February 2024 | The Evergreen, Greenhill School

Quest for Citizenship

Helina Tedros

Through the Dallas Public Library, Associate Head of School for Mission, Community and Culture Tom Perryman ’81 has joined a program that teaches legally documented migrants how to pass the civics test to naturalize them as citizens.

have lived in the United States for at least five years, or three years if they are married to a U.S. citizen, and they must be at least 18 years old.

past five years, Perryman has been a part of the Dallas Municipal Library Board, which is a group of people appointed by Dallas City Council members and the mayor to oversee and support Dallas Public Library and its 30 branches.

variety of factors, like COVID-19, the citizenship training program had not been working to its full capacity. The class itself requires several volunteers to come to teach the course and it was understaffed even before the pandemic. Due to this, Perryman believed he would be

a good fit for the program.

“[When] talking with some of the library staff, they have not been able to offer [multiple sections of the class] in the last couple of years because nobody was volunteering [or] teaching,” said Perryman. “I like history. I know most of this stuff. I can

biggest regrets and a challenge throughout the process.

“I’m ashamed to say that I don’t speak Spanish,” Perryman said. “I grew up in Dallas, Texas, and don’t speak Spanish, and that’s a shame as far as I’m concerned.”

This choice was thought through because the citizenship classes usually take place on school nights, so the students will have to balance different factors to attend.

To teach the class, Perryman had to undergo training during the spring of 2023. This was a one-day session, in Houston, presented by the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration

Perryman says that he believes that people born outside of the United States add value to the community, which is why he

“I came back, and I thought I needed to do this,” Perryman said. “This is something I can do because I believe very firmly that there are lots of people out there who would make this country so much better if they were citizens and could vote or serve on juries.”

Perryman names his inability to speak Spanish as a Texas native as one of his

This led him to involve Upper School students who take Spanish courses to help overcome the language barrier. He brought the idea to Upper School Spanish teachers like Jacobo Luna.

“I was very moved by [Perryman’s] attempt to continue into this caring for the community,” said Luna. “And when I mean caring for the community, I don’t mean to only care about Greenhill members, but caring for us as humanity and being part of the U.S. That’s what caught my attention.”

“

This is something I can do because I believe very firmly that there are lots of people out there who would make this country so much better if they were citizens and could vote or serve on juries.”

The students that Perryman and the Upper School teachers were looking for were those in higher-level Spanish classes.

LWhile Perryman is teaching the course, the Greenhill students will assist him and gain experience in speaking conversational Spanish.

Junior Megan Cleary is in AP Spanish and has decided to be a part of the program.

“I really want to be at a more conversational level with my Spanish and just being able to talk with native speakers I think would be really helpful for me,” said Cleary.

Junior Bette Tomecko is in a similar situation and wishes to do this because the need for the program hits close to home.

“I had a nanny at a young age in my life and she wanted citizenship in America, and it took her 17 years to become an American citizen and study for the test and everything,” Tomecko said.

The first class will take place on Feb. 7 at Skillman Southwestern Branch Library.

“I think anytime we offer students and employees a chance to work with another community outside our own 75 acres, we expand our horizons. I think we’re always improved by hearing other people’s stories what they care about and where they come from,” said Perryman. “I think it will help us all see immigration as a concept differently, and how these human beings are trying desperately to make the best life possible for them and their families.”

Digital Testing Evolution

ast October, Greenhill administered its first batch of online PSAT tests. These online tests replaced paper standardized tests that have existed for the last few decades.

Greenhill’s administration of online PSAT testing reflects broader national trends toward digital testing. In 2023, the College Board announced the implementation of adaptable digital testing for PSAT and SAT testing sites. In 2024, they project all SAT and PSAT testing to be fully digital.

“I think that the College Board is responding to a generation of young people who are very adept at technology,” said Director of College Counseling Keith Todd. “We’re reaching a point where students don’t read paper newspapers, so that paper testing begins to feel outmoded, and actually might not be as positive or useful for students as a digital exam.”

Prior to PSAT testing day, Greenhill administration received extensive guidance from the College Board on preparation, technology and setup for the exam.

“The College Board gave us a lot of advance information about technical requirements and all that, and even things like check-listing, for example, to remind students to bring a charged-up computer,” Todd said.

Some students felt that the transition to digital testing made preparation more challenging due to the scarcity of resources specifically designed for this format.

leading up to [the online PSAT] was in the Bluebook app of our computer where we took the digital PSAT,” junior Harris Xie said. “There is one digital practice test, just one.”

Xie also says that paper testing made it easier to implement test taking strategies, such as annotating and summarizing passages in the reading section.

“I feel like it’s easier to use a laptop since I’m so used to doing it because most of my schoolwork is digital,” said sophomore Dhiya Hemchand.

Junior Saida Bidiwala echoes this sentiment, emphasizing that online testing offers the additional advantage of delivering results more quickly.

people learn or how people are able to take tests,” Bidiwala said.

Despite the change to adaptive testing, Xie says the test still maintains the same feel as the traditional paper format.

“Difficulty wise, honestly, they’re both similar,” said Xie.

“The only material that I had that I did

“Overall, I’d still prefer the paper one because I did a lot of practice on paper,” Xie said. “If you’re built-in calculator but it’s just different.”

Other students appreciate the convenience and efficiency of digital testing.

“With digital testing, you can get your test back faster, and for some people, it’s just easier to have it on a screen as opposed to writing everything down on paper,” Bidiwala said. “It’s just all right there. And also, you have all of your tools, like your calculators and your timer, for example.”

With the PSAT and SAT becoming digital, the exams have become adaptive. This means that questions will change in difficulty during the test depending on a student’s performance on prior

“After you do the medium version of the module, if you do well, then you go on to the harder version,” said Bidiwala. “You have to change your strategy to maximize how you do in the medium in the first module, and then be able to

Bidiwala says that the use of adaptive testing helps create a more individualized testing experience that adapts to the specific strengths and weaknesses of each test-taker.

“I think in that regard, it’s helpful to see how to actually get a good gauge of how

However, the transition to digital testing is not the only change occurring with standardized tests.

In the last few years, colleges have started to adopt testoptional policies. Testoptional policies grant applicants the choice of whether or not to submit their test scores, in hopes of placing greater emphasis on other aspects of their academic and personal achievements.

“There’s not much that you can do to make a standardized test truly accurate to the student, even if it is changing the difficulty of the questions depending on the student’s performance,” said Bidiwala. “Because as a whole, these tests are still standardized, and someone could just be having a bad day as opposed to having a holistic view of the student.”

Looking forward, Greenhill plans to administer some Advanced Placement tests digitally, including AP European History and AP Language and Composition. Todd anticipates that cross-departmental collaboration will help provide students with a smooth testing experience.

“We were very fortunate there,” said Todd. “I’m sure that there will continue to be troubleshooting as we get more used to digital testing, but luckily with our strong IT office and [College Counseling Coordinator Megan Crockett], and with the good facilities and Wi-Fi that we have here, it seemed to go pretty smoothly.”

Graphics by Christan Park

Keith Todd

Harris Xie

Graphic by Christan Park

Sophia Li, Jin Huang

Charity on the Runway

Adeline.

When the Greenhill Charity Fashion Show first began, it was housed in the Montgomery Library for two years. Year after year, the shows evolved to slightly larger venues, accommodating for the increase in participation and viewership.

Last year, Sewell Lexus Dallas PreOwned offered the use of its facility as a venue, expanding the scope of the show significantly and changing its future, according to senior Anisa Walji, a co-chair of this year’s event.

Thirteen years after its debut, a show that once began by the warm fireplace of the Montgomery Library will now be hosted at the Fashion Industry Gallery in Dallas on Sunday, Feb. 25.

While the show has grown, one thing has remained constant. Every year, the money raised has been donated to the Grant Halliburton Foundation, a nonprofit organization working to increase mental health resources and promote suicide prevention.

“Suicide prevention is such a dark topic, and I’m proud that it can be honored in a really positive way,” Walji said. “I think that’s very different from how any other show or group usually handles the subject.”

Susie Fagelman, the fashion show also consists of two junior coBette Tomecko and Ashley Weinstein.

There are also three boards made up of eight juniors and sophomores. All four chairs are invited to their positions by their predecessors.

entire show is student-run, without help from any adults,”

Fagelman said. “We together donations, lead the three boards and organize every minor detail of the show.”

“That’s a lot of the job, emailing a lot with businesses all over Dallas,” Fagelman said.

Leading up to the December holiday break, the group had a breakthrough with the Fashion Industry Gallery, which they visited to confirm the venue for the show.

“We come together and secure donations, arrange fittings, lead the three boards and organize every minor detail of the show.”

The month of January was filled with finalizing clothing from retail stores and brands. The junior co-chairs drove to every participating business to pick up the items for the raffle, which is a method of raising money by a randomized pick of a name.

Additionally, the boards worked throughout January to increase viewership and interest in the show, in a final attempt to gather donations.

“The Outreach Board’s main goal is making fliers to hang around Greenhill and Dallas,” Fagelman said. “They also make posters to advertise the show to our school.”

Volunteer Coordination. They are chosen by the senior co-chairs based on applications and are in charge of promoting the show.

Starting in August, the chairs begin

“Sometimes, it’s so hard to see where all of our work is going,” Walji said. “But then, on the day, it’s amazing having so many

Dealing with Roadblocks

Amid all the preparations, there were many obstacles the members faced.

“We’re not paying for anything,” Fagelman said. “Every single thing has to be donated, which can be hard because venues are expensive, and clothing stores have to trust high schoolers with their items.”

Walji agrees.

“A big challenge is getting told ‘no’ all the time by so many stores and venues,” Walji said. “But it also taught me that being told ‘no’ is OK, because I know we are asking for a lot.”

Gathering engagement and participation leading up to the show can also be difficult, according to Middleman.

“Coming up with an idea that is fun for adults and kids to raise the most amount of money possible can be difficult,” Middleman said. “We’re trying to incorporate as many people as we can and make it fun for them.”

After months of working together,

“I love reaching out to a lot of brands and just working with the girls to create something, because it’s kind of just us doing it,” Tomecko said. “At the end, it’s going to be really rewarding.”

“Sometimes, it’s so hard to see where all of our work is going.

But then, on the day, it’s amazing having so many people come together, especially for a cause that is so important.”

Despite the challenges, many students involved in the show say the work is rewarding, especially when they get to see the end product.

“My favorite part of the fashion show is everyone coming together and seeing all the models walk,” Middleman said. “I think it’s amazing that we can raise money to support such a great foundation.”

Fagelman says the joy they experience when people walk down the runway makes the whole process worth it.

“I love watching all of our friends and the little kids in Lower School walk the

Pooja Sanghvi, Victoria Gonchar

Lilly Middleman

Photo by Chloe Nguyen

STUDENT LEADERS: Seniors Anisa Walji and Susie Fagelman, the co-chairs, lead a team of sophomores and juniors to plan fundraising events for the fashion show.

Graphics by Bette Tomecko

Evergreen the

Reflecting on Greenhill Traditions

Payton Blalock, Ven Larson

As Greenhill expands and increases enrollment, awareness of traditions and consideration of their value are rising topics of interest.

Since Greenhill’s founding in 1950, administrators, educators and students have strived to provide a school experience deeply rooted in tradition and individuality. Recently, structural and cultural shifts have launched Greenhill into a new era, which has caused the balance between tradition and innovation to increase in complexity.

“I think, for me, it’s all about balance,” Head of School Lee Hark said. “One of the things I have loved about Greenhill is that it’s not afraid to change; we feel like a young school in that way.”

Hark was hired in 2018, and Greenhill has initiated several major projects during his tenure. The biggest of these projects is the Valdes STEM + Innovation Center, which is set to open to students in March.

This new building and the Marshall Family Performing Arts Center, which opened in 2016, are equipped to accommodate a higher level of learning and a greater number of students. Greenhill hit the milestone of 500 Upper School students for the first time this year, contributing to what some students see as a failure to uphold some school traditions.

“Throughout my time here traditions have started to look different, which is frustrating because some activities I looked forward to as a little kid no longer exist on the Hill,” senior Sophie Schwartz said. “For example, there used to be a sixth grade helper program I always looked forward to participating in, but by the time I reached sixth grade, the tradition no longer existed.”

According to Schwartz, Greenhill students have far fewer opportunities to come together as a whole school than they did when she first entered Greenhill in Prekindergarten. From a logistical standpoint, it is now much more difficult to accommodate all students at Greenhill in one space together than it was in years and decades past.

“The school is much more complex now,” said Associate Head of School for Mission, Community, and Culture Tom Perryman ’81. “There’s [about] 1,400 kids and 270 employees. This is an operation now that just involves a lot more moving parts than it used to.”

Long-standing Traditions

The annual Founders’ Day assembly is one of the few

opportunities for the whole school to unite as a community, which is part of why Perryman says it’s one of his favorite traditions at Greenhill.

“I think it is so important for our young kids to look up to the older kids,” Perryman said. “And you get a chance to remember important people and use history to tell this whole story. There’s this sort of oral tradition component to it that I think is really special.”

Hark also says he recognizes the Founders’ Day assembly as one of his favorite Greenhill traditions.

“I love it, but I love all things that bring us together as a whole community,” Hark said. “Those are always going to be the [traditions] that mean the most to me.”

Along with this, many students value longstanding Upper School traditions such as the December holiday singalong and Diwali potluck.

“I like the senior [traditions] because I know I’ll get them one day,” freshman Sia Sankaran said. “[Other traditions] help bring a lot of different people from different cultures together because even if you’re not of that race, descent or religion, you can still celebrate.”

STEM Center Debut Reset

After initially being scheduled to open last August, the Rosa O. Valdes STEM + Innovation Center’s launch is now scheduled for use after students return from Spring Break on March 19.

The building has a “substantial completion” date of Feb. 16, when it will be deemed sufficiently completed for its intended use. The construction team will use the following weeks leading up to the official opening to prepare the inside of the building for student use, according to Associate Head of School/Chief Financial Officer/Chief Operating Officer Kendra Grace.

“Now that we have actual dates that we’re all working toward, I’ll start working with the division heads, as well as the department chairs to try to figure out a plan for moving into the new building,” said Grace.

Previously, substantial completion dates were also set for October and December. However, the project didn’t meet either of those dates.

Both Grace and Head of School Lee Hark say there are numerous reasons for the delays.

“This process started six years ago from the first conversation,” Hark said. “It’s been a long road; the construction has taken over a year and half and a lot of things have factored into how long it’s taken.”

Grace says there are multiple factors that have affected the construction process.

“It’s a really complicated building and the items in the building are technical and complex,” Grace said. “We’re also building the building upside down. All of the pipes, data cables and gas lines are under the floor as opposed to overhead, so we have to get that situated before everything else.”

For grades 5-12, all math, science and innovation classes will move to the Valdes STEM + Innovation Center.

Grace says the building will lead to interdivisional collaboration, ultimately benefiting both students and faculty.

“The idea that Middle School students can see what Upper School students are working on is important,” Grace said. “There is so much glass in the building and the hope is that the students will be inspired to want to take some of these classes.”

In addition to being an open space, Grace and Hark both say they hope the building can set the bar for the future of STEM at Greenhill and help build community.

“We want the building to be an engine of inspiration,” Hark said. “We want it to be a magnet for kids – to be the closest thing we have to a community center on this campus.”

Hark sees the new building also serving as a study space for students.

“There are going to be dozens of places for kids to sit and study by themselves or in groups,” Hark said. “We’ve designed the building so that there are places for kids to be, and while they are there, we hope they will pick their head up every once in a while and look around and see what’s happening.”

While students are excited to use the new building for classes once it opens in March, some senior students say they are disappointed that they did not get to use the building for the whole year.

“I am really excited to have classes in the new building,” senior Sofia Serrano said. “At the same time, I do wish that I would have been able to use the building for the entirety of my senior year.”

Freshman Mahedhar Sunkara expressed eagerness for the opening.

“I’m really excited because I want to take more design and innovation courses, and this new building gives me the perfect opportunity to do so,” Sunkara said.

Another valued Greenhill tradition is the annual Kindergarten performance of “The Nutcracker.” It’s a highly regarded tradition, especially as it helps younger students with their motor skills and ability to maintain confidence in front of a crowd, Perryman said.

“It makes sense in the curriculum and the development of the kids,” Perryman said.

Traditions like these, that have outside value to students, generally last longer and have a place to thrive at Greenhill, according to Perryman.

Balancing Act

Some students place certain activities under the umbrella of tradition, even if they hold no deeper meaning. Hark says he believes valuable traditions stem from their history and meaning, not from how much they might entertain students.

Perryman echoes these sentiments.

“I think students start calling things traditions pretty quickly, especially if decisions are being made to discontinue them,” Perryman said.

Older students sometimes use tradition as a way to enforce entitlement and privilege over younger students, according to Perryman. He notes that there is a difference between entitlement and a tradition.

Tradition at Greenhill ultimately looks different to everyone, but few understand the complexity of preserving traditions. For example, prior to 2008, each class at Greenhill used to go on a trip together, as a way to learn and bond with your classmates.

“They were educational, and they were fun,” Perryman said. “Let’s face it, you remember those things a lot more than you remember anything I could teach in an English class.”

However, the 2007-2008 financial crisis left Greenhill with the choice of either raising tuition or cutting something important. Administrators made the choice to discontinue class trips, and they haven’t resumed since.

“If I had a billion dollars, I would [resume] those trips first because I think they were a terrific tradition, but I understand why they had to go away,” Perryman said.

Other traditions could not continue because of cultural shifts in the nation. For example, the annual Columbus Day play was discontinued several years ago due to the controversial history of Christopher Columbus.

However, while some traditions are lost, new ones frequently arise at Greenhill.

“I think we get to see a lot of traditions here and even start some new ones of our own,” said senior Lucca Buonamici. “I think traditions are very special here.”

Hark takes a longer view on the subject of traditions.

“As a school, we need to stretch and grow every day,” Hark said. “I’m looking for kind of an equilibrium when it comes to tradition and change, like really valuing the things that, as I said, [bind] us together across the generations.”

Lee Hark

Photo by Chloe Nguyen

SENIOR SHOWOFF: Greenhill seniors dress up in group costumes to join Lower and Preschool students in the annual Halloween parade. Seniors compete for titles such as Best Group Costume, Funniest Costume and others.

Photo by Scarlett Song

MAKING THEIR MARK: Greenhill seniors collectively spray-paint their names on the Water Tower every fall.

Aman Jaleel

Middle School

Quiz Bowl Teams Prepare for Nationals

Four Middle School Quiz Bowl teams are qualified and preparing for the 2024 Middle School National Championship Tournament in Chicago in May.

Quiz Bowl teams A through D have all qualified for nationals by finishing in the top 15% at one of the Middle School Varsity Tournaments that use the National Academic Quiz Tournament’s questions, according to Coach James Herman, who also teaches Middle School history.

In order to prepare for the tournament, all Middle School Quiz Bowl teams practice once a week to ensure team unity as they get closer to taking the national stage. In addition to team practices, every member is also expected to prepare rigorously on their own by studying their specific specialty subject, according to Herman.

A Quiz Bowl member’s specialty could be a specific school subject or sports or pop culture. This means that a student needs to be extremely well-versed in that subject when it is their turn to answer a question.

“We expect students who go to nationals to have a great mastery of their subject area,” said Herman.

Students say this expectation of mastery brings pressure.

Seventh-grader Adam Tawil, a member of Middle School Team A, has found that focusing on just the question before him makes for a clearer mind.

“I just take a deep breath and shut out all commotion around me in order for me to focus on answering the question,” said Tawil.

The four Middle School teams have high hopes to finish their season strong at the national tournament.

“We definitely have the possibility to make the top 10 and we could even win it all,” Tawil said of Team A’s aspirations.

Overall, the Middle School Quiz Bowl team members say they are excited to compete and showcase their preparation at the national level.

“Nationals becomes a core memory for our students,” said Herman. “It’s a celebration for all the hard work that has been put in that year.”

“Matilda Jr.” Set for Feb. 7 Performance

Avery Lonergan

After months of hard work, long rehearsals, auditions, planning, and an incredible amount of excitement and nerves, Middle School students are set to perform the musical “Matilda Jr.” on Feb. 7.

This is the third year for Middle School students to perform a theatrical production.

“‘Matilda’ was very hot last year because of the movie coming out, so a lot of people are familiar with [the musical],” said assistant director Maxey Goold.

The cast is entirely made up of Middle School students. The crew is mainly Middle School students with a handful of high school mentors.

Auditions began in October, with the adult team matching students with characters that showcase their ability.

Goold, who is working with director Greg Mihalik to oversee onstage efforts, compared this process to fitting together pieces of a puzzle.

Technical theater teacher Will Turbyne and Marshall

Family Performing Arts Center Manager Leann Burns are in charge of the technical aspects of the production. Middle School tech theater students have helped build set pieces and props as well as manage the lights and sound during the show.

Rehearsals began in October and the cast and crew have since been practicing every Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m.

Tech theater students have devoted days to sound and lighting preparations to support the cast and crew.

“The rehearsals have felt like really smooth sailing this year, and everything has felt very structured and productive,” said eighth-grader Arhaan Iyer, who plays the part of Mr. Wormwood in the musical.

Eighth-grader Grace Helms, who plays the part of Ms. Trunchbull, spoke for her peers when she described her excitement as the date of the performance neared.

“I think everyone is doing fantastic and it has been a really fun experience,” Helms said.

Eighth-Graders Attend Junior Assembly

The open space of the party last December was filled with music from the DJ booth, games, and the chatter of eighth-grade students from Greenhill and peer

schools in the area. It’s an annual rite of passage known as Junior Assembly, the goal of which is to smooth the transition for middle school students about to move on to high school. Junior Assembly brings together students from Greenhill, Hockaday, St. Mark’s School of Texas, Episcopal

School of Dallas and Cistercian Preparatory School.

Eighth-grade students from these schools can attend three Junior Assembly events during the year to get to know each other. The events allow eighth-graders to establish connections that will extend into their high school years.

The second Junior Assembly event was held on Jan. 27 and the final event will be April 27.

“My favorite thing about Junior Assembly is how it brings together people our age from other schools so we can meet new people outside of our bubble,” said Greenhill eighth-grader Gabri Blankson.

The parties have many games set up for students including ping pong, basketball, and cornhole.

“I enjoyed playing basketball and expanding my network of friends and creating a new community,” said sophomore Quaid Oza, who attended the events as an eighth-grader.

Junior Assembly operates independently from Greenhill, as it is a volunteer organization run by parent representatives from each school.

Sophomore Albertina Pascual Cisneros also attended all three events as an eighth-grader.

“The atmosphere of the party was a mixture of nerves and excitement about meeting new people,” said Pascual Cisneros.

Each Junior Assembly gathering has a different theme, with students dressing up in specific styles. This year the three themes are jerseys, boots and bling, and Hawaiian.

“My favorite theme is boots and bling,” said eighthgrader Daisy Bonnette. “Most girls wear sparkly dresses and cowboy boots which is super fun.”

Jordan Arbuckle

Nia Harrison

“SAY CHEESE!”: Eighth-grader Natalie Davidoff poses with two of her Greenhill friends before hitting the dance floor with students from various peer schools last December at one of three Dallas Junior Assembly events.

Photo illustration by Chloe Nguyen

TOSSUP 20: Middle School Quiz Bowl competitors are busy preparing for the national tournament in May.

Photo by Chloe Nguyen

Photo courtesy of Natalie Davidoff

Evergreen

Features

Parnell ’99 Returns to Teach Upper School Science

Riya Kommineni, Christan Park

Years before he transferred from Parish Episcopal School to Greenhill in fifth grade, Dr. Winfred Parnell ’99 felt like he belonged on the Hill.

His twin sister, Wendy Parnell ’99, had been at Greenhill since first grade allowing him to begin making Greenhill friends at sports events he attended.

“Even though I wasn’t here at Greenhill, I would come for the football games [allowing me] to get to know a lot of Greenhill students before even coming,” said Parnell.

Upon transferring to Greenhill, Parnell quickly became involved with a plethora of activities, including playing Dionysus in the annual Greek Play, and he was able to form close bonds with many of his classmates.

“I established some long-lasting friendships when I came to Greenhill,” Parnell said. “When I got married, five out of my six groomsmen graduated from Greenhill with me.”

Upper School Memories

In Upper School, Parnell quickly immersed himself in the basketball and tennis teams, Stock Market Club, Montage Literary Magazine and even Student Council.

“He was a very good student, very well behaved and well mannered,” said Dean of Students Jack Oros, who served as Parnell’s faculty advisor for Student Council.

Parnell’s teachers, especially Christine Eastus, who holds Greenhill Legend status, had the biggest impact on him, he says.

“I had [Eastus] in English for 10th grade. I had such a great experience, and she was always encouraging me,” said Parnell. “The fact that my teachers were always going out of their way not to just encourage but push me to try to do more was what kind of made Greenhill special for me.”

Eastus was the person who also encouraged him to run for Student Council president.

“I remember I was thinking about running for Student Council and I said to Ms. Eastus, ‘I’m thinking about running for vice president on Student Council,’ and she was like, ‘Why not president?’” said Parnell. “That was exactly what I needed to hear in that moment. That night, I went home, talked to my sister and put my speech together. I ended up giving my speech in front of the entire Upper School and they liked it. I got voted to be Student Council president.”

Discovering Teaching

After graduating from Greenhill, Parnell and his sister attended Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia, where he majored in psychology. Post-graduation, Parnell was still unsure of his future. But as he began working at a counseling center where he

took care of children with mental health issues, he became interested in psychiatry.

“I got to work hands-on with a psychiatrist, as well as a psychologist, and I got to see both sides,” said Parnell. “That’s when I decided I wanted to go to med school. I wanted to go for psychiatry and work with kids.”

With his mind set on psychiatry, Parnell knew he would first have to complete several prerequisites for medical school. He decided to return to Dallas and head to the University of North Texas to take the necessary courses before going to medical school at the American University of Antigua.

However, as he began medical school, his ambitions began to change.

“During my clinical rotations in medical school, I was still interested in psychiatry but was starting to think about anesthesiology and pediatrics, and I was kind of everywhere in terms of what I wanted to do,” Parnell said.

Upon finishing medical school, Parnell became involved in medical research in anesthesiology, pain management and community health for four years.

“While doing research, I always found myself getting into these positions where I was teaching or directing subjects in a clinical study,” said Parnell. “So that’s kind of how I got over into education from medicine.”

“

I got to work hands-on with a psychiatrist, as well as a psychologist, and I got to see both sides. That’s when I decided I wanted to go for psychiatry and work with kids.”

After finding a new love for teaching, Parnell began looking for educational jobs to help more students like him find a passion for health sciences.

“While attending medical school and working in clinical research, I noticed the disparity of African Americans, not only in healthcare and clinical research, but also STEM in general,” he said. “So, one of my goals when I began my career in education was to encourage more students that looked like me to go into STEM and healthcare.”

In 2013, Parnell marked another milestone in his life when he married a Greenhill classmate, his ninth-grade sweetheart, Jennifer Kinney. They have three school-age children: Jake, Jordan and Jonah.

Parnell’s journey into the world of high school education took off when he was offered a job at W.T. White High School in the Dallas Independent School District. From 2016 to 2018, Parnell worked there as a biology teacher and was able to encourage many students to enter the health sciences.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Parnell returned to research at Baylor Scott and White where he mainly focused on the effects of chronic kidney disease in African Americans. However, as the research hewas

conducting slowed significantly, Parnell returned to teaching at W.T. White in the spring of 2020.

Returning to Greenhill

As a Greenhill alumnus, Parnell first reached out to Associate Head of School Tom Perryman ’81 after seeing a job opening at Greenhill. With Perryman’s encouragement and a feeling of strong personal connection to Greenhill, he decided to apply.

said Parnell. “I thought that it would be rewarding to come back and make the same kind of impact on students that teachers like Ms. Eastus made on me.”

between teaching at W.T. White and Greenhill, according to Parnell. One of them is class size: at W.T. White he often taught classes with almost 40 students, while the average Upper School class size at Greenhill is 18 students.

students, I feel like the teaching is much more involved,” said Parnell. “[But] it was easy [to transition] since everybody is warm and really encouraging.”

at Greenhill, Parnell says he hopes to continue learning and growing.

teaching Biology and post-AP Biochemistry this year, [but] I want to grow as a biology teacher and educator in general and maybe branch out and teach other subjects,” said Parnell. appreciate his teaching methods and

accessible personality.

“I had great memories at Greenhill. I thought that it would be rewarding to come back and make the same kind of impact on students that teachers like Ms. Eastus made on me.”

“He’s a very welcoming person and super sweet,” said junior Megan Cleary. “He makes sure we finish our work and is willing

BORN LEADER: Student body president Dr. Winfred Parnell ’99 speaks at graduation after receiving the Harold Byrd Award, which recognizes leadership at Greenhill.

GREENHILL UNION: Winfred Parnell ’99 and Jennifer Kinney Parnell ’99 celebrate at their wedding reception, 16 years after they dated as freshmen at Greenhill.

Photo courtesy of Winfred Parnell

Photo courtesy of Winfred Parnell

Graphic by Aria Kutty

Excelling from the Court to the Courtroom

Daniela Hallack, Rory Liu

As Hayley Isenberg ’15 spoke in front of U.S. Supreme Court Associate Justice Sonia Sotomayor and other prominent jurists during the Harvard Law School’s Ames Moot Court Competition, she thought back to her junior year at Greenhill, when she led the girls varsity basketball team to a Southwest Preparatory Conference championship victory.

“The competition reminded me a lot of my athletic days,” said Isenberg. “For Ames, I had a team of six people, and we were in close quarters all the time researching and working on our brief. The argument portion of the competition felt like a game day.”

Isenberg was the captain of the girls varsity basketball team at Greenhill for her sophomore, junior and senior year, and she strove to create an inclusive and motivated team with one goal: to become better people on and off the court.

This same attitude echoed in the classroom as Isenberg developed an interest in political science and governmental studies.

Since leaving Greenhill, Isenberg has honed those interests at Harvard University. In 2019, she graduated magna cum laude and Phi Beta Kappa with a B.A. in Government. This spring, she is set to graduate from the Harvard Law School.

Greenhill Roots

Isenberg says that Greenhill helped foster her identity and confidence, which translated to her performance in basketball and her interest in law.

“I think my time at Greenhill was incredibly important in my development as a person and enhanced my ability to perform in academic and athletic settings,” said Isenberg. “It was also crucial in my development as a leader.”

Head Girls Varsity Basketball Coach

Darryn Sandler, who worked with Isenberg on the court and in multiple math classes, admired her tenacious qualities.

many seniors that year, which she says aided in her growth as a leader.

“I think I learned a lot of valuable lessons from that group, and I looked up to them a lot,” Isenberg said.

Eventually, when she became a team captain, she wanted to lead a team that felt more like a family than just a group of players.

“Our team was so close. We were not all from the same friend group or all in the same grade, but we were the best of friends,” said Isenberg. “I cannot emphasize how important good team chemistry is in terms of being successful so as a leader that was always a huge priority.”

Isenberg enjoyed the sport and the community surrounding it, but she also understood the importance of making and learning from mistakes, which proved to be a stepping stone for her later achievements.

“Whenever we had team meetings, I always wanted people to understand that no one would be upset if they made mistakes on the court,” said Isenberg. “It was important to have a short memory and know that your team would support you no matter what.”

lessons about empathy, integrity and work ethic,” said Isenberg.

government and political science classes, she decided to pursue law in graduate school.

In addition to her basketball career at Greenhill, she developed a strong interest in academic topics like law, political science and government studies. One of the classes that spurred this interest was Human Rights in the Modern World, which examined human rights in a global and domestic perspective from the lens of women’s rights, genocide, race and criminal justice.

Upper School history teacher Scott Cotton, who taught the class, says that Isenberg was a very diligent student and had a strong passion for the content.

“Time at Harvard

After graduating from Greenhill and throughout her undergraduate studies at Harvard, Isenberg continued to balance two rigorous activities she had done in high school: basketball and academics.

Collegiate basketball required a commitment akin to a full-time job.

“Nothing will ever challenge you mentally, physically and emotionally at the same time in the way that playing basketball at that level does,” said Isenberg. Isenberg says that balancing academics and sports made her an all-around tougher person.

“I couldn’t really imagine studying anything else in graduate school,” said Isenberg. “I really liked reading and writing and I knew I wanted to do something in government in the future.”

Isenberg was also on the Harvard College Honor Council, a group that reviews cases of academic integrity violations, which also factored into her decision to become a lawyer.

“I really enjoyed analyzing problems in front of me and thinking through what made sense in terms of holding someone responsible for [academic violations],” said Isenberg. “It also taught me a lot about empathy which has benefited me now as a lawyer.”

““Showing up two hours a day for three months and sporadically during off season is not going to get you to the collegiate level,” said Sandler. “Hayley was willing to work as hard as possible on the court and in the classroom to achieve her goal of playing college basketball at a strong academic institution.”

As a rising freshman at Greenhill, Isenberg was elevated to the girls varsity basketball team and quickly earned a starting position. She was surrounded by

Whenever we had team meetings, I always wanted people to understand that no one would be upset if they made mistakes on the court. ”

“She would read articles, watch documentaries and bring outside information to class not because they were going to necessarily help her grade, but because she was just interested in them,” said Cotton.

Isenberg says the rigor of her Greenhill classes prepared her for college. She also says that the mentoring from Greenhill teachers helped instill core values in her.

“I had such a tremendous faculty, whether it was through mentorship outside of class or learning experiences inside the classroom, they taught me a lot of valuable

“I will always be grateful for that experience even though it was really hard,” said Isenberg. “It taught me to have a lot of grit and trained me to push through adversity, which has paid off a lot in work settings and also in law school.”

Despite the difficulty of her workload, Isenberg was awarded the Detur Book Prize by the Harvard Office of Undergraduate Education in 2016, an award that recognizes sophomores who achieved high academic excellence during their first year at the college.

“She would read articles, watch documentaries and bring outside information to class not because they were going to necessarily help her grade, but because she was just interested in them.”

“I remember being in the ceremony looking around the room and not seeing a lot of athletes,” said Isenberg. “It made me feel like all the hard work and late nights staying up to make both school and basketball fit into my life was worth it.”

Isenberg says that the prize acknowledged her hard work, and also assuaged her self-doubt.

“I didn’t think of myself as someone who would be at the top of the class at Harvard,” said Isenberg. “To be in a room of people who did the best out of everyone during our freshman year was a huge confidence boost.”

Isenberg also says she was able to build her confidence through her interactions with her academic professors .

“Having a Harvard professor tell you you’re an excellent writer or that your paper was the best they’ve ever read and being able to really hold your own at a place like Harvard really reassures you that you belong and that you can achieve more than what you thought you could,” said Isenberg.

This reassurance, along with her ability to push through adversity, propelled her into pursuing further education at Harvard. Since she had always enjoyed her American

I think my time at Greenhill was incredibly important in my development as a person and enhanced my ability to perform in academic settings. It was also crucial in my development as a leader.”

Isenberg is now a J.D. candidate at Harvard Law School and attributes much of her success to the perseverance she gained throughout her academic career.

“Law school is very hard, the amount of reading and the pressure to perform at a high level can be overwhelming,” said Isenberg. “Sometimes you have to push through adversity to get the things that you want in life. I think playing basketball in college really taught me that lesson.”

For the Future

With her time at law school nearing an end and having explored consulting, prosecution and criminal law, Isenberg now has a sense of what career within the law she wants to pursue.

“I like being in a courtroom, I like interacting with people and I like feeling like my job has a real impact on the world in a positive way,” said Isenberg.

After winning the Harvard Law School’s Ames Moot Court Competition, Isenberg is inspired by the idea of doing appellate work.

“I really like the thrill of getting to argue complex legal issues, learn an entire area of law and work closely with a group of people,” said Isenberg.

Isenberg is currently working as a Middlesex County Assistant District Attorney through a clinic at Harvard Law School and enjoys serving as a prosecutor. She says she hopes to pursue criminal law when she graduates.

“I don’t know exactly what the future holds for my career, but I’m excited about many of the opportunities that lie ahead,” said Isenberg.

Photo courtesy of Hayley Isenberg

DREAM TEAM: Hayley Isenberg, third from right, and five Harvard Law School classmates excelled at the annual Ames Moot Court competition last November.

CELEBRATING SUCCESS: Hayley Isenberg ’15, standing second from left, led the girls varsity basketball team to victory in the Southwest Preparatory Conference.

Photo courtesy of Hayley Isenberg

Darryn Sandler

Scott Cotton

Black Girl Unity Mentorship Program

Sydney Chien

Just before winter break, juniors Lilliana Alston and Ana Blankson received approval to start a new co-divisional group on campus called Black Girl Unity, which seeks to promote friendships and community among Black girls in Upper and Middle School.

Black Girl Unity operates under a “big sister, little sister” structure where Black girls from the Upper School have the opportunity to form connections, not only with each other but also with younger students on campus.

“We just wanted to have a space where we can talk about some of the things we’ve experienced growing up and some of the things that are good to know when going to a [predominantly white institution],” said Blankson.

The group plans to discuss a variety of topics, from hair to Black excellence.

“We want to also highlight some Black females that are succeeding not just in

sports and music, but [those who are] doctors, scientists [and] journalists, because we realized that there’s not enough light shed onto those women,” said Blankson.

The goal is to create mentorships that encourage Black girls to feel confident in their identity by pairing them up with an older role model that can relate with race and gender specific experiences and give advice on how to handle them.

“It will also just be a family-type space where everyone can get to know the different girls in each grade,” said Blankson. “We want to let them get to know us and know that if anything ever happens, they can talk to us.”

The faculty sponsor is Upper School

English Department Chair Karin Thomas, who is also a sponsor for the Black Student Union. Thomas says that Black Girl Unity is meant to fill an area of student need that BSU does not focus on.

“The BSU is sort of an overarching organization,” Thomas said. “Because of all the intersectionality, it doesn’t necessarily address issues of gender. It’s sort of a mixed group. This is much more akin to the future women of tomorrow.”

Middle School

Because Middle School has placed all affinity groups on pause since the pandemic, Black Girl Unity is technically a space open to all, although the intention is to provide a support system for people with shared experiences.

Alston says that middle school is a turning point for racial identity in young girls of color.

“In preschool and elementary school, no one really thinks about that kind of stuff, but when you hit middle school it’s crushes, friend groups and social dynamics coming into play,” Alston said. “Once that happens, that causes how you look and your appearance to come into the conversation.”

Alston says she hopes that Black Girl Unity can help ease this difficult transition.

“Like 5% of the Middle School is Black girls, so I feel like a lot of times Black girls aren’t really given a chance to learn from their peers because they don’t have many peers to begin with,” said Alston. “When it comes to hair and culture, no one ever teaches Black girls how to approach it or even begin to understand what being a Black girl means and feeling confident in it.” This lack of knowledge is what inspired the “big sister, little sister” system that the group utilizes, according to Alston.

“It’s important to note coming from older girls who’ve been through it, things like what’s OK for people to call you, what’s not OK for people to call you and just how to love yourself as a Black girl,” said Alston.

Blankson agrees with Alston and says that having a role model serves an important purpose, particularly in middle school.

“ It’s important to note

coming from older girls who’ve been through it, things like what’s OK for people to call you, what’s not OK for people to call you and just how to love yourself as a Black girl.”

“Our experience is that in middle school you start to also want to be like other people around you,” said Blankson. “You’re influenced heavily by the people around you and if you’re not seeing a ton of people that look like you, you’re not going to have anyone to look up to, so you often end up assimilating and trying to change yourself.”

Future Plans

Currently, Thomas, and Middle School math teacher Miriam Lang, another sponsor of the group, are solidifying a mentorship training program for members in the Upper School before they can initiate meetings. The training will teach students how to approach being a mentor and a role model to younger girls.

Thomas says plans for Black Girl Unity will continue to be centered around the basis of student need.

“We talked about that in general,” Thomas said. “Is race one of those nonfluid identifiers? What would a multiracial girls group look like? There are all sorts of possibilities. Might other groups want to think about looking at gender but in addition to race? But at the bottom of it is: what is the student need? You know, not what the term is but what is the need? And where does it come from?”

Karin Thomas

GROUP LEADERS: Juniors Lilliana Alston and Ana Blankson are the creators of Greenhill’s Black Girl Unity mentorship program, a co-divisional group on campus.

Photo by Gracie Tamez

Graphic by Aria Kutty

Students Gain Insights Away from Home

Emily Hu

From junior Savannah Nelson’s technology-free journey in southern Africa to junior Fancy Gonzales’s artintensive semester at the Oxbow School in California, seven sophomores and juniors have already studied offcampus this school year or have just begun their adventures.

Tenth grade class dean Jason Gajderowicz connects sophomores with study-away experiences that might serve their interests and needs.

“Some kids want to be outdoors and have adventures, some kids want to be in the big city or another country, some kids want to do art and some kids want to focus on government and politics,” Gajderowicz said.

Before students spend time and effort on the studyaway process, advisors and administrators go through a preclearance process to figure out which programs to support. This involves waiving a portion of tuition based on the length of the study program.

Gajderowicz says these experiences have increased in frequency in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“By the 2021-22 [school year], things were back to normal, and the programs were back in the swing of things,” he said.

Motivations

Students decide to study away from campus or even abroad for a variety of reasons.

Nelson says that after a difficult sophomore year, she wanted a change. She decided to study in southern Africa last semester through the Traveling School, spending time in five countries, including Zimbabwe and Botswana, for three months.

“I was considering another program in California but chose southern Africa because I’ve never really been out of the U.S. before,” Nelson said. “It just seemed interesting because it’s a whole different culture and somewhere totally new. I wanted to learn more.”

In December, sophomore Dylan Considine returned from Switzerland where she studied with the Swiss Semester Program. Junior Fancy Gonzales returned from a semester in the Napa Valley at the Oxbow School.

“The reason I wanted to go was because I wanted to experience something that was like college before I actually went to college,” Gonzales said. “I wasn’t sure how I was going to react to living on my own, [being] in a dorm, having a roommate and taking self-paced classes rather than going to school for eight hours a day.”

New Experiences

Upon arriving at their destinations, students acquainted themselves with their temporary homes.

For Considine and Gonzales, their new homes were dorms that they shared with a roommate.

“Me and my roommate did not get along, but having to coexist with somebody you weren’t necessarily best friends with was definitely a good learning experience,” Gonzales

said. For others at outdoor and expedition-based study experiences, living situations looked vastly different.

Nelson’s expedition to multiple locations meant that she lived in hostels and tents throughout the semester. This was especially unfamiliar to her since she had not been camping prior to her semester in southern Africa.

In addition, she says losing access to her phone added more difficulty to the novel situation.

“Usually when I’m in tense moments, I just go on my phone during pauses in conversations,” Nelson said. “However, I got used to it really quickly because we were doing so much every day that there wasn’t a minute I had to do nothing.”

Beyond being in different locations, students who went abroad or across the country had academic experiences that vastly differed from Greenhill’s structure.

As the Oxbow School specializes in the arts, Gonzales’s academic classes were coupled with an art course that occurred in three-week blocks, six hours a day.

“It was honestly a good break because Greenhill is difficult academically,” Gonzales said. “It was a different type of difficult there because it was creatively challenging and more hands-on.”

Because Nelson’s classes were all outdoors, she experienced unique environmental challenges.

“Sometimes there would be sandstorms while we were sitting outside during our study hall,” Nelson said. “We couldn’t escape it and had to deal with it.”

Despite volatile conditions, Nelson’s immersion in local culture through place-based learning changed her perspective on learning immensely.

“Everything we learned was based on where we were,” Nelson said. “If we were in Zimbabwe, we learned about their history, culture and politics. We got to talk to Zimbabwe locals about the material we were learning, which felt so much more meaningful.”

Nelson also went on expeditions such as rafting and canoeing trips and hiking adventures, all while traveling in a bus with a cook and driver.

Considine’s academic and exploratory experiences were fused. In the morning, she would go to three classes before going on an activity break in the afternoon, which included hiking and skiing. After she returned, Considine would finish her last three classes before dinner. She also went on weekend overnight trips to places like Strasbourg, France, and Venice, Italy.

“In my geology class, we got to work in the Alps and study the rock structures right in front of us,” said Considine. “I was able to expand my knowledge on other cultures and fully immerse myself in something that was foreign to me previously.”

As students became accustomed to their new living and academic environment, they also had to deal with separation from friends and family.

“Missing family was obviously a big challenge,” Gonzales said. “I also felt ‘FOMO,’ missing things back home like Homecoming.”

For students who lacked technology access, this disconnect was exacerbated.

“I only got to call my parents once every two weeks and I

didn’t talk to my friends at all,” Nelson said. “It was definitely hard in the beginning, but it got easier. I feel like everybody struggled with that, but we all had each other.”

Returning Home

After spending months away from home, students say there are some academic and social difficulties that arise when readjusting to their normal lives.

“Coming back and doing the workload of seven classes at one time versus one at a time is definitely an adjustment,” Gonzales said. “But only having to go to class for an hour is so much nicer than doing six-hour blocks, because I can change my focus.”

Gajderowicz encourages students to apply for abroad programs during the spring semester to avoid difficulties when adjusting. When that isn’t feasible, students must compensate for class requirements they missed. For instance, many abroad programs don’t offer biology for juniors, which means students must take biology at Greenhill as a senior.

Considine has felt these burdens, but she says that her teachers have been extremely supportive of her challenging adjustment period.

Gonzales says her return was briefly awkward.

“You come back and you’re kind of like, ‘Why am I here?’ which makes you feel out of place a little bit,” Gonzales said. “But coming back, it’s been nice to hang out with my friends again, and I’m already used to it.”

Despite some challenges, students fondly look back on their experiences away.

“Long term, this experience has affected me in a good way because it’s taught me a lot of life skills, such as being able to deal with conflict with my parents, being able to shop for groceries on my own and being responsible for my own things without somebody holding me accountable,” Gonzales said. “It was definitely worth all of the tough parts.”

Nelson says that her perspective on everything, from her approach to academics to her worldview, has now changed.

“After being gone for that long, it’s hard not to have different perspectives,” Nelson said. “I also definitely want to travel now, and just go everywhere.”

After traveling abroad, students collectively express their appreciation for the people they’ve met in the process.

“I’ve met lifelong friends that I’ve gotten so close with because we were together all the time,” Gonzales said.

Nelson echoes this sentiment.

“Although we live in different states, we’re definitely going to be friends for our whole lives,” Nelson said.

Gajderowicz says that one of the biggest benefits of travel and study abroad programs is getting a sense of the scope of the world.

“It’s very easy to sit in our ‘little’ community and think this is everything, but equally large and important communities of people all over the world are going about their daily lives in ways that differ from ours,” Gajderowicz said in an email. “It’s valuable for kids to get a sense that those places are real places populated by real people – and to get a visceral, physical sense of that fact, and not just to know it intellectually.”

HITTING THE SLOPES: Dylan Considine goes on a skiing trip as an activity break during her school day at the Swiss Semester Program. In addition to day trips, she also went on weekend overnight trips to various cities.

Fancy Gonzales

Savannah Nelson

Dylan Considine

FRIENDS ABROAD: Sophomores Sadie Beck and Dylan Considine spent a semester in Switzerland together.

Photo courtesy of Dylan Considine

Photo courtesy of Dylan Considine

Arts Behind the Scenes:

Cavalcade Staff Creates Greenhill’s Yearbook

deadlines are for other yearbook spreads.

Focus fills the air as 24 Upper School students work to and copy editor.

There are also in-class deadlines set by Lesley Rucker, the Upper School and AP Studio Art instructor and

“You interview for your role for the next upcoming year at the end of the year, and everybody that’s new is a staff member,” junior Sophie Fiedelman said.

Staff Responsibilities

New students start as staff members and rotate through different sections of the book and learn how to create spreads and yearbook-style writing, among other basics.

“Assistant section editors will be in charge of their own pages, and they’ll help teach staff members how to work the technology, correct email etiquette and things like that,” said senior Sophie Schwartz.

Section editors are students who manage an entire section of the Cavalcade, assigning staff members pages, making sure they’re on deadline and proofing their section.

Editors-in-chief take on the most responsibility as the leaders of the yearbook. These students decide on the theme for the book, as well as the fonts, colors and cover art.

“On top of all of the design, we’re also in charge of every other section, so we go through every single page and make sure it’s good to go,” senior Hannah Gaswirth said.

They are also in charge of sending pages to the publisher of the book once they are completed.

The two top editors this year are Schwartz and Gaswirth. Gaswirth says she spends about three hours a day working on the book – a sharp increase from her responsibilities last year.

“As a section editor last year, in addition to class time, I spent at least three hours a week minimum on the book, and this year it’s literally whenever I can find time,” Gaswirth said.

As the due-date for each deadline approaches, Schwartz says that she spends a lot of her free time working on the book.

“During deadline time, we’re practically living in [the Cavalcade room] when we’re not in class,” Schwartz said.

Meeting Deadlines

Deadlines for the Cavalcade are usually in 100-page increments and occur four times throughout the school year. The first deadline in the fall is for senior pages, while later

according to Fiedelman, managing editor of the Cavalcade.

“If it’s not [submitted] in time then we may not get the book on time, so it is a very strict deadline,” Fiedelman said.

With many new staff members learning how to create spreads for the first time and technology issues during the first semester, it’s been more difficult to reach the deadline on time, Schwartz said.

“We got an extension on the last deadline, but typically we don’t,” Schwartz said. “This was only because we had severe technology issues throughout the whole semester. Normally, it’s a really strict deadline.”

Along with these challenging deadlines come other struggles in the class.

“The challenge at the beginning was learning how not to micromanage the pages, because when you’re a section editor you’re supposed to micromanage the pages and make sure everything’s going smoothly,” Gaswirth said. “But when you’re an editor-inchief, you kind of put everything in the section editor’s hands and let them micromanage the

Rucker also says that there are challenges with the writing style used in the Cavalcade,

“I think our biggest challenge as a group, which we continue to work on, is the writing style for the yearbook,”

Rucker said. “It is very challenging because it’s a different style of writing.

Although there are challenges with strict deadlines and new staff members, editors say they’ve learned a lot from being on the Cavalcade.

“Something I’ve learned as an editor in chief that I’ll take with me into college is that collaboration is always better than individual effort,” Gaswirth said. “Meeting a deadline as a team will always feel better than doing it

For this Cavalcade, there are some changes that Gaswirth and Schwartz are

“This year specifically, Hannah and I have done some different things with the book,” Schwartz said. “We’ve added some more fun student life pages and taken out

Schwartz also mentioned changes to the order of the yearbook, as it will be in chronological order of the school year this year.

“This year we’re doing it with fall, winter, and spring so as the year goes on, which is something new we haven’t done in a while.”

Rucker says she appreciates the hard work that the staff puts into the Cavalcade, and the true meaning it holds for members of the Greenhill community.

“We’re creating an archival publication,” Rucker said. “In my studio classes, they’re learning how to find their own creative voice, but this is one voice that represents the school as a whole in a given year. We’re trying to capture everything as much as we can that happens in a Pre-K through 12th grade school with many, many offerings.”

Noor Zaman, Sadie Werner

Photo courtesy of Liam Fagelman

Photo illustration by Christan Park

CAVALCADE CLASSMATES: Senior Willa Bonnette, junior Daniela Hallack and freshman Paylin Barnes proof yearbook pages to be submitted in 100-page increments. Students use Adobe InDesign to create their spreads.

Visual Arts Students Showcase Work

Throughout the first semester, Upper School Fine Arts students created everything from drawings to clay bowls. Over the February and April issues, The Evergreen will showcase their works and the process that they took to create them.

a major benefactor helping shape the city’s future.”

–

“For this assignment, it was to make something out of a slab of clay. So, with that in mind, I sort of had to narrow down what I could do with that. I remember seeing a clam shell lamp that looked cool, so I ended up taking that idea and making it my piece for that project. The process was surprisingly easy. I used bowl molds to make the top and bottom parts. To connect them, I put a sponge in the middle of it to keep it open until it was dry.”

– junior Victoria Cisneros

“The assignment was to draw a realistic insect of our choosing with colored pencils. We had the option to use various papers, including black, and to be creative. My process for choosing my piece was I wanted to do a colorful insect that challenged my artistic abilities and was out of my comfort zone. My art piece is three-dimensional because I had to figure out how to incorporate both sides of the commander butterfly’s beautiful wings into my piece. Overall, I love this project and think it was a really great opportunity to try something new.”

– junior Ana Blankson

“The candles had already been lit from the day earlier. So, whenever I walked downstairs, I saw that the wax was in all different shapes and looked really interesting. Then, I decided it would be a good idea to light them again and take a picture. For editing purposes, I decided to make the part with the light brighter and then the shadows darker to give the photo more contrast. This way, you could really tell which parts were being lit and which parts were dark.”

– freshman August Nguyen

Reporting by Chloe Nguyen and Ella Sadka

“This photo is a self-portrait which shows the necessity of reflecting. I used a mirror panel to reflect the side of my face to show the importance of taking time to reflect on my true self. My goal was to show that looking back is beneficial for moving forward.”

– senior Shaina Starr

“The statue in the photo is from the alcaldía, or the city hall, in Santa Tecla, El Salvador. For this photo, I took a lot of creative liberties, representing the influence he had on the city. He donated many important buildings and was

junior Cassie Rosa

From the Classroom Students Navigate

Pooja Sanghvi, Aria Kutty, Lyna Kamgang, Kate Ponnambalam

In November, junior Fernando Gupta will be voting in a presidential election for the rst time. It’s a moment that Gupta has anticipated for years, because it gives him the opportunity to have a say in the political direction of the United States.

“ is election [is] important to me because I always knew that this was going to be the always interested in voting and putting my voice out there,” Gupta said. “It’s only grown now as my understanding of U.S. politics increased.”

As Gupta contemplates who will earn his vote, at the forefront of his mind is the reputation of the United States. With family in India and Spain, he o of the American political climate.

“I feel that an important thing for the U.S. is the ability to show itself to other nations globally because we’ve almost become a joke, especially with our last two presidents,” Gupta said. “I have family in India and Spain and that’s all they really talk about.”

With hopes of foreign perspectives changing on U.S. poIitics, Gupta emphasizes a host of issues that will sway how he votes.

e core issues for me right now are climate change, abortion and immigration, especially for Texas,” Gupta said. “Texas is a unique state, not only because it’s at the border but also because it has major Democratic centers and then Republicans spread throughout it.”

State Elections

Traditionally a stronghold for the Republican Party, Texas has been undergoing demographic shi more politically diverse. In many ways, the state has become a battleground, attracting attention from both parties.

In the 2018 Senate election, U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz barely edged out former Rep. Beto O’Rourke with a majority of 50.9%. Cruz is seeking reelection. To become the Republican nominee, he will have to beat two other candidates: Holland Gibson and Rufus Lopez.

For the Democrats, all of the nine candidates running for Senate have little to no previous political experience.

“Beto had a strong run against Cruz a few years ago,” Upper School History Department Chair Amy Bresie ’96 said. “I am curious to see if one of these candidates can put up a similarly strong

A major issue that Texas is facing in the upcoming election is immigration, due to its direct involvement in the national immigration crisis.

In late 2023, Gov. Greg Abbott signed multiple bills with the goal of deterring illegal immigration. immigration a state crime, allowing police to arrest anyone they suspected to have crossed the border without proper documentation. Additionally, Abbott budgeted over $1 billion to build barriers between Texas and Mexico.

While many of the Democratic candidates are staunchly against Abbott’s immigration policies, there is no consensus among the Democratic Party in Texas about what the regulations should look like.

way,” junior Shreya Chhaya said. “ ere are ways to regulate illegal immigration other

individuals.”

ese issues are vital to the Texas

“Immigration needs to be tackled in a much more humane and less discriminatory

play a role in how voters view the issue.

“Texas also includes a lot of urban and rural areas,” said senior Abeera Amer. “ is means access to contraceptives or certain kinds of birth control is limited to some

twist: this is the rst election in over a century, since the days of Grover Cleveland, that a losing incumbent president is running a second time for a second term. Trump is the clear frontrunner for the Republican

Classroom to the Polls: the 2024 Elections

presidential nomination.

As of Jan. 31, Trump faces 91 felony

lot of the youth,” Amer said. “ is is exactly why mobilizing youth to vote is important.”

discussion,” Amer said. “It is more like you are trying to prove you are more right than

election, a mood of apathy hangs over the electorate.

“I kind of feel like right now within the political sphere, my vote doesn’t mean much, which I know is representative of a

the accelerating polarization of the political parties and the e orts of candidates to appeal to radicalized voters in their base.

“ e problem is that when we split into two parties we are not promoting

their society and country,” Gupta said. “At the smallest level, you have to start to better your environment through voting.”

Graphic by Christan Park

Special Report

Shooting for the STARS

Greenhill Students Conduct Summer Science Research

Evie Kwei, Justin Wu

Each summer, for eight weeks, several students across the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex commute to the UT Southwestern Medical Center campus, participating in the STARS Summer Research Program.

They spend full workdays alongside tenured researchers where they learn laboratory skills. These weeks ultimately culminate in the final presentation of a scientific poster summarizing their research.

Last summer, seniors Max Kettles, Anika Mootha, Aditya Pulipaka and Pooja Sanghvi joined this select group.

“I’ve always wanted actual experience working with biology, since it had always been classroom based,” Kettles said. “I also really enjoyed the STARS presentations from the years prior.”

Pulipaka says the STARS program helped him apply biology to other fields.

“I thought it would be pretty cool to see different applications for engineering in the fields of biology,” Pulipaka said.

Molecular Genetics

Each student had a unique experience going through the research process.

Kettles worked with Assistant Professor Jing Tian in the Molecular Genetics Department, where he studied sterol regulatory binding proteins, which regulate metabolism in the body.

Kettles says the lab schedule was relaxed and he enjoyed the experimentation process.

“I was mainly working with manipulating genes, so processes like mutagenesis and transfection,” Kettles said. “I also got to work with and look after rats and mice, which was pretty fun.”

Circadian Rhythms

Pulipaka’s time over the summer focused on studying circadian rhythms with Noheon Park in the Neuroscience Department. He studied how specific versions of a protein would interact with various feedback loops.

“We generally focused on minuscule parts of much bigger problems for most of the labs, like the one I was a part of,” Pulipaka said.

During the day, Pulipaka performed various tasks.

“For the first month, I had to purify antibodies, which would take a lot of time, so I would just sit there and reset this filtration machine for quite a while,” said Pulipaka. “I also read a lot of articles on what we were doing between tasks, to kind of get more

background knowledge.”

RNAi Biology

Mootha studied RNAi therapies in the Pharmacology Department with her mentor, David Corey. The therapies help in the development of pharmaceutical drugs.

“Pharmacology has always been a field of science that has interested me,” said Mootha.

Mootha used a process called western blotting, which is a common technique used to localize different proteins. Often, she would have multiple protocols running at once, trying to fractionate specific cells into different subcellular components like the cytoplasm, nucleoplasm and chromatin.

“Basically, what you’re doing is working on a lot of different experiments,” Mootha said. “And I was really lucky to be paired up with an amazing mentor, Cristina Hofman, in addition to my [principal investigator], and working with her was really the highlight of my experience.”

Stem Cells

Sanghvi worked in the Children’s Research Institute with her mentor, Edward Kwarteng, studying the growth and survival of Hematopoietic Stem Cells through various metabolic pathways.

“Those cells are linked to leukemia, so studying them aided leukemia research,” Sanghvi said. “I got to understand a lot about the disease which was really interesting to me.”

“I’ve always wanted actual experience working with biology, since it had always been classroom based. I also really enjoyed the STARS presentations from the years prior.”

Sanghvi says that most of her time was spent in the lab, because her experiments involved mouse dissections.

“I was constantly doing something because that was the nature of the experiments that I did,” Sanghvi said. “If I wasn’t doing experiments, I was reading something or helping my mentor, which was another thing I got to do. He would let me work on his experiments that had nothing to do with my project to get me experience in those areas.”

Unlike the other three STARS students, Sanghvi chose to extend her research into the school year through a Capstone Project.

“After I finished my presentation, I

realized that it would probably be my last day there, and I didn’t want it to be my last day,” said Sanghvi. “So, I walked into my PI’s office and asked if I could keep doing this, and he helped me find a different project.”

Now, Sanghvi goes a couple times a week to the lab to do experiments as a part of her Capstone.

“I got the chance to evolve my project that I worked on in the summer and take all my understanding and channel it in a new way to take on a more individualized project,” Sanghvi said.

Activities at STARS

Outside of research and lab work, interns attended seminars and presentations from different researchers, along with bonding activities with the other interns.

In the North Campus, where both Pulipaka and Sanghvi worked, a ping-pong table became a gathering place.

“Around lunchtime, there was a pingpong table set up in the building, so we would all kind of hang out around there,” Sanghvi said. “We would get lunch and then explore the campus as well.”

Mootha says that the weekly seminars were one of the most interesting aspects of the program. Each Wednesday, a researcher would present the subject of their study for the STARS students.

“It was really interesting to hear them talk about their field of research,” Mootha said. “There was one about climate change and its relation to health, but the one by Aditya’s [PI], Dr. Joseph Takahashi, where he talked about circadian rhythms, might have been my favorite.”

Final Presentations

After their eight weeks of work, the students each created a scientific poster to present their research at the final showcase.

Sanghvi says that this was a nerveracking yet rewarding experience.

“At first I was concerned that no one was going to understand what I was researching,” Sanghvi said. “Soon I came to realize that all the visuals on my poster really told a story. People didn’t necessarily have to understand the details of the science, but they were able to see where I started and what we’re trying to achieve.”

Mootha says they also had to figure out how to deal with different kinds of audiences.

“I think the most fascinating part was trying to tailor my research to who I was presenting to,” Mootha said.

Following their presentation at UT Southwestern, students also did an emissary presentation at a Greenhill Upper School assembly.

“I tried to maybe take on a more macroscopic perspective, instead of going into the weeds about kind of the specificities on my findings,” said Mootha. “I wanted to make it more digestible for a broad audience.”

Reflecting on STARS

Despite the STARS program being time-consuming, all four students say that their time spent at UT Southwestern was invaluable.

“Personally, I think it was the best way I could spend my summer,” Kettles said. “I got to really experience what that kind of a job would be like, and my lab was pretty chill.”

Like Kettles, Pulipaka says that the program helped him learn how he felt about pursuing STEM in the future.

“I had just never been in a setting like that before, and I feel like now I know what I like and what I don’t like,” Pulipaka said.

Mootha says that an important thing

she learned through the program was how to deal with failure.

“If anything, this experience taught me how to fail,” Mootha said. “I made several mistakes throughout the process, like accidentally aspirating cells that I had been culturing for two weeks, but I would try to vocalize my concerns about where my experiments were going wrong. I also learned that collaboration in science is incredibly important, and it’s essential to trying to figure out ways around messy science.”

Applying to STARS

To participate in the STARS program, students must submit an online application and, if they pass that initial stage, undergo an interview. Students also must submit two teacher recommendation letters and an essay.

“If anything, this experience taught me how to fail. I made several mistakes throughout the process, like accidentally aspirating cells that I had been culturing for two weeks, but I would try to vocalize my concerns about where my experiments were going wrong.”

“It’s all along the lines of what are you interested in,” said Upper School Science Department Chair Treavor Kendall. “For example, one of the prompts is, ‘What would you do if you got a research grant from the National Science Foundation?’, which tries to get students to think about what they would study or look at.”

Kendall recommends that interested students gain a solid understanding of what the program is and make sure they are applying for the right reasons.

“Let why you want to do this, let your passion and your excitement bleed out onto your page,” Kendall said. “Be authentic, be yourself and you’ll do fine.”

Once students are selected for the program, they can choose their areas of interest to help pair labs with interested interns.

Even if students don’t have an interest in research, Sanghvi says that the STARS program is valuable either way.

“You’ll never know until you try it, so just go for it,” Sanghvi said. “Don’t be intimidated, even though I know research seems intimidating. Just try to form a connection with the people you’re working with, and you’ll have a great time.”

Photo courtesy of Max Kettles

Max Kettles

Treavor Kendall

Pooja Sanghvi

HYPOTHESIZING: Last summer, four seniors attended the STARS Summer Research Program, delving into an individualized project under a mentor for eight weeks.

Photo courtesy of Anika Mootha DIVERSE STUDY: In addition to research, students attended relevant seminars.

Return to Camp Half-Blood

Disney+ Releases a New Adaptation of Percy Jackson

Aria Kutty

On June 28, 2005, author Rick Riordan first introduced the world to his universe of demigods, monsters and a peculiar pen named “Riptide” with the release of his novel “Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief.”

The book immediately became a hit, selling over 1.8 million copies in the first few years of its release. Following the success of the first novel, Riordan went on to expand the Percy Jackson universe, releasing four more books in the “Percy Jackson and the Olympians” series, and a slew of spin-off books delving into other characters.

“I read Percy Jackson when I was around 12 and became a huge fan,” senior Iyad Mohammed said. “I read it all, the Olympians series, Heroes of Olympus, Kane Chronicles, everything.”

Due to the books’ popularity, 20th Century Fox released the highly anticipated film “Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief” in 2010.

Riordan had little to do with the making of the film, and its drastic divergence from the original story disappointed many fans. Upon reading the script, Riordan was “plunged into despair at just how bad it was,” according to a recently released email that he sent to the producers of the film in 2009.

Audiences seemed to agree, as the film generated a mere 49% rating on Rotten Tomatoes.

“I feel like the writers did not read the book properly,” Mohammed said. “As someone who read the books and had always been a big fan, it did not do the book justice in terms of accuracy.”

Despite this, the studio went on to make a film loosely based on the second novel, “The Sea of Monsters.” However, due to low ratings, the series was canceled shortly thereafter.

“It just wasn’t the story you grew up reading,” junior Brynn Zawadzki said. “It wasn’t a faithful adaptation; it was a completely different story.”

New Beginnings

On Dec. 19, Disney+ released the first episode of the television series “Percy Jackson and the Olympians,” a new adaptation of the original book series.

Unlike with the movies, Riordan played an integral role in the making of the show, helping with the casting, writing and set design.

“I was involved in every writers’ room, I read every draft of every script, we gave notes on everything,” Riordan said in an interview with Hollywood Reporter.

As a result, many fans have praised the new adaptation for being faithful to the original series.

“I grew up with these characters, so it has been cool to see the world I imagined as a little kid come to life honestly,” junior Jenna Travers said.

Audiences have had an overwhelmingly positive response to the new adaptation, with the show generating a 96% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes.

One major difference between the movies and the television show is the characters’ age. In the novel, Percy Jackson is 12 years old. However, characters in the movies were in their late teens.

“The casting [in the movies] was just wrong,” Mohammed said. “The characters were way too old [and] it changed a lot.”

For the television version, younger actors were cast to play the three main characters: Percy Jackson, Annabeth Chase and Grover Underwood. This made the show feel more authentic, Zawadzki said.

In many cases, the show has attracted many older fans to return to the book series, reviving their love for the Percy Jackson universe.

“After I heard about the show, I went back and decided to reread all the books,” Zawadzki said. “It made me want to remember all the little details. I forgot how good the books are.”

In addition to these older fans, the show has attracted new fans as well.

“I did not read the books when I was younger, but my friends told me it would be really fun to watch it,” junior Sophie Fiedelman said. “It is exciting for me because I do not know what is going to happen. I also wanted to see how it compared to the mythology which is fun.”

Many of these fans, both old and new, are excited for the future of the show.

“I am such a huge fan and I have been looking forward to this show for so long,” Mohammed said. “I am just excited for the future and hopefully it becomes successful, and more seasons come out. We will see where it goes.”

Greenhill Band Debuts “Into the Hornets’ Nest!”

composer and I think he’s going to be really good in the future.”

For the first time in 30 years, Upper and Middle School band students performed an original composition during the Winter Band Concert on Jan. 23.

Composer Jorge Vargas composed the piece, “Into the Hornets’ Nest!”

Vargas, a band director from Eagle Pass, Texas, has been writing for orchestra, band and local mariachis for the past 20 years.

Although “Into the Hornets’ Nest!” was his first commission, Greenhill already has experience with his music, as the 7th/8th Grade Band played his song, “Luz y Sombra” last fall.

“We played a song of his, and the students really liked his music,” said Upper and Middle School Band Director Brian Donnell.

Vargas, whose music is inspired by mariachi music, includes everyday instruments such as the trumpet, guitar and violin. He also incorporates instruments native to Mexico like the vihuela and Jalisco harp.

Donnell says that diversifying the repertoire of the Greenhill bands was one of the reasons he decided to commission a piece from an emerging composer.

First Meeting

To fund this commission, Donnell said that he spoke with Jason Beatey, the music representative on the Cultural Arts Committee at Greenhill.

Once he received the commission, Vargas began composing the piece with two diatomic student-provided themes.

“Since the making of it, it was kind of the two mascots of Greenhill; the more official one, which is the hornet, but our ‘unofficial mascot’ is kind of the peacock because we have them on campus, so the piece has two parts,” said sophomore Sanay Nesargi. “It has the hornet’s nest part, which is meant to replicate the buzzing of a hornet and how violent that is, and to contrast that with the calm, I want to say, relaxedness of what a peacock represents.”

“I think it’s important to get new music in the band world, especially written by composers who are from underrepresented communities,” said Donnell. “I think having a Mexican-American composer adding to the band repertoire is tremendous. I chose him because he’s an up-and-coming

A few days before the Winter Band Concert, the Upper School Band met Vargas over Zoom to play “Into the Hornet’s Nest!” and receive feedback about how their playing embodied the two themes. Students also asked Vargas questions about his journey as a composer and his composing process. Vargas says that his first impression of Greenhill students left him looking forward to meeting them.

“First of all, they played great,” Vargas said. “I loved it. And I really enjoyed the questions. Sometimes, they ask questions that have nothing to do with me, but these were actually related to the music.”

Senior Kyra Crawford said she was nervous to meet the composer.

Many students, such as senior Santiago Lopez, were excited to talk to Vargas and ask him questions.

“He seemed very friendly,” said Lopez, who plays percussion and the accordion. “I’m really excited to see him in person.”

Reception

Vargas says that he thought the performance was “awesome.” Many students said they enjoyed performing with Vargas in the audience.

Senior Shreya Ram, who plays the flute, says that she’s thankful for this commission and Vargas’ work, especially as this was the seniors’ last band concert.

“It was really cool to have the first commissioned piece in a while, and we’re really grateful,” Ram said after the concert. “I

was really happy with our performance today. I’ve been in this program for eight years and it’s been great to work on a commission and with Donnell and [Assistant Upper and Middle School Band Director Tony] Lopez.”

Additionally, after the concert, performers and audience members both had the opportunity to speak with and meet Vargas.

“It was really cool to have the composer in the audience with us because we really wanted to make him proud,” senior flutist Ayne Park said.

Irina Li

DEBUTING THEIR SONG: Band members pose with composer and band director Jorge Vargas, center, after playing his comissioned piece “Into the Hornets’ Nest!“

Photo by Evie Kwei

Graphics by Nora Ahearn

Graphics by Aria Kutty; Photo illustration by Chloe Nguyen

Evergreen the Arts 16

Seniors Explore Introductory Fine Arts

Zara Paul, Vedant Subramanian

As senior Iyad Mohammed approached his last year at Greenhill, new. When course selection time came around, Mohammed signed up for Drawing I, an introductory fine arts class, in his final semester before graduating.

I felt like immersing myself into something different would be a good experience,” Mohammed said.

senior with this idea.

completely new stage in our lives and that it’s really important to find our passions,” said senior Arjun Melwani, who is taking Acting 1 in his final semester.

Drawing I to Video Production, Greenhill offers a wide variety of introductory fine arts courses for Upper School students to explore. Fine Arts teachers have urged students to utilize this.

elective opportunities,” Head of Fine Arts Terry Martin said. “There’s a world of possibilities to explore.”

academic requirements. However, by the second semester of their senior year, most requirements have been fulfilled, leaving time for seniors to try something new.

time and learn something,” Mohammed said.

Mixed Motivations

Throughout Upper School, many students are not able to take various fine arts courses due to scheduling conflicts or

“With more spare time senior year, [they] took the opportunity to grow out of [their] comfort zone and try something new,” Zambie said. “It’s fun.”

For Mohammed, Drawing I is a break from the stress and rigor of academics.

“It’s a place where I lay back, have a good

MS Dance Prepares to Perform

Kacy Johnson

Middle School Dance Company students are now preparing for their final performance showcases of the school year.

The showcases take place at the end of each class trimester for students to show what new skills they have learned.

Company members say they cherish going to class.

“I look forward to dancing,” eighthgrader Grace Helms said. “It is who I am and I get to get exercise while doing what I love.”

MS dance students are currently working two group pieces choreographed by Middle School Dance and Theater teacher Kelly McCain, as well as studentchoreographed pieces.

The dancers are always brainstorming new ideas and bring fresh perspectives when creating new pieces, according to McCain.

Senior Sarah Fradkin, who is taking Video Production, an introductory level film class, echoes this sentiment.

“I had friends that took Video Production and said it was a good [class],” Fradkin said. “So, I just decided that as a second-semester senior it might be fun.”

New Connections

Many of the students who take an introductory fine arts class are underclassmen who aim to take advanced, honors or Advanced Placement arts courses in the future.

For seniors, these classes offer an opportunity to form new bonds with students in different grade

“You just get to know your Upper School community more,” Mohammed said. “We’ve got four different grades, and all those grades are different, so I guess it’s important to understand how those grades interact and work

Junior Amanda Park says she has was able to form rare friendships with seniors in her Ceramics 1 course two years ago.

“When I was a freshman, I was in a class with seniors and it created a friendship that I would not have made outside the

Martin says there’s a benefit in having seniors in classes filled with mainly underclassmen.

“When you mix them together, I think you get a synergy and a learning and modeling of each other,” Martin said. “That’s very valuable.”

Many seniors have stepped into a mentorship role with younger students in their classes, with underclassmen often looking up to the seniors for advice.

“I think the maturity of an older student certainly can influence a younger [student],” Martin said.

Mohammed has experienced this firsthand in Drawing I.

“They look up to me and ask me for advice and respect me for who I am because I am a senior,” Mohammed said.

Park says she has seen seniors step into these roles as mentors.

“Seniors have definitely developed a sense of leadership since they’re older than us,” said Park.

Passions

Many seniors in introductory fine arts courses urge other students who are planning their senior schedule to fit them in as well.

“I highly encourage seniors to take introductory classes if interested in the subject, because it’s just a great opportunity to try something new and meet new people as well,” Mohammed said.

Fradkin agrees and urges students to explore the vast range of courses available at Greenhill.

“It’s your last year, [you] might as well do something,” Fradkin said. “At Greenhill we have so many arts courses that you can try whatever you want.”

Martin says that taking an introductory fine arts course as a senior can allow a student to find a new passion.

“Do something that’s a little outside the box,” Martin said. “It’s a chance to discover new passions and connect with your inner spirit.”

“They give back just as much as I put in,” said McCain.

“I look forward to dancing. It is who I am and I get to exercise while doing what I love.”

The company also gives students opportunities to learn different styles of

“I look forward to days we have student choreography or a new teacher coming to teach us,” said eighth-grader Aanya Krishnakumar.

“For example, today during dance we have a

Bollywood dance teacher coming to teach us for the McCain’s larger hope is that the MS Dance Company sparks

“I hope they leave loving dance, and I hope they leave feeling really good about their artistic voices,”

Graphic by Varun Mukund

Graphic by Camila Hanson

Sports Winter Sports Teams Prep for SPC Tournaments

John Hurley, Emma Hoffman

Over the past few weeks, Greenhill’s winter athletes have been training hard in preparation for the Southwest Preparatory Conference championships in Houston Feb. 8-10.

“Being able to peak at the right moment and play for a championship and go far in the tournament, it’s what really inspires a lot of kids to play their best,” Head of Athletics and Physical Education Jarrett Shine said.

The winter teams are boys and girls basketball, swimming and soccer.

“Ever since the preseason, there’s been a buzz around the team,” sophomore captain Jaxson Thompson said. “It’s exciting to see the whole team locked in and ready to compete.”

Boys Basketball

The boys basketball team ended the season with an overall record of 26-3 and was 4-1 in conference play as of Jan. 31.

“As a team, we believe that we can win if we can stay focused,” Thompson said. “Houston Christian and Episcopal are our biggest threats when it comes to the tournament.”

“

In the 2022-2023 season, the team placed fifth at the SPC championships. However, due to key player improvements, Thompson says he believes the team will find more success this year.

“Last year, we weren’t as versatile,” Thompson said. “We relied too much on me and Dillon. Everyone on the team has taken a step forward. It makes our team harder to defend because we have a stronger team as

a whole.”

Senior captain Anwar Battikhi says the team this year has a better mentality.

“This year we have a full team of guys that really want to win,” Battikhi said. “Whether it’s practicing hard every day, or everyone watching film, it’s a team full of guys that want it.”

Girls Basketball

The girls varsity basketball team ended the regular season with a 21-6 record and, as of Jan. 31, was 4-0 in conference play.

“You gotta beat the best to be the best,” Head Coach Darryn Sandler ’95 said. “Hopefully we can secure a one or two seed. I wouldn’t say any path is easy, but obviously you can put yourself in a better position being one of the top two seeds in the tournament.”

Junior Vivian Franklin says the team has the talent and ability to find success in the SPC tournament.

“I think we are on the right track for where we need to be. Right now we are just focused on being prepared for what’s coming up,” Franklin said.

Sandler says the journey to an SPC championship will not be easy. Within the conference, there are many strong teams in the running.

“Episcopal and Kinkaid are strong,” Sandler said. “We will have to go through both of them to make or we’d have to beat one of them and get to the finals to beat the other.”

However, while the team strives for a championship, Sandler says the ultimate goal for the team is to have fun and play to the best of their ability.

“Our goal is to reach our potential,” Sandler said. “But I do believe that we have

the potential to compete with Kinkaid and Episcopal Houston.”

Boys Soccer

This year, the boys varsity soccer team has added seven players to the program.

“We had a lot of new guys come in this season who did not know each other, so the last few weeks have been a lot about getting to know one another on and off the field,” senior captain Zander Kennedy said. The team finished with a 7-6-1 record in the regular season and, as of Jan. 31, was 2-3 in conference play.

“As playoffs begin, our mindset has shifted and we are focusing more now on smaller moving parts of the game, really trying to get to know each other’s playing style better,” Kennedy said.

Sophomore Connor Lee says the team has what it takes to be competitive in the SPC championships.

“We’ve looked at ourselves and we believe that we can compete for a championship,” Lee said. “I think we can be competitive with any team in SPC. We’ve got talent at all levels of the field.”

Girls Soccer

The girls varsity soccer team rounded out the regular season with a 4-4 record before starting off in conference play with a 3-1 record as of Jan. 31.

Last season, coming into the SPC tournament, the team had multiple players with season-ending injuries, resulting in an 8th-place finish after a tough loss against St. Stephen’s Episcopal School.

“ We’ve looked at ourselves and we believe that we can compete for a championship.”

“It was not at all how we had anticipated going into SPC nor were we able to perform like we had hoped we were,” Coach Laura Flanagan said. “It was a real test of our mindset. When you lose key players, you lose multiple players, it’s really hard to recover.”

This year, the team has been riddled with injuries once again. Senior captain Devin

Davis, who is committed to play Division I soccer at the University of Tennessee, suffered a season-ending injury, so she will not compete at the SPC tournament. However, the team still has high hopes of finding success at the tournament.

“Our goal is always still and ever will be to win SPC,” Flanagan said. “Our mindset has been that we take one game at a time.”

Swimming

The boys and girls varsity swim teams are looking to find success in SPC this year after coming in second and fourth place last season, respectively. “We are really focused on our energy and mindset when going into meets lately and just trying to strengthen the team chemistry,” said junior Brynn Zawadzki.

Coach Patti Monzingo says that both the boys and girls swim teams are in the running for an SPC championship.

“It’s going to be tough for both the

“

This year we have

boys and girls teams,” Monzingo said. “For the girls, it’s going to be a fight between the same four teams that were top four last year: Duchesne, St. John’s, Hockaday and us.”

Swimming had a total of 11 meets during the season, with the girls team having 9 team wins and the boys team having 12.

“It will be exciting to get to travel to Houston as a team and get to see so much of the swim community gathered in one place,” junior J.J. Arbuckle said.

In previous years, swimmers were only allowed to compete in two individual events and two relays per meet. This year, a new rule has been introduced: swimmers are allowed to participate in three individual events alongside two relays. Monzingo says she believes that this could pose a benefit for Greenhill.

“We are lucky to have a lot of fast girls and boys on the team this season,” Monzingo said. “Swimming three individual events instead of two will be hard. The fastest swimmers on both teams will be pushed to their max.”

MANAGING THE FIELD: Boys Soccer Head Coach Paul Field encourages the team as they advance down the field during a 2-0 loss to Cistercian Preparatory School.

Photo by Eitan Hahn

TIME TRIAL: Hornet swimmers work to beat the qualifying times required to participate in the Southwest Preparatory Conference championships in Houston.

Photo by Justin Wu

a full team of guys that really want to win.”

Darryn Sandler

Patti Monzingo

Jarrett Shine

Ever since the preseason, there’s been a buzz around the team.”

Two Basketball Players Hit 1,000 Points

Kaden Alibhai, Eitan Hahn

The Greenhill boys varsity basketball team has reached new heights this year, adding two new members to the 1,000-point club. Fourth-year junior Dillon Watt and sophomore Jaxson Thompson both recently reached the milestone during the 2023-2024 season.

Watt, a co-captain and the starting point guard on the varsity boys team, broke the 1,000-point mark on Dec. 30 in a non-conference game versus the Bay Area Christian School.

“I think reaching 1,000 points reflects my hard work and dedication to the game,” Watt said. “Also, my supportive teammates who helped me get there, and my coach who always believed in me.”

Thompson, also a co-captain, is the starting shooting guard. He hit the milestone in a conference game against Cistercian on Jan. 23.

“It hasn’t really set in yet because I didn’t expect to hit it during that game, but it is definitely a cool achievement,” Thompson said.

As a starter on the varsity team as both a freshman and sophomore, Thompson has accomplished the 1,000-point feat in less than two seasons.

With more than two years left in his high school basketball career, Thompson has high aspirations. He has a chance to break Greenhill’s all-time scoring record previously set by Xavier Bryant ’18, who totaled 2,449 points during his time at Greenhill.

“It’s definitely something I am pushing for as one of my main goals,” Thompson said. “I also want to be all-conference this year because I didn’t get it last year.”

Basketball Coach Parker Ainsworth.

“He didn’t talk much that year,” Ainsworth said. “We only played six games and had masks, so it wasn’t a full season.”

Watt did not have the opportunity to play often due to the highly competitive roster in his sophomore year, according to Ainsworth.

“He kind of waited his turn,” Ainsworth said. “Two years ago was the team with [Lee Dort ’22] and [Noah Shelby ’22], so it was harder for him to get opportunities.”

Last season, after six seniors graduated, Watt found more success in the program, emerging as a key player on the court. Thompson had a chance to showcase himself, as there was so much uncertainty in the program.

out, talking guys through practice and making sure everyone is on the same page,” Ainsworth said.

Senior co-captain Anwar Battikhi, who has played with Watt for two years, has witnessed his leadership firsthand.

“I’ve seen him grow as an athlete, as a person and as a leader,” Battikhi said. “Obviously he likes getting these individual accolades, but the thing about him is that he cares most about the team and the 1,000 points is just a reflection of all of the work he has put in.”

This season, Watt is averaging 20.7 points per game, 4.7 assists, 5.4 rebounds and 2.9 steals.

“He’s much stronger now,” Ainsworth said. “He has put on a lot of good weight by hitting the weight room a lot, so he has

Watt started his Greenhill basketball journey as a freshman on the junior varsity team coached by Assistant Varsity Boys

“I knew what I had to do,” Watt said. “Coach called on me before the season, and I knew I had to step up and lead the rest of the group.”

Not only did Watt emerge as a crucial player, but he quickly embraced a leadership role as well.

“He’s a lot more of a vocal guy in the locker room with breaking the huddle

improved his ability to finish around the rim. He’s also gotten to be a lot better as a defensive player.”

Watt credits much of his success to his teammates.

“When I get the ball to the corner to the shooters, I know I can trust them with the game on the line because they’re going to hit

Soccer and Science:

BUT NET:

it,” Watt said. “I wouldn’t have any assists if I didn’t have shooters to knock them down.”

After he graduates, Watt hopes to continue his basketball career at the NCAA collegiate level.

“The goal is always Division I, but wherever I find fit, that’s where I want to go,” Watt said.

Watt’s leadership and strong performances have helped propel the boys varsity team to a 25-3 record this season.

“We’ve beat a lot of teams that most people said we wouldn’t beat, and we’ve definitely competed with some of the bigname teams,” Watt said. “I think we can make some noise in our conference.”

Watt says he believes the team is poised for greater accomplishments for the remainder of the season.

“The job is not finished,” Watt said. “We want to go undefeated in conference play and we want to win [the Southwest Preparatory Conference Championship], but we know we got to take it one step at a time, so we’re going to use this momentum and we’re going to keep building on it.”

Jessi Garcia ’12 Balances Coaching and Grad School

When she was a student at Greenhill, Jessi Garcia ’12 was dedicated to the soccer program. She spent four years on the girls varsity team and coached the Hornet Soccer program when it was first getting started.

began a study last August at the Movement Science Lab at the Scottish Rite for Children Orthopedic and Sports Medicine Center. The study focuses on the association between the menstrual cycle and anterior cruciate ligament tears in teenage athletes.

the tibia bone and the bottom of the femur are, through ultrasound imaging. She also observes body movements and joint angles using motion-capture technology.

for about four years, but this is her first season coaching with the added demands of her ongoing research project.

Many students on the junior varsity team note Garcia’s love for the sport.

Garcia was committed to play NCAA Division II soccer at the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor in Belton, Texas, but three days before she planned to sign a commitment letter, the head coach resigned.

“I took that as,

‘Well, I’m going to go do something other than soccer, thanks to the universe telling me that it’s not in the cards for me,’” said Garcia.

She did not attend Mary HardinBaylor and instead studied at Collin College for three years before transferring to the University of Texas at Arlington, where she graduated in 2018.

Garcia ultimately found other ways to channel her passion for fitness. Currently, she is working part-time as a boys junior varsity soccer coach at Greenhill while pursuing a doctoral degree in Exercise Science at the University of Texas at Arlington.

Making Discoveries

In order to get her doctorate, Garcia

“I knew I wasn’t going to get the approval from our institutional review board [at UTA] to do a study like this, so I basically had to go out and find people that would support the whole study,” said Garcia.

Research about this has only been done recently, and Garcia says it’s either all anecdotal or based on the experience of professional athletes whose hormones differ from those of teens.

“There’s a whole thing right now with female physiology and the different things that go on within a woman’s body versus a male body that could cause different types of injuries,” said Garcia. “Nobody’s gone into the youth side of things.”

For Garcia’s study, girls will sign up to go into the lab at three different points in their cycle. There, Garcia examines knee laxity, which is how separated the top of

That data is important because most ACL tears happen when a knee either has high laxity or is not lax enough. For females, knee laxity increases during the preovulatory and ovulatory phases of the menstrual cycle and decreases significantly during the actual menstrual phase of the cycle, according to previous findings.

While Garcia has not finished her study, the conclusions she has already reached could provide valuable insights to female athletes.

“The biggest thing is education of how to understand your body,” said Garcia. “Understanding how your body is functioning on a day-to-day basis kind of gives you a little bit extra boost of, ‘Okay, I’m not going be hard on myself today because I know physiologically, I’m not going be able to perform the way that I really feel is my best.’”

On the Field

On days when she is not working late in the lab, Garcia coaches the boys junior varsity soccer team alongside her dad, Jose Garcia. She has been coaching at Greenhill

“She enjoys the game as much as us playing it,” said sophomore Yichen Shi. “You can tell she’s very enthusiastic about soccer.”

Garcia’s keenness and knowledge of the sport proves to be an asset for the boys soccer program. She attacks every practice as an opportunity to prepare players for the varsity team, both in skill and understanding of game-winning tactics, players and Head Varsity Boys Soccer Coach Paul Field said.

Field says that Garcia and her dad often have players working on their fitness and footwork during practice.

“She enjoys the game as much as us playing it. You can tell she’s very enthusiastic about soccer.”

“They try to kind of mirror what we do a little bit, so that if somebody is required to step up to varsity, it’s not too big [of a step] that they won’t be able to,” said Field.

At the same time, Garcia’s studies have helped her with her coaching, according to Field.

“She often gives advice on [an] injury or the length that a player might be out for,” said Field. “If somebody pulls up with something, she’s not a doctor, but she’s got such a good insight into what it might be before players go in for scans.”

Graphics by Christan Park

Nora Ahearn

Jaxson Thompson

Jessi Garcia

NOTHING

Junior Dillon Watt joined the 1,000-point club on Dec. 30.

Photo courtesy of Greenhill Communications

Evergreen the

Performance Staff Emphasizes Athletes’ Health

Sasha Wai, Lylah Pouratian

Over the last few years, the Sports Performance team has been making changes that aim to improve athletes’ health and nutrition.

The critical factors that have been emphasized are baseline testing for athletes, surveys on exertion levels, good nutrition and accountability in High Performance Center workouts.

The Sports Performance team’s mission is to maintain a healthy lifestyle, according to Director of Sports Performance Jessen Houston.

“Improving athleticism is paramount, but it is not the only thing that we do,” said Houston. “It is important that we have the opportunity to engage with students so that they know how to stay healthy, fit and athletic and prevent chronic disease.”

Baseline Testing

When athletes are in the High Performance Center, coaches constantly track their performance in a particular workout.

Coaches accumulate athletes’ performance data through baseline tests. Examples of such testing include vertical jumps, maximum back squats and a mileand-a-half run.

Baseline testing is a way to put athletic growth into perspective and allows athletes to track their improvement over their season and athletic journey.

“It’s good to see things in a measurable way versus just thinking you’re getting stronger,” said senior Sibelle Zambie, a girls varsity basketball captain.

Assessments are not only a way for coaches to track their athletes’ progress. Houston says they also contribute to helping coaches make their workouts more effective.

“It is very important for us to know where students are so that we can program effectively where they need to be progressively, safely and logistically,” said Houston.

“It’s good to see things in a measurable way versus just thinking you’re getting stronger.”

Senior Jadon Lee, who plays lacrosse and volleyball, says there was a different emphasis on specific exercises and movements from sport to sport, focusing on that to help them grow.

“[The team] has been able to have conversations with the coaches and discuss what we should work on, what we should do, and what is best for our sport,” said Lee.

High Performance Center sessions are designed using an athlete’s baseline

assessments to create more efficient workouts.

“We have a finite time to work with our kids, so we’re always trying to get the most out of every second, but we’re also very [mindful] of how [athletes] need to perform,” said Houston.

Exertion Surveys

This year, Physical Education Sports Performance Specialist Ramiro Mendez started to implement exertion surveys during his High Performance Center sessions.

These rate of perceived exertion surveys mainly contain questions asking athletes to rate certain workouts on a scale of 1-10. Additional questions ask the athlete about their week and, if they are a club athlete, what a week of workouts in and outside of school looked like for them.

Through the form, Mendez is able to see how his athletes are feeling in that given week. This gives him a gauge of how much exertion certain exercises are causing for an athlete.

“It allows us to know what’s going on with each individual athlete,” said Mendez. “As a coach it’s important to know that and then communicate it to their [team] coach.”

In addition to athletic exertion factors, the survey contains questions about academic exertion, as that can add to the overall exertion of an athlete. These questions aim to gauge the overall readiness of each athlete week to week.

“Information like that helps us to better serve our students and really push them to be competitive for the [Southwest Preparatory Conference] and strive for SPC championships,” said Mendez.

Healthier Nutrition

In recent years, Houston has implemented a nutrition system in which athletes can order a meal from a given restaurant prior to a competition. Houston says he focuses on providing healthy options for athletes, so they perform to the best of their abilities.

“We’re replacing calorically dense foods with healthy meals from vendors that we trust to provide the best form of nutrition,” said Houston.

Lee says he feels these meals are vital to their performance on game days.

“On game day, it’s always a heavy emphasis on where we get those foods from and what we’re putting into our bodies before the game,” said Lee.

Senior Mason Chow, a volleyball

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player, says he gets a better sense of what to eat.

“They help guide us in the sense that they give us different and healthier food options that we can choose from,” said Chow.

Both Houston and Mendez emphasize the importance of Foundations of Fitness, a semester-long sports-credit class that includes multiple nutrition lessons.

“Foundations of Fitness is really useful for athletes because they get a background on nutrition,” said Mendez. “Whereas if you don’t have Foundations of Fitness under your belt, you don’t necessarily know all those things.”

Through the class, according to Houston, students gain knowledge about nutrition that will be useful to them after graduating from Greenhill.

“We want [you all] to learn and make sure you know this past the classroom, when you go to school and for the rest of your life,” said Houston.

The recent emphasis on nutrition has paid off, according to Houston.

“[Athletes] are starting to see the correlation between a good game or a good performance and realize that [they] play better when they eat some of the things they get,” said Houston.

“Information

Mendez says he has also noticed conscious changes in athletes’ diets.

“I think kids have actually started to realize the importance of [nutrition],” said Mendez. “Especially in the mornings it’s become a little more of a priority for them because they feel the difference during training.”

Accountability

In the High Performance Center, athletes must record weights, times and completion for all exercises in an app called TeamBuildr. This allows coaches and students to track their progress.

“This year there is more of an emphasis on that accountability of [knowing] what you’re doing, why you’re doing it and making sure you put the information in TeamBuildr,” said Houston.

Lee believes there has been a recent push on personal accountability for athletes.

“There is a strong emphasis on setting standards and making sure that you’re making progress,” said Lee.

Through tracking their work in TeamBuildr, students see their athletic progression and set goals for themselves.

“It creates accountability, culture and buy-in through the tracking process,” said Mendez. “TeamBuildr demonstrates a guided approach to training.”

Zambie agrees, adding that accountability is a big piece of growing as a team.

“If one person sets a standard, people are going to follow that,” said Zambie. “If you build a culture that is accountability first and doing everything the right way, you’ll see the results.”

In addition, team workouts allow athletes to push themselves alongside their teammates.

“When you work out with coaches and your teammates, it pushes you to push your limits, which increases mental toughness and endurance,” said Lee.

Future Hopes

Sports Performance staff members say they hope to instill a sense of discipline within athletes that can prepare them for high school sports and beyond.

“Aside from accountability, we’re encouraging our students to really train their mindsets as well,” said Mendez. “I think athletics are a great way to develop discipline.”

Zambie says she recognizes the value of encouragement and discipline as well.

“I think it’s really important to create a positive environment where it’s okay to make mistakes and fail, as long as you’re getting better each day and getting stronger,” said Zambie. “Because the goal is to get 1% better every time.”

Mendez says that lessons learned in the High Performance Center can be applied as life skills.

“That’s the mindset that we’re trying to help our students adopt,” said Mendez. “You learn to handle hard things so that when you leave Greenhill, you take those developed qualities from your individual challenges and apply them to your vocation.”

Ramiro Mendez

Photo courtesy of Lillian Smith BASELINE TESTING: Director of Sports Performance Jessen Houston observes varsity golf athlete junior Eitan Hahn preparing to attempt a vertical max leap.

Sibelle Zambie

Evergreen the Sports 20

Senior Spotlight: Zain Crumedy

defense, as he was a starting slot receiver and defensive back.

From watching football games as a Lower School spectator to leading his team to its first win in years, senior Zain Crumedy has taken Greenhill athletics to a new level with his grit and determination.

Crumedy has been at Greenhill since Prekindergarten, which makes this his 15th year on the Hill.

Next year, according to an announcement on his personal Instagram account, Crumedy will be attending Elmhurst University, an NCAA Division III school in Illinois, to play both football and lacrosse.

Crumedy has played both sports throughout his time at Greenhill, starting in seventh grade. He was a captain for the Greenhill varsity football team for the 2023 season while taking the same leadership role in lacrosse for his sophomore, junior and senior years. Many peers, teachers and coaches at Greenhill have praised his leadership style.

“The first thing I noticed about [Crumedy] was that he was assertive, and he was mature beyond his years,” Head Football Coach KJ Williams said. “He saw a direction of the team that was unique from a high school kid’s perspective.”

Crumedy first believed he was only going to play lacrosse at the collegiate level. He says he held multiple offers from Division III schools solely for lacrosse.

An eventual opportunity to play football, however, was an added bonus.

“Originally, I wasn’t even thinking about it,” Crumedy said. “But after talking to the coaches there, they said that there would be enough time to do both, so they gave me that option.”

Football Journey

Crumedy played an important role in the Greenhill football team’s improved fortunes this year, with the team’s first win since the 2019-2020 school year. Crumedy was one of the only players who was on both sides of the ball, playing offense and

His favorite moment of the season was the 30-21 Homecoming game win against the Oakridge School, and the post-game atmosphere with his peers.

“My entire high school career we had never won a Homecoming game, so just the feeling and the atmosphere really brought everything I was working towards together,” Crumedy said. “Being a senior and a captain, it was the last chance we had, and we really pulled it off.”

His teammates described him as someone players could look to during practice or games for motivation and direction. Many say that he played an essential role as a leader on and off the field.

“Zain was a great teammate and leader, and he fostered an environment of camaraderie,” said senior Julian Meyer, who plays both football and lacrosse with Crumedy. “Seeing someone at the top of their game, doing everything that he can and maximizing his potential inspires you to do the same.”

Williams echoes this sentiment.

“As a captain, Zain was the testament to practicing how you played,” Williams said. “He has a fearless tenacity in the way that he plays that is second to none, which is the culture we want to have.”

Crumedy says that his motivation comes from his mom, who was a runner in high school. In Lower School, he played Pop Warner football, which helped instill this mindset and taught him to focus on his effort on the field and not compare himself to others.

“I started playing flag football in Lower School in about third grade,” Crumedy said. “At that point, it was kind of just something to do and just fun, but I think I developed my competitiveness at that early stage.”

Lacrosse Career

In addition to football, Crumedy is a member of the lacrosse program. After an ACL tear prevented him from playing his freshman year, he returned his sophomore year as a midfield player as well as a captain.

Outside of school, he also plays for UNRL Texas, a club lacrosse team.

“I started playing lacrosse in fourth

grade mainly because my friends did,” Crumedy said. “Going into sixth grade, I got on my first club team and started to take it seriously. It really started from wanting to do something with my friends, but it turned into something much more than that.”

Last year, the varsity boys lacrosse team placed third overall in the Southwest Preparatory Conference and qualified for the state tournament. Crumedy took home All-SPC honors and All-State honors for the Texas High School Lacrosse League.

“It feels really good to receive awards like those, but it’s nothing compared to what I want to accomplish,” Crumedy said. “I want to bring us another SPC championship and take us further in state because the personal accolades don’t mean nearly as much as the team accolades.”

Although Crumedy has seen success in both football and lacrosse, he believes there is a difference in how he approaches both sports.

“Lacrosse is a different mindset than football,” Crumedy said. “It’s more technical, especially because I know I’m going to have to play the full game. I have to know how to conserve myself.”

This year, the lacrosse team has three senior captains, with Crumedy being one of them.

Balancing Act

Crumedy has also balanced Greenhill’s curriculum along with his roles in sports, both at Greenhill and elsewhere.

In addition to athletics and academics, Crumedy is also a member of many Greenhill clubs and organizations. He is in his third year in the Hope Squad, which is a small cohort that focuses on student’s mental health.

Crumedy appreciates that each member’s ideas and opinions are considered with the same weight.

“Everyone is valued as an equal, and I really like that compared to being a captain,” Crumedy said. “Oftentimes, the captain is one of the top players, but it’s not like that in Hope Squad because it’s hard to be a top person for someone to talk to.”

“It is a role that I was kind of thrown into,” Crumedy said. “I didn’t play freshman year, but I was around the team the entire time. It is definitely something that I grew into.”

Fellow senior lacrosse team captain Jadon Lee highlights Crumedy’s resilience as one of his best qualities.

“Zain is the definition of grit,” said Lee. “Day in and day out, he never shies away from putting in the work both on the field and in the weight room.”

Upper School English teacher Trey Colvin, who has served as Crumedy’s advisor for the past four years, cites his work ethic as the reason for his success throughout his time at Greenhill.

“It was clear from the beginning that his classmates thought very highly of him, and he just seemed like a natural-born leader when I first met him,” Colvin said.

He is also involved with the Black Student Union. There, Crumedy is an active member who helps plan events, and he has been a part of the BSU since he was a freshman.

“Being a Forever Club kid, seeing Black students do great things was always inspiring, so I wanted to be that inspiration for any other student and inspire as much as possible,” Crumedy said.

Other members of the Greenhill community have also noted his activity in the Black Student Union.

“Zain is a very active member in BSU who always interacts with other members and gives insightful input that strengthens the bonds within our community,” senior Iyad Mohammed said.

After he graduates from Greenhill this spring, Crumedy will start his collegiate career in both football and lacrosse. He describes himself as excited for the road ahead.

“I’m looking forward to the grind of college,” Crumedy said. “Being at Greenhill for so long, I’m ready to work again. I’m ready to be tired.”

Andrew Mann, Ravi Vasan

Photo by Javi Johnson

ON THE RUN: During the fall 2023 season, Crumedy was a starting slot receiver on offense and defensive back while serving as a captain for the varsity football team.

Photo courtesy of the Big South Conference

LACROSSE LEADER: Senior Zain Crumedy was an All-SPC and All-State selection while scoring 34 goals and averaging seven assists per game in the 2023 season.

Graphic by Chloe Nguyen

Zain Crumedy

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How to Be Successful in...

Gabi Appel

Advanced Placement Environmental Science, commonly known as APES, is a year-long environmental studies course that covers topics ranging from how natural systems of the Earth work to how humans interact with the environment.

“The class should give students an appreciation for the complex and sensitive interconnectedness of our world, and how we can try to preserve it for future generations,” Upper School science teacher Emily Myhre said.

The class provides students with a global perspective on how their actions affect both local and foreign ecosystems, and how other ecosystems affect their own.

“I believe the concepts in this class are very approachable and applicable to every single person’s daily life,” Myhre said. “One of my favorite topics and activities is industrialized agriculture and the things we need to think about in what and how we eat, and the agricultural choices we make with our money.”

This information is incorporated into the course through formative activities such as textbook notes, in-class labs and class discussions. Summative assessments consist of multiple choice and free response question tests.

“Everyone can find success in APES,” Myhre said.

The Evergreen asked Myhre and current and former APES students to talk about the keys to a successful experience.

What made you want to take APES?

“I’ve always been interested in the sciences, but I decided to take APES over

something like Physics C because, despite all the coverage in the news, I realized I knew very little about our environment.”

– senior Alex Wetzler

“I chose APES because it sparked my attention and is important for modern world decisions. Since I’m interested in international relations and what’s happening today, I felt like it would be a good class to learn about what’s happening today.”

– junior Zoë Gillen-Malveaux

What is your favorite part of the class?

“My favorite part of the class is probably when we do labs. Recently, we had a fishing lab where we were given Fruit Loops and chopsticks and had to fish in order to make money as fishermen. The challenging part of this task was how we couldn’t deplete the sources, and so we had to be strategic in how much we fished.”

me is remembering how widespread the human impact on the environment can be. Everything’s so interconnected that it can be hard to see how small things can have drastic consequences. It is kind of like the butterfly effect.”

– senior Alex Wetzler

What is a typical night of homework like in APES?

– junior Lauren Harrington

What is the most challenging aspect for you?

“The most challenging aspect for

“Most nights we have to read a module that takes around 20-30 minutes to get through for me. After, we go to the textbook for more assigned reading, practice questions, and guided

– junior Zoë GillenMalveaux

What is the most rewarding part of the class?

“I enjoy finding how different systems in our world around us work in conjunction with one another.”

– senior Max Kettles

What is an APES teacher looking for in a student?

“Specialized subjects like this are so much easier when the student is interested in the material. Solid science skills such as data interpretation, graphical analysis, algebraic reasoning and experimental design

are necessary. A student who makes time to regularly review notes and textbook reading outside of class will find success. Students who like to discuss issues and play devil’s advocate help enrich the classroom and learning process.”

– science teacher Emily Myhre

“A student that is giving a good effort in and out of the classroom, paying attention and participating in class, keeping up with their work and improving as the year progresses.”

– senior Max Kettles

What method of studying has worked best for you in the class?

“I do the homework as assigned, but a few days before each test, I review the material on a website called Fiveable that gives concise and accurate summaries of each unit. I also do the practice problems on AP Classroom.”

– senior Alex Wetzler

What’s your advice for a student who may take the class in the future?

“Taking notes will take you far in the class, and that’s probably the most important thing to do if you want to succeed in APES.”

– junior Zoë Gillen-Malveaux

“I think drawing out the systems and all their elements is a great way to learn. In general, if you pay attention in class and stay on top of your work you will find success and have a great time in APES.”

– senior Max Kettles

AP Environmental Science Common Ground: Immigration

Senior Evergreen staff members

Payton Blalock and Helina Tedros tackle immigration and the politically contentious subject of securing America’s southern border in the latest installment of Common Ground.

Payton: Immigration is complicated. It is logistically impossible to manufacture a piece of legislation that can create a possible outcome for every person involved. As a moderate conservative, I understand and appreciate Gov. Greg Abbott’s efforts to tighten our borders and deter illegal immigration. However, I don’t think that Abbott was successful in creating a solution at the Texas border.

Helina: As a daughter of two immigrants and as a Texan, I struggle with a lot of uncertainty when it comes to the way Abbott has been determining immigration policies. My biggest hope for the outcomes of the policies is just legislature that keeps both sides safe. By signing Texas Senate Bill 4, Abbott has made it a crime for people to illegally cross the border. I believe it is counterintuitive to arrest illegal immigrants because our prison system is already overcrowded and strained by our own citizens.

Payton:

On the flip side, I find that it’s also important to note that illegal immigration increases stress on America’s healthcare and education systems. These systems are already complex and in need of improvement, without the added pressure of illegal immigrants. I also

want to note that this legislation would deter people from illegally crossing the border. Prison systems might face overwhelmingly high numbers initially, but these detainment centers should see a decrease in numbers as time passes.

Helina: I see your point, but the thing that confuses me the most is why would Abbott want to permit immigrants to stay on American soil. Even if they are placed in prison, they still receive meals, clothing and hygiene products. I believe that if Texas, in particular, starts placing immigrants in jails, it would just require additional taxpayer money to fund these prisons, so they can

Policy Initiative, we already live in a world where every single state incarcerates a higher rate of Black people than any other race. Unfortunately, we live in a world where police brutality runs rampant and not every officer is suited to protect us.

Payton: I agree, and my biggest issue with Abbott’s new bill is that it allows for racial profiling. I recognize that it’s complicated to accurately assess legal versus illegal immigration in some instances, but until a less discriminatory method is developed, I don’t think that it is fair to enact legislation that allows law enforcement to actively pursue and seek out illegal immigrants. As

regardless, due to healthcare costs and other systems and programs that are sponsored by taxpayer dollars.

Helina:

I see what you mean about financial strain, but it still feels like this bill will only enhance an already difficult situation. To be honest, all this bill represents to me is unmasked xenophobia. Without immigrants, there is no America as we know it. The vast majority of Americans come from complex and diverse backgrounds. I understand Abbott is attempting to focus on the needs of Texas over the needs of immigrants, but as a powerful country, I believe America has rightfully made it its mission to help out when it can.

Payton:

I agree that immigration is inherently good. Immigrants help promote economic growth, fill unusual job vacancies and increase cultural diversity. I also find it heartbreaking that we are not equipped to open our borders to everyone, especially those seeking asylum. But the country that we live in is not capable of supporting open borders, and measures must be taken to prevent illegal immigration. I don’t fully agree with Abbott’s methods, but I support tightening borders with the hope that we will find a more efficient and less grueling way to minimize illegal immigration.

Helina:

I agree with you. I know that we need to protect our country, but I do not think that the only way to do so is by making monsters out of people who are just searching for a better life.

Graphic by Bette Tomecko

Editorial: Consider a 4.0 GPA Scale

As the college process increases in competitiveness, so does the desire to earn the highest possible GPA. Questions have been raised about Greenhill’s method of calculating GPA, as it differs from some of our peer schools. It’s difficult to differentiate between strong arguments for using a different calculation method and pleas to change the system if it doesn’t work in one’s favor, but the topic is at least worth further exploration within administration.

Greenhill uses a 4.3 scale to determine GPAs: an A-plus is a 4.3, A is 4.0, A-minus is 3.67 and so on. The discrepancies between GPA values may seem inconsequential to some, but they lead students to stress over minor assignments and wonder if they could cause a .3 difference to be weighed into their transcript.

A student who earned a 92 in a course doesn’t have a vastly different understanding of class material from a student who received a 93. Yet, the student with a 92 gets an A-minus while the student with a 93 gets an A.

Of larger significance, the two grades are weighted very differently on transcripts.

There are many factors that contribute to a student’s grade: class participation, homework assignments, projects, papers and other miscellaneous assignments. It can sometimes feel like Greenhill’s grading scale can add too much importance to each of these factors and to each specific assignment throughout the year.

There are several alternatives being suggested, but the one we think would be the best fit for further discussion is an A, B, C, D, F scale without pluses and minuses on a 4.0 scale. We think that this system has the potential to relieve stress over marginal grade differences, which is something that at least warrants further exploration.

Some of our peer schools have already adopted such a system. St. Mark’s School of Texas, for example, uses a standard letter scale without differentiating between pluses and minuses. Everything above a 90 is considered an A, everything between an 80 and an 89 is a B and so on.

This system is also in line with many college grading systems, where there are no A-pluses and the grading scale stops at an A, which is a 4.0. As a college preparatory school, Greenhill should consider adopting a system many of its students will face in college.

It is not ideal for students to worry more about grades than about their education, but it is almost impossible for students not to worry when grades account for such a significant part of the college admissions process. However, if grading benchmarks were less specific, it is possible that students would be able to emphasize their learning at least a little bit more freely.

In summary, decreasing the variability in GPA’s could result in a more equitable grading system. We acknowledge there is room for disagreement on this subject. Even within our editorial board, we’re not of one mind on this topic. It’s hard to determine whether one system is truly better than another, but it is definitely a topic worth discussing and further exploring.

Guest Essay: Fantasy Football League Fosters Friendships

Julian Meyer

Last Aug. 12 was a day that meant little to most, but everything to me.

The selection committee had meticulously picked 12 young men fit for a season of rigorous mental and physical pressure. As I looked down to check my phone on draft day, a wave of sadness washed over me.

The first overall pick.

Even though it may sound like

As the draft moved along, surprises came at every turn. Once seen as great values, some choices soon became nearly worthless because of injuries. Other picks proved that beauty is in the eye of the beholder, for better or worse, none more than the Round 2 selection of quarterback Justin Fields of the Chicago Bears, who was rated to be picked 45 spots later than he was.

I finished up the draft with several players, many of whom soon became key pieces to my team,

highlight. The long-term friendships with many of my fantasy football league mates will expire as soon as we go our separate ways in college, so we cherished every moment we spent together on Sundays. Fantasy football helped me concentrate on making new memories of watching football together every week, instead of focusing on the fact that it may be the last memories many of us will have together.

young men. The group transcended friends, pushed boundaries and focused purely on one thing: winning the entire league.

Although my mind was already made up, I still looked up and down the list of potential draft picks just to make sure I was making the right decision. Clicking the button and seeing the first pick’s green notification was a great relief and the start to a pressure-filled season.

pick’s selection, my friends and I went our separate ways, everyone going home with championship aspirations.

Every Sunday at noon, the uncertainty of school, college essays and high school football disappeared as my friends and I gathered to mull over an exciting week of football.

As always, spending time with the friends that I grew up with was the true

the Evergreen Staff

EDITORS-IN-CHIEF

Riya Kommineni and Pooja Sanghvi

EXECUTIVE EDITORS

Payton Blalock

Emily Hu

Sophia Li

MANAGING EDITORS

Evie Kwei

Chloe Nguyen

Christan Park

ASSOCIATE EDITOR

Aria Kutty

CONTENT COORDINATORS

Sydney Chien and Daniela Hallack

DRAFT EDITOR

Aman Jaleel

DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY

Ella Sadka

CHIEF SECTION EDITOR

Varun Mukund

NEWS EDITORS

Lyna Kamgang and Rory Liu

FEATURES EDITORS

Kate Ponnambalam and Noor Zaman ARTS EDITORS

Nora Ahearn and Justin Wu

SPORTS EDITORS

John Hurley and Vedant Subramanian VIEWS EDITOR

Sasha Wai

STAFF WRITERS

Jordan Arbuckle

Victoria Gonchar

Nia Harrison

Kacy Johnson

Ven Larson

Irina Li

Avery Lonergan

Lylah Pouratian Sadie Werner

STAFF PHOTOGRAPHERS

Jackson Barron

Javi Johnson

Lillian Smith

In the end, I came out on top with a landmark championship win, but as the final whistle blew in the Bills-Dolphins season finale, I found myself reminiscing about the season leading up to that point.

I thought about the punishment: four laps of Gatorade and milk-fueled turmoil that we watched the last three league losers embark on. I thought about the countless times that my team was deemed “fraudulent” or “overrated” and that I accused my friend’s team of being the same. But last of all, looking back on the season, I would gladly board the vicious rollercoaster again if I were given the option.

Julian Meyer is a senior in a fantasy football league with 11 of his Greenhill classmates. He plays varsity football and lacrosse for Greenhill, and he enjoys spending time with his friends and family.

Scarlett Song Gracie Tamez Aiden White

BUSINESS MANAGER

Kaden Alibhai

ASSISTANT ADVISOR

Amy Bresie

ADVISOR

Gregg Jones

Have a response? Opinion?

Original Idea?

Email the Editors-in-Chief: komminenir24@greenhill.org sanghvip24@greenhill.org

EDITORIAL POLICY

The Evergreen is an independent, student-run newspaper serving the community of Greenhill School. It is printed six times during the school year. Print circulation is 900 copies. Past issues are archived at issuu.com/ghevergreen.

Our staff upholds a code of ethics that values honesty, integrity, accuracy and responsibility. Our mission is to help our community interpret campus, local, national and international events through articles and editorials written and edited by students.

The Evergreen welcomes letters and emails from readers. We reserve the right to edit submissions for accuracy, grammar and length. The Evergreen will not publish material that we judge to be libelous, or obscene, invades privacy or constitutes hate speech. Anonymous letters will not be published.

The staff editorial represents the opinion of The Evergreen staff, not necessarily that of Greenhill School.

ADVERTISEMENTS

The Evergreen welcomes advertisements, but we reserve the right to refuse an ad.

Business inquiries should be directed to Kaden Alibhai: alibhaik24@greenhill.org

Graphic by Emily Hu

Graphic by Evie Kwei

& Rants Raves

A RANT to winter illnesses. It seems like the Upper School goes through dozens of boxes of tissues every day! At this point, it feels like staying healthy is almost impossible, especially with the inconsistent weather.

A RAVENT to pre-season for spring sports. As winter sports end, our spring athletes are gearing up for their seasons. We love spending time with our teammates and getting back to spring sports, but this means getting back in shape with grueling pre-season workouts.

A RAVE to the new flashing yellow arrow to turn onto Hornet Road. Now, the line to turn into Greenhill goes by way faster. Instead of having to wait at a red light while the intersection is empty, we can just go during the flashing yellow arrow and be on time for class.

A RAVE to Southwest Preparatory Conference winter championships. Our winter athletes have been training hard this season, and we are excited to see them compete for a championship. Go Hornets and remember to support your friends!

A RAVENT to the delayed opening of the Valdes STEM + Innovation Center. We are so excited by the idea of having our math, science and innovation classes in the new building, and we’re tired of the trek to the Science Village. But the move just keeps getting pushed back!

A RANT to the Dallas Cowboys. They are good during the regular season, but every year during the playoffs they don’t play as well. This year, even though they were seen as Super Bowl contenders, they got knocked out by the Green Bay Packers again.

The Evergreen Crossword

ACROSS:

3. _____: school that the varsity boys basketball team was playing when sophomore Jaxson Thompson hit the 1,000 point milestone

5. Junior Megan _____, who is assisting with the citizenship class hosted by the Dallas Public Library

6. Scottish Rite for Children _____ and Sports Medicine Center, where Jessi Garcia ‘12 is conducting research

12. Name of the pen in the Percy Jackson universe

13. Circadian _____: what senior Aditya Pulipaka studied during his time in UT Southwestern’s STARS Summer Research Program

15. _____ Tecla, El Salvador: where junior Cassie Rosa photographed a statue in the city hall

16. A country where junior Savannah Nelson studied during her semester abroad

18. Upper School science teacher Emily _____, who teaches APES

19. _____ University, where senior Zain Crumedy committed for football and lacrosse

20. App used to administer online College Board tests like the PSAT

21. New opening month of the Rosa O. Valdes STEM + Innovation Center

DOWN:

1. Long-standing Upper School tradition: the _____ potluck

2. Name of the Greenhill yearbook

4. Introductory fine arts class that senior Sarah Fradkin is taking this semester: Video _____

7. _____ Law School, where Hayley Isenberg ‘15 is currently studying

8. Where Upper School science teacher Dr. Winfred Parnell ‘99 attended college: _____ University

9. The name of a new co-divisional group on campus: Black Girl _____

10. Where the 2024 Greenhill Charity Fashion Show is being hosted: the Fashion _____ Gallery

11. Jorge _____, who composed the piece “Into the Hornets’ Nest!” for the Greenhill Band

14. App used by athletes in the High Performance Center to record weights, times and completion for all exercises

17. Percentage of Upper School students who say that they keep up with politics

Crossword by Evie Kwei and Christan Park

Bunches of Love

Love has many meanings: familial love, friendship love, and romantic love. With Valentine’s Day just around the corner, Upper School students and faculty reflect on what’s most important to them in their lives.

“I love my Peloton bike because

it keeps me active and healthy."

- Upper School history teacher Ron Frankland

“I love my friends and family because they always support me, and they are constant sources of positivity."

- freshman Paylin Barnes

“I love to sleep because I definitely don’t get enough of it as a high school student.”

“I love my parents. They are so supportiveofeverythingIdo and have been there formeanytimeIneed them."

- senior KesselmanAdam

“I’mgratefulandlovehanging

out with such a cool friend like Adam. He always has somethingfunnytosayandmotivatesmeto

-

domybest.”

senior Seth Lee

- senior Sophia Sachedina

“I really like doing jigsaw puzzles because they help a lot with my cognitive thinking.You can also do them with friends."

“I like band because I get to hang out with my friends, play music and have a lot of fun. At the end of the year, we get to perform work, which everyone ends up enjoying.”

and see the result of our hard

“I love traveling because it allows me to explore new places and diversify my perspective as I meet new people.”

- sophomore Sarah Koshy

- junior Prabath Girish

- sophomore Brian Chao

“I really love to play

golf

because it’s super relaxing and

you get a chance to hit the ball, enjoy the scenery, bask in the fresh air and get some sun.”

- junior Harris Xie