October 2023 Issue 13

Everything 6th Graders Need to Know About Middle School

By Siena Goldman

If you are in sixth grade and have just entered the world of middle school, this is the perfect article for you. This advice column will tell you everything you need to know, from academics to sports to activities, about Beverly Vista.

First of all, let’s talk about education. Whether in honors or not, your classes will be much more complex than your elementary classes. At BVMS, top-notch teachers are willing to help and push you to do your best. While they are great, they give homework, like most teachers do. It is best to do your homework as soon as you can. If you don’t acknowledge it soon enough, it might pile up, and by the end of the week, you will have ten assignments to complete in ten minutes. You must also find a study method that works for you. Sixth grade has many tests and exams in various classes, and studying for those assessments may be tricky. If you find a way to learn your way, you’ll 100% pass any tests.

Beverly Vista offers a wide range of sports. There are many to choose from; all are great ways to exercise and stay healthy. It also allows you to expand your circle of friends and spend time with many new people. The sports include cross country, volleyball, flag football, basketball, cheerleading, track and field, and soccer. Cross country is my favorite because running is healthy and good for you. These sports are great for you, and I encourage you to try them. It is also a fantastic way to show your school spirit!

Lastly, BVMS has a long list of different clubs and school events. There are many other lunchtime clubs/teams to try if sports don’t float your boat. These clubs are art club, dance club, flag club, book club, chess club, newspaper club, gaming club, debate team, and mock trial team. These are all great ways to make new friends and to be a part of something. My favorites are mock trials and debates because those improve your leadership/public speaking skills. Not only do we have those activities, but we also have school events. These include dances, carnivals, field trips, and overnight trips. On that note, let’s talk about the overnight trips. These are the most fun, exciting trips you’ll take as a middle schooler. They are usually three days long, and you stay overnight for two nights. For all of you sixth graders, I highly recommend attending these trips. They are filled with exciting activities, late-night snacking, and spending time with your best friends. What’s not to love?

All in all, middle school is a very action-packed time you won’t forget, and you should make the most of it. BVMS is a high-ranked school with so much to offer, and I know you will learn to love it. And remember, if you have any more questions I can help you with, submit something in the mailboxes around the school! I can answer any questions in my advice column. I wish you the best of luck!

Music Department Changes

By Eli Yaghoubi

This year on the first day of the band, we did not have a teacher. A yard aid opened the band room for us, and a substitute teacher came twenty minutes later. We spent the remaining class time learning names and doing team-building activities. On the second or third day, a retired high school teacher from BHHS came and taught the class. He remained our teacher for two and a half weeks and taught us the basics, but he was strict, so some students were not big fans.

Fast forward to today, where we have Mr. Klotze teaching us. Students love Mr. Klotzle. He makes class fun, and we are learning a lot. He has a unique reward system where students can earn otter pops and increase their grades for having good behavior. Most important of all, students are learning how to play great songs and are currently preparing for the holiday concert.

We have been told that we will have a permanent music teacher soon. In the meantime, Mr. Klotzle is doing a phenomenal job, and students are lucky to have him.

Update: This week, we finally got a new orchestra and band teacher! We will miss Mr. Klotzle, but looking forward to having him again at BHHS. He has big shoes to fill and high expectations from students who had Ms. Vallens and Mr. Klotzle.

Mr. Pak is a teacher known for doing great things, such as having award-winning marching bands and one of the best jazz bands in the state. He comes from Moorpark High School, which is near Simi Valley. Fun fact: Mr. Klotle used to work with Mr. Pak. Outside of music, Mr. Pak likes building Lego Speed Champion cars and playing video games.

In advanced band, Mr. Pak is teaching the class how to play songs for the holiday concert on December 7th - take it; it will be held at 6:30 pm at BVMS. It's going to be great! The band will play holiday songs to bring holiday cheer and festivities. Did you know that 40% of students' grades are based on concert performances?

Students are excited to have Mr. Pak join the BVMS orchestra and band. I am looking forward to a great year.

The WEB and ASB Field Trip

By Teja Wolfe

On Tuesday, October 24th, many 8th graders missed school because of the WEB and ASB leadership field trip. Schools from all over California came to Pasadena for this conference. All of the students in WEB and ASB were taken to the meeting to learn how to be a leader.

On this trip, students had to arrive at school at 6:45 to leave by 7:00. At around 6:50, a man living across the street came over to the school in pajama pants and a pink beanie. He told students he lived across the street and yelled at them for talking loudly so early in the morning. He also said that he called the police and they would be here soon. After he left to go back to his house, the students boarded the bus and headed off to the conference.

When they reached the conference, they were handed glaze donuts to eat and a blue piece of paper that had their schedule on it. This schedule told them where to go and what class they had. Everyone had four sessions based on a Google form they filled out before the conference. Most WEB kids had the same session first, "Creating a Community," with the speaker Scott Backovich who talked about ideas to do little things that will improve the school community, such as a permanent snack cart where kids can grab a snack when they are hungry and writing notes to people who need cheering up.

Another favorite session was "Throwdown," with Isaac Lopez, Ben Cummings, and Erin Tobias. They had a Harry Potter-themed room, and they played a version of Family Feud, and the answers were based on what one hundred ASB students thought. They chose random students from the "audience" and had them compete. Another game that they played was called the "Sorting Hat." In this game, three people needed to go to the front of the room, and four people needed to go to the back of the room. The people in the front of the room had to communicate with each other to figure out what the image shown was. Once they figured it out, they had to write it down on paper. Then they ran to get a giant beach ball and threw it into the audience. The audience had to pass the ball to the people in the back of the room. The people in the back of the room had to get the ball on top of a trashcan to win. The students played three rounds of this game.

At 12:40, WEB and ASB went to lunch. After they ate their lunch outside, they went to the Throwdown room. In the Throwdown room, music was playing, and lights were flashing. Many students from all over California started dancing on the dance floor. At 2:05, they returned to the bus and took a one-hour drive back to Beverly Vista.

BVMS Pep Rally at Bulldog Day

By Jian Jung

What is Bulldog Day? Bulldog Day was enjoyable at BVMS, with a Pep Rally bringing the whole school together and doing fun competitions outside, on the field. We watched the cheerleaders do their cheers, the color guard wave their flags, and we also managed the musical theater singing songs on Bulldog Day; we learned how to be kind to each other. We also learned about social media and how to deal with it.

We also did exciting competitions between the 6th, 7th, and 8th graders. We had fun shouting cheers, best cheer. We had a special moment to appreciate the clubs, Coach Park made the kids in a specific club stand up, and she made the whole school clap for each person in the club.

All in all, Bulldog Day is a fun day to enjoy your day off from schoolwork.

The Teen Advisory Committee

By Teja Wolfe

Most kids at BVMS seek a way to earn community service hours. One way to do this is to join the Teen Advisory Committee (TAC), which promises at least 20 hours if you join. TAC was made to help get teens involved in what the city does and wants to hear their voices.

The meetings for TAC are on the first Tuesday of every month from 6-8 p.m. In the first couple of meetings, teens can run for many different positions, whether it is chair, vice-chair, secretary, or historian. At the beginning of each meeting, they do an icebreaker. Then, they discuss what events to plan for the city. So many people joined this year that they had to split into two groups: the high schoolers and the middle schoolers. The people running TAC want to hear the voices of the youth and hear their concerns.

Some of the events that the TAC planned were the haunted house last Halloween and the mental health and wellness event. You can get community service when you attend these events and help plan them. Another event that TAC helped at is teen movie nights, where teens can come to Graystone Mansion to watch movies. The Teen Advisory Committee also decides what books to read for the teen book club; so far, all the books have been chosen to fit the Halloween theme, and there is a book club meeting in November. When TAC volunteers to help at an event, the teens that go will wear the free sweatshirts that are given to them at the beginning of the year.

To join TAC, there is a form to fill out asking what events you plan and why you would like to join. After completing the form, teens must go to the Roxbury Community Center for an interview. They will ask them many questions, and in a few days, they will email the interviewees, telling them if they got accepted. Teens who are interested in the TAC can sign up next year and go through the process of applying.

Overall, the Teen Advisory Committee is an organization to join if you need community service, want to have a voice in the community, or want to be a part of something important.

A Kick-Off to the BVMS School Year

By Siena Goldman

Earlier this semester, Beverly Vista Middle School hosted a Back to School Carnival to get students settled into the new school year. We should applaud the school principals, Mr. Little, Mr. Waters, Ms. Perkins, and Dr. Skon, for how successful the school carnival was.

One amazing thing that the carnival had was the food, drinks, and snacks. The firefighters of Beverly Hills Fire Department attended the event, grilling burgers, hotdogs, and grilled cheese sandwiches for all of the students free of charge. At another food stand, they offered a variety of chips, such as Fritos, Lays, and more. A neighboring stand offered bottled water in a freezer so students could eat while cooling off with a nice, icy drink. The last stand was by far the most popular, though. It gave out various ice creams, including Icees, popsicles, and wrapped ice cream bars. And, at every stand, there were supportive PTA volunteers who were happy to help the students have a good time. The best part was that the food was free because it drew more kids into the carnival and allowed a better turnout.

Another great thing that the carnival offered was the rides. This year especially, the rides were fantastic. There were so many to choose from, and although the lines might have seemed long, they were more in check than in previous years. Security guards, parent volunteers, and the rides company staff stood by each line, ensuring no cutting or violence occurred. This made waiting in the lines for the rides a lot easier and more enjoyable. There were so many rides to choose from that it was hard not to get overwhelmed! There was a Scat ride that spun you around in circles until you threw up, and there was a swing ride that held you tight as it went around and around gently into the air. There was a scrambler ride that strapped you into the seat with a partner and scrambled you around with whimsy. And the last, but by far the best ride, was the Zipper. This ride was scary for some and thrilling for others, but either way, it was a great experience to try. The best way to describe it is that it is a Ferris Wheel that flips in different directions and makes you dizzy and thrilled. The air rushes past you as you are on it, adrenaline pumping through you, and you hold on to your partner on the ride for your life.

Along with the rides, they also had a wide variety of activities. There was a Ninja obstacle course, where you and another opponent tried to cross each obstacle without getting help as much as possible. There was also a massive slide, where you and two other people sit on a towel and slide down. It is very fun to feel so much breeze in your hair and face while you have a view of everything happening at the carnival. These activities were great fun, and they definitely made the experience even more enjoyable.

To sum it up, the carnival was a great experience that so many students enjoyed. The best part about it was that there was something for everyone, and that aspect of it made everyone feel like they were having a good time. These carnivals are a good way to start off the year, and I would hope that they continue to happen for many years.