DECEMBER 2013 • TEVET 5774

Fantasy Davening’s 2013 Season Kicks OffBy Hallie M. ’14 and Alex C. ;14

To many high schoolers across the country, fall marks the beginning of changing leaves, pumpkin spice, and, of course, the all-consuming fantasy football season. Yet, for Beth Tfiloh males in the Beit Midrash davening group, a far holier season resumes come September. No, we’re not talking about the High Holidays. We’re talking about Fantasy Davening.

In the parameters of this fantasy league, seasoned coaches select their teams each year from within the davening group, drawing from a deep pool of talent. Rookies and veterans alike compete for the hard-earned Fantasy Davening Championship that requires blood, sweat, tears, (and, of course, kavanah) from each competitor over a long period of many months and the prize that comes with it – the much coveted, golden Heisman, that is – no, not a free lunch from Chaim, or a free bagel – but a not-of-this-world championship: honor and prestige in the eyes of the Almighty.

This year, a wide range of highly competitive teams have entered the hunt for the Championship and have begun the process of scouting out their potential draft picks. Returning teams include Team Talmud Style, the Koren Kabbalists, rival squads Team Hillel and Team Shammai, and last, but certainly not least, the Hurwitz Hoodlums. New to the league this year is the Davening Demons, comprised of mostly rookie freshmen, who are struggling to get off their feet and join the pack.

Five prospects have emerged from the pool of players to be named on the preseason Top 5 watch list for Fantasy Davening MVP. In the lead, Elliyahu Luck, entering his final year of eligibility in the league, commandeers the shulchan with an almost athletic vengeance. A mature veteran, Luck is an all-around beast when it comes to davening, able to lead, read Torah, and shuckle under any conditions. In second, Ben Roethlisberger, who, after a stellar rookie season, has emerged as a dual threat davener, near the top of the stat sheet at both leading and delivering Dvar Torahs, often at a moment’s

notice. In third, Andrew Ayanbadejo, a rookie to the league, leads services with confidence and assumes the offensive when it comes to reading Torah. He certainly drives the service right into the end-zone. Touchdown, or should we say, Amen?

In fourth, we have Aaron Sproles, who week in and week out delivers a solid amount of points for his team. A consistent source of fantasy points, Sproles can be trusted every Monday and Thursday to complete the Hail Mary of all passes – the Kohen Aliyah. Finally, rounding out the top five, we have Josh “Beast-Mode” Stafford. Need we say more for this seasoned veteran? Stafford is certainly the fan favorite and can rev up any crowd with his ability to shake distractions at will and turn out consistent high quality davenings. Characterized by his intelligent davening style, Stafford wins over any crowd with his calm, focused demeanor to lead under pressure, seemingly always knowing the page number of any and all brachot even before they are announced.

We wish all teams good luck during this coming Fantasy Davening season. It is sure to be one remembered for years to come. In the words of Commissioner Spencer “Henny” Kaepernick, this season, one for the ages, will be “intense.” Intensely spiritual, that is.

Weiner Tournament ReflectionsBy Hallie M. ‘14Photos by Jenny R. ‘14

As a ninth grader, I remember dress shopping with my best friend for her first homecoming dance at Pikesville High School on a lazy October Sunday. As we meandered around the boutique, I stopped every so often by each rack and ran my fingers along the fabrics out of want for a homecoming (or, at the very least, a homecoming dress) of my own. Concealing this envy, I picked out dozens of options for her to try, vicariously experiencing the excitement of a homecoming through her.

A few weeks later, packed tightly into the far left corner of the Hurwitz Gym in the middle of the Boys’ Championship Game, I realized all pangs of homecoming jealousy quickly ceased to exist as the Warriors scored the game-winning basket; moments later, entangled in a giant mosh pit of bodies in the center of the court, we collectively celebrated the “Double Weiner” victory for both girls and boys

varsity with enough energy to dent the floor boards (much to the heightened dismay and anxiety of Coach Clarke).

I encountered that same deja-vu feeling my sophomore year, rooting for the Warriors with the help of that year’s head cheerleader Noah F. ‘12 as he introduced the famed “Roller Coaster” cheer to the student body. And again,

junior year, rushing to submit my two-week research paper early enough to attend the first Wednesday game on time, seven of my close friends competing in that year’s tournament.

Yet, despite our tournament standings, nothing compares to this year’s Weiner Tournament, my fourth and final, consisting of the launch of both radio and website coverage, “Spandex Nation,” over one thousand Facebook pictures, and, of course, ample faux-hawks (namely, Leizer’s).

“It’s as close to a homecoming as we get at this school,” one teacher remarked to his senior class on Monday afternoon.

However, after four years of Weiner Fever, I realize that, for us, Weiner is homecoming, if not in essence then in spirit; school pride peaks at an all-time high, unity between grades flourishes, athletes play for the win with their hearts on their sleeves, spectators lose their voices over the roar of the crowd.

In the student section, hand-made fan posters adorn the wall, a testament to the intensified school spirit as well as a tribute to our friends, brothers, sisters, and students on the court.

“It brings the entire school–Lower, Middle, and Upper—together, rooting for their teams,” notes Jen R. ‘14, this year’s resident Weiner photographer.

“I think it’s such a phenomenon in the community because it’s a chance for students, teachers, and parents to show their spirit without having to leave campus at all.”

“I can’t picture doing this at my school,” a visiting senior from a local private high school observed at the Thursday night game. “Everyone likes each other here and seems to want their teams to succeed, which I can’t say about my school.”

This year’s Weiner began early in October, when the Sports and Spirit Committee (SPIT) introduced the black athletic t-shirts to the student body. This new initiative, led by Maddie T. ‘14, promised to donate a large percentage of the shirt’s profits ($200, not including donations) to the Sacred Valley Project, an organization dedicated to providing impoverished Peruvian women with an education.

“I love the shirts and the idea behind them. It was a great way to start my senior Weiner,” commented Meredith S. ‘14.

Excitement further mounted starting the week of December 2, beginning with the High School’s second annual “spirit week,” a series of consecutive dress down days aimed to incite Weiner Fever before the first game. Among the themes this year, USA Day helped raise funds on behalf of the Wounded Warrior Project, a support program for Veterans. By the end of the second day of Spirit Week, over $400 had been accumulated for this organization.

over

Alex C. ‘14 and Hallie M. ‘14Co-Editors in Chief

Writing StaffReuven B. ‘15Michael M. ‘16Alex R. ‘16Justin W. ‘16

Faculty AdvisorsMrs. Halaine Steinberg, Newspaper AdvisorMrs. Rina Goloskov, Associate Newspaper Advisor

As the other schools began to arrive early Wednesday morning from Canada, New York, and Texas, the SPIT heads gathered with the varsity teams in

the theater to rehearse the tournament’s very first co-ed dance routine, later performed at the afternoon pep rally.

“I didn’t realize how into the dance I was until I watched the recording,” admits Spencer “Henny” K. ‘14, a leading scorer for the Boys’ Varsity team.

The Tournament kicked off Wednesday afternoon at 3:00 pm, BT girls’ and boys’ teams remaining undefeated in the first two rounds. The following day, the girls lost their third

game to the Ramaz Rams, the boys to the two-year reigning champs, the Heschel Heat.

By Saturday night, both Beth Tfiloh teams qualified for third place, Boys’ Varsity ultimately dominating over HANC, the Lady Warriors again falling short against the Rams.

Dalia B. ‘14, a two-time Weiner Tournament athlete, initially hoped for a championship run for her team.

“When we won our first game against Chat K., we were excited not only that we had won against the reigning girls champions, but also that we had proven our ability as a team. We have great chemistry on and off the court and it really showed in that first game,” she noted.

Despite her team’s disappointment after their last game of the tournament, Dalia remembers her two years on the Weiner stage fondly, owing much of her team’s success to the rowdiness of the student section.

“I love having the crowds cheer us on. It’s daunting at first but once you get going and the crowd gets into it, you feel like nothing and no one can stop you,” she expressed.

According to Steven G. ‘15, weinverfever.com, the very first tournament-oriented web site offering

score updates, live tweets, and radio broadcasts (compliments of Steven and Elan H. ‘15), attracted over 6,000 hits within the four-day span, demonstrating the extent of Weiner Week’s appeal within the school and broader Jewish community.

“I have gotten countless fantastic reviews from people all across the country, people who I don’t even know, saying how great the site looks,” the creator writes in an excited Facebook status early Sunday morning after the awards ceremony. “We are definitely going to do this again next year and make this a tradition for the future,” he adds.

This year’s senior class anticipates following the tournament next year via this impressive social medium.

“I’ll miss the tangible spirit in the air and how everyone’s actually excited to wake up and go to school,” Meredith S. remarked after the conclusion of the final tournament of her high school career. “I’ll definitely check the site next year when I’m away at school.”

Adds Eliana W. ‘14, “All throughout High School, I waited to be a senior during Weiner Tournament. Now that it’s here, I wish it wasn’t.” She continues, “I’ll miss the insanity of Weiner Mania, in the hallways, in the gym, in the classrooms, in the months before. There’s just nothing like it anywhere else, even in college, which gets so many people hyped and involved. I can’t wait to hear how we do next year.”

Echoing this same sentiment, Dalia B. hopes to remain connected with her younger teammates to cheer them on in future years.

“When you think about it, it’s amazing that people not even playing in the tournament get so excited about it. I think it’s just such a great time to be a

part of Beth Tfiloh, so we can invite others into our homes and show them what we do best.”

This year’s Beth Tfiloh Weiner Tournament All-Star Award recipients include Daniel K. ‘15, Jordan K. ‘15, Aly C. ‘15, Maia H. ‘15, and senior Noa C. ‘14, a

four-time Weiner Tournament athlete.

“I’ll always remember the Double Weiner victory my first year on the team,” Noa articulates. “But, there’s something very special about playing as a senior, watching all your friends play on the court or on the sidelines leading the cheers.”

Student government treasurer and tournament-inspired Twitter sensation Rafi L. ‘15 appreciates the school-wide pandemonium from a both a leadership standpoint and as a proud Warriors fan, recognizing amidst the face paint, hair

dye, morph suits, and stuffed bananas, “People love the tournament simply because we as students make it fun. We add traditions and innovative ideas to it every year to keep it fresh and engaging. It wouldn’t be such a phenomenon without the student body making it so.”

“And, the break from schedules and school work doesn’t hurt either,” he chuckles.

The Insight writers would like to extend our congratulations to our third and fourth place Warriors for their outstanding performances this year. Here’s to a great season!

Torn Dreams: ACL Injuries in the NFLBy Michael M. ‘16

Last year in 2012, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell instigated a rule that abolished helmet-to-helmet hits on defenseless receivers. Goodell’s controversial rule states, “It is a foul if a player initiates contact against a player who is in a defenseless posture” (profootballtalk.com). However, Goodell suggested that NFL players try to tackle low on opposing ball carriers, trading concussions for severe and career altering knee injuries such as ACL tears due to the low tackling.

In an interview last year regarding Goodell’s suggestion of tackling low, which is currently under much scrutiny, Goodell stated, “we took on these initiatives to make the game safer and we’re going to continue that, whether it’s making the sure the rules take those dangerous techniques out of the game or whether it’s improvements in equipment or pioneering in research” (nfl.com). Despite Goodell’s comments, no further improvements have been looked into nor have any changes for player safety occurred.

Regardless of our constant worry of ACL tears, few know exactly what the injury is. An ACL injury occurs when a person lands on the flat part of their foot instead of the ball and the knee buckles causing the anterior crucial ligament, a major component of the knee, to tear. According to physician and the go-to surgeon for ACL injuries to professional athletes, Dr. James Andrews, “a full ACL recovery is a fifty-fifty shot. That athlete will most likely never be the same even if they are to fully recover” (Cleveland.com). Despite Adrian Peterson’s return from his ACL injury resulting in a near record breaking 2,097 rushing yards, most athletes do not enjoy the same success. Washington Redskins Rookie of the Year quarterback sensation Robert Griffin III is playing far below average in the 2013 season coming off an ACL injury, with a stat line of nine touchdowns and eight interceptions. ACL injuries are nearly impossible to return from, especially to prior form, and something must be done by the NFL to help avoid these career-altering injuries. Using them as the alternative to concussions through low tackling is not a viable option.

Bon Voyage, Mrs. Z!By Hallie M. ‘14

This December, the entire Beth Tfiloh family bids farewell to one of its finest and most beloved High School faculty members – Mrs. Reena L. Zigelman of the College Guidance Department.

Relocating to Chicago, Illinois to join her husband as part of a corporate move, Mrs. Zigelman has remained in Baltimore by herself for the last several months to ensure that her 12th grade students successfully complete the college application process.

“The fact that she stayed back just for us is so touching and really reflects who she is as a person,” a tearful Arielle H. ‘14 expressed earlier this month.

In honor of her hard work and dedication, her thirteen advisees, many already accepted into their first-choice universities and programs, decided to celebrate her role as teacher and counselor in the form of a video montage, which they plan to give to her on her final day at school.

“No matter how busy she was with her many other advisees, I always felt like she was devoted to helping me,” said Raanan G. ‘14, a frequent office visitor. “I’ll miss her so much after she leaves but I will also be so thankful to her for all of her effort on my behalf.”

Meanwhile, Mrs. Ginsberg, a long-time friend and colleague, along with Mrs. Steinberg and Mrs. Lerman, organized a community-wide memory box project for students, teachers, parents, and alumni to inscribe personal messages and well wishes for this new chapter of her life.

“She has made a lasting impact on the BT community and she will be missed,” Mrs. Barbara Klaff wrote in the mass email she wrote concerning the secret memory box project.

According to her students, Mrs. Zigelman’s role not only as a college expert but also as a general guidance counselor truly impacted the course of their senior year.

“She is that one person who can always make me smile no matter what,” advisee Ali S. ‘14 articulated in the tribute video.

“I’ll especially miss her optimism,” Jenna M. ‘14 adds. “Her positivity is inspiring.”

Students besides her advisees recognize the enormous loss in the school community in Mrs. Zigelman’s absence. Explained Corey G. ‘14, “Even though she isn’t my advisor, I always feel comfortable with her. I can tell that her leaving will be tough from an administrative standpoint and an emotional one as well.”

After winter break, her advisees will rely on the other three college counselors for guidance until the end of the year. Yet, Mrs. Zigelman hopes to maintain a certain portion of her job from her new home.

Nonetheless, Mollye K. ‘14 “will miss walking by her office every day and hearing her call my name just to see how I’m doing.”

“But,” she continues “I know we can expect great things from her in Chicago.”

Best of luck, Mrs. Zigelman!

Obeng-Darko: The Darko Knight RisesBy Alex R. ’16 and Justin W. ‘16

As the final whistle sliced through the air, the Ghana Bison embraced the cold water poured over his face by exuberant fans while his players sprinted into the center of the field, screaming in

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exhilaration. For the first time since 2005, the Beth Tfiloh Boys’ Junior Varsity soccer team had won the championship title in its conference. Throughout the entire season, the team worked tirelessly, aiming to achieve nothing short of excellence. However, the true reason for this victory lay behind the scenes and off the field; gifted Coach David Obeng-Darko led the Boys’ JV team to victory. In previous seasons, Obeng-Darko had brought Beth Tfiloh teams to the championship game, but never before won the conference title. After this year’s triumph, the school community began to express curiosity about this increasingly successful coach.

Born in Ghana, David Obeng-Darko attended a school with one soccer team, which consisted of children from second grade to sixth grade. Although the roster had only 24 spots, Obeng-Darko earned

placement on the team as a second grader. When he was 12 years old, he moved to the United States and played soccer for Long Reach High School in Columbia, where he played as a starting center midfielder on the Varsity team for three years. After missing the state quarterfinal game because he moved into a different county, Obeng-Darko played soccer for Anne Arundel High School his senior year. The University of Cincinnati, a Division I university, recruited him, but David tore his anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) and chose to move closer to home to play for the University of the District of Columbia, a Division II school.

Reminiscing upon his soccer career, David recalls identifying with Michael Essien, a Ghanaian midfielder who earned the nickname of “The Bison” for his aggressive playing style. Obeng-Darko adopted the same nickname, recognizing a resemblance between

his own technique and work ethic and those of Essien. The same agent who initially scouted Essien also offered Obeng-Darko an opportunity to try out for leading professional Italian soccer clubs such as AC Milan, Internazionale, and Udinese, but Obeng-Darko seriously injured himself before the flight. Encouraged by his mother, David decided to explore his potential as a coach and applied for a position with the Beth Tfiloh Boys’ soccer teams. He has coached the Boys’ Junior Varsity team for the past four years. Since the inception of his coaching career, Obeng-Darko has also gathered inspiration from Sir Alex Ferugson, who managed Manchester United for over 25 years. Coach Obeng-Darko envisions himself ultimately establishing a career coaching in the European professional leagues.

Obeng-Darko is working toward establishing Beth Tfiloh as a soccer powerhouse in the MIAA. “I think the

best thing he’s done is to increase the love of the sport,” says Coach Burkom, veteran Varsity soccer coach. “He has a team-based approach. He makes players think about the team, and not just themselves.” Obeng-Darko maintains that Beth Tfiloh has been a force in its conference for the past four years, and hopes to improve the quality of the program through integrating weight lifting into practices and collecting game footage to aid the players’ development.

Coach Obeng-Darko has established the Beth Tfiloh soccer program as a force to be reckoned with in its conference, but he remains confident that the teams can continue to grow stronger. He focuses on improving his players’ technical abilities, but also his players’ love for the game. Throughout the school community, current and former players recognize him as one of the school’s most talented coaches. “Coach Obeng-Darko is hands-down the most inspiring coach I’ve ever had,”

Beth Tfiloh Dahan Community School Performing Arts Center Presents

Cultural Arts CabaretJanuary 22, 2014 • 7 PM

Join seniors Corey G., Raanan G., Andrew K. and Mitchell T. when they host the annual Cultural Arts Cabaret, featuring our

talented performing and visual artists!

Online tickets coming soon.

says Matt P. ’15, who has played under Obeng-Darko for two years. To ensure the future success of the program, Beth Tfiloh must utilize this remarkable coach, and continue to give him the resources needed to strengthen this burgeoning program.

College Process: Why I Disagree with the College BoardBy Reuven B. ‘15

Every fall, Beth Tfiloh juniors and seniors craft essay after essay, scurry between standardized tests, and stuff their resumes to the brink in order to attract attention from their preferred universities. And we’re not alone: according to the College Board, more than 1.66 million students in the high school class of 2013 took the SAT at least once during high school.

This sheer volume of prospective students has forced universities to employ impersonal and large-scale methods of sifting through the sea of applicants, resulting in a system which overvalues hard data, like GPA and SAT scores. As a result, the current

BETH TFILOH BULLETIN JANUARY 2014 TEVET-SHEVAT 5774

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School News

Dr. Liebe Diamond Inspires Girls’ Tfila ParticipantsBy Hallie M. Â14

Renowned orthopedic surgeon Dr. Liebe Sokol Diamond, a former BT parent and active synagogue member and philanthropist, offered her inspiring story of personal and professional perserverance at the all-female Rosh Chodesh tefilla.

On Wednesday, December 4, a large group of high school girls participated in a special all-female tefilla in honor of Rosh Chodesh Tevet. Coordinated by Mrs. Laura Frank, the hour-long service consisted of Shacharit, the traditional weekday morning prayers, a Torah service, and a brief Musaf, led entirely by students.

In between the Torah service and Musaf, the group welcomed Dr. Liebe Sokol Diamond, a former Beth Tfiloh parent and an active synagogue attendant. A renowned orthopedic surgeon, Dr. Diamond focused her medical career on hand and limb deformities in children, a cause near and dear to her heart.

Before she reached adolescence, Dr. Diamond underwent twenty-five operations of her own. At birth, doctors amputated several of her fingers; as a child, specialists worried that complications remained within her brain and would impede her mental progression.

Yet, despite the adversity, Dr. Diamond proved every skeptic wrong, ultimately graduating from Smith College with Honors in 1951 and, later, the University of Pennsylvania Medical School in 1955. After completing her orthopedic residency at the University of Pennsylvania, Dr. Diamond returned to her

native Baltimore, performing countless life-changing surgeries for children and

teaching at the University of Maryland until 1996.

„At first, I didnÊt even notice she was handicapped,‰ admits Eliana W. Ê14. „She was so articulate and accomplished that it caught me completely off guard.‰

„It was really meaningful to have met such an inspiring woman at our all-girls service,‰ adds Mollye K. Ê14. „She reminded us of the value of hard work. It was a great way to head into the new month.‰

Weiner Fever reaches epidemic proportions

The Florence and Joseph Memorial Weiner Basketball Tournament proved to be another spirit-filled week with competitive athletics, Jewish camaraderie and BT pride. Even though our BT teams did not bring home a team trophy, it was a thrilling four days that brought the entire BT family together and showed our guest teams what a warm and welcoming community BT is. View photos below and read a great recap of the weekend at bethtfiloh.com/schoolnews.

Dr. Liebe Diamond

As an expression of her belief in Beth Tfiloh Dahan Community

School, and her commitment to providing scholarships to make a Beth Tfiloh education possible for more children, Dr. Diamond established the Drs. Liebe and Earl (zÊl) Diamond Scholarship Fund. Each year Dr. Diamond generously contributes to the fund enabling even more students the opportunity to receive the gift of a Jewish day school education. This year Beth Tfiloh will provide scholarships to more than forty percent of our student body.

If you are interested in learning how you

too can help children attend Beth Tfiloh, please

contact our Director of Development, Mandi

Miller at (410) 413-2399.

BETH TFILOH BULLETIN JANUARY 2014 TEVET-SHEVAT 5774

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Mercaz Winter Film Festival

Join us for two theatre parties one at Beth Tfiloh on Saturday night, February 8; the second at The Rotunda Cinema on Sunday afternoon, February 16.

Fill the Void Saturday, February 8, 7:30 pm

This award-winning Israeli drama is the first film directed by an Orthodox Israeli woman. In her remarkable debut feature film, Rama Burshtein tells the story of Shira, a young woman living in an ultra-Orthodox enclave in Tel Aviv who confronts a choice not unlike those faced by heroines of Jane Austen novels and Hollywood romantic comedies: which man will she

marry? For Shira, this agonizing question forces her to weigh the claims of family loyalty, religious duty and her own desires. This film is thrilling, completely unexpected and entirely believable. Our event is co-sponsored with the Baltimore Jewish Film Festival.

Beth Tfiloh Rosen Arts Center/Mintzes Theatre3300 OId Court Road/Baltimore, MD 21208Use High School Entrance

The Monuments Men Sunday, February 16, 1 pm

The Monuments

Men, starring and directed by George Clooney, is based on the true story of an American team of art historians and curators whose mission was to retrieve and protect European art treasures that were being looted and destroyed by the Nazis during the war. ClooneyÊs motley crew of art experts include Matt Damon, Bill Murray, Hugh Bonneville and John Goodman, plus Jean Dujardin, the Frenchman who won the best actor Oscar in 2012 for The Artist. Cate Blanchett plays French art historian Rose Valland, a member of the Resistance, whose story inspired the 1964 John Frankenheimer movie classic, The Train, which starred Burt Lancaster. Guest speaker (TBA). (Only 140 seats available.) Purchase your advance ticket now and guarantee a seat for this fascinating feature film! A special Beth Tfiloh screening at The Rotunda Cinema 711 W 40th Street/Baltimore, MD 21211

Ticket prices for each movie: $10 in advance / $12 at the door

Register online at www.bethtfiloh.com/register

For additional information or to register contact the Mercaz office at 410-413-2321 / mercaz@btfiloh.org

$15 - adults | $10 - students, senior citizens

Buy tickets online at www.bethtfi loh.com/shrek SHREK THE MUSICAL, based on the Oscar® winning DreamWorks fi lm that started it all,

brings the hilarious story of everyone’s favorite ogre to dazzling new life on the stage.Sign language interpreting provided by student interns from the CCBC Interpreter Preparation Program.

Cast: Eli A. ‘15 • Molly A. ‘17 • Ben B. ‘17 • Daniel B. ‘17 • Hannah B. ‘16 • Melanie B. ‘17 • Dori C. ‘14 • Ethan C. ‘15 • Aleesa E. ‘20 • Harley F. ‘16 • Isabel F-K. ‘16 • Yanniv F. ‘17 • Jennifer F. ‘15 • Lea G. ‘16 • Daniel G. ‘16 • Alana G. ‘18 • Natan I. ‘16 • Andrew K. ‘14 • Jasmine K. ‘16 • Mallory K. ‘15 •

Sydney K. ‘16 • Rebecca M. ‘17 • Miriam M. ‘15 • Shayna M. ‘14 • Alyssa M. ‘17 • Rebecca R. ‘15 • Hallye R. ‘14 • Ilyssa R. ‘17 • Jenny R. ‘14 • Elana S. ‘14 • Joey S. ‘17 • Jeremy S. ‘16 • Emma S. ‘16 • Erin S. ‘14 • Mitchell T. ‘14 • Yehudit V. ‘17 • Yaki W. ‘14

Beth Tfi loh Dahan Community School Performing Arts Center Presents

Tuesday, February 11 • 7 PM Thursday, February 13 • 7 PM Sunday, February 16 • 2 PM

Rosen Arts Center/Mintzes Theatre 3300 Old Court Road

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acceptance process both disparages abstract thinking and disenfranchises underprivileged students. Wanting their students to enroll in a competitive school, many high school teachers adhere strictly to the material covered on standardized tests. Since the SAT’s involve mostly reading comprehension and math, their pupils only receive a narrow education limited to those subjects, and cannot extend their learning to many forms of education that require creativity and curiosity. This compels some universities to view only one side of an applicant’s intelligence, discarding those who do not meet their rigid standards.

Fearing these missteps, some colleges have begun posting off-beat essay prompts to gauge the intangible qualities that cannot be honed through strict repetition, such as a University of Chicago question that read in full, “So where is Waldo, really?”* The best method for combatting testing monotony remains creativity on the part of the testers themselves, allowing students to demonstrate all of their intellectual capabilities.

Similarly, the standardized testing-

method not only excludes students with creative intelligence, but also discriminates against those of modest financial means. On average, test-takers with family incomes of less than $20,000 a year had an SAT score of 1310 while test-takers with family incomes of over $200,000 had an SAT score of 1715, a difference of 405 points**. Low school quality and a lack of access to tutoring account for the majority of the gap, as applicants of moderate to wealthy financial means retain an inherent competitive advantage over their peers. This socio-economic divide only further serves to inhibit diversity on college campuses across the country. Most educators strive for a distinct and multifarious student body, ensuring representation of every demographic. However, their current practices have placed that ideal in jeopardy. When colleges, inundated by applications, resort to these ineffective measures of educational aptitude, both students and universities suffer.

*Peter Jacobs, Business Insider

**The College Board’s 2009 California demographic research study