Issue 2

ISSUE , VOLUME XXVII | THE BUCKLEY SCHOOL | STANSBURY AVENUE, SHERMAN OAKS, CA

focus: are you scared page 14

THURSDAY, OCTOBER ,

insidenews

outdoor ed | page 5student trips were full of adventure

opinion

banned? | page 10when pandas are off ensive, everything is

features

costumes | page 12mr. wright’s elaborate halloween costumes

a & e

musical | page 18south pacifi c practice is in full swing

sports

repeat | page 24girls tennis aims for CIF success this season

INDEX:news.........................................1-7opinion..................................8-10features.......................11-13, 16focus....................................14-15arts & entertainment......17-23sports..................................24-28

page 11.

I look the part.I smoke. I drink. I gossip.

news2 thursday, october 27, 2011 |

SENIOR DANCE | page 4The Roaring 20’s senior dance raised $3,500 for the class of 2012 and included a photo station and gambling sets.

Voice2Voice | page 5Voice2Voice with the new assistant head of school James Busby on his transition to Los Angeles and new position.

CONSTRUCTION | page 7Work on the Science and Mathematics Building will begin June 2012 instead of June 2013 due to budget capability.

insidenews

SENIOR DANCE | page 4

newsinbrief

with BUSBY | page 5

CONSTRUCTION | page 7

Voice reporters earn CSPA Gold Circle Awards

Sophomore James Bernstein, senior Andrew Davis, and Andrew Daneshgar ’11 received Gold Circle Awards from the Columbia Scholastic Press Association (CSPA).

Bernstein earned a first place Gold Circle Award for his “Former Buckley teacher escapes Tripoli” sidebar. Davis and Daneshgar won an award for two sports page designs: “Undefeated:15-0” and “Teach me how to Buckley.”

“I was really surprised when I found out; my sidebar was only a small section of a larger piece about the Middle East and I would never have expected it to go the distance,” said Bernstein.

Gold Circle Awards recognize outstanding work by individual student journalists or sometimes newspaper staffs. There are 205 categories for the award with high school and college journalism judged in separate spheres. According to CSPA’s website, 13,000 entries have been entered in recent years with only 1,000 journalists earning awards.

ClaireSelvin ‘13

The MUN Summit scheduled for October 22 was canceled due to lack of participation, according to senior Nesta Myrie, club president.

Conflicts such as the ACT scheduled the same day prevented students from participating. Schools such as Marlborough and Harvard Westlake were affected in the same way, causing entire delegations to forfeit.

As organizers of the con-ference, the executive officers of the club, Myrie, junior Jess Wa-lia, vice president, and senior Leon Freyermuth, secretary, are disappointed as they were look-ing forward to the first MUN summit hosted by Buckley.

“I was upset that the event I have been working on since the beginning of summer will no longer take place, but I love what I do so it didn’t phase me too greatly.

the MUN summit might be rescheduled for later this year.

NatalyaSands ‘14

ClaireSelvin ‘13assitant editor

Eight new security cameras were installed over the summer in the Lower School, Middle and Upper School locker hallways, and the Middle and Upper School backpack area to monitor the campus and discourage theft, according to Curtis Covington, director of plant operations.

The campus now has a total of 15 security cameras.

Susan Sherman, dean of students, said that theft has been an issue in locker halls.

“If students would simply put a lock on their locker, that would cut down on theft,” she said.

“The guards monitor the cameras daily

and I [also] have the ability to view the recordings. The recordings are only referenced if there is a problem in one of the monitored areas,” said Covington.

Junior Jess Walia, who had a TI-84 calculator stolen from his locker as a freshman and a TI-89 taken as a sophomore, welcomes the cameras.

“[The cameras] will definitely deter a lot of people from resorting to stealing but people are going to steal, no matter what. They are always going to find new ways to get around precautions,” said Walia.

Sherman said the installation of cameras is beneficial as there are many crowds in the

Eight new security cameras keep an eye on campus

Community service day offers four locationsOliviaPerez ‘12chief photographer

At the 12th annual Community Service Day on October 22, community members volunteered at One Incredible Family, Sherman Oaks Beautification, Victory Elementary School, and the Children’s Hunger Fund.

At each of these locations, all used on past service days, participants packageed food, cleaned up parks and schools, and made goodie bags for the holiday season.

Unlike most charity projects, Community Service Day gives participants a “hands on” experience. By working on local projects, participants saw what

they can do to make a difference in their own communities and how their efforts will affect many peoples’ lives.

Last year’s event brought in 500 members of the community while its popularity still rapidly grows. Although this year’s event fell on a three-day weekend, Christine Braunschweiger, director of community service, appreciated strong efforts, especially from the younger students who are just being introduced to community service.

“I love seeing the little kids every single year because they’re so excited and so accomplished of what they’ve done for the community,” said Braunschweiger.

One Incredible Family

Sherman OaksBeautification

Students package gift bags filled with treats. They create 1000 bags during the visit which are shipped to children across the U.S.

Students pick up trash, remove debris, and clear sidewalks of grass patches to help main-tain the streets of Sherman Oaks.

Victory Elementary School

Children’s Hunger Fund

Students refurbish the outer area of the elementary school by painting murals and planting flowers on the campus.

Students pack, weigh, and bag foods such as beans and dried fruits which are put into “food packs” and shipped to Peru.

“A lot of strangers come to campus for games so I’m glad that the cameras were installed.”

Susan ShermanDean of students

Middle and Upper School locker halls and visitors are always coming to campus.

“A lot of strangers come to campus for games so I’m glad that the cameras were installed,” said Sherman.

Junior Gabriella Selover said the cameras may reduce crime, but students may still be dishonest when taking something from someone else’s locker.

“I suppose they would decrease the amount of stealing from lockers, but I don’t think it will stop the problem completely because students may claim they were borrowing a calculator from a friend,” said Gabriella Selover.

Cameras were installed over the summer in Middle and Upper School locker halls and the Lower School.

featuredfacts

• Discourage theft from lockers

• Brings total number to 15 cameras

• Increases security when strangers on campus

The locations:

aboutSecurity cameraS MUN conference

cancelled due to lack of student participation

3 thursday, october 27, 2011 news opinion features focus arts & entertainment sports

newsinbriefRoden honored by Sherman Oaks Chamber of Commerce

Culture concert celebrates Hispanic Heritage Month

The Culture Concert on October 14 celebrated Hispanic Heritage Month by featuring the works of

Mexican artists and performers. Ellen Mahoney, visual arts department chair, discussed the impact painters

Diego Rivera and Frida Kahlo each had on art in both the United States and Mexico as she presented their most famous works in a slideshow. Brought in by performing

arts department chair Vincent Houser, the band, Mariachi Sol de México de José Hernàndez, played a set of songs

throughout the assembly. Simultaneously, Ignacio Delgado-Hernandez and Joanie Kailany, of the Grandeza

Mexican Folk Ballet dance company, performed two numbers in the styles of Mexican polka and folklórico, wearing traditional costumes to reflect the European

influence on Mexican culture.

Olivia Perez The Student Voice

MUSIC: Mariachi Sol de Mexico de Jose Hernandez performed.

New mock trial club preps prosecution team for first competition on Nov. 2


HAT DANCE: Presented by Ignacio Delgado-Hernandez and Joanie Kailany.

MeherSingh ‘14assistant features editor

On November 2 the revived Mock Trial club will attend the first conference where the team will be advocating the case of Ryan Buschell, who was charged with second degree murder for killing his colleague in a music festival similar to Coachella.

Juniors Tucker Higgins and Jack Rose decided last year that they wanted to restart the club and began forming it. They asked history teacher Karen Drohan to be the club advisor.

“In the Mock Trial Club students have a legal case to present in front of real judges and lawyers. The students will learn how to present both a prosecution and a defense,” said Drohan. “Students who are considering law as a career can gain experience by competing in the Mock Trial competitions.”

Providing students with a realistic courtroom experience, the club has professional lawyer advisors who teach and guide them for upcoming conferences, where different teams argue a certain case in front of an actual judge while following the real legal courtroom processes and procedures.

“Mock Trial is one of the few clubs on campus that operates itself like a class. We have a curriculum, we have three lawyers who

help us with legal strategy, and we meet more than once a week,” said Higgins.

Lawyer advisors include Michael Kaiser ’00, who founded Mock Trial at Buckley and Jennifer Sliskovich, though the main advisor is Valeria Balfour.

“Valeria is one of the most skilled and competent lawyers I’ve ever met: she got the best grade in mock trial in law school, and has gone on to never lose a case in her entire career as a defense attorney,” said Higgins.

Balfour teaches the members of the club everything they need to know about courtroom trials, including opening statements, cross examinations, and more.

“Right now, our goal is to simply be successful. Starting a new club, especially one as time consuming as mock trial, is very difficult, and we are getting better at the logistics of it all. Our goal will always be to win all of our trials, and that is what we aim for,” said Rose.

Out of the 70 person club, less than half will compete in the trial while the rest will serve as paralegals, understudies, and researchers.

“The purpose is simple: to learn law, and to learn it well enough to compete and win,” said Higgins.

Tech department creates club for students

SalimChamoun ‘14assistant news editor

It was a typical Clubfest for most Upper School students, as club presidents and vice presidents stood in front tables promoting their clubs, but something seemed odd; a table of technology staff wearing red shirts was exhibiting technological equipment.

The Technology Club, unlike most clubs, was founded and is advised by staff rather than students.

The club’s goal is to form a committee that will generate ideas for the new technology center, in the Academic and Performing Arts building.

“The idea is for the students to run the club. I’m only helping it get to its feet. I will help advise the club only,” said Jose Tagle, director of technology.

Tagle hopes the club will give students a greater knowledge on the daily technologies they use.

“If our teachers had a “techy” student that could help them solve technical problems, it would build the confidence of our teachers and hopefully lead to more technology integration in the classroom,” said Tagle.

Tagle wanted to start the club not only to spread his knowledge of technology but to also reestablish a student-teacher relationship.

The club members will learn about not only products such as the iPad, but more complex ones as well.

“There’s no limit to the technologies we will focus on. However, they will be educational based,” said Tagle.

The club has 30 members and hopes to add Middle School students, but attendance at their first meeting, October 7, was low.

“This is the second school year not being a teacher. I miss the interaction I had with students,” said Tagle.

THE CASE: Wheeler University senior Becca Abeles was found stabbed to death at the Wooly Wizard festival in Emerald Desert.

PROSECUTION

Ryan Buschell murdered Becca over a $20 million inheritance scandal.

DEFENSE

An unknown person who also attended the music festival murdered Becca.

images staff attends design workshop

Kathy Daly, photographer, ran a workshop for members of the 2011-12 Images staff on October 21.

Daly, who works with Herff Jones Publishing Co. and has served as a yearbook judge for the National Scholastic Press Association, spoke to the students about photography, writing and current trends in design.

Sophomore Michael Len said that most helpful to him was “learning about captions and how detailed they should be and that they should go beneath the surface.”

Neal Roden, Middle School principal, was honored as the 2011 teacher of the year by The Sherman Oaks Chamber of Commerce at the annual Sherman Oaks Street Fair on October 16.

“I was actually surprised. I felt honored and flattered. I had no idea that I would win up until the moment I won. I’m still in a state of shock. I never thought I would come home with four certificates from council members,” said Roden.

Though Roden wasn’t aware that he was about to be recognized, his colleagues, including Deborah Monroe, Upper School principal, were aware of the honor. Roden was brought on stage without knowing of the imminent award after being told that, because Buckley was a sponsor, he needed to be on stage.

“I was always involved with Sherman Oaks City Council and the neighborhood cleanup.” said Roden.

Dr. Larry Dougherty, head of school, agrees said Roden has helped build ties between the school and the Sherman Oaks community.

“Mr. Roden has worked tirelessly with the city to move our projects forward. He has done so much for the community and strongly believes in community service. We thought that, since this was an award initiated by the Sherman Oaks community, nobody has done more for the community than Mr. Roden,” said Dougherty. MichaelLen ‘14 TylerMorad ‘14

thursday, october 27, 2011 4news opinion features focus arts & entertainment sports

Roaring 20’s raises over $3,000 for senior class, draws 182 students

The soiree on October 15 drew included dinner and drinks, a photo station, gambling games, non-stop dancing, and a student d.j.

KathrineHerzer-Hansel ‘15business manager

The senior dance, the Roaring 20’s Soiree, in the Roy Disney Family Pavilion on October 15 raised over $3,000 for the class of 2012.

“When I walked into the dance I thought it was decorated really well, and I was surprised to see as many people dressed up in theme,” said Matthew Wittmer, head librarian.

Many students thought that the seniors did a great job on the theme and other aspects of the dance.

“The seniors did a really good job of making it fun for all of the grades, and not just the seniors,” said sophomore Gina Ahmar.

The dance included dinner, dancing, gambling games, and a photo station.

“The theme was more glamorous than anything we have had before, it was more extravagant than anything we have had before, and I think that motivated people to come, and have a great time,” said senior class representative Daniel Gabbay.

“The theme was more glam-orous than anything we’ve had before, it was more extravangant than anything we have had before, and I think that motivated people to come, and have a great time.”

Daniel GabbaySenior


GAMBLE: A group of students enjoyed the gambling tables at the dance.


DO THE CHARLESTON: Seniors Jamie Stern, Misty Kirk, Kiara Gitlin, and Jesse Light show off their 1920’s outfits at the dance.

featuredfactsabout

SeNior DaNce NumberS

Decorations

Food and Drinks

Party Pieces Tickets and Posters

Student Disc Jocky

$200

$250

$300 $75

donated


voice: What exactly did you do prior to Buckley?

busby: Most recently I was assistant head of school at Saint Anne’s in Brooklyn, New York. Most people describe it as a progressive school, but it’s a school that is geared towards its arts programs and its educational philosophy, which, among other things, includes not giving grades.

voice: We students are all looking ahead to figure out what we’re going to do with our lives. Can you share how and why you decided to go into education?

busby: Education is about possibility and it’s about transformation. I’ve always loved to learn so being in an environment that places development as its mission [is great].

voice: Tell me about your transition to Buckley and Los Angeles. What have been the easiest and most challenging aspects?

busby: It’s hard, to give an easy answer to that, because I lived in New York for 25 years. The easiest part about being in LA is the weather, people are very friendly and I know that people in LA laugh about that in comparison to New York. But the most difficult thing is leaving a life you built up in one place: friends and all the contacts that you’ve had. But that’s been easier by how friendly and welcoming people at Buckley have been and that’s the truth – I know it sounds corny.

voice: What is your perspective on Buckley now that you’ve been assistant head of school for almost two months? What has surprised you?

busby: Nothing has surprised me in a shocking way. I think it’s difficult to make any assumption about a culture even within two or three months because I think when you’re dealing with human beings and an educational environment there’s

JAMESBUSBYAssistant head of school

During the early hours of the school day, new assistant head of school James Busby stands by

the guard gate greeting students with a smile and a wave as they enter campus every morning.

This daily routine helps him acquaint himself with the community and gain insight about the

transportation situation. The Voice sat down with the new administrator, who has nearly 20

years of teaching experience at various New York schools, to discuss his chief goal for his first year, the transition from the ‘Big Apple’ to Los Angeles,

and the school’s future.

with AndrewDavis ‘12

always aspects that are more subtle that you need time to get out. What surprised me was the depth of the creative writing program. Most of what was presented to me in the interview process is true. I think Buckley is a school that knows itself very well and knows its challenges and issues. Getting at the subtleties of that and implications for some of the things people think are challenges for Buckley right now is the work ahead. It’s the process of being here and asking the right questions and making myself available and present.

voice: What visions and goals do you see for Buckley?

busby: I think Buckley is at a really exciting time both with the Campus Enhancement Plan (CEP) and as a member of the larger educational world in general that’s starting to deal with increasing pressure of students, especially in high school. I think Buckley is well positioned to make a positive contribution involving the larger problem of educating the pre-college adolescent. [Buckley] addresses every aspect of a person with its four-fold plan, it’s a warm and caring community and there are a lot of people who are committed to excellence and to the love of learning.

voice: What aspects of student life will you focus on: academics, co-curriculars, moral education?

busby: [I plan on focusing on] all of the above. Part of my job is that I’m a little bit of a troubleshooter, so whatever comes up I deal with. Whatever issue is presenting itself I pay the most attention at any given day or time, that’s kind of where my attention’s going and Larry [Dougherty’s] position is more of looking at the big picture and I’m obviously part of that conversation but I’m working to deal with the stuff that comes up on a daily basis.

voice: Is there anything specific you want to

accomplish in your first year or any one area you are giving most attention to?

busby: I’m giving most of my attention to getting to know Buckley better. I think it’s interesting that when a new person comes to a community at a higher level of administration – from student, to teacher to staff member – your almost like a mirror to the institution because you’re reflecting back seeing things new. You’ll make comments at things that maybe you as a student take for granted, [but] I’m looking at it with fresh eyes and just by asking an honest question about something like: “why do we wear red on Big Red Day?” It almost makes people think about it in a way, whether I want to or not I’m going to serve as a mirror to the institution and getting beyond that and getting to know Buckley on a subtle level is kind of my job for the next year.

voice: What do you see as your biggest challenge?

busby: It’s being as responsive and sensitive to what is here now so that I can help lead Buckley forward. I need to create a balance between observation and taking action. I think a lot of people think they’re going to go into a new community and that they’re going to change it or fix it or whatever. I don’t really think that’s what my role is. I think that I can respond effectively and help guide Buckley forward with all the various constituents on board: students first, faculty, and certainly other components.

voice: Is there anything you would like to say to the students while you have this forum?

busby: I love getting to know all the students, seeing all their accomplishments is a thrilling thing to be a part of.

voice: Thank you so much.


091112

10

Griffinsgonewild

MOUNTAIN: A student climbs a nearby hill at Joshua Tree.

ROCKS: Maurice Roberson scales a rockwall.

CAMP: A group of students rest on rocks while on a hike in the desert.

CANOE: Students float in their canoes on the river with their naturalist and chaperone.

PADDLE: Jonah Zarrow paddles across the river with a smile.

CAVE: Students venture into a cave near the river.

During outdoor education from September 20-23, freshmen traveled to Joshua Tree, sophomores to Brandeis Bardin, juniors to the Colorado River, and seniors to Angeles Crest.

ROPES: Timothy Halimi and Jesse Light brave the ropes course together.

CLIMB: Cassidy Kuppin climbs the rock wall.

SENIORS: Members of the Class of 2012 gather on their last outdoor ed trip.

HELP: Liliana Wilcockson plays the victim in an emergency simulation.

FIRST AID: Chase Holiday and Billy Wilson learn about first aid procedures.

JUMP: Jeffrey Lowenthal and Tyler Morad enjoy a jump rope activity.

CANOE ROPES

PADDLE CAVE

CLIMB

SENIORS

MOUNTAIN ROCKS

CAMP

HELP

FIRST AID JUMP


Groundbreaking construction to begin June 2012The Science and Mathematics building will include new science labs, mathematics classrooms, and a robotics room.

CLAIRESELVIN ‘13

Phase two of the CEP, construction of the Science and Mathematics Building, pre-viously scheduled to begin in the summer of 2013, will now commence in June 2012, as announced by Neal Roden, Middle School principal, at the Founder’s Day Assembly on October 7.

The administration’s decision to begin phase two a year earlier than planned results from success in fundraising and efficien-cies that will be realized by avoiding a pause between construction of the two build-ing.

“Our goal has always been to provide the facilities as soon as possible,” said Holly Bauer, director of capital campaign.

Because the two story, 14,000 square foot building will stretch from the current sixth grade classrooms to Dean Susan Sher-man’s office, its construction will have more impact on campus life than that of the Aca-demic and Performing Arts Building.

The Buckley School

A NEW ERA: Construction of the Science and Mathematics Building will begin June 2012. It will stretch from the current sixth grade classrooms to Dean Sherman’s office.

“This new building will allow us to strengthen our work in science, technol-ogy, engineering and math – S.T.E.M. – and is a crucial part of our efforts to prepare students for the 21st century,” said head of school Dr. Larry Dougherty. “It’s an exciting time in Buckley history and I know these buildings will prepare future generations of Buckley students in the same way that the Quinn Martin Science Building has served our students for decades.”

The Academic and Performing Arts Building will add new classrooms, eliminat-ing any need for the use of temporary class-rooms for the 2012-2013 school year.

“We’re trying to minimize construction with demolition, foundation, and steel work [being completed] over the summer. The impact [during the year] will be noise and dust,” said Bauer.

A construction fence and sound mitiga-tion wall, a sound-proofing barrier, will be

erected around the construction zone, as the classrooms facing the site will still be opera-tional.

The seventh and eighth grade locker hall will be demolished; the administration has not yet decided on a logistical solution to this problem.

The school has raised $26 million for the $34.4 million project, with the Science and

Mathematics Building costing $16.5 mil-lion and the Academic and Performing Arts Building $17.9 million.

The school has focused on leadership level grants and donations from smaller groups of the community but will be reach-ing out to more families and alumni with a $2 million goal for the 2011-2012 school year.

The Science and Mathematics Build-ing will be Leadership in Energy and Envi-ronmental Design (LEED) certified, envi-ronmentally safe, and include new biology, chemistry, and physics labs, a robotics class-room, and math classrooms.

“We’re trying to get more space and better space, and we will achieve that,” said Bauer.

The school’s current 3,926 square feet of science instruction space will be increased to 6,223 square feet with the completion of phase two.

“Our goal has always been to provide the facilities as soon as possible.”

Holly BauerDirector of capital campaign

The Buckley School

ROBOTICS ROOM: The new building will include a room devoted to constructing robots. The Buckley School

CHEMISTRY LAB: The building will include new labs for Physics, Biology, and Chemistry.

opinionthursday, october 27, 2011 |8

the student newspaper of The Buckley School

Contact The Voice at:

3900 Stansbury Avenue, Sherman Oaks, CA 91423

818.783.1610 ext. 461

[email protected]

voice.buckley.org

faculty advisorEllen Samsell Salas, Ph.D.

editor-in-chiefAndrew Davis ‘12

assistant editorsClaire Selvin ‘13Elle Wisnicki ‘13

design and production editorJonathan Friedman ‘12

EDITORIALSUnsigned 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, graphics and artistic render-

ings may or may not represent the opinions of the artist.

ADVERTISINGPublication of an advertisement does not imply endorsement of the product or ser-

vice by the newspaper or by the school. We reserve the right to refuse

any advertisement.

READER INPUTThe Voice values reader input via letters,

guest columns and story ideas.

The Online VoiceVisit The Online Voice at

voice.buckley.org for more up-to-date con-tent, exclusive online features, and archives

of print issues.

Printed on recycled paper.

news editorClaire Selvin ‘13

assistant news editorSalim Chamoun ‘14

opinion editorAndrew Davis ‘12

features editorJames Bernstein ‘14

assistant features editorMeher Singh ‘14

focus editorShilpa Mantri ‘13

arts and entertainment editorsAlice Breidenbach ‘12

Mark Cook ‘12

assistant arts and entertainment editorsTara Bitran ‘14

Nika Shahery ‘13

sports editorsElle Wisnicki ‘13

Jack Rose ‘13

assistant sports editorTyler Morad ‘14

copy editorDaniel Gabbay ‘12

chief photographerOlivia Perez ‘12

business managerKathrine Herzer-Hansel ‘15

staff reporters Tucker Higgins, Michael Len, Billy Wilson,

Brandon Edmonds, Grace McKagen, Natalya Sands

Think – then actIntegrity matters

STaff EdITorIal

“I can resist everything except temptation,” said Oscar Wilde. Temptation is all around us. On our campus. In our

communities. During a test, you can look at another student’s exam and never get caught. At home you can download movies illegally.

You can photo copy a friend’s homework because you are too lazy to do your own work. You can talk to friends about an exam prior to taking it and equip yourself with an undeserved, unfair, (and immoral) advantage over other students.

These temptations to cheat must be resisted. Students frequently engage in these immoral activities because

they don’t think they’ll get caught, oblivious to the consequences. Students, be careful - think, then act. The consequences are real.

Think about the fact that colleges will be notified if you cheat on an exam, copy homework, or supply friends the answer to a question on a quiz. If cheating involves two individuals, both students will be suspended and will have to inform most colleges that they violated our school’s principle of academic integrity.

And, it is your integrity that matters more than the zero that you will receive on the assignment.

Integrity is defined as, “the quality of being honest and having strong moral principles; moral uprightness.” Such moral uprightness is expected from all students because such morality teaches us life lessons.The gravity of our cheating policy exists because

administrators, faculty, and staff do not want young students to get the idea that cheating promotes prosperity later in life; rather, it is a path to despair.

For some, the feeling after cheating eats them inside. Others get the false idea that cheating is the only way to succeed.

If you have ever been caught for cheating, you hopefully learned your lesson. You aren’t sorry for getting caught, but sorry for cheating in the first place.

Cheating appears in other spectrums of life, whether you download illegal music, lie to the authorities, lie to your best friends or teachers, cheat on your spouse, or commit a crime.

Stop acting like integrity doesn’t matter. If you don’t learn to value integrity now, once you leave our school’s forgiving environment, the real world consequences will be more serious than a day’s suspension. If you’re a 35-year-old businessman of a major company and lie to the authorities on financial information, you will either go to prison or face serious consequences.

Please think, don’t make a mistake you will regret the rest of your life. If you have made a mistake, you realize how sensitive those split second decisions are. If you make the wrong choice, in that split second, the path you’ve been following turns a different direction – a direction for the worse because you defied the honest principles you’ve been raised by.

a note from student body presidentJonathan Friedman

It’s more than school spiritPeople sometimes call going to games,

plays, shows, and other school events school spirit. But that’s when you attend a school where you don’t know the students participating in such activities. However, we go to a small school; you know everyone.

When we attend a sports game, witnessing the game is only a part of the experience. Cheering on your best friends you’ve known for many years is a larger, more significant part of the experience.

Anyone can say that he or she supports a team. When you watch the Lakers play and you cheer for Kobe Bryant, you’ve got spirit. Congratulations.

But you don’t know Bryant and Bryant doesn’t know you.

When we support our community by cheering, we actually know who we’re supporting and the people we’re supporting know us. That connection amongst our small student body is what makes our school special. As members of the Buckley community, we don’t just have school sprit; we have community spirit and “friend spirit.” We not only support our school, but we support each other.

Being able to have that personal and connection-based spirit is unique to rare, tight-knit institutions like our school.

And because our spirit is at a personal level, we must remember to show it more. The task of going to the game or watching the play is easy and simple and the reward

for doing so, the happiness on your friend’s face knowing that he or she was supported, is well-worth the hour or two out of your day.

That feeling of being rooted on is one of the best feelings our athletes experience in high school.

By making the decision to go watch your classmate play her sport or perform his play, you’re not simply going to watch something, you’re making someone else’s day better.

And we must remember that we cannot only support the athletes, but also the piano players and photographers, the actors and arguers, the singers and speakers. We must support everyone who does something worth appreciating.

So next time you’re faced with the de-cision of going home to watch television or going to the volleyball game, choose the game.

Choose to have school spirit. Choose to have friend spirit. Choose to make someone else’s day better.


Pro CoN

Carpe diemPARTY SCENE

Th e idea that mom and dad control your life until you are 18 isn’t true

Th roughout high school, you’ve engaged in a spectrum of activities like going to high school parties and driving alone with your friends.

Th ese activities are typical for a teenager, but others, like smoking marijuana, drinking alcohol, or engaging in unprotected sex are viewed by adults as unsafe. And while you may think I’m about to condemn these controversial actions, I’m not.

Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Reportstatistics show that “more than 80 percent of established adult smokers begin smoking before [they are] 18 years [old].” Th is statistic doesn’t worry me with regard to our community because I’d guess that only a very small percent of the student body smokes cigarettes moderately.

And while I fi nd cigarette smoking repulsive, I can’t criticize my friends who light up on occasion.

We are each granted the free will to do whatever we want – if an underclassman chooses to get high at a high school party, he or she decides that for themself.

Rather, I criticize the upperclassmen because they are the ones to blame for the unexpected actions underclassmen experiment with.

I criticize the students who post pictures of themselves drinking bottles of wine on Facebook. I criticize the students who have pictures of themselves looking stoned with smoke in the background on Facebook. I criticize the students who pressure others to take another shot, or “rip another hit” from the bong.

Observing the upperclassmen, underclassmen get the idea that being sober is meaningless at parties. Th ey get the idea that smoking weed from a piece in front of everyone will increase their popularity. Th ey get the idea that smoking c i g a r e t t e s for social purposes is cool because the senior girls do it. Th us, they get the idea that partying every weekend is a p p r o p r i a t e b e c a u s e it relaxes students from the rigorous week at school.

A couple weeks ago at a party, a sophomore girl spoke to me with a drink in her hand. Although I had seen her on campus, she meant nothing to me until I saw her collapse in her own vomit at the party.

She had drunk too much alcohol. Some people who observed the collapse laughed; others tried to help her.

Peer pressure fuels events like these. I’ve observed a fair share of mistakes at parties and seeing a girl in tears of humiliation because she was sick could be easily prevented.

We, especially as upperclassmen, must help each other and those who look up to us.

Make sure no one drives drunk; stop drunken students from overdrinking, and stop that kid with a bong in his hand from driving home.

Party appropriately on behalf of the underclassmen.

We were once in their shoes and I remember wanting to be like the older kids - for both the right and wrong reasons.

We looked up to them because they were funny and had experience we respected, but, they partied inappropriately at times. Th erefore, we should lead and express ourselves positively on and off campus.

Once we learn to stop at a certain limit, we will enjoy the memories from parties without getting too messed up and dragging others down.

"We are each granted the free will to do whatever we want. if an u n d erc lass m a n chooses to get high at a high school party, he or she decides that for themself. "

ClaireSelvin ‘13assistant editor

Call me crazy, but I think downing a Red Bull at midnight to fi nish your chemistry homework and write an English essay before crashing just before waking up for a carpool to sunrise class is unhealthy and excessive.

Whether it’s the fl ustered student making his way through the hall clutching a quiz with a sub par grade, or the exhausted senior in the library clutching a trenta Starbucks coff ee, we’ve all witnessed stress.

We all strive to get good grades and manage extracurricular activities in order to achieve, what seems to be for many, the nirvana of college acceptance.I’m not suggesting that this goal is unimportant, but I’ve witnessed and experienced stress in my high school career that only hinders mental acuity.

All too oft en the goal of getting into a top college is passionless and mechanical, driven by a vain thirst for success, as if students believe

ShilpaMantri ‘13focus editor

Overachievement is carpe diem.

Overachievers strive to make every minute count, live life to the fullest, and encounter new experiences.

But, overachievers are frowned upon. Th is attitude starts in elementary school when all the other kids make fun of the overachiever and call him or her a teacher’s pet. It happens in high school, when students point at the girl who works hard in school and busies herself with extra-curricula’s. Th ey claim she has no life.

On the contrary, overachievement is the outcome of working hard and the willingness to go out of your comfort zone to try new experiences.

When was the last time you learned a new dance style, worked on an extensive community service project, tried a new sport, or aced your fi rst AP class?

Break out of your shell, explore the numerous activities our school has to off er, and fi nd out what exactly you love doing.

that their lives will peak when they get a big envelope from Harvard, as opposed to when they truly fulfi ll their ultimate personal goals.

One may argue that overachieving is merely pushing oneself to be the best scholar, athlete, or artist that one can be, but this philosophy creates unrealistic expectations that, if left unfulfi lled, leave students burned out.

In addition, the competitiveness that is engrained in students is not conducive to building friendships unhindered by the looming future of college applications.

Haggard students oft en lack time to enjoy their high school experience fully.

Socializing is a vital aspect of youth and being a student in general. It’s time that we act our age and have fun without fi xating on a mid-quarter grade in AP Physics.

I don’t mean to suggest that there isn’t meaning or fulfi llment in academic success, but the pressure that students put on themselves to achieve perfection is self destructive.Your career and future prospects won’t be ruined if you don’t go to one of the top ten schools, but your sanity may be if you continue to work in overdrive nonstop without time to be a teenager.

It’s time to establish healthy, realistic expectations for ourselves so that we don’t end up wasting our youth and time together in high school.

Don’t limit yourself. Th ese irrevocable

experiences make each individual unique.

Someone with a light heart might complain that being an all-star athlete, getting perfect grades, and engaging in school clubs without insuffi cient sleep is impossible. But they are possible. If you genuinely enjoy dancing or running cross country, for example, then staying up until 1 a.m. to also study for a history test should not be dreadful because nothing is more self-satisfying than the fruits of your own hard work and dedication.

I agree students should not spread themselves out too thin by joining every possible school club and being president of Chemistry Club or vice president of mock trial just to look good for college. It’s important to be passionate about life, which is why overachievement allows students to explore and develop their interests.

Everyone is an overachiever and transcends the norm in his or her own way. I have friends who are exceptionally talented in academics, tennis, leadership, violin, singing, or debate.

Keep an open mind and discover what it is that excites you when you wake up each morning. Live and love life like there’s no tomorrow.

Dare to be an overachiever.

Michael Cook � e Student Voice

Burnout Is overachievement right for you?

VS

“Someone with a light heart might complain that being an all-star athlete, getting perfect grades, and engaging in school clubs without insuffi cient sleep is impossible. But they are possible.”

“I don’t mean to suggest that there isn’t meaning or fulfi llment in academic success, but the pressure that students put on themselves to achieve perfection is self destructive.”


created a Rube Goldberg machine. Designed to do the simple task of making people comfortable, the machine takes the least effi cient steps to get there. When we step back and watch it work, the awkward contraption just looks silly and unnecessary.

Th e problem is that when you’re in the machine, or part of the machine, it is impossible to tell the necessary from the unnecessary. When you’re looking for controversy you can always fi nd it, because being off ended is easy. Being silent is also easy. But daring to see other people, to rise to them and their ideas without shying away, that’s hard.

And the silliness of political correctness robs us of that ability to handle disagreement. It creates a type of community-driven solipsism, where potentially divisive diff erences in even the most trivial things like a Halloween costume are barred.

So even though the costumes don’t matter, the ability to cope with them does. Th e band-aid of political correctness can protect us in the sterile community within our gates, but it makes us fragile for the hazardous world outside.

And in that hazardous world, there will always be those who are off ended by pandas. Th e more successful you are, the more pandas there will be. But, when everything is off ensive, the only way to be politically correct is to do nothing at all, and that’s just silly.

submit your letterThe Student Voice invites

all readers to submit letters to the editor.

Letters are typically in response to an article

in a previous issue of The Voice.

Is anyone reading? We have not received a single letter this year. The Voice staff works very hard in

covering everything Buckley related and would love to hear from you. If you have an opinion or concern, don’t hesitate and

let your voice be heard.

Please e-mail all letters to: Andrew Davis at

[email protected]

We’ve created a monster: Halloween

TylerMorad ‘14assistant sports editor

Halloween has turned into the nation’s third-largest party night of the year, raking in over $5.07 billion, behind New Year’s Eve and Super Bowl Sunday.

Th e average consumer spends $64.82 on costumes, cards, candy, and decorations, and this number is increasing rapidly each year.

What has Halloween come to? What happened to the Halloween where Mom used to dress her child up in a bed sheet with eyes cut out and send him out with a pillow case to collect candy?

Th e transformation of Halloween from a child’s utopia to an adult’s wild wasteland has proven to be, in part, a result of large commercial companies urging people everywhere to buy everything from King Size Snickers Bars to eye glitter to fi nish off an intricate c o s t u m e . A l t h o u g h customers aren’t required to buy these products, large companies present such an allure to where the consumer can’t resist.

Halloween has its origins in the ancient Celtic festival, Samhain.

Th e practice of dressing up in costumes began during the Middle Ages with the practice of “souling,” when poor people would go door to door on Hallowmas (November 1), receiving food in return for

prayers for the dead on All Souls Day (November 2).

Trick-or-treating in America began in 1911, when a newspaper in Kingston, Ontario, near the border of upstate New York, reported that it was normal for young children to street perform on Halloween evening, visiting shops and neighbors to be rewarded with nuts and candies for their rhymes and songs.

But now, Halloween is much more, largely due to the revenue it generates—Universal Studios, Disneyland, Knotts’ Berry Farm, and Six Flags Magic Mountain all make millions in September and October.

What used to be one anticipated evening in a child’s neighborhood has morphed into excessive, costly partying. Each year, beginning in 1991, Universal Studios hosts Halloween Horror Nights from September 23 to October 31.

“Halloween Horror Nights is the scariest, most gruesome and best annual Halloween theme

park experience in Southern California,” said Robbie Bolus of Socal Th riller.

Th is statement is found on the front page of the Horror Night’s website. Although people don’t feel victim to this advertising, one ponders if it is actually worth going; this ties to the herd mentality issue. Once one friend

decides on going, it gives other friends only a slim chance to resist the allure of the event.

Don’t get me wrong, everyone, including me, likes a good scare once and a while, but when is it time to say enough is enough?

For general admission to Halloween Horror Nights, the consumer pays $62, $99 for a front of the line pass, and $189 if the consumer would like the “VIP” experience.

But wait, I’m not talking about all day either; I’m talking about the seven-hour span between 7 p.m. and 2 a.m. A day and night combo is $85.

Th e modern American views Halloween as a time for people from teenagers to adults to throw money down the drain with grandiose costumes and tickets for amusement parks, is not at all what the original Halloween is about. Now, Halloween is just a moneymaker for theme parks everywhere. Th e problem with children’s utopia-like Halloween is the misconception that it is

solely about consuming as much candy as possible and getting scared by random people for a price. But it has morphed

into an adult-dominated holiday. I admire the Halloween with

a festival school campus, followed by trick-or-treating with siblings and friends.

Keep celebrating, but instead of submitting to the corporate side of Halloween, eat some candy instead.

"The transformation of Halloween from a child's utopia to an adult's wild wasteland has proven to be, in part, a result of large commercial companies."

ClaireSelvin ‘13assistant editor

Let me preface the following article by asserting my opinion that school events are

important. A crucial part of any high

school experience is attending dances and fairs with friends and classmates. Th ese activities allow us to build relationships and utilize our small community by making new friends.

But enforced fun is something else entirely, which, I fear, has penetrated the heart of the Buckley sponsored social scene.

Attendance to school dances is 50 percent for students in the grade below the one putting it on.

For example, juniors are continuously informed that if they do not purchase a ticket and attend the senior dance, seniors will not support their semi-formal come spring.

Th e same situation occurs when sophomore ticket purchases for semi-formal are low. If this fear mongering fails, the surefi re tactic of most students is “if you don’t go to this dance, we won’t have a prom.”

Furthermore, outdoor ed trips have become increasingly compulsory. Th ose who did not attend a trip this year were required to complete fi ve hours of community service and write a 500 word paper about their service, regardless of any injuries or medical conditions that may have prohibited a student from camping.

Bonding with your grade on retreat is truly a great experience that oft en fosters new friendships, but shouldn’t we take circumstance into account before treating non-participants like lazy loners?

Perhaps our small community has caused event planners to take desperate measures to ensure maximum participation, but we need to be rational about prior commitments, medical issues, and plain lack of interest of some students.

Harassing students to attend dances and assigning community service to ensure that a student doesn’t have a full week to rest are tactics that merely require participation in events of little interest to some students.

Students ought to have the right to pick and choose events rather than be required to socialize, and pay a fee, at every possible occasion.

It is important to support other grades’ events, but I think that a lot of students would appreciate a respite from intimidating ticket sellers and alarmist class representatives.

Fun required here

Pandas are adorable. Th ey’re fl uff y, and they have chubby tummies that make them look like big, squeezable, black-and-white Pillsbury Dough Boys™. But recently, like so much else, pandas have been added to the ever-expanding lexicon of political incorrectness.

Th ey were added to the list last Halloween, when a pair of students donned black-and-white and panda ears. Th e wearers were reprimanded for being culturally insensitive, joining the ranks of fi ve students who dressed like a mariachi band that year.

Th at’s silly. Pandas have nothing to do with Asian people.

Mariachi bands relate to Mexico in the same way pastry chefs relate to France: they are part of the culture to be sure, but a

celebrated part--a part that sells millions of records each year.

To fi nd malice or off ense in either of these costumes requires seeking off ense out, thinking hard about it, and then not thinking about it at all.

By taking “cultural sensitivity” and turning it into “political correctness,” we’ve

With many events and activities on campus to choose from, the decision to participate should be each student’s choice.

"The band-aid of political correctness can protect us in the sterile community within our gates, but it makes us fragile for the hazardous world outside."

Political Correctness and Pandas

features11 thursday, october 27, 2011|

insidefeatures

WRIGHT’S COSTUMES | page 12The Voice gives you an exclusive The Voice gives you an exclusive The Voicelook into social science depart-ment chair Rob Wright’s famous Halloween costumes.

ASHA | page 16Junior Shilpa Mantri directs and performs in charity dance event after ten years of preparation.

ASHA | page 16WRIGHT’S COSTUMES | page 12

DANIELGABBAY’12

Light up. have a drink. Who cares? You’re cool.

To today’s typical high school students, “cool” translates to smoking

cigarettes and marijuana, drinking alcohol, gossiping, and fi tting in with friends. Parties or more intimate social “kickbacks” demand coolness that sometimes leads to dangerous repercussions.

“When I smoke at parties, I don’t inhale. I just smoke to enhance the social setting,” said an anonymous student.

Not inhaling smoke when smoking a cigarette or marijuana is a common disclaimer teens off er. Many teens smoke or drink to exude an image of sophistication; they treat cigarettes or marijuana like a prop or an accessory.

Not only do teens light up to look glamorous, but peer pressure also plays a role in students’ desires to fi t in with peers.

Studies show that the peer groups teenagers spend their time with seem to infl uence their values in almost all areas. Teens who have friends who smoke are more likely to smoke themselves.

Especially at parties, the sight of others lighting up and drinking creates a domino eff ect and makes these practices not only acceptable but part of the scene. When one person sees a friend smoking or a

group of friends drinking, he or she feels the urge to join them and take part in the fun. And when younger students partying with upperclassmen for the fi rst time see their older peers smoking and drinking, the pressure is on them to do the same. Th us the cycle continues.

“I think people drink and smoke to look cool because everyone around them is doing the same thing; they just want to fi t in and have fun,” said an anonymous student.

Mara Tapia, school counselor, notes that while smoking and drinking may be enjoyable for teens, many high school students do not smoke and drink for the enjoyment of it. Th ey engage in these acts merely to follow their friends.

“Sometimes it’s easier to fi t in by making poor choices and to fi t in with a group rather than standing up for what you really believe in. Teens need to look at the reasons as to why people are popular. But at the end of the day, it’s important to stay true to yourself,” said Tapia.

Indeed, teens choose popularity over enjoyment when it comes to smoking and drinking. Fitting in with peers is higher on the average teenager’s priority list than actually having a good time is.

But students are usually not aware of the motives behind their decisions. Focused on climbing high school’s social ladder, teens

forget about the dangers of substance abuse. “I don’t think people do these things

because they enjoy it. Th ey do it because their friends are going it. I have to admit that I smoke and drink sometimes, not because I want to but because my friends are doing it” said an anonymous student.

Th e more teens try to assimilate with their peers, the more they lose their sense of self, according to Tapia.

When teens are not true to themselves, they more easily succumb to smoking and drinking in order to look cool. Th ey forget what they believe in because they are overcome with the desire to be popular. Th e tremendous urge to be popular overshadows caution.

Gossiping is another way in which students attempt to be part of the in crowd.

“I think that high school students gossip in order to look cool in front of their friends. If someone doesn’t have a lot in common with the person that they are talking to, gossiping creates a common ground for them to have a conversation and to create an artifi cial bond,” said senior Julia Zukin.

Gossiping not only generates conversation, but it also serves as the foundation for bonding amongst the gossipers. Th ese “friendships” are more like social affi nity groups where group gossip and putting others down create the glue

holding the group together.Gossiping makes teenagers feel socially

accepted and leads to the formation of cliques, according to Reece Manley, columnist for “Parenting Teens” website. Manley asserts that although gossiping makes teens feel accepted and may boost their self-esteems, constantly ridiculing peers is detrimental to one’s mentality.

Tapia agrees, saying that although gossiping may not aff ect a person’s physical health like smoking and drinking do, “gossiping can mentally aff ect the gossiper because it constantly urges him or her to put down other people.”

Like drinking and smoking at parties, however, the root cause for gossip is that the person who is engaging in the act is detached from his or her own true self; people smoke, drink, or gossip in order to fi t in with other groups of people who are doing the same things.

Rather than working on becoming their own person, gossiping teens spend energy attacking other people.

Drinking, smoking, and gossiping provide teens with confi dence, but also disable students from comfortably being themselves. Th e healthiest solution, according to Tapia is to “be true to who you are. You can still be a ‘cool kid’ or have friends while still being you.”

dragsdrugsdrinks

Drinking, smoking, drugs, and gossip. These vices fi nd their way into teen life, insti-gating psychological warfare between

peer pressure and a clear con-science. Teens everywhere look

to drinking and smoking in order to climb the social

ladder and fi t in with their peers. But at

what cost?

the tools to be cool?

Light up. have a drink. Who cares? You’re cool.

group of friends drinking, he or she feels the urge to join them and take part in the

forget about the dangers of substance abuse. “I don’t think people do these things

holding the group together.Gossiping makes teenagers feel socially

drugsdrinks

Drinking, smoking, drugs, and gossip. These vices fi nd their way into teen life, insti-gating psychological warfare between

peer pressure and a clear con-science. Teens everywhere look

to drinking and smoking in order to climb the social

ladder and fi t in with their peers. But at

the tools to be cool?


Unmasked

2001Dr. Evil

2003Orc

2007Pirate

2010Darth Sidious

WRIGHT’S HALLOWEEN MORNING TRANSFORMATION

2:45

Face preparation: shave and apply sealer

Liquid latex: edges and eyes

Make-up and costume

Contacts: “I hate putting these in”

Gluing on the foam prosthetic

2:30

Wak

e U

p

3:15 3:25 4:15 5:15

7:00

Fin

ish

TUCKERHIGGINS’13

Somewhere masked behind the identity of Mr. Wright the history teacher or Mr. Wright the strength trainer lies another persona, and it

comes out only once a year: Mr. Wright the makeup artist.

Since his fi rst year as a member of the faculty in 1997, social science department chair Rob Wright has been impressing and terrifying the community with homemade Halloween costumes.

He strives for detail and realism, perfection generally requring a 2:30 a.m.

wakeup on Halloween morning. And when it comes to supplying himself with the right equipment, Wright goes to where the professionals go. At Cinema Secrets in Burbank, he converses with the experts to get the products that you see on the big screen and on television.

“I get carried away,” said Wright. “I enjoy seeing how far I can push my talents.”

From the devil costume of 1997 to last year’s Darth Sidious, a character from his favorite, Star Wars, the costumes have continued to get more elaborate and detailed. With contacts that change his eye color, hand-fashioned clothing and prosthetic foam for his face, the process is all but perfected.

Th e key to a great costume, he said, is using liquid latex to blend the costume’s coloring together with his face. “Th at’s how you do it well. When you can’t tell where the prosthetic ends and your face begins,” he said.

One of the hardest costumes to put together, and one of his favorites, was the Moria Orc. Using movie stills, he pieced

together each part of the classic Lord of the Rings fi gure. In addition to the foam prosthesis, makeup and liquid latex, Wright hand-fashioned the Orc’s skin and all of its armor. Th e project required a whole new slew of products, bringing chicken wire, papier-mâché, and metallic rust paint into his repertoire.

“Th ere’s so much pressure

to bring the game,” said W r i g h t . He started wearing the c o s t u m e s in 1997 because he didn’t know how far people would take Halloween at school. As it turned out, he could take it the furthest, and the

devil costume’s great reception ushered in a new era of the holiday at school.

So where do the ideas come from? Movies, mostly. In addition to Star Wars and Lord of the Rings, Wright also dressed like a pirate aft er the movie Pirates of the Caribbean released.

“All year I’m thinking about it. I always have a number of ideas, some are not practical, but they’re always still on the burner,” said Wright. “If I’m a big fan of the movie series, I think it would be a lot of fun culturally, cinematically…I wonder: can I make that into something?”

And while historically the costumes are always a secret until the big day, this year he has dropped a small hint: “I really like Star Wars…”

“I think it is really fun and that he is amazingly cre-ative, as long as I don’t have to wake up at 2 in the morning to help him.”

MELANIE HOLLAND Athletic Trainer

Unmaskedtogether each part of the classic Lord of the Rings fi gure. In addition to the foam prosthesis, makeup and liquid latex, Wright hand-fashioned the Orc’s skin and all of its armor. Th e project required a whole new slew of products, bringing chicken wire, papier-mâché, and metallic rust paint into his

“Th ere’s so much pressure

to bring the game,” said W r i g h t . He started wearing the c o s t u m e s in 1997 because he didn’t know how far people would take Halloween at school. As it turned out, he could take it the furthest, and the

devil costume’s great reception ushered in a new era of the holiday at

So where do the ideas come from? Movies, mostly. In addition to Star Wars

Lord of the Rings, Wright also dressed like a pirate aft er the movie Pirates of the Caribbean

“All year I’m thinking about it. I always have a number of ideas, some are not practical, but they’re always still on the burner,” said Wright. “If I’m a big fan of the movie series, I think it would be a lot of fun culturally, cinematically…I wonder: can I make that into something?”

And while historically the costumes are always a secret until the big day, this year he has dropped a

2005King Tut

Photos Courtesy of Rob Wright


Gender ratios on campus

show that boys outnumber

girls not only in popula-

tion, but also in leadership

roles. The num-bers say that

boys dominate girls, but the student body

disagrees.

ShilpaMantri’13focus editor

45:26. Th e ratio of boys to girls in the senior class.

41:31. Th e junior class. 44:32. Th e sophomore class. 49:37. Th e freshman class.179:126. Th e ratio of boys to girls in the

Upper School.Boys not only outnumber girls on

campus, but also overshadow girls in leadership positions.

In the past four years, there has not been one female student body president.

Four out of fi ve of the last BSC presidents have been male.

All of the last fi ve JSA presidents have been male.

Six of the last 8 editors-in-chief have been male.

Th e last female BSC president was Gabby Wilkerson ’08.

“Girls receive pressures from home. Th ey’re taught to be focused on academics, be respectful, and not to be outspoken. But, when Gaby Wilkerson was president, she was so strong, charismatic, and driven. She was someone to look up to, and girls need to step up and be that person. Hopefully our new female principal will help,” said Russo.

While some girls run for leadership positions, boys seem to prevail in most elections.

“Th e past presidents have been male because there are more boys on campus, and to tell the truth, people are always going to vote for their friends. Most boys would probably vote for boy presidents,” said junior Marlen Grussi.

In elections, boys and girls handle competition diff erently.

“Boys are competitive, but they aren’t as serious as girls. Girls may be more manipulative and verbal about competitions. Girls hold underlying resentment and grudges and fi ght in a much more sophisticated way than boys do,” said Maria Tapia, school counselor.

Even clubs on campus seem to divide

according to gender. Generally, the clubs that boys and girls join refl ect the stereotypical male and female interests.

“Th e clubs that involve more caring and passionate roles, such as Invisible Children, Pre-Med, or Diversity Club, are dominated by girls. While in clubs such as JSA, which consists mostly of boys, people who just debate aren’t fully committed to the club. It’s as if girls have their heart in what they’re doing as opposed to boys who focus on instinct and angst,” said Grussi.

While the executive board for JSA consists of four boys and only one girl, girls

sweep the executive positions for both Pre-Med and Diversity Club.

“In debate clubs such as JSA or MUN to an extent, the majority of girls don’t seem to have strong opinions on anything. Th ere are girls who are involved in diff erent activities, only just no one seems to talk about them,” said senior Nesta Marie, MUN president.

Th ese numbers repeat in publications. Th e Student Voice has been dominated by male editors-in-chief in the past ten years with 10 male and only 3 female editors-in-chief.

Th e yearbook, however, has had ten female editors-in-chief and only three male editors-in-chief in the past ten years.

Newspaper demands that students express their opinions and allow their voices

to be heard. Boys love the public aspect and the intellectual challenge. In contrast, yearbook, which is perceived as a friendlier, more human pursuit, attracts girls who want to create a memory book for their peers,” said Dr. Ellen Salas, director of student publications.

Some students wonder whether we are trapped in a misogynistic and patriarchal society that trails all the way back to the Stone Age, where men take over control and treat women as the subservient weaker vessel.

“From history, men are known to have

an authoritative façade and are known to be the more powerful and dominant ones in a relationship. Th ey are better leaders and people respect them more,” said senior Tiff any Nazar.

Gender relations can also be viewed from Darwin’s theory of survival of the fi ttest, according to clinical psychologist Kamille Mane.

“Boys like to intimidate. Th e stronger dominates the weaker or small-sized. Th e diff erences between males and females are not just among human beings but also even in the animal kingdom. You can see a general trend of male domination,” said Mane.

Gender stereotypes can be detected elsewhere on campus.

“Boys are rowdy most of the time,

especially when they’re all in groups. Th ey don’t refrain from doing what they want to do as opposed to girls who follow the rules on campus and are a little more respectful of people around them. Girls don’t go around screaming and acting boisterous,” said Grussi.

According to English teacher James Evans, boys can easily get away with overt demonstrations of unity.

“It is almost as if Buckley lives up to the stereotypes of genders. It’s diffi cult to avoid that when there is such an ingrained discrepancy between the two genders,” said Evans.

While boys can be obnoxious, this trait would have a negative connotation for girls.

“Girls are worried about what everyone thinks about them, especially with the way they look and how they dress. It’s harder for a girl to be confi dent or voice their thoughts than it is for boys,” said Grussi.

According to Myrie, parents tend to spoil girls more than boys. Parents pamper girls and give them anything they desire, so there seems to be little drive for anything. He said most girls prefer not to go out of their comfort zone.

“To be honest, there are only a handful of girls who want to lead campus. I can even count them on my fi ngers, and that’s a huge problem. Ten girls that actually know what their interests are aren’t enough. I would love if more girls got involved. It would make the campus livelier, and it would subdue the dumb boys,” said Myrie.

Th e lack of role models and academic pressure from parents gives reason to the lack of girls’ activism on campus, according to Russo.

“Over time girls will progress. Women in society are beginning to run for presidency and all these leadership positions, which are starting to refl ect on our campus. We’re slowly going to evolve and no one can do anything about it. Th e fact that boys think they’re more dominant makes me work harder and want to prove them wrong,” said Nazar.

YES 47.5%

Do you think boys dominate leadership positions on campus?

NO 52.5%

101 responses, October 18

So what’s the truth behind the numbers?

October 27, 2011The Student Voice

14

A R E Y O U

S C A R E D Y E T ?

One night, while attending top hockey camp Shattuck Saint Mary, sophomore Tyler Morad and his friends were look-ing for adventure in what the counsel-

ors said was a haunted campus, where a librarian was sup-posedly killed by a mentally ill dean’s son.

� e counselors took the campers to the haunted li-brary, the site of the librarian’s murder, which still looked like a crime scene with broken glass scattered on the � oor. A� er an hour of being thoroughly scared and not willing to go up to the top � oor, they decided to wait in the library.

“At a certain spot, you can see a ghost, and I actually looked for one. � ere it was, and it walked past the win-dow. I saw a white silhouette walk past the window, and no one goes into that library,” said Morad.

Ghosts are a common theme for Halloween, but rarely are they discussed, or even more rarely, people have seen a ghost. Do ghosts really exist? Are they among us?

English teacher Andrew Nelson grew up in a suppos-edly haunted house formerly owned by a Hollywood actor who allegedly committed a murder or rape in the house.

Nelson said everyone in his family has had an experi-ence with the haunted nature of the house. Nelson’s sister claims to have been alerted by her dog to a stranger who smiled at her and acted as if he had been living there and knew her; but, the man wasn’t actually there.

Nelson’s � rst experience of paranormal activity in his

home was when he was 14 years old. As he was cooking eggs, he heard something throbbing on the doorknob, as if someone was breaking in. He opened the door but no one was there. He continued to cook, and the throbbing started again. � e throbbing wasn’t a person or the wind. Nelson was thoroughly scared and didn’t want to � nd out what was causing it.

“At that point I turned o� the eggs and ran down the street to my friend’s house,” said Nelson.

At one point in his childhood, Nelson’s teenage brother was sleeping and he was awakened by a growling sound at the foot of his bed. � e growling continued, so he growled back trying to signal that he was ready for an attack. He � nally turned on the lights only to reveal that nothing was there.

But that’s not the scariest encounter. Recently, Nelson’s niece stayed in that same room and

later related that she awakened to the sound of something growling at the foot of her bed. Yet — she had never heard about her uncle’s similar experience.

Nelson remains skeptical, however.“One reason why I don’t believe [in ghosts] is because

I haven’t seen enough. I am a tactile learner. I gain all my knowledge through my � ngertips,” said Nelson.

Dr. Ellen Salas, director of publications, believes she had an encounter with her late grandmother. Sixteen years a� er her grandmother’s death, Salas was cleaning out a

portion of her home and decided to discard a broken music box that she had inherited from her grandmother.

Placing the music box among the other things she was going to discard, Salas said she felt a little strange throwing it away but decided that keeping a music box that would not play was silly.

Suddenly, as she was sorting out another pile, the mu-sic box started to play. It hadn’t played in 16 years; perhaps, Salas thought, her grandmother’s spirit was disturbed that her granddaughter was abandoning the music box. Salas is skeptical, but does not reject the possibility that spirits do live on.

Assistant librarian Serena Vaquilar also claims to have felt the presence of her late grandmother, an avid gambler, one cold night. � e next day she found out that someone had won the lottery in Bakers� eld, where Vaquilar was liv-ing at the time. Vaquilar feels that this coincidence is her grandmother’s “way of checking up” on her.

Other members of the community have had similar ghost experiences, including freshman Sara Wilson, who believes she saw a ghost at a hotel when she and her mother were in an elevator and the elevator stopped on a � oor that they didn’t press. � e doors opened and a lady standing there did not get inside. A second later, she disappeared; Wilson and her mother are convinced that she was a ghost.

Take a look around you, who knows who’s in here with you right now?

PARANORMAL ACTIVITY By Mehe r S i n g h ‘14

By E l l e W i s n i c k i ‘13

Have you ever had a paranorma l exper i ence?

YES

NO

25.3%

74.7%


The Entity House August 22, 1974, an investigation started and became one of

the biggest cases in paranormal history. A woman asked inves-tigators to come because she claimed that ghosts would assault her, and harass her young daughter and three sons. She lived in the small home with her children. Investigators reported a feel-ing of pressure in their ears as they entered the house, and ac-tivities in the house intensi� ed when certain music was played. � e family has not been heard of since the 1980s, and the house located at 11547 Braddock Drive, Culver City is reportedly vacant.

Jean Harlow’s HomeJean Harlow, American actress of the 1930s, rented a home

in Westwood in the early 30’s and lived there for about four years. � e day before the family moved in, the family brought their dogs, which began barking and growling in an upstairs room at the on

set of a so� whisper saying “please help me.” Objects strike out of nowhere at night and the presence of the unknown is there. � e lights � ash on and o� in the kitchen and images can be seen in the living room. Cold air gives the house an eerie feeling.

Queen MaryBuilt in 1930, and used in World War II, the Queen

Mary in Long Beach has transported celebrities as well as soldiers. On the dark demonic tour, visitors will be terror-ized by the ship until the very end, experiencing the mon-sters of the sea. � e tour includes three shipboard and two on-shore mazes which are said to terrify visitors. Tickets range

from $20-24. http://www.queenmary.com/Dark-Harbor.aspx

October 27, 2011The Student Voice

15

Have you ever felt Have you ever felt Hthat icy chill creep Hthat icy chill creep Hslowly down your Hslowly down your Hspine, or felt the Hspine, or felt the Hhairs on the back of Hhairs on the back of Hyour neck stand up, as if you were being watched? You look around but your eyes fail to detect any literal person, but you can’t escape your gut-wrenching and terrifying feeling that you are not alone.

� ey are among us.

Ghost AdventuresOr so several T.V. shows like Ghost

Adventures make us believe. Several shows have popularized the paranormal and ghost experiences, Ghost Adventures, Ghost Hunters, Paranormal State, and Destination Truth.

In Ghost Adventures, Zak Bagans, Nick Gro� and Aaron Goodwin investigate the notoriously scariest and most haunted places in the world.

� ey conduct interviews and research the supposed ghosts in the haunted area, interview employees, visitors and other people who have experienced paranormal activities in that area.

“Are you ready for the lockdown?”Ghost Adventures also tells stories

of people who have had physical and mental experiences with ghosts, where the trio then lock themselves in the haunted place, and provoke the ghosts to show themselves, hence “the lockdown.”

� ey use a variety of equipment during the “lockdown,” including digital thermometers, EMF meters, handheld digital video cameras, digital audio recorders, the Ovilus and infrared night-vision cameras to document evidence. Fearless, the trio shouts and provokes ghosts to interact with them, and replays its success to ensure viewers believe it actually occurred.

� e show convinces viewers that its interactions with ghosts are real and takes advantage of every element of suspense.

Catch the next suspense-driven episode of Ghost Adventures on the Travel Channel Fridays at 9:00 p.m.

Ghost HuntersGhost Hunters on the SyFy channel

also makes viewer’s teeth chatter from fear.

“� e main guy has a certain air of authority regarding ghosts that makes me believe it is real,” said senior Grace Cartwright.

� e show stars Jason Hawes, Grant Wilson, and their team they founded, � e Atlantic Paranormal Society (TAPS), as the team investigates places that are known to be haunted.

� e show � ghts against its viewing channel, SyFy, in that SyFy shows are known to be � ctional, and having a ghost show on a SyFy channel makes the assertion that the show is not real. However, senior Shaina Goel thinks the cinematography of the show asserts its reality.

“� e directors of the Ghost Hunters� lm di� erently than movies, so you don’t associate the show with the unfactual fantasy elements of an on-screen movie,” said Goel.

When investigating a location, TAPS team members � rst survey the property with its owners and then set up electronic equipment in the paranormal “hotspots.” � e TAPS team then takes electromagnetic � eld and temperature readings, recording audio for EVPs,

and � lming with digital video cameras. A� erwards, the team analyzes the data for evidence of paranormal activity.

Destination TruthDestination Truth is yet another

show that adventures into the realm of ghosts and myths, investigating rumors of creatures in speci� ed areas.

Researcher and star of Destination Truth on SyFy, Josh Gates travels the world to mainly investigate claims in cryptozoology, the study and search for animals that have not been proven to exist.

Destination Truth relies on � eld investigation, involving splitting up into two or more groups to survey an area using night vision systems.

� ese night vision cameras induce suspense and create the realistic factor that the search for the animal occurs during the night.

“� e last time I watched Destination Truth I was fully invested in its reality because the show takes advantage of camera angles and the evidence it present seems justi� able,” said senior Michael Vanhal.

SPOOKIEST SITE SBy E l l e W i s n i c k i ‘13

How do you ce l ebrateHa l l oween?

Go Trick or Treating

38.1%

Go to Ha l l oweenTheme Parks

28 .9%

Watch horror movies16.5%

I don’t celebrateHa l l oween16.5%


set of a so� whisper saying “please help me.” Objects strike out of nowhere at night and the presence of the unknown is there. � e lights � ash on and o� in the kitchen and images can be seen in the living room. Cold air gives the house an eerie feeling.

Queen MaryBuilt in 1930, and used in World War II, the Queen

Mary in Long Beach has transported celebrities as well as soldiers. On the dark demonic tour, visitors will be terror-ized by the ship until the very end, experiencing the mon-sters of the sea. � e tour includes three shipboard and two on-shore mazes which are said to terrify visitors. Tickets range

from $20-24. http://www.queenmary.com/Dark-Harbor.aspx

Hollywood Haunted Tour

Meeting at the Grauman’s Chinese � eatre in Holly-wood, prepare for a historic tour with spooky details around the greater Los Angeles area. You will travel in a Cadillac with a small group from the Charles Manson murder site to Mari-lyn Monroe’s grave for $30. Tours leave at 12 p.m., 6 p.m., and 10 p.m. http://www.hauntedhollywoodtours.com/ 818.415.8269

Old Town Haunt Said to be haunted, the oldest standing building in Pasa-

dena was used as a bank and a prison. Take a walk through the underground cavern from the 1800s now embellished with frightening scare tactics. Only $15 from 7 p.m. to 11 p.m. all weekend. http://www.oldtownhaunt.com/ (626) 248-765220 N Raymond at Colorado

Bessie Love’s Cabin On Laurel Canyon, the former home of silent � lm star

Bessie Love, who lived there in the early 1900’s, is alleged-ly haunted by numerous ghosts. When Love lived ther, she reported seeing a transparent man in a cowboy hat, hear-ing moans, and seeing the doors open and shut by them-selves for no apparent reason and the lights � ash inexplicably.

Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel Many celebrities over the years have stayed at � e Holly-

wood Roosevelt Hotel built in 1927. Remains of their stays re-main in the hotel to haunt lucky guests. � e mirror from Marilyn Monroe’s room is located in the lobby where guests occasional-ly witness her face. � e ninth � oor is haunted by Montgomery Cli� , who stayed in room 928 during the � lming of From Here to Eternity. Employees report feeling a pat on the shoulder and cold air brush up against them as Cli� ’s ghost paces the hallways.

The HauntsBy Ma r k Coo k ‘12

Illustration by Nika Shahery


ANDREWDAVIS’12

1. anjali - salutation/greeting 2. swastika - “no”/imprisonment 3. dola - commencement of natya 4. shivalinga - symbol for lord shiva 5. kataka-vardhana - coronation ceremony 6. chakra - wheel/circle 7. katari-swastika - tree/branches

“Asha Means

Hope”Junior Shilpa Mantri has been dancing for

ten years. Now, with “Asha: A Charity Dance Show Benefitting Underprivileged Children,”

Mantri is using her talents for good.

hand gestures- the hindu meaningMantri raises $5,000

The lessons. The mistakes. The stretches. The performances.

Ten years of practice have led to junior Shilpa Mantri’s “Asha: A Charity Dance Show Benefiting Underprivileged Children” at the Nate Holden Performing Arts Center Saturday, October 22.

Mantri performed with her two brothers Surag Mantri ’99 and Shalin Mantri ’00, cousins Roshni Rathi and Payal Maheshwari, and a professional dance group called “blue13,” who dance both classic and contemporary Indian styles. Ticket proceeds went to two charities, Sankalp and School of Wheels. Mantri raised a total of $5,000 dollars.

“I’m a classically trained dancer. I’ve been learning a South Indian classical dance called Bharatanatyam under Guru Malathi Iyengar of The Rangoli Dance Company since I was six years old. Looking back, this style of dance was initially difficult to learn because it requires muscle, balance, stamina, rhythm, spirituality, and the ability to emote. Over years of practice, I’ve become a better dancer, and I appreciate this dance form for keeping my Indian culture alive within me,” said Mantri.

Two years ago, Mantri volunteered at an organization called Sankalp, in Jaipur India, where she taught kids from ages eight to 14 and according to Mantri, “found her inspiration.” Although Mantri isn’t entirely fluent in Hindi, she taught approximately 20 students in a classroom.

Despite the challenge of communicating to these children, Mantri said it was a learning experience because she taught the street children of India (homeless children without family care and protection) basic knowledge.

Mantri taught the street children the English alphabet, addition, and subtraction, days of the week, shapes, body parts, and music and dance. Part of her job was to teach both parents and children about health, hygiene, and the importance of education.

“I felt like I really encouraged the children. Each day, I’d ask the children what they wanted to be when they grow up. One would say ‘I want to be a doctor.’ Another would say, ‘I want to be in the army.’ Hearing this makes me happy because it’s so touching that these children are encouraged and motivated to make something out of their lives – they’re my biggest inspiration.”

Because Mantri had such a heartfelt experience, half of the money she raised at her dance show will go to Sankalp. The other half will go to a Southern California organization, “School on Wheels,” which tutors children.

“I wanted to mix my passion for dance with my intrinsic interest in community service. I chose these two organizations because I believe every child deserves an equal right to education,” said Mantri.

Mantri practiced anywhere from 10 to 30 hours each week either at home or at her dance studio, readying herself for the show.

She wanted her show to expresses her appreciation towards the street children of India.

“Practices are hard because they require a lot of endurance. One of the pieces I performed was a 30-minute solo. It’s a dance on Shiva, an Indian god also known as Nataraja, the lord of dance,” said Mantri. “Basically, I told stories about Shiva by playing different roles in this dance. At times, I acted like Shiva himself. At other times, I acted like a devotee or Parvati, Shiva’s companion. I particularly

like this dance because I feel so spiritual, and I feel as if I can connect directly to Shiva every time I perform this piece,” said Mantri.

Although practices were strenuous at times, Mantri enjoyed the effort she put into her show because dancing is her “panacea.”

In the show, Mantri performed in two Bharatanatyam dances, one six minutes long and one 30 minutes long. She also performed a Bollywood style duet with her cousin.

“This [Bollywood] dance is particularly different for both of us because she’s classically trained in Kathak, a North Indian dance form, whereas I’m trained in Bharatanatyam. When we were choreographing this piece together, we were used to hand gestures from our own dance forms. Nevertheless, we put a lot of work into making sure we were coordinated. Choreographing this dance was definitely a learning experience for me because my cousin and I teach each other moves from our own dance styles,” said Mantri.

The finale, which included Mantri, her brothers, her cousins, and blue13 incorporated all dance styles mentioned above.

“When I looked at these children [street children], they weren’t sad or depressed about their condition. In fact, they are some of the happiest kids I’ve ever met in my life. When I’m worried about a test tomorrow, or generally something that is so trivial yet I make a big deal out of, I just think about the street children and their attitude towards life. These children are so carefree and thankful for all the little things they have. They don’t take life for granted. In my opinion, they’re a bigger influence and inspiration to me than I was to them,” said Mantri.

For those who would like to donate, donations can still be made at [email protected].

2

3

4 5

6 7

Photos Courtesy of Online Bharatanatyam

1

arts & entertainment17 thursday, october 27, 2011 |

insidearts&entertainment

a&eevents

monotones | page 18 With many new additions, this year’s Mono-tones begin rehearsing.

ConCeRt PReVIeW | page 22Find out when and where your favorite art-ists perform their biggest hits.

BlInd PIlot | page 19News editor Claire Selvin reviews the latest album from indie favorite Pilot: We Are The Tide.

VIdeo GAmes | page 20Students weigh in on the popularity and im-pact of video games among teenagers.

senIoRs Go south | page 18Senior boys join the cast of South Pacific for their first experience in a theatrical produc-tion.

monotones | page 18

senIoRs Go SouTh| page 18

PARAde: the olvera street merchants dia de los muertosoctober 25 -november 2

moVIe: In Timeoctober 28

moVIe: The Rum Diaryoctober 28

moVIe: Like Crazyoctober 28



CONCERT: LMFAOoctober 29At: hollywood Palladium

20th Century Fox Film District Paramount Pictures

BlInd PIlot | page 19

LECTURE: Betty Whitenovember 8, 9distinguished speaker series

Creative Commons

Creative Commons LMFAO

Expunged Records

VIdeo GAmes | page 20Creative Commons

Creative Commons

ConCeRts PReVIeW| page 22

For more information see page 22


Senior boys step into the spotlight

Time for the tones

TaraBitran ‘14assistant a&e editor

Anxiously waiting for his or her name to be called, practicing vocal warm-ups over and over again in preparation for the

audition, refreshing the webpage in disbelief that they actually made the cut: all are common experiences shared by the nine new members of the Monotones, including seniors Emely Gómez,


AliceBreidenbach ‘12a&e editor

An avid follower of Buckley’s musical may see some unfamiliar faces in November’s production of South Pacific.

No those sailors are not freshmen. And no those lieutenants are not

sophomores. They’re seniors. And the five of them

just joined their first musical production.“Ever since I began to watch Buckley

plays and musicals I thought that it’d be so much fun to be a part of them,” said senior Daniel Gabbay. “Then when Mrs. Bamford approached me about trying out for South Pacific, and talked to me about how the show needed male performers, I just thought that I would try out and see how it made me feel. And when all my friends started trying out, and I started having so much fun in auditions, I knew that it was the right thing to do.”

Bamford and Gabbay’s conversation was not merely coincidental.

According to director of theater Neil Nash, performing arts teachers specifically tried to get upper school boys involved in the production, which warrants a large number of male performers.

“I’m not sure what ultimately persuaded these senior boys to take part in the musical, but I know that all of us on the production team made a conscious, strategic decision to reach out to them,” said Nash. “Our goal was to convince these guys that it could be a really fun thing to be a part of.”

Other senior boys, like Brandon Afari, chose to make this show their first musical because it promised them a different type of school experience.

“I just wanted to try something different, especially since my time at Buckley has mostly been about sports and this is my last year here,” said Afari. “And the show has definitely given me a different perspective on Buckley, especially since there are so many kids involved with the musical that I’ve never really hung out with before. But I’ve gotten to know them so much better.”

Similarly, Gabbay feels that his

NEW FACES: (Clockwise from top right) Seniors Brandon Afari and Michael Vanhal look to musical director Neil Nash for a demonstration; Senior Daniel Gabbay (right) rehearses a song with junior Ryan O’’Donnell; Nash directs Vanhal in a musical number.

After a rigorous audition process, the members of this year’s Monotones are announced and begin rehearsing.

Savannah Fine, Jordan Moseley, and Andrew Saltman, juniors Alexa Benudiz and Gabriella Selover, and sophomores Ryan O’Donnell, Sam Bierman, and Tara Bitran.

Since there were only three returning members, seniors Mark Cook, Michael Cook, and Greg Sliskovich, after seven seniors graduated last year, many students were eager to fill the open spots in the group.

“I had always wanted to be a member of the Monotones since I first watched them in middle school, so I tried auditioning in ninth grade, but I didn’t make it. Now that I have the chance to be involved this year, I can’t wait to see what we can accomplish,” said Bierman.

Prospective members had to go through a series of trials in order to join the Monotones, such as singing a piece a cappella, as well as demonstrating their ability to sight-read and accurately recall pitches in front of director of choral music, John Hendricks in their initial audition.

Though callback auditions were held both infront of

Hendricks and performing arts department chair, Vincent Houser.

In order to create cohesive groups each year, Hendricks looks for unique singers who would bring their exemplary musicianship, tone, vocal range, creativity, and potential to arrange pieces and “blend” their voices to form a seamless sound in the Monotones.

As for this year’s members, Hendricks is already excited from what he’s seen in the first few rehearsals.

“It is exhilarating to work with a group of such capable, enthusiastic, and pleasant people. It is such a pleasure rehearsing a group that works so well in a spirit of teamwork and feeds off each other’s talents,” said Hendricks.

Fans can expect to see fresh and innovative singing from the Monotones, as some members of the group have already begun to compose arrangements of their own.

“Some of the best qualities of our members are their musical knowledge and creativity, and since four of our members are taking AP Music Theory, they will

have an even greater grasp of the process of writing a cappella vocal arrangements,” said Hendricks.

Future collaborations with the Jazz Band and possibly, the Advanced Strings, are also in the works.

While they may not have performed together, all of the groups were featured on October 16, at the Sherman Oaks Street Fair.

The Monotones had come off of a busy weekend, having just sung in a performance and two demonstrations at the open house on October 15.

Though the group of 12 has only just begun performing together, Hendricks has high hopes for his members, wishing for them to enjoy the experience while still challenging themselves at every rehearsal and performance.

“Of course, I’d like to do well at the Heritage Festival next May, but most importantly, I hope that everyone in the group loves the process of making music with each other, and hopefully delivering something beautiful that our audience is inspired by as well,” said Hendricks.

IN TUNE: The Monotones rehearse with John Hendricks, director of choral music.

involvement with the musical has helped to round out his perspective of Buckley, which he feels he did not know as well before joining the musical.

“I’ve been a part of Buckley athletics,

academics and visual arts. But being involved in the musical has exposed me to one of the most energetic experiences that I’ve ever had at Buckley,” explained Gabbay. “It’s something totally new, but I’m really

enjoying it. I knew that it was going to be a big time commitment, but I didn’t anticipate how much it would affect my other commitments. Then again, how much fun we have in rehearsals definitely outweighs the time commitment.”

Senior Michael Vanhal has also found his first musical experience very challenging yet incredibly rewarding.

“It’s tough to get up on stage and be natural, to really be yourself in front of a bunch of people,” explained Vanhal. “You have to get used to it. [The musical has] also been a huge time commitment. I knew that it was going to take up a lot of time, but I didn’t anticipate just how much…But overall, it’s just so worth it. It’s so much fun.”

Incorporating so many rookie performers into the show also poses directorial challenges to Nash.

“Obviously when you have people who have never been in a production before, they don’t know how to rehearse. But that’s not that big of a concern for me, because they can learn,” said Nash. “The biggest challenge is working with each of these boys’ schedules, which is a concession that we made in allowing so many boys with other commitments to do the musical.”

Nash also notes that the presence of these newcomers also has a singular effect on rehearsals: infusing the musical with a new “energy” and benefitting the rest of the cast.

“They will have a huge effect in the overall production,” explains Nash. “The show calls for a sizeable male ensemble, so without them we’d be missing a key element. And there’s a certain energy they bring with their newness and excitement that really adds to rehearsals.”

Nash also hopes that these boys’ presence will encourage boys to join the musical in the future.

“We hope that younger guys will see these senior boys on stage, having a good time, making a difference, and just being really good and say ‘Okay, if it’s good enough for them, then I can do it too.’”

Olivia Perez The Student Voice Olivia Perez The Student Voice



soundoff

BLIND PILOTWE ARE THE TIDE

CLAIRESELVIN '13

reviews

Courtesy of Expunged Records

Techupdate: iPhone 4SJonathanFriedman ‘12design and production editor

Disappointing many, Apple announced the successor to the iPhone 4 on October 3 and it was not an iPhone 5, the moniker would-be buyers used to describe a rumored, completely redesigned phone.

Th e iPhone 4S, an evolutionary upgrade with revamped internal hardware components and exclusive soft ware, retains the same design as the 4.

“I thought it was going to be completely redesigned and a true [iPhone] 5. Th e 4S just doesn’t seem worth it to me. My dad is waiting until next year now,” said senior Timothy Halimi.

Responses like Halimi’s, however, are not common, as many on campus are still excited about and have already pre-ordered the new phone.

Freshman Spencer Light and Joe Zarif are two of those students, both of whom plan to upgrade to the new model.

“I don’t really care [that the 4S is not redesigned]. Th e eight-megapixel camera is great and the faster processor is apparently way faster. And Siri looks really awesome,” said Zarif.

Light concurred with Zarif and emphasized the speed enhancements as a key reason for upgrading. Both students are current iPhone 4 owners.

Improvements in the new model include a processor bump from Apple’s single-core A4 processor to a dual-core A5 processor, promising

two-times more power and seven-times more graphics performance than the iPhone 4, and a revamped camera system, with an eight-megapixel sensor and improved optics, that shoots higher-quality, better-lit pictures and 1080p high-defi nition videos.

In addition to the more advanced hardware, the phone runs the latest version of Apple’s mobile operating system, iOS 5. Some new features in iOS 5 include redesigned and non-disruptive notifi cations; iMessage,

Apple’s version of BlackBerry Messenger which provides read-and-delivered receipts and connection over WiFi; Twitter-integration; and Newstand, a new homescreen folder that groups all publication subscriptions and automatically downloads the latest issues.

While current iPhone 4 and 3GS owners are able to upgrade to iOS 5, the 4S’s main attraction, a feature called Siri, is exclusive to the new model. Advertised as a built-in assistant, users can literally speak and dictate to the phone.

While most phones provide some sort of voice capabilities, Apple’s feature actually works, according to users and reviewers, and understands contextual and conversational language. Siri can handle requests dealing with information, which the assistant will scour the internet for, calling, messaging, locations and directions, and calendaring. Examples of Siri-interactions include commands about the weather, popular restaurants, currency rates, and Wikipedia searches.

According to reviewers from Th e New York Times, TechCrunch, and MacWorld, Siri not only works as advertised, but improves with use. Occasionally Siri fumbles, but it always picks up the ball and off ers a solution when it fails.

Th e phone, which hit stores October 14, is priced at $199, $299, and $399 for the 16, 32, and 64 gigabyte models.

"...the lead singer unleashes passion and en-thusiasm, which I had previously believed him inca-pable of."

NEWFEATURES:Siri - BUILT-IN ASSISTANTA5 processor - X SPEED

8 megapixel cameraioS 5

Are you going to buy the new iPhone 4s?

Yes

NoBased on 102 responses collected 10/18/11

69.6%

STUDENTPOLL

30.4%

We Are Th e Tide, Blind Pilot’s sophomore album, debuted on September 13. Th e indie-folk band impressed me in 2008 with its soothing instrumentals and poetic lyrics in its debut album 3 Rounds & A Sound, and this new release serves as a somewhat redundant mimic of the once innovative music.

Blind Pilot’s generally acoustic, mellow style holds true in this second album with a bit more emotion in the lead singer’s voice. We Are Th e Tide delivers as a calming, charmingly simple album that may, at points, lack originality or uniqueness.

Th e album’s fi rst track, “Half Moon,” provides a steady drumbeat foreign to past Blind Pilot songs without becoming abrasive. Th e chorus, the strongest part of the

song, is catchy and remarkably upbeat. Th is song’s sense of natural freedom is contagious to the listener as the singer asserts, “the wind is calling my name.”

In contrast, the second song of the album “Always” was disappointing, lackluster, and misplaced

with the other songs. Unlike “Half Moon’s” enjoyably heft y drumbeat, the beat in “Always” is meager yet seemingly ceaseless and exaggerated.

Despite this tepid start, I thoroughly enjoyed “Th e Colored Night,” a song in which the lead singer unleashes passion and enthusiasm, which I had previously believed him incapable of. Th e song begins like all other Blind Pilot songs, mildly, with a hint of melancholy nostalgia. In the beginning, the singer says, “when the colors bleed, mix up my memories,” referring to the chaotic world in which he lives. But with the initiation of the chorus, bursting with sound and emotion, the singer describes the therapeutic nature of love with, “lines will blur, but you’ve got a face like no other.” Compared to other songs on the album that oft en seem interchangeable, “Th e Colored Night” is full of fl avor.

Th e fi nal song on the album, “New York,” captures the essence of the great city to which it never directly refers. Th e opening line, “I hear the train all night,” is evocative of the energy of the city that never sleeps. Th e accordion in the song is innovative on the band’s part, and adds a fresh sound to the song. Th e singer contrasts the liveliness of the city to the nature of his love: “And these lines tell the truth, these city veins answer all they do/So could you keep in the poses, could you keep me in the sound.” Th e song emphasizes New York’s power to keep its inhabitants striving to achieve their goals.

Th ough We Are Th e Tide includes songs that are highly engaging and somewhat creative, the album as a whole confi rms Blind Pilot as a one trick pony. Th ough the songs are pleasant, they lack any avant-garde quality that ought to set them apart from so many other acoustic, unremarkable bands.

Courtesy of Apple Inc.


The games and the gamersThe games and the gamers

GAMES TO LOOK FOR THIS WINTER:BRANDONEDMONDS ‘15

Campaign: large open battle-fi elds and new features such as a huge multiplayer server and brand new story.

Features: new Frostbite en-gine for enhanced program-ming, 64 added players to the multiplayer on PC, new vehicles and aerial combat.

Video games are time consuming. Th ey’re addicting. Th ey’re violent. But most of all, they’re not real. So why then, do

students play them?

With the steady growth of video game popularity since the late 80’s, many students grew up with video games as a social and recreational staple.

Video games can serve a variety of purposes. While some gamers play for a deep story, others play for the fast pace. Some games have minimal user input and play like an interactive movie.

“Video games were like watching a movie, and in some ways reading a book. You could always see yourself as the character and be sucked into the stories,” said sophomore Tristan Harris.

Every day when we come home from school we check Facebook and text with friends. But both when we were small kids and today, we network via video games as well.

“When I was younger, my friends and I would get together and obsess over one game,” said Harris.

For many of us growing up, video games were the source of a “social network.” If a kid in the neighborhood got a new game everyone would rush to his or her house to check it out. No walls were posted on, but we still found a way to congregate.

“Th rough video games, I can always talk to people that are online,” said sophomore Avi Nosrati.

Th ough many girls like junior Emily Irani experienced the opposite side of the spectrum; solo play.

“As a girl, it was hard to fi nd people to play video games with. Most girls didn’t play video games. I never really got to play in a group,” said Irani.

As technology improves there are fewer reasons for people to congregate. People can communicate with each other while sitting on the couch.

“Now I don’t normally invite friends over to play games, because I can just play online with them. It’s less social. At the same time it is really easy to connect with them online, even though it’s on a less personal level,” said sophomore Ryan O’Donnell.

Alternatively, video games have a less social side, causing a social disconnect. Many people look down on gamers, dismissing them as “nerdy.”

“While they [games] make strong bonds with some people, it ostracizes you from the part of society that doesn’t play games or thinks games are bad for people,” said senior Rouben Gregorian.

Video games can also be a solitary hobby, like reading a book or watching TV. Sophomore Anthony Romm’s favorite game, titled “Assassins Creed,” doesn’t have a prevalent multiplayer feature.

“I play video games because they are entertaining since there is so much you can do in games that we can never do in real life,” said Romm.

Current games that are popular fall into two groups: casual and hardcore.

Hardcore games typically demand high levels of investment. Th ese games are oft en the suspenseful and exciting games Romm refers to. Casual games are more like arcade games. Games like Mario are easy to pick up and play with a group of friends, and tend to sell well.

Recently, the consumer market has seen a“boom” in the casual crowd, which is evident in the Nintendo Wii’s market success.

“When looking for a video game, I typically already know what game I want,” said Harris.

On the other side of the spectrum is competitive gaming. Being a professional gamer requires a lot of dedication and time.

“In the past I have played video games competitively but presently there’s just not enough time for me to dedicate to playing hardcore. Playing competitively can be a serious commitment. Sometimes you’re required to play 130 hours a week; I just don’t have that kind of time,” said Gregorian.

Competitive gaming includes single players, or even a group of friends. Th e only thing one needs to participate in competitive gaming is skill and dedication.

Many people just simply don’t have time, much like Gregorian.

“I tried it [competitive gaming] for about a week. A few friends and I decided that we were pretty good, and that we wanted to play against other skilled people. It ended up being way too time consuming” said O’Donnell.

With the average player playing about 11 hours a week, the question of whether or not video games are addictive has to be asked.

“Put simply, yes I would say games are addicting. However, the more extensive answer is that everything is additive, so you have to have self-discipline,” said

Campaign: continuing with Makarov’s revenge by invad-ing New York and London.

Features: new strike packages, new game type known as Kill Mode Confi rmed, and a re-vamped Spec ops game mode.

Call of duty: modern Warfare 3 - November 8elder scrolls: skyrim - November 11Campaign: over 300 hours of new gameplay.

Features: revolutionized RPG game play, new look, improved graphics, interface and combat, added dragons and over 150 dungeons.

how often do you play video games?

STUDENTPOLL

Battlefi eld 3 - october 26 Assassin’s Creed: Revelations - December 1

Campaign: Ezio as an old man seeking to rebuild the Assassin Brotherhood to the glory it once possessed.

Features: new items to your Assassins, new perks, new weapons and gadgets (the new smoke bomb), new mul-tiplayer game types.

3. seldom: 36.3%

4. never: 31.4%

2. A moderate amount: 22.5%

1. All the time: 9.8%

102 responses collected on 10/18/11

Alice Breidenbach Th e Student Voice

32

14

MICHAELLEN‘14


south pacificthe buckley school department of performing arts presents

Book byOscar Hammerstein IIand Joshua Logan

Adapted from the Pulizter Prize-winningnovel “Tales of the South Pacific” by

James A. Michener

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November 10, 11, and 12, 2011 6:30 P.M.Roy E. Disney Family PavilionTickets: $20 in advance, $25 at the doorTo order tickets in advance, visit www.buckley.org


Coming to a stage near youMARKCOOK‘12

Go ahead. Put your headphones on and settle for

the mediocrity that defi nes the inadequacy of the music-listening experience from an iPod.

For that matter, go ahead and blast the music in your car and try to heighten the experience by a single decibel.

But if you consider yourself a music lover, and if you truly want the ultimate music-listening experience, then you are best served going to a live show. Th at’s right, an ear exploding, mind-bottling, gut-wrenching, awe-striking live concert, and here are your upcoming opportunities.

Going back, you may have lots of older generation songs that you simply adore. From personal experience one of my favorite groups of all time is Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons.

While such classics have impacted all of us, contemporary music has becoome a more popular avenue of music not only for artists, but for many among us.

Electronic dance music has recently become extremely popular, and for those avid dub step fans Deadmau5, Avicil, Tommy Lee & DJ Aero, Feed Me and Sofi are performing at Petco Park in San Diego today.

If heavy bass and big drops get your music adrenaline pumping, then that’s where you need to be. Deadmau5, Avicil, Tommy Lee & DJ Aero, Feed Me and Sofi keep the bass booming, providing spectacular and high energy shows.

For those of you into pop music, dancing until your feet hurt, or perhaps even shuffl ing, LMFAO and Far East Movement performs October 29 at the Hollywood performs October 29 at the Hollywood performs October 29 at the Hollywood Palladium.

Be sure to bring your dancing kicks to the 97.1 AMP Radio presents Pink at the Palladium Masquerade. Th e concert will also feature a costume contest, so attendants are encouraged to “dress accordingly.”

If you just haven’t had enough from LMFAO and Far East Movement, more dance moves are headed your way when Chris Brown, Bow Wow, and T-Pain will be performing at the Verizon Wireless Th eatre, November 5. Th eir energy will blast right through you, making it impossible to sit

the Cure november 12

Courtesy of Wikipedia Commons


lmFAo & Far east movementoctober 29november 12

lykke li



november 26 morrissey


october 27

deadmau5, Avicil, tom-my lee & dJ Aero, Feed Me and Sofi


november 12 Feist

down when Chris Brown performs hits like “Look At Me Now.”

For those of you that enjoy bands of the indie rock genre, AWOLNATION will be performing at Music Box at the Fonda on November 3. If you’re an indie rock fan you know their hit song “Sail,” though you may not have heard the rest of their album. If you liked “Sail” be sure to see them in concert because there is plenty more where that came from on their fi rst EP Back from Earth.

Again diving into the indie rock or in

this case, also indie pop culture, Lykke Li will perform at Fox Th eatre Pomona on November 7. It will be an experience you won’t want to miss, especially since she will be performing hits like “I Follow Rivers,” “Sadness Is a Blessing,” and “Rich Kids Blues.”

And for those of you that don’t have a particular following of Lykke Li but still a loyalty to indie pop, perhaps Feist peaks your interest. Feist will be performing at the Wiltern Th eatre, November 12. Her concert

will no doubt include her hit “1234” among many other popular favorites.

Now jumping back again multiple years to the 80s, one of my all-time favorite bands, Th e Cure, will perform at the Pantages Th eatre November 21.

Th e Cure is said to have infl uenced generations of music, with their hits like “Boys Don’t Cry,” “A Forest,” “Why Can’t I Be You,” “Just Like Heaven,” “Friday I’m In Love,” and “Lovesong,” the list is endless.

In 2011, the Cure played their fi rst three studio albums in their entirety during two shows in Sydney, Australia, so expect to be treated to those same great hits.

Continuing with the 80s theme, Morrissey and Kristeen Young will perform at the Shrine Auditorium and Expo Center

in Los Angeles on November 26. For those of you that aren’t aware,

Morrissey was the lead singer of Th e Smiths and continued writing songs throughout his solo career, releasing his most recent album Years of RefusalFebruary 2009, including amazing new songs such as “I’m Th rowing My Arms Around Paris,” “Something Is Squeezing My Skull,” and “It’s Not Your Birthday Anymore.” Of course, he will also perform his classics from

“Viva Hate” and “Ringleader of the Tormentors,” such as “Suedehead,” and “Dear God Please Help Me,” “You Have Killed Me,” and “I’ll Never Be Anybody’s Hero Now.”

For those of you that believe in the “Teenage Dream,” then on

November 22, the Staples Center is the place for you. Katy Perry’s album Teenage Dream debuted at number one in eight countries and her third single,

“Firework,” spent four weeks at number one. You can expect to hear these songs among her other greatest hits such as songs from her previous album, One of the Boys: “I Kissed A Girl,” “Hot N Cold,” “Th inking of You” and “Waking Up In Vegas.”

Th ere are simply too many good concerts, and too little time.

Take your pick for a guaranteed fun experience with great music, no choice will leave you unsatisfi ed yet every choice will leave you wanting more.

Chris Brown, t-Pain & Bow Wownovember 5


november 3 AWolnAtIon


november 22 Katy Perry


Attention music lovers: this october and November bring more than just familiar holidays and cooler weather. Be sure to mark your calendars because there are numerous concerts this fall that you are not going to want to miss.


Alice Breidenbach Th e Student Voice

As I drive to school and I turn on the radio, I hear Beyoncé’s powerhouse vocals.

As I head home from school and fl ip through diff erent stations, I hear Lady Gaga’s striking anthems. As I turn on MTV on Saturday morning, I hear Katy Perry’s pop-confections. And as I once again turn on the radio before calling it a night, Adele’s vulnerable melodies fl are through my speakers.

No matter where I am and at whatever time, I constantly hear the voices of the music industry’s leading ladies. While they overwhelm radio stations, climb the music charts, sell millions of records, and capture the public’s hearts and minds, it is apparent that females are dominating the music industry.

But the starlets of the spotlight are successful for more than just their talent; these females provide an entire package and show off an image to their audience that not only solidifi es their unique identities in the industry, but also attracts contemporary music listeners.

“Female singers provide a whole experience when you listen to their music. It’s not just the singing that has an eff ect on you, it’s also about the dancing, their diff erent images, their personas, and so on,” said senior Grace Cartwright.

Lady Gaga epitomizes “the whole package.” Her over-the-top and fl amboyant outfi ts dazzle – and sometimes confuse – the public.

Her risqué dance moves intrigue viewers. But most importantly, her catchy melodies and contagious club-bangers are the main reasons she is today’s dance fl oor queen.

In 2008, Gaga released her fi rst single “Just Dance,” an energetic dance song that encourages her fans to simply cherish the moment. Before Gaga became known for her larger-than-life persona, listeners were attracted to her sound – and her sound is what fi rst shot her to the top of the pop charts.

Experts in the industry also view Gaga as a dazzler in today’s music scene.

“A look and a vibe à la Lady Gaga or Katy Perry help defi ne the artist, but besides the vibe and the ‘look,’ it’s the songs that make these artists stand out. Gaga wearing outrageous outfi ts without the great songs would have never garnered the attention that led to her fame,” said Mitch Rose, head of the music department of CAA and agent to stars such as Perry herself.

DANIELGABBAY‘12

A s G a g a evolved as an artist, she inspired her fans to relish their individuality. Seemingly sharing aff ection for her fans, she calls herself “Mother Monster” and her fans “little monsters.” She also highlights her own insecurities and asserts that everyone is beautiful in his or her own way.

Th is uplift ing message seems to provide her fans with a sense of self and security.

With Gaga, music has served as the foundation for her career. But her image has built her career. She is not only popular for her catchy music and colorful persona, but she also resonates with fans because of her message of self-love.

While Gaga is successful for being theatrical while promoting an uplift ing message, Adele rules the industry by being much more raw and vulnerable to her fans.

Indeed, Gaga’s message inspires fans to transcend limitations or obstacles, but Adele’s emotional melodies and relatable lyrics about relationships create a bond between her and her fans as well.

“Even though I’m a guy, I am defi nitely attracted to Adele because she is so raw and ‘tugs on my heart strings’ whenever I listen to her sing. Her open and candid lyrics that convey her hardships help me cope with my own inner struggles. Adele is truly the manifestation of all heartbreak, but I fi nd that feeling of misery in her songs beautiful and relatable to anyone who has ever broken up with someone they loved,” said senior Michael Cook.

Adele’s vulnerability as an

“WHO RUN THE

WORLD?”When it comes to the world of chart-topping singles and powerful solo vocals, it seems that girls, are indeed running the show.

artist does strike a chord with her fans. Her openness enables listeners to see themselves in her hardships. Th is openness serves as Adele’s image in the industry. While not nearly as glitzy and theatrical as Gaga, Adele charms audiences with her honesty.

Not only do Adele’s lyrics about broken romance connect her to her fans, but her soulful, ‘blues meets pop’ inspired melodies have made her ballads popular on the music charts as well. Her worldwide hit “Rolling In the Deep” has dominated the Billboard music charts since its release in February. Her album 21 is the best selling album of the year so far, selling just over three million copies.

Rose credits Adele’s human side for her popularity.

“Females are dominating at the moment because they are singing great and memorable pop songs. Th ey are singing the songs that connect to audiences of all demographics,” he said.

Beyoncé and Katy Perry are also at the top of the music industry’s ladder and attract a wide audience. Similar to Gaga and Adele, these two sirens encourage their fans to sing along to songs that encourage listeners to love themselves. Beyoncé and Perry also motivate their listeners to

fl aunt their female individuality. Beyoncé’s empowering anthem “Single Ladies (Put A Ring On It) not only won the Grammy for Record of the Year in 2009, but also won the hearts of women worldwide. Beyonce encourages females to be superior to their male companions and to take pride in their status as single women. Her sound incorporates Gaga’s dance energy while echoing Adele’s soulful sound.

While Beyoncé calls upon all her “Single Ladies,” Perry inspires female California natives to cherish their homeland where “the grass is really greener.”

Her music is bubbly and uplift ing and her sound truly embodies the pop genre. Her hit “California Gurls” was the best selling digital song of 2010 and proved that a pop melody mixed with a dance beat and motivational, radio-friendly lyrics makes the perfect formula for a smash hit.

Perry reigns over radio stations and provides listeners with something sweet to listen to with hits like “I Kissed a Girl,” “Teenage Dream,” and “Firework.” In her anthem “Firework,” Perry urges her fans to “ignite the light” within them and to let “their colors burst.” Th is uplift ing message also attracts fans.

Her latest single “Last Friday

Night” broke records for being her fi ft h consecutive #1 single from her platinum-selling album, Teenage Dream. Michael Jackson previously held this record, but Perry is the fi rst female to achieve this feat.

Gaga, Adele, Beyoncé, and Perry convey that their images and their unique sounds make them successful in the music industry. While each leading lady exudes a sweet, fi erce, vulnerable, or eccentric persona, they each add fl avor to the music industry.

But they confi rm that the music itself brings them success. Th eir chart topping songs and record-breaking albums serve as their platform to display their identities as artists and to send their inspiring messages to the public.

While Gaga sings to her “Little Monsters,” Beyoncé addresses her “Single Ladies,” Perry makes a toast to her “California Gurls,” and Adele belts for all of the heartbroken lovers, these females create a spark among fans and strut to the top of the music charts.

Rose said that “One can argue that the 60’s and 70’s were dominated by males, bands, and groups.”

But as Gaga, Adele, Beyoncé and Perry convey, it’s the females’ turn to raise their voices.

sports24 thursday, october 27, 2011 |

10-8

SCOREBOARD Girls VARSITY TENNIS

15 -1 team record

viewpoint win

oakwood winwin

archer

winviewpoint win

14-413-513-514-4

it’sgame

timevarsity

cross country

november 4League Finals

at Pierce College

november 12CIF Southern

Section Prelims

november 19CIF Southern

Section Finals

november 26State Championship

in Fresno

varsity girls tennis

october 27vs

New Community Jewish

october 31League Finals

november 10CIF Playoffs, first round

november 12CIF second round

november 15CIF quarter Finals

november 17CIF semi-finals

november 21CIF Championship

varsity volleyball

october 27vs Oakwood

november 1vs Viewpoint

november 2vs

Glendale Adventist

insidesports

Ranked first in CIF, tennis at it again

Courtesy of Sue Sherman

INTENSITY: Junior Rita Farb serves against Viewpoint on October 10. The Griffins would go on to win, 14-4.

cross country | page 25Boys and girls cross country push towards league finals

Volleyball | page 26Injuries plague key players

naomie rosenberg | page 28Freshman sensation shows her oncourt personalitynaomi | page 28

Volleyball | page 26

cross country | page 25

9-0league record

insidesports

JackRose ‘13sports editor

“In order to repeat, you need to have a little bit of luck, you need to stay healthy, and you need to have that will to excel,” said head coach Sue Sherman. “We have it.”

After bringing home the championship last year, the girls tennis team (15-1, 9-0) has done everything necessary so far to achieve their goal of winnning the championship again this season.

This goal has been clearly stated since the championship match last year.

“Some of the kids took it pretty seriously and trained a lot and got a lot better over the summer,” said Sherman.

With strong freshmen and improved veterans, the team has been able to combat the loss of important seniors from last year’s team.

The Griffins defeated league rival Viewpoint twice, 14-4 then 10-8 on October 21. Sherman called the Viewpoint matches vital for CIF success.

“When the pressure is on, [the girls] are not choking. They’re living up to what we need them to do. We’re not stepping backwards, we’re stepping forwards. It felt good [to beat Viewpoint],” said Sherman

The team’s only loss came against Westridge, one of the top teams in Division Two. The Division 4 Griffins play many non-league matches against teams

in higher divisions to prepare for CIF competition.

“Everyone in CIF is everyone who is the best in their league,” said senior, captain Hadleigh Glist. “The teams that are not as good will lose in the first couple of rounds [of playoffs].”

One of the closest matches the team has played all year was against Milken; the Griffins prevailed 10-8.

“We have a lot of experience from the girls on the team; they’ve been in situations in which it is really nerve-wracking,” said Sherman.

She attributes the team’s success against tough opponents and in close matches to its experience; with last year’s championship run, the Griffins made it to their third consecutive CIF championship match.

“There are certain expectations that have been built and those expectations have been portrayed by our entire team,” Glist said. “Everyone knows what those expectations are, and if they don’t meet them, there are going to be consequences.”

Sherman and her past three teams have created a standard of excellence for the girls tennis program, capped off with last year’s ultimate victory.

“Her ability to coach, shape, and mold a team are incredible,” said athletic director Byrd Newman-Milic. “Under Coach Sherman’s leadership I don’t see

the girls program not having success.”

After beating Yeshiva Tuesday, the team continues its march towards the championship today against New Community Jewish at Balboa Park. CIF playoffs start in November.

Santa Ynez, the team the Griffins defeated in last year’s championship, is currently first in the Los Padres League, a perfect 12-0 in league to go along with

16-5 overall. However, Glist says the team

does not know who their toughest opponent will be in playoffs until the final rankings and playoff seedings are released.

Currently, Viewpoint is ranked second in CIF southern section and Santa Ynez is ranked seventh.

“We are number one right now,” said Glist. “And we’re going to stay that way.”

“There are certain expectations that have been built and those expectations have been portrayed by our entire team. Everyone knows what those expectations are, and if they don’t meet them, there are going to be consequences.”

Hadleigh Glist Captain

windward

directions and times on school athletics website

yeshiva win 17-1


CROSS COUNTRY

Boys second in league with two meets left before CIF

ElleWisnicki ‘13assistant editor

The boys team finished ahead of league rival Viewpoint at the Mt. San Antonio College (Mt. SAC) Invitational on October 21.

At the Invitational, the team ran against many of the same teams they will compete against in CIF prelims and finals.

“I’m happy that we beat Viewpoint. We finally had our top five guys running without injuries which was great,” said captain, senior Andrew Davis. “However, as a team we did not meet our expectations.”

Many runners feel that their lack of success at Mt. SAC was due to not enough hill training leading up to the race.

“Running flat VNSO workouts are appropriate, but we need to do more hill repeats. If we can get our legs stronger this final month, I know we’ll kill it at CIF,” said Davis.

The team placed second at the Paramount Ranch league meet October 11 without Davis, who strained an abdominal muscle. Viewpoint placed first at the meet and is currently first in Liberty League.

Injuries stall girls’ successTylerMorad ‘14assistant sports editor

“[Paramount Ranch] was definitely the most difficult course, and the weather did not help either. Nonetheless, we were able to finish strong, even facing adversity with all the injuries we had,” said captain, junior Michaela Murphy.

Placing fifth at Paramount Ranch, the girls varsity cross country team is tied for third in Liberty League.

Captain, junior Elle Wisnicki placed fifth, Murphy thirteenth, sophomore Natalie De-Vincenzi fifteenth, and sophomore Natalya Sands twenty-sixth. Sophomore Chloe Boasberg did not run due to strep throat, and both Murphy and Wisnicki ran with hip injury and ankle injuries, respectively.

In the Carson Park meet on September 15, the first league meet of the year, the squad came in a close second place to Providence with three girls in the top 10: Wisnicki placed third, Boasberg eighth, and Murphy ninth.

“Since it was close to the beginning of the season, some of us were still a little rough around the racing edges, and though we got a bunch of us in the top 10, it wasn’t quite enough to get first,” said Murphy.

Although they wanted to win the first league meet, the squad nonetheless was ecstatic with a second place finish.

“I am tremendously proud of how far we have come in the past three years. We are bigger in numbers and faster than ever and have a great chance of making it to Southern Section Finals,” said Wisnicki.

But as the squad tries to improve their times and develop team chemistry, injuries have held them back. Pivotal runner captain, junior Samara Roman-Holba suffers from shin splints and does not know when she will be healed.

“The biggest surprise this season has been that injuries have crept up on us so soon in the season,” said head coach Amanda Marks. “Long-term injuries and minor strains have hurt some runners immensely so far.”

As of October 25, two of the team’s top five runners were injured.

“I’m incredibly happy that we have nine runners; however, it is a struggle with the number of injuries and the outside commitments that some runners have,” said Wisnicki.

Although injuries have hurt the team chemistry, there have been positives to come out of the empty spots to fill.

“A key strength has been the girls’ desire to do well and motivate each other despite dealing with minor injuries,” said Marks.

“As captain, I try to set an example by always running the outlined training for the day, and by keeping a positive attitude about racing and running in general,” said Murphy.

So far, the fluctuation in success this season has shown Marks what has and has not worked as head coach so far.

“I’ve learned that I need to keep pushing these girls as long as they are not hurt or injured. That they can do the entire workout and that they don’t have to back out of a workout if they feel tired or sore; they need to keep pushing because that’s how they will get better,” said Marks.

The squad has started a new training method this year.

“This year, the training is definitely more intense, which is another reason I think so many of us are injured. I think they will benefit us race wise in the long run, but health wise and short term I feel it is hurting us,” said Murphy.

At the Mt. San Antonio Invitational October 21, the team finished 11 out of 16 teams.

toprunnersMeeT ReSUlTSTucker Higgins Elle WisnickiAndrew DavisNick Martin Chloe Boasberg

Team finished 11 out of 16 at Mt. SAC Division 5 Varsity Girls Race Team finished 14 out of 18 at Mt. SAC Division 5 Boys Sweepstakes Race

Time

mT.SAC

1st

18:15

36th

CArSon

Time

mT. SAC

1st

13:55

45thmT.SAC

4th

52nd

CArSonPArAmounT

PArAmounT

Courtesy of Leonie De Picciotto

OFF TO THE RACES: Junior Elle Wisnicki and sophomore Natalie De Vincenzi lead the girls off the starting line at Paramount Ranch next to Viewpoint and Providence runners.

“Despite not having all of our team members, we powered through an extremely hot and long race to still get second place,” said captain, senior Michael Vanhal.

Captain, junior Nick Martin placed first, beating second place Viewpoint runner Mason Alford by 23 seconds. Junior Tucker Higgins placed sixth after falling during the race. Vanhal, senior Brandon Wong, and junior Jack Rose rounded out the top five.

“I was happily surprised to place first after coming back from my injury and enjoyed leading a strong team,” said Martin.

At the Bellarmine Jefferson Invitational September 23, competing against teams in Division 3, 4 and 5, the team placed ninth out of 14 schools without two of their top five runners. Three boys received medals: Davis placed sixth with Vanhal and sophomore Bierman also in the top 50 out of 98 runners.

“The boys showed determination to run the course and improve their times. The outcome was phenomenal and I was especially impressed that they were closer together in placed; they ran like a team,” said head coach Chris Mack.

The boys placed second in the Carson Park League meet September 15, behind rival Viewpoint, without Martin. Davis placed first in the race after beating two Viewpoint runners in the last 800 meters.

“[Finishing first] felt amazing, seeing my family and teammates cheer me on as I crossed the finish line was an unforgettable memory. It showed that all the miles I put in over summer paid off,” said Davis.

Martin did not run at Carson Park because of an Achilles injury. Davis said with Martin running, the boys have a high chance of beating Viewpoint at Liberty League Finals November 4.

“Martin is a mature runner with the experience necessary to succeed,” said Mack.

According to Mack, Davis is the glue to the team and a motivating factor with the other boys. He sets the tone for the team. The team is working on speed, endurance, and strength along with proper form and running mechanics.

“In order to run fast you have to train fast,” said Mack.

“Overall, the team gets along perfectly. We make jokes at times, but when it comes down to working hard we always give our best effort. As a senior, I’m proud when the top seven guys work to their full potential,” said Davis

Mack encourages the boys to help each other pick up their pace by feeding off each other’s energy to gain speed.

According to the team, Davis leads the team by example and shows the runners the appropriate race mentality. Vanhal enforces correct drill mechanics, integral to avoiding injuries.

“It’s the dedication outside of school practice that makes our top runners fast. Additionally, our coach makes us work hard during practice and never takes any slacking off,” said Vanhal.

Courtesy of Leonie De Picciotto

OUT IN FRONT: Junior Nick Martin in front of the pack at Paramount Ranch, im-mediately ahead of Viewpoint runner Mason Alford. Martin would go on to win the race.

Boys

lIBeRTY leagUe STaNdINgS

Viewpoint OakwoodBuckley

Girls Viewpoint BuckleyProvidence1. 2. 3.

6th

mT.SAC

3rd

29th

CArSon

PArAmounT 5th

CArSon

Time

mT. SAC

8th

18:54

44th


Cartwright’s back injury strikes down volleyball’s early season momentum

Girls golf finishes promising first season

Courtesy of Andrew Lotts

BACKSWING: Freshman Kathrine Herzer-Hansel chips onto the green.

After winless season, team attacks key weaknesses to build for next year with all seven girls returning for the second year of the program.

JackRose ‘13sports editor

The girls golf team has concluded their inaugural season and looks towards the future to improve their new team.

Despite some struggles, head coach Andrew Lotts considers his team’s first season a success.

“It has been a wonderful season… The girls worked hard, had fun and are eager to improve, lower their scores and get some wins,” said Lotts.

While the whole team continued to impress Lotts as the season went on, captain, sophomore Ali Eicher led the team both in scores and in matches.

“All the girls have shown, at times, potential to be solid golfers. We will see who really steps up as soon as we hit the off-season. That’s when the real work begins,” said Lotts.

MichaelLen ‘14staff reporter

With a record of 4-3 in league (4-7 overall), the girls varsity volleyball team is second in the Liberty League.

The team lost to Holy Martyrs October 25 with a score of 0-3. The team dynamic was off because of missing starters, including setter junior Marlen Grussi with a back injury.

After losing captain, senior Grace Cartwright to a back injury, the girls lost two league matches.

The team dominated the first game against Providence October 20, winning 25-5, but lost their moment going on to lose the next three games subsequently losing the match.

“Our Providence home match was an off day, we did not pick up the slack energetically, or fill in gaps other players left open,” said Grussi.

The three subsequent losses were close, but the team was down mentally and lacked the momentum to beat Providence.

Additionally the girls lost to Viewpoint October 18 after a heated match with a match score of 3-1. The team was down 2-0, and managed to start gaining momentum by the third game, but ultimately lost the fourth game 25-11.

“We had trouble establishing our middles early on but when we were down two games to none we came back to win the third game 25 to 22. Although we fell short of a win, we worked our hardest and were very proud of our team,” said senior Shaina Goel.

Goel has filled in for Carwright while the rest of the team works to adjust to the loss of their main hitter.

Carwright strained a muscle on the left side of her lower back because she is left handed and has lost her hitting ability. The pain started sophomore year but reached its peak this year because of games scheduled close together.

“It’s hard because I don’t know how to help my team,” said Cartwright

Cartwright was looking forward to playing volleyball in college, but with consistent pain she is forced to take a coaching role and cheer her team on from the sidelines.

“The team is skillfully really good, but needs to work on their confidence in order to beat Viewpoint,” said Cartwright.

Aside from league play, the girls lost two non-league games to Milken and Grace Brethren.

“We didn’t beat ourselves. We just got beat on that day. I think with some more practice and game experience we will have the pieces to avenge the losses,” said Cole.

Recovering from a rough start, starting October 5, the team went on a four game

winning streak against Providence, Holy Martyrs Armenian, Glendale Adventist, and Oakwood.

They won the first three games of each match, shutting out the other teams from the beginning. The winning streak placed them second in Liberty League, trailing Viewpoint’s 5-0 record.

Cole said that sophomore Adiya King and senior Alice Breidenbach have stepped up to the challenges their positions present. Breidenbach plays middle blocker, and has played strong offense for the past two matches.

Grussi has 73 assists, feeding the offensive frontline. Junior varsity head coach Rae Basmagian stressed that Breidenbach “has been killing the balls” with the help of Grussi’s setting. The team stresses offense due to the threat of this duo.

“I think that our setter, Marlen, has really stepped up. It’s her first year as a setter on the varsity team and she has been improving every single day,” said captain, senior Jamie Stern.

Grussi gives credit to Stern for giving her suggestions as well as motivation.

“Jamie always keeps me on top of my

game. She’s been playing for years, and brings the more serious and tactical aspects of volleyball to the team,” said Grussi.

The team played without Cartwright against Glendale Adventist and still swept 3-0 by working together mentally and skillfully.

At the Marlborough tournament, the team lost both of their matches against Grace Brethren and Ventura because injuries kept out setters Grussi and freshman Paulina Vokulich.

“We’ve spent a lot of time this season to develop new players on the team, some people are playing new positions and others are new to the game. We’re really trying to make everyone comfortable to make us stronger and more competitive in games,” said sophomore Nikki Nahai.

According to Nahai, Stern, a veteran player, adequately fills the role of captain and keeps the team motivated.

The team plays Oakwood at home today at 4:30 p.m. The team’s second to last league game is November 1 against Viewpoint at home.

Elle Wisnicki The Student Voice

SPIKE: Senior Alice Breidenbach jumps for a kill against Holy Martyrs.

Lotts stresses the offseason a lot to his players, saying that it is the most important part of the season because that is the time in which they can improve the most. Creation of the team occurred at the end of last school year, Lotts did not have much time to field and groom his team.

Although he ended up with a full team, Lotts said that a lack of preparation time hurt the team the most, calling the lack of time one of the team’s weaknesses.

During the off-season, the girls will work on their swings and specific weaknesses in their games so they can be ready for a more successful season next year.

“Our goal is to find one area of our game that we can improve upon quickly to make an immediate impact on our scores… That area is the short game, mainly 60 yards and in,” he said.

Next year, the team hopes to improve upon this season and build the new girls golf program.

“We had trouble establishing our middles early on but when we were down two games to none we came back to win the third game 25 to 22. Although we fell short of a win, we worked our hardest and were very proud of our team.”Shaina Goel Senior


NBA lockout causes commotion, students frustrated at league

For most people, spring break is a two-week vacation from the stresses of everyday

life: a time for travel, celebration, and forgotten pleasures. For Junior Maddie Baldi, the spring break of freshman year changed her life.

Baldi was on a family trip to the Bahamas when her back began to ache. She thought she may have fractured her vertebrae, but when she got back to her doctor in Los Angeles, she found out that she had herniated a disc, which results when a spongy disc that sits between two spinal vertebrae is ruptured or damaged.

“My dad didn’t believe me when I said my back was aching. He thought I just didn’t want to do certain things and to be honest before this, I had a tendency to cry wolf when I didn’t want to do things,” said Baldi.

She was released to play softball on the school varsity team the week she got back. Baldi got into a groove and was pitching fast and accurate the first day. But during warm-ups later in the week, she felt the pain again, and athletic trainer Melanie Holland wouldn’t allow Baldi to continue playing softball.

“It clicked and something just wasn’t right. By the time I got home that evening, I couldn’t move; I couldn’t stand or walk,” said Baldi. “I just could laugh; I wasn’t sure what else to feel.”

For the next two or three weeks, Baldi went through more X-rays and CAT scans given by various specialists at the Cedars-Sinai Medical Center and received an array of opinions about her condition.

“My back ached and I had shooting pains down my leg. It was

Spinal surgery sidelines softball career, not spirit

frustrating not to know what was going on with my own body,” said Baldi.

One of the head doctors in spinal surgery, known to be the “best of the best,” according to Baldi, diagnosed her with pre-mature arthritis but said that she would be fine and could continue playing softball and strengthening her core within a few weeks. The day before that she had been told by another doctor that she had a spinal fracture and needed surgery. The week before that she was told that she had herniated a disc and needed laser therapy treatments.

“I remember standing with my dad on this bridge that connected two buildings at Cedars and I was just hysterical. I was so frustrated and confused, but mostly upset. I remember he had his arm around

me and he told me no matter what they decided was wrong with my back, he and my mom were going to make sure that the pain stopped and that everything was okay,” said Baldi.

Finally, a pediatric surgeon determined that her herniated disc required her to have surgery and wear a back brace 24 hours a day.

“It [the brace] was terrible. I

had to get new shirts, it was hot, it makes you really little and gives you a hunchback,” said Baldi.

As the year finished and summer began, Baldi suffered from continual aches, occasional numbness, and shooting pain.

During summer school, her back injury hit a breaking point. Baldi was visiting a friend’s house after chemistry class, her mother was out of town, and she began to feel immense pain and numbness down to her toes.

“I thought I might die. My body was in shock. I went to the emergency room overnight and had surgery in the morning. After

that, I didn’t r e m e m b e r anything,” said Baldi.

For the next week, Baldi was v i r t u a l l y immobile and d e p e n d e n t on others for

everything she did. It took a week for her to regain her ability to stand up on her own. Her parents had to check up on her in the middle of the night and wake her up constantly to make sure she was okay.

BillyWilson ‘14staff reporter

As the final buzzer sounded ending the 2010-2011 season, crowning the Dallas Mavericks NBA champions, there was paranoia among basketball enthusiasts that there might not be a “next season.” Now these worries appear to be an unfortunate reality.

How will the NBA lockout affect our community? Enthusiasts and non-enthusiasts alike.

Non-enthusiasts will not be fazed. However, what about all the students who

JAMESBERNSTEIN ‘14

“I needed my temperature taken and pain killers given to me constantly. The nurses were amazing while I was in the hospital and my parents were honestly gods. My mom slept with me in the small twin size bed the first night and on a cot beside me the rest of the nights and my dad came all day, every day,” said Baldi.

When softball season came around sophomore year, Baldi went through physical therapy twice a week with Holland as a substitute for softball, including various stretches and yoga.

“Sitting was really hard for me and sometimes still is. I hesitate to get up sometimes in fear of feeling what I’ve felt before,” she said.

Baldi had been playing softball since she was 8 years old. Her injury and the subsequent surgery on July 16, 2010 have altered the way she does almost everything. Even non-physical stress, such as schoolwork, causes pain in her back, which comes and goes at random and shows up often unexpectedly. Because of her injury, she was unable to participate in the recent eleventh grade Colorado River trip.

“I keep my hard brace in my car in case I ever need it after school or after yoga. I occasionally feel numbness in my arches and the tips of my toes. It’s weird because not being able to feel my feet; well, that’s normal to me,” said Baldi.

Even though it seems that Baldi’s athletic career at Buckley is over, her coaches are hopeful that she will recover and return to the team.

“Maddie is such a positive influence as a player and leader. I know she loves to play and will do whatever it takes to get back on the field,” said Byrd-Newman Milic, Upper School athletic director.

ONINjURIeS

aCUTe INjURIeS

Comes from a single blow from a single

application of force. Examples: fracture,

contusion, sprain, abra-sion

OveRUSe INjURIeS

Happen over a period of time resulting from

repetitive training.Examples: stress fracture,

tendonitis

COMMONlY INjURed BOdY PaRTS

Hand, wrist and feet are most common; sexual organ injuries are most common for males.

Head and neck injuries are the most serious.

SYMPTOMS

Swelling, limping, numbness, intense pain, tenderness,

stiffness, and loss of flexibility are warning

signs of an injury.

TOP aThleTIC INjURIeS

1. Muscle pull2. Neck strain/neck pain3. Frozen shoulder4. Lower back strain5. Tennis Elbow6. Runners Knee7. Shin Splints

“I thought I might die. My body was in shock. I went to the emergency room overnight and had surgery in the morning. After that, I didn’t remember anything.”

Maddie Baldi Junior

Courtesy of Maddie Baldi

ON THE DL: 11-year-old Maddie Baldi played softball; two screws now fuse discs in her spine.

are die-hard NBA fans? Many students have grown up being Lakers fans, attending Lakers games, and counting on a championship each season for the city of Los Angeles.

“I have loved watching the Lakers since about the fifth grade. I have watched almost every game no matter the circumstances, whether it being homework, events, or games. On a positive note, it will open up more time. On the other hand, without any Lakers games, I think that I will feel a small amount of enjoyment missing from my life,” said sophomore Eric Fett.

The lack of an NBA season will also cause students to reevaluate their view of the NBA. “The lack of a NBA season is changing my opinion of the NBA. I am starting to think the owners and players care much more about money than the

happiness of their fans. In addition, I feel this lockout will cause me to watch the NBA less because I will be used to a year without the NBA. During the NBA season I would always check stats and standings and follow the Lakers daily. However, this lockout could make me realize the waste in following the NBA so intensely,” said Fett.

Freshman Brendon Ferguson is also impacted by the lack of an NBA season. He is not optimistic that there will be an agreement between the owners and players.

“The NBA season gives me something to watch weekly, and I look forward to watching exciting games on television. I do not think that there will be an NBA season this year, but it will happen eventually,” said Ferguson.

There are some students who watch NBA basketball, but will not be significantly upset by the NBA lockout. “Yes, I am a basketball fan and I do watch basketball. I am aware of the NBA lockout and if there was not a season this year, I would be disappointed. But, it would not affect me that

much because I do not watch it habitually,” said sophomore Roxanna Abrishamchian.

There are other students who could care less if the NBA season was to be cancelled. “I do occasionally watch NBA games on television, but I

would not care that much if there was no season”, said sophomore John Kim.

The NBA lockout affects people in a variety of ways, if it affects them at all. Surprisingly, some students like Fett will benefit from the lockout by gaining more time, even though he and many other fans will miss the season. Others like Kim will not feel the loss, while others could care less.

“I will always check stats and stand-ings and follow the Lakers daily. However, this lockout could make me realize the waste in following the NBA so intensely.”

Eric Fett Sophomore

Labor dispute forces league to delay season and fans to reevaluate their priorities.

sports28 thursday, october 27, 2011 |

JONATHANFRIEDMAN ‘12

Freshman Naomie Rosenberg, on � rst glance, does not seem like a powerhouse tennis player. She’s petite, well-mannered, and good tempered.

Aggressive, competitive, and mean are not words commonly used to describe her.

But those three traits are exactly the terms Rosenberg uses to de� ne her “tennis self,” the side that she shows only on the court.

“You get to bring a di� erent part of yourself than you do in your social life. You get to be really competitive and work hard and be sort of mean. You don’t really get to do that when you’re in school,” said Rosenberg.

It’s that ability to be tough and strong that this freshman player enjoys about tennis.

For Rosenberg, the competitive nature of high school tennis is nothing new.

� ough she only started playing at age 6, she entered her � rst tournament at 8 a� er her parents proposed the idea. And at 10, she started playing seriously and began the routine she uses to this day.

During the school year, almost every weekday a� ernoon consists of a lesson with her private coach, then a match, averaging out to over three hours of tennis a day, year round.

“My coach tells me that since I’m not the biggest girl or tall or really bu� , I have to play more aggressive because if I don’t the other girls will out power me and out rally me,” said Rosenberg. She added about her attitude on the court, relaying words her coach taught her: “you can’t be nice, you have to get in other people’s faces or they’ll ta ke advantage of you. If you want to win, you have to do that.”

Most weekends, Rosenberg travels the state playing in United States Tennis Association (USTA) tournaments, competing with some of the best teen players both state and nation-wide. During the summer, Rosenberg attends tennis camps around the country.

Before hesitantly estimating that she’s played in 150 tournaments, a modest � gure that’s most likely a bit higher in actuality, Rosenberg stopped and thought for nearly two minutes. For her, thinking of the number of tournaments played was like thinking of the number of tests she’s taken in school. It’s too high to count.

tennis, Rosenberg’s skill set—hard and fast shots, a decisive, point-ending backhand, and a drive to approach the net—is well-developed and powerful.

It’s that skill-set that has propelled her into the second-seeded singles position on the varsity girls tennis team and into the spotlight of the community, a spotlight usually reserved for upperclassmen players.

Even as a freshman, Rosenberg is expected by her team to win her matches. And her record proves she has met those expectations: of the 20 sets she has played, she has won 19—13 of which were 6-0 victories.

Captain, senior Hadleigh Glist, number one singles for the team, said “[giving her the pressure of number two singles] would be di� erent if [Rosenberg] didn’t play USTA on a daily basis and didn’t understand tournaments and match play, but she does and she’s been working for years on her skills. And having such a powerful singles line-up really helps the team because it is intimidating to our opponents.”

Rosenberg’s part on the team is unique: she rarely attends team practices, instead taking lessons from her personal coach, and plays in league matches only when necessary to secure a win or to secure a spot in playo� s, both team and individual.

At matches where Rosenberg plays, her dominance is shown. Playing Viewpoint for the � rst-time on October 11, she easily defeated her Patriot rivals (6-0, 6-2, 6-2), including the team’s best player, senior Sam Eagle.

At a certain point during her match against Eagle, Rosenberg’s aggressive style of play overtook Eagle. She paced to the fence and shouted, “honestly, why doesn’t somebody just kill me already?”

Varsity tennis coach and Upper School dean of students Sue Sherman explained that Rosenberg’s situation isn’t completely new for her, but Rosenberg is the � rst player on Sherman’s girls team to be in that partial-play situation.

Sherman added that because Rosenberg also devotes time practicing for tournaments, she allows the absences from practices and certain matches.

Rosenberg’s dedication has already proven successful: she received an uno� cial letter of interest from UCLA recruiters this week.

All the practices, the matches, and the tournaments serve one purpose: raising her ranking. Since Middle School, getting highly ranked has been the goal. Now she places in the top 60 of the state for the 16-year old level. According to Rosenberg, her ultimate goal is reaching the top of the 18-year-old

level.“I don’t want to be a pro tennis player

when I get older, but I de� nitely want to play in college. And being ranked well in the [18-year-old level] is important if you want to play on a good college team,” she said.

A� er almost � ve years of competitive

“You get to bring a diff erent part of yourself than you do in your social life

[when you’re on the court.] You get to be really competitive and work hard and be

sort of mean. You don’t really get to do that when you’re in school.”

NAOMIE ROSENBERGFreshman, Varsity Tennis Player

BUCKLEY

playerstats

SETS WON

SETS LOST

6-0 WINS

N A O M I ERO O K I E RO S E N B E RG | V E T E R A N P L AY E R

GAMES WON

GAMES LOST

USTA

RANK IN SOCALAGE GROUP

TOURNAMENTS PLAYED PER YEAR

YEARS PLAYED

Issue 2

Documents

Transcript of Issue 2