V38 Issue 4

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BIDEN TAKES QUICK EXECUTIVE ACTION

By Lauren Weber Managing Editor

Tug of war. That seems to describe the changes in political power over the past several years. President Trump came into office and spent a significant amount of time reversing President Obama’s orders, and now, we are seeing yet another shift. In his first six days in office, President Biden signed 33 executive orders, 12 of which reversed Trump’s policies.

The school’s World Affairs Club spent several meetings discussing their predictions for Biden’s first few days as president. Despite anticipating that Biden would sign executive orders in his first days as president, member of the World Affairs Club and freshman Will Grogan was surprised by the amount of action taken.

“I liked that in his inauguration speech he talked about unity, and lots of people were concerned that this unity didn’t reflect well on the actions that he took the first day,” Grogan said. “I disagree; I think that [his actions to reverse policies] were wholesome and good, and I would certainly agree with some of them. Of course I don’t agree with all of them, but that doesn’t change my mind [in] that I felt that his actions were well decided and well intentioned.” Biden has vowed to do “whatever it takes” to prevent COVID-19 from spreading and follow what scientists recommend. Regarding the virus, Biden reinstated some travel restrictions that Trump had lifted before leaving office. As new infectious variants of the virus have been found in Europe, Brazil and South Africa, Biden has restricted entry from these countries, although this policy does have several exceptions. In addition, he has imposed a mask mandate in federal buildings and on interstate transportation.

And Grogan follows COVID-19 relief closely.

“It certainly makes me more optimistic that we have someone in the White House who trusts science and scientists and is surrounding himself with medical professionals and people who really know the gravity of the situation and how dangerous this virus is with the new variants coming out of South Africa and the UK,” Grogan said. “So I certainly feel more optimistic about the way that the numbers are headed, which is hopefully down.”

Grogan also believes that how Biden handles the virus may impact the unity of the country.

“Obviously, it’s a challenge for him to unify the American public, which doesn’t just mean having every single person agree with him and vote for him,” Grogan said. “Unifying, to me, means [having] everyone really respect the president. I would say how the coronavirus plays out is going to determine whether the people [who question the veritability of his presidency] are going to be able

to respect Joe Biden.”

Biden has vowed to advance the cause of racial equity, and on Jan. 26, he signed executive actions to address prison reform, affordable housing and police reform. The Biden administration is also looking to speed up the process of putting Harriet Tubman on the $20 bill, reviving an Obama era initiative.

“We need to make equity and justice a part of what we do everyday,” Biden said in a national address on Jan. 26.

Biden has also signed executive actions to allow transgender people to serve in the military, to stop building Trump’s wall, to eliminate the Muslim immigration ban, and to push federal agencies to regularly and meaningfully engage with Tribal governments.

Senior and President of the Student Advocacy Coalition of Dallas Zaria Osimetha believes that Biden’s presidency will strengthen the group’s conversations in the short term but ultimately weaken them.

“When [Trump was president],

we had a lot of things to call out that our president was doing wrong,” Osimetha said. “But [with] all of these good things, I think it’s just going to be an echo chamber of, ‘yay.’ But also, I’m very interested to actually discuss and critique Biden because you have to keep in mind that a lot of people were settling for Biden… And so I am extremely excited to see what he does, and I’m excited to analyze it as we go further into it.”

Biden’s executive orders and policy have also been significant topics of debate for the school’s Conservative Club.

“I wish I could praise some of the executive actions,” junior and member of Conservative Club Tucker Sachs said. “I really hope Biden does well, but one of the largest points of controversy is the Keystone Pipeline. While it may seem like a step in the right direction,the amount of layoffs and the setbacks it would give the U.S. in its venture towards energy independence doesn’t seem worth it to a lot of members of the club.”

THE PRESIDENT HAS BEEN VERY CLEAR IN HIS STATE OF INTENT AROUND THE CLIMATE AND HIS PERSONAL OBJECTIVES.

OIL AND GAS DRILLING STOPPED ON FEDERAL LAND

By Lauren Weber Managing Editor

On Jan. 20, his first day in office, President Joe Biden signed two environmental executive orders––one to rejoin the Paris climate accord and the other to cancel the Keystone XL Pipeline and direct agencies to review and reverse over 100 of Trump’s environmental actions.

“First of all, the Keystone Pipeline should have never been put in place because it was built on sacred Native American land, so that should have been protected,” senior Stella Foreman said. “And although people are going to be losing their jobs, Biden has a plan to transition to green energy, so it’s not like there are jobs being lost with no jobs being created.”

However, many are still worried about the jobs that have been lost in the process. Of Biden’s executive actions, freshman Will Grogan feels that this one is a bit more controversial.

“There [are] so many issues

with the Keystone pipeline, environmentally, but also, so many jobs that come out of it being in use and with the relationship with Canada, who knows how it could turn out,” Grogan said. “That’s certainly one that I would have waited on.”

In addition, Biden has stopped oil and gas drilling on federal lands, which accounts for roughly 9 percent of US onshore production. The president has said his directives will reserve 30 percent of federal land and water for conservation purposes and create millions amount of jobs. Lewis Gillies, CEO of Rockall Energy based in Dallas, TX, believes that Biden’s actions have been symbolic.

“The President has been very clear in his state of intent around the climate and his personal objectives,” Gillies said. “I would say that he’s made it so prominent since coming to office that beyond COVID it is probably his number one agenda

item for his presidency.”

Rockall Energy does not operate on federal lands, and therefore, Biden’s ruling has little effect on Gillies’ company. However, he suspects that the ruling will be challenged in the courts in the coming weeks, months and years.

Gillies is a strong believer in what he calls ‘the precautionary principle,’ meaning that he supports proactive measures to prevent climate change.

Apart from drilling for oil and gas, his company also works with climate mitigation technologies. Having worked in alternative energy for 15 years, Gillies currently has three active projects around carbon storage technology.

“[It] is a concept of using old oil wells, old gas wells and underground formations and actually reversing them and using them to store carbon,” Gillies said. “It’s called carbon capture and storage.”

Biden also intends to move the country to alternative energy, a move that will likely garner him significant international support.

“We need energy to live the lives that we live,” Gillies said. “It’s not possible to envisage a world [in which] we don’t use energy… As long as we learn, change and improve, I think the environment we live in will continue to improve.”

Lewis Gillies, CEO of Rockall Energy based in Dallas, TX

VIRGINIA NUSSBAUMER, JUNIOR

“The First Amendment is a little misunderstood. It should not be used to harm others, and with the continuation of systematic racism and discrimination against minorities, I feel like too many people have become too comfortable with their liberties.”

BEN GUERRIERO, FRESHMAN

“You should be able to say what you need to say. The First Amendment is misunderstood because free speech isn’t always “free.” Social media isn’t always reliable and often biased.”

EMMA JERRIER, SENIOR

“Free speech is incredibly important, however, your freedom of speech should not attack another person’s personal identity, such as sexuality or race that they cannot change.”

CARA LICHTY, FRESHMAN

“Freedom of speech is an important right. The First Amendment means so much more than just freedom of speech, sometimes I feel like not everyone understands that.”

First amendment discussed after social media bans

Country looks to first amendment following capitol riot, misinformation spreads about free speech

By Emily Lichty Life Editor

Following the Jan. 6 U.S. Capitol riot, former President Donald Trump was banned from various social media platforms, including Twitter and Facebook, resulting in discussion and misunderstanding surrounding the First Amendment; The social media comments from Trump, and many of his supporters, were blamed for instigating the riot.

In light of the violent events that occurred in the Capitol, many looked to the First Amendment to better understand rights related to free speech on social media. While the First Amendment protects the freedoms of speech and expression, religion, petition and assembly, its protection does not extend over private companies, including social media.

“[Recently], we’ve seen a big controversy come up with Twitter kicking Trump off of its platform,” Student Press Law Center Senior Legal Counsel Mike Hiestand said. “A lot of people were screaming [it was a] First Amendment violation… but because Twitter is a private company, there is no First Amendment violation that would arise there. I think that students have misunderstandings about where the First Amendment lines are drawn, but everybody does.”

Some believe that banning Trump’s social media, regardless of there being no First Amendment violation, was wrong. According to a Feb. 17 poll of 131 students, 42 percent

of students do not agree with social media platforms choosing to remove him.

“Personally, I don’t really like that Trump was banned because I don’t really like anybody being banned,” junior Jonathan Scurtis said. “Although, legally, [the First Amendment] doesn’t [extend] to private companies, the founders of this country never assumed the internet would exist.

I’m sure that if they were alive, they definitely say that it’s ridiculous some people are silenced… Inciting violence is definitely not acceptable, but completely silencing people is a very, very slippery slope, and I don’t like that direction that we’re headed in.”

“Ethics is really important here because we’re gonna need these corporate [social media] leaders to be ethical,” Ethics teacher Bryan Cupp said. “In a way, they’re going to have to decide if [they] should allow this kind of speech or not and what the limit is. It’s also incumbent upon us to quit being lazy and quit valuing convenience and just rely on social media to give us the truth. Ethical responsibility is far more demanding and widespread, now, than ever before.”

I THINK THAT STUDENTS HAVE MISUNDERSTANDINGS ABOUT WHERE THE FIRST AMENDMENT LINES ARE DRAWN, BUT EVERYBODY DOES.

Mike Hiestand, Student Press Law Center Senior Counsel

Along with discussions surrounding the legality of social media bans, many are looking to ethics to understand the impacts they might have on the future.

HONG KONG TRIALS BEGIN

With increased discussion surrounding freedom of speech, many have found that misunderstanding surrounding the First Amendment is common. After learning about the First Amendment in Journalism I, freshman Olivia Hohmann found that many of her peers did not fully understand the limits of the First Amendment.

“[What’s] making us more powerful, as a generation, is the fact that we’re allowing one another to

be heard,” Hohmann said. “That’s why we should learn about [the First Amendment] in school. Oftentimes, it is important to hear you can make an impact through what you write and what you share in the world.”

Heather Cernoch, the English teacher and adviser to the school literary magazine, Itinerary, worked on several magazines and newspapers before becoming a teacher. Cernoch has also noticed misunderstanding with the First Amendment, not just at school, but around the country.

“I’ve witnessed misunderstandings in the world, whether it be on social media, on the news or just in my observations of humankind,” Cernoch said.

“A lot of people want to quote amendments as a way to protect their own interests and that’s not necessarily a bad thing, unless they are misinterpreting that amendment. The First Amendment was designed to protect us from the federal government.”

As private companies, private schools are not subject to the First Amendment, like public schools.

“In a private school, we are run in a way where there are people in charge of protecting students,” Cernoch said. “They have a right to protect them in ways that they feel are appropriate… All the publications have prior review, including Itinerary. That being said, it’s important for students to have a voice in all three publications, as

long as it isn’t harmful to the student body or faculty and staff in any way.”

Cupp hopes that conversations surrounding the First Amendment and social media will lead the country to ask larger questions about what they hope freedom of speech should look like.

“This idea of being aware and being exposed to these sort of foundational principles of rights, government structure and protection in our country needs to kick in,” Cupp said. “It needs to happen and needs to continually be reaffirmed. We need to really stop to pause, to talk about freedom of speech and freedom of movement... Can we truthfully say we would like it to be unlimited? Is that viable?”

Similarly, Hiestand urges students to, if they are passionate about freedom of speech, to pay attention to current events surrounding it and how it applies to their own lives.

“[The First Amendment] is not something that’s carved in stone, and it is not something that automatically protects itself,” Hiestand said. “We are seeing a lot of talk about cutting back on some of the First Amendment protection… Realize that if this is something that you feel is important, you want to stay aware... Weigh in if you think that something is not what you would agree with, something you want to change. Realize that we all are responsible for protecting the rights that we have right now.”

FRANCE PASSES ISLAMAPHOBIC BILL Nine pro-democracy activists in Hong Kong were finally taken to trial on Feb. 16. Over the course of these protests, hundreds of activists have been arrested for speaking out against China’s tampering with Hong Kong’s temporary democracy. After the trials end, these nine activist might be facing charges for “illegal assembly” and possibly time in prison.

On Feb, 16, the French parliament voted in favor of a bill that would crack down on Islamic extremism, but many French Muslims worry that it will affect their daily lives. Increased security watch has been placed around mosques and other Islamic organizations to prevent any suspicious radicalism. However, many believe this is only a political tactic in order for President Macron to easily win reelection.

was the first nation in the European Union that received COVID-19 vaccine shipments from China. The Hungarian government believed it was best to bring in as many options for the vaccine as possible in order to get their population vaccinated. The shipment arrived on Feb. 16 with 550,000 vaccines, allowing Hungarians to distribute the vaccinations at a quicker pace.

Compiled by Gina Montagna News Editor

Photo provided by World Health Organization

Hungary

HUNGARY GETS CHINA VACCINE

Graphic by Emily Lichty

pandemicpost

Community members receive vaccinations

As vaccines distribute throughout Texas, members get vaccinated to help prevent the spread

By Grace Knudson

Editor

With COVID-19 vaccines produced at a high rate, Texas is continuously sending vaccines to doctors offices, hospitals, clinics and ‘vaccine hubs’–– which are large vaccination sites to provide more people the vaccine.

Over 3.5 million doses, including both Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna vaccines have been administered, in the state, according to the Texas Department of State Health Services. However, Texas is still at vaccination Phase 1A and 1B, which includes medical professionals, people 65 years old or older and people 16 years or older with underlying health conditions. Among the doses administered, several members of the ESD community have been vaccinated; reasons for receiving the vaccine include being a healthcare worker or volunteer for Children’s Medical City, having a health condition or simply being at the right place at the right time.

“In the beginning of January, I got an email from Children’s that they were offering volunteers vaccination, and I almost deleted the email, but I read it again, and it said ‘following sign up for your vaccination’,” ESD parent Kim Bannister said. “Now, I haven’t been volunteering physically on campus since last year, but I still do things for organizing gifts for kids with cancer or whatever their needs were. After a long consideration, I decided to sign up.”

Because Bannister has bad allergies and her son had a negative experience with a vaccination when he was three weeks old, she was at first hesitant about getting the vaccine.

“I was just wrestling with the fact that no one where my parents live is receiving the vaccine yet, and I have not seen or felt their touch in over a year,” Bannister said. “I [thought], ‘You know what, if God would create people with such beautiful minds to create this vaccination in such a scary time, and there have been brilliant people that have risen to the occasion all other times and saved lives, then I am going to trust in that.’ Taking the vaccine made me feel a part of helping prevent the spread and keep people healthy; it was much bigger than what my worries were for my body.”

According to the CDC, people

who have immediate allergic reactions to other vaccines or injectable therapy should be cautionary when taking the vaccine. If a person is allergic to polysorbate or had a severe or immediate reaction when receiving the mRNA COVID-19 vaccine, they should not receive the vaccine. However, if someone has a history of food, pet, environmental, latex or oral medication allergy, they may proceed with vaccination. After receiving a vaccination, CDC recommends all patients be observed for at least 15 minutes on-sight to ensure no reactions occur.

“When I went to Children’s, it was so well organized, and I went at a designated time slot, but I was still so nervous,” Bannister said. “But once I met with my darling nurse, it was just such a soothing experience. She read everything that was in the vaccine and explained what was going on like I was a little kid because that is usually who they work with. I had my EpiPen with me in case I had an anaphylactic reaction, but I was just fine. Then, I had to sit there for 30 minutes.”

Common side effects after vaccination include pain and swelling on the arm at the injection site and also fever, chills, fatigue and headaches throughout the body.

“By the nighttime, my arm was sore, and when I went to bed, I felt fine,” Bannister said. “But at midnight, I started to have the chills, got extremely nauseous and was really tired. It lasted just under 24 hours, so I never got really sick. I called my doctor and he’s like, ‘[The vaccine] is kicking in… Your body’s fighting, and it’s doing what it’s supposed to be doing.’”

Like Bannister, school nurse Carla Thomas also received the Moderna vaccine and had a reaction. According to The Atlantic, both the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines contain the COVID-19 mRNA that instructs the body’s cells to produce the coronavirus spike protein. These mRNA molecules are covered in lipid nanoparticles, which make the immune system fight back against the vaccine causing flu-like symptoms.

“For my first dose, I took it before I was visiting my grandson

in Galveston, and as I was packing, I got the worst chills I have ever had in my life,” Thomas said. “I thought everything was fine until 12 hours later as we were driving, I got teeth chattering chills that lasted about an hour. Twenty-four hours after I got the shot, I was at the grocery store in Galveston, and all of a sudden, every bone in my back just started hurting, and I felt like I was a 100 years old...I woke up the next morning, and I was fine and had no other reaction.”

ESD parent Dr. James Pfister has a private primary care practice in the Dallas area that is also a COVID-19 vaccination site. Currently, Dr. Pfister is vaccinating his patients that pertain to the vaccination Phases 1A and 1B per Texas Health and Human Services order. Dr. Pfister applied to obtain vaccinations by filling out an application form to tell the state his patient population, how many vaccines he believes he needs and what type of storage he has to store the vaccine. After being approved by the state he received 100 doses of the Moderna vaccine and started scheduling appointments.

“We can’t just give [the vaccine] to our friends and family,” Dr. Pfister said. “We have to give it to the people that fit the list that the state is telling us who we can give it to. Once you open a bar [of Moderna vaccines], you have to use that volume within six hours, so you have to have it all set up nicely, so you don’t waste any of it. Since my office is smaller, we only did 10 per day for 10 days.”

When the Moderna vaccines arrive at Dr. Pfister’s office, they arrive in a freezer, and if left in a freezer, the vaccines can last up to six months. Once they are placed in the fridge, they can last for 30 days. As for the Pfizer vaccine, if it is placed in a freezer at a temperature of at least -76 degrees Fahrenheit, it can last up to six months, and if placed in just a refrigerator, it can only last five days.

“If I opened a bottle and did not have 10 people ready to go, it would not be that much of a concern,” Dr. Pfister said. “There are plenty of people that want the vaccine, and I can easily call another 10 or 20 more patients easily to get to my office within 30 minutes.”

In the beginning of January, Texas was distributing vaccines all around the state, and 877,000 Texans received the vaccine in four weeks, according to The Texas Tribune. Now, vaccines are prioritized to be delivered to the 28 vaccination hubs around Texas that are run by counties and hospitals, which include the Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center, Fair Park and UT Southwestern Medical Center. With many traveling long distances for vaccinations, senior Vanessa Smitty* and her family received the first dose of the Pfizer vaccine from a clinic in Honey Grove, Texas.

“My dad’s coworker has a family that lives in [Honey Grove], and he was telling everyone working in the building to go there because they were throwing away vaccines,” Smitty said. “At the end of the day, the clinic workers were on the streets asking if anyone wanted a vaccine, so they were asking people to bring out all your families so we went.”

Currently, the federal government nor any state in the U.S. require Americans to receive the COVID-19 vaccination. In addition, Dr. Anthony Fauci shared that he would

“definitely not” support a nationwide mandate of the COVID-19 vaccine.

“We will not require vaccines for teachers or students unless it becomes a mandated vaccine by the State of Texas or the Federal government,” Thomas said.

“Currently, the vaccine has not been rolled out to either teachers or students in Texas. However, the federal government left it up to individual states to set their own priorities, and teachers were placed in Phase 1C, despite pleas from the Texas Education Agency.”

percent of students would take the COVID-19 vaccine if

Taking the vaccine made me feel a part of helping prevent the spread and keep people healthy; it was much bigger than what my worries were for my body.

Kim Bannister ESD parent

STOPPING THE SPREAD Lower school nurse Carla Thomas shares her COVID-19 vaccination record card which provides proof that she has recieved both doses of the Moderna vaccine. Thomas is one of the many community members who received the vaccine in the last few weeks. “Just masking and social distancing are not working, plus we can’t get herd immunity too many people are dying,” Thomas said. “Mass vaccinating is the best way to stop the spread. ”

Photo by Grace Knudson

Photo

Upper School Art Teacher Paints

Mural in California

Juan Alberto Negroni spends a week painting ecological mural at San Luis Obispo Museum of Art

By Grace Worsham Staff writer

Upper School art teacher Juan Alberto Negroni spent a week at California’s San Luis Obispo Museum of Art painting an ecological mural, which was unveiled on Jan. 9.

Titled “Pacificaribbean,” this outdoor mural covers all sides of the building and represents a strong connection between art and nature through Negroni’s inspiration of his home town of Bayamón, Puerto Rico.

“I kept in mind the way I paint and the way I conceive my artwork, which often has to do with my place of origin,” Negroni said. “[The mural] was inspired by abstract representation or portrait of everything that has to do with Puerto Rico, culturally and geographically.”

Negroni did not want to lose his art style and wanted to stay true to the artist that he is. He did not want to stray far away from his artist practice, which consists mostly of small format paintings.

“I am not a muralist,” Negroni said. “I am not a street artist. I have never done anything this big. My idea and one thing I wanted was to not fall into the box of a street artist or a muralist, so I put my mind into a place where I could design a huge painting [instead].”

Emma Saperstein, the curator of the project, enjoyed working beside Negroni and experienced a time in which, COVID-19 did not dictate the piece.

“It was a fantastic experience ––both for me personally and for the community at large,” Saperstein said. “We had five local college students serve as Juan’s painting assistants, and the experience was really transformational for them.

After a year of working from home, it was actually really wonderful to be back in installation mode.”

Students of Negroni observe and appreciate his artwork and find that he expresses and immerses himself in his work, which inspires them to do the same.

Puerto Rico, and a Bachelor of Fine Arts with a major in printmaking from Puerto Rico School of Fine Arts.

“I enjoy that Mr. Negroni brings a new perspective into our art class that none of us had really experienced or heard before,” Sawers said. “[He] teaches us… techniques that we will use throughout our entire artistic career… and touches on… how various cultures express themselves through art. He has… painted all over the world, so I think we were all really excited to learn from him and try various styles of art under his guidance.”

Saperstein said she does not regret choosing Negroni for this project and is beyond glad with the result of his hard work.

“I’ve worked with Juan before, and he was honestly the first person who came to mind for the project,” Saperstein said. “His creative vision, the way he works with people and the designs we settled on all just confirmed why his work was the right choice.”

ART IS AN OUTLET TO EXPLORE THE WORLD AND... UNDERSTAND THE WORLD THAT I EXPERIENCE

EVERY DAY.

Juan

Negroni, upper school art teacher

“I definitely see his expression and artistic vision in the pieces that I’ve seen,” sophomore Elizabeth Sawers said. “He has a specific art style that I really love: full of vibrancy and different colors. I think that his art really represents him, which makes it so beautiful and genuine.”

Students alike feel very honored to be taught by Negroni, who possesses a Master of Fine Arts in studio arts from Southern Methodist University in Dallas, a Master of Arts in Education in art history and museum studies from the Caribbean University in

Negroni tries his best to explain what art means to him and finds it comforting to be able to express his words through the pieces he creates.

“[Art] is an outlet [to] explore the world and... understand the world that I experience every day,” Negroni said. “It [seems] cliche, but it is a way of expressing ourselves, even when you are saying something and people don’t understand what you are saying. It codes my world and how I experience my world.”

Negroni was invited to the museum to bring art to the outdoors and to display it in a world that is presently closed off through masks and lockdowns.

“[SLOMA has] a new executive director, [Leann Standish] who came with… [many] new ideas, but she encountered herself in a situation where she couldn’t do much,” Negroni said. “One of the things she envisioned... was this mural project, to bring the museum inside out.”

Beloved clergy member leaves lasting legacy

Resigned due to medical issues, community misses Rev. Amy Heller’s on-campus presence

Rev. Amy Heller, who served at ESD for seven years, left a solid mark on the whole community with her overall peaceful presence and emphasis on creating a better understanding of the Episcopalian foundation.

Heller resigned just before Christmas break due to her second case of metastatic breast cancer after 19 years of remission. This concluded her medical leave that started on Sept. 18. As of now, treatment has been successful, but there is still a journey ahead.

“I think the overriding memory of her for me is her calming

presence,” Associate Head of School Ruth Burke said. “She always maintained this cool collected demeanor, which I believe helped all of us in situations that were either sad or challenging, and I love that about her.”

Heller especially influenced and convinced current Rev. Tim Kennedy to take his current position.

“People who know her have tremendous amounts of respect for her,” Middle and Upper School Chaplain Rev. Tim Kennedy said. “So the idea of getting to work for her and with her was a huge, huge, huge reason why I wanted to come to ESD. She was a huge help to bring me here and was a mentor for me when I got here.”

and sometimes from the very real challenges in our lives as we try out best to love one another.”

Heller further influenced the community as she helped to explain what it meant to be an Episcopal school and how the school should behave to exemplify that.

“I think she really helped ESD better define and understand our Episcopal identity,” Burke said. “If you go on our website now, you see all kinds of things about what it

means to be an Episcopal school,… and I really credit that to Reverend Heller because she really stressed the importance of our Episcopal identity.”

With Heller expressing the importance of the Episcopalian identity, it inspired the topic to become a central topic with families in the admission process.

“Before [Rev. Heller, the Episcopal meaning] was part of the conversation, but now, we lead with that…,” Burke said. “We are an Episcopal school and make sure that we as community members understand that and express that to families who are looking into ESD who might want to come here.”

Not only did Heller emphasize the Episcopalian identity, she also stressed the acceptance of all people, no matter what their belief or background was.

being at ESD because no matter when I passed her, in the hallway, at her desk, or in the chapel, she was always smiling,” senior Sophia Sinacola said. “She always wanted us to be happy, whether that be from the snacks she kept for us in her office or her occasional check in with us. She was always someone I knew I could come to at any time.”

Students and faculty alike miss the presence of Heller, but everyone wants her to focus on her health and healing.

PEOPLE WHO KNOW HER HAVE TREMENDOUS AMOUNTS OF RESPECT FOR HER.

Rev. Tim Kennedy Middle and Upper School Chaplain

“It is really great to be in a community that… is not just one expression of one religion even though we have that foundation,” Heller said. “I find that creating a place where everybody [is welcome], no matter who they are or what they believe or working on what they believe, enables us to learn from and respect one another.”

Student’s cherish Heller’s continual support of the student body and her dedication to leading the Vestry student organization in previous years.

“You could tell Rev. Heller loved

“Her absence has definitely been felt, and a lot of people have said to me how much they miss her personally and professionally,” Kennedy said.

“We wish her the best personally, but selfishly, we also miss having her around as a trusted colleague, a friend, a supporter and someone to lean on.”

Heller continues to have a positive mindset during her illness and strongly believes that her faith has grown through this time in her life. She suggests to everyone to take life one day at a time and live in the present.

“Part of [my strength comes from] what I call my prayer warriors,” Heller said. “The amount of love and prayers that are just covering me is humbling. I have great peace of mind, and I don’t worry. I think that is how we are meant to live––to just stay rooted in the present and feel the love and give the love.”

By Grace Worsham Staff writer

A CALL OF SERVICE Rev. Heller misses sharing her love of faith and story telling. and Being in a school atmosphere and working with people is something she always enjoyed. “Preparing my chapels talks always involved inviting everyone to see God’s love at work in a new way,’ she said. “Sometimes with an object, sometimes with a story,

inbrief

BELOVED COACH PASSES AWAY, ATHLETES SHARE MEMORIES

AFTER A LONG BATTLE WITH ILLNESS, FORMER womens head varsity soccer coach Mike Renshaw passed away on the morning of Feb. 17. In our next issue, the Eagle Edition will be writing a more extensive story about Renshaw’s legacy and impact on the school and the athletic community.

In an email sent to the school community on Feb. 17, Head of School David Baad said that the school will host a Celebration of Life Service for Renshaw on Saturday, February 27, 2021, at 1:00 p.m. in All Saints Chapel and broadcast the event live online. An RSVP link is available in the email.

ON FEB. 8, THE VISUAL ARTS DEPARTMENT OPENED the senior AP art show “Metanoia” to students and faculty. “Metanoia” is a Greek word meaning transformation or change in one’s way of life, which the show explores, gathering inspiration from the changes the COVID-19 pandemic has imposed on students and faculty.

The structure of the art show itself has undergone several changes in contrast to previous years due to the pandemic and leadership changes, further reflecting this year’s theme.

“We’ve had to expand the ceramics studio into the hallway [because of COVID-19 regulations], so we are not using the hallway as a exhibition space this year,” upper school sculpture teacher Dane Larsen said. “Because of the

IN THE MONTH OF JANUARY, SEVEN PHOTOGRAPHY students placed and won 10 total awards in the Association of Texas Photography Instructors’ 2020 Fall Photo Contest.

The Association of Texas Photography Instructors showcases students all over the country within 34 different types of photo entries every year. Over 4,554 entries from 93 different schools across the U.S were judged by four professional photographers.

“It was surprising, to be honest, because it is truly

Renshaw left an indelible impact on the school, breaking winning records and leading his teams to a number of victories, such as the varsity women’s soccer team winning SPC titles every year from 2014-2017. But he was not only an incredible coach; he was also a mentor and role model to all of his student-athletes. Renshaw will be remembered fondly and perennially by the school community.

In the January issue, the Eagle Edition celebrated Renshaw’s life. The following are a few memories his athletes shared:

“Mike was not only a coach, but a guide. He taught us about life and soccer. He was no frills; he told it like it was, and he never had any regrets. He had a ‘have fun,’ but “take no [nonsense]’ kind of attitude. This led to me rearing a lot of adages from him. My favorite was: ‘People make time for the things that they care about.’ It is still a quote I reference at least once a week [and] a quote live my life by. Mike taught me that people show up for the things that mean the most to them, and he always showed up for ESD soccer because not only did ESD soccer mean the most to him, he was ESD soccer. We had a lot of great soccer memories, but the memories that stay with me the most are the life lessons he taught me.” - Gillian Campbell ‘18

“There’s just so many good memories. But one of them would have to be right after we won our first SPC championship, we got back on the bus, and Mike played ‘We are the champions,’ and sang to it at the top of his lungs because he was just so proud of us and knew how much work we put in. That kind of became tradition for us.”

- Ellis Miller ‘17

By Lauren Weber

lack of space, a lot of the work is smaller and also probably a little more packed together than it might normally be. But it’s all really solid, solid work even though it’s not as large as in years past.”

For AP art teacher Juan Negroni, this exhibition was a great surprise that had been accumulating since he started working at ESD at the beginning of the school year.

“Watching the students take the initiative to select the pieces and how to install them was super rewarding,” Negroni said. “Also as an artist and curator, this exhibition gives me the opportunity to teach them something that goes beyond the conceptualization and production of their artwork.”

To Negroni, teaching installation techniques adds an additional level of enjoyment to his work.

“I am super proud of the work of all the participating students,” Negroni said.

Despite the unorthodox challenges presented by the pandemic, Larson and other teachers are confident the pandemic has taught students valuable problem solving skills within their respective artistic spheres.

“I think the kids have done a remarkable job,” Larsen said. “This has been a very hard year to work, but as artists, it’s important to have parameters, which can lead to better work even if you feel like they are holding you back. Knowing you have to work against a problem causes you to work harder...which I think is useful and important for artists, so I’m really proud of the kids for how they responded.”

Club participates in career fair for sister school

Spanish Conversation Club enriches Foster’s Elementary bilingual program

By Katherine Mote Staff writer

DISD’s Stephen C. Foster Elementary School is considered one of ESD’s sister schools. Before the pandemic, Spanish teacher Marcela Garcini and her Spanish classes assisted them through the Conversation Club, which aimed to provide English resources to enrich Foster’s bilingual program as well as assist with real-life use of Spanish for ESD students.

Because of COVID-19, in-person activities such as the Conversation Club have been suspended. However, a virtual career fair has been implemented for ESD students to interview their own parents and proceed to translate the interviews to Spanish to show Foster Elementary students.

“Students in Spanish classes level two all the way to level five are able to interview their parents or any family member and translate it into Spanish,” Garcini said. “The purpose is for the kids to have access to these careers in Spanish.”

incredible to know that someone values my creativity,” sophomore Fia Collins said. “I learned to really catch the things around me and show them in the form of photography.” In addition, freshman Ellison Mattocks received first place in the Beginner Black and White Prints category.

“I took the photo of my father and Mr. Fiala helped me develop and name the picture “Man with Hat,” Mattocks said. “I was pretty surprised when I found out I had won the category because it was the first photography competition that I had ever entered.”

For students, one benefit to winning awards is to list these achievements on their college resume.

“Overall, it helps them throughout their careers by building confidence as it is also something they can put on their college resume,” upper school photography teacher George Fiala said. “This allows them to strive for another achievement while allowing them to be a part of this artist community and learn from other works.”

However, Fiala believes photography competitions aren’t the best measure of a student’s skill or artistic ability.

“I don’t think competing in art is a necessary thing, as art is subjective because each viewer sees a different narrative, so winning a competition doesn’t mean you are a good or bad artist,” Fiala said. “The most important thing is that the student is happy with their work.”

Conversation Club where they would learn English.

“I was part of the Conversation Club last year, and we would go once a month in the mornings and teach the kids English phrases and words using note cards and fun games,” sophomore Corbin Lane said. “I felt like I was making a big difference, and I developed relationships with some of the kids in Foster Elementary as well. This club was something I looked forward to last year, but hopefully by next year we will be able to go back and spend time with the students.”

Members of the club would pair up with another ESD student and one Foster Elementary student and have conversations to practice speaking skills as well as games to practice reading and writing skills.

WE’RE SEEING A LOT MORE KIDS ATTENDING COLLEGE, AND THAT’S A BIG DEAL

AROUND HERE.

Career fairs help children set goals for what they want to accomplish in life and also understand how many options and opportunities there are within professions. In this case, the Foster students are experiencing entirely new career aspirations through these Spanish translations.

John Lentz Foster Elementary Volunteer Coordinator

“I think career fairs are very important especially in these communities right now for [the interviewees] to have a degree,” Garcini said. “It’s not something that [the students] see every day, so when they look at it, [the career fair] raises the bar. Some of these kids will probably be the first generation of kids finishing middle or high school.”

Before COVID-19, Foster Elementary had in-person career fairs and workdays for ESD students as well as a relationship through the

“The Conversation Club and workdays were great for our students, but unfortunately, because of COVID-19, we’ve had to do things virtually and suspended these clubs.” Foster Elementary Volunteer Coordinator John Lentz said. “I think this [virtual career day] is a good thing for our students, especially at this time.

United to Learn, an organization that builds coalitions between public and private schools, has facilitated this sister school relationship and came up with the idea for the career fair. In addition to Foster Elementary, ESD works with two other sister schools, Walnut Hill Elementary and Mi Escuelita.

“ESD has had a great impact in making our students succeed, and we are seeing the culture of our students succeed change,” Lentz said. “We’re seeing a lot more kids attending college, and that’s [a big deal] around here.”

and received donations to provide backpacks to students at Mi Escuelita, one of ESD’s sister schools. Photo provided by Emma England

METANOIA Front of the

By Evelyn Zhao, addtional reporting from Christian Rockamore

By Victoria Willox

WINNING STREAK Coach Mike Renshaw displays his SPC rings in a 2018 photo. Renshaw spent six years as the school’s head womens soccer coach. Photo courtesy of the Eagle Edition V36 Issue 3

life mixedmedia

SENIOR SHINES AT YOUTH SCULPTURE EXHIBITION

By Luke McCabe Life Editor

Senior Elle Etcheverry spent her junior year carefully slicing napkins, using a rolling pin to flatten out plates, curling the tips of clay shrimp and meticulously brushing mixtures of grey paint onto each and every oyster in her sculpture meal display. She has been a hand-builder since her freshman year and finds solace in the sculpture room working with clay.

The handbuilding curriculum encourages students to work on outof-the-box thinking while exploring the elements of three dimensional design with an emphasis on form, edges, size relationships, surface treatments and more.

“Last year, our project was making table displays of food, and I decided to make mine a seafood platter,” Etcheverry said. “I had shrimp, oysters, crab cakes, dinner rolls and then I had the placemats and plates and napkins accompanying them.”

The project took her the entirety of her junior year, but she found that she enjoyed having a creative outlet during her school day. The project was assigned by ceramics teacher Barbara Brault who meant for the assignment to be thought-provoking with no boundaries.

“It can be over-the-top fun, it can be fun with a serious social statement connected to it or it can be a social statement entirely,” Brault said. “There is no right or wrong. Just

boring or not boring.”

Brault hopes for her students to engage the viewer, fill the table and remember that the success of one’s imagery is dependent on the quality of the student’s brainstorming.

“Handbuilding for me is a calming time in the day where I get to just be by myself,” Etcheverry said. “I don’t have to worry about classes and grades and things. I just get to express my creativity.”

However, the process and techniques that go into each and every piece in her display seem very complicated. Creating press molds from bowls and other objects and layering clay atop wood wrapped in canvas to create texture were a few techniques that helped her create her award winning sculptures. Brault especially emphasized the mixing of mediums in the project. Etcheverry executed this technique by using a plastic table, woven table cloth, rock salt and clay.

“I even won $2,500 for my sculpture at a local exhibition,” Etcheverry said. “It was really rewarding, and I felt as if my hard work had finally paid off. The hours I spent designing and planning and executing was recognized.”

Etcheverry won the second place scholarship award at the Blue Print Gallery’s Third Annual Dallas Young Artists Exhibit which took place from Jan. 21 to 25. Brault helped her along

the way, teaching her many of these methods and techniques and urging her to be critical of small details.

Ms. Brault is very personable and really cares a lot about each individual student,” Etcheverry said. “She puts a lot of time into teaching students how to be creative, build craftsmanship and focus on the details. She also has been such an encouraging presence in the sculpture room, helping to hold us accountable and get as close to perfection as possible.”

The assignment, while simple in design, included many complex ideas that went further than sculptural techniques. Title choice, vocabulary of imagery, trusting one’s instincts and self critique are just a few of the ideas and themes the handbuilding class explored.

“In the making process, students are working in a relaxed and informal manner with the elements of three dimensional design,” Brault said. “They are trusting their instincts, rather than having a formal approach...developing critical thinking skills that become an act of discovery.”

Etcheverry said that her modern, abstract approach to naming her piece was one of the more interesting skills she learned during the process. Her piece is entitled NOLA, and she remembered trying to provoke thought by allowing the connection

between the piece and title to be a little more ambiguous.

Brault believes that withholding information from the viewer is key to a successful title. It creates mystery around the piece and allows the onlooker to create their own interpretation of the work. Etcheverry has since moved on from her seafood displays and is working on fine tuning skills like these in her new work.

“This year I’m in AP Sculpture, so it is a little more formulaic, but I’m creating a portfolio with this

CELEBRATION TIME Senior Elle Etcheverry poses next to her display. Her second place ribbon visibly sits on the corner of her table. “Seeing my finished product complemented with a ribbon was pretty great,” Etcheverry said. “I’m excited to see what else I win in the future.” Photo courtesy of Elle Etcheverry

technique called slump molding,” Etcheverry said. “I’m using wood and canvas molds to make a mixture of sculptural pieces with real functionality. I’m really excited.”

Teens get involved in investing, influenced by GameStop incident

By Gina Montagna News Editor

Recently, teens have started to get more involved in educating themselves and investing in stocks, widely because of the influence of social media and other platforms. Amidst the stock market roller coaster with GameStop, Reddit and social media, teens have used their newfound knowledge to help them navigate the stock market at an earlier age and increase their investment potential in the future.

After Reddit users managed to short squeeze GameStop’s stock valuation in January, many teens saw the stock market as a place where they could make a big profit. According to an Eagle Edition poll of 131 students, 41 percent of students invest and 19 percent recently started to invest.

“There has been an increase in teens and young adults investing because of the hype on social media platforms,” president of Student Managed Investment Fund and senior Lucy Sinwell said. “With the technology available to teens, we have access to information and resources to begin investing, and that has pushed many teens to begin early.”

Student Managed Investment Fund meets every Wednesday and places students as the hedge fund

managers of an ESD portfolio.

The students are advised by Chief Financial Officer Robert Bucholz and manage close to $70,000, choosing companies to invest in. This year, the club has focused on investing in environmentally friendly companies, a majority of them being technology companies.

“The fund managers have been very interested in technology stocks, and there’s a good reason for that, because they have a lot of personal knowledge of it and understanding of it,” Bucholz said. “It makes good sense for the fund managers to invest in things they understand.”

Sinwell joined the club her freshman year because she was interested in learning about something new. She began to watch channels like CNBC and use websites like Investopedia to learn more about what she was watching and hearing.

“The club teaches students such a variety of skills,” Sinwell said. “The investing world ecompasses many abilities. At the basics, the members are taught how to look at the market and graphs and discern what different symbols mean. We learn about historical moments such as the ‘08 crash and talk about current events affecting the market. Each guest speaker is super unique and shares their story of success where we always end with a Q and A so students are free to pick the brains of very smart individuals.”

Senior Jackson Fricke recently joined the Student Managed Investment Fund after participating in the Ward Competition, an

investment group portfoliomanaging competition for high school students. Fricke and a few classmates created a portfolio and aimed to invest in ethical companies while still making profits. Fricke does not own his own portfolio, but he has learned how to manage his money and investments for the future because of Investment Club.

“[Investing] prepares you for your life after ESD and after college,” Fricke said. “It’s a very unique and crafty skill that you can have. You can stay involved in the economy and stay involved in the issues or the changes that are happening in the world today. It’s a great way to stay active as a citizen.”

Outside of Student Managed Investment Fund, students like Zachary Habeeb have gotten involved in investing on their own by creating their own portfolios. Habeeb owns a shoe business and has realized that investing in stocks might be another path to earn money.

“The biggest thing is to learn the tricks and learn what you’re doing before you throw money into it because you can lose everything so quickly,” Habeeb said. “Ask your parents before you throw money into it. [When] you can [start investing] at a young age, your repertoire of what you can do becomes a lot more advanced.”

Junior Keil Neuhoff has taken his interest in investment and real estate and created the Real Estate Investment Club. After watching the stock market manipulation by Reddit users, Neuhoff realized that the stock

percent of students believe teens have had an increased interest to invest

market can be unreliable and it is best to invest in tangible assets. He recently started getting involved with investing on his own with an ‘under 18’ portfolio that allows him to get experience with the stock market while learning how it fluctuates.

“I really like the business world, and I have a lot of friends whose parents are involved in commercial real estate,” Neuhoff said. “I like real estate because it’s a tangible asset, [it is] something I can see. It’s not like I’m dealing with a ton of numbers.

No matter what type of investing students are doing, it is important to know one’s risk tolerance and how much one is willing to lose. By starting to invest at an earlier age, more money is compounded and will be available to one upon retirement. Bucholz stresses to his students to diversify the companies they invest in to establish a broader investment range and not place “all of your eggs in one basket.”

percent of students believe investing at an early age is important

Source: Feb. 17 poll of 131 students

“There are a couple of things that are really important to remember about investing, and one of them is to do the research and do your due diligence and answer questions and make sure you get straight answers and go back to the source of actual data,” Bucholz said. “Remember the importance of diversification. It really is more important to not have losers than it is to have winners. It’s really important to be careful, but also have a goal in mind. Frankly, starting early, you’re going to have a longer period of time to learn how to do it right. So, it’s just advantageous to you.”

Rise of cancel culture sparks controversy

Celebrities and teenagers face cancel culture online and in person, many argue the trend’s value

By Emily Lichty Life Editor

Treated employees disrespectfully. Lied about her daughter’s athletic ability for college admissions. Posted transphobic statements online. Failed to follow social distancing guidelines. Titled cosmetic products with offensive names. Made racist comments online and in person. Refused on camera to eat a meal cooked by a professional chef. Celebrities have been cancelled for a variety of reasons.

The concept of cancel culture, or call-out culture, has become more prominent in the past several years on both social media platforms and in real life. With celebrities and ordinary people alike becoming “cancelled,” many wonder if cancel culture has a positive or negative effect on society.

The term cancel culture roughly began in 2017, following the #MeToo movement. While the exact definition is disputed, Merriam-Webster refers to it as “the practice or tendency of engaging in mass cancelling as a way of expressing disapproval and exerting social pressure.”

“[Cancel culture is] removing somebody from society or their social status because of something they’ve said or done,” upper school Guidance Counselor Meredith Stuelpe said. “I think about it as doing it through social media, but I’ve also heard of it called call-out culture, which would mean calling people out, whether it’s for a racist, sexist or homophobic gesture online or in life.”

Cancel culture commonly applies to a celebrity losing their status or being shamed for a mistake, often online. With social media growing in prominence over the past several years, many celebrities have been cancelled for different reasons. Among these celebrities include Ellen Degeneres, Vanessa Hudgens, J.K. Rowling, Demi Lovato, Charli D’Amelio, James Charles and Lori Loughlin. Many have debated whether cancelling a celebrity was justified or not.

“I would say [cancel culture is] appropriate in some situations,” junior Erika Batson said. “There are a lot of instances that I can think of where people were unrightfully canceled...If someone says a racial slur or says something inappropriate, they definitely should be canceled for that, but if someone is dragged into something and gets canceled in the mix, it’s definitely a downside.”

Many have spoken out against cancel culture in the past several years, calling it toxic and too harsh of a punishment for, often, one mistake or misled comment. Public figures including Barack Obama, Kevin Hart and Taylor Swift have spoken out against cancel culture, as everyone cannot be expected to not make mistakes. According to a Feb. 17 poll of 131 students, 42.7 percent of students do not support cancel culture in most situations.

“Cancel culture is deciding that someone’s opinion doesn’t deserve to be heard,” freshman Miles Wooldridge said. “Instead of hearing them out, you’re just going to not listen to them and make it a public decision that no one should listen to them. Basically, you disagree with their opinion by silencing it.”

In replacement of cancel culture, some think that discussions with the celebrity or person who made a mistake are more productive towards preventing future errors and permanent harm to a person’s life or status. For example, when actress Lori Loughlin’s college admissions cheating scandal came out, her daughter, Olivia Jade, faced severe repercussions from her parent’s actions to get her into the University of Southern California. After losing many brand sponsorships from her YouTube channel and facing outrage on social media, Jade dropped out of USC. Wooldridge believes with many instances of cancel culture, the response should be helping those who make mistakes learn from their actions.

“If you disagree with something,

the answer to that is not less speech, it’s more speech,” Wooldridge said. “If you find someone’s opinion to be preposterous, horrible and wrong, then it should be pretty easy to disprove. You can disprove it in any way possible, if that’s voicing it directly to the person, if that’s retweeting them and then saying why [its] wrong, that’s perfectly fine. It’s not okay to just decide that someone doesn’t have the right to voice their opinion.”

Cancel culture does not apply exclusively to celebrities, but average people as well, especially teenagers. According to a Feb. 17 poll of 131 students, six percent of students have been cancelled before. Stuelpe finds there are often many causes for cancel culture amongst teenagers, including making a comment online or in person, getting caught in a lie or even excluding someone from an event. With cancel culture often being more personal and direct for teenagers, Stuelpe hopes that instead of isolating a teenager through cancel culture, their mistake can be used as a learning opportunity for them.

“If you disagree or you have a problem with what somebody has done or said, approach them directly in a way that is kind and will lead to change or growth,” Stuelpe said. “Try to find a way that is helpful and kind while also trying to set limits with what is acceptable. Right now, teens are so isolated. If they make a mistake online and then they get canceled, they’re at home alone with no social outlet and they think that they have no way of coming back. That can really lead to some serious depression.”

With the COVID-19 pandemic, cancel culture has taken on a new meaning, with celebrities and teenagers being cancelled for not following proper social distancing and safety guidelines.

“We’re more aware of what people do, whether you believe it’s right or wrong, since people’s actions are more radical [during COVID-19 pandemic],” Batson said. “Eating inside a restaurant can be seen as radical right now, but, a year ago, I’d go walking into restaurants, and it was not a big deal. Definitely because of COVID-19, everyone is way more aware of what people are doing outside of school because it affects them that much more.”

Some dispute if cancel culture is even real. In an opinion piece for Time Magazine, writer and journalist Sarah Hagi expressed the belief that cancel culture is not real, but that it is just when people receive criticism for their actions, something they are not normally used to. Junior Gabbi Butler does not think that cancel culture is a problem amongst teenagers, but something that mostly applies to public figures.

“People now joke around about it and say someone is cancelled for people for making stupid mistakes,” Butler said. “I don’t think people would [cancel someone] because that’s something that is just in the media. I don’t think it really happens in real life. People will joke around [with cancel culture], but I don’t think people actually cancel people.”

But many see social media as the cause for an increase in the prominence of cancel culture over the past several years. Stuelpe finds that cancel culture often occurs on social media, because people hope to elevate their status through calling out someone else.

“There are some good things that have come out of the use of social media to bring people together to make change that’s much needed.” Stuelpe said. “People have seen that if you cancel or call out somebody online, that can increase your own social status... People are online all the time, and there’ve been a lot of divisive and negative examples in our culture. People, especially teens and middle schoolers, learn by what they see and hear. They are seeing that played out from people that they respect and they’re just doing what’s being modeled.”

CELEBRITY CANCELLATIONS

DID THEY DESERVE IT OR NOT?

ELLEN DEGENERES

After receiving accusations for being unkind, comedian and television host Ellen DeGeneres received severe backlash for rude behavior to fans, celebrities or crew members on her show, “Ellen.” A Twitter thread of stories about DeGeneres being mean and unfriendly received over 2,000 responses.

52

PERCENT OF STUDENTS BELIEVE DEGENERES WAS RIGHTFULLY CANCELLED

CHARLI AND DIXIE D’AMELIO

TikTok stars Charli and Dixie D’Amelio received criticism from followers after the D’Amelio family posted a video online of the family’s dinner party with YouTuber James Charles. Many fans named the stars rude and entitled based on their actions in the video. Charli lost over a million followers after backlash surrounding the event.

48

PERCENT OF STUDENTS THE D’AMELIOS WERE RIGHTFULLY CANCELLED

J.K. ROWLING

After she made transphobic comments on Twitter, many fans decided to cancel author J.K Rowling. After multiple transphobic statements, Rowling released a statement condemning cancel culture. Critics of Rowling’s actions include Emma Watson, Daniel Radcliffe and Rupert Grint, stars of the film adaptation of Rowling’s Harry Potter series

46

PERCENT OF STUDENTS BELIEVE ROWLING WAS RIGHTFULLY CANCELLED

JAMES CHARLES

Youtube makeup artist James Charles experienced cancel culture after another Youtube personality, Tati Westbrook, accused Charles of being inconsiderate and offensive. Westbrook expressed anger for Charles endorsing a rival vitamin brand to her own, despite their friendship. While Charles posted an apology video a couple hours after, he lost a total three million subscribers after Westbrook’s accusations.

47

PERCENT OF STUDENTS BELIEVE CHARLES WAS RIGHTFULLY CANCELLED

JIMMY FALLON

Comedian and talk show host Jimmy Fallon received backlash after doing a Chris Rock impersonation on “Saturday Night Live” while he was wearing black face. While the footage of his impersonation resurfaced from 2000, fans still criticized Fallon. He released an apology for his actions, receiving different varying responses from fans.

64

PERCENT OF STUDENTS BELIEVE FALLON WAS RIGHTFULLY CANCELLED

Source: Feb. 17 poll of 131 students

Graphic by Emily Lichty

Graphic by Emily Lichty

thebuzz

“Over Christmas break we got a puppy, so raising him has been a pretty fun and heartwarming experience. We had to drive up to Oklahoma to get him, which was a three or four hour drive, and my brother didn’t know we were getting one. We were getting him [the puppy] for a Christmas present, and his reaction to getting the puppy was super cute and really heartwarming to see because he was super happy.”

Ava Loftus, freshman

Spreading delight

Students and faculty share their favorite hobbies and memories over the past year that bring them joy

By Alexandra Warner Staff writer

“Theater brings me a lot of delight because the people in theater with me are extremely nice. I can go on stage and be as energetic and enthusiastic as I want to be. I always look forward to theater and the people who do theatre with me are really kind and it’s a great way that I’ve made friends. My experience [in the Crucible] is pretty good and super fun due to the fact that the tech run went very well. We all were able to get our cues right and learn the lighting.”

Billy Bryan, sophomore

“I started volunteering [at Hunger Busters] when I was a freshman and since then [I’ve] volunteered over 20 hours there. It makes me happy because it’s a great way to get involved with the community while hanging out and meeting new ESD students. We make sandwiches for children not knowing when their next meal is... to come. Because you are having a great time catching up with your friends, it can make a four hour shift feel like only an hour.”

James Click, junior

“I love looking for the little things in life that most [people] don’t focus on. Recently, I was having a… bad day and on my drive home, I was stopped at a red light. On the opposite side of the street was a man sitting in his car, windows rolled… down, music blasting, and [he was] screaming his music. My mouth just lifted up into a smile. He reminded me that there are small moments to be happy for and… to slow down and focus on the nuances of my life that bring me joy.”

Hadley Mattocks, senior

“My neighborhood was horribly hit by the tornado last year. The day after, my husband, my son and I started working [in our backyard] and we barely made a dent. I had gone by Father Swann’s house and… saw that… students had come to help Mrs. Swann. So I emailed Mother Amy and [asked] ‘if you could direct anybody to come that would be great.’ The next day, I’m outside working and all of a sudden I see… 30 plus students… showing up.”

Kimberly Rogers, history and religion teacher

When the stars align

Amidst uncertainty, teens turn to astrology for guidance and entertainment, sparks debate

By Elisabeth Siegel Communications Director

For a generation struggling to navigate uncertain times, astrology has been a spiritual guide that has caught the eye of many teens. Eons after the Hindu, Chinese and Mayan cultures looked to the skies for guidance, the ‘mystical services market’ is estimated to be worth $2.1 billion according to the New York Times.

Astrology has existed in ancient cultures for thousands of years.

The various forms of astrology are thought to have connected when Alexander the Great conquered Egypt around 330 BC, according to astronomer Sten Odenwald, the director of Citizen Science at the NASA Space Science Education Consortium.

“We don’t really know who first came up with the idea for looking at things in nature and divining influences on humans,” Odenwald said in an interview with Time Magazine.

exploring astrology, 30 percent of students in a Feb. 17 poll of 131 students don’t understand the craze. Sophomore Camila Rivera, for example, is a firm non-believer in astrology and has recently observed it being talked about more frequently.

“How are you going to say you are acting a certain way because of your astrology sign?” Rivera said. “That doesn’t make sense to me. People take the definition of their sign to heart. I don’t know how this trend started, but because it’s a trend, people look up their sign and believe it because other people believe it too. I don’t believe it, but the people who believe in it can choose to do whatever they want.”

IF YOU GO INTO A HIGH ENOUGH LEVEL OF UNDERSTANDING, YOUR SIGNS AND NATAL CHARTS WILL MAKE SENSE FOR YOU.

“There’s some indication that cave art shows this idea that animals and things can be imbued with some kind of spirit form that then has an influence on you…That was taken over by the idea of divination, where you can actually look at things in nature and study them carefully, such as tea-leaf reading.”

Websites like Cafeastrology and apps such as Co-Star and Nebula, which are devoted to astrology, flourish on a daily basis. By just plugging in her exact time and place of birth, freshman Gwyn Moore learned about her zodiac sign, natal chart and future life lessons.

“If you go into a high enough level of understanding, your signs and natal charts will make sense for you,” Moore said. “Many things will resonate with your personality and you can understand yourself more. It’s for people who want to explore the deeper meaning of life and how it’s connected to the universe.”

At every person’s birth, there are 10 astrological planets aligned for the individual. According to where the planet is at birth, each planet gets a sign, making up the individual’s natal chart. There are 12 zodiac signs, either in the earth, fire, water or air groups. The main “planet” that people look to is their sun sign.

“In order for it to determine your personality, you have to dig deeper into it,” Moore said. “A lot of people think that it’s determined only by your sun sign, which isn’t the case because you have a full chart of signs. A lot of those other ones are the ones that actually determine things about your personality. It’s accuracy depends on how much you look into it.”

But while several teens enjoy

The compatibility aspect of astrology interests many young people, and provides information of which signs one gets along with.

In 2020, Snapchat developed an astrology feature, telling users about their added friends and whether their signs harmonize.

“People bring relationships into it, saying stuff like, ‘oh your ex was a Libra? Yikes,’” Rivera said. “There are websites where you can figure out your signs and it tells you things about you. You read it and you’re like ‘oh that’s right!’ What it tells you is so broad, that it makes you believe that it’s true.”

While many teens believe in their sign’s accuracy, others don’t relate to the traits given to their sign.

“I don’t really relate to my sign because I feel like the main characteristics say I’m supposed to be sentimental and overly sensitive about things, and I think to some extent that’s true about me but not to the extremes that characterize my zodiac sign,” sophomore Ashley Stacy said. “Sometimes it’s really accurate and sometimes it’s not. I do think there might be some truth to [astrology], but not 100 percent.”

And the astrological world has caught the eye of many brands as well, many who have started tailoring their marketing around it to attract young consumers. Tarte, New Balance, Amtrak and Spotify, to name a few, have created campaigns recommending customers different products based on their zodiac sign.

“Everything Gen-Z uses, there’s astrology all over it,” Rivera said. “It’s so implemented into our society that it’s literally everywhere you go: on your phone, in real life, on your computer, literally everywhere. Even talking in conversations around the school, I’ve heard people mention figuring out their astrology signs and all of that stuff...It’s hard to separate from the fact that everyone else believes it. I think that because everyone else believes it, you look

different if you don’t.”

Based on the zodiac signs, horoscopes are astrological forecasts of a person’s future. Tarot cards, on the other hand, are playing cards that allegedly predict people’s future. Both methods give insight into a person’s day and determine whether the stars are aligned for them. Sophomore Cren Boyd looks at these fortune-tellers for amusement, but still seems to identify with her zodiac sign.

“I don’t necessarily believe in horoscopes,” Boyd said. “Sometimes

I’ll read them, though, because they’re fun. They usually inspire me to get about my day and to become a better person. They give you something to predict and hope for.”

For many, it has been a source of inspiration and positive hope during ambiguous times. Well renowned astrologer Tara Greene’s main motivation for her work is to empower her clients but stresses that being psychic takes time and effort.

“I know there are a lot of young kids these days who think they can just pick up a deck and just do it,

but there is a structure to a real tarot and that takes a long time to really learn,” Greene said in an interview with MysticMag. “We are going through major world changes and the best thing to do is to really tune in to yourself, stay grounded and remember that life is always about change. You need to connect to your higher self, which is the whole purpose of the tarot [and astrology]. Stay strong, stay positive, stay optimistic and keep creating positive outcomes for yourself, no matter how challenging things are.”

Gwyn Moore, freshman

Graphic by Elisabeth Siegel

AQUARIUS PISCES ARIES TAURUS GEMINI CANCER

LEO VIRGO LIBRA

SCORPIO SAGITTARIUS

CAPRICORN

Mask enforcement differs in lower school

Lower school encourages mask wearing during pandemic, adapts based on age

By Maddy Hammett Staff writer

All over the country schools are enforcing mask wearing to help keep members of the school community safe. While mandating masks for upper school students appears to be straightforward, lower school administrators have approached the mandate differently to better suit the needs of younger students.

Masks have been mandated across the country and in most school districts. Most schools must follow the appropriate mask wearing guidelines recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and World Health Organization, however some depend on the school district.

A recent study published in Health Affairs, found that the growth rate before and after mask mandates led to a slowdown in daily COVID growth rate. After three weeks of the mask mandate, the daily growth rate slowed by three percent. It has been made clear by countless recent studies that mask enforcement greatly slows the transmission rate and spread of COVID-19. In turn, these mandates have become essential in keeping students safe during in person learning.

Upper school mask mandates operate according to the guidelines set by the CDC. These guidelines have set the standard for all in person safety regulations.

“When used consistently and correctly, along with other important mitigation strategies, masks may help slow the spread of COVID-19,” as stated on the CDC website. “It is recommended that people wear masks in public settings and when around people who live outside of their household.”

As mask wearing has become more essential to keeping school communities safe, along with

the mandate comes disciplinary enforcement. If an upper school student is wearing their mask under their noses or on their chin, or is refusing to wear their mask, they are issued a community health violation, similar to a community violation. Students may also receive a community health violation for wearing a non ESD approved mask. ESD masks have been mandated to keep masks looking uniform and to ensure that all masks cover the students nose and mouth.

Assistant Head of Upper School, Jeff Laba and Head of School David Baad decided a disciplinary system that would enforce mask wearing among upper school students was necessary.

“Teachers have two options,” Laba said. “They can issue a regular [community violation] if it was just sort of a little mistake...but if they feel it is something stronger they can issue what we call a health violation. There’s also a set of rules that say that if you have more than two health violations within a week then you have to learn remotely for a day and if you have multiple within a certain period of time it can escalate to having a student learn remotely for up to a week.”

Mask enforcement becomes a little less clear for younger students. Head of Lower School, Tracey Shirey worked tirelessly in the summer with lower school students and parents to ensure a safe school environment during the pandemic.

“We really come from a love and logic standpoint rather than a disciplinary standpoint,” Shirey said.

“We demystified the masks early on by showing videos to the kids and giving masks to the parents when we did our Eagle Camp in the summer before this school year. We also made sure that if a child was really

struggling to keep their mask on, the teacher could suggest a mask break rather than disciplining the student.”

As the year has progressed, lower school students became more used to mask wearing. Lower school teachers note that while the initial discomfort from the masks was difficult for some of the younger students, most of the students have little problem with the masks now.

“Surprisingly, they have adapted very well,” Pre-kindergarten teacher Cindy Ragan said. “I would say the children have definitely gotten better with the masks as the year has progressed. At the beginning of the year, most of the children couldn’t wait to take their masks off for a mask break once we got outside to the playground. Recently though, I have noticed that most of the children don’t even bother to remove it now when we’re playing on

the playground. It’s as if they aren’t phased by it at all anymore.”

One of the major issue for masks usage in the lower school hasn’t been making sure the students are willing to wear their masks, but instead, making sure the masks fit the younger students.

“The biggest struggle we’ve seen has been with our 3 to 4 year olds and making sure the masks fit for them,”Shirey said. “So we’ve had to use nose bridges and synchers to help keep the masks in place. Their faces are just so small that without the synchers, masks would naturally fall throughout the day. “

Although upper school and lower school both have different ways of enforcing and regulating mask wearing, one thing remains the same. Masks are essential for all students to keep everyone on campus. After months of online school last year,

students have grown to appreciate the environment in person learning has to offer, and not just upper school students but also lower school students understand the importance of mask wearing while in person.

“One thing that has really been helping our kiddos has been that when we went into quarantine in March of last year, students really wanted to be in person again and they were really willing to do anything necessary so they could be learning in person again,” Shirey said. “That has really worked in our favor for sure.”

WEARING IS CARING Fourth graders Lexi Mercado, Scarlett Moore and Maggie Hall follow a Youtube video led exercise while remaining socially distanced. Masks were worn throughout the entire duration of games and exercise activities.

Photo by Maddy Hammett

CULTURE CRASH is a compilation of significant pop culture events made by Life Editors Emily Lichty and Luke McCabe that highlight tech news & other short snippets of info regarding important people and events from around the globe.

12

Terrific Tom

Super Bowl LV, between the Kansas City Chiefs and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, ended in a Buccaneers victory of 31-9. Quarterback Tom Brady led his new team to their second franchise Super Bowl win and his personal seventh Super Bowl win, making him the winningest quarterback of all time and the only man with more Super Bowls than every other team in the NFL. He truly assumed the status of greatest of all time and doused Chiefs’ quarterback Patrick Mahomes’ hopes of winning his second Super Bowl in a row.

Oh say can you see

The NBA released a statement on Feb. 10 that it will now require every team, including the Mavericks, to play the national anthem before each game. This announcement is in response to Mark Cuban’s recent statement that they will stop playing the national anthem in the American Airlines Center at Mavericks games. Cuban responded by saying that he will respect the NBA’s decision but, as he said in an interview with NPR, hopes that “we also hear the voices of those who do not feel the anthem represents them. We feel they also need to be respected and heard.”

Politicians use social media to target Gen Z

Recent election season shows increased use of politicians on social media, bridges gap with young voters

By Carolyn Langford Copy Editor

Opening Senator Jon Ossoff’s TikTok profile in the weeks leading up to the Georgia Senate runoff, one would find a compilation of videos of Ossoff and his campaign participating in current trends on the app with the intent of presenting young voters with information on voting and promoting the Ossoff campaign.

In past years, social media has played a larger role in bridging the gap between politicians and constituents by facilitating easily accessible and digestible information for younger voters. Additionally, social media is becoming increasingly used to foster connection and amiability with Gen Z through current trends.

According to a Feb. 17 poll of 131 students, 64 percent of students noticed politicians targeting Gen Z more often during this election season.

“During this last Senate race with Jon Ossoff is when I started seeing [the engagement on social media] happen more and more [and seeing] people in my generation respond really well to that,” senior Charlotte Clark said. “Just in the past year, it’s happened so much more. A part of that is because of quarantine, too. Politicians are getting more time to interact with their voters and their fans.”

facts out as you can, there’s only so much you can put in one post, and a lot more gets accomplished with better platforms,” freshman Miles Wooldridge said. “Ideally, though, what you get is a politician that just posted like a link to an opinion piece they’ve written for a news column or a podcast. Those are the ways that you actually show you your views because long form conversation will take you so much farther than short snippets on Snapchat or Instagram.”

Some, including Clark, believe an important distinction must be made between social media’s use as a bridge for politicians and constituents versus as a source of news.

TRADITIONALLY, YOUNG VOTERS HAVE BEEN OVERLOOKED IN MANY CONVERSATIONS. Jill

“Obviously, [social media is] not built to be people’s primary source of news,” Clark said. “I don’t think you’re going to go on TikTok and expect that it’s going to be the most factual [source]. However, it is to get so much more just like connecting with the generations.”

having an advantage.”

As with all social media users, concern arises around one not receiving information from all sides of the political spectrum. Because users can be selective in the information they see on social media, it can be easy for social media to become a place that repeats one’s beliefs rather than a space that exposes one to multiple perspectives.

“It’s really easy to get into what I’ve seen called an ‘echo chamber,’ where you’re only hearing voices of people who are really reinforcing what you already believe,” Quarles said. “That can make you less open to hearing other opinions…It’s a problem when people feel that they can sum up an opinion, or an idea or a policy in something like a tweet or a meme. You lose a lot of nuance.”

Politicians have the liberty and means to produce whatever content they want, so they should be held to higher standards.

“Politicians are in a leadership position whether we think so or whether they think so,” Quarles said. “If they’re engaging with aggression or with hostility or pettiness, that’s almost certainly going to permeate the conversations that we’re having around them.”

3 4 5 6

Age is just

a number

A 116-year-old French nun was diagnosed with COVID-19 in mid January. Despite her age and apparent risk factors, she was asymptomatic. In a recent interview by Time Magazine, Sister Andrés said she “didn’t even realize she had it.” She is believed to be the second-oldest person alive, and the oldest person to survive COVID-19. She was cleared in early February, right before her 117th birthday.

GME to the moon

In January, a Reddit group called WallStreetBets engaged in a short squeeze, using social media to cause major problems for Wall Street hedge funds like Melvin Capital. Soon after, trading apps like Robinhood and WeBull halted the buying of stocks like Gamestop and AMC. This caused the Gamestop stock to plummet to $53.50 at the Feb. 11th closing bell, almost a 700 percent decrease over the last two weeks. Many argue that the halting of trading is a result of corruption and are calling for legal repercussions to the trading apps.

Fearless

All six of Taylor Swift’s albums are owned by investors, so in an attempt to regain ownership of her music, Taylor Swift announced that she will be releasing a re-recording of her famous album “Fearless.” She hopes the experience will help her get in touch with herself and be full of nostalgia. The 31-year-old singer says this is the first step of a long term plan to regain control of her songs.

North West or Bob Ross?

Kim Kardashian posted on her Instagram story on Feb. 9 of an oil painting that her daughter, North West, allegedly painted. The painting depicted scenes of mountains and trees; many took to social media to cast doubt that West actually painted this piece. Kardashian responded with claims that her daughter is enrolled in a “pretty serious” oil painting class and has been working on the painting for weeks.

Numerous politicians have expanded their social media efforts by joining platforms like TikTok and Snapchat. 84 percent of students who use Instagram noticed politicians being active this election season. These platforms cater primarily to Gen Z, which has pushed political content to become targeted to young people through popular trends.

“Traditionally, young voters have been overlooked in many conversations,” Spanish teacher Jill Quarles said. “And so it’s positive to have a move to try and better integrate them into the public that they’re addressing.”

However, with this growing activity, the question that arises is whether or not younger voters can become too reliant on these limited information sources. Complex news stories and political initiatives can be oversimplified and leave voters under-informed.

“Even if what you’re actually doing is trying to put as many

While some platforms such as TikTok are meant more for entertainment, Twitter and Instagram have grown to be more common resources for a first look at actual news. “Throughout this year, I have seen that Instagram is more factual because there are actually links to different sources,” Clark said. “So it’s so much more of a database to find factual information.”

But for many in the Gen Z demographic, social media serves as their first, and maybe only, exposure to politics and news. This will likely shape the political views of many and potentially change the stereotype that children will inherit their parents’ ideas. 60 percent of students believe in the importance of politicians’ interaction with young voters via social media.

“Because social media is where Gen Z is, in the long run, politicians [on the apps] are definitely going to be helpful in terms of establishing ties [to a political party,]” Wooldridge said. “If you want to get them at a young age, then yes, social media is definitely where to start. So, the politicians that are better at using social media are going to end up

Most politicians choose to represent themselves and produce content in different ways. For example, Rep. Alexandria OcasioCortez hosted a livestream playing the popular online game AmongUs with other influencers to promote voting. Most politicians’ strategies vary based on their goals, whether it be promoting themselves, informing or providing entertainment.

“Definitely a major contributor to the reason Trump was elected was because he was able to tweet constantly, but it also hurt him,” Wooldrige said. “Just being divisive can get you a following, but it can also get you people that hate you. So, Biden’s tactic was more ‘I’m normal, I’m normal, trust me on normal’ and that also helped him. It’s just who your voters are who you are trying to get. And that will change your tactic.”

Interaction with politicians—no matter the platform— can increase unity between constituents and representatives. By being more present on social media, politicians could foster this unity with younger generations.

“More than anything, I feel like sometimes we see politicians as a separate group that is making decisions that we’ll never know about,” Clark said. “But them becoming more transparent through social media has definitely gotten everyone more interested in politics.”

Graphic by Carolyn Langford

TWO-FACED Representative Alexandria

Quarles, Spanish teacher

the situation

Birth order theory attributes traits to each sibling, siblings shape family dynamics and life beyond one’s childhood home

By Sloane Hope Business Manager

Asst.

Upper school English teacher Antonia Moran was in eighth grade. Her brother was in seventh. Moran was making egg salad while her brother was changing the T.V. channel — it annoyed her. Her brother ran over to Moran, grabbed the egg salad bowl and ran around the house with the bowl in hand. Moran eventually caught up and grabbed one side of the bowl, while her brother clutched to the other side. They pulled the bowl back and forth. And then, finally, the bowl couldn’t take it any longer and the egg salad spilled all over the floor. Silence. The arguing stopped and they started to laugh. Everything they were annoyed about seemed to suddenly disappear. Moran said this pattern seemed to always happen when she and her brother got in fights.

t is often said that siblings can be your best friend and greatest enemy at the same time. Despite being one another’s built-in best friends, rifts between siblings can be devastating, lasting days, weeks and in some cases, a lifetime. Many aspects come into play when analyzing sibling bonds; however, birth order, parents and outside relationships play the biggest roles.

IThe birth order theory was first posited by Alfred Adler, an Austrian psychologist that lived in the early 1900s. Adler was the first to establish psychology as an individual study and also produced many theories on the inferiority complex and individualism as well as sibling relationships and the birth order theory, which suggests that each child’s position in the family (oldest, middle or youngest) affects certain aspects of their life. Adler believed that things from one’s career path to relationships with other people were heavily influenced by their place in the family, creating stereotypes for each sibling after he studied them long enough.

The firstborn tends to have the following characteristics: Natural leader, high achiever, bossy, organized, rule follower and sometimes, a know-it-all. After basking in the spotlight of their parents, firstborns must feel the sting of that spotlight being ripped away with the arrival of a sibling, which is often a source of animosity between first and second borns. Afterwards, they take on the role of “mini parents,” stepping in to help with the younger kids, which is how most of the fore-mentioned characteristics begin to develop.

“Being the oldest is all about setting an example for your younger siblings,” junior Jake Lewis said. “Being the oldest of [eight] is definitely a lot of added pressure, but it’s also really fun to be like a parent and be able to teach them things and watch them grow.”

Next come the middle children who are typically flexible, easy-going, independent, social, secretive and have strong negotiating skills. However, “middle child syndrome,” the feeling of being overlooked or ignored because of being a middle child, is commonly felt amongst these children, and can therefore lead to some being highly rebellious in an attempt to get attention from their parents. Senior Cleo Neuhoff has two older brothers and a younger brother, making her the middle child and the only girl in a family of boys; however, Neuhoff said she doesn’t mind it.

“I enjoy being the middle child because my parents got

to use the first two boys to figure everything out, a bit more laid back when it comes to me,” Neuhoff know that most middle children would say they looked, but I think being the only girl in a family tainly helps. I don’t know if the situation would the same if I had been a boy.”

Over the years, the youngest children have utation for being the most spoiled children with freedom. They are also very outgoing, creative, funny and at times, self-centered. Youngest children be coddled the most by their parents and can get being treated as the baby of the family their whole

“Being the youngest of four, I benefit from the ence each of my siblings has gathered and passed junior Lili Kelly said. “But it comes at a price when, ner table for instance, my opinion isn’t taken as my older siblings’ because I don’t have that ‘life Finally, the only child. Being the only object ent’s affections, only children are characterized ture, private, sensitive, dependable, demanding their parents. While they might not have siblings, only child affects one just as much as those with lings. Only children are also known to enjoy adults rather than children their own age and therefore to be considered old-souls.

“Being an only child has taught me a lot dence, and I feel as I grow up, being my parents’ has allowed me to gain more life knowledge, ciate all the attention,” junior Kathryn Sullivan have always felt I have matured a lot faster than friends with siblings.”

According to psychologist Ashley Kuehne gest impact birth order plays in sibling relationships down to alliances within the family, however according Feb. 17 poll of 131 students, only 30 percent of they get along with one sibling more than another. says that certain characteristics displayed by in the family, along with those of the parents, draw other members of the family, creating unspoken ances within one household.

“The firstborn often becomes a surrogate feels like they need to correct their younger siblings, them of the rules and sometimes tell on their lings,” Kuehne said. “So they are more of an adult figure, or can be, which can often pit their younger against them. The middle child is often referred forgotten child, but they’re very much the They don’t want a lot of fights, and they try to peace. So they might more likely be mediating

41

48 percent of students get in fights with their siblings often

Photos by Satori Griffith

Photo Editor

Additional reporting by Asst. Photo Editor Satori Griffith and Copy Editor Carolyn Langford

out, so they are Neuhoff said. “I they feel overfamily of boys cerwould have been gained a repwith the most creative, competitive, children tend to get annoyed at whole life. the life experipassed on to me,” when, at the dinas seriously as experience.’” object of their parcharacterized as being mademanding and close to siblings, being the with many sibbeing around therefore tend lot of indepenparents’ only child knowledge, and I appreSullivan said. “I than most of my

‘93, the bigrelationships comes according to a of students say another. Kuehne by each sibling can attract or unspoken allisurrogate parent and siblings, remind their younger sibadult or parent younger siblings referred to as the peacemakers. just keep the mediating between the

youngest or the oldest and trying to keep things peaceful.”

Pre-Kindergarten teacher Jana Jeffrey, who is the third of four children, said that her ally in the family was her young er sister.

“Me and my younger sister are so similar and alike that we’ve always been naturally drawn to each other,” Jeffrey said. “We would get into little fights here and there just be cause we were so similar, but we would mostly just gang up on my older sister because she’s very different than we are. My younger sister and I are super fun and outgoing while my older sister cares more about the following and enforc ing the rules.”

The various characteristics of each child coupled with the need for parental attention and approval can be a strong factor in many sibling rifts. Often, children find themselves jealous over the characteristics of their other siblings that are most admired by their parents; for instance, the middle child might be jealous of how proud their parents are of the oldest sibling and their academic prowess and leadership skills, while the oldest sibling is probably jealous of the lack of pressure put on the middle child and how much more lenient the parents are with them.

I’m like, ‘I left an hour ago’... and I think that is one of the reasons why I love attention so much now, because I was not paid as much attention as my siblings growing up. Obviously, my parents are awesome, and I totally love them, but I think they did pay more attention to the oldest and the youngest, so the middles kind of figured that out on their own.”

“As therapists, we like to look more at how a child’s environment can shape their characteristics, and I think the parents have a lot to do with that,” Kuehne said. “How they treat each child, the either spoken or unspoken rules, if one child is treated differently than the other and which roles each child has that are in alignment with the parents are going to feed that.”

Growing up, it is arguably the goal of each child in the family to be the favorite of one, if not both, of their parents, which can create a lot of tension and struggle between siblings. If one child becomes the obvious favorite of one parent, it can cause the other children to be detached and more distant from that parent, as they believe nothing they do will ever measure up to what the favorite sibling does. It also, in turn, can cause resentment between the siblings. That special treatment and the obvious difference in how one sibling is cared for is oftentimes the root of many sibling rifts and rivalries, as the others feel it’s unfair they are treated as less than.

“A major cause of fighting amongst siblings is a lack of connection,” family coach Kim Griffith said. “When one or more children is not feeling seen, heard or valued, it is most likely a reflection of how their parents are acting, and it is very common for a child to react in a negative way.”

Jeffrey notes that she can still feel overlooked or ignored as an adult like she did when she was younger.

“My little sister always gets all the attention,” Jeffrey said.

percent of students don’t get in fights with their siblings often

it is just a theory and does not apply to all sibling relationships and situations. Here is what the families on the spread had to say, from left to right: The Altizers, three siblings: James (8th), Marguerite (Kindergarten), Mary Grace (11th). “Since we have a really big age gap, I think that birth order has definitely shaped the way we all interact with each other,” Mary Grace said. “James and are around three years apart, so it was really great to have a built in play mate growing up. This being said, we definitely get into more arguments because of how close in age we are...We are both also really close with Margie, but in different ways. James and Margie have a more playful relationship—they pick on each other — and have a more maternal relationship with her.” The Goelzers, twins: Sophie and Elizabeth (10th). “My sister and I have a great relationship, we’re super close,” Elizabeth said. “She’s always there for me, and we have the best time whenever we’re together. I think being a twin is different than other siblings because we get to share experiences together and that’s what makes us so close.” The Tomlins, Sally (10th) and Charlotte (9th). “It’s much easier to get along now that we are older and go to the same school,” Sally said. “We usually only fight about small things like stealing clothes. The only downside of being the only two children is that we don’t have another sibling to back one of us up when we are fighting.” Jackson Morash (11th), an only child. “I would say for me personally being an only child forced me into being more imaginative...while at the same time hurting me with some things like sharing and argumentation because there was no practice at home,” Morash said.

percent of students say they have a good relationship with their siblings

Growing up, Moran said she fit the oldest-child stereotype; she was worried about her studies, more serious and constantly quarreling with her younger brother.

“We fought a lot growing up,” Moran said. “We would always sit at opposite ends of a table to do our homework, and I would always diligently do my homework, and him, not so much. He would just enjoy bugging me so he’d make these funny sounds with his mouth, like he’s eating peanut butter or something, just to annoy me.”

Many siblings become closer as adults, leaving petty arguments and immaturity behind with their childhood. Moran’s case is the same, as her and her brother became close during college.

“When I went to college, he visited me a couple times, and I remember really enjoying his company for the first time ever,” Moran said. “He’s really funny and entertaining, but he just drove me crazy as a kid. I ended up at UCLA and he went to USC, so we’d see each other a lot and just started to really enjoy each other’s company. I think it changed because he used to be an annoying little brother, and then I think he tried to be more mature.”

Moran now acknowledges that her relationship with her brother and her three sons’ relationships with each other mirror Adler’s stereotypes.

“With my brother and I, I was always working really hard on school and stuff of that nature, but my brother wouldn’t be bothered if he did his homework or not, so he was definitely a bit more lax than I was,” Moran said. “But with my kids, I find it crazy how much their stereotypes match up. My oldest is really type-A and a little more serious, my second one is the pleaser and a little more laid back and goes more with the flow and my youngest is Mr. Happy-Go Lucky; he can just yo-yo for hours and is just so much more easy going. My second child is also very often the peace-keeper between the oldest and youngest, and I don’t want my kids to feel like they have to fit these specific identities, but that really does seem to be a big part of their personalities.”

percent of students say they get along with one sibling more than the others

Source: Feb. 17 poll of 131 students

The Eagle Edition staff ventured into Trader Joe’s before the freezing temperatures to stock up on different snacks and meals to try during this snow week at home. Here are a few of the items that they tried.

This chicken sausage burrito is easily prepared for a quick meal. I was pleasantly surprised when I tried this burrito, as I speculated that it would not taste as fresh since it was premade, but it turned out to be just as good as a burrito you could get in a restaurant. The burrito has it all: the flavor, the chicken sausage, the eggs and the cheese. The burrito’s instructions offer both an oven and microwave heating option, which is convenient for a meal before school. For something that is premade, this burrito surpassed my expectations.

This is probably the strangest item I have tried from Trader Joe’s, as I had no idea what to expect. But surprisingly, the chocolate hummus turned out to be better than I anticipated. The hummus is made from chickpeas, so it did have a grainy consistency, but it did not take away from the sweet taste. I presumed that this hummus would taste like a strange version of chocolate, but to my surprise, it had a rich intense chocolate flavor. This hummus that can be used as both a dip and a spread almost reminds me of a healthier alternative of Nutella. I tried using the hummus on both plain crackers and strawberries. While the chocolate hummus is a strange concept, I would recommend trying it—it is a worthwhile experience.

The Crunchy Cinnamon Squares did not impress me enough to where I would buy them again, but they were not necessarily disappointing. The first thing I noticed was how little cinnamon each square actually had as opposed to the image on the box. The taste was sweet but lacks the same rich flavor that the similar cereal, Cinnamon Toast Crunch, possesses. By the time I had finished the cereal, most of the cinnamon on the square had disappeared out into the milk and left the squares tasting slightly flavorless. This cinnamon cereal is not bad, but it could definitely benefit from some improvements.

Although there has been lots of hype around the Everything But The Bagel Seasoning for a while now, I never got around to actually trying the product until recently. I first used the seasoning on avocado toast, and words cannot describe how perfectly it tasted. This versatile seasoning is ideal for any breakfast food and will take your morning meal to the next level. The combination of sea salt, onion, garlic and sesame seeds make your food taste like an everything bagel, actually even better. I highly recommend this seasoning to anyone looking to add some savory flavor to your food.

These tortilla chips are one of the many miracles made by Trader Joe’s. The spicy and tangy flavor makes the salivary glands work hard. And the spice is not overbearing — instead, it provides just a tingling sensation on your mouth. The crunchiness left me wanting for more. This stuff is addicting. I would without a doubt suggest these tortilla chips for a quick and easy snack to have in your pantry to satisfy a spicy craving.

When I was roaming through the frozen foods section, the kale gnocchi caught my eye quickly, as I had never considered kale and gnocchi as a food combination. Although I was initially very excited to try this at home, I ended up being disappointed with the end results. Not only was this gnocchi very difficult and messy to prepare, it also had a strange, somewhat grainy consistency to it. The flavor, even with sauce added, was bland. If you are looking for a frozen meal, I would not recommend the kale gnocchi.

One of the main reasons I was so drawn to this product was the clever packaging that caught my eye in the aisle. But, sadly, these cookies ended up being a let down. Although I assumed they would be an easy and convenient dessert snack to try, the taste ended up throwing me off after eating several pieces. The chocolate coating is much too bitter and the breadstick ultimately has no initial flavor yet had a strange aftertaste. Since Trader Joe’s has a large selection of cookies, I would advise anyone to avoid buying these cookie sticks and go for a different cookie when shopping.

The Matcha Green Tea Ice Cream is the right product for anyone who loves all things matcha. Although the ice cream itself lacks a solid flavor, other than a plain taste of matcha, it is still delicious, rich and velvety. I need to admit that I have never enjoyed ice cream that much, but somehow this ice cream is different, mostly because it is not extremely sweet, is fresh and earthy. I have no complaints about this creamy dessert and would recommend it both to those who already enjoy matcha, and those who are just beginning their journey with the flavor.

Story and photo illustrations by Kara Dross Staff Writer

Graphic by Emily Lichty Life Editor

stance

LATE START SHOULD BE THE NEW NORM FOR SCHOOL

After students’ return from winter break, the upper school schedule was modified to include a later 9:30 a.m. start time. The Eagle Edition believes that the school schedule should continue to include this later start time even after COVID-19 precautions are lifted.

There are numerous benefits to starting the school day at a later time. For instance, this large chunk of free time in the morning means that clubs and sports have ample time to host productive meetings and practices rather than rushing through a short session. There is also likely to be more attendance during morning meetings, since those meetings can be held at a later time. Furthermore, students can participate in a greater variety of extracurricular activities because there are more meeting slots for clubs to host meetings—students don’t have to pick and choose which club meetings to attend even if those clubs all meet in the same morning, because now there are multiple club meeting time slots.

Additionally, students who live far away from the school have more time to make that long commute, reducing tardiness. A later start time also gives students more time to eat breakfast, instead of rushing off to school without the most important meal of the day. This policy would also be helpful for students with family responsibilities, particularly, the supervision of their younger siblings—a late start means that it is easier for these students to drop off their siblings at school and still make it to class on time.

It has been increasingly proven that the biological clock of teenagers makes it hard for teens to fall asleep early; therefore, it is difficult for teens to wake up early. An early start

disrupts the natural biological clock of teenagers and their circadian rhythms, which causes many health issues, like issues with digestion, heart rate, body temperature, immune system function, attention span and mental health.

Teenagers need at least 8.5 to 9.25 hours of sleep, however, multiple studies have shown that high school students are among the most sleepdeprived groups. Sleep deprivation has been linked to anxiety, depression, reduced academic performance, physical health issues and impaired decision-making among teens. It’s a serious issue that needs to be prioritized. A 2018 study

SENIOR SOPHIA SINACOLA students speak out

“I

conducted by researchers at the University of Washington and the Salk Institute for Biological Studies showed that Seattle teens were able to get more sleep after start times were pushed back. Furthermore, those students’ academic performance improved— final grades were 4.5 percent higher and tardies and first-period absences dropped. A late start means that students get more sleep, benefiting their mental and physical health and the classroom. Students who are not sleep-deprived are much more focused and contribute more to the learning experience of their fellow classmates as well as

demonstrate improved academic performance. Additionally, more sleep means that students are happier, bettering the academic environment.

There is no negative consequence to keeping a later start—only benefits. After COVID-19 is over, going back to the normal schedule with an 8:45 a.m. start would allow us to have five classes a day and flex. However, having only four classes a day with a later start is another benefit because it means students’ days aren’t as jam-packed with tests and quizzes, further reducing stress and potentially improving mental health.

SOPHOMORE ELLIOT MCCABE

“The late start was definitely needed this year because I think that students could really use the extra sleep with everything that’s going on. Even 30 more minutes of sleep can really change my day.”

SENIOR

“I think that the late start is super nice for pretty much everyone. We are able to sleep later, if you don’t have sports in the

Graphic by Gardiner Vose

Chick-Fil-A’s success credited to its Sunday closures

Focus on quality and not profits is what makes them the best

By Luke McCabe Life Editor

DOZENS OF TIMES I HAVE FOUND myself speeding down Northwest Highway to my local Chick-Fil-A, only to realize that it is a Sunday. Because this is a nearly weekly occurrence, I find myself often wondering why on earth ChickFil-A wouldn’t ditch their values and open up in order to reap the profits from hundreds of others like me.

Every location of the chicken chain is closed on Sunday and has been since devout Christian and founder Truett Cathy closed his first restaurant on its first Sunday in 1946. His reasoning? Cathy believed “God honors our decision and sets before us unexpected opportunities to do greater work for Him because of our loyalty.” It began as a humble way to honor God and allow employees a day of rest, but Chick-Fil-A began growing at alarming rates, even tripling annual sales over a decade to nearly $10.5 billion in 2018 according to a report from 24/7 WallStreet Research Center and becoming the chain with the third largest U.S. sales according to Nation Restaurant News. With that, the act of closing one out of every seven days became a billion dollar dilemma because of the potential profits. However as I began to think about it, I realized that closing on Sundays might be one of the reasons that Chick-Fil-A is so successful.

The one thing that every single person knows first about Chick-Fil-A is that it is closed on Sundays. Kanye West even wrote a song about it, with “Closed on Sundays” garnering a Top Gospel Song nomination at the 2020 Billboard Music Awards. I believe ChickFil-A knows exactly what they are doing by utilizing the tradition as a way to promote themselves as a mission driven organization, stay family friendly, create a sense of urgency and create a loyal customer base. It has always seemed to me that, despite the realities, Chick-Fil-A is the best of the best when it comes to fast food quality, in fact it seems to be in a category of its own when compared to chains like McDonalds, Pizza Hut or Subway. One reason for this could be because being closed on Sundays disproves the stereotype that fast food chains are in it for the money and would do anything to cut prices. Chick-Fil-A creates an environment where I feel confident in what I am eating rather than McDonalds where one bite of the McRib makes me question its chemical makeup and my choice of drive through. And, every week that I show up to Chick-Fil-A on a Sunday and am forced to return home empty-handed, I start to look forward to days when it is open. The sense of limited access and the authentic family-friendly atmosphere are directly created by being closed on Sundays, and I think that it is the reason Chick-Fil-A is so successful Monday through Saturday.

ing up a THE VIEW FROM 5’2

Two Republican women aim to achieve consensus in party

Congresswomen Liz Cheney and Marjorie Taylor Greene spoke out regarding Trump’s impeachment, leaving Republicans to decide who they stand with

By Gina Montagna News Editor

PICKING UP THE PIECES OF DEBRIS FROM Trump’s presidency, President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris have set in place their new administration, aiming to restore calm and bring about equality. Biden’s administration has been a radical change from the past four years of the Trump administration’s racist policies and beliefs. Trump’s leave from office and the Capitol insurrection has left the Republican Party in disarray as most Republicans find themselves having to reassess and consider what end of the political spectrum they truly align themselves with.

These past few weeks, two prominent women in politics have made headlines with their opposing views. One goes against her party and supports Trump’s impeachment. The other promotes outlandish and aggressive conspiracy theories. Both were attempted to be ousted by their own party. First, we have Congresswoman Liz Cheney. Daughter of former Vice President Dick Cheney and a devout Republican, she adheres to the belief in minimal federal government power and civil liberties. However, she was quick to speak out against the riots in support of President Trump that took place at the Capitol on Jan. 6. She claimed that Republicans had been “lied to’’ by Trump and said that Trump would no longer be a figure of influence for the Republican Party. But, he still is. Here is why: a majority of Republicans in the House and the Senate continue to push the idea that there was election fraud and have refused to impeach the former president. Republicans are so quick to protect Trump when he has abandoned them and left behind a mess for them and the

ABy Gardiner Vose Views Editor

t the end of last year, classes were difficult, but manageable because we were all in the same boat, enduring the struggles of online learning. However, as the new school year came around, students at the school had to again adapt to a different learning environment: a modified classroom setting with some remote learners, but mostly in-person learners. Now, if you get quarantined or are learning remotely for other reasons, it can feel like you are being left out of classroom conversations, being ignored and as a result, not getting the same level of education as your in-person peers. Learning remotely, especially when there are students in person during your class, can be difficult because it can cause a stressful addition to your homework load. Instead of just completing your assignments, you have to look over your notes and watch videos or read textbooks to fill the gaps in your understanding. While this can also be true for in-person students, I feel that there are times during online learning where I don’t know that I need to ask a question, while if I was at school, I might have realized I did not understand the material.

Biden administration to deal with. Cheney is one of the few Republicans to realize this and recognize what a dramatic effect Trump has had on the party, its beliefs and its supporters.

Cheney’s local Wyoming supporters are condemning her for speaking out against Trump and his actions as well as supporting his impeachment, which may jeopardize her campaign for reelection in 2022. She spoke out during a Fox News interview on Feb. 7 and urged her fellow Republicans to inform themselves and to stop believing the stream of lies that Trump has poured out. She stressed for the party to return to their original beliefs saying, “We are the party of Lincoln. We are not the party of QAnon or Antisemitism or Holocaust deniers, or white supremacy or conspiracy theories.” Because of her speaking out, her own party attempted to oust her from her position in office. Now, she has been asked to resign by her own state, but she has refused. Cheney is one the few people remaining in the Republican party that understands and believes in Republican values. She is advocating for change and the dissociation of the Republican party from Trump’s racist beliefs, words and actions.

Criticized by Cheney for her absurd conspiracy theories, Marjorie Taylor Greene was the second woman that was recently officially ousted from her position on various congressional committees that she was a part of. Her unconditional devotion to Trump remains a steadfast part of her beliefs saying that “The party is his. It doesn’t belong to anybody else.” Her belief in Trump as some sort of almighty party leader gives the allusion to an undemocratic government. Her

idolization of Trump is common amongst other Trump supporters, and Greene’s recent appalling theories have also become a staple in radical conservative beliefs. Her past association with the conspiracy theory group QAnon has prompted many of her racist, anti-semitic and anti-Islamic theories. Some of these extreme theories include: the Jan. 6 insurrection was caused by Antifa, promotion of the assassination of Democrat leaders like Nancy Pelosi and that California forest fires were caused by Jewish space lasers. All of these beliefs were brought about with no real evidence and were thus confirmed to be utterly false. Greene went too far, and the consequences of her removal from committees is fair and just. Republicans and we as a nation cannot let citizens, just because they are government leaders, spew lies that go against American values and promote domestic terrorism, violence and racism.

Republicans are being pulled in every direction and it comes down to whether or not they are ready to move past the Trump era and enter into this era of “Reconstruction.” There is such a drastic spectrum of beliefs within the party, ranging from moderates like Mitt Romney and Liz Cheney, to conservatives like Kevin McCarthy all the way to radical Trump fanatics like Marjorie Taylor Greene. The party cannot be pulled every which way to the point where they have opposing beliefs. Either Republicans have to attempt to remove the stain that Trump has inflicted upon them. Or, conservatives that are still holding onto Trump need to move on and assess whether their beliefs really align with those of the Republican Party.

Remote learning places online students at a disadvantage

Both socially and academically, remote students are struggling to attain comprehension in class when online

In my experience, some classes are more difficult to learn as a remote learner than others. Being sent home for two weeks can be detrimental in classes like science and math—subjects that require an intricate understanding of the processes and methods, which can be hard to pick up on with the difficulties that come with at home learning. These difficulties can include things such as technological problems, network issues, microphone placement in the classroom and human error, such as teachers forgetting to share documents or unmute their mics. Issues like these not only cause students to get behind in the material, but also can cause them to feel alienated from the classroom, which can make them lose motivation to put in the effort to succeed in school. Because teachers have to balance teaching the students in person, while also keeping remote students up to speed, it has felt as if there is a disconnect between online students and teachers. Trying to copy down math notes from home or understanding scientific concepts from home does not give you even half of the same experience as being in person because it is much more difficult to ask questions, interact with other students in the classroom or hear others’ helpful questions.

According to an article from The New York Times, one of the things that students learning remotely are feeling like they are missing out on the most is the social interaction and

schedule that the school day provides. Some students reported feeling as though they were drifting away from their friends when they were online, causing them to withdraw into themselves. Students also reported losing a sense of structure and scheduling in their everyday life—going to sleep late, sleeping in too late and pushing assignments back to the last minute. I have certainly felt the same way when I have been remote, and I’m sure that I am not alone in this. In fact, this percent of students have felt that being isolated in remote learning can cause feelings of loneliness. Being without friends for a couple of days or weeks during a quarantine can cause you to withdraw from those around you, focusing more on TV and video games, while spending more time in your office or bedroom as you struggle to catch up on remote learning assignments.

Providing teachers with better technology to accommodate remote learners and equipping remote students with the support they need through extra help or a more interactive learning environment is crucial to seeing through the rest of this virus. I think that we can all agree that remote learning is not the ideal way of school life, but it does provide a safe and effective way for students to navigate the difficulties of the virus. We must remember to sympathize with the struggles of remote learners, because many of us have been in their same boat before.

Illustration by Gina Montagna

Should the national voting age be changed to 16 years old?

By Blair Batson Editor-In-Chief

Pro: Change

Eighteen is an exciting age for American teenagers. It’s the age that opens up a myriad of opportunities, like buying a lottery ticket, getting a tattoo, buying spray paint and—arguably the most exciting of all—voting. But why is this right granted at 18?

Sixteen-year-olds are mature enough to make sound decisions at the ballot box. Scientific studies have shown that “cold cognition” skills, which are the skills needed to make wellinformed decisions in situations like voting, are fully developed by 16. However, this fact does raise a valid question: do 16-year-olds know enough about politics and government? Given the multitude of youth movements that exist for issues such as climate change, gun control and racial justice and the prominence of youth movements throughout the country’s history, I would argue that yes, 16-year-olds do have sufficient knowledge to cast a ballot. But if one is still skeptical, the solution isn’t to bar 16-year-olds from voting; it’s to teach government earlier. Furthermore, lowering the voting age to 16 would increase voter turnout by ingraining a habit of civic engagement in voters. Eighteen is a very transitional age; normally, this is when people are starting college or joining the workforce, which means one might have to go through the hassle of requesting an absentee ballot. At 16, one is more likely to be at home where they have more resources, like teachers and parents, to help them navigate the voter registration and voting process. In 2013, Takoma Park, Maryland lowered the voting age for City elections to 16. As a result, the voter turnout rate for 16 and 17-year-olds was twice that of those 18 and older in municipal elections that year. If 16-year-olds can vote, they will turn out in larger numbers and form a lifelong habit of voting.

And why shouldn’t 16-year-olds have a say in decisions that they can clearly see impact them? Sofie Whitney, a survivor of the 2018 shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, said, “If 16-year-old students are old enough to be affected by the laws and realize that there is a problem, then they should have the power to help change it.” All Americans are impacted by decisions made at a local, state and federal level. For this reason, the country should ensure that people can vote as soon as possible, so people can maximize the amount of times they have a say in politics. Science proves 16 is an appropriate age, so why delay one’s ability to participate in the democratic system until 18?

The purpose of American democracy is to give people the power to choose who represents them. To fulfill this purpose, the country must make voting more accessible and thus more widespread. Lowering the voting age to 16 is a step in this direction—it’s also a decision that is rooted in science, reason and respect.

percent of students think the national voting age should be lowered to 16 years old

By Carolyn Langford Copy Editor

By Katherine Mote Staff writer

Con: No change

Prom. Student Council. Football games. Some common exciting elements that make the high school experience. Now picture everything that reminds you of high school clouded with the ideas of tax breaks, debating healthcare plans and political jargon. The voting age should not be lowered to 16. It can be argued that many 16-year-olds are just as intellectually mature as their 18-yearold counterparts. However, the prefrontal cortex, the part of the brain that enables us to weigh dilemmas, balance trade-offs and make reasonable decisions in politics, is still undergoing major development during the teenage years. If the argument for setting the voting age is based purely on ability, moral reasoning and abstract thought, then the voting age would, if anything, rise from the current age of 18.

The last time the voting age was changed was in 1971 with the adoption of the 26th Amendment into the constitution. At that time, 18-year-olds fighting in Vietnam were still unable to choose their leaders, but were able to be drafted into the army and die for those same politicians who determined the wars they fought. If the voting age was moved to 16, then 16-year-olds would be able to vote on our legislation and representatives, but not be drafted to serve in the military.

Responsible voters must possess a sense of responsibility to the country—a sense of responsibility that encourages them to understand America’s history and the laws that affect citizens daily. This sense of responsibility is not something you can put a number on; there’s not an age you reach in which you gain a competent understanding of a democratic system. Instead, this understanding comes with real-life experience, which one is more likely to have accumulated by 18 rather than 16. And because 16-year-olds are still living at home, their voting choices are more likely to directly reflect the voting choices of their parents. Everyone is a product of influence at such a young age, and it’s difficult to develop opinions that differ from those around you.

According to a Common Sense Media poll, younger generations such as Gen Z get upwards of 54 percent of their news from social media outlets which are not always accurate. It’s extremely easy to spread fake information online, especially when it’s political. If 16-year olds could vote, their sources of information are more likely to be unreliable and targeted to them through social media. The majority of Americans recognize the harm that comes with 16 and 17-year-olds voting. In 2019, a Hill-HarrisX poll found that 84 percent of registered voters opposed lowering the voting age to 16. If society isn’t trusting 16-year olds with things like buying spray paint, getting a tattoo and serving on a jury or in the military, then why should society trust 16-year olds to vote?

The voting age of 18 allows for the full opportunity to be versed in government, obtain legal independence, and acknowledge one’s civil responsibilities which include formally becoming an adult. Because of this, the right to vote should be granted no earlier than this landmark.

percent of students do not think the national voting age should be lowered to 16 years old

Biden provides hope in tackling climate change

With a blizzard of executive orders, Biden has demonstrated his commitment to combating climate change, yet to see real progress he will have to do much more. For the first time in four years, climate change is once again placed high on America’s political agenda—perhaps even higher than on President Bill Clinton’s or Barack Obama’s lists. We were given an optimistic glimpse of emissions dropping by 20 percent during lockdowns to mitigate the spread of COVID-19, but the long term trajectory is less than encouraging, even with striking drops in costs of renewable fuels and coal-fired power plant shutdowns. The pandemic’s movement restriction and stagnation of social and economic activities generated improved air quality in a myriad of cities and reduced water pollution. Besides increased hospital waste and the obvious haphazard disposal of personal protective equipment like masks and gloves, the overall environmental effects of COVID-19 are indicative of what a conscious effort’s impact could mean in as little as a year.

The Biden Administration has a unique plan to address a nation suffering from the pandemic

while attacking the urgency of climate change.

First-ever National Climate Advisor Gina McCarthy described the Biden Administration’s line of action as an opportunity to mend the unparalleled public health, economic and equity problems America faces. Biden declared on Jan. 27, “Climate Day,” that it was “Jobs Day,” a time where America would focus on innovation and labor while promising cleaner water, air and communities. With climate and health calamities meeting head-on, Biden’s plan solves many of the past economic worries of tackling climate change. Instead of being a hindrance to our current economic state, climate initiatives will be one of our economy’s saviors. Transforming the automobile industry alone will create over one million jobs, according to the Biden Administration.

Biden’s imagination is utopian—a $2 trillion ticket to a perfect world. Yet several obstacles prohibit this picture. Without a more democratic senate and the majority of free market forces devoting themselves to the cause, meaningful progress seems impossible. However, inspiring developments exist separate from Biden. General Motors’ commitment to phase out

all gas-powered vehicles by 2035 represents a huge industry-wide stride in fighting on the side of the environment. This move goes along in conjunction with Biden’s goal to eliminate American greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. However, this goal cannot be attained unless Congress comes to the consensus that fighting climate change is critical. As of now, Congress can barely agree on how to aid the American people throughout the pandemic, so how can it be imagined that we are prepared to take on the global climate crisis?

Hopefully, the answer lies in Biden’s plan. Biden signed the executive order to ensure fair wages in the union jobs that will be supplied in the process of leveraging American manufacturing and clean energy technology. Alongside his orders, Biden’s powerful core team of McCarthy, Acting Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency Jane Nishida and Secretary of the Department of Transportation Pete Buttigieg is what will create the ideal advocates in the battle for climate change. The goal of the initiative is to have Americans not only on the forefront of, but leading the clean energy revolution that will build a more sustainable future.

Source: Feb. 17 poll of 131 upper school students

Graphic by Gardiner Vose

just a THOUGHT

many philosophers and academics are getting at: the fact that a good education should ultimately teach one to think freely and ethically.

We need to remember the purpose of education; rethink approach

By Lauren Weber Managing Editor

At one point or another, I’m willing to bet that we have all complained about our schoolwork. Maybe it’s a “why do I have to do this?,” a “this is too difficult” or any variation of the sort. At some point in lower school, I was making one of these privileged complaints, which is when my dad told me: “You are so blessed that the only thing you are

being asked to do is learn.” I am not exaggerating when I say this simple thought has transformed my approach to education, and I believe this kind of thinking can allow us all to appreciate education in a more profound way.

As with most things, it’s easy to forget why we’re learning. Granted, the philosophy of education is a dauntingly expansive and complex

letter editors to the

realm of study, and the primary aim of education varies amongst intellectuals––whether it should produce knowledgeable students, develop caring individuals, foster curiosity or enhance understanding. I’m not going to try to delve into the many purposes of education because this would read more like a dissertation than a column. Instead, I’m going to untangle what I think

Dear Eagle Edition,

The creator of the modern higher education system, Wilhelm von Humboldt, believed in teaching students to think freely. In 1810, Humboldt established the University of Berlin with an educational structure that combined both teaching and research, which has become the model for modern universities in most Western countries. With influences from Jean-Jacques Rousseau, Humboldt believed that a good education leaves one with the ability to inquire, create and think autonomously. And free thinking is a result of means other than just homework. Students should be encouraged to research and examine information critically; they should be prompted to channel their intellect to create and innovate. In other words, to quote every liberal arts college in the United States, our education system should teach us not just what to think, but how to think. And at risk of sounding like a student anarchist, I think grades often impede this process. While they can provide incentive, they can also prevent students from taking educational risks. Therefore, grades should be used more as a means of reward than a threat of punishment.

a good education does more than foster knowledge and help one to achieve vocational success; it also helps one to discover their values. Especially at the secondary school level, we often speak of teaching good values, and yet, we don’t do enough to help students figure out what that means. We may say our school mantra, but do we really challenge ourselves to think about what those values mean to us? There’s no simple solution to this, but perhaps time spent thinking about more than just informational content should be prioritized.

EDUCATING THE MIND WITHOUT EDUCATING THE HEART IS NO EDUCATION AT

Aristotle, Philosopher

Regarding the teaching of morality, I’ll cite Aristotle, who believed that education should help one to live “the good life.” Therefore,

This school year has presented us with neverending challenges that seem to have no obvious solution. Specifically, the current pandemic we are all experiencing has had a very noticeable impact on our everyday lives in and out of school. This has resulted in many changes to what we, the students and faculty, have been used to when here at ESD. For example, our normal seven-day schedule has been modified to a nineday schedule with longer classes and our lunchroom has been divided by invasive plastic barriers. We wipe down our desks after class and get our temperature checked before first period on a daily basis. These are all minor changes that we mostly accept now as part of our school routine. These tasks are quite trivial compared to the biggest change we have had to experience, which is that we now have to wear a mask when learning or playing sports.

Although our school day has changed quite a bit from how it was and has been modified with minor inconveniences, we should be grateful for the facilities that ESD offers to keep our students and our faculty safe and learning on campus. It is not easy to control a pandemic, however, we have been able to actively manage it on campus and have not had to transition to being online full-time. We would not be able to do this without the help of the fantastic contact tracing team and our nurses who are working around the clock to

stuco CORNER

Student Council has been busy planning for the second semester. With Student Body Week getting closer, we have been working with the whole council and administration to get activities and dress days planned and approved. We are focusing on creating dress days where people can simply choose from clothes they already own rather than having to buy new items from the store. Student Body Week is supposed to be fun, so the more people dressing up, the better! Moreover, despite the pandemic, this year’s Student Council is hosting our third annual Freshman Leadership Retreat on Saturday, March 6, which we are planning on hosting in person. The retreat consists of panels, workshops and speakers to get freshman excited about becoming Upper School leaders.

In addition, with ISAS being canceled Student Council has been working with performing and visual arts faculty as well as FAN Board to plan a way

ALL.

I’ve had many great teachers who have taken this into their own hands, but it often means that they’ve had to stray from the curriculum, which is not a liberty that every teacher holds. This is why more abstract thought needs to be included in the general curriculum. By this, I mean that we should be doing more than just memorizing facts and learning information. Perhaps we partake in more classroom discussion that encourages students to share their differing ideas. We can strive for a more comprehensive curriculum that includes different and perhaps underrepresented narratives and perspectives. We can examine our own opinions and spend time contemplating our meaning, perhaps in untraditional high school courses such as philosophy. Ultimately, I believe that learning to think better––learning to think beyond ourselves––can come with practice.

keep everyone safe. The facilities team has also played a huge role in maintaining the campus sanitized. I encourage you to say “thank you” when you see them! Even though we have these resources to help to prevent the spread of the virus, it cannot be done by these measures alone. In order to keep maintaining a healthy student body and faculty, we must continue to make a conscious effort to keep our distance, sanitize and wear our masks.

It may take an extra minute of your life to wipe off your desk after class, that minute of your life could save someone else’s life. It is important to think about how your actions can have resounding impacts on other people around you even if you do not know them. For the most part, students and faculty at ESD have done a phenomenal job following the rules that have been put in place to keep us safe; however, there are still a few people who do not have the common courtesy to look out for the safety of our community. I encourage you to think about how your actions can have a lasting effect on someone inside and outside our community. If we hope to return to normal school life, consider taking a few moments of your day and use them to properly space out, sanitize and wear your mask as intended.

Sincerely,

Kai Robinson, junior

to celebrate the arts this semester. Hopefully, we will dedicate a week in April to showcase the excellent work of our Upper School artists.

As the year comes to a close, we are working on the election timeline. More information will be posted on Schoology as the date gets closer. We encourage every student interested in making a positive impact on the school community, whether through school spirit, advocacy, student-administration relationship or any other means should definitely consider running—even if you think “Student Council isn’t for me.” The wider array of interests, identities and goals on the council, the better we will be able to represent the entire ESD community.

If you have any suggestions, questions or concerns, please feel free to reach out to any member on the council; we would love to talk to you! We know this year has been challenging, so please know that Student Council is in your corner.

By Cleo Neuhoff Public Relations on Student Council Executive Board

letter editors from the count DOWN

THE WORST TO THE BEST OF THE MONTH, RANKED BY THE EAGLE EDITION STAFF

CHAPEL CHANGES

This semester students were surprised with a new addition to daily virtual chapel: numerous high-resolution cameras to capture the experience. The new cameras are positioned throughout the chapel and provide students with clearer visuals and an increased number of angles, which was a welcome change from the singular, lowres camera used in the fall.

SAGE SURPRISE

On Feb. 2, the French Club partnered with SAGE to create a crepe bar for students and faculty. The crepes were for La Chandeleur, a Christian French holiday that celebrates the purification of the Virgin Mary and the presentation of the baby Jesus.

SWEET CELEBRATION

Asian Student Union celebrated Chinese New Year with a chapel talk and Chinese candy at lunch. Senior Katherine Cowser delivered a heartfelt speech about discovering her Chinese identity after her adoption from China at age two. Cowser also stressed the importance of determination and hard work in this upcoming Year of the Ox.

ICED IN

Considering Feb. 8 was one of the warmest days in a while, hardly anyone expected the ensuing frigid temperatures. The day off on Feb. 11 due to icy roads was a nice break for students and faculty. We appreciate the school for considering the community’s safety in allowing us this day off.

With members of sports teams having tested positive, teams had to quarantine, affecting schoolwork, practices and games. In the upcoming spring season, teams may encounter similar challenges.

FEELING ALARMED

In the morning on Feb. 3, fire alarms went off on campus, causing panic among students and faculty as everyone on campus was rushed outside. Smoke coming from the Frank building set off fire alarms and launched a campus-wide evacuation for those present before the school day started.

NOT-SO-HAPPY VALENTINE’S 1 2 3 4 5 6 7

Valentine’s Day took a surprising turn with a frigid, severe winter storm hitting Dallas and much of the rest of Texas. The storm forced schools and businesses across the state to close due to unsafe road conditions, power outages and water pipe ruptures. Additionally, the entire state experienced massive power outages, resulting in around 3.4 million Texans losing power in their homes.

At the end of every Google Form poll we send out, a comment section is included for students to provide anonymous suggestions or questions for the Eagle Edition staff. However, our previous issue had an increasing number of familiar comments expressing that our newspaper “has been extremely politically biased” and “misleading the students,” to name a few.

Our intention is not to push political bias on the student body but rather to inform all students, regardless of their political affiliation. Our poll and our newspaper are created and written to be non-partisan. For those who feel differently, please reach out to us and specifically let us know which story, fact or question was in your opinion leaning one way or another––this excludes political columns and is only limited to non-biased, factual stories. Opinion pieces in the Views section are not a reflection of the entire staff’s political belief because they are simply opinions, they’re meant to have bias. When we assign stories, the staff emails their top three story choices, and those who want to write a column have the liberty to write about any appropriate topic; therefore, columns are not assigned according to political views.

I will say, though, our faculty adviser and three editors heavily edit the entire paper before publishing, and with prior review, the administration also reads the paper, allowing a variety of people with a wide range of beliefs to read our paper. But even with the heavy amount of editing we do and our deliberate attempt to interview and converse with students of all political backgrounds, mistakes are bound to be made on our part, so we always accept your critique and suggestions.

Another concern that was brought to our attention was the frequent nature of the topics we were covering. Yes, we have been reporting more politically heavy topics, but

that’s what the job of a student journalist is: to inform the community on national and worldly matters that may impact our future. As Americans, we should familiarize ourselves with politics that affect our country and our daily lives instead of brushing these affairs off. Furthermore, with many politically charged events having occurred this school year––such as a presidential election, Black Lives Matter protests and a global pandemic––we feel more obligated to cover political affairs. We’ve been told to refrain from being “too political,” but we can’t ignore the fact that these events are occurring in our country and pretend they don’t exist. However, to balance the content of our paper, we do include stories on nonpolitical topics––like astrology signs, TikTok, food reviews and other trends––that we believe will appeal to the typical high schooler, so it isn’t plausible to say the majority of our stories are political.

Testing the time by Sumner Wooldridge

As student-journalists and as a group of young individuals, we offer a new, fresh perspective on current events and pop culture, so we won’t be quiet about expressing what we think is significant to write about and important for our peers to realize. Furthermore, compared to a professional newspaper like The New York Times or the Washington Post with reporters who specialize in one section and with completely independent sections, our staff writers have the freedom to write any kind of story or op-ed they want to, giving our staff the opportunity to explore what stories and topics they enjoy writing best; they pitch the stories they want to investigate, and they share their opinions with backed-up research. Straight from our staff box, our mission statement asserts that we were created with the intent to educate in a professional manner and provide a voice for the community.

Blair Batson and Evelyn Zhao

PRESSING TIMES

SENIOR VARSITY GOLFER VALUES TEAMWORK AND PERSERVERENCE IN GOLF

Senior Jackson Fricke began playing in golf tournaments his freshman year, and he is now one of the captains of the varsity golf team. Fricke enjoys playing golf because of the lifelong lessons and friendships the sport brings. To him, golf is not a fully independent sport, but it is a team sport.

A sports eagleeye

What is your role on the varsity golf team?

I am Co-Captain of the golf team this year. As a senior, I am looking forward to making memories with my teammates and working collectively to improve our skills. The main goal of the team’s season is to win SPC while having as much fun as possible, and it is my job to inspire and motivate the members of the team.

What has golf taught you?

Golf has taught me to persevere and be determined in my actions. In life, there are some days where you are not at your best; these times are unavoidable, and it is up to you to tackle these challenges head-on. When I am playing in a tournament, I know that some rounds will be messy and ugly. I have learned that it is up to me to perform at my best, and I have translated that mentality to everyday life.

What made you first start playing ?

I was an avid baseball player up until eighth grade. At that age, I realized that I was “burnt out” on baseball, and I sought to take on a new unique, athletic challenge. I had been introduced to golf at a young age, but I only started seriously competing in tournaments at the beginning of my freshman year. After a few practices, I immediately realized that golf was my passion.

A spring season without cheers

Fans absence during games affects athletes, spectators help motivate players

By Alexandra Warner Staff writer

With the start of spring sports right around the corner, the question of whether spectators are allowed to watch games in-person has arisen again.

Throughout the school year, COVID-19 has prevented students, parents and fans from watching and supporting athletes from the stands during games. This spring season, spectators hope for circumstances to change, but the school and athletic staff aren’t sure as these are unprecedented times.

“We know that our families [and students] are eager to have the opportunity to watch their respective student-athletes in action,” Director of Athletics Dan Gill said. “Our department will continue to adhere to all health and safety protocols that have been effectively implemented in order for us to maintain in-person learning, which remains our most important priority.”

information and best practices as we navigate through this pandemic.”

The athletic staff has decided that the best way to play sports safely during the pandemic is to continue following the rules that athletes and spectators have been respecting.

“All of our home JV and varsity games can be viewed from our streaming service that we are providing due to our spectator restrictions,” Gill said. “Links are posted on ESD’s website and social media outlets, and as in previous seasons, we hope to let limited attendance for Senior Night.” Lacrosse athletes are especially affected by this news as the sport has grown to be popular for students to attend. The energy from the student section gives athletes a sense of motivation.

WE KNOW THAT OUR FAMILIES [AND STUDENTS] ARE EAGER TO HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO WATCH THEIR RESPECTIVE STUDENT-ATHLETES IN ACTION.

The school’s athletic department has not been going through this process alone. The athletic staff from schools around Dallas have been communicating and making desicions on what the best way to keep students playing sports is.

Dan Gill, Director of Athletics

“We continue to closely monitor local, regional and national developments,” Gill said. “My staff and I remain in contact with athletic directors and coaches from across the SPC, UIL and TAPPS, sharing

“It would be really sad if we couldn’t have any students at our lacrosse games because no one from the outside understands what a crowd can do to the players and the game itself,” senior womens lacrosse player Sam Whiting said. “If you’re down by a few goals, the students are there to motivate you and bring up the intensity of the game. When people are there cheering for you, for me, it gives me a reason to work harder.”

Seniors playing lacrosse are trying to remain hopeful throughout this erratic and upcoming season as they want to make the most of their games during these last few moments in high school.

“In times so unpredictable like now, I’m trying to remain optimistic,” senior mens lacrosse player Reed Landin said. “I know coach Sothoron, Mr. Dan Gill and the entire coaching staff are trying to make our season as normal as possible and doing the best they can, so I have to give them so much credit for all the hard work and dedication to our team and program to get their job done in times like this. It’s going to be a ride, but the coaches and players are just taking it day by day.”

Similarly, for baseball athletes, the news has upset many players as fans have an impact on their games and drive them to work harder.

“Having fans at games gives me something to play for, and it makes playing baseball more fun for me,” sophomore baseball player Jett Bowling said. “Sadly, spectators aren’t allowed to go to regularly [scheduled] games this season, so it will definitely

be weirder and different with no fans, but I’m just happy to be playing baseball.”

The student body is also disappointed that they are unable to support the players in lacrosse games and some believe that under regulations, students and families should be able to attend.

“My favorite aspect of [watching] games is all of the support the students give because it makes it feel like everybody is one big family,” sophomore Kate Battaglia said. “I’m really sad that I can’t go to any games, and I think under certain regulations, if everybody is spaced out and wears masks, the school should let them go.”

As college nears, senior athletes look back on their previous years and cherish their favorite moments of the student body, players and parents coming together.

he sets up for a shot on goal. The team won the championship that year. “The entirety of the playoffs we had an amazing fan base,” Landin said. “Whenever we scored... the students would erupt and it was louder than anything I’ve ever heard. It was

“I remember as a teary-eyed freshman after losing in the statesemifinal game to St. Mark’s trying to comfort myself by saying, ‘I have three more years,’ and now, I am in my last semester of high school,” Landin said. “Lacrosse on Friday night lights versus Jesuit, HP or St. Mark’s with a sold ou t crowd is one of the best memories I’ve had at ESD, and something I will always remember.”

Interview by Christian Rockamore Staff writer

Photo provided by Jackson Fricke

MARK GARDNER SERVED AS A MEMBER OF THE SCHOOL’S COMMUNITY FOR 27 YEARS AS A COACH AND ADVISOR. HE WAS AN INSPIRATION TO ALL OF HIS STUDENTS, ATHLETES AND COLLEGUES. GARDNER PASSED AWAY AT THE AGE OF 58 ON JAN. 19, LEAVING BEHIND A LEGACY AND A STRONG MARK ON THE COMMUNITY.

Gardner’s Mark

coach—so sweet. There’s not anything he would have never done for any of us.”

Langston had Gardner as a fifth and sixth grade P.E. teacher, seventh and eighth grade assistant field hockey coach and womens varsity field hockey assistant coach throughout high school. The team called him “dad,” a nickname for him by Amelia Danklef ‘18, displaying the strong relationship he had with the team and inspiration he was to his athletes.

Apassionate coach and advisor, Mark Gardner passed away leaving a great imprint on the school. Physical Education Department Chair Mike Schneider said Gardner’s positive influence was strong and his willingness to help anyone increased the quality of the athletic department and the school as a whole. He worked as a coach for soccer, which was his passion, but also for field hockey, volleyball, lacrosse, softball, baseball and physical education throughout his career at the school, contributing more than any coach the school has seen and impacting the lives of countless student athletes.

On Jan. 20, the community received an email from Head of School David Baad revealing the passing of Gardner at age 58, saddening many. In his time as a coach at the school, he won over 300 games and five Southwest Preparatory Conference championships for varsity men’s soccer. In 27 years of work, he met many students and athletes and had strong relationships with those he coached and those who were in his advisory.

“I think that he really embodies for me what ESD is—he lived and breathed being there,” soccer player and alum Ryan Kneipper ‘99 said. “His purpose was to advise people and help and get to know people and be the best teacher, mentor, advisor and coach for anybody that crossed his path.”

Kneipper, also the president of the Alumni Association and a parent to lower school students Ellie and Max Kneipper, played for Gardner for six years, two years on the middle school volleyball team and four years on the varsity mens soccer team. Gardner came to the school in 1993 which was also the year Kneipper moved from the old St. Michael’s campus to the upper school campus. He was able to experience Gardner’s first seven years firsthand and got to come back and act as his co-coach for the varsity mens soccer team from 2014 to 2019.

Kneipper was also a member of the first of five teams that Gardner led to win the SPC championship.

“I played club soccer as well, and high school soccer was a different game, and what he, as a coach, engraved in me was how to become a leader,” Kneipper said. “I think everybody was influenced by his personality and his ability to connect with people and his coaching abilities, and I think that the way he has [inspired me] today, comes down to the leadership thing, how do you become a better person, teammate and leader.”

Gardner was the assistant coach for womens varsity field hockey as well.

“My field hockey career would have been so different if he wasn’t a part of it because although he wasn’t our head coach, he was at practice everyday [and] at all the games,” field hockey player and alumna Story Langston ‘19 said. “He was just super helpful and a super supportive

“Because he acted as that figure, for practice and games, and when we traveled, we all loved him and were able to mess with him and talk to him,” Langston said. “He inspired me by being a very selfless person because he put the well-being of all of his athletes before his own and he made me feel super valued as not just one of his players but also as a person and athlete overall.”

Gardner continued to have this inspiring effect on his athletes. Sophomore Teddy Sparrow knew Gardner as his sister and senior Ali Sparrow’s field hockey coach and had Gardner as a soccer coach on the varsity mens team for one year. This short time with him was all they needed in order to build a strong relationship.

“I would describe our relationship as very close because he was the only reason I stayed playing soccer, and him giving me a chance to play really made me close to him,” Sparrow said. “He was an inspiration to me because he never quit on me and gave me hope in myself. He saw something in me that other people hadn’t and gave me a chance. As a coach, he was the nicest person on the field, he cared for others, told funny jokes, but when it came to soccer, he was strictly business.”

Now, Sparrow plays as the team goalie, a position he started to play with Gardner. He started off as third goalie at the beginning of the season last year, and by the end of the season, he became the starting goalie with the help of Gardner.

“He impacted the school with his loving heart, funny stories and heartwarming smile,” Sparrow said. “As a P.E. teacher, advisor and coach, he was able to impact the many students and athletes he encountered—all for the better.”

Gardner was an eighth grade advisor for many of the years he worked at the school. Being there during the day allowed him to get closer to the students while also talking to his athletes.

“As an advisor, he was very personable with us and would engage in conversations with us everyday,” junior Kate Elliston said. “Whether it be about school or just everyday life, he wanted to be one with the students. We all created advisory jokes with one another and really bonded, and he was just someone that was so easy to talk to on and off the field.”

Elliston was part of his advisory in the 2017-2018 school year. One of Elliston’s favorite memories with him was the middle school Halloween costume contest. All of the advisees decided to dress up as him in long

khaki shorts and ESD collared shirts.

“We all really got in the spirit and everyone participated,” Elliston said.

“We all looked identical which was fun, but his reaction when he saw us was probably the best part because he was so surprised and excited that we had gone all out.”

Not only did Gardner influence his students and athletes, but his colleagues and those who worked at the school as well.

“He and I probably shared an office for 10 or 15 years of his time here, and we were within one year of each other, so we grew up watching the same TV shows and the same movies, and so we would always share lines and jokes from our favorite movies,” Schneider said. “We also really saw the world through a very similar looking glass both athletically and non-athletically. We both inspired and supported each other because we were both very dedicated to the school and even when I was his supervisor, he was a really great team player, which I very much appreciated.”

Langston has many fond memories of Gardner, including how he would check in on her to see how her athletic injuries were doing during the school day and at the trainer and how the team liked to dress up as him. Another memory that she cherishes is the team’s pregame ritual with Gardner.

“We would all get in a circle huddle before the game, and he would get in the middle and just stare at all of us, completely quiet,” Langston said. “The first time we were all like ‘What’s going on?’ and then he’d scream and we would get all excited and he would go ‘Who’s house is this?’ and we would all scream back ‘Our house!’ and we would do that three times then he would scream ‘Let’s go win a game today!’ and we would all go out on the field and turn around and he was all happy and excited.”

Langston is currently a sophomore at the University of Miami, yet her memories of Gardner have stuck with her. The same is true for many other alumni who knew and were influenced by Gardner.

“[Coach Gardner’s] record of relationships with players over the years speaks for itself,” Kneipper said. “You can talk to two-and-a-half decades of players who have come through and played on his program and everybody says the same thing. You can see at the alumni games when we have 70 to 80 people there, everybody comes back to see Coach. I think [soccer] is always a well sought after sport and people wanted to play soccer at ESD because of coach Gardner.”

Gardner’s legacy will live on in the school community. He had an immense impact on the lives of many.

“He inspired me by being a very selfless person because he put the well-being of all of his athletes before his own, and he made me feel super valued as not just one of his players but also as a person and athlete overall,” Langston said. “He’s super super dedicated, and it showed to everyone in the school whether they were an athlete or not.”

“It was clear that in his mind, our experiences as part of the [field hockey] team were more important to him than winning a game. He put others first and always fought for the students. His care for us was overwhelmingly genuine - every single person on our team recognized it and loved him for it. We are all better people for knowing him. hope that I can continue to implement the life lessons he taught me throughout my time with him as an ESD student and athlete.”

TILLEY NEUHOFF ‘16 Varisty field hockey captain

“Coach impacted me in many ways. His constant conversations during the day and focus on winning was something that was always impactful for me. He never ever gave up on us and believed that we could achieve anything in life no matter if it was soccer related or not.”

GRANT JUNGERMAN ‘22 Varsity mens soccer player

“I knew Coach Gardner for the seventeen years [as] teammates on the legendary 8th-grade team, and we co-advised for several of the recent years. He inspired me and the rest of the team in so many ways, one of which was the loyalty he displayed to the school, his students, and his eighth-grade team. I cannot think of anyone more steadfast in his dedication to coaching -- teaching his athletes to be a team player -- and to being a team player himself. Everything he did was sincere and heartfelt. Gardner was also a friend. When was going through some hard times, he lent an ear. If got emotional, he tried his best to calm me. Coach Gardner was one-of-akind. I will miss him greatly.”

JILL REMAUD English teacher and eighth grade advisor

“Coach Gardner was a great coach who really influenced my life. He understood when to calm me down and helped me understand that life is not all about being in the fast lane. He was an important part of the ESD community and he will be missed.”

TREY BROOKS ‘19 Varsity mens soccer captain

“My dad worked with coach Gardner so would see him almost everyday and we were very close. Before I knew him as ‘Dad’ in field hockey, he already was like a second father figure to me.”

LILY TOLLISON ‘23 Womens field hockey player and coach David Tollison’s daughter

PUMPING UP THE TEAM Gardner cheers with varsity womens field hockey captain, Tilley Neuhoff ‘16, and the team in a huddle before a game in 2016. “All of the girls on the field hockey team adored him - we called him Dad,” Neuhoff said. “We would all yell ‘Heyyy Dad’ across the field and watch him smile and shake his head at us.”

Photo provided by Megan Schroeder

GARDNER’S LEGACY

By Callie Hawkins Staff writer

Students travel longer distances for sports

Athletic department adjustments amidst COVID-19 force athletes to journey farther for games and events

By Callie Hawkins Staff writer

Throughout the winter season, many winter sports have begun to travel for more away games and matches, with less regard for COVID-19 than fall sports, despite rising concern.

The soccer, basketball and wrestling teams have been traveling around the DFW area and some even to Oklahoma to compete with teams in their conference. As the winter sports season comes to a close and the spring sports season approaches, spring sports teams will continue to travel to away games and follow the same guidelines the winter teams had to.

“The health and safety of our student-athletes is at the forefront of all discussions regarding athletic practices, games and travel,” Associate Athletic Director David Tollison said. “Obviously, traveling outside the city required careful consideration among the administration and our health and safety committee. Great consideration [has gone] into our protocols, the protocols of the opponents we play and how we can safely travel to and from any competition.”

The school’s Health and Safety Committee and the administration helped the Athletic Department make the decisions of going to away games and what the protocols would be. They came to the conclusion that

schools that had similar health and safety COVID-19 protocols, mainly in ESD’s conference, were safe to play with.

“As long as we can have transportation where we are socially distanced and we can travel there and back in the same day, away trips are permitted,” Womens Soccer Program Director and Sports Fellowship Coordinator Susan Quill said. “We were encouraged to not engage in games or tournaments outside of our conference.”

All of the high school sports teams at the school are part of the Southwest Preparatory Conference, which is split into North and South teams.

“THE HEALTH AND SAFETY OF OUR STUDENTATHLETES IS AT THE FOREFRONT OF ALL DISCUSSIONS REGARDING ATHLETIC PRACTICES, GAMES AND TRAVEL.”

season, the conference crowned a champion by awarding points based on a win, loss or tie. This winter a North Zone champion and a South Zone champion were named. The tournament was canceled because of the uncertainty of COVID-19, the unexpected new strand and for the overall protection of students’ health and safety.

David Tollison, Associate Athletic Director

In a usual year, the teams would play all of the teams in the conference and then have a tournament toward the end of the season. This is what the conference hopes to accomplish in the spring season. However, in the winter

“[The Casady game] was just scheduled because they are in our conference and the conference assigns games, and there were no objections by [the coaches] or the school,” Quill said. “There aren’t any overnight trips right now, so it was scheduled early in the day so we could go up and back on the same day.”

The Casady School in Oklahoma city––the only team in the North Zone outside of the DFW area––is part of the SPC and was the furthest the winter teams traveled to

this year by far. Sophomore Madison McCloud on varsity womens basketball felt comfortable with the team’s mask-wearing compliance, but before the team’s trip to Oklahoma she was a bit nervous.

“We left early in the morning, and on the bus ride, we had to sit with a seat in between each row, and no one could be next to you,” McCloud said. “The only time we could take our mask off was when we were eating. I felt pretty comfortable [at the school] because the whole time we were wearing our masks until the game. We warmed up in our mask, [and] we had to wear our mask in the locker room and on the bench, but when we played, we got to take them off.”

The entire winter season, things had to be moved around for many different reasons. The womens soccer team had to quarantine for two weeks due to a player contracting the virus, and the same thing happened to the mens soccer team.

“[Sports scheduling] has been a fluid and ever-changing situation to say the least,” Tollison said. “We are constantly shuffling around game days, game times, officials, senior nights, etc., depending on whether or not any of our teams or opponents have had a recent positive COVID-19 case or are in quarantine for contact tracing purposes.”

The spring season is predicted to be in the same sort of situation.

Continuing into this season of sports, teams are wearing masks as much as possible, with coaches wearing them at all times, especially when traveling for away games.

“I know a lot of times we forget [to wear masks],” mens varsity baseball coach Albert Najera said. “It’s definitely something we have to get used to because who knows how long it’s going to be this way. Other than that, we are going to follow whatever the school’s guidelines we are competing with, but we have our own that we need to follow too on top of that, just to make sure we are being as careful as possible.”

The spring season SPC tournament is still scheduled to occur at the end of the season for the first time since the winter season of 2019-2020. Teams will be able to travel more and possibly to further distances, but it all depends on the COVID-19 and quarantine situations of the competing teams.

“The school and the administration have done a great job of making sure that our athletes and coaches are safe and healthy,” Najera said. “The bottom line is what I told our players on day one is that I’m just thankful we have baseball. I’m just thankful that I am coaching at a school that cares about the team and its coaches and cares about our sports programs to be able to do what we love to do.”

Graphic by Victoria Willox

Sophomores plan to race at SPC North Zone Meet

Out of school swimmers represent ESD in Dallas-metroplex meets, with SPC meet postponed

By Grace Knudson

Photo Editor

Awave of chlorine fills their noses as they walk into the natatorium swim deck; the three sophomore athletes are suited and ready to dive in their lane just in time for their designated warm-up. Despite a coach, the pack is prepared to compete against the rest of the North Zone SPC athletes to win their heat—consisting of a group of eight swimmers that swim at the same time in different lanes—and place high in their events.

Throughout the winter season, sophomores Sydney Stuelpe, Dylan Oddy and Dagen Geier competed in numerous swim meets throughout the Dallas Metroplex and while the SPC Swimming North Zone Championship was supposed to be on Feb. 11, it was been postponed until further notice due to inclement weather.

The three swimmers practice and race for club teams outside of school and compete at school meets to represent ESD. Last year, Jeff Geier directed the ESD swim program, and now, team mom and lower school PE teacher Dena Geier has taken over the role and found meets for the swimmers.

“I have been happy doing the meet entries and finding meets which were very difficult to do during COVID,” Dena Geier said. “I didn’t swim growing up, and all I know about swimming is what I hear from coaches yelling at my eldest daughter who swam throughout high school and Degan, but I love watching the kids swim and the competitiveness of it. It’s also enjoyable to take pictures of Dagen, Dylan and Sydney, and I look back at the photos and try to tell Dagen some technique things.”

At school meets, swimmers are allowed to race in numerous events to gain qualifying times to race at the SPC swim meet at the end of the season. At SPC, swimmers can swim a total of two individual events and also in relay events. But there are not enough swimmers on the ESD swim team to make a relay, and there are no mixed-gender relays.

“I wish there were more people on the team, but I understand there isn’t a swimming pool at ESD and not a lot of students here swim outside of school,” Stuelpe said. “But the three of us make the most out of it and always sit with each other at the meets and cheer each other on when we are racing. I never had any classes with Dagen and Dylan, so I got to know them more this year.”

Her second year competing at school swim meets, Stuelpe wanted to have fun and did not set

any goals for the SPC swim meet.

In 2020, Stuelpe raced the 100yard backstroke and the 200-yard individual medley and placed 15th and 17th, consecutively. This year, Stuelpe decided to switch her races and plans to swim the 100yard and 200-yard freestyle. Stuelpe swims for the Dallas Mustangs swim team yearround and practices about five times a week.

“I don’t have that many goals for the meet and I just am gonna see how it goes” Stuelpe said.

been postponed but it’s just annoying because I don’t want all my winter training to not help me for this meet.”

I HOPE THE MEET DOES NOT GET CANCELLED BECAUSE IT’LL BE FUN TO COMPETE WITH OTHER SCHOOLS THAT WE HAVEN’T BEFORE.

Dylan Oddy, Sophomore

“Because of the bad weather no one has really been able to get out of the house and all of my club team practices have been canceled for the most part. It’s not a huge deal to me that it has

Also his second year competing for ESD swim, Dagen Geier swims for a recreational swim team that competes at state and national meets over the summer.

In the school year, Geier participates in school sports, including football, basketball and baseball. In the winter season, Geier doubles up sports and participates in both basketball and swim.

“I’ve been swimming for a long time and wanted to keep on doing it, so I decided just to do both and play basketball through the weekdays

and participate in swim meets over the weekend,” Geier said. “Sports take up a ton of my free time, but this is what I love and enjoy doing, and I wouldn’t change it for anything else.”

Leading up to the SPC meet, Geier placed first in the 50-yard freestyle, second in the 100-yard freestyle at an invitational in the Colony, third in the 50-yard freestyle and fourth in the 100-yard freestyle against Greenhill. Geier is hopeful that the North Zone meet will still happen and plans to have fun and enjoy hanging out with his teammates.

“This is just a fun thing I enjoy doing on the weekend until summertime when it becomes my main sport,” Geier said. “I wish there were more [swimmers on the team] but for now it is just the three of us and we have fun and like talking with each other and cheering each other on.”

A new addition to the team and hopeful collegiate swimmer, Oddy has been swimming since fifth grade and swims for Dallas Mustangs with Stuelpe. He plans on racing the

50-yard freestyle and the 100-yard freestyle at SPC and also competed at The Colony Invitational and at Greenhill during January.

“I’ve put a lot of work into swimming with my club, and I knew there was an ESD swim team, so I thought I would join this year for both a sports credit and to represent ESD in some fun school swim meets,” Oddy said. “I hope the SPC North Zone meet does not get cancelled because I think it’ll just be fun to compete with other schools that we haven’t before.”

Swimming pool construction not in the near feature

IN THE BEGINNING PLANS FOR THE CONSTRUCTION of the Stephen B. Swann Athletic and Wellness Center, which opened in 2010, an underground natatorium was designed but did not move onto the next stages due to high costs and lack of interest from donors and the school community.

“The possibility of a pool was definitely explored, but there just wasn’t enough interest to pull in off,” Associate Head of School Ruth Burke said. “The building was an almost $30 million building, and a pool would have added several more million on to that, which was not in the budget.”

While other private schools around the Dallas metroplex do have pools, ESD is a relatively new school compared to the surrounding others. In 2008, when the designing was taking place, priorities were for academics and wellness, such as the dining commons and faculty offices.

“Our campus has grown as our student population grows, but we’ve always kind of been trying to catch up,” Burke said. “When schools look at campus expansion, the number one priority is meeting the needs of the students we serve and making sure we deliver our mission. If you look at

the buildings and facilities that have been designed and built over the years, they each do something to help us meet the needs of our school whether it’s our daily worship, academics, athletics or the arts. And with swimming, swimming just wasn’t an interest at the time.”

ESD has greatly expanded its student population, starting with 11 students in 1974, to about 1,250 students to date. Now, with the recent lower school construction and the campus also becoming landlocked, the possibility of building a swimming pool in the near future is slim.

“When we ask donors for money, we need to be very confident of how that project is going to help ESD fulfill its mission and meet the needs of students, and the swimming pool, likely would not be compared to an academic classroom or maybe a gymnasium,” Burke said. “Who knows what constructing [a swimming pool] will hold for the future, but I don’t see it happening in the near future. With the lower school now on campus and an additional number of students in middle and upper school, we want to ensure we have a really good learning space for everyone.”

OUTDOOR SPLASH In the beginning plans of constructing the Stephen B. Swann Athletics Center, an outdoor pool placed next to the dining commons and quarry was in the design. Unfortunately, there was lack of interest from donors and not enough money for the construction. “Because ESD is a young school, we have to rely on the generosity of our families and a swimming pool wouldn’t be something that every student would have an opportunity to enjoy,” Associate Head of School Ruth Burke said. Plan design provided by Ruth Burke

OFF THE BLOCKS Sophomores Dagen Geier (left) and Dylan Oddy (right) race the 100-yard freestyle at The Greenhill School on Jan. 28 against Cistercian Preparatory School, Greenhill and Fort Worth Country Day School. Geier and Oddy plan to race at the SPC North Zone swim meet which was supposed to take pace on Feb. 17 but was postponed due to the inclement weather that affected the state. “I’ve enjoyed racing this past year despite COVID and can’t wait to continue racing throughout high school for ESD,” Oddy said. Photo provided by Dena Geier

By Smith Cochran Sports Editor

The legend is back. Its return was announced on social media. Eight years of nonstop turmoil and heartbreak have been healed by the game creators at EA Sports with eight syllables, five beautiful words: “College Football is coming back.”

These words point to the grand fact that the beloved NCAA college football video game is back after discontinuation in 2014. The game halted production due to the lawsuit filed by former UCLA basketball player, Ed O’Bannon, who argued rightfully that the NCAA using studentathletes’ names and likeness is against the federal antitrust law. The case ended in a deadlock, but O’Bannon’s point was clearly made and the impact was felt, mainly by those who loved the NCAA football game.

Many blamed O’Bannon for the loss of the video game, but the NCAA is and was in the wrong. They’ve preached the importance of amateurism in college sports as if university athletics revolve around it––which they do not.

Amateurism is an antiquated term first found in Britain, which described athletes as those who

have never competed or coached for compensation or at a venue where compensation was necessary for viewing. This highlighted the divisions of class, for only the wealthy could afford to compete leisurely without money. It was deemed as the only honorable way to compete and left out the working class. So maybe amateur sports are outdated. Maybe. Or maybe believing that a sport where the top 25 organizations earn $2.5 billion annually is amateur is wrong. Maybe both.

Although EA Sports announced their college football game will be back, much is uncertain. The infamous NIL (name, image, likeness) bill is still being worked on, and Connecticut senator Chris Murphy is set to propose the bill. Multiple states have already passed it into a law, including Florida, and it will go into effect on July 1, 2021. States are scrambling to pass the legislation to ensure that all athletes in that state can reap the benefits.

If the video game came out tomorrow, players’ name, image and likeness would not be a part of it.

When athletes are allowed to benefit

New College Football Video Game furthers argument for allowance of unions for college athletes

from their NIL, there will have to be deals made to make sure all athletes get compensated, not just the big names. That fact presents real issues. How much money goes to each Division I FBS football player? Do bigger names get more money? How should the cover athlete be decided, and is he entitled to more money?

These are tough questions, and the answer has not been found or decided yet. Essentially, there needs to be a players association––a union of sorts for college athletes. Yes, there was a group of Northwestern football players that attempted to form a union, and yes, it was denied on the fact that college athletes are not considered employees. But this needs to be changed, especially as the NIL bill is passing through state houses.

The union would serve as a middle ground between the athletes and the NCAA, EA Sports and others. It would give athletes a voice and a way to negotiate issues. In terms of the video game, the union would create a fair and balanced way for each and every player to receive compensation for the name, image and likeness in the game.

The 2020 season is a perfect

versions of EA Sport’s NCAA College Football since 1993

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example of why college players need to be allowed to unionize.

With conferences making decisions about the schedule, and the NCAA completely stepping out of the picture, there needed to be a voice to represent the student’s who will be competing in a pandemic.

Chris Doyle, the former head University of Iowa strength and conditioning coach was fired due to constant complaints of racist comments directed toward football players. While the university did the right thing in firing them, he was a part of the football program there for 20 years. Without a doubt, he used the same language for 20 years. The comments surfaced in 2020, leading to his firing, but chances are, the complaints had been heard before. They were most likely shushed by the program and university to keep the ones in power clean.

A union would’ve been an outlet for the players and a way to combat the behavior. With a nostalgic college football video game making a return, it’s hard not to be excited, but there is a lot of work to be done to ensure athletes receive the compensation they deserve.

frozenlane

Every issue, the Eagle Edition looks through photos in the school’s archives and selects a moment to look back on. This month, however, is an exception.

THIS IS THE MOST SNOW I have ever seen in Dallas. We have had school closed for one or two inches of snow, but this is unlike anything I have ever seen.

THIS WEEK, TEXAS AND OTHER STATES ACROSS THE COUNTRY FACED ONE OF THE LARGEST WINTER STORMS IN HISTORY. TEMPERATURES DIPPED 40 DEGREES

below normal and snow and ice sweeped across every county in the state. Snow and ice storms on Sunday and Wednesday blanketed many major cities in Texas, leaving many residents without electricity and/or water. By Wednesday, at least 10 weatherrelated deaths had been reported in Texas. Although this storm system did provide numerous challenges to Texans and to most of the countrys, the thick layer of snow was one of the most beautiful snow falls that many Texans had seen in their lifetimes.

In the photo above, freshman Logan Betts, ventured out into the freezing temperatures to capture the natural beauty that the snow provided.

“My motivation to take the pictures of the snow was that it presents a very interesting challenge to take photos of an extremely white material as cameras don’t really adjust well with so much white material,” Betts said. “I think the challenge to find interesting ways to

balance the white on a camera can be so fun, and I was excited to be presented with the opportunity.”

Snow in Texas is rare, so students like Betts seized the opportunity to photograph and enjoy the snow given that there will likely not be another winter storm like this one in the near future.

“This is the largest snow storm that I can remember,” Betts said. “I think the only other time I remember getting a good amount of snow was around 2014, but that doesn’t even compare to this year. During my day off I spent time with my family, and specifically with my brother. We went outside and had fun in the snow for a couple of hours since we know this is probably going to be a once in a lifetime experience for Texas, and we wanted to take advantage of it.”

By Gardiner Vose Views Editor

Henry Hobson senior

Photo by freshman Logan Betts