored since she was a child.

dents often choose AP courses over the arts because they do not have “enough hours in the day” to complete all they want.

The art department has full domain over who gets to display their visual work on campus, according to Busby.

Junior Paul Bingaman Jr. had a dedicated gallery to his ceramics on campus last year, as he amassed a large enough body of work to have a solo collection. According to Bingaman, having an individual art display gave him a sense of validation beyond what grades provided.

“While receiving recognition for my work gives a great feeling, I work hard in Ceramics class because I love three-dimensional art, and the final product of my work is fulfilling enough,” Bingaman said Last year, Senior Viv Rubanenko held an intimate visual and performing arts show because in her opinion, there were not

enough outlets for artistic expression on campus. She wanted students to have the opportunity to showcase their artistic talents and passions. Rubanenko has plans for the show to return during second semester, although the date is still pending.

“There are a lot of creative and innovative students on campus, so I’d love to see more of that spirit around school,” Rubanenko said.

“Every subject is important in school; however, art is essential. It gives student a place to be reflective and express themselves.”

Senior Kelsey Gomez, president of Creative Writing Club, held a literary salon for students last year. Gomez welcomed poetry, essays, music, spoken word, and more to be shared. According to Gomez, the salon went “very well,” and she hopes more students will take part.

“It was really inspiring to see other students with a passion for writing and it drives me to continue to make more events like this,” Gomez said.

Nov.

8

Oxford Comma Submissions Due

Dec.

5

Literary Salon

Dec.

8

6:30 p.m.-8:30 p.m.

Oxford Comma First Issue &

MUS Holiday Assemblies

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DIVERSITY tuesday, october 17, 2017 |

The Student Voice

DIVERSE-CITY ElizabethSeo ’18 diversity editor

“Diversity.”

It’s a word used quite often, especially at Buckley, which has caused discomfort, confusion, and celebration, and as a word gets used often, sometimes the meaning gets lost in the abundant use.

Anything ranging from race, religion, gender, sexual orientation, geographic location, socioeconomic status, political views, sexual orientation, and even more, counts as what makes someone different, or diverse.

So what is the importance of diversity, and why are schools focused on diversity? Stepha-

nie Carrillo at Campbell Hall, the Director of Diversity and Inclusion and High School Diversity and Inclusion Coordinator, and Janine Jones at Harvard Westlake, Director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, answer questions about diversity, inclusion, multiculturism.

Diversity can’t just be something you opt out of and say it has nothing to do with me.

Diversity isn’t just a job. We live in a diverse world and going to a school like this, it should be something students should be educated about.

being challenged to think differently. It also creates more empathy by being exposed to people who live a life different than yours.

Q: What is your school doing for diversity and inclusion?

Grace Mesenbring The Student Voice

JANINE JONES: Janine Jones is the Director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion of Harvard-Westlake.

Q: What is diversity?

Jones: Diversity isn’t just a word, and people tend to look at diversity as just numbers, but for my title, while representation is important, equity and the inclusion portion of it is equally as important.

Q: What is the value of diversity in schools?

Jones: There are countless studies that talk about practical value of diverse, equitable, and inclusive community on students. An example is, if you are told that you need to prepare for a big meeting and that the people in the meeting are pretty much on your side with whatever you’re trying to convince them of, then your approach will probably be different than if I told you that none of the people at the table believe what you’re about to say. If you’re in a classroom where everyone looks like you, thinks like you, and have the same experiences as you, then you’re not

Jones: We have a variety of formats. We have assemblies, but they’re spread out throughout the school year. We definitely have different speakers coming in. In two weeks, we have Luis Rodriguez [2014 Los Angeles Poet Laureate] coming in, and in the beginning of November, we have [Conservative American talk show host] Hugh Hewitt coming in. We have countless of speakers who talk with our students directly, so we check all the boxes in terms of bringing speakers, which exposes Courtesy of Stephanie Carrillo our students to different ideas and experts in STEPHANIE CARRILLO: Stephanie Cardifferent fields. Each grade also has what’s rillo is the Director of Diversity and Inclusion called class meetings. They’ll meet together of Campbell Hall. as a big class and sometimes we have small breakouts during that class meeting time.

Q: What is diversity?

Q: Why did Harvard-Westlake decide to fire a Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion direc- Carrillo: Diversity’s meaning is so huge because all of us have identities that are multitor this year? faceted and ways we’re different from each Jones: This position has been in the works other. for years now. Four years ago, Mr. Commons, our president, asked three people to research diversity, equity, and inclusion proven practices at top independent schools across the country. They recommended that our school do a climate assessment. A climate assessment is a survey of what your climate is like. We had a company come in and they interviewed about 250 people. This company asked them questions to really get a sense of the culture and the climate on our campus. From that, we found a number of things that were doing really well and found things that we need to work on. Part of my new role is to follow up on the things that were identified on the climate assessment.

Q: What is the value of diversity in schools?

Carrillo: Los Angeles is a diverse place to begin with, and for schools like Campbell Hall and Buckley to not take advantage of that diversity, we would be completely missing out on a opportunity to have diverse and different views in the community. Schools like mine or Buckley want to prepare students for the future and become leaders, and if a school is not preparing you for the real world, which is extremely diverse and globally connected, and they’re not giving you opportunities to practice that, then it’s a huge disservice to the students.

Q: What is your school doing for diversity and inclusion?

Carrillo: We have chapel twice a week. We’ve moved away from having the name Diversity Chapel where it’s a thing, but now it’s wanting to put it in all the time in multiple places. We still have our MLK chapel, but we also have chapels about gay history. We’re always looking for how can we continue to have this be a part of what goes on at our school and not wait for a certain day or hold back or put it in its own separate section. It also doesn’t feel authentic to students if we just call it a Diversity Chapel. Seniors also have to take senior seminar classes where there are options like “Equity, Justice, and Leadership” and another class taught called “Ethnic L.A.,” which is a summer class, and there’s another class called “Race, Power, and American Society.” We also have advisory in high school twice a week. There are two specific diversity lessons in advisory. The idea is that it’s something that people can’t just opt out of and say they don’t want to be a part of these conversations.

Q: Why do you interview teachers?

Carrillo: I addtionally interview the teachers as a part of the process. I tell them about the diversity stuff at school so that those candidates know that diversity is something important at our school and allows teachers to know what kind of school we are. We expect teachers to be competent in the topic of diversity and inclusion. If they aren’t, the interview lets them know that this isn’t the school to be a teacher in.

Left ——— Stern ——— Right?

ElizabethSeo ’18 diversity editor Buckley has recently made efforts towards inclusion, such as teachers being told not to say gender-indicative pronouns (like “guys” or “girls”), but instead use gender neutral pronouns (“students”). This initiative is part of Buckley’s mission statement: “The Buckley School is a dynamic, nurturing learning community committed to equity and inclusion.

Our innovative teachers and challenging programs inspire

]

creativity, courage, and collaboration. By promoting a balanced development of mind, body, and character, we encourage each student to find joy and meaning in life and make an impact in the world.”

Social Sciences Chair Alexis Stern teaches AP Government, AP US History, and Civil and Criminal Law, classes in which different political opinions are expected. In class, Stern tries to create a place where students can express their political views without being disrespected. Stern wants the classroom to be an open exchange of different ideas, and have students, as long as they have the facts, speak their opinions. Stern asks students not to raise their hands while someone else is speaking. She wants students to listen instead of being focused on what students want to say, because she believes it takes away from the conversation.

Stern is known to be ambiguous about her political stance with students.

“I don’t share my views and my political beliefs, and by not revealing where I stand, that means no student has to feel like they have to say anything to try to impress me,” Stern explained.

“She’s probably conservative, but also given under-thebreath comments, she’s probably Democratic,” Senior Mat-

thew Glen Johnson said.

Amiguity of her political party is what Stern strives for with students.

“She mentions in class how she’s from Texas,” Senior Taylor Shabani said, “but her parents are from California, but her grandpa is a banker, and honestly, I’m really confused.”

Ultimately, Stern wishes to build empathy within students.

“When you leave the classroom, you need to be able to listen and respectfully hear other views without shutting them down,” Stern said.

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OPINION

tuesday, october 17, 2017 |

The Student Voice

staff editorial

props to those who helped those in need Elliot Choi’18 Editor-in-chief

Don’t go changing to try and please me

A while back, I went to a Chipotle and redeemed a coupon on my iPhone 4. The cashier scanned my phone and said, “Wow, haven’t seen this in a while.”It was funny.

But this conversation allowed me to realize the relic I use to call and text is considered unordinary.

I got an iPhone 8 last Sunday. My iPhone 4 had the same capabilities as an iPhone 8; both can call, text, and play music, just like any generation of iPhones. No, this isn’t a tech review or a grievance on the capitalistic greed of a major public company; this is a review of how I chose to disregard my faithful phone for a new iPhone 8. Instead of keeping my unique self, I chose conformity. My lack of judgment for change is an archetype for all of us; our choices to mindlessly accept change and disregard the past is imprudent.

Change is a frequent aspect in our lives. Memes become a lifestyle. People don’t eat food; they post it on social media. Amateur YouTubers became political figures. We allow change to intrude in our identity because newer always seems better. Change is inevitable; in a fast-paced lifestyle, where “innovation excites,” we don’t analyze how change will affect us.

This mindset allows change to dictate our identity drastically, and inadvertently causes us to forget the past.

Will change allow us to keep our true selves and identity, or will it conform all of us into trend-surfing simpletons?

I encourage you to think about the past rather than thinking solely on the present and the future. The past allows us to rationalize change, and encourages us to make better decisions that coincide and sync with our identity. For example, do we really need a new iPhone every year? When a trend surfaces and influences the community, do we really need to mindlessly follow?

Does it really matter if some hottopic celebrity goes to Zumba class at Studio City? (If it’s James Spader, then yes, it does matter.)

Although change is a necessity and will occur, don’t forget about the journey and the steps it took to reach your current self. Whether it is AP/honor classes, extracurriculars, college applications, sports, or your first year of high school, there is always time to reflect on your actions, and compare yourself now and before. By the way, mom, if you’re reading this, please don’t take away my new phone. I am very grateful.

Looking at the school’s dedication to public service, The Student Voice commends the efforts of multiple campus groups who have raised funds to help those in need following devastating Hurricanes Harvey, Irma, and Maria.

Just in the first week of school, after the Community Engagement/Service Learning Assembly, SOVA food pantry volunteers sold a variety of snacks for hurricane relief. Additionally, Varsity Club and the Community Engagement Council fundraised together for those affected by Hurricane Harvey. All funds went to Feeding Texas, “a statewide nonprofit that works alongside state and federal relief efforts to make sure help reaches families quickly and efficiently,” according to Clay Perez Garcia, faculty advisor of the Varsity Club. They sold concessions during volleyball games, which raised about $350, according to Director of Experiential Learning Abi Basch.

Seventh grader Alexander Hoover-Gibbons has donated 4,500 pairs of shoes to Soles4Souls since 2012,

an organization dedicated to distributing shoes to those in need. Finally, through Aloha Friday, the school raised a total of $1780, Upper School Dean of Sttudent Life George Russo said.

At ClubFest, many community-service related clubs were introduced including a club to help people attain clean water to helping the environment through landscaping and planting.

The Editorial Board applauds the Buckley community for helping those who are in desperate need of help but also encourages students to do even more to help in any way possible. As a student body with many opportunities, the Editorial Board believes it’s imperative to help others in need, especially when many of us have been lucky enough to receive opportunities through our schooling.

Also, when many horrible events are happening around the world like the mass killings in the Las Vegas shooting, it’s essential to remember to give back in any way we can.

The Editorial Board voted 11-0 in favor of this editorial.

the student newspaper of The Buckley School Contact The Voice at: 3900 Stansbury Avenue, Sherman Oaks, CA 91423 818.783.1610 ext. 461 studentvoice@buckley.org

editor-in-chief Elliot Choi ‘18 managing editor Lauren Good ’18 campus editors Celine Farhadi ‘19 Colette Kanbarian ‘19 news beats & profiles editor Amir Behbahani ‘19 off-campus editors Ryan Norris ‘19 Aexander Arejian ’20 opinion editor Sara Broukhim ‘20 diversity editor Elizabeth Seo ’18 arts and entertainment editor Grace Mesenbring ’19 sports editor Sebestian Moftakhar ’20 foreign correspondent Abby Rothwell ’19 business manager Sebestian Moftakhar ’20 copy editor Sophia Norouzi ’21 staff reporters Sara Sarkissian ‘19, Dylan Prince ’19, Andrew Choi ’20, Wyatt Miller ‘20, Emma Lotts ’21, Sophia Norouzi ’21, Cameron Ryan ’21

Courtesy of Ark Lu

La vie en France: part one Abby Rothwell ’19 foreign correspondent My name is Abby Rothwell. I worked on the Features section last year as a sophomore and am now writing as a foreign correspondent from Paris, France, where I now live and study.

So why did I move? After attending Buckley since the second grade, I won’t lie, I grew tired. For me, sophomore year was difficult and stressful to the point where I didn’t feel happy. My family has never stayed in the same place for long. I moved from Manchester to Los Angeles when I was just seven years old, and since then, I felt programmed to adapt. After all, it’s what humans do best.

As a toddler, my father, a writer, took me to galleries instead of parks. I was raised surrounded by literature, music, and art, and I am forever grateful to him for that. However, my rigid routine (wake up, school, homework,

sleep) drove me towards insanity.

My mind could not wander. Of course, this is not the life of every Buckley student. We all have very different backgrounds and upbringings. Mine just caused me to need to escape my uncomfortable comfort zone. I wanted to step out of my routine, face a challenge, immerse myself in a new culture, and achieve something new.

On Aug. 27, I moved to Paris to live my own renaissance. I attend Notre Dame International High School, whose campus was Marie Antoinette’s summer home. Before moving, I rethought my decision endlessly. However, I could not be more relieved to say that moving to Paris has been the best decision I have ever made...ever...

In just one month I feel renewed.

I am my most spirited, most intellectual, most focused self. Without six hours of homework a night, I have read five books in a month.

If I hadn’t move to France, I would have found out much later that Jane Austen is in competition with Virginia Woolf to be my favorite author. On Saturdays, I saunter the halls of whichever museum I happen upon, Ladurée in hand.

The influx of inspiration from every direction takes me back to my toddler days, when the world was a blank book, and I could write the pages.

I wake up to an icy blue sky and frosted fields. I walk thirty steps to school and sit through five classes identical to those I would take at Buckley. After school, with a picturesque view, I sit with my classmates on the grass spread with binders, textbooks, and laptops, studying and doing homework together. Figuratively and literally, it is a breath of fresh air.

Of course, I miss my home L.A. I miss my brother, my bedroom, and açai bowls. I may dream more in Paris, but I surely laugh less, and for that I miss my best friends, Arleigh and Nicolette. However, these hints of homesickness highlight the simple beauties of my old lifestyle. I never expected to value refrigerated water so much, nor did I realize I have a longing in my heart for good Japanese food.

If you are contemplating studying abroad, actually consider the option of studying in a new part of the world and experience something new. Research where you would want to go and talk to your parents.

Although the idea may seem ridiculous, it may be the best decision you ever make. Take a chance on a leap of faith. It definitely changed my life for the better. After all, the City of Lights has illuminated my life in ways angels never could.

faculty advisor Mitch Kohn mission statement The Voice strives to inform and educate the students of the school as well as provide leadership on significant issues impacting the school community. editorial policy Writers and editors adhere to the highest principles of excellence in journalism including accuracy, honesty, respect, integrity, and precision. editorials Unsigned editorials reflect the majority opinion of the Board of Editors of The Student Voice and not necessarily the student body’s.

Signed editorials and columns reflect only the writer’s opinion. graphics Illustrations and artistic renderings may or may not represent the opinions of the artist. advertising Publication of an advertisement does not imply endorsement of the product or service by the newspaper or by the school. We reserve the right to refuse any advertisement. distribution 1000 copies are distributed free of charge on campus and mailed to subscribers. reader input The Voice values reader input via letters, guest columns, and story ideas.

Email Sara Broukhim ’20 at sbroukhim@buckley.org for more information.

Printed on recycled paper.

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APs: absolutely (not) pointless

celine farhadi ’19 campus editor Until just recently, even the possibility that a school would deprive its students of AP classes seemed nothing short of blasphemy. Blasphemy against the religion of college application, against the church of Ivy League acceptance, that so many of us so piously devote ourselves to.

Respected high schools, like Phillips Exeter Academy and Berkeley Carroll, are dropping AP courses. You may ask yourself, What elite university is going to accept a kid without a single AP class? Contrary to popular belief, many private schools following the trend would argue that Advanced Placement courses are doing the kids a disservice rather than elevating their academics.

Exeter and Berkeley Carroll claim that APs don’t allow for in-depth study because of the sheer amount of information the class must cover.

“It was a race for breadth against depth,” Robert Vitalo, Head of School at Berkeley Carroll, said. Former Crossroads School Headmaster Roger Weaver, one of the trailblazers of AP rejection, wrote in a letter to

Sara Broukhim ’20 opinion editor

The passive voice on our campus

Two weeks into the school year, I accidentally dropped about 20 bright orange flashcards in front of my locker at around lunch time. Without noticing, I walked away. By the end of the day, my flash cards lay on the floor trampled over with a broken rubber band.

Initially, I thought “thank God!” because who would want to remake their notes? But then I wondered, “Why didn’t anybody pick up the note cards?” This story with the notecards highlights a problem of indifference on our campus.

Obviously, we have more pressing matters at our school than my note cards or maybe I should be addressing my obliviousness.

But I feel we should become more involved at school not only academically but socially.

Although I’ve heard many people complain about Buckley, and I’m definitely guilty of that as well, the school presents us with many opportunities. We should be seizing all the possibilities this school has to offer not just for colleges but for actual authentic enjoyment.

Unlike other educational institutions, if you want to join a sports team or help out with the musical, you can. Because of our smaller stuent body, more opportunties are presented in many aspects. Because of this freedom, we shouldn’t have a choir of eight

tuesday, october 17, 2017

parents, “[We] prefer courses that prepare students to be reflective, analytical and ongoing learners. Classes geared to a specific, externally designed test do not best achieve this objective.”

As I’ve taken an AP course, I can attest to it being an year-long sprint with the finish line being the AP test rather than a greater understanding of the material.

Aren’t all classes like that, though? Whether it be a final exam or an AP test, all classes must cover a certain amount of information, and most students must regurgitate that information at the end of the year in some manner to physically prove that they’ve gained something from the course.

Additionally, Advanced Placement courses emulate college curricula and rigor to demonstrate a student’s success in such a class to a university. They standardize courses and student evaluation, so B-level comprehension of material in one school cannot be A-worthy in another. A 3 is a 3 is a 3 for every student in every school anywhere in the United States.

The unfortunate truth, however, is that the abstract arguments made by high schools for and against Advanced Placement courses mean nothing unless colleges are on board.

A college preparatory school can criticize APs as fervently as they please, but if a university is going to accept a student with 5 APs over a student with none, it is the high school’s duty to provide a student with all the tools to out-compete other students for spots in top colleges.

At this time, it isn’t possible to say whether

a school not allowing APs will impact college acceptance, because it depends on a hierarchy of factors, one being the reputation of the school. One can say Exeter, one of the most prestigious private schools in America according to Niche, has the luxury to rid itself of AP classes, because colleges will be less likely to question the integrity of the classes. However, students of other schools without such luxury, must continually find ways to prove the validity of their grades.

Overall, colleges loathe to see students racking up weighted classes at the expense of a balanced life, according to Matt McGann, Director of Admissions at MIT and Bill Fitzsimmons, Dean of Admissions at Harvard University.

“Too many times I’ve had students tell me about the pressure to add another AP course -- sometimes a fifth, sixth, or seventh AP course for the year (!) -- and, consequently, drop something they really enjoy,” McGann writes.

The school should continue to offer APs but with a 3-4 course limit with no exceptions. Competitive, motivated students, the sort of student we have an abundance of, will go to the extreme to give themselves the edge when applying to college, but universities want to see students challenging themselves while maintaining a love of learning — not an AP machine. It is our school’s responsibility to limit the number of APs, not only for college admission but for a balanced lifestyle.

when we had a choir of almost 100 people a few years ago. After signing up for clubs at ClubFest, we should actually attend some of the clubs we sign up for because although the free food is greatly appreciated, one day of free food doesn’t inspire growth, learning, or make a lasting impact.

Moreover, a high school experience shouldn’t just be filled with academics and your life outside of campus. Going to sports games or attending the formal create a sense of community and develop relationships far more than a classroom setting. Additionally, by running a club or just participating in meetings teach you something that wouldn’t be learned inside a classroom and provide different moments to your “high school career” other than the typical 8:15-3 school day.

In fifteen years when you think back to your time on campus, what do you think you’ll remember? It probably won’t be the score you received on your biology exam but the activities you were involved in and the friendships you had. Mark Twain once said, “Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn’t do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from safe harbor. Catch the wind in your sails.”

Join the robotics team, sign up for the choir or anything that provides you with that little spark of interest. Whatever you like to do, the opportunities are endless because, at the end of the day, you don’t want to be regretting your choices and wishing your high school experience was something else.

Of course, one should also find a happy medium between involvement in school activities and stretching oneself too thin. If you’re captain of the soccer team, the lead in the musical, and are the president of five clubs, that much involvement doesn’t illustrate a passion but can often invoke a stressful mechanical routine. Additionally, to complete more but focus on fewer subjects can be more fulfilling than joining 20 clubs for colleges and not getting any sleep.

There are times when students are heavily involved on campus. For example, more than forty students auditioned for the school musical in September. And many students organized different fundraisers for Hurricane Harvey, Irma, and Maria relief. That’s really amazing and showcased a passion many Buckley kids have for theater or community service, but I feel we need to see this kind of involvement in other aspects of the school as well.

There are many ways to be involved on campus either through clubs, participating on sports teams, or just through selfawareness combined with some respect for the school or others. I understand we all are busy, need to get from point “a” to point “b” as soon as possible but if nobody is willing to pick up a pile of note cards, how are we going to react, as a student body, when it actually matters? Whether we’re in an actual emergency or stay silent when something needs to be said, it’s up to us, as students, to care enough to change something; perhaps something as simple as picking up a pile of notecards.

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Lauren Good ’18 Managing Editor

Stop comparing yourself to others (thanks)

“What did you get on your SAT?” “How did you do on that quiz?” “What activities are you writing in your Common App?” Questions like these circulate the campus constantly. Everyone wants to know everyone’s business. Not for curiosity or concern but for unhealthy competition. There exists a manufactured a culture of conflict, pitting students against one another until they simultaneously see friends as adversaries. The school has a faux-supportive culture where students are happy for their friends… until said friends get a higher grade than them.

While it is an inescapable truth institutions compare students for admission processes, focusing on other people’s academic life is a waste of time. Students make a hobby of comparing themselves to others. Try focusing on improving yourself rather than impeding others. While we’re struggling through the madness of college applications, we should remember the number of years we’ve all been with each other and ask are we willing to ignore the hallmarks of our friendships for applications and grades?

So why do you do it? Is it to feel superior that you are “smarter” than someone else?

This will eventually disappoint you when you have a rough day and end up on the opposite end of the curve. It is also shallow to configure yourself as “smarter” or “dumber” than someone else based on grades.

I have seen the effects of this on my peers.

I have been a shoulder to cry on many times in the bathroom after a grade has been released. I hear friends talk all the time about how someone is so much better than them, which leads to an artificially inflated ego in the other person. Students should not link their self-worth to their grades, as I once did.

When I came to this school as a freshman, I immediately felt unsure of my capabilities surrounded by my highly intelligent peers.

The school is filled with people who ace every subject. However, I have learned that we all have something to contribute to the culture. The worth of a student is not quantifiable, especially by a few letters and numbers.

In a place with 830 students and a class of 77, the school can feel tiny. It is lovely to know the names of all my classmates, but maintaining privacy is a struggle.

Seniors, arguably going through one of the most important times of our lives, should stand united as a graduating class of 2018.

Looking back on my senior year, I want to be able to remember the happy moments. The world will inevitably compare us, so let’s do ourselves a favor and not do it to each other.

Satirical Cartoon Courtesy of Carlos Otaño

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PROFILES & NEWS BEATS tuesday, october 17, 2017 |

The Student Voice

Melody and harmony, rebuilding the choir program

Qualities needed for a successful choir

AmirBehbahani ’19 news beats & profiles editor Having four new choir teachers in the past four years, Buckley’s choir program is trying to be revitalized after facing many challenges in the past.

The choir, consisting of only nine students in the Upper School, has not been as popular as it used to be. Previously, with more than 60 students in the Upper School choir, the choir was not lacking any singers.

When asked about the challenges of building a choir, Department Chair of Music and Assistant Librarian Serena Vaquilar said, “One of the challenges that we’ve experienced, is getting people to come back to the program after they’ve been away from a year and they’ve done something else. So it’s hard to get them back into the room.”

Vaquilar said that as students get older, they prefer to take more academic classes, therefore, it is more difficult for students to fit the class back into their schedule once they have decided to drop the class.

Head of School James Busby also feels strongly about the topic, having attended Westminster Choir College, in Princeton, New Jersey and growing up Christian, singing hymns. Busby, a former choir director on the East Coast, has sang in choirs for a long time and said, “I love singing, but I’m just super busy here. It’s my favorite thing.”

Busby feels like there are many crucial factors for building a new and successful choir.

“There are a lot of different variables. It takes a really good choir director to get together all these different people, get them to blend their sound together, and there has to be seriousness but it has to be fun. You have to be clear but not too overbearing. You have to be a hard worker, but you can’t work them [the singers] to hard.

It’s crazy. It’s like being a good coach for anything, really. There are good coaches and there are great coaches, and I think choirs suffer with a good choral director -- it always needs to be great,” Busby said.

Elliot Choi The Student Voice

:Junior Grace Mesenbring sings in off campus groups, but not in choir.

Amir Behbahani The Student Voice

PLAY A NEW TUNE New Choir Director, John Touchton is a man of music, proficient on piano and French horn, as well as a singer.

Q & A with John Touchton, new choir director AmirBehbahani ’19 news beats & profiles editor

Q: First, what is your background?

A: I have been a pianist since I was 5 and I was involved in my own secondary school’s band, jazz band, and choral program.

I took music theory in my high school for two years. I think I took other classes, too, I just don’t remember them as well. I have 3 degrees in music and I went to 3 different colleges, so I went to school for many years. I went to Baylor University, University of Cincinnati, and University of Michigan, which was my last degree. And so through those schools, I played French horn, piano, and I conducted, and so that’s my background. I have also overseen school choral programs and I have done community choruses and church choruses, so all music, all the time, my whole life.

Q: Do you have any specific performance dates set up for the year?

A: We are still working on those. The list of things that the school has, I will do those. I’m always a person who wants to see more opportunities, so I’m open to those. I am also one of those people that will never put people in front of an audience unless they are really ready. I want to make sure that students are comfortable and that students are singing convincingly and singing repertoire they love and then that goes before the public. I would build the acapella program if and when there are numbers. One thing that is already happening is that we had no students sign up

for the 8th grade chorus, which is really tragic. Every other grade that I am teaching, 4th through 12th, have kids in it, but no 8th graders.

I am working right now with a minor acapella group that kind of grouped up last year and we are going to bring those kids back together starting in a few weeks just to get 8th graders singing.

That is one way I’m trying to get 8th graders because 6th, 7th, and 8th are really the feeder into Upper School, so I want to see if I could make it work.

Q: What was the reason that you chose Buckley over the other schools?

A: All of the administrators I met were amazing, James [Busby], Neil [Nash], Deborah [Monroe], Gregg [Sacon], Dina [Figueroa], Serena [Vaquilar] was wonderful, Adrian [Parsons] was fabulous— she was great.

So all these people were part of my interview process and they were just so wonderful, so warm, so kind, super supportive, really interested in my work, and then, I got to meet a whole bunch of the kids and I was like “wow,” this is exactly what I hoped and wanted to do and so it was a combination of a really welcoming administration and then the kids were just great.

Q: How does Buckley compare to the other schools you taught at?

A: Very similar. Similar type students, really driven students, conscientious, kind of quirky, funny, interesting people. My whole world has predominantly been in independent schools, so this is a familiar student body to me by enlarge.

Q: How do you like the campus and the learning facility?

A: Amazing. Yeah, I think that we are so lucky. I look in the room I get to work in every day, gorgeous. The performing space, awesome. I love the campus and I’m still not over the fact, this is embarrassing, that there is just no snow here. I am really excited about not having winter. I mean your winter is not that bad, right? I love that already.

Q: Where were you teaching before you came to Buckley?

A: I was at a school in Washington D.C. called Sidwell Friends School, and I was there for 14 years.

Q: Do you know the number of students in each of the Lower, Middle, and Upper school choir, or in each grade?

A: This year we just started out with 26 4th and 5th graders, 27 middle schoolers, and 9 upper schoolers.

Q: What do you think that you particularly bring to Buckley and the community? And how do you you think that you are going to revitalize the choir?

A: One of the things that I think I can bring to the program is that I absolutely love doing this. I love teaching, I love working with students, I love kids, I have four kids of my own, and I just love the age. I love that you know. I don’t want to work in a college. College students are great, but I don’t want to teach them, I just love this age.

And so that, and then also I love teaching and making music and it’s my number one passion. The idea that I get to make/explore my

passion with people that I really like, I mean that’s a great life. And so I hope that is compelling, and I hope that’s interesting to students here, and we’ll see if that works out.

Q: What do you think your goal and your mission is for not only this year, but the future as well?

A: Really to just build some trust with the student body and some interest in singing, interest in singing in groups whether that is choral groups, acapella groups, musical theater and just get the students at Buckley to have some interest in trying to come out for this, you know. Clearly, some things have happened in the past that students have pulled out of it, and I want to see if we can change that.

Q: Last question, do you have any specific songs that you are planning to cover this year?

A: That’s tough because as I get to know students, I am exploring any and all kinds of repertoire and if you were to ask any kid I’m working with, I’m already hearing and they’re already saying “wow, we are looking at new pieces, we are looking at some older things,” and I will look at any music as long as we can all agree that there is quality in it. All genres, all styles— contemporary, modern, pop, classical, baroque, renaissance, I will do any and all of it as long as I feel like there’s an element of quality and it’s a piece or pieces we can live with. Pieces that you learn in 5 minutes and we sing them over and over, then they get stale.

There’s better music out there for groups, and so that’s kind of where my head is with that.

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Six new faculty, staff join community Judith Sekler MUS mindfulnesss

Sara Broukhim The Student Voice

SaraSarkissian ’19 staff reporter The new teacher of mindfulness and meditation, Judith Sekler, has been teaching mindfulness, meditation, and yoga for 20 years.

Sekler graduated from UCLA with a degree in communication studies. Since then, she has become one of the first teachers of mindful movement in independent schools, starting and teaching a yoga program at the Marlborough School for 17 years.

Prior to Buckley, Sekler also worked with Thousand Joys, a non-profit organization committed to providing trauma-informed care in schools and offices. When she was not working in schools with the Thousand Joys organization, Sekler taught in homes, offices, and television stations.

Attempting to incorporate mindfulness into the Buckley curriculum, Sekler is currently teaching a middle school exploratory class and an upper school elective, both segmented in movement

practice, including yoga and walking meditation, mindfulness practice, and meditation practice.

Sekler describes mindfulness as “the process of paying attention to a present moment experience.” Passionate about the field, Sekler believes mindful movement classes can provide stress relief, but more importantly, “they can give you a way of having a different experience with yourself, and that experience is generally one people are surprised by, often in a pleasant way.”

Benj Hewitt yearbook advisor/MS Mathematics

Sara Broukhim The Student Voice

AndrewChoi ’20 staff reporter Benj Hewitt, the new upper school yearbook advisor and seventh grade math teacher, comes from Berkeley, California.

He majored in American history and literature at Harvard University. Hewitt previously taught American history, directed theater, and coached rugby at the Shrewsbury School, a boarding school in England. Hewitt is also the author of When

I Come Around, a semi-autobiographical novel about his life.

Teaching mathematics for the seventh grade, Hewitt wants to encourage confidence in his students with a teaching philosophy that “math is like games and puzzles.”

Even though it is Hewitt’s first time as a yearbook advisor, he plans to assist students in creating a story through their experience using pictures and words, and help students express what it means to be the school’s student in the world at this period of time.

“Yearbook this year is a bit more relaxed.

He is really making the effort to make sure everyone is involved in the process and that we incorporate current events into our spreads so that we actulaly remember what happened this past year,” Yearbook Editor Senior Margot Hoffman said.

When Hewitt isn’t at school teaching math and advising the Yearbook staff, his hobbies include art, dancing, and writing. He lives with his wife and two daughters.

Isabelle Grandshire French teacher

Sara Broukhim The Student Voice

SophiaNorouzi ’21 staff reporter Isabelle Grandsire, the new Middle School French 1A and 1B teacher, is originally from Nancy, France. She grew up, attended college, and taught there before coming to the United States.

She grew up speaking primarily French, but learned English in sixth grade and learned German and Portuguese in college.

Grandsire moved to and has been teaching in Los Angeles for over 20 years.

She partakes in many hobbies over the summer.

“When I go back to France, I go hiking in the Alps or in the Vosges mountains that are closer to where my family lives,” Grandsire said. “I like it because it’s quiet, peaceful, and the scenery is just beautiful.”

Grandsire still loves the start of every new school year.

“Every year is different; it’s like starting a new adventure every September. I get to know new students, I can share my

knowledge, help them, see them become more confident and I learn new things, too, thanks to them,” Grandsire said.

Her students seem to love her warm teaching style and how interactive the course is.

“She always encourages us to come for help, and speak as much French as we can when talking to her,” Freshman Anna Tutundzhyan said.

Ke’Yuanda Robertson English teacher

Wyatt Miller The Student Voice

WyattMiller ’20 staff reporter The newest addition to the English department, Ke’Yuanda Robertson, teaches sixth and seventh grade English, and advises the writing lab. Robertson previously taught at Westerly school, a private school in Long Beach. She likes how small and intimate her new classrooms are, and that she gets to teach more students.

Robertson grew up in Berkeley, California, majoring in broadcast journalism and

sociology at USC, and even though moving from San Francisco to Los Angeles was a big transition, she loved USC. She has lived in Los Angeles ever since.

Her favorite subjects to teach are English and History, since she likes to discuss politics. She also enjoys to intertwine the two subjects.

“I feel like I can’t separate the two. Really I am a humanities teacher, so I can incorporate philosophy and thinking and questioning,” said Robertson.

Robertson’s favorite book is Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett, and because of this book, she realized how much she loves the Medieval period and historical fiction.

A big part of her decision to choose the school was our “team environment.”

Robertson likes working with other people and wanted “more opportunities to grow from like-minded professionals.”

“I really love Buckley in the short time that I have spend here, and I’m excited to see what the school year holds.”

Jessica Adams assistant admissions officer

Sara Broukhim The Student Voice

EmmaLotts ’21 staff reporter Maryland native Jessica Adam is adjusting to life as a new member of the school’s community. Adam received her bachelor’s degree from Duke university and her master’s degree from Antioch University.

For the past three years, Adams has worked as a counselor, mentor, and group facilitators for teens. She is currently teaching AP Psychology and Brain and Behavior. It

is clear that she intends on making her classroom inclusive and dynamic similar to her educational experience.

“I always look forward to her class and can’t wait for what’s to come in AP Psychology,” junior Sabrina Yadidi said.

Growing up in Annapolis, Maryland she took on some activities, such as stand-up paddle boarding. She enjoys playing tennis, pickup basketball, and baseball growing up. Her favorite childhood memory was

“[playing] baseball games in our backyard.”

“I learned just as much outside of the classroom as I did inside the classroom,” Adam said.

Adjusting to the school’s new lifestyle has been a smooth transition for Adam.

She enjoys being a part of the welcoming community.

“I like Buckley life–there is an enthusiasm and excitement around the community,” she said.

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tuesday, october 17, 2017

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The Student Voice

Simon’s hand-crafted surfboards

SaraBroukhim ’20 opinion editor Sophomore Will Simon loves surfing. He loves the thrill factor, the incessant need to catch bigger waves without giving into the fear, and being one with Mother Nature and the waves.

“It’s like when you’re in the wave, you can’t think about anything else except the wave,” Simon said.

“You’re not in a trance but it's like a complete block out of anything except you and the board and the wave.”

When Simon is not waking up at extremely obscure hours (4:30 a.m. every day) or at school, he works on his company Fisher Surfboards, named after his uncle’s father, making and repairing surfboards.

“I love surfing more than anything— except my mother,” Simon said.

Simon started surfing four years ago with his uncle. During the summer of 2015, he worked as an apprentice at RD Surfboards, a surf-boarding company in Santa Monica. Working five days a

week during the summer, Simon repaired boards and learned how to shape from Rhett, the owner.

Eventually, he began his own business to become more independent.

“I wanted to make my own money but also wanted to be my own boss. I didn’t want to work for Burger King or have hours,” Simon said.

Unlike other surfboarding companies, Fisher Surfboards custom makes all their products as opposed to other companies who use a machine, according to Simon.

The company has also paid off all their debts -- an average surfboard costs $100-$200 to make, but he sells the board for $600-$900 each.

“I was in a $10,000 debt [from his mother] from tools and buying a car and now I’m not in a $10,000 debt,” Simon said.

To build a surfboard, Simon starts the process with a blank board of styrofoam. He shapes the board to its desired rocker, the bend of the board, whether that be a nose rocker or a tail rocker. After he flattens out the board to remove any bumps, traces the board to its

desired template, which Simon makes himself, and cuts out the board. He cuts in concaves and sands the board and its rails. Then, he adds some “final touch-ups” and sands the board starting with 80-grit sandpaper and moves up periodically to 400-grit sandpaper.

Simon covers the board a polyester cloth and adds resin depending on how heavy he needs on making the board. He then adds color to the board. The whole process takes about 10-15 hours on average.

“I like it because it’s so cool to put so much time and effort into something that when you’re finally done with it, I get to use it. It’s really rewarding,” Simon said.

So far, Simon’s favorite board was his first board. “I’d been studying about it for months before I actually got to do it. So when I finally got to do it and when I finally got to surf, it all just felt so perfect,” Simon said. “And I can still see flaws in the board now because I’ve gotten better as a shaper, but for some reasons, it’s kind of like a magic board.”

Between balancing school and

his business, Simon has learned to complete all his homework the night it is assigned to have more time at the end of week to spend on his business.

Prior to Fisher Surfboards, Simon had made multiple businesses with his best friend and neighbor, Oliver Schnieder. The two friends started a housekeeping company and a car washing company together when they were younger.

“We both know we are the most important people in each other’s lives. We both rely on each other because I make him step outside of his comfort zone and he makes sure I don’t die stepping outside of my comfort zone,” Simon said.

Simon plans to make a living out of his surfboarding company eventually, even though he thinks it may be a little unrealistic. “If my [life is] completely average, but I’m doing what I love for my job I’d know I’d be the happiest person,” Simon said.

Courtesy of Will Simon

Admissions celebrates new mission statement AlexArejian ’20 off-campus editor As the hectic admissions season is in swing for the 2018-2019 school year, the Admissions Department has come up with new approaches to promoting the school and its mission statement through open houses and student ambassadors.

According to Director of Admissions Steven Milich, the Admissions Department is working closely with the Advancement Office and Communications in promoting the school’s 85th anniversary. A new anniversary logo is being put on posters in the streets and in the in the admissions’ mailing letters.

The new mission statement will be incorporated in interviews and application processes, ultimately choosing families that best suit and reflect the values of the statement.

“The mission statement is very powerful in this office. All of the admissions advisors have it memorized. We incorporate it in all the interviews with the parents,” said Milich.

During interviews, parents are asked to comment on the statement, how it impacts them, and what part of it appeals to them the most. “Many of the parents respond positively to the ‘make an impact in the world.’ They want their kids to grow up to be self-efficient and steadfast.” Milich added.

“Because the student ambassadors are a living example of the

Buckley commitment, and play a key selling point for the school, they will be helping the admissions advisors in promoting the 85th anniversary and the new mission statement,” said Milich.

One of the responsibilities for the Admissions advisors,Director of Admission and Financial Aid Steven Milich, Associate Director of Admission and Financial Aid Katie Patterson, Associate Director of Admission and Financial Aid Therese Bagsit, Transportation Coordinator/Admission Assistant Lisa Dempsey, and Assistant Director of Admission Francisco Hernández are to promote the school to the students at “feeder schools,” or schools who have many students who apply to them. Typically, the advisors speak to many of the counselors at other schools and their lower/middle school students.

“We have updated our presentation and are moving further away from technology. Not every school has the resources needed for Power-Points or digital presentations.

So we created the ‘Buckley Box,’” said Milich.

With the “Buckley Box,” the advisors can bring in different objects in order to tell a story, like the old Griffin logo, uniforms, swim caps with the Griffin on it, and use them to talk about the Four-Fold plan, the campus, and athletics.

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SPORTS

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The Student Voice

Cross-country recovers with 18 runners; largest roster in past four years ElliotChoi ’18 editor-in-chef Two years ago, the boys cross-country team managed to survive on four members.

Last year, the team slowly gained traction, with a total of eleven athletes, while the girls team went on a hiatus due to the lack of runners. With four new coaches over the span of three years, the team was met with an influx of runners, almost doubling the size to 18 athletes and adding four girls to the roster.

The team is now composed of ten freshmen, six sophomores, and two senior athletes.

“The number of runners increased for two reasons: we had a strong middle school program for a couple years, and [cross-country] is the only competitive sport for boys in the fall season,” Upper School Athletic Director Kerry Kulisek said.

Head coach Brooks Proctor, along with Senior Captains Stuart Karimi and Jake Markson, look to stabilize the program with “faster times, faster runners, and next-level commitment.”

“I lean on my captains to motivate the team; I just oversee things. Pure motivation from the captains and peers is different than when coaches do so,” Proctor said. “It lights a different fire in you.”

The team ran 2.6 miles in their first meet on Sep. 19 at Johnny Carson Park, with Sophomore Jack Klines and Freshman Gavin Comartin representing the boys varsity team by finishing 8th (15:30) and 10th place (15:41), respectively. Freshmen Isabelle Gomez and Olivia Gomez placed 14th and 15th place in the girls event, finishing with times of 19:59 and 20:05, respectively.

“I started running during the summer and I became addicted to the way it feels and the progress I started to make. However, during those long runs, when your lungs burn and your legs feel heavy, I will be honest, it hurts and I would go as far to say as I hate it,” Freshman Isabelle Gomez said. “However, the next day I still get up and I run. I think I like the way it feels to finish, to know that I pushed my body to its limits.”

A typical workout starts with stretches to warm up the body and to prevent cramps, according to Proctor. The team then runs a warmup lap on Gilley Field and heads offcampus, where the team usually runs to Coldwater Canyon Ave. and back, which roughly translates to four miles. When time permits, the team finishes with 200-meter sprints and final stretches to warm down the body.

Courtesy of Stacy Klines

TWINS FOR THE WIN: Freshmen Isabelle Gomez and Olivia Gomez race to the finish at Johnny Carson Park in a league meet. They placed 14th and 15th place, respectively.

“I make sure I come to every practice with a smile on my face and show genuine enthusiasm for the sport,” Karimi said. “We understand that sometimes it is difficult, but I know my team responds positively when they see leaders that are able to do the tasks required, and when you encourage everyone to boost one another than motivation and camaraderie grow.”

The team also utilizes different exercises, such as running up and down the stairs, core

workouts, and sprint finishes to “change up” the routine, according to Klines.

“We’re always looking for ways to make practice fun. Though we make jokes during practice, the team pushes everyone to their limits,” Klines said. “Our team goals is to ultimately win leagues. Everyone knows what they are signing up for.”

The team will compete at the 70th Annual Brooks/Mt. Sac Cross Country Invitational on Oct. 20.

Girls golf team only freshman and sophomores SebastianMoftakhar ’20 sports editor The Griffins hold a 1-6 league record with three matches left before League Finals. The team’s lone victory came against Firebaugh by 20 strokes on Sep. 19.

Although the team has no upperclassmen, with two freshmen and two sophomores added to the girls golf team, Head Coach Andrew Lotts “sees a lot of potential ahead of the season.”

According to Lotts, the team’s strength is their numbers and energy. With seven sophomores, three of whom are captains, and three freshmen, the Griffins hosts the largest

roster in program history.

“It is great that we have a lot of girls because, hopefully, we can start pushing people to get better so that they can play in matches and go have fun,” Lotts said. “When we go out there they hit a lot of balls, they do what I ask them to do, which is always great.”

The team chemistry seems very high since the team is “made up of only sophomores and freshman,” Lotts said.

“We all get along really well and have a pretty good friendship between the ten of us,” Sophomore Ella Willis said.

According to Willis, the team always cheers each other on before matches. Im-

proving as individuals is Lotts’ focus.

“I hope that they take this as an experience and don’t worry as much about the results,” Lotts said.

After the team’s loss to Chadwick, Lotts was surprised and excited by his team’s performance.

“I thought that we did pretty well. We played at a good pace. We did slow down at the end, but that is expected for people who haven’t played before. A few of my player’s scores surprised me, and I am looking forward to seeing how they improve even more throughout the season,” Lotts said.

According to Lotts, the team’s record is

1-6 because they are in the process of rebuilding, and, lack experience since there is an absence of upperclassman.

A real problem they have is that they aren’t able to bring the entire team to practice when they go out to the range or the course because they only have a seven-seat sedan and the team has nine people according to Lotts.

“The girls that don’t play matches don’t go to practice. It depends on who has a game next. We don’t get mad if we are not able to practice,” Willis said.

XCountry

Golf

Tennis

Volleyball

20 25 29

10:30 Away

Mt. Sac Relays

3:00 Away

Balboa Park

3:30 Home VNSO Park

17 19 23

1:00 Away Tourney 1

12:30 Away Tourney 2

3:30 Away CIF

19 23 24

12:00 Home ASG

TBD

League Tournament

TBD League Tournament

18 19 20

5:00 Away Pilibos

4:00 Home

Campbell Hall

5:00 Away HMAHS

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SPORTS

tuesday, october 17, 2017 |

The Student Voice

BUMP.

SET.

STATS. 12-2

Overall Record

Amir Behbahani The Student Voice

LOVE AT FIRST STRIKE: Junior Caroline Huber returns the serve with a spike during a match against the Archer School for Girls Jaguars.

The Griffins lost to the Jaguars 3-0 (25-21, 25-14, 25-18), partially due to Senior striker Caroline Bloch’s ankle injury.

New coach, new rival, new focus; girls volleyball undefeated in league ElliotChoi ’18 editor-in-chief With a new coach with a central focus on technical skills and game strategy, the girls volleyball team has grabbed an early start in their quest for a league championship, with a 12-2 overall and 9-0 league record.

Anthony Mezzavilla, before taking over as the newest varsity volleyball head coach, started his coaching career in high school, where, while still a student, coached the JV and freshman team in Northgate High School, finishing the 2005-06 season with a 15-1 league record and a league title. From 2006 to 2009, Mezzavilla was UCLA’s undergraduate assistant coach; the team reached the Sweet Sixteen, Elite Eight, and even the Final Four NCAA men’s national collegiate volleyball conferences during his tenure. After graduating, Mezzavilla coached the Archer School for six seasons. In 2013, the Jaguars made a first-time appearance in the CIFSS Final Four tournament, the highest achievement in program history to date.

With Mezzavilla suggested by former head coach Julianne Piggott to the school, the team faces a different focus, according to sophomore striker Annika Reff.

“The difference is not based on gender, but on coaching style,” Reff said. “[Mezzavilla] instills strict, fundamental basics, which is crucial

to game play. This is important for non-club players, and he makes sure the team has the basics down.”

One exercise, known as the “step-hop” has made a significant difference during games, according to Reff. The step-hop consists of engaging leg muscles before the opposing setter sets the ball, which prolongs the serve-receive time period. In other words, defenders preemptively put smaller loads on their body rather than an imminent heavy load once the ball is in play, creating a faster reaction time.

“The idea is you want a good pass so the setter has all attacking options,” Mezzavilla said.

Under the leadership of veteran captain Senior Caroline Bloch and new captain Senior Sophie Antebi, the team has won almost every game with a 3-0 match win, with the exception of Oakwood (3-1), the team’s league rival. The Griffins won with moderation in the first two matches (25-21, 25-15), with the Gorillas winning the third game in deuces, 26-24. However, the fourth match ended quickly; the Griffins demolished Oakwood with a 25-5 win.

The Griffins’ only loss was against non-league opponent Brentwood on Oct. 2. Losing the first two games by two (26-28, 23-25), the Griffins secured a win in the third game (25-23), hoping for a comeback. However, in the fourth game, the Eagles and Griffins fought for superiority in

overtime, with the Eagles dominating, 33-31.

However, another powerhouse contender to the Griffins’ path to a league title has unexpectedly given the team yet another opponent to bear in mind: the de Toledo Jaguars.

“The Jaguars recently became our biggest rival,” Bloch said. “This match was definitely our hardest win because it was so unexpected.”

The Griffins still managed to secure a threegame sweep against the Jaguars on Sep. 14. The first two games were neck-and-neck, with the Griffins winning in deuces 26-24. On the last match, however, the Griffins won with a 25-12 win.

The team is working to perfect their passes in order to complete their plays, such as A (back row set to the left side of court), Pipe (back row set to middle court) and D (back row set to right court). The team’s signature play, known as the Go, is when an outside striker sets the ball as straight down as possible. The Go, however, can only be completed with perfect passes, according to Bloch.

The Griffins lost to Archer School of Girls on Oct. 13 in a home conference game. 3-0 due to Bloch’s sudden ankle injury, causing a change in the outside striker position to junior Caroline Hubert.

The Griffins play league opponent the Pilibos Eagles on Oct. 18 in a home game on 5:00 p.m.

9-0

League Record

9 game

win streak

8 matches

won in three games

1009 total points scored by Griffins

720

points scored by opponents

Girls tennis strives to improve skill level and consistency; “figuring out best lineups and combinations” SebastianMoftakhar ’20 sports editor Last season, the girls tennis team ended their season with a 20-5 overall and 10-2 Liberty League record, an impressive 83.33% league winning percentage. Despite an 11-7 win against the Milken Wildcats on Sep. 19 and 12-6 win against the de Toledo Jaguars on Sep. 7, the Griffins are off to a slow start with a 2-5 overall and 1-3 league record.

Head coach Sue Sherman believes building a solid base is essential for this year’s season. The young team is majorly composed of freshmen and sophomore players, with

only three juniors and no seniors. The Griffins are still figuring out the best lineups and combinations for single and doubles teams, according to Sophomore Charli Wappet.

“This season is geared towards improving every player’s skill level and consistency,” Wappet said.

The doubles team composed of sophomore captain Alyssa Wagner and Wappet hold an 89.47% and 90% winning percentage out of all of their matches, respectively, winning all three matches 6-0 in games against de Toledo. The doubles team of Gabriella Saghian and Natalia Nistratova added three

more match wins (6-4, 6-4, 6-1). Freshman Zoe Stevens won her match against Archer as number one singles (3-6, 6-1, 6-3).

The Griffins have many goals they are looking to achieve throughout the season.

Junior Nicolette Kolesnikov believes one of the main goals the team is to “work hard together as a unit.”

The team utilizes two to three practices per week, including weight-rooming training, and about two games per week to “bond, grow, and get used to playing with each other as the season goes on,” according to Wagner.

According to Sherman, the team needs to improve their power and consistency. Each player plays three different opponents which usually are juniors and seniors. Intimidation and confidence plays a large role.

Despite the two game losing streak against Le Lycee de Francais (8-10) and Archer (711), the team is “very optimistic and full of hard workers,” according to Sherman.

“The kids who are new to high school sports are attacking every challenge head-on and coming to practices and matches with fantastic attitudes,” Sherman said.