V 37 Issue 1

Construction of Lower School signifies prioritization of greener community pages 14-15

Spiritual beliefs called into question

Atheism’s

GREEN THUMB Senior Riley Breaux replants a young seedling in front of the quarry. photo by Satori Griffith

was

“ IT WAS AWESOME HAVING THE WHOLE SCHOOL COME OUT AND SUPPORT THE WHOLE FOOTBALL TEAM AND THE LOWER SCHOOL, AND IT WAS COOL HIGH-FIVING ALL THE LITTLE KIDS.

Aidan Hieber, senior

Lower School opening night displays campus

Chapel gathering, afternoon parade introduce the completed grounds

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To celebrate the opening of the new Lower School and the union of the two campuses, the community came together for an all-school chapel service and a parade before the football game on Sept. 13.

“The All School Opening Convocation was even more special than I had anticipated,” Associate Head of School Ruth Burke said. “Seeing all of our students and faculty worshiping and singing together symbolized the fulfillment of Father Swann’s vision for our school and the culmination of five years of work.”

All students gathered in God’s Front Yard at 9 a.m. for a short chapel service. The student advisory council, which was created near the end of last year, organized the service.

“[The chapel service] is hopefully a new tradition to celebrate the opening of our school together,” Burke said. “Ideally, in the future, it will be a little sooner in the school year, but because things are new, we wanted the Lower School to get settled first.”

Later that night was the Lower School Opening Celebration. Dinner, drinks and games were provided for the younger students. Students and families were given a chance to tour the new building too. After everyone ate and toured the new school, a spirit parade and drumline led the crowd to the stands for the football game against Fort Worth Country Day.

school come out and support the whole football team and the Lower School, and it was cool high-fiving all the little kids,” senior Aidan Hieber said.

The integration of the new Lower School means that some students are on campus with their siblings in the new building.

“SEEING ALL OF OUR STUDENTS AND FACULTY WORSHIPING AND SINGING TOGETHER SYMBOLIZED THE FULFILLMENT OF FATHER SWANN’S VISION FOR OUR SCHOOL...”

Ruth Burke, Associate Head of School

“I haven’t seen Stuart yet, but already, just being able to be with him on campus, I feel like we have gotten a lot closer,” senior Kate Flanagan said. “We feel a lot more connected as siblings at the same school.”

Upper school students started school on Aug. 27, and lower school students began the following day.

“It was awesome having the whole

Around the world is a compilation of significant global events selected by news editor Lauren Egger

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“This had been planned last year to be able to have some breathing

Around the world

room for lower schoolers,” Burke said. “For the Lower School, typically on the first day, your parents walk you in, and having the Middle and Upper School first day of school would have created even more congestion and maybe some confusion, especially for lower school families who had never been here before. We thought it would be nice to give space by staggering the school days, so we could reserve parking [for lower school parents] and know that they would be fine.”

Another reason the Lower School started later was to give the faculty time to find their way around.

“Lower school faculty could see middle and upper school faculty in action and what the flow of the day could be,” Burke said. “They walked their paths to see what the best way for them to bring their fourth graders or first graders to the dining commons was.”

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Attack on Saudi oil facility by Iran

3 Insensitive fashion line debut

A New York clothing company, Bstroy, released a new fashion line called “Samsara” on Sept. 15. The line features hoodies with bullet holes and the names of four schools that were sites of school mass shootings. The schools included were Sandy Hook, Columbine, Stoneman Douglas and Virginia Tech.

In Saudi Arabia on Sept. 14, drones and missiles hit the world’s largest crude oil processing facility, stopping half of Saudi production. The U.S. and Saudis blame Iran for the attack, but Iran denies involvement. President Donald Trump stated that more sanctions will be placed on Iran in addition to sanctions already in place.

Canadian prime minister criticized Just before the Oct. 21 Canadian election, current Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is under fire after three photos of him in brownface surfaced. His platform is based on diversity and inclusivity, so this could damage his chance in the upcoming election. Trudeau has apologized for his actions and said, “I never should have done it,” and asked for forgiveness.

PARADE ROUTE Walking through the large crowd, the varsity football players prepare for their game against Fort Worth Country Day on Sept. 13. Parents and students followed the players to the stadium and watched as the Eagles won, 40-21. “It

fun walking the crowd out to the game,” sophomore Trent Robertson No. 29 said. “It showed we had support from the whole school.” photo by Sarah Smith

Senior Dean named, class allowed to write community violations

AP U.S. History and Economics teacher Caryn Rossiter was chosen as Senior Class Dean this year, after former Government teacher, Mark Oglesby, moved to Georgia this summer.

After hearing about the position, she decided to apply because of her experience teaching the current seniors in AP U.S. History class.

“As soon as I heard about the opening, I knew I wanted to apply,” Rossiter said. “I knew that the current class was a good class, and I loved my advisory—I thought that this would be a great chance to have 108 advisees instead of just ten.”

Head of Upper School Henry Heil thought Rossiter was the perfect candidate for the position.

“She was very vocal about wanting to have more responsibility at the school,” Heil said.

idea in February after hearing another head of school talk about how seniors have shaped the culture of their school.

“Trust works two ways,” Heil said. “You can either earn it, or you can be given it. In the past, juniors and seniors have had to earn trust, but if students have to earn it, then it creates an ‘us vs them’ culture. A school is only as strong as their seniors. If the students aren’t invested in the school, the school won’t be as strong of a place.”

Rossiter supports seniors’ ability to give out community violations, but some students have felt unsure about the new role. However, some seniors are looking forward to having the chance to lead and use their power.

“...I KNEW I WANTED TO APPLY. I KNEW THAT THE CURRENT CLASS WAS A GOOD CLASS, AND I LOVED MY ADVISORY.”

“Looking at her interest, enthusiasm, personality and the level of which she trusts, loves and challenges the [students] made it a really easy decision.”

Caryn Rossiter, Senior Dean

Rossiter was also looking forward to participating in senior traditions and events.

“I really enjoyed the senior retreat,” Rossiter said. “Because of the retreat, I got to know the people that I didn’t really know, and it allowed me to see the students outside of the normal school environment. The things I am most excited for are the rally days, Pass It On and graduation—not because the seniors are leaving but [because] just [knowing]that I was a part of the class’s senior year is the best feeling.”

The class of 2020 is going through many changes, with a new senior dean, automatic privileges and now, a new leadership role in the school. Seniors are able to write community violations for the first time for other upper school students. Heil proposed the

“I love this new opportunity because I feel like the senior class can really change the culture at the school,” senior Nikash Harapanahalli said. “The seniors have a chance to show the underclassmen how important it is for everyone to participate in making this school the best it can be.”

While some students have looked forward to this type of leadership in the school, some underclassmen have some concerns.

“A lot of my friends don’t like it because of all the power seniors have,” freshman Bryce Hill said. “People in my grade think the seniors will give community violations to people that they don’t like, which makes senior hall much more intimidating for freshmen.”

Although some students may be worried about seniors having such a prominent role in leadership, Heil says that the goal is much bigger than that.

“The new [leadership role] is about students having more freedom and more responsibility for life beyond [the school],” Heil said. “I see that as part of preparation for [that] life.”

Theater travels to Scotland to perform “She Kills Monsters”

Actors attend the American High School Theatre Festival

Theater students performed “She Kills Monsters” at the American Theatre Festival in Edinburgh, Scotland this summer.

The play was rehearsed in June and July so that the actors would be prepared to showcase it in August. The play centers around a character named Agnes whose sister was killed in a car accident. She has to find peace about this accident and starts reading her sister’s Dungeons and Dragons journal. “She Kills Monsters” was in the top 10 most popular plays performed by high schools in 2017 and 2018.

“‘She Kills Monsters’ is a complicated [play],” Fine Arts Department Chair Dusty Davidson said. “We thought it was a good opportunity. It's written for high school students, it’s something that we could relate to pretty easily and it felt like it would best represent us as high school actors at the festival.”

The actors had to change their performance slightly for a smaller stage with the help of a complicated diagram provided by the theatre. The cast performed four times in Scotland, but when they returned to Dallas, they did not rehearse for a week, and the lead actress, senior Gracey Thomas, missed dress rehearsals because she became sick near showtime.

“After two weeks of not doing anything, we had to rehearse before we performed at school,” Thomas said. “I was really sick, so I had to miss [the dress rehearsal]. I came back the [day] before the play and we [did] the ‘fight call,’ which is a rehearsal of the punches in the combat scenes to make sure it’s all safe.”

The animation club created stopmotion papercraft animations of the scenes that took place in the fantasy Dungeons and Dragons world. Their creations helped visually represent the divide between fantasy and reality in the show, and the

actors were able to avoid taking physical stage materials and props overseas, which would have been an obstacle.

“Mr. Davidson gave us a lot of creative freedom,” junior Sumner Wooldridge said. “It was a little bit stressful because we didn’t have somebody telling us what to do, but it gave us a lot of room to experiment and have fun with what we were doing. Overall, it was great because we really bonded over that experience working together.”

really cool and [unique] experience that we never would have gotten otherwise.”

This year, junior Zander Knight decided to audition for a play for the first time.

“...IT’S SOMETHING THAT WE COULD RELATE TO PRETTY EASILY AND IT FELT LIKE IT WOULD BEST REPRESENT US AS HIGH SCHOOL ACTORS AT THE FESTIVAL.”

The theater department sent the club a list of scenes that needed to be animated, but they had free reign when it came to determining the appearances of the characters. Their inspiration for the project came from stop-motion animator Annie Poon, whose work was featured in the Museum of Modern Art. She agreed to have a conference call with the club over Skype. Additionally, the club met with AP Art teacher Charlotte Chambliss to discuss artistic techniques. Juniors Wooldridge, Jiaying Fu, Katherine Cowser and Mary Cowser started the design process second semester, finishing in July.

Dusty Davidson, Fine Arts Department Chair

“It was easy to learn very quickly and pick up on things,” Knight said. “The cast was very supportive and I always felt welcome. Getting ready for the show was [my favorite part]. Since it was a nine-person cast, we became fast friends, which really helped the chemistry [between us]. Overall, [I didn’t feel] so much like I was in a show as I did being with friends and going to Scotland. The trip allowed us to perform, but also improve [the play]. I portrayed Chuck and Steve, but I was very nervous. I actually went on stage in front of an audience for the first time, and [when] we performed it at school, I felt like I was much more in control and used to performing.”

Tech students accompanied the actors to Scotland, which allowed for the backstage crew to interact with those normally on stage.

“The animations we did for the play ‘She Kills Monsters’ for the Edinburgh Fringe Festival was probably the first finished, big thing that we’ve done as a club,” Wooldridge said. “We used puppets and moved them around and shot stop-motion. It was fantastic that we got to show it to an international audience. It was just a

“The group dynamic was a little bit odd because all of us are in different grades,” Thomas said. “Once we got to Scotland, we formed this weird, unspoken bond with each other. Nobody wanted to acknowledge it, but we all talked to each other about different things and went to each other for advice. We [even form] a secret circle where we all hold hands and give a speech to each other before every show. Now, we have this lifelong friendship with each other that nobody expected, almost like ‘The Breakfast Club.’”

LIGHTS, CAMERA, ACTION In a rehearsal for the play “She Kills Monsters,” juniors Sumner Wooldridge,

Emma Jerrier and sophomore Ruby Long run lines with junior Zander Knight. After performing in Scotland in August, the group performed the play on campus in September. “I was unsure about the play selection at first but the group really came together, and it ended up being one of my favorite shows that I’ve done,’ Wooldridge said. photo by Lauren Tollison

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READY TO LEAD At the Wolf Run ranch, seniors Gracey Thomas, Arthur Lindh and Max Duffner take a break between activities during the annual August senior retreat. Students read family and childhood letters and attended chapel outside. “The retreat was definitely a much-needed bonding experience where we had so many laughs and deep talks,” Thomas said. photo by Kate Flanagan

New security measures implemented to increase safety

sloane hope story by More officers, cameras and lockdown drills on campus aim to protect student body

New updates and changes to the security measures around campus promise a safer school environment, but some of the updates have students worrying about accessibility and privacy.

With the addition of a new Lower School on campus, the security team had much to prepare over the summer in regards to keeping the newly expanded grounds and smaller kids safe. Some major updates include more officers on campus, updated cameras, doors locking earlier and an increased number of lockdown drills.

However, according to the Director of Campus Safety, Jody Trumble, many of the changes were not just caused by the addition of the Lower School but by a changing culture.

“My theory has always been you have to change things a little bit at a time because our culture is changing,” Trumble said. “The

students that are in Upper School now are well aware of the dangers of school shootings; they understand the concept that bad guys are out there. Maybe 15 to 20 years ago, that was not something that students your age worried about.”

In addition to these changes, teachers participated in a national program called Stop the Bleed in August. They were taught basic skills on how to treat bleeding caused by traumatic injuries including how to tie a tourniquet and using gauze to stuff a wound.

“The training was very informative,” Curriculum Specialist Lindsey Cullins said. “However, it was tough. It was hard to imagine a situation that might prompt needing to use those skills.”

With mass shootings becoming more common and talked about, the training could be used in many situations. In an effort to reduce the

“IT WOULD BE NICE IF THE SCHOOL TOLD US ABOUT THE UPDATES TO SAFETY AND SECURITY...IT WOULD PUT THE STUDENTS AT EASE TO KNOW THE VARIOUS THINGS BEING DONE TO KEEP THEM SAFE."

Camille Greening, sophomore

number of potentially dangerous circumstances such as these, more cameras were installed around campus, which many students speculated would be mounted in classrooms. However, Trumble said this was not the case.

“In my opinion, a classroom is not the place for a camera,” Trumble said. “We don’t want to do anything that might stifle the creative outlet of our students. We’re focusing on safety and security, which is what these cameras are there for, so I don’t see a big reason for them to ever be in a classroom.”

According to a Sept. 13 poll of 232 students, 183 students said that they would feel uncomfortable having cameras in the classrooms.

Eighty-four percent of students are content with the current amount of security at school, while 16 percent say that the security needs

improvement.

Another major change concerning students is the locking of the doors at 5 p.m.

“The doors locking at 5 p.m. could make it difficult for studentathletes whose practices usually end around 5:45 p.m. or 6 p.m.,” sophomore Camille Greening said. “Some student-athletes don’t have time to get all of their books before practice and come back to get them afterward, so the change might be difficult for them.”

Greening also believes that the student body should be informed of these changes.

“It would be nice if the school told us about the updates to safety and security,” Greening said. “Not only [would it be easier to] adjust [to] the changes, but it would put the students at ease to know the various things being done to keep them safe.”

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89 % 80 %

of upper school students believe students are welcoming to prospective students during visits*

92 new lower school students admitted this year–50boysand 42girls

38 42 new upper school students admitted this year–18boysand 24girls new middle school students admitted this year–14 boys and 24 girls

of upper school students do not like the idea of having one day for touring rather than weekly tours*

*according to a Sept. 13 poll of 232 students

Admissions changes information sessions, creates

bigger tours in effort to fully show school

Visitors interested in attending the school will go to showcases, parents

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lauren egger

The Admission Office has changed the way applicants visit ESD to promote “more authentic experiences.” They are adding showcases and eliminating one-on-one interviews for middle school admissions.

The admission team researched and gave school surveys to each family admitted to the school who chose to come, who chose not to come and who came and then chose to leave. The admission team found that the former admission previews on Sundays weren’t fully showing prospective families how the school operates.

to offer something during the actual school day where [families] can actually see what is going on.”

“[THE SYSTEM] ALLOWS FOR MORE FLEXIBILITY ON THE AMBASSADOR’S SIDE, NOT TO MENTION IT WILL FOCUS THE TOURS AND GIVE PARENTS MORE DETAILS SO THAT THEY ARE NOT RUSHED TO COVER THE ENTIRE CAMPUS.”

Sam

Curtis, junior

“The millennial generation likes things like Yelp and testimonials— they want real experiences—so we found that [the families] were not able to really see what’s going on [because] it was not a genuine experience,” Director of Admission

Cindy Newsom said. “We were trying to do mock classes and things like that where they can get a feel for it, which is great, but it’s just one of those things with the new generation that we felt wasn’t going to resonate as much. Our goal was

Prospective families choose between showcases in the evening or during the school day this year where they can listen to a panel of faculty members and students. The evening session is then followed by “casual conversations with school leadership.” The morning session will include “See Us In Action Tours.” Around 150 people are currently expected to take part in the middle and upper school tours, which will be led by student ambassadors from both schools.

“We are going to break into smaller groups, so people can actually get into the classroom during the day and see what’s going on,” Newsom said. “That’s our goal.”

The Middle School has added an Ambassadors program with around ten eighth grade students, and they will be paired with an Upper School Ambassador for the Middle School tours. In previous years, tours took place every Wednesday during an Ambassador’s study hall, so the

Ambassador would not have to miss class. The showcases will take place on Nov. 5 and 6 for Middle School, Nov. 12 and 13 for Lower School and Nov. 19 and 20 for the Upper School. Additional “See us In Action Tours” will be offered for the Middle and Upper School on Dec. 4.

“Typically, if I were to sign up for a tour, I wouldn’t know what the [visiting student] is interested in, and so if they are interested in something that I am not involved with, it is hard for me to speak on that topic,” Ambassadors copresident senior Cambridge Bender said. “However, if we are in a larger group, [the tour] will go really well because there is bound to be someone that shares an interest [with the visiting student].”

Junior Sam Curtis likes the new system and hopes it will help the Ambassadors have a more consistent schedule.

“[The system] allows for more flexibility on the Ambassador’s side, not to mention it will focus the tours and give parents more details so that they are not rushed to cover the entire campus,” Curtis said. “Also, spreading it out will keep classes from being distracted more frequently every Wednesday.”

These changes were spurred by an increase in the number of applicants. There are 92 new lower schoolers, 38 new middle schoolers and 42 new upper schoolers. Another change is that interviews are no longer happening for prospective middle school students.

to talk to Ambassadors

Prospective students were previously paired with a current student, and they would follow them for three classes, visit chapel, eat lunch and then do an interview with a faculty member. Instead, these students will eat lunch in the reserved dining conference rooms with faculty, like Head of Middle School Jonathan Chein, Assistant Head of Middle School Meg Fahrenbrook or a middle school advisor.

“All the kids visiting that day will sit in [the conference rooms] and have group discussions,” Newsom said. “Instead of doing a formal interview with them, we are just going to have a fun, little group discussion. [It is less intimidating,] and we still get to know [the students] because the purpose of the interview is to get to know them [and answer their questions,] but we are hoping it will be more natural.”

school,” Newsom said. “That is our collective goal in the admission office so that when [the students] are on campus they have a great experience. We want them to go out into the community and say, ‘I was so impressed with that place, those kids are outstanding,’ and that happens the majority of the time. The biggest problem we have is that during shadow visits, people don’t realize how their comments or their behavior can make a difference.”

For these reasons, the admission office changed their system to make sure that every family and student feels welcome and can see how the school’s community works together.

“WHEN WE HAVE VISITORS, WHETHER SOMEONE COMES TO THE SCHOOL OR NOT, WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THEY HAVE A GREAT EXPERIENCE AT THE SCHOOL.”

Cindy Newsom, Director of Admissions

Admission has also been hard at work trying to figure out how to best represent ESD and what it is like to actually attend school here.

“When we have visitors, whether someone comes to the school or not, we want to make sure they have a great experience at the

“You want to be proud of your school,” Newsom said. “We don’t want to perpetuate myths of who we are, and everybody has a unique responsibility in that. We don’t want to be operating in the dark; we need to make sure we are listening to our feedback, both positive and negative, [and we need to] make sure we respond and act appropriately. That’s why we change things every couple of years in the Admission Office. We want to make sure we are giving the folks looking at our school the best information.”

Administrators return to the classroom

Laba

, Baad and Heil revisit

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history and science

In an effort to place administrators in the classroom, Assistant Head of Upper School Jeff Laba, Head of Upper School Henry Heil and Head of School David Baad are each teaching one class this year.

Laba is teaching sophomore Chemistry; Baad is teaching sixth grade U.S. History; and Heil, who taught U.S. Government last school year, will teach a history class in the spring.

“[Teaching classes is] a way for administrators to make sure they don’t forget what it’s like to be in the classroom,” Laba said. “It’s also a way for the students to get to know the administrators better.”

This is Laba’s first time in the classroom in four years. Previously, he taught Physics, AP Physics and an introduction to Physics and Chemistry for freshmen.

the classroom.”

Two years ago Heil started at ESD and it was the first year in his career that he did not teach. Including his U.S. Government class last year, Heil has taught Western Civilization, Sociology, U.S. History and Civil Rights.

“I was really anxious to get back into the classroom,” Heil said. “It’s a really important way for me to stay connected to the students. Without a doubt in my career, whether I’ve been an administrator or not, the students I’ve been the closest with are the ones I’ve taught.”

“FOR ME, IF YOU’RE NOT TEACHING, IT’S REALLY DIFFICULT FOR YOU TO HAVE A GOOD SENSE OF WHAT’S HAPPENING IN THE SCHOOL... IF YOU’RE AN ADMINISTRATOR, AND YOU DON’T TEACH, YOU’RE REALLY MISSING OUT.”

Henry Heil, Head of Upper School

“Teaching is a lot of fun,” Laba said. “I’m enjoying being back in

Similar to Heil, Baad’s first year at the school was his first year not to teach. Previously, Baad taught a freshman Ancient History class, a seventh grade Ethics class, eighth grade U.S. History, high school World History and fifth grade homeroom.

“I wouldn’t say it’s been hard to adjust to teaching itself,” Baad said. “What’s been different is I’ve

been teaching high school, so going to teach sixth grade has been an adjustment for me, but I’m hoping students will be patient with me, and we’ll have a good time with it.”

Baad chose to teach sixth grade history because he wanted to develop relationships with students that he would end up knowing for six or seven years until they graduated.

“[Teaching] allows me to have a focused, intense experience for about one hour a day with a group of kids, which is not something I get to do administratively,” Baad said. “Administratively, you’re often thinking about the school at a 30,000-foot level. You’re thinking of how all the pieces fit together from beginners to seniors, and then when you start thinking about teaching,

it’s about the daily experience of a very small group of kids.”

Teaching has provided Laba, Heil and Baad with an opportunity to develop closer relationships with students, compared to big-picture administrative tasks.

“For me, if you’re not teaching, it’s really difficult for you to have a good sense of what’s happening in the school,” Heil said. “Being in the classroom, knowing what those kids are going through, getting a sense of their levels of stress and anxiety and hearing what’s going on on a dayto-day basis was really important for me. If you’re an administrator, and you don’t teach, you’re really missing out.”

In the coming years, the school is going to continue to put

administrators in teaching positions to remind them how students work and what they need.

“We can see a different side of an administrator who we normally look at in a different way,” sophomore Anna Baranski said. “Now we get to see his teaching style, and it’s really cool.”

Heil, Laba and Baad all agree that returning to the classroom is best for the school.

“One of the things that I believe is that there are really good opportunities for everyone to be involved with students, which is really what the school’s all about,” Heil said. “I’m really excited that more people have gotten involved in the classroom—it’s going to benefit the culture of the school.”

CLASSROOM COMEBACK Assistant Head of Upper School Jeff Laba helps sophomore Dax Dundon in chemistry class. Laba used to teach physics at ESD but stepped into help with chemistry this year. “Being in [Mr. Laba’s] class has allowed me

that from an administrator.” photo by Riley Breaux

in

Brief

The annual club fair moved locations this year, showcasing all clubs in the Dining Commons on Sept. 13.

Previously, the club fair was spread out among the Cook, Frank and Commons buildings. This year, the clubs were stationed together because students struggled to visit every group.

“Having [the club fair] in the Dining Commons gives each club a fair chance of having enough visitors,” junior and club committee member Ava Thompson said. “It lets students see exactly how many clubs there are and all of the different opportunities.”

Each club was required to have a tri-fold to tell students what the club does. The club committee split up all the organizations, and each club committee member was assigned to oversee specific groups.

“We added tri-folds to standardize the information that everybody was putting out there and to make it more uniform,” Thompson said.

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Club fair moves to dining commons to improve student accessibility FCD returns for sixth year in a row

For the sixth year in a row, students attended Freedom from Chemical Dependency sessions led by prevention specialists to discuss the dangers of drugs and alcohol.

“The point of [FCD] coming is to teach us about certain abuse,”

Assistant Head of Upper School Jeff Laba said. “Their mission is in their name, ‘Freedom from Chemical Dependency.’ What they’re worried about is [addictive] chemicals that you can get dependent on and what’s going on in terms of statistics and numbers.”

Last year, Upper School students were first given the opportunity to vote for a variety of discussion topics, ranging anywhere from drugs to alcohol to vaping. Laba sent out a similar student survey earlier in September, so students had a say this year, too. After the sessions, students were asked to fill out a feedback questionnaire where they were allowed to openly express their thoughts on the benefits of FCD.

“FCD told us that we were the first school that was [having the students vote on topics],” Laba said. “They think it is really great for them because this way they can direct things the way that students want to learn.”

Congestion, confusion arises at lunch with new schedule

The addition of the Lower School to the Merrell Road campus pushed the lunch time back for Upper Schoolers.

This year, the lunch period is only five minutes shorter than in the past, but has less flexibility because of changes to the flex period at the end of lunch.

“With the Lower School here now, we have to feed 1,500 people,” Assistant Head of Upper School Jeff Laba said. “We try our best to make the schedules match.”

Upper school students are the last to eat. Those who have advisory lunch go first. The amount of tables is the main limiting factor. There are not enough to accommodate both the Upper and Middle School students all at once.

According to Laba, it is “critical” that the Upper School students don’t interrupt the Middle Schoolers’ lunch, which occurs right before theirs.

“It’s working better than we thought,” Laba said. “We were by alán benítez

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really worried, but Sage really did a lot to make serving go faster with the extra serving lines. With the way it’s working now, it’s faster than it’s ever been. The Middle Schoolers have been doing a great job of getting out of the servery really fast.”

However, students like sophomore Mary Frances Mcgaughy don’t like how much Middle School affects lunch.

“Middle School lunch goes way too long,” Mcgaughy said. “They just sit there doing nothing for about 10 minutes after they’re done eating while we are in the hallway starving.”

To help combat students hunger, fruit baskets are scattered throughout the commons, a suggestion from Head of Upper School Henry Heil.

“I really like the lunch baskets in

Atheists at religious school feel stigma

As atheism increases in popularity among the younger generation, suggestions arise on how to make school more accepting of beliefs

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“

GROWING UP IN A PRIMARILY CHRISTIAN SCHOOL, PEOPLE START FORMING THEIR OWN OPINIONS AND DIVERGING FROM WHAT THEY WERE TAUGHT STARTING IN HIGH SCHOOL. THAT SHOULD BE A PRIME TIME FOR CELEBRATING ALL [BELIEFS], INCLUDING ATHEISM.

Charlotte Clark, junior

Seventeen percent of younger millennials do not believe in a god, compared to only 9 percent of Generation X and 6 percent of Baby Boomers.

These statistics from the Pew Research Center show that atheism has grown in popularity among the younger generations. According to a Sept. 13 poll of 232 students, 19 percent of students in the Upper School identify as atheist or agnostic. Experiences of not believing in a god at a Christian school differ within the student body.

“Sometimes, it’s kind of awkward talking to people who are really religious,” junior Liesl Small said.

“It sort of feels like they’re looking down on you, like ‘oh, you don’t believe in God?’ But it’s not weird when you’re in Eucharist and don’t take Communion. I don’t think it’s that big of a deal—I chose to come to an Episcopalian school.”

Other students believe there is a larger stigmatization of atheism within the school. Twenty-eight percent of students feel that atheism is stigmatized at the school.

“At least with chapel, when you don’t want to participate, it is seen as if you’re being disrespectful, when really, you’re just having your own views,” senior Jared Evans* said. “There is a stigma; I don’t feel comfortable telling everyone that I’m an atheist.”

Senior Sameer Bhasin believes the stigmatization around atheism in the school comes into play when discussing views on religion.

“I wouldn’t personally be comfortable publicly sharing my views of Christianity, Islam, Judaism [and other religions],” Bhasin said. “It’s a lot more comfortable for a [religious person] to share their views on atheism. A lot of the stigmatization at [the school] is around that.”

One way to decrease the alleged stigma around atheism within the school is more discourse on what atheism is, by giving atheist and religious students alike an opportunity to express their views on religion.

Increased education on atheism is another way to mitigate the stigma.

“The school needs to teach that atheists are perfectly moral,” Clark said. “Growing up in a primarily Christian school, people start forming their own opinions and diverging from what they were taught starting in high school. That should be a prime time for celebrating all [beliefs], including atheism.”

“WHAT I WANT TO DO IS BE IN CONVERSATION WITH [ATHEIST STUDENTS] AND TALK WITH THEM ABOUT WHAT THEY IMAGINE THEIR SPIRITUAL LIFE LOOKS LIKE AND HELP THEM ON THEIR JOURNEY.”

Tim Kennedy, chaplain

“I don’t know if atheists feel comfortable talking about their religion at [the school] because from my experience, I don’t know many people who have,” junior Charlotte Clark said. “The culture at [the school] sometimes keeps atheism from being talked about. Obviously, the majority of people at the school are Christian, and it’s kind of hard for people to find places to share [atheist views] within [the school] because they’re worried about the repercussions.”

However, there is also a sense that destigmatizing atheism at a religious school is not possible, given its foundations.

“Faith is one of the founding tenets [of the school], so it doesn’t seem like [destigmatizing atheism] is possible,” Bhasin said. “With other groups, you could teach the history, the culture and the food. Atheism doesn’t really have that because there is no atheistic culture; all atheists have is philosophy, logic, math and science. All atheism is, is not believing in a god.”

Chaplain Tim Kennedy hopes to have more discussions with atheist students in order to better understand how to incorporate them into the religious life of the school.

“I want to have more conversations with [students] who

self-categorize as atheists,” Kennedy said. “We’re still an Episcopal school, so that’s not going to change. We’re not going to stop talking about God and Jesus. What I want to do is be in conversation with those people and talk with them about what they imagine their spiritual life looks like and help them on their journey.”

Through the required fullyear religion credit, the school incorporates religious diversity into the curriculum and educates students on the world’s faiths in a non-biased fashion.

“The most challenging aspect [of teaching religion classes] is at the beginning of the class, making sure [students are] clear that this an academic study of religion and not a devotional study,” Biblical Literature teacher Kimberly Rogers said. “We are never here to convince anybody that they’re right or they’re wrong.”

Rogers believes this approach allows students to develop their own beliefs.

“I am convinced that there is beauty, wisdom and truth in all the major world religions, and I am equally convinced that studying different faith perspectives helps clarify what you believe or choose not to believe,” Rogers said. “[As] an intellectual pursuit, I think it’s one of the best things you can do to grow emotionally and spiritually.”

*Names have been changed to protect the identities of those interviewed

Loud

emily lichty story by

S&

ophomore Elizabeth Moss steps out in a long red dress, standing alone on stage in Carnegie Hall.

After receiving first place in the Golden Voices of America International Vocal Competition, she is ready to sing her solo.

Moss was picked by her vocal teacher outside of school to audition for the Golden Voices of America International Vocal Competition, which is a highly selective competition intended to challenge singers. Open to anyone interested in competing, vocalists

“I WAS SO ECSTATIC AND HONORED TO KNOW THAT ALL OF MY HARD WORK HAD PAID OFF. I WAS GOING TO GET TO HAVE SUCH AN AMAZING EXPERIENCE, AND I COULDN’T WAIT TO GO PERFORM.”

Proud

audition by sending in a video or auditioning in person. This was Moss’s second time auditioning and as a finalist, she traveled to perform on one of the most famous stages in the world.

Elizabeth Moss, sophomore

“I was so lucky to get to have an experience like this to help broaden my horizons and to make me more confident in myself,” Moss said. “It was so eye-opening and a learning experience for me both times around.”

The first time Moss competed in Golden Voices of America and sang at Carnegie Hall, she was in eighth grade and received second place.

“I changed so much between the first time I went and the second time,” Moss said. “The first time, I was nervous, and I lost my voice the day before. I was absolutely terrified. In that year-and-a-half break, I became much more confident in myself.”

Last October, Moss sent in her audition for the musical theater category, and in December, she was told she won first place. Later, she was invited to sing at Carnegie Hall in May.

“I was so ecstatic and honored to know that all of my hard work had paid off,” Moss said. “I was going to get to have such an amazing

In the studio Dane Larson

Sculpture teacher Dane Larsen was asked to make a sculpture to represent the theme of school unity for the new Lower School in May. It took him eight months to complete the project.

Associate Head of School Ruth Burke, former Head of the Middle School Chelle Wabrek and the preschool team approached Larsen to come up with a design that would contribute something unique to the new Lower School. Larsen decided to make a tree, and the idea was born for A Tree Place. Larsen named the project as a reference to Christopher Alexander’s book “A Pattern Language.”

“My role was to conceive of a thing that met the brief [idea brought to me] and then [to] make it as best I could,” Larsen said.

with

“What it will come to represent, I can only guess.”

Larsen made a 3-D print of the sculpture to map out the structure of the 3,400-pound tree made from cedar. This was important not only for the building process, but also for including the symbolism of students on campus.

“The tree symbolizes how the school has really built from the ground up,” senior Sofia Weinstein said. “It is a good representation of our school. The leaves that are detached show how we can be apart sometimes, but in the end, we all come together as a part of something bigger than ourselves.”

Many of Larsen’s AP Art students helped build this tree, and he believes that another dimension of community symbolism is added

Sophomore places first in singing competition at Carnegie Hall

experience, and I couldn’t wait to go perform.”

She traveled to New York and sang Tonight from “West Side Story.”

“The best part was getting to be in New York and listen to everyone else perform,” Moss said. “The hardest part for me was telling myself not to get nervous and containing it all, so I could give a great performance and not let that distract me.”

A singer since the age of two, Moss is a member of the school choir and often a cast member of school musicals. As a freshman, she made the TMEA All State Choir which is a music competition that ranks instrumental and vocal students across Texas.

“It is so cool that [Moss] got to sing at Carnegie Hall,” sophomore

Ruby Long said. “She is such an amazing singer; it’s no surprise that she got first place. I love being in the choir with her.”

Moss sets her goals and aims high. In the future, she hopes to go to college and keep singing with the goal to make it to Broadway someday.

“I remember how hard she worked to accomplish that goal that she set out for herself [to perform at Carnegie Hall],” choir teacher Joe Snyder said. “It didn’t happen overnight; she worked on it a lot. That diligence paid off—I am very proud of her.”

Moss plans on auditioning to sing at Carnegie Hall again this year.

“Singing is a great way for me to express myself,” Moss said. “I love doing that through performing.”

because the older students helped build this tree for younger students.

“It’s meaningful that some of the oldest students during these two transitional years helped build the tree for the very youngest at our school,” Larsen said. “It provides a link of both labor and love between the generations entering and exiting our community.”

A Tree Place is now located in its

forever home in the Lower School and is available for all to see. And although this was a tough, laborintensive process, the students who helped build the tree believe it portrays an important message to the community.

“It [represents] the school reaching out to our community and growing closer as one campus,”

senior Biz Newsom said.

ava brennan story by

1. GOING SOLO On the stage at Carnegie Hall, sophomore Elizabeth Moss performs on May 18. She sang Tonight from “West Side Story.” “I try to remember, when I am on stage, to let myself go and to not be worried about what everyone is going to think,” Moss said. “I have to remember that no one is there to judge me and that all I need to do is to do my best.” photo courtesy of Tessa Moss

2. SINGING SENSATION After performing on May 18, sophomore Elizabeth Moss displays her award outside of Carnegie Hall. She won first place in her competition. “It was really awesome to be recognized, especially at a place like Carnegie Hall,” Moss said. “It really made me feel like I am a talented singer.” photo courtesy of Tessa Moss

WOOD WORK Sculpture teacher Dane Larson poses in front of the tree sculpture in the new Lower School. He began his project, “A Tree Place,” this May and completed it in time for the opening of the new building. “The tree [stands] in the beginner’s and pre-school’s neighborhood,” Larson said. “It would take explosives and a reciprocating saw to remove it.” photo courtesy of Katie Voss

What’s BUZZ the

“This summer, I went to Virginia with my family. We visited the University of Virginia and went to Smith Mountain Lake. My mom has been [going] to that same lake since she was a kid, and we have gone every year with our family. We rent the same house every year, and it’s fun because we get to relax on the lake. My favorite part about the lake is going on the boat because we get to go tubing and wakeboarding.”

Lily Tollison, freshman

“I went to Seaside, Florida, with [sophomores] Natalie Parker and Tori Schmidt. We spent a lot of time down by the beach riding our bikes around. One time, we saw a giant sea turtle swimming near us in the ocean. [We also saw] a lot of jellyfish and crabs. The trip was really fun because we got to meet people from all around the South. We also met people from Dallas and found that we had a lot of mutual friends.”

Mary Lou McMillan, sophomore

Bon voyage

From Italy to Florida, summer vacations pack on the relaxation

“I lived at my beach house in Bald Head Island, North Carolina. I love being there with my family. This summer, I worked at a restaurant that sells pizzas. When I wasn’t working, the thing I enjoyed most this summer was playing golf. I played almost every day, and I went to the beach a lot. I went deep-sea fishing on our friend’s boat. We caught more than 40 fish, but the biggest one we caught weighed 50 pounds.”

Caleb Ainsworth, junior

“This summer, I went to Italy with my family and visited cities like Rome, Florence and Venice. I saw historical places like the Coliseum, the Pantheon and St. Peter’s Square. My favorite part was our day trip to Tuscany. We went and visited a winery and saw how [wine] was made. We also went to a small town called San Gimignano, which is my favorite place in all of Italy. They had the best pastries.”

Hadley

Smith, senior

“I went on a swamp boat ride outside of New Orleans and met a whole bunch of alligators and found out they like to eat marshmallows. We rode on a riverboat, listened to live jazz music and on our first night, they took us on a ghost tour where we went from place to place and saw the scenes of huge tragedies and mass murders. There was one place that was actually made into an ‘American Horror Story’ episode.”

Marc Salz, AP World History teacher

raleigh toledo story by

Camp Barnabas gives youth a chance to mentor

Helping kids with special needs offers life lessons for counselors

carolyn

Junior Rylie Dupuis remembers the joy on camper Corey’s face as he sang and danced in the Camp Barnabas talent show, with his contagious laughter filling the room.

Camp Barnabas is a one-week camp held in Purdy, Missouri, with a goal of changing the lives of those with chronic illnesses, special needs and those that support and care for them. The camp is faith-based and welcomes campers of all ages for a fun-filled week that focuses on connection with God.

“[The campers] are free to be

who they are, while growing close friendships with their counselors and other campers and building a relationship with Christ,” Dupuis said. “My camper continuously told me that it was the best week of her life.”

This summer, Dupuis and juniors Adeline Beichler and Taylor Maris traveled to Missouri to become counselors at Camp Barnabas.

“I heard about Camp Barnabas through my friends who had gone before, and they said it was a great experience,” Beichler said.

“I thought it would be a great

opportunity to grow through serving and leading others.”

Seniors Cambridge Bender and Biz Newsom volunteered in years past, helping to spread the word throughout the school. All of the students from the school that served as camp counselors recommend volunteering to other students and hope to return every summer.

“Camp Barnabas is a once-in-alifetime experience where you get to spend a whole week with someone you become best friends with,” Beichler said. “You learn everything about someone you barely knew in the beginning by spending time with them and watching them have the best time of their lives.”

One of the camp’s main initiatives is ensuring each person

who goes to camp leaves feeling more educated about Christ.

“Each camper’s relationship with Christ is strengthened by going to camp because missionaries are trained to communicate in ways their camper can understand best,” Bender said. “My camper was nonverbal and didn’t enjoy stress-inducing activities such as swimming, so I would talk to him

about my testimony while we did something he liked to do, like play with a ball.”

TO BE HONEST, MY CAMPERS HAVE TAUGHT ME SO MUCH MORE THAN I COULD EVER TEACH THEM.

Cambridge Bender, senior

Students can apply for several positions at the camp, some of which are paid, beginning Oct. 1.

“To be honest, my campers have taught me so much more than I could ever teach them,” Bender said.

“They are so joyful, funny and intelligent, and serving at Camp Barnabas has made me so much more patient [toward] and appreciative of people with disabilities.”

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Senior Biz Newsom photo courtesy of Biz Newsom

Disney’s live action remakes fall short compared to original animations come Alive

emily

lichty story by evelyn zhao design by

Disney’s live-action remake of the “Lion King” shows off impressive digital design and editing, yet it still seems to fall short when compared to the heart-warming original. The classic tale comes to life in the remake with the exceptionally realistic portrayal of the characters and settings. For better or worse, the movie is consistent with the original—with almost exactly the same dialogue, camera angles and scenes. Although this provokes nostalgia, it also opens up the movie for constant comparison. The songs feel like an afterthought, and they lack the charm and energy found in the original. The movie is, however, excellently cast. With Beyonce as Nala and James Earl Jones as Mufasa, the voices not only fit but also enhance the character’s emotions and personalities. On its own, the movie is impressive, but it ultimately is obscured in the shadow of the first movie.

“Aladdin”

I had high hopes for the live-action version of Disney’s “Aladdin.” The original story and songs from Aladdin could have been well enhanced by a liveaction version, but I found myself disappointed by the movie overall. Although bright and fun to watch, the movie’s production had poor digital editing, with the obvious use of green screens. Often laughable, the settings and special effects were clearly fake, which diminished the dialogue and acting. Although the basic storyline of the movie remained the same, the characters’ personalities became uninteresting and forced. The characters lacked the charm that made the original story engaging, and the actors playing the parts didn’t have the talent necessary for the roles. Will Smith, the genie, was a fine actor but was not exceptional, and his character gained controversy over being edited to appear blue. Both the original songs and the new songs were poorly executed. Each song was incredibly auto-tuned, awkward, and all of the cast seemed incapable of even lip-syncing along to them.

Disney’s remake of “Cinderella” is truly a fairytale come to life. The world of the movie is magical, with stunning costumes, characters and settings. Lily James is a perfect Cinderella—refreshingly whimsical yet humble. Even the performances from supporting roles, such as Helena Bonham Carter as the fairy godmother are spot on. The exclusion of the songs from the old movie was disappointing, as they could have added more of the classic fairytale feel. “Cinderella” is the live-action movie that varies most from the original, and it is the added details that make the new version so special. The further development of characters, such as Cinderella’s parents, the evil stepmother and the prince, make the movie more realistic and relatable. Added scenes and plot details, such as when Cinderella and the Prince meet for the first time, clarify and enhance the movie. The focus on the message of constant kindness and courage is uplifting and adds meaning to the story.

A pleasant surprise, “Cinderella” managed to outshine the original while still capturing the same Disney spirit.

It’s difficult to find a remake that surpasses the original, but the live-action version of Disney’s “Beauty and the Beast” definitely does. To start, the sets and costumes are beautiful and intricate down to the last detail. Each character not only maintains the same lovable characteristics from the original story yet are somehow even more lifelike and joyful. The songs are all well done but most impressive are several original compositions that, along with new plot details, add an original touch to the movie. The new songs, such as “Days in the Sun” and “Evermore,” have a Broadway feel that is much welcomed. The only questionable aspect is the performance of Emma Watson as princess Belle. Although she is definitely capable of acting the role and looking the part, her British accent is off-setting at times, as “Beauty in the Beast” is set in France. Regardless, she definitely is one of the reasons that the movie is so enchanting. All hopes for this movie were fulfilled as the movie successfully brought the viewer into a breathtaking, innovative version of the world of “Beauty and the Beast.”

“Beauty and the Beast”

“Cinderella”

“Lion King”

culture CRASH

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

1

Brown breakdown

NFL wide receiver Antonio Brown was released from the Oakland Raiders on Sept. 7, two days before the team’s opening game. Brown signed with the New England Patriots later that day, but he was then fired from the Patriots after sexual assault allegations.

2 3 4 5 6

Rapper rhapsody

On Sept. 5, rapper Nicki Minaj announced retirement on her show “Queen Radio” in order to “have [her] family.” She also applied for a marriage license with Kenneth Perry and plans to be wed in the next two-three months.

Love wrecked

After seven months of marriage, actor Liam Hemsworth filed for divorce from pop-star wife Miley Cyrus on Aug. 10. The very same day, Cyrus was spotted kissing long-time friend Kaitlynn Carter in Italy.

Free Meek

Famous rapper Meek Mill finally got off probation after his 2007 arrest, ending 12 years of legal turmoil. He spoke out, and said he was thankful for his supporters and will continue working on his “reform movement.”

Heated debate

The third democratic presidential debate occurred on Sept. 12, with Joe Biden, Beto O’Rourke, Elizabeth Warren, Kamala Harris, Andrew Yang and Julián Castro making appearances. Climate change was a contested topic throughout the debate.

Fallen angels

Ariana Grande, Lana Del Rey and Miley Cyrus release new song and music video Don’t Call Me Angel for the movie “Charlie’s Angels” hitting theaters on Nov. 15. The video features scenes of Cyrus and Grande looking tough while strutting their stuff in a boxing ring.

Is it real?

“Love” reality TV shows have a negative impact on youth

Ahappily ever after with a fairytale wedding complete with a Neil Lane diamond is painted as the American ideal, but this is not always the truth.

According to a Sept. 13 poll of 232 students, 47 percent of the student body watches shows like “The Bachelor”, “The Bachelorette”, “Love Island” and “Bachelor in Paradise.”

When watching these shows, there is a common trend of the appearance of the cast: tall, thin, fit and for girls, perfect makeup and hair. The cast typically includes a majority of blondes, such as Hannah Godwin or Demi Burnett from Colton Underwood’s season of “The Bachelor.” People are willing to quit their jobs, like Andi Dorfman, who gave up her career as an Assistant District Attorney– all for a chance at love. But now, these shows are becoming linked to rising levels of anxiety.

“If you are watching them at a really young age, reality TV can start to change your perspective on love and your appearance,” sophomore Ava Finn said. “They can really make it look like everyone on the shows are perfect, and that can affect the mindsets of young children.”

appearance and think negatively about their bodies.

“If you come away from [watching a reality TV show,] laughing, like ‘oh my gosh, that was funny’ and use it to connect with other people, that is fine,” Emotional Wellness Counselor Meridith Stuelpe said. “But if you come away from [watching the show] feeling bad about yourself or feeling like, ‘I need to look how they look’ or ‘I need to have what they have,’ I would be concerned about that.”

“IF YOU ARE WATCHING THEM AT A REALLY YOUNG AGE, REALITY TV CAN START TO CHNAGE YOUR PERSPECTIVE ON LOVE AND YOUR APPEARANCE”

Ava Finn, sophomore

Forty-three percent of the student body believes there is not enough diversity amongst the cast of these reality love TV shows. Season thirteen of “The Bachelorette” in 2017 featured the first AfricanAmerican bachelorette, Rachel Lindsay. After her season aired, there was a significant drop in TV ratings compared to previous seasons, such as JoJo Fletcher from season twelve. The amount of viewers dropped from about 6.7 million to 5.7 million, according to an article written by Refinery29 after the first five episodes of Lindsay’s season, which raised lots of controversy. Lindsay even had to face racial slurs brought upon her after a contestant from her season, Lee Garrett, wrote racist, sexist comments in a series of tweets from 2016.

A recent survey published by The Guardian shows that one in four people between the ages of 18-24 worry about their appearance because of reality TV. Forty percent of the student body said that love reality TV shows make them question their

“All the cast of ‘The Bachelor’ and ‘The Bachelorette’ seems really similar,” sophomore Claire Wooley said. “It would be really nice in the future to see some different looks throughout the cast of the show, mostly because every time you watch, you see the people who look

the exact same.”

Just recently, ABC announced Peter Weber as the 24th bachelor, despite fans campaigning for Mike Johnson, an African-American contestant from “The Bachelorette,” to be the first African-American bachelor. Many fans feel that after 23 seasons of “The Bachelor,” there should have been a bachelor of color by now, which is why so many were upset after hearing ABC’s announcement.

“Mike put his heart on the line and deserved to be chosen over Peter,” sophomore Kate Elliston said. “Mike also went on the ‘Bachelor in Paradise’ and was unsuccessful in finding someone, so ‘The Bachelor’ could have really helped him find his person.”

Sophomore Kai Robinson watches these shows with his sister and said that the contestants all look alike and there isn’t enough representation.

“It appears as if the show is attempting to make a change to this,” Robinson said. “The shows and the cast definitely gives you a false sense of what real life, dating and relationships are like. The show also portrays unrealistic expectations for men and definitely needs more diversity in the future.”

Unfortunately, when a child is younger, it is hard for them to understand that these projected “fit” body images, perfect hair and makeup and traveling the world while falling in love is not what an average life looks like and not even close to what most 20-to-30-year-olds’ reality is.

“For younger children, if they’re watching it with somebody who is pointing out to them the differences between reality versus what they’re being shown on the TV, then I think it is okay,” Stuelpe said. “But that is probably not what you want a younger child watching.”

kara dross story by

9 10 students recycle plastic water bottles*

66 students recycle cans* IN % %

84 students recycle paper*

49 % students recycle plastic bags*

3 5 IN students recycle cardboard*

Fifteen months of construction. Thirty-sixpoint-five million dollars. Two-thousand-sevenhundred-sixty-five cubic yards.

The result—winding staircases, bricks on bricks, blue, brown and silver combine to form the intricate three-story building boasting the metallic lettering “Episcopal School of Dallas Lower School.”

Beneath the embellished exterior and sheen of newness, the creation of the building represents a far more important value—the school’s core commitment to sustainability.

“The Lower School has been designed and built with state-of-the-art energy-efficient systems...with the environment in mind,” Associate Head of School Ruth Burke said. “We are excited about the positive impact of the Lower School on the Merrell Road campus, both [regarding the] environment…and our community.”

The green construction of the Lower School addresses a timely issue—climate change. Human-caused climate change, supported by over 97 percent of climate scientists, according to NASA, is a pressing and impactful concern in today’s society. According to a Sept. 13 poll of 232 students, 62 percent of the student body believes that climate change is real, and action should be taken.

“If you say, ‘Well, there’s nothing I can do about [climate change]...’ or ‘I’ll worry about [climate change] later,’ is that what you’re going to tell your grandchildren?”

English teacher and Environmental Awareness Club sponsor Greg Randall said. “Why take chances? [Even] if you don’t believe in [climate change,] what harm does it do to try to keep our air, water and Earth as clean as possible? If we don’t have those basic elements, life is diminished.”

progress is worth

The Lower movement. It Building Code, efficiency, water reduction within For example, Lower School utilizes solar Additionally, exclusively LED because they around 50,000

Another facet

Lower School

“[AT THE END OF THE DAY, OUR GENERATION WILL BE THE ONES TO TRULY SUFFER CONSEQUENCES OF EARTH'S DESTRUCTION, WE NEED TO START TAKING STEPS TO SAVE OUR HOME.”

The school, faculty and staff and individual students have taken action to address the global issue.

“Often times, when people discuss the climate crisis, a sense of inactivity sets in, which is due to a feeling that the problem is too big, and thus, small, [individual] action could not even begin to make a dent on the issue,” junior and teen environmental activist Susanna Newsom said. “However, this kind of thinking needs to be amended. We need to realize that change, even on [a] small, local scale is progress—and

“The water irrigation for students,” Burke products are

Susanna Newsom, junior

“The key to their best not around campus,” said. “Contaminated to our operating contract with, and help the Over 40 percent recycling program resource consumption percent of the be recycled while recycle when

worth fighting for.”

School is one example of the growing It is a structure that exceeds Dallas’s Green Code, standards that aim to improve energy water conservation and resource reuse and within buildings in the city. example, in terms of energy efficiency, the School has a solar water heater system, which energy to heat water in place of electricity. the light sources in the building are LED products. LED lights are beneficial are long-lasting, having a lifespan of 50,000 hours.

facet of the Green Building Code that the School follows is water conservation. cistern collects rain water to provide plants and [acts as] a learning tool for Burke said. “The [installation of] turf eliminates the need for watering and maintenance of grass.”

OF WILL TO THE CONSEQUENCES AND START NOW HOME.”

Newsom,

Outside of the Lower School, the Upper Campus has also embraced green initiatives. Currently, the Upper Campus requires 4.8 million kilowatt hours per year to operate.

To reduce this amount, the school has replaced the inefficient light fixture T-12 with more efficient light fixtures.

The school also maintains a robust recycling program.

The Merrell Campus typically contributes around 16 to17 tons of recycling annually.

Recycled paper used in restrooms, printers and copiers. to recycling is that students and faculty do to contaminate the recycling bins located campus,” Director of Facilities Jay Michael

“Contaminated recycling results in additional fees operating budget by the recycling company we with, so please follow the rules of recycling school save money at the same time.” percent of the student body believes the program and the school’s efforts to minimize consumption could be improved. Sixty the student body recycle anything that can while 32 percent of the student body only it is convenient for them.

“It’s easy to think, ‘What are we doing tomorrow? What does next week look like?’” Biology teacher and World Wildlife Club sponsor Max Auge said. “But, as you grow and evolve, you realize that we need to start thinking in terms of years and decades. ‘Living it up’ has its consequences. We are going to have to start paying for some of our behavior. It’s never too late to act. It’s never too late for us to change our behavior. We’re going to have to make some real hard choices if we want to maintain our standard of living in our standard of nature—but, I’m optimistic.”

In terms of resource allocation, the school prints approximately 200,000 pages per month. Students are allowed to print 250 pages per month while there are no restrictions on faculty.

and we need to start taking steps now to save our home.”

Additionally, members of the school’s faculty and staff are no longer using disposable cups to drink coffee. The coffee maker in the teacher’s lounge has been replaced with a more environmentally-friendly model, and the coffee grinds will be composted.

“WE NEED TO START THINKING IN TERMS OF YEARS AND DECADES...IT’S NEVER TOO LATE FOR US TO CHANGE OUR BEHAVIOR. ”

Max Auge, World Wildlife Club sponsor

“[The reasoning behind the student printing limit] is to discourage printing,” Director of Technology Eric Cobb said. “Students are not large consumers of printing resources. [However,] these restrictions seem to greatly reduce student printing.”

Other environmental initiatives are spearheaded by students and faculty. For instance, the Environmental Awareness Club and the World Wildlife Club were instrumental in the installation of the Elkay-filtered water fountain in senior hall and the compostable boxed water in the Eagle’s Nest.

“I firmly believe the school can be supportive [of environmental initiatives,]” Randall said. “[The school] most often is [supportive], but these changes don’t typically occur unless they’re initiated by students. When students say, ‘This is what we want to do,’ they [make change happen].”

To inspire other students in the community to take action and minimize their environmental impact, Newsom created the city-wide organization Dallas Teens 4 Earth.

“Dallas Teens 4 Earth serves to ignite a sense of responsibility among teenagers to not only care about our earth but also to take action,” Newsom said.

“Too many times, I have witnessed and, often times, been a part of a widespread group of teenagers who acknowledge the natural world is in danger but simply do not know how to help. Dallas Teens 4 Earth strives to give students a way to make real change because at the end of the day, our generation will be the ones to truly suffer the consequences of Earth's destruction,

“We’re hoping to move away from these wasteful single-use cups,” Auge said. “We’ve grown up with so much wealth and so much access that ‘single-use’ was never a thought twenty, thirty years ago—but, ‘single-use’ should probably become a bad word because we’re… contributing to the landfill. [Our single-use products] sit there for millennia, and pieces of plastic end up everywhere. We thought, ‘As a school, what can we do?’ We are moving from single-use products to a model of ‘Reduce, Reuse, Recycle.’”

As well, SAGE Dining Services reduces its environmental impact by reusing food waste and using locally-sourced herbs and plants.

“Some of our waste is actually given to the chickens and rabbits on campus,” Senior Food Service Director Rebecca Compton said. “We love the idea of composting….I [am looking] into the possibility. We also love the [school] garden and greenhouse. And, we also plan to use the herbs grown in the aquaponics system.”

The school continues its search of green initiatives— in the future, the school may turn to solar energy.

“We have had solar companies visit our campus in the past to discuss what they can offer in terms of solar power,” Michael said. “However, the investment to install solar and the payback on energy savings do not benefit ESD at this time. If the cost of solar installation comes down and should the price of energy rise, we may need to look at solar as an option.”

The school will continue to minimize its environmental impact while preserving the core values of the community.

“We can be one of the greenest schools in the country, and I think we will be,” Randall said. “I know the people at this school, and I know how strongly they feel. I’m with those people on the patio every day, and I hear these students of mine talk in class—it’s just a matter of getting to that next step. I’m very positive we can be one of the leading green schools in the country—we just have to decide that it’s a priority."

“ THESE CHANGES DON’T TYPICALLY OCCUR UNLESS THEY’RE INITIATED BY STUDENTS. WHEN STUDENTS SAY, ‘THIS IS WHAT WE WANT TO DO,’ THEY [MAKE CHANGE HAPPEN].

Greg Randall, Environmental Awareness Club sponsor

foodFast

Food trucks at Klyde Warren Park offer variety of fast, delicious food

Abe’s Flavor Flave adds a taste of Mexican food to Klyde Warren Park with its amazing quesadillas, nachos and tacos. The food is pre-made for your enjoyment, and the speedy service adds to the on-the-go Mexican food vibe. The food is good, but it is nothing special. I ordered the chicken and beef quesadillas, and they were pretty average. The quesadillas are cheesy and have a good cheeseto-meat ratio; however, the lack of spices and sauces make it nothing out of the ordinary. The appeal of Abe’s Flavor Flave comes from its swift service and convenience when one becomes hungry while taking a stroll in the park.

Yummy Pizza is a really good place to go when you’re craving a nice cheesy slice of New York-style pizza and a side of wings drenched in sauce and ranch dressing. The pizza is well done with a thick crust and melt-in-your-mouth cheese, but it’s nothing special. Most pizza is pretty amazing, and so is this one, but you can honestly get a slice as good as this anywhere. There is nothing super special or different about the truck’s menu and most of it’s items you could find at any pizza shop. I got the Meat Lover’s pizza, and although it was good, it was greasy and messy. Although it wasn’t amazing pizza, there is something about ordering food out of a food truck that makes it fun and special.

The Butcher’s Son is a meat-and barbecue-themed food truck with a variety of sliders, sandwiches and quesadillas. I ordered the Pan Handle Po’boy. It came with tender, perfectly seasoned brisket and sausage with pepper jack and onions on a bun. The juicy and tender brisket mixed with pepper jack cheese and onions created a blend of flavors so tasty that it felt like I was taking a bite of heaven. Apart from the amazing food, the sandwiches are served by friendly attendants with speed and a smile. If you are ever in Klyde Warren Park, making a stop at The Butcher’s Son food truck is a must for any food lover.

Sullivan Texas BBQ is a Texas-style food truck that offers a classic variety of meats to choose from. Although it may sound like your usual barbecue joint, it actually goes above and beyond. Despite the size of the operation, the quality of the meat is amazing. The truck smokes all of its meat for hours before serving it, giving each bite a rich, smoky flavor, and the truck’s heavenly barbecue sauce complements it perfectly. I ordered the ribs, and I was not disappointed in any way with either the taste or the presentation of the meal. The portions are huge, and I was nursing a food hangover after the hearty meal. If you are visiting Klyde Warren Park, I highly recommend that you stop to eat at this food truck because you will not be disappointed.

Abe’s Flavor Flave

The Butcher’s Son

Sullivan Texas BBQ

Yummy Pizza

–luke mccabe

–luke mccabe

–gardiner vose

EE

editors-in-chief

Emily Delgado, Victoria Willox & Evelyn Zhao

copy editor

Jiaying Fu

life

Blair Batson & Luke McCabe

views editor Alán Benítez

sports editor Lauren Weber

business manager Gardiner Vose

photo editor Riley Breaux

digital relations

Ava Brennan

staff writers

Smith Cochran, Kara Dross, Sloane Hope, Alexander Konradi, Carolyn Langford, Emily Lichty, Gina Montagna, Raleigh Toledo

cartoonist Sumner Wooldridge

adviser DiAngelea Millar

The

The

Eagle Edition | vol. 37, issue 1 The Episcopal School of Dallas 4100 Merrell Rd. Dallas, TX 75229

eagleedition@esdallas.org (214) 358-4368

Views

Tutoring sessions relocated, quieter library allows for studying

After several noise complaints last year, tutors are no longer allowed to work with students in the library, which was the right decision.

As more and more students rely on the assistance of tutors, the library overflowed with tutoring sessions last year. This made it difficult for students studying in the library alone to concentrate on their own work because of the noise.

This year, Assistant Head of Upper School Jeff Laba made the decision to hold tutoring sessions in various locations around campus, such as the upstairs of the Frank building, the Cook building and the robotics lab in the Swann building. The change reduces the volume of the library, while also giving students, teachers and librarians more freedom as to how the space is used.

Dispersing the tutoring sessions benefits unproctored study hall students. Laba’s decision is much needed, long awaited and has created a better environment for everyone on campus.

It is hard to forget the high level of noise and constant distractions that students faced in the library last year. These distractions provided by tutors and larger groups made it difficult to complete assignments and students had to relocate to find a quiet spot. We saw first hand that when the library was open to tutors it became a chatroom, not a quiet reprieve from school.

StaffStance

It is important for the library to maintain its purpose of providing support to students and classes. The decision to relocate tutoring sessions was a step in the right direction and will hopefully have long-term effects. It would be really great to see more usage of the collaboration room and possible expansion of the library to include more separate spaces for smaller groups, should they be needed for students who have group projects.

47

percent of students have had a tutor for at least one course*

45

percent of students believe they would be more productive if tutors didn’t hold sessions in the library*

V36: Truly, a successful year.

V37: Time to do it all again. But this time, bringing you a revamped, sophisticated and classy new look. Since the beginning of March, the three of us have been brainstorming new ideas on ways to redesign the Eagle Edition for the upcoming year. This summer, in the short span of three whole days, the front cover, bylines, fonts—basically everything about the paper—was completely rebuilt and stylized. Now, don’t confuse the look of our

paper with a magazine. While much of our inspiration came from Oprah Magazine and the Atlantic, we aspired to design a newspaper that had never been created before— timeless and elegant. We’re not going to lie. It’s going to be hard to live up to all the achievements of V36 and produce an even better newspaper, but it’s possible. So much was accomplished last year with the paper winning its first National Scholastic Press Association Pacemaker, a Columbia

Scholastic Press Association Gold Crown—the list goes on. But after all of last year’s accomplishments and the tears and sweat, we’ve made a name for ourselves. Outside of the Dallas community, our paper is nationally recognized.

The school year has finally begun,

Also it would be beneficial to have certain sections of the library cornered off for upper school students only because often the middle school students are loud when they use the space. There are times, too, when classes meet in the library and don’t seem to be using the room’s resources, thus taking up space and providing a distraction to quiet, studying students. This could be mitigated as well so that the space is even more quiet.

*according to a Sept. 13 poll of 232 students

it’s time to welcome back the long hours spent designing in InDesign during those five-to six-hour-long work nights. It’s also time for those countless attempts to reach people for last-minute interviews. As a side note, please check your emails. Let’s bring on Ms. Millar’s confusing Australian accent, Riley’s obsession with the camera cabinet and Alán’s “fun” decorations around the journalism room. Each person has come a long way since we were naive, little freshmen in Journalism I. For some of us, it’s been a few months since J-1 and for others, it’s been three whole years. All 23 of us have an equally important role as part of this staff. We will all encounter some failures, but we laugh; we cry, we learn NEVER to do it again; we grow closer as a family. That’s truly the secret to the success of our papers each year—our special bond.

Editors-in-Chief, Emily, Evelyn & Victoria

emily delgado

graphic by

Letter to the Editors

Dear Eagle Edition staff,

At the start of the school year, it came as a shock to many of us when Mr. Heil came up to the podium at the end of the chapel and announced that there had been a suspension. We all thought this was a one time thing, and that they were only announcing it to let the community know that if we are struggling with an addiction problem that the administration is open to us talking to adults about it, who want to help. We were shocked this past week when Mr. Heil came up to the podium again and announced another suspension.

We didn’t realize that this was going to be a regular occurrence and a new way to handle discipline issues in the community.

The new policy of announcing suspensions in chapel has become a controversial topic in our community. Announcing the suspensions in chapel does not stop the rumors, but instead, starts and fuels them. In both instances so far, the majority of the Upper School has had no idea that this suspension has happened. After chapel, the topic of conversation has been “Who is Mr. Heil talking about?” People then find out who was suspended whereas if it was never announced, the majority of people would be unaware. The gossip isn’t stopping.

I understand that it is important to tell the community about things that might be related to substance use but that’s also why we have FCD. A better way to approach this would be to announce all the suspensions at the end of the month, at the end of the week, or just not on the day the person was suspended. That way, it won’t be obvious as to who the announcement is referencing and would help protect the identity of students more. Also, if they are going to announce suspensions in chapel then does that mean they will be making announcements about cheating and things that go to honor council? If they are going to announce some types of suspensions, they need to announce all. A student doesn’t want the embarrassment of knowing that the whole school had to find out about what they did upon their return back to campus.

It would be beneficial if the administration sent a survey so that we would have a chance to share our concerns and perhaps offer other ideas to handle these situations. I’m not saying the administration is completely wrong to use these infractions as learning opportunities, but there has to be a better way.

Rachel Morrow, senior

In a country where there have been more mass shootings than days in 2019, the fact that the last major gun control legislation passed by Congress was in 1994 is harrowing. Congress’ inertness when it comes to passing gun reform has led American corporations to take matters into their own hands.

In early September, Walmart announced that it would quit selling ammunition meant for military weapons and prohibit customers from openly carrying firearms in stores—even in states where open carry is legal. Soon after, companies such as CVS and Walgreens emulated Walmart’s open carry policy.

Corporations’ stances on gun control should act as a model for Congress

Recent massacres draw attention

to the need for legislation

It is heartening to see these businesses taking a stance on America’s gun violence epidemic, and their reforms should act as a clarion for gun control to Congress. The responsibility of addressing gun violence should not have to fall into the laps of corporations; our politicians must be held accountable to do their jobs—regardless of political affiliation.

Yes, there have been multiple efforts by politicians to pass gun reform laws. In February of 2019, the House of Representatives passed two bills meant to expand the

You hear it before you see it— the ostentatious clickety-clacking down senior hall, the awkward thumps and tumbles along the road that never fail to draw attention. Fellow rolling backpack user junior Sumner Wooldridge describes it as “the all-too-familiar ker-thunk that says, under no uncertain terms, I care NOT what you think about me.”

Mainstream media would have you believe that rolling backpacks are “uncool” or “nerdy.” I have no idea where they got that from. They’re probably just jealous. With four years of expertise, I can confidently tell you that rolling backpacks are not only the epitome of high fashion (I personally am still waiting for my backpack’s Vogue cover), they represent everything that is Texan—they’re bigger and better; they’re loud and proud;

2 in 5

of students identify as a Republican

*All stats are according to a Sept.. 13 poll of 232 upper school students

45% % % blair batson graphic by

15

students identify as a Democrat of students identify as another party

be picked up in the Republican controlled Senate. With American stores instituting their own gun control, this is a fitting time for the Senate to direct its attention to this bill.

It is time to retire the arguments that “gun control doesn’t work” and “mental illness and violent video games are responsible for mass shootings.” America is not the only country with mental illness, and America is not the only country with violent video games. However, according to Vox, America is the country with the highest number of gun-related deaths and the weakest

laws have also seen a decline in gun-related deaths. Admittedly, just because these studies show a negative correlation between gun laws and gun-related deaths in foreign countries does not guarantee that gun control in the United States would yield the same results. However, one can be certain that a continuing refusal to even try to act on the issue will cost innocent people their lives. According to Vox, since the Sandy Hook massacre in 2012, there have been 2,216 mass shootings—an incident where four or more people, not including the shooter, were shot—in America.

In seven more years, what will this number be? Corporate gun restrictions, while a pivotal decision, are not going to drastically hinder this figure from rising, but legislative gun control might. According to a Sept. 13 poll of 232 upper school students, sixty-four percent of students believe gun control legislation needs to be passed. When it comes to gun violence, America is caught in a vicious cycle: a mass shooting occurs; advocates call for gun control; Congress fails to pass legislation; a new story tops the news and calls for gun control dwindle until the next mass shooting occurs; and this cycle repeats itself. The only feasible way to suppress this cycle is comprehensive gun control, and that goes beyond corporate reform. By Blair Batson

They see me rollin’: backpack adventures

and they avoid exercise as much as possible. Here’s why. Picture the average high school student—they’re slouching through the halls, shoulders aching as they carry a sack of repurposed dead tree corpses on their back. According to a Sept. 13 poll of 232 students, 68 percent of students believe regular backpacks are too heavy. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission reports that, in 2013, regular backpacks caused around

22,200 strains, sprains, dislocations and fractures. A Tel Aviv University study further elaborates on this matter, concluding that the weight of backpacks can damage shoulder tissues and nerves, indirectly inhibiting muscle movement. However, a rolling backpack solves all of these issues. It takes a load off your back, allows more room for textbooks and causes fewer injuries. Also, you totally get swole from lifting rolling backpacks upstairs—every day is arm day.

Sure, there’s a certain stigma around rolling backpacks (again, no clue why), and they can sometimes be inconvenient, such as when you’re going through a door, and there’s a bump on the floor-door intersection that you can’t get your backpack over, and it causes a traffic jam. But are those small inconveniences really worth the risk of back and shoulder injuries? So take a break; don’t break your back. Go get yourself a rolling backpack.

jiaying fu copy editor

of students believe gun control legislation needs to be passed

gardiner vose graphic by

pro

con

The Electoral College is the official method of choosing the President and Vice President of the United States. U.S. citizens do not directly vote for the president. Each state is given an elector for each representative and senator, totaling 538 electors, which are distributed based on population. Electors vote based on the way the majority of the people in their state voted, resulting in the state being labeled as a “red state” or “blue state.”

*Electoral College from the 2016

Upcoming election raises concerns about the Electoral College

Pro:

System is efficient, needs changes Con: Electoral College is not inclusive

The Electoral College ensures that every state, no matter its size or population, has a say in who will become the next president of America. Because every state varies in these areas, the Electoral College gives every American the chance to choose their leader.

One of the main arguments against the Electoral College is that it takes away the ability for people to truly influence the election, because in the end, the vote comes down to the states and not individuals. For example, in our most recent election, Hillary Clinton won the popular vote, with 65,853,516 votes while Donald Trump received 62,984,825 votes.

Our founding fathers wanted the system to be Federalist in nature, which means they wanted the winner to show that we are a union of separate states. If the U.S. were to scrap the Electoral College and only have the popular vote, candidates would only campaign to the interests of states with bigger populations like Texas, California or Florida. Smaller, rural states would have no influence.

The Electoral College is a compromise between Congress and citizens. So while I agree with the Electoral College on principle, I recognize that 1804 and 2019 are completely different times. A system should change and be improved upon with time and experience, and the U.S. should not be trapped in a system set by people hundreds of years ago. According to a Politico poll, 50 percent of U.S. citizens believe the popular vote should be used while 34 percent believe the electoral college should remain the same. In a Sept. 13 poll of 232 students, 48 percent of students believe it is effective. It is evident that a majority of U.S. citizens believe the electoral college should change.

The electoral college needs to be redesigned, keeping the foundation and ideals but making them more of a reality. In the 2016 election, President Donald Trump won six states in a plurality of votes. These states were essential to his election. Clinton won seven states in a plurality of votes, but with these states having less total votes than the ones Trump won, she was unable to win. Population should be recounted and then the number of votes each state is allowed should change in electoral college numbers to ensure representation. The Electoral College system should remain mostly as is, but the government should change it to fit the needs of our country today.

percent of students believe the Electoral College is effective, according to a Sept. 13 poll of 232 students

A recent report conducted by The Truth Initiative revealed that Netflix original shows and movies contain more scenes of tobacco use than those of broadcast television. The report followed the release of the third season of the hit series “Stranger Things” and the backlash it received after the inclusion of tobacco in every episode.

Netflix has promised to cut back on such scenes, but will it really be effective in curbing smoking numbers? The streaming content giant released a statement saying that they will no longer be including scenes with any form of smoking in shows rated TV-14 and movies rated PG-13 unless deemed appropriate for the time period of

The Electoral College was originally created with the intention of gathering votes from across the young country quickly by having representatives from each state, known as electors, speak on behalf of those who couldn’t make it to Washington to vote. During this time, this form of representation was necessary, but we are no longer living in the Pony Express era. With the technological advancements of this century, the outdated Electoral College should be replaced with a method that fully includes the vote of every eligible voter and represents the will of the people.

Contrary to popular belief, we do not directly vote for a president during elections. Our votes tell electors the candidate a majority of the population in each state is in favor of. Each state is given a number of electors based on population, but smaller states are given extra in an effort to equalize the power that each state has in electing the next president. The extra votes given to smaller states are taken from bigger states such as Texas and California, therefore more populated states have their vote count less than less populated ones. And those electoral numbers haven’t changed despite populations dwindling in some states and bursting in others.

Not only is the Electoral College outdated, it is also an inaccurate representation of the voices of American citizens because it does not include the approximately 3.5 million citizens who reside in the U.S. territories. They are recognized by law as citizens of the U.S., yet they are not given equal voting rights. It is unreasonable for millions of U.S. citizens to be deprived of the basic right to vote for president of the country they reside in.

The Electoral College has proven itself to be ineffective at following the will of the American people in the most recent presidential election, in which the president lost the popular vote but was sworn in as president. In 2016, Hillary Clinton won the popular vote by receiving 2.8 million more votes than Donald Trump, but because Trump received 77 more Electoral College votes, he won the election. This is not the first time that this has happened in our nation’s history. It has also occurred in four other elections: 1824, 1876, 1888 and 2000.

The Electoral College may have seemed like a convenient system of choosing the next president when the United States was young, but this unjust and non-inclusive system no longer works for the good of the people.

percent of students believe elections should be chosen through popular vote, according to a Sept. 13 poll of 232 students

Netflix cuts smoking scenes in shows, vaping epidemic should be addressed instead

the program.

Sorry Netflix, but smoking isn’t the problem anymore. In the past four years, the numbers surrounding teenage vaping have skyrocketed, but the use of electronic cigarettes on television and in movies remains minimal. So does seeing it on a screen really influence people as much as we think it does? Currently, according to the school handbook, being caught vaping or in possession of a vaping device while on campus results in a code of conduct violation, which is the highest disciplinary infraction and usually results in a suspension and may provide grounds for expulsion.

The real problem here is the pressure created by friends and peers to partake in activities such as smoking or vaping. The struggle to fit in with friends and others is severe and drives some people to do things they know are bad, illegal or unhealthy. And now, with six people dead from vaping, we are starting to see real effects of this form of smoking.

According to CNBC, seven people have died from vaping as of Sept. 12, and 530 others have become ill. The Center for Disease Control believes that the illnesses come from exposure to a chemical that is present during vaping. Symptoms of the illness include an elevated heart rate, cough, chest pain and fever. However, besides the fact that the illness comes from a chemical present in vaping devices, scientists are puzzled as to what is causing the numerous hospitalizations. Many people also forget that no one yet knows the long term effects of vaping, however, the ever increasing number of deaths and illnesses already occurring this soon after the introduction of e-cigarettes is cause for concern.

While it may be true that seeing something done on television increases the likelihood of the viewer to do that thing, seeing something done in real life by those you are surrounded by or admire increases the chances more.

Therefore, it does not make sense to ban uses of tobacco on a single platform if the viewer will still see it on every other streaming service and most likely be exposed to it in real life.

Smoking and vaping scenes featured on television and in movies that are geared toward young teenagers can also teach them that saying “no” is an option too, which seems more valuable than getting rid of such scenes altogether. By seeing role models confidently say “no” to smoking, young teens are able to see how people navigate the steep slope of peer pressure and can begin to realize that they are not the only ones not partaking in something dangerous and unhealthy. These public service announcements seem a lot more valuable than getting rid of smoking in a tiny section of the massive entertainment industry and could help reduce vaping incidences and deaths.

lauren egger news editor

emily delgado editor-in-chief

sloane hope staff writer

emily delgado graphic by

presidential election

Politics, big business should not mix

V Vvose’s voice

Third parties manipulate voters, raising questions about whether politics is still fair

s the year 2020 approaches, citizens of the U.S. begin to think about who they are going to vote for in the next presidential election. But is that vote really theirs? Since the 2016 presidential election, reports have continually been released stating that big businesses, like Google and Facebook, manipulate voters into voting for the political party that they support. This practice is wrong for a number of reasons.

The idea behind a democracy and its corresponding elections is that the people decide who they want to vote for. If they want to watch a publiclytelevised debate between candidates in order to better make an informed decision, that is their choice. If citizens want to vote solely based off of the party they identify with, that should be their choice too. Basically, people should be able to choose who they want to vote for and should be able to choose what influences their vote. For many in the U.S., this is no longer an option.

Large companies within the U.S. funnel millions of dollars to indirectly support politicians through super political action committees, also known as SuperPACs. These companies have a limit of $5,000 dollars that they can directly give when they funnel money through a normal PAC, so they have found a way to game the system by indirect funding through SuperPACs. The money put into these SuperPACs and normal PACs is spent on advertising and branding for candidates—which should be fine—because it still offers people the choice of whether or not to pay attention to these advertisements, yet some businesses have taken this a step too far.

Companies, such as Cambridge Analytica, use ads through social media platforms like Facebook to manipulate voters. Cambridge Analytica gained access to the data of 50 million Facebook accounts and targeted them with specific ads in order to gain more support for President Donald Trump in the 2016 presidential election. Even worse, the people targeted by the ads were chosen because the company gained access to personal information without their consent in order to better manipulate their vote. Other companies, such as Google, which Trump tweeted about the other day, also have interfered with elections. According to a study by Dr. Robert Epstein, Google may

have used bias in their search engine that may have manipulated what voters could view when they looked up information for certain political candidates. The tech giant is still under investigation for these claims. The president accused Google of stealing votes from him, but it is not clear yet if the claims are true.

Before 2010, companies weren’t able to directly fund politicians with money, but since the Supreme Court case Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission, it was settled that companies were allowed to support political agendas with funds because it qualifies as freedom of speech under the First Amendment. Since that court case, hundreds of millions of dollars have been funneled through SuperPACs, aimed at supporting both conservative and liberal agendas. Las Vegas Sands is one of the largest culprits of this practice. The Las Vegas casino has put over $200 million toward supporting conservative candidates in the upcoming elections.

The reasons behind these donations are usually to influence government decisions for economic gain within the company. If the politician that a company supports happens to go into office, that company reaps the benefit and gets special treatment, which isn’t fair. This influence became emphasized since Trump took office in 2016. During his election, large oil companies supported Trump with millions of dollars. After Trump began his term, he approved the construction of the Keystone XL oil pipeline, which had previously been stalled by the Obama administration and he has peeled back environmental protections to ensure businesses can do whatever they want. I don’t believe that these huge industries should influence elections because government officials don’t always have the best interests of the nation in mind if they are also trying to compensate for the money companies donated.

Large companies are involved in our everyday lives and have much more control over people than we realize, but that shouldn’t be legal. As a population, we can’t just sit idly by while big business manipulates our decisions. The U.S. is the land of the free, and its citizens should have the right to know when they are being fed information and not be manipulated subconsciously through sneaky tactics used by large companies to support their own agendas. By Gardiner Vose

The worst to the best of the month, ranked by Gina Montagna

Parking puzzle

8

7

There still doesn’t seem to be enough parking, especially for teachers. Students also dislike only being able to exit through senior lot, which creates more traffic.

Schedule struggle

The new schedule this year was changed to work around the Lower School’s schedule. However, the schedule includes no morning breaks for upper school students or teachers.

Lunch dilemma

6

The lunch lines are longer because of the new schedule, giving some students less than fifteen minutes to eat, and making tight tables.

Wimpy wi-fi

5

4 3 2 1

The Amazon burning could have disastrous effects, world leaders need to step up and put pressure on Brazil

The wi-fi in various buildings across campus is slow or often nonexistent, making it nearly impossible for teachers and students to do work.

End of an era

The reign of NetRef has officially ended after faculty decided to stop the trial and not continue with the program.

Snack attack

Since the new schedule does not include a break in between morning classes, SAGE has set out baskets of various fruits for students to quickly grab during passing periods.

Every man for himself

Seniors will no longer have to work to earn their privileges. Instead, they received their privileges automatically.

Little kids, big campus

The new Lower School opened on Aug. 28 and having the small kids running around brings a lot of energy to the campus.

The Notre Dame cathedral was on fire for one day, and it got worldwide attention and donations of up to $700 million to help rebuild it. Meanwhile, the Amazon forest, which is essential to sustaining the environment, has been on fire for about a month and has received no attention. Little to no action is being taken to save one of our planet’s most important natural resources, and this speaks to an issue we face as a society–apathy.

Some people are not fully aware that the largest forest in the world is still burning. If this continues, the decrease of oxygen production will create a threat to every living thing’s existence. Brazil’s government is turning its back on the problem and therefore turning its back on the world.

The Amazon forest is home to the largest variety of animal species in the world and is also home to 34 million natives who rely on the forest for food. With the forest burning down, people will be left without a food source and rare animals left dead or without a home. The fire also affects us in the U.S. because the forest produces 16 percent of the world’s land-produced oxygen, according to National Geographic.

Many people say that fires in the Amazon are common. They actually aren’t. Every fire that has occurred in the forest has been man-made. According to National Geographic, paleoecologists, scientists who study the interactions of plants and animals in the environment, uncovered pieces of charcoal in lake beds and soil that prove that fires only happened in the areas where human traces were found. The people of Brazil need to realize that they are personally destroying their own home and taking the rest of us with them.

According to a study by the World Wildlife Fund, there has been an increase of 78 percent in deforestation from last year. Everyone in Brazil will be affected by these fires, but many believe they are safe because they live within the city. Soot and ashes

are falling in cities like São Paulo, which is over 1000 miles from the rainforest. It is absolutely shocking that the people of Brazil are doing nothing to rally support to protect their very own environment. The fires will affect the people of Brazil more than anyone else, yet they continue ignoring the issue.

The major reason nothing is being done to repair and protect the forest is because of Brazil’s president Jair Bolsonaro. After he took office in January, the Brazilian Institute of Environment and Renewable Natural Resources has faced severe budget cuts, staff shortages and attacks by locals and government workers. Bolsonaro has loosened the laws on deforestation, and the government isn’t paying attention to the illegal activity that is happening in the forest. Bolsonaro organized a summit with various countries in order to speak about the fires, but he skipped his own meeting for surgery. When French President Emmanuel Macron offered to provide funds to stop the fires, Bolsonaro refused.

Our generation will face the repercussions of the mistakes government officials are making for not protecting our environment. It is important that people are aware of this environmental crisis because we are the ones who have to fix it. 16-year-old Greta Thunberg is a global advocate for climate change and has spoken with government officials from different countries to bring awareness to the problem and implement laws to help reverse climate change. Thunberg is also promoting a global walk out strike on Sept. 27 to bring attention to climate change and rally students. Recently, students have been getting more involved on campus by creating clubs, such as Environmental Awareness Club, World Wildlife Club and Climate Change Awareness Club. In fact, 91 percent of students believe that the Amazon burning down is a big deal, and 97 percent of students believe that it is important to preserve our forests, according to a Sept. 13 poll of 232 students.

If deforestation continues at this pace, 27 percent of the forest will be completely gone by 2030; this does not include the fires that have destroyed more forestland. Whether it be the Brazilian government or another country, a leader needs to force a deal in order to stop the deforestation and put out the fires. Stopping the fires does not only benefit Brazil, but it benefits the whole planet.

95 of students are aware that the Amazon is burning down* %

97 of students think it is important to preserve forests* %

*according to a Sept. 13 poll of 232 students

Gina Montagna staff writer

sumner wooldridge

graphic by

“

[I HAVE BEEN] PHYSICALLY TIRED AND MENTALLY TIRED A LOT OF THE TIME, BUT KNOWING I HAD A GOAL, COMMITTING, IS WHAT KEPT ME GOING.

Sports

As the referee blows the whistle repeatedly and the national championship game comes to a close, junior Tamia Tolbert cries—her team just won the US Soccer Development Academy U16-17 girls national championship for 2019. This was the same tournament where she had torn her ACL exactly a year prior.

Tamia Tolbert, junior

Tearing her ACL was just one of the many sacrifices Tolbert has made for soccer. Every week, Tolbert partakes in three two-hour practices and a game or practice on Saturday, and she conditions and lifts weights on her own time.

However, there is one thing that has made all the work worth it for her—committing to play soccer at the University of Michigan. For athletes that are committed to play a sport in college, much of their time and effort is spent on specializing in that sport.

my ACL and a couple days before I had knee surgery,” Tolbert said. “At that time, I had a lot of offers, and after finding out [that I was hurt], there were some schools that were really hesitant in keeping those offers, but the Michigan coaches still believed in me 100 percent, and they were 100 percent willing to keep the offer and still give it to me—that was a really big thing for me because that was a really hard time in my life, and I was really sad, so to know they still believed in me was awesome.”

Senior Tori Greenberg committed to High Point University to play lacrosse during her junior year.

I HAVE LOVED FOOTBALL EVER SINCE I FIRST STARTED. IT HAS MADE ME INTO THE PERSON I AM.

Garrett Seymour, senior

“[I have been] physically tired and mentally tired a lot of the time, but knowing that I had a goal, committing, is what kept me going,” Tolbert said. “It’s what made everything that I’ve missed out on worth it.”

Tolbert committed to Michigan the summer before sophomore year.

“The Michigan offer was a really special thing because I committed to Michigan two weeks after I tore

Like Tolbert, Greenberg invests a significant amount of her time on the field, spending about 12 to 14 hours a week playing lacrosse.

“Being around sports all my life, I knew that I wanted to play in college,” Greenberg said. “When you want something, the work you put in isn’t bad because it’s something you love, so it was totally worth it for me because hard work gave me the opportunity to continue playing lacrosse in college.”

For Greenberg, her decision to commit to High Point included more than just her love for the

lacrosse program. She was also attracted to the close community and academics that High Point offers.

“For me, I made a list of schools that I was interested in academically and athletically, and as I began to visit them, I started narrowing my list,” Greenberg said. “For my top schools, I would go on official [visits] and stay with girls on the team and go to their practices, lifts and meet with the coaches to make sure that I really loved the environment. After visiting my top three [schools], I knew [my favorite] was High Point, so I called the coach and told them that I knew I wanted to go there, and it was the perfect fit for me. It was official after the call when I had verbally committed.”

Senior Garrett Seymour committed to play football at Harvard University during the summer before his senior year. Seymour devotes a large amount of his time to football, spending 17 hours practicing during the season and six hours of weight-lifting out of season. He chose Harvard for its campus, athletic facilities, size and location in Boston.

“All the work I’ve put into football is definitely worth it,” Seymour said. “I have loved football ever since I first started. It has made me into the person I am. For football, I have sacrificed a lot of my time and have taken a hit academically. I’m lucky enough to be going to a college to play football.” of students do not think it is unfair for people to get into high profile colleges by committing * of students think it is easier to get into a high profile college by committing *

89 % 69 %

“All

Football program gains new coaches

More staff on the field provides additional mentorship, improves player performance

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It isn’t often that a school loses a coach who was a former NFL player and gains one with an even more impressive track record.

Seneca Wallace, who spent a decade in the NFL playing for the Green Bay Packers, Seattle Seahawks and Cleveland Browns, had spent the last several years as the school’s quarterback coach before leaving after the 2018 season. Wallace was replaced this season by NFL Hall of Fame quarterback Troy Aikman, who spent his entire career with the Dallas Cowboys. Judging by the offensive performance in their first game against Trinity Christian Academy, the change in quarterback coach has been effective.

Senior quarterback Preston Morway passed for 477 yards and five touchdowns and won statewide recognition for his performance. The Eagles defeated the Trojans 4926 on Aug. 30.

by someone that you know has that much experience [playing quarterback],” Morway said. “There’s not really someone out there that knows much more about football than he does. [Aikman’s] helping me a lot with the mental aspects instead of the physical aspects, like how to read defenses instead of like how to throw the football.”

Head varsity football coach Richard Williams shares Morway’s enthusiasm about Aikman.

“[CALEB WILLIAMS] WAS A PLAYER ON THE CHAMPIONSHIP TEAM, SO OBVIOUSLY, HE KNOWS LOTS OF GOOD TECHNIQUES. HE IS ALSO FAMILIAR WITH THE KINDS OF TEAMS WE PLAY SO HE HAS LOTS OF ADVICE FOR THE DEFENSIVE BACK CORPS.”

River Woods, Captain

"It’s really cool getting coached

“It’s pretty special to have him helping out with our offense and our quarterbacks,”

Richard Williams said. “Aikman will make a couple games a week with the team and [go to any] games that don’t conflict with his broadcast schedule.”

In addition to Aikman, several other coaches have been added.

Offensively, the team’s new coaches are quarterback coach Jay Michael, who is also the school’s Head of Facilities and wide receiver coach

Jeremiah Eaton, a cancer survivor who currently plays professional arena football in the spring.

Defensively, coach Victor Butler was moved up to defensive coordinator, and linebacker coach Kris Frost was welcomed to the coaching force. Also, Caleb Williams, son of head coach Richard Williams also has joined the program as a defensive-backs coach.

“[AIKMAN’S] HELPING ME A LOT WITH THE MENTAL ASPECTS INSTEAD OF THE PHYSICAL ASPECTS, LIKE HOW TO READ DEFENSES INSTEAD OF LIKE HOW TO THROW THE FOOTBALL.”

[JV] players practice with the varsity players, they are gaining valuable experience for when it is their time to step up into the varsity spotlight. The [JV] team is playing a much more sound defense than I have seen in the past. With this success, it is evident that the culture change will pay off.”

Preston Morway, quarterback

“[Caleb Williams] was a player on the school's championship team, so obviously, he knows lots of good techniques," senior captain River Woods said. "He is also familiar with the kinds of teams we play, so he has lots of advice for the defensive backs corps.”

With the change in coaches comes a major shift in how the team practices—junior varsity players practice with the varsity team.

“[JV players are] basically the future varsity players,” Richard Williams said. “By having the

EAGLE EYE

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by

Q

A

How long have you played field hockey?

I started playing in seventh grade, and I kept playing because I’m naturally better at it than I was in other sports— field hockey is a very mental game because you have to predict what happens next.

Q

A

How has being a captain changed your role on the team?

Being a captain has definitely made me more comfortable leading the team because I was always quieter when I was an underclassman or in Middle School. I have four other co-captains; working together is really fun because we all kind of bring a different [perspective to the team].

Another new change to the program is the addition of the Lower School to the campus. By eventually involving the younger students in the pep rallies, Williams hopes to eventually make the kids “feel the buzz of the pre-game festivities,” so that they come to more home games and get excited about the sport.

“My goal is that they fill up our whole [stands] side over here, and then, we have to put visitor bleachers on the other side for the visitors," Richard Williams said. "Because obviously if the Lower School kids come, their parents have to come, and then, we start to get a bigger crowd size at our home games.”

Q

A

What is life like with the team on and off the field?

We all have tried to continue to do what the past captains have always done—we try doing activities after practice, dinners and team sleepovers. We had a field hockey retreat before school started, which was right at the beginning of preseason. No one really knew the new people, so it was nice to get to know everyone. We have “little sister, big sister” pairs, so you get to know the other grades better.

Q

A

How do you balance your time being a student-athlete?

We usually have two games a week and practices every day. You definitely have to love what you’re doing and love the people around you. I know I need to stay organized with homework because I have limited time after field hockey. The fall is my most productive time even though it’s the busiest because I don’t do a spring sport. I utilize all my study halls and flex to try and not be super busy after school.

SILENCE BEFORE THE STORM The varsity football team takes a moment of silence and prayer before the game against Texas Christian Academy on Aug. 30. The Eagles trumped the Trojans with a 49-26 win.

the coaches are incredibly experienced and offer great and unique insights to the game,” senior Val Mooty said. “Their years of professional experience offered is very beneficial to the players because they see things [on the field] we don’t.” photo by Riley Breaux

Teachers step up to take on afterschool coaching positions

Athletic Department encourages faculty to coach, promoting community values and teaching perseverance

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Two teachers will add coaching to their resumes this year after administrators asked for faculty members to step up to coach athletics.

Mathematics teacher Lisa Bottoms and Arabic and French teacher Laila Kharrat, have both committed to helping coach this year. Bottoms is the assistant junior varsity volleyball coach, and Kharrat coachess junior varsity field hockey.

“[The idea for teachers to coach] happened in a faculty meeting in the spring,” Kharrat said. “A new practice [in] many of the private schools around the nation is that every teacher coaches or has one significant thing outside of school, and I wanted to [help] support [students] learning and do something that benefits them.”

Head of Upper School Henry Heil believes getting to know students outside of the school environment and creating good teacher-student relationships are crucial.

However, it is not just about the relationships for Heil. He wants to see more connections between extracurriculars, like sports and the classroom. Teachers who stepped up to coach are given a lighter teaching load.

“As a school, we want our messages to be the same for everybody,” Heil said. “We want our football team to embody the same founding tenets and pillars that our teachers value. I would love to see our best teachers be our best coaches.”

Kharrat was one of the first to jump at the opportunity. She coaches field hockey, a sport she played throughout high school and continues to play in her adulthood. She loves the experience and values the relationships she has built in doing so.

“...WHEN I AM COACHING, I GET TO SEE STUDENTS’ INTERESTS AND THEIR CHARACTER ON A DIFFERENT LEVEL.”

Lisa Bottoms, Math teacher

“We have a good community here, but a great community is when we know all our students in and out of the classroom,” Heil said. “We are pretty good at it, but we can be better, and this push is one of the ways we can get all the way there.”

“I see another side of my students that I would never see otherwise, and it helps me appreciate who they are and what they do so much more,” Kharrat said. “But it’s a two-way street: they see me in a different way too, and as a teacher, it helps me have a lot more empathy for them.”

During practices, Kharrat runs with her team so that they see her on a more personal level. Both Kharrat and Bottoms agree that coaching builds relationships and unity that would usually not be seen in a school.

1. ACE OF COURTS Math teacher Lisa Bottoms tosses volleyballs on the court during practice drills. “I want to know what else interests [my students],” Bottoms said. “Being there and coaching them helps me to see those interests.” 2. STICK TO THE FIELD At a practice on Sept. 19, French and Arabic teacher Laila Kharrat shows freshman Lyles Etcheverry how to work with the ball. photos by Alán Benítez

“Usually, I see them within four walls while teaching math, but when I am coaching, I get to see students’ interests and their character on a different level,” Bottoms said. “It allows me to teach them in something other than just math.”

purpose.

“We are trying to have the same lessons taught in the classroom extend onto the field,”

“TEACHING GRIT, RESILIENCE AND PERSEVERANCE IS NOT THE SAME IN A CLASSROOM AS WHEN YOU’RE COACHING IT IN A SPORT.”

Bottoms believes creating relationships and teaching students in more than just the academics is very important in schools. There are some things that cannot be taught in the classroom that are essential in developing students’ lives of

Laila Kharrat, French & Arabic teacher

Athletic Director Dan Gill said. “The best way to define a healthy school culture is when you have faculty and staff walking in parallel with athletics.”

Gill says that athletics and classrooms should be intertwined. Students at the school are encouraged to learn about more than just academics, and sports teams help achieve this.

“Teaching grit, resilience and perseverance is not the same in a

classroom as when you’re coaching it in a sport,” Kharrat said. “In the classroom, it’s hard to teach these things because you aren’t experiencing something that is so visceral and active.”

Teachers who coach can invest themselves in more than just teaching their subjects and can use experiences to teach morals and values. It builds unity and bonds between students, faculty and staff.

“After [the JV field hockey team] had our first game and first win, the next day, walking around campus, I chatted with students, saying ‘Great job in the game!’ and ‘We did it.’” Kharrat said. “It builds community because we all have shared experiences and can celebrate together with real connections.”

New crew coach grows team

Adam Jones joins the staff as crew coach, middle school learning specialist

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It was nine a.m. on a Saturday morning in the midst of the grueling August heat. The crew team had just finished practice, and junior Christopher Hess went on to complete another rowing session at White Rock Lake. When he returned to the practice site to retrieve his belongings almost three hours later, his coach was still there, patching up the team’s broken boat that had previously been mended with a strip of duct tape.

Coach Adam Jones arrived at ESD this year, working as both a middle school learning specialist and an upper school crew coach. Since Jones’ arrival, 20 athletes have rejoined the school's crew team, all of them motivated by Jones’ mission for the group.

Kyndell Wolfe said. “He’s teaching us how to take care of our equipment and teaching us the fundamentals of rowing for long term results, rather than short term.”

“I WANT TO DEVELOP TOP END ATHLETES WHO ARE GOING TO GO ON AND ROW IN COLLEGE AND BE SUCCESSFUL BUT NOT DENY ANYONE WHO IS NOT QUITE AT THAT LEVEL YET.”

Adam Jones, Varsity Crew Coach

“He’s made a lot of positive changes that will benefit the program in the future,” senior

Wolfe and her teammates were also lured by Jones’ extensive history with the sport. Jones began rowing when he was 14, an activity that he only began as physical therapy for his torn ACL and meniscus. He fell in love with the sport and went on to row at the University of Pennsylvania. Following college, he continued to coach crew. In the two years prior to arriving at the school, while simultaneously getting his master’s degree in special education, Jones worked as an assistant coach for the Southern Methodist University womens rowing team. By the time he left

SMU, the womens crew team obtained a significantly higher ranking.

“I certainly don’t want to characterize it as [having done] it alone,” Jones said. “I embraced the challenge of building up a team and moving them up. Every team I’ve ever taken over has always had good people and [has] been a part of a good institution. I’ve enjoyed the challenge of taking a team from where they are and elevating them in the process.”

After meeting with Jones for two hours, junior Christopher Hess knew immediately that he wanted to rejoin the team.

“Just compared to what we’ve been through, most school teams usually have a pretty consistent basis for who they have for coaches, so there’s not that much instability,” Hess said. “Having a different coach all three years has been really difficult because it’s almost like learning to row but in a different way. It’s a little difficult, but you have to keep being positive and looking forward.”

During practices, Jones often works with small groups and assigns tasks for individual athletes to work on each day.

“I want to develop top-end athletes who are going to go on and row in college and be successful but not deny anyone who is not quite at

that level yet,” Jones said. “Rowing is one of those sports where we can have a huge variety of athletic ability. Some people come in very athletic, and others needed longer time to develop. As long as their attitude is in the right place, and they want to work hard and do the prescribed training that I give to them, I welcome them.”

That emphasis on personal responsibility and perseverance is a guiding philosophy of Jones’ approach and is one that led him to discover his passion for teaching and helping students.

“I fell into the learning support field accidentally,” Jones said. “I came to really appreciate students who were struggling and who later overcame those challenges. I saw that so much in athletics, and it was cool for me to witness that at first and dive into it.”

Jones applied for this position on a Friday night, and Athletic

Director Dan Gill called him seven minutes after he hit submit on his application.

“I feel so blessed to have found this place,” Jones said. “I was looking for good schools in the area and ideally, ones that offered crew and had a way for me to get involved. When I interviewed here, I met a dozen people on the first day, and every single one of them made a great impression on me, so I’m here because of the people and the community and the professionals.”

Athletic department hires new administrative assistant

Susan Quill comes from St. Johns School to coach varsity soccer, work in athletic department

The athletic department hired administrative assistant and head womens varsity soccer coach, Susan Quill, this school year.

Quill played on the U.S. womens national soccer team in 1999 and 2001. Before that, she played soccer at the University of North Carolina and won multiple national championships. Later, after working at a law firm, she returned to the sport as a coach.

“I didn't grow up wanting to be a coach,” Quill said. “I grew up wanting to play a sport forever. When my career ended, the next best thing to playing for me was coaching. I have a passion for sports and being active. The most influential people in my life—besides my family—were my coaches.”

Quill coached D1 soccer at the University of Houston for five years and was most recently the head

varsity soccer coach at St. John's School in Houston. Her family moved from Houston to Dallas after her husband got a job in the city.

“My family relocated,” Quill said. “The school communities of St. John’s and ESD are similar, and ESD has a history of a [successful and] competitive women's soccer program.”

The womens soccer team won four SPC championships in six years under the guidance of former coach Mike Renshaw.

“I’m really excited to have a fresh coaching experience and see where the season goes,” senior varsity soccer captain Catherine Blaylock said. “It’s super cool to be able to work with someone qualified who has so much experience.”

There have already been a few changes to the women’s soccer team, one being the preseason workouts. Quill is also in charge of the lower school sports fellowship program, an extracurricular that includes

all kinds of sports. The fellowship program includes sport leagues in the YMCA. Quill will be organizing the rosters for the lower school.

"The most challenging part of being an administrative assistant is the broad spectrum of the job,” Quill said. “In coaching, the focus is singular in a sense—prepare the team to compete. In administration, your considerations for decisions and actions are widespread, and you need a different perspective. I am excited for the opportunity to help grow athletics and the athlete experience from the Lower to the Upper School.”

During the school day, she teaches middle school physical education. Having the Lower, Middle and Upper School all on one campus will mean that the athletic department can now work with all three divisions of the school.

“Now that we’re on one campus, we feel we have a unique opportunity to have some curricular

mapping within our athletic program that models what you see in other academic areas on campus,”

Athletic Director Dan Gill said.

The process of hiring Quill went smoothly.

“When I applied and interviewed, I felt at home,” Quill said. “Plus, my twins, [who are] now in Pre-K at ESD, have the opportunity to be at the same school in which I work.”

Finding a new head women's soccer coach was not easy, but Quill’s resume and personality made her a natural choice.

“[Quill’s] ability to make relationships with kids and support the school’s mission made her a really attractive candidate, in addition to the great expertise she has in the sport of soccer personally and professionally,” Gill said.

Quill is looking forward to the upcoming soccer season. Compared to other schools, ESD stood out to her because of its potential for growth, athletically and

community-wise.

“The [school’s] athletic department has so many resources and opportunities to provide student athletes and families a positive experience from Pre-K through senior [year]” Quill said. “Because the Lower School is newly on site, there is endless possibility to establish new school traditions in terms of athletic support across the ages. It is an exciting time to be a part of the athletic team moving forward.”

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1. ROW ON Juniors Sam Curtis and Ford Bannister practice on Bachman Lake on Sept. 13. “Spending a lot of time with each other, [Curtis and I] have a lot of communication, so it's really easy to work together," Bannister said. 2. MOTIVATION In his first year as varsity crew coach, Adam Jones gives directions to the rowers on Sept. 13 during practice. “What I’ve seen is a really good response from the people on the team at all levels,” Jones said. “Everyone is showing up and working hard and already showing objective improvement in their scores.” photos by Riley Breaux

Susan Quill

Two freshmen make varsity cheer

The Upper School varsity cheer squad now has two freshmen—a first for the group after the coaches allowed all grades to compete for spots on the highest-level team.

A few years ago, the cheerleading program set guidelines stating that seniors and juniors must make varsity cheer while sophomores and freshmen could only be on the junior varsity cheer team. This past season, the program required that freshmen be on junior varsity. This year, members were placed on teams strictly based on skill, and cuts were made for the first time.

For the 2019 cheerleading season, cheerleading program director Megan Boyd ‘09 leveled the playing field by creating unbiased teams based on tryouts scored by three judges.

“In the past, some juniors that didn’t have the skills to be on varsity still got to be on varsity because they were juniors,” Boyd

The human body is not built to take massive, hard hits from two-hundred-pound men for over sixteen weeks. Yet, every year, there are NFL players over thirty-years-old choosing to damage their bodies further for our entertainment—and some money.

Former Indianapolis Colts quarterback Andrew Luck recently unexpectedly retired from the NFL at the age of 29. The news broke out during a Colts preseason game, and Luck was booed as he walked off the field. A few sports “analysts” spoke out against Luck’s decision,

said. “This was not safe, and now, teams are totally skill-based. This has nothing to do with a popularity contest.”

Now, all four grades are represented on varsity, which has created a different dynamic.

“When we did have the grade rule, seniors really never interacted with the freshmen, and they were completely separate,” Boyd said. “But this way, it’s growing them all together. Because we’re such a small school, you might be on a team with a sophomore, junior, senior or freshman.”

“THE POINT OF HAVING ANYONE MAKE VARSITY [IS] SO THAT WE HAVE THE BEST TALENT ON THE TEAM. EVERYONE IS COMMITTED, AND EVERYONE CAN ACCOMPLISH ALL THE SKILLS WE WANT TO HAVE.”

Abby Brand, Varsity Cheer Captain

The two freshmen on the team are Marguerite Davis and Mackenzie Brooks. They went to camp with the squad before the start of school to bond with their teammates, many of whom already knew each other.

“Being a part of the varsity team is so much fun,” Davis said. “My teammates give [me] advice about cheer and also school. At first, I was scared to be with a bunch of upperclassmen, but they were so welcoming and nice, and it made me feel better when I first entered the team. I did not think I was going to make varsity.”

Brooks has participated in competitive cheer for four years and likes to work on routines with her stunt group.

“I like all the routines we perform and cheering at football games on Fridays,” Brooks said.

“I feel like I have gotten to know the upperclassmen better than some of the other JV girls because we’ve been on a team

together, and we also went to cheer camp with them.”

The cheerleading program has an annual “big sister and little sister” tradition to match the varsity girls with a junior varsity cheerleader.

“I always try to be a friendly face at cheer just because that’s what I always received,” senior Varsity Captain Abby Brand said. “Especially being the captain, I know that one of my main priorities is to make sure everyone feels welcome, excited to be there and have a positive attitude.”

According to Brand, the new cheer guidelines will help establish a stronger team and create a safe environment for both varsity and JV members.

“The point of having anyone make varsity [is] so that we have the best talent on the team,” Brand said. “Everyone is committed, and everyone can accomplish all the skills we want to have. We just have the best people on the varsity team, which is really great.”

one from Fox Sports, radio host Doug Gottlieb. Shortly after, ESD quarterback coach and former Dallas Cowboys quarterback, Troy Aikman defended Luck and his sanity to protect his mind and body. As soon as the video of Luck being shamed for retiring went viral, sports fans everywhere became aggressive toward the fan base—and for good reason too.

After eight seasons in the NFL and multiple unnecessary injuries, Luck decided there were more important things in life than making millions of dollars playing football. He missed twenty-six games in seven seasons, and along with decent football fans everywhere, I

applaud him for that decision.

College and professional football players jokingly say NFL stands for “Not For Long,” not National Football League. Except the funniest part is they’re not joking at all.

The game of football is glorious in every sense of the word. But it does come with side effects. The kind of side effects you see at the end of a medicine commercial, hoping the viewer won’t actually pay attention to the harsh reality of the drug.

Luck is not the first player to retire earlier than he was expected to. Former NFL running back Bo Jackson retired because of injuries, as well. Luck definitely will not be the last player to retire early.

His retirement will have a ripple effect on the league. The normal sixteen game schedule might become closer to fourteen games to give players a smaller chance of injury, along with other reasons. More and more safety rules will be created to protect quarterbacks.

I’m not saying all NFL players who are injury prone will retire earlier. Luck is his own special case. He stayed all four years to graduate from Stanford University, he loves literature and he congratulated opposing players after taking him to the ground. He loves football, but his life is more than just a game, more than fame and money too.

knudson

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Freshman Marguerite Davis and Mackenzie Brooks prepare for the varsity football game on Sept. 13

photo by Satori Griffith

Q The Office” or “Friends”?

56% 31% of students chose “The Office” of students chose “Friends”

41% 49% chose Instagram

What is your favorite form of social media? Q

Your Take

Q Q Netflix or Hulu?

32% of students chose pop chose Snapchat

Are you a dog person or a cat person? What is your favorite type of music? Q 17% 30% of students chose alternative of students chose rap

82% 15% Netflix Hulu

Q

Do you like that the Lower School is on the same campus?

66% yes

Learning the language

SPANISH IV VISITS MI ESCUELITA TO WORK WITH YOUNGER CLASSES

The Spanish IV class visited Mi Escuelita to volunteer on Sept. 16, giving students the chance to improve their Spanish.

The students were split among two pre-school classes and one fourth grade class. Junior Emma Sucato read books and asked questions in Spanish to the fourth graders.

“The kids are really cool,” Sucato said. “[The students] are so uplifting, and it is a really great start to the morning. Us coming there really brightened their day, and they were sad when we left. I can’t wait for the rest of this year.”

Spanish IV will continue to visit and learn with the students at Mi Escuelita every day six in the Upper School schedule rotation.

“At first, I was scared because of the language barrier, but it was so fun,” junior Ally Jeter said. “The kids were so sweet, and it was a great way for me to practice my Spanish.”

photos by Alán Benítez

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