Each and every year, upon my return home from hours of Black Friday shopping, I say, "I saved so much money!" In response, my uncle corrects, "Actually, you didn't save anything." The truth is - he's right. At the end of the day, I spent money by shopping no matter how discounted the items were. Black Friday is still a crazed phenomenon in which Americans crowd shops and malls, searching for the best of the best deals. While Black Friday is a seasonal activity, it is ultimately a day spent searching for materialism. Thanksgiving is a day on which we are thankful for what we do have, but immediately after, we as a nation, accumulate that which we do not have. So the impending question is: How much does human happiness stem from materialistic goods?

Humans innately move towards buying popular items. It is not an understatement to say that over 50% of the student body owns white shoes. No, everyone does not have the same sense of style, but everyone does have eyes. The reason many consumers rush to shop on Black Friday is due to a fear of missing out. As much as we would like to deny it, we are a nation of followers, simply due to human nature. It is not to say one cannot draw their own conclusions and pursue their own ideas, however, the human mind sees comfort and stability in that which others do.

Perhaps owning materialistic goods does not make one happy, but compliments certainly do. Buying popular items generates compliments from others and that is where the desire comes from. It is human nature to appreciate flattery, so humans try to receive it. Buying a popular item certainly warrants that other people will like it as well. It is evident that the majority of one's desire for materialistic goods stems from a desire to be complemented. How much does matter matter to you?

            In 2015 alone, 3,477 people were killed in distraction-related crashes. With 8% of those involved being teens in high school, according to NHTSA, it is incumbent upon today's teens to learn about how distracted driving impacts judgement and what the massive dangers are related to it. This week, KYHS brought in the "Arrive Alive" team to educate students about the dangers of distracted driving. Students were encouraged to climb into the driver's seat of a stationary car, grip the wheel, and get a taste of what distracted driving really feels like. With a pair of virtual reality glasses, students were able to pick one of two settings: texting while driving or drunk driving. Students then "drove" down a virtual highway, navigating virtual obstacles like traffic, pedestrians, and trees alongside the road. The virtual reality did the trick, and students were easily able to understand and appreciate how hard it truly is to control a car while one is either drunk or texting. Thank you to Arrive Alive and KYHS for giving students the opportunity to recognize the true dangers of distracted driving. This event certainly made students more aware in an engaging and hands-on fashion. Below is a link to an article in the Jewish News showing Mr. Beer in action:

Eli Beer in action

             Last week, a group of Israelis participating in the Generations of Israel program came to KYHS to teach students about Israel during Hebrew classes. Through fun and games, students learned all about Israel, ranging from the government and army service to the plethora of innovations that began in Israel, including the mobile phone and the drip irrigation system. The students loved getting a direct view of Israel through its citizens as Danielle Dahan ('20) remarked, "I really think I learned a lot from the Israelis who came in. I especially enjoyed learning from someone who lived there." Students were given the opportunity to ask questions about Israel that were relevant to them, a true learning experience.